We’ve still got plenty of steamy weather ahead, so I’ve compiled a list of six of my favorite books to enjoy during these dog days of summer. All of these are guaranteed page-turners that you will devour poolside, on the beach, on a plane, or while hiding from your kids. I believe all of the books are available on your Kindle, as hard covers and as paperbacks.
The Wife Between Us
First up is one of my all time favorites, The Wife Between Us, by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. The twist in this story blew my mind and the ending was a total shock. I read this novel several years ago and still think about it. I find it interesting that two authors contributed to the story. The Wife Between Us was published several years ago, but if you haven’t read it yet, pick up a copy immediately! Linked here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250130948/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1250130948&linkCode=as2&tag=emerybodie-20&linkId=3fbb515880d9f10a449516aed876e4fd
Here’s what Goodreads has to say:
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing.
Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage – and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.
Someone We Know
My next summer book rec is Someone We Know by Shari Lapena. I really enjoy Shari’s writing style and character development. This novel definitely kept me guessing, which I love. Avaiable here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N5J2H92/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07N5J2H92&linkCode=as2&tag=emerybodie-20&linkId=c1a4273cb1acd1734a118066b2ac9c85
A teaser on Goodreads:
Maybe you don’t know your neighbors as well as you thought you did . . .
“This is a very difficult letter to write. I hope you will not hate us too much. . . My son broke into your home recently while you were out.”
In a quiet, leafy suburb in upstate New York, a teenager has been sneaking into houses–and into the owners’ computers as well–learning their secrets, and maybe sharing some of them, too.
Who is he, and what might he have uncovered? After two anonymous letters are received, whispers start to circulate, and suspicion mounts. And when a woman down the street is found murdered, the tension reaches the breaking point. Who killed her? Who knows more than they’re telling? And how far will all these very nice people go to protect their own secrets?
In this neighborhood, it’s not just the husbands and wives who play games. Here, everyone in the family has something to hide . . .
You never really know what people are capable of.
An Unwanted Guest
Clearly I have a favorite genre and, clearly, Shari Lapena is one of my favorite authors. Here she is again, this time with An Unwanted Guest. Much like Someone We Know, the characters in this story are complicated and I found myself feeling sympathetic for people who possibly didn’t deserve it. This was a book club selection and made for wonderful discussion. If you’re in a book club, I highly recommend. Get it here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525557644/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0525557644&linkCode=as2&tag=emerybodie-20&linkId=999028f91826054bea00f84c632434e4
A weekend retreat at a cozy mountain lodge is supposed to be the perfect getaway . . . but when the storm hits, no one is getting away
It’s winter in the Catskills and Mitchell’s Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxing–maybe even romantic–weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge woodburning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery.
So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity–and all contact with the outside world–the guests settle in and try to make the best of it.
Soon, though, one of the guests turns up dead–it looks like an accident. But when a second guest dies, they start to panic.
Within the snowed-in paradise, something–or someone–is picking off the guests one by one. And there’s nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm–and one another.
Lady In The Lake
This novel makes me want to visit Baltimore! I loved learning more about the Jewish culture and life in the 1960’s. Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman is a great combination of a murder mystery, politics and a love affair. In other words, it’s got it all. Disclaimer: I wanted the main character to succeed, but I also found her incredibly selfish. My sister also read this novel and we discussed this point a lot. I am eager to read more by Laura Lippman. Linked here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079L5T84M/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B079L5T84M&linkCode=as2&tag=emerybodie-20&linkId=2e6c508382f6fe575ed6e99eb2f976e7
Goodreads snippet:
The revered New York Times bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.
In 1966, Baltimore is a city of secrets that everyone seems to know–everyone, that is, except Madeline “Maddie” Schwartz. Last year, she was a happy, even pampered housewife. This year, she’s bolted from her marriage of almost twenty years, determined to make good on her youthful ambitions to live a passionate, meaningful life. Maddie wants to matter, to leave her mark on a swiftly changing world. Drawing on her own secrets, she helps Baltimore police find a murdered girl–assistance that leads to a job at the city’s afternoon newspaper, the Star. Working at the newspaper offers Maddie the opportunity to make her name, and she has found just the story to do it: a missing woman whose body was discovered in the fountain of a city park lake. Cleo Sherwood was a young African-American woman who liked to have a good time. No one seems to know or care why she was killed except Maddie–and the dead woman herself. Maddie’s going to find the truth about Cleo’s life and death. Cleo’s ghost, privy to Maddie’s poking and prying, wants to be left alone. Maddie’s investigation brings her into contact with people that used to be on the periphery of her life–a jewelery store clerk, a waitress, a rising star on the Baltimore Orioles, a patrol cop, a hardened female reporter, a lonely man in a movie theater. But for all her ambition and drive, Maddie often fails to see the people right in front of her. Her inability to look beyond her own needs will lead to tragedy and turmoil for all sorts of people–including the man who shares her bed, a black police officer who cares for Maddie more than she knows.
The Last Flight
Whereas I struggled to like Maddie in The Lady in the Lake, the characters in The Last Flight by Julie Clark are very likeable. Their stories made me incredibly sad and you’ll definitely be rooting for them as you read. The ending of this book is debatable, which is extremely fun when your entire book club reads it. I don’t want to give anything away, just trust me that it’s a gripping tale. Purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083ZLK9PL/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B083ZLK9PL&linkCode=as2&tag=emerybodie-20&linkId=75a4ea8b6bdd6c7c7429061256ef4b1b
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Claire Cook has a perfect life. But behind closed doors, nothing is quite as it seems. That perfect husband has a temper that burns as bright as his promising political career, and he’s not above using his staff to track Claire’s every move. But what he doesn’t know is that Claire has worked for months on a plan to vanish.
A chance meeting in an airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together they make a last-minute decision to switch tickets ― Claire taking Eva’s flight to Oakland, and Eva traveling to Puerto Rico as Claire. But when the flight to Puerto Rico goes down, Claire realizes it’s no longer a head start but a new life. Cut off, out of options, with the news of her death about to explode in the media, Claire will assume Eva’s identity, and along with it, the secrets Eva fought so hard to keep hidden.
The One
The One by John Marrs is our most recent Book B*tches selection and probably one of the wildest books we’ve read. I didn’t realize it’s also a series, but a few of my friends watched it and said the book differs and is better (aren’t they always?). The One is thought provoking and the perfect book club book. You’ll definitely want someone to discuss it with after you finish! I couldn’t put this book down. Grab it now here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/133521884X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=133521884X&linkCode=as2&tag=emerybodie-20&linkId=6e6e898923551fd5d3ca942d43441894
A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner the one you are genetically made for.
That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love.
Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…
A word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom, The One is a fascinating novel that shows how even the simplest discoveries can have complicated consequences.
Reading brings me such joy and getting to discuss a novel each month with these ladies is the cherry on top. I am honored and grateful to call them my friends. If you’ve been thinking about joining or starting a book club, DO IT!
Love you, girls!
Book B*tches
I hope you have a wonderful Sunday. Happy reading!
