Thank you to Harper Collins for sharing a review copy of Sister of Mine for an honest review.   Sister of Mine is a book that should be read in one sitting.  It is a page turner and it is great to read glimpses of the town of Grimsby in the descriptions of St. Margaret’s.  The novel  is a story of sisters, of loyalty and of secrets.  The crime is reported on the first page leading the reader in a struggle to understand what happened leading up to the fire as they discover the complex relationship the sisters share. Penny and Hattie are bound together through loss and s ..read more

Sadly, the 2017-18 season of the wonderful Grimsby Author Series ended on Monday.  This is my third year participating and each evening is meticulously organized and a night to look forward to.  What could be better than an sold out event, not one but two authors, wine, snacks and door prizes?  Of all the book events that I enjoy, Grimsby hosts the largest crowd and a fabulous facilitator.  Ken Boichuk always provides a thoughtful, well-researched introduction to each author and engages the crowd with his enthusiasm for celebrating great books and the authors who write them ..read more

On Thursday, the Burlington Public Library brought together Karin Slaughter and Alafair Burke in a terrific event moderated by Melodie Campbell.  This dynamic duo travelled from their homes in Georgia (Karin) and Manhattan (Alafair), all the way to Burlington, Ontario to delight a room full of readers. Karin has had a prolific history in publishing, writing 18 books which have sold over 35 million copies in 36 different languages!  She focuses on writing characters, honouring stories of assault and told the audience how she had been influenced by growing up in the time of the Atlanta ..read more

Thanks to Simon&Shuster for sharing this Advanced Reader Copy  (ARC) through a Goodreads Giveaway.  The Beloveds was another palate-cleansing, quick read before I get back to focusing on the Canada Reads short-list. Set in England, it tells the story of an older sibling with a lifetime of grudges against her “beloved” sister who she had perceived as her mother’s favourite.  Everyone loved Gloria and things always had a way of always working out for her.  She ended up closer to Betty’s best friend, married the man that she felt she should have wed and now, the ultimate s ..read more

After meeting A.J. Finn at a Harper Collins event a couple of weeks ago, I held off reading The Woman in the Window as I wanted the story to be “fresh” in my mind for book club.  This novel is a psychologic thriller which centres around the life of Anna Fox, a psychologist, unable to venture out of her New York home due to her agoraphobia.  Her husband and daughter no longer live with her and she engages with her neighbours through a pattern of voyeurism and spying via social media. Anna spends her days watching black and white movies, paying chess and helping others throug ..read more

It was worth a mid-week trip to Toronto to meet A.J. Finn at the Harper Collins office (and special thanks to Sarah who drove since I could not manage public transit on crutches)!  The Woman in the Window hit the shelves on January 2nd and by the 21st had made the top spot on the New York Times list!  This is an amazing accomplishment by a first time author!  The novel is so popular that there are over 60 holds for this title at my local library!  Thanks to a donation by Harper Collins,  the lucky patrons of the Franklin Street Little Free Library, can borrow a copy! G ..read more

Prior to meeting Claire Cameron at the Grimsby Author Series, I prepared by reading all 3 of her novels including The Line Painter, The Bear and The Last Neanderthal.  All 3 of these novels are very unique in their both their story line and their narration. The Line Painter was Claire Cameron’s first novel.  It is a quick read, a thriller set in Northern Ontario along Lake Superior.  What could be worse than driving a lonely, northern road, in the wee hours of the morning when your car breaks down?  Not only that but your cell reception is spotty and your bladder is full ..read more

As we approach Halloween, let’s get for the ghosts and goblins by reading some spooky, suspenseful novels.  Horrors and thrillers are generally not my the books that I choose  but here are a few suggestions that I have read over the past 3 years and would suggest to get readers into the mood for Halloween.  Feel free to comment below and add your favourite frightful reads for Halloween: Carrie (Stephen King) Firestarter (Stephen King) The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Neil Gaiman) Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn) Bellman & Black (Diane Setterfield) The Girl on the Train ..read more

“I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays.  It sticks.  It lingers.  It dominates.  There’s not much I can do about it.  Trust me.  It doesn’t go away.  It’s there whether I like it or not.  It’s there when I eat.  When I go to bed.  It’s there when I sleep.  It’s there when I was up.  It’s always there.  Always.” How can you read that first paragraph and not continue reading?  It draws you right in from the beginning and starts the reader asking questions.  The reader considers what these&nb ..read more

The Couple Next Door is the best thriller that I have read in a long time!  It is a parent’s worst nightmare packed with suspense and twists and turns that keep the reader turning the pages long into the night. It is a book that readers will want to have enough time to sit down and read in one day and leaves the reader pondering long after the book is closed. The story begins when Marcos and Anne Conti attend a dinner party next door.  Their babysitter cancels at the last minute and the couple make the fateful mistake and leaves baby Cora sleeping in her ..read more