Tag: Mystery Book

Monthly Features – April 2026

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SETTUP by TK Thoits

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Respected neurologist and researcher Stella Murray was confident the FDA would approve the experimental medication based on its demonstrated superior efficacy. Knowing a serious side effect would not derail the approval process, she reports that a patient had a significant reaction to the investigational drug.

Shortly thereafter, Grand Rapids Detective Troy Evans is called to investigate the suspicious death of a Site Monitor who, he learns, worked with Murray. Evans asks Murray to educate him on the unfamiliar world of medical research. She discloses that conducting investigational drug studies has become a multibillion-dollar industry, with power brokers providing more oversight than the government.

When Murray informs Evans that a second Site Monitor has been killed, they team up to take down the corruption that is mercilessly burying unwelcome researchers and results of a promising drug trial.

Summary: Overall,  SETTUP is a fast, detail-heavy medical thriller that starts in the ER and expands into a layered story involving clinical trials, corporate pressure, and a criminal subplot. The medical realism is strong, and the tension builds as the threads begin to connect. The tone can shift a bit—especially with the assassin storyline—but it adds a darker, more unsettling edge. Best for readers who like medical dramas with conspiracy elements and multiple POVs rather than a single, straightforward narrative. 

See the full review here: SETTUP
Purchase here

 

The Knight’s Last Stand by Bear Pardun

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: In a world where gods walk among mortals and divine tyranny crushes the innocent, one knight’s investigation into ritual murders uncovers a conspiracy that threatens to consume an entire city. Commander Victus Andreas discovers that the seemingly random cult killings in Lindly are part of a far darker plan—the dark elven goddess Lestar seeks to harvest the souls of every citizen to feed her master’s insatiable hunger for power.
When Victus returns from his annual pilgrimage to find his city overrun by disguised dark elves posing as holy inquisitors, he must rally a small band of loyal soldiers, his adopted son Aris, and unlikely allies to stand against overwhelming odds. As ancient magic tears through the city and divine politics threaten to destroy everything he’s sworn to protect, Victus faces an impossible choice: save his people or preserve his own soul.
With breathtaking battles, complex characters wrestling with duty and honor, and a magic system that explores the cost of power, Battle of Lindly launches an epic fantasy series that challenges the very nature of divine authority. In Bear Pardun’s richly imagined world, heroes are forged not by destiny, but by the courage to defy gods themselves.

Summary:  Overall, I found this book to be a gritty, sincere fantasy that leans hard into classic themes of honor, sacrifice, and legacy. The writing had an emotional core — especially the father-son relationship and the relentless sense of duty.  If you like fantasy that is sincere about honor, duty, and sacrifice, then this book could be for you. 

See the full review here: The Knight’s Last Stand
Purchase here

 

Review: The Brighter the Light, The Darker the Shadow by Verlin Darrow

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Synopsis:

Kade Tobin needs every bit of his wisdom as the leader of a rural spiritual community to remain true to his core values as murders pile up around him. Drawn into helping to solve the mystery by a sheriff’s detective, Kade sorts through the array of quirky seekers on the community’s land, only to end up as the defendant in a suspense-filled trial. He struggles to maintain a stance of kindness while he endures bullies in the jail, a vengeful DA, and the pending judgment of twelve strangers. As the prosecution parades witness after witness, the mounting evidence against Kade becomes alarmingly damning. If he were a juror, Kade believes he might vote to convict himself at this stage of his trial. But he also trusts the universe. Kade remains confident that a force greater than himself–and the justice system–has other plans for him. Or does it?

Favorite Lines:

“Most of us humans are burdened by the tyranny of continuity—the ongoing, sequential storylines we feel compelled to construct. What about directly experiencing life—letting it tell us about itself?”

“The world isn’t going to adapt to suit us. We need to transform ourselves to match it as best as we can in order to step away from an adversarial relationship with it.”

“The truth is what matters…If telling it brings up feelings for me, it’s my job to manage those internally. I’ve found that when I avoid something uncomfortable, it just sets up a day of reckoning. It usually ends up worse than whatever the original experience would’ve been.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This one opens in a way that feels deceptively calm. A man, his dog, a quiet morning in a spiritual community tucked into the Santa Cruz mountains. Then there’s a body. And just like that, whatever sense of peace existed gets pulled apart.

