Books

Book Review: What A Way To Go by Bella Mackie

Posted on by Libby Price

I was lucky enough to be granted an advance review copy of Bella Mackie’s first fiction book ‘How To Kill Your Family’ which I thoroughly enjoyed (and did not act upon!) Bella posted on social media over the festive period that her more recent book was on offer at 99p for a Kindle copy – well, I somehow missed the bargain, but was happy to invest in the full price! Here’s the blurb:

“One wealth-obsessed man, who is also dead.
One status-obsessed woman, who is the perfect accessory.
Their four inheritance-obsessed children, each with a killer instinct.
And a murder-obsessed outsider looking to expose them all…

Anthony Wistern is wealthy beyond imagination. Fragrant wife, gaggle of photogenic children, French chateau, Cotswold manor, plethora of mistresses, penchant for cutting moral corners, tick tick tick tick tick tick. Unfortunately for him, he’s also dead. Suddenly poised to inherit his fortune, each member of the family falls under suspicion.”

Again, Bella has written about rich people based in London – I guess it worked very well last time – and again, there are lots of unlikeable characters!!

You know early on that Anthony has died, at his own 60th birthday party no less, but you don’t know how – and in fact, that’s the whole premise of the book. Anthony is stuck in a weird no-mans land between life and the after life – and in order to move on, he needs to remember how he died. Whilst trapped, he’s able to watch over his family and friends and see what they’re doing in real time to get clues and help trigger his memory. It’s an incredibly clever way to tell the story.

Each chapter is told from one of three points of view – Anthony, his wife Olivia, and an internet sleuth who is investigating Anthony’s ‘murder’. None of the narrators are particularly nice, and to be honest, neither are the supporting characters too!

Various ‘suspects’ are looked at – Anthony’s children, extended family, work colleagues, investors – and there are plenty of people with motivation for seeing him off. There are lots of twists and turns and you don’t uncover what’s actually happened until very near the end of the book.

It’s a real look at how awful some monied people, and people born with a family history if not cash, can be – but awful in a ‘can’t look away and need to see how this all finishes’ way.

Another great book – and as is already happening with ‘How To Kill Your Family’ – ripe for being made into a film or TV series.

Book Review: Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes

Posted on by Libby Price

“No one knows better than Ian Palmer – Executive Butler – that social position is everything in the rose-strewn Cotswolds.
So when his boss, Tata Hawkins, flounces out of her (new-build) manor house after a row with husband Bryan, Ian is alarmed: for one thing, if Tata is on the social slide downwards, that means he is too; for another, he’s lost his home and has nowhere to store his prized collection of vintage Gucci loafers; even worse, a vacuum among the Country Princess set has opened up for a new Queen Bee.
With the old-money Pennybacker-Hoare sisters plotting to rid ‘their’ county of Tata and her ilk, a bikini influencer on the prowl for a husband just like Mr. Hawkins, a glamorous American divorcee threatening to steal Tata’s crown, and the heiress-next-door threatening to steal Ian, the Cotswolds are in chaos.
Can Ian restore Tata’s country crown and reinstate her to the comforts of the Manor?”

I’ve not read any of Plum Sykes’s previous books – but I liked the sound of this on Net Galley and was granted an advance review copy as Net Galley said it was to be published in June 2025 – however it would appear that it’s actually already out! (I suspect it might be a geographical issue and I’ve read a version destined for another territory??)

The book has real ‘Rivals’ vibes (one of THE TV shows of 2024, based upon the classic 1980s novel by Jilly Cooper) although this is set in current times in the Cotswolds rather than 40 years ago. Initially there are a lot of different characters and I found it a little bit confusing as to who was connected to whom – but after a while I got into the swing of it.

I really liked Ian from the start, he reminded me of Gary the bag man in the TV show VEEP, always one step ahead of knowing what his client needs. Tata was a bit of a drama queen – but not dislikeable.

I have kids who move in horsey circles, and some of the descriptions of that set were perfectly written – and similarly the private school sports activities! (Although my experiences are over the border in Worcestershire rather than Gloucestershire)

There was lots of name dropping and label dropping – and the storyline doesn’t have a huge amount of substance but this is a fun and fluffy, escapist read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it for all of those reasons. A huge thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for my review copy – be it advanced or not!

