Tag Archives: The Guilty Die Twice

Round-up 2020 – Mysteries and thrillers!

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Having read a whole lot of books this year, I have decided to do a sum up of the different genres and list my favorite books among those read in 2020!

These posts will help me with the final round-up of favorite books read in 2020 at the end of the year (in another 15 days! :D)

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In this post, I am summarizing the books read in the mystery and thriller genre. Honestly, I haven’t read much in this genre this year, and it is possible to link some of the YA fiction that I have read in this. But, I have chosen to stick to old fashioned mysteries that make us think and investigate along with the main characters.

Who Threw Draco Down the Chimney? by Smita Bhattacharya

Who Threw Draco Down the Chimney? (Darya Nandkarni's Misadventures #3)

This is the third book in the series based on the eccentric character of Darya Nandkarni. Darya is a an accidental and amateur detective who seems to find her way towards mysteries or do they find her? That is a question for the reader to ponder!

Who Threw Draco Down the Chimney? is a very well-crafted mystery filled with the right amount of intrigue in a wonderful setting.

Smita handles the story and characters very well, with detailed descriptions and a steady pace that takes the reader until the very end. The story can be read as a stand-alone one even though there are some minor references to cases that Darya solved previously and to her family.

This is a must read for everyone who enjoys mysteries set in unique places and with wonderful twists and turns!

 

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

The Last Anniversary is a compelling read!

The author has paid strong attention to details while handling the mystery as well as the characters and this makes the story that much more enjoyable. I strongly recommend this book and I hope that everyone enjoys it as much as I did!

 

58 Farm End by Natasha Murray

58 Farm End

58 Farm End is a fast paced mystery thriller that introduces the reader to the Bridgewaters and Hearns. The plot is well thought out and the characters are easy to relate to.

Some parts of the mystery are so unexpected that this makes for an interesting read! The ending is unexpected and I like how this book leads on to the next one!

A well-written murder mystery, this book is a must read for all!

 

Murder at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers

Murder at the Lakeside Library follows Rain, the protagonist as she arrives at her family’s log cabin in Lofty Pines. Dealing with personal loss, Rain is emotionally unstable, but feels that this break will do her good. I particularly enjoyed the twist in the story at the end and this redeemed some of the story for me. I would recommend this as a cozy mystery which is simple to read and enjoy!

 

Two Murders Too Many by Bluette Matthey

Two Murders Too Many

The story follows Charlie Simmons as he investigates the unexpected spree of crime and murder in a small midwest town. The story is very well written with a myriad of characters each with their own quirks.

The ending is definitely a little unexpected and it is quite interesting to watch as Charlie works through each clue one by one to reach a conclusion! The book is well worth the read!

 

The Guilty Die Twice: A Legal Thriller by Don Hartshorn

The Guilty Die Twice: A Legal Thriller

The premise of the book intrigued me and thus I picked it up to read. The story follows estranged lawyer brother’s Travis and Jake Lynch as they navigate their separate worlds, having parted ways ten years ago. The story is told from each of their perspectives interspersed with flashbacks to the incident from ten years ago.

Though it takes some effort to get through, the book is definitely worth a one time read.

 

Winter of the Wolf by Martha Hunt Handler

Winter of the Wolf by Martha Hunt Handler

This book follows the life of Bean (yes, this is a very unusual name for a person and I was surprised with it. I thought it was a nickname.) as she navigates life post her brother’s death. We are given glimpses into the lives of the family members before Sam’s death and of course how they each cope after it.

I enjoyed the references to animals and how the author weaves the story around people’s belief systems without sounding like she is preaching. This book is well worth the read especially to admire the bonds of friendship and family that forms the backbone of the plot.

 

I would love to know what you all think about these books, so don’t hesitate to share your thoughts on this post! In addition, I am open to book recommendations in this genre, so do stop by and comment!

Book Review: The Guilty Die Twice: A Legal Thriller by Don Hartshorn

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About the Book:

The Guilty Die Twice: A Legal Thriller

Two attorney brothers. Two bullet-riddled corpses. Two sides to the story.

Ten years ago, a capital murder case in the heart of Texas split the Lynch family in two. Now, estranged lawyer brothers Travis and Jake Lynch find themselves on opposing sides of the courtroom in a high-profile, grisly double murder case—with another accused criminal’s life on the line. Conscience-stricken Travis left his high-powered law firm to become a public defender, while bullish Jake rose to become District Attorney. The case pits brother against brother in a contest of wits, wills, and legal savvy that will shake the justice system to its core: both Lynches are convinced they’re in the right, but the truth turns out to be more complicated—and deadly—than either could have possibly imagined.

A drug deal double-cross turns lethal, leaving two corpses and one victim paralyzed for life. The victim never saw the gunman, but he knows one name: Sam Park. Travis defended Sam’s brother years before, and his heart won’t let him turn down the case, even knowing it’ll bring him face-to-face with Jake after ten years of cold silence. Jake, meanwhile, runs afoul of the Austin political machine and needs a high-profile conviction to win a tough upcoming election. And Sam, the star witness and prime suspect, won’t talk—not to Travis, and certainly not to the high-and-mighty DA—and time is running out.

Can these feuding brothers put aside a decade of enmity in the name of true justice? Or will the truth of what really happened that bloody night go to the grave with Sam Park?

My Thoughts:

I was offered a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the book intrigued me and thus I picked it up to read. The story follows estranged lawyer brother’s Travis and Jake Lynch as they navigate their separate worlds, having parted ways ten years ago. The story is told from each of their perspectives interspersed with flashbacks to the incident from ten years ago.

Though the book’s premise seems to promise an interesting case involving a double murder and the brother’s on opposite ends, the story focuses more and more on their relationship and dynamics. We see very little of the investigation, trial preparation and somewhere along the line, the truth behind the murders is revealed. The main focus is on the brother’s and whether they can put aside their differences to work together and bring about a change.

The story is well-written, the family dynamics are well explained, but the characters are not wholly developed. There always seems to be something lacking in them. There are many elements to the story where the reader is not given a lot of background. Some incidents just happen and we have to accept them without enough explanation as to why they happened in the first place. All this however, is not a major deterrent. Though it takes some effort to get through, the book is definitely worth a one time read.