Month: April 2026

Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I was in the mood for cosy crime, as well as needing to make sure that I am shifting books from the tbr pile. So I picked up ‘Guilty by Definition’ by Susie Dent, which is certainly a cosy crime novel.

A setting in beautiful Oxford (which is always a good backdrop for a crime story), amongst an academic institution, always seems to make this scenario even more perfect (in this case, the offices of the Clarendon English Dictionary). Martha has returned to England after some time abroad, and her return seems to reignite an interest in the disappearance of her charasmatic older sister Charlie several years before. As coded messages start being sent, first to the offices of the Clarendon English Dictionary, and then to others who were aware of the unsolved case of Charlie’s disappearance, Martha and her friends seem to be drawn into trying to solve the mystery of what had really happened that summer several years before.

As it is written by Susie Dent, words are a very important feature of this story, and that was something I found incredibly interesting. I just wish I could remember everything that the book taught me. But also, this is a great cosy crime novel. I found myself keen to see where the story was going and what the solution would be. But it is not a novel for anyone looking for a thrilling read. This is a crime/mystery story of secrets, lies and hidden clues, not a thriller of chills.

However, if you need a cosy read for the next autumn months (sorry, yes I said it, but that is usually everyone’s favourite cosy crime season) and you have not picked this one up yet, then I recommend you keep it on your radar. Although, I am late to the party, so you may have already read it.

The Corset by Laura Purcell

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Last year, a friend introduced me to the books of Laura Purcell. And when she offered to lend me ‘The Corset’ after having lent me ‘The Silent Companions’, I knew I had to take her up on the offer. I read this book in one weekend; I could not put it down. ‘The Corset’ is a fantastic piece of Gothic Literature and I just had to know where the story was going as soon as I started reading it.

I am not going to share any spoilers, other than that the book is about a corset which appears to have some kind of ‘power’ over those who wear it. And the young seamstress who made it believes she gave it that power. As with all good Gothic novels, there are dark characters, strange events and lots of twists and turns.

I found this book an interesting comment on the society of the Victorian era. That rich/poor divide that so many of us are aware of, and how those with wealth were often held in much higher esteem that those who did not have such luck. How this narrative could change the story for so many and create such a distrust between the rich and the poor. And anything that could not be explained was often suggested to be witchcraft or some kind of evil spirit at work. Especially when it appeared to be attributed to women.

However, I should return to the book. This is a fantastically constructed story, which moves between the past and the present as we find out what has brought Ruth to be imprisoned at 16 years old for murder. Trust me you will not be able to put it down as you have to know what has happened in this tragic tale.

This is a book that I will be recommending for a long time, and it is one of my top reads this year, just pipped to the post as my book for March, and you will have to return to read other reviews if you want to know what that was…

It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Audiobooks are not always easy to review as I find that, as much as I know what is going on, my attention can sometimes wander. However, that was not the case with ‘It’s Not What You Think’, which I chose as it is by Clare Mackintosh, who I know writes books that will not disappoint (and a friend had told me that they had read their physical copy in a day).

This book is a brilliant crime/thriller and the narrators of the audiobook are excellent. At no point did I lose focus as I listened to this book, as I just had to know where the story was going. What appears to start as a ‘simple’ case of murder, becomes something so much more complex. The secrets just keep revealing themselves, making each of our key characters question everything they know – and making you realise that maybe you never really know someone. And it is never a good idea to jump to conclusions…

Clare Mackintosh always manages to not only create brilliant strong female lead characters, but she manages to use details in her story from the current world we are living in, that then really drag you into a story, and possibly play on some of our biggest fears.

I have tp admit that I did work out one of the twists, but it did not take away from the story in any way. In fact, it really emphasised the idea that maybe you never really know someone, however close to them you may be – even if it is the closest you can be.

It is quite hard to write about this book without spoilers, but I am absolutely adamant that I am not giving anything away. Other than that, if you have been a fan of the other books that Clare Mackintosh has written, then you will almost certainly be a fan of this one. I pretty much binged this, as much as you can an audiobook during a busy day-to-day life, and I am still thinking about it now, and have already recommended it to so many people I know who love a good crime/thriller – audiobook or physical reads.