A Game of Lies - Clare Mackintosh

Clare Mackintosh brings her take on reality game shows in her latest book - A Game of Lies. This is the second book in a series, but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone.

Seven people are the chosen ones that will be vying for a prize of 100,000 pounds that will go to the last one standing. What they're expecting are physical challenges - but what they get is something completely different. The name of the game is 'Exposed' - and it's life changing...

Mackintosh takes us back to a small village in Wales - the setting of the first book. The village is on the dividing line between England and Wales and jurisdiction is sometimes murky. Two investigators are tasked with the case - local copper DC Ffion Morgan and English based DC Leo Brady. I was thrilled to see this pair of coppers again. There's a connection between the two, but neither feels like they can act on their personal feelings. I like the detailed lives Mackintosh has give the two lead characters. The supporting cast is just as interesting. And the contestants? An interesting bunch for sure. And who else is needed? Dave the dog of course. 

 

The setting is well described and I could easily imagine the hills, the water, the forest, the village and the game site.

Now - the crime. There are a lot of choices for the final whodunit. It wasn't easy to suss out the culprit or the method. Twists and turns in the narrative make it even more difficult. 

I quite this liked this latest! Hopefully Mackintosh has a third book in the works. See for yourself - read an excerpt of A Game of Lies. 

The Golden Spoon - Jessa Maxwell

The Golden Spoon is Jessa Maxwell's brilliantly fun debut novel.

 

Okay, hands up if you binge watch baking competitions. Keep them up if you love murder mysteries, especially the 'locked room' kind. Yes? Then this is the book you need to read next.

Six lucky contestants are at beloved celebrity judge Betsy Martin's grand home. Also on the grounds is the tent where the contest will take place. As readers we're privy to the 'behind the scenes' machinations of making the show and what people are like when the cameras stop rolling. I'll stop there as you can just guess what happens right?

I think because I am one of those binge baking watchers, I conjured up very vivid mental images of  both the set and the participants. Fellow watchers will see that Maxwell has created contestants that mirror real show participants. But what I hadn't imagined was the direction that Maxwell would take with her mystery. Each and every character has something they really don't want to bring to light. Each one of them  have point of view in The Golden Spoon, giving the reader lots of opportunity and information to make a guess as to the 'whodunit'. There's more than one mystery woven into the book - and one in particular had me tearing up.

I was whisked away and bowled over by this debut novel. Absolute cozy fun to read, with an Only Bodies in the Building vibe. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Golden Spoon. 

The Golden Spoon - Jessa Maxwell

The Golden Spoon is Jessa Maxwell's brilliantly fun debut novel.

Okay, hands up if you binge watch baking competitions. Keep them up if you love murder mysteries, especially the 'locked room' kind. Yes? Then this is the book you need to listen to next.

Six lucky contestants are at beloved celebrity judge Betsy Martin's grand home. Also on the grounds is the tent where the contest will take place. As readers we're privy to the 'behind the scenes' machinations of making the show and what people are like when the cameras stop rolling. I'll stop there as you can just guess what happens right?

I think because I am one of those binge baking watchers, I conjured up very vivid mental images of  both the set and the participants. Fellow watchers will see that Maxwell has created contestants that mirror real show participants. But what I hadn't imagined was the direction that Maxwell would take with her mystery. Each and every character has something they really don't want to bring to light. Each one of them  have point of view in The Golden Spoon, giving the reader lots of opportunity and information to make a guess as to the 'whodunit'. There's more than one mystery woven into the book - and one in particular had me tearing up.

I chose to listen to The Golden Spoon. I was so happy to find a full cast of readers. For me, this always makes for a better listening experience. Each reader has created a voice that matches the character they're presenting. Each narrator captured the story with the emotions and actions of the story with their voices. All were easy to understand the pace was perfect. 

I was whisked away and bowled over by this debut novel. Absolute cozy fun to listen to, with an Only Bodies in the Building vibe. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of The Golden Spoon. 

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone - Benjamin Stevenson

Oh my gosh...if you're a fan of "Clue" style mysteries, a clever narrator with a dark sense of humour, a dangerous, dysfunctional family and a plot like no other,  you need to pick up Benjamin Stevenson's new book, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone!

I was hooked before I even read the first chapters. The prologue includes the membership oath of a secret society of mystery writers (Including Christie) from 1930, as well as the 1929 Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction from Ronald Knox. Our narrator uses these in the telling of this tale. 

Reluctantly, the members of the Cunningham family have gathered together at a remote lodge. In the winter with a storm on the way. With bad cell phone coverage. Old hurts, wrongs, clashes of personalities and secrets soon rear their ugly heads. And then a body is found....

Ernest Cunningham is the narrator and defacto lead sleuth. Ern's voice is full of dark humour, keen observations and questionable actions. Just wait until you meet his family...

"Everyone in my family has killed someone: my brother, my stepsister, my wife, my father, my mother, my mother-in-law, my uncle, my stepfather and me."

You'll need to be on your toes as there are many characters to keep track of. Ern details what is going on, sharing his observations and some of his theories. Are you be keen enough to see what and who the final 'ah hah' moment might be? I certainly wasn't!

Stevenson has written a elaborate plot, one that will keep you guessing. For this reader, it was Ern and the dark humour that kept me up late. Stevenson is an award winning stand-up comedian. I'd say his sense of humour translates well to the written page. 

#BooksofHCC   @harpercollins.ca   #Ad   I received a review copy of this title from Harper Collins Canada. This in no way affects my honest review. 

Last One Alive - Amber Cowie

The premise of Amber Cowie's new book, Last One Alive,  hooked me right away. 

What's it about? From the publisher: "A team of researchers exploring the myth of a witch find their numbers mysteriously dwindling in this irresistible psychological thriller for fans of Ruth Ware, Shari Lapena, and Lucy Foley."

I love 'locked room' mysteries. In this case, it's ten people on the site of an historic crime. And yes, one by one they die. But here's the thing that kept me guessing 'til the final pages. Is it the curse of the witch? Is there really something to the legends? Or is one of the ten turning on their fellow researchers?

Penelope is the organizer of the trip. While she has a good reason for the trip and says and does all the right things, I didn't like her. Or any of the ten for that matter. There's something 'off' with each and every one of them. Which only serves to have more suspects!

The setting descriptions easily conjured up a detailed picture in my mind. The isolation, the forest, the rocky beach, the old outbuildings and more all add to the unsettled feeling of the endeavor.

But what I enjoyed the most was trying to solve the whodunit - keeping track of who was where at a certain time, who was together, what was overheard, what was found. (I always wanted to be Nancy Drew.)

I did find some chapters ended quite abruptly and I would have to flip back to make sure I hadn't missed something. 

Cowie's book is well written, not easy to suss out and kept me interested right through to the final pages. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Last One Alive.  

The Appeal - Janice Hallett

Oh my gosh! Janice Hallett's new novel, The Appeal, is absolutely brilliant!

From Simon and Schuster: "Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell, this “dazzlingly clever” (The Sunday Times, London) murder mystery follows a community rallying around a sick child—but when escalating lies lead to a dead body, everyone is a suspect.

Okay, so that descriptor alone had me hooked. But! What really had me excited was that book is an epistolary novel, told only through emails, messages, memos, newspaper stories, letters and more. I adore this style of story telling.

What else? Well there's a large (but manageable) set of characters (suspects), all with a connection to the Fairway Players, an amateur theater group. One of the troupe has been incarcerated after the death of one of their fellow thespians. Two young law students have been tasked with going through the correspondence in an effort to launch an appeal and clear that conviction.

The clues are slowly revealed from differing viewpoints. I felt like I was in an Agatha Christie novel, trying to ferret out the damning piece of evidence, ready to point my finger with a satisfied ah ha! Well, point I did, but at almost every character along the way. Hallett's plotting is deliciously devious. It's all so very, very clever. The Appeal is easily one of my favorites for the year!

I chose to listen to The Appeal. I wondered if the epistolary element would translated to the audio version well. For this listener it was even better. The readers were Aysha Kala, Daniel Philpott, Rachel Adedeji and Sid Sagar. They all did a spectacular job. There are two female characters that 'speak' more than others. The voices for these two were perfect - Sarah Jane is no nonsense and forceful. Izzy is not as sure of herself and a little clueless and her voice reflects that. The male characters' voices were also perfect for the mental images I was creating - smooth and cultured - and yes, a little bit smarmy. The British accents are very easy to understand. The speed of speaking was just right and was easy to understand. All of the readers captured the tone of the book and interpreted it well, doing justice to Hallett's book. As much as I know I would have enjoyed reading The Appeal, I found the audio version to be even better. Soooooo good!! Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of The Appeal.

The Midnight Hour - Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths is hands down one of my favorite authors. Now, while her Ruth Galloway series is near and dear to me, The Brighton Mysteries run a very close second. The sixth entry - The Midnight Hour - has just released. 

What makes these series so delightful? For me, it's the characters. They're warm and funny, wry and witty and eminently likable. In this latest, former Brighton DS Emma Holmes has joined forces with reporter Sam Collins and opened a Private Eye business. They've been hired by a high profile widow to look into her husband's death. It's a big case for the two, but the Brighton police are also on the job. It's more than a bit awkward as Emma is also married to Police Superintendent Edgar Stephens. "She was honest enough to know she also wanted to get ahead of the police, to present them with the solution to the case with all the loose ends tied up in a bow."

There's continuity to this series as Griffiths moves the lives of her characters along. I'm always curious to see what's next for this cast of players. And it is indeed a large cast. Faithful readers will recognize and welcome back recurring characters. New readers, you can absolutely read this latest without having read previous titles, but it might take you a beat or two to sort out who's who. I have to say that Emma and young Constable Meg Connolly are my favorites. Emma's young son Jonathan also makes many appearances that are endearing.

So, great characters...and great plotting. There are many choices for the whodunit. Griffiths gives the reader a lovely winding road, littered with red herrings on the way to the final whodunit. I truly had no idea who the murderer was going to be in the end. 

I like the time frame being the 1960's. Cases are solved with lots of footwork, interviews, intuition and deductions rather than CSI-like methods. It's a more satisfying and intimate read somehow. Women's roles are changing and that too is woven into the story. 

Griffiths just has an easy way with words. I'm always drawn into the story. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Midnight Hour.

Eight Perfect Murders - Peter Swanson

Eight Perfect Murders is the latest from author Peter Swanson.

From William Morrow Books:

"Years ago, bookseller and mystery aficionado Malcolm Kershaw compiled a list of the genre’s most unsolvable murders, those that are almost impossible to crack—which he titled “Eight Perfect Murders”—chosen from among the best of the best.

But no one is more surprised than Mal, now the owner of the Old Devils Bookstore in Boston, when an FBI agent comes knocking on his door one snowy day in February. She’s looking for information about a series of unsolved murders that look eerily similar to the killings on Mal’s old list. And the FBI agent isn’t the only one interested in this bookseller who spends almost every night at home reading. The killer is out there, watching his every move—a diabolical threat who knows way too much about Mal’s personal history, especially the secrets he’s never told anyone, even his recently deceased wife.

To protect himself, Mal begins looking into possible suspects . . . and sees a killer in everyone around him. But Mal doesn’t count on the investigation leaving a trail of death in its wake. Suddenly, a series of shocking twists leaves more victims dead—and the noose around Mal’s neck grows so tight he might never escape."

My Thoughts:

I've enjoyed previous books from Peter Swanson and was looking forward to this latest. I thought the premise was excellent. A series of murders based on a list compiled by a bookstore owner? The possibilities are many! I enjoyed seeing what books made the list of eight. Swanson's choices and the exploration of why each title was picked was made for bibliophiles. (But only if you've read the books - otherwise there are spoilers galore)

I initially liked Kershaw, but as the book progressed I began to dislike him. Why? Well, unreliable narrators make for interesting reading. Things can change rapidly was truths and untruths are added to the mix. But in this case, they felt clunky and convenient to me. And rapidly really didn't happen here. Lots of downtime that just felt like filler in between murders. And I thought he was a bit of a git.

But, I did keep reading until the end and Swanson did come up with a nice twist. But it wasn't enough to make me love the book. I must admit to being disappointed given how much I've enjoyed previous works. So, just a middle of the road three for this reader.

The Last - Hanna Jameson

A secluded old mansion under an ominous sky? Yup, guaranteed to catch my interest. And then I listened to the first chapter and was absolutely hooked on Hanna Jameson's new novel The Last.

It's finally happened - nuclear war on a world wide scale. Jon was at a remote Swiss hotel attending a conference when it happened. Now he and twenty others are holed up in the hotel, waiting. For what they're not sure - rescue? Or just survival? Stay or go farther afield? And then the body of a young girl is found in one of the hotel's water tanks. Is there a murderer amongst them? The hotel also has a checkered past - suicides and ghosts are part of it's lore.

The setting is absolutely perfect for a 'locked room' mystery. And the cast of twenty strangers guarantees a wealth of conflict and suspects. Jon has no idea if his own family is alive and becomes focused on finding who killed the girl.

The dynamics of these survivors is fascinating. What will each do to survive? What alliances are forged? What secrets are being kept? And there's no way to predict what's going to happen - which I really like. I want to be surprised. And I was - the ending was unexpected. (Not sure if I loved it. But I loved the book.)

Jon decides to keep a 'history' of the 'after' and The Last is told through his documentation. "History is only the sum of its people and, as far as I know, we could be the last ones."

As I mentioned, I decided to listen to The Last. The reader was Anthony Starke - a new to me narrator. And now one I hope I hear more of. His voice is so expressive and easily captures the emotions, nuances and tone of the book. He's a clear speaker and is easy to understand. There are many nationalities, ages and genders amongst the survivors and Starke has a voice for each of them. He uses different (and believable) accents for each and adjusts the tone and timbre convincing the listener that there are indeed a group of people in the hotel. And as I've said before, I find listening immerses me in a story. And I was completely caught up in this one! An excellent audio book! Listen to an excerpt of The Last.