Last Week on the Blog
I started the week with a review for one a contemporary fiction story with a dark edge; The Accidental Life of Greg Millar written by Aimee Alexander
On Tuesday I was part of the blog tour for Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica, an excellent read in this, her third book. You can tell I like this author as her second book, Pretty Baby is sitting in my header picture!
And on Wednesday I kept you updated on my reading choices for the week which include two big names; Mark Billingham and Sharon Bolton.
My review of My Husband’s Wife by Jane Corry went up on publication day 26 May 2016
Friday saw me deciding what books I am going to read for Cathy 746 #20 Books of Summer – there is still time for you all to join in – Part 1 of my list is here
And I finished the week with what is probably my favourite crime fiction read of the year; Daisy In Chains by Sharon Bolton received the full five stars from yours truly in this review.
News
The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed my reading has slowed to a snail-like pace, this week’s excuse is I took a trip to London with my darling daughter, a birthday present to her and to get wedding accoutrements, including the dreaded hat for me. Thanks to a wonderful woman in Debenhams on Oxford Street the hat has now arrived in Jersey. The weekend saw us walk over 20,000 steps both days so exercise targets were met too.
In the evening we went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at The Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. It was a wonderful production with the starring role(s) definitely going to the Oompa Loompas!
Sadly the Muffin Man wasn’t in sight…
Do you know the muffin man?
The muffin man, the muffin man.
Do you know the muffin man
Who lives in Drury Lane?
On Tuesday I was thrilled to spot a tweet from Catherine Ryan Howard advertising Distress Signals with a quote from my review!
I also spotted this on Amazon for Little Bones by Sam Blake so I’m feeling just a little bit famous this week.
Product Description
Incredibly engrossing with many twists & turns along the way…I would happily recommend Little Bones to anyone looking for a fast paced crime thriller Swirl and Thread Blog The start of an exciting new crime series introducing fearless Detective Cat Connolly… one of the year’s most thrilling reads. Easons Little Bones is a fascinating story about old sins and family secrets. I found the book engrossing from the start, thanks to both the interesting story and its characters. — Magdalena Johansson A Bookaholic Swede Blog I was incredibly impressed by Little Bones. If you like your crime fiction to involve the more traditional police procedural, one that has a little more complexity to the generic, this may well be a book that you will really enjoy. Cleopatra Loves Books Blog Little Bones has suspense, mystery, suspicious death, festering families, a brilliantly executed plot, PLUS characters with plenty of flavour Little Bookness Lane Blog
Stacking the Shelves
I’ve had a few additions to the TBR this week – with some great approvals from NetGalley
First up Truly Madly Guilty by the outstanding Liane Moriarty which will be published by Penguin UK on 28 July 2016.
Blurb
Despite their differences, Erika and Clementine have been best friends since they were children. So when Erika needs help, Clementine should be the obvious person to turn to. Or so you’d think.
For Clementine, as a mother of a two desperately trying to practise for the audition of a lifetime, the last thing she needs is Erika asking for something, again.
But the barbecue should be the perfect way to forget their problems for a while. Especially when their hosts, Vid and Tiffany, are only too happy to distract them.
Which is how it all spirals out of control… NetGalley
Another one from Twenty7 Books is Cut to the Bone by Alex Caan which isn’t out until 3 November 2016.
Ruby is a vlogger, a rising star of YouTube and a heroine to millions of teenage girls. And she’s missing. She’s an adult – nothing to worry about, surely? Until the video’s uploaded. Ruby, in the dirt and pleading for her life.
Who better to head up the investigation than the Met’s rising star, Detective Inspector Kate Riley? She’s leading a shiny new team, high-powered, mostly female and with the best resources money can buy. It’s time for them to prove what they can do. Alongside her, Detective Superintendent Zain Harris – poster boy for multiracial policing and the team’s newest member – has his own unique contribution to make. But can Kate wholly trust him and when he’s around, can she trust herself?
Ruby’s millions of fans are hysterical about what may have happened to her. The press is having a field day and as the investigation hurtles out of control in the glare of publicity, it becomes clear that the world of YouTube vloggers and social media is much, much darker than anyone could have imagined in their worst nightmares. And the videos keep coming . . . NetGalley
And… drum roll… I have a copy of Gilly Macmillan’s second book; The Perfect Girl which has already been published in eBook format but will be out in paperback on 25 August 2016 by Little Brown Book Group.
Blurb
To everyone who knows her now, Zoe Maisey – child genius, musical sensation – is perfect. Yet several years ago Zoe caused the death of three teenagers. She served her time, and now she’s free.
