The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

How do you stop a murder that’s already happened?

At a gala party thrown by her parents, Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed--again. She's been murdered hundreds of times, and each day, Aiden Bishop is too late to save her. Doomed to repeat the same day over and over, Aiden's only escape is to solve Evelyn Hardcastle's murder and conquer the shadows of an enemy he struggles to even comprehend--but nothing and no one are quite what they seem.

Deeply atmospheric and ingeniously plotted, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a highly original debut that will appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson and Agatha Christie.

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Quite promising right? That's what I thought when I saw that book on Netgalley and decided to request it. And I was quite happy to find that the promise was kept!

What about that book? Well, for those who love The butterfly effect, you'll be in for a ride! Someone is playing tricks, or god, or really bad jokes to Aiden Bishop. Every day, or more to the point, each time he wakes up, he's in someone else body and has to find a murderer. And if he doesn't succeed, he won't be able to escape the never ending loops of finding the murderer. He has only a few days (and a few hosts) to find the murderer but soon discover it's not his first rodeo. What's the hell happening? And what's the most important? To find a murderer or to stop a murder? And who's that strange guy with a strange mask and stranger way of showing up?

I found it refreshing as story, it's different from the other books, definitely not something you see oftentimes. What's good in that story is to see Aiden's struggle, first to understand his situation, when obviously, it's not his first round. Then to see him trying to do things differently and sometimes failing. Which bring the question: are we doomed to always do the same things, given the same context?

So you'll have different mysteries to solve: who's the murderer, of course, whom can we trust, who behind that cruel masquerade, does one change overtime or is domed from the beginning... So much stuff happening and you'll have all your answer in the end!

In a nutshell, an intriguing, interesting and different story that'll make time fly!

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel. Thanks Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the book!

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

I like stories that happen on two levels, or rather two periods, especially when the two periods are necessary to one another to better understand the plot or that one can solve the other. That's why I chose this book on NetGalley. 

In this case, from the first pages, I also knew that there would be more to the reading, what with the bit of supernatural and it was not to displease me. So I was thrilled! 

And did I find everything I expected from this book? Yes, in part. The two eras are not necessary to each other, except to give an excuse to Fiona to investigate this famous school for girls with multiple secrets and the two stories could have been written apart. And as for the supernatural side, although it serves to create a particular mood, it's also not useful to the story or the resolution of the two stories. But, aside from this little setback, I enjoyed every page of this book! 

1950, Idlewild Hall is not really the school you want to go to. Families send their daughters there because they are turbulent or because they have experienced trauma they'd rather hide / shut up. The teachers are like kapos and a really dismal atmosphere reigns in the school. A group of four girls, with very different stories, share a room and create a united family... until one of them disappears into general indifference. 

In 2014, Fiona hasn't still recover from the murder of her sister 20 years ago on Idlewild Hall grounds and discovers that the cursed school is to be renovated. She tries to find out why and by whom. Fortunately, between her father, a famous journalist who opens all the doors and her boyfriend, a policeman, she conducts her investigation masterfully. But then Fiona discovers secrets that some people would prefer to stay hidden. 

Simone St. James immerses us in the atmosphere of those stifling little towns where everyone knows each other, where labels hinder the search of truth and where a former police chief and his good old method can reign supreme. This novel talks about the pain of losing a loved one and the silence that can sometimes govern the lives of those affected, of unspoken ones within a family, within a city and a police force that must find ways to do better. She speaks of courage, to find the truth, to confront ones demons, to survive, and the means that some people take to survive.

What's the story?

The “clever and wonderfully chilling” (Fiona Barton) suspense novel from the award-winning author of The Haunting of Maddy Clare...

Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants—the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming—until one of them mysteriously disappears...

Vermont, 2014. As much as she's tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister's death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past—and a voice that won't be silenced...

In a nutshell

A good book with well written and intelligent characters. Three stories that could have been written separately, but that allow the author to address interesting topics. It's a 4/5 for me.

The Thirst by Jo Nesbo

I have not read all of Jo Nesbo's books nor in the right order. So I was a little surprised to learn that Harry Hole had left the police to be a teacher. Nevertheless, you can read books in the order you want, without disturbing the reading or understanding of story. 

In The Thirst, Harry is called, with a lot of pressure, to resume service to track down an individual whose crimes and violence reminds him of his nemesis, the one that has always escaped him. He therefore agrees to return to service, to finish this chapter of his life. 

So we find the Harry we know but in a happier style than usual. Because Harry, for once, believes in the possibility of happiness. He is much more Zen and it changes but feels good. 

About the crimes, as bloodthirsty and vampiric as possible, and the story, always as well put together, they will keep you on the edge of your seat from the beginning to the end. Sure, it's not for the faint hearted what with the bloody details, but it's worth it. And what's more, I really liked being led by the nose by Jo, who, in a very Whodunit style, sows the clues, let us discover some protagonists's thoughts, lends them do some actions that can not be more suspicious, making me believe regularly that I had found the culprit. Ha ah! You wish!

What's the story?

THERE’S A NEW KILLER ON THE STREETS...A woman is found murdered after an internet date. The marks left on her body show the police that they are dealing with a particularly vicious killer.

HE’S IN YOUR HOUSE… HE’S IN YOUR ROOMUnder pressure from the media to find the murderer, the force know there’s only one man for the job. But Harry Hole is reluctant to return to the place that almost took everything from him. Until he starts to suspect a connection between this killing and his one failed case.

HE’S OUT FOR BLOODWhen another victim is found, Harry realises he will need to put everything on the line if he’s to finally catch the one who got away.

