But First, a Word from Me

Hello there! It’s good to be back. Last year I really dropped the ball with respect to my blog and my newsletter, in large part because I couldn’t think of things to say and I was buried in work. My reading pace slowed considerably and I wasn’t able to continue reviewing mysteries as I had been doing.

With that in mind, this year has brought with it a new focus in my business. And at the very heart of that focus is the mystery-loving community: you. Perhaps in future blogs I will tell you more about it, but that’s really the domain of my newsletter. I’ll let you know below how to sign up for it if you’d like to get more information.

But for now, here’s my plan: twelve months, twelve mysteries, twelve blog posts with reviews. If I can get to it, I’ll review more often and blog more often. But if I can’t, at least by the end of the year I will have provided you with recommendations for twelve terrific mysteries.

Have you signed up for the Goodreads 2024 Reading Challenge? I’ve pledged (to myself) to read 52 books this year. I didn’t meet last year’s challenge, but I stopped logging books at one point and never got back to it. Last year I pledged to read 65 books. I don’t know how many books I actually read, but it wasn’t quite 65, so this year I took it down a notch. To join the challenge, go to goodreads.com and click on the banner at the tippy-top of the page.

And now for the January book which, like January, was chilling…

THE SHADOW BOX by Luanne Rice

This domestic thriller is the first book I’ve read by Luanne Rice, and I’ve promised myself I’m going to read more of her stuff. Lots more.

Set against the old-money, seaside backdrop of Connecticut politics, the book is about Griffin Chase and the inner circle of family and friends working to get him elected as the next governor of Connecticut. It’s also about the lengths they’ll go to in order to achieve that goal.

Claire Beaudry Chase is Griffin’s second wife, an artist trapped inside a marriage marked by terrifying psychological abuse where her every move is like walking on eggshells.

But Claire has discovered one of her husband’s deepest, darkest secrets, one she’s suspected for a long time. And he knows it.

And they both know she holds his future in her hands—that is, if she lives long enough to tell anyone about the secret.

This book grabbed me from the first sentence and never let go until I hit the last one. The entire story moved at a fast clip, which kept me turning pages well after my bedtime.

The story is told from multiple points of view, so if you’re not a fan of head-hopping, be aware of that (and there are a lot of characters, though not all of them get chapters to themselves). It’s also told along a jagged timeline, meaning chapters don’t necessarily go in chronological order. It adds a layer of complexity to the story, but could also be a bit confusing for some readers. It’s up to the reader to keep things straight, but I believe the author does an excellent job of telling the reader exactly what day it is and who’s talking or thinking.

At its heart, the story is about the horrors of physical and psychological domestic abuse and it shines a light on the issue in a manner that held me rapt. It examines the issue from many angles—victim, family, friends, the authorities, and, importantly, children.

The author does a brilliant job with the setting, making the reader feel as if she’s right there in the thick of things. Rice also delves deeply into several of the characters’ psyches, helping the reader to understand what drives them to act and make certain decisions.

There is a superficial storyline of class and politics, but I believe the point of it is really to hold up the main plot. These characters move in a world most of us will never be a part of, and to be dropped into a story involving great wealth and status is fascinating. Is it cliché? Maybe. But I don’t care. I loved the book. It’s got an important lesson to teach and it does so thrillingly. I give it 5 enthusiastic stars.

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I mentioned above that I would tell you how to sign up for my newsletter to get more from me, including exclusive content and special access to things like cover reveals and special deals on books. It’s easy: go to www.amymreade.com and right there on the home page, click the link that says “Join my VIP lsit,” and it’ll take you to the sign-up page. As I said, there’s a new website waiting in the wings and it’s got some cool stuff on it. More to come!