Someone in the Attic - Andrea Mara

Have you ever heard a noise in your house - one you brushed away? And then it returns and...is that?...

That's the premise for Andrea Mara's new novel - Someone in the Attic! Are you hooked like I was? That premise opens so many ways for the book to evolve.  

Julia, her children and ex husband have moved back to Ireland from the US. They're looking for a fresh start for their daughter - the why isn't revealed for quite a while. Some of the the new neighbours a bit odd.

Being back in Ireland gives Julia the opportunity to catch up with old friends. It's great to see them, but it also brings up some uncomfortable history. 

I wondered how Mara was going to tie the myriad of threads all together. Lots of ah ha as you get closer to the final pages.

 

An inventive and addicting read! See for yourself - read an excerpt of Someone in the Attic.

If Something Happens to Me - Alex Finlay

I'm an avid suspense reader, so I'm always on the lookout for more! I have enjoyed Alex Finlay's previous books, so picking up his latest  book, 'If Something Happens to Me", was an easy decision.

The story is told through multiple characters. Five years ago Ryan was knocked out and his girlfriend Ali was taken. No body was ever  found - and Ryan was the prime suspect. And then he sees a man that he has seen before... And a cryptic clue starts the hunt all over again. 

A Philly mobster is the second voice and a new to the force sheriff’s deputy is the third. I really liked Deputy Poppy McGee! (Nudge, nudge maybe she'll turn up up in another book?) There's a number of supporting players as well.

 

I always like a tale that is told from more than one viewpoint. We're privy to what's going on in all three threads. Well, we do and we don't in this plot that is. By the time you get back to the first voice, things have changed. Finlay is a master at giving the reader many many twists and turns - also another element I really enjoy.

The pedal is on the metal in this suspense, action filled novel. An entertaining beach read for sure. See for yourself - read an excerpt from If Something Happens to Me. 

I also think it would make a great streaming series!  

We Spread - Iain Reid

I've read all of Iain Reid's books. Each one has brought something different, unusual and unexpected. And that's also the case with his latest - We Spread. 

 

Penny has been living in the same apartment for fifty years. Her partner has passed on. Penny has been getting out, but really has no contact or relationships  with others, excepting her landlord. She has a bit of memory loss (and sure, doesn't everyone her age?) So, my thinking was that We Spread would be an lament for aging. It was and it is. But it's much more.  

As an observer we are witness to Penny's failing memory and her deteriorating  physical condition until the inevitable happens - she has a serious fall. 

Unbeknownst to Penny, her partner had arranged for just this eventuality. Penny is moved to Six Cedars Residence, a small long term care facility in an older house, surrounded by trees. There are only four residents and two staff members at the home. Penny, although distressed by the move, is impressed.  

 And it's wonderful. Or is it? What we come to know of the other residents and staff is through Penny's eyes and experiences. The reader is left to their own imagination and interpretation of what she encounters. And my mind had more than one outlook and outcome happening. The tension rises with every page turned. Reid's dialogue is sharp and short and is very effective in 'speaking' for Penny. Out loud and internally. Aging, art and relationships and more are also explored. There's much food for thought for everyone in We Spread - whether it's yourself or a family member. 

As the book neared the final pages, I still had not made up my mind as to what was really happening. And the ending? Perfectly Iain Reid. 

The audio version of We Spread is so very good. The reader was the fabulous Robin Miles. She has such an expressive voice. Her voice is easy to understand, clearly enunciated and has movement in every sentence. Miles embodied the character of Penny perfectly! I could believe I was listening to an older women with memory issues. I could feel her fear and frustration of the changes of herself, as the atmosphere at Six Cedars. The pace of her reading matches the story, with pauses at significant points. Miles excelled at depicting the emotions of Penny. A fabulous performance of a stellar book. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of We Spread.