A large chunk of our meeting at the end of September was taken up discussing Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray and we posted our blog about that on 25 September. But we still managed to chat about six other books that we’d enjoyed and would like to recommend As usual, books borrowed from Oundle Library are marked with an asterisk.
The Unwedding by Ally Condie*
Ellery had booked a weekend stay at a luxury resort on the Big Sur coast in California, to celebrate her wedding anniversary with her husband. Unfortunately, he’s declared he wants a divorce and has left her for his new girlfriend, so Ellery has gone on the weekend break alone. The resort is busy with a big society wedding, but at the last minute the groom sends a message to say he can’t go through with it, and later he’s found murdered in the pool. Inevitably there’s a storm and a mudslide, so everyone gets trapped and the police can’t reach them. Equally inevitably, it is Ellery who works out what happened. Freyja said that although this was rather predictable, it was very readable and she gave it 3 Stars.
Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
Okay, we know the Cormoran Strike series is well-established and now on Book 9, but MadDog has been given all of the books and is steadily working through them in order. This is Book 3 and it begins with Robin Ellacott receiving a parcel at work that contains a severed leg. The police are focusing on just one man, the person whom Strike considers the least likely on his list of four potential suspects, so he and Robin decide to take matters into their own hands. MadDog says it has been brilliant to read these novels one after the other, without having to wait 12+ months for the next instalment. She’s completely hooked. She’s slowly working through the set and loving every minute of it. Career of Evil earned 4+ Stars.
Little White Lies by Ian McFadyen*
In search of the quiet life, Inspector Steve Carmichael and his family move from London to Lancashire, where his wife, Penny, lived as a child. The first day of his new job, the body of the local postmistress is found, and her death seems to be linked to a hit-and-run accident that happened when Penny was a teenager. Northumberland Lass enjoyed how the story unfolded, saying it was interesting and easy to read. A good, old-fashioned police procedural. It also turns out it’s the first book in a series that now has 11 titles, so she’ll be keeping her eye out for more by Ian McFadyen. 4 Stars for this.
It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh*
Many of us enjoy Clare Mackintosh’s books, and Mo recommends this standalone novel which was published earlier this year. After an abusive marriage, Nadeeka has found happiness with Jamie but is beginning to suspect he might now be having an affair. Then, one day, she comes home to confront him and finds her house is a crime scene and that Jamie is dead. This is another brilliantly twisty and well-written novel from Clare Mackintosh that’s full of suspense and surprise. Mo didn’t work out the solution to the mystery and said it was a bolt out of the blue. A great read and given 4+ Stars.
Bad Deeds by Andrew Hunter Murray*
‘Witty, quick-paced and great fun,’ was what Cornish Eskimo said about this. On the flyleaf, the author is described as a ‘writer and broadcaster’ but his journalism includes writing for Private Eye and hosting their podcast, which explains more, because this novel is dryly funny. Alex is a consultant who breaks into offices and homes to test their security. Then he gets fired from his firm, evicted from his flat and dumped by his girlfriend all in the same evening, so he decides to take on one more job without them knowing. Unfortunately, it’s a job the others had already agreed they wouldn’t take and Alex lands himself in some pretty serious hot water. It’s a jaunty tale that keeps you smiling and turning the pages. The Eskimo also recommends the first book about Alex – A Beginner’s Guide to Breaking and Entering – which also can be borrowed from Oundle Library. This one got 4 Stars.
The Mermaid’s Cry by Kate Rhodes*
The latest Ben Kitto mystery, which starts with the surprise that he’s moved from the Isles of Scilly to live in Penzance, because his wife Nina has died. Left alone to look after his small son Noah, Kitto is grieving and aware he’s not coping well. In the first few pages of the book though, he witnesses a child being snatched from its pushchair and thrown into the harbour and he dives into the sea to save it. After this act of bravery, he finds himself helping Penzance’s Chief of Police, DCI Lynne Farraday, with the case. Cornish Eskimo says this is an excellent addition to the Kitto series. Strong, believable characters and a knotty mystery with no immediately obvious villains. A very enjoyable read. 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 that you will still remember after a month.
- 3 Stars: Not good or bad, but 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!
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.