It is like the climate is fighting back. I'm stunned at temperatures in areas that have never experienced the like and who for the most part don't even have AC. The Northwest and Canada are not accustomed to the kind of temperatures that Arizona is used to having, and it is proving deadly.
Four years earlier, barrister Ingrid Lewis defended John Webster on a stalking charge and was successful. It doesn't take long before Ingrid realizes that Webster was guilty and has turned his manipulative powers against her. A sociopath with an obsession is a dangerous thing, and eventually, Ingrid finds her relationship with her fiancé in tatters, her home burned down, and the realization that Webster may always be a threat.
Then, having had no problems from Webster recently, another set of circumstances puts Ingrid in danger, and Ingrid immediately assumes it is Webster again. This time, however, Webster appears to want to help.
Aside form the typical suspicion of various characters that is typical in this kind of psychological thriller, there is an unexpected revelation about 60% in that provides an unexpected turn of events--that makes you wonder about the narrator.
A page-turner that (as is usual with Jane Casey) kept me involved. Casey is a skilled writer who can keep the reader engaged and a little off balance, not certain of the guilty party, but pulled one way or another as motives or information becomes available.
I enjoyed this one; it was nice to have Casey try something a little different, and The Killing Kind is certainly twisty and suspenseful.
I do, however, want more of Maeve and Josh and hope Casey isn't tired of them!
NetGalley/Harper Collins Suspense. Sept. 21, 2021. Print length: 480 pages.
The novels aren't for everyone, but Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have a huge fan base. The first in this long series is Relic, which was made into a movie in 1997.
What I liked about this one is that the novel has a connection to the famous and unsolved D.B. Cooper case.
These books are not literature; they are an amalgam of horror, supernatural, and suspense. I liked the earlier books better for the most part, largely for characters who are no longer part of the series, but I can't resist giving each new one a try.
The information about D.B. Cooper (even if the novel is fiction) made me curious about elements in the unsolved 1971 real life case. I'm not sure I like the importance of Constance in the later books.
Read in April.
NetGalley/Grand Central Publishing
Suspense. Aug. 17, 2021. Print length: 400 pages.
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The weeds are winning in the garden. Between the mosquitoes and the heat, the desire to get out and pull weeds is a challenge that doesn't appeal to me as much as it has in the past. I have discovered that if I use Tea Tree Oil on mosquito bites, the itching is lessened more quickly, so that's a plus.
The Nightmare Catchers continue to keep my interest and amuse me. I have so many scraps left over from the fidget quilts and other projects that simply browsing through bags of scraps have provided me with plenty of fabric with which to work. Below, Agnes is not the one that I originally intended for Bryce Eleanor (it was a much sweeter cat version), but she loved Agnes and her lavender backpack.
I love Agent Pendergast! Although you're right, the earlier books were better than the later ones have been. But I still read them. And the D.B. Cooper connection makes me even more eager to read Bloodless. And I absolutely love your Nightmare Catchers! They're so cute. I wish I was that creative and talented. :D
ReplyDeleteI still read each new Pendergast, too, but I miss the characters in the first books. I'm not all that fond of the way Constance developed.
DeleteSeeing that Nightmare Catcher in the Korean drama started the strange little creatures. :)
I still haven't recovered from the way they killed off Bill Smithback. I hated that they did that!
DeleteYes! I was an unhappy camper when that happened. And I think they made a mistake.
DeleteBoth of these sound really good. The D.B. Cooper connection has me so curious about Bloodless. And your Nightmare Catchers are awesome! I love them! :)
ReplyDeleteI know, that D.B. Cooper concept was a good one. He still crops up in the news every once in a while--kind of like Bigfoot. :)
DeleteThe Nightmare Catchers are fun to make!
I haven't read Jane Casey yet, but a standalone like this one may be the best place to try out her writing. I can't even keep up with the series I'm already reading now, and I'm reluctant to start another one. Remember when you had to wait for months and months to get your hands on another book in the one or two series you were really into? Yeah, me either.
