Book Review: The Heiress

Cam and Jules are just an average young couple. But Cam isn’t quite the everyday man he appears to be. As the son of North Carolina’s richest woman, he tries everything to escape both his inheritance and the home of the legendary McTavish family.

When a family death pulls the couple back to the stately Ashby House, Jules is awestruck at the opulent surroundings. And even more awe-inspiring is the life of the woman behind them- Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, Cam’s late adoptive mother.

Ruby’s storied past began when she was the victim of a famous childhood kidnapping. Her legend continued as she found love, and was widowed…four times over. Amidst the rumors of her husbands mysterious deaths, she earns the moniker “Ruby Killmore.'” Even in death, Ruby oversees Ashby House from a life size oil painting, reminding Cam that one can never run from family. As Cam and Jules unveil the family’s storied past, secrets come to light that threaten their relationship, the inheritance, and the future of the McTavish name.

This was a twisty read told through Ruby’s own letters and the alternating perspectives of Cam and Jules. Rachel Hawkins thrills again with a story of a old money, old secrets, and an even older house. Slightly reminiscent of a gothic novel, The Heiress is a book that will have you flipping pages to find out what happens next.

Put the print copy on hold here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Book Review: Silver Nitrate

Montserrat is an audio editor in the 1990s Mexico City film scene, but she’s constantly being overlooked and overworked. Her best friend Tristán is a washed-up soap star just waiting for the phone to ring with his next audition. When Tristán befriends the elderly and renowned director Abel, all three dive into the stories and screens of years gone by. Abel sees the two young people as an opportunity to finish his long-forgotten film, a production that stopped under mysterious, magical and possibly murderous circumstances. As Montserrat and Tristán dive deeper into the world of the missing scenes, it appears that Abel isn’t just hiding the finished film…but the secrets of the obscure occultist behind the film.

Through a cast of characters, supernatural experiences, and 90s nostalgia (pagers anyone?), Silvia Moreno-Garcia keeps readers guessing as they make their way through this book. Part horror, part fantasy, part historical fiction, Silver Nitrate is an genre-bending story that touches on unfulfilled wishes, dreams, and even the occasional curse.

If you like stories of old Hollywood glam, enjoy spooky stories, or are a fan of Moreno-Garcia’s previous work, pick this one up!

Request a print copy here or a digital copy here.

Happy Reading!

-Melinda

Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Malloy

Dr. Sam Statler, a newlywed psychologist, is missing. He and his wife, Annie, recently moved from NYC to his small upstate New York hometown. The move serves two purposes-a fresh start for the couple and to be close to Sam’s ailing mother. Sam’s private practice is located in a charming old building with the perfect landlord. He spends his days listening to the problems of his mostly female clientele and his free time celebrating the small milestones in his marriage. This quiet life suits Sam, which is why Annie can’t believe he would have willingly disappeared. However, the search for her husband reveals that Sam may not be everything she believed him to be.

To be honest, it’s best to go into this book knowing as little as possible about it. Know that it is a strange and twisty story; a first rate psychological thriller. Sam has a reputation in his hometown. His sessions are being listened in on. And who is that French woman? Is Sam really missing or did he disappear? Readers will have questions and the author is stingy with the answers until the stunning truth is revealed. I listened to the audiobook version and at first I struggled with the narrator, but by the end I could not believe how perfect the narration was.

Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Malloy comes out October 13th. Add it to your TBR list and place a hold today

~Megan