mystery - TBD Teacher

The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy

04.16.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment

It’s no surprise that a murder case is never the way it seems in a book. The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy is no different. Denny, a neurodivergent man with an IQ of 72, is charged with the murder of a mayoral candidate when he is found after crashing a sled full of guns into a tree. Can he prove to the police why this happened?

https://amzn.to/42MWL5x

3/5 stars ★★★☆☆

My Thoughts On The Sideways Life of Denny Voss:

This story was a sweet but slow-moving burn for me. I enjoyed the characters that are in Denny’s life. Of course, the dog, George, a deaf and blind Saint Bernard, won my heart over. But it was Denny’s cousin, Argus, that was my favorite. He was always so loving toward Denny, even when he had to be tough with him. I also love a funny t-shirt, so I enjoyed that each time Argus showed up in the story, he was wearing a different funny shirt.

Neurodivergent people hold a special place in my heart, so maybe this is why this story was a little difficult for me to read. Denny was leading a good life, and yet, he was misunderstood, and that was frustrating to me. I saw so many of my past students in Denny. It just made me want to hug him.

This book has high ratings from so many readers, so I hope that you will still give it a try. I am definitely the oddball with my rating. It repeated a little too much for me, and I wanted to hurry the story along. I do love the cover, though. It was a perfect choice for this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Kennedy, and Lake Union Publishing for my free copy. This is my honest review.

*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/

*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/

My New Favorite Product This Week:

My Kindle died this week, so I had to get a new one. Of course, this also meant a new cover. I love my new Vori cover because you can hold it with the strap if you are laying down, or use the stand if you are sitting in a chair. Plus, they have a lot of great designs to choose from. It is absolutely perfect, and I highly recommend it.

https://amzn.to/3RlP684

The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker: A Thriller You Won’t Want To Miss!

04.10.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment

Best ending ever! The cover says, “You’ll never forget the ending…” Whoa, they weren’t kidding. The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker was extremely suspenseful, especially during the second half. In true Patterson fashion, The Writer keeps you on your toes as you try to figure out the mystery.

https://amzn.to/3G3K6Cw

5/5 stars ★★★★★

What Is The Writer About?

This thriller is about a true-crime writer, Denise Morrow, who is found next to her dead husband. She is covered in blood and holding a knife. NYPD Detective, Declan Shaw, finds her behavior odd and starts to delve deeper into the mystery. As he dives into her past, he begins to see that things are more sinister than he thought.

My Thoughts on The Writer:

I loved this book. I’m a big fan of James Patterson and his thriller books, but combine that with the talents of J.D. Barker, and this book is a hit! Just like in other Patterson books, he takes some time to set up the mystery. BUT, you know something great and suspenseful is coming. This book didn’t disappoint.

Declan Shaw is a likable and relatable character. I like how the character’s flaws are shown throughout the story. He doesn’t dress nicely, like his partner, Jarod Cordova. In fact, he reminds me a lot of Harry Bosch in the Michael Connelly series. He takes his job seriously, but he can definitely get in trouble while doing his best work.

I couldn’t stand Denise Morrow, but I was intrigued by her talents as a true-crime writer. It makes me wonder if true-crime writers have more of a criminal mind than criminals themselves. Ha. They research crimes extensively. Detectives should talk to them in real life to hear their thoughts on a case.

My favorite part of the book is all of the twists. They were brilliant and added to the story. I had to process the ending when I finished. I sat there and thought, “What did I just read???”

This is now one of my favorite Patterson books. Which one is your favorite?

I gave this book five out of five stars. It should definitely be made into a movie. I didn’t want to stop reading, and I will remember the ending for a while.

You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/3G3K6Cw. This is a great gift for someone who is a Patterson fan. Since it was just published, you won’t need to worry if they have already read it.

EXTRAS:

If you love James Patterson books, here are some of my favorites and recommend:

*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/

*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/

Thank you to NetGalley, James Patterson, J.D. Barker, and Little, Brown & Co for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Want To Know My Favorite Product of the Week at Amazon?

