The Margaret Code by Richard Hooton

Can you call something a cosy crime if the story revolves around a woman's struggle with dementia?  It's a tricky one to call, I think.  The story does have humour and warmth, yet at the same time there is the awareness that Margaret is struggling more and more with her memory, and it's only going to get worse.  But I enjoyed reading this, mostly because I liked Margaret and her relationship with her grandson, so I wanted to see how things would resolve.

From the crime side of things, I was disappointed that it wasn't more clever - when you find out Margaret's history, and where she worked with her husband during the war, I hoped that the puzzle would be difficult, and she would be the only one who can solve it, because of her experience, and it would be marvellous when she did!  So from that point of view I felt there was a waste of what could have been a really interesting, tricksy potential storyline.  But still, I was interested enough in Margaret to commit to the story, and I enjoyed the ride, even if the murder side of things wasn't all that.

With thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for my advanced copy.

To be published: April 2025

Foster by Claire Keegan

I saw this being returned to the library when I was manning the desk, and quickly checked it out myself!  This was lovely.  I do like Claire Keegan's writing, it feels so effortless and I feel like she captures so much within this short story.  I would have liked to have known more of what happened next, of course, but I still felt satisfied with the ending.

Title: Foster

Author: Claire Keegan

A thousand blues by Cheon Seon-ran

I knew nothing of the book when I started, so I was slightly surprised when I realised it was sci-fi!  But surprised in a good way.   I like a good robot book, and I very much enjoyed this one.  The translation felt sound.  I liked the idea for the story, and I really liked the various different characters.  I found it very readable, and whilst the switches in time and view occasionally jarred, I felt like the story held together well.  The only thing I didn't like (really didn't like) was the ending for Coli (the ending for the sisters was great).  Not just because of what happened, but also because I didn't really understand why that was the chosen ending.  But still, I'd enjoyed the rest of the book so I let it go and have imagined myself a different outcome!

Title: A thousand blues

Author: Cheon Seon-ran

ISBN: 9781529938029

The impossible thing by Belinda Bauer

I have only read one Belinda Bauer book previously - a dark thriller - but I enjoyed it, and I was keen to try another.  This one starts out in a very creepy, tense way.  I hadn't actually realised that the book was about egg collecting, so initially I thought I was reading about some awful child-killer being tracked!  So, having discovered the book wasn't quite about what I'd thought I had to readjust my expectations a little and initially it felt like a bit of a bump.  But then I was soon gripped by all the different characters in this complicated, inter-woven story.  I really liked Patrick and Nick as characters, and really that carried the book along for me.  Sometimes I enjoyed the flashbacks in time, and sometimes I felt they dragged a little, but ultimately I was completely caught up in Celie's life and what was going to happen alongside of Patrick and Nick's investigations.

Title: The impossible thing

Author: Belinda Bauer

ISBN: 978178630970

Due to be published: 27 Feb 2025