Review: A Very Merry Murder

A Very Merry Murder by Kate Wells
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jude Gray runs Malvern Farm, she has rented out her land for a beloved tv show (think Countryfile meets Richard and Judy) to do a live broadcast over a week just before Christmas. However charming the husband and wife who present the show may seem on the small screen, in real life they seem to be at odds with each other, and he may be having an affair with one of the camera operators. The director is a sleaze who tries to take advantage of women on the crew, the assistant director is a bully, and there is clearly tension between the wife in the presenting couple and the rest of the crew.

While Jude is being interviewed live on the first day one of the presenters nearly dies from anaphylactic shock after being given a cup of coffee which contains peanuts. Days later the camerawoman is dead. Was the death a tragic accident? Was she the intended victim, or was she mistaken for the female lead whose caravan she was using?

This is the sixth book in the series, but the first one I have read. It was the epitome of a cosy read, with Jude working hand-in-glove with two local detectives to solve the case whilst also taking her nephew sledging in the snow and helping her sister plan her Boxing Day wedding. I'd say I guessed the murderer but TBH everyone came under suspicion one way or another so there was an open field.

Pleasant, cosy, small town murder mystery.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club: The compelling mystery series set at the dawn of the Cold War

Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club: The compelling mystery series set at the dawn of the Cold War by Mary-Jane Riley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Its 1948. After a war spent in the Resistance with the Secret Operations Executive, Beattie Cavendish has joined GCHQ and her first mission is to cosy up to Ashley Bowen, son of the Conservative politician and cabinet minister Ralph Bowen, because Ralph is suspected of being a communist sympathiser and could be passing secrets to Moscow.

When looking for clues in the Bowen's London house, Beattie stumbles across the body of the Bowen's young housekeeper Sofia in the study, with her throat cut.

Patrick Corrigan was special forces in the war and has the scars, a missing eye, and a limp to prove it. Now, an Irishman living in London, he's scratching a living as a private detective, following errant husbands and the like. Edwina Bowen hired Patrick to follow her husband Ralph for several nights, where he was seen to enter a club (The White Pearl Club) owned by a pair of Russians and known for prostitutes and homosexuals, then Edwina calls off the case, she no longer wants Ralph followed, turning up at the Bowen's mansion for an explanation Corrigan is narrowly stopped from being a convenient scapegoat for a detective who clearly wants to clear this up as quietly as possible.

In their own ways Beattie and Corrigan are incensed that a powerful family can just hush-up the death of an employee and are determined to uncover who killed this young Jewish woman who had escaped Nazi Germany with her younger brother while only a child herself and was trying to build a new life in England.

This started slow for me, nut it picked up speed and I enjoyed the to and fro as Beattie and Corrigan tried to understand how Sofia and the White Pearl club are connected, who is trying to hush things up, and who is trying to put them off the scent.

I would definitely be interested in reading more if this were a series.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.


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Review: Stranger in the Village

Stranger in the Village by H.L. Marsay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At the end of the first book (view spoiler)[the body of Lucy's husband Rupert has been found in a cave, and the local MP had been arrested for stalking and threatening Lucy. Former London detective Jo, who is desperate to get back to the Big Smoke has evidence that Lucy hit Rupert with a spade on the night he disappeared, but she and Rachel swear he was alive when she left him, he was certainly gone when Rachel went back to retrieve the spade (hide spoiler)].

Meera and Rob return from their holiday in Scotland more loved up than ever, until Meera hears that a strange man has been hanging around the school asking about her son. Meera has an unexpected visitor.

Lucy seems to be making headway with booking weddings and filming at the Hall, until she finds out about the Inheritance Tax due following Rupert's official death, and gets a nasty surprise about their expenditure and also has an unexpected visitor.

Rachel is over her crush on Lucy and is loved up with the archaeologist Sarah, unfortunately Sarah has gone to Peru for the summer on a dig, but Rachel can't leave her mother, who seems to be getting increasingly forgetful.

Jo and Jack, the local publican, are getting friendly, he definitely wants more but he is just so nice (not her usual type) and she doesn't plan to stay in Hartwell so she is keeping him at arm's length, until an unexpected visitor makes her reassess her decisions.

This is the second book in a trilogy but so much happens you don't really notice its progressing lots of stories but not necessarily resolving any of them. Almost everyone has an unexpected visitor (aka stranger), some good, some not so much, but all of which are a catalyst for change.

Very enjoyable, might have to reread the third book to find out what happens - especially the secret behind Jo's necklace.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Bookfunnel.

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Review: One More Time

One More Time by Emily S. Morris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lucy is a professor at a small town university, on track for tenure. She is in Las Vegas for her daughter's week-long wedding extravaganza. Lucy's first ex-husband (yep, there are three) is a hedge fund millionaire who has bankrolled the entire wedding - hence why Lucy and her daughter (and most of the guests) are staying in a super high-end Vegas hotel in the sort of suite usually only for the mega rich. Despite the money being thrown at the party and the hiring of a wedding planner, Lucy is juggling willy toys and trying to find her room key when she literally bumps into Nicky Broome, lead singer of global rock band Super, who also happens to be her high school crush, who ghosted her after one incredible night together. Despite it being 28 years since they last spoke, and there is a 'thing' about that, Nicky and Lucy immediately recognise each other and are just as madly in love/lust as they were when they were teenagers.

Cue lots of flashbacks to discover how Lucy and Nicky broke up and the big secret they are keeping. There is some good stuff about the 1990s (mixtapes and the like) and also a lot of references to music/musicians - which may or may not appeal to readers.

Lucy has a sassy straight-talking BFF (since high school) who likes to give her advice at every opportunity, and her daughter isn't averse to putting Lucy into awkward situations eg inviting all three ex-husbands to be at the wedding!

Nicky didn't really get any character, he was a bit of a cardboard cut-out and because of that, of course he can't have any personal growth or change of heart it all has to come from Lucy. There is a reason why Lucy has three ex-husbands but it gave me the ick. Overall, I think there were lots of things that only seemed to be in the book to make a scene/plot device work rather than being integral to the plot (eg Lucy's ex-husband being so rich).

I found my biggest bugbear with this book was it wasn't really sure what it wanted to be. The cover gave off Annabel Monaghan vibes, but Lucy wasn't like one of her heroines. It sort of went down a 1990s music nostalgia route, like Nick Hornby, then dropped it. It wasn't spicy or sweet enough to fall into one category or another. There was a lot of personality dissection as if it were women's fiction, but then it had the rockstar romance in Vegas rom-com vibe.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: One More Time

One More Time by Emily S. Morris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lucy is a professor at a small town university, on track for tenure. She is in Las Vegas for her daughter's week-long wedding extravaganza. Lucy's first ex-husband (yep, there are three) is a hedge fund millionaire who has bankrolled the entire wedding - hence why Lucy and her daughter (and most of the guests) are staying in a super high-end Vegas hotel in the sort of suite usually only for the mega rich. Despite the money being thrown at the party and the hiring of a wedding planner, Lucy is juggling willy toys and trying to find her room key when she literally bumps into Nicky Broome, lead singer of global rock band Super, who also happens to be her high school crush, who ghosted her after one incredible night together. Despite it being 28 years since they last spoke, and there is a 'thing' about that, Nicky and Lucy immediately recognise each other and are just as madly in love/lust as they were when they were teenagers.

