John Burdett: The Last Six Million Seconds, Vintage Crime, Penguin Random House, 9780307948618, ebook, 

I have read Burdett's exceĺlent Bangkok trilogy and while on holiday in Asia downloaded this novel. Hongkong during the last 2 months before being returned to China in April 1997.

Charlie Chan, chief inspector with the Royal police, of half Chinese, half European heritage,  is dealing with a gruesome murder, three mutilated heads are found without bodies. The beginning of a complex thriller. 

I was fascinated how Burdett processed the Asian mentality in this sometimes brutal novel, the delicate political landmines involved during the handover, the cover ups and the fundamental differences in Western and Chinese philosophy in dealing with problems.  Chan is a charismatic character who is trying to solve the murders before the clock runs out on him and he faces an uncertain future. A complex plot, sometimes too brutal for my taste but gripping. 

 Kristin Hannah: The Women, paperback, St. Martins Press, 9781035005680, paperback

( Deutsch: Die Frauen jenseits des Flusses, Rütten & Loenig, hardback - really ill suited title!)

The Vietnam war was a big issue for my generation and the country always held a fascination for me resulting in a trip a few years ago. I am in absolute awe of the Vietnamese people and their resilience.

 "The Women" starts in 1965 and has the women who served mostly as nurses with the US military in Vietnam at the heart of the novel. I was totally drawn in from first to the last page and loved the character of Frankie McGrath who is  synonym for all the women who were in Vietnam helping to save lives for a change.  Hannah does a great job portraying the hardship these nurses endured, their bravery,  getting absolutely no credit for it in the US,  being denied help with PSTD when they returned argueing they had not been actively fighting. I found the book fascinating, powerful and of course there is also love involved. The cameraderie of the nurses supporting each other is a greatvportrait of female solidarity. One of my favorite novels this year. 

Elke Heidenreich: Altern, Hanser Berlin, 9783446279643, hardback,

"ALTERN" von der unvergleichbaren, wunderbaren  Elke Heidenreich, ist das meistverkaufte Buch des Jahres 2025, was heissen muss, dass sie einen absoluten Nerv in unserer alternden Gesellschaft getroffen haben muss. 

Selten so zu diesem Thema gelacht, gepaart mit Nachdenklichkeit und Trauer,  gepaart mit ihrer heiteren Flapsigkeit und Weisheit. Ein sehr schlaues, humorvolles Buch, das nach Unangepasstheit schreit und dem Altwerden den Schrecken nimmt. Loved it! 20,00 € fand ich allerdings happig für dieses schmale Buch, aber Frau Heidenreich gönne ich die Tantiemen.

 Anna Bailey: Our last wild days, Transworld/PRH, upcoming April 25, 2025 pubdate, 9780867527400, c format paperbsck

"Our last wild days" reminded me a lot of " Where the Crawdads sing" which I loved. It is clearly directed at these readers.

Atmospheric setting in the Louisiana swamp town of Jacknife, with a corrupt policeforce, shady characters and colorful townspeople, it has at the heart a highly disfunctional white trash family, the Lasbasques who make a living hunting alligators. When Cutter is found dead in her boat in an alligator infested swamp, only Loyal, her childhood friend who is now a reporter at the local newspaper, seems interested to get to the bottom of what happend. It's a suspence packed, entertaining read, enjoyed the proof on vacation and was immediatly  sucked into this troubled, cajun small town atmosphere.  

 Anne Tyler: Three Days in June, Vintage /PRH,  upcoming Feb 2025 pub date, 9781784745752

( deutsch: Drei Tage im Juni, Kein & Aber) 

I absolutely loved " Three Days in June". Gail Baines, is the protagonist of the story and  the absolute anti-hero of a mother of the bride with a divorced husband, Max,  as a side kick, who has moved in with her for the duration of the wedding,  with a cat. Her daughter is about to get married and all is not well in this family  setting.  Written with a sharp sense of humor, I would recommend this quirky portrait of the trials of family life to anyone who loves Elizabeth Strout but without depressing characters. 5 stars. 

 L.V.Matthews: To love a liar, 9781405974707, Viking/Penguin, paperback, upcoming pub date : March 2025

Thanks to an early proof, I had the joy of reading this gripping thriller on vacation. What happens to a marriage when your husband is an undercover policemen leading a secret, separate life and you discover his girlfriend is found dead by an overdose of heroin.  When his wife disappears, Chris Fletcher's stands to be accused of possibly two deaths. This is just the beginning of a terrific plot with many twist and turns. Really loved this thriller because of its unusual story and excellent writing . 

 Florian Illies: Liebe in den Zeiten des Hasses, S. Fischer, Taschenbuch,

Nachdem ich Uwe Wittstock's fantastisches Buch "Marseille 1940 " gelesen hatte, erschien es nur logisch ergänzend Florian Illies: Liebe in den Zeiten des Hasses zu lesen, nachdem ich bestens vertraut war mit dem Beziehungsgeflecht der deutschen und europäischen Künstlerelite. 

