Book Review | Book Chatter

The Stowaway
By James S. Murray & Darren Wearmouth
St. Martin’s Press, 9781250263650, September 2021, 320pp.

The Short of It:

Gruesome, but oddly entertaining.

The Rest of It:

Two years ago, Maria Fontana, the head of the Psychology Department at Columbia University, sat on a jury for one of the most depraved cases ever to pass through the hallowed halls of City Hall. ~ Indiebound

The set-up is very good. Maria’s role on that jury comes back to haunt her and her family as they are vacationing on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. Maria and her fiancé are trying to put the events of the past behind them while getting a little R&R with Maria’s young children in tow. But things suddenly take a dangerous turn on the ship when people turn up dead. People, mostly, young children. How can this be? Could the man on trial, Wyatt Butler have a copycat?

Maria spent a lot of time reviewing the evidence of that case. All the gruesome photos of Butler’s young victims. Plus, her background in Psychology gives her enough info to know how these serial killers work, but could there really be a copycat on board? Why? What is he after?

This book is a classic example of being trapped with no place to run. It’s a ship but there are only so many places to hide and Maria’s knowledge of the case and what this killer is capable of keeps the story flowing at a breakneck pace. I really enjoyed this one. I read it in one sitting and could not put it down for long.

But…

It’s gruesome. The crime scenes are very graphic. It seemed somewhat tolerable only because the killings are not in real time. As readers, we only hear of the aftermath but it’s children, which is a bit hard to swallow. Many of you warned me about how graphic it was but it was done well-enough that it didn’t keep me from frantically turning those pages.

If you need something a little different, something that is hard to put down and you don’t mind the graphic nature of these killings, then I highly recommend it.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Nine Perfect Strangers
By Liane Moriarty
Flatiron Books, 9781250069832, October 2019, 464pp.

The Short of It:

Kept me engaged. Didn’t mind the entertainment value one bit.

The Rest of It:

Tranquillum House is the end all, be all destination retreat for those needing a fresh start. Boasting beautiful outdoor spaces, custom meal plans, massages, meditation, and relaxation, its high price doesn’t deter those in need of transformation and that is what Tranquillum House and Masha, its extravagant guide promises.

Frances is on the verge of being a washed-up romance writer. Her back hurts, she could lose a few pounds. She needs a jumpstart on life. Others are there to save their marriage, their family, or recover from grief and loss. All of them strangers, there by choice yet they didn’t quite understand what they signed up for because once they arrive, they are told not to speak, not to even look at one another. There is forced meditation, fasts, and some more extreme measures taken to truly transform them.

In the beginning, ten days doesn’t seem like a lot. They can deal with anything for ten days but then Masha and her small staff push the boundaries of what’s appropriate.

Of all the Moriarty books, this one has probably gotten the most lukewarm reviews but I enjoyed it. There was just enough quirk in these characters to keep me interested and there is a bit of a mystery as to how it will all end for these nine guests. At nearly 500 pages it held my interest the entire time. I read it with one of my previous students and we both blew through it.

Recommend.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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