Great Mystery. No Lie.

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The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

This was the first book I’ve read by Riley Sager (pseudonym of Todd Ritter), but it won’t be the last. It’s a tightly-written psychological thriller with an ending I didn’t see coming. And I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen.

Emma Davis was thirteen years old when her middle-class parents surprised her with a stay at Camp Nightingale, a sleepaway summer camp for children of wealthy families. The camp is owned by billionaire Franny Harris-White, whose family has owned the immense Adirondack estate for decades.

Emma arrives at camp a few hours late, and the only cabin with a spot for her already houses a trio of older girls: Allison, Natalie, and Vivian. Vivian, the most worldly and experienced of the three, becomes Emma’s big sister for the summer and is clearly the boss of what goes on in the cabin.

One night Emma wakens to find her three cabinmates missing.

They never come back.

Following the massive police and FBI investigation, which turns up nothing, Camp Nightingale is shuttered. Who would want to send their kid to a camp where children go missing and are presumed dead?

Fifteen years later, Emma (now a professional artist) still struggles with the experience to the point of obsession. She questions the memories locked inside her head. What really happened to those girls? Was she responsible for their disappearance? Was she lying when she said she knew nothing about it?

Emma is shocked when Franny reappears in her life, having decided that enough time has passed and she’s going to reopen the camp. To Emma’s utter astonishment, Franny invites her back to be the art instructor.

Of course, Emma agrees. What follows is a twisty tale that parallels her first experience at Camp Nightingale in bizarre and unsettling ways. Three new girls, three more disappearances.

Something is very wrong at Camp Nightingale.

I love a good psychological thriller, and this one did not disappoint. There are enough twists to keep the pages turning, and that final twist is a doozy.

Emma is like every other young adult in the world, making some questionable choices while trying to find her way forward. What makes it harder for her is that she doesn’t know whom she can trust. She isn’t the only person who’s returned after fifteen years—other people who were crucial to the investigation are also back, along with a few new faces.

I liked the characters. Franny and her longtime aide, Lottie, have secrets they’re not about to spill. Franny’s two adopted sons do, too. The Harris-White family closes ranks when threatened, making it difficult for Emma to discover what they’re hiding.

One of the things I liked best about the novel was the evocative setting. I could picture the camp, the surrounding forest, and the lake. Imagining the disappearance of three girls in that vast wilderness gives me chills.

I’ve read a fair number of reviews for the book, and there are readers who think the middle drags a bit. That may be true, but it didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the mystery at all. I loved the way the author doled out bits of backstory throughout the novel, finally bringing the facts into the open.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes psychological thrillers with a dark and foreboding setting.

***

See you next time,

Amy

www.amymreade.com

That’s Novel

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A Novel Crime by Deborah Levison

Last month when I posted my review of Cover of Snow, I realized with horror that I never scheduled my February post to go out. So I’m sharing that one with you today. You’ll get another post later this month with my mystery review for April.

***

*I received an advance reader copy (ARC) of A Novel Crime and read it back in December. I posted the review (below) on NetGalley and the book actually came out on March 31st.*

***

Marcy Jo Codburn is meek and mediocre at most things (writing, her career as a real estate agent, catching and maintaining her daughter’s attention) and she stinks at others (staying married).

She’s writing a novel, and she’s convinced this is going to be HER year. She’s going to find an agent and a publisher, she’s going to sign a fat contract, and she’s going to find a filmmaker to option her work and transform it into a star-studded blockbuster.

At least, that’s her dream. And to be fair to Marcy, it’s not merely a dream of fame and fortune—it’s a dream of setting a positive example for her daughter, proving to the world that she’s a better mother than her own mother was, and getting out from under the mountain of regrets she has for putting her ex-husband’s career before her own.

But her dream gets turned on its head by this author’s engaging sleight-of-hand. I thoroughly enjoyed A Novel Crime, the story of a struggling writer’s descent into questionable, then unethical, then finally outright illegal behavior to achieve what she wants.

Marcy’s pen name (and alter ego) is Summer Branigan. Summer is an assertive woman with a plan (or should I call it a scheme?). Her single-minded focus on writing a bestseller compels her to do things that Marcy would never do. This has its positives and negatives for her, as a whole cast of characters is pressed into service (not always of their own free will!) to do Summer’s bidding.

