There's nothing like a holiday to help you make a dent in the reading pile. Thanks to 2 weeks of sunshine I was able to catch up a little with reviews and some of the older books I wanted to read.
The month began with the fabulous All Of Us Are Broken by Fiona Cummins. The story of a family coming to terms with loss on a collision course with a couple who are seeking infamy. The constant switching between the two groups really shows the brutality of the events and the choices to be made. This is definitely up there as one of the best books I've read this year.
Another superb book this month was None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell. Imagine those true crime documentaries that you binge watch on Netflix transferred to a novel. We get the story of Josie, stuck in a rut and envious of Alix who happens to have the same birthday. Alix is a podcaster and listens to Josie's disturbing life story. We end up with a tale of obsession featuring an expert manipulator so that you are never sure what is true and what is a lie.
My continuation with working through a couple of established series saw me reach Perfect Death by Helen Fields. I really am desperate to reach the conclusion of this series before a new book is announced. This time around Callanach and Turner are dealing with a serial killer who feeds off the grief of those closest to his victims. Alongside this is the suicide of the teams ex-boss, a suicide they are convinced is very out of character.
Another book from a back catalogue is The Last Girl by Jane Casey. DC Maeve Kerrigan is faced with a double murder and the husband and father, barrister Philip Kennford, could be the murderer or he could be the target. Things are not made any easier when Kennford refuses to cooperate with the investigation. This is very much a police procedural.
Back in march I reviewed The Last Passenger from Will Dean. I was blown away by this surreal story so added the authors back catalogue to my TBR pile. Not really sure why I picked The Last Thing To Burn as my next novel from Will Dean but I certainly wasn't disappointed. Shocking, intense, horrific and disturbing. This shows how cruel humans can be but also the strength of the human spirit to survive.
David Jackson takes a simple premise, carrying out a good deed for a stranger, and turns it into a living nightmare in One Good Deed. I've read a couple of the author's earlier books but feel this is in a completely different league, one of those books you cannot put down. It's creepy, shocking and adrenaline fuelled.
When I read Dark Objects by Simon Toyne a year ago I really enjoyed the pairing of Dr Laughton Rees and DCI Tannahill Kahn. I was over the moon when the author confirmed on Twitter that there would be a sequel. The Clearing is that sequel and is a seriously creepy and sinister story about women going missing from a small community. The book leaves you with an unsettling sense that you are being watched by someone just out of sight.
I'm a big fan of the Skelf series by Doug Johnstone but for some reason was a little apprehensive about his latest novel, The Space Between Us. I needn't have been, this was a read full of joy that reminded us about what humanity truly is. The usual humour that you would expect is there, along with a tour of Scotland. After a while you completely forget that this is about an alien visiting earth.
Author Laure Van Rensburg is a master in keeping the reader unsettled by using a constantly switching narrative. She uses this technique to full effect in The Good Daughter. A murder mystery centred around a conservative church group with extreme views. Unfortunately my full review of this won't be available on the blog until nearer the publication date at the publishers request.
Another book that I will be revealing a longer review of nearer the publication day is A Game Of Lies by Clare Mackintosh. DC Ffion Morgan and DS Leo Brady are reunited when a contestant on a reality TV show disappears in the Welsh mountains. Likeable characters, and one morally repugnant one, a great plot and humour abound in this twisty thriller.
I listened to two audiobooks, starting with Arthur And Teddy Are Coming Out by Ryan Love. The story of an elderly man, Arthur, finally feeling brave enough to announce to the world that he is gay, despite having been married for 50 years. Spurred on by this his grandson was able to reveal his sexuality. I enjoyed the story of Arthur much more than the story of Teddy but was saddened that society seems to have changed little over the past 50 years.
The second audiobook was Holy Island, the first in the DCI Ryan series by LJ Ross. This series has been on my radar for quite a while, particularly because it's set in the north. I loved the setting and the premise of the story but found it rather cliched. The stories may work better for readers rather than listeners, not sure I'm going to bother finding out.
Publication dates to watch out for:
One Good Deed by David Jackson will be published on 6/7/23 in paperback and ebook format.
All Of Us Are Broken by Fiona Cummins will be published on 20/7/23 in hardback, ebook and audio format.
None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell will be published on 20/7/23 in hardback, ebook and audio format.
The Clearing by Simon Toyne will be published on 20/7/23 in hardback, ebook and audio format.
A Game Of Lies by Clare Mackintosh will be published on 20/7/23 in hardback, ebook and audio format.
The Good Daughter by Laure Van Rensburg will be published on 3/8/23 in hardback, ebook and audio format.
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