I have been busily reading this month so here are the books I have read.
Coffin Road was another Hebridean thriller by Peter May. I will need to look out for more of his books. I picked this one up at the secondhand book sale. Very atmospheric writing.
Promise by Sarah Armstrong, for some reason made me think of The Slap by Christos Tsiolkis. The link was probably the moral issues and legal issues that were presented here. The story is set in Sydney and the hinterland of Nimbin. A very thought provoking tale with the moral dilemma that was the focus of the story. How far should a person go to protect the safety of a child? I kept wondering what I would do in the situation.
You can listen to an interview with Sarah Armstrong here.
The Blue Mile by Kim Kelly was set in Sydney around the time of the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Lots of historical research has gone into this book and it reminded me of the Rowland Sinclair series of books by Sulari Gentill
“Against the glittering backdrop of Sydney Harbour, The Blue Mile tells of the cruelties of poverty, the wild gamble a city took to build a wonder of the world, and the risks the truly brave will take for a chance at life.”
The book was a romance but the historical aspects made it an enjoyable read.
Exposure by Helen Dunmore didn’t disappoint. I loved The Siege and this was equally as good. This is a spy novel but not one with a complex plot. You can read an excellent review here.
“It is set at the heart of the Cold War in November, 1960. Simon and Lily Carrington live in North London. Simon works at the Admiralty, keeps his head down and has a relatively ordinary life. However, this is turned upside down when he is accused of espionage.”
Selection Day by Aravind Adiga was all about the fanatic love of cricket in India and the pressure that is put on two brothers to succeed in the cricket arena. It was also an enjoyable read as it provided aspects of life in Mumbai along with the cricket focus. There is an excellent review here.
I thoroughly enjoyed all of these books and would recommend each one. It was a mixture of genres this month, not my usual crime fiction.
According to Goodreads I am two reads behind in my Reading Challenge so I need to catch up. At the moment I am reading Jack Maggs by Peter Carey.
Gippsland Granny 