The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard
Capri Sanzio's tours of San Francisco focus on murder sites. People are fascinated by true crime and she's the granddaughter of "Overkill Bill," which gives her a unique perspective on the whole thing and just a bit of notoriety. When two copycat murders strike far too close to home, she uses her training as a journalist in an attempt to discover what's actually happening and to investigate her long held belief that her grandfather is innocent. I really enjoyed this one. Snippets of Capri's tour scripts are included, which provide an intriguing glimpse into the city's history. The character's background as a journalist helps the whole investigation to feel plausible and I appreciated her sensitivity when dealing with true crime. I'd love to read more about Capri and her world.
Cabin by Patrick Hutchison
This memoir had me immediately planning a day trip to the Washington mountains and if I hadn't known the roads were almost definitely frozen, I would've been trying to talk the family into it. The author's descriptions make you feel like you're in the woods and at the same time make you want to head for the woods. (Granted, I'm practically in the woods already and a fifteen or twenty minute drive would get me into actual national forest...) As he's describing his impulsive purchase of the cabin as a fort or clubhouse, it just sounds so appealing. He's in over his head and knows it, but he learns from his mistakes and builds his skills. The enthusiasm that fills ever page of this memoir is contagious.
The Perfect Ex-Wife by Winter K. Willis
Even though she's constantly living in the shadow of Natasha, her husband's first wife who went missing more than a decade ago, Ramona is a fantastic spouse and stepmother. She's there for her new family, living in a basement bedroom without complaint while the house's original master suite sits as an empty shrine. Then the plot switches to Natasha and she seems to be an equally likeable character. What happened and how did things go so tragically wrong? I enjoyed this domestic thriller. The plot structure felt a little different than most and even though it's a slow burn, it kept me turning pages. I'm still not quite sure how I feel about the ending.
The Getaway by Mina Hardy
Every month, Claire leaves her husband and daughter to spend the weekend at an isolated cabin. It's her time to enjoy herself and recharge, but this time things won't go as she planned. The storm that strands her at the cabin is only the beginning. I didn't find Claire to be a sympathetic character, but the author immediately creates a feeling that something awful is about to happen. I know...it's a thriller and OF COURSE something bad is going to happen, but I kept wanting to yell at the character not to do what she was doing. Whatever I was expecting based on the book's description, this wasn't it. Every new bit of information that the author reveals is wilder than the last.
Disclosure -- The publisher provided me with an advance review copy.
