Caroline

Oh how I loved this book. Eerie, creepy, disturbing, but wonderfully enjoyable. This is gothic folk horror at its best. 🔥

Meet Della and Lily Pedley. They are pariahs in their home, near Penzance in Cornwall, so they travel to Scotland. There, against the advice of others, they move to an unnamed island where the Devil is alleged to have fallen from the sky. This is the home of the Folk, who live in fear of the Warden. 🔥

Vaguely reminiscent of The Wickerman, Small Fires thrums with tension and unease. And then comes that superb ending. Brilliant. If any book deserves to be a best seller, this one does. 🔥

Many thanks to Trafalgar Square Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

Well now, that was a little bit different. I started reading Kill Your Darlings expecting a good old fashioned murder mystery. I got the murder, but it was far from old fashioned, and there was no mystery about whodunnit. 🔎

Allow me to introduce Thom and Wendy Graves, high school sweethearts who broke up when Wendy's family moved to a different state, but meet up again a few years later and eventually marry, until one of them decides to murder the other. 💔

The story begins in 2023, with events leading up to, and including, the murder. From there the timeline moves backwards, slowly revealing various the secrets held by the couple. We are taken all the way back to their first meeting, on a school trip when they were in 8th grade. 🔎

Thom and Wendy are not particularly likeable people, and it's hard to feel any empathy, or indeed sympathy, for either of them. 😈

This is a very slow burn, but it's worth it for that reveal at the very end. 🔎

Thanks to Faber and Faber, and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

The Compound has been likened to a cross between Love Island and Lord of the Flies. Now, I (happily) haven't watched a single episode of Love Island, so I can't possibly comment, but I did read Lord of the Flies not so long ago, and I'm failing to find a common denominator. If The Compound can be compared with anything, it would be Big Brother, with sinister undertones.

The premise is simple; twenty people (10 guys, 10 girls) share a house in a compound in the desert. They must complete tasks, some communal, some personal, to earn rewards and avoid banishment. They must couple up each night to avoid banishment. They must abide by certain rules to avoid banishment. All the while their action and interactions are filmed for the viewing pleasure of those back home. 🏡

As I already mentioned, there is a sinister undertone to the book. A lot of the tasks are engineered to either humiliate the contestants, or cause dissent. There's violence, and minor torture. 🏡

The Compound moves at a (very) slow pace, yet despite this, and the dark, disturbing events that unfold, it's hard to put down. 🏡

Thanks to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

Sometimes, along comes a book that leaves you scratching your head, and asking yourself "what the hell did I just read?" This is one such book. For this is no ordinary haunted house book peeps, oh no, this is bizarre on a grand scale. 🏚

Allow me to set the scene. Eve and Charlie have bought a house, with the intention of doing it up/rebuilding, and selling. Eve is home alone one evening, when there's a knock at the door. On answering it she finds a family of five: 2 adults and 3 children. The man introduces himself as Thomas. He explains that he grew up in that house, and asks Eve if he might come in and show his family around. It is from this point that things take a turn for the sinister. 🏚

If you're not a fan of horror, I would give this book a swerve. Seriously. This is a deeply unsettling book, where nothing is as it seems, and the sense of unease lingers beyond the last page. For all its creepiness though, it is a gripping read. I would however, advise reading with the light on. 🏚

The Waiting has been sitting in my kindle for the past six months, patiently um, waiting, to be read. I have finally remedied that, and crikey, what a page turner. 🌊

Ballard, our surf loving detective, and her team of volunteers are back in the Open/Unsolved unit. There's a new addition to the team, none other than Maddie Bosch, Harry's daughter. 🌊

There's quite a lot going on in The Waiting, what with the unit trying to close two cases, (one from the 1990's, the other from the 1950's), and Ballard trying to hide the fact she made an error that may well cost her her job. Add in a couple of sub-plots, and there's plenty there to keep the little grey cells busy. 🌊

Harry Bosch had little more than a cameo role in this book. The fact that Maddie has now joined Ballard's team would seem to suggest that the end is nigh for Harry. 😔

Confession time: before I picked up this book I hadn't read anything by Elly Griffiths. And why not, I hear you cry. Well, because there are so many great books out there, and so little time to read them all.

This collection of short stories seemed like a good way to acquaint myself with the author's work, and it was a good choice.

The Man in Black and Other Stories contains 18 short stories. Some feature characters that fans of Griffiths will be familiar with, such as Ruth Galloway and Harbinder Kaur. Others are ghost stories, one of which, The Village Church, was my favourite.

I enjoyed all of the stories in this book, but a few stood out for me:

Justice Jones and the Etherphone

The Village Church

The Stranger

What I Saw From the Sky

Flint's Fireside Tale. 🐱

All in all an exceedingly good read.

