Category: literature
Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau
The year is 1911 when twenty-year-old heiress Peggy Batternberg is invited to spend the summer in America’s Playground. The invitation to the luxurious Oriental Hotel a mile from Coney Island is unwelcome. Despite hailing from one of America’s richest families, Peggy would much rather spend the summer working at the Moonrise Bookstore than keeping up appearances with New York City socialites and her snobbish, … Read More Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau
Everything My Mother Taught Me by Alice Hoffman
In this haunting short story of loyalty and betrayal, a young woman in early 1900s Massachusetts discovers that in navigating her treacherous coming-of-age, she must find her voice first. For fatefully observant Adeline, growing up carries an ominous warning from her adulterous mother: don’t say a word. Adeline vows to never speak again. But that’s not her only secret. After her mother takes a … Read More Everything My Mother Taught Me by Alice Hoffman
The Foundling by Stacey Halls
I loved this book more than I can say. If I could give it 10 stars I would. I was so engrossed in the story and couldn’t wait for the next stave to be delivered (I was reading through Pigeonhole). At one point I wanted to buy the book so I could read to the end only to discover it had not yet been … Read More The Foundling by Stacey Halls
+ crime fiction, Detective novel, fiction, literature, police drama, police procedural, psycopath, review, writing
In The Dark by Cara Hunter
Another brilliant book from Cara Hunter. I started this book the night before last but then I had a day off work and I literally just sat at home and read to the end. So intricately put together and I love the way the detectives and PCs are growing in character. After a while you start to question everyone and everything. Who is lying? … Read More In The Dark by Cara Hunter
+ crime fiction, Detective novel, fiction, literature, police drama, Psychological fiction, review, writing
Close To Home by Cara Hunter
This is the first time I’ve given five stars to a book in ages but Close To Home is worth every star. It was absolutely riveting. I read it with The Pigeonhole (many thanks to them and to my fellow Pigeons and Cara who was commenting along with us). I rarely give five stars to any detective novel but this was something else. On … Read More Close To Home by Cara Hunter
+ dark humour, fiction, literature, psi-fi, review, writing
Even Stranger by Marilyn Messik
“I thought I’d knocked him out, but in a flash he’d turned on to all fours and was crawling swiftly, spider-like, back towards us. He still held the knife, so I set fire to the handle. The wood flamed and he hissed in pain but didn’t let go. It was all turning rather awkward.” Having first met Stella as a child in Relatively Strange … Read More Even Stranger by Marilyn Messik
The Crown Agent by Stephen O’Rourke
Dr Mungo Lyon, an Edinburgh surgeon, is barred from practice following his (minor) involvement in the Burke and Hare case. However, when he is caught up in a strange adventure that takes him to Glasgow and Jamaica, his skill as a surgeon is not the only skill he will need. He will need to use his intelligence and keep his wits about him as … Read More The Crown Agent by Stephen O’Rourke
The Dilemma by BA Paris
I can’t believe I’m only giving this three stars as it’s so well written, heart-breaking and sad. It’s a tale of family love, separation, sorrow, misunderstanding and tragedy. That should make a wonderful read, shouldn’t it? But something is missing. Once we discover the two threads that form the basis of the story it just dragged and dragged till in the end I just … Read More The Dilemma by BA Paris
Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman
I really enjoyed reading this. A bit Silence of the Lambs meets Dan Brown and I particularly like the codes and clues aspect. Dr Sange is an interesting character as you don’t expect a serial killer to be so handsome and charismatic (unless it’s Keanu Reeves in The Watcher – though maybe not charismatic). I’m not sure Ziba would be my first choice of … Read More Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
From Spain during the Civil War to Chile, then exile in Venezuela and back to Chile, this beautiful novel covers a period of history that most of us no nothing about. It follows the lives of Victor Dalmau and his wife Roser from youth to old age. It’s a sweeping epic of a novel with a host of likeable and not so likeable fictional … Read More A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
The Mother I Could Have Been by Kerry Fisher
I wish to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. This isn’t my usual genre but I thought I would give it a go. To start with I didn’t like Vicky at all. She is so hard done by and finds it easier to walk away than actually have a conversation with the people in her life she … Read More The Mother I Could Have Been by Kerry Fisher
The Only Child by Mi-ae Seo
Oh boy this could have been so good. The premise of the story is an excellent one and once I managed to understand what was going on (which took a while) it became really gripping. The story that is – because the writing (and I guess it gets lost in translation) is clunky and immature. From my experience of creative writing (I studied it … Read More The Only Child by Mi-ae Seo
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