Into the Fire by G. D. Wright

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

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

‘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

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

‘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

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

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.

All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

I recently discovered the books of Chris Whitaker earlier this year when I read ‘We Begin at the End’. And, from finishing that book, I knew I had to pick up ‘All the Colours of the Dark’.

I am not sure I can do ‘All the Colours of the Dark’ the justice that it deserves, especially as I am not willing to give spoilers, as each of you need to read the book yourself and really enjoy the reading experience. This (just like ‘We Begin at the End’) is a book full of emotion and atmosphere. You feel all the emotions that each and every character is feeling and you are immersed in each event and each place – you are really there with the characters as the story unfolds.

Patch and Saint are possibly two of my most favourite characters of all time. This is a coming of age story; we follow the characters from their childhood to adulthood – dealing with the traumatic events that had happened to Patch as a child. Patch deals with his trauma through art – and possibly some less sensible life choices, it appears, although it does begin to make sense as our tale unfolds. Saint deals with it by becoming a Police Officer, in the hope she can find her best friend Patch the resolution he needs and bring him back to her – emotionally, even if he has been present physically.

This is a fantastic study of character too. It really makes us consider why people do what they do, what their motivation is – both good and bad – to be the people they are, and to make the decisions that they do. And it is about the important relationships we have, and the love and support that can be offered by some of the most unusual friendships that are formed in our lives.

It is also about secrets – and when a secret is something that is kept to protect someone you love.

This is a beautiful slow burn of a book – a book that you can not put down because you have to know what is going to happen to each and every one of the characters on the page. It is also a book with a twist or two that will hit you like a bolt of lightning – and possibly break your heart.

I realise that this review probably says a lot but, at the same time, says nothing at all. What I hope this review does do is make you want to pick this book up, because – just like ‘We Begin at the End’ – I want everyone to read and fall in love with this story, the writing and the characters.

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

I have seen a few posts around about the books of Chris Whitaker (and, of course, recently spotted him on ‘Between the Covers’ on BBC Two – with the same surprise that he is British and not American – but I think that is an indication of what a great author he is). So, when I spotted ‘We Begin at the End’ at a bit of bargain price, I thought it was time for me to give the book a go.

This novel was brilliant. Excellent atmospheric storytelling from start to finish, gripping you from the very first moment. A slow-burn crime novel, starting with a historical crime that has left its mark on small-town America, we are brought up to date – but the ghosts of the past are still haunting our characters, young and old.

And there is that moment all crime and thriller fans love; the twist that I did not see coming, but that was a wrench and almost a heartbreaking moment. I had to take a minute when it hit me as I was not expecting it at all – and it leaves you with so many points to think about that you know this book will be with you for quite some time to come.

I think the other thing that makes this book the read it is are the characters. They are so well-crafted, you can imagine each and every one of them – they are a true cast that bring the story to life. And some of them are not quite what you expect – it is amazing what people can hide about themselves or how the judgement of others can create a character, correctly or incorrectly. You will admire some of the characters, you will dislike others, but what you will realise as you read is that people are rarely what you expect. Each of these characters will be with me for quite some time, but especially Walk and Duchess: two very different figures, both of whom have a strong sense of justice, but maybe different views of to whom it should be handed out…

This is a book that I am going to be recommending to anyone who will listen to me. You do not need to be a crime fan to read this tale; you just need to be a fan of an excellent story and a well-written book. It will have you reading past your bedtime, or – in my case – ignoring all responsibilities as I just had to know what was going to happen next and what the conclusion to this fantastic story would turn out to be.

So, if you have not yet picked up a novel by Chris Whitaker, maybe now is the time. And it has definitely bumped ‘All the Colours of the Dark’ up my tbr pile.

In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callaghan

This is a book that (no surprise) I have been meaning to read for ages. And when it was recommended by a number of people I admire, I knew I had to pick it up and give it a read.

Now, there are so many reasons that I loved this book. Firstly, I found it fascinating that it was about bringing AI into police work. How would removing human emotion impact police work? Would it bring more efficiency to the process? There is so much to unpack here, as there were moments of admin that the AI was certainly pretty efficient at – being able to watch hours of CCTV for example. But it is true that sometimes the human touch and a little emotion is not a hindrance but a help. As well as this, there was the intrigue of how DCS Frank works with the AIDE (Locke); how he becomes almost human when she needs someone to speak to or share ideas with. Although that does come with its own dangers – as she soon finds out…

Alongside this, there was the brilliant crime thriller element of the book. Someone goes missing every 90 seconds, one could say ‘in the blink of an eye’, and it becomes DCS Franks job to decide which cases about missing people the team should return to and hopefully solve for their families. When she spots the connection, it brings it all a little close to home – but there are no spoilers here, so you will have to read the book if you want to know how.

And, finally, I know the area that this book is set in very well. There is something rather fun about reading about an area you know in a good book. Especially when there are even some quite niche references like that hardware store on the high street… I would quite like DCS Kat Franks’ cottage, too, but I think that is an actual work of fiction (or has been moved from one end of the town the other).

Overall, Jo Callaghan has crafted fantastic characters in a fantastic crime thriller. And I am now rather excited to read ‘Leave No Trace’, because this is a world I would like to enter again. This book deserves all the accolades it has received, and I am already recommending it to all the crime/thriller fans I know.