{STOP PRESS!!! NEW FEATURE!!! THERE IS NOW A LIST OF ALL THE BOOKS MENTIONED BELOW, AT THE END OF THE LIST, WITH LINKS TO THEIR PAGE ON AMAZON UK. HAPPY BROWSING!}
I’m an avid reader, and it occurs to me that my readers will probably have similar tastes! So, when I read a book by ANOTHER AUTHOR that really grabs me, I’ll list it here for you to look up on Amazon.
7th Jan, 2024 Just finished Robert Dugoni’s “My Sister’s Grave” (Tracy Crosswhite book 1) – absolutely gripping. Great story, characters, and that vital “want to know what happens next” element kept me turning the pages. (Faster and faster!) Good news is – there’s another 9 books in the series and they’re all in KU! UPDATE Just finished book 2, and it DIDN’T disappoint!
7th Jan 2024 (again) These will be occasional postings – it’s hard to REALLY impress me with a book! But the page was looking kind of empty, and luckily I’ve had two winners in a row. My previous read was J D Kirk’s second outing for his new heroine, (Heather Filson), “This Little Piggy“. If you fancy it, read book one first – “The One That Got Away“. JD Kirks DCI Logan books (Sam & Daisy fans will sit up at that name!) (Logan – duh!) are captivating combinations of comedy and drama – and I did wonder if this new series could come anywhere close. It does, I’m happy to report – the guy’s a brilliant writer, and his books are pure entertainment. Pity about the profanity – he does overdo THAT a bit, and I can see “Cozy” readers being “not amused” – but if you can close your eyes to it, the package as a whole is a treat. (Having seen a re-run of “Scotch & Wry” on Hogmanay, I can’t help feeling there’s something Rikki Fulton-ish about JDs sense of humour.) (All on KU)
17th January Just read a most enjoyable, “different” sort of book – it’s Nita Prose’s “The Maid“. (On KU) I love books written from the viewpoint of someone seen as “different” – who has an IQ several times that of the people dismissing them and a spellbinding outlook on life. This is a book you can curl up with – an absolute pleasure to read. STOP PRESS on 21st January – book 2 in the series is out, and I’m a bit miffed, because it ISN’T in KU like the first, AND they’re wanting £8.99 for it!!! (eBook) Bit over the top IMO – I won’t be reading it, not at that!
7th February UPDATE on Robert Dugoni’s “Tracy Crosswhite” series – I just finished the entire series, and wasn’t disappointed! NEW RECOMMENDATION – Swimming for Beginners by Nicola Gill. A charming book about a focused businesswoman who agrees to keep an eye on a little girl (in an airport lounge) while the little girl’s mother goes to the loo. When mum drops dead, the businesswoman finds it hard to walk away… humourous and poignant in equal measures, this is one to curl up with. (Not in KU, unfortunately, but currently a snip at £0.99.)
10th February Just finished K.L. Slater’s Husband and Wife – a definite 5 stars! If you like a real mystery to solve – this is for you. I love books where you’ve no idea how what’s happening COULD happen, and yet the final chapters make it all obvious. The lightbulb moment – oh, right, of course… Good news is it’s in KU if you’re a subscriber – otherwise, it’s a £1.99 spend you won’t regret. As an aside, if you’re tempted to sign up for her mailing list and get a free short story, DON’T do it just for the pressy! The short story is so short it barely exists, and ISN’T what I call a story – it’s pathetic! (Even if undeniably well written.) Makes me quite proud of “When Sam Met Daisy” – now THAT’S a short STORY. : )
24th February SORRY! Been neglecting this page while getting near the end of writing Dawn & Roger’s latest – “The Bluff“. (Gotta tell ya – it’s a CRACKER.) Okay, shameless self-promotion over! Read a lovely first in series (if serial killer/FBI stories can be described as “lovely”, but it was) book called Out of Reach by Kate Bold. She demonstrates (as I hope I do) that profanity/stomach-turning violence/pornography are NOT an essential part of a well-written thriller! Smashing story – only downside is she’s a “wide” author. (“Wide” authors publish their books on several platforms, like Amazon, Apple, Kobo… but because of Amazon’s exclusivity requirement, are ineligible for Kindle Unlimited.) So – good news – her first book’s free [it’s a “reader magnet” – to draw you in for a try, in the hope you’ll buy the subsequent books. Hey – you’re getting an education in publishing here for no extra charge : ) ] – but the following books in the series cost £1.99, then £2.99, and peak at £3.99. HOWEVER – she writes several series, and they all have book one as a freebie. I don’t think she’d mind me telling you that, because the more of her complimentaries you read, the more chance there is you’ll buy one of the follow-ups!
