The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn / Review by Liz Gatterer

THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW
By A.J. Finn

William & Marrow
$26.99
ISBN 978-0062678416
Publication Date:  January 2, 2018

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Book of the Day

Unless you have been living under a literary rock, you have heard of A.J. Finn’s debut novel The Woman in the Window (William Marrow 2018). Hailed as a “love letter to classic Hitchcock”, it certainly delivers …   I read this novel in one of my obsessive/compulsive reading sessions (employing the audible version for those moments when one cannot hold a book–driving, cooking, or showering) that often leave me physically exhausted the next day, which, indeed I was, but I also found myself a bit emotionally exhausted as well.

Dr. Anna Fox is an agoraphobic/alcoholic/addict that is living alone in a refurbished 4-story townhouse in New York. Formerly a successful child psychologist. She fills her days with old movies, wine, capturing her neighbors comings and goings with her digital camera, pills, chat rooms, wine, conversations with her estranged husband and daughter, pills, ogling her tenant, wine, interrupted only by the weekly visits from her psychotherapist, her physical therapist and the deliveries of groceries, medications, and wine. She is psychologist herself, but no longer practices. Obviously, none of this is good for her–but together they are a slow form of suicide. But which one will be her demise? What will tip the balance and push her over the edge? Ah… the delight of the psychological thriller. The tension that builds as you know, just KNOW that this train is going to crash. It is racing down the tracks, the impossibly tight curve is up ahead…and… BAM! It gets hit by a meteorite falling from space. As you are trying to recover from that shock– you realize there is another train is barreling up behind you.

Red herrings, MacGuffins, unreliable narrators… Finn knows the tricks of the trade and utilizes them to their fullest. He is not new to the business. He was a successful editor for over a decade with a major publishing house and his clients are some of the giants of fiction. In one of the interviews, I read he stated that he had not tried to write a novel before because the type of novel he wanted to write was not commercially viable at the time. But, with the success of the “Girl” novels, he decided the time was right. Apparently, he was correct.

There may be moments when you think you know what is going to happen (and you might be right) but it is still a great read. Everyone is talking about this book and it’s already being developed into a movie so even if this type of book isn't your normal read,  you should read it anyway so that you don’t look like an idiot when people start referencing it in conversation. And they will.

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Liz Gatterer is the Special Events Coordinator for Killer Nashville.  She is blessed to be employed at a job that encourages her addiction to books and allows her to actually speak to her favorite authors. 

Look for Me by Lisa Gardner / Review by Holly Chaille

LOOK FOR ME
By Lisa Gardner

Dutton
$27.00
ISBN 978-1524742058
Publication Date:  February 6, 2018

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Book of the Day

In Gardner’s latest book in the Sergeant D.D. Warren series, readers return to the Boston streets as Warren again teams with Flora Dane, a former victim of a violent crime (Find Her), to track down a killer. An entire family has been murdered except the oldest daughter, Roxy. She’s missing, as are the family’s two dogs. Warren naturally pings her as suspect number one and drives the police procedural side of the book in that direction. Dane, a vigilante who understands survival instincts, uses her skills to help other survivors get back to living. She believes Roxy’s hiding from the real killer and her first-person narrative takes us along as she tracks the girl.

Finding her will either mean a killer is caught, or the last living family member’s life is saved. With her familiar storytelling style Gardner tacks between Ward’s investigation into the life of her suspect, and Flora, whose dead set on finding Roxy alive and safe.

With Gardner’s hefty bibliography fans expect the twists and turn she routinely carves into her writing and Look for Me provides them in spades. Although some are predictable red herrings and dead ends, she doesn’t fail to pull the rug out from under readers and keep them guessing until the last possible moment.

In another of Gardner’s signature moves, Look for Me creates the opportunity for readers to find themselves in a moral dilemma as she zooms in on the over-crowded foster care system and the nightmares formed in a foster home packed with more than one troubled kid. Something bad is bound to happen. But could it have been prevented? And, who’s really at fault here?

Gardner’s characters are each carrying heavy baggage, and it’s their flawed natures, their need to rescue, to retaliate and to rectify that makes them dangerously unpredictable. Some characters linger with readers after the story is over. These characters haunt. Gardner’s fan base has come to expect each new book will have characters who are simultaneously victims and victimizers, and storylines that shine a light into the dark places of those characters.

The layering of subplot seamlessly stitches in hot-button topics like domestic violence and bullying, while deftly pulling back the camera before we start to suspect a sermon on morality is coming soon. Fans will recognize the strong female protagonists, the survivors, and the moral struggles, and they won’t be disappointed in this fast-paced and literally, right out of the headlines read.

Gardner’s respect for the suspense genre is evident throughout, and in particular in the continued unreliability of two of her ongoing character, D.D., and Flora. An author who consistently touches on topics close to her heart, Gardner’s knack for penning a taught thriller brings issues to the page that many readers can empathize with. The pacing and voice Gardner employs keep the story vibrating with excitement, and the change in POV guarantees the reader won’t get bored or mired in one perspective.

With a passion for research and her own experience volunteering with an agency serving at-risk and special needs kids, Gardner easily articulates the sad truths of our failing foster care system. But while social issues are ever-present she still keeps the reader turning page after page to get to the final answer.

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Holly Chaille is a member of Sisters in Crime and the daughter of a librarian. Growing up in the stacks cultivated her lifelong love of suspense and thrillers, and she's currently querying her first mystery and developing her blog at HollyAChaille.com.

Daily Writing Resilience 365 Meditations & Inspirations for Writers by Bryan Robinson / Review by Joseph Borden

Daily Writing Resilience
365 Meditations & Inspirations for Writers

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Book of the Day

Bryan Robinson’s Daily Writing Resilience 365 Meditations & Inspirations for Writers is a must-read for any writer. Whether you’re just getting started or are a household name, there is undoubtedly some piece of wisdom within this book that you can incorporate into your own writing life.

Daily Writing Resilience contains 365 daily mediations, each accompanied by a short inspirational quote. These quotes are from experts in a variety of disciplines—journalists, religious leaders, actors, psychologists, artists, bestselling authors, etc.— and are followed by a short passage that serves to enumerate upon the day’s theme.

All of the passages, of course, are aimed toward helping one to build the resilience it takes to persevere what Robinson calls the “trials and tribulations of writers.” The book highlights common issues amongst writers—despair, rejection, lack of confidence, impossible deadlines, bad reviews, etc.—and offers strategies for overcoming those hurdles, along with a bit of levity here and there. Some passages are lighthearted musings or funny anecdotes. Others contain a bit more gravity and ask the reader to reflect upon a particular issue they are facing. Each of them, though, can serve as a call-to-action.

The book begins with January 1 and runs through the end of December so you can jump right in at any point. It can be followed linearly, of course, but the book also contains an index with keywords relating to a number of writing issues/topics so one can quickly locate passages pertaining to a specific issue he or she might be facing that day.

At the end of each passage is a daily “takeaway”—a short (usually one sentence) bit of advice or contemplation that the reader can ruminate on for a while and incorporate into their own personal/professional lives.

If you, like me, find it difficult to navigate the day-to-day ho-hum of writing (or creating in general), then Daily Writing Resilience needs to be on your bookshelf. Better yet, keep it near your workstation alongside your most frequently consulted books on craft. In those daunting moments of doubt or frustration, Robinson’s Daily Writing Resilience can help give you the strength to power through—one day at a time.

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Joseph Borden graduated from Tusculum College in December of 2014 with a degree in Creative Writing. Previously, he’s served as Managing Editor for The Tusculum Review and as an advertising specialist for a The Hickman County Times. He spends most of his time reading and writing fiction—his short story “Hell or High Water” was Editor’s Choice for the 2014 edition of Din Magazine. His hobbies include playing guitar, singing, people watching, and riding his motorcycle. He currently lives in Lyles.