Book Review: "Dangerous Play" by Elise Hart Kipness

I read and loved Lights Out, the first book in Elise Hart Kipness’ Kate Green series, about a year ago. I have no idea why it took me so long to pick up the second book, but after devouring it, I can definitely say that it won’t be long before I pick up the third one!

Sports reporter Kate Green is back on the job after the resolution of a murder case that put her in danger. She has the plum assignment of covering the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team as they battle for Olympic glory. It’s an exciting opportunity, even more so for Kate, a former Olympian soccer player. And given her past relationship with Savannah Baker, the head coach, she’s hoping for some good scoop.

The last thing she’s expecting is a murder to occur in the bowels of Yankee Stadium, where the games are being played.

The victim is Alexa Kane, a famous jewelry designer. Years ago, Kate and Alexa were best friends, playing on the U.S. Youth National Team with Savannah. Things ended quite abruptly, leaving Kate feeling guilty. But even with their shared past, there’s no reason that Alexa should’ve been behind the scenes at the game.

Kate feels a personal obligation to figure out who killed Alexa, and why. Doing so reawakens old memories. At the same time, she’s embroiled in a power struggle at the network, and she’s still digging into an old case involving her father, an NYPD detective. What is she in danger from?

I really am loving this series. Kate is a terrific character—tough yet vulnerable at times—and I can’t wait to see more of her interactions with her father as she digs more into his case. Like I said, I’ll be picking up the next book soon!!

Book Review: "A Very Bad Thing" by J.T. Ellison

I’ve been meaning to read this for a while, but I can certainly say this was well worth the wait!!

Columbia Jones isn’t just a bestselling author: she’s a phenomenon. And her latest book—which is being adapted into a Spielberg film while she’s still writing it—is sure to catapult her career even further. Her book tour stops are so in demand they have to hold them in theaters and other concert venues.

In Denver, on the last stop of her tour, she sees a face in the audience and it causes her to faint. She may have a minor concussion and an issue with the altitude, but she’s released from the hospital that evening. And then the next morning, she’s found dead in her hotel bed, covered in blood.

Who would’ve wanted Columbia dead? Why? These are questions being asked by many people, including Columbia’s daughter and manager, Darian; a detective specifically assigned to the case; and Riley, a talented young journalist Columbia hired to chronicle the tour and her career. The author’s death shocks the public and devastates her fans.

As the investigation into Columbia’s death (was it murder?) gets going, secrets about her are revealed that show how little anyone really knew her. It appears that the uncovering of these secrets definitely ruffle some feathers—and people are dying as a result. What is Columbia’s real story, and who else is in harm’s way?

This was absolutely fantastic. The book is nearly 450 pages yet I flew through it, and couldn’t get enough. There were lots of twists, some I saw coming and some that surprised me, and I didn’t want to stop reading at all. Now, onto J.T. Ellison’s backlist!!

Book Review: "Into the Fire" by Rick Mofina

Sometimes a crime novel is all that will hit the spot for me. I read an article about crime writers and found Rick Mofina, author of a trilogy of books featuring investigative reporter Ray Wyatt.

Ray Wyatt is a reporter in his early 40s who is trying to rebuild his life after the tragic loss of his wife and young son. He finds purpose in the stories he writes, because he’s making a difference rather than wallowing in his own misery.

A young boy is found by hikers in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. He is traumatized, unable to speak. When the hikers retrace his steps to a cabin, they make a gruesome discovery of what’s inside.

FBI Special Agent Jill McDade is put in charge of the investigation. The young boy is still unable to speak, but after a while the FBI is able to begin making inroads into the case, and Ray is doing his own detective work. It’s not long before they realize the case is far more complex than meets the eye.

As they try to find out what happened, they’re up against a ticking clock. Who will find the information first, and will they find it before it’s too late? At the same time, both Ray and Jill have their own personal issues to deal with, too.

While there weren’t any surprises in the story, I was definitely hooked. I really liked both characters and the vulnerability each showed. It’s always fascinating when you don’t know whom to trust. I’ll definitely be picking up the next two books in this series!!

Book Review: "Lights Out" by Elise Hart Kipness

Elise Hart Kipness’ latest book, Dangerous Play, published this week and I’ve seen lots of rave reviews. But since that is the second book in a series, I decided to embrace my OCD and read the books in order. Lights Out is her debut.

Kate was an Olympic soccer player and now works as a sports reporter. But after a personal crisis, an athlete insults her and she retaliates verbally; of course, only her outburst was caught on camera so she looks like the villain. Now she’s on a forced leave of absence and there’s a possibility she still might lose her job.

Amidst her professional crisis comes tragedy. NBA star Kurt Robbins is found dead in his Greenwich, CT mansion, and all signs point to his wife, Yvette, as the perpetrator. Yvette just so happens to be Kate’s best friend, so Kate offers to do some digging into the case. But she's fiercely protective of Yvette.

The more Kate tries to follow the facts, the more convoluted the truth becomes. As much as Kate doesn’t want to believe Yvette could be a murderer, she can definitely sense that Yvette is hiding something. And she’s not the only one—Kate has found several people with reasons to want Kurt dead.

