Flaxmere Library Book Chat Recommends

25 August 2026

Mysteries and thrillers dominated the chat during August, historical fiction a close second, and with a few wild cards thrown in.

Our first mystery was Six Minutes by Petronella McGovern - the story of the Marty and her family who had recently moved to a small village near Canberra, when their three-year-old disappears. In the care of her playgroup-mum friends, Lexi had just gone to the shops for biscuits, gone only for six minutes, when young Bella goes missing. The police investigation throws up hate messages online, and soon the whole community is affected. Lots of twists and turns make for a gripping read.

There’s plenty that’s dark in Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie. There’s a hospital for the criminally insane, where there’s been a series of gruesome murders. Sergeant Rexford, who made his name for catching a serial killer, is on the case. Meanwhile Beth is being stalked by her ex, and only wants to keep her children safe, while her young son’s behaviour is worrying. There are also true-crime podcasters chasing the story as danger closes in. A good story but yes, a little dark.

New Zealand author Rose Carlyle’s second book is No One Will Know, which follows what happens when a wealthy couple who live on their own island hire a nanny. Eve’s a desperate young woman, alone and pregnant when the Hygates take her in. She’s thought she’d be a nanny but where is their child, and why must Eve stay out of sight? This was a scary, suspenseful read with an original storyline.

Return of the Spider by James Patterson is the 34^th Alex Cross mystery thriller. As the title suggests, a serial killer Cross had caught in a previous book seems to have returned, if the trophies found in a hidden cabin are any indication. Had Cross put away the wrong man? Although this was a good read, it does feel like maybe the author is running out of ideas.

Murder at the Monastery is the third Canon Clement mystery by Richard Coles. Daniel Clement has taken time out to find respite at the monastery where he was a novice. But when there’s a suspicious death there, he can’t help investigating. Back home Daniel is the subject of speculation while other village problems surface. Our reader found this had too much church stuff to be really enjoyable.

A more serious read was Charity Norman’s Home Truths, which begins with Livia on trial for the attempted murder of her husband Scott. Two year’s earlier Scott had lost his brother and begun researching the internet to deal with his grief. His search took him into the world of conspiracy theories and this not only destroys their marriage but sees Scott making decisions that impact on their son’s health. This was a stunning book and a fascinating read.

2054 by Elliot Ackerman reads like a thriller, as it catapults us in a future where America is threatened by a new kind of civil war. The death of the president starts a chain of events, and it transpires that AI has broken through to alter world events from afar.  To our reader it sounded as if it could be called 2026! A lot about AI went over the reader’s head, so this made it less than completely enjoyable.

Later Only Love Remains by Leah Swann has an unusual beginning, following the story of an old man’s remorse after his wife dies in a car accident while he was driving. Still grieving he craves solitude and heads off to live in a remote shack, but here a friendly young woman insists on helping him. When a stranger appears on his doorstep in the middle of a storm seeking shelter, the story is set for some surprising developments. This was a gripping read, and really well done.

Among the historical fiction the group enjoyed was Elizabeth Chadwick’s The Crownless Queen, the second book following Jeanette of Kent. It’s 1360 and our main character is a contented wife and mother when she learns of the death of her husband, Thomas. Prince Edward, heir to the throne offers to marry her and she accepts, and with that comes the responsibility to produce a royal heir. Another fascinating story brought to life.

Kristin Hannah continues to be a popular author with the group, and her novel The Women was heaped with praise. Set during the Vietnam War, it is the story of Frankie who follows her soldier brother off to the war by joining the Army Nurses Corp. Her parents are so proud of her brother, surely they will respect her decision. The story doesn’t spare the reader as it follows Frankie’s experiences, friendship and the little regard the American government and society had for the women who served.

Quite a different historical read was Lion Hearts, the third book in Dan Jones’s Essex Dogs trilogy about a group of soldiers who are caught up in the Hundred Years’ War. In this book, it is 1350, three years on from the Siege of Callais. Spain is threatening the realm once more, so this band of men who had thought they’d left their soldiering days behind, each find themselves called up to fight once more. This was a really interesting read but also a very blokey type of book.

Also number three in a series was The Last Encore, from Santa Montefiore’s Timeslider series. Time-travelling detective Pixie Tate goes back to the Aphrodite Theatre in Cornwall, to solve the problem of a restless spirit. The case also gives her a chance to touch on some unfinished business with Cavill, the man she fell in love with during another time travel episode. Our reader has loved every one of this series, and probably every other book by this author.

Letters of Hope by Tania Roberts is the first in a series of books about World War One and concerns the German occupation of the French town of Le Quesnoy. We’re with Dominique who has grown up learning about the tunnels beneath the town’s fortified walls. There are threats of retribution for those helping rescue refugees and injured soldiers. This book had interesting historical background and was well worth reading.

Another book by this author was Dance of Soldiers, a Kiwi Land Girls novel. This time we’re in WWII, and our main character is Moira, an outwardly cheerful girl hiding a troubled past. When she meets an American soldier, her life becomes complicated, particularly when she falls pregnant. A story of self-discovery, and the complexities of love.

Di Morrissey is an old favourite and one reader decided to try one of her earlier books. A Distant Journey is set in 1962 and follows Cindy who leaves the glamorous world of Palm Springs, California to become a grazier’s wife in rural New South Wales. This was an enjoyable read, following the culture shock Cindy experiences and how she settles in, with a bit of mystery and a tragedy to ramp up the story.

Another earlier book set in rural Australia was Hope’s Road by Margareta Osborn. Inheriting the farm that was her father’s, Tammy fails to be acknowledged by her bitter and twisted uncle, who has an adjoining property. Also on Hope’s Road is wild-dog trapper and single dad Travis. When a terrible event happens, can these neighbouring landholders work together to survive? Another enjoyable read in the Aussie Rural Romance genre.

Still in Australia, we’re with Hilary in The Secret Garden Club by Wendy Lunn Newton. Hilary finds herself alone after thirty years of marriage, when her husband drops dead in their garden. A strange woman appears at his funeral, and then she’s contacted by the Secret Garden Club who want to restore George’s garden, the garden she has destroyed comprehensively in a fit of grief. And why did George keep his membership of the club a secret? Our reader got a bit annoyed with Hilary who makes foolish suppositions in this otherwise entertaining read.

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