April 2025
- Chris Quarembo
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
Vol 5 Issue 4
Winter is finally behind us. I may not love the cold, stormy months, but I do love having a reason to stay indoors and read. This winter was no different. I’ve been reading at the rate of three books a month. I get outdoors more in the spring especially for walks, but frequently I take a book along, eventually finding a place to sit and read in the sunshine.
If you love to read, indoors or out, I’m recommending three books this month that are varied in themes and characters. All are engrossing works of fiction, two with an added a touch of humor.
My Recommendations This Month
Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow 2025
Retired attorney and former judge, Rusty Sabich is living quietly near a Midwest lake with Bea with whom he is deeply in love. But their world is torn apart when Bea’s adopted adult son, Aaron, is charged with the first-degree murder of his girlfriend Mae Potter. Mae’s father is the local prosecutor and her grandfather is a major political force in the area.
Bea begs Rusty to take her son’s case when other attorneys refuse to go up against these influential men who have the ability to ruin careers.
Reluctantly, Rusty agrees to defend Aaron knowing he’ll have an uphill battle proving his client’s innocence and that he’ll be putting his relationship with Bea in jeopardy.
Presumed Guilty is a compelling legal drama with tension-filled courtroom scenes. The drama, however, is not only in the courtroom. Turow also depicts the emotional fallout Rusty experiences in his relationships with Bea and Aaron.
Turow, a prolific author, has written two earlier legal thrillers that feature protagonist Rusty Sabich, the best-selling Presumed Innocent, which was made into an Apple TV series, and Innocent.
Trouble Is My Beat by James Scott Bell
If you’re a fan of the hard-boiled detective fiction of authors like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, you’re sure to enjoy this novel featuring film studio fixer Bill Armbrewster. Bell recreates old Hollywood, its quirky inhabitants, and the humorous, snappy dialog reminiscent of Sam Spade and Philip Marlow. A fun read!
James Scott Bell lives in Los Angeles. He is the winner of an International Thriller Writers Award for his work. In addition, he writes non-fiction books helping authors improve their craft.
Conviction by Denise Mina
Anna McDonald’s life is upended one morning when her husband leaves her for her best friend. But that is only the beginning of Anna’s troubles that day.
An avid viewer of true crime podcasts, Anna learns that a man from her past was killed with his children when his yacht exploded in France. His death reopens Anna’s scars from a past she left behind years before. Anna is living under an assumed name, hiding her real identity to avoid being killed. Now she decides to go on the run to confront the truth about her past.
Conviction is a many-layered thriller, with flawed but likable characters who deal with unexpected dangers. Mina takes readers along for an exhilarating ride with Anna as she finally faces her past trauma and seeks to overcome it.
Denise Mina was born in Glasgow. Her first novel Garnethill won the Crime Writers’ Association John Creasy Dagger award for best first crime novel. That novel was the start of a trilogy, including Exile and Resolution. She is also the author of the Alex Morrow series and the Paddy Meehan series.
You Feedback Welcomed
Please email me when you read any of my recommendations and tell me what you thought of the novel. I’ll share your thoughts with our other subscribers. And watch for my next newsletter in May.
“Reading brings us unknown friends” – Honore de Balzac
About Chris
Chris Quarembo is an award-winning former newspaper reporter. Her debut novel Killer Deals won an Independent Publisher Award for Excellence in 2024. Her short stories in the crime and mystery genre are available on Amazon. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Brandywine Valley Writers Group. Her website is chrisquarembo.com.
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