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40x40

ClareR (6250 KP) rated The Spoiled Heart in Books

May 26, 2026  
The Spoiled Heart
The Spoiled Heart
Sunjeev Sahota | 2024 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I’ll be honest, I’m not too sure how to explain The Spoiled Heart, but I will say that I can’t understand why Sahota’s books aren’t more widely known and read. This is the second book I’ve read (The China Room being the first), and I will be reading his two earlier novels at some point!

Nayan is a man with a past: he loses his son and mother in a senseless fire (an arson attack), and turns to activism in his local Trade Union after the collapse of his marriage. He’s a caring man who. Looks after his father with dementia, even though they’ve always had a very tense relationship.

When he decides to run as the trade union General Secretary, Megha decides to run against him, even though she has far less experience and comes from a very affluent background. Nayan also starts a relationship with Helen, an old schoolfriend of his sister, who has a teenaged son.

There’s a lot going on in this - more than I could possible tell you in this short review (and why wouldn’t you read it instead?!), so I won’t!

I liked that it was written from the perspective of Sajjan, who is investigating what happened to Nayan and his own family’s involvement. This gripped me from the off. It’s a novel with big topics, big feelings and big reveals!
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2589 KP) rated Murder Most Scenic in Books

Oct 16, 2025  
Murder Most Scenic
Murder Most Scenic
Liz Milliron | 2015 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Meet Jim and Sally in These Short Stories
This volume collects the six short stories that Liz Milliron wrote with her Laurel Highlands characters before the first novel came out. This is where we first meet Trooper Jim Duncan and assistant district Attorney Sally Castle. And this is where they first meet as well, so we get to watch as their relationship slowly develops. Along the way, they find the killer of a politician’s wife, figure out who killed a baseball player, and solve the case of a brewery contestant murdered the day before the contest. There’s also one story that focuses on Deputy Coroner Tom Bruns, a supporting player in the series.

I don’t read short stories often enough, so it was nice to do so with this collection. A couple of them were a little obvious, but several of them fooled me with the final twist as well. I was glad to finally get the backstory to Jim and Sally and watch the early stages of their relationship. Do keep in mind these aren’t the cozies I often read. Fans of the novels who want to see how the characters first met will be glad they picked up this book. And if you haven’t met the characters yet, don’t wait. Now’s the time to jump in.
  
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ClareR (6250 KP) rated This Motherless Land in Books

Nov 23, 2025  
This Motherless Land
This Motherless Land
Nikki May | 2024 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This Motherless Land is a modern day retelling based loosely on Mansfield Park. Instead of the differences between a poor working class girl and a rich upperclass family, TML shows the differences between family split between Lagos and Somerset.

Funke is by no means from a poor family in Lagos, in fact quite the opposite. Instead of ‘just’ class (as in Mansfield Park), this novel shows the attitudes and racism towards Funke, and the class they perceive her to be based on that racism, when she is sent to live with her grandparents in England. Instead of the love and support she needs and deserves, her family are detached and racist. Her cousin Liv is the only one who makes an effort, and they form a special relationship as children. But even this relationship isn’t safe, and after a misunderstanding, Funke faces more tragedy.

I loved this book. Told over three decades, I really got to know the characters (although I could have really done without ever knowing Funke’s English aunt). There are emotional highs and lows for Funke and her family. Grief and loss are central themes. I loved the cultural contrasts between Nigeria and England and the way they were described - these countries are worlds apart.

I was RAGING at some parts of this book - such was the frankly excellent writing. I was all in!!
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2589 KP) rated Broken Trust in Books

Mar 27, 2026 (Updated Mar 27, 2026)  
Broken Trust
Broken Trust
Liz Milliron | 2020 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Will Jim & Sally’s Relationship Survive This Case?
Jim has been called to the scene of a murder in the office of a local mining company. The victim is Lonnie Butler, a friend of his – in fact he and Sally helped Lonnie get the job just a few months ago. Despite the fact that Jim’s sister and her two kids are coming for a visit, Jim can’t help but keep investigating. Unfortunately, one of Sally’s current clients has come up as a suspect in the case. She doesn’t feel she can share what she knows without crossing ethical lines, so she starts trying to figure out what really happened to Lonnie. Will the case come between them? Will they still be able to find Lonnie’s killer?

The mystery was good, with strong suspects that kept me engaged even when I began to suspect where the mystery was going. The wrap up was strong. The relationship issues were a very strong subplot. While one small aspect made me roll my eyes, the main issue was well done. I like that they both made mistakes and were both right, and their friends called them out for it. Meanwhile, I hadn’t realized how much Sally needed a friend until she got a new one here. If you haven’t read this book yet, you are in for a treat. Trust me.