Book reviews
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Book review: The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Title: The Maidens
Author: Alex Michaelides
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Publication date: 10th June 2021
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Summary:
“Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A charismatic Greek Tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike. Particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.
Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated when one of The Maidens, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered.
Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?
When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything – including her own life.”
My review:
The Maidens was one of my most anticipated books of 2021, driven by the success of The Silent Patient which spread like wildfire in the book community and quickly became one of my favourite Thrillers I have read to date. Needless to say I was extremely curious to see how Alex Michaelides would develop his writing and if he would stick to some of the themes and techniques that were so prominent in The Silent Patient.
Edward Fosca is a professor at Cambridge university specialising in Greek tragedy and becomes a key person of interest in the murder of a young girl which stunned the community. I found Edward to be an intriguing character with a similar mystery and darkness to that of Theo in The Silent Patient. This type of character development of a male antagonist is something that the author excels at with seemingly effortless ease. The other characters include Mariana, a psychologist who comes to the rescue of her niece Zoe who is Fosca’s student, and the Maidens who each seem to hide their own secrets. Unfortunately none of these characters were particularly refined and I felt like the author tried to make them too weak and soft in comparison to Fosca.
The Greek mythology theme was central to the plot and character development in The Maidens. It was clear that Alex Michaelides had researched this area well, both in language and culture. Ultimately this was the glue that held together Mariana to the maidens and Edward Fosca. I particularly liked how the author developed this point with the use of postcards written in ancient Greek.
The plot in The Maidens was ambitious but didn’t deliver compared to the high expectations. The pace was even and the storyline interesting enough to capture my attention but at no point did I feel engrossed enough to keep reading in the same way as The Silent Patient. I also believe that there were too many minor characters which took the attention away from the potential of developing the three main characters further to make the book even more captivating.
Overall, I enjoyed The Maidens and it promised to be an exceptional thriller. The Greek mythology theme was thoroughly researched and well implemented but more work is needed on the characters and smoothing out the plot. Nevertheless I am interested to see how this author progresses in his career and will certainly read his next books.
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Book review: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
Title: Rock Paper Scissors
Author: Alice Feeney
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: HQ
Publication date: 19th August 2021
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
“Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.
Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.”My review:
If you are looking for a slow build and equally intense thriller, Alice Feeney’s books are for you and Rock Paper Scissors is no exception. Set in an eerie chapel in a small town in Scotland, it already seems promising before the main characters and background are introduced. Once Adam and Amelia’s relationship is revealed to be unstable, the mysterious setting seems even more fitting and I couldn’t wait to see how the plot would unravel.
The exchange of traditional gifts for the couple’s wedding anniversaries was unique and a nice touch that suited the storyline well. I enjoyed the flashbacks to the letters Amelia had written to Adam on each anniversary as this technique was a perfect way to show how their relationship developed and the reasons they chose to go on this trip. As characters they were both quite unlikeable and it was evident from the start that they were both hiding something important from each other. Although I don’t usually enjoy unlikeable characters in thrillers, I found that this trait made the plot even more intriguing and I was eager to discover why they no longer trusted each other.
Fans of Alice Feeney’s books will know how brilliant she is at incorporating unexpected plot twists to her books and I think that she left the best twists to Rock Paper Scissors. Without disclosing too much, I can only advise future readers to always keep the characters’ past in mind as all is not as it seems and the unexpected visitor they encounter is a true example of that.
Rock Paper Scissors is the type of thriller you can expect to dive into one evening and finish the same night. Although it starts off slowly, the first twist is enough to keep the reader hooked and wanting more. It delivers on both plot and setting and finishes with a huge revelation that explains everything that had happened at the chapel to date. I highly recommend this book to fans of the genre who crave a story told by an unreliable main character which takes place in a spooky setting.
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Book review: The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
Title: The Devil and the Dark Water
Author: Stuart Turton
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: 1st October 2020
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
“It’s 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world’s greatest detective, is being transported to Amsterdam to be executed for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. Travelling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his friend innocent.
But no sooner are they out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A twice-dead leper stalks the decks. Strange symbols appear on the sails. Livestock is slaughtered.
And then three passengers are marked for death, including Samuel.
Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?
With Pipps imprisoned, only Arent can solve a mystery that connects every passenger onboard. A mystery that stretches back into their past and now threatens to sink the ship, killing everybody on board.”My review:
The Devil and the Dark Water is a saga consisting of a long and treacherous journey on the Sardaam, a ship travelling from Batavia to Amsterdam. It is listed in the genre of both Historical Fiction and Mystery but this is where the similarities between this book and Stuart Turton’s last book end. While The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle contained a large mix of eccentric characters and the wild element of time travel, The Devil and the Dark Water focuses more on the voyage and setting but still manages to captivate from the beginning.
The atmospheric and brilliant setting of the Sardaam is a marvelous way to set the scene and I was immediately transported onboard the ship and eager to discover how the mystery would unfold. After several strange supernatural events, I began to doubt the potency of this book compared to its predecessor as it seemed more tame and slow paced at the beginning. However, this was contrasted by the fantastic descriptions of the sea and ship, once again setting Stuart Turton apart from other authors in this genre.