I didn't realise just how much I wanted to read this book, until I started to read it. Confused? Allow me to explain. I've been reading the Erika Foster series since the very first book was published. I always wondered about Erika's backstory. I knew some of it, but not the whole story. Now, at last, I do.

I feel the need for a lie down after reading this. Nothing, but nothing, could have prepared me for the emotional rollercoaster that is What the Night Brings, and that ending that nearly blew my mind.

Once again I started reading a book only to discover, after a few chapters, that said book is part of a series. The 4th book in the series to be precise.

Well now, that was a most satisfying read. Ticked lots of boxes for me:
- Dark ✅
- Twisty ✅
- Creepy ✅
- Suspenseful ✅
- Fast Paced ✅
- Nasty People Getting Their Comeuppance ✅

There's a slight Virginia Andrews vibe about the story, and I'm talking original Ms. Andrews, not the ghost writer who followed. But make no mistake, The Wife's Silence is in a class of its own, a true gem.
Told from three POV'S (it was nice to see things from the bad guy's perspective), across two timelines, The Wife's Silence is deeply unsettling. Plot twist follows plot twist; some you can see coming, but there's one huge one near the end that took me completely by surprise.

I love a good mystery, me. The twistier and more suspenseful, the better. Now, I haven't read many books by Sophie Hannah, but I've read enough to know that she writes good, twisty mysteries, and that's what I expected when I settled down to read No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done.
How best to describe this book? Quirky? Sure. Totally bonkers? Yes indeed. The most bizarre story I've read this year? Definitely. And it's for all of these reasons that I absolutely loved it. Of course the other selling point for me was the fact it features a dog.

It's hard to believe this is the 22nd book in the Charlie Parker series. It seems like only yesterday that I picked up Every Dead Thing for the first time. I welcome the release of each book, as it's akin to welcoming old friends that you haven't seen for a while.
Charlie, Angel and Louis have faced some pretty terrifying people over the years. The Travelling Man, the Reverend Faulkner, Mr. Pudd, Brightwell, to name but a few. I feared a return of Mr. Pudd when I read the opening chapters of this book but, thankfully, no. Phew!

This was a tough read, not because it was badly written (would I be giving it 5⭐ if it was?), but because of it's themes:
- Domestic Abuse
- Rape
- Bullying, both in school and on social media
- Teenage Suicide
- Eating Disorders
- Misogyny
- Murder
It's dark, and it's emoitve, it's sinister and it's unsettling, but it's also gripping, and no matter how uncomfortable it made me feel, I simply could not put it down.
There are some pretty unpleasant characters in this book, not least the incel in training and his bullying father.
The final revelation, when it came, was a shocker. Nope, I did NOT expect that!

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.

Five Days in Provence proved to be a gripping page turner, and served as a great introduction to author Simon McCleave.
What sounds like an idyllic birthday celebration, 5 days in a luxury farmhouse in Provence, soon turns into a nightmare.

Take a bow, Mark Edwards. Once again you've given us a tension filled, edge-of-the-seat thriller. With its locked house (as opposed to room), secret passages, and characters harbouring secrets, one would be forgiven for thinking this is a cosy mystery. It's about as far from cosy as you can get.

I may have mentioned a time or two (have I?

Storm Publishing very kindly invited me to read an advance copy of Arsenic and Old Lies, and after reading the synopsis I was only too happy to accept. That was a good decision on my part, because I adored this book. With a title like that, how could I not? (I love the play on that old classic, Arsenic and Old Lace.)

The main characters in the book, and indeed the series, are friends Marius Quin and Lady Bella Montague, who are private detectives. Marius also happens to write murder mysteries. The book opens with Marius returning from a weekend away, to discover a body in his study. The deceased is none other than Gilbert Baines, Bella's fiancé. 🗡

Finding himself shut out of the investigation into Gilbert's death, Marius returns to his writing, and it is while seeking inspiration from old newspapers at the library, he stumbles upon what he deems to be a miscarriage of justice. 🗡

The subsequent investigation undertaken by Marius and Bella makes for interesting reading, not least because the trial Marius read about is based on a real life one. Sadly, the outcome of both differed.

Set in the late 1920's, Arsenic and Old Lies is a fast paced, thrilling read. There's quite the cast of characters, all of them interesting, and all harbouring secrets. There's also a dog, an adorable Basset Hound called Percy, who is Marius's faithful friend. 🐶

There are twists aplenty, and some welcome humour of the dark variety. 🗡

It has become a habit of mine when reading ARCs, to come into a series somewhere in the middle. Arsenic and Old Lies is book 5 in this series. I haven't read the four books which precede it, but I didn't feel like I was missing too much information. I will circle back to read them eventually. 🗡

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

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.