Die propagierte freie Liebe zu Hippiezeiten erschien mir fast blass neben den Liebesgeflechten und Irrungen und Wirrungen dieser Menschen in den 1930igern. Bertold Brecht und Helene Weigel, die ganze Mann Familie, Henry Miller und Anis Nin, Satre und Beauvoir etc., um nur einige zu nennen. Eine wunderbare Zeitgeschichte und zugleich eine Gesellschaftsstudie von mehreckigen Liebesbeziehungen. Grossartig geschrieben und recherchiert, loved it.  

 Isabel Allende: The wind knows my name, 9780593873779, paperback, Penguin Random House,

German: Der Wind kennt meinen Namen, Suhrkamp, gebunden.

Working her magic storytelling skills, I read Isabel Allende's latest novel during the summer, one of her more outstanding books in her large body of work , this one with a very topic theme.

Two separate stories run parallel: that of Samuel Adler, a Viennese jewish boy who escapes the Nazis with the Kindertransport to England, moving to the US eventually as an adult  where his path comes in contact with that of Anita Diaz who as a minor was separated from her mother when entering the US illegally from El Salvador.  Serena Duran, a social worker, has dedicated her working life to these lost children trying to find their parents. Really well composed story with a gorgeous cover.

 Chris Hammer: The Broken River, Headline, I read the ebook, paperback out Jan 2025

Chris Hammer's homicide detectives Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic are dispatched to a place called The Valley to investigate the death and murder of Wolfgang Burnside. Nell is still digesting the recent news of who was her real mother when a new personal surprise is waiting for her during the investigation.  

The plot has two time lines with a complex narrative, one providing the answer to the other in the end. I very much like this unusual duo of detectives and particularly Nell whose personal story has dominated two novels. I like to see more emphasis on Ivan next but great fourth book in the series, lengthy complex  plot,  sometimes too much though.

 Cara Hunter: Making a killing, c format paperback, Harper Collins UK, pub date: Feb 23, 2025

I have been following Cara Hunter's excellent Oxford detective team under DCI Adam Fawley from the beginning. This is the 4th book in the series and it picks up the loose end of a previous novel, whatever happend to Daisy Mason whose mother is serving a prison sentence for her murder. But Daisy's body was never found and the trial was purely evidence passed by Adam's team. 

When Daisy's DNA is found at a new bizarre murder scene, a big question mark demands a reopening of the old case. I will not reveal more but found myself turning the pages of this very twisted tale speedily. Hunter has written another well plotted thriller with trademark turns until the end. 

 

 Percival Everett: The Trees, Picador,,Uk, paperback and ebook

After reading Percival Everett's masterpiece " James" , I wanted to know more about his work and downloaded "The Trees"  for which he was also shortlisted for the Booker in 2022. 

Money, Mississippi:  a place predominately populated by white racist trash, becomes suddenly the center of attention when 3 male bodies are discovered brutally murdered, 2 white men, one black man holding the testicales of the others in his hand. All hell breaks loose, quickly two black detectives are dispatched to investigate but they are soon confronted with the violent past of the south, a history of lynchings and soon a number of copycat killings. Add to that some goofy, eccentric characters and Everett pulls off the impossible. 

It is hard to believe how such a serious subject can be comical but I found myself laughing a few times at the absurdity and grotesqueness of situations, the language and the behavior of the protagonists. How to sum it up? A cross between mystery, comedy and horror show digging into histoy,  this is a fabulous book, loved it! 

 

Percival Everett: James, 978038550888, c format paperback, Doubleday, US

Just finished "James"  by Percival Everett and with the backdrop of the  US elections, it gives this extraordinary, powerful novel even more of an emphasis. 

 WOW! I am still trying to process this masterpiece. A fast, easy literary read which stands in stark contrast to the seriousness of the subject,  the storytelling even funny at times and yet the horrors of slavery always present.  Only now do I feel that through the narration by James, the runaway slave and friend of Tom Sawyer and especially Huck Finn, a tale started by Twain and one of my teenage favorites,  the picture is complete.  

Everett's idea of having the slaves only speaking Patois when a white person is around but conversing in normal English amongst themselves,  felt humorous but always highlighted the whole absurdity of the situation.  

I  loved this book, Jim's ordeal hard to fathoms at times but I know enough about US history that his story was that of many slaves.  I wonder whether "James" will win the Booker prize,  definitely has my vote.

 Louise Penny: The Grey Wolf, 9781399730525, hardback, pub date Oct 31, 2024, Hodder & Stoughton

For fans of the formidable Louise Penny the waiting is soon over, another Amande Gamache novel "The Grey Wolf" is out Oct. 31st! 

Thanks to an early netgalley, I could escape into the world of Three Pines which this time is not at the center of the plot.

