Breadcrumbs and Blindsides

Karin and Ingve, are offered a luxury coastal home for a week. Once there they lead on that they own the said home, which in turn leads to them learning more than they intended from one of the other home-owner couples. Karin's growing anxieties highlight how isolation magnifies internal anxieties and self-doubts within a relationship. Not strictly a crime thriller but a razor sharp psychological thriller which focuses on the minutiae. Very engaging and entertaining. 4/5

A very dark and atmospheric Nordic psychological noir set in Reykjavik, where a poor teenage male ballet dancer reaches a psychological break point after years of abuse by his alcoholic mother and a school bully. Very well written, especially as it is written from a first person antagonist perspective. 4/5

Tricia and Ethan are on the hunt for their dream home but get snowed in at a large manor house  that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a respected psychiatrist who disappeared mysteriously some years earlier. Tricia discovers a hidden room in the house, with all Hale's consultation audio transcripts. This inspires Tricia to find what happened to Hale.  But, is that all which she will discover?  A fast paced atmospheric psychological thriller with loads of unexpected twists and turns.  The breadcrumbs are there but the reader really needs to keep up with his or her deductions .  Masterfully written. 5/5

A totally disfigured body leads detective Julia Gabrielsson on a hunt to discover its identity. As Julia's investigation progresses, a web of power struggles, secrets, and hidden agendas begins to unravel; while those at risk will stop at nothing to stay in control. A very dark crime and political thriller which delves deep into the grey areas of human nature. Fast paced and morbid at times, with a plethora of twists and turns. A worthy second act to the equally brilliant "MemoRandum". 5/5

Tess wakes up each day with no memory of the past seven years. Her only guide is a letter she wrote to herself during a possible moment of clarity. But something feels dangerously wrong, especially when she discovers notes she writes to herself on her thighs. McFadden gives us the psychological thriller version of "50 First Dates". Unpredictable, infuriating and impossible to put down. McFadden at her best. 5/5

Police officer, David Sarac, wakes up in hospital after a car crash with severe amnesia, brought on by a seizure he suffered. The only clue he remembers is a name... "Janus"; someone who seems to hold the answers about his actions. He becomes a target of various underworld and even police forces, who are determined to find Janus before he does. A fast-paced suspense thriller with more twists and turns than a Swedish country road. 4/5

An action-packed crime thriller, which explores the chaos which ensues when the criminal element slowly and thoroughly psychologically attacks the individuals who make up a city's police department. Fast paced and utterly enjoyable. 4/5

Charlotte Salter vanishes on the night of her husband 50th birthday party.  While he is utterly unconcerned, Charlotte's four children know that something is terribly wrong.  Shortly after the disappearance the body of a family friend is found, binding the children of two families in a 30 year uncertainty as to what happened to their respective parents.  However a podcast intended to be a cathartic process leads to unexpected answers.  The husband and wife team of Nicci French gifts us with a dark, emotional and oppressive novel, which stays a mystery till the very end.  4/5

Molly Gray, the fringe Asperger's protagonist from "The Maid" is back; this time as the Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. In turn, a prominent mystery author, with past links to Molly, is about to make a dramatic announcement but dies just prior to the same. A true cosy mystery with a fast pace and a somewhat unpredictable unfold. A lovely example of the often loathed genre. 4/5

Millie returns, (again) as a housemaid to a wealthy, attractive couple. She senses the wife of the house is in danger from her husband and tries to assist her and soon thereafter someone dies. A fast-paced murder mystery which is hard to put down. Unfortunately both the initial and second reveals are way too easy to predict and the first reveal becomes apparent in the first few chapters. The novel definitely lacks the originality and blindsides of the first novel but it remains a fun read. 3.5/5

Sebastian Trapp, a best-selling mystery author is given three months to live. His first wife and son disappeared years ago, and he has remained a suspect throughout. Sebastian invites Nicky Hunter, an aspiring biographer to his home to write his memoir. Nicky becomes embroiled in a web of family secrets and a mysterious death at the family home. The novel is largely a slow-burn homage to the works of Conan Doyle, but the very slow build-up does provide some extremely interesting twists and turns during the third act. 3.5/5

"Zero Days", is a fast-paced whodunnit, that follows Jack, a penetration (pen) expert who specializes in breaking into buildings and exposing corporate security vulnerabilities. Jack's world is shattered when her husband is murdered, and she becomes the prime suspect. Now a fugitive, Jack embarks on a desperate race to find the killer.  The novel carries the emotional aspects of the story expertly.  The breadcrumbs leading to the reveal are unfortunately too plentiful and lead to frustration towards Jack and her inability to timeously identify the killer.  The twists and turns are however fast-paced and very well-written which contributes immensely to the enjoyment of the novel. 4/5

The novel is set in Wales where climate change has caused winters so cold that the majority sleeps through it. Only a few work through the winter and even less survive. Charlie Worthing, a young newcomer to the Winter Consuls, embarks on his first winter assignment, but soon he becomes aware of a mysterious force which disrupts the hibernation process, causing strange dreams and unexpected dangers for those awake. Fforde, through some truly beautiful writing , creates an original dystopian world where the adventures of his characters (sometimes rather hilariously) effortlessly plays by out his philosophical meanderings. A delightful, yet morose novel. 5/5

Max Mephisto'sl old friend, and fellow magician, Ted English, finds himself connected to a murdered assistant. Fearful of being accused, Ted pleads for Max's help and as always, more murders occur as the mystery unfolds. Some very interesting ideas (as always), but this novel is definitely the slowest moving one in the series. The mystery is a bit easy to figure out, but still a great read for a slow afternoon. 3/5

The Novel is set in Brighton, England in 1953 on the eve of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The festive atmosphere is crushed when Edgar and Max's former wartime commander is murdered and a mysterious general asks them to assist in an investigation. Clues, such as a playbill and Blood card (Queen of Hearts), hint at hidden connections to Edgar and Max's wartime posting. A truly atmospheric era murder mystery perfectly timed by Griffiths. Definitely the best novel in the series so far. 4/5

A World War II plane is unearthed with a body inside, but the dead man is far more recent than the plane and related to the aristocracy who owns the land where the plane is discovered. Despite a rather involved mystery, the novel follows way too many of the "recipes" used in previous novels. Still an engaging read. 3.5/5