Tag Archives: suspense

Books: The ends of things

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The ends of things by Sandra Chwialkowska is a first-class read and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fast, easy read with easy-to-like characters, a charmingly unobtrusive setting and a twisty plot and excellent writing.

The ends of things by  Sandra Chwialkowska

I really enjoyed Laura as the main character (perhaps there’s a little of Laura in most of us) and found myself cheering her on from the beginning. Her desire to explore the world, but not having the courage to go alone felt relatable, so when she jumps at the chance to go on a romantic trip with her new-ish boyfriend (colleague – which must mean trouble, doesn’t Laura know the oldest rule?) Dave, I was rooting for Laura. And sure enough, Dave turns out to be a creep. I wasn’t at all keen on him, especially as the story progressed, and honestly, I was pretty disappointed he got away with all his shady behavior without any real consequences. There was definitely a moment where I thought he might’ve even been responsible for Diana’s disappearance. Diana was a single guest at the couples resort that Dave and Laura had come to for a few days of vacation.

Diana and Laura go hiking while Dave does work with the hotel owner/manager. Diana goes missing, there are creepy characters who make excellent suspects, the police are involved, Laura loses her job for contacting the police and initiating bad PR for the hotel which is a client of her and Dave’s law firm… Things aren’t looking good when Dave flies home without Laura, Luara is ‘requested’ by the police to stay on the island and seems to have made herself a suspect in Diana’s disappearance. Let’s leave the plot there in case I reveal too much.

Speaking of Diana, she remains a total enigma to me, but strangely, I’m okay with that. The mystery surrounding her really added to the story’s tension. Even though I was left with questions, her presence (and eventual absence) kept me hooked. Laura’s obsession with uncovering what happened to Diana felt so real and intense, and I loved how the seemingly perfect vacation turned into a nightmare where nothing was as it seemed.

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.