 Amande Gamache and his team are on the chase of a threat that could effect the lives of millions sending them all over the place trying to stop the inevitable.  I will not say more, but the plot is so embroiled with a string of possibilities and developements which  had me retracing characters and connections several times to pick up the thread again.   

It is perhaps not my favorite Penny mystery but a great escape into the world of crime with Amande Gamache  The cover of  " The Grey Wolf" by the way is really strong.

 Tana French: The Hunter, Penguin UK, 9780241684306, C format paperback

Tana French returns with " The Hunter" to the village of Ardnakelty/ Ireland,  where Cal Hooper, a retired Chicago cop, has settled and semi adopted Trey who was running wild in a very troubled disfunctional family. When her crook of a father returns with another friend and a money making scheme, the whole village is thrown into chaos with Trey heading for serious trouble.

What I love about French is her skill to describe so vividly every character in the novel, that I had a complete picture of everyone in my  head and they are still there!  Add to that a complex, slowly building plot where the crime is a minor factor making place for colorful protagonists  and you are set up for a great read. 5 stars! 

 Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Until August, 9780241686355, Viking, Penguin Random House, small hardback 

Gabriel Garcia Marquez next to John Steinbeck is probably my favourite writer. When I heard the news that Marquez's  sons and editor had decided to publish the last novella he had been working on before losing the battle to dementia, despite his wish to have it destroyed, I was very eager to form my own opinion.

"Until August" is tale of Ana Magdalena Bach who takes a ferry every year in August to an island where her mother is buried to commemorate her death. One year she takes a lover during that visit spending a passionate night,  a habit she continues annually despite being in a happy marriage. Typical Marquez material, one can feel the former brilliance of a master storyteller but it lacks the shine of his old magic, at least in my view. Still a Marquez despite its weekness and I am grateful his sons and editor added their story why they decided to forgo his wish... 

  "Love in the time of Cholera" remains my all time favorite,  with all its magic.

 Trisha Sakhlecha: The inheritance, Penguin Random House UK, Century, 9781529928723, ebook, coming February 2025

Thanks to an early netgalley of "Trisha Sakhlecha's : The Inheritance", my end of summer reading was a gripping mystery, a perfect escapist novel. 

A very wealthy Indian patriach with three children, Myra, Aseem and Aisha, decides to announce how his estate will be split up  amongst them. The Agarwals retreat to the Scottish island Myra is turning into a luxury retreat for a family reunion. As soon as they arrive, family dynamics set in and their mother's manipulative love and expectations do nothing to cover up the reason why everyone came and is so eager to receive their share of the fortune. This includes Zoe, Assam's wife whose voice and that of Myra narrate the mounting toxic developments, climaxing in a death with one of family members losing his/her life. A tight plot, several twists, well drawn out characters against an Indian/English background. 

 Elizabeth Strout: Tell me everything, Viking, 9780241634356, hardback

I loved the latest by Elizabeth Strout "Tell me everything" which I cannot say for all of her books that I have read, her best book in my opinion. 

It left me upbeat,  made me curious what was the next stories that Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge tell each other, about seemingly ordinary things but revealing so much about the inner lives of people they know. 

And then there are the walks between Lucy Barton and Bob Burgess which are more intimate in conversation then their relationships with their current partners, potential trouble looming ... Bob Burgess is by far my favorite character.. a book about friendship, old and new loves, trust, the complexity of relationships  and my favourite quote in the book: Love comes in so many different forms but it is always love! 

 Attica Locke : Guide me home, Viper / Little Brown, 9781788163972 c format paperback, 26. Sept 2024, i read the ebook 

"Guide me home" caught my attention by being awarded the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Daggar Award. 

Set in East Texas, the 3rd book centered around Texas Ranger Darren Mathews who has justed handed in his badge,  is not exactly a crime novel, although at the center is the search for a missing young black sorority student Sera Fuller.  For me this is a fine, engaging novel about a man at a crossroad with very conflicting personal relationships, be it with his current girlfriend, his divorced wife or his mother who drifted in and out of his life but is now making a reappearance or his former superior or colleagues. It is also a great portrait of America's less fortunate, far from the dreamland politicians would like everyone to believe . 

Really was surprised by the captivating story and the exellent writing.

 Tracy Chevalier: The Glassmaker, Harper Collins,  9780008153878, c format paperback, available

" The Glassmaker " by Tracy Chevalier begins in Renaissance Venice, Murano to be precise,  and is a wonderful historical novel of the Rosso family, traditional glassmakers, with  strong female characters  and the charismatic Orsola Rosso at its center,  which I really got into and enjoyed ...until I did not anymore.  

Chevalier chose to tell a story spanning over 500 years,  where she played with time progressing as we know it from history,  but her characters are only aging marginally. Meaning Orsola only ages 8 years wheras in reality 100 yrs have passed. 

