Nicki's book blog

  Evil on the Island by Stewart Giles- Crime When a man is murdered in a house on a very well to do street in Guernsey, detective Liam O’Reilly has a couple of suspects in his sights. When the man’s neighbour is then killed this throws rather a curveball. Speaking of which a ball is then involved in the next murder, to the next neighbour along the road. What on earth is going on?  I have a huge issue with Stewart’s books- I devour them and want more! There’s just something special about them- a very well thought out plot with numerous twists and likeable characters. This is one of a series and probably stands alone- but why miss out on other brilliant, equally captivating reads? These are the reads that I could quite happily do in one sitting if real life didn't get in the way. An ingenious plot and one where I couldn't work out as to whom the perpetrator was until it was revealed. A thoroughly entertaining gripping read. Hurry up with the next one!  For more reviews please fo

  Fast-paced, devious and twisty - the pages turned themselves! I loved it!'  - Liz Mistry ----------------------------- Price to Pay by Dave Sivers The more you have, the more you have to lose… Following an arrest that went wrong, leaving her disfigured and her life in ruins, DCI Lizzie Archer transferred to Buckinghamshire’s Aylesbury Vale, hoping to rebuild her confidence, her career and her life. Eleven years later, she’s happily married, her career is back on track, and she has friends she would trust with her life. But things can change in a heartbeat. Meanwhile, her friend and colleague, DI Dan Baines, has worries of his own as the long shadow of the serial killer known as the Invisible Man continues to hang over him. When the chance comes to finally get answers to some troubling questions, he is almost afraid to learn the truth. Because sometimes the reality can be worse than your imagination.  Soon after receiving unsettling threats from local criminals, an old flame makes

  The Fall by D.E White- Crime Three seemingly innocent victims jump or are pushed from a bridge onto a motorway. DC Dove Milson and her partner, a paramedic,  were on their way back from a much needed holiday in Cornwall when they saw it happening. There is a link between at least two of the victims and the bridges. One is still alive, hanging on, just, but not well enough to be able to tell them anything. There’s a tenuous link to a deceased member of Dove’s family which doesn't do anything to aid her own recovery. What is the connection and was this deliberate, an accident or murder?  A brilliant premise that had me hooked from the beginning. This is one of a series but happily stands alone. Dove is a very likeable character who has her own issues and life which provide a little backstory but nothing to detract from the main plot. A clever balance, which to me, is one of the skills of a seasoned author. It’s aptly done and rather different from the usual crime plots as there are

  The Holiday by John Nicholl- psychological thriller Suzie and her husband George are off to Tenerife on holiday. George is the good looking loud brash sort rather different to quiet introverted, religious, modest Suzie. Suzie has won a large amount of money but due to George’s gambling and debts won’t let him get his hands on the money for fear he may lose it all. Suzie has had a couple of miscarriages and George, who really doesn't want a family, doesn't understand her pain or why he can't get his hands on the money. He complains bitterly about pretty much everything. When Suzie chats to a woman who was on the same plane, she thinks Amelia may know George as he has also been known to more than flirt with other women even whilst married. Can the couple work things out when they are poles apart and who is Amelia really? This is another brilliantly written piece of work, and one that very much kept me turning for “ just another chapter”. Had real life not got in the way, I

  The Lost Letters of Evelyn Wright by Clare Swatman -Women's fiction  Oh wow! Another belter of a read from Clare. Beth has recently moved into a new house which required doing up, since divorcing her husband who now lives with his new partner in their old home. They have two young children and Beth naturally hates it when they are away from her, and even worse when they are with his new partner. Starting to spruce up the house, Beth discovers some old magazines and letters which are to and from an agony aunt in the 1950’s called Evelyn. Through these her now narrow world expands to horizons she never thought possible when she first moved. This is the story of how a few words on a page can make a difference to someone's life and maybe even shape the future. I’m smiling while writing this. It's that sort of book that makes you look at your own life, perhaps wistfully at times, and what could have been done differently however it possibly turned out right in the end. We got

