#thomasandmercer

[bucolicbook]

A Happy Marriage by A.R. Torre

pub date - 6/24/25

2.5 stars, rated up

I was hooked from the beginning and read eagerly, until the middle - the dreaded middle when the story seemed to get in its own way, and lost it. Also, crazily implausible; you’ll really need to suspend your sense of disbelief for this one.

I’ve read other books by the author, and enjoyed the majority of them, but this one wasn’t really for me. However, I do look forward to reading the author’s future titles.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the DRC

A Happy Marriage by A.R. Torre

[fredhandbag]

Today is my day on the book tour for A Truth for a Truth by Carol Wyer - the 4th book in her DI Kate Young series. Wyer writes some great crime fiction where no character is safe. She’s a genuinely nice person (except that the Brad character in this book is “surly as usual” 🤦🏼‍♂️😂) This book is available now. Book Blurb DI Kate Young’s team is hunting for a killer. What they don’t know…is that the killer is her.

DI Kate Young has known for years that her boss, Superintendent John Dickson, is a violent and evil man. But when she finally confronts him and accidentally shoots and kills him, she’s forced to cover her tracks before anyone can pin his death on her. With revelations about his corruption soon to become public knowledge, Kate sets up a trail of evidence to make it seem that Dickson has conveniently vanished…

But Kate knows the corruption doesn’t end with Dickson. As she heads up the team investigating his supposed disappearance, she also pursues other loose ends. Stanka, the sex worker who supplied the evidence against Dickson, leads her to crucial information on another corrupt officer, DI Harriet Khatri, and her dubious involvement with sex traffickers.

As the noose starts to tighten on Kate, she finds herself targeted by traffickers, the bent cops on her force and even her own team of detectives. Can she stay one step ahead of them all and bring Harriet to justice? Can she trust anyone around her? And can she possibly get away with murder? #atruthforatruth #carolwyer #dikateyoung #thomasandmercer #britishcrimefiction #policeprocedural #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookphotography #bookcommunity #bookblogger #sodacityreads #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs #psychologicalcrimethriller #zooloosbooktour https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq8KlferJSc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[fredhandbag]

A Truth for a Truth is the fourth book in the DI Kate Young series from Carol Wyer. "Kate has known for years that her boss, Superintendent John Dickson, was corrupt. Now that she has accidently shot and killed him, Kate decides to cover up her involvement and continue to search for the other corrupt members of the force. When Kate's team is tasked with finding the missing Dickson, she must point them away from her and still follow up on leads of corruption. The pressure is almost unbearable and Kate has no one to trust or confide in. Can she root out the bad guys before she is caught?" This books picks up where the previous book ended - the shooting of Dickson. The first half of the book is a little slower because most of it is spent in Kate's head. And it's a crowded place with Dickson and her husband, Chris, competing for space. The second half moves quicker with the reveals about who is involved in corruption and the steps Kate takes to bring closure. There is a Brad character. He has a good start - "could be trusted", "sole human she could rely on" But then we get - "He was as surly as usual" and "Bradley was trouble" Still waiting on that good-guy Brad character. There are some surprises. Wyer is never afraid to do anything to any character, so you can't anticipate where she's going with the story. She resolves part of the story but there is a little cliff hanger. A great addition to the series. You can read this a standalone but it's best to read the series in order. More great crime fiction from Wyer. #atruthforatruth #carolwyer #dikateyoung #thomasandmercer #britishcrimefiction #policeprocedural #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookphotography #bookcommunity #bookblogger #sodacityreads #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs #psychologicalcrimethriller https://www.instagram.com/p/CqaYzAlLvj2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[fredhandbag]

