Category: Book reviews

Before I Let You In by Jenny Blackhurst My rating: 4 of 5 stars A very clever novel with lots of twists and turns, Before I Let You In follows Karen, Bea and Eleanor who have been friends since they were kids. One day Karen, who’s just received a big promotion as a psychiatrist, starts…

If I Die Before I Wake by Emily Koch My rating: 4 of 5 stars A cleverly written psychological thriller written from the POV of a victim who everybody thinks is in a coma. The twist is he can actually still hear, feel and think. He’s trapped inside his own body while trying to figure…

I Never Lie by Jody Sabral My rating: 4 of 5 stars I Never Lie is a compulsive, easy read that I sped through. It is a book about addiction and its consequences, centering on the protagonist’s alcoholism. The story follows Alex, a self-destructive reporter who fled to London from Manchester after a traumatic incident…

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng My rating: 5 of 5 stars Truly one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Everything I Never Told You opens with the death of teenager Lydia, Marilyn and James Lee’s favorite middle child. Both have had their share of disappointments in life and…

All the Hidden Truths by Claire Askew My rating: 5 of 5 stars This captivating crime novel deftly balances that perfect line between moving and gripping, tackling a topical and emotive issue that has been in the headlines a lot lately. A why-dunnit rather than a who-dunnit crime novel, you see the crime and how…

Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent My rating: 4 of 5 stars A cleverly written why-dunnit, in which Oliver, a handsome, charming man, has beaten his wife Alice near to death. In the aftermath, Oliver tells his story and we learn why he did it. Unravelling Oliver does a great job of creating suspense and tension.…

The Fear by C.L. Taylor My rating: 4 of 5 stars CL Taylor is a reliably excellent author, and she has again provided a fantastic thriller about sensitive subject matter. The story follows Lou Wandsworth, who ran away to France with her teacher Mike when she was 13. Now, at 32, she discovers he’s grooming…

Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh My rating: 5 of 5 stars Whoa! This book should come with a warning – don’t start right before bed! I stayed up late reading and then had to catch my breath after putting it down. A slick, fast-paced legal thriller that had me racing through the pages to find out…

The Last Breath by Kimberly Belle My rating: 5 of 5 stars A fantastically plotted Whydunnit, more than a Whodunnit. The Last Breath follows humanitarian aid worker Gia Andrews as she returns home to take care of her dying father, who has been released from jail on compassionate grounds after famously murdering her stepmother over…

Those Girls by Chevy Stevens My rating: 5 of 5 stars Those Girls was an easy, fast read about three sisters who’ve had a seriously hard life. Forced to run from their alcoholic, abusive father, they soon find themselves in even more danger on the road. Eighteen years later they’ve changed their names and tried…

With or Without You: Are you ever sure you made the right decision? by Shari Low My rating: 5 of 5 stars As the millennium approaches, Liv must make a choice: stay married to the man who’s become more friend than lover or leave her safe marriage and break out on her own in the…

Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller My rating: 4 of 5 stars A literary novel recommended by book clubs and lauded for its complex themes and beautiful writing. Structurally, Swimming Lessons moves seamlessly between the present, when Flora arrives to see her ailing father, and the past, with letters written by Flora’s mother, who went missing…