Signed first edition of John Grisham's The French Illusion from Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi. A Paris honeymoon turns into a kidnapping nightmare.

I preordered a signed first edition of Michael Koryta's Die Famous, a gangster novel with a historical fiction slant, from The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale.

A review of Cormac McCarthy's Suttree, narrated by Richard Poe — stunning prose, memorable characters, but did it all add up to something?

A review of The Janitor, Don Winslow's new Audible Original novella about a lawyer-turned-fixer, narrated by Titus Welliver. Entertaining, if imperfect.

I read Michael Pollan’s This Is Your Mind on Plants—opium, caffeine, and mescaline, and how culture and law decide what counts as a drug. A review of the book and audiobook.

The Delivery by Gregg Hurwitz review. A couple brings home a humanoid AI named Mr. Man. At first he’s a miracle—then he misunderstands their private frustrations, with violent results. Tight, unsettli...

Review of Lightning in a Mason Jar by Catherine Mann: a dual-timeline story of survival, secrets, and second chances, told with unusual gentleness.

Rereading Stephen King and Peter Straub’s The Talisman before the third Jack Sawyer book. A tough 12-year-old, an unforgettable Wolf, and a long road that still lands.

I loved Kliewer’s debut, so I expected more from The Caretaker. Eerie Oregon-coast house, strict Rites, strong audio—and an ending that just stops. Full review.

I’m hooked on Orphan X. A review of Gregg Hurwitz’s Into the Fire—the action, Jack’s advice, Scott Brick’s narration, and that cliffhanger.

A personal review of The Complete Letters of Vincent van Gogh: how Jo van Gogh-Bonger shaped the collection, what the letters reveal, and why they are worth reading slowly.

I finished Sue Grafton’s Alphabet series with Y Is for Yesterday, the last Kinsey Millhone novel she wrote. A disappointing end—and why I read it anyway.

A signed copy from a Jerome shop led me to Peggy Hicks’s mix of ghost story and biography. The Cuban Queen is sharper—and colder—than the legend.

I almost quit Hope Holloway’s A Secret in the Keys before Beck reached Coconut Key. The Florida Keys setting—and Holloway’s Asheville Christmas book—kept me listening.

I loved No Exit, so I picked up Taylor Adams’s Her Last Breath on Libby. The cave scenes are frightening—but I could see the ending coming. Full review.

I wasn’t sure I wanted a Vietnam War novel. Kristin Hannah’s The Women proved me wrong—an emotional, unforgettable story of the nurses too often forgotten.

A warm, honest review of Allen Levi’s Theo of Golden. Why this hyped debut won me over, what I loved about Theo, and why the David Morse audiobook is worth a Libby hold.

I came for the sunflowers and stayed for Jo van Gogh-Bonger. A dual-timeline review of Marta Molnar’s novel about the woman who made Vincent famous.

I deleted my Instagram account a few years ago, and the only real downside was losing touch with the authors I followed. I loved seeing their upcoming books, event announcements, and the…

I’m such a Freida McFadden fan. Her books reliably deliver the kind of twisty, bingeable entertainment I crave, and I only wish I could catch up on her new releases and dive into the…

I had another entertaining evening at the August session of The Back Room: Cocktails and Conversations with Your Favorite Authors , hosted by the delightful Hank Phillippi Ryan and…

Risen from the Ashes by Patrick O'Brian covers much of the same territory as the first West Baden Springs Hotel book I recently reviewed, West Baden Springs: Legacy of Dreams .

I read Eileen , one of Ottessa Moshfegh’s earlier novels, years ago and loved it. I remember it being strange, perplexing, and kind of frightening—all in a good way. As her subsequent books…

As a lifelong visitor to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, I’ve long been intrigued by the Vanderbilts. I love learning about that house and the family’s history, so when I saw…

Lisa Jewell has such a long backlist of titles, which means I have a lot of great books by her still ahead of me. I fell in love with her storytelling through her suspenseful thrillers, though I’ve al...

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier has been on my radar for a long time. I didn’t realize it was first published in 1999, but I’d seen steady praise for it over the years. I finally…

To celebrate my retirement in September 2024, my husband and I spent a few days at the West Baden Springs Hotel in French Lick, Indiana. It’s a magnificent and unexpected gem tucked into…

I've been wanting to read Sally Hepworth's suspenseful thrillers for a while. When Mad Mabel became available on Libby, I jumped on the opportunity to finally read one of her novels and…

I was truly sold on the Martini Club series when I “met” Tess Gerritsen during a Back Room author event. She was discussing The Summer Guests , the second book in the series, and I was…

The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits was something of an accidental Audible purchase. I had credit left from one of Audible’s reward programs that made the book nearly free, and it had…

It was entertaining to be back with Danny Ryan and his crew in City of Dreams , part two of the trilogy by Don Winslow. Danny, on the losing side of a bloody East Coast gang war in…

I was excited to learn that M.L. Stedman, author of The Light Between Oceans, had written a new book, A Far-Flung Life. After more than a decade, it was certainly worth the wait—I…

It was such a pleasure to dive into the next installment of Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series. Out of the Dark , the fourth novel, continues the high-octane story of Evan Smoak—once a child…

When I first read the description for Richard Chizmar’s Chasing the Boogeyman , I was certain it would be a book I’d love. Unfortunately, my desire to like it far outweighed how much I actually…

I read Allen Eskens’ debut novel, The Life We Bury , back in 2018 and absolutely loved it. I didn’t expect it to become a series, but I’m thrilled it did—especially with more stories centered…

Periodically, I had been seeing favorable reviews for Carissa Orlando's The September House . I love a good haunted house story, especially one with an old, beautiful Victorian house at its…

I previously read My Story by Marilyn Monroe, her unfinished autobiography that covers her life up through her honeymoon with Joe DiMaggio. Eager for a fuller picture, I turned to Marilyn…

Thinner by Stephen King is the July selection for my Constant Reader book club. This was a reread for me. I'd seen the movie several times when it aired on television, most often during…

I was drawn to Remain by the intriguing collaboration between Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan. I enjoyed The Notebook years ago and have a soft spot for the film adaptations of…

It looks like I’m on a mission to read every book Jessica Strawser has written. A Million Reasons Why is the third of hers I’ve read this year, leaving just two more to complete her full catalog. I…