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.
June 2026
Watch this space …
… We will post another book review here soon.
30 May 2026
Oundle Crime recommends
A smörgåsbord of seven novels, including Golden Age classic crime, recent bestsellers and a smattering of books that have been made into films … because in the Year of Reading, this was Movie May.
24 May 2026
The Castle by John Sutherland
Yes, it’s an action thriller. Yes, it’s obviously fiction. But the author’s career as a high-ranking police officer and hostage and crisis negotiator gives this novel a real whiff of authenticity and it’s a great story!
15 May 2026
Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards
Written in the tradition of Golden Age crime fiction this mystery is full of twists and clues for the reader, and there are also interactive puzzles to solve along the way.
9 May 2026
Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Ace Atkins
A comic crime novel set in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1985. There are Russian spies, defectors and assassins as well as a cast of wildly mis-matched and eccentric characters. Great fun to read!
2 May 2026
Oundle Crime recommends
Seven book recommendations from our Oundle Crime book group, most of which are available to borrow from Oundle Library or in e-book formats from BorrowBox.
19 April 2026
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Cleverly plotted and a story that twists this way, and that. There’s a likeable anti-heroine and a villain who is almost a caricature of evil. Great stuff! 4 Stars.
17 April 2026
Kiss, Marry, Kill by Laura Marshall
An intriguing thriller, set in the world of online dating. Highly satisfying to read. 4+ Stars.
11 April 2026
Verdict of Twelve by Raymond Postgate
A Golden Age Classic Crime novel, and although the style and story do feel a bit dated, the way it is constructed creates something that is both intriguing and thought-provoking. It’s well worth reading.
3 April 2026
Oundle Crime recommends
Classic Crime (Golden Age or modern) was the book group’s reading theme for March, so the recommendations include everything from Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie to new novels by Michael Connelly, Alan Judd and L.J. Ross.
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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