Nicki's book blog

Ottercombe bay- Bella Osbourne- 3* Daisy is in Ottercombe bay to attend the funeral of her great Uncle. She finds out that he has left her something in his will, however there are strings attached. Daisy is a wanderer and doesn’t like to be tied down having been travelling on and off since university. Will the bequest change her and make her put down roots for once? I was really enjoying this… and then it stopped. Just like someone had ripped out half of the book. I felt had! I would happily have given this four stars but reduced to three due to this. For me it’s OK to lead into a sequel, but this wasn’t that way in my eyes. It was just getting going nicely and stopped. Disappointing. For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/ or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

A Spell in the Country- Heide Goody + Iain Grant- 4*   I loved this, such an entertaining read. Think witches at school and then a wonderful finale. There are different sorts of witches as we all know. Dee is a good witch but wants to be better. She works in a charity shop for an animal rescue centre as she has a soft spot for even the “ugly” animals that no-one wants. Caroline in her own words isn’t “just a witch” she is “ a frickin’ awesome witch”. Jenny however is a bad witch who has her own invisible imp- Jizzimus who gets up to all sorts of mischief- of course he does, he’s an imp! They have all met a Chugger who has “sold” them three weeks on a free self development course. Too good to be true? They have crossed paths briefly and now on the course realise they all have one thing in common- witchcraft. This is one of those books that you can’t help but smile at from the start. Antics as you would expect when a little magic is at hand, but there is also another plo

Coming soon....... another 5* read from Ross Greenwood. I finished this last night and all I will say is wow.... I sat with my jaw on the floor...... Preorder here: Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/AbelsRevenge-RossGreenwood-AmazonUK Amazon US:   http://bit.ly/AbelsRevenge-RossGreenwood-AmazonUS (out 31st March)

Murder in the Garden- Faith Martin- 4* Another highly enjoyable read with DI Hillary Greene at the helm. At the end of the last book Superintendent Mallow was shot on the steps of the police station after a sniper had been caught a few weeks beforehand. This book starts with DI Hillary Greene’s return to work. An elderly man has been found dead in his garden, having been hit over the head with his garden spade. He had no enemies and his only adversary of sorts was over how successful his plants and vegetables were. Meanwhile Mallow’s widow and previous sargent to Hillary, Janine, is pregnant and not happy with how the investigation into his death is progressing- or not. Now a DI she wants to step in and get things moving. As ever Faith gives the reader wonderful characters and a good solid story line- or two in this case. I enjoy following Hillary’s career and the murders she solves. Remind me never to retire to Oxfordshire! For more reviews please see m

The Last Laugh- Tracy Bloom-5*   A stunning rad that you won’t forget. Jenny has a secret. A big one. One that is going to affect her family in all sorts of ways and she doesn’t know how to tell her husband let alone the kids. Her husband also has a secret which Jenny finds out about unwittingly adding to her angst. A book of ups and downs, highs and lows and one to make you think about your own life and how you live it. This draws you in as you so feel for Jenny and her predicaments and makes you really think “if it were me….. what would I do”. Characters wonderfully portrayed that you can’t help but admire them. A brilliantly written book written with sensitivity and poignancy, with a look at life from a very different perspective.  If you t hink you have problems- read this and it will put everything in perspective. “Live life with hope”. Tracy you have a talent- I very much look forward to your next book. For more reviews please see my blog http:/

Cut the Threads- Robin Roughley  4* Robin plunges the reader straight into the action, no holds barred in this story of a rather gruesome murder. Who is the man and why has been so brutally attacked? A world of extortion and a boss no one knows the name of. Kidnapped girls, a dodgy solicitor and rackets left right and centre, Fortunately DS Marnie has a strong stomach and nothing will put her off tracking down the perpetrators. Short snappy chapters keep the pace moving and there is plenty going on right from the start. Characters with depth that you take to -or not as the case maybe, but so well written that you could see this as a TV drama. Robin has the knack of bringing a story to life and characters you can believe in. This is a rather gory tale in parts with twists along the way yet handled so well. Marnie has her own demons. Will she ever put them to rest? Another wonderfully told story from the master of crime stories, every one has a depth so lacking in m

A Country Escape- Katie Fforde 5* I always look forward to a Katie Fforde book. Even before I have read the first page there is the anticipation of that feel good factor along with a wonderful story line, larger than life characters and a smile along the way. This one didn’t disappoint me in any of those aspects. Fran lives in London working as a chef. She vaguely remembers as a child going to a farm and seeing the cows. She gets a letter from a solicitor saying that a distant relative has gone into a care home and that she is to try and run the farm for a year and then might inherit it. How is a chef going to run a farm when she hasn’t a clue where to start? And who is the neighbour that the relative hates so much? Brilliantly written from the word go. Wonderful characters that you take to (or not in one case!) and scenes that you can easily picture. Whether you live in London or rurality, this book will bring a smile. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Hiding- Jenny Morton-Potts-4*   Rebecca lives with her two siblings with her grandparents as their parents died in a car accident. She does some research and can’t understand why her name is not the same as theirs was. Keller makes his last journey to the prison where his father has been incarcerated and then travels to England to find out more about a family he has known about for a very long time. Two separate stories of two very different lives. This is a well written novel that took me a while to get into but once I did I really enjoyed it and wanted to know what the connection was. Jenny gives excellent character portrayal especially to the main pair. Rebecca you take to easily, Keller you have to wonder what his intentions are and are more and more suspicious as the plot thickens. I couldn’t see where this was going- at all which to me shows how well it has been planned and written. To me it was more of a crime book (albeit with a psychological

The Little Cottage on the Hill- Emma Davies-5* A wonderfully uplifting enjoyable read to make you smile. Maddie arrives from London to take up her new position as Development and Marketing manager for a set of rural cottages and business area. Her designer clothes and London presence of mind are far from the dilapidated, rundown buildings and mud strewn area she arrives to. Add to that a boss who doesn’t want her ideas as he firmly has his own and fireworks are likely to happen. Emma always delivers. Characters so well described that you wish that you had them as neighbours or friends. A plot that although you may think you know where it is going, you aren’t quite sure how it will get there. An interesting story with wonderful descriptions to leave you with a smile. For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/ or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

Living in the past- Jane Lovering  5* Think Time Team crossed with the Time Traveller’s Wife, a little romance and a little humour. Oh and a bit of detective work thrown in the mix.  Don’t get me wrong - this is wonderful mix of a book that works really well. Nothing if not unique! Grace lost the love of her life two years ago. Her friend has asked her on an archeological dig to try and get her back in the real world. Duncan McDonald has a reputation for being grumpy to say the least, and Grace stands up for herself, much to Duncan’s surprise and admiration. When one of the group go missing, Duncan turns as white as the proverbial sheet when the police arrive-apparently he was there when a similar thing happened years beforehand. In 2000 BC a young boy is being treated by Hen, the healer of the tribe who with her necklace and insights helps the tribe whilst loving her man and boy from a distance. This is a brilliantly written book that kept me turning

Briguella- Vicki Fitzgerald- 5* This is a very different crime/psychological thriller. Written from two points of view in the first person it gives wonderful descriptions from each side in mostly alternating chapters. this to me gave it a very personal feel from each perspective and made me want to know more. Kate is a reporter and has her own demons to deal with having lost a baby to miscarriage and a relationship with her husband which has drifted in the meantime. Like any other journalist,  she is keen to get a good story that will put her on the front page. The other side of the story is from DCI Beckley. Two women have been found murdered with the same MO. There are clues that these may not be the first from this killer. Forensics find other details that link the women, unique to these cases. A serial killer is on the loose and the hunt is on. This is a well written book that keeps the pages turning as the plot thickens. Things start to get person

The Scent of Guilt- Tony J Forder- 5* DI Bliss is back in town after a break of 12 years. He moved to another region after losing his wife as part of a murder investigation he was leading. Three older ladies have recently been murdered. Not the usual MO for a murderer. Bliss’s long time friend and colleague DS Chandler is now in Sapphire- a department targeting rapists. Young girls are being attacked in the city and they are no nearer getting the perpetrator. Can Bliss return to his old stomping ground and sort things out? Tony writes with a flair. A flair for getting you into the nitty gritty early on and although an uncomfortable topic this is written in a comfortable way (does that make sense?) that makes you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. Characters with real depth, having a little back story to them so make them “live” on the pages rather than flat, one dimensional descriptions. The arguments/debates between Blis

Captor- Anita Waller- 5* Anita has a talent, a wonderful talent with words. From the very first chapter you are drawn in to the main character and although in a way little happens in that chapter-it is a scene setting scenario- you know enough that you want to know more. Liz has had an affair whilst her husband was away with work for a few weeks. The result is Jake, her baby. She is only occasionally in touch with Phil as she finished the affair as soon as her husband was back home. It now appears that Phil has left his wife and neither of them have heard from him. When Jake, her son by Phil is taken, this is only the start of her nightmares. Please don’t see this as “just another snatched child” tale, it is so much, much more than that. A tale of feelings and memories, of heartache and woe. I thought I knew who Captor was…. and was right however this doesn't spoil the rest of the book one bit. Anita has struck gold again in my eyes (I have never re