29 October 2017

The Last Anniversary - Liane Moriarty

Rating: ✫✫

So, I should start by pointing out that I've read a lot of Liane Moriarty's books. Since I first read What Alice Forgot, I looked for her other novels, and I've found that she's a really good go-to author when I want something easy to read, but well written. I loved Big Little Lies and The Husband's Secret, and I've also enjoyed other novels that she has published.

This being said, I have to admit that I didn't enjoy this anywhere near as well as her others. This could be reflected in the fact that it is one of her earlier works; the plot didn't appear to me as well structured as some of her other stories, and the characters didn't appear to have any sort of development (or in many cases, any redeeming qualities!). The idea was altogether very interesting and unusual, but the plot took too long to develop, and the characters weren't particularly endearing. It is definitely my least favourite, and so I can only give it two stars. It was easy to read, and there were some great aspects, but I was quite disappointed overall.



Introduction

Sophie Honeywell gets a shock when, out of the blue, her ex-boyfriend Thomas gets in touch and tells her his Aunt Connie has left her a house. Remembering how she left Thomas right when he was on the verge of proposing to her, Sophie is in two minds about accepting the house. After reading the letter Connie left her, however, she decides to move into the house, which is on Scribbly Gum Island.

Scribbly Gum Island has a lot of history already. Connie and her sister Rose are famous for having found a baby girl in a house many years ago, abandoned by her parents, Alice and Jack Munro. Amidst this mystery, they adopted the baby, later to be called Enigma, and made a living allowing tourists into the famous house where she had been left.

After Connie's death, the family hold their last public event on the anniversary of the Munro mystery, and secrets come out that make it a night to remember.

*spoiler alert*

18 October 2017

We Were Liars - E. Lockhart


Rating: ✫✫✫✫

Wow. I'm finding it really difficult to begin this review, because there are so many things to say about this book. When I was in the middle of We Were Liars, I wasn't convinced by it at all. I did appreciate that the writing was beautiful, and I thought there were a lot of important themes that were raised throughout the novel, but I wouldn't say I was necessarily enjoying it.

Then I reached the final section: 'The Truth'. My view changed entirely. That twist was extraordinary, and I definitely did not see it coming. Simply because of this plot twist, I would be very tempted to read the whole thing again, to pick up on the details that I now know I originally missed. I wouldn't necessarily say I enjoyed the book for the most part, but it really made me think, and it has stuck with me.



Introduction

We Were Liars tells the story of Cadence, who spends her summers at a private island owned by her grandparents. Each summer, the family congregate on the island. Cady, her cousins Mirren and Johnny, and a friend Gat, call themselves The Liars.

During summer fifteen (a direct reference to Cady's age for that particular summer), Cady is found seriously injured, alone, and in the water at the beach. Since this time, Cady cannot remember the circumstances that led to her accident, despite many attempts at gaining information from her family.

The book follows Cady during summer seventeen, when she has finally been allowed by her mother to return to the island. With many flashbacks and conversations with 'The Liars', Cady slowly remembers details about summer fifteen, and what happened to her during the accident. The trouble is, the truth might be difficult to swallow.

*spoilers ahead*

14 October 2017

The Word is Murder - Anthony Horowitz

Rating: ✫✫✫✫

Having read 'Magpie Murders' by Anthony Horowitz previously (and loved it), I was really excited to start reading 'The Word is Murder'. Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed. Although I will say that I found the whole thing a bit bizarre, and I had to wrap my head around the whole premise behind the plot before I could really allow myself to get engrossed by it.



Introduction

Diana Cowper walks into a funeral parlour one day and arranges her own funeral. Only a few hours later, she is found murdered in her own home, begging the question: are the two incidents related?

Aiding the police in their enquiries is Hawthorne, an ex-detective who left the police amidst mysterious circumstances. He approaches author Anthony Horowitz, who agrees to follow the case and write a book on the resulting investigation. But as the case unravels, more murders follow, Hawthorne and Horowitz clash, and a decade old accident comes back to haunt all involved.

If you open this book expecting just your average murder mystery, you'd be in for a surprise. Horowitz inserts himself as a character in his own book, blurring the lines between fiction and reality, and making for a unique investigation.

*spoilers ahead*

9 October 2017

The Red House Mystery - A.A. Milne

Rating: ✫✫✫

Kicking off this blog with the very first review!

The book that I happened to be reading when I made the decision to set up this blog was 'The Red House Mystery' by A.A. Milne. Sadly, you'll find no Winnie the Pooh, no Tigger and no Eeyore, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it.



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Introduction

The Red House Mystery is a good attempt at a classic locked-room mystery. When Anthony Gillingham decides to make a visit to an old friend, he stumbles upon a lot more than he bargained for. He finds himself in the middle of a murder scene, right as a body is discovered. When he realises that there are a lot of details that don't quite add up, he takes it upon himself to embrace the role of detective, with his very own Watson (or in this case, his old friend, Bill Beverley). 

One of the most appealing things about this book is the very light-heartedness with which it is written, despite it's subject matter. The style is very quaint, and there is a great deal of sophistication throughout, which is very typical of the time in which it was written (think early Agatha Christie). It makes for very easy reading, and this is a book that can easily be finished in a single afternoon, with the reader feeling very satisfied afterwards. 

This being said, it wouldn't be surprising to find out after finishing this book that this was the first and only detective story that Milne ever wrote. It is clear that although there are lots of very good ideas, and that Milne has really grasped the tone with which a detective story should be written (especially in his era), there really is quite a lot that may have been improved upon by a more experienced writer.


*spoilers ahead*