2025
Recently reviewed
Murder at Holly House
Reviewed on 27th April 2025
It’s 1949 and a Yorkshire police officer in disgrace is sent to a rural station to get him out of the way. But of course he finds more and more intrigue to investigate.
The Mars House
Reviewed on 26th April 2025
A post-apocalyptic science fiction political romance thriller about a ballet dancer on Mars. What more could you ask?
Gulliver's Fugatives
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Reviewed on 19th April 2025
The eleventh numbered Next Generation novel comes from 1990, and somehow has a feel of being science fiction from that era.
Bones Under the Beach Hut
Reviewed on 12th April 2025
Carole and Jude get to spend some time in a neighbouring town when Carole decides to take on a beach hut to entertain her granddaughter, not realise its history will provide two mysteries for the perfectly mismatched neighbours to solve.
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers
Reviewed on 12th April 2025
I bought this book, eventually, after being attracted to the hardback’s cover art on the shop shelves. And picked it to read when I wanted something light, and it delivered.
Sunrise on the Reaping
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Reviewed on 5th April 2025
The Hunger Games are back. This time it’s 24 years before the original book, as we meet a teenager called Haymitch, his friends and family, just in time for the fiftieth annual games, in which the 12 districts are punished for whatever rebellion against power happened half a century earlier.
Rather Be The Devil
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Reviewed on 5th April 2025
In an opening not un-reminiscent of the previous book (to the extent that I had to double check I hadn’t already read this one) a retired Rebus learns that one of his regular foes has been attacked at home. This of course is only the start of the classic complex web of interconnected cases, and quite a lot goes on.
When the Moon Hits Your Eye
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Reviewed on 5th April 2025
The third in what I call John Scalzi’s “What if…?” series finds us in the world created by the question “What if the moon turned into cheese?”.
Ashram Assassin
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Reviewed on 29th March 2025
Cordelia is back, and hired to find out who stole some books from the local yoga centre.
The Ministry of Time
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Reviewed on 29th March 2025
The marketing for this book seemed to be absolutely everywhere over the past year, and the wait for the paperback much longer than usual, but now it's here and I've read it and found it very engaging.
The List of Suspicious Things
Reviewed on 23rd March 2025
It’s Yorkshire in the late 80s, where we meet a nearly-teenage girl with a lot of problems. But that description of the man character shouldn’t imply anything about who should be reading the novel - it would be a mistake not to pick this up as an adult.
Bloodsucking Fiends
Reviewed on 23rd March 2025
It’s the 90s, it’s San Francisco, and it’s a vampire. Christopher Moore puts together another bizarre collection of comedy characters to explore what happens to ordinary people’s lives when someone unexpectedly becomes a vampire.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
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Reviewed on 15th March 2025
I’ve been contemplating reading this novel for years, and having watched the TV series decided that now was the time. So my reading is somewhat coloured by the acting and the way the characters were portrayed on screen.
The Last Murder at the End of the World
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Reviewed on 15th March 2025
A present-tense thriller, where we arrive on the only island to have survived this dystopian future, and meet the small community there. And then gradually we learn more and more about this world.
Floating Hotel
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Reviewed on 8th March 2025
Grace Curtis manages to create a cosy sci-fi that's also dramatic, mysterious, and a mirror to today's world in the way that only the best novels can.
Seven Lively Suspects
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Reviewed on 1st March 2025
The Dahlias return for their third adventure. Caro has published the first book in the series, and the trio are met at the launch party by a group who ask for their help clearing a family member of a cold case.
The Bone Shard Daughter
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Reviewed on 22nd February 2025
The first book in The Drowning Empire trilogy introduces us to an empire across a range of migratory islands. We meet four point-of-view characters from different backgrounds, with different lives and objectives.
Hearts and Minds
Reviewed on 22nd February 2025
I’m not normally a reader of graphic novels, but as a Deep Space Nine fan, I found a good few aspects to enjoy in this one.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
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Reviewed on 22nd February 2025
Long regarded as a classic, I’ve tried to listen to a radio recording of this book before, but failed to get into it. Finally though I’ve found myself with a print copy and been able to find out what the fuss is about.
The 12 Dragons of Albion
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Reviewed on 22nd February 2025
The second King’s Watch novel, which I came across randomly in a charity shop, picks up pretty immediately after the first, as Conrad is more formally accepted into the Watch.
The Suspect
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Reviewed on 15th February 2025
Junior barrister Adam Green is back, in a second novel that manages to balance comedy and tragedy together in a really engaging read. I raced through the story in about two days - it flows really smoothly and is an easy read.
Ancillary Justice
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Reviewed on 15th February 2025
I chose this book mostly because the cover leapt out at me from the shelves of the bookshop, and the description sounded interesting. I really loved it, so this time my quick judgement paid off.
The Christmas Murder Game
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Reviewed on 8th February 2025
I made some bad assumptions picking up this book - that it would be a cosy crime, and that it would be a bit simple and cheesy. It’s not.
Starling House
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Reviewed on 8th February 2025
While not my usual choice of genre, this book leapt off the table in the bookshop and demanded that I buy it, and so I did.
Moonflower Murders
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Reviewed on 1st February 2025
Former editor turned hotelier Susan is back, as she’s dragged into a new investigation tied to a book she previously edited.
Escape Route
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Reviewed on 1st February 2025
In the third Prodigy tie-in novel, we find the crew after the end of season one, when they take a break on a planet to look for spare parts, and get caught up in a situation that tests their friendships.
Wind and Truth
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Reviewed on 25th January 2025
Book five of the Stormlight Archive is enormous. It took me five weeks to read (although I did take breaks at the quarter and halfway marks to read other shorter books). The physical hardback became a bit unwieldy around the middle, but was seemingly better to handle nearer either end.
Rock 'n' Roll Renegades
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Reviewed on 25th January 2025
The Hardy Brothers find themselves radio presenters, a job that seems to require surprisingly little training, and then naturally find themselves investigating a new crime - pirate radio. I’m not sure that really fits the 90s era, but that’s where we are.
Only You Can Save Mankind
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Reviewed on 18th January 2025
I read the other two Johnny Maxwell novels, which follow this, as a child, but somehow have never ended up reading this, despite consuming the vast majority of Terry Pratchett's novels since. This then presented itself to me in a charity shop not long after discussing it with a friend, so home it came with me to be read.
Hive
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Reviewed on 11th January 2025
I’m not normally one for graphic novels, but I remember this one being heavily marketed at the time and found it very cheap.
Good Old Secret Seven
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Reviewed on 11th January 2025
The Secret Seven come into possession of a Telescope, and as well as spying on their neighbours finally get to visit the Enid Blyton classic venue of a ruined castle.
The Launch Party
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Reviewed on 11th January 2025
This has been on my list for so long that I can’t remember where the recommendation originally came from, and also on my shelf long enough that I can’t remember where I bought it.
Sabotage at Sports City
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Reviewed on 11th January 2025
In one of their weirdest adventures yet, the Hardy Boys visit the Olympic Games, where Chet’s cousin is both competing and under threat.