Written in Dead Wax (The Vinyl Detective #1) by Andrew Cartmel

Mystery Review: Written in Dead Wax (The Vinyl Detective #1) by Andrew Cartmel

A few months ago, right around the time I purchased a few records for the first time, I saw a tweet from Titan Books that highlighted this book. Intrigued, I searched my library’s catalog for it, and was pleasantly surprised when I saw they had a copy.

I really, really enjoyed it. I wouldn’t consider it your typical cozy mystery since there is some language, weed smoking, and a touch of sex, but it’s far from your regular run of the mill police procedural mystery since the protagonist is your average joe, albeit with a great knowledge when it comes to vinyl. What I find interesting is we learn everyone’s name but his. We only know him as the Vinyl Detective, as he calls himself on his business card.

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Against All Silence (SOS #2) by E.C. Myers

Thriller Review: Against All Silence (SOS #2) by E.C. Myers

If you’ve been reading Devin’s Book Hub for a while now, you may recall me reviewing The Silence of Six by E.C. Myers about a year and a half ago, after winning a copy of the novel via a Goodreads giveaway. I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of the upcoming sequel, Against All Silence, which will be available next week.

Just like the first book in the series, it is jam packed with action. This time, however, the stakes are even higher. The story takes place where the previous one ended: after everything that went down with Panjea, Max went on a trip to France to get away from the media and let things cool down for a bit.

While waiting in line at the airport to go home a few days before Christmas, he decides to check his private email, which is where he sees a several day old email from his friend Penny, one of the members of his hacking group, Dramatis Personai. She says that she is in Berlin and would like him to meet her new friend, Ada Kiesler, who is a whistleblower. Instantly I thought of Edward Snowden and his whistleblowing, which I’m guesssing heavily influenced Myers when writing this.

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The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender

Review: The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender

Ever since I discovered “A Haunting” on Discovery Channel back when I was in middle school the paranormal has fascinated me. Sure, The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall may be a work of fiction, but that doesn’t mean anything. I enjoy reading about the paranormal, whether fact or fake, and because this book has to do with the paranormal it really interested me.

Delia, who is 16, is labeled as a “troubled teen” after she and her friends worked out a plan to fly to Daytona with her friends without their parents knowing. Except there’s two things: one, she doesn’t really want to go, and two, she ended up getting caught whilst at the airport after her parents caught wind of it. Oh, and her boyfriend broke up with her over text.

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F Train by RIchard Hilary Weber (A Brooklyn Crimes Novel)

Review: F Train by Richard Hilary Weber (A Brooklyn Crimes Novel)

The book’s synopsis is what piqued my interest, as it’s not your typical murder. All the murder books I’ve read usually involve a gun or knife, whereas this one has to do with a poisonous gas in a subway car. Pretty original if you ask me.

The first 25% of the book seemed interesting. Then the next 50% was really dull. Then for the final 25% it picked up again. Even though the final 25% was decent, overall still felt “meh” to me.

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Hostile Takeover by Shane Kuhn (John Lago Thriller #2)

Review: Hostile Takeover by Shane Kuhn (John Lago Thriller #2)

There are your typical run of the mill thrillers and there are thrillers that stand out because of their uniqueness. This is one of those thrillers that stand out among the rest, as I haven’t read any novels that even closely resembles Hostile Takeover.

Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read standalone — although I wouldn’t have minded having a little more backstory on John Lago by reading the first thriller in the series. Not to worry, though, as I’m ordering the first book soon – which, by the way, is going to be a major motion picture at some point in time. It’s been said that the John Lago series is like Dexter working in the office. Now I haven’t watched Dexter at all, but this book convinced me I need to so I’ve loaded that up on Netflix to begin watching.

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The Truth and Other Lies by Sascha Arango

Review: The Truth and Other Lies by Sascha Arango

“Eventually every lie becomes an unexploded bomb lurking beneath the surface, rusting away, ready to detonate”

I’ve been toying around with the thought of whether I’d rather this 3 stars or 4 stars since I don’t do halves in my ratings, and ultimately I feel that 3 stars better suits my liking of this book. Ultimately, I did not care the constant narration that made up a large portion of this book. Yes, there is some dialogue, but not a whole lot compared to the average fiction novel you might read.

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The Bones of You by Debbie Howells

Review: The Bones of You by Debbie Howells

I haven’t read many psychological thrillers, but The Bones of You caught my eye so I figured I’d give it a shot. I’m glad I did. In this novel an eighteen year old girl named Rosie goes missing, then several days later she’s found dead in the woods, stabbed and beaten. There are a couple suspects, Rosie’s secret boyfriend and her father, however there is not enough incriminating evidence to have them charged with the murder of Rosie.

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