ReplyDeleteNightmare Catchers are pretty cool. Agnes looks well up to the job. :-)
I like the Maeve Kerrigan books better, but some reviews favor this standalone. I do remember haunting the library shelves for new books in a series. I read the first Game of Thrones book in 1995 and waited three years for the next one to be published--after which, I pretty much lost interest and didn't even watch the television series. Finding a series that already had several books was what I liked best. Don't get to the library much anymore, but libraries were the mainstay of most of my life. Now, NetGalley and Amazon (yes, I do feel some shame) provide a lot of my reading.
DeleteAgent Pendegast is new to me. Someone to look for now.
ReplyDeleteThe Pendergast books are weird, and the first ones are the best. Some horror and mayhem in Relic, and Pendergast gets introduced, but he doesn't become the lead until about book 3. :)
DeleteThe Killing Kind sounds good to me! And all the best it's a standalone.
ReplyDeleteAs always, I'm enjoying viewing your craft works and I hope you'll share more of your Nightmare Catchers. :)
The Killing Kind is a full of twists and doubts! Thanks, Melody--more of the Nightmare Catchers are on the other blog. They've become something of an addiction!
DeleteWe've been complaining about the heat (and mosquitoes in the campgrounds), but at least I don't have to go outside and pull weeds! We'll be back home in a few more days and I'm so looking forward to the cooler temps on the Oregon coast. I'll probably complain that I'm freezing! ;)
ReplyDeleteI hope you have cooler temperatures and can enjoy the Oregon coast, Les!
DeleteI'm not familiar with these authors but your reviews are intriguing and make me think I should get to know them. Jane Casey's book in particular sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteWe continue to have rain showers almost every day and I am in a losing battle with the weeds in my garden. Such is the life of the gardener; it's always either too wet or too dry, too hot or too cold.
I complained about the rain every day, now I am complaining about the heat and having to water. Yes, such is the life of a gardener--and life in general, I suppose. Sometimes I think I use these complaints to avoid having to face the things that really frighten me, like why there are so few bees and butterflies in this year's garden.
DeleteThe Nightmare Catcher is so adorable. What a clever thing to do with quilting scraps!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I've had so much fun making these eccentric little monsters!
DeleteI don't want to talk about weeds. Haha. We need to get out and weed and I keep putting it off. It's just too hot. One of these days I'll pick up another Preston & Child book. They are fun books--and hard to put down.
ReplyDeleteLove the Nightmare Catcher.
The darn birdfeeders scatter seed like crazy, but weeds or bird watching seems a like a foregone conclusion. I'll watch the birds. :)
DeleteWe had some brutal temps here in Canada last week ... and it seemed to go on & on. Luckily we finally made it to the end of the heat dome. Very strange for the end of June. I like the Agnes doll ... lovable & sweet
ReplyDeleteYes, your temps have been frightening. Glad to hear things have improved! Becoming accustomed to strange weather appears to be the future. Thanks, for the sweet comment about Agnes. :)
DeleteAlthough I haven't been reading as many thrillers as I used to, if it's a Jane Casey book then it's definitely going on my list! Excited about this one. I love the Nightmare Catcher Bryce Eleanor chose. And, that's a great tip about tea tree oil. I hate mosquitos and even though they seem to love me! ha.
ReplyDeleteTea tree oil works more quickly than any of the other many other "anti-itch" products I've tried. It also prevents the bites from swelling, and since my bites tend to swell, that's another advantage. :)
DeleteI've only read a couple of non-fiction books by Douglas Preston. I just finished his short history of the American Museum of Natural History where he used to work. It was a bit dated, but fun and I suspect it had an influence (dinosaur bones and stuffed animals in the museum) on his fiction. I am pretty sure I would like his books with Lincoln Child. Just where to find the time to read everything I want to read!
ReplyDeleteThe Preston/Child books about Agent Pendergast aren't literature by any means, but the early books were spooky and suspenseful, and once I developed a taste for them, they were kind of like potato chips. :)
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