Sleepyhead by Mark Billingham


Sleepyhead by Mark Billingham
Publisher: Sphere Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

His first three victims ended up dead. His fourth was not so fortunate . . .

Alison Willetts is unlucky to be alive. She has survived a stroke, deliberately induced by a skillful manipulation of pressure points on the head and neck. She can see, hear, and feel and is aware of everything going on around her, but is completely unable to move or communicate. Her condition is called locked-in syndrome. In leaving Alison Willetts alive, the police believe the killer made his first mistake.

Then DI Tom Thorne discovers the horrifying truth; it isn’t Alison who is the mistake, it’s the three women already dead. The killer is getting his kicks out of toying with Thorne as much as he is pursuing his sick fantasy, and as the detective zeroes in on a suspect, he finds himself pushed to his personal and professional limits . . .

When three young women appear to die suddenly from a stroke with no other signs of damage to their bodies and no real prior indicators they were at risk the medical community thinks there might be something else occurring. Only a sharp pathologist notices sedatives in a recent case’s blood and damage to the ligaments on the young woman’s neck. When DI Tom Thorne begins to investigate, he soon is told that the most recent case – where the woman survived but has locked in syndrome – is not the “mistake” but indeed the crowning glory and exactly what the killer has been trying to achieve, Thorne realizes that what appeared to be a fairly standard case is anything but.

I greatly enjoy British Police procedural style of murder mysteries but this first book in a new to me series is slightly different. I admit it took me a while to get used to the slight jumping around in the perspectives – usually an author stays fairly close to one style of telling the story, but this book has quite a few different voices going on. While I admit it definitely added to the story this did take me a little to get used to and grasp what all the different perspectives were on about. I’m not sure this will appeal to all readers, but I would strongly recommend the reader stick with it as the story definitely is worth getting a handle on the narrative style.

I was also pleased that Tom wasn’t all-powerful and made mistakes. A few times I really did wonder if the author had maybe given a bit too much perception to Tom, but I was pleased he got some things wrong and other things right. This seemed fairly realistic to me and helped me connect a bit better with Tom’s character which I admit I struggled with in a few places.

On the one hand the plot is quite straight forward – find the killer who is murdering young women but causing them to stroke out and die. Yet really this book is quite a bit more complicated than that. Tom has a very layered and complex relationship with his colleagues and managers in the police force, and I enjoyed watching him sort some of that out with a few key colleagues throughout the story. Tom also has some unresolved baggage from a life-changing case over a decade ago and while this history doesn’t overshadow the current case and issues – it’s there filtering and shadowing Tom, nevertheless.

I also enjoyed that Tom might need a few home truths really hammered in to him – but when this did occur in the book he finally sat up and took notice. In all I found this book to be well written, intensely plotted and quite addictive to read. I’m certain I’ll pick up the next in the series because I’m deeply curious how Tom will pull up after the events in this case.

A different and somewhat complicated story I felt this was an excellent first book. I can believe the writing style (and characters) might not suit everyone but for readers who like a slightly gritter British police procedural style of story and their stories told in layers and not necessarily in a linear function this is probably a good book to try out.

The Puppet Show by M.W. Craven


The Puppet Show by M.W. Craven
Publisher: Constable
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless. When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of . . .

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant, but socially awkward, civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he’s ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive …

Washington Poe has been suspended from his police duties for almost eighteen months after taking the blame when his final case goes pear-shaped. While it took some time, he has settled down well into his remote croft and picking up odd jobs from the rural locals in his surrounding areas. Poe’s life is different now, but he’s very happy. Until his previous police colleagues urgently reach out to him. Poe’s name has been carved into the latest victim of a serial killer. Clearly there’s a link between the murderer and Poe and no one will rest until the case is solved.

I picked this debut book up on a whim and within about five minutes and the first chapter had settled in for an exceptional read. While on the surface this book isn’t anything too unique (disgraced mid level police officer being drawn back into that world after making his peace and getting out) there were a number of elements that I really enjoyed and found freshly unique to this story.

First up I thought it was very brave and clever for the author to have Poe come in as a Sargant to his previous underling, newly promoted DI status. While this isn’t unique – I felt it gave a good tenseness to the atmosphere. Poe and Flynn clearly have a solid working relationship but there’s also a sense of newness to them as they each get used to the other’s ways in their new pecking order. I thought this was an excellent way to sew in some tension without being cliched or having conflict just for the sake of it. I was also thrilled this was more of an “uncomfortable getting used to the new ways” thing rather than there being bitterness or grudges or something I would have felt far more detrimental to the story.

Another key factor for my really loving this story was Tilly’s character. Incredibly intelligent but equally incredibly naïve I felt Tilly was a lovely breath of fresh air. I also loved how Tilly – more than any of the other characters to my mind – grew and learned throughout the story at a much faster rate than anyone else. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and see how she’s progressed and also how she handles the emotional and mental fall out from both the case and the darker side to policing work which she was exposed to for the first time in this case.

On top of all this, I found the plot to be deeply intriguing – multi layered and strongly believable. All these items plus a great sense of atmosphere and setting made this hands down the best thriller I’ve read in quite a few months and I am very eager to continue with this new-to-me author. I’d highly recommend this for readers who enjoy a slightly grittier British Police Procedural style of murder mystery. The pace and characters do romp along at a good clip but this isn’t a spy/thriller or American style go-go-go action story – but equally the plot and bodies keep dropping at a good rate so I wouldn’t classify this as an easy-paced British mystery either.

With exceptional characters, a deliciously convoluted plot and a stark reality to it I found this book to be a wonderful debut novel, and I am eager for the next in line. Recommended.

A Loser Like Me by Nathan Burton


A Loser Like Me by Nathan Burton
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In the distant future, an ordinary girl from Mars has an extraordinary dream: to be the greatest bank robber the Galaxy has ever known! Experience Beth’s exciting journey first hand as she recounts how she overcame various obstacles and inconceivable odds to finally achieve her unlikely ambition.

If a little planning goes a long way, what happens when there’s a lot of planning?

Beth’s character development was strong and unique. I especially liked her relationship with Rohxann, both of whom complemented each other’s strengths and weaknesses beautifully. No sooner did I think I had them figured out than a new side of their relationship would reveal itself. This kept my interest levels high and gave Beth plenty of opportunities to share every side of her personality with the audience.

I would have liked to see more world building. For example, how did the characters learn Ancient Martian? How had the various species learned that they weren’t alone in the universe? When did people figure out how to travel between Mars and Jupiter so rapidly? These are just a few of the many questions I wondered about as I read. Answering a few more of them would have rounded things out nicely and given Beth even more opportunities to show us how intelligent, resourceful, and cunning she was.

The thriller elements of the plot were exciting and well done. I liked the way Mr. Burton prolonged the mysteries surrounding Beth’s plans until they absolutely had to be revealed. This gave me plenty of opportunities to guess what she might have up her sleeves and why she made certain key career and relationships decisions that she did early on in the storyline. There were a few moments that didn’t quite make sense to me at first, so it was fun to suddenly realize why those events needed to take place later on once I knew more about the big picture.

A Loser Like Me kept me guessing until the end.

Europa by Greig Beck


Europa by Greig Beck
Publisher: Severed Press
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Horror
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

The first mission to Europa—Jupiter’s enigmatic moon—has landed, and humanity’s darkest fears are about to awaken.

For years, mankind has speculated that this frozen world harbors a hidden ocean twice the size of all Earth’s oceans combined—an ocean potentially teeming with life.

Driven by this tantalizing mystery, they venture forth to unlock its secrets. But what they discover in the abyssal depths is far beyond anything they could have imagined.

Nearly four hundred million miles from Earth, their search for life has succeeded. But in their triumph, they overlook the most terrifying truth: what they have found is something far older and more horrifying than they ever could have conceived. Something has been trapped in the dark for eons—watching, and waiting, for them.

Now, the crew stands at the threshold of unimaginable terror, realizing too late that Hell, in its purest form, is cold.

For years mankind has speculated that the vast underground oceans on Jupiter’s moon, Europa, might be teeming with all forms of life. When the first Russian spacecraft to land on Europa loses contact, the American’s aren’t too far behind them. Only the life forms they discover are far older than anyone could have guessed, and they’re very, very hungry.

I have always been a massive fan of the various “monsters eat everyone” style of books and I was delighted by this new addition. Greig Beck has been an auto-buy for me for a number of years and while I find a stronger affinity for some of his books than others, this one is right up my alley and was a delight to read.

While there are definite horror themes in the story, I was pleased the action wasn’t too gorey and there was plenty of plot and discovery in amongst the monsters eating everyone in sight. I feel readers who like mystery/horror/monster books should find this story equally enjoyable as those who enjoy Sci-Fi or space exploration. And this is an absolute must for fans of Aliens – there’s quite a strong theme of that through this book as well.

I did find the set up and execution of this plot and the manner in which the story was told a little different and while I personally found it refreshing, I could understand if it wasn’t every reader’s cup of tea. In the beginning at least there is a little jumping around in the timelines and some different characters perspective, but I was pleased it settled down quite early on and the thrill of the discovery and adventures out on Europa quickly had me turning the pages.

A thrilling – and realistically terrifying – space story where the monsters are quite hungry and humans are not even close to top of the food chain; I found this to be an excellent read and a definite keeper for my shelf. Recommended.

Devil’s Table by Kate Rhodes


Devil’s Table by Kate Rhodes
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A MISSING CHILD
St Martin’s is shrouded in bitterly cold fog when Jade Minear and her twin brother, Ethan, are attacked in a field, late at night. Ethan manages to return home but the shocking events of Jade’s disappearance have rendered him mute.

A LONG-HELD GRUDGE
On a small island where there are few places a child can hide, DI Ben Kitto must battle the elements to search for Jade. When his investigation reveals that the Minear family have many enemies on the island, Kitto grows increasingly worried that Jade is in danger.

A KILLER HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT . . .
Meanwhile, someone on the island knows exactly where the girl is. Someone with a deep-seated hatred of Jade’s family. To find the truth, Kitto must investigate the lives of the people he has known all of his life. Because one of them is lying – and it isn’t long until a body is found . . .

DI Ben Kitto is called out when a young child goes missing unexpectedly one evening. Her twin brother was with her – but the terror of what occurred has rendered him mute. Ben and the locals quickly join together to search for the lost girl, but soon Ben has to admit that the girl hasn’t simply got missing – but very likely been taken. Who could hate her family so much and what is driving them?

I’ve been greatly enjoying this small town, island series and I felt this book was a good addition. While I did find aspects of the characters and the plotline were a little cliched I must admit it all fit very well together with the plot, and it retained my interest and hooked me in quite quickly. I also admit I’m getting a little tired of Ben’s slow-moving romance with Nina. While I admit it’s good that he’s not alone and moping – a large part of me really questions what additional value, particularly in relation to the plot, this romance really adds.

Readers who enjoy a strong British style murder mystery, especially ones involving small island communities and more “closed room” style of mysteries should find this an excellent story. I was pleased the plot and mystery is very well contained within this book with very few links to previous books other than some of the recurring characters. I also thought the mystery side of the plot was well handled and I’m eager to move to the next book in this series.

Morgan’s Landing by Linda Griffin



Morgan’s Landing by Linda Griffin
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In the small town of Morgan’s Landing, fourteen-year-old Julie Morgan disappears on her way to school after a spat with her twin sister. Detective Jim Brady uncovers a few suspects—Is it fired school janitor Bear Wayans, paroled sex offender Raymond Ochner, Julie’s computer teacher David Hartwell…or his own teenage son Colin? Jim can’t believe his son could be involved, but his wife is convinced the boy is hiding something. He needs to find Julie before the worst happens—and keep the peace at home.

Not everything is as safe as it may first appear to be.

This tale did a good job of exploring what it’s like to live in a small community. I especially liked the scenes that showed the many different connections between various characters. While not everyone knew everyone else on a personal basis, they did see each other around regularly and had all sorts of loose ties to each other through school, work, and other activities that typically take up a lot of someone’s time. I enjoyed taking note of how everyone knew each other and, in some cases, what they thought of one another, too.

It would have been helpful to have more character development. As interested as I was in the plot, getting to know the characters wasn’t as easy as I would have preferred it to be because of how little time was spent describing their personalities. I could describe their physical appearances and occupations easily, but I would struggle if someone asked me if the major characters were shy, boisterous, serious, thoughtful, talkative, or some other adjective. If this hadn’t been the case, I would have happily gone for a higher rating as the storyline itself was attention grabbing.