I don’t want to give away the plot, but I do want to highlight a few of the things that made this book so much fun: first, it’s written in a way that pulls the reader into Summer’s head. We feel as if she is talking directly to us, explaining her actions, justifying them, and insisting that they’re (1) legal and (2) in everyone’s best interests.

Second, the story is witty. There are some laugh-out-loud moments and these are doled out liberally.

Third, it’s both light and dark—light because of the zany way Summer attempts to realize her dreams and dark because it tackles the very real and serious desires that so many writers share to hit it big.

I’ll take a quick moment to address something that other reviewers have brought up: the ending. In my opinion, this book ended exactly where it needed to. A different ending would simply have been too far-fetched and would have taught Summer (and her readers) all the wrong lessons.

Highly recommend!

***

See you next time,

Amy

www.amymreade.com

Run for Cover

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Cover of Snow by Jenny Milchman

I feel like I’m late to the party when it comes to books by Jenny Milchman. I’ve read her latest, The Usual Silence (which I recommend!), and I was eager to read more of her work. So I started with her debut novel, Cover of Snow.

Here’s a quick recap: Nora Hamilton wakes up one morning to find that her husband has hanged himself. Once the shock has worn off, Nora is determined to uncover the reason for her husband’s decision. He left no note, so the only clues she has are the contents of a keepsake box he left behind and the little she knows about his life before they met. It doesn’t take long for her to realize someone doesn’t want her poking around into her husband’s past, but nothing is going to stop her.

Not for lack of trying, though.

I would characterize this book as a mystery thriller. It’s highly imaginative, but also plausible. It’s got a cast of good guys and bad guys, and sometimes (just like in real life) it’s hard to know which is which. The action is steady and the tension mounts until it’s palpable.

I suppose that’s what I like most about the story: it’s a real page-turner. The author has a way of ratcheting up the suspense until I felt like I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

If you read the reviews online, you may see comments about some loose ends as the story comes to a close. Do they exist? Yes. Is there a neat answer for every question in the book? No. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a good book. It’s okay for a reader to have to use his or her imagination to determine what might come next for certain characters, or to reach his or her own conclusion about some issues.

If you like a fast-paced story with unexpected twists, give this one a try.

***

See you next time,

Amy

www.amymreade.com

A Picture-Perfect Murder

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Snapshot of a Murder by Alison Henderson

Snapshot of a Murder is book 1 in Alison Henderson’s Izzy Munro Mysteries, and I was hooked from the first sentence, which reads, “Turning forty was the third-worst thing that happened to Isadora Munro that day.”

Seriously, with that kind of an opening, you know it’s going to be a great book.

As the first sentence implies, Izzy Munro is hit with a one-two-three punch within the first couple of pages. She’s at rock bottom, and has no choice but to pick herself up and move on.

So that’s what she does, leaving San Francisco behind and moving to the small town of Carmel-by-the-Sea on California’s Central Coast. Her Great Aunt Dora used to live there, and when she passed away, she bequeathed Izzy her small cottage.

Now that Izzy has a place to live, the next item on the agenda is to find a source of income, since she can’t survive forever on savings and a severance package. She worked for a big insurance company in San Francisco, but her new small town is fresh out of fancy corporate jobs. You’ll have to read the book to learn how she solves her problem, but there’s a hint in the title.

And then … boom. Just as she’s settling in to her quaint new home and getting used to the bossy and opinionated cat that came with it, that’s when the first victim falls.

You knew there had to be a murder, right?

And Izzy is caught smack in the middle.

I won’t give away any more details because I hope you’ll read this book for yourself. But here are the things I loved about it: first, the characters in the book are delightful and you find yourself really rooting for Izzy. Second, the author clearly has a great sense of humor, and it shines in the engaging prose and the zippy dialogue. Third, the pacing is perfect. Not too fast, not too slow. Fourth, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep mystery readers on their toes. Fifth, I felt like I knew Carmel-by-the-Sea despite never having visited. The descriptions of the town are vivid and clearly written by someone who knows the area well. And finally, did I mention a certain Joe De Rossi, a handsome investigator with the Monterey County DA’s office? Yeah, he’s reason #6.

There’s a lot to love about Snapshot of a Murder. It’s fun and witty, but there’s a deeper message. It reminds me of the words usually attributed to Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho, “Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.”

