Release Day! ~ Fog and Fury by Rachel Howzell Hall ~ My Thoughts #FogAndFury @RachelHowzell

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Rachel

on the release today of

Fog and Fury!

Fog and Fury by Rachel Howzell Hall

(Haven Thriller #1)

Mystery, Thriller, 395 pages

Published June 24, 2025 by July 1, 2025 by Thomas & Mercer

She’s a new PI in a beautiful seaside town. It’s dirtier than it looks—and more dangerous too—in a twisting novel of suspense by the Anthony Award–nominated author of These Toxic Things.

After ten years on the force, LAPD cop Sonny Rush relocates with her elderly mother to peaceful Haven, California, to join her godfather’s burgeoning PI business. What crimes could possibly happen in a town nicknamed “Mayberry by the Sea”? Sonny’s first case: find Figgy, a missing goldendoodle last seen sporting a Versace collar. At least scouting out a dognapper gives Sonny a chance to get to know her new neighbors.

Forty-eight hours in town and Figgy’s disappearance entangles Sonny in an unwelcome reunion with her ex, one of Haven’s wealthiest citizens. And when the body of a teenage boy is found along a popular hiking trail, Sonny is drawn into a web of strange beyond anything she ever saw in LA.

Then comes a local’s warning: question everything. Haven hides secrets that could destroy its idyllic façade. Or destroy Sonny first.

  

My thoughts about Fog and Fury ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"The forest smells like dead things. Like old shoes stuffed with dying roses or a locker room in the middle of a candle store."

Rachel Howzell Hall is a new-to-me author but put a thriller in front of my face and I'm all in. I thoroughly enjoyed my stop in the peaceful little community of Haven. Only one letter removed from Heaven, right? 

Well, Sonny found more than she bargained for when she is assigned the case of a missing dog. What secrets are being hidden? And who is hiding them? There is definitely a 'small-town' feel to the place—that is until a possible murder is on the table. Looks like there's no escape from the big crime that Sonny was trying to get away from with her move to Haven. The plot is a page-turning adventure with took me to places I was not expecting to go.

Fog and Fury has an interesting cast of characters and I'm excited to see what Rachel has in store for Sonny and the other people of Haven. I will be anxiously awaiting the sequel.

I received an ARC of  Fog and Fury and this is my honest opinion of the book.

Mist and Malice (Haven Thrillers Book 2) is expected to be published May 2026. I know I'll be watching for it!

About the author

Rachel Howzell Hall is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of fourteen novels, including the romantasy and Good Morning America Book Club selection, The Last One. She is also the author of bestselling thrillers, including What Fire Brings, What Never Happened and These Toxic Things. She is a two-time finalist of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for And Now She’s Gone and the Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestseller We Lie Here.

Rachel has been nominated for a number of mystery awards, including the Anthony, Strand and International Thriller Award, the Lefty, Barry and Shamus. She is also the author of the Audible Originals bestseller See How They Run, and the Thriller Award- and Audie Awards-nominated How It Ends, Rachel is a New York Times bestselling author of The Good Sister with James Patterson. She’s also received acclaim for They All Fall Down and for her Detective Elouise Norton series. 

Her shorter works have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Shattering Glass and Unoccupied Earth. “Breakdown in the Right Lane,” was published in Alta Magazine and was selected as a Distinguished Story in Best American Mystery & Suspense for 2023. Her short story, “Clout Chaser,” was a nominee for the British Crime Writers Association’s Short Story Dagger Award.

Rachel is a former member of the board of directors for Mystery Writers of America and was a featured writer on NPR’s acclaimed Crime in the City series and the National Endowment for the Arts weekly podcast; she has also served as a mentor with Sisters in Crime, Pitch Wars and the Association of Writers Programs. ~ Author's website

Connect with Rachel

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Release Day! One in Four by Lucinda Berry ~ My Thoughts #OneInFour @lucindaberryauthor

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Lucinda 

on the release today of

One in Four!

