Book Review: The Girl Upstairs by Jessica R. Patch

Happy Monday Bookworms!

I have been anticipating this post for weeks and am so excited to finally share my thoughts on one of my favorite authors’ latest masterpieces that is releasing this week! I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Psychological Thriller and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Girl Upstairs by Jessica R. Patch, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Girl Upstairs 
Author: Jessica R. Patch 
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired Trade 
Release Date: April 28, 2026 
Genre: Psychological Thriller

"Jessica R. Patch weaves a dark, twisty tapestry that’s both unsettling and unexpectedly hopeful. Masterful." –New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan

She bought this house to save her marriage. Unearthing its secrets might just claim her life. 

Gwen McDaniel’s life is broken. But she knows the perfect place to fix it. Cold Harbor, Maine, an idyllic small town with views of Acadia National Park, is where she used to vacation with her parents as a child. Here, she and Steven can start over, renovating their cliff-side fixer-upper while patching up their marriage. Soon, everything will be better. 

Except from the moment they arrive, Gwen sees and hears things, and it’s more than just the drafts and shadows that are part of any old house. Steven downplays her fears, warning her not to fixate on problems as she has in the past. But Gwen spent years as a homicide detective, and her instincts don’t lie. Something happened here. Proof comes when she rips up the attic’s carpet to discover a chilling message carved into the wood underneath. 

As Gwen delves into the history of the house and the Cold Harbor community, she begins to piece the fragments together. And gradually, a terrifying picture emerges: A missing girl. A house of horrors. And a dark, decades-old nightmare that is more haunting than Gwen ever imagined…

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Book Review of 'Her Darkest Secret' by Jessica R. Patch

Happy Tuesday Bookworms!

If you've been following me for any length of time, you know what a massive fan I am of Jessica R. Patch. So, imagine my excitement when I saw on Instagram that her FBI: Strange Crimes Unit series was recently put on Kindle Unlimited! Having read The Garden Girls in 2024 and not having a chance to read the first two books in the series yet, I immediately downloaded and got lost in another twisted case.

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Crime Thriller and be on the lookout in the coming weeks for another review from this series.

About the Book

Title: Her Darkest Secret
Series: FBI: Strange Crimes Unit #1
Author: Jessica R. Patch
Publisher: Love Inspired Trade
Release Date: June 28, 2022 
Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense

"A taut, psychological thriller with deeply relatable characters. Patch’s brilliantly created plot will keep readers turning pages until they reach the shocking conclusion. I highly recommend it!” —Nancy Mehl, author of the Quantico Files series

When a cold-case serial killer returns, FBI special agent Fiona Kelly has one last chance to stop him before he claims the prize he’s always wanted—her.

The sight of a goose feather at a murder scene modeled after a children’s poem is enough to make FBI special agent Fiona Kelly's blood turn to ice. Almost two decades ago, a feather was left with her sister's body—and with every subsequent victim of the Nursery Rhyme Killer. Now he's back. Only this time, his latest gruesome murder is a message to the only one who ever got away: Fiona.

Finding “Rhyme” is an obsession that's fueled Fiona's career—and destroyed her marriage to fellow FBI agent Asa Kodiak. Now Fiona and Asa have to put their past tensions aside and work together one last time. But Rhyme is watching, and catching this killer may force Fiona to reveal her biggest, darkest secret…the one only he knows.

“Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch grabbed me in the first scene of this edge-of-your-seat suspense and didn't let go until the end!” —Patricia Bradley, author of the Memphis Cold Case novels

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Book Review of 'A Cry in the Dark' by Jessica R. Patch

Happy Thursday Bookworms!

Jessica R. Patch's FBI: Strange Crimes Unit series was recently put on Kindle Unlimited and I couldn't download them fast enough! Having read The Garden Girls in 2024 and not having a chance to read the first two books in the series yet, I immediately downloaded and got lost in another twisted case. I reviewed the first book in the series earlier this week and I am back today to share my thoughts on the second book in the series. Enjoy!

About the Book

Title: Her Darkest Secret
Series: FBI: Strange Crimes Unit #2
Author: Jessica R. Patch
Publisher: Love Inspired Trade
Release Date: February 28, 2023 
Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense

"Jessica R. Patch is my newest automatic buy author. If you like romantic suspense, you need to read this book.” –Lynette Eason, award-winning, best-selling author of the Extreme Measures series

Deep in the Kentucky hills, three women have been found brutalized and murdered.
But the folks in Night Holler have their own ways and their own laws.
And they’re not talking…

Led to an isolated Appalachian Mountain town by a trail of disturbing murders, FBI special agent Violet Rainwater’s determined to catch a serial killer with a twisted agenda. With locals refusing to reveal their secrets, Violet’s only ally is Detective John Orlando. But even John has an ulterior motive—he’s convinced this case is connected to his wife’s murder.

