Aberdeen Magazine Book Club

Roommate Revenge

By Brenda Donelan

RENDA DONELAN’S Roommate Revenge delivers not one, but two murder mysteries in one. One of the strengths of Donelan’s University Mystery Series is that each book can stand on its own. While fans will certainly enjoy following the series in order, Donelan skillfully weaves in character details and setting so new readers can jump right in without feeling lost.

Set in a small rural town in “East River” South Dakota, the book has a backdrop that feels both familiar and refreshingly unique. Donelan captures the rhythms of small-town life, the gossip, the routines, the fierce loyalty of neighbors and highlights the quirks and habits of Midwesterners with a charming, self deprecating humor that makes you smile.

Roommate Revenge begins as a cozy mystery, when three longtime college friends reunite for a weekend of fun. Until one of them ends up in a body bag. Amateur sleuth and college professor Marlee McCabe, with the help of her ever-delightful cousin Bridget, starts digging for answers. In the process, she uncovers links to an older murder that was supposedly solved more than a decade earlier. While Donelan’s novels are usually known for their cozy tone and sharp humor, this installment carries more weight. She takes on heavier themes such as addiction. She does this with nuance and sensitivity. Rather than relying on stereotypes, Donelan shows how addiction can touch anyone, and how the path to recovery looks different for every individual. Alongside shady suspects and memorable villains, she gives us flawed, deeply human characters who feel true to life.

Roommate Revenge is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter’s night. It is engaging, thought-provoking, and thoroughly entertaining. Donelan’s keen insight into human behavior, her affection for her South Dakota setting and her gift for creating relatable characters makes this both a satisfying standalone read and an excellent gateway into her always entertaining University Mystery Series.

She Didn’t See It Coming

By Shari Lapena

IF YOU’RE A FAN OF LISA JEWEL OR Freda McFadden, then you will really enjoy Shari Lapena’s psychological thriller, She Didn’t See It Coming. Like any good psych thriller, the story takes off quickly, and within just a few chapters readers are faced with a handful of suspects. Yes, there are the “usual suspects” such as the unhappy spouse, a shadowy figure from the past, the new acquaintance, et cetera. Lapena has a gift for pulling us through the twists and turns of the human mind. She reminds us how little we can truly know about someone else’s life once the doors are shut and the curtains drawn.

This mystery is set squarely in the “perfect life” world of a young, affluent couple with great careers, a beautiful child, and a circle of supportive family and friends. On the surface, they have it all. But with that glossy perfection comes jealousy, secrets, and creeping paranoia. This is where this author really shines. The reader gets information from each character’s point of view which is very insightful if you can trust their narration of events.

Lapena is a master at keeping readers guessing. Every suspect feels plausible, every motive convincing right up until the very end, when the truth is revealed, and you realize you truly didn’t see it coming. This book is fast-paced, sharp, and full of psychological insight. She Didn’t See It Coming examines the fragile undercurrents of relationships while keeping you on the edge of your seat…