And identical to that we’re in November. Unimaginable in some methods, lengthy overdue in others. Contemplating all the things that is happening in the mean time, it’s been fairly a very good week for me, guide smart. I’ve managed to learn (regardless of being very drained), I’ve even exercised (ditto to the drained remark). I haven’t managed to do something fascinating sufficient to get any new images although, so I’ll be recycling just a few older ones as an alternative (I’ve hundreds). I booked tickets to see the recording of Kiss Me Kate that includes Adrian Dunbar and Stephanie J. Block on the cinema later this month. I watched Heathers the Musical and Waitress the Musical on TV this week, and purchased and listened to the London solid recording of Sundown Boulevard that includes Nicole Scherzinger as nicely. It’s been busy however good. I’m glad.
And I’ve had a really wonderful week of bookishness too. Some good guide put up that has actually made me smile. Initially I acquired a double dose of Thomas Enger from the stunning Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books by the use of a duplicate of SON by Thomas and Johana Gusawsson (13 Mar 25), and Sufferer by Thomas and Jørn Lier Horst (07 Nov). Now I used to be bouncing across the room after that parcel arrived. I practically took out a lightweight becoming after I opened up the subsequent parcel of the week, this time from Hodder & Stoughton – a completed copy of Metropolis Of Destruction by Vaseem Khan (28 Nov), a part of the Malabar home sequence. After which on Saturday (I had no concept Stuarday put up was nonetheless a factor!), a 3rd parcel arrived with a duplicate of The Killer Within the Chilly by Alex Pine (07 Nov), courtesy of Beck Hunter and Avon Books. What every week!
I purchased simply the one guide this week – Earth by John Boyne. Figured it was time to expertise his writing and it is a brief novella, round 160 pages. If I get pleasure from it, I’ll nicely simply get the opposite three within the sequence (when they’re all lastly out, obvs). Two Netgalley approvals – The Lollipop Man by Daniel Sellers (20 Feb 25); and A Trial In Three Acts by Man Morpuss (06 Mar 25) from Viper Books.
Not too shabby every week, huh? Because it’s a brand new month, I can share what I managed to learn in October too. Solely 13 books this month, however they had been good ones, and I’ve been making an attempt to stability by work, with my studying and with the information coaching course, so I’m glad sufficient with that. Not as younger as i was, and I had little day without work, plus just a few lengthy work associated days too so it’s a very good tally. My reads had been:
Black Storms by Teresa Solana & Peter Bush (translator)
Metropolis of Spies by Mara Timon
Panic by LJ Ross
Revolver Highway by Christi Daugherty
The Neighbour’s Secret by Sharon Bolton (07 Nov)
The 12 Murders of Christmas by Sarah Dunnakey (07 Nov)
The Village Killer by Ross Greenwood
The Evening Gate by Peter Might
Ice City by Will Dean (07 Nov)
The Meals Of Love by Amanda Prowse
A Steep Worth by Robert Dugoni
Metropolis of Destruction by Vaseem Khan (28 Nov)
Ushers by Joe Hill
Books I’ve learn
A Steep Worth by Robert Dugoni
Known as in to seek the advice of after a younger girl disappears, Tracy Crosswhite has the uneasy feeling that that is no odd missing-persons case. When the physique turns up in an deserted nicely, Tracy’s suspicions are confirmed. Estranged from her household, the sufferer had balked at an organized marriage and had deliberate to attend graduate college. However somebody lower her goals brief.
Fixing the thriller behind the homicide isn’t Tracy’s solely problem. The detective is preserving a secret of her personal: she’s pregnant. And now her greatest worry appears to be coming true when a brand new detective arrives to interchange her. In the meantime, Tracy’s colleague Vic Fazzio is about to take a fall after his investigation into the homicide of a area people activist turns violent and leaves a useful witness useless.
Two careers are on the road. And when extra lethal secrets and techniques emerge, jobs won’t be the one issues in danger.
Metropolis of Destruction by Vaseem Khan (28 Nov)
Bombay, 1951. A political rally ends in tragedy when India’s first feminine police detective, Persis Wadia, kills a lone gunman as he makes an attempt to assassinate the divisive new defence minister, a person calling for warfare with India’s new post-Independence neighbours.
With the Malabar Home staff tasked to seek out the murderer’s co-conspirators – aided by brokers from Britain’s MI6 safety service – Persis is shortly relegated to the sidelines. However then she is given a second case, the burned physique of an unidentified white man discovered on a Bombay seashore. As she pursues each investigations – with and with out official sanction – she quickly finds herself headed to the nation’s capital, New Delhi, a metropolis the place historic and fashionable India overtly conflict.
In the meantime, Persis’s colleague, Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch, lies in a hospital combating for his life as throughout him the nation tears itself aside within the prelude to warfare…
A younger man who has improbably escaped demise twice reveals his secret in a spine-tingling brief story by New York Occasions bestselling writer Joe Hill.
