Breadcrumbs and Blindsides

We Sold Our Souls is a slightly dystopian horror novel which follows Kris Pulaski, a guitarist for a heavy metal band called Dürt Würk. The band is on the verge of success when their singer, Terry Hunt, abandons them after signing away their rights to their music to him, and launches a successful solo career. Years later, Kris discovers that Terry may have sold his soul, and possibly the souls of his former bandmates, to achieve fame. Kris embarks on a cross-country journey to reunite Dürt Würk and confront Terry. A pretty fast-moving novel, which tends to overfocus on reliving one's metal concert bones-wearing youth, but apart from that the story is pretty interesting and unique. 4/5

Hawthorne and Horowitz find themselves on Alderney, a small island with a literary festival and a simmering local conflict over a planned power line. A prominent figure is found dead under mysterious circumstances, providing a sort-off locked-room mystery. The close-knit group of festival attendees, including a children's author, a celebrity chef, and a psychic, all become suspects. A decent whodunnit. It is unfortunate that Horowitz merely repeated his success recipe and failed to attempt something new. 3/5

The novel is told through three first person main characters, each with some interest in recent events in a small town, which includes the disappearances of the daughter of one orator, and the father of another, as well as the previous kidnapping and abuse of the final orator.  The story unfolds through multiple perspectives, leading to a chilling central mystery where the individual narratives interact. A really well written whodunnit, with one of the best Red Herrings I've come across in years. 4/5

Eight years after one of three friends died during a caving expedition gone wrong, the other friends die within a day of each other. Hawthorne entices Horowitz into investigating the possible murders with him, as the basis of Horowitz 's second true crime novel based on Hawthorne's consulting work for the MET. The meta novel follows a similar recipe to its predecessor, but the whodunnit is definitely easier for the reader to figure out before the dénouement. There are some very clever homages to two lesser known Sherlock Holmes mysteries, which also adds to the enjoyment. Character development and self analysis is as always top notch. An engaging and entering read. 4/5

Camus' classic, The Stranger / The Outsider, was first published exactly 40 years before I was born, during the Second World War. The novella is split in two parts. Part one deals with Meursault's life directly after the death of his mother and part two with his life directly after him killing a man by shooting him five times. Camus, being the anti-philosopher, provides the reader with a bombardment of existentialism, nihilism, absurdity, and even stoicism, and largely leaves it to the reader to interpret the philosophical value through application. A true masterpiece. 5/5

Diana Cowper, attends a funeral parlour to arrange her own funeral and a few hours later, she's found murdered in her home. Disgraced detective Daniel Hawthorne, a brilliant but eccentric investigator needs a writer to document his investigations, and convinces the real Anthony Horowitz (acting as a fictionalized version of himself) to take the job. As Anthony gets pulled into Hawthorne's world, they delve into Diana's past, uncovering a hit-and-run accident from ten years ago. Secrets and lies from various suspects cloud the investigation.  A weird piece of metafiction where Horowitz inserts himself (and a lot of his career details) and Hawthorne into a "Sherlock and Watson" type whodunnit.  As always, the novel is very well written and the breadcrumbs to the dénouement well hidden.  A most intrecate and engaging novel. 5/5

 The novel starts with Susan Ryeland, being asked to investigate the disappearance of Cecily Treherne, daughter of the owners of the luxurious Branlow Hall. Cecily's disappearance is linked to a past murder at the same hotel. Eight years ago, a guest, Frank Parris, was found bludgeoned to death. A hotel employee, Stefan Codrescu, was quickly apprehended and confessed to the crime. Cecily, before disappearing tells her parents she believes the key to the real murderer lies within a famous mystery novel, "Atticus Pünd Takes the Case," written by Alan Conway. Intrigued, Susan delves deeper and starts to suspect inconsistencies in the real-life case. She decides to investigate the past murder to shed light on Cecily's disappearance. "Atticus Pünd Takes the Case" is then read as an embedded narrative, to provide clues to the past murder. The novel thus follows the same structure as it's predecessor "Magpie Murders". This is forgivabl...

The novel picks up in Switzerland, days after Moriarty and Holmes fell down the Reichenbach Falls and were both presumed dead. Pinkerton detective Frederick Chase and Scotland Yard's Inspector Athelney Jones, having met each other at Reichenbach, join forces to confront a new criminal mastermind who emerges to fill the void left by Moriarty's demise. As they chase down this successor, they uncover a web of intrigue that threatens the safety of London. Horowitz's ode to Moriarty is cleverly written, as he does not try to copy Doyle by using Dr Watson as the orator, but Chase. The style however feels familiar and Horowitz 's talent for writing very descriptive era literature truly shines through. Though the plot is a tad obvious, the homage to Holmes' deductive reasoning (albeit through the person of Jones) proves utterly enjoyable. 4/5

Gabriela Menchaca and Edwin Saucedo, are offspring of undocumented immigrants who work at the brutal Detmer Foods chicken processing plant. Mimi and Luke Jackson, are seemingly well-off, with Luke being the plant manager at the very same plant. Their worlds collide when Luke fires Edwin and Edwin kidnaps Mini and Luke's baby. This Southern Noir novel explores the harsh realities of low-wage labour and the desperation which drives people to commit crimes. Cranor has in his previous two novels distinguished himself as a master of gritty Southern crime writing. Broiler is no exception, but the heavy focus on Mimi and Gabi sometimes slows the story to an almost stop. The ending is also a bit too Disney to fit into the rest of the story. Beautifully and richly written with a True Crime atmosphere, but for this small shortcoming. 4/5

The story follows Susan Ryeland, a book editor, who receives the unfinished manuscript of a new novel by her best-selling author, Alan Conway. The embedded narrative, titled Magpie Murders, features Conway's signature detective, Atticus Pünd, investigating a death and a murder in a quaint English village. As Susan delves into the manuscript, she becomes engrossed in the captivating whodunit. However, her excitement is interrupted when she learns of Conway's self-proclaimed suicide. Determined to see the novel published, Susan sets out to uncover the missing chapters and solve the real-life mystery surrounding Conway's demise. Horowitz masterfully blends a golden age murder mystery with a modern-day setting, creating a suspenseful and very clever read in which the external story more and more starts to mirror the embedded narrative. 5/5

Dr. Connie Woolwine, is a forensic profiler known for her ability to get inside the minds of criminals. In this story, she goes undercover in a high-security prison hospital for the criminally insane to investigate a murder and a kidnapping. Very quickly Connie realises that all is not as it seems in the Institution and that those in power might be the ones whom she should be investigating. A fast moving claustrophobic psychological thriller where the reveal is as unpredictable as every other twist and turn. 4/5

"A Noise Downstairs", follows Paul Davis, a college professor whose world is turned upside down after witnessing a shocking crime committed by a colleague, which colleague also voraciously struck him with a spade to the head. As he recovers from the trauma, strange occurrences plague him, including the unsettling sounds of a vintage typewriter typing on its own. With his sanity questioned and a mysterious connection to the typewriter emerging, Paul delves into a nightmarish investigation that blurs the lines between reality and paranoia. An excellent psychological thriller with a very well hidden whodunnit. Barclay really knows how to mess with your mind. 5/5

In the third novel in the series, set in Leningrad in 1953, Senior Militia detective Revol Rossel attends a hit and run where a man and woman were killed. Shortly thereafter a Cornel from the MGB arrives and instructs the Melitia record the hit and run as an accident, but Rossel soon learns it was no accident and that the deceased holds a huge secret. An extremely well written and detailed historical murder mystery. Beautifully and brutally descriptive. 5/5

Recently married DS Roy Grace is finally ready to move on from the disappearance of his wife and start a new family in a new house. However, his plans are disrupted when a series of brutal attacks begin resembling a cold case from years ago - the unsolved "Shoe Man" attacks. As more women are assaulted, Grace is forced to confront the past and delves back into the original investigation. The key to catching the current perpetrator might lie in what happened all those years ago. Playing out in two eras, James times the incidents like a time-hpping dance, whilst retaining a eerie atmosphere throughout which carries both the suspense and tempo of the novel. The whodunnit is also well developed with an unexpected unfold. 4/5

Will surprises Sara with a secluded mountain honeymoon at the luxurious McAlpine Lodge. However, their romantic getaway takes a dark turn when a violent murder of one of the McAlpines shatters the tranquility. Stranded by a storm and with a cast of suspicious guests and even more suspicious hosts Will and Sara, must navigate a web of secrets and lies to find the killer before another victim dies. A very dark and disturbing whodunnit, featuring Karen Slaughter's signature visceral style loaded with unexpected twists and turns. 4/5

Claire has a wealthy loving dad and a romantic husband who only has eyes for her. Her perfect life led her to obsess about the one missing bit, i.e., having a baby, something which has so far proved impossible. But suddenly Claire learns a fact about her husband which sends her off the edge. A fast moving psychological whodunnit with some truly unique twists and turns. 4/5

The novel explores the dark side of filmmaking and the legacy of a mysterious, lost horror film. The story follows the attempted reboot of a notorious cult classic from the 1990s, only three scenes of which were ever released. As the production gears up, strange occurrences begin to plague those involved, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. Tremblay used a central character of the original film as an (almost) extra in the reboot and as such very intentionally jumps between the two time periods through first person storytelling. "Horror Movie" delves deep into the psychological impact on the remainder of the principal cast (and esp the main protagonist) where one of their ilk accidentally dies during filming leading to the canning of the film and protracted court proceedings.  One might add that the plot of the original film would have made a very compelling slasher film.  An excellent read. 5/5

Devil's Rock plunges you into the chilling aftermath of a 13 year old boy's disappearance after he ventured into the woods of Borderlands State Park with his friends. His mother, Elizabeth, descends into a spiral of grief and worry, further tormented by strange occurrences. She believes she sees a ghostly image of Tommy, and unsettling pages from his journal start appearing around the house. As the search for Tommy continues, the lines between reality and the supernatural blur, forcing Elizabeth and those around her to confront their deepest fears and grapple with the unknown. Tremblay's talent for writing a supernatural psychological whodunnit is masterfully demonstrated in this novel. A claustrophobic and emotional novel marred with mental uncertainty and a myriad of twists and turns. 5/5

Happily married librarian, Martha Ratliff, stumbles upon a suspicious stain on one of her salesman husband, Alan's, shirts after one of his business trip. This ignites a spark of doubt, leading Martha to investigate Alan's past visits. As she digs deeper, she uncovers a disturbing pattern in the cities he's traveled to - a series of unsolved murders. Consumed by fear and suspicion, Martha wonders if she's married a serial killer. To find the truth, she seeks help from an old friend, and together they delve into a dangerous web of secrets. The third novel in the "Lilly" series builds ever so slightly on the previous novels, but this despite, the odd twist and turn plays out against a very decent pace. The unfold could have been a bit less straightforward, but the final reveal provided some solace for the lack of a whodunnit. Unfortunately, as is often the case, character development to further the series took over much of the novelm. This let mor...

Psychotherapist, Frieda Klein, re-investigates a case where 13 years ago, a young woman named Hannah Docherty was convicted of brutally murdering her entire family. The case seemed clear-cut, but when Frieda is asked to assess Hannah, she's struck by something unsettling. Hannah appears broken and haunted, and Frieda can't shake the feeling that there's more to the story. As Frieda delves deeper, she questions the evidence and confronts those involved in the original investigation. The suspense builds as Frieda races to uncover the truth, all while facing a potential stalker from a previous case. The husband and wife team known as Nicci French usually delivers an excellent whodunnit. This time around, the characters were either a bit cold or easily dislikeable, and unfortunately this impacted negatively on the manner in which the novel subjectively played out. The pace was also rather odd and given the huge and slow build-up, the final act is a humdinger of u...

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley is a mystery thriller set at a luxurious new age hotel. The story unfolds over a hot midsummer weekend  culminating on Summer Solstice.  As the secrets and tensions simmer along with the summer heat, a dark past comes back to haunt the new owner, and by Sunday morning, there's a fire, a dead body, and a police investigation. The novel explores the hidden motives and past connections of some of the guests as the mystery of the murder unfolds.  Foley truly has an expert and effortless ability to take the reader to the unique space where her whodunnits unfold. The novel is almost impossible to put down; with Foley weaving us through bombshells, pace changes and cliffhangers.  A must read. 5/5

A psychological thriller about Quinn, a woman who seeks refuge at a seemingly ordinary motel, the Baxter Motel. However, the motel harbors a dark past. As Quinn spends the night, she becomes increasingly aware of a strange presence and a disturbing figure watching her from a nearby house. The suspense builds as Quinn must survive the night, facing the secrets of the motel and the danger that lurks within. A very well-written whodunit with a number of unexpected twists and turns. 4.5/5

DS Roy Grace is called out to the scene of the discovery of a teenager's body dredged from the seabed and missing vital organs. Soon thereafter, two more bodies without organs are found. Meanwhile, a desperate mother is faced with a teenage daughter in urgent need of a liver transplant, and the official channels seem unable to provide it in time. As the suspense builds, Roy Grace investigates the recovered bodies, leading him down a dark path that uncovers a human trafficking ring. A fast-paced thriller with a strong human story. Well written and extremely compelling. 4/5

Tom Bryce, is a man who becomes a witness to a murder after finding a mysterious CD on a train and watching the snuff film contained on it. When he tries to do the right thing and approach the police, he puts himself and his family in danger. DS Roy Grace, who is battling his own personal demons, is tasked with solving the murder and protecting Tom Bryce from the ruthless killers. Obviously, the killers go after Bryce's wife and not Bryce, thus leading to a much more complex situation. This novel is a tour de force in mystery crime writing. Everything is just perfect. 5/5

DS Roy Grace investigates an apparent cold case that resurfaced with the discovery of skeletal remains in Brighton. The investigation takes a surprising turn when the timeline links back to the terror attack on the US on 9/11. Meanwhile, a young woman finds herself hunted through the streets of Brighton by an apparently angry ex-boyfriend. Roy must race against time to solve the cold case and connect the dots to the present danger. Another well-developed faced-paced thriller by James. The novel however totally moves away from being a whodunnit, which is a bit of a personal bugbear for me. 4/5