The loss of a parent is always a terrible thing, but for Jess and her sister Liz the grief is compounded by uncertainty. On one hand they agree that tThe loss of a parent is always a terrible thing, but for Jess and her sister Liz the grief is compounded by uncertainty. On one hand they agree that their mother would never have just walked out on them when they were teenagers, on the other hand there has never been a body to bury or the chance to put their questions to rest. Whilst Liz has remained at home in their small country town, waiting for their mother to reappear and living the life of a recluse, Jess has jumped from relationship to relationship to fill the hole in her heart her mother has left behind. It almost comes as a relief when some bones are uncovered in a nearby forest. Perhaps the sisters will finally get some answers …
Champine does a great job in exploring the different manifestations of grief, right down to the sense of betrayal when a parent leaves us behind, no matter of the circumstances. KNIFE RIVER is slow and character driven, full of emotions and atmosphere and the musings of two young women whose lives have been shaped by a terrible loss. Having experienced the death of a parent at a young age myself, there was a lot that resonated for me and validated some of my own experiences, especially the different ways the sisters act out their grief. I found both Jess and Liz believable and relatable, which made KNIFE RIVER a positive reading experience, despite its rather glum subject matter. And whilst unravelling the mystery seemed almost an afterthought, I was blown away by the final reveal, which came as a shock to say the least.
No, KNIFE RIVER is not an uplifting book, but it is full of emotional weight and insight into the different manifestations of grief, which I found strangely cathartic. There was a lot of food for thought here, which made me think about the book long after I had finished reading. ...more
I just love these dramatised Audible audiobooks! With brilliant narration and an interesting story based on a real-life sociopath and serial killer, BI just love these dramatised Audible audiobooks! With brilliant narration and an interesting story based on a real-life sociopath and serial killer, BLUEBEARD was a winner for me. The star studded cast of narrators brought the story and the era it is set in to life for me and it played out in my mind like a movie – with the added bonus that I could indulge in it whilst driving without endangering anyone. At only 3 ½ hour long it’s an easy listen you can fit into one road trip and the characters are interesting and engaging. Both the narration and the sound effects are brilliantly orchestrated, making this a highly entertaining audio book. Recommend! ...more
THE DETAILS was a bookclub read and I entered it blindly, not knowing what to expect – and ended up loving it! As a woman lies in bed, delirious with THE DETAILS was a bookclub read and I entered it blindly, not knowing what to expect – and ended up loving it! As a woman lies in bed, delirious with a high fever, she recalls four people from her past who have touched her life in unexpected ways. Each chapter covers one of these characters: Johanna, a previous lover who has risen to become a famous television host; Niki, a troubled university friend who cut off contact abruptly and disappeared off the radar completely; Alejandro, a lover who is sorely missed but has left a precious gift behind; and Brigitte, whose secret has not only shaped her own life but also touched that of her children.
Reading THE DETAILS, I was instantly reminded of some of the weird and wonderful people who have touched my life, many of whom I have long since lost contact with. Perhaps I feature in their story somewhere as well. Of all the chapter, I found Niki the most intriguing and still think of her, which is always the sign of brilliant character development. She really got under my skin! I was so smitten by the characters in THE DETAILS that I was disappointed when it ended. I wanted more! Even though each chapter provided merely a small snapshot of each character, I felt a very close connection not only to those mentioned here, but also to the person telling their stories and the way they all connected. Such a very clever and intriguing format.
In summary, I can see why THE DETAILS was nominated for the Booker Prize. It is quintessentially human, with many interesting observation and small wisdoms hidden in its pages. I very much enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good character study.
Books about abduction and being held captive don’t always work well for me, so I was a bit hesitant when I first came across the premise of THE RETURNBooks about abduction and being held captive don’t always work well for me, so I was a bit hesitant when I first came across the premise of THE RETURN OF ELLIE BLACK. However, it came highly recommended from other readers with similar tastes to mine, so I decided to give it a go – and I’m glad I did! Not only did this book turn into a highly suspenseful mystery, but it also served me up a twist I definitely did not see coming.
