Resort to Murder by TP Fielden

Book Review

"...she was no stranger to death..."

Resort to Murder (A Miss Dimont Mystery, Book 2) is written by TP Fielden and published by HQ.

I reviewed the first in the Miss Dimont Mystery series a few months back and, while I didn't love it, there were elements I enjoyed and I thought I'd give the next one a chance. However, I'm afraid Resort to Murder has proved that this crime series is not for me.

The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton

Book Review

"...to be a woman of Pendle is both a blessing and a curse."

The Craftsman is released in the UK today, 3rd May 2018. It is written by Sharon Bolton and published by Trapeze.

I can tell I enjoyed The Craftsman because when I went back through my Kindle I found that I hadn't made any notes. Usually if I'm going to be reviewing a book I'll make a couple of notes or highlight parts to quote, but I was so into this book that I didn't break to note anything down.

It does mean that I don't have any notes to work from so this review may be a bit of a ramble!

The Western Wind by Samantha Harvey

Book Review

"Men die because they're born to die."

The Western Wind was released in the UK on 1st March 2018. It is written by Samantha Harvey and published by Jonathan Cape.

If you're expecting a cosy murder mystery with a rotund clergyman at the centre then The Western Wind isn't for you. However, neither is it a bloodthirsty shock a minute thriller. The Western Wind is a slow paced mystery set in the 15th century with a thoughtful and sometimes pompous priest unravelling the mystery. I quite liked the pace of the book, it's slow and steadily unravelling yet it was oddly riveting.

The Riviera Express by TP Fielden

Book Review

"...there were two face to Miss Dimont."

The Riviera Express is written by TP Fielden and published by HQ.

I meant to post this review ages ago but it sort of got lost as I had so many NetGalley proofs to read. And honestly, it was a little bit of a let down. Yes, it's cosy crime with a kooky detective in a pretty setting, but it just didn't quite hit the button for me.

The Darkness by Ragnar Jónasson

Book Review

"...the visions of the past haunting her, the fear of the future looming over her."

The Darkness will be released in the UK on 15th March 2018. It is written by Ragnar Jónasson and published by Michael Joseph.

I really wanted to like The Darkness, I've never read any Ragnar Jónasson before but have heard good things about the Dark Iceland series. So, when this popped up on NetGalley, part of the new Hidden Iceland series, I thought I'd give it a go.

#BlogTour - Force of Nature by Jane Harper

"Alice brought this on herself."

Force of Nature will be released in hardback on 8th February 2018.It is written by Jane Harper and published by Little Brown.

I'm really excited to be a part of the Force of Nature blog tour. I've only recently read and reviewed the prequel to this book, The Dry, but I loved it and when I had the opportunity to review the sequel I jumped at the chance.

The Dry by Jane Harper

Book Review

"It wasn't as though the farm hadn't seen death before, and the blowflies didn't discriminate."

The Dry was written by Jane Harper and was published by Little Brown.

This is a grim first line, and one that sets the tone for the rest of the book. But though The Dry is dark it's also authentic and engaging. It's easy to see why this Australian outback crime story is so popular.

The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor

Book Review

"For who are we if not the sum of our experiences, the things that we gather and collect in life? Once you strip those away we become just a mass of flesh, bone and blood vessels."


The Chalk Man will be released in the UK on 11th January 2018. It is written by C.J. Tudor and published by Michael Joseph.

I often find that hugely hyped books just don't live up to the buildup generated around them, but I'm pleased to say that The Chalk Man is one of the few that does. I've been seeing lots of good reviews for this one, and the premise sounded right up my street, so I requested it from NetGalley and I'm so glad I did because I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've read a lot of thrillers recently that have been only OK and I was a bit wary to have to read another one that didn't grip me, but The Chalk Man was a breath of fresh air.

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

Book Review

"Sophie has never thought of her husband as a liar."

Anatomy of a Scandal will be published in the UK on 11th January 2018. It is written by Sarah Vaughan and published by Simon and Schuster.

Anatomy of a Scandal was a book that interested me but didn't grip me. I enjoyed it while reading but it wasn't unputdownable. A solid effort, B+.

Dark Pines by Will Dean

Book Review

"Something just died. I don't know how I know this but I do. The air has changed around me."

Dark Pines will be released in the UK on 4th January 2018. It is written by Will Dean and published by Point Blank.

I really enjoy thrillers that are reliant on their setting. I recently read The Dry (review to come) and the harsh and arid landscape is integral to the plot. Dark Pines is the same, but with a completely different environment. A small Swedish town on the edge of a mighty pine forest, where stepping off the path can be deadly, yet most of the inhabitants' livelihoods depend on the forest.

It's an ideal place to set a murder mystery and Will Dean does this brilliantly in Dark Pines (which is also a perfect name for the book). You really feel the forest setting the whole way through, and it just wouldn't be the same if it was set somewhere else. It's intensely claustrophobic yet there is a power and energy both in the setting and the story.

November 2017 Favourite Books

Sorry for the long delay between posts, I've had a hell of a couple of weeks with everything happening at once but the main thing was that my cat had his pelvis shattered by a car. Long, stressful week but he is finally pinned together and home, but I haven't been able to get much work done.

