Book reviews

Authors are readers too. Avid readers.

We also know what it’s like to write a book, so I only post reviews for books I finish. If a book’s not for me, I stop reading and move on.

At all times I aim to be constructive and fair, but it’s only my opinion. I no longer give ratings or stars, except on Amazon, Bookbub and Goodreads.

My tastes are almost exclusively crime fiction, though I venture beyond murders from time to time.

I hope the reviews will help you discover new authors and novels to enjoy.

Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire

25th July2021. I enjoy discovering new authors and series, especially at the cosy mystery end of spectrum. Family Secrets, the first of a series set in the town of Whispering ...
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Left You Dead by Peter James

20th July 2021. It’s been a year since I read the last book in the Roy Grace series, but it’s been worth the wait. Once again Peter James has delivered ...
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The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie

19th July 2021. The second Hercule Poirot story, published in 1923, is a complex murder mystery where nothing is ever as it seems. On two occasions, Poirot seems to have ...
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Rosecliff Manor Haunting by Cheryl Bradshaw

17th July 2021. This is the second story in the series featuring Addison Lockhart. She dreams about twin girls who died as children many years ago in a nearby manor ...
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The Lady Vanished by Greta Mulrooney

17th July 2021. In the first book of the series, private investigator Tyrone Swift is asked to find Carmen Langbourne, who has gone missing. The police investigation has stalled with ...
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The Shrine by LJ Ross

16th July 2021. In an explosive start, DCI Ryan’s pregnant wife Anna is injured in an incident at Durham Cathedral. As the dust settles, it becomes clear that the explosion ...
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Playing with Fire by Bill Kitson

16th July 2021. Once again, detective Mike Nash has to deal with a big scale drama in a quiet part of rural Yorkshire. This time it’s double trouble. A convicted ...
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The Stabbing in the Stables by Simon Brett

14th July 2021. When Jude’s asked to help heal one of her friend’s horses, she doesn’t expect to find a body at the riding stables. But this is Fethering and ...
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Shadow Crimes by Michael Hambling

13th July 2021. The Sophie Allen series is one of my favourites. Not only is she a charismatic character, the stories are highly original and well-written, providing intriguing murder mysteries ...
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The Successful Author Mindset by Joanna Penn

13th July 2021. This is a useful guide for writers about the challenges and issues you’ll face in your career. For each issue, the author gives practical guidance, often based ...
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Murder in the Meadow by Faith Martin

13th July 2021. With big changes to the team, including a fast track detective sergeant with her own agenda, Detective Inspector Hillary Greene has enough on her plate before a ...
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Nobody’s Child by Janet Dawson

1st July 2021. In this fifth outing in the series, Oakland private investigator, Jeri Howard, takes on her most difficult case and client. Naomi Smith, an emotionless alcoholic, believes the ...
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Mastering Your Mystery by Cheryl Bradshaw

1st July 2021. This excellent guide to mystery writing is divided into two parts. The first offers advice on all aspects of how to write a murder mystery, including plotting, ...
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The Witness at the Wedding by Simon Brett

27th June 2021. I’ve enjoyed all the Fethering murder mysteries so far. The humour that runs through them, gently poking fun at the foibles of the middle classes, is amplified ...
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I’m with the Band by BL Faulkner

25th June 2021. In this sixth outing for the serial murder squad, DCS Palmer immerses himself in the world of rock music, namely a band whose members are being killed ...
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The Birthday Mystery by Faith Martin

25th June 2021. Jenny Starling is catering for a 21st birthday party for twins Justin and Alicia in their parents’ country mansion in the Cotswolds. On the day she arrives, ...
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Eye for Revenge by Cheryl Bradshaw

25th June 2021. This cross between romantic suspense and murder mystery finds a devastated Quinn, searching for the killer of her best friend Evie. Behind the small town respectability, there ...
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Platform Mastery by Nick Thacker

22nd June 2021. This is a well-written and clearly explained guide to help authors build a solid platform. While a website remains the core of this platform, it’s only the ...
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