Tag Archive for: Alex Finlay

Reviews: HER DEADLY GAME & WHAT HAVE WE DONE

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Hey everyone! I hope your week is off to a great start.  At this point, I’m just hoping mine will be better than last week. I spent most of the week fighting a sinus headache and then someone on my team at work resigned so there way chaos and drama galore.  Between not feeling well and being tired of the drama, I pretty much laid on the couch like a blob every night from 5pm on.  Needless to say, no blog hopping happened so my apologies for that.  Anyway, enough of that, today I’m back to share some rare thriller reviews from me.  Alex Finlay and Robert Dugoni are two authors that have been on my list of authors to try for years now, and I decided it was time to finally make that happen.  Today I’m reviewing each of their newest releases.

 

Reviews: HER DEADLY GAME & WHAT HAVE WE DONEHer Deadly Game Goodreads

Author: Robert Dugoni

Publication Date: March 28, 2023

Publisher:  Thomas & Mercer

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley.  All opinions are my own.

 

My favorite legal thriller reads are those that offer up a perfect balance of police procedure, courtroom drama, and well developed characters.  Robert Dugoni’s latest standalone thriller, Her Deadly Game, delivers in all those areas and more.

The story follows Keera Duggan, a prosecutor in Seattle who has to leave her job for personal reasons. She ends up working at her family’s once successful but now failing criminal defense law firm.  The family firm’s reputation has taken a hit since Keera’s dad’s alcoholism started to impact his performance in court. When Keera is retained by Vince LaRussa, a successful investment advisor accused of murdering his wife, Keera hopes that her return to the firm will help to restore its reputation, give her own career a jumpstart, and most importantly, help to repair her relationship with her dad, which has also become strained due to the alcoholism.

The LaRussa case itself was fascinating and kept me on the edge of my seat.  I loved following all elements of the investigation, from the crime scene unit gathering evidence at the scene all the way through to the courtroom action once the case goes to trial.  All of these scenes were so detailed that I truly felt like I was there watching the case unfold in person.  I’m also always a big fan of underdogs, so I was Team Keera all the way.  Keera is up against not only the fact that in cases like this, the killer often is the husband, but also the fact that the prosecutor on the case is none other than her ex-boyfriend who would love nothing more than to take her down in court.  There’s also an anonymous tipster that has Keera chasing down possible leads in an intricate cat and mouse style game.

As riveting and twisty as the LaRussa case was on its own, the complicated family dynamic of the Duggan family was what really made this book a standout for me.  Patsy Duggan, the patriarch of the family, built his firm from the ground up, earning himself the reputation as ‘The Irish Brawler,” along the way.  Now that his drinking has made him unreliable, it’s up to Keera and her two sisters to keep the firm afloat.  The sisters of course love their dad, but there is definitely tension and resentment that they can’t count on him.  Some of my favorite scenes were those where Keera and her dad were working together on the case, with Keera holding him to his promise that he wouldn’t drink or let her down.  I became so invested in their relationship and was rooting for Patsy all the way to keep his promise and not let his girls down.

Her Deadly Game was my first time reading one of Robert Dugoni’s novels, but it definitely won’t be my last! 4.5 STARS

 

Reviews: HER DEADLY GAME & WHAT HAVE WE DONEWhat Have We Done Goodreads

Author: Alex Finlay

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Publisher: Minotaur Books

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley.  All opinions are my own.

 

What Have We Done is the latest thriller from Alex Finlay.  This was my first time reading anything from this author and I have to say it was a pretty wild ride!

This twisty story follows five seemingly different characters who on the surface have little in common – Ben is a federal judge, Donnie is a mostly washed-up rock star, Nico is a television producer, Jenna is a former assassin turned housewife, and Artemis is a wealthy entrepreneur.  What these five do have in common is that 25 years ago, they all lived at Savior House, a group home for orphaned teens.  While Savior House was meant to be a safe place for these teens, instead it was an environment of abuse and neglect and also a place where several teen girls that lived there mysteriously disappeared.  The home is eventually shut down and the teens all eventually go on to lead successful lives, although they all still have painful memories from their time at Savior House, as well as a deadly secret.

