That Touch of Ink by Diane Vallere

Henery Press

 

This is one of those light reads great for the beach or a rainy day. 

Even for the fabulous Madison Night, interior designer, receiving a rare five thousand dollar bill in the mail is not your average day.  Convinced that this bill is somehow connected to her past and a former lover, she is intrigued and starts to look into what the bill is really all about.  Soon someone is murdered, Madison is in a car chase, guns appear, a mysterious neighbor moves in and Madison is running for her life. She is also running from some pretty hot men. She isn't sure about the men in her life -  does she actually love one of them, are they good for her and can she actually trust them or anybody else for that matter. Aw Madison, dilemma is thy middle name.

While she is dealing with murder, a counterfeit ring, and staying one step ahead of the law, she comes home to find her apartment has been painted in just the right shade of daisy yellow by persons unknown, deals with some kooky clients and hides out in a house she recently inherited that shows potential from an interior design point of view.

Though I am writing this a little tongue in cheek, I did have fun reading this book.  There are numerous Doris Day references scattered throughout the story (i.e. the title) that you are either going to love (like me) or find very kitschy, much like any Doris Day movie. But if you want a few laughs, a good story, and to learn a little about counterfeiting then read That Touch of Ink.  You won't be bored.

 

You can read an excerpt on the author's web page http://www.dianevallere.com/that-touch-of-ink.html

The Mangle Street Murders by M.R.C. Kasasian

Open Road Integrated Media

When in the late 1800s March Middleton is orphaned after her father's death, her godfather, Sydney Grice, offers her the opportunity to live with him in London.  March accepts and moves in.  Grice is a "personal" detective of renown and before she is barely moved in, March is involved in a case.  She is quick to pit herself against her uncle when he refuses to accept a case because the client doesn't have the means to pay him.  Convinced of the innocence of William Ashby, who stands accused of stabbing his wife to death, she insists on paying Grice's fee and being part of the investigation.

 

March is not your average Victorian lady.  She spent many years helping her father, who was an army doctor, so her upbringing was less than conventional.  She smokes and swigs gin and hangs out at a woman's private club.  She also follows Grice through the less genteel parts of London to examine dead bodies and blood spatter patterns, chase down clues and interview potential witnesses.  And all this before tea! The more Grice is convinced of Ashby's guilt, the more March is convinced of his innocence.  The sparring between the two main characters and the addition of some interesting secondary characters, keeps the story entertaining and moving along at a fair pace.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and would read another with these two characters.  Despite the numerous red herrings, I knew who the murderer was the instant the character was introduced.  The twists in the plot made me question myself once or twice, but it still was a little obvious to me.  There is a cameo appearance by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and I suppose it can be argued that the characters of Grice and March are a type of homage to Holmes and Watson.   I really think, however, that Grice and March stand on their own and to compare them to Holmes and Watson is to give them less than their due.  The author might disagree on this point.

The one thing I didn't like about the book was the references to letters about a relationship in March's past.  Yes, they show another side of her character and emphasize her strength as a woman, but in this case, less would have been more.

 

Overall - an entertaining read that will hold your attention, give you an occasional laugh and show you that those Victorian ladies weren't quite as delicate and gentle as you have been lead to believe.

Rosemary and Crime by Gail Oust

St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books

Piper Prescott is recently divorced and she has invested all her money from the divorce settlement into opening a spice shop in her adopted town of  Brandywine Creek, Georgia.  Key to the opening of the store is a cooking demonstration to be given by the local celebrity chef.  Unfortunately, hours before the opening, Piper finds chef Mario dead on the kitchen floor of his own restaurant.  To make matters worse, Piper has touched the murder weapon and other key evidence at the crime scene making her the prime suspect of Wyatt McBride, the newly appointed police chief.  So she teams up with her BFF Reba Mae, the local hairdresser, to solve the crime before McBride arrests her for murder. 

Naturally, the daring duo stumble onto their clues rather than actually discovering anything through the use of brilliant sleuthing techniques.  There is the usual slate of quirky secondary characters, family issues and a little bit of a tease in the romance department.  This is definitely your typical cosy mystery.

It always amazes me how a well-written cosy mystery can turn murder into a rollicking good read and Rosemary and Crime is no exception.  This was a quick and entertaining light read that I thoroughly enjoyed.  Perfect for the beach or a day when you are stuck in the house.

