Tag: mystery
The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
An orphaned fortune teller in 18th-century England searches for answers about her long-dead mother and uncovers shocking secrets in this immersive and atmospheric saga perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry. Cornwall, 1730: A young girl known only as Red travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient Cornish method of the Square of Sevens. Shortly before he … Read More The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
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 Death Row Club by VA Vasquez
A darkly twisted and wonderfully original debut thriller for fans of Riley Sager and Jessica Knoll – at an annual weekend getaway for the adult children of serial killers, the participants begin to wonder if somebody’s continuing the family tradition when one of their number turns up dead. Plenty of people have lousy parents, but Nicola Fischer’s father has just been convicted of murdering … Read More The Death Row Club by VA Vasquez
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 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
The Other Mother by Heidi Field The Peasedale Woods Killers #2
Suzannah is pregnant with her third child. The first is in prison. The second is dead. How far will she go to keep her unborn baby safe? When Suzannah learns she is pregnant, she feels like safety and happiness are finally within reach. Her handsome, successful fiancé, Alec, is over the moon about the baby. He proposes and pampers her. He thinks this is … Read More The Other Mother by Heidi Field The Peasedale Woods Killers #2
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