Tag Archives: whodoneit

Oct30

Lil Red’s Book Club: One By One By Freida McFadden Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: One By One By Freida McFadden Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing a super short and sweet thriller by Freida McFadden called One By One. This book was just under two hundred and sixty pages and I finished it in one day! It was definitely hard to put down as One By One was a full fledged whodoneit and I loves me a twisty murder mystery. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on One By One for child abuse, suicide, and graphic violence. You ready? Let’s get to it:

Claire and Noah have been married since they graduated college and were once the textbook definition of a happy couple. They each have jobs they love, two beautiful children, and a wonderful home. Then, somewhere along the way, their relationship began to falter and Claire is convinced that both of them hate each other. Between their growing animosity and Noah’s constant hurtful comments, it made it very easy for Claire to begin an affair with Noah’s best friend, Jack. In fact, it was a welcome reprieve and Claire plans to tell Noah all about it… After their friend group vacation, that is.

For one full week, Claire and Noah, Jack and his wife Michelle, and Claire’s best friend Lindsay and her new boyfriend will be enjoying a stay at a cozy inn in the woods. There will be hiking, hunting, fishing, and lots of relaxing in the hot tub and Claire can’t wait. She needs a getaway, wants some steamy alone time with her fling, and is eager to end things with Noah. It’s only a four hour drive to the inn and the group piles into Claire’s mini van to hit the road. After a few stops and a crazy awkward car ride, they are close to their destination when the battery to Claire’s car dies.

According to the map, they are close to the inn and have no signal to call for help with the car. So, the friends decide to ditch the van and hoof it to the inn. Lindsay’s boyfriend handles reading the map, Jack navigates with his compass, and soon they are all happily chatting about hitting the Jacuzzi as soon as they arrive. Although the walk in the woods is strenuous, the group has been at it for hours and know that they should have made it to the inn in a shorter period of time. And it’s also starting to get dark.

Rather than wander around in the pitch black, everyone agrees to set up camp for the night and start fresh in the morning. Sleep doesn’t come easy and Claire cannot shake the feeling of being hunted by something or someone. She can hear wolves or coyotes howling and has seen multiple deep gashes from claws on trees. If they don’t make it to civilization soon, she fears that some of them won’t make it home alive. There is danger close by but who or what is it? And will the vacationers survive to tell the tale? Read One By One to find out!

One By One was a lighting fast read and was quite enjoyable! It wasn’t the best Freida McFadden I have read but I liked the plot well enough and appreciated a few of the twists that I didn’t see coming. This was your classic “lost in the woods” trope and McFadden was able to put her own twist on it to make it feel somewhat fresh but overall very exciting. When the setting is in the woods, there is danger lurking at every turn. It could be from the elements, animals, or the very people you are with and McFadden locked into that paranoia to leave the reader questioning every little thing that went bump in the night.

While some members in our cast of characters left a lot to be desired *Cough* Warner (Lindsay’s boyfriend) sucks *Cough*, I did like Claire as the leading lady. Despite her transgressions, no one can say that she didn’t try to make it work with her husband and even the characters in the book couldn’t fault her for cheating. Her moments of weakness were made up for by terrific feats of strength that she didn’t even know she possessed and it was hard not to root for her. As their days in the woods continued, her primary thoughts were always on her children and I just had to finish it to see if her ending would be a happy one!

Overall, I am going to rate One By One with a six out of ten stars. If you are looking for a pretty good read that you can easily finish in one sitting, then go for it! If you aren’t interested in a stuck in the woods scenario, then don’t go for it lol!

What is your favorite Freida McFadden book? Do you like murder mysteries? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May24

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Midnight Show By Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: The Midnight Show By Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a delightfully refreshing whodoneit by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne called The Midnight Show. I admit that I was a little ambivalent about this book for the first fifty or so pages but once I got used to the unique format and plethora of characters, I was SO in. I’m also pleased to report that I figured out the grand reveal way beforehand and it didn’t deter my enjoyment of this book in the slightest. The Midnight Show was an excellent palette cleanser as I work through the ultra intense Stillhouse Lake series and I highly recommend it. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Midnight Show for addiction and emotional abuse. You ready? Let’s go!

