Nicki's book blog

  The Bookseller by Tim Sullivan- Crime A man is found killed in the flat of his father whom he was checking on after a trip away. George Cross isn't quite like any other detective, he’s one in a million. George has Asperger's which means he sees things differently to others and can't settle until the truth is found- which has made him a highly, if slightly unpopular detective with those that don’t understand him. His father is about to go for an operation and as ever George has numerous questions before he can let it settle. The case has little to go on, but as ever George and team research and find the little things that can lead to cracking the case wide open.  I can't help but love George. He says what we all think without the filter but is slowly learning courtesy of Ottey who is now a DI and George thinks that will be the end of their working together now she has been promoted, but is it?. He is concerned about his father but wants to finish the case and as ever ...

  One Day and Forever by Shari Low- women’s fiction Four threads about different people each facing calamities of one sort or another, the ones that life tends to throw at us to see what we are really made of. Kara is meant to be jetting off to her dream wedding only things aren’t going to plan. TV Star Ollie has just been dealt the final straw with his girlfriend Sienna via video- one that is all over the internet. Alice goes to the funeral of the mother of a past close friend and finds out more than she bargained for and Zac has also had his plans change at the last minute. Can they each finally find some sort of stability they each crave? Shari has a wonderful talent. Not only a great plot but especially of characters that I find myself quickly engaging with and wanting to find out more. This keeps the pages so easily turning and I could easily have read this in one sitting had real life not got in the way. It's a very real life scenario, things we have either been through or kn...

  The Cream Tea Killer by Judy Leigh- cosy crime We are back in Seal bay, this time Morwenna has sadly found the body of a friend she used to swim with. Irina went missing the night before when she was going to meet Morwena to tell her something important and when she didn't turn up Morwenna took things into her own hands and broke into where Irina was staying- as did someone else who Morwenna managed to avoid. Why has Irina been killed and what on earth is going on in quiet Seal Bay? I adore this series. It's always a great plot and wonderful characters. They probably stand alone but why miss out on the rest of a great series? Morwenna and her friends have the right attitude to life as in “one life- live it” and don’t hang around waiting for things to come to them, they grab opportunities with both hands and Morwenna loves her bit of sleuthing. A terrific read with lots of smiles, a great plot and so much more.  For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @nick...

  Family Doctor by J M Dalgliesh - psychological thriller Dr Kelly Murray lives on a remote Scottish Island where she is the GP. Out of the blue she gets a message to say her daughter has been kidnapped and she must do as they say in order to release her. A video of her daughter is attached which horrifies her. Kelly has a past, something few know about and she wishes to keep it that way. Can she secure the safe release of her daughter without having to obey the terrible instructions? Ooooh! I very quickly got into this and found myself wanting more. It's a clever concept, carefully crafted and one to tantalise the reader. I liked Kelly and felt for her predicament. One minute life is normal and the next through no fault of your own you are sent into a tailspin not knowing quite where it will end. What to do or not to do? A very clever, captivating read that kept me within the pages and I really enjoyed it.  For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @nickisboo...

 My books of the year 2024 These are only in the order I read them. All received my special 5** rating, only awarded to books that had that extra special something and were memorable. The ones that were moving, or brought out emotion in an exceptional way. Ones I would, and will more than happily read again.  1. Frank and Red by Matt Coyne  A treasure of a read, one that brought out so many feelings in many different ways. I smiled and I cried.  One with more than just a story. A true gem. Full review: Frank and Red by Matt Coyne 2. Lean on Me by Beth Moran A truly stunning read, one that is inspirational and reflective, one that stopped me in my tracks in a very good way. A feel good read with that something different.  Full review:  Lean on Me by Beth Moran 3. The Day Shelley Wodehouse Woke Up by Laura Pearson A book I didn't want to end and an author whom I'll read without even looking at the synopsis (and I'm very selective as I only have so much time t...

  The Vanilla Killer by Peter Boland- cosy crime   We are back with the ladies of the Dogs Need Nice Homes charity shop and their quest for justice. When a daughter of one of the ladies, Daisy, decides to buy an ice cream van as her new venture, the rest of the gang realise she doesn't know what happened inside this particular van a few months ago. A man was killed and found in the freezer.  The ladies have to investigate to make the way safe for the new ice cream van owner. I adore this series. It's always an interesting twisty plot and the characters, both of the ladies and ones they meet are adorable. There’s Partial Sue as she says it a lot and even Simon Le-bon who is the canine of the group.  A wonderful relaxing read I so thoroughly enjoyed. Can’t wait for the next one from the ladies of the charity shop detective agency.  For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @nickisbookblog ---------------------------------------------------------- P...

  Crossing the Line by Jamie Sinclair- crime (police procedural) Wow! One to keep you right between the pages and more! There’s a fire in a block of flats and a body has been found but DI Keegan is recovering from a heavy night- his divorce papers have just come through. He is paired with  DC Torrance who has been demoted for making a blunder on a case who was formerly a DS. They are the “ Billy no mates” of a team, given the worst case in town, almost literally. Where to start on a case where no-one appears to know anything? When it gets personal Keegan is fighting not only crime but for his and his family's safety. This is a new author to me and by a few pages in, I found myself enjoying the relaxed style this is written in and the beginnings of great characters which developed through the book. There's humour and a grit about Keegan which I couldn't help but like and his relationship with Torrance, both needing to prove themselves for different reasons. This is a truly b...