Review: The Storyteller's Secret: The ultimate FEELGOOD novel with characters you'll want as your new best friends

The Storyteller's Secret: The ultimate FEELGOOD novel with characters you'll want as your new best friends by Lucy Diamond
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The story of four women, each of whom in their own way is a storyteller.

Nancy in 1929 is a kitchen maid int he big house. One day she is cleaning the young master's bedroom and sees the draft of a novel he is writing, totally engrossed she accidentally adds a few words, which leads to her helping Master Albert write his novel.

In 2001 cousins Pearl and Saffie were best of friends, united by sharing the same birthday, until a shocking betrayal separates them.

Present day, Maud, Pearl and Saffie's grandmother is rushed to hospital - an event which brings Pearl back from Canada - can her accident bring back the friendship between the two cousins? Who is the mysterious man who called the ambulance? What secret is her friend Ruby trying to hide?

In her own inimitable way Lucy Diamond draws the stories of these four women together as Pearl and Saffie uncover family secrets.

I really enjoyed this, I could see where things were going but the journey was fun to read as the strands started to knit together.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Her Game Plan

Her Game Plan by Emma Kate
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Charlotte Langford has been happily and successfully running the entertainment arm of her family's business, secure in the knowledge that when her father eventually retires she will be its CEO and her twin brother Chris will be the CEO of the pro football team, he has been managing for years. Then their father changes his mind, he thinks the business should be run by just one person and to help him decide the twins will swap roles for six months. To add insult to injury, her father is desperate for her to get married and start a family and feels that Chris is already ahead of Charlotte in that race, being married with one child and another on the way. What's a gal with no filter to do but make up a fake fiancé - since Chris saw her in the corridor with their quarterback Callan Devine's arms around her he leaps to a conclusion ... and Charlotte jumps on it. The only problem is, in real life Charlotte does not like Callan and deliberately misnames him every time they meet. She's going to have to eat a lot of humble pie to get him to pretend to date her until she's won this little game.

Callan has some issues from being dumped by his parents on his paternal grandmother, he always thinks he has to say yes, be nice to everyone, and bend over backwards in order to keep them on his side. Heck he even buys ridiculously expensive presents for the old folk in his nan's up-market nursing home, even though they and their families are easily able to buy these things for themselves. So when a woman who doesn't seem to even remember his name asks him to fake date her (and let her move in) he doesn't hesitate for one second.

As Callan gives her a crash course in football the two become close, but what happens when the team make a decision which could adversely affect Callan's life?

This was enjoyable. A bit predictable. Started to drag a bit in the middle, but its hard to do a fake-dating your boss story that is different to all the others.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Game On

Game On by Zarah Detand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stellan is good-looking, charming, and a professional honey-trap for husbands and wives - he gets an incriminating photograph and their spouse gets a divorce. Then in Chicago on a job he realises too late that his mark is actually a very famous NHL star, Matt Harkins, he tries to stop things. He knows the photograph was completely innocent, even though there were definitely vibes between them, but his employers won't listen and fire him.

Seven months later, Stellan is working as an assistant in a high-end menswear shop in Seattle when Matt walks in for a suit. One thing leads to another but can there be any future between a closeted NHL captain and an openly queer man?

I am so angry with myself. I read this days if not weeks ago. Loved it. Totally forgot to write a review. Now I can't remember the nuances, just the vibe. Stellan is so sweet, Matt is trying hard and their friends are awesome.

I can't wait to read the next book - I think I know who it will feature ...

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The Pinnacle: A Novel

The Pinnacle: A Novel by Abir Mukherjee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

George Abercrombie is a Hollywood actor living in Mumbai with his younger wife, the acclaimed Bollywood actress Sweety Sahota. They have an apartment in the swanky Pinnacle, a new high-rise whose multi-million dollar apartments are owned by Mumbai's rich and famous. Whilst her career is on the rise, his is in decline and he has stooped to making commercials advertising a rotgut whisky. When Sweety ducks out of accompanying George to an interview with the BBC at the last minute words are spoken. George does the interview alone and then goes out and gets ridiculously drunk.

The next morning George wakes up on the sofa, stumbles into the bedroom and finds his wife dead in a pool of her own blood on the bed. Panicked, with no real idea of what happened last night, George calls his agent for help and sends the maid out to buy a new coffee machine to get her out the apartment.

Sweety's PA Gemma is missing, so is George's man servant Amit, Sweety's laptop, and some of her jewellery. Everyone has a secret, who killed Sweety?

Yet again I have confused Vaseem Khan and Abir Mukherjee - although in my defence they have both written novels this year which are not part of their ongoing series (and I have requested ARCs of both). Anyway, this was well-plotted and managed to make a few pointed jabs about corruption and 'eveteasing' without turning the book into a political statement. My biggest disappointment was that I guessed the murderer right from the start (although not the motive) so it just felt like a slow journey to the obvious.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: A Family Affair

A Family Affair by Jodi Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book takes place moments after the last book ended, when Lady Amelia Smallhope suggested to Pennyroyal that they steal the Crown Jewels (and replace them 24 hours later). As a recap(view spoiler)[, Smallhope was shot by an assassin paid for by her sister-in-law Caroline, the Dowager Countess of Goodrich, in an attempt to get all of Amelia's wealth. Pennyroyal has avenged her shooting and allegedly infected Caroline with a rare futuristic drug which means if she strays more than a short distance from her villa in Italy she will die a horrible death, and he's also stolen all her money and put it into the assassin's bank account to make sure the police know who is responsible (hide spoiler)].

So, they are planning their next heist, whilst denying any and all knowledge of the identity of the person who tied to kill Smallhope when questioned by the police, when Pennyroyal gets a call which changes everything for both of them. Could this be the end of the dream team?

Argh! I read this, didn't write a review. Skim-read it again, half-wrote the review and then pondered what to say about spoilers etc and gave up.

Anyway, another great outing for our two deadly time-hopping assassins with all their trademark charms, sass, danger, and deadly weapons. Loved it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The Oxford Detective Society

The Oxford Detective Society by Faith Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alyssa 'Lyssa' Moore is a widowed Oxford literature scholar turned biographer. She is approached out of the blue with a request to set the record straight about an infamous relative, Amelia 'Monty' Montrose who drowned in her own ornamental fish pond at just twenty-four years old, only a few months after the death by overdose of her famous lover Glen Bannister, lead singer of the Lucky Cuckoos, in 1966. Although not as well known as the Beatles etc, the Lucky Cuckoos had four chart hits and were expected to do even better until Glen's death. Tragically, most of the other band members also died young.

Trying to discover the truth about someone sixty years after their death is hard. Most of their contemporaries are also dead. Contemporaneous records of the time like photographs and videos are hard to find. Nevertheless, Lyssa sets to the task with a vengeance and manages to uncover some interesting facts, but she can't help but feel that her client isn't being entirely honest with her. As the investigation continues Lyssa starts to feel paranoid, as if someone is following her. Then she returns to her flat to find nothing missing but a few things out of place - has someone broken into her flat?

This was very enjoyable, I have commented before that Faith Martin has a weird obsession with constantly harping on about her main character's hair - I don't think it was necessary to mention Lyssa's high ponytail six times for example.

Anyway I digress, although they didn't play much of a part in the investigation, Lyssa's neighbours, a gay couple, and her BFF Frieda lend moral support and dub themselves the Oxford Detective Society. There is (I think) a little hint that there is something either odd about her husband's death, or maybe he had a secret ... I could be reading into things too much.

I can't wait to read the second book in the series.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.

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Review: The Shadows of Kensington Gore

The Shadows of Kensington Gore by Ross Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The second book in the series featuring former Borstal boy Stephen Pike and Miss Decima Stockingham, an elderly and infirm aristocrat with a foul mouth, recently released from a form of house imprisonment by her cousin.

Stephen and Miss Stockingham are now living in an apartment in Kensington Gore, a very up-market area close to the Royal Albert Hall in London. Its 1911 and London is preparing for the coronation of King George V, but the Suffragette movement is planning disruption. Stephen escorts Miss Stockingham to a Suffragette rally at the Royal Albert Hall, whilst getting some air high up in the gallery he sees three Suffragettes congregating around the statue of Prince Albert in what he thinks is a suspicious manner when all the other Suffragettes are inside the hall. When a policeman shouts at them and starts running towards them with his truncheon out Stephen is afraid that the policeman will beat the women and runs down into the street, only to find the policeman dying in his own blood.

At first it seems obvious that one or all of the three women must have killed the policeman, but Miss Stockingham raises doubts. Then Mrs Pankhurst herself asks Miss Stockingham to investigate the murder and exonerate the Suffragettes by the end of the week - otherwise the government will use the murder as an excuse to declare the Suffragettes an illegal army. What ensues is a convoluted time-pressured investigation where no-one is who they seem, everyone comes under suspicion, and sadly more people will die.

I really enjoyed this, very different to the first book, lots of clues, and also lots of detailed facts expertly woven into the story about how the establishment treated the Suffragettes - and indeed the different treatment meted out to the aristocracy versus commoners.

I can't wait for the next one.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Death by Noir

Death by Noir by Olly Smith
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

DNF at 27%.

I really wanted to like this book. I love Olly Smith on tv and I was excited about a cosy mystery centred on wine in England. Unfortunately, what I love about watching Olly does not (for me) translate well into writing. This was just too flowery, very much like a wine description, everything was over-described - do I really need to know the year, make, model, and registration number of someone's car? It could have been done more organically, eg Barclay loved his vintage car, even called it the Duke because his number plate started DUK, but not just a turgid recital of "1970 Rover P5B coupe in silver birch with the contrasting roof in burnt grey. DUK 922J has been Barclay's pride and joy ...". Also the book was written from the viewpoint of the omniscient narrator which is, I think, a tricky style to carry off, it comes across as too remote and you don't get to know any of the characters. And everything seemed to be about wine, a wine shop, vineyards etc - even I said too much wine!