In a nutshell

The Thirst... as in the thirst for violence, blood, revenge but also the thirst for tranquility and happiness. This is a good title that Jo Nesbo has found here for a good novel that's very captivating. A book for thirsty... of thrills!

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

The Girl From Home by Adam Mitzner

Jonathan Caine, a true self-satisfied rich guy, is forced by some struck of bad luck to come back home and to live with his parents. At home, he meets back with the former prom queen, Jackie, who never laid an eye on him. But now, seing him so successful she accepts to date him and they fall in love. Problem is, Jackie is married and the husband is jealous (and a prick). And then something bad happens and Jonathan and Jackie fight for their freedom and happy end.

What's great in that book is following Jonathan's change from prick to good guy. At the beginning, everything is about what he can spend, what he can have, his career, his luck but then living again at home and with all that's happening he remembers what it's like to be a good guy and begins his journey to being more careful and mindful of people. And that's quite fun to read and witness.

However, even if I liked seing how Cain fight for Jackie, even if the writing was good, the story ok and the book reads quickly, the whole story was not that captivating, mainly because I never really find the characters interesting. The whole story is kind of a cliché with the former prom queen who fell from grace and the former looser who became successful enough to interest her.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

The Never-Open Desert Diner by James Anderson

The Never-Open Desert Diner is not quite your usual crime fiction book. We follow Ben, a private trucker, who mainly delivers on one route, the 117, which is not your usual road. Almost nobody drives through that road and only the regulars feel like it's safe to take it. Ben knows everybody on that road and we learn to know about the people living near that road along his deliveries. He knows everybody... but one woman. She plays cello, is quite beautiful, free and wild and Ben falls for her. But then strange things happen, new people take the 117 and their intentions are quite unclear.

What's good about that book has a lot to do with the atmosphere, It's strange, quite oppressive, dangerous, captivating and we're never sure what will happen. It reminds me of small town where everybody knows everybody's secrets but nobody talks about them. Except here, secrets a far more explosive! The characters are well done, they're all very different, from the two brothers who live like shut off, Walt the diner's owner or John and his cross. Each of them has a story, a background that we fully know.

So that book is not juste a plot (even if it was good : what will happen with the strange people coming, what do they want?) but a lot of characters, each one intriguing or interesting or sweet or just plainly appalling! And that road! It feels like a character by itself, what with the desert mood it gives.

In a nutshell, not a book for readers who like a solid plot but a captivating book for readers who prefer characters and an atmosphere à la Bagdad Café (or Out of Rosenheim) over action.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

The Red Mohawk by Anonymous

Published May 12th 2015 by Black Shadow Press (first published May 8th 2015)



Just for the cover, it's worth buying it! There's some kind of irreverence that led me to believe that the tone of the book was already given.

So what's about that book? Well, it's a blast! It's mind-blowing! No real respite in this novel with hints of 80s, American road trip and a kind of San Antonio ambiance. I confess that I usually find those kind of stories so-so (what with whores, pimps and all that) but the tone, very dark, cynical and funny, the characters and the story managed to make me forget my habitual lack of interest for this kind of story.

In fact, this book gave me the impression of having been written in one go by an author completely stoned or drunk (I can't decide between the two) all the while shouting "Oh, frack, that's good!!!"

This book is so enjoyable, you're not reading it, you're watching a Tarantino, which is quite something! Full of clichés and references, this book will appeal to fans of the 80s, of B-movies and many other things that you will discover by reading it. In my case, I really enjoyed the ride and had quite a good laugh, which is quite nice and changing from the usual crime fiction.

The Blurb

The new book from the anonymous author of the international bestselling Bourbon Kid series.

Everything seems peaceful in the small town of B Movie Hell until a mysterious serial killer in a skull mask topped with a red mohawk shows up and starts butchering the locals. Government agents Jack Munson and Milena Fonseca are sent to track down and eliminate the masked psychopath. But as they soon discover, the residents of B Movie Hell don’t want their help. This is a town like no other, and the locals have many dark secrets….

Already a hit in France and Germany with film rights optioned by Tobey Maguire's Material Pictures, The Red Mohawk is a fun, outrageous and bloody thriller full of cinematic references and homages to many cult movies.

In a Nutshell

A book that does not take itself seriously, with a very brisk pace, characters all more cliché than the other, but what a fun book to read! It is a 5/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton

St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books
Pub Date May 19, 2015

The first thing that emerges from this book is the atmosphere of a private island, where everyone knows each other, where no one is truly free. This oppressive atmosphere that makes people to always stay within the bounds of what is acceptable in the community, where everyone knows the lives of others, their story, their past, their mistakes...

So naturally when something horrible happens, the community tends first to deny the evidence because otherwise their lives would break into pieces. Then, at some point, it's no longer possible to deny the facts and there, Sharon Bolton reproduced perfectly the suspicion, the looks, the whispers, the gossip that follow the disappearance of children. She writes with love and a lot of insight on these small communities. It's very well done.


The characters are very well written and quickly become members of our own community, we feel included, we know them. The author, in the same way she describes the community is very good to make us feel the emotions of her characters. We understand Catrin's distress and sometimes hatred, Rachel's  guilt, Callum's love. After the disappearance of her children Catrin locked herself in her despair, while her husband, got a new life. And the way those two survived the loss of their children is very realistic, very fair and humane.

As for the story, no complaints. Suspicion falls on different characters, we believe in it every time, reasons abound. The creeping insanity in the population and among the tourists on the island are very realistic (unfortunately I would say). Some scenes reminiscent of those that we have all seen on the news and bring weight to the plot, well played Sharon! The end is really unexpected, I never discovered the identity of the culprit.