I loved Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s character. Adopted at birth, her Asian background has always made her stand out in their small community, which perhaps has made her more determined to solve cases where others may have given up long ago. Chelsey also has a deeply personal reason to succeed in her career – not only does she want to make her beloved late father proud, but she also carries the legacy of her sister’s tragic death at the hands of her boyfriend when Chelsea was a child. When Ellie Black reappears in the woods after a two year absence, Chelsea is surprised at the girl’s reluctance to help police catch her abductor.
THE RETURN OF ELLIE BLACK features many themes I love in a mystery. The small-town setting, family secrets and loyalties, and tragedies that shape people’s future all made for well-rounded, intriguing characters here. I was extremely happy to be led in a completely different direction from your average abduction story and really enjoyed the unravelling of this clever mystery. If you like reading mysteries that break the mould and defy stereotypes, then this one is definitely for you!
What a brilliant audiobook narration! With a full star-studded cast and brilliant sound effects, this was as close to watching a movie as you’ll ever What a brilliant audiobook narration! With a full star-studded cast and brilliant sound effects, this was as close to watching a movie as you’ll ever get without using any visual cues. The story itself was an intriguing short mystery that kept me entertained on my commute, and I immensely enjoyed the whole experience. Thank you to Audible for including this free as part of my subscription....more
Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would! After finding out that it was number three in a trilogy, I had delegated it to my Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would! After finding out that it was number three in a trilogy, I had delegated it to my (maybe never) to-be-read pile and promptly forgot about it as it gathered dust. Then one day, at a loss of what to read, the book jumped out at me and I gave it a chance. I’m glad I did.
Rebecca Buckfast, the newly appointed headmaster of St Oswald’s School, is a force to be reckoned with. Bravely defying the old boys’ rules, she has steadily climbed her way to the top, leaving a few casualties behind in her wake. Her latest achievement is opening the school’s doors to girls, much to the horror of the old-timers who started teaching here decades ago, when it was still known as “St Oswald’s School for Boys”. But the way to the top has not been easy for Rebecca, and when a body is found in an abandoned field on school grounds, she has to face up to her past. When Becky was only five years old, her brother Conrad disappeared from his classroom at St Oswald’s, never to be seen again. What did little Becky witness that day, an event so horrible that she has totally blocked it from her mind?
Drawing me in from the start, the book slowly unravelled the old mystery, and I found myself becoming very invested in finding out the truth. Rebecca was a wonderful character – witty, brave and willing to pitch her wits against her misogynist colleagues who have ruled the school for decades. Harris’ skill as a writer shows in her character development and the slow and steady way she left clues along the way, telling her story in two distinct timelines until we finally get to the truth. As the tension mounted, I found it impossible to put the book down, and I was not disappointed with the finale. Best of all, this can definitely be read as a standalone as it required no prior knowledge of the setting or characters to follow the story. ...more
TRUST was a bookclub choice and one that I ended up enjoying more than I initially thought I would. Told in a very intriguing and original format - foTRUST was a bookclub choice and one that I ended up enjoying more than I initially thought I would. Told in a very intriguing and original format - four books within a book - the story focuses on the lives of a successful Wall Street financier and his wife. In the first part, we hear a fictionalised account of the couple, which is described as the 1938 bestselling novel "Bonds". This was probably the most difficult part for me to swallow, as the writing and characterisation felt impersonal and dry, and I was left scratching my head as to how such a story could have ever made it to the bestseller list. But as the book progressed, it all started to fall into place and make more sense, even though I still felt parts of the story lacked some emotional depth and insight into the characters for me. In the second part, we hear an autobiographical version apparently penned by the real person "Bonds" was based on. Finally, we hear from the biographer who ghost-wrote his story, and some excerpts from his late wife's diaries, shedding a different light on all events.
