maryfelicep's reviews
49 reviews

Someone to Watch Over You by Kumi Kimura

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A short but disturbing story set during COVID-19 in Japan, about 2 individuals who are both living a sad, solitary existence in a world fragmented by fear caused by the pandemic. Shinobu is a former security guard and Tae a former teacher.  They are both trying to escape a past where through different circumstances, they were accused of causing the death of another person.  Tae hires Shinobu to assist her with some work at home and they form a strange bond of sorts, sharing her home while keeping physical and psychological distance from each other.

This novella really is a curiously disturbing read and the author does a brilliant job of building an oppressive atmosphere.  It's a great study of isolation in circumstances that have created paranoia and distrust in the community and describes how 2 people come together to live in awkward circumstances, choosing to minimize their interactions and communicate mostly through non-verbal means. 

Murder Italian Style by Diane Vallere

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Samantha and her husband head off to beautiful Italy to vacation with her father in law.  Little do they know he's brought them there under false pretences, to help solve a 26 year old murder which which resulted in Pasquale, an innocent man, being jailed.  Samantha's host, still in love with the Pasquale all this time,  begs her help to find the truth.

While I don't mind a light-hearted, cosy mystery every now and again, especially set in such a beautiful part of the world, this one left me feeling flat and disappointed.  The characters all felt a little cliched and Samantha's 'plan' to get to the bottom of such an old case and find the true culprit was naive and not believable. I also felt frustrated as some of the snippets of Italian vocabulary used throughout the book were not grammatically correct.  Not good when you know the language.  They were distracting to read and  should have been picked up as part of the editing of the book.  ⭐ ⭐

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Gravewater Lake by A.M. Strong, Sonya Sargent

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A woman wakes by the shore of a freezing cold lake, wet and shivering, with no memory of who she is and how she got there.  She makes her way to the lights of a nearby house where she is kindly taken in by a man who opens the door to her.  When a winter storm cuts them off from the outside world, she is forced to stay with him until the weather improves.  However, as the days pass, she begins to feel that not everything is as it seems, including her rescuer.  As she begins to experience flashes of memory, she becomes increasingly fearful about the sinister presence she feels around her and is convinced she's in danger.  But who from? 

Told in 2 timelines, this well paced psychological thriller was atmospheric and tense.  The storyline kept me guessing and the twist towards the end was unexpected. The short chapters added to the tension and kept me turning the pages, finishing this book in a couple of days. A recommended read for fans of a good psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for my opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐

Murder in Covent Garden by Anita Davison

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Set in the tumultuous time of WWI, Hannah Merrill runs a bookshop with her Aunt Violet in Covent Garden.  Although a safe area, there's been a recent spate of burglaries and when a kind, elderly jeweller is found murdered in his shop, Hannah feels she must use her skills to help the police find the culprit, especially when she saw a stranger arguing with the victim the day before.  When the stranger turns out to be one of the policemen assigned to investigate the crime, Hannah ropes in her friends to help her find out the truth, even going undercover into a 'gentleman's club' to track what happened to the stolen jewels.  

A fun, light-hearted murder mystery read about a young, headstrong, independent woman and her suffragette aunt, who both love to push the conventions of the time. 
 Wonderful characters you can't help but love and a great plot with a few twists along the way to keep you turning the pages. An easy and entertaining read which is part of a series by this author - I look forward to reading more books in this series.  ⭐⭐⭐.5 

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book and an opportunity to review it.  Publication date is 14 March 2025.

The Black Swan Mystery by Tetsuya Ayukawa

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The owner of a local mill is found murdered alongside a railway track and suspicion falls on the Workers' Union which has been striking because of a labour dispute.While the police are called in to investigate, another man is found murdered and it's feared the killer has struck again and then again.

This murder mystery was originally written many years ago and is set in 1960s Japan, and but recently translated into English.  It's an enjoyable murder mystery, filled with a number of devious twists that keep you guessing and turning the pages.  Cleverly written, the storyline's unique setting kept me engaged and interested throughout the entire book.  I enjoyed the characters and how the plot all came together, and did not guess the outcome at all. The only thing that confused me a little about the book was the insertion of maps and train timetables within the pages, which didn't necessarily add to the storyline and which I felt interrupted the flow a little.

