Did You See Melody? Sophie Hannah

Did You See Melody? Sophie Hannah

Wednesday, 20 September 2017

Did You See Melody

Author: Sophie Hannah

Paperback 327 pages

Publication Date: August 24th 2017

ISBN: 9781444776171

Publisher: Hachette Australia

Imprint: Hodder & Stoughton

Publishers Summary:

Pushed to breaking point, Cara Burrows abandons her home and family and escapes to a five-star spa resort she can't afford. Late at night, exhausted and desperate, she lets herself into her hotel room and is shocked to find it already occupied - by a man and a teenage girl.

A simple mistake on the part of the hotel receptionist - but Cara's fear intensifies when she works out that the girl she saw alive and well in the hotel room is someone she can't possibly have seen: the most famous murder victim in the country, Melody Chapa, whose parents are serving life sentences for her murder.

Cara doesn't know what to trust: everything she's read and heard about the case, or the evidence of her own eyes. Did she really see Melody? And is she prepared to ask herself that question and answer it honestly if it means risking her own life?

Review

It was the tantalising blurb which attracted me to this book and I was looking forward to enjoying an interesting mystery. 

Cara is fed up with her husband and two teenagers, she is middle-aged and unexpectedly pregnant and wants to get away from them all, so she decides to fly off to spend a couple of weeks (and a small fortune) at a luxurious spa in Arizona.

The plot then evolves from a series of rather odd coincidences. First, she is sent to the wrong room which is already occupied by a man and a young girl.

Later, at the reception desk, she overhears a woman named Mrs. McNair loudly demanding that the police be called as she has seen a girl named Melody who was presumed murdered seven years earlier.

Cara is intrigued and decides to do a bit of sleuthing during which she comes across a photo of seven year old Melody. Despite the time lapse she is immediately convinced that the teenaged girl she saw in the room and the child in the photo really are the same girl.

She teams up with another guest, Tarin, who has her daughter Zellie with her.

Another major character makes an appearance, one Bonnie Juno who, on her TV show “Justice with Bonnie” featured the disappearance of the child Melody, Bonnies relentless trial by television seemed to convince everyone that  Melodys' parents killed her and they were imprisoned for her murder.

There is a huge amount of back story which I found interrupted the flow, however, we finally get to the end of this story via denouement after denouement.

For me, I am sorry to say it was all a bit too unbelievable to be a serious mystery. Yet though it was a little comedic in parts it was not enough to lift the story to an actual comedy.

Having said all that, I did love the character of Tarin and would love to see her starring in her very own cozy mystery!

Copy provided by Hachette Australia for an honest review

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Tuesday, 15 August 2017

Sleeping in the Ground 

Author: Peter Robinson

Series: Inspector Banks Book 24

Publisher: Hachette Australia

July 12th 2017

ISBN: 9781444786927

Paperback 374 pages

Publishers Summary

'A shocking mass murder occurs at a wedding in a small Dales church and a huge manhunt follows. Eventually, the shooter is run to ground and things take their inevitable course.

But Banks is plagued with doubts as to exactly what happened outside the church that day, and why. Struggling with the death of his first serious girlfriend and the return of profiler Jenny Fuller into his life, Banks feels the need to dig deeper into the murders, and as he does so, he uncovers forensic and psychological puzzles that lead him to the past secrets that might just provide the answers he is looking for.

When the surprising truth becomes clear, it is almost too late.'

Review

What an opening chapter! 

Usually it takes me a few chapters of reading before I become fully immersed in a story, but those first twelve pages of “Sleeping In The Ground” are absolutely riveting.

There is the shocking incident of the shootings at the wedding, which is attended by Terry Gilchrist whose military experience returns in force as he hears the first shot, Terry is there with Winsome, who gets injured by the shooter.

Moving on to Banks, who, at the time, is attending  the funeral of his first love, he is deeply immersed in thoughts of times past, but eventually news of the terrible shootings reach him and he rushes to the scene of the horrifying crime. 

Then there is Ray, hippy artist father of  Banks’ sidekick, Annie Cabbot, Ray rocks up at her tiny cottage telling her he wants to move up from Cornwall, to find a place close to her. 

All this, just in the first few pages, and it beautifully sets up the whole story line.

At this point I should say that I am so happy to have read most of the Inspector Banks series, as I honestly don’t think a reader could fully appreciate the storyline if not familiar with these characters who have been involved with past story lines.

Moving on again to a bit later in the story; when the investigation of the shootings is underway, Jenny Fuller, the consulting crime psychologist returns from Australia and joins the team, she is a woman who featured in Banks’ life when he was still married. They had worked together and had become close, but the relationship ended before it had barely begun. 

At this point I’m thinking that Banks should wake up and smell the coffee, he is divorced now so why doesn’t he just get things moving with Jenny! I couldn’t wait to read on to see how that panned out! 

That’s what I mean by being thankful for having followed the series, as new readers might well miss out through lack of back story.

Moving on again to the main story; the shooting and “who dunnit", well, as usual, there is the evidence, and then there is Banks and his gut feel for the case. He picks up on and pontificates about the smallest of details, and, of course, puts many small details together to eventually solve the case.

An excellent story which, for me, is at times a tad too long winded when it comes to describing the police procedures, but nevertheless, it is a real page turner of a mystery.

However, Banks can be a little irritating with his aspirations of becoming a little more highbrow, his music, his attempts to learn more about poetry, somehow, to me, it all seems a little forced and not entirely in keeping with his natural character.

Still, that is just personal opinion, and it didn't stop me from loving the book, it is a wonderfully entertaining and satisfying story and I am so looking forward to reading the next episode in the life of Inspector Banks. It is definitely not yet time for him to retire!

Highly recommended.

Review copy provided by Hachette Australia

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Friend Request: Laura Marshall

Friend Request: Laura Marshall

Monday, 14 August 2017

Friend Request

Author: Laura Marshall

Publisher: Hachette Australia

July 2017

ISBN: 9780751568332

Paperback: 371 pages

Publishers Summary

When Louise Williams receives a message from someone left long in the past she feels sick.

Maria Weston wants to be friends on Facebook.

Because Maria Weston has been missing for over twenty-five years. She was last seen the night of a school leavers' party, and the world believes her to be dead. Particularly Louise, who has lived her adult life knowing herself responsible for Maria's disappearance. But now Maria is back. Or is she?

As Maria's messages start to escalate, Louise forces herself to reconnect with the old friends she once tried so hard to impress, to try to piece together exactly what happened that fateful night. But when another friend's body turns up in the woods outside their old school, Louise realises she can't trust anyone and that she must confront her own awful secret to discover the whole truth of what happened to Maria . . .

Review

How chilling and spooky would that be? Receiving a friend request from someone whom you had thought to be long dead!

Well, Louise Williams was braver than me, I would have ignored it, but she didn’t, she responded, and right there begins an intriguing and very twisty tale.

Maria Weston transferred to Louise’s school in the senior year, there was a little bit of mystery attached to her but nobody knew exactly what. Louise hung out with the popular girls, she wasn’t quite one of them herself but tried hard to stay close. When she tried to include Maria, the popular girls would have none of it and so Louise, not wanting to upset them, excluded her too.

Then one night something terrible happened to Maria, she disappeared and was presumed to have drowned, Louise believed that because of something she had done on that night, she was to blame.

Now, years later, Louise is living alone with her small son when this bombshell drops, “Maria Weston wants to be friends”. At the same time an invitation to attend her High Schools 25th reunion arrives, is this a coincidence?

Louise wonders if she is the only one to have received this spooky friend request and sets out to contact her old school friends via Facebook. She is a little nervous as she hasn’t been in contact for years.

This truly is an insidiously creepy story, I thought the descriptions of the awful ways of teenaged schoolgirls to be very well written and probably quite emotive for some readers. 

Later in the book we meet one of the most Machiavellian of spine chilling characters, but you will have to read the book to discover who that might be -and it might no be who you think it is!

Then there is Louise herself, we know of course, that she has a secret, but there seems to be something more, an undercurrent of something a little sinister in her life. The author does reveal all, but in a slow, tantalising way which keeps the reader turning those pages.

A cracking debut novel from author Laura Marshall, and I very much look forward to reading her next book.

Highly recommended.

Review copy provided by Hachette Books Australia

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Match Up: Edited by Lee Child

Match Up: Edited by Lee Child

Tuesday, 20 June 2017

Match Up

Editor: Lee Child

Multiple Authors

Genre: Crime Fiction

Paperback RRP $29.99

ISBN 9780751569025

Publication Date: June 13th 2017

Published by Hachette Australia

Publishers Summary

MATCH UP pairs up twenty-two of your favourite crime writers and their iconic characters in this unique short-story collection.Match Up - a brand new collaboration between the world's famous crime writers. Edited be international bestseller Lee Child, this exclusive page-turning anthology promises the same thrills and chills brought to you by the previous collection, Face Off. 

Review

In the introduction Lee Child explains the reason for writing and producing these collections. The International Thriller Writers association (ITA) charges no fee for membership, instead, income is generated by the members producing anthologies of short crime stories. Beginning with Thriller (2006) edited by James Patterson, since then several more have been produced over the years.

Face Off (2014)  was the first to pair off authors, and now Match Up pairs up a male and a female author.

What makes this book even more interesting is that each story is preceded by the editors notes on the writing processes of each pair of authors.

I dove straight in and chose to read the Kathy Reichs and Lee Child story “Faking a Murderer” featuring Temperance Brennan and Jack Reacher.

 I don’t usually read short stories, for some reason thinking that they might be less satisfying than a full length novel, but, happily, I was wrong as each story is engrossing and very enjoyable.

This is a collection of well written short stories, and provides a wonderful way to discover both new authors and new crime fighters!

Highly recommended.

Review copy provided by Hachette Australia

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Ragdoll: Daniel Cole 5 Stars

Ragdoll: Daniel Cole 5 Stars

Thursday, 23 March 2017

Title: Ragdoll

Author: Daniel Cole

Genre: Crime. Mystery

Format: Paperback 

ISBN-10: 1409168751 

Published: 28th February 2017

Published in Australia by Hachette Australia

Imprint: Trapeze

5 Stars

Summary

A body is discovered with the dismembered parts of six victims stitched together like a puppet, nicknamed by the press as the 'ragdoll'.

Assigned to the shocking case are Detective William 'Wolf' Fawkes, recently reinstated to the London Met, and his former partner Detective Emily Baxter. 

The 'Ragdoll Killer' taunts the police by releasing a list of names to the media, and the dates on which he intends to murder them. 

With six people to save, can Fawkes and Baxter catch a killer when the world is watching their every move? 

Review 

This book is such a memorable read.

 It is an extravaganza of madness, murder and mayhem and it spins along at breakneck speed!

For starters, there’s the outrageously improbable plot:

Six people are murdered, parts of their bodies are stitched together to create one monstrous corpse. When closely examined, each part contains a clue to the identity of the victim. 

Next comes the Death List which contains not only the names of future victims but the date on which they will be murdered.

This list has been made public, sent to Andrea, a TV newsreader. Her awful boss decides to wring every last drop of publicity from it by featuring a prime time countdown to the proposed murders.

The two prominent detectives on the case are DS William Oliver Layton-Fawkes aka “Wolf” and DS Emily Baxter. Now if you like your fictional cops to be psychologically messed up, then you will love these two!

Fawkes did something unthinkable, got kicked out of the force straight in to a mental health facility. However ….

As things turned out, his crime was later viewed as being morally justified, the great British Public demanded his reinstatement so, when he was all better, he was back on the job.

DS Emily Baxters' troubles are not so obvious to the onlooker, but keep your eye on that one!

Emily is babysitting Edmunds, a young detective who has transferred from Fraud. Edmunds is reasonably normal, or was before his transfer.

What with the elaborate and quite spectacular plot, the black humour, the monstrous crimes and the crazy, unrestrained characters, my review is merely scratching the surface of this complex story.

Daniel Cole has created something that ought to be a great big blockbuster of a movie.

Fabulous entertainment!

Review paperback copy provided by Hachette Australia

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Deliciously Ella with Friends: Ella Mills 3 STARS

Deliciously Ella with Friends: Ella Mills 3 STARS

Wednesday, 15 March 2017

Author: Ella Mills 

Paperback

ISBN: 9781473655263

Pub. JAN 31, 2017 

Genre: Cookery / Health and Wholefood / Vegetarian

Publisher: Hachette Australia

Publishers Summary:

The much-anticipated follow-up cookbook from Deliciously Ella, the inspirational bestselling healthy food writer who has taken the cookery world by storm.

In the follow-up to her amazing bestseller DELICIOUSLY ELLA EVERY DAY, Ella makes it easy for you to prepare delicious healthy food for you, your friends and family, whatever the occasion. No more wondering whether certain dishes go together, Ella makes life simple with her menus - whether you are planning a laid-back brunch, a last-minute lunch or a fancy supper, Ella has it covered with wonderful hearty and filling recipes that celebrate her healthy eating philosophy.

With ideas and inspiration for every foodie occasion, including cosy nights in, easy kitchen suppers, flavoursome feasts, birthday parties, picnics and mocktails and cocktails, this is the go-to book for anyone who lives a healthy lifestyle and loves sharing food with friends and family.

Review

I usually cook a meatless meal a couple of nights a week so I looked forward to maybe getting a few ideas from this book.

Pros

Nicely categorised with some tasty looking main meals, particularly within the feast section.  try the Indian style recipes, very tasty indeed

A good selection of desserts and a few cakes for those with a sweet tooth

Plenty of photos so we know what the food ought to look like, possibly too many photos of widely smiling, toothy young things, but then, the title does state “with friends”.

Cons

There is no Glossary. 

The norm in most cookbooks these days and, I believe, essential. I like to have a full glossary to explain each ingredient and its possible substitute. 

For example, which type of coconut oil is the healthiest choice? Especially as it seems to be a controversial food product these days.

I would like to know how to substitute those ingredients which are unavailable to me where I live, how much vanilla extract equates to two teaspoonsful of vanilla powder?

There is no Pantry list. 

A suggested shopping list of ingredients to keep on hand would be handy for someone embarking on a plant based diet.

Lastly, and my biggest grouch is why, oh why are nutritional values not stated? This is a book about healthy eating, readers need to know if the protein/fat/carbohydrate content of a meal is balanced. I found this omission very odd.

Summary

I’m afraid I was underwhelmed and a bit disappointed with this book, maybe my expectations were too high, but this book did not provide me with the information I have come to expect from a modern cookbook. 

Ella needs to give her readers more information for their money.

Review copy provided by Hachette Australia

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Last Of The Giants: The True Story of Guns N' Roses 5 Stars

Last Of The Giants: The True Story of Guns N' Roses 5 Stars

Thursday, 16 February 2017

ISBN: 9781409167228

ISBN-10: 1409167224 

Audience: General 

Format: Paperback 

Language: English 

Number Of Pages: 480

Published: 29th November 2016

Publisher: Orion Publishing Co 

Source: Hachette Australia

Publishers Summary

A major, definitive biography of Guns N' Roses by the man who was very much a part of what remains the most iconic rock story of the last three decades.

Many millions of words have already been written about Guns N' Roses, the old line-up, the new line-up. But none of them have ever really gotten to the truth. Which is this: Guns N' Roses has always been a band out of time, the Last of the Giants. They are what every rock band since the Rolling Stones has tried and nearly always failed to be: dangerous. At a time when smiling, MTV-friendly, safe-sex, just-say-no Bon Jovi was the biggest band in the world, here was a band that seemed to have leapt straight out of the coke-smothered pages of the original, golden-age, late-sixties rock scene.

Review 

The publishers summary is right about one thing, at that time music was “smiley”, it was also lukewarm and somewhat boring. Until, that is, Guns N’ Roses came along and changed everything. Well, they sure weren’t boring, musically or otherwise!

This book purports to be the true story of Guns N’ Roses, the author, Mick Wall spent years with them when gathering material for his magazine interviews so you have to believe that he knew them quite well.

In 2006 he wrote a biography of W. Axl Rose entitled  W.A.R. which he has since denounced and taken out of circulation. On his website Mick Wall gives his reasons for this action*.

