Book Review: It's Not What You Think

Title: It's Not What You Think

Author: Clare Mackintosh

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Publication Date: September 22, 2026

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I've read enough Clare Mackintosh to know she doesn't disappoint, and this one sits comfortably near the top of her output. She is at her best here — controlled, bold, and fully in command of her craft. It's Not What You Think is a tightly constructed, deeply satisfying thriller that pulls you forward with quiet insistence from the very first pages.

The setup pulls you in with the familiar architecture of domestic suspicion: Nadeeka is convinced her husband Jamie is having an affair. She knows the signs. She's been here before. But when she arrives home ready to confront him, Jamie can't explain himself — because Jamie is dead, and the house is now a crime scene. It's a sharp pivot, and it works beautifully. A twist arrives early — genuinely shocking — and it transforms what might have been a competent domestic thriller into something far more urgent and obsessive. From that point, Mackintosh keeps ratcheting up the tension with precision and confidence.

What gives the novel its particular resonance is its thematic backbone. At its core, this is a story steeped in the fear and fury surrounding immigration — extreme right-wing ideology, the demonization of the foreign-born, the very real danger that rhetoric becomes when it finds a body to act on. With Nadeeka as a central figure of Asian heritage, Mackintosh grounds these ideas in human consequence rather than abstraction. It's the kind of fiction that feels ripped from current headlines, whether you're reading it in England or the United States.

Adding a key human dimension to the investigation is the pair of detectives leading the case — who happen to be engaged and mere days away from their wedding. Their impending nuptials create a constant undercurrent that both complicates and crystallizes their pursuit of the truth. It's a clever structural choice that keeps the personal and the procedural in productive tension throughout.

#ItsNotWhatYouThink #NetGalley

Book Review: Easy Discipline

Title: Easy Discipline

Author: Jia Jiang

Publisher: Simon Element

Publication Date: July 14, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Having loved Jia Jiang's debut, Rejection Proof, I came to Easy Discipline with enthusiasm and excitement — and while this sophomore effort doesn't quite reach those heights, it delivers enough fresh thinking to make it well worth your time.

The book is built around the EASY acronym — Enjoyment, Artistic Mindset, Systems Approach, and Yourself — with each section opening with an overview chapter followed by two chapters introducing what Jiang calls "tools." He illustrates his principles with stories drawn from an engaging cast of historical and pop culture figures, including Kobe Bryant, Florence Nightingale, Steve Jobs, Alexander Fleming, and Jim Collins. This storytelling approach makes for easy reading and gives the framework a human dimension that pure productivity manuals often lack.

Not all of the tools land equally. The Game Changer concept in the Enjoyment section is good — the idea that reframing a dreaded task as a different kind of challenge can transform your relationship to it is both practical and psychologically sound. The Momentum Loop felt less developed to me, more concept than actionable method. The Artistic Mindset section offers a memorable reframe: the idea of pursuing a "maximally lovable product" rather than a minimum viable one is the kind of perspective shift that sticks with you. The emphasis on relationships as a core asset is one of the book's warmer and more grounded moments.

The Systems section is where Jiang arguably hits his peak. The One Action Goal is the standout tool of the entire book — a deceptively simple framework for cutting through paralysis and establishing momentum. Paired with the Inspiration Index, which links an input number (purpose) to an output number (power), it gives readers a surprisingly concrete mechanism for tracking effort and sustaining motivation. Repetition with Variation rounds out the section with a useful reminder that consistency doesn't have to mean monotony. The final section, on being yourself, is the lightest of the four — more motivational than methodological.

My one reservation is that Jiang's "tools" are often more like ideas or concepts — thoughtful ones, certainly, but not always immediately applicable without further development on the reader's part. That said, Easy Discipline is a genuinely enjoyable read with several ideas worth returning to, and the One Action Goal alone may justify the price of admission for anyone wrestling with focus and follow-through.

A big thank you to Simon Element and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#EasyDiscipline #NetGalley

Book Review: Promise Me Never

Title: Promise Me Never

Author: Liv Constantine

Publisher: Bantam/Ballantine

Publication Date: August 18, 2026

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I've read a number of Liv Constantine books, including the Mrs. Parrish trilogy, and I came to Promise Me Never hoping for more of that same compulsive storytelling. What I got, unfortunately, was something that felt like a step down — a gothic domestic thriller with an intriguing setup that takes far too long to deliver on its promise and is ultimately disappointing.

