April 2023 Reads

 

April started so well, I really felt as if my reading mojo had returned. Unfortunately this also coincided with some building work at home which seems to have taken over every room in the house and I've had three bouts of illness. On their own they were minor but all at once has left me drained and I'm still not 100%. As a result my reading has really suffered. Thankfully I did finish a couple of audiobooks and have almost finished a third one.

The month began with the latest book in the Nosey Parker series from Fiona Leitch. The series falls into the cozy crime genre thanks to an eccentric cast of characters and a lead who has given up working for the Met Police to become a caterer in Cornwall. However, Jane 'Nosey' Parker keeps stumbling into mysteries. In A Cornish Seaside Murder the focus is all on police work as Jane begins her role as an auxiliary police officer investigating a murder which seems to be linked to a local legend about Sirens luring fishermen to their death. I did miss the humour that comes from the supporting characters in the series but there are enough twists in the story to keep you guessing.

Stepping away from crime my next read was The Invisible Women's Club by Helen Paris. This features an elderly woman who is determined to fight bureaucracy to save her beloved allotments. By the end of the first chapter I really wasn't sure this book was for me. I thought the language, content and style was a little "stuffy" but I am so glad I persevered. That opening chapter gives us an insight into the main character, Janet. Intelligent, aloof, prickly and lonely. Janet is full of good intentions but really struggles to connect with people. Janet's neighbour, Bev, is the complete opposite and she forces herself into Janet's mission to save the allotments. By the end I was cheering the pair on. This is a book that will resonate with many women. This isn't simply a book about a lonely old woman, it's about the way in which women become sidelined and dismissed as they age. 

Back to thrillers with The Trial by Rob Rinder. I'm not really sure why I requested this book from NetGalley. I'm aware of Rob Rinder as a TV personality but couldn't really tell you much about him. Initially I thought this was going to be another cozy crime novel, however I was pleasantly surprised by this well plotted legal thriller that shows trial proceedings from the point of view of a trainee barrister. Adam Green is on a mission to find evidence to prove his client is innocent, even though his client seems reluctant to help. Adam's mentor is lazy and pompous, you really do begin to loath him the more you read. As Adam investigates you begin to question who are the criminals and who are the law abiding citizens.

Last book of the month was Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena. When a young girl goes missing from a small community almost everyone becomes a suspect. I loved the way in which everyone had secrets. Suspicion fell on different members of the community at various times, usually as a result of malicious gossip. You then begin to ask yourself if the people behind the gossip are trying to deflect attention from their own secrets. You have a sense of voyeurism as you learn little snippets about each persons life. Unfortunately I couldn't get behind the twist that happened about halfway through the novel.

I really enjoyed the two audiobooks I listened to this month. Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice For Murderers by Jesse Sutanto works perfectly in audio format. When a body is found in Vera Wong's tea house she decides that the police are incompetent and turns her hand at investigating. The family and friends of the murder victim find it difficult to say no to Vera as she insinuates herself into their lives. As you are drawn into the story you learn what a formidable character Vera is and that the friends and family are all suspects in the murder.

Something New At The Borrow A Bookshop from Kiley Dunbar sees a return to the holiday rental bookshop at Clove Lore. This is everything you want from gentle romantic fiction. A beautiful location that is familiar (thanks to the first two books in the series), a heroine who is hiding from her past, a hero who respects the heroine's personal space and feelings, and a host of eccentric characters determined to meddle. You know exactly where the story-line is going but that is part of the joy, seeing what the meandering route will be.

Publication dates to watch out for are:-

A Cornish Seaside Murder by Fiona Leitch will be published on 8th June 2023 in ebook format and on 31st August 2023 in paperback.

The Invisible Women's Club by Helen Paris will be published on 22nd June 2023 in hardback and ebook format.

The Trial by Rob Rinder will be published on 22nd June 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena will be published on 6th July 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format.