There is an interesting discussion going on about the book on the forum of the  My GNR website

Since that time life happened to Mick Wall, and Last of the Giants he says “has been done with nothing but love in my heart”.

The book promises much in the way of truth and insight but it is a biography, so, as is the way with biographies many stories are third hand. However, it is a really enjoyable read though sad and troubling in parts. After reading some of the stories I had to wonder at how they actually survived!

The book is well laid out and easy to read with a very detailed index and an excellent notes and sources section.

This is a book for all Guns N’ Roses fans, those who were around at the beginning and those who weren’t even born then.

Review copy provided by Hachette Australia

*  Link to author Mick Wall

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay

Tuesday, 7 February 2017

ISBN: 9781408708989
ISBN-10: 1408708981
Audience: Children ages: 8+ years old
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Number Of Pages: 304
Published: 18th November 2016
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Source: Hachette Australia
Description
When Magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when his magical case is misplaced and some of Newt's fantastic beasts escape, it spells trouble for everyone . . .

Inspired by the original Hogwart's textbook by Newt Scamander, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, author of the beloved and internationally bestselling Harry Potter books. A feat of imagination and featuring a cast of remarkable characters and magical creatures, this is epic adventure-packed storytelling at its very best.

Review
Well, sort of a review, in truth I was not expecting an actual screenplay. Yes, yes, I know that it is written right there on the cover, but somehow I was expecting something more, some annotations maybe.
As it is, it is exactly what it says: a screenplay of the film, word for word.

There is, of course, already the 2001 book “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (a Hogwarts Library text book written by Newt Scamander with a little help from J.K. Rowling) and, of course, the film.
To me, this screenplay seems a little superfluous, but then, it is aimed at children of eight years old and upwards.
I'm not sure how interested they would be in actually reading this screenplay, just owning it might be enough for the avid collector.

It is a beautiful book, its dark blue and shiny gold cover is quite impressive, and would look lovely on the bookshelf alongside your J.K. Rowling collection.
Copy provided by Hachette Australia

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Turbo Twenty Three: Janet Evanovich: 5 stars

Turbo Twenty Three: Janet Evanovich: 5 stars

Author: Janet Evanovich
Series: Stephanie Plum
ISBN: 9781472201690
ISBN-10: 1472201698
Genre: humour, crime fiction
Publisher: Headline Publishing Group
Pub. Date: 15th November 2016
Source: Hachette Australia
Series: Stephanie Plum
Summary (excerpt)
Larry Virgil skipped out on his latest court date after he was arrested for hijacking an eighteen-wheeler full of premium bourbon. Fortunately for bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, Larry is just stupid enough to attempt almost the exact same crime again. Only this time he flees the scene, leaving behind a freezer truck loaded up with Bogart ice cream and a dead body—frozen solid and covered in chocolate and chopped pecans.
Review
If you have read everything in this series thus far then, like me, you are a huge fan of Stephanie Plum and her crazy family and weird friends.

You will also know that not a lot changes, I love that! I love that I can depend on Lula to keep tossing out those hilarious one liners. I love that Grandma Mazur continues to act outrageously whilst poking her nose into everyones business. I love that Rex still lives happily in his soup can, and, of course, I love that Stephanie can never quite resolve her love life.

Did you know though that there is a subversive movement out there?
Oh yes, there is a group of renegade readers who want the characters to change, evolve, move on. Have you ever heard of such a thing?

They want Grandma to age, indeed, some even suggest that she should indulge in her favourite pastime of attending “viewings” with herself in the starring role!!
They even question Rex’s continued existence! Why can’t they just leave him to his happy wheel and soup can, what has he ever done to them?

As for Stephanie, they actually want her to finally choose between Ranger and Morelli! What sort of story would it be without that nail biting saga?
What changes I wonder would they  impose upon dear Lula? Swap her four sizes too small Spandex for a nice little bank clerk outfit? Wash out her mouth?
Ignore them I say! Ignore them all. I want my Stephanie Plum stories to continue in the same way as always, I want to open each new book in the certain knowledge that I shall be magnificently and happily entertained.
Afterthought 
Ah yes, my review of Turbo Twenty Three, well, I’m pretty sure, faithful reader, that all your expectations will be totally fulfilled, just as mine were.
Review copy provided by Hachette Australia

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All I Ever Wanted: Lucy Dillon

All I Ever Wanted: Lucy Dillon

Tuesday, 24 January 2017

Author: Lucy Dillon

ISBN: 978114736300260

Pub. Date: November 29th 2016

Publisher: Hachette Australia

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

Source: Hachette Australia

Summary

Caitlin and Patrick had not been happy with each other for some time, Patricks’ habit of micro managing her every move smothered Caitlin and stifled her free spirited and impulsive nature. Patrick thought her to be too irresponsible to be trusted with managing the house and raising the children alone.

When he had to move to another city for his work, he fully expected Caitlin and the children to accompany him. Not so, she came up with many reasons to not move but Patrick believed that she was making just making excuses to not be with him, they decided on a separation.

Eva, Patricks sister, agreed to host Patrick and the children, Joel and Nancy for their weekend visits. Eva was recently widowed and now lived alone in a beautiful house with only her two little pugs for company.

Review

I have to admit, when this book was sent to me for review I was put off by the “romance” label, however, I gave it a go.

I would say it is more a story about relationships rather than romance. You know the writing is good when the actions of the characters provoke a response from the reader. 

Time after time I felt that Caitlin and Patrick needed their silly heads banging together! If readers take one thing from this book it should be to realise the stupidity of underestimating the ability of children to sense trouble.

You see, Caitlin and Patrick decided not to tell the children of their separation until yes, you’ve guessed it, “The time was right”. Of course, the time was never right and they were then at a loss at what problem could be causing Nancy’s mutism.

Eva has her own story in this book, of how having the children in her house gradually turned it in to a home and brought warmth and love to her heart.

If you enjoy well written, warm, feel good stories you will love this one from author Lucy Dillon who is renowned for her heartwarming stories.

Review copy from Hachette Australia 

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How Will I Know You: Jessica Treadway. 2 STARS

How Will I Know You: Jessica Treadway. 2 STARS

Tuesday, 27 December 2016

ISBN: 9780751555295 ISBN-10: 0751555290

Genre: Psychological Murder Mystery

Format: Paperback 

Number Of Pages: 416

Published: 13th December 2016

Publisher: Sphere

Source: Hachette Australia

Publishers Summary:

Someone knows what really happened . . .

On a cold December day, teenager Joy Enright is found drowned at the edge of a frozen pond. When an autopsy reveals she was strangled first, suspicion is thrown onto Martin, the young graduate who was last to see her alive.

Someone who is prepared to keep their secret at any cost.

In a small community, secrets are hard to keep and as the web of lies around Joy's life and death unravels, the truth will either bring one family closer together, or tear them further apart.

Suspenseful, engaging and shocking, HOW WILL I KNOW YOU? will make you question everything you thought you knew about the ones you love.

Review

The victim is Joy Enright, a young girl who goes missing, they all believed that she had drowned by accident, that is until her strangled body is discovered in nearby woods.

Four characters are each telling the story from their own viewpoint.

Suzanne, her mother, who seems determined to blame herself because she has been up to no good.

Harper, once Joys closest friend, spends her time wondering how and why their relationship went so wrong.

Tom, the rescue diver who had a strange experience when looking for Joys body in the pond.

Martin, the “black guy,” art student arrested for the murder of Joy.

Doug Armstrong is the stand-in chief of police, and he is determined to get a quick arrest and conviction Not bothering with a by the book investigation, he quite simply, arrests the “black guy” as Martin is referred to. He achieves the arrest by leading the witness and, possibly, by planting evidence.

To be honest, I couldn’t get past the racist attitude of the police. The author presented them as stereotypical racist haters, they called him names, jeered at him at every chance and showed him no respect whatsoever. Does this really happen? Fixing someone up for murder merely because he is black? I wouldn’t have thought so, not in these times.

Much of the story consists of the psychological meanderings of these four giving me the feeling that I was reading more a study in psychology than a murder mystery. I tended to lose interest in these people.

I am sorry to say that I also found the ending a little disappointing, after ploughing through the rest of the book I was rather hoping that a really good denouement would justify the time spent reading.

Review copy provided by Hachette Australia

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The Trespasser 4 STARS

The Trespasser 4 STARS

Wednesday, 23 November 2016

The Trespasser

Series: Dublin Murder Squad 6

Author: Tana French

Imprint: Hachette Australia: October 2016

ISBN: 9781444755626

Page Count: 469

4 Stars

Publishers Summary

Antoinette Conway, the tough, abrasive detective from The Secret Place, is still on the Murder squad, but only just.

She's partnered up with Stephen Moran now, and that's going well - but the rest of her working life isn't.

Antoinette doesn't play well with others, and there's a vicious running campaign in the squad to get rid of her. She and Stephen pull a case that at first looks like a slam-dunk lovers' tiff, but gradually they realise there's more going on: someone on their own squad is trying to push them towards the obvious solution, away from nagging questions. They have to work out whether this is just an escalation in the drive to get rid of her-or whether there's something deeper and darker going on.

Review

Conway and Moran catch the call for a case that at first glance appears to be a straightforward act of domestic violence gone bad. 

The victim is Aislinn Murray, picture perfect even in death, so pretty that Conway likens her to “dead Barbie”.  

As she takes a long look at her face, Conway has the strange feeling that she has met Aislinn, that she had asked for Conway's help, but capturing that memory proved elusive, she filed it away in her head to examine later.

Everything in Aislinn’s perfect little cottage seemed to set up for an intimate dinner for two, table set, food in the oven, vegetables prepared. Her phone messages to her friend confirmed that yes, she was expecting a guest who, of course, was nowhere in sight.

Two little details caused Conway and Moran to believe it may be more than the result of a domestic argument gone awry. There were indicators that the scene had been altered,  someone had gone to the trouble of thoroughly cleansing the cottage, and they had even turned off the oven at the main power point for no obvious reason. Nobody does that.

When they speak to Lucy, Aislinn’s girlfriend, she responds in a manner which doesn’t really match the circumstances, so that is a bit weird too.

They visit Rory, the expected dinner guest, who, because of the circumstances plus his social ineptitude, more or less sets himself up as prime suspect.

This looks like it might turn in to their very first juicy, proper murder case. Conway and Moran are at the bottom of the pecking order as far as case allocation goes, so Conway can’t help but think of this as being the long awaited big break.

However, here’s the rub, as backup they have been allocated Detective Breslin, a smooth operator with whom Conway has issues. Her fear is that Breslin will take over, strangely, he doesn’t, instead, he is oddly helpful at first. It soon becomes obvious though that he wants to nail Rory for the murder in spite of the reservations held by Conway and Moran.

Soon Conway is discovering/imaging all the ways in which Breslin is manipulating her. Moran is the voice of reason, so reasonable in fact that Conway isn’t so sure about him either.