Book Review: So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne

Posted on by Libby Price

Having previously enjoyed books by Holly Bourne, I was delighted to be granted an advance review copy of her new novel, So Thrilled For You. Here’s the blurb:

“Nicki, Lauren, Charlotte and Steffi have been friends since university. Now in their thirties, life is pulling them in different directions – but when Charlotte organises the baby shower of hell for pregnant Nicki, the girls are reunited.
Under a sweltering hot summer day, tensions rise – and by the end of the evening, nothing will ever be the same. Someone started a fire at the house – and everyone’s a suspect…
Is it Steffi, happily child-free but feeling judged by her friends? Is it Charlotte, desperate to conceive and jealous of those who have? Is it Lauren, who is finding motherhood far, far worse than she imagined? Or is it Nicki herself, who never wanted a baby shower anyway?”

You know that a dreadful fire has happened – but not how it started or what the outcome is – and the story unfolds flicking between police interviews, flashbacks to the party, the back stories of the key characters and social media posts.

Each of the four main characters – friends since Uni – have a different relationship with motherhood. I have to say that each of these are written BRILLIANTLY and you can really understand their viewpoints. I might be a mother of four myself, but I completely respect women who are childfree by choice, and can understand that for some people the journey to motherhood is incredibly difficult – and I remember the early days of being a parent which is so very, very hard.

The ways each of the individual woman’s personal journeys intertwine is incredibly cleverly written – and there continue to be surprises throughout the book. I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going on – and the style of writing really keeps the momentum going. The description of the stiflingly hot weather – particularly in the glass box of Nicki’s parents’ grand designs house – is so well written.

Some of the characters are more likeable than others, and as you understand the history you realise why some of the foursome are closer than others, and why some now don’t actually like each other at all. The way everything ties up at the end is clever – and not completely predictable, which is always the sign of a good book.

Overall it was a great book which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for my ARC – the book is published on 16 January 2025 if you’d like to pre order it now.

Book Review: The Island Getaway by Lucy Diamond

Posted on by Libby Price

Having thoroughly enjoyed previous books by Lucy Diamond, I was delighted to be granted an advance review copy of her new book – The Island Getaway, which is published in January 2025. Here’s the blurb:

“The Island Getaway is a big-hearted novel from the queen of bestselling fiction, celebrating second chances, true love and the life-affirming joy of unlikely friendships.
The dream holiday just got complicated . . .
On the sun-drenched island of Kefalonia, the new arrivals at The Ionian Escape hotel are hoping for a break from everyday life. But some of them are bringing a lot of baggage . . .
Disgraced TV star Miranda Vallance feels like the worst person in the world. Her sister won’t speak to her and her job’s on the line. She’s desperate to put things right but how?
Eighty-two-year-old Evelyn Chambers has come to the Greek Islands to fulfil a promise to the love of her life. If she can steel herself to go through with it, that is . . .
And when celebrity chef Frank Neale checks in, rumours swirl around the hotel. But is it his wife, Leonora, who has more of a reason to escape to Greece?“

I started reading this having just returned from Greece – and it was wonderful to escape back to the sunshine! There’s a mix of characters all with back stories and all of whom are really different and written beautifully. I imagined Miranda to look exactly like Hannah Waddingham for some reason, whilst Evelyn was pure Iris Apfel!

The stories all intertwine – with flashbacks to the 1980s that you realise must be connected – but it takes a while to unravel the connections.

It covers a huge cross section of topics – from first love, sibling rivalry, later life relationships, coercive control – but all wrapped up in a stunning location.

It was a beautiful escapist read – which made me smile and cry!

A big thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC – I’d recommend pre ordering for a sunshine escape in the depths of January gloom.

Book Review: Friends of Dorothy by Sandi Toksvig

Posted on by Libby Price

“After much searching, the happily married young couple, Amber and Stevie think they have found the perfect spot in Grimaldi Square. Despite the rundown pub across the way, the overgrown garden and a decidedly nosy neighbour, number 4 is the house of their dreams. Stevie, a woman who has never left anything to chance, has planned everything so nothing can spoil their happiness. But … upstairs in their new home, seated on an old red sofa is the woman they bought the place from – eighty-year-old foul-mouthed, straight-talking, wise-cracking Dorothy – who has decided that she’s not going anywhere. It turns out that Dorothy will be only the first in a line of life-changing surprises.
Friends of Dorothy is a touching, funny novel about a family that is not biological, but logical; a story close to Sandi Toksvig’s heart.”

Whilst reading this – I heard Sandi Toksvig interviewed on the Dish podcast (hard recommend – one of my must listen to podcasts with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, sponsored by Waitrose) and she was talking about writing this book. Basically she was writing a different factual book that required LOADS of research and ballooned into something much bigger than expected – and decided she wanted to write something that required no research at all – hence ‘Friends of Dorothy’ was born.