Compliments of a Friend by Susan Isaacs

Open Road Integrated Media

This is the first time I have read anything by Susan Isaacs and I don't think it was a good place to start. This is a short story; apparently the only one she has written. Now Isaacs is known for her sharp, witty writing and is a very successful author.  That being said writing a good short story is no easy feat even if that is how many authors start their career.

The story is about a chic CEO of an employment agency who dies while trying on shoes in the shoe department of Bloomingdale's. Because of a large drug content in her blood the police declare it a suicide. But Judith Singer, her neighbor, is convinced that Vanessa didn't take a large dose of drugs and then go out to buy designer shoes.  Purchasing shoes, after all, is a commitment to living, a statement that there is a future  - as in - there will be some place to where the shoes.  So Judith investigates Vanessa's life and stumbles upon a few surprises as she tracks down the murderer.

The writing is sharp and I like the premise of the story, but I think for me personally, the characters needed to be fleshed out more and then it probably would have been a great read instead of simply a good read. 

Murder in Thrall by Anne Cleeland

Whatever your basic expectations of a mystery are, they will have changed by the time you finish reading this book.  Your concepts of love and romance may also get a serious overhaul.

 

There are two threads to the storyline, the murder and the romance.  A horse trainer is murdered at a race track and this murder is followed by a number of other seemingly related murders.  Two Scotland Yard detectives are on the case.  Kathleen Doyle, the junior, and Chief Inspector Michael Sinclair (Lord Acton) lead the inquiry.  She is young, inexperienced, comes from modest means and is intuitive in her investigative style.  He is older, wealthy and established and known for his brilliance in solving high profile murder cases.  He appears to have decided to become Kathleen's mentor and she is eager to work with him and learn.  Because he has singled her out there is a certain amount of animosity towards her in the squad room. 

 

I want to say that the murder investigation became secondary to their relationship, but that would be a half truth.  Their mutual effort and method in solving the crime make for an engaging read. Despite a number of red herrings, two major clues made it easy for me to identify the murderer, but I was completely surprised by the motive.

 

Anne Cleeland's writing left me feeling like I was always coming from behind and getting blindsided by twists in the plot.  First, Doyle and Acton have worked together before but we only learn about this through statements made here and there.  Secondly, we join the story with the investigation into the murder already underway. Also, she opens each chapter with thoughts from what at first appears to be someone stalking Doyle.  A writing style often used in psychological thrillers. It is only at the start of chapter four that you learn the thoughts belong to Acton.  Say what? This is pure genius on her part and typifies how she diverts the reader.   

 

She informs the reader in a casual "by the way" manner of a fairly major event in the story long after it has happened. This had me going back and rereading pages and pages to see if I had missed something. No. She just likes to toy with the reader.  Which may also explain why the epilogue is actually the prologue.

 

Her writing is descriptive, the dialogue is interesting and well-written and the psychology between the two main characters is mesmerizing.  Is their relationship dysfunctional, weird, creepy, bizarre or twisted?  Absolutely, all of these and possibly more. But it works for them; it works well within the plot line; and it works for me as a reader.

 

I can't wait for the release of Murder in Retribution, the second book in the series.

http://annecleeland.com/

Sutton Place by Louise Gaylord

Little Moose Press

Julia Fairchild is from a wealthy New York family and is on the road to personal success.  After years of studying hard she has landed an internship in the Department of Psychology, at Payne Whitney in New York.  Her work is impressing everyone in the department and her attraction to a colleague, an older doctor, seems mutual.  Life is good.

The story begins on Julia's birthday.  She has a birthday lunch with her beloved sister Ariel, and then later, a dinner celebration with her parents.  The family is close and spends a lot of time together, except for Ariel, who has recently become secretive and distant.  At the root of her distance is a family secret.  A secret that is only one of many that have been hidden by the family to avoid scandal.  Secrets that in the end will be responsible for the pain and suffering of those they were meant to protect. Secrets that will be linked to murder and attempted murder. 

 

In an effort to save herself from the dark figure and secret from her past, Julia moves away to New Mexico to start a new life.  But there is no escaping the monster who will stop at nothing to possess and control her.  He has been patient for years, waiting and planning.  But now he is tired of waiting.  It's time - time to claim his treasure.  

