{I've Been Reading} The Visitors

 

 Absence of Alice by Sherry Harris 

Sarah Winston is having a little trouble with her latest client, a woman with inflated ideas of what her possessions are actually worth. A rival garage sale organizer has been trying to steal her clients and it's driving Sarah nuts....until she gets the phone call. A kidnapper has taken Sarah's landlady, Stella, and is presenting Sarah with a series of tasks to earn Stella's release. She's forbidden to call the police or ask for help. 

I've read every book in this series in order as it came out and this one is definitely different. The circumstances throw Sarah off balance from the very beginning and, for the most part, keep her isolated from her usual support network. It's fast paced and had me worried about Sarah, and Stella, and whether Sara's actions in this book are going to have consequences that stretch into the future. 

 

 

Her Final Prayer by Kathryn Casey

I absolutely love this series! Born into a polygamous family in a small Utah town, Clara Jeffries is such a unique heroine. After the events of the first book, Clara has taken a job with the police department, something that not all of the locals are pleased about. When one of her mothers finds a murdered family, Clara is called to the scene and discovers one family member clinging to life in the kitchen an a young infant safe in an upstairs bedroom. Without cooperation from the locals or even her own family, finding answers to what happened is complicated. The mystery is suspenseful and complex and I can't wait for the chance to spend more time in Clara's world. 

    

The Visitors by Miranda Rijks

Everything in the renovated barn is as perfect as Hannah can make it. It's taken years to convert the old building into the perfect holiday rental and she can't wait to welcome guests into her tranquil little country retreat. Mike and Nadia are nothing like the guests she had imagined. They're loud, rude, and demanding. She fears what kind of damage they'll do to the interior of the barn. And when their week is up, they refuse to leave. 

I read this one almost straight through. The tension starts to build early on and Hannah isn't doing herself any favors as she attempts to solve problems without involving her husband. She's so determined to have her little side business go well and Mike and Nadia are such horrible, awful people. I was dreading how it might all turn out and loved it right up until the end, which fell flat. 

Disclosure -- This post contains affiliate links. The publisher provided me with an advance review copy.