The book is most definitely a play on the ‘Friends of Dorothy’ colloquialism which is defined on the Fluent Slang website as follows:

“The term friend of Dorothy is a slang phrase that refers to someone who identifies as LGBTQ. It originated in the mid-1900s as a discreet way for LGBTQ individuals to identify themselves and connect with others during a time when the queer community faced persecution. The exact origin of the term is uncertain, with some suggesting it may be a reference to Dorothy Parker, a writer who had many gay friends in the 1920s and 1930s, while others believe it comes from the character Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz,” who befriends outcasts. The term is often used within LGBTQ circles as a way to discreetly identify oneself or to arrange meetings that would go unnoticed by the heterosexual majority. Although the term is not as commonly used today, it may still be heard among LGBTQ communities and can also be abbreviated as “FOD.” It’s important to emphasize that the term is not sexually explicit and is not intended to be offensive.”

But also one of the central characters is called Dorothy – and the supporting cast either are or become her friends over the course of the book.

Whilst the book is primarily about Amber and Stevie and their new home – it is so much more than that. It’s about ‘family’ from friends, it touches on homophobia and transphobia, it looks at the use of recreational drugs for pain relief, the support of a community, end of life care and so much more.

Overall it is a total delight of a book. I loved the whole cast of characters and the journey they went on and the power of a group of family built from friendship and support. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone.

A huge thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for my ARC. It came out in September 2024 so you can but it IMMEDIATELY and I think you probably should!

Book Review: Eat Slay Love by Julie Mae Cohen

Posted on by Libby Price

Having enjoyed Julie Mae Cohen’s previous book – Bad Men – I was delighted to be granted an advance review copy of her new book – Eat Slay Love, which was released this week. Here’s the blurb:

“A good friend will help you move on.
A best friend will help you move the body . . .
The razor-sharp, hilarious new 2024 black comedy thriller from the bestselling author of Bad Men.
Marina is a divorced mother of three preschoolers.
Lilah is a shy and lonely librarian.
Opal is a broke post-menopausal fitness guru.
These three women have absolutely nothing in common – except for the charming, attractive man who’s been lying to all of them. Now that he’s tied up in a basement, they may just have something to bond over.
But how far is each willing to go to get revenge? As this shared secret brings them closer together, other, deadlier problems come crashing into their lives. Can they put their differences aside to save themselves – and each other?”

Initially you meet the 3 leading characters – and you’re not sure how it’s all going to fit together – but it cleverly starts to come together! The fact that the ladies are all so different – and well written in their own right – is fabulous.

There are some gruesome elements, and some ‘suspending belief’ elements – but that’s often the case in black comedy thrillers and didn’t in any way detract from the book.

The use of modern technology (pin dropping of locations, scheduled Instagram posts etc) was woven into the storyline just as they’re part of every day life now (although some books still shy away from such things – which seems a bit daft!)

I was rooting for Marina, Lilah and Opal in different ways – and as a combined force of very different people, they were great. Whilst it is a revenge story – it’s also a female friendship storyline too.

It was a fun, escapist read – and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A big thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my ARC.

Book Review: We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

Posted on by Libby Price

I’m not sure if there is a collective noun for Richard Osman appreciators – like ‘Swifties’ for Taylor’s fans – but if so, I would definitely be in that gang. We would all do the equivalent of swapping friendship bracelets and sporting glitter on our faces – I’m not entirely sure on what these ‘equivalents’ would be – but I suspect a nice cup of tea would be involved. I’ve loved Richard’s Thursday Murder Club series, and so was prepared to part with cash (which I don’t often do!) to read the first instalment of his new series ‘We Solve Murders’. Having been educated about the world of publishing by the brilliant podcast that Richard presents with the marvellous Marina Hyde, ‘The Rest Is Entertainment’ I did pre order the book, as obviously Mr Osman needs all of the advanced sales he can get!! (If there was an ‘ironic’ font, I would have used that for the preceding sentence given the very large number of books he has shifted in the past. In fact Richard and his wife Ingrid know a German font designer, so perhaps they could get him to create one. I appreciate I am now verging into slightly deranged, potential stalker territory………)

Anyway – back to the book – here is the blurb for anyone who doesn’t just buy a book because Richard Osman wrote it:

“Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favourite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.
Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job . . .
Then a dead body, a bag of money and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a deadly enemy?”

Whilst this is a new team of crime fighters – the Osman style of writing runs strong through Amy, Steve and the extended cast. Greggs and a Boots Meal Deal are mentioned early on – so what’s not to love?

