Holly by Stephen King
Holly Gibney gets her own book, as Stephen King continues with his late career move into crime/mystery. Does it work?
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
Three novellas and a short novel featuring Holly Gibney from the master of terror. How does it compare to previous acclaimed collections, including ‘Different seasons’ ‘Skelton Crew’ and ‘Night Shift’?
Be Mine - Richard Ford (Frank Bascombe #5)
The fifth outing for Frank Bascombe, as he goes on a road trip with his son Paul. Funny. poignant, and wise, Fords prose is as beautiful and resonant as ever.
Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
Mary Pat Fennessy sets out to find her daughter in this tough as nails thriller set in Bostons Irish Southside community in 74, against a backdrop of racial tensions.
Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang
Pacy literary thriller about the theft of an unpublished manuscript, that explores cultural appropriation, greed and white privilege in the world of publishing.
A Gentleman in Moscow - Amor Towles - Book Review
‘A gentleman in Moscow’ is the story of Count Rostov, sentenced to life imprisonment in the Metrolpol hotel, 1922. This is a charming, stylish and engrossing read, with one of the most unforgettable fictional characters of recent times.
Book Review - A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
‘A little life’ by Hanya Yanagihara is 700 page epic that follows the lives of four friends in New York. Immersive, depressing and heartbreaking, this is a book that continues to polarise opinion.
Desert Flowers - Paul Pen
A couple live with their five daughters in the remote Baja California desert in Mexico. They live a tranquil existence until one day a hiker turns up looking for a glass of water…..
Book Review - The Wind Knows My Name by Isabelle Allende
Isabelle allende weaves three different narratives of immigration, starting from WW2 up to the present day.
Book Review - Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
Notes on an execution is a superb literary thriller about a serial killer on death row, his story largely told by the women in his life.
Book Review - Exiles by Jane Harper
Another superlative mystery thriller from Jane Harper, the third outing for Detective Aaron Falk. This time the setting is the lush wine country of South Australia, where a young woman has gone missing at a country fair, leaving her child in a pram.
Book Review - Camp Zero - Michelle Min Sterling
Dystopian sci-fi thriller about a group of people trying to establish a new life in North America, as climate change causes society to break down. Set in 2049, this is a chilling look at the near future but there is hope in solidarity.
Book Review - Desert Star - Michael Connelly
Ballard and Bosch are working in the cold case unit, this time investigating the murder of a young girl, sister of the councilman who is sponsoring the department. Harry Bosch has another case on his mind - the Gallagher family, found buried in a hole in the Mojave desert. Another superior thriller from Micheal Connelly.
Book Review - Sea of Tranquility - Emily St. John Mandel
Emily St. John Mandels most recent book is a beguiling mix of the contemporary, historical and science fiction, in a story that arcs over the centuries.
Book Review -Bret Easton Ellis - The Shards
Sharp and engaging work of autofiction about a group of wealthy teenagers in 80’s LA, with a serial killer on the prowl. Dark and disturbing as you’d expect, but a page turner and great fun.
Book Review - Moonflower Murders - Anthony Horowitz
Another successful outing for Susan Ryeland and Atticus Pünd, in a follow up to the acclaimed ‘Magpie Murders.’ With two detective stories for the price of one, it feels like a tribute to the classics of the genre. Complex and labyrinth, this is hugely enjoyable.
Book Review - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - John le Carre
In ‘Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy’ George Smiley is on the trail of a mole. It’s a battle of wits between him and Karla, his nemesis in the Russian secret service. Le Carré is a master craftsman and this is superb tale of betrayal and espionage.
Book Review - The Glass hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
‘The glass hotel’ is a lyrical and haunting novel, with overlapping stories and a multi textured narrative. It’s about surviving grief and loneliness and searching for meaning.
Book Review - Magpie murders by Anthony Horowitz
A fun and extremely clever slice of detective fiction from Anthony Horowitz, a book within a book. Reads like a greatest hits tribute to the golden age of crime mystery novels.
Book Review - Ordinary Grace - William Kent Krueger
Frank Drumm looks back at a summer 40 years previously in a sleepy Minnesota town, when the discovery of a young boys body was to be the start of a fateful summer that would have an impact on his life. A well written and engaging thriller.