When one of them is killed, and attempts are made on the lives of the other four, it leads the now-grown Savior House kids to have a reunion they never expected to have.  It surely isn’t a coincidence that all of them have been targeted and they need to get to the bottom of who is after them after all these years and why.

I love a good twisty thriller so I really enjoyed how this novel was structured. The story unfolds primarily from the perspectives of Jenna, Nico, and Donnie, who were best friends while at Savior House.  We follow each of them from the moment the attempt is made on their lives and get their perspective on everything as they try to piece together what is going on, first solo, and then as a team once they finally meet up.  The story also alternates between past and present so that in addition to following these characters as they try to figure out who is after them, we also get flashbacks to when they were teens and therefore get a bird’s eye view of all of the horrors that took place at Savior House.

While I really enjoyed the story overall, I did have a couple of issues as I was reading, the first being that I didn’t particularly like any of the characters.  I was definitely sympathetic to what they were going through and how terrifying it must have been, but that was the end of my connection to any of them.  I also found myself preferring some of the perspectives over others, Jenna’s was much more interesting than the others so I found myself skimming through their chapters to hurry up and get back to hers. Overall, I enjoyed all three perspectives, but this did make for an uneven read for me. The skeptic in me also found all of their career choices to be somewhat farfetched – entertaining yes, believable not really.

Even with those few issues, I would still say I enjoyed my first Alex Finlay novel. I liked the suspenseful build up to the reveal and that the closer we got to the reveal, the wilder the ride became, and I definitely loved that the story kept me guessing until the final pages.  If you like twisty reads filled with dark secrets from the past, you’ll want to check out What Have We Done.  3.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Night Shift & Beneath Devil’s Bridge

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Sharon is back with Thriller Thursday! Sorry it has been a while since I posted my Thriller Thursday reviews, but life just got in the way. But all is good and back on track now. 🙂  This week I am happy to share my thoughts on Alex Finaly’s, The Night Shift and Loreth Anne White’s, Beneath Devil’s Bridge. I loved both of these books. They both involve relooking at old murder cases and figuring out if the original suspect was the correct one. I love this concept in thrillers because it always makes me put on my detective hat. LOL!

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Night Shift & Beneath Devil’s BridgeThe Night Shift Goodreads

Author: Alex Finlay

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Alex Finlay’s latest book The Night Shift, was everything I was hoping it would be. This was an edge of my seat thriller, that kept me guessing until the very end. It was also a trip down memory lane for me in regard to the Blockbuster Video store. Oh, the memories of the days of renting VHS tapes!

On New Year’s Eve in 1999, four teenage girls were attacked at a Blockbuster Video store in Linden, New Jersey. The only survivor was Ella. The police only had one suspect (Vince Whitaker), but before they could gather enough evidence to charge him, he disappeared and has not been seen since.  It is now fifteen years later and in the same town, four teenage girls were attacked at an ice cream store. The only survivor of this attack was Jesse. Ella is now a therapist and has been called to talk to Jesse and see if she can get any information on who attacked them. The only thing Jesse can remember is that the killer whispered to her “Goodnight, pretty girl.” These are the same words the killer whispered to Ella fifteen years ago. Has the original suspect resurfaced after all this time, and if so why? Or is there a copycat on the loose?

The story is told from the POVs of Ella, Sarah Keller and Vince’s younger brother, Chris.  All three of these characters will intercept as they each search for the truth, and their lives will be changed forever when the truth is finally revealed.

I really liked Ella. She was a damaged character, how could she not be with what she went through. But she is also a tough and determined character. She has formed a bond with Jesse and wants to do whatever she can to help her.  I also had a lot of sympathy for Ella. The current murders have brought back memories of the night she was attacked. Chris never believed that Vince was the killer in the 1999 murders. He and Ella team up when a mysterious vlogger, who Chris believes is Vince, has turned up in New Jersey.

