Erin Kelly has a new book out - woohoo! THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS

I was super excited to hear Erin Kelly has just released her latest novel, THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS, which follows on from her earlier novel THE POISON TREE. Whilst it could potentially be read as a standalone, I thoroughly recommend reading them in order to get the most out of Kelly’s excellent character development. I will therefore give you a quick recap of both:

THE POISON TREE by Erin Kelly

Sometimes I really crave a slow-burning, character study of family secrets and relationships, and Erin Kelly does this so well! Whilst HE SAID / SHE SAID remains my all-time favourite by this author, I really enjoyed her portrayal of the friendships in THE POISON TREE.

One thing I love about Erin Kelly’s writing is the languid way in which she builds her spider’s web of growing tension that gradually entangles the reader and holds them in its spell. Just as Karen, the straight-A student and only child of conservative parents gradually falls under the spell of the bohemian Capel siblings and their rambling, tumble down English mansion. I could easily picture straight and slightly awkward Karen being bewitched by the outgoing siblings whose free and easy lifestyle must feel totally alien and enchanting to her. Biba Capel is the sort of character who blazes into people’s lives like a bright comet of destruction, dazzling them with her light but in the end only leaving smoking ruins behind. Rex, who is more subdued and stable than his sister, holds his own allure as the brooding, overprotective male counterpart to his vivacious sibling.

Despite the slow build-up, Kelly makes it very clear that nothing good can come from these dynamics. And whilst I did predict a major part of the “twist” (I read A LOT of these mysteries), I was still invested to watch the slow descend into disaster as both Karen and Rex act as if remote-controlled by Biba’s destructive hand. I love a good character study, and the way poor Karen gets drawn into the Capel siblings’ world was well executed. I related to some of Karen’s fascination with the Capel’s lives – “straight A student falls for more exciting personalities” is a theme that really does play out in real life. A wonderful premise for a novel that is part character study and part domestic thriller and will undoubtedly stun some readers with its twist.

All in all, THE POISON TREE should probably be avoided by readers who don’t enjoy a slow-burning mystery, because their attention may wane in the first half, when the interpersonal dynamics are being set up. However, lovers of a good character study will appreciate the way Kelly builds her characters’ relationships that ultimately lead to disaster. I felt like I was watching a train chugga-chugg towards the abyss, unable to stop it as it built momentum with its unsuspecting passengers still dazzled by Biba’s light. A well-written story simmering with an undercurrent of tension and menace. 

 

THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS by Erin Kelly

 

There is a good reason why Erin Kelly is one of my favourite authors, and her latest novel proves the point very well. I was excited to find out that in HOUSE OF MIRRORS we were going to continue the story of THE POISON TREE and find out what happened after that fateful ending. Once again, Kelly excelled in character development and dark family secrets and has delivered the most intriguing family saga that kept me enthralled from beginning to end.

 

Karen and Rex are now middle aged and have a grown-up daughter, Alice, who is as much a free spirit as her parents were at her age – and isn’t that usually a parent’s worst nightmare? She is engaged to climate activist Gabe, a man whose sheer presence annoys Karen and who she suspects of being controlling and emotionally abusive to her daughter. Alice, in the meantime, is intrigued by her family’s dark legacy, especially her aunt Biba’s fate. As usual, each of the book’s character has their own agenda, making for some surprising plot twists that kept me on my toes.

 

Whilst HOUSE OF MIRRORS follows on from THE POISON TREE, it could potentially be read as a standalone – though I thoroughly recommend reading them in order to get the most out of Kelly’s excellent character development. I loved delving into the Capel family’s secrets and dysfunctional dynamics, a fun escape from my own everyday life. Kelly seems to excel with everything she writes, and again, her latest book was a winner for me!

Audiobook Review: ONE PERFECT COUPLE by Ruth Ware

Title: ONE PERFECT COUPLE

Author: Ruth Ware

Narrator:  Imogen Church

Read: July 2024

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, The Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla find herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that this game show is all too real—and the stakes are life or death.

A fast-paced, spellbinding thriller rife with intrigue and characters that feel so true to life, this novel proves yet again that Ruth Ware is the queen of psychological suspense.

 

My musings:

 

It’s no secret that Ruth Ware is one of my favourite mystery writers and that I love the slow-burning, simmering tension that drives her stories. Initially, I was worried that ONE PERFECT COUPLE seemed to be following a well-trodden path of other novels, but I should have had more faith in Ware’s skill of brewing a cup of her own special magic. As the story unfolded, it soon became clear that this was a very cleverly planned tale of murder and survival that would break the mould and offer the kind of surprising ending Ware is known for. However, the thing I appreciated most of all was how each character came into their own in the course of the story: if I had disliked just about every one of them when I started reading (hence my initial doubts), by the end of the story I felt quite proud of the survivors.

Described by various reviewers as a mixture between AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, SURVIVOR, and LORD OF THE FLIES, this closed-door mystery did pack a lot of plots into its pages. I’m not one to watch much reality TV, but ONE PERFECT COUPLE gave me more pleasure than any of those type of shows ever have. I must also say that it was the perfect story for an audio-book: read by the very skilled Imogen Church (who I think has narrated all of Ware’s previous books), the visual scenes had me totally hooked and really drove up the tension! My only little quibble was with the WHY reveal of the story, which seemed a little far fetched even for an intended-to-be unexpected plot twist – it just didn’t gel with what had otherwise been a very cleverly constructed story (taking this opportunity to mention the diary entries, which had me fooled the entire time).

 

 Summary:

 

All in all, ONE PERFECT COUPLE was tense, claustrophobic and atmospheric and made for captivating listening from beginning to end, even if it lacked the Gothic vibes I usually look for in Ware’s mysteries. I especially loved the character development and Ware’s keen observations of people acting and reacting under pressure. Despite my initial doubts I very much enjoyed ONE PERFECT COUPLE and highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a clever closed-door mystery.

Book Review: DAUGHTER OF MINE by Megan Miranda

 

Title: DAUGHTER OF MINE

Author:  Megan Miranda

Read: April 2024

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

When Hazel Sharp, daughter of Mirror Lake’s longtime local detective, unexpectedly inherits her childhood home, she’s warily drawn back to the town—and people—she left behind almost a decade earlier. But Hazel’s not the only relic of the past to return: a drought has descended on the region, and as the water level in the lake drops, long-hidden secrets begin to emerge…including evidence that may help finally explain the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.

My musings:

 

I love Megan Miranda’s books – she is the queen of the atmospheric, character driven slow-burn, with intriguing interpersonal dynamics between her characters, which add an extra layer to her mysteries. As with many of her other books, DAUGHTER OF MINE started off as a slow simmer, setting the scene, but it didn’t take long for the tension to build.

 

After the death of Mirror Lake’s beloved local detective, Perry Holt, his daughter Hazel returns home to join her two brothers and attend his memorial service. The town has been in the grip of a severe drought, which has caused the lake’s level to drop to an all-time low, revealing all kinds of sunken treasures in its depth. Hazel arrives just in time to see an old car being pulled from the mud, setting her sense on high alert. After her mother left the family home never to be seen again when Hazel was fourteen, she is afraid that the car might be somehow related to her disappearance. But there is another surprise in store for Hazel when she finds out that she is the sole heir to her father’s estate. She is convinced that her father is trying to send her a message from beyond the grave – but how can she find out what he was trying to warn her about?

 

As with all of Miranda’s novel, DAUGHTER OF MINE was cleverly constructed, with many red herrings and an underlying sense of danger and menace that had my hairs standing on edge as I was trying to work out the mystery. I love books where the reader finds out clues at the same time as the main character, with the great unknown creating a sinister foreshadowing. Together with Miranda’s hallmark atmospheric setting, all of these elements worked perfectly together to keep me on the edge of my seat the whole time, especially as the body count in the small town was beginning to mount.