 I liked this in the beginning, i loved the characters, the storytelling about glassmaking and its difficulties as a family business through history  but towards the end I felt this was not working anymore, the ending constructed and wobbily in my opinion. Sorry, i loved a lot about this novel but the concept did not work for me. 

 Lisa See: Lady Tan's Circle of Women, Simon + Schuster UK, paperback & ebook available

"Lady Tan's Circle of Women" falls into one of my favorite reading categories, historical based on true facts.  Who would have thought that China had female doctors in the 15th century who, although considered inferior,  where  extremely knowledgable and allowed to treat women's illnesses,  often working together with midwives.

Tan Yunxian really existed but Lisa See took fictional liberties to tell the captivating  story of a female doctor, born into an elite family,  who received her medical training from her grandmother, knowledge passed down through generations.   After being married into an aristocratic family with a mother in law from hell and no longer living under her grandparents protection,  she has to go against convention using every diplomatic skill to be able to help ailing women. 

This is also a  great story of female friendship.  Meiling, a midwife, and Tan seem destined by fate from girlhood onwards to become the rock in each others lives, working together to make female life medically safer during the Ming dynasty .  A great historical read, loved it. 

 Joseph O' Connor: The Ghosts of Rome, Harvill Secker, trade paperback 9781787303881, pub date: January 30, 2025, 

"My Father's House" by Joseph O Connor, the prequel to a" The Ghosts of Rome" , is one of these literary historical thrillers that will stay with you for a while. 

 I was thrilled to be able to read the netgalley of " Ghosts of  Rome" which continues with the work of "The choir", a group of exceptional individuals trapped in the Vatican,  helping people to escape certain death during the Nazi occupation of Rome in 1943/44.   The writing in different voices depending on the background of certain characters is what captured me as did the story although I have to confess to me it lacked the  brilliance of the first book.  Coming in January 2025...

 Charlotte Wood: Stone Yard Devotional, Sceptre, paperback and ebook 

Longlisted for the Booker Prize this year, "Stone Yard Devotional"  is one of these books I would describe as strangely weird but so  beautifully written that you wonder how Charlotte Wood pulled it off. 

At times sobering and sad, I could not stop reading the story of a woman who leaves her husband and life behind, despite not being religious but in search of freedom and peace, to join a small community of nuns in the Australian outback. Add to that an invasion of mice in the convent,  the arrival of the remains of a former nun and another disturbing visitor not only the narrator shares a past with, it is not surprising that the feeling of why should I continue to read this strange story surfaced sometimes. 

But Wood is a remarkable writer, short chapters with reflections on life, flashbacks of the woman's past and  current challenges lend the novel an almost mediative quality.  It is a very special novel about female friendship, solidarity and perseverance. I am very glad I read it.  As was the case with The Weekend, her other brilliant novel about female friendship. 

 Paula Hawkins: The Blue Hour, Transworld, 9781529938074, large format paperback or ebook, coming October 2024

Deceased famous painter Vanessa, who mostly lived and worked on remote Eris island,  suddenly becomes the center of an investigation when one of her installations is identified to include a human bone. Becker or Beck, the curator of the gallery that inherited her entire work, is tasked  to interview and visit Vanessa's closest friend Grace, who lives on Eris island now. 

These are the raw basics of a masterfully constructed psychological drama that becomes more twisted with every page,  kept me in full suspence and wondering what was next. A real true to form new Paula Hawkins pageturner, the ending I am not so sure about..... but a very intriguing story,  well drawn out  characters with Vanessa and Grace's relationship at the center. I literally could not put it down,  great read! Coming in October,I read a galley...

 Joseph Kanon: Shanghai, 9781398519787, Simon & Schuster UK, large paperback 

I seem to be reading quite a number of books about Nazi Germany lately. 

Joseph Kanon's excellent, atmospheric spy thriller featuring Daniel Lohr, starts in 1939 Berlin, who with great luck,  manages to escape by securing a passage on a ship heading for Shanghai thanks to his uncle Nathan's connections. He is a big player in pre war Shanghai's night life owning several clubs and pulling many business strings in this multi facetted, complex city. Several of the people Daniel meets on board  remain fatefully connected to him in Shanghai when he starts working for his uncle, particularly Leah with whom he begins an affair.  

The Chinese, Japanese, British,  Russian and German business connections are cleverly constructed  in this fab thriller.   I was intrigued by the web of plots Kanon spins, learning some history at the same time. Really loved Kanon's short, carefully crafted dialogues, his clipped sentences, the very colorful characters, a great literary spy novel.  

 Rebecca Godfrey & Leslie Jamison: Peggy, 9781473605756, Penguin Random House, pub date: August

This fresh,  fictional and quite literary interpretation of Peggy Guggenheim's well documented life was a wonderful read. 