The blurb

In such a small community as the Falkland Islands, a missing child is unheard of. In such a dangerous landscape it can only be a terrible tragedy, surely...

When another child goes missing, and then a third, it's no longer possible to believe that their deaths were accidental, and the villagers must admit that there is a murderer among them. Even Catrin Quinn, a damaged woman living a reclusive life after the accidental deaths of her own two sons a few years ago, gets involved in the searches and the speculation.

And suddenly, in this wild and beautiful place that generations have called home, no one feels safe and the hysteria begins to rise.

But three islanders--Catrin, her childhood best friend, Rachel, and her ex-lover Callum--are hiding terrible secrets. And they have two things in common: all three of them are grieving, and none of them trust anyone, not even themselves.

In Little Black Lies, her most shocking and engaging suspense novel to date, Sharon Bolton will keep the reader guessing until the very last page.

In a nutshell

A great novel, as oppressive as small communities, well-written characters, it's a 4/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Lost Girls by Angela Marsons

Bookouture (Nov. 6 2015)
442 pages

Everything seemed promising, from the story really that intrigued and horrified me, I must said - what would I do in such a situation? - to the cover, worrying at will.

I did not know this English author who seems to know a growing success (her books are very popular on GoodReads) and I wasn't against the idea of ​​reading a story with a female cop... written by a woman (yep... the last female characters I've read were written by men!)

So what dit I think of it?


I found that some stuff annoyed me:

- Sometimes I didn't understand what the author meant, either because Kim was telling something that she alone had to understand or that only she and her team had to understand... but not us. I don't know but I got the impression that I was put aside. I read the text several times to try to understand, could not do it, I tried to translate the text... it didn't make sense either... which hinders the flow of reading.

- The somewhat gratuitous violence bothers me. I'm not against it (in books !!) but I don't care for unnecessary violence. In Lost Girls, a man is particularly cruel and one can understand it in a few lines. He is evil incarnate and Marsons was great at making that clear. But it was not enough for Marsons who adds to the cruelty up to include a completely useless and violent scene with a young gay. It's only so-so in my opinion.

- Kim... Yes, I know, it's a shame as she's the main character! But I admit that her rudeness towards others tired me. She obviously has a very heavy past and something horrible happened in her childhood (which may have been explained in the previous two books) but that does not excuse the fact of treating people like shit.

Otherwise the story is good, the plot well done, the outcome well brought. The tension between the families is very realistic, the secrets revealed are very clichés but the reactions to these truths are very well written. Marsons know how to describe the relationships between people and the reactions of people facing various situations.

The author also knows how to play with our nerves and the more we advance in the plot, the more there is concern for the little girls, I feared for their lives and at a time, I wished that Kim and Bryant would accelerate. The end is great, Kim is no superhero but eventually becomes more human.

The blurb

Two girls go missing. Only one will return.

The couple that offers the highest amount will see their daughter again. The losing couple will not. Make no mistake. One child will die.

When nine-year-old best friends Charlie and Amy disappear, two families are plunged into a living nightmare. A text message confirms the unthinkable; that the girls are the victims of a terrifying kidnapping.

And when a second text message pits the two families against each other for the life of their children, the clock starts ticking for D.I. Kim Stone and the squad.

Seemingly outwitted at every turn, as they uncover a trail of bodies, Stone realises that these ruthless killers might be the most deadly she has ever faced. And that their chances of bringing the girls home alive, are getting smaller by the hour…

Untangling a dark web of secrets from the families’ past might hold the key to solving this case. But can Kim stay alive long enough to do so? Or will someone’s child pay the ultimate price?

In a nutshell
The story is good but sometimes too violent, the main character is not always friendly, it's a 3/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Written in the Blood by Stephen Lloyd Jones

Mulholland Books (May 26 2015)

488 pages

Just to make a change from all these bloody and violent thrillers... I let myself be tempted by Written in the Blood, a fantasy story in a "vampire", hemoglobin and horror fashion (well, that's a real change !)

Good to know, this book is the sequel of another book - The String Diaries (not read yet). So yes, there are references to what happened before, but the explanations are enough to understand the context and allow us to read the story without feeling too much lost.


So, I'm not used to this kind of story but I found it to be a pleasant reading. The characters are well written, they are very well thought and one takes a liking for Leah who tries to save her world and her mother who's trying to protect her as well. Small note for moms who'll read this book: moms have the spotlight in this novel between Hannah, the mother, who cares for her daughter who takes risks to help her people and mothers who sacrifice themselves for their children.

The world imagined by Stephen Lloyd is very well done and change from usual vampires stories. In fact, there is relatively little interaction with the "human" and Lloyd never mentions a constant need to drink blood to stay alive. We're not talking about immortal beings, since they can die but beings with longevity and exceptional life, not really vampires in the traditional sense. Lloyd created a hierarchy among the "eternal", a past, a "police", the eternal hunter, a disappearance of their kind... One has the impression of being on the other side of the mirror, the side that allows us to understand the way eternals live.

Written in the Blood isn't just a story of a chase but also a story of struggle against the inexorable, struggle for power, love-hate, revenge, consequence of past histories. All that told with some talent. So, admittedly, the terms were not always easy to understand and the fact that I had not read the first book hadn't help neither but if you start this book by seeking something different, you won't be disappointed! Written in the Blood makes Twilight look like a story from the Care Bears world! Here, no schoolgirl love story but a girl who wants to save her clan from extinction, no schoolyard quarrels but politicized groups fighting against each other and mortal enemies.

The blurb

See the girl. Leah Wilde is twenty-four, a runaway on a black motorbike, hunting for answers while changing her identity with each new Central European town.

See the man, having come of age in extraordinary suffering and tragedy in nineteenth-century Budapest; witness to horror, to love, to death, and the wrath of a true monster. Izsák still lives in the present day, impossibly middle-aged. He’s driven not only to hunt this immortal evil but to find his daughter, stolen from an Arctic cabin and grown into the thing Izsák has sworn to kill.

See the monster, a beautiful, seemingly young woman who stalks the American West, seeking the young and the strong to feed upon, desperate to return to Europe where her coven calls.

In a nutshell

A really different vampire novel, a well-conducted plot, it's a 4/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Broken Promise by Linwood Barclay

Publisher: Doubleday Canada (July 28 2015)

Sold by: Random House Canada, Incorp.

Linwood! A great author of our country (but where's your country, would you ask, you who love to read!) (Well in Canada of course!) And yeah, one can be a "New York Times Bestselling Author" and Canadian...

I had already read Never Saw it Coming, which I had found very good. And Linwood has an unblemished reputation in crime fiction, so the risk was not great to read his latest novel Broken Promise.

What I like about Linwood is that he knows quickly and perfectly how to plant an atmosphere, characters and a context. Here, the story is about David, a widower, who returns to his hometown after a series of bad luck and who will end up in the heart of a investigation that touches his own family.

I liked David and his family, good people. His parents are a lovely couple and they take good care of their grand-son. I liked Marla, his cousin, who suffered the unthinkable and remained marked.

I liked the family secrets, revealed bit by bit. We can see how secrets poison a family and that their consequences are often devastating. In Never Saw it Coming, Linwood already made us think and led us to ask the question of what we should have done instead of Keisha. Here he leads us to think about the weight of secrets... or family lies. Is parents' love always benevolent? Does they always do the best for their children? There's a lot of stuff to think about in this novel!

As for the plot, or rather the intrigues, they take place in a logical and progressive way, with some dramatic turns and one begins to devour the pages with ease, for it's Linwood's power: his writing is really flowing with well placed touches of humour.

The blurb

After his wife’s death and the collapse of his newspaper, David Harwood has no choice but to uproot his nine-year-old son and move back into his childhood home in Promise Falls, New York. David believes his life is in free fall, and he can’t find a way to stop his descent.

Then he comes across a family secret of epic proportions. A year after a devastating miscarriage, David’s cousin Marla has continued to struggle. But when David’s mother asks him to check on her, he’s horrified to discover that she’s been secretly raising a child who is not her own—a baby she claims was a gift from an “angel” left on her porch.

When the baby’s real mother is found murdered, David can’t help wanting to piece together what happened—even if it means proving his own cousin’s guilt. But as he uncovers each piece of evidence, David realizes that Marla’s mysterious child is just the tip of the iceberg.

Other strange things are happening. Animals are found ritually slaughtered. An ominous abandoned Ferris wheel seems to stand as a warning that something dark has infected Promise Falls. And someone has decided that the entire town must pay for the sins of its past…in blood.

In a nutshell

One is never wrong with a book by Linwood. The characters are very well written and engaging, the story is well put together, well brought outcome. It is a 4/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Mrs John Doe by Tom Savage

Random House Publishing Group - Alibi
Pub Date Oct 6, 2015


I had read and enjoyed Tom previous book, A Penny for the Hangman, some time ago. Tom is an author who knows how to use the art of narrative and writing sympathetic characters.

He manages once again to make us have a good time in the company of Nora, an intelligent woman full of resources (in here you'll find Tom's interview who explains, among others things, where does his inspiration for his female characters come from).

This book is a mix of espionage, suspense, chase with well written characters, rogues to perfection, liars or conversely straightforward and friendly. But as you should never trust appearances, Nora will understand that in this spy game, you should be wary of all...

One leaves the United States, arrives in England, ends up in France... and each time the country is well represented and it makes you want to go there. The author also knows to sprinkle its plot with culture and good food, avoiding a too dark novel. Result ? We spend a very pleasant time with a story that does not weaken, a plot that fire a few well-chosen twists away.

The blurb

Nora Baron's life is perfect. She lives on Long Island Sound, teaches acting at a local university, and has a loving family. Then one phone call changes everything. She's informed that her husband, Jeff, has died in a car crash while on a business trip in England. Nora flies to London to identify the body, which the police have listed as a “John Doe.” When she leaves the morgue, a man tries to steal her purse containing Jeff's personal effects. Clearly, all is not as it seems.

At her hotel, Nora receives a cryptic message that leaves her with more questions than answers. She follows the message's instructions to France, where a fatal encounter transforms her into a fugitive. Wanted for murder, on the run in a shadowy landscape of lies, secrets, and sudden violence, Mrs. “John Doe” must play the role of a lifetime to stay one step ahead of a ruthless enemy with deadly plans for her—and for the world.

In a nutshell

Great time spent at the speed of a chase, it's a 4/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Day Shift by Charlaine Harris

(A Novel of Midnight, Texas Book 2)

308 pages

Ace (May 5 2015)

Sci-fy et fantasy

Just to have a little change after several thrillers, I decided to try the new series by Charlaine Harris, who is well know for her  hit series starring Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood for fans of the TV series). Day Shift is the second book in the series that began with Midnight Crossroads.

Again, Charlaine Harris has managed to create a world of her, whose characters have in common a love of secrecy and discretion. They all have something to hide, whether a particular gift or a shady past. Now, in the small town of Midnight, nothing should happen but external events will soon disturb its residents.

