THE SKELETON KEY by Erin Kelly
Erin Kelly has done it again- this
was a solid 5 star read for me! What a well plotted, complex novel. Sometimes
delving into a novel blind is the best way, but I admit that after the first
chapter I nearly DNF’d the book, thinking it was some dystopian story about a
weird bone hunting society. Luckily I had full trust that Kelly would not
disappoint me (she never has in the past) and was soon totally hooked.
It's very difficult to review such a
multi-layered, well-plotted mystery without giving anything away, Let’s just
say that it’s a story about fame, greed and family secrets. A LOT of dark
family secrets. As an added bonus, the book also contained two of my favourite
themes: a story based on an old legend, plus a “book within a book”.
Whilst the story started out
revolving around Frank Churcher’s famous book The Golden Bones, which has led
to his fame and wealth but also to the formation of a worldwide fan base of
“bone hunters” who have put his own daughter at risk (you will have to read it
to find out why), it soon became more character driven, exploring the
intertwined relationships of the Churcher and Lally families. As dark secrets
were revealed, and family dynamics became more and more dysfunctional, my
fascination with these characters made me loath to put the book down. There
were quite a few “aha!” moments when pieces of the puzzle fell into place and
revealed cleverly plotted twists. Kelly is a talented writer who not only knows
how to utterly enthral her readers, but also to weave magic into the multiple
threads that form her stories.
Whilst the story is mainly being
told by Eleanor, the daughter of author Frank Churcher, we get small glimpses
into the past and through different eyes, which reveal those pieces of the
puzzle we may not have anticipated. Each character is fundamentally flawed,
which made them more compelling, and some truly unforgettable in all their
dysfunctional glory. I can’t say much more without giving things away, so I
will leave it at this: do yourself a favour and pick up this clever mystery
today to find out for yourself why I couldn’t put it down. Another brilliant
piece of writing by the talented Mrs Kelly.
SALT AND SKIN by Eliza Henry-Jones
I picked up SALT AND SKIN from a
book exchange, so I did not know what to expect or even what the book was all
about, but I knew that I had enjoyed the author’s previous books. Again,
Henry-Jones rewarded me with beautiful soulful writing full of longing and emotion
and that slight otherworldly touch that gave it an almost dreamlike quality.
Set on a small island off the coast
of Scotland, SALT AND SKIN follows the lives of Luna and her two teenage
children, Darcy and Min, as they are trying to make a new start after a tragedy
back in Australia. Weaving together history, folklore and a touch of magical
realism, the tale soon drew me into the small island community and made me want
to find out all its secrets.
SALT AND SKIN is an exquisitely
written, character driven novel that explores the aftereffects of trauma and
grief, and the faint blossoming of new hope. Wistful and dreamlike, it weaves
together different elements to create a tale that both haunted me and kept me
enchanted. Whilst there are loose links to the island’s witch trials, this is
very much a contemporary novel exploring the hold that the past and folklore
still has on everyday life, especially in wild and remote places. I really
enjoyed this book and its characters and as sad when it ended and I knew I would
not find out more about their lives. I can’t wait to read more from this author
in future.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
THE LIES I TELL by Julie Clarke
“The difference between justice and
revenge comes down to who’s telling the story.” Be assured that there’s a bit
of both in Clarke’s latest novel, which ticked all the boxes of a good thriller
for me (as did her last novel THE LAST FLIGHT).
Meg is the type of character I love
in a mystery: she may be flawed and often follows her own moral code, but she
is a strong, kick-ass woman you cannot help but cheer on all along the way. Now
here’s someone who is brave enough to act out every wronged person’s fantasy: a
strong woman who will not stay a victim for long, who instead will take matters
into her own hands and serve out her own flavour of justice. If you are tired
of meek and whiny victim-mentality characters waiting to be saved, then this
one is definitely for you! Meg spends very little time wallowing in self-pity
despite the injustice done to her. Instead, she acts. And here is one very
clever woman you do not want to mess with!
As you can tell, I loved the
character of Meg, who really drove this story for me and made me anxious to
find out how it would all turn out. Like THE LAST FLIGHT, Clarke presents us
with a well-plotted, compulsive story that kept me reading late into the night
to find out the answers. The way Meg outwitted her components was a pleasure to
watch – and a lot of nail-biting as the story neared a tense finale. Kat, the second
POV, even though not quite as compelling as Meg, gave the story a unique second
perspective and insights we may otherwise not have gained – another clever tool
used by the author to ratchet up tension.
THE LIES I TELL is a clever revenge thriller
that will definitely make my favourites list this year. Featuring strong female
protagonists and a tense cat-and-mouse game of clever minds pitched against one
another, I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a well plotted and
extremely compulsive read.
🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2
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