Today’s review is a dip into the back catalogue of Canadian author, Shari Lapena. Everyone Here is Lying* is the first book I’ve read by Lapena, so I went in without any expectations.

It’s initially a slow burn story that accelerates to a jaw-dropping conclusion.

From the blurb, you discover that the novel is about the disappearance of Avery Wooler from a quiet suburban home. But after the little girl vanishes, the story is about so much more than simply the police investigation.

The abduction, and the possibility of worse, is a terrible ordeal and would make a compelling story by itself. However, the impact it has on those close to her twists the ordeal into thoughts and actions that shock everyone involved.

Alongside points of view from the detectives, you get the perspectives of her family and her neighbours. What I found interesting was how much of the story focused on the inner monologues of these characters.

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There was little scene setting or descriptive passages. The effect of this storytelling approach created an intense book and made the feelings of the characters even more visceral.

The pace quickens two-thirds of the way in and takes you to the shocking and unsettling ending.

For fans of suspense and psychological thrillers this is a must read. I’ll be looking out for more Lapena novels.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

I discovered my latest read in an old-fashioned way. While on a short trip to Manchester, I popped into the Waterstones looking for something new to read. My eyes were caught by the display for Death at the White Hart*.

I hadn’t heard of the book, but was familiar with its author. Chris Chibnall has an incredible catalogue of work, including the haunting Broadchurch. That was enough to convince me to buy it - and I wasn’t disappointed.

From the first page I knew it would be a cracking read. A body is discovered in the middle of a road, tied to a chair, with deer antlers attached to its head.

Chibnall’s skill as a writer shines through every section of this book. He weaves together the murder investigation, a cast of interesting characters and a realism that keeps you glued to the page.

DI Nicola Bridge and DC Harry Ward are teamed up for the first time. Seeing their relationship develop is one of the most enjoyable elements of the story. Both have baggage and are wary of each other from the start. Chibnall builds their personalities and leaves you wanting to know more about their future cases.

Bridge actually reminded of Jen Rafferty from Ann Cleeves’ Two Rivers series. Both have moved down south from Liverpool, are sharp detectives and are juggling a lot in their personal lives alongside their day jobs.

What’s more, the whole story has a similar feel to some of the Shetland stories with the idea of local mythology and history.

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Chibnall’s characters avoid stereotypes. One of my favourites is Reeta the pathologist/forensics specialist. Her cheery manner and quirky personality makes her stand out.

The only slight disappointment of the book was with the style of the ending. It didn’t seem to fit with the tense, character-driven story that was the rest of the book.

But it was still a riveting read and I hope there are more stories from Chibnall with Nicola Bridge and Harry Ward.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

I don’t like to promote Amazon, but it was thanks to them that I discovered Louise Penny. Watching Alfred Molina as Chief Inspector Gamache in the Prime adaptation started my hunt for the books.

After starting with Still Life, Penny’s debut, I planned to read the rest of the series in order. But living in the UK, that was easier said than done. Penny’s books weren’t in my local libraries and they’re a rare find in charity shops. However, while staying in a holiday cottage last year, I found a Penny novel on the bookshelf, A Trick of the Light*, so I scrapped my reading plan and devoured the story.

The seventh book in the series, it opens with Clara Morrow’s solo art show and introduces several characters from the art world. After the events of previous books, it’s wonderful to see Clara finally getting the recognition her art deserves.

But the celebration soon turns into a murder investigation when a body is discovered in Three Pines. Assisted by Jean Guy Beauvoir and Isabelle Lacoste, Gamache is soon on the case.

And of course, the other residents of Three Pines are on hand to provide a familiar feel to the story. Olivier and Gabri are busy at the bistro. Myrna provides sage advice and a listening ear to all who need it. Peter is there alongside Clara. And Ruth is her usual acerbic, eccentric self.

The novel also gives a fascinating glimpse into the art world as the detectives track down leads. That was an enjoyable part of the story, as it’s not an area I know at all.

Content warning: Be aware that the story does reveal some of the plot points from the previous two books: The Brutal Telling and Bury Your Dead. But I guess it’s hard to write a series without having some story arcs that span several books.