I appreciated the fact that the author makes a nod to her hit series citing Sookie and certain events that occurred in the series and including some of the characters in that series (but even if you haven't read the Stackouse books, it won't bother you). I also liked to rediscover Harris' style of writing as she has a gift for making sympathetic or sinister characters all while remaining in the context of her own. The atmosphere is never very dark, even when events are horrible. There is always a magical background, a very pleasant je ne sais quoi. With Harris, one skins someone alive, one risks one's life, one is faced with a killer, a vampire, an angel, a Bengal tiger but on condition of good southern education.

Some questions remain unanswered at the end of the book, which does not please me but which points to the rest of the series. Everything is whether you are ready to dive into a new series that can potentially last very long. Personally, I like it when a book, even in a series, answers its questions.

But what's the story?
In Midnight Crossroad, Charlaine Harris “capture[d] the same magic as the world of Bon Temps, Louisiana, and [took] it to another level" (Houston Press). Now the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels returns to the one-traffic-light town you see only when you’re on the way to someplace else…

There is no such thing as bad publicity, except in Midnight, Texas, where the residents like to keep to themselves. Even in a town full of secretive people, Olivia Charity is an enigma. She lives with the vampire Lemuel, but no one knows what she does; they only know that she’s beautiful and dangerous.

Psychic Manfred Bernardo finds out just how dangerous when he goes on a working weekend to Dallas and sees Olivia there with a couple who are both found dead the next day. To make matters worse, one of Manfred’s regular—and very wealthy—clients dies during a reading.

Manfred returns from Dallas embroiled in scandal and hounded by the press. He turns to Olivia for help; somehow he knows that the mysterious Olivia can get things back to normal. As normal as things get in Midnight…

In a nutshell

A good book to pass the time which reads very quickly. A very friendly atmosphere and quite a few unanswered questions for a series to come, it's a 3.5 / 5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

The Owl by Bob Forward

An Owl Thriller
Brash Books (1 juin 2014)
234 pages - 13,51 $




I was attracted by the story of an anti-hero that can not sleep. This book is a new edition and has even been turned into a film. The author is a writer for film and has among others participated in the writing of X-Men, the Fantastic Four, etc. It immediately gives the idea that the book should be pretty good, right? Anyway, I was sure to be blown away by the action!

The blurb

The most daring and original hero in crime fiction… in a debut novel that’s a relentless, pure-adrenaline rush.

It’s the mid-1980s. Crime in Los Angeles is running rampant. When the law can’t help you, there is one man who can: Alexander L’Hiboux, whose ability to sleep was destroyed in the ghastly tragedy that cost him his family. Now he’s justice-for-hire, prowling the streets and solving crimes with deadly finality. A desperate, grief-stricken shipping magnate hires The Owl to find the scum who brutalized his daughter…a quest that uncovers a shocking conspiracy that will rock the city.

What's good in that book?

Its action! Because there's a lot of it. We follow The Owl and as he never sleeps... there is no downtime. We wander in the slums of Los Angeles, we discover a nightlife not always rosy. We learn how to pass the time when you can not sleep, but we can not stay at home either, because some people would love to whack us. We rush headlong into the stronghold of mobsters not so soft and very well armed, we dodge bullets, we fight with our bare hands. In short, this book is no picnic!

Its main character, The Owl, a bit keyes up to the edges (and the middle too). He's always trying to keep up his reputation intact, sometimes to the point of doing unnecessary things, but we don't hold it against him. The Owl is that anti-hero who kills the bad guys as we like it in the movies. In addition, he's funny or cynical, sometimes it's the same thing. I admit I was a little disappointed to read that he washed only once a week, when he managed to go to a hotel... it's kind of a useless and damaging details that the author could have avoid in my opinion. Despite this, I loved to read the story through the view of The Owl when he tells his everyday life and his story, tragic, adds a depth to his situation.

Its story, because what seemed a fairly simple case - avenge the daughter of a tycoon - turns into an Owls-hunt. Someone knows that The Owl has been recruited and is not very happy. The Owls will have to find the culprit behind all the attacks before he can carry out his mission: make said culprit to disappear. Thus the hunter becomes hunted.

In a nutshell

This novel, published in 1984, is a reprint... which already gives an idea of ​​the quality of the book, as it's rare for a publisher to reissued a third-rate. A lot of action, an antihero well written, an atmosphere Los Angeles noir very noir indeed, it's a 4/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Blood Line by John J. Davis

Granger Spy Novel
Simon and Winter Inc. (14 octobre 2014)
253 pages - 19,95 $



I was attracted by the cover, simple and effective. I thought that this book was serious. Then I read the synopsis. So I changed my mind on the content of the book, but the story was still interesting and I wanted to see how the author was going to do with a spy family.

The blurb

New espionage thriller redefines rogue—the Granger Spy Novel series introduces a loving family with lethal issues caught in the crosshairs of global arms dealers.

IF YOUR FAMILY IS A TARGET, YOU HAVE TO BE A WEAPON.

A Granger Spy Novel, Blood Line (Simon & Winter, Inc. /October 14, 2014/ $15.95) is a high-voltage debut spy thriller and the first in a series about a family with killer talents. A father who is a former one-man kill squad for the CIA, a mother who is a past assassin for the Mossad, and a daughter coveted by both agencies. The Grangers are a blood-loyal clan—it’s how they stay alive.

When a simple home invasion turns out to be not so simple, Ron Granger must put aside his quiet rural life and return to the Central Intelligence Agency to take on international arms dealers.

Aided by his beautiful wife, Valerie, and resourceful teen daughter, Leecy, Ron must quickly decide who to believe—the calculating opportunists, shrewd criminals, or the power-hungry rival intelligence agencies. Any ally could be fatal—all of them are racing to possess the technological breakthrough that will forever change the face of modern warfare. But when Leecy is kidnapped, Ron and Val must choose between the mission and a rescue.

