Here are ten books we enjoyed reading in November and would recommend – several of them brand new – with four of them earning 5-Stars. As usual, books available from Oundle Library and/or BorrowBox are marked with an asterisk. Although some of the newest books are available from Northants Libraries there is a queue to borrow them, so you may need to add your name to the reservations list or keep an eye open in Oundle and hope they arrive in due course!
Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall*
Although this is a debut novel, the author is an award-winning screenwriter, playwright and producer, whose TV work includes Broadchurch, so he’s no stranger to writing tense mysteries. This is set in a Dorset village which boasts two pubs – the White Hart, which is a bit rough, and The Fox, which is smarter. The body of a man is found, tied to a chair in the middle of the road and with a stag’s antlers on his head. Detective Nicola Bridge, who has recently moved back to the area, is given the case. With plenty of potential suspects, the biggest problem is going to be untangling the truth from the lies while, at the same time, trying to settle in to her new job and work with a new partner. Mo said there was lots going on in this novel and it was full of suspense. She’ll definitely look for the next book (to be published next year) and gave this 4 Stars. (At the moment, there’s a queue to borrow this in Northants.)
The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves
We were all miserable when, a few years ago, Ann Cleeves announced the end of her Shetland Mysteries featuring Jimmy Perez. So let’s now rejoice, because she’s changed her mind and written this, which was published very recently. Perez is now living on Orkney with his family when, after a ferocious storm, the body of one of his childhood friends is found. The man has been killed by a Neolithic stone which bears cryptic, ancient inscriptions. The case is horribly personal for Perez in that to find the person who killed his friend he must investigate people he knows. Norfolk Gal says this is Ann Cleeves at her best – a plot that grabs you quickly, so you can’t stop reading, and characters who are believable and have depth to them. She read this on her Kindle and gave it 5 Stars. (There are several copies available at Northants Libraries but at the moment a lengthy queue to borrow.)
The Heron’s Cry by Ann Cleeves*
Mo had been meaning to read this for ages. It’s Book 2 in the Matthew Venn series, set in North Devon. Cleeves has a knack for making all the locations of her novels come to life and this is no exception. Dr Nigel Yeo is found dead at the home of a group of artists, which includes his daughter Eve, a glassblower, and he’s been killed with a shard of glass from one of Eve’s broken vases. No-one can understand why Yeo has been killed, because he’s a good man, and before Venn has any real leads to work with another body is found, killed in a similar way. Mo loved this, saying the people and places are so believable you think you’re there with them – and it’s a great mystery as well. 5 Stars.
Deadly Remains by Kate Ellis
The body of Barry Brown – a ghostwriter for celebrities – is found in a Devon village and DI Wesley Peterson is on the case. Meanwhile, Wesley’s son is helping his dad’s friend, Neil, with an archaeological excavation on Dartmoor, where a WW2 plane that had been used to take SOE agents across to Europe has been discovered and when three skeletons are found near to the crash site it seems the wreckage might be more significant than anyone imagined. This series always combines present-day mysteries with historical ones and Norfolk Gal says it’s a clever story. She read this on her Kindle but copies are available through Northants libraries. It earned 4 Stars.
The House with Nine Locks by Philip Gray*
Adelais de Wolf’s childhood had been difficult but (she thought) fairly uneventful. Then, in her late teens, she inherits a mysterious house in Ghent, the contents of which could turn her life around if she’s willing to break the law. This story is set in post-war Belgium and although Cornish Eskimo couldn’t tell us much more without giving too much away, she said the plot draws you in with tidbits of information that keep you guessing. Easy to read with interesting characters and a twist at the end it was described as a perfect mystery for a wet weekend. This not-quite-cosy crime earned 3 Stars.
The Dog Walker’s Detective Agency by Michael Hogan*
Hogan is a writer and broadcaster and this is his debut novel, which was published only a couple of months ago. It caught MadDog’s eye because of the title! Charlie Boardman stumbles across a body while walking his dog in a local wood and, when the police investigation seems to be making little progress, he and some of his dog-walking friends decide to help out. It’s cosy crime and a good, light-hearted read with a twist at the end which MadDog didn’t see coming. Her verdict? Not as good as a Richard Coles novel, but better than Richard Osman! An enjoyable 4 Stars.
Lost Souls by Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman*
Book 3 in a series by the Kellerman father-and-son duo about Clay Edison, a former policeman/coroner and now a private eye, who works in the Bay Area, California. Berkely University is (controversially) developing land which had once been a ‘People’s Park’ so when human bones are unearthed, the site is immediately closed. The remains turn out to be fairly recent and one set is of a baby boy. Clay is asked by the wealthy family of a missing person to find out if some of the remains are hers, but he soon finds himself investigating two big and different mysteries. Freyja said the list of characters is long, so at times it’s hard to keep track, but the plotting keeps you on your toes and everything feels realistic. Although she found the story a bit slow to get going she said it was a gripping read and well worth the effort. 3+ Stars.
Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan*
Commissioned by the Ian Fleming estate, this is the first of a new series featuring Q – James Bond’s gadget-sidekick at MI6. Major Boothroyd (aka Q) has been made redundant from MI6 by the spiteful new M and, feeling unloved and unwanted, he decides to look into the recent death of a childhood friend. The police say it was suicide but Q received a letter from the man (who was a seriously clever scientist) with a riddle for Q to solve, so he returns to his hometown to dig a little deeper. Cornish Eskimo said it was great fun to read – lively and light-hearted with some unexpected twists. She said Q himself was rather lightly-drawn, but there’s another Q novel in the pipeline, so presumably more will be revealed as the series develops. The Eskimo will certainly read the next book when it appears. 3 Stars.
The Devil You Know by Neil Lancaster*
All of us in Oundle Crime love Neil Lancaster’s Max Craigie series, and this is Book 5. Juno listened to it as an e-audiobook on BorrowBox and said it was so exciting she found it hard to turn off! Gang boss, David Hardie, wants to talk in exchange for his freedom and promises the police he’ll help with an unsolved crime. But the operation to find ‘the body’ goes horribly wrong and Craigie’s team gets involved because it’s obvious someone high up is selling secrets. Exposing corruption at the highest levels this is another cat-and-mouse thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. 5 Stars.
The Three Deaths of Justice Godfrey by L.C. Tyler*
If you enjoy historical mysteries read this because Granny Weatherwax gave it 5 Stars, and it turns out the story is based on real-life events. Set in London in October 1678, Justice Godfrey sets out from home early one morning and disappears, and it’s six days before his body is found in a ditch. Although he’d been severely beaten, strangled and stabbed through the chest (3 deaths) there’s still money in his pockets and, despite the winter weather, his clothes are dry and his shoes are spotlessly clean. Everyone believes the killing is connected to Godfrey’s role in exposing a recent Catholic plot to kill the king, but Catholics weren’t the only people he’d offended. Magistrate John Grey is summoned from Essex to investigate and, hopefully, prevent some innocent men from being hanged. Granny W said this was hugely enjoyable – a fascinating story with realistic characters and lots of social history involving every layer of society, from royalty downwards. Worth every one of 5 Stars.
If you’d like to meet other crime fiction fans and chat about the books and authors you enjoy, why not come along to an Oundle Crime meeting? It’s relaxed and friendly, and anyone can drop in. Email join@friendsofoundlelibrary.org.uk and we’ll send you the details.