A BOX FULL OF DARKNESS

4 stars out of 5

Small-town Fell, New York, isn’t exactly a great place to call home. Over the years, it’s had way more than its share of deaths – way too many of them total mysteries. The Esmie family is just one example; all their lives, siblings Violet, Vail and Dodie lived with scary things that went bump in the night, a friend whose body was found by railroad tracks and the disappearance of their much-loved young brother, Ben, who went missing as they played hide-and-seek like other kids do (just not those who live in Fell). Never feeling loved by their parents, the siblings took off for various parts doing various things.

But in many ways, they never left. They all have visions of past horrors; Violet is perhaps the most haunted, since she “sees” dead people – including an especially nasty one she knows only as “Sister.” But one other thing they have in common: they’ll never part with their family home, even hiring people to maintain the grounds – mostly because they all hope that someday their precious brother will be found.

Then one day comes a sign; some of the groundskeepers claim to have seen people at the old homestead, including a small boy who spoke the eerie words, “Come home.” Violet, the eldest child, gets the message; certain it came from Ben, she knows there’s only one thing to do: all three must drop everything to come home. For Violet, who cleans estate homes for a living, it’s a snap. For Dodie, a hand model in New York City, it means canceling her latest gig. Vail, who lives on family money and is a volunteer with the UFO society and worked on solving more than 20 “encounters,” it means eagerly picking up his investigation tools and hopping in his car. Not one of the three has a clue as to what they’ll find, but all three are certain they’ll at least get closer to solving the mystery of their missing brother.

Much of the book follows each of the siblings, both now and back when they were kids. Usually, I get frustrated with all that flipping back and forth, but with only the three it’s not very difficult. Besides, the Stephen Kind-ish aspect to the story, while not freaked-out scary, held my attention throughout. It’s also interesting in that they never really “got along” well and still don’t communicate much, but when it comes to finding out what happened to their much-loved baby brother, they’re of a single mind (well, almost; there are a few dissentions within the ranks on occasion).

Yes, there’s a big “revelation” near the end that pulls things together and brings closure, at least of sorts; that said, I felt a bit of a letdown, expecting a more shocking finale. Overall, though, it was a welcome treat to jazz up a somewhat ho-hum holiday season for me and keep my mind off worry about what next year will hold. Well done, and quite enjoyable. I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to give myself a much-needed break by way of a pre-release copy.

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James (Berkley, January 2026); 352 pp.

STOLEN IN DEATH

5 stars out of 5

Since I started my book blog in 2013, I’ve logged 16 reviews of books in this series. This is the 62^nd, and I’m certain I’ve read most of them since it’s one of my favorites. Well, make that a favorite character for sure; the somewhat mysterious, hunky Irish Roarke, husband of police lieutenant Eve Dallas, has long ranked No. 4 on my list of Top 10 all-time favorite book heroes (No. 1, if anyone cares, is Israeli spy Gabriel Allon (by Daniel Silva), followed by Boston private investigator Spenser (originally by the late Robert B. Parker), and British 007 agent James Bond (Ian Fleming).

To be sure, Roarke has mellowed over the years (in his younger days, he was an ace thief, a fact that plays a major role in this book). And for a time, he stomped on my feminist nerves when he crossed over the line just a titch from loving to controlling. But now he’s back – and the two lovers are still lovers; instead of looking for treasures to steal, Roarke already owns far more than his share and serves as a consultant for the New York City police department at which Eve is considered a superstar. The story takes place in 2061 – one of the reasons I love the series, in fact. It’s close enough to the present  that some of the intriguing gadgets that pop up – like AutoChef machines that spit out coffee and fancy meals just by programming in what you want, pills for instant sobering up or killing pain and cars that can “go vertical” when necessary - are believable (and fun to dream about).

While attending a charity gala (dressing to the nines is far from Eve’s comfort wheelhouse, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do), she gets called to a murder scene. The victim, Nathan Barrister, is an ultra-wealthy guy (we’re talking billions here, folks) who’s been bashed in the head with one of his works of art. The atrocity happened in a room that has a secret vault – the door to which now inexplicably stands open to reveal an eye-popping display of priceless works of art. Problem is, all of them are stolen goods. The goodies, Eve learns, belong to the victim’s late father, a known womanizer – and now a confirmed buyer of stolen trinkets, much to his family’s chagrin. But only one is missing – and whoops, it’s one that, very early on, was a treasure originally stolen by none other than Roarke.

The victim’s family claim to have zero knowledge of not only the treasures, but the room itself, until quite recently; since then, they’ve been quietly working to return them to the original owners. Early-on investigation by Eve and her team confirm that to be true. Still, how could anyone but an insider know exactly what was in the vault, and why was only one item taken? The even bigger question, of course, is who is the thief and killer? And are they, in fact, the same person?

Everything seems to center on the dead guy’s proclivity for young, beautiful women – one in particular. Problem is, no one knows who or where she is. Until, that is, they do – and that brings up an even bigger problem that could shake Eve’s marriage – and Roarke’s future – to the very core. It’s nonstop action, bolstered by colorful characters loyal readers know and love (and let’s not forget all those futuristic gizmos). All told, it’s an engrossing tale that can stand proudly among its predecessors in this highly entertaining series.