Facing an impossible decision, with time running out, Ron only knows one thing:

When you can't trust anyone else, trust your family.

What's good about that book?

When I saw this book on Netgalley, it reminded me of the movie The Family by Luc Besson... but this time, the family is a bunch of spies instead of mafiosi. Knowing the light tone of the film, I admit I hoped/thought/believed that the book would be in the same genre.

And honestly? That's exactly it! You will read it to have a good not too brainer time, no big reflection on the horizon, we let ourselves go with the flow of the book. The tone is light and pleasant.

There is not much action in the story, we're more in the discovery of the family and especially in the history of the parents. The family is pursued by sinister individuals, but still finds time - while walking to flee of course - to tell everything to the last detail. We learn how the father and mother are great spies (the best actually) with capacity tenfold in just about all useful techniques to the model spy. Such perfection is a bit too much but with the assumption that this book does not take itself seriously, it is right in tone and thus welcome!

Well then, there a few things that, in my opinion, do not make much sense in the book:

- I can not imagine that the US government can give the mission to find the latest military technology to a family deeply involved with another agency from another country (Mossad in that case)...

- I can not imagine parents allowing their daughters still in school, as great as she can be, to integrate the CIA as soon as the school finish.

- I somehow found a bit too easy the scene where the culprit is clearly identified while he is in the next room and he listens to everything that is said (you guessed it, the culprit didn't wait for the other to pick him up after the long conversation was over).

But, even with a few far-fetched details, this book will make you spend a good time. I will put this book in the category Young Adults or in the comedy or parody style, because of the tone and the course of the story so/very/too light of the book. This book will appeal to fans of flawless characters, heroes without fear and without reproach to whom everything succeed.

In a nutshell

A good book, very very ideals characters and a family united in espionage, it's a 3.5 / 5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Butterfly Kills by Brenda Chapman

A Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery
376 pages - Dundurn (Jan. 10 2015)
Paperback - 10.82 $

Well it's been a while since I had read a novel by a Canadian author set in Canada! I must say that I found it very nice, that feeling of familiarity because I live in the same country! And beware: there are two Brenda Chapman: The first lives in Canada, author of thriller, the second in the USA. The first has written for several years thriller, the second stands in animated films.


The blurb

Two separate crimes, two tragic outcomes.

Jacques Rouleau has moved to Kingston to look after his father and take up the position of head of the town’s Criminal Investigations Division. One hot week in late September, university student Leah Sampson is murdered in her apartment. In another corner of the city, Della Munroe is raped by her husband. At first the crimes appear unrelated, but as Sergeant Rouleau and his new team of officers dig into the women’s pasts, they discover unsettling coincidences. When Kala Stonechild, one of Rouleau’s former officers from Ottawa, suddenly appears in Kingston, Rouleau enlists her to help.

Stonechild isn’t sure if she wants to stay in Kingston, but agrees to help Rouleau in the short term. While she struggles with trying to decide if she can make a life in this new town, a ghost from her past starts to haunt her.

As the detectives delve deeper into the cases, it seems more questions pop up than answers. Who murdered Leah Sampson? And why does Della Monroe’s name keep showing up in the murder investigation? Both women were hiding secrets that have unleashed a string of violence. Stonechild and Rouleau race to discover the truth before the violence rips more families apart.

What's good in this book?

It will make you want to move to live in Kingston! It won't be a surprise to some, but I'm not a big fan of description (and even less landscapes!) In Butterfly Kills, descriptions are not ubiquitous, but so effective that they allow you to understand where the characters are located or feel their emotions (because yes, backwash soothe!) and I have to say that it is so well done that I really felt like buying a house by the lake!

The characters are well-written, engaging and each different. I also really liked the fact that Kala is a Native person, because I rarely came across a book where one of the characters is and that I think it's nice to put them ahead. Especially as Kala is very well written, with this mix of calm, wisdom and this little indomitable side that suits her well. Rouleau is just as friendly and we appreciate the relationships he establishes with his new colleagues (including two slackers so realistic that one recognizes in them some people one already run into...)

The plots are well written, even if one can understand the reason behind all that violence. Chapman brings her clues bit by bit and everything is played out in interpersonal relationships between the protagonists.

In a nutshell

A great discovery for me that makes me want to read other books by Brenda Chapman and follow Rouleau's team. This is a 4/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Angel of the Abyss by Ed Kurtz

DarkFuse; 1 edition (Dec 2 2014)

322 pages - 19.40 $

Honestly, I chose this book because the synospis was vaguely reminiscent of one of Franck Thilliez's book, Syndrome E, in which a film makes people blind and generates a lot of dead bodies. I wanted to see how Ed Kurtz was going to treat the subject, if the story was more or less the same, or if it would be really different.

The blurb

When Graham Woodard is hired to restore part of a previously lost silent horror film—Angel of the Abyss—the last thing he expects is the first in a series of murders clearly meant to keep it lost.

With one-time friend Jake Maitland in tow, the two must now navigate the treacherous enigma that is the lost film, while piecing together the story of the film’s ill-fated starlet, Grace Baron, who vanished in 1926. The closer they get to the truth, the more blood is spilled, and it soon becomes apparent that there is much more to the lost film than anyone expected, as there are still forces that will stop at nothing to keep it and its star buried. The darkness the strange film conjured all those years ago has come alive again with its discovery, and now everyone from Graham’s own estranged ex-wife to the LAPD is getting involved.

And the body count is growing.