Anyway, I should have known after the debacle with the Rev Richard Coles' book which I did at least finish, but wish I hadn't.

One for wine aficionado's I suggest.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Murder at Christmas

Murder at Christmas by T.A. Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Christmas is approaching and Dan and his wife Anna are planning to spend it with her daughter in Northern Italy when Dan gets a call from an old friend inviting them to spend a few days at a luxurious Alpine chalet. The only catch, the host believes that his life is in danger and wants Dan to investigate.

When Dan and Anna arrive at the chalet they discover their host Bartolomeo is the CEO of a famous sports clothing and equipment company, Dan's friend Serena is a famous actress who he is trying to persuade to be the face of their sportwear. The other guests include Bartolomeo's brother and his wife, the finance director of the company and his wife, Bartolomeo's son and his wife, Bartolomeo's daughter, and the widow of Bartolomeo's partner. The staff consist of a husband and wife who cook and look after the chalet and Bartolomeo's assistant.

Bartolomeo believes his life is in danger because he does not believe that his partner's death only a few weeks earlier was an accident, despite the police ruling that way. He is concerned that someone wants to take control of the company by killing him as well. At dinner the first night it is clear that there are numerous tensions around the table and their host appears to be a bit of a letch.

When Dan finds Bartolomeo's dead body in the snow, killed by a blow to the head off a protruding rock it is unclear whether he fell (perhaps when drunk) and hit his head, committed suicide by jumping off a cliff and hitting his head on the way down, or was pushed. The more that Dan delves the murkier things get and it seems he and Anna might be the only ones without a motive for wanting Bartolomeo dead.

Yet another engrossing mystery featuring a former Met Police DCI and his trusty dog Oscar, enjoy the descriptions of the food and try to puzzle out what really happened.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Escape to Lighthouse Cove: The BRAND NEW romantic coastal escape from million-copy bestseller Kate Hewitt for 2026

Escape to Lighthouse Cove: The BRAND NEW romantic coastal escape from million-copy bestseller Kate Hewitt for 2026 by Kate Hewitt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Grace flees New York with her six year old son Jacob after her abusive ex-husband creates a big scandal about her that everyone believes, and takes an unpaid job as warden at a nature reserve on Lighthouse Cove Island in Maine (as an aside, I always have problems typing Kate Hewitt's series names - not sure why). Grace knew it was remote with only twelve inhabitants, but when she finally arrives it is to find that there are even fewer people as one family has left.

Nevertheless, she and Jacob (who has stopped speaking for some reason) settle down, the cottage set aside for the warden has been renovated and the old man who greets Grace, Isaiah, has filled it with food and drink - just as well since there is no shop on the island.

The island is owned by the Lawrence family, although none of the family has lived there for twenty years, or so they say. In fact, Noah Lawrence has been living as a recluse on the island for 18 months, ever since his brother died.

Although Noah has no desire to meet Grace or Jacob fate, and Isaiah, have other ideas and soon Noah is giving Jacob chess lessons. Grace is attracted to Noah, but he is far too similar to her ex-husband (a finance bro) for her to get involved. Noah on the other hand has his own demons and doesn't feel he can get involved with Grace. Can these two help to heal each other?

This was pleasant enough, there were no real surprises but it was an enjoyable read and I raced through it in less than a day. Fans of Kate Hewitt will not be disappointed.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Playing His Game

Playing His Game by Ashlyn Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Moritz 'Mo' Du Pont is a poor little rich guy. His absentee parents own the Arizona Canyons, an ice hockey team, and they have wilfully used his being gay to show how liberal they are, particularly when signing Adam Murphy the league's first openly gay player. While Mo embraces his inner queen and loves to camp it up, Adam is the opposite, even when he dyed his hair rainbow for pride it was muted colours. Mo nicknames Adam Captain Cardboard for looking like a superhero and always parroting the party line. For his part, Adam thinks Mo looks down on him. Every time they meet the animosity is palpable.

One night while out with them team celebrating a victory, Adam runs into Mo, very drunk, who blames Adam for Mo's friends going off clubbing with Adam's teammates instead of staying and celebrating Mo's birthday. In his drunken anger Mo stumbles and falls into Adam. The next day the internet is full of pictures of the two of them in what looks like an embrace. Called into his parents' office Mo panics and says they are dating ... surprisingly Adam backs him in the lie. Now the two of them must publish a statement and suffer a series of cute curated dates to help restore the team's reputation.

This is catnip I tell ya. Hot ice hockey players, opposites attract, enemies to love. fake dating? Just take all my money. And THIS DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I loved Mo and I loved Adam. I loved a cute Christmas. Also, there were kittens.

I haven't read anything by these authors before but I would definitely read more.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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