Dear friends. I bring you no fewer than three 5 star books this month. They are very different from each other.
Discover the conscientious Norwegian detective Wisting; the loner who lives for the nightclub, and a determined little girl in Scotland who became one of the most significant players in Formula One racing.
As always, most of the books were provided several months prior to publication from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I don't blog about them until they are available to you. Books with an asterisk are those I bought myself.
The Lake by Jørn Lier Horst, 5 out of 5 stars
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
A masterclass in the crime thriller genre. Having watched the Wisting drama series (BBC iPlayer), I knew what to expect. Wisting, a widower for several years, is a conscientious detective with a good heart. No gimmicks, just common sense and the ability to win the confidence of people he mixes with, including criminals.
There are several cold case threads in this engrossing story. An unexpectedly hot summer has brought a few finds to the dry dusty surface of what is normally a lake.
If you think cold cases are dull, the dramatic twists and gripping finale will confound you. I had a huge smile at the satisfactory ending.
Looking forward to reading more of Wisting's adventures.
Dancefloor by Victor Jestin, 5 out of 5 stars
General Fiction (Adult) | Literary Fiction
An extraordinarily haunting book by French author Victor Jestin.
Arthur has always been lonely and socially awkward. He builds an alternative life for himself at a local nightclub, becoming a superb dancer.
Those of us who remember nightclubs / discos will relate to the nostalgia. I wondered where the story would go, and the ending comes as a beautiful and unexpected surprise. Or it might be perceived by you as bleak.
"In dance, life fell into place, settling into a system of rhythms and movements where even the silences followed a certain logic; it was as if a giant grid, a familiar filter, had been superimposed over what had always struck me as chaotic and uncontrollable."
He documents his nightclub encounters over the years, and sadly they are mostly very brief.
I loved how Jestin includes details of the music played at the nightclub, and I created a playlist.
Bravo Victor Jestin and the translator for this outstanding study of loneliness and alternative reality.
The Book Club Killer by Ross Greenwood (4 stars out of 5)
Another enjoyable outing for acting DCI John Barton. His last as DCI, and possibly his last outing for good? As he mulls over his options, Barton has a tricky case to solve. It takes a lot of old fashioned policing to find out who's behind the murders at a local book club. With a case like this, complicated and not easily yielding its secrets, the team can disengage and become demotivated.
What I love about Barton is his sense of humour, and his tendency to go slightly off piste in solving problems. He is not a box ticker. His relationships with friend Zander, wife Holly and many others are affectionate and trusting, with lots of jokes. It's unusual that a crime thriller character, particularly a police officer, captures our hearts.
It's great that Ross Greenwood has left a door open for Barton in the future.
The Book of Guilt* by Catherine Chidgey (4 out of 5 stars)
Triplet brothers are the last inhabitants of Sycamore House in 70s Britain.
They have Mothers who care for them and a seemingly carefree existence, except that they never mix with other children, go to school or watch TV. They look forward to a time when they'll move to a new house in Margate to live an idyllic life by the sea.
It becomes clear the boys are part of a sinister dystopian experiment following an alternative peace treaty after the war.
The boys' discovery about who they really are, and why they usually feel unwell, makes this a very memorable book. A BBC Radio 2 book club 2025 pick.
The School of Night by Karl Ove Knausgaard, 3.5 out of 5 stars
Rock Paper Scissors* by Alice Feeney (4 stars out of 5)
General Fiction | Literary Fiction
I've read several of Alice Feeney's books. Her narratives have become quite OTT in recent books. This older novel shows her talent in abundance: creating uncomfortable, frightening environments; blind- siding us with killer twists, and astonishing us when characters reveal something we never expected. This was a hugely enjoyable gripper of a read, with such a clever twist.
Home Before Dark* by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir (3.5 stars out of 5)
Non-Fiction
Driven* by Susie Wolff (5 out of 5 stars)
If you're looking for an inspiring story, this is it. Susie Wolff, formerly Stoddart, is one of the few women to have had a successful driving career in car racing, including the ultimate challenge of driving a Formula One car.
Brought up in Oban, Scotland, Susie and her brother were encouraged by their parents to have an adventurous and sporty childhood, including skiing, water skiing, mountain biking and go-karting. Susie was one of the few girls competing in the latter. She was determined to compete on an equal level with boys. Her peers included Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
She started progressing into different classes of racing, and it was fascinating to read about the actual cars and how physically challenging they are to drive.
Susie had to deal with a lot of misogyny in her racing career plus some bad luck. She was initially dismayed about a sponsor wanting her to drive a pink car until she realised that young girls were turning up to watch her, on the basis of the pink car.
She became a successful businesswoman and now leads the F1 Academy, which aims to see younger women choosing motor racing as a career.
She is married to Mercedes supremo Toto Wolff, and their dating journey, and Toto's very black and white approach to life, are also covered. Highly recommended.
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