What’s more, it was a tough act to follow on the exceptional Bury Your Dead, but Penny has managed it. A Trick of the Light* is another excellent mystery. Sit back, get comfortable and prepare to spend a few days in the beautiful village of Three Pines.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

After reading The Man Who Died Seven Times a couple of months ago, I thought it would be good to try some other Japanese crime fiction.

The Honjin Murders* by Seishi Yokomizu was called a classic, so I thought I’d see what it was like.

The novel tells the story of murder during a wedding within the Ichiyanagi family. Kosuke Kindaichi, a famous private detective, is called on to help solve the case. This was the first of many books by Yokomizu featuring Kindaichi.

The murder happened in 1937 and the book was published in Japan in 1946, originally serialised in the magazine Houseki. It was only in 2019 that the book was translated into English.

The story is mainly told by an anonymous narrator who recounts what they’ve been told about the murders. However, there are also jumps to dialogue from the characters at the time the murders happened, as well as from Kindaichi when he arrives about halfway through the story.

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When the narrator introduces Kindaichi, he compares the detective to Antony Gillingham, from The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne. With hindsight, it’s an odd comparison given how that was Milne’s only mystery novel - and so the only appearance of Gillingham.

But when Kindaichi is described, he has more than a few similarities to another fictional detective.

After the narrator describes the detective’s drug habit, they reference how Kindaichi pieces together ‘all the available information logically’ along with his ‘methods of deduction’. It doesn’t take much detective work to see who Kindaichi is based on.

Given when the book was written, it’s probably not a surprise that it hasn’t aged well.

The writing style, with the omnipresent narrator, feels dated. The dialogue feels flat and unrealistic throughout. And the misogyny and ableism are hard to read.

There’s much explanation of the cultural setting and the high status of the Ichiyanagi family in feudal Japanese society. I’ll be honest though, with huge info dumps on this topic, it was hard to concentrate on the story until the murder occurs.

While the murder itself is a locked room mystery, the most interesting, revealing and well-written part of the book is the murderer’s motive and their state of mind. Unfortunately, that’s overshadowed by the technical method behind the locked room mystery.

In short, I’d had high hopes for this book and was disappointed by the reality.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Almost all the mysteries and thrillers I read are paperbacks and ebooks. Some are advance reader copies (ARCs), some are from the library, some are picked up in charity shops and a few are bought new.

But reading a new, first-edition hardback is a rare treat. It is one of the benefits of attending an author talk though and I’m lucky to live near an independent bookshop that regularly hosts them.

If you’re ever near Holmfirth in West Yorkshire, pop into the Read bookshop. For a small space, it has a huge range of contemporary fiction, non-fiction and a whole room with children’s books too. The shop and its busy programme of events are run by Louise, James and their friendly team of helpers.

A few weeks ago, Read hosted a talk by Janice Hallett about her latest book, The Killer Question*, and her writing career. That’s how I got my hands on the hardback for this review. Having recently finished The Appeal, I was eager to start on the author’s latest release.

The mystery centres around a pub, The Case is Altered, whose landlords, Sue and Mal Eastwood, are missing. The story is told in Hallett’s trademark style, through emails, WhatsApp messages, transcripts and written documents. You get to discover what happened by reading the messages Sue and Mal sent and received before their disappearance.

Along the way, you learn about the pub quiz that the landlords ran, the rivalry between the quiz teams and the suspicious team that starts winning every single quiz.

During the talk at Read, Janice Hallett explained that before writing her novels, she’d spent ten years writing screenplays. That’s why her novels are told entirely through the communications between characters, as it’s like writing dialogue for screenplays.

Sue and Mal are well-drawn characters who you can easily imagine as pub landlords. They’re down-to-earth, humorous and a bit naive. Some of their slightly comical behaviour reminds me of the Nick and Audrey Spitz characters (played by Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston) from the Netflix Murder Mystery films.

The quiz teams supply many of the other characters. There are the lycra-clad cyclists, the downbeat Sid (and his wife Nancy), the vegans and, of course, the team that seems able to win every quiz.

Hallett keeps you riveted to the story as it unfolds across three timelines - the present day, what happened before Sue and Mal’s disappearance and their life before they ran the pub.

Given the complex plotting within the story and Hallett’s other novels, I was surprised to learn that she doesn’t plan out her plots before she starts writing. When asked at the Read event how she plans her books, Hallett said she starts with a very basic idea and simply begins writing and sees where it leads.

There are lots of loose threads, but the author draws them all together to explain everything you’ve read. And there are a lot of ingenious twists. While I had a few ideas about what might be happening in the story, the most significant reveal at the end was completely unexpected. It was a brilliant conclusion to the book that underlines the calibre of Hallet’s writing.

Having read a couple of Hallett’s books, I think what makes them stand out is they work on many different levels. The stories are told in the first person, the emails and messages keep you hooked, the characters are so believable, there’s a sprinkle of humour and the mystery itself is well-constructed. You enjoy your journey of reading the story and once you finish, you sit back and admire how impressive it was.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

The Appeal* was Janice Hallett’s debut and it’s a superb read. Expertly plotted, credible characters, a multi-layered story and a unique way to tell the story. That’s an incredible achievement for a first novel.

The story hinges on the Fairway Players’ adaptation of All My Sons and the charity appeal for Poppy Reswick’s medical treatment. As you work your way through the story, you discover there’s more going on in the village.

The book starts with humorous emails between members of the theatre group. But before long, you start to realise that some of the characters are not being honest with each other. Beneath the cosy veneer is a much darker tale, reminding me of A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder.

You’re told someone has been murdered and another has been wrongly convicted for it. Then two characters are given a cache of emails sent before and after the murder. Their job, and yours, is to solve what happened using the same information.

I should mention that The Appeal* is told entirely through emails and messages between the characters. There’s no narration, scene setting or character descriptions. Everything you read is essentially dialogue.

When I realised the whole book follows this approach, I was sceptical about how it would work. But my scepticism was unfounded, because the book is a masterpiece. I read the whole book in a weekend and found it hard to put down. The skill with which the author creates distinct characters with depth from their emails alone is excellent.

While there are many characters in the story, you’re given recaps on who is who and there’s a core group who are at the centre of things.

What I loved above all about the book was its originality, believable characters and an intriguing story. Definitely one to add to your to-be-read pile.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

With a Netflix adaptation of The Woman in Cabin 10* coming out later this year, it's no surprise that Ruth Ware has written a sequel to her 2016 novel.

While The Woman in Suite 11* is a sequel, it also feels like a standalone novel. That's because so much time has passed; it's ten years since the events of the original book. Lo's life has changed significantly since her previous adventure/nightmare journey.

In the new story, Lo is living in New York with her family, but she steps back into the world of journalism for the opening of a luxury hotel in Switzerland. While there, she encounters the woman in suite 11 and a whole new thriller unfolds.

The pace felt a bit slower than I've experienced in the author's other books. I think that's partly down to the setup of the story, which highlights how much has changed for Lo since we last saw her. The ending brought more pace and action to the story, although the twists were ones you could see coming a few chapters ahead.

It would be hard to match the intensity of the darkest parts of the first novel, and in comparison to that, this story felt very different. Also, I struggled to see why the police were so focused on Lo. The evidence appears quite flimsy and yet that is made a major plot point.

Unlike a typical detective series, where the lead characters pick up a new case in each book, with some character development too, Suite 11 is a very different kind of sequel. In the book's acknowledgements, the author recognises the difference in writing a sequel for the first time rather than another standalone novel.

While you could read this book without having read Cabin 10, I'd recommend the original story first. It'll give you more context and you'll get more enjoyment from this story. But be aware that the two books do differ in pace.

As a fan of Louise Penny and Ann Cleeves, the blurb for this one had me sold.

This is the first Annette Dashofy novel I've read, but it's the third novel in the Detective Honeywell series. There are many references to the earlier stories and, for a first-timer like me, they help to give background to the characters and how relationships have developed in previous stories.

In short, the novel is a well-crafted police procedural with interesting characters. Matthias Honeywell's past comes back to haunt him through several characters in this story. But alongside that, his relationship with Emma develops.

There are many different threads through the plot that could be red herrings or could be linked to the main story. These keep you interested as the investigation progresses.

My favourite character was actually Detective Cassie Malone, Matthias' partner. I hope her role expands in future novels.

My only reason for making this a 4 rather than 5 stars is that I'm not used to reading crime fiction set in small-town America. As a result, I found it harder to relate to the setting than in a Louise Penny or Ann Cleeves novel.

That is entirely my personal preference - it's just not the kind of book I'd normally read. For fans of character-based crime fiction, without graphic violence, it's still an enjoyable read.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK /One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.

I discovered Ruth Ware last year, but hadn't yet read Zero Days*.

That changed a few weeks ago, when I spotted a copy while on a charity shop book crawl in Harrogate.

Zero Days, like Ruth Ware's other thrillers, is an excellent read. There are three standout elements across her novels.

Firstly, the writing paints such a vivid image of the characters and settings that it's completely believable. You're sucked in from the first chapter and become immersed in the characters' messy and problematic lives.

Secondly, each story is unique. The settings and plots give each a distinct personality. The Woman in Cabin 10*, The Turn of the Key*, One by One*, and Zero Days* all give original takes on the thriller model.

Finally, the main character undergoes a horrendous experience as the story develops and you're rooting for them to make it through. The lead characters endure a huge amount of anguish, but they always come out fighting (sometimes literally).

In Zero Days*, Jack is that character. She's a pen tester, so she tests companies' security systems for a living. The book starts with Jack on one of her assignments, supported by her husband.

But things start to go south when her husband is killed and she becomes the prime suspect in his murder.

Jack goes on the run and tries to track down her husband's killer and prove her innocence.

The research and plotting of the story are superb. It's been so carefully constructed that you feel every obstacle and setback that Jack has to navigate.

There was only a minor inconsistency in the plot towards the end, but it doesn't detract from the story at all.

I devoured this in a couple of days because it's so well written and unputdownable. If you love thrillers with strong female leads, this is one for you.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

A few weeks ago, I discovered this great new series about Sherlock Holmes' "assistant" Harry White. After reading the second book in the series, The Case of the Cursed Writer, I had to go back and check out the series debut.

Harry White works at 221b Baker Street, where she's assigned the job of replying to letters to Sherlock Holmes. Harry knows that Holmes is a fictional character, but the people writing to him think he's a genuine detective who can solve their problems.

Harry's curiosity is piqued by one particular letter, and she soon finds herself investigating in the name of Mr Holmes. That includes donning disguises, going undercover and chasing suspects around London.

In my review of The Case of the Cursed Writer, I mentioned that Harry White reminds me of Enola Holmes. She's smart, sassy and more than a match for the dodgy characters she encounters both in her day job and as Holmes' assistant. And that applies equally to The Missing Maid.

As well as Harry, there are a few other characters in both books that adds a nice bit of continuity to them.

I'm still charmed by this original take on Sherlock Holmes. It has a modern feel, even though it's set in the 1930s, which makes it such an enjoyable read. The author also has a flair for storytelling, which makes it an enjoyable Golden Age-style mystery.

After reading The Heights, I've gone straight in with the latest Louise Candlish novel, A Neighbour's Guide to Murder*.

Retirement noir seems to be growing in popularity. While A Neighbour's Guide to Murder* might have the veneer of cosy crime, it's actually something much more complex. And it's delivered through award-worthy writing.

Gwen takes her new neighbour, Pixie, under her wing when the younger woman moves into Columbia Mansions. However, as Pixie's relationship with her landlord, Alec, comes under scrutiny by Gwen, tensions start to rise.

Matters escalate from curiosity to criminal behaviour, and life will never be the same again at Columbia Mansions.

The story is told from Gwen's point of view and she starts her own sleuthing when things don't add up. At one point, Gwen even compares herself to a second-rate Jane Marple and Jessica Fletcher. Although she says she thinks of herself more as a Vera.

The prologue kicks off by teasing you about what’s going to happen and subtle hints continue to be dripped as the book progresses.

The story feels so timely with the social trends and topical issues that crop up, from Instagram influencers to the lack of affordable housing. These are threaded through the story, bringing conflict into the characters' lives and making them believable as real people.

The realism is underlined by the dialogue. Each character's voice is carefully honed and the language is a masterclass in how to shape your characters and give them depth. Above all, it helps to create complex, inconsistent and life-like characters.

If you've read any of Louise Candlish's other suspense thrillers, you'll know she always delivers unexpected twists. A Neighbour's Guide to Murder* is no exception. All I'll say is it provides a disturbing twist on unreliable narration.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

For me, suspense thrillers are a palate cleanser. Sounds odd, I know.

But with a reading list that features many murder mysteries, especially the cosier kind, it's good to mix it up with something a bit grittier.

I discovered Louise Candlish earlier this year and was pleased to see The Heights* available through my library.

Ellen's life is turned upside down after her son Lucas makes a new friend. Kieran Watts is the dictionary definition of 'a bad influence' though.

The friendship takes a disastrous turn and Ellen has to decide how to protect her family and take revenge.

In short, it's a superb novel. The author's hyperrealism style makes it feel like a fly-on-the-wall documentary.

The first-person narration by Ellen gives you her instant, personal reaction to the traumatising events she experiences. However, the book also gives you glimpses from other perspectives, which provide a rounded view of Ellen and the whole story.

There's a fast pace from the beginning and that momentum continues throughout the story. Many of the chapters end on cliffhangers and so you turn to the next chapter to find out what happens next, only for the next chapter to be from the other timeline. That's not a criticism; instead, it highlights the masterful plotting and planning that's gone into creating this excellent thriller.

The Heights themselves also have a starring role. Using the waterfront property at critical moments gives the story a unique hook that separates this from the bookshelves of domestic noir suspense thrillers.

Louise Candlish has created a story that feels uncannily true. It's equal parts shocking, suspenseful and surprising. And it has an ending you won't see coming.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

This novel had popped up on various book sites, and so when I saw one of my local libraries had it in stock, I had to give it a try.

Laura Lippman is new to me, but she clearly has an extensive back catalogue. And it shows in the quality of Murder Takes a Vacation*.

The story follows Mrs Blossom on a holiday of a lifetime to Paris for a river cruise. However, right from the start, the holiday takes several unexpected turns.

Murder obviously features in the story along with an interesting array of characters that'll have you second-guessing about their motives.

However, the star of the story is Mrs Blossom herself. She defies stereotypes and is written with nuance and a delightful sense of humour.

Her motivation for the cruise, along with aspects of her life, are gradually revealed as you move through the story. But right from the first chapter you're intrigued enough by this lady to see what happens next.

The murder itself felt like a supporting point to the story of Mrs Blossom's adventure, but that's a positive because her character is so well-crafted I would read her future activities.

As I've not read any of Laura Lippman's books before I wasn't aware of her Tess Monaghan series. However, for fans of these stories, you'll be pleased to see that she makes a cameo appearance in Murder Takes a Vacation*.

In short, this is an engaging story with a standout main character and hopefully the first of many that feature Mrs Blossom.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

The French Bookshop Murder* was a disappointing read. From the title and the blurb, I'd hoped it would be a murder mystery set in France around a bookshop.

The story does have those three elements. But most of the book was focused on Zoe Pascal moving to France to run a bookshop.

The murder was a minor part.

As a 'fish out of water' story, it's a gentle, meandering tale. There are copious descriptions of the French village, Sainte-Catherine, the surrounding countryside, the food and the reactions of the local inhabitants to the incomer.

But as a murder mystery, the pacing is glacially slow.

It takes some time before the murder occurs and Zoe's decision to start asking questions comes even later. As a result, the 'murder investigation' is virtually non-existent.

You're introduced to many villagers and each is well-crafted with detailed back stories. They are probably the most interesting part of the story. What's odd is that the one character with little definition is Zoe herself.

Apart from discovering that she's the half-sister/friend of Maisie Cooper (from the author's other series of books), used to work in musical theatre and had a difficult start in life, we don't learn much about Zoe as the story progresses.

