Three Card Murder

 

Description

One sister is a cop. The other a con artist. Both are suspects.

When DI Tess Fox arrives at her first murder scene there are already two big problems. First, the victim was thrown from the balcony of an apartment locked from the inside. Second, Tess knows the victim, and a clue left at the scene means the killer knows that too.

Only one person knows about Tess’s link to the victim and has the skills and criminal background to mastermind a locked-room murder. But Tess’s half-sister Sarah is a con-artist, not a killer. And Tess is going to need her expertise if she’s ever going to crack the case.

Soon two more bodies turn up in equally mysterious circumstances and also known to the sisters. Tess now has three locked room mysteries to solve and even more reason to be suspicious of Sarah. Can she trust someone who breaks the law for a living, even if she is family?

Review

A great fast paced read.

I just love a locked door mystery and this was certainly a page turner for me. The words seemed to just flow so well that I was a quarter way through the book before I realised it. I couldn't put it down as more and more intrigue was unveiled. What made it all the more intriguing was the good sister (cop) bad sister (con artist).

DI Tess Fox is on the brink of promotion. So when she gets a murder case of her own to head up it's not ideal that it's apparently been committed by an invisible person and she knows the victim. She can't reveal that she knows the victim, or she probably wouldn't be in the Police Force anymore. Little by little her past is catching up to her and there is no one she can tell, or can she? What makes it worse is that two more "impossible" murders happen and only Tess knows the link.

Sarah is Tess's half sister and a very clever and skilful con artist. With a link to the first victim Tess decides to confide in her even though she's been estranged from her for many years. But is Sarah going to be a help to the case or the undoing of Tess's Police career?

It could be said that some of this book was unbelievable. I can do unbelievable if it is also clever, and this was very clever. My only disappointment was the ending. I never saw it coming and maybe we have to wait to find out what happens next?

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

The Invisible Women's Club - Helen Paris

 

Description

Readers have fallen in love with this beautiful, heart-warming and uplifting story about one woman's journey from invisibility to being seen once more...

'A heart-lifting and thoughtful read, that gives a huge shout out to the power and strength of women'
'This book is all heart and soul ... and just the right amount of humour'
'A story of courage and strength that's witty, warm and filled with wisdom'
'Helen writes so sympathetically about characters who may not fit into the 'normal' bracket but are so likeable and instantly relatable'

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Ignored.
Seventy-something Janet Pimm is invisible. Spending most of her days alone, she tends her beloved allotment with the care and love she doesn't receive from people. Plants, Janet thinks, are more important than friends.

Overlooked.
Janet's neighbour, Bev, has reached the age when a cloak of invisibility threatens to descend. Her friendly advances are rebuffed by Janet, but when the council threatens to close the allotments, Janet must swallow her pride and enlist Bev's help.

But they're about to prove everyone wrong.
As the two join forces, Janet realises that she isn't happy to be a wallflower after all. And that maybe there's more to Bev than she thought. As the bulldozers roll in and they fight to save Janet's treasured allotment, both women find their voice again. And no one can silence them now...

Review

Amazing story.

This book began a little slowly and I was wondering if I had made a mistake to read it. I decided to keep reading and I am so glad I did because I would have missed one heck of a story.

Janet is retired and lives alone, she loves the plants at her allotment more than anything. She doesn't need anyone she thinks, least of all her neighbour Bev.  Bev appears to be making Janet a charity case by offering her help and looking out for her which Janet definitely doesn't need. All that changes when Janet decides to take a trip to Windermere to seek help to save her beloved allotment being bulldozed. 

Whilst Janet is waiting for the bus to the train station Bev offers her a lift. It was really from the moment that Janet got into Bev's car that this book changed for me. I couldn't put it down. As Bev unlocked Janet's character on the journey, it also unlocked the book for me. There was so much to Janet that had lain hidden for years.

With wonderful descriptions of plants and their traits and uses, the book is not only a story about invisible women but a delight to read. The ensuing camaraderie at the allotments and the cloak and dagger exploits of Janet were wonderful as were the straight talking delights of Bev. Janet and Bev become two unstoppable forces with a trail of minor crimes and a rage against the establishment. I would love to read a follow up book. 

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars despite the slow start, because once it got going this book was on fire. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

The Ghost Cat - Alex Howard

 

Description

Early morning, 1902. In a gloomy Edinburgh tenement, Eilidh the charlady tips coal into a fire grate and sets it alight. Overhearing, a cat ambles over to curl up against the welcome heat.

This is to be the cat's last day on earth. But he is going to return... as The Ghost Cat, a spirit-feline destined to live out his ghostly existence according to the medieval proverb of "The Cat with Nine Lives" - For Three He Plays, For Three He Strays, For Three He Stays.

Follow The Ghost Cat as he witnesses the changes of the next two centuries as he purrs, shuffles and sniffs his way through the fashion, politics and technological advances of the modern era alongside the ever-changing inhabitants of an Edinburgh tenement.

As we follow our new spirit-feline friend, this unique story unearths some startling revelations about the mystery of existence and the human condition and provides a feel-good read full of charm for any fan of history, humour and fur-ridden fun.

Review

This is a must for cat lovers.

Grimalkin the cat is our guide through over 100 years of a residence in Edinburgh and it's changing residents and decoration. We also get to witness the discoveries and achievements of those living at the time, such as the discovery of penicillin and the Coronation and demise of Elizabeth II.

Despite his passing Grimalkin gets granted nine lives as the proverb goes "For Three He Plays, For Three He Strays, For Three He Stays". Only they are as a ghost cat which at times I felt so sorry for him as he could see everyone but they couldn't see him.

I found out about this book through the author's tik tok account. I was intrigued by the idea of retelling history from a different point of view, and through a time travelling cat. I wasn't disappointed as history was brought to life and also seen from the viewpoint of a cat who didn't really appreciate the changes of societal values through the decades.

My favourite moment was when Grimalkin learnt to use a laptop! Albeit in a haphazard but effective way.

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

Look Both Ways - Linwood Barclay

 

Description

They think as one. They act as one. They kill as one.

‘Look Both Ways is devilishly good – exciting, thrilling – Barclay at his best!’ SHARI LAPENA, No. 1 internationally bestselling author

The residents of Garrett Island are part of a ground-breaking experiment. For a month, their cars will be replaced by self-driving vehicles – voice-controlled, comfortable and safe.

Single mum Sandra is prepping for the huge media event, and she’s ready for a driverless future. Widowed after her husband fell asleep at the wheel, she’s relieved that her kids may never need to drive themselves.

But as the day gets underway, disaster strikes. A journalist vanishes, possibly murdered. And before long, it’s clear something is very wrong. The cars are no longer taking orders from their passengers. They’re starting to organise. They’re starting to hunt. And they’ve got the residents of Garret Island in their sights.

Review

Different from the author's other books. This was not the usual read from Linwood Barclay, but that was no bad thing for me.

I listened to the audio version of this book. The narrator took a little getting used to I found. He had some very dramatic pauses which were not warranted. At first I thought the player was stuck as the pause was so long. Once I settled in to his nuances I was ok with listening. 

This is an 8 hour read, after I reached 4 hours of listening I began to wonder what else could happen for there to be that long left. I thought everything that could happen more or less had happened and pretty good it was too. I couldn't have been more wrong as there was plenty of action to come and twists.

The story is told from the perspectives of several of the residents of Garrett Island and their interaction with the AI Arrival cars. I liked all of the characters, which turned out to be a little misguided, but that was the beauty of the writing. Once things begin to happen with the Arrival cars there's a lot of descriptive action which I found better being read out on the audio. I think I may have scan read some of it if I had been reading. For that reason I think it would make an excellent film.

It's certainly food for thought with the driverless car future we are headed for. I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the audio file to review.

The Seven Year Slip - Ashley Poston

Description

An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.

Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.

Six months ago, Clementine West had the worst day of her life. So, she came up with a plan to keep her heart safe: stay busy, work hard, take no risks. And it’s been working.

That is until one day she finds a strange man standing in her kitchen. A man with kind eyes, a crooked smile, and a recipe for the perfect lemon meringue pie. The kind of man that, before everything, she could have fallen for . . .

He’s perfect but for one thing: he lives in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact.

Review

Loved that this is a time travel novel, about a book publicist, set in NYC!

Clementine has inherited her late Aunt's apartment on the Upper East side. She had lots of travel adventures with her Aunt who she misses dearly. Her Aunt also had what seems to me a lot of sensible advice which Clementine shares with us. 

Her Aunt had told her the apartment was magical - but that was just when she was little - surely? Except for the day Clementine arrives home from work and finds a strange man in the apartment. He doesn't know her Aunt is dead. In fact he says she has invited him to stay while she's away travelling. 

