And so here we are. Nearly half way through November. At some stage I need to start prepping my #bookvent posts but that whole idea fills me with dread right now. I know what books I expect to see there, but the process of creating the posts and doing all the various links etc is so time consuming that I just need to give myself a moment in which to actually sit back and do some ground work. December is only two weeks away after all …
Nothing much really happened in the week. Did some work, did a lot of waiting around. Read some books. Happy days.
It’s been a good – no – great week for books. Some lovely book buys finally delivered, some NetGalley titles happily downloaded, and some new books ordered too. Happy days. Add to that the fact that I found a good few new titles on the horizon that really make my heart sing, and I have been quite a happy bunny this week.
Book buy wise I have had the following arrive in hard copy. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (both HarperCollins Special Edition Hardbacks) and Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict. I also treated myself to The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer because, well, why not?
Bottom L-R: Murder on the Christmas Express; The Satsuma Complex
I also treated myself to The Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Vanishing Triangle by Claire McGowan. ARC wise, I was invited to read The Half Burnt House by Alex North (30 Mar 23) and also downloaded We Can Be Heroes by Paul (01 Jun 23) from NetGalley; and I was sent an ARC of Canaries in the Coalmine by Ross Greenwood by the author. A couple of additional pre-orders – Zero Kill by M.K. Hill (06 Jul 23) and Death of a Lesser God by Vaseem Khan (10 Aug 23).
Bottom L-R: The Half Burnt House & Canaries in the Coalmine
Books I have read
When The Lights Go Out by Chris Curran
WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT
A group of new friends. But can she trust them?
For struggling actress Ava, landing a role with the Chimera Theatre Group could lead to her big break. And relocating to a remote country village means stepping out from the shadow of her boyfriend—despite his determination not to let her go.
Everyone in the group seems so welcoming, they’re one big happy family. But, like all families, they each have secrets. And someone in the group doesn’t want certain secrets to get out…
A Deadly Covenant by Michael Stanley
When a human skeleton is discovered at the site of a controversial new dam in remote northern Botswana, rookie Detective Kubu is drawn into a terrifying local feud, and discovers a deadly covenant that could change everything…
While building a pipeline near the Okavango Delta, a contractor unearths the remains of a long-dead Bushman. Rookie Detective David ‘Kubu’ Bengu of Botswana CID and Scottish pathologist, Ian MacGregor, are sent to investigate, and MacGregor discovers the skeletons of eight more men.
Shortly after the gruesome discoveries, the elder of a nearby village is murdered in his home. The local police are convinced it was a robbery, but Kubu isn’t so sure … and neither is the strange woman who claims that an angry river spirit caused the elder’s death.
As accusations of corruption are levelled and international outrage builds over the massacre of the Bushman families, Kubu and his colleagues uncover a deadly covenant, and begin to fear that their own lives may be in mortal danger…
Death at Beresford Hall by Emma Davies
Francesca Eve, chef, caterer, and baker extraordinaire, has never desired the limelight. But when she’s accepted onto the country’s favourite cooking competition, she can’t help but wonder – what would it be like to win? The one thing she’d never imagined, though, was sharing the kitchen with a killer…
When Francesca Eve arrives for the Christmas special of the country’s most popular baking competition, she knows she’s out of her depth. For not only is she there undercover, reluctantly investigating strange threats to Miranda Appleby, the famous presenter-come-chef, but she swiftly gets roped into competing herself when another contestant can’t cut the mustard and quits.
Cooking may be bread and butter to Fran, but under the bright lights her cranberry sauce won’t set and her mince pies burn. When the real reason she’s there ends in total failure and Miranda is found with a cake slice through the heart – ‘lights, camera, cook’ becomes ‘lights, camera, murder…’
Miranda may have looked like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but looks can be deceiving… From her harassed PA to the rakish producer and even the disappointed contestants, everyone on set seemingly had reason enough to want to bump her off. But who would be nuts enough to cook Miranda’s goose in such an obvious way?
As the police arrive to take over the investigation, Fran can’t help but continue her own lines of enquiry. She’s come to know the crew and contestants and can’t believe that any one of them would be guilty. But Fran must harden her heart to her new friends and focus her mind.
Someone may have thought Miranda was justifiably given her just desserts, but what Fran uncovers takes things to a whole new tier. Can Fran uncover the truth before another death occurs, and before the spirit of Christmas (cake) is ruined forever?
An utterly gripping cozy crime mystery set at a Christmas cooking competition. This is perfect for fans of Faith Martin, M.C. Beaton and The Thursday Murder Club.
It was a busy enough week on the blog, although you will see that I am slowing down as there is no Monday review today. Go me. Recap below:
#Review – The Last Days of Tony MacBride – Rachel Amphlett
#Review – Where Demons Hide – Douglas Skelton
#Review – Hidden Scars – Angela Marsons
#Review – The Buried – Sharon Bolton
#Review – Next In Line – Jeffrey Archer
Two blog tours this week. First up is a review of Suicide Thursday by Will Carver which will actually be on Wednesday, and then we have a review of You Don’t Know What War Is by Yeva Skalietska on Friday.
That’s about the limit of my week. Got to get back to writing reviews. Eight behind and counting. I really must get better at writing them up …
Have a lovely bookish week and see you next time.
Jen x
Jen Med's Book Reviews 