My 2023 Reading Statistics

This year I have continued to listen to a lot of audio books as well as reading paper and Kindle books.  

From 1 January to 31 December I have read 30 books and listened to 84 audio books.  

The shortest book was the first one of the year Chai, Chai Again by Erin Scott with 234 pages.  

The longest book was Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard with 525 pages.  

The shortest audio book was the last one I listened to which was Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber which was only 4 hours 32 minutes. 

The longest audio book was False Witness by Karin Slaughter which was 18 hours 39 minutes.  Although quite long, this was a lot shorter than my longest from last year.  

I have read a total of 10,763 pages and listened to 941 hours and 1 minute of audio books.  

Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict

Roz Parker has just left her job in the Met Police as a detective.  Her daughter Heather is in Fort William, expecting a baby and has gone into labour.  On 23 December Roz is booked on the overnight sleeper train from London to Fort William.  The train is delayed due to poor weather conditions.  Many other trains have been cancelled.  The journey finally begins but the train will stop at fewer stations along the way.  

Most of the passengers gather in the club car and as there is a competitive student quiz team on board and tensions are running high, Roz suggests that everyone takes part in a quiz to distract and entertain them.  

In the early hours of Christmas Eve part of the train becomes derailed and one of the passengers is found murdered in her cabin behind a door which was locked from the inside.  Roz tries to keep the passengers safe and find out who the killer is.  It will be hours before the police and the railway engineers can reach them.  Then another passenger is murdered.  

Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber

Trying to get flights out of California to go to Seattle proves impossible.  Ashley Davison is told there are no flights and Dash Sutherland is told he can be put on stand-by but he has to get to Seattle for a job interview on 23 December.  They both head over to the car rentals and find there is only one car left.  As they are both heading to Seattle they agree to share the car.  

Ashley wants to surprise her mum by returning home for Christmas.  But unbeknown to her, the reason she was told there were no flights is that her name has flashed up as being on a 'no flights' list and the FBI have been informed.  On the way to Seattle they come across a few problems with the weather, the car and the addition of an unexpected puppy.  They don't realise they are being tracked by the FBI.  

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop by Jessica Redland

After the death of her grandmother, master chocolatier Charlee is now alone.  Her boyfriend Ricky is moving back to Whitsborough Bay to work on a building site and he convinces her to go with him.  This could be the perfect place for Charlee to open up her own chocolate shop and to follow in her grandfather's footsteps.  She finds the ideal shop on Castle Street and has just a few short weeks to get it ready to open before Christmas. There is a lot to do and she really needs some help from Ricky but he is never available.  He says he is working overtime as he has debts which need to be paid off.   

When there is a flood in the shop and Ricky can't be found, one of the other local shopkeepers recommends Matt a local plumber who should be able to help.  The opening of the shop goes well and Charlee makes friends with many of the other local shopkeepers, her best friend even comes to join her to help her run the shop.  Everything is going really well apart from her relationship with Ricky.  

Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon

Having fallen in her flat at the The Cherry Tree Home for the Elderly, 84 year old Florence remembers things about her life as she waits for someone to find and rescue her.  

The recent arrival of a new resident, who looks just like someone Florence and her friend Elsie knew years ago, really unsettles Florence.  He has a different name, but the same scar by the side of his mouth.  Florence is convinced that he has been looking for her and that he is breaking into her flat and moving things around.  Her friends at the home have been helping her to investigate him and find out who he really is.  

The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict

Twenty one years ago Lily Armitage found her mum dead in the maze at Endgame House.  She has not been back to the family home since.  Her aunt has just died and Lily receives a letter from her asking her to return to the house with her cousins for the 12 days of Christmas to take part in the annual Christmas Game.  Over the 12 days there will be 12 clues to solve and 12 keys to find.  The winner will receive the deeds to the house.  Lily does not want the house but is enticed to return and take part as her aunt promises that within the clues Lily will find out the truth about who killed her mum.  

Some of the cousins are very competitive and will do anything it takes to get the house. 

Everyone Lies by A D Garrett

 After being shamed and demoted DI Kate Simms is finally working her way back up in the police force.  She is given a case to investigate of a number of drug addicts who have been found dead.  When a celebrity is then added to the list of the dead the case becomes more high profile.  Kate secretly enlists the help of Professor Nick Fennimore.  He then brings on board one of his students.  Together they are working out where the drugs came from and what they had been cut with.   Then more dead bodies turn up.  These women have also been beaten in a very specific way and had evidence of their identities removed.  

As Kate starts to make progress with the cases, and finds links, she is being obstructed by her superiors who are happy to bury the case once an initial link with the drugs has been found.  

The Wake Up Call by Beth O'Leary

Izzy and Lucas both work on the front desk at the Forest Manor Hotel.  They don't get along and are always doing things to annoy each other and are very competitive.  The hotel needs investment or it will close in the new year.  Just before Christmas an internal ceiling collapses which make things even worse.  There are a lot of items in the hotel's lost property room, many have been in there for years.  To help with finances they start to sell off some of the items.  A number of rings are discovered and Izzy decides they need to find the rightful owners.  She and Lucas have a competition to see who can return the most rings.  As they are working together their feelings for each other start to change.  

A Woman Unknown by Frances Brody

Private Investigator Mrs Kate Shackleton is asked by the husband of Deirdre Fitzpatrick to find out where she goes when she disappears for a few days saying she is looking after her sick mother.  

Banker Everett Runcie has set up an arrangement whereby he will be found in a hotel with another woman so that he and his wife can divorce.  In the morning when the chambermaid goes into the hotel room she finds Runcie in there alone and dead. Mrs Shackleton, along with her assistant Mr Sykes, help the police to investigate the death and to try to find the mysterious woman who was also staying in the room.  

Another body is found and Mrs Shackleton is convince that it is not a suicide as is being suspected.  

Date with Deceit by Julia Chapman

This is the sixth book in the Dales Detective Series. 

The wife of the town Mayor, who is also Delilah's ex-mother in law, asks Samson to investigate her husband who she suspects of having an affair.  

Delilah goes undercover so that she can attend a shoot which has been set up by Bernard Taylor, the Mayor, and Rick Proctor, the local building developer.  She doesn't know that the people attending the shoot are the drugs barons that Bernard and Rick are secretly working for.  

There is a fatal accident and Samson and Delilah help the two people who are accused of murder to prove it could not have been either of them who pulled the trigger.  

Meanwhile the residents of Fellside Court help out with surveillance on Bernard Taylor's Estate Agency.  

Summer Dreams at the Lakeside Cottage by Erin Green

The morning after Beth, Koo and Lulu have all been out on separate hen nights in Bath, they wake up together in a hotel room wearing each others clothes.  They have never met before and don't know how they ended up together and in a hotel which none of them had booked to stay in.  

Beth and Koo are both brides to be, whilst Lulu is to be maid of honor for her cousin.  

Beth loves Dale but is having doubts about the marriage.  Koo loves Judd but there are a lot of tensions within her family and particularly from her father.  Lulu is in love, and having an affair, with her cousin's husband to be.  

Together the three head off to a holiday let in the Lake District for a week to give them time to work out what they are going to do and what they really want.  

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman

The is the fourth and final book in the Thursday Murder Club series. 

Kuldesh, an old friend of the gang who works in the antiques business, is forced to hold a dangerous package. He is then found murdered and the package is missing.

The group get together to work out who killed Kuldesh and to find the missing package which they suspect contains drugs. In their investigations they talk to drug dealers, other antique dealers and art forgers. They also come across more murdered bodies.

Elizabeth disappears with Stephen on a personal mission and Joyce steps up to take control.

A Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page

Lou returned to Frome to care for her ill mother.  Now she has died Lou is using the money left to her to open up a vintage clothes shop.  Vintage clothes have always been her love.  There is just one thing in the shop which is not for sale, this is her mum's yellow dress.  

70 year old Maggy is drawn into the shop when she sees the yellow dress. 

In New York Donna has just found out that she was adopted and the only thing she has of her birth mother is a photograph of her twirling in a yellow dress. A search on the internet shows the picture and the dress on display in a vintage shop in Somerset.  

The three women become friends and together search for answers about the adoption and the dress.  

A Winter's Dream by Sophie Claire

For the last few years, on her birthday, Liberty has received anonymous flowers.  This year she chases the florist to try to find out who they are from.  This is something she would not usually do.  She then decides to challenge herself to do other things each day during the month of December and to not say no to anything offered.  

