February 2024 - The Quick and the Read

Book Review: ‘Unholy Murder’ by Lynda La Plante

Thanks to Compulsive Readers and Zaffre Books for my place on #TeamTennison! It has been a delight to read the Tennison series, following Jane Tennison from her first police job to her role here as a Detective Sergeant. Thanks for my copy of the book for review – opinions are entirely my own.

In this – the seventh in the series – Jane is called in to investigate the death of a young nun found inside a sealed metal coffin by a group of builders developing an old convent. At first, nothing seems amiss – but closer inspection of the body suggests that the woman could have been murdered. As senior police officers try to write it off as a cold case, Tennison is not so convinced and works to uncover the identity of the nun – and how she came to be in the ground.

Book Review: ‘Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You’ by Becky Holmes

I first discovered Becky Holmes on Twitter/X where she has the brilliant and hilarious account, @deathtospinach – a platform she uses to take down some of the sleazier characters who send her messages. She’s funny and sassy and so entertaining, so I was delighted to hear she had written a book. Sign me up for a review copy!

Thanks to NetGalley for granting me a copy to review – opinions, as always, are my own.

In this book, Becky Holmes tackles the topic of online romance fraud – all those ‘Keanu Reeves’ and similar accounts that try to woo unsuspecting women on the internet with the aim of taking money from them. Some of this involved engaging with the scammers themselves, but Holmes also talks to women who have been the victims of such fraudulent activity – and warns against the way that the scammers are getting smarter and harder to resist.

Book Review: ‘Only If You’re Lucky’ by Stacy Willingham

I’ve loved Stacy Willingham’s previous books – all tightly plotted and packed with tension against the backdrop of the sizzling heat of the American South. Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of ‘Only If You’re Lucky’ in return for an honest review – opinions, as always, are my own.

This story centres on a group of four friends who meet at university in South Carolina. The main character, Margot, is fleeing from a tragic event in her personal life when she meets the charismatic and captivating Lucy. An invitation to share a student house follows and Margot, Lucy, Sloane and Nicole find themselves living together and next to a boys’ fraternity house. Before long, Margot’s past starts to surface in ways she never expected – and impacts on her current life and relationships. When events take a dark turn, Margot and her friends need to decide who to trust. But can they even trust each other?

Book Review: ‘Nuclear Family’ by Kate Davies

As a huge fan of Kate Davies novel ‘In at the Deep End’, I was pleased to be granted a review copy of ‘Nuclear Family’ by NetGalley. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review – as always, opinions are entirely my own.

The book opens with Lena buying a DNA kit as a Christmas present for her dad (Tom) and her twin sister (Alison). She thinks it will be fun – plus there was an offer on the kits, so they’re a bargain! However, it forces Tom into the confession that Alison and Lena were conceived using a sperm donor – something that neither were really ready to find out in their thirties. Both respond very differently – but the impact on both is lasting as they reconsider their relationships, thoughts about having their own children and what it means to be family.

Blog Tour: ‘Blunt Force’ by Lynda La Plante

I’m delighted to share my review of ‘Blunt Force’, the sixth book in the excellent series featuring Jane Tennison in her early career – way before her ‘Prime Suspect’ days.

I’m reading this series as part of #TeamTennison – thanks to Compulsive Readers and Zaffre Books for inviting me on to the tour and for my copies of the books for review. As always, opinions are entirely my own.

In this book, Jane Tennison has left Flying Squad and is now stationed in Knightsbridge – not exactly a hub of violent crime in comparison to some of her previous postings! Just as she’s beginning to worry that her career is going nowhere, a brutal murder is committed and Jane joins the investigative team. However, the case is far from straightforward – the victim, Charles Foxley, was a theatrical agent who was well-known, not always above board and had some powerful enemies…