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Carol
Kirkwood: The Hotel on the Riviera
Published
21st July 2022 By the sapphire blue waters of the French Riviera, a decades-long secret is about to be revealed… Wayward
Greek heiress, Ariana Theodosis, inherits the Hotel du Soleil as part
of a mysterious legacy. Captivated by its faded glamour, she hopes it
offers her the chance to start again. Hotelier
Gabriel du Lac’s family have owned the hotel for decades – and he has
no intention of giving it up for a beautiful stranger. Madame
du Lac has watched the rich and famous pass through the doors of the
hotel for almost half a century, and she has kept its secrets too. As the past finally catches up with them all, will this summer reveal a forgotten secret, and change their lives forever…?
Carol
Kirkwood is my all-time favourite weather presenter - she's bright,
she's bubbly, she's vivacious, she has a keen sense of humour and a
brilliant personality - that doesn't mean she can write novels, does
it? Well, actually, yes it does. Because The Hotel on the Riviera is a
cracker! I'm an incurable romantic, and I spent many years in my early
teens reading romantic fiction both in the form of novels and in the
form of picture strip stories in my sister's weekly comics and the
various superb teen magazines on the 1960s, when every issue contained
articles and pictures of my favourite singers, jazz bands etc. The
Hotel on the Riviera is set mainly in 2009, with occasional
scene-setting flashbacks to the mid-1980s, and it presents a cornucopia
of characters in various shades from outright bad to very good. It's
not easy to fall for Ariana Theodosis, she is flawed, but for me the
best character, and at the same time the nicest, is Elissa, who
reminded me of Satine in Baz Luhrman's Moulin Rouge - although she
doesn't actually go down Satine's route, and maybe she's more like
Fantine in Les Miserables, as she's hell-bent on caring for her
daughter? EIther way, although Ariana is the lead character, and
Gabriel the lead male character, for me the underlying plot of Elissa
and Stefan eclipses them and confirms the fact that the book is in
reality a fairy tale, with good vs evil and plenty of tension and drama
thrown in for good measure. This is complete escapism and will satisfy
a need for a good strong romantic novel to read during the summer days.
It will transport you from the tedium and fears caused by the cost of
living crisis coming hot on the heels of the pandemic, because it's not
our reality, it's the reality of the rich and the famous, many members
of which are name-dropped into Carol's novel. This is her second novel,
sorry, Carol, I missed the first one, and it reminds me of the
brilliant skills of the late, great Georgette Heyer. I thoroughly
enjoyed reading The Hotel on the Riviera - the book is attractive to
look at, and ideal fayre for a hopeless old romantic like me. I loved
it, and I'm already looking forward to Carol's third book.
S K Tremayne: The Drowning Hour
Published 23rd June
2022
The unputdownable new psychological thriller from S
K Tremayne, the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The
Ice Twins
A
hotel brimming with wealthy guests
Surrounded
by the Blackwater estuary, The Stanhope hotel sits on a beautiful
remote island. Tonight is the grand reopening, and organiser Hannah
watches the guests with pride.
Celebration
leads to tragedy
But
as drinking descends into debauchery, drunken revellers wade into the
water, unaware of the treacherous tide at The Drowning Hour.
They are never seen again.
Fear
becomes phobia
Tormented by a terror of water, Hannah is stuck on
the island over winter. Whispers about That Night begin to circle.
Someone knows what really happened in The Drowning Hour – and Hannah
isn’t safe…Gripping, atmospheric and twisty,The Drowning Hour is
perfect for fans of C.J. Tudor and Ruth Ware.
Reminiscent of The Shining, The Drowning Hour is
crafted perfectly, with just the
right amount of flashback and the suggestion that there is always more
to Hannah's background and the various people involved in this terrific
mystery than meets the eye. There's also a hint of Agatha Christie as
the drama gets played out with fewer and fewer people left on the
island. A terrific, riveting summer read!
Alan Johnson: One of Our
MInisters Is Missing
Published 1st September
2022
A
government minister in the foreign office has vanished into thin air.
On holiday in Crete, Lord Bellingham had been solo trekking in the
White
Mountains when he mysteriously disappeared. After a vast search and
rescue operation, the local police have no leads, save for a mobile
phone discarded on a cliff edge. Assistant Commissioner Louise Mangan
of the Met Police is sent to assist in the
investigation but soon discovers that there are more layers to this
case than the local police realise. Lady Bellingham is less than
forthcoming, the family nanny is hiding
something, and a scandal is brewing back in London that could destroy
the minister's reputation for good. Under pressure from the powers that
be, can Louise find the missing minister, or will she discover
something much more sinister at play?
