Review: MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL, Faith Martin

• 
  This edition available as an e-book from Amazon on Kindle
  
• first published 2004
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0763RXLRV
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Joffe Books crime, thriller and mystery (1 October 2017)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 249 pages
• DI Hillary Greene #1 

Synopsis (Amazon)

 Looking for a brilliant murder mystery with a feisty female detective?

DISCOVER THE MILLION-SELLING SERIES NOW. MEET DI HILLARY GREENE, A POLICE WOMAN FIGHTING TO SAVE HER CAREER.

Not only has she lost her husband, but his actions have put her under investigation for corruption.

Then a bashed and broken body is found floating in the Oxford Canal. It looks like the victim fell off a boat, but Hillary is not so sure. Her investigation exposes a dark background to the death.

Can Hillary clear her name and get to the bottom of a fiendish conspiracy on the water?

This is a crime mystery full of well-observed characters, which will have you gripped from beginning to end.

MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL is the first in a series of page-turning crime thrillers set in Oxfordshire.

My Take

I'm really looking forward to reading this series (in order of course) - interesting scenarios, topical plots, well drawn characters, relatively short books.

In this first in the series, we've already been introduced to a range of characters whom I expect will reappear in ensuing books. The central character, Hillary Greene, recently bereaved, is middle aged, feisty, and an intuitive detective. She is third in the chain of command, and it seems relatively easy for her superiors to claim credit for her accomplishments. Which prompts Hillary to think outside the box and also to take action without authority.

My rating: 4.5

The series

   1. Murder on the Oxford Canal (2004)
     aka A Narrow Escape
   2. Murder at the University (2005)
     aka On the Straight and Narrow
   3. Murder of the Bride (2006)
     aka Narrow Is the Way
   4. Murder in the Village (2006)
     aka By a Narrow Majority
   5. Murder in the Family (2007)
     aka Through a Narrow Door
   6. Murder at Home (2007)
     aka With a Narrow Blade
   7. Murder in the Meadow (2008)
     aka Beside a Narrow Stream
   8. Murder in the Mansion (2008)
     aka Down a Narrow Path
   9. Murder in the Garden (2009)
     aka Across the Narrow Blue Line
   10. Murder by Fire (2010)
     aka A Narrow Point of View
   11. Murder at Work (2011)
     aka A Narrow Exit
   12. Murder Never Retires (2012)
     aka A Narrow Return
   13. Murder of a Lover (2013)
     aka A Narrow Margin of Error
   14. Murder Never Misses (2013)
     aka Walk a Narrow Mile
   15. Murder at Midnight (2015)
     aka A Narrow Victory
   16. Murder in Mind (2015)
     aka The Work of a Narrow Mind
   17. Hillary's Final Case (2016)
     aka A Narrow Trajectory
   18. Hillary's Back! (2020)
   19. Murder Now and Then (2021)
   20. Murder in the Parish (2023)
   21. Murder On the Train (2024)

Review: DEATH AT MORNING HOUSE, Maureen Johnson

• 
  This edition made available as an e-book on Libby by my local library
  
• Published by HarperTeen, 2024
• ISBN: 9780063255975
• ISBN 10: 0063255979
• Pages: 384
• Age: From 14 years  

Synopsis (publisher)

From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.

The fire wasn’t Marlowe Wexler’s fault. Dates should be hot, but not hot enough to warrant literal firefighters. Akilah, the girl Marlowe has been in love with for years, will never go out with her again. No one dates an accidental arsonist.

With her house-sitting career up in flames, it seems the universe owes Marlowe a new summer job, and that’s how she ends up at Morning House, a mansion built on an island in the 1920s and abandoned shortly thereafter. It’s easy enough, giving tours. Low risk of fire. High chance of getting bored talking about stained glass and nut cutlets and Prohibition.

Oh, and the deaths. Did anyone mention the deaths?

Maybe this job isn’t such a gift after all. Morning House has a horrific secret that’s been buried for decades, and now the person who brought her here is missing.

All it takes is one clue to set off a catastrophic chain of events. One small detail, just like a spark, could burn it all down—if someone doesn’t bury Marlowe first.

My Take

A murder mystery set in two time frames: the present and nearly a century ago. 

Marlowe Wexler has accidentally set fire to a house with an exploding candle and now her reputation as a pyromaniac precedes her.  She is offered a job on a river island as a tour guide for the summer and it seems a good opportunity for a fresh start.

But now there is murder and mystery to investigate for it appears that nearly 100 years ago a boy and his older sister died on this island. And just before Marlow arrived, there was another death.

Well written with interesting characters.

My rating: 4.5

About the author

Maureen Johnson is the bestselling author of several novels, including 13 Little Blue Envelopes, the Truly Devious series, the Suite Scarlett series, and the Shades of London series. She has also written collaborative works such as Let It Snow with John Green and Lauren Myracle and the Bane Chronicles with Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan. Maureen lives in New York and online on Twitter @maureenjohnson or at maureenjohnsonbooks.com. 

Review: ONE DOWN, Diana Wilkinson

• 
   this edition provided by my local library
  
• published by Boldwood Books 2023,
• large print edition,
• ISBN 978-1-83751-006-1
• 494 pages 
• aka THE COUPLE IN APARTMENT C
  

Synopsis (publisher)

A twisty unputdownable thriller from Diana Wilkinson, author of the Number One bestseller The Girl in Seat 2A

I’m not being paranoid. It’s all there in the crossword clues…in black and white. There’s no doubt the threat is real. Today, the answers spell out my murder.

Is Nathan, my estranged crossword-setter husband, really planning to kill me? Or is it someone closer to home?

I check the door is bolted, slither to the ground, and count down the seconds to noon. There’s nothing left to do, and no one I can call. Who’d believe me anyway? The lady on the ground floor has already left the building, and my new boyfriend is on holiday. Or is he?

A tread of footsteps. A rap at the door, and I close my eyes, hold my breath…

A smart and unsettling psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena and Claire Douglas

My Take

I'm not much good at cryptic crossword puzzles so the bits in here where the author appeared to be trying to teach me how to interpret the clues just sort of left me cold. But nevertheless the plot is very creepy. Someone does appear to be trying to scare the life out of Amanda by personalising the clues in the daily cryptic crossword. Her estranged husband Nathan is one of the anonymous setters of the puzzles in the local paper and certainly she knows that a number of the clues are ones that he has created. But is he trying to kill her?

Amanda has other problems too - she is an alcoholic, she has been responsible for a child's death, she seems to be emotionally unstable. All of which makes for a good read.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• 4.7. THE GIRL IN SEAT 2A
• 4.6, YOU ARE MINE
• 4.5, 4 RIVERSIDE CLOSE

Review: PHEASANTS NEST, Louise Milligan

• 
  this large print edition provided by my local library
• published by Allen & Unwin 2024
• ISBN 978-1-03876-825-4
  
• 317 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

She wonders if they have discovered her missing yet. Has it broken in the news? Who has been assigned to cover her story? Have they started spooling through her social media and pulling out photographs? Constructing a narrative about who she is and what possible reason any person has to kidnap or (let's be frank) kill her? She tries not to let out the whimper that's building in her sternum, at the thought that he might. Kill her, that is. He might kill her.

Kate Delaney has made the biggest mistake of her life. She picked the wrong guy to humiliate on a girls' night out and now she is living every woman's worst nightmare. Kate finds herself brutalised, bound and gagged in the back of a car being driven god knows where by a man whose name she doesn't know, and she is petrified about what's in store for her.

As a journalist who is haunted by the crimes she's had to report over her career, Kate is terrifyingly familiar with the statistics about women who go missing—and the fear and trauma behind the headlines. She knows only too well how those stories usually end.

Kate can only hope the police will find her before it's too late, but she's aware a random crime is hardest to solve. As the clock ticks down, she tries to keep herself sane by thinking about her beloved boyfriend and friends, escaping into memories of love and happy times together. She knows she cannot give way to despair.

As the suspense escalates, Kate's boyfriend Liam is left behind, struggling with his shock, fear and desperation as the police establish a major investigation. The detectives face their own feelings of anguish and futility as they reflect on the cases they didn't solve in time and the victims they couldn't save. They know Kate's chances of survival diminish with every passing hour.

Acclaimed and award-winning writer and journalist Louise Milligan has written a stunning and surprising thriller with a gigantic heart: a gripping, propulsive and brilliantly original debut. 

My Take

Kate Delaney is snatched on her way home from a night out with the girls. At first no-one knows that she has been taken, and then where she is and who she is with: essential clues for solving an abduction.

So tension builds for we the readers know what has happened to her and the question is whether she will be found in time. Where is his abductor taking her, and how will he resolve this situation? Meanwhile her boyfriend, and then the police are looking for her. How much time will they waste in following false leads, before they get to what needs to be done?.

I had some of the puzzle solved by over half way through,and had in mind who would be instrumental in solving the puzzle. Even so, there was some doubt about whether Kate's rescue would come in time.

For my liking the blurb on the back of this book told the reader a little too much of the story.

My rating: 4.4

About the author

Louise Milligan is a multi-award-winning investigative journalist for ABC TV's Four Corners, the Australian national broadcaster's flagship current affairs documentary program. She is the author of two bestselling non-fiction books: Cardinal, The Rise and Fall of George Pell and Witness, An Investigation into the Brutal Cost of Seeking Justice. Her books have been awarded multiple prizes, including the Walkley Book Award, the Davitt Awards Best Non-Fiction Crime Book, the Melbourne Prize for Literature People's Choice Award, the Victorian Premier's Literary Award's People's Choice prize, the Sir Owen Dixon Chambers Law Reporter of the Year Award, a Press Freedom Medal and a shortlisting for the Stella Prize. Louise's journalism, particularly her coverage of historical institutional child abuse and the experience of women in the criminal justice system and parliament, has broken national and international news, sparked government inquiries and led to profound cultural change and law reform. She started her career in newspapers and is a former High Court correspondent and political reporter. Born in Ireland to an Irish mother and Scottish father, Louise moved to Australia as a child. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children. Pheasants Nest is Louise's first novel.

Review: 4 RIVERSIDE CLOSE, Diana Wilkinson

• 
  this edition provided by my local library
  
• published 2020 by Bloodhound Books
• ISBN 978-1-913419-43-1
• 304 pages

Synopsis (Amazon)

A seemingly innocent social network draws residents of a North London cul-de-sac into a web of manipulation and murder in this psychological thriller.

How well do you know your neighbors? . . .

From the outside, Caroline and Jason Swinton have an idyllic life. But when the cracks start to appear, the residents of Riverside Close are drawn into a dangerous game.

When Jason’s body is discovered in a house on the Close, everyone becomes a suspect. Could his lovely wife be responsible for his murder? Or do the neighbors have a motive for wanting him dead?

As the secret lives of those living on the Close are gradually revealed, it becomes clear that someone is hiding something they will stop at nothing to protect . . .

My Take

This is the third novel I've read by this author whom I discovered a few weeks ago, and I guess you could say I'm hooked.

There are only 4 houses in Riverside Close and No. 4 is up for sale. Most of the characters come from the close but there is one couple Caroline and Jason, the founders of Join Me?, who live nearby. On the surface Join Me? is an innocent idea, offering activities particularly for bored housewives or people who have plenty of time on their hands, but also, plenty of money. But Caroline and Jason's intentions are not so innocent.

Very good read.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• 4.7. THE GIRL IN SEAT 2A
• 4.6, YOU ARE MINE
  

Review: YOU ARE MINE, Diana Wilkinson

• 
  this edition made available by my local library
  
• This edition published by Boldwood 2023
  first published 2020
• ISBN 978-1-80549-788-2
• large print edition, 491 pages 

Synopsis (Fantastic Fiction)

How far would you go to stop the love of your life from slipping away?
Jealousy can be a killer…

Ten years after her boyfriend Mitch’s mysterious disappearance, Rebecca finally learns the truth about what happened.  When he returns a happy ending appears within their grasp but there is no escape from the past. And Arthur, Rebecca’s friend who has formed an unhealthy obsession with her, has no intention of letting her go.

When Arthur realises that Mitch is the only person standing in the way of his happiness, his thoughts turn to murder…

When love and obsession collide, the results are deadly.

 My Take

Three time-frames, half a dozen narrators: the reader certainly needs to keep their wits about them with this novel, to keep track of the plot threads.

The author often uses two narrators to describe what has happened, to give their versions of the action, but one after the other. But there is a sort of time slippage, just to keep you on your toes. Sometimes the windows of time are not exactly the same.

And, in the beginning, not all of the characters actually know each other, although perhaps they know they exist. It's almost like a Venn diagram with intriguing mysteries thrown in.

The Prologue describes a rather bloody murder, but we need to wait until almost the end to know who has killed who.