This is the first book I have read by this author and when I first read the synopsis of this story I thought it sounded like a cozy mystery.  Well, I was wrong about that!  I have read other reviews of this novel that describe it as being about family (agree), scandal (agree) and obsession (disagree).  The behavior of the character this refers to is not obsessive; it is behavior that is pathological and perverted. The exploitation of the therapist patient relationship, as described in this story, is not just an inappropriate and disconcerting relationship; it is a nauseating abuse of power that will make you cringe.  Definitely not a cozy.

That being said the book is well written, well paced and the tension mounts as the plot twists keep you hooked and turning the pages.  Transitions between chapters, characters and perspective are very well executed.  There is some back and forth between past and present that it is seamless and natural, and essential to the plot.

Just be prepared to cringe.

Louise Gaylord looks like such a nice person - you have to wonder where those dark thoughts come from.

http://www.louisegaylordauthor.com/index.html

 

Lowcountry Bombshell by Susan M. Boyer

Henry Press
(The 2nd Liz Talbot Mystery)

                               
Imagine the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe showing up on your doorstep and asking you to save her from the same fate as the real Marilyn.  Would you open the door and say “Sure – come on in and we’ll work this out.”?  Well apparently you would if you are local Stella Maris PI, Liz Talbot.

Calista McQueen (the Marilyn double) is one of many zany characters in the book that keep you amused, puzzled and engaged. The story moves along quickly with enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you guessing.  A little romance between Liz and Nate, who is not only her business partner but also the brother of her ex, helps to turn up the heat for those who like it hot.   

My only complaint is that some of the details seem like filler to me.  The love scene between Liz and Nate is too long for this type of book and the story itself.  And knowing that Liz and Calista both order salad with grilled chicken and a glass of iced tea for lunch, does nothing to move the plot along or develop the characters.  Why bother to include such redundant details?  Beats me - you wouldn’t be missing anything if this information was left out.

 

That being said, Susan Boyer is a talented storyteller who moves the plot along at a quick pace maintaining a nice balance between tense atmosphere and lighter moments.   She also incorporates some interesting information about the real Marilyn into the story, a subject that is of particular interest to her.   Overall this is an entertaining light read well worth your time on a lazy Sunday afternoon. 

Click on Susan's name above to link to her blog or you can find her on Facebook.

Ill-Gotten Gains by Ilsa Evans

A Nell Forrest Mystery

Momentum Books

In the second Nell Forrest mystery, the sleepy town of Majic is gearing up to celebrate its 150^th anniversary and preparations are in full swing to re-enact the sunset ride that led to the founding of the town.  Nell and her youngest daughter Quinn go to the local cemetery to do some research for Quinn’s school project related to the town founder, Petar Majic.  While examining the Majic crypt, Quinn inadvertently knocks down a plaque only to reveal another plaque that has lain hidden for years.  The two take the broken plaque to the historical society for repair and to report the newly discovered plaque.  This simple act of conscience sets into play a series of events that will question the town’s past, threaten its present and change the course for the future.  Two members of the historical society are murdered and a prominent family has its very roots questioned.

Nell is also looking at her own past, present and towards the future but not by choice.  Her ex is demanding his half of their house and Nell is having trouble letting go of the home and all the family memories it holds. Her personal life is complicated by her daughters trying to figure out their own futures, unwanted pregnancies, and the murder investigation, leaving Nell little time to contemplate her own future. Once Nell, her family and friends start asking questions pertaining to the murders and the town's past, her life is threatened and she is put under police protection and the ever watchful eye of the charming Detective Sergeant Ashley Armistead. 

Again each chapter begins with a funny note to Nell as the author of the Middle-Aged Spread column and Nell’s thoughts frequently appear as headlines.  Ilsa Evans’ witty Australian humour is a significant part of the pleasure of reading this book but so too is the well thought out and informative plot.

As an Aussie might say - a rip snorter of a read.

Nefarious Doings by Ilsa Evans

Momentum Books

A small Australian town called Majic is the home of Nell Forrest.  Majic has a bookstore, an art gallery, a community center, police station, a few restaurants and a rather large Richard III society.  It sounds very much like most small towns - except of course for the murder, arson, death threats, disappearances and adultery - quite bucolic.

