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Book review: The Inheritance by Gabriel Bergmoser

Wednesday, July 28, 2021 Permalink

I started reading The Inheritance by Gabriel Bergmoser before realising it featured a character who’d appeared in The Hunted, released in 2020. It’s certainly not a sequel however, and previous knowledge isn’t required.

I didn’t like The Hunted as much as most because it dipped a little too much into the horror genre for my taste. I can cope with books about serial killers and psychopaths but Bergmoser has the impressive (if not entirely welcome to me!) talent of putting readers amidst action; which is often very violent and visceral.

Book review: False Witness by Karin Slaughter

Sunday, July 11, 2021 Permalink

False Witness by Karin Slaughter is the latest in a series of fabulous thrillers I’ve read within a short space of time. I’ve long been a fan of Slaughter’s series but am also very much enjoying her standalone novels.

I was worried this book might be a bit predictable, from the blurb. The premise seems kinda obvious, as if there will be nowhere for it to go that we haven’t been before. But – not only does Slaughter kick-off with an interesting twist – she manages to eke out the past and present in such a way that kept me riveted.

Book review: Driving Stevie Fracasso by Barry Divola

Tuesday, March 9, 2021 Permalink

There was a lot I liked about Driving Stevie Fracasso by Australian journalist Barry Divola. I was for example, reminded of my fetish for the movie (and soundtrack) Eddie & the Cruisers (and its dodgy sequel), released in the 1980s – though I didn’t watch until sometime in the 90s.

Divola’s lead character Rick is a bit older than me, however he references an era I remember well and this brought back many memories.

This book is probably a little too densely populated with music trivia and detail for me (a music-heathen) but I enjoyed the underlying messages about family, relationships and change. The latter in particular being relevant for me at the moment as my own worst enemy.

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: The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser

Thursday, May 28, 2020 Permalink

This book is garnering a lot of praise and it’s deserved. It’s bloody exciting. Heart-in-mouth pacing. The action does not stop.

I recently watched the new Chris Hemsworth movie, Extraction on Netflix. At the time I commented that it felt like one long action sequence. I’m someone who normally fast-forwards car chases and fight scenes… waiting for the dialogue to recommence. That didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the movie. I did, but it was what it was.

I felt the same about The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser. It is almost one long action-packed scene. It wasn’t until later I discovered the author is also a scriptwriter and a film based on the book is already under development. The Hunted is certainly a very visceral experience. So perhaps he visualised the entire thing, as if an action-sequence.

Book review: The Fallout by Rebecca Thornton

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 Permalink

I must have requested this book (electronically) a while ago. Or during a lull. Because when it popped up in my ‘due to read’ pile I read the back cover blurb and groaned. Not from any physical pain ( 😉 ) but rather the thought of yet another book about parenting wars. I know the fascination with good / bad parenting started before Big Little Lies but the perfect / imperfect mummy thing has become a little old hat. More so for me I suspect as a non-parent.

But I bravely read on, deciding it’s not the author’s fault there’s been a deluge of books about parents being blamed for their children going missing or getting hurt when they should be keeping a better eye on them.

And, I was relieved to discover – after this book kicked off – there are some secrets at play that go beyond the parenting crap, so I found myself more intrigued than I expected to be.

Book review: Saving Missy by Beth Morrey

Friday, January 10, 2020 Permalink

I was, well am… a huge fan of UK author Anita Brookner. She wrote about loneliness and aloneness brilliantly. Poignantly.

Saving Missy by Beth Morrey is about certainly about loneliness. And aloneness. Two different things in my book. But it’s also a lovely story about hope, kindness, generosity and fate… people arriving in our lives when we most need them.

Book review: Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Thursday, March 2, 2017 Permalink

I’m a latecomer to this book which has been the subject of a lot of online discussion, in the same way Girl on a Train, Gone Girl and You did way back when. Everything I read and heard about it warned me the book was told from several unreliable viewpoints AND the end would be shocking and / or frustrating.

So I went in prepared…