The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

May 7, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss, whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; policeman’s daughter Nora, who finds herself entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Beatrice, whose career has come to an end along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare.

Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?

Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test.

Briarwood House is an all female boarding house in the heart of the US capitol and behind the respectable fascade the ladies who reside there all having their own stories – and secrets – to tell. When a murder occurs within the walls one evening the ladies need to decide which path they’re all going to turn onto – and whether the trust they’ve built will remain solid or not.

I picked this book up on a whim, the author completely new to me, and thoroughly loved every moment of it. Written in a slightly different manner to most mysteries I read, there are multiple different sections all showing the perspective of the different residents of Briarwood House. I thought this was very clever, letting us get to know each of the ladies who live there in their own time and their own words. I also thoroughly enjoyed the few snippets from the perspective of the House itself and thought that added an interesting and vibrant element to the story as a whole.

While set in the historical 1950s, I loved how the various characters were realistic but also very relatable – many of the common issues back in those days still strongly relevant even today. I also appreciated that while social norms and expectations were vastly different back then, there are more than enough hooks and links despite the many decades that have passed these women back in history are still relevant and relatable just as much now as they were back then.

I feel this book would equally suit historical readers and chick-lit readers. While there is a mystery I admit it’s a fairly light theme through the books – readers who are only looking for a murder mystery might not find that element of the plot strong enough to maintain them through the whole story. This book is very much about the characters, these women and their lives and loves and troubles and the manner in which virtual strangers can learn to live together and knit themselves together into a tight group of friends/family – the murder mystery is very much a back seat to this aspect of the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and am eager to try more by this author. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Hitchhiker by Gabriel Bergmoser

November 11, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Hitchhiker by Gabriel Bergmoser
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

The

Ahead he could see only the stretch of unending road, on either side brown-scorched plains of dirt and scrub, above it all a soaring blue sky and blinding sun. Desolation that looked, to him, a hell of a lot like freedom. He wasn’t playing by anyone’s rules anymore.

The

Have you ever done something bad? The question was like a clawed hand seizing his guts. It had taken everything he’d had not to whimper, to cower away and beg. But as he’d deflected, he’d told himself to stay calm. To be in control. He had to be in control here.

The

She’d made a mistake. Wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. Ever since she’d left, all she’d found was more trouble. More fights. More secrets. More scars. Now here she was, still alive but a long way from anywhere, and with options dwindling fast.

From the award-winning author of The Hunted comes a fast-paced outback thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Dangerously close to fifty and newly divorced, Paul decides it’s time for an adventure and to escape the city. Driving out in Australia’s vast countryside, he stumbles upon a hitch-hiking young man who is clearly running – but from what? With only the two of them in the car in the vast expanse of the Australian desert it’s soon hard to know who the cat is and who the mouse is in this gripping thriller.

I picked this book up on a whim by this new-to-me author and found it a genuinely page-turning thriller. While initially the book was very much what I was expecting, it fairly quickly had a few interesting twists I didn’t see coming. Readers who enjoy a good thriller – one where the plot twists slowly and unfurls into something completely different to what you’ve been led to expect should find this a great story.

The book is divided quite well into three parts. It’s absolutely the one story but part one is told from one character’s perspective, then we are led into a different character’s voice and then finally into a third. I can’t recall reading a story in this exact manner – particularly as there isn’t really a jump in timeline or setting, it’s very much the one story slowly progressing along. I was greatly enjoying the plot by part two and the changeover in perspective and voice was both interesting and refreshing. Similarly, there was a significant twist when we moved into another perspective in part three. I’d had an inkling of this shortly before the twist and was delighted by how the author wrote this out.

There is a little violence and a few small gory sections, but nothing too strongly worded. I feel most thriller readers should feel comfortable with what occurs in this book, and I personally feel this story sits solidly in the thriller – and not horror – genre. That said I definitely feel this is a thriller and not a mystery or suspense novel. I was quite impressed at how the plot did twist and turn a fair bit, some of it was clear to see some of it delightfully surprising. This book felt quite unique and fresh to me, and I admit particularly for the second half of the book I found it very difficult to put down, wanting to constantly know how events would unfold.

Readers looking for a gripping thriller with a solid plot and a definite feeling of cat and mouse should absolutely give this book a go. I am happy with this purchase and look forward to more from this author.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Mile High with a Vampire by Lynsay Sands

September 28, 2021 By 1 Comment


Mile High with a Vampire by Lynsay Sands
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance, Mystery/Suspense
Rating: 5 Stars
Review by: Xeranthemum

In the latest Argeneau novel from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands, an immortal and her mortal pilot are on the run from hungry vampires…and discover they’re life mates along the way.

Quinn Peters never wanted to be immortal. Once a renowned heart surgeon, she was turned against her will and now she has to drink blood to survive. Before she can ask how her “life” can get any worse, she’s in a plane crash. One of the few survivors, Quinn is desperate to get the mortal pilot to safety before her fellow immortals succumb to their blood lust and drain Jet dry.

But hungry vampires are the least of their worries—the crash wasn’t an accident, and someone is trying to kill Quinn. Will she and Jet find their happily ever after as life mates, or will her assassin find her first?

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that I enjoyed from beginning to end and I’m happy to share that Mile High with a Vampire delivered a quality read from the very first pages. It starts with a plane crash, a race for survival, a close call and a revelation that the crash was intentional. That’s just in the beginning chapters, the rest of the plot is figuring out who is trying to kill one of the passengers and why, especially when they’ve done nothing wrong to anyone. Who would do something so foul that they’d be willing to murder everyone on the plane, not just their target? The suspense, the interesting interplay between characters and the well-written plot kept me glued to the story. I didn’t stop turning the pages until I finished the epilogue. Ms. Sands has delivered another winner for fans to enjoy.

It took me a while to remember that Quinn was Pet’s sister in the book, The Trouble with Vampires. That’s when I first learned about their horrific background when they were little kids. This novel, Mile High with a Vampire, completes the story of the two sisters. Quinn finally gets her happy ever after, but of course, she has a bunch of hoops to jump through to get it. She has finally accepted the fact that she needs therapy to deal with what her husband had done to her and their son, what she’s become and to heal enough to start living again. However, therapy ends up giving her a lot more to deal with than she expected. Which of course is the point. The villains who traumatized both Quinn and Pet all those years ago are back in the picture.

Now, the villains are not what I expected. Ms. Sands wrote a scene describing what happened to one of the villains from back in the past and I have to tell you, it’s freakishly horrifying. I actually felt really bad for the guy because it was over the top violent. You may wonder how that past event effects the present and it’s a good question. It’s one of the surprises that impressed me in this book. I would never have guessed it. It helped make the climactic fight scene more meaningful. I know this probably doesn’t make a lot of sense but once you read the book and get to that part, you’ll understand. I didn’t expect to feel any empathy but I kind of did. Don’t get me wrong – a bad guy is still a bad guy – and comeuppance is meted out, but Quinn and Petronella (Pet) weren’t the only ones affected by the past and that’s all I’m going to say.

Now, to get to the good stuff. The romance between Quinn and Jet. It works, it’s great, I thought they were wonderful together, and I liked both their personalities. I thought Jet was a studly hero but it turned out he’s a smart cookie. He’s not just a pretty face. Quinn is adorable. I liked a lot of her internal dialogue and the insight it provides gives a reader a reason to want her to be happy – and that she would choose Jet when she finally was ready.

Their physical chemistry is of course off the charts. Life mates are always hot and bothered for each other. Readers will get plenty of examples of just how ‘hot’ it gets. Fortunately, the book has just enough of those scenes to satisfy readers who like the nitty gritty details, but for readers who are looking for a solid plot conflict, dialogue, action, intelligence with great storytelling and pacing, this story delivers.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a hearty shout out to Lucien, Margarite, Sam, Tybo and so many others in the Argeneau and Notte families that came to help Quinn and Jet survive so they could enjoy their happily ever after. I adore that whole family dynamic and how they all come together to party when things are good, and when things get hairy, they band together to defend and fight for the ones they love when there’s trouble. I believe this is the 33rd book in the series – so that’s a lot of family ties to keep track of. Oh, it might be naughty of me, but I actually snickered when Lucien accidently gets … well, I’m not going to actually tell you what happens… Fans of the series will more than likely understand why I found that scene humorous and why I giggled. Since I didn’t expect that to happen, I’m not going to ruin the fun and surprise by letting the cat out of the bag. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens.

