Caroline

Wow! That was intense. And gripping. And dark. I'd even go so far as to say it was edge-of-your-seat stuff. But enough with the clichés.
The Friday Girl is a fine example of Scottish Noir. Dundee is the setting, 1978 is the year. The Friday Girl of the title is Elizabeth Burnet, the pretty face of Tayside Police, newest addition to CID.
Her first major investigation as a DS appears to be a violent murder, but someone doesn't want her to investigate it, and the case is eventually buried.
Burnet soon discovers that police corruption is rife in CID, and misogyny is the order of the day.

Antti Tuomainen has taken the concept of the whodunnit, and stood it on its ear with his signature brand of quirkiness. Outside of Midsomer Murders, I haven't come across such diverse methods of dispatching a person. Hats off to you Antti, for shaking things up.

When I started reading The Lighthouse Keeper, I was expecting to read a ghost story, given that it is based on the real life disappearance of three men from the Eilean Mòr Lighthouse in 1901. Thus, I was prepared to be scared.
Well, I wasn't totally disappointed.

The Lighthouse Keeper is not a ghost story per se; if I was to pick a genre I'd say sci-fi. It's very much an unsettling read, the kind that gives you chills.
The remoteness of the location, the strange happenings (past and present) and the sense of foreboding that prevails throughout all combine to make this the perfect Halloween read. ‘Tis the season for spooky reads after all.

A heartwarming book of poems and inspirational quotes by two ordinary guys working on the London Underground, who wanted to cheer up the throngs of people passing through their station. Mission accomplished, in my opinion.

Horror collections aren't just for Halloween, and KJK Publishing have proved that point with this, The Horror Collection: White Edition.
The collection contains a mix of short stories and poems, all with a festive, supernatural theme. My personal favourites are:
The Advent of Father Hirst by Lex H Jones
Santa's Gift by Mark Allan Gunnells
Santa's Elite by Mark Cassell.
Don't know what to buy the bookworm in your life? The Horror Collection: White Edition would make a sp

Tuva Moodyson is back folks, and I'm not going to lie, I did a little dance when I was approved for this ARC....thank you Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton.
In Ice Town we follow Tuva to Esseberg, otherwise known as Ice Town. There is only one way in and one way out of Esseberg....a tunnel, which closes every night.
An 18 year old boy, Peter Hedberg, is missing. Peter is deaf, and for this reason Tuva feels that she needs to write about his disappearance. It's not long before a body is found.
That's all I'm going to say regarding the plot. Anyone familiar with this series will know that things are never straightforward where Tuva is concerned.
Ice Town is a chilling story, and I don't just mean in the sense that it's set in deepest winter in the north of Sweden. Brrr!!!

This latest thriller from Ragnar Jónasson was written in collaboration with Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir. The story centres around the disappearance of a young girl in 1956, and a series of newspaper articles marking the 30th anniversary of her disappearance.
There are a lot of characters, spanning those 30 years, but that aside, Reykjavík is an entertaining, engaging read.

Boring Things Dad Says is far from boring. It's a little book of silliness that will give you a giggle, and maybe bring back fond memories of your Dad, as it did for me.

This is a book I've waited until middle age to read, and I feel that I appreciate it more for that. A heart wrenching glimpse of what life was like for Jewish people in hiding, their hopes, their fears, the daily squabbles, the camaraderie. I'm not sure I would've coped in that situation.

Henri Koskinen makes a welcome return in The Beaver Theory, the final book in the trilogy which began with The Rabbit Factor.
Henri has moved in with Laura Helanto and her daughter, but things aren't going well at his adventure park, YouMeFun. Can his beloved mathematics help Henri to save YouMeFun one more time.
The Beaver Theory is the final book in this madcap series. I feel sad that this is the last time I will share Henri's adventures. Henri is like a Finnish Sheldon Cooper (a character in The Big Bang Theory), awkward in social situations, quite often saying the wrong thing, but he can solve problems using mathematical equations. His quirks make Henri a loveable character.
The Beaver Theory is a darkly humourous, sometimes serious, highly entertaining conclusion to this trilogy.
Goodbye Henri. I wish you well in all that you do.

I first read “Christine” when I was sixteen. This is one of many re-reads since then and it is still as thrilling and entertaining now as it was first time around. In my humble opinin this is one of Stephen King's best books, and I feel certain I will read it again in the future.

The Book of Souls is the second book in the Inspector McClean series, and sees DI Tony McClean investigate a series of murders, carried out by someone who is possibly copying a now deceased serial killer, dubbed the Christmas Killer.
It was McClean who caught the Christmas Killer, McClean's fiancee being the Christmas Killer's last victim.
The story is well plotted and well told. It is big on atmosphere and tension, and makes for perfect winter reading.

The curse of the free book strikes again. I've started a new series at the end instead of the beginning. Thankfully it didn't complicate my reading pleasure as there was enough background history supplied.
It was a great read with likeable characters. I enjoyed it so much I've decided to go back to the very beginning of the series.

When I picked up Natural Causes, (the first book in the DI Tony McLean series), in November 2023, I remember thinking that it would take me a long time to catch up with author.

The Hangman's Song is book 3 in the Inspector McLean series. It follows directly on from the events in book 2, The Book of Souls.
The Hangman's Song is a dark tale, with uncomfortable subject matter; prostitution, people trafficking and suicide.
The supernatural elements are stronger in this installment too, and McClean struggles with the idea of souls in torment.
There's plenty of dark humour in the book too, and the welcome return of Grumpy Bob and DC Stuart MacBride.
I discovered this series quite late, but boy am I glad I did.