I entered this book blindly and it took me a while to work out its unique format, which later became the favourite part of the book for me, especially the portrayal of the deceased wife as seen though different perspectives. I cannot go into this here due to spoilers but will surely have fun discussing it at our bookclub meet! Even though I won't go as far as saying that it was my favourite historical novel of the year, I found the background information regarding the stockmarket crash in 1929 interesting and learned a thing or two in the process of reading the novel. In summary, I would describe the book as "interesting" rather than emotionally engaging, as I didn't really get to bond with any of the characters. It did, however, show that a person's true self is often hidden under many layers and influenced by the eye of the beholder, and who is telling the story. Intriguing and original, a good bookclub pick....more
I love books based on real-life historical people, but not every author has the skill to imbue their fictional counterparts with as believable personaI love books based on real-life historical people, but not every author has the skill to imbue their fictional counterparts with as believable personalities as Lawhon has done with each and every one of her characters in THE FROZEN RIVER. For me, her book was like time travel back in time and place to meet midwife Martha Ballard as she is looking after the women in her small community in Maine. Of course, I knew that women of her time did not enjoy the same rights and freedom as we do today, but some of the historical facts still stunned me.
Based on the real Martha Ballard’s diary, which mainly recorded births and deaths and weather details, Lawhon blended fact and fiction to bring her own version of Martha and her large family to life. I liked her instantly, this intelligent, brave woman who will risk her own safety to fight for justice. Being a midwife, she is not only called upon to deliver babies but also to examine women who have been raped, or bodies when there has been an accident or a suspicious death. Martha is also able to read and write – not common for women of her time – and keeps a meticulous account of all her clients and events. When a man is found drowned in the river, she is the person called upon to determine what could have caused his accident. In Martha’s opinion, the death looks suspicious, with the man bearing wounds that point to a fight or an assault. She also knows that the same man had been accused of raping a local woman recently. But not everyone shares her opinion, and in a society where men have more power, this could prove to be very dangerous for her.
Thus starts a gripping mystery with a wonderfully atmospheric setting that had me spellbound from beginning to end – I could not get enough of this book! Like magic, Lawhon’s word transported me instantly into Martha’s world, and I could picture it all very clearly. The author’s note at the end added fascinating details on the real Martha and the origins of the story.
This book is a definite favourite for 2024 and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys well researched and expertly written historical fiction. ...more
Oh, my broken heart! What a wonderful story about love, friendship, grief and identity that touched my heart as deeply as FRESH WATER FOR FLOWERS (my Oh, my broken heart! What a wonderful story about love, friendship, grief and identity that touched my heart as deeply as FRESH WATER FOR FLOWERS (my first book by the author which had me coming back for more).
THREE is the story of three childhood friends who meet at school when they are ten years old and become inseparable. Do you recall those innocent days of childhood friendship, when your friends meant the world to you and became almost an extension of yourself, with the boundaries blurring between their thoughts and desires and your own? Nina, Etienne and Adrien are closer than siblings, sharing their thoughts, their dreams and their plans for the future, supporting each other through tough times. It is unimaginable to them that they would not continue to share their lives after school finishes. Their plan is to move to Paris, rent an apartment together and make music. But as it so often happens, life has other plans for them.
Now, thirty years later, the friends meet up again for the first time, reflecting on the past three decades of life, love, loss and shattered dreams – and trying to reconnect to the bond they shared as children.
THREE is a book that speaks to the heart, in every way. I loved reflecting on the meaning of friendship – how as children we are attracted to people in their purest form, without all the distractions we encounter later in life. Haven’t we all experienced this ourselves: we may not see some friends for decades and yet it seems as if we have only spoken yesterday. And yet, with others, we lose touch, grow apart, never find anything in common again, wondering what we ever saw in each other in the first place. As Nina, Etienne and Adrien fight their own battles thrown at them by life, we get to see them develop personalities quite unlike the innocent children who first forged a bond at school.
I loved every minute of this book, truly grieving the loss of these characters once I finished. Books like this don’t come around often, and yet Perrin has given me two memorable reads I will treasure and revisit when I want food for the soul and heart.
It’s no secret that Ruth Ware is one of my favourite mystery writers and that I love the slow-burning, simmering tension that drives her stories. InitIt’s no secret that Ruth Ware is one of my favourite mystery writers and that I love the slow-burning, simmering tension that drives her stories. Initially, I was worried that ONE PERFECT COUPLE seemed to be following a well-trodden path of other novels, but I should have had more faith in Ware’s skill of brewing a cup of her own special magic. As the story unfolded, it soon became clear that this was a very cleverly planned tale of murder and survival that would break the mould and offer the kind of surprising ending Ware is known for. However, the thing I appreciated most of all was how each character came into their own in the course of the story: if I had disliked just about every one of them when I started reading (hence my initial doubts), by the end of the story I felt quite proud of the survivors.
Described by various reviewers as a mixture between AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, SURVIVOR, and LORD OF THE FLIES, this closed-door mystery did pack a lot of plots into its pages. I’m not one to watch much reality TV, but ONE PERFECT COUPLE gave me more pleasure than any of those type of shows ever have. I must also say that it was the perfect story for an audio-book: read by the very skilled Imogen Church (who I think has narrated all of Ware’s previous books), the visual scenes had me totally hooked and really drove up the tension! My only little quibble was with the WHY reveal of the story, which seemed a little far fetched even for an intended-to-be unexpected plot twist – it just didn’t gel with what had otherwise been a very cleverly constructed story (taking this opportunity to mention the diary entries, which had me fooled the entire time).
All in all, ONE PERFECT COUPLE was tense, claustrophobic and atmospheric and made for captivating listening from beginning to end, even if it lacked the Gothic vibes I usually look for in Ware’s mysteries. I especially loved the character development and Ware’s keen observations of people acting and reacting under pressure. Despite my initial doubts I very much enjoyed ONE PERFECT COUPLE and highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a clever closed-door mystery.
After a somewhat disappointing start to my reading year, it came as a wonderful surprise to stumble across an unexpected gem, TO THE RIVER, a beautifuAfter a somewhat disappointing start to my reading year, it came as a wonderful surprise to stumble across an unexpected gem, TO THE RIVER, a beautifully drawn story of resilience and justice despite disadvantage and corruption.
Sabine Kelly has been on the run from the law for 12 years after being accused of setting fire to a caravan park when she was only seventeen, killing nine people, including her own mother and sister. Journalist Rachel Weidermann has been fascinated by Sabine’s story since she first read about it and has been tirelessly investigating Sabine’s fate in the hopes of locating her and being able to write an expose’ that will save her flailing career. Through a weird twist of fate, Rachel and Sabine meet, setting a chain of events into motion that will put them both in danger.
I loved Sabine from the start, despite her murderous reputation, and my heart broke for her as we get to find out more about her childhood and years on the run. Rachel was initially a bit more difficult to warm to, but in the end she won me over as well. Wakefield writes with insight and a lot of heart, which shines through in all her characters. Each and every one of them (including Blue, the blue heeler) quickly took on shape in my head until they felt like real flesh and blood people as familiar to me as old friends. Further complimented by the backdrop of an atmospheric river and small town setting, the story soon swept me up and kept me captivated until the end, and I was sad to turn the last page and lose the connection to characters that had become very dear to me in the process of reading.
TO THE RIVER was the first book I have read by Vikki Wakefield but it won’t be my last – I just loved her writing style and the way she portrayed her characters. It’s always exciting to discover a new author to love, and I look forward to reading many more of her novels in future.
