Adam Thompson's "Born into this"

 

You can find this book here.

Thompson's book is a collection of short stories. This makes it helpful so that any reader can think about the first story before going on to one of the others. 

Before I go on about this book, you can visit a video where Thompson talks about his book here. Getting to know the writer and their perspective about their writing is a great asset to reading as well! 

The stories are contemporary and may be tough to read theme-wise for some. The characters are diverse across the stories and reflect cultural practice and perspective in different ways for these Indigenous characters across Tasmania. 

The stories can be gritty and emotional, though Thompson layers his wit throughout. The content is political: not just regarding history, but also the present, showing a strong voice for people, culture and the environment. 

There are sixteen stories in total and all are quick-paced. The book is a quick read; but it is one that makes you think. And that's the importance of Thompson's voice in this collection. 

James Patterson and Marshall Karp's "NYPD Red 6"

 

You can find this book here.

Patterson is a household name. Even if you have never read one of his books; you have at least heard of him. He has written books for adults mostly, but also youth fiction as well. He has stand-alone novels, but also multiple crime/thriller series. 

The book I am going to write about, is one book in one of those series: NYPD Red 6.

Now firstly, this is the latest in the series (number 6 of 6); but Patterson and Karp ensure that you don't need to have read the previous five to understand what is going on in this book. 

The book focusses on two detective, Kylie MacDonald and Zach Jordan (though the book is mostly from Jordan's perspective) and dealing with a case of a kidnapped "star". I use air quotes because Erin Easton is herself not famous for anything other than her social media activity and reality television to keep her fame alive. Does that make her a star in your eyes, or not? Though I am sure Influencers may see themselves as famous too. Perhaps it depends on perspective.

The flow of the narrative and the way the plot unravels feels standard. I was able to figure out the twists. But if you like a comfortable read, the household name of Patterson (and now Karp?) could still be a fun read for you. Outside of the major case the detectives follow, there is also a minor one about burglaries , which shows the busyness of these specialised detectives. This might add some meat to your read.

It is fast-paced, and the chapters are short and quick to keep you reading. I do not know whether you will find the characters as full as in other novels you may have read; however, as this is the sixth book, that could be why they perhaps seem two-dimensional. 

So why not read them from the beginning? ...

NYPD Red 1 = print books are here

NYPD Red 2 = print books are here

NYPD Red 3 = print books are here

NYPD Red 4 = print books are here ; the eBook is here

NYPD Red 5 = print books are here ; the eBook is here

Links for you

Title read-a-likes in the Library:

Bone collector

Jeffrey Deaver

This is also the first in a series that will be as fast-paced as Patterson and Karp's.

Sweet little lies

Caz Frear

Distant echo

Val McDermid

Amity Gaige's "Sea wife"

 

You can find this book here.

Gaige's novel is a sea adventure; at least on the outside. Juliet's husband Michael buys a sailboat and persuades her and their two children to live at sea for a year. And so, the sea "adventure" begins. The inside of this novel though; is about Juliet and her marriage, her relationship to her family, and her own individuality and identity that has been overtaken, it seems, by postpartum depression. 

The writing is a very smooth read; and offers the two perspectives of Juliet and Michael. Juliet's is in real-time, but Michael's voices comes through written logs during the sailing. There are, in the back of the book, excerpts of other styles of writing such as emails and radio interviews; however, I felt that these did not add to the story and once that final page of the narrative is read, everything is resolved as it can be. I do think that being able to see both voices in the marriage is a strong tough and adds authenticity to both voices and the ability to see things differently, or the fact that we all put lenses over things depending on our experiences, personalities, histories and lives. 

Whilst readers who enjoy sea jargon are going to love this aspect of the novel, those unfamiliar with sailing (like myself) may feel overwhelmed by the focus. However, it again adds authenticity to the life the family are living. This book is also not a thrill-ride, but more a look at characters and underlying tensions that can exist but aren't brought to the surface as strongly until you are stuck at sea with them for a long period of time (politics comes up from time to time for example that seems to focus on the 2016 U.S. election). In this way, the novel is more relational, focussing on characters. There is a mysterious tone surrounding Michael; however, this is a very light shade of mystery, that resolves itself when it should.

Emotions and communication are strong themes in this book, among other things, and so if you want to read about these balances between a wife and husband, pick up this book. It is an easy-read and the language flows well. Just don't expect a kraken in the water.

Links for you

Read-a-likes in the Library:

Monogomy

Sue Miller

This book has a little more psychological tension than Gaige's; however the focus is on long-term marriage, relationships and identities within them. It's also not at sea.

Only story

Julian Barnes

Again, whilst not at sea, this book focusses on marriage and reflections of love, life and memory.

Staff pick: Matthew Reilly's "Ice station"

This book can be found here.

This book is action-packed, fast-paced and an all-out knock-out boy’s fight. I loved it.

This is the story of a well-trained group of US men sent to secure a classified item in Antarctica. Intrigue, fighting and natural hazards made for some unexpected twists and complications. This book was funny and eventful, making it exciting to read and talk about. I would relate it to watching a superhero movie with some of the sequences pulled off; however, the twists in this book are possible because nature is unpredictable.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read military themed novels, who enjoys twists, exciting fight sequences and humorous characters.

-- K

It is also book one (1) in Reilly's Scarecrow series; but it is not necessary to read them in order.

C. J. Tudor's "The chalk man"

This book can be found here.

Tudor’s ‘The Chalk Man’ is a pretty fast read, and whilst I am going to review it as much as any other book I have read … cloudLibrary classed it as part of the genre “Horror”. Depending on your definition of the genre, you may or may not agree with this when you read it.

Eddie is a kid, part of a “gang” of youths who find a dead body when they are young and then need to deal with the consequences of this once they are older. Seems like a simple storyline; and it is, because we have heard this many times before (even Stephen King’s ‘Dreamcatcher’ does this in part). However, this book has a very different feel to it, even though it follows common tropes. 

The reason I believe this novel is different is because of the characterisation. I found the characters; not exactly interesting per se, but so damaged and flawed that the situation, consequences and the writing sat with me much longer. Perhaps this was why it was placed in horror? The mentalities, attitudes and lives of these characters are so flawed, so pained at times, and seemingly so … off … that perhaps this is the horrifying element all along. Not anything violent that actually happens in the novel: it is the psychology of the characters themselves that is off-putting or creepy. It was what made the book interesting. And sad (not in a crying way, but in a “oh, humans are so pathetic and tormented way”, you know?). It’s also what I take away from this novel the most.

The story itself changes chapter by chapter through the past and present. Mainly between 1986 and 2016. This really worked and made the novel even poetic and cyclical by the end. 

“Everyone has secrets, things they know they shouldn’t do but do anyway.”

You may not see it now, but you will if you read this novel. 

If anyone says they could not connect with the characters; that makes sense. Because it is filled with dark humour and the characters are all flawed, broken and well, human. But the story itself is well written and complete; you have everything you need by the novel’s end. I just kept going back to its cyclical nature and found this part the most enjoyable.

Links for you:

Tudor in the Library:

Other people

Tudor in cloudLibrary:

Taking of Annie Thorne

Title read-a-likes in the Library:

Bone keeper

Luca Veste

Both novels are menacing and have a murder of the past that leaves a mark on individuals into their older selves. However, Veste is more police procedural.

Lying game

Ruth Ware

This was chosen because of the flawed nature of characters and the psychological impact of past events on characters.

Good daughter

Karin Slaughter

Chosen because characters were flawed and shows the impact of small-town life.

Author read-a-likes in cloudLibrary:

Into the water

Paula Hawkins

Girlon the train

Paula Hawkins

Hawkins' work is similarly creepy, complex and nonlinear. These works also focus on the psychology of characters and their unlikeability.

Stuart Turton's "Seven deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle"

This book can be found here.

Turton’s novel is his debut. It won the First Novel Award at the 2018 Costa Book Awards and is a Sunday Times bestseller; so head’s up, it won’t be bad. As an aside, before I get into the book, in the United States it is known as ‘7 ½ deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’. Whether that gives anything away or not to you; I don’t know.

‘We have work to do,' he says. 'I have a puzzle which requires a solution.'

'I think you've mistaken me for someone else,' I say. 'I'm just a doctor.'

'You were a doctor,' he says. 'Then a butler, today a playboy, tomorrow a banker. None of them are your real face, or your real personality. Those were stripped from you when you entered Blackheath and they won't be returned until you leave.' 

Great quote, right? That’s why I used it. And it will draw you in to the story you are going to want to read.

The story is about a character called Aiden who has been told he needs to solve a murder at Blackheath House. As simple as any crime novel? Except that at the end of each day, the day repeats and Aiden finds himself in another guest at Blackheath House, with what clues he has remembered. That is correct. He inhabits the bodies of guests at Blackheath House to solve a murder.

As far as the plot goes, it can be disorientating, but it is very solid. There is an historical setting to the novel, which is interesting given the way the main character Aiden moves through the novel (science-fiction-like, if you will). However, it is well-paced, and it isn’t drenched in description. In fact, the plot is much denser than the description, which helps the pace. This therefore makes it more complex than an Agatha Christie novel, though the same “whodunnit” theme can be found across. But it is a nice step up from Christie if you are used to reading her.

In terms of character … because of how Aiden works, and so I do not give too much away, I cannot say much about Aiden himself. However, all the characters at Blackheath are well-developed, different from each other and sordid. Surely that’s a Christie word, right? Most characters have dark secrets and character traits that make them unlikeable; so, it also makes it hard (at least for me) to really tell who did commit the crime until the end. Yet it also adds depth to the characters, the setting and the plot, as all these characters appear multi-layered.

This book was a very solid first novel; and reads like it isn’t. There is crime, action, deception, science fiction elements, mystery … it’s almost an all-rounder, making it a good suggestion for any reader.

Links for you:

Title read-a-likes in the Library:

Life after life

Kate Atkinson

This novel has an historical setting, is structurally complex and has a main protagonist who lives days over and over again. It is more humourous than Turton’s and removes the mystery / crime element from it.  

Author read-a-likes in the Library:

Minette Walters’ books

Tends to write in a similar style with stylistically complex writing, intricate plots and a creepy tone. A lot of the items in the list (there is a trilogy there) have historical settings; and others are more suspenseful.

Author read-a-likes in cloudLibrary:

Into the water

Paula Hawkins

Hawkins tends to write in a similar style with stylistically complex writing, intricate plots and a creepy tone.

New Poirot mysteries

Sophie Hannah

These were chosen as Hannah was commissioned to write new Poirot novels in the vein of Christie (she also writes her own suspense / thrillers). These will be typical “whodunnits” with the crime and mystery elements similar; though possibly less suspenseful, yet with historical elements and intricate plots.