What I Read Wednesday

I fell down the vacation rabbit hole last week and forgot what day of the week it was most days, but I'm back to reality now.

Color Blind (A Dr. Jenna Ramey Novel)
Dr. Jenna Ramey has synesthesia, a condition that causes her brain to see colors in place of feelings or emotions. As an FBI psychologist, this helps her to break cases or find new clues. In this particular case, a mass murderer has asked specifically to speak to Jenna--claiming to know information about her from her mother, a woman locked in prison herself for committing atrocious crimes. As far as crime novels go, this followed much of the same pattern, with the exception of Jenna's synesthesia which created an interesting twist. The characters were well-developed, and this was a good, easy summer read.

Double Vision (A Dr. Jenna Ramey Novel Book 2)
This is the second book in the above series. Like in the first book, Jenna uses her synesthesia to help her solve crimes. Her intuition, among other things, help with her work. In this instance, she's tasked with finding an UNSUB whose kill pattern is to shoot people three times. As the case unravels, Dr. Ramey discovers that her UNSUB is specifically drawn to the number three and at the heart of it all, lies a little girl who has a knack for numbers and is closely connected to the case. This was a good mystery novel. Sometimes a little too predictable, but still an interesting read.

Disclaimer: A Novel
Although this didn't set me totally on edge, this was still a pretty good psychological thriller. Catherine finds a novel in a pile in her new house, one she doesn't remember purchasing. As she flips through, she realizes this book is about her. Her by other name, but still a dark part of her past she wishes to forget, one her husband knows nothing about. Catherine becomes obsessed with the author of the book, intent on discovering why he wants to ruin her life, to the point that it begins to entirely unravel her life. As the novel unfolds, you find that there is more to Catherine's dark secret that she wants to admit and that the admission of it will change her life and those around her forever.

The Water Knife: A novel
In a somewhat dystopian but also somewhat realistic future, the American Southwest is devoid of water. Phoenix is a dying city. No water, dust storms and very little law. Angel works for Catherine Case, the woman who basically owns the Colorado River, and aims to own as much water as she can. Lucy is a journalist, drawn into watching Phoenix die and unable to leave before her inside scoop ends. Maria is a migrant hoping to cross the border to the north, where she's heard grass is green and you don't have to pay $6/liter for water. The three find themselves linked as their world becomes more violent and dangerous by the day. I liked this book, but I struggled to find redeeming qualities in all but one of the characters. But then, maybe this is what you have to do to survive in their world?

What are you reading?