Srivalli Rekha (Semi Hiatus)'s Blog, page 22

Day 2: Charita Poem

Hello! 

A charita (Chair-rita) is a six-line poem with notitle. It is divided into three stanzas with one, two, and three lines each.The poetry form was created by ai li in 1997. It is a Malay word for story ortale. A charita poem tells a short tale in a simple format using a handful ofwords and six lines. It can be a standalone or presented as a series. The formcan be inverted (3-2-1) as well. When a charita and an inverted charita areused together in a poem, the result is an hourglass or a diamond (rhobus).

PC: Pixabay

Format: 1-2-3 lines

Rhyme: Not mandatory

My Poem

Aligned and bound together, the round baskets float

Piled with sticks, nets, and bait to lure fish bigand small

Hiding in the sparkling blue waters glistening likelapis lazuli

Men and women, young and old turn into statues

Hope flickering the hearts and lips praying for atug on the string

All they need is a good catch today and every day tofeed their bellies

This post is a part of the Blogchatter Half Marathon.

Day 1: Cinquain Poem

Hello!

A cinquain (sin-cane) is a short poetry form withfive lines. Each line has a specific syllable count. Created by an Americanpoet, Adelaide Crapsey, the poem tends to look like a pot – narrow at thetop and bottom and wide in the middle. It can be on any topic, theme, object,action, etc.  

PC: Pixabay
Format: 2-4-6-8-2 syllables

Rhyme: Not mandatory

My Poem

Lightning

An orange sky

A warning – thunderstorm

Will you heed or call it silly?

Ravage

This post is a part of the Blogchatter Half Marathon.

A Corpse in Christmas Close by Michelle Salter - Book Review - Blog Tour

Series: Iris Woodmore Mysteries #5

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/christmasclosesocial

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209336338-a-corpse-in-christmas-close

Publication Date: 24th August 2024

Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery

3.5 Stars

One Liner: A decent read

Book Blurb:

When a pantomime turns deadly, Irisinvestigates a cast of killers…

Christmas, 1923: When reporter Iris Woodmore is sentto cover the Prince of Wales’s visit to historic Winchester, she discovers morethan just royal gossip.

The leading lady in Winchester Cathedral’s charitypantomime is found dead in mysterious circumstances. And the chief suspect isCinderella’s handsome prince, played by Percy Baverstock’s younger brother,Freddie.

For the sake of the Baverstocks, Iris mustinvestigate the murder, even though it means confronting an old enemy. And asthe line between friend and foe blurs dangerously, she’s ensnared by someoneshe hoped she’d never see again…

Everyone’s favorite amateur sleuthreturns for a Christmas mystery, perfect for fans of Verity Bright, ClaireGradidge and Emily Organ

***

My Thoughts:

The story comes in Iris’s first-person POV.

I was happy to see the next book in the series setduring Christmas. Walden does sound good in winter. The festival doesn’t have amajor role in the plot, though. Don’t look for a proper Christmas mystery here.

As always, we have to deal with a large cast ofrecurring characters and new ones related to the case. While the book works asa standalone, it can be overwhelming to remember who is who without priorknowledge. I enjoyed the presence of the recurring characters, though not all.

The pacing is steady, and we get a clue or tidbit asthe story progresses. How it fits the bigger picture is for us to guess. Thereare a few lighthearted moments too, which I quite enjoyed.

The mystery started out well with a couple ofsubplots to thicken the plot. However, the reveal could have been better. Noissues with who the killer is but I did want the method of solving the mysteryto be more detail-based.

I like how the social situation of the period iswoven into the plot. With many characters in business and politics, we get morethan enough feel of the time.

While I like Iris’s determination to do the rightthing when it comes to the cases she solves, her disregard for ethics in herpersonal life is worrying. Sorry but not sorry. No amount of feminist talk canmake her look good in this aspect. Her pathetic track record in men has tobreak somewhere.

