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.
September 2026
Watch this space …
… another book review will be posted soon.
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.
13 August 2026
Serpent’s Tongue by Barbara Nadel
The latest Inspector Ikmen mystery, and it’s another intriguing and colourful whodunnit. Istanbul comes vividly to life on the page. 4 Stars.
9 August 2026
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
A story of India in the very recent past, this debut novel won the 2008 Booker Prize. In places it is difficult to read, but it’s also mesmerising and unforgettable. 5 Stars.
31 July 2026
Oundle Crime recommends
Exotic, or holiday locations was the reading theme for July, but of course Oundle Crime discussed other books at their meeting as well. Here are eight recommendations for you to consider.
25 July 2026
Berserker! by Adrian Edmondson
This isn’t a straightforward, linear life story. As a memoir with a slightly unexpected chronology, it’s a beguiling hop, skip and jump, backwards and forwards through Edmonson’s life. 5 Stars.
17 July 2026
Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell
This 2025 thriller is really cleverly plotted. The tension builds slowly and the ending is very satisfying indeed, even if it’s a little ambiguous! 4+ Stars
10 July 2026
Turn the Dial for Death by Jeremy Vine
The follow-up to Jeremy Vine’s debut novel (Murder on Line One) that was published last year. This is less accomplished but would qualify as good holiday reading.
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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