Favorite Reads of 2019

This post is always an exciting one for me.  I get to look back over a year of reading and revisit my favorite stories.  This year I divided the amazing books I've read into categories, including "Favorite 2019 Stand-Alones," "Favorite 2019 Novels from Series," "2019 Sequel to a Book," and "Favorite Already Established Series to Start."  They are not listed in any particular order in those categories.

The last category has the only book not published in 2019.  The Detective's Daughter by Lesley Thomson was published in 2013, with the most recent book in the series, The Playground Murders, out this past year.  

You'll see authors that have consistently made my list over the past years, as loving an author's writing and being able to count on their books being outstanding is a reader's paradise.  Recurring authors include Elly Griffiths, Anne Cleeland, Jane Harper, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Catriona McPherson, Hallie Ephron, Deborah Crombie, Rhys Bowen, Lyndsay Faye, Cathy Ace, Kristi Belcamino, Lucy Burdette, Terry Shames, Sara Driscoll (as Sara Driscoll and as Jen J. Danna and Ann Vanderlaan), Louise Penny, Jennifer Kincheloe, and Triss Stein.  If I start talking about these continuing favorite authors and their series and stand-alones, I'll never get to my list.  I think each of them and anyone I can grab a few minutes to talk with know just how besotted I am with the returning characters and new ones from these brilliant authors.  And with two books out, Wendall Thomas and Aimee Hix have made my list both years running now.  

This year, Jamie Mason and her outstanding novel The Hidden Things gobsmacked me and will have me reading Jamie's writing from now on.  Martin Edwards writes so many different aspects of the mystery/crime world's best writings, from thrilling fiction to unequalled (and award-winning) Golden Age non-fiction to editing those extraordinary British crime classic collections, and his novel Gallows Court stole my heart this year, too.  How I'm just now getting to Rachel Howzell Hall's and Lisa Jewell's and Carol Goodman's and Leslie Thomson's and Tim Johnston's and Ann Cleeves' and Tessa Arlen's books is beyond me.  I've been trying to catch up in that area, and discovering a new-to-me author's writing is so much fun.

And, there's Alan Brennert who wrote one of my favorite books of all time, Moloka'i, back in 2003.  He followed that book with two other remarkable reads, Honolulu in 2009 and Palisades Park in 2013.  If he were a mystery/crime writer I would have been pulling my hair out waiting for a new book.  Finally, this year he came out with Daughter of Moloka'i, and I fell in love all over again.  I visited the island of Moloka'i just because of his first book.


So, at last we come to my list, the list that could not be narrowed down.  Each one of the following books was a standout read for me, memorable and thrilling in a number of ways.  As I go through the list and look at the covers, I am once again transported back to the magic that is the adventure of reading, and I just want to hug all these books and sigh.




Favorite 2019 Stand-Alones

The Lost Man by Jane Harper
The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths 
The Hidden Things by Jamie Mason
The Murder List by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Careful What You Wish For by Hallie Ephron 
The Wrong Boy by Cathy Ace
Strangers at the Gate by Catriona McPherson
The Current by Tim Johnston
Gallows Court by Martin Edwards
The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen
The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall
Coming for You by Kristi Belcamino
The Night Visitors by Carol Goodman

Favorite 2019 Novels from Series

The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths

Murder in Just Cause by Anne Cleeland

Now You See Them by Elly Griffiths

A Bitter Feast by Deborah Crombie

No Man's Land by Sara Driscoll

A Risky Undertaking for Loretta Singletary by Terry Shames

A Deadly Feast by Lucy Burdette

A Better Man by Louise Penny

Drowned Under by Wendall Thomas
Murder in the Blood by Anne Cleeland
The Body in Griffith Park by Jennifer Kincheloe

Dark Streets, Cold Suburbs by Aimee Hix

Brooklyn Legacies by Triss Stein

2019 Sequel to a Book 

Daughter of Moloka'i by Alan Brennert


Favorite 2019 New Series Books

Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders by Tessa Arlen
The Long Call by Ann Cleeves