That said, I am excited for the next book and hope ascandal knocks sense into her silly mind. The MC could do with a reality checkabout her life. At the same time, I want the nemesis to be put in place. Heshouldn’t get away for what he did (is doing).

To summarize, A Corpse in Christmas Close is adecent addition to the series even if isn’t the best. The book does take thestory forward, so I’m hoping the next one will be a much better read.

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources andBoldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honestopinion about the book. 

#NetGalley

***

About the Author – Michelle Salter

Michelle Salter writes historical cozy crime set inHampshire, where she lives, and is inspired by real-life events in 1920sBritain. Her Iris Woodmore series draws on an interest in the aftermath of theGreat War and the suffragette movement.

***

This has been a stop on the #ACorpseInChristmasCloseblog tour by Rachel's Random Resources. (@rararesources)Thanks for stopping by!

Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore - Book Review

Publication Date: 20th August 2024

Genre: Family Drama, Queer Romance 

3 Stars 

One Liner: An under-baked cake smothered in icing

Ezra Friedman’s family owned the Friedman Family Memorial Chapel, which made it hard for him as he saw ghosts. The ghosts (dead ones and personal) made him leave his home to make a new life. Being a trans male with unprocessed trauma was hard enough. 

However, Ezra meets a ghost who defies all the rules he has understood about them. It doesn’t help that the ghost is Ben, the dead husband of Jonathan, a part-time volunteer at the Chapel and Ezra’s new neighbor. Ezra needs to face his trauma instead of avoiding it if he wants a chance with Jonathan. Can he do it? 

The story comes in Ezra’s third-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

So… I fell in love with that wonderful cover. The mention of a funeral home and its ghosts was enough for me to request the book. I went into it hoping for an entertaining paranormal romance. Unfortunately, I got a slow-paced family drama with meandering narration. 

This is a debut book (from what I see on Goodreads) and reads like one. There’s no denying that it deals with some important themes. But it should have been marketed as an intense read, not lighthearted. (You see me use the word trauma twice in my summary. I’d have appreciated it if the official blurb said it at least once) 

The rep is terrific. There are several queer characters in the book. Some of them have been wasted, though. It would have been better with just one or two of them present and well-fleshed out than a blurry of names. 

I love the found family trope and hoped it would be prominent when we were introduced to a bunch of housemates at once. While they do play a small part, I felt the potential has been wasted in too much monologue and heavy exposition. It gets lost in the drama of the existing family. 

This is a book about a sort of dysfunctional family. However, the members clearly love each other. Communication is a big issue, but otherwise, it’s not horrible. The focus is so much on family drama and the MC’s response (or the lack of it) that it doesn’t leave space for anything else. 

Jonathan is a lovely guy, human and flawed obviously, but also someone with a beautiful heart. Ben, despite being a ghost, shines better than some other characters. 

The Jewish rep and the details of the rituals were great to read. I learned a lot about their funeral practices, so that’s well done. 

I really wish the ghostly aspects were more prominent in the story. I wanted to see the MC explore his talents. Without ghosts, the story wouldn’t be much different. Also, it was too easy with Ben being a talking ghost and all. 

The narration is super slow. I zoned out whenever the MC spaced out. Yeah, not assuring! Readers who enjoy such kind of meandering narration will like this book more. IMO, I’d have loved it if it was 30-50 pages shorter. The first half could have benefitted from toning with surgical precision. 

The author calls this a family drama with ghosts, queer rep, romance, and humor in the interview at the end. The book was intended to be a family drama. It should have stuck to that aspect (along with the queer rep, of course). There really isn’t much of the dark humor I was expecting. The whole book is heavy and exhausting, unlike the cover, which is vibrant and cheerful. Anyway, thank you for not finalizing the version with the ‘twist’. 