Nell writes a weekly column and occasionally helps out at the bookstore owned by her mom.  Her husband recently left her for a younger woman but she certainly isn’t lonely.  Her home is virtually central station with the comings and goings of her five daughters, her mother, her sister and their various friends it can hardly be described as deserted. Especially after, out of necessity, her mother moves in.

Her mother’s house is torched and after her mother is rescued and the fire is extinguished the body of a neighbour is uncovered in the garage.  Since the neighbour and her mother disliked each other intensely, her mother appears to be a likely suspect for murder.  So Nell, her sister and daughters join forces to prove grandma is innocent.  Their sleuthing is more comical than professional but somehow they touch a nerve because Nell receives a threatening voice mail and another innocent soul is found murdered.  The local detective Ashley Armistead warns Nell that she could be endangering herself by not leaving matters to the police, but of course she doesn’t listen and Armistead’s warning becomes reality. 

This is a light, comical and entertaining mystery.  I loved how each chapter started with an email or note to Nell from a reader of her Middle-aged Spread column.  Some of these notes are hysterical.  I also loved how the thoughts in Nell’s head often take the form of headlines - “Local woman helps police with their inquiries. Implicates elderly mother.” And her sarcasm is sharp and witty. 

Nefarious Doings is a fun and cozy read and I am looking forward to the next Nell Forrest book, Ill-gotten Gains from Ilsa Evans.

Clean Burn by Karen Sandler

Angry Robot Ltd./Exhibit A

Janelle Watkins isn’t your typical heroine.  Gimpy leg, arms full of burn marks – many self-imposed and others not – a woman who spends restless nights haunted by dark dreams, that’s Janelle.  At times, the dreams terrify and torment her to the point that she awakens screaming and shaking.  To keep her demons at bay, she creates an insular world to protect her vulnerabilities and to hide her madness from others. 

 

A former San Francisco PD  she once helped parents with the nightmare of missing kids; she has a photo gallery of happy children reunited with their parents adorning one office wall, a testament to her success.  After leaving the police department, she became a PI and set about tracking down wayward spouses.  However, when she is presented with two cases of missing children she allows herself to be pressured into investigating the disappearances.  The investigations take her back to her home town, Greenville, the place where her nightmares began.

 

Greenville is also where her former San Francisco PD partner and ex-lover, Ken Heinz, now resides. He is the Sheriff and when Janelle arrives in town he is working on some local arson cases.  There is still an attraction between them and things start to heat up when they eventually agree to help each other with their respective cases. 

 

The quick pace of Clean Burn gets you hooked.  But it is the unraveling of the plot and the flawed characters with their twisted minds that will reel you in.  I enjoy stories that allow you inside the mind of a psycho.  And believe me, Mama, the very first character you meet, is definitely a psycho.

 

Karen Sandler has written an essentially dark story about missing children, child abuse, arson, and broken families.  There are many characters that you can’t like and aren’t meant to like.  But she also illustrates the strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities of humans, and how we develop coping mechanisms, good or bad, in order to survive. Sandler also has a keen sense of humour that she allows to gently seep in here and there to lighten the mood. 

 

Do yourself a favor and read this book even if you have to read it by candlelight.  Just be careful you don’t get burned.

Here is a link to an article on the story behind Clean Burn.
http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/story-behind-clean-burn-by-karen-sandler

 

 

Murder on Cue by Jane Dentinger

Open Road Media

When we first meet Jocelyn O’Roarke, she is being rudely awakened by her agent with a work proposal.  Hung over and still half asleep she accepts the offer from him to be the understudy of theatre star Harriet Weldon in a new play.  Weldon’s fame is due more to her prestigious publishing family and their money, than her less than sterling acting ability.  In fact Jocelyn describes Weldon at one point as a “tedious, artsy-fartsy actor(s)” and that pretty much sums her up.  But Jocelyn (Josh) is in no position to turn down a paying job that will guarantee her rent money for the next few months.

 

At one point Harriet suddenly becomes ill and Jocelyn steps in and proves herself to be better in the part than Harriet.  Other members of the troupe see how good the play could be with Josh instead of Harriet and tensions start to rise. Once Harriet returns Jocelyn resumes her minor part in the play but when the leading lady is suddenly murdered, Josh finds she has been cast in the role of leading suspect.

