Dumb.

I’m normally disappointed that Louise Penny books aren’t better — but this was particularly bad.

GREAT PREMISE:

The story follows Alice Li, a first-generation Chinese-American former food blogger, and her mother, Vivien Li, a legendary Tiananmen Square dissident turned world-renowned human rights activist. 

When synchronized security and fire alarms go off globally, triggering worldwide panic, the cyber signal is traced back to China. Vivien and Alice are urgently summoned to the Oval Office to help the U.S. government decode China’s intentions. What follows is a high-stakes, international race against time stretching from Washington, D.C. and Ohio to Hong Kong. To stop a global catastrophe …

But the plot itself is as absurd as any international conspiracy thriller I can recall.

Dumb.

I did enjoy insights into Chinese culture and politics provided by Mellissa Fung.

I’ve really gotten into this book series lately. Set in Alaska.

Since 1993, Dana Stabenow has been writing a series featuring Kate Shugak, a five-foot-one Aleut woman, private investigator alongside her fierce, half-wolf, half-husky companion, Mutt.

A Night Too Dark (2010) is a good one.

The Conflict: The discovery of the world’s second-largest gold mine (the Suulutaq Mine) has deeply divided the local community and attracted hostile environmental activists. 

The Mystery: Park residents, hikers, and mine workers are vanishing at an alarming rate. When an abandoned truck and a suicide note lead to a body that has been scavenged by a bear, the case seems closed—until the “dead” man walks onto Kate’s homestead weeks later. Kate and Jim must discover who the body actually belongs to while dodging an enemy willing to kill to protect the mine’s secrets

I got through this book — but never really got into it.

Amazon

Great premise ➙ “Set in 1966 California, the story follows three women—Beverley, Elsie, and Margot—whose husbands were notorious serial killers. When a new string of local murders emerges, the trio teams up to catch the killer themselves.”

But for me the pacing was too slow.

Make It Out Alive (2026) is one of the Quinn & Costa series by Allison Brennan.

Kinda dumb. But never boring.

Detective Kara Quinn and FBI Agent Matt Costa find themselves in a deadly predicament.

After successfully capturing a serial killer targeting newlyweds at a Florida resort, they are kidnapped by the killer’s partner. Forced into a sadistic, “Saw-like” escape room, the duo must rely on their skills and each other to survive before time runs out

Praise from Reviewers

• High-Stakes Tension: Critics frequently describe the book as a “propulsive read” and a “well-paced thrill ride”. The central “escape room” scenario is noted for creating a stressful, claustrophobic atmosphere that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

This was the 1st Allison Brennan I’ve read.

NEW ➙ Netflix is producing a TV series based on Myron Bolitar.

Excellent.

Back Spin (1997) is the 4th novel in Coben’s excellent series of a crime solver and sports agent named Myron Bolitar.

It’s at least as good as any of the rest.

The story pulls sports agent turned accidental detective Myron Bolitar into the elite and high-stakes world of professional golf.

During the U.S. Open, the teenage son of superstar golfers Linda and Jack Coldren is kidnapped. Myron is hired to find the boy, dragging him from wealthy Main Line mansions into local, seedy motels.

As he digs deeper, he must untangle a web of decades-old family secrets, lies, and a historical sports failure that ties directly to a modern-day murder.