Category: Book reviews

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter Pieces of Her is a character-driven thriller focusing on themes of self-discovery, the tension of mother/daughter relationships, and a search for the truth. I love domestic suspense, so this was a great one for me. But fans should know up front that the book is very different from Slaughter’s…

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt A deeply unsettling story based on the true ax murder of Andrew and Abby Borden. Lizzie, the protagonist and Andrew’s daughter (Abby’s stepdaughter), calls out to her maid and alerts the town of the grisly murder. While the police search for clues, Emma, the elder sister, comforts…

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders A sad but a weird story about loss and grief – literally the weirdest I’ve ever read. The plot follows the death of Abraham Lincoln’s son William, who is buried in Oak Hill Cemetary. Lincoln comes to see him, holding his dead body in his arms. Other souls…

When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica My rating: 5 of 5 stars I love me a good thriller, and especially a thriller that explores thoughtful themes and raises good questions. Mary Kubica’s book When The Lights Go Out does exactly this. An intricately plotted thriller with likeable characters warring with their individual obsessions…

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris My rating: 5 of 5 stars An Odyssean tale of humanity, survival and love in the darkest of times, the Tattooist of Auschwitz is heartwarming and unforgettable. Enterprising Lale is appointed as Tätowierer at Auschwitz, officially working for the political wing of the SS. This gives him some…

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier How have I never read this book?! Rebecca is a pristine example of a psychological thriller and I enjoyed every second of it. It’s hefty, filled with beautiful, atmospheric pose, and lyrical, almost poetic descriptions, so it isn’t something you’ll race through, but the story, the protagonist, the setting are…

What Have You Done by Matthew Farrell My rating: 5 of 5 stars An edgy crime thriller reminiscent of a CSI episode, What Have You Done is an explosive debut by Matthew Farrell. The novel is a cross between a domestic suspense and a hard-bitten crime story, opening with a mutilated body investigated by forensics…

Do Not Disturb by Claire Douglas My rating: 5 of 5 stars Brilliantly claustrophobic and deliciously creepy, I absolutely loved Do Not Disturb. It’s one of those books that’s just great storytelling. Another absolutely gripping book by Claire Douglas in a classic Agatha Christy-style whodunit. The story follows Kirsty, who moves to the Brecon Beacons…

Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton My rating: 5 of 5 stars What a gorgeous book! So many layers, such evocative descriptions, such beautiful characters! I loved the use of the second person and the character developments, the mystery and the use of the afterlife. The story was beautifully written, heart warming, yet tragic and poignant, all…

Watching You by Lisa Jewell My rating: 4 of 5 stars Watching You begins with a bang, with a dead body in the kitchen. From the outset we are left to guess not only who the body belongs to, but who did it, and why. A cleverly written book with gradual reveals, an intriguing plot…

Believe Me by J.P. Delaney My rating: 5 of 5 stars An altogether compulsive book that should be used as a descriptor for ‘psychological thriller’. Absorbing and captivating, Believe Me is a fast-paced thriller that I read quickly, barely able to acknowledge time passing me by. Part of this is because the protagonist, Claire, is…

The Possible World by Liese O’Halloran Schwarz My rating: 5 of 5 stars A unique story about the lives we live and how they inhabit our memories, The Possible World is compelling and absorbing with exquisite prose and beautiful characterization. It isn’t my usual genre, but it was so absorbing, the characters so compelling, the…