Michelle Godard-Richer Author

🐶Hadley’s Book of the Week is All The Lies We See by Christina McDonald
Coming July 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m thriller we got an early look at this book at Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse!

Description: Detective Jess Lambert is days away from the trial of the woman accused of killing her daughter when she wakes in a seedy hotel room with no memory of how she got there. On her phone is a viral video showing Jess calmly shooting the woman in cold blood.

As the footage spreads and her own department closes in, Jess has no choice but to run. Someone has engineered her downfall, and the only way to survive is to uncover who’s turning her past into a weapon. Desperate to clear her name, she follows the only lead she has—an unsolved case she abandoned after her daughter died that now holds the key to who set her up.

But the closer Jess gets to the truth, the more she realizes it may not be enough. Because when people prefer the lie, even reality becomes irrelevant.

My thoughts: I love this series, and this book was just as enthralling and impossible to put down as the first two books and novella were. Jess Lambert isn’t just an amazing detective. She also has such a dark backstory that she’s working to cope with, and her character arc is amazing. The plot she’s pulled into this time tests her in new ways, highlighting the dangers of AI. Fans of psychological and crime thrillers will love this series.

Thank you, , for the gifted ebook.

Predictive text: All the lies… All the lies are true

📚Hadley’s Book of the Week is Seek the Traitor’s Son by Veronica Roth
Pub Date: May 12, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Description: The daughter of a bounty hunter.
The knight sworn to protect her.
And the prophecy that destroys their lives . . .

Elegy Ahn did not ask for destiny to find her. She’s a soldier defending her small country against a powerful enemy: the Taluso, who worship a Fever that brings death to everyone it touches . . . except those who it resurrects, forever changed. Rava Vidar is a Talusar general with a reputation for cruelty and triumph. And when Elegy and Rava first meet, it’s to hear a prophecy that could apply to either of them.

The prophecy declares that either one of them could carry their people to victory. But at the center of both of their fates is a man. A man who, Elegy is told, will bring her death. A man she’ll fall in love with. With two nations at stake, she and Rava are destined to collide. And when they do, only one will be left standing. Elegy intends to make sure it’s her.

An extraordinary epic begins.

My thoughts: I loved the Divergent series, and this one had the same exquisite world building and character development. Elegy is amazing as a strong female lead with a solid backstory. This one has more fantasy elements than the Divergent books, but it definitely satisfied my love of dystopian in a similar way. If you enjoyed The Hunger Games or Divergent, then you have to read this one.

Thank you, , , and for the gifted ebook.

Predictive text: Seek the…. Seek the truth

📚Hadley’s Book of the Week is The Weight of a Dog by Alex Lucio
Pub Date: April 15, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Description: The world expected NHI - non-human contact - to arrive in spaceships. It arrived twelve thousand years ago in the form of an impossibly stubborn ancient English Bulldog, and an absolute refusal to let go.

When seventeen-year-old Nick Constantino arrives at his grandfather Giovanni’s New England workshop, still unraveling from a grief he was never taught to carry, the last thing he expects to find is a sixty-pound English Bulldog who seems to have been waiting for him. Baloo is not what a dog is supposed to be. He watches with an attention that belongs to something older and quieter than any animal Nick has ever known - moving through town on his own errands, answering calls no one made aloud, and arriving at Nick’s door in the dark hours with a weight that feels less like comfort and more like intention.

Giovanni has felt it too. For months the old craftsman has understood, in the wordless way he understands wood grain and silence, that Baloo is performing a vigil. That something is being transferred between them - breath by breath, night by night - a weight that is not burden but purpose. And now that purpose is shifting. The dog’s attention is moving toward the boy.

My thoughts: As a dog lover who knows grief, this story hit so many emotional notes for me. Baloo is an old soul and such an intriguing dog. His human counterparts, Nick, Julie, and Giovanni are also distinct characters and their relationships and shared grief make this story so special. The mythical elements, woven with science, take the characters on a journey that is incredibly unique and moving. This is a great book for dog lovers and those who enjoy genre bending literary stories.

Thank you, Alex Lucio, for the gifted book and fun swag.

QOTD: Do you have any pets or a favorite animal?

Bookinfluencers.com

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?

📚Hadley’s First Book of the Week is The Final Target by Nora Roberts
Coming May 26, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Description: He showed up at Arden Bowie’s debut author appearance with a copy of her novel and an eager smile. He showered her with compliments and got her autograph. Then he came to her next event. And the one after that.

Dustin was just an aspiring writer who wanted advice, Arden reassured herself. But after giving in to one of his incessant invitations and chatting with him over coffee, she discovered that ignoring her inner alarm bell had been a terrible mistake…

My thoughts: I’ve been a huge Nora fan for years, and the quality and creativity of her writing remains amazing. Every character is always well thought out and distinctive, making their interactions and storylines so rich. If I’m not feeling well or I’m emotionally drained, I almost always reach for one of her books. And this one was incredibly satisfying. Arden and Gideon are an amazing pair of protagonists with a slow burning romance and great backstories. Their counterpart—antagonist Dustin—is the type of villain I love to hate. If you’re looking for a satisfying and tense romantic thriller with an edge of danger this is the book for you.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and Nora Roberts for the gifted paperback ARC

Predictive text: The final target… The final target of the novel

☠️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?