saltygalreads's reviews
306 reviews

Six mornings out of seven, Travis Devine puts on his cheap quality suit and boards the 6:20 train into the financial heart of NYC to move money around and make big bucks for Cowl & Comely. (Can we hear Sheena Easton in the background?) Travis is a former military man turned MBA and financial analyst, but really hates the 9-5 slog. Then one morning he receives a cryptic message stating that she is dead - arriving at work to find out that the colleague he had dated was found hung to death in a storage closet at work. And when the news breaks that it was a murder staged to look like a suicide, the police like Travis for the crime. Not to mention that there is an entire floor of the building that is off-limits to everyone except the egotistical braggart of a CEO, where Travis suspects some shady deals taking place. It looks like Travis must revisit his military skills to find out what is really happening and protect himself.

This was the first David Baldacci novel I have read, although like almost everyone else on the planet, I am aware of his prolific writing career. I quite enjoyed the array of characters in the novel, although a little more nuance to the characters would probably be more realistic. Travis is a little too likeable and perhaps should have some character flaws. Likewise there is the brash CEO, Brad Cowl, the fast-food eating and jovial Russian hacker, Will, and the two plodding, sarcastic NYC cops who are always a step behind.

There are plot twists galore and lots of action, which was expected, and which I enjoyed more than I expected, in particular one confrontation outside a bar with three pretentious and overconfident fraternity types. It was a bit longer than it needed to be however, and could have been edited down without losing the story. An enjoyable action/suspense novel which makes a good summer read, and I would like to extend sincere thanks to Grand Central Pub for my copy.

Ireland 1921, after WWI and during The Troubles. The prestigious Prendeville family lives in their crumbling mansion by the sea, while the Irish rebels and the British loyalists plot their campaigns of violence and retaliation. Then an ambush by the IRA goes wrong and beautiful, heroic Maud Prendeville is killed. Her murder must be investigated and so former Army Captain Tom Harkin takes on the job of investigating the murder of his former lover and fiancee. Everyone is a suspect and no one can be trusted, not even old friends. Meanwhile Tom is haunted by the horrors of trench warfare, suffering through terrible flashbacks.

The house also reveals its ghostly inhabitants to him - a long ago bride with her bouquet of rotting flowers, his dead friend and brother-in-arms Arthur Prendeville, and now Maud, sitting calmly by her bedroom window and leading him to clues. Tom struggles to put the pieces of the mystery together, clinging to the pieces of his broken mind and tortured memories while his country comes apart around him.

What an unexpectedly wonderful treat of a novel! I knew nothing about this book but the description captured my imagination when I read it. I was completely engrossed, living among the Prendevilles and navigating the deception and treachery with Tom Harkin. Everything about the story was well executed: the setting, the characters, the atmosphere and the mystery. The house itself felt like a living character with its ghosts, sadness and memories. The conclusion is quite satisfying, offering redemption and hope for Tom Harkin. I will be purchasing a hard copy of this one. A resounding five stars! Many thanks to NetGalley and Arcade Crimewise for this wonderful copy to read and review.

Egypt's Golden Couple is an exploration of the lives of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, who ruled Egypt from 1352-1336 BCE during the Eighteenth Dynasty. Most people would recognize the iconic bust of Nerfertiti, with her tall conical hat, full lips and beautiful lined eyes. They are also known as the parents of the famous boy-king of Egypt, Tutankhamun. This heavily researched book outlines the ways in which Akhenaten relegated the many ancient gods of Egypt to the background, and elevated Aten, the sun god, to prominence as the one and only god of Egypt at the time. Through a myriad of ceremonies, spectacles, writings and rituals, Akhenaten and Nefertiti also elevated themselves as the representation of Aten on earth - essentially gods themselves through which their subjects could connect and communicate with their god.

