Book Reviews
Most of the reviews on this website are written by members of our Oundle Crime book group, and if you enjoy reading crime fiction and thrillers and want to find out more about the group, click here. Having said that, we love posting reviews of other literary genres, so if you’d like to write something about a book you’ve enjoyed, please send your review to us at join@friendsofoundlelibrary.org.uk
Our book reviews are rated from 1 to 5 Stars, where 5 Stars is outstanding. To find out more about our scoring system, scroll down to the bottom of this page. Below are our latest reviews, and if you click through to one you’ll find our 6-month archive. Finally, if you decide to buy a book linked to our website, we may earn commission from Bookshop.org – an online retailer that supports independent bookshops.
October 2026
Watch this space …
… we will post another book review here soon.
17 October 2026
The Spy and the Snake by M.J. Robotham
The latest book about Maggie Flynn, one of the few females working for MI5 in 1960s London. Well-plotted, engaging and lively, this was great fun to read. 5 Stars.
9 October 2026
The Drowning Place by Sarah Hilary
A cleverly written mystery that’s well-paced, well-written and completely absorbing.
2 October 2026
Oundle Crime recommends
Six recommendations this month – a mix of old and new titles. But it’s a good selection, including two excellent standalone mysteries and a clever comic crime novel.
25 September 2026
Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray
A debut novel that shot to the top of the reading charts when it appeared a few months ago. So many twists and turns in the plot you’ll be left quite giddy!
19 September 2026
The Spy in the Archive by Gordon Corera
The true story of how one, lowly librarian for the KGB became a traitor, stole Soviet-era archives and smuggled them to the West. Full of suspense and danger, and immensely readable.
11 September 2026
Gabriel’s Moon by William Boyd
An espionage novel that took our reviewer by surprise. Beautifully written and completely gripping. If you’re a fan of Le Carré you might want to read this…
4 September 2026
Last One Out by Jane Harper
A story about two deaths in a small town in New South Wales, Australia. But it’s also a mesmerising account of a community that’s being destroyed, inch-by-inch, by a coalmine. An unforgettable novel, worth nothing less than 5 Stars.
29 August 2026
Oundle Crime recommends
Ten books recommended by the group in August, when reading proved to be a solace during the blistering heatwave. Take a peep at what they enjoyed …
16 August 2026
The Keeper by Tana French
Book 3 in the series about Cal Hooper, the retired Chicago cop who has settled in a remote Irish village. Well written, with a complicated, dark and gripping plot, this earned 4+ Stars.
What’s in a Star?
Deciding why you like an author or have enjoyed a book is, of course, entirely subjective, and everyone who comes along to meetings of Oundle Crime has different tastes. So how do we try to get some consistency in our Star ratings? Well, after some discussion, we’ve come up with the following:
- 5 Stars: Outstanding and unforgettable. A book you can’t wait to tell others about.
- 4 Stars: A good book with an interesting, layered story. Will still remember after a month.
- 3 Stars: Not good or bad, just an average story and characters. You enjoyed reading it, but might not remember it after a month.
- 2 Stars: Poorly written, superficial and probably a bit of a yawn. Forgettable.
- 1 Star: Rubbish through and through. A book you wish you hadn’t read and don’t want to remember!
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