50 Books a Year - The 2025 Challenge

42 Marble Hall Murders - Anthony Horowitz

I've spent a week reading this in the garden, it's a big thick book, amid the glorious sunshine. The third in the series and imo the best so far. In my mind's eye, I'm already casting it for when it's televised.

Susan Ryeland is back in England her relationship with Greek lover Andreas has run its course, but they've parted on good terms. Having survived the attempt on her life by Charles Clover the boss of Clover Publishing in the last book, the company she was due to take over, she is now working as a freelance editor which finds her employed on Atticus Pund's final book. The author of the series, Alan Conway was pushed to his death from a high tower at his home also by Charles Clover now incarcerated in Belmarsh. The commission to finish the book has been handed to Eliot Crace grandson of a legendary children's author the deceased Miriam Crace a sort of Enid Blyton/P L Travers hybrid and national treasure having written a series of books under the title of The Little People, much loved far and wide with spectacular sales. The national treasure accolade however is a veneer that disguises a woman who was in fact not very nice and quite cruel to her family and in particular to several of her grandchildren. However, with a million dollar Netlflix series in the offing it is absolutely vital to the Crace family to keep the mystique surrounding the reputation of Miriam Crace very much intact. Without any spoilers, the clues to the central characters in the Atticus Pund case have strong parallels to members of the Crace family and at the heart of both interwoven stories, are corresponding characters and numerous relating anagrams. Were Miriam Crace and Lady Margaret Chalfont of the last Pund book, both suffering from heart conditions, actually sent to an untimely death by poison? That is the crux of both narratives. Really good Agatha Christie pastiche, this is supposed to be the last one in the series, but somehow I hope, I don't know how, Pund is close to death, AH can keep the series going. We'll see, definitely one for Horowitz fans, all very atmospheric particularly the descriptions of the south of France interludes, it wasn't hard to imagine the heat of that location at the moment.

I meant to add, some interesting recommendations Sparklefizz and Sarah1954, I'm going to be adding some of those very recently mentioned to my lists. I like the sound of the Penelope Lively one, and have never read any of her books.

Book 85, The Land is Bright. It`s the first in a family saga by Elizabeth Murphy, set in the 19th century slums in Liverpool. I enjoyed it.

Sparklefizz, re Heat Wave, wasn’t it lovely, I was really into Penelope Lively at one time, but it’s so long ago, I think I’ll probably re read them all again

TerriBull, really looking forward to Marble Hall Murders working it’s way to the top of the pile, especially as you say you consider it the best

#36 was Night Swimmers by Roisin Maguire. Set in rural Ireland during lockdown. Grace lives alone, filling her days with wild swimming, fishing, quilting and baiting visiting tourists. Evan is a visitor, on an enforced holiday from his family as he grieves the death of his baby daughter. Shortly after his arrival, the country is locked down, then Evan’s young son, who is deaf, comes to stay with him. This was a wonderful read, it’s beautifully written and was completely engrossing. 9/10

#37 was The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson. Arthur and Jake are brothers, but could not be more different. Arthur is quiet, dependable and set to inherit the family farm. Jake is clever, reckless and dangerous. When Laura arrives in their rural Canadian community it pushes the brothers and their relationship to their limits. Set between 1920s and 1960, it’s a beautifully written story of a small and isolated community. 9/10

67-Daisy's Vintage Cornish Camper Van-Ali Mc Namara
What a delightful story this is.
When Ana inherits a camper van from her best friend, she got more than she bargained for. A rusty old wreck that needs lots of hard work. But Malachi works wonders giving new life to not just the van.
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. A great holiday read!

43 The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins - Kristina Perez Audible

Marina Torres, An American of Argentinian extraction, newly married to her all American high school boyfriend, arrives as an ex -pat wife in Hong Kong. Somewhat adrift without a job or any real purpose she is befriended by very rich Veronica Hawkins, whose family are part of the long established British, old school mercantile dynasty who established themselves there generations ago. With Veronica, Martina's life becomes far more exciting than that of her previous hum drum corporate wife experience. Then! Veronica is to disappear over the side of a yacht during a drinks party whilst they are rubbing shoulders with the influential people of Hong Kong. Was it suicide or was she pushed. The second half of the book is Martina going forward from her friend's death, divorcing her husband and establishing herself as a writer trying to piece together some of the mysteries surrounding her dead friend, not least of all whether Veronica's husband's gambling debts had any bearing on her demise. There are a few twists and one major revelation towards the end. I found it Ok, it missed the mark for me, but I think it would appeal to those who enjoyed say Gone Girl. Martina's character got on my nerves a bit, she had a tendency to eulogise her dead friend who was far from perfect.

Book 29: The Mushroom Man by Stuart Pawson
Book 30 : The Judas Sheep by Stuart Pawson
Book 31: The Last Reminder by Stuart Pawson
Book 32:Deadly Friends by Stuart Pawson
These are a series of detective mystery murder books set in Yorkshire in the late 1990's. Detective Charlie Priest and his team solve the crimes with plenty of twists and turns. I am about half way through the series and am enjoying them.

68-Cold Cold Bones-Kathy Reichs
Who has left a box containing an eyeball on Dr.Temperence Brennan's porch step? As more bodies appear Tempe has to fit the clues together.

