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ClareR (5674 KP) rated Caledonian Road in Books

Sep 16, 2024  
Caledonian Road
Caledonian Road
Andrew O'Hagan | 2024 | Contemporary
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I loved Mayflies, so I was really looking forward to Caledonian Road - and I wasn’t disappointed. There are a variety of characters, from the extremely well-off to those living in council flats and struggling to get by. This is a “State of the Nation” story, and it lays out just what that state is. From the Russian oligarchs and landed gentry, to slavery, inequality and crime. People have far too many secrets, until, that is, the media get hold of them.

Caledonian Road shows the repercussions of Covid and Brexit (none of it positive), and how those with money think they can get away with whatever they want to.

There are characters that you can really get your teeth in to, many of them rather unpleasant. The main character, a university academic called Campbell Flynn, is struggling with his life. He grew up working class in Glasgow, and has married in to minor aristocracy. He likes to think that he hasn’t lost touch with his origins - but has he?

There’s a lot going on in this novel - too much to write here - and you’re really better off reading it for yourself! It’s a chunk of a book, but it sped by. I loved it.
  
The White City
The White City
Grace Hitchcock | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Religion, Romance
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Characters (3 more)
The Plot Line
True Crime Elements
Writing Style
Fantastic Debut!
I am a lover of true crime, historical fiction, suspense and romance. I mean a huge lover of all of them. So, when I saw that this was the best of all of those worlds, I was ecstatic. This is a debut novel from Grace Hitchcock and let me tell you what. The detail she includes in this story, made me feel like I was right there in the center of the World’s Fair, following these awesome characters, and reaching an ending that left me wanting another story just like it.


Winnie and Jude’s characters are wonderful! I loved them so good. The detail with which Hitchcock created the scenes that Winnie saw, and went through, and how Jude fell for her, was awesome. I felt like I became Winnie and fell for Jude instantly. Jude was a sweet soul and Winnie was absolutely full of spunk and sass!

The real life serial killer aspect woven into the story was incredible. I had no idea about that time period having someone like that, and it really made the story that much more captivating. The twists and turns of the roller coaster story, seeing Winnie going “undercover” to prove to her Police Chief father that she was right, was fantastic and had me reading this book and finishing it in a 24 hour period.

If you love historical novels, love the thrills of a great suspense story, and enjoy reading a God-filled romance book, then look no further than this 4 star debut. Ms. Hitchcock has extreme talent and is sure to be on the best sellers list before long! I sing the praises of this story loudly and can’t wait for the next book from this talented author, as well as another incredible installment in this new series from Barbour!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
  
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Midge (525 KP) rated Pie Hard in Books

Mar 16, 2019  
Pie Hard
Pie Hard
Kirsten Weiss | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Great Cozy Read!
I have come to adore cozy novels in recent months, so I jumped at the chance to read this delightful little mystery. What could be a better setting than a beautiful, picturesque little town in coastal California with a gorgeous pie shop! This is the third book in the Pie Town Mystery series by Kirsten Weiss, the first book being ‘The Quiche and the Dead’ followed by ‘Bleeding Tarts.’

Valentine (Val) Harris’ pie shop, ‘Pie Town’ is struggling, however, when Val’s quirky business partner and pie crust expert, Charlene, allows a reality television crew from the show 'Pie Hard' to film the shop, it seems that things might be about to change. If Val can tolerate criticism from an abrasive pastry chef during filming, the free publicity might turn the unusual opportunity into the sweetest deal she didn’t know she needed.

When the show’s bossy producer, Regina Katz, gets pushed to her death, Val and Charlene, once again, turn crime-solvers in the hope of finding the killer. Val needs to stay cool long enough to solve the crime and keep ‘Pie Town’ from falling apart, or else she just might go up in smoke before she ever graces the small screen.

