Michelle Godard-Richer Author

I’m thrilled with this review of Accident or Murder. Thank you Mrs. G!

Another review by Mrs. G.! sounds like one for the TBR!

5.5.26 Accident or Murder by Michelle Godard-Richer

5 Stars

A compelling read! Secrets, revenge, plots, and envy all play a role in this story about people haunted by a shocking death in the past. Almost everyone seems to have some degree of shadiness hanging over them, but the author writes the characters with enough depth so that the reader stays curious about what may happen to them and/or what they may bring onto their own self. You’re really not sure who to cheer on and who not to, which is one reason why we love thrillers. An especially good read for readers who enjoy multi-character first person narration. At one point I thought quite a while went by without one of the narrators, but the person was brought back in and as the story unfolded, I understood why. I do recommend this book! It’s a quick read with a couple of ending twists that work well.

🎧Hadley’s Second Book of the Week is Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
Pub Date: April 21, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Description: Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: eighty-one years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent, and never without a hot cup of tea—or a cutting remark. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor turns up dead and the whispers start flying.

Because Elsie hasn’t always been Elsie. Once upon a headline, she was Mad Mabel Waller—Australia’s youngest convicted murderer. But was she really mad, or just misunderstood? Either way, she’s kept her secret buried for decades.

Enter seven-year-old Persephone, a relentless little chatterbox who has just moved in across the road (armed with stickers, questions, and no sense of personal boundaries); Joan, who appears to have it in for Elsie; and a healthy dose of public interest—the cops are sniffing around, and the media is circling like seagulls at a picnic.

So Mabel does what she’s always done best—she takes matters into her own hands.

My thoughts: Mabel is the best main character I’ve come across so far this year. Her backstory and the life she lives are both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The secondary cast, including her family and friends, affects her trajectory as her character evolves and grows. This story hits literary notes by reflecting on society’s tendency to villainize people without hearing their side. I know this book will stick with me for a while. The narration was well done and portrayed Mabel’s moods well.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press , Macmillan Audio, Sally Hepworth for the gifted ebook and ALC.

QOTD: What was your last 5 star read? Or what was your fave book in April?

☠️Book News! I signed a contract for Cursed Weather, Book 4 of Vengeful Spirits. Maya, Davis, and Hannah are reuniting for their hardest challenge yet it the midst of the worst Nor’easter of all time! This book will also include an extra creepy bonus short story called, The Housekeeper in the Veil!

📚Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker
Pub Date: April 14, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Description: October, 2026: Lee Turner doesn’t remember how or why he killed his college roommate. The details are blurred and bloody. All he knows is he has to flee New York and go to the one place that might offer refuge—his father’s new home in Japan, a house hidden by sword ferns and wild ginger. But something is terribly wrong with the house: no animals will come near it, the bedroom window isn’t always a window, and a woman with a sword appears in the yard when night falls.

October, 1877: Sen is a young samurai in exile, hiding from the imperial soldiers in a house behind the sword ferns. A monster came home from war wearing her father’s face, but Sen would do anything to please him, even turn her sword on her own mother. She knows the soldiers will soon slaughter her whole family when she sees a terrible omen: a young foreign man who appears outside her window.

One of these people is a ghost, and one of these stories is a lie.

Something is hiding beneath the house of sword ferns, and Lee and Sen will soon wish they never unburied it.

My thoughts: An atmospheric tale rich in culture that somehow enchanted and creeped me out at the same time. The dual POVs are so well done with Lee and Sen jumping off the pages in their unique times that melded together so perfectly. The writing style is descriptive and immersive, and the narration is perfect for portraying the mood. Fans of unique storytelling and blended genres will love this one.

Thank you HTP Books and HTP Books Audio for the gifted ebook and ALC

QOTD: What was your last five star read?