1. The Safe Place – The perfect beach read mystery/thriller! Emily is a struggling actress looking for her big break while trying to pay the bills at an office job. When she gets fired from that job, Emily thinks her luck has run out but the CEO of the company offers her something even better. A job as a housekeeper/babysitter on his luxe french countryside estate. She can help his wife and daughter with whatever they need while enjoying the gorgeous grounds and charming town. But as soon as Emily arrives, something is off with the wife and daughter though Emily can’t understand why. After a few alarming incidents, Emily decides she needs to get away from this nightmare of a house without the family knowing. Rating: 8.5

2. The Dry – To be honest, this felt like a run of the mill detective type novel and fell a bit flat for me. Federal Agent Falk must return to his Australian hometown for the funeral of a childhood friend, Luke. It seems to be a murder/suicide and Luke killed his entire family though no one knows why. This town holds a lot of painful memories for Agent Falk so he wants to get in and get out as quickly as possible. But the local detective seems to think there is another explanation for Luke’s death and wants Falk’s help to figure it out. It kept my attention but wasn’t a favorite this month. Rating: 7

3. I’m Thinking of Ending Things – What the actual heck did I read? This book was so odd and wayyyyy too philosophical and esoteric for my taste. It seems like it is a mystery but the ending left me completely confused and disappointed. Jake and his girlfriend and upstate visiting Jake’s parents for the first time. They live on a secluded farm and the girlfriend is a bit hesitant about the visit because she has been thinking of breaking up with Jake over the past few days. Once they arrive, the entire evening is awkward and the girlfriend is convinced that she needs to break up with Jake. But on their way home, they take a detour at an abandoned school and things take a dangerous turn. Rating: 5

4. Girl, Forgotten – I love Karin Slaughter books and this was another hit. Emily was only a teenager when she was murdered senselessly and the family was left with no answers or resolution. Nearly 40 years later, US Marshall Andrea Oliver returns to the area on assignment to guard a federal judge receiving death threats. Andrea has a connection to this town through her father and wonders if it is all somehow connected to Emily’s death. Andrea wants to get justice for Emily but not at the cost of her own life. Rating: 8.5

5. Wish You Were Here – The first half of this book had me thinking one thing and then there is a major twist halfway through which threw me off completely. Diana and her boyfriend Finn are planning an epic vacation to the Galapagos islands but it’s the beginning of 2020 and Covid-19 is becoming more known, so Finn who is a resident at a NYC hospital must stay home to care for patients. Since the thread of the pandemic is still quite low, Diana decides to go on the vacation alone. However once she arrives, the island shuts down all activities and the residents must shelter in place. Diana is stuck on the island and Finn is trapped in his own horrible experience as a front line worker to the pandemic. This time apart seems to change both of them and their experience living through Covid-19 will forever change them. Rating: 8.5

6. The Soulmate – I enjoyed this one but it was not as thrilling or mysterious as I would have liked. I will admit that the twists at the end really threw me for a loop and I didn’t see it coming. Pippa and Gabe moved to an idyllic home in a coastal town overlooking a huge cliff. Sadly this cliff is known to be the site where many people have tried to take their lives. Gabe has been instrumental in talking each person away from the ledge and ultimately saving their life. Until one night when a woman comes to the cliffs and ends up jumping to her death. When the police come to investigate, it is revealed that Gabe knew the woman and worked for her husband. Was Gabe the reason she jumped? Did he actually push her? Pippa is determined to find out if her husband is innocent and or actual monster. Rating: 8.5