Book Review: MOTHER KNOWS BEST

PUB DATE: 9/10/10

PUBLISHER: Crooked Lane Books

GENRE: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery and Suspense Medical Themed Drama

RATING 5/5

Synopsis/Thoughts:

Claire Abrams is a journalist who carries a rare genetic mutation that is passed down to her offspring. The death of her son Colton at the young age of 8 yo was so devastating for her that lead to her depression and desperation. The only way she can have a child is if there is a way to genetically alter her DNA. Through her support group, she found and connected with Dr. Robert Nash, a brilliant fertility IVF doctor and Jillian Hendricks, a Harvard trained researcher who were able to genetically manipulate DNA from 3 people, which is not only against the law but also highly unethical. Claire’s husband Nathan who is head of Ethics at Columbia discovered what happened and reported the crime which leads to criminal charges for the three. Jillian serves three years in prison, while pregnant Claire and Dr. Nash flee and hide with new identities. Abby, Claire’s daughter, grows up very healthy and have made it to her double digits surpassing Colton. One of Abby’s class assignment is to send their DNA swab sample. The results lead to more questions from Abby and the unfolding of the secrets Claire and Nash tried to hide from over a decade ago is now catching up to them. Jillian over the years has been planning her revenge and will not stop at nothing to get back what she felt was taken from her and the injustice she suffered through. 

MOTHER KNOWS BEST is a fantastic and fast-paced read about a hot topic that is current and timely regarding designer DNA and the ethical questions on these scientific advancements. Besides the unique premise, the book is an amazing psychological thriller that focuses on moral dilemmas, ethical questions, and the cost people go through to get what they want. The story is told in alternating narratives between Claire, Jillian and Abby. Claire and Jillian’s narrative tells about the past and present viewpoints. The stories by both these women were told with such amazing passion and visceral emotion that will keep you turning the pages unable to put down for major cliff hangers between the story lines. Abby’s narrative tells of the lies and deception that is affecting the family dynamics and relationships of the characters connecting the women’s stories. I enjoyed the action pack sequence and some of the eye-opening and gasping surprises that Peikoff added to the story line. I was captivated from the beginning and did not let go until I devoured this book to the end. I highly enjoyed this read and recommend it highly!!

I voluntary reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Crooked Lane Books. All views expressed are my own honest and objective opinion. #partner

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kira Peikoff

Kira Peikoff is a graduate of New York University with a degree in journalism. She also holds a Master of Science degree in bioethics from Columbia University. Her articles have been published in a variety of major media outlets, including The New York Times.

 Since 2017, she has been the Editor-in-Chief of leapsmag, a digital publication that covers innovation and ethics in the life sciences for a mainstream audience. Peikoff lives in New Jersey with her husband, son, and the world's cutest dog. 

Book Review: Word to the Wise

TITLE: Word to the Wise
SERIES: Library Lover's Mystery Book #10
Publisher: Berkley Pub
PUB DATE: 9/3/19
GENRE: Fiction Cozy Mystery


SYNOPSIS: It's no-holds-barred murder, in the latest page-turning Library Lover's Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Hitting the Books.


THOUGHTS: "Word to the Wise" Book #10 of the Library Lover's Mystery Series by Jenn McKinlay is a cozy mystery with an edge! I absolutely LOVED this and highly recommend this book.

The setting is Briar Creek, where Lindsey is the Library Director, and who is also in the midst of planning and getting ready to marry Fiancée Captain Mike Sullivan "Sully". Enter Aaron Grady, a new comer in town, who is a gardening enthusiast, and who is also smitten with Lindsey. Grady's stalker behavior escalates, and later ends up murdered and Sully becomes the primary suspect. I truly enjoyed this cozy with a thriller undercurrent that gave me a bit of the creeps in the best way possible.

I enjoyed it so much that I devoured this book over the long week-end in an afternoon. I did not get up until I got through this addictive and thrilling cozy mystery. I also wanted to mention that I loved the Crafternoons mention in the story and made this a really cozy read feel for me. The Crafternoons are a group of book lovers discussing their current read, while also enjoying a meal and a craft activity. What I also loved is the bonus in the back of the book on discussion questions, a craft activity, and along with some recipes for a charcuterie board, Greek Salad Skewers and even a White Chocolate Cake with Raspberry filling.

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Pub for the ebook ARC copy for my honest and objective review.




