Category: Book Reviews

Dead to Her by Sarah Pinborough

My introduction to Sarah Pinborough’s work came recently as a dramatisation of her book Behind Her Eyes on Netfilx. I was totally hooked and bought the book. After listening to her talk about her life and career on a podcast my fandom was complete. And so to Dead To Her published this month (10 June).

This is a very different book but there are some similarities not least in the quality of the writing and perfect plotting. Set in the world of the Savannah GA elite, Dead To Her introduces you to a world of glamour, secrets, voodoo, retribution, lust, love, loyalty, lots of sex followed by betrayal and deceit. You never quite know just who is pulling the strings, which makes for compelling reading.

Widower William Radford IV has returned early from his travels to Europe bringing a new Mrs Radford some forty years his junior. Close friends have been invited to an elegant soirée to meet Keisha and feelings are mixed to say the least.

Two worlds collide and ricochet apart. One guest, Marcie has the life she could never have dreamed of. As the second, younger wife to Jason Maddox she feels secure if not accepted but she immediately senses the interest between her husband and his business partner’s new wife from London.

Keisha is too young, too black, too coarse and too naïve to realise that her new husband would have checked out her past – to the finest and worst detail. She is haunted by her past and her culture plus disgusted by her much older husband with his unpleasant sexual demands once he has taken Viagra.

William’s saintly first wife haunts their home – with a nod to Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca including a Mrs Danvers type character in the form of the devoted employee, Elizabeth – and the relationships within the friendship group some of whom have known each other since childhood. But nothing is what it seems in this multi-layered narrative and I love how the author plays with your assumptions and trifles with your allegiances as each twist and turn exposes one dark drama after another until a tantalising dénouement. Characters are brilliantly depicted and locations feed our lockdown souls.

Perfect summer reading wherever you are.

Sarah Pinborough is a Sunday Times Number One, New York Times and internationally bestselling author who is published in over 25 territories worldwide. A recent book Cross Her Heart is in development with World Productions and Dead To Her has been optioned by a major studio for development as a US TV series.

Sarah has been shortlisted for the Crime and Thriller Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and was the 2010 and 2014 winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Novella. She has four times been shortlisted for Best Novel. She is also a screenwriter who has written for the BBC and has several original television projects in development.

From Aconite to the Zodiac Killer A Dictionary of Crime

I’ve always loved dictionaries – all types. Synonyms and Antonyms. Signs and Omens; Fowlers; Writers & Editors; Quotations and, when I was translating a French erotic novel, a dictionary of French slang. So when I heard about Amanda Lees’ From Aconite to Zodiac Killer  A Dictionary of Crime I was eager to add it to my collection! And as a crime writer it was obviously right up my street. After all there could come a time when I really needed the definition for:

Hempen widow – woman whose husband has been hanged… Watch my next book.

Seriously though Amanda Lees book is perfect for lovers of crime in books, TV and film. If you struggle with police ranks and who is more senior, it’s covered here. If you’re confused by prisoner’s slang, the explanation lies within these pages. Plus there are comprehensive entries on who’s who in the US police and US slang.

From Aconite to the Zodiac Killer will take you on a canter through the alphabet explaining acronyms and jargon as well as providing a grounding in the justice system, firearms and poisons.

Whether you’re reading, watching or even writing crime, Ms Lees dictionary with prove a valuable companion.

From Aconite to the Zodiac Killer A Dictionary of Crime is available from Amazon and book shops.

Holiday Reading

My thoughts on some of the novels I’ve recently read.

The Summer of Impossible Things

by Rowan Colman (Ebury Press)

A beautifully written, accomplished novel that captivated me from the very first pages. Narrated by Luna who, with her sister, Pia, makes a trip to Brooklyn after their mother’s suicide to sell off the building that had been her home and workplace. There they find their mother had sent them film reels, the first of which reveals she was the victim of a violent rape and that Henry who has brought Lana up, is not her biological father. Coupled with this horrifying revelation is Lana’s discovery that she can slip from her present back to 1977 where she meets her mother pre-rape. Lana is determined to change the course of history, to save her mother even if it means wiping out her own existence. Go with the flow on this one and fall in love with the characters delivered with such beautiful prose and brilliant structure.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

by Gail Honeyman (HarperCollins)

Judging by some readers’ comments, this is every much a Marmite book and fortunately I love Marmite. I bought the book as a treat for myself after Christmas and before it became a prizewinner. I love the narrative style and the quirky protagonist. Although I guessed most of the “surprises”, it didn’t detract from my appreciation as the quality of writing is superlative and the path Eleanor treads is captivating. A superbly accomplished début.

Reservoir 13

by Jon McGregor (Fourth Estate)

Another book I bought as a treat – and I knew nothing about the author or the premise of the book which, it transpired, is how the disappearance of a teenage girl on holiday in the area affects that community over a number of years. Each chapter begins with New Years Eve and the celebrations – or lack of them. Each year the inhabitants of the small village reveal a little more of their lives and how they have been changed. I found the writing spellbinding, reminiscent of Dylan Thomas.

Her Secret

by Kelly Florentia (Urbane Publications)

Although this is the sequel to No Way Back, which I haven’t read, I felt it read well as a standalone and there is plenty of backstory interwoven into the narrative to inform the reader. The protagonist, Audrey Fox, is newly married and enjoying life until she is told a secret that has enormous repercussions on her life and marriage. Lies are revealed and lives are shattered. Not my usual genre but perfect if you prefer mature (in age) heroines.

Whistle in the Wind

by Emma Healey (Viking Books)

Initially I found Emma Healey’s second novel difficult to get in to – it was a slow start for me. It deals with the disappearance then reappearance of a teenage girl on a painting holiday with her mother. Lana, aged 15, has been severely depressed and her mother, Jen, is at her wits end but determined to do or try anything to find out what happened to her daughter during the days she was missing. Lana gives up on school, her friends and sleeps with her light on. I didn’t particularly empathise with the mother whose actions and reactions irritated me at times. By far the most sympathetic character is the father. However it was the quality of the writing which kept me reading – and (no spoilers) the climax of the novel makes it all worthwhile.

Wayland’s Revenge

by Lesley Lodge (Matador)

Historical fiction isn’t my usual read and I wasn’t sure what to expect with Wayland’s Revenge. However, I needn’t have worried as after the first chapter or so I was totally engrossed. The narrative is fast moving and the characters sympathetically portrayed especially the bereaved Wayland and his traumatised son. Teaming up with his friend, Alun, a Welsh Baker, Wayland and his son set off on a quest to find his dead wife’s murderer only to end up trapped in the Siege of Colchester where their own lives are threatened.

The Kindness of Strangers

by Julie Newman (Urbane Publications)

If you look at the front cover of this book, you’ll see I rather enjoyed it! “An intricate portrayal of love and loss, redemption and revenge which will stay with you long after the final page.” This is another book for those who like characters who are mature and come from a variety of backgrounds. Be prepared for a narrative that will shock and surprise you.

 

Come And Find Me by Sarah Hilary

There are very few certainties in life, but one, for me, is opening a new Marnie Rome novel by Sarah Hilary and knowing that I am in for a literary treat.

Come And Find Me begins with a brutal prison riot in which a prisoner escapes and others lie injured in hospital, two in the mortuary. The thoughts of one of these, written in the first person, are interspersed throughout the investigation in which DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake are trying to find Michael Vokey, the dangerous and manipulative escaped prisoner who may try and contact the two women who have been writing to him in prison… Or the young single mother who survived his last attack.

The investigation is complicated by the fact that Marnie’s adopted brother who had murdered her parents is one of the injured in hospital and Noah’s parents are not talking to him as their younger Sol is on remand. Noah had arrested and charged him for importing class C drugs. But prison was the last place he needed to be. The back stories of Marnie and Noah are expertly interwoven into the narrative which is fast paced with many heart-in-mouth moments.

As usual Sarah Hilary writes with precision and emotional intelligence. No word is superfluous. The characterisation and plotting are faultless. The narrative totally compelling.

Come And Find Me is the fifth in Sarah Hilary’s police procedurals set in London. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, I’d recommend starting with the first book, Someone Else’s Skin and progress through this fascinating and absorbing series.

I received an advance reading copy from the publisher.

Published by Headline, the hardback and Kindle editions are released on 22 March, paperback 4 October, 2018.

Devil’s Dice by Roz Watkins

Devil’s Dice by Roz Watkins is a great début novel with an interesting protagonist who doesn’t always follow the rules. Initially, it was a bit of a slow burner for me. The first couple of chapters didn’t grip me. But that might just have been my mood as  a few more chapters in and I was totally engrossed by the plot and characters…

Detective Inspector Meg Dalton has returned to her home ground in the Peak District and has something to prove to her colleagues but most of all to herself. When a man’s body is found in a cave – a well-known suicide spot – the facts don’t add up. And local people talk of a curse connected to the dead man’s house while secrets abound within his family and circle of close friends.

To add to her problems, Meg is worried about her mother and  grandmother and struggles not to let the personal impose on the professional. I love the way Roz Watkins interweaves hints of the tragedy within Meg’s own family with that of the case she’s investigating.

The way Ms Watkins handles her characters and their dilemmas is impressive. This is her first novel and it is executed with assurance and confidence, creating a powerful sense of foreboding – and supernatural – within the setting. The action (after those first few chapters) is fast paced and unrelenting as more than once Meg has to fight for her life as she strives to save others.

Devil’s Dice is a  really good police procedural with pitch perfect plotting that includes a dash of the supernatural. Highly recommended and I look forward to reading more from Roz Watkins.

Published by HQ in hardback and ebook, paperback due 6 September, 2018.

 

 

Standstill by J.A. Marley (Bloodhound Books)

It is always with some trepidation that I open a book by someone I know and like.  More usually with a début (but not always) I’m terrified that I won’t enjoy it, worried that it’s mediocre or I won’t be interested by the plot or feeling murderous that it is so good!

Standstill fits into the last category. The narrative grabs you from the opening paragraph and doesn’t let you go until its – literally – explosive dénouement.

I always try to avoid synopses in reviews and hate spoilers so suffice it to say that if you enjoy action-packed, hard-hitting crime fiction, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with Standstill.

Set in London the action revolves around Flying Squad officer Chance who is grappling with the heartbreaking situation of watching her young daughter dying of cancer; Harkness one of the nastiest characters you’d never want to cross; and Danny the engaging and accomplished thief who finds himself caught up in a scam that will take every ounce of his ingenuity to escape. Other characters are well drawn and complement the action.

Standstill is perfectly plotted throughout the narrative aided by dialogue, which is realistic and never superfluous. There is no spare fat in this novel.

J.A. Marley has produced an excellent opener for what I hope with be the first in a long series.

Highly recommended.

Sealskin by Su Bristow

Having read Sealskin, I can only describe the experience as what I imagine it would be like to be a selkie slipping back into my seal skin – the feeling of coming home, warmth and unbounded joy in a narrative that is perfectly constructed and beautifully written.

From the opening words until the end, Su Bristow engages and enthrals the reader and takes us on a journey of discovery and transformation on so many levels. The protagonist, Donald, has felt himself to be an outsider all of his life. His mother, Bridie, came to the small Scottish community on her marriage and was, at first, distrusted but was able to integrate herself by caring for the sick and being a midwife to the women. She stayed on after her husband was lost at sea and brought her son up on her own.

Donald has remained on the peripheries of this society. Bullied at school and later by workmates he keeps himself to himself until one evening he commits an act, which changes the whole course of his life. His subsequent marriage to Mairhi and the birth of his son help assimilate him into the community in ways he would never have envisaged. Su Bristow charts this transformation with delicacy and insight.

In Sealskin relationships are explored with perceptiveness and the evocation of the small Scottish fishing community with its diverse characters from wise women to drunken men who treat their wives badly while others look on. The children’s personalities are equally well developed. By the end of the book each character is seen in a different light.

Few authors attain these heights of sincerity, artistic authenticity and give readers such a warm glow.

Cannot recommend highly enough.

Published by Orenda Books who gave me a copy of the book, Sealskin is available from Amazon and bookshops.

Follow Su Bristow on Twitter @SuBristow

Quieter Than Killing by Sarah Hilary

I have been a fan of Sarah Hilary’s Marnie Rose crime series since the DI’s first outing in Someone Else’s Skin which won the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year 2015. With each new book Ms Hilary’s writing has become more confident and assured. Quieter Than Killing continues this impressive trend.

This is police procedural crime writing at its best with great, credible characters portrayed in a sensitive and intelligent manner. The private lives of Marnie and her sidekick the wonderful Noah are drip-fed into the narrative keeping readers on their toes as they progress through the series.

A continuing thread throughout all the novels is the brutal murder of Rose’s parents by Stephen, the then fourteen-year-old boy they had been fostering for several years. The teenager is now a young man who has been moved to an adult prison. He is a tangle of thorns in her flesh which she must unravel.

During her current investigation into a series of vicious assaults thought to be carried out by vigilantes, Marnie is drawn into another enquiry when the tenants of the house she inherited from her parents and now lets out, become victims of what seems a random and senseless attack. Except there is nothing random about it at all and Marnie is convinced Stephen is the key which links back to her own investigation.

Quieter than Killing reads well as a standalone novel but why would you deny yourself the pleasure of reading the first three books in the series?

Someone Else’s Skin, No Other Darkness and Tastes Like Fear  are all published by Headline and are available from Amazon.

I received a review copy of this book.

You can pre-order the hardback or kindle version of Quieter Than Killing which will be published on 9 March, 2017.

 

An Honest Man by Simon Michael

Being published by Urbane Publications has introduced me to many new authors. One such is Simon Michael, a former barrister, who uses his past experiences to bring a unique legal perspective to his crime thriller series set in London during the 60s which began with The Brief.

As much as I enjoyed the first in the Charles Holborne series, the second book, An Honest Man really hit all the high spots for me.

Following his escape from the hangman’s noose in The Brief – proving that hewas framed and did not murder his wife  – the criminal barrister is very much down on his luck. Bankruptcy threatens then an unexpected brief lands on his desk – the answer to all his prayers. Or is it?

As a Jewish man from the East End, Holborne has never really fitted in. He is an outsider whom very few in the legal profession trust. But can he have any confidence in the people around him especially when some of them have connections with the notorious Kray brothers?

This is a great legal thriller with lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing right up to the dramatic end but what makes it outstanding is its authenticity and excellent writing.

Follow Simon Michael on Twitter @SimonMichaelUK and check out his website.