I have read another book by Wendy Walker (Emma In the Night) that I loved and so I was so nervous for this because I wasn't sure if it would be able to top Emma! But this story was a trip from start to finish. From the first page I was hooked and wanted to find out more about the story and what happened to Coop.

I also loved the narrator Charlie and the very unique way she told the story, including her though process and how she understood the people around her with her autism diagnosis. I loved the way autism was portrayed not as a hindrance to Charlie but just as a different way of categorizing information and feeling emotions. I loved how much Charlie looked out for those around her and she knew that everyone underestimated her but she proved them all wrong time and time again.

There were so many plot twists that just when I thought I had everything figured out, I was wrong! I also loved how the author weaves psychology inter all her stories, which helps you understand the motivations of the characters as you read.

Obviously I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers or fast-paced books!

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

First of all, I love Wendy Walker thrillers!! I loved the small-town vibes of Sawyer, PA, the neurodivergent representation, and of course all of the twists I didn’t see coming. Charlie’s character was beautifully articulated and loved hearing from her POV. So many secrets are uncovered in this complex story!

Thriller lovers——this is a MUST read!!

I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this one.  I just could not put it down!  The mystery and suspense were completely engrossing.  This is my 3rd book by Wendy Walker, and she never disappoints.  This one has definitely become my favorite.  It was an exclusive audible original and is now coming to print tomorrow!  I'm so happy they did this because I don't really listen to audiobooks.

Charlie Hudson is 17 and almost done with high school.  She's already gotten into MIT, which is her ticket out of Sawyer, PA.  She works as much as she can at a local sandwich shop, The Triple S, to save money for college.  She also happens to be autistic.  The people she works with have become like a family to her, and she will do anything to protect them, especially when they all become suspects in Clay Cooper's death.  Clay Cooper is the owner of The Triple S and not a very likable boss.  Everyone at the shop seems to have a reason to want him dead.  Charlie was there that night but won't speak about it.  What lengths will she go to to make sure nothing happens to the ones she loves?

I loved Charlie!  I thought she was an incredible main character, and I really enjoyed reading from her point of view.  The hardships she's had to work through from her past and of being at the store during the killing made for a compelling read.  The twists in the book were shocking, and the ending was great!  I would love to read another book with Charlie as the main character.  This book was just so good and I highly recommend it.

3.5⭐. I have always enjoyed Wendy Walker's books. She has such a way to pull you into such unique stories, and this one was definitely unique. It's a short book and I got through it quickly. It was good. Probably not my favorite by her, but it still held my attention. It's about Charlie, who has high functioning autism, and works at The Triple S (Sawyer Sandwich Shop). One night, the owner and her boss, Clay, is murdered. Charlie was there the night of the murder. Charlie wants to protect herself and her friends, so she isn't cooperating with law enforcement. She doesn't know who she can trust, and not sure what to say because Clay had so many enemies, and it could be anyone she knows. There are lies and secrets exposed. I also though lt was interesting reading this through the mind of Charlie, and seeing the way her mind works. I thought the ending was good too!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. My review will be posted on Instagram, Bookbub, Goodreads, and Amazon once it publishes.

Wendy Walker is one of authors whose books I will always pick up to read. I follow her diligently since All Is Not Forgotten which blew me away and it was interesting seeing her developing her writing and exploring the boundaries of thriller genre within the trappings of the "psychological" descriptor.
You see, with Walker you get thrillers with introspective characters who are messy and complicated but always with a bird-view attached as well, a psychological insight into their mind that will give you a scientific explanation, but fully knowing it's not enough. It's this dichotomy she perfected in her latest books I enjoy so much.
American Girl, originally an amazon Audio exclusive, is no different in that regard.
Told entirely from the point of view of Charlie, main protagonist of this short novel, it brings a unique take on a "small town in America crime" story.
Charlie's boss who owns basically everything else in Sawyer is found dead at the Triple S where Charlie works. She knows what happened that night but she keeps it to herself for her own reasons., but police and other players are getting frustrated because she is not cooperating.

