S J Bolton - Awakening

I read this novel with one of our Westbourne Reading Groups. My goodness Sharon Bolton can write tension and suspense. If you like excellent writing and scarey intelligent stories this is for you. Our heroine is Clara a Veterinary Surgeon. Like many of Sharon's strong female leads, she has her own problems and vulnerabilities, having been disfigured as a child. She has chosen to bury herself, in the countryside and work with animals who do not judge, When a man dies from a suspicious snake bite she is called in to give her opinion. There then begins a terrifying search for a clever killer, linking his killings to an ancient ritual. This book is truly creepy. The snakes are horrible but fascinating at the same time. I loved it. It has some great themes and makes a good reading group read.

It is great that we have Sharon coming t6o Westbourne Library to give a talk on Fear, Folklore and Forensics. See you there?

Kate Rhodes event

Come and meet the wonderful Kate Rhodes who will be talking about her new book River of Souls the fourth book in the Alice Quentin, forensic psychologist series.
This is a fast paced thriller with a very dark heart, based around the River Thames, a politicians daughter, an elderly priest and ancient Roman artifacts. Absolutely brilliant and an excellent choice for a reading group!

Sharon Bolton - Little Black Lies

We are very excited that we have Sharon Bolton coming to Bournemouth for an author event at Westbourne Library on 22nd October.

Well what a fantastic book this is. Taut, dark, edge of the seat thriller. Set in the Falklands in 1994, it is an intense psychological journey. The book is told from several perspectives each revealing more of the drama unfolding in our narrator Caitlin's head.
Three years ago Caitlin lost both her sons in an accident, she lost the baby she was carrying and ultimately her husband as well. As she struggles to survive the only thing that seems to keep her going is her desire for revenge on the woman whom she blames for all her loss.
However, also during that time two young boys have gone missing and now a third is missing as well.  What has happened to them? Drawn into the search almost against her will, spurred on by Callum, a psychologically damaged former paratrooper who stayed on after the war, the book rushes to a brilliant climax.
This would make a fantastic reading group book, there is just so much to talk about, The Falklands, the whales, loss, revenge, friendship and the last paragraph, oh my word!

Clare Mackintosh - I Let You Go

Absolutely stunning debut novel from Clare. It is very difficult to actually say very much about this book without giving away massive spoilers. It is a thriller, a mystery and packs a punch keeping you guessing all the way through and with a massive twist at the end that I did not see coming. A great feature of the book is the wonderful Welsh landscape. I would thoroughly recommend it and it quite rightly deserves to be up there  with the best sellers , It would make an excellent reading group book, there is much to discuss.

Louise Penny - The Long Way Home

I was so excited to receive a review copy of this book. Louise Penny is a fantastic Canadian bestselling author and should be more well known here in the UK. I have read all her books so far and the Gamache series is fantastic. Set in Quebec they have an enormous sense of place and really make you long to visit Canada for yourself. Do read my other reviews.
In this latest novel we have the former Chief Inspector of Homicide, retired and living in the charismatic village of Three Pines. This is a reflective Gamache, a philosophical Gamache. His physical wounds may have healed but it will take time for the mental scars to heal. Surrounded by a supportive group of neighbours, (I love Ruth + duck), he begins  the long journey to full health. But then Clara Morrow the resident now famous painter asks Gamache a favour, to find her missing husband.  Unable to bring himself to refuse Gamache begins a steadily unravelling of just what Peter has been up to in the last year. With gentle skill we are drawn inexorably to the stunning and shocking climax. I once again was not disappointed, reading  late into the night to find the answer but all the while regretting the moment the book will end. Wonderful  taut writing, I am in awe.

Ian Simpson - Murder on the Second Tee

This cosy crime is great fun, and on the basis of reading this I have bought the first book in the series. having said that it does standalone as we follow the machinations and murder among a group of unscrupulous and corrupt bankers in St Andrew's in Scotland. As the location implies there is also much golfing wit and trivia to keep golf fans entertained.
I don't think there is much to interest a reading group here but as a great , non challenging accompaniment to a long flight or a holiday read it is perfect.

Heather Redding - Stealing Venice

I will read anything set in Venice it is my favourite place. So I am seldom surprised particularly with debut novels.  However  I was pleasantly surprised with this novel by Heather Redding. This is a classic time slip novel set in the 15 Century and in the recent past  working up to today. I really liked both the female characters and for once I actually engaged with the contemporary story. I have a habit of skimming the modern to get to the past. here I didn't and part of it was the wonderful descriptions of Venice and I learned a lot about new places I haven't visited. Venice has this effect on you there is always something else to discover. Very much like this author I am looking forward to reading her next novel.

 I think this would make an excellent holiday read but also for a book club I think there is much here that could be discussed not least the strong theme of sacrifice.