On Friday, I watched Becoming, a documentary on Netflix that followed Michelle Obama on her book tour, and to her past in Chicago. I haven’t yet read the book, but she is such a down to earth, relatable presence in this documentary.
She talks about what it was like to endure the attacks on her when Obama was first campaigning and that was seriously ugly stuff. She also talks about her kids, and wanting them to grow up realising that they’re supposed to make their beds and not be served by White House staff in tuxes. She also talks about her marriage, and the work she and Obama put into making it work. And she spoke about the importance of being happy for herself. There’s so much more in the documentary, things that have probably gone over my head bc I am not American.
Worth your time though.
This week, here the books I’m waiting on:
They Did Bad Things
And Then There Were None meets The Last Time I Lied in this dark and twisty psychological thriller.
In 1995, six university students moved into the house at 215 Caldwell Street. Months later, one of them was found dead on the sofa the morning after their end-of-year party. His death was ruled an accident by the police. The remaining five all knew it wasn’t, and though they went on with their lives, the truth of what happened to their sixth housemate couldn’t stay buried forever.
Twenty years later, all five of them arrive—lured separately under various pretenses—at Wolfheather House, a crumbling, secluded mansion on the Scottish isle of Doon. Trapped inside with no way out and no signal to the outside world, the now forty-somethings fight each other—and the unknown mastermind behind their gathering—as they confront the role they played in their housemate’s death. They are given one choice: confess to their crimes or die.
They Did Bad Things is a deviously clever psychological thriller about the banality of evil and the human capacity for committing horror.
Honestly, being trapped in a house like this gives me claustrophobia, and I am half expecting one of the five are behind the whole thing. On the other hand, what better situation for delicious secrets to come out??
Broken Genius
In 2011, Will Parker, the young prodigy CEO of a big tech company, makes a coding mistake that costs a college student her life. To assuage his guilt, Will pursues a career in the FBI Cyber Division. Now, Special Agent Will Parker is called to investigate a murder scene at a Comic Con event in the Midwest, where the victim has ties to a radioactive quantum computer that Will was working on before he left his gig as CEO. Working with smart local homicide detective Dana Lopez and FBI stuffed-shirt Thomas Decker, Will discovers the victim was holding an auction for the computer on the Dark Web—and the bidding is still live. With bidders including a legendary Chinese hacker, Russian criminals sent by the Kremlin, and a corporate executive desperate to escape a scandal, Will once again finds a life in his hands when the victim’s daughter is taken hostage. A trail of blood and high-tech breadcrumbs leads Will deeper into mystery, danger, and a race against time to keep unlimited power out of the wrong hands.
That Will Parker, a former CEO, leaves his position behind to become an FBI agent is what grabbed my attention here. Wouldn’t he have been able to do more as a CEO? I am sure (I hope) there’s a logical explanation for all this, and it’s one I am willing to see because it sounds like this is bringing him around full circle.
Last One to Lie
Moving to a new city was supposed to be a fresh start for her family. Now it’s a nightmare.
Her little girl was supposed to be at day care when Kelsey arrived to pick her up. But they have no record of her daughter ever being there. And to make matters worse, her husband is missing too—he won’t pick up his phone, and the school he supposedly works at says he never accepted their job offer.
Detective Paul Ryan knows something’s up with Kelsey’s story. Kelsey’s husband might be involved in their daughter’s disappearance, but the deeper the detective digs, the more inconsistencies he finds.
As Detective Ryan tries to uncover the truth, what he finds are more deeply buried secrets that someone clearly never wanted found.
What secrets were Kelsey’s husband hiding? Where is her daughter??? So many questions!
The Finders
What happens when the hunter becomes the hunted?
Jeffrey B. Burton’s The Finders marks the beginning of a fast-paced new mystery series featuring a heroic golden retriever cadaver dog named Vira and her handler, Mason Reid.
Mason “Mace” Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection. He trains dogs to hunt for the dead. Reid’s coming off a taxing year—mourning the death of a beloved springer spaniel as well as the dissolution of his marriage. He adopts a rescue dog with a mysterious past—a golden retriever named Vira. And when Reid begins training Vira as a cadaver dog, he comes to realize just how special the newest addition to his family truly is…
Suddenly, Reid and his prize pupil find themselves hurled into a taxing murder case, which will push them to their very limits. Paired with determined Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, Mace must put all his trust in Vira’s abilities to thwart a serial killer who has now set his sights on Mace himself.
What is this mysterious past that Vira has? (how cute is the cover, BTW?) And how on earth does a serial killer get fixated on Mace?!
Malorie
In the thrilling sequel to Bird Box, the inspiration for the record-breaking Netflix film that starred Sandra Bullock and “absolutely riveted” Stephen King, New York Times bestselling author Josh Malerman brings unseen horrors to life.
The film adaptation of Malerman’s first novel, Bird Box, was watched by over forty-five million Netflix accounts in the first week, the best first seven days ever for a film on the platform. Countless more came to know the story through social media. The image of Sandra Bullock’s character, Malorie, blindfolded—as she’s led through a terrifying near-future apocalypse by the trained ears of her children—has become synonymous with a new generation of horror.
Now from the mind of a true master of suspense comes the next chapter in the riveting tale. This time, Malorie is front and center, and she will confront the dangers of her world head-on
Given that Bird Box is the only ‘horror’ movie I’ve seen in forever, and was thoroughly hooked on it, I had to add this to my TBR. Not to mention, the ending left me wondering just what happened after they arrived at their safe haven.
That’s it for me! What are you waiting on this week?
There better be nothing bad happening to the golden retriever in The Finders or I will scream.
Girl, I’m right there with you on that one!
All of these are new to me, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for them. Especially The Finders. 🙂
Doesn’t the Finders look so good? I want to get my hands on it so much!
Becoming is well worth a read. I plan to watch the film sometime this week!
I hope you enjoy it — she’s such a fascinating woman!
Well, Finders and They Did a Bad Thing are on my list…frankly all of these appeal to me. You find the coolest books 🙂
Thank you!!! I’m am so looking forward to reviews of They did a bad thing! The cover kinda creeps me out, but I’m totally busting to know how the premise works out!
The Finders is one I really want to read. I mean, how could you not with that cute dog on the cover? 🙂
IKR? Best thing to put on the cover!
So now I need They Did a Bad Thing NOW! It sounds like something I’d love. And of course, I already have an arc of The Finders. Are you shocked? I think not 🙂 I don’t know about Malorie. I never did read Bird Box and basically called it a day after watching it on Netflix. I liked the movie but heard it was different from the book. What else is new. Hope you have a great week my friend.
Ohhh, I didn’t realise Bird Box was so different from the movie!? Haa, no, no surprise at all that you have an arc of The Finders — I’m already looking forward to your review — that face on the cover is too lovely to resist! I hope you have a good week too, Barb!! <3
I haven’t seen the documentary yet, but it sounds so good!
It really is — I don’t know her beyond the news grabs, so it offered some great insight into her.
I loved Michelle Obama’s book so I definitely want to see the documentary. She is just such an inspiration and I miss having her as our First Lady.
She is just so down to earth and relatable — she was just so fun to watch.