Favorite Already Established Series to Start

Leslie Thomson's The Detective's Daughter

   

        

  

     

Now You See Them by Elly Griffiths: Reading Room Review

I can't think of any of my reading friends who aren't familiar with my love for Elly Griffiths' writing and my ardent devotion to her character Ruth Galloway of the Ruth Galloway series, and a good many of them have responded to my enthusiasm and started reading that series, too. Now, I think they are beginning to realize that I am also an advocate for Griffiths' Magic Men Mysteries (Stephens and Mephisto series). Unlike the present-day setting of the Ruth Galloway series, the Magic Men Mysteries are set in the past, 50s and now 60s in Brighton, England. Now You See Them (book #5) takes place ten years after the 4th book, The Vanishing Box. The characters go from December 1953 to May 1964, so they are quite naturally living different lives in Now You See Them. I feel it necessary to warn those readers just starting the series or not up to #5 yet that it's impossible to talk about this new book without spoilers to the previous ones.

So, May 1964 sees our characters in new phases of their lives. Edgar Stephens is now Superintendent in the police force in Brighton, and he is married to the former DS Emma Holmes, with three children. Max Mephisto has spent the last decade in Hollywood, becoming a movie star and marrying one of his leading ladies, with whom he has two young children. Of course, Max already had a daughter, the beautiful and talented Ruby, who now, at 34, stars in one of Britain's most popular television shows, Ruby Magic. The regular character roster is rounded out with Detective Inspector Bob Willis, who worked with Emma as the lesser skilled of the two, and the newcomer, nineteen-year-old Meg Connolly, who seems to be following in Emma's footsteps as a crack detective with only a WPC rank so far. 

The funeral in Brighton of Edgar's and Max's former Magic Men comrade The Great Diablo, aka Stanley Parks, has reunited the group of friends and colleagues. Max and Diablo had continued their talents at trickery and magic employed in their WWII missions in their chosen careers on the stage, and Edgar had continued the practice of serving his country or fellow citizens by choosing the police force. Now, after their paths diverged, the bond still remains a strong one. Ruby, who was close to Diablo, too, calling him Uncle Stan, is attending the funeral in all her glamorous glory, enjoying her celebrity status wherever she goes. Emma is a bit wistful as she reminisces about her past days on the police force when she felt more alive than staying home and raising children. But, life does go on, after the deaths of loved ones and the life choices one makes. That doesn't mean, of course, that people can't make new life choices. 

While at the reception after the funeral, word is brought to DI Willis and Superintendent Stephens of a missing sixteen-year-old girl from Roedean, a school for girls where Emma had attended. The girl is a keen fan of the American movie star Bobby Hambro, who is currently in London, so it's thought she might have gone there. With the discovery that two other young women have gone missing, the theory that the disappearances are abductions rather than voluntary departure becomes the prevailing course. After one of the girls is found dead on a seaside walkway, there's no doubt that someone is kidnapping them. When Ruby goes missing, too, Max is once more back to involvement in a case Edgar is investigating. And, Emma's unrest at being out of the loop in the intensity of police work has her secretly working with her journalist friend Sam Collins to uncover the person behind the abductions. Emma is eager to show that her detecting skills are as strong as ever, and she seems set on besting her husband and the new police woman, Meg Connally. While Emma's motives may be a bit skewed, at heart she wants to solve this case and bring the young women home safely. It seems a bit like old times with the involvement on both sides of the investigation, one in danger and others desperately trying to bring resolution before tragedy can strike again. 

The characters and the story are, as always, exceptional in this series, and Brighton seems the perfect setting in which to view the history of change in Britain. Elly Griffiths does such an outstanding job of weaving the history into the story and into the character's lives. Emma's dissatisfaction at being unable to pursue police work is due to her being a married woman, something the police force didn't allow. The leap to the 1960s was a brilliant move on the author's part, as it allows the many changes that were churning for not only women, but culture itself, to be brought forth. It allows the characters to grow in ways that only the 60s could let them. Griffiths' organic insertion of The Beatles and the Mods and screaming fans gives the sense of time and place that every great read with a historical setting demands. That actual events are given stage in the story really reinforces the authenticity. The Brighton clash of the Mods and the Rockers that took place on that Banking Holiday weekend was deftly used as the climax to the rising action of the story and its resolution. Griffiths' writing chops combine this history and story and character relationships into a thrilling read that keeps a pace of unsurpassed excellence. A series should always be evolving, and with Now You Seem Them, Elly Griffiths has shown that she meets that challenge head on.

Beating About the Bush by M.C. Beaton: Reading Room Review

Another great Agatha Raisin mystery from M.C. Beaton. Agatha is true to form in this 30th book in the series, being in the wrong place at the right time, beating the police to a solution, irritating both friends and others (but still managing to remain a friend), seeking love in all the wrong places, and comparing herself to others instead of realizing what an accomplished and attractive woman she is. Our Agatha is quite the force, and it's always an adventure seeing her push her way through obstacles that would hinder her in solving a murder. All the sidekicks we've come to love are there--Toni and Patrick at work, Mrs. Bloxby, Roy Silver, Bill Wong, and the on-again, off-again lover Charles Fraith. The ensemble is in perfect form for proving an accident is a murder and a donkey is innocent.

Agatha Raisin's detecting firm is hired by a battery-making factory to investigate possible industrial espionage. Indeed there are secrets running rampant at the company, but it has little to do with espionage. Agatha and Toni Gilmour are working the case, as all other personnel at the detecting agency are busy with other cases. They are immediately confronted with a strange atmosphere at the company, with odd employees and a shady HR director. When a death occurs on the grounds of the factory, a donkey named Wizz-Wazz is blamed, but Agatha becomes a champion for the donkey, as she is sure that the death was murder and not an accident. Agatha has fallen for some different sorts over the years, but her affection and support for Wizz-Wazz is a delightful dedication to behold, and it has connections to her childhood wish for a donkey. Just when readers think Agatha is becoming rather crotchety in her middle-age, she shows a soft side that endears her to us all over again. 

The ongoing search for a man who will fulfill her dreams and complete her life is still going strong in book 30. Agatha is an accomplished businesswoman and astute detective, but she is terrible at choosing men. She and Sir Charles Fraith have been involved on and off, and they seem to be great together at their best, but something always breaks them apart. And, now Charles is engaged, again. Agatha isn't too worried because Charles' engagements never seem to make it to the alter, but this fiancée might prove a bit more determined. Of course, Sir Charles' butler doesn't want him to get married to anyone, so he might find a way out for his long-time employer.

This series is a great mixture of murder mystery and Agatha's personal mishaps. Readers cheer for her to find her happy ending, but we also have to laugh at how she bungles it. M.C. Beaton has managed to keep readers entertained and thrilled through thirty books now. Beating About the Bush is as much fun as all the other Agatha adventures. I hope that there are many more to come.

Brooklyn Legacies by Triss Stein: Reading Room Review

I’ve thought for quite some time that fiction authors make great tour guides. I’ve even suggested (okay, begged) an author or two to create an actual, physical tour of the places of which they write. Well, Triss Stein, with her Erica Donato series set in Brooklyn, is one of the best tour guides I read. She brings Brooklyn and its history alive to readers, while Erica, a present-day historian, works on solving historical and murder mysteries. Each book in the series deals with a different area and historical period of Brooklyn, so I keep adding to my knowledge of this fascinating place. In Book #5, Brooklyn Legacies, it’s Brooklyn Heights, New York’s first suburb and first historic district, that gets the attention and storyline, pitting beliefs and traditions and motivations against one another of people deeply entrenched in the community. This story once again has me googling Brooklyn history and looking up further information on Brooklyn Heights. Reading Triss Stein’s Brooklyn series is for sure taking a leap down the rabbit hole for me, but it’s a rabbit hole I delightfully pursue.