A recommended read.  Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Prima Facie by Suzie Miller

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Tessa works as a criminal defence barrister.  She's good at what she does and has faith in the legal system.  Until one night when she is sexually assaulted by a colleague. Although determined to have her day in court she soon faces the realization that the system doesn't always protect the victims and justice isn't always served. 

While the first half of the book spends a great deal of time detailing Tess's working class background and life story, the second half keeps you gripped by a story that makes you feel both anger and despair.  It's realistically told with a powerful ending that is painful to read.  Such an important subject that resulted in lengthy considered discussion at our book club.  A recommended read 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

12 months ago, Kirby Cornell lost her job and moved to the small town of Crowhurst to live with a bunch of messy housemates. She spent her days navigating her boring, dead-end job and avoiding her sleazy landlord. This all changed when super-sleuth Esme moved in temporarily with them to investigate an infamous series of murders which occurred in the town 30 years ago.  Esme uses her social media platform to get to the truth about whether the killer died as was believed at the time.  She believes he's still out there. 

Fast forward a year and Esme is dead.  Despite this, she starts messaging everyone via their group chat.  As each flatmate leaves the group chat , they die a horrible death.   Kirby is left to find out who is behind the killing before she becomes the next victim. 

A fun contemporary murder mystery with it's modern take on amateur sleuthing, with a strong focus on the use of social media.  It's a fast-paced, easy read.  I enjoyed the twists in the storyline and while I guessed where some of the story was heading, it was still very enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

The Herd by Emily Edwards

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Elizabeth keeps a close eye on her daughter's health to the point of paranoia as Clemmie can't be vaccinated due to the seizures she suffered as a baby. She doesn't want Clemmie mixing with any unvaccinated children and can't understand why Bry tolerates her hippie friends who are anti-vaxers.  What Elizabeth doesn't know is that Bry refuses to vaccinate her daughter because her older brother's health suffered due to his vaccinations as a baby.  At least, that's the story Bry's mother has always told her.

When a number of measles cases occur in the area, both Elizabeth and Bry's daughters become unwell.  One child recovers and the other is left with devastating injuries which causes a huge fall out between the families and irreparable damage to the women's friendship. 

A great read dealing with a current, highly emotive and polarizing issue.  The story explores both sides of the vaccination argument fearlessly, including discussions about previously inaccurate beliefs about the dangers of vaccination.  There are a number of characters scattered throughout the story with differing views on the issue however the author presented the current medical evidence in a reasoned manner.    A book that will no doubt fuel some interesting discussions

Dusk by Robbie Arnott

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

A puma named Dusk is killing people in this highlands.  When a bounty is offered, twins Iris and Floyd are desperate for work and join in the hunt to kill the beast. Having been raised by escaped convict parents, they haven't had the best start and their parents' reputation stains any attempt they have to live a decent life. Despite having no weapons and Floyd's physical limitations, they're determined to catch the beast.  While in the highlands, Iris begins to feel an incredible connection to the land.  Their journey to track Dusk is perilous and the story takes a few turns before its unexpected climax.

Dusk is a wonderful, award-winning story written by Australian writer Robbie Arnott.  Arnott weaves a magical picture of the beauty of the highlands so clearly that you can see it in front of you.  Such wonderful writing.  I'm embarrassed to say this is my first Arnott read but I will definitely be going back for more.

The Nowhere Child by Christian White

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Imagine one day you're approached at work by a stranger who is convinced you were kidnapped 26 years ago, as a 2 year old child and raised by another family.  This happens to Kim Leamy who can't believe the mother and step dad who raised her would have been capable of committing such a terrible act.  Having lost her mother to cancer, and after hearing compelling evidence, she travels to the US to meet her 'real' family and try to solve the mystery surrounding her abduction.  

This is Christian White's debut novel which Erin several awards including the Victorian Premier's Literary Award and I can see why!  A well-written thriller which draws you in from the first pages and keeps you reading right through to the end.  The alternate chapters for between the present and the past, slowly revealing more about the characters and story.  A great read by an Australian author which I would definitely recommend