3.25 Stars

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JUST THE NICEST COUPLE by Mary Kubica

Synopsis from the Publisher:

A husband’s disappearance links two couples in this twisty thriller from master of suspense Mary Kubica.

Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend’s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.

Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered.

Publisher: Park Row
Publication Date: January 10, 2023
Source: Borrowed from the Library
Rating: 3.25 Stars

Quick Thoughts:

I’ve read all but one of Mary Kubica’s thrillers, so needless to say, I’m a fan. Her latest, JUST THE NICEST COUPLE, was good, but not my favorite. The story centers around a curious dilemma — a woman (Nina) is trying to locate her missing husband (Jake), while her friend (Lily) and her friend’s husband (Christian) try to hide what really happened to him.

“People say kind things about Christian and Lily all the time. Everyone thinks they’re just the nicest couple.” (…or are they?)

This book was a quick read that kept me guessing, and wraps up with a surprising twist. It was an interesting change of pace that the husband was missing this time. I did think the characters were a bit flat (dull?). Writing wise, the sentences were mostly short and choppy, and the ending was too abrupt. I’m left with questions regarding the ending twist, and where the story picks up eight months later. Not her best work, but I’m still a fan.

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Quick Thoughts: THE LAST HOUSE GUEST by Megan Miranda


Publisher: Corvus
Release Date: May 2, 2019
Source: Borrowed from the Library
Rating: ★★★¼

Littleport, Maine is like two separate towns: a vacation paradise for wealthy holidaymakers and a simple harbour community for the residents who serve them. Friendships between locals and visitors are unheard of – but that’s just what happened with Avery Greer and Sadie Loman.

Each summer for a decade the girls are inseparable – until Sadie is found dead. When the police rule the death a suicide, Avery can’t help but feel there are those in the community, including a local detective and Sadie’s brother Parker, who blame her. Someone known more than they’re saying, and Avery is intent on clearing her name before the facts get twisted against her.

Sadie and Avery are unlikely best friends, the former a girl from a rich family who summers in Littleport, Maine, and the latter a lonely local girl with a tragic past. Avery’s world is upset once again when Sadie dies of an apparent suicide, though Avery has her doubts. A year later odd occurrences and new clues make Avery want to figure out what really happened the night Sadie died.

I was drawn in by the premise of this book, and coastal Maine is one of my favorite settings. While there were a few interesting surprises & twists, the characters and suspense felt a bit flat — nothing quite grabbed me. I liked & was curious about the mystery, though the pace was slowish. Excellent location! Borrowed from the library.

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Book Review: THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE by Simone St. James

HauntingMaddyClare
Publisher: NAL Trade
Released: March 6, 2012
Source: Purchased paperback
Rating: ★★★¼

Sarah Piper’s lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis-rich, handsome, scarred by World War I, and obsessed with ghosts- has been summoned to investigate the spirit of nineteen-year-old maid Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Since Maddy hated men in life, it is Sarah’s task to confront her in death. Soon Sarah is caught up in a deperate struggle. For Maddy’s ghost is real, she’s angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Can Sarah and Alistair’s assistant, the rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, discover who Maddy was, whereshe came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance-before she destroys them all?

I love reading about the time period between the World Wars, which is when THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE is set. The book started out strong as a spooky ghost story/mystery. The main character, Sarah, gets a temp job working for Alistair Gellis, a ghost hunter. They travel to a remote village in the English countryside, where Sarah ends up at the mercy of a very trouble ghost named Maddy. She, Alistair, and his assistant Matthew must uncover Maddy’s tragic past and find out why she’s still stuck in this world.

The mystery surrounding Maddy was intriguing and rather sad, but not too hard to figure out. The mystery could have been stronger, but that story line derailed somewhat with the strained romance (if I could call it that) between Sarah and Matthew. Matthew’s character just wasn’t as developed as Sarah’s, and I didn’t feel the chemistry between them.

Overall, I thought THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE was a good, not great, start to the series, with some very creepy moments. The 1920s time period fit well with this Gothic ghost story.