I won’t ruin any storylines – but the different settings are great – I particularly loved St Lucia (I’m biased because we got married there, and I’ve also been travel sick on those horrific roads, and the bar at the airport is RUBBISH – we spent a 5 hour delay in the BA lounge and there is not much to keep you entertained – but it’s still a wonderful holiday destination – although perhaps a little risky in this book!)

The supporting cast are great – such an eclectic mix – and there’s definitely scope for fleshing some of those out in future books (I felt Adam – Amy’s husband / Steve’s son was a much less used character than I’d expected)

Whilst there are gruesome elements – it’s all done in a very ‘cosy crime’ way – and the humour throughout is as fabulous as I expected (so much funnier than The Bear – another podcast reference – sorry!)

My only quibble with the whole book is that Richard and Ingrid’s lovely new kitten Lottie doesn’t get a mention – whereas Liesl the cat is discussed both in the ‘about the author’ and the acknowledgment sections! I suspect this is purely a matter of timing, and that Lottie will have a starring role in Richard’s next book. #justiceforLottie

As I had hoped – this is a wonderful new book, and I look forward to seeing what Amy, Steve – and Rosie – get up to in the future (with or without visiting Coopers Chase – crossover incoming?)

I have to confess (we’re off on a TRIE tangent again!) that I bought it from ‘friend of the podcast’ Lauren’s boyfriend’s website so I could have it on my electronic reading device – but I do plan to source a copy from an independent bookshop for my mother’s Christmas present!

Book Review: Murder On The Dance Floor by Katie Marsh

Posted on by Libby Price

Having recently enjoyed the first book in the Bad Girls Detective Agency series by Katie Marsh, How Not To Murder Your Ex, I was delighted to see that the second book was available on Net Galley ahead of its release later in March 2024, and I was granted an advance review copy.

Here’s the blurb:

“They DID promise her a killer hen weekend…

Jeanie’s getting married, and – despite her completely impossible four sisters – her best friends Clio and Amber are determined to give her a bachelorette weekend to remember. They’re in matching pink T-shirts and the drinks are flowing…
But the night turns out to be unforgettable for all the wrong reasons when a girl turns up dead on the dancefloor. And – even though she’s a stranger – she is wearing one of Jeanie’s hen T-shirts.
Who is she? And why are the police convinced that the hens are involved? Can the newly-formed Bad Girls Detective Agency solve the murder? And in time to get Jeanie up the aisle?
Unputdownable mystery set on the English coast – perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Bad Sisters and How to Kill Your Family.”

The book follows on 6 months after the initial book in the series – with Jeanie on her hen weekend before getting married to Tan, the father of her 18 month twins. There is the usual friends and family politics of such a weekend – but then there’s a murder on the dancefloor. (Interestingly the song of the same name by Sophie Ellis-Bextor appears to be a timeless classic, with my teenage kids enjoying it when out clubbing just like we did back in the 90s – even before Saltburn made it a global hit recently!)

Now I’m just going to throw up a little niggle at this point. The murder victim has the same surname as the crime family in the first book of the series, and it’s a distinctive surname, not a Smith or a Price – but NO ONE MENTIONS THIS AT ALL. I’m assuming this is an oversight – and the surname may even change before the book is published – but it seemed really odd to pedantic old me!

Since solving the murder of Clio’s ex husband in book one, the ladies have formed a detective agency – and use their skills to try and solve this new murder. There are lots of references to the first book – and characters that reappear (like Marg the septuagenarian drug dealer) but I think it would still stand alone, as enough of the back stories are explained if needed. However, I think reading ‘How Not To Murder Your Ex’ first would be a good plan (and it’s currently free to download if you have Prime!)

Whilst this is primarily a ‘cosy mystery’ – there are lots of other issues discussed too – family dynamics, relationship secrets and lies, female friendships to name but a few. The different characters – particularly Jeanie’s sisters – are well described and thought out, and the camaraderie between Jeanie, Clio and Amber is again evident. I also liked the storyline of Jeanie’s relationship with her own Mum.

Overall I really enjoyed this new book – another fun and escapist read – and I’m looking forward to seeing what the Bad Girls Detective Agency get up to next!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Net Galley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: How Not To Murder Your Ex by Katie Marsh

Posted on by Libby Price

I love books – just in case the content of this blog hadn’t given that away?! And I recently spent time at a party interrogating one of the Editorial Directors, Emily of Boldwood Books about the current state of the industry (I’m also really interested in business, and generally finding out ‘stuff’!) She did thank me the next day for attending her TEDtalk! One of the things we discussed was how ‘cosy mysteries’ are a super popular genre at the moment. For those of you not in the know, the definition of a cosy mystery is (according to Wikipedia – and thus spelt the American way!)

