Tag: murder

The 19th Wife by David Ebersoff

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About the book

Jordan returns from California to Utah to visit his mother in jail. As a teenager he was expelled from his family and religious community, a secretive Mormon offshoot sect. Now his father has been found shot dead in front of his computer, and one of his many wives – Jordan’s mother – is accused of the crime.
Over a century earlier, Ann Eliza Young, the nineteenth wife of Brigham Young, Prophet and Leader of the Mormon Church, tells the sensational story of how her own parents were drawn into plural marriage, and how she herself battled for her freedom and escaped her powerful husband, to lead a crusade to end polygamy in the United States.
Bold, shocking and gripping, The 19th Wife expertly weaves together these two narratives: a pageturning literary mystery and an enthralling epic of love and faith.

 

Reviewed by Denmead Reading Circle

Much enjoyed by almost everyone. Very humorous, sharp wit, not too American

 

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The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

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About the book

When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, she just thinks he has gone off by himself for a few days – as he has done before – and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home.

But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine’s disappearance than his wife realises. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were published it would ruin lives – so there are a lot of people who might want to silence him.

And when Quine is found brutally murdered in bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any he has encountered before . . .

A compulsively readable crime novel with twists at every turn, The Silkworm is the second in the highly acclaimed series featuring Cormoran Strike and his determined young assistant Robin Ellacott.

Reviewed by Maisemore Book Club

Only three of us managed to finish this book, but it wasn’t much fun! a couple of members stopped reading due to the language which they felt was unnecessary. Other comments: The characters were not interesting, one didn’t have sympathy fort them, apart from Robin. Some thought she and her situation with Strike and Matthew could have been developed more. The story was gruesome, too long and overwritten. J K Rowling needs to do more editing or get a good editor to cut down the verbiage

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A Room Swept White by Sophie Hannah

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About the book

Murder begins at home…

TV producer Fliss Benson receives an anonymous card at work. The card has sixteen numbers on it, arranged in four rows of four – numbers that mean nothing to her.

On the same day, Fliss finds out she’s going to be working on a documentary about miscarriages of justice involving cot-death mothers wrongly accused of murder. The documentary will focus on three women: Helen Yardley, Sarah Jaggard and Rachel Hines. All three women are now free, and the doctor who did her best to send them to prison for life, child protection zealot Dr Judith Duffy, is under investigation for misconduct.

For reasons she has shared with nobody, this is the last project Fliss wants to be working on. And then Helen Yardley is found dead at her home, and in her pocket is a card with sixteen numbers on it, arranged in four rows of four . . .

 

Reviewed by Alton Library – Thursday Group

Another one we were given…’An edge-of-your-seat author’ (Daily Express) – only so far as we nearly fell off in boredom! 2D, tedious, convoluted, boring, badly written. Please preserve us from literature of this poor quality

Star rating *

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Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon

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About the book

Early one morning Guido Brunetti, Commissario of the Venice Police, confronts a grisly sight when the body of a young man is fished out of a fetid Venetian canal. All the clues point to a violent mugging, but for Brunetti, robbery seems altogether too convenient a motive. Then something very incriminating is discovered in the dead man’s flat – something which points to the existence of a high-level cabal – and Brunetti becomes convinced that somebody, somewhere, is taking great pains to provide a ready-made solution to the crime …

Reviewed by Bookends

“An easy read; varied opinions within the group as to the predictability of the plot; depth of characters. Informative in American / Italian relationships and disposal of toxic waste”

star rating **

 

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The Conspiracy Club by Jonathan Kellerman

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About the book

When psychologist Dr Jeremy Carrier’s romance with nurse Jocelyn Banks is cut short by her kidnapping and brutal murder, he is left emotionally devastated and being watched by police seeking a prime suspect in the unsolved killing. When more women turn up murdered in the same gruesome fashion, the only way for Jeremy to prove his innocence is to follow the trail of a cunning psychopath.

Spurring on Jeremy’s investigation is Dr Arthur Chess, an enigmatic pathologist who draws Jeremy into the confidence of a cryptic society. But when Arthur suddenly slips away, Jeremy is left to contend with an onslaught of anonymous clues – and the growing realization that a harrowing game of cat and mouse has been started.