Cleverly structured, and yet quite plausible.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.7. THE GIRL IN SEAT 2A

Review: SEVEN SISTERS, Katherine Kovacic

• 
   this edition published by Harper Collins Publishers 2023
  
• ISBN 978-1-4607-6188-5
• 310 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

SHORTLISTED FOR BEST CRIME FICTION IN THE 2023 NED KELLY AWARDS

Men get away with murder all the time. Now it's our turn ...

Naomi started grief counselling prepared to run for cover as soon as her therapist, Mia, pulled out a crystal or tried to align her chakras.

When Mia suggests that she join a support group, Naomi is sceptical: how could she begin to describe what it felt like to lose her sister, Jo? How could she possibly share her loss and rage to a room full of people? How could she express her helplessness that Jo's killer walks free on a suspended sentence?

And how could she share her deepest desire to see Jo's killer dead by her hand?

In the group sessions, Naomi finds that her experiences and her anger are shared between the other members: Gabrielle, Brooke, Katy, Olivia and Amy. Under the enigmatic leadership of Mia, a plan begins to take shape.

I'll kill yours if you kill mine ...

My Take

Based on a scenario developed by Patricia Highsmith and Alfred Hitchcock in Strangers On a Train. 

The setting is New South Wales.

This plot will have you watching to see how the threads develop. You'll think about how Mia has put this therapy group together, and assessing what its success depends on. For each of the 6 women in this group, as well as Mia the therapist, have something in common - grief they haven't been able to get over. 

Each of the characters is well drawn. Are there any weak links? Will they all be able to carry through their part?

Once you've finished reading, there are some reading questions provided on the final pages.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.5, THE PORTRAIT OF MOLLY DEAN - #1
4.6, PAINTING IN THE SHADOWS - #2 
4.5, THE SHIFTING LANDSCAPE - #3 

Review: WE SOLVE MURDERS, Richard Osman

• 
   this edition published by Penguin Viking 2024
  
• ISBN 978-0-241-60837-1
• 444 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

Combining the heart and humour of The Thursday Murder Club with a puzzling international mystery, welcome to the blockbusting new series from the biggest new fiction author of the decade, Richard Osman.

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favourite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job . . .

Then a dead body, a bag of money and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a deadly enemy? 

My Take

I wasn't prepared for the complexity of this plot. There is a lot to get your head around, and a lot of new characters to become familiar with. There are glimmerings of humour but not too many outright belly laughs, although some develop by the end. The quirkiness that was a feature of the previous series is there - scenarios that you feel could only come from Richard Osman's brain.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• 4.5, THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB  
• 4.3, THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE 
• 4.6, THE BULLET THAT MISSED
• 4.8, THE LAST DEVIL TO DIE

Review: THE LEDGE, Christian White

• 
  this edition published in 2024 by Affirm Press
• ISBN 9-781923-0226829
  
• 325 pages 

Synopsis (publisher)

When human remains are discovered in a forest, police are baffled, the locals are shocked and one group of old friends starts to panic. Their long-held secret is about to be uncovered.

It all began in 1999 when sixteen-year-old Aaron ran away from home, drawing his friends into an unforeseeable chain of events that no one escaped from unscathed.

In The Ledge, past and present run breathlessly parallel, leading to a climax that will change everything you thought you knew. This is a mind-bending new novel from the master of the unexpected. 

My Take

The blurb is right - this novel is mind-bending. Just as you thought you had it all worked out, there  is another solution. As you protest but... but .... but, you concede it is all there in plain sight.  

This is his best novel yet.

At the end, think about the discussion questions provided after the novel finishes.

My rating: 5.0

I've also read

• 4.4, THE NOWHERE CHILD
• 4.5, THE WIFE AND THE WIDOW 
• 4.6, WILD PLACE
• 4.9, THE WIFE AND THE WIDOW 

Review: THE NIGHT FIRE, Michael Connelly

• 
  This edition available on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07NL757ZF
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown and Company (October 22, 2019)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 449 pages
• #3 in the Ballard and Bosch series 

Synopsis (Amazon)

Harry Bosch and LAPD Detective Renée Ballard come together again on the murder case that obsessed Bosch's mentor, the man who trained him.

Back when Harry Bosch was just a rookie homicide detective, he had an inspiring mentor who taught him to take the work personally and light the fire of relentlessness for every case. Now that mentor, John Jack Thompson, is dead, and his widow gives Bosch a murder book, one that Thompson took with him when he left the LAPD twenty years before -- the unsolved killing of a troubled young man.

Bosch takes the murder book to Detective Renée Ballard and asks her to help him discover what about this crime lit Thompson's fire all those years ago. As she begins her enquiries -- while still working her own cases on the midnight shift -- Ballad finds aspects of the initial investigation that just don't add up.

The bond between Bosch and Ballard tightens as they become a formidable investigation team. And they soon arrive at a disturbing question: Did Thompson steal the murder book to work the case in retirement, or to make sure it never got solved?
Written with the intense pacing and masterful suspense that have made Michael Connelly "the hard-boiled fiction master of our time" (NPR), The Night Fire continues the unofficial partnership of two fierce detectives determined not to let the fire with burn out.

My Take

I've read this for discussion with my U3A Crime Fiction group as our last novel for 2024. Other American novels we've read this year have struggled to find popularity and I'm not sure what the reaction will be to this one, despite Connelly's general popularity. I have not read any of the Ballard and Bosch series before, but this was a book set from the library, so perhaps I will also pay the penalty for embarking mid series.

Detective Renée Ballard works 'The Late Show', the notorious graveyard shift at the LAPD. It's thankless work for a once-promising detective, keeping strange hours in a twilight world of crime. Harry Bosch has recently retired although he "forgot" to hand his badge in and is not averse to using it when it suits him. He has also recently discovered that he has acute myeloid leukemia. He has begun chemo therapy but feels he has a death sentence hanging over him. He has recently had a knee replacement and this recovery is limiting his ability to move quickly.

When Harry attends the funeral of his former mentor John Jack Thompson, Thompson's wife gives him a "murder book" related to a cold case from 20 years before. As Ballard and Bosch begin to look at the case they ask themselves why Thompson took the book with him on his retirement, when by rights he should have handed it in. Even stranger is the fact that Thompson does not seem to have made any steps to investigate the case himself. Why is that?

Both Bosch and Ballard are also working on other cases, and so this novel is really a police procedural, exploring the sorts of cases that occupy the time of LAPD detectives. While Bosch knows some of those still working in LAPD he is not popular and neither is Ballard. And of course there will come a time when the cases have elements in common. Bosch for example is doing some investigative and consulting work for his half-brother Mickey Haller who is defending a young man accused of murdering a judge.