What makes this book interesting isn’t really the murder itself. It’s the lens we’re forced to look through. Kade Tobin isn’t your typical protagonist. He’s not scrambling, panicking, or even especially reactive. He’s… observing. Processing. Filtering everything through this spiritual framework that’s supposed to keep him grounded, even when something objectively horrific is sitting a few feet away.

And honestly, that tension is the most compelling part of the book. There’s this constant push and pull between detachment and reality. Kade wants to “experience everything fully,” but when faced with something truly brutal, he flinches like anyone else. That contradiction feels very human, even if the surrounding philosophy sometimes drifts into abstract territory.

The community itself is where things really start to take shape. The Brethren of Congruence is filled with people who are, for lack of a better word, messy. Not in a dramatic, over-the-top way, but in a very believable one. You’ve got people running from past lives, people trying to fix themselves, people who probably shouldn’t be living in a secluded group dynamic at all. The interviews with each member are where the book slows down, but also where it gains texture.

Some of those conversations feel intentionally frustrating. Characters dodge questions, spiral into philosophy, or fixate on things that seem completely irrelevant to a murder investigation. At first it reads like distraction, but over time it starts to feel more like a point. These people don’t operate on the same wavelength as the detective, and that disconnect creates a kind of quiet friction throughout the story.

Detective Cullen is a solid counterbalance. He’s grounded, practical, and increasingly irritated by everything he’s dealing with. His skepticism gives the story structure when it threatens to drift too far into introspection. The dynamic between him and Kade works because neither fully respects the other’s worldview, but they still need each other to move forward.

This is not a traditional mystery. If you’re expecting tight plotting and constant forward momentum, this might feel slow. The narrative is more interested in ideas, personalities, and internal dialogue than in building suspense in a conventional way.

That said, there’s something quietly effective about how it all unfolds. The sense that something is off, not just with the crime but with the people around it, lingers in the background. And the deeper you get into the community, the less certain everything feels.

It’s less about solving a murder and more about understanding the environment it happened in.

Summary:

Overall, this is a slow-burn, character-driven mystery set inside a secluded spiritual community. The story leans heavily into philosophy, interpersonal dynamics, and psychological nuance rather than fast-paced plot. Readers who enjoy introspective or philosophical fiction that feature more character studies than action may enjoy this book. Happy reading!

Check out The Brighter the Light, The Darker the Shadow here!

 

Review: Lovely by Rin Sangar

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Synopsis:

Heather Strand is seventeen years old and wants nothing more than to escape the small town she was born and raised in, until she learns there is something far more sinister at play in her life. A gothic horror set in the bible belt of the American south, LOVELY is filled with fear and teenage life, creating both a coming-of-age story and a late-night creature feature.

Favorite Lines:

“Tomorrow morning, a child’s dead body will rise up from the depths of the lake, pale and bloated. Tomorrow afternoon, a city cab will carry Heather Strand back into town after a three month absence. Tomorrow everything would change – but for tonight, there was a moment of blissful ignorance hanging in the air.”

“It was still out there, too still. The woods waited.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

There’s something off about Lovely from the very first page, and it doesn’t try to hide it. The opening feels calm, almost pretty, with this quiet small-town evening settling in. But then it immediately undercuts itself with that line about a child’s body rising from the lake the next day. That contrast sets the tone for everything that follows. It’s not trying to scare you in big, dramatic ways. It’s more about that slow realization that something is deeply wrong here.

Heather is not an easy character to like, but she is very easy to believe. She comes back to town already cracked open, carrying something heavy from wherever she’s been, and the story doesn’t rush to explain it. The way she moves through the world feels numb and sharp at the same time. Her relationship with Tyler adds another layer that feels messy in a very human way. It’s not romantic in a clean or comforting sense. It’s complicated, sometimes uncomfortable, and that fits the tone of the book really well.

What stood out to me most is how the town itself feels like the main character. Lovely isn’t just a setting. It feels aware, like it’s watching everything happen. The interwoven stories from different time periods build this sense that whatever is happening has been happening for a long time. The archivist discovering patterns in old deaths, the summer camp massacre, the stories about people who pass through and don’t make it out. None of these are thrown in randomly. They stack on top of each other until it starts to feel less like coincidence and more like a system.

The writing leans heavily on atmosphere, and it works. There are a lot of quiet moments that stretch just long enough to feel uncomfortable. The woods, the lake, even the empty streets all carry this weight to them. There’s also this recurring idea that something is mimicking people, blending in just well enough to go unnoticed. That concept sticks in the back of your mind and makes everything else feel more unsettling.

The pacing is interesting. It jumps between present day and different points in the past, which can feel a little disjointed at first, but it starts to click once you realize each piece is adding to the same pattern. It’s less about following a straight plot and more about slowly uncovering what this place is capable of. By the time Heather and Tyler start digging into Max’s death, it doesn’t feel like an isolated event anymore. It feels like they’ve stepped into something much bigger than either of them understands.

This isn’t a clean mystery where everything gets tied up neatly. It leans more into unease than answers. You’re not just asking what happened. You’re asking what kind of place this is, and whether it was ever safe to begin with.

Summary:

Overall, this was a slow-burning, atmospheric horror set in a small town that feels alive in all the wrong ways. It’s less about solving a single mystery and more about uncovering what the town itself might be hiding. Best for readers who like eerie, layered stories with multiple timelines and a lingering sense of unease rather than fast-paced horror. Happy reading!

Check out Lovely here!

 

Review: Driftless Spirits by Karen Ringel

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Synopsis:

Charlotte Burke can’t shake her recurring dream. Over and over again she dreams of finding a mysterious journal on a candlelit desk while wandering through a strange house in the middle of the night. Every dream has shown her a framed picture of an old woman sitting at the same desk, except the latest version. Last night, the woman stood and offered Charlotte a keyring. In the morning, Charlotte woke up with her car keys in her hand.

Her best friend is worried but skeptical when Charlotte insists the house is real. The dream is metaphorical, Ivy says, reflecting Charlotte’s restless state. Ivy gifts her a journal and urges her to take the trip her subconscious is demanding before she wakes up behind the wheel. A roadtrip of self-discovery will help Charlotte figure out what she really wants.

Charlotte agrees to the trip but not for Ivy’s reasons. To her, the house, the journal and the woman in her dream are all too real. She sets off to do the impossible. She doesn’t know it yet, but if she can find the house and uncover its secrets in time, she might save far more than her driftless life.

Favorite Lines:

“It’s the kind of place that passerby barely notice and would never stop. It’s also the kind of place that’s cherished if you live there.”

“The internet has everything if you look hard enough.”

“Sometimes you just have to take a chance and jump.”

“Drifting through some days was fine but drifting through her years without intention squandered a precious gift.

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

From the opening dream sequence, Driftless Spirits establishes an atmosphere rooted in intuition, restlessness, and the slow pull of something unnamed. Charlotte’s story feels immediately familiar in the best way. She is not running from tragedy or danger but from stagnation, from the unsettling realization that her life has begun to feel paused. That emotional starting point gives the book a gentle but persistent momentum.

What Ringel does especially well is treat place as both setting and catalyst. Wisconsin’s Driftless region is not just where the story happens, it is part of what the story is about. The landscape mirrors Charlotte’s internal state: winding roads, unexpected valleys, quiet towns that seem easy to overlook unless you stop and really look. Casten’s Horn feels lived in rather than constructed, and its routines, celebrations, and peculiar rhythms give the town a sense of layered history without overwhelming the narrative.

Charlotte herself is an easy protagonist to root for because her doubts feel honest and unembellished. Her curiosity outweighs her fear, but just barely, and that balance keeps the tension grounded. The mystery elements arrive slowly and organically, never disrupting the cozy tone but gently complicating it. The supernatural aspects are understated and feel more like an extension of intuition and memory than something overtly threatening, which makes them more intriguing than alarming.

At its core, Driftless Spirits is a story about listening. Listening to instincts, to forgotten history, to places that seem to call quietly rather than loudly. The novel resists neat answers and dramatic twists, opting instead for gradual revelation and emotional payoff. It invites the reader to slow down, pay attention, and trust that small moments can still carry significance. The result is a story that feels comforting without being predictable, and reflective without losing narrative direction.

Summary:

Overall, Driftless Spirits may appeal to readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, gentle supernatural elements, and character-driven stories set in small towns. It is well suited for those who appreciate atmospheric storytelling, introspective journeys, and mysteries that unfold through mood and discovery rather than danger. Readers who enjoy themes of self-rediscovery, intuition, and place-based storytelling will likely find this a satisfying and quietly engaging read. Happy reading!

Check out Driftless Spirits here!