  Death at Lovers' Leap by Catherine Coles- Cozy crime (Standalone book in a series) Set in post war England this tells the story of a murder in a village called Westleham and some of the people around it. Martha, having discovered a murderer in the next village a while ago has got herself a reputation for sleuthing so when she discovers a young man's body under a local bridge she decides to investigate. Her reputation isn’t helped by the fact that she likes the vicar Luke, which wouldn't be so much of a problem if her husband hadn't gone missing during the war so technically she is still married and even when she can divorce him after a number of years, a divorced woman could never marry a vicar. This is book three in the series but happily stands alone- I hadn't read the others. Martha, with Luke, is well placed to hear gossip and through this discovers more than the police which makes for a charming, old fashioned mystery investigation. I liked Martha and Luke a

  The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey - General fiction    A book I knew from the start I was going to thoroughly enjoy. If you were around in the late 1970's/early 1980’s you would possibly remember where you were around the time of the Yorkshire Ripper murders. They shook the whole country to the core and this elusive serial killer evaded police for a long time. Miv is not yet a teenager but thinks she has a wise head on young shoulders. She and her friend Sharon decide that if the police can’t find him then they may as well have a go themselves and so begins the list. This tells of what childhood and life was like at the time. Children went out to play with no form of communication just “ be back before it's dark”. There was a community around them who cared as well as a few who didn't and as Miv’s friend Ishtiaq knows there was the beginnings of racism brewing. Miv tells things as it is. She lives with her father and Aunt as her mother is ill and goes away t

  Death at St Jude's by Mary Grand-cozy crime Set on the Isle of Wight this tells the story around the head teacher of the local school falling from the church tower when he was up there watching bats. Lawrence was afraid of heights and always locked the door behind him when he went up and stayed in the centre of the tower so as not to go near the crenelated edges. He had not long told the committee of an unpopular decision so was his death an accident? Susan, who helped find a murderer previously, is well placed to hear gossip in the local village and thinks this is no accident. This is the second in the series but happily stands alone, I hadn't read the first one. I really enjoyed this. It's a good plot with lots of red herrings and potential suspects. I liked Susan. She’s astute and sharp and finds things out without being overbearing in other people's lives. There is a great sub-story in Susan's personal life which merges well. If you enjoy a light-hearted crim

  The Colour Of Mystery by Joy Ellis- Crime Another treasure of a read from the master of storytellers that is Joy Ellis. Ellie is now working at the centre with Michael jointly owned by both of them thanks to Carole’s legacy. Alice, a doctor who is also Ellies partner, helps out when required and is happily doing her research again thanks to Carole. Their main patient is a young man who had a severe head injury and is struggling with his Azimah syndrome. Unlike when Ellie was diagnosed, Jake has been severely depressed and needs a full regime of medication to get him through the day even though his tests are all normal. There are news reports of people being murdered by people who had such good reputations, who for years helped these people, so why would they murder them and then become almost catatonic in that they say very little, or something that isn't relevant “ would you like a cup of tea” and cant help the police at all. Ellie gets hints from beyond the grave that her help

Frank and Red by Matt Coyne- General Fiction A treasure of a read with more than a story- one of my books of the year. 10* if I could  Franklin lost his wife a while back and has been living next to an empty house which suited him as it was quiet. The neighbours on the other side got him his shopping as he hasn't been further than the garden gate since. One day he hears a noise and finds a young boy bouncing on a trampoline, just what he didn't need, his peace is now shattered. Add to this, the other neighbours have gone away without telling him and his day is really made- not! Frank has been seeing his wife Marcie as a sort of a ghost. Occasionally she gets mad at him for his curmudgeonly ways and disappears for a few days. They have a son, who sadly blames Frank for not telling him that his mother was dying- something which was Marcie's choice and now they are estranged. Red, the young boy is curious about Frank and gets him talking and so sparks an unlikely friendship, o