Book Review - Killers of a Certain Age; Deanna Raybourn

 

Killers of a Certain Age; Deanna Raybourn

Berkley - 9/2022

This is my first time trying this author and the appeal of this book for me was the fact that the main characters were women who were easing intro retirement in their 60s after a career in a non traditional female field - 40 years as female assassins. The all female team worked for a group called The Museum, originally tracking Nazi but over their tenure as the as the world changed so did the kinds of people they went after such as  drug smugglers and human traffickers.

Now Billie, Mary Alice, Helen and Natalie are on an all expense paid cruise but, when they spot a former assassin from the Museum among the ship's crew something doesn't feel right and the women wonder if they are suddenly not on a leisurely cruise but targets. Can this group of savvy women use the skills that honed over the years to stay alive? Why has the Museum turned on the women?

The story is told from the POV of Billie and takes the reader into the past as we learn about some of their missions over the course of their career. but, more of the book was set in the present day.  It was easy to get a feel for the individual strengths of the relationships of the women.  I felt the story moved along at a good pace but, I was surprised by the darker details the storyline took at times. There were some moments that made me smile but, the story wasn't at all light and humorous either.  I can't really say that I would even  classify this as a mystery.  In the end this was just another case of a book that wasn't a good fit for me.

RATING - 3/5 stars

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Killers of a Certain Age; Deanna Raybourn

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon.  

Killers of a Certain Age; Deanna Raybourn

Berkley - 9/5/2022

Chapter One

November 1979

"My mothers always says it's common as pig's tracks to go around with a run in your stockings."  Helen says, eyeing Billie's ripped hosiery critically.

Billie rolls her eyes. "Helen, it's murder, not cotillion."

"It's not murder," Helen corrects. "It's an assassination, and you can make an effort to look nice.  Besides, they're supposed to believe we're stewardesses and no stewardess would be caught dead with torn pantyhose."  Helen brandishes a familiar plastic egg. "I brought spares.  Please go change while you still have time.  I'll start the coffee."

What do you think --read more or pass?  I've been so looking forward to this one. Not only is is supposed to be funny, these women  are older as well - something we don't see that often in fiction.

This book releases next Tuesday.

Brief Book Reviews - Privacy; Nina Sadowsky and Deadly Summer Nights; Vicki Delany

 

Privacy, Nina Sadowsky

Bantam - June-2022

(eGalley - NetGalley - free download)

Laina Landers is a respected marriage and family therapist.  She has even become somewhat of a media buzz name after she helps police talk one of her troubled clients into freeing his wife who he was holding at gunpoint.  Her notoriety suddenly makes her and her clients a target when it becomes clear someone has gained access to Laina's files and begins sending disturbing messages and gifts and signing "I am watching you".  

The book started out creepy and had me quickly reading but, then Laina started to grate on my nerves,  as she doesn't seem to follow a code of ethics and, there is romantic relationship with a television journalist added to the plot line.   I thought her clients and their issues made for some interesting reading but overall this book wasn't as satisfying as I anticipated.  The story itself may be too creepy for some readers especially if anyone has ever been a victim of stalking.

Rating - 3.5/5 stars

Deadly Summer Nights; Vicki Delany

Catskill Summer Resort Series Mystery - Book 1)

(Narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck - very good)

(8 hrs. 36 min.)

(Berkley/Edelweiss and Penguin Random House audio free downloads)

Set in the 1950s at a Catskill Mountain's resort, Elizabeth Grady, a bookkeeper in New York City is convinced by her mother to run the Haggerman's Catskill Resort that Olivia recently inherited.  When a college professor working on a novel turns up dead the rumors begin to fly.  The man kept to himself and, who according to his nephew, didn't know how to swim, yet is found floating in the lake. Some even suspect he was a communist as he had The Communist Manifesto on the desk in his room. Of course Elizabeth is anxious to solve this mystery as soon as possible so that the resort's reputation does not suffer.

There was a lot I liked about this book: the 1950s setting where middle and upper class NY families gathered for a summer of relaxation and entertainment.  The dress -- women wore girdles and silk stocking and full skirts, the entertainment factor itself was a hit with me. What disappointed me was that I wanted to know more about some of the guests staying there.  It seemed like a lot of time was spent going over the same things and that made the story feel a bit bogged down at times.  I did think the ending was satisfying and although I'm curious about what Book #2 is about, I'm not sure I'll read it --at least not right away. Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a fun setting might want to give this book/series a try.

Rating - 3.5/5 stars

Brief Book Review - The Mad Girls of New York; Maya Rodale

The Mad Girls of New York; Maya Rodale

Berkley - 2022

Set in 1887 New York City, The Mad Girls of New York is a work of fiction. It is based in part on Americas most famous 19th century female reporter - Nellie Bly.  She was just in her early 20s when she left he job at the Pittsburg Dispatch and headed for New York City determined to make a name for herself as a reporter.  Nellie met with many obstacles in this male dominated field but, she wasn't about to give up without a fight. After speaking with several other professional females she comes up with an idea that only a female would be able to handle. Her stunt is to go under cover at an insane asylum on Blackwell Island but, first she had to get herself committed.  

This is the first book of a new series and I thought it was pretty good but, it took a while to get going.  The other women she meets along the way were interesting, the conditions at the asylum horrific.  Many of the reasons other women found themselves there were tragic but not surprising. Some were committed by spouses because they were inconvenient to have around. Other women did not fit into what men expected of them, a conformist kind of behavior of no personal desires outside of marriage and motherhood.  This book wasn't perfect but, I would still be interested enough to see what book #2 in the series has to offer.

Rating - 4/5 stars

NOTE: I received an eGalley download of this book from the Berkley Publishing and Edelweiss in exchange for my unbiased review.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Mad Girls of New York; Maya Rodale

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon. Hoping to start this one soon.

The Mad Girls of New York;  Maya Rodale

Berkley - April 2022

Chapter One

Welcome to New York

I'm off for New York. Look out for me. 

               ----Nelly Bly

NEWSPAPER ROW

NEW YORK CITY, 1887

Nellie did not take New York by storm.  Not at first, not as she planned.  She had arrived in spring, when the city was bursting into bloom and the air full of promise, with a hundred dollars in her purse along with her clips from her days at the Pittsburg Dispatch and ambition to burn.  Of course she would get a job as a reporter for one of the big city papers (even though it was hardly done for a woman).  Of course she would become a sensation (even though it was wisely agreed that a woman should do no such thing).  Nellie was good at two things: asking questions and believing in herself.

3 brief Book Reviews - The Invisible Husband of Frick Island; Colleen Oakley - The Last Guests; J.P. Pomare and The Writer's Cats; Muriel Barbery

 (2) quick catch up reviews

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island; Colleen Oakley

Berkley - 2021

(eGalley-Edelweiss)

I was hoping to read this one in the first half of the year but, I decided to save it for when I was in the the mood for lighter feel good read - this was it.

In this story we meet twenty-something Piper Parrish who lives on a tiny island with fewer than 100 people on Chesapeake Bay.  Her life had been nearly perfect and the her husband Tom went out one morning on his crab boat and never returned home.  His boat had capsized and his body never found.  How does one move on from such a tragic event? Well, maybe you just don't.  Piper unable to accept the idea that Tom is dead continues to go on with life as if he is right by her side. Before long much of the townspeople are right there with Piper pretending that nothing has happened when she is around.

When Anders Caldwell a columnist and podcaster arrives on the island to cover a story, what was to be a short stay turns into something else entirely.  (There is a funny scene where Piper is at a table for two at a restaurant and Anders notices Piper her. He thinks she is beautiful and gets the courage to ask if he can join her.  She says, "can't you see I am having dinner with my husband?" 

This story wasn't perfect but I liked that it had some fun scenes and had a bit of mystery to it. If you are in the mood for a feel good story with quirky characters add this to your list.

