For non-UK readers, there‘s a real place in England called Nottingham. There are some small villages around it and, my word the goings on! Disappearances, infidelities, accidents, murders: all kinds of mysteries! It must be quite a place to live.

At one point some of the characters go to a more northern town called Chesterfield. That‘s real too. No murders there in this book though.

I enjoyed reading this but I‘m a bit scared of Nottingham now.

I‘m yet to be disappointed by John Boyne. A mixture of aristocratic generational conflict, ethical legal questions, the abdication drama and, sorry if I forgot, the odd robbery and murder there‘s plenty to get stuck into here. Is that not enough? My goodness you‘re hard to please! I pride myself on spotting the twists and shocks in the road ahead plot-wise but I missed this one.

😂😂😂

LOOK WHAT LANDED IN THE INTERIOR OF MY INBOX ON ITS PUBLICATION DAY!

IT‘S ONLY THE THIRD BOOK IN THE THREE BOOK TRILOGY ABOUT RHIANNON WHO DOES KILLINGS AND I‘M GOING TO READ IT ALL INTO MY FACE.

Sorry about the shouts. Excited.

I enjoyed this. Really I enjoyed this and I recommend it as a light and pleasant diversion. I do find myself reflecting more on the negatives though.
The description of an abandoned child fending for herself in the marshes is powerful enough to grip the reader. Her disappointments and loneliness are equally raw. The narrative then morphs into a predictable court case and a somewhat trite conclusion.
Ultimately it feels like a missed opportunity.

The horrors wrought by the Catholic church on vulnerable children are still being dragged into the daylight. The subtlety and balance Boyne brings to bear on this enduring issue makes this book all the more powerful. Sympathy - in its true sense - for the pressures, social norms and conventions which allowed abuse to continue makes the narrative compelling. A tragedy leading to a lifetime in the priesthood and ultimately to understanding. Superb.

I‘ve just finished this as an Audible audiobook. Villanelle does some very naughty murders. She really is a proper little scamp. There‘s an awful lot of lady-on-lady-Villanelle-on-Eve bonking shenanigans. An awful lot. But that isn‘t the only good thing about the book.

I may have posted about this short book before. I‘m old. My memory is poor. This is a truly hidden gem of satire. Ride the convoluted sentences until you absorb Carp‘s pomposity. Unravel his self-justifications until you take his measure. Then laugh. Here is a joy. How many acquaintances and public figures are a little too Carp? If you like Diary of a Nobody this is definitely for you. I read this at least once a year. Thank me later.

For anyone who wants to understand the motivations and emotions of ordinary men who answered Kitchener‘s call for volunteers, this is an incredible tale. Told by a young man who enlisted in one of the “Pals‘ Battalions” we experience the realities of his service. It‘s a rounded tale which takes us into their lives back home. Read it and you‘ll never again cloud your judgement with misplaced romanticism about the realities of wasteful conflict.

Really enjoying this. Atwood has skilfully portrayed the ingratitude of Gilead‘s womenfolk as their enlightened menfolk attempt to make due allowance for the mental and physical frailty of females. Refusing to accept their natural limitations and consequently a lower position in society‘s hierarchy, the women try to frustrate the goodwill and wisdom of their natural superiors...
What?
You‘re glaring.
Gosh that‘s a very angry face.
Oh.
Sorry.

The Dragon Tattoo trilogy remain an utter joy. The strength of the Salander character would, you might think, be enough to fuel a dozen subsequent books.

But no. The previous two Lagercrantz novels in the series were grindingly disappointing and I waited for this latest with hesitation. Could it fall short again?

Oh my days, it really could. Woeful is too high praise for these meandering pages searching in vain of a plot. Stop doing this David.

I read this book mainly on a sunbed in Crete. Too far from Spinalonga to visit but it was rendered easy enough to enter the small communities this book portrays. Almost unremittingly sad, with only brief episodes of relief. Overall a delightful read but too often, for me, the book was loosely written. For such an emotional narrative I felt the author was guilty of skating over significant episodes. Still very enjoyable.

To be utterly frank, this has so far proved a letdown. I was looking to enjoying a lighthearted ramble through a tale of Irish folklore and magic. Several chapters in and still no appearance of a single mischievous mythical pot-of-gold owner. Where are the leprechauns?

What?

Really?

Oh.

In that case it‘s all rather good.

Very taxing day planned having arrived in Crete. It will include food, some walking around and probably some more food. Also starting this as I rigorously test the sunbed by the pool. We‘re too far away to visit Spiralonga which is a part of this book but we do have the food as compensation remember?

...aaaand that‘s book two in the trilogy tucked away. The narrative will be recognisable in a general sense to anyone who, like me, arrived here via the TV series. It is however very different. Best lines were, naturally, delivered by Villanelle: “You‘re going to have such a pretty entry wound” and “Now, look dead”. She really is a little scamp!

