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Madeleine's Books Read 2022


Madeleine

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A Cotswold Christmas Mystery by Rebecca Tope - I haven't read a book in this long-running series for a while, and things have moved on quite a bit for house-sitter Thea, who is now married to Drew Slocombe, a local undertaker who she presumably met through her 2nd job (her first is house-sitting) as an unofficial detective!  No house-sitting in this book, instead Thea, Drew and his 2 children from his first marriage (he's a widower) are getting ready for Christmas and awaiting the arrival of Thea's daughter from her first marriage.  Trouble breaks out when a local woman, who is a friend of Thea's, goes missing, and when the body of the local landlord, on whose land the woman and her family were tenants, is found dead in very suspicious circumstances, things don't look too good for Thea's friend.  So Thea and her stepdaughter, 10 year old Stephanie, decide to try to find out what is going on.  Not surprisingly this ruffles a few feathers, not least from the dead man's wife and her daughters from her first marriage.  It's an easy enough read, but  I didn't find the way it was told primarily through the eyes of a child very convincing, this child was more like 10 years old going on about 50!  Other things didn't make sense either, mainly that surely if the dead man had been electrocuted, wouldn't there have been marks on his body?  So a comfort read for Christmas, but nothing particularly special. 6/10

 

 

The Dead of winter by Nicola Upson - this is the 9th book in the Josephine Tey detective series, I've read the first one but not the others, however this works perfectly well as a stand alone novel. it's set at Christmas 1938, war clouds are already looming but it's business as usual for Hilaria St Aubyn, the chatelaine of St Michael's Mount in Cornwall, who organises a charity Christmas house party to raise money for child refugees from mainland Europe. One of the invitees is none other than Marlene Dietrich, and others include Josephine Tey and her partner Marta, and her friend, Det inspector Archie Penrose. One murder occurs before the guests have even arrived, we know who the culprit is, but another brutal murder takes place on Christmas Day, and the horror struck guests and villagers, cut off by a blizzard, have to somehow keep safe whilst Penrose carries out what investigations he can. This was a short, enjoyable read, well-written with believable characters, although the denoument felt a little rushed. 7.5/10
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"The Sanatorium" by Sarah Pearse - Elin and her boyfriend, Will, are in Switzerland for her brother's engagement party at his exclusive new resort hotel, which has been converted from the sanatorium of the title (I wouldn't want to stay there!) She has misgivings as the siblings are pretty much estranged, and neither has recovered from their other brother's death when they were children - Elin still has unsolved questions, and her career as a detective is on hold as she recovers from almost being killed by a suspect, as well as their mother's recent death - her brother Isaac never even attended the funeral. So it would be fair to say that relations are strained, not helped by a storm closing in. There are more problems when a hotel cleaner is found dead, and then Isaac's fiancee goes missing. An avalanche then totally seals off the hotel, and Elin, apart from being in phone contact with the local police, is pretty much on her own as the bodies start to pile up. This is another book in the "chalet noir" genre, basically a variation on the country house murder genre. Elin's family history, and the hotel's creepy history, add extra frissons, and although I found it an easy, fast-paced read, the ending felt rather rushed and incomplete. However it looks like there'll be more adventures (and dangers!) for Elin, as this looks to be the first in a series. 7.5/10

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On 14/02/2022 at 2:30 PM, Madeleine said:

the ending felt rather rushed and incomplete.

I was very close to buying this book in the January sales, but I saw some bad reviews about the ending that put me off. At 7.5/10 though I'm guessing it didn't ruin the book for you? 

 

On 14/02/2022 at 2:30 PM, Madeleine said:

However it looks like there'll be more adventures (and dangers!) for Elin, as this looks to be the first in a series.

Do you think you'd read the next one?

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4 minutes ago, Madeleine said:

Glad you enjoyed it!  I thought the ending felt a bit rushed though.

 

I was alright with that, what bothered me was when Axel - just appeared out of nowhere and then more or less disappeared again - turned up to report what turned out to be Adele in the pool. Him and Cecile came outside with Elin etc at the time but were curiously not mentioned until after Adele had been pulled out of the pool. I thought that was a bit clumsy. Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Looking forward to the next one, coming Spring 2022.  

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"The Burial Circle" by Kate Ellis - the current Wesley Peterson novel goes a bit creepy on us when a psychic who is taking part in a themed weekend at a local hotel is murdered, and no he didn't see it coming! Though guests at the weekend did think seemed genuinely spooked during one sitting, and seemed terrified. When his body is discovered draped over the mill wheel at the tourist attraction of a restored wool mill, it's at first thought to be an accidental death, then the coroner discovers a stab wound.... Meanwhile things are turning personal for Wesley's 2nd in command, Rachel, whose new marriage isn't too happy, and she has further worries when a storm blows over a tree on her parents' farm, to reveal the body of a teenager who'd gone missing several years ago. Are the girl's death and the recent killing of the psychic somehow connected? As Wesley and his boss Gerry delve deeper, it does look like the answers lie in the past history of both victims. As usual, there's a historical sideline too, as Wesley's friend Neil, who's writing a book about the old mill, discovers a series of murders way back in the 1800s, when a doctor, newly arrived from London, discovered the local Burial Circle, an organisation set up to help the poorer give their loved ones a fitting burial, but also might mask a series of killings made to look like accidents, which seem to be mirrored by the events that are being investigated in the present day. This was another enjoyable mystery, with an exciting chase at the end, and which was intriguingly plotted. 7.5/10.

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"The Seal King Murders" by Alanna Knight - it's 1862 and Inspector Jeremy Faro returns to his birthplace of the Isle of Orkney, following his injury in an earlier case in Edinburgh (in "Murder in Paradise", must read that one!), and he intends to convalesce whilst staying with his mother, and hopefully re-connect with his first, brief teenage love, Inga. He's also there to try to find out what happened to a supposed valuable package of goods which was being carried by a local customs officer, destined for Edinburgh, but which disappeared after the customs officer fell whilst boarding the ship to take him to Edinburgh, and subsequently drowned in the rough sea. His body was recovered but the rumoured "treasures" have disappeared, so what is it a simple accident or part of a more sinister plan. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that his widow Thora was supposedly taken by the legendary Seal King, who takes a woman at Lammastide, keeps her for a year and a day, and then she returns in exactly the same clothes she was wearing when she disappeared. She has never spoken about her disappearance, which seems to time with her sister moving to the mainland. Then there is the mysterious brother of the local boatman, who is meant to be dying of consumption but seems to have a rather indulgent lifestyle, plus of course the local constabulary who aren't too happy at someone else on their patch. Then a local heiress goes missing at Lammastide, and Faro was one of the last people to speak to her, so he finds himself under suspicion, and when another local is attached, he also manages to be prime suspect. This was an entertaining story with some lovely selkie references, and seals do in fact play a prominent, and rather sweet, role in the story. Faro is a likeable character, and although the book was rather slow at first, I enjoyed once the story got going. 7.5/10

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"Runes of Destiny" by Christina Courtenay -this is the 2nd book in the author's Viking series but can be read as a stand alone, a couple of characters from the first book do appear briefly but it doesn't detract from the story. Linnea is recovering from a car accident which killed her best friend's parents and severely injured her friend - she feels guilty for surviving relatively unscathed and is helping out on a summer holiday archaeological dig in Sweden, when she finds a gorgeous bracelet. She accidentally pricks her finger on the pin, and finds herself transported, Outlander style, to the 9th century, where she finds herself being taken captive as a thrall ie a sort of hostage for sale, and she joins the Jarl and his half brothers as they set sail for Istanbul, where they intend to trade many items, such as furs and amber, and also their thralls, for sale to the highest bidder. The Jarl, Thure, is a unlikeable, boorish type who prefers the good things in life, ie drink, gambling and women, whilst his half-brother Hrafn, is kinder and does the real work of keeping their estate going. He is also in charge of the thralls and it's no surprise that he and Linnea find themselves increasingly attracted to each other. As she settles into life on the Viking settlement, and then on the perilous journey south, Linnea finds herself fascinated by Viking life, and also by her host. But Thure wants her for himself, and Linnea finds herself in danger not only from raiders, but also from the Jarl. Although there were no surprises as to how this turned out, it was an enjoyable bit of escapism, with an interesting glimpse into everyday Viking life. I would say it's more of a time travel novel rather than timeslip, as Linnea stays pretty much in the Viking zone for most of the book. 7/10

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Cuthbert's Way by L J Ross - this is the latest in the DCI Ryan series, and carries straight on from the previous book, The Shrine. The artefact recovered at the end of that book was not the correct item, however the police want to keep this secret as several people, including one of their own, have died trying to keep this fact from the perpetrators. However it soon becomes obvious that the deception is no longer a secret, and Ryan, as head of the investigation, and now a new father, finds himself and his family in danger. It seems that someone is obsessed with St Cuthbert and his mythology (although he really existed a cult has grown up around his story) and will stop at nothing to get all the relics. So Ryan finds himself on a personal mission, to rescue those closest to him and keep everyone else safe. this book was much longer than the previous books in the series, and I felt it was better for it - more character and story development, rather than the slightly rushed feel I always get from the others. One of the best books in the series, although you do need to read the previous book first. 8/10

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A Fever in the Blood by Oscar de Muriel - this is the 2nd in the series set in late Victorian Edinburgh, and it's New Year 1889, but no celebrations for our crime fighting duo when they're told that a resident of the same asylum where McGrey's sister is a long term patient has gone missing, and is the prime suspenct in the death of one of the nurses. McGrey is further drawn into the case when he learns that his sister, who has been mute since a terrible incident in their childhood, spoke to the man, who is none other than Joel Ardglass, who fans of the series will know has a personal connection to McGrey. A chain of events is set in motion which sees the duo heading over the border into England, and to the notorious Lancashire town of Pendle, which is still a draw for witches. there are so many plot twists that I felt a bit dizzy, and this is a fast paced romp across the Lancashire moors in pursuit of a gang of witches, both good and bad, who are involved in smuggling and murder. As the body count rises, it looks like Frey and McGrey will be next, especially as McGrey's obsession with his sister, and what made her speak, takes both him and Frey into greater danger. Great entertainment, with some genuine suspense as well as flashes of humour. 8/10

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"The Lamplighters" by Emma Stonex - this book is a kind of riff on the famous lighthouse mystery which occurred in the Hebrides around the turn of the last century - the 3 keepers vanished without trace, and to this day no one knows what happened to them. This book is set more recently, alternating between 1972 - when the Vanishing, as it's referred to, took place - and 1992, which is the present day in the book, and the lighthouse is off the Cornish coast. We get the story in two parts - the build up to the Vanishing, as the keepers pass the time together just before Christmas 1972 - and then we get an insight into their back stories, as well as that of their wives/girlfriends, and also the investigation, plus further revelations when an author decides to write an account of the Vanishing, and attempts to interview the women. One ignores him, as she has done to the other women when they've met for anniversaries of the Vanishing, one isn't sure, but the Principal Keeper's wife, Helen, is keen to talk. So we gradually find out what really happened. Although the book is quite well-written and fast paced, I can't say I really enjoyed it - I didn't find the characters particularly likeable, or convincing, and there are a couple of strange loose ends too, which I wonder if the author left to deliberately keep up the air of mystery? Obviously I can't say too much for fear of spoilers, but I think my overall verdict would be disappointing. The monotony of the routine on the light was evoked very well, especially as the keepers could see the mainland and the lights of their own homes on the mainland, as was the atmosphere and descriptions of the sea. The ghost story element felt a bit contrived though, and just didn't really feel that convincing. 6/10

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"False Value" by Ben Aaronovitch - this is the 8th book in the Rivers of London series and whilst I enjoyed it and it had some good moments I found it a bit too technical at times. It starts with Peter seemingly in a new job at a tech company, has he left the police? Fear not, all is soon revealed and he is in fact undercover at the firm to try to find out what exactly they are up to, mainly on the secretive, no-go area which is the top floor. Eventually he manages to access the restricted area and it looks like the billionaire owner is trying to develop an advanced form of Artificial Intelligence. cue lots of destruction and subterfuge, as Peter and his old team of police colleagues, and of course his boss, Nightingale, get involved. There are also a few new characters, and less of the Folly this time round as, due to renovation work, Peter is staying with his girlfriend Beverly Brook. An enjoyable read but not quite as good as the others in the series. 7/10

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On 24/05/2022 at 3:17 PM, Madeleine said:

An enjoyable read but not quite as good as the others in the series. 7/10

That's how I felt about it too! Looking forward to digging in to the new one though :) 

 

On 11/05/2022 at 2:51 PM, Madeleine said:

"The Lamplighters" by Emma Stonex

I've been tempted to buy this a couple of times but I have seen reviews similar to yours before - that it's a bit disappointing, especially in regard to the loose ends. 

 

On 15/03/2022 at 12:07 PM, Madeleine said:

"The Seal King Murders" by Alanna Knight

This one sounds good! Another one I'll be adding to my list :lol:

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"Celebrations at the Chateau" by Jo Thomas - this was Jo Thomas's offering last Christmas (she usually has a Christmas themed book, and then one in the summer) so I'm a bit late to the party, but I fancied a change from crime and something light and fluffy, and you can't get lighter and fluffier than this. You can guess how it's going to end just by reading the blurb on the back, but here goes. Fliss and her sisters are bewildered when they find they've inherited a chateau in Normandy from their grandfather, whom Fliss shared a cottage with after his wife died. Fliss is between jobs - due to her dyslexia, she tends to do more physical jobs, such as waitressing at the local cafe in the seaside resort where she lives, and acting as a car park attendant in the beach front car parks, however now the season is over and it's decided that, as she has no work lined up until the Christmas season when she helps out at local pubs or hotels, she should be the one to stay and try to sort out the legal mess that they find themselves in, for not only is the chateau a money pit, but there is also a sitting tenant, in the form of Charlotte, who they must pay a month allowance, not to mention a huge tax bill. The locals are also very hostile, including the local farmer, who is also the mayor, and Charlotte's grandson - you won't be surprised to learn that Fliss can't help being attracted to him; her on/off boyfriend Ty is currently teaching snowboarding somewhere else in Europe. When a stranded couple whose car has broken down turn up, and are put up for the night, the idea of turning the chateau into a bed and breakfast takes root in Fliss's head - next thing, she's organising a stay for one of Ty's surfing friends, then a group of classic car enthusiasts, and finally she is asked to organise a wedding at the chateau - all this of course with no legal requirements like fire certificates, inspections etc - a quick nod from the mayor and she's up and running. Meanwhile her relationship with the mayor is looking more hopeful, except for his estranged wife, who wants to be chatelaine instead. It all bowls along to an entirely predictable ending, despite a few hiccups along the way - again, you can see them coming a mile off, and everything seems to be breezily put right. This was an improvement on last summer's "Chasing the Italian Dream", and is fine as a bright, quick read, and I'll probably carry on reading her books, though she still has the habit of constantly repeating the plotlines, such as what shall she do about Ty, and she must get the wedding right! We never really find out how Fliss's grandpa managed to buy a chateau - where did the money come from? -and the reasons as to why the chateau was closed down, which resulted in the hostility from the locals, is flimsy at best. Fine for a light read. 6/10

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On 4/19/2022 at 1:47 PM, Madeleine said:

Cuthbert's Way by L J Ross - this is the latest in the DCI Ryan series, and carries straight on from the previous book, The Shrine. The artefact recovered at the end of that book was not the correct item, however the police want to keep this secret as several people, including one of their own, have died trying to keep this fact from the perpetrators. However it soon becomes obvious that the deception is no longer a secret, and Ryan, as head of the investigation, and now a new father, finds himself and his family in danger. It seems that someone is obsessed with St Cuthbert and his mythology (although he really existed a cult has grown up around his story) and will stop at nothing to get all the relics. So Ryan finds himself on a personal mission, to rescue those closest to him and keep everyone else safe. this book was much longer than the previous books in the series, and I felt it was better for it - more character and story development, rather than the slightly rushed feel I always get from the others. One of the best books in the series, although you do need to read the previous book first. 8/10

I've been eyeing LJ Ross. I listened to part of one of his books on Audible (a freebie) and though it seemed like it was developing into a terrific story  it was so horribly descriptive of the torture inflicted on a young woman that I had to stop. Are they all like that?

