Category: mystery
+ brothers, child abuse, family, fiction, murder, murder mystery, mystery, review, serial killer, thriller
The Other Daughter by Heidi Field The Peasedale Woods Killers #4
Two brothers. Two daughters. One deadly legacy. Every family has secrets. Some are worth killing for. Shiv has spent years trying to leave Peasedale behind. With Mason Tucker finally free from prison and her son, Pip, growing into a happy young boy, the future feels brighter than it has in a long time. Then Hunter Piper appears. For decades, the Piper name has been synonymous with … Read More The Other Daughter by Heidi Field The Peasedale Woods Killers #4
+ crime fiction, folklore, gothic, Gothic mystery, grief, Historical fiction, humour fiction, Iceland, Iceland noir, Ireland, List, murder mystery, mystery, political thriller, politics, Scandi noir, superstition, thriller, witchcraft
My Top 10 Books of 2026 – Part Three
Here are ten of my favourite books of 2026 Part Three, excluding audiobooks, of which there are loads so far. As usual a disparate selection, with a fair bit of superstition thrown in, and my usual Gothic, plus Iceland, Ireland and politics. Where Are The Kings by Donal Ryan What a remarkable book this is. Ryan deals with suicide and mental health in such … Read More My Top 10 Books of 2026 – Part Three
The Hidden Library by Sharon Gosling
A heartwarming mystery filled with books, secrets and second chances, perfect for fans of Freya Sampson, Evie Woods and Sally Page – and everyone who loves books about books. Sometimes the right story leads you home . . . When bestselling author Helen finds herself at the centre of a scandal, she escapes to Rathbrooke Hall on a remote island off the Northumberland … Read More The Hidden Library by Sharon Gosling
+ 1960s, diary, family, fiction, grief, Historical fiction, Italy, loss, love, mystery, review, secrets
The Secret Diary of Rome by M.A. McLaughlin
A hidden diary. A story that’s waited a hundred years to be told . . . 1960, New York. Emilia Rinaldi restores broken books for a living. She knows how to bring lost stories back to life. The one story she cannot repair is her own. Then an unexpected gift from her late mother arrives — an antique music box containing a faded photograph … Read More The Secret Diary of Rome by M.A. McLaughlin
+ child abuse, childhood, crime fiction, Detective novel, family, fiction, lies, murder, murder mystery, mystery, obsession, police drama, review, secrets, thriller
You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner
The Dixon family house was once a crown jewel of the White Mountains. Perched on a cliff with breathtaking views, it promised summer adventures, winter skiing, and family gatherings around a roaring log fire. Until late one August night, when both parents and their four children vanished, leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints, and a mystery that has endured for generations. Thirty years … Read More You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner
+ crime fiction, folklore, Historical fiction, humour fiction, List, murder mystery, mystery, superstition, thriller, WW2
My Top 10 Books of 2026 – Part Two
Here are ten of my favourite books of 2026 Part Two, excluding audiobooks, of which there are loads so far. As usual a disparate selection, with a fair bit of superstition thrown in, but only one Gothic this time. It was a difficult decision as I had to leave out two more that could have been on this list. The Tradwife’s Lie by Bella Ellwood-Clayton … Read More My Top 10 Books of 2026 – Part Two
The Other Killer by Heidi Field The Peasedale Woods Killers #3
You can change your name. Change your life. But someone knows exactly who you are. Twenty years ago, Mason Tucker was tried and convicted as the teenager who helped lure young boys to the serial killer known as the Pied Piper of Peasedale. After serving his twenty-year sentence, Mason is freed and hopes to remain invisible while he rebuilds his life as an adult, hoping to … Read More The Other Killer by Heidi Field The Peasedale Woods Killers #3
Fragile Flame by Chris Cloake
A candle flickers to life in the window of an old house, every dusk without fail. Rumours in the village speak of disappearances and murder. The recluse who resides there has shunned the world for years. Is his ritual a vigil? A form of memorial? An apology? Or something more sinister? What happened beyond those locked iron gates, behind the high walls? Lotte is … Read More Fragile Flame by Chris Cloake
+ crime fiction, gothic, gothic horror, Gothic mystery, Historical fiction, List, murder mystery, mystery, supernatural, superstition, thriller
My Top 10 Books of 2026 – Part One
So here we go again into another year of reading. And here are ten of my favourite books of 2026 Part One, excluding audiobooks, of which there are loads so far. As usual a disparate selection, with a fair bit of superstition thrown in, but only one Gothic this time. It was a difficult decision as I had to leave out about three more … Read More My Top 10 Books of 2026 – Part One
+ fiction, ghosts, grief, haunting, marriage, mystery, review, supernatural, superstition
The Ones Who Never Left by Gabrielle Mullarkey
Newlyweds Hugh and Lucy become property guardians of ‘haunted’ Rook House in rural Yorkshire, unfazed by local claims about its past. As Hugh puts it: ‘What old house standing alone in the countryside doesn’t have stories attached to it?’ The young couple regard the house as a haven to rekindle their creative sparks in beautiful, tranquil surroundings. But it soon becomes clear that someone … Read More The Ones Who Never Left by Gabrielle Mullarkey
The Grand Babylon Hotel by Arnold Bennett
Nella, daughter of millionaire Theodore Racksole, orders a dinner of steak and beer at the exclusive Grand Babylon Hotel in London. Her order is refused, so Theodore promptly buys the chef, the kitchen and the whole hotel. But when hotel staff begin to vanish and a German prince goes missing, Nella discovers that murder, blackmail and kidnapping are also on the menu. A rollicking … Read More The Grand Babylon Hotel by Arnold Bennett
The Cottage by Lisa Stone
An isolated cottage…After losing her job and boyfriend, Jan Hamlin is in desperate need of a fresh start. So she jumps at the chance to rent a secluded cottage on the edge of Coleshaw Woods. A tap at the window…Very quickly though, things take a dark turn. At night, Jan hears strange noises, and faint taps at the window. Something, or someone, is out there. A … Read More The Cottage by Lisa Stone
