It looks like I am channeling my inner crime fan with this week’s reviews. We have romance, a straight-up atmospheric mystery, and round things out with a great true crime novel. If you are like me and want a tiny bit of murder to start the new year, check out these recommendations.
The Forever Witness by Edward Humes
I vaguely remember seeing that this cold case had been solved but it was overshadowed by the capture of the Golden State Killer. Both cold cases were solved by using DNA obtained through genealogy resources and opened a ton of ethical questions. If this interests you at all, I highly recommend this book. The author weaves the various aspects of the crime, the detective work, along with DNA genetic research, into a brilliant story. The three distinct story arcs all came together to solve a cold case, getting justice for the victims. I give this book 5/5 stars and highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys true crime.
(You can solve the mystery too! Just use this link to purchase The Forever Witness here: https://amzn.to/3QwMcM9 Amazon Affiliate disclaimer in sidebar.)
Love In the Time of Serial Killers by Alecia Thompson
The title and synopsis snagged my attention, to the point I bought the book on the cover alone. Thankfully, it wasn’t a waste of money and I ended up really enjoying this story. I think a lot of us can be considered guilty of looking at the world with an eye towards disaster, and with the prolific amount of true crime content via podcasts and documentaries, it is very easy to become paranoid. But what happens to a girl, obsessed with seeing everyone as a serial killer, has to let her “sketchy” hot neighbor into her bubble? This book was more than it initially appeared. I would classify it as more Women’s Fiction than Romance, since it was really about Phoebe’s mental healing from long-term emotional wounds. There just happened to be a nice slice of awkward true crime junky humor and romance. It was a very satisfying book and I think anyone looking for something different than your typical romance would enjoy this story.
(Dive into Phoebe’s worldview by purchasing the book here: https://amzn.to/3ZubbUL Amazon Affiliate disclaimer in sidebar.)
City Under One Roof By Iris Yamashita
I don’t exaggerate when I say this book gave me chills more than once. It wasn’t that the story itself was scary, but the creation of the isolated building where all the events took place was brilliant. I am a huge fan of mystery books creating creepy vibes and locations to set their murders in, and this is one of the best I have read in a while. The mystery was also very well-paced, and I enjoyed the switches between the various residents and our outsider cop. My only complaint was that the reason the cop showed up in the first place felt somewhat unnecessary, but it looks like it will be a theme that will go through future books starring this protagonist. Because of this, I am more lenient with the open ending of this plot arc. I give City Under One Roof 4.5/5 stars. A great debut novel and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
(Get City Under One Roof here for all your chills and thrills: https://amzn.to/3Gu3RQ5 Amazon Affiliate disclaimer in sidebar.)
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Til the next turn of the page,
Kmuse
Dramas With a Side of Kimchi