Caroline

The publishers offered me the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Body at the Vineyard (thank you Storm Publishing.) After reading the synopsis I was intrigued, and just had to accept, despite this being book 6 of a series and my not having read its predecessors.

Guess what? I only went and did it again, started a series out of sequence. I only skipped one book though, so all is not lost. And as this one was so unbelievably good, it won't be long until I circle back to the first one in the series.

So, back to Dead of Night. This folks, is historical crime fiction at its very best, blending as it does, fact and fiction.

Berlin is the location. 1940 is the year. War rages on. It is winter. Food is rationed. Fuel for fires is scarce. Life is hard for some, harder still if you are Jewish.

It is against this backdrop that we meet Inspector Horst Schenke, who finds himself being warned off when he investigates the death of a doctor, a case that has already been written up as a suicide. A parallel investigation into the deaths of children at a clinic, lead to links to the deceased doctor, further warnings, and unsavoury discoveries. Does he heed the warnings, or does he keep digging? 🤐

Dead of Night is a fast paced, action packed, emotive thriller that will excite you and tug at your heartstrings in equal measure. I look forward to continuing this series.

A new book from Karin Slaughter is always something to look forward to, but a new book that is also the start of a new series is something to get excited about. It means new characters to meet and, maybe, fall in love with, and new villains to loathe with all your might.

We Are All Guilty Here is Slaughter's new book, and what a stellar start to the new series it is. Our new protagonist is Emmy Lou Clifton, Chief Deputy in the North Falls Sheriff's Department. 12 years ago, alongside the Sheriff, Gerald Clifton, she investigated the disappearance and subsequent murder of two teenagers. A man was eventually tried and convicted. But was he really guilty? 🔨

As you may have guessed, this is not a cosy mystery. This is dark territory, folks. When it comes to the more unsavoury characters, it appears Slaughter plumbed the very depths of depravity. 🔨

The story is told across two timelines,12 years ago and the present day, and from two POV's, Emmy, and FBI psychologist Jude Archer. There are revelations aplenty, and twists that had me gasping in surprise. 🔨

We Are All Guilty here is a steady paced police procedural, with a darkness at its core. It gets that fifth star from me for not having any soppy romantic interludes. 🔨

Thanks to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

Dark as Night, the 4th book in the Áróra series, sees Áróra finally have her suspicions about the whereabouts of her sister, Ísafold, confirmed. That said, there's still a loose end or two in that particular investigation, but there's one more book to come. 😔

There were some surprising revelations about drag queen Lady Gúgúlu. Talk about hiding in plain sight. 😮

I've quite enjoyed this series to date. It's dark, it's twisty, nothing is ever as it seems, and there are some great characters. Needless to say I'm looking forward to reading book 5, and having some loose ends tied up.

A word of advice to anyone thinking of reading this series; start at the beginning, otherwise you won't have context and you will flounder.

Hard to believe this is the 23rd book in the series. Also hard to believe I haven't grown bored with it. What can I say, except that I like Tempe. I (like to) think we'd get along well. She's smart, she's sassy, she's tenacious, she gets things done. She's all the things I'd like to be.

But you're not here to read my ramblings. No, you want to know what I thought of the book, don't you? Well, I've given it 4 ⭐, so that can only mean one thing. Yep, I enjoyed it, very much. Well paced, with nice short chapters and plenty of ah-ha moments.

Washington D.C is the location this time, and Tempe has been asked to assist in the search for possible victims of a fire in a building. Needless to say things aren't straightforward. Well this is Tempe Brennan we're talking about. 🔥

Reichs doesn't go too heavy on the forensic details, but does go into detail on the history of bootlegging in D.C. This won't appeal to everyone, but I found it interesting. There's a nice little twist towards the end too. 🔥

So there you have it. Fire and Bones is a most satisfying read. 🔥

All rise. Have you, the jury reached a verdict?"

Yes indeed, I have reached a verdict. This book is thoroughly engrossing, and I hereby recommend that each and every one of you to go out and buy/borrow a copy as soon as it is released. (UK release is June 19th.)

I expect you want to know why I think you should buy/borrow it. Well, I'll tell you. Because it's oh so good. There's quite a lot going on in it. An art retrospective at the Royal Academy, a "Stop the War" protest at said retrospective, which culminates in a murder.

Needless to say, our young hero Adam Green, finds himself on the defense team for what proves to be a high profile trial. ⚖

As with previous books in the series, Adam is working more than one trial. Bobby enlists his help in the defense of a young soldier at a court martial. This is a new experience for Adam. ⚖

The Protest has a more serious tone than The Suspect, although Adam's mum does provide some light relief. All the usual characters are present at Stag Court, with Jonathan as obnoxious as ever. ⚖

The Protest ended on something of a cliffhanger. Setting things up for book 4 perhaps? We'll just have to wait and see. ⚖

So there you have it. The Protest is a well paced, intriguing, engrossing read. But don't take my word for it. See for yourself on June 19th. ⚖

Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

I knew, as soon as I read the synopsis, that this book would put me through the wringer emotionally, but I requested an ARC anyway. I wasn't wrong folks. I read parts of this book through eyes that were blurry with tears. By the end of the book, I was bawling like a baby. 😪

When the Cranes Fly South is a far cry from the type of books I usually read. (If you follow my reviews you'll know what I mean.)

This is a story of growing old, losing your independence and slowly losing control of your own body. Having nothing but time on your hands to reflect on your past life, the things you did, and the things you wish you had done. It's a tale of love and loss, through dementia rather than death. And it's the tale of one man's love for his dog and the sense of loss he feels when his dog is taken away from him. 😔

On a personal level, this book made me realise just how important it is to let those around us know how we feel about them so that we have no regrets come end time. I'm glad I got the chance to do that with my father before he passed. 😔

This book won't be everyone's cup of tea. I'm a sucker for books with dogs in them, even when I know they're going to make me cry like this one did. For all my tears though, I still enjoyed this beautifully written book, which read like an inner monologue interspersed with notes from the old man's caregivers.

Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

How to Seal Your Own Fate sees the welcome return of amateur sleuth Annie Adams.

A few months have passed since Annie solved the mystery of her great aunt's murder. She is now living in Gravesdown Hall, but life in Castle Knoll is very different to her previous life in London. It's quieter, and lonlier. Then one day, whilst out for a walk, Annie meets Peony Lane, the fortune teller who gave Frances Gravesdown her chilling fortune. Suffice to say Annie's life is far from quiet following that encounter. 🗡

Once again the story is told across two timelines, from two POV's: the present day from Annie's POV, and the 1967 timeline from Frances' POV, through entries from her diary. 🗡

I enjoyed How to Seal Your Own Fate more than its predecessor. There were a lot of twists and turns, and try as I might, I failed to guess the killer. 🗡

How to Seal Your Own Fate is a well paced, entertaining, cosy mystery. I would however recommend that you read How to Solve Your Own Murder first, as it will provide context for events mentioned in this sequel, and because many of the characters return. 🗡

Many thanks to Quercus and Netgalley for my digital edition.

Finally got my Tony McLean fix, and I'm a happy camper. There's nothing like a couple of mysterious deaths and some of Madame Rose's "woo woo nonsense" to set you up for the week.

The Rest is Death is the 14th book in the series, and just like its predecessors, it is a darkly gripping read.

The opening chapter, which describes a mystical ritual, sets the tone for the rest of the book. The reader knows there's going to be strange forces at work, just as they know that the appearance of Madame Rose means good will vanquish evil.

I love this series, and not just for the "woo woo nonsense". It has some great characters, Dagwood, Jo Dalglish, Madame Rose and Grumpy Bob, to name just a few.

The baddies are always particularly unsavoury....just seeing the name Mrs. Saifre, makes me shudder. Thankfully, she was only alluded to in this one.

"Nobody sees. Nobody cares." The words seem innocuous, until you realise they are being said by a child killer, as he leads a young boy through a motorway services. Then, they take on a sinister meaning, and that sets the tone for this intense psychological thriller.

If you've read the blurb you'll know that when the protagonist, Daniel Garvie, was a child he had an encounter with the serial killer known as the Pied Piper. Adult Daniel, now a psychologist, finds himself caught up in an unofficial investigation begun by his father John, a retired police officer.

The story is told across multiple timelines, from multiple POV's. While it starts off slow, rest assured the pace soon picks up, and from that point on, it's edge-of-your-seat reading. There's a sense of menace throughout, but there's a poignancy too.

Anyone familiar with my reviews will know that I like my books dark and disturbing. This one ticked those boxes perfectly. I'm now going to have to circle back and read Alex North's back catalogue.

Thanks to Michael Joseph Books and Netgalley for the digital ARC.