‘The Perfect Holiday’ – T.J. Emerson

The Perfect Holiday is a book that tries very hard to throw you off the scent. There are clues throughout that what we’re seeing isn’t the full picture, but by the time we got to the end I just recall feeling pleased that at least something was going to happen.

Julian and Olivia are holidaying in their beautiful villa. They are, on the surface, the ideal couple. Olivia has money, and Julian is the perfect gentleman who has become known for caring for his ex-wife for years. Her murder was a shock, but Julian had a cast-iron alibi and has since become the face of the charitable foundation set up in her name.

While on their regular foray into the little town nearby, the couple meet Gabriel. There is a story behind his presence, and it soon becomes clear that he is more closely linked to Julian than they might want to admit.

For much of the book the focus is on Julian sneaking around with Gabriel. There’s lots of talk of love and a desire to plan a future together. Unfortunately, for a relationship so skewed – and firmly placed on the foundations of their tangled past – it never quite gelled.

As the book continues we learn more about Julian and his past. Things appear to be heading firmly in one direction and I found myself waiting for the twist that seemed so inevitable. Sure enough it came, but by this time I just felt relieved that at last we were getting an escape.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in advance of publication, and thanks to the publishers for including me on the Blog tour.

 

‘Hope to Die’ – Cara Hunter

A new Adam Fawley book is a cause for celebration, so I was rather surprised that he took something of a back seat in this very odd case.

We open with an anonymous 999 call. When the police investigate, they find an elderly couple and the body of a young man blasted in the face with a shotgun. The investigating officers are suspicious. Something isn’t ringing true in the elderly couple’s story about shooting a burglar in self-defence. But nothing prepares them for what their investigations reveal.

The victim is found to have a DNA match with a young woman currently in prison for the murder of her child.

From start to finish there was a sense of the truth eluding our detectives. The characters involved were slippery to say the least, and I was gripped from start to finish as we watched them trying to navigate their stories.

There were attempts to develop some of the other characters on the force, and I’m wondering where this will go next. Huge thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this prior to publication.

 

‘Forging Silver into Stars’ – Brigid Kemmerer

I was unsure just how much of the world of Cursebreakers this would inhabit, and though many of the characters are the same there is enough here to offer something fresh.

Our main focus is baker Callyn and her best friend, Jax the blacksmith. They live in a fairly remote town, but have their own reasons to fear the magic that King Grey has at his disposal. Both struggling to survive, they are tempted by an offer to pass notes between people in exchange for silver. Naturally, they become curious as to the content of these notes, and as events proceed they learn all too well how their actions have consequences.

Alongside our pair, much of the action focuses on Tycho and Lord Alek, and their obvious dislike of one another. Both have their own reasons for visiting Briarfeld, and it’s a hard task to work out who to trust. Is their job protection? If so,who exactly are they protecting, and from what?

The pacing of the story means that things take a while to get going, but we learn some interesting details about Tycho and his powers. We get to see a little more of the inner circle and the issues they’re facing. Some familiar faces return…and there are more than enough hints about exciting things to come as the story continues.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this before publication.

 

‘Black Sun’ – Rebecca Roanhorse

The first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.

I feel bad that it took me so long to get going on this, and that I struggled initially to keep track of who was who and the various factions involved. However, once I got underway this was a strong read.

Set mainly in the holy city of Tova, the book focused on the preparations for a very special Solstice…that of the black sun. We follow the current Sun Priest as she deals with the machinations of those who don’t support her. We also know that there is a very special cargo on its way to Tova, a young man who is part of a prophecy that will shake this world. He is being guided by a young woman who has to overcome the superstitions of her crew about who she is and what she can do.

From the start this was a world richly described. I can’t say I fully understood the various groups and what they each represented, but I loved the way they were presented to us. The interactions between the characters made this book, and I’m excited for the upcoming release of part two.

 

‘Insomnia’ – Sarah Pinborough

Insomnia is, usually, linked to periods of high stress but its effects can be awful. For our main character Emma, a successful lawyer approaching her fortieth birthday, her inability to sleep after she wakes regularly at 1:18am hints at a potential problem. Though she doesn’t remember precise details, her family have been plagued by issues around sleep and she fears history repeating itself as she approaches the age her mother was incarcerated after trying to suffocate one of her children.

The family history is revealed bit by bit as we follow Emma through the days leading up to her fortieth birthday. The tension created by Pinborough is well-depicted and as we learn about the stresses in her life we start to question to what extent Emma might be responsible.

From start to finish I found myself caught up in this. In turns frustrated by Emma but also empathising with her, I couldn’t help but get bogged down in the extraneous details about her present life that seemed to muddy the waters as we try to work out just what is going on.

As with some of Pinborough’s more recent books there is a dependence on something unnatural, which might not adequately explain events for some readers. While I’m not wholly convinced by it, the actual revelation as to what was happening and the motive for it made sense. Extreme, and it definitely made me reassess some of the earlier interactions between the characters concerned, but this book was a tense depiction of someone being pushed to their limits.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this before publication.

 

‘The Agathas’ – Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

 

Oh boy, are readers due a treat when this is released in May. Huge thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this before publication, and I’m hoping this isn’t the last we’ve heard of the Agathas.

Alice Ogilvie is a rich kid who has everything. She recently disappeared for five days, and nobody knows where she was in that time, but now she’s returned to school and is forced to have a tutor to make up her grades. Her tutor is Iris Adams, a girl who’s determined to leave Castle Cove as soon as she can for reasons she wants no one to know.

Before too long we see an unlikely friendship develop between our Agatha Christie-obsessed duo. Their unlikely friendship centres around their quest to find out exactly what happened to Alice’s ex-best friend when she disappeared after a Halloween party.

When Brooke’s body is discovered, the investigation becomes a little more serious. Those close to Brooke are implicated, and some aren’t but are definitely hiding something. Through some rather dubious means, Iris and Alice (and their own little Scooby gang) try to work out what happened.

From start to finish I found myself wholly immersed in these characters. Sassy, a little crazy, but definitely with their hearts in the right places, Iris and Alice are characters you can’t help but root for. The book has its fair share of darkness, and I’m really hoping that Glasgow and Lawson will treat us to further adventures from this group. From the sounds of it Castle Cove has more than its fair share of mysteries to be solved.

‘Lessons in Chemistry’ – Bonnie Garmus

Lessons in Chemistry is a book that I was desperate to get my hands on, and it did not disappoint. I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this before publication, and I will be buying my own copy as this was a book that deserves rereading.

Our setting is California in the 1960s. The prevalent view of the time was that a woman’s role was in the home and that her job was to support her man. Thankfully, not everyone subscribed to this view. Some pushed against it, determined to be seen for their own worth. Elizabeth Zott is one of those characters.

Zott is a chemist. She is not able to complete her studies after being raped. Determined to pursue her interests she finds herself a job in Hastings laboratory. While many patronise her and treat her as a glorified secretary, Zott has a passion and is keen to pursue it – knowing full well that she is cleverer than so many of the men who hold her back. Unconventional, nobody quite knows what to do with Zott.

Another brilliant mind that people cannot contain is Calvin Evans. As a man, he gets more opportunities and yet after a run-in with Zott we see the development of something very entertaining. Their relationship flouts conventions, but few can deny their chemistry.

After a tragic accident Zott finds herself alone, unmarried and pregnant.
Nothing about Zott and her life follows the expected trajectory. While this is hugely entertaining to read, it is hard to ignore just how unlikely a character such as Zott would have been.

When she finds herself fronting a successful cookery show she is not an immediate hit. The backers hate her. Men are threatened by her. Yet, slowly but surely, Zott finds herself at the helm of a massive hit…challenging the status quo.

Zott herself is a brusque character, forthright and yet gauche in ways that don’t always make sense. The cast of supporting characters help make this book – each illuminating some element of Zott and her outlook. Whether it’s her neighbour Harriet dispensing her gem of wisdom in the early days of motherhood or her dog Six-Thirty who offers a very unusual perspective on events, the characters surrounding Zott help her to shine.

There will be elements to this book that will irritate readers. Not everything works, but this was a bold and brave book that I can’t wait to see how people respond to.

