Crime sequels are pivotal. They determine whether a breakout crime lead can transform into a bestselling series. I recently enjoyed two sequels that answered ‘Yes’ to that question — the new release Inside Man by John McMahon (Head Cases #2) and the second title in Stuart MacBride‘s iconic Logan McRae series, Dying Light.

.

Inside Man by John McMahon

When Head Cases landed on my radar back in early 2025 being compared to “Slow Horses,” I was in immediately — and McMahon delivered. So I’d been very much looking forward to the next action-packed crime thriller starring FBI Agent Gardner Camden and the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) Unit he now leads. That arrived in the form of McMahon’s January 2026 release Inside Man.

Head Cases did most of the heavy lifting in establishing this ensemble of expert misfits — showing us their quirks, their camaraderie, the low-grade ribbing that made them so endearing — so Inside Man gets to run with that groundwork already laid. The no-nonsense banter I loved in Book 1 is still present, though noticeably dialled back. This is a grittier, greater stakes instalment for the team. While that’s not without merit, fans of the lighter moments and dry humour that peppered Head Cases may find themselves missing that particular spark.

A parallel investigation structure fuels this thriller — a murdered informant, a militia group, and a series of buried women — with one unidentified figure the common thread. The plotting is a satisfying web of connections that’s well-explained because I never found myself lost or confused. As with Book 1, the red herrings felt credible.

.

But amidst Inside Man‘s fast-pace, a couple of character actions just felt slightly out of step with the personalities we got to know in Book 1. Some of the PAR Unit team members who shone in Head Cases had their development take a back seat as the narrative focuses primarily on Agent Gardner — his efforts in navigating team leadership, office politics, and personal relationships.

I looked over at Richie, who was studying the landscape out the window. I rarely felt the need to fill an empty space, but intellectually, I knew others appreciated it. “You all right?” I asked.

Gardner’s personal growth brought depth to this series, and the scenes with his daughter and another family member were especially lovely.

Inside Man is a suspense-filled crime thriller, and a solid — albeit slightly uneven — sequel to Head Cases that signals real potential for ongoing growth in this FBI PAR Unit character ensemble.

The Story 4 / 5 , The Writing 4 / 5

.

Dying Light by Stuart MacBride

Despite being first published 20 years prior, Stuart MacBride’s Cold Granite (Logan McRae, Book 1) made my top reads of 2025 list. When I came to its conclusion, I noted I would have downloaded Book 2 Dying Light immediately had another commitment not intervened. So I was excited when this long library hold finally came through..

Cold Granite established Aberdeen’s granite-grey world and introduced us to DS Logan McRae — a wonderfully world-weary, doggedly principled underdog — and Dying Light plants us firmly back in that same unflinching moral landscape, but instead of murdered children the focus this time is Aberdeen’s brutal sex and drug trade. And MacBride’s willingness to stare directly into the darkest corners of human behaviour remains.

Interestingly, Aberdeen itself, such an impactful character in Book 1, feels a little less overbearing in Dying Light, at times granting its residents some sunshine reprieves; perhaps analogous to moments of warmth McRae experiences in his personal life. But don’t mistake that for any softening of this crime story’s edges, as McBride shows us what depravity lurks in the shadows in Aberdeen’s dockside alleyways after dark.

That same efficiently evocative writing style is here in full force, delivering a detective procedural that feels genuinely messy and believable, with competing priorities pulling the team in all directions, karma conspiring against the deserving, and dark humour threading through it all like a lifeline.

.

Logan didn’t know which was worse – discovering your husband was a lying, adulterous bastard, or a dismembered corpse.

Relationships seeded in Book 1 develop with authentic complexity in Dying Light, and Logan remains a compelling lead precisely because he is so thoroughly human and fallible.

The same disturbingly graphic content warning applies: MacBride does not flinch in his depictions of what violence and the elements can do to a human body. Dying Light is only for crime readers with the strongest of stomachs.

For those who found themselves enthralled by Logan McRae Book 1, certainly will not regret continuing with this bestselling series from Stuart MacBride.

The Story 4.5 / 5 , The Writing 4.5 / 5

More compelling crime thrillers

This article Crime sequels: McMahon’s Inside Man & MacBride’s Dying Light was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

In her bestselling Romantic Comedy Curtis Sittenfeld delivers far more depth than your typical romcom. Read my review of the audiobook narrated by Kristen Sieh.

Publication: Penguin Audio, April 2025

Genre: Romance, Drama

Narration: Kristen Sieh, 9hrs 5mins

Romantic Comedy Publisher Synopsis

A TV script writer thinks she’s over romance, until an unlikely love interest upends all her assumptions: a humorous, subversive and tender-hearted novel from the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of Rodham, American Wife and Prep.

Life is (not)* a Romantic Comedy…

With a series of heartbreaks under her belt, Sally Milz – successful script writer for a legendary late-night TV comedy show – has long abandoned the search for love.

But when her friend and fellow writer begins to date a glamorous actress, he joins the growing club of interesting but average-looking men who get romantically involved with accomplished, beautiful women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch, poking fun at this ‘social rule’. The reverse never happens for a woman.

Then Sally meets Noah, a pop idol with a reputation for dating models. But this isn’t a romantic comedy – it’s real life. Would someone like him ever date someone like her?

Skewering all our certainties about why we fall in love, Romantic Comedy is a witty and probing tale of how the heart will follow itself, no matter what anyone says. It is Curtis Sittenfeld at her most sharp, daring and compassionate best.

My Review

Curtis Sittenfeld’s novel Romantic Comedy, and specifically the audiobook narrated by Kristen Sieh, recently made a very long journey infinitely more bearable. And, just to be clear, it was an arduous, physically uncomfortable trip, so this is high praise for this audiobook author and narrator.

Firstly, it’s worth noting that despite its title, Romantic Comedy is not loaded with laugh-out loud moments like many popular rom-com novels are. Yes, the central plot line is the development of a highly compelling romance, with fantastic banter, that is witty and amusing. But I think this novel is better described as a romance novel with depth that explores both the writing of comedy and romance, along with what the latter really looks like in practice.

“I don’t get why you’d write scripts for romantic comedies if you think romance is cheesy nonsense.”

“That’s just it, though,” I said. “I don’t write from a point of clarity. I write out of confusion.”

Sittenfeld’s writing is layered and thought provoking, while remaining accessible and entertaining. I really enjoyed the time spent on the inner workings of ‘a legendary late-night TV comedy show’ and the social commentary embedded within that narrative..

“All of which was to say that the sketches I’d written over the years about the absurdity and arbitrariness of beauty standards for women had arisen not from my clear-eyed renunciation of them but from my resentment at their hold on me.”

.

Without giving too much away, I loved Sittenfeld’s use of an uncommonly long series of email exchanges in Romantic Comedy.

“Aren’t we all just looking for someone to talk about everything with? Someone worth the effort of telling our stories and opinions to, whose stories and opinions we actually want to hear?”

It demonstrated well the power of the written word, but also the potential for miscommunication, and the beauty of connection and understanding at an intellectual level.

“You know the advice about how you should always play tennis with people better than you? When I’m talking to you, I’m a funnier and smarter version of myself because you’re funny and smart.”

I really enjoyed narrator Kristen Sieh’s performance of Romantic Comedy, especially her portrayal of Sally and Noah. I felt she distinguished between these lead characters well, with the emotion and pacing of the banter on point. For me, her voice also had great cut through within the noisy environments I was listening. That said, I think this novel might have shone even more with a narrative ensemble.

.

If I were pushed to identify a weakness in Romantic Comedy, I’d say that Sally’s level of self-doubt/sabotage at one point went beyond my capacity for sympathy. But that could simply be a result of comparison with the atypically open and emotionally mature male-lead Sittenfeld has delivered up to readers in Noah — it was hard not to side with him.

By melding the best of literary drama, romantic fiction and the rom-com, Curtis Sittenfeld has delivered a compelling page-turner.

My Rating

Story 4.5 / 5 , Writing 4.75 / 5 , Narration 4.25 / 5 — Overall 4.5

Get your copy of Romantic Comedy

Compare retailers >>

More fiction by Curtis Sittenfeld

More compelling romantic dramas

This article Curtis Sittenfeld’s Romantic Comedy novel in Audio was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

Warrior Pose is the action-packed, drama and suspense-filled 4th title in Susan Rogers and John Roosen’s Yoga Mat Mysteries. Read my full review.

Publication: Hachette Australia, Paperback July 2025

Narration: Rupert Degas, 9 hours 50 min

Genre: Thriller, Action-Adventure, Drama, Mystery

Warrior Pose Publisher Synopsis

Yoga Mat Mysteries, Book 4

Skulls, Hitmen, and Deadly Secrets—One Explosive Mystery

His life at a crossroads, Ric Peters is torn between his perilous job and dreams of a future with Elaina. But their trip to New Zealand throws them into chaos as they are swept up in a whirlwind of danger and dark family secrets.