 

Reviews: The Moaning Lisa by Rosemary and Larry Mild

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Synopsis:

If Paco and Molly LeSoto captivated you in Locks and Cream Cheese, Hot Grudge Sunday, and Boston Scream Pie, you’re sure to love The Moaning Lisa—their fourth murder mystery with a smidgen of humor.

Now in their eighties, Paco and Molly have moved into Gilded Gates, an assisted living community in Maryland. They expect their golden years to be blissful. They are dead wrong. Some residents are missing and no one knows what has happened to them.

One suspicious resident is a sleepwalker and claims to have heard mysterious moaning during his night walks, but for the life of him he can’t figure out where the anguished sounds are coming from.

“Inspector Paco” has retired as head of the Black Rain Corners police force. But many residents of Gilded Gates fear they might be next on the list of the missing. They beg Paco to investigate.

Naturally, Molly also pokes her keen nose and shrewd insights into the baffling disappearances.

Favorite Lines:

“Getting old is not for sissies”

“The movie’s nothing like the book.”

“Molly, sweetie, I’ve got four good reasons to love you. One, you’re the kindest, most considerate person I know. Tow, you’re clever and creative enough to help me with my detective work. Three, you’re the only one that knows how to put up with me. And four, there’s so much more of you to love.”

“You know, sweetie, we have something most marriages never achieve. We’re a team!”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the authors in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Moaning Lisa is filled with heart, humor, and the kind of small-town mystery that never needs to shout to hold your attention. Paco and Molly LeSoto’s adventures continue as they face both personal decline and a new mystery that brews inside an assisted living community. The story blends humor and heartache as the couple navigates health scares, reluctant moves, and the strange cast of residents and staff at Gilded Gates.

What makes this book shine isn’t the crime itself, but the humanity around it. The authors write aging not as tragedy but as transformation—stubborn, funny, and full of life. Molly’s dialogue is full of warmth and humor even in the book’s heaviest moments. Paco’s quiet steadiness softens the edges, grounding the story in love rather than cynicism.

There’s a sly intelligence in the way Rosemary and Larry Mild handle tone—balancing mystery with a real tenderness toward their characters. It’s the sort of mystery you don’t rush through; you linger for the small moments. Beneath the cozy veneer is a subtle sadness about time, loss, and how people try to hold on to purpose when life insists on taking things away.

If you like your mysteries with heart instead of hard edges, The Moaning Lisa is that kind of read—quietly moving, funny in its own offbeat way, and filled with two characters who feel lived-in, not written.

Summary:

Overall, The Moaning Lisa is a story about love late in life, about finding purpose even when the world starts shrinking. Recommended for readers who love gentle mysteries like The Thursday Murder Club —especially those who prefer character-driven storytelling, sharp humor, and a dash of melancholy beneath the charm. Happy reading!

Check out The Moaning Lisa here!

 

Review: The Regression Strain by Kevin Hwang

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Synopsis:

Nobody’s safe when the inner beast awakens…

Dr. Peter Palma joins the medical team of the Paradise to treat passengers for minor ailments as the cruise ship sails across the Atlantic. But he soon discovers that something foul is festering under the veneer of leisure. Deep in the bowels of the ship, a vile affliction pits loved ones against each other and shatters the bonds of civil society. The brig fills with felons, the morgue with bodies, and the vacation becomes a nightmare.

One by one, the chaos claims Peter’s allies. His mentor spirals into madness and the security chief fights a losing battle against anarchy. No help comes from the captain, who has an ego bigger than the ocean.

With the ship racing toward an unprepared New York, the fate of humanity hinges on Peter’s deteriorating judgment. But he’s hallucinating and delirious…and sometimes primal urges are impossible to resist.

The Regression Strain is a fast-paced medical thriller laced with psychological suspense, perfect for fans of Michael Crichton and Blake Crouch.

Favorite Lines:

“Right back into it, then. He was a kid on a roller coaster cresting the first big incline—the moment before the bottom fell out. He opened the closet and confronted his uniform. Sure, he’d paid for the ride, but that didn’t make it any less stomach-churning.”

“Funny how standards eroded in the face of devastation.”

“The holes in his memory were filling in like groundwater welling up in the paw prints of a rabid raccoon. Muddy and random.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

What starts as a slow simmer quickly boils over in The Regression Strain, Kevin Hwang’s debut that’s equal parts medical mystery, psychological spiral, and pandemic-era existential horror. It’s not a long book, but it’s the kind that lingers—creeping into your thoughts days after you’ve closed it.

The story follows Dr. Peter Palma caught in the chaos of a rapidly spreading fungal pandemic. But Hwang doesn’t just want to tell a virus-outbreak story. He wants to pick at your nerves. The plot slips between sanity, and reality in a way that’s deliberately disorienting. Think fever dream with a med school vocabulary. And I mean that as a compliment.

What makes this novel hum is the way Hwang blends scientific precision with narrative messiness. There’s an almost surgical attention to detail in the clinical scenes—no surprise, given Hwang’s background in medicine—but it never feels like a lecture. Instead, the book immerses you in the  high-stakes environment of a cruise ship in the midst of a mysterious illness, only to pull the rug out with unsettling shifts in tone and perception. At times, I questioned whether what I was reading was happening at all—much like the narrator himself. It’s a risky move, but it works.

Stylistically, it won’t be for everyone. The prose can be clipped and clinical one moment, then rush into sensory overload the next. It’s intentional and immersive, but it can make for a slightly uneven reading experience. That said, if you’re the kind of reader who doesn’t mind being dropped into the deep end—without floaties—there’s a lot to appreciate here.

Emotionally, The Regression Strain taps into something very now. The anxiety of being overeducated but powerless. The loneliness of a pandemic. The slow erosion of certainty. It’s not a comforting read, but it’s a relatable one, especially if you’ve ever tried to logic your way through a crisis and come out the other side more confused than when you started.

Summary:

Overall, is it horror? Sci-fi? Psychological drama? Honestly, it’s all of the above and then some. Hwang doesn’t seem interested in coloring within genre lines, and that’s part of the fun. The Regression Strain is sharp, strange, and surprisingly affecting. It’s not your typical outbreak story—It’s weirder (in a good way), smarter, and a bit sadder.

Can we also take a minute to acknowledge that Hwang is a whole father and doctor and still somehow found time to write this masterpiece, I am in awe! If you like horror, suspense, action, medical mysteries, sci-fi, and/or thrillers then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out The Regression Strain here!

 

Review: For Your Benefit by Patrick Canning

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Synopsis:

Teddy Lint is the kindest private investigator on the planet, committed to seeing the best in everyone he meets. The detective agency he runs out of a Los Angeles strip mall with his brother Ralph has seen a strange case or two before, but never anything like this.

A man claiming to work for the CIA hires the Lints to find a shipping container of radioactive Agent Orange that vanished over fifty years ago. He insists someone is planning on using an army of drones to drench L.A. with the deadly chemicals before the week is out.

The Lint Brothers enter a maze of bizarre suspects, from nefarious ad executives, to anarchistic Boy Scouts, to a toga-clad militia fighting for exclusive rule by women. The propaganda-obsessed society that seems to be running the world is probably worth looking into as well.

The power of empathy collides with the dangers of disinformation as Teddy fights to save the people he loves. Our beloved detective doesn’t give up easily, but any Angelenos with an aversion to death by herbicide might want to dust off that umbrella, just in case . .

Favorite Lines:

“Several times a year, Teddy tries to change Ms. Beauchamp’s job title to Partner and rename the business to Lint, Lint, & Beauchamp Detective Agency. And, several times a year, Ms. Beauchamp refuses, saying the proposed name sounds like an abortion of a law firm no one in their right mind would hire and that she could give a damn about job titles.”

“Nothing more American than a second job, I’ve got three myself.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows Teddy and Ralph Lint, adopted twin brothers who run a detective agency. The brothers find themselves wrapped up in a bizarre case involving an individual named Mr. Woodbine who claims that he works for the CIA. The Lints are hired to find a barrel of deadly herbicide that is unaccounted for before it ends up in the wrong hands and is used in disastrous ways. Why would the CIA need to hire a private detective agency you may ask. You’ll just have to read on to find out.

While I have read my fair share of detective stories, Canning puts a unique and quirky twist on the genre by including overly ridiculous characters and situations while utilizing satirical humor throughout. From cannibalistic movie stars to anarchist boy scouts, this book seems to have it all. Canning weaves together multiple plot lines in a unique and entertaining way while still managing to keep true to the detective-mystery genres.

While I found the story to be a bit fast paced, I felt that this only added to the overall excitement and tone of the story. Readers are swept along on an almost unbelievable journey with the Lint brothers and the introduction from one sub-plot to the next seemed to enhance the overall narrative.