Having
conquered the autobiography market a couple of years ago with the final
instalment in his trilogy, Alan Johnson now turns his sights on the
humble thriller, with a better than most, superbly written crime caper
involving government officials and dirty family secrets cropping up all
over the
place. Absolutely superb!
Karin Slaughter: Girl, Forgotten
Published 23rd June
2022
A
girl with a secret…
Longbill
Beach, 1982. Emily Vaughn gets ready for prom night, the highlight of
any high school experience. But Emily has a secret. And by the
end
of the evening, she will be dead.
A
murder that remains a mystery…
Forty
years later, Emily’s murder remains unsolved. Her friends closed ranks,
her family retreated inwards, the community moved on. But all that’s
about to change.
One
final chance to uncover a killer…
Andrea
Oliver arrives in town with a simple assignment: to protect a judge
receiving death threats. But her assignment is a cover. Because, in
reality, Andrea is here to find justice for Emily – and to uncover the
truth before the killer decides to silence her too…
C S
Green: The Whisper House
Published 21st July
2022
The
incredible new
novel from C.S. Green – featuring Detective Rose Gifford. Something
terrible happened in that house… A house with a history. A boy with a
grudge. And a detective who will
stop at nothing to get to the truth. Gregory knows something is wrong
with his house.
His parents don’t believe him, but he can feel it – and he’s
frightened. DC
Rose Gifford is called out after neighbours report a series of
disturbances at the property, and she can feel it too. She knows
Gregory and his family are in danger, and she knows that it will be
down to her specialist supernatural crimes team to uncover the
truth.Something terrible happened at number 42 Wyndham
Terrace. And it’s Rose’s job to find out what. A twisty, clever read
for fans of Ben Aaranovitch and Jane Casey.
I
still find it hard to believe that such a dedicated squad, tasked with
investigating supernatural crimes, exists, but it's jolly hokum, well
written and with excellent characters going about their bizarre
business. When I was around fourteen years old and well into Dennis
Wheatley, this kind of thing would have been top of my reading list. If
you're prepared to suspend disbelief for a few hours, which I was happy
to do, then this will see you in good stead for an interesting summer
read.
Patricia Cornwell: Autopsy
Published 7th July
2022
Kay Scarpetta is back, and this time she’s right in
the path of danger…
World-renowned
forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta and her husband Benton, a
psychologist with the US Secret Service, have returned to Virginia.
They are headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic
world that’s been torn by civil and political unrest.
Just
weeks into the job, Scarpetta is called to a railway track where a
woman’s body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the
spine. But the trail of clues will lead Scarpetta back to her own
neighbourhood.
At
the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top-secret lab in outer space,
endangering the scientists aboard. Scarpetta is summoned to the White
House to find out what happened. As she starts the new investigation,
an apparent serial killer strikes again, this time dangerously close to
home.
I
do like the Kay Scarpetta novels, but I can't help but think that
they're starting to be written to a formula. I much prefer the
British crime novelists, I have to say, although Patricia COrnwell is,
for me, the best of the US crime novelists.
E
V Adamson: Murder Grove
Published 4th August 2022
A
gripping new thriller with a killer twist!
Two
bodies. Thirty years. And a secret that connects them both…
1990
A woman’s body is found brutally murdered in the woods, and next to it,
a shallow grave hiding a terrified young girl.
2021
When
Mia and Rich move to an eco-village in Spain, they’re looking for a new
start. Val Verde is everything they wished for – at least to begin
with. But when someone is murdered in an olive grove, Mia realises the
village isn’t the safe haven she was hoping for…
There’s a killer in
the village – and they’ll stop at nothing until they get
revenge…
Shades
of Death in Paradise, but the setting isn't quite as glamorous or
appealing...
Hans
Rosenfeldt: Cry Wolf
Published 4th August 2022
A DEAD WOLF
A
DRUG DEAL GONE WRONG
A
LETHAL FEMALE ASSASSIN
Hannah
Wester, a detective in the remote northern Swedish
town of Haparanda, finds herself on the
precipice of chaos.
When
human remains are found in the stomach of a dead
wolf, Hannah
knows that this summer won’t be like any other. The remains
are
soon linked to a bloody drug deal that went down just across the border
in Finland. But how did the victim end up in the woods outside
Haparanda? And where have the drugs and money gone?
