5/5 ⭐ | Cornered by Alan Brenham

Temple Police Detective Matt Brady is thrown headfirst into a make-or-break case of his career as time is quickly running out.  Women are going missing, at a rapid rate, as the town of Temple, TX is being rocked by a serial kidnapper.  But the leads are as dry as the Texas heat and the FBI is itching to take over if Detective Brady can’t solve this case soon.

Readers will have their heads on a swivel as women are disappearing right under the police’s nose.  With the bad guys always seemingly a step ahead, Detective Brady is struggling to bring the women home safely.  Is something more nefarious afoot, and who is the ringleader?

As a female, being on the constant look out for danger seems to come with the territory, but the snatchers and organization behind the kidnapping in “Cornered” bring a whole new sense of fear.  The interconnectedness of the criminal organization and plotting behind author Alan Brenham’s “Cornered” are as tight as they are shocking.  Brenham is an expert at creating an ending you won’t see coming, keeping you on the edge until the very last pages. 

As the plot thickens, Matt Brady’s determination to keep those around him safe and bring the victims home safe remains paramount. Readers consistently feel dropped squarely in the lives of Brenham’s characters and Brady is no different.  In signature Brenham fashion, the lead up to the finale takes a personal toll as the boundaries between work and life begin to blur and the safety of those around weighs heavily. 

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5/5 ⭐ | Every Silent Thing (The Claire Deveraux Series Book 1) by Alan Brenham

Three French words, a flash drive, and a dead woman.  That’s more than Claire expected out of her day photographing the Louvre, but it’s the strong kick off to author Alan Brenham’s book “Every Silent Thing.”  And yet, that’s not even the most exciting part of this read.  It’s the family dynamics and messes her family members find themselves in that make this such a speedy read.

Claire Deveraux works for the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France.  Originally from Texas, she has an identical twin sister and twin brother, a family of adopted triplets.  Claire though, lives a life of silence.  Deaf, with the ability to lip read and sign, she lives every day extra aware in her silent surroundings.  Being hunted by the Louvre killer is enough for any single woman in a foreign country, but add to that the trouble her sister, Megan, finds herself in and Claire is increasingly in danger. 

From the other side of the world Megan watches her boyfriend get shot to death, stealing the heisted diamonds, and running from the murderers.  With nowhere else to turn, Megan buys a one-way ticket to France.  Dragging her identical twin into her decisions can prove to be a fatal flaw as she tries to outrun her mistakes.

I love a strong female lead.  Add in a disability and representation for those that are deaf or hard of hearing and “Every Silent Thing” was an instant draw.  Author Alan Brenham does a fantastic job opening readers’ eyes to the world Claire navigates, her communication frustrations and even the loneliness she feels being unable to communicate outside of text or pen to paper. Furthermore, I loved Brenham’s back and forth, chapter by chapter, from hunter to hunted.  This rotating point of view added to the intrigue, suspense, and thrill of the chase. 

As Claire tries to escape with her own life from the Louvre killer, Megan is in her own cat and mouse chase, while their brother Boyd works to keep the family together, all while their adopted father back in Texas fights his own battles with cancer.  The finale of this hunted thrill ride comes together in a way readers will never see coming. Brenham weaves so many important, realistic, challenging, and eye-opening dynamics into this first book of The Claire Deveraux Series, brace yourself as the series continues.

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The Memory House by Rachel Hauck

Publication Date: April 2nd, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Beck is an NYPD cop with a father lost in 9/11, a trauma that has caused her to lose many of her memories. Bruno is a sports agent struggling to start his own business and rid himself of the greed he previously endured at the larger agencies. And finally, Everleigh, her world was ripped apart in a tornado in Waco, TX in 1953. The house at 7 Memory Lane brings all these individuals together through a story of their triumphs, road to forgiveness, and family.

The Memory House promises an exciting and powerful read as Beck and Bruno’s budding love draws you in, and Everleigh’s devastating loss keeps you grasping for more. Filled with remembrance and strength, Hauck enchants readers through her powerful storytelling and gripping characters. Never was there a dull moment as readers are wound through Bruno’s agency woes and left praying for Beck to gain her memories and come out all right. But, even more was the anticipation of figuring out why this otherwise stranger, Everleigh, left Beck a house in Florida upon her death.

*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.