April Book Bonanza

 

Dear friends. I'm back with this month's reviews, which include 2 five star reads. Dive in to discover some memorable storylines and characters who will stay with you. 

I've indicated with an asterisk when I bought a book myself.  The rest were provided in advance of their publication by NetGalley in return for an honest review. 

Show Me Where it Hurts by Claire Gleeson: Literary Fiction | Women's Fiction   (5 stars)

A stunning novel which picks over the shattered remains of a young family after the split second action of Tom, husband of Rachel and father to their two children.

Told through two timelines, before and after, it's an unflinching account of what it's like to live alongside someone who is suffering, how you keep yourself afloat when the person you love is drowning, and how you survive irreparable loss.  

The subject matter may turn a lot of people away but the book is beautifully and sensitively written.  I would love to share the passage where Rachel details what she has lost, but to do so would be a major spoiler.

A must read.

The Safekeep* by Yael van der Wouden, Literary Fiction |  Fiction | LBGTQ  (5 stars) 

It is fifteen years after the Second World War, and Isabel has built herself a solitary life of discipline and strict routine in her late mother's country home in the Netherlands. Not a fork or a word is out of place. But all is upended when her brother Louis delivers his graceless new girlfriend, Eva, at Isabel's doorstep, as a guest, there to stay for the season.

The book has a gradual power and energy which obsesses you and makes you hungry for the ending. It's an unusual story which casts a light on a forgotten part of WW2. 

This book has justifiably been short listed for many of the major awards, including The Booker Prize 2024. 

The Death of Us by Abigail Dean, General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers  (4 stars) 

A new book from Abigail Dean has become a calendar-worthy event. Her books are often on difficult subjects with a fresh and thought provoking interpretation. This novel is about the impact on a couple of a rapist invading their home and terrorising them both. It's a remarkable account of the disintegration of a marriage.

The invader goes on to become notorious with his modus operandi of watching seemingly happy middle class families, observing their movements and then attacking. 

Isabel and Edward are reunited for the trial of the murderer, which causes issues with Edward's second wife. Although the killer is now 70 and not at liberty, things happen which strike terror into the couple again.

The narrative switches between Isabel's first person account, where she often addresses her attacker, and a third party version of Edward's version.

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne, General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers | Women's Fiction (4 stars) 

Alex Blake was terrified of water, had been since she nearly drowned at age five. So when police find her body in the river and rule it a suicide, her mother Jen knows they’re wrong. But no one will listen to a grieving mother. She's convinced the wealthy and glamorous family of her former friend Lia, who live opposite,  know more than they're letting on. 

A pacey read with several topical themes including school bullying and coercive control.  This book is published on 29 April.

What a Time to be Alive by Jenny Mustard, Literary Fiction | Women's Fiction (4 stars) 

Engrossing account of a 21 year old woman's attempt to reinvent herself and find friends in a new city. 

In this coming of age novel, Sickan, who perceives herself as weird and was bullied at school, studies fashion and trends to make herself appear "normal." She finds ways to earn money, makes a female friend, deals with the end of a romance and finds love with Abbe. She also finds acceptance, of herself and her parents. 

"And it seems I have finally learned it, the correct use of niceties and vagaries, the kindness of treating difficult conversations as if easy."

The novel deals with some difficult themes but Sickan's courage and resilience shines through.

Say Nothing by Erin Kinsley* Crime Thriller (4 out of 5)

I chose this after seeing it was in the top crime thriller picks of The Times. A child in a rural community goes missing and the prime suspect seems to be one of the parents.  The unravelling of a family, and closing of ranks in the village, is at the centre of a book full of twists and turns. 

The Lying Man by Andy Maslen,  General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers  (4 stars)

In the fourth novel featuring DS Kat Ballantyne, the tables are turned when she goes to a crime-writing festival for an escape but finds herself on the scene of the murder of a well known author.  

Maslen is a master of crime thrillers. He delivers plenty of red herrings, realistic dialogue, pacey writing, a likeable police woman and relatable relationships.  The Lying Man has a very contemporary theme

The "MO" in the crime is particularly inventive, with no initial clues about the perpetrator,  which makes you want to read on. 

Other Books Reviewed Recently 

No Precious Truth by Chris Nickson:  a female police sergeant helps to find a spy in Leeds in World War II, at a time when female police officers were rare. 

Bare by Lorna Tucker:  a successful documentary maker lays bare her life as a homeless drug addict on the streets of London. 

The Secretary by Deborah Lawrenson:  a young British woman is hired ostensibly as a secretary by MI5 in 1940s Moscow, with a secret mission to uncover a traitor. 

Sharing my posts with these fantastic sites.

Any of these books catch your attention? Do you have any others to recommend? Do share in the comments. 

FOR MORE MUTTON

Subscribe for 1 email a week from Is This Mutton for an update on posts you may have missed, or follow Is This Mutton on Feedspot. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky