Homo Britannicus: The Incredible Story of Human Life in Britain
Book
Chris Stringer's Homo Britannicus is the epic history of life in Britain, from man's very first...
A Year in the Woods: The Diary of a Forest Ranger
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Colin Elford's A Year in the Woods is an enthralling journey into the heart of the English...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Cold Christmas (Antonia Hawkins #4) in Books
May 10, 2020
Cold Christmas is the fourth in the Antonia Hawkins series but only the second I have had the pleasure of reading. I read the first in the series, The Advent Killer, and found that to be very satisfying and it has been nice to catch up with DCI Hawkins and her team and although I think this works well as a standalone, in order to appreciate the main characters, I do think reading at least one of the previous books would be a good idea because although you get some of the backstory, you don't truly appreciate or understand DCI Hawkins motivations without previous insight.
From the cover and the title, you might think this would be a Christmas story but you would be wrong ... what we have here is a dark thriller written at good pace with intrigue abound and excellent characters. The method used by the killer to murder his victims is ingenious and not one I have come across before which made a nice change and with a good mix of investigation into this complex case and into the equally complex personal life of DCI Hawkins, this is, once again, a satisfying read ... well, that is until the end ... oh Mr Gunn you are mean!
Despite this, I will be reading more from this author and I want to thank Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.
The Book of Longings
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In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, Sue Monk Kidd takes an audacious approach to history and...
The Red Lotus
8.0
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Flight Attendant comes a twisting...
Royal
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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - In this spellbinding tale from Danielle Steel, a princess is sent...
The Sixth Man
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Andre Iguodala is one of the most admired players in the NBA. And fresh off the Warriors' fifth...
Magna Carta: The Birth of Liberty
8.5
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The Magna Carta is revered around the world as the founding document of Western liberty. Its...
The Island of Missing Trees
10.0
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It is 1974 on the island of Cyprus. Two teenagers, from opposite sides of a divided land, meet at a...
Historical Fiction Magical Realism Literary Fiction Cyprus Turkey London
Uptown Oracle (24 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Jan 13, 2018
The book follows all 4 of the students who were in detention. They're stereotyped as the brain, beauty, jock and the criminal. But they are also so much more. The character arcs show how much they change in the weeks after the murder. One of Us is Lying also shows us insights into who they really are and the differences between public and private personas.
The characters were also likable and realistic. Unlike Pretty Little Liars, they dont do stupid things which will put themselves in worse situations. Their problems were also relatable, and their relationships felt real. Some of the issues tackled are social media usage, depression, sexuality, abuse, etc. There's so much packed into one book due to the vastly different characters involved.
The mystery of the book was so interesting and I didn't see it coming. It seems kind of obvious in hindsight, and I know a lot of people did guess. But I very rarely read mystery style books, and I often don't focus too much on the clues. That's my excuse for not figuring it out anyway.
Overall I really loved the book. There was exploration of different societal themes. The writing was good. Characters were likable and interesting. An all round good read. I would definitely recommend.
I received One of Us is Lying* by Karen M. McManus as an e-book from the publisher, Penguin Random House, via Netgalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Uptown Oracle Reviews
