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The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill by C.S. Robertson
The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill was outstanding! Nothing fills me with more joy that finding a new crime novel that’s set in Scotland. I’m proud of this wee country but if you thought for a moment that it was all visit Scotland type photographs and inspirational quotes about this wonderous place, you would be sorely mistaken. Yes, we do have the stunning glens, fantastical mountainous peaks, and country parks to die for, but we also have the darker side – the shadows lingering down alleys, constantly waiting and watching, the drug abuse, the violence and the most insidious – the crime. Grace McGill is a thirty-five-year-old woman living on…
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Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater
Death of a Bookseller is something new. It has a killer premise. The story was impactful with a deep plot that evokes emotion on every page. Slater constantly stokes the flames of mystery. Well, wasn’t this one an anvil to the head? I love a fantastic crime story and Death of a Bookseller didn’t disappoint. The aura of obsession, jealousy and pain are never far from the pages. It’s like a shadow, preparing to swallow you whole, consume you as you consume it. A full circle of darkness. Okay, So Roach (real name Brogan), works in Spines, a bookstore in Walthamstow. The images my mind conjured up is nothing short…
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Old Country by Matt Query & Harrison Query – REVIEW
Old Country is beautifully raw and barbaric. A masterclass in suspense. A fully immersive experience – the rugged landscape, the weather and the deep seated fear made me take note. Holy mother… this book! I’ve heard about the hype surrounding it, and let me tell you, it doesn’t do it justice. Old Country is a dangerous book that might lead to your heart-stopping. It’s a reading experience. The build-up is slow and startling. You can feel the unease creeping into the shadows of your mind. I felt panicky at the reveal to come. You knew something was ready to jump out but the when was very much a threat on…
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Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey – REVIEW
Just Like Home bleeds from the core. It’s a meteorite crashing into your orbit and turning your world upside down. Viscerally intimate. Just Like Home…Jesus Christ on a burning bike! A story that defied the rules of reality, but do you think it cares? Nope, the rule book was torn up and buried. A story with an original plot, strong characters, and a writing style that could cut glass. Just Like Home is the living embodiment of a house being the keeper of secrets. It sees all, breathes all, and doesn’t say anything. It soaks up the blood and pumps it into the walls, it doesn’t make a mess anymore…
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Review: Lie With Me by Sabine Durrant
Lie With Me is a story of comeuppance, unrequited love, and pain. The protagonist, Paul thinks he is God's gift to women. He treats them abhorrently, wham, bam, and thank you, ma'am, is his life’s motto. He doesn’t think about how his actions affect the women he uses and only thinks about how they can help him.
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Review: The Doll by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir
The Doll is the fifth story in the Icelandic Freyja and Huldar series. The cover instantly had me at hello. I am a huge fan of the creepy and intriguing and that cover came from the horror gods. The Doll is discovered after being trawled by a fishing net in Faxafloi Bay by Rosa Thrastdottir. Five years later bones have been discovered in the same place as the Doll, is it a coincidence or is this more to this story than meets the eye? Also, serious sex abuse allegations have been made against Bergur Alvarsson. Three different stories and timelines but just how do they knit together? The premise of…