 

‘My Dearest Darkest’ – Kayla Cottingham

Our story begins with talented musician Finch Chamberlain heading to the prestigious Ulalume Academy for an audition. The audition goes well, though Finch finds herself making trouble for student Selena St Clair. She is desperate for acceptance and expresses the view she’d do anything to get in. Next thing we know, a stag with eight eyes appears on the road in front of them, her father crashes the car and Finch and her parents are plunged into the river.

With our main character dying in the opening chapter, and then starting at the Academy, it was clear from early on that this was not going to be an ordinary read.

Finch hears a strange voice, her hair has turned white and she quickly finds herself wandering the tunnels below the academy where she seems to conjure a spirit known as Nerosi.

Suspend your disbelief. The girls at this school are ultra competitive, so for them to make their own deal with the devil in exchange for their heart’s desire makes sense. Initially the demands are fairly straightforward. The girls get flawless skin and increased popularity. Of course, it doesn’t take long for the demands to become a little harder to fulfil.

Much of the book focuses on the strange entity known as Nerosi, and the links between her appearance and strange events that took place in the town decades earlier. Finch and her new friends start to grow wary of exactly what is being asked of them and we soon see something evil has been unleashed…again.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in advance of publication. Some of the background characters felt undeveloped, and Finch’s questioning of her sexuality felt like a means to shift the plot forward. However, it was an intriguing idea and I enjoyed the links between the respective storylines.

 

‘The Book of Cold Cases’ – Simone St James

The Book of Cold Cases blends thriller and paranormal elements to draw us in as we follow Shea Collins in her investigation.

Shea is a doctor’s receptionist, recently divorced, and blogger. Her obsession is with examining cold cases, unsolved crimes, and nothing taunts her more than the case involving the infamous female serial killer of Claire Lake. When Shea recognises Beth Greer in her doctor’s surgery, she is shocked when Beth agrees to an interview.

Initially, we focus on learning about Shea and picking over the known details of the case. Beth Greer was a wealthy socialite in the 1970s, attractive and yet distant. When arrested for the brutal killings of two men, everyone thinks they know Beth. She was, eventually, acquitted and has lived in the town since with many convinced she got away with murder.

Splitting our focus between Shea’s focus in the present and Beth’s past, there’s lots of hints about the case. We slowly pick out what’s relevant and, from the outset, it was apparent that each character involved had their secrets.

The truth about the crime was identifiable from quite early on, which made me think I would be rather underwhelmed by my suspicions being confirmed. That was far from the case though.

As the story develops we learn a lot more about Shea – a character with more in common with Beth than she might like to admit – and the exploration of society’s attitudes to women/crime was interesting. The paranormal elements created an unsettling atmosphere, but the rational part of me found it hard to reconcile these with details of the crimes.

 

‘Remote Sympathy’ – Catherine Chidgey

Remote Sympathy begins with Doctor Lenard Weber’s initial forays into a revolutionary cancer treatment. Inspired by a visit to an exhibition, Weber plans to try and cure cancer using his machine – the Sympathetic Visualiser. While there were a couple of seemingly positive reactions, at heart Weber knows his machine does not work. He becomes preoccupied with survival as he takes the steps necessary to survive the changes made in Germany under the Nazi regime.

Our other key focus is Greta Hahn, the young wife of the new Commandant of Buchenwald camp. Determined to support her husband, she makes the best of her new home. She fears the camp and those working inside, but she vows to try and make the best of her situation. After all, with so many craftsmen on their doorstep, Greta and the wives of the other officers are able to get whatever they want from the inmates.

The story focuses initially on Greta and her family, showing how life in such a place continues seemingly normally. The attitudes of those in power showed they were all too aware of what they were supporting, but they found ways to justify their actions.

When Greta shows signs of illness, she thinks she may be pregnant. The reality is that she has cancer. Her husband reads of this fantastic machine and, in desperation, arranges for Dr Weber to be sent to Buchenwald in order to treat his wife.

Set against the backdrop of a truly barbaric situation, the reality of these characters’ lives is depicted with honesty. Many take actions that could be seen as morally wrong, but each does what is necessary to survive. We can only watch as events unfold in front of us.

As time passes and we sense the increasing likelihood of Allied intervention, things at Buchenwald become increasingly desperate. The closing stages of the book were difficult to read, particularly so as we have laid out in front of us the reality that so many were complicit in such events by turning away. A timely novel that I would encourage others to read.