An engaging and expertly paced mystery that blends aviation, intrigue, and a hint of romance.
In this novel, a savvy female pilot becomes an unlikely detective after a murder disrupts a routine mission.
Cassie Deakin, a clever and capable pilot, has no patience for charm or distraction—especially not from attractive men like Frank White. As Cassie tells readers from the start, “I do not like handsome men. Not that I have much experience with them, but in my opinion, they’re self-absorbed and untrustworthy.” But when she’s forced to fly Frank, a former Drug Enforcement Administration agent–turned–deputy sheriff, to her Uncle Charlie’s farm, Cassie finds herself swept into a tangled web of violence, secrets, and long-buried truths. What begins as a grudging job quickly turns into a perilous investigation when a body is found on the property and her beloved uncle is gravely injured. The stakes rise with eerie swiftness: The dead man “was lying on his back with his arms splayed out and a big, ugly hole in his chest. There was a lot of blood.” With law enforcement baffled and tensions rising, Cassie—supported by an endearingly rough-edged biker friend and a protective gelding named Old Dan—reluctantly steps into the role of sleuth. In this series opener, DiBianca crafts a winning protagonist in Cassie: fiercely independent, dryly humorous, and disarmingly human. Cassie’s narration is brisk and laced with sharp wit: “I scowled back. ‘I can take care of myself.’ I brushed a lock of hair out of my face. ‘All I want is a hot shower.’” Emotionally charged yet never melodramatic, the tale moves quickly through short, punchy chapters that maintain tension and momentum. Action sequences are vivid and immersive, balanced by Cassie’s reflective moments: “I was empty inside, like some big alien had sucked the organs out, and all that was left was a hollow shell.” While the plot relies on some familiar genre beats—hidden valuables, rural conspiracies, and red herrings—DiBianca keeps the story engaging through colorful characters, snappy dialogue, and unexpected moments of warmth. The relationship between Cassie and Frank simmers just below the surface, filled with barbed flirtation and unresolved tension. Cassie’s journey from a lone pilot to an invested investigator gives the story its heart, even as the mystery unravels with satisfying twists.
An engaging and expertly paced mystery that blends aviation, intrigue, and a hint of romance.Pub Date: Oct. 30, 2023
ISBN: 9781735788876
Page Count: 235
Publisher: Wordstar Publishing LLC
Review Posted Online: April 23, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.
A lifetime’s worth of letters combine to portray a singular character.
Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing. As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past. Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness. Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth.
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780593798430
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
A dark and twisty look at just how far one woman is willing to go to find inspiration.
A struggling writer finds an unexpected muse when a mysterious man shows up at her cabin.
Petra Rose used to pump out a bestselling book every six months, but then the adaptation happened—that is, the disastrous film adaptation of her most famous book. The movie changed the book’s storyline so egregiously that fans couldn’t forgive her, and the ensuing harassment sent Petra into hiding and gave her a serious case of writer’s block. Petra’s one hope is her solo writing retreat at a remote cabin, where she can escape the distractions of real life and focus on her next book, a story about a woman having an affair with a cop. When officer Nathaniel Saint shows up at her cabin door, inspiration comes flooding back. Much like the character from Petra’s book, Saint is married, and he’s willing to be Petra’s muse, helping her get into her characters’ heads. Petra’s book is practically writing itself, but is the game she’s playing a little too dangerous? Does she know when to stop—and, more importantly, is Saint willing to stop? Hoover is no stranger to controversial movie adaptations and internet backlash, but she clarifies in a note to readers that she’s “just a writer writing about a writer” and that no further connections to her own life are contained in these pages—which is a good thing, because the book takes some horrifying twists and turns. Petra finds herself inexplicably attracted to Saint, even as she describes him as “such an asshole,” and her feelings for him veer between love and hate. The novel serves as a meta commentary on the dark romance genre—as Petra puts it, “Even though, as readers, we wouldn’t want to live out some of the fantasies we read about, it doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy reading those things.”
A dark and twisty look at just how far one woman is willing to go to find inspiration.Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
ISBN: 9781662539374
Page Count: -
Publisher: Montlake
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
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