Conclave by Robert Harris

Book Review

"Any man who is truly worthy must consider himself unworthy."

Conclave was written by Robert Harris and published by Arrow.

Apologies for the radio silence, but I came down with what felt like the Black Death but what the doctor said was a viral infection. It knocked me out for a couple of weeks and I'm only now feeling human.

I'm back with a review of Conclave by Robert  Harris. I wasn't going to actually review this book, just read it for pleasure, but it was so good that I feel I've got to share it. Even though I'm actually quite late to the party as it was published a couple of years ago.

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+.

My Top 10 Books of 2017

I hope you've had a lovely Christmas and are enjoying a lazy Boxing Day morning. Pity me, because I've got to go to work this afternoon. Whatever you're doing today I hope you have time to check out my top ten books released in 2017.
I've included links to my original reviews in the information for each book if you want to know more about each one.

These are in no particular order.

White Bodies by Jane Robins

Book Review

"I can't remember such an exciting day in my life as this. I just wish he hadn't forced Tilda under the water and held her there so long."

White Bodies will be released in the UK on 28th December 2017. It is written by Jane Robins and published by HQ.

White Bodies had equal parts good and bad for me, books usually go one way or the other, but this one had elements I thought brilliant and others that just didn't work, so it ends up sitting at an average 3 stars, although I don't think this is a particularly average book.

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.