Not Quite Dead Yet

 

Author: Holly Jackson

Publisher: Bantam

Publication date: July 22, 2025

Thank you Penguin Random House  and NetGalley for the digital review copy! 

Holly Jackson steps away from YA thrillers with her upcoming book Not Quite Dead Yet. It’s set to release July 22. Jackson’s big twist in this one is that the main character, Jet Mason, has a week to solve her own murder before she actually dies. Jet is the victim of a vicious attack that leaves her with a fragment of bone pressing on an artery deep in her brain. The pressure will cause an aneurysm and kill her in a week or she’ll die in surgery if doctors try retrieve the shard. Jet decides to spend the last week of her life finding out who murdered her. 

Jet turns to her childhood bff Billy for help figuring out whodunnit. There’s a long list of suspects from Jet’s older brother to her ex boyfriend to a grieving father who blames the death of his daughter on Jet’s family’s construction business. There’s also a boatload of family drama and secrets. 

I really enjoyed this one. When I was reading the first chapter I thought Jet came off as kind of whiny and bratty. Then I realized she complicated. Her character grew on me as she showed more emotional depth and maturity as the book went on and more of her family drama was revealed. Jackson keeps the pace of the book moving and the tension wretches up as Jet’s days count down. There were enough red herrings to keep me guessing and I really didn’t see the final ending coming. This is a book that I’m going to be recommending all summer and fall. Preorder it or all’s it to your tbr list so you won’t miss out. It’ll be the perfect beach or pool read or to snuggle up with this autumn. 

Let’s play predictive text. Not quite dead yet _____

Not quite dead yet but it is still warm enough for me to sleep. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I guess I sleep like the dead. 

#notquitedeadyet #hollyjackson #bantam #netgalley #crimefiction #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #uocomingrelease 

About the Author 

Holly Jackson is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling series A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, an international sensation with millions of copies sold worldwide as well as the #1 New York Times bestseller and instant classic, Five Survive, and her forthcoming novel, The Reappearance of Rachel Price. She graduated from the University of Nottingham, where she studied literary linguistics and creative writing, with a master’s degree in English. She enjoys playing video games and watching true-crime documentaries so she can pretend to be a detective. She lives in London.

Marguerite by the Lake

 

Author: Mary Dixie Carter

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Publication date: May 20, 2025

Out now! Thank you Booksparks and Mary Dixie Carter for the #gifted copy of Marguerite by the Lake for the Summer Reading Challenge #src2025. 

Phoenix loves her job as a gardener. Her pride and joy is the landscaping and gardens at Rosecliff. It’s the home of Marguerite Gray, a gardening and lifestyle icon known for her exquisite taste. Marguerite is also the subject of a famous painting which hangs prominently at Rosecliff. After Phoenix saves Marguerite’s husband, Geoffrey, from being crushed by a tree during a storm, Phoenix and Geoffrey begin having an affair. Not long after the affair starts, Marguerite falls to her death and everything changes. Here’s the summary from the publisher: 

Marguerite Gray is a lifestyle icon known for her garden parties, high-end business ventures, and being the muse behind the famous Serge Kuhnert painting, Marguerite by the Lake. Her presence is overpowering, her taste, legendary. For the last few years, Phoenix has been the gardener on the famed Rosecliff grounds, home of the Gray family: Marguerite and her husband Geoffrey. Phoenix came from humble beginnings, and now she works hard to craft the landscape that underpins Marguerite’s brand.

When a storm threatens the launch party for Marguerite’s latest book, it’s Phoenix who spots the danger to the guests and rushes to Geoffrey’s side to save him from a falling tree. Geoffrey is grateful—perhaps too grateful. Marguerite is . . . jealous. Phoenix senses the danger of being drawn deeper into their lives but can’t resist the attention, becoming embroiled in an affair that could destroy her career.

But soon after the affair begins Marguerite falls to her death, from the same high point at Rosecliff where she posed for Marguerite by the Lake. Now Phoenix has another secret, one that haunts her even as Geoffrey invites her to move into the manor with him. A secret that Detective Hanna and Marguerite’s daughter—her spitting image—are circling closer and closer to. Phoenix tries to put it all behind her and find her rightful place at Rosecliff. But as every gardener knows, nothing stays buried forever.

I enjoyed this slow burning and atmospheric novel. There’s definitely gothic vibe running throughout the story. This is a story of longing for love and a life that Phoenix is desperate to have-Marguerite’s life, home and husband. The stress of the continuing police investigation into Marguerite’s death and Marguerite’s indelible presence woven into every facet of Rosecliff, personified by the famous painting, eventually takes its toll on Phoenix. 

This is perfect for readers looking for an emotional and literary psychological thriller.

What’s more chilling to you: a brilliant psychopath or a subtle manipulator?

