The Turn of the Key

Ruth Ware’s latest novel, The Turn of the Key, is written in epistolary form. The main character, a nanny, writes to an attorney from prison. It is clear from the beginning that a child is dead and the nanny is to blame. The nanny’s letters are incredibly detailed, making the letter-writing form feel forced and awkward. No one writes letters as if they are writing a novel. Ignoring the awkwardness of the form, though, I found the story to be intriguing and the novel a quick read. I guessed some of the twists but was surprised by the ending and even forgave the letter writing by the last chapter.

I Know Who You Are

Aimee Sinclair, an up-and-coming actress, is surprised when her husband suddenly disappears in Alice Feeney’s I Know Who You Are. The premise of this novel is intriguing, but the delivery was absolutely frustrating and ultimately disturbing. Aimee is one of those female characters that drinks too much, doubts her memory, and withholds information from the police for no good reason. I wanted to scream at her throughout the novel and often wondered why I was putting myself through the torture of reading about her stupidity. In the end, I did want to know what happened in the story. I got sucked in, but I’m not sure I recommend the book to others that want to keep their sanity.

My Sister, the Serial Killer

Oyinkan Braithwaite’s novel My Sister, the Serial Killer starts, not too shockingly, with a murder. It is told from the point of view of Korede, a nurse always overshadowed by her beautiful younger sister, Ayoola. I was disappointed at first by story elements I thought were cliché—men falling for the beautiful sister, a patient in a coma. Ultimately, though, the novel makes important statements about the privilege of men and rights of women. It was not as easy as I thought to judge Ayoola or Korede. My Sister is a fast, interesting, and worthwhile read.

Internment

Samira Ahmed’s young adult novel Internment left me with conflicting feelings. The story of the internment of American Muslims under a new president is very timely. In fact, the novel, released earlier this year, feels even more prescient with recent events relating to immigration and racist presidential tweets.

Anyone who is a Trump supporter will not enjoy this book (or my review). Although he is never named in the novel, the actions taken by the president reflect those of the current administration. At first, it may seem like a leap to imagine American Muslims in California rounded up and put into an internment camp. Would Americans really let that happen? Yet many of the seemingly outrageous events preceding the interment in the book have actually happened—a call for banning Muslims, the separation of minors from their parents, unlawful detainment. The premise of this book takes those actions to the next step, and if that doesn’t frighten you, it should.

The novel centers on Layla Amin, a high school student that is unwilling to stay silent in the internment camp. Although Layla is the main character, the biggest concern I have is that she could not have accomplished the resistance she did without the help of a white man. I am torn about this character. I appreciate the model of a white male using his privilege to be an ally, but I worry about the White Savior trope that seems so persistent in Western narratives. I resisted the idea that a white man had to be the one to facilitate change happening.

Internment, although laced with sometimes frustrating teenage angst and decision making, is an important conversation starter. What are we as Americans willing to put up with in the name of national security?

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Stuart Turton’s novel The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was recommended to me by a colleague. She told me the main character has a Groundhog Day experience—living the same day over and over, but in a different body. I was intrigued.

The premise is intriguing, although it took me a bit to orient myself—much like the main character. The writing is also a bit of old-fashioned, as if picking up a Victorian novel. It focuses too much on description, but I was able to adjust and get into the author’s rhythm after a bit.

Ultimately, the book—which is rather long at over 400 pages—hooked me, and I could not put it down. I was disappointed by the ending and overarching philosophy of the story but still recommend it for anyone who wants an interesting mystery to invest in.

The Department of Sensitive Crimes

Alexander McCall Smith’s latest series is The Department of Sensitive Crimes: A Detective Varg Novel. The department in Mälmo, Sweden investigates crimes including a stabbing and missing persons, but as in McCall Smith’s other novels, the crimes are neither explicit nor sensationalized. Instead, this book has a similar feel to the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. The story and characters meander at a leisurely pace. At first, I struggled to get into the book’s rhythm and felt it was too much like Ladies' Detective. By the end, though, I felt fondness for Varg and his colleagues and may be willing to revisit them in the future.

Before She Knew Him

Peter Swanson’s Before She Knew Him is a twist on the mystery-suspense genre. From practically the beginning of the novel, the reader, and the main character, Hen, know who the murderer is. The suspense comes from the tension between a feeling of complacency knowing who the murderer is—and maybe even trusting him a little bit—and not really knowing what the murderer will do next. The ending has two surprises (one I guessed; the other I didn’t). It was a satisfying read, although there are some times the writing drags and doesn’t seem to be moving the story forward, and good for summertime entertainment.

Silent Patient

Theo Faber, a psychotherapist, becomes obsessed with helping an artist after the murder of her husband. Alicia Berenson is the titular Silent Patient in Alex Michaelides’ novel. She has been institutionalized after her murder conviction and refuses to speak. Theo is convinced he can help her. The novel is told from Theo’s perspective and interspersed by Alicia’s diary entries. The book, though a bit slow in the beginning chapters, is a quick read overall. I thought I had the mystery figured out, but I was wrong. I appreciated the ending, and other mystery readers will as well.

Watching You

An attractive headmaster, schoolgirl crushes, voyeurism, and mental illness are all plot elements in Lisa Jewell’s Watching You. The novel moves between the perspectives of several characters, including a high school student, a newlywed living near the new head teacher, and the head teacher’s son. The novel is a fast, entertaining read. Even though I guessed the mystery, the book’s final image left me feeling disturbed and those feelings linger. I'll definitely read another Jewell mystery.

An Anonymous Girl

Jess, a struggling make-up artist in New York, finds herself in a psychological study on ethical behavior in An Anonymous Girl. Nothing is as it seems from the beginning to the end of the book as Jess becomes more deeply involved with Dr. Shields, the study’s author.

The novel is engrossing and a quick read, but I wouldn’t describe it as an enjoyable read. The alternating first-person narrative is unreliable and sometimes awkward, and I was left with a definite sense of unease at the end of the novel. Do I recommend it? With reservations.

The Suspect

The Suspect is Fiona Barton’s third novel featuring journalist Kate Waters and detective Bob Sparks. This time, they are both investigating the apparent disappearance of two British teens on gap year in Thailand. The book is not a flattering portrayal of Thailand, a country I have not visited, particularly in terms of its police and tourism industry. The story, though, is intriguing, with twists and turns. It is engaging and quick and raises the question: what would you do to protect your family?

Ordeal by Innocence

I recently watched the Amazon Prime Video version of Ordeal by Innocence and thought it could not be accurate to Agatha Christie’s book. So I read it, and I was right. The book is far superior. The characters are the same—five adopted children, their father, two employees, a spouse, and a man that throws everything into turmoil when he alibis the accused murderer of Rachel Argyle, their mother. However, the motives, personalities, and actions are significantly different, and Christie does not have to rely on shock or disgust to weave her tale or entertain her reader. Ordeal isn’t my favorite Christie mystery, but it did leave me wondering who done it.

Lying in Wait

Liz Nugent’s Lying in Wait is different from other suspense novels that I have recently read. The reader knows from the beginning who the murder victim is and who the murderers are. Told from multiple points of view—the victim’s sister, the perpetrators, their son—the reader isn’t left confused, guessing, or deceived as happens in so many contemporary novels. This style of storytelling is refreshing and shows respect to the reader. That said, it also leaves the reader wondering what the surprise or twist could possibly be—but it did not disappoint. Lying in Wait is a fast, easy—and disturbing—end of summer read.

The Long Game

Tess Kendrick Keyes is back in Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ second installment of The Fixer series: The Long Game. This time, Tess is trying to help her classmate win a school election. What could be a simple high school story instead deals with corruption, terrorism, and even the #metoo movement. Barnes does not shy away from unhappy and uncomfortable situations and topics. People die. Characters aren’t exactly who you think they are. Barnes takes risks, particularly for a young adult novel, and I respect her for it—and for expecting her YA readers to take those risks with her.

Be Prepared

Vera Brosgol’s graphic novel Be Prepared is based on her experiences as a child at summer camp. Vera, a young Russian immigrant in New York, doesn’t quite fit in with the other girls at her school. Every summer, her friends go off to summer camp, so Vera jumps at the chance to attend a camp for Russian diaspora. She longs to have the camp experience and to fit in with other children. However, camp isn’t exactly what she was hoping for. Vera’s feelings of loneliness and isolation and her longing for acceptance is a universal human experience than any reader can relate to.

Bring Me Back

Finn’s girlfriend, Layla, disappears under puzzling circumstances at the beginning of B.A. Paris’s Bring Me Back. Several years later, Finn is engaged to Layla’s older sister, Ellen, and starts receiving mysterious messages from his past. Bring Me Back is an easy and fast read. I was happy to finally have an unreliable narrator that is male but surprised that Paris decided to resolve some of the mystery so early on in the novel. As such, I suspected the ending, but it was still a fun and painless ride.

The Death of Mrs. Westaway

Hal, a young, impoverished tarot card reader, is surprised when she learns of the passing of her grandmother, Mrs. Westaway—particularly since her grandmother had died before Hal was born. Hoping to alleviate some of her financial distress, Hal attends Mrs. Westaway’s funeral and discovers everything isn’t as she initially imagined.

The premise of Ruth Ware’s latest novel, The Death of Mrs. Westaway, is intriguing. However, it took me a long time, almost to the last 80 pages, to feel hooked on this book. The execution is slow and sometimes rather dull, but ultimately the story grabbed me and I had to know the ending.

Death of an Honest Man

Hamish Macbeth is back in another installment of MC Beaton’s series. This time, he is investigating the murder of a man known for offending everyone he meets with his “honesty.” Although nothing ever really seems to change in Hamish’s life, at first I was impressed that Beaton seemed to be embracing progressive ideas of equality in the book. Yet, as it progressed, some sort of “evil” possessed Hamish and filled him with alarmingly misogynistic ideas that may have tainted my love for him permanently. It seemed a strange move for a 2018 novel. Other than this glitch, the rest of the book maintained its cozy mystery standards and was an easy, relaxing read.

The Perfect Mother

Aimee Molloy’s The Perfect Mother is a fast, easy, and entertaining read. A mother’s group in Brooklyn is rocked when one of the babies is kidnapped. The kidnapping reveals that not all the members of the group are what they appear to be. As a mother, I could relate to many of the group members’ feelings, but more than anything I was engrossed by the story and finding out what actually happened to baby Midas. Molloy does a good job of concealing, yet revealing, the truth, leaving me feeling intrigued and only slightly manipulated. Definitely a fun summer read.

Seven Letters from Paris: A Memoir

Seven Letters from Paris is American Samantha Vérant’s memoir of rekindling a romance with a Frenchman she met 20 years earlier while traveling. The premise is romantic—that the spark of true love can remain for many years, and it gives hope to readers that are down on their luck or struggling in bad relationships. Although the memoir is written as a narrative, and Vérant gives a lot of description and details (sometimes too much of both), the book lacks a certain literary quality. It was interesting to read her story, and I stuck with it because of my love for Paris and obvious desire to marry a Frenchman and move to France, but I never felt captivated by the writing.