Book Review: I KNOW WHAT I SAW by Imran Mahmood

 

Title: I KNOW WHAT I SAW

Author:  Imran Mahmood

Read: September 2021

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Book Description:

 

Xander Shute - once a wealthy banker, now living on the streets - shelters for the night in an empty Mayfair flat. When he hears the occupants returning home, he scrambles to hide. Trapped in his hiding place, he hears the couple argue, and he soon finds himself witnessing a vicious murder.

But who was the dead woman, who the police later tell him can't have been there? And why is the man Xander saw her with evading justice?

As Xander searches for answers, his memory of the crime comes under scrutiny, forcing him to confront his long-buried past and the stories he's told about himself.

 

My musings:

 

I am always looking for psychological thrillers who are a bit different than the rest, and I KNOW WHAT I SAW perfectly fitted that bill. Xander, a homeless man with obvious psychological problems, made for the perfect unreliable character who constantly threw everything into doubt. There were so many intriguing threads to the story: how did a super intelligent, educated and well-off man end up living on the streets for 20 years? Why did his relationship with his partner end, and where is she now? What happened to his brother, Rory? What did he really witness that night? Because Xander’s memory is patchy, and he has trauma related problems that interfere with his ability to recall events, his account is often disjointed and confusing, in a way that benefited the story by adding a lot of tension and foreboding.

 

Mahmood has mastered the art of making us feel empathy for his very damaged main character, which is not easy to achieve. When I was in Xander’s head, I felt the same sense of confusion and terror his fractured mind conjured up. I found Xander’s quest for the truth, in spite of the personal threat this presented for him, moving and heart breaking, especially as more of his own history was revealed through flashbacks to his past. Even though I knew that nothing good could possibly come out of it, I was still floored by the final reveal.

 

Summary:

 

I KNOW WHAT I SAW is a slower, character driven psychological thriller that will put you into the mind of a tormented, traumatised soul. It is clever and multi-layered, making me guess to the very end, though I had my suspicions. Xander Shute is a unique character who doesn’t really fit any of the popular tropes, which made this one especially intriguing. Once I got into the story I could not tear myself away. Pick up this book if you are looking for an original psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator who will have you question everything you have read.

Book Review: GOODNIGHT BEAUTIFUL by Aimee Molloy

 

Title: GOODNIGHT BEAUTIFUL

Author:  Aimee Molloy

Read: September 2021

Expected publication: out now

 

Book Description:

 

Newlyweds Sam Statler and Annie Potter are head over heels, and excited to say good-bye to New York and start a life together in Sam's sleepy hometown in upstate New York. Or, it turns out, a life where Annie spends most of her time alone while Sam, her therapist husband, works long hours in his downstairs office, tending to the egos of his (mostly female) clientele.

Little does Sam know that through a vent in his ceiling, every word of his sessions can be heard from the room upstairs. The pharmacist's wife, contemplating a divorce. The well-known painter whose boyfriend doesn’t satisfy her in bed. Who could resist listening? Everything is fine until the French girl in the green mini Cooper shows up, and Sam decides to go to work and not come home, throwing a wrench into Sam and Annie's happily ever after.

 

My musings:

 

GOODNIGHT BEAUTIFUL was recommended to me by one of my reading buddies, and it’s exactly the sort of twisty psychological thriller I adore! I just wish that I hadn’t chosen the audiobook version for this one. Don’t get me wrong, you all know how much I love my audio books, but by the sheer nature of the narration, it inadvertently gave away a major twist that was vital to the story. I can’t say any more without spoiling it even more, but please choose the print version of this one and let it take you by the hand and lead you down its slippery path to deception.

 

Unreliable narrators – check. Red herrings – check. Interesting characters – check. Let the reader stumble into a trap of their own making – check. I love a psychological thriller that plays mindgames with the reader and uses their own assumptions as a major plot device. It’s very cleverly done, Aimee Molloy!

 

Pick this one up if you love a good twisty thriller. But for the ultimate experience, choose the print version of this one and not the audio.

Book Review: SONGS IN URSA MAJOR by Emma Brodie

 

Title: SONGS IN URSA MAJOR

Author:  Emma Brodie

Read: September 2021

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Book Description:

 

The year is 1969, and the Bayleen Island Folk Fest is abuzz with one name: Jesse Reid. Tall and soft-spoken, with eyes blue as stone-washed denim, Jesse Reid's intricate guitar riffs and supple baritone are poised to tip from fame to legend with this one headlining performance. That is, until his motorcycle crashes on the way to the show.

Jane Quinn is a Bayleen Island local whose music flows as naturally as her long blond hair. When she and her bandmates are asked to play in Jesse Reid's place at the festival, it almost doesn't seem real. But Jane plants her bare feet on the Main Stage and delivers the performance of a lifetime, stopping Jesse's disappointed fans in their tracks: A star is born.

Jesse stays on the island to recover from his near-fatal accident and he strikes up a friendship with Jane, coaching her through the production of her first record. As Jane contends with the music industry's sexism, Jesse becomes her advocate, and what starts as a shared calling soon becomes a passionate love affair. On tour with Jesse, Jane is so captivated by the giant stadiums, the late nights, the wild parties, and the media attention, that she is blind-sided when she stumbles on the dark secret beneath Jesse's music. With nowhere to turn, Jane must reckon with the shadows of her own past; what follows is the birth of one of most iconic albums of all time.

Shot through with the lyrics, the icons, the lore, the adrenaline of the early 70s music scene, Songs in Ursa Major pulses with romantic longing and asks the question so many female artists must face: What are we willing to sacrifice for our dreams?

What attracted me to this book:

 

“The year is 1969 ...” I didn’t need to read any further to grab this book off the shelf and settle in for a bit of time travel to the 1960’s. Even though this time period has been described as one of the most tumultuous and divisive decades in world history, for me it always evokes images of long haired youngsters dancing wildly to psychedelic music, summed up in Emma Brodie’s book as “a time of myth, a time of beauty, a time of rock and roll”. It’s the time when my parents came of age, and I tried to picture them bright eyed and happy, dancing at a music festival. And this imagery is exactly what I got whilst reading SONGS IN URSA MAJOR. I am in no way musical and had a few doubts whether this story would be for me, but soon found the backdrop of the music scene fascinating – who ever knew of all the politics involved in making an album?

My musings:

 

SONGS IN URSA MAJOR is a slow burning, character driven book that very quickly drew me in and transported me to another era. I was so utterly entranced by the setting and its characters that I looked forward to every minute I could steal to read a little bit more. Janie Q is a wonderful character who really drove the story for me. But what is a story without a good supporting cast, and Brodie hasn’t neglected her secondary characters, making them just as believable and enigmatic as her lead. Janie’s family, these strong women supporting one another, especially touched my heart.

 

Whilst Brodie perfectly captures the languid 60’s vibes, she doesn’t shy away from darker themes that shaped the era: sexism, drug addiction, mental health, grief and how to stay true to yourself despite fame are just a few of the topics explored here. SONGS IN URSA MAJOR is an incredibly perceptive and touching debut novel by a very talented writer. Even though Brodie states that the book was inspired by the love affair between James Taylor and Joni Mitchell, Jane and Jesse are uniquely her own creation and I loved the way they came to life for me as I was reading this book. I would have loved to listen to the soundtrack of Jesse and Janie’s songs, but found out later that there is a Spotify playlist of 60s songs that inspired Brodie when writing this story.

 

Summary:

 

In summary, I thoroughly enjoyed the virtual time travel to the 60’s music scene and the rich cast of characters who took me by the hand and let me step into their lives for a few hours. Brodie’s writing is evocative and compelling and I can’t wait to read more of her books in future.

Book Review: THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelidis

 

Title: THE MAIDENS

Author:  Alex Michaelidis

Read: September 2021

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek Tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike—particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.

Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.

Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?

When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life.

What attracted me to this book:

 

If I had any doubts as to whether I should read Alex Michaelides’ new book, then they were dispelled as soon as I found out that it contained some of my favourite themes: an atmospheric college setting, a mysterious cult-like group, a psychologist main protagonist / investigator. I was intrigued!

My musings:

 

I will say one thing for Michaelides – he sure knows how to deliver an unexpected twist! Even though, knowing this, I wasn’t fooled as much by the red herrings as I would normally be, and the final reveal didn’t pack as much punch as in THE SILENT PATIENT. If you were a fan of his earlier book, then you will be happy to know that the author links both books together very cleverly by including scenes and characters of THE SILENT PATIENT in the later part of THE MAIDENS. I have only seen this done a handful of times in other thrillers and loved the way he achieved this. If you have read THE SILENT PATIENT, then you will understand how this created an extra sense of foreboding to this story.

 

If you asked me what I loved most about this story, I would immediately mention the atmospheric setting in Cambridge (it was armchair travel of the best kind!). I had the privilege of visiting this ancient city in my wee youth, and Michaelides’ descriptions transported me straight back there. This was aided by the short, extremely readable chapters which made me read late into the night. The inclusion of Greek mythology into the tale also added extra depth and intrigue for me. Even though pitching an amateur sleuth like Mariana against a police investigative team who seemed to miss every single clue and piece of evidence was a bit farfetched to say the least, it did make for a unique angle an ordinary police procedural could not offer as easily, and I was happy to overlook the plot holes for the sake of entertainment.

 

My biggest gripe with the story was that a lot of time was spent on red herrings rather than the “Maidens”, which was a bit of a missed opportunity to further explore the dynamics of this strange group and their narcissistic leader. I felt that the characters of the girls remained flat and stereotypical and wanted more of Mariana’s insights into groups and cults to really delve into their psyches. I also didn’t care much for the ending and would have preferred a less shocking twist for the sake of a more believable finale (I may be in the minority here because other readers have loved this element especially, which just goes to show how diverse we are as readers). I think that up to the final chapters this could have been a five star read for me, because I was so utterly hooked to the story.

 

 

Summary:

 

All in all, THE MAIDENS was an intriguing murder mystery featuring a deliciously atmospheric Cambridge setting that made for the best armchair travel. Even though I felt that too much time and effort was spent on red herrings and the “killer twist”, I still felt that this was an extremely readable story. With a clever link to THE SILENT PATIENT, I am curious to see if there will be a Book 3 to follow on from here? In any case, I certainly will be standing in line to get my hands on the author’s next book!

Book Review: 56 DAYS by Catherine Ryan Howard

 

Title: 56 DAYS

Author:  Catherine Ryan Howard

Read: August 2021

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

No one knew they'd moved in together. Now one of them is dead. Could this be the perfect murder?

56 DAYS AGO

Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin the same week Covid-19 reaches Irish shores.

35 DAYS AGO

When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests that Ciara move in with him. She sees a unique opportunity for a new relationship to flourish without the pressure of scrutiny of family and friends. He sees it as an opportunity to hide who - and what - he really is.

TODAY

Detectives arrive at Oliver's apartment to discover a decomposing body inside.

Will they be able to determine what really happened, or has lockdown provided someone with the opportunity to commit the perfect crime?

What attracted me to this book:

 

Ever since reading and loving Catherine Ryan Howard’s earlier novel DISTRESS SIGNALS, I have been looking forward to being entertained by her clever, original thrillers that always manage to blindside me. I look for her books when I feel like something that stands out from the fray of mysteries on the market because there is nothing ordinary or formulaic about any of her novels. After covid changed our lives, I have often wondered how writers would deal with this part in our history. Would all books be forever be set in 2019 until the pandemic is over? Would writers dare to look into the future and try to predict what life will be in a year or two? Trust Howard to use the lockdown as a claustrophobic setting for her intriguing story. For a closed-door mystery the setting doesn’t get any better than this!

My musings:

 

Ciara and Oliver meet at the supermarket check-out just as the first cases of covid are making an appearance in other parts of the world. A coffee turns into a dinner and a string of dates. What do you do when a global pandemic threatens a budding romance? When Oliver suggests to Ciara that she move in with him to sit out the imposed two-week lockdown, she agrees, even though the couple don’t know much about one another. But being confined to a small space with a virtual stranger makes it very tricky to keep your deep, dark secrets hidden ...

 

Now one of them is dead and the police have been called by a neighbour who noticed an unpleasant smell coming from the apartment. DI Leah Riordan and DS Karl Connoly are the lucky detectives tasked with working out what has happened here, and who the victim is. Accident or murder? Truth or lies? Read on to find out!

 

In typical Catherine Ryan Howard style, the timeline in this book is not linear, so we gradually find out the full truth through three separate POVs and multiple jumps through time, from 56 days ago (when Ciara and Oliver first met) to the present, with a few other twists thrown in along the way. If you think that this may be confusing, don’t  worry, because the author has planned this so cleverly that there is never any doubt as to what is happening when and to whom. There is that wonderful “aha!” moment some time before the final reveal when things take an unexpected turn, but I dare you to predict the full truth!