Now, let's get this over with: It's briefly mentioned that Charlie has an autism, but that in itself is a broad term. Simply said, Charlie is not neurotypical. She has a set of rules she follows that help her navigate the world because she reacts to things differently than most, she has 4,4 GPA score and had been accepted to MIT, but she is by no means savant. Or at least not the one you are used to see in popular media. She is observant because she has to be to fit, but it doesn't mean that observation takes her always to the right conclusion. She is also young and driven by thing that are a bit idealistic: like her need protect her coworkers at Triple S by any means necessary even at the cost of her own safety. Things fly over her head, she makes ridiculous decisions and she does get outsmarted several times in the novel exactly because people doesn't always conform to a set of rules.
Hence, bare in mind that Charlie isn't autistic protag popularized in media. She is socially adaptive even if it doesn't come naturally to her, but it's the Sawyer that is also adaptive to her, which is perfectly reasonable considering what community means in a small town. She is above everything else, an American girl, set in a typical circumstances between a rock and hard place and only one opportunity to get out. The murder and the resolution of it is an extraordinary thing in her situation, which I think Walker wanted to highlight.
One other thing Walker likes to do in her novels is to show the complexity of mother-daughter relationships. I am pleased she managed to do here as well considering it's a shorter novel. Charlie's interactions with her mom were the most interesting parts of the novel for me.
The resolution of the crime and the twist at the end were perhaps predictable, but the nature of the crime somehow gave an impression to me it was not meant to be that deep anyways. In a way, because Charlie is so young, on a path to adulthood, the story seems to be more about motivations that drive and relationships you form in your life and how they form you as a person.

Recommended, especially if you need a gripping, short novel to finish a bingo/challenge that will capture your attention without overwhelming it.

I enjoyed this super fast read from Wendy Walker. It's pure psychological thriller. Charlie, our protagonist, is autistic and is portrayed in a what feels to be a very realistic and organic way. She's shown as a full character, which I appreciate. She's caught up in a crime and must figure out whodunnit to save herself. Total page turner!

I love Walker and her phenomenal storytelling! She can write psychological suspense like nobody’s business!
American Girl by Wendy Walker is a gripping story with vivid characters a skillful narration and an unwavering tension. It all adds up to one fantastic story.
She has created a well-developed story, believable characters with a satisfying ending.
The pacing is perfect and the author reveals additional information at just the right times to keep the tension and suspense high. The ending had my pulse racing and I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough.
The sense of foreboding and unease was perfectly executed, and I can't wait to see what else this author creates next time.
A immersive and propulsive mystery about a small-town business owner found dead and the teenage girl caught in the crosshairs.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Loved it! Love everything about Wendy Walker. This just might be my favorite of hers! 5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review will publish Oct. 31, 2023, in multiple newspapers and magazines. https://admin-chicago2.bloxcms.com/cullmantimes.com/tncms/admin/action/main/preview/site/opinion/columns/a-season-of-reading-a-dozen-titles-for-your-holiday-basket/article_0e224226-6a0d-11ee-ba78-ef64fad95495.html A season of reading: A dozen titles for your holiday basket by Tom Mayer The year-ending, pre-holiday book season is one bibliophiles wait for all year. October and November are traditionally the months we watch as names blockbuster (Grisham, King), rising (Gerritsen, Ward) or just heartwarmingly familiar (McCammon, Dugoni) descend from the upper echelons of ivy towers to the stacks of our local bookstores and online shopping carts. 
This year is no different, though it is marked by a couple of significant deviations to the norm from two stalwart fall-release authors: Stephen King, who makes his own rules, gifted us with “Holly” in early September and Nicholas Sparks — almost unbelievably given his decades-long track record of releases — won’t have a new book for us this year (a fact I had to double check with his publicist, though when I spoke with Nicholas in 2022 about his wonderful book, “Dreamland,” he did promise something completely surprising and different for his next release. Give some grace, get some grace — surprising and different can take time.) 
Still, October and November 2023 are filled with exciting and fresh titles, including a dozen that we’ll touch on here. Far from exhaustive and brief in scope, consider this a primer for the season we’re just dipping into. 
I’ll be laser-focusing on some of these in pullout columns during the next few weeks — and adding more titles for November and December — but send me a quick note at tmayer132435@gmail.com if you want a link to those when they appear. 
For now, happy holidays, book lovers. 