Chance by Matthew Fitzsimmons is the follow-up novel to his excellent novel, Constance. "Chance Harker has a large online following of his crazy stunts. Sometimes they don't go well and he dies. But he comes back as a clone to try again. He wakes up again and discovers that he's been accused of killing a man - Lee Conway. As Chance digs into what happened, he discovers the answers of what tore his family apart. And now he must stay ahead of the LAPD detectives and a growing mob to get to the final truth." Cloning is not a new idea in sci-fi but Fitzsimmons poses some interesting questions about the societal impacts of human cloning. Intially, Chance is not a very likable character but as you get into the story you see the motivation for his stunts and his search for the truth. Constance from the first book is back in this one. Great pick for readers of fast-paced sci-fi. #chance #constance #matthewfitzsimmons #thomasandmercer #cloning #scifi #sciencefiction #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookphotography #bookcommunity #bookblogger #sodacityreads #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs https://www.instagram.com/p/CompX9Jreen/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[fredhandbag]

Carol Wyer is back with a stand-alone thriller - Behind Closed Doors. "Stacey's ex-husband shows up on her door begging for help to get his teenage daughter,Lyra, back from a kidnapper. Stacey's own kidnapping 30-years-ago was never solved and she knows the terror that Lyra is going through. Stacey can't shake the similiarities between the two cases but she'll do what ever she can to get Lyra back. Something is off though - if only she could put her finger on it." Wyer starts off with a tense story and never lets up. If you have never read a Wyer story, there's something you need to know about her characters. None of them are safe - not a one. So you never know who will make it. You will not like Jack - both old Jack and new Jack. And you want to yell at Stacey about him. Stacey races to find Lyra hoping to solve her own kidnapping as well. A few red herrings and an explosive final scene. Wyer sets this novel in a little known place in the UK and her descriptions make you want to go visit. A great stand-alone thriller from Wyer. #behindcloseddoors #carolwyer #thomasandmercer #netgalley #britishcrimefiction #britishfiction #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookphotography #bookcommunity #bookblogger #sodacityreads #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs https://www.instagram.com/p/Clqo32ALzG6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kkecreads]

Now reading: I Know Where You Live by @greggolsen #iknowwhereyoulive #greggolsen #thomasandmercer #netgalley #netgalleyreads #willthisbookbekatyapproved #kkecreads https://www.instagram.com/p/CkeuM4_pmu_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[fredhandbag]

We Lie Here is a new domestic thriller from Rachel Howzell Hall. "Yara is headed home to host her parent's 2oth Anniversary party. A distant cousin, Felicia, sends Yara a message telling her she has information that will change her life. Before they can meet, Felicia is found dead in a lake. She manages to get a key to Yara - one that opens a cabin - where a secret has been hidden for more than twenty years. But finding the truth can change Yara's life...or end it." What's a thriller without secrets and lies. Lots of unlikable characters in this one. And poor Yara cannot find a way to disagree with her mother. Mother B is controlling - always thinking about what people will think of her. You will probably yell at her a few times. There were a few red herrings, but you'll guess much of the ending and the twists. But Hall still gives us a good story and good characters. #weliehere #rachelhowzellhall #thomasandmercer #netgalley #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookwormlife #sodacityreads #bookworm #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs #familydynamics https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf3ylh7rlAm/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[fredhandbag]

Decimate by Christopher Rice is a book that fits in different genres - science fiction, horror and general fiction. "Claire and her brother, Poe, were on a camping trip with their father in the deep Montana woods when they were caught up in a great explosion of light. Was it aliens? Or a government project gone wrong? Years later a plane crash gives a strange power to a young man with revenge on his mind. A group wants to stop him hoping that Claire's connection to Poe can help before it's too late.!" Rice tells an original story about "near death experiences" and the connection between people after death. You have to pay attention because he's throwing things like "bloom" and "memory deck" at you. This story is filled with characters wanting a second chance. Characters who are grieving for lost relationshipu. Characters who want to do the right thing no matter the personal cost. Rice is great at thinking up wild scenarios and making the reader think "That might be possible" Fans of the Burning Girl trilogy should enjoy this one. Crazy story from Rice. #decimate #christopherrice #neardeathexperience l#thomasandmercer#sciencefiction #horror #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #readinglife #bookwormlife #sodacityreads #readersofig #bookreview #suspensebook #bookhaul #literarycrimefiction #goodreads #homelibrary #thrillerbooks #domesticthriller #crimefiction #thriller #characterdrivenbooks #mysterythriller #bookrecs https://www.instagram.com/p/CdVeuzIIXYa/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=