Crossing Over - Mysteries with Missing Persons

Hey all. It's been awhile since my last Crossing Over post. If you're not familiar with Crossing Over it's a feature that stemmed from my desire to recommend an adult book with crossover appeal based on a YA or sometimes Middle Grade book that are similar. I hate that we pigeonhole books into a specific age range and so I try to combat that. Plus it's basically an if you liked, then try but for crossover books. It runs once a month (usually) here and I pick the books based on the theme of what I'm reading. So this month my theme is historical fiction and honestly that was a pretty hard one for me. I feel like I don't read a ton of adult historical fiction and the ones that I do are very different from the YA I read. So I did a little bit of a twist on the topic and do time travel stories with a big focus on historical fiction

Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehring
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

This book is about a girl who goes missing and how her best friend and boyfriend has to cope with that and find out exactly what happened to her. Everyone thinks she just ran away but the main character suspects foul play. As the book unfolds we learn more about both the character who goes missing and the narrator. In fact, much more of the focus is on the development of Flynn's character, which honestly was totally fine with me.

Because honestly, the best part of this book may have been the characters. This is a book that is full of fantastic and complex characters. Seriously, most of the characters in this book were incredibly unlikable, even January. But the author does a great job in making you connect with them. You don't agree with their motives but you respect them for their bad decisions. They felt realistic and interesting. Which to me is an essential part of a good mystery.

Speaking of that mystery, this was a pretty good one. I prefer my mysteries to be solvable. I want there to be clues along the way that help me figure it all our but not until the very end. I want it to unfold in a way where I am solving it with the characters. And while I did figure this one out pretty easily there were still plenty of surprises along the way.

In general, it's a good read and an interesting mystery. It's more character-driven than I expected but that was okay because the characters were some of the best things about this book. I totally recommend it to fans of YA mysteries.

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

This book is about a girl who goes missing and how her best friend and roommate has to cope with that and find out exactly what happened to her. Everyone thinks she just ran away but the main character suspects foul play. Then there is the mysterious appearance of a woman in a town an hour away that the other main character is drawn to and no one else seems to care about or even notice really. As the book unfolds we learn more about the character who goes missing, the girl who just showed up, and the narrator. I don't want to give too much away but there are a lot of good reveals.

Because honestly, the characters were amazing. This is a book that is full of fantastic and complex characters. Seriously, most of the characters in this book were incredibly unlikable, even the narrators at times. But the author does a great job in making you connect with them. That is what Mary Kubica does so well in all her books. You don't agree with their motives but you respect them for their bad decisions. They felt realistic and interesting. Which to me is an essential part of a good mystery.

Speaking of that mystery, that was probably the best part. I prefer my mysteries to be solvable. I want there to be clues along the way that help me figure it all our but not until the very end. I want it to unfold in a way where I am solving it with the characters. And that is exactly what this book did. You don't have all the pieces of the puzzle until the very end and when you do and you see the whole picture you are shocked and so entertained.

In general, it's a good read and the perfect summer mystery. It's more character-driven than I expected but that was okay because the characters were one of the best things about this book. I totally recommend it to fans of mysteries.

Besides the fact that both of these mysteries involve kidnappings, I would say that the main similarities are that they focus more on the characters and who they are then on the over-arching whodunit kind of aspects of the mystery. That is one of the things I love about all Mary Kubica's books and I know Caleb Roehring focused a lot on making his characters complex but still sympathetic. If you like those kinds of mysteries check these two out for sure.

Have you read Last Seen Leaving and/or Don't You Cry? What did you think? What mystery novels with crossover appeal do you like? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica

Title: Every Last Lie Written by: Mary Kubica Published: June 27, 2017 by Park Row Books (Harlequin) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author of THE GOOD GIRL, Mary Kubica is back with another exhilarating thriller as a widow's pursuit of the truth leads her to the darkest corners of the psyche.  "The bad man, Daddy. The bad man is after us."   Clara Solberg's world shatters when her husband and their four-year-old daughter are in a car crash, killing Nick while Maisie is remarkably unharmed. The crash is ruled an accident…until the coming days, when Maisie starts having night terrors that make Clara question what really happened on that fateful afternoon.  Tormented by grief and her obsession that Nick's death was far more than just an accident, Clara is plunged into a desperate hunt for the truth. Who would have wanted Nick dead? And, more important, why? Clara will stop at nothing to find out—and the truth is only the beginning of this twisted tale of secrets and deceit.  Told in the alternating perspectives of Clara's investigation and Nick's last months leading up to the crash, master of suspense Mary Kubica weaves her most chilling thriller to date—one that explores the dark recesses of a mind plagued by grief and shows that some secrets might be better left buried.

