On the day Claire gives birth to their baby, Claire's husband tells her he’s been having an affair and is leaving her. Claire returns home to her pareOn the day Claire gives birth to their baby, Claire's husband tells her he’s been having an affair and is leaving her. Claire returns home to her parents in Dublin where, one would imagine she would get her head around the idea she is now suddenly a single mother, and making some sort of plan on where she might live, how she will support herself financially etc. No. Claire is thinking about where and how she can get a new man. W.T.F.
Okay, this is chicklit, so I expected romance but, seriously, four weeks after giving birth is not an appropriate time frame (the phrase, 'getting over a man by getting under another' is literally used). It just makes Claire seem weak and desperate and a rather neglectful mother. Also, tragically, the new love interest character was controlling and quick tempered and alarm bells should have been going off and any day now there will be an official DV offence. But, whatever, he’s oh so good looking. *eye roll*
520 pages is obnoxiously long for this weak plot. Claire’s inner thoughts going on and on did not help. There were a couple of funny lines but within this 520 pages, there weren't any profound revelations. At no time did I pause and think, ‘wow’ at any of Claire’s waffling. There certainly weren’t any topical themes covered.
Looking at other reviews just now, I may continue with this series, as it appears most reviewers have similar opinions to me about this one and have mentioned that the other books are much better. This one, though, I can only rate a 1 ½ out of 5...more
Audible: Hey, Dervla, have you got anything written we can turn into an Audible freebie? Dervla: Not really. I’ve got some scenes written but nothing fAudible: Hey, Dervla, have you got anything written we can turn into an Audible freebie? Dervla: Not really. I’ve got some scenes written but nothing fully formed. Audible: Is there a plot and characterisation? Dervla: Well… Sort of. I have my two leads and their backgrounds sorted. Audible: Two leads? We’re good to go then. We have two fabulous narrators, Ben Chapple and Harriet Gordon-Anderson ready and waiting in the studio. They’re Australian. Is it set in Australia? Dervla: Yes, the Perth and Margaret River area. Audible: Yes! We’re good to go then. Dervla: Well… I was going to work on some sort of sequence to the scenes. I was going to start the story in a fire maybe, that’s how I got the title. I was thinking of including a cult… Audible: A fire and a cult! Readers will love that. We’re good to go. Dervla: Well… I need to piece the scenes together in an order which a reader would enjoy, maybe make some scenes flashbacks. They’re just chronological at the moment. Audible: Chronological! Yes! We’re good to go then. Lee: Thank goodness this was free. I’m so bored. Lee: Will I finish this? Almost 8 hours and nothing happens even though a lot is happening. Lee: Wait, did she just copy a scene from Return of the Jedi? Lee: Wait, she's how old? WTF. Lee: I made it to the end. Just. Lee: What will I rate this? 1 star? I did like the narrators. Maybe they deserve a star for their work? Lee: Okay, rate it 1 ½ stars....more
Between her books and screenwriting, I’ve become a huge fan of Jo Spain. But… Unfortunately, this one, for me, was a bit of a letdown.
After a whirlwiBetween her books and screenwriting, I’ve become a huge fan of Jo Spain. But… Unfortunately, this one, for me, was a bit of a letdown.
After a whirlwind romance, Luke and Rose marry. Things go awry when her violent ex-boyfriend tracks her down. A dead body later, Luke has called in his friend and former barrister, Mickey, to assist. However, once Mickey starts investigating, she’s not sure who to believe.
I liked Mickey. I would like her to feature in another book. There were moments though that Spain confused me with where she wanted Mickey to go romantically. She’s in love with this one, and then this one, and then having dinner with this one, but hang on, she loves this one. It all seemed very out of character with the rest of Mickey’s personality and was very distracting.
Likewise, the flashbacks of Rose and Luke’s romance were also unnecessary. They became quite tedious and, in the end, I didn’t think these numerous scenes added to the plot.
I also found that the wealth of the main characters grating. At times, it read like a 80s Sidney Sheldon.
I’m still keen to read more Spain books but this one was not her best work.
As the title suggests, Nina is missing. Her boyfriend, Simon, claims that Nina was alive and waiting for a friend to pick her up from his family’s vacAs the title suggests, Nina is missing. Her boyfriend, Simon, claims that Nina was alive and waiting for a friend to pick her up from his family’s vacation property when he saw her last. Nina’s parents are not quite so sure, and nor is the police detective assigned to the case.
Most reviewers have mentioned that McTiernan has used the real life case of Gabby Petito as her inspiration for What Happened to Nina. I do see the similarities, but there’s enough differences for readers to still be surprised by some of the events in the book. One of the main similarities McTiernan included between the real life case and her fictional one is social media scrutiny. It’s quite scary to think how easily people can be influenced by a couple of Facebook posts.
The story is told from multiple points of view and McTiernan’s writing style made this a very fast read, I finished it in only a couple of days. It’s definitely a standalone tale but, I will admit, I wouldn’t be adverse to McTiernan giving Detective Matthew Wright another outing some time.
Recommended and it wouldn’t surprise me if this was one day turned into a tv series.
Kate is a normal twenty-something who works in advertising when she finds out she is set to inherit her great-great-something aunt’s estate on the proKate is a normal twenty-something who works in advertising when she finds out she is set to inherit her great-great-something aunt’s estate on the proviso that she publishes seven letters containing ‘steps’ on how the world should be living with the fairies.
Yes, the fairies, who the Irish peoples are so desperate to reconnect with that Kate becomes an instant internet and media sensation.
Mmm…
Okay, there’s some good things about this book. The romantic storyline is quite cute. There were some funny moments (mostly featuring Kate’s parents). But there was also the mixed messages from the fairies/letters. I thought O'Neill should have stuck to including environmental awareness, wellbeing/living in the moment etc but no, things got a little weird. Especially the ending - it all became quite disturbing.
I also think both books were just too long. This is something I whinge about constantly. I always blame publishers wanting some magical page number. This, of course, just leads to too much padding and my disinterest.
It wasn’t all bad, I guess. Maybe 3 out of 5 ...more
This is free on Audible for a couple more weeks, so I decided to give it a go before it expired.
Unfortunately I thought The Enchanted Island suffered This is free on Audible for a couple more weeks, so I decided to give it a go before it expired.
Unfortunately I thought The Enchanted Island suffered from an identity crisis. You have to say the cover implies it's a romantic chick lit but it's not really. I didn’t think it was that funny and the romance was insta-love without any huge conflict. There’s an element of fantasy/scifi and, believe it or not, a touch of horror. It's contemporary and probably should be marketed towards new adult readers, and yet I didn't think many topical themes were included (except maybe environmental awareness). It may have worked much better if O’Neill had focused on one genre.
Maeve, our lead, isn’t very likeable. Her entire life is all about looks and consumerism. Her work ethic is questionable -- even before things become utterly ridiculous when she is sent to a remote Irish island to try and secure a piece of land from a reluctant owner.
One imagines the point of the story would be that Maeve would realise her shallowness and find herself in the small community, going on to shun the big city solicitor's false botoxed lifestyle. However, that isn’t really the case, mostly due to the locals on the island being so horrible and even more unlikeable than Maeve.
Saying that, O’Neill writing flows well and I hope she just finds her niche. 3 out of 5...more
I wanted to read this classic for Halloween but I can’t go on. Pardon the pun but Dracula is boring as bats**t.
It’s far too long. So many passages andI wanted to read this classic for Halloween but I can’t go on. Pardon the pun but Dracula is boring as bats**t.
It’s far too long. So many passages and scenes are basically repeated which contibuted towards the insane wordcount. I’ve been slogging through this for what feels like forever (when I checked it’s been about 10 days) and I’m still not even halfway through.
I hate all the characters. The only one I do find at least amusing is Renfield and his ‘I know an old lady who swallowed a fly’ bats**t craziness.
I do not want to even think about whatever weirdo subliminal messages Stoker was trying to convey with this book. Probably that we’re all supposed to embrace religion and avoid sex or something or other. Ugh.
Dracula is actually an epistolary novel and, most likely due to the multiple narrators and point of views, some of the reasons the characters have written down their accounts of the evil goings-on are really contrived. After all, we all stop to write a letter or a diary entry when we're being stalked by a vampire, don't we?
After throwing the book onto the DNF pile, I flicked through my streaming services and found the Gary Oldman movie and rewatched it. I don’t think I’d seen it since it was originally released. It was also horrid with dated special effects, ridiculous direction and terrible overacting by some of its stars (Anthony Hopkins surely thought he was making a comedy).
Freckles was absolutely heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting and beautiful.
Allegra’s life is not exactly perfect. Her mother abandoned her as a chilFreckles was absolutely heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting and beautiful.