Those of you who read Alex Finlay’s Every Last Fear, will remember FBI Agent Sarah Keller. I loved Sarah in both books. In this book Sarah has teamed up with local detective, Atticus Singh (yes he was named after the character from To Kill a Mockingbird and I loved every time this was referenced), and they are tasked with tracking down Vince Whitaker to see if he has resurfaced. During their investigation they discover that there were a lot of inconsistencies in the original investigation that pertained to evidence that pointed to Vince as the killer. I loved both of their determination to get to the truth.

I cannot really say what happens in this book, because anything I say will just spoil things. I will say though that The Night Shift is full of twists and turns and by the end of the book I was on the edge of my seat.  4 stars

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Night Shift & Beneath Devil’s BridgeBeneath Devil's Bridge Goodreads

Author: Loreth Anne White

Publication Date: June 1, 2021

Publisher: Montlake

I have had Loreth Anne White’s Beneath Devil’s Bridge on my to read list since last May and now that I have finally gotten around to reading it, I am kicking myself for not picking it up sooner.

In 1997, 14-year-old Leena Rai was brutally murdered. Respected family man and guidance counselor, Clayton Jay Pelley confessed to the murder. Rachel Walczak was the detective who investigated the case, and even though there were a lot of loose ends, when Clayton confessed, the case was closed. Now in 2021, True Crime Podcaster Trinity Scott’s new podcast “It’s Criminal” is focusing on Leena Rai’s murder. In a series of exclusive interviews, Clayton is ready to tell what happened that night. But no one expects it when Clayton says he did not kill Leena. Is Clayton lying now? Or was he lying then? And if he didn’t kill Leena, then the actual killer is still roaming free.  As Clayton reveals more about what happened that night, it becomes clear that a lot of people in Twin Falls are keeping secrets.

I love how this story was presented from two different POV’s and timelines. From Rachel’s POV we get both timelines. In 1997 we get to follow Rachel as she investigates Leena’s murder and in the present we follow her as she tries to make sense of why Clayton would now recant his confession and the consequences this has on her original investigation and the loose ends that were never followed-up on.  From Trinity’s POV, we follow her as she tries to interview everyone who was connected to the original investigation, as well as her interview with Clayton.

I thought all the characters in this book were very well written. All of the characters had flaws and secrets they were hiding, from the teenagers that were classmates of Leena’s to Rachel and even Trinity. I really cannot say what any of the secrets were, as that would just spoil things. I will say I kept thinking I had things figured out, but then a secret would be revealed that would push me in a different direction.

I also loved how Loreth Anne White was able to bring Leena to life. From both timelines we were able to get to know Leena through interviews that were done with her family and peers. I felt such sadness for Leena. She was an unpopular girl that was just trying to fit in.  She was also a talented girl with dreams and wanted to leave her mark on the world.

Beneath Devil’s Bridge starts off with a bang with the murder of Leena and does not stop. It is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. The only real issue I had with this book is that there were a lot of secondary characters to keep track of and I got a bit confused on who was who. But other than that, I would definitely recommend Loreth Anne White’s Beneath Devil’s Bridge.  4 stars

Reviews: Every Last Fear & Every Vow You Break

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Hello, it’s Sharon and I am back with Thriller Thursday. This week brings Alex Finlay’s Every Last Fear and Peter Swanson’s Every Vow You Break. I was intrigued by the synopsis of both of these books, and I am happy to say they did not disappoint.

 

Reviews: Every Last Fear & Every Vow You BreakEvery Last Fear Goodreads

Author: Alex Finlay

Publication Date: March 2, 2021

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Alex Finlay’s Every Last Fear is a suspenseful and heartbreaking story that follows the fate of the Pine Family.

Seven years ago, 18 year old Danny Pine was convicted of killing his girlfriend Charlotte and is currently serving a life sentence. He has recently been denied an appeal, even though a true crime documentary called “A Violent Nature” has shed doubt on his confession and guilt. And now 21 year old Matt Pine has been told that the rest of his family (his mother, father, 17 year old sister and 6 year old brother) have died from an apparent gas leak in their rental cottage while on vacation in Tulum, Mexico. The Mexican authorities have closed the case as accidental, but the FBI are not convinced it was an accident.