Liberty needs help with paying the regular bills so decides to take in a lodger.  A friend of a friend is due to visit from France and needs somewhere to stay and it is agreed that he will move in with Liberty for a month.  Alex is recovering from a motorcycle accident and is trying to find a half sister he didn't know he had.  Liberty and Alex do not get off to a good start but then have to spend a few days together when they get snowed in.  Alex helps Liberty with her challenges and takes her out for a motorcycle ride.  She is terrified of getting on the bike but really can't say no to the challenge.  

My Kind of Happy by Cathy Bramley

After the sudden death of her brother in a road accident, Fearne has been struggling to move on.  Her elderly neighbour has fallen and broken her hip so Fearne is looking after Scamp her small dog.  

Fearne gives up her job and enrolls on an floristry course.  She has always liked flowers and used to help her grandmother to arrange flowers when she was young.  Whilst out walking with Scamp in a local Derbyshire village, Fearne stumbles across Nina, a distraught florist who is struggling to get the flowers ready for a wedding.  She steps in and helps and then ends up agreeing to go into business with Nina. 

As with many Cathy Bramley books, there are links with other stories.  The florist shop is across the road from the The Lemon Tree Cafe and some of the same characters appear in this story too.  

Fever of the Bone by Val McDermid

A teenager goes missing and their murdered and mutilated body is found.  Then another teenager goes missing.  Tony Hill is not being asked to help with a criminal profiling.  The unit are training up their own officers.  DCI Carol Jordan and her team are looking into the last movements of the teenagers and checking out their social media activity.  They seem to have been using the same platform to meet other people.  They could have been chatting to the murderer on line before arranging to meet up in person.  This could be a serial killer.  

Whilst investigating the murders and also looking into some cold cases, Carol is trying to find out more about Tony's father.  He has died and left a house, a boat and other assets to Tony.  Tony is not sure that he wants any of these things from a men he did not know and who did not want to know him. 

Growing Up for Beginners by Claire Calman

After her daughter heads off for a gap year Eleanor is on her own with husband Roger for the first time in over 20 years.  Roger has always been very controlling, likes his own way and gets moody if anyone disagrees with him.  He expects his dinner on the table when he gets home and for Eleanor to do exactly what he says.  Eleanor has learnt ways of asking questions and providing information in such a way that he is not riled.  She starts to rebel again Roger's domineering ways.   

Andrew works at the British Museum where Eleanor's father Conrad used to work.  Conrad still visits the museum regularly as he is writing a book.  One day Andrew gets home to find that his girlfriend Vicky has packed up all his belongings and he has to move out.  He ends up staying with his parents.  

Cecilia, an artist, lives in a house where the garden backs onto that of Andrew's parents. Andrew's mum is upset by a large apple tree which is blocking her view.  Andrew goes round to speak to her and bumps into one of Cecilia's daughters.  They find they have a lot in common and start to see each other. 

Stranger in the Woods by Anni Taylor

Photographer Isla Wilson applied for a one month assignment to take photographs of the Architect Alban McGregor, his wife and their home.  She heads off from Australia to the Scottish Highlands.  

Two years ago the McGregor's daughter Elodie has been abducted and held in a playhouse on their land, she had then died in hospital. All the locals believe that she was taken by a stranger, it couldn't have been one of their own townspeople.  Alban keeps a strange linear picture on his office wall and he refuses to knock down the playhouse.  At night be often walks around the land and visits the playhouse when he can't sleep.  

Isla gets to know some of the locals in the area.  She is sure some of them are keeping secrets. She herself is targeted in the gatehouse where she is staying.  The closer she comes to finding out the truth the more danger she is in. 

The Clockmaker's Secret by Jack Benton

Former soldier, now private detective, Slim Hardy has booked an out of season holiday near Bodmin Moor.  He needs time on his own to walk in the moors and to avoid alcohol as he has an addiction.  

Whilst out walking he trips and then finds an old and unfinished cuckoo clock which had been buried in the ground.  The clock is still ticking.  Slim takes the clock to the local town to get a valuation.  He is told it was made by Amos Birch who lived in Penleven and disappeared over 20 years ago.  

Slim is determined to find out why Amos disappeared.  He asks lots of questions in the local villages and hears lots of rumours, secrets and lies.  Many people encourage him to leave this investigation, but he needs to find answers. 

The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday by Kiley Dunbar

At her graduation ceremony mature student Jude sees her boyfriend, the Philosophy Professor Mack, kissing another student. She world crumbles.  

Jude had applied for her and Mack to have a 2 week holiday at the 'borrow-a-bookshop cafe'.  There is a long waiting list and the money is not refundable.  Their names come to the top of the list and Mack lets Jude know.  Jude decides that she will go on her own and she heads off to Devon.  

Jude's parents own and run a bakery so they send her off with lots of supplies so that she can bake the cakes for the cafe.  The bookshop is usually run by two people, one will be in the shop and the other in the cafe.  Jude is surprised when Elliott turns up.  He has also applied for the holiday but just on his own and so had been asked if he wanted to join Jude.  But Jude hadn't known and had expected to be on her own.  

Initially Jude and Elliott don't get along too well.  There is something that Elliott is keeping secret from Jude.  

The Perfect Tenant by AJ Carter

There is a lot happening all on the the one street in Bristol.  Single mother Alice owns two houses on the street, one she lives in with her young son Cody, and another that is empty and available to rent.  A young woman helps Alice in the supermarket when she drops her shopping, they talk for a while and Alice offers her the house to rent at a very reasonable, below market rate, as she is in need of a place to stay.  Ellie moves in straight away and babysits for Alice so that she can have a night out with her boyfriend Max, who is a mechanic and lives further down the street.  Alice finds a bruise on Cody's arm which has been caused by Ellie.  Then there are a lot of other issues on the street.  Alice's front garden is vandalised and someone is murdered.  All the evidence points to Ellie.  

On top of all these problems there is a serial kidnapper who is believed to be heading towards Bristol.  Alice must keep Cody safe as she suspects that Ellie may be the kidnapper.  

Coming Home to the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

After the death of her best friend Kate, Zoe takes on the care of her 16 year old daughter Martha.  As Martha is sneaking out of the house and going to clubs drinking, Zoe decides that they need to move away from Bristol for a while and to have a fresh start in the country.  

Zoe takes on a house as a 6 months rental in Budbury, a little village in Dorset.  Martha is not happy but goes along with Zoe's plans.  The community in Budbury are really welcoming and easily befriend Zoe, they even try to make friends with Martha who initially turns her back on them.  

Most days Zoe will go out for a walk and head to the local cafe for a drink and a chat whilst Martha is out at college.  All the locals head to the cafe as their safe haven. One day Martha's absent father, who lives in Australia, turns up in Budbury too.  

The Secrets of Primrose Square by Claudia Carroll

There is a lot happening in the lives of the people who live in Primrose Square in Dublin.  

Melissa's older sister has died.  Susan, her mum, is struggling to deal with the death and blames a teenage boy who was a friend of her daughter.  In her grief Susan is neglecting Melissa.  

Widowed Jayne takes in Melissa for a while when Susan requires medical care.  Jayne is being pressured by her son and daughter in law to sell her house, move in with them and give them the money.  She does not want to do this.  

Nancy, a theatre director from London, has the opportunity to rent a house on Primrose Square for a very reasonable price.  No-one seems to know who the owner of the house is, it has been empty or being refurbished for years.  Something about it doesn't feel right.  

The Killing in the Cafe by Simon Brett

The residents of Fethering want to save Polly's Cake Shop so propose that it becomes a community project to be run and managed by local volunteers.  An action committee is set up.  

Jude and Carole, the local amateur sleuths, come across a dead body on the beach.  One of the cafe waitresses had told Jude that she had seen a dead body in the storeroom of the cafe, but then the body had disappeared.  Both bodies has been shot through the temple so are probably the same man.  Jude and Carole start their own investigation into who the man is and why he has been shot.  There is a definite link between the man and the cake shop. 

Can the cake shop survive with volunteers being relied upon to keep it open?  

A Body in the Borderlands by Helen Cox

After the death of his wife Joe Golding has joined Kitt Hartley in her investigation team as he wants a different experience to his former banking career. 

The team are approached by a young women, Carly Lewis, who is looking for her uncle who has gone missing.  The police are not interested in investigating as Ralph Holmes seems to voluntarily disappeared.  

Kitt, Grace and Joe set off to Carlisle to track the most recent known movements of Ralph.  They get caught up in conspiracies, possible murder and could become targets themselves.  

Oh Crumbs by Kathryn Freeman

After the sudden death of their mother Abby Spencer sacrificed her career opportunities to look after her younger siblings.  Now at last Abby has a chance to do a job that she wants.  She becomes the personal assistant to Douglas Faulkner the MD of Crumbs, a company that make biscuits.  

Douglas isn't happy in his job, but has to continue under the thumb of his father.  There are secrets he is keeping and he is not the man people think he is.  

Abby seems a bit hair-brained from time to time, dashes in late looking crumpled after dealing with her young nephew before setting off for work, but she has a great head for the business and comes up with some interesting ideas.  

Double Crossed by Roberta Kray

Liv Anderson has been working as part of a team entrapping men to extort money from them.  Unfortunately the latest person they targeted has links to a notorious gangster and they want her to give him his money back.  Liv doesn't have the cash and so to repay the debt is forced to pose as a secretary to a property developer and report back on his business dealings.  

A local prostitute is murdered and then one of Liv's friends goes missing.  She is starting to become scared and wants to repay the debt and get away.  

Liv approaches a local newspaper journalist who may know some information about her father.  She wants to know the truth about him.  Another journalist is convinced there is a story he is missing out on and finds out who Liv really is, who her father was and follows her around trying to find out more.  She is being hounded by both gangsters and the journalist.

The Village of Happy Ever Afters by Alison Sherlock

With much encouragement from her friends Molly, who loves baking, finally follows her dream to open a tea garden.  She takes over the garden of an empty shop at the end of a small row.  The shop next door has just been rented by Logan who has come to Cranbridge to be near his grandfather whilst he gets over the very public ending of his marriage.  

Molly and many of the villagers are trying to improve the area as the owner of the shops has left them to deteriorate and the garden has become very overgrown.  Along with the tea garden some of the locals have taken on an area as a community garden.  

Logan's grandfather owns the local watermill and with Logan's help wants to rebuild the waterwheel so that the mill can re-open.  

The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew by Milly Johnson

Being the wife of the up and coming political star John F Mayhew, Sophie is expected to be the perfect wife, always look glamourous and say exactly the right thing.  When she finds out that her husband has been having an affair and she is expected to toe the line and read out a pre-prepared statement about standing by him Sophie suddenly rebels and says what she really thinks.  She then escapes from the confines of her home and with the help of a unexpected friend heads off to a Yorkshire village where she has happy memories from her childhood.  

Sophie, going under an assumed name and with a different haircut to disguise herself, is welcomed to the local community and finds some new and caring friends.  At last she can be herself and do the things she loves to do.  

Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane

Wedding photographer Harriett has been very clear that she does not wish to get married.  Her boyfriend Jon proposes to her in front of his whole family whilst out celebrating his parents wedding anniversary.  She is pressurised into accepting due to the situation but quickly lets him know that this is not what she wants.  As they are living together and the relationship has ended Harriett needs to find somewhere else to live.  

A room becomes available to rent with the home owner and Harriett ends up sharing with Cal.  The arrangements were made over the phone and so Harriett meets Cal for the first time as she moves in. When one of Cal's friends turns up Harriett recognises him as the best man from a wedding she was photographing and she realises that Cal was the groom who ran off on the wedding day leaving behind the bride.  As they start to make friends Harriet realises that her assumptions about Cal and his actions are not all as she expected.  

The Murderer's Son by Joy Ellis

A farmer's wife is found murdered in her kitchen, DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans are given the case to investigate.  A local journalist, Daniel Kinder, walks into the police station and confesses to the murder.  He can't remember doing it but knows that it was him.  He has spells of memory loss and is obsessed with the belief he is the biological son of serial killer Francoise Thayer.  Whilst Daniel is in custody another body is found, but this is not a very recent killing.  Daniel then manages to escape. 

The police bring in eminent psychologist Guy Preston to help them create a profile of the killer and to look at a wall of information Daniel has created in the attic of his house.  Guy believes that Daniel may be innocent.  

Then yet another body is found whilst Daniel is on the run.  

Judas Horse by Linda La Plante

Detective Jack Warr is brought in to help a team investigate burglaries in the Cotswolds.  There is a link between the crimes and the burglars are becoming more violent.   

One lady, a local gardener, has a link to all the houses.  She has been interviewed numerous times and does not appear to be involved.  Most of the locals use her to do work in their gardens.  Jack wants to start from scratch and interview her again.  He is not convinced of her innocence.  

Jack is able to find a few leads and connections and realises this is a big organised group.  He unearths other small crimes and connections and must find a way to lay a trap for the next expected burglary to be able to catch the gang in action. 

The Posthumous Adventures of Harry Whittaker by Bobbie Darbyshire

Following a sudden heart attack during rehearsals, actor Harry Whittaker dies at the hospital.  After death he finds himself able to rise very slightly above his body and look around, he feels trapped.  He is shouting for people to help him but no-one can hear.  He is trapped in a strange after-life.  

To be able to escape his body he must find someone he can latch on to, this has to be someone with whom he had a good connection during his life.  He then realises that he didn't really care very much for anyone.  

Richard is the son of Harry.  He was never recognised by him and was brought up by this single mother.  Richard wants to leave his failing cafe behind and set off to travel but is worried about leaving his eccentric mother.  When they hear of Harry's death Richard's mother is adamant they they must attend the funeral.  

At the funeral Harry hopes to have the opportunity to latch on to someone and escape his body before it is too late.  

A Death in the Parish by Rev Richard Coles

Canon Daniel Clement, the Rector of Champton, lives with his mother Audrey and their two dogs Cosmo an Hilda.  A new Associate Vicar Chris Biddle moves to the area with his wife Sally and their 16 year old twins Joshua and Lydia.  

Daniel is called to the local airfield where a young man has been found dead in a derelict chapel.  It appears to have been a ritualistic killing.  Daniel helps the local police with their investigations. 

He is also concerned about Mrs Hawkins, an elderly lady who is terminally ill.  She has no living relatives and a couple have moved in to look after her who have a reputation for inveigling themselves into the homes of people towards the end of their lives so that they can benefit from their estate.  

Normal Rules Don't Apply by Kate Atkinson

This is a collection of short stories which all contain something a bit odd.  By the end of the book a connection is shown between them all which link back to the very first story.  

Within each story 'normal rules don't apply' for something, for example, a man bets on a horse which he is convinced has spoken to him and time lines are skewed. 

The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer

Legal Assistant Gary meets a work acquaintance in a pub for a drink.  Brendan needs to leave suddenly to attend to some work.  Gary stays to finish his drink and starts to talk to a young woman who is sitting on her own reading a book called The Satsuma Complex.  She leaves the book behind and as Gary doesn't know her name, in his mind he calls her Satsuma.  

The next morning Gary is visited by two policeman who tell him that Brendan is dead.  Satsuma is his alibi that he had remained in the pub for the evening and so he needs to track her down.  Things then get a bit complicated and Gary is helped by his elderly neighbour Grace with whom he has regular meetings to eat pie.  

All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle

In 1958 Hubert Bird moved from Jamaica to Britain.  Half of the storyline is Hubert's life in and around the 50s and 60s.  He met and married Joyce and they had children. The other half of the storyline is present day with Hubert widowed and living alone as an elderly man in his 80s.  

Each week Hubert's daughter Rose phones from Australia to chat and see how he is.  He tells her all about the outings and meetings he has had with his group of friends and what they are planning for the next week.  This is all a lie.  When Rose tells him that she is coming home to see him Hubert needs to quickly sort out his life and acquire the friends he has been pretending exist. 

Young single mum Ashleigh, with 2 year old daughter Layla, moves into the block of flats next door.  Ashleigh is alone and is determined that she will talk to her new neighbours and make friends.  She then comes up with an idea to get ride of loneliness in the area.  Hubert gets involved with her and becomes the face of the campaign.  

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

On New Years Day 1990 in Hampstead Hospital two babies are born.  The first baby to be born in the year will win prize money.  Quinn Hamilton is born one minute before Minnie Cooper.  Minnie’s mum Connie is always bitter about the events of that night as she had helped Tara Hamilton during their hours together in labour.  

On New Years Eve 2019 Quinn and Minnie end up at the same party.  Minnie does not usually go out on New Years Eve as she feels the night is jinxed for her.  On the way to the party she lost her coat and then she spent the night locked in a toilet.  In the morning she is freed and she and Quinn meet.  Minnie just wants to go home and hide for the day until the time for the jinx has passed.   

Events keep throwing Minnie and Quinn together.  Minnie realises that Quinn has not had as good a life as she had expected.  Quinn does not want any more commitment, he has his mother and a business to look after.  

A Vintage Summer by Cathy Bramley

Lottie Allbright has been living in London for a while with her boyfriend.  Just when she is unsure what to do she meets a woman at the crematorium where she has been working who opens her eye to what has been happening in her life.  Lottie makes the decision to head back home to Derbyshire.  

