What I'm Reading
Multiple points of view and distinctive settings are the theme this week
Each of these books features suspense in spades, expertly told from multiple points of view in such distinctive settings, they are nearly characters in their own right. There’s another theme which two of the novels share. If you can guess it, I’ll send you some book mail.
The Department
By Jacqueline Faber
A missing student. And then another. A Southern University. A small department whose faculty lead complicated personal lives. And so many secrets. This suspense, told in two points of view, will keep you guessing right until the end. Faber has written an atmospheric novel, where nearly everyone is living secret lives. I highly recommend this dark academia suspense novel.
Thank you to Ocean View Publishing for a chance to read this novel.
Available now
Desperate Deadly Widows
By Vanessa Lillie, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, Kimberly Belle
The widows are back in the follow up to the smash hit Young Rich Widows. The hair is big, the outfits outrageous, and the widows are still sorting out the mess their husbands left behind, when the death of the mayor of Providence threatens to take away all that they have fought to regain. Set in Providence, RI in 1987, the story unfolds in a city that has a character all its own. From scorned wives, to corrupt politicians, to greedy developers planning a complete reimagination of the city, there’s a lot to untangle. And the widows find themselves wondering if they can trust each other as they try to find the real murderer and clear one of their own.
Another tour de force from the writing team of Vanessa Lillie, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan and Kimberly Belle. Five Stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the opportunity to read an advance review copy.
Out April 8, 2025
The Last Ferry Out
By Andrea Bartz
After the tragic death of her fiancée, Eszter, Abby travels to the remote Isla Colel to try to come to terms with her loss. Hoping for more clarity about Eszter’s mysterious last days on the island, Abby tracks down the small group of expatriates who befriended Eszter only to have more questions arise about what Eszter was actually involved in. Unsure who to trust, Abby finds herself drawn deeper into the group, even as she feels danger surrounding her.
Bartz has fashioned a tale that is as lush and deadly as the nature preserve at the center of island life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Balentine Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy.
Out May 20, 2025