Cue lots of flashbacks to discover how Lucy and Nicky broke up and the big secret they are keeping. There is some good stuff about the 1990s (mixtapes and the like) and also a lot of references to music/musicians - which may or may not appeal to readers.

Lucy has a sassy straight-talking BFF (since high school) who likes to give her advice at every opportunity, and her daughter isn't averse to putting Lucy into awkward situations eg inviting all three ex-husbands to be at the wedding!

Nicky didn't really get any character, he was a bit of a cardboard cut-out and because of that, of course he can't have any personal growth or change of heart it all has to come from Lucy. There is a reason why Lucy has three ex-husbands but it gave me the ick. Overall, I think there were lots of things that only seemed to be in the book to make a scene/plot device work rather than being integral to the plot (eg Lucy's ex-husband being so rich).

I found my biggest bugbear with this book was it wasn't really sure what it wanted to be. The cover gave off Annabel Monaghan vibes, but Lucy wasn't like one of her heroines. It sort of went down a 1990s music nostalgia route, like Nick Hornby, then dropped it. It wasn't spicy or sweet enough to fall into one category or another. There was a lot of personality dissection as if it were women's fiction, but then it had the rockstar romance in Vegas rom-com vibe.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The Inheritance

The Inheritance by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where to start?

In a universe very similar to this one, a decade ago Earth suddenly starting spouting interdimensional breaches from which fantastical alien creatures were let loose creating havoc and killing indiscriminately. At the same time, in some kind of symbiotic yin yang situation, humans started developing new talents. They discovered that the breaches could be entered and mined for exotic minerals and plants to use against the creatures, they could also close the breach by destroying the thing which locked onto the earth.

Adaline is one of those new talented people, her marriage broke down after the first breach, her husband couldn't hack it and left her with two small children, now she works for the government, her new Talent' is that she can identify substances like metals and plants which are of use to Earth - she is one of the most valuable people who enters a breach.

But on what should have been a routine mission everything goes wrong, and the 'Tank' who was supposed to protect her with his life traps her in the breach in his haste to escape vicious creatures that kill the other team members. Alone, with only a German Shepherd puppy as company, Ada must find a way to leave the breach and get home to her children.

Meanwhile, the head of the Guild which was awarded the breach by the government must investigate how all but two team members were killed and how to recover the bodies of the other team members. They also need to understand how the Tank could have left behind the most important member of the team.

This started as a free serial on Ilona Andrews' webpage, but like everything else they do it snowballed and became a whole book, and the start of a series LOL. If you read the weekly instalments as I did then there is very little new here, but I can't wait for the next book - bet this turns into a six book series!

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Review: The Best of All

The Best of All by Karla Sorensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Zoe Valentine is an accountant, after divorcing her narcissistic lawyer husband she bought a house next door to her best friend Amie and her husband Chris. Chris and Amie have recently died in a car crash and she is looking after their two-year old daughter Mira.

Liam Davies is an Englishman playing American football. Little does he know that his best friend Chris has awarded him joint custody of Mira with Zoe in his will. Liam has never wanted a family, he hated his own father, who played football (or soccer) for a Premier League club, and hates that he looks the spitting image of his father. I notice that in this and the previous book both men have Daddy issues BTW. At first Liam refuses to have anything to do with Mira, he just wants to write Zoe a check, but eventually he agrees to help and moves into Chris and Amie's spare room.

Liam and Zoe met over a decade ago at Chris and Amie's house, Liam was instantly smitten but pulled away the minute he saw her engagement ring, then when he met her fiancé he instantly realised the guy was a tool and made some very rude comments to Zoe which he couldn't walk back. Since then whenever they meet it has been antagonistic, even after her divorce, because Liam still has feelings for her.

Another belter, with a cute moppet thrown in for good measure.

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Review: The Best Laid Plans

The Best Laid Plans by Karla Sorensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Burke Barrett was a football player for Dallas until his knee blew out. He really only played to keep his father happy and is secretly relieved that his father's death and his own injury have meant he can stop living someone else's dream. He intends to move to Florida, where he's just bought his sister and her twins a house, and figure out what to do with the rest of his life.

Then life deals him a bitter blow. His best friend, possibly his only friend, Chris and his wife Amie die in a car accident and he discovers that they have left him a dilapidated house in Michigan. The house belonged to Chris's grandparents, Burke even visited it once with Chris for his grandfather's funeral, and it had been a lifelong wish that he could buy it back for the family. Chris and his wife had embarked on a long project of renovating the house prior to their deaths.

Burke can't believe that his best friend would put him in this position, Chris knew how much Burke hated living someone else's dreams and now he is forcing Burke to put off his own plans and take on Chris' plans for the house.

Charlotte Cunningham is an expert in managing the restoration of old houses, but after Chris and Amie's deaths the money dried up and her contractor went to another job. When she hears that Burke has inherited the house she is desperate to get him on board with her passion project.

Burke might delight in pushing Charlotte's buttons at every opportunity but he can't deny the sparks that fly between them - maybe a fling with an expiry date is in order?

Loved it. Sassy romance, just the right amount of smoulder to plot balance, love a tortured man and a woman who knows what she wants.

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Review: Murder by Firelight

Murder by Firelight by Merryn Allingham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Flora and Jack are living in Lewes several days a week while he is lecturing at the college, but Flora is keen to get back to Abbeymead and her book shop, All's Well' which is being looked after in her absence by her assistant Rose. It's Bonfire Night, a very special night in Lewes where different societies compete to build effigies of current or historical characters which they place on top of floats and parade around the town before setting them alight.

However, this Bonfire Night in 1959 one of the people standing and waving on top of the floats suddenly falls off right in front of Flora and Jack, as they struggle to help him Jack discovers that the victim, Trevor French, is bleeding heavily and may have been stabbed. When Mr French dies in hospital Flora tries to distance them from the investigation. but Jack feels a certain responsibility, especially when he discovers that his friend Detective Inspector Alan Ridley is on leave and his replacement seems determined to arrest Jack's neighbour Leo Nelson, who is renting Jack's old cottage.

I have read the first two books in this series and found them pleasant, cosy, historical mysteries, I may have complained about the pair's detection being more following up notions and jumping to conclusions previously and there is some of that here, although they do both acknowledge that they got everything wrong this time. Also, last time I complained about Flora racing in to find evidence at a suspect's house and putting herself in danger - this time it's Jack who does something stupid!

Anyway, an enjoyable mystery set in a part of the world I know quite well.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.


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Review: Betrayal at the Old Hall

Betrayal at the Old Hall by H.L. Marsay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lady Lucy Hanley's errant husband Rupert went missing on the first day of the COVID lockdowns and hasn't been seen since. She's been trying to manage a crumbling stately home and her son alone ever since. Her husband's estate manager, Max, a local boy with pretensions, is helping her to find new tenants for two cottages on the estate which may help with cashflow.

Lucy's best friend is Rachel, the local primary schoolteacher and Max's sister-in-law. She's been madly in love with Lucy for years, but Lucy is oblivious.

Dr Meera Kumar and her young son move into one cottage, her husband is back in India and they have separated, although her family have trouble believing it.

The other cottage is taken by Detective Sergeant Jo Ormond, a former London detective she made a big mistake and rather than be demoted she accepted a sideways move, not realising it would send her to a small Yorkshire town where nothing much happens.

Despite their different backgrounds the four women become friends, but they each have secrets and when Rupert's body is discovered Jo has to decide between what could be her ticket back to London and her friends.

I received an ARC of the third book in the series and really enjoyed it, so when I saw that this was free (sadly no longer), I picked it up. Despite knowing what really happened the night Rupert disappeared I enjoyed the build up and seeing the characters get to know each other. On to the second book now!

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Review: Murder at Cottonwood Creek

Murder at Cottonwood Creek by Clara McKenna
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Two and a half stars.

Stella and Viscount 'Lyndy' Lyndhurst go to Montana to visit her mother Katherine whose husband Ned is hosting Lyndy's father, Lord Atherly on a paleoethological dig for fossils of long extinct creatures. Although theirs was a love match it can't be denied that Stella's fortune rescued Lyndy's family from the brink that his father's mismanagement of the estate had brought them, now the estate is in Lady Atherly's hands and Lord Atherly is happy as a pig in clover.

Then one night the man that was guarding the dig is found dead in a creek bed, was it an accident as the town coroner insists, or was it murder? Throw in professional rivalries with another palaeontologist, a journalist desperate for a scoop, an unscrupulous coroner who is looking to sell a parcel of land, a gold mine, and horse rustling and you've got yourself a good old fashioned cowboy mystery.

Except you haven't. This was really odd, it was as if all the interesting things happened off stage (Lord Atherly disappears twice and *bang* he's found - what was the point?). It felt like the real story was in another book. Also, I've only read two of the seven books, but their family lives are getting VERY complicated. Overall a lot of detection which led nowhere, other than red herrings, and a disappointing discovery of the murderer by chance.

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Review: Looking for Group

Looking for Group by Alexis Hall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Drew is in college studying design, he hopes to be a game designer one day. Although he loves playing MMORPG he also loves sports and hanging out with his diverse group of friends playing board games and talking trash. Then he realises that he is no longer enjoying playing his favourite game Heroes of Legend (HoL) with his current team after he loses his rag at a teammate taking a weapon that he needed. By chance he comes across a very different team, one who enjoy the game for its own sake and not just for climbing the rankings and racing through the levels.

Drew is particularly taken with Kit, a healer in his new team and starts to fall for her online, only to discover than 'she' is in real life (IRL) a shy guy who lives much of his life online. Shock over, Drew and Kit start to fall for each other IRL but they are so different, can they make it work?

This didn't really work for me - I think part of the problem is that there are a ton of footnotes which just do not work well on a Kindle so 50% of the time I had no idea what people were doing/saying. I would say this would go over the head of anyone who hasn't done at least a little MMORPG and the in-game chat became a little irritating. I loved Drew and Kit and I found their 'tiff' very easy to understand from both sides but as a non-gamer the rest was lost on me.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The More Deceived

The More Deceived by David Roberts
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Its 1937 and Lord Edward Corinth is asked by his friend in the Secret Service to investigate how Winston Churchill is getting access to top secret information about Britain's defensive capabilities, possibly from a sympathiser in the Foreign Office.

Invited to dine with Churchill and some friends, Edward soon comes to believe that Churchill is right about how unprepared Britain is for war, although he doesn't 100% trust him, or his cronies, but then one of the men in the Foreign Office department which collates data about arms sales in the UK is found hanged under one of London's bridges, the body is a parody of a suicide, with the man's umbrella hanging jauntily from his arm - who would kill him and why?

Meanwhile, Verity is still in Spain and Edward can't help but be terrified for her safety.

I struggled with this book, there was sooo much history/politics and the mystery sort of got buried underneath it all. Sitting here a day later I honestly don't understand how Edward got a clue to solve the murder and I feel this is my issue with the series as a whole, the detection isn't Sherlock Holmes levels of deviousness, or piecing together several innocuous pieces of evidence so that the reader mentally slaps their head and says 'why didn't I get that?', its just 'hunh? How did he come to that conclusion?'.

Also, Edward's thoughts about Verity are very odd - not sure if its David Roberts' thoughts or him trying to imagine what an aristocrat would think in the 1930s about a free spirited woman but it just jars (and no I can't think of an example - will highlight in the next book if it happens).

I have been seduced by the new covers (they are gorgeous) but with this one I am wondering - where was the train in the story?

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Review: The Wishing Game

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lucy Hart had a very unhappy childhood and fell into a relationship with her college professor which also ended under a cloud. Now, saddled with debt, she is working as a teaching assistant in California. She cares deeply for one of her charges, a little seven year old boy called Christopher who has also had a traumatic childhood, and she is desperate to foster him but with poor housing, no car, and huge debts the odds are stacked against her.

Jack Masterson was a children's author who wrote a best-selling series of novels called Clock Island, a real island in Maine. But suddenly after writing over forty books he stopped and hasn't written anything for years. His books were a lifeline to Lucy and she has read them to young Christopher. The books feature children who venture to the island and have to solve a series of riddles and puzzles to get their wishes to come true.

Then one day Jack announces (very Willy Wonka) that he has written a new book, but there is only one copy, to be won by someone from a small group of personally invited guests. Each one of his books sells tens of millions of copies so this prize could make the winner rich beyond their wildest dreams.

Knowing that her only realistic chance of being able to foster Christopher is to win the prize (and also being beyond excited that there is a new book to read), Lucy is ecstatic when she receives an invitation, but the game will test her to the limit.

I loved this, miles too short, should have been at least 1,000 pages longer, wonderful, whimsical, charming, and sad. Currently only 99p on Amazon UK.

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Review: Outlier

Outlier by Susie Tate
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book we've all been waiting for, Vicky and Mike.

Vicky is neurally diverse, a genius who makes millions for her clients, she has no understanding of social skills. It didn't help that she was the product of an affair between the late Duke of Buckingham and (obviously) Vicky's mother who hoped to trap him into marriage. Deemed 'difficult' by her mother, Vicky was dumped on Margot (Lady Harding) for the summer when she was only six years old, already barely speaking a word. Obviously her half-siblings were appalled and Margot wasn't thrilled to have the evidence of her husband's infidelity staring her right in the face. Now, as an adult people think she's weird, too intense, and too beautiful. Her beauty intimidates both men and women and they interpret her shyness as being too good for the rest of them and call her the Ice Princess. What no-one realises is that Vicky agrees with everyone that she is weird, she doesn't think she's loveable, and she remains convinced that her 'friends' are just being kind and/or have to be friendly because they work for her or are related in some way.

The only man Vicky has ever been attracted to is Mike Mayweather, a skilled artisan carpenter who makes bespoke furniture, his sister Lucy is married to Vicky's half-brother Ollie. He is aware of Vicky's interest in him but assumes she is posh totty looking for a bit of rough. Accordingly, he is rude to Vicky and turns down her tentative request for a date, thinking it was far more sordid.

If you've read the two previous books in the series (and if you haven't, do it now), you'll know what happens, Ollie and his on/off girlfriend Lottie get distracted at a party and fail to get Vicky out before the fireworks go off. Vicky reacts like she's at the Battle of the Somme and Mike is the only one there to protect/help her which brings out his protective instincts. Then Margot lets slip that she is the secret investor in Mike's business and if he doesn't 'woo' Vicky she will pull the plug, she does it for all the right reasons but we just know it's going to bite Mike on the bum LOL.

Once Mike starts to understand where Vicky is coming from he is intrigued, he is a bit obsessive about things too so the way she can talk about hedgehogs for hours on end is interesting to him.

I did enjoy this but it was very sad, my heart broke for Vicky, and so I would say I didn't like it as much as Gold Digger (mind you I did stay reading it (and the bonus epilogue) all night until I'd finished).

I received an ARC from the author via BookFunnel.




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Review: Not Quite a Wife

Not Quite a Wife by Mary Jo Putney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Laurel Herbert fell in love with her brother's best friend when they first met and they married in a whirlwind shortly afterwards. After a fairy-tale honeymoon of a year travelling Europe they returned to England where the romance turned to dust after her husband, James, Lord Kirkland, killed a man who had broken into their house with his bare hands.

Laurel fled London and returned to Bristol where she and her brother set up a charitable clinic helping the poor. Despite being a spy master and knowing where Laurel is living, James refrains from seeking her out. Then one day, a decade after their short-lived marriage, while in Bristol on business James is taken ill with a bout of malaria and, whilst incapacitated, beaten and robbed in the street. Two passers-by charitably carry him to Laurel's clinic where she is astonished to see her husband's face. For his part, James thinks he is hallucinating, one thing leads to another and of course Laurel ends up pregnant. James is determined to be involved in his son or daughter's life and proposes a reconciliation, but Laurel initially resists and insists she intends to spend the majority of her time in Bristol while James is in London. But the passion between them can't be ignored and soon they are as much in love as they ever were. But can Laurel get over the fact that James has killed a man?

Honestly, I love MJP as an author but this was a hard read. Laurel is a Methodist but even that doesn't really explain why she ran away from her husband when he killed an intruder. Frankly she was just irritating and poor James had the patience of a saint. Also, this is the sixth book in the series (I've only read one other) and there is a really dire bit in the middle where James introduces Laurel to all his friends and their wives and then one by one each of the wives admits that they too have killed a man - totally ridiculous.

Most definitely not one of her better books IMHO.

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Review: Lessons in Heartbreak

Lessons in Heartbreak by Karla Sorensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ruby is a small town librarian. As an only child, from a young age she was always the responsible one, the one who stayed home at weekends, always handed her homework in on time, commuted to college, never had a one-night stand. After a massive health scare she has resigned herself to living alone but lately she has felt as though she is missing out on something ... not love, marriage, and children but at least some sort of love affair at least. Her best friend Lauren (who is one of those obnoxious BFFs that seem only to exist in romantic comedy novels) is trying to force Ruby out of her comfort zone (because a huge dildo as a birthday present is 100% the way to gently ease someone into trying romance LOL) and persuades her to try an escort service.

Griffin King is a pro football player, after speaking rather too candidly to a journalist about his feelings for his twin brother Barrett (who is a football coach) his agent has sent him to spend a few weeks away from the spotlight at his house in Welling Springs, Colorado before the announcement that he has signed for Denver. Griffin and Barrett were always rivals, something their father encouraged, but they fell into good boy/bad boy stereotypes, Barrett was always (like Ruby) the one who worked hard, studied hard, listened to the coaches and his teachers, while Griffin played hard and leant into every stereotype of the college football hero.

Griffin and Barrett used to live next door to Ruby as children, until her family moved away. Bored of being stuck in a mansion alone, he wanders into the local coffee shop where Ruby has arranged to meet her escort. Griffin is dressed the same way as her escort and Ruby jumps to wrong conclusion, particularly because Griffin recognises her and greets her by name.

However, once the snafu is revealed Ruby decides that she feels more comfortable with Griffin that with the escort she chose and asked Griffin to teach her the ways of seduction. He's only in town for a few weeks so it is perfect for both of them.

Navigating the code words for romance novels is a nightmare. The latest one is 'spicy' which, based on this book, I would guess means a cosy small-town romance with a few smexy scenes but nothing raunchy.

Anyway, I liked this, nothing earth-shatteringly different but everything was well done and a fun read.

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Review: The Murder at World’s End

The Murder at World’s End by Ross Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stephen Pike has been invited to take a position as second footman at Tithe Hall, a remote stately home on a Cornish island. He has just been released from Borstal after serving two years for a gang fight in a Bow pub. An orphan whose only living relative died while he was in Borstal, he knows that this is his last chance to redeem himself.

When Stephen arrives he finds that the house is boarded up, yet there are family, guests and staff inside. The owner, Lord Conrad Stockingham-Welt firmly believes that Halley's Comet will bring death and destruction to the World and the only way to survive is to seal everyone inside the house until it has passed over.

Stephen is immediately set to boarding up fireplaces, locking people in their rooms, sealing locks with wax and stuffing wadding around door frames etc (although thinking about it, if the house is sealed from the outside why do they also need to seal people up individually as well?). Then he his handed the poison chalice of being forced to look after Miss Decima Stockingham, a foul-mouthed elderly woman who resides in a separate wing of the house and has terrorised all the maids.

Much to his surprise, Miss Decima pooh-poohs Conrad's fears and instead insists that Stephen take her outside so that she can chart the comet's progress across the sky.

The next morning when Stephen, the first footman Lowen, and the butler Mr Stokes start unsealing the rooms Stephen makes a grisly discovery. Conrad has been murdered by a crossbolt through the eye ... in a sealed room (duh duh duh). Stephen is terrified, as the newest member of staff, with a criminal record he is obviously going to be the primary suspect, something which is borne out when the police inspector arrives from the mainland. Only Miss Decima believes him and together they set out to discover who killed Conrad and why. Was it his cousin Edwin Welt, MP, who expects to inherit the money and the house on Conrad's death? Or his cousin Read Admiral Jolyon Welt, the alcoholic? Of Lettice Welt, who has allegedly seen off her husband, daughter and son-in-law? Or Lettice's grandson the foul Gilbert? What about Conrad's German friend and co-founder of his Halley's Comet society Professor Wolf Muller? What about one of the servants?

This is a good old-fashioned, locked-room mystery. Loved it. Plenty of obnoxious suspects. Plenty of red herrings. Lots of accusations, dead fish, a suit of armour, a maze, missing laundry, a change of will.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Well, This Is Awkward: A story of Family Misunderstandings, Midlife Malaise, and Mildly Terrifying Teenagers

Well, This Is Awkward: A story of Family Misunderstandings, Midlife Malaise, and Mildly Terrifying Teenagers by Esther Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mairéad is living her best life, head of a influencer talent agency which she sold to a US group for a pile of money, single, her own immaculate flat, impeccable hair, make-up and clothes.

Then she receives a call, her estranged elder sister has been hospitalised and there is no-one to look after her eleven year old daughter Sunny. As her daughter's name suggests, Mairéad's sister is a bit of a hippy, living off-grid, eschewing modern medicines as poison, protesting pretty much everything, and home-schooling Sunny. Mairéad's mother Helen is more interested in her lodgers than either of her daughters or her granddaughter, plus to Mairéad's knowledge she hasn't left her house in years.

So reluctantly, Mairéad agrees to take charge of her niece. Sunny still sucks her thumb, hates being touched, rarely wears shoes, and frankly smells. Her arrival completely throws Mairéad through a loop (hoop?) and necessitates huge changes to her life.

I really enjoyed this, although I thought Mairéad was incredibly dense at some points, it was heart warming and life affirming without the misogynist undertones that successful single women are all really deeply unhappy and would feel happier if they became full-time mothers which I see/feel in many books/films where a career woman suddenly acquires a child. My only gripe(s) was that the end felt a little rushed - there was an issue, it got solved in a few pages, there were some seeds of new beginnings and BOOM the end. I could have read on and on and on.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The White Octopus Hotel

The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Its 2015, Eve Shaw lives a lonely existence, she is haunted by the death of her younger sister Bella at only two years of age, a death for which she feels responsible. She is nicknamed the Black Widow by her colleagues at the Auction House where she works because of her propensity for wearing black clothing at all times, usually a polo-neck jumper, little do they know it is to hide her octopus tattoo which has an unusual habit of crawling around her body and sometimes peeking over her clothing.

Then a mysterious old man, who happens to share the name of her favourite composer Max Everly, who died decades ago, visits her at the auction house, presses a gift of a ceramic octopus into her hand, makes some cryptic remarks and later dies on the steps of the building.

After purchasing an antique tea-set with an octopus motif at a flea market, Eve shows it to a colleague who hazards a guess that it may have come from the fabled White Octopus Hotel in Switzerland, which closed suddenly in 1935. Owned by the reclusive painter Victor Roth, the hotel was claimed to contain numerous magical items, including writing paper which would allow the writer to send a letter to the past.

When Eve enters the derelict hotel a magical key whisks her back to 1935, when the hotel was in its art deco heyday, where she meets a young Max Everly who had convalesced at the hotel in 1918 after developing a septic wound. Whilst staying at the hotel he fell in love with a young British nurse called ... Eve Shaw.

This book took me on a wonderful, fantastical journey, from 2015 to 1935 and 1918, a doomed cross time romance, historical traumas that can't be undone, a scavenger hunt, and a magical hotel with hidden rooms.

I loved it and I could totally see it as a film.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.


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Review: The Times Sir: The year in letters

The Times Sir: The year in letters by Andrew Riley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A collection of letters to The Times newspaper.

I've read similar collections from the The Telegraph and I have to say I think those were funnier and/or more batty. Generally I got the impression that it was only funny/interesting if you were there at the time (although I will take the tip about scaring away Magpies from a fellow Orpingtonite), otherwise these letters barely raised a wry smile.

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Review: A Saxon Shadow

A Saxon Shadow by H.L. Marsay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Chief Inspector Shadow has a string of crimes: vandalism in the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey, a spate of break-ins in York, then a murder in a small Moorland village, where, surprise, surprise there are also signs of a break-in and vandalism in the local churchyard (shamelessly stolen from the blurb).

The victim, Kenelm Underhill was an independently wealthy man who co-owned a pet food company and was obsessed with Saxon history, particularly the legend of King Alfred’s Hoard which he allegedly buried locally when fleeing the Vikings.

Are all/any of the crimes related? Shadow finds the village is a hotbed of infidelity, jealousy, rivalry, and unrequited love. as the list of suspects and motives grows can Shadow pick through the evidence and uncover the perpetrator?

I requested this book after reading the previous book in the series. In the interim I purchased the first two books and discovered my feelings towards Chief Inspector Shadow had grown into active dislike. He's just unpleasant to his staff, a total stick-in-the-mud, and a culinary philistine. Hence why it has taken me ten months to finish a book I started reading three weeks prior to publication.

Now obviously picking up a book and putting it down for months on end doesn't help keep the characters straight but I couldn't really tell any of the suspects apart (obviously male versus female wasn't an issue) but best friend/brother/rival didn't really stand out in any way and it all became a bit convoluted and the number of crimes just grew and grew. Frankly, I though Sergeant Chang did better at spotting a crime than Shadow.

Clearly this series is not for me, I don't like a curmudgeonly detective or a distracting number of suspects where the clue to unlocking the crime involves a superhuman feat. I will no longer request books in this series, although I still like all the other books I have read by this author.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.



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Review: Dangerous Sea

Dangerous Sea by David Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lord Benyon is travelling to the USA on one of the first of the Queen Mary's voyages on a secret mission to persuade President Roosevelt to support the UK against Germany. There have been rumours of attempts to prevent the meeting so Lord Edward Corinth has been asked to act as companion, he wouldn't be out of place in the First Class cabins and his previous attempts to retrieve politically sensitive letters have shown he can be trusted. A secret service agent will act as Lord Benyon's valet and Edward's nephew will act as Lord Benyon's bag carrier after he had to be rescued from Spain after running off to fight for the communists.

Meanwhile, Verity Browne, communist party member and journalist has been asked to accompany American union representative Sam Forrest back to America to understand how the workers are protesting and uniting against their overlords.

Also onboard are a motley crew of guests. There's a black American singer/actor and his white wife. A racist American senator and his put-upon wife. A widow and her twins, distant cousins to the President, Lord Benyon's assistant, an art critic who commissioned several of the artworks on the Queen Mary, and one of the artists themselves.

But as they undertake the five day journey the bodies start mounting up - can Edward and Verity sort the wheat from the chaff and identify the murderer(s)?

I did enjoy this. However, there were so many suspects/false confessions that TBH I am still a bit confused about who killed whom and why. Well I'm not, what I'm trying to articulate (badly) is that everyone had a motive, means, and opportunity so it feels like any one of them could plausibly have been the guilty party, there was no 'it can only be X because Y' explanation. Otherwise, I'm enjoying the historical political detail just as much as the mystery.

Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

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Review: The Otley Murders

The Otley Murders by J.R. Ellis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A particularly unpleasant man, Adam Blake, who DCI Oldroyd helped to convict of multiple murders of lonely old women has broken out of prison after a decade. Since he threatened revenge on DCI Oldroyd the police are understandably concerned for his safety and for that of his family.

Meanwhile, a man's body is found inside a cell in what was the Old Courthouse before it became a community arts centre. The man has been strangled and the word Vindicta scrawled across his forehead.

DCI Oldroyd can't help but suspect the murder is somehow linked to Adam Blake, particularly when Adam starts calling him on his mobile phone. There is surprisingly little information about the victim, he seems to have very little history prior to a few years previously, even his wife seems to know very little about his previous life. Then a second body appears, similarly staged, with the same word scrawled on their forehead. What links the victims? Why has the murderer chosen to write the Latin word for vengeance on their heads? Why have the victims been murdered and their bodies moved to a different location and staged?

While DCI Oldroyd and Steph investigate the murders, Andy is helping investigate how Adam escaped custody and try to locate him.

I recall that I had read the first few books in this series and given up, but decided to request an ARC of this eleventh book anyway. Rereading my previous reviews apparently I requested an ARC of the tenth book and power read through four of the earlier books before thinking they were a bit same-same and finding DCI Oldroyd a bit of an old fuddy duddy. Nevertheless, after a suitable palate cleansing romance or two I really enjoyed the tenth book so I am glad I requested this book.

Overall, I enjoyed this. A solid police procedural with DCI Oldroyd not always getting things right and maybe failing to follow up on avenues of enquiry. The irritating quirks from the first four books are no longer in evidence (I think his partner Deborah has helped remove them).

I know the series is available on Kindle Unlimited so I may well start to read the intervening books.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.

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Review: Stone & Sky

Stone & Sky by Ben Aaronovitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The blurb for this sounds like the start of a joke:

Detective Sergeant Peter Grant, his partner Beverley, their young twins, his mum, his dad, his dad's band and their dodgy manager, his boss, DCI Thomas Nightingale, and his cousin Abigail go to Aberdeen for a holiday. Oops forgot the talking fox.

The next thing you know there's dead Selkies (well TBH only one), a giant Panther, and all manner of Weird Bollocks which require Peter's special brand of investigative powers. Considering its been five years (FIVE YEARS) since I last read a book in this series (for some reason I didn't read Book 9 although I'm sure I've got it, I had no difficulty in picking it up.

Some cracking bits of humour - love the twins 'Shout, shout' yelling (when you get there you'll know).

Loved it from start to finish.

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Review: Pitcher Perfect

Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Robbie Corrigan is a rookie for Boston Bearcats (ice hockey), living the single rich guys dream and rooming with his friend. Then one day he and his team mates turn up for a game of baseball in the park against players from the local baseball team. Robbie is overheard being too graphic and not very complementary about thee woman he was with the previous night by Skylar Paige, a division one baseball pitcher. Robbie is completely bowled over by Skylar but after what she overheard she wants nothing to do with the dirty man 'ho.

Skylar is carrying a lot of excess baggage, all the rest of her family went to Brown but she failed the interview and it seems that experience bonds her parents with her brother. Also, as a female athlete she didn't have time to learn flirting and make-up and all the stuff other girls do at school/college so she feels like 'one of the guys'.

Skylar is in love with her brother's best friend, but he doesn't seem to notice her - except when Robbie is paying her attention, so they agree to fake date. Robbie will use his extensive experience with women to coach Skylar (who has VERY limited experience with men) whilst making her crush jealous AND he will be her partner at her family's annual Page Stakes, a wilderness competition which risks life and limb.

Robbie has been struck by insta-lurve and although he is supposed to be helping Skylar snag the man of her dreams he is secretly hoping that he can make her forget the other guy.

I enjoyed this, but the high steam factor kind of clashed with the sweetness of Robbie really 'seeing' Skylar and supporting her.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.


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Review: Pucking Strong

Pucking Strong by Emily Rath
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Teddy has just got his dream job as a junior physiotherapist for the Jackson Rays (ice hockey) where he interned six years ago. He might also have a bit of an unrequited crush on Henrik Karlsson, the team's Swedish forward.

Then tragedy strikes, Henrik's sister and niece are involved in a car accident, his sister dies and his niece Karolina is injured in a Swedish hospital. Teddy volunteers to accompany Henrik and help him bring the girl back to the USA. However, there's a problem, the authorities are reluctant to allow an unmarried man to take a Swedish national out of the country, particularly when he himself will be away from home a lot playing hockey.

In the heat of the moment Teddy suggests an old fashioned marriage of convenience, even though he has no idea whether Henrik is straight or gay. He doesn't travel with the team so he can be at home with Karolina, and as a qualified physio he can assist with any rehab she might need. Once the Swedish authorities allow Henrik to adopt Karolina they can dissolve the marriage.

I really enjoyed this, probably a bit more spicy than I was expecting, but the story was very sweet overall.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Book of the Month

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Aspen is a vey wealthy writer who has never again achieved the success of her first book, a book written out of the despair she felt when her married boyfriend (and her college professor to boot) dumped her. Since then her books have been good but don't resonate with her audience - all of whom are demanding she writes the sequel since the first book did not end in a HEA.

She leaves New York to spend the Summer with her older sister (who practically raised her) in the Outer Banks, desperate to write a best-selling novel, and decides the only way to do it is recreate the drama of her first book, ie fall in love and have it fall apart catastrophically.

Brick had dreams of a big city job, but when his grandfather took sick and died he came home and took over his grandfather's failing tour guide business convinced he could make it profitable. Some time later he is failing. Worse, he has a reputation in town as a womaniser, heck there's even a weekly support group for women he's dated and dumped!

Aspen thinks Brick would be the perfect man to fall in love with and have her heart broken. He's handsome, grumpy, and most definitely not boyfriend material. However, he seems determined to swerve her advances, until she makes him an offer he can't refuse - enough cash to save his business and bring it up to date.

But what starts as a business transaction becomes real pretty fast, but if Aspen is going to write another bestseller it must come with an expiry date.

This would have rated higher if the story weren't ridden roughshod over by the smexy times - too much for me. It was a bit Gilmore GIrls where everyone has a story, Aspen's sister is clearly going to have her own book shortly, and there is an unusually high number of young single people for a small town.

A Kindle freebie when bought.

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Review: Murder on the Italian Riviera

Murder on the Italian Riviera by T.A. Williams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Finally I've got around to reading the seventh book in this series (I've read all eleven other books published to date or almost published in the case of book 12).

Dan (a former Scotland Yard Detective Chief Inspector, now turned Private Investigator in Italy) is contacted by a woman who he helped to put in prison. Her father is Italian and runs an upmarket holiday camp. A guest was found floating in the communal swimming pool, the local police are convinced that he had too much to drink and fell, hitting his head and falling into the pool where he drowned, just a tragic accident, but she and her father believe he was murdered.

Dan agrees to travel to the camp on the French border and spend a couple of days investigating with his trusty black Labrador Oscar, only to discover that the camp is actually a naturist resort! Nevertheless, Dan braves his fears and starts interviewing the other guests and there seem to be several suspects. The pool widens when Dan's call to a former colleague reveals that the victim was an MI6 operative. Was the motive love/jealousy (apparently he was a ladies man), or was it connected to his job? Dan also discovers that the victim was born in the former Eastern Germany and his parents were killed by the Stasi - deaths he had vowed to avenge - could that play into his murder?

This was an enjoyable mystery, typical of the series, full of luscious descriptions of food and wine - definitely going to try a Nebbiolo next time I'm in a restaurant.

Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

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Review: Snowflakes Over Starr's Fall: Spend Christmas in the breathtakingly beautiful small town of Starr's Fall with million-copy bestselling author Kate Hewitt

Snowflakes Over Starr's Fall: Spend Christmas in the breathtakingly beautiful small town of Starr's Fall with million-copy bestselling author Kate Hewitt by Kate Hewitt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Jenna runs Millers Mercantile in Starr's Fall. She left home to follow a city slicker, it all went horribly wrong and she returned to Starr's Fall determined never to change for a man ever again. Unfortunately that attitude has somehow become entwined with the store and she refuses to countenance any changes, even though the store is slowly going downhill.

Jack was a Venture Capitalist in New York and made his first million by the time he was twenty. However, he has recently had a heart attack and developed a stomach ulcer. His doctor warned him he would be dead in five years unless he made some sweeping changes to his lifestyle. Jack has bought a five-bedroom architect-designed house on the lake in Starr's Fall to be closer to his mother who has Alzheimer's and is in a local care home, but without his 24/7 work work work lifestyle he is feeling bereft, and the doctor prescribed bland diet isn't helping.

When Jack wanders into Millers Mercantile looking for smoked salmon he is visibly dismissive of the old-fashioned store, the limited stock, and the general air of neglect. For her part, Jenna sees a city slicker with a Rolex and a Porsche and associates him with her ex. Words are spoken. Jack writes a one star review. Jenna trash talks him to her friends.

However, they both realise they have overstepped a line and call a truce. Jack offers to give Jenna some assistance in updating the store, and Jenna accepts.

Can a city slicker and a country mouse fall in love? Can Jack leave the bright lights and the action behind? Can Jenna get over her mistrust of city boys?

This was pleasant enough, although the conflict at the end felt a bit false and rushed.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: An Academic Affair

An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher have been bitter rivals since practically the first day of college. For fifteen years they have competed for everything, top of the class, teaching positions, grants, you name it. What both of them want, but neither has, is a permanent teaching position. Meanwhile, the two of them have somehow ended in a house-share *and* co-teach some literature classes. Sadie's speciality is modern romance (ie populist) whereas Jonah's is more traditional Shakespearian drama and the like. Also, at their graduation, Sadie's sister got into a screaming argument with Jonah's father.

Sadie didn't have the greatest start in life, her father left them when she was very young and their mother checked out of parental responsibilities so she was practically raised by her older sister Francesca ('Chess'). As a consequence, money is tight and the two sisters are very close.

Jonah on the other hand comes from a family of academics, his father is famous and his mother was a student/researcher in his father's classes. However, he is not close to any of his family, his father forced them to participate in debates at meal times and pitted sibling against sibling.

Fast forward, Jonah is trying to be a better brother and all round person. He hates the privilege he receives as a middle class white male with connections and tries to be an ally to Sadie (and other females) wherever possible.

When Jonah's father lets slip that his older sister's husband has left her and their two small children for his other secret family, Jonah wants to do whatever he can to help, but being in Sydney while she lives in Tasmania is difficult. Then a teaching job comes up in Hobart which seems perfect. The only trouble is the successful candidate will have expertise in one of four areas, including Shakespearian drama and modern romance. Could this be their fiercest contest?

The employment contract has a clause agreeing to spousal hire (if they are in a similar field) so Sadie concocts a plot to get married, that way Jonah can move to Hobart to be near his sister - after all they have been living together (platonically) for years. But working together every day and spending evenings at home may change things forever.

Told from both POVs, this was a fun romance, with plenty of references to romantic tropes and plot devices (eg forced to share a bed, marriage of convenience etc). As always, great to get some recommendations of other romances to read and/or validation of your reading choices.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Hitwoman: The new action-packed hilarious thriller rom-com for 2025

Hitwoman: The new action-packed hilarious thriller rom-com for 2025 by Elsie Marks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Maisie Baxter is a hitwoman for Novum, a boutique 'ethical' assassination service. She founded the organisation with her boss Gabby, a minor celebrity and charity advocate (think Spring Watch and Save the Hedgehogs), they have expanded and now have a second assassin, Owen (good looking but not very bright), a tech guy, Jason, and an admin person Sophie. One of Novum's key tenets is that Maisie (or Owen) can veto a target if they don't consider them to have committed a heinous crime, something Maisie is very proud of, and she loves that Gabby respects her choices.

When we meet Maisie she is on a job for a mysterious anonymous client (not so odd as who wants a team of assassins to know your name) who is also very specific about what they want Maisie to do and when and how, including arranging for her exfiltration. The job goes without a hitch and later the team are introduced to the mysterious client, Pascal Robertson, elusive billionaire CEO of ILS, a company which has created the world's first green fertiliser. Pascal has discovered that some of his senior management have been selling the fertiliser illegally to terrorist organisations to help them make bombs and he is determined to root out all the bad eggs ... the permanent way.

The following week, Maisie (in disguise) is headed to a Young Farmer's Festival where one of ILS's board is giving a keynote speech. She has orders to assassinate him during that speech. After setting up the tent for the following morning she joins the festivities at the bar and bumps into a handsome man who looks as out of place as she feels, the strong cider helps them form an instant connection and they end up spending the night together. The next day, Maisie watches as the ILS director is making his speech, ready to (literally) push the button, when suddenly a light fitting swings down towards him, killing him instantly. Coincidence? Or is there more than one team of assassins hired? Could it be someone from Removals Inc, Novum's main competitor who would kill their own mother if the price was right?

But when the same guy turns up at Maisie's next hit, she realises sweet, shy Will could be working for the opposition.

This gave off similar vibes to the Brangelina film Mr and Mrs Smith, and probably for that reason I did enjoy it, but it didn't feel very original.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.


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Review: Cairo Gambit

Cairo Gambit by S.W. Perry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Its 1938, Europe is on the brink of war. Primrose Nevendon lives a rather Bohemian lifestyle as a freelance stage designer with her Italian mother and a collection of artists and philospohers that call themselves (rather grandly) the Bevern Fraternity. Her father Archie left them when she was small and she has barely seen or heard from him since. He is now a director of Anglo-Levantine Oil in Cairo whilst also running his late brother Nim's theatre.

Then two Special Branch police officers come calling, Archie has gone missing in Egypt and they are concerned that he might have sold secrets about British oil pipelines and the like to the Germans and/or Italians, especially since Prim herself was briefly a member of the British Union of Fascists until she realised that they were just as bad as the Communists and didn't really want change for the masses - just for the leaders.

Prim decides to travel to Egypt to find her father. On the long air journey she meets Harry Taverner, ostensibly with the British Council to bring British arts and science to Egypt, but in reality to babysit Prim and see whether they can find Archie (or if she knows where he is). Also on board is Mike Luzzatto, an American Jew who deals in real estate, although his real motive is buying land for Jewish settlement.

When she gets to Cairo, Prim discovers that there are a lot of people looking for Archie, some of them not at all nice. The theatre manager was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered to find some clues as to where he might be - but no-one knows.

In their attempts to find Archie, Prim and Harry are drawn into the conflict between the Arabs and the Jews, and both sides' antipathy towards the British. It seems as though Archie may have been trying to play both sides and it spectacularly backfired.

The author had clearly done a lot of historical research but honestly most of the time it felt like a bewildering hotchpotch of politics and all I really got out of it was that all sides were pretty unpleasant, prepared to sanction absolutely anything to the cause as collateral damage - that may also have been a product of the times where extremism was rampant across the world. The story itself got subsumed in the politics and felt like a bit of a damp squib, I was left with the feeling of 'so what?'.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Murder on an Italian Island

Murder on an Italian Island by t a williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Virgilio invites Dan, Anna and of course Oscar to Elba for a holiday with him and his wife, staying at a swanky hotel where his (sort of) cousin Rita is the manager. Unfortunately there is an unpleasant incident on the first night, a very drunk man comes over and deliberately throws a glass of red wine over Virgilio. Apparently the man, Ignazio, abducted and raped four women in Puglia many years ago, and had been sentenced to twenty years in prison, seeing Virgilio again made him very angry and things could have escalated if Dan hadn't stepped in. The guys are debating whether to move to a different hotel to avoid the man when one of the surf instructors comes running in - they have found a body washed up on the rocks ... it's none other than Ignazio, and Virgilio apparently had another run in with him later that night. Since the body was found on the hotel's private beach, which can only be accessed through the hotel or a locked gate, it seems clear that if it is murder it must have been one of the guests or staff.

Soon Dan and Virgilio are working hard to determine whether Ignazio fell to his own death because he was so drunk (they ruled out suicide as he seemed to feel no remorse), or whether he was pushed, maybe by a relative of one of the girls he attacked?

Then Dan finds another body in the sea. are the deaths connected? An accident seems far less likely now there are two bodies.

This was very good, I was convinced I knew who was the murderer but I was completely wrong - they were never even a suspect!

However, I am trying to eat more healthily and having to read the descriptions of the huge meals Dan eats is making it hard for me to make good choices.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days: A Novel

How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days: A Novel by Sophie Irwin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Miss Lydia Hanworth is surprised when Lord Ashton proposes marriage to her, they'd barely spoken previously, and before she can politely decline her aunt and uncle assume it's a done deal. The only saving grace is that Ashton wants to keep the engagement a secret until his father can announce it at a masked ball his cousin Phoebe is throwing in two weeks time.