On the whole, Mile High with a Vampire is a sure bet. It’s a fun and exciting adventure. I had a great time watching Quinn and Jet fall in love and you can be sure that I am adding this novel to my very large book pile of keepers. Many of Ms. Sands’ books have made it to my re-read list so many times, I’ve lot count. I’m thrilled with everything about this story and I heartily recommend it to paranormal romance fans in general, and to Ms. Sands’ fans specifically. It’s a great addition to the series and one not to miss.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh by Stephanie Laurens

June 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

RYDER
The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh by Stephanie Laurens
Publisher: Avon: Harper Collins Publishers
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (340 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Lady Mary has been waiting years for this opportunity. Not that her sister has thrown off her spinster ways and become betrothed, it’s finally Mary’s chance for true love. She knows exactly who she wants –and it’s not someone as wild, unmanageable, and sinfully seductive as Ryder Cavanaugh.

Ryder Cavanaugh, Marquess of Raventhorne, had never met a woman who wouldn’t happily fall at his feet–or into his bed…until Lady Mary Cynster. But Ryder has made some decisiosn abotu his life and he’ll only succeed at being the man he wants to be with Mary by his side. And convincing her of that fact is just the kind of challenge he thrills at…

I just knew by the end of page one that this was going to be a fun read—it was and so much more.

The coming together of two strong personalities, the tussle for control with love quietly manipulating both of them, and outside forces plotting against them make this story a page-turner. Plus the eloquent writing style of Stephanie Laurens makes it a delight to read.

Mary Alice Cynster knows Ryder Cavanaugh, Marquess of Raventhorne, has a will stronger than hers—not good husband material. She long ago determined to be in charge of her own life. Every Cynster male can vouch for her tenacity and bossiness even though she’s the youngest of the Cynster siblings. Now that she wears the Catriona necklace that has helped each of the other Cynster girls find their “true mate”, Mary is on the prowl for hers. She has her list of possibilities and the lion-like Ryder with the green/gold eyes, sinful smile, and sensual charm that oozes from his pores is NOT one of them. She has her sights set on his half-brother Randolph. He just might be the one.

Majority of renowned pharmacies having online drugs stores which tadalafil 10mg uk are facilitating customers with cheapest as well as effect treating alternatives then it is erection-enhancing medicines. Like in oral treatment this type of treatment is the humiliation. soft cialis http://respitecaresa.org/event/valero-texas-open-birdies-charity-2/ Men with erectile dysfunction are more likely to suffer from impotence at some point in their lives, but cheap cialis pills this condition can become a concern if it occurs frequently. lowest priced viagra And it’s aging, with it’s need to pay attention to what we are going that can give us the gift of living in the moment. Ryder knows Mary would scare young Randolph to death. Ryder’s always been protective of his half-siblings, so he thwarts Mary’s pursuit. His inner predator delights in the elemental battle as he quietly stalks her. She is “pure challenge”. When he sees her instincts tell her to flee rather than fight him, he watches her cast a wider net in her husband search. Now he is always close to protect her. Mary considers him a “pest”, but waltzing with him is magical

When the tables turn and death threatens Ryder, Mary protects him like a lioness. All her strong-willed ways and her years of training to manage a large household make her a formidable force that nobody questions.

Lavinia, Ryder’s step-mother, is a pain in the neck working her way down. Her mindset and determination as to how Ryder and her own children should fall in line and do as she wants creates untenable conditions. The back story of Ryder and his family is enthralling.

Mary’s family, so different from Ryder’s, gives one a feeling of permanency. Monarchs and politicians wax and wane but families go on forever as far as the Cynster clan is concerned.

The tone of the story changes when Mary disappears and Ryder has to face the horror of the possibilities of what has happened to her and what life would be without her. Fears make heart-pounding scenes as an all out search is made for her.

How Ms. Laurens weaves an intriguing plot with an undercurrent of malicious secret doings, while entertaining with the ebb and flow of the hero and heroine’s struggle for supremacy makes spellbinding reading and keeps the senses on full alert. How she leaves the reader feeling that both Mary and Ryder lose nothing and gain much in their coming together is remarkable.

The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh sparkles with humor, entices with nefarious doings, and enchants with love scenes that up the blood pressure and take one’s breath away. This is a spirit-lifting, beautifully written happy-ever-after love story to enjoy reading more than once.

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