Monday Mini-Reviews: A Little Suspense

 It's been a busy start to the school year, and I'm still trying to figure out how to get everything done each day.  My reading has trended more toward quick page turners since I know I can get through them quickly and they are usually engaging.

The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine is a follow-up to her novel, The Last Mrs. Parrish.  I will admit that I remember absolutely none of that one, and enjoyed this one a great deal.  I was able to read the book in its entirety while my husband drove us to and from a cross country meet this weekend.

Daphne is trying to move on with her life, having relocated to California after she and Jackson divorced.  (As the novel begins, Jackson is in prison).  Her daughters want to see their father, so she decides to rent a cottage for the summer months after he is released from prison.  His new wife, Amber, has plenty of schemes she intends to carry out as her main goal is getting Jackson's money.  

I loved the fast pace, the different narrators, and the suspense of this one.   

Long ago I read Shari Lapena's first novel, The Couple Next Door, and thought it was very predictable.  And yet, it received rave reviews from nearly everyone.  Because of that, I haven't rushed to pick up anything else she's written, which was a mistake.  This newest novel, What Have You Done? is a fast, suspensful read that I stayed up late to finish one night last week.

The book opens with a farmer finding the body of a teenage girl who has been murdered and left on his land.  Multiple narrators and many twists and turns follow.  I did still guess who killed Diana Brewer, but it wasn't until the very end that I knew I had figured things out.  

I am going to need to go back and read Lapena's backlist titles.  This one was a perfect read for a person who is looking for entertainment and suspense.

Have a great Monday, everyone!