Caroline
A wonderful trip back to my childhood, this little collection of poems is by the creator of that wonderful little bear Winnie the Pooh. 100% nostalgia.
I first discovered Charlot King on Twitter where I came across a tweet about her Cambridge Murder Mysteries series, which I subsequently read and enjoyed.
Pup is very different from the above mentioned series. The story centres around Barnaby, who breaks into a laboratory to rescue dogs. There he meets Pup, who is no ordinary canine and will change the course of Barnaby's life forever.
A strange collection of short stories all of which are set in the same town. Not the best book I read in 2019, but definitely not the worst either.
Once again Allan Watson brings us a memorable tale. “Monochrome” is well crafted, a clever blend of crime fiction and fantasy, peppered with dark humour.
There is quite the motley crew of characters; ghost hunters, coppers and beings from other worlds. There is gore galore and sex aplenty.
All in all this is a very interesting read.
This was like no biography I've ever read before, given that it's a work of fiction. It makes for hilarious reading however. Some of the outlandish theories as to where The Stig came from had me laughing out loud.
Top Gear related books are always guaranteed to provide a giggle or two. This was no exception.
I decided to read this as I have become a fan of the T.V series starring the wonderful Mark Williams. A good collection of stories which I enjoyed very much.
A laugh out loud account of life on a narrow boat. So enjoyable that after reading it I quite fancied living on a narrow boat myself.
The third book in the Cambridge Murder Mysteries finds Inspector Abley on suspension, and Professor Elizabeth Green assisting Sergeant Lemon with his investigation into the poisoning of some boat people
If TV series like Grantchester or Midsomer Murders are your thing, I strongly recommend this series of books.
A reasonably good read. I liked the premise, but grammatical errors spoiled my enjoyment somewhat.
A sweet little Christmas story from the author who brought us the Monkeewrench series.
Two deaths in the same place, 35 years apart. The deceased were a couple when the first death occurred. Were the deaths accidental, or did someone get away with murder 35 years previously only to return and commit murder again?
I had the pleasure of reading this prior to publication, and boy what a rollercoaster of a read it was. Strange things have been happening in Glasgow. One can only hope that they remain a figment of the author's imagination, for if reality imitates fiction, Glasgow would be a terrifying place indeed.
When I saw that Mark Billingham was one of the authors I just had to buy this book, and I didn't regret it.
Laugh out loud funny, this is the funniest book I've read in ages. Perfect lockdown reading.
I hadn't read anything by Michael J Malone prior to The Murmurs, but I will definitely be delving into his back catalogue in the future.
It was the word “gothic” that drew me, and the premise of the book. Curses, psychic visions. What's not to like?
The Murmurs is a gripping, tension filled read. The story is told across several timelines and from several perspectives, but it is easy to follow and grabs you right from the first page. It is as much psychological thriller as gothic thriller. It ticked a lot of boxes for me.
Top marks to F.G Cottam for once again giving us a nail biting, spine tingling, hard to put down book.
A great New thriller from Michael Connelly. Bosch teams up with Rene Ballard to solve a cold case. Can they catch a killer who has eluded justice for nine years? Soe, you'll have to read the book to find out. I assure you it's worth it.
The follow up to One for Sorrow. Didn't engage me in the way its predecessor did, but it was still a satisfactory read.
Another new series discovery, and once again I've started in the middle of the series rather than at the beginning. It didn't hamper my enjoyment of the book though. I now want to read the whole series, when the TNR pile is a little smaller.
An excellent look at the history of Irish genre fiction spanning 300 years. It contains a collection of short stories of different genres, with a history of the authors. It introduced me to the works of authors I'd never read before.
The Last Grudge is the third book in the Jessica Niemi series. It's not the best book in the series, but it's still an entertaining read.
In The Last Grudge we see Yusef become lead investigator in a homicide case, as Jessica has taken a leave of absence, but it's not long before Yusef seeks her help, and Jessica returns to work. The story moves along at a slow pace, and can sometimes be a little confusing as there are two timelines which sometimes run into each other.
There is a subplot which revolves around Jessica, and Yusef to an extent, but if you haven't read the previous books, you will find yourself scratching your head, as this subplot ties up some loose ends from the earlier books.
I hope that the tying up of these loose ends doesn't mean the end of the series. I'd like to hear more from Jessica and Yusef.
Once again I've been tempted by a bargain on Bookbub.
This book is book 12 in the Carson Ryder series. I didn't let the fact that I haven't read its predecessors put me off. There's enough back history given to make that irrelevant.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more of the series.
The prequel to Every Dead Thing, the first book in the Charlie Parker series. Like all of the books in the series, The Dirty South was compulsive reading and a great insight into the making of Charlie Parker. John Connolly crafts a wonderful story. Fans had to wait a little longer than usual for this book but it was well worth the wait.
I bought this book because I liked the idea of Oscar Wilde solving mysteries like Sherlock Holmes, and I had just finished reading the author's autobiography. Sadly, Oscar Wilde And The Candlelight Murders then sat on my TBR pile for over a year. Having recently seen Gyles Brandreth on TV, I was reminded of the book and decided it was time to read it. I'm glad I did.
Oscar Wilde And The Candlelight Murders does exactly what it says on the tin. Wilde stumbles across a body, an obvious victim of murder, and someone who is known to him. He then sets out to solve the crime, with the help of his friend, Robert Sherard, and Arthur Conan Doyle, whom Wilde has recently met.
This is an entertaining Victorian murder mystery. We are given a glimpse of Victorian society, and are treated to Wilde's witticisms. I was a tad disappointed that I knew the identity of the killer before Wilde, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book.
There has been criticism of the author for glossing over Wilde's homosexuality. I don't believe this is the case. There are subtle hints there, if you read between the lines.
I enjoyed this book immensely, and look forward to reading the rest of the series.