Jocelyn then must prove her innocence and the story evolves through her meetings and talks with other cast members or people from their past.  Detective Phillip Gerard is also in pursuit of the killer and ends up in pursuit of Jocelyn as well.  Their romantic attraction is cleverly understated and adds nicely to the story without taking center stage and overshadowing the main plot line.  You want to know where their relationship is going but you also want to know how Josh will get safely out of the situation.

The conversations Jocelyn has while trying to prove her innocence take you into the world of theatre – the gossip, the backstabbing, the alcohol, the drugs, broken relationships, and secret love affairs – all get honorable mentions as part of character and plot development.  Strewn throughout are a number of lines from famous plays which theatre lovers should enjoy.

 

This is a fun and entertaining read.  You may or may not figure out whodunit and there are enough red herrings thrown in to make you second guess yourself. Jane Dentinger writes with a sharp sense of humour that I really enjoyed and that adds to the character of Jocelyn in particular. 

This is a soft mystery and the first in a series of six theatrical mysteries starring Jocelyn O’Roarke.  Murder on Cue was originally released in 1983 and holds up well over time.  It still comes across as contemporary and is now available in ebook format. I received my copy through NetGalley.

A Dangerous Fiction by Barbara Rogan

PENGUIN GROUP Viking

The description for A Dangerous Fiction states that this book “will delight fans of Janet Evanovich, Lisa Lutz, Alan Bradley, and ABC's Castle”.  Well I’m a big fan of both Evanovich and ABC's Castle and I wasn’t delighted.

The story centers on Jo Donovan who owns an influential literary agency in New York.  She worked her way up in the world from a meager childhood in Appalachia to marrying one of the world’s most successful authors.  For Jo, theirs was a fairy tale romance and she is devastated by his sudden death. 

 

After his death, she focuses on her life as the owner of one of the top literary agencies in New York and Jo is living a life she loves, surrounded by friends, co-workers and clients that adore her.  But one rejection slip too many is issued by her agency and a stalker enters her life.  The stalker’s threats don’t scare her until her clients and friends become entangled in the web and everything she has worked so hard for is suddenly at risk.  The police are called in and this is when Tommy Cullen, NYPD detective and an old flame, enters stage left.  At the same time as this threat to her is happening, a biographer is intent on writing a book about her former husband, and he starts to uncover parts of the past that Jo has been denying, especially to herself.

 

Most of the story takes place inside the agency or her apartment.  However, you do get a feel for the hustle and bustle of New York City.  A trip in rural New York State, the scenes in Santa Fe and the scenes in Central Park are all well depicted and a nice contrast to the pace of the city, you get a real sense of the surroundings.  However, for me the book just fell flat. 

 

Other reviewers have stressed how much they enjoyed learning about how a literary agency works, I didn’t.  There was just too much of this for my liking.  I also didn’t enjoy the name dropping and references to high fashion.  Yes I get it; this was all done to paint a picture of the type of individuals Jo mingled with and her lifestyle, but a little bit of this goes a long way with me. I would have preferred to have been reading deeper descriptions of some of the secondary characters.

 

This wasn’t a page turner for me.  I figured out “whodunnit” and why, less than half way through, so there wasn’t much mystery or thrill for me.  But if you enjoy a soft mystery and want to find out about literary agencies and how books get published then read on.

 

 

 

The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler

Gallery Books

Chic lit isn’t a genre that I normally read.  However, a book about a bookstore with a charming British girl for the main character piqued my interest.  The description of the book describes the bookstore as an all-night haven for some quirky characters.  I do love quirky characters.  So I figured, why not?

Esme Garland is a young British woman who has come to Columbia University to do her PhD in art history.  As intelligent as she is, Esme is naïve about life in general and love in particular.  Her social skills aren’t always the greatest either. She falls for Mitchell who is also scholarly and intelligent.  He is charming and romantic and plays Esme like a fine violin.  The only words I can think of to describe him are obnoxious, contemptible and schmuck.  He is definitely a grade A highbrow schmuck, but a schmuck nonetheless.

Essentially the story centers on Esme’s unplanned pregnancy and how she deals with her life suddenly veering off course.  Anyone who has herself been or had a friend in this position is familiar with the range of emotions and decisions that Esme deals with as part and parcel of the circumstance.   Many of us also know someone who has been dumped by a lover, more than once, yet will return to the relationship at any given opportunity.  That’s Esme – there are times you just want to shake her so she will wake up.  But you can’t and she doesn’t - until she becomes a mother. 

