Under the Harrow … a review

This book by Flynn Berry was a quick read. I picked it up because it was on a list with Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. The novel is about a girl who is about to go visit her sister, but when she gets there, finds her sister and her dog both brutally murdered. I enjoyed how the author had described the crime scene very graphically, I do like that in crime novels, it sets a strong scene.

Turns out, the sister Rachel had also been brutally attacked in the past (and nearly died) but the perpetrator was never caught. The book is then the protagonist’s attempts to find her sister’s killer. And in true, crime fiction style, there are cops with personal issues of their own. Rachel’s past begins to surface, and we find that not a lot of people knew many things about her and many suspects with strong motives begin to emerge.

Overall, the book did not impress me. I found the revelations from the past rather predictable (perhaps I have been reading too much in the genre)! I also found the ending rather bland. The initial excitement of the plot did not carry through and the repeat crime sub-plot quickly lost steam. So I’d give this one a miss if I were you, but it isn’t a very long read either way, so it was okay.

Girl on the Train … a review

A while ago, I came across a list that had names of books people who liked ‘Gone Girl’ might enjoy. I really enjoyed that book so this blurb caught my eye. I then picked it up at the airport in the summer this year at 4 am when I had a 4 hour wait, perfect. It was only when I saw the cover that I realised that the movie was about to come out this year as well.

Now, this book was really good to kill those four hrs and some time on the flight as well. It is fast paced, suitably written, and the plot is quite tight. I was, however, slightly disappointed at the end. Not because I had guessed anything by the way, but just the way the entire sequence of events unfolded. If you have seen the movie, you know the plot already, but I will not give away spoilers here.

My favourite part of the story line was the way the unreliable narrator theme was handles. It has been a while since I read a book which really made me uncomfortable as I just couldn’t trust what the narrator (in this case, the protagonist) was telling me. So definitely worth a read, also a pretty good movie, faithful to the book too, so also recommended.

Be Careful What You Wish For … a review

This is the fourth book of Jeffery Archer’s Clifton Chronicles series, and mind you, as of now, this is as far as the series has been written. The next part is slated for release in 2015, and trust Jefferey Archer to have ended this book at a far more crucial cliffhanging moment than the last.  In this book, the stories of Harry Clifton, Giles, and Emma Barrington continue, even as they are joined by the next generation of Clifton, Sebastian and Jessica. Just as there was a vote in the House of Lords to decide who will inherit the Barrington estate in the previous book, followed by the votes of the general elections, this book too, has some votes being cast. This time, it is for the post of Chairman of the prestigious Barrington Shipping Business. The World wars are a thing of the past and as the company decides to build and launch a fleet of luxury liners, they need someone of nerves of steel to guide them.

The evil Martinez family is plotting revenge against the two families. They try very very hard to bring the company to ruin, with the assistance of Major Fisher and Lady Fenwick, who we have met before as well. But this time, a couple of other good men, in the form of Mr Hardcastle, Mr Buchanan and Mr Bingham. With their help, it is a huge danger that the company must avert. They have failed in the past, which is why the board and the shareholders are not too confident either.

A great part of the action takes place aboard The Night Scotsman, the overnight train from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverley. Since I have been on this train a couple of times, this was very exciting for me! All said and done, this book started off a little slow but picked up pace and did not disappoint at all. Must read!

Teaser Tuesday (February 11)

My teaser:

“To allow a complete stranger – albeit a relation – to take over responsibility for her life, to remove from everything she had ever known or expected; to come to London, a city, so she had always been taught, full not only of great events and excitement, but also great wickedness, to be expected to take part in the fashionable world; all this filled Isabelle with misgivings. Unused to the world, ignorant of fashionable life and habits, and conscious of lack of personal beauty to recommend her, she felt very doubtful of her future.“

From page 21 (The Philips Park Press 1978) of Damask Rose.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Enjoy!

Teaser Tuesday (February 04)

My teaser:

“So she’d become a cop. Not in London, where her parents lived, but in Scotland, which she hadn’t really known at all until attending college there.“

From page 31 (Orion Books 2006) of The Naming of the Dead.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Enjoy!