It fits Izzy to a T.

***

See you next time,

Amy

https://www.amymreade.com/

The 5th Annual Virtual Cookie Exchange is Here!

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Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Happy Holidays! Welcome to the Fifth Annual Virtual Cookie Exchange, the brainchild of blogger and author Staci Troilo.

The Exchange is easy. Once you’ve read my recipe below, hop on over to https://stacitroilo.wordpress.com/2025/12/11/fifth-cookie-exchange/ and you’ll find the master list of participants and the recipes they’re providing this season. Visit some or all and start collecting a new batch of goodies for this year!

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES

makes about 3 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

3/4 c. butter at room temperature (1 1/2 sticks)

3/4 c. light brown sugar

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 large egg at room temperature

1 t. vanilla

1 T. golden syrup or molasses

2 c. flour

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

extra granulated sugar for rolling cookies (1/2 c. should do it)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and place two racks near the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream together the butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 c. white sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg and vanilla. Mix to combine. Add golden syrup (or molasses). Mix to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in 3 additions, beating after each addition until combined.

Place the extra granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using your hands, scoop out enough dough to roll into a 1″ ball. Roll the ball in sugar and place on a baking sheet. Repeat until you’ve used all the dough, placing the balls about 2″ apart.

Using the bottom of a small glass (or the palm of your hand!), press each ball gently. Don’t flatten it. Sprinkle each cookie with a bit more sugar.

Bake for 10-11 minutes. The cookies are done when the tops are slightly cracked and the edges are set. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then remove to finish cooling on a baking rack.

See the photo at the 9:00 position? Don’t let this happen to you!

***

Wishing you all a happy, healthy holiday season filled with warmth and love.

See you next time,

Amy

The Enemy Within

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Enemies Domestic by John DeDakis

Who wouldn’t pick up this book just based on this majestic cover? I love the font, which mimics that of the U.S. Constitution (I have a feeling that was not coincidental).

Enemies Domestic is book 6 in John DeDakis’ Lark Chadwick series, and the first novel I’ve read by DeDakis, a former White House correspondent and senior editor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.” I purchased my copy when Mr. DeDakis spoke about his career in journalism at one of my Sisters in Crime chapter meetings.

There are tantalizing hints of events in the first five books, so I’m eager to go back and read them. Starting with book 6 didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the story in the least.

Let me say up front that this is an unapologetically political book. You don’t have to take my word for it—the brief author’s note before Chapter 1 tells us the story imagines life for pregnant women (and in particular, the main character) in the U.S. in the era following the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

It’s Lark’s first day on the job as White House press secretary for President Will Gannon. It’s a job she didn’t even want, but the President is her friend and he’s in a spot. His previous press secretary was murdered and he needs a replacement yesterday.

Lark is most comfortable on the other side of the podium, as an Associated Press White House correspondent asking robust questions, and this new position puts her in an awkward place—the limelight. All this is made much worse when the first question shouted from a journalist in the press gaggle is whether she intends to have an abortion.

Lark didn’t intend to become pregnant, but it happened. And now her partner has died of a heroin overdose. Lark is facing a future as a single mom and she’s not sure she’s cut out for the role. She’s not far along, but she’s on the clock. The law in her home state of Maryland allows an abortion up until twenty-four weeks from the date of conception, so she has a serious decision to make. She’s adamant that her decision not be up for public debate.

Without revealing any spoilers, let me just say the reporter’s question is quickly followed by a series of explosive events that leave Lark fighting for her life and the lives of people close to her.

Whatever your politics, this is a riveting story with plenty of twists and turns. It’s labeled mystery/suspense, but I would argue it’s just as much a thriller, too. The book moves at a quick pace, allowing the reader to catch a breath as they turn the pages.

I like Lark. She’s smart and quick and gutsy, but she’s also a three-dimensional woman struggling with a tough, weighty issue that has profound consequences. She’s still mourning the deaths of her partner and the former White House press secretary. And aside from a small handful of people, she doesn’t know who she can trust in this volatile atmosphere.

I recommend this book for its suspenseful, twisty plot and for its ability to make readers think about their own views and biases, regardless of political party.

I’m off to read book 1 in the Lark Chadwick mysteries.

***

I’ve already mentioned this to my newsletter subscribers, but I’ve got a holiday promotion going on in my website store. Find all these offers at https://payhip.com/amreade.