To summarize, Rules for Ghosting is the story of a family that finally learns to communicate properly and an MC who realizes his self-worth after a lot of monologues. I think the book needed a ruthless editor for the main plot to stand out and shine. Right now, it is, unfortunately, a kitchen sink. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Ramdon House Books (Ballantine | Dell), for eARC. 

#NetGalley #RulesForGhosting

Cage of Bones by Jenny O'Brien - Book Review

Series: Detective Alana Mack #3 

Publication Date: 16th August 2024 

Genre: Police Procedural 

4 Stars 

One Liner: A solid read 

When human bones are found in a crab pot, Detective Alana Mack finds it an odd case. With help from science, they find the victim’s identity. However, Alana is injured in a random attack and the case gets complicated as new clues emerge. Seems the victim has connections to a previous cold case. As more bodies turn up, Alana needs to solve both cases fast. 

The story comes in the third-person POV of Alana (max.), William, and a couple of other characters for a chapter or two. 

My Thoughts: 

The third book with Alana Mack has a highly complicated plot. It starts with bones in a crab pot but takes many turns to end up somewhere else. Luckily, the progress isn’t jumpy or haphazard. 

It helps that the MC has no idea about fishing terms and processes. This makes the explanations a part of the narrative without seeming like it’s only there for the readers.  

We have a new addition, rather two new additions but one of them is a dog (Wally), so he gets the limelight. I wish Wally continues to be a part of the series. He is a darling! The other addition is a new member, Eve, in the MC’s team. Tensions increase right away. Have to see where it’ll lead. 

There are possibly some minor developments in the MC’s personal life. We get a little more information about her past and the reason for her presence in a wheelchair. She is a no-nonsense (bordering on rude) person but is good to see her indulge in a couple of emotions at times. Her character is going great so far. 

I did figure out the killer before the team did and liked that I was right. Some of the actions seem OTT, which does align with that character’s persona, so no big deal. 

While I have always liked Paddy, William is giving a good fight to take the first place. He is a smart lad and would excel in the field. He loves Wally, which is another huge point in his favor.

The series does feel like it has solidified with this one. I hope the momentum continues. Of course, I’m not sure about the track with attacks on Alana. Will it be something that connects to her backstory or future books? Have to wait and find out I guess. 

The author’s note was an interesting read and provided an insight into her writing process. I always enjoy such snippets shared by authors. Won’t say more as I don’t want to reveal the spoilers. 

To summarize, Cage of Bones is a well-crafted and executed police procedural with many twists and turns. It’s a bit on the slower side but doesn’t get boring at any point. Looking forward to the next one. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for eARC. 

#NetGalley #CageofBones

Legacy of the Runes by Christina Courtenay - Book Review - Blog Tour

Series: Runes #6 (Standalone)

Publication Date: 15th August 20224

Purchase Link (US): https://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Runes-spellbinding-conclusion-adored/dp/1472293258/

Purchase Link (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Legacy-Runes-spellbinding-conclusion-adored/dp/1472293258/

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/207289221-legacy-of-the-runes

Genre: Time Travel Romance, Historical

3.7 Stars

One Liner: Slow-paced but entertaining

Book Blurb:

A bond that even time cannot break

Storm Berger has never forgiven himself for hisyounger sister Madison’s disappearance. Suspecting she’s traveled back to theninth century in the footsteps of other family members, Storm can only makesure she’s safe by going after her.

Raised unconventionally as her father’s only child,Freydis has never been content to simply accept her fate. So, when she’spromised marriage to a tyrant, she’s determined to find a way out of thearrangement. Help comes in the form of a mysterious and attractive strangerstranded on her island’s shores: Storm.

The only way Freydis can truly be free is for Stormto marry her himself. But that would mean entwining lives that, until now, havebeen separated by centuries. . .

***

My Thoughts:

The story comes in the third-person POV of Strom andFreydis.

So, this is the last book of the series and readsperfectly well as a standalone. I didn’t read any of the previous books. Itdidn’t make any difference in following this one.