“Cozy mysteries, also referred to as “cosy mysteries” or “cozies”, are a sub-genre of crime fiction in which sex and violence occur offstage, the detective is an amateur sleuth, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially-intimate community. Cozies thus stand in contrast to hardboiled fiction, in which more violence and explicit sexuality are central to the plot. The term “cozy” was first coined in the late 20th century when various writers produced work in an attempt to re-create the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.”

I asked Emily for some recommendations of books Boldwood have published – and she very kindly sent me this (she did send me others too before her writers think she has favourites!!)

Here is the blurb:

“It is 5:30 am on Clio’s forty-fifth birthday and her hated ex is lying dead on her doorstep. Even worse, this is no accident. Someone’s killed him…
When single mum Clio‘s ex Gary turns up dead on the doorstep of her caravan – the one she’s been forced to live in ever since he stole every penny she had – there’s only one suspect. Her.
What’s more, she doesn’t remember much about the night he was killed – not just because of the forgetfulness that’s been plaguing her along with the hot flushes – but because she definitely had one too many cocktails with her two best friends Amber and Jeanie.
Clio does remember them talking about how much they all hated him though. And, in the frame for murder, she has to ask herself – if she didn’t kill Gary, who did? One of his many enemies? Or someone a little closer to home? And can she and her friends find the real killer before it’s too late?
Unputdownable mystery set on the English coast – perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Bad Sisters, and How to Kill Your Family.“

I enjoyed this from the start. It alternates between the ‘current’ timeline when Gary’s body has been found – with the last day of Gary’s life, to set the scene as to who might want to kill him. And there are lots of potential murderers as Gary was not a nice person at all.

The description of Clio and her friends Amber and Jeanie was very realistic (as a woman of a similar age!) – and you can tell there is plenty to fill them out back story wise – with one having young twins, and the other having just been kicked out of the local police force.

As the group of friends start their investigations, so do the police, and everything intertwines – whilst at the same time you’re finding out more about the colourful set of characters. There are interesting alliances between people who may otherwise be sworn enemies – but come together in an attempt to solve the mystery of Gary’s death.

I really enjoyed the book – it was a fun, escapist read with a ‘girl power’ / friends forever vibe. I liked it so much I requested a copy of the second book in the series from Net Galley which I am currently devouring!

Book Review: Hide and Seek by M J Arlidge

Posted on by Libby Price

Hide and Seek

 

“Prison is no place for a detective
Helen Grace was one of the country’s best police investigators. 
Now she’s behind bars with the killers she caught.

Framed for murder
She knows there is only way out: 
stay alive until her trial and somehow prove her innocence.

Locked up with a killer
But when a mutilated body is found in the cell next door,
Helen fears her days are numbered.

A murderer is on the loose. 
And she must find them.
Before she’s next . . .”

I’ve loved all of the previous books in the Helen Grace series by M J Arlidge – and have always pre ordered the next so it just magically drops onto my Kindle on publication date.  But I realised it was ages since I’d read Little Boy Blue and thought there must be a new one.  Seemingly my ordering in advance had failed massively and I’d missed 2 new instalments (along with some short stories I’d not noticed before) so I did a big Kindle purchase and stocked up!  And my next read was ‘Hide and Seek’.

I think this would stand alone – but you’d be missing out, so I would definitely recommend reading all of the 5 preceding books in the series if you can.  The back stories  of various characters are filled in as required – but clearly not in as much detail as if you’ve read the other books.

My initial worry was that it wouldn’t be as good as the previous books – with Ms Grace behind bars – and it would all be a bit ‘Bad Girls’ – but I need not have worried at all, it was as fabulous as the previous books in the series.

There are basically 2 stories running concurrently.  Helen in prison and the trials and tribulations that brings firstly with ‘normal’ prison life, but then with a serial killer loose in the prison!  At the same time, outside Holloway, Helen’s friend and colleague Charlie is investigating the man who framed Helen to put her away in the first place, in a bid to clear Helen’s name.

Both plot lines build to a simultaneous climax and really keep you on the edge of your seat.  It felt a bit different to the previous books – I guess due to the settings – but still just as much fun.

I am intrigued as to how the series will now develop – but it’s ok, I already have the next one to read!  It’s like binge watching TV box sets already having the subsequent instalment ready to go.

I think this will slot into ‘the next book in a series you’ve started’ in my 2018 Reading Challenge.