Another week passes by. The only positives were 1) the weather has improved so the weekend was very warm and sunny and 2) I was off work from Thursday for a four day weekend so I got to make the most of it. Took a trip down the road to Ludlow and took a pootle around the castle. Not been in a couple of years but hey – its culture and it’s local so double win. Spent a few pounds of my hard earned wages on local shops too. Aren’t I lovely? Another nice long walk on Saturday, but no pictures and then an early walk down the canal on Sunday before the temperatures got unbearable. To be honest, they weren’t far off by 9:00 am so my iced latte was very welcome by the time I got into town. Another half day later this week and a book launch – first since last year I think – so just praying that the gods of train timetables and covid are kind and I still get to go. I really need this me time at the moment.
It’s been a moderately quiet week book wise. I bought some – of course – but not so many. Decided to treat myself to books 1-3 in Simon McCleave’s Ruth Hunter series, The Snowdonia Killings, The Harlech Beach Killings and The Dee Valley Killings. These are (almost, sort of moderately) local (ish) set thrillers to me, so it’s always good to read books set in areas I know. I also bought Remain Silent by Susie Steiner, the only book I didn’t have in hard copy. Sadly Susie Steiner passed away last weekend, which is a great loss to the literary community, but completing my collection seemed appropriate somehow.
Two arcs in the week – A Silent Truth by Rachel Amphlett (1st August) in readiness for the blog tour, likewise The Murder Mystery by Alice Castle (22nd August) courtesy of Netgalley and Bookouture.
Books I have read
The Girl In The Photo by Heidi Amsinck
When ninety-year-old Irene Valborg is found brutally murdered in an affluent suburb of Copenhagen, her diamond necklace missing, it looks like a burglary gone wrong.
When two more victims are attacked, the police lament a rise in violence against the elderly, but who is the young girl in the photo found by DI Henrik Jungersen on the scenes of crime? Impatient to claim her inheritance, Irene’s daughter hires former Dagbladet reporter Jensen and her teenage apprentice Gustav to find the necklace.Questioning his own sanity, while trying to fix his marriage, Henrik finds himself once more pitched in a quest for the truth against Jensen – the one woman in Copenhagen he is desperate to avoid.
A Silent Truth by Rachel Amphlett
When the body of a young woman is found by the side of a quiet country road, police first suspect a hit and run.
Then a darker side to the victim is uncovered – a dangerous addiction that led to her violent death.
With little sympathy from a local population, Detective Mark Turpin faces a daunting task to track down her killer.
When a second victim dies after a ferocious attack, Mark realises someone is determined to hide the truth.
Both victims kept to the shadows of society – will their secrets die with them?
A Silent Truth is the fourth book in the Detective Mark Turpin series from USA Today bestselling author Rachel Amphlett.
The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz
‘Our deal is over.’
That’s what reluctant author Anthony Horowitz tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne in an awkward meeting. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind.
His new play, Mindgame, is about to open in London’s Vaudeville theatre. Not surprisingly Hawthorne declines a ticket.
On opening night, Sunday Times critic Harriet Throsby gives the play a savage review, focusing particularly on the writing. The next morning she is found dead, stabbed in the heart with an ornamental dagger which, it turns out, belongs to Anthony and which has his finger prints all over it.
Anthony is arrested, charged with Throsby’s murder, thrown into prison and interrogated.
Alone and increasingly desperate, he realises only one man can help him.
But will Hawthorne take his call?
Three books. Not my biggest tally in a week, but as I have been making the most of some downtime, I’ll take it. Busy enough week on the blog – recap below:
#Review – Dark Objects – Simon Toyne
#Review – The Binding Room – Nadine Matheson
#Review – The Daves Next Door – Will Carver
#Review – Fatal Witness – Robert Bryndza
#Review – The Hangman’s Song – James Oswald
Two blog tours this week. Tomorrow, I’m res-haring my thoughts on the fabulous The Dark Remains by William McIlvanney and Ian Rankin and on Friday Mandie takes a look at Tess Gerritsen’s Listen To Me.
So that is my reading week in a nutshell. Hope you all had a productive week or have been able to make use of the good weather. Back to work today (boo) but I’ve got a run of short weeks coming up with book festivals and the like, so I can’t complain too much. Things could be worse, right?
Have a fab week.
Jen x
Jen Med's Book Reviews 