Lillian Martin was a beloved comedienne of the 1980s who had her big break on the first handful of seasons of The Midnight Show (Think Saturday Night Live and we’ll refer to it as TMS for short). She was thrust into fame with the members of her old improv troupe and TMS cast but that came at a cost. The last thing Lillian ever wanted was being chased down by fans, being sent psycho stalker letters, and feeling unsafe as she went about her daily life. The turmoil of her newfound celebrity as well as an abusive relationship led to addiction and she passed away before her time. However, was her passing suicide, murder, or simply an accident?

Forty years after Lillian’s death, Madeline Cohen who is a culture writer for Rolling Stone wants to dig deeper. Sure, she’d like to solve Lillian’s cold case but she is also interested in how the male centered world of comedy might have played a part in Lillian’s downfall. Through interviews with Lillian’s estranged family and former TMS castmates, Madeline begins to put together the pieces of the years leading up to one of the leading ladies of comedy’s death. Each cast member believes that one of their former crew had something to do with Lillian’s untimely passing. But who? Read The Midnight Show to find out!

The Midnight Show was written primarily through TMS cast interviews as well as email correspondence and newspaper clippings. It almost read more like a script for a play rather than a novel and it was a lot to take in all at once as former castmates were introduced rapidly. After the initial sense of being overwhelmed by all of the information, I found my bearings and was able to dive into The Midnight Show and relish every page. The plot was so intriguing and fast paced, the kooky TMS cast members were often hilarious, and it was an exciting and fresh take on a classic whodoneit.

There was one particular character who I just couldn’t get enough of and that was Gina Ross, Lillian’s BFF. Gina was bold, brash, and provided something to laugh about every time she appeared on page. Her sharp wit as she conversed with Madeline really pushed the story forward but underneath all of that humor, you could tell how much the tragedy of Lillian pained her. Make no mistake, though, Lillian’s demise pained everyone interviewed and everyone could be a suspect. My advice if you want to solve the mystery ahead of time too? Take off the rose colored glasses. Your favorite characters might just be covering up a murder!

I am going to award The Midnight Show with the coveted ten out of ten stars. This has got to be one of my favorite books that I have read all year and I think you will like it too!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr11

Lil Red’s Book Club: Listen For The Lie By Amy Tintera Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: Listen For The Lie By Amy Tintera Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing an excellent thriller by Amy Tintera called Listen For The Lie. This book went back and forth between the past, present day, and a true crime podcast which I really liked. It actually reminded me a bit of None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell if you have read that one before! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Listen For The Lie for domestic violence and murder. You ready? Let’s get to it!

Lucy doesn’t think she killed her best friend Savannah (Savvy), but she doesn’t know for sure. All she remembers from that night five years ago is being found in the middle of the road by a good Samaritan, injured, and covered in her best friend’s blood. The rest is a complete blank for Lucy but that’s no matter because according to everyone in her small town, she is guilty regardless of if there wasn’t enough evidence for a conviction. After Savvy’s death, Lucy hightailed it to L.A. and never looked back. But, now, she must return back to Nowhere, Texas for her grandma’s birthday. Although Lucy can’t stand her parents, she loves her grandma despite the guilt trip she laid on her to attend her party.

An eightieth birthday bash isn’t the only thing waiting for Lucy in Texas. In fact, it is everything that Lucy never wanted to happen. A popular podcast called Listen For The Lie has taken an interest in Savvy’s cold case. During the show’s first season the host, Ben, solved an unsolvable case and is looking to repeat his success in Texas. Ben is going into this experience from a neutral position. Maybe Lucy killed Savvy. Maybe she didn’t. But, if Lucy didn’t, he is determined to find out who and leaves no stone unturned.

As Ben conducts his own investigation, he talks to anyone and everyone. Lucy’s grandma, Savvy’s family, Lucy’s high school best friend, and even her monstrous ex husband. And, after some convincing and a nudge from her grandma, Ben interviews Lucy too. Lucy is not much help at first. She can’t remember a thing about Savvy’s death and she is keeping her late friend’s secrets even though it could benefit her. Then, bits and pieces of that fateful night begin to form. Fragments start out as fuzzy and in a moment of shocking clarity, she knows exactly who the guilty party is. Who is responsible for Savvy’s death? Read Listen For The Lie to find out!

I really, really enjoyed Listen For The Lie and it was a wonderful change of pace from Gone Before Goodbye, the last book I finished. While the latter moved at an often agonizing speed, Listen For The Lie was fast paced from start to finish. In fact, it was so good that I finished it in two sittings. The way this book sprinted forward, I just had to keep up with it! Listen For The Lie featured shocking twists and turns, a fascinating plot, and a huge tip of the cap to the true crime podcast fandom. I loved reading the podcast portion at the end of almost every chapter and it was a huge motivation to keep on reading!