The details:

  • For the first time, all the ebooks on my website have been discounted. Have fun designing your own ebook bundles!
  • You can now gift an ebook to anyone on your nice list! Click the “Give as a gift” box during checkout. All you need is your recipient’s email address.
  • I’ve created several paperback bundles for you to choose from. And if you want to design your own bundle, just reach out to amy@amymreade.com and I’ll be happy to arrange it for you!
  • The first bundle includes Books 1-3 of the Juniper Junction Cozy Holiday Mystery Series.
  • The second bundle includes Books 1-3 of the Cape May Historical Mystery Collection.
  • The third bundle is a sampler and includes Cape Menace, Trudy’s Diary, and House of the Hanging Jade.

AND, if you buy any three paperbacks, you’ll receive a free gift! You can choose from the following two choices:

  • a bookmark handpainted by me, or
  • two recipes designed for holiday meals and entertaining (Holiday Spiced Nuts, Chicken and Cashews).

Just tell me at checkout which gift you prefer. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to let me know how you want the books inscribed.

A huge thank-you to all my readers who have taken advantage of this offer and ordered gifts for their loved ones and friends.

***

See you next time,

Amy

https://www.amymreade.com

If Trees Could Talk, They Wood.

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In the Woods by Tana French

In the Woods by Tana French is the first book in the Dublin Murder Squad series.

Here’s what online retailers have to say about it:

“As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.

Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a twelve-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox—his partner and closest friend—find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.

Richly atmospheric, stunning in its complexity, and utterly convincing and surprising to the end, In the Woods is sure to enthrall fans of Mystic River and The Lovely Bones.”

***

I have lots of thoughts about this story. The first one is that I have rarely read a book with better-drawn characters. Each of the main and secondary characters is equisitely complex and the reader comes away feeling like they’ve been given a glimpse into the psyche of each one. The intricate dance that encompasses the relationships between and among all of them is well-plotted and precise.

Our narrator, Detective Rob Ryan, is a troubled soul and there’s good reason for that (as you read in the blurb above). Together with his partner, Cassie Maddox, he is trying to ferret out the identity of a child killer. This alone would be a lot for anyone, but Ryan is also trying to understand and reconcile the events that changed his life twenty years ago. Memories are fleeting and ethereal—images in his mind that flutter just beyond his reach. But he’s convinced his experiences have a connection to this recent murder.

This is not a book for the faint-hearted. It was originally published in 2007 with no mention of the more greusome details, but if it were published today it would probably come with a trigger warning. With that being said, its subject matter is tame compared to a lot of other books out there. But it did push me to the cusp of what I’m willing to read.

And now we get to the most interesting part of the book: the end. I’m not going to give away a single thing, but let me just say that there’s controversy surrounding it and I can see why.

I will say that upon finishing it, I immediately went online to see what other readers thought. And there are some very intriguing theories out there, some of which I agree with and some I don’t.

In sum, this was a fascinating read that I didn’t want to lay aside for things like food and sleep. It’s well-paced, exciting, and thought-provoking.

If the subject matter doesn’t put you off, I encourage you to read In the Woods yourself and make your own decisions. And if you do read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

***

See you next time,

Amy

https://www.amymreade.com

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

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The Forger’s Daughter by Susan Cory

It has been a while! I’d like to thank everyone for continuing to support my blog, and one reader in particular who pointed out that it’s been a long time since I posted.

I’m going to do my best to keep to my one-review-a-month promise, and so the blog reset is here!

Full disclosure, this month’s mystery was written by one of my critique partners.

The Forger’s Daughter is Book 8 in the Iris Reid Mystery Series. I’m a big fan of the books and recommend all of them. Each novel has a fully encapsulated mystery, and readers can get a good handle on the characters no matter where they start in the series. Some people like to start with the first book; some don’t care where they start as long as they can get into the mystery quickly. I’m in the latter camp, but no matter where you fall on the continuum, I recommend all of Susan Cory’s books.

Here’s my review:

In the latest Iris Reid mystery, Iris finds herself thrust into a world of deception, desperation, and danger.

All she wants to do is help Ash, her boyfriend’s son, locate a missing friend, Luna Esposito. Luna is a brilliant artist, but one who doesn’t easily divulge information about herself or her past. When Ash receives a panicked call from her, he knows she’s in trouble. He turns to Iris for help, and they soon find out Luna isn’t the only one in peril.

