Tag: Crime fiction

Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

As I love the idea of reading a book that is set somewhere that I am visiting, I finally picked up my first Donna Leon book when I visited The Aldeburgh Bookshop. The aim was to read this when I was in-visit, however, I ended up reading it when we had moved on to Florence – at least we were in the same country…

And, as I read it, I decided that I have left it far too long to pick up a book by Donna Leon. I absolutely loved this piece of crime fiction: a police procedural in style. It took me to the classic crime genre, reminding me of my favourites, like Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse. However, it was quite nice to read about a detective who does not seem (so far) to have a particular demon haunting him, other than his potential dislike for social hierarchy. He definitely seemed to lean to the left.

By he, I of course mean Commissario Brunetti. A likeable main character who loves his city of Venice. Especially as Venice becomes not just the setting but almost a character in the book. After all, it is a city that can steal your heart and it is full of fascinating stories everywhere you look.

In this story, I solved it just slightly ahead of Commissario Brunetti, and I am okay with that, as this is a traditional crime story, and I enjoyed following the clues to find a solution. This does not mean that this is a simple story, as there are some quite complex characters, but it means that it is a book that wants to be a crime story, and you follow Brunetti as she solves his crime.

There are twists as the case unfolds, and some dark themes, but this is not a thriller – this is a true crime story, and that was exactly why I enjoyed it. It has not been written to shock, it has been written to be a good story. And that story has stood the test of time, as I did not realise how long ago this book had actually been published (1992) – the bonus of that, of course, is that I have so many Donna Leon books to read – and that makes me very happy.

To Love A Liar by L.V. Matthews

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

As we have clearly spotted, I love a thriller or crime story. So, when ‘The Book Taster’ picked ‘To Love A Liar’ by L.V. Matthews, I knew I was likely to be thrown into a book I would love. And…I was.

This is a brilliant thriller which reveals surprise after surprise and, just as you think you have got to grips with the story, another curve-ball comes out of nowhere and smacks you in the face. To the point that I had to message a friend and ensure that I had correctly understood the series of events. This is not a criticism of the narrative but, in fact, praise of it, because it was just a rollercoaster of a read.

I am honestly stumped in how to review this book, as the joy for me was that I actually did not know anything about this novel, which meant that every single moment was a surprise – and I think that is how it should be read. In fact, I am hoping that my words will just make you pick it up without the blurb, so you can simply experience the joy of reading this book.

There was also the clever use of mixed media to tell the story. There was the use of social media posts to add to the story, and I think this was a very clever way to additionally engage readers with the narrative. But it also shows how the way that news and information is shared has changed so much – how quickly fake or false ideas can spread, and how much people are willing to have an opinion when they think they can hide behind a screen. I think this also causes the reader to reflect on the significance of this to the story, and how the narrative can be changed.

This is a book that I will be recommending to anyone who is listening – especially those readers I know who are fans of the thriller and crime novels – the twistier the better.

Human Remains by Jo Callaghan

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

‘Human Remains’ is the third time that we meet Kat and Locke, our Warwickshire murder-solving duo. And it did not disappoint – in fact, far from it. I was not expecting to have quite so many feels as I read this book – but it happened.

As my posts have to be spoiler free, I cannot possibly reveal how a police procedural novel about solving murders could create quite so much of an emotional reaction, but it happens and you are just going to have to read it to find out why. But you also should read it because it is just as brilliant as the two books that came before it.

This time we catch up with Kat and Locke as a body is discovered by a local fisherman. A body that has been there for quite some time. As Kat (I love that I am on first-name terms with this character) and her team investigate who the victim may be, they uncover a whole host of local history, which leads them to solve another, much older mystery along the way. However, as you can imagine, nothing about this story is quite so straightforward as it would seem, and Kat is soon forced to face up to her past – rightly or wrongly.

This is just a page-turner of a read, because you feel like you are back amongst old friends as they work their next case. Even Locke feels like a friend, even though he is AI and we all know he can not work or express himself as a human. However, Jo Callaghan very cleverly deals with him learning to be that little bit more human and the questions that could raise as he does so. A fascinating debate for the modern age – and a real moral debate you will have with yourself as the book develops.