One in Four by Lucinda Berry

Mystery, Thriller, 247 pages

Published May 13, 2025 by Thomas & Mercer

When a reality show about former child stars overcoming addiction culminates in murder, their therapist must take a closer look into their lives—and her own, from USA Today bestselling author Lucinda Berry.

Dr. Laurel Harlow can’t believe she’s agreed to do a reality TV show. But her years as a chemical dependency counselor and personal history with the show’s director make her the obvious choice. Treating a mansion full of former child stars on the road to recovery is the tallest order of her career—especially when one of them turns up dead while the cameras are still rolling.

In a house full of narcissists vying for the spotlight, everyone’s hiding something…including Laurel. An investigation could expose a past she’d rather keep buried. But among the attention-starved patients, only one of them is a predator. And Laurel is skilled at spotting a predator when she sees one.

As she hunts a killer in her present, the unsettling truths of Laurel’s past are forced into the light. But this time, she’ll face her demons head on. She’ll stop at nothing to expose a murderer, even if it means risking everything she holds dear.

  

My thoughts about One in Four ~~

A reality show with a houseful of famous people battling their demons for the whole world to see. Sounds like an interesting premise that everyone will want to watch, right? And then the unthinkable happens—someone dies as the whole world is tuned in. 

Dr. Laurel Harlow just wants to get in and help the others in the house but by doing so, she comes out high on the suspect list. Twists and turns and plenty of drama get the reader to the exciting conclusion. The drama kept me enthralled and forced me to keep turning that pages. 

I've only read a few of Lucinda Berry's books but I'm familiar enough with her style to know that her stories will suck me in and make me hang on for an exciting ride. I will definitely be checking out more of her books. I highly recommend One in Four if you are a psychological thriller reader.

I received aa ARC of One in Four and this is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Lucinda Berry is a former psychologist and leading researcher in childhood trauma. She’s written multiple bestsellers reaching millions of readers worldwide. Some of her bestselling works include The Perfect Child, Saving Noah, When She Returned, The Best of Friends, and Keep Your Friends Close. Her books have been optioned for film and translated into several languages.

If Berry isn’t chasing after her son, you can find her running through Los Angeles, prepping for her next marathon. To hear about her upcoming releases and other author news, visit her on social media (@lucindaberryauthor) or sign up for her newsletter at https://lucindaberry.com ~ Goodreads

Connect with Lucinda

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram

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Release Day! Mothered by Zoje Stage ~ My Thoughts #Mothered @zooshka

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Zoje

on the release today of

Mothered!

Mothered by Zoje Stage

Mystery Thriller, 317 pages

Published March 1, 2023 by Thomas & Mercer

From the USA Today bestselling author of the international sensation Baby Teeth comes a claustrophobic psychological thriller about one woman’s nightmarish spiral while quarantined with her mother.

Grace isn’t exactly thrilled when her newly widowed mother, Jackie, asks to move in with her. They’ve never had a great relationship, and Grace likes her space—especially now that she’s stuck at home during a pandemic. Then again, she needs help with the mortgage after losing her job. And maybe it’ll be a chance for them to bond—or at least give each other a hand.

But living with Mother isn’t for everyone. Good intentions turn bad soon after Jackie moves in. Old wounds fester; new ones open. Grace starts having nightmares about her disabled twin sister, who died when they were kids. And Jackie discovers that Grace secretly catfishes people online—a hobby Jackie thinks is unforgivable.

When Jackie makes an earth-shattering accusation against her, Grace sees it as an act of revenge, and it sends her spiraling into a sleep-deprived madness. As the walls close in, the ghosts of Grace’s past collide with a new but familiar threat: Mom.

My thoughts about Mothered ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"Silas loved a good puzzle, especially if it involved pieces of science and soul, the known and the unknown. What made a human turn monstrous?"