From the burgeoning film studios of 1920s Hollywood to the perilous streets and dark underbelly of modern-day Los Angeles, Angel of the Abyss is a dangerous tapestry of cinema, history and murder, at the center of which stand two men with everything to lose.

What's good about it

Film buffs will be delighted with this novel that gives pride to the cinema and mainly to silent movies. It talks about the premise of talking pictures, Los Angeles and the superficial life of local people, the beginnings of the great Hollywood companies, in short, a real plunge into a passion Ed Kurtz makes us share.

A special feature of the book I liked is that the story is written in several views (so far nothing new you could say), but it's also partially written in the first person for two of the protagonists. Depending on who's physically restricted between Graham and Jake, it's either talking. I admit that the change of "I" surprise me, but the differentiation between the two characters is carefree and easy.

We going from the investigation about the film today to the shooting of the film at the time, which allows us to understand the atmosphere and ultimately the reason for the disappearance of Grace and  the murderous desire to leave the film to oblivion. Both intrigues conclude one another. On one side you will find the scenes of the film and the characters' lives around the film, on the other the two partner in crime (pun intended!) seek to discover the reason behind the two disappearances (Grace and the film).

Some were disappointed by finding out that it's not a horror book (but about a vanished horror film). As for me, I was expecting a mystery and crime fiction and I was not disappointed with the noir Los Angeles atmosphere, the humor and the action too.

In a nutshell

A dark novel about the lies behind Hollywood, two well conducted intrigues and sympathetic characters, it's a 4/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel

The City of Blood by Frédérique Molay

Le French Book (Jan. 20 2015)

221 pages

Third novel I read by Frédérique Molay... it becomes a habit! I must say that her novels read quickly, and they are nice. And City of Blood blurb intrigued me and it's something I like about Molay: stories always have some originality.

The blurb

When a major Parisian modern art event gets unexpected attention on live TV, Chief of Police Nico Sirsky and his team of elite crime fighters rush to La Villette park and museum complex. There, renowned artist Samuel Cassian is inaugurating the first archeological dig of modern art, twenty-seven years after burying the leftovers of a banquet. In front of reporters from around the world, excavators uncover a skeleton. Could it be the artist’s own son? And does that death have anything to do with the current string of nightclub murders by the “Paris Butcher”? On the site of the French capital's former slaughterhouses, the investigation takes Nico and France's top criminal investigation division from artists' studios to autopsy theaters and nightclubs in hopes of tracking down the murderer who has turned this Paris park into a city of blood.

What's good about it?

The story, original and actual. Who has not heard of these objects we bury everywhere to be unveiled with great fanfare a few years later? Who never imagined that we could discover something criminal, an object that was not originally in... In City of Blood, it's a dead body and it's not anybody, but it's the son of the creator of the time capsule. Who could have killed this young promising artist? Who hate the father at this point to bury his son in his own work? Nico will have to delve into the world of artists, jealousy and love shattered to discover the culprit.

We meet back with pleasure Sirsky Nico and his clique, as friendly as usual. We discover a humorous Nico, looks like love is doing fine with him (his descent into a gay  nightclub is excellent). Again, the life of his family is at stake and this time it's Anya, his mother who is ill. I just hope that every book does not see a member of his family in danger. Maybe it's a brand that some authors choose to constantly put their hero close friend and family in danger, but I find it unrealistic and boring after a while.

The novel reads very quickly, thanks to the writing quality of the author (and the English translation since I read the book in English) and thanks to the unwavering pace of the story. The dead are piling up and the race against the clock is running. Nico will have to understand the past to stop the killings today that add tension to the investigation. And a bonus in that story: I really loved learning more about La Villette - the city of blood (talk about a cynic choice of place to kill people!) 

In a nutshell

Another good novel by Frédérique Molay, a gripping story, engaging characters, it's a 4/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

The Strings of Murder de Oscar de Muriel

Penguin UK - Michael Joseph (12 février 2015)

Paperback, 407 pages

I thought the cover was really great, wasn't it? Yep, one again, the cover got me! And the Ripper case. And the victorian era. And Scotland! With all that, the book could only be great, right? 

What's the blurb?

Jonathan Strange meets Jonathan Creek in this blistering crime debut set in Victorian Edinburgh.

Edinburgh, 1888. A virtuoso violinist is brutally killed in his home. But with no way in or out of the locked practice room, the murder makes no sense.

Fearing a national panic over a copycat Ripper, Scotland Yard sends Inspector Ian Frey to investigate under the cover of a fake department specializing in the occult. However, Frey's new boss, Detective 'Nine-Nails' McGray, actually believes in such nonsense.

McGray's tragic past has driven him to superstition, but even Frey must admit that this case seems beyond reason. And once someone loses all reason, who knows what they will lose next...

What's good about it?

It's not always the case, but in this book, the characters are not what interested me most. It's the plot, which is well done. The dead comes one after another without logical reason, to a well-designed end and an explanation that is not only plausible, but well explained. This is the big advantage of this book because I have to say I was a little scared at the start of a book with a lousy supernatural explanation (as it was question of a closed room and a Department of mysterious case).

The characters, meanwhile, are well characterized. They each have their own life and differ much from each other. Unfortunately, I disliked the main character, Ian Frey, who happens to be a man imbued of his person, racist against the Scots and cultivating his sense of superiority. Honestly, I rarely dislike a central character that much... In general, the author manages to make us like his hero! The book is told in the first person, so we are entitled to all Frey's personal reflections, as well as those he launches at other. As he describes McGray and the others, it is hard to find them endearing. McGray is painted like a caricature of Scots, which is a shame. In the end, it seems that only Frey is worth something (which surely reflects his feelings), but he's so unpleasant that I didn't like him.

