Patchwork pieces of crime, intrigue, and romance fall into place perfectly.
This Philadelphia police procedural serves as a backdrop for a romance between two broken but highly attractive detectives.
Detective Alexandra “Lexi” Danvers “was hollow inside...in a way no amount of sex or whiskey seemed able to fill.” That doesn’t stop the feline-eyed beauty from trying. Because of self-destructive behavior that includes getting served too many drinks and hooking up regularly at “cop bars,” her reputation on the force is that she’s unfit for duty in spite of her good work record. Her train-wreck conduct began three years ago when her husband, Robert, a police officer, chose suicide after a failed investigation into the kidnap and murder of 8-year-old Donald Palmer. Arthur Book’s confession to that crime was thrown out due to allegations of police coercion. Book walked free and successfully sued the city. Now, Xavier Knight, Lexi’s sexy new partner (“He’s got a great ass”), has a hidden agenda. Police Capt. Jack Barrett brought Knight from the Baltimore police force to Philadelphia to evaluate Lexi’s fitness. Knight also has a backstory that led to a damaged life. As soon as the two detectives are partnered, another 8-year-old boy is kidnapped and murdered, and Book starts tormenting Lexi. In addition to looking for the killer, shielding Lexi from Book, and keeping his mission to evaluate his partner a secret, Knight finds himself falling in love with her, as she does with him. As good as Flade’s storytelling is, the murders and suicides (yes, plural) are upsetting to read about, but they are not presented with over-the-top gore. And the flirtations that lead to something deeper balance the darkness of the crimes. In addition, the police investigation feels authentic. For example, Knight notes that the kidnapper/killer hunts in neighborhood parks but not in the crowded parts of the city because the snatch may be fast and anonymous there, “but the escape is near impossible.” There’s often welcome humor in the patter between the two detectives, as when Knight says: “For crying out loud, Danvers, don’t talk with your mouth full. And use a fork.”
Patchwork pieces of crime, intrigue, and romance fall into place perfectly.Pub Date: Nov. 30, 2021
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 253
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Amateurish, with a twist savvy readers will see coming from a mile away.
A woman accused of shooting her husband six times in the face refuses to speak.
"Alicia Berenson was thirty-three years old when she killed her husband. They had been married for seven years. They were both artists—Alicia was a painter, and Gabriel was a well-known fashion photographer." Michaelides' debut is narrated in the voice of psychotherapist Theo Faber, who applies for a job at the institution where Alicia is incarcerated because he's fascinated with her case and believes he will be able to get her to talk. The narration of the increasingly unrealistic events that follow is interwoven with excerpts from Alicia's diary. Ah, yes, the old interwoven diary trick. When you read Alicia's diary you'll conclude the woman could well have been a novelist instead of a painter because it contains page after page of detailed dialogue, scenes, and conversations quite unlike those in any journal you've ever seen. " 'What's the matter?' 'I can't talk about it on the phone, I need to see you.' 'It's just—I'm not sure I can make it up to Cambridge at the minute.' 'I'll come to you. This afternoon. Okay?' Something in Paul's voice made me agree without thinking about it. He sounded desperate. 'Okay. Are you sure you can't tell me about it now?' 'I'll see you later.' Paul hung up." Wouldn't all this appear in a diary as "Paul wouldn't tell me what was wrong"? An even more improbable entry is the one that pins the tail on the killer. While much of the book is clumsy, contrived, and silly, it is while reading passages of the diary that one may actually find oneself laughing out loud.
Amateurish, with a twist savvy readers will see coming from a mile away.Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-30169-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Celadon Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.
A single mom winds up fake dating an incredibly wealthy man in her hometown.
Dolly Brick is back in her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to help her dad and disabled brother manage their house and family business. As a 39-year-old single mother with multiple jobs—which now include working at the Brick Fish House—Dolly is always busy. When her mom left their family years ago, Dolly took over caring for her siblings and father and never really stopped. When she runs into Stewart Whitfield after making a shrimp delivery to his family’s mansion, she doesn’t think they could be more different. She’s had to figure out how to do everything by herself, and he can’t even change a tire. That’s why Stewart’s proposal that she pretend to be his girlfriend feels so unbelievable—but it comes with a hefty check that she desperately needs for home repairs. So she becomes the fake girlfriend of Stewart Whitfield (as in, the Whitfields her town is named after; his real fiancée just dumped him and it’s a bad time for him to be single) and experiences what it’s like to walk into fancy buildings through the front door instead of the service entrance. More than the boats and helicopter and expensive dinners, though, Dolly is impressed by what a kind man Stewart is—and how it feels to let someone else take care of her for a change. Soon, their relationship starts to feel more real than fake. Monaghan creates an impossibly winning story with a charming, lovable heroine. Dolly is capable, hardworking, and will do anything for the people she loves. She and Stewart both possess real flaws, and while their relationship begins with one of the most beloved rom-com tropes, their challenges feel like realistic adult obstacles rather than easily solved miscommunications. It’s also refreshing that, even though Dolly must learn to allow other people to help her, she never views her caretaking responsibilities as burdens. She deeply loves her family, and that love carries through the entire story.
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9780593853979
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
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