‘One Last Kill’ (Thomas & Mercer, 379 pages, $16.99) by Robert Dugoni 
The prolific Robert Dugoni gifts us with his 10th detective Tracy Crosswhite novel, and in this one the stakes are raised. Set in familiar environs, after 13 victims Tracy reopens the cold trail of Seattle’s Route 99 serial killer. Closure for the families and redemption for the Seattle Police Department are on the line, but if Tracy’s going to achieve either she’ll have to do it by partnering with an old nemesis: Captain Johnny Nolasco. Those who traveled with Tracy through her earlier thrillers know exactly what that means. New readers will soon find out.

 ‘Murder on the Christmas Express’ (Poisoned Pen Press, 272 pages, $24) by Alexandra Benedict 
What’s the holiday season without a murder mystery to help pass the time? A sleeper train en route from London on Christmas Eve is buried in snow in a remote and isolated location. As a killer tries to pick off passengers one by one, a former detective, Roz Parker, decides to give the investigation a go. You’ve been here before, but this locked room puzzle both is and isn’t what you’ll expect. Bon voyage. 

‘Long Past Dues’’ (Ace, 411 pages, $27) by James J. Butcher 
Bringing us into volume 2 of The Unorthodox Chronicles, James J. Butcher now presents Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby as an auditor for Boston’s Department of Unorthodox Affairs. Tasked with enforcing laws about magic, the job sounds more glamorous than it is — which explains why Grimshaw steps outside of his role to take a special case for a friend. Werewolves and a journey to the bowels of Boston’s subterranean city ensue.

 ‘Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird’ (Blackstone Publishing, 659 pages, $28) edited by Jonathan Maberry 
Who doesn’t love a compilation of a century’s worth of stories from one of the world’s most storied publications? Coming from the hallowed halls of “Weird Tales Magazine,” this book is simply beautiful in style, substance and craft (pro tip: buy the hardcover; it’s a gem). Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the magazine, this volume contains 100 years of the most peculiar tales you’ll ever encounter or, as the periodical likes to boast, those “too strange to publish elsewhere.” A true reader’s delight.

‘ The Exchange’ (Doubleday, 352 pages, $30) by John Grisham 
You know you’ve been waiting for this one. Published 32 years after John Grisham’s “The Firm,” the king of legal thrillers picks up the thread of the lives of Mitch and Abby McDeere and family as they’re caught in an international kidnapping plot — and struggling to retain the normalcy they’ve worked 15 years to achieve since they exposed the crimes of the mob-related Memphis law firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke. With just enough backstory to fill in the history of those unfamiliar with “The Firm,” Grisham crafts a credible and timely (though it’s set in the mid-2000s) story filled with his hallmarks: greed, crime, deception and more than a bit of heroics. A worthy successor and one, I should mention, completely unlike the 2012 TV series sequel to both the original novel and film adaptation.

 ‘The Spy Coast’ (Thomas & Mercer, 341 pages, $29) by Tess Gerritsen 
The Martini Club continues in Tess Gerritsen’s “The Spy Coast” as former spy Maggie Bird is drawn from her bucolic Maine chicken farm life into a new thriller — something that tends to happen when the body that appears in your driveway is sent as a message from your former adversaries. The former spies, like Bird, may all be retired, but they’re definitely up for a fresh case, and especially a case that involves those who are bent on killing one of their own.

 ‘The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts: The true story of the Bondwoman’s Narrative’ (Ecco, 432 pages, $40) by Gregg Hecimovich with a foreword by Henry Louis Gates Jr. 
In 1857, a woman escaped enslavement from a North Carolina plantation. Fleeing to a farm in New York, she found time to craft a manuscript about her trials. This important and groundbreaking book about the nation’s first Black female novelist comes from the biographer who first solved the mystery of her identity. 

‘American Girl’ (Blackstone Publishing, 246 pages, $27) by Wendy Walker 
This important thriller from best-selling author Wendy Walker introduces Charlie Hudson, an autistic teen with a desire to leave her small, Pennsylvania town as soon as she graduates. But first, when the owner of the sandwich shop at which Wendy works is found dead, the 17-year-old and her friends are drawn into a dangerous case with an unusual point of view: The story is told through the eyes of the protagonist. 

'Let Us Descend' (Scribner, 320 pages, $28) by Jesmyn Ward 
Jesmyn Ward is a two-time National Book winner, and “Let Us Descend” shows us why. This tale, a reimagining of American slavery, is a beautifully harsh read. The story comes to us from Annis, a slave sold south by her white enslaver father and her heart-wrenching journey is punctuated only by the fleeting comfort of memories of her mother and African warrior grandmother. An emotional narrative rich in description.

 'The Last Applicant’ (Lake Union Publishing, 317 pages, $29) by Rebecca Hanover 
A deep dive into this ripped-from-the-headlines story by Rebecca Hanover takes us into the life of Audrey Singer, an admissions director of an elite private school in Manhattan. One overachieving mother will do anything — anything — to get her son enrolled, but as the ploys escalate it rapidly becomes clear that this might not be all she is after. Secrets are threatened to be revealed as this tale takes a deep, dark turn. 

‘Seven Shades of Evil’ (Lividian Publications, 424 pages, $39.50) by Robert McCammon 
You had me at, Robert McCammon. Literally, I would buy anything with this Alabama author’s name on it, but you’ll never go afield picking up a book involving Matthew Corbett. This volume of short stories, the ninth installment in that world, is the penultimate volume of the Corbett series — a tremendous set of historical thrillers that have been drawing legions of readers into Early America for more than two decades.

 ‘Robots through the Ages: A Science Fiction Anthology’ (Blackstone, 495 pages, $26) by Robert Silverberg (introduction) and Bryan Thomas Schmidt (editor) 
OK, I’m cheating a bit by including ‘Robots’ in this list — it first published during the summer — but with the conflation of technology and well, our entire world, igniting in the form of AI at an exponential pace, this is one that more than a few readers would welcome under the tree. A vast and inclusive sweep of robot stories told through the ages (really, we begin the journey with “The Iliad”), this volume includes tales from the heroes of science fiction, including names such as Philip K. Dick, Seanan McGuire, Connie Willis and Roger Zelazny. A fascinating journey, “Robots through the Ages” is replete with prescient tales of today.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for a digital copy of this title for my honest opinion.

American Girl by Wendy Walker is a fast-paced mystery thriller set in a small town. Charlie, an autistic teenager has to find out who killed her sleazy boss and why. The book has great character development and kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't recommend it enough. You will be rooting for Charlie until the end!

One of the most unique stories Wendy Walker has told yet, featuring an unforgettable main character and the twisty, deep secrets of complicated dead end small towns. It's an excellent mystery with so many complications and turns, but Walker is a total master at navigating readers through.

Another entertaining, page-turning thriller from Wendy Walker. This one is told from the perspective of Charlie, a 17 year old girl on the autism spectrum, who lives in a small town in PA. One night her boss at the sandwich shop is murdered, and security video from the sandwich shop shows that Charlie may have seen something, but she refuses to get involved - and things just get more complicated from there.

Lots of twists and turns - I may have guessed a few of them, and the end may have been a bit pat, but it didn’t diminish the fun of reading the story at all. At a time when the events of the world have left me sad and distracted, it was nice to have a book like this to keep me engaged.

3.75 stars

No one who's ever worked for Coop will be sad he's dead, and yet everyone will be sorry about it. That's what people call irony.

This new title from Wendy Walker gets all the stars from me. Charlie Hudson, the girl with the lopsided seesaw, stole my heart from the beginning. Just loved her mantra: lettuce tomatoes pickles onions. Words to live by at the Sawyer Sandwich Shop (the Triple S). She loves the freedom that will come with the money she makes working at the shop. Then one night, Clay Cooper (Coop) is murdered and there is questionable footage of Charlie on site the night of the crime. Suddenly, her future plans are in jeopardy as she finds herself caught in the horns of an ethical dilemma. What will defending her tribe mean for her plans to go to MIT and get out of Sawyer? Wendy Walker writes the whole story from Charlie's perspective. Seeing the world through Charlie's autism was many times heartwarming and enlightening. Her thirty-seven rules were pithy insights into her attempts to make sense of others and their behavior. For example,

Rule Number One: If someone says the same thing over and over again, that means they don't believe it.

This book is one of my favorites from Wendy Walker. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

At only 250 pages the newest Wendy Walker felt like a “bonus book” while we wait for her next release.

Charlie is an autistic teenage girl who finds herself in the middle of a murder case of her boss. But Charlie, isn’t just an employee of the sandwich shop, she’s also the glue of her friends that work there. Charlie found her “family” in those friendships and she’s going to fight to make sure they all don’t become the scapegoat for whatever killer wanted Clay dead.

I’m giving no details for this one except to say it was entertaining, easily binged and kept me turning the pages. Not my fav of hers (LOVED What Remains) but still a good read

Ps. Two things: 1) Would work for YA too.
2) It felt like a bit of a diary read into Charlie’s head

3.5 stars

I loved that the main character is austic. A refreshing perspective. The writing was a little simple in the beginning. About 70% in the twists started and there were several. Some I partially guessed at but not fully. Overall I enjoyed the story

Thank you to netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have read another book from this author and was excited to read her newest novel. It didn't disappoint. Charlie who works in a sub shop is present during the murder of her boss and owner of the shop. That person is tied to bad things in his past. As the story unfolds there are lies, deceit and surprises. The beginning was slow but by the end,I didn't want to put this book down.

A masterstroke of a small town suspense thriller!

Also, thanks to NetGalley Black Stone Publishing for the NetGalley ARC.

Review –

17 year old autistic teenager Charlie Hudson can’t wait to get out of the small town of Sawyer. Working part time in the Triple S sandwich shop, she is saving every penny. But when the shop’s owner Clay Cooper is found dead, Charlie has no choice but take matters in her own hands to protect everyone dear to her, while she uncovers secrets and fends off the lurking dangers to save herself.

Synopsis -

Charlie was simply amazing. Walker has done such a brilliant job with her character portrayal as a neuro-divergent teenager - picturing her troubled childhood, the relationship with her mother and present life with her step family.

I loved getting to know Charlie. Privy to her intrinsic thought processes, deepest secrets, her strengths and challenges with autism, I admired her hard-working nature and sincerity. There is a sort of innocence in her, coupled with a sharp intellect, logical thinking and vast knowledge – the combo proves to be her most powerful weapon.

Following Cooper’s death, Charlie gets entangled in some vicious small town dynamics, foul play and trickery. That’s when the plot thickens with its intricately woven, multi-layered web of deceit, lies, greed and dark truths of the past. It is impossible to speculate after a point – so well constructed is the mystery and the suspense build up unparalleled.

It was a wild ride to watch Charlie rising to the occasion, cleverly pulling off the impossible and dodging her tormentors, fighting to safeguards her friends’ lives, all while securing her own life and future.

Highly recommend if you love thrillers!

17 year old Charlie Hudson has one goal - to finish high school and get out of Sawyer, the oppressive small town she has grown up in. That goal might be in jeopardy when Clay Cooper, the owner of multiple businesses with Sawyer, is discovered dead each of his employees is a suspect in his death - including Charlie. Determined to protect herself, and her friends, Charlie tries to track down the potential murderer before they find their way to Charlie, as they believe she has what they are after.

This was my first Wendy Walker book, and it definitely won’t be my last. I really enjoyed her writing style. This was a great psychological thriller that had me intrigued from the first chapter. I really liked Charlie as a character. Her autism adding a layer of complexity to her personality, but not feeling like it was included to be a novelty. There were multiple twists throughout which kept me guessing as to who the murderer was, and what their motives might have been. I thought this was well paced and enjoyed watching the mystery unfold. While I feel like the ending could have had a bit more closure, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good whodunnit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for my digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another thriller from Wendy Walker but sadly without the same punch as some of her earlier novels.
The synopsis tells the story - there is some character development but I struggled to keep up with the writing about the main character.
Overall an easy read.

What it’s about: Charlie is a 17 year old autistic girl living in small town Pennsylvania. Passing time working as many hours as she can at the Triple S sandwich shop until she graduates high school. She is just itching to move on with life outside this small town. One day, the owner of the shop, Clay Cooper, ends up murdered and one of the workers is the prime suspect. Charlie is determined to keep her friends safe from suspicion as she herself has worked out all the details and just knows what is possible and what is not.

Thoughts: Wow, this was such a fun one by Wendy Walker! I absolutely love that this was written from the perspective of an autistic character. It made the story so much better to understand the thought process behind Charlie’s decision making and how she came up with her logic! It was so endearing to hear Charlie’s loyalty and dedication to her friends and loved ones. Wendy did such a wonderful job making it easy for us to love and root for her! This book was fast paced with many twists which made the book fly by! This was my third book by Wendy and she delivers every single time! I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!