If we put aside the fact that Frey portrayes Edinburgh as a horrible place, smelly and dirty, I still enjoyed being there. The descriptions are well made and we feel the cold and wet of the Scottish winter. So it is a good point for the author who knows how to make us feel his characters feelings.

In a nutshell

A good and well done story marred by a very unpleasant main character, but with well made descriptions, it's a 3.5 / 5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Treachery in Bordeaux by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen

Le French Book (May 29 2014)
The Winemaker Detective series - T01
144 pages - 13.95 $

The publisher Le French Book has a mission to publish in English French books they enjoyed. So once again I discovered French authors in English. As I am more and more fond of French novels, as their undeniable quality only confirms the rise of French crime fiction in the world, I decided to try my luck with this first volume in a series devoted to pleasures and wine. Knowing that I was born in Pessac (near Bordeaux), it was with pleasure that I discovered a region that I left before knowing it.

The blurb

In modern-day Bordeaux, there are few wine estates still within the city limits. The prestigious grand cru Moniales Haut-Brion is one of them. When some barrels turn, world-renowned winemaker turned gentleman detective Benjamin Cooker starts asking questions. Is it negligence or sabotage? Who would want to target this esteemed vintner? Cooker and his assistant Virgile Lanssien search the city and the vineyards for answers, giving readers and inside view of this famous wine region. The start of a 22-book wine-plus-crime mystery series that delves into the underworld of a global luxury industry. The world of wine is no more respectable than the world of finance. There’s money, deceit, death, crime, inheritance, jealousy—all the ingredients needed to distill a fine detective series. The series is a hit on TV in France.

What's good about it ?

You don't read that book, you enjoy and sip it while lounging in vineyards or admiring architecture and painting. This is clearly not a detective story like any other: it doesn't happen much... not even  a murder! This can be annoying for who thinks it's a classic novel detective. It's true that at one point I said to myself "but when will the action happens?" 

Maybe because this is the first volume, the authors spend time describing Cooker's living environment, people around him, the decor, his tastes (for painting and wine), we participate in the writing of his book (to the point of reading some passages) and learns more about the history of the region (or country I meant!) It may seem long to some, especially as the book is short. This clearly leaves little time for the plot, but that's part of the charm of this particular novel. 

There's comfort food... and there's comfort books and Treachery in Bordeaux is one of them. No horrible murder, rampage, disillusioned cop, but a mystery that is solved, a cozy atmosphere and an apology for the art of living, of enjoying life, of good food and good wine. The atmosphere is very French, which can charm or not the non-French. 

In a nutshell

A very nice little book with a cozy atmosphere, a simple and well done mystery. For those who enjoy the pleasures of life. This is a 3.5 / 5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

The 7th women by Frédérique Molay

(Paris Homicide Book 1)
Le French Book
254 pages - 9.95 $ (kindle)

Once becomes habit one might say... here I am, reading French thrillers in English! It's great to see that French authors are translated into English, it proves that the French thriller is doing well and it can appeal readers from everywhere. So I read this book in English, with the editor The French Book that mean to translates French books they loved.

The blurb

There’s no rest for Paris’s top criminal investigation division, La Crim’. Who is preying on women in the French capital? How can he kill again and again without leaving any clues? A serial killer is taking pleasure in a macabre ritual that leaves the police on tenterhooks. Chief of Police Nico Sirsky—a super cop with a modern-day real life, including an ex-wife, a teenage son and a budding love story—races against the clock to solve the murders as they get closer and closer to his inner circle. Will he resist the pressure? The story grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go until the last page, leading you behind the scenes with the French police and into the coroner’s office. It has the suspense of Seven, with CSI-like details, giving a whole new dimension to Paris.

What I think of it

I liked the build up of the novel. Initially a simple investigation for a particularly gruesome murder. Then the search for a serial killer and eventually a race against time to save the seventh victim. The book reads quickly and the reading is fluid. The beginning is very technical and we're involved in the initial autopsy as if we were there (which is not necessarily appreciated by everyone). All procedures are clearly explained, whether forensic or police procedures. We feel here a keen eye for detail and the desire / need for accuracy of the author. This will delight fans of the genre who will find a wealth of information. 

The characters are very realistic, it really feels like we're in in the 36 quai des orfèvres and a part of the team, which is always nice when you read a book. As we stay with the team all steps through the investigation, it easy to feel a sense of belonging with those officers. A small problem in my case, the sudden and a bit too fiery love story with the boss of the Crim'. It seems to me that a guy who managed to climb all levels and is found at that young age (38 years old) chief of this famous police division has a little more lead in the head or at least better control of his emotions and will not smooch the woman of his heart at the office... 

I have also a little less liked the fact that from the first murder, the criminal psychologist of the group defines the murderer as a serial killer who has a big problem with his mother. He resent women, surely, seeing what he does them but why not his former teacher, ex wife, neighbor-who-frustrates-him, etc.. This is somewhat simple or cliche like in movies and series dedicated to the genre. Sure, for those who read thrillers from time to time, it is very well done. For those who read thrillers regularly, it might feel like déjà vu.

And a good point for the author who portrays the cops as sensitive persons who care for the others, which is not always like that. Sirsky is particularly kind for the other, always making sure everyone is ok but he's the hero so it's for the better, but the other cops too are. Often, cops are seen like tough or cold people, not here. I find that refreshing and maybe more realist, right?

In a nutshell 

A good first novel for this author, a promising start to the series, a quick and captivating read, this is a 3.5 / 5 for me.


Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.