AUDIOBOOK REVIEW - Witness Safeguard Mission

 

Witness Safeguard Mission

by Carol J. Post

SeriesCanine Defense #4

PublisherHarlequin Audio

GenreInspirational Romantic Suspense

FormatALC

NarratorEmma Lysy

Length6 hrs 10 mins

Pages206

Pub. DateSeptember 29, 2026

Rating[★★★★☆]

DESCRIPTION

A family in a killer’s crosshairs.

A K-9 determined to defend.

When Nicole Woodard and her young sister witness their father’s murder by an unknown assailant, Nicole knows they’re next on the killer’s hit list. Now they must rely on Officer Braydon Feldman and his K-9 partner, Caesar, for protection. The killer will stop at nothing to silence the sisters and keep the crime hidden. But what could their father have been involved in that got him killed? With attacks coming from all sides and dangerous family secrets being exposed, can Braydon and Nicole stay alive long enough to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again?

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS

Nicole Woodard is desperate to keep her seven-year-old sister Maddie safe after they witness their father’s murder. What started out as a walk ends up being a run for their wives. Office Braydon Feldman and his K-9 Caesar are soon responsible for Nicole and Maddie’s safety. Now, whoever it is that killed their father now has their sight set on the two sisters. 

This Christian-themed thriller is a fast-paced and well-delivered story that keeps you on the edge of your seat with suspense, danger, and romance. 

Many thanks to Harlequin Audio and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carol J. Post is a New York Times bestselling author of fun and fast-paced Christian romance and Christian romantic suspense stories. Her books have won several awards and been nominated for two RITA® awards and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She is also a popular speaker, presenting workshops on a variety of craft topics. 

Carol especially enjoys research trips, which usually involve camping, with some hiking, kayaking and bonfires thrown in when possible. She also loves playing the piano and writing songs with her musical husband. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of two sassy cats—Ziggy and Ziva—who also love camping and are known to occasionally take over her blog with their “It’s Zaturday!” posts.

Web

Robin Loves Reading

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW - I Think I Was Murdererd

  

I Think I Was Murdered

by Colleen Coble; Rick Acker

PublisherThomas Nelson

GenreMystery & Thrillers

FormatAudio ALC

NarratorKaren Peakes

Length 9 hrs 46 mins

Pages352

Pub. DateNovember 11, 2026

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

A grieving young widow. The AI program that allows her to continue to "talk" to him. And a message she never expected: "I think I was murdered."

Just a year ago, Katrina Berg was at the pinnacle of her career. She was a rising star in the AI chatbot start-up everyone was talking about, married with an adoring husband, and had more money than she knew how to spend. Then her world combusted. Her husband, Jason, was killed in a fiery car crash. Her CEO was indicted and, as the company's legal counsel, Katrina faces tough questions as the Feds take over and lock her out of her office. The final blow is the passing of her beloved grandmother.

Her most prized possession is the beta prototype for a new, ultra-sophisticated chatbot loaded onto her phone. The contents of Jason's email, social media backups, pictures, and every bit of data she could find were loaded into the bot, and Katrina has "talked" to him every day for the past six months. She has been amazed at how well it works. Even the syntax and words the bot uses sound like Jason. Sometimes, she imagines he isn't really dead and is right there beside her. She knows it's slowing her grief recovery, but she can't stop pretending.

On a particularly bad day, she taps out: Tell me something I don't know. The cursor blinks for several moments and seems frozen before the reply flashes quickly onto the screen: I think I was murdered.

Distraught, Katrina returns to her cozy Norwegian-flavored hometown in the northern California redwoods and enlists the help of Seb Wallace, local restaurateur and longtime acquaintance, to try to parse out the truth of what really happened. They must navigate the complicated paths of grief, family dynamics, and second chances, as well as the complex questions of how much control technology has. And staying alive long enough to do that is far more difficult than either of them dreamed.

I Think I Was Murdered:

Features a unique look at grief through the lens of technology

Deals with current topics and themes

Will appeal to fans of Ruth Ware, Laura Griffin, Laura Dave, and Sarah Pearse

Includes Discussion Questions

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS

Katrina Berg’s life was going well until a year ago when she lost her husband, Jason, and became a widow. Tragically, an FBI raid occurred while Katrina was serving as legal counsel, and she also lost her beloved grandmother. Despite these devastating events, Katrina finds solace in a sophisticated chatbot installed on her phone. This chatbot allows her to communicate with Jason whenever she desires, and the conversations feel incredibly real, providing her with much comfort.

However, “Jason” communicates with her, revealing a shocking revelation: “I believe I was murdered.” This news is overwhelming, and as Katrina decides to return to her cozy hometown in North Haven, California, to attend her grandmother’s funeral, she really uses this time to rely heavily on the conversations with Jason. Initially, she anticipates a brief stay to attend the funeral, but her life takes an unexpected turn when she learns that she has inherited her grandmother’s restaurant. This unexpected inheritance shifts Katrina’s focus, leaving her grappling with the question of whether Jason was murdered and contemplating her next steps regarding the restaurant.

The most pressing matter is the murder mystery. Katrina believes Jason’s words conveyed through the chatbot, so she, along with the help of an old school friend, Seb Wallace, sets out to investigate the truth. Throughout the book, the reliability of the AI that Katrina relies on is questioned, and the shifting dynamics within her family begin to impact her.

Ultimately, the book raises the intriguing question of whether technology has become so advanced that it invades our lives while simultaneously rejuvenating us. Interestingly, this book was published two years ago, and the relevance of this question has only grown more pressing in today’s world. As a fan of Colleen Coble and Rick Acker’s writing, I eagerly requested this book as an audiobook as soon as it became available. Despite not reading the blurb beforehand, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Karen Peakes’ narration, as she brought the book to life, even at the expense of some speculative elements.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and to NetGalley for this ARC for review.  This is my honest opinion.

Reviewer’s Note: this book was originally published two years ago before the use of generative AI became as prevalent as it is now.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Best-selling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 4 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana. Visit her website at www.colleencoble.com.

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Rick Acker writes high-octane suspense novels during breaks from his “real job” as a Supervising Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice, which provides inspiration for his acclaimed legal thrillers. 

Rick has also teamed with award-winning romantic suspense author Colleen Coble to pen bestsellers such as I Think I Was Murdered and their Tupelo Grove series. Library Journal praises their “dynamic author partnership,” and predicts they “will continue to produce hits.” 

When Rick isn't writing or lawyering, you can usually find him with his wife Anette exploring in the hills east of San Francisco, watching a good movie together, or, of course, reading. You can visit him on the web at www.rickacker.com.

Robin Loves Reading

Review - It’s Not What You Think

 

It’s Not What You Think

by Clare Mackintosh

PublisherSourcebooks Landmark

GenreMystery & Thrillers

FormatKindle ARC

Pages416

Pub. DateSeptember 22, 2026

Rating🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

DESCRIPTION

He has a secret. She knows he's lying…

YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Nadeeka is certain Jamie is having an affair. She knows the tell-tale signs. She's been here before.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST

When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he's lying. He's with another woman, and she's determined to catch him in the act.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS

But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can't explain himself. The house has become a crime scene…Jamie is dead.

*First published March 26, 2026

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS

Well, the title of this book really says it all! It couldn’t be more appropriate because just when I thought I understood what was happening, Clare Mackintosh reminded me that I probably didn’t!

Nadeeka, a divorced mother of two, is convinced that her partner, Jamie, is having an affair. After the disastrous end of her previous marriage, she can’t believe she trusted another man. Determined to catch Jamie in the act, she instead discovers a horrifying truth: Jamie is dead, and her home has become a crime scene.

Clare Mackintosh skillfully sets the tone of this book, initially making it seem as though we are heading into a domestic psychological thriller involving infedelity. However, the story takes a much darker turn as the focus shifts to finding Jamie’s murderer. Also woven into the story are secrets, deception and people who aren’t necessarily who they appear to be. 

The book is brilliant because it delves into Nadeeka’s devastation over losing Jamie while also introducing another important storyline involving the police handling the case - DCI Lauren Caldwell and her partner and fiancé, Fraser Hogan. Both become key figures in the investigation and, consequently, in the story itself.

The story unfolds through multiple perspectives, including Nadeeka, Lauren, Fraser, and even some scenes from Jamie’s point of view. While the suspected affair isn’t the central plot, Jamie’s murder certainly is. But is it? What is the underlying scenario that has set everything in motion?

Readers are presented with a murder mystery that feels like a complex jigsaw puzzle, with seemingly impossible pieces. Just when you think you have one piece figured out, another piece changes the picture.

This book has a truly significant twist. Of course, as readers, we want to know who killed Jamie, but what we eventually discover is that this murder has a much deeper theme and backstory - one that gradually comes to the forefront as the story unfolds. I really enjoyed the way Mackintosh allowed that information to develop rather than giving everything away at once.

This is my first book by Clare Mackintosh, and I can confidently say that it won’t be my last. It’s Not What You Think is a captivating read filled with unexpected twists and turns. The book delves into darker themes, seamlessly transitioning into a sensitive subject that is woven into the plot. I had preconceived notions about the story, but Mackintosh’s writing kept me on my toes and surprised me at every turn. 

Many thanks to Sourcebook Landmark and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clare Mackintosh is a former police officer and a bestselling crime author. Her books have sold more than three million copies, been optioned for television and translated into 40 languages. She appears regularly at literary festivals and bookshop events across the UK and beyond.

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Robin Loves Reading

Review - Brain Damage

Title:  Brain Damage

Author:  Freida McFadden

Genre:   Psychological Thriller

Publisher:  Poisoned Pen Press

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   384

Date of Publication:   August 25, 2026

My Rating:   4 Stars

*First published April 29, 2016

DESCRIPTION:

How can you survive when you can't remember who wants you dead?

Dr. Charly McKenna had the perfect life: a thriving dermatology practice, a luxury apartment overlooking Central Park, and a handsome husband who adored her.

Until the night a bullet tore through her skull… and stole everything.

Now Charly wakes in a rehabilitation hospital unable to walk, speak, or remember her own name. All she knows is that someone tried to kill her―and they may still be out there. As fragments of memory surface, so do unsettling questions about the people around her, including the attentive man who keeps appearing at her bedside.

The truth of what happened that night lives somewhere inside her brain. And as Charly pieces together the jagged edges of her past, she begins to realize the most terrifying possibility: the person who wants her dead might be the one she once trusted most.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden comes a scalpel-sharp psychological thriller about fractured memory, buried secrets, and how far the mind will go to protect you from the truth.

Link to purchase the book

MY REVIEW:

I have been wanting to dive into Freida McFadden’s backlist, but time hasn’t really made that possible. So, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read Brain Damage, a book originally published ten years ago. If I needed a reason to start exploring more of Ms. McFadden’s work, this was the perfect place to begin.

Dr. Charly McKenna is doing quite well in her dermatology practice, even if some of her patients occasionally make her want to scream. When she meets a patient named Clark Douglas, she is immediately drawn to him. However, her professional ethics prevent her from dating a patient. After a sufficient amount of time passes, they reconnect - this time with Clark seemingly ready and waiting. Fast-forward, and Charly is now married to Clark, living in a beautiful apartment with a cute cat. She couldn’t be happier.

Until one day, she wakes up in a hospital bed, hearing people talk about her rather than speaking to her. Charly has been shot in the head, and it is a miracle she survived. Before long, she is transferred to a rehab facility, where her recovery is painfully slow. Her memories are fragmented, and her physical limitations are significant. While she desperately wants to regain her strength, she wants her memories back even more.

Charly isn’t sure how long she will remain in rehab, but she is determined to prove to herself, her doctors, and her mother that she can recover from this devastating tragedy. And then there is the question she can’t escape: Where is Clark?

It takes some time, but Clark eventually shows up - seemingly riding in on a white horse. He presents himself as the devoted husband, ready to take care of Charly and support her recovery. But as Charly’s memories begin to return, things are not quite what they seem. 

What a thrilling story! Twist after twist kept me turning the pages, and I honestly didn’t want to put this book down. I did, however, want to throw my Kindle more than once because Clark was absolutely horrid - nothing like the charming, enamored patient Charly first met in her office.

Freida McFadden kept me guessing, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the pieces of Charly’s fractured memory slowly fall into place. There are plenty of surprises along the way, and the ending left me very satisfied. If Brain Damage is any indication of what I can expect from Freida McFadden’s backlist, I definitely have some catching up to do!

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

#1 Amazon bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.

To hear Freida talk more about herself in the third person, visit her website: https://www.freidamcfadden.com/

Author social media

Twitter: @Freida_McFadden

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Freida-McFadden-Author-of-Psychological-Thrillers-and-Medical-Humor-400860063303345/

Instagram: @fizzziatrist

Newsletter sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/freida-mcfadden/

Review - The Thoroughbreds

 

The Thoroughbreds

by Elin Hilderbrand; Shelby Cunningham

SeriesThe Academy #2

PublisherLittle, Brown and Company

GenreWomen’s Fiction

FormatKindle ARC

Pages464

Pub. DateSeptember 15, 2026

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

While most of the characters in both The Academy and The Thoroughbreds are teenagers, there are enough adult characters and storylines to make these books cross several genres - young adult, romance, mystery, contemporary fiction, and more.

The Academy does a very good job introducing readers to Tiffin Academy, a school of privilege built on reputation, tradition, and appearances. Ranked as the second-best boarding school in the country, image is everything. And while the students’ escapades can be scandalous, protecting Tiffin’s reputation remains the priority.

The major characters in both stories include Charley Hicks, a transfer student who desperately wants to avoid being an outsider; Andrew “East” Eastman, Charley’s boyfriend, whose relationship with some of the female staff members creates its own complications; and Cinnamon Peters, a student who died by suicide before the events of both books. Although Cinnamon is never physically present in either story, her presence is felt throughout, and her story becomes an important thread running through both books.

There are also several strong adult characters who add another layer to the story. These include, Audre Robinson, the Head of School at Tiffin, Cordelia Spooner is the admissions director, and Simone Bergeron is a history teacher who seems unable to escape bad decisions - and the consequences that follow.

In The Thoroughbreds, the major characters are now seniors. We have had a chance to get to know the players, their motivations, their relationships, and their emotions in The Academy. Now their futures are calling, and for some of them, those futures are in jeopardy as they face increasingly serious consequences.

So, how do I feel about these books? I am not usually one for soap-opera-type drama, but I have to admit that the authors’ use of Cinnamon throughout the storyline was brilliant. There were so many strings to pull together, and just when I thought I had figured out where things were going, another one appeared. It was a little like watching a train wreck - I couldn’t look away.

While these books may not normally be my kind of drama, I found myself completely invested in the lives, secrets, and consequences at Tiffin Academy.

Link to shop the series

MY THOUGHTS

While most of the characters in both The Academy and The Thoroughbreds are teenagers, there are enough adult characters and storylines to make these books cross several genres - young adult, romance, mystery, contemporary fiction, and more.

The Academy does a very good job introducing readers to Tiffin Academy, a school of privilege built on reputation, tradition, and appearances. Ranked as the second-best boarding school in the country, image is everything. And while the students’ escapades can be scandalous, protecting Tiffin’s reputation remains the priority.

The major characters in both stories include Charley Hicks, a transfer student who desperately wants to avoid being an outsider; Andrew “East” Eastman, Charley’s boyfriend, whose relationship with some of the female staff members creates its own complications; and Cinnamon Peters, a student who died by suicide before the events of both books. Although Cinnamon is never physically present in either story, her presence is felt throughout, and her story becomes an important thread running through both books.

There are also several strong adult characters who add another layer to the story. These include, Audre Robinson, the Head of School at Tiffin, Cordelia Spooner is the admissions director, and Simone Bergeron is a history teacher who seems unable to escape bad decisions - and the consequences that follow.

In The Thoroughbreds, the major characters are now seniors. We have had a chance to get to know the players, their motivations, their relationships, and their emotions in The Academy. Now their futures are calling, and for some of them, those futures are in jeopardy as they face increasingly serious consequences.

So, how do I feel about these books? I am not usually one for soap-opera-type drama, but I have to admit that the authors’ use of Cinnamon throughout the storyline was brilliant. There were so many strings to pull together, and just when I thought I had figured out where things were going, another one appeared. It was a little like watching a train wreck - I couldn’t look away.

While these books may not normally be my kind of drama, I found myself completely invested in the lives, secrets, and consequences at Tiffin Academy.

Many thanks to Little, Brown and Company and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Robin Loves Reading