What a week! And I mean that in a string of expletives kind of way and not a what a wonderful time I have had one. I have no pictures of interest to show you because, aside from a very brief walk along the canal on Saturday, and a desperate rush to Costa Coffee for some much needed sustenance around Thursday (I think?) , I’ve been so busy with work that I’ve not left the house, and so tired after work that I barely left the sofa. It slowed my reading (massively) broke my brain (repeatedly) and generally left me thankful that this month is nearly half over. Good news is that after I survive a training course tomorrow, I am then free until next Tuesday and all my time is my own. Cannot fluffing wait.
In better news, I did pick up some sweet pancakes from Sainsbury at the weekend for £1. Bargain. Shrove Tuesday isn’t until 1st March this year, but I’m in no mind to wait so I won’t.
Slowish book week this week, not only on the reading front. I did have some lovely book post from Aria Fiction this week though – Six Days by Dani Atkins. Looking forward to reading it for the tour in April.
A few Netgalley titles too, a mixture of tour books and just want to reads but ones that make me very happy. The Fall by Rachel Blok from Head of Zeus/Aries; The Island of Lost Girls by Alex Marwood courtesy of Sphere; First Born by Will Dean from Hodder & Stoughton; A Life For A Life by Carol Wyer from Amazon Publishing and The Dark by Sharon Bolton from Orion.
A few orders placed this week – largely pre-orders. The Death of Remembrance by Denzil Meyrick. The tenth book in the DCI Daley series to coincide with the 10th Anniversary and I cannot wait to read it. Bad Penny by Michele Gorman; Six Graves by Angela Marsons; and Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz.
Pretty sure that’s my lot, but not too bad for a week.
Books I have read
When an eccentric widow claims she is being stalked by her former lodger, Detective Jack Warr is the only person who believes her wild claims.
Days later, she is found brutally murdered in her home.
When the investigation uncovers an international drugs operation on the widow’s property, the case grows even more complex. And as the hunt for the widow’s lodger hits dead end after dead end, it seems that the prime suspect has vanished without a trace.
To find answers, Jack must decide how far is he willing to go – and what he is willing to risk – in his search for justice. Because if he crosses the line of the law, one wrong move could cost him everything . . .
A Life for a Life by Carol Wyer
Nobody can get into the mind of an erratic killer—except an unpredictable detective.
When a young man is found lying on a station platform with a hole in his head, DI Kate Young is called in to investigate the grisly murder. But the killing is no one-off. As bodies start to pile up, she is faced with what might be an impossible task—to hunt down a ruthless killer on a seemingly random rampage.
Meanwhile, Kate has her own demons to battle as she struggles to come to terms with her husband’s death. And she is hell-bent on exposing corruption within the force and bringing Superintendent John Dickson to justice. But with the trail of deception running deeper—and closer to home—than she could ever have imagined, she no longer knows who she can trust.
With her grip on reality slipping, Kate realises that maybe she and the killer are not so different after all. But time is running out and Kate is low on options. Can she catch the killer before she loses everything?
A Dirty Business by Rachel Amphlett
When Michael arrives at work early one winter’s day, he discovers that he’s not the only one who’s had a busy morning…
A Dirty Business forms part of the Case Files series of short crime stories from USA Today bestselling author Rachel Amphlett.
A Spoonful of Murder by JM Hall
Introducing the three unlikeliest sleuths you’ll ever meet…
Every Thursday, three retired school teachers have their ‘coffee o’clock’ sessions at the Thirsk Garden Centre café.
But one fateful week, as they are catching up with a slice of cake, they bump into their ex-colleague, Topsy.
By the next Thursday, Topsy’s dead.
The last thing Liz, Thelma and Pat imagined was that they would become involved in a murder.
But they know there’s more to Topsy’s death than meets the eye – and it’s down to them to prove it…
Sit down with a cup of tea and this perfectly witty, page-turning cosy crime novel. Fans of Agatha Christie, Death in Paradise and Midsomer Murders will be hooked from the very first page.
Two e-books, a short story and a combi book-book/audiobook – I’ll take that given the week I’ve had. Not my most prolific week by a long shot, but still impressive given I worked equivalent of a whole extra working day in overtime this week … Full week on the blog. Recap below:
#Review – Psychopaths Anonymous – Will Carver
#Review – The Death of Me – Michelle Davies
#Review – The House of Ashes – Stuart Neville
#Review – Off Target – Eve Smith
#Review – The Nameless Ones – John Connolly
#Review – Death In Disguise – Emma Davies
Pretty. full week ahead blog wise. Hopefully entertainment wise for me and Mandie too, but more on that next week. May even have some nice pictures to share for a change. We do have a couple of blog tours on the go though and I’ll be sharing my thoughts on Unhinged by Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst on Wednesday and A Lethal Deception by Rachel Amphlett on Thursday. Cannot wait.
That’s me done for the week. Hope you all have a lovely reading week. Fingers crossed the weather improves as well.
Jen xx
Jen Med's Book Reviews 
I’m amazed you managed to read as much as you did – and keep up that blogging schedule – given your exhausting work schedule. You deserve the few days break.
I hadn’t realised how late Shrove Tuesday will be this year
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I know right? March? What is up with that? I mean I know the age old excuse of changing calendars and blah blah blah, but old JCs birthday never moves (fairly certain that preceded his death no matter what the calendar) so why can’t we just pick a date and stick to it 🤷🏻♀️ one of the (many) reasons religion makes no sense to me.
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I’ve never understood why Easter moves around but Christmas Day is always the same day….
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Something to do with full moons, lunar calendars and spring equinox. Because clearly there were no moons at all in Bethlehem so they had to go old school fixed date … 😬
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