Every summer I devote a month to reading mysteries because nothing says beach reads like a thriller messing with your head. It has become a bit of a tradition to read a Mary Kubica book as a part of that month. Her books are some of my favorites and this one was really good.

As far as the mystery goes, this was not one of my favorites. Now don't get me wrong, it was interesting and very engrossing. I've read every single on of Kubica's books and she definitely has a way of making me question everything. I love that in my mysteries. I love spending the whole book doubting who could be responsible and how it all went down. But I also love when the mystery is solvable. I like when there are subtle clues along the way that help you figure things out so that when you get to the big reveal you feel vindicated and like you accomplished something. And while the mystery here was technically solvable it didn't have as big an impact when it all came out. It just fell a little flat for me.

But that isn't to say that this had bad pacing in plot development. No, in fact it had amazing plot development and pacing. The book slowly built to a thrilling conclusion that had me completely on the edge of my seat. I seriously did not want to put this book down as it neared the climax and big reveal. It was seriously so thrilling. I would probably say this book is more of a psychological thriller. The plot development is more of the mess with your head kind of book and less the detective, or even average person, solving some crime. I'm totally okay with the thriller aspect I just went into it thinking it would be more of a mystery.

I think a lot of the thriller aspects also came from the characterizations. This is a book full of complex characters. I mean with a title like Every Last Lie you have to imagine that the book is going to have plenty of lies and there definitely were. The characters were all so untrustworthy. On top of that the narrators totally had an unreliable narrator vibe to them. The book alternated perspectives between Clara and Nick. Clara's were the after and Nick's were the before. I think because of these two things, Every Last Lie had a bit of a Gone Girl vibe as you spent a lot of the book trying to figure out what happened and who to trust. Clara in particular had that unreliable thing going as she was not dealing with what happened very well and much of this book is her downward spiral. But it absolutely made for interesting and engaging characters. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.

But the thing that Kubica does really well is make you connect with the characters. Despite the fact that, or maybe because of it, Clara is not dealing with the crash very well you are rooting for her. Her world is torn apart and you want to help her piece it all together. You want her to find closure and solace in what happened to Nick so she can move on. And as far as Nick's story despite all the lies and bad decisions that unfold throughout the book you can't help but like Nick. He's sweet and compassionate and loves his family. That's what is at the heart of this book. It's about family, loss, and so much more.

On the whole this was a good read. I do wish the big reveal had more of an impact but this isn't really a mystery. It's a psychological thriller about a woman who is figuring out what happened to her husband after she shortly gives birth. In that respect it was a great read.

I give Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you like Mary Kubica or similar thrillers and mysteries in the vein of Gillian Flynn or Paula Hawkins definitely check this one out. If you're looking for a gripping read that will keep you hooked from beginning to end this summer check this one out.

Have you read Every Last Lie? What did you think? What's your favorite psychological thriller? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

Title: Pretty Baby Written by: Mary Kubica Published: July 28, 2015 by Harlequin (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: A chance encounter sparks an unrelenting web of lies in this stunning new psychological thriller from national bestselling author Mary Kubica  She sees the teenage girl on the train platform, standing in the pouring rain, clutching an infant in her arms. She boards a train and is whisked away. But she can't get the girl out of her head...  Heidi Wood has always been a charitable woman: she works for a nonprofit, takes in stray cats. Still, her husband and daughter are horrified when Heidi returns home one day with a young woman named Willow and her four-month-old baby in tow. Disheveled and apparently homeless, this girl could be a criminal—or worse. But despite her family's objections, Heidi invites Willow and the baby to take refuge in their home.  Heidi spends the next few days helping Willow get back on her feet, but as clues into Willow's past begin to surface, Heidi is forced to decide how far she's willing to go to help a stranger. What starts as an act of kindness quickly spirals into a story far more twisted than anyone could have anticipated.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at BEA and also on Edelweiss. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I picked up a copy of this book at BEA two years ago and despite being really excited to read it, I haven't read it until now. I don't know why I waited to read it because with every book of Mary Kubica's I read, I continue to be impressed by how fantastic a mystery and thriller writer she is. And while Pretty Baby is not my favorite of her books, it was incredibly engaging.

For one thing, Kubica's writing has a great way of drawing you in. It's got the perfect atmosphere to me. It pulls you in and I can't really explain why but there is something so subtle about it. It's not overwhelmingly mysterious but there is something just slightly off, so you're wondering what it could be. It's not really an action-packed book, in fact it's one that didn't pick up until much later in the book, but it is the kind of book that makes you want to keep reading. It draws you in to the story with questions and curiosities, which is something I love in my mysteries.

