Review - We Chase Shadows

We Chase Shadows

by Richard Osman

SeriesWe Solve Murders #2

PublisherPamela Dorman Books

GenreMystery & Thrillers

FormatKindle ARC

Pages352

Pub. DateSeptember 15, 2026

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

#1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Osman’s globe-trotting series “We Solve Murders” returns with the thrilling new mystery, We Chase Shadows.

Back together.

Back on the case.

And back to solving murders . . .

At sunrise, high in the Italian hills, a body is found on the steps of a beautiful private villa. On the body is a threatening note, signed by a mystery man.

Back at We Solve Murders HQ, Amy, Rosie, and Steve leap at the chance to take on their first proper case. So what if their new client seems to have his own reasons for avoiding the police? All they need to do is uncover who left the note, and then find them. Simple.

But once they start digging, the suspects keep piling up: there’s Sweden’s most-wanted criminal, a canny ex-wife and a fierce business rival – yet the murderer keeps evading them. And as the trio chase a villain through the shadows, danger travels closer to home . . . 

Between Italy and Palm Springs, via Barcelona and Steve’s village pub, can the team catch an elusive killer who knows EXACTLY where to hide?

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MY THOUGHTS

Richard Osman has done it again with We Chase Shadows, the second book in his delightful We Solve Murders series.

Steve Wheeler, his daughter-in-law Amy, and thriller writer Rosie D’Antonio have already proven they can solve murders anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to drum up much business - until Rosie promotes their detective agency during a daytime talk show appearance. Suddenly, they have a client: wealthy Italian vitamin and supplement salesman Vern Blackwood.

When Vern’s bodyguard is murdered and a mysterious note points to the elusive Jakob Eriksson, Steve, Amy, and Rosie are once again off on a globe-trotting investigation. Men with criminal pasts who had formed an illicit pharmaceutical products business with Vern are being killed one by one.  The trio travels from Italy to Sweden, Barcelona, Palm Springs, and beyond in search of answers - and Jakob.

What I enjoy most about this series is how Osman has taken three very different people and turned them into a genuine family. Add the humor, terrific pacing, international settings, and an elusive mystery, and We Chase Shadows is an immensely enjoyable addition to the series.

I’m already looking forward to seeing where this wonderful detective agency goes next!

Many thanks to Pamela Dorman Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Osman is an author and television presenter. His novels, The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed, The Last Devil to Die, and We Solve Murders were number one international bestsellers as well as New York Times bestsellers. He lives in London with his wife, Ingrid, and their cats Liesl and Lottie. The movie adaptation for The Thursday Murder Club released in 2025, produced by Amblin Entertainment.

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Review - I’ll Be Watching You

  

I’ll Be Watching You

by Allison Brennan

SeriesAngelhart Investigations #3

PublisherHanover Square Press

GenreMystery & Thrillers

FormatKindle ARC

Pages384

Pub. DatesSeptember 15, 2026

Rating🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

DESCRIPTION

In New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan’s latest Angelhart Investigations novel, Margo finally has a new lead in the case that tore her family apart.

Private investigator Margo Angelhart has recently rejoined her family’s PI business, but she never forgot the reason she walked away. Three and a half years ago, her father, Dr. Cooper Angelhart, pled guilty to killing his colleague. While she never believed he was guilty, her mother, Ava, refused to help investigate and wouldn’t explain why.

When a nurse who once worked with Cooper reaches out, Margo leaps at what could be a potential lead…only to stumble across the nurse’s grisly murder. Then, Cooper is mysteriously transferred to a penitentiary out of state in the middle of the night, and Ava finally discloses why her husband confessed to a murder he didn’t commit.

Now the entire Angelhart family must fight to clear Cooper’s name. But every step they take drags them deeper into a deadly conspiracy…and into the crosshairs of some very powerful people with fortunes on the line. They’ve killed to keep their secrets before. And this time, the target is an Angelhart.

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MY THOUGHTS

In I’ll Be Watching You, Allison Brennan delivers a gripping thriller centered on private investigator Margo Angelhart and her family’s investigation into a case that hits very close to home. Margo is determined to prove that her father, Dr. Cooper Angelhart, is innocent of murdering his colleague. She refuses to stop searching for answers until he is pardoned and released from prison.

Margo has had an interesting past. She is former military, and after leaving the service, she worked as a bartender for awhile. She eventually earned her PI license and struck out on her own. Unfortunately, she had very few clients and struggled to make ends meet. After being estranged from her family, one of her cases brought her together with her brother Jack, a detective and also a PI and member of the family business, Angelhart Investigations. Before long, Margo joined the family agency.

Work has is now keeping Margo busy, but something even more important has her attention: clearing her father’s name. Margo is contacted by one of her father’s former colleagues, Liz, who tells her about a particular medical record that might help prove Cooper did not commit the murder. But before Margo can meet with Liz, she and her husband are brutally murdered. To make matters even more complicated, Cooper is suddenly transferred to a prison in another state.