Allegra’s life is not exactly perfect. Her mother abandoned her as a child, her dream of joining the Garda has been dashed, and the only constant in her life, her father, is taking his eccentricity to a whole new level. Now working as a parking warden, she encounters an irate member of the public she’s ticketed. He tells her, as an insult, that she is the average of the five people she spends the most time with. And so the rest of the book follows Allegra striving to improve her life by ensuring her five are honourable and worthy.
I’ve never read any of Ahern’s other books but her style with this one was captivating. Her descriptive passages were finely detailed and showed some serious skills. When I am mesmerised by everyday actions such as washing hair or eating lunch on a bench, you know the girl can write. Told from Allegra’s first person point of view, Ahern also dispenses with quotation marks and this, for me, just added another layer of intimacy.
The Irish setting is wonderful and realistic and surely everyone will want to visit Valentia Island after reading Freckles.
Allegra’s not the easiest person to like at times. I would assume, although it is not specifically said, she is on the autism spectrum. However, without spoiling, Allegra is used, abused and let down so many times, I just prayed there would be some sort of happy ending eventually. On that score, I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say Ahern includes a lovely romance for Allegra. If you’re not a romance fan, fear not, as it’s not the entire focus of the plot. Instead, it’s the strength of family and unexpected friendships which make the book so special.
I must also mention that Freckles features a lot of topical themes, diversity and contemporary attitudes. For me, it was everything I hoped Normal People would be but wasn’t. Highly recommended 5 out of 5...more
This is the second Spain book I’ve read and I must admit I’ve become a bit of an instant fan.
The Perfect Lie opens with Danny jumping to his death in This is the second Spain book I’ve read and I must admit I’ve become a bit of an instant fan.
The Perfect Lie opens with Danny jumping to his death in what everyone assumes is a suicide. Spain then flashes forward to a ‘now’ scene where Erin is in court, on trial for the murder of her husband. This opening is very effective and leads the reader to come up with all sorts of explanations including whether or not Danny is truly dead after the jump, given that Erin wasn’t allowed to view his body.
Obviously Spain keeps switching between the timelines, drip feeding us the details, until they link up and the twists are revealed. I said with the other Spain book that she displayed impeccable timing when it came to switching from the past to present and I believe she again managed to do this really well. There were no awkward transitions and she keeps the mystery plot ticking along nicely before tying all the strings together seamlessly in the end.
The setting is an upmarket beach area on Long Island, New York. There’s also a back story set at Harvard College. I enjoyed the US setting even though I thought it was an odd choice at first (as I read on I discovered there were several plot points which relied on the overseas setting, however). Spain didn’t disappoint me with the Irish connection completely though, with Erin and her family heralding from there and one of her regular haunts being an Irish pub (albeit one without too much authenticity).
Spain’s style flows easily and this was a quick read. Usually I say books of this size (just over 400 pages long) often need editing and their word count cut as they seem to drag in places but I never felt this way with The Perfect Lie.
With the hefty word count comes an obvious hefty cast of characters with many likely suspects and red herrings and potential victims but Spain’s characterisation was good enough to cause no confusion with who was who. Erin was a likeable leading lady and I couldn’t help but cheer her on. Karla, her lawyer, was a standout from the supporting characters and I wouldn’t be surprised if she turned up in another of Spain’s books one day.
If there was a hiccup or critique, it was that most of the story is told from Erin’s first person point of view except for a few chapters which are told from the point of view of another female character, Ally. Ally’s boyfriend’s identity needs to be kept secret from the reader for quite a while so as not to give too much away leading to Ally constantly referring to ‘my boyfriend’ ending up a little clunky. Maybe Spain could have simply said ‘he’ now and then to break up the weirdness of this part.
For the most, however, Spain’s writing is really good and I’m looking forward to exploring more of her titles. 4 ½ out of 5...more
This book and series is very popular. Riley has, sadly, recently passed away and this has pushed the books even higher into the best sellerWTW?!!!????
This book and series is very popular. Riley has, sadly, recently passed away and this has pushed the books even higher into the best seller lists, but… I just don’t get it. This book was just so awful. So awful, in fact, that at around the 40% mark I couldn’t go on and I threw it into my DNF pile.
