The Correspondent - Virginia Evans

Description

84 Charing Cross Road meets A Man Called Ove in this heartwarming, witty story about the life of an extraordinary woman, told through her letters.

In her letters to family and friends we come to know the life of Sybil Van Antwerp- stubborn, cantankerous, opinionated, always steadfast in her belief in the power of the written word.

But as the clock begins to tick for Sybil, the need for a few post-scripts to the life she's led becomes apparent. Fixing her difficult relationship with her children. Taking a final chance at romance. Atoning for an old legal case which has come back to haunt her. And finally, reckoning with a devastating loss that she has spent the last thirty years holding close to her chest.

Review

I honestly can’t remember the last time I loved a book this much. I’ve read it at every opportunity over the past couple of days and have been genuinely reluctant to put it down, I couldn’t wait to pick it up again.

The story of Sybil, told through her letters, might not sound like the most exciting premise, but it was absolutely wonderful. I loved all the different people she wrote to, the letters they sent back, and the way her story gradually unfolds through this collection of correspondence. There was something so intimate and absorbing about it.

At one point, someone in the book compares Sybil to Helen Hanff, and that really struck a chord with me because I love Helen Hanff’s books too. I also think there’s a little bit of Olive Kitteridge about Sybil who is another another character I can’t get enough of. Perhaps that’s part of the reason I found her so utterly compelling.

I loved this book and would happily have carried on reading Sybil’s letters for many more pages.

Thanks to my local library for lending me this book. I am giving it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion vol 1 - Beth Brower

 

Description

'I’ve arrived in London without incident. There are few triumphs in my recent life, but I count this as one. My existence of the last three years has been nothing but incident.'

The year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighbourhood of St. Crispian's. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

Review

Set in 1883 orphaned Emma has returned to St Crispian's to claim her inheritance. She is only 20 years old, so has a few months to go yet, but she is certainly very wise for her years. She wastes no time in setting about what is due to her. Unfortunately her obnoxious cousin Archibald has not been too careful in protecting her inheritance. 

There are some supernatural occurrences along the way. Not explained but rather taken as granted, so I wasn't sure about them. Maybe this progresses in further volumes.

Told with wit and in keeping with the language of the times, this is a nice little read. It is the first volume, setting the scene for the other volumes already available to read.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.  

Eden Falls - Ajay Chowdhury

Description

When Aisha’s husband vanishes in plain sight, she is pulled into a nightmare to find him in this race-against-time tech thriller...

'A clever, timely and thrilling page turner' Jo Callaghan
'Outstanding' Abir Mukherjee
'A first-rate thriller' William Shaw
'Pulsating' Vaseem Khan

After the murder of his best friend, newlyweds Adam and Aisha cut their honeymoon short. But just as they are about to board a flight home from Delhi, Adam disappears at the airport – seemingly kidnapped – leaving Aisha stranded without her passport, her phone, or answers.

When the FBI and India’s intelligence agency begin interrogating her, it becomes chillingly clear they know far more about Adam than she ever did. Her only clue is his final, haunting message: I’m sorry.

Thousands of miles away, Sara Wolf, a scientist stuck on a dead-end project at Princeton, receives a message she never expected from her former lover. It contains two words: Help her.

Bound together by suspicion, rivalry, and a man they both love, Aisha and Sara are forced into an uneasy alliance. Decoding Adam’s clues, they follow a trail that leads them across the United States - into a shadow world of weaponised AI, tech billionaires, and a secret no one is meant to find.

Eden Falls is a gripping, high-stakes thriller that spans continents and asks how far we will go - and who we will trust - when the truth can destroy everything.

Review

This is the first book I have read by this well known author. I was at times thrilled and at others baffled by this standalone thriller.

The book begins with a few students seeing a meteorite fall to earth. Seen as a discovery, but then declared a hoax. Fast forward to the airport in Delhi where Adam and his wife are having to cut their honeymoon short due to the murder of his best friend. What happens next is terrifying, her husband goes missing and she is left with no means of ID and cannot even leave the airport to be with her parents as she has no passport.

Once his wife manages to get back to the USA she teams up with his ex girlfriend Sara who is a scientist. It's not the easiest of alliances as you might guess but Adam has emailed Sara to tell her to help his new wife. 

I loved the interactions between the two female characters and their quest to solve the clues that will hopefully save Adam. For me these were the most thrilling parts of the book and real page turners. The science parts left me cold. Far too much language which although realistic bamboozled me. I decided to just read on and not understand. What I did understand was the underlying message of AI seemingly helping people by utter reliance on it,  but then being used to destroy them through others. That part felt very real and was a little prophetic. 