Now anyone who has read the series so far will know that while the author might well be providing clues for the reader, like a good mystery writer should, she is also, in many little ways, leading us up the garden path, this makes for an enjoyable and challenging mystery.

What I did not enjoy so much:

Conway is the ubiquitous damaged cop, a character much loved by many but the concept is wearing a bit thin for me.  My goodness though, she is horrible. She sure lets us know that she is one angry woman!  Nasty and vindictive with it, she tells us that as a kid she held her temper until the offending child was well within sights before she unleashed her vengeance upon them. This is her way.

Blame for her personality is heaped upon her mother for 1: bearing a mixed race child (Conway) and 2: making up stories about the father she never knew.

Then when she joined the Dublin Murder Squad they all hated her because she was a woman; she was not pure white in colour and, when a colleague slapped her bum she physically injured him. They played dirty tricks on her and did all they could to edge her out. The sort of behaviour  that, in truth, hasn't been witnessed in the police force since the 1960s. Still, I have to remember, this IS fiction.

I got a bit tired of her endlessly baying her troubles to the moon but I must say, her large vocabulary enabled her to do so in the most poetic of ways-with her way with words she ought really to have been a writer. 

(I have to say though that towards the end of the book she does seem to be waking up to and recognising her awful ways).

Conway prides herself on her interview techniques, choosing from an array of personas to match the interviewee, I think a bit more “cool girl” in the squad room might have saved her from plenty of the grief dished out by her colleagues.

As if those interrogation scenes weren’t endless enough then the rehash of every word said,  every nuance noticed and every thought ever thunk must surely be enough to satisfy the greediest of word gobblers.

To sum up:

A great story and engaging mystery that took too long to tell, its the engaging mystery and satisfying ending that earns this book 4 stars.

Review copy provided by Hachette Australia - thanks.

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Queen Bees: Sian Evans 4 Stars

Queen Bees: Sian Evans 4 Stars

Tuesday, 25 October 2016

Author: Sian Evans

ISBN: 9781473618039

Publication date: 13 Sep 2016

Page count: 320

Imprint: Two Roads 

Source: Hachette Australia
4 STARS

Publishers Summary (extract)

QUEEN BEES looks at the lives of six remarkable women who made careers out of being society hostesses, including Lady Astor, who went on to become the first female MP, and Mrs Greville, who cultivated relationships with Edward VII, as well as Lady Londonderry, Lady Cunard, Laura Corrigan and Lady Colefax. Written with wit, verve and heart, QUEEN BEES is the story of a form of societal revolution, and the extraordinary women who helped it happen.

In the aftermath of the First World War, the previously strict hierarchies of the British class system were weakened. For a number of ambitious, spirited women, this was the chance they needed to slip through the cracks and take their place at the top of society as the great hostesses of the time. 

Review

The lives of the wealthy are fascinating to most of us and, if there is a bit of juicy gossip and some outrageous behaviour thrown in, most of us will want to know more. Added to that is the authors belief that these six society hostesses had a “profound effect on British history". This then is what attracted me to the book.

Book layout

Beginning with a “Dramatis Personae” as a brief introduction to each woman there follows a broader introduction where the author offers an opinion on the motivating forces that drove them. Venturing a little into the world of pop psychology Evans believes it to be “telling” that each of the women were “driven by a volatile childhood or unhappy experiences”.

The remainder of the book is divided in to time periods beginning just before the Great War and ending with the aftermath of World War 2. Followed by source notes, acknowledgements and an incredibly long index.

The stories of the women are not written separately but alongside each other throughout the time period. 

The book is filled with the fascinating anecdotes promised by the back cover but because of the layout I did not find it an easy read. I was expecting a more lightweight account of these woman, which it is, in parts. However, I found it difficult to follow because the author included so very many characters that they just became a convoluted blur and I simply couldn’t keep track, just look at the length of the index! Historians do hate to leave out the smallest detail and that is certainly the case here. 

I would have preferred each woman to have had chapters separate to the others, or, better still, as the author likes to include so much detail, separate biographies.

One of the most interesting sections is what these women contributed to society with their war work, Laura Corrigan who was, by all accounts the least likely to shine as a successful society hostess. She is my favourite, because she rose to the top from very humble beginnings  without the advantage of beauty or remarkable wit, I have to admire her iron willed determination. She also had the sense to stay clear of Wallis Simpson, this choice eventually served her well with the British aristocracy

For her war work in France she was awarded the Croix de Guerre, Legion of Honour, the Croix de Combattant and The Kings Medal.

Who will enjoy this book?

This book merges rather dry historical fact with the more entertaining reports of the outrageous, outlandish and jolly interesting gossipy bits. It will be of interest to anyone who loves to read about the outrageous antics of high society, and of even more interest to those who love historical facts. 

If the layout could be sorted to make the book less meandering and the facts easier to follow then it would surely be a 5 star read, as it is, it is still deserving of 4 stars.

Mini introduction to the Queen Bees:

Lady Nancy Astor: American born, divorced from her first husband. Later married Waldorf Astor. she was the first female to become a Member of Parliament

Sibyl, Lady Colefax: English born to a well known family,

She married Arthur Colefax (later to be Knighted) whose family made their money in “trade”. Later she became a noted interior designer.

Lady Londonderry: Born in Scotland and was granddaughter of the 3rd Duke of Sutherland. The only social hostess of aristocratic birth.

Lady Cunard: American born, married nobility, the 3rd Baronet Cunard

Laura Corrigan: American born, scandalous divorce. later married James Corrigan son of wealthy James Corrigan Snr.

Mrs Ronnie Greville: British born, shady details about her birth.Married Ronald Greville, eldest son of the 2nd Baron Greville

In case you were wondering A Viscount is a British nobleman ranking above a Baron and below an Earl.

Review copy provided by Hachette Australia

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Kevin The Koala: Rachel Bright Jim Field 5 STARS

Kevin The Koala: Rachel Bright Jim Field 5 STARS

Sunday, 11 September 2016

Author: Rachel Bright  Illustrator: Jim Field

Audience: Children 

Format: Hardcover 

ISBN: 9781408331637

ISBN-10: 1408331637

Publication date: 13 Sep 2016

Page count: 32

Hachette Australia Imprint: Orchard Books

Source: Hachette Australia

Publishers Summary (excerpt)

Sometimes change comes along whether we like it or not . . . but if you let it, change can be the making of you. Kevin the Koala discovers this and more in this delightful picture book from the bestselling creators of The Lion Inside!

Review
Such a beautiful book!

This is a really lovely story that will help to teach children that new experiences can be fun, even those that might seem to be a bit scary at first:

Kevin the Koala won’t leave his tree, he feels safe and secure high above the world. Kevin is sure that if he leaves his little haven, bad things will happen. Even when his friend Wombat calls to him to come down and play Kevin makes up excuses to stay right where he is.

The story is told in a charming, lively four line rhyming style that is so easy for little ones to learn. Each rhyme is matched to a beautiful illustration rich in colour and detail, there will always be something new to look at and talk about.

The book itself is of high quality, a bright and sturdy covers encloses high quality paper meant to endure years of poking and page turning by little fingers. The size is just right for sharing the story, pictures and enjoyment, who doesn’t love a koala?

I highly recommend this book as a gift for a child of around 3 to 5 years of age, it would be an especially useful way to introduce the children of other countries to some of our Australian creatures such as Wombat, ‘Roo and Dingo.
Review copy provided by Hachette Australia

About the Authors
Rachel Bright is a writer, illustrator, printmaker and eternal optimist. She is the creator of the award-winning stationery and homewares range, The Bright Side, which has sold over 2 million cards worldwide. Rachel has written and illustrated several books for children, including Love Monster, What Does Daddy Do? and My Sister is an Alien. She lives on a farm near the seaside with her partner and new baby daughter.

Jim Field drew from a very early age with a burning ambition to 'make cartoons'. He studied animation at Hull School of Art and Design, graduated in 2002, gradually paved his way into the animation industry working as a director for Partizan in London. Meanwhile, he was also penning his way as a freelance illustrator working for editorial publications. His first picture book, Cats Ahoy! written by Peter Bently, won the Booktrust Roald Dahl Funny Prize in 2011 and was nominated for the Kate Greenaway award.
Available from Booktopia  and Amazon

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I See You: Clare Mackintosh 4 STARS

I See You: Clare Mackintosh 4 STARS

Wednesday, 17 August 2016

Author: Clare Mackintosh

ISBN: 9780751554120

Publication date: 26 Jul 2016

Page count: 368

Imprint: Sphere 

Source: Hachette Australia

Publishers Summary

When Zoe Walker sees her photo in the classifieds section of a London newspaper, she is determined to find out why it's there. There's no explanation: just a grainy image, a website address and a phone number. She takes it home to her family, who are convinced it's just someone who looks like Zoe. But the next day the advert shows a photo of a different woman, and another the day after that. 

Review

Zoe Walker, on the train travelling home after a hard day at work is jolted out of her tiredness by the sight of her own face staring back at her from the newspaper. At least, she thinks it’s her face, the photo is a little indistinct. It is in the classified section, the chat lines, and it advertises her as being a “married woman looking for casual action”.

None of her family or friends believe that the picture is of her. She eventually traces it as being one of her old Facebook profile pictures, it plays on her mind and so she checks the classifieds daily, she is shocked by what she discovers.

Frightened, and with her family and her friend Melissa offering little support Zoe is unable to deal with it alone and so contacts the police. By a stroke of luck she comes in to contact with Kelly Swift, a PC with the British Rail Police, Kelly has a troubled work history but she does take Zoe’s fears very seriously. 

They discover that this is no ordinary chat line, no introductions are made, no meetings are arranged, what then, is its purpose? 

The answer is chilling! 

It becomes evident that Zoe is in grave danger and nobody can be held above suspicion

Zoe becomes suspicious of practically everyone, even her own family, could her second husband Simon be responsible? He has been behaving in a very covert manner recently, or maybe Graham, her boss who, unless she had imagined it, had behaved inappropriately towards her. Ex husband Matt still loved her, resented her new husband, could it be him? What about Justin? Her son, he wasn’t happy about anything. In fact the only one who Zoe held above suspicion was her daughter, Katie.

The case develops and is taken over by another police department, Kelly desperately wants to stay involved and somehow manages to get herself seconded to the murder squad. She puts in her all, but she is haunted by her past experiences. Will her new colleagues trust her in spite of her work reputation?

The creepy thing about this story is that it is quite feasible, the author has certainly come up with a unique and clever plot that kept me turning those pages and, for the most part, I really enjoyed it.

However, I didn’t find any of the characters particularly compelling, the only ones who seemed fully realised to me were Matt, the ex husband and Katie, the daughter. They both had an intrinsic spark that made me want to know more about them.

I was a little disillusioned with the character of Kelly who took the role of (to me) the stereotypical  troubled soul, the one who makes rash choices, makes stupid decisions and always knows best. 

Kelly acted against a direct order, she was told not to pass on certain information to Zoe, but in the belief that she knew better, Kelly ignored the order. This was a predictable move but it did drive the plot, so, if it were not for her insubordination the story would have had to go in a different direction. How Kelly managed to remain in the police force is beyond me.

As said, I enjoyed the story but it did seem to be a little rough around the edges, particularly the ending, as if lacking in a final polish. 

This is my first book by the author but I am very aware of the impact made by her debut novel “I Let You Go.” The pressure to produce an equally bestselling second book must have been immense. 

Review copy kindly provided by Hachette Australia

Biographical Notes 

Clare Mackintosh spent twelve years in the police force, including time on CID, and as a public order commander. She left the police in 2011 to work as a freelance journalist and social media consultant and is the founder of the Chipping Norton Literary Festival. She now writes full time and lives in the Cotswolds with her husband and their three children.

Clare's debut novel, I Let You Go, is a Sunday Times bestseller and was the fastest-selling title by a new crime writer in 2015. It was selected for both the Richard and Judy Book Club, where it was the winning title of the readers' vote for the summer 2015 selection, and ITV's Loose Women's Loose Books. I Let You Go also won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2016. I See You is Clare's second novel, and is a number one bestseller.

Clare is the patron of the Silver Star Society, an Oxford-based charity which supports the work carried out in the John Radcliffe Hospital's Silver Star unit, providing special care for mothers with medical complications during pregnancy.

For more information visit Clare's website 

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Lie With Me. Sabine Durrant

Lie With Me. Sabine Durrant

Tuesday, 2 August 2016

Author: Sabine Durrant

ISBN: 9781473608344

Publication date: 26 Jul 2016

Page count: 352

Imprint: Mulholland Books

Source: Hachette Australia

Publishers Summary

5 STARS

A rich widow. A Greek island paradise. A missing teenage girl...the past comes back to haunt a group of carefree holidaymakers in the new, brilliantly tense psychological thriller by Sabine Durrant.

"The truth is, we all tell lies... take a deep breath and get ready for the most twisty, tense and unsettling book of the summer.

It starts with a lie. The kind we've all told - to a former acquaintance we can't quite place but still, for some reason, feel the need to impress. The story of our life, embellished for the benefit of the happily married lawyer with the kids and the lovely home.

And the next thing you know, you're having dinner at their house, and accepting an invitation to join them on holiday - swept up in their perfect life, the kind you always dreamed of...

Which turns out to be less than perfect. But by the time you're trapped and sweating in the relentless Greek sun, burning to escape the tension all around you - by the time you start to realise that, however painful the truth might be, it's the lies that cause the real damage...

... well, by then, it could just be too late."

Review

This is one of the most intriguing, surprising and unusual tales that I have read in a long, long time; there is no hero, no obvious crime and there are no clearly identified goodies or baddies. Yet the prologue makes it clear that something very, very bad has happened.

The narrator, Paul Morris lives his life with the arrogance and vulgarity of a Hoorah Henry who has never grown up. Despite his humble beginnings, winning a bursary to an elite school and then a Cambridge education allowed him to mix with the more privileged,  the icing on his social climbing cake was his best selling book published during his final year at Cambridge. He once lived the high life, but, not able to repeat his literary success, he maintains the illusion of being a prospering man about town with the help of smoke and mirrors - he tells lies.

He beguiles people with superficial charm, he lies outrageously to fulfil his huge sense of entitlement. He lives off the handouts of others as much as possible and, such is his conceit, he fails to see that his 42 year old self is no longer attractive to those young girls he continues to pursue. 

House sitting for a friend had given him a prestigious address but now even that is coming to an end, the owner was coming home. Paul is faced with the (to him) demeaning prospect of having to go and live with his mother in her very humble home.

He bumps into a fellow Cambridge student, Andrew, who invites him to dinner. Paul accepts, he attends the dinner party and meets Alice. Alice is a middle aged widow with teenaged children and, according to her friends, she is something of a saint. She is a lawyer working on behalf of the underprivileged, she seems to do good everywhere, she even heads the ten year campaign to find out what has happened to Jasmine, a girl who disappeared on the island of Pyros whilst Alice and her friends were staying there in her holiday home. 

Alice has reminded Paul that they had met before, on Pyros, the night that Jasmine went missing. Pauls’ memory of that night are hazy and vague because he was so drunk. He becomes interested in pursuing Alice when he discovers that Phoebe, her teenaged daughter, is soon to leave home. Paul decides to manipulate Alice in to allowing him to eventually move in to her house.

He manages to inveigle Alice in to a relationship and has no scruples about taking advantage of her home and her largesse, all the while concealing from her the truth of his impoverished life and failed career.

Paul manages to get himself included on the annual Pyros holiday along with Andrew and his family, but he can't afford the same flight, a fact his pride won’t allow him to admit to Alice and so he pretends to have an important meeting with his publisher to cover for his delayed arrival. 

Yes, he is an awful man, selfish and horrible, and yet, now and then the author allows a glimpse of a redeeming factor.

This “pre holiday” part of the book does lag a little, but it is the slow burning fuse before the action. Once they are all together on Pyros the tension builds towards an explosive, shocking and totally unexpected ending, one that you will find yourself thinking about long after putting down the book.

This was a truly satisfying read.

Thanks to Hachette Australia for providing a copy of the book in return for an unbiased review.

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