I think it is just fair to say that I absolutely loved this book; I read past my bedtime to make sure I finished it, and a learned a little bit of Warwickshire history too. I really can’t wait for the next time we will be in the company of Kat, Locke and the team; even though we know it will be the last, it just means I will have to go back to the beginning and start again.

Into the Fire by G. D. Wright

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I spotted ‘Into the Fire’ by G. D. Wright on Bookstagram a number of times and it has a rather attractive cover, so I felt I had to give it a go.

This book starts rather dramatically with our hero (or so we think), Steve, rescuing a baby boy from a house fire. Creating a media frenzy, as you would expect, Steve, the quiet, unassuming family man, is thrown into the spotlight and is the centre of a media circus. This leads to the secrets of Steve’s past coming to light – and the question soon becomes: is Steve a hero or a villain?

Told from multiple perspectives, we see the story unfold, and how it impacts a number of different characters, including the detective (always great to have a strong female detective), who has a connection to the current case and a cold case. This is not so much a whodunnit but a whydunnit: why is Steve both a hero and villain? Why have things about his past stayed hidden for so long? Why does anyone do some of the things that they do – especially the most extreme?

There is also a clear study of multiple relationships – family, friend, perpetrator and victim; professional, police and public. And the idea of trust is considered throughout the book: who do we trust and why do we trust them?

A moment at the very end of the book is a twist I was not expecting, although the author resvisits the clues for you and, actually, other readers may have picked it up, but I did not. I was not sure this twist was needed as it happened but, as I finished the book, I could understand this decision and why it was as it was, and actually what it brought to the story. Even if in the moment it was a little bit of a shock, and felt as though it might be there just for shock factor.

It always seems strange to say that I enjoyed a book with some dark subjects and events, but this was a good read; I would advise that maybe you should check the trigger warnings before you read this, as, for some people, it may be a slightly more difficult read.

I would certainly read more G. D. Wright books, and have already looked up what else has been written – because, as we know, you can never have enough books.

Other People’s Houses by Clare Mackintosh

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

It was a joy to be reunited with to be reunited with Ffion and Leo for the third of the books from Clare Mackintosh in the DCI Ffion Morgan series. And, this third one was just as good as I was expecting it to be, in fact maybe even better.

‘Other People’s Houses’ was a fantastic study of character, as well as being a great murder mystery/police procedural story. Each chapter is told from a different viewpoint, changing between Ffion and her case, Leo and his case, and Leo’s ex-wife and her attempts to find her position with the residents of a rather posh area of town, The Hill. Their experiences and stories all become entwined as two seemingly unrelated cases – a murder and set of break-ins – soon reveal that they have more in common than it first appears.

I find the books of Clare Mackintosh to be compulsive reading; I could not put this down, as I was not just intrigued by all the mystery surrounding the events in the book, but I was also keen to see how the relationships between characters would develop. There is, of course, Leo and Ffion, who we have followed through the previous two books. But now there is another dynamic with Leo’s ex-wife thrown more into the mix, also with how she interacts with all those who live on The Hill, and that interesting look at almost how ‘the other half live’. And, maybe, we should be careful what we wish for, or who we look up to.

No spoilers, as always, with a book that has something that needs to be revealed or has a twist. But this book had me on the edge of my seat as we got closer to the conclusion of the story. I had to just keep reading until I knew where we were going with the story.

I did not solve this one before the characters, but I worked out a couple of clues as we went, although not enough to reach the full solution – and I am okay with that. I do not read these books to try and actively solve them; if I spot some clues, then I am happy.

I really hope this is not the last we hear of Ffion and Leo; I think there is one more story in there for these two as their lives have changed from the first book to now.

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

‘How to Solve Your Own Murder’ must be one of the best titles for a book that I have ever heard of. And, it is the perfect title for this book, too. My IRL book club had this as a title we could pick, but it lost out to another choice. However, I decided that I would give it a go anyway. I knew this would be a book that would make for a good buddy read, too, because – let’s be honest – we all want to discuss ideas when it comes to crime and thriller fiction.

I thought this book was great. Its title and cover suit it perfectly, and it reminded me of traditional cosy crime – which was exactly what I needed it to be. There are all the usual ingredients of that very genre: an old house, an eccentric family member (or two), a village of colourful characters, and plenty of secrets. It was just wonderful, and such a tribute to that traditional cosy crime story ,but brought bang up to date.

After sixty years, a prediction from a fortune teller comes true and Frances Adams is found murdered at her home in the countryside. She has managed to avoid such a fate for all that time, but finally the prediction has caught up with her. Her great-niece Annie takes it upon herself to try and solve her great-aunt’s murder, and everything that led to such a tragic outcome. I mean, she does also have her inheritance at stake, as the last great act of Frances Adams is to leave a will offering her millions to whoever it is that can solve her murder.

This leads to a rather fun crime caper as we follow Annie and the colourful cast of characters from the village, past and present, in trying to be the first to solve the crime.

I enjoyed the dual timeline as we read some of Frances’ notes on the events of the past that may have led to the events of the present. I understand that some readers found this a little confusing, possibly because we start in the past, but I did not find that as I read it. In fact, it all added to the story for me, because you felt you were really getting all the clues as Annie did.

I think if you are a fan of the TV show ‘Midsomer Murders’, or have read the books of Richard Osman or Anthony Horowitz, then you will probably be a fan of the first of the Castle Knoll Files. I will definitely be reading the second book, just with the usual caveat: so many books, so little time.

Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I had been waiting quite some time to be able to read ‘Leave No Trace’ by Jo Callaghan, as I was a big fan of ‘In the Blink of an Eye‘, which I read towards the end of last year. I wanted to find out more DCS Kat Franks and her team, and where in Warwickshire the next book would be set.

This was just as engaging as the last book. This time, there is a serial killer who appears to be targeting men in the local area of Nuneaton. DCS Franks and her team are in a race against time to try and bring the killer to justice before they strike again. Working alongside Locke, again, we follow their investigation and we consider the question, who is the better detective – human or AI? And there is quite an interesting moment with DNA, where a machine may not have the reaction that a person would, and does this lead to an important clue being missed? Yet there is another brilliant moment where AI can do something that a human would never be able to do and it does, again, raise questions about the pros and cons of AI.

I did have an idea who did it, but at the same moment as DCS Franks and her team. So, I do not think that is a bad thing as it meant that I had followed the same clues and come to the same conclusions as the experts, so as an armchair detective I will take that. There are, of course, some chilling moments, especially the chapters told from the perspective of the murderer, but this is a police procedural book, so we are following them as they solve the crime. And, fantastically. at the end of the book we are left with a bit of a ‘cliffhanger’ as we see where the next story may take us.

Returning to this book was like rejoining a group of friends and becoming in invested in the next stage of their story. Each one of them has a tale that you are a little invested in and feel you are checking in with them all, making sure that they are all OK, and things are working out with them all. There are also some tense moments that will keep you reading, as you have to know how things are going to turn out.

So, yet again, I am left ready to read the next book, and I can’t wait to see where the next case will take us, and how DCS Franks and her team are doing.

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

‘Notes on an Execution’ seems to have been a book that I have seen around for a while and I always thought that it was a book I should try. So, when I was looking for something to start on my Kindle, I picked this, especially as a bookish buddy had been shouting about it on her socials for quite some time.

I am not sure I really know how to categorise this. It is a well-written piece of contemporary fiction, with a study of human nature, and nurture versus nature. But there are also some elements of a crime and thriller story along the way too. Essentially, this is a cross-genre book which is really quite thought-provoking and will stay with you even after you have long finished the final page.

We meet Ansel Packer as he is awaiting his execution. And, as the hours count down to the time of his execution, we find out what has led to that moment and who Ansel Packer really is, from the moment of his birth to the present. However, only the day of the execution is told from the point of view of Ansel, his actions that day and the emotions he has as the clock ticks by. The past is told by the women he had known, including his mother and the sister of his ex-wife. As this story unfolds, there are quite some twists along the way, and you wonder if the truth had been revealed sooner, in more than one sense, then the present may be very different.

I really enjoyed this slow burn of a novel; I enjoyed its study of character and how we found more and more about Ansel Packer, and what may have got him into the situation he is now in. I really enjoy a book that makes you think, as well as being a real page-turner. But I think what is best about this book is that you really find yourself considering human nature, and what really leads someone to become a serial killer.

I will certainly be recommending this book, especially to people who are fans of the books of Chris Whitaker, because there is a similar style to this book as there is to ‘We Begin at the End’ and ‘All the Colours of the Dark’. (Although I am not sure there are quite so many characters who you will feel some affection for – there is a slightly darker tone to this story.)

So, if you have let this book pass you by, or it is lurking on a shelf somewhere, then please pick it up and see what you think, because I certainly think it will start some conversations.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

This is a book that I was so excited to read, it had been on my list of the most anticipated reads of the year and it was no kind of disappoint. This was a brilliant book, and just the page-turner you need in these winter months.

As Cam wonders why her husband is not answering his messages and realises his phone appears to be off – he is in a hostage situation. Not as a captive, but as the perpetrator… This spins Cam’s life out of control and the life that she embarks on with her young daughter is not the life she thought she would be living. Now, none of this a spoiler, as you are told this in the blurb, but that is going to be where my discussion of the plot will end, as this is a spoiler-free zone. Other than, as previously mentioned, I really enjoyed this book – I am just disappointed that work gets in the way of reading.

I really enjoyed that we were at the moment of the hostage situation and we are then thrown seven years on to find out how Cam is now living her life – and if she has been able to rebuild and ever really forget what her husband Luke has done. But, alongside this, we also follow Niall, the hostage negotiator who has always had a feeling that maybe the events seven years before were not quite as they seemed. And so the story is told from the point of view of these two characters.

Gillian McAllister always creates fantastic plots with brilliant characters – the two marry together perfectly to create a thrilling reading experience, something that becomes a real page-turner. I worked out one little plot twist, although I am not sure it was one that was fully hidden from the reader, if you were reading carefully. However, it was a brilliant idea and it did not remove from the enjoyment of the book because, to be honest, when you feel like you can be an armchair detective, you know you are exercising (in the words of everyone’s favourite – Hercule Poirot) those ‘little grey cells’. I really hope that we are going to have another book from Gillian very soon, as I am certainly in my thriller era and I am always looking for the next thrilling fix.

Curtain Call to Murder by Julian Clary

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

My first read from my sale haul was ‘Curtain Call to Murder’ by Julian Clary. This was on the wishlist simply because I am a Julian Clary fan. I know there is some controversy around celebrities becoming authors, but I have always thought Julian Clary is a very clever comedian, so I thought I would give it a go. And I was not disappointed – if you are a fan of Julian and his sense of humour, you will be a fan of his cosy crime fiction.

This is a rather entertaining crime novel, which takes us backstage in the theatre and in amongst the drama that follows a new play, and its cast, fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe. This story is told in three acts with chapters broken down into fun little chunks, such as diary entries, police interviews and fun facts (amongst other things), all of which keeps you reading. The first act sets the scene for the murder, the second act brings us to the murder of one of the cast, and the final act leads us to the solution. It is such a fun read; not a totally serious crime story, but one that is really rather entertaining as you get drawn into the drama of a touring theatre company.

I really enjoyed that the lead character was, in fact, Jane: a dresser from the theatre company. Someone who may usually be overlooked but actually observes everything, which puts her in the perfect place to be the one who may be able to solve the crime. With a little help from her friends, of course… And we all know that I enjoy a book with a strong female lead character, which is exactly what Jane is – despite what those around her may think.

I also rather like the observations made by Julian Clary of those that inhabit the showbiz world. I can imagine that many of these colourful characters are a combination of some of the people he has encountered during his career. As a reader, you can certainly imagine some of these figures inhabiting the world of the rich and famous – or maybe not so famous.

This a light-hearted take on cosy crime, but certainly an enjoyable one, and I found myself imaging Julian Clary reading it and bringing it all to life – which just made it even more fun to read.