2015 Books

It’s been good reading time already, so here’s the start of this year’s books!

1.  “Bring me Home” by Alan Titchmarsh

Family drama set in the highlands of Scotland from the 1950’s onwards.  Very enjoyable.

2.  “Aunt Jane of Kentucky” by Eliza Calvert Hall

Lovely mix of stories from another era, as told by Aunt Jane.

3.  “Empire Girls” by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan

Set just after WW1, this novel follows the fortunes of two country girls as they venture to New York City in the time of Prohibition.

4.  “This Heart of Mine” by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan

Small intro setting the scene for the next book…..

5.  “I’ll Be Seeing You” by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan

Two women in the USA enter into an unlikely correspondence, sharing their fears of their men fighting in WWII.

6. “Hostile Witness” by Rebecca Forster

Legal/thriller with the main character Josie Bates

7.  “Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders” by Gyles Brandreth

Using Oscare Wilde as the protagonist, a series of murders awaits his solving.

8.  “Hamilton” by Catherine Cookson

Follows the (mis)fortunes of a young women in northern England in the 1960’s

9. “Goodbye Hamilton” by Catherine Cookson

10. “Harold” by Catherine Cookson

Both the above continue the story.

11. “The Husband’s Secret” by Liane Moriarty

Australian drama, with such a twist!

12.  “Frenchman’s Creek” by Daphne du Maurier

One of those books you think you’ve read.

13.  “Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project” by Jack Mayer

Follows the lives of three young school girls as they discover the true story of Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic woman who saved more Jewish children than Schindler but remains largely unknown.  Harrowing but remarkable.

14. “Oxcrimes” various authors

27 great crime stories from the cream of the crime writers’ world.  I’ve discovered some great new authors and the proceeds from the book go to Oxfam – we all win!

15. “The Twelve” by Stuart Neville

Thriller based on happenings during Northern Ireland’s recent sad past.

16. “The Invisible Ones” by Stef Penney

Mystery surrounding a missing woman

17. “Sleepyhead” by Mark Billingham

Thriller regarding strange “natural” deaths

18.  “Last Rituals” by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Icelandic murder mystery

19.  “Forgotten Witness” by Rebecca Forster

Another in the Josie Bates series

20. “Silver Meadow” by Barry Maitland

UK based murder mystery with DCI Brock

21. “Chocolate Girls” by Annie Murray

Follows the fortunes of friends working at a chocolate factory in the UK at the start of WWII.

22.  “Apart at the Seams” by Marie Bostwick

Another in the Cobbled Court Quilts series – light hearted fun.

23.  “Lazy Bones” by Mark Billingham

Crime/thriller where perpetrators are the ones being murdered

24.  “Private” by James Patterson

First in a series based around the world’s most exclusive detective agency

25.  “Promises to Keep” by Patricia Sands

A story of falling in love in the South of France

26.  “The Villa” by Rosanna Ley

Family drama set in the UK and Sicily

27.  “The Skeleton Road” by Val McDermid

Gotta love anything by Val McDermid!

28.  “Dead Heat” by Bronwyn Parry

Adventures of a park ranger in the outback of New South Wales.  Great Aussie yarn

29.  “The Girls with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson

It was time to read this…….again!

30.  “Death in Zanzibar” by M. M. Kaye

Murder, mystery and romance on the exotic “Isle of Cloves”.  Love these books; set in the 1950/60’s

31.  “Death in Cypress” by M. M. Kaye

More murder, mystery and romance

31.  “Apple Tree Yard” by Louise Doughty

Two wrongs don’t make a right…….  Very different mystery.

32.  “Tennison” by Lynda La Plante

Goes back to Jane Tennison’s beginnings in the police force.

33.  “Storm Clouds” by Bronwyn Parry

Australian romantic suspense.

34.  “Northanger Abbey” by Val McDermid

A slightly different take on the traditional version!

35.  “The Homestead Girls” by Fiona McArthur

A story of friendship set in the Australian outback

36.  “Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty

Another Australian author; suburban intrigue.

37.  “The Promise of Provence” by Patricia Sands

Gentle story of love and life in Provence

38.  “Raven Black” by Ann Cleeves

Murder mystery set in the Shetand Isles.

39.  “The Crow Trap” by Ann Cleeves

The first of the Vera Stanhope novels.

40.  “Life after Life” by Kate Atkinson

Intriguing look at what could happen if a different path is taken in life.

41.  “Telling Tales” by Ann Cleeves

The second Vera mystery.

42.  “Emma” by Alexander McCall Smith

Another of the modern takes on a classic

43.  “Still Waters” by Viveca Sten

More Scandi crime

44.  “Another Good Killing” by Stephen Puleston

Another crime novel, this time set in Wales

45.  “A Single to Filey” by Michael Murray

More British crime

46.  “Worse Than Dead” by Stephen Puleston

47.  “Death of a Temptress” by P. F Ford

48.  “On Laughton Moor” by Lisa Hartley

More crime, this time with a woman DS as the lead

49.  “Double Dealing” by Lisa Hartley

50.  “Where Eagles Dare” by Alistair McLean

The novel of one of my (and Dad’s) favourite movies

51.  “The Distant Echo” by Val McDermid

Love this woman’s writing!

52.  “Splinter the Silence” by Val McDermid

The latest Tony Hill and Carol Jordan novel

53.  “Doors Open” by Ian Rankin

Saw the telemovie and decided to read the novel too.

54.  “Booked for Murder” by Val McDermid