Martin Lorensen is a twenty-three-year-old counselor for disturbed youngsters. He’s vibrant, compassionate, engaging, and outgoing. He’s additionally—and that is probably the most fascinating factor—not useless. Martin has improbably survived not one however two lethal disasters that claimed dozens of lives. The child is using one hell of a fortunate streak. Two federal brokers suppose there’s something darker at play. Now that they’ve organized to interview Martin, they need solutions. Martin is able to share all the things he is aware of. One factor is for sure: relating to escaping demise, luck doesn’t determine into it in any respect.
The Mitford Trial by Jessica Fellowes
A timeless whodunnit with the fascinating Mitford sisters at its coronary heart, The Mitford Trial is impressed by a real-life homicide in a narrative stuffed with intrigue, affairs and betrayal.
It’s former woman’s maid Louisa Cannon’s marriage ceremony day, however the fantasy is shattered shortly after when she is approached by a secretive man asking her to spy on Diana Mitford – who’s having an affair with the notorious Oswald Mosley – and her equally fascist sister Unity.
Thus as summer season 1933 dawns, Louisa finds herself accompanying the Mitfords on a glitzy cruise, stuffed with the starriest members of Society. However the waters run purple when a person is discovered attacked, with suspects in every single place.
Again in London, the case is taken by lawyer Tom Mitford, and Louisa finds herself caught between worlds: of a love misplaced to blood, a household divided, and a rustic caught in battle.
A Drowning Tide by Sarah Lawton
When her next-door neighbour goes lacking, reclusive Merry dives into an irresistible puzzle.
Merry lives a easy life on the Isle of Wight. For work, she creates cryptic crosswords. For pleasure, she swims within the ocean’s chilly embrace. In between, she retains a watch on her neighbour, Lucas Manning, son of her late greatest buddy Julia. Till someday, Lucas disappears.
The Manning household has at all times had a sinister aspect – solely Lucas has been above suspicion. Till now. And with Lucas’s employers determined to search out him and the delicate mission he has absconded with, has Merry been incorrect about Lucas all alongside?
As her seek for Lucas unfolds, Merry all of a sudden has to confront her personal darkish previous. And because the tangle of her life story rises to the floor, Merry is about to discover a twist she by no means anticipated.
Combining a spiky, singular voice with a brilliantly twisty thriller, that is an unpredictable, gripping story of poisonous households, harmful secrets and techniques and the previous catching up with the current – good for followers of Dying of a Bookseller, The Sunday Philosophy Membership and Richard Osman.
An excessive amount of information might be lethal.
Ten years in the past, a serial killer’s reign ended. College students on the Oxford Carroll College had been secure. Till now…
The Professor is again. His Victorian literature-themed murders are extra surprising than ever.
Jane, a mature pupil, research in worry. An invite to Glynnholme, the property of the reclusive scholar, Evangeline Glynn, is a welcome distraction.
With every go to, darkish secrets and techniques are revealed. The Professor isn’t any stranger to Glynnholme. Jane wasn’t chosen by probability.
Because the demise rely rises, The Professor prepares a remaining lesson. Phrases are highly effective. They offer him a killing objective.
Phrases written in blood may finish Jane’s life. Can she uncover who The Professor is earlier than it’s too late?
For those who get pleasure from psychological thrillers with devious villains, twists, and revelations, The Professor is for you.
Advised you I’d been having a very good week! A busy sufficient time on the weblog too. Recap under:
#Evaluate – Birnam Wooden – Eleanor Catton
#Evaluate – Black Storms – Teresa Solana & Peter Bush
#Evaluate – Crow Moon – Suzy Aspley
#Evaluate – Metropolis of Spies – Mara Timon
#Evaluate – The Haven – LJ Ross
An explosion of excursions this week as I’m collaborating in three (!). At this time I’ve a assessment of The Village Killer by Ross Greenwood. Tomorrow I’m sharing ideas on Sufferer by Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst. And on Thursday I’ll be travelling to the wintery Yorkshire value with Frank Grasby and a assessment of Denzil Meyrick’s The Christmas Stocking Murders. Did I point out I used to be slicing down on excursions …
That’s my lot, however I believe I can chalk this up as a really, very good week. Theatre this Friday once more, with a visit to see the Come From Away tour. Can’t wait. And I’ve extra cause to be pleased with myself. Final yr, I made a promise to myself that I might learn all of my older Netgalley titles, ones I had requested and simply not learn for one cause or one other. Principally eyes larger than my spare-time-itis I believe. I had round fifty or so books from 2022 and earlier, which I acquired all the way down to 34 by the beginning of 2024. I now have solely 4 books left which had been launched years in the past, all of which I’ll learn this month, leaving me with solely 2025 titles on there. I really feel like that may be a weight off my thoughts, realizing that I’ve now fulfilled a sort of unstated dedication to each publishers and authors. And all had been fabulous, so it’s win win for me actually.
Have a stunning week all, no matter you’re as much as. Completely happy studying.
Jen x