Patty Pick for 8/3/17 is "Little Black Lies" by Sandra Block

Zoe Goldman has secrets, some she doesn't even know she has. The nightmares have returned with the pressure of residency. Zoe is a resident in the psych ward of a hospital, working her way to being a Psychiatrist. Her mother's death haunts her and she feels guilty wanting to know the details, since her adopted mom is dealing with dementia. Discussing that night always upsets her mom and Zoe knows that time is running out to find out the answers she wants to know about her real mother and the night she died. Her dreams make it seem like the answers are so close, but even with therapy Zoe can not discover what is right there in her memory and unlock the secrets to the past.

As the plot twist and turns, many secrets and lies will be revealed to Zoe. Zoe lives with her step-brother in the town where she grew up. She is separated from her longterm boyfriend, Jean Luc since they finished college and went their separate ways. Even though she can spend more time with her adopted mom, being back in Buffalo has made her nightmares return. The nightmares about the night her real mother died. Her 

brother is worried about her.  

One of her patients, Sofia, is trying to win her own freedom from her past. Sofia, a violent killer who has been locked away since she was a teenager, has been on her best behaviour for a while. Zoe's boss wants to set her free, but there's something about Sofia that does not set well with Zoe. All the while, Zoe is dealing with her own personal issues, like ADHD, and since her return all of her inner demons seem to be torturing her. With Zoe's family and the characters she works with at the hospital, you are going to like them all. Well most of them. Don't let the cover fool you, prepare to stay up and finish this one like I did. 

I know that the story of Zoe Goldman has been turned into a trilogy by the talented author, Sandra Block. I can't wait to read the next two as I loved this one and Zoe. You will, too but beware there are many scary twists and turns coming your way. "The Girl Without A Name" and the soon-to-be released, "The Secret Room" will give us more time with Zoe. I can't wait! All 5 Stars are shining or rather burning for "Little Black Lies"!

Patty Pick is "The Guest Room" by Chris Bohjalian

The Guest Room starts off with a bang, literally. This novel has several character paths to follow and the best action comes when they intersect. When Richard hosts a bachelor party at his quiet suburban home for his younger brother, he does not expect to have sex slaves and murder all in the same night. Phillip and his merry mates are quite the party animals so things quickly gets out of hand. Then Alexandra and her partner show up with their Russian bodyguards and it really gets heated.

When Alexandra and her friend kill their handlers in the Richard's living room, things get even worse. With his house a crime scene, the police accusing them of having sex with underage sex slaves and his wife learning that Richard was "all most" unfaithful, the novel ramps up. Chris Bohjalian tells a haunting tale of sex slaves with Alexandra's back story and the other girls mentioned along the path. You can see how this tragedy could happen and the raw, gritty details will make you sick to your stomach.

At the same time, you are watching one man's life with his prestigious job and happy family go into a nosedive. Richard made a wrong decision, actually several wrong decisions that snowballed into one big live-changing mess. What does his wife and daughter think about this debacle? As we watch and read with horror, Alexandra is running for her life. The ending will be one you will not expect. Chris Bohjalian tells a great, but sad story. 4 Stars!

Patty Pick for 8/4/16 is "after her" by Joyce Maynard

     With references to some of the details from the true story of the Trailside Serial Killer, Joyce Maynard works her magic in this fiction tale of two sisters caught up in the midst of the tragedy. 
Rachel and Patty share a very special sister relationship. For many years, Patty, Rachel's younger sister only talks through Rachel. They lean and protect each other through life after their father left the marriage and home when they were young. Their mom lives in a deeply depressed state most of the time. She works a low wage job, but comes home to hide in her room with books from the public library for companionship. The sisters are often left to find their own food and explore the mountain trails behind their home. The fact that they use the back windows of their neighbors to watch TV 
shows that are popular during the time was a touching storyline. 
     Their father is a local police detective in Marin County, California who is picked to head the investigation of a murder on the mountain which turns into many murders.  
The charismatic officer, Anthony Torricello, leaves his daughters to move away and continue his unending affair with women when they were young. Once the murders happen, he is the face of the police department investigation. Watching him unravel, the girls try to find a way to help. 
     Rachel is a aspiring writer and continues to fill notebooks with her writing. She thinks 
solving the case will bring her father home again. Patty, the younger sister, is quiet 
and unassuming. She watches her lively sister grow up and their close relationship change. She finds out that she has athletic talent and continues to pursue her skills into adulthood. The story follows the years before the murders and what happens when Rachel tries to solve the murders and help her father. Told from the perspective of an adult Rachel, we are left to run through the slow unraveling tale to put the clues together and find out what happened. Part thriller and part coming-of-age story, I found it very interesting. It kept my interest and I will definitely by reading more by this author in the future. A definite thumbs up!