A Lady's Guide To Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin (Audiobook)

 

Following the death of her parents Kitty Talbot knows that the only way for her and her sisters to survive is if she can marry in to a fortune. With this in mind she heads off to London, with one of her sisters in tow, to find a husband. With the help of an aunt to guide her through the rules of society Kitty joins the season.

It would be extremely difficult not to listen/read this story and compare it to the likes of Jane Austen and Bridgerton. It contains all the same elements. Kitty is a feisty young woman who has little regard for the rules of high society in London, she is much more used to a quiet country life. Her outspokenness is frowned upon and at times is a barrier to some of the events.

When Kitty finds a gentleman she considers meets her requirements she goes on a charm offensive, knowing that it is important to have the mother's onside as it is the women who make the decisions as to whether individuals are a suitable match. Unfortunately the gentleman's older brother, Lord Radcliffe, does not agree with the match and puts an immediate end to the courtship.

Lord Radcliffe fits the mold of the distant, overbearing gentleman who clashes regularly with Kitty, even though we, the reader/listener, know that this is just an elaborate courting ritual and by the end of the novel they will be madly in love.

As you would expect there are lots of minor stories which pad out this tale while the major characters dance around each other. We have a dishonorable gentlemen who tries to swindle money, an elopement and an aunt with a dubious past.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this, the narrator does an excellent job and the time flew by. I felt as if I was fully ensconced in London society.

A Lady's Guide To Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin is available in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for a review copy. 

Love Untold by Ruth Jones

 

Grace Meredith is approaching her ninetieth birthday and her granddaughter, Elin, is determined to celebrate it in style by throwing a surprise party. Grace means the world to Elin as she rescued her at the age of twelve and has acted has her mother and father for over thirty years. Elin's daughter, Beca, is pretty sure Grama Grace really wouldn't appreciate a party. As her birthday approaches all Grace really wants is to be reconciled with the daughter she last saw thirty years ago, Alys.

This is a feel good story but it is tinged with sadness throughout. We learn so much about each character and what has molded them along with everything they are dealing with in life. 

Grace is a wonderful character, the type of grandmother we would all wish for. Patient, forgiving, always willing to listen. Grace is also a feisty character, refusing to give in to old age. Over time we learn that Grace was forced into a loveless marriage. Her husbands death triggers the poor relationship between her and her daughter Alys.

Elin is the head teacher of a secondary school, very organised and extremely concerned about appearances. Her marriage is in a rut but at the moment her main concerns are organising the surprise party for Grace and her daughter Beca's GCSE results.

Beca isn't academic and this is causing friction between her and her mother. Beca doesn't know what she wants to do with her life but she does know she doesn't want to go back to school. Beca loves art and music and it's her talent for music that has her forming a friendship that will build her self-esteem.

Alys is the least likeable of the four women. She's flighty and for the majority of her life has made questionable choices. Alcohol has played a major part in many of the poor decisions she has made and even though she's been sober for thirty years she still makes some dubious choices.

The vast majority of the story is set in current day, however at various points we jump back to periods in time over the past seventy years. These points give us insight into how the relationships between the four women developed. Many of these instances also allow us to see how similar the women are even though they would probably deny they are similar in any way. They are all stubborn, refuse to accept help and refuse to discuss things. There were times reading this novel that you wanted to shake some of them.

The country of Wales and it's friendly people come across really well. Throughout I could hear Ruth Jones as Nessa whenever anyone spoke.

There are redemption arcs as we reach the conclusion, some of which are left slightly vague. I'm happy with that as we know that in real life not everything is tied up neatly with a bow all at the same time. Most of all this is a story of love, love in it's many different forms. 

Love Untold by Ruth Jones will be published on 29th September 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Transworld Books for a review copy.

Do No Harm by Jack Jordan

 

Dr Anna Jones is a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon. Days before she is due to operate on a prominent politician her young son is kidnapped. Anna is given a stark choice, either ensure the politician dies on the operating table or she will never see her son again.

Author Jack Jordan opens Do No Harm with a punch and doesn't let up throughout. The majority of the story is told from the perspective of Anna, the surgeon. Anna isn't a likeable character but much of her demeanor is what is needed from a surgeon; cold, calculating, unflappable. When Anna realises that her son has been kidnapped you feel ever emotion she runs through; disbelief, doubt, anger, terror, and finally, acceptance. Torn between a doctor's oath to "do no harm" and a mother's need to protect their child no matter what you really feel for what she must be going through, particularly when it is made clear the extreme measures the villains are willing to take.

Alongside Anna's perspective we have Margot, a nurse who regularly works with Anna in theatre. Margot is struggling to make ends meet and has resorted to stealing from colleagues. All her life Margot has striven to escape her chaotic background but now seems to be dragged back by the poor choices she has made.

The first third and the last third of the novel are tense and filled with terror as we wonder how Anna, and to some extent Margot, are going to overcome the impossible situation they are in. I really struggled with the middle section of the story that knitted the beginning and end together. As a lover of thrillers I'm used to having to suspend disbelief, however I felt the discovery of why the politician needed to be killed was too easily discovered. The coincidences between some of the characters also spoilt my overal enjoyment of what started as a great medical thriller.

What The Flock! by Sally Urwin (Audiobook)

Sally Urwin gives a warts and all look at life on a working farm in the north of England.

Non-fiction is a rarity for me. When I do tackle non-fiction it tends to be something I can pick up and put down between fiction reads. The chance to try non-fiction as an audiobook seemed like an ideal opportunity not to be missed.

As the book opens we are introduced to Sally, fresh from university with a history degree that doesn't really prepare her for the world of work. With no career goal she falls into office life and eventually becomes a marketing executive for accountants. Unfortunately Sally realises pretty quickly that she isn't cut out for office life, she's happiest when outdoors.

In the early days of internet dating Sally is matched with Steve and their second date takes place on Steve's family farm. Sally isn't a natural on the farm but she is willing to give things a go and this impresses Steve. Eventually they move in together and Sally is over the moon when she's able to give notice on her office job and devote her life to working on the farm.

Life on a working farm isn't easy. Sally gives an accurate description of the hard work involved, along with the highs and lows of working with animals. Sally has a soft spot for those animals that would normally be euthanized as they are unprofitable for a farmer to rear so we have a variety of tales of "wonky" sheep, ponies and pigs and the trouble they cause.

Sally paints a very clear picture of how difficult it is for farms to turn a profit and the need to diversify in order to pay the mortgage. Pig breeding, glamping,  a tea room, brewery and wedding venue are just some of the projects that have been developed over the years. I really enjoyed the story of the tea room receiving a coach load of pensioners. Expecting a nice profit from a large number of afternoon teas Sally was left disappointed when the light-fingered pensioners acted like a plague of locusts stripping the tea room of anything that wasn't nailed down, even the toilet roll.

Two major events show how bleak farming life has been in recent years. Firstly, the foot and mouth outbreak which saw many farmers having to destroy their animals. Secondly, COVID, which prevented movement of any kind. Just one of these could be the death knell for a working farm. Sally covers both of these events with honesty and openness, showing that with determination and a positive attitude things can, and will, get better.

What The Flock! by Sally Unwin is available in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Thread Books for a review copy.

 

The Night Watch by Neil Lancaster

 

A body is discovered on an Edinburgh golf course. It turns out to be a well-known criminal who has just avoided a conviction for murder. Almost two hundred miles away, the advocate responsible for the "not proven" verdict falls to his death. Are the deaths linked? Is there a vigilante responsible? 

The death of another criminal who evaded justice 5 years earlier is connected to the case. Could the vigilante be a rogue cop? Max Craigie and the rest of his team are tasked with investigating who is responsible before any more deaths occur.

Right from the start, you are gripped by the action-packed opening first chapter. The pace doesn't let up as we are immediately moved on to yet more action. Neil Lancaster takes his time in setting the scene for the introduction of DS Max Craigie and the rest of the "Policing Standards Reassurance" team.

The team still consists of Max, Janie, Ross, Norma, and Barney. The last two were a great addition to the team in the second book, The Blood Tide, so it's great to see that they are still around. The shift from the crime solving in the first book in the series, Dead Man's Grave, to unearthing police corruption in the rest of the series obviously meant a bigger team was required. The interactions between the different members of the team are superb.

A forensically aware murderer means that Max, Janie, and the rest of the team have their work cut out for them as they try to piece together exactly how the first two deaths occurred, whilst trying not to alert any possible suspects to their presence. Neil Lancaster's background in the police force shines through in the detail used to explain evidence gathering.

Even though a suspect is identified early on in the story, it doesn't make things any easier for the team as the suspect managed to kill two people, hundreds of miles apart, without leaving any kind of trail. Twist after twist after twist leaves the reader wondering if Max and Janie have finally met their match this time around.

Fans of the first two books in the series will not be disappointed. Anyone who likes police procedural novels will also enjoy this. The book can easily be read as a standalone novel, but I would encourage readers to invest in the first two books in the series to gain full enjoyment. It's difficult not to compare the story to TV series such as Line Of Duty, however, Max and Janie (and the rest of the team) seem to solve the crimes much quicker.

The Night Watch by Neil Lancaster will be published on 8th September 2022 in Kindle and audio format and on 15th September 2022 in hardback. My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for a review copy. 

The Island Of Lost Girls by Alex Marwood

La Kastellana is a Mediterranean island, steeped in tradition and a playground for the super-rich. Islanders are indebted to the wealthy and turn a blind eye to what goes on. Over the space of a few days, a mother from England turns up looking for her missing daughter, and some of the residents of the island decide that they've had enough of being treated as servants.

When I first started The Island Of Lost Girls, I wasn't really enamoured of the story. I think this was because of the number of different threads over a variety of timelines. I'm so glad I stuck with the book though, because once I'd sorted everything out in my head, I was absolutely gripped.

The story is primarily about a clash of cultures. The small island is home to a thousand residents who live a simple life, as they have done for hundreds of years. Deference is shown to the ruling class of the island, and traditions are still followed. When the island becomes a playground for the super-rich the residents are then treated as servants. The rich have no respect for traditions and act as if they own everything.

The majority of the story focuses on Mercedes, a young girl growing up on the island, and Tatiana, the daughter of a rich and powerful man. Initially, the girls strike up an unlikely friendship, but over time Tatiana begins to treat Mercedes as a plaything and eventually a slave. The reader follows Mercedes as she is initially awestruck by everything the rich have access to, but then grows to realise that beautiful on the outside doesn't necessarily mean beautiful on the inside.

Through Mercedes, we see the contrast in the way women are treated by society. Among the residents, women are held to a higher standard than men and punished if they bring shame to their families. Women have few rights. The rich, however, bring beautiful young women to the island. Women who should have everything going for them but are treated as commodities.

The young women who are shipped to the island to "party" provide the thriller element of the novel. Thankfully, the author chooses not to go into graphic detail, but the descriptions will still have your pulse racing and fill you with shock and anger. I almost cheered out loud at the conclusion, but I really wanted a little more detail about what happened to Tatiana at the end.

The Island Of Lost Girls by Alex Marwood will be published on 14th July 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for a review copy.

June 2022 Reads

 

June turned out to be a cracking months for reading. Not a poor book among the eight I managed and it's impossible to pick a favourite. The month basically falls into four star reads and five star reads.

If I begin with the four star reads the first two in this category are the ones that don't fit the "thriller" genre. A Sliver Of Darkness from  C. J. Tudor is a selection of creepy short stories that has something for everyone. The second book was The School For Good Mothers from Jessamine Chan, a dystopian novel that has a nanny state dictating how children should be raised and re-educating parents who fall short of expectation. Some really thought provoking topics included in the storyline.

The next two four star books are No Secrets by David Jackson, a real page turner with characters you feel you know really well and a couple who are unbelievably creepy. The only reason this didn't gain the extra star was because the ending wasn't a complete surprise. The month ended with A Cornish Recipe For Murder by Fiona Leitch. The fifth book in the Jodie 'Nosey' Parker cozy crime series is a perfect blend of murder mystery, baking competition and drag queens. If you like cozy crime don't let the fact that this is the fifth in the series put you off, it's a great read as a standalone, or even better hunt out the first book in the series and start there.

I awarded five stars for the other four books for June. I eagerly awaited Lying Beside You from Michael Robotham, the third book in the Cyrus Haven series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this series,  Good Girl, Bad Girl and When She Was Good so I was eager to see how the stories of Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac. Fans of the series won't be disappointed by what is the best book in the series.

Next up was The Botanist by M. W. Craven. Fans of the Poe and Tilly series know what to expect but this time around the author gave Washington Poe the seemingly impossible task of solving a series of locked room murders. I was left open mouthed and scratching my head wondering how on earth Poe and Tilly were going to solve the crimes. I did enjoy the fact that the villain was killing off morally bankrupt members of society.

Moving on to The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell readers got answers to many of the questions left hanging at the end of the fantastic The Family Upstairs. We have three strands to the story, all linked to the events of the first book, and I was full of dread as I approached the conclusion of the story. Lisa Jewell tied everything up in a very satisfying way but left a little chink open should she wish to re-visit one character in particular.

The final book in this category is My Other Husband by Dorothy Koomson, a dual time thriller about an obsessive and coercive partner. I really did feel the nightmare the main character was living through and wondered how she was ever going to prevent more people from being hurt.

June also saw me listen to three audiobooks. Believe Me Not by Natalie Chandler is an engrossing psychological thiller that had me wonder who was telling the truth throughout. The Guilty Couple from C. L. Taylor is my favourite audiobook to date. A wrongly accused woman in a race against time to prove she was framed for attempted murder. There simply isn't a slack moment in the story. The Love Of My Life by Rosie Walsh, a family drama which starts and ends well but is let down by a middle that drags. The theme of mental health isn't a comfortable topic but is handled in a sympathetic manner.

The vast majority of the books read in June were review copies, many thanks to NetGalley and various publishers for their generosity. Dates to watch out for are:

No Secrets by David Jackson will be published in hardback, ebook and audio format on 7/7/22

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell will be published in hardback, ebook and audio format on 21/7/22

A Cornish Recipe For Murder by Fiona Leitch will be published for Kindle on 18/8/22 and in paperback on 13/10/22

My Other Husband by Lisa Jewell will be published in hardback, ebook and audio format on 18/8/22

A Sliver Of Darkness by C. J. Tudor will be published in hardback, ebook and audio format on 29/9/22