Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave

What would you do if your father’s tragic death unearths a family secret so monumental it changes everything you thought you knew about him—and yourself? Laura Dave’s The Night We Lost Him begins with this gripping premise and weaves a story that is equal parts family drama, mystery, and emotional revelation.

Get your copy of The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave from my online bookstore today!

Liam Noone — pronounced “noon,” not “no one” — was a man of many identities: a savvy hotel magnate, a father, and a man with secrets that even his closest family members could scarcely imagine. When Liam dies in what authorities rule as a tragic accident, his daughter Nora and estranged son Sam are left to confront not only their grief but also a labyrinthine mystery surrounding their father’s life. As they piece together his past, they uncover a truth that forces them to reevaluate their relationships—with their father, with each other, and even with themselves.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: The False Flat by Melissa R. Collings

Sometimes, life’s most pivotal moments happen when you least expect them—like a chance encounter over a box of Cap’n Crunch cereal. In Melissa Collings’ The False Flat, protagonist Penelope Auberge reminds us that even the messiest lives can be reshaped with courage, a little humor, and the right people by your side.

The False Flat by Melissa R. Collings

Pen is at her breaking point: juggling an overbearing mother, a toxic relationship with her married boyfriend, and a finance career where her efforts are overshadowed by her male colleagues. Instead of sinking under the weight of it all, she does something most of us only dream of: she uproots her life, leaving Minnesota for Tennessee to start fresh. Determined to open her own financial business and build a life she can truly call her own, Pen sets off for Nashville with a plan to reinvent herself. But she soon learns that even the best-laid plans can’t erase the past.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: This Girl’s a Killer by Emma C. Wells

Do you just love watching bad things happen to bad dudes? The big guys like Harvey Weinstein, Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari, Andrew M. Cuomo, (and hopefully someday Donald Trump) are toppled publicly for all to see. But what about the everyday bad guys—the nobodies who use and abuse those who don’t have the power or the platforms to make their voices heard? In This Girl’s a Killer, Emma C. Wells introduces readers to Cordelia Black, a pharmaceutical rep by day and an unapologetic dispenser of justice by night. Set against the sultry, morally gray backdrop of South Louisiana, the novel delivers a character-driven thriller that’s as sharp and polished as its protagonist’s designer wardrobe.

This Girl’s a Killer by Emma C. Wells

Cordelia Black isn’t your typical serial killer. Or, as she would vehemently argue, she’s not a serial killer at all. To her, “Karma” isn’t just a concept; it’s her calling. Her targets are meticulously chosen—men who have evaded justice for their heinous crimes. And though the evening news might paint her as a monster, Cordelia’s actions feel like a balm for those who crave retribution in an unjust world.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda

Megan Miranda’s Such a Quiet Place unfolds with an eerie precision that turns the familiar suburban landscape into a pressure cooker of secrets and lies. Hollow’s Edge, the quintessential quiet neighborhood, becomes a vivid character in its own right—a place where the veneer of idyllic community is paper-thin and ready to crack under the weight of a murder that’s left everyone raw and mistrustful.

Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda

This novel is set in a tightly-knit neighborhood where most of the residents also work together at the college across the lake. Everyone’s lives seem to revolve around one another’s in this insulated community. Keys to each house are scattered among the neighbors, and everyone is always listening in on everyone else. It’s an environment rife with tension and secrets—an unfortunate combination when the neighborhood is already grappling with a horrific crime. I couldn’t imagine being this immersed in the lives of my own neighbors. This setup creates intriguing dynamics, especially between the protagonist, Harper, and her boss—one of the murder victims. Living in close quarters with coworkers would be challenging enough, but add a murder into the mix, and it’s downright suffocating.

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Author Interview

Author interview with Teri Polen, writer of horror, science fiction, and fantasy

My guest author today is another Louisville Book Festival participant. Meet Teri Polen!