Matt Pine just pulled at my heart strings. With his brother in jail, it is up to Matt to go to Mexico to have the bodies of his family released and then plan the funeral. While in Mexico he is almost assaulted and then when he returns to his hometown he is met with a cold reception, thanks to how the documentary portrayed the community.  I felt so bad for Matt, I just wanted to reach into the book and hug him. And my tears were flowing when he said his final goodbye to his family during the funeral.

Another emotional part for me was when we were given chapters of the Pine’s in Mexico. The reason they were in Mexico was because Matt’s father was following up on some leads that could possibly prove Danny’s innocence. Just reading their thoughts and activities, knowing they are now dead made my heart ache for them. And then reading exactly what happened to them, it was like a punch in the gut.

The suspenseful part of the book centered around the investigation into what happen to the Pine family. FBI agent Sarah Keller is in charge of the investigation and I loved her. She was one tough cookie and would not stop until she uncovered the truth, not only about what happened to the Pine family, but also what happened the night Charlotte died. I also liked how caring and concerned Sarah was with Matt. She made sure she kept him up to date on the investigation, and she also made sure she checks on his welfare as well.

I also really liked Matt’s friends from college. When Matt returned to the dorms the morning after he got the news about his family, they were all waiting for him, and then they all flew to Nebraska for the funeral. It really warmed my heart to see them drop everything to be there for Matt. I was really glad Matt had that kind of love and support from his friends.

I really cannot say much about what was uncovered in the investigation because anything I say will just spoil it. But I can say that there were lots of twists and turns that took the investigation into a different direction than I thought it was going and I was on the edge of my seat as I was reading. When all was revealed at the end, I was literally sitting with my mouth open.  4 Stars

 

Reviews: Every Last Fear & Every Vow You BreakEvery Vow You Break Goodreads

Author: Peter Swanson

Publication Date: March 23, 2021

Publisher: William Morrow

Peter Swanson’s Every Vow You Break follows Abigail Baskin who is set to marry millionaire, Bruce Lamb.  At her bachelorette weekend in California, Abigail has a one night stand. When her fling shows up in New York just before her wedding, Abigail chalks it up to coincidence. But when he shows up on her honeymoon, Abigail knows her world is about to come crashing down. She just doesn’t know that her life could be in jeopardy as well.

This book starts off slow, but by the halfway mark when Abigail and Bruce are on their honeymoon, things picked up and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going on.

Bruce has planned the honeymoon on a secluded island in Maine called, Heart Pond. It is totally off the grid. There is no cell service, no internet and no TV.  I really liked this setting and as I was reading, I was picturing myself there swimming, hiking, reading, just all around relaxing. But unfortunately for Abigail, it was not all that romantic or relaxing. Not long after they arrived, Abigail noticed that aside from themselves and one other honeymooning couple, all the other guests were men. Well, this just set off my ‘The Stepford Wives’ radar and I was sure I knew where this story was going. Oh, how wrong I was. lol

After Abigail sees Jill, the only other woman on the island, in the woods one night in a bloody nightgown, she cannot make any of the men on the island, including her husband, Bruce, believe her. They tell her she could not have seen Jill because Jill and her husband left that morning. But Abigail knows what she saw and tries to find out on her own what happened to Jill. But as the men, including her husband, start to act strange, she does not know who she can trust. And it is becoming clear that whatever happened to Jill is going to happen to her unless she can find a way off the island. I really liked this part of Abigail. She did not just sit back and wait for what was coming; she formed a plan to get off the island, gathered her supplies and waited for the perfect time to execute her plan. And let me tell you, when she set her plan in motion she did not let any of the men get in her way. You go Abigail!

Aside from the slow start of the book, the other issue I had was that the characters were flat. While I liked Abigail’s tough persona on the island, I really would have liked to have known more about her, as well as her husband, Bruce. He was a very underdeveloped character. He actually came off to me as kind of juvenile, as did all of the men on the island.

Even with those couple of issues, once the action picked up on the island I was racing through the book because I needed to find out what was going on, why, and how it was going to end. The end did feel a bit quick to wrap up to me, but I did like the outcome.

3 ½ Stars