 

If you love a good slow-burn with a small town setting and atmospheric nature backdrop, then you can’t go past Megan Miranda’s books. Every time I read her latest novel, I am wondering which is my favourite – and DAUGHTER OF MINE is a definite contender (though I think that THE ONLY SURVIVORS is still number 1 on my list). 

Last will and testament - two gripping thrillers featuring inheritance and family secrets

THE WILL by Rebecca Reid

 

There’s nothing better than a juicy story about a tense family reunion, but Reid spices her tale up even more by throwing in the last will and testament of the family’s matriarch, Cecily, which will decide who gets to inherit the family’s estate Roxborough Hall. The Mordaunts have never held with the tradition of bequeathing the estate to the eldest son. Instead, after the death of the latest custodian, the family must gather for supper, when each member will receive a letter telling them whether they are the lucky recipients of the family fortune. It could be anyone, and every single member of the Mordaunt family secretly hopes that it will be them. Some of them will even be prepared to fight for the privilege …

 

I found THE WILL utterly compelling and unputdownable, as the eight Mordaunt siblings and their spouses gather to find out who will be the next custodian of Roxborough Hall. The dynamics between the siblings were fascinating, and it wasn’t long before all the skeletons came dancing out of the family’s closets. Jumping back and forth between the past and the present, we soon get a first-row insight into this family’s complicated past, including those things they had wished would stay forever hidden.

 

Each person is vividly drawn and complex, and there were so many surprises in store that I could not tear myself away until I found out who matriarch Cecily had found worthy to bequeath the old mansion to. The answer was also quite unexpected! Reid writes with insight and a vitality that made this story come to life for me, and I can’t wait to read more from her in future.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 all the stars!

THE HIDDEN LEGACY by G. J. Minett

 

Old family secrets are always fascinating for me, especially when they come packaged with an old, cluttered house that was gifted to the (un)lucky recipient in a will. The premise of snooping through mildewed papers and looking for treasures in dark, hidden crevices has a certain thrill that always draws me in.

 

When Ellen Sutherland finds out that she has been gifted an old, picturesque cottage in the Cotswolds in the will of an old lady, Eudora Nash, she is surprised and a little bit sceptical. She has no idea who Eudora Nash was, and how they were related, because Ellen has never even heard the name. Since her mother’s diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s, there is no one in the family she can ask, and Eudora’s solicitor also doesn’t have the answers to that particular puzzle. Then follows the arrival of an investigative journalist posing as an old family friend, and a break-in at the cottage, which sets off Ellen’s alarm bells. What secrets lay hidden in the old cottage? And how will she get answers to the many questions she wants to ask?

 

Unlike Ellen, the reader has the advantage of getting a few early clues as to the identity of the mysterious Eudora, though the way the story unrolled through timelines in the past and the present still held plenty of surprises in store. I loved the slow unravelling of clues as Ellen sets out on her quest to find answers, whilst the chapters set in the past held their own morbid fascination. Revolving around a horrific playground killing by a twelve-year-old boy, this was a mystery all of its own, as horrific and shocking as it was thought provoking and moving.

 

Minett writes with the ease of a seasoned writer who knows how to bring his characters to life, and yet I found out that this is a debut novel. I particularly liked the way I was determined to have my loyalties firmly set, and yet had all my beliefs challenged along the way, thinking quite differently about one of the characters towards the end whilst feeling this was no manipulation on Minett’s part, just a gentle nudging to remain open minded. I love novels that challenge our fixed belief systems, and THE HIDDEN LEGACY managed to do just that. I am trying to not give too much away here, so will stay purposely vague, though I would love to discuss many aspects of this novel in a book group, as different emotions and opinions will undoubtedly be triggered in different readers.

 

I’m surprised that this novel hasn’t gotten a lot more hype because it is a solid and very intriguing psychological thriller that kept me enthralled until the very end. I opted for the audio version narrated by Jessica Carroll, whose narration brought each character to life and made for great listening. If you appreciate a dark psychological thriller that is set to challenge your thinking and may give you an ethical dilemma or two, then you can’t go wrong with his book. 

🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

More inheritance themed books you might like:

Binge reading Gillian McAllister

Have you ever read a book, loved it and gone out straight away to get every book the author has ever written to have a huge binge reading session?

If you’ve ever read any of Gillian McAllister’s book, then you will have come to appreciate the ethical and moral dilemmas at the heart of every one of her stories. I love a book that throws me right into the middle of a tricky situation and makes me ponder how I would react if I was in the characters’ shoes (even if I feel like yelling at the characters at various points in the book). It’s one of the reasons McAllister has become one of my favourite devour-in-one-sitting authors!

 

THE EVIDENCE AGAINST YOU by Gillian McAllister

 

THE EVIDENCE AGAINST YOU is the sixth book I have read by this author and again it was a solid five stars for me, keeping me enthralled from beginning to end. McAllister knows how to create a well-rounded, interesting protagonist you cannot help but relate to, no matter what difficult situation they find themselves in. So even though it was impossible to imagine how I would react if I came face to face with my father after serving a life sentence for murdering my mother when I was in my teens – the scenario Izzy must deal with in McAllister’s latest novel – there were plenty of points where Izzy and I shared sentiments. The loss of a parent at a young age, for example. Or the way we still struggle with certain points of adulthood after losing our mother, without their adult presence as a compass point to orient our own lives towards. Izzy’s quest to find out information about her dead mother struck a deep chord with me, as did the emptiness her death has left in Izzy’s soul. I therefore found it easy to understand Izzy’s readiness to give her father a second chance, despite his murder conviction, his lies and his betrayal of her trust.

 

As is her trademark, McAllister weaves an intriguing mystery that not only kept me guessing the whole time, but also changed direction so many times that was suspended in a state of doubt the whole time whilst reading it. Who was telling the truth and who was lying? With her background in law, McAllister has a solid grip on the legal system, which grounded the novel in fact and made even the most difficult situations credible. With a main protagonist who is in equal parts scarred and vulnerable, but also brave and likeable, I could not tear myself away until I had all the answers.

 

THE EVIDENCE AGAINST YOU is the kind of top notch psychological thriller that makes me rush out and read everything McAllister has written, and eagerly await her next novel. If you are a fan of the genre, and enjoy a good ethical dilemma, then this book should definitely be on your list.

EVERYTHING BUT THE TRUTH by Gillian McAllister

  

In EVERYTHING BUT THE TRUTH, Rachel, a young pregnant doctor, catches a glimpse of a preview of an email on her partner’s ipad and has a terrible premonition that he is hiding something sinister from her. The more she digs into it, the more her suspicions grow as he clams up and refuses to talk about his past.

 

The theme of “how well do you really know your spouse” is a well-trodden trope in domestic noir thrillers, but for me it never gets old. I was instantly intrigued: what was Jack hiding from Rachel? And how far would I go to find out the truth if I was in her position?

 

As a slow burning character study, the book kept me reading eagerly to find out the answers, even though some of Rachel’s internal agonising was a bit repetitive at times. Don’t pick this one if you expect a lot of action or a twisty thriller, but if you enjoy ethical dilemmas and family secrets then it may be the right book for you. It definitely made me question some of my own ethics and morals and discover that there really wasn’t a black and white answer to the problem. Rachel’s medical background added an extra layer of interest to the story, and even though there weren’t any great surprises or twists in this one, it kept me interested until the end.

 

 

THAT NIGHT by Gillian McAllister

 

Three siblings, bound by a tragedy in their past. They live next door to one another, work together in the family business and stick together through thick and thin. Even their spouses can never be a part of their tight knit circle. They would do anything for one another, but does that include murder? On a dark night on holidays in Verona, Frannie, the baby of the family calls her older siblings for help. There has been a terrible accident and she doesn’t know what to do. It’s the night that will change the siblings’ lives forever. The night they will make a decision that will haunt them. How far are they prepared to go to help one of their own?

 

If you love a good ethical and moral dilemma, then this is the perfect read for you. Again, as with most of McAllister’s books, the answers aren’t black and white but will make you dig deep into your own psyche to ask yourself the difficult questions: what would you do if you were in the characters’ shoes? How far would you go to protect the ones you love most? How would your past experience (going as far back as your childhood) influence your decision? And what would be the point of no return for you, at which you would draw the line?

 

THAT NIGHT made for fascinating reading from beginning to end and I could not tear myself away, even as the train was thundering towards the abyss. I loved the way McAllister explores the sibling relationship and the events that have shaped their position in the family, ultimately guiding their decisions. The ending, which I anticipated to be difficult no matter where the story was ultimately headed, wrapped everything up in a satisfying finale, leaving me pondering my own position on the matter some more. An intriguing character study that looks into the heart of family dynamics. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from this author in future.

 

 

From my TBR pile straight onto my favourites list

 

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

 

Book Review: NO HARD FEELINGS by Genevieve Novak

 

Title: NO HARD FEELINGS

Author:  Genevieve Novak

Publisher:  HarperCollins AU

Read: May 2022

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

 

Book Description:

 

Penny can't help but compare herself to her friends. Annie is about to become a senior associate at her law firm, Bec has just got engaged, Leo is dating everyone this side of the Yarra, and Penny is just ... waiting. Waiting for Max, her on-again, off-again boyfriend, to allow her to spend the night, waiting for the promotion she was promised, waiting for her Valium to kick in. Waiting for her real life to start.

Out of excuses and sick of falling behind, Penny is determined to turn things around. She's going to make it work with Max, impress her tyrannical boss, quit seeing her useless therapist, remember to water her plants, and stop having panic attacks in the work toilets.

But soon she's back to doomscrolling on Instagram, necking bottles of Aldi's finest sauvignon blanc, and criticising herself with renewed vigour and loathing. As her goals seem further away than ever, she has to wonder: when bad habits feel so good, how do you trust what's right for you?

My musings:

 

Quite a few years have passed since I was in my late twenties, and yet I could instantly relate to Penny, Genevieve Novak’s protagonist in NO HARD FEELINGS. Penny is at that stage in her life where some of her friends have moved on, getting married, having babies or being caught up in high flying careers. None of these things have yet worked out for Penny herself, and she feels stuck, waiting for her on-again, off-again boyfriend Max to finally commit to a relationship or getting her long awaited promotion at work. Every time she thinks she is close to her goal, something goes wrong and she is thrown into despair. Is it any wonder her two best friends are losing patience with her?

Novak writes with honesty and heart and a generous dose of self-deprecating humour that made me chuckle even as Penny goes through moments of despair. There was something original and refreshing in Novak’s prose that kept me reading late into the night and stay engaged, despite being able to predict where the story was headed.

NO HARD FEELINGS is a coming-of-age story of sorts, as Penny slowly comes to grips with her own self, which she has been trying very hard to suppress in her desire to belong and live up to the expectations she has put upon herself by constantly comparing herself to others. Even though I am almost twice Penny’s age now and already had two children by the time I was twenty-seven, many of her observations still rang true, especially her desire for purpose and belonging. Let’s be honest, some of Penny’s self-doubts and insecurities will be encountered by most of us at some stage in our lives, and Novak’s observations are spot on (even though I felt like yelling at Penny in frustration at times, especially when she goes back AGAIN to her jerk of an ex-boyfriend).

 

Summary:

 

All in all, NO HARD FEELINGS was a pleasure to read and a book I may have passed by if I had not arrived on my doorstep one morning courtesy of the publisher. Thank you, it would have been a terrible shame to miss this one! I laughed, I raged and I deeply felt for Penny. To be so emotionally involved with a character is the sign of a great story, and I recommend it to women of all ages who have ever felt stuck or a bit lost in their life. A feel-good read that ticked all the boxes.

 

 

Thank you to HarperCollins AU for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Book Review: THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY by Sulari Gentill

 

Title: THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY

Author:  Sulari Gentill

Publisher:  Poisoned Pen Press

Read: May 2022

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

The ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is quiet, until the tranquility is shattered by a woman's terrified scream. Security guards take charge immediately, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers sitting at the same table, pass the time in conversation and friendships are struck. Each has his or her own reasons for being in the reading room that morning—it just happens that one is a murderer.

 

My musings:

 

I’m trying to decide where to start with my review of THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY, because this book is unlike anything I have ever read. If you think that Sulari Gentill broke the mould with her previous book, AFTER SHE WROTE HIM, then you will be thrilled to hear that she has done it again! The book within a book theme may not be new, but Gentill has added elements to it that were unique and clever and had me eagerly anticipating the course of action the story would take.

 

I am torn – on one hand I want to tell you all about the brilliant course this book took (call it a “twist” for lack of a better word), on the other hand I absolutely don’t want to give you any spoilers. When the moment came, I was so taken aback that I gasped loudly, waking my dog out of a deep sleep. So I am going to take the latter option and keep my mouth tightly zipped, even though I am dying to discuss it!

 

I can safely give away that the story features a book-within-a-book and correspondence from one of the author’s devout fans who is giving feedback on her novel as she is writing it. The story also contains a solid mystery that was fun to solve, so really it ticked all the boxes for me. But most of all, it was original and intriguing and made me grin a few times with that subtle Aussie humour that maybe only Aussies get, but which was refreshing and quirky.

 

Sorry folks, I am going to leave it at that! Let’s just says that THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY will appeal to readers who are looking for a mystery that transcends all the boundaries and breaks the mould of the sea of same-old books out there. When you get to the spot in the novel that I am (not) talking about, you will know, trust me! I enjoyed every minute of it and look forward to what crazy idea the author will cook up next.

 

 

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Book Review: THE LAST TO VANISH by Megan Miranda

 

Title: THE LAST TO VANISH

Author:  Megan Miranda

Publisher:  Scribner / Marysue Rucci Books

Read: March 2022

Expected publication: 26 July 2022

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

Ten years ago, Abigail Lovett fell into a job she loves, managing The Passage Inn, a cozy, upscale resort nestled in the North Carolina mountain town of Cutter’s Pass. Cutter’s Pass is best known for its outdoor offerings—rafting and hiking, with access to the Appalachian trail by way of a gorgeous waterfall—and its mysterious history. As the book begins, the string of unsolved disappearances that has haunted the town is once again thrust into the spotlight when journalist Landon West, who was staying at the inn to investigate the story of the vanishing trail, then disappears himself.

Abby has sometimes felt like an outsider within the community, but she’s come to view Cutter’s Pass as her home. When Landon’s brother Trey shows up looking for answers, Abby can’t help but feel the town closing ranks. And she’s still on the outside. When she finds incriminating evidence that may bring them closer to the truth, Abby soon discovers how little she knows about her coworkers, neighbors, and even those closest to her.

My musings:

 

A suspenseful mystery set in a small town near the Appalachian trail? Yes please! Good mysteries that feature wilderness areas and hiking are not easy to find, but Megan Miranda, an avid hiker herself, has nailed it with her latest novel THE LAST TO VANISH. From a deliciously claustrophobic wilderness setting, to an old unsolved mystery, to small town secrets, this book contained everything that I love in a mystery and was a delight to read. The best books are those who make you come up with the wildest theories, and then still manage to prove you wrong. 

 

Over the last few years, Miranda has firmly engraved her name on my favourite authors list. I particularly enjoy her atmospheric setting and the interpersonal dynamics between her characters, which add an extra layer to her mysteries. Abigail Lovett, our protagonist in THE LAST TO VANISH only gradually gives up her own secrets as the story unfolds, which provided some unexpected twists that I certainly didn’t see coming. Personally, I loved the way the story got off to a slow simmer, but soon heated up as we got closer to finding out the truth. And what can be more enticing than the unsolved cases of hikers vanishing off a mountain without a trace? Add a remote lodge, patchy phone and internet reception and a bunch of locals who want the past to stay hidden, and the stage is set. 

 

I would hate to give spoilers, so I won’t say any more than that, only that I savoured this book like a treat every night and found it hard to tear myself away. A lot of mysteries become repetitive or predictable in a “been there, done that” way of a seasoned reader, but not here – I was thrilled until the end and the armchair detective in me had to admit defeat. 

  

Summary:

 

All in all, THE LAST TO VANISH once again confirmed why Miranda is one of my favourite thriller writers today. With her trademark atmospheric setting, enigmatic young female lead and an intriguing unsolved mystery from the past, it ticked all the right boxes for me! 

Thank you to Scribner / Marysue Rucci Books for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Book Review: THE VANISHING OF AUDREY WILDE by Eve Chase

 

Title: THE VANISHING OF AUDREY WILDE

Author:  Eve Chase

Read: February 2022

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

 

Book Description:

 

 

Four sisters. One summer. A lifetime of secrets.

When fifteen-year-old Margot and her three sisters arrive at Applecote Manor in June 1959, they expect a quiet English country summer. Instead, they find their aunt and uncle still reeling from the disappearance of their daughter, Audrey, five years before. As the sisters become divided by new tensions when two handsome neighbors drop by, Margot finds herself drawn into the life Audrey left behind. When the summer takes a deadly turn, the girls must unite behind an unthinkable choice or find themselves torn apart forever.

Fifty years later, Jesse is desperate to move her family out of their London home, where signs of her widower husband’s previous wife are around every corner. Gorgeous Applecote Manor, nestled in the English countryside, seems the perfect solution. But Jesse finds herself increasingly isolated in their new sprawling home, at odds with her fifteen-year-old stepdaughter, and haunted by the strange rumors that surround the manor.

My musings:

 

Oh how I loved these characters! The Wilde sisters (or “Wildlings”) make for a very colourful and compelling bunch to lead you into their world, and paired with the atmospheric setting of Applecote Manor, it contained everything I love in a book.

 

Rolling out in two timelines, one in 1959 and one in the present, Applecote Manor is the one constant that bridges the separate tales. In 1959, the four Wilde sisters are sent to the English countryside to live with their aunt and uncle for the summer whilst their bohemian mother runs off to Cairo to take on a bookkeeping position. How I would love to meet every single one of these characters in real life! The sisters are a delightful bunch, close-knit and full of life and the product of a rather unconventional upbringing. Soon they restore some joy into the old household, which has been in mourning ever since their cousin Audrey vanished without a trace five years previously.

 

The second timeline features Jesse, a young mother and stepmother, who has fallen in love with Applecote Manor and is trying to make it into a home for her family. Though I was afraid that I would not love the present timeline as much as the sisters’, I was soon won over by this young family, who were (almost) as compelling and interesting as the Wilde sisters. Of course the house is a bit reluctant to give up its secrets, revealing them slowly and gradually, until we finally find out what happened to Audrey all those years ago.

 

THE VANISHING OF AUDREY WILDE is one of those delicious treats that you want to savour as long as possible and miss when the last page has been turned. Beautifully written, astutely observed and with told with insight and compassion, it gave me joy every time I was able to steal a moment and get lost in its pages. I also loved the Gothic undertones of the old manor house, which was the type of atmospheric setting that almost features as a character itself. The mystery itself was secondary to the story and yet very compelling, just as the story told of innocence lost and the coming of age of the sisters. A truly wonderful book! I look forward to reading more from this author in future.