Summary:

Overall, I found this to be a delightfully entertaining read and would recommend to anyone who enjoys satire, mysteries, and detective stories. Happy reading!

Check out For Your Benefit here!

 

Review: Captives by Travis Tougaw

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

A child disappears, leaving behind a broken and grieving family. With no witnesses, no motives, and no evidence, Hadley, Vince, and Eddie must delve deep into the past to piece together what really happened, unaware of the powerful enemies they’re about to make.

Two-year-old Jonah Davidson disappeared from his family’s front yard 15 years ago. While most people believe he’s dead or will never be found, his desperate sister turns to the Fleck, Collins, and Marcotte Agency for help. As the detectives dig up clues from the past, they uncover a web of secrets, including some of Hadley’s own. As she struggles to come to terms with her past, the team confronts present-day adversaries who will do anything to keep their deceit from coming to light. The case takes the team on a chase across Colorado, where one misstep could prove deadly.

Captives is an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Well-crafted and surprising, Travis Tougaw’s latest novel will keep you turning pages until the end. Don’t miss Vince and Hadley’s new adventure!

Favorite Lines:

“A flock of Canada geese flew overhead, squawking their way south. The air held a chill like it could snow any moment, and Hadley smelled a wood-burning fireplace nearby. She loved fall in Colorado.”

“We have way too many cases that end with one of us in a hospital bed.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was racking my brain trying to come up with the last time I read a true detective novel and the only thing that came up was Nancy Drew….Suffice to say it has been quite some time but after this book, I know I’ll be reading more in this genre in the near future.

This is book two in the series – you can find book one here – but I don’t think it is a requirement to read book one before this. Each book follows the same group of detectives but features a separate case. In this one, the detective agency doesn’t usually take on this type of case – a missing child cold case – but Hadley Collins has personal reasons for wanting to get involved. Readers follow along with the detective team through a suspenseful mystery as they try to solve the case.

This was suspenseful, a thriller, mysterious, captivating, and addicting! I couldn’t put it down and ended up staying up until 2am to finish it!  It had me on the edge of my seat and threw me for a loop with a plot twist that I didn’t see coming. I thought Tougaw did an excellent job with this one and I will definitely be going back to read the first book in the series after this!

Summary:

Overall, if you like mysteries, investigative thrillers, and/or detective stories, then this book could be for you. Word of advice, start it earlier in the day so you aren’t up until 2am trying to finish it because you can’t put it down! Happy reading!

Check out Captives here!

 

Review: Awaken the Dawn by Ellis K. Popa

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Synopsis:

A cryptic puzzle. A family secret. A deadly betrayal. When her dad dies during a business trip to Romania, Kat Barrett blames herself for their failed relationship. She’s racked with guilt, haunted by strange dreams about the crash that killed him, and she’d do anything to have him back. Then a package arrives. It’s from her dad and contains a list of clues — one of his classic scavenger hunts. Desperate for answers, she follows the clues to Bucharest and meets Maksim, a local with a dark past who offers to help. Kat doesn’t trust him, but when she hits a dead end, she’s left with no other choice. As they work together, decoding the clues and trying (unsuccessfully) not to fall for each other, the scavenger hunt reveals a deadly secret the dreams have been pointing to, something Maksim’s old crime ring has been hiding all along, and Kat has walked into their trap. Can she beat them to the final clue — and solve it — before she suffers the same fate as her dad?

Favorite Lines:

“I love how the forest is shadowy but the flowers are glowing. Like they’ve found their own magical life amid the death and decay.”

“Friendship is the hand that wipes your tears when life hurts.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows Kat Barrett after she receives a package that seems to come from her dad beyond the grave that sends her on a journey from the US to Romania to solve cryptic clues on a scavenger hunt for answers.

This is Popa’s debut novel but you would think Popa has been writing for years. It was very well written in its creativity, descriptions, and overall writing style. Full of puzzles, mystery, red herrings, romance, suspense, and adventure, this book has it all! There were also hints of supernatural notes that I hope Popa explores further in the future – anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for the supernatural.

If I had to complain about one thing, it would be that the beginning was a tad bit slow for my taste. But I promise you that if you stick with it, you won’t be disappointed and you’ll find yourself sucked into a world of mystery and suspense! I found myself unable to put the book down!

Summary:

Overall,  I thought this was an amazing debut novel and I cannot wait to see where Popa takes us next. If you like fiction, mystery, puzzles, suspense, and romance then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Awaken the Dawn