#margueritebythelake #booksparks #minotaurbooks #src2025 #psychologicalthriller #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #bibliofile #reader #readinglife #alwaysreading  #bookrecomendation #bookworm 

#booklover #bookstagram 

About the Author

Mary Dixie Carter is the author of the critically acclaimed novel The Photographer. Her writing has appeared in TIME, The Economist, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The New York Sun, The New York Observer, and other print and online publications. She worked atThe Observer for five years, where she served as the publishing director. In addition to writing, she also has a background as a professional actor. Mary Dixie graduated from Harvard with an honors degree in English Literature and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.

Here’s the “lake” where I took the photo of the book. It’s actually a beaver pond. There’s three beaver lodges around the pond. 

Ask for Andrea

 

Author: Noelle Ihli

Narrator: Allison Delaney

Publisher: Simon Maverick 

Year: 2025

This book is wild and not exactly what I anticipated. I try to only know the bare bones about a book before diving in. I really didn’t expect the main characters to be ghosts (or maybe spirits) of three girls murdered by a serial killer. But somehow author Noelle W. Ihli makes it work. 

I was glad this wasn’t like a jump scare ghost story where the ghosts could really manipulate the investigation. They quickly realized they had very limited abilities and power as spirits. I also thought Allison Delaney did a great job narrating the audiobook. If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining, and different take on the serial killer troupe, give this book a try. Shoutout to @andrea.c.loweryreads for putting this book on my radar! 

Do you like when a mystery or thriller wanders into supernatural territory?

#crimefiction #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #bibliofile #reader #readinglife #alwaysreading #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookrecomendation #bookworm 

#booklover #bookstagram #librarybook #lovemylibrary

#audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobookreview #askforandrea #backlistbook 

About the Author

Noelle W. Ihli is a thriller-suspense author. She lives in Idaho with her husband, two sons, and two cats. When she’s not plotting her next thriller, she’s scaring herself with true-crime documentaries or going for a trail ride in the foothills (with her trusty pepper spray).

The Safari

 

Author: Jaclyn Goldis

Narrators: full cast

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Publication date: May 20, 2025

Out tomorrow May 20th! Thank you Simon & Schuster Audio for the advanced listener copy. I appreciate it! 

The rich family of luxury fashion brand gathers at their Safari retreat to celebrate a wedding. The family’s matriarch is set to marry a much younger man when she is killed the night before the nuptials.  Here’s the summary from the publisher: 

Odelia Babel, CEO of a sustainable fashion empire, is about to marry for the second time—to a man twenty-five years her junior. Asher Bach is the thirty-something designer of Odelia’s luxury clothing line, the darling of every high-fashion journalist, and madly in love with Odelia.

Eager to celebrate her nuptials with her nearest and dearest, Odelia invites her adult children, her daughter-in-law, her grandchild, and her best friend/assistant to an all-expenses-paid luxury safari at Leopard Sands in South Africa, the Babel family’s favorite vacation spot. In its soil, they have deep roots—and even deeper secrets.

It seems like the perfect trip, but not everyone is thrilled for the happy couple. Amid game drives in the bush and bonfires beneath the desert stars, tensions among the family threaten to boil over. And then, the morning after a big fight with her son Sam—and hours before the wedding—Odelia is found murdered. Sam is immediately the prime suspect, but he claims he has an ironclad alibi—he was with his twin sister, Bailey. Only Bailey is nowhere to be found…

As the heat roils, desperate poachers and ferocious animals lurk, and dark motives fester, it becomes clear that whoever killed Odelia isn’t quite finished yet, and the rest of the Babel family is their prey.

This is all about the family drama! A controlling mother. Resentment for her much younger fiancé. Disagreements about the direction the family company should go. Long buried secrets, lies, and revenge. There was enough drama to keep me distracted from figuring out whodunnit until the very end. The story is told from multiple POV and I was really glad the audiobook has a very talented full cast of narrators. This really helped me keep track of the different characters. 

This was an entertaining listen for me. I liked the exotic location and that it featured a safari. Definitely pick this one up if you love mysteries with a ton of family angst and melodrama. 

What’s your most recommended book so far this year? 

#crimefiction #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #bibliofile #reader #readinglife #alwaysreading #booksbooksbooks #lgbtqfiction #bookrecomendation #bookworm 

#booklover #bookstagram #audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobookreview #thesafari #simonaudio #jaclyngoldis 

About the Author

Jaclyn Goldis is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and NYU School of Law. She practiced estate planning law at a large Chicago firm for seven years before leaving her job to travel the world and write novels. After culling her possessions into only what would fit in a backpack, she traveled for over a year until settling in Tel Aviv, where she can often be found writing from cafés near the beach. She is the author of The Chateau, The Main Character, and The Safari.

Kills Well with Others

Author: Deanna Raybourn

Publisher: Berkley

Year: 2025

 

Happy #thrillerthursday! My favorite senior lady assassins are back for more adventure, mayhem, and murder in Kills Well with Others. It’s the sequel to Deanna Raybourn’s best seller Killers of a Certain Age. This time around, the ladies get word that there’s a mole inside the secret organization they work for leaked sensitive information to a vicious gangster looking for revenge. This sends Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie across the globe to root out the mole and stop the gangster before they become the next targets. 