Stolen in Death by J.D. Robb (St. Martin’s Press, February 2026); 368 pp.

JIGSAW

5 stars out of 5

Wow – can it be that this is the 41^st book in this wonderful series? I’ve been there almost from the beginning, though I’ve reviewed only 16 since starting my book blog. And you know what? I enjoyed every single one and looked forward to the next – and this one’s no exception.

The case started out like a slam-dunk; a young woman was found strangled in her own home, and strong evidence pointed to her ex-boyfriend, who was to be rounded up and charged. Until, that is, his hotshot, in-your-face attorney comes to his rescue, insisting he has an iron-clad alibi. So for homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis, it was back to the drawing board (or should I say the murder board), and he calls in his long-time trusted friend, psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware, who’s a long-standing police consultant.

Just as they’re getting their heads together trying to poke holes in the suspect’s alibi, another murder happens; this one, an elderly woman whose body turned up in the freezer in her garage – appendages disengaged and rearranged. The house itself lends no clues; turns out she’s a big-time hoarder; just moving from room to room poses the threat of an avalanche. Complicating things is that she’s someone Milo used to know, and stuffed in between all that mess are envelopes full of cash – clearly more than a person like her would be likely to earn legitimately.

Then a third dead body turns up, and little by little, clues pile up – eventually suggesting that the cases may be not only related, but connected to a really nasty bad guy. But how? Learning that adds an additional dimension to the investigation, keeping both Milo and Alex busy (which, despite their protestations, means doing what they both love in sunny California and gives Alex’s long-time main squeeze, Robin, time to work on her professional guitar restoration projects. Of course, it all works out in the end – with a bit of a twist that wasn’t obvious along the way. Another winner in my book, for which I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get up close and personal by way of a pre-release copy. Now bring on the next one!

Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2026); 256 pp.

HER COLD JUSTICE

4 stars out of 5

This, the third book in the series featuring legacy hot-shot defense attorney Keera Duggan, hits close to home. Her firm’s investigator, JP Harrison, has learned that his nephew, Michael Westbrook, is the prime suspect in the double homicide of a Seattle drug smuggler and his girlfriend. Of course, Keera must do what she can to help, so she enrolls the help of the firm’s co-workers, her sisters Ella and Maggie, and even her semi-retired father, the legendary, even hotter-shot Patsy Duggan.

It is, as were its predecessors, an engaging story that’s easy to read. I suppose I would carp that it’s a bit too heavy on exposition than I like – what someone is wearing or the style of a house can be relevant, of course, but I really don’t care about all the accessories nor what color the shutters are. But more to the point, Michael – who does have a record of not exactly following the letter of the law – insists he’s innocent. When a couple of crucial pieces of evidence are found at his home, he claims the murdered guy – who he was helping with various chores – said they were gifts for his significant other that he didn’t want her to find before her birthday. Instead (oops), they contained illegal drugs.

Enter another hotshot attorney – Kim Tran – this time a prosecutor and likely candidate for a much higher government office and comes from a disturbing background. She’s nothing if not ruthless, as Keera’s father Patsy can attest (he’s gone head to head with her in the courtroom before). But that may be a plus, since he knows how she thinks and can give his daughter a heads-up when needed. Also enter detective Frank Rossi, with whom Keera has had a kind of arm’s length relationship that so far hasn’t gone much of anywhere. But he and his partner also get entangled with some of the questionable details of Keera’s current case – most notably the prosecution’s focus on incriminating testimony from two incarcerated “snitches.”

Early on, readers follow the progress of the trial – always a treat for me, at least, to get details of what happens in a courtroom – as well as the behind-the-scenes investigations to get to the truth. I won’t say the final revelation came as a surprise – I’d guessed it much earlier on, in fact – but from my perspective, getting it right usually trumps getting smacked in the teeth with a shocker ending. The fact that I stayed up half an hour past my bedtime to finish the book is telling as well – at my age, I need all the sleep I can get.

Bottom line? Another solid entry in the series, and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to keep up with the action by way of a pre-release copy. Good job!

Her Cold Justice by Robert Dugoni (Thomas & Mercer, January 2026); 369 pp.

THE VIPER

4 stars out of 5

I read the first two books in this series, but No. 2 was about three years ago so I really don’t recall much about it. That’s no one’s fault but mine, BTW – at my age, I’m likely to forget why I walked from the kitchen to the living room. Still, given the number of characters in this one and the constant jumping around in time, it took close to a third of the book before I really “got” who was who, what was happening and was able to say, “Hey, this is a good story.”

And honestly, a good story it is. The “stars” of the series, mortician Jim “Zig” Zigarowski and former U.S. Army artist-in-residence turned recluse Nola Brown, haven’t seen each other for a while. Neither has she seen her twin brother, policeman Roddy LaPointe, who now needs help with the murder of Andrew Fechmeier, a man who’s been in hiding for many years. For that, he turns to his friend Zig.