I enjoyed Rebecca Godfrey's different approach to tell Peggy's life through her voice from early childhood up until she decides to collect avantgarde art. It is  a very different picture from the men consuming legendary art collector she is mostly portraited as. The novel sees her as a shy, spoiled, wealthy child used to a sheltered upper class Jewish life, with two sisters and an anxious mother until her beloved father dies on the Titanic. Tragedy remains part of their family life but after Peggy marries and has two children, her actions become bolder and more daring particulary after she realizes that she feels best in the company of artists and writers.  Her affair with the young Samuel Beckett has a special place in the novel. 

Its an interesting fictional biography that made me see Peggy Guggenheim from a very different perspective.  Sadly the author died when 2/3 of the book was finished,  Leslie Jamison did a great job finishing the novel according to the outline left behind. 

 Garry Disher: Sanctuary, Profile/Viper, 9781805222620, paperback, pub date: August 15, 2024

As far as Australian crime noir novels go, Disher is my favorite author. "Sanctuary", his upcoming standalone novel, took some time to get into, a string of story lines confused me in the beginning but of  course everything makes sense eventually.

Grace, the chief protagonist and most lieable character, is a very skilled thief on the run until she finds refuge and a job with Erin, a somewhat strange antique shop owner. Before too long Grace feels  at home but senses that someone is watching her.  Could it be Adam, a former boyfriend from her conflicted past whom she loved but betrayed or are other elements involved since she has not completely given up stealing while working for Erin who behaves strange at times as well.

Not one of my favorite Disher novels but a very solid crime noir novel as one would expect from him.

 Colm Toibin: Long Island, Picador, 9781035029440, hardback

What a delight to read Colm Toibin's latest fabulous  novel " Long Island", a follow up to " Brooklyn" which I also loved...but this is even better, i love how he writes, the quiet flow of the book  makes the events and the tone of the dialogues even more powerful as the plot comes to a head, i was completely hooked from start to finish.

Toibin is a brilliant storyteller as he picks up Eilis' life where "Brooklyn"  ended.  Now married to Tony with two teenage kids, Eilis is living in an enclave of Italien relatives on Long Island, when one day a man shows up at her door claiming Tony impregnanted his wife and he is going to hand over the baby to them when it is born. 

Eilis makes it clear to Tony that she will never tolerate this child in her household and when she receives no support from her Italian relatives or Tony,  she sets off to visit her mother in Ireland where she not only left her family but also Jim, her Irish love, who is still living in the village.  What unfolds in Enniscorthy, is a masterclass in storytelling.

Loved this book with all its characters from start to finish. 

 Abir Mukherjee: Hunted, 9781787302723, Harvill Secker, hardback

Abir Mukherjee's  wonderful historical mysteries set in India featuring the Sam Wyndham/ Bannerjee's duo are one of my favorite crime reads. But the man can also write nail biting, fast paced modern thrillers, as documented with  "Hunted".

 Set in London and mostly the US, the novel has multiple story lines  eventually coming together in a fast paced climax. Two parents from very different cultures, Saijd and Carrie, are on a hunt to find their adult children Alijah and Greg before the FBI does, both having fallen under the spell of a charismatic terrorist group who are carrying out suicide bombings. Agent Shreya Mistry is closing in on the group,  trying to avoid a desaster. 

My only negative is that the novel is so fast paced that it left me breathless at times. 

Named thriller of the month by the Sunday Times , I am sure "Hunted" will be up for more prizes.

 Laura Dave: The night we lost him, Century, 27.1.25 pub date, paperback

 

The proof to Laura Dave's " The night we lost him" was a perfect holiday read for me, enjoyed the puzzle of half siblings Sam and Nora trying to uncover, whether their wealthy father's fall from a cliff near his California home was accidental or not. It's a rich family drama filled with secrets, several twists and turns and a love story/ mystery at the same time.

 William Boyd: Gabriel's Moon, Viking, 9780241542057, pub date: September 5, 2024

One of William Boyd's great talents is that he has so many different types of stories to tell. "Gabriel's Moon" falls into the category of a spy novel during the time of the Cold War.  

Reminding me at times of "Waiting for sunrise", travel writer Gabriel Dax does the odd little courier job for his brother who works for the government. When Faith Green, a ruthless M16 handler, asks him for similar well paid favours, he gets slowly sucked into becoming one of her spies without really realizing  what is happening. Boyd is so brilliant in describing these subtle developments with so many odd characters entering Gabriel's life, confirming to me yet again why he is one of my favourite writers, absolutely loved this early proof, 5 stars!

 

 Ursula Parrott: Ex-Wife, Faber Editions, 9780571388059, paperback, upcoming pub date: August 2024

Thank you Faber for the netgalley proof of  "Ex-Wife" by Ursula Parrott , first published in the 1920ies, now rediscovered. I absolutely loved it, on my shelf of favorite novels of the year!

Spiked with great, smart one liners and wit, it reminded me a lot of the incomparable Dorothy Parker.

