Harper Collins Archives - Debbish Archive

Book review: Marple – Twelve New Mysteries

Wednesday, September 21, 2022 Permalink

It’s no secret that I’m a massive fan of Agatha Christie – in particular all-things-Miss Marple who is my favourite Christie crime-solver (followed by Poirot and very distantly by the Beresfords). I’ve written before also about my favourite Miss Marple actress who (despite my usual lack of visual-ness) I ‘picture’ when I think of Miss Marple.

Anyhoo, like everything it seems… everything old is new again and several well-known authors have contributed to an anthology featuring my very favourite female detective.

Book review: Em & Me by Beth Morrey

Friday, February 11, 2022 Permalink

Em & Me by Beth Morrey was a delightful surprise. Not because I didn’t think I’d enjoy it. I certainly loved Morrey’s debut novel, Saving Missy… but my thrall here was because my reading of it came at exactly the right time. It was the feel-good book I didn’t know I needed. If that makes sense.

Before I started it I’d wondered if the blurb gave away too much and the book itself would have nothing left to proffer, but it wasn’t the case. Because though we do kinda know where this is going, I was very happy to travel along with Delphine and her daughter Emily and the assortment of family and friends they’ve gathered along the way.

Book review: Girl A by Abigail Dean

Friday, January 15, 2021 Permalink

There’s been a bit of buzz around Girl A by Abigail Dean. That can be both a good and bad thing. I read it earlier than planned as I was excited about it, but at the same time I probably had heightened expectations as a result.

For much of this book I wasn’t sure if I was reading about a cult, or about kidnapped children. Dean keeps it pretty vague for a while and readers are on edge, recognising that we don’t have the full story. Waiting for more.

Book review: Contacts by Mark Watson

Wednesday, December 16, 2020 Permalink

Contacts by Mark Watson is going to be hard to review because though I enjoyed it – to an extent – my main issue with it is the content (underlining premise) itself. I can’t decide whether I think it’s ill-conceived, irresponsible and totally inappropriate or perhaps cathartic or helpful.

Either way it needs a big trigger warning as the entire book is about someone planning to suicide and how they got to that point.

Book review: The Killings at Kingfisher Hill by Sophie Hannah

Thursday, August 20, 2020 Permalink

I’ve talked before about discovering Agatha Christie in my teens. I snapped up faded copies of her books from second hand stores when home from University and devoured them. They’re books I’ve kept and—when I had hour-long* baths—were the perfect bath-reading fodder as I could easily read the exploits of Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot in a sitting.

I was excited when it was announced that Sophie Hannah would be reviving Poirot. The Killings at Kingfisher Hill is the fourth book following Poirot’s resurrection. I commented in my review of Closed Casket that Hannah has a different style to Christie… the books are much longer, the crimes more complex and Poirot feels more verbose but it’s wonderful to be reunited.

Book review: The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter

Wednesday, July 1, 2020 Permalink

The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter is the tenth in the series featuring Will Trent, and though I’d say I’m a Slaughter devotee I somehow missed the last one or two.

Interestingly, for long term fans… this could almost be badged as a Grant County book as Jeffrey Tolliver, the (former) Chief of Grant County Police and headliner of that series (along with Sara Linton) features prominently. Which could be perplexing if you’ve read all of those books.

Book review: Dead to Her by Sarah Pinborough

Saturday, February 29, 2020 Permalink

Every so often a book comes along in which you hate ALL of the characters and don’t really care if they live or die.

Dead to Her by Sarah Pinborough was that book for me.

Don’t get me wrong. The story itself is kinda interesting, and the characters complex. But they weren’t likeable. At all.

Book review: The Assistant by SK Tremayne

Tuesday, December 3, 2019 Permalink

I read and enjoyed The Ice Twins by SK Tremayne in 2015. I know the English author and journalist (Sean Thomas) has released a couple of books since but haven’t heard a lot about them here in Australia, though I know The Fire Child in particular, was well-received by overseas authors and bloggers I follow.

Tremayne’s latest release is very timely in the age of Siri and Alexa, Google Home and automation in general. It takes things a little further however (well, I’ve not heard of some of the technology so it ‘may’ exist!) and things turn ugly. Of course the big question is whether it’s artificial intelligence (AI) and ‘the machines’ taking over or if humans are still the main source of evil.

Book review: The Stranger Inside by Lisa Unger

Wednesday, October 9, 2019 Permalink

Lisa Unger’s been one of my go-to authors for more than a decade or so. I think I only discovered her work when she attended the Brisbane Writers’ Festival in 2009, but I’ve read everything she’s written since.