This is a research-heavy book, which delves into the rituals of these rulers and their ancient writings, as well as their life with their seven children. It provides fascinating insight into the methods that the rulers used to create mystery, reverence and spectacle around themselves, so that they might convince their subjects to revere the god of Akhenaten's choosing and regard the royal family as deserving of worship and loyalty. Given that some 1345 years later in basically the same region of the world, a Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be the living representative of God on earth and the only path to heaven, creating spectacles and miracles to convince people to follow him; it does cause one to think deeply about the ways in which humans can be convinced to believe and pursue faith and worship.

This is a well-researched and fascinating book. It is not for the casual reader or someone with only a passing interest in Egyptology, however if you are a non-fiction reader with an interest in ancient religion and ritual, or in Egyptian dynasties, then you will most certainly enjoy it. Many thanks St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy.

A violent patient is missing from the "hospital for the insane" on Shutter Island. US Marshall Teddy Daniels, along with his partner Chuck Aule, goes to the island to search for the patient and return her to the hospital. Daniels has a traumatic personal past which he doesn't like to discuss, as well as PTSD from his WWII service. On the island, it is almost impossible to distinguish truth from fiction as Daniels tries to interview patients; and he struggles with trusting the physicians, suspecting that there is much more going on below the surface on Shutter Island. In the meantime, a powerful hurricane is barreling toward the island, endangering everyone's safety.

Shutter Island is set in the early 1950s, in the postwar era following revelations of Nazi experimentation and abuses. Hospitals for the "criminally insane" were terrifying places where patients could be imprisoned, medicated or operated on against their will. Frontal lobotomies were still legally being performed. Little was understood about serious mental illness and society struggled with managing the deluge of people suffering from the traumatic experiences of wartime.

The thriller unfolds against this backdrop, with the reader trying to discern between reality and the fictions created by the diseased minds on the island. Daniels is a very complicated character - a man of strict discipline and impossibly high moral codes, trained to be violent and yet so sadly damaged by his experiences. The atmosphere is menacing, as we follow the mystery with Teddy Daniels and regard everyone with mistrust and suspicion.

I loved this tense and twisty thriller and would highly recommend it to any fan of psychological suspense.

Pippa and Gabe appear to be the perfect couple. They adore each other and their two girls. However, Gabe is unpredictable and mercurial - Pippa can never be sure what is coming next or which secret will be revealed. Max and Amanda have a very businesslike arrangement in their marriage. There is little emotion expressed and their partnership runs like a well-oiled machine. Then one day a woman falls from The Drop - the steep cliff right next to Pippa and Gabe's house, and Gabe's attempt to save her fails. But did she really jump, or was she pushed? What other secrets are lying in wait?

This was an enjoyable, fast-paced domestic thriller and a very quick read. The chapters are quite short and the POV switches between the four main characters. There are just enough secrets revealed at intervals to keep the reader engaged, but I cannot say there are any real shockers or big plot twists in here. It is ultimately a well-constructed novel with a storyline that held my interest throughout, and a good summer read to grab before summer disappears. If you are already a fan of Sally Hepworth, no doubt you will enjoy this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press!

I've been a fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers since my teens - so more than a few years! When I learned that Flea (Michael Balzary), the bassist of the band had written a memoir I was intrigued. It isn't so unusual for a lead singer to write a book, and in fact the lead singer, Anthony Kiedis, had written one, which I have not read. However, to me Flea was in fact a more enigmatic figure and more fascinating, with his signature, over-the-top gyrations and acrobatics while never missing a note.

Acid For the Children is a memoir of Flea's early life, including the story of being uprooted from his dysfunctional but "normal" nuclear family life in New York State to living in Hollywood, California with a dreamer, alcoholic mother and her wildly unstable but musical genius boyfriend Walter. Running wild on the streets of Hollywood, Flea learns life lessons, finds friendship, soaks up all the musical influences and does way, way too many recreational street drugs. It forms the remarkable person that he clearly is - revealing a much more sensitive and perceptive man than I expected and not hiding from divulging difficult and unflattering revelations about himself in the process.

