If you know me, you know one of my favorite ways to spend the day is with a good book. And if I can feel the sunshine and hear the ocean, it’s a bonus. We recently spent a week in Perdido Key, Florida, which is one of my favorite places.
I carried an assortment of books from my TBR piles (yes, plural) and was able to read four novels while we were there. The books I chose did not disappoint, and I would recommend all of them, although possibly not all to the same folks. My tastes have been described as diverse and random.
For my friends who are Freida McFadden fans, if you haven’t read The Teacher, get it. It is disturbing on so many levels. And this author never fails to shock me with a totally unexpected twist. Even when I’ve figured out one twist, she has another, and another. This book left me shaken.
For my friends who love a good, clean mystery, Ellen E. Withers has a series set in her hometown of Mexico, Missouri. I read book 2, Show Me Deceit, on vacation. I’d read Book 1, Show Me Betrayal last year, and had been looking forward to the second book. It did not disappoint. I devoured this intriguing story, which ties a modern mystery with a tale from the Civil War. Ellen is a local author from Conway, a personal friend, and a fabulous writer. If you like to read mystery, you have to try this series.
For my friends who like a cozy, feel-good story, check out Bernice Runs Away by Talya Tate Boerner. This sweet story of a senior citizen facing the final stretch of her life is filled with humor and heart. It is heartwarming, complex, and touches on what is really important in life.
My final read from the trip was Broiler by Eli Cranor. This is the third book from the Ozark Dogs author, and in my opinion, the best so far. This book, like his others, is gritty. It’s rough- not for the faint of heart. It’s classified as a crime novel, and that’s true enough. But it is so much more. Cranor has brought together a set of characters from two very different sides of the same world, and he brings them together with a clash that is explosive, unexpected, and deadly.
I would love to have had another week to get to some more of the great books patiently waiting for me. I hope you get a chance to read some good books this month. By the way, three of the four authors featured are from Arkansas, but I didn’t notice that at the time I was selecting what to read.
If any of these sound good to you, my friend Stacy at The Bookish Emporium of Arkansas can fix you up. She owns and operates a small independent bookstore in Heber Springs, and you can shop in person or online here. Please support Stacy or your own local independent bookstore if possible. Happy reading.
Kim, thank you for the kind review of Show Me Deceit! You are a fabulous writer and knowing you like my books means so much to me.
Thank you, Kim, for the suggestions. I have read “Bernice” and “Show Me Deceit” and agree with your reviews. Eli Cranor is almost too good for me to read, makes it all too real. I will pursue “The Teacher.”