Book Reviews – Page 8 – Home

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I am excited to be bringing you one of my favourite reads so far this year – Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood.

As usual, I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

Death Comes To Marlow Plot:

This book is the second in the Marlow Murder Club series by Death In Paradise writer, Robert Thorogood. It has some of the best mystery elements, an expensive manor house, a locked room mystery and every suspect has an alibi. For me personally I love these types of mystery stories because it is all about the puzzle, I knew pretty much from the beginning who the murderer was but the fun for me was figuring out how they did it.

Death Comes To Marlow Characters:

The three main characters in this novel are Judith, Suzie and Becks. Three woman who, in other circumstances, should not get along as well as they do. Their relationship is started in the first book in the series but it gets developed much more in this novel. I love how each character is so different, there are parts about each of them that can grate on me but it is balanced out by their brilliant amateur detective skills.

Death Comes to Marlow Writing and Dialogue:

The writing style Thorogood uses is extremely cosy which is the style I think fits this type of mystery best, it stops the darkness of the crime overtaking the whole novel and lets it stay enjoyable.

Death Comes to Marlow Overall:

I gave this book four stars overall because I thoroughly enjoyed it, even more than the first book in the series.

Blurb/Synopsis:

It’s been an enjoyable and murder-free time for Judith, Suzie and Becks – AKA the Marlow Murder Club – since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the river Thames the day before the wedding, and Judith and Co. are looking forward to a bit of free champagne.

But during the soiree, there’s a crash from inside the house, and when the Marlow Murder Club rush to investigate, they are shocked to find the groom-to-be crushed to death in his study.

The study was locked from the inside, so the police don’t consider the death suspicious. But Judith disagrees. As far as she’s concerned, Peter was murdered! And it’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find the killer before he or she strikes again…

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Very Merry Murder Club by Robin Stevens and Serena Patel

January 23, 2023December 30, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. I am bringing you a book review for one of the books I read in December, The Very Merry Murder Club.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not give any spoilers.

The Very Merry Murder Club Plot:

The very merry murder club is a collection of thirteen short stories set around winter and christmas with a murder/mystery element to the plot. Each of the stories in this collection are very different to each other but thoroughly enjoyable. Two of my favourites were the one about the burglar mother and the other favourite was the one about the mixed up music with two dance groups.

Because of all the different stories I can’t really comment on the characters the way I usually do in my reviews.

The Very Merry Murder Club Writing and Dialogue:

I like to judge the writing in books on the speed I read the books and in this case I flew through the book while travelling by coach to London a while back. It was so easy to just keep reading, even though each story was written by different people I hardly noticed which I think is a good sign.

The Very Merry Murder Club Overall:

I really enjoyed this book, it was perfect for reading in the winter months so that is why I gave it four stars.

Blurb/Synopsis:

A wintery middle grade mystery collection of short stories by thirteen of the most exciting and diverse authors in children’s books today!

Co-edited by Serena Patel, the award-winning author of the Anisha: Accidental Detective series and by Robin Stevens, author of the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike series.

Sleuthing through the snow, on a merry mysterious day, in disguise we go, investigating all the way . . .

This gorgeous Christmas hardback gift of a collection brings together thirteen of the bestselling, award-winning and exciting debut authors: Abiola Bello, Annabelle Sami, Benjamin Dean, E.L. Norry, Elle McNicoll, Dominique Valente, Joanna Williams, Maisie Chan, Nizrana Farook, Patrice Lawrence, Roopa Farooki, Serena Patel and Sharna Jackson.

Join them as part of the Very Merry Murder Club as they lead you on a snow-covered wintery journey of Christmassy crimes, festive foul play and murderously magnificent mysteries!

Book Reviews, Uncategorized

Book Review: The Magic Faraway Tree by Jacqueline Wilson

January 16, 2023December 30, 2022 theblindscribe

happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. Today I am bringing you the book review for The Magic Far-away Tree by Jacquline Wilson.

I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

The magic faraway tree plot:

This is a modern take on Enid Blyton’ original series, following a similar plot of a family moving to the cottage and discovering the faraway tree and the lands that appear at the top. For me there was too much that just didn’t work about this story, it comes down to the feeling and it didn’t give me the same feeling as the original series did.

The magic faraway tree characters:

the characters follow the same idea as the original series, one older boy and two younger sisters but I felt that in this book they could have been made into more shapely characters, they felt very 2D. Silky, moon face and the people at the faraway tree were just as great as they were in the original series.

The magic faraway tree writing and dialogue:

The writing was great in this book, it was full of the same kind of magic that you expect in childrens fantasy stories.

The magic faraway tree overall:

overall I thought this book was fine but not as good as the original series was better.

Discover the Magic Faraway Tree and explore the amazing lands it can lead to! An irresistible new story by bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson, set in a much-loved world.

Three kids, Milo, Mia and Birdy, are on a countryside holiday when they wander into an Enchanted Wood. Among the whispering leaves, there is a beautiful tree that stands high above the rest. The Magic Faraway Tree is home to remarkable creatures including a fairy called Silky, her best friend Moonface and more. Birdy is delighted to find that fairies are real. Even her older brother and sister are soon won over by the magic of the Faraway Tree and the extraordinary places they discover above it, including the Land of Unicorns. But not every land is so much fun. Danger looms in the Land of Dragons. Will Moonface’s magic work in time to save the children?

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton was Jacqueline Wilson’s own favourite book as a young child. Now Britain’s favourite contemporary children’s author, creator of Hetty Feather and Tracy Beaker, revisits this glorious magical world, weaving a brand-new story perfect for the next generation of young readers. Discover the magic!

that’s it for this book review I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Reviews

Book Review: the real life murder clubs by Nicola Stow

January 9, 2023December 30, 2022 theblindscribe

happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today, I am bringing you a review for the latest book I have read which is the real life murder clubs by Nicola Stow.

as usual I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one and I will try to keep this as spoiler free as possible.

The real murder clubs plot:

This book is all about the real life cases that have been solved by amateur sleuths through the internet and it appeared at the exact moment I needed it in my research for my PhD. It is a raw and honest account of exactly what happens to the amateur sleuths involved in these stories, they can become obsessed it can take over their whole lives in a pursuit for justice. I’ll be honest I found a lot of moments In this book very emotional.

usually, I’d do a category here about characters but as this is a nonfiction book I can’t for this one.

The real life murder clubs writing and dialogue:

The writing in this book is incredibly moving. Written by a journalist who is completely separate to the people and stories included in this book and yet she captures the feelings they are talking about in an astonishing way.

The real life murder clubs overall:

I gave this book four stars overall because it was enjoyable in the way that something so raw and honest could be.

The story behind real-life clubs of ordinary citizens who come together to solve true crime mysteries—including the sleuths behind Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

In 2019, Netflix had a hit with documentary series Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer. It was based on one of Canada’s most infamous crimes: the 2012 murder of thirty-three-year-old Lin Jun by his porn-star boyfriend, Luka Magnotta, in Montreal. Magnotta filmed himself killing and (apparently) eating parts of his victim; he also mailed Jun’s feet and hands to two Canadian political parties and two elementary schools.

Prior to Jun’s murder, though, Magnotta had anonymously posted online videos of himself killing kittens. Horrified Facebook sleuths worked tirelessly to uncover the kitten-killer’s identity and location. Armchair detective Deanne Thompson, a data analyst for a Vegas casino by day, spent countless hours researching Lithuanian doorknobs, among other things, to help identify items in Magnotta’s videos during her quest to unmask him.

Nicola Stow reveals the fascinating stories behind this and and similar cases in which ordinary citizens, in real-life murder clubs, as in Richard Osman’s bestselling fiction, help to investigate crimes, both recent and cold cases. Includes the cases of Casey Anthony, John Wayne Gacy, JonBenét Ramsey, Golden State Killer, Boston Marathon bombings, and many more.

that’s it for this book review I hope you all enjoyed it.

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Three Dahlias by Katy Watson

November 21, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! What’s better on a rainy Monday morning than a good book review about a cosy mystery.

As always in this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not include any spoilers in the book review. I hope you enjoy it!

The Three Dahlias Plot:

This book combines some of the best elements of Golden Age Detective Fiction/ Cosy Crime genres such as the isolated location, who doesn’t love a murder mystery set in an old manor house, a close knit cast of characters, and a bunch of intriguing twists. The Three Dahlias is based on the three actresses who have, and will have, played the character of Dahlia in different shows and films throughout the years. They come together for a Dahlia convention and then actually find themselves having to work together to solve a crime. I really enjoyed this take on the murder mystery, I haven’t read many novels or actually any that come to mind with three main protagonists but it was a nice way to make the reader feel part of the group.

The Three Dahlias Characters:

As much as I enjoyed each of the three characters individually, I sometimes felt that when they were together in the same scenes they blended into each other and the character development wasn’t as good. However, I still enjoyed the three female main characters being the ones to try and solve the mystery.

The Three Dahlias Writing and Dialogue

I haven’t got much to say for this category because the writing was good, it allowed me to not think about the writing at all because I was engrossed in the story and that is a sign of a good writing style.

The Three Dahlias Overall

I gave this book four stars overall because it was an enjoyable twist on the murder mystery genre.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Three rival actresses team up to solve a murder at the stately home of the author who made them famous – only to discover the solution lies in the stories themselves. A contemporary mystery with a Golden Age feel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Jessica Fellowes.

In attendance: the VIP fans, staying at Aldermere; the fan club president turned convention organizer; the team behind the newest movie adaptation of Davenport’s books; the Davenport family themselves – and the three actresses famous for portraying Lettice’s 1930s detective, Dahlia Lively.

National treasure Rosalind King, from the original movies. TV Dahlia for thirteen seasons, Caro Hooper. And ex-child star Posy Starling, fresh out of the fame wilderness (and rehab) to take on the Dahlia mantle for the new movie.

Each actress has her own interpretation of the character – but this English summer weekend they will have to put aside their differences, as the crimes at Aldermere turns anything but cosy.

When fictional death turns into real bodies, can the three Dahlias find the answers to the murders among the fans, the film crew, the family – or even in Lettice’s books themselves?

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Reviews

Book Review: pride and Premeditation by Tirzah price

October 17, 2022October 7, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. Today I am bringing you my book review for Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price, the first book in a Jane Austen Murder mystery series.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not give any spoilers.

Pride and Premeditation Plot:

This book follows Lizzie Bennett, daughter of a prominent lawyer and determined to prove herself as capable as any man she goes on a quest to solve a high profile murder case. I adored this book, it struck the perfect balance between romance, classic retelling and murder mystery, perfect for me anyway. This book is great for any Austen fans or mystery fans.

Pride and Premeditation Characters:

Lizzie Bennett is a headstrong and fiercely independent and intelligent. Matched with this is Mr Darcy, the lawyer from a rival law firm. I have to say his character grew on me, it both had it’s own uniqueness while reflecting the traditional Mr Darcy he was based on.

Pride and Premeditation Writing and Dialogue:

This is one of the most well written books I have read in 2022. It swept me into the story within the first chapter.

Pride and Premeditation Overall:

Overall I gave this five stars because I cannot tell you in words how much I loved this book. Now excuse me I have to go buy Sense and Second Degree Murder, the next book in the series.

Blurb/Synopsis:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a young woman who desires a law career must be in want of a case. So when sixteen year old Lizzie Bennet hears about a scandalous society murder, she sees an opportunity to prove herself as a solicitor by solving the case and ensuring justice is served.

Except the man accused of the crime already has a lawyer on his side: Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious Pemberley Associates law firm. Lizzie is determined to solve the murder before Darcy can so that she can show the world that a woman can be just as good as a man. (The fact that Darcy is an infuriating snob doesn’t help.) But there’s still a killer on the loose, and as the case gets more complicated, Lizzie and Darcy may have to start working together to avoid becoming the next victims themselves.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it.

Book Reviews

Book Review – By The Book by Amanda Sellett

October 10, 2022October 7, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I read very little in the past few months but a book I did enjoy was By the Book by Amanda Sellett and I am excited today to be bringing you my book review for it.

As usual, in this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not include any spoilers.

By The Book Plot:

This book follows Mary, a classic literature loving girl who feels rather ordinary compared to the rest of her very intelligent family. What I loved most about this book was the clever weaving of literary analogies and quotes throughout the story. As with a lot of the romance genre novels I’ve read, a lot of the conflict is brought about by miscommunication which isn’t my favourite thing to read.

By The Book Characters:

I loved Mary’s brain – the way she references books and their characters and uses that to inspire her friendships group. She is imaginative and I found her attitude and personality relatable on some level.

By The Book Writing and Dialogue:

I enjoyed the style of this novel, its writing was very easy to get lost in it.

By The Book Overall:

Overall, I gave this book four stars because I surprised myself by enjoying it. Of course a romance I would like involves books!

Blurb/Synopsis:

As a devotee of classic novels, Mary Porter-Malcolm knows all about Mistakes That Have Been Made, especially by impressionable young women. So when a girl at her new high school nearly succumbs to the wiles of a notorious cad, Mary starts compiling the Scoundrel Survival Guide, a rundown of literary types to be avoided at all costs.

Unfortunately, Mary is better at dishing out advice than taking it—and the number one bad boy on her list is terribly debonair. As her best intentions go up in flames, Mary discovers life doesn’t follow the same rules as fiction. If she wants a happy ending IRL, she’ll have to write it herself.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you enjoyed it! let me know if you have read this book and what you thought of it.

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

September 19, 2022August 25, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. Today I am bringing you my book review of the Ex Hex by Erin Sterling. I hope you all enjoy it.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to avoid any spoilers.

The Ex Hex Plot:

This book was a fun, witchy contemporary read to split up my reading of murder mysteries and fantasy. This book follows Vivi who, while going through a bad breakup, accidentally curses her ex and then when he comes back to town things start happening. The book did start to take on quite a serious tone towards the end which didn’t really fit the rest of the book in my opinion but most of the plot I did enjoy.

The Ex Hex Characters:

I loved Vivi as a main character, she is witty and sarcastic and a very strong female character, I didn’t always agree with her choices and in her place I definitely wouldn’t have done some of the things she did but I still enjoyed reading her story.

The Ex Hex writing and dialogue:

There’s not a lot for me to say here, only that the pace and tone kept up with the plot very well and the writing was clear.

The Ex Hex overall:

I gave this book four stars overall because it was a fun palette cleanser in the middle of a readathon.

Blurb/Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling, casts a spell with a spine-tingling romance full of wishes, witches, and hexes gone wrong.

Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.

That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.

Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Howling Hag Mystery by Nicki Thornton

September 12, 2022August 25, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I am bringing you my book review of The Howling Hag Mystery – a hint of my opinion before we get into the book review, I am currently trying to sell my copy of this book as I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.

As usual in this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

The Howling Hag Mystery Plot:

First of all, how great is this title? The Howling Hag mystery, some lovely alliteration and imagery. The title didn’t match the plot in my opinion. I ma being generous and giving the plot 3 stars because (this is a few months after reading) while I am writing this review I can barely remember what happened in this book. I was sold on the synopsis, a cat helping solve mysteries, and for me this wasn’t what was happening in the book.

The Howling Hag Mystery Characters:

Again, I know there was a cat and I think there was a girl and a boy as the main characters but I can’t remember, it was all very forgettable for me. I am not trying to be harsh but I do think it is important to share my opinion on this book even though I didn’t enjoy it to be a fair reviewer, and I leave it a while after reading before reviewing so that I can say whether it was a forgettable read or not and for me, this one was.

The Howling Hag mystery Writing and Dialogue:

The writing in this book was pretty good. It is a book aimed at 8-12 I believe but the writing wasn’t too young and as an adult reading it I didn’t feel it was too young for me to be reading it.

The Howling Hag Mystery Overall:

Overall I gave this book three stars because it wasn’t my cup of tea, a younger reader might love it but it definitely wasn’t a new favourite for me.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Raven Charming knows the rules of using magic in the real world. So she is horrified to uncover the worst kind of trickery in her village. Luckily, help is at hand – a sharp-talking black cat called Nightshade with a talent for solving magical mysteries…

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Three Dog Problem by S J Bennett

August 22, 2022August 2, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I am bringing you my book review for The Three Dog Problem by S J Bennett, the sequel to The Windsor Knot.

In this book review I will be giving star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not include any spoilers.

The Three Dog Problem Plot:

This series is sold as a mystery story where the Queen is the one investigating and solving the crime, this isn’t exactly true. It’s the Queen and a few other people so as long as you don’t go in thinking it is only the Queen on her own solving the crime you won’t be disappointed. I quite enjoy how this book series stands out from other books in the mystery genre. I personally enjoyed this second book in the series more than the first book, I think the first book had too many elements and the twists were like sharp corners whereas in this book they were set up a bit more throughout the book which gave you the chance to try and guess what was going to happen.

The Three Dog Problem Characters:

Obviously The Queen is one of the main characters in this series and she is presented very well, the right balance between regal and mischievous. She is the brains of the whole thing even though she doesn’t let everyone in on that secret.

The Three Dog Problem Writing and Dialogue:

I like the writing in this series because it carries a light tone for half of the book and then you feel the tone get darker as you get closer to the reveal and that is something I enjoy in a book, also, the pace changes perfectly in accordance to the plot.

The Three Dog Problem Overall:

I gave this book four stars overall because I really enjoy the difference from other books in the genre and how the mystery unfolds in each book.

Blurb/Synopsis

In the wake of a referendum which has divided the nation, the last thing the Queen needs is any more problems to worry about. But when an oil painting of the Royal Yacht Britannia – first given to the Queen in the 1960s – shows up unexpectedly in a Royal Navy exhibition, she begins to realise that something is up.

When a body is found in the Palace swimming pool, she finds herself once again in the middle of an investigation which has more twists and turns than she could ever have suspected. With her trusted secretary Rozie by her side, the Queen is determined to solve the case. But will she be able to do it before the murderer strikes again?

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!