Beyond Reasonable Doubt

 

Keera and Jenna - frenemies since early childhood. Not much has changed now that they are adults.  Keera is a smart, ethical lawyer working at her father’s law firm.  For the second time, Jenna has been accused of murder.  The first time, Keera’s Dad got Jenna off.  Now it’s Keera’s turn.  Part of the problem is that Jenna is the consummate liar. She’s so good at manipulating, no one knows what to believe. 

I was not aware this is book #2 of a series.  It worked extremely well as a stand alone but is enticing enough for me to want to read book #1.  The intrigue for Keera is trying to find the truth and to give the best defense for her client, even if she personally does not like Jenna.

This was highly entertaining. I was thrilled to see it in the Read It Now section on Netgalley, as I know Mr. Dugoni is a veteran author of numerous well written books. This one did not disappoint.

Thomas & Mercer publisher via Netgalley. Publication date is October 22, 2024.

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

 

This is book #5 of the Amgash series and we again get to spend time with the delightful characters from the previous books, Lucy Barton, Bob Burgess and Olive Kitteridge, along with their associated spouses and friends.  Bob agrees to defend a man accused of murder. He also is struggling to define his relationship with Lucy. Is it love or just a deepening of their friendship?  On top of this, Bob is married and Lucy is living with her ex-husband William. Amidst all of this, Lucy is developing a new friendship with Olive.

Whew - did I get that all straight?  Ha!

This is written with the author’s typical wit and insight into human relationships. There is not one character to dislike. I felt my deepest connection with the acerbic Olive Kitteridge. The times she and Lucy spend telling each other stories about what they call people with “unrecorded lives” are some of the best parts of the book.

I’ve enjoyed each book in this series.  I received a copy of this from Random House Publishing via Netgalley.

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki

Marjorie Post was the daughter of C.W. Post, the founder of the Post Cereal Company.  The family amassed enormous wealth and the company eventually became General Foods.

Marjorie was a very smart businesswoman.  Unfortunately, her smartness did not crossover into her love life.  Forever the optimist about love, she was married and divorced four times.

At times I found it difficult to wrap my brain around her wealth.  Marjorie did a great job of spending it.  One of her redeeming qualities was her philanthropy.  

This was an interesting insight into the life of an ultra wealthy woman who worked hard at both business and enjoying life.

 

Berried at Sea
by Peg Cochran

It’s a marriage made in murder in the new Cranberry Cove Mystery from USA Today bestselling author Peg Cochran!

The long-awaited wedding of Monica and Greg is the highlight of the harvest season in Cranberry Cove, drawing friends from far and wide to help them celebrate. Among the guests are an old college friend of Monica’s and the woman’s boisterous new husband, a man with many enemies and more than a few bitter women in his past. When he turns up dead on a boat, the victim of a fatal stabbing, Monica steps in once again to unravel the mystery.

As she dredges up clues and wades through a long list of suspects, Monica’s sleuthing becomes all the more pressing when the local police are convinced that her friend did the deed. Monica will have to clear her name fast and track down the real culprit as the killer threatens to bring her sweet wedded bliss to a bitter end.

My Thoughts

Out protagonist is Monica Albertson.  When this story opens, Monica is getting ready to marry Greg.  The wedding goes off without a hitch until one of the wedding guests turns up dead the day after the ceremony.  Inquisitive Monica just can't help getting involved in trying to find out who committed the murder.

Monica is smart and comes across as a natural in asking questions and following clues.  I love that this is set in a small town on lake Michigan!  The story moved along quickly and there was never a dull moment.

This is book #4 of the Cranberry Cove Mystery series.  While it worked well as a stand alone, I think there is good cause to go back and read the other three books.  I also want to read future books in this fun cozy series.

I received this book from Beyond the Page Publishing via Netgalley.