So, at this juncture in the series, Erica is now Dr. Donato, having completed her PhD in urban history studies, and she works at the Brooklyn Art Museum, which affords her a financial security she hasn’t had in ages. Her teenage daughter Chris is a responsible, independent young woman whom Erica has raised by herself. And, Erica’s relationship with Joe is progressing nicely. So, life is going well, and Erica is doing the work she spent so much time studying for. When she takes on a project to find out more about a missing Walt Whitman plaque, it takes her to Brooklyn Heights, a location where posh old generational homes are in danger from modern development. Although it is the plaque that first takes Erica to this grand old neighborhood, there is another interest prodding her research. A book editor has suggested that Erica write a book about Brooklyn, or a piece of Brooklyn, and Erica thinks that Brooklyn Heights would make a fascinating subject. 

Louisa Gibbs is a long-time resident and preservation activist in the Brooklyn Heights community, and her devotion to her aging family home, a Victorian brownstone, is often at odds with her Jehovah Witness (Watch Tower Society) neighbors. The Watch Tower Society made its headquarters in Brooklyn Heights starting in 1909, so it’s presence and influence was well-felt there, too, but the organization had recently started selling off its property to relocate to upper state New York. Erica meets Louisa as she is having a property line dispute with one of the powerful leaders of the Jehovah Witnesses who has offices in the building next door to Louisa’s house. Louisa’s age doesn’t prevent her from being a powerful force herself, and Erica realizes that getting to know Louisa and her family’s history in Brooklyn Heights, plus what Louisa knows about all the other history of it, would be a tremendous boon to Erica’s research and aid in settling on a focus in her writing. As Erica gets to know Louisa better, she feels protective towards this elderly woman who is a living part of history, although Louisa doesn’t feel the need for protection, wanting to fight her own battles. And, with the entrance of real estate developers wanting Louisa out, too, Louisa needs Erica’s research and help. It will be a heated contest in more ways than one.  

The secrecy of the Jehovah Witnesses is indicative of the secretiveness of most of the characters in this Brooklyn Heights tale. People know more than they are telling, and the information being withheld can be crucial to solving a murder of a Jehovah witness leader. As is so often the case, the past connects to the present and the reasons for the murder. Even the people seem to appear from the shadows at times, as Erica explores the neighborhood and runs into characters who seem to offer a tidbit of information and then disappear. Witches and homeless and restoration experts and religious and pillars of the community and eager new business proprietors co-mingle in an atmosphere of addressing past grievances and moving forward. Can there be one without the other? The murder seems to suggest not. And, someone is writing letters to scare those involved, including Erica. Erica is trying to keep her “real” life going while delving into the mysteries of the past, but it’s taking a toll, and her focus is becoming myopic in scope. Brooklyn Heights is quite literally keeping her up nights, and her agreement to work with the police on gathering information helpful to their murder investigation isn’t making things any easier. It’s fortunate Erica is a historian because it’s going to take a lot of digging into the past to unmask a killer in the present. 

Mystery with history is my favorite mystery/crime reading, and Triss Stein’s Erica Donato series is one not to be missed by fans with this reading preference. Brooklyn Legacies carries on the astute research, fascinating characters, and superb writing that Stein has achieved in all the books in this series. I can’t wait to learn more about Brooklyn in the next book, which I hope is soon.  I have to give a shout-out to Poisoned Pen Press, too, as they publish this series and so many of my favorites. 

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of Brooklyn Legacies from the author. This review is based entirely on my honest reflections and opinions.

No Man's Land by Sara Driscoll: Reading Room Review

No Man’s Land by Sara Driscoll is the 4th book in the F.B.I. K-9 series, and once again the subject matter covered is a step into unchartered territory for me. I love how this series expands my knowledge. In the first book, Lone Wolf, the theme addresses bombings, a homegrown terrorist, and how rescue with dogs works in a bombed building or site. In the second book, Before It’s Too Late, there was the cryptanalysis and Civil War sites. In the third book, Storm Rising, readers saw what went on during search and rescue efforts after a hurricane and the horrific issue of human trafficking. And, now, in book #4, readers learn about the world of exploring abandoned, dilapidated buildings to observe their rate of decay, an activity called urbexing. As with each of the books, there is a term defined at the beginning of each chapter helping to explain the subject matter, just a short sentence that aids in understanding the jargon used by those involved. At the heart of all these books is the theme of rescue, both physical and mental. The pairing of the main character Meg and her dog Hawk came about as a rescue of one another, she from a job where she had lost a beloved dog and Hawk from being homeless. Their rescue of one another makes for a firm bond that helps them succeed in the F.B.I.'s Human Scent Evidence Team and is a part of the appeal of this series.

No Man’s Land starts out with a day trip to an abandoned psychiatric hospital for Meg, her dog Hawk, Meg’s firefighter and paramedic boyfriend Todd Webb, and Todd’s firefighter friend and urbexer Chuck Smaill. It’s a chance for Hawk to get in some training and exercising, and it’s an interesting forage for the humans into some amazing old architecture and a world long forgotten. But, Hawk seems to be on alert from the beginning, indicating that perhaps other humans have tread the grounds and buildings recently. Meg finally realizes that Hawk might be onto something and takes him off leash to do his thing. The result is the discovery of a body, an elderly woman who has been dead for at least several days. Whether she was dead before ending up at this site or died on site is uncertain, but one thing is for certain and that is she couldn’t have gotten to the area she was found by herself. Foul play was at some point involved. A tragedy, but one for local authorities to deal with, until in talking about their day at the home of Meg and her sister Cara, Cara’s journalist boyfriend Clay McCord mentions a similar case six months earlier where an elderly person was found dead at an urbex site. Meg doesn’t like the coincidence and brings the matter up to her boss Craig at the F.B.I.’s Human Scent Evidence Team, who discovers more deaths of the elderly at abandoned urban sites. When another senior goes missing in the area, the team starts an active investigation into trying to find the victims before they die and trying to find a murderer who is preying on those too old and infirm to defend themselves. The rescue efforts take the team into places that are dangerously unstable structures, and the murderer seems to pick some of the most precarious perches in the buildings to leave the helpless, dying elders. It is as time sensitive as rescues can get, and Meg must deal with her aversion to heights in situations where the highest point is a favorite disposal location for the murderer being chased. With the crimes being particularly cruel in the fear factor to the elderly victims, first kidnapped and then left to die alone in a decaying and scary structure, the team and their outlying sources of Todd Webb, Clay McCord, and Chuck Smaill are on a 24-7 schedule to stop the madness. 

This F.B.I. K-9 series checks so many boxes for me. As a fan of the television show Criminal Minds (an F.B.I. team unit show), as a dog lover, as a puzzle enthusiast, I get lots of interests addressed. The dogs and their handlers are always racing against the clock, building suspense on every page. These stories are just plain exciting. It’s truly like Criminal Minds with dogs. This series, like all series, builds on each book, especially in the character and relationship areas, but what is rather unique about this series is that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this last book or any of them as a stand-alone read. Of course, I have wanted to and have read them all and consider each book an amazing story, but if someone were particularly interested in one of the subjects addressed, like urbexing in No Man’s Land, I would green light it as a single read. However, that brings us to the character development that Sara Driscoll (Jen J. Danna and Ann Vanderlaan) is so adept at.  Each book brings more insight into these strong, confident characters that work together so well on unmasking danger and murder. Meg and Hawk, while the stars of the show, benefit and need the help of her boyfriend Todd Webb, who is a D.C. firefighter and paramedic, her sister Cara, who is a dog trainer and yoga instructor, and Cara’s boyfriend Clay McCord, who is a journalist with connections and super human research skills. Then there are the rest of the dogs—Blink, Saki, Coy, and Lacey. All the dogs, those that are rescue and those not, will help readers see dogs as important anchors in life. The rescue dogs, Hawk and Lacey, are fascinating in their abilities as part of the F.B.I.’s Human Scent Evidence Team. And, the storylines and subject matter are endlessly captivating, a constant source of learning for me.

