Books: Deep beneath us

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Deep Beneath Us by Catriona McPherson is a thoroughly good book, difficult to put down – a very complete novel with a satisfying ending.

Having lost her job, her house, and custody of her son after a divorce, Tabitha Muir returns to her childhood home in Scotland’s Hiskith and thinks this must be rock bottom – but worse is to come.

An unplanned explosion at the dam on the loch and the suspicious death of her beloved cousin Davey force Tabitha to confront her past demons. Is her cousin’s death just another dark episode in the Muir family’s tragic history? Davey’s closest friends, Gordo and Barrett, help Tabitha try to answer the questions around Davey’s death and Tabitha discovers that nothing she thought she knew about herself and those around her is true . . .

A bleak but with a resilient and ultimately irrepressible protagonist, this novel is ultimately uplifting and affirming. Some of the twists and turns, many of them, are dark and tragic and funny… but in the end, Tabitha is content and so was I. The book was a gently read, intriguing and enjoyable, evocative and at times confronting, but well worth the read. I enjoyed this book very much.

Beans: Coffee and its bad boy reputation

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From time to time we read that a medical expert has said we must drink less or even no coffee and then we read something else that says it’s OK. So, which is it? Bad Boy Coffee or Good Boy?

Here’s a link to an opinion piece in The Guardian which may help (or not).

Through the winter and spring, I’ve spent a lot of time reading and drinking coffee, here…

…so how can coffee here be anything but good?

Books: The Sea Cemetery

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Aslak Nore’s The Sea Cemetery is a masterfully crafted literary thriller that immerses readers in a convoluted yet intriguing tale of overwhelming family wealth, secrets, and more secrets.

The Sea Cemetery by Aslak Nore

Set near Oslo and Bergen in Norway, the novel explores the complexities of the wealthy Falck family as they navigate a tangled, or perhaps intricately woven, web of inheritance disputes, historical mysteries, and vendettas.

The Sea Cemetery’s intricately woven plot is at once challenging and compelling, and kept me turning pages quickly until the very end. The story unfolds with the death of the family matriarch, whose lack of a will sets off a chain of events that unearth long-buried secrets and scandals spanning generations. From the patriarch’s marriage to a working-class girl (who becomes the family’s matriarch), to the sinking of the SS Prinsesse Ragnhild during World War II and clandestine dealings with the Nazis, to intriguing behaviour by a lone wolf agent in Iraq, on behalf of the Norwegian government’s war on terror, the novel is filled with twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the very last page.

The Sea Cemetery is an absorbing and enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of literary thrillers and epic family sagas. With its rich collection of characters, evocative setting, and absorbing plot, this novel is truly remarkable.

Books: Hard Contact

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Hard Contact by Cameron Curtis is a gripping thriller that hooked from the very first page and didn’t let go until the last page.

Hard Contact by Cameron Curtis

The story is about the hijacking of The Medusa, a freighter off the Greek coast and, more importantly the theft of the ship’s cargo – two billion dollars’ worth of gold bullion. The protagonist, Breed, is recruited by the CIA’s deputy director, Anya Stein, to find the Medussa and recover the gold. The story begins with Breed climbing aboard what turns out to be a pirate-ship anchored in a harbour, being discovered by its crew and him escaping underwater. Breed and Stein apply their military and spy experience (and some super-technology provided by friends in the government) to find the pirates, the ship and its cargo. The plot is well-crafted, with plenty of action, suspense and surprises. And of course, the setting, the Greek Islands and a clifftop monastery were picturesque (in my imagination). I thoroughly recommend Hard Contact to all readers of action-thrillers.

Books: Death at St Jude’s

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I really enjoyed reading Death at Jude’s, the latest whodunnit by Mary Grand, and all of the characters in it.

The story is very well constructed and very well written. It’s an excellent example of the ‘cozy mystery’ genre and is set on Isle of Wight. Susan, the story’s recently-divorced amateur detective is a dog-lover who thought she’d left crime-solving behind when she moved to the Bishopstone village where she is a volunteer helper at the local school and an enthusiastic member of the choir at St Jude’s Church. During a choir committee meeting the village school’s head teacher, Lawrence, has a shocking announcement that will mean the talented choir master whose contacts would help the choir generate much-needed money for the church building, will have to leave the village. Late that night, Lawrence falls from the church tower to his untimely death and when the police decide it was an accident (or perhaps suicide), Susan realizes she must assume the detective role to find the village’s murderer from among the many likely suspects. If you’re into well-written, well-constructed murder mystery/whodunnits with a small-town vibe, this one’s definitely worth a read.