But when the plot of the book did kick in, it was incredibly captivating. The plot development here is intricate and well-plotted. There is not a lot of emphasis on the mystery elements and it's not overly psychological either. You would think that would make for a dull read but it doesn't. It's not that there isn't something (a few things actually) to solve, it just feel like the focus. But then when the puzzle pieces do fall together you are reeling and so entertained. There is a good balance between more psychological stuff and mystery which makes this a great read but I honestly would have liked a little bit more with some aspects of the mystery. Especially in the beginning, I didn't see what could be the endgame and it made it so that it took awhile for me to really get into the book.

But this is also a book that does a good job in balancing the character-driven moment with the plot. One thing that I really liked here and continue to be impressed by Kubica's work is her characterizations. With every book she alternates perspectives between multiple people and this is something that doesn't always work for me but with her books, it does. Here she has three unreliable narrators. It made for a well-rounded and interesting story to be in the head of these three very different people. One of the most compelling characters was Heidi, especially toward the end of the book. You kind of watch her deteriorate throughout the book and it was cringe-worthy and yet so interesting. She's a character that I just wanted to shake some sense into but at the same time she was totally empathetic. But each of the characters was like that, they perfectly walked the line between unlikable and likable.

The thing that might of helped with my enjoyment of the atmosphere and the characters was the fact that I listened to the audiobook. I really enjoyed it. There were three different narrators who did a great job getting into the head of these people. Not to mention the fact that they drew you into the plot of the book as well. I'm definitely loving listening to mysteries on audio and this is another example of why.

Once again I continue to be impressed by Mary Kubica. She's a fantastic writer of mysteries and psychological thrillers. Pretty Baby is a great read that will draw you and surprise you with great twists and complex characters.

I give Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you are a fan of mysteries or psychological thriller then check this out. Mary Kubica is a master of the genre. If you have enjoyed her books then check this one out as well. It's not my favorite of her books but it is still really fantastic.

Have you read Pretty Baby? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica

Title: Don't You Cry Written by: Mary Kubica Published: May 17, 2016 by Harlequin MIRA (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl, Mary Kubica returns with an electrifying and addictive tale of deceit and obsession  In downtown Chicago, a young woman named Esther Vaughan disappears from her apartment without a trace. A haunting letter addressed to My Dearest is found among her possessions, leaving her friend and roommate Quinn Collins to wonder where Esther is and whether or not she's the person Quinn thought she knew.  Meanwhile, in a small Michigan harbor town an hour outside Chicago, a mysterious woman appears in the quiet coffee shop where eighteen-year-old Alex Gallo works as a dishwasher. He is immediately drawn to her charm and beauty, but what starts as an innocent crush quickly spirals into something far more dark and sinister than he ever expected.  As Quinn searches for answers about Esther, and Alex is drawn further under Pearl's spell, master of suspense Mary Kubica takes readers on a taut and twisted thrill ride that builds to a stunning conclusion and shows that no matter how fast and far we run, the past always catches up with us in the end.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

This was really fantastic! A great way to kick off my mystery month on the blog. I really enjoyed Mary Kubica's debut, The Good Girl, and so I was really excited to read this one. And I was not at all disappointed with it. It's another engrossing mystery full of thrills and surprises with complex and interesting characters and writing that pulls you in.

The first thing that struck me about this book was Kubica's writing. She has this great way of writing in a way that pulls you in. As soon as I started reading I was drawn in to the daily life of the characters, their worlds, and the mystery that was surrounding them. It's almost atmospheric in that you can't help but fall completely into the world of the book, fall so deep into it that you forget your surroundings. What helped in this respect too is that I listened to the audiobook. It has two narrators which help differentiate between the two. I've liked the male narrator, Kirby Heyborne in the past but I've found the female narrator, Kate Rudd, challenging. However this time, I liked them both. The narrators did a great job of setting the scene of the book and pulling you in. Not to mention that they gave Mary's writing an almost lyrical quality that was incredibly engaging.

The synopsis mentions that it's an addictive story and that is completely accurate. I seriously could not stop reading. Once I started, I needed to keep going until I found out what happened. A lot of that of course had to do with the plot development. This book was full of non-stop thrills and mystery. From beginning to end it had me questioning so much what was happening and why. It really built to a fantastic climax that had me on the edge of my seat, feeling shock and awe when it was all said and done. It's a book that pulls you in and doesn't let you do until the very end.

But my favorite thing to do with the plot was of course the big mystery. I read a lot of mysteries, I read a lot of books with a mystery to them. Don't You Cry is an example of my favorite kind of mystery. Most of the book had me questioning everything, which is common, but it's the kind of thing where you don't have a lot of the pieces of the puzzle until the very end. The clues slowly unfolded in a way that you could piece them together around the same time if not just before the characters. It kept me guessing but let me feel the satisfaction of figuring it out which is my favorite kind of mystery. It was complicated and solvable which had me reading until the very end when it was all revealed in a shocking but satisfying way.

