Isabel Allende: My name is Emilia del Valle, Bloomsbury UK, 9781526683359, hardback, upcoming, pub date: May 2025

Isabel Allende's large body of work is proof of her mastery at storytelling. "My name is Emilia del Valle" is set around the turn of the 19th century blending together a strong female character, Emilia del Valle, with historical facts, a civil war in Chile with an uprising of suppressed  citizens against the wealthy aristocratic society, and naturally a love story as a backdrop. It' s a solid Isabel Allende novel but for me personally, apart from a few chapters, it was a little too predictable and not as strong as "The wind knows my name" which I loved. 

 Scott Turow: Presumed Guilty, Swift Press, 9781800754515, C format paperback

Scott Turow is a legend when it comes to legal thrillers, been a fan ever since reading " Presumed Innocent". Unlike thrillers with lots of action, Turow's thing is not a quick thrill, he builts up his plots and characters slowly, the trials in his novels rely on fine details as you would expect a lawyer to argue and research his defense. 

Rusty Sabich, a judge and lawyer who featured in Presumed Innocent, has to present his future stepson in a murder indictment. Aaron has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend Mae. It needs 534 pages until you have your answer, an incredibly smart, atmospheric and brilliant suspence novel which I absolutely recommend. 

 Rob Rinder: The Protest, Cornerstone, 9781529934755, hardback, ebook available, pub date: June 19, 2025

I am a fan of the hugely enjoyable courtroom mysteries by Rob Rinder , featuring the British court systems,  law firms,  "the Chambers", and particularly young barrister Adam Greene who has to do the sleuthing work for his fellow senior barristers pre and during trial. "The Protest" was just as captivating as the previous one, The Suspect and The Trial and enlightening how the British court system works.

When famous artist Max Bruce collapses during the opening of his exhibition at the Royal Academy, it is soon clear he was killed by cyanide poisoning. The supposed killer, a young activist, insists on being innocent despite crushing evidence. As always it takes Adam and his team until the last  pages literally to come up with the true killer. Loved it! Thanks for the proof Cornerstone..