Simon & Schuster UK Archives - Debbish Archive

Book review: The It Girl by Ruth Ware

Monday, August 1, 2022 Permalink

The It Girl by Ruth Ware is an absorbing read. It unfolds in the past and present, both via our narrator Hannah. In the past she’s starting out at Oxford University, climbing out of her public school past and and navigating the quagmire that is university life – grappling with study and new friends (which I remember as if it wasn’t 35 years ago 🙄 ). And in the present, she’s married, living in Edinburgh and working in a bookshop – never having graduated from university.

Ware doesn’t keep us guessing why as the book opens with Hannah finding the body of her best friend and room-mate April but we’re then taken back to their meeting and the weeks and months leading up to April’s murder.

Book review: Reputation by Sarah Vaughan

Monday, March 7, 2022 Permalink

Reputation by Sarah Vaughan is the third book I’ve read by the former English political correspondent. I enjoyed her the popular Anatomy of a Scandal which has been adapted for television and coming to Netflix in April 2022. I wasn’t as enamoured with Little Disasters which had a stronger parenting focus as – regular readers of my reviews will know – my eyes glaze over at the mention of judgmental parents and parenting wars and the like.

She’s returned to what she knows best here however and the focus is very much on the world of politics. (And the private lives of those who run for office and the media reporting on them.)

Book review: Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight by Janet Evanovich

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 Permalink

I thought I’d only missed the most recent Stephanie Plum adventure but according to Goodreads the last I read was #25. And in the two books I’ve missed Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur has been married and widowed. Again.

Things seem to have progressed with one of Stephanie’s love interests as well. Though here, it’s not the Ranger vs Morelli dilemma we’re used to, but someone called Diesel raises his apparently handsome head. And I found myself wondering where he fits into things, though have a vague memory of him – perhaps in a different series or a standalone book?

Book review: House of Correction by Nicci French

Tuesday, September 1, 2020 Permalink

House of Correction by Nicci French is the latest standalone by the married couple Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. It’s an interesting book. I initially engaged with our lead Tabitha though was a little baffled by her naiveté about her predicament (ie. in jail on remand but assuming ‘the truth will set her free’). Then we see a side of her that had me realising she was perhaps not entirely a nice person. And – though I can cope with unreliable or unlikeable narrators if they’re psychopaths or sociopaths, I wasn’t sure I’d cope with one who was just a bitch.

Book review: Mr Nobody by Catherine Steadman

Saturday, January 25, 2020 Permalink

I’ve been reading so many twisty books lately. I mean, I know I read a lot of novels of suspense and psychological thrillers so it’s what you expect, but authors are obviously working a lot harder to keep we readers guessing.

I’m usually pretty good with the whodunit stuff, but I’ve floundered a bit lately and Catherine Steadman’s Mr Nobody was very much like that.

This is the second book of Steadman’s I’ve read and her 2018 novel Something in the Water was chosen for Reese Witherspoon’s popular book club.

Book review: The Lying Room by Nicci French

Saturday, September 28, 2019 Permalink

I was surprised to read this was the first Nicci French (Nicci Gerrard / Sean French) standalone novel in 10 years. I’ve got quite a few on my bookshelves so it made me feel a little old. Of course I’ve not really been smitten with the Frieda Klein series, though have enjoyed the last few more than the first couple.

And I really enjoyed much of this novel and (unsurprisingly, cos I’m not great at delaying instant gratification) read it in a sitting. I was a tad disappointed with the end as it felt a little anti-climatic but I’d enjoyed everything that came before.

Book review: Hunting Evil by Chris Carter

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 Permalink

I have inadvertently come and gone from this series featuring Detective Robert Hunter from LAPD’s Ultra Violent Crimes Unit. (And yes, each time I have a giggle at the ‘ultra’ and try to remember to add the ‘n’ in violent.)

I’ve enjoyed the books I’ve read (here’s my review of the 2018 release ) and am pretty consistent now but – as it would happen – this is actually a sequel to an earlier book in the series and even the author Chris Carter recommends we read its precursor.

However… #spoileralert: I hadn’t read it and survived.

Book review: Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

Sunday, August 5, 2018 Permalink

This book was chosen by Reese Witherspoon for her bookclub so probably doesn’t need the support of little ol’ me here in the land down-under.

Which is probably a good thing as – though I certainly enjoyed it – I wasn’t as enamoured as I’m assuming readers like Reese were.

Book review: Providence by Caroline Kepnes

Wednesday, July 11, 2018 Permalink

The backcover blurb for this book makes it clear it’s not like Caroline Kepnes’ fabulous debut novel You, or its sequel, Hidden Bodies. So I was prepared for something quite different.

And it starts well. Our main characters are interesting, the disappearance of Jon (and even his reappearance) intriguing. But it seemed to get a bit lost after that and I wasn’t sure even Kepnes knew where she wanted to take us.