Review Hilary Davidson methodically leads readers on a murder mystery journey, then dials the suspense up to the thrilling conclusion with Every Lie I Told. The author's storytelling allows for readers to understand the characters while also wondering how all of the pieces fit together. We can relate to the protagonist's love for her sister.… Continue reading Every Lie I Told by Hilary Davidson
Right from page one, readers will understand the kind of world that Ash Land by Matt Harry is set in. With a first sentence that reads “No one knows how to stop the Ash”, we understand that humanity is at the mercy of the environment in which they all live. And it is not favorable to anyone with muscle tissue.
The main character, Kai, is our narrator, a divorced father of two, and private investigator picking up jobs when he can. Even though we may not relate to the extent of the book’s current setting, lots of readers can likely relate to Kai’s living and family situation. Consequently, readers can connect with the character, despite the extreme global mess in place.
The author came up with the idea of this book during the COVID pandemic, asking the question, “How could this be worse?” and then went with it. And he certainly thought of everything –Â the rich trying to capitalize on the situation and the poor literally scrounging for scraps. No to mention how various industries and families alike would respond to the high-stakes situation.
Ash Land is well-paced, entertaining, with a likable narrator and captivating ensemble of characters. I kept flipping pages without realizing the rate that real life passed by. The author expertly blends investigative fiction and a dystopian backdrop – a definite five stars from yours truly.
Matt Harry joins the Cantina Book Club Podcast to talk about his experiences in the film industry and exploring science fiction. Keep an ear out for the episode and pick up a copy of Ash Land, available now.
No one knows how to destroy the Ash.
Two years ago, the flesh-eating microbots escaped from a lab in France and quickly spread across the globe. Twenty percent of humanity was killed in under a month. The people who managed to seal themselves inside survived, but now they’re only able to access the outside world through remote-controlled drones or hazmat suits.
Kai Braddock is one of those survivors. He used to be a cop, but the machine plague and a bitter divorce led to him quitting the department. Now he tracks down bounties via drone, eats cricket burgers with his two sons online, and spends every waking hour in a 70 square-foot studio in downtown Los Angeles. But when his partner is murdered while helping him locate a missing scientist, Braddock realizes he’ll have to do what almost no one has done in over twenty-six months:
He’ll have to go outside.
As someone who has never read a “Wall Street thriller” before, The Lies We Trade by Kristine Delano is a great toe in the water. We meet the main character, Meredith at the height of her career. We are led to believe she is at the top of the world. But then we get insight into her domestic life and discover that her marriage is on the rocks due to her commitment to her job. We understand these circumstances – struggling to choose between one’s career and personal life. Sure, Meredith is making leaps, especially as a woman, in her industry. But her role as wife and mother has taken a hit. Which makes her eventual situation that much more complicated.
The author takes us through the corruption, suspects, and how it all connects to her family’s current situation. I thought I was on to something at some point, but then realized I was the victim of effective misdirection. After that, I couldn’t be certain about anyone’s motives in The Lies We Trade. The pacing was okay; however, there’s a good amount of financial jargon that went over my head. Those moments disrupted the flow a bit.
As far as the characters go, readers will recognize the misogyny from Meredith’s coworkers and the corruption that is all too tempting on Wall Street. Plus Meredith’s daughter Erika got on my nerves – although I suspect that was typical behavior of a teenage girl who’s enduring her particular situation. In any case, readers who enjoy financial thrillers will like The Lies We Trade.
Kristine Delano joins the Cantina Book Club Podcast to talk about her experience in the finance industry and plans for the future. Keep an ear out and pick up a copy of The Lies We Trade, available now.
A high-powered Wall Street career, a beautiful family in a quiet suburban neighborhood―she seems to have everything. Which means she has everything to lose.
Meredith Hansel should be having the best week of her life. After establishing herself as a portfolio manager at a prestigious Wall Street firm, she’s in the national spotlight for the innovative funds she created. But as Meredith prepares to celebrate, the plates she’s kept spinning for years begin to crash: Her strained marriage reaches a breaking point. Her conscientious teenage daughter acts out under mysterious pressures. Someone vandalizes her home with disturbing graffiti. And Betsey, her most trusted ally at the financial firm, goes rogue, and Meredith is forced to sign a restraining order against her.
Then her worlds collide when she receives a thumb drive and a cryptic note from Betsey threatening to reveal a secret that could have devastating effects on Meredith’s family . . . unless she can figure out what Betsey wants and deliver it in time.
As Meredith begins to dig into the data, however, she begins to suspect that it’s no coincidence her life is crumbling. That maybe what’s happening to her family is connected to what’s boiling beneath the surface at her investment company. Soon Meredith realizes there’s only one way to avoid taking the fall, and it all hinges on Betsey’s true motives. Was she really threatening Meredith or trying to warn her?
