It’s a long time since I’ve posted any reviews so here’s a few. I had a free Kindle Unlimited subscription for a few months so ended up reading a lot of stuff that, while enjoyable, isn’t really worth reviewing so I’ve just picked out the ones where there’s a bit more to say!
Whistle by Linwood Barclay
This is a bit of a departure for Barclay, moving away from the thrillers he usually writes into the supernatural/horror genre. That isn’t usually my thing but I did enjoy this story about haunted trains. Might be worth a go for the Stephen King fans (there’s a glowing quote from him on the cover!).
The Butterfly Picnic - Joan Aiken
This is a delight - a darkly comic novel set on a Greek island, where Lucy discovers her cousin has been murdered and then has to try and get herself off the island without being murdered herself, while also trying to find out what’s happened to her cousin. It’s a great little story.
A Schooling In Murder - Andrew Taylor
Someone else reviewed this upthread (I forget who now, sorry). It’s set just after the war in a boarding school, narrated by a teacher who has been murdered but she doesn’t know who by. She gradually works it out with a bit of help along the way. This was fine - I liked the 1940s boarding school setting but the story itself never quite managed to lift off for me.
Births, Deaths and Marriages - Laura Barnett
Another one that was a bit disappointing. This follows a group of university friends who are all now reaching 40, looking at their lives now with flashbacks to when they were at university. I usually enjoy things like this, and while this wasn’t bad it wasn’t as good as I hoped - I never really felt that engaged with any of the characters.
The Grapevine - Kate Kemp
Yet another one that was fine but not as good as I hoped. This is set in Australia in the 1970s, and is largely narrated by a teenage girl trying to find out what’s happened after a neighbour is murdered. Unfortunately, although the author tries to inject some tension with the hot Australian summer weather, there really isn’t any because you find out quite early on who did it so it’s really just about finding out why they did it and that wasn’t very exciting. I did like the writing though so may read more by the author.
The Book Of Guilt - Catherine Chidgey
Another one that someone else has reviewed and I can’t now remember who, but I agree with them that this is a great book. It’s hard to say much about it without spoilers, but it’s narrated largely by one of a set of triplets who are the last boys living in a house set up as some sort of Government programme that is gradually revealed as the plot goes on. There’s also chapters from another girl, and an MP who is involved with bringing this programme to an end. I really can’t say more without spoilers, but I loved this.
Deadline - Steph McGovern
I did enjoy this, but the blurb is a little bit misleading. The blurb is about a TV presenter (very like Steph herself!) who is live on air when she realises her earpiece has been hacked and she’s told that her wife and son have been kidnapped and she must follow the instructions she’s given to get them back. Now that does happen in the book, but it’s by no means the main part of the story which moves back in time to explain events leading up to the hack. So it wasn’t quite the book I was expecting - more a political scandal than the ‘in the moment’ thriller I expected, but I did still enjoy it.
Don’t Let Him In - Lisa Jewell
Is the man all the women in this book are in love with as nice as he seems? Obviously not and we know this because lots of the book is told from his point of view. But will the women realise it in time? Another good one from Jewell although the red flags are so obvious you do have to wonder why the women don’t get rid of him much sooner!
The New House - Lettice Cooper
Read for the Rather Dated thread, this follows a family throughout a single day as they downsize to a smaller home, particularly focusing on one of the daughters and whether she will be able to escape from her life. Not a lot happens in terms of plot, but some excellent characterisation and really getting inside the heads of those characters. A lovely read.
Uncommon People: Britpop and Beyond In 20 Songs - Miranda Sawyer
I was 16 at the height of Britpop so this was right up my street! It focuses on the main Britpop bands but also some others that were around at the time. Lovely nostalgia and very timely given all the Oasis hype at the moment.
The Sleepwalkers - Scarlett Thomas
I read one or two Thomas books years ago and didn’t get on with them, but this new one sounded good so I thought I would give it a go. Richard and Evelyn are on their honeymoon on a Greek island but keep hearing stories about a couple who apparently died last year after sleepwalking into the sea. I should have listened to my original doubts as this was crap. It’s incredibly disjointed (sentences just end in the middle in several places) and having finished the book I’m still none the wiser what happened to the sleepwalkers, or one of the honeymooning couple. The method of telling the story is weird too - mainly the honeymooning couple writing very long letters to each other telling them about events they were present for! It makes no sense. It’s also described as funny, but it really isn’t at all funny anywhere. I cannot recommend this book, but if you have enjoyed other books of hers you may like this too. I have decided her writing style is definitely not for me and won’t be bothering with any more.