The first part was horrendous. We learn that the very ‘mysterious’ Pa Salt has died. Pa Salt had adopted six girls and brought them to live on his island. Only Maia, the heroine of book one, still lives on the island but the other five sisters come home when they learn ol’ Pa is dead. Well, he might be still alive for all I know. After all, none of the sisters got to see his body because his will called for him to be tossed over the side of a yacht as soon as he died with no funeral. But Marina the housekeeper reckons he’s dead, so we’ll go with that for now. You couldn’t help but know this part of the book as it’s repeated each time a sister arrives at the island. Yes, basically the first third of the book could have been a 10 page recap of Maia’s life up until now instead of stilted dialogue with supposedly close sisters. (So close they all leave the island and return to their own lives exactly one day after reuniting to discuss Pa’s sudden demise. Okay then…)
This whole Pa Salt mystery thing was creepy as. He just randomly brings babies to an island? Even if I go with the flow that he isn’t some Jeffrey Epstein clone, it’s still weirdly unbelievable that when these girls grow up none of them know his real name (I assume Pa Salt is not it) nor what he does for a living, or really anything other than he likes to collect girl babies. WTW?
Anyway, I persevered as I had read that the book’s historical plotline was better. It wasn’t. It was perhaps even more cliched than the contemporary storyline. If you’ve read a Judith Krantz or a Barbara Taylor Bradford somewhere along the line you can probably predict most of the outcomes and those ladies probably had sharper dialogue and more likeable characters.
I kept going for a while but finally I decided I had too many other books to read. I don’t recommend and this definitely makes my list of most overrated books ever. 1 out of 5...more
The Lattimer family members all went their separate ways ten years ago when Adam, one of the three sons, went missing. But now Adam’s back--returned oThe Lattimer family members all went their separate ways ten years ago when Adam, one of the three sons, went missing. But now Adam’s back--returned out of the blue to their small Irish hometown with a suspiciously weak reason for letting his family think he was dead. Since Adam’s disappearance the five remaining siblings have all had their ups and downs (mostly downs) and particulary distressing for them, their mother passed away as a direct result of Adam being presumed dead. However, they dutifully agree to a reunion organised by their father, Frazer, which culminates with a gathering on a yacht, a man overboard, and accusations of murder.
Of all the mystery/thrillers I’ve read of late, Spain managed to switch from the present to the past most effectively. The timing of when she chose to progress the plot in the present versus when she chose to show the incidents in the characters’ past which led to the current crimes was perfect, creating just the right amount of tension and clues for the reader.
Her characterisation was also fantastic. There’s a lot of characters: with all the Lattimers and their friends and lovers, for starters. I was never confused or unsure of who was who though; each family member had their own distinct personality. One thing they did have in common was their dysfunctional lives. The circumstances of each Lattimer which led them to their current mental state ranged from minor issues to horrific events but all remained believable. They all too explained why each could easily be guilty of murder.
There were a couple of good twists. Some I had guessed would be the case and others I didn’t see coming at all. Overall the ending and resolution didn’t disappoint (which, unfortunately, it often does with this genre).
I would call this more of a mystery than a thriller. If you’re looking for chills and creepiness, this isn’t the book for you. That doesn't mean it wasn't an engrossing read. In some ways it reminded me of the movie Knives Out, with a splash of Irish quirkiness.
This was my first Jo Spain book but it won't be my last.
The Guest List is Lucy Foley’s most popular book but is it worth all the hype? Well…
I liked the setting - an almost uninhabited island off Ireland wheThe Guest List is Lucy Foley’s most popular book but is it worth all the hype? Well…
I liked the setting - an almost uninhabited island off Ireland where Jules and Will decide to hold their wedding, guaranteeing exclusiveness and a unique experience for their guests. Foley takes advantage of this classic locked room trope and includes perils such as peat bogs, tidal caves, sheer cliffs, freezing water, high winds and stormy weather, a crumbling folly, lack of phone service and power outages.
The plot and twists were, unfortunately, very predictable. The book pretty much reads like a million others in the genre (and very very like Foley’s other two books). There’s nothing new or unique.
The characters were all awful. None of them were likeable at all. From memory, Foley’s other two books I’ve read had similar obnoxious characters. Some of the supporting characters were the worst. I would have to question if grown men in their 30s would really carry on as they did.
But my biggest issue was the editing. Or lack thereof. There were multiple errors which made me blink. I won’t go into them all, but if you want to check, most people have talked about them on the book’s questions on Goodreads.