Teri Polen is the author of young adult horror, science fiction, and fantasy novels. Sarah, her debut novel, was a horror finalist in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. ReadFREE.ly named Subject A36 one of the 50 Best Indie Books of 2020. An avid reader, movie watcher, and chocolate lover, Teri lives in Bowling Green, KY with her husband and Feline Overlord, Bond.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: What Have You Done by Shari Lapena

Shari Lapena has done it again with What Have You Done, a chilling and twisty tale set in the seemingly idyllic town of Fairhill, Vermont. Known for her talent in crafting domestic suspense, Lapena expertly transforms Fairhill from a sleepy, trusting community into a landscape of fear and suspicion after a young girl, Diana Brewer, is found dead in a hayfield. With vultures circling overhead and an air of menace settling over the town, Lapena dives deep into the darkness lurking behind closed doors.

What Have You Done by Shari Lapena

At its heart, What Have You Done is more than just a murder mystery—it’s a sharp commentary on the societal dynamics that enable violence against young women. Lapena skillfully portrays how quickly suspicion can spread, as the police draw up their list of suspects: the jealous boyfriend, the male teacher accused of inappropriate behavior, and the creepy customer who harassed Diana at her job. These characters feel all too familiar, not just in fiction but in the real world, where stories of young women harmed by those around them are all too common.

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A Haunting Escape: Book Review of After We Were Stolen by Brooke Beyfuss

I love a good cult novel, and Brooke Beyfuss’s After We Were Stolen did not disappoint! It is a gripping exploration of cult life, family, and the enduring power of the human spirit. The novel follows Avery, a young woman who escapes a secretive, controlling cult after a devastating fire. As she navigates the complexities of the outside world, Avery grapples with the trauma of her past and the uncertain future that lies ahead.

Raised in a secluded compound, Avery’s life has been defined by rigid rules, grueling physical training, and an unwavering belief in her father’s teachings. When a fire ravages the compound, forcing her to flee with her brother, Cole, Avery is thrust into a world she barely recognizes. Struggling to adapt to the unfamiliar landscape of freedom, she must confront the horrors of her past and the lingering fear that her family may not have survived the blaze.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Rachel Hawkins’ The Heiress is a masterclass in Gothic thrillers—a story as lush and foreboding as the Blue Ridge Mountains it’s set in. This book grips you from the first page and refuses to let go, making it one of those rare novels where “just one more chapter” spirals into a sleepless night. The twists, turns, and unanswered questions will haunt you long after you’ve closed the book. 

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

At its heart, The Heiress delves into the mysteries surrounding Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore (yes, that’s quite the name), North Carolina’s wealthiest and most infamous figure. A survivor of a notorious childhood kidnapping and a widow four times over, Ruby’s death doesn’t just leave a trail of unanswered questions—it pulls her adopted son, Camden, and his wife, Jules, back into the shadow of Ashby House, her sprawling estate. 

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda

Megan Miranda’s Daughter of Mine is a haunting exploration of secrets long buried—both in the depths of Mirror Lake and within the lives of its characters. With an eerie atmosphere and tightly woven suspense, Miranda masterfully intertwines a gripping mystery with timely themes of family, climate change, and the dangers of making assumptions. 

Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda

The novel begins with Hazel Sharp returning to Mirror Lake, a town she left behind nearly a decade ago, after inheriting her childhood home from her father, Detective Perry Holt. Hazel’s return coincides with an unprecedented drought, which lowers the lake’s water level and unearths a rusted car, potentially holding answers to her mother’s mysterious disappearance. 

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: Afterlife by Julia Alvarez

I recently watched a PBS/American Masters documentary on Julia Alvarez, and I was so captivated by her story and insights that I had to dive into her work. Afterlife did not disappoint—it’s a novel that gracefully intertwines the personal and the political, exploring themes of grief, immigration, and the messy, beautiful entanglements of human connection.

Afterlife by Julia Alvarez

Antonia Vega, the novel’s protagonist, is a retired English professor grappling with profound loss following her husband Sam’s sudden death. Her grief is compounded by unexpected events—a sister’s disappearance and the arrival of a pregnant, undocumented teenager seeking help. These disruptions challenge Antonia to confront questions about her own capacity for care, the obligations we owe to others, and how to keep moving forward when life feels unbearably heavy.

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