The novel is structured to reflect the actions being taken by the two individual detectives. The reader is told by section heading whose P.O.V. it is.

So what will my group make of this novel?

• the US court and justice system is very different to the Australian/British one and I think they will have a problem accepting some of the scenarios;
• the partnership between Ballard and Bosch is an interesting one, highly productive, but once again a scenario that probably could not happen "here";
• the language of the novel might cause a problem: e.g. the corpse of a homeless man incinerated in his tent is referred to as a "crispy critter." We all know what that means but it's use as common terminology would not happen "here".
  There is also a lot of swearing, not a common feature of local crime fiction novels.
  There is also use of other local terminology e.g. "Did you roll the coroner out yet?" and referring to patrol cars congregating at an all night ruck park: "They can all code seven there without leaving their zones". Ballard "hooked a left down the hallway."
  I felt like I was getting a lesson in LAPD "speak".
• the structure of the murder book - the chrono, the inclusions,
• do the resources that the LAPD have available to them exist in Australia? e.g. the bullet archive - the national database that holds unique ballistic details and cartridge casing found at crime scenes
• there are times when both Ballard and Bosch ignore proper procedure. They also put themselves in considerable danger.
  

It is a very detailed and quite long novel. Lots for an Australian reader to take in.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• THE OVERLOOK
• THE BRASS VERDICT
• THE CONCRETE BLONDE
• 4.3, THE REVERSAL
• 4.4, SUICIDE RUN
• 4.4, ANGLE OF INVESTIGATION
• 4.5, THE POET
• 4.5, FAIR WARNING

Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch series
   1. The Late Show (2017)
   2. Dark Sacred Night (2018)
   3. The Night Fire (2019)
   4. The Dark Hours (2021)
   5. Desert Star (2022)
   6. The Waiting (2024)

Review: THE VALLEY, Chris Hammer

• 
  published by Allen & Unwin 2024
  
• ISBN 978-1-76417-088-2
• 446 pages
• Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic #4
  
• aka BROKEN RIVER

Synopsis (publisher)

A body has been discovered on the riverbanks of The Valley, a remote community in the hills of New South Wales. The gold mine at the heart of The Valley was once the lifeblood of this region, but it has been flooded for decades. Over the years, many have tried and failed to bring it back to life. Now, most believe the mine is barren.

The victim is Wolfgang Burnside, deputy mayor – a champion of change or local schemer, depending on who you ask. He had been working on plans to take the Valley off-grid with hydro-power using the lake surrounding the abandoned mine. Until he was poisoned, his body dumped in the river for all to see.

Detectives Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic are dispatched to investigate. The warning is clear – there are secrets lurking in the depths of this Valley, secrets worth more than their weight in gold. What price will this town have to pay to ensure that they never see the light of day? 

My Take

A very dense novel with a complex plot rooted in a least two time periods. The author has the reader working overtime to reconcile facts and theories, to keep track of a huge range of characters and events, and to remember all the salient bits and pieces. You certainly get your money's worth. For me there were still questions at the end where I only thought I had the answers.

Quite a lot more than a murder mystery.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

• 4.7, SCRUBLANDS - Martin Scarsden #1
  
• 4.4, SILVER - - Martin Scarsden #2
• 4.6, TREASURE & DIRT - aka OPAL COUNTRY - Detective Nell Buchanan #1
  4.7, TREASURE & DIRT - re-read
  
• 4.8, THE TILT - aka DEAD MAN'S CREEK - Detective Nell Buchanan #2
• 4.8, SCRUBLANDS - re-read
• 4.8, THE SEVEN - aka COVER THE BONES - Detective Nell Buchanan #3

Review: LOOK BOTH WAYS, Linwood Barclay

• 
  This edition an e-book on Kindle from Amazon
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09Y1MD35K
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HQ (August 3, 2022)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 420 pages

Synopsis (Amazon) 

Inspired by his decades-long love of cars, internationally bestselling author Linwood Barclay envisions a world in which automotive technology outpaces our wildest dreams—and our darkest nightmares—in a gripping new novel of action and suspense

These headlights are watching you…

The media have descended on Garrett Island, a small, isolated community that is the setting of a visionary experiment. All the residents’ cars were sent to the mainland and for the past month the islanders have been “driving” the Arrival, a revolutionary autonomous vehicle. With a simple voice command, an Arrival will take you wherever you want to go and, because the fleet is networked and aware of one another, car travel is now 100% safe. The future, it seems, has arrived.

As the excitement reaches a fever pitch, Sandra Montrose—islander, single mom, and public relations executive—prepares for Arrival Inc.’s flashy press event. Sandra is more than ready for this new world. Her husband died after falling asleep at the wheel and she’s relieved that her two teens, Archie and Katie, will never need driver’s licenses.

But as the celebratory day gets underway, disaster strikes. A visiting journalist has vanished, possibly murdered. Before long, the Arrivals run amok, no longer taking orders from their passengers. They’re starting to organize. They’re beginning to hunt. And they seem hell-bent on killing any human they encounter.

Is this all just a tragic accident, a technological malfunction with deadly consequences? Or were the vehicles programmed to act this way in a cruel act of corporate sabotage? Or could it be that the Arrivals have a mind of their own?

Fasten your seatbelts—it’s going to be a bumpy ride

My Take

Very topical. Experiments with driverless vehicles are worldwide. I have been in one in Abu Dhabi many years ago but they ran on a track, so things have changed a lot since then.

The residents in Garrett Island in Massachusetts have agreed to take part in a trial where the only cars on the island will driverless cars called Arrivals. Their own cars have been taken to the ferry car park on the mainland. Sandra Montrose is coordinating a media event promoting what has been happening on the island for the last month as the residents' only transport are the Arrivals.

But then, at the media event, things begin to go wrong.

A fascinating tale, well worth the read. Linwood Barclay is an author to follow.

