Caroline

Whenever I pick up an Adam Nevill book I know I'm about to be terrified. He knows how to create a sinister atmosphere, and paint a scene that will cause the reader to shudder.
With All The Fiends of Hell, Nevill takes the concept of alien invasion to another level. This is no “E.T phone home” feel-good story. There is no communicating with these beings. Nor will they be vanquished by earth's bacteria.
This is pure, unadulterated terror.
So good is the writing, I felt as though I was living through the horror myself. I shared the survivors anxiety and fear. I caught myself checking the sky several times.
All in all, All the Fiends of Hell is a deeply unsettling, delightfully scary read.
Enjoy.

Quickly, While They Still Have Horses is a collection of short stories by Jan Carson. This is the first book by this author that I have read. It's a departure from the police procedurals I usually read.
It contains an interesting collection of stories. All are set in Northern Ireland and all touch on the troubles.
From a second-hand car that comes with its previous owner, to a severed hand in a fridge, each story has a quirky theme.
A quick and easy read.

Throughout the Roy Grace series by Peter James, for me the burning question has been where is Sandy? I wondered if she had left of her own free will, and if so, why? If not, what happened to her? Did Roy kill her and get away with it? As each new book came out, I eagerly read it in the hopes of having those questions answered.
There was closure of sorts, eventually, but no back story. No insight into why Sandy did what she did. Until now.
They Thought I Was Dead is very much Sandy's story, and it's not a pretty one. It's a story of bad choices followed by more bad choices. It's the story of someone who believes the grass is greener on their neighbours side of the fence, only to discover when it's too late that this is not the case.
I devoured this book. Although Sandy is not a very likeable person, her story was still interesting and engaging. There were plenty of twists and turns and one or two “oh my god!” moments.
You don't have to have read the Roy Grace series before reading They Thought I Was Dead, but it adds context.
Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I needed some down time before reviewing this book because I felt emotionally wrung out when I finished it.
My Friend Anne Frank is the most heartbreaking memoir I have read since The Diary of Anne Frank.
This is the account of two families of German Jews, the Franks and the Goslars, who flee Hitler's Germany, to settle in Amsterdam. When they meet at Kindergarten, Hannah and Anne become firm friends, as do the Frank and Goslar families, until the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands causes them to be separated. There is a brief reunion between Hannah and Anne, in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
The early chapters of the book give the reader an insight into what the young Anne Frank was like, and the life she led before she and her family went into hiding.
The account of Hannah's time in Bergen-Belsen is harrowing, and left me crying for the injustice of it all.

The Collapsing Wave is the much anticipated follow up to The Space Between Us.
It would be impossible for me to give a synopsis of this book without giving away spoilers, so I'm not going to try.
What I will say is that, while The Space Between Us was a beautiful story, The Collapsing Wave was heartbreaking to read. A lot of the attitudes of some of the characters, mirror the attitudes of certain factions within society today, attitudes towards asylum seekers and refugees, or anyone perceived to be different. There is however, a sense that no matter how bad things become, good will conquer evil.
The Collapsing Wave is a poignant tale about hope in the face of adversity, happiness in the face of despair.

The Scarred Woman is the seventh book in the Department Q series, a series which I love more and more the deeper into it I get.
This one is far darker than its predecessors, and more personal for Carl, Assad and Gordon, as their colleague Rose has a breakdown. We finally get Rose's backstory and the truth about what happened the day her father died.
Alongside this, there is the investigation into the murders of young women in Copenhagen, and the murder of an elderly woman that has parallels with the murder of a substitute teacher some 16 years previously.
There's a lot going on in The Scarred Woman, and a lot of characters to keep track of, but it all ties up nicely. All in all an enjoyable, gripping read.

As a fan of Queen, I've long wanted to read a biography of Brian May. Imagine my delight when I came across this one by Laura Jackson. Now, imagine my disappointment having read it.
I learned nothing I didn't already know from other books I've read about Queen. A definitive biography it wasn't.
The best I can say about it is it whiled away a few hours.

Lee Evans was one of my favourite comedians, before he retired in 2014. The Life of Lee is his autobiography, but if you are expecting to find out what Lee has been up to since retirement, you will be disappointed as this book was published in 2011.
The Life of Lee chronicles Lee's childhood and teenage years, the early days of his marriage, and his first step towards becoming a household name.
There is humour in this autobiography, but it's of the dark variety. There is an undercurrent of sadness. One cannot help but feel for the young boy who felt like an outcast, who was bullied and told that he would never amount to anything.
Happily we can rejoice that Lee proved his detractors wrong.

The thing I like about J.R. Ellis is that he really knows how to set the scene. His descriptions make it possible for me to visualise the setting and the people. He also provides a history of the area in which each book is set.
The Canal Murders is the tenth book in this series and, as can be guessed by the title, murder is committed on a stretch of canal in Saltaire.
There are plenty of suspects to choose from, but who had the biggest motive. The narrow boat community provides some colourful, interesting characters. My favourite was old Len, who had lived on canal boats for most of his life.
There are two characters however, whom I have come to dislike; Steph and Andy. Their incessant hero worship of DCI Oldroyd has become a tad annoying.
Simpering detectives aside, this was an engaging, relaxing read.
Thanks to J.R. Ellis, Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Terry Pratchett was the author who introduced me to fantasy, through his bestselling Discworld series.
At the time of his death, Terry had been working on his autobiography for some time. Sadly, he never got to finish it. Thanks to the notes he left behind, his personal assistant Rob Wilkins, was able to produce this biography of a much loved author.
Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes is a moving tribute to the man who brought us Granny Weatherwax and Sam Vimes.
The first three quarters of the book had me laugh out loud, and sometimes gasp in surprise. I hadn't known that Sir Terry could be curmudgeonly. But even his moments of grumpiness provided some light relief. Rob's footnotes were also a source of amusement. I feel Sir Terry would approve.
It was the final quarter that was the hardest to read, not least because I knew how it was going to end. Tears were shed. Indeed, I challenge anyone to read this to the end without shedding a tear or two.

I loved The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels. It has everything I could possibly want in a crime novel: murder, mystery, intrigue. Throw in a cult whose members allegedly believe they are angels sent to kill the antichrist, true crime writers chasing down the mystery of a missing baby, a possible police cover up, and you get a belter of a read.
This book isn't written in the conventional way. Anyone familiar with Hallet's work will know that the narrative is usually in the form of WhatsApp messages and emails. It's an interesting medium, but requires a lot of patience, as there is quite the cast of characters. It's worth sticking with though. You'll be very glad you did.

Before I go any further I'd like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for this digital ARC.
The Suspect is Rob Rinder's follow up to The Trial. Adam Green is back. He now has tenancy at Stag Court. His social awkwardness hasn't improved however, much to the annoyance of court clerk Tony, who continues to send him to social gatherings to network.
Adam soon finds himself acting as a baby barrister in two trials. One is the high profile trial of a TV Chef, charged with the murder of a daytime TV presenter, live on air. The second concerns a teenage boy hiding weapons for his brother.
The Suspect is fast paced, and full of cleverly placed red herrings, thus keeping the reader guessing. It gives a great insight into what happens in court, and also what happens behind the scenes in daytime TV. Rob, of course, is no stranger to either setting.
I really enjoyed The Suspect. It drew me in and kept me engaged right to the end.
Adam is an extremely likeable character. The phone calls with his mother add a touch of humor to the story.
The Suspect is due for publication on 20/06/2024.

Royd Tolkien is the great grandson of J.R.R Tolkien.
When Royd's younger brother Mike was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease, he came up with a bucket list of things he wanted to do with Royd, before he died. Sadly, he didn't get to tick off everything on the list.
Unbeknownst to Royd, Mike made a second bucket list, one which he wanted Royd to complete on his own, after he, Mike was gone.
There's a Hole in my Bucket charts Royd's quest to complete that second bucket list. We also learn more about Mike, and about Motor Neuron Disease.
There are some amusing anecdotes throughout the book, but there is a lot of sadness too.
A moving and thought provoking read.