 

I loved reading about lockdown in other parts of the world. This was such a frightening time for most of us, when no one really knew how this would all play out, and cities turned into ghost towns overnight. Many of Ciara’s and Oliver’s first responses to the pandemic mirrored my own confusion and fear, and it was fascinating to try and put myself in their shoes. Would my younger self have agreed to stay with a virtual stranger to keep the budding relationship going? Would I have kept this fact a secret from my family for fear of their disapproval? Yes, probably. This is what I love about this author, her characters are so relatable!

  

Summary:

 

All in all, 56 DAYS was another brilliant mystery from an author who has swiftly risen to my favourites list. Whilst set in the early days of the pandemic, the story is not a novel about the pandemic, but the lockdown provided a perfect claustrophobic backdrop to the mystery. Personally, I loved the way certain scenes are explored through the different POVs of each character, allowing us to spot the differences and wondering who is telling the truth, and who is hiding something. This was a tense, claustrophobic read for me and one I could not put down. I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to reading more from this author in future.

Book Review: FOR YOUR OWN GOOD by Samantha Downing

 

Title: FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

Author:  Samantha Downing

Read: August 2021

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

Teddy Crutcher has won Teacher of the Year at the esteemed Belmont Academy, home to the best and brightest.

He says his wife couldn't be more proud—though no one has seen her in a while.

Teddy really can’t be bothered with the death of a school parent that’s looking more and more like murder or the student digging a little too deep into Teddy’s personal life. His main focus is on pushing these kids to their full academic potential.

All he wants is for his colleagues—and the endlessly meddlesome parents—to stay out of his way.

It's really too bad that sometimes excellence can come at such a high cost.

What attracted me to this book:

 

Sometimes I just feel like an easy, wicked story to read for relaxation, and I thought this book might just fit the bill. It certainly did!

My musings:

 

Downing knows how to write characters who are sarcastic, twisted and devoid of a normal moral compass. Her stories usually move along at a good pace as the characters are pitched against one another, and rather than building up to one massive killer twist to blindside you there are plenty of dark alleys and corners that propel the story into some unexpected directions along the way. This is pure entertainment, like watching a train on fire rush towards the abyss unable to stop it, so you might as well settle in and enjoy the voyeurism.

 

If you like snarky characters, then Teddy Crutcher, “teacher of the year” at an elite prep school full of kids of rich and privileged backgrounds, is your perfect candidate. Teddy has his own unique moral compass, and he likes to teach his students and colleagues how to fit this bill, dishing out his special brand of justice “for their own good”. Sometimes this includes murder – oopsies!

 

Whilst reading it, I vacillated between opposing feelings regarding the story. It was like having two little devils sitting on my shoulders, whispering in my ear:

 

Reader 1(just wants to be entertained, happy to suspend disbelief): “The multiple POVs without too much in-depth character development allowed me to just flow with the story without having to analyse or understand their actions. This was just pure entertainment.”

vs Reader 2 (wants depth and emotional engagement): “The lack of character development made it difficult to form any real connection to any of the cast members.”

 

R1: “All characters are snarky and despicable, in varying degrees, which made for a wickedly entertaining story of evil minds pitched against one another.”

Vs R2: “All characters are so snarky and despicable that it was difficult to root for any of them.”

 

R1: “The chapters are short and snappy, moving the story along at a good pace.”

Vs R2: “The chapters are short and snappy, with various POVs, which made it difficult to deeply connect with any of the characters.”

 

R1: “Some of the character’s actions and motives are so wicked and devoid of moral compass that they’re almost caricatures, making for a fantastically sarcastic and original story.”

Vs R2: “Some of the character’s actions and motives are so wicked and devoid of moral compass that it was a bit farfetched and unbelievable.”

 

Both of these voices agreed however that they would have loved to get the POV of Teddy’s wife Allison, who remained a bit of an enigma but was one smart lady to get out when she could! 

 

Summary:

 

All in all, this was pure wicked fun and entertainment with a lot of dark humour sprinkled in, so if you are not looking for anything to deep and emotionally taxing, then this book is perfect. I can see why other readers have recommended it as the perfect holiday read, because once you start it’s easy just to go with the flow, like bingeing on a Netflix series.