Thank you for joining me here! I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.
Book #1:
Unmissing by Minka Kent (Length: 251 pages). This is a super short mystery thriller where the first wife who has been presumed dead for the past 10 years shows up on the doorstep of her husband’s home with his new wife and child. There are several twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, which is always fun, and it’s definitely a wild ride. The writing is decent, and the plot is propulsive. It’s not my favorite all-time thriller (see my review of The Chain below as that one is quite possibly one of the best I’ve read), but this is worth a library checkout for sure. It’s better written than a lot of the current thrillers out right now.
Book #2:
The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old by Hester Velmans (Length: 342 pages). I enjoyed this novel written from the perspective of an elderly resident of an assisted-living home in Amsterdam, in the form of a daily diary written over the course of one calendar year. His tales of being a member of the Old But Not Dead gang, a group of 8 residents, are adorable, and he showcases all of their different personalities in an engaging manner. Hendrik is a bit grumpy (reminding me of Backman’s A Man Called Ove) but also with a big heart with a lot of empathy for others. His quick wit and asides make this a book worth reading. There are 2 more novels after this, which I may read too. I absolutely recommend this one for those who also love lovable curmudgeons.
Book #3:
The Chain by Adrian McKinty (Length: 369 pages). The premise of this thriller is incredibly unique and VERY chilling (spoiler alert: it’s awesome!): your child is kidnapped and to get him/her back, you must first pay ransom in the form of Bitcoins equivalent to half the balance of your bank accounts, and then you must kidnap a child yourself. Once these demands are met, then your child will be released but if the chain is ever broken, people will die (and they do). I will say no children get killed in this book so if you’re an HSP, don’t worry in that regard. This is very fast-paced, well-written and a wild ride emotionally. I give this 2 very enthusiastic thumbs up. Perfect travel read!
Lora Terrill 