February 2026 Reads

 

What a dismal month February was! The running joke that January seems to be never-ending seems to have continued as February seems to have merged with January. On the positive side, all this poor weather has meant no excuse has been needed to stay indoors and read.

My month began with The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead for my book group. I was apprehensive about reading this, but once I got going, I really enjoyed this tale of a young woman and her escape from slavery. Brutal and horrific at times, but lots of parallels with what is happening in the world today.

The Weekend is the latest thriller from T. M. Logan. The author always guarantees plenty of suspense, and his latest offering is no different. A group of friends finds a large amount of money. Deciding to keep the money, they find themselves in serious trouble when the people the money belongs to decide they want it back. Moral dilemmas, secrets and twists keep the pace moving.

The Truth About Ruby Cooper from Liz Nugent is sure to cause lots of discussion. The lead character, Ruby, is so divisive. Following an incident with her older sister’s boyfriend, she leaves America and settles in Ireland. Over the next twenty-five years, her past choices and her current actions are not only self-destructive but also cause damage to those around her. Just when you think she’s turned a corner and you begin to have some sympathy for her, Ruby reverts to type and shows her true nature.

How To Get Away With Murder is the debut novel from Rebecca Philipson and is superb. There are two interlinked stories: the murder of a teenage girl and a “How To” book by a self-confessed serial killer. As DI Sam Hansen tries to track down Denver Brady, the book’s author, the rest of the country is convinced he was responsible for the girl’s murder. Sam has her doubts, but she seems to be the only person who does. There’s plenty of humour, twists, and that unsettling feeling that you’re being manipulated as you read.

I always love catching up with the Max Craigie series by Neil Lancaster, and The Dark Heart, book 7 in the series, is just as good as the previous ones. Max has to go undercover to gather information from an organised crime gang with far-right views who are intent on destabilising the country. There were times when I really did fear for Max.

The Memory Bookshop by Song Yu-jeong was a complete change of pace for me. A story of coping with grief and the all-encompassing power of love, set in a magical bookshop that allows you to travel back to earlier times in your life.

Light relief this month was provided by The Lottery Winner Widows Club by Elly Vine. I actually combined reading this along with listening to the audiobook. Paula wins big on the lottery at the same time her husband dies in an accident abroad. Struggling to come to terms with the momentous changes in her life, she’s befriended by two other lottery winners who also happen to have been widowed shortly after their big wins. This was great fun, although it does have a serious element, filled with brilliant characters.

The month was rounded off with my book group read, The Late Greats by Nick Quantrill. Private investigator Joe Geraghty is employed to look after members of a Hull band that is reforming years after an acrimonious split. When the frontman disappears, Joe goes looking and finds lots of unpleasantness.

My first audiobook of the month was A Neighbour’s Guide To Murder by Louise Candlish. This was a deliciously wicked story. Elderly Gwen lives in an affluent mansion block and takes an interest in her neighbour’s new flatmate, Pixie. When she learns about the “arrangement” between Pixie and her landlord, she’s shocked. I loved the way the story developed. I was never quite sure about what was true and what was manipulation.

Murder In A Cornish Teashop by Fliss Chester was my second audiobook of the month. This is a cosy crime novel set in a small community in Cornwall. Maddie Penrose is helping her grandmother run the teashop attached to her farm when she becomes involved in the death of a tourist. The more Maddie investigates, the longer the list of crimes and suspects becomes. Engaging characters and a twisty plot keep you listening.

Publication dates to look for:-

Murder In a Cornish Teashop by Fliss Chester will be published on 11/3/26 in ebook and audio format.

The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent will be published on 12/3/26 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

How To Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson will be published on 12/3/26 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

The Dark Heart by Neil Lancaster will be published 12/3/26 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

The Memory Bookshop by Song Yu-jeong will be published 12/3/26 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

The Lottery Winner Widows Club by Elly Vine will be published 26/3/26 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

The Lottery Winner Widows Club by Elly Vine (Read/Listen)

 

Fate seems to be playing tricks on Paula. At the same time, she learns that her husband has died in a terrible accident abroad, she also discovers that she's won millions on the lottery. Both events leave Paula feeling numb; luckily, some like-minded people are there to help her come to terms with the events.

