Caroline

I was sent an EPUB version of this book by the author, in exchange for an honest review, so here goes.
A Nose For Murder is described as a not-so-cosy mystery. I'll go along with that. It does contain a mystery, the murder of a drag queen. Another murder quickly follows. It is there that any resemblance to a cosy mystery ends. What follows is a lighthearted romp packed with eccentric characters such as Sylvie, a psychic and ex-wife of the first victim, and a wannabe Miss Marple.
A Nose For Murder is a send up of all those cosy Miss Marple mysteries, but it is highly enjoyable and humorous to boot.

Prom Queen is a psychological thriller set in the small town of Cove Haven, where Bailey Maddox allegedly jumped into the path of a train on prom night 2003.
Twenty years later Hannah, a podcaster, comes to Cove Haven to investigate the circumstances of Bailey's death, for her podcast. There she meets Bailey's best friend Brooke, who has always doubted that Bailey killed herself.
The story is told across two timelines, 2023 and 2003, from Brooke's pov. There are a lot of characters but as they are a constant across both timelines, they are easy to remember.
With echoes of Carrie, minus the buckets of blood and carnage, Prom Queen is an engaging read with twists and turns aplenty.

Thanks to Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for this review.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book, which hadn't been proof read, in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled a bit with this one. I usually read crime fiction and the odd autobiography for a bit of variety, so this was a little bit out of my comfort zone.
As the title would suggest, the book deals with the doppleganger effect. The author, Naomi Klein, has a doppelganger, also called Naomi. Naomi Wolfe to be precise. Naomi Wolfe appears to be a conspiracy theorist, and is not shy about being vocal in her theories about Covid, vaccinations, the Biden administration and climate change. However, people mistakenly believe that it is Naomi Klein who is posting these views across social media platforms.

The book is an in depth look at the various theories put about by Wolfe and how they have impacted on Klein.

I struggled because I didn't understand a lot of what Ms Klein was talking about, and because the book was rather long. The topic was interesting, but a touch long winded for me. Also, as the book had not been proof read, I had to fill in a lot of blanks. That aside, it engaged my interest enough for me to stick with it.

Mrs. Pargeter's Patio is the ninth book in the Mrs. Pargeter series, but it is the first book by Simon Brett that I have ever read.
You would think that starting a series at book 9 would be a handicap, and in some series that would be the case. Not so with this one. I had no trouble working out how the other characters came to be in Mrs. Pargeter's orbit, and what their roles had been when they first became acquainted with the late Mr. Pargeter.
Mrs. Pargeter's Patio is a cosy mystery set in modern times. Packed with loveable rogues, it is a humorous romp that had me hooked from the moment Mrs. Pargeter stepped onto her patio and made a shocking discovery.
I'll be adding the previous 8 books to my reading list.

Many thanks to Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for this review.

Wow! How do I begin to describe the roller coaster read that is The Woman On The Ledge? To say that it is thrilling and engaging would be an understatement. This book takes the concept of plot twist and turns it on its head. Just when you think you know what's going on, the story leads you down a very different path.
I was hooked from page one, and I hated having to put the book down to do things like work, and engage with reality.
I hadn't read anything by Ruth Mancini prior to The Woman On The Ledge. Now, I really want to.
Thanks to Netgalley, Century Books and Penguin Randomhouse for the eARC of this book.

How best to describe Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra? Psychological Thriller? Yes. Suspenseful? Yes. Claustrophobic? Yes. Creepy as hell? Definitely.
The tension mounts chapter by chapter, but midway Sierra moves the goalposts so that you are left thinking “hang on, what's going on here?” Then, as we reach the final third, it all starts to make sense again.
We learn some of the heroines background throughout the story. These tend to break the tension, and can be a little annoying when they crop up just as things are getting interesting.
Not one of the characters in this book has a name. This should have been irritating, but I became so invested in the story, I stopped noticing.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Viking Books and Penguin Random House for the eARC in exchange for this review.

