The Living and the Dead in Winsford is a novel with a slowly building tension, which only gives up on the last pages of this genius psychological thriller. Maria Holinek has decided to spend the winter in a remote Exmoor cottage, with the single ambition to outlive her dog, … [Read more...]
When the Doves Disappeared by Sofi Oksanen – book review
Once again Sofi Oksanen excels in making the recent tragic history of Estonia and its people into an engaging and riveting read. In her previous, much acclaimed novel, Purge, the story follows three generations of women, while in When the Doves Disappeared, we trace the fates of two male … [Read more...]
Cold Pressed by J J Marsh
Cold Pressed by J.J. Marsh My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another competent DI Stubbs tale set in a warm country. This time the calm and clever female detective investigates the deaths of women of a certain age onboard a luxury cruise liner criss-crossing the Greek archipelago. As a pure gesture of … [Read more...]
Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey
I was immediately gripped by the narrator's voice in this novel. The tragedy of Maud's slow but inevitable descent into dementia is heart-breaking, as is the tale of her post-war youth, which keeps popping up in her scrambled mind.Maud is most worried about her friend Elizabeth who is missing, but … [Read more...]
‘Us’ by David Nicholls – a review
I, like everyone who read and enjoyed David Nicholls' international bestseller, One Day, was jumping at the bit to get my hands on this new novel by Mr Nicholls, especially as it was short-listed for this year's Man Booker Prize.So what did I think?'Us' is a story of Douglas and Connie, a couple … [Read more...]
My bedside table books
As the season of buying gifts is approaching, I thought I'd let you know what books are on my bedside table, waiting to be read. Books make the best Christmas presents, in my view, so perhaps some of these will inspire you...here are four books that I think could make a perfect gift for almost … [Read more...]
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith – review
I was a little disappointed in the second Comoran Strike novel. The plot is well crafted and intricate enough for me not to guess the identity of the perpetrator until the end, but there's something missing from the prose. To me it felt as if J K Rowling, writing as Robert Galbraith, was already … [Read more...]
Summer House with Swimming Pool
As soon as I began reading this novel, I was struck by how much the prose reminded me of Vladimir Nbokov's Lolita. There is the narcissistic narrator, almost proud of his repulsive character, there's the sense of sexual wrongdoing, there's the plot, which constantly makes you question your … [Read more...]
Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
I totally loved Liane Moriarty's previous novels ('What Alice Forgot' ,'The Husband's Secret') but 'Little Lies' exceeded all my expectations. The story evolves around a school in a nice sea-fronted neighbourhood in Sydney where an unspecified tragic event takes place at a parents' fund-raiser. … [Read more...]
A New Finnish Cookbook, Kuura, plus an Exclusive Recipe
Sini signing her cookbooks at the Kuura launch at the Finnish Ambassador's ResidenceThe flavours of Nordic cuisine have become ever more popular in recent years as Scandinavian design, lifestyle and drama have penetrated the public consciousness in the United Kingdom. In spite of its apparent ease … [Read more...]