A Murder In Paris by Matthew Blake

Recovered memories represent a complex phenomenon, with the potential for both the genuine recall of traumatic events and the construction of false memories. It’s crucial to approach this topic with sensitivity, recognizing its capacity for both healing and harm. When renowned painter and Holocaust survivor Josephine Benoit confesses to a decades-old murder, claiming she once killed a woman with her same name at the Hotel Lutetia in 1945 to steal her identity, everything fractures. Her granddaughter, Dr. Olivia Finn, insists her grandmother’s memory has been unreliable for years but the confession sets off a chain of events too disturbing to ignore.

Not long after, Josephine is murdered.

At first, it seems like a tragic coincidence. Why would anyone kill her now, so many years after the war and over a confession that might not even be real? But as Olivia begins digging, it becomes clear, this isn’t just about an old crime. Despite the pervasive distrust, Olivia embarks on a journey to uncover the truth and find clarity amidst the confusion. 

I found myself pitying both, Josephine and Olivia. They are grappling with fractured relationships, hidden agendas, and the unsettling feeling that those around them are not who they seem. 

It’s a bit draggy at times, but it almost feels intentional, pushing you to sit with the weight of what’s being unearthed. The alternating narrators and short, punchy chapters kept me hooked. The themes of memory, trauma, and the unreliability of perception, with a focus on uncovering secrets from the past, are quite similar to the author’s previous work, Anna O. 4 ⭐

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

I don’t even know how to put this into words. I’ve only read one book by Karin Slaughter before, and I wasn’t expecting this. Not this level of emotional devastation. We Are All Guilty Here grabbed me by the heart, tore it out, and made me feel every beat of these characters’ pain and I cried real tears for them like they were people I knew irl. I still can’t stop thinking about them.

Set in the small town of North Falls, where everyone’s in everyone else’s business, the nightmare begins when two fifteen-year-old girls, Madison Dalrymple and Cheyenne Baker, vanish. Their bikes are found abandoned. There’s blood at the scene, then drugs and stacks of cash are found in their room. Evidence that raises more questions than answers. The town turns savage.

But for Officer Emmy Clifton, this case is personal. Madison is the stepdaughter of her best friend, Hannah. Emmy carries the guilt like a second skin and it only deepens when the girls are found dead, brutally bruised. The killer vanishes without a trace. No evidence. No DNA. Just a red herring. The case is also known as the Broken Angels.

Twelve years later, North Falls is dragged back into its darkest memories when another teenage girl vanishes. With history repeating itself, Emmy is forced to reopen wounds she never truly healed. She must face the trauma she buried, the secrets the town tried to forget, and the haunting possibility that the killer never left.

This book isn’t just a psychological thriller it’s a deep dive into the fractures of human nature. Slaughter masterfully pulls apart each character’s layers, exposing raw emotion, deep flaws, and the domino effect of every choice.

And the ending is twisted, gut-punching, and utterly unforgettable. We Are All Guilty Here is an emotional roller coaster wrapped in a murder mystery, which is dark, gritty, and so well-crafted it hurts. Karin Slaughter nailed it. 5⭐

Pengabdian by Hasrudi Jawawi

Setelah lama menyepi akibat pandemik dan kebuntuan idea, Fuadi kembali dengan novel terbaru tentang sebuah kisah seram yang diinspirasikan daripada kejadian sebenar. 

Semuanya bermula dengan satu panggilan. Rozi menerima berita tentang kemalangan yang meragut nyawa kakaknya, Rosmi, dan abang iparnya, Hisham. Mereka meninggalkan seorang anak kecil bernama Dani. Walaupun hubungan mereka renggang sejak Rosmi berkahwin, Rozi tahu dia tiada pilihan selain hadir sekurang-kurangnya untuk melihat mereka buat kali terakhir.

Tapi sejak dia jejakkan kaki ke rumah mereka, ada sesuatu yang tidak kena. Dinding yang seakan bernafas. Dan gangguan-gangguan kecil yang lama-lama menjadi bayangan menyesakkan. Rozi yakin semuanya ada kaitan dengan latar belakang abang iparnya, anak kepada seorang dukun bernama Pak Pandak. Dia mula percaya bahawa ‘sesuatu’ sedang mencari waris. Dan Dani adalah sasarannya.

Namun, apa yang membuat Pengabdian lain daripada cerita seram biasa adalah cara ia diceritakan. Pak Pandak dan Sufian ialah unreliable narator. Apa yang Rozi alami...adakah benar-benar berlaku, atau cuma bayangan yang dicipta oleh rasa bersalah, trauma, atau sesuatu yang lebih gelap?

Ada bahagian dalam buku ini yang mungkin aku rasa klise pada awalnya kematian misteri, saka turun-temurun, rumah berhantu tapi, penulis membawanya ke tahap lain dengan bab demi bab, kita akan meragui sama ada ini cerita rekaan atau satu pengakuan.

Pengabdian bukan hanya tentang warisan ilmu hitam. Ia tentang dendam, keturunan, dan kebenaran yang ingin disembunyikan.