#34 Clock Dance by Anne Tyler

Willa Drake had a difficult childhood with an unpredictable mother who suddenly left the home when she was just a child. Her boyfriend pushes her into marriage and leaving college to relocate to fit in with his new job, and it seems as if she has spent her life fitting in with other people.

Her husband dies in a road rage incident and she has remarried when she receives a phone call from a stranger informing her that her son's ex girlfriend has been shot and there is a 9 year old child (not her son's child) needing to be looked after.

On the spur of the moment she drops everything and flies across the country to look after this woman and the child, and after a while finds she is actually enjoying helping out and forming friendships.

This is a gentle book filled with empty-nest syndrome, loneliness within a relationship and the disappointments and joys of life. I give it 10/10.

#55. A Death On Location by Rev Richard Coles.

I have read 25 books so far this year.
The latest two:
None of this is true by Lisa Jewell
You killed me first by John Marrs

I love psychological thrillers.

44 Trio William Boyd

Set in Brighton in 1968, around the making of what sounds like one of those daft arty films of the era. The Trio of the title relates to the three main characters, Talbot Kyd, the producer, married but in denial about his attraction to men, and deliberating whether he should follow his urges now that the recent law has been passed, decriminalising homosexual relations. Meanwhile he is besieged with the umpteen problems in pulling together all the strings that are required to make the film. His biggest headache is when his leading lady, American film star Anny Viklund goes missing, she has quite a lot of baggage following her around, not least of all an ex husband who is an anarchist/terrorist on the run from the FBI and by extension has implicated her because he has sought her out to give him money for his escape. The third of the trio is Elfrida Wing, married to the director of the film. Elfrida, a covert alcoholic, is nevertheless a novelist of some note, but seems to be suffering from writers block, until she takes into her head to visit Virginia Woolf's house in Sussex and its there, following the path down to the river where VW ended her days, she makes the inspirational decision to write about this bygone author's last day, the day she committed suicide, just one problem her publishers tell her no one is interested in reading about Virginia Woolf.

This is very much a book rooted in the swinging sixties and all that was happening at the time, with a nod to the political upheaval that was going on across the channel when Anny is on the run and seeks sanctuary in Paris with her on off French freedom fighter, philosopher boyfriend.

An easy and at times humorous read. William Boyd's books are always a one off, they generally don't follow a pattern.

4xGranny

I have read 25 books so far this year.
The latest two:
None of this is true by Lisa Jewell
You killed me first by John Marrs

I love psychological thrillers.

4xGranny

I love Lisa Jewell's books too, just to let you know, she has a new one out any day now, Don't Let Him In! I've put my name on a list at my library, number 28, I'm really looking forward to reading it.

I love Lisa Jewell's books too, just to let you know, she has a new one out any day now, Don't Let Him In! I've put my name on a list at my library, number 28, I'm really looking forward to reading it.

Ooh, thanks for that tip TerriBull. I'll log on to my library website now.

Has anyone else read 'The Trouble with Goats and Sheep' by Joanna Cannon? I was seriously underwhelmed, so much so, that I skim read to the end.

The best book I have read recently is 'The Crooked Cross' by Sylvia Carson. It is about a Bavarian family in 1933 when Nazi influence is taking hold and they try to navigate the early years of the regime. It was published in 1934.

Yes do Sparklefizz.

I meant to add up thread, I also really enjoyed Clock Dance when I read it, she's such a good writer Anne Tyler, must read her new one too.

Reserved. I'm no. 30 in the queue.

69-Death of a Nurse-M C Beaton
Another Hamish Macbeth mystery. Some of these are quite silly, but this one was more serious.
I needed something more relaxed after Kathy Reichs I've just finished.

Book 33
The Four Winds - Kristin Hannah

Elsa Martinelli is forced to leave her home in Texas, and flee with her children to California to escape the environmental disaster, the drought and devastating dust storms of the Texas panhandle, failed crops, foreclosures and failing health.

They have no idea California will be a hundred times worse, as thousands of starving unwelcome refugees set up camps and with growing desperation, search for any work.

It’s a story of fighting, standing up to the greedy landowners, who virtually own them, and survival.

The Grapes of Wrath it’s not, although it sets out to tell a similar tale, it’s probably a bit unfair, but for me this seemed a bit like the Hollywood version.

I did quite enjoy it, but it took me a while to read, I could take it or leave it.

21. Dark Island - Daniel Aubrey

Orkney - a storm uncovers a body which may be linked to the disappearance of two teenagers, 17 years before.
Local journalist Freya Sinclair is getting messages from someone who says they know all about that time. Is this person helping find the truth or leading Freya into a trap?
As the discoveries unfold, who can Freya trust?

I recommend the story and the audiobook narrator kept up the suspense despite some slightly strange choices of emphasis on the reading.

70-Letter to Louise-Pauline Collins
Pauline will always be famous for her role as Shirley Valentine, so I was pleased to have this autobiography given to me as I've always been a fan. This is a poignant yet often funny memoir of the months leading up to the day she gave away her baby for adoption.

#56. Killing Time by Alan Bennett.

#57. The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden.