I can't believe summer is over already - at least there's plenty of great books out this month to make up for it. From festive reads to domestic thrillers here's what I'm recommending this September.
Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah (2 Sep 2021)
Leila Syed receives a call that cleaves her life in two. Her brother-in-law’s voice is filled with panic. His son’s nursery has called to ask where little Max is. Leila was supposed to drop Max off that morning. But she forgot. Racing to the car park, she grasps the horror of what she has done. What follows is an explosive, high-profile trial that will tear the family apart. But as the case progresses it becomes clear there’s more to this incident than meets the eye…
In my opinion: ★★★★★
WOW! This was one of the most shocking opening chapters that I’ve ever read - more so because I'd completely forgotten what the book was about by the time I started reading. As the blurb warns career-focused Leila forgets she's meant to be dropping her nephew off at nursery when she rushes into work. It may be a difficult read for some but it's brilliantly written, so whilst hard-hitting and emotional, the taboo storyline is sensitively portrayed. You feel every emotion of the main characters and I liked that there were no 'good' or 'bad guys', just ordinary people pushed to the edge by unthinkable circumstances. Early on the author hints that that things are not what they seem but I could never have predicted the twists and turns - which I can't talk about for fear of spoiling it but suffice to say I absolutely loved. Its definitely one of those (original) stories that will get under your skin and stay in your mind for a long time.
Autumn Dreams at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett (23 Sep 2021)
When her dreams of young love were cruelly shattered, Nerissa Morgan found it hard to move on. Now, at forty-three, with her boss retiring and rumours of a new doctor coming in to take over, change is coming, whether she’s ready for it or not. Following the death of his beloved wife, Tom Nelson buried himself in work at his busy inner-London GP practice. When his teenage children find themselves in trouble at school, he's desperate to reconnect before it’s too late and whisks his family away to the pretty seaside village of Mermaids Point to make a fresh start. But, the last thing Tom needs is an undeniable attraction to the woman he unexpectedly finds himself sharing a roof with…
In my opinion: ★★★★★
Having loved Summer Kisses at Mermaids Point I was nervous to see if this would live up to its predecessor - thankfully it did. Once again I loved the author's easy style, the charming but contemporary storyline and the gorgeous seaside village with its warm and friendly inhabitants. I enjoyed catching up with old friends, such as Laurie and Jake, as well as getting to know new ones. That said I found the extensive character list at the beginning over-whelming as there just seemed like too many people to keep up with - but in the end most were only bit parts and everyone else introduced gradually. So, much like the first, I adored this latest instalment and can't wait to see what the villagers get up to next - especially as this one did end appropriately but a little abruptly (I wanted to see how the family reacted).
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman (16 Sep 2021)
Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life. As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus? But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can the Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?
In my opinion: ★★★★★
I love this group of crime-fighting, feisty, young-at-heart pensioners. Richard Osman captures the rambling, chatty musings of many elderly people perfectly as this extract of Joyce shows. "I've never thought that a guinea pig might need rescuing before, but I suppose they do. We all need it once in a while, and I don't see why guinea pigs would be any different. They eat guinea pigs in Peru, did you know? It was on Masterchef the other day. They just mentioned it, they didn't actually eat one." But at the same time these are no ordinary pensioners, as DCI Chris Hudson says, when Elizabeth announces she wants to organise a meeting with the mafia: "Of course you do. Any reason? Or was bridge cancelled and you had a slot in your diary." So, once again I loved this. In fact I think it was better than the first as the plot was less chaotic, complex and over-stuffed. Whilst not something serious murder mystery fans will probably like, the Thursday Murder Club is so much fun - and I hope there's more to come from the gang.
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth (16 Sep 2021)
Fern Castle works in her local library. She has dinner with her twin sister Rose three nights a week. And she avoids crowds, bright lights and loud noises as much as possible. Fern has a carefully structured life and disrupting her routine can be ... dangerous. When Rose discovers that she cannot fall pregnant, Fern sees her chance to pay her sister back for everything Rose has done for her. Fern can have a baby for Rose. She just needs to find a father. Simple. Fern's mission will shake the foundations of the life she has carefully built for herself and stir up dark secrets from the past, in this quirky, rich and shocking story of unexpected love.