I deeply respected the honesty in this memoir and look forward to reading his next book. The memoir ends with the inaugural performance of the RHCP and I can only think that there are many more revelations to come in book two. I had such a book hangover after finishing this one. If you are a fan of the band, you need to read this. If you are wondering what it is like to grow up on the streets of LA in the 70s and 80s, you need to read this. If you are interested in the story of a man who tried about every street drug there is during his youth and lived to tell the tale, you need to read this. Just read it. So much gratitude to Grand Central Pub for sending me a copy of this memoir.

I listened to this book on audio as narrated by the author and I am glad I did so since it was quite impactful to hear it in her own voice.

This memoir is so raw and real, describing McCurdy's life of childhood stardom, maternal abuse and disordered eating. She spares herself nothing - the humiliations, the pain of her mother's betrayals and manipulations, and the overwhelming anxiety of having to act against her will and be the family breadwinner as a young child. It is also uplifting to hear about her personal growth since she began dealing with her trauma and taking steps to turn her life around.

This is an inspirational, personal and deeply moving piece of writing. You find yourself fervently wishing that McCurdy finds personal fulfilment and satisfaction in her life now and on her own terms.

Vanished is the third book in this series by La Plante about British detective Jack Warr. In this novel, Warr investigates the gruesome murder of an older woman who is complaining to the police about thefts from her home. She is querulous and annoying so police initially dismiss the complaints - until she is discovered after being murdered in a horrific manner. In the course of the investigation, Jack chases after her missing boarder, also finding a hidden drug operation and art forgery scheme. He also manages to marry his longtime love and be a father to his toddler.

Not surprisingly, this is a well-written novel with great character development and an intricate plot. The character of Jack Warr is complex, with a darker side that is unpredictable and perhaps a bit unethical. There is no mind-blowing excitement here and the pace is a little slow at times, but it's a solid effort. For those who are already fans of the series, this is a good addition. I would give it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

"I was born with a broken heart." What an opening line!

Daisy Darker is only a child and yet she has died several times in her young life. She suffers from a congenital heart valve disorder and has been brought back from the brink of death on more than one occasion. The youngest of three girls, Daisy struggles to find her place in the world and even in her own family. Treated badly by her two self-absorbed and selfish older sisters and dealing with the fallout of her parents' divorce and difficult relationship, Daisy finds comfort and beauty at Seaglass, her Nana's cottage by the sea. For Nana's 80th birthday, there is a very special celebration at Seaglass and they all gather; but then someone leaves a sinister rhyme about the family members dying. One by one they begin to die as the rhyme comes true - can Daisy figure out what is happening before it is too late?

This novel has a haunting, plaintive atmosphere, set at Seaglass with its rolling waves and creaking timbers. Daisy is a very memorable and likeable character, not because she is perfect but rather because she is not. She is as engaging as the other characters are mostly repulsive. The novel has many twists and turns, while the action is practically nonstop, keeping the reader speculating throughout. There were some unsatisfactory gaps which left me with questions, but I will not elaborate at the risk of spoilers. And the ending leaves you sitting like an idiot, with your mouth gaping.

All in all - a very entertaining story which most mystery/thriller readers will love.

Agatha Raisin has decided to retire to the Cotwolds and give up her busy career in London. When she settles into her new cottage, she begins to fear that she will be bored and has made a mistake. But then Agatha enters a baking contest with a spinach quiche. After the lecherous judge dies of poisoning, Agatha becomes embroiled in an amateur murder investigation. But she is poking a hornets' nest with all her questions; and better figure it out before she becomes a victim.

This audiobook was nonstop fun! I was hooked and couldn't stop, listening intently and laughing uproariously at some points. The narration was spectacular, the plot full of surprises and the characters so enjoyable. The description of Agatha's daytrip to Bath with The Boggles was especially hilarious!

I will definitely be continuing with this series.