 Somewhat autobiographical Parrott describes her own life in 1920ties NY  through Patricia,  a new type of woman, recent divorcee in her twenties,  with a broken heart and career of her own with a fashionavle wardrobe plus a neverending parade of men taking her and her girlfriends out every day. How on earth did they survive on so little sleep and so much booze ? I fell in love with the  language of the novel and of course Pat and her girlfriends, especially her flatmate, smart Lucia, whose chief goal was to stand by each other thru thick and thin, to have fun meanwhile but to  be married again by age 30, preferable to a wealthy man. A fabulous read, fresh and true even after 100 years, go out and buy it when it is published in August. 

 Amor Towles: Table for two, Hutchinson/Heinemann, 9780593831236, paperback,  ( "Eve", Hanser Verlag, 22.7.24, hardback, Deutsche Ausgabe) 

Amor Towles is one of my favorite storytellers, "A Gentleman in Moscow" on my shelf of favorite books.

 His latest " Table for two" is absolute ace, loved it, six superb short stories or the better description, short fiction.  I could not say which one is the most outstanding story or which I favor the most. They surprised me all in their turn of events, exquisitely written, all taking place in New York. 

"Table for two" also includes the novel " Eve in Hollywood" which I have read before featuring Evelyn Ross from "Rules of Civility" which i remember as a noirish story, will probably reread. 

 Kate Atkinson: Death at the sign of the rook, Doubleday,  pub date August 22, 2024, c format paperback, 9780857526588, 

"Death at the sign of the rook" is a very British, Agatha Christie like mystery, a fun read with the chief protagonist Jackson Brodie, now a private investigatory, hunting down stolen paintings, one a Turner, which all seem to be tied together. A whole cast of characters create a complex, cosy mystery,  sometimes confusing me a little when I picked up the reading again, but all in a very  entertaining escapist read, solid Kate Atkinson writing.

Salman Rushdie: Knife - Meditations After an Attempted Murder, Vintage/ Jonathan Cape, 9781787334793, hardback

When the Fatwa was proclaimed over  Salman Rushdie for his "Satanic Verses", I was working at Penguin, witnessing this horrible, dangerous, unprecendented situation.  I was absolutely shocked  when an assassin  knifed him down years later on  August 11, 2022 during a speech engagement.

 "Knife" is Rushdie's account of this attack, the aftermath, his miraculous survival of 15 stab wounds, losing one eye permanently, his struggle through rehab and doubt whether he would ever regain his normal life.  It is a deeply personal, honest account of this traumatic event, brilliantly written, a testament to resilience , his mental and physical recovery aided by the love of his wife Eliza,  his children,  family and friends. I am so glad he made it and lived to write this fabulous book, one of the best I have read recently.

 Sean Lusk: A Woman of Opinion, Transworld / Penguin, 978085752528049, pub date 4. July 2024

I liked "A woman of Opinion" a lot, reads like a classic, thank you Transworld for the early netgalley.

 A historical, fictional novel, based on an extraordinary colorful life,  it tells the story of a trailblazer of a woman, Lady Mary Wortley Montague, a feminist, mother, European traveller, poet, first to introduce smallpox inocculation in England,  free spirit  and adventure seeker, born into 18th century aristocracy, elopes and marries Lord Edward Wortley whom she talkes into becoming an ambassador in Constantinople where she has her first taste of differences of culture and freedom.  Edward is smart enough to employ his wife's charme and  connections, later granting her freedom to lead her independent life abroad while staying friends throughout their unusual marriage. Her "Turkish Embassy Letters" are classics and Penguin Classics  have her "Selected  letters" still in print.

For me it was a fascinating and captivating read  about what life was like even for a smart, rich and well educated woman in the 18th century. We've come a very long way..... Like the richness of the cover. 

 J.C. Maetis: The Fortune Teller of Berlin, 9780241998908, paperback, upcoming November 24 publication date, Viking/ Penguin random House Uk 

Due to an early proof I was able to enjoy this very gripping historical thriller, one of my favorite genres, with a supposedly true background. Hitler was rumored to have used fortune tellers  and the novel centers around Edith Creutzen, a German clairvoyant who is coerced by the Nazis to leave Paris to  become Hitler's fortune teller. Secretly she has joined the French resistance feeding them highly confidential information,  walking a tight rope that could snap any time. It's a real page turner, well plotted, atmospheric,  very likeable protagonists  but also dark at times, portraying the terrible 1940ties war years but also the bravery of  ordinary people risking their lives for Hitler's down fall. 

 Shari Lapena: What have you done ? , 9781787635777, trade paperback, pub date : July 2024

I never read anything by Shari Lapena but really recommend "What have you done " as a perfect summer thriller, I was able to enjoy the book thanks to a proof.  

When high school senior Diana Brewer is found murdered in a field , Fairhill a small Vermont village where violence is virtually unknown, is shaken to the core. Lapena slowly peels of the mask of a seemingly perfect cast of characters, be it her boyfriend, her best friends,  the high school principle or her sports instructor until the person who killed her makes a mistake..and Diana had a few secrets to hide herself.  

