Julie Elizabeth Powell's Blog
June 30, 2022
The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz
I was given an ARC of this book and I thought it entertaining and eventually engaging.
I do admit that it took me a while to get into this story because the first few chapters were a little boring and, what is this? Then it became intriguing and began to make sense. The characters were defined well and the writing style was fast-paced, if somewhat old-fashioned. I do enjoy the first-person narrative and as the author is the main character, it was certainly amusing.
Who is the killer? And what will private detective, Hawthorne, make of it? Is 'Tony' in the frame or being framed? Why? All great questions that make this crime story worth reading.
The style reminded me of an Agatha Christie novel, as did the characters and plot.
Overall, I did enjoy the tale and I did like Hawthorne's unique character - I'd not read any of this series before this.
A good read.
I do admit that it took me a while to get into this story because the first few chapters were a little boring and, what is this? Then it became intriguing and began to make sense. The characters were defined well and the writing style was fast-paced, if somewhat old-fashioned. I do enjoy the first-person narrative and as the author is the main character, it was certainly amusing.
Who is the killer? And what will private detective, Hawthorne, make of it? Is 'Tony' in the frame or being framed? Why? All great questions that make this crime story worth reading.
The style reminded me of an Agatha Christie novel, as did the characters and plot.
Overall, I did enjoy the tale and I did like Hawthorne's unique character - I'd not read any of this series before this.
A good read.
June 11, 2022
Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow
I was given an ARC of this YA story and it was thought-provoking if not surprising because though bad things happen people generally prefer not to acknowledge it - especially for the sake of appearances.
This story is set on an island, mainly for the rich, where image and entitlement is everything. Those who do not 'fit' are thought beneath them. Luca, who is the main protagonist, is plagued by angst, whilst believing there is a curse on the island. Bad things certainly do happen but is it because of a curse or that people are wicked? The history of the island is not a good, however, the inhabitants are in denial.
I think this was exploration of growing up and the realization that things on the surface are just that, revealing the deeper, darker truth. It's sad and distressing and the author uses Luca as a vehicle through the more of lies and superficial nonsense.
The writing style was good, although, I don't know why a capital was used for describing a black person because it's not a nationality, like being white isn't. It was fast-paced and I liked how the story evolved, just how Luca did.
Overall, this is a good murder mystery with many issues surrounding it and I think others would enjoy the tangled web.
Worth a look.
This story is set on an island, mainly for the rich, where image and entitlement is everything. Those who do not 'fit' are thought beneath them. Luca, who is the main protagonist, is plagued by angst, whilst believing there is a curse on the island. Bad things certainly do happen but is it because of a curse or that people are wicked? The history of the island is not a good, however, the inhabitants are in denial.
I think this was exploration of growing up and the realization that things on the surface are just that, revealing the deeper, darker truth. It's sad and distressing and the author uses Luca as a vehicle through the more of lies and superficial nonsense.
The writing style was good, although, I don't know why a capital was used for describing a black person because it's not a nationality, like being white isn't. It was fast-paced and I liked how the story evolved, just how Luca did.
Overall, this is a good murder mystery with many issues surrounding it and I think others would enjoy the tangled web.
Worth a look.
May 17, 2022
Cat and Mouse by M J Arlidge
I was given an ARC of the book and I thought it was a good crime thriller.
I haven't read any of the other books in this series but that didn't matter because enough was said about the past to get the gist.
This story focuses on a detective, Helen Grace, who not only has to find a serial killer but also deal with the politics within the police force - and her past deeds /encounters.
The writing style fit the story well, as did the characters, however, the formatting made the story confusing in parts because one character /scene bled into another so I didn't know what was happening - perhaps this was due to poor formatting with the Kindle edition?
I did enjoy the story and thought that Helen was a great character - I do like strong female leads.
Overall, this ticked many of the positive boxes for a police drama.
Worth a look.
I haven't read any of the other books in this series but that didn't matter because enough was said about the past to get the gist.
This story focuses on a detective, Helen Grace, who not only has to find a serial killer but also deal with the politics within the police force - and her past deeds /encounters.
The writing style fit the story well, as did the characters, however, the formatting made the story confusing in parts because one character /scene bled into another so I didn't know what was happening - perhaps this was due to poor formatting with the Kindle edition?
I did enjoy the story and thought that Helen was a great character - I do like strong female leads.
Overall, this ticked many of the positive boxes for a police drama.
Worth a look.
April 25, 2022
The Safe House by Louise Mumford
I was given an ARC of this book and I was immediately hooked because I am fascinated by how the brain works.
How far would you go to protect your child?
Esther suffers from asthma, which isn’t helped by pollution and the gradual decay of the world. So her mother finds somewhere for her to be ‘safe’.
This story is about obsession, paranoia and insanity and I loved how the author sees into the minds of both mother and daughter. There are secrets and lies and twists and turns – what is the truth?
As the story unfolds, it highlights the sorrow and mania of the mother and the confusion of the daughter...no spoilers from me.
The writing style was perfect for the subject matter, and I really liked how the details of the minds – thoughts, feelings – are brought out so that I could imagine the uncertainty of both the mother and daughter.
Extremely well done and recommended to those who enjoy psychological dramas.
How far would you go to protect your child?
Esther suffers from asthma, which isn’t helped by pollution and the gradual decay of the world. So her mother finds somewhere for her to be ‘safe’.
This story is about obsession, paranoia and insanity and I loved how the author sees into the minds of both mother and daughter. There are secrets and lies and twists and turns – what is the truth?
As the story unfolds, it highlights the sorrow and mania of the mother and the confusion of the daughter...no spoilers from me.
The writing style was perfect for the subject matter, and I really liked how the details of the minds – thoughts, feelings – are brought out so that I could imagine the uncertainty of both the mother and daughter.
Extremely well done and recommended to those who enjoy psychological dramas.
April 22, 2022
The Belladonna Maze by Sinead Crowley
I was given an ARC of this story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I particularly liked how it switched from past to present, each gradually unfolding the plot and the reasons behind it.
The past highlighted how badly women were treated – no money, no inheritance and constantly under the control of men. It certainly demonstrated that females were not valued. The present showed that women do have more control and yet men can cause so many problems because of their ego and how they feel entitled to whatever they want. Having said that, not all the men in this story were awful.
I enjoyed the mystery and the paranormal touches, while the tension and suspense kept my interest from beginning to end. It was a sad yet engaging story, very well written with a great sense of place. The characters fitted well into the plot and the tie between past and present was excellently done.
No spoilers but I will say that this is a brilliant story and one I would highly recommend.
The past highlighted how badly women were treated – no money, no inheritance and constantly under the control of men. It certainly demonstrated that females were not valued. The present showed that women do have more control and yet men can cause so many problems because of their ego and how they feel entitled to whatever they want. Having said that, not all the men in this story were awful.
I enjoyed the mystery and the paranormal touches, while the tension and suspense kept my interest from beginning to end. It was a sad yet engaging story, very well written with a great sense of place. The characters fitted well into the plot and the tie between past and present was excellently done.
No spoilers but I will say that this is a brilliant story and one I would highly recommend.
April 8, 2022
The Cliff House by Chris Brookmyre
I was given an ARC of this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Jen has rented a luxury house on a private island, which is the location for her hen party – but so much more. There are several women, some with a ‘past’, most with secrets.
I thought the dynamics of the group were brilliant; some relationships closer than others. I did take pleasure in the smattering of humour, too. The sense of place was great; I could just picture the luxury and the scenery – and the other, not so good ‘scenes’.
The tension, however, is obvious and as the writing switches from one character to another, it certainly gave depth to the story overall with each point of view. The characters are well-developed and the relationships heightened as the plot unfolds.
It was so nice to read a British story because some American tales have awful grammar, so then I was surprised to read ‘off of’ instead of just ‘off’ or ‘from’. There were a few other niggles, but overall the writing style was splendid.
The best thing about this story, in my opinion, is the build-up of the tension and the mystery and suspense deepening, and I was hooked to find out what was going to happen – what was the truth? Who were the villains?
Not wanting to give spoilers, I will only say that this was an enjoyable, engaging and head-spinning mystery thriller and I loved it.
Highly recommended.
Jen has rented a luxury house on a private island, which is the location for her hen party – but so much more. There are several women, some with a ‘past’, most with secrets.
I thought the dynamics of the group were brilliant; some relationships closer than others. I did take pleasure in the smattering of humour, too. The sense of place was great; I could just picture the luxury and the scenery – and the other, not so good ‘scenes’.
The tension, however, is obvious and as the writing switches from one character to another, it certainly gave depth to the story overall with each point of view. The characters are well-developed and the relationships heightened as the plot unfolds.
It was so nice to read a British story because some American tales have awful grammar, so then I was surprised to read ‘off of’ instead of just ‘off’ or ‘from’. There were a few other niggles, but overall the writing style was splendid.
The best thing about this story, in my opinion, is the build-up of the tension and the mystery and suspense deepening, and I was hooked to find out what was going to happen – what was the truth? Who were the villains?
Not wanting to give spoilers, I will only say that this was an enjoyable, engaging and head-spinning mystery thriller and I loved it.
Highly recommended.
April 1, 2022
The Dark by Sharon Bolton
I hadn’t read any of the previous Lacey Flint books so when I was given an ARC of this story, I only knew it would be a crime thriller. I did find that it didn’t matter that I hadn’t read any of the others.
This story is disturbing because it latches onto the very real threat of men who hate women – for various reasons but mainly because they can’t make relationships and blame everyone but themselves. I’d never heard of ‘incels’, until about a month ago when another story mentioned them – this one brought the horror to life. To me, they are a bunch of pathetic and entitled people who don’t feel the responsibility for their own lives.
However, these ‘idiots’ bring about a spree of terrorist acts in the name of ridiculous demands – for the ‘natural order of things’, where women should be in the kitchen or bedroom and have no power over their lives. No woman is safe. They have conveniently forgotten that it’s always been a ‘man’s world’ and women have had to fight for the crumbs.
Although the focus is on this terrorist group, the story is about more than this, which involves Lacey’s past.
I really liked the writing style, and it was great to read British English (except for chamomile, which is camomile in the UK). It’s set in London and the descriptions give a good sense of place. The cast of characters fits well into the plot. The plot has its twist and turns. All very well done, in my opinion.
Overall, this was a brilliant police drama and though I felt angry about the terrorists, I enjoyed it because it held my attention all the way through. Definitely a ‘dark’ read.
A recommended read!
This story is disturbing because it latches onto the very real threat of men who hate women – for various reasons but mainly because they can’t make relationships and blame everyone but themselves. I’d never heard of ‘incels’, until about a month ago when another story mentioned them – this one brought the horror to life. To me, they are a bunch of pathetic and entitled people who don’t feel the responsibility for their own lives.
However, these ‘idiots’ bring about a spree of terrorist acts in the name of ridiculous demands – for the ‘natural order of things’, where women should be in the kitchen or bedroom and have no power over their lives. No woman is safe. They have conveniently forgotten that it’s always been a ‘man’s world’ and women have had to fight for the crumbs.
Although the focus is on this terrorist group, the story is about more than this, which involves Lacey’s past.
I really liked the writing style, and it was great to read British English (except for chamomile, which is camomile in the UK). It’s set in London and the descriptions give a good sense of place. The cast of characters fits well into the plot. The plot has its twist and turns. All very well done, in my opinion.
Overall, this was a brilliant police drama and though I felt angry about the terrorists, I enjoyed it because it held my attention all the way through. Definitely a ‘dark’ read.
A recommended read!
The Island by Adrian McKinty
I was given an ARC of this book and it felt like I held my breath all the way through it – so tense and suspenseful.
The story is about a family who visits Australia and through the pleas of the children, rides on a ferry to an island so to see koalas and other animals; big mistake.
The family is Tom and his young second wife, Heather and her two step-children. The children do not accept Heather, so relationships are not easy. Then disaster strikes and decisions have to be made. The folks on the island are insular, to say the least.
Cat and mouse chases begin.
The writing style is brilliant – fast-paced and filled with action. I did like Heather the best because of her tenacity, determination and bravery. The children were spoiled brats and I didn’t like the husband. As for the islanders... The descriptions gave a fantastic sense of place, which, I thought, brought even more realism to the story.
I did wonder why the children (14 & 12) were described as ‘little’ as if they were toddlers but yes, they were still children.
Not one to give spoilers, I will say that this was a fabulous, breath-stealing story and I was engaged from beginning to end.
Highly recommended.
The story is about a family who visits Australia and through the pleas of the children, rides on a ferry to an island so to see koalas and other animals; big mistake.
The family is Tom and his young second wife, Heather and her two step-children. The children do not accept Heather, so relationships are not easy. Then disaster strikes and decisions have to be made. The folks on the island are insular, to say the least.
Cat and mouse chases begin.
The writing style is brilliant – fast-paced and filled with action. I did like Heather the best because of her tenacity, determination and bravery. The children were spoiled brats and I didn’t like the husband. As for the islanders... The descriptions gave a fantastic sense of place, which, I thought, brought even more realism to the story.
I did wonder why the children (14 & 12) were described as ‘little’ as if they were toddlers but yes, they were still children.
Not one to give spoilers, I will say that this was a fabulous, breath-stealing story and I was engaged from beginning to end.
Highly recommended.
March 29, 2022
The Match by Harlan Coben
I’d read The Boy from the Woods some time ago, so I was delighted to be given an ARC of The Match (Wilde #2). I knew I would enjoy it and I certainly did.
Wilde is an enigma of sorts, found as a small child wandering in the woods; why, what had happened, where were his parents and so on? This then, is the basis of the story as Wilde tries to find answers to these questions. He reaches out to DNA sites.
Amongst this search, there is murder, mystery, suspense and so many questions. I will admit that I was confused while trying to work out how certain ‘blood ties’ were possible, but then maybe I’d missed something? However, it was an interesting and intriguing look into how ‘finding relatives’ was possible these days.
I loved the writing style, as always – fast-paced with an easy flow. I liked Wilde because he is such an honest, worthwhile person despite his origins, and it was also good to see other familiar characters. There are plenty of twists and turns as the mystery builds and I really enjoyed this.
Not one to give spoilers, it’s difficult to say much, nevertheless, I loved this story – the writing, the plot and the pointers to today’s complicated world and possibilities. It’s a great crime thriller but with so much more going on. Definitely engaging and entertaining.
Highly recommended.
Wilde is an enigma of sorts, found as a small child wandering in the woods; why, what had happened, where were his parents and so on? This then, is the basis of the story as Wilde tries to find answers to these questions. He reaches out to DNA sites.
Amongst this search, there is murder, mystery, suspense and so many questions. I will admit that I was confused while trying to work out how certain ‘blood ties’ were possible, but then maybe I’d missed something? However, it was an interesting and intriguing look into how ‘finding relatives’ was possible these days.
I loved the writing style, as always – fast-paced with an easy flow. I liked Wilde because he is such an honest, worthwhile person despite his origins, and it was also good to see other familiar characters. There are plenty of twists and turns as the mystery builds and I really enjoyed this.
Not one to give spoilers, it’s difficult to say much, nevertheless, I loved this story – the writing, the plot and the pointers to today’s complicated world and possibilities. It’s a great crime thriller but with so much more going on. Definitely engaging and entertaining.
Highly recommended.
March 23, 2022
The Sanctuary by Andrew Hunter Murray
I was given an ARC of this book and found it to be intriguing.
This is a book about questions – most especially, the future of humans and life on Earth. Ben is an artist and loves Cara, his fiancée, but she leaves him to join an island, which is meant to be paradise for future generations.
Much of the story, for me, highlighted the inequality of human society – those not on the island are separated by the haves and have-nots, those in power (rich) taking everything they want, while the rest suffer poverty and hard work. Many of the situations reminded me of today’s world, where ‘riches’ are kept for the lucky few and how disgusting humans are because all they do is take – the richer they are, the more they take, regardless of the consequences.
In some ways, I agreed with John Pemberley’s point of view – saving all creatures /flora, living within our means – to stop ravaging the Earth, however...
Ben is determined to find out what has happened to Cara. His love for her is all-encompassing, as is his art. He’s a likeable character and I enjoyed his ‘journey’ trying to work out what was the truth – who to believe?
I liked the first-person narrative and the fast-paced writing style. I don’t give spoilers, but will say that this story is filled with mystery, salient points about humans, questions about what the future should bring, what is right, what is wrong and does childhood shape your adult thinking?
Some great twists, turns and surprises!
Thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking.
Highly recommended.
This is a book about questions – most especially, the future of humans and life on Earth. Ben is an artist and loves Cara, his fiancée, but she leaves him to join an island, which is meant to be paradise for future generations.
Much of the story, for me, highlighted the inequality of human society – those not on the island are separated by the haves and have-nots, those in power (rich) taking everything they want, while the rest suffer poverty and hard work. Many of the situations reminded me of today’s world, where ‘riches’ are kept for the lucky few and how disgusting humans are because all they do is take – the richer they are, the more they take, regardless of the consequences.
In some ways, I agreed with John Pemberley’s point of view – saving all creatures /flora, living within our means – to stop ravaging the Earth, however...
Ben is determined to find out what has happened to Cara. His love for her is all-encompassing, as is his art. He’s a likeable character and I enjoyed his ‘journey’ trying to work out what was the truth – who to believe?
I liked the first-person narrative and the fast-paced writing style. I don’t give spoilers, but will say that this story is filled with mystery, salient points about humans, questions about what the future should bring, what is right, what is wrong and does childhood shape your adult thinking?
Some great twists, turns and surprises!
Thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking.
Highly recommended.
