Two Summer Reads: Knife River & Lucky

Two very different books for you summer reading list – I hope you enjoy 🙂

Knife River by Justine Champine

Natalie Fairchild disappeared fifteen years ago leaving her two daughters, Liz 19 and Sarah 13, alone in their house in Knife River, New York. When skeletal remains are found, Sarah quickly packs her few belongings and leaves her latest relationship behind. She’s done that kind of thing before.

The drive back to Knife River is long, the memories are longer. Arriving at the house her sister Liz awaits. Their relationship is strained but not without tenuous bonds of love. Inside, the house is a mess of things from the time their mother disappeared: Natalie’s bedroom untouched, mason jars of preserves uneaten for all those years, it’s sad and depressing.

Once the bones are confirmed as their mother’s Liz burns with anger to hold Nick Haines responsible. Like many others she’s sure he murdered her mother. Sarah isn’t that sure. The police seem disinterested, even as Liz presses them to bring him in for questioning. Meantime, Sarah has connected with a lost love and her mind is filled with what could be.

Knife River is a book of renewal of family, growth to understanding, and the acceptance of loss.

Lucky by Marissa Stapley

Abandoned on church steps as an infant, stolen from there by a grifter, Luciana “Lucky” Armstrong didn’t have much of a chance in life. She learned at her “father” Jack’s side but never enjoyed the game. She often felt sorry for the people he conned.

The years pass, the targets vary. One of them is a mother and daughter that they lived with for several months, Lucky thinks there could be a chance to have a home, to be settled and happy. It was never going to happen.

Lucky studies for college and meets Cary, yet another grifter. But his mother, she’s in a whole other league. A great summer read Lucky will give you the danger from the safety of your beach towel.

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~June Lorraine Roberts

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Murder in Common is #33 on the Feedspot Top 100 Crime Novel Website

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