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Murder In Paint by Rodney Strong

Apr15

A Really Fun Read

Murder In Paint by Rodney Strong is a really fun contemporary murder mystery thriller set in Wellington, New Zealand.

Rodney Strong writes in a way that engages the reader from the start. There is an air of lightness in spite of the genre. It reminded me of a Hallmark thriller and would translate wonderfully into a channel five afternoon film… any film producers out there need a new project?

Stay at home husband and would be author gets far more than he bargained for following a trip to the cemetery. The reader is entertained by conversations in his head whilst looking for clues to solve a murder and a burglary… all the while fitting in between two young children and the school run.

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The Silent Woman by Terry Lynn Thomas

Apr14

Of Espionage And War

The Silent Woman by Terry Lynn Thomas is a marvellous historical suspense that had me engrossed from the start.

Opening in 1930’s Nazi Germany with Hitler in power, ordinary lives are beginning to be affected. Anti Semitism is rising. Opposition is squashed. “If he could carry on as usual, he could convince himself that things were just as they used to be.” No one should have ignored the actions of Hitler.

Action moves to London. The reader is treated to espionage, murder, spies and double dealings. There is the theme of trust. So much is going on that the reader wonders who can be trusted and who is doing the dodgy dealings? We need to be aware of the phrase ‘loose lips sink ships.’ Suspicion lurks around every corner.

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Letters To Iris by Elizabeth Noble

Apr10

And The Greatest Of These Is Love

Letters To Iris by Elizabeth Noble is a beautiful contemporary novel about life and love. It is bittersweet and will tug at the reader’s heartstrings. You cannot ignore this book. It will elicit a response from you.

There is so much in this book but it can be summed up in just one word – love. A love that hangs on. A love that will not die. A love that motivates. A powerful, all consuming love.

There is the very sad theme of Alzheimer’s. “Far too proud to let anyone see that anything was wrong.” Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease robbing us of our loved ones bit by bit till only memories remain. “The only silver lining in the whole… awful cloud… They don’t know.”

Our lives are not meant to be lived in isolation. Our lives intersect with others at just the right moment. Shared experiences with strangers will form a bond and a support at some of the darkest times.

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Turn A Blind Eye by Vicky Newman

Apr7

Fabulous And Thrilling Debut Read

Turn A Blind Eye by Vicky Newman is a fabulous debut novel from what promises to be a very talented author. It is the first in a series centred on D.I. Maya Rahman and I cannot wait for more.

Set in London’s East End, the reader finds themselves caught up in suicide, murder and Buddhism. What are the links, if any? And why does the epicentre focus on a multicultural high school? Scandal sits side by side with everyday life, as the reader moves from classroom to murder scene. It’s a real page turner that consumed me as I could not put it down. It will make a fabulous ITV series.

The action is written from several different viewpoints, in both the first and third person. The reader ‘hears’ the murderer’s voice and tries desperately hard to work out who it is.

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