Hannah
and her colleagues are soon caught up in an increasingly complex
investigation. But time is scarce and they aren’t the only ones looking.
When
the secretive and deadly Katja shows up, unexpected and brutal events
start to pile up. In just a few days, life in the
border
town is turned upside down. Not least for Hannah, who is
finally
forced to confront her own past.
Scandi
noir at its absolute, riveting best...
Frances Mensah
Williams: The Second Time We Met
Published 1st August
2022:

With
another chance at love, what could possibly go wrong?
Recovering
from heartbreak, unlucky-in-love events manager Cara has vowed to avoid
relationships. That is until fate throws her into the path of handsome
and kind Henry, who is worlds apart from the men she’s dated before.
Unfortunately, this encounter is short-lived when Cara misses her coach
home―and with it, any chance of seeing him again.
But
fate is not finished with the mismatched couple. When Cara quite
literally bumps into Henry a second time at a work event, the run-in
leaves them with feelings instead of bruises, and they can’t wait
another day before seeing each other again. Yet it soon becomes clear
how deeply different their worlds are: Cara’s drama-filled African and
Caribbean family couldn’t be further from Henry’s family of wealthy
lords and ladies.
With
interfering relatives, problem friends, and an inconvenient
ex-boyfriend attempting a comeback, everything seems stacked against
the two new lovebirds. This is no straightforward love story―Cara and
Henry will have to get creative with romance if they stand any chance
of beating the odds to win their happy ever after.
The
Second Time We Met is
a hilarious and heartwarming romance, perfect for anyone who believes
in second chances.
L
J Ross: The Creek
Published
4th August 2022
YOU
CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE...
YOU
CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE...
Kate
Irving arrives at her grandfather’s cottage at Frenchman’s Creek in the
dead of night with her young son, a small suitcase and little else. Its
scattered community of fishermen, farmers, artists and jetsetters
barely bat an eyelid, because theirs is a rarefied world, tucked
beneath the lush forest that lines the banks of the Helford Estuary,
deep in the heart of Cornwall, where life is slow and people generally
mind their own business. Unless, of course, your grandfather happens to
be a pillar of the local community…
Kate’s
left the past behind and guards her privacy and her son fiercely. She’s
wary of accepting the friendship her new neighbours offer, but their
kindness is too great to refuse and she begins to feel she has found
her place in the world. That is, until tragedy strikes, and her new
friends look to her for the answers…
Kate
soon learns that the past always catches up with you, in the end―the
question is, will she be able to face it, when it does?<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
Suspense
and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced
mystery, set amidst the spectacular Cornish landscape.
Sarah
Goodman Confino: She's Up To No Good
Published
1st August 2022
For
two women generations apart, going home will change their lives in this
funny, poignant, and life-affirming novel about family, secrets, and
broken hearts by the author of For
the Love of Friends.
Four
years into her marriage, Jenna is blindsided when her husband asks for
a divorce. With time on her hands and her life in flux, she agrees to
accompany her eccentric grandmother Evelyn on a road trip to the
seaside Massachusetts town where much of their family history was
shaped.
When
they hit the road, Evelyn spins the tale of the star-crossed teenage
romance that captured her heart more than seventy years ago and changed
the course of her life. She insists the return to her hometown isn’t
about that at all―no matter how much she talks about Tony, her
unforgettable and forbidden first love.
Upon
arrival, Jenna meets Tony’s attentive great-nephew Joe. The new
friendship and fresh ocean air give her the confidence and distance she
needs to begin putting the pain of a broken marriage behind her.
As
the secrets and truths of Evelyn’s past unfold, Jenna discovers a new
side of her grandmother, and of herself, that she never knew
existed―and learns that the possibilities for healing can come at the
most unexpected times in a woman’s life.
Elly
Griffiths: The Locked Room
Published
4th August 2022
Ruth
Galloway and DCI Nelson are on the hunt for a murderer when Covid rears
its ugly head. But can they find the killer despite lockdown?
'GALLOWAY
NOW SEEMS AS REAL AS MARPLE AND MORSE' The
Times
'SET IN DIVINE NORTH NORFOLK. INTENSELY ATMOSPHERIC AND GREAT' India
Knight
Ruth
is in London clearing out her mother's belongings when she makes a
surprising discovery: a photograph of her Norfolk cottage taken before Ruth
lived there. Her mother always hated the cottage, so why does she have
a picture of the place? The only clue is written on the back of the
photo: Dawn,
1963.
