The Second Mrs. Astor

 Fiction by Shana Abe

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This story begins with Madeline Astor recounting to her newborn son the events that made her a billionaire's widow. Short version: she married man older than her father -- but NOT for his money, of course!-- and took a trip with him on the Titanic.

I couldn't get interested in this story for some reason. I feel bad about it, but there it is. At least I got the book free with prime reading!

I also read recently by Amazon Prime Kindle: The Locked Door

The Talented Mr. Ripley

 Fiction by Patricia Highsmith

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This is a classic novel, first published in 1955, that I have heard of but never read.

Tom Ripley is a young American a little down on his luck, but he's quite willing to use his charm and good looks to get ahead in life.  He's the type to move boldly forward and deal with the consequences later. This trait will both serve him well and get him into trouble throughout this story.

This was a really good story, although I didn't much like Mr. Ripley...

Dear Wife

 Fiction by Kimberly Belle

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Beth is not her name, but that's what she's calling herself as she flees her abusive husband, driving out of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and laying a false trail to Tulsa before landing in Atlanta. Meanwhile back in Pine Bluff, Jeffery is looking for his wife Sabine, who didn't come home from work one night. He admits to maybe slapping her a time or two, but tells the police they were "working on their marriage." To police detective Marcus, The Husband looks pretty suspicious, and Marcus is on a mission to find out what really happened to Sabine...

This was an exciting story with a surprise or two waiting!

The Last One to Leave

Audible Original Fiction by Benjamin Stevenson

https://www.audible.com

 My son (aged 14) likes to watch this youtube guy who does outrageous contests that make grown adults act imbecilic to get a big prize. This book is about a fictional youtuber like that who holds a contest that gives away a million-dollar house to the last participant still touching the wall after however many days it takes for everyone else to give up.

How far will the seven contestants go to beat out the others and win the prize? This was a really interesting premise, and I liked the characters. 

I also listened to recently by audible originals: The Essay

Before She was Found

 Fiction by Heather Gudenkauf

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Cora, Violet, and Jordyn are three twelve-year-old girls, supposed to be snug in their sleeping bags at a sleepover in Cora's bedroom. So what are they doing out after midnight by the abandoned railroad depot? When the girls are found, two of them injured, it's up to the local police to discover what they were really doing....

This was a good story but not quite as great as this author's other books. The ending felt a little rushed.

I also read recently by this author: The Overnight Guest

The Measure

 Fiction by Nikki Erlick

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This story had great characters, and lots of fabulous reviews. I wanted to love it. But the premise.... I just couldn't buy it.

One day, for no reason, every adult in the whole dang world receives a box on the exact same day. Each box is inscribed with the person's name and a message in that person's native language that reads, "The measure of your life lies within." Inside the box is.... wait for it... a string.

Okay, so the gimmick is: the strings are different lengths, long or short, and it is discovered that the length of the string accurately indicates the length of the person's life. 

Now I've used a lot of italics here. There are just so many unexplainable elements in this premise. And the author just... doesn't explain. I read the whole thing: the boxes (indestructible! WHY?), the strings (somehow infallible! HOW?), the rigidity of Fate (you can't escape your string! ARGH!). I looked for any way this course of events could be possible. IT'S NOT!!!

I can't even with this book. 

Dead Man's Folly

 Fiction by Agatha Christie

https://www.audible.com

Ariadne Oliver, mystery-story writer, is setting up a "murder hunt" on a country estate for a village fete. She is caught up in making the clues (and the solution!) as interesting as possible, but she keeps feeling like something is wrong. What if the planned pretend murder somehow turns into a real one? She calls on her friend Hercule Poirot for help.

Although Poirot doesn't prevent the murder that the reader knows is coming (alas!), he does solve the case in the end. And you'll never guess!

I also read recently by this author: After the Funeral