Overall I did like the book, a sort of Indiana Jones meets AI. It's just perfect to be made into a film. I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. The book is published on 23 July 2026. 

The Truth of Us - Sara Cox

 

Description

'Like all great storytellers Sara pulls the reader in and doesn't let go until the utterly satisfying, heart-swelling conclusion' Graham Norton
'Utterly brilliant. I inhaled it. I loved it' Claudia Winkleman
'Unputdownable' The Sunday Times

FRIENDS ARE THE FAMILY YOU CHOOSE.

Manchester, 1982. The houses on the street are almost identical but number 51 has always been slightly neater, a shiny penny next to number 49. The people inside have their differences too but still their lives are entwined, most especially for young girls Abi and Christy. From questionable fashion choices, illicit nights out and doomed romances, growing up together they share everything. Including the secret that eventually tears them apart.

Two decades later, Abi's life is one of marriage, family and stability. Christy, always the wilder of the two, has travelled and partied and risen high in the world of TV. Until, unexpectedly, they're living next door to each other again. Is it finally time to confront the past and speak the truth?

The Truth of Us showcases Sara Cox's superb storytelling skills in an unforgettable story that spans generations but always stays truthful to the strong, funny and complex women at its heart.

Review

We meet Abi and Christy as adults when they end up living next door to one another in their childhood homes again. There are a lot of characters and I struggled at times to remember which parents belonged to which character. One of the main features of the story is the kitchen windows in each house. Over the years the girls/women see each other through it, a glimpse into each others lives. It fitted the storyline perfectly, but I couldn't visualize two houses that would have this layout and it really annoyed me.

I loved both of Sara's previous books. They felt original and different from other books I had read. I began to read this one and after a few pages I thought it formulaic - a story I had read before. But, I was proved wrong as the story progressed, it was more original than I had at first thought. However, the constant flipping back and forth with the time line was too much for me. One instance especially sticks in my mind when the book goes back sequentially, but then when we next go back it is to an earlier time.

I felt the story was very long and drawn out until about half way through when I began to really embrace the storyline and I actually wanted to continue reading. This I thought is the writing I was expecting from the beginning.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. This book is published on 16 July 2026.

Everything She Didn't Say - Jane Casey

 

Description

THE STUNNING, UNPREDICTABLE NEW THRILLER WITH BREATHTAKING TWISTS FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES AND #1 IRISH TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR JANE CASEY

‘Instantly gripping, it’s a masterpiece' Andrea Mara

'An immersive thriller that constantly surprises' Catherine Ryan Howard

'So gripping' Elly Griffiths

'It’s a bloody masterpiece!' Liz Nugent

‘Twisty and incredibly gripping’ Claire McGowan

Someone is dead. Someone is a killer. Someone is lying.

A woman is found in bloodstained clothes on the lonely coast of County Mayo.

At first, she won’t speak. Then a name comes: Ruth. And a story about her missing friend: Maura.

Ruth says she and Maura were staying in a clifftop house together. But there’s no trace of her there. Nothing but a pool of blood.

Ruth says the pair fought in the days before Maura disappeared. But the locals say they only ever saw one woman.

Ruth swears she’s telling the truth, but do the answers really lie in everything she didn’t say?

Review

I've only read one other book by this author and I had forgotten how good the writing is.

When a woman is interviewed after being found in bloodstained clothes she won't speak. Until one of the detectives finds a name and she opens up. Her story of how she came to be covered in blood, in a remote place in County Mayo is a complicated one.

Ruth has a friend called Maura, but does she? No one has seen her or knows of her. Ruth is adamant that they were staying together in a house sit for an influencer project. So who does the blood on Ruth belong to, and where is Maura?

I liked the characters particularly the two detectives and later a third detective Cara who I could just imagine. A few wonderfully drawn supporting characters too.The setting of the County Mayo coast and the area puts you right in the location without being overly descriptive. It also adds another layer to the story with it being a character in its own right, adding so much to the ambience of the story.  

There were a lot of cliff hangers which left me trying to rewrite mentally what I had learnt, and still not getting to the truth. Twist after twist until there was a genius twist, and it is worth reading the book for that alone. I'm still not sure I fully understand what happened!

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. This book is published on 16 July 2026.

The Shampoo Effect - Jenny Jackson

 

Description

A VOGUE 'BEST BOOK OF 2026'

OVER ONE LONG SUMMER, WHO KNOWS WHAT MIGHT COME OUT IN THE WASH?

When writer Caroline Lash arrives in Greenhead, she falls immediately for its scenic beaches and New England charm – and even harder for Van Whittaker, a gorgeous, fleece-wearing, litter-collecting, kayak enthusiast.