My rating: 4.7

I've also read

NO TIME FOR GOODBYE
TOO CLOSE TO HOME
4.5, FEAR THE WORST
4.6, NEVER LOOK AWAY
5.0, TRUST YOUR EYES
4.7, NEVER SAW IT COMING
4.4, BROKEN PROMISE
4.4, A NOISE DOWNSTAIRS

Review: PERFECT CRIME, Helen Fields

• 
   this edition an e-book on Libby supplied by my local library
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avon (18 April 2019)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 417 pages
• #5 in the DI Callanach series

Synopsis (Amazon)

our darkest moment is your most vulnerable…

Stephen Berry is about to jump off a bridge until a suicide prevention counsellor stops him. A week later, Stephen is dead. Found at the bottom of a cliff, DI Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner are drafted in to investigate whether he jumped or whether he was pushed…

As they dig deeper, more would-be suicides roll in: a woman found dead in a bath; a man violently electrocuted. But these are carefully curated deaths – nothing like the impulsive suicide attempts they’ve been made out to be.

Little do Callanach and Turner know how close their perpetrator is as, across Edinburgh, a violent and psychopathic killer gains more confidence with every life he takes…

My Take

This is a complex novel, set in Edinburgh and centred around cases that appear at first to be suicides, but each has elements that cast doubt on that diagnosis. The characters are well drawn, and their relationships complicated.

I regretted a number of times while reading that I have not read earlier novels in the series. There are references to earlier cases that have had lingering impact. So I have listed below the earlier novels in case you are in a position to read them in order, which I think would be rewarding.

My rating: 4.6

About the Author
Helen Fields studied law at the University of East Anglia, then went on to the Inns of Court School of Law in London. After completing her pupillage, she joined chambers in Middle Temple where she practised criminal and family law for thirteen years. After her second child was born, Helen left the Bar. Together with her husband David, she runs a film production company, acting as script writer and producer. Perfect Prey is her second novel following Perfect Remains. Both are set in Scotland, where Helen feels most at one with the world. Helen and her husband now live in Hampshire with their three children and two dogs.

DI Callanach
   1. Perfect Remains (2017)
   2. Perfect Prey (2017)
   3. Perfect Death (2018)
   4. Perfect Silence (2018)
   5. Perfect Crime (2019)
   6. Perfect Kill (2020)
   7. One for Sorrow (2022)

Review: THE CRYPTIC CLUE, Amanda Hampson

• 
   this edition published 2024 by Penguin
• #2 in The Tea Ladies series
  
• ISBN 978-1-76136-102-1
• 323 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

Look who’s back in hot water! The delightful and witty second novel in The Tea Ladies mystery series. Ideal for fans of Richard Osman and Bonnie Garmus.

In ZigZag Lane, in the heart of Sydney’s rag-trade district, tea ladies Hazel, Betty and Irene find themselves in hot water. Having already solved a murder, kidnapping and arson case, and outwitting an arch criminal, they have proved themselves a useful resource and earned the respect of a local police officer. Now he needs their help to solve a plot that threatens security.

As if that’s not enough, Irene gets a coded message directing her to the spoils of a bank robbery, which sends the tea ladies on a treasure hunt with an unexpected outcome.

There’s also trouble brewing within the walls of Empire Fashionwear, where an interloper threatens not just Hazel’s job but the very role of tea lady. It’s up to Hazel to convince her friends to abandon their trolleys and take action to save their livelihoods – before it’s too late. 

My Take

Sydney 1966. The building of the Sydney Opera House has begun and local feeling is running high about what many feel will be a white elephant. Pounds, shillings and pence are a thing of the past, and many are confused about the swap to decimal currency. 

Things are changing on the tea lady front too, A new fangled thing known as a Cafe Bar has appeared and is threatening their jobs.

While for me this was a bit of a slow read, I enjoyed the interplay between the main characters, the hint of romance in Hazel's life, and the historical setting with it's several themes.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

4.4, THE TEA LADIES

Review: THE GIRL IN SEAT 2A, Diana Wilkinson

• 
  this edition an e-book supplied by my library on Libby
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boldwood Books (19 January 2024)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 358 pages

Synopsis (Amazon)

Funny how one lie can spiral…

One thing about me: I HATE flying. That’s why I book seat 2A every time.

Since my big win, I’ve been booking 2B and 2C as well. They’re my comfort seats, and at last I can afford them.

I am now determined to live the life of luxury. I deserve it, after all.

And if anyone learns my secret, they better watch their back. Because I will stop at nothing to get what's mine…

My Take

A very intriguing plot with a gaslighting con man at the very centre. But ask yourself after you've read it, whether the central character Jade is not also a con-man.

An engaging plot with plenty of mystery and a series of intriguing twists and turns.  

My Rating: 4,7

About the author

Diana Wilkinson (née Kennett) was born and bred in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the height of the civil unrest. After graduating from Durham University with a degree in geography, she settled in England.

Diana spent most of her working life in the business of tennis development. A former Irish international player, Diana recently stepped off the court to become a full-time writer. The inspiration for much of her work has come from the ladies she coached over the years and from confidences shared over coffee.

Previously published by Bloodhound Books, Diana’s debut novel, 4 Riverside Close became an instant international bestseller, and its success was soon followed by the release of 6 more psychological thrillers. You Are Mine. Right Behind You. The Missing Guest. The Couple in Apartment C. The Woman in my Home......and the Number One Bestseller......The Girl in Seat 2A. All these titles are published by her new publisher, Boldwood Books. Thriller number 8, The Girl in the Window, is due out 13th December, 2024

Review: ONE OF US IS MISSING, B. M. Carroll

• 
  this edition borrowed from my local library
  
• first published by Affirm Press 2024
• ISBN 978-1-923022-12-6
• 362 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

There's no such thing as safety in numbers ...

Rachel and Rory Sullivan decide to celebrate making it through a difficult year by taking their teenagers, Emmet and Bridie, to their first stadium concert. By the end of the night, one of the four has vanished without a trace.

As the police investigation intensifies, suspicion is cast on the remaining family members. Everyone has been deceiving one another, but who is to blame for what went wrong? The passing of each hour amplifies their terror that life will never be the same again.

One of Us is Missing is a dark domestic thriller about the dangers lurking right in plain sight.  

My Take

Set in Sydney, this thriller makes you contemplate the risks you take when allowing your kids to attend a concert, or a similar public event, even when you are also there. The author has based the plot on personal experience. She depicts a "worst case" scenario with vivid possibilities.

She also shows us that there are often preliminary events that spark this sort of scenario, as well as consequences that last for years.

In this case the disappearance came out of left field, no-one could have predicted it, even though it was carefully planned.

