More than just a compelling mystery or a well-executed police procedural—though it is both—In the Fullness of Time (Turner Publishing, 2025) offers profound reflections on the nature of time itself. Roberts masterfully weaves together past, present, and future in ways that feel almost magical. His lyrical descriptions of the mountains and valleys of North Carolina […]
“Shattered Sanctuary” by Nancy Mehl
September 1, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Nancy Mehl’s Shattered Sanctuary (Bethany House 2025) is a Christian mystery novel for anyone who enjoys suspense, crime dramas, psychology, or all the above. The story begins with ex-police officer turned novelist Erin Delaney going on vacation to a cabin in the small town of Sanctuary, Tennessee, at her friend’s request. Her friend, Kaely Quinn-Hunter, […]
“The Dark Library” by Mary Anna Evans
July 15, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Mary Anna Evans has been intriguing readers with her masterful and intelligent mysteries for over two decades. During this time, Mississippi-born Evans earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Exeter and became an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma. […]
“Her Best Self” by Mindy Friddle
December 31, 2024 by Leave a Comment
Her Best Self (Regal House 2024) by Mindy Friddle is a fascinating look inside a dysfunctional family in a well-crafted, evocative story with a psychological thriller quality to it. Throughout the novel, pervasive cunningness by several characters heightens tensions and casts a riveting net sure to pull readers deeper into the tale. A darkly comedic […]
“When Cicadas Cry” by Caroline Cleveland
December 30, 2024 by Leave a Comment
Written by an attorney, When Cicadas Cry (Union Square & Co. 2024) is an interesting legal thriller with enough lawyering to satisfy fans of the genre plus plenty of mystery to engage “whodunit” fans. Author Caroline Cleveland closely tracks the legal thriller formula in the early pages, but then she dashes headfirst into a suspenseful cold-case […]
“The Good Bride” by Jen Marie Wiggins
December 7, 2024 by Leave a Comment
Jen Marie Wiggins’ debut novel The Good Bride (Crooked Lane 2024) recalls a line from a famous Robert Burns’s poem, usually translated as “the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.” Despite meticulous planning, everything imaginable goes wrong with Ruth Bancroft’s wedding. The lead-up to the event is complicated by stormy weather, […]