(eGalley received from Edelweiss)

The Last Guests; J.P. Pomare

Mulholland Books - 2021

(eGalley - NetGalley)

Auckland, New Zealand is the setting for this creepy thriller where we meet Lina and Caine, they are a newlywed couple with secrets.  Lina is an overworked paramedic and Cain, a former SAS officer who was stationed in Afghanistan has dark past.  Lina has inherited a vacation home that had been in her family and since they don't get a chance to use it very often, Cain gets Lina to agree to rent it out on weekends for extra income.  The rental process used is similar to AirbNb and, it turns out their rental becomes quite popular.  So what seemed like a good idea turns into a nightmare when it's clear hidden spy cameras are in place and someone is interested in watching someone.

An extremely creepy page turner with a terrific setting as well.  This turned out to be one of those books that was hard to put down despite some implausible moments and a bit too much going on at times, I found creepy thriller totally engrossing.

The Writer's Cats; Muriel Barbery

Europa - November - 2021

I'm a reader not a writer but have always been curious by what inspires an author and what makes their creative juices flow. For French writer, Muriel Barbery, it appears to be all things Japanese, flowers, and her (4) Chartreux cats (gray fur with amber eyes). There is Kirin, graceful and charming, brothers Petrus and Ocha and sister Mizu.  The story narrated by Kirin with humor and a cat's insight gives us a look at the author's day to day life and her writing process.  How does the author know when something needs to be revised?  A clue is when a particular page gets swished to floor by a cats tail or, maybe it's when a cat sits on a page way too long that tips her off.

Cat lovers will recognize the things cats do to get our attention both to annoy us and endear us - often.  at the very same time. Quirky, fun and peppered with charming illustrations, this 80 page book is easy to read in one sitting and would be a fun gift for the cat lover in your life.

New Book Releases - The Way We Weren't; Phoebe Fox - First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros and The Writer's Cats; Muriel Barbery

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon. This week I selected (2) books I will be reading - both release today.

The Way We Weren't; Phoebe Fox

Berkley - November 9, 2021

First Chapter First Paragraph(s) Intro

Before

It's his hands that let her know everything is going to be okay after all.

Sitting close beside her on the stands, bare but for the two of them with practice having ended almost two hours ago, his empty glove forgotten at his feet, he cradles her hand in his, one hand wrapped firmly around her fingers as if anchoring her to the metal surface currently freezing her butt, the other cupped over it like a baby bird he shelters from the cold bite of the March air.

Today is release day for this book: An unlikely friendship between a septuagenarian and a younger woman becomes a story of broken trust, lost love, and the unexpected blooming of hope against the longest odds.

What do you think? Isn't the cover art lovely?  I hope to begin reading it later this week.  I loved the author's previous book: A Little Bit of Grace. 

The Writer's Cats; Muriel Barbery (Ill. Maria Guitart)

Europa Editions - 11/9/2021

First of all, let me make one thing clear: we like our writer.  She's kind. She never forgets when it's time for our meal. She doesn't scream when she sees a dead mouse.  She tosses bottle corks to us (our favorite game at aperitif time) while she's drinking wine (which is not infrequent).  She take us to the vet the minute we fart out of tune.  We really do like her. But enough is enough.

I'll tell you straight: without us, our writer would not be the writer she is.  I don't know if she'd be worse or better, but she'd be different, that's all.  Why? Because even if we can't speak, we are peerless literary advisors.

"How can a cat claim to be a literary advisor?" you might wonder (and rightfully so). I shall explain.

(This book is just 80 pages with lots of cat wisdom to ponder and some cute illustrations to boot.)

Spotlight Post - My Sweet Girl; Amanda Jayatissa

 My Sweet Girl; Amanda Jayatissa

Berkley - September 14, 2021

(about the book)

A Most Anticipated Novel of Fall 2021 by Entertainment Weekly, New York Post, The Boston Globe, Fortune, Buzzfeed, Goodreads, Shondaland, PopSugar, Bustle, Crime Reads, BookRiot, Crime by the Book, The Nerd Daily, The Every Girl, and more!