For anyone, like me, who hasn’t read the first two books of the series, Kirsten Weiss, without being too overt, provides plenty of back-stories. Written in the first person, the characters in this novel were a scream and I particularly liked Val and Charlene’s interaction. I really enjoyed the easy-to-read writing style, the plot and the pace of the book.

All in all, “Pie Hard” is a lighthearted, lovely read, that combines mystery, thrills and murder and mayhem.

I'm looking forward to reading the first two books of the series with, hopefully, more to come!

[Thanks to #NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC of #PieHard in exchange for an honest review.]
  
TW
The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy, #2)
Marie Rutkoski | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.3 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
Dear <i>The Winner's Crime</i>,

You remind me of <i>Revenge.</i> Just... more fun.

Lady Kestrel is like Emily and the emperor is like Victoria or Veronica or whats-her-face, and her words are so carefully plotted, her moves so masterfully calculated - I've pretty much decided to not make an attempt to predict you. I find that not predicting sometimes is more fun and more enjoyable.

You are like any other movie or TV show consisting of royalty - espionage, drama, tension, gossip, the like. But I like you, and I enjoyed reading you. Kestrel is clever, but so is the prince and Arin and almost all the other characters in this novel. Yet, I still enjoy it. I enjoy the lies and deception, the drama and tension in the palace as Kestrel's wedding day gets closer and closer.

Thus, I find you more a guilty pleasure read. I find you such a guilty pleasure, I don't want to rate you, because if I do, it'll be a high one for sure. I can't high-five you - you're on a hold shelf already and that's just a fatal flaw of libraries, but it's a great feeling because someone else can enjoy the fabulousness of what you are. Then you'll be placed on a shelf somewhere else, or on a hold shelf again, traveling to another reader and then another, and your older sibling will repeat the same process.

And when your younger sibling comes around, s/he will be doing the same thing. In fact, it'll be your fault - you left everyone at a cliffhanger and all of us are demanding to know how this story will unfold.
<div style="text-align: right;">Sincerely,</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">Sophia</div>

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-winners-crime-by-marie-rutkoski/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
The Distant Dead
The Distant Dead
Lesley Thomson | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The protagonist in this novel is Stella, but there are multiple storylines going on in this book. Stella is a quite complicated character, she has a lot of things going on in her life. It does not help that while running from her past life she stumbles onto a murdered true-crime podcaster. And once again she gets involved with another investigation. The characters of this book are very interesting personalities, and I was very curious to know more about them. And there is a very wide variety of characters, so sometimes it can be a little difficult to remember who is who.

The beginning of the book was quite slow and confusing for me. This book carries two separate investigations, the one going on in 1940 during WWII, and another investigation happening at the present day. I would have liked more suspense in this book, the culprits were quite easy to guess, but I enjoyed the interactions between the characters while solving both of the crimes. I especially liked the investigation that happened in the 1940ies, I loved reading about that era and the description of West London was very intriguing and educational to me. Also, I really liked to see how different police work was compared to the present day, and I did feel annoyed with the police ignoring the obvious. 😀

The writing style of this book was very enjoyable and well researched. I liked the different settings and atmospheres as well. The chapters have medium length, but it did not leave me bored. As I mentioned before, the ending of the book was quite predictable, but I liked how this book was rounded up. Even though this book was part of the series, I was able to read it as a stand-alone.

So, to conclude, it was a cleverly written crime story, filled with a very wide variety of different and intriguing characters as well as the murder stories that were different but very entwined.
  
TE
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
206 of 235
Kindle
The Echo Killing ( Harper McClain 1)
By Christi Daugherty
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When a murder echoing a fifteen-year-old cold case rocks the Southern town of Savannah, crime reporter Harper McClain risks everything to find the identity of this calculated killer in Christi Daugherty's new novel The Echo Killing.

A city of antebellum architecture, picturesque parks, and cobblestone streets, Savannah moves at a graceful pace. But for Harper McClain, the timeless beauty and culture that distinguishes her home’s Southern heritage vanishes during the dark and dangerous nights. She wouldn’t have it any other way. Not even finding her mother brutally murdered in their home when she was twelve has made her love Savannah any less.