Lethal Vengeance by Robert Bryndza is book 8 in the Erika Foster series, and what a thrilling book it is.
With high profile murders, scandals at ministerial level, a daring killer who leaves no trace, cover-ups and a frustrated investigation team, this book has everything to pull the reader in and keep them reading.
Robert Bryndza knows exactly how to grab the reader's attention and keep them interested. Lethal Vengeance was a truly engrossing read that was hard to put down.
With thanks to Netgalley, Raven Street Publishing and Robert Bryndza for the eARC of this book.

How To Solve Your Own Murder is Kristen Perrin's debut novel in adult fiction, and it's a jolly, entertaining read.
There are two timelines in the story; the present day, which is told from the point of view of Annie Adams, and the summer of 1966, which is told in diary form from the POV of Annie's great-aunt Francis.
There are a lot characters, most of whom are likeable, including the killer. There is also a mystery within the mystery, which should complicate things, but doesn't.
I'm not going to give a synopsis of the book as that would give too much away. Suffice to say that this is a cosy mystery, a fun and easy read. If you liked The Thursday Murder Club or Knives Out, then this is the book for you.
Many thanks to Kristen Perrin, Quercus Books and Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
How To Solve Your Own Murder is due for release in March 2024.

Close to Death is book 5 in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series.
The format of the book is different from its predecessors, in that it's mostly written in the third person.
Tasked with having to write a new Hawthorne and Horowitz book, but with no case to write about, Anthony decides to write up a case from five years previously, one to which Hawthorne and his then sidekick, John Dudley, had been called in to assist on. How hard can it be, right? Well, nothing is ever straightforward for Anthony.
I liked the new format, and I really enjoyed Close to Death. It is a typical cosy mystery that thoroughly engaged me, and kept me guessing right to the end.
Excepting Hawthorne and Horowitz, and John Dudley, none of the characters were particularly likeable. I certainly wouldn't want to live next door to any of them.
Close to Death will be published in April 2024.
Thanks to Random House, Cornerstone and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

End of Story is a cleverly crafted, well written book, but fair warning, there are a lot of characters and it's plot is complicated.
The story is slow moving to start with, but once we get to the heart of it, it moves at a steady pace.
There are many twists and, a surprising revelation towards the end.
Despite the slow start I enjoyed this book immensely. It was obvious from the onset that all of the characters had something to hide, which added to the intrigue.
End of Story is reminiscent of those classic crime stories by authors such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers, but set in the present day. There are many references to, and quotes from, the Sherlock Holmes series of books. Unsurprising, as one of the main characters has written a series of books about a detective in the London of the early 1900's.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

Before I go any further I'd like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for this digital ARC.
The Suspect is Rob Rinder's follow up to The Trial. Adam Green is back. He now has tenancy at Stag Court. His social awkwardness hasn't improved however, much to the annoyance of court clerk Tony, who continues to send him to social gatherings to network.
Adam soon finds himself acting as a baby barrister in two trials. One is the high profile trial of a TV Chef, charged with the murder of a daytime TV presenter, live on air. The second concerns a teenage boy hiding weapons for his brother.
The Suspect is fast paced, and full of cleverly placed red herrings, thus keeping the reader guessing. It gives a great insight into what happens in court, and also what happens behind the scenes in daytime TV. Rob, of course, is no stranger to either setting.
I really enjoyed The Suspect. It drew me in and kept me engaged right to the end.
Adam is an extremely likeable character. The phone calls with his mother add a touch of humor to the story.
The Suspect is due for publication on 20/06/2024.

The thing I like about J.R. Ellis is that he really knows how to set the scene. His descriptions make it possible for me to visualise the setting and the people. He also provides a history of the area in which each book is set.
The Canal Murders is the tenth book in this series and, as can be guessed by the title, murder is committed on a stretch of canal in Saltaire.
There are plenty of suspects to choose from, but who had the biggest motive. The narrow boat community provides some colourful, interesting characters. My favourite was old Len, who had lived on canal boats for most of his life.
There are two characters however, whom I have come to dislike; Steph and Andy. Their incessant hero worship of DCI Oldroyd has become a tad annoying.
Simpering detectives aside, this was an engaging, relaxing read.
Thanks to J.R. Ellis, Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Throughout the Roy Grace series by Peter James, for me the burning question has been where is Sandy? I wondered if she had left of her own free will, and if so, why? If not, what happened to her? Did Roy kill her and get away with it? As each new book came out, I eagerly read it in the hopes of having those questions answered.
There was closure of sorts, eventually, but no back story. No insight into why Sandy did what she did. Until now.
They Thought I Was Dead is very much Sandy's story, and it's not a pretty one. It's a story of bad choices followed by more bad choices. It's the story of someone who believes the grass is greener on their neighbours side of the fence, only to discover when it's too late that this is not the case.
I devoured this book. Although Sandy is not a very likeable person, her story was still interesting and engaging. There were plenty of twists and turns and one or two “oh my god!” moments.
You don't have to have read the Roy Grace series before reading They Thought I Was Dead, but it adds context.
Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Declan Miller is back, and he's every bit as irreverent and mildly childish as he was when I first made his acquaintance last year. He still attends dance practice. He still has his pet rats, Fred and Ginger. And he's still talking to his dead wife, and hoping he will find out who killed her.
In the meantime, there are other crimes to solve. The book opens with a couple of conmen stealing a briefcase in the public toilets of Blackpool Railway Station. Unknown to them, the briefcase belongs to a contract killer who will stop at nothing to get it back, as it contains proof that he carried out a hit for one of Blackpool's crime bosses.
Murder and mayhem soon follow, with Miller inevitably at the centre of the mayhem.
The Wrong Hands is an hilarious romp. The black humour won't be to everyone's taste, but I love it. The Detective Miller books are a breath of fresh air, and I sincerely hope that this isn't the last we hear of Declan Miller.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this review.

Halfway House is the first book by Helen Fitzgerald that I have read to date, and I think it was a good choice. The premise certainly appealed to me, and the dark humour satisfied my dark side.

With the possible exception of the protagonist's mother, there aren't many likeable characters. Our protagonist, Lou, is 23 years old and unbelievably selfish. She treats her family and friends abominably, casting them aside when they are no longer of use to her. She makes endless bad decisions, and then wonders how it all went so wrong. I really wanted to shake some sense into her, as she bumbled along from one disaster to another. I just knew things weren't going to end well for her.
I genuinely liked Tim, even when I realised all was not as it seemed with him, and he wasn't as innocent as he purported.
The fact that I wanted to shake (and slap) Lou, and mother Tim, shows how engaging this book was. The tension towards the end had me on the edge of my seat.

Despite the despicable characters, I enjoyed this book immensely.
Thanks to Orenda Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well now, that wasn't at all what I expected, and I mean that in the best possible way. I opened the book expecting a thriller, and I got a thriller, but I also got local superstition and sinister goings on.
Lucy Foley sure knows how to weave a good story, creating tension and atmosphere, all designed to grab the reader and not let go.
There are many POV's in the story, but not so many that the reader loses the plot, if you'll pardon the pun.
There are also many plot twists, but that reveal towards the end, I did not see that coming!
I really enjoyed this book, and I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This Is Why We Lied is book 12 in the Will Trent series, and if I thought its predecessor was as dark a book as one could possibly read, well I seriously underestimated Ms. Slaughter. The depravity of some of the characters is off the scale.
Will and Sara have finally tied the knot, and are now about to start their honeymoon at a cabin retreat in the mountains. Will has arranged everything, from their luxury cabin to a variety of outdoor activities. What he didn't anticipate was a murder. The victim is Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the retreat, daughter of the owners.
It seems just about everyone in Mercy's family had a motive for murdering Mercy, and all of the guests at the retreat appear to have something to hide.
As usual there are more twists and turns than a mountain road, and a red herring or two to contend with. The final reveal, when it came, left me reeling. I did NOT see that one coming.
This book is deeply unsettling and upsetting. I found myself crying for Mercy at one point.
My only peeve is the “tender” moments between Will and Sara. More thrills, less mushy moments please.
Thanks to Karin Slaughter, HarperCollins UK, and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Stranger's Companion is an historical mystery, set on the island of Sark, and is based on true events on the island in the same time period. The year is 1933, the month is October. Two sets of clothes, belonging to a man and a woman, are found on a cliff top. Of their owners, there is no sign.
The story has two timelines, 10 years apart. The narrative contains newspaper headlines from the real life Sark mystery, and excerpts from a guidebook of Sark. It is written in the first person, but we never learn the identity of the narrator.
What I loved about this book was the sense of foreboding throughout the story, and the superstitions that seemed to abound on the island, not to mention the possibility of witches abroad. Who doesn't love superstitions and witchcraft? I also loved the expert weaving together of fact and fiction.
I devoured this book. It was an engaging and easy read. It has made me very curious about Sark and its history, something I hope to look up at a later date.
Thanks to John Murray Press and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well now, that was a little bundle of weirdness hiding behind a pretty cover. Highly addictive weirdness though, because once I'd started reading it, I didn't have the willpower to stop.
The Night Guest practically pulsates with tension and suspense, and I don't think it would be unfair to say it is downright creepy.
The only thing stopping me giving it another star is the abrupt ending. It left me a little confused. A second reading has, I think, clarified things.
As I have friends who are cat lovers I feel I should warn them that several cats die in this book; off the page, but we learn of their demise towards the end.
Thanks to Tor Publishing Group and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Once again Lucy Foley has delivered an exceedingly good thriller, with all the elements I have come to expect, namely secrets and lies, and a remote setting.
We are in Ireland for this one; a remote island off the west coast, to be precise. This is the location for a wedding, and also a murder.

The story is told from five POV'S, and flips between the day of the wedding, and the day preceding it.
We learn at the start of the book that something has happened on the island, but it is a slow build up to the murder itself.
This is quite a dark thriller; it has a slight Lord of the Flies vibe about it in places. It is, nonetheless, an engaging page turner.

“FORGET WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW.
THIS IS NOT THAT CRIME NOVEL.”
Talk about understatement of the year.
Up to this point I had never read anything by Chris Brookmyre, but seeing that blurb I knew I wanted to.
When I opened The Cracked Mirror I expected an Agatha Christie/ Michael Connelly mashup. I got that, and so much more.
Without giving the plot away, there are two storylines, one in Scotland and one in Los Angeles. Each storyline has an unexplained murder, and its own central character. The two storylines eventually merge, and that's when the fun really begins.
I'm not kidding when I say there's a lot going on, what with multiple POV's and locations, red herrings galore, and a big reveal that will leave you reeling. Then there's that poignant ending. In a nutshell, prepare to be mind blown.
Massive thanks to Little Brown Book Group and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

Before I review this book there are two things I should probably mention.
1: Prior to this, I had never read anything by this author. Am I likely to read anything else by this author? You bet I am.
2: I didn't realise A Talent For Murder is the third book in a series. Obviously, I haven't read its predecessors (see above), but this in no way impeded my enjoyment of the book.
And so to my review. A Talent For Murder is enthralling. I was hooked from the very start. Swanson knows how to keep the reader turning the pages, as he ramps up the tension. A thoroughly engaging read.
Thanks to Faber and Faber, and Netgalley for the digital ARC.
Publication date: 04/07/2024

There's a new kid on the crime fiction block, and her name is Susie Dent. As a lexicographer and etymologist, Susie knows all about words, their meanings and origins.
Guilty by Definition is Susie's debut novel, and what a debut it is.
The story is set in Oxford and centres around a team of lexicographers at the Clarendon English Dictionary, who receive some rather cryptic, anonymous letters. The letters contain clues pertaining to the disappearance of a young woman in 2010, whose sister happens to be one of said lexicographers.
That's as much of the plot as I'm willing to give away. Suffice to say this is an immensely enjoyable book. Each chapter begins with an antiquated word and its definition.
The plot is complex and intricately woven, its twisty and has the obligatory red herring.
There are multiple POV's, but they are necessary and, in my humble opinion, aren't confusing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I really hope there will more like this to follow.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for the digital ARC.