Paloma thought her perfect life would begin once she was adopted and made it to America, but she’s about to find out that no matter how far you run, your past always catches up to you…

Ever since she was adopted from a Sri Lankan orphanage, Paloma has had the best of everything—schools, money, and parents so perfect that she fears she'll never live up to them.

Now at thirty years old and recently cut off from her parents’ funds, she decides to sublet the second bedroom of her overpriced San Francisco apartment to Arun, who recently moved from India. Paloma has to admit, it feels good helping someone find their way in America—that is until Arun discovers Paloma's darkest secret, one that could jeopardize her own fragile place in this country.

Before Paloma can pay Arun off, she finds him face down in a pool of blood. She flees the apartment but by the time the police arrive, there's no body—and no evidence that Arun ever even existed in the first place.
 
Paloma is terrified this is all somehow tangled up in the desperate actions she took to escape Sri Lanka so many years ago. Did Paloma’s secret die with Arun or is she now in greater danger than ever before?

(about the author)

Amanda Jayatissa grew up in Sri Lanka, completed her undergrad at Mills College in California and lived in the UK before moving back to her sunny little island. She works as a corporate trainer, owns a chain of cookie stores, and is a proud dog mum to her two spoiled huskies.

Book Review - Kill All Your Darlings; David Bell

TITLE/AUTHOR: Kill All Your Darlings; David Bell

PUBLISHER:   Berkley Publishing

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2021

GENRE: Fiction / Thriller / Mystery

FORMAT:  eGalley / LENGTH: 

SOURCE:  NetGalley and Berkley Publishers

SETTING(s):  KY

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  When a struggling college professor decides to use a stolen manuscript as his own, he gets far more than he bargained for.

BRIEF REVIEW:  Professor Connor Nye teaches creative writing and has his tenure on the line unless he gets busy and gets published.  The problem is he is in a bad state after the death of his wife and son in a tragic accident.  When one of his writing students goes missing and is presumed dead he decides to pass her work off as his own and the book is quite successful.  Thinking he can relax a bit and no longer have to worry about tenure, his plagiarism comes back to haunt him in ways he never anticipated.  Not only is he being blackmailed but, the police are also interested in him as the storyline in the book he passed off as his own has similarities to a murder case of a local girl two years earlier.  Is there a connection and if not, who is the real killer?

This is a story that held my interest and kept me wondering. I liked the college setting and the issues typical in academia. I also thought the characters were well written with a few I liked and felt for and a few that were easy to dislike as well.  I though the multiple POVs worked well as well as the insights into what had happened in the past. This story is similar in some ways to a book I read earlier this year and also enjoyed called: The Plot by Jean Hanff-Korelitz in which a writer feels pressured by his publisher to write and steals "the plot" for his book from someone else.

RATING:  4/5

Thanks go to NetGalley and Berkley Publishers for allowing me access to this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

David Bell is a USA Today bestselling, award-winning author whose work has been translated into multiple foreign languages. He’s currently an associate professor of English at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he directs the MFA program. He received an MA in creative writing from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a PhD in American literature and creative writing from the University of Cincinnati. His previous novels include The Request, Layover, Somebody’s Daughter, Bring Her Home, Since She Went Away, The Forgotten Girl, Never Come Back, The Hiding Place, and Cemetery Girl.

The Personal Librarian; Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray - First Chapter First paragraph Tuesday Intros

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. 

Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read. This week's pick is part of a book tour. The book releases today!

The Personal Librarian; Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray

Berkley (The Penguin Group) - June 29, 2021

Chapter 1

November 28. 1905

Princeton, New Jersey

"The Old North bell tolls the hour, and I realize that I'll be late.  I long to break into a sprint, my voluminous skirts lifted, my legs flying along the Princeton University pathways.  But just as I gather the heavy material, I hear Mama's voice: Belle, be a lady at all times.  I sigh; a lady would never run.

