Category Archives: Fiction

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

Posted on August 4, 2023 by bseat

Books can transport us to other worlds and this book by Brendan Slocumb, a classical musician himself, takes us inside the cutthroat world of classical music competitions. Here, it is not only how you play, but how good your instrument … Continue reading →

Posted in An Antiracist Education, Detective novel, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Accomplice by Joseph Kanon

Posted on July 28, 2023 by bseat

Joseph Kanon is one of those authors I go back to over and over again. His research is impeccable, his plots are unique and interesting and his characters aren’t necessarily heroic, but they do rise to the occasion when they … Continue reading →

Posted in Historical Fiction, Spy/Covert Operatives, Suspense, Thriller, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

Posted on July 21, 2023 by bseat

There are times when I long for a classic mystery by Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The trouble is I used to read those books over and over growing up in Japan, since my access to English books … Continue reading →

Posted in Detective novel, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Series, Suspense, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Two Nights In Lisbon by Chris Pavone

Posted on July 7, 2023 by bseat

There is a delicate balance that authors who write in a particular genre must tread. They must not disappoint their current readers and fans, but do want to attract new readers. An author may also have a certain perspective or … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Read, Books to take on vacation, Fiction, Mystery, Spy/Covert Operatives, Suspense, Thriller | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Posted on June 30, 2023 by bseat

Feel good books are a rare find! Especially ones that are well written and explore the darker side of life while not losing that spark of hope in humanity. Garmus, however does that and more in this lovely and lively … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Read, Fiction, Romance | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

Posted on June 23, 2023 by bseat

I loved watching True Blood on TV. It had all the things I loved- romance, thrills, chills and great dialogue! There was also a sense that even has the plot lines got more and more outrageous, the show runners would often … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Mystery/Detective, Thriller | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Exiles by Jane Harper

Posted on June 16, 2023 by bseat

Jane Harper is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. An Australian writer, Harper, uses the geography and weather of her homeland almost as if it is another character, building suspense and tension from the wild, uncertainty of the Outback. … Continue reading →

Posted in Detective novel, Fiction, Mystery, Series, Suspense | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

City On Fire by Don Winslow

Posted on June 9, 2023 by bseat

Why is it that stories about the Mafia or crime families are so compelling? Why were The Godfather, The Sopranos, The Wire or Power such a huge success? I am not sure I have a good answer to those questions, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction, Series, Suspense, Thriller, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The Verifiers by Jane Pek

Posted on June 2, 2023 by bseat

When you are on a dating app, how do you know that the “person” you are talking to or matched with is an actual person rather than a bot that helps increase the match numbers for the dating site?  Enter … Continue reading →

Posted in Detective novel, Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Suspense | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

City Of Friends by Joanna Trollope

Posted on May 26, 2023 by bseat

Whenever I want an immersive compelling story about friendship or marriage, I turn to Joanna Trollope. (Yes, she is related to the famous English novelist, Anthony Trollope, who wrote a travel book about his visit to the Untied States during … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment