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Gallowstree Lane (Collins and Griffiths #3)
Gallowstree Lane (Collins and Griffiths #3)
Kate London | 2019 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
9
7.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fans of The Wire or Broadchurch will love this.
I didn't realise until after I'd finished this, that it was actually the third in the series - not that it made any difference whatsoever to my enjoyment!
It's a really well told, gritty police procedural, heavy on the character building. In fact I became very attached to these characters: the struggling single parent WPC; the teenaged boys who had become involved in drug dealing; the officer involved with a big operation; the DC investigating a murder. I didn't like the big drug dealer though (which I think was the whole point. He was a man devoid of conscience).
The mothers in this really resonated with me: women trying to do their best , one working long hours and sacrificing time with her baby to be able to provide for him in a job she loves; the other, a woman who risks losing her son to drug dealing and violence. Both women backed into impossible-to-get-out-of corners.
I really, really enjoyed this book, and I'll be buying the first two in the series to read and catch up!!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and to the author, Kate London, for reading along with us!
  
The Most Fun We Ever Had
The Most Fun We Ever Had
Claire Lombardo | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I do love a good character driven novel, and The Most Fun We Ever Had is just that. It’s a big book at just over 500 pages, but I was so engrossed, that it went by in a flash.

This is the story of the Sorensen family: Marilyn and David meet in the 1960’s, fall in love, get married, have four daughters and never fall out of love. Quite unusual for books these days, where marital strife seems to be the norm. Don’t worry though, the daughters more than make up for their parents! Marilyn and David seem to take everything in their stride, even when the teenaged grandson they never knew existed, appears in their lives. They’re master jugglers: they’ve juggled four daughters and all of their problems, and are more than happy to include this young man in their lives. Along with a surprise granddaughter when their third daughter becomes a single parent.

I’ve tried to pinpoint what it is about this book that I liked so much, and I think that its just so emotionally engaging. It’s pretty difficult to read this book and NOT become involved in this family’s lives. It’s enthralling, and a great read for those of us who enjoy being a fly on the wall!

It’s a great mix of humour and emotional turmoil. I loved it!