{I've Been Reading} Strange Houses

 

Strange Houses by Uketsu 

It starts with the floorplan of a seemingly normal house and an odd sealed space between rooms. An author and an architect consider what purpose their might be for that space and the house's other unusual features, quickly developing dark theories about the family that lived there. This short book is a quick, intriguing read that reminded me  of online posts where someone sees something, decides it's "off" and immediately leaps to wild conclusions. I've never read anything quite like it and I'm definitely eager to check out the author's previous book, not to mention their Youtube page. 

Deep Waters by NW Bulfin

In a near future plauged by pandemics and flooding, Eoin Ryan acccepts a job teaching history at an isolated island commune. Contact with the outside world is severely limited and the members are seeking a more natural lifestyle.  As much as I love folk horror, this one fell flat, despire the prehistoric stone structures and indecipherable writings.  I never did figure out why the commune supposedly wanted or needed a history teacher. Their real purpose behind bringing him to the island becomes clear, but the job offer itself never made sense to me. The plot moves very, very slowly and once the author reveals what's really going on, it didn't feel worth the wait. 

Disclosure -- The publishers have provided me with advance review copies. 

{I've Been Reading} Smile for the Camera

 Smile for the Cameras by Miranda Smith 

The original cast of an iconic slasher film gathers at an isolated cabin to film a reunion documentary, the first time they've all been together in years, but this time the deaths are real. Told from the point of view of Ella, the film's final girl, the book moves back and forth between the past and present. I enjoyed the writing, but there's nothing particularly new or suspenseful here. 

One Sharp Stitch by Allie Pleiter

Shelby grew up in her mom's needlepoint shop. She knows the techniques and the customers and has the skills to take over for a month while her parents are travelling, but she wishes they'd chosen her almost too perfectly organized sister instead. Everything is working out until she finds the featured artist of the shop's monthly trunk show dead. That probably should have been the end of Shelby's involvement with what at first looks like a tragic accident, but the artist's family insists that she continues to sell her scissors and canvases in the shop.  Fans of crafty cozies will enjoy this one, which has a nice balance of murder mystery and needlework. 

So Happy Together by Olivia Worley

Jane isn't an unreliable narrator. We know from the beginning that she's been stalking Colin, a man she had a brief relationship with and isn't ready to let go. Throughout the book, the reader knows almost everything Jane knows. There are plenty of revelations, but they're all new information to Jane. It's a little like "You" and a little like "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and keeps twisting in unexpected directions that I wasn't expecting it to go. 

For You and Only You by Caroline Kepnes

So Happy Together reminded me that this one had been sitting in my TBR pile for far too long. I loved the author's previous books so much that I'm not sure how this one managed to fall through the cracks. Joe has found himself another "you" to obsess over, this time at a Harvard writer's fellowship. Wonder has so much in common with him (at least in Joe's mind) that they're obviously meant to be together. I'd forgotten how easy it is to slip into his thoughts and the plot is as entertaining as ever, especially when complications start to threaten his budding new relationship. 

Wicked Fun by Dave Pasquantonio

Twenty years after Jane Hawkins's last real life murder, she only kills people in the pages of her mystery novels. A well liked member of her small community, she lives a quiet and predictable life. Then a true crime podcaster shows up at her book signing wanting to interview her about her husband's unsolved murder. No one has ever suspected her before, which puzzles me because she seems to be just figuring out how things work. It's an entertaining read with an ending hook that has me looking forward to a sequel. 

{I've Been Reading} Dormant

 

Dormant by D. L. Forge 

I thouroughly enjoyed this short horror novel, which pulls you into the plot without any unnecessary backstory or details. The author does a fantastic job of introducing us to Marcy and Owen Parker, newlyweds who are excited about their new home, a fixer upper with a lush garden. The book's promotional materials described it as "found-footage ecohorror/creature feature" which is a good way to give you the gist of it without any spoilers. It's creepy, well-paced, and entertaining. 

The War of the Roses by Warren Adler 

There's a new movie adaptation of this one coming out and I probably won't get to see it until it hits streaming, so I did what I frequently do and got my hands on the book. Originally published in 1981, this is a dark, wild ride that's (in my opinion) aged well. Jonathan and Barbara rose both want new lives away from their marriage -- but they both refuse to give up their house and the trappings of the life they've build together. Their rapidly escalating battle is extremely entertaining and had me wondering just how far they'd go as their actions got worse and worse. 

Disclosure -- The publishers provided me with advance review copies.  

{I've Been Reading} A Proposal to Die For

 A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper

I can't get over how much I loved this book. It's somewhere between a cozy mystery and a more intense thriller, with a protagonist and cast of characters that I really wish I could spend more time with. Jess is a professional proposal planner with a quick mind and an eye for details. So when guests start dropping dead at a luxurious but isolated resort, she's paying attention to every little thing. It's not so much that she's an amateur sleuth trying to solve the mystery -- she's just trying to deal with complelety unreasonable clients who keep sabotaging their own plans. I read the whole thing in one sitting and, while the ending is extremely satisfying, I wasn't ready for it to end. I've got my fingers crossed that the author will write another mystery and for now I guess I'll look for some of her romance novels. 

A Fashionably French Murder by Colleen Cambridge 

Tabitha Knight and her best friend Julia Child are tangled up in another murder, this time involving two exclusive clothing designers. Going into this book I knew nothing about haute coture -- or Christian Dior's "new look" -- but I quickly found myself fascinated by the exclusive ateliers. The series so far has been absolutely delightful. One of the things that first attracted me to cozy mysteries was the chance to vicariously enjoy different hobbies and settings and this book is an absolutely perfect example of that. 1950s Paris, especially thorough the eyes of Tabitha and Julia, is a whole lot of fun, even when the book explores serious subject matter. 

Cat Got Your Tongs by Victoria Hamilton 

The first books in the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries were a lot of fun, then somehow I drifted away from and missed a bunch of releases before finding my way back. This isn't my favorite book in the series. One of the main plot elements involves a colony of feral cats and the book goes pretty deep into the controversies surrounding feeding and caring for strays, to the point that it overshadowed the murder mystery. There's a character who would be much more interesting if his dialogue, which was filled with unfamiliar slang  terms apostophes and missing sounds, wasn't so difficult to read.