She meets his friends: Augusta, old money and uptight; Fran, drowning in everyone else’s problems whilst keeping two kids (and an inebriated husband) afloat; and Bailey, who is sexy, confident… and inconveniently pregnant with Van’s child.

Determined nothing will dull the shine of her new romance, Caroline joins the friends as they run wild through Greenhead, drinking on houseboats, gossiping on beaches while their children paddle, and playing risky games.

It seems the fun will last forever – until it doesn’t. As decades-old friendships and marriages begin to fracture, Caroline’s place in their world is called into question. And with all the group’s most tightly held secrets at stake, who knows what might come out?

Dazzlingly funny, sexy, and as juicy as it is astute, The Shampoo Effect is a story of late-night parties, early mornings with small children, and old friends finally growing up – despite all their best efforts.

'The platonic ideal of a beach read: fun and fast-paced'
New York Times

'[A] juicy send-up of privilege in all its rowdy dysfunction'
People

'Astutely observed'
Booklist

Review

I loved Pineapple Street so eagerly began to read this one.

Caroline is starting afresh as a newly published writer in the New Yorker. She has secured a writers residency in a beach town and right away meets and falls for Van. He comes with a whole group of friends who have known one another for 30 years so it's a tough group to integrate into.

It started out ok, but I couldn't connect with any of the characters or feel anything towards them. Caroline was the strongest character for me, but as the book flips between the characters stories, she wasn't narrating all the time. 

At one point I did think why am I reading this, it's just people's lives that I have no interest in (apart from Caroline). I read on and I am so glad I did. I picked the book up and down several times until I had arrived at around half way through it. It was like a key turned and I really got it! I proceeded to read the rest of the book straight to the end, staying up late to do so. Seems like once everyone started to spill their feelings and secrets it became a lot more interesting. 

I loved the sweet ending.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. It gained an extra star during the second half and for the ending. My thanks to Negalley for the ARC to review. This book is out on 2 July 2026.

Retro - Jessica M Goldstein

 

Description

✨ PRE-ORDER THE ZEITGEISTY TIME TRAVEL DEBUT WITH A TWIST ✨

'I want to travel back so I can read it again for the first time!'
Casey Scieszka, author of The Fountain

'So much fun!'
Holly Gramazio, author of The Husbands

EVER WANTED TO TRAVEL INTO THE PAST? WELL NOW YOU CAN!*
*exclusions and exorbitant fees apply.

Ash is a failed actress who is done trying to ‘make’ something of her life when she scrolls past an ad for Retro. The algorithm thinks she can afford recreational time travel? Then she sees the caption: Come away with us! We’re hiring.

Time Travel Agents, the guides who lead ultra-wealthy explorers on trips to the past on the ‘Retro Metro’, must blend seamlessly into any historical period. Ash is a perfect fit. She’s an actress after all. Or at least she used to be.

So begins Ash’s life at Retro, chaperoning rich tourists through history’s most Instagrammable eras. She wrangles bachelorette parties chasing hunky cowboys in the Old West, throws ‘'20s for your twenties’ birthday bashes at speakeasies, and rolls her eyes at Wall Street men trying their luck in the Gold Rush.

For the first time in years, Ash’s life feels enviable. She barely notices the strange glitches in her memory or the way her present-day relationships are starting to slip.

But as the trips intensify and her present begins to fray, Ash confronts an unsettling question: Was diving into the past ever really an escape, or just another way to lose herself?

***

'A magnetic read—equal parts charming, melancholy, and strange—perfect for those with sharp tongues but yearning hearts.' Emily Hunt Kivel, author of Dwelling

'Shrewd, witty and original' Aisling Rawle, author of The Compound

'Retro provides a whip smart critique of influencer culture and the ultrawealthy, while being utterly readable and compelling' Tasha Coryell, author of Love Letters to a Serial Killer

Review

I love a time travel novel and was eagerly looking forward to this book. 

Ash hasn't made it as an actress and is currently in an office job. Then she sees an advert for a Time Travel company that are hiring. I immediately began to think of the Jack Finney short stories set in a similar vein, although this is 21st century time travel. So all the clients want to go to Instagrammable locations and the time travel scenario is well publicised.

I was all in with the concept and mostly interested in the recreational time travel that the agents were allowed to undertake. When they chaperoned clients it was mainly spoilt rich people who wanted a 21st century experience in the past. 

Unfortunately for me I found the book became a little pedestrianised in its pace after a while. Going back in time was great, but when we got there not a lot happened. Plenty of details but not much action. Luckily I stuck with it, because in the last part of the book, I literally became so scared for Ash. Different outcomes were racing through my head and what "would I do" scenarios playing out in my mind. Then nothing. I re read the ending but "nothing". It felt like the wrong ending to me, a let down.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

One of the Family - Mark Edwards

 

Description

One of the family is dead.
One of the family is missing.
And one of the family might just be the killer...

The outstanding new psychological thriller from the 5 million copy-bestselling author of Here to Stay and The Magpies

*****
Patrick couldn’t believe his luck when Holly fell for him. She’s wickedly funny, beautiful, and with an intimidatingly successful father, Charles.

So when she invites him to Charles’ mansion for a New Year’s break in Scotland, all he’s hoping is that they’ll accept him as one of the family.

But everything feels a little off. Whispers in hallways. Rumours of a body that got found nearby the previous year. And something very strange about Charles’ new girlfriend.

Every family has secrets, and Patrick tells himself all he needs to do is survive the next few days.

But then the first body is found, and Patrick realises that all he needs to do is survive the next few days…

Review

I thought the book was a little slow to begin with, but that did seem to fit the bleak Scottish landscape that it was set in. There was quite a bit of scene setting with who was who in the family, and everyone settling either back into the Scottish Mansion, or as first time visitors. 

Once the action began I was all in for trying to solve it, which proved pointless. The book flipped back 10 years a few times,  to when two of the characters were teenagers. This began to make some sense of the present day scenario. 

There wasn't a lot of depth to the characters but that didn't affect the story. I hated most of them anyway for varying reasons. 

Once the snow began to come down it really was an atmospheric novel, especially as there is only one policewoman in the vicinity. When the twists began I did literally have my mouth open at each one! It was a bit of a rollercoaster towards the end. Then came the epilogue.  I'm not sure I liked it as the ending to the book. I'm still reasoning it in my mind now.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. The book is published on 18 June 2026

Sleuths - Samantha Moody

 

Description

‘I read it in one sitting!’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review

SHE’S A FAN

Melody runs a fan account for TV’s hottest regency romance actor, Griff Beckett. But when one of the photos she posts shows Griff in a romantic position with an unknown woman, angry fans turn on Melody and accuse her of the ultimate fan betrayal: posting a fake picture.

HE’S A CELEBRITY

Hurt and angry, Melody sets out to prove the photo is real and their favourite actor is no longer single…until, instead of a girlfriend, she finds a missing person report.

AND HE’S…KIDNAPPED SOMEONE?

It should be a job for the authorities, but nobody will take Melody seriously. She'll have to team up with her internet friends, and a (distractingly sexy) journalist, Levi, to save the day.

Can Melody solve the case, save the girl, and get her dream man in the process?

The perfect sexy and thrilling rom-com for fans of Butcher & Blackbird and Love in the Time of Serial Killers

Review

I've got mixed feelings about this book. I thought it was going to be a lighthearted read. As Melody uncovers a dark and dangerous criminal operation, I found some of the description to be a little uncomfortable.

I liked the beginning of the book. I could relate to Melody in her job and found it interesting. We then realise she is also running a fan account on IG. Things suddenly go very wrong for her with hate being levelled at her with increasing speed and the potential downfall of her account means a loss of earnings to supplement her life in London.

She turns into a sleuth along with two other online friends and it all got very sinister. Part of me couldn't take what was happening seriously until she also began to get help (and a love interest) from a journalist. 

I think the last third of the book was very suspenseful and a different side of Mel was exposed as she took it on the chin, and stood up for what she believed in. I'm certainly not the intended demographic for this novel and although I use IG and am aware of fangirls, this was not something I would normally have chosen to read.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

Common Decency - Tom Allen

 

Description

IT MAY BE QUIET IN THE SUBURBS, BUT IT'S FAR FROM PEACEFUL. . .

'A fantastic frothy read about suburbia with all Tom Allen's great style' JACQUELINE WILSON, international #1 bestseller

'A deliciously witty suburban comedy of manners with real bite, shot through with Tom Allen's trademark humour. A brilliant debut novel!' TERRY DEARY, #1 Sunday Times bestseller

'Absolutely fantastic, I love Tom Allen!' SARA COX

'I love it!' JEFF GOLDBLUM

'A brilliant book' CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN

'Genuinely charming and so well-written. Read this book instead of doom-scrolling and you will go to bed happy' JEREMY VINE

'A story that made me both spit out my tea with laughter and brought me close to tears. I LOVED IT!'
RUTH HOGAN, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things

'Charming and comical with a sardonic raised eyebrow. Very Tom Allen!' JO BRAND

'Tom writes with a perfect comic voice, about a place no one knows better, suburbia. A beautiful book about a much ignored area of British life' JOSH WIDDICOMBE


It may be quiet in the suburbs, but it's far from peaceful . . .