Stories featuring supernatural occurrences and characters are not usually my thing but Things in Jars was written so lyrically that I was pretty much Stories featuring supernatural occurrences and characters are not usually my thing but Things in Jars was written so lyrically that I was pretty much mesmerised by the whole book, despite my cynical disbelieving brain.
Kidd’s descriptive way of writing is captivating. I must admit it took a bit to get used to but a few chapters in I was truly enchanted with her intricate plot and her quirky characters and their peculiarities.
Our heroine is Bridie who I would describe as a woman born into the wrong time. Intelligent and empathetic, Bridie would most likely be a forensic pathologist if born in modern times. In London in the mid 1800s, she is forced to dress up as a man to view the latest advances in medicine and sell her skills as a private detective of sorts to solve mysteries. Her current case is that of a kidnapping of a child with rumoured unnatural powers, likened by all that have encountered her to a mermaid.
The plot has a lot more to it; the book is very multilayered and the impressive thing is how Kidd links everything together, including a series of flashbacks featuring Bridie's tumultuous past.
Actually, to be honest, the reader doesn’t really have to solve the mystery of whodunnit in Things in Jars. The villains of the piece are revealed very early on. It is more about how all these baddies are connected to each other and connected to Bridie’s past that will keep you engrossed.
All the minor characters are great. The aforementioned villains were all repulsive but none were two dimensional. There’s a lot of humorous scenes featuring the supporting characters in Bridie's corner including her seven foot ex circus act maid and Ruby, a ghost she picks up at the cemetery. The way Bridie talks to Ruby constantly creates a lot of comic scenes. Just checking a few reviews, I’d say I’m probably in the minority when it comes to Ruby. At times I didn’t really get the point of him and kept expecting some major climactic scene featuring him which didn’t really eventuate. Bridie also has a bit of a romance with him which was supposed to be poignant and sad but just didn’t work for me. I much preferred her other suitor, the quiet but competent Detective Rose.
London is a character in itself. Its squalor and poverty of the time are perfectly captured in Kidd’s impressive prose. It is the ideal gothic setting to give the supernatural aspects of the story some believability. And the atrocities carried out in the name of science, medicine and entertainment of the era are by equal measure heartbreaking and horrifying.
Although we get a resolution at the end of the book, Kidd also teases us that Bridie might become the heroine in a series of books. Sign me up if this is the case.
The Roommate is a novella only available on Audible at the moment. That’s a shame for those who don’t use the platform because it’s a great little reaThe Roommate is a novella only available on Audible at the moment. That’s a shame for those who don’t use the platform because it’s a great little read (listen?).
Niamh wakes up one morning to find that there has been a murder in her apartment complex. When the police come knocking, she realises she might just know more about the victim and the killer than she thought.
For its short size, McTiernan manages to include a lot plot-wise. I would have still preferred if the book had been full length novel to allow the inclusion of additional tension. Some scenes also were far too rushed, especially the climax and the ending. (I thought the climactic scene was a great idea but it should have been drawn out a lot more than it was.)
A full length novel would have also given us more chance to read about Cormac Reilly, the lead of McTiernan’s series of books. Although this is advertised as a prequel featuring Reilly, he appears briefly and the story is told completely from Niamh’s point of view instead.
Aoife MacMahon’s narration is a bonus though. It’s the accent. She doesn’t really need to do too much to win me over. LOL
All in all, this is a great read for a short format book. If you do get the chance to listen (or read if it’s ever released in a different format), do so.
I enjoyed The Ruin and The Scholar but I think McTiernan stepped it up another notch with this, the third in the Cormac Reilly series.
Although the serI enjoyed The Ruin and The Scholar but I think McTiernan stepped it up another notch with this, the third in the Cormac Reilly series.
Although the series is named after Garda Cormac Reilly, McTiernan wrote much of The Ruin and The Scholar from the point of view of other characters. In The Good Turn she does this again. It kind of annoyed me in the first two books (I like Reilly and I want to read more about him!) but this time I felt like I accepted it more graciously. This is probably a combination of becoming more accustomed to McTiernan's style and the fact that I liked the other lead characters much more this time around.
One is Peter Fisher, Reilly’s protege and subordinate detective at their Gallway station. Due to a series of misunderstandings and mismanagement, Fisher is forced to chase down a child kidnapper alone and, in the process, things go awry. Until an investigation can take place, he is sent away to basically eat humble pie and pound the beat at the small coastal village where he grew up and his father is still the police officer in charge.
Riley, meanwhile, is suspended in the fallout of Peter’s actions. He believes there is much more to his and Peter’s disciplinary punishment than meets the eye, so he keeps busy, investigating secretly the [alleged] corruption within the force.
Anna is the other character featured in the book. With her young daughter, she also ends up living in the same village as Peter. It’s pretty obvious early on she’s running away from someone and it’s quite enjoyable when her plot weaves its way into Riley and Fisher’s.
I thought the crime/mystery plot was really well done. I had no idea just who Peter and Cormac should trust. Even when I thought I might guess some plot points, I still wondered if I might be incorrect with my assumptions. And, as I said, McTiernan really pulled all the plots together cleverly; it all made sense and was connected in the end with no unnecessary cliffhangers left to annoy the reader.
McTiernan’s real strength, however, is her characterisation. Cormac and co are all so easy to imagine. (This would be a great book series for someone to turn into a television series.)
McTiernan really makes Ireland another character too. From the talk of playing Camogie and rugby to the wild coastal views from the small village farms, I felt like I was in Ireland. (The only thing I do have trouble imagining is the snow and cold as I swelter in the 42 degree Celsius heat…)
I highly recommend The Good Turn. It would help if you've read the previous two books but I don't think it's completely as essential as some other series I've read. I definitely think McTiernan is getting better with each book and, given that she does use a plethora of characters, I look forward to reading and enjoying her titles for a long time.
The Sisters was my first audio novella. I usually choose audiobooks based on their length. Until now I’d always picked up longer listens; ones that leThe Sisters was my first audio novella. I usually choose audiobooks based on their length. Until now I’d always picked up longer listens; ones that let me ‘read’ books that appear too daunting in the flesh, so to speak. I’ve liked McTiernan’s other two books, however, so I took a chance and grabbed this book when offered, even though its running time is only approximately three hours.
Aifric and Carrie are the sisters of the title. Aifric is a barrister, hoping to get her hands on some juicy cases and Carrie is garda, hoping to make detective. Unfortunately they’re both encountering a lot of sexism in their respective fields which is stifling their ambition. When Aifric is assigned a murder case (mostly by default), she finds the evidence and witness statements which led her client to be charged alarmingly weak. Whilst Aifric investigates further, Carrie also becomes involved when Aifric leaves the case file lying around and Carrie can’t help but take a sneaky look.
For such a short story, there is quite a bit of plot in The Sisters. Apart from the main mystery plot, McTiernan has the talent to squeeze in a sad backstory for the sisters as well as highlighting women still have a way to go to achieve an even playing field in society. I must add that this girl power message was delivered with a subtlety which has been missing from books and movies of late, which I appreciated.
The characterisation was also well developed, despite the length. I really became invested in the sisters’ lives and their struggles. I would definitely read more featuring their characters.
The book is advertised as a prequel to the Cormac Reilly series, however, it is very much a standalone. I assume Carrie is the same Carrie we met in the second book of the series, The Scholar. I thought Carrie was a stand out in that book, so I did like this glimpse of her earlier life and career.
The Sisters is well written, well narrated and well worth grabbing.
This is the second book of McTiernan's series. In the first, The Ruin, we were introduced to Detective Cormac Reilly who'd just transferred from DubliThis is the second book of McTiernan's series. In the first, The Ruin, we were introduced to Detective Cormac Reilly who'd just transferred from Dublin to Galway where he was met with mostly distrust from his colleagues. In The Scholar he has finally been taken off cold cases and given some current crimes to investigate when Emma, his girlfriend, finds a body of a young girl, a victim of a particularly violent hit and run, near the laboratory where she works.
Eager to take the case, despite the obvious inappropriateness, Cormac finds himself in hot water with his superiors again when Emma goes from the person reporting the crime, to a witness and then, to a suspect.
The girl’s body is not able to be identified at first and I liked how Reilly basically had to solve the case of who it was before he even got to work on the whodunnit part.
I thought that in The Ruin, McTiernan concentrated too much on the secondary characters, especially the victim's partner, rather than focusing on Reilly. This time around there were still a couple of scenes from other characters’ point of views but it felt a little more balanced. If I was editing, I would have still probably cut the [told from a minor character's point of view] prologue though. Again, I just want more Cormac. And Carrie actually. Carrie, a fellow garda, is much more interesting than Emma. I’d found Emma quite enigmatic and a tad boring in The Ruin and after reading The Scholar, my opinion has changed only slightly.
Tom, another character from The Ruin, popped up in The Scholar in a cameo type role and I really enjoyed his inclusion. I would have been happy with less Emma and more Tom actually!
I was pleased to see that McTiernan finally expanded on the hints about Emma's background, however, and gave us the whole story. (I would have felt so cheated if we’d been kept in the dark for another book.) I thought the way Emma’s story came to light was quite natural - no big info dump towards the end of the book thankfully!
I must add that The Scholar can be read completely as a stand alone. Even though I’m referencing things from the first book, it was all explained adequately that, if you really wanted to skip The Ruin and jump right in, you could understand the plot. I would, of course, recommend reading The Ruin though; it's a good book.
I did find the amount of time that Cormac and co took to solve one particular part of the crime a little odd and frustrating. It was obvious from the get-go. I’m not sure if it was supposed to be a twist to the plot but, if it was, it wasn’t very tricky.
The Irish setting is again enjoyable. McTiernan struck a nice balance here too. One good example was the scene when Cormac and his team had to liaise with the Northern Ireland police which made me blink and realise I was really reading a book set in a different country.
All in all, I really enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.
The Ruin is a fantastic debut by Irish/Aussie writer McTiernan.
DI Cormac (great name!) Reilly has just moved to Galway and is finding things quite diThe Ruin is a fantastic debut by Irish/Aussie writer McTiernan.
DI Cormac (great name!) Reilly has just moved to Galway and is finding things quite different from his former workplace in Dublin.
A young man’s, Jack, body is found and the garda instantly suggest it was suicide. Jack’s girlfriend, Aisling, and his sister, the wonderful character Maude, insist there was foul play. Instead of listening to their reasons and investigating further, Cormac’s boss asks him to look into Jack and Maude’s mother’s death from twenty years previous. As readers, we had already read about her death in a [creepy gothic-like] flashback prologue as young Cormac had been the first officer on the scene.
The handling of Jack’s case brings Cormac to the realisation that his new fellow garda are either incompetent or corrupt. Neither prospect sounds great to him, and a lot of the book has him (and us!) continuing to wonder just who he can trust.
I really enjoyed how McTiernan managed to get Cormac on the trail of Jack’s murderer without his boss actually appointing him to the case. However, I must admit, this also led him to being occasionally outdone by the [mostly female] characters who were investigating in a non-official capacity. I had mixed emotions about this. I mean, I loved the strong female characters but I instantly loved Cormac and wanted to read more scenes featuring him. (He did a much better job at solving another cold case he is working on before Jack’s death, I'm happy to report.)
I also had a lot of mixed emotions about the amount of child abuse portrayed in the book. Even though there was nothing graphic as such, it got to be a little harrowing (and I’ve actually decided to read some romantic fluff before I dive into the second book in the series). It also got to be a little silly in the end when it was revealed yet another major character was the victim of child abuse at the hands of the foster/care system. It was this and the rest of the ending that brought my rating back by one star.
Yes, the ending. It wasn’t Gone Girl awful but it did make me screw my face up a little. Not at the reveal of whodunnit particularly, just at the revelation of their background. Without spoiling, I thought it became just too far fetched to think such psychopathic tendencies could remain unchecked for so long.
I’m also a little torn on McTiernan’s style of writing the story from more than only her hero’s point of view. It meant, as I said, that some of the crime was solved by people other than Cormac and I’m still undecided on whether or not I found this a good idea. However, it really makes the reader care about the lives of the victim’s friends and family, thus raising the anxiety levels when they’re threatened and/or placed in dangerous situations! And I wouldn’t be averse to some of them popping up again in future books -- even though I doubt that will happen.
One character who will pop up again is Cormac’s girlfriend, Emma. Unfortunately I found her a bit of a meh character. I had to check and re-check I was reading the first in the series when it came to Cormac’s interactions with and thoughts of her. Obviously there’s some huge back story and McTiernan only gave us a few hints about it. I found this an interesting move -- setting up a prequel during the first book of a series!
I loved the Irish setting. At times it was depressing -- the poverty, the archaic attitudes and restrictive laws even in the time it was set (2013) -- but it was also atmospheric and I adored imagining the dialogue read with an Irish accent.
I recommend reading and look forward to the second in the series. 4 1/2 out of 5...more
Audible offered Normal People as a free read to their members, so I snapped it up, knowing it was on everyone’s ‘must read’ list last year and had jusAudible offered Normal People as a free read to their members, so I snapped it up, knowing it was on everyone’s ‘must read’ list last year and had just been made into a TV show. I did think everyone loved the book and only after checking it out did I realise that this wasn't quite the case. In fact, the book seems to have elicited starkly differing opinions, with most reviewers either totally loving it or totally hating it. Now that I’m finished, I feel like I’m sitting somewhere in between.
I started by loving it. The first probably 25% of the book completely captivated me and I couldn’t wait to get back into the car so I could listen some more. Then, somewhere along the line, it all became repetitive and frustrating.
Our leads are Connell and Marianne who, since high school, have been involved in an on again/off again relationship. That last part is one of my issues with the book. Just how many times can you read about two characters breaking up and getting back together before it becomes tedious? Let me tell you, maybe twice would have been preferable to the amount of times it happens in Normal People (seriously, I lost count).
Another major issue I had was the submissive characterisation of Marianne. Okay, I get that the point of the story (I think) is to question what is normal. What seems abnormal to me is ordinary to others etc etc. Maybe I’m too old and vanilla but I just couldn’t appreciate the series of destructive relationships Marianne was part of. I’m sorry, there’s nothing sexy to me about beating or choking your partner, sister, or child. I guess I could have accepted all this ‘normal’ if there had been some epiphany towards the end for Marianne but…
The ending… I have read some books with bad endings in my time but this one was simply abysmal. I can’t even… If I’d read this in book format, I would have assumed there were pages ripped out. If this is how you finish a high art literary piece, I’ll take a cheap piece of pulp any day. Awful.
After about that magic 25% mark, I also thought the plot dwindled and mostly centred around the sex lives of the characters. I’m a little mystified at how they have managed to portray this on screen without it being simply porn. Oh, there are some worthy themes Rooney is trying to get the reader to contemplate but I feel like she never really presented them in a way that worked for me. For example, she has one character diagnosed with depression and then… That’s it. It’s hardly mentioned again. So, the theme of acceptance that it is a medical condition is there but never really fully realised.
The other thing that got on my nerves was the way Rooney jumps around with the time setting. 'Five minutes later' is followed by 'seven months later' with four flashbacks in between. It just adds to the frustration of whether or not Marianne and Connell are together or broken up again!
Upon reading other people’s reviews, I found out that the book is written without quotation marks. Ugh. I did at least avoid this madness by listening to the audio version. And the narrator did have a lovely Irish accent which added to the setting maybe more than Rooney’s prose!
Overall, I really liked this book for quite a while but then it just went into a downward spiral so I’ve settled on a rating of 2, maybe 2 ½ out of 5. ...more
I loved Griffin’s last book, The Flower Arrangement, so when I had the opportunity to review her new release, The Memory Shop, I jumped at it. And I’mI loved Griffin’s last book, The Flower Arrangement, so when I had the opportunity to review her new release, The Memory Shop, I jumped at it. And I’m happy to report that The Memory Shop was just as good, if not better, as that earlier novel.
There’s a lot of similarities between the two books.
In The Flower Arrangement the main setting is a romantic and charming florist. I said in my review of The Flower Arrangement that the shop gave Griffin an opportunity to gift us with the most beautiful flower porn. This time Griffin demonstrates her brilliant descriptive prose again by detailing antiques and window displays. I love that Griffin steers clear of the usual food porn and uses something unique and surprisingly satisfying. Yeah, who knew that there could ever be antique porn or shop window porn? Or that a reader could enjoy it so much.
Both books also have a chick-lit multitude of characters who cross paths in a Love Actually type way. All get their moment in the spotlight but my particular favourites were Nora, the central character and owner of the antique shop, and Fiona, who owns the cafe next door.
The individual stories are romantic, sad, and poignant, and include some topical issues such as domestic violence and alcoholism.
There are some happy endings for the characters, but not all the threads are neatly tied in the end, prompting me to hope for a sequel using some of the extra characters.
Griffin used the Irish setting a little more fully this time around, but I would argue that it again never stood out for me as particularly important. I wonder if Griffin’s descriptions of the shops are so draining that she has little left for her home country.
Another similarity between the book is their gorgeous covers. I’m sure many will want the print version on their shelf. There’s just so much pretty.
If you’re looking for a book to gift someone, The Memory Shop would be perfect.
Lee at ReadWriteWish
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