Caroline
The 7th book in the Lisabeth Salander series. Karin Smirnoff takes the reins from David Lagercrantz.
I loved the original Millennium trilogy by Stieg Larsson.
Smirnoff's book may not be up to the standard of Larsson's, but they are big shoes to fill.
That said, The Girl in the Eagle's Talons is a good read in it's own right.
It engaged me from the first chapter. There is darkness at it's heart, and many despicable characters. Kalle Blomqvist is more of a supporting character than a central figure, but it is teenager Svala who steals the show.
Another deliciously creepy novel from Yrsa Sigurdardottir, it sent shivers down my spine chapter by chapter.
First book in what I hope will be a long series. A brilliant thriller, full of twists and turns.
Seven people flew out to the Amalfi coast for a weekend of birthday celebrations. Only six came home. Of those six, one was possibly a killer, and five of them had plenty to hide.
Gripping and thoroughly engaging. I was guessing right to the end, and I was totally wrong.
Having read The Spider a few months ago, it became apparent that I'd somehow missed a book in the Joona Linna series. That book was The Mirror Man.
The Mirror Man is a dark, suspenseful read, which sees Joona Linna on the hunt for a sadistic kidnapper and serial killer.
Once again Lars Kepler has created a very dark and deviant killer who will deeply trouble the reader, and cause many shivers of fear and revulsion.
The best autobiography I've read this year. What an amazing man. His story is very humbling to read, and certainly puts things in perspective. Captain Tom is a hero and an inspiration to us all.
Great to have Ari Thor back. Unfortunately this is the last book in the series.
An excellent, chilling read. Atmospheric and, at times, claustrophobic.
I love dogs. I love their quirks, I love their unconditional love, I love their loyalty, and I love their resilience. I'm also a sucker for books and movies about dogs.
Arthur and Friends is the sequel to Arthur: The Dog Who Travelled the World to Find a Home. In this book we learn about how Arthur settled into his new life in Sweden with Mikael and his family, how Mikael came to write the first book, and how he and Arthur dealt with being celebrities. There was also a bout of ill health for Arthur to contend with.
Interspersed between the accounts of Arthur's new life, are stories of other dogs rescued by people and living their best lives.
This is a heartwarming book that has restored some of my faith in humanity. The world desperately needs more people like Mikael and the others who shared their stories of the dogs they rescued.
I hope these dogs all had long, happy lives in their forever homes. I'm sure Arthur and his friends made their families as happy as my dog makes me.
I love Scandi Noir and am always on the lookout for new authors to try. This did not disappoint. Kept me guessing right to the end.
I have been meaning to read this for quite some time as I have read all of the authors supernatural novels, which he writes as F.G Cottam.
The Firefighter is not a supernatural tale, although a ghost does feature briefly. This is a story of one man's struggle as a firefighter during the blitz.
Well written, it is a poignant tale of resilience and courage.
Book 2 in the Jessica Niemi series. If you haven't read this, you don't know what you're missing. Superb.
A sweet little collection of stories told by the rabbits of Watership Down. A great companion to Watership Down.
The Mystery of Yew Tree House is book 9 of a series. I haven't read any of the preceding books, but this didn't matter as each book can be read as a standalone.
Jack and Stella are the series protagonists. Jack is a train driver, Stella owns a cleaning company. In their spare time the pair solve old murder mysteries.
The Mystery of Yew Tree House is set across two timelines, the present, and the period 1940-45. There's a lot going on in both timelines, and it can be difficult to keep track of who did what. Stella is given to a lot of internal musings and monologues, which become annoying as the story unfolds.
It's an interesting tale, but I must admit I preferred the 1940's timeline as the characters are more interesting and there is more action.
If you like cosy mysteries you'll enjoy this one.
Amanda Owen is an amazing woman. She runs a farm with her husband Clive, in a remote part of Yorkshire, while bringing up nine children, serving refreshments to hikers and looking after the guests who stay in her Shepherd's Hut accommodation.
I loved this peek inside the life of The Yorkshire Shepherdess and her family. It's inspiring.
This is perhaps the darkest book in the Will Trent/Sara Linton series, as Will's latest case means delving into Sara's past and investigating her late husband Jeffrey Tolliver, and those under his employ in Grant County. It's one heck of a thrilling read.
Has some good, laugh out loud moments.
Reminds of those Tom Sharpe farces I read many years ago.
The Dancer by Óskar Gudmundsson is dark, and deeply disturbing. The violence begins in the first chapter, and is unsettling. The reader knows right from the start who the killer is. What's difficult to decide is, does one loathe him for his crimes or feel some sympathy for him because of the betrayals he has suffered.
The story is set in 1980's Iceland, in a time before mobile phones, emails and Google. Investigations are done the old fashioned way, and post mortem and toxicology reports take longer to reach detectives.
The Dancer was translated into English by Quentin Bates who, once again, has done a sterling job.
I enjoyed this book despite it's disturbing content. If cosy mysteries are your thing, The Dancer is definitely NOT for you.
I got this book as a free download from Bookbub. When I start a series I usually start at book 1 and continue from there. Like This, Forever is actually book 3 in the series, but for me it was a good starting point as it was thoroughly engrossing. I now want to read its predecessors, and the author's stand alones as well.
Book 2 in the Oslo Crimes series. Was a bit slow to start but when it did begin to get interesting there was no going back.
After a somewhat sluggish start, this book got very exciting very quickly. Plenty of twists and surprises.
Anyone who knows me, knows how much I adore Freddie Mercury. It will come as no surprise to them that I have read this book, and cried.
This is not the first biography of Freddie Mercury that I've read, and doubtless it won't be the last. The fact that I knew a lot of the information in these pages didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. I will never tire of reading about my musical hero.
This book is informative, it's funny and it's poignant.
The title, A Kind Of Magic, is apt because Freddie, indeed Queen as a whole, were just that....magic.
Freddie Mercury: A Kind Of Magic is a must read for fans of Freddie Mercury and Queen, and for those wishing to know more about the man who didn't just want to be a singer, but a legend.
I have read, and loved, all the books in the Inspector Erlendur series. Reykjavik Nights is the prequel to the series and gives us an insight into the reasons Erlendur became interested in unsolved cases involving missing persons, and how that interest became an obsession.
I haven't read anything by Kjell Ola Dahl until this book caught my eye.
The Lazarus Solution is a thriller, set in Sweden during the second world war. The plot centres around the murder of a Norwegian agent, and the investigation into said murder.
The book is as intriguing as its title suggests and well worth a read if historical fiction is your bag.