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.