[BY THE WAY – for the avoidance of doubt – none of these authors even know I’m recommending them. This isn’t any sort of affiliate sales page – it’s just me sharing books I enjoyed!]
13th March The “big” authors are big for a reason – Grisham, Coben etc – but they’re also very expensive. Which is why I want to tell you about “BookBub”. If you sign up for their (daily) newsletter, comprising a list of titles in genres you specify, at knockdown prices, it’s possible to read the big names for 99p!!! (Signing up is free!) A lot of days their offerings are made up of unknowns but if, as I do, you cast your eyes over the email often enough the reward is (for example, but these are both purchases I’ve made in the last fortnight!) a Jeffery Deaver or Fredrik Backman going for a song. Why? Well, Deaver (or more likely his publisher) is banking on hooking you with a 99p special so you’ll go on to buy the rest of his catalogue, even the ones at £5.49. (Dream on, Jeffery – love your writing, but I don’t often pay that for a book – not at the speed I read! Although… I am in awe of your skills… ) By the by, one of my favourite “big” authors is Steve Cavanagh. His books are pure magic. (Featuring a former con man turned lawyer.) Cavanagh’s a superb writer and I have practically everything he’s written – all culled from BookBub. Another thing I use it (BookBub) for is to find KU books ‘cos, when you click, a lot of them turn out to be available on Kindle Unlimited. There’s always one or two free books, too, but I seldom download them – yes, they could be “reader magnets” and brilliant, but in the main I can’t take seriously any author who pays BookBub’s huge fees to give their work away for nothing. (Just sayin’)
29th March A series I have to recommend is Alan McDermott’s Eva Driscoll thrillers. Why “have”? Well, my third “Con Woman” thriller, “The Bluff”, is coming out on Sunday, and both Alan’s “Eva” and my “Dawn” are strong, likeable action-women – note how I slipped that self-plug for my new book in without you even noticing! The Eva Driscoll books are great fun, though, and they’re on KU. (KU is a must for avid readers!) The Supermarket Mysteries series by Rachel Ward is another I’d recommend in the same vein, this time referencing my “Sam & Daisy” series. This is Cosy Mystery at its best and Rachel’s “Bea” is an engaging character, not unlike my “Sam” (with a wee dash of Daisy!) And they’re available on – yep, you guessed it – KU.
10th April Bye the bye, yesterday was my birthday! Too late for sending cards this year, but put it in your diary for 2025… : ) Alright, I have one CRACKER of a recommendation for you. This book has a writing style and degree of talent (even) I would give my eyeteeth for! It’s written in sparse language loaded with beautifully evocative “action-words” and paradoxically long sentences – literary style, effectively. I would go so far as to compare the writing with Fredrik Backman’s. (He of “A Man called Ove” fame.) And I regard Backman as Nobel-prize level. Amazingly for a New York Times best-selling author, this book and its follow up, second in series, are both available on KU. WHAT IS IT? I hear you scream. Okay, here’s the gen. The author is Taylor Stevens and the book’s called Liars’ Paradox. It’s a story in the thriller/assassin type genre, and I’ve seen it compared with Ludlum’s “Bourne” books. The plot is flawless and engaging, and as for the characters – the pages can hardly hold them. I would recommend reading the sample first – it’s a style that might not be for everyone – but if you do click with it, and you’ll know within a few paragraphs, then you are in for a wonderful read. If you’re not in KU, the books retail at £4.96 for “Paradox”, rising to a whopping £11.32 for the second. Now, you know how I feel about buying expensive books – i.e. I DON’T! – but honestly, despite being only a chapter into book 2, if I wasn’t in KU I’d buy both of these in a heartbeat. In fact, I declare Liars’ Paradox to be my “the book” for 2024.
6th July Sorry, guys. It’s been too long between updates, but I’ve been writing – and writing! Yuletide is Murder at the Cairncroft Hotel is out next week, and I’m halfway through the first draft of book one in a new detective series… okay, enough of the excuses. I’ve still been reading, and have some humdingers to recommend. First, The Chase by Ava Glass – a real edge of your seat thriller featuring a “baby” James-Bond-type special agent called Emma Makepeace. I loved it and honestly, it’s really worth the £2.99 she’s asking. Next up, Nearly Mine by Molly Black is the first book in an “FBI agent” series, the agent in question being one Grace Ford. It’s an excellent read. And it’s FREE – I regard free books with deep suspicion in the main, but Molly is one of those authors giving away book one as a marketing tactic to draw new readers into the rest of the series. And I’ll confess – I bought book 2! The Desert Saint by A.M. Pascarella and featuring Detective Maria Varela is another of the same – first book in the series free. (You can tell I’m a Scotsman!) Good story, thoroughly enjoyed it, though I haven’t yet bought book 2 – I think just because everything was wrapped up so neatly, I didn’t feel the compulsion to know what happened next in Maria’s life – although if stuck for a book and have £2.99 to spare in the future, I could see me going back to it. Keith A. Pearson is one of my favourite authors, and all his books are in Kindle Unlimited – if you haven’t tried him, I recommend them ALL! His latest, No Easy Deeds, is a change in direction insofar as he (sort of) ties up the story to the point it’s left at, but the story will continue “on the next page” in book 2 of this new series. Don’t usually like that sort of approach, it frustrates me as a reader, but unsurprisingly Keith’s book didn’t stir an iota of resentment and left me simply in a state of happy anticipation for the next instalment. After all, how many of you like “Soaps” with DAYS in between them – now, if we remember time is relative… which is the theme of this book, it being a sort of “Cozy Time Travel” story. It led me directly to another “Time shift” saga, Need a Little Time by Adam Eccles, which is a delightful, feel-good story about life and love. Loved it too! Okay, that should keep you going for a bit – and my 1/3 completed manuscript is calling… (Sometime, when I’m less pushed, it’s my intention to append a simple list of all these recommendations at the end of this for quick reference – just title, author, Amazon link – so keep watching!)
STILL 6th July – just finished this one, and had to shove it up here. The Mother by Valerie Keogh (and it’s on Kindle Unlimited- yea!) – a cracking storyline. If you like psychological thrillers, Keogh knows how to spin them. (Plus – she really knows how to write!) A real page turner.
6/8/24 Sorry – been busy getting DI Jones 1 ready for my advance readers. But I still need downtime during the writing process – and Jason Ayres provided me with three books (on KU) that totally did the trick. A year in the life of – fabulous books to relax with, all three of them – especially if you’re an old fogey like me and able to appreciate the nostalgia element. Loved all of these – so easy to read. He HAS to write more!!!
29/8/24 I previously recommended Nina Prose’s The Maid – wholeheartedly – but was annoyed at the jump in cost to acquire book 2. Well, for a limited time, book 2 is available on Amazon for 99p!!! I don’t know how long the promotion will last, but it is a WONDERFUL story. I couldn’t put it down. (Title: The Mystery Guest) Molly the Maid is THE most appealing character. I loved it, and can’t recommend it highly enough. It’ll particularly appeal to “cozy” readers because it’s heartwarming and just – lovely!
30/10/24 I KNOW! Been busy publishing two books and starting a third. (The Maze Killer and Murder at Sea if you’re interested!😊) But do I have a beauty for you today. Truth and Lies (A DI Amy Winter Thriller Book 1) by Caroline Mitchell is a BRILLIANT read. Well written, eminently readable prose (an essential for me, as you know, but sadly lacking too often) combined with characters that come alive off the page and an absorbing plot – what more do you want? I loved this police procedural – and the (unbelievable) good news is book 1 & 2 are 99p, books 3 & 4 are £1, and book 5 is, um, £2.99. (With regard to that last, knowing what I know now, I’d happily pay premium prices for ALL of these.) And if you’re in Kindle Unlimited – so are all five books!!! Oh, and for my “Cosy” fans, these have a minimum of mild profanity and no upsetting scenes of violence or sex. They could also be described as psychological thrillers, and the author’s insight into her character’s minds is truly breathtaking. So, yes, you might guess – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! [For the record, I’ve read book 1 and am halfway through book 2, but sometimes you just KNOW the rest of the series isn’t going to let you down!] IMPORTANT UPDATE 9/11/24 Okay, what I said last – wrong, wrong, wrong!!! Revised recommendation – books 1 and two are HIGHLY recommended. Books 3 & 4 – ok, but… Mmmm. Book 5 – AVOID AT ALL COSTS. A terrible letdown – storyline gets a D minus – and the characters were acting – well – out of character! Ghastly!!! (And you know I don’t slag off on a whim!!!) On a brighter note, Linwood Barclay’s The Lie Maker and I Will Ruin You are wonderful reads. I got them both for 99p on Bookbub, but they’re back to full price now – there again, if you want a guaranteed great read for a holiday, these are it. (Either/or.) Linwood’s been around a long time, and he’s to my mind an unsung hero of the publishing world. The guy’s writing is sheer genius – pure entertainment. NOBODY could fail to love these!
Oh dear – it’s 21/12/24 (already) – um – Merry Christmas, everybody… In my defence, I’m just finishing “Deadly Embrace“, book 2 in my DCI Jones police procedural series, due out on 31/1/25 – but I am finding time to read Valerie Keogh’s The Wives (I’ve recommended her books before!) and am thoroughly enjoying it. Valerie’s books are no-brainer choices – beautifully readable psychological thrillers. I shall try to do better in 2025, with loads of new recommendations for you!!!
27/12/24 Hope everyone had as wonderful a Xmas as we did. I got a bottle of Tomatin (Purely for research purposes see DCI Jones 2!!!) and loads of other goodies. AND I was fortunate enough to have Theresa Driscoll’s new book to while away the time between meals … it’s not officially released until Jan 1st, so if you got Amazon vouchers from Santa, keep some back for “Close Your Eyes” – I’m giving it a late pip-at-the-post rating to the best book I’ve read in 2024! (I know – I’ve said that before, but I mean it each time!) It’s a police procedural (so will automatically appeal to DCI Jones fans) but full of suspense, written exquisitely, particularly from the point of view of reader enjoyment (which is what matters most), and the story is crafted to perfection. Absolute page turner, especially in the concluding chapters. Okay – see you all in 2025!
7/1/25 HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! My first recommendation for 2025 is Rob Rinder’s “The Trial”, a British legal mystery. It’s a lovely read, written immaculately and a banging good story. One to curl up with. Warning – you need to be quick, it’s on offer at 99p for a “limited period”, but his books are normally expensive – the next in series is £7.99!!!
9/1/25 Got another for you – Message Deleted by KL Slater. Brilliantly written dead twisty suspense story. And like the one above, it’s only 99p just now. Real page turner! (It isn’t the first of her books I’ve recommended, and is unlikely to be the last!)
15/1/25 Just read The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritson, and it left me spellbound. Truly. What a fabulous read – great writing, and an original story that twists like a demented python. It’s an American police procedural, and I highly recommend it – if you’re quick, it’s on offer at 99p right now. I liked it so much, I went straight on to read the next in series (No 10 – Last To DIe) (also a snip currently at £1.99 – her latest book, for example, is priced at £6.99!) and it was brill, too.
15/02/25 Whoops – it’s WHEN already? Okay, as you might guess I’ve been tied up (obsessed) with my new DCI Jones book, Daddy’s Boy (currently nearing 40.000 words in its first draft), but that’s no excuse for ignoring this blog! I HAVE been reading books I’ve enjoyed – and must confess to being remiss about putting them up here, maybe they didn’t just make the grade, or was it because I was just too absorbed in my own next bestseller? – but this one demands a mention!!! It’s a dooby!!! Okay, who like me had a love-hate with Mark Billingham’s “Thorn”? (The lousy TV adaptation didn’t help.) Anyway, Billingham (significantly, an ex stand up comic) has launched a new series – “Sergeant Miller” – which has captivated me totally. Impossibly, he’s captured grief for loss of a loved one in a bubble that lets you feel his pain but using prose that incorporates a non-stop comedy routine?! Miller wisecracks incessantly through every CID shift in his Blackpool patch (and I love Billingham’s portrayal of Blackpool, too) yet you never question the man’s debilitating grief for his murdered wife. And the plot is completely captivating. Forget any past doubts – Billingham has taken his writing to a new level in these books. Okay, the bad news – I got book one on a BookBub deal for 99p, and it’s now up to £5.49. The good news, however, is Book 2 currently retails on Amazon for only 99p – and at only 60% into book one, I’d already thoroughly recommend bagging book two while it’s still going cheap. Update 18/2/25 Now read both books. They’re great as standalones, but lock together in one whopper of a story. No disappointments, all I said about them before holds true up to the last sentence!! Highly, highly recommended!
21/2/25 This is going to be a good year for books! Harlan Coben is incredible – and Missing You is currently on offer at 99p!!! (You do know all the prices I give are for ebooks! I hope… otherwise, you’re in for a disappointment. Just thought of that – I only read ebooks these days!) To put it in perspective, his latest pre-order is a whopping £9.99! Missing You is just… amazing. It’s a cracking story, the prose is pure poetry, and I couldn’t put it down. It’s one of those where you start of thinking… how can this possibly be? What’s this all about. Then you find out – and everything ultimately becomes crystal clear. Classic Coben!
My Sister’s Grave
The One That Got Away
The Maid
Swimming for Beginners
Husband and Wife
The Bluff
Out of Reach
Eva Driscoll thrillers
The Supermarket Mysteries
Sam & Daisy
Liars’ Paradox
The Chase
Nearly Mine
The Desert Saint
No Easy Deeds
Need a Little Time
The Mother
DI Jones 1
A year in the life of
Molly the Maid 2
Truth and Lies
The Lie Maker
I Will Ruin You
Deadly Embrace
The Wives
Close Your Eyes
The Trial
Message Deleted
The Silent Girl
Sergeant Miller Book 1
Sergeant Miller Book 2
Missing You