This is such a fun series! Being a woman of a certain age myself, I love that these mature protagonists are still kicking butt and being badass assassins. I love the mix of action and humor within this fast paced story. There’s also an emotional element as they face the changes and challenges of aging. All in all, a fun romp of a read. This can be read as a standalone, but I suggest reading the  previous first book just to get the whole backstory.  

What have you been watching lately?I need some recommendations for shows or movies. I’m watching Your Friends and Neighbors. I’m enjoying it. 

#crimefiction #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #bibliofile #reader #readinglife #alwaysreading #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookrecomendation #bookworm #booklover #bookstagram #librarybook #lovemylibrary #killswellwithothers #deannaraynourn #berkley #thrillerthursday 

About the Author

Deanna Raybourn is the New York Times bestselling and Edgar® Award–nominated author of the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, the Lady Julia Grey series, and several stand-alone novels, including Killers of a Certain Age. She lives in Virginia with her family.

Johnny Careless

 

Author: Kevin Wade

Narrator: John Pirhalla

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Year: 2025

Jeep Mullane is back on his home turf. He’s now chief of police for the small town where he grew up. He’s navigating petty small town politics and trying to break up a ring of car thieves. Then Johnny, his best friend growing up, is found dead and it looks like murder. Johnny was from a wealthy family and an investigation will churn up old family secrets. Jeep’s past has crashed head on into his present leaving him with more questions than answers.

This is an impressive crime fiction debut from author Kevin Wade. This one is layered story and has an intricate plot. The timeline shifts from present to past. The flashback chapters show Jeep and Johnny as teens and young adults. These chapters gave me more a sense of Johnny’s personality and his family drama. Wade does a fantastic job of keeping the story tight and moving. The listening time for the audiobook is just over 7 hours. John Pirhalla’s narration is top notch. His performance conveys Jeep’s emotions at losing his best friend and the tension of the investigation. I highly recommend this smart and engrossing thriller. Hope to see more crime fiction from Wade. 

Do you need the ending of a story to neatly wrapped up and have all questions are answered? 

#crimefiction #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #reader #bookrecomendation #booklover #bookstagram#librarybook #lovemylibrary #audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobookreview #johnnycareless #kevinwade #debutnovel #2025debut #macmillanaudio  #thrillerthursday

About the Author

Kevin Wade is a playwright, screenwriter, and television writer and producer whose credits include the stage plays Key Exchange, Mr. & Mrs, and Cruise Control, and the screenplays for Working Girl (seven Academy Award nominations), True Colors, Mr. Baseball, Junior, Meet Joe Black, and Maid in Manhattan. For television, he created the ABC television drama Cashmere Mafia. In 2010 he joined the rookie CBS drama Blue Bloods as a writer, and since 2011 he has served as its showrunner, executive producer, and backseat driver. Wade was nominated for an Edgar Award for best episodic teleplay for the episode entitled “My Aim Is True.”

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds

 

Author: Allison Brennan

Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing 

Publication date: June 17, 2025

It’s just about time to get read for summer beach reads and I have one you need to put at the top of your list. Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the e-arc! 

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds by Allison Brennan is a fun and entertaining romantic thriller. Mia is a book loving financial planner who’s on a vacation at an exclusive resort on a private island. Mia finds a book that belonged to a guest who recently went missing from the resort. When the missing woman’s body is discovered, Mia is sure the woman was murdered. While Mia searches for answers, she’s also on the lookout for some fun and finds it in the form of a very handsome and hot bartender. As Mia’s romance heats up, so does the danger. It seems everyone at the resort has secrets and Mia just might be the next target. 

This is an easy breezy read perfect for reading during a day at the pool, on the beach, or in your backyard. Mia is a likable and smart main character. The pacing of the story is steady and there’s lots of tension - both spicy and suspenseful. There’s plenty of suspects because it seems like almost everyone at the resort has secrets and there’s plenty of red herrings. Overall this makes for an entertaining romp of a mystery with some spicy scenes for extra fun. It’s out June 17 so preorder or add it to your tbr now. 

What’s the last book you preordered? 

#beachrradsanddeadlydeeds #allisonbrennan #hiveinfluencer #mysterybooks #romanticthriller #thrillerbooks #crimefiction #mysteryandthrillers #bookstagram #publishingsoon #booknerd 

About the Author

Allison Brennan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award winning author of more than forty thrillers and numerous short stories. She was nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers, had multiple nominations and two Daphne du Maurier Awards, and is a five-time RITA finalist for Best Romantic Suspense. Allison believes life is too short to be bored, so she had five kids and writes three books a year. Originally from northern California, in 2019 she and her husband relocated to Arizona where they enjoy baseball Spring Training, hiking, and spending time with their kids, grandson, and assorted pets.