Snowed-In, Coughing, and Still Reading Mysteries ❄️📚
I’m writing this on a Tuesday that should have been my kids’ first day back at school after winter break… but winter had other plans. We’ve been snowed in since Friday afternoon, school is canceled, groceries are dwindling, and I have zipped/unzipped snow pants, boots, jackets, hats, mittens, gloves, and an extra sweater on three toddlers approximately 9,000 times in the last three and a half days.
I haven’t worn makeup. I haven’t left the house. My espresso pod supply is at DEFCON 2. Delivery trucks can’t reach us anyway. We are truly just existing right now.
Add in a two-week cough so violent I pulled the muscles between my ribs, and you’ve got my winter-break vibe. ✨ But while my husband plays with the kids in the snow (for the 15 minutes that will inevitably last), I’m writing this post.
Three Mystery Novels I Really Enjoyed
Despite reading very little since Sophie arrived in August, I recently impulsively downloaded three mystery/psychological thriller novels — and surprise! I enjoyed all three.
Two of them use one of my least favorite tropes (unreliable narrators due to trauma), but both handled it surprisingly well.
Today’s books:
- That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally
- Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
- The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak
All three were solid, engaging, fun little whodunits, and I gave each of them 4 stars.
1. That’s Not My Name — Megan Lally
A total impulse download on a random Saturday morning. As of January 2025, it has 4.09 stars on Goodreads, and honestly, that feels right.
What I liked:
- Quick, punchy chapters that make the book truly hard to put down
- Dual POVs (both teens, both present tense — and somehow not annoying!)
- One narrator is unreliable, which is usually a red flag for me, but here it worked
- The tone had this intensity that pulled me forward every time I picked it up
- The twist genuinely surprised me
- The ending tied everything together nicely
The setup: A girl goes missing. Her boyfriend is suspected. We hear from both of them in alternating present timelines.
Simple, effective, atmospheric, and compulsively readable.
Verdict: Recommend. 4 stars.
2. Listen for the Lie — Amy Tintera
Current Goodreads rating: 4.10 stars
My rating: 4 stars
This one hooked me instantly. It’s gripping in a way that reminded me how much I love mysteries with structure.
The format:
- Present-day chapters from our narrator
- Past chapters filling in context
- Interludes from a true crime podcast covering the case
As a podcaster myself, I thought the inclusion of podcast episodes as narrative devices was delightful. They moved the plot forward in clever, bite-sized pieces.
Premise: Our narrator was present when her best friend died years ago — but due to trauma, she can’t remember what happened. Did she do it? Did someone else? The podcaster wants answers.
Despite being a murder mystery, the tone was surprisingly fun and light. I liked every character. It felt enjoyable rather than heavy.
Verdict: A really enjoyable mystery with a great structure. Recommend.
3. The Last One at the Wedding — Jason Rekulak
Goodreads score: 3.66
My score: 4 stars (I’m in the minority!)
I read Rekulak’s Hidden Pictures a few years ago and loved its weird, supernatural element. This book doesn’t have that — but I still thought it was great.
I listened on audiobook and loved the narration.
The plot (without giving too much away):
Frank, our main character, is estranged from his daughter. Suddenly she calls, announces her engagement, and invites him to her very soon-ish wedding… to the son of a major tech mogul.
Frank arrives and instantly notices things aren’t quite right. People die. People vanish. Secrets unravel. There’s a mystery-within-a-wedding vibe that worked for me.
Many reviewers disliked Frank, but I thought he was:
- grounded
- principled
- honest
- an old-school dad who values truth
- and a genuinely compelling narrator
If you don’t mind an MC with strong integrity and a bit of a retro worldview, you might really enjoy this.
Verdict: Fun, strange, charming, and underrated. Recommend.
Final Thoughts
All three books were:
- engaging
- easy to read
- narratively satisfying
- twisty without being convoluted
None were “all-time favorites,” but they were all solid, enjoyable 4-star mysteries — a great way to kick off the year.
As for me? I’m praying we have school tomorrow. 🙏 I would love groceries. I would love espresso. I would love to know what day it is. But this has been a cozy, chaotic, memorable winter break — the kind you look back on with a laugh and slightly wild eyes.