Rewind, recap: Weekly update W/E 26/09/21

Funny old week. Lovely weekend last weekend, back to earth with a massive bump when I returned to work on Tuesday. Long story but least said, soonest mended. As a result of said bump, I’ve done bugger all this week, well near as damn it. Reading has been slow, reviewing has been non existent and the furthest I have walked was to the coffee shop. Thankfully we had a good Monday with a bit of a walk around Stirling before we left and a diversion to see the Kelpies on the way home. They are quite an amazing sight, to be fair.

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See – at least one day was pretty and without drama …

Super quiet book week – probably not a bad thing given how many books I bought at Bloody Scotland. No bookpost this week, no new Netgalley titles either. Two new books purchase from Amazon – Little Bones by Patricia Gibney and Games People Play by Owen Mullen. And that’s it. Yeah – I can’t believe it either. You can tell I’ve had a bad week when even books don’t bring distraction or comfort. But hey. People are far worse off than I am so no self pity here.

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Books I have read

Survivor’s Guilt by Michael Wood

A TEAM TORN APART
 
Nine months ago DCI Matilda Darke survived a bullet to the head. The brutal attack claimed dozens of lives, including those she loved most, and the nightmares still plague her every waking thought.
 
A MEMORY SHE’D RATHER FORGET
 
Now, she’s ready to get back on the job. But a new terror awaits. A woman is found murdered and her wounds look eerily similar to several cold cases. Desperate to find a lead, DCI Darke and her team must face a terrifying truth: a serial killer is on the loose in Sheffield.

A THREAT CLOSE TO HOME

Matilda has led countless murder investigations before but the lingering emotional scars from her ordeal and the uneasiness within her once-tight team have left tensions high. As the body count rises, Matilda realises that this might just be where it all ends.

The brand new instalment in the DCI Matilda Darke series will leave you on the edge of your seat. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Kathy Reichs and Peter James.

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Flesh and Blood by Caroline Mitchell

A string of suicides. A community in terror. And a chilling conspiracy only DI Amy Winter can crack.

A wave of apparent suicides hits a string of seaside resorts, but when a police officer is named as the latest to die, DI Amy Winter suspects there may be more than mere coincidence to these tragic deaths. But what dark motive could cause someone to throw themselves into the cold depths of the North Sea?

Someone in the community knows more than they are letting on, but Amy’s questions are met with resistance. A group of mysterious teenagers might hold the key, but why are they so afraid to talk? Meanwhile, after the release from prison of her serial killer mother, Amy is fighting her own demons.

In her toughest investigation yet, Amy must confront her dark past if she is to put an end to the carnage. What secret is so terrible that it’s worth killing a police officer for? Amy needs to find the answer, before the sea washes up any more bodies.

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Psychopaths Anonymous by Will Carver

When AA meetings make her want to drink more, alcoholic murderess Maeve sets up a group for psychopaths … The dark, unpredictable, electrifyingly original new thriller from critically acclaimed author Will Carver.

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Maeve has everything. A high-powered job, a beautiful home, a string of uncomplicated one-night encounters. She’s also an addict: A functioning alcoholic with a dependence on sex and an insatiable appetite for killing men. 

When she can’t find a support group to share her obsession, she creates her own. And Psychopaths Anonymous is born. Friends of Maeve. 

Now in a serious relationship, Maeve wants to keep the group a secret. But not everyone in the group adheres to the rules, and when a reckless member raises suspicions with the police, Maeve’s drinking spirals out of control. 

She needs to stop killing. She needs to close the group. 

But Maeve can’t seem to quit the things that are bad for her, including her new man…

A scathing, violent and darkly funny book about love, connection, obsessions and sex – and the aspects of human nature we’d prefer to hide – Psychopaths Anonymous is also an electrifyingly original, unpredictable thriller that challenges virtually everything.

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And that’s it. Still happy enough. Funny old times we’re living in. Busy week on the blog – recap below:

#Review – A Deadly Trade – Michael Stanley
#Review – Black Reed Bay – Rod Reynolds
#Press Release – Bloody Scotland Hybrid Festival Concludes On A High
#Review – The Last Witness – Denzil Meyrick
#Review – Sins of the Father – Sharon Bairden
#Press Release – Capital Crime Festival To Return in 2022
#Review – The Farmhouse at Peace and Plenty – LB Stimson
#Review – Girl On Fire – Tony Parsons

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That’s it. My week in a conker shell (it really was that small an uneventful). A mixture of reviews in the week ahead – no blog tours. We’re finally learning 😉. Lots going on from a professional standpoint so I will see what this week brings. Can’t guarantee I’ll have anything more interesting to report next week, but with luck, I’ll be back and we’ll see how it goes.

Have a lovely bookish week all.

Jen x