Books I Read in February

February was a mystery and thriller heavy month, which I’m not complaining about. I checked out five of my reads from the library, borrowed one from a relative, and read one of the books I got for the winter holidays and hadn’t read yet. Only one of these authors was new to me, and it’s so fun to go into a book knowing that you’re likely to have a good experience. A very solid month of reading. I think if I had listened to any audiobooks, I would have read more than seven books. But I started listening to a book that I really want to read and I am not jiving with the narrator (who happens to be the book author), and I felt completely stuck. That is until my husband urged me to listen to Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow instead, which was an excellent way to get me unstuck. 

Best Book of the Month

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman. This is the third in the Thursday Murder Club series, and I cannot get enough of this quirky crew of retirement home detectives. I love the cheer and unflappable determination of the characters. I love how heartfelt each book is. I love how the main cast collects delightful secondary characters along the way. This book was my favorite of the series so far, and I’m looking forward to the next one. 

Good Books

The Therapist by B. A. Paris. Alice and Leo just moved into a new house in a tight-knit gated community in London. But Alice learns a shocking secret about her new home and her obsession turns up more information her neighbors would prefer remain hidden. This was a fun thriller with an ending I didn’t predict. I really like B. A. Paris and want to read more of her work. 

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins. Lifelong best friends Chess and Emily travel to Italy for the summer. There, they uncover the truth behind a gruesome murder that took place in the villa where they’re staying. This is a slow burn of a novel that, for me, was more about the main characters’ relationship than it was about the murder. A few of this novel’s twists were extremely predictable, but I was surprised and pleased by how it ended. Plus, I really enjoyed the writing quality and the depiction of a friendship that has stresses and strains even as it strengthens. 

A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay. After surviving a horrifying encounter, Paul decides to try to release his stress by writing about the experience. His wife gets him an old typewriter to inspire him, and at first his new project seems to put him on the path to recovery. Then, Paul begins hearing strange sounds. Could it be possessed? Or does Paul have bigger problems? I enjoyed this book! By chapter two, I think, I told my husband, “This is what’s going to happen.” But I didn’t know how or why, and it was tremendously fun to get to the bottom of Paul’s spooky experience. 

Books That Were Okay

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. Theo is a psychotherapist who is trying to get through to one of the most notorious – and notoriously silent – patients in the secure forensic unit he just started working in. Will he unlock the secret reason she brutally murdered her husband? I wasn’t super crazy about the writing; I have to admit that I did a lot of skimming. But the twist definitely caught me off guard and I like that.  

The Drift by C. J. Tudor. This is the third Tudor I’ve read and it’s my least favorite but still enjoyable in its way. This novel follows three separate threads, each rooted in a world that is suffering the aftermath of a devastating, apocalyptic virus: Hannah is on a bus of students all headed to a mysterious Retreat. Former detective Meg is in a cable car with strangers, hanging high above the earth while a snowstorm rages around her.  Carter is in an abandoned ski chalet, trying to survive with a handful of secretive and deceitful strangers. How do the pieces of this puzzle fit together? I felt that the writing quality was lacking in this book – as though the idea had been so strong, Tudor’s publisher pushed it onto shelves before Tudor had a chance to smooth over the rough edges. But the story was captivating and I enjoyed how the separate strands of the story came together. 

Books That Just Weren’t My Jam

Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica. I love Mary Kubica and have read several of her books. My favorite of those is Local Woman Missing, which I found to be engaging, well-written, and well-plotted. So I was excited for her latest book. The best part about this book was commiserating with others during a buddy read (hosted by Krista & Brittany @thriller_book_sisters). I thought the plot was predictable and full of holes, I didn’t like any of the characters, and the characters’ behavior just didn’t make sense to me. But I could have forgiven all of that (I think) if the writing had been stronger. I associate Kubica books with quality writing and evocative atmosphere and vivid scene setting, and this book felt incredibly flat for me. This is another book that felt like a draft, or like it had been rushed to publication without allowing the author to fully flesh out the story. So disappointing.