I release the fabric and slow down as I weave through Princeton'a leafy Gothic landscape, designed to look like Cambridge and Oxford.  I know I must do nothing to draw any kind of extra attention.  By the time I pass Blair Arch, my stride is quick but acceptable for a lady."

What do you think? Read more or pass on this one?  

Here's more from the book's description:

Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years' experience as a litigator. A graduate of Boston College and the Boston University School of Law, she is the New York Times and USAToday bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, Carnegie's Maid, The Other Einstein, and Lady Clementine. All have been translated into multiple languages. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.

 

Victoria Christopher Murray is an acclaimed author with more than one million books in print. She has written more than twenty novels, including Stand Your Ground, a NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Fiction and a Library Journal Best Book of the Year. She holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.

The remarkable story of J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation, from New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict, and acclaimed author Victoria Christopher Murray.

In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture in New York City society and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps create a world-class collection.

But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Belle’s complexion isn’t dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white—her complexion is dark because she is African American.

The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths she must go to—for the protection of her family and her legacy—to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.

Book Review - Quiet in Her Bones; Nalini Singh

 

TITLE/AUTHOR:  Quiet in Her Bones; Nalini Singh

PUBLISHER:  Berkley

YEAR PUBLISHED:  2021

GENRE: Fiction / Crime Thriller

FORMAT:  eGalley/ LENGTH: 383 pp

SOURCE: Net Galley

SETTING(s):  New Zealand

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  What happened to socialite Nina Rai who disappeared without a trace one stormy night?

BRIEF REVIEW:  Aarav was sixteen years old when his mother Nina disappeared along with $250,000 from a safe in the home.  Even though his parents had a rocky marriage, he and his mother had a special bond.  Aarav has been obsessed with his mother's disappearance from their wealthy enclave ever since that stormy night a decade earlier.  He recalls a few details from the night she disappeared:  his parents argued, there was a loud scream and he heard two slams of the front door before her car drove off.  Now ten years later, Aarav 26, is a successful thriller author and living back at the family home while recovering from multiple injuries after a car accident.  His father, step-mother and half-sister also live in the house.  As he is settling in the authorities show up saying they've discovered Nina's car, a green Jaguar, her ID, as well as her bones along with the clothing she wore the night she disappeared.  Still obsessed with knowing more about what happened to his mother, he begins his own private investigation.

So what really happened to Nina Rai, a woman who drank too much, had problems in the marriage, engaged in extramarital affairs and had multiple enemies?  

This story drew me in early on and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.  The New Zealand setting was gorgeous and interesting to read about.  Told mostly from Aarav's POV,  the problem is is also an unreliable narrator and self-proclaimed sociopath.  He's on pain meds for migraines, a recovering alcoholic, has confusion from a head injury and is in psychotherapy as well.  In addition to Aarav's POV, he conducts numerous interviews with neighbors and their hired help to aid in his private investigation.  I found everyone in this story unlikeable with the exception of the stepmother and half-sister who I felt badly for as Mr. Rai is a piece of work himself.  It's seems the wealthy neighbors have plenty of secrets as well.  There were plenty of red herrings to throw the reader off track and while this story started out strong, it slowly got bogged down with too many people being questioned and a good deal of minutiae.  I had high expectations for this one but, in the end I found myself a little disappointed.

RATING: 3.5/5 stars

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Quiet in Her Bones; Nalini Singh

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, now hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book they are reading or that they plan to read soon. 

                                                           Quiet in Her Bones; Nalini Singh

                                                                         Berkley - 2021

1.

My mother vanished without a trace ten years ago.  

So did a quarter of a million dollars in cash from my father's safe.

The police came.

The neighbors whispered that she was a thief.

My father called her a bitch.

"She'll turn up and when she does, I'll have her in handcuffs!"

That's what he said. That's what he screamed.

He was right.

It took ten years, but she has turned up.