The process of time travel is explained well butkept brief. This isn’t the first time someone in the MMC’s family has done it(the previous books belong to the other characters who went back in time).

Freydis’s character arc is very well done. She is acombination of confidence and vulnerability, naïve but eager to learn. Herthoughts and actions fit her age (eighteen).

Storm’s character is good as well. I did find it abit off at times that he was just twenty-one but tried not to let it bother me.Some of his actions align with his impulsive nature but he has enough endearingqualities to make up for it.

Joalf is a great side character. I loved his role inthe FMC’s life. Sutr, the raven is my favorite, of course! A raven that talksand loves treats? Sign me up!

The dialogue was a bit off at times. Nothing majorbut I did wonder a few times if that’s how they talked back then.

The setting is great. I could visualize the rockybuildings, the cliffs, the seaside, and the wintry chill that seeps into thebones. Brrr! Freezing!

The romance is decent with some sprinkle of externalthreat and a bit of miscommunication thrown in. While there is no explicitthird-act breakup, there is some tension. It aligns with their characters, so Ididn’t mind it much.

The book ends with an epilogue for the series. Thismight be the only part where readers like me may feel overwhelmed with all thenames and details. Since we don’t have to remember any of it, that’s fine.

There’s a bonus short story too, a quick piece foranother person from the same family and involves the time-traveling love story.You can read it or skip it. I read it.

To summarize, Legacy of the Runes is an entertainingromance with two characters bonding across different centuries and finding lovewith each other.

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources andHeadline Review, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honestopinion about the book. 

#NetGalley

***

About the Author – Christina Courtenay

Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, timeslip/dual time and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near theWelsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother andwas brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christinais a Vice President and former Chair and of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’Association and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best HistoricalRomantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014) andthe RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes.LEGACY OF THE RUNES (a time travel historical romance published by HeadlineReview on 15th August 2024) is her latest novel. Christina is a keen amateurgenealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety).

Follow the Author –

Website: http://www.christinacourtenay.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinacourtenayauthor

Twitter/X:https://twitter.com/PiaCCourtenay 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ChristinaCourtenayAuthor/

Bluesky: https://christinacourtenay@bsky.social

***

This has been a stop on the #LegacyoftheRunes blogtour by Rachel's Random Resources. (@rararesources)Thanks for stopping by!

A Deadly Affair by E.V. Hunter - Book Review - Blog Tour

Series: The Hopgood Hall Murder Mysteries #5

Publication Date: 18th August 2024

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/deadlyaffairsocial

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205065114-a-deadly-affair

Genre: Contemporary Small Town Cozy Mystery

4 Stars

One Liner: A worthy continuation of the series

Book Blurb:

A local gossip is about to get her justdesserts!

Life at Hopgood Hall is never boring, but AlexiEllis hopes that there will be no more murders for the time being – she’ssolved four already and is getting a reputation in the local area for being badluck.

So when local gossip Polly Pearson arrives at HopgoodHall, Alexi knows this can only mean bad news. Polly has made it clear that shedislikes Alexi, and has campaigned for her to leave Hopgood Hall forever – sowhat could Polly want?

Then Polly reveals that her partner, Gerry has beenfound murdered in her B&B and that she is the main suspect! Alexi, herpartner Jack, and Cosmo the cat are all left speechless. More so when Pollybegs Alexi for help improving her innocence.

But Alexi isn’t sure she wants to help this spitefulgossip. Is she really innocent or as deadly as the police believe her to be?

***

My Thoughts:

The story comes in Alexi and Jack’s third-personPOVs.

The fifth installment in the series should work as astandalone read. There are enough details to get an idea about the characters’backgrounds. However, it will be more enjoyable for those familiar with theseries.

While the book is a cozy mystery, the topics aredarker this time (nothing graphic). Cosmo and Tuby bring enough humor tolighten the mood. Our large black cat is a darling unless you are on the wrongside. His hisses and growls are enough to scare most criminals!

The mystery starts out as a simple case of a scornedlover (maybe) but delves deeper and expands into a larger crime with manyparties involved. I did guess the direction since hints were pointing at it.

The side characters are pretty much fixed in theirroles so far. They are familiar and comforting. We know what to expect, andthey don’t disappoint.

The way women make fools of themselves over Gerrywould have been annoying if it weren’t realistically portrayed. Such thingshappen in real life and are not uncommon. The story presents a sneak peek intotheir thought process, insecurities, and yearning for affection.

I admit the final reveal wasn’t what I expected. Izeroed in on the other person. This does make sense in a way, a twisted sort ofway that aligns with that character’s arc.

It seems that Alexi and Jack’s relationship isgetting a lot of nazar (evil eye) from many people. The poor couple can’t seemto get rid of their exes, intent on getting them back. However, it isheartwarming to see them put up a united front and deal with it in no-nonsenseterms.

There’s a lot of drama too given the nature of theplot and the characters. Some of it gets repetitive at places but it might beuseful for first-time readers of this series to get a better idea of thedynamics in the relationships.

A bit of danger and some faithful animals thatbecome heroes bring the story to a neat ending. Not everyone faces theconsequences of their actions. I know we’ll see some of those characters again,and can’t wait for them to fall into the hole they dug for others.

To summarize, A Deadly Affair is a well-plotted cozymystery and an enjoyable read. It has a steady pace and can be a standaloneread.

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources andBoldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honestopinion about the book. 

#NetGalley

***

Author Bio – E. V. Hunter

E.V. Hunter has written a great many successfulregency romances as Wendy Soliman and revenge thrillers as Evie Hunter. She isnow redirecting her talents to produce cozy murder mysteries. For the pasttwenty years, she has lived the life of a nomad, roaming the world oninteresting forms of transport, but has now settled back in the UK.

Follow the Author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendy.soliman.author

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/Wendyswriter

Instagram: Wendy Soliman(@wendy_soliman)

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/EvieHunter 

Bookbub Profile: E.V. HunterBooks

***

This has been a stop on the #ADeadlyAffair blog tourby Rachel's Random Resources. (@rararesources)Thanks for stopping by!

A Scottish Highland Hideaway by Julie Shackman - Book Review - Blog Tour

Series: Scottish Escapes #7 (Standalone)

Publication Date: 15th August 2024

Purchase Link (UK): AScottish Highland Hideaway: Fall in love with the brand new autumnal Scottishescapist romance (Scottish Escapes, Book 7) eBook: Shackman, Julie:Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Purchase Link (USA): Amazon.com:A Scottish Highland Hideaway: Fall in love with the brand new autumnal Scottishescapist romance (Scottish Escapes, Book 7) eBook: Shackman, Julie: KindleStore

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205593451-a-scottish-highland-hideaway

Genre: Drama, Small Town Romance

3 Stars

One Liner: Read it as a drama

Book Blurb:

A brand newautumnal story of love, believing in yourself and starting over set in theScottish Highlands

For BaileyMcArthur, her family and job mean everything. She runs her own floristryshop and loves spending time in nature in the pretty town of Heather Moore,whilst desperately trying to forget about being jilted on her wedding day.

Whenjournalist Zach Stern arrives in town asking questions about afamous actor, Bailey decides to throw him off the trail of the superstar hidingout in the Scottish Highlands.

But despiteBailey’s efforts to thwart Zach's investigation, she finds herself falling forhim. It’s just a shame she can’t be honest with him. But then, Bailey might notbe the only one with a secret to hide…

***

My Thoughts:

The story comes in Bailey’s first-person POV.

Firstly, this is not romance. It has a lot of dramatoo, so we’ll call it contemporary fiction.

The start is quite good. I enjoyed the descriptionsof the flower shop and the picturesque small town in winter.

As the story progressed, I realized this would notbe romance. There isn’t enough connection between the main characters.Insta-love trope but sadly it’s not well done. I was still wondering how theycould develop such deep feelings for each other.

There’s a lot of side drama involving Bailey’sfamily. The celebrity, Eric, is also hit with drama and scandals from allsides. Naturally, Bailey, with her helpful attitude, is at the center of it.Things spiral out of control in the second half.

Fortunately, I liked the bond between Bailey andMarcus (her brother). His arc was quite believable. In fact, I empathized morewith him than the main characters.

Bailey’s character is decent if a bit silly overZach. I like she made some great points about starting over, the role of mediain sharing gossip at the cost of privacy, the right to become a better personafter making mistakes, etc.

Zach’s character is so surface level, he was hardlyanything more than great eyes and hair with commendable ethics. If the sidedrama was limited to one topic, there would have been enough space for the MMCto grow and the romance to feel like something.

As expected of the genre, everything gets sorted atthe end. There’s an epilogue too. The saving grace for me was the pacing. Icould read this in a couple of days.

To summarize, A Scottish Highland Hideaway has asolid premise but messes it up by bringing too much drama and turning it into asoap opera. It might work better if you go with the right expectations. (It isa proper standalone.)

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources andOne More Chapter (Harper Collins), for eARC. This review is voluntary andcontains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley

***

About the Author – Julie Shackman

Julie Shackman is a former journalist from Scotland,who has always wanted to write feel-good romance.

As well as being an author, Julie also writes versesand captions for greetings card companies. Julie admits to having an obsessionwith stationery and handbags.

She is married, has two sons and adopted a Romanianrescue puppy, Cooper.

A Scottish Highland Hideaway is Julie's eleventhnovel.

Follow the Author:

Julie Shackman Author

Julie Shackman (@G13Julie) / Twitter

Julie Georgina Shackman(@juliegeorginashackman) • Instagram photos and videos

(2) Julie Georgina Shackman |Facebook

***

This has been a stop on the #AScottishHighlandHideawayblog tour by Rachel's Random Resources. (@rararesources)Thanks for stopping by!

Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne - Book Review

Publication Date: 13th August 2024 

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

4 Stars 

One Liner: An enjoyable story 

Miranda comes from a family of toppers and achievers. She is the face of physics and the youngest physics professor in the university. However, her world turns upside down when she is passed over for tenure. Her life no longer follows a plan. 

Dejected, Miranda decides to take her bestie’s advice and use the sabbatical to live life without rules and science. Instead, she decides to make decisions based on the stars and astrology. Things have already gone wrong. They couldn’t get worse, right? 

What does this sabbatical teach Miranda? Will it help her find some love too? 

The story comes in Miranda’s first-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

Well, the cover and the premise were cute enough to make me want to grab this book. Unlike Miranda, I love astronomy and astrology equally and believe that both can co-exist. I hoped it would be fun to see how the FMC realizes the same, and it was. 

Miranda’s character is well crafted. The transition from someone who follows rigid rules to someone who embraces change by replacing the rules with another set to finally a person who learns to trust her gut and heart, the progress is steady and unhurried. This feels realistic without being drawn out too long. 

I knew there would be a love triangle of sorts. Thankfully, it doesn’t get messy or awkward (or annoying). While I think the other track could have been a little shorter, I also see why it was necessary to go as far as it did. It plays a part in the FMC’s journey. 

Archer is an adorable grumpy artist. I wish we had more of him in the book and his backstory came out a little more detailed. He is the king of grump you’d want to love! 

Some side characters like Lillian, Daphne, and Kylee make a strong impression. While the other guy was good enough, I didn’t feel anything for him. 

The chapters were titled according to months and zodiac seasons. Each chapter began with a horoscope prediction for the day and aligned with the events that take place in it. I loved this approach and had a great time reading those little nuggets of ‘wisdom’. 

The romance was pretty mild with only a wee bit of steam. However, the relationship between the FMC and MMC was great to read. It started with a not-a-meet-cute and progressed slowly, so that made sense. I wouldn’t have minded a little more spice, though. 

While the track of Miranda’s relationship with her family started realistically, it got resolved a bit too easily, IMO. I wish it continued to be realistic and bittersweet. 

There’s an epilogue (my favorite) that gives us a proper HEA and all. 

The author’s note was delightful and gave a glimpse into the research and work she put into the book. I always love reading such details. 

To summarize, Miranda in Retrograde is a light and steady-paced book (not fast) you can finish in a couple of sittings. It works as a summer read or a starry night read on the rooftop. You don’t need to know anything about astrology to understand the contents. 

My thanks to NetGalley, and Gallery Books, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #MirandaInRetrograde

Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent - Book Review

Publication Date: 15th August 2024 

Genre: Slow-burn Mystery 

3.5 Stars 

One Liner: Good but... could have been better! 

When an anonymous letter arrives at the office of Clarendon English Dictionary, the new senior editor, Martha Thornhill, wonders if it is one of those pranks. However, she and her team (fellow editors) decipher the clues in the letter to realize it hints at a case that occurred in 2010. 

Martha’s older sister, Charlie disappeared without a trace never to be found. Unable to handle the aftermath, Martha settled in Berlin and lived there for a decade, creating a new life. However, family issues brought her back to London, and her return seems to have triggered something. 

As more letters arrive, Martha and her colleagues have to unravel the mystery using their talents with words. It is like solving a word puzzle, only far more dangerous. 

The story comes in the third-person POV of Martha, Alex, and Zoe. 

My Thoughts: 

As a fan of mysteries, I was excited to read this one. Cases that have puzzles and clues are more interesting than the ones with gun fights. Brain power and all that. ;) 

This is a slow-paced mystery with many heavy-weight words and complex clues. Given the author’s expertise and the chosen professions of the main characters, it’s no surprise that the content reads like a dictionary. Much to show off in this one and it gets excessive sometimes.  

The mystery as such is decent and easy enough to put together in the second half. In fact, you can identify the culprit in the first half if you go by the vibes (even if you don’t know the whats and whys). 

Though the book is set in 2023, it has an old-world feel to it. If not for the talk about messages and stuff, I would have forgotten this is a contemporary read. 

The setting is Oxford (which the author seems to love). As the book progressed, it felt more surreal than tangible. The descriptions should make it atmospheric but for me, it felt a tad overdone. 

In fact, a lot of the book is overdone, making it way too slow than it needed to be. The same goes for characters. I am really glad we get Zoe and Alex’s POVs which balance out Martha’s. As the main character, Martha was infuriating most of the time. She has this ethereal and untouchable vibe which made it hard to connect with her. Also for someone who is in their early 30s, she sounded like a 50-something woman. 

That’s a pity since the character arc deals with important themes – being the shadow sibling, the blurring lines between worshipping and hating the golden child aka the popular sibling, living the ghosts of unresolved past and guilt, wanting to avoid the truth, choosing perceived safety over reality, etc. These should have enriched her character but somehow it doesn’t happen. 

I like that there are subtle hints of romance between the two characters and it never shadows the central plot – the mystery. This is a good decision and has been executed well. 

Each chapter starts with a difficult word and its meaning. I think some align with the chapters but some don’t. Even the complex clues are solved easily but I’m not complaining. The characters have years of experience in the field. They are supposed to be good at what they do to be in their positions. Moreover, the story dragged on enough as it is. Additional delays would have been disastrous! 

The epilogue ties up the loose ends and provides a bittersweet and hopeful ending. I wish the ARC had the author’s notes. Would love to read it. 

To summarize, Guilty by Definition is a debut novel by a celebrity and it shows. The book has worthy elements, which are at the risk of drowning in heavy vocabulary and a hard-to-connect MC. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK (Zaffre), for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #GuiltybyDefinition