Possibly book-review-purists would claim that personal context shouldn’t shape your thoughts about a book – where you are, how you feel etc etc shouldn’t influence a review. I beg to differ. Where I am, how I’m feeling, do have an impact, so since I’m currently recovering from a strenuous mountaineering …
What an amazing book to kick off my 2026 reading. ”None of this is true” is gripping, more than a bit scary at times, “twisty, twisty, twisty” as one reviewer accurately put it – and truly unputdownable. There are so many twists and turns as the story progresses, forcing the …
After being very under-whelmed by the previous Cormoran Strike book (The Ink Black Heart), this 7th novel in the series was an absolute joy. As clichéd as it sounds, it was gripping. An absolute page-turner. And my faith in the wonderful J.K. Rowling (aka Robert Galbraith) was fully restored. It’s …
I’m already a huge Mick Herron fan, having read all the Slow Horses books, but this one…ouf! If indeed “ouf” is an accepted form of praise. “The Secret Hours” is a brilliant stand-alone novel, but since there are references to Regent’s Park in the book, you gradually realise that is …
Mr. Khan presents the reader with a thought-provoking dilemma in the opening pages of this novel. In the immediate aftermath of India’s independence from the colonial rule of the British, can a white British man get justice from an Indian court? This dilemma – justice for the hated former colonial …
This story of an elderly Chinese lady’s amateur sleuthing is an easy fun read, with some surprisingly moving moments. Vera Wong is lonely, largely ignored by her yuppie son, and her tea shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown is dusty and seldom visited. It’s also cunningly named after Vera Wang, but …
Two disclaimers, before I start this review : Having got those 2 little bits and bobs out of the way, let me say that I (obviously!) absolutely loved this audio book, which I listened to while on my own v-e-r-y slow and v-e-r-y modest runs in my local Delhi park. …
A murder mystery set on an idyllic Thai island, involving scuba diving. “Ooh, yes”, I thought, “that will make perfect holiday reading for my scuba diving holiday in Thailand.” As it so happened, the book didn’t arrive on time, so “The Dive” has been my post-diving read, and a jolly …
A new Sam Tay novel is always an occasion to be celebrated, but regrettably I still haven’t learned the art of slowly reading and savouring these smashing books, racing through them excitedly instead. (Note to Mr. Needham – er, can you please, pretty please get cracking on Sam’s next adventure?) …
