Book reviews

A really enjoyable crime, suspense and legal drama parcelled into a single package. This is the 9th book in the Eddie Flynn series, but I've only read a few and found it easy to jump in (nb. I am now going to look for the ones I've missed though!). It begins when...

This is an emotional read about navigating life's hurdles while in a long-term relationship - and about what happens when the rules you live by may not be working anymore. Jack and Jessica are the social media couple of the moment, with the followers and a self-help...

The Compound is a dystopian take on a dating/reality show, and a smooth, enjoyable read that may nevertheless leave you with some questions. Lily is our beautiful narrator and one of the first women to wake up at the compound. She's excited for the boys to arrive, and...

This is two stories in one as two women meet and share secrets. Mabel is in her nineties, and had a painful time growing up in the building that is now her retirement home, in the midst of World War Two. Whereas Belinda has just got out of prison for killing her...

My Friends is written in that classic Backman style - moving, portentous at times, often capturing real 'human' moments in just a handful of words. I'm unsure what rating to give it - I think the more Backman I read, the more often I see what's coming. Does that mean...

As you may guess from the title, Can You Solve the Murder is a 'choose your own adventure' take on the crime novel. As you read, you're asked to make choices (eg about who to interview next, or which location to go to). You need to make notes (essential, not optional)...

Julie Chan is Dead is not the book you think it is. Sure, when it begins, you'll run headfirst into into thriller/stolen identity territory, as Julie visits the twin she doesn't really talk to (separated as infants), finds her dead, then decides to become her. But...

While this is the 8th book in the Nosey Parker mystery series, you can quite happily jump into The Cornish Castle Murder whether you have read any or not. Saying that, it probably adds to the charm if you're at least a little familiar with the main cast.In this book,...

Dissolution is a mind-bending science fiction thriller, largely told through interviews and flashback, that's ultimately about love and memory.It begins with Maggie Webb, an elderly woman whose ailing husband Stanley is struggling with memory loss. She's trapped in a...

An utterly bizarre book that takes the premise 'what if the moon turned into cheese?' and runs away with it, to both logical and hilarious extremes (albeit not always both at once).It's written as a series of interconnected short stories and the points-of-view are...

Another solid entry in the 'Forgotten Victims' series.This time a body is discovered in an old farm silo when some teens crash into it. The victim is a young girl who went missing years ago with only a single and contentious eye witness for her last sighting.As DCI...

Tchaikovsky is incredibly prolific and blessed with ideas, as shown here, in Shroud.If I was pitching Shroud to a friend, I might say it's a mix of The Martian with a futuristic space horror.We start with a team of scientists investigating a dark and mysterious...

Nobody's Fool reminded me why I've enjoyed reading Coben so much over the years. A strong premise, a pacy beginning, and some interesting twists and turns even when you are beginning to put things together yourself.Here, ex-copper Sami Pierce flashes back almost 25...

Heartstrings features a cute concept - a young girl rings up a romance hotline on a radio station looking for advice for her mum. A clip of it goes viral and soon the mum and one of the main characters (Lucie) is invited onto the show for a regular segment on her...

The first properly good thriller I've read in ages! Famous Last Words starts on a relatively ordinary day: Camilla's going back to work after maternity leave. But when she wakes up, her husband has already headed out without saying goodbye. It's a little odd, but she...