A scary and traumatic read about the consequences of the accidental invention of a time travel machine on mankind, once it has fallen into the wrong hA scary and traumatic read about the consequences of the accidental invention of a time travel machine on mankind, once it has fallen into the wrong hands. Very cleverly plotted but a bit repetitive and depressing at times. 3.5 stars...more
I read a lot of thrillers, and nothing much surprises me any more, so I was delighted to be taken by surprise by this original tale. Even though it isI read a lot of thrillers, and nothing much surprises me any more, so I was delighted to be taken by surprise by this original tale. Even though it is loosely based on Alfred Hitchcock’s famous movie Strangers on a Train, a surprise twist halfway made sure that Cavanagh’s latest book was full of intrigue and delightful tension. Playing out in two separate tales about the tragedies befalling two different women, Ruth and Amanda, I wasn’t sure how these threads would come together in the end. The reveal was a real eye opener, and one that made this thriller stand out from the fray – very clever, Mr Cavanagh! Since the book relies on the surprise element, I am not going to go into any details here and suggest you enter into it blindly and let the tale sweep you away.
I very much enjoyed the journey it took me on, and that final twist of the knife capped it off perfectly for me. Recommended to anyone who enjoys an original thriller with some clever twists along the way.
WHAT HAPPENED TO NINA is a book with an intriguing premise straight out of the news headlines. The book caught my attention right from the start – sadWHAT HAPPENED TO NINA is a book with an intriguing premise straight out of the news headlines. The book caught my attention right from the start – sadly I felt that it revealed too much too soon (we find out very early on what actually did happen to Nina, but it takes the rest of the cast until the end to catch up), which brought the simmering tension down considerably. I also felt that some characters needed more development, such as Simon (do we ever really understand his motivation?) and Jamie (has she even got a personality of her own?).
The most interesting aspect from then on was the way social media vilified certain characters, a case of trial by twitter and facebook. In the end I felt oddly deflated, wondering if keeping certain aspects of the case from me would have served better to keep up the intrigue. I see that it worked well for many readers, though, so it’s probably a personal preference – I like to discover clues at the same time as the characters do, enjoying the slow unravelling of the puzzle more than being a step ahead. All in all a decent enough story but not as satisfying as I expected when I first started reading....more
THE NIGHT SHE LIED is one of those books that immediately drew me in with its promise of family secrets and dysfunctional relationships. I was quicklyTHE NIGHT SHE LIED is one of those books that immediately drew me in with its promise of family secrets and dysfunctional relationships. I was quickly able to relate to Jude, who is a nurse and struggling with night shift (yes, I do know that feeling very well) and could emphasise with her mental fog and related bad decision making – up to a point. It soon becomes obvious that Jude has a troubled past and that her family is far from healthy, confirmed when her 70-something mother is being arrested for historical sex crimes.
From here, we get propelled into the whole ugly mess that is the Fawkes family, and what a dysfunctional lot they are! Especially Margaret is one nasty piece of work. Delving into the past was not a pleasant experience, and I felt like I wanted to take a shower and have a stiff drink. The subject matter of child sexual abuse paired with an extremely slow pace started to make the reading experience more slog than enjoyment. In the end, I am still not completely sure about aspects of the story, and I still feel a bit icky having spent so much time with these nasty characters. If you love dysfunctional, then you may want to give this a go, though there really wasn’t anything enjoyable or redeeming about this story for me.
What a brilliant, original thriller this book turned out to be! Let me start by emphasising that Cass has to be one of the most interesting charactersWhat a brilliant, original thriller this book turned out to be! Let me start by emphasising that Cass has to be one of the most interesting characters I have encountered this year. Despite her flaws and her somewhat prickly demeanour, she fascinated me and I found myself firmly in her corner, even when her choices threatened to cross moral boundaries.
You can read the blurb if you must know what this book is about, but I recommend going in blind and letting it take you on a journey you won’t forget for a while. Woven into a clever, multi-layered plot, there’s something for every mystery lover: murder, intrigue, broken hearts, revenge, betrayal and more, but what shone through for me was the power of female friendship that made the characters come into their own. Kudos also to the Sycamore clan, who made for a colourful supporting cast! The story itself consisted of several mysteries, each as intriguing as the others, all coming together in one mighty finale. There is absolutely nothing I could fault here and I enjoyed the story immensely, making THE VACANCY IN ROOM 10 one of my favourite thrillers of the year so far. ...more
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