As Ric grapples with accusations of murder back in Indonesia, the discovery of a mysterious skull at a toxic waste site near his family’s home deepens the mystery. Bodies appear, old wounds reopen, and Ric’s strained relationship with his father is tested by shadows of the past. An old friend’s disappearance and deadly secrets unearthed at a chemical plant threaten to expose more than just the environmental sins of the region.

When a woman’s body is found in the local hills, her face a mask of terror, the danger becomes deadly personal. With Ric’s parents drawn into the fray and Elaina targeted by shadowy foes, the stakes soar. Meanwhile, Ric’s friends back in Indonesia desperately need his help to evade police and a potential firing squad, relying on him from thousands of miles away.

From high-speed chases across mountainous terrain to close encounters with New Zealand’s breathtaking landscapes and quirky characters, Warrior Pose is a relentless ride through betrayal, love, and survival. Join Ric and Elaina as they navigate a labyrinth of intrigue and danger in this explosive installment of the Yoga Mat Mysteries.

My Review

Don’t be misled by the name of this series, Rogers and Roosen’s Yoga Mat Mysteries are far from cozy. This fourth instalment, Warrior Pose, is closer to an action-thriller. This plot is jam-packed with diverse and gritty characters facing extreme injustice and trauma head-on, seeking to right wrongs in several exotic, often picturesque locations. The potential for mortal peril is real.

Rogers and Roosen’s leads Ric and Elaina are a highly compelling pairing. The coupling of any strong-willed, independent individuals mid-life has its challenges, but given Ric’s profession and past, he comes with more secrets than most. Fortunately, Elaina is gutsy and capable under pressure, and not easily dissuaded. Warrior Pose features an authentic spectrum of detestable criminal characters also.

I’d enjoyed Rupert Degas’s audio narration in the past, so having such a talented narrator attached to this novel was also a big draw for me. His narration was again well-paced and evocative, but perhaps due to the disparate storylines presented to listener’s at the novel’s beginning, I found it a bit of a challenge to get my head around all the different characters and their relative positioning storywise. Though, my diving into this series at Book 4 was likely a big contributing factor here also.

In terms of writing style, this mystery thriller’s prose is less taut and efficient than it could have been, with points occasionally laboured or over-explained. But, despite this and my challenges at the beginning, Rogers and Roosen’s plotting skills shone as the storylines all came together in Warrior Pose‘s latter stages.

While far from flawless, Warrior Pose excels where it matters most, with great characters and ambitious, compelling storytelling.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 3 / 5 ; Narration 4 / 5 — Overall 3.8

Get your copy of Warrior Pose

Compare retailers >>

More titles in this Yoga Mat Mystery Series

More crime action-adventure thrillers

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

* My receiving an audiobook copy of Susan Rogers’ and John Roosen’s Warrior Pose for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions above

This article Warrior Pose (Yoga Mat Mysteries #4) by Rogers & Roosen in Audio was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

Heather Rose’ A Great Act of Love is thoughtful literary historical fiction exploring how the best and worst of human nature shaped history. Read my review.

Publication: Allen&Unwin September 2025

Genre: Historical, Drama, Mystery, Adventure

A Great Act of Love Publisher Synopsis

From the award-winning author of The Museum of Modern Love and Bruny comes an enthralling tale of legacy, love and the making of champagne.

Van Diemen’s Land, 1839. A young woman of means arrives in Hobart, with a young boy in her care. Leasing an old cottage next to an abandoned vineyard, Caroline Douglas must navigate an insular colony of exiles and opportunists to create a new life on this island of extreme seasons and wild beauty. But Caroline is carrying a secret of such magnitude it has led her to cross the world, and it will take all she is made of to bring it into the light. 

Soaring from the champagne vineyards of revolutionary France to London and early colonial Australia, A Great Act of Love is a spellbinding novel of legacy, passion and reinvention. At its heart is a family with champagne in their blood and a fearless daughter determined to rewrite fate. 

Inspired by true events, A Great Act of Love is an immensely beautiful and heartrending saga of a father and daughter, and the enduring power of familial love.

My Review

As a huge fan of Heather Rose’s previous fiction, I was excited to get my hands on a copy of A Great Act of Love.

This novel started strong, with the initial focus Caroline’s highly enigmatic and compelling narrative. Rose’s judicious revelations are sufficient to endear us to resourceful Caroline’s plight, while leaving ample unconnected puzzle pieces to maintain intrigue and suspense.

Rose then gradually introduces more character narratives and time perspectives, to broaden the audience’s view of Caroline’s family history and all that led to her starting afresh in Van Diemen’s Land. 

Caroline will tell the story of how she came to Tasmania, when it was still called Van Diemen’s Land, many times. She will cast her inventions into the future. Those who carry them on will call it history, but she will call it her life.

There are numerous secondary characters in A Great Act of Love — some well-developed, and others less so. But pleasingly, among them are ample resourceful women and open-minded men who value their strength and intellect, at least privately, at a time when this was not the norm.

.

In thoughtful, nuanced storytelling, Rose evokes the weightiness of history and the sliding door moments that can so easily change an individual’s trajectory, while highlighting the immense grey on the scale of right and wrong. These elements, along with their counterweights Caroline’s story highlights, individual agency and resilience through patience and industry, definitely struck a chord with me.

However, as the focus moved away from Caroline and splintered to the secondary cast in A Great Act of Love’s latter half, highly literary and philosophical tangents began to weigh down the narrative. That stymied the pacing, and my emotional engagement waned. Some of the epic coincidences that facilitated Caroline’s story coming full circle, for me, lacked the same gravitas as this novel’s expansive opening and ambition. But I acknowledge the challenge Rose faced in her quest to meld numerous disparate factual historical threads into this fictional plot.

A Great Act of Love is in parts deeply moving historical fiction, featuring immeasurable loss and trauma, with the strongest emotions reserved for familial love rather than the romantic. However, I’d recommend this novel only to readers with strong literary leanings, for consumption only when in the most contemplative of moods.

My Rating

Story 3 / 5 ; The Writing 4 / 5 — Overall 3.5

Get your copy of A Great Act of Love

Compare retailers >>

More fiction by Heather Rose

More moving historical fiction

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

This article Heather Rose’ A Great Act of Love: Highly literary history was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

On the Edge by Kate Horan is a cold case mystery in an atmospheric small-town setting coupled with contemporary psychological suspense and domestic drama. Read my full review.

Publication: HarperCollins December 2025

Genre: Mystery, Crime & Detective, Thriller, Drama

On the Edge Publisher Synopsis

A homecoming will shake this small town to its very foundations. The taut new mystery from the bestselling author of The Inheritance, perfect for readers of Sally Hepworth and Liane Moriarty.

Desperate people do desperate things…

Sixteen years ago, teenage Maddie Marshall’s body was found on a desolate beach near her hometown, Carrinya. Vibrant, feisty Maddie was the only daughter of a high-profile politician. The case was the talk of the town but was ultimately never solved. 

Nel Foley, daughter of the town doctor and Maddie’s best friend, was the last known person to see her alive, and the Carrinya rumour mill was vicious. Nel fled the town and has never been back. Until now.

Now a 32-year-old city GP, Nel returns after her father’s sudden death, determined to get in and out as quickly as possible. Begrudgingly, she agrees to run his clinic for a few weeks, but during that time she meets local mum Sophie Warner and that changes everything. 

Sophie’s husband Ryan, a prominent local real estate agent, was Maddie’s boyfriend and Nel is certain he played a role in her death. When Nel discovers that Ryan is not the loving husband and father that he seems, she decides she must prove what he did all those years ago. But as she starts to unravel the past, she discovers the truth is far more complex than she could have imagined.

My Review

Honestly, there’s nothing especially innovative about On the Edge‘s synopsis. But, this new release combination of a small-town setting, unresolved crime mystery, teen trauma, adult grief and family drama intrigued me enough to give it a go. And, I am very glad I did, because it proved to be a real page-turner.

These days it’s very rare for me to read a 384 page novel in a single day, but that’s what happened here.

The most significant days of our lives, the pivotal ones that change our trajectory, start just like any other day.

From this relatively unassuming, yet intimate and engaging opening line, I found protagonist Nel’s narrative perspective, shaped by early-life trauma, compelling. The dynamic and interactions between Nel and her family members in On the Edge just felt highly plausible and authentic. She in turn was effortlessly likeable.

The second narrative perspective, Sophie’s, injects a different, more immediate sense of tension, consequence and suspicion. By judiciously alternating these perspectives Horan skilfully weaves together mystery storylines past and present while gradually ratcheting up suspense.

.

After On the Edge‘s final page, I realised two key things on reflection.

Firstly, the large number of wholly innocent characters I’d suspected of wrongdoing throughout this story, even if only fleetingly, was genuinely impressive. Horan cultivates these suspicions by judiciously exposing the reader to understated, nuanced character interactions, rather than throwing in cheap red herrings and performative character actions.