RATING: 5/5




AUTHOR INFO:

Jenn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of several mystery series and will be debuting a new women's fiction series in June 2017, starting with the title About a Dog. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with kids, pets and her husband's guitars. 



Book Review: SMOKESCREEN

Pub Date: July 30, 2019

Synopsis: Eve Duncan Series #25 - Eve Duncan, forensic sculptor, journeys to Africa to help families torn apart by a violent attack deep in the jungle--but she may be putting herself in more danger than she knows. Jill Cassidy, a journalist, asks Eve Duncan's help to go to Africa. Half the villagers--many of them children--have been killed in a horrific attack by guerilla soldiers and the bodies burned beyond recognition. Now, the families desperately need Eve's help to get closure and begin to heal. But when Eve arrives in the remote jungle, she begins to suspect that Jill's plea may have been a cover story for something deeper. Eve finds herself stranded in an unstable country where violence threatens to break out again at any moment and with only her own instincts to rely on if she hopes to get home to her family alive . . .



Thoughts: I am so thankful and fortunate to receive this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and Grand Central Pub in exchange for an objective review of Smokescreen by Iris Johansen. This is the first time I have read any books from Iris Johansen and I absolutely loved this as my first book. This is book 25 of a series. This is an amazingly well written book with a very well crafted story line that quite relates to what is happening in the war torn area of the Congo.
The characters in this series and the supporting casts are phenomenally well written and exciting to read. This story follows the main character Eve Duncan who was called to Africa by journalist Jill Cassidy to reconstruct the skulls of murdered school children. The massacre is from a terrorist attack and Eve’s job as a forensic sculptor helps the family gain closure from this. Nothing is simple and something suspicious finds Eve in a dangerous situation.
This was such a fast-paced read for me that I truly enjoyed so much that I am going to pick up the rest of the series.  I cannot get enough of Eve and the rest of the characters like Joe and Jed Novak. I am now a fan of this series.
5/5
Author: Iris Johansen

Iris Johansen is a New York Times bestselling author. She began her writing after her children left home for college. She first achieved success in the early 1980s writing category romances. In 1991, Johansen began writing suspense historical romance novels, starting with the publication of The Wind Dancer. In 1996 Johansen switched genres, turning to crime fiction, with which she has had great success.

She lives in Georgia and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist. Her daughter, Tamara, serves as her research assistant.

IRIS JOHANSEN is The New York Times bestselling author of Night and Day, Hide Away, Shadow Play, Your Next Breath, The Perfect Witness, Live to See Tomorrow, Silencing Eve, Hunting Eve, Taking Eve, Sleep No More, What Doesn't Kill You, Bonnie, Quinn, Eve, Chasing The Night, Eight Days to Live, Blood Game, Deadlock, Dark Summer, Pandora's Daughter, Quicksand, Killer Dreams, On The Run, and more. And with her son, Roy Johansen, she has coauthored Night Watch, The Naked Eye, Sight Unseen, Close Your Eyes, Shadow Zone, Storm Cycle, and Silent Thunder.

Book Review: The Whisper Man

PUB Date: 08/20/2018

Publisher: Celadon Books

Synopsis: In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.
After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.
But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed "The Whisper Man," for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.

Thoughts: When I first picked up the Whisper Man I had no idea about the book except for the cover. The cover and title sure scared me and I have put off reading this in fear my imagination can get the best of me. I was wrong and this was not the case at all; not because I am wearing my big girl pants, but the story is actually a poignant dark mystery, and a well written British crime drama and a suspenseful thriller.

Tom Kennedy and his son Jake move to Featherbank after his wife’s sudden death, to get a fresh start. However, death follows them by Tom discovering the body of an unsolved murder of a child in their new home, and a recent child abduction and murder in their new town.

I loved this book very much. Once I started, there was no putting this down. This book is the best cure for anyone in a reading slump! It had the right amount of mystery, suspense and hair raising moments. Alex North’s writing is brilliant. The characters all had depth and complexity that is interweaved into the story with no loose ends. It is also a story about how a family navigates loss weather death or separation and how love and family are the ties that bind.



Rating: 5/5
Author:
Alex North was born in Leeds, England, where he now lives with his wife and son. The Whisper Man was inspired by North's own little boy, who mentioned one day that he was playing with "the boy in the floor." Alex North is a British crime writer who has previously published under another name.