Despite all the other characters, too much of the book happens in Zoe's head. She asks herself questions and ponders the motives of the villagers without coming to any useful conclusions.

The book also ends abruptly once the murderer is revealed, but without any explanation for why they did it.

I'm sure there'll be more stories about Zoe Pascal, but I don't feel this series is right for me.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

I had my eye on Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect* from the minute I bought Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. It's the perfect sequel, with spoiler-free callbacks.

The title also does a brilliant job of giving you a peek at the plot, reminding you of Murder on the Orient Express*, and doing all that with a little wink so you know not to take it too seriously.

After reading these novels, I think of Benjamin Stevenson as the Penn and Teller of crime fiction.

Like the American magicians, Stevenson is a master of his craft, but with a unique and humorous approach. He blends superb storytelling skills and perfect comedic timing with an in-depth knowledge of murder mysteries.

On top of all that, Stevenson (or Ernest Cunningham as the narrator) regularly breaks the fourth wall to stand shoulder to shoulder with the reader. He plays fair and gives you the same information he has access to, pointing out clues as they appear in the story.

Of course, there are twists and secrets hidden within the layers of information that you discover as the train makes its way from Darwin to Adelaide.

Best of all, Ernest tells the reader how many times the name of the killer will be mentioned during the story. There's even a great horse-racing-style commentary based on a running tally of their mentions to date.

Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect* is an excellent read if you like crime fiction that doesn't take itself too seriously. That's why I'm hoping there'll be more Ernest Cunningham stories in the near future.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Sherlock Holmes is real. That's what the people who write to him at 221B Baker Street, asking for his help, believe.

How do the actual occupants of the famous address deal with these requests? Well, they employ someone to reply to them.

That's the truth that kick-started the fictional Baker Street Mysteries.

Harry White is the inquisitive lady whose job is to reply to all the correspondence to Holmes. But she's intrigued by one telegram and decides to investigate on his behalf.

There's a strong Holmesian feel to the novel as the story echoes The Hound of the Baskervilles*. But with a strong, independent female lead, it will also appeal to fans of Enola Holmes*.

This is a superb book that blends the links to Holmes with a fresh approach to detection.

Harry White is an impressive character who knows her mind and can take care of herself in even the most dangerous situations. The dynamic between Harry and Oliver Fortescue helps guide the story and provides Harry with a useful assistant.

The writing is excellent, with realistic dialogue and a cast of characters you'd expect in one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novels. In fact, the whole book is leagues ahead of many crime fiction books by big-name authors.

The Cursed Writer is the second in the series, but the first one I've read. While the story is standalone, it has many references to the previous book. In my view, there are a few too many of these, but that's only a minor quibble.

And in fact, I've already reserved the first in the series, The Missing Maid, through my local library.

It's a clear five-star story, and I hope the author creates many more stories for Harry White. This series deserves a much wider audience.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Blue Lightning* is the fourth book in the Shetland series and the last of the Four Seasons Quartet.

Jimmy Perez and his fiancée Fran visit Jimmy's childhood home of Fair Isle. But his personal trip is interrupted by a murder at the bird centre. With raging storms, the island is cut off and it's down to Jimmy to investigate and track down the killer by himself.

One of the enjoyable parts of returning to a series like Shetland is the blend of familiar elements like the lead character, along with something new in each book. 

Ann Cleeves does this through the use of multiple points of view. As well as Jimmy's point of view, there are also PoVs from a couple of other characters, which bring new perspectives into the story and keep it fresh.

Blue Lightning* also introduces us to the world of bird watching and the avid behaviour of people who travel hundreds of miles to spot a particular bird.

Having read some of the author's early books, the insights into birdwatching serve as a subtle callback to her first published novel, A Bird in the Hand*. However, Blue Lightning* is a far superior book that reflects the decades the author has spent honing her writing craft.

If you've read any of the other Shetland stories, you'll know how the suspense continues to build throughout the book. Blue Lightning is no different. The storm, the small Fair Isle community and the even smaller group of people at the bird observatory create an oppressive tension that runs through to the end.

As you know, there are no spoilers on Mostly Murder, but what I will say is the story has an emotional ending that cements this book as a 5-star read.

*Disclosure: If you buy books linked to my site, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

I don't normally read historical fiction, even when it involves murder, but Mrs MM discovered the Kate Shackleton series while we were on a charity shop book crawl. She read this one super quick and is now speeding through the rest of the series. At her recommendation, I picked up Dying in the Wool and was hooked from the first chapter.

Kate Shackleton is asked by a friend to track down her father, Joshua Braithwaite, who has gone missing in strange circumstances. Braithwaite ran the local mill, so Kate travels to the town to meet his family and his mill workers. As the story unfolds, we learn about the darker side of life in a mill town and the vivid contrast with the surrounding landscape.

Told in the first person by Kate, we get a direct insight into her personality, family and her own tragedies. This storytelling approach is a major reason why the book is such a great read. 

The level of detail the author has woven into the story is superb. Frances Brody has a brilliant skill of sharing just enough of the setting so you conjure up the rest in your mind. I'm not a visual thinker, but with this book, I had a clear image of every scene.

It's also refreshing that Kate doesn't fall into a Downton Abbey/Upstairs Downstairs cliche. She's a strong, independent woman who's confident in her own skin and happy talking with mill workers as well as the landed gentry. During an amusing cameo by Arthur Conan Doyle, she refuses to get drawn into his spiritualist obsession and tells him what she thinks of it.

The other characters have depth and their own tones of voice, which makes the story more authentic. Kate's professional relationship with Mr Sykes evolves during the book and I look forward to seeing how this develops later in the series.

The mystery is revealed through the book at an even pace. You're given lots of clues to consider as Kate discovers them, but there are still a few twists that'll surprise you before the end.

Dying in the Wool has more grit than you might expect. But the story will have you hooked and you'll want to read more about Kate Shackleton.

The author (Mike Ripley) introduces the book and explains that it's 'not a conventional crime novel, rather a novel about writing crime novels.'

That's the best part - the insights into writing and publishing and the relationships between the people working in those worlds.

There are dozens of references and name checks for famous crime fiction authors, books and tropes. These have been weaved into the story and work best if you get the references. Some of them were obvious, but others went over my head.

But the story itself didn't work for me. It felt like a slow meander down a country lane with the destination right known from the start. I wasn't hooked by the story and didn't care what happened to the characters.

Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.

With a celebrity author, it's hard to read the story without thinking about them. 

I remember first watching Richard Armitage play Lucas North in Spooks on the BBC. Then I saw him in The Hobbit films. More recently, he's starred in a number of Harlan Coben adaptations, including Fool Me Once.

The characters I've seen him play are dark, intense and brooding. It's fitting that this book is in the suspenseful thriller category. You can easily imagine the author playing a leading role in the story.

In a nutshell, if you enjoy gripping and dark thrillers, this is one for you. 

A murderer who killed one of Ben Knott's school friends is about to be released. Ben's life takes a dark turn when his son is cast in a film that brings back memories of Ben's own childhood.

The story is told through two timelines, which work well to slowly reveal what happened 30 years ago as well as what's happening now. Each chapter is clear about the date it takes place. The characters are also clearly drawn and mostly believable. You become invested in what happens to them and how the story will pan out. 

To add authenticity to the story, there are many cultural references. The only problem is that some of these are in the wrong era.  

In the mid-1990s, a teenage girl is shown as a fan of Duran Duran, but this group was mainly popular in the early 1980s. It's unlikely they'd be the go-to group for a 90s teenager. Also, in the same timeline, a teenage boy is said to have modelled his running style after Steve Ovett, a well-known athlete of the early 1980s. Again, it's hard to believe he was an idol to many 90s teenagers.

What's more, in the current day timeline (2024), a teenager refers to an Atari games console, a ZX Spectrum and Betamax videos. While the character is disparaging about these old technologies, it's hard to believe that today's teenagers would have even heard of them.

I'd read more from Richard Armitage because The Cut was well-paced, with an original story and engaging characters. But the outdated cultural references have pushed down my review score to four stars. 

Thanks to Faber and Faber and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.