small town crime
The Searcher by Tana French
“He doesn’t like the feeling, or the fact that he recognises it and understands it perfectly; it’s as familiar to him as hunger or thirst. Cal never could stand to leave a case unresolved.” If I’d read The Searcher without knowing the author’s identity, I’d never have guessed that it was a novel by Tana […]
MoreBlacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby
“You were never out of the Life completely. You were always looking over your shoulder. You always kept a gun within reach.” Blacktop Wasteland is a thrilling, adrenaline-fueled read that gives a fresh new take on the One Last Job™ premise. S.A. Cosby’s pitch-perfect debut novel is brutal, twisty, and hella gritty. Blacktop Wasteland will […]
MoreThe Bright Lands by John Fram
At first, I was intrigued by The Bright Lands: a small town in Texas, missing teen(s), possible evil entities…I kind of expected it to be a modern take on Twin Peaks by way of Stephen King. Sadly, however, The Bright Lands never delivers on its intriguing premise. The writing leaves a lot to be desired, […]
MoreThe Familiar Dark by Amy Engel — book review
“We can be sad, distraught, confused, pleading, forgiving. But not furious. Fury is reserved for other people. The worst thing you can be is an angry woman, an angry mother.” Once again I find myself in the minority but I just didn’t find The Familiar Dark to be a very riveting read. From its gratuitous […]
MoreMagpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz — book review
I like to think of myself as a “serious” Agatha Christie fan. With the exception of one or two books—aberrations of some sort—I have always enjoyed reading Christie. I also happen to be a huge fan of the Poirot ITV series (starring the impeccable David Suchet) on which Horowitz has worked on. As Horowitz demonstrates […]
MoreEverything You Want Me to Be : Book Review
Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia ★★★✰✰ 3 stars Last summer I read Mejia’s latest novel Leave No Trace: A Novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it had a suspenseful and fast-paced story with alluring main characters. While Everything You Want Me to Be is an undoubtedly well-written novel that […]
MoreThe Franchise Affair : Book Review
The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey ★★★★✰ 4 stars This was an interesting novel. The tension between the various parties (the accused and the accuser/victim) creates a sense of suspense and the mystery itself is less about ‘who is right and who is lying’ and more about what the court will decide. The Franchise Affair […]
MoreTHE MOVING FINGER (MISS MARPLE): BOOK REVIEW
The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie ★★★★✰ 4.5 of 5 stars It seems odd, now, to remember that Joanna and I were more amused by the letter than anything else. We hadn’t, then, the faintest inkling of what was to come – the trail of blood and violence and suspicion and fear. The Moving Finger reveals […]
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