Category: Five Favourite

I read twelve books in January. Well, it’s a long month isn’t it and what else is there to do when it’s cold and wet outside?  Below are  my five favourite. Links from each title will take you to my review (or the book description on Goodreads if I’ve not yet published my review). You can find a list of all the books I’ve read so far in 2023 here.  If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

My thanks to Head of Zeus, Zaffre, Orenda Books, riverrun and Headline for providing me with review copies, including via NetGalley.

Bellatrix by Simon Turney (Head of Zeus) – A completely immersive journey back to 25BC for fans of action-packed, richly detailed and fast-paced historical fiction.

The English Führer by Rory Clements (Zaffre) – Gripping post-WW2 crime thriller featuring Cambridge Professor Tom Wilde, the latest in a series that just keeps getting better and better.

Where Roses Never Die by Gunnar Staalesen (Orenda Books) – Skilfully crafted crime novel, the eighteenth book in the series featuring Norwegian PI Varg Veum.

A Winter Grave by Peter May (riverrun) – Compelling futuristic thriller set against the backdrop of climate change.

Dead of Night by Simon Scarrow (Headline) – Dark crime thriller set in WW2 Berlin.

What were your favourite books last month? Have you read any of my picks?

Like many others, I expect, December was a slower than usual reading month for me. I read eight books of which those below were my five favourite. Links from each title will take you to my review. You can find a list of all the books I read in 2022 here.  If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

My thanks to Penguin UK, Gallic Books, HQ, Head of Zeus and Allison & Busby for providing me with review copies, including via NetGalley.

The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually by Helen Cullen (Penguin) – A powerful, insightful and moving story about family relationships with moments of humour too and an uplifting ending.

Devils and Saints by Jean-Baptiste Andrea (Gallic Books) – A touching, beautifully told story of endurance, friendship and hope.

The Darlings of the Asylum by Noel O’Reilly (HQ) – A dark tale of obsession and the desire for self-expression, rich in atmosphere and with a real Gothic flavour.

Resurrection by David Gilman (Head of Zeus) – An absolutely gripping, action-packed contemporary spy thriller that takes the reader from the unforgiving Sahara desert to the dangerous ‘Shanghai slums’ of Moscow.

The Girl from Simon’s Bay by Barbara Mutch (Allison & Busby) – A moving love story set against the backdrop of war and social upheaval in South Africa.

What were your favourite books last month? Have you read any of my picks?