There is an interesting set of reading group discussion questions in the final pages.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

• 4.5, THE MISSING PIECES OF SOPHIE McCARTHY
• 4.5, WHO WE WERE 
• 4.6, YOU HAD IT COMING

Review: THE CLOCKS, Agatha Christie

• 
  I read this as an e-book from Amazon for Kindle
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DCN8G16T
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Horizon Ridge Publishing (August 11, 2024)
• Originally published 1963
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 292 pages 
• previous review:  
• useful entry on Wikipedia

Synopsis (Amazon)

In the small town of Crow's Nest [Crowdean??], a mysterious murder takes place, and the only clue is the eerie presence of four clocks stopped at the exact time of the crime. As the investigation unfolds, a complex web of secrets and lies is revealed, leading to a shocking revelation.

Written by the legendary Agatha Christie, "The Clocks" is a classic whodunit that will keep you on the edge of your seat. With its intricate plot, memorable characters, and masterful twists, this gripping mystery novel is a must-read for fans of detective fiction.

My Take

According to my records I last read this about 11 years ago for my Agatha Christie Reading Challenge when I was attempting to read all Agatha Christie novels in the order in which they were published.

This time I am reading it with my U3A Agatha Christie reading group. It is no, 34 of the 38 Poirot novels. So the purpose of this commentary is to consider what discussion points we might focus on.

So from here on there may be spoilers.

1. There are essentially two interwoven plots:the mystery Poirot works on from his armchair while the police work on the spot, and a Cold War spy story told in the first person narrative.
2. Poirot does not appear until about half way through the novel, and is then essentially a figure in the background, trying to solve the mystery from notes and narrative given to him by Colin Lamb. Colin is mainly involved in the finding of  an espionage manipulator.
3. The initial murder is that of a respectable gentleman, with false identification, found dead on the floor of a blind woman's house by a typist who has been sent there.
4. There are 6 clocks in the room with the man, 4 of them stopped at 4.15.
   
5. There are in the long run 3 murders, so we will discuss why they occurred.
6. I think there were a number of red herrings and a number of facts that are treated seriously, but in fact were not at all essential for us to know.
7. There were a number of plot points that were rather untidy:
1. we are originally told that Sheila Webb has been brought up by her aunt, but then we find that her mother is actually Miss Pebmarsh
2. Why was the body left in Miss Pebmarsh's house. She doesn't seem to have any connection to the murderers
3. Colin Lamb's father is Superintendent Battle
4. Mrs Ramsay whose husband has deserted her seems a bit superfluous
5. other odd things they want to comment on.
   
8. It appears that the plot has been modified at many levels for the David Suchet/ITV production. We usually follow our discussion up by viewing the television program, but I don't yet have a copy.

My rating: 4.2 

All the Agatha Christie novels I have read.

Review: THE PRISONER, B. A. Paris

• 
   this edition from my local library
  
• published by Hodder & Stoughton UK 2022
• ISBN 978-1-399-71022-0
• 365 pages
• Richard & Judy Book Club pick for 2023
  

Synopsis (publisher)

Secrets. Suspicion. Survival

THEN

Amelie has always been a survivor, from losing her parents as a child in Paris to making it on her own in London. As she builds a career for herself in the magazine industry, she meets, and agrees to marry, Ned Hawthorne.

NOW

Amelie wakes up in a pitch-black room, not knowing where she is. Why has she been taken? Who are her mysterious captors? And why does she soon feel safer here, imprisoned, than she had begun to feel with her husband Ned?

In true B.A. Paris style, The Prisoner is a gripping survival story, a twisted tale of love and at its dark heart a thriller to keep you up all night. 

My Take

If you haven't met this author before, put her on your list. 

The narrative swaps quickly between Past and Present. and is told mainly through the eyes of Amelie, who is initially rescued from the streets of London by Carolyn who first of all gives her a home and then gets her a job in a popular magazine. She feels like she has been given a second family. But after she agrees to spend a few days in Paris with Ned, everything goes sour.

Short snappy chapters build the tension. When Ned and Amelie are kidnapped, she is not sure what they have done nor who the kidnappers are, or what they want.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• 4.5, BRING ME BACK  
• 4.5, THE THERAPIST
• 4.6, THE BREAKDOWN

Review: DORMIE 5, G. R. Jordan

• 
  This edition available from Amazon on Kindle
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BQF9K1DT
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Carpetless Publishing (April 30, 2023)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 239 pages
• Highlands & Islands Detective Book 25

Synopsis (Amazon)

A clash of cultures at a golf club of distinction. The club secretary found sliced on the 15th tee box. Can Macleod and McGrath find the rogue player on the course before some else receives a two slash penalty?

With the building of the new parkland course beside Newtonmoray’s famous old links, tensions rise in the realms of the club’s devoted golfers. But when there is talk of a professional tour event coming to the club and being switched to the new course, the gloves are off in a fight for the event. In the midst of the fervour, the club secretary is found dead over his golf trolley at the picturesque 15th hole. Can Seoras and Hope wade through the club politics and personalities to uncover a brutal killer, or will the clubhouse row lead to more patrons being teed up!

The match might be dormie, but they’ll play to the death!

My Take

It is a while since I've read one in this series and this one has served to remind me of how good they are! The solving of a brutal murder at a local golf course is complicated by the fact that MacLeod has been made Acting DCI but McGrath is still to be made Acting DI. So Hope takes on the lead for the case while Seoras tries to leave her alone, and not to interfere too much. Command structures are not clear and Seoras worries that Hope is not ready for the new responsibilities, while she worries that he will be disappointed in her.

Meanwhile there is a second death but is it the same murderer or a copycat?

You will see from the list below that I love this series.   

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• 4.5, WATER'S EDGE -#1
• 4.4, THE BOTHY - #2
• 4.4, THE HORROR WEEKEND - #3
• 4.5, THE SMALL FERRY - #4 
• 4.5, DEAD AT THIRD MAN  - #5
• 4.4, THE PIRATE CLUB  - #6
• 4.5, A PERSONAL AGENDA  - #7
• 4.6, A JUST PUNISHMENT - #8
• 4.5, THE NUMEROUS DEATHS OF SANTA CLAUS - #9
• 4.4, OUR GATED COMMUNITY - #10  
• 4.4, THE SATCHEL - #11 
• 4.3, CULHWCH ALPHA - #12
• 4.5, FAIR MARKET VALUE - #13
• 4.5, THE COACH BOMBER -  #14 
• 4.7, THE CULLING AT SINGING SANDS - #15
• 4.6, WHERE JUSTICE FAILS - #16 
• 4.5, THE CORTADO CLUB - #17
• 4.5, CLEARED TO DIE - #18
• 4.5, MAN OVERBOARD - #19 
• 4.6, ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR -#20 
• 4.5, ROGUE'S GALLERY- #21
• 4.5, THE DEATH OF MACLEOD - #22
• 4.5, A COMMON MAN -#23
• 4.5, A SWEEPING DARKNESS - #24

Review: TIPPING POINT, Dinuka McKenzie

• 
   this edition available on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CDDDGXZL
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins (February 1, 2024)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 355 pages
• (Detective Kate Miles Book 3)

 Synopsis (Amazon)

A suicide. A shooting. And a reckoning, decades in the making. The must-read new Detective Kate Miles novel from 'a born storyteller' (Michael Robotham).