Amazon will send me products in order to give them a review. Some are big hits with me, and others are true bombs. Here is my latest fave:

If you love fruit preserves, I recommend the Just Spread Fruit Preserve. These preserves are made with real fruit pieces. I tried three different kinds, but the apricot is my favorite. There were huge chunks of fruit in them. I also like that it only had four ingredients. Check it out: https://amzn.to/43Jqi12

Dead Money By Jakob Kerr: A Gripping Mystery Adventure

03.04.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment

I love to read a book that I hope turns into a movie. With its twists throughout the story, Dead Money by Jakob Kerr keeps you guessing throughout the book.

4/5 stars ★★★★☆

https://amzn.to/3F05Xua

About Dead Money:

The Silicon Valley in California is filled tech billionaires and start-up companies. When one of the top CEOs is murdered, there are a lot of suspects. A lot of money is on the line. Shares could be distributed throughout the investors and executives. However, everything is frozen or becomes “dead money” until the murder is solved.

As the FBI and police try to solve the case, the biggest investor company brings in Mackenzie, a trained lawyer and company investigator as a liaison . How will the FBI handle having someone on the outside tag along to help solve the case? Will the murder be solved when everyone seems to have an alibi? Who will end up as the guilty party?

My Thoughts on Dead Money:

I enjoyed this mystery adventure that took me on a ride through the tech industry. I have toured the Google building in Denver, and I pictured the story taking place in a building just like it. I had to keep guessing who killed Trevor Canon, the CEO, and I love that in a story. I was right, but I kept second-guessing myself as Kerr slipped in clues along the way.

I loved the character of Mackenzie. Kerr did a great job of creating her character, showing the strengths and weaknesses of Mackenzie’s personality. She wanted to succeed so badly, and she was willing to do what it takes to try to find the murderer.

I was surprised to read that this is Jacob Kerr’s debut novel. As an English teacher, I know strong writing when I read it, and I know this is just the beginning of Kerr’s writing career. As I said, I hope that this book is turned into a movie. I would definitely pay to see it.

I gave this book four out of five stars. I read it quickly and enjoyed the story line.

You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/4i1Jr2F

Extras:

If you enjoyed this book by Jakob Kerr and you are looking for another mystery/thriller, I recommend:

The Waiting by Michael Connelly – https://amzn.to/4imJzcI
Target Acquired by Lynette Eason – https://amzn.to/3D3FM5e
Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni – https://amzn.to/4h8DDCU

*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/

*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/

Thank you to NetGalley, Jakob Kerr, and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Guilty Until Innocent: A Review of Robert Whitlow’s Novel

02.18.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment

Can good ever come out from a man that is accused of murder? In Guilty Until Innocent, by Christian author Robert Whitlow, a cold-case is reopened and you might be surprised by what they find.

4/5 stars ★★★★☆

https://amzn.to/3EEXfBo

About Guilty Until Innocent:

Joe Moore has been convicted of murdering a couple with a knife. He has spent most of his life is prison, but his family is convinced that he is innocent. Ryan Clark, an attorney, has been hired to find out what happened on that night long ago.

Joe is a Christian man who is admired by the other inmates for his prayer groups. He is a model prisoner. Ryan is a new attorney struggling to find his way. His wife is pregnant, he just moved to a new town, and he has started a new job. As these two lives interconnect in North Carolina, a wonderful drama/mystery unfolds. Will Ryan be able to uncover the truth?

My Thoughts On Guilty Until Innocent:

Robert Whitlow is known for his Christian novels. If you aren’t into reading about God and/or the Bible, then this book isn’t for you. I actually loved that part of the book. It was filled with Bible verses that made me reflect on my own life, and the character of Joe taught a lot about redemption. To me, it was more of a Christian novel than a thriller, but that was okay. It is a slow burn and the thriller/suspense comes in the later 1/4 of the book. This is important to know if you are reading it just for the thriller part of the book.

I love to read about prison life, so Joe’s daily activities were interesting to me. At times, his story seemed a little unrealistic, but I haven’t been to prison, so who am I to judge? The story of Ryan and his wife was sweet and very realistic. I especially liked seeing how he treated her while she was pregnant. Both characters were relatable.

I gave this book four out of five stars. I enjoyed the story line, and cheered on Ryan and Joe throughout the book. I wish it had been more of a thriller, which is why I gave it four stars.

You can buy this book at https://amzn.to/3EMhYTW