Archive | June 2020

The English Wife by Adrienne Chinn

Jun23

One Segment At A Time

The English Wife by Adrienne Chinn is a delightful dual timeline novel with action set in 1940 and 2001, both moving forwards. It is a wonderful warm read that I adored.

The novel is set in Norwich during the war, and in 2001 in Newfoundland after a plane is diverted due to 9/11.

Families are a complicated affair. Relationships blossom and later die as hearts are consumed with hate and unforgiveness. As bitterness sets in, lives are tainted.

We have to make sure that we have the correct priorities. “Be careful you don’t miss the important things while you’re being so busy.” No one ever gets to the end of their life wishing they had spent more time in the office. The power and greed of corporations contrast with lives of love. One character is forever chasing fame and fortune. Neither will ever bring happiness. True wealth and treasure is to be found in people.

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The Perfect Couple by Lisa Hall

Jun22

Senses On High Alert

The Perfect Couple by Lisa Hall is a compulsive contemporary psychological suspense that I just could not put down.

Lisa Hall has constructed a very clever plotline. She drew me in, manipulated my emotions and reeled me in to a certain way of thinking before spinning me around towards the conclusion. It was a fabulous roller coaster read – exciting, thrilling and jaw dropping.

The characters are well drawn, eliciting various emotional responses from me. I saw what Lisa Hall wanted to show me – but just like an iceberg, two thirds were hidden below the waterline.

Life is made up of the haves and have-nots. Within the story there is suspicion cast on those without money and who marry into it.

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A Fatal Truth by Faith Martin

Jun14

Nostalgic Crime Busting

A Fatal Truth by Faith Martin is a marvellous historical murder mystery. It is the fifth book in the Ryder And Loveday Mystery series which I am loving.

This series has a wonderful retro feel to it, combined with a cosy murder mystery. It would make a perfect prime time television series. This book is set in 1961. It feels very much like Inspector Morse meets Endeavour meets Inspector George Gently. I can easily picture Martin Shaw as the erasable Dr Ryder.

Once more the reader is treated to the crime busting duo of aging coroner Dr Ryder and young WPC Loveday who is a breath of fresh air. Together they aim to solve crimes and keep the streets of Oxford safe.

Faith Martin has created well thought out storylines that have the reader intrigued and guessing. I am familiar with the Oxford streets and landscapes (having visited and also watched all episodes of Morse, Endeavour and Lewis), so it was easy to picture the action.

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