I was blown away by this author's debut novel, Baby Teeth. So intense, and yes, a bit creepy. Mothered was just as intense and creepy, maybe even just a little bit more so. And so disturbing! I loved every single bit of it! What does that say about me? 

Grace has taken in her mother Jackie as they are both struggling and hoping that by being together, things will be easier for both of them. What they didn't factor in was the fact that there were a lot of issues between them that had never been resolved, as well as the fact that the world was in crazy-time mode with the pandemic out there. 

Grace's struggles and dreams turn into nightmares, literally, and honestly, they had me sitting on the edge of my seat, cringing. I had to stop every once in a while to catch my breathe. But again, like I said before, I loved every minute of this story!

And then the ending had me sitting back in my seat wondering what the heck I just read. And where the characters and the story could go from there. Mind-boggling!

I highly recommend Mothered—even with it's somewhat disturbing cover—if you like edge-of-your-seat, troubling, twist-and-turn types of stories. Mothered is that kind of story for sure and you will not be disappointed. 

I received a copy of Mothered from the author and this is my honest opinion.

About the author

Zoje Stage's debut novel, Baby Teeth, was a USA Today and international bestseller. It was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award and named one of the best books of the year by Forbes Magazine, Library Journal, PopSugar, Barnes & Noble, Bloody Disgusting, and BookBub. Her follow-up novel, Wonderland, was described in a starred review from Booklist as a "beautifully choreographed and astonishing second novel." And with her third book, Getaway, the New York Times declared her "a writer with a gift for the lyrical and the frightening." She lives in Pittsburgh with her cats. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Zoje

Website |  Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Release Day! Somebody's Home by Kaira Rouda ~ My Thoughts #SomebodysHome

 Happy Release Day!

Congrats Kaira

on the release today of

Somebody's Home!

Somebody's Home by Kaira Rouda 

Mystery Thriller, 299 pages

Published January 18, 2022 by Thomas & Mercer

A quiet neighborhood. A lovely home. A promising new beginning. In a heartbeat everything can change in this propulsive novel of suspense by USA Today bestselling author Kaira Rouda.

Julie Jones has left her suffocating marriage. With her teenage daughter, Jess, she’s starting over. Their new house in Oceanside is the first step toward a new life. Even if it does come with the unexpected. The previous owners, a pastor and his wife, have left something—or rather someone—behind…

Tom Dean has a bitter hatred for the father who considers him a lost cause, and for the woman who’s moved into their family’s house. The only home he’s ever known. He’s never going to leave. She thinks he’ll be gone in three days, but Tom has the perfect plan.

For a newly single mother and her daughter, a fresh start is the beginning of a nightmare. Before the weekend is over, somebody is going to get exactly what they deserve.

My thoughts about Somebody's Home ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"Somebody is in my home. I don't know what to do."

Ok, this starts out creepy enough, a stranger wandering around in the house. And then it escalades from there. We know it's going to get intense, we just have to learn how it gets to that point. Who is that stranger and what do they want? 

All kinds of drama unfolds and the characters are in it deep. Good guys, bad guys, and everyone in between. I couldn't predict the outcome nor figure out who would be left standing. I love these kind of stories that keep me enthralled and guessing to the end.

Somebody's Home is a page-turning thriller that will suck you in and leave you breathless. I highly recommend it for an exciting read!

 

I received a copy of Somebody's Home via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

About the author

Kaira Rouda is a USA TODAY and Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary fiction exploring beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her suspense novels include BEST DAY EVER, THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER, ALL THE DIFFERENCE, and THE NEXT WIFE. Her latest novel, SOMEBODY'S HOME, is out January 18, 2022 and THE WIDOW releases November 15, 2022.

She lives in Southern California with her family and is at work on her next novel. Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest: @KairaRouda; and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books.

If you'd like to host Kaira at your book club, please reach out through her website KairaRouda.com ~ Goodreads

Connect with Kaira

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

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