The best part of this book, however, was Lucy herself. She is my kind of leading lady and I could not get enough of her. Lucy was sarcastic, freaking hilarious, and a take no shit kind of girl. Her attitude was that people were going to stare at her and talk about her so let them. If they think she killed her friend, let them. It had no impact on her whatsoever and her only goal was to help solve Savvy’s case, even if she ended up in jail. She was so easy to root for and while her feisty spirit was all well and good, her fleeting moments of tenderness helped solidify her as one of my favorite main characters to date. She will have you laughing out loud and cheering her on too – I just know it.

Overall, I am going to award Listen For The Lie with the coveted ten out of ten stars. This thriller was a blast and will leave you guessing whodoneit the whole way through. Highly recommend!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar30

Lil Red’s Book Club: It’s Not Her By Mary Kubica Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: It’s Not Her By Mary Kubica Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing an excellent thriller by Mary Kubica called It’s Not Her. Although there were several parts of this book that were very hard to read, it was completely unputdownable and I finished it in three sittings. I am definitely interested in reading more by Kubica and plan on starting with Local Woman Missing as It’s Not Her was one of the best thrillers I have read all year. Before we begin, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning on this book for graphic violence, sexual violence, mental health disorders, and highly disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

It’s family vacation time! Courtney and her husband Elliott and daughter Cass will be having a joint vacation with Courtney’s brother Nolan, his wife Emily, and three children named Reese, Wyatt, and Mae. Their getaway takes place in the remote woods of Wisconsin in a resort along the lake. Resort might be a far stretch for their destination as it’s pretty ramshackle but it will be home for the next few weeks. Mae and Cass are close in age and spend their days joined at the hip. The adults drink and have grown up conversations while Wyatt does whatever fourteen year old boys do. Meanwhile, Reese can be found wallowing in the misery of all of this family time until a young man named Daniel makes her do a double take.

The vacation is, indeed, in full swing. Until it gets cut short. After Cass and Mae enjoy a slumber party in Courtney and Elliott’s cabin, Mae makes her way back to her family with a belly full of pancakes and a smile on her face. A few minutes later, she runs screaming back to Courtney and Elliott’s place. Mae has discovered the deceased bodies of her mom and dad. Reese is nowhere to be found and Wyatt managed to sleep through the entire ordeal. Courtney returns to the grisly scene and it is so much worse than she could ever imagine. Her brother and sister-in-law have been slain brutally and Reese could be anywhere dead or alive.

A police investigation immediately follows and there is not much to go off of. There are no leads to point to the murderer and no traces of Reese after extensive searches. All the while, Courtney, Elliott, Wyatt, Mae, and Cass are holed up in a tiny cabin and are not allowed to leave. Courtney can not handle the stagnation and decides to do her own investigating in her determination to bring Reese home. However, the clues that she finds only incriminates those closest to her. How could Wyatt sleep through the murder of his parents? And why is there blood on her husband’s shoes? As the days drag on, Reese is nowhere closer to being found until Courtney discovers a major break in the case. Who is responsible for this terrible crime? And will Reese be alive to tell the tale? Read It’s Not Her to find out!

It’s Not Her was a wild ride from start to finish. It was harrowing, heartbreaking, and So. Freaking. Twisty! Just when I thought I had a feel for what might have happened, Mary Kubica’s expert writing pulled the rug out from under me. And it kept happening again, and again, and again. I always love when I can figure out a grand reveal. I love it even more when I can’t, though, and the final twist left me absolutely shook. It has been a few days since I finished It’s Not Her and I still can’t stop thinking about it.

I very much enjoyed Kubica’s writing style because it was so raw. She kept the punches coming rapidly and interspersed them with such tender moments that the next blow would feel even more heart wrenching. Every dead end was a kick to the gut. The agony of every passing day with Reese missing was palpable and every single Red Herring felt infuriating. It’s Not Her will leave you questioning your own ideas as to what happened with each turn of the page until you have no idea what to think. And, when you learn the truth, you will be just as shocked as me.

I am going to award It’s Not Her with the coveted ten out of ten stars. This was a dynamite introduction into Mary Kubica’s work and if her other books are anything like this, then I know I am in for a treat. Highly recommend!

What are you currently reading? Have you read any of Mary Kubica’s books? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah