Book reviews and ratings from Michael Harley. 2026-08-31T11:33:21Z https://michaelharley.net/books/ Michael Harley michael@michaelharley.net 2026-08-29T04:00:00Z https://michaelharley.net/books/2026/08/14/human-remains/ <p><img src="https://michaelharley.net/books/covers/9781398535558.jpg" alt="Human Remains cover" width="200" /></p><p>by Jo Callaghan</p> <p>Kat and Lock #3 · Mystery, Thriller · Simon &amp; Schuster · Audiobook</p><p>Third book in the series started by In the Blink of an Eye, following DCS Kat Frank and her AI partner AIDE Lock, as they are called in for another case.</p><p><a href="https://openlibrary.org/works/OL44984180W">Open Library</a></p><hr /> <h2>My Rating</h2> <p><strong>Read:</strong> August 2026</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5)</p><p><a href="mailto:michael@michaelharley.net?subject=Re:%20Human%20Remains">Reply via email</a></p> 2026-08-13T04:00:00Z https://michaelharley.net/books/2026/08/02/leave-no-trace/ <p><img src="https://michaelharley.net/books/covers/9798217017133.jpg" alt="Leave No Trace cover" width="200" /></p><p>by Jo Callaghan</p> <p>Kat and Lock #2 · Fiction, Mystery, Thriller · 400 pages · Random House Audio · Audiobook</p><p>From the bestselling author of In the Blink of an Eye comes an inventive thriller that pits algorithms against experience, logic against instinct, and one undetectable killer against two extraordinary detectives. “Unswervingly gripping and scary, and at the same time beautifully tender and humane.”—Nicci French, author of Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of a hill in the British Midlands, AIDE Lock—the world’s first AI detective—and...</p><p><a href="https://openlibrary.org/works/OL37825448W">Open Library</a></p><hr /> <h2>My Rating</h2> <p><strong>Read:</strong> August 2026</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)</p><p>I like the premise of this book quite a bit and the writing is pretty good in flashes but it's also clumsy in places. DCS Frank's boss is a caricature and the way the public is portrayed is unsophisticated.</p> <p>Then there's problems with the feasibility of an advanced AI running on a computer that's basically a smart wrist band. I think I'd enjoy it more if this part was written more realistically. A rack of servers or an IT server room of appropriate size to house the capabilities described. Such a capability could be used by all the officers in the special unit and not just the team lead. The entire team could have the extended data analysis capabilities etc.</p> <p>I'll probably keep going and hope the author adds a bit more depth to some of the things I notice.</p> <p>—Mike</p><p><a href="mailto:michael@michaelharley.net?subject=Re:%20Leave%20No%20Trace">Reply via email</a></p> 2026-08-02T04:00:00Z https://michaelharley.net/books/2026/07/21/in-the-blink-of-an-eye/ <p><img src="https://michaelharley.net/books/covers/9798217017119.jpg" alt="In the Blink of an Eye cover" width="200" /></p><p>by Jo Callaghan</p> <p>Kat and Lock #1 · Mystery, Thriller · Random House Audio · Audiobook</p><p>SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER • Two detectives: one human, one AI. And a case that will test them both. “Wildly original, heartfelt, funny, and properly thrilling, this is the kind of fresh and fearless debut I just adore.”—Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colors of the Dark, a Read with Jenna Book Club Pick Winner of the Crime Writers’ Association’s John Creasy New Blood Dagger Award and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Kat Frank knows all about loss. A widowed single mother,...</p><p><a href="https://openlibrary.org/works/OL27811473W">Open Library</a></p><hr /> <h2>My Rating</h2> <p><strong>Read:</strong> August 2026</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)</p><p>Liked the premise though I think the implementation could be a bit better.</p> <p>—Mike</p><p><a href="mailto:michael@michaelharley.net?subject=Re:%20In%20the%20Blink%20of%20an%20Eye">Reply via email</a></p> 2026-07-16T04:00:00Z https://michaelharley.net/books/2026/evil-in-the-family/ <p><img src="https://michaelharley.net/books/covers/9780008787417.jpg" alt="Evil in the Family cover" width="200" /></p><p>by Michael Wood</p> <p>Dr Olivia Winter #3 · Mystery, Thriller · 432 pages · One More Chapter · Audiobook</p><p>‘Wow. Michael Wood has done it again… I definitely felt my heart rate increase’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Will keep you up at night… I can’t get enough’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Michael Wood is the master of the dark, psychological thriller’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ *** A FAMILY SLAIN When Detective Inspector Foley is called out to a crime scene, nothing could have prepared him for the level of brutality inflicted on the victims. And with terrifying similarities to another recent murder case, he fears there might be a serial killer running loose...</p><p><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=_ZNZEQAAQBAJ">Google Books</a></p><hr /> <h2>My Rating</h2> <p><strong>Read:</strong> July 2026</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)</p><p><a href="mailto:michael@michaelharley.net?subject=Re:%20Evil%20in%20the%20Family">Reply via email</a></p> 2026-07-05T04:00:00Z https://michaelharley.net/books/2026/platform-decay/ <p><img src="https://michaelharley.net/books/covers/9781250827012.jpg" alt="Platform Decay cover" width="200" /></p><p>by Martha Wells</p> <p>The Murderbot Diaries #8 · Science Fiction, Fiction, Action &amp; Adventure, Mystery, Androids; Robots &amp; Artificial Intelligences · 256 pages · Tor Publishing Group · Ebook</p><p>A most-anticipated title from USA Today, Goodreads, BookPage, BookRiot, Seattle Times, and The Nerd Daily!Everyone&#39;s favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment of Martha Wells&#39; bestselling and award-winning Murderbot Diaries series. Having someone else support your bad decision feels kind of good. After volunteering to run a rescue mission, Murderbot realizes that it will have to spend significant time with a bunch of humans it doesn&#39;t know. Including human children. Ugh. This...</p><p><a href="https://openlibrary.org/works/OL44660267W">Open Library</a></p><hr /> <h2>My Rating</h2> <p><strong>Read:</strong> July 2026</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)</p><p>Slow burn to start and it took me a minute to get back into the storytelling pattern but strong finish. I think I read that Martha is tired of writing this series and wants to move on. 😥️</p> <p>—Mike</p><p><a href="mailto:michael@michaelharley.net?subject=Re:%20Platform%20Decay">Reply via email</a></p> 2026-06-28T04:00:00Z https://michaelharley.net/books/2026/a-parade-of-horribles/ <p><img src="https://michaelharley.net/books/covers/OL44344307W.jpg" alt="A Parade of Horribles cover" width="200" /></p><p>by Matt Dinniman</p> <p>Dungeon Crawler Carl #8 · LitRPG, Science Fantasy · 704 pages · Ace Books · Ebook</p><p><a href="https://openlibrary.org/works/OL44344307W">Open Library</a></p><hr /> <h2>My Rating</h2> <p><strong>Read:</strong> June 2026</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) · 🧡 All-time favorite</p><p>More of the same and I mean that in the best way possible. These are great books. 🤓️</p> <p>—Mike</p><p><a href="mailto:michael@michaelharley.net?subject=Re:%20A%20Parade%20of%20Horribles">Reply via email</a></p> 2026-06-21T14:12:49Z https://michaelharley.net/books/2026/the-land-and-its-people/ <p><img src="https://michaelharley.net/books/covers/9781668648230.jpg" alt="The Land and Its People cover" width="200" /></p><p>by David Sedaris</p> <p>Relationships, Parenting &amp; Personal Development, Comedy &amp; Humor · Little, Brown &amp; Company · Ebook</p><p>In this new collection, recorded live, on-location from Massachusetts to California, David Sedaris reflects on what it means to be a foreigner, a brother, a lifelong friend, in essays that are “among the best of his career&quot; (Publishers Weekly, starred review). “A welcome return to form for the much-awarded and much-loved humorist…Sedaris remains a national treasure.” —Kirkus (starred review) In The Land and Its People, Sedaris investigates what it means to be a traveler, a brother, a...</p><p><a href="https://openlibrary.org/works/OL45320729W">Open Library</a></p><hr /> <h2>My Rating</h2> <p><strong>Read:</strong> June 2026</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)</p><p>Rachelle and I did a lot of driving yesterday as I was taking the grandson back. I normally don't reach for this type of book but it was great. I really enjoyed it.</p> <p>—Mike</p><p><a href="mailto:michael@michaelharley.net?subject=Re:%20The%20Land%20and%20Its%20People">Reply via email</a></p> 2026-06-07T22:15:14Z https://michaelharley.net/books/2026/billy-on-billy-an-audio-memoir/ <p><img src="https://michaelharley.net/books/covers/abs-4286513f-f25f-4910-b05f-c0d82a356deb.jpg" alt="Billy on Billy: An Audio Memoir cover" width="200" /></p><p>by Billy Eichner</p> <p> · Audiobook</p><hr /> <h2>My Rating</h2> <p><strong>Read:</strong> June 2026</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)</p><p>I enjoyed this more than I expected. It takes a while to warm up to Billy but he grows on you.</p> <p>—Mike</p><p><a href="mailto:michael@michaelharley.net?subject=Re:%20Billy%20on%20Billy:%20An%20Audio%20Memoir">Reply via email</a></p> 2026-05-27T09:12:05Z https://michaelharley.net/books/2026/a-fatal-grace/ <p><img src="https://michaelharley.net/books/covers/OL8475921W.jpg" alt="A Fatal Grace cover" width="200" /></p><p>by Louise Penny</p> <p> · 314 pages · St. Martin&#39;s Minotaur · Audiobook</p><p><a href="https://openlibrary.org/works/OL8475921W">Open Library</a></p><hr /> <h2>My Rating</h2> <p><strong>Read:</strong> May 2026</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5)</p><p><a href="mailto:michael@michaelharley.net?subject=Re:%20A%20Fatal%20Grace">Reply via email</a></p> 2026-05-10T17:26:16Z https://michaelharley.net/books/2026/rhythm-of-war/ <p><img src="https://michaelharley.net/books/covers/OL20842226W.jpg" alt="Rhythm of War cover" width="200" /></p><p>by Brandon Sanderson</p> <p>The Stormlight Archive #4 · 1136 pages · Tor Fantasy · Audiobook</p><p>The eagerly awaited sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling Oathbringer, from epic fantasy author Brandon Sanderson</p><p><a href="https://openlibrary.org/works/OL20842226W">Open Library</a></p><hr /> <h2>My Rating</h2> <p><strong>Read:</strong> May 2026</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) · 🧡 All-time favorite</p><p>Very long book. I wanted epic fantasy and this is that in spades. I guess my only complaint about the writing style/story telling style is that it doesn't feel that anyone very important is going to die. Unlike George RR Martin books, where <em>main characters can and probably will die</em>, this series feels that the main characters are going to figure out a way through. The story archs get a bit... predicable. Oh no Kaladin is sad and can't go on but then BOOM he fights through and finds a way and saves the day. Rince repeat. Still, I really liked this book and the series. 5 out of 5 and it get's the heart too.</p> <p>—Mike</p><p><a href="mailto:michael@michaelharley.net?subject=Re:%20Rhythm%20of%20War">Reply via email</a></p>