Wine, Books & More Recommended Reading: Part 2

Plenty of four and five-star reads turn up in this list of recommended titles. Click on the title for a link to the catalogue - an asterisk means the book is not currently held at the library.

The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent
Guylain saves pages from the terrifying jaws of the book pulping machine at the factory where he works. He pulls them out and reads them out loud on the train during his daily commute. A quirky French novel about new beginnings and making friends in unusual places. A delightful, four star read.

Cold Wallet by Rosy Fenwicke
Another four star read is this quite different story - a mystery set in the world of cryptocurrency. Jess loses her husband Andrew on their honeymoon. Still dealing with grief, she struggles to understand the cryptocurrency exchange Andrew left her in his will. She turns to his associate for advice, but can he be trusted? A pretty good story, according to this reader, by a New Zealand author.

No Less the Devil by Stuart MacBride
This author is famous for his sometimes gruesome but brilliantly funny Logan McRea mysteries. In this stand-alone novel, we’ve got a recently released murderer seeking help from police officer Lucy McVeigh, paranoid about a psychopathic monster he calls ‘They’. Meanwhile there’s a serial killer on the loose. A fantastic, nail-biting read.

The Winners by Fredrick Backman
This book is the third in the Beartown series, which began with The Scandal. Set in a small town in a large Swedish forest, these novels are about a small community dealing with tragedy and change. The Winners is a brilliant five star read and wraps up the series nicely. Make sure you read the series in order though. 

Quiet in her Bones by Nalini Singh
New Zealand born paranormal-romance author extraordinaire Singh turns her storytelling talents to mystery writing with this story about the discovery of human bones of a socialite whose disappearance long ago raised no alarm bells. After all, when Nina Rai went missing ten years ago, so did a load of cash. Her son determines to discover the truth. A gripping thriller and four star read.

Karma by Donna Augustine
The first in a series of urban fantasy novels with an unusual premise. When Camilla is murdered she becomes enlisted to be Karma for the universe. Along the way she meets some other ‘cosmic’ characters, particularly hitting it off with Fate. Our reader really liked Karma, thought it a great concept and will read the rest of the series.*

The Pain Tourist by Paul Cleave
Kiwi crime writer, Cleave, keeps getting better. This complex story includes the victim of an execution-like attempted murder surfacing from a coma; an unsolved nine-year old case; a murderer on a spree copying a serial killer’s MO and the beleaguered cop trying to make sense of it all.

Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child
This is Jack Reacher number eleven and here he is contacted by a member of his old army unit, the Special Investigators. One of the unit is dead and six more are missing so Reacher will have to put together his old team to save the day. Our reader really enjoyed this one saying it has even more attitude than many in the series and of course the usual page turning action.

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
One of the earliest classics in (Middle) English, this medieval story is told in verse about a group on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. A classic that keeps popping up in different guises - and with good reason as according to our reader, things haven’t really changed from the 1300s to now. We're still laughing at sex and toilet humour. 

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
In the second in this series that started with The Thursday Murder Club our four retirees from Coopers Chase Retirement Village help solve a new murder.  The mystery includes stolen diamonds, a violent mobster and a rising body count. A really enjoyable read with plenty of laughs. 

Forever Home by Graham Norton
A new book set in an Irish village with gossip, rumours and a mystery at its heart. Carol’s second marriage seems a new beginning, but when Declan falls ill, family secrets emerge and difficulties with Declan’s children force her to leave their home and move back with her parents. Carol’s mother determines to get to the bottom of things. Another great read from Norton.

The Light Behind the Window by Lucinda Riley
Riley’s Seven Sisters series has been hugely popular, leading many readers to rediscover her earlier books. This novel goes between WWII and modern day and begins when Emilie de la Martinières inherits a chateau in the South of France. This sets her on a journey of discovery into her family’s past. A really enjoyable story with a bit of intrigue.

The Other Bennett Sister by Janice Hadlow
The other Bennett sister is of course Mary, the middle sister of Pride and Prejudice, a plain girl who lacks the charm of her sisters. The novel gives another side to Mary and in spite of having no fortune and few opportunities, allows Mary to find her place in the world. Written just like Jane Austen, our reader found it really good, and couldn’t put it down. 5 stars

21 February 2023

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