In my opinion: ★★★★
This turned out to be completely different to what I was expecting and very different to my normal reads. It covered a lot of deep themes including mental health, illness, addiction, sexual abuse and emotional abuse. And, at first I really didn't like it. Yet it was oddly compellingly and by the end I kinda loved it. The reason was main character and twin Fern. Fern is "different" and outside of my world - she has sensory processing issues and lacks social awareness but she really grew on me as I began to understand her better. I loved her view of the world and in particular agree with her astonishment that medical advances haven't come up with "a better way" of having babies and that shaking hands is risky for a person's health. With Fern's first person narrative interspersed with extracts from the other twin Rose's journal it's quickly evident from the different retellings of the same events that one of these sisters is an unreliable narrator? But, which one is 'The Good Sister'?
I Have Something To Tell You by Susan Lewis (16 Sep 2021)
High-flying lawyer Jay Wells has a successful career, loving husband and a family she adores. But one case – and one client – will put all that at risk. Edward Blake - an ordinary life turned upside down or a man who quietly watched television while his wife was murdered upstairs? Then Jay comes home one day and her husband utters the words no one ever wants to hear. Sit down … I have something to tell you Now Jay must fight not only for the man she defends, but for the man she thought she trusted with her life – her husband.
In my opinion: ★★★★
Susan Lewis is a brilliant storyteller, creating unique situations and moral dilemmas that leave you wondering what you would do in a similar situation. This was no exception yet was also somehow another completely different and unexpected storyline. I enjoyed the murder investigation - although Jay did seem to go unrealistically above and beyond her duties as a lawyer. Initially I did think there was too much focus on Jay's personal life, however, as the story progressed the reason for that became clear. And, as usual with the author I really didn't see that ending coming. Another great read from one of my favourite authors.
The Heights by Lousie Candlish (1 Sep 2021)
The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among the warehouses of Tower Bridge, its roof terrace so discreet you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren't standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there – a man you’d recognize anywhere. He’s older now and his appearance has subtly changed, but it’s definitely him. Which makes no sense at all since you know he has been dead for over two years. You know this for a fact. Because you’re the one who killed him. It’s time to confess what we did up there.
In my opinion: ★★★★
I'm new to this author having only read one previous books of hers. Unlike #TheOtherPassenger this one was more of slow-burn domestic thriller - exploring grief, obsession and revenge vengeance - until the surprise ending which I gather is a trademark of Louise Candlish. She is also known for creating unlikable and deeply flawed characters, which she definitely did with main character Ellen, whose fantasist, obessive behaviour just did seem a bit extreme for the circumstances. I get the revenge aspect driven by grief but Ellen's 'crazy' existed way before her son's death back when she just didn't like the way her son's teenage friend looked at her. And, that was it with this - once again I loved the writing and everyone else has loved it but I just didn't take to this particular storyline for some reason, perhaps because it is Ellen's story (literally and metaphorically as she's writing a book). It’s interspersed with an article on her and also later Vic’s point of view as her ex partner and son's father, but understanding more about Kieran and his point of view would have given more context.
The Secret Keeper's Daughter by Samantha King (10 Sep 2021)
Holly Mayhew has the perfect family set-up. But when her seven-year-old daughter, Marley, begins to act strangely, refusing to speak and rushing off to hide in her room, she knows something isn’t right. Desperate to understand why Marley has become so withdrawn, Holly creates a worry box, where Marley posts her thoughts each day. At first, the messages seem innocent. But when Holly finds a note saying secrets make me sad, she begins to question everyone entrusted with her care…Including her family.
In my opinion: ★★★★
This definitely held my interest as I could never tell where the story was heading. I thought it was going to be a psychological thriller especially as it plays out in a way that seems really dark and twisted. But much like the story, which is essentially about how easy it is to get the wrong impression, it turned out to be more of a family drama than a thriller. In the end it really wasn't as menacing as it seemed and when the truth finally came out (in one big rush) it was a bit underwhelming in many ways. It's an easy and compelling read though so worth the time.
We Are All Liars by Carys Jones (30 Sep 2021)
We're best friends. We trust each other. But...We are all liars.
Allie, Stacie, Diana, Emily and Gail have been by each other's sides for as long as they can remember. The Fierce Five. Best friends forever. But growing up has meant growing apart. And little white lies have grown into devastating secrets. When Gail invites the increasingly estranged friends to reunite at her Scottish cabin, it could be the opportunity to mend old wounds and heal the cracks in their friendship. But when a freak snowstorm rocks the cabin and one of the girls is found dead on the ice, their weekend away becomes a race against time - and each other - to get off the mountain alive.
In my opinion: ★★★★
This was a crazily unusual read for so many reasons. For the most part it's quite repetitive, overly descriptive and slow as the friends try to contend with the snow storm. There were lots of hints but nothing was explained properly and so it took a long time to find out what had happened to cause the present day tensions. But, the ending is something else - although I still can’t quite decide if it’s really good or just really confusing but what I do know is that it was totally unexpected and unique! The structure is also unusual, flipping regularly between the present mostly from Allie's POV, the police interview of an unidentified person of interest, and flashbacks from multiple viewpoints. These flashbacks are not in separate chapters, chronologically ordered or quantified so at the start while you're still trying to get all the characters and events straight it's all a little random and confusing. I sort of enjoyed this but it's definitely different.
Stranded by Sarah Goodwin (16 Sep 2021)
Eight strangers. One island. A secret you'd kill to keep.
When eight people arrive on the beautiful but remote Buidseach Island, they are ready for the challenge of a lifetime: to live alone for one year. Eighteen months later, a woman is found in an isolated fishing village. She’s desperate to explain what happened to her. How the group fractured and friends became enemies. How they did what they must to survive until the boat came to collect them; how things turned deadly when the boat didn’t come. But first she must come to terms with the devastating secret that left them stranded, and her own role in the events that saw eight arrive and only three leave…
In my opinion: ★★★
I chose this thinking it would be more of a murder mystery. It wasn't. It's more of a survival story, with the extensive descriptions of foraging, building, food preparation, water filtering, latrines (toilets), etc rather repetive and tedious at times. Sadly there's also more of that than the characters themselves. Other than main character, Maddie, we don't get know any of the other seven characters (or reality TV contestants) - their backgrounds, their motives or even really their personalities. Therefore, it's hard to understand how things escalate so quickly from such trivialities and hard to care about anyone's fate - including Maddie as whilst we know her more sadly she's just not that likeable. That said it was still a compelling read until the last third where things got a bit weird to say the least.
A Christmas Wedding in the Cotswolds by Lucy Coleman (2 Sep 2021)
Imogen Tolliman and Gray Adams can’t wait to get married after getting engaged the previous year, when stranded in a blizzard. But when the date slips because Gray is working on a huge film project, it seems like fate that they will end up getting married at Christmas. As well as building work, full-time jobs and wedding planning, Immi is in charge of raising money to build a children’s playground, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of The Santa Ahoy Cruises – her grandfather Tollie’s life work. When a terrible betrayal is uncovered, the whole community of Aysbury is left reeling, and Immi is left wondering if there will be a wedding after all…
In my opinion: ★★★
I didn't realise this was part of a series and whilst most series books work just as well as stand-alones I think reading the prior story # may have helped as it seems like quite a lot of big life-changing things happened previously. I probably would have been more invested in the characters too, all of whom came across as fairly non-descript and similar without their back stories. Sadly the plot was also fairly slow with all the 'action' in the last few chapters and nothing much happening early on other than day-to-day life. For example, there was a chapter on taking delivery of various items of furniture for Immi's new home with a whole paragraph (no exaggeration) on setting up the new cooker - I want escapism not real life when I read. What was really bizarre though was other seemingly significant events, such as the reveal of Val as Immi's mother to the wider community was not given any air time - perhaps again because the primary reveal formed part of the previous book. A perfectly pleasant, festive read but definitely not a must-read in my opinion (only)