When she gets back home she finds her father about to set off on his travels and her sister's marriage is on the rocks.  She needs a place to stay.  Butterworth Wines are advertising a temporary live-in job as a manager and housekeeper.  Betsy has been trying to keep the business going since her husband died but she is struggling with her eyesight and needs help.  Lottie comes up with lots of ideas to turn the business around and help with cashflow.  Betsy’s grandson Jensen is convinced that the business is too much for her and she should sell up and move out.  Lottie is determined to help Betsy, get the harvest in and save the business.  

Reading Allowed by Chris Paling

This is a selection of true stories and events which happened in the library where Chris Paling has worked.  

There are regular people who visit the library as a place of shelter, somewhere to meet and chat with others or to access the computers.  Some people have to be watched closely as they are known thieves and anything can be stolen when they are around.  

It highlights how many people rely on libraries as a sanctuary, not just as a place to borrow books.  

Hidden Lies by Rachel Ryan

After a trip to the park Georgina’s young son Cody talks about his ‘new granny’.  As Georgina’s mother had died only a few months ago her husband Bren is convinced that Cody has made up an imaginary friend as a way to deal with his loss.  Georgina is not so sure.  Cody has sweet wrappers and a lolly and can’t really say where he got then from.  Then there are some odd phone calls.  

Cody claims that he made up ‘new granny’ when pressed about her but Georgina knows that he is lying.  She also feels that they are sometimes being watched. 

What Lies Hidden by Fran McDonnell

Psychotherapist Isobel McKenzie is asked to help out an old friend, Peter Wright, who is a Solicitor.  Peter is concerned about one of his clients.  Thomas and Anne Banks are divorcing.  Anne is a recovering alcoholic who Peter feels may be being coerced into signing away her share of a house and access to her son.  

Isobel immediately senses that there is no relationship between the couple.  She too is concerned about Anne and so she starts to talk to some of Anne’s friends and hears some very different and worrying stories.  There is concern that the alcoholism is not true, and that Thomas is controlling and abusive.  Isobel along with Patricia, Peter’s secretary, set out to find the truth.  They uncover more and more worrying information and they only have until Wednesday when the divorce papers are due to be signed to be able find the whole truth. 

I Could be You by Sheila Bugler

Getting up late and heading out down a private lane which leads only to her house and the rental mobile home further down the lane, Dee stumbles across the body of her neighbour.  Katie had been run over and left to die.  The pushchair of her 2 year old son is in the ditch but Jake is no where to be found.  

Dee helps the police with their investigations which turn into a murder enquiry.  As a former journalist Dee starts her own investigations.  No-one knows who Katie’s next of kin is and then there is doubt over who Katie really is.  

The story does backwards and forwards in time to give Katie’s story alongside Dee’s investigations and findings.  A lot of people have not been telling the truth. 

Date with Danger by Julia Chapman

This is the fifth book in the Dales Detective Agency series.  

Samson and Delilah are called in to help investigate when there is a fatal accident at the local livestock auction.  Ron would have known better than to stay in the pen with agitated animals and one of the angry bullocks is later found to have a knife injury.  

There is a spate of sheep thefts in the area which is believed to be by a professional gang of rustlers.  Farmer Clive Knowles manages to disturb them when they are on his land and gets a look at some of the unusual gear they are using.  

With the help of some papers Ron has been collating, Samson and Delilah find a link between the sheep thefts and the recent activity at the auction.  And with the additional information provided by Clive Knowles they are able to come up with a plan to hopefully safeguard some of the local sheep. 

Your Place or Mine by Portia MacIntosh

When Diana suddenly dies her children immediately decide to sell her teashop.  Serena is out of a job and, as she lives in the flat over the shop, she is also being made homeless.  Her friend Taylor is about to go travelling and so offers Serena the use of her house, she can be their house sitter and let in the tradesmen to do jobs.  

Unfortunately Taylor’s husband has also offered the house to his friend Ziggy who is loud and messy.  As Ziggy arrived first he claimed the best bedroom and Serena is left in a small and cold room which has not yet been tackled in the renovations.  

Both Serena and Ziggy come up with ways to annoy each other in the hope of driving the other one out of the house.  Then Serena finds that she has inherited an unusual and ailing business from Diana. 

Date with Poison by Julia Chapman

This is the fourth book in the Dales Detective Agency series. 

In Bruncliffe there are a number of unwell dogs.  Herriot the local vet is looking after a few of them and suspects a connection.  He asks Samson O’Brien and Delilah Metcalfe to investigate a possible spate of poisonings.  

Samson is picked up by the police and questioned about his involvement in a murder.  This brings out all the details of his recent suspension from the police force.  This does not help his lack of popularity amongst some of the local residents.  

Delilah’s nephew Nathan gets into trouble at school and no-one will believe his version of events.  He then goes missing and many of the villagers go out on to the hills to try and find him in some poor weather conditions. 

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

Whilst out having a meal to celebrate her 45th birthday with her husband, Josie Fair bumps into Alix Summer a popular podcaster who is also celebrating her 45th birthday.  They are birthday twins.  

Josie approaches Alix and suggests that she makes a podcast about her as she is about to make some big changes in her life.  She convinces Alix that this could be a great subject to cover and Alix agrees to an initial interview.  Josie’s life is complicated, in her early teens she met the man who would soon become her husband.  He was already married and very many years older then her.  They have two children, one who disappeared years ago and the other who does not come out of her bedroom.  Alix is drawn into the story and soon finds that Josie is taking over her life.  

Alix interviews Josie’s mum and gets a very different version of the story.  

The podcast is changing from a story about a lifestyle change into a true crime story with Josie and Alix at the centre. 

The Boyfriend by Michelle Frances

Coming round in hospital following an accident, Amy has no memories of the last six months.  She is approaching her 30th birthday and has plans with her mother and a group of friends to visit her aunt’s chalet in Val d’Isere for a holiday and to celebrate her birthday.  

Amy has no memories of her boyfriend Dr Jack Stewart.  There are posts on her social media about him and places they have visited together but she does not remember him.  Jack is charming, seems to be devoted to Amy and knows a lot about her.  

Slowly odd memories start to return and Amy is sure Jack is not who he says he is.  Her friends are convinced it a paranoia linked to her memory loss.  

Death at the Seaside by Frances Brody

Kate Shackleton decides to take a break and visit her old school friend Alma and god-daughter Felicity in Whitby.  When she arrives Kate goes to the local jewellers shop to look for a present for Felicity.  Getting no response in the shop she pushes open the door to the back room and finds the jeweller dead on the floor.  

Felicity has disappeared. She has left a note for her mum along with a pawn ticket.  She has pawned a watch-guard with Jack Phillips the local jeweller.  Kate then learns that Jack Phillips is Alma’s current gentleman friend.  

Alma does not want to involve the police and the locals are not being very helpful.  Kate needs to do her own investigation to find out where Felicity has gone and who murdered Jack Phillips.  

Made for Me by Kathryn R Biel

Single, 29 year old Michele has just lost her job, is also about to lose her home and have to move back in with her parents.  She loves designing and making clothes but is very easily distracted from what she is doing.  

The only way she can see to make any money and be able to turn her life around is to enter the 'Made for Me' talent show.  The winner will design the wedding dress for a princess.  There is a lot of talent amongst the contestants.  They all have to live together for the duration of the filming of the shows and can not have contact with their families.  Michele feels a bit out of her depth with the others but does her best not to get eliminated.  

Some of the contestants are friendly and there is a possible budding romance with one of them.  

Janet Jackson's Yorkshire B&B by Becky Papworth

Janet Jackson is a divorced, single mum of teenage Chloe and works as a dentist's receptionist.  She has her wacky sister Maureen living with her and is desperately trying to make ends meet as Maureen regularly fails to provide any useful help or monetary support.  Over the last few years she has very slowly converted her two storey garage into accommodation so that she can open up a bed and breakfast.  After the first guests she changes her mind and drops the idea of providing breakfasts. 

With Chloe's help she advertises as an Airbnb and starts to get a few bookings.  Those who give notice are much easier to accommodate than those who want an instant booking and suddenly appear on the doorstep.  

Janet has to juggle learning how to cope with her new venture and the varying needs and habits of her guests, whilst holding down her regular job, Chloe having her first boyfriend and sitting exams, Maureen and her many men friends and her own first romance since her divorce.  Then a neighbour complains to the council that she does not have planning permission for the garage conversion.  

Mystery on Hidden Lane by Clare Chase

Obituary writer Eve Mallow books a few days in a holiday cottage in Saxford St Peter to spend time investigating the life of cellist Bernard Fitzpatrick who has drowned in the river near his home.  Eve plans to interview friends and colleagues of Bernard to find their most treasured memories of him for her article.  

The police discover that the death was not an accident but murder.  Whilst interviewing people and asking about Bernard's life Eve is conscious that she could be interviewing his murderer.  She creates a spreadsheet of possible suspects and adds more details after each interview.  Almost everyone has a reason to dislike Bernard.  Then another person is murdered using the same weapon.  

Her Sister's Secret by Jan Baynham

In the 1940s Rose Howells falls in love with Marco, an Italian prisoner of war.  Her father Joe will not tolerate a relationship with someone who could have killed their own men.  Joe is known to have a temper and when he finds Rose with Marco she has to leave the family home and goes to live with her aunt.  Her father tells her never to return. 

In the 1960s Jennifer Howells is getting ready to leave her family home in Wales to go to university.  She needs her birth certificate and when she sees it her world falls apart.  She is not who she thinks she is and her family have been lying to her.  First she needs to find her birth mother and then she needs to find out who her father is.  Her search takes her to Cardiff and then to Italy.  

The House Sitter by Debbie Howells

On his way to work, airline pilot Oliver is killed in a car crash.  His wife Kat soon learns that he had lost his job a few months ago due to arriving at work drunk.  She slowly unearths more and more information about his life that she was unaware of.  He seems to have been living a double life and was planning to leave her for another woman.  Oliver had been driving Kat's car and the brakes had been cut.  The police have to work out if the intended victim was Oliver or Kat.  When Oliver's will is read Kat finds that the other woman has been left the bulk of his wealth. 

In other chapters we learn all about a young woman who keeps changing her name and re-inventing herself.  She spends time living in luxury houses as a house sitter in different countries.  The owners believe their houses are being cared for, but she helps herself to their clothes, wine and jewellery.  If anyone gets in her way there can be severe consequences for them.  

Summer at Blue Sands Cove by CP Ward

Fed up with Bristol, Grace is encouraged by her friend Joan to return to Blue Sands in Cornwall for the summer and to help her out by working in her family's cafe on the beach.   

Grace meets up with old school friends and tries to avoid an old boyfriend.  She discovers the cafe could be in trouble so tries to find a way to promote it and get it on social media.  Joan isn't keen on any of the ideas or proposed new names.  

Being very competitive, when a local challenge is announced, Grace has to enter both the surfing and the cycling competitions.  

Date with Mystery by Julia Chapman

This is the third book in the Dales Detective Agency series. 

The Dales Detective Agency is asked to find the death certificate of a young woman who died 20 years ago as she appears, along with her brother, as the joint beneficiaries in their mother's will.  The local solicitor who hires Samson is happy to hire Delilah too to assist in this task.  Together they head to Leeds where they had been told she was killed in a road accident.  There is no death registered, nor any newspaper stories about the accident.  

The death is becoming a bit of a mystery and then Samson receives a threatening letter warning him off.  

Meanwhile Delilah needs to a find a way to be able to keep her beloved dog Tolpuddle who is in the middle of a custody battle with her ex-husband who is named is on the registration papers.  

Between the Lines by S J Butler

During a party on a boat Kev meets Eve.  One evening three months later Eve is killed in a hit and run as they are separately heading back to their homes after a night out.  He feels guilty that he had not walked her home. 

A while later Kev meet Stella and they start a relationship.  He still often thinks about Eve.  

Kev is a literary agent who is looking for his next best seller.  He receives the first chapter of a book and sends back a rejection letter.  Then the next chapter arrives, and then the next.  He realises that he is being stalked by the author and his worst nightmare is about to begin. 

The Proof in the Pudding by Rosemary Shrager

This is the second Prudence Bulstrode story. 

Pru, with the help of her granddaughter Suki, is tasked with preparing a meal for all the villagers of Scrafton Busk.  The meal finishes with her famous figgy pudding, in which a young boy discovers an old coin.  

Outside in the snow the dead body of Terry Chandler is found entombed in a snowman which was built a few days ago on the village green.  Terry's brother is arrested but with the intervention of Pru is finally released without charge.  He receives a letter from Terry directing him to Mystery Hills where he claims hidden treasure will be found.  

The Lies Within by Jane Isaac

This is  DI Will Jackman story.  

Following a family wedding, the body of teenage student Jo Lamborne is discovered in a country lane. Grace, her mother, is distraught.  The police don't seem to be getting anywhere with the case although her murder is quite similar to that of another young woman.   

Grace bumps into Faye in a supermarket.  She and Faye used to go to the same school.  Faye seems to be the only person Grace can talk to and together they visit some of Jo's friends to see what they can find out.  

The story starts with Grace being on trial for a murder. 

Kate and Clara's Curious Cornish Craft Shop by Ali McNamara

Kate moved to St Felix to open her own craft shop where she sells craft items and also lots of her own designs.  She accepts the gift of an old sewing machine which has come from a house clearance.  It will look good in her shop window.  

Jack, the new owner of a local art shop, has bought an old artist easel which came from the same house clearance.  Strange things start to happen with the sewing machine and easel which point Kate and Jack towards an old love story.  As they investigate the strange happenings and the lives of Clara and Arty they are also drawn to each other.  

It's not unusual for strange things to happen in St Felix.  

We Used to Live Here by Daniel Hurst

Shortly after moving into their new home Steph and Grant Burgess receive a visit from an elderly couple.  They say that they used to live in the house in the 1960s and ask if they can come in and have a look around.  Step enjoys meeting them and lets them look around.  Soon after, whilst decorating, Steph finds writing on a wall.  The first messages are just names and dates.  

Later, when a wall is being removed between two upstairs rooms, another hidden wall is discovered.  On this wall there are more messages but these are much more disturbing.  As Steph starts to investigate what has happened in the house, she discovers the old couple's son had gone missing and was never found.  

Coming Home to Seashell Cottage by Jessica Redland

At the age of 16 Clare left her home in Ireland and travelled to England to live with an aunt.  She has never been back to Ireland or had any contact with her family.  She has never talked to anyone about Ireland, her family or why she had to leave.  

Now her boss is insisting that she has to go to Ireland to attend a meeting.  Whilst there she can't resist having a quick visit to the village of Ballykielty where she grew up.  As she sees familiar places echoes of old memories creep back into her mind.  Can she finally stand up to her parents?  

Suddenly a lot is changing in her life and she has to face her past.  

Death Do They Part by J D Whitelaw

This is the second book in the Parker Sisters series. 

Martha, Helen and Geri Parker are devastated to hear that their mother has been killed in a hit and run accident.  They are determined to find the driver involved.  

Then some bodies disappear from the local morgue, including the body of their mother.  Now they need to find her body as well as the driver who killed her.  

Manhunter by Chris Ryan

During a royal wedding in London a local mobster is murdered.  It looks like an attack carried out by the Russians.  In his dying breath the mobster gives some information to Josh Bowman who is acting as a body guard for an African President attending the wedding.  There had been rumours of a death threat against the visiting President so the Intelligence Agencies had put together a 4 man team to protect him.  

Bowman is then recruited into 'The Cell' which is a secret unit within the SAS.  They fly over to France on a mission and then end up uncovering a plot against a tyrant in Africa and are drawn into an African takeover coup.  There are a lot of rebels for the small team to fight whilst protecting an important family, they have a limited supply of ammunition and it's a number of hours before reinforcements are due to land. 

Body Language by A K Turner

Mortuary Technician Cassie Raven likes to talk to the people who are left in her care.  She often feels that the bodies have something to say to her after their deaths.  

Cassie is upset when she finds the body of Mrs Edwards, her old teacher and friend, in the body bag which has been brought in.  Although the pathologist says it was an accidental death Cassie doesn't believe it and wills Mrs E to talk to her.  Cassie starts her own investigations in to what has been happening in Mrs E's life since they last met and who may have tried to kill her, why and how.  

Detective Sergeant Phyllida Flyte doesn't trust Cassie and when a body from the mortuary goes missing Cassie is the prime suspect. 

I Will Find You by Harlan Coben

Having woken up one night covered in blood and finding his son dead and beaten in his bed, David Burroughs is in prison for murder. He has refused to see anyone so is surprised when 5 years later his sister-in-law visits.  She shows him a photograph of a group of people at a theme park and in the background is a young boy who looks just like Matthew his son.  

The only way David can find out if his son is still alive is to plan his escape from prison and try to find the boy himself.  But if Matthew is still alive, who was the murdered boy?  

Banking on Murder by JD Whitelaw

Sisters Martha, Helen and Geri Parker run a private detective agency.  They mainly help to find evidence of cheating spouses.  

The wife of a wealthy banker asks them to find out who her husband is seeing as she is sure he is having an affair.  The sisters meet the husband and are invited to attend a party.  After the party he is found dead in a flat.  The wife is suspected of murder but the sisters are convinced she is innocent and set out to prove this to the police.  

False Witness by Karin Slaughter

Defence Attorney Leigh Coulton is asked to take on a high profile case when a wealthy man is accused of rape.  When she meets him she realises this is no coincidence, when he was a young boy she had been his babysitter.  He threatens Leigh, if she doesn't get him off then he will release information about her part in his father's disappearance many years ago.  She realises that he really does know the details about what happened.  

The only person who can help Leigh is her younger sister Callie who was also there on that fateful night.  Callie has spent many years addicted to drugs as her way of blocking out what happened.  

Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles

Following the sudden death of her mother, Rosie Merchant returns to Devon from her home in Spain.  She moves into Driftwood House where she grew up.  Rosie is expecting to sort out the house, arrange for it to be rented out and then return to her life in Spain.  Growing up she couldn't wait to be able to get away from Heaven's Cove where everyone knew everything about each other.  

The arrival of a letter shows that Rosie's mother Sofia had not always told her everything and some things which were assumed, like ownership of Driftwood House, were not true.  

Liam Satterley, who she remembers from school, is now running his family farm. Liam agrees to help Rosie make some improvements to Driftwood House in the hope that they can save it from being knocked down and developed.  

Miss Austen by Gill Hornby

Set in 1840, Cassandra Austen, the sister of novelist Jane, returns to the village of Kintbury.  She is visiting her family friend Isabella who is packing up and having to leave the vicarage as her father has died.  Whilst there Cassandra is looking for a pile of old letters which were written by Jane.   

The story moves back in time as Cassandra reads some of the letter she has found.  Jane died many years ago and Cassandra wants to see if there are any secrets in the letters which she wants to keep hidden to protect Jane.  

The letters reveal hidden truths and secrets about both Jane and Cassandra. 

The Diabolical Club by Stevyn Colgan

The headmistress of the local private girls schools finds a human bone whilst out walking her dogs in Black Dog Wood.  The police are called and they dig up an old skeleton that is found to have been blindfolded.  

The school secretary is then found murdered.  Local MP Sir Giles Luscott-Whorne is the prime suspect. Unless he can prove his innocence he will be charged with murder.  Sir Giles approaches Frank Shunter, a local retired police detective, to help him to find out what is really going on.  

There is also a rumour of the possible discovery of a lost Agnes Crabbe manuscript.  Could the murders and the manuscript be connected? 

This book is the sequel to A Murder to Die For.  

Murders at the Montgomery Hall Hotel by Gina Kirkham

The ladies from the Winterbottom Women's Institute, along with part time investigators Pru and Bree, visit Montgomery Hall for a Halloween murder mystery weekend.  

Pru and Bree are there undercover to try to work out who is stealing items from the hall.  They have been employed by Tarragon Montgomery the current owner.  The hall has been passed down through generations of his family and his mother Cecily won't give him any more money to keep the hall's finances healthy.  The money is running out.  

Many events have been planned over the weekend, including a visit from Psychic Selma.  A storm hits and with local flooding everyone is trapped in the hall.  During the murder mystery enactment a real murder takes place.  Then more people go missing.  

What Happened on Floor 34? by Caroline Corcoran

The newspaper team has a Day Editor and a Night Editor.  The two have never met.  They just leave messages for each other as they swap shifts.  

One morning Rose arrive in the office to take over the Day Editor job to find that Will, the Night Editor, has gone missing.  Will has been the Night Editor for 8 years but has now vanished without a trace.  There is just a short note left on the PC screen.  

In Will's absence Rose has to take over the Night Editor role.  Rose becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to Will.  Being on her own on the 34th floor in the night is eerie.  Rose is sure that something has happened to Will and that by taking over the Night Editor job she will be able to find out what that is, but she also feels that whatever it is, she will be next.  

A Murder to Die For by Stevyn Colgan

Nasely holds an annual celebration event for Agnes Crabbe, a deceased murder mystery writer who used to live in the village.  Many people, both men and women, attend the event dressed as her lady detective Miss Millicent Cutter.  There are a number of Agnes Crabbe fan clubs and they all turn up and there is a lot of rivalries between them.  

One fan is found murdered, but with so many people dressed as Millicent Cutter it is difficult to decide who has been murdered and who the murderer is.  Then other fans and celebrities who are attending the event also go missing.  

Many of the fans take the opportunity to use their detective skills to try and work out who the murderer is and where the missing people have gone. The police are trying to manage the crime scene but with so many Miss Cutters in the village it becomes a bit tricky.  

A Witch Hunt in Whitby by Helen Cox

Eleven days after finding a purple 'V' painted on the front door, the person in that house is murdered.   The first victim had cleaned the paint off their door and so the police didn't immediately realise there was a connection and that they had a serial killer on the loose in Yorkshire.  Each murder victim had an association with the occult and was found with 2 puncture marks on their neck and had lost some blood.  It was as if they were the victim of a vampire.   

Private investigators Kitt Hartley and Grace Edwards have 11 days to solve the murders and to keep Ruby Barnett safe after she has found a V painted on her door.  They head to Whitby as that is the central point from all the murder locations. 

Auntie Poldi and the Handsome Antonio by Mario Giordano

Unexpectedly Poldi's estranged husband, John Owenya from Tanzania, appears on her doorstep.  John wants Poldi to help him find his half brother who travelled to Sicily with $10M of stolen money and has now disappeared.   Both the Tanzanian and Sicilian mafia mobs are looking for him too. 

The only clue is a postcard with a phone number and the name handsome Antonio.  Almost everyone that Poldi comes across in the course of her investigations is called Antonio.  

Poldi needs a car and so steals a Maserati and gets her nephew to drive her around Sicily with her brother in law as the navigator.  As ever Poldi put her own life in danger and has a couple of visits from Death with his clipboard.  The nephew is still trying to write his novel.  

The Holiday Swap by Zara Stoneley

It comes as a massive surprise to Daisy when her boyfriend Jimmy suggests that they get married and have children.  She panics and realises that perhaps that isn't what she wants.  

Her school friend Florence, who has moved to live in Barcelona, seems to have the perfect life with the perfect job and the perfect boyfriend.  When Oli takes Flo to Paris for the weekend she is convinced that she is going to get a romantic proposal. She is in for a surprise.  

As both Daisy and Flo need to get away from their partners and have a change of scenery whilst they think about what they really want in life, they decide to house swap with each other for a few weeks.   

Daisy loves being in the sunshine and is taken around Barcelona by Flo's friend Javier.  Flo is looking after Daisy's animals in cold and snowy England and is constantly laughed at, but also helped, by Daisy's next door neighbour Hugo.  

Auntie Poldi and the Fruits of the Lord by Mario Giordano

This is the second book in the Auntie Poldi series. 

The water supply has been turned off and Poldi is convinced it is the Mafia who are targeting her.  

A district attorney is found dead, having been hit on the head by a wine bottle.  Poldi decides to visit the vineyard who produced the wine and there she meets a local fortune teller who is very soon found dead too.  She can't resist getting involved and trying to find out who killed her and why.  As usual she drags members of her family into her snooping too.  Poldi puts her own life in danger and has to ask Montana's girlfriend for help.  As before, her nephew visits regularly and is trying to write a book about the family but it is turning into a crime mystery of Poldi's antics.  

The Perfectly Imperfect Woman by Milly Johnson

When she was a small child Marnie Salt used to run errands for the old lady next door and help her with her baking.  Marnie found out that cheesecake exists and helped to make them.  

As an adult Marnie is not very lucky in love, she always seems to find the wrong men.  After another disastrous relationship has abruptly ended Marnie meets Lilian in an on-line baking chat room. In a drunken hazy Marnie shares a lot of information about her life with Lilian who then invites her to attend a fate in her village in the Yorkshire Dales.  

Marnie goes along and ends up staying in one of the cottages, temporarily, and sets up her own cheesecake making business from the cottage.  She and Lilian quickly become really good friends.  Then unexpectedly Marnie has not choice but to stay in the village and help to turn its fortunes around.  This makes her very unpopular with some of the locals.  

My Husband's Son by Deborah O'Connor

An unusual course of events have led to Heidi and Jason meeting each other and becoming a couple.  Heidi's daughter was abducted and murdered.  A year later Jason's son went missing and he has never been found.  

On her way home from work one day Heidi stops off at an off-licence to buy a bottle of wine and sees a young boy she is sure is Jason's son Barney.  Jason goes to the off-licence and says it is not him, he doesn't match the age progression pictures that have been produced.  Heidi just can't get the boy out of her mind and so goes back to have another look on her own.  Heidi keeps talking about the boy but Jason doesn't want to know.  

Heidi refuses to give up.  She tries to find out as much as she can about the boy and the man who is looking after him.  She puts herself, her job and her marriage at risk as she is so certain the boy Barney and wants to get him back. 

Date with Malice by Julia Chapman

This is the second book in the Dales Detective Agency series. 

Samson O'Brien didn't really believe Alice Shepherd, a resident of the Fellside Court Retirement Home, when she said that someone was trying to kill her.  She seemed to be a bit confused, but then a few days later she was found dead.  He then has to wonder if there really was something true in her suspicions and it wasn't just confusion of an elderly woman.   

Then others at Fellside have accidents or unexpected deaths and Samson asks his landlady Delilah to help him to investigate.  

Together they investigate and set up a stakeout.  They also try to find a missing ram for a local farmer. 

Take a Chance on Me by Beth Moran

There are five sisters in the Italian/Irish Donovan family.  Three of them are already married, after a long time in a relationship Bridget is about to be married, and then there is Emma, the eldest, who is happily single and runs her own cake making business.  

Cooper, who is Bridget's best friend, has just returned from Wales where he has left his job and ends up back in the same lab working with Bridget again.  He has always been in love with Bridget but kept that bit of information to himself.  

Whilst helping Bridget arrange her wedding Emma realises that perhaps this is what she also wants too.  When Professor Cole, Cooper and Bridget's boss, is challenged to find two people who are compatible and will get married on first sight, Emma decides to apply to take part in the project. 

The Guesthouse by Abbie Frost

A husband, wife and daughter, a father and son, and two single ladies are all the first visitors to stay in The Guesthouse in Ireland.  It is in quite a remote place and the final access on the road in is only on foot.  

Hannah, one of the single ladies, is struggling to get over the death of her boyfriend Ben, who should have been with her, but she decided to continue with the trip.  The story is narrated from her point of view.  

Mo has booked the visit along with his dad Sandeep.  During his time in the local police force Sandeep had worked in the area and had visited The Guesthouse when it had been a family home.  

Liam and Rosa along with daughter Chloe are staying as they are waiting for the completion on a house they are moving to in Scotland and have nowhere else to go.  

Lucy, an aspiring singer, had booked at the last minute as she found details of the house and the initial very temping offer.  

There are locked rooms in the house which haven't yet been renovated and also hidden passageways.  The wifi, electricity and heating are not reliable.  Then guests start disappearing and/or being found dead and the guests that are left can't leave due to the bad weather conditions and lack of transport. 

Abigail's Shop by Rachael Herron

Following the death of Eliza, who was famous in the world of knitting and fibres, Abigail inherits a cottage with all its contents in the middle of the land of Eliza's sheep farming ranch.  The rest of the ranch goes to her nephew Cade who has been running and managing the ranch for the last 10 years.  Cade is very unhappy about this unexpected splitting off of the land.  

For Abigail this is the fresh start she needs in a new place away from her ex-boyfriend who has been stalking her.  She is famous in her own right as an author and creator of knitting patterns.  The cottage is absolutely full of boxes and bags and the water has been turned off.  Without work the cottage is not immediately habitable.  Cade is convinced that the cottage is just full of Eliza's rubbish, but when Abigail starts to look through the boxes they are full of fibres, spinning wheels and other things she will need to set up her own shop.  

Although he doesn't want her there, Cade allows Abigail to stay in the main house whilst she works on the cottage.  Eliza was plotting more than just a shop for Abigail, she seems to have deliberately put Cade and Abigail together.  

Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano

Auntie Poldi has decided to move to Sicily to have a sea view whilst she drinks all day and waits to die.  She has family in Sicily who keep an eye on her and discourage her drinking.  

A young man, Valentino, has been helping to do jobs for Poldi in her new home and then one day he fails to turn up.  Poldi makes enquiries about where he is and no-one has seen him.  After four days Poldi discovers his body on the beach, he has obviously been murdered.  She calls both the Carabinieri and the state police.  Both turn up and both suspect Poldi of being involved.  

Commissario Montana is put in charge of the murder case.  On the beach Poldi had promised the dead Valentino that she would find out who had murdered him and even though she is told by Montana to keep away from the case, she ignores him and makes her own enquiries.  She uncovers some dodgy dealings with items being stolen from old houses and sold on.  She makes a few new friends in the local community but most of their names end up on her list of possible murderers.  

Poldi ropes in her family to help her and to take it in turns to stake out the area looking for the unknown dark haired man who turned up at the funeral.  

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

This is the third book in the Thursday Murder Club series. 

The Thursday Murder Club look into a 10 year old mystery.  Bethany Waite disappeared and it is assumed that she is dead but her body has never been found.  The group meet up with Mike Waghorn, a TV presenter who used to work with Bethany. They go through all the details of her last known movements and find that there was someone in the car with Bethany on her final journey.  

Ibrahim visits Connie Johnson in prison and asks for her help.  A second murder is then committed. Whilst looking into Bethany's disappearance Elizabeth receives an order to kill and if she fails to do this then Joyce will be killed.  She has to work out how to save her friend.  

Meanwhile romance flourishes between Bogdan and Donna and Ron meets Pauline, a make-up artist who works with Mike Waghorn, and finds himself completely outside his comfort zone with the younger woman. 

Happy Dreams at Mermaid Cover by Marie Laval

Needing to get away and have a fresh start after getting out of a controlling relationship, Jenna Palmer applies to become the mobile librarian for Arrandale on the Isle of Skye.  She calls the little yellow van Buttercup and has lots of ideas for getting the children and community reading.  

Her boss is Daniel McGregor, a local farmer and the Laird, who bought the van when the local council closed the facilities.  

Daniel is often grumpy, and is the guardian of his niece Katrina.  Katrina loves books but Daniel doesn't have time to read for himself.  He only reads bedtime stories to Katrina.  There are lots of local legends about mermaids and lost treasure.  Some of the stories have been made up by Daniel to explain to Katrina why she does not see her mum who left her with Daniel to go to Florida diving.  

Date with Death by Julia Chapman

This is the first book in the Dales Detective Series. 

Struggling to keep her businesses afloat Delilah Metcalfe decides to rent out the lower floor of her building.  She is running her Dales Dating Agency (DDA) from the first floor.  Samson O'Brien who left Bruncliffe 14 years ago and hasn't been seen in years turns up with an estate agent to view the office and agrees to a 6-month let.  Delilah is not happy to see him but needs the money so agrees.  Samson, who has spent many years in the police force in London, plans to set up in business as the Dales Detective Agency - also DDA and another reason for Delilah to be annoyed.  

His first job is to investigate the suicide of Richard Hargreaves whose mother is convinced he would not have killed himself but the police are not listening.  When there is another accidental death in the area Delilah becomes concerned as the men were both members of her agency.  Delilah and Samson join forces to investigate and hopefully set a trap for whoever is the possible killer.  

The Plumberry School of Comfort Food by Cathy Bramley

Just as Verity finds herself out of a job, Gloria the mother of her best friend asks for her help as she is setting up her own cookery school.  Verity hasn't cooked since best friend Mimi died two years ago.  This may be the opportunity she needs to get away and start cooking again.  She is happy to move to York for a few weeks as one of the reasons she has lost her job is that boyfriend Liam has stolen her marketing ideas and pitched them as his own. 

Chef Tom McDonald has agreed to help out at the cookery school for a few weeks, although some of his ideas aren't quite what Gloria and Verity have in mind for food being fun. When Gloria has an accident Verity, Tom and Mags have to take over and get the cookery school open.  

This story also includes the characters Gabe and Noah who appear in the book 'The Lemon Tree Cafe'.  (I have read the books the wrong way round). 

There are a number of recipes includes at the end.  

The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes

In 1946 after the war has ended, lots of brides in Australia want to be reunited with the English men they have married.  When their names come up on a list they are given places on ships to sail to Britain.  Expecting liners with a degree of luxury one group of wives are disappointed to find themselves on an aircraft carrier which is setting off home on its final voyage.  

Women who would not usually have mixed with each other are placed together to share a room on the long voyage.  Pregnant Margaret has sneaked her elderly dog on board as she doesn't want to leave her behind and the women in her room help her to keep the secret even when they have a marine stationed outside the door at night.  

Avice is horrified by the ship and the conditions but is determined to win the beauty competition which is taking place.  Frances, a nurse, keeps quietly to herself for most of the voyage but helps out Jean, who is the youngest wife on board, when she gets into difficulties.  

Recipe for Love by Katie Fforde

Aspiring cook Zoe Harper has won a place in a televised cookery competition. If she wins she will use the money to open up her own delicatessen.  During the first stage of the competition she has a share a room with Cher who is determined to win at all costs.

For one of the tasks they have to cater for a wedding and produce lots of different canapes.  When the wedding cake fails to appear, possibly at the cost of her place in the competition, Zoe agrees to help out and produce lots of cup cakes to display together on a stand.  None of the other competitors will assist her. 

Zoe is attracted to Gideon, one of the judges, who she met accidently before the competition started as she helped him when his car was stuck on a country lane.  They shouldn't spend any time together but don't seem to be able to keep apart.  

Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller

As she lies in bed at the end of her life Frances Jellico is visited by a vicar.  He wants to know what really happened in the summer of 1969 when Frances was working at Lyntons, an old manor house.   

The story goes back to 1969 when Frances' mother had just died and she was offered a job looking at the old bridges on the land of Lyntons for the new owner.  As well as Frances, there was another couple staying in the old run down house, Peter and Cara. Peter was there to carry out assessments on the house and contents.  Over the summer the three of them spent a lot of time together, they swam in the lake, had picnics on the land and drank a lot of wine which was found in the cellar and was not on the house inventory.  

Frances had met the vicar at the local church when working at Lyntons and he is now a regular visitor to her bedside, even through she is sure he is not a vicar anymore. 

A Secret Life by Christobel Kent

Following a night out with a couple of old friends in London Georgie realises that there are gaps in her memory about what happened.  She feels really unwell as she drives back home to her husband and daughter the next day.

Slowly small bits and pieces of memory start to appear and Georgie recalls there being a man in one of the pubs they visited.  Then she receives a text message from him.  She tries to contact one of the friends she was with to ask her if she remembers what happened but when they arrange to meet up for a coffee and a chat the friend does not arrive.  

Love Untold by Ruth Jones

As she approaches her 90th birthday the one thing that Grace really wants is to find her daughter Alys.  She has not seen her for 30 years, and Grace's great granddaughter Beca doesn't even know that Alys is alive, she has been told that she died.  

Grand daughter Elin is planning a surprise party for Grace, although Grace has been very clear that she doesn't want any fuss.  

All of the women in the family face their own heartache and problems and a few old secrets are also revealed. 

Escape to Darling Cove by Holly Hepburn

Ennisfarne is a small island off the coast of Northumberland.  It is only accessible at certain times of the day depending on the tides.  Eve Darling has lived there all her life.  She doesn't want to be anywhere else.  She runs a bar with her brother Aiden and they have a holiday let cottage.  

Logan, a famous photographer, needs to spend some time alone following a break up from his girlfriend, and he is not sure that he want to continue with fashion photography.  He rents Eve's cottage for 3 months, under an assumed name, and plans to hide out and rest for a while.  

Eve and Logan first bump into each other on the beach when her young Labrador dog Huxley runs up to Logan, knock him over and he smashes his camera lens.  They really don't get off to a good start.  But then when Logan needs protection from the islanders, they all pull together and treat him as one of their own.  Logan falls in love with the beauty of the island and starts to enjoy landscape photography.  

A Deathly Silence by Jane Isaac

Two young boys, Connor and Rhys, playing in a derelict factory in Hamptonshire stumble across the dead and mutilated body of a woman.  They run home and pretend they have not seen anything. 

By the next morning the police are investigating the murder.  The dead woman is Sinead O'Donnell, one of their own police officers.  DCI Helen Lavery returns from injury leave to head up the murder investigation.  Sinead's husband Blane is also a police officer on the force.  He wants to be able to help out with the investigation to find out who did this to his wife but he is not allowed to be involved.  

After Connor and Rhys are identified as the two young boys seen running away from the factory, they are interviewed by the police.  Then Connor realises that he is being followed. 

The DCI in charge has to establish if this is a part of an organised crime or a random, unlucky attack.   During the investigation Sinead is not the only body to be found.  

A Three Dog Problem by S J Bennett

This is the second book in the 'Her Majesty the Queen Investigates' series.  

The body of a member of staff is found dead in Buckingham Palace near to the swimming pool.  Was the death an accident as the police assume or has this rather unpopular member of staff been murdered?  

Whilst on a royal visit Her Majesty notices one of her own paintings of Britannia, which used to hang outside her bedroom, on the wall in a maritime exhibition in Portsmouth.  She wants to know how it got there and she wants it back.  She asks her assistant Rozie to make some enquiries.  Whilst trying to find out more about the painting Rozie receives some threatening letters.  

Her Majesty puts Rozie in touch with an old member of staff who may be able to provide some assistance.  

Take a Chance on Me by Jill Mansell

Following the death of his father, Johnny LaVenture has returned to Channing Hill for the funeral.  He is now a sculptor and lives in New York. The family home has been put up for sale and Johnny wants a quick sale so that he can buy another apartment. 

Cleo Quinn was made fun of at school by Johnny and she wants to keep her distance from him.  She has a new boyfriend and everything seems to be going well until she finds out that Will is in fact married.   Abbie, Chloe's sister, then finds out that her husband is keeping a secret from her.  

The lives of a few people in Channing Hill are about to change.  

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Today Nora has been told that she is about to lose her job, and then someone knocks on her front door to tell her that her cat has been killed on the road.  This is the last straw for Nora.  Her parents are dead and her brother won't talk to her and so she decides that there is nothing left to live for.  

Having taken some pills, on the stroke of midnight Nora finds herself in a library.  The only other person there is Mrs Elm who was her old school librarian.  The shelves are full of books in different shades of green but all without titles.  Each book holds the story of the life Nora would have lived if a different decision had been made.  There is also a book of regrets.  

Nora can choose a book, or ask for a particular version of her life and when she opens the book and starts to read she is transported to that life.  She can do this again and again so that she has lived all different versions of her life and has no regrets.  If she finds the perfect life perhaps she can stay there.  

A Village Murder by Frances Evesham

On the day of Imogen Bishop's father's funeral her estranged husband Greg is found dead.  His body is found by Imogen and Adam, the local landlord and a retired policeman, in the conservatory of the hotel owned by Imogen's father.  

Adam helps Imogen to investigate what happened to Greg and during their enquiries Adam begins to wonder if the car accident which killed Imogen's father was an accident at all.  They could have two murders on their hands in the quiet Somerset village.  And Imogen could be in danger of becoming victim number three.  

My One True North by Milly Johnson

Six months ago Laurie lost her partner Alex in a car crash.  He was found with an engagement ring in his pocket and a bag of food for a special meal.  He was about to propose.  As time goes on Laurie realises that some things about Alex are just not adding up.  She is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.  

Pete's wife was also killed in a car crash.  After her death he discovered a positive pregnancy test and it was confirmed that he had lost both his wife and unborn child in the crash.   

Both Laurie and Pete are encouraged to join a grief counselling group.  They meet there as new members.  The group is made up of an odd collection of people who have all suffered a loss.  It is a safe place to talk about how they feel and to not be judged by anyone for their reactions and feelings.  

A Forget Me Not Summer by Sophie Claire

Following a very brief marriage, and three years after their divorce, Luc Duval suddenly turns up to see Natasha.  His father is very ill in hospital and wants to see the whole family.  Luc admits he has not told his family about the divorce.  He wants Natasha to go to France with him to visit his family and pretend that they are happily married.  

Natasha is not keen, but then when her offer on her dream house is gazumped, and she can't afford to go any higher, Luc offers to buy it for her if she will help.  The deal is 2 weeks in France pretending to still be his wife in exchange for the house.  

Paper Cup by Karen Campbell

One night, whilst sleeping on the streets in Glasgow, Kelly meets a young woman on her hen night who is really generous and gives her some money.  Kelly later realises that she also has the engagement ring of the young woman too.  The next day Kelly witnesses a terrible accident whilst begging on the steps of the national gallery and she helps an injured man.  She can't get the man out of her mind.  

Kelly decides that she must find the young woman and return the ring.  To do this she will have to head off towards the home she left and has been avoiding for many years.  On her way she is handed a leaflet about a pilgrim's trail and so she follows this to take her home.  On the journey she meets some very caring and generous people, rescues a dog and is being tracked by a journalist who wants to find the homeless woman who was at the scene of the accident in the city centre.