I think a lot of why I was questioning everything is because of the characters of this book. Her characterizations are one of the things that impressed me with Kubica's first book and one of the things I liked about this one as well. She does multiple perspectives so well. In this book we get Quinn and Alex. I liked both characters but in a way that had me curious about their involvement in the larger mystery and frankly their sanity. I liked Quinn but after a time I started questioning how she was involved and how she was connected. Alex however felt much more sympathetic with his difficult past and challenging present but even he has his moments where I stopped trusting him. You get different sides of the story and aspects of the mystery as both of these characters are trying to figure out different parts of the mystery. But it's really the secondary characters who are the most complex. I don't want to say much about them but there a lot of interesting characters in this book.

On the whole Don't You Cry is another fantastic thriller and mystery from Kubica. It's an addictive and engrossing story that will pull you in and the thrilling mystery and complex characters that will keep you reading from beginning to end.

I give Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica 9.5 out of 10 stars  

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Fans of her previous books will enjoy this as well. And if you have not yet read any of her books and you like mysteries and thrillers then you are missing out. Pick them up. They're fantastic and this one is particularly brilliant.

Have you read Don't You Cry? What did you think? Leave a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Good Girl by Mary Kubica

Title: The Good Girl Author: Mary Kubica Published: July 29, 2014 by Harlequin Mira Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: "I've been following her for the past few days. I know where she buys her groceries, where she has her dry cleaning done, where she works. I don't know the color of her eyes or what they look like when she's scared. But I will."  Born to a prominent Chicago judge and his stifled socialite wife, Mia Dennett moves against the grain as a young inner-city art teacher. One night, Mia enters a bar to meet her on-again, off-again boyfriend. But when he doesn't show, she unwisely leaves with an enigmatic stranger. With his smooth moves and modest wit, at first Colin Thatcher seems like a safe one-night stand. But following Colin home will turn out to be the worst mistake of Mia's life. Colin's job was to abduct Mia as part of a wild extortion plot and deliver her to his employers. But the plan takes an unexpected turn when Colin suddenly decides to hide Mia in a secluded cabin in rural Minnesota, evading the police and his deadly superiors. Mia's mother, Eve, and detective Gabe Hoffman will stop at nothing to find them, but no one could have predicted the emotional entanglements that eventually cause this family's world to shatter. An addictively suspenseful and tautly written thriller, The Good Girl is a propulsive debut that reveals how even in the perfect family, nothing is as it seems….

The problem with reviewing mysteries or thrillers is that it's incredibly difficult to give you any information about the book that will not give anything away. As a person who actually likes spoilers, it's even more difficult. I managed to do it, but bear with me because this will more than likely be a very short review. The one thing I will say is if you like these kinds of books (the cover compares it to Gillian Flynn and Tana French) then pick this book up, it's complex and interesting with dubious characters and an engrossing plot.

I think what struck me the most about this book was the complexity and creativity of it. It is told from the perspective of three different people at two different times. Our narrators include the mother of the woman who was kidnapped, the detective tasked with finding her, and the kidnapper. And we hear from them both before and after the kidnapping. This creates such a complex and layer stories. Most of the time these kinds of stories are just told from one perspective, usually the kidnapped or the detective. But because we got the mother's perspective we really got to understand the fear and confusion about having a person you love taken away from you. And because we got to spend some time in the head space of the kidnapper we get to understand why and how he was able to kidnap her. It was such and interesting concept.

And because we spend so much time with different people, it was easy to empathize with a wide range of characters including people you may not normally empathize with. When I was about half finished with the book my only thought was, "I'm not sure who's side I'm on." Mary Kubica did an excellent job of making not only want the detective to succeed but want the kidnapper to succeed as well. It was like the TV show The Wire in that way. Everyone is dubious, everyone is likable, and even though they are at odds with one another you want them all to win in the end. I wasn't sure how I wanted it to end but I knew either way it was going to be bitter sweet.

What I did miss a little bit from this book was the sense of mystery and investigation that you get a lot with these kinds of psycholigicalesque thrillers. While there was a small part of the book that allowed you to hunt for clues and solve something I wanted more. This book was more character-driven and about their relationships with Mia and one another than it was about solving a mystery. For me when I'm reading a thriller I want a good mystery to solve.

But that didn't make this book any less engrossing. I read it in a few a days and would find myself devouring whole chunks of the book before I even realized what was happening. And because I was so invested in the different characters success despite the fact that they couldn't all win, there was this desire throughout the book to get to the ending to see how it would all conclude, and that made it very enjoyable.

I give The Good Girl by Mary Kubica an 8 out of 10

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers in the vein of Gillian Flynn. Or if you are looking for a complex story with different characters that 

Have you read The Good Girl? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!