A Cornish Recipe For Murder by Fiona Leitch

In the fifth book in the Jodie 'Nosey' Parker series Jodie is taking part in a baking competition when a member of the film crew is found dead. It's obviously murder and Jodie can't stop herself from investigating, luckily her boyfriend is the police officer in charge of the case.

Fiona Leitch has tapped into a number of popular trends in the fifth book in the Nosey Parker series. Alongside the cozy murder mystery we have a TV baking competition and drag queens, amazingly these all work together to give a fun read with quite a few red herrings along the way.

The relationship between Jodie and her boyfriend, DCI Nathan Withers, continues to develop. The interaction between these characters is very lighthearted. Since the majority of the events take place within the confines of the filmed baking competition there is less opportunity for some of the usual supporting characters to appear. While we do get snippets from her mother, Shirley, and her daughter, Daisy, their reduced interactions with Jodie could result in the story losing some of the humor we would expect in this series. Thankfully we are saved by the drag queen character Barbara Strident. Barbara is the comic host of the baking competition and really lives up to her name with a stream of funny quips to camera.

Fans of the series will know what to expect (and won't be let down by this latest addition to the series). If you've never read any of the series before don't let that put you off. This can easily be read as a standalone but I'm sure once you've finished it you'll be hunting down the earlier books in the series.

This is a lighthearted read, with enough twists to keep you hooked and guessing right to the end. Just what any reader would want from a cozy murder mystery.

A Cornish Recipe For Murder by Fiona Leitch will be published for Kindle on 18th August 2022 and in paperback on 13th October 2022. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a review copy.

 

My Other Husband by Dorothy Koomson

 

We meet Cleo Forsum Pryce as she is arrested for attempted murder. The story then moves back a few weeks to when Cleo decided to wreck her perfect life. She's a successful writer who's books have been turned into a popular TV series and is happily married to Wallace. Suddenly, with no explanation, she tells her husband she wants a divorce and the production company that makes her TV series that the series must end.

Alongside this we have a glimpse of Cleo 25 years earlier starting life as a student. Cleo strikes up a friendship with Heath. It's obvious that Heath wants to be romantically involved but Cleo is adamant they are only friends. Heath is willing to accept friendship - for now - but is determined that eventually Cleo will fall for his charms. Over time the friendship develops into a romantic relationship. Everything seems perfect until Cleo realises that Heath isn't who she thought he was and ends their relationship.

Back in our current time frame people close to Cleo are being seriously hurt and Cleo realises that Heath will never let her go.

From the opening pages this was an intense read. Right from the beginning, when the main character is arrested for attempted murder, you are wondering what has happened. This then cuts straight to a discussion with a solicitor and the discovery that bigamy can carry a seven year jail sentence and the intrigue really ramps up. From that moment I was hooked.

We see two very different sides of Cleo in the book. Current day Cleo, trying to end her marriage and her job, seems cold and impersonal. She's made a decision and sees no reason to have to explain herself to anyone. It's only as the story progresses that we realise Cleo is doing this to protect people and herself.

The Cleo from 25 years ago is confident, fun and naive; she takes the geeky Heath under her wing. She doesn't want a romantic relationship with him but hopes that by helping him transform from an "ugly duckling" into "a swan" he'll become more attractive to the opposite sex and less focused on her. This really does read like a romantic comedy (and Rom-Com's are even referenced in the book) but you quickly realise that Heath's interest is obsessive. Even as Cleo tries to put distance between her and Heath his possessive and controlling nature continually draw her back in.

You real feel the nightmare that Cleo is living as she tries to cut all ties with her current life as quickly as possible, before Heath hurts more people. She is hampered when the police suspect that recent attempted murders may be linked to her. It becomes a frantic race against time.

My Other Husband by Dorothy Koomson will be published on 18th August 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Headline for a review copy.

The Love Of My Life by Rosie Walsh (Audiobook)

 

Emma and Leo have been together for 10 years, they have a young daughter and are very much in love. Leo writes obituaries for a newspaper and when his wife has a health scare he is tasked with writing her stock obituary. As Leo investigates Emma's past he discovers she has been keeping secrets, secrets that could tear apart their relationship.

This is an emotional roller coaster and will appeal to readers/listeners of family dramas. The story begins well, told by two different narrators, Theo Solomon and Imogen Church. I really enjoyed having a male and a female narrator as it made it far easier to latch on to each characters part of the story.

Beginning on a high in the storyline you can feel the positive relationship between Emma and Leo. When Leo begins to investigate his wife's background you can understand his confusion and mistrust. Everything he thought he knew about Emma may be a lie. Leo continues to dig into Emma's past and I felt that the story began to drag a little at this point. With such a strong relationship mentioned at the beginning you just want Leo to talk to Emma and hear her explanation.

The story really picked up again in the final quarter of the story as we begin to piece together what happened in the past. Not only do we discover why Emma has so many secrets we also find out how other characters impacted on her life. The storyline isn't a comfortable one but it is handled with empathy.

The Love Of My Life by Rosie Walsh is available in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan UK Audio for an audiobook copy for review.

No Secrets by David Jackson

Isobel Lambert has a gift, she can tell when people are lying. Watching the news she sees an interview with the caretaker from her old school. A female pupil from the school has gone missing and the caretaker, Kenneth Plumley, was the last person to see her as she got into a large black car. Isobel is convinced the caretaker is lying but will the police believe her when he has no evidence?

I really enjoyed this book and flew through it, desperate to know what was going to happen next. After the disturbing opening chapter author David Jackson then spends time developing the characters of Isobel and Kenneth. Kenneth is a sinister and unsettling character, at times a meek cuckold and at others malevolent. 

It is the character of Isobel that really makes this story. She doesn't see her gift as a gift, previous experience has shown that it can be a curse. However she knows she has to do the right thing, but how can she convince the police when she doesn't have any real evidence? Her tenacity means that she puts both herself and those close to her in danger as she tries to prove that Kenneth is responsible for the girl going missing.

As well as fleshing out the main characters really well David Jackson has done an excellent job with some of the minor characters too. Andy, Josh and Abel are people you'd like to get to know better, while Polina and Michael will make your skin crawl.

While the conclusion wasn't a complete surprise I wasn't entirely sure I'd figured out exactly what was happening until the big reveal. The reader isn't quite sure who is going to survive either.

No Secrets by David Jackson will be published on 7th July 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Viper Books for a review copy.

 

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

 

Back in May I finally got around to reading The Family Upstairs and it proved to be one of my favourite reads of the month. A group, mainly children, held in a cult-like household led to a riveting read. However, I'm sure I wasn't the only reader who finished the book wanting to know more. Thankfully author Lisa Jewell has satisfied my curiosity by writing a sequel, The Family Remains.

Most of the events in The Family Remains take place a year after the end of The Family Upstairs. Lucy, Henry and Libby are learning to be a family and get their lives onto a normal footing. Libby is making plans to track down the mysterious Phin but at the last minute something spooks him and he disappears. Henry then takes off, trying to track him down.

While all of this is happening a black sack containing the bones of a small female is discovered in the River Thames and a police detective connects the remains to the house from the original story. He's determined to track down what happened and who is responsible.

We also have a storyline set three years ago involving Lucy's ex-husband and how he met his current wife. At first this storyline, even though it is a really intriguing one, doesn't seem to fit in with the main story. As we approach the conclusion everything eventually fits together with a very satisfying finale to this thread.

The main story begins with a quick recap of the events in the first book. The narrative then moves forward very quickly. Henry is an intense, brooding character. A human chameleon with almost sociopathic qualities. As he hunts the elusive Phin you wonder what his end-goal is but you also wonder why Phin is so determined not to be tracked down.

When the traumatic events of 25 years ago are recounted in greater detail there are feelings of anger and sadness. You wonder how anyone can develop into a normal adult having experienced such events.

As we reach the conclusion to the story there is a sense of trepidation and dread. Lisa Jewell keeps the reader in suspense right up to the satisfying conclusion - however, I have my doubts that we've seen the last of Henry. Henry's story seems to have a life of it's own.

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell will be published on 21st July 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for a review copy

The Guilty Couple by C. L. Taylor (Audiobook)

Olivia is released from prison having served five years for the attempted murder of her husband. However, Olivia is adamant that she was framed and is determined to prove her innocence.

Audiobooks are relatively new to me having only listened to six but I have to say this one has been the best of them. Right from the opening sentence the action never lets up. Olivia was about to leave her husband when he framed her with the help of a female police officer. Her lover disappeared from the scene completely. 

Having served her time Olivia has two things on her mind when she is released; to clear her name and to reconnect with her daughter. You can feel the frustration of the main character, particularly in view of her innocence. Very few people believe her so once she is released she only has a couple of people to offer her support. One of the ex-prisoners she did time with is the best character in the story. Added to the mix is Olivia not knowing exactly who she can trust and her ex-lover suddenly getting in touch.

Trying to prove she was framed was a little like an onion, as one layer is peeled off another, more intricate layer is revealed. All of this adds to the tension and with time running out you wonder if Olivia will be able to succeed.

The Guilty Couple by C. L. Taylor will be published on 23rd June 2022 in audio, hardback and ebook format. My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for a review copy.

 

The Botanist by M. W. Craven

 

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe has his work cut out for him. His friend and colleague Estelle Doyle is accused of murdering her father and Poe is determined to prove her innocence. At the same time, almost 300 miles away, someone is using rare poisons to murder people and the powers that be need Poe to solve the case.

The Botanist has to be the best book in the Washington Poe series. Featuring a series of "locked room" scenarios that are intricately researched and plotted it is impossible for the reader to guess exactly what is happening, even though relatively early on we learn who is responsible.

It is frightening to learn that the poisons used in this book are somewhat easy to obtain or produce and that tiny amounts have such lethal consequences. The choice of victims does raise a wry smile, however; classed as morally bankrupt we might feel that The Botanist is providing a service. 

As usual Poe is assisted by the brilliant but socially awkward Tilly Bradshaw. The interactions between Poe and Tilly are classics and it feels that Tilly has grown so much that she might even be winding Poe up deliberately at times. 

The pace is frantic, particularly as Poe is torn between Newcastle and London, in his quest to solve the case and also prove Estelle Doyle innocent. The conclusion almost had me jumping out of my seat cheering but even then M. W. Craven still has a little something up his sleeve to round off this superb thriller.