Her story begins with her giving the performance of her life.
By midnight, her mother is dead.
The Perfect Girl is an intricate exploration into the mind of a teenager burdened by brilliance, and a past that she cannot leave behind. NetGalley
In the post I have a copy of Intrusion by Mary McCluskey a psychological thriller that is being published on 1 July 2016 by Little A.
Blurb
Kat and Scott Hamilton are dealing with the hardest of losses: the death of their only child. While Scott throws himself back into his law practice in Los Angeles, Kat is hesitant to rejoin the workplace and instead spends her days shell-shocked and confused, unable to focus.
When an unwelcome face from Kat’s past in England emerges—the beautiful and imposing Sarah Cherrington—Kat’s marriage is thrown into a tailspin. Now wealthy beyond anything she could have imagined as a girl, Sarah appears to have everything she could need or want. But Sarah has an agenda and she wants one more thing. Soon Kat and Scott are caught up in her devious games and power plays.
Against the backdrops of Southern California and Sussex, in spare and haunting prose, Mary McCluskey propels this domestic drama to its chilling conclusion. Goodreads
I also have a copy of Sabine Durrant’s latest book, Lie With Me which came unbidden ahead of publication on 5 July 2016 by Mulholland Books. I strongly suspect I was sent this ARC because I enjoyed the author’s previous books Under Your Skin and Remember Me This Way, both books that I awarded five stars.
It starts with a lie. The kind we’ve all told – to a former acquaintance we can’t quite place but still, for some reason, feel the need to impress. The story of our life, embellished for the benefit of the happily married lawyer with the kids and the lovely home.
And the next thing you know, you’re having dinner at their house, and accepting an invitation to join them on holiday – swept up in their perfect life, the kind you always dreamed of…
Which turns out to be less than perfect. But by the time you’re trapped and sweating in the relentless Greek sun, burning to escape the tension all around you – by the time you start to realise that, however painful the truth might be, it’s the lies that cause the real damage…
… well, by then, it could just be too late. Amazon
And if that wasn’t enough for someone who isn’t acquiring new books… I have also bought a kindle copy of The Mistake by Wendy James. This book was originally bought to my attention by the marvellous Margot Kinberg at Confessions of a Mystery Novelist, if you haven’t done so I highly recommend visiting her blog!
We all have secrets . . . Jodie Garrow is a teenager from the wrong side of the tracks when she falls pregnant. Scared, alone and desperate to make something of her life, she adopts out the baby illegally and tells nobody. Twenty-five years on, Jodie has built a new life and a new family. But when a chance meeting brings the adoption to the notice of the authorities, Jodie becomes caught in a nationwide police investigation, and the centre of a media witch hunt. What happened to Jodie’s baby? And where is she now? The fallout from Jodie’s past puts her whole family under the microscope, and her husband and daughter must re-examine everything they believed to be true. Potent, provocative and compulsively readable, The Mistake is the story of a mother and the media’s powerful role in shaping our opinions. With astonishing insight, it cuts to the heart of what makes a family, and asks us whether we can ever truly know another person. ‘The kind of novel that will have you second-guessing your own reactions and skilfully exposes the troubling expectations we resort to in the absence of hard evidence. Amazon
TBR WATCH
Oh dear oh dear! Since my last count I have read 3 books, – I have however gained 6 books – the total this week is now standing at a shocking 181 books!
95 physical books
69 e-books
17 books on NetGalley
What have you found to read this week?
Some great books here! I’ve just finished My Husbands Wife and The Perfect Girl this week. I’m about to start I See You by Clare Macintosh which I am very excited about then it’s Daisy in Chains and The Night Stalker 🙂
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Oh lots of matches – I See You is on my list in July and Daisy In Chains was absolutely brilliant – happy reading 😊
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What have you found to read this week?
Answer: one British writer + one American writer
1. I will pick up again Wegener’s Jigswaw (2003) by Clare Dudman. A fictionalised account of the German’s explorer’s life and death as told by himself. It is beautifully written, the prose is crisp and poetic
« An exquisitely written novel based on the life and tragic death of a man who changed the way we understand the world. Winner of a prestigious Arts Council Award, it is destined to become a modern classic. »
2. I will also take up again Massacre on The Merrimack (2015) by Jay Atkinson.
« Hannah Duston’s Captivity and Revenge in Colonial America : A riveting and thrilling narrative of savagery, murder, and reveng….Atkinson’s storytelling skills are superb. »
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Ooh I do like the sound of both of those choices!