Somehow, I managed to get access to the ebook and the audiobook of  The Lottery Winner Widows Club by Elly Vine. While I'm a huge fan of both formats, I always have different books on the go. Having access to two versions of the same book gave me the opportunity to experiment with how I read/listened to the book. I'll review the book first. If you want to know the outcome of my little experiment, please check the end of the post.

Review

I thoroughly enjoyed this comedy crime caper; it is pure escapism. Paula is overwhelmed by the two pieces of news she receives; things are made doubly difficult as her husband, John, is the one who made all the decisions. Thankfully, another lottery winner, Teddy, seeks her out and takes her under her wing. Through the glamorous Teddy, she is also introduced to another lottery winner, Audrey, and both admit to killing their abusive husbands after winning big. They are both convinced that Paula is responsible for John's death.

The longer Paula is with Teddy and Audrey, the more she comes out of her shell. It was lovely to see the personal growth Paula goes through, although there are still lots of times when she hesitates over making decisions. She's particularly reluctant to stand up to her grown-up children. 

Taking a fourth lottery-winning female under their wing, the group decides that they are going to put their particular skills to use and free women from abusive relationships by murdering the men responsible. This leads to some hilarious situations. I found myself giggling at times over the antics of the trio. Brilliant narration by Virginia Grainger really helps you to differentiate between the characters.

There is a serious side to the story, with some alarming statistics shared with the reader. Unfortunately, the group of women proves to be poor at murder, but they are still able to ensure that fate comes calling for some of the despicable men in the story.

The Lottery Winner Widows Club by Elly Vine will be published on the 26th March 2026 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Headline for a review copy.

Experiment

Having access to both the ebook and the audiobook, I decided to try three things

1. Reading the ebook

2. Listening to the audiobook

3. Reading along to the audiobook

I thoroughly enjoyed jumping between the ebook and the audiobook. I tend to listen to audiobooks in the morning while doing housework or a jigsaw puzzle. Reading is for afternoons and evenings. By alternating between the two formats, the pace of the story never let up. I did find that I had to increase the speed of the audiobook though, the default speed was too slow. I normally listen at x1.25 speed.

Reading along to the audiobook was less successful. I had to increase the speed to x1.5, and even then, I had to slow my reading speed a little to match the audio. I felt that by trying to match my reading speed to the narration, I wasn't fully taking in either format. While I think this is an ideal way to encourage struggling readers, it's not for me.

Alternating between reading and listening is definitely something I'll do in the future. I loved the fact that I didn't have to stop reading because my hands were busy.

Author Details

Elly Vine is the pseudonym of bestselling author, Lucy Vine. Lucy Vine is the author of novels Hot Mess, What Fresh Hell, Are We Nearly There Yet?, Bad Choices, Seven Exes, Date with Destiny and Book Boyfriend. Her eighth novel is Good For You. Her books have been published in seventeen territories, with Hot Mess optioned for a TV series in America. In a previous life, Lucy was a journalist, writing for publications including Grazia, Stylist, Heat, Fabulous, Marie Claire, Sugar and Cosmopolitan.

The Memory Bookshop by Song Yu-jeong

 

Jiwon is still struggling to come to terms with her mother's death after seven years. Riddled with anxiety and insomnia, she is barely functioning. Late one night, she stumbles across the mysterious Memory Bookshop, where she is offered a chance to revisit the past.

Having read We'll Prescribe You A Cat by Syou Ishida (you can find my review here) and its sequel, We'll Prescribe You Another Cat (review here), I was keen to read more East Asian literature. The Memory Bookshop by Song Yu-jeong, about a bookshop that exists outside of time and space, sounded perfect.

This was a quick and easy read, with a bittersweet conclusion. Jiwon has never come to terms with her mother's death, even blaming herself for the myriad of health problems her mother suffered. Her ever-present insomnia has her wandering the streets one rainy evening, when she discovers the strange bookshop. Intrigued, she wanders in and is offered the chance to swap the remaining time she has left to live for the chance to revisit up to three periods in her past. Jiwon hopes that by going back in time, she can prevent her mother from becoming ill.

Jiwon's trips into the past serve as a reminder of the relationship she had with her mother. This story serves as a sign not to take those relationships for granted, to appreciate time spent together. We are also reminded that our memories encompass so many different senses, and experiences, and that time can warp them.

I found the book quite emotional; some of the elements certainly resonated with me. I also liked the magical element of the story, but if you are looking for a whimsical aspect similar to the We'll Prescribe You A Cat books, then this isn't for you.

The Memory Bookshop by Song Yu-jeong will be published on the 12th March 2026 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Fiction for a review copy.

The Dark Heart by Neil Lancaster

 

A far-right extremist group is trying to sow division, hoping to destabilise the country. When an informant is brutally murdered, Max Craigie and the rest of the team are tasked with investigating a possible leak among the police or the security service.

The Dark Heart by Neil Lancaster is the seventh book in the Max Craigie series (if you want to know about the rest of the series, you can find reviews for all of the books on my blog). This time around, the author has tapped into something that is extremely relevant today, the rise of extremist groups.

Things are going well for Max; life is ticking along nicely, allowing him to spend quality time with his wife and daughter. Everything changes when an old contact of Barney's from his days working with MI5 reaches out to ask for help. A drug dealer turned informant has been murdered, and there is a possibility that someone is leaking information to an organised crime gang.

The scenes of contentment lull the reader into a false sense of security; we're not used to seeing Max so relaxed. Once the action begins, however, everything is at a blistering pace, and the tension is palpable. Max has to go undercover, and as a result, there isn't the usual amount of interaction between him and Janie, but we do get to meet a new character who has ambitions of joining the team.

Danger is never far away, and Max has to react quickly; thankfully, his past experience of undercover operations with the Met has equipped him for situations like this. Unfortunately, one situation doesn't go as planned, with devastating consequences, leaving Max to face his demons. I did seriously wonder if this was going to be the end of the series.

Neil Lancaster has used his extensive background to shine a light on current events. He has highlighted the way that Russian assets are using home-grown organised crime gangs to promote extremist views with the aim of destabilising the country. Shockingly, this means that Russia is not directly connected with what is happening, and the crime gangs are financing operations themselves. Another point the author makes is how the country treats veterans. Soldiers who are trained, sometimes to be killers, and are used to rules and regimentation, are abandoned when they leave the military. Skills are wasted, self-worth plummets, and how do these highly trained individuals get the adrenaline buzz they are used to?

The reader is kept guessing as to the identity of the leak. There is a clever cat-and-mouse game to lure out the person responsible for passing on sensitive information. It was lovely to see much of the action taking place in the north-east, my hometown even gets a brief mention. There is a sense of disbelief at the end, when it looks as if some of the individuals involved will escape retribution; however, karma is never far away.

The Dark Heart by Neil Lancaster will be published on 12th March 2026 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for a review copy.

Author Details

Neil Lancaster is the No. 1 digital bestselling author of both the Tom Novak and Max Craigie series. His first Craigie novel, Dead Man’s Grave, was longlisted for the 2021 McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year. The second Craigie novel, The Blood Tide, topped several ebook and audio charts. It was also longlisted for the 2022 McIlvanney Prize and shortlisted for Best New Series at the Dead Good Reader Awards.

Neil’s authentic crime writing style stems from his police background. He served as a military policeman and worked for the Metropolitan Police as a detective, investigating serious crimes in the capital and beyond. As a covert policing specialist, he used all manner of techniques to investigate and disrupt major crime and criminals. He now lives in the Scottish Highlands, writes crime and thriller novels and works as a broadcaster and commentator on true crime documentaries. He is an expert on two Sky Crime TV series, Meet, Marry, Murder and Made for Murder.

Neil is also writing a new series under the pseudonym Max Connor. The first, No Mercy, is available now, and the follow up, No Way Out will be released in 2026.

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.