The Latest Together We Read Book Club Pick

Next month there’s a new Together We Read Digital Book Club Pick. If you haven’t come across this programme before, it’s a book made available from Libby with your library card that any number of borrowers can download without wait lists or holds. There’s also the opportunity to participate in online discussions about the book. 

From 1 – 15 August, you can borrow Sarah Bailey’s latest crime novel, Body of Lies. If you like Aussie Noir, mysteries or a rattling good yarn, Body of Lies could be the book for you. Being a fan of all three, I happened to read Body of Lies not so long ago. Here’s a little bit about it:

Detective Gemma Woodstock has returned to her hometown of Smithson, with her new partner Mac and their baby. She’s still on parental leave and is visiting her father in hospital, when the lights go out. Suddenly she’s swept into an investigation involving a body stolen from the morgue – the corpse was that of a woman who was run off the road in a previous scene. Without the remains, it’s impossible to ID the woman who’d had no wallet or documents on her.

Before long there’s a second murder and a new-born baby found abandoned at a park. The plot takes you to mysterious events at a scientific research centre and to long-ago events that concern Gemma’s own mother. The story races along nicely, while Gemma is trying to juggle her interest in the case with motherhood, as well as managing her relationship with Mac, who seems to be hiding something from her.

In the meantime, there’s a new cop in town; DS Everett seems to resent Gemma’s contributions to the investigation, while keeping important information to himself. Her old boss, Jonesy, hints at retirement which only seems to drive a deeper wedge between her and Everett, and a growing rivalry about who might take Jonesy's place as head of the team.

There’s a lot to keep you turning the pages, but what I have always enjoyed about this series is the character of Gemma Woodstock, who manages to be both a brilliant cop, with no regard for her own safety, as well as a train-wreck when it comes to her personal life. There’s an undercurrent of humour with some of the minor characters, including Candy, Gemma’s bestie, and her evolving relationship with Everett.

It all adds up to a terrific read, with some intense action scenes, particularly towards the end, that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Body of Lies is a superb choice for the Together We Read Book Club, and if you get a chance, well-worth taking the time to download from 1 August. I heartily recommend it, along with Bailey’s earlier books which are entertaining reads too. The first in the series is The Dark Lake. You can find them all at Hastings Libraries.

Posted by JAM

11 July 2024

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