Despite an excellent plot, towards the end of the book I suspected who it was....but than i am a veteran of having read very many crime novels 

 Chris Hammer: Cover the Bones, 9781472295712, Wildfire, hardback, ebook available 

Chris Hammer is an award winning Australian crime writer whom I just read for the first time. Great plot, great writing and not quite as noir as Disher 's Hirsch series or Jane Harper, authors i love,  Will definitively read more of Hammer's  crime novels. 

Nell Buchanan, a female detective and her male counterpart Ivan Lucic, are the chief protagonist in the murder investigation of Athol Hasluck's death, a member of one of the seven dynasty families in the town of Yuwonderie. He was found stabbed & tortured in the river. What soon becomes apparent is a web of old secrets carrying into the present with the unresolved death of a young promising heir, Davis, of one of the great estates in the 1990ties .  Told thru the voices of the detectives, an Aborigine maid , Bessie, in 1910,  and in 1993 by Davis, whose investigation into the families history becomes a threat to his life, this makes for a complex plot that keeps you fully engaged throughout the unfolding of the mystery. Love it ! 

 Ron Rinder: The Suspect, Century, 9781529196412, hardback, pub date 20. Ajune 2024, ebook available 

I enjoyed the  first book featuring Adam Green, " The trial",  a young barrister trying to find his place amongst his peers in a highly political ambitious British court system.  

"The Suspect" is as much a continuation of Adam Green's career, trying out the ropes,  as it is to uncover who set a fatal allegic reaction of a prominent female breakfast TV presenter in motion. Was it really Sebastian Brooks, the TV celebrity chef who is the one accused of murdering her? A fun read, i learned a lot about how the British court system works and enjoyed the plot.

 Uwe Wittstock: Marseille 1940, C.H. Beck Verlag, hardback,  9783406814907, deutsche Sprache 

Eines der besten Sachbücher, die ich in jüngster Vergangenheit gelesen habe ist Wittstock's " Marseille 1940". Ich habe die 450 Seiten im Urlaub förmlich verschlungen.  Ein Buch, dass eindringlich das Schicksal vieler deutschstämmiger, jüdischer Schriftsteller, Künstler, Kommunisten oder Sozialisten schildert, die in den 1930 iger Jahren nach Hitler's Machtergreifung nach Frankreich flohen und sich nach dem Einmarsch der Deutschen in Frankreich in einer schier auswegslosen Situation befanden. 

Die Rettung für viele war der mir völlig unbekannte Amerikaner Varian Fry, der mit Unterstützung reicher Amerikaner ein Komittee ins Leben ruft, dass vor Ort unter hochriskantem, selbstlosem Einsatz zahlreicher Literatur- Prominenz wie Lion Feuchtwanger, Hannah Arendt, Heinrich Mann, Anna Seghers die Flucht in die Sicherheit ermöglichte. Dramaturgie und tiefe Verzweiflung wechseln in dieser Dokumentation ständig ab, aber der unfassbare Mut, die Menschlichkeit und Kraft aller Beteiligter ist ein Beispiel, was in einer fast unmöglichen Situation doch erreicht werden kann. Fry und seine Helfer kämpfen in Marseille nicht nur gegen die Nazis, sondern auch gegen die Widerstände in Amerika und Frankreich und ernten wenig Dank.

Ein Buch, das perfekt in unsere derzeitige instabile weltpolitische Situation passt. Ich hoffe, uns allen bleiben ähnliche Schicksale erspart.. 5 Sterne von mir!! LESEN.

 Alex Michaelides: The Fury, trade paperback 9780241575543,

Alex Michaelides has a degree is screenwriting which was very apparent with his first bestseller "The silent patient". The book became a huge success worldwide but for some reason it did not do anything for me, I could predict the ending relatively early. 

The Fury,  his third book, was a proof from a publishing colleague. A small group of friends are invited by a former movie star to her Greek island where nothing is as it seems,  when a murder occurs. Told through  the voice of one of her closest friends, Elliot Chase, it is an interesting read but here again, it did not grab me and I saw the ending written on the wall fairly early towards the end chapters. 

Sorry everyone, but reading tastes are different as we all know. 

 Iris Costello: The Story Collector, Penguin, 9780241999110, paperback, pub date: March 

I am not a great fan of socalled women's fiction but "The Story Collector" was a fine escapist read and is actually three stories told by three women during two time lines: 

1915, London: Kat, who has just had her family's East end bakery destroyed by an angry mob due to her German descent, is fleeing to her former lover Gillian with a new identity as Kitty Dexter. As a  gifted Tarot reader she is a great help to people in distress and a member of a spiritual society. 

1918, Germany: Miriam is a linguists employed for a reasearch project with British prisoners of war, where she finds herself drawn to the gentle, seemingly  mute prisoner X.

Present day Cornwall: Edie, a widow who has moved from London to her family cottage, finds a mysterious box during her renovations. 

This all sounds very cliche and is to some extend but well written with an actual historical background. I thought the ending was a bit predictable but its a great escapist read.

 Sujata Massey: The Widows of Malabar Hill, Soho Crime, paperback , 9781616959760

" The Widows of Malabar Hill" is set in 1920  Bombay with Perveen Mistry as the protagonist and the first female lawyer in India, daughter of a respected Zoroastrian family,  working in her father's famous law firm.

When her father is tasked to settle a wealthy muslim clients last will, Perveen is sent to talk to the three widows who allegedly signed off their inheritance to a charity. Perveen is soon convinced the widows were forced into signing  and when the murder of their guardian occurs, she is determined to protect the safety and financial future of the  women and their children. 

I would place the novel in the cozy crime sector as far as the plot is concerned but what made this such an entertaining read was the insight into Zoroastrian religion, the rights of women in 1920 India amongst Muslims and Zoroastrians society, the shifting political changes during that time in India and the crumbling of British rulership. 

 S.A. Cosby: Razorblade Tears, Headline, paperback, 9781472286543

Razorblade Tears is the third of the S.A. Cosby thrillers I read and by far the one with the most violence which bothered me and the reason why I liked it the least. But still, Cosby's writing is ace.

The story is raw and powerful nevertheless : two ex con fathers with now respectable lives, one black, Ike, the other, white Billy Lee living in a trailer, share the same grief. Their sons, gay and married to each other, parents of an adopted girl, are found brutally murdered. Both fathers where ashamed of their son's gayness when they were still alive but band up to avenge and investigate their sons death. Action packed page turner but four stars from me due to the violence.

 Daniel Schreiber: Die Zeit der Verluste, Hanser Berlin, 9783446278004, gebunden, 

Im letzten Jahr türmten sich die Verluste in meinem privaten Leben und gipfelte schließlich im Dezember im  Tod meines geliebten Vaters. 

Daniel Schreiber's schlaues Buch über die Unbeständigkeit der Welt und den damit einhergehenden Verlusten, trösteten mich in meiner Trauer und Melancholie, die ein täglicher Begleiter wurden. Ich wusste, ich durchlief einen sehr menschlichen Prozess und fand mich deshalb oft wieder in Schreiber's Empfindungen und Gedanken. Allein das war ein heilsamer,  grosser Trost. Auch die Anforderungen unserer Zeit, die für Trauer egal in welcher Form keinen Platz vorsehen, spielen oft einen Aspekt in unserer Fähigkeit,  diesen als negativ empfundenen Gefühlen Platz und Zeit zu lassen. 

 Seine eigene Erfahrung einbringend, auch er hatte seinen Vater verloren, flüchtete sich Schreiber schließlich nach Venedig, um dort einen Platz zu suchen, wo er seiner Hoffnungslosigkeit eine Antwort entgegen setzen konnte. Dieses schmale, 132 Seiten kurze Buch ist ein exzellenter Begleiter und Guide in einer Zeit, in der persönliche Verluste, Schmerz, Trauer und Hilflosigkeit oft den Tag überschatten. Mir hat es sehr gut getan. 

 James Lee Burke: Flags on the Bayou, 9781398715516, Orion, 

Since discovering James Lee Burke's excellent Robicheaux's crime series years ago , with his incredibly rich descriptions of Louisiana's lush landscapes, have I been an admirer of his colorful novels. Burke himself considers this latest book his best, its been nominated for the Edgar Award for best novel. 

 Set during the horrors of the Civil War in the New Orleans area, this powerful story  is told thru the very distinct voices of all chief characters.  

 I fell in love with his female protagonists in particular, two runaway slaves and an abolitionist schoolteacher. Burke's language has almost literary quality, his story drives home the price of war,oppression and slavery,  the distruction of any normal life, the senslessness of  fighting to solve a conflict. Only too timely in the current political climate around the world.  Loved "Flags on the Bayou" for its great characters, language and often disturbing tale.

 S.A.Cosby: All the sinners bleed, Headline, paperback February '24 ( i read the ebook)

I am hooked on S.A. Cosby's crime novels, literally could not but down " All the sinners bleed" which I read straight after "My darkest prayer" . It's been a while that I was so clued to the sofa. 

 Titus Crown is the first black sheriff in Charon County,  a former FBI agent, who doesn't only have friends in his home town still rife with Southern confederate white boys. When a popular white teacher is shot by a student who in turn is shot by Crowns deputies, an abyss opens up during their investigation no one could possible imagine,  least that they might be staring at a serial killer..  

Enough said, Cosby is a terrific plotter and one of the best American crime writers in my opinion, his characters reminding me at times of Elmore Leonard's  ...and what can I say, I am now reading " Razorblade Tears" ..