Sorry this is a bit of an epic update. I’m very tardy with my reviews!
43 Fire by John Boyne
A very uncomfortable read about a plastic surgeon who is a burns specialist but has a dark history of inappropriate sexual relationships with young men. I have a mid-late teenage boy and I found some of this quite difficult but it was well written.
44 Unlawful Killings by Wendy Joseph KC
A KC talks through some cases and her role in guiding the jury to justice. Some interesting ideas about application of the law and the difference between this and justice. She explores the importance of empathy but also recognising that it is not her opinion that matters but that of the jury. Interesting.
45 Funny Story by Emily Henry
Standard Emily Henry fare. Romantic comedy. They get together in the end. All is well. I find her a reliably enjoyable read. She manages to write characters with lovely chemistry.
46 The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton
Read this for a course. I was expecting this to be a drag but I loved it. Undine Spragg is a early 20th Century spoiled brat. She must have all the latest fashions, jewels, social engagements and husbands. Her treatment of those around her is appalling. I found her like a less cunning and clever Scarlett O’Hara. I enjoyed watching the results of her actions play out.
47 The Mother by TM Logan
Thriller about a woman who is framed for murdering her husband and then seeks justice after serving her prison sentence. Nothing too brilliant but this cracked along nicely with a few twisty bits.
48 Over Sharing by Jane Fallon
Standard reliable Jane Fallon fare. I read this a couple of weeks ago and honesty can’t really remember what happened. There was an ill advised social media video. There was cyberstalking. Someone worked in a kitchen showroom. I do remember quite enjoying it though....
49 Cecily by Annie Garthwaite
Enjoyed this a lot. I don’t read a lot of historical fiction but might start to look at the genre because this (and its sequel) really did it for me. Cecily is Richard Plantagenet’s wife. She bears him 12 children as loyalties and allegiances shift between their family and that of Henry VI.
50 The King’s Mother by Annie Garthwaite
I was so delighted there was a sequel. Cecily’s story continues. She is clever, a chess player and pulling all the strings behind the scenes. Her son Edward IV becomes king and the story moves onwards through his reign, the disgrace of his brother George and the eventual rule of Richard III. The story is as much about the women behind the powerful men as the men themselves and this is depicted well.
51 The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Much reviewed already. Complex and emotional. Enjoyed this but didn’t love it.