- “Out of Bounds” by Val McDermid
Crime novel by this most skilled author – love reading her works.
2. “The Revolving Door of Life” by Alexander McCall Smith
Another delightful tale of the doings at 44 Scotland Street
3. “Panic Button” A Button Box Mystery by Kylie Logan
Murder mystery set in Chicago with the owner of a button shop as the protagonist.
4. “Bertie Plays the Blues” by Alexander McCall Smith
Bertie puts himself up for adoption on e-bay. Poor Bertie!
5. “The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection” by Alexander McCall Smith
Lovely, gentle read. All the more poignant after seeing the movie “A United Kingdom” about Botswana.
6. “Poison Ivy” by Cynthia Riggs (A Martha’s Vineyard Mystery)
Murder mystery set in Martha’s Vineyard.
7. “Sunshine on Scotland Street” by Alexander McCall Smith
Another in this series – delightful.
8. “The Long Way Home” by Louise Penny (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel)
Murder mystery set in a small town in Quebec. (Another of those “we ain’t going there, they all get killed” towns!)
9. “The Handsome Man’s Deluxe Cafe” by Alexander McCall Smith
Things go a bit awry when one of the detectives opens a cafe.
10. “Night School” by Lee Child
The latest in the Jack Reacher series
11. “The Songbird” by Marcia Willett
Family drama set in the UK’s West Country.
12. “Before the Fall” by Noah Hawley
What led to this private jet crashing into the ocean?
13. “The Bertie Project” by Alexander McCall Smith
I just l0ve this series!
14. “When the Music’s Over” by Peter Robinson
Another in the DCI Banks series (yep, these are the books that the show is based on)
15. “Penance” by Kate O’Riordan
As the cover says, “a disturbing thriller of obsession and family secrets”
16. “The Silent Dead” by Claire McGowan
A harrowing story of Northern Ireland’s troubles
17. “The Girl from Venice” by Martin Cruz Smith
The Golfer gave me this one for my birthday; set in Venice at the very end of WWII. Really enjoyed it.
18. “The Widow” by Fiona Barton
Psychological thriller set in London – hard to put down.
19. “The Dead of Winter” by Jane A Adams
Along the lines of an Agatha Christie, but set in today’s times.
20. “Tapestry of Fortunes” by Elizabeth Berg
Story of 4 middle aged women who venture into their past to find their futures.
21. “Hour of the Wolf” by Hakan Nesser
Great Skandi crime. Hadn’t read this author before, but will be searching out more.
22. “Paving the New Road” by Sulari Gentill
The next in the Rowland Sinclair Mystery series.
23. “In the Darkness” by Karin Fossum
More Skandi crime – a very different way of telling the story, and very much about the psychology of the criminal mind. More please!
24. “A Mersey Mile” by Ruth Hamilton
Family drama set in Liverpool post WW2
25. “Secrets of the Sewing Bee” by Kate Thompson
Set in London’s East End at the start of the Blitz and following the fortunes of women working in a garment factory.
26. “Abattoir Blues” by Peter Robinson
Another DCI Banks novel (can’t help but picture the tv characters when reading these now)
27. “The Water’s Edge” by Karin Fossum
An Inspector Sejer mystery.
28. “Broken” by Karin Fossum
An intriguing set up; “a writer wakes one night to find a strange man in her bedroom. He is a character she has invented, but not yet used, and so desperate is he to have his story told that he has resorted to breaking into her house.” Gripping and so unusual.
29. “The Return” by Hakan Nesser
A Chief Inspector Van Veeteren mystery.
30. “hellfire” by Karin Fossum
Another brilliant murder mystery.
31. “Bryant and May – Strange Tide” by Christopher Fowler
New author to me. Modern day crime with old fashioned coppers set in London. Quite enjoyable.
32. “Get Even” by Martina Cole
Set in the underworld of London. Far too much gratuitous violence and bad language for my liking. Don’t think I’ll get another.
33. “Gentlemen Formerly Dressed” by Sulari Gentill
Rowland and his friends are in Germany and things are not looking good.
34. “A Murder Unmentioned” by Sulari Gentill
This is the best one yet! Rowly and his friends are in all sorts of trouble.
35. “The Pink Pepper Tree” by Muriel Bolger
Gentle, escapist read
36. “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” by Ransom Riggs
The book upon which the recent movie is based. Fantasy and magical.
37. “Ocean Child” by Tamara McKinley
Family saga set in Tasmania. Lovely read.
38. “As Serious as Death” by Quintin Jardine
Crime novel with Primavera Blackstone as the lead character.
39. “Stay of Execution” by Quintin Jardine
Crime again, this time with Bob Skinner as the lead character.
40. “Murder 101” by Faye Kellerman
A Decker/Lazarus crime drama
41. “The Murder of Harriet Krohn” by Karin Fossum
Another great psychological thriller from Karin
42. “The Bean Patch” by Shirley Painter
A disturbing true story of a young girl growing up in a volatile household in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
43. “Hidden Killers” by Lynda la Plante
The second in the young WPC Jane Tennison series.
44. “Visions in Death” by J D Robb
Being read out of order, but this is a detective series set in NY but in 2050+. Good read.
45. “Vengeance in Death” by J D Robb
Ditto above.
46. “The Baker Street Jurors” by Michael Robertson
An interesting take on a certain Baker Street address.
47. “Beautiful Death” by Fiona McIntosh
British Detective series with DCI Jack Hawksworth.
48. “Echoes from Afar” by Tamara McKinley
Set mainly in Paris and Spain during the Spanish Civil War
49. “A Spoonful of Poison” by M C Beaton
Murder to be solved in an English village with Agatha Raisin, detective at large!
50. “The Woman in the Picture” by Katharine McMahon
Set in London in 1926 with one of Britain’s first female lawyers at the helm.
51. “Prayer for the Dying” by Quintin Jardine
Murder mystery.
52. “Foxglove Summer” by Ben Aaronovitch
53. “A Crimson Warning” by Tash Alexander
54. “Stay of Execution” by Quintin Jardine
55. “Mr Gandy’s Grand Tour” by Alan Titchmarsh
56. “Lethal Intent” by Quintin Jardine
57. “Casting Off” by P I Paris
58. “Pray for the Dying” by Quintin Jardine
59. “Strange Affair” by Peter Robinson
60. “The Lavender Keeper” by Fiona McIntosh
Set in WW2
61. “Fancy Dancer” by Fern Michaels
pomegranate and chintz 