Having been addicted to and delighted by the two TV adaptations of this trilogy, heading for the original books was too tempting. Another dose of Villanelle, see? This book has a number of “Ah, I see how they used that on TV moments!” But overall it‘s different enough to hit the spot. I never fully bought into Eve‘s obsession with the assassin on TV but her character is more rounded, plausible here. I won‘t oversell this book but it worked for me.

I have this proud beauty downloaded to my phone and will be devouring it with both of my favourite ears. If I ever met Villanelle I am sure we would be bezzie friends and that she would only rarely kill me in a gruesome fashion.

A pet hate of mine is authors who can‘t be bothered, or aren‘t able to, create a picture of how a character looks. Instead, they say the person resembles someone famous. Worse still, someone you don‘t know. In this case it‘s Forest Whitaker. I had to google.
Having got that out of the way, I must say there are other reasons to avoid this book. Read it for yourself and you‘ll find them. Or don‘t. I‘d recommend "don‘t”.

Oh my days, this is rank. Earlier this year I was bitterly disappointed by a favourite author when Jo Nesbo churned out Macbeth. Now Jussi Adler-Olsen has done the same. I‘ve devoured his Department Q series and was pleased to see him trying something different, stand-alone. Sadly it is the most far-fetched, poorly imagined, meandering tale you could hope to find. Every lightweight strand of plot is unconvincing. So disappointing.

I read this book. It was good. If you read it you will know it is good too. Sorry to overburden you with detail.

C.J.Skuse is a VERY BAD LADY. I have finished this and, can you believe, she has not had the basic good manners to write the third book in this trilogy yet? I am going to have to wait. Sulkily. Impatiently.
In Rhiannon, the author has created a damaged villain, a sarcastic observer, a scourge of - usually - the ones who deserve their fate.
Complex enough to toy with our feelings towards Rhiannon yet light enough for the humour to work!

🎶🎶 Me an' Rhiannon, sittin' in a tree. Stabbin' people murd'rously. 🎶🎶
I ❤️ Rhiannon.
And this book.

I tweeted the author this morning to say, @CJSkuse I am thoroughly enjoying "In Bloom". I reckon if I met that Rhiannon, I‘d ruffle her hair and give her a jolly old pat on the bum. We‘d be best pals straight away. Bets ya!
Made my day when she replied "Sending thoughts and prayers to both your hands ?"
???

Oh this is a hilariously evil joy. Rhiannon? Well, she‘s still a proper little tinker. You just want to ruffle her hair and give her a big hug.
Her first appearance in "Sweetpea" was a revelation: BridgetJones meets American Psycho. This is book two and I am loving every sarcastic comment - some now supplied by her burgeoning baby.
I heart Rhiannon.
Thank you @Ms_T for pointing me at this! I hadn‘t spotted it.

Having "read" the previous two parts of this trilogy as audiobooks, I will be reading the final novel in the old fashioned way. No kindle, real paper. This is what we did before internets were built and dinosaurs roamed the earth. I may exaggerate somewhat.
Oh, and the first two in the trilogy were very good. Otherwise I wouldn‘t be reading the third. Well, der!
There‘s a photograph of my favourite knee under the book too. I hope you like it.

Sometimes I don‘t have enough space available to review a book. No such problem with this one. I couldn‘t adequately describe it if there was infinite space to play with. Just read it will you? We trust each other don‘t we? An insight into the impossibility of remaining neutral during the Northern Ireland troubles. People, not politics. The audiobook narrator is a gem. Don‘t just sit there. You‘re missing out. Well?

Aaaaaand next up is this-a-one...

The bar at this hotel is very civilised.

Hard to decide quite who's the most damaged, tormented and haunted: the brutal killer or the detective. Skilfully narrated, my audiobook version was gripping. If you know the TV version, you won‘t be disappointed with this. It‘s brutal though so tread carefully. There are also a couple of incidents of animal cruelty which made me want to fast forward. Definitely worth a read though.

We saw my Mother-in-Law dip under the waves of dementia. At first she'd bob back up into reality but later she spent most of her days under the surface. A very able woman disappeared. This book celebrates the author's Father: a singer all his life and the toll of Alzheimer‘s. Simon found a way to revive his Father via "carpool karaoke" Look for the Songaminute Man on YouTube you‘ll find joy and sadness too. I‘m looking forward to this book.

Complete change of mood. I abandoned my usual Scandi-noir for the English Black Country: Wolverhampton - see what I did there? Caitlin Moran's teenage years, her gloriously quirky family, an ambition to write and escape to London is filthy, funny and warm. She's a natural storyteller and you won‘t care how much might or might not be real. This a joy and a gem. The narrator of my audiobook version captures the accent and the tone delightfully.

Not a "pan" but a simple sense of disappointment. The earlier books in the series have always kept me hooked as well as interested in the grumpy detective and his sidekick. (Do we still say "sidekick or did we abandon that word after Batman & Robin? I digress.) The plot here was both thin and far-fetched with a succession of sketchily drawn characters. A pity but I'll still be watching for the next in this series. Everyone‘s allowed an off day.