As if trying to keep Yvette from being arrested isn’t enough work for Kate, her estranged father, an NYPD detective, has come to help the local police. He’d like a second chance with his daughter, but he also blows hot and cold until Kate decides how to deal with him.

This is a fairly fast-paced read, and Kate is a terrific, appealing character. I enjoy the way the book balances all of the issues, from Kate’s job situation, to her gaining confidence with her kids and ex-husband. Oh, and the murder, too!

You can bet I’ll be picking up Dangerous Play very soon!

Book Review: "You Should Be So Lucky" by Cat Sebastian

Cat Sebastian’s last book, We Could Be So Good, was one of my favorites of 2023. I love how she built a slow-burn romance between two men despite the fears and possible repercussions of the 1950s. In her new book, she does something similar with equally beautiful results.

Eddie is a young baseball player on the rise in 1960. He was ambushed with news of a trade to the pitiful New York Robins just after a game, and he made some comments to reporters about his new team that he probably shouldn’t have. Now he’s being ostracized by his teammates, he’s afraid to talk to reporters, he’s in the midst of a horrible batting slump, and he's living in a hotel because he's so sure he'll get traded again.

Mark is a newspaper reporter who is barely hanging on following the sudden death of his partner, a relationship unknown to nearly everyone. He is not a sports reporter, but the publisher assigns him to write a series of articles on Eddie which hopefully will endear him to the fans. The last thing Eddie wants to do is talk to another reporter, but he feels a connection to Mark fairly quickly, and trusts the man won’t make him look bad.

As Eddie tries to find his swing again, in Mark, he finds a friend and confidante, and recognizes that Mark is as attracted to him as he is to Mark. However, there’s no way Eddie can be an out baseball player (especially in 1960), and Mark is determined he doesn’t want to be someone else’s secret lover again. He tries to discourage Eddie’s feelings but at the same time, wants him as well.

“Mark always had to be careful, and careful means dishonest; careful means making sure that there’s always a lie at hand that he can reach for and use to paper over the truth.”

This was such a fantastically moving story, full of emotion, hope, fear, and far more acceptance than I would’ve imagined. I loved the supporting characters as much as Mark and Eddie, and was so happy with the way Sebastian let the story unfold. Can’t wait for her next one!!

Book Review: "We Could Be So Good" by Cat Sebastian

I don’t know if it’s clinically possible, but I feel like this book made my heart grow two sizes larger.

Nick Russo is a talented reporter for the New York Chronicle in the late 1950s. He’s always wanted to be a reporter, and has worked his way up from a rough childhood. But that’s not his only struggle—he’s a closeted gay man at a time when being discovered could lead to his losing his job, going to jail, and even death.

“But he’s twenty-five and he’s already so tired. He’s so careful, all the time, about everything, from not letting himself look too long at other men to being almost paranoid about who he picks up.”

When Andy Fleming, the son of the publisher, starts working at the paper, it’s clear to everyone that he’s biding his time. Of course, Nick is immediately attracted to Andy, despite all the reasons why he shouldn’t be. Although Andy turns out to be a good reporter (even if he’s being groomed to take over as publisher), he’s also a bit of an absent-minded klutz, and Nick can’t help but want to take care of him.

Little by little, their friendship deepens, although Nick knows it’s just a matter of time before Andy finds a woman to settle down with. But somehow, they both seem to fall for each other, although how can they hope for a happy ever after?

This was such a fantastic book, full of self-discovery, romance, tension, and a good dash of history. I couldn’t get enough of these characters!!

Book Review: "The Good Stranger" by Dete Meserve

Boy, we could all use a book like this right now!!

Kate Bradley is a television news reporter who has moved from LA to NYC for a gig at a national news channel. She has uprooted her life, and after a few days she’s not sure she made the right decision. She doesn’t feel at home in the city, and feels it’s harsh and cold.

One night after a massive blackout hits, Kate expects the story she’ll be covering is about the panic, the looting, the destruction that came afterward. But instead there seems to be a massive wave of generosity sweeping the city. Anonymous people are paying for strangers’ medical bills, sending gifts of clothing and food to homeless people, leaving gift cards on all cars in a parking lot, etc.

Who is behind this movement of good deeds? Is it a marketing gimmick for a company? Are people being set up? Kate teams up with a handsome program host to try and find the mysterious people responsible, chasing down every lead and leaving no stone unturned.

But someone doesn’t want Kate to find out the truth, and they send menacing letters and get closer and closer to her. As she deals with her own personal issues while trying to trace this path of kindness, she realizes that the connections it is fostering may be more important than the deeds themselves.

The Good Stranger was such a unique mystery—how often is someone trying to track someone down for doing something good? But beyond that, what a terrific concept this book was based on. In this chaotic time, we all could use some kindness, couldn’t we?

Although this is the third book featuring Kate Bradley, I didn’t feel as if I was missing anything having not read the previous books. But Dete Meserve did such a great job I’ll definitely go back and read the other two!!

I was honored to be part of the blog tour for this book. Thanks to Kate Rock Book Tours, Dete Meserve, and Lake Union Publishing for providing a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review!