Her mother’s killer was never found, and that unsolved murder left Harper with an obsession that drove her to become one of the best crime reporters in the state of Georgia. She spends her nights with the police, searching for criminals. Her latest investigation takes her to the scene of a homicide where the details are hauntingly familiar: a young girl being led from the scene by a detective, a female victim naked and stabbed multiple times in the kitchen, and no traces of any evidence pointing towards a suspect.

Harper has seen all of this before in her own life. The similarities between the murder of Marie Whitney and her own mother’s death lead her to believe they’re both victims of the same killer. At last, she has the chance to find the murderer who’s eluded justice for fifteen years and make sure another little girl isn’t forever haunted by a senseless act of violence—even if it puts Harper in the killer’s cross-hairs…


This was really good I enjoyed it. I did catch on to the killer early on but it was still a really good read. Characters were interesting and the storyline was good. Looking forward to more.
  
A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes, #1)
A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes, #1)
Brittany Cavallaro | 2016 | Mystery, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.2 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you’re a fan of re-tellings then you will love A Study in Charlotte, a contemporary novel that follows the lives of a new generation of Sherlock and Holmes. Jamie Watson’s life is turned upside down when he is sent to a boarding school in Connecticut that just so happens to be close to his father’s house. The same man that got remarried and Jamie hasn’t spoken to in years. Despite his protests Jamie finds himself at this new school and longing for London. The one bright spot? Charlotte Holmes, whose accent makes him feel like home and won’t give him the time of day. As the only Holmes around his age, Jamie has been dreaming about Charlotte since he learned her name. He wonders what she looks like and imagines blonde hair, creating fantastic stories in his head of their crime solving adventure and friendship reminiscent of the original Sherlock and Holmes. His dreams aren’t exactly grounded in reality and it turns out that she has dark hair, but he’s not fazed. He manages to become friendly, if not friends with Holmes.

Charlotte and Jamie are wonderful, contemporary versions of their counterparts with familiar attributes while still being their own unique characters. Charlotte has a problem with narcotics, plays the violin and can usually be found with her beakers and test tubes (hopefully not blowing anything up). Jamie wants to be a writer, is a decent rugby player (despite what his scholarship might lead you to believe) and is braver than he thinks. Their best-friendship is appealing and realistic, despite Charlotte’s unique outlook on how to treat other human beings. You fall in love with the characters, whether you relate to Charlotte, Jamie, a little of both, or maybe one of the other supporting characters – you’ll find yourself enjoying this novel.

Each character even has a well thought out backstory that we learn more about throughout the course of the novel. What events and mistakes lead to Charlotte being sent to a boarding school in Connecticut when she should be in England? If a Moriarty and narcotics are involved, then you know it’s going to be intense – especially when the famous crime family isn’t particularly forgiving. Jamie’s story is less thrilling but no less important to his character. Not everyone is as they appear, some have secrets, some don’t always make the best choices, but it all drives the story forward. The book is full of poison, explosions, spying, chases and other staples of great mysteries.

The book has a lot of nods to classic Sherlock and Watson adventures and sometimes outright mentions them. As a huge Sherlock fan, from the classic novels of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to the modern BBC creation – this book was perfection. I loved how it felt like a new story featuring some of my favourite characters and it kept you guessing until the end. The action and plot were well paced, allowing the story to unfold like a mystery should. Don’t worry, Moriarty’s were included in the writing of this story.