The police found her car in the dense bush of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park four hours ago.  She was inside. Well, her bones were anyway.  Those bones were clothed in the remnants of the red silk shirt she was wearing that night.

The night I heard her scream.

What do you think, read more or pass?  I actually chose this one because the setting is New Zealand and, I can't recall reading anything that has taken place there previously but,  I can't wait to begin - finishing something else up right now.

Book Review - The Nature of Fragile Things, Susan Meissner

 

TITLE/AUTHOR:  The Nature of Fragile Things, Susan Meissner

PUBLISHER:  Berkley

YEAR PUBLISHED:  2021

GENRE: Fiction / Historical

FORMAT:  eGalley PP/LENGTH: 384pp

SOURCE:  NetGalley download

SETTING(s):  San Francisco, CA

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A compelling story of marriage based on convenience and deceit and the great SF earthquake of 1906.

BRIEF REVIEW:  Sophie is a young woman who has immigrated from Ireland to New York City in 1906 in hopes of a better life.  Her living conditions in NY are deplorable and she is desperate to get out of her current situation.  She decides to respond to an ad for a "mail order bride," to a handsome widower with a five year old daughter who lives in San Francisco.  Traveling to San Francisco alone, she and Martin Hocking are quickly married.

Martin is polite and provides a nice place for the three of them to live but, her marriage isn't as she had imagined. They have separate bedrooms, he is very short with his answers about his family and work and he is frequently away from home. Despite this, Sophie loves being a mother to young Kat, a girl who rarely speaks and seems traumatized by what has happened in her short life.  Just as Sophie begins to piece together secrets about Martin's past, a stranger appears at Sophie's door and she soon realizes that her only option is to leave but, at the same time a massive earthquake hits the area.

Without giving out spoilers, and there are plenty out there if you read the reviews, this is a page-turning, character driven novel with a nice mystery element. Rich in historical detail of early 1900's, S.F., I rooted for Sophie all the way. She is a strong, determined, resilient young woman who has been through so much. She made a beautiful friend, neighbor and replacement mother for Kat.  I loved the writing and how the secrets were slowly revealed. Try this one, even if historical fiction really isn't your thing, it's a story that will stick with you

RATING: 4.5/5 stars

Book Review -Those People; Louise Candlish

 

TITLE/AUTHOR: Those People; Louise Candlish

PUBLISHER: Berkley

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2019

GENRE: Fiction / Domestic Suspense

FORMAT:  eGalley PP/LENGTH: 370 pp.

SOURCE: Net Galley

SETTING(s): An upscale neighborhood in South London, U.K.

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: What's a neighborhood of seemingly peaceful people to do when the new people on the block disrupt that friendly mix?

BRIEF REVIEW: Someone has died in a terrible accident as this novel opens, was it an accident or something more sinister?  As the police begin to interview the neighbors as to what transpired leading up to the tragedy, readers begin to learn more about each neighbor as well as the newbies: Darren & Jodie Booth who inherited the house next door eight weeks earlier.  

Haven't we all had an annoying neighbor at one time or another? It was easy to dislike the new couple, at least early on. The Booths turned the lovely street into what looked like a used car lot out front. The place was a construction zone with extensive renovations happening and loud music playing to name a few of the annoyances. When neighbors try to voice their issues in a civilized manner, nothing changes. 

This is a story where class divide comes into play.  Some neighbors seemed to feel they were better than the new people, especially when they saw their unwritten rules to conform ignored.  The story was pretty good and had a lot of potential but, I thought it could have been better.  I found it hard to keep all of the neighbors, as well as their various issues and secrets straight.  It would have been nice to have a feel where each of them lived on the street in relationship to each other.  If you enjoy domestic thrillers/suspense stories, you might want to add "Those People" to your list. 

RATING: 3.5/5 stars

MEMORABLE QUOTES: “It was in her hand, as everyone’s was these days, as if phones were dialysis machines that could not be out of reach without life-threatening consequences.”