It's official. I am now totally hooked on this series. It has everything I could possibly ask for.
Maverick detective? Check. Weird cases? Check. Characters I love and characters I love to hate? Check. Add a touch of supernatural weirdness and I am a very happy reader.
Okay, there wasn't any supernatural weirdness in this one, but the investigations that McLean found himself heading up were far from ordinary.
I wish I could remember who recommended this series to me. I owe them a coffee, or maybe a pint.

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I grew up in the 70's, and when I wasn't listening to Queen, I was listening to Blondie. I was fascinated by Debbie, I wanted to be Debbie.
Face It didn't engage me as much as I had hoped. Don't get me wrong, it was interesting in parts, particularly Debbie's early years, pre Blondie. There was a lot of name dropping, but that's par for the course in celebrity memoirs.
Debbie tended to ramble a bit, as if she lost her train of thought. There was one chapter towards the end that had me scratching my head and questioning its relevance (if you've read this book you'll know the one I mean.)
While I didn't love this memoir, it didn't totally disappoint.

Michael Ridpath has done it again, bringing us a superb, thrilling read.
Whale Fjord, the seventh book in the fire and ice series, sees the welcome return of Inspector Magnus Ragnarsson.
The story is told across two timelines: 1940, when the British invaded Iceland, and 2023, when a skull is found in a gorge near Whale Fjord by two German tourists. When Magnus arrives at the scene he learns that more skeletal remains have been found.
The remains prove to be that of a brother and sister who disappeared in 1940. Both had been shot.
Even though the only surviving relative of the deceased is almost 90 years old, and the chances of finding out who was responsible for the murders is small, Magnus just cannot let it go.
Ridpath knows how to hook his reader and keep them hooked. His research into the British invasion of Iceland is meticulous. The dual timeline isn't confusing. I'd go so far as to say the 1940 timeline makes the story more interesting.
Fast paced and suspenseful, Whale Fjord is my favourite book in the Magnus series to date.

End of Story is a cleverly crafted, well written book, but fair warning, there are a lot of characters and it's plot is complicated.
The story is slow moving to start with, but once we get to the heart of it, it moves at a steady pace.
There are many twists and, a surprising revelation towards the end.
Despite the slow start I enjoyed this book immensely. It was obvious from the onset that all of the characters had something to hide, which added to the intrigue.
End of Story is reminiscent of those classic crime stories by authors such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers, but set in the present day. There are many references to, and quotes from, the Sherlock Holmes series of books. Unsurprising, as one of the main characters has written a series of books about a detective in the London of the early 1900's.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

I'm not a hardcore fan of David Bowie, but I do like his music and I am fascinated by his many incarnations.
This book contains many anecdotes about Bowie's encounters with various celebrities and contemporaries. Not all of them are necessarily Bowie's heroes, in fact for many it is Bowie himself who is the hero.
Not all of the anecdotes show Bowie in a positive light, but it hasn't coloured my appreciation for him.
An enjoyable, informative read.

The Ghost Orchid is the 39th book in the Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis series.
Alex has been recovering from the injuries he sustained during his previous investigation with Milo. He's bored, and has been waiting for Milo to call. When he finally does, the case seems straightforward. A Bel-Air woman and her lover have been shot dead. Her husband is the obvious suspect, but all is not as it seems.
I enjoy this series. The focus is always on the investigation and the psychological aspects of the crime. There is no gratuitous violence, and the central characters are all likeable. I eagerly await the next book.

Close to Death is book 5 in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series.
The format of the book is different from its predecessors, in that it's mostly written in the third person.
Tasked with having to write a new Hawthorne and Horowitz book, but with no case to write about, Anthony decides to write up a case from five years previously, one to which Hawthorne and his then sidekick, John Dudley, had been called in to assist on. How hard can it be, right? Well, nothing is ever straightforward for Anthony.
I liked the new format, and I really enjoyed Close to Death. It is a typical cosy mystery that thoroughly engaged me, and kept me guessing right to the end.
Excepting Hawthorne and Horowitz, and John Dudley, none of the characters were particularly likeable. I certainly wouldn't want to live next door to any of them.
Close to Death will be published in April 2024.
Thanks to Random House, Cornerstone and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a must read for fans of Gary Moore, one of the greatest guitarists in the world.
This warts-and-all biography takes us back to where it all began.
Until I read this book I didn't know just how much Gary Moore contributed to the music world. Nor did I know what a shy, quiet, kind man he was.
There is quite a roll call of musicans and singers who worked with Moore. Some are well known; Phil Lynott, Huey Lewis, Peter Green. Many are less well known.
There are some amusing anecdotes. Others are harrowing.
When Gary Moore died the world lost an immensely talented guitar player, but his legacy lives on. Thanks to this book I feel as though I understand him a little better.

This book was just what I needed to unwind after a stressful week. It made me laugh, and on occasion it made me well up. It certainly kept me entertained.
Dave Grohl is a natural storyteller. This isn't one of those long winded autobiographies, nor is it a vanity project. It is exactly what it says on the cover; Tales Of Life And Music.
Grohl's passion for music shows throughout the book, as does his love for his family and the friendships he has cultivated along the way.
Grohl doesn't come across as arrogant or as a diva. In fact, there is a hint of insecurity. He certainly doesn't take himself too seriously.
Dave Grohl is one of the good guys. He's had an interesting life to date, he's made good music and he's had a lot of fun along the way. He's shared some of that fun with us in this book.

Bob Mortimer is a very funny man. I've cried with laughter watching him on Would I Lie To You. His tales are so convincing you believe, like David Mitchell, that they must be true.
As you would expect, there are laugh out loud moments in this autobiography, but there are poignant moments too. You can feel Bob's vulnerability as he talks about his shyness and the difficulty he had making friends.
His fear is evident as he talks about his heart surgery and subsequent recovery.
What is also evident is the love for his family and his home town, Middlesbrough, his passion for football, and most of all his love for his closest friends.
Well worth a read.

Dead Men's Bones is the fourth book in the Inspector McLean series by James Oswald, and is my favourite to date. Yeah, I know, I'm late to the party and there are a lot more books after this one, but that's a good thing, right? It means I've got a lot to look forward to. Lucky me.
Anyway, back to Dead Men's Bones. Boy, did this one grab me and refuse to let go! It has it all. A body, completely covered in tattoos. The murder/suicide of a prominent Edinburgh family. Mysterious envelopes from a member of Special Branch. A possible link between the tattooed body and the suicide victim.
There are attempts from on high to have the murder/suicide investigation shut down.
As we all know by now, when Inspector McLean has the bit between his teeth, nothing will stop him. Unfortunately, in the face of this investigation, he finds it's not just himself he's putting at risk, but his whole team.
A gripping, disturbing, sometimes funny, engaging read.

Roberta Steel as the main character rather than in a supporting role? What sorcery is this? A terrific idea on Stuart MacBride's part, that's for sure.
Steel is nobody's idea of a damsel in distress. She's a nightmare to work for, just ask Logan McRae. She's foul mouthed and incredibly un-PC, and in Now We Are Dead, she's been newly demoted to Detective Sergeant, making her even more nightmarish.
She also has a new sidekick. Take a bow Detective Constable “Tufty” Quirrell. Needless to say Steel treats him as meanly as she did McRae.
I didn't know what to expect from Now We Are Dead, knowing that Logan wouldn't feature much in it. What I got was a rollicking good read with all the dark humour and grisly goings on I've come to expect from Stuart MacBride.