Caroline
This stand alone by Ragnar Jonasson is brilliantly eerie and atmospheric. The setting, a villagw with just ten resident's in a remote area in Iceland, lends a claustrophobic feel. Loved it.
A new book from Yrsa Sigurðardóttir is always a much anticipated treat for me, and the lady never disappoints. Never, I tell you. This one was no exception.
Can't Run, Can't Hide has all the ingredients I've come to expect from Yrsa:
Rural/Isolated Setting: ✅
Winter/Blizzard/Darkness: ✅
Multiple Murders: ✅
Pervading Sense of Terror: ✅
Unpredictable: ✅
Major Twist: ✅
Well Paced: ✅
Four people are found dead in an isolated farmhouse, by a neighbour who hasn't seen them for some time. Policeman Týr and his colleague Karó, are sent from Reykjavík to assist their colleagues in Akranes with the investigation.
The story is told from two POV'S, across two timelines: Policeman Týr in present time, and Sóldís in the days preceding the murders. It is this latter POV that is the most unsettling, documenting as it does for the reader, the strange occurrences at the farmhouse.
Can't Run, Can't Hide is well paced, and the terror is almost palpable. The suspense oozes from the pages, and just when you think you know what happened, the rug is pulled from beneath you.
I liked this, though it was a hard story to read. The main character, June, is dying if cancer. She has suffered many hurts during her life, but it is her husband's confession to her, during her final moments, that is the shocker.
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.
Murder, intrigue, gossip and lies. This book has it all, and with three likely suspects who constantly lie and obstruct the investigation the question is: whodunnit?
Books, particularly in the crime thriller genre, have brought me so much pleasure and enjoyment over the years. Every so often however, a book will come along and linger in my thoughts for a long time after I've closed its cover for the final time. There had been three such books to date (I'm not going to name them here, this is not their review, but if you ask in the comments, I will tell you.)
Now, there is a fourth.
Broken Ghosts is a hauntingly beautiful coming of age story. In it we follow 12 year old Phoebe who, following the death of her parents, finds herself moving to a remote area of Wales, to live with her uncle and aunt.
That's as much of the plot I'm willing to give away, except to say there is a dual timeline; 1985 and 2023. Both timelines are from Phoebe's POV.
There is an air of melancholy and poignancy throughout, but Phoebe's resilience in the aftermath of tragedy shines through.
All of the characters are likeable, some poignantly so.
I can't put into words how much I loved this book. Read it for yourself, and you'll understand what I mean.
As a fan of Queen, I've long wanted to read a biography of Brian May. Imagine my delight when I came across this one by Laura Jackson. Now, imagine my disappointment having read it.
I learned nothing I didn't already know from other books I've read about Queen. A definitive biography it wasn't.
The best I can say about it is it whiled away a few hours.
This is the 9th book in the Joona Linna series and it was utterly fantastic.
A task force in the Stockholm police have 9 murders to solve. The killer leaves them riddles to solve which enable them to identify the potential victims, but can they solve them in time to save the victims and catch the killer?
This may be the 9th book, but the series has in no way become stale or boring.
Within the Circle is the explosive (pardon the pun) first book in the new Nova series by Swedish crime writer Arne Dahl.
Nova are a newly formed team within the National Operations Department (NOD.) Led by Chief Inspector Eva Nyman, the team are tasked with finding an alleged climate change activist who has been responsible for several bombs. Eva believes the bomber is her former disgraced boss, Lukas Frisell.
What follows is a a taut, tense thriller, where all is not as it seems. A slow burn to begin with, when the pace picks up, it hits the ground running.
Within the Circle was a gritty, thoroughly enjoyable read, and a great start to a new series.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the digital ARC.
I'm a big fan of Icelandic noir, and if it wasn't for Quentin Bates, who did a superb job of translating this book, I might not have come across Sólveig Pálsdóttir and this gripping series.
Shrouded is the fourth book featuring Reykjavík detectives Gudgeir and Elsa Gudrún. They're tasked with solving the murder of Arnhildur, whose body was discovered in a cemetery. She had last been seen at a séance three days previously.
The investigation leads the pair down many false trails, and uncovers a whole host of secrets and lies, and the abuse of a disabled woman in a care home.
There is a supernatural element running throughout the book, which adds to the already tense atmosphere.
Shrouded is dark and disturbing, with many unsavory characters, all of which combine to make it a thrilling read.
Whenever I need a laugh, Stephanie Plum's escapades never disappoint. This instalment sees the welcome return of Diesel, and all the usual characters are present and correct.
Picture the scene; seven people wake up in a remote mansion, with no idea how they got there. A disembodied voice tells them they have been gathered there because of their connection to the murder of three people, four years previously. One or more of them is guilty, and the voice wants them to confess in order avoid consequences.
What follows is a fast paced, white knuckle ride of a thriller. The story unfolds along two timelines, now and four years previously.
None of the characters are particularly likeable, though some are more odious than others. Some of them have a secret from their past they would like to keep hidden, and each of them has a possible motive for the murders.
The story is crafted so well that when the final reveal came it stopped me in my tracks. I was so sure I had it right! Hats off to you Mr. Kernick, I didn't see that one coming.
Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the digital ARC.
A fine collection of short stories of the murderous variety. Just a shame I read it in the wettest summer in Ireland.
Yet another discovery thanks to Bookbub, and another Icelandic author that I will definitely read more of. The Fox is a dark, sinister read which I highly recommend.
The Secret of the Brighton House has left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand it was a nice, quick read. The plot, on the other hand, well it wasn't at all what I was expecting.
The main theme of the book is postpartum psychosis, and how it was dealt with in the 1970's. Other themes include miscarriages, IVF treatment, difficult childbirth and attempted infanticide.
The secret of the title wasn't so much a secret as a massive big cover up.
The story is told across dual timelines. The present day is told in the third person and centres around Joanne who is pregnant and has found out that her mother, Grace, did not die giving birth to her, as she had been led to believe.
The 1970's timeline is told in the first person, from the POV of Grace. This timeline makes for very uncomfortable reading.
Quick read it may be, but there is a sense of unease throughout. Thankfully there is a happy ending, but it took me a while to shake off the sadness that had overcome me at reading Grace's plight.
I have been a huge fan of John Connolly since I read his debut novel Every Dead Thing, over 20 years ago. The Charlie Parker series is one of the best series around.
The Land of Lost Things is not a Charlie Parker book however, but it is definitely one of the best books I have read this year.
If the title sounds a little familiar, it's because in 2006 the author sent a book called The Book of Lost Things out into the world. The Book of Lost Things was a poignant fairytale of sorts, set in the land of Elsewhere. The central character of the story was David, a boy who had lost his mother and traveled to the land of Elsewhere in the hope of finding her again. There, he met many fairytale characters and strange creatures.
The Land of Lost Things is the sequel to The Book of Lost Things, the sequel we didn't know we needed, but wanted just the same. It is a return to Elsewhere, in the company of Ceres, a mother who fears she is losing her child and hopes to find her in this strange land.
It is a beautiful book. It would be unfair to compare it to its predecessor. They share a land and some characters, but each tale is different. They are both poignant, beautiful stories and the one thing that stands out in both of them is the author's love of books and stories.
Holiday Mystery is book 6 in the Cambridge Murder Mysteries series.
Worried about his grandmother, Professor Green, after the murders on Valentine's day, Godric decides to take her to Italy for a relaxing holiday, where she soon becomes embroiled in the investigation into the murder of a jewel thief.
With plenty of plot twists and an occasional red herring, this is an entertaining read.
Supposing, when you were younger, you and your friends saw what you believed was a great act of cruelty, and decided to mete out your own brand of justice. And further suppose that, as you all get a little older, your friends find themselves in difficult situations and turn to you for advice, advice which inevitably leads to death. What then, do you suppose, would happen if you told your friends that it is time for you all to face up to the consequences of your past actions?
That is exactly the situation Zachary Llewellyn finds himself in, in The Great Orme.
I loved this book, which is set in Llandudno. The Great Orme features extensively, and why not, it is a brooding presence in the town.
There is a sense of menace throughout the story. Some clever plot twists and shocking revelations make this a sinister but very gripping read.
Boys Who Hurt is the fifth book in the Hidden Iceland series by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir and, in my humble opinion, is the best in the series to date. It's certainly my favourite.
Murder, links to an historical crime, police corruption, physical abuse of children, secrets and lies. All of these are recurring themes in the book, and make for chilling reading. Setting the story in the run up to Christmas just adds to the atmosphere. The plot is complex and intricately woven. It took me a while to figure out who the killer was. That's the mark of a great book, in my opinion.
I adore this series, and I'm already looking forward to the next book.
Ghost Island, the fourth book in the Jessica Niemi series, sees Jessica have to take an enforced leave. To get away from it all and clear her head, she travels to a secluded island where she has booked a room in its guest house. It's not long before she finds herself caught up in a murder investigation.
Anyone who has read the first three books will know that this is a dark series, with hints of the supernatural. Ghost Island, thanks to its atmospheric setting, is an eerie read. Niemi's ongoing struggle with her mental health, and the losses she has endured, lend an air of sadness to the story, as does the the history of the island she is staying on.
A twisty plot, and a dual timeline make Ghost Island compulsive reading.
It's been 30 years since I read The Black Mariah for the first time. I can remember how immersed I became in the story of Lucas Hyde and Sophie Cohen, and the lengths they were willing to go to outrun a curse.
Thirty years later and The Black Mariah is still as enjoyable as it was in 1994. Well, maybe not quite as enjoyable because, unlike the hardcover version of 1994, the kindle edition has quite a few typos.
Typos aside, The Black Mariah is a fun read with some very likeable characters (Angel was my favourite) and one particularly evil old lady. Well, nice little old ladies don't go around hexing people, do they?
If you're looking for a fun Halloween read, you could do worse than read The Black Mariah.