First Of December by Karen Jennings

 

First of December by Karen Jennings.

Published 26th March 2026 by Holland House.

From the cover of the book:

On the 1st December 1838, all slaves were finally freed in South Africa, four years after slavery had officially been abolished.

First of December follows three people during the week of November 1838: James and Caroline Kendrick, and an unnamed runaway slave making her way to Cape Town along the coast, desperate to reach it by midnight on the 31st November.

Caroline is trapped in an unhappy marriage, in a place she hates, always longing to go home; bored, lonely, without purpose or any sense of belonging. James is forever on the move, desperate for success after a lifetime of failure and humiliation, seeing South Africa as his last great hope, preparing for the climax of his work, a bank to serve the city. Each resents the other, feeling trapped and unloved, yet with a wish for it all to change. Meanwhile the slave-apprentice, fearful of being caught before the deadline, meets others living on the coast, at the edge of society, yet always remaining alone, without any clear idea of what to expect in Cape Town.

***********

Cape Town, 1938. Four years ago slavery was abolished, but for the slaves in South Africa this did not mean freedom. Instead, they were bound for four more years of unpaid service as slave-apprentices, under the guise of 'training' them to become useful members of colonial society. From midnight on the 31st November they will finally be free to pursue their own lives.

Over the course of the week running up to 1st December, this poignant historical fiction novel follows the lives of three people - married couple James and Caroline Kendrick in Cape Town; and an unnamed female runaway slave-apprentice who is making her way towards the capital, where she hopes to celebrate the moment of freedom.

The story flows seamlessly (and sometimes confusingly) between the narratives of the three individuals during this tense and fearful time, as they look back on the past, and consider what the future might hold. For James and Caroline this largely involves painful reflections on a disappointed marriage filled with recriminations - while James desperately chases grand dreams of fortune to make up for his daddy issues; and Caroline is trapped in an endless fever dream-like inertia, in a role she despises and a country she wishes she could leave. Meanwhile, the unnamed slave girl makes her journey on a knife-edge, haunted by memories of loss and heart-rending trauma.

This is a novel steeped in visceral emotions, in a complex setting filled with contradictions. Jennings does not shy away from examining many aspects of poverty, injustice, hypocrisy, and the impact of colonialism through her characters, which makes for uncomfortable reading. There is little by way of joy, but there is hope for the slave-apprentices looking forward to change on the strike of midnight on 31st November.

This was a subject I knew nothing about, and it inevitably sent me down eye-opening rabbit holes about nineteenth century Cape Town and slavery in South Africa. Even so, there is a lot of missing context in Jennings' raw prose that wider reading does not compensate for. She touches on so much I felt some of the shades of meaning she intended to convey were lost on me. Is Caroline's malaise due to physical illness or depression? Was there more to the gulf between Caroling and James than disappointed hopes? What is the significance of being in Cape Town as the four year period expires? I was never quite sure.

However, she brings time and place vividly alive, and I was fascinated by the unexpected way she weaves an exploration of how the flush of first love can wither through the story, especially when it comes to the wildly differing expectations of men and women.

Plenty of grit gives depth and power to this literary novel, and the 'snapshot of history' premise is intriguing. It has left me with a lot of lingering thoughts about the characters and their predicaments, and Jennings' writing is starkly beautiful.  

First of December is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Holland House for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Folk PR for inviting me to join this blog tour.

About the author:

Karen Jennings is a South African writer whose novel An Island was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2021, with the follow-up longlisted for The Women's Prize in 2025. She was writer-in-residence as a post-doctoral fellow at the Laboratory for the Economics of Africa's Past, Stellenbosch University. Karen currently lectures at North-West University. She received the K. Sello Duiker Memorial Award in 2021, and has won the Africa Region Prize of the Commonwealth Short Story Competition. Her first novel, Finding Soutbek, was shortlisted for the Etisalat Prize. Travels with my Father, a memoir, has been a set university text in South Africa.

Karen founded The Island Prize for unpublished African authors to help them get published globally. Now in its fifth year the prize has helped authors from all over the continent.

 March 2026 Reading Round-Up

March has been an adventure on the reading front...

I've travelled back to fractured 16th century Mexico, the shoot-em-up Wild West, and aristocratic 20th century England; been party to murders in Oxford, Iceland, New Zealand, Egypt and near-future USA; seen the impact of family secrets spilled in Ghana and Ireland (twice); revelled in unreliable narrators in country houses and courtrooms; AND rooted for star-croosed lovers! 

There are some absolute bangers amongst this fourteen books, and you can find my reviews by clicking on the pictures below...

The Other Moctezuma Girls by Sofia Robleda

The Harvey Girl by Dana Stabenow

The Murder Pool by Stella Blómkvist

Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce

Unreliable Narrator by Araminta Hall

Reaper by Vanda Symon

Strangerland by Monika Radojevic

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

The Dangerous Stranger by Simon Mason

The Women at Ocean's End by Faith Hogan

The Park by Voss Foster

Secrets between Friends by Sheila O'Flanagan

Sister of Mine

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence

More adventures to come in April!

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence

 

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence.

This edition published 1st October 2009 by Penguin Classics. Originally published privately in 1928/29, with a full version published in 1960.

From the cover of the book:

Constance Chatterley feels trapped in her sexless marriage to the invalid Sir Clifford.

Unable to fulfil his wife emotionally or physically, Clifford encourages her to have a liaison with a man of their own class. But Connie is attracted instead to her husband's gamekeeper and embarks on a passionate affair that brings new life to her stifled existence.

Can she find a true equality with Mellors, despite the vast gulf between their positions in society?

One of the most controversial novels in English literature, Lady Chatterley's Lover is an erotically charged and psychologically powerful depiction of adult relationships.

***********

Lady Chatterley's Lover is one of those books that comes with a reputation. D.H. Lawrence's salacious 1928 novel of Lady Chatterley's affair with her husband's game keeper, Oliver Mellors, was widely banned in its unexpurgated version. It took a very famous case in 1960 for the full version to be published in all its naked glory, when the ban was challenged by Penguin. With the obscenity charge dismissed, it sold like hot-cakes, and is now easily Lawrence's most well-known book.

I have not read any D.H. Lawrence since my youth, and I remember finding his work a bit dull - in spite of the saucy reputation. However, after recently reading a fascinating article about the significance of the landmark case, I was tempted to delve into this classic once again. By the way, if you get a chance I highly recommend going down a rabbit hole about the case, the position for upholding the ban was based firmly in outrageous classism and misogyny - highly misjudged for a time when social attitudes were changing fast!

Most people probably have a vague idea of what this story is about - an aristocratic woman cavorting with someone so far below her in the social order. But, there is actually so much more to the novel.

Constance, Lady Chatterley, ends up tied to Lord Clifford Chatterley, who returns from the First World War a shell of his former self. Paralysed from below the waist, he is now impotent. Eventually recovering enough to throw himself into high-brow literary pursuits that bring him fame and fortune, Clifford has little use for intimacy of any kind with his wife, but needs her at his beck and call. Duty keeps Connie at the ancestral home, overshadowed by the industrial heartland in which it sits, and she begins to waste away for lack of meaningful connection.

Her life shrinks in way that is rarely captured by any of the adaptations, which focus almost entirely on the passion that sparks between her and Mellors - a quiet man with hidden depths. But her sexual awakening with a man who is not afraid of tenderness is a turning point. Drawn to each other, love blossoms between the lady and the game keeper, much to snobby Clifford's eventual disgust when Connie falls pregnant and leaves him. Earlier in the novel he is keen for her to provide an heir via another man, but Mellors is far too low-born to be acceptable in this role. Much divorce-laced drama results in the final stretch of the story.

Lawrence touches on a wealth of different themes pertinent to time and place in this story, particularly around class, money, marriage, divorce, industrialisation, the natural environment, and the shadow of war. There is a lot of pontificating from Clifford and his cronies in the first half of the book, steeped in arrogant superiority, which is incredibly tedious, but many of Lawrence's themes are very thought provoking - especially those around women's rights, intellectual freedom, social mobility, and elitism.

And then, of course, there is the sex. Although the steamy scenes in this book may be tame by today's standards, they would have been shocking for the time. For the most part, the language used is a bit awkward for modern tastes - far too much use of 'womb and 'loins' - but there is plenty of sensuality. I cannot help feeling Lawrence had a few whimsical John Thomas and Lady Jane fantasies of his own given some of the scenes. And although he is often cited as 'writing women well', the sex is very male-centric.

Connie and Mellors are tricky characters to become fully invested in, as both are frustrating in different ways. Lawrence's need to indulge in lengthy philosophical rants takes the steam out of the love story too - romance and social realism are uncomfortable bed fellows in Lawrence's hands. My favourite character is the very sensible Ivy Bolton, who is brought in to suffer as Clifford's carer - there is a woman you can get behind.

It is an odd book really, but if you are fascinated by post-WWI fiction, then this is definitely worth a read - if only to see what the fuss is all about. I highly recommend taking this is in via the superbly narrated audio book performed by Holliday Grainger (an Audible Original), who pulled me through the more laborious parts of the story. 

And if you are not feeling strong enough for text or audio, and just want a beautifully shot, deliciously entertaining adaptation that concentrates on the hot love story element, the 2022 version starring Emma Corrin and Jack O'Connell, as Connie and Mellors, should fit the bill nicely, m'lady!

Lady Chatterley's Lover is available to buy now in various formats.

About the author:

D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930), English novelist, storywriter, critic, poet and painter, one of the greatest figures in 20th-century English literature. Among his works, Sons and Lovers appeared in 1913, The Rainbow (1915), Women In Love (1920), and many others.

Sister Of Mine by Claire-Marie Amuah

 

Sister Of Mine by Claire-Marie Amuah.

Published 9th April 2026 by Magpie.

From the cover of the book:

Sika's holiday to Ghana is the trip of a lifetime, until she uncovers a family secret that changes her life...

When Sika is invited to a lavish family party in Accra, she jumps at the chance. Her life might be in London – with a high-powered job, demanding boss and intense friendships – but she's itching to get to know her cousins, aunts and uncles, and explore the country her mother left just after Sika was born. 

The holiday is better than she could have imagined, especially when handsome, charismatic Danso steps onto the scene. But on the night of the big party, as her happiness soars, Sika discovers a dark secret that will change everything – for everyone – forever. 

From an award-winning writer, Sister of Mine is a poignant and heartfelt novel about family ties, family lies and the truths we withhold to protect the ones we love. 

***********

Twenty-seven years ago, Selom left Ghana and headed for Britain with her young baby, Sika. Neither of them have been back since, so Sika is very excited to finally be travelling to Akkra for a big family celebration. This will give her the chance to meet the people she has heard so much about, to get to know something about the country of her parents - and to have a break from her demanding boss.

Sika is overwhelmed by the heat and noise of Akkra, and both charmed and bemused by the people she meets. She is especially pleased to meet handsome, charismatic Danso, and feels an instant connection with him.

But on the night of the party, Sika overhears a conversation that brings into question everything she thought she know about herself and her family. Can she ever move past the dark secret that has shattered her happiness?

This beautifully written, poignant novel follows Sika to Ghana, where she is in high anticipation of having a great time in the company of the friends and family. She also hopes to discover all she can about her own roots, and learn more about what lies behind the stories her mother has shared with her.

Ghana is an assault on Sika's senses - loud, bright, hot, and so different from her life in Britain. Many of the people she meets offer a warm welcome, especially her mother's oldest friend Larjey (whose wedding anniversary they are here to celebrate), but there is an awkward distance between Selom and her older sister, ultra-religious Edem, which Sika cannot fathom.

Soon, Sika is fully immersed in her Ghanaian adventure, spending time with gentle Danso, navigating uncomfortable situations as well as joyful ones, and getting caught up in preparations for the lavish party. But her happiness is cut short when she overhears a conversation that was not meant for her ears. Distraught, she cuts short her holiday, and flies home alone without saying goodbye to anyone. Sika's life has been derailed by the impact of what she has learned, and she does not know how she will begin to deal with what this means for her whole family.

Amuah does not shy away from exploring the light and shade of Ghana in this compelling novel, and she does the same with her wonderful cast of characters, who range from warm and loving to downright monsters in both Ghana and Britain. The characters are utterly captivating, especially Selon, and Larjay, who I cried heart-felt tears with - such amazing strong women, who are totally unforgettable.

Echoing themes weave throughout that cut you right to the quick. Amuah touches on so much in Sika's story, especially when it comes to loss, sacrifice, heart-rending trauma, and complicated family relationships. The moments of shocking hypocrisy and religious fakery are very bitter pills to swallow too. 

There are lovely moments of humour, and much needed love and romance to lighten the pain though. And I revelled in the Devil Wears Prada vibe when is comes to Sika's high-pressure job - with shades of Miranda Priestley in the awful Caitlyn, and more than a touch of Nigel in Sika's fab 'work husband' Julian. I am so impressed how Amuah ties the work-side of Sika's story into the themes of the novel, which I did not see coming.

This is the kind of novel that takes you on an emotional journey at the side of its characters. I loved it from thought-provoking prologue to gorgeous uplifting ending. 

Sister of Mine is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Oneworld for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Marie-Claire is a British Ghanaian author.

One for Sorrow, Two for Joy (Oneworld 2022) was her debut novel. In 2021, she was awarded the John C Laurence Award by the Society of Authors in support of her writing. In 2023, Marie-Claire was named winner of the Diverse Book Awards for adult fiction.

She combines her work as an author with her legal career as a barrister specialising in white collar crime. 

In her spare time, Marie-Claire enjoys long walks with her French bulldog, Blue, travel to tropical isles and cocktails with friends. 

Secrets Between Friends by Sheila O'Flanagan

 

Secrets Between Friends by Sheila O'Flanagan.

Published 26th March 2026 by Headline.

From the cover of the book:

Ailie, Sybil and Rua can take care of themselves. But when they form an unexpected friendship, they discover new perspectives on old problems.

Ailie is recently widowed, and struggling. At least she can cut ties with her toxic Italian in-laws. Except her teenage daughter is joining them in Trieste. Should Ailie follow, and confront the family who can't forgive her?

Sybil has learned to be happy alone. But her younger sister, Tansy, thinks Sybil needs to find a man before it's too late. And she has the perfect candidate. Can Sybil cope with Tansy interfering - again?

Twice Rua has faced the worst, and twice she's started over. All that matters now is protecting her daughter. Yet she's kept the full story from her. Is it time to trust Brontë with the truth?

An intriguing and sparkling story about women discovering their strength - and loving life.

***********

Ailie, Sybil and Rua all know what it means to lose a beloved partner, and to have to learn to navigate a new chapter in their lives. Ailie, recently widowed, is struggling, but trying to keep going for the sake of her daughter Flavia, whilst dealing with troublesome Italian in-laws. Sybil is settled in her single life, but younger sister Tansy will keep interfering, sure Sybil must be in need of a man after five years of widowhood. And Rua, who has had to start over twice, is keeping secrets from her daughter Bronte, and certain she will never love anyone as much as her late wife, Lilou.

One fateful day, the three women meet outside a concert venue, after Sybil is run down by a careless youth on an e-bike. Uncharacteristically for all three, they decide to go for a drink to recover from the ordeal, and a connection sparks between them...

This lovely story unfurls through the voices of the three women, with snippets from Flavia and Bronte, and journeys between Ireland, Italy and France. As their friendship grows, the 'Merry Widows' reveal their stories - Ailie telling of her fresh grief at the loss of her Italian husband Georgio, and the difficult state of affairs with his family, who never accepted her; Sybil recounting her life with tech-genius Theo, which took her around the world, and the unwelcome efforts of Tansy to marry her off; and Rua, whose life has shrunk since the loss of her French wife, and who has no idea how to broach a difficult subject with her daughter.

Lashing of golden moments, steeped in laughter (Turkey Teeth Burt was quite something) and tears ensue as the women support each other through their trials and tribulations, and learn to open up their hearts to new experiences. There are some particularly beautiful episodes in Italy, where Sybil helps Ailie tackle her difficult in-laws; in France, when Sybil and Ailie are at Rua's side as she finds closure; and at Rua's childhood home, when Bronte forces a painful confrontation. 

O'Flanagan's women are a joy. Steadfast Sybil was my favourite, but it was a treat to spend time with them all as they learned how to come to terms with the heart-ache of their individual losses and to write their own sequels. Themes of complicated families, marriage, motherhood, unbearable grief, and generational trauma are handled with sensitivity, and I found myself mopping up tears throughout.

Absolutely wonderful storytelling about female friendship and second chances kept me absorbed from the first page to the last. I really did not want to say goodbye to Sybil, Ailie and Rua. and would love to know what happens to them next, if you ever have a follow-up novel in mind Ms O'Flanagan?

Secrets Between Friends is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Headline for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Sheila O'Flanagan is the award-winning author of over thirty books, including The Honeymoon Affair, The Woman on the Bridge, What Eden Did Next, Three Weddings and a Proposal, and The Missing Wife.

She lives in Dublin with her husband.

The Park (Evenstad Media Presents Book One) by Voss Foster

 

The Park (Evenstad Media Presents Book One) by Voss Foster.

Published 1st January 2015.

From the cover of the book:

12 Contestants

20,000,000 Dollars

1 Survivor

The Park: Evenstad Media's newest reality show. There are no laws. There are no rules. The only goal is to stay alive. But in Evenstad's arena, things are far from simple. Outfitted with strange new weapons, trapped in the dark, afraid for their lives, it's only a matter of time before somebody takes the first shot.

And all the while, the world watches. Some in disgust, some rapt, but all feeding Evenstad, and all oblivious to the horrors they're helping fund. By the time anyone notices, will there be time to put an end to it? Or will it be too late?

***********

Twelve contestants find themselves dropped into a games arena modelled on a trailer park. Attached to each of the bemused contestants is a note explaining a single survivor will win $20,000,000. Food, drink, and a single curious weapon are the only provisions. Let the games begin.

This intriguing speculative novel is an enjoyable mix of Nerve meets Arnold Swarzenegger's Running Man, in which twelve contestants must fight it out to receive a life changing amount of prize money. The concept is simple, but the there is nothing easy about the game play.

The novel is almost entirely of the epistolary kind, as the plot unfurls largely via the journals of the contestants, bolstered by transcripts of emails, online blogs, news stories, ads, and corporate letters, so you have to put together all the little details of the plot yourself. And there is a lot of unsettling psychological fun to be had in the process.

The most interesting parts of the novel follow the shifting allegiances amongst the contestants, as the pressure of the game leads to murder, mayhem, and fracturing mental health. There is a lot more going on here that a cruel tv game intended to draw in millions for Evenstad Media too - a side order of real-world domination for one thing - which mixes up the premise nicely.

This a quick read, which really provokes your thoughts, and for the most part, the format works well. I would have liked a retrospective from the winning contestant to tie up the loose ends at the end of the novel though - particularly given their bold decision!

I rather enjoyed this. The series continues with further novels that follow the theme in different game settings (a mall, an inn, and in some tunnels), which I have not ventured into, but if this kind of sci-fi thriller is your bag then they are probably worth a punt.

The Park is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Voss Foster lives in the middle of the Eastern Washington desert, where he writes sci-fi and fantasy from inside a single wide trailer. He is the author of Tartaros, Zirkua Fantastic, and The Jester Prince.

When he can be pried away from his keyboard, he can be found singing, practicing photography, cooking, and belly dancing, though rarely all at the same time.

The Women At Ocean's End by Faith Hogan

 

The Women At Ocean's End by Faith Hogan.

Published in paperback 26th February 2026 by Aria.

Audio book narrated by Flora Montgomery.

From the cover of the book:

Constance Macken, in her ninth decade, is looking back on a life filled with laughter and loss, tragedy and triumph, but knows it is time to right the wrongs from her past that have always haunted her.

Heather Banks arrives on the island to bury her mother. Already adrift with her business sold and her divorce finalised this may be the perfect opportunity to change the course of her future.

Ros Stokes has managed to slip into the perfect job, the perfect cottage and friends that feel like family. However, when the stitches of her life begin to unravel, she must find a way to hold onto the things that have become most dear to her and let go of what holds her back.

***********

Now in her eighties, Constance Macken reflects upon her long life, and all the triumphs and tragedies that have come with it. The once stately, Art-Deco splendour of Ocean's End, the house her author mother bought at the height of her fame, is crumbling around her. She is lonely and unfinished business is weighing her down.

Then two women grieving the loss of their mothers, and looking for a place to call home come, to Pin Hill Island - newly divorced Heather Banks, daughter of Constance's childhood friend Dotty; and young Ros Stokes, the local wildlife ranger. They bring with them the opportunity for Constance to right some of the wrongs which haunt her...

Off the coast of Ireland, close to Faith Hogan's more familiar, and much-loved community of Ballycove, lies the wild and windswept Pin Hill Island - where this gorgeous story from one of my favourite authors takes place. The novel unfurls from the perspectives of Constance, Heather and Ros in the present, with flashbacks to the past through the eyes of Constance and Dotty, and the threads weave beautifully together to make a wonderful heart-felt tapestry.

As Constance acknowledges the end of her life is close, and with it the chance to reunite with her beloved husband (lost long ago at sea) and her charismatic mother, she longs to make peace with her past. The chance comes through Ros' energetic generosity; and Heather's return to Ocean's End, where she remembers spending heady summer holidays with her mother, before something happened to fracture Dotty and Constance's friendship.

As the women forge a close friendship in the present, whilst trying to bring Ocean's End back to life, Heather and Ros also face up to their own sorrows and regrets, finding healing on Pin Hill Island in warm-hearted Constance's company (and gentle romances too) - they also uncover a literary treasure trove in the work of Constance's mother, Maggie Macken. Meanwhile, in the past, Hogan explores the complexities of the relationship between Constance and Dotty, delving into the impact of the secret that bound them together... and tore them apart.

This story thrums with deep emotion and a wealth of recurring themes around family, friendship, community, environment, and second chances - especially when it comes to mothers and daughters. I completely fell in love with these women as my heart broke in two, and was remade in the kind of tear-stained, uplifting ending Hogan is so good at. 

It is impossible to describe how enchanting this book is, and I so enjoyed revisiting it via the audio book impeccably narrated by Flora Montgomery. It filled me up heart and soul, and left me a blubbering mess in the best possible way. Faith, you always make me sob, and I love you for it.

I cannot wait to return to Pin Hill Island very soon in The Sisters of Hope Square (out in June).

The Women at Ocean's End is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Aria for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Faith lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and two very fussy cats. She has an Hons Degree in English Literature and Psychology, has worked as a fashion model and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.

The Dangerous Stranger (DI Ryan Wilkins Mysteries Book Five) by Simon Mason

The Dangerous Stranger (DI Ryan Wilkins Mysteries Book Five) by Simon Mason.

Published 12th March 2026 by riverrun.

From the cover of the book:

On a warm and pleasant evening in Oxford, gentle city of poets and scholars, rioters outside a hotel full of asylum seekers set a young refugee on fire. The city - the country - convulses in shock. Is this who we are? It's international news of the very worst kind, and the Chief Constable demands immediate and exemplary action in bringing the perpetrators to justice. The detectives leading the investigation fill him with misgivings, however: DIs Ryan and Ray Wilkins (no relation), Thames Valley's detective pantomime horse, one Oxford-educated, the other Oxford-trailer park. He doesn't understand why they work together. 'Do they even get on?' 'Somehow that doesn't seem necessary,' their Superintendent replies.

Who burned the boy alive? Was it a far-right extremist? Was it an ordinary person who had simply gone along to watch and got caught up in the emotion? Could it even be one of the children who were there? Deploying a range of investigative skills, some standard, some unconventional and some frankly nuts, the Wilkinses do what they do: results with chaos. But when they discover that the victim was not an asylum seeker after all, or even a resident of the hotel, the whole investigation kicks into a completely different configuration.

 ***********

In the gentle city of dreaming spires tempers are running high, and not just because of the balmy temperatures. A riot breaks out in the street fronting a hotel housing asylum seekers. Amidst the violence a young refugee is set on fire - an act so appalling that it sends shockwaves through the whole country.

The Chief Constable is determined that the guilty parties be brought to justice as quickly as possible, but he is filled with misgivings about the detectives in charge of the investigation, despite the support of their Superintendent -  DIs Ryan and Ray Wilkins (no relation), an unlikely pairing that somehow seems to produce results, even if their methods are questionable.

Who killed the boy, and why? The Wilkinses are on the case...

DIs Ryan and Ray Wilkins (no relation) are back in the fifth instalment of one of my absolute favourite police procedural series!

Sedate and scholarly Oxford is reeling from an act of violence that seems too horrific to be true, when a young man is burned to death in the car park of a hotel housing terrified asylum seekers. The resulting media storm brings pressure on the police to solve this case in double-quick time, but as DIs Ryan and Ray Wilkins (no relation) track down the clues in their less than orthodox manner it seems the charred-beyond-recognition victim might not actually be who they thought he was. Meanwhile, a dangerous stranger, known only as 'Dogs', lurks in the shadows.

The investigation twists and turns in classic Mason style, as the unlikely duo - Oxford-educated, poster-boy Ray, and chaotic, but inspired Ryan from the-wrong-side-of-the-trailer-park - uncover surprising clues that hint at a very different kind of murder than racist retribution... with the help of a couple of welcome new characters. eager DS Williams and a quirky detective from across the Channel who adds a touch of joie de vivre.

Characteristically, Ryan goes off-piste into Oxford's underbelly, relying on his local knowledge to get the edge, whilst rubbing up authority-types the wrong way, and doing his best as single-dad to adorable 'little Ryan'. Intriguingly, it is the normally level-headed Ray who loses his cool somewhat in this investigation, under the mounting pressures of his personal life, whilst Ryan comes-up trumps - a heart-warming turn of affairs which I really enjoyed, particularly when it comes to how it impacts the Wilkinses' relationship.

Lots of lovely themes run through this cracking page-turner, especially around the very timely subject of the plight of asylum seekers and the rise of ugly far-right hatred, and complex relationships between father and son, which add so much intelligently employed depth. And the DIs Ryan and Ray Wilkins (no relation) partnership continues to shine in all its left-of-field, darkly comic glory. Superb!

The Dangerous Stranger is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to riverrun for sending me a rpoof of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Simon Mason has pursued parallel careers as a publisher and an author, whose YA crime novels Running Girl, Kid Got Shot and Hey, Sherlock! feature the sixteen-year-old slacker genius Garvie Smith.

A former Managing Director of David Fickling Books, where he worked with many wonderful writers, including Philip Pullman, he has also taught at Oxford Brookes University and has been a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Exeter College, Oxford.

Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie

 

Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie.

This edition published October 2020 by Harper Collins.

Originally published 1937.

From the cover of the book:

The tranquillity of a cruise along the Nile is shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway has been shot through the head. 

She was young, stylish and beautiful, a girl who had everything – until she lost her life.

Hercule Poirot recalls an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: ‘I’d like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger.’ 

Yet in this exotic setting nothing is ever quite what it seems…

***********

Hercule Poirot's holiday in Egypt is disrupted when glamorous heiress Linnet Doyle (née Ridgeway) is shot through the head, and her valuable string of pearls looted, during a cruise down the Nile .

Linnet seemed to have everything - beauty, style and money - but when she stole her best friend's fiancé, Simon Doyle, she made a dangerous enemy. For the wronged woman, Jacqueline de Bellefort, followed the happy couple on their honeymoon trip, vowing to get her revenge.

Jacqueline is the obvious suspect, but although she certainly shot and injured her former lover that fateful night, she has a cast-iron alibi for the murder of Linnet. Can Poirot get to the bottom of what really happened on the Karnak?

Death on the Nile is one of Christie's finest mysteries, and one of my earliest forays into the work of the Queen of Crime. It was an easy pick to celebrate this month's #ReadChristie prompt of 'Biggest Impact on You as a Young Reader', and it has been far too long since I last read it!

The plot throws together a motley collection of genteel and larger than life characters, some of whom have murky motives for being aboard the Karnak that involve a lot more than sight-seeing - a nice middle-class mother with devoted son, dodgy financiers, anarchists, a light-fingered American society blue-blood, an amorous Austrian doctor, a dipsomaniac authoresses with despairing daughter, and a variety of companions surround the troubled love-triangle at the centre of the plot.

There is much fun to be had as Poirot is reunited with perspicacious old pal and Secret Service Agent Colonel Race, and they traverse difficult conversations with murder and larceny suspects who they are sure are not revealing all they know. Of course, Poirot eventually gets to the truth, casting aside the many red herrings, once he has discovered quite what falling masonry, a gun thrown overboard, running feet, mysterious splashings in the night, a blackmailing maid, a decorative rosary, and an empty bottle of nail varnish all reveal about who killed Linnet and pilfered her precious baubles.

This book has everything - arguably Christie's best ensemble cast (certainly my favourite - how can you fail to be charmed by Mrs Allerton, Cornelia Robson, and the flamboyant Salome Otterbourne), a devilishly twisty plot filled with passion and precise planning, and a gloriously exotic setting. It is rich in psychological themes and dysfunctional relationships (especially when it comes to reflections on love), and wonderfully on-point when it comes to time and place. 

I chose to revisits this gem via the audiobook narrated appropriately by David Suchet (my favourite little Belgian Detective of them all), and it was an utter joy from start to finish. 

Death on the Nile is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Agatha Christie is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English with another billion in over 70 foreign languages. She is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 20 plays, and six novels written under the name of Mary Westmacott.

Son (Kari Voss Mysteries Book One) by Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger.

 

Son (Kari Voss Mysteries Book One) by Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger.

Published in paperback 26th March 2026 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

Everyone here is lying…

Expert on body language and memory, and consultant to the Oslo Police, psychologist Kari Voss sleepwalks through her days, and, by night, continues the devastating search for her young son, who disappeared on his birthday, seven years earlier.

Still grieving for her dead husband, and trying to pull together the pieces of her life, she is thrust into a shocking local investigation, when two teenage girls are violently murdered in a family summer home in the nearby village of Son.

When a friend of the victims is charged with the barbaric killings, it seems the case is closed, but Kari is not convinced. Using her skills and working on instinct, she conducts her own enquiries, leading her to multiple suspects, including people who knew the dead girls well…

With the help of Chief Constable Ramona Norum, she discovers that no one – including the victims – are what they seem. And that there is a dark secret at the heart of Son village that could have implications not just for her own son's disappearance, but Kari's own life, too…

***********

Seven years ago Kari Voss' son, Vetle, went missing from the village of Son, on his ninth birthday. It was an unbearable blow for a woman grieving the loss of her husband, but the hope that Vetle is still alive keeps her going through the sleepless nights.

When two sixteen-year-old girls are brutally murdered at a summer cottage in Son, Kari's job as a consultant for the Oslo police, specialising in body language and memory, drags her right back into the past. The girls were Vetle's childhood friends, and the police think they have the person responsible in custody - Vetle's former best friend, Jesper.

Kari is convinced Jesper is innocent, but her instincts tell her he is holding something back about what he knows. Kari, with the help of Chief Constable Ramona Norum, decides to investigate the murders herself. She soon realises that everyone here is lying about what happened that night, but does that make them capable of murder?

When two brilliant authors like Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger decide to team up, you know that magic is going to happen! The first part of their brand new joint venture, the Kari Voss Mysteries, is everything that I wanted it to be and more, thrumming with suspense and the luscious noir vibes that have made their names.

Kari Voss makes a fresh and exciting protagonist for a crime story of this kind, as she is neither a police officer, nor a private detective. Instead, she is an acknowledged expert in her own field, whose impressive skills have dubbed her the 'human lie detector'. 

Alongside the police procedural elements (sometimes from Norum, and sometimes from Kari herself), Gustawsson and Enger weave in lashings of lovely stuff about body language and the unpredictable nature of memory, hinging the twists and turns on exceptionally clever psychological reveals that go far beyond those uncovered by more conventional means - backed up with informative explanations about Kari's techniques, which fit naturally into her inner musings and the conversations she carefully manipulates with the small cast of characters. As expected, everyone in Son is hiding something, but Kari eventually gets to the truth about the murders - and finally has some answers about Vetle's disappearance too. 

The resulting story is a Nordic noir journey through the darkest of small-town secrets and lies, made up of an addictive blend of fact, fiction, atmosphere, and visceral chills - and it leaves you with a parting kiss that will have your counting the days until book two arrives. I cannot wait! 

*A version of this review was originally published in March 2025 for hardcover publication.

Son is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback ebook and audio formats now. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the authors:

Johana Gustawsson:

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series, including Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song, has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in nineteen countries. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. The Bleeding – a number one bestseller in France and the first in a new series – will be published in 2022. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband and their three sons. 

Thomas Enger:

Thomas Enger is a former journalist. He made his debut with the crime novel Burned (Skinndød) in 2010, which became an international sensation before publication. Burned is the first in a series of five books about the journalist Henning Juul, which delves into the depths of Oslo’s underbelly, skewering the corridors of dirty politics and nailing the fast-moving world of 24-hour news. Rights to the series have been sold to 28 countries to date. In 2013 Enger published his first book for young adults, a dark fantasy thriller called The Evil Legacy, for which he won the U-prize (best book Young Adult). Killer Instinct, another Young Adult suspense novel, was published in Norway in 2017. Rights have been sold to Germany and Iceland. Enger also composes music, and he lives in Oslo.

Strangerland by Monika Radojevic

 

Strangerland by Monika Radojevic.

Published 5th March 2026 by Merky Books.

From the cover of the book:

London, 1990. Zivoin is newly arrived in a strange country. The dependable oldest son, he works all hours of the day and night, sending every penny he can save back to his family. On the news, he watches his homeland, Yugoslavia, slowly fracturing.

Thousands of miles away, in the tropical heat of Uberlândia, Brazil, Alegria prepares to leave behind the country – and the family – she loves dearly. Bright and ambitious, she strives to give her parents the life they deserve, even if it takes her far from them.

A chance meeting throws Alegria and Zivoin together – and for a brief moment, they feel at home. But their journey is just beginning, and what follows will draw them irresistibly across countries and continents, leaving them both forever changed.

The powerful, exhilarating debut novel from an award-winning new voice in fiction, Strangerland is a heartfelt testament to the endurance that has come to define a generation of immigrants. Above all, it is a soaring, emotionally rich story about the power of love to transcend languages, borders and time.

***********

London, 1990. As the oldest son, Zivoin has taken on the responsibility of helping to support his family. Working all the hours he can in a strange country is taking its toll, but he hopes the money he sends back to Yugoslavia will go some way to helping his family traverse troubled times in his homeland.

Meanwhile, in Uberlândia, Brazil, Alegria prepares to travel thousands of miles to London. Her plan is to join her sister there for three months to earn enough to help her family prosper - if she can make it past the immigration officials.

When the two meet in London, something sparks between them. Somehow spending time with each other makes them feel like they are home. The attraction grows into love, but there are so many obstacles in the way of their relationship...

Based on the true story of how her parents met, Monika Radojevic weaves a spellbinding novel that portrays how the power of love can surpass the obstacles of language, nationality, economics, and even impending war.

Against an evocative backdrop of far reaching political turmoil, from the resignation of Margaret Thatcher, ructions in the Middle East, financial instability in Brazil, and the fracturing of Yugoslavia, our two young people meet and fall in love. Happiness is surely guaranteed, but there are many trials to be endured before they can be together. 

Radojevic writes her characters with warmth and authenticity, and all the little popular culture references work so well. I soon took the lovers, their families, and their friends to heart - following them all through immigration difficulties; the gulf between them in terms of their experiences and backgrounds; the strangeness of living and working illegally in a foreign country; and the near impossibility of finding a place they can settle down together. 

She touches beautifully on so much about family ties, identity, and belonging, as Zivoin and Alegria take significant risks to pursue their romantic journey. I laughed and cried with them, and at times my heart was lodged firmly in my throat, especially when the lovers must enter dangerous territory to cement their relationship. And I am so impressed with they way she floods this story with the many ways in which the disintegration of Yugoslavia impacts the characters, even though the actual nitty of the looming war happens largely in the wings.

Sweeping and irresistibly absorbing, this is an eloquent debut novel that thrums with vibes of time and place. Radojevic is a shining new voice in fiction who really deserves your time. I look forward to watching her career develop.

Strangerland is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Merky Books for sending me a copy of this book in return for and honest review.

About the author:

Monika Radojevic is a Brazilian-Montenegrin writer and poet who was born and raised in London. She spent years working in the feminist and political sector, and her writing is a continuous exploration of power dynamics, inequality and freedom.

Monika is the inaugural winner of the #Merky Books New Writers' prize, and writes to make sense of life. She has previously published a volume of poetry, Teeth in the Back of My Neck, and a short story collection, A Beautiful Lack of Consequence. Strangerland is her debut novel.

Reaper (City Of Shadows Book Two) by Vanda Symon

 

Reaper (City Of Shadows Book Two) by Vanda Symon.

Published 12th March 2026 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

The City looks away … but someone is watching…

A killer is hunting Auckland's homeless. No one cares. No one but Max. These are his people.

Max Grimes is homeless, living on the streets of Auckland – among the forgotten, the invisible. But now someone is hunting the homeless, killing them one by one. No one cares. Except Max.

Trying to put his shattered life back together, Max is pulled into a deadly game when a face from his past reappears, reopening wounds he thought were long buried.

As whispers of a Grim Reaper spread terror through the city, Max must race against time – not only to find the killer, but to outrun the ghosts chasing him.

Because if he fails, he'll be next.

***********

Former police officer Max Grimes is living on the streets of Auckland, one of the invisible homeless people no one seems to care about. But the homeless are suddenly the focus of public attention - for all the wrong reasons. Someone is hunting the homeless from the shadows, murdering them one-by-one for reasons unknown.

Dubbed the Grim Reaper, the killer has Max and his fellow 'invisibles' running scared, with nowhere to hide. Can Max find the Reaper before the ghosts of his own past claim him?

The story unfurls from the perspectives of Max, his former colleague DS Meredith Peters of the Auckland police force, and the unnamed Reaper. Moving back and forth between their separate narratives, the three voices allow Symon to explore different aspects of the story - Max, as potential prey, desperately trying to discover who is killing his friends in Auckland's gritty under-belly; Meredith, battling to stay in-charge of a high-profile case mired in politics; and the Reaper, an increasingly unhinged killer getting into his murderous stride.

Max's own part in the story is complicated when the past that haunts him intrudes as he is trying to get his life back on track, in the form of Shane McFarlane, the man whose son killed Max's daughter. McFarlane asks Max to help him find the drug dealers who sent his son off the rails, and despite Max's reservations he agrees - only to find himself part of the murder investigation.

I did find myself at a bit of a disadvantage in not having read the first book in this new series, Faceless, as so much of this story relates to Max's traumatic past, but having loved Symon's Sam Shephard books I knew she would not steer me wrong... and I was right. The crime elements are carefully wrought to immerse you in a gripping stand-alone case, as Max and Meredith attempt to discover the identity of the Reaper - someone who is warming to his task, while pursuing a vendetta against Max. Lashings of layered mystery around the Reaper's intentions keeps you on your toes, and the McFarlane sub-plot blends seamlessly into the central plot to ramp the suspense factor up to the max.

Weaving through the story Symon employs really interesting themes, largely around the plight of the 'invisible' homeless people she gives a voice to in this new series. By examining ways in which ordinary people fall through the cracks when their lives become overwhelmed with challenges, and highlighting how society prefers to ignore them when they do, the story gets a powerful thought-provoking kick.

This is a different side to New Zealand noir than I am used to, but it absolutely fulfils the brief of page-turner with a social conscience. Tense, atmospheric, and psychologically fascinating, this is thriller writing with heart and soul.

Reaper is available to buy now n paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Vanda Symon lives in Dunedin, New Zealand. As well as being a crime writer, she has a PhD in science communication and is a researcher at the Centre for Pacific Health at the University of Otago.

Overkill was shortlisted for the 2019 CWA John Creasey Debut Dagger Award and she is a three-time finalist for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel for her critically acclaimed Sam Shephard series.

Vanda produces and hosts 'Write On', a monthly radio show focusing on the world of books at Otago Access Radio. When she isn’t working or writing, Vanda can be found in the garden, or on the business end of a fencing foil.

Unreliable Narrator by Araminta Hall

 

Unreliable Narrator by Araminta Hall.

Published 5th March 2026 by Pan Macmillan.

From the cover of the book:

YOUR SECRETS AREN'T SAFE.

Ten years ago, Hope left Somerset with a fatal secret and a broken heart. She has spent a decade in the shadows, living a quiet life of penance to protect the man she once loved - the world-famous author Ambrose Glencourt.

YOUR LIFE IS NOT YOUR OWN.

Then, she opens his latest bestseller. To the world, it’s a brilliant work of fiction. To Hope, it’s a betrayal. Every private moment, every dark truth, and every ‘fatal disaster’ from that summer is laid bare on the page.

YOUR TRUTH IS A LIE.

But Ambrose has changed the ending. In his version of the story, Hope isn't the victim. She’s the villain.

Now, Hope must step out of the shadows to reclaim her narrative. But in a world of glamorous elites and whispered secrets, who will believe the word of an unreliable woman against the word of a literary icon?

Two narrators. One truth. And a secret worth killing for.

***********

Ten years ago, Hope spent a fateful summer working for famous author Ambrose (Rosie) Glencourt, as he was writing his bestseller The Ruined Girl. It was both the best and worst time of her life. Since then, she has been living an isolated life to protect him from the secret of how that summer ended in tragedy.

Rosie has now let it be known that he is writing a sequel, and this brings a host of memories rushing back for Hope. She has never read The Ruined Girl, but decides the time is nigh to pick it up. What she discovers sends her reeling. The Ruined Girl is obviously based on Hope's life, and the secrets she has been keeping are here for all to see.

It is time for Hope to step out of the shadows and reclaim her own story... 

The novel begins with Hope discovering that Rosie betrayed her by laying bare a twisted version of the events of that summer as the plot for The Ruined Girl - the book he was struggling to write in 2016. Through the pages of the journal Hope kept when she worked with Rosie, she takes us back in time to that heady summer, when she was overwhelmed by the stark difference in her own life and the bohemian existence of Rosie and his artist wife Delia.

Seduced by the ease. elegance, and shabby chic charm of their country estate Shadowlands, Hope becomes immersed in the glamour of their lives, falling for their sort-of-adopted son Tom. Negotiating an emotional minefield she has no idea how to traverse, desperate to fit in, and caught between simmering feelings for Tom, Rosie and Delia, the long-hot summer takes a dangerous turn (loved the metaphoric presence of the hornets nest in the cupboard). All Hope's dreams come crashing down in a moment of violence that she feels she must carry the guilt for.

As Hope's version of events ends, the sumptuous literary style morphs into an intriguing mix of psychological thriller and police procedural in the present. Typical of Araminta Hall, she now turns everything on its head. In order for Hope to reclaim her life she must attempt to prove her version of events is the truth, but battling against the prestige of the now lauded author and his wife is far from easy... and the full meaning of the title ' Unreliable Narrator' comes into its own!

The twists and turns come thick and fast in this second part of the book, and although not all the elements work as slickly as they could (the domestic abuse side-plot sits clumsily amongst all the other cleverly wielded threads) the direction the story takes here is edge-of-your-seat exciting.

Then, to top it all, Hall tugs on the meaty feminist themes to tie up the novel in the most glorious of endings, subverting the premise into one which will have you punching the air with glee. Absolute genius!

Packed with lovely themes about control, abuse, passion, dysfunction, and reclaiming your own narrative this is just as thought-provoking and addictive as I hoped it would be. For me, the best bits lie in the stonking literary delights of the coming-of-age first part of the book (more please Araminta Hall), but the whole thing is a delicious concoction. I swallowed it whole!

Unreliable Narrator is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Araminta Hall is a journalist and teacher. She is the author of five previous novels, including her first novel, Everything and Nothing, which was published in 2011 and became a Richard and Judy read that year. She is the great niece of Dodie Smith and the great granddaughter of Lawrence Beesley, who survived the Titanic and wrote a bestselling account of the tragedy in the book, The Loss of the SS Titanic.

She teaches creative writing at New Writing South Brighton, where she lives with her husband and three children.

Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce

 

Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce.

Published 26th February 2026 by Wildfire.

From the cover of the book:

When 18-year-old Christian Shaw is found dead in an Edinburgh park, the city reels - and the shock only deepens when police charge her best friends, Eliza Lawson and Isobel Smyth, with her murder.

As their trial begins and headlines scream for justice, rumours of bullying spiral into something darker: whispers of rituals, obsession, and a teenage pact gone wrong.

But then the girls take the stand - revealing a chilling defence no one saw coming - and the jury must question everything: the motives, the evidence, even their own judgement.

Who's telling the truth? Who can be trusted?

And what really happened to Christian Shaw?

Let the Witch Trial begin . . .

***********

When eighteen-year-old Christian Shaw's body is found in an Edinburgh park, ominously surrounded by crows and with a rictus grimace of terror on her face, a media frenzy ensues - made worse when her school friends Eliza Lawson and Isobel Smyth are charged with her murder.

The trial is now about to begin, and the country holds its breath for gory details of how and why Eliza and Isobel allegedly scared Christian to death through occult means, knowing she suffered from a dangerous heart condition.

As the prosecution begins its case, it becomes clear that the defence Eliza and Isobel will employ not only sets them at odds with each other, but relies on 'facts' which must surely be pure delusion. Who is telling the truth? The jury must decide...

The story unfurls from the point of view of heart surgeon Matthew Phillips, who has been called to serve on the jury for the sensational case (with additional snippets from the witnesses as they are called to testify). Through his eyes, the tense high court drama plays out, immersing you in his thoughts on the the accused, the defence and prosecution cases, the testimony of the witnesses, his fellow jurors, and some of the people who have come to view the proceedings. In parallel, Tyce treats you to an intriguing fly-on-the-wall view of Matthew's troubled personal life, and the fracturing of his mental health as he begins to question reality and his role in the case.

Tyce beautifully portrays the ever-changing landscape in the courtroom, keeping you on a knife-edge as prosecution and defence play their hands, and the jurors navigate the difficult process of coming to a majority verdict. The suspense is pitched to perfection, with cracking reveals timed to shift your perspective on what really happened, especially when it comes to the deliciously nostalgic dark vein of horror that runs through the whole story. And then, when you are good and disoriented, Tyce pulls a blinder in the final swathes of the novel (and pokes a little fun at herself too). 

Along the way, Tyce elegantly explores a wealth of themes to tweak your emotions and provoke your thoughts... perception, unorthodox beliefs, views on witchcraft (powerful echoes of witch trials through the ages), attitudes towards those who are a little different, mental health, and even the legal system itself. And there is a lot to reflect on when it comes to bullying, cruelty, jealousy, guilt, parent-child relationships, stress, and the complexities of female friendships.

I consumed it whole, unable to look away for a second. Absolute genius!

Witch Trial is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Wildfire for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Harriet Tyce grew up in Edinburgh and studied English at Oxford University before doing a law conversion course at City University. She practiced as a criminal barrister in London for nearly a decade, and subsequently completed an MA in Creative Writing/Crime Fiction at the University of East Anglia. She lives in north London.  

The Murder Pool (Stella Blomkvist Book Four) by Stella Blómkvist

 

The Murder Pool (Stella Blómkvist Book Four) by Stella Blómkvist.

Translated by Quentin Bates.

Published 5th March 2026 by Corylus Books.

From the cover of the book:

Sometimes murder runs in the family. Or does it?

When a well-known artist is found in Snorri's Pool with an axe buried deep in his chest, Stella Blómkvist is immediately thrown in at the deep end, brought in to defend the apparently harmless young man the police have in their sights as the killer.

The man's mother had spent time prison, convicted of the killing of a personal trainer, despite her protestations of innocence. Stella can't help being drawn into both the cold case and this fresh murder, with a trail of guilt that stretches half-way around the world.

As if she doesn't have enough to keep her busy, Stella's pursuing a political high-flyer suspected of being a serial rapist, and defending a senior police officer on corruption charges that have all the hallmarks of a vendetta. But the toughest challenges Stella faces are among her own loved ones…

With a razor-sharp tongue and a moral compass all of her own, Stella Blómkvist has a talent for attracting trouble. Her trademark explosive mix of murder, intrigue and surprise has made this of Iceland's best-loved crime series.

***********

With a lot on her mind, controversial Icelandic lawyer Stella Blómkvist goes for a night-time stroll, only to come across the body of a well-known artist in Snorri's Pool. It is immediately obvious that the man is dead, given the axe buried deep in his chest.

Already in the process of helping a woman prove her innocence over a conviction that had her imprisoned for the murder of her personal trainer lover years before, Stella now finds herself also defending the woman's young son - who the police believe is guilty of the brutal crime after acting as a model for the artist.

Meanwhile, Stella is also trying to bring down a powerful political advisor whose reign as a serial rapist has been allowed to continuing unchallenged, and defending a senior policeman from serious charges of bribery and collusion with the Icelandic criminal fraternity.

It is business as usual for Stella Blómkvist...

Stella Blómkvist, the ball-busting legal creation of the mysterious best-selling author of the same name, is back with her fourth gripping adventure, translated into English by Quentin Bates. And this time she has more on her drama-laden plate than ever.

Stella's new-found happiness with her wife, Rannveig, is clouded with worries, but the pressure of work is not about to let up for an instant. Stella finds herself in the midst of several tricky investigations at the same time, all of which have links with secrets and lies from the past - some of which touch Stella's own fiery encounters with very bad criminal types and the upper echelons of political and business circles.

The separate threads of murder, sexual misconduct, corruption, and revenge become increasingly tangled together, and Stella is off ruffling feathers; using her contacts to ferret out dirt; dropping hints into all the right ears; flying about in her silver merc; and using her forthright attitude to her advantage. The action comes thick and fast, punctuated by tense courtroom scenes, and there are many exciting twists and turns on the the way to hidden truths on several fronts.

Without a doubt, this is Stella's most complicated story to date. With so many parallel cases there is a lot to keep track of, particularly when it comes to remembering who's who in the rogues gallery. However, a Stella Blómkvist story is always a gritty fun-ride, with bags of suspense, and this is no exception. Stella's uncompromising attitude keeps you entertained throughout, and drives the plot onwards to satisfying conclusions (and intriguing moral dilemmas). I really enjoyed how many faces from the previous books made appearances, and Blómkvist makes excellent use of the echoing themes of dysfunctional families, ambition, sexual abuse, vendettas, and double-dealing.

A one-sitting read - superbly translated by Quentin Bates, as always. I am already looking forward to book five!

The Murder Pool is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Corylus Books for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Ewa Sherman for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

With a devoted following in Iceland where the Stella Blómkvist books have been a bestselling series since their appearance in the 1990s, the books have been published under a pseudonym – and the author’s identity remains a firmly under wraps.

Who is behind Nordic Noir’s best-kept secret is a question that crops up regularly, but it looks like it’s going to remain a mystery...

About the translator:

Quentin Bates escaped English suburbia as a teenager, jumping at the chance of a gap year working in Iceland. For a variety of reasons, the gap year stretched to become a gap decade, during which time he went native in the north of Iceland, acquiring a new language, a new profession and a family…

He is the author of a series of crime novels set in present-day Iceland – and as a translator he has worked with some of Iceland’s coolest writers, including Lilja Sigurðardóttir, Sólveig Pálsdóttir, Stella Blómkvist, Einar Kárason, Ragnar Jónasson, Jónína Leósdóttir, Óskar Guðmundsson and more.