I highly recommend No Man’s Land and the entire F.B.I. K-9 series. It’s an adventure you don’t want to miss. I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from the publisher, and the thoughts and opinions above are absolutely my own assessment.

Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders by Tessa Arlen: Reading Room Review

When I first saw the title and cover of Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders several months before it was published, I was smitten with both. I was almost afraid to read it, unsure if Poppy could possibly be a character as great as her name or the story could possibly match that stunning cover. Well, she is, and it does. The history and the mystery are combined beautifully. The English village of Little Buffenden in 1942 is a charming setting, despite murder seeping into the dark of night. I’m a fan of stories that show the importance of women during WWII, and this book does that, showing the courage, commitment, and sacrifice required by the British women on the home front.

There has been an invasion in the village of Little Buffenden, but it’s a friendly one. American pilots and Airforce personnel have arrived to man the newly built air base adjacent to the village. There are mixed feelings towards the soldiers, a welcome for the much-needed help against the Germans they provide, but at the same time resentment that help is needed from them. Poppy Redfern and her grandparents have reason to resent the Americans, as it is the Redfern’s family home of Reaches and farmland that have been requisitioned and turned into the new airfield. But, they seem fine with their temporary lodging, as they are honor bound to do their duty and make the sacrifice in the war effort. Young and enthusiastic, Poppy has just returned from London and her training to be the air-raid warden for Little Buffenden, and she is eager to help keep her village safe. Making the rounds at night to ensure that all the villagers have properly secured their blackout curtains and that they understand the dangers of non-compliance, she is accompanied by her small dog Bess. But, when danger shows up, it’s not the Germans bombing them in the dark, it’s a murderer preying on the young women of Little Buffenden. 

Poppy has barely started her job as ARP Warden when Doreen Newcombe, a young woman whom Poppy had known since a child, is found strangled. Doreen had been dating an American serviceman, and the villagers immediately cast suspicion upon him as an outsider. When another young lady is found murdered, Poppy’s doubts about an American being responsible for the murders prods her into doing some of her own investigating. She’s encouraged and aided by handsome, charming American pilot Griff O’Neal, who is concerned about American servicemen being blamed and who also provides the romantic element of the book in connection to Poppy. The list of suspects in the murders are eliminated one by one as Poppy digs into alibis and motives, and the shorter the list, the closer Poppy is to becoming a victim herself. 

Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders is the first in A Woman of World War II Mystery series by Tessa Arlen, and I’m happy to say that it was a smashing success for me. In the beginning of the book, Arlen acknowledges her father and grandfather for the many stories of WWII that they shared with her. It’s quite obvious by the details of the story, from the bombings in London to the daily rationing in Little Buffenden, that the author listened carefully to her primary human sources and then did continuing research to give the reader not only an accurate depiction of the time, but a sense of being there. Bringing history alive in a narrative takes a special skill, and Tessa Arlen has that skill, the ability to make it personal and approachable.  There is even an appendage at the conclusion of the story explaining certain unique aspects of Britain’s home front during WWII. 

The characters for this new series have had a great start in development in this first book, with the main characters, especially Poppy, gaining a firm foothold in WWII England and her part in serving her country. I especially like that Arlen sets up expanding possibilities for Poppy’s role in doing her duty, and her personal life is wide open, too. No closed boxes here, lots of room to grow. Poppy will endear herself to readers as a plucky, fearless, compassionate young woman who takes her responsibilities seriously and doesn’t stop until justice prevails. Readers will be eager to see where those responsibilities lead her. 

The Current by Tim Johnston: Reading Room Review

I'm so pleased that I used both audio and print to read The Currrent by Tim Johnston. I needed a book for several short road trips, and this book was a great audio choice, being a storyteller's story where pauses built suspense and prevented glancing ahead. But, I read the last half of the book in print, and this format allowed me to linger on the beauty of the language and reread parts I desired to do so with. The Current is simply a great story, a pulsing, living thing that does its title proud. The twists and turns mimic those of the river, too, and like the river, there is a history of beauty and heartache. Author Tim Johnston has an eye for detail and a talent for weaving those details into a tale of far-reaching effects. He has created a cast of compelling characters in this book, too, and readers will become emotionally invested in and touched by more than one of their struggles. 

Audrey Sutter and Caroline Price are traveling from a college in the South to Audrey's home in Minnesota, where Audrey's ailing father is running short on time, his lung cancer gaining on him daily. When the girls make a pit stop at an out-of-the-way gas station in the Iowa countryside, Audrey is attacked by one of two young men who mean her harm, and it is only by Caroline's quick thinking and mace spray that they get away. Driving fast to put distance between them, Caroline, who grew up in the South and isn't used to driving on icy northern roads, loses control of her car and the girls end up teetering on the edge of a bank over the Black Root River, frozen over on its top. As they teeter there, a vehicle's headlights come up behind them, but it's not there to help, as it taps their bumper and sends them plunging. One girl will live and one girl will die, and a ten-year-old case of another girl who lost her life under suspicious circumstances in the Black Root River in Audrey's hometown will be dredged up for further investigation. Two investigations, one river, and one town that has secrets waiting to surface. Who pushed Audrey and Caroline into the river? Who threw Holly Burke into the same wintery river ten years ago further along its path? If I said more, I would risk the chance that new readers wouldn't enjoy the discovery of those secrets and the characters who possess them for themselves. 

Told from a limited, multiple third-persons point of view, it was easy to become engaged in the characters' personal stories and heartaches. The sorrow of those affected by the ten-year-old death of Holly Burke and the new death is a palatable one. From law enforcement, including Audrey's retired sheriff father, to an old dog named Wyatt, grief and a weariness cloud the community. Futures once bright were forever darkened with the first river tragedy, and a desperation for answers and a demand for responsibility has reached its boiling point. And, yet, the characters don't strike one as defeated, just muted for a period, waiting for their world to be righted. Of course, muted may be an odd choice here, as one of Johnston's many writing strengths is dialogue. Never superfluous, but always on point, the dialogue is one of the currents that move the story. 

The book does begin rather slowly, with its build-up to the girls' car going into the frozen river, but hopefully readers will experience that measured part as I did and as Audrey and Caroline did, as the motion of falling, moving slowly toward their fate, but then with rapid chill, lives are changed from normal college girls in the world to the darkness and cold of a winter river. This excerpt brings you to the moment of the momentum change, although Johnston is not one to be hurried in the continued telling, and the reader will be happy for that. The following excerpt is an observance of the author's amazing command of language, as well as pace.
      “The nose of the car drops over the edge of the bank and the world pitches, and their own weight rolls forward through their bodies as at the top of a roller coaster just before the drop – the deep human fear of falling, the plunging heart, and there’s no stopping it and no getting out and nothing to do but hold on. And down they go, fast and easy in the snow, toboggan-smooth, hand in hand, their grips so tight, the grips of girls much younger, girls who will not be separated, their faces forward, watching the surface of the river, the black glistening ice as it rushes up toward them, larger and larger, until there’s nothing in the windshield but the ice, dark and wide as an ocean and they are going to it, they are going to strike it nose-first with the car and they can imagine that, the sudden ending of forward motion as the car meets the plane of the ice, but after that they cannot imagine, they have never been here before and there is no way to know what will happen next except to go through it…”

The Current is an exceptional novel, and Tim Johnston is an author I will be following from now on. His debut novel, Descent, an NPR Best Books of 2015 honoree, will be on my nightstand soon. Already on numerous "best" lists for 2019, including audio ones, The Current has landed on my Best Reads of 2019, too. I'm torn between advising readers to listen to the spellbinding audio read by Sarah Mollo-Christensen or pour over the print version to enjoy re-reading Johnston's smooth flowing prose. I feel that I had the best of both worlds by dividing it between audio and print. However readers choose to take in this amazing tale, it will be a memorable read that will make Tim Johnston one of your must-read authors.