Deadly Gamble

 

Deadly Gamble is the first book in the Charlie Parker mystery series. I did not realize it was a series when I started it. A few days ago the library was having problems checking out ebooks so I just searched what I had downloaded and randomly choose Deadly Gamble. My guess it is a Free Friday grab from ages ago.

Charlie is perfectly happy with her life as an accountant where she works with her brother who is a private investigator. One day while her brother is out of town an old friend shows up begging for help. Not wanting to say no to a friend Charlie reluctantly agrees to help out. Soon the case goes from recovering a missing watch to a murder mystery. Determined to figure out what is going on Charlie continues to search for clues.

This was a fast read that focused on the story and I really appreciated it was just mystery focused. No love triangle and no sex scenes. Parts of it were really hard to believe at times and some of the research seemed a bit rushed at times. Maybe the series gets a bit more real feel to it as it continues but it is not one I am actively going to seek out. 

Capturing the Devil

 

Capturing the Devil is the final book in the Stalking the Jack the Ripper series. I really struggled with the series conclusion. It seemed like love was the focus and less about solving who solving Jack the Ripper was until around the sixty percent mark.

Having hoped they left the horrors of Jack the Ripper behind them Audrey Rose and Thomas look forward to their time in America as they hope to learn more about their studies and each other. Having worked up the courage to finally propose Audrey Rose is thrilled and overjoyed at the thought of spending her life with the man she is in love with. However a lurking shadow will not let Audrey or Thomas forget that a murder is on the loose and no one is safe until he is captured.

Overall the mystery made very little sense to me. That could be because it was a long between reading the books since the library had such a massive waiting list for every volume. However I did not enjoy the series enough to gather them up all to do a re-read. 

Engaged in Danger

 

Engaged in Danger is the fourth book in the Jamie Quinn cozy mystery series. I received a copy in exchanged for an honest review. 

Jamie finally thinks things are going right in her life when her serious boyfriend Kip suddenly tells her that he is going to go to Australia for three months to work with endangered species. Devastated Jamie manages to wish Kip well as he sets off on his adventure. Thinking she will have plenty of time to sulk over Kip leaving Jamie is totally wrong. Soon the well known wife of one of the wealthiest men around walks in asking Jamie to be her divorce attorney. Before long problem after problem begins to pile up for Jamie as she tries to figure out what exactly is going on with everyone in her life.

Out of the series I have read so far Engaged in Danger is my favorite. I love how Mrs. Venkataraman made it appear effortless as she wove many intricate and believable story lines together. Everything made sense in the end and blended into a well rounded story. I was also a major fan of Mr. Paws getting a bit more story time, usually the animal is my favorite part of any cozy mystery. 

The Complication

 

The Complication is the sixth and final book in The Program series. 2020 was the year I was hoping to finish up a bunch of series. I was doing well until the library closed down and then it got super hard to get ebooks as well. That is why I am happy I can finally say I have finished The Program series. 

Tatum's whole life is a lie and she cannot figure out who is telling her the truth, half truth, lies, or even wants her alive. Drowning in lies, suspicions, broken hearts, and danger Tatum searches for the cure to the Program and to the stop the epidemic of suicides. 

Overall I really struggled with two the way the series was set up. I did not care for the time line nor did I really care for how the story jumped around between main characters. The story line was new and while sad hope was offered which was remarkable. I really would have liked an epilogue for all the characters but only two were chosen for some reason. 

The Adjustment

 

The Adjustment is the fifth book in The Program series. I am much happier with the placement this time it makes sense. 

Tatum is devastated when her boyfriend Weston is taken by the program and made to forget her. Living in a daze while waiting for him to return Tatum clings to her best friend Nathan. Finally Weston walks into class one day and looks right over her like she is just another face. Determined not to give up Tatum befriends Weston and tries to help him remember his life before the program erased it. 

Weston is lost and does not really seem to know how to react to being erased. When a pretty girl approaches him saying they use to date he is happy to cling to her memories. Falling farther from reality every day Weston agrees to let Tatum donate her memories to him. He is desperate to fill in the gaps even if it means going too far.

A lot of twists and turns occurred but I did figure out almost all of them. I enjoyed seeing characters from earlier books even though they did not take center stage. Despite this being the third couple Young has written about I still found Tatum and Weston unique and their own persons. I am eager to read the final book The Complication. 

The Epidemic

 

I really wish I had read The Remedy and The Epidemic before The Program and The Treatment. The time line was majorly messed up and this really ruined my enjoyment of the series. It just makes sense to myself to explain how the the clusters of suicide started then go into the treatment for the problem. 

Quinn's whole life has fallen apart as she tries to figure out who she is and what is going on around her. Scared, alone, unsure who to trust, and determined to find out who she is Quinn embarks on a journey with fellow closers to learn about who they all are and how bad things actually are for the teens in Oregon. 

All the teens in the story seemed really real and like they were struggling with themselves and what they did for a living. They make mistakes, react with emotion, and continue to lean on old relationships despite knowing they are toxic. 

If I did not have so many books I was wanting read I would re-read The Program and The Treatment now that I have the timeline down a bit better. However that will have to wait until I get some other books finished. 

The Cheerleaders

 

The Cheerleaders has been on my to read list for awhile so when I saw it was available to check out I quickly nabbed it. 

Five girls dead in a short span of time and a rumor that the cheer-leading team is cursed. Not wanting to promote bad karma the school disbands the cheerleaders and moves to a dance team instead. 

Monica is the younger sister of the last girl who died from the group. Saddened by the loss of her sister and how much it has changed her mother Monica wants to leave the past in the past until she starts to find clues that maybe the killer of the girls is walking free. Determined to find the answers Monica befriends a quiet girl at school and together the two work at solving a five year old mystery. 

My only issue was all the character names, I kept getting them mixed up. I am not sure why but some of them sounded similar so I think that was part of it. The ending was not super satisfying, I did not really get closure with the characters and how their lives went on. An epilogue would have been nice. Overall I did enjoy the story and the writing style so I would be open to reading more of Kara Thomas's work.