A smart, funny tale of a Good Samaritan crime spree.
Essen presents a novel about two septuagenarians intent on changing the world in an unconventional way.
Barry Swanson, a 70-year-old widower, moves into Blue Loon Village, a senior living center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the insistence of his daughter. He’s not entirely ready to give up on living an active life, but he’s also not one to rock the boat. His attitude changes, though, when he discovers that his old high school girlfriend, Beth, is living in the same residence. Beth is as lively as ever, and she quickly recruits him for some serious boat-rocking—with little concern for potential legal consequences. When they discover that their neighbor’s granddaughter is a victim of domestic abuse, they make a plan to kidnap and terrorize the husband to scare him straight. The mission is a success, so the pair hit the road to enact more DIY justice: They rob a shipment of Spam and distribute it to unhoused people; they pick up Jenny Callahan from Des Moines, who’s on the run from an abusive husband, and she becomes their sidekick; and all three later get caught in a mass shooting during which Barry makes good use of a can of Spam. Later adventures send them to Florida, and toward a final showdown. Overall, Essen delivers a smart, gripping read that adults of any generation will enjoy, but it’s likely to appeal particularly to readers around the same age as the gray-haired heroes. Its overriding message that people of any age can make a difference in the world has universal appeal. The novel never takes itself too seriously, and it’s chock full of funny moments, despite the sometimes-dark subject matter. The book will also be a great fit for animal lovers, as the gang helps many creatures, including alligators, on their journey; Barry’s beloved leopard gecko, Gertrude, is effectively a member of the team. The narrative does simplify some issues surrounding vigilante justice, but few readers will object to the Silver Squad’s courage, even when they’re on the wrong side of the law.
A smart, funny tale of a Good Samaritan crime spree.Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2025
ISBN: 9781734430394
Page Count: 278
Publisher: Encante Press LLC
Review Posted Online: Oct. 30, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
The story unfolds so irresistibly that newcomers may think Grisham’s been writing thrillers like this his whole life.
What hasn’t legendary legal eagle Grisham tried yet? How about a thriller about serial kidnapping and international terrorism.
When Paul and Chelsea Tanner disappear during a day trip on their Paris honeymoon, their abductors demand a ransom of $2 million from Chelsea’s wealthy parents, and a few days later the same sum from Paul’s much less well-heeled parents. After orthopedist Lowell Clayburn, Chelsea’s father, ponies up the ransom without breathing a word to the authorities, his daughter is promptly released. But even though Paul’s parents sell their home, liquidate their assets, and borrow money from the Clayburns to meet the kidnappers’ demands, the villains hold on to Paul anyway. Asked whether he’s ever seen such an outcome in a double kidnapping, FBI deputy director Andrew Strong tells Lowell: “No, this is a new one.” But it’s not, as Strong knows all too well; it’s the third such active case, all involving honeymooning couples whose bridegrooms had served in the armed forces. After masterfully drawing readers in with his bare-knuckle account of the Tanners’ abduction and the attempt by their families and the CIA to tell the lies required to keep caring friends and the rapacious press at bay, Grisham effortlessly switches gears to follow CIA agent Rae Claire Russo and Stuart Nash, a former Department of Justice prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay who agrees to marry her so they can serve as bait for the kidnappers, whose motives include justice and revenge as well as cold hard cash. So much for the imprisoned Paul’s wistful reflection that “hopefully, it was only about money.”
The story unfolds so irresistibly that newcomers may think Grisham’s been writing thrillers like this his whole life.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9780385550543
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026
Starts with a bang and closes with a knockout punch of an ending.
A violent attack hijacks a woman’s memory in this novel of domestic suspense.
McFadden wastes no time pulling the trigger in this harrowing story that starts with gunfire then swiftly propels readers into a crack tale of secrets and misdirection. Originally self-published in 2016, the book carries the same formidable weight as McFadden’s later novels featuring unsuspecting women who lose their power then fight to recapture it—mostly from men who have betrayed them. That formula perfectly fits Dr. Charlotte McKenna, a 37-year-old dermatologist who isn’t looking for love until the most handsome man she’s ever seen begins to woo her. There are warning signs about Clark Douglas and Charlotte overlooks them to her detriment—but is he a killer? The novel has dual timelines split between events leading up to the day Charlotte barely survives a head wound meant to kill her and the months afterward, when she struggles to reclaim her memory and her mobility. In real life, McFadden is a physician trained to treat brain injuries. Her expertise gives Charlotte’s rehabilitation authenticity, and her writing talent makes it interesting and engaging. As good as that timeline is, readers will yearn to get back to the alternate timeline about who wants Charlotte dead. It’s only a matter of time before Charlotte starts to remember who tried to kill her, and the clock is ticking toward their next attempt. McFadden dishes up plenty of suspects: Charlotte’s secretive husband, Clark; a former patient turned stalker who confronts Charlotte on her honeymoon; and the angry husband of a patient who blames Charlotte for his wife leaving him. Though the story is delicious and dark, McFadden brightens things up with a possible love interest for Charlotte and a surprise ending sure to please the author’s many fans.
Starts with a bang and closes with a knockout punch of an ending.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
ISBN: 9781464249617
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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