Now he's recovering normal life can sort of resume again, although he does have to be on crate rest for six weeks and is already desperate to come out!

Anyway, onto books.

I read some real stand out books in November. They're all a bit dark this month, maybe something to do with the time of year, and they're mostly concerned with murder and mystery.

The Innocent Wife by Amy Lloyd

Book Review

"She felt suddenly very alone, as though the person she married had never existed and she had woken up to a life she didn't recognise, in the middle of a story she didn't understand."

The Innocent Wife is out now in eBook format and will be released in hardback on December 28th 2017. It is written by Amy Lloyd and published by Century.

This is quite a timely book, considering the popularity of Making a Murderer. And the plot involves a similar premise, with a documentary crew making a film about Dennis Danson being convicted of murder at 18 on very little evidence. This really attracted my attention; I'm always a  bit fascinated by these did he/didn't he crimes. I'm also fascinated by the men and women who write to criminals on death row and end up dedicating their life to them. So The Innocent Wife felt like a sure hit with me. But, while I did enjoy it, I thought it lost momentum in the middle and didn't delve as deep as I wanted it to.

The Seagull by Ann Cleeves (Vera Stanhope #8)

Book Review

"If only you knew, she thought, you sophisticated customers in your dinner jackets and glittering dresses, sitting on the terrace drinking cocktails and champagne. If only you knew what really goes on here."

The Seagull is written by Ann Cleeves and published by Macmillan.

I'm back from holiday with a good'un, a review of the latest book in the Vera Stanhope series, The Seagull. I managed to get through quite a lot of books on my week off but none as quickly as this one, which I read in a day.

Anyone who's concerned that Ann Cleeves might be losing momentum in the Vera series need not worry, The Seagull has the same intricate story, realistic characters and atmospheric Northumberland setting, and of course, the brilliant creation of Vera Stanhope.

Don't Let Go by Harlan Coben

Book Review

"After all these years, they found me."

Don't Let Go will be released in the UK tomorrow (26th September 2017). It is written by Harlan Coben and published by Century.

If I was a teacher marking this book it would be a B- with the note; good effort but must try harder.

Harlan Coben is an established author but to me Don't Let Go read like a newbie author's offering, there's a good story in there, but it needs work. To be fair, I've never actually read any of his books before, and he's a bestselling author so he's obviously doing something right, but Don't Let Go just felt a bit...sloppy to me.

The Adversary by Emmanuel Carrère

Book Review

"I was thinking of the big white void that had slowly taken over inside him until all that was left was that semblance of a man dressed in black."

The Adversary: A True Story of Monstrous Deception is written by Emmanuel Carrère and published by Vintage.

I'd never heard of The Adversary before, or Jean-Claude Romand, but when I saw this latest edition on NetGalley I had to request it as the true story sounded so incredible. In fact, I think if the story of a man conning his family for almost 20 years and then killing them all before his secret could come out was written in a fiction, I would have said it wasn't believable.

And yet, real life is often stranger than fiction, Luckily, Carrère tells this story in a way that is quite understated, letting the brutality of the crime do the talking rather than courting controversy by inserting thrills. The Adversary is a well written and fascinating exploration of a crime and the criminal.

August 2017 Link Love

Like my monthly favourites post I'm afraid August's link love post is late too, so late that it is now cold and raining and August feels like a distant memory. I  hope you like this month'slinks, there are a lot of book reccomendations, some great writing tips and quite a lot of autumn-themed randomness.

Did You See Melody? by Sophie Hannah

Book Review

"If I could turn and run, I would. Run back home, however long it took."

Did You See Melody? will be released on August 24th. It is written by Sophie Hannah and published by Hodder & Stoughton.

Did You See Melody was one of those books that I was really immersed in when I was reading, but once I put it down the story left me quickly and I wasn't particularly inclined to pick the book up again. Some books are like that; intriguing but not memorable.

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

Book Review

"Diana Cowper had planned her funeral and she was going to need it. She was murdered about six hours later that same day."

The Word is Murder will be released on August 24th. It is written by Anthony Horowitz and published by Century.

Anthony Horowiz takes a risk with this one, with a unique narrative where he inserts himself into the story. Some reviewers have loved it but I'm not sure it's paid off. However, The Word is Murder is still an intriguing thriller with a lot of twists and a somehow blank yet engaging detective.

July 2017: Favourite Books

July was more of a mixed month of reading than last month, though there were still a couple of Midsomer novels too. There's a mix of old and new, fantasy, comedy, classic and, of course, crime. Plus, I've actually read a couple of books which I've been meaning to read for a long time, so I feel good ticking them off my list.

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan

Book Review

"To the inexperienced, many BookFrogs appeared as derelict or homeless, but to the seasoned eye it was clear that they'd shed themselves of the world, rejecting its costumes and rules in favour of paper and words."

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore will be released on 24th August. It is published by William Heinemann and written by Matthew Sullivan.

This book really surprised me. I thought it would be a cosy murder mystery with a quaint book shop at the centre. But not at all, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore unravels two mysteries with the perfect balance between a cutesy mystery and a goreish shock-fest.