Lydia's aunt and uncle have threatened her that if she messes this engagement up she will be sent to live with aunt Mildred - a fate worse than death - so she determines she must get Ashton to cry off instead - and ten days spent at his cousin's country house will be just the right opportunity.

As the title might suggest, this book draws heavily on the film How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days as Lydia behaves oddly, wear eccentric clothing, uses inappropriate language and (frankly) lies through her teeth. At first Ashton is perplexed, what happened to the quiet, well-behaved girl he met in London, but when he discovers her true motivation this means war!

Throw in a scheming mama, a strange host, a twin brother with a Sherlock Holmes obsession, a stolen diamond necklace, a widow on the prowl, a young lordling, and a famous explorer who reminds me of Professor Gilderoy Lockhart from the Harry Potter books and you have a rip-roaring rom-com.

I have no idea when this is supposed to be set, the clothing on the cover looks early 1800s but Lydia's twin brother is clearly emulating Sherlock Holmes. Also, Wikipedia tells me that bananas didn't become common items until the 1880s when Fyffes began importing bananas from the Canary Islands to the UK through Southampton Docks (one of Lydia's dresses is compared to a banana). But, if you can suspend disbelief at the language which is used and the ambiguity as to the historical setting this was a fun read.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages

Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages by Jenny Colgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Meet Janey and Essie Carter, mother and daughter respectively. Janey loves living in the tiny town of Carso, working in the local hospital as an audiologist whereas Essie couldn't wait to get away to the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh. But then it all falls apart, Essie's employer is moving to Switzerland and there's no position for her, also she's been there less than two years so she doesn't qualify for redundancy. With no new job on the horizon, realising she has huge credit card debts, and can't afford her flat share Essie reluctantly decides to move back to Carso and her mum's tiny cottage, since her posh boyfriend Connor doesn't seem willing to let her stay with him and his colleague Tris.

Janey is thrilled to have Essie back home, even if her daughter blames her for the divorce and finds fault with everything, but soon Essie's messiness, unwillingness to do anything around the cottage, and slovenly appearance are driving her to drink.

Luckily, Janey's son Al persuades Essie to join them and Janey's colleagues down the one remaining pub for a quiz night, where Janey runs into the father of one of her former patients, and Al and Essie catch up with their old school friend Dwight (who developed a love of country and western clothing as a child and doesn't seem to have dropped it) who has been working the oil rigs. Dwight has just bought the three dilapidated cottages next to Janey's and intends to do them up and sell them, but after five minutes talking to him Essie realises he hasn't the first clue about budgeting or decorating and volunteers herself as project manager.

Meanwhile, Janey's former patient's father's dog has had puppies in one of the cottages. Lowell is totally clueless and enlists Janey's help with caring for the puppies, which she helped to birth after the first one got stuck.

This was just charming from start to finish. As a woman of Janey's age I identified more with her, especially since Essie came across as a spoilt brat at first, but it was just charming, sweet, funny, all the feels.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Births, Deaths and Marriages

Births, Deaths and Marriages by Laura Barnett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Six people meet at university - specifically at the funeral for a man/boy who was killed in a car accident just a few weeks into term. They spend the next few years inseparable, several of them share a house, and as is perhaps inevitable with young people away from home, there is a lot of secret hooking up, being in love with someone who's in love with someone else, etc, etc.

Fast forward twenty years. Zoe and Rob got pregnant while still at university, got married but subsequently divorced when their son Gabe was five years old. Rancour over, Rob is soon to be married for a second time to a wealthy architect, Rob is a teacher and Zoe is a midwife in Herne Bay, Kent.

Yas, the working class girl with a single mother is now an NHS surgeon.

Al, who was in love with Zoe at university was married, but his wife Estelle died, following which he gave up his job and started working at the family undertakers in Beckenham, Kent.

Indie, who was in love with Al at university, has created a successful coffee business, she is married to Xavier (not one of the university six), who was a successful chef until COVID, when his restaurant went bust.

Finally Rachel, who is married with two small boys. Her husband Mark runs a successful gym business.

Over the past twenty years the tight knit group have drifted apart, particularly after Estelle's funeral, but the invite to Rob's engagement party brings them all back together. In a year there will be a baby, a wedding, a death, a divorce, and other upheavals.

This is described as Four Weddings and a Funeral meets One Day and I can sort of see why, it's also a lot like Cold Feet. After a rocky start, the introductory chapter was quite turgid and I didn't have a clue about anyone, this quickly became a great read - I think it would be even better as a film or a TV series. Laura Barnett did a good job of keeping the characters separate (after the first chapter) which is not easy to do when there is a main cast of six plus spouses/children to remember.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Dark in Death

Dark in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The 46th outing for this gritty detective series set in the future.

Detective Eve Dallas is called out when a woman is found murdered in the cinema whilst watching the re-run of a classic film, stabbed in the back of the neck with an ice-pick. Her friend had only stepped away for a couple of minutes to answer a page (she was on call). But the plot thickens! A famous author comes into the police station, she is afraid that this murder bears a striking similarity to the murder in the second of her detective novels, and she has also noted an earlier murder of a licensed companion also mirrors the murder in her first book. The only thing is the murderer in the first book was a woman and in the second it was a man. But then looking at the footage from the cinema Eve notices that there are striking similarities between a man and a woman they catch on camera - it appears their murderer likes to don disguises.

After interviewing the author Eve is convinced, the third novel concerns the murder of a rock star's former girlfriend, one famous for all the wrong things, who could drag him down to her level if they get back together. Eve gets her team to profile likely skanky ex-girlfriends, sadly there are several, and warns each of them to look out for a woman matching the description in the novel.

I enjoyed this novel, why do all the books I read from this series seem to happen when its bitterly cold? The premise was interesting and kept me engaged. There were lots of promising leads which turned into dead ends. My only gripe is (and this is only based on the two books I have read recently) that there seems to be a need for several murders before the murderer is caught and there needs to be a showdown where they rescue the latest victim in the nick of time - maybe if I read more of the other 57 books I haven't yet read I may find that is just a coincidence in these two.

Also, who doesn't want to read about a future where a New York cop can marry a former thief billionaire and has an Auto Chef in her car which can dispense a multitude of drinks?

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Question of Guilt

Question of Guilt by Sally Rigby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sebastian Clifford and Lucinda ‘Birdie’ Bird are private investigators, he's the son of a lord and has recently discovered he has a teenage daughter at university. She's bisexual. They have both left the Police, although she is only thirty. This si the seventh book in the series, none of which I have read before, but it is easy enough to read as a standalone.

Daryl Brackstone approaches the duo, her mother Helen was murdered decades ago by ingesting cyanide and her father was convicted of her murder. Her father died in prison a year ago and a true crime blogger has approached Daryl with evidence that her father may have been wrongly convicted and Daryl wants the duo to uncover the truth.

As they dig deeper it seems that Helen Brackstone was not just a middleclass suburban housewife, she was also a founding member of a group of activists which protested cronyism and investigated corruption. It seems one or both of the detectives assigned to the murder may, at best, have cut corners believing they had a slam dunk suspect, and at worst deliberately framed an innocent man.

Then Birdie starts getting threatening messages and is run off the road by another car - evidently their investigations are getting close to the truth.

This was an interesting detective story. It helped enormously that Birdie is still friendly with her former partner and Sarge so can draw on their knowledge and resources. Similarly, Seb has friends in high places and his father knows a lot of important people, so can effect introductions or provide insights into character.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.

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