In this fast-paced art forgery thriller, readers race along with Iris to locate the missing artist before time runs out. The villain, whom we meet fairly early on, is adept at keeping himself and his business practices well-hidden and will go to great lengths, even murder, to hold on to the power, wealth, and prestige he has accumulated.

As always in the Iris Reid books, the characters are three-dimensional and complex. We continue to learn more about Iris, her boyfriend Luc, and Ash in each installment of the series. The settings, from the tony world of Beacon Hill to the grittier neighborhoods surrounding Boston, are well-drawn and realistic.

From the first page, this book doesn’t let up. The quick, even pacing provides the reader with enough excitement to keep them reading late into the night while allowing them moments to digest and process the events taking place on the page.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for something well-written and exciting!

***

See you next time,

Amy

https://www.amymreade.com

Stumbling Block…or Stepping Stone?

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No Stone Unturned by Pam Lecky

Lucy Lawrence is having doubts about her marriage to Charlie when he is found dead on the streets of London in this Victorian-era mystery full of intrigue, danger, and surprises.

As time passes and the circumstances of Charlie’s recent business dealings come to light, it becomes clear that Lucy’s doubts were well-founded (though not for the reasons she thought). With her financial future uncertain, Lucy reluctantly heads to her family’s estate in Yorkshire for the holidays, only to find malice and ill will awaiting her. When she is charged with the theft of a priceless family heirloom, things look bleak for her indeed.

What’s worse, Lucy can’t decide whether Phineas Stone, an enigmatic insurance investigator assigned to a case involving her late husband, is a good apple or a bad seed.

The characters in this novel are highly developed and three-dimensional, adding layers of emotion and depth to the story. The plot is unique and engrossing, with lots of twists to keep readers interested and turning those pages.

Lucy herself is a delightful heroine, full of spunk and attitude. No one can tell her what to do (well, they can try—but she isn’t about to follow orders, especially from a man). The dialogue is full of wit, intelligence, and even humor. With the help of her maid, Mary, and a couple good friends, Lucy is determined to clear her name and forge her own future.

I highly recommend this book to any lover of historical mysteries. I’ve already read book 2 and I’m in the middle of book 3!

***

See you next time,

Amy

www.amymreade.com

The 4th Annual Virtual Cookie Exchange is Here!

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Double Chocolate Biscotti

Happy Holidays! Welcome to the Third Annual Virtual Cookie Exchange, the brainchild of blogger and author Staci Troilo.

The Exchange is easy. Once you’ve read my recipe below, hop on over to https://stacitroilo.wordpress.com/2024/12/12/fourth-cookie-exchange/ and you’ll find the master list of bakers and the recipes they’re providing this season. Visit some or all and start collecting a new batch of bakes for this year!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c. + 2 T. flour

1/4 c. + 2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, room temperature

3/4 c. + 2 T. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 t. vanilla extract

1 c. chocolate chips, any variety (I used semi-sweet for this batch, but the next time I make it I’m going to use white chocolate)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar using a hand mixer on low-medium low until light and fluffy. This should take at least 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Add the chocolate chips. Using the hand mixer, mix on low speed until flour streaks disappear. Do not overmix.

You can use a fresh work surface for the next step, but I just use the parchment paper/silicone mat that’s already on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the surface or paper/mat with flour and tip the dough onto the surface. It will be sticky, so use a spatula to make sure you get all the dough out of the bowl. Sprinkle the dough with a little more flour (to make it easier to work with) and shape it into a ball.

Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the ball in half. Pat each half into a rough log shape. If you’re not working on the parchment paper/mat already, place the logs on the paper at this time.

Shape each log until it’s 2-3 inches wide and 3/4 inch tall. Place the logs a little bit apart to allow for spreading during baking.

Bake for 35 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Do not turn the oven off.

Remove each log to a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, slice into pieces about 3/4 in. wide.

Place each piece back onto the same baking sheet, this time with a cut side down. Bake for another 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes before transferring to a baking rack to cool completely.

These make great Christmas gifts! A clear bag and a pretty ribbon are all you need!

Wishing you all a happy, healthy holiday season filled with all your favorite people and things!

Until next time,

Amy