In order to be able to support herself once the baby arrives, Esme gets a job at the Owl, a second hand bookstore.  This is where we meet a handful of secondary characters that come and go through the story.  This aspect of the book you are either going to love or hate.  Personally, I enjoyed the diversions provided by these characters but I suspect others may see them as detractors from the main event. 

Being privy to Esme’s thoughts, her quick wit and occasional lack of filters makes for an endearing character and an amusing read.   I enjoyed how Meyler uses Esme’s knowledge of art, Luke’s (works at the bookstore) knowledge of music, and George’s (bookstore owner) knowledge of literature to contrast and compare different ways of looking at life in general and in detail.   There are numerous references to great works of art and music and numerous literary references threaded through the dialogues, but you don’t need to be familiar with these references to understand the points that are being made, at least I don’t think so.  After all this is chick lit, an examination of womanhood not of philosophy or the classics. If you like, allow your eyes to glaze over, yawn or flip the page at these parts; that’s what I always do when things get too sappy in a book. 

Overall this is an enjoyable read from a new author who shows potential. 

For those who are interested, I am providing two links:.

The first is to Bookshipper, a blog written by a friend who loves chick lit.

http://bookshipper.blogspot.ca/
 
The second link is to a short article in USA Today about this book and a brief bio on Deborah Meyler.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2013/08/14/deborah-meyler-the-bookstore/2608937/

 

 

The Mayor of Hollywood by MB Brophy

Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Members' Titles

Lucy Cassidy was a teenage Hollywood star, famous for her work on Malibu Cove, think 90210 and Orange County. Despite the fact that she and her manager mother had a contentious relationship, her money was well managed leaving Lucy financially comfortable and able to pursue other interests when she was of independent age.

 

Studying history becomes Lucy's passion and she earns a doctorate degree in history and continues to do some occasional movie work.  When the body of a Hollywood agent, who has a link to a dark secret in Lucy's past, is found murdered beside the body of a reporter on the same site as a famous old Hollywood murder case, Lucy’s life takes a turn for the worse.  She now has a stalker to deal with, who not only attempts to terrorize her, but also puts both of her careers in jeopardy. She and her boyfriend, detective Mark Adamson, must find the connection between the two murders and the identity of the stalker before it is too late.

 

By linking a 1930 murder to a current day murder, the author explores some of the problems and dangers in the Hollywood of wannabees and successful stars.  The hazards related to the “director’s couch”, prescription and non-prescription drugs, eating disorders, power and greed, and the power of the press, are part of the stories past and present. 

 

If you aren’t a big Hollywood junkie, you should find some of the historical tidbits about Hollywood in the 30’s and how one can become the Mayor of Hollywood, an honorary position, interesting.  My guess is there is nothing new here for hard core junkies, but I found I learned a few things about Hollywood that were interesting and sometimes amusing.

 

All in all MB Brophy has created a solid and enjoyable read with likeable characters and enough twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader interested and surprised. 

Fast Friends by Susan Dunlap

Open Road Media

 

Book Review

The story begins with Liza Sylvestri’s plans for a romantic weekend with her husband Jay.  They have been living the high life in California, Malibu home and all.  She waits for him at their loft, located in a deserted area of L.A., and she hides so she can see the look on his face when he enters the room and sees the surprise she has painstakingly planned for him. 

Shortly after he enters the loft, venture capitalist Jay is shot in the back and dies in Liza’s arms.  She is now on the run to save herself from the assailants, a crooked cop and some insane political extremists.  They all have one goal – get Liza and find the container of arms that was Jay’s last venture. From this point forward the story goes at full throttle, through city, back roads and small towns.  You find yourself trying to catch your breath between incidents and it is almost impossible.

Liza’s college friend Ellen finds herself caught up in the madness, innocently at first, less so later.  How their friendship deepens, how their roles somewhat reverse, and how in order to survive each woman summons up courage and strength that she didn’t know she had, makes this a story also about women on a journey of self-discovery and friendship.

This journey of friendship and self-discovery is very neatly woven through the plot and in no way does it detract from this book being a thriller or the breakneck speed of the telling.

I read this book in two nights; I simply could not read it fast enough.  Fast Friends is a great, fun and satisfying read.  Don’t miss out.