Not long ago, the now terminally ill "Fetch" turned up at a local funeral home – in theory, at least, to leave a suit in which he wants to be buried. For many reasons, his murder is both surprising and complicated; but not long after Zig agrees to help, it becomes clear that Roddy is far more interested in learning more about the long-ago murder of his and Nora’s mother, Daniella Brown – killed while driving a car with her young twins in the back seat.

Back in college, Daniella “hung” with a group known as “The Breakfast Club” (yes, like the movie). As Zig and Roddy’s investigation reveals, all but one of those club members - including Fetch - have turned up dead. Also turning up are ties to what’s known as “Heavenly Meadows,” a place thought to be some kind of cult. But is it? And what, if any, is the connection between the secretive property and Fetch's murder?

It is at this point that more details from me will not be forthcoming – other readers will just have to read the book to find out what happens. Bottom line? Another excellent series entry (not that I expected anything else). Now I’m waiting for the next one, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get in on the action with this one by way of a pre-release copy. Good job once again!

The Viper by Brad Meltzer (William Morrow, January 2026); 400 pp.

SPASM

4 stars out of 5

I love medical mysteries and thrillers, so it’s no surprise that this author has been a favorite for a long time – ever since his 1977 best-seller, Coma, in fact. I’ve read two others in the series featuring forensic pathologists Drs. Jack Stapleton and his wife, Laurie Montgomery (this is the 15^th) and looked forward to reading another. It was enjoyable, yes, but it’s by far my least favorite of those I’ve read. My sentiments exactly? At one point, Jack expressed them for me by calling himself “stupid but lucky.”

The plot for the most part was intriguing, though wading through endless descriptions of the surroundings and what people were doing and wearing that were unrelated to the story made it drag a bit for me. Essentially, a group of white extremists known as the Diehard Patriots live in a renovated mansion in remote Essex Falls, New York – normally minding their own business except for late-night artillery exercises. Now, it seems they’ve brought in arms “experts” from another country to teach the scraggly group the art of the battle. Inexplicably, the “instructors” have set up a brewery in an outbuilding, but since the local community pretty much leaves the Patriots to themselves, no one seems to question why.

Recent events – specifically, the bizarre deaths of two of the Patriots – has caught the attention of local doctor Robert Neilson. And since he happens to be an old school friend, he calls Jack and asks for help. Besides those two deaths, the small community has been plagued by deaths as a result of early-onset dementia that progresses at an alarming rate. Conveniently, Jack and Laurie feel the need of a break from their busy routine at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in New York City, where Laurie is the chief ME, so they head upstate to Essex Falls. There, they fawn over the property, scenery and opportunities for Jack to practicing his beloved cycling (and trying to figure out where to stash it when he’s out in public so it won’t get stolen). Amid all this, he finds time to wonder what’s up with the increasing number of dementia patients. Other sleuthing around, mostly while Laurie is off with friends, leads to the possibility that all is not as it seems with the Patriots’ visitors and that what’s being concocted in that brewery may be some kind of bioweapon that threatens lives not just in this little backwoods community, but the entire country.

More details, of course, would spoil the adventure for others, so I’ll stop right here. Overall, it’s an intriguing tale, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with the opportunity to get in on the action by way of a pre-release copy.

Spasm by Robin Cook (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, December 2025); 352 pp.

THE LAST HITMAN

5 stars out of 5

I follow the “Youngstown Mob” on Facebook (yes, it’s a real thing). I’ve been to every single town mentioned in this book, most of them many times (in fact, I lived in one of them for 50 years). Many of my friends claim to have a grandma who makes the best spaghetti sauce in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia put together. To say I enjoyed the heck out of this book, then, would be an understatement – the goings-on ring true even though some of the names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent.

This is the self-told story of Angelo Cipriani, a high-school dropout from the Ohio Valley who ended up finding a job in the powerful Fortuna Crime Family. Although his non-full-blooded Italian heritage prohibited him from becoming a “made” man within the mafia (well, at least for many years), he was always loyal to the core. The family boss, “Big Tommy,” loved him like a brother, and Big Tommy’s son (Little Tommy, of course) called him Uncle Ange. One fine day, Angelo was told that his loyalty had overcome DNA and he would be accepted in the inner circle as a made man. And then he got instructions on what, exactly, he needed to do to make that happen.

But time has a way of changing things, and that includes the mob landscape (I’m not sure what the most recent suspected mob-related murder was in Youngstown, Ohio – a few stones’ throws from my home – but I do recall one in 1991 in particular that remains unsolved to this day). Angelo’s “nephew” Little Tommy is in charge now, and he’s taken his troops into areas of crime his late father once railed against. And now, Angelo has become about as worthless as a screen door on a submarine. Amid his feelings of stress, anxiety and betrayal, who should appear but a friendly neighborhood FBI agent – one who wants Angelo to rat on his compadres in exchange for Witness Protection.

So what’s an aging, maybe even not long for this world but still loyal to the core mob guy to do? That’s the issue Angelo faces, and he takes readers on an up-close-and-personal (and often chuckle-evoking) journey through time as he struggles with his final decision. For me, it was a highly entertaining journey, and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to ride the bus by way of a pre-release copy. Eccellente!

The Last Hitman by Robin Yocum (Crooked Lane Books, December 2006); 331 pp.