Ruth
returns to Norfolk determined to solve the mystery, but then Covid
rears its ugly head. Ruth and her daughter are locked down in their
cottage, attempting to continue with work and home-schooling. Happily,
the house next door is rented by a nice woman called Zoe, who they
become friendly with while standing on their doorsteps clapping for
carers.
Nelson, meanwhile, is investigating a
series of deaths of women that may or may not be suicide. When he links
the deaths to an archaeological discovery, he breaks curfew to visit
the cottage where he finds Ruth chatting to her neighbour whom he
remembers as a carer who was once tried for murdering her employer.
Only then her name wasn't Zoe. It was Dawn.
Cara
Hunter: Hope To Die
Published 18th August 2022
Midnight.
A call out to an isolated farm on the outskirts of Oxford.
A body shot at point-blank range in the kitchen.
'One of the finest crime writes we have' Mark
Billingham
'Fawley
is back and better than ever' Shari
Lapena
'Emotionally
riveting, taut, and suspenseful' Karin
Slaughter
It looks like a burglary gone wrong, but DI Adam Fawley suspects
there's something more to it.
When
the police discover a connection to a high-profile case from years ago,
involving a child's murder and an alleged miscarriage of justice, the
press go wild.
Suddenly Fawley's team are
under more scrutiny than ever before. And when you dig up the past,
you're sure to find a few skeletons...
The
sixth twisty, up-all-night thriller from the Sunday
Times bestselling
Cara Hunter. For fans of Shari Lapena, Claire Douglas and Lisa Jewell.
Matt
Brolly: The Pier
Published
28th July 2022
DI
Blackwell will do anything to keep her niece safe. And the bomber knows
it.
When
a local school is the target of a bomb threat, DI Louise Blackwell
finds herself embroiled in her most personal case to date. Not only is
her niece among the terrified pupils―there’s also a chilling note
hidden under the device: Next
time you won’t be so lucky, DI Blackwell…
The
explosion of a nearby caravan offers a connection…and a suspect. But
when he hangs himself after interrogation, leaving another note
promising more carnage, Blackwell fears there’s an accomplice.
Could
Tim Finch, a former DCI on remand for attempted murder, be pulling
strings from prison? He certainly seems set on bringing Blackwell down,
if only to derail the case against him. Or could the devious nephew of
Max Walton, the serial killer Blackwell shot and killed, be seeking
revenge on behalf of his uncle?
As
the threats escalate and pressure to solve the case mounts, Blackwell
is sucked into a series of horrific events that reach a chaotic and
terrifying crescendo on Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier. Can she stand
firm against a rival hell-bent on destroying her―or will she fall into
the killer’s deadly trap?
Sarah
Pearse: The Retreat
Published
21st July 2022

Most
are here to recharge and refresh.
But
someone's here for revenge . . .
The new atmospheric locked-room thriller from the author of The
Sanatorium,
the bestselling crime thriller debut of 2021.
This
is a warning for all our guests at the wellness retreat.
A woman's body has been found at the bottom of the cliff beneath the
yoga pavilion.
We believe her death was a tragic accident, though DS Elin Warner has
arrived on the island to investigate.
A
storm has been forecast, but do not panic. Stick together and please
ignore any rumours you might have heard about the island and its
history.
As soon as the weather clears, we will arrange boats to take you back
to the mainland.
In
the meantime, we hope you enjoy your stay.
Ian
Rankin: A Heart Full of Headstones
Published
13th October 2022

John
Rebus stands
accused: on trial for a crime that could put him behind bars for the
rest of his life. Although it's not the first time the legendary
detective has taken the law into his own hands, it might be the last.
What drove a good man to cross the line? Or have times changed, and the
rules with them?
Detective
Inspector Siobhan Clarke faces
Edinburgh's most explosive case in years, as a corrupt cop goes missing
after claiming to harbour secrets that could sink the city's police
force.
But in this investigation, it seems all
roads lead to Rebus - and Clarke's twin loyalties to the public and the
police will be tested to their limit.
A
reckoning is coming - and John Rebus may be hearing the call for last
orders...
The
small print: Books
Monthly, now well into its 24th
year on the web,
is published on or slightly before the first day of each month by Paul
Norman. You can contact me here.
If you wish to submit something for publication in the magazine, let me
remind you there is no payment as I don't make any money from this
publication. If you want to send me something to review, contact me via
email at paulenorman1@gmail.com and I'll let you know where to send it.
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