Caroline

Book 3 in the Seasons quartet is, in my humble opinion, the best in the series to date. A page turner that kept me guessing until the end.

Excellent, especially that surprise ending.

If fast paced thrillers are your bag, then this book is not for you.
This is the story of a missing child and the repercussions his disappearance has on his family. Slow paced but no less thrilling.

Not the worst whodunnit I've ever read, but not the best either. It had some interesting twists and turns, but the ending felt rushed and was a tad anticlimactic.
It passed a few lockdown hours though.

Dead Sweet is the debut novel by Katrín Júlíusdóttir, translated into English by Quentin Bates.
The story follows the investigation into the murder of a well known Reykjavík citizen. Delving into the private and business life of the victim, the investigation team soon learn that all is not as it seemed.
There is a subplot relating to Sigurdís, one of the members of the investigation team. We learn of events from her past that had a knock on affect on her future.
The themes throughout the book are dark; namely abuse, both sexual and domestic. Dead Sweet is page turner nonetheless, with likeable characters and plenty of twists and turns. The final reveal was ingenious.

Yrsa Sigurðardóttir is one of my favourite Icelandic authors.
The Absolution is a gripping tale of cyber bullying and serial killing. Well worth a read.

This book is a must read for fans of Gary Moore, one of the greatest guitarists in the world.
This warts-and-all biography takes us back to where it all began.
Until I read this book I didn't know just how much Gary Moore contributed to the music world. Nor did I know what a shy, quiet, kind man he was.
There is quite a roll call of musicans and singers who worked with Moore. Some are well known; Phil Lynott, Huey Lewis, Peter Green. Many are less well known.
There are some amusing anecdotes. Others are harrowing.
When Gary Moore died the world lost an immensely talented guitar player, but his legacy lives on. Thanks to this book I feel as though I understand him a little better.

A frank and honest account of Lee Mack's early life and the struggles he faced as he tried to make it as a stand up comedian.

Quickly, While They Still Have Horses is a collection of short stories by Jan Carson. This is the first book by this author that I have read. It's a departure from the police procedurals I usually read.
It contains an interesting collection of stories. All are set in Northern Ireland and all touch on the troubles.
From a second-hand car that comes with its previous owner, to a severed hand in a fridge, each story has a quirky theme.
A quick and easy read.

I've been a fan of the Tom Thorne series since I first read Sleepy Head twenty years ago, and my love for it hasn't diminished over the ensuing years.
Cry Baby is a prequel to Sleepy Head,. We learn how Thorne came to meet Phil Hendricks for the first time, and how their friendship was cemented.
Here's to many more years of Tom Thorne.

Blood Ties is the sequel to The Kingdom by Jo Nesbø.
This is just an extract from the book (the first 3 chapters), a sneak preview if you will.
Roy and Carl Opgard are back. It is eight years since the events in The Kingdom. Construction of Os Spa continues, and Carl is building a new house as befits the King of Os.
If the three chapters I have just read are anything to go by, this book is going to be a cracker. I can't wait to read the full version.

Thanks to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for this digital extract.

The second book by the author of The Fox. A thoroughly enjoyable read that kept me hanging on the edge of my seat.

James Blunt is the master of comeback tweets. This book was an hilarious collection of some of his best comebacks. Brilliant.

The sequel to The House on Cold Hill. A good old fashioned ghost story, offering chills aplenty.

Another bargain from Bookbub, and another book in a series where I've come in late rather than at the beginning. This is actually the 10th, and final, book in the series. That didn't matter though, as it was such an enjoyable read.
I love a good murder mystery, and this delivered, but there were also some farcical moments providing some mirth along the way. I'm definitely going to go back to the beginning of the series.

It was great to return to the world of Magnus Ragnarrson. The Wanderer didn't disappoint. Fast paced and thrilling, it was a compelling read.

The Stranger's Companion is an historical mystery, set on the island of Sark, and is based on true events on the island in the same time period. The year is 1933, the month is October. Two sets of clothes, belonging to a man and a woman, are found on a cliff top. Of their owners, there is no sign.
The story has two timelines, 10 years apart. The narrative contains newspaper headlines from the real life Sark mystery, and excerpts from a guidebook of Sark. It is written in the first person, but we never learn the identity of the narrator.
What I loved about this book was the sense of foreboding throughout the story, and the superstitions that seemed to abound on the island, not to mention the possibility of witches abroad. Who doesn't love superstitions and witchcraft? I also loved the expert weaving together of fact and fiction.
I devoured this book. It was an engaging and easy read. It has made me very curious about Sark and its history, something I hope to look up at a later date.
Thanks to John Murray Press and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love this series. As a hearing aid user I can relate to the heroine, Tuva, and her everyday struggles.
Will Dean is right up there with the likes of John Connolly when it comes to weaving a good tale.

I have really come to love the Department Q series by Jussi Adler Olsen. Carl, Assad and Rose have become old friends that I like to connect with.
As the heart of Department Q, the trio complement each other. They also have a new member on the team. Raise your hand lanky Gordon.
The Hanging Girl is the sixth book in the series and has quite a dramatic start. Carl is contacted by a colleague working on the Danish island Bornholm, who is about to retire, with regard to a hit and run which occurred on the island 17 years previously. No one was brought to justice, and the colleague wants Department Q to investigate. Carl turns down the request. The next day, at his retirement party, the colleague kills himself.
The subsequent investigation by Department Q takes the team to Bornholm, and to Sweden.
There are many twists and turns, and the final reveal is surprising.
The book's ending is poignant and leaves the reader wondering what is in store next for the members of Department Q.
A thrilling read.

Stella Blómkvist is back and she's very busy indeed. She's been hired to look into the disappearance of a Scottish geology student, who disappeared whilst on a trip to Iceland 10 years previously. The girl's mother is terminally ill and would like to know what befell her daughter.
As if this isn't enough to contend with, Stella finds a dismembered limb, and finds herself representing a man believed to have murdered his father-in-law.
Murder Under the Midnight Sun hits the ground running. The multi-plot story moves on at a fast pace, with twists and turns aplenty.
There is quite a cast of characters, but not so many that the reader becomes confused.
Murder Under the Midnight Sun was translated into English by Quentin Bates, who once again did a sterling job.

The Silenced is the sequel to Memorandum, and is a gritty, gripping story.
There's a lot going on here; political intrigue, cover-ups, police corruption and murder.
The opening murder is quite gory, so if you're squeamish, you might want to flip forward a few pages.
Fast paced, with likeable characters and a complex plot, this is an engaging read. I especially loved the little twist at the end.

Murder in Harrogate is a delightful anthology of dark deeds by a variety of crime writers, inspired by the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival. All of the stories are set in, yes you've guessed it, Harrogate.
All of the stories in this collection are gripping, but three in particular stood out for me.
“The Dame” by Mark Billingham, is a contemporary tale, based on the real life disappearance of Agatha Christie.
“Old Peculiar” by Steve Cavanagh centres around a young woman looking into the disappearance of her sister, and has a sinister twist at the end.
“Why Harrogate?” by Janice Hallett is an historical crime fiction short that is dark and creepy.
I love short stories, and this anthology was a quick and easy read. Dark, sometimes creepy, sometimes seedy, and exceedingly good.

When It Grows Dark serves as a prologue to the Wisting series. The book starts off with modern day Wisting but then takes us back in time where we meet a young Wisting, and his wife and twin babies.
An eventful, enjoyable read.

22 Dead Little Bodies and Other Stories contains a short novel (22 Dead Little Bodies) a novella (The 45° Hangover), and 2 short stories featuring Logan and Steele, brought together in a single volume.
In 22 Dead Little Bodies, Logan McRae has a lot on his plate. He's dealing with a dispute between neighbours which turns ugly very quickly. There's also the case of two missing children whose father murdered their mother and then committed suicide. It's a race against the clock to find the children. As if that wasn't enough, he also has DCI Steele to contend with.
The short stories and novella, which I have previously read and reviewed, are typical Logan and Steele offerings packed with dark humour and the brilliant rapport between the main protagonists.
22 Dead Little Bodies is a gripping read, with MacBride's trademark gallows humour and dark themes.

Isolation island is Louise Minchin's debut, and it's a little cracker. I must confess that I'm not a fan of reality shows, but when I read the blurb for this book, I was intrigued. I love a good whodunnit with an atmospheric setting.
“So what's it all about?”, I hear you ask. Well, if you've read the blurb you'll know that ten celebrities are sent to a remote Scottish island to take part in a new reality show. Things don't go according to plan. There are health and safety issues, punishments for breaking rules and discord amongst the celebrities. Then two of the celebrities are murdered, and the remainder find themselves cut off from the outside world thanks to a storm.
As soon as the celebrities arrive on the island, you can feel the tension. There is a sense of menace from the outset. The remoteness of the island, and the harsh conditions, help to create the atmosphere. The characters aren't particularly endearing either. I genuinely only liked two of them, but I'm not saying who.
There were enough twists and turns in the story to keep me guessing.
All in all Isolation Island was an engaging, thrilling page turner.
Thanks to Netgalley and Headline for the digital ARC.