The shocks don’t end there. Margo discovers that her mother, Ava, has been keeping a devastating secret from the family - one that could explain why Cooper confessed to a crime he didn’t commit. Because Ava knows the reason behind his confession, Margo and the rest of the Angelhart Investigations team finally come together to clear Cooper’s name.

But the fight to prove her father’s innocence leads to something much bigger. The deeper Margo and her family dig, the closer they come to uncovering dangerous secrets. Meanwhile, Margo’s new relationship is going well, adding another personal dimension to the story. There are secrets, deception, murder, and people with plenty to lose if the past is exposed. As the danger escalates and the stakes become increasingly personal, Margo must rely on her investigative skills and the people closest to her to uncover the truth before someone else pays the ultimate price.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ALLISON BRENNAN is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over thirty novels. She has been nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers and the Daphne du Maurier Award. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, Allison lives in Arizona with her husband, five kids and assorted pets.

Social Links:

Author website: https://www.allisonbrennan.com/

Facebook: @AllisonBrennan

Twitter: @Allison_Brennan

Instagram: @abwrites

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/52527.Allison_Brennan

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Review - The Wonder of One

The Wonder of One

by Suzanne Redfearn

PublisherLake Union Publishing

GenreFiction; Coming of Age

FormatKindle ARC

Pages381

Pub. DateSeptember 15, 2026

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

From the #1 Amazon bestselling author of In an Instant comes an inspirational coming-of-age story about one extraordinary girl’s determination to chase a dream.

Vivien Kendall has always been different. Born with a birthmark covering much of her face, she’s been bullied, ridiculed, and mistreated as a child. But at the age of six, Vivien learns that in each of us there burns a spirit flame—a deep belief in oneself that must be nurtured and never allowed to go out.

Living by that wisdom and through the enduring friendships of her nanny, her mentor, and the legend who eventually becomes her coach, she chases her dream to someday become the greatest figure skater in the world.

Along the way, she faces a rapidly evolving world full of modern prejudice and injustice. She falls in love, has her heart broken, learns what it means to win or lose, and discovers the wonder of one, the power within each of us to change things.

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If you focus on everything that’s gone wrong, it will feel like everything is wrong. 

But if you find the nuggets of life within the gloom, those small glimmers can change your perception entirely. 

MY THOUGHTS

Vivien Kendall endured severe bullying and mistreatment from a young age. Born with a congenital melanocytic nevus, a birthmark covering most of her face, she faced a lifetime of judgment based on her appearance. Yet Vivien develops an inner strength that helps her focus on the people who see beyond the surface and recognize who she truly is.

At the heart of this coming-of-age story is the idea of maintaining self-worth despite prejudice and refusing to let other people’s opinions define you.

Vivien’s life takes an exciting turn when a legendary figure-skating coach agrees to train her. As she pursues ambitious goals, she experiences both the joy of success and the disappointment that comes with falling short. Her journey ultimately becomes one of learning about herself, resilience, and what truly matters.

While I appreciated the themes of perseverance, kindness, and compassion, I didn’t connect with the story as strongly as I had hoped. Vivien’s journey was meaningful, but overall, the book was just an okay read for me.

Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Suzanne Redfearn is the award-winning author of Six novels: Hush Little Baby, No Ordinary Life, In an Instant, and Hadley & Grace, Moment in Time, and Where Butterflies Wander. In addition to being an author, she’s also an architect specializing in residential and commercial design. She lives in Laguna Beach, California, where she and her husband own two restaurants: Lumberyard and Slice Pizza and Beer. You can find her at her website, www.SuzanneRedfearn.com, on Facebook at SuzanneRedfearnAuthor, or on Instagram at SuzanneRedfearn.

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AUDIOBOOK REVIEW - The Girl Who Lived

The Girl Who Lived

by Morgan Greene

SeriesDetective Alexandra Marshall #1

PublisherBookouture Audio

GenreMystery & Thrillers

FormatALC

NarratorElise Roth

Length10 hrs 56 mins

Pages404

Pub. DateJuly 31, 2026

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

Five girls were taken. Only she survived…

Twelve years ago, Detective Alexandra Marshall crawled out of her own grave—beaten and broken, with no memory of how she got there and a symbol carved into her skin that she doesn’t understand. The only survivor, she will never forget the piercing screams of the four girls who lost their lives that day.

But when two women are murdered and another is abducted from the mist-shrouded pine forests around the little mountain town of Newport, symbols left on the bodies, Alex knows the killer that has haunted her for years has returned…

No one in town is willing to talk. But Alex’s need for justice doesn’t stop because doors slam in her face. She won’t let this twisted monster kill another innocent soul. And soon, she will find herself fighting not just for the truth, but for her life…

A totally addictive and heart-pounding crime and mystery thriller from the bestselling author of Angel Maker . Fans of Mary Stone, Lisa Regan, Elle Gray and A.J. Rivers will not be able to stop turning the pages!

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MY THOUGHTS

The Girl Who Survived by Morgan Greene is a gripping thriller about survival, resilience, and refusing to let the horrors of the past define who you become.

She was never meant to survive.

Thirteen years ago, Detective Alexandra Marshall - Alex - was one of five girls kidnapped by a brutal killer. She was beaten, tortured, and left for dead. Before abandoning her, the killer carved a gruesome symbol into her body. The other four girls were marked with the same symbol. Alex was the only one who survived.

But Alex is more than a survivor. She refused to allow that horrific experience to define her life. She joined the police force and worked her way up to become a detective with the local police department.

Now, a two brutal murders have rocked Newport, Washington, and the sudden disappearance of the police chief only adds to the growing sense of unease. When Alex is called to one of the crime scenes, she immediately notices something horrifying: the victims bear symbols eerily similar to the one carved into her all those years ago.

Could the killer have returned? And if so, what is the ultimate agenda?

With yet another woman now missing, an uncooperative town, and even resistance from members of the local police department, Alex faces obstacle after obstacle as she tries to uncover the truth. But she is relentless. She refuses to back down, determined to identify the killer before more lives are lost.

Alex is not simply the girl who lived. She is the girl who survived. The girl who thrived. The woman who refused to be defined by her past.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in the Detective Alexandra Marshall series and am already looking forward to the second installment, The Missing Wives. I also loved Elise Roth’s narration and sincerely hope she continues voicing Alex throughout the series. Her performance added another layer to an already compelling story.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Morgan Greene grew up in Wales, and works a copywriter, editor, and author. Morgan studied Creative Writing and English Literature at Swansea University with a focus on narrative structure and theory, and published the first crime novel in the Jamie Johansson series in 2020. Since its release, the series has gone on to reach bestseller status, with Detective Jamie Johansson quickly becoming a reader favourite.

The series blends classic Scandi-noir elements with modern and cinematic thriller writing to create a unique style that adds to the emerging Brit-noir genre. Jamie has many novels ahead of her, but Morgan is also working on a variety of other projects across crime, thriller, and mystery and plans to publish plenty more in 2022 and beyond.(less) 

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Review - Witness 8

Witness 8

by Steve Cavanagh

SeriesEddie Flynn #8

PublisherAtria Books

GenrePsychological Thriller

FormatKindle ARC

Pages406

Pub. DateMarch 25, 2025

Rating🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

DESCRIPTION

This riveting psychological thriller from Steve Cavanagh, author of Kill for Me, Kill for You, asks: What if the witness was more dangerous than the killer?

Something is wrong with Ruby Johnson.

A former resident of the ultra-elite Manhattan upper class, Ruby now works as a maid in the type of houses she used to live in. Unassuming, she sees everyone’s dirty secrets from the inside of their beautiful, renovated brownstones. But when Ruby witnesses a murder, she has wicked plans in mind that don’t involve telling the authorities the truth.

Eddie Flynn, streetwise ex con-artist-turned-defense attorney, is the only lawyer in New York City willing to take on hopeless cases. And none is more hopeless than John Jackson’s—the gun that killed his neighbor found, with Jackson’s DNA, in his own home. Flynn and his unconventional team will need to use every trick they know to keep an innocent man from being locked up. But to save his client’s life, Eddie must first protect his own, as the scariest organized criminals in the city are out for his head.

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MY THOUGHTS

Witness 8 is another exceptional legal thriller in the Eddie Flynn series. In this latest installment, Eddie’s case takes on a different flavor. A woman has been murdered, and there appears to be a reliable witness. The man on trial is John Jackson, and Eddie believes he is innocent. But with the evidence stacked against John, the police have little reason to look elsewhere.

Enter Ruby Johnson. Ruby is a nanny and maid for the wealthy elite on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Because she is working class, she is essentially invisible to her wealthy clients. But when she witnesses the murder of her neighbor, she does something rather unusual. She takes the murder weapon and uses it to frame John Jackson, a respected pediatric neurosurgeon and one of her clients, for the murder.

If Eddie is going to use his skills as a former con artist and talented defense attorney, he will have to prove John’s innocence while also figuring out the enigmatic Ruby. This is no easy situation for Eddie, especially as he gets to know Ruby. She has a tragic past, and while her stories may initially seem believable, the more Eddie talks to her, the more he begins to doubt her.

What makes this story different from the others in the series is Ruby. She is the puppeteer pulling the strings, and she proves to be a formidable opponent for Eddie. The fact that Ruby is manipulative makes her an especially interesting adversary because manipulation is something Eddie knows all too well from his days as a con artist.

Cavanagh has created a battle of wits between two people who know exactly how to manipulate a situation - and watching Eddie try to outsmart Ruby is what makes Witness 8 such a page-turner.

Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Cavanagh is the multi-million bestselling author of the Eddie Flynn novels and standalone thrillers. In 2018 The Liar won the Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger for crime novel of the year. In 2019 Thirteen won the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the year 2019. 

All of his novels have either been nominated for awards, or have won awards internationally.

He is a former lawyer, and was born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he still lives.

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