Although I found the mystery to be slightly underwhelming, I connected with this set of characters much more than in Seven Deaths. I immediately warmed to Sara and Lia and started to doubt Arent’s intentions. I had already chosen a clear favourite as the murderer but I missed once again as I underestimated the powers and daring nature of Stuart Turton’s writing, ambitious to prove the reader wrong with his intricate story telling and plot twists.
This tale features a wide range of interesting characters, slight elements of supernatural and a plot thick with tension and adventure. It was a turbulent ride from beginning to end and I was left surprised and shocked several times. Stuart Turton is quickly marking his name as an author with amazing talent and potential and I cannot wait to find out what he has next in store.
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Book review: The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths
Title: The Postscript Murders
Author: Elly Griffiths
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date: 2nd March 2021
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Summary:
“The death of a ninety-year-old woman with a heart condition should absolutely not be suspicious. DS Harbinder Kaur certainly sees nothing to concern her in carer Natalka’s account of Peggy Smith’s death.
But when Natalka reveals that Peggy lied about her heart condition and that she had been sure someone was following her…
And that Peggy Smith had been a ‘murder consultant’ who plotted deaths for authors, and knew more about murder than anyone has any right to…
And when clearing out Peggy’s flat ends in Natalka being held at gunpoint by a masked figure…Well then DS Harbinder Kaur thinks that maybe there is no such thing as an unsuspicious death after all.“
My review:
The Postscript Murders is the second book in the DS Harbinder Kaur series and follows on with the introduction of a new murder case which DS Kaur is assigned to. This time, an elderly woman is murdered and the circumstances surrounding her murder become more and more suspicious.
I thoroughly enjoyed the return of DS Harbinder Kaur and the confidence she built throughout this book. Her intuition always points her in the right direction and her determination to succeed and solve each case are a commendable aspect of her personality and work as a detective. I also liked the hints of the characters from the first book and this blended in nicely to showcase Harbinder’s character development.
The plot flowed seamlessly from one setting to another and I was invested in both Harbinder’s storyline and the other characters’ trip to Scotland. The pace was steady throughout although it picked up somewhat during the murders. I also really enjoyed how the ending developed with one murder reveal after another.
My main issue with this book was mostly with the unrealistic events surrounding the three characters who were too involved in the investigation despite not forming part of the detective team. Travelling across the country to attempt to solve a murder for someone who they did not know too well before she died seemed too improbable and forced.
Although some parts seemed too farfetched, I enjoyed the cozy mystery feel and would gladly read the next book in the series. This is an overall solid addition to the DS Harbinder Kaur series who is molding into a respectable main character with a lot of great qualities.
The Postscript Murders is now out to buy!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.
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Book review: Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield
Title: Once Upon A River
Author: Diane Setterfield
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Transworld Digital
Publication date: 24th January 2019
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
“A dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the Thames. The regulars are entertaining themselves by telling stories when the door bursts open on an injured stranger. In his arms is the drowned corpse of a little child.
Hours later the dead girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life.
Is it a miracle?
Is it magic?
Or can it be explained by science?“
My review:
“There are stories that may be told aloud, and stories that must be told in whispers, and there are stories that are never told at all.”
When a lost girl appears in a pub by the river, carried by a man who collapses as soon as he enters the building, the community is astounded by the situation but quickly come together to care for the girl. The mystery deepens when several people come forward, certain that the lost girl belongs to their family. This intriguing beginning was quick paced and well developed, already showing a lot of promise only a few chapters into the book.
Once Upon A River may be classed as Historical Fiction but often crosses the line into Fantasy with its folklore and fantastical elements. The author does this gradually by dipping into new realms with these writing mechanisms and slowly building up the setting and backstory with hints of possible magical elements that may explain the situation surrounding the lost girl. I found this to be one of the strongest aspects of the book and was pleased to see how well it was incorporated into the main storyline.
Another important factor which explains the richness of this book is the unique setting and the eloquent descriptions and language which worked incredibly well in bringing in the reader to the present moment. I was often completely lost into the book while I was reading which doesn’t often happen to me so I was pleasantly surprised at just how well the setting was mapped out.
Ultimately it is always the characters which make Historical Fiction books feel special and unique and I was happy to see a lot of character progression with most of the characters in the book. I was originally unable to foresee how their stories would overlap as several characters did not seem relevant to the plot until a long way into the book however each character ended up fitting well into the storyline without having a predictable outcome.
Once Upon A River is a vivid and enchanting tale told through the eyes of ordinary people in an extraordinary setting. It flows just like a river would and unfortunately the pace was lost somewhere towards the middle of the book however it quickly picked up speed and ultimately left me satisfied and even wishing for a sequel. The storytelling was exquisite and has left me eager to explore other books by this author.
“And now, dear reader, the story is over. It is time for you to cross the bridge once more and return to the world you came from. This river, which is and is not the Thames, must continue flowing without you. You have haunted here long enough, and besides, you surely have rivers of your own to attend to?”