This was a cute romantic story and a little escapist read into the publishing world and NYC. Falling for a man 7 years in the past when time travelling is hit and miss obviously proves a little difficult for sustaining a relationship. It doesn't hurt though that Iwan is a wannabe chef and cooks some amazing food. 

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

The New Wife - J P Delaney

 

Description

'Unputdownable' MICK HERRON
'Fast-paced and exhilarating, you'll be hooked' HEAT
'A summer read which exudes menace' SARAH VAUGHAN

When Finn Hensen gets a call from his sister Jess to say their father has died, neither is heartbroken. Their parents divorced many years ago, after which their father, Jimmy, continued to live a bohemian lifestyle in sun-soaked Mallorca.

Ownership of his beautiful but dilapidated farmhouse in the mountains now passes to Finn and his sister. The only problem is that Jimmy recently remarried and his new wife, Ruensa, is still living there.

The pair agree that Finn should go to Mallorca and tactfully take possession of their inheritance. When he arrives, however, Finn is surprised to find that Finca Siquia has been completely transformed into a chic Mediterranean bolthole by Ruensa and her twenty-seven-year-old daughter, Roze. The Spanish police, meanwhile, are asking awkward questions about Jimmy's death . . .

Are Ruensa and Roze the helpless victims of circumstance? Or will they stop at nothing to get Finca Siquia for themselves?

Review

More twists and turns than the Sa Calobra Road.

Set in Mallorca this book had more of the air of the 1930s than a modern day tale. Perhaps it was the remote farmhouse setting, as modern technology was hardly mentioned. I felt it gave an eerie but calm feel to the story.

Finn and his sister Jess inherit a farmhouse in Mallorca. Their estranged Father recently remarried and neither of them have met the new wife. However, due to an arrangement with their late Mother, Finn and Jess actually inherit the farmhouse not the new wife. 

A trip to Mallorca is called for to ensure they do not have squatters. So Finn agrees to go and sort out the inheritance rights. When he gets there he is not at all prepared for what he finds. He definitely doesn't recognise the characteristics being described as those of his late father. Did he change that much?

I found this book a little like a magic square puzzle. Just as you thought you were getting to the truth you realised there were so many dead ends to stop you from getting there. For me it was a real page turner and I found the writing easy and enjoyable to read as with other books by this author.  Though this is not in the usual vein of the earlier books it is nonetheless for me a masterpiece.

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

The Little Italian Hotel - Phaedra Patrick

 

Description

Escape to Italy this summer with The Little Italian Hotel, the uplifting new book from Phaedra Patrick, the bestselling author of The Library of Lost and Found.

'The perfect book to read when you want to give your heart a holiday' Sally Page, bestselling author of The Keeper of Stories

’An uplifting story full of hope, love and healing. A perfect summer read’ B. A. Paris

Ginny Splinter, acclaimed radio host and relationship expert, prides herself on knowing what’s best for others. So, she’s sure her husband, Adrian, will love the special trip to Italy she’s planned for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. But when Ginny presents the gift, he surprises her with his own very different plan: a divorce.

Beside herself with heartache, Ginny impulsively goes live on air to invite four heartbroken listeners to join her instead. From hiking the hills of Bologna to sharing a gondola in Venice and dancing until dawn, Ginny and her guests embark on a holiday of full of fun, hope and healing.

Sunny, tender and brimming with charm, The Little Italian Hotel explores love, the importance of friendship, and reclaiming the present moment – even if it means leaving the past behind.

Review

A nice summery read.

Ginny is an agony art on the radio and has the answers for everything, or so she thinks. Until one day a certain caller queries whether she knows what's happening in her own life. Her life spins out of kilter as she had arranged a surprise Italian holiday for their 25th wedding anniversary and now he wants a divorce. It seems like the listener did know more about her life than she does!

Determined not to waste a 3 week holiday, Ginny downgrades and invites four heartbroken listeners to accompany her for the holiday, who are chosen by her producer. She has no idea what to expect until she meets them all and then maybe she wishes she had stayed home.

What follows is a charming, if not sad in places, account of each of the listeners lives and why they are in Italy with Ginny. The owner of the hotel and his daughter also have their own story to tell and the rivalry between them and the more expensive hotel Ginny was originally to have stayed in. The descriptions of the beautiful Italian countryside and cities was wonderful and I was keen to read on to find out how everyone's story would end.

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