The twist at the end was a wonderful surprise that I hadn’t seen coming. I enjoy it when mysteries play around with the rules of their genres and expect their readers to keep thinking of new possibilities from the first scene to the last one. Kudos to Ms. Griffin for her creativity here! It’s a big part of the reason why I get a thrill every time she comes out with a new book.

Morgan’s Landing kept me guessing.

Low April Sun by Constance E Squires


Low April Sun by Constance E Squires
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
Genre: Historical, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

On the morning of April 19, 1995, Delaney Travis steps into the Social Security office in Oklahoma City to obtain an ID for her new job. Moments later, an explosion shatters the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building into rubble. Her boyfriend Keith and half-sister Edie are left to assume the worst—that Delaney perished in the bombing, despite lack of definitive proof. Twenty years later, now married and bonded by the tragedy, Edie and Keith’s lives are upended when they begin to receive mysterious Facebook messages from someone claiming to be Delaney.

Desperate for closure, the couple embarks on separate journeys, each aiming for an artists’ community in New Mexico that may hold answers. Alongside their quest is August, a recovering alcoholic with a haunting connection to the bombing. Raised in the separatist compound of Elohim City, August harbors secrets about Timothy McVeigh, the perpetrator of the attack, and his own possible involvement in the tragedy. When his path crosses with Edie, he must choose whether to tell anyone about his past.

As the 20-year anniversary of the bombing approaches, fracking-induced earthquakes shake the ground of Oklahoma City, mirroring the unsettled lives of its residents. In their quest for answers, Edie, Keith, and August seek to understand how the shadows of the past continue to darken the present, as the ground beneath them threatens to give way once again.

Understanding the past, so one can move into the future.

Life is always more complicated than we mere mortals want to admit. Humans are a mess of contradictions, stories, lies and half-truths. I liked how the author wove all these into this story.

Being that I was alive during the time of the Oklahoma City Bombing, this book grabbed my attention. I wanted to see how the characters handled the situation and the aftermath. I liked that the author kept the stories of the various characters complicated and the mystery threaded through the story was good, too. It showed that life, as I said above, is complicated. There were times, though, where the story was a bit slow and it took some effort to get through it. Maybe I wasn’t in the right mood for this book and wasn’t ready for something this heavy. Other readers may absolutely love it, so don’t be deterred. There is intrigue to the story that will ensnare many readers.

If you want a different take on the events of the Oklahoma City Bombing, the aftermath and the people who lived through it, then this might be the book for you. Give it a try.

The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig


The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

At the start of a new century, a shocking murder transfixes Manhattan, forcing bitter rivals Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr to work together to save a man from the gallows.

Just before Christmas 1799, Elma Sands slips out of her Quaker cousin’s boarding house—and doesn’t come home. Has she eloped? Run away? No one knows—until her body appears in the Manhattan Well.

Her family insists they know who killed her. Handbills circulate around the city accusing a carpenter named Levi Weeks of seducing and murdering Elma.

But privately, quietly, Levi’s wealthy brother calls in a special favor….

Aaron Burr’s legal practice can’t finance both his expensive tastes and his ambition to win the 1800 New York elections. To defend Levi Weeks is a double win: a hefty fee plus a chance to grab headlines.

Alexander Hamilton has his own political aspirations; he isn’t going to let Burr monopolize the public’s attention. If Burr is defending Levi Weeks, then Hamilton will too. As the trial and the election draw near, Burr and Hamilton race against time to save a man’s life—and destroy each other.

The truth shall set you free. Or will it?

I’ve not picked up anything by Lauren Willig, but I liked the idea of a novelization of the Levi Weeks trial. I liked the idea of Burr and Hamilton arguing before the argument. It’s clear from my reading of this book that the author put a lot of research into the book, took plenty of time and care to ensure the characters were written as accurately as possible and tried to inject intrigue into the situation. I’m glad I read it.

What stayed with me after this book concluded wasn’t so much the trial or the characters. It was the way the trial and investigation happened. The investigation was done by the prosecution. In modern eyes, it looks bad that they’re the ones doing the investigating. Then there was victim shaming. That’s not gone away, even all these years later. It must be the victim’s fault for what happened to them. Sad that hasn’t changed much. These were the ways the intrigue worked well for the book. I have to say I wasn’t a fan of Levi, Hamilton or Burr. They all came off pompous and dry. I suppose that’s how they might have been in life, but it made that part of the book drag. Still, the trial of the century quality of the book was plenty of a hook to keep reading.

If you’re looking for a book with historical intrigue, fascinating situations and a mystery, then this might be the one for you.

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn


The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss, whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; policeman’s daughter Nora, who finds herself entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Beatrice, whose career has come to an end along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare.

Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?

Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test.

Briarwood House is an all female boarding house in the heart of the US capitol and behind the respectable fascade the ladies who reside there all having their own stories – and secrets – to tell. When a murder occurs within the walls one evening the ladies need to decide which path they’re all going to turn onto – and whether the trust they’ve built will remain solid or not.

I picked this book up on a whim, the author completely new to me, and thoroughly loved every moment of it. Written in a slightly different manner to most mysteries I read, there are multiple different sections all showing the perspective of the different residents of Briarwood House. I thought this was very clever, letting us get to know each of the ladies who live there in their own time and their own words. I also thoroughly enjoyed the few snippets from the perspective of the House itself and thought that added an interesting and vibrant element to the story as a whole.

While set in the historical 1950s, I loved how the various characters were realistic but also very relatable – many of the common issues back in those days still strongly relevant even today. I also appreciated that while social norms and expectations were vastly different back then, there are more than enough hooks and links despite the many decades that have passed these women back in history are still relevant and relatable just as much now as they were back then.

I feel this book would equally suit historical readers and chick-lit readers. While there is a mystery I admit it’s a fairly light theme through the books – readers who are only looking for a murder mystery might not find that element of the plot strong enough to maintain them through the whole story. This book is very much about the characters, these women and their lives and loves and troubles and the manner in which virtual strangers can learn to live together and knit themselves together into a tight group of friends/family – the murder mystery is very much a back seat to this aspect of the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and am eager to try more by this author. Recommended.

Paranormal Jelly: An Anthology of Whimsical Narratives Regarding the Comical Facets of the Occult by Zwahk Muchoney


Paranormal Jelly: An Anthology of Whimsical Narratives Regarding the Comical Facets of the Occult by Zwahk Muchoney
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Paranormal Jelly blends the bizarre with the everyday in the early internet era of 1996. Middle-aged author Albert runs a popular website, sharing tales of eldritch horrors, baby Sasquatches, cigarette-smoking ghosts, and dark cultists. A skeptic at heart, he dismisses it all as fiction—until reality starts to blur. Cryptids and hauntings become alarmingly frequent, always just out of the reporter’s sight, but impossible to ignore. As Albert struggles to document these strange events, he’s drawn into a web of the supernatural that threatens his very existence.

Both skeptics and true believers are welcomed here.

I loved the playful and humorous tone of Albert’s adventures. The fantasy and science fiction themes were subtle in some places, but that only made those scenes even more exciting once they popped up again and made me look at what just happened in a new light. It was a nice contrast to the more skeptical characters who didn’t always believe the stories about ghosts, cryptids, aliens, and other creatures they heard.

As much as I liked reading about the various characters in this novella, there were so many of them that only the protagonist was given a chance to become more well rounded. Even then, I didn’t feel like I got to know Albert as deeply as I would have liked to due to the relatively short length of this piece and how much was going on with the plot. With stronger character development, this could have been a four or five-star work as the storyline and themes themselves were fantastic.

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that provided scientific explanations for why things like orbs sometimes appear in photos and why certain types of people are more – or less – likely to believe in conspiracy theories and the paranormal in general. There are many different reasons why strange things happen and why people can have a wide variety of responses to the same event. I thought these passages treated both believers and skeptics fairly and assumed the best of everyone. That makes these sorts of stories so much more interesting to read as I knew the author had good intentions and wanted everyone to think critically about what they’ve read, heard, or maybe even seen with their own two eyes.

Paranormal Jelly: An Anthology of Whimsical Narratives Regarding the Comical Facets of the Occult kept me guessing.