Archive | January 2025

Murder At Raven’s Hollow by Louise Marley

Jan11

Entertaining

Murder At Raven’s Hollow by Louise Marley is a contemporary cosy crime novel that I enjoyed. It is the third book in An English Village Mystery series but can be read as a stand-alone.

The village is a close-knit community with an eclectic mix of characters. They are realistic and provoke a variety of emotional responses from the reader – many are liked, one I decidedly did not (but this was a guided response by the author).

A normal autumnal day soon takes a mysterious turn as human bones are found under a glass house floor. Whose could they be? And how long have they been there? There appears to be three likely candidates from years ago. The police must work out just who it is.

We see that characters are not wholly black or white but a blend of grey. However, one character definitely has a black heart and has been manipulating others for years and without remorse.

A village community throws up some interesting relationships as characters find themselves sharing DNA which they were unaware of!

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Because Of You by Dawn French

Jan10

A Bit Of Wawa

Because Of You by Dawn French is a compelling contemporary novel that I read in just two sittings.

It is about love and loss. These twin themes are intertwined with the character’s lives.

We witness the unfailing love of two mothers. Birth should be the best of times but as we follow the two mothers, both are totally shell-shocked. We follow the pair throughout eighteen years and a mother’s love is never diminished. If anything, it goes deeper as the years progress and we witness sacrificial love in action.

In contrast to the mothers love we also witness two very different fathers. The one has a deep love that is sacrificial. The other one is very superficial. The only person he really loves is the face in the mirror.

We learn about what constitutes a home. “Home is people, not a place.” We witness characters caring for those they love.

We also see that every child is a gift from God not matter how they were conceived. “A life can’t be a fault. God makes life so it can’t be wrong.” There are no accidents in God’s world.

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Not Until Christmas Morning by Valerie M Bodden

Jan10

But Even If…

Not Until Christmas Morning by Valerie M Bodden is the most charming contemporary Christian Christmas novel that I absolutely loved. It is the fifth book in the Hope Springs series but can be read as a stand-alone.

This is a novel about love. There is the love of God for us. “The one she always needed… was the love of God, His agape, never-ending love.” No matter where we are in life, whether on the mountain top or in the valley, God loves us with an everlasting, unchanging love.

We witness love between humans as we follow three characters who have loved and been let down. It seems easier to push others away than to let them in and risk heart ache.

Twelve-year-old Jackson has been through many foster homes – everybody hands him back again until he meets foster mum Leah who loves him with an unfailing love. Jackson pushes her away but her love is faithful.

A character has pushed God away after an IED in Afghanistan robbed him of a limb and friends. “Anyone who could still believe in God after the things they’d seen in battle was crazier than him.” Austin pushes God away but God is faithful and waits for the prodigal to return home.

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Death In The Hills by Kate Wells

Jan8

Engaging Cosy Crime

Death In The Hills by Kate Wells is a contemporary cosy crime novel that I really enjoyed. It is the fourth book in The Malvern Farm Mystery but can be read as a stand-alone.

As the series name suggests, the action is set in the Malvern area with mentions of the cities of Worcester and Birmingham. Living in Worcestershire means the area was easy for me to picture, giving the story a familiar feel to it.

We see the value of family. Family is not just blood related but includes all who love us. There were some very touching scenes featuring a very young nephew, and at the other end of the scale, an aging Grandmother. This showed the love between the generations. Too often the elderly are ignored, this makes for ideal amateur sleuthing as their ears are open.

The reader is treated to the open Malvern landscape as we roam the hills, see the sheep and sample the fayre in a local pub.

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