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Category: Mystery

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

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A long time ago I learned that authors get paid to write reviews of other authors’ works, which I thought was disappointing because I liked to believe that authors are giving an honest opinion when they write their reviews and are not influenced by monetary gain. But after seeing the praise for The Hitchcock Hotel from the likes of Riley Sager, Alex Michaelides and A. J. Finn, I am convinced that authors are pocketing money as they trick us into reading crappy books, because The Hitchcock Hotel is not a good novel.

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The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman

The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman

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I wanted to read The Shadow Key for a few reasons: 1) It is historical fiction 2) It is a gothic story 3) It is also a mystery 4) It is set in Wales. I ended up really enjoying it. It is predictable, but it still managed to surprise me. It straddles the line between realism and the supernatural without tipping over definitively into either side. I think readers who typically avoid reading supernatural stories may enjoy this one.

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Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

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I decided to read Remarkably Bright Creatures because it features an octopus detective. Yes, you read that right. An octopus that is a detective. Remarkably Bright Creatures turned out to be an incredibly sweet story about friendship, family and hope, with an ending that made me feel both sad and happy. I highly recommend this novel if you are looking for a cozy read.

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The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

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The Last Garden in England is the perfect novel if you are looking for something low conflict, and where all the characters get a happy ending. If you are a fan of Kate Morton’s novels, then you will most likely enjoy this one. It kind of reminded me of Morton’s The Forgotten Garden, except Morton’s stories have a darker edge to them. The Last Garden in England has an okay story, but it really is not engaging due to its predictability and because the author only skims the surface of the issues the characters face.

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The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

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The title of Stuart Turton’s third novel, The Last Murder at the End of the World, sounds compelling, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, I did not find the murder mystery aspect of this novel to be very compelling, which is too bad because I love a good mystery. There are other aspects of the novel that I did find interesting, though, but it may not be reason enough to read this novel if you are not already a fan of Turton’s.

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One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole

One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole

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One of Us Knows is the second novel that I have read by Alyssa Cole. The first was When No One is Watching, which I read before I started this blog. Both novels explore the horrors of racism. When No One is Watching is about the sinister gentrification of a Brooklyn neighbourhood. I liked it enough that I wanted to read Cole’s next thriller, One of Us Knows, but I somehow missed in the synopsis that the protagonist has dissociative identity disorder (DID – formerly known as multiple personality disorder), which almost stopped me from reading it as I feel that DID is a sensitive subject matter that not many people take seriously. However, my curiosity won out and I ended up being completely engrossed by this novel.

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Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

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Where Sleeping Girls Lie is Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s second novel, after her debut Ace of Spades. I have pretty much gravitated away from YA novels, but I decided to give Àbíké-Íyímídé’s second novel a chance because I liked Ace of Spades and I appreciate that her YA fiction is grounded in realism. Unfortunately, I was not as engrossed by Where Sleeping Girls Lie as I was by Ace of Spades. I feel as though this novel is lacking something, and after pondering over it, I have concluded that it is because the characters are somewhat bland.

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Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

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Listen for the Lie is Amy Tintera’s adult debut novel. I have read some of her YA novels, The Ruined Trilogy, but I honestly do not remember much about them (oops). I decided to read Listen for the Lie because it sounds interesting and has been getting good reviews. I think Listen of the Lie is an entertaining and easy read (I read it in one weekend) that is perfect for fans of the mystery genre.

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Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh

Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh

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Ottessa Moshfegh is the author of the darkly funny and bizarre My Year of Rest and Relaxation, which I read back in 2022 and enjoyed. This inspired me to read Moshfegh’s Death in Her Hands, which I came across in the bargain section at my local independent bookstore. I did not enjoy Death in Her Hands. It is one of those books where the idea is better than the execution.

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Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

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I was initially put off by Starling House because of the “Reese’s Book Club” decal on the cover1. However, I kept seeing this book on different websites with good reviews, and it is described as a gothic novel – a genre that is like catnip to me – so I knew I had to read it. Although this book did not turn out to be as creepily gothic as I hoped, I found Starling House to be an entertaining read.

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