Tag Archives: #bookreview

April 5, 2024 · 5:10 pm

Dark Rooms by Lynda La Plante – a review BLOG TOUR

My latest read was the next instalment of the Tennison series, Dark Rooms.

In Dark Rooms Jane Tennison is leading a murder investigation after the body of a young girl is found chained to a wall in an old air raid shelter in a derelict house.  Whilst initially the focus is on identifying the young victim there is another shock to come. As forensics start to investigate, they soon make a further grisly discovery, the body of a baby had been hidden in a wall. Jane takes over the cold case with her investigation focussing on the wealthy family that previously owned the house, the heiress now residing in a care home and her sister living in Australia. As Jane starts to delve deeper into the family, she discovers a dark secret, and puts herself in grave danger.

I am really enjoying this series and Dark Rooms was no exception.

This story again sees Jane using her skills to crack a cold case, this time one that literally has repercussions around the world. The crime was both disturbing and intriguing. It was interesting and shows the skill of the author in that I thought it was relatively obvious from the start what the outcome might be, however the twists and turns continued to lead me down dead ends and deliver shock after shock.

I have to be honest and say there are times when Jane is starting to get on my nerves a bit. Whilst I appreciate that she clearly has to stand up for herself and struggles to gain the respect she deserves, there are also times when I think she doesn’t help herself. She certainly isn’t a team player and often ignores colleagues not always for the best. Her taste in men is always dubious, although I hope this time she might have finally made a good choice. However as a reader we are often given sneaky peaks into characters backgrounds and actions that make us think it might not all be plain sailing.

As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews I’m always intrigued by the ‘historical’ setting of these novels and this was no exception. How she is treated by some of her male superiors is disgraceful and I don’t imagine we’ve heard the last of it.

I am thoroughly enjoying my journey with Jane and I am looking forward to the next instalment.  

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November 30, 2023 · 4:57 pm

Anna O by Matthew Blake a review

A recent rather long train trip to London gave me ample time to catch up on some netgalley reading, so my first choice this time was Anna O by Matthew Blake.

Anna O hasn’t opened her eyes for over 4 years, not since the night that her two best friends were found murdered and she had the murder weapon in her hands. She soon became a worldwide sensation. Those who believed her to be innocent call her Anna O, those who think she committed double murder call her Sleeping Beauty. Dr Price thinks he can wake her up, but what if waking her up is just the start?

I really enjoyed this story of a sleep disorder specialist who wants to crack the crime of the century. It is a very suspenseful story yet at the same time is a real slow burner. The story is told through the eyes of Benedict as well as flash backs to Anna’s life and varying diaries and newspaper articles. This gives the story an interesting dynamic as you almost feel that you are discovering the truth alongside Benedict.

The characters are a mixed bunch of people, all of whom have secrets they are hiding. The more we delve into the mystery the more blurred the lines become between good and bad as motivations are revealed and backstory appears.

As is the case with all good stories there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. Anna’s homelife is revealed through her diaries and we gain an understanding of the Sleeping Beauty. Whilst there were some bits that felt a little repetitive and padded out, overall this was a really intriguing read that I can imagine being a huge success when it comes out next year.

Anna O is released on the 1st February 2023m get it on amazon here.

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October 1, 2023 · 5:56 pm

Stranger at the Wedding by A.E Gauntlett – a review

To say I’m behind with reviews would be an understatement. I probably read at least a book a week but clearly never review that much. However hopefully it’s better late than never so today I’m starting with a review of one of the fantastic proofs I picked up at the Theakston’s Festival this year, The Stranger at the Wedding by A.E Gauntlett. This book came with a free cake so was of course always going to be a winner in my eyes. The cake was lovely and the book was pretty good too.

The Stranger at the Wedding introduces us to Anne. She catches sight of Mark on a train and in a fit of confidence she passes him her number. When she doesn’t hear anything from him she assumes that he isn’t interested. However eventually they meet up. Once they do the romance becomes a whirlwind that ends in a wedding. It’s Anne’s dream come true. However both Anne and Mark have suffered tragedy in their lives so the marriage might not be as plain sailing as they hope.

This was a fantastic story with twist after twist that kept throwing any assumptions I had completely off the rails. Throughout the book the only character that seems vaguely trustworthy is a private investigator yet even he has his own demons. As the story progresses the characters all begin to flesh out, and as you start to learn the backgrounds you begin to understand a bit of why they act the way they do.

I thought the plotting of the story was very clever. It flits backwards and forwards from present day to the wedding to Anne’s childhood as all the timelines start to merge in the lead to the big reveal. The short chapters and the fast paced switch between timescales and view points meant you had to concentrate. This also gave the story a sense of urgency that mirrored how the PI felt as he tried to complete his job.

This was an utterly absorbing story that I would highly recommend. I believe that this is the debut novel by A.E Gauntlett in which case I can’t wait to read what they come up with next.

The Stranger at the Wedding is out in early 2024.

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June 28, 2023 · 6:41 pm

The Short Straw by Holly Seddon – a review

I’ve always enjoyed Holly Seddon’s novels so was pleased to be accepted for the netgalley proof of her latest one The Short Straw.

In The Short Straw three sisters are driving together when they get lost in a storm. They manage to take shelter in Morthwaite Manor, a stately home where their mother had worked when they were young. Now abandoned the Manor is not the safe haven they were hoping for so the sisters draw straws to see who is going to go for help. As the weather worsens so does the sisters plight.

This was an enjoyable story that I enjoyed reading despite a bit of a slow start. There were quite alot of bits where the actions of the characters were a bit far fetched but to be honest the family dynamic was so good you don’t notice that much until you think about it afterwards.

This was probably more of a family drama than actual thriller but that was the part I really liked. The voices of the sisters are quite distinct and the dynamic between the three of them changes throughout. Initially they fall into their childhood roles of the oldest Nina being in charge but as events take over the roles must diversify if they are going to survive the night.

The back story of the manor is interwoven throughout the book as the alternative chapters flit between past and present. The action takes place over one night which gives a great sense of pace to the action of the characters.

Overall, a great family drama with a compelling storyline.

Pre-order here:

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8252/9781398715462

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