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Luckily I also have quite a few of those to read too, but did panic when I saw the publication date for My Husband’s Wife as I have it scheduled for August. Mine is obviously to coincide with the paperback so that’s OK. Off to investigate The Perfect Girl now it’s crossed my radar. Happy Reading!
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The Perfect Girl sounds so good and the reviews I’ve read from trusted bloggers have been great too. I think the publishers like a splurge of reviews when they publish a later copy – I sometimes deliberately (because I have an overfull schedule) go for the later version!
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Thank you for the kind words, Cleo. And what a lovely lot of books you have on your list. I really do hope you’ll enjoy them. In my opinion, The Mistake is an excellent novel with interesting characters. I really hope you’ll like it. It sounds as though you had a fantastic trip to London. How exciting that you’re planning the wedding, too! I’ll bet it’ll be a beautiful event.
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As you know I have been eyeing up The Mistake for ages – it now has a coveted place on my holiday reading list so sure am I that I will really enjoy it.
Yes wedding planning is fun and it’s lovely to have her close and be so involved in all the planning although funnily enough she is very organised 😉
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Sounds like you had a lovely trip to London! Thanks for the shout out. By the way, I love the new look for your blog!
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It was a great trip – even the dreaded hat part! You are very welcome, I’m looking forward to getting stuck into my choices.
Thank you – another reason for the lack of reading this month but I’m very pleased with the makeover 😊
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So jealous about Charlie & the Chocolate Factory – really hoping it comes to Australia!
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If it does I highly recommend it 🙂
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Cleo! How will I ever keep up? You are constantly having me adding new books to my toppling pile of to-reads:-) Congrats on your review being used for Distress Signals, a book I definitely enjoyed as well. Now that you’ve been teasing us with the dreaded hat, I think a picture is called for!
Have a lovely weekend and happy reading!
-Malia
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What do you think my pile looks like Malia? 😉 I have to share the pleasure!
Thank you – it is things like that which really make my day!
All in good time, I am currently going through aversion therapy with the hat…
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My hands are itching to get hold of your books! I don’t know which one calls to me the loudest, but I must have The Perfect Girl, Intrusion, and Truly Madly Guilty!
Oh, and congrats on your blurb featured on the book cover! Awesome….
BTW, after reading your review this week, I downloaded My Husband’s Wives…but that wasn’t the book you were referring to…lol.
The Jane Corry book is not available here yet..,..so, later! Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
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Oh Margot – I was thrilled to get these all in one week – it was book heaven! I’m sorry but I smiled when I read your comment about My Husband’s Wives.. I hope that is good too 😉 Thank you for visiting and leaving your link.
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Hehe! I’m glad I’m not the only one whose TBR is growing! Truly, Madly, Guilty is on my list too – yay! And well done to you for your growing fame – well deserved! 😀
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It’s now officially out of control!! and yes Truly, Madly, Guilty was greeted with raptures of joy!
Thank you – I’m available for the opening of any book related envelope now 😉
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You’ll need to re-read parts of I See You after finishing it! That was last week. This week I’ve just finished Follow Me by Angela Clarke- wow, what a can’t put downer, very cleverly plotted and very ‘different.’ Anyone who tweets, FBs, blogs etc will love it.
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Thank you – I’ll bear that in mind although I won’t be reading my copy until July. I have the Angela Clarke on my radar and your comments have just made it that bit brighter.
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Ooh, I fancy most of these – I’ve got The Perfect Girl and CutTo The Bone approved – didn’t see the Liane Moriarty one so I’ll have to go in search of that. I’ve also had Wendy James in my mental TBR list, thanks to Margot, so perhaps when I’m in Glasgow?? I’m hugely excited about Bruce Springsteen – I’ll be thinking about Margot. I’ve waited 25 years to see him!
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I hope you found the Liane Moriarty – it looks like it’s going to be a good one! Enjoy Springsteen!
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So many good bucks, but London is one of the best excuses to not read! Skip the hat and say you’re part American and that part doesn’t “do” hats!
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Haha you haven’t met my daughter!! She has been going on about the hat since the moment her fiancé proposed!!
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Good luck!
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You have a lot going on and lots of variety too!
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Yes 2016 is proving to be a busy year and somewhere in between all the excitement I have to go to work!
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Some great books on your list…I think I’d read all of them. The trip to London sounds fun and a wedding to look forward to even more so. Have a good week.
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Thank you Emma – yes it was a lovely weekend and good to spend some quality time with my daughter!
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Glad it’s been such an amazing week for you 😀
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