by Gillian Flynn
What an amazing ride... twists, turns, surprises, revenge, thrilling, it's got the lot. An interesting psychological thriller that had me right into the night. The first half is told through the two characters, Nick & Amy, who are about to celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary. Nick returns home to find Amy missing. There are signs of a struggle and blood has been spilt and cleaned up... all the evidence is pointing to Nick.
This thriller is told in alternating voices between the two... Nicks from the day Amy goes missing, Amy's from her diary entries from 2005 onwards. The two have very conflicting views of their marriage and this builds the suspense.
The second part reveals more and more and is certainly more graphic, using a lot of bad language and graphic details, which I found was over the top and unnecessary, although it was probably portraying the change in personality. The final chapters had me 'oohing' and 'ahhing' as the final twists in the plot came together. When I shut the book... I was exhausted!
by Josephine Pennicott
Once I picked up this book and began reading I could not put it down. Full of intrigue, mystery, murder, fantasy, and a bit of romance thrown in. I read it in a day and loved every minute of it until the last chapter or so when it left me slightly disappointed. I thought I'd worked out the truth of who really killed Pearl, then changed my mind several times throughout the book, only to find out I got it wrong.
The story draws us in immediately when Sadie and her teenage daughter, Betty, have inherited her grandmother's cottage in Tasmania. This beautiful little cottage, Poet's Cottage, has always had writers living in it, and Sadie, who is also a writer, sets out to find out more about her grandmother Pearl's life, whilst living in this small village during the 1930's, and the truth behind her vicious murder, which she will make into a book. She uncovers facts about her grandmother she was not aware of and which are very different to how her mother portrays her. Pearl Tatlow, was an eccentric Children's book author who was very glamorous but lived a very risque life, which didn't please the town folk.
When Pearl was suddenly and viciously murdered, it sent the town spinning with rumours and the murderer was never found. Her two daughters, one being Sadie's mother, were in the yard playing when it happened. Saidies' aunt, Thomasina, unfortunately found her mother's body and said that a devil had killed her. This was because it was believed that Pearl kept a Tasmanian Devil in the cellar to scare the children.
The switch from present day to 1930's was intriguing, particularly as the house was said to now be haunted and Sadie and her daughter had experienced some unusual things going on within the house. They must decide if they should stay and uncover the truth or flee back to Sydney. Having just read Kate Morton's newest book The Secret Keeper it reminded me a little of that story however not quite as good. Having said that, I do recommend it and loved the setting as I've actually had holidays in that part of Tassie and loved it.
by Anthony Horowitz
The game is afoot! How much fun was this book to step back into the life of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. I grew up reading Encyclopaedia Brown and then onto Sherlock Holmes and that started my love of 'mystery murders'. Whether it's Agatha Christie, Poirot, or one of the thousands of detective stories I love them all. Little did I realise that Anthony Horowitz had been the screenwriter for Midsomer Murders, Foyles War and Poirot, featured on ABC television, all of which I adore.
This book, however, was a first Holmes novel for Anthony, who took 8 years to write it. His research and description of the characters and places were excellent and I could picture each scene. It was hard to put down and as always I wanted to find the clues at the same time as Holmes.
Unlike other Holmes novels I have read, this story is written after the death of Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson is elderly, and he is recounting a story, which is most sinister and shocking. After he had written it it was held at his solicitor's vaults until 100 yrs had passed. It is one last portrait of the great Sherlock Holmes. I think he pulled it off very well.
WICKED APPETITIE by Janet Evanovich
After reading all 18 books in the Stephanie Plum series ,by Janet Evanovich I was hoping I'd enjoy this new book Janet recently published, Sept. 2010, unfortunately it was nothing on the Plum series... I didn't laugh out loud!
It did have the same quirky lines and romance tension between Diesel and Lizzy Tucker. It was predictable and I certainly wasn't glued to the pages as I usually am with the Plum series, but it was an easy read.
What an amazing ride... twists, turns, surprises, revenge, thrilling, it's got the lot. An interesting psychological thriller that had me right into the night. The first half is told through the two characters, Nick & Amy, who are about to celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary. Nick returns home to find Amy missing. There are signs of a struggle and blood has been spilt and cleaned up... all the evidence is pointing to Nick.