As they dig deeper, Violet uncovers a link to her own unresolved past. For years she’s worked the cold case of her mother’s abduction, which had led to her birth. The need to look into the eyes of the sinful man who fathered her consumes Violet. Until she can, she’ll never have peace. Because she’s terrified she might be exactly like him.

In this chilling novel, when the present collides with Violet’s mysterious past and John’s tragic loss, they must unravel the warped, sinuous connections before the killer strikes again. But solving the case might not be nearly as terrifying as the possibility that Violet’s finally found her roots…

“With twisted psychology and relatable characters, readers will feel like they discovered the Criminal Minds version of a fiction book. I definitely recommend reading this book after dark for the full effect, and be sure to lock your doors before you go to sleep.” –Jaime Jo Wright, author of The Souls of Lost Lake

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Book Review of 'The Other Sister' by Jessica R. Patch

Happy Tuesday Bookworms!

I am super excited you're here today! I have had the book I am featuring today on my TBR list since it was first announced and couldn't wait to read it. I know psychological thrillers are not for everyone, but I love anything that bends the mind, and this novel does not disappoint!

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Domestic Thriller and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours.

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Other Sister by Jessica R. Patch, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Other Sister
Author: Jessica R. Patch
Publisher: Love Inspired Trade
Release Date: April 22, 2025
Genre: Thriller, Domestic Thriller, Psychological Thriller

She thought she was the only one lying about her identity. Until she stepped into her sister’s life. 

Charlotte Kane has always dreamed of a different life, one where she isn’t living paycheck to paycheck. An existence worlds away from the chaos of her own. Then her estranged mother dies, and Charlotte makes a stunning discovery—she has an identical twin who was given up for adoption. 

Acelynn Benedict is polished, successful and seems to have everything Charlotte yearns for—a wealthy, doting family in Savannah, a handsome boyfriend, a great career. She’s just as surprised as Charlotte to learn she has a sister. But when tragedy hits and Charlotte is forced to assume Acelynn’s identity in a desperate moment, she uncovers something altogether darker… 

No one in her sister’s life is quite who they seem to be. And every discovery leads Charlotte deeper into a web of deadly secrets. Charlotte may have wanted Acelynn’s life, yet now that she’s living it, she wants out. But if she reveals the truth about herself, it will mean returning to her old life—and she’s already a dead woman there.

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Book Review of 'The Garden Girls' by Jessica R. Patch

Happy Monday Bookworms!

Welcome to another beautiful spring week and another book review!  This month has been flying by and it's taking every ounce of me to keep my head straight and my emotions in check.  This week I will be celebrating my eleventh wedding anniversary, my youngest nephew is turning eighteen, and I'm going on my first college walk-through with my youngest son.  It's a lot but it's in these moments of chaos that I find myself clinging more and more to the Lord.  I truly do not know what I would do without my faith.

Amid the chaos that is life I have been sneaking in moments to myself, which usually involves escaping into a novel.  Today's feature is one that I have been itching to talk about and I am so glad the day is finally here!  I hope you enjoy and, as always, don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post to enter an amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Garden Girls
Series: Strange Crimes Unit: South Division
Author: Jessica R. Patch
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired Trade
Release Date: April 23, 2024
Genre: Christian Psychological Thriller

On a remote Outer Banks island, a serial killer collects his prized specimens. And to stop him, an FBI agent must confront his own twisted past. 

FBI agent Tiberius Granger has seen his share of darkness. But a new case sets him on edge. It’s not just the macabre way both victims—found posed in front of lighthouses—are tattooed with flowers that match their names. There’s also the unsettling connection to the woman Ty once loved and to the shadowy cult they both risked everything to escape. 

Bexley Hemmingway’s sister has gone missing, and she’ll do anything to find her—including teaming up with Ty. That may prove a mistake, and not just because Ty doesn’t know he’s the father of her teenaged son. It seems the killer is taunting Ty, drawing everyone close to him into deeper danger. 

As the slashing winds and rain of a deadly hurricane approach the coast of North Carolina, the search leads Ty and Bex to an island that hides a grisly secret. But in his quest for the truth, Ty has ignored the fact that this time, he’s not just the hunter. Every move has been orchestrated by a killer into a perfect storm of terror, and they will need all their skills to survive…  

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JustRead Rendezvous 2025

I don't know about you guys but there is nothing better than gathering with other readers and authors and celebrating all that we love about the book space. So, I have just one question...

Are You Ready to Rendezvous?

Welcome to the Takeover Blitz for Rendezvous 2025, hosted, sponsored, and organized by JustRead Publicity Tours!

You are Invited

Rendezvous: reader and writer gathering 

November 7-8, 2025 

Holiday Inn St Louis SW – Route 66

Join fellow readers and 46 writers at the third annual Rendezvous to celebrate Christian fiction and sweet reads. This event, modeled after the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat, aims to sweeten reading and storytelling experiences with fellowship and encouragement. Activities will include corporate worship, The Christy Award webcast watch party, speaker sessions, author panels, small group discussions, games, giveaways, a pop-up book shop, and author signings. 

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