And secondly, just how tautly plotted this twisty mystery was, while feeling understated and effortless to read.

So, if I had to pinpoint what was key to On the Edge‘s appeal for me, I’d say:

Kate Horan’s not done anything new… She’s just executed several familiar mystery suspense tropes far better than most do.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4.5 / 5 — Overall 4.25

Get your copy of On the Edge

Compare retailers >>

More atmospheric small-town mystery settings

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

This article Kate Horan’s On the Edge, Review: Taut & twisty page turner was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach is a compelling mid-life drama that balances dark comedic farce with shovel loads of depth and wisdom. Read my full review.

Publication: Hachette Australia, Paperback July 2025

Genre: Drama, Literature, Romance

The Wedding People Publisher Synopsis

The smash-hit Read With Jenna pick that has sold over a million copies worldwide, a hilarious and heartbreaking novel about a woman who checks in to a glamorous hotel at the lowest point in her life, only to find herself swept into a stranger’s wedding and forever changed by her entanglement in their dysfunctional family.

Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people – but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall Inn who isn’t here for the big event.

When the bride discovers her elaborate destination wedding could be ruined by a divorced and depressed stranger, she is furious. She has spent months accounting for every detail and every possible disaster – except for, well, Phoebe . . . Soon, both women find their best-laid plans derailed and an unlikely confidante in one another.

Hilarious and moving, The Wedding People is an irresistible novel about love, friendship, dysfunctional families, and the unexpected paths that lead to happiness.

My Review

The Wedding People, Alison Espach’s third novel, would be considered her breakout title. It captured my attention on its 2024 release and has been on my TBR pile since then.

It’s important to go into this novel aware that it’s far from your typical rom-com. The words ‘heartbreaking’ and ‘lowest point in her life’ should be underlined in the publisher’s synopsis.

“There is no such thing as a happy place. Because when you are happy, everywhere is a happy place. And when you are sad, everywhere is a sad place.”

I was surprised by the frequency and matter-of-fact way potentially ending it all is discussed in this narrative. So while The Wedding People story arc is ultimately redemptive, it does take quite a while to get there. Plus, a range of issues discussed and experienced by the characters will undoubtedly be triggering for many.

But, from a literary appreciation standpoint, it’s these things that I was surprised to encounter within Alison Espach’s protagonist’s first-person narrative that also made it beguiling. And, keeping readers enthralled while still a little unsure of their footing in each scene, is the key to excelling in darkly comedic farce. Jess Walter is a master at it, and now Espach has impressed me in this regard also.

“I just mean, a story can be beautiful not because of the way it ends. But because of the way it’s written.”

.

However, what I enjoyed most about The Wedding People was tangential to its dark farce. That was its intelligent multi-layered dialogue. In terms of engagement with the protagonist, many readers felt they could relate to Phoebe, but that was not my experience. She’s undoubtedly a strong character that by design we want to succeed. But it was actually the stark observations and social commentary underpinning the banter her character catalyses which I admired.

“Phoebe prefers this new way of talking. And maybe this is just one of the really nice things about getting older. Maybe this is the part of her life when she gets to start saying what she means, for better or worse. Because no amount of truth can be worse than the feeling she got after years of hiding from it.”

So in summary, if you are looking for a light-hearted romantic comedy and/or not in a great headspace, then I recommend you save this for another day. Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is a well executed novel jam-packed with sage perspective that best sits in the dramatic literary fiction category.

My Rating

Story 3.5 / 5 ; The Writing 4.5 / 5 — Overall 4

Get your copy of The Wedding People

Compare retailers >>

More titles by Alison Espach

More dramas with great dialogue

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

This article The Wedding People by Alison Espach: A sage dark comedy was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is an enthralling, inventive crime mystery fantasy adventure with a highly memorable lead duo. Read my full review.

Publication: Hodderscape February 2025. Originally published by Del Rey, February 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Crime-Detective, Mystery, Drama, Action-Adventure

Hugo Award for Best Novel 2025

The Tainted Cup Publisher Synopsis

Shadow of the Leviathan #1

An eccentric detective and her long-suffering assistant untangle a web of magic, deceit, and murder in this sparkling fantasy reimagining of the classic crime novel – from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.

A peculiar crime. A brilliant investigator. A mystery of epic proportions.

In an opulent mansion at the borders of the Empire, an Imperial officer lies dead – killed when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even here, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.

Called in to solve the crime is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricity. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory.

Soon, the mystery leads to a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself. For Ana, all this makes for a deliciously thorny puzzle – at last, something to truly hold her attention. And Din? He’ll just have to hold on for the ride.

My Review

At the end of a busy year I found myself reaching for some fantasy, thinking I could do with a dose of escapism, and Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Tainted Cup has been on my TBR pile since its 2024 release. But what this title quickly reminded me, is that great fantasy novels are often powerful mechanisms to explore some of the most weighty themes and societal issues, and Bennett tackles more than a few in this novel.

But I’ll come back to these, and first cover the areas where escapism was delivered.

I found Bennett’s innovative, vivid and detail-fuelled world-building in The Tainted Cup enthralling. This world’s geography, flora, fauna and societal constructs are integral to the complex crime mystery its protagonists are seeking to unravel. Plus Bennett’s development of those protagonists — the enigmatic Ana and the endearingly resilient and resourceful Din — is in my opinion first classs. I was beguiled by their antagonistic yet symbiotic relationship, and thoroughly enjoyed the dry verbal barbs thrown by Din despite the power imbalance. That said, I did find Ana’s use of profanity unnecessary at times, her acerbic nature already well established.

The secondary and tertiary characters, which there’s an abundance of, are less well-developed though, and so at times their names and distinguishing roles were hard to keep track of.

The Tainted Cup‘s thematic depths

I am a sucker for social commentary and profundity interwoven in fiction. I admire it like art. So I found myself highlighting many passages in this text. Some highly topical favourites of mine included, this on perspective and psychology:

“For the empire is huge. Complex. Often unwieldy and slow. And in many places, weak. A massive colossus, stretching out across the cantons, one in whose shadow we all live…and yet it is prone to wounds, infections, fevers, and ill humors. But its strangest feature is that the more its citizens feel it is broken, the more broken it actually becomes.”

On cynicism in politics:

“What a tool cynicism is to the corrupt, claiming the whole of the creation is broken and fraudulent, and thus we are all excused to indulge in whatever sins we wish—for what’s a little more unfairness, in this unfair world?”

On balancing passion and endurance:

“It feels wrong because it is wrong, Din,” she said. “Civilization is often a task that is only barely managed. But harden your heart and slow your blood. The towers of justice are built one brick at a time. We have more to build yet.”

.

And, then just to lighten the mood when needed, which I felt Bennet does well in this narrative, this classic criminal investigators’ quip,

“That’s the problem with figuring sh#t out—eventually you run into someone who’d prefer all their sh#t remained thoroughly unfigured.”

and this wise world-weary view.

“But I am reluctant to assume maliciousness when incompetence is a better explanation.”

But The Tainted Cup‘s diversity representation and thematic exploration is probably what I admired most.

This ambitious fiction is far from perfect, but it’s got everything from your classic crime solving duo, corruption and conspiracy, thrilling action scenes through to dark comedy and even a dash of romance, all wrapped up in a verdant fantasy world. So, if you enjoy genre mash-ups, eccentricity and detail, Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Tainted Cup may well be your next great read.

I certainly look forward to reading Book 2 in this Shadow of the Leviathan series, A Drop of Corruption.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4 / 5

Get your copy of The Tainted Cup

Compare retailers >>

More titles by Robert Jackson Bennett

More enthralling fantasy mystery novels

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

This article The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett: Vivid & beguiling was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

I treated myself to some newly released festive cozy crime mysteries, Kate Wells’ A Very Merry Murder and Nicola Upson’s The Christmas Clue. Read my reviews.

~

A Very Merry Murder by Kate Wells

A Very Merry Murder is my first experience of Kate Wells’ writing. Yes, I did dive into her bestselling Malvern Mysteries series at book 6, but to the author’s credit this contemporary cozy mystery stood up just fine as a standalone read also.

In a straight forward, linear story narrative Wells depicts the Malvern Hills’ beauty and mother nature’s influence on the farm and village life, and provides ample background and context for first-time readers. But what this author’s prose lacks in literary flair, is more than made up for by her relatable and endearing characters.

Jude Gray is a strong, down-to-earth series lead who, while tackling the various challenges life has thrown in her path, has drawn into her orbit a multi-generational cast of kind-hearted supporting characters. From the disarming innocence of youth to the plucky spirit of senior citizens and a dash of romance, this cozy drama A Very Merry Murder has it all.