It's official. I am now totally hooked on this series. It has everything I could possibly ask for.
Maverick detective? Check. Weird cases? Check. Characters I love and characters I love to hate? Check. Add a touch of supernatural weirdness and I am a very happy reader.
Okay, there wasn't any supernatural weirdness in this one, but the investigations that McLean found himself heading up were far from ordinary.
I wish I could remember who recommended this series to me. I owe them a coffee, or maybe a pint.

The Scarred Woman is the seventh book in the Department Q series, a series which I love more and more the deeper into it I get.
This one is far darker than its predecessors, and more personal for Carl, Assad and Gordon, as their colleague Rose has a breakdown. We finally get Rose's backstory and the truth about what happened the day her father died.
Alongside this, there is the investigation into the murders of young women in Copenhagen, and the murder of an elderly woman that has parallels with the murder of a substitute teacher some 16 years previously.
There's a lot going on in The Scarred Woman, and a lot of characters to keep track of, but it all ties up nicely. All in all an enjoyable, gripping read.

The Collapsing Wave is the much anticipated follow up to The Space Between Us.
It would be impossible for me to give a synopsis of this book without giving away spoilers, so I'm not going to try.
What I will say is that, while The Space Between Us was a beautiful story, The Collapsing Wave was heartbreaking to read. A lot of the attitudes of some of the characters, mirror the attitudes of certain factions within society today, attitudes towards asylum seekers and refugees, or anyone perceived to be different. There is however, a sense that no matter how bad things become, good will conquer evil.
The Collapsing Wave is a poignant tale about hope in the face of adversity, happiness in the face of despair.

I totally love this series. How could I not? It's got everything I could ask for; a maverick detective and his loyal sidekicks, weird cases to investigate, and supernatural undertones. Most of the characters are likeable, and there are some humorous moments.
Written in Bones is the seventh book in the series, and I was instantly hooked. Opening with a body in a tree is definitely going to grab my attention.
This quirky series just gets better and better, and I can't wait to read the next book.

Raising Hare is the story of one woman's determination to save the life of a leveret, and how in doing so, the leveret changed her life for the better.
Chloe Dalton was once a busy woman, in a job that took her to far flung places. Then the Covid19 pandemic arrived and the whole of the UK went into lockdown. Unable to work in her London office, Chloe moved into her barn conversion in the country. It was here, whilst out for a walk, that she met the newly born leveret.
Chloe's account of how she cared for the leveret, how she watched it grow into adulthood, and how it allowed her to be a part of its life is truly heartwarming.
I've lived in rural Ireland for most of my life, and I've only seen a hare on two occasions. Apart from the the superstitions that surround them, I knew nothing about hares or their habitat before I picked up this book.
Raising Hare is probably the most beautiful, moving book I have read this year.
Thanks to Canongate Books and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

I can now add Arne Dahl to my list of favourite Scandinavian authors.
Watching You has been my first foray into this author's work and, happily for me, it is also the first of a series.
It made for disturbing reading, but anyone familiar with my reading tastes will know that I like my books dark.
I like the protagonists; Berger, the cop with a temper barely kept in check, estranged from his partner and children, and Blom, an actress who now works for the security service. They are bound by their past, a past that has come back to haunt them.
An intriguing, original plot that is complex and intricately woven.
Here's to my next encounter with Berger and Blom.

If you're looking for an enjoyable weekend read, with a complex plot that will make you sit up and think, then Good Bad Girl is the book for you.

I can't believe it's taken me over a decade to read Essie Fox's debut, The Somnambulist, but better late than never because what a debut it was.
As someone who reads more crime fiction than is probably good for them, this was a slight departure from the norm for me, but it was worth it.
The Somnambulist is a dark, twisty Victorian Gothic tale of secrets and lies, and the consequences that arise from them. Some of it makes for uncomfortable reading, but anyone familiar with my reviews will know I like my books dark. It appears I like Victorian Gothic too.

White as Snow is the third book in the An Aróra Investigation series.
Daníel and Aróra investigate the circumstances of an abandoned shipping container, which was used to transport five women to Iceland. When it is opened, it is discovered that four of the women are dead, the fifth barely alive. It is left to Daníel and his colleagues to track down those responsible.
Aróra, who is conducting a separate investigation, discovers that she has had past dealings with the man she is investigating. It soon becomes clear he is a person of interest to the police.
White as Snow is a chilling, harrowing read, as it deals with people trafficking, something which is all too real. The situation these five women find themselves in, makes for grim reading. One can assume that the unfortunate cases we see on the news, are every bit as grim, perhaps worse.

No one could ever accuse the Skelfs of being an ordinary, run-of-the-mill family or, for that matter, being boring. Far from it. They don't look for trouble, but trouble finds them. It's almost as if trouble deliberately seeks them out.
Following on from The Opposite of Lonely, Living is a Problem sees the Skelf women try to move on with their lives, and bring the undertaking side of their business kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
Events from the past aren't about to let them go, however. Drone attacks, stalking and a hit-and-run are just some of what follows.
Living is a Problem is a fast paced, action packed thriller that is sometimes funny, oft times poignant.
If you haven't read this series, do yourself a favour and start reading it right now. You really are missing out.