Weeks from Christmas in the sweltering heat of summer, Detective Kate Miles' estranged brother, Luke Grayling, returns home to Esserton to farewell a childhood friend - Ant Reed, dead by suicide. Within days of the funeral, another young man, Marcus Rowntree, is found shot dead in the back paddock of his property.

Almost twenty years ago, Luke, Ant and Marcus were best mates in high school and now two of the three friends are dead. A tragic coincidence? Or is there something more sinister connecting the three men?

When Luke is identified as a person of interest in Marcus's death, Kate once again finds herself in the middle of a media storm, sidelined from the case and battling accusations of conflict of interest. As press attention deepens, and uncomfortable truths about Luke's personal life and past events come to light, Kate is forced to contend between loyalty to the police force, and the bonds of friendship and blood.

My Take

Set in a fictional town in northern New South Wales, this is the third in the Kate Miles series, and shows Dinuka McKenzie again a writer to be watched. 

Closely plotted, tightly woven plot, with a number of themes. In the long run, the final solution came a bit out of left field. The novel explores family relationships, and mental health issues.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• 4.6, THE TORRENT - Kate Miles #1
• 4.7, TAKEN - Kate Miles #2
  

Review: BURIED, Lynda La Plante

• 
  This edition made available as an e-book by my local library on Libby
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zaffre (2 April 2020)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 450 pages
• Book 1 of 3: Detective Jack Warr

Synopsis (Amazon)

SOME THINGS SHOULD REMAIN BURIED . . .

The gripping first book in a brand new thriller series by the Queen of Crime Drama, Lynda La Plante.
__________________

DC Jack Warr and his girlfriend Maggie have just moved to London to start a new life together. Though charming, Jack can't seem to find his place in the world - until he's drawn into an investigation that turns his life upside down.

In the aftermath of a fire at an isolated cottage, a badly charred body is discovered, along with the burnt remains of millions of stolen, untraceable bank notes.

Jack's search leads him deep into a murky criminal underworld - a world he finds himself surprisingly good at navigating. But as the line of the law becomes blurred, how far will Jack go to find the answers - and what will it cost him?

In BURIED, it's time to meet DC Jack Warr as he digs up the deadly secrets of the past . . .

My Take

Adopted when he was 5, Jack has never seemed to find something to give a spark to his life. His boss is pushing him to take his sergeant's exams, because he has potential but just hasn't demonstrated commitment. 

But now his adoptive father has cancer, and Jack feels the need to locate or at least identify his birth father. and then he discovers links to a cold case he is exploring.

A police procedural that tags the close line between the law and the criminals.  Jack is torn.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.5 ROYAL FLUSH aka ROYAL HEIST
4.5, DEADLY INTENT
4.5, TWISTED
4.6, HIDDEN KILLERS

Review: YOU HAD IT COMING, B.M. Carroll

• 
  This edition made available by my local library as an e-book on Libby
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Viper; Main edition (13 May 2021)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
• SHORTLISTED FOR THE NED KELLY BEST CRIME FICTION AWARD
  

Synopsis (publisher)

WOULD YOU SAVE THE MAN
WHO DESTROYED YOUR LIFE?

When paramedic Megan Lowe is called to the scene of an attempted murder, all she can do is try to save the victim. But as the man is lifted onto a stretcher, she realises she knows him. She despises him. Why should she save his life when he destroyed hers?

Jess Foster is on her way home when she receives a text from Megan. Once best friends, the two women haven't been close for years, not since the night when they were just the teenage girls whom no-one believed; whose reputations were ruined. All Jess can think is, you had it coming.

Now Megan and Jess are at the centre of a murder investigation. But what secrets are they hiding? Can they trust one another? And who really is the victim?

My Take

I won't reveal just how Megan knew the attempted murder victim because that would spoil the plot for you. Certainly there is more to this plot than originally meets the eye. It raises issues that would affect anyone who is the victim of unwanted violence and also anyone who has lost a court case, or anyone who has been belittled in court.

The question also arises of how much Megan's situation was engineered. 

Very well written and compulsive reading.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

• 4.5, THE MISSING PIECES OF SOPHIE McCARTHY
• 4.5, WHO WE WERE 
  

Review: THEN SHE VANISHES, Claire Douglas

• 
  this edition made available by my local library
  
• published by Penguin Books 2019
• ISBN 978-0-718-18791-0
• 436 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

Everything changed the night Flora Powell disappeared.

Heather and Jess were best friends – until the night Heather’s sister vanished.

Jess has never forgiven herself for the lie she told that night. Nor has Heather.

But now Heather is accused of an awful crime.

And Jess is forced to return to the sleepy seaside town where they grew up, to ask the question she’s avoided for so long:

What really happened the night Flora disappeared?

My take

A very twisty plot. Just when you think you have it all sorted out, then it takes a sharp turn, and you are forced to think it all through again.

Central is the unsolved disappearance of 16 year old Flora Powell nearly two decades before.  And now her sister Heather appears to have shot dead two strangers and then turned the gun on herself.

This will keep you reading until you know the truth.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• 4.6, THE COUPLE AT NO. 9
• 4.6, JUST LIKE THE OTHER GIRLS
• 4.7, LAST SEEN ALIVE 

Review: LEAVE NO TRACE, Jo Callaghan

• 
  This edition an e-book on Amazon (Kindle)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C9NG1YZX
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster UK (March 28, 2024)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 383 pages
• Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 139851120X

Synopsis (publisher)

One detective driven by instinct, the other by logic.
It will take both to find a killer who knows the true meaning of fear . . .

When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of Mount Judd, DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI detective – are thrust into the spotlight with their first live case.

But when they discover another man dead – also crucified – it appears that the killer is only just getting started. When the Future Policing Unit issues an extraordinary warning to local men to avoid drinking in pubs, being out alone late at night and going home with strangers, they face a hostile media frenzy. Whilst they desperately search for connections between the victims, time is running out for them to join the dots and prevent another death.

