More Reading to Put a Spring in Your Step from Book Chat

It was mostly crime fiction and thrillers, tempered with some feel-good fiction, plus a smattering of inspiring historical drama at Flaxmere Book Chat as the blossom began to appear.

A Murder in Paris by Matthew Blake is an excellent mystery across two timelines It begins when two women enter a hotel in 1945, but only one leaves alive. A confession years later unlocks a mystery with long shadows, secrets you could be killed for. A compelling story that plays with the vagaries of memory.

Another reader has just discovered how addictive Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series is. The Visitor by Lee Child is an early book that has Reacher investigating the deaths of two army career women. It seems a serial killer is out there with a score to settle. The group discussed the engaging way Reacher turns up in a different town for each book with no baggage, just a toothbrush in his pocket.

Keeping with the suspense was It Happened on the Lake by Lisa Jackson, which is one of those creepy house mysteries. When Harper’s grandmother dies in suspicious circumstances, that same night her boyfriend disappears. When she inherits the huge Victorian house on Lake Twilight, she just wants to sell up and make a fresh start. But it isn’t that easy. The town thinks she has something to hide, while whispers, secrets and a feeling of being watched complicate the plot. An enjoyable read.

The Safe House by Cameron Ward is a suspenseful read set during the Victoria wildfires that destroyed many homes. It begins when Jess becomes the caretaker at a luxury property in the Australian outback. As bushfires threaten the area, strangers begin to turn up on her doorstep. The phone lines go out and the group are cut off. But the worst is yet to come when it seems someone isn’t who they say they are. A really good thriller that also accurately describes events that rocked Australia.

P A Thomas’s The Sunbaker is also set in Australia, this time in NSW’s Brunswick Heads, where pathologist Nicola has a weekend cottage. When she finds a body on her sun lounger, she calls the police. But the police have some questions about the dead man, and Nicola soon finds herself a suspect. Was there a particular reason the body was left at the property of a forensic pathologist? Just as well her journalist pal, Jack, is on hand to help find the real culprit. A good twisty read.

No Other Darkness by Sarah Hilary certainly is a dark mystery, beginning when two young boys are trapped underground in a bunker, not knowing why they are there. Five years later, when the boys’ bodies are discovered, DI Marnie Rome has to work out who they are and what happened. A good read, according to our reviewer.

The same reader then talked about how they like to alternate between gritty mysteries and lighter reads. And so the next book reviewed was Anna Jacobs new novel, Miranda’s Family. The Miranda of the title inherits a home from a difficult aunt in an idyllic English village, but the inheritance has strings attached. This was a delightful story, but leaves you wanting more, with another book in the Miranda’s Family series expected next year.

The reviewer for The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village wants to read every book by Joanna Nell, as the author really understands the issues and mindset of elderly women. In this book, 79-year-old Peggy’s life is given a shake-up with the arrival at her retirement village of an old acquaintance, glamorous Angie. The story keeps you reading, bubbling with humour, with some particularly unforgettable scenes.

Another terrific feel-good read was Sunrise Reef by Irene Hamilton, one of the Hope Harbour series. Bren has finally found happiness working as a barista in the seaside town, and gets caught up in helping a troubled teen. Noah arrives in town to convince his dad to move to a new home closer to his son, but when he meets Bren, getting swept up in her plans is the last thing he expects. A charming story, recommended.

Celia Imrie – another author popular with the group – has a new book out. Meet Me at Rainbow Corner takes us back to WWII, with London air raids making life difficult and no sign of peace. When Dot meets a GI while dancing in an air raid shelter, he tells her about Rainbow Corner, a social club for US troops, suggesting she applies to be a dance hostess there. The book’s a glimpse at a small oasis amid the maelstrom of war. Well researched, this is a brilliant read.

Fulvia by Kaarina Parker takes us back to the dying days of the Roman Republic. Main character Fulvia escapes a safe marriage in the countryside to go to Rome where she marries a senator, Clodius. Both are risk takers and live unconventional lives, but it is Fulvia who is the pushy one in a society that denies women any power. Her ambitions may come at a terrible cost. An interesting read.

Another historical novel was The Girl They Left Behind by Roxanne Veletzos which takes us to WWII Bucharest under a regime allied to the Nazis, and on to New York, 1960. Based on a true story, it begins when a little Jewish girl is found on the steps of an apartment building. She becomes adopted and starts a new life. Things become bleak again when Romania falls under the Soviets and young Natalia begins to piece together traces of her identity. A really good read.

The Traitor Beside Her by Mary Anna Evans takes us to WWII again, this time in the United States where Justine is a codebreaker at Arlington Hall. She works with a large team deciphering the most sensitive secrets of the war, but her job is different from the others. Justine is there to uncover a spy. The story also brings in the work of the Choctaw code talkers. A really interesting read that keeps you guessing until the end.

The English winter of 1962-3 was one of the worst on record. In Andrew Miller’s new novel, The Land in Winter, two couples are going through difficulties in the West Country, where the winter was particularly bad. Eric is a doctor with secrets and resentments, as well as the pressure of visiting the local asylum. His wife who is trying to be the best housewife is pregnant with their first child. Across the field, Bill comes from wealth, trying to make a go of his farm. His ex-showgirl wife, Rita, also pregnant, struggles with her past. The weather brings everything to a head and secrets are revealed. A top read, very atmospheric.

The most disappointing book was Elly Griffith’s new series opener, The Frozen People. Ali Dawson is a police officer who works seriously cold cases (hence the title). A recent scientific innovation allows her and her team to travel back in time to investigate cold cases as they happen. In this book she heads back to 1850 to research a murder involving a sinister group known as The Collectors. Our top fan of Elly Griffith’s Ruth Galloway series found this one a bit too fey. Oh, well - you can't win them all.

Flaxmere Book Chat meets fortnightly, Tuesday mornings at 10:30 - all welcome.

Posted by JAM

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