The crime mystery that unfolds when a beloved national TV show comes to film their Christmas special on Jude’s farm ended up being more complex than I’d expected also. Lots of different personalities and long-held resentments simmer amongst the crew, so there are red-herrings aplenty. And, for Jude who’s determined to assist her friends in the local police bring a murderer to justice before anyone else gets hurt, some real edge-of-your-seat moments.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kate Wells’ A Very Merry Murder, and am now keen to see what lies ahead for these characters. It was the non-taxing, ‘reading purely for relaxation’ novel I needed at this often hectic time of year — a compelling crime mystery wrapped in warm-hearted rural village drama.

My Rating: The Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 3.5 / 5 – Overall 3.75

~

The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson

At only 138 pages, this standalone novella from historical fiction author Nicola Upson (the Josephine Tey Mysteries) is another compelling festive read. What drew me to this slim title was that the story was inspired by the real-life couple that created the classic board game Cluedo,

In strong and assured prose Nicola Upson evocatively juxtaposes a white Christmas postcard rural village setting and the fun and frivolity of hosted murder-mystery evenings with the sombre mood of England society mid WWII.

In Elva and Anthony Pratt, Upson depicts a highly likeable, progressive coupling of equals. While the crimes involved in The Christmas Clue are darker than I’d expected for a festive cozy read (potentially triggering for some) and minimal time is spent developing the secondary characters, the criminal plotting is clever and Upson wraps up this brief treat neatly.

For fans of historical fiction based on fact.

My Rating: The Story 3.5 / 5 ; The Writing 4 / 5 – Overall 3.75

.

More festive-themed novels:

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

This article Festive Crime: A Very Merry Murder & The Christmas Clue was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister ranks as one of the most emotionally authentic slow-burn rivals-to-lovers romances I have read. Read my full review.

Publication: Atria Books, November 2025

Genre: Romance, Drama, Mystery

An Academic Affair Publisher Synopsis

From the “masterly” (The New York Times) Jodi McAlister, a charming new romance about two English professors who embark on a fake relationship…only to discover that it may be harder to pretend than they realized. 

Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher have been academic rivals since they first crossed paths as undergraduates in the literature department thirteen years ago. Now that a highly coveted teaching opportunity has come up, their rivalry hits epic proportions. Jonah needs the job to move closer to his recently divorced sister and her children, while Sadie needs the financial security and freedom of a full-time teaching position.

When Sadie notices that the job offers partner hire, however, she hatches a plot to get them both the job. All they must do is get legally married. It’s a simple win-win solution but when sparks begin to fly, it becomes clear that despite their education, these two may not have thought this whole thing through.

Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Abby Jimenez, An Academic Affair pairs Jodi McAlister’s “smart, scorching, and emotionally resonant” (Freya Marske, author of A Restless Truth) writing and academic background to prove that she’s one of the smartest rom-com writers working today.

My Review

Among the countless suspend-your-belief meet-cutes and sonic-speed declarations of love to be found in the romcom genre, Jodi McAlister’s execution of the rivals-to-lovers trope in An Academic Affair stands out for its grounding in reality and emotional authenticity.

The context is academia, the unglamourised real-world version. The two equal lead characters, Jonah and Sadie, are both products of that context and distinctly different upbringings, and behave accordingly. This contextualises their competitiveness, intelligent sparring and banter, changing its colour from petty to something closer to professional respect. 

This respect, and then admiration, shines through in their earnest first-person alternating narrative perspectives, as over time they better understand the other’s motivations while processing their own psychological scars from the past. 

“Sincerity, my research had taught me, was often seen as a vulnerability. To earnestly express a feeling was a weakness. It was part of the reason people—including, but not limited to, Professor Christian Fisher—liked to hang sh#t on romance novels. There was something inherently earnest at their heart: a sincere love and hope and joy that readers often reacted to with the same feelings, a delicate flower that provoked some people to want to crush it.”

.

In turn, it’s their restraint for fear of losing this important person in their life, that believably underpins this ‘proper’ slow-burn romance fuelled by simple everyday acts of consideration and thoughtfulness. It was refreshing too that ultimately, consent and other logistical practicalities were organically woven into that part of the narrative.

Sadie and Jonah, are each plausibly cast as underdogs in different lights, but they are not the only highly endearing characters in this novel that readers become emotionally invested in. McAlister clearly has much in store for the supporting cast she’s so lovingly crafted in An Academic Affair. Or at least, I sure hope so, because a prompt release of the next title in this series is the only way I’ll be able to forgive this wonderful novel’s relatively abrupt conclusion… highly satisfying in terms of its leads, but with lots of secondary story threads left dangling.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4.5 / 5 — Overall 4.25

Get your copy of An Academic Affair

Compare retailers >>

More titles by Jodi McAlister

More emotionally authentic romance novels

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

* My receiving an ebook copy of Jodi McAlister’s An Academic Affair for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions above.

This article Jodi McAlister’s An Academic Affair: Emotionally authentic was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

Cold Granite is the gritty and propulsive crime novel that kicks off Stuart MacBride’s bestselling Logan McRae series set in Aberdeen Scotland. Read my review.

Publication: First published in 2005. This edition by HarperCollins Australia, 2018

Genre: Crime-Detective, Mystery, Thriller, Action, Drama

Cold Granite Publisher Synopsis

Logan McRae, Book 1

DS Logan McRae and the police in Aberdeen hunt a child killer who stalks the frozen streets.

Winter in Aberdeen: murder, mayhem and terrible weather…

It’s DS Logan McRae’s first day back on the job after a year off on the sick, and it couldn’t get much worse. Three-year-old David Reid’s body is discovered in a ditch: strangled, mutilated and a long time dead. And he’s only the first. There’s a serial killer stalking the Granite City and the local media are baying for blood.

Soon the dead are piling up in the morgue almost as fast as the snow on the streets, and Logan knows time is running out. More children are going missing. More are going to die. And if Logan isn’t careful, he could end up joining them.

My Review

Recently I consciously took a step back from the shiny new releases and made time for this ‘first novel in a bestselling series’ that I’d always wanted to read but had just never got around to. 

Stuart MacBride’s Cold Granite begins with one of the more impactful opening chapters I have read, which ends with:

A smile spread across his lips like fire in a burning building. He really should take his medication, but not now. Not yet. Not when there were so many dead things to enjoy.

Macbride’s efficiently evocative writing style and characterisation, and with it the compulsion to read further despite the darkness, just continues to build from there.

Some of my favourite highlights:

Everyone looked murderous and inbred. When the sun shone they would cast off their thick woollens, unscrew their faces, and smile. But in winter the whole city looked like a casting call for Deliverance.

and

The rest of him looked as if it had been thrown together on a Monday morning before the factory was properly awake.

and

It was a nice enough house on the inside, if you didn’t mind concussing your cat.

.

As you can see from these excepts, the city of Aberdeen itself and its winter’s overbearing influence plays a very important role in Cold Granite. It amplifies the mood and degree of difficulty for the police investigation tenfold.

DS Logan McRae’s perspective is about as world-weary and dark humoured as you’d expect from a detective returning to the job that had led to him almost being killed. In terms of lead character types, he’s that fallible underdog that ultimately continues to push on despite his scarred body and brain telling him to say, “F *** it”. He doggedly tries to uphold justice despite seeing karma pass himself and others by time after time.

In Cold Granite Stuart MacBride also introduces some other great authentically flawed, oddball characters and a nice little side dose of relationship drama to balance the otherwise heavy topics at play in this series. The competing policing priorities the cast find themselves responding to and the interweaving complexity of the criminal investigations feel far less tidy, and hence more believable, than your average crime novel. It is longer than your typical crime thriller too.

But let us tackle the elephant in the room – this novel’s subject matter. Those without strong stomachs and/or who are triggered by crimes against children should probably give this novel a miss. The crimes perpetrated are brutal and the depiction of bodily trauma equally so.

.

That all said, the gritty authenticity of this policing perspective makes for extremely compelling reading. For me, Stuart MacBride’s Cold Granite was a bonafide page turner. I would very easily have immediately downloaded Book 2 Dying Light, had I not had another new release I’d committed to reviewing patiently waiting for my attention.

This experience proves once again that good writing has no expiry date. Mature readers understand novels embody the norms and technologies of the time and appreciate the capturing of that moment and mood. I am vowing to better balance my new and old reading in the year ahead.

My Rating

Story 4.5 / 5 ; The Writing 4.5 / 5

Get your copy of Cold Granite

Compare retailers >>

Reading update: I’ve since enjoyed Stuart MacBride’s Dying Light (Logan McRae #2) also.

More highly recommended propulsive and gritty crime novels

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

More bestselling novels by Stuart MacBride

This article Stuart MacBride’s Cold Granite, Logan McRae #1: Gritty and propulsive was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

Elaine Castillo’s Moderation is a gritty and thought-provoking literary near-future tech drama and sharp-edged romcom. Read my full review.

Publication: Allen and Unwin, September 2025

Genre: Literature, Drama, Romance, Mystery

Moderation Publisher Synopsis

Girlie, a thirty-something Filipinx-American, works a day job at a social-media moderation centre, flagging and removing the very worst that makes it on to the internet. She’s good at it, too – dispassionate, unflinching, maybe because she learned by necessity to cauterise all her emotions when she was still a kid – so it’s no surprise to anyone when the social-media company for which she works offers her a big pay rise and an office to start moderating its new venture: virtual-reality theme parks, stunning simulations of civilizations long-since dead. 

Girlie takes the job, and it almost seems too good to be true. Almost. Sure, she signed up for having to deal with the ambient racism and misogyny of pretty much any virtual space, but as she begins to explore the intricate worlds that she moderates, she notices two deeply troubling things: that there might be something much darker built into the very code of the company, and that William, technically her new boss, a man whose barriers are as mighty as her own, might just be that long-forgotten thing… Girlie’s type.

My Review

It would be easy to read Moderation‘s synopsis and gloss over the early trigger warnings that are there in plain sight. I saw them and was ready for ‘rip-the-bandaid-off’ grittiness. But even so, I still found Castillo’s matter-of-fact depiction of the job of a social media content moderator confronting.

What exacerbates the impact on readers, I think, is the recklessly raw and fatalistic inner-most thoughts of this novel’s enigmatic narrator, coupled with Castillo’s at times complex prose and multi-stream sentencing. This narrative is heavy on barbed social and cultural commentary too.

“You’re not getting younger,” Flo said. “Especially for kids.” Girlie didn’t know if this was the venue in which to tell her mother she had absolutely zero plans to subject a new human soul to the vinegar-dipped calamity of this family: financial illiteracy, parentification, brushing systemic abuse under the rug, short calves? 

Suffice to say, the first half of Moderation is full on and not always pleasant, not at all what you’d expect from a romcom. So I fully expect this to be a ‘DNF’ for some. But like a car crash in slow motion, in its own very dark humoured way it was a beguiling challenge. Plus, in respect to William, Girlie’s match in terms of scarred soul and self-moderated exterior, there was potential for light on the horizon, so I persisted and am very glad that I did.

.

“If one was the type of person—the only sensible type of person, in Girlie’s view—who separated out with martial discipline the distinct, incoherent parts of one’s life, so that work colleagues never had to meet family members, and family members only rarely had to meet friends, and childhood friends rarely had to meet adulthood friends, and so on, and so forth—any unexpected collision of those parts was the stuff of unmitigated disaster, as with any clash of worlds.”

As is often the way in life, journeys through darkness can make the light when it does arrive feel all the more special — and so it was the case in Moderation when the romantic storyline gained traction.

Elaine Castillo’s exploration of ‘moderation’ in its myriad forms is brave, ambitious, clever and impactful, and the romantic storyline a hopeful strain for agents of change for the better. This an author not afraid to unpick scars so that her readership might collectively heal — and that is something I have great admire.

If you are seeking a light and cosy romcom, there are plenty of better options out there for you. But, if you enjoy being challenged by your reading, then Elaine Castillo’s highly original Moderation may be right up your alley.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4 / 5

Get your copy of Moderation

Compare retailers >>

More thought-provoking literature with romance

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

* My receiving an advanced ebook copy of Moderation for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions above.

This article Moderation by Elaine Castillo: Sharp-edged literary rom-com was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

The Book of Lost Hours, Hayley Gelfuso’s debut novel, features an engaging take on time travel and an epic romance within impactful historical fiction. Read my full review.

Publication: Allen and Unwin, September 2025

Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Romance, Drama, Mystery, Literature

The Book of Lost Hours Publisher Synopsis

For fans of The Ministry of Time and The Midnight Library, a sweeping, unforgettable novel moving from pre-WWII Germany to Cold War-era America to the mysterious time space, a library filled with books containing the memories of those who bore witness to history.

Nuremberg, 1938: Lisavet Levy’s watchmaker father saves her from the Nazis by pushing her through a mysterious doorway. There, she discovers the time space—a vast, magical library where memories of the past are stored in books. Her father promises he will follow, but when he doesn’t Lisavet becomes trapped, destined to walk through the memories of those who have lived before.

When she discovers timekeepers are entering the library with the mandate to decide whose memories survive and whose are destroyed, Lisavet tries to salvage scraps of the past as best she can, creating her own book of lost memories. Until one day in 1949, she meets an American timekeeper named Ernest Duquesne, who is intent on keeping Lisavet from her task. What ensues has the power to change the course of history.

Boston, 1965: Amelia Duquesne is mourning her uncle Ernest when an enigmatic CIA agent approaches her to enlist her help in tracking down a strange book her uncle had once sought. But when Amelia enters the time space for the first time, she realises that the past—and the truth—might not be as linear as she’d like to believe.

Gorgeous and unforgettable, The Book of Lost Hours explores memory, fate and the lengths we will go to in order to protect those we love.

My Review

I am drawn to novels involving time travel – it often adds the extra layer of complexity, mystery and intrigue required to fully engage my brain. I am also drawn to books about books – what booklover isn’t? So The Book of Lost Hours synopsis ticked lots of boxes me.

Debut author Hayley Gelfuso’s prose is strong, with vivid imagery and emotional intensity. This novel’s fantastical construct is ambitious, its plotting complex, and the deeper themes of memory, consent and the lessons of history explored weighty. 

“A memory, once it’s over, is never exactly what it was when it was happening. Whatever comes later changes the meaning of it.”

The Book of Lost Hours is also very much historical fiction because the story time settings, WWII and the subsequent Cold War, were unfortunately all too real, and the lessons the world should have learned from them never more topical. 

“What could be so dangerous about a life that made somebody want to erase it?”

For the most part though, the strength of Gelfuso’s characters’ convictions and an epic romance (with nostalgic leanings toward The Book Thief and The Time Traveller’s Wife respectively) helps balance out the futility. 

If you are a reader who prefers linear narratives and/or all the reveals held to the end, this probably is not the novel for you. But I found The Book of Lost Hours a very interesting, person-centred take on the time travel genre that signals a promising new talent in author Hayley Gelfuso.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4 / 5

Get your copy of The Book of Lost Hours

Compare retailers >>

More impactful time travel dramas

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

* My receiving an advanced ebook copy of The Book of Lost Hours for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions above.

This article Gelfuso’s The Book of Lost Hours: Impactful time travel drama was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

The Italian Secret is the third thrilling instalment in Tara Moss’ action-packed historical Billie Walker PI Mysteries. I explain why this is a must-read series.

Publication: HarperCollins Australia, August 2025. Scheduled for publication worldwide in December 2025.

Genre: Crime-Detective, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Action-Adventure, Thriller

The Italian Secret Publisher Synopsis

A Billie Walker Mystery #3, an immersive post-war mystery as this glamorous investigator follows a trail of secrets to Italy’s sun-drenched Neapolitan coast.

Naples, 1943. Deep within a secret network of underground tunnels, a woman takes shelter from a wartime air raid and prays her husband will return safely.

Pacific Ocean, 1907. A young woman embarks on a lonely journey to begin a new life far from home.

Sydney, 1948. Billie Walker, recently returned from a stint as a wartime investigative journalist, has reopened her father’s private inquiry office. Billie is cleaning out old filing cabinets when she uncovers a dusty box whose contents just might upend everything Billie thought she knew about her late, beloved father.

Soon Billie is on the scent, uncovering the secrets of her family’s past, travelling aboard the first postwar luxury passenger ship from Sydney to Naples in search of answers. And as the trail leads her toward two women whose history is entwined with her own, she realises she is not the only one at risk. Billie’s father had an enemy – one who may now be stalking Billie around the world – and the closer Billie gets to the truth, the more danger she finds herself in.

My Review

Tara Moss releasing a new novel is something I really get excited about.

Why? It’s more than the wonderfully resilient, feisty and diverse female characters she writes, the loyal, dashing men of substance drawn into their orbits, and the guarantee of some genuinely heart-pounding action sequences. It’s her crisp, clear writing style imbued with attitude and intelligence — it makes the reading experience effortlessly entertaining, and historical mystery enthusiasts confident they are in safe hands.

‘What is it you are reading?’ Alma asked.
‘Hemingway is his name,’ Billy said, turning the tome over in her hands. ‘Martha Gellhorn’s ex-husband.’ The brilliant war correspondent and only woman journalist present at D-Day. ‘It’s quite good.’
‘I’ve heard of it, I think.’

This Billie Walker PI historical mystery series, currently comprised of The War Widow (Book 1), The Ghosts of Paris (Book 2) and now The Italian Secret (Book 3), is particularly engaging as its post WWII setting is a rich tapestry of lingering societal upheaval, e.g. war wounds, gender roles and multicultural tensions. And, the fabulous Ms Billie Walker is a lady not easily cowered, and rather inclined to pull on a few threads just to see what might unravel…

​Billie leaned away to avoid what she could of his breath. She knew precise​ly the kind of woman she was​.​Whether she was his idea of a ​’lady​’ was irrelevant​.
Then another idea evidently floated into the s​odden waters of Mr Elliot​t’s brain​, and he grabbed it as a man on the verge ​of drowning might grab a piece fl​otsam.

.

After gushing over Book 1 and thoroughly enjoying Book 2, I did wonder how Moss would keep the energy levels and romantic tension high in The Italian Secret, particularly while Billie was cloistered away on a historically accurate lengthy cruise from Sydney to Naples for a large part of it, but she pulls it off.

And upon arrival, neither her immersive, captivating depiction of both the beauty and destruction in post-war Naples, or the emotionally impactful Italian war experience and its linkage to her family, slowed down the story.

While not quite worthy of 5-stars, purely because I put the clues together a little earlier than was ideal, Tara Moss’ The Italian Secret is an uncommonly strong third-novel-in-a-series; a bestselling series that has a wonderful ensemble cast primed to take us on many more tales yet, I hope!

Yes, The Italian Secret can be read as a standalone. But honestly, you’d be mad not to start with Book 1 The War Widow (read my review) and take the full journey with Tara Moss’ indomitable Ms Billie Walker.

My Rating

Story 4.5 / 5 ; The Writing 4.5 / 5

Get your copy of The Italian Secret

Compare retailers >>

More titles by Tara Moss I recommend

More gutsy historical mystery fiction heroines

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

* My receiving an advanced ebook copy of The Italian Secret for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions above.

This article The Italian Secret (Billie Walker Mystery #3) by Tara Moss was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

Till Death Us Do Part begins a new cosy mystery series by Reverend Penny Stephens starring an inquisitive vicar and her young family. Read my full review.

Publication: Quercus Books, July 2025.

Genre: Mystery, Drama, Crime-Detective

Till Death Us Do Part Publisher Synopsis

The charming and delightfully cosy debut crime novel from Reverend Penny Stephens.

Weddings can be murder . . .

Reverend Clare Brakespear is used to a challenge. With a young family to wrangle, a parish to manage and a particularly excitable Golden Retriever by her side, life is never dull. 

But when she attends a wedding where one of the guests is fatally stabbed with a cake knife, even Clare admits that she might have been given too much to handle this time.

As the police investigate the murder, they zero-in on one woman as their prime suspect, who they believe had the motive, means and opportunity to commit the crime. The trouble is, Clare is convinced that they have the wrong person. She might not understand forensic testing and finger-tip searches, but if there’s one thing Clare does know, it’s people and the complexities of their emotional lives. So she decides to take matters into her own hands. 

However, investigating a murder is no mean feat and Clare soon finds herself embroiled in a complex web of family secrets and deceptions. Is she in way over her head or can she find the real killer before an innocent woman is sent down?

My Review

It’s hard not to enjoy a bit of amateur sleuthing, right? And in times of crisis, who is better positioned to uncover the secrets behind the tears of the grief stricken than the much trusted and respected vicar with her affectionate dog Mia in tow — while she is, of course, first and foremost delivering pastoral care and support. She’s an avid crime fiction reader, and modern wife and mum, so Clare Brakespear is good at multi-tasking. And, who better to write about such a character than a reverend.

In Till Death Us Do Part Penny Stephens has combined the old-world feel of a patient and methodical Agatha Christie investigation with this relatively modern premise.

Clare’s, at times, sarcasm-laden inner thoughts and moments of self-doubt and critique, that run parallel to her external display of earnest and resolute goodness, endear her to readers. As do her protective instincts and admiration for her children Anna and Tom and her husband David. Well-timed and perceptive observations and suppositions from junior sleuths Anna and Tom help dial up this narrative’s charm factor too.

Inspite of this undeniable charm and Till Death Us Do Part‘s engagingly complex web of characters and motives, Stephen’s narrative just felt slow and meandering in places. I saw opportunities to neatly conclude this novel a few chapters before its end; the author’s desire to methodically tie up all loose threads felt akin to letting too much air out of its tyres.

Penny Stephens’ Till Death Us Do Part is a very cosy modern mystery and relaxing read that delivers a strong and endearing series character set in vicar Clare and family.

My Rating

Story 3.5 / 5 ; The Writing 3.5 / 5

Get your copy of Till Death Us Do Part

Compare retailers >>

More cosy mystery fiction with amateur sleuths

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

* My receiving a pre-release ebook copy of Till Death Us Do Part for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions above.

This article Till Death Us Do Part by Rev Penny Stephens: A charming cosy was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride is a moving literary exploration of historical injustice, identity, community and resilience. Read my full review.

Publication: Hachette Australia, August 2023.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Literature, Drama, Mystery

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store Publisher Synopsis

The million-copy bestseller: a literary murder-mystery about communities standing together against power and oppression.

• Barack Obama’s Book of the Year Pick
• Book of the Year in The Guardian, New Yorker, Time Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Oprah Daily, Washington Post and many more…

In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighbourhood where Jewish immigrants and African Americans lived side by side through the 1920s and ’30s.

In this novel about small-town secrets and the people who keep them, James McBride shows us that even in dark times, it is love and community – heaven and earth – that sustain us.

My Review

Given the seemingly unanimous praise that James McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store has received, it has been on my radar since its release. Its billing as a literary murder mystery with heavy focus on the lives of minorities in the 1920s and 1930s sounded right up my alley.

Firstly, I’m of the view that mismatched expectations only harm the reading experience. So, I feel compelled to highlight that while this story has a clever murder mystery wrapper which does add a measure of suspense, the bulk of its narrative is better termed a literary historical drama. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is largely a story about what occurred in a community preceding an unexplained death, rather than its investigation.

This story’s power are its themes — identity, community and resilience — things we can all identify with to some degree. McBride explores these themes from myriad angles; interconnecting webs of community and personal identity based on place, faith, culture, and shared experiences. He does this by providing readers windows into the lives of a relatively large cast of characters from various walks of life. Many are minorities carving out a life in contexts they are rarely made to feel welcome. Experiencing the injustice through their eyes, and their resilience in the face of it, is deeply moving.

What really struck a chord with me was that shining brightest and most influential amongst them, in spite of societal expectations at the time, are the female characters. One of the standouts, Chona:

To her the world was not a china closet where you admire this and don’t touch that. Rather, she saw it as a place where every act of living was a chance for tikkun olam, to improve the world. The tiny woman with the bad foot was all soul. Big. Moshe was a foot taller, yet she was the big one.

.

In fact, while not featuring magical realism, in many other respects, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store‘s matriarchal strength and immersive, at times decadent literary narrative, reminded me of Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude.

So, I can understand why this story captured the zeitgeist on its release — McBride’s story is undeniably impactful and stirring. However this novel’s execution does have weaknesses.

Not all the narrative tangents felt as value-adding; some diminishing suspense and pacing. Also, the authorial voice intrudes a little too far on occasion. I typically enjoy an author’s transparent interjection, in a quirky manner for example. But these instances, either through an overly didactic character monologue or readers otherwise being told rather than shown things, just felt like inconsistencies.

While far from perfect, much like the world we live in… James McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store deserves high praise for tackling subject matter others avoid. The deeply moving and impactful way it shines light on injustice and celebrates those whose soul and resilience make the world a better place, makes it deserving of a spot on anyone’s reading list. An excellent title to spark book club discussion also.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4 / 5

Get your copy of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

Compare retailers >>

More moving and impactful historical fiction

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

More titles by James McBride

This article McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store: Moving injustice was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

The White Crow, Michael Robotham’s second entertaining crime thriller starring the young and feisty police constable Philomena McCarthy. Read my full review.

Publication: Hachette Australia, June 2025.

Genre: Crime-Detective, Thriller, Mystery, Drama, Action

The White Crow Publisher Synopsis

As the daughter of a London crime boss, Police Constable Philomena McCarthy walks a thin blue line keeping the two sides of her complicated life apart.

On patrol one night she discovers a child in pyjamas, wandering alone. Taking Daisy home, Phil uncovers the aftermath of a deadly home invasion, as three miles away a prominent jeweller is found strapped to an explosive in his ransacked store.

The crimes are linked, and all the evidence points to Phil’s father as the mastermind.

Phil’s two worlds are colliding, trapping her in the middle of a vicious gang war that will threaten her career and everyone she loves. 

Who can she trust – the badge or her own blood?

‘The plot is sleek and elegant, with interlocking story lines that culminate in a big, bloody finale. Readers will be sold on the prospect of another Philomena McCarthy mystery even before they put this one down’ — Publishers Weekly

‘Tension imbues this dark tale, with action reaching a scary crescendo . . . End-to-end excitement for crime fans’ — Kirkus Reviews

My Review

After hearing former investigative journalist and bestselling crime fiction writer Michael Robotham speak at writers festivals multiple times, I am glad I have finally found time to read one of his novels. That his fictional criminal plotting would be up my alley was already clear. But, when making purchasing decisions within the more commercial crime fiction genre, the series lead must have some extra special appeal to me too. So in this case it was actually his character PC Philomena McCarthy and her complex family background that sealed the deal for me.

The White Crow is actually the second of his novels to feature Philomena McCarthy, but for me it read equally well as a standalone novel.

Philomena McCarthy is endearingly principled and independent of mind given all that she was exposed to in her formative years. She can also inflict some damage in a fight. But she wears her heart and flaws on her sleeve too, with her emotions getting the better of her at times, leading to unwise decisions. Quite unfairly, people are also quicker to question her motives given she’s Eddie McCarthy’s daughter. So she’s an entertaining lead for readers to ride shotgun with, and to root for, most of the time.

Robotham’s crime plotting and character web in The White Crow was sufficiently layered and complex for me to sink my teeth into. The red herrings and mortal threats were also sufficiently plausible to maintain my mental engagement. Repeated mention of familial ties or identifiable markers means it’s rarely confusing for readers. Other than this wonderful opening paragraph,

In a real dark night of the soul it is always three o’clock in the morning. F Scott Fitzgerald wrote that line almost sixty years before I was born but it’s true enough today. London is not asleep at this hour. Merely resting her eyes and humming impatiently, waiting for the sun to rise. She is like an aging toothless beast, chewing through years that she struggles to swallow.

his writing style prioritises function over flair, and his alternating character perspectives are delivered in a very measured, easy-to-follow fashion. But, I am in two minds about the extent to which Robotham keeps readers guessing about many characters.

.

Avid readers of commercial crime fiction will probably love all this, and I’m sure The White Crow will be another bestseller for Robotham. Many have already awarded it 5 stars. But readers like me who have come to appreciate crime thriller narratives with pops of literary flair that cultivate deeper reader connections with characters, may feel this novel had unrealised potential. The story within The White Crow contained a huge amount of action, suspense and tension. However, that same level of suspense and tension did not translate to my reading experience.

Michael Robotham’s The White Crow is highly entertaining commercial crime fiction. I’d certainly welcome the opportunity to read the next Philomena McCarthy novel. But if you are seeking a highly memorable and impactful crime fiction reading experience, I’d recommend the work of crime writers such as Helen Fields, Emma Viskic, Chris Hammer, and many others whose titles we have reviewed.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4 / 5

Get your copy of The White Crow

Compare retailers >>

Related Read: My top picks of the May & June 2025 releases

More crime fiction featuring gutsy female police

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

More titles by Michael Robotham

This article Michael Robotham’s The White Crow: Entertaining crime fiction was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

In History Lessons, her fiction debut, Zoe B Wallbrook introduces a refreshingly modern, geeky, gutsy cozy mystery heroine with strong series potential. Read my review.

Publication: Soho Press, July 2025.

Genre: Mystery, Crime-Detective, Romance, Literature

History Lessons Publisher Synopsis

A college history professor must solve her superstar colleague’s murder before she becomes the next target in this funny, romantic debut mystery, perfect for readers of Janet Evanovich, Kellye Garrett, and Ali Hazelwood.

As a newly minted junior professor, Daphne Ouverture spends her days giving lectures on French colonialism, writing her first academic book, and going on atrocious dates. Her small world suits her just fine. Until Sam Taylor dies.

The rising star of Harrison University’s anthropology department was never one of Daphne’s favorites, despite his popularity. But that doesn’t prevent Sam’s killer from believing Daphne has something that belonged to Sam—something the killer will stop at nothing to get.

Between grading papers and navigating her disastrous love life, Daphne embarks on an investigation to find out what connects her to Sam’s murder. With the help of an alluring former-detective-turned-bookseller, she unravels a deadly cover-up on campus. This well-crafted, voice-driven mystery introduces an unforgettable crime fiction heroine readers will root for.

My Review

History Lessons‘ setup ticked lots of boxes for me, so my expectations for Zoe B Wallbrook’s debut novel were high.

This novel’s fictional university campus and university town make a great setting for a crime mystery. It offers up opportunities for plausible interactions between people from all walks of life within a complex social hierarchy rife with tension and secrets. Many elements of this setting are vividly drawn, some to the brink of satirisation, such as the questionable building architecture and pugilistic squirrels. I suspect many of the fictional details are actually Wallbrook’s sly nods to relevant historical places and artefacts.

Lead Daphne is a character who is special in many ways. A young female African-American professor specialising in French History at a US university, her minority experience and viewpoint is a well that Wallbrook plumbs at multiple depths. Being a history nerd, she’s an avid researcher and reader — cue many literary, art and history references. Plus, readers progressively learn of additional skills and experience Daphne has, which prove quite fortuitous given the gutsy sleuthing she finds herself undertaking.

Is Daphne a unicorn? Yes…. but that makes for a refreshingly interesting, and gutsy, literary cozy mystery heroine. The minority representation in History Lessons does not stop at Daphne either. Pleasingly, Wallbrook has populated her novel with a genuinely diverse cast and experience set, in which strong females shine bright. Wallbrook also throws into this mix an endearing father figure for Daphne to lean on, a bookish beau to bond with, and an affectionate pet to cuddle.

.

However, when you put so many wonderful fictional ingredients in a single pot, like so many debut novelists do, getting the balance between them just right can be tricky. I say this rarely, but it is possible to have too much cleverness packed into a single novel.

I enjoyed Wallbrook’s literary descriptions, self-talk and reflection, but at times the point felt laboured, or at least stymied the story pacing. At other times, Daphne’s swiftness to act required suspension of disbelief. The criminal mystery in History Lessons is sufficiently layered and complex to exercise the mind — big tick from me. But, the investigative journey felt unwieldy at times, the sense of urgency and momentum uneven.

Despite these weaknesses in execution, Wallbrook has set up a great stage and set of characters for a mystery series — one I’d certainly be interested in continuing to read. History Lessons may not be best suited for readers seeking the typical highly accessible narrative and swift pacing of a cozy mystery, but those who like more literary mysteries will find plenty to enjoy.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 3.5 / 5 — Overall 3.75

Get your copy of History Lessons

Compare retailers >>

Related Read: July – August 2025 releases that caught my attention

More mystery fiction set in academia

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

* My receiving a pre-release ebook copy of History Lessons for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions above.

This article History Lessons by Zoe B Wallbrook: Fresh geeky gutsy sleuth was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

By Your Side, Gavin & Stacey co-creator Ruth Jones’ latest novel, is an hilarious life-affirming mid-life drama exploring love and grief with a mystery twist. Read my review.

Publication: Penguin Random House, May 2025.

Genre: Drama, Humour, Romance, Mystery

By Your Side Publisher Synopsis

‘Ruth Jones writes with such warmth you can’t help but fall in love with the characters she creates.’ — James Corden

Linda and Levi will never meet. But they’re going to change each other’s lives.

In her role at the council’s Unclaimed Heirs Unit, Linda Standish investigates the lives of those who’ve died alone and tracks down any living relatives. She’s been a friend to the friendless for the past thirty-three years. And now she’s looking forward to an early retirement.

But before she hangs up her lanyard, Linda takes on one last case – that of Levi Norman – a Welshman who made his home on a remote Scottish island for the past five years.

What brought Levi here? And who did he leave behind? Obliged to travel (by hearse) with her arch nemesis Fergus Murray, and helped (and hindered) by local residents, Linda searches for clues to a life now lost. And in the process unexpectedly makes new friends, and discovers things about herself she never knew.

Bursting with all the heart and humour that has made Ruth’s name as a screenwriter and author, By Your Side is about finding joy in the most unlikely connections, and the importance of holding onto friendship, love and community – especially when life gets messy.

My Review

As a huge fan of Ruth Jones’ TV work (Gavin & Stacey, Stella) I’ve been keen to experience her much-loved fiction writing also. By Your Side is her fourth novel, but better late than never I say, in line with the carpe-diem feel of this later-in-life drama.

Fellow Stella fans will immediately connect with Jones’ leading lady, Linda Standish. She can be bolshy and opinionated, but mostly in an upbeat, glass half-full way, and she’s a bit of stirrer of those she feels need to live a little bit… which I loved.

The hearse pulls up outside the main doors and I’m there, ready to greet it, wrapped in my black faux-fur hat with matching faux-fur coat, effecting the look of a chubby Anna Karenina. It’s keeping out the chill, but more importantly it hides what I’m wearing beneath: a scarlet woolly dress with a laughing reindeer emblazoned on the chest. I won’t have time to go home and change, and it’s our office Secret Santa straight after this: festive frocks are obligatory.

But, her take-charge persona and self-deprecation are crucial lines of defence for her heart once broken. The mysterious lone-wolf Levi’s back story is emotionally rich and highly compelling also. Even this novel’s second- and third-tier characters are vividly drawn, relatable and endearing.

Jones really does have a special talent for crafting authentic characters who shine bright when they are pushed outside of their comfort zones. In By Your Side she displays her knack for highlighting the humour in these moments too. Multiple giggles burst out of me while reading.

Jones’ employment of alternating character narrative perspectives and switching timelines to explore the multi-faceted themes of love, parenthood, grief, healing and second chances, felt very organic, never forced or formulaic. This story, and the emotions it plumbs, are strong and always leading, rather than the construct.

Ruth Jones’ By Your Side is contemporary fiction that I think strikes the perfect balance between enjoyment and emotional journey. It is a highly accessible and entertaining novel that tackles themes with enough gravitas and nuance to provoke deeper thought and personal reflection. Highly recommended reading.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4.5 / 5 — Overall 4.25

Get your copy of By Your Side

Compare retailers >>

Related Read: My top picks of the May & June 2025 releases

More heartfelt drama exploring life’s highs and lows

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

More titles by Ruth Jones

* My receiving a pre-release ebook copy of By Your Side for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions above.

This article Gavin & Stacey co-creator Ruth Jones’ new novel By Your Side was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

So Far Gone is Jess Walter’s new gripping darkly comedic literary novel exploring the perils of modern American society. We reviewed the audiobook narrated by Edoardo Ballerini.

Publication: Harper Audio, June 2025.

Unabridged Audiobook: 8 hours 20 minutes, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

Genre: Literature, Drama, Humour, Action-Adventure, Mystery

So Far Gone Publisher Synopsis

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ruins—and in the propulsive spirit of Charles Portis’ True Grit—comes a hilarious, empathetic, and brilliantly provocative adventure through life in modern America, about a reclusive journalist forced back into the world to rescue his kidnapped grandchildren.

Rhys Kinnick has gone off the grid. At Thanksgiving a few years back, a fed-up Rhys punched his conspiracy-theorist son-in-law in the mouth, chucked his smartphone out a car window and fled for a cabin in the woods, with no one around except a pack of hungry raccoons.

Now Kinnick’s old life is about to land right back on his crumbling doorstep. Can this failed husband and father, a man with no internet and a car that barely runs, reemerge into a broken world to track down his missing daughter and save his sweet, precocious grandchildren from the members of a dangerous militia?

With the help of his caustic ex-girlfriend, a bipolar retired detective, and his only friend (who happens to be furious with him), Kinnick heads off on a wild journey through cultural lunacy and the rubble of a life he thought he’d left behind. So Far Gone is a rollicking, razor-sharp, and moving road trip through a fractured nation, from a writer who has been called “a genius of the modern American moment” (Philadelphia Inquirer).

My Review

Jess Walter is a wonderfully talented writer. I found his novels The Financial Lives of Poets and Beautiful Ruins thought-provoking, impactful and in turn highly memorable in different ways. Of the former, I recall withering prose and laughing out loud, and the latter, its haunting cinematic gravitas. Common to both was the accessibility of Walter’s characters and the poignancy of their individual stories.

Never afraid to write characters who express strong opinions, who question the status quo, characters who through their actions shine a light on the stories to be found in the mundane, in So Far Gone Jess Walter has penned a metaphorical bursting of the ‘cutting social commentary’ floodgates. I repeatedly found myself laughing out loud. 

Over recent years few of us would have been immune to “WTF?” thoughts, so it’s hard not to empathise with lead Rhys’ palpable pent-up frustration. Plus Walter’s observational humour and depiction of comedic farce is second to none. And the taut plotting of hapless Rhys’ race against time to find family members aided by a cast of quirky, wise-cracking secondary characters keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

But what elevates So Far Gone from simply an hilarious rail against suburban disaffection, gun culture and religious extremism, to a moving and memorable journey is Walter’s depiction of poignant moments in his characters’ personal growth and redemption. Rhys’ interactions with his grandchildren are particularly endearing.

.

Edoardo Ballerini is one of my favourite audio narrators and his performance of So Far Gone did not disappoint. His pacing in tense moments added to the suspense and his delivery of the characters’ deadpan humour and sarcasm only enhances Walter’s nuanced and layered characterisation. I was thoroughly entertained.

If you find yourself engaged and captivated by darkly comedic car-crash storylines but are also in need of a good dose of humanity, I highly recommend Jess Walter’s So Far Gone. This novel’s bite won’t make the real-world insanity disappear, but you’ll certainly find it cathartic. 

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 5 / 5 — Overall 4.5

Get your copy of So Far Gone

Libro.fm or   Compare other retailers >>

More wonderful fiction by Jess Walter

More gripping darkly comedic literature

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

* My receiving a pre-release audiobook copy of So Far Gone for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions above.

This article Jess Walter’s So Far Gone: Deep dark comedic fiction delight was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.

The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay is a suspense-filled historical mystery novel set in 1970s London with an engaging renewal story arc. Read my review.

Publication: Harper Muse, June 2025.

Genre: Historical, Crime Mystery, Drama, Thriller

The English Masterpiece Publisher Synopsis

Set in the art world of 1970s London, The English Masterpiece is a fast-paced read to the end, full of glamour and secrets, tensions and lies, as one young woman races against the clock to uncover the truth about a Picasso masterpiece. Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Ariel Lawhon.

As the recently promoted assistant to the Tate’s Modern Collections keeper Diana Gilden, Lily helps plan a world-class Picasso exhibit to honor the passing of the great artist–and she’s waited her whole life for this moment. The opening is beyond anyone’s expectations–the lighting, the champagne, the glittering crowd, and the international acclaim–until Lily does the unthinkable. She stops in front of a masterpiece and hears her own voice say, “It’s a forgery.” The gallery falls silent.

Lily’s boss, Diana, is polished perfection, schooled in art, and descends from European high society. She’s worked hard to become the trusted voice in London’s modern art scene and respected across the Continent. The Tate’s Picasso Commemorative is to be her crowning achievement, featuring not only the artist’s most iconic and intimate works, but a newly discovered painting–one she advised an investor to purchase. But when Lily makes her outrageous declaration, suspicion and scandal threaten everything Diana has achieved, as museums and collectors across Europe, already doubting most post-war acquisitions, fall into chaos and rumors of a world-wide forgery run wild.

All Lily has ever wanted is to follow in Diana’s footsteps and take the art world by storm in her own right. Yet one comment puts not only her own career at risk but also her mentor’s. Unless . . . Was she right? With the clock ticking and the clues starting to pile up against her, Lily must uncover the truth behind the Picasso before she loses not only the career she’s always wanted, but her freedom.

My Review

The English Masterpiece is the first of Katherine Reay’s novels that I’ve read. But, I metaphorically cracked its spine with great anticipation given the comparisons made to Kate Quinn’s writing and this title’s alluring art-world mystery premise.

I was immediately drawn in by Lily’s first-person narrative, and then delighted to find Reay had employed one of my favourite literary frameworks, alternating character perspectives. Through these intimate internal windows Reay slowly but surely shines light on the effort both female leads invest in curating the impression they leave on the world, much like the art installations they work on.

It’s not her history so much as her reticence in sharing it that impresses me most. Her example has taught me that if you have status, money, and power, you don’t need to talk abut it. Rather you wear it lightly, effortlessly, like an Egyptian cotton shift on a warm summer day.

I am not suggesting Reay’s The English Masterpiece female leads are superficial — quite the opposite actually. The historical baggage each carries has chiselled into them many interesting layers.

That day I wandered in and out of the empty classrooms, the half-full studios with stressed students deep into their term-end assignment, and I fell in love. It wasn’t just being near art, like one can be when standing in a museum or a gallery, it was being close to the energy of its creation. The messiness, the intimacy, the grandeur, and the soul involved in making art. I sensed both acumen and ability of those students as surely as I understood their vulnerability and desperation, their rawness and even their heartbreak.

.

Katherine Reay describes in vivid and absorbing yet highly accessible prose all that her characters see in individual canvases — both the artist’s technical skill and the emotions influencing their creation. Understated but effective also is her depiction of the mood of 1970s London, the tension between the lingering loss, scars and suspicion of WWII and the heady winds of change and new opportunity.

On reaching the conclusion I found myself reflecting on, with some admiration, just how many different themes Reay explores with secondary storylines she has spun from The English Masterpiece‘s central art crime mystery premise. Yet, the story never felt overburdened by them.

This new historical mystery novel from Katherine Reay contained red herrings I was caught by, romantic tension that was believable, a fun cameo, and redemptive and renewal story arcs that imbued hope for the future… all in just 304 pages. The perfect entertaining weekend read.

My Rating

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4.5 / 5 — Overall 4.25

Get your copy of The English Masterpiece

Compare retailers >>

Related Reading: My Top Picks of the June 2025 Releases

More fiction by Katherine Reay

More historical and mystery fiction featuring art

Click on book covers for full reviews of each novel.

* My receiving a pre-release ebook copy of The English Masterpiece for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions above.

This article Katherine Reay’s The English Masterpiece: Artful suspense was originally published on Booklover Book Reviews.