And if Kat and Lock know anything, it’s that killers rarely stop – until they are made to.

My Take

The first title in this series IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE introduced the concept of artificial intelligence being used to solve cold cases. Now DCS Kat Frank feels it is time to test AIDE Lock on a live case. She gets her wish when the body of a man is found crucified at a local recycling depot. 

Once again a well plotted fast moving story which illustrates how Lock's capacity for analysing data can speed up the processes of dealing with crime. However the team working with Lock is very human and the whole process of working together takes a lot of compromise and adjustment,

So this is partly police procedural, and partly thinking about what the face of future policing might look like. 

Don't start with this title though. Look for IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE to read first.

My rating: 4.8

I've also read 

4.8, IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, Jo Callaghan

Review: THE ROYAL LIBRARIAN, Daisy Wood

This edition published 2024 by Avon UK

• 
  ISBN: 9780008636913
  
• ISBN 10: 0008636915
• Imprint: Avon
• On Sale: 11/04/2024
• Pages: 384

Synopsis (publisher)

A royal palace. A closed book. A betrayal that will echo through generations

Windsor, 1940: War rages, and as bombs rain down across Britain, nowhere is safe: not even a royal palace.

Secretly tasked with foiling a suspected plot, Sophie Klein is placed in the Royal Library at Windsor castle, where the princesses reside. But when she learns that Windsor is compromised, Sophie must sacrifice everything she knows to save the future queen of England

Philadelphia, Present day: Digging into her great aunt's family tree, Lacey Turner comes across a mysterious book bearing the stamp of Windsor Castle's royal bindery. But how did it come to be in her family's possession?

And so begins a journey that will take Lacey from battlefields to Buckingham Palace in a quest to reunite the book with its rightful owner.

My Take

Not really crime fiction, more of a mystery, coupled with a family saga spanning over 80 years.

Sophie Klein is rescued  from Austria on the eve of Hitler's invasion by a person at the British Embassy who can see the usefulness of her bilingual abilities and also the chance to help her get out of Vienna. At the same time her ten year old sister is evacuated by philanthropists to America. They will never meet again in Sophie's lifetime.

In present day Philadelphia Lacey Turner discovers a reference to her grandmother's sister, who had been the Royal Librarian at Windsor Castle early during World War II and travels to the UK to discover more about her.

Sophie is employed to keep an eye on events surrounding the former king, the Duke of Windsor, and foils a plot to abduct the royal princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. There is a nice picture drawn of  the Princess Elizabeth.

A nice warming story, plus a credible plot.

My rating: 4.5

About the author

Daisy Wood worked in publishing for some years before leaving to concentrate on her own writing. She has had several children’s books published, both historical and contemporary, and is happiest rooting about in the London Library on the pretext of research. She lives in south London and when not locked away in her study can be seen in various city parks, running after a rescue Pointer with a Basset Hound in tow.

Review: THE PERFECT PARENTS, J. A. Baker

• 
  this edition made available by my local library
  
• published in Great Britain by Boldwood Books 2024
• ISBN 978-1-80415-398-7
• 389 pages

Synopsis (publisher) 

Jackson and Lydia Hemsworth are pillars of the community, feted for having the perfect marriage and three wonderful children – Florence, Jessica and Ezra.

But appearances can be deceptive.

Because behind closed doors Jackson Hemsworth rules his family with cruelty and control. His marriage is a sham; his children for years have cowed in fear.

Until the day that Jackson and Lydia throw themselves off Newport Bridge in a joint suicide pact – the final cruel blow by Jackson to control his wife and torture his adult children.

As the Hemsworth siblings return to their family home, they must try to make sense of their parents’ last act. But there are many dark secrets waiting to be unearthed at Armett House.

Like, why are the townsfolk so suddenly hostile towards them? And who are the strangers who arrive at Armett House unannounced? And why has their mother’s body still not been found?

In the aftermath of their parents’ death, it becomes clear that something terrible is about to be exposed about the Hemsworths’ perfect parents.

A secret they may all wish had stayed hidden…

My Take

The story proper begins with  Jackson and Lydia jumping in tandem off the Newport bridge into dark and swollen waters. From that point on the main narrative voices are their two daughters Flo and Jessica. 

The girls had left home years ago but it is now they and their brother Ezra who have to death with the aftermath of their parents' suicide. For while their father's body has been recovered from the river, their mother is still missing. And the catalogue of the dreadful things their father has done over the years begins. And the bodies begin to pile up.

A real page turner.

When you've finished reading this story, do go back and re-read the Prologue, and decide whose voice this is.

My rating: 4.5

About the author

Website: https://jabaker.substack.com/

Twitter: thewriterjude

J. A. Baker was born and brought up in the North East of England. She has had 15 books published and recently completed book 16.

When she's not writing and thinking up new and inventive ways of killing off her fictional characters, or looking after her young grandchildren, she can be found pottering around her garden with her madcap dog, Theo or in a coffee shop eating cake with her long suffering husband.

Review: THE BOOK CLUB, C.J. Cooper

• 
  
• 
  large print edition, publ. W. F. Howes, 2021
  
• ISBN 978-1-0042-303-5
• 449 pages 
• this edition from my local library
  

Synopsis (publisher)

Can you trust the woman next door?

The book club was her idea, of course. Alice's.

It was her way into our group. A chance to get close.

I knew from the day she arrived that she couldn't be trusted.

And I was right.

Because Alice didn't come to the village for peace and quiet.

She came for revenge. 

My Take

Lucy Shaw has lived in her cottage only 3 months. And now Alice has moved in next door. She persuades Lucy to set up a book group with her 3 friends, and then Alice chooses the books. Slowly it dawns on Lucy that in some way each book, although they are English classics, relates to a situation her friends are in. Each of her friends, and Lucy herself, appears to have a secret, and things are not as idyllic in this sleepy Cotswold village as they appear.

And there is something about Alice - she is creepy, cold and not to be trusted. Alice manipulates each of the others in the book group, turning them against each other, but it is not obvious why it is happening, not until the very end.

A really good read.

My rating: 4.6

About the Author

C. J. Cooper grew up in a small village in south Wales before moving to London as a student. She graduated with a degree in Ancient History and Egyptology and spent seven months as a development worker in Nepal. On her return to Britain she joined the civil service, where she worked for 17 years on topics ranging from housing support to flooding. She hung up her bowler hat when she discovered that she much preferred writing about psychotic killers to ministerial speeches. She lives in London with her husband and two cats.