Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham

 

Margot is besieged by grief and guilt when her best friend Eliza dies the summer before they are due to start college together. In a bid to overcome her grief and escape the memories of her friendship she is surrounded by Margot decides to go ahead with the plans the pair made together. When she arrives at college she is befriended by the enigmatic Lucy. Things begin to take a dark turn, however, when Lucy is accused of killing Levi, the boy Margot blames for the death of her best friend.

Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham is a slow burner, there's plenty of mystery from the very start but the layers of the story are uncovered very gradually, keeping you in suspense. The storyline jumps backwards and forwards over a two year period. We meet Margot as she starts college at Rutledge and you have lots of sympathy for her. Margot is an introvert, a loner. This is partly her nature but also down to the fact that she had planned to start college with her friend who was the outgoing one of the pair. It is understandable that Margot is entranced by the trio of friends she sees around her dorm. Lucy, Sloane and Nicole seem to be everything that Margot aspires to, particularly Lucy. Lucy is always the centre of attention, larger than life, a rule breaker. Margot is like an animal caught in a car's headlights when Lucy turns her attention on her and the trio becomes a quartet.

As we learn about Margot's first year in college and her fixation with Lucy the story jumps back to before college and we discover more about her friendship with Eliza. The pair shared an idyllic friendship with Eliza Being the ying to Margot's yang. The pair made plans to attend the same college and even room together. Everything seemed to be going to plan until the inevitable happened, a boy, Levi, came between them.

We slowly learn about the events surrounding Eliza's death, with Levi being the last person to see her alive at a party, a party Margot didn't attend, hence her guilt over not being there to protect her friend. The grief and guilt resurface when Levi turns up at Rutledge.

The other element of the story is what happens after Levi is murdered. The police suspect Lucy and want to question her but she has disappeared. Margot, Sloane and Nicole claim to have no knowledge of her whereabouts, and disappearing for days at a time is not unusual for Lucy. We, the reader, begin to realise that the friends are covering for Lucy and that secrets are being kept from the police.

At the beginning, the story has lots of appeal. The thought of college in America with dorms, sororities and picturesque settings feels like another world to UK readers. It is the details of college life and the budding friendship, combined with the jumps between time frames, that initially make this a slow burner.

As we get to know more about Lucy you have an unsettling feeling. From the outset, Sloane warns Margot that Lucy lies and manipulates people to get what she wants. Despite these warnings, you feel sympathetic towards Lucy, her home life hasn't been ideal and it's obvious she isn't as privileged as those around her. However, there is always that sense of unease, that she's dangerous. It is impossible to forget that she's "a master of manipulation, of misdirection and deceit".

I was enjoying the gradual building of the story until about two-thirds of the way through when the narrative took an unexpected turn which really elevated the nature of this novel. Pieces started to fall into place leaving me shocked that I hadn't spotted the clues that were dropped. Author Stacy Willingham shows how easy it is for us to jump to conclusions.

Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham will be published on 1st February 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollinsUK for a review copy.

Perfect Kill by Helen Fields

 

DI Luc Callanach is working with Interpol in Paris on uncovering people trafficking gangs while DCI Ava Turner and the rest of the team in Edinburgh have to deal with finding a young man who has gone missing and a shocking number of dead bodies.

Perfect Kill, the sixth book in the Luc Callanach and Ava Turner series, hits the ground running from the outset and never lets up. We open with the abduction of a young man, jump to people trafficking and then on to organ harvesting all in the space of the first three chapters. Once author Helen Fields allows you to draw breath you realise that there are possible connections between all three crimes.

Luc Callanach is in Paris, liaising with Interpol to try and track down some of the people trafficking gangs. It seems very strange not having Callanach and Turner working together but it is understandable given the events of the fifth book in the series, Perfect Crime. The return to Paris raises issues for Callanach. He's always thought of France as his home, despite being driven out years early by false accusations. Now that he's got the chance to return to Paris and work with some of his ex-colleagues he realises that Scotland is now the place he thinks of as home.

As the various crimes are investigated it becomes obvious that there are links, the only problem being that in Edinburgh people are too terrified to talk to the police and in Paris the operation is hidden under layers of secrecy. 

When Callanach returns to Edinburgh for a flying visit you are holding your breath, hoping that the pair will overcome the problems that arose in the last book. Things initially look positive as Ava admits she overreacted, however, Callanach concedes that he was at fault in the first place and thinks they should just be friends. At this point, I wanted to scream and just bang their heads together.

As the investigations continue the clues start to fall into place and we then have two action-packed, adrenaline-fueled scenes where everyone's life is at risk. Your heart is thumping and you are holding your breath as you turn the pages, wondering who will survive the brutal events taking place. 

Completion of this book now brings me up to date with the series as I actually started with the seventh book in the series, One For Sorrow. All I can do now is wait in the hope that there will be an eighth book following the explosive events of book seven. 

Frank And Red by Matt Coyne

 

When a mother and her young son move in next door to Franklin Hayes, a widower who has given up on life, little does he realise how much his life is about to change.

Frank And Red by Matt Coyne has got to be the most uplifting and joyful book I read in 2023. This was a pretty high bar, particularly as it came immediately after Helen Fisher’s novel Joe Nuthins Guide To Life.

The story itself has been done before; grumpy old man brought out of his shell by young child/children. We’ve read about it in books or seen it on the TV many, many times. What really makes Frank And Red stand out is the way in which author Matt Coyne has created and voiced two very distinct characters.

Frank is debilitated by grief, he’s retreated from friends and family and is frightened to leave his home. Frank relies on neighbours to do his shopping for him and he has one remaining friend who pops in to see him occasionally. We’re not immediately sympathetic towards Frank, he goes out of his way to alienate those who want to help him and he absolutely refuses to contact Mikey, his only child, and try to rebuild their broken relationship.

As we get to know more about Frank we begin to understand him a little better. Frank and his recently deceased wife Marcie were a happy couple, they enjoyed life to the fullest. When Marcie died Frank simply gave up on life himself, now he’s just going through the motions, progressing from one day to the next. Marcie’s “ghost” begins visiting Frank and it’s this apparition that makes Frank refuse to leave his home, he worries that if he goes out Marcie will disappear and never return.

Six-year-old Red is the heart of this novel, he is such a joyful character. With recently divorced parents he’s had to move away from the home, school and friends he loves. A new home and school in an unfamiliar area are daunting. Red is a little kid with a big imagination and being six he has no filter, saying exactly what he thinks. He’s also one of those kids that never stops talking.

When Red spots Frank in the garden he immediately starts talking to him. No matter how many times Frank ignores him or refuses to engage in conversation Red persists with “Mister”…….”Mister”……”Mister”. Red eventually wears Frank down and an unlikely friendship (in the loosest sense of the word) is formed. The interactions between the pair are sublime, it would be far easier if Frank just surrendered to the force of nature that is Red, rather than ploughing on trying to win a battle against an unbeatable opponent. I couldn’t stop laughing at the conversations between the pair.

It's obvious from the start that Frank and Red are going to help each other. Frank is going to help Red be a little bit braver, whereas Red is going to help Frank see that he still has a life to live and people who love him. This is one of those books that as soon as you read the last page you want to go back to the first page and start all over again.

Frank And Red by Matt Coyne will be published on 1^st February 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Headline Books for a review copy.

His Favourite Graves by Paul Cleave

 

When a teen goes missing the local sheriff quickly realises the school janitor is responsible. Tracking the janitor down proves to be fairly straight forward but what to do next is the problem. Sheriff Cohen has family and money problems; the reward offered for catching the janitor is substantial but he isn't eligible to collect it because of his job. Torn between doing the right thing and finding a way of getting his hands on the reward, Sheriff Cohen sets in motion a series of unbelievable events.

I've read two previous books by Paul Cleave, The Quiet People and The Pain Tourist, both distinctly different. The author's latest offering, His Favourite Graves, is completely different again but the tone is probably more akin to The Pain Tourist.

His Favourite Graves has got to be one of the twistiest books I've read in a very long time. From the opening page, you are right into the action. Teenager Lucas Connor has been stuffed into a school locker by bullies and everyone has gone home. When the school janitor finds him you can sense Lucas's relief. Things quickly take a turn for the worse though when the janitor kidnaps him and takes him out to an abandoned sawmill.

It turns out the janitor is a serial killer and has plans to abuse Lucas before killing him. The writing is very skillful, it's obvious what is going to happen but the descriptions aren't graphic. This style, along with the fast pace of the story, keeps you on the edge of your seat, full of anxiety but never repulsed by overly graphic descriptions.

Lucas is able to put up a fight and survive until he is rescued by the local sheriff. Unfortunately, the janitor escapes into the forest. This then gives the sheriff the idea of capturing the janitor and somehow claiming the reward. At this point I expected a story about the cat-and-mouse manhunt between the sheriff and the janitor, I certainly didn't expect what came next. There are so many twists and turns, your head is left reeling with each new revelation. It was completely impossible to predict what turn the story would take next. 

As I progressed through the book I was flooded with widely different emotions. One moment there was empathy for a character, then shock, disbelief and even revulsion. The theme of bullying in school and on social media certainly isn't new but the descriptions are distressing and show the degree to which some people suffer.

This is one of those books where you just have to read it for yourself, any more of a description will spoil the twists and turns of this roller-coaster of a read.

December 2023 Reads

 

Firstly I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that 2024 brings you health, happiness and lots of books. Thanks to the social aspect of Christmas I didn't get to read as much as I would have liked but I did manage three audiobooks so I'm not complaining.

I don't do a top ten books of the year (or top 12, top 23, etc) but if I did my first book of December would be pretty near the top. Frank And Red by Matt Coyne is such a joyful, uplifting read. Frank has given up on life following the death of his beloved wife. When 6-year-old Red moves in next door his life is turned upside down. Red is a force of nature, he never shuts up. Matt Coyne has done a fantastic job making two very different characters spring from the page.

Just over a year ago, I read The Close by Jane Casey, not realising this was book 10 in a series. Since then I've made an effort to read the earlier books in the series. With book 11 due out in March 2024 I decided to read books 7 and 8 last month. Let The Dead Speak is an insidious tale set in suburbia, where everyone is hiding a secret. Promotion means we see a more self-assured Kerrigan but her authority is regularly undermined by a new member of the team. I found Cruel Acts the most disturbing of all the books in the series. A convicted murderer is released on appeal. When a young woman goes missing shortly after his release the police wonder if he's struck again or is someone else responsible for the murders. The death-defying chase towards the end has Kerrigan fighting for her life.

The premise of End Of Story by A. J. Finn is intriguing. Twenty years ago the wife and son of a mystery writer disappeared and their bodies have never been found. Now, with a terminal diagnosis, he invites a young writer and fan to write a memoir. The young writer hopes to find out the truth about what happened. The story is atmospheric and pays homage to many classic mystery writers. I really struggled with the writing style and was close to giving up a number of times. I'm glad I didn't as I was fully invested in the mystery by the end.

It was lovely to return to the town of Marlow in The Queen Of Poisons by Robert Thorogood. During a council planning meeting the Mayor is poisoned. Suspicion falls on the other people present at the meeting. A small group of suspects made this a very enjoyable cozy mystery as my attention was focused on this small group of characters. 

Author T. M. Logan writes extremely twisty thrillers. The Dream Home is the twistiest and creepiest to date. From the very beginning there's a sense of menace as a family discovers a hidden room in the house they've just moved into. Their lives then turn into a nightmare and I wasn't sure if I was reading a thriller or a horror story. Definitely one to read with the lights on.

Three very different audiobooks featured in December. I started the month with a Christmas story, revisiting Michelle Vernal's town of Emerald Bay in A Christmas Miracle In The Little Irish Village. This is the third in a series so fans will be familiar with all of the characters. When her ex-boyfriend Shane goes missing at sea Ava Kelly rushes home. As Ava anxiously waits she recalls happier times in her relationship with Shane and realises she still loves him. A warm and fuzzy read/listen, perfect for Christmas.

The second audiobook, Helle And Death, by Oskar Jensen also has a wintery theme. A group of university friends meet up ten years later at an isolated mansion. The host announces he's terminally ill and has left them all a bequest in his will. That evening the host is murdered. A storm means they are snowed in with no means of contacting the police. Who among them is a murderer? It's one of those stories where there are so many twists it's impossible to guess who the murderer is.

The final audiobook was The Library Of Heartbeats by Laura Imai Messina, a beautiful tale which examines grief, guilt and the redeeming value of love. A young man returns to his childhood home following the recent death of his mother. He befriends a young boy who his mother was helping with his schoolwork. Little do they realise they are both struggling with the guilt of the death of someone close to them. Through friendship they slowly begin to heal. 

Publication dates to watch for are:- 

The Queen Of Poisons by Robert Thorogood will be published on 18/1/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

Helle And Death by Oskar Jensen will be published on 18/1/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

Frank And Red by Matt Coyne will be published on 1/2/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

End Of Story by A. J. Finn will be published on 29/2/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format. 

The Dream Home by T. M. Logan will be published on 29/2/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format. 

A Death In Diamonds by S. J. Bennett

 

During a state visit to France in 1957 things don’t go quite to plan making the Queen think that someone close to her is trying to sabotage the trip. Upon returning to England a shocking double murder takes place not far from Buckingham Palace, a murder that has links to the aristocracy, the clergy and members of parliament. The Queen soon discovers that there are links even closer to home.

A Death In Diamonds by S. J. Bennett is the fourth book in the cozy crime series “Her Majesty The Queen Investigates”. Given the events of 2022, I did wonder if this series would continue. I am so pleased that the author has chosen to continue with the series, however, there is a slight change of tack with the latest outing. We go back in time to 1957 and meet a much younger Elizabeth, a Queen who has been head of state for five years.

Overall, I found the tone of this story a little darker than in previous books. This is most definitely down to the themes involved connected to the murder: escorts, espionage and Nazi Germany. This slightly darker tone certainly didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, if anything it added a sense of menace and a greater air of mystery. We also have a country still struggling with the aftereffects of war, including the role of women.

We learned more about the Queen in her early days as monarch, along with the fact that she has been solving mysteries since she was a child. Our glimpse of the Queen shows a young woman trying to balance her role as Queen with that of a mother, she comes across as being very normal and down to earth where her family is concerned. It was easy to picture the antics of a young Princess Anne who, at seven years old, is described as indestructible.

In recent years we have witnessed a royal family trying to modernise itself, to make itself more relevant to society today. Our glimpse of the Queen in 1957 is no different. Realising that someone is out to sabotage the monarchy she realises that this is a time to rejuvenate the royal family, including speaking to the nation via the medium of television. This, along with a few other incidents in the book, gives us the opportunity to see a vulnerable side to the Queen. I really enjoyed the references to fashion. What the royal family wore was just as closely scrutinised in 1957 as it is today.

The one thing I did miss in this book is Roz, the Assistant Private Secretary who does most of the investigating on the Queen’s behalf. However, we are introduced to a fitting replacement, someone just as capable and formidable in the form of Joan McGraw. Joan is elevated from the role of secretary in the typing pool to Secretary (that capital S makes a vast difference in the royal household) and this doesn’t go down well with the other Secretaries, all male, who think that Joan is too “common” for the role. Joan runs rings around the other Secretaries, occasionally putting her own life at risk, as she investigates on behalf of the Queen.

I did wonder how the two storylines were connected and this kept me gripped, desperate to know more. The conclusions were an eye-opener, proving how easy it is to make assumptions. A Death In Diamonds is a history lesson, wrapped up in a mystery, encased in a wonderful series.

A Death In Diamonds by S. J. Bennett will be published on 1^st February 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre Books for a review copy.

The Murder After The Night Before by Katy Brent

 

Molly Monroe wakes up the morning after her work Christmas party to find a stranger in her bed and no recollection of how he got there. She has no memory of the night before. A strange man in her bed is the least of her problems when she later learns that a video of her has gone viral. As if things couldn’t get any worse, she then discovers her flatmate, and best friend, is dead.

Every so often you read a book that you wish everyone else was reading at the same time so you could talk about it, The Murder After The Night Before is one of those books. Last year I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of the audiobook, How To Kill Men And Get Away With It by Katy Brent. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, finding the lead character, Kitty Collins, a breath of fresh air and hoping for a sequel. The Murder After The Night Before isn’t that sequel (I believe a sequel is due in 2025), it’s a standalone novel but I think it’s on a completely different level.

Katy Brent has outdone herself with a novel that shines a light on the seamier side of culture. From the very beginning, you feel unsettled. Our lead character, Molly Monroe, has no recollection of the events of the previous night. This means Molly is just as much in the dark as the reader. As Molly tries to put the pieces together you have an uneasy feeling that something isn’t quite right. That uneasy feeling persists as Molly makes her way to work, explaining away the strange looks she’s getting as a result of her hungover appearance. It is only once Molly gets to work that the full horror of the situation is revealed.

At this point in the story, I was filled with absolute rage as we witness the hateful side of social media. Misogyny is rife and users feel they can say whatever they want, with no regard to the consequences. The way in which men and women are judged differently by society is very clear.

Molly is in shock and it is understandable that she chooses to hide away. She is shunned by people she once relied on, even her best friend and flatmate seems to be ignoring her. When her friend is found dead Molly initially blames herself. As she slowly pieces together the memories she is missing Molly learns that her friend, who was a journalist, was investigating the disappearance of a young girl. A disappearance that the media doesn’t seem interested in. As we discover the way in which people with power control the media disbelief turns to anger. As Molly learns that stories such as her viral video are used to deflect attention the reader can’t help but consider the way in which the general public is manipulated by the press.

As the conclusion approaches you are extremely concerned about Molly’s well-being. I was also on a knife-edge regarding one character in particular. While all the answers are revealed in the end, I do feel that there is a little loose thread that could allow us to see the return of @MollyMonroeNotMunro.

The Murder After The Night Before by Katy Brent will be published on 1^st February 2024 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for a review copy.