Oak Drive can be found nestled tidily in an unassuming English town. Its uniform front gardens overlook a midsized common which the street's residents survey with quiet, some might say smug, pride.

This is the sort of place where it pays to sweat the small stuff, and let the big things look after themselves. Bins should be placed back in their right positions in a timely fashion and paintwork should share the same tasteful but muted palette.

Sometimes, however, the big things do not look after themselves - and all hell can break loose in sleepy suburbia.

Common Decency chronicles the lives and interactions of the street's residents as they band together to save a beloved oak tree from destruction at the hands of ruthless developers.

As tensions rise and repressed neuroses and resentments seep out, the secrets of Oak Drive threaten to shatter the well-ordered veneer, revealing some rather more surprising truths. . .

Tom Allen brings his trademark dark comedy to the page in this brilliant novel about what it truly means to be a neighbourhood.

READERS ARE LOVING TOM ALLEN'S SPARKLING DEBUT
'What an exceptional piece of writing. It's witty, it's immersive, it makes you think'
'A fabulous read, a real comedy of manners'
'Tom Allen has a natural affinity for storytelling. I can't wait to see what he writes next'
'A humorous, charming book with a bit of edge to it'
'The cosiest of suburban observational dramas, with the smart sass and wit you'd expect from Tom Allen'
'I absolutely ADORED this book!'

Review

I've been really looking forward to reading this book so much, and it didn't disappoint.

On the surface this is a book about a neighbourhood coming together to fight developers and save a very old oak tree. It's the suburbs, not much happens, and if it should, one of the residents is there to maintain order and let everyone know if they step out of line with their bins.

I'm not one for overly descriptive writing and words that don't add value, but in this book every wonderful word counted. I was enjoying the wickedly funny observations of day to day life and expected nothing more. But then a twist and a flashback and the book turned into something far deeper than I had imagined.

My favourite character was Miranda, but I loved them all. The characters, their traits and the setting was so vividly written, that I could see it all in my mind. I am really going to miss them all and the writing style. I hope the author writes something else soon!

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Net Galley for the ARC to review. This book is published on 21 May 2026.

Quite Ugly One Evening - Chris Brookmyre

Description

'The plot is breathtaking, the setting beautiful and the characters are written with genuine depth. And smack bang in the middle of this Succession-meets-The Traitors novel is Brookmyre's most iconic character: the monumental Jack Parlabane. Irrepressible, acerbic and positively rubbing this hands with glee. Absolutely brilliant' M. W. Craven

'Brookmyre at his twisted best... Laugh out loud and perfectly conceived. What a bloody triumph' Helen Fields

An Atlantic voyage. A family at war. A secret worth killing over.

Reporter Jack Parlabane thrives on chasing stories in unlikely places, and where could be less likely than a fan convention on a cruise liner celebrating a contentious Sixties TV series? But unlike the media family exploiting their show's renewed relevance, he's not there to stoke controversy: he's there to solve a murder.

Already in deep water with his employer, Jack desperately needs a win, and solving this decades-old mystery could be it. Problem is, he's in the middle of the Atlantic, and someone onboard has already killed once to keep their secret.

And that's not even the tricky part. No, the tricky part is definitely the dead body locked in a stateroom with him, covered in his blood. Now Jack has to solve two murders, otherwise the only way he's getting off this ship is in handcuffs - or in a body bag.

Quite Ugly One Evening is a zeitgesty locked-room mystery that sees the return of rogue journalist Jack Parlabane thirty years after his first appearance in Quite Ugly One Morning.

Review

I recently read the first Jack Parlabane book which is 30 years old. So I was familiar with the main character. Now he is older he has matured, but not in all ways, although that is to the benefit of the reader in the main. 

I had no problem with Jack, I liked his with quick thinking and charm. What I did have a problem with was the many characters who I could not get straight in my head, particularly those with unusual but explained names. I decided to read on and not let it bother me. In the end the Agatha Christie style twist ending meant I wouldn't have had a scooby of working it out anyway. 

There was also a lot of detailed descriptions of the layout of the ship. Some were necessary for the plot but a lot of it seemed to be wasted words. It seemed like there was a lot of down time for Jack where admittedly he was "working" but nothing was happening. 

I haven't read the books in between the first and this one, so maybe I am missing something but it felt like a standalone book to me. Having said that the knowledge of Jack as a younger man did give the character more depth for me.

By the end of the book I was really enjoying it, but felt I had to wade through a lot to get there. I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars.

My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. This book is published on 7 May 2026.

A Deadly Episode - Anthony Horowitz

 

Description

The Word is Murder, the first book in the Hawthorne series, is being made into a major feature film.

The actors have been cast, the script written, and filming has already started in Hastings.

But when Hawthorne and Anthony visit the set, they find a far from happy family.

The director’s pretentious, the screenwriter’s an eco-warrior, the two stars hate each other, and the producer has run out of money.

And things are about to get much, much worse.

In the middle of shooting, the actor playing Hawthorne is stabbed – which leaves the real Hawthorne with no choice. He has to step in and investigate his own murder.

Because the killer may not have got the right man. Was it Hawthorne himself who was meant to be the target?

A Deadly Episode is a wild ride through a world that the author knows only too well, and the most personal case Hawthorne has had to deal with so far.

Review

I've read the first and the fifth book in this series before reading this latest novel. Although the subject of the first book is being made into a film in this one, I think you could read it as a standalone. However, you would miss the depth that you get with knowing about the characters of Hawthorne and Horowitz previously.

I was reading along quite happily, enjoying the writing style as usual. About half way through the book it switches to a Hawthorne's first ever case, and I felt very put out. A whole new set of characters appeared and it was like reading another book. It actually hindered me picking it up again, because it felt like it was too much effort.  Luckily I did get back to the book and just as I had forgotten all about the original plot of the book because I had become immersed once more in the writing, we were taken back to it. I was rewarded with a very twisty ending and overall the book was great. 

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. This book is published on 23 April 2026.

Yesteryear - Caro Claire Burke

 

Description

'EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK' BELLA MACKIE

'NIGHTMARISH, SHOCKING, BRILLIANT' STYLIST

'THE BOOK THAT WILL BE EVERYWHERE' INDEPENDENT

'INTELLIGENT, INCISIVE, INSANELY READABLE' JENNIE GODFREY

'BOLD, BITING. WILL LEAVE YOU GASPING' NITA PROSE

‘WICKEDLY FUNNY, FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE' ABIGAIL DEAN

'INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE' ASHLEY AUDRAIN

'SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR, LACED WITH DARKNESS' CLARE MACKINTOSH

'THE STEPFORD WIVES MEETS THE HANDMAID'S TALE' HANNAH DEITCH

'My name is Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive…'

Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle – and has the social media accounts to prove it. Her charming farmhouse on her working ranch is artfully cluttered, her husband is a handsome cowboy, her homemade sourdough boules are each more beautiful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers and industrial-grade ovens behind the scenes? What Natalie’s followers don’t know won’t hurt them.

Then, one morning, Natalie wakes up in a strange, horrible version of reality. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Is this a hoax? A reality show? A test from God? Natalie knows just two things for sure: this isn't her perfect life, and she must escape, by any means possible.

NOW BEING ADAPTED INTO A MAJOR FILM STARRING ANNE HATHAWAY

Review

I don't know what to say about this book, because if I say too much it will spoil your reading of it.

Natalie is an Instagram influencer. She didn't use to be. It's taken her a lot of hard work and training to be this real online, even if she isn't this real offline. All her family are involved as she portrays the perfect traditional lifestyle on her ranch.

We see the "before" Natalie as she realises her husband Caleb is not who she thought he was and she needs to create a life for him to live. With support from her wealthy Father in law she has the means to create that life, and now the medium to show it to the world via Instagram. 

When Natalie wakes up one morning and doesn't recognise her home or her children, she wonders if someone is playing a reality TV show trick on her. It is her home, but without all the mod cons she hides from the real world. She has the right number of children, but not quite the same ones. As her life in 1805 begins she decides she has to escape from it. The real trad wife life is not for her it seems.

I really enjoyed the influencer parts of this book and the glimpse behind the "reality". Natalie is quite a character and not one I warmed to. Once it flipped to 1805 I got a bit lost and didn't enjoy it so much. I got my reward at the end, and all I can say is "wow!" What a premise for a book. Looking back there are some deep themes and a lot more under the surface of the superficial influencer tag.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. This book is published on 9 April 2026.

It's Not What You Think - Clare Mackintosh

 

Description

YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Nadeeka is certain Jamie is having an affair. She knows the tell-tale signs.

She’s been here before.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST

When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he’s lying. He’s with another woman, and she’s determined to catch him in the act.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS

But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can't explain himself. The house has become a crime scene…

Jamie is dead.

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

Review

It certainly wasn't what I thought!

The book begins with Nadeeka desperate to get home to "catch out" her partner as she is sure he is cheating on her. When she gets home she finds a crime scene and Jamie dead.

I really began to think this was going to be straightforward read, even after the first twist. But then doubts were sown in my mind and I wasn't sure anything about anymore. I eagerly read on and then there was another twist and I stayed reading until 2am in the morning to finish the book. My heart was in my mouth with what I was reading, willing everything to be okay, but I just had to know how it ended.

There were parts of the book I didn't enjoy reading, but they were unfortunately very true to life. To say more would really spoil the twist. I did enjoy the characters Nadeeka and Lauren. Two strong women but always second guessing themselves.  Lauren is also trying to plan a wedding at the same time as running a murder investigation. It was those little insights into their world that made the book so readable despite the subject matter.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's certainly a unique plot to me.

My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review the book is published on 26 March 2026

When I Kill You - B A Paris

 

Description

Nell Masters is certain someone is following her. The hairs on the back of her neck rise when she travels to and from work, there are silent calls to her office, and a huge bouquet of flowers arrives without a card. And Nell has a reason to be looking over her shoulder, because she has a secret that she’s hiding from everyone in her life, including her new partner, Alex. But Alex also has secrets of his own.

Fourteen years earlier, when Nell went by the name Elle Nugent, she witnessed a student, Bryony Sanders, getting into a stranger’s car. When Bryony was found murdered, Elle became obsessed with finding the person responsible. She was convinced she knew who it was and her fixation with Brett Parker, the man she accused, led her down a dangerous path …

Now, Nell tries to convince herself that this unnerving feeling of being watched is all in her mind. Has someone from her past discovered her new identity? Has the stalker become the stalked? Or is there something even more deadly at play?

Review

Another brilliant read from B A Paris.

Nell Masters used to be called Elle Nugent fourteen years ago. So why did she change her name? and what is she hiding from?

The first part of the book goes between what happened fourteen years ago and the present day. The chapters are clearly labelled so there is no mistaking which timeline you are reading about. In the present day Elle is convinced she has a stalker who is someone from her past. Woven between the chapters are excerpts from a notebook written by we presume the stalker and they all end with the same words "When I Kill You".

Part two of the book is all set in the present day, and my suspicions of who was writing the notebook were all over the place. The writing is so good that every word spoken and action taken could have so many meanings, leading me to change my mind constantly. What could be seen as suspicious actions by people close to Nell mean anyone could be her stalker.

A great read which from the beginning of part two had me not wanting to put the book down unless I really had to. A satisfying read from start to finish.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. The books is published on 12 March 2026.

If I Had my Time Again - Linda Green

 

Description

The magical, heartbreaking and life-affirming new novel from Richard & Judy BESTSELLER Linda Green. Perfect for fans of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, Mike Gayle and Ruth Jones! 🤍✨

'Wonderfully executed, unique, clever and hilarious... Linda Green is absolutely at the top of her game.' Mike Gayle

How would you live your life differently, if you had a second chance?

Emily, Carl and Jules have all ‘gone before their time’. After dying on the same day in Halifax, West Yorkshire, they each wake up in a room in a hotel on the outskirts of town. They’re instructed to meet in the basement headquarters of film production company ‘End Credits’, where no-nonsense producer Suzi tells them their lives have been secretly filmed and they must edit their own biopic before they are able to move on.

There are only three rules: they can’t prevent their own deaths or anyone else’s, they can't kill anyone but they can make a director's cut - one change which will alter everything that comes after.

With the chance to undo their regrets and explore life’s infinite possibilities, what will they choose?

Description

Having read another book by the author and looking at the book cover and the blurb, I thought I was in for a really funny read. So it came as a surprise to me that the author began the book with a trigger warning for suicide and baby loss. I do think the subjects were dealt with well in the book, I just wasn't expecting it.

Three people meet in the "afterlife" and it's not all floating clouds and angels. Instead they are in rooms on the top floor of a hotel. In order to move on they have to watch and then edit their life story, and also do a director's cut of a favourite film. 

There was quite a bit of humour which appealed to me, but you need to be of a certain age for most of it to make sense. I also hadn't watched two of the favourite films that they chose to edit and so I skipped a lot of that part. I also felt that it was slightly too long a book. Once we had gone through the life films going back to see them described again but with the edits was a little tedious to get through, although I did like the edits.  I think this would make an excellent film. The concept of the three people replaying their lives would work better on film. 

Whilst we did get a glimpse into of the lives of each of the three people, I never felt that I really got to know them or what made them tick. Despite the serious subjects covered it felt more like a sitcom.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. This book is published on 13 March 2026.

Golden Girls on the Run - Judy Leigh

 

Description

Thelma and Louise meets The Golden Girls in the BRAND NEW laugh-out-loud, relatable read from MILLION COPY bestseller Judy Leigh! Perfect for fans of Dawn French and Caroline James! 🍷✨❤️

Age is just a number. Trouble is a lifestyle.

When octogenarian sisters-in-law Sadie and Bronagh find themselves at the centre of a scandalous (and slightly explosive) bake-off fiasco, there’s only one thing to do – steal Sadie’s grandson’s gleaming red Ferrari and make a run for it.

Sadie is the practical one, all cardigans and contingency plans. Bronagh treats rules as loose suggestions – especially if mischief or wine is involved.

What begins as a quick getaway across Ireland soon spirals into a wild, cross-country adventure filled with fake identities, unexpected friendships, and more than a few brushes with the law.

Sadie and Bronagh may be on the run, but what they find at the journey’s end might just be what they were missing all along…

A heartwarming, hilarious tale of rebellion, rediscovery, and the true meaning of family.

Review

This is obviously a far fetched tale and as long as you are on board with that from the beginning you will be grand. 

There's trouble at a local bake off in Ireland, when a policeman is assaulted by Bronagh. What to do but go on the run the from the law in a "borrowed Ferrari"! So begins the tale of Bronagh and Sadie who are in their 80s and their escape to Devon to escape the long arm of the law.

Plenty of escapades along the way to Devon made Bronagh and Sadie very likeable if not a little unbelievable. When it was just Bronagh and Sadie I got along fine, but when the other many family members became more involved, I was confused as who was related to who and how. I just read along and decided not to care about it. Overall I liked the book but there were times it was overly descriptive for me and not a lot happened. 

This is a follow on book to The Vintage Village Bake Off. The author helpfully explains at the beginning of the book the crossover and the characters. You could easily read this as a standalone. 

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. This book is published on 6 December 2026.

A Curtain Twitcher's Book of Murder - Gay Marris

 

Description

Set in London in 1968, A CURTAIN TWITCHER'S BOOK OF MURDER follows the lives of the inhabitants of a suburban London street. But this is no ordinary road.

"Ask anyone on Atbara Avenue how well they know their neighbours, and they'll answer 'well'. After all, they see each other across the vast distance afforded by close proximity, and that is probably for the best...".

For the best, because Atbara Avenue is a street where, all too often, murder feels like the solution.

With a delicious cast of characters, dazzling plotting and an utterly unique voice, Gay Marris' first book is remarkably accomplished. If you've been longing for a fresh and compelling new voice in the world of crime fiction, your wait is over.

Review

It took me a few pages to get into this book as at first it seemed a little banal. Set in the 1960s it felt unfamiliar and hard to regain that era.  That soon changed as the story or rather stories began to unfold. Not really short stories but each chapter focuses on a different house in the street and in time, some of the inhabitants feature in other stories too.

It's a rather unique and very clever read. Without giving out spoilers the closest I can get to the style of the writing is Tales of the Unexpected by Roald Dahl. So many details of life in the past were spot on and of course with no mobile phones, CCTV etc they really could get away with murder!

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. This book is from my personal bookshelf.

The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair - Mackenzie Common

DESCRIPTION

Meet Daphne St Clair: glamorous ninety-year-old grandmother, care home resident, and your new favourite serial killer.

Meet Ruth Robinson: aspiring true crime podcaster, hunting for a killer story.

Who are you going to trust? . . .

When Daphne confesses to killing a number of men throughout her lifetime, she chooses Ruth to produce the podcast reporting her story. Each episode charts Daphne's humble beginnings from the Dust Bowl in Canada to her glittering life in 70s New York - and a string of murders in her wake.

Daphne tells her story. Ruth listens. And edits it.

The public are hooked. Is she a feminist icon taking revenge on bad men? Or just a ruthless criminal? Then, as the podcast finale approaches, it becomes clear that neither woman has been entirely honest with the other. Who has been controlling the narrative?

After all, the truth doesn't always make for the best story...

A darkly witty thriller, sparking conversations around true crime and female serial killers, for fans of Janice Hallett, Bella Mackie and Katy Brent.

REVIEW

I couldn't put this book down.

I recently bought this book from Amazon for 99p and it's still on offer today. I was so intrigued by the synopsis that I ignored my TBR and sat down to read it immediately. It didn't take long to read because it's a real page turner.

Daphne (her latest name) resides in a retirement complex. Her boyfriend just died and she's 90 years old. So, with nothing better to do, she rings the police and confesses to being a serial killer. Why would she do that, as she knows herself she's not got long left and why waste that time in jail?

Enter Ruth, who is the woman Daphne engages to interview her for a true crime podcast. Throughout the book we have the transcript from the on (and off) air interview and also the comments from listeners with their own thoughts about why Daphne confessed. 

I don't always like books with transcripts, but this just reads like regular dialogue. Daphne is also so interesting to listen to.

Ruth however has her own agenda which I will leave you to discover.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars.