Midwinter Sacrifice by Mons Kallentoft

This book is set in Sweden and has been translated into English. 

Early one morning, during a very cold winter in Linkoping, the injured and naked body of a man is found hanging from a tree.  His identity is unknown.  Detective Malin Fors has to work out who he is, how he was injured and strung up in the tree and by whom.  

Malin starts her investigation but finds that people do not want to engage with her and families have lots of secrets they do not wish to share.  She fairly quickly learns that the body is that of Bengt Andersson who was a loner and was teased by some of the local children.  Interest is raised when the local newspaper reports that the death could be connected with a midwinter sacrifice ritual.  

The voice of Bengt is heard throughout the story as he watches over Malin and encourages her to find out the truth about his death. 

Finding Colin Firth by Mia March

The chapters in this book alternate between Bea, Veronica and Gemma.  

At age 22 Bea learns, via a letter from her mother who died a year previously, that she was adopted.  

Veronica has moved back to Boothbay Harbour in Maine and is making pies filled with happy thoughts for the local community.  This is the place where, at age 16, she was sent to a home for pregnant teens and was abandoned by her family.  

Gemma has lost her job as a journalist and is being pressured by her husband to start a family and move from New York to the country to be closer to his parents.  She is not ready to give up her career but discovers that she is unexpectedly pregnant. 

Bea travels to Boothbay Harbour to meet her biological mother.  Gemma travels there to attend the wedding of an old friend and stays a while to write a story for the local paper as it is the 50th anniversary of Hope House, the home on the edge of town for pregnant teens. 

A film crew are setting up to shoot a new movie in which Colin Firth will star.  All three want to see Colin Firth, and Gemma wants to get an exclusive interview.  This brings them all together, new friendships are formed and lives and futures re-assessed.  

The Hunger by Carol Drinkwater

This book is in the 'My Story' series and is - An Irish Girl's Diary 1845-1847

The story starts on 10 May 1845 when on her 14th birthday Phyllis McCormack is given an empty book by her brother.  She uses the book as a diary and regularly writes about her life and the struggles of the local farmers.  At harvest time the potato crops are found to have been attacked by a disease and most of them are ruined.  The diary then follows the struggles of all the local farmers, her brother becoming a wanted rebel, the deaths of thousands of people through starvation and the political fighting which takes place across Ireland. 

Life Swap by Jane Green

Single, successful, 35 year old Vicky Townsley is the features editor with Poise magazine in London.  Although she appears to live the perfect life, she would love to be married, have children and live in the country.  When a throw-away comment is made about her swapping lives with a married woman this sets off the idea for a reader competition - the winner will swap lives with Vicky for a month.  

Amber Winslow is a married mother of two who lives in a large house in Highfield, Connecticut.  She is involved with the fundraising local ladies league, but it is really an opportunity to dress up and out-do each other.  She is tired of this but doesn't really know how to escape from the forever spiralling 'keeping up the Joneses' in which she has become  so involved.  

Amber applies for the chance to Life Swap with Vicky.  This will give her an opportunity to step away from Highfield, re-assess her life and decide what it is she really wants.  

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

Lou Suffern is a successful businessman.  He is always juggling meetings, leaving one early to get to the end of another as he doesn't have enough time to attend them all.  At home he has a wife and young family who don't get to see him very often.  

On his way into the office one morning he stops to talk to Gabe, a homeless man, who is sitting in a nearby doorway.  As the office is short staffed, Lou later offers Gabe a job.  He turns out to be extremely efficient and very worldly-wise.  Lou's life is changed enormously by meeting the very mysterious Gabe.  

Us by David Nicholls

Douglas and Connie have been married for over 20 years.  Not long before they and their son Albie are to set off on 'the grand tour' which is to be their holiday of a lifetime travelling across Europe, Connie announces that she thinks that she may want to leave Douglas.  

Douglas plans out the trip in minute detail in the hope that it will be his opportunity to show Connie that she doesn't really want to leave.  The first few days go well but then Connie and Albie start to go off plan which annoys Douglas.  After an argument, Albie decides he has had enough and sets off with a young woman he has met and does not want to be followed.  

Douglas realises that he needs to apologise to Albie and so, leaving Connie at the airport, he sets off to find his son and make amends.  

I have also read 'Starter for Ten' and 'One Day' and have 'The Understudy' on my bookshelf.  
I did not enjoy this book as much as the others I have read by David Nicholls.