Reviewed by Alton Library – Thursday Group

“After the last few books this was a slightly better thriller; however views were very mixed. Some read it and enjoyed it, others only continued with it as it was a group book. Some intriguing twists and revelations but a few members of the group found it unbelievable. Okay but not highly rated – wouldn’t have picked it up ourselves ”

star rating **

 

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Next of Kin by David Hosp

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About the book

When Boston attorney Scott Finn agrees to defend the son of notorious mobster Eamonn McDougal, he knows he’s putting his reputation on the line. But he also knows he can use him as bait to reel in the prize catch. In a city where mob crime once ruled, a core of corruption, greed, lies and deceit still lingers. And it seems there are those in power who will stop at nothing to achieve what they want.

Finn, who grew up an orphan on the meanest streets in the city, is determined to solve the murder of the mother he never knew. In his search for the truth he uncovers a sinister trail of murder, betrayal and revenge borne by someone who could neither forgive nor forget.

But who can be trusted, and who can be believed? And can Finn find the answers before it’s too late?

Reviewed by Fareham Library 5.30

“We all enjoyed this book, although some people found it hard to get into at first (perhaps because this is book 5 of a series?) It was a satisfying story, where all the loose ends get tied up. The characters were interesting and diverse. Many of us would like to read more in the (Scott Finn) Series

star rating ***

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Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer

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About the book

Life is strange for Patrick Fort – being a medical student with Asperger’s Syndrome doesn’t come without its challenges. And that’s before he is faced with solving a possible murder.

Because the body Patrick is examining in anatomy class is trying to tell him all kinds of things. And now he must stay out of danger long enough to unravel the mystery – while he dissects his own evidence

 

Reviewed by Wallington Wallace

“Short chapters with well developed characters. The first chapters were confusing Patrick was very well drawn. A bit different but believable  A good ending and an excellent sub plot which was well constructed”

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This Body of Death by Elizabeth George

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About the book

Elizabeth George’s masterly novel brings Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley back onto centre stage in an intricate crime drama. While DI Thomas Lynley is still on compassionate leave after the murder of his wife, Isabelle Ardery is brought into the Met as his temporary replacement. The discovery of a body in a Stoke Newington cemetery offers Isabelle the chance to make her mark with a high profile murder investigation. Persuading Lynley back to work seems the best way to guarantee a result: Lynley’s team is fiercely loyal to him and Isabelle needs them – and especially Barbara Havers – on side. The Met is twitchy: a series of PR disasters has undermined its confidence. Isabelle knows that she’ll be operating under the unforgiving scrutiny of the media, so is quick — perhaps too quick — to pin the murder on a convenient suspect. The murder trail leads Lynley and Havers to the New Forest, and the eventual resolution of the case. Its roots are in a long-ago act of violence that has poisoned subsequent generations and its outcome is both tragic and shocking.

 

Reviewed by Newcomers

“Overall we all enjoyed it but it was slow to get into with all the stories coming together and slow to introduce Inspector Lynley Could have been cut/edited a bit. Characters were perhaps stereotyped?

star rating ***

 

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The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks

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About the book

‘Two years after I killed Blyth I murdered my young brother Paul, for quite different reasons than I’d disposed of Blyth, and then a year after that I did for my young cousin Esmerelda, more or less on a whim. That’s my score to date. Three. I haven’t killed anybody for years, and don’t intend to ever again. It was just a stage I was going through.’

 

Reviewed by Alton U3A

“Carefully constructed and well written, but disturbing content not enjoyable. However – most of us were fascinated and wanted to get to the end”

star rating **

 

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People who eat darkness:the fate of Lucie Blackman by Richard Lloyd Parry

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About the book

Lucie Blackman – tall, blonde and 21-years-old – stepped out into the vastness of Tokyo in the summer of 2000 and disappeared forever. The following winter, her dismembered remains were found buried in a seaside cave. This title provides a compelling account of the case.

Reviewed by The Democrats

There was unanimous agreement that this is an extremely informative, interesting and well written book – if somewhat dark! It is thoroughly researched and readable and gave rise to much interesting discussion.

Star rating: ****

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