I wish I could blame one of you for this but it‘s all down to me. I‘ve enjoyed all the previous books in this series. I even look out for the publication dates for the new ones. Add my favourite narrator and this should have been perfect by-the-pool listening for my holiday.
So far though, it‘s distinctly average and with 11 hours left I‘m even considering bailing. Lightweight plot, unappealing characters, meandering sidetracks. Shame.

Started well and had enough old style charm about the writing to draw me in. The chance meeting, the crime, the sub plot of a failing business all had their appeal but then, well, it all ran out of steam. The plot development dragged, the resolution was unconvincing so to use a technical term, meh.

Current read/listen. Back to the style of an old John Buchan “very English” mystery but set in the recent past. A light read but none the worse for that. This‘ll keep me occupied and, possibly, out of mischief.

You might have thought there was no post-apocalyptic plot or theme eft unexplored. Peng Shepherd can prove you wrong. An original take, with startling imaginative developments and a thump-in-the-gut final twist. Watch out for your shadow.

I may be breaking all kinds of rules by naming "another place". If you‘re on Twitter though, have you found @bookcatbliss ? It‘s an account called Reading With Cats and comprises, well, pictures of reading with cats. What‘s not to like?
I‘d post an example but I don‘t think it‘d be right without the account holder or the artist having agreed so, here‘s one of my kittens being himself...

Car dropped off for repair so an hour's walk home with the headphones in listening to this. Sun shining and a really good "read". Rather pleasant plus I'll be off back later so I get another spell of mobile reading.

Barely into this on Audiobook but I am completely hooked. Always a sucker for some post-apocalyptic fiction, I knew this would be right up my street. What I hadn‘t anticipated was the imaginative complexity of the situation. No plague, no zombies - so very original. Now, be about your business and leave me to my listening. Where are those headphones?

I‘d looked forward to this; saved it to savour it. All the more disappointing for that. The plot is too far-fetched to sustain interest; the "reveal" of the killer's identity comes roughly 20 chapters too late. Don‘t get me started on Kepler's personal fantasy woman, Saga Bauer. He obsesses with her getting sticky, naked in a leather jumpsuit. Bleeeurgh, as the critics say. Main protagonist, Joona Linna has become stale and infallible. Shame.

When I was a mere youth, long before the days of social media or the internal combustion engine, my route to this book - my "next up" read - didn‘t exist. Mind you, we were so busy with stuff like the plague and scurvy, we had scant time for reading. But I digress.
Via social media I follow an author whose best friend is the author of The Book of M. I doubt I‘d have found my way to it otherwise but here I am dying to get stuck in. Result!

I‘ve had the five earlier books in this series and did a tiny gasp of delight when I acquired book 6. You may have heard me. It was a happy gasp. Sadly though, this is a huge disappointment. It‘s so deliberately gruesome the horror loses meaning and the author's personal fantasies indulged in his depiction of the main female protagonist are toe-curling. I‘m not going to bail but it‘s doubtful there will be any more gaps of joy.

I read this with my ears as is the current fashion. What I wasn‘t expecting from John Boyne was humour. Heartbreaking as the previous novels I‘ve read, yes, but the sly observations, the bathos, the dissections of character are magical. If you don‘t add this to your tbr list I shall come to your house and prod you with a broom handle.

I always feel the mark of a good book is its ability to speak to our universal experience. So when I read:

"like an ill-considered tattoo inscribed on the buttocks after a drunken night out"

I am inevitably drawn to believe we have surely all of us been there.

Why are you staring?

In an otherwise sombre tone, the occasional acid asides are delicious.

“Maude's way of dealing with Charles was to treat him like an ottoman, of no use to anyone but worth having around."

If nothing else, I shall henceforth grateful we don‘t have an ottoman or I would now have to eye my wife with new suspicion,

Starting this on audiobook today. I need a pick-me-up after my Nesbo-trauma. The Absolutist was excellent and you Litsies all told me this is a winner too. Oh, I just mean if I don‘t love it it‘s ALL YOUR FAULT. #nopressure

So Jo, it‘s a no. Oh woe.
Nesbo is, by a distance, my favourite writer. This is my first disappointment. It‘s all there: gruesome death; obsession with addiction; musical references but none of the suspense.

Rewriting a tale with your own slant is a classical device; Shakespeare did it with many plays. Unfortunately, here, this paints Nesbo into a corner. We see ahead too easily.

Killings and escapes become repetitive. Characters are ciphers.

Oh Jo, I‘m so sorry. I‘ve tried; really tried. It‘s just not working for me I‘m afraid. It‘s probably me, not you Jo, but I want this to end. #sobs

Oh dear. I feel like I‘m betraying a dear friend here. I pre-ordered this in the expectation I‘d love it and race through it like every Jo Nesbo novel before. Sadly I‘m into it and yet to be impressed. Using a Shakespearian play as a framework for a gritty police thriller might still work - I‘ll persist- but using such a familiar tale means so much is already revealed. Maybe I‘m pining for the flawed, damaged and occasionally soused Harry Hole?

Buy one get one free today at Sainsbury‘s #catsofLitsy