The premise is genuinely compelling. Aspiring writer Savannah meets and marries her literary idol, the celebrated horror novelist Bennett Bryson, and moves into his remote upstate home — only to find herself increasingly isolated, controlled, and haunted by the memory of his first wife, Poppy, who died under mysterious circumstances. The ingredients for sustained dread are all there: the brooding, secretive husband, the shadow of the dead first wife, the whispered warnings. 

The problem is pacing. For roughly the first half of the book, very little of consequence happens. The tension that should be quietly ratcheting up instead feels stalled, and I'll be honest — had I not been committed to writing this review, I'm not sure I would have pushed past the midpoint. When the novel finally begins to accelerate, it does so in two sharp lurches: a significant twist at around the 80% mark, and a larger one near the end. Both were difficult to swallow. Promise Me Never is a middling thriller that feels underpowered.

A big thank you to Bantam/Ballantine and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#PromiseMeNever #NetGalley

Book Review: That Night

Title: That Night

Author: Gillian McAllister

Publisher: William Morrow

Publication Date: August 18, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Gillian McAllister has built a reputation for placing her characters in moral quagmires so vivid and uncomfortable that you feel them in your bones, and That Night is no exception. From the very first words — "Help me, please help me" — she drops us into a world of dire need and death, and never quite lets us breathe again.

The setup is deceptively simple: three siblings on a family vacation in Verona, one terrible accident, and a promise that will slowly unravel everything. Frannie hits a man with her car, and in a moment of panic, her brother and sister help her bury the body. What follows is an escalating study in the disintegration of family bonds — that particular horror of watching people you love make one bad decision after another, like a horror movie where you're screaming at the screen, knowing exactly where this is headed and helpless to stop it.

McAllister structures the novel across multiple perspectives, bouncing between the three siblings and the victim's wife, while alternating between "then" — those fateful days in Verona and the aftermath back in England — and "now," the proceedings of a trial whose details are deliberately withheld until the final pages. It's a smart architecture that keeps the tension taut and the doubt alive. Who knew what? Who will crack first? The central premise is perfectly distilled in one of the book's most chilling lines: "This began as a hit-and-run. And now it's — it's this — this grotesque, awful..." That sense of a first crime metastasizing into something monstrous is McAllister at her most compelling.

The novel also captures something true and unsettling about family — the way love can become a vehicle for moral compromise, the way we forgive and cover for one another "no questions asked." Nothing can remain the same after that first cover-up, and McAllister depicts the slow, spiralling erosion of trust between siblings with real psychological precision.

My one reservation is the ending. I wanted justice — the kind of resolution that feels earned after so much dread — and instead I felt a little cheated. It's a subjective reaction, and some readers may disagree, but for me it left a gap where catharsis should have been.

A big thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book Review: Ironwood

Title: Ironwood

Author: Michael Connelly

Publisher: Little Brown and Company

Publication Date: May 19, 2026

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I've been a devoted fan of Michael Connelly for years, and with Ironwood, the second installment in his Catalina series, he has delivered another masterclass in American crime fiction. Detective Sergeant Stilwell returns as our guide through the sun-drenched yet surprisingly dangerous world of Catalina Island, and from the very first pages, I was completely hooked.

Connelly's signature ability to weave multiple subplots without ever losing momentum is on full display here. A drug drop surveillance operation goes catastrophically wrong, leaving one deputy dead and another fighting for his life in the ICU. Meanwhile, a mysterious backpack recovered from lost and found opens a cold-case rabbit hole involving a woman who vanished on a hiking trail four years ago. Smaller threads — vineyard vandalism, graffiti crimes — add texture and a genuine sense of island life under quiet siege. None of it feels padded; every storyline earns its place.

What truly elevates Ironwood is Connelly's gift for character. Stilwell is a nuanced, morally grounded protagonist, and the welcome appearance of Renée Ballard — working the case from the mainland — gives the story an electric charge. Cameos from Harry Bosch and his daughter Maddie will delight longtime fans of the extended Connelly universe, feeling organic rather than forced.

The novel builds toward a moral-choice ending that is deeply satisfying and it left me hoping this isn't the last we'll see of Sgt. Stilwell on Catalina.

I cannot recommend Ironwood highly enough. Connelly remains, in my view, the finest American crime writer working today, and this book is proof of exactly why. Five stars, without hesitation.

A big thank you to Little Brown and Company and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book Review: Three Hitmen and a Baby

Title: Three Hitmen and a Baby

Author: Rob Hart

Publisher: Putnam

Publication Date: June 16, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I've been following the Assassins Anonymous series since the beginning, and with Three Hitmen and a Baby, Rob Hart returns to his group of reformed killers for what feels like the third and fina installment. The premise is irresistible on paper: three of the world's most dangerous people are left babysitting a toddler while Valencia rushes to LA to find her missing brother. What could go wrong? Quite a lot, as it turns out.

The idea of highly trained assassins being undone by a feverish child is fun, though it does require some suspension of disbelief. These are people who can neutralize a threat in seconds, yet apparently can't think to search online when a toddler spikes a fever? 

Hart juggles multiple storylines competently, and the commitment to non-lethal takedowns adds a fun constraint to the action sequences. That said, the tension stretches credulity at times — watching three elite killers repeatedly navigate overwhelming opposition while refusing to use lethal force starts to feel more like a running gag than a genuine thriller element. The series also leans heavily on its established world: newcomers will likely feel lost without the context of the first two books.

Ultimately, Three Hitmen and a Baby feels more like a crowd-pleasing victory lap than a bold new chapter. It's entertaining, fast-paced, and has genuine heart — but it doesn't push the premise anywhere particularly new. If you've loved the series so far, I'd say pick it up. It's an easy, thrilling read that delivers exactly what fans are expecting — no more, no less.

A big thank you to Putnam and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#ThreeHitmenandaBaby #NetGalley

Book Review: Dissection of a Murder

Title: Dissection of a Murder

Author: Jo Murray

Publisher: Dutton

Publication Date: May 5, 2026

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Set in the northeast English county of Durham, this British legal thriller was a fascinating departure from the American legal thrillers I'm more accustomed to—think Lincoln Lawyer —and the differences in the legal system are both illuminating and integral to the plot. Here, barristers cannot simply refuse a client, even one who won't speak to them. That single detail sets up everything that follows.

The central premise is deliciously tense: Leila Reynolds is handed her first murder case—the killing of a well-respected judge—by a defendant who refuses to tell her anything. Challenging enough. But the masterstroke is that her opponent across the courtroom is her own husband, a far more experienced barrister who was once her mentor. Husband versus wife, mentor versus protégée, prosecution versus defence. It's an extraordinarily compelling dynamic, and Murray mines every ounce of tension from it.

The characters are complex and morally ambiguous in all the right ways. Nobody here is entirely clean, and that keeps you guessing throughout. The novel builds like a freight train gathering speed—what starts at a controlled pace becomes an unstoppable rush toward the finish line. 

What truly elevates this novel, though, is the ending. The twist blindsided me completely. I hadn't seen it coming at all, and when it landed it recast everything I'd read in an entirely new light. And then the resolution itself—sublime is the only word for it. I genuinely wasn't sure how Murray could wrap everything up satisfyingly, but she manages it with precision and elegance.

A big thank you to Dutton and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#DissectionofaMurder #NetGalley

Book Review: The Anniversary

Title: The Anniversary

Author: Alex Finlay

Publisher: Ballantine

Publication Date: May 12, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Anniversary delivers a bold narrative structure of twin storylines that unfolds exclusively on May 1st across multiple years, creating a unique rhythm that both propels and constrains the narrative in fascinating ways.

The dual storylines work in tandem effectively. Jules Delaney's arc traces her evolution from high school rape survivor to fashion model, all while carrying the psychological weight of her encounter with the May Day Killer. Quinn Riley's journey is equally compelling—returning from juvenile detention, he embarks on a years-long quest to find his mother's killer. The decision to check in with these characters only once per year creates natural narrative gaps that Finlay uses to show transformation rather than tell it.

The annual intersections between Jules and Quinn feel almost fated, their paths crossing with a frequency that tests the boundaries of believability. This is where the novel's structural ambition becomes its greatest vulnerability. The coincidences pile up, and while they serve the story's thematic interests in fate and connection, they occasionally strain credibility. The climax arrives with both the intensity and the predictability that comes from a carefully engineered plot—you can see the pieces moving into place even as the tension ratchets up.

What saves the book from feeling too calculated is Finlay's ability to ground the thriller mechanics in genuine emotional stakes. The trauma Jules carries, the grief that drives Quinn—these aren't just plot devices but real psychological weights that give the mystery hunt its urgency. And just when the ending seems to have arrived exactly where expected, Finlay delivers a final twist that makes you want to reread the book with fresh eyes.