Highly recommended to young adult/teen fans of mystery, contemporary, or the classic Sherlock Holmes novels. I fell in love with this series and can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
  
The Outsider
The Outsider
Stephen King | 2018 | Thriller
8
8.7 (31 Ratings)
Book Rating
The characters, the writing, the plot, the subtext (0 more)
Grabs you, then lets you go for a bit at the beginning. Blame my attention span (0 more)
From the Inside, Out
Contains spoilers, click to show
This book opens like an episode of “Law and Order: SVU” not suitable for primetime.
A gruesome crime, involving a child (and complete with elements of cannibalism) is committed. The alleged murderer, damned by seemingly undeniable forensic proof, is then very publicly apprehended. And then the twists and turns begin. Though eyewitnesses also put beloved schoolteacher Terry Maitland at the scene of the horrific crime, the accused was actually at a conference in another city, where he was seen on camera no less. Then comes a series of events that threatens not only the man’s quality of life but his very existence.

The novel then expands into a whodunnit with a notably creepy character, a morphing being known as the Outsider. As the true perpetrator of this and other crimes against children and their families, he is at once very human and very otherworldly.

This novel is set in the southwest, which is an unusual departure for Stephen King. Therefore, the descriptions of places were perhaps a bit less detailed and authentic than I would have liked. But having lived in San Antonio, I can say he did a pretty good job and the scenery offered certainly didn’t detract from the story.

In some respects, the monster in the Outsider echoed back to Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. The descriptions of the constantly morphing Outsider character had an eerie element. In the end, the flesh of the outsider consisted of nightmarish worms. And there was a particularly nasty substance he used to morph into his intended victims, some unidentifiable black substance which seems the stuff nightmares are made of. Appropriate, since he went around “eating sorrow” like some unhinged emo kid. Leaving entire families in his wake with his vile need to satiate himself. In his default shape, he resembled a man with “straws for eyes” which is haunting, but not nearly as terrifying as some of King’s other humanoid villains.

This book had several scenes that are now ingrained in my memory. The scene that stole the show for me was when bereaved Arlene Peterson, the victim’s mother, pours funeral leftovers on her head before ultimately succumbing to a heart attack. But the arraignment scene was definitely one that offered more action and intrigue than previously seen in the book. Chaos is one of the things King does best, and this section was remarkable. The book up to this point dragged a little, but the arraignment reigns as a pivotal point that brings many horrors sharply into focus.

I especially enjoyed the murder mystery elements of the book, as I am a sucker for a good detective story. Holly, an investigator who worked with lead detective Ralph Anderson, was my favorite character. Throughout the novel, she is depicted as smart, shrewd, and socially inept. She is also a tad obsessive-compulsive, which I related to on a personal level.

Throughout, the book seems to focus on the dual nature of man, especially in the concluding scene. It seems every man in his lifetime, by choice or fate, wears more than one face. The Outsider was a quality thriller and mystery. It is at once mysterious and devastating, and a testament to the tenacity of the human spirit.
  
***The first book in a bestselling new serial killer series***

Holly Wakefield works for the NHS as a criminal psychologist specialising in serial killers. She has particular reason to be good at her job - but she keeps that to herself.
When DI Bishop from the Met Police approaches Holly to investigate a recent killing, Holly is horrified by the dismembered bodies and the way they have been theatrically positioned. More shocking still is when the pathologist reveals this is not the first time she has seen these mutilations. It means a serial killer is out there, and they're going to kill again - soon.
Holly is used to chasing serial killers. But this killer has something in common with Holly that she's kept hidden for as long as she can remember. And for the first time since she was a child, Holly is forced to face the darkness of her past...

The first thriller in a gritty and gripping new crime series starring forensic psychologist Holly Wakefield.

This is a great début novel from this author and I am already wanting to read the next one!
When Darkness Calls is a serial killer book told from the point of view of the Criminal Psychologist Holly Wakefield; which is a nice change.
This is a really gripping page turner of a story.
I really liked the 2 main characters of Holly and Bishop; they were totally believable and can't wait to see how they develop.
I love the fact the author touched on the dark and gritty and wasn't afraid to go there as it helps set the tone of the novel.
This book has lots of twists and turns and will keep you hooked throughout.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be reading more from this author.
Highly Recommend!!

Thanks to Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. This is my honest voluntary review.