How To Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson

 

Britain's most prolific uncaught serial killer has written a "How To" guide for aspiring murderers, and the country is obsessed with it. When a young girl is murdered, everyone assumes Denver Brady has struck again.

Author Rebecca Philipson has written a unique take on the serial killer thriller with her debut novel, How To Get Away With Murder. Someone claiming to be a serial killer who has operated undetected for years has written a guide for would-be murderers to help them carry out their dastardly deed and avoid being caught. The chapters written by the killer, Denver Brady, are alternated with a real-life murder case, one that everyone is convinced should be attributed to Brady.

Involved in the real-life murder investigation is DI Sam Hansen, a police officer struggling to return to work after an incident. Sam is a sympathetic character; in a male-dominated profession, she doesn't want to be seen as weak. She also has a gut instinct that has served her well in the past. Something about the case is niggling at Sam; she's not sure the murder can be attributed to Brady. Sam is convinced a copycat killer is at work, but no one else shares her view.

There is a lot of dark humour, particularity from Denver Brady. Early on, I was almost rooting for him. Seeing the story from two different POVs is an eye-opener though, Denver's version of a murder he carried out is a complete contrast to the actual events, and really made me change my opinion of him. The more I read, I began to wonder if Denver really was a serial killer or a fantasist.

The narrative keeps the reader on their toes. Subtle references have you wondering if they are clues to the identity of Denver, or simply the author playing with us. Thoughts were pinwheeling around my brain as I kept guessing who the murderer could be. The deeper I got into the story, the more I was expecting the rug to be pulled out from under me, or one of those "sixth sense" moments, where it's impossible to guess, but once it's revealed, everything makes sense.

A satisfying conclusion ties everything up very nicely; you really do feel that karma has been served. I'm also hoping that there is potential for more from Sam.

How To Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson will be published on 12th March 2026 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for a review copy.

Author Details

Rebecca Philipson grew up in a mining town in County Durham, where she still lives. Educated in a small convent, she set up her own business at 21 and won both the North East Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the Artemis Award for inspirational women in business. Rebecca was inspired to write How to Get Away with Murder after starting a True-Crime blog during the pandemic, and becoming fascinated by the ways in which serial killers are treated like celebrities.

In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys all things book-related, netball, travelling and spending time with friends and family.

Murder In A Cornish Teashop by Fliss Chester (Audiobook)

 

Chef Maddie Penrose is taking a break from her busy life and staying with her grandmother on her Cornish farm. While there, a tourist is killed on a neighbouring farm, was it an accident or something more sinister?

Murder In A Cornish Teashop by Fliss Chester is the first in a new cosy crime series. The author is new to me, but upon investigation she has an extensive back catalogue of period cosy crime novels. The ones set in the 1920s certainly appeal to me.

In this new series we meet Maddie Penrose, a successful chef who is burnt out. Needing a break from her life in London, she has headed to her grandmother's farm in Pendragon Creek in Cornwall. Maddie is horrified to see that her grandmother's once-booming teashop has deteriorated rapidly. It's while helping out in the teashop that the owner of a neighbouring farm rushes in to say that he's found a walker who's been killed by a falling wall.

Maddie springs into action, convinced that this was more than an accident. As she investigates, a long list of suspects emerges, and the body count begins to rise. Maddie is a likeable character, she comes across as relatable, if not a little scatty. I easily identified with Maddie as she's a list maker, although the continual referral to these lists was a little annoying. 

A long list of suspects means that it's impossible to guess who the villain is until the final revelation. The crimes outlined are entirely realistic and extremely relevant, including the theft of farm machinery and surreptitious property development. The important question is, are all of the crimes linked? I loved the minor crimes too, such as who was stealing the clotted cream.

Supporting characters help to keep your interest, and there's even a hint of romance. Maddie's grandmother, Nor, has lots of potential, as do the farm cats Crumpet and Toast. 

If you enjoy cosy crime, then this is an easy read/listen, with engaging characters and a twisty plot. I'm pleased to learn that there will be a sequel later in the year.

Murder In A Cornish Teashop by Fliss Chester will be published on 11th March 2026 in ebook and Audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a review copy.

Author Details

Fliss Chester lives in Surrey with her husband and writes historical cozy crime. When she is not killing people off in her 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband, who is a wine merchant, run their business. Never far from a decent glass of something, Fliss also loves cooking (and writing up her favourite recipes on her blog), enjoying the beautiful Surrey and West Sussex countryside and having a good natter.

The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent

 

When sixteen-year-old Ruby is involved in an incident with her sister's boyfriend, she cannot face the judgment of her local community and flees to Ireland. Over the next twenty-five years, all her life choices are dictated by that one fateful day.

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent caused a huge buzz on social media (you can read my review here). There are so many discussion points raised in the novel. I feel that The Truth About Ruby Cooper is going to do just the same. This is a novel filled with moral choices and people who avoid doing the right thing.

Ruby is a strange character. At sixteen she's desperate to grow up. She constantly compares herself to her older sister, Erin, and finds herself lacking. Ruby is from an affluent, stable, and loving home; she has everything going for her, but her jealousy drives her to a reckless action. Initially, I was filled with sympathy for Ruby; those teenage years between adulthood and childhood can be frustrating, particularly when you have an older sibling. My sympathy towards Ruby was even greater after the "incident," and I fully understood Erin's conflicting emotions.

Following the incident and its repercussions, Ruby and her mother chose to relocate to Ireland. Unfortunately, her traumatic experience, low self-esteem and jealousy set in motion a spiral of self-destruction. It is impossible not to feel compassion for Ruby until she reveals the true nature of the "incident". This is a character who is only interested in her own survival, someone who's willing to tear her family apart and destroy the lives of others, rather than face the truth.

Over the next twenty-five years, we see Ruby prioritising her own security over that of others. She is a master manipulator who will stop at nothing to protect herself. Just as you are thinking she's finally turned her life around and is putting the welfare of others before herself, she does something truly wicked.

I found Ruby impossible to like; by the conclusion, I'd lost any sympathy I had for her. The choices she made had far-reaching consequences, with some devastating outcomes. Although she was only sixteen at the beginning of the story, she continued to put self-interest at the forefront for the rest of her life; any punishment she received seems meager in comparison to the damage she caused.

The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent will be published on 12th March 2026 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a review copy.

Author Details

Before becoming a full-time writer, Liz Nugent worked in film, theatre and television. Her five novels - Unravelling Oliver, Lying in Wait, Skin Deep, Our Little Cruelties and Strange Sally Diamond - have each been Number One bestsellers and she has won five Irish Book Awards, as well as the James Joyce Medal for Literature. She lives in Dublin.

The Weekend by T. M. Logan

 

When a group of friends stumbles across a backpack hidden in a remote cave, they are faced with a dilemma. Do they do the responsible thing and hand the backpack to the police, or do they keep the contents? Their choice threatens to tear apart the close friendships and puts lives at risk.

I always know that when I pick up a book by T. M. Logan, I won't want to put it down until I've finished it, and The Weekend fits that description perfectly. It is so easy to place yourself in the position of the characters. Three middle-aged married couples, who've been friends for years, are faced with making a difficult decision when they find a backpack containing a large amount of money. Any normal person would immediately know that there's probably something illegal involved with the money and hand it over to the police. For the group of friends, it isn't quite as clear-cut as most of them have problems that could be solved by an injection of cash.

As one of the group says, "Money does strange things to people,.....it changes them", and rifts between the group start to show. When a chunk of the money disappears, accusations begin to fly, and each one wonders if they truly know the people they've associated with for years. I loved this aspect of the story, as the author doesn't make it clear who is responsible for the missing money; there are small hints, but not enough evidence to make a definitive decision.

Tension begins to build when the police turn up. This leads to a dangerous situation that causes an even greater dilemma for the friends. While I had an idea of what the twist would be, I was on the edge of my seat as revelation after revelation delivered shocks, and the final twist was an absolute delight.

The Weekend by T. M. Logan will be published on 26th February 2026 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre for a review copy.

Author Details

T.M. Logan's thrillers have sold more than three million copies in the UK and are translated into 22 other languages for publication around the world.

Tim's latest novel, THE DAUGHTER, follows the story of Lauren, who goes to pick up her daughter from university at the end of her first term - only to find the room occupied by a stranger. No-one knows her daughter’s name or recognises her picture, and it soon becomes clear she’s vanished without trace… His tenth novel, THE WEEKEND, is coming in March 2026.

THE HOLIDAY was a Richard & Judy Book Club pick and spent ten weeks in the Sunday Times paperback top ten. It has since won a Nielsen Gold Bestseller Award and been made into a four-part TV drama with Jill Halfpenny. THE CATCH was also adapted for TV, starring Jason Watkins, Poppy Gilbert, Aneurin Barnard and Cathy Belton.

Tim's other books are THE DREAM HOME, THE MOTHER, THE CURFEW, TRUST ME, LIES and 29 SECONDS.

A former national newspaper journalist, Tim lives in Nottinghamshire with his family and writes in a cabin in the corner of his garden.

#Readalong Sleep No More by Guy Hale

 

Murderer Oliver Lawrence has almost achieved his goal, to seek retribution on all those he considers responsible for the death of his father and his own failed career. With his end goal in sight, Oliver's descent into madness continues, and he begins to consider other targets outside his original remit. Can the police catch him in time?

Sleep No More by Guy Hale is the fourth and concluding book in the Shakespeare Murders series. Having read the previous three books in the series, I leapt at the chance to join the Readalong organised by Love Books Tours. If this series is new to you, I heartily recommend reading the first and third books in the series, The Croaking Raven and Put Out The Light. The second book, All Our Yesterdays, isn't essential to the plot; it simply gives a greater understanding of why Oliver Lawrence launched his murder spree.

The story opens directly following the shocking events at the end of Put Out The Light. Oliver feels triumphant, and the police are still no nearer to catching him. By this stage, the police are fairly sure who the murderer is; however, his appearance and location remain a complete mystery. You can feel the frustration of Fred and Toby; no matter what they do, they don't seem any nearer to catching the culprit.

Oliver has certainly gained a thirst for murder, as witnessed by his idea of widening his net. His friend, Felix, is even beginning to feel vulnerable. I couldn't feel any sympathy for Felix; he knew what he was getting involved with from the start. I liken him to Dr Frankenstein; he created a monster that he lost control of; he needs to deal with the repercussions of his actions.

The tone of this final book seems much darker, particularly when another character steps forward to encourage Oliver in his deadly plot. The machinations of this new character don't help you feel any more sympathetic towards Oliver, but they do divert some of your anger and horror away from him.

As with the previous book, there is a range of characters supporting Fred and Toby in their investigation. There's a bit of me who would love to see how these characters would transfer to the small screen, particularly Fred and Whomper.

The conclusion is a frantic race against time, with lives in peril from more than one direction. I did enjoy the slightly ambiguous ending and was pleased when I learned that DC Toby Marlowe and DS Fred Williams would be returning in a new story.

Sleep No More by Guy Hale is available in paperback and ebook format. My thanks to The Bullington Press and Love Books Tours for a review copy.

You can purchase copies of the book directly from the author here or from Amazon UK here.

Author Details

Guy Hale was born in Worcestershire, England. His first job was as a Professional Golfer. He also played Rugby and raced motorcycles until his mid-twenties. When this failed to kill him he started writing plays, mostly two handers which he performed in pubs and assorted venues with his mate, Andy.

A Neighbour's Guide To Murder by Louise Candlish (Audiobook)

 

When Gwen discovers that her middle-aged neighbour, Alec, is advertising for a flatmate, she's surprised, and then suspicious when she learns that all the prospective candidates are young women. She decides to take her new neighbour, Pixie, under her wing, little realising what is to follow.

I was completely drawn in by all the twists and turns of A Neighbour's Guide To Murder by Louise Candlish, thanks to the gripping prologue and the superb narration of Greta Scacchi and Kristin Atherton.

Columbia Mansions, an exclusive mansion block in London, is home to an array of interesting and affluent owners. Brilliant characterisation from the author means that the tenants are varied and distinct. The main character is Gwen, a seventy-year-old divorcee. Gwen comes across as a bit judgmental, nosy and gossipy, although she'd be adamant she's the complete opposite. Alarm bells start ringing for Gwen when she discovers that her next-door neighbour is looking for a young woman to flat share. 

The young woman concerned is Pixie, who certainly lives up to her name; she comes across as naive, scatterbrained, impractical and mischievous. When Gwen meets Pixie, she seems to be entranced by her, but as the story develops, we discover that her protectiveness is probably more to do with guilt.

When Gwen learns of the arrangement between Alec and Pixie, she becomes indignant. Pixie seems to just shrug it off, and this makes Gwen even more incensed. Determined to unmask Alec, she involves other tenants of the mansion block. It's at this point that she loses control of events, and we begin to wonder who is being truthful.

There are numerous twists and turns. There were times when I felt that I'd nailed down who the villain of the piece was, only for everything to be turned on its head. Each new disclosure in this devilishly wicked story left me gasping. Even when the story seems to reach its conclusion, revealing exactly what happened in the gripping opening, the author still manages to throw in a few more shocking twists.

Author Details

Louise lives in a South London neighbourhood not unlike the one in my books, with her husband, daughter and a fox-red Labrador called Bertie. Books, TV and long walks are her passions - and drinking wine in the sun with family and friends.

She recently celebrated her 20th anniversary as an author with the news of two prestigious awards for her 90s-set thriller THE ONLY SUSPECT: the Capital Crime Fingerprint Award for Thriller of the Year and the Ned Kelly Award for Best International Crime Fiction.

OUR HOUSE is the novel many know her for, as it's now a major four-part ITV drama starring Martin Compston and Tuppence Middleton (watch the full series free on ITVX). This is the novel that turned her career around, winning the 2019 British Book Awards Book of the Year - Crime & Thriller and shortlisted for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award, the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Best Crime Novel of the Year Award​, and the Audible Sounds of Crime Award. It was also longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award and the Specsavers National Book Awards. A Waterstones Thriller of the Month, it recently received a Nielsen Bestseller Silver Award for 250,000 copies sold.

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

 

Cora, a young slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia, knows she faces a bleak future. Given the chance to escape, she's initially reluctant, but a shocking event eventually spurs her on, and we follow her as she uses the underground railroad to escape her owner and evade slave-catchers.

One of the good things about being part of a book group is that you are occasionally forced to read out of your comfort zone. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead is certainly well outside my usual genre. It took me a couple of pages to get used to the author's writing style, but once I'd settled down, I found the story very accessible and engrossing.

I vividly remember watching the TV mini-series Roots as a teen (it's shocking to consider this was almost fifty years ago) and being appalled by the treatment of slaves. As a result, the description of the treatment of the slaves wasn't anything I didn't already know. What I did find different was the story being told from the perspective of a teenage girl. In Cora's words, "Know your value and you know your place in the order", as a young, orphaned, female slave, she is well aware that her value is low. Treatment of slaves by owners and overseers was brutal, with horrific punishments for wrongdoings. Cora faced all of these alongside abuse from other slaves.

Despite the story being set over a hundred and fifty years ago, and the book being written ten years ago, I found lots of parallels with what is happening in America today: the description of the patrollers as "attracting a type....in another country they would have been criminals",  and how the patrollers would break into homes and places of work to kidnap slaves who thought they were free. Hypocrisy resonates throughout the story. The Declaration of Independence, claiming that "all men are equal," didn't apply to slaves. In fact, the only time that this was true was when body snatchers provided cadavers to students; under a scalpel, all bodies are the same.

Those helping slaves escape frequently risked their own lives. Abolitionists were fervent in their desire to put an end to slavery. Unfortunately, the message the general public received wasn't always accurate. The scenes in a museum where Cora has to participate in various tableaus of the life of a slave are extremely sanitised and laughable by modern standards. To the public, the life of a slave would not seem particularly extreme.

The cat-and-mouse game that plays out between Cora and the slave-catcher, Ridgeway, adds an extra layer to the story. While Cora's capture and return to her owner has a monetary value, Ridgeway's desire to catch her becomes an obsession. The time and effort expended far outweigh any payment he will receive. We see an example of this when a captured slave is killed simply because it doesn't make financial sense to return him. It is this preoccupation that leads to the horrifying and shameful conclusion, highlighting that even people who were born free or became free men were still considered to be worthless by slave catchers. 

**As I'm writing this, I've discovered that there is a mini-series based on the book. I'll certainly be checking it out.**

Author Details

Colson Whitehead is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eleven works of fiction and nonfiction, and is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, for The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad, which also won the National Book Award. A recipient of MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, he lives in New York City.