Caroline

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.

A wonderful collection of short stories. I'll be honest, I bought this because I saw that Ragnar Jonasson has a short story in it, but I loved all the stories in this anthology.

Richard Montanari knows hoe to hook his readers rom page one. “The Stolen Ones” was such a gripping read i had it finished within a day. With plot twists galore, I just couldn't put it down.

This book was a good read for an Autumn evening. Not the scariest book I've ever read, but it did give me a few shivers. Atmospheric, and sometimes chilling.

What can I say? “Noir Carnival” is bloody brilliant. It brings you behind the scenes with tales of the dark side of carnival life. I've never been a fan of clowns, am less so now. A wonderful collection of stories from writers such as Allan Watson and Paul D Brasil. Deserves the 5 stars I'm awarding it. Thank you K.A Laity.

I really liked this book, a classic haunted house story. The “Third Floor” is like a cross between “The Amityville Horror” and Stephen King's “It”. Not only is the house haunted, but strange things have happened in the town since it's humble beginnings. If you like things that go bump in the night you will love “The Third Floor”.

Another great read from F G Cottam. Witchcraft and sorcery abound, but good prevails in the end, though not without a long battle.

I found this book very thought provoking and parts of it rang bells with me. Mark Townsend's anguish shows through at times, but his brutal honesty is inspiring.

This was a short shocker. A local family open there house to the public just once a year at Halloween. Each room contains a roped-off, grisly exhibition. The question on everyone's lips is how they make them look so realistic?

Having read, and loved, the novels of F.G. Cottam, I decided to read the books he wrote as Francis Cottam. I liked “Slapton Sands”. Unlike the more recent books the supernatural element is vague, but it is still a pretty decent read.

“Predator” is my favourite book tp date in the Decker/Lazarus series. Faye Kellerman weaves a gripping tale that begins with the discovery of a tiger in an apartment, also the body of an elderly reclusive millionaire. Many surprises and plot twists follow. Very hard to put down.

I loved this psychological thriller. It's totally different to the books the author has written as F.F. Cottam. It still has the power to raise goosebumps though. I was hooked from page one and had it read in a few hours. A thrilling read.

This biography didn't contain anything new. Most of the info I had already learned from reading Cowell's autobiography. The author got some facts wrong re Susan Boyle whose autobiography I read recently. This book is badly put together and the kindle edtion is badly edited.

I love autobiographies. Some, unfortunately, are so boring I just skim through them. Not so with this one. Suggs is a charming, witty, hugely likeable guy and these traits shine through in the book. He has no delusions of grandeur, what you see is what you get.
A must read for Madness fans.

This book is an excellent companion to Phil Rickman's Merrily Watkins series of books. Each chapter deals with a location of a Merrily book and features athmospheric photos by John Mason. It's a must-have for Merrily fans, but for those who have never read a Merrily book it would serve as a good introduction.

I decided to take a break from the murder and mayhem that is my usual reading choice, and try something different. I don't usually opt for chick-lit and must confess it was this book's title that drew me.
I enjoyed this comedy of errors. I could relate to the central character's pipe dream of marrying George Clooney (sigh!). The underlying theme though, is to not get in your own way, follow your dreams. something most of us can relate to.

“Roman Dalton Werewolf P.I” does exactly what it says on the tin. This is a collection of short stories in the noir style, featuring the title character. It's like a graphic novel without the graphics. In fact, I think it should be a graphic novel. Very enjoyable.

I really enjoyed this collection of dark tales. Very athmospheric.

Billy Wells delivers another collection of short shockers that will send shivers up your spine. the only monsters in this collection are of the human variety. “Thrillers and Chillers” was a cracking great read.

Brodmaw Bay is another gripping read from F.G Cottam. It is a good old-fashioned tale of pagan rites and ghostly apparitions. Cottam knows how to hook his reader and also how to scare them. Read it if you dare....with the light on.

What a gore-fest this was. Packed with Vampires and Werewolves the body count mounted page by page. Not for the faint-hearted.

“Two Evils” is the 6th book in the Monkeewrench series featuring detectives Magozzi and Rolseth. With a complicated plot that features terrorists, counter terrorists, the kidnapping of Native American girls and a jihad taken out on a former FBI agent, Magozzi, Rolseth and the Monkeewrench team find themselves in their most complicated investigation to date.

“Someone to Watch Over Me” is the first book I've read by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, but it definitely won't be the last.
This a very dark and sinister tale with devious characters and complicated plot twists that keep the reader guessing right to the end.

This is a wonderful book by John Mason, highlighting all the places in Great Britain associated with the legendary King Arthur. Packed with a brief history of each place and beautiful photographs this book would would be a useful guide for anyone interested in King Arthur and the Knights of the Round table. Also contains a foreword by Phil Rickman, author of the Merrily Watkins series.