The May Day Killer premise is chilling in its simplicity, and Finlay maintains menace throughout by keeping the threat active even as years pass. The ticking clock element works precisely because we know another anniversary is always approaching.

A big thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book Review: Hope Rises

Title: Hope Rises

Author: David Baldacci

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: April 14, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Hope Rises is a sequel that demands you've lived through Nash Falls. It launches at full speed from the exact moment the previous book ended, with zero catch-up narrative.

Walter Nash, now operating as Dillon Hope, has transformed from spreadsheet sidekick to lethal weapon with one purpose—destroying Victoria Steers and her criminal empire. Working as an FBI informant, he must infiltrate her inner circle, a task requiring every bit of the brutal training that's reshaped him. Baldacci throws readers straight into the deep end at 100mph.

What frustrated me about Nash Falls' abrupt ending becomes this book's greatest strength—there's no downtime, no reset. The relentless pacing never lets up. Yet the characterization falters. Victoria Steers steps into the spotlight but her ruthlessness wavers in ways that feel implausible. Hope's motivations blur in equally unconvincing ways. 

A new character offers this gem of wisdom: "But what you must always remember is that no matter whether a cow looks like a cow, moos like a cow, and gives milk like a cow, there is no guarantee whatsoever that it is indeed a cow." It's a line that encapsulates the book's central theme—nothing and no one is quite what they seem, including Hope himself and the woman he's sworn to destroy.

The final third delivers clarity and closure, though the resolution feels contrived. I wanted a bolder ending. Still, this is a propulsive thriller that builds on its predecessor, even if the character arcs don't fully convince.

A big thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book Review: The Only One Who Knows

Title: The Only One Who Knows

Author: Lisa Matlin

Publisher: Ballantine

Publication Date: Macrh 3, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Kangaroo Bay is a grimy Australian fishing town soaked in violence and secrets, where "silence is their first language" and the darkness runs deeper than the ocean. When disgraced TV reporter Minnow Greenwood returns after a public meltdown, she finds a place where locals vanish, shark attacks pile up, and domestic violence festers behind closed doors like an infected wound.

Matlin uses the Australian beach culture to brilliant effect, creating atmosphere that feels both exotic and claustrophobic. The "blood boys" and "blood men" of Kangaroo Bay aren't just colorful details—they're the rotting heart of a community built on unspoken brutality. "Nobody really spoke about the violence. It's not something you speak of. It changes you, though."

What fascinated me most was the central question: what happens when you finally snap? When you've had enough of holding it in, of being prey? Sometimes you become the shark instead. The book explores the masks we wear, the polished exteriors hiding feral rage, and asks who we really are underneath—or if we're the only ones who truly know ourselves.

The twists caught me off guard. Most characters are deeply unlikeable, including Minnow, but that's the point. These are damaged people in a damaged place, and Matlin doesn't flinch from the ugliness.

If there's a weakness, it's that the relentless darkness can feel overwhelming. But for a story about generational violence and predation—both human and animal—maybe that's exactly right.

A big thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book Review: Worse Than a Lie

Title: Worse Than a Lie

Author: Ben Crump

Publisher: Ballantine

Publication Date: February 17, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I picked up this advanced reader copy expecting a legal thriller, but what I got was something more—a story that forces you to confront uncomfortable truths about justice, race, and the systems meant to protect us all.

The premise is explosive: Hollis Montrose, a Black ex-cop, is shot ten times during a traffic stop on the night Barack Obama is elected president. Attorney Beau Lee Cooper takes on the case despite impossible odds. Ben Crump, drawing on his real-world experience as a civil rights attorney, crafts a narrative that moves quickly and pulls no punches about institutional racism within law enforcement.

Where the book stumbles slightly is in characterization. Some figures, particularly antagonists like Jack, veer into caricature territory. The systemic corruption feels so extreme that I questioned whether such blatant racial bias could actually exist unchecked—though Crump's own career suggests these scenarios may be less exaggerated than I'd like to believe. The partnerships in the story develop authentically from tension into solidarity, and the moral complexity Beau Lee faces adds depth beyond a simple good-versus-evil framework.

This is a promising start to the Attorney Beau Lee series, and I'm genuinely interested in reading what comes next. While it may not be a perfect thriller, it's an important one that entertains while challenging readers to think critically about justice in America.

