June 2024 Reads

June was another bumper month for books, although my holiday in May has resulted in me getting out of the habit of listening to audiobooks, a habit I’m working on getting back into. I was over the moon when I got a review copy of Steve Cavanagh’s latest instalment in the Eddie Flynn series. There’s a brief synopsis below, full review will be posted shortly, and fans will not be disappointed.

The Wilds by Sarah Pearse is a slow burner. As with the author’s previous novels the setting is atmospheric, becoming a character in itself. DS Elin Warner is on holiday in Portugal with her brother when she begins to investigate a missing persons case. There are links to an encampment in the forest they are staying in, along with connections closer to home.

Thanks to Twitter I stumbled across  No Life For A Lady by Hannah Dolby. Filled with wry humour this is the tale of an elderly spinster, twenty-eight-year-old Violet Hamilton, who defies Victorian convention in her quest to discover what happened to her mother who went missing ten years ago. There are lots of cryptic references to sex and scandals which are extremely tame by modern standards. I loved the character of Violet and her refusal to conform. It won’t be long before I dive into the sequel.

Having read two previous novels by author C. M. Ewan I knew that One Wrong Turn would be full of twists and turns. A young couple, returning home late at night along foggy deserted country roads stop, against their better judgment, to help a couple and their baby who’ve broken down. As you would expect, not everything is as it seems and a nightmare journey ensues, for both couples.

Book 3 in the Slough House series, Real Tigers from Mick Herron sees the slow horses having to break into an MI5 storage facility in order to save one of their own. Things aren’t straight forward as everything is a power-play and the only people who can be trusted are the slow horses themselves. Jackson Lamb is as obnoxious as ever.

Look In The Mirror by Catherine Steadman is a psychological thriller that will make you hesitate the next time you stay in a holiday property. Nina is surprised to discover her father has left her a Caribbean villa in his will, a villa she knew nothing about. Seeking answers to why her father kept the property a secret she decides to visit and begins a nightmare journey.

A break from thrillers came in the form of Funny Story by Emily Henry, another of those books that I had to check out as it garnered quite a buzz on Twitter. When their partners dump them Daphne and Miles end up flat sharing. Daphne is counting down the days until she can quit her job and leave Waning Bay. Miles is determined to show Daphne that the town has more to offer than a broken heart. Yes, the ending is obvious but I so enjoyed the emotional journey.

Back with thrillers for my next read, I Will Ruin You by Linwood Barclay. High school teacher Richard Boyle prevents a tragedy from happening at school. When he appears on a local news bulletin an ex-student decides to blackmail him, despite his protestations that he’s innocent. Knowing that “mud sticks” Boyle decides to pay his blackmailer but ends up in a nightmare he can’t find a way out of.

I was so excited when I got a review copy of Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh, book 8 in the fantastic Eddie Flynn series. Eddie’s client is accused of murdering a wealthy neighbour. Adamant he’s innocent despite the murder weapon, with his DNA on it, being found in his home. The family’s part-time nanny knows more than she’s letting on. As all of this is happening an organised crime gang has taken out a contract on Eddie. Will he be victorious against unbeatable odds?

The quirky title and cover drew me to Eddie Winston Is Looking For Love by Marianne Cronin and I fell in love with Eddie. A sprightly ninety-year-old who’s never been kissed forms an unlikely friendship with a grieving young woman. Setting out, via online dating, to find romance we discover that Eddie is a gentle and optimistic non-conformist who always looks for the positive. There was laughter and tears as I read.

I finished off the month with The Riviera House Swap by Gillian Harvey, a competition win. Recently divorced Nina turns forty and regrets “the one that got away”, Pierre, a French exchange student when she was seventeen. She sets off to find out if Pierre remembers her and if the romance has survived the test of time. An easy, and predictable read, that will make you fall in love with the region.

Only one audiobook this month, I seem to have gotten out of the habit of listening. In an effort to get back into audiobooks, I opted for The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary, an author whose previous books I enjoyed listening to. I didn’t feel this story was as strong as the previous two. Ex’s Dylan and Addie are forced, along with three other adults to share a mini from Chichester to Scotland. Various mishaps along the way interrupt the story of how the couple fell in, and out of, love.

Publication dates to watch out for are:-

The Wilds by Sarah Pearse will be published 16/7/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

One Wrong Turn by C. M. Ewan will be published 18/7/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

Look In The Mirror by Catherine Steadman will be published 30/7/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

I Will Ruin You by Linwood Barclay will be published 1/8/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh will be published on 1/8/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

Eddie Winston Is Looking For Love by Marianne Cronin will be published on 15/8/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.