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Undercurrent
Undercurrent
J.A. Baker | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
211 of 250
Kindle
Undercurrent
By J.A. Baker

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

Phoebe and her disabled husband, Martyn, move into a new house in a village on the edge of County Durham. They plan to lead a quiet existence, a set up that suits them both.

Then Anna, who lives over the road and is bored of spending her days alone, seeks friendship with Phoebe and events take a dark turn.

Phoebe has secrets and is haunted by her past and Anna's arrival in her life may prove to be the catalyst for her undoing.

What is Phoebe hiding and why are she and her husband so reclusive?

When Anna gets caught in a storm and is rescued by Phoebe the truth becomes apparent and Anna is thrown into danger.

Is there a difference between madness and evil?

Some friendships can be murder.


Brilliant! I loved it from start to finish! So well written and kept you interested from the first word to the last. This has to be one of my favourite books that I’ve read in 2021! The story follows a woman with a dark past moving to a small village things soon start going wrong.
  
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ClareR (5686 KP) rated The Stranding in Books

Jul 27, 2022  
The Stranding
The Stranding
Kate Sawyer | 2022 | Contemporary, Dystopia, Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have serious feelings about this book, and I’ll start by saying that I would give this ALL the stars if I could.

Ruth tries to ignore the bad news going on in the world. She goes to work, moves in with her boyfriend, realises he’s not who she thought he was, has a short-lived affair, ends it with the boyfriend and decides to go travelling.

So Ruth is on a New Zealand beach with a complete stranger when the worst thing that could happen, does happen. They hide inside the carcass of a recently dead whale, and when they re-emerge onto the beach, everything is changed.

This is told in alternate chapters of before and after, and shows the stark difference between the two times. It also shows what’s really important in a life: the human drive to survive and love.

Honestly, I’m so desperate for other people to read this, that I don’t want to give too much away, so that you don’t lose that element of surprise and the joy tinged with sadness when you turn each page. It really did make me think about what’s important in my own life.

The Stranding was just an absolute pleasure to read.
  
The Lamplighters
The Lamplighters
Emma Stonex | 2021 | Contemporary, Horror, Thriller
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Lamplighters is a locked room (lighthouse!) mystery, which had me gripped up to the last page. How could three men go missing from a tower lighthouse, with no way off back to land. There’s no boat, no-one visited them - and what’s more, the lighthouse is locked from the inside when the investigation team arrive.

This is a mystery that affects their wives and partners even 20 years later. A writer contacts the three women and asks them to cooperate with him as he writes a book about the mystery. It seems that all three women held back secrets during the original investigation - but will the uncovering of these secrets make any difference?

The Lamplighters is told in flashbacks, alternating between the present day with the women, and the lead up to the disappearance with the men in the lighthouse. The lighthouse chapters in particular are seriously atmospheric, threatening, even. I had so many ideas as to what could have happened, my opinion changing constantly as more information was revealed. I didn’t guess the actual ending though, even after I’d described the basic storyline of the book to my husband, and he got it in one (note to self: do not discuss mystery books with the husband, AKA “Dr” Poirot…)

Highly recommended.
  
Bakeries and Buffoonery (Magical Mystery Book Club #4)
Bakeries and Buffoonery (Magical Mystery Book Club #4)
Elizabeth Pantley | 2023 | Mystery, Paranormal
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!


The snapdragon inn is the setting of a cozy mystery book club with a difference they get transported into the stories to find out whodunit!


This time they are trying to find out who hates cake so much, in the town of Frosting that they have caused chaos, mayhem, and murder. Can they do it before the next murder happens?


This is such a delightful series they really are a pleasure to read. Elizabeth does such an amazing job at pulling you into the story as if you are one of the characters and I must say I am rather fond of all the characters, I'm sad we've lost one but happy for her circumstances and hope we do find out how she gets on.


Although this is a series I personally think you could read it as a stand-alone, but it's much more fun reading the series as you get to find out more about everyone.


I highly recommend and give 5/5


** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

 

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *