A Flicker in the Dark is an entertaining suspense novel that explores what it’s like to be a family member of a serial killer. Just when psychologist Chloe Davis thinks her father’s reign of terror is in the distant past, girls begin disappearing again. Are these the acts of a copycat killer, or is something else going on? Continue reading
Audio Book Review: Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park by Conor Knighton, Narrated by the Author
CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Conor Knighton pitched a story to CBS: he would visit all the US National Parks within a year and film his experiences. Leave Only Footprints is a humorous and interesting memoir of his adventures. If you’re looking for something meaty about the National Parks, this is probably not the right book for you. But if you just want a 20,000-foot overview of some parks, human interest stories, amusing personal anecdotes, history of the park system, and a heavy dose of political and social commentary, you just might enjoy this travelog. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney, Narrated by Richard Armitage, et al
In Rock Paper Scissors, a married couple travels to Scotland to attempt to salvage their relationship. Instead of being the free, cozy vacation they were hoping for, they find themselves stranded by a snowstorm in a creepy old church. Can their marriage survive? Can THEY survive? Continue reading
Audio Book Review: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, Narrated by Dennis Boutsikaris
In Stalin’s Russia, thoroughly investigating a murder could be considered its own subversive crime, especially if the outcome tarnishes the State’s narrative of being a communist Utopia where citizens are so content that they never turn to crime. Against this backdrop, Leo Demidov, a member of the much-feared State Security Force (MGB), risks everything to track down a serial killer who is viciously preying on children. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger, Narrated by CJ Wilson
The River We Remember is another terrific historical fiction mystery from author William Kent Krueger. Set in a small Minnesota town in the late 1950s, the novel tackles meaty topics such as prejudice, PTSD, family, and redemption, as well as being a smart murder mystery. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: Love, Mom by Iliana Xander, Narrated by Kira Fixx, et al
Love, Mom is an engaging novel of suspense about a daughter trying to unravel the truth about her dead mother, a successful author who died under mysterious circumstances. Plot twists and a quick pace make Love, Mom an enjoyable read/listen. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris, Narrated by David Sedaris
Holidays on Ice is a collection of stories and musings by humorist David Sedaris, who ponders some of the absurdities of modern-day Christmas, Halloween, and Easter celebrations. I liked it overall for the laugh out loud moments, but sometimes it felt like the stories were missing a main point or punchline. Or maybe I am too obtuse to understand the messages. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: The Life Impossible by Matt Haig, Narrated by Joanna Lumley
Matt Haig has a knack for writing supernatural stories with depth and meaning that explore what it means to be human. The Life Impossible fits this description. The novel is philosophical in a fun and imaginative way, with a bit of a mystery woven into the plot. Add to that superb reading by Joanna Lumley, and you get a recipe for a very enjoyable story. Continue reading
Audio Book Discussion: The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, Narrated by Spike McClure
The Outsiders is S. E. Hinton’s iconic coming of age story. Published in 1967, this young adult novel’s themes of friendship, humanity, class rivalry, and trying to succeed in the face of tough odds are still relevant today. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley, Narrated by Joe Eyre, et al
The Midnight Feast is another suspenseful winner from author Lucy Foley. The novel tells the story of a newly renovated posh hotel on the English coast that is plagued by locals and mysterious birds during their opening, with both disastrous and amusing results. Continue reading
Book Thoughts from Bed 