A big thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

Top Reads of 2025

 Top Reads of 2025

I read 121 books in 2025, the most in a single year since I started counting. Retirement has its perks. The year bookended nicely: starting with Peter Swanson's A Talent for Murder (4 stars) and closing with Fritz Gilbert's Keys to a Successful Retirement (4 stars). The oldest? The Amateur from 1981. The newest? Witness Protection, which won't hit shelves until April 2026. 

Out of 33 books I rated 5/5, here are my top ten, in alphabetical order.

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston (2026)

Ashley Elston at her absolute best—a tense, layered, and utterly consuming thriller that plays with perception, trust, and the lies we tell to protect ourselves and the ones we love. When Ben Bayliss is murdered his wife, Camille, has a perfect alibi: she was in a bar with witnesses. Except the woman in the bar wasn't Camille Bayliss, it was Aubrey Price. Time-jumping fragments build toward an explosive conclusion that left me reeling.

Brilliance by Marcus Sakey (2013)

Part sci-fi, part thriller, all adrenaline. In Sakey's world, "brilliants" with superpowers emerged in the 80s -- just 1% of the population, but enough to terrify everyone else. Nick Cooper is a brilliant federal agent hunting other brilliants labelled as terrorists. That is, until he becomes one himself: America's most wanted terrorist. Breakneck pacing with shrewd social commentary. The climax had me anxiously hunting for book 2 in this trilogy.

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (1985)

I don't read Westerns. But when a good friend asked me to read his favorite book -- a Pulitzer prize winner, no less --  I made a promise. At over 800 pages, I dreaded this behemoth. Boy was I wrong. This epic hooked me with its memorable cast of characters and interwoven stories that touched something deep within me. Why did it take me so long to discover this winner?

Look Closer by David Ellis (2022)

A book club pick from my graduate school, Imperial College, that looked like a fun thriller. Simon and Vicky are a wealthy Chicago couple who have it all -- until a beautiful socialite is found murdered nearby and their secrets start unravelling. Affairs, trust funds, grudges. It all adds up to a fast-paced novel of greed, revenge and obsession. I finished it in days, weeks ahead of the book club schedule.

Never Flinch  by Steven King (2025)

Steven King rarely disappoints. This thriller features Holly Gibney who has been in several of his books and who I last encountered in the supernatural horror, The Outsider. Here she is hired as a bodyguard for a women's rights activist targeted by a deranged killer. Cross this with another serial killer threatening to murder thirteen innocents and one guilty party and it is a perfect recipe for a wild ride.

Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer (2024)

Winner of ECPA's Christian book of the year award, Comer's modern classic calls us to rediscover a deeper life with God. As a pastor in Portland, he invites us to become apprentices of Jesus -- living by the practices and rhythms of  first century disciples. Slow down. Open up space. Let God do what only he can. This reminded of RIchard Foster's Celebration of Discipline. Easily the best Christian book I read in 2025.

Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow (2025)

I love courtroom dramas, and Turow is the master. In Presumed Innocent, prosecutor Rusty Sabich was charged with murder. Here, retired judge Sabich is about to marry Bea when her son, Aaron, out on probation for drug possession, is charged with murder Rusty returns to the courtroom one last. Is he too rusty? Is Aaron, an ex-con, presumed guilty? Delightful, tense drama about true justice.

Retreat  by Krysten Ritter (2025)

Ritter, yes Jessie's doomed girlfriend from Breaking Bad, delivers a sophomore stunner. Con-woman Liz Dawson plays the long game. When she is hired to install some art for wealthy Isabelle Beresford at a fabulous Mexican coastal villa, she sees her chance to become Isabelle and pull off her final con. But secrets spin out of control. Who is Isabelle? Who is conning whom? Breakneck thrller about identity and obsession, and what we'll do for the life we want.

Smart Brevity by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz (2022)

My son-in-law asked for some communication book recommendations for his engineering team. I found this gem. The authors developed a formula to prioritize information. And they communicate it in under 200 pages of short punchy chapters. I finished it in under 2 hours, and it challenged me to ruthlessly cut my writing to the bone. Find the core. Excise the rest. Need to brush up on communication? Read this. Now.

The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (2024)

I expected another self-help book. Got something way better. Robbins shows how to stop giving away our power -- to the driver who cuts us off, the colleague who steals our ideas. Sop wasting energy on what you can't control. Break free from fear and self-doubt. Build resilience against the everyday stressors. Let them, let me. Four simple words. A new mantra for a new man. Get it. Try it. It works.