 

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On 5/24/2022 at 10:17 AM, Madeleine said:

"False Value" by Ben Aaronovitch - this is the 8th book in the Rivers of London series and whilst I enjoyed it and it had some good moments I found it a bit too technical at times. It starts with Peter seemingly in a new job at a tech company, has he left the police? Fear not, all is soon revealed and he is in fact undercover at the firm to try to find out what exactly they are up to, mainly on the secretive, no-go area which is the top floor. Eventually he manages to access the restricted area and it looks like the billionaire owner is trying to develop an advanced form of Artificial Intelligence. cue lots of destruction and subterfuge, as Peter and his old team of police colleagues, and of course his boss, Nightingale, get involved. There are also a few new characters, and less of the Folly this time round as, due to renovation work, Peter is staying with his girlfriend Beverly Brook. An enjoyable read but not quite as good as the others in the series. 7/10

Ah, I was wondering which girl would be considered his girlfriend. :)

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"Murder in Chianti" by Camilla Trinchieri - this is the first in a new series about Italian/Irish/American cop Nico Doyle, who has moved to his late wife's home town in the Tuscan Hills. He was fired from his job in New York, and has decided to move to Italy to be near his wife's only relative, her cousin Tilde, who runs a restaurant where he helps out occasionally. His new life is interrupted by a gunshot one morning, on investigation he finds the body of a man in nearby woods, and so he finds himself helping out the local detective, who's only ever dealt with one murder in his career. A cast of characters soon emerges - the Italian cop and his wife, Tilde and her family, various locals, and a stray dog who Nico takes in, who is quite a character in his own right! There's plenty of gorgeous food and scenery - a visit to San Gimignano for example - and although it took me a while to get into the book, I did enjoy it and look forward to the next one. this easily falls into the cosy(ish) Eurocrime category, and would appeal to readers of M L Longworth's Provence series. 7/10

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The Mystery of the Lost Cezanne" by M L Longworth - this is the 5th instalment of this series, and the 2nd one I've read, I've gone back a bit in the story arc of the relationship between Judge Antoine Verlaque and his girlfriend, Marine Bonnet, who at this point have reached, it would seem, a bit of a tipping point. However Antoine is distracted when an elderly retired postman is found murdered in his flat, amid rumours that he was in possession of an unknown painting by the artist Cezanne, who is synonymous with Aix-en-Provence, where this series is set. Cue a trip across country as Antoine heads for Paris, and becomes involved with a stunning American art historian, who is also a prime suspect. And is the painting a real Cezanne, which is questionable. And the painting might not be the only thing that's fake either. After a slow start, with a couple of sluggish chapters involving a tenant's meeting, and Verlaque's cigar club, the book picked up - both the meeting and the cigar club do have a part to play - and I enjoyed it, finding it a fast read, with plenty of food, wine, and a bit of humour. there are also some flashback chapters to what might have led Cezanne to paint this particular work, if of course he really did paint it! I'd have liked some author's notes on the background, but apart from that this was an enjoyable, easy read. 7.5/10

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On 1/13/2022 at 8:37 PM, Madeleine said:

A Cotswold Christmas Mystery by Rebecca Tope - I haven't read a book captions this site in this long-running series for a while, and things have moved on quite a bit for house-sitter Thea, who is now married to Drew Slocombe, a local undertaker who she presumably met through her 2nd job (her first is house-sitting) as an unofficial detective!  No house-sitting in this book, instead Thea, Drew and his 2 children from his first marriage (he's a widower) are getting ready for Christmas and awaiting the arrival of Thea's daughter from her first marriage.  Trouble breaks out when a local woman, who is a friend of Thea's, goes missing, and when the body of the local landlord, on whose land the woman and her family were tenants, is found dead in very suspicious circumstances, things don't look too good for Thea's friend.  So Thea and her stepdaughter, 10 year old Stephanie, decide to try to find out what is going on.  Not surprisingly this ruffles a few feathers, not least from the dead man's wife and her daughters from her first marriage.  It's an easy enough read, but  I didn't find the way it was told primarily through the eyes of a child very convincing, this child was more like 10 years old going on about 50!  Other things didn't make sense either, mainly that surely if the dead man had been electrocuted, wouldn't there have been marks on his body?  So a comfort read for Christmas, but nothing particularly special. 6/10

 

 

The Dead of winter by Nicola Upson - this is the 9th book in the Josephine Tey detective series, I've read the first one but not the others, however this works perfectly well as a stand alone novel. it's set at Christmas 1938, war clouds are already looming but it's business as usual for Hilaria St Aubyn, the chatelaine of St Michael's Mount in Cornwall, who organises a charity Christmas house party to raise money for child refugees from mainland Europe. One of the invitees is none other than Marlene Dietrich, and others include Josephine Tey and her partner Marta, and her friend, Det inspector Archie Penrose. One murder occurs before the guests have even arrived, we know who the culprit is, but another brutal murder takes place on Christmas Day, and the horror struck guests and villagers, cut off by a blizzard, have to somehow keep safe whilst Penrose carries out what investigations he can. This was a short, enjoyable read, well-written with believable characters, although the denoument felt a little rushed. 7.5/10

thanks for review <3

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The Cove" by L J Ross - Gabi is working in London as a literary agent when, following her firm's Christmas party, she is attacked on her way home by the "Tube Station Killer" who pushes her onto train tracks.... she survives but the ensuing trauma results in her leaving her job, and her relationship with her fiancee also breaks down, so when she sees an ad for a manager to run a bookshop in a tiny Cornish village she applies, and of course gets the job and finds herself in a little community, which resolves around the bookshop and it's cafe - bliss, and she soon starts a relationship with the requisite local hunk. But one night she witnesses a terrifying incident, then her cottage is broken into several times, and it looks like someone is trying to either drive her out of the village, or drive her mad, or worse, put her in physical danger. To say anymore would be giving too much away, this was an enjoyable read and although the whole premise is slightly unlikely it works as a summer holiday read. This is the first in a new series of summer suspense novels by the author of the DCI Ryan series, and has the author's trademarks of gorgeous scenery, strong heroines, and slightly dark humour. 7/10

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"The Path to the Sea" by Liz Fenwick - this book is set in 3 time zones, and tells the story of 3 women - at the start of the book Joan, the grandmother is dying and her daughter and grand daughter, Diana and Lottie, return to the family home of Boskenna, in Cornwall, to be with her and her husband. We get Joan's story from 1962, of how she and her husband and young daughter were based in Moscow during the Cold War, returning to Cornwall for the summer holidays. Diana was 8 at the time, and in 1962 a tragedy occurred which meant that mother and daughter spent years away from Boskenna. However Diana started to return when Lottie was small, but then another tragedy happens in 2008, after which Lottie doesn't return until the 3rd segment of the story, in 2018. We gradually get the back stories of the 3 women, and find out what really happened in August 1962. It's a story of secrets ,deception, quite a few lies (some told for the right reason, at the time anyway), and the mistakes that humans make, again sometimes for what they think is the right reason at the time. It was an easy book to read, enjoyable though I did find Lottie rather annoying! And it did seem to tie up a bit too neatly at the end. But Liz Fenwick's books are always enjoyable, easy reads, with lovely settings. 6.5/10

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ne August Night by Victoria Hislop - This is the sequel to Victoria's first book "The Island", which was a massive success several years ago. If you haven't read that, then beware of spoilers in this review. The book starts by going back to the events which happened at the end of the first book - there was a large party to celebrate the return of several former leprosy patients from Spinalonga, the island to which they'd been effectively quarantined for several years. But treatment and a cure for this awful disease has now been found, and those lucky enough to recover are returning, including Maria, whose fiance, Manolis, has been having an affair with her married sister Anna. The book ended, perhaps somewhat predictably, with the love triangle playing out tragically when Anna's husband shot and killed his wife. The new book picks up the story from this point, with the husband being quickly arrested and jailed for life, Manolis leaves Crete for the mainland port of Piraeus, and the couple's little girl is adopted by Maria and her husband. And that's pretty much it really, the story covers several years though these years pass in something of a blur; but not much really happens apart from little Sofia growing up into her teens, and her adoptive parents wondering how much they should tell her about her background, and Manolis builds a new life in Piraeus, working in a ship repair yard. But apart from that, this feels more like a slice of life, and the characters don't really develop that much. Maria is so saintly that she even says herself that she is not an angel, but she does come across as too good to be true. As it's a short book, I wonder if it was specially commissioned, but a slight twist at the end does possibly indicate that there's room for another sequel. Disappointing. 5/10

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