Sara Hood
The setup was reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s novels where just when you think you know who the villain is, they also end up dead. There’s a lot to keep track of in this story, and I did want to feel afraid for at least one of the characters, but mostly it was like a jigsaw puzzle, with pieces gradually coming together towards the finale.
A beautiful, atmospheric detective story set in Berlin during the Second World War. Smoke in Berlin is a celebration of the unquenchable flame of hope and humanity that persists even in the face of evil acts and dark times.
What You Don’t Know is the perfect title for this serpentine novel, where it becomes increasingly difficult to untangle the underlying truth from the knot of strange and sinister events that surround the main character. What You Don’t Know is well plotted, with all the various strands pulling tightly to a tense and ultimately satisfying conclusion.
“Flashlight is an epic journey that will hold you fascinated every step of the way” says our reviewer. Not a conventional crime novel, it’s more literary fiction, which unfolds like a complex jigsaw puzzle. What happened to her father all those years ago?
Ellie Marney’s first adult fiction novel, and her thirteenth published novel, No One is Safe was high on my list of most anticipated reads for 2026. Highly recommended reading.
Crime fiction is a genre that’s especially suited to offering the reader an armchair tour of a town or country, and for anyone who’s interested in spending time in an exotic location, B.M. Allsopp has written a series of novels set in the tropical islands of Fiji. This is a gentle novel — despite the murder — told at a gentle pace and with a light touch (no heavy descriptions of violence or gore). The reader is left feeling entertained and relaxed, and hopeful that there are still heroes like Joe Horseman in the world.
Kate Horan’s skills create a compelling read and this reviewer says the book is phenomenal. A woman returns to her home town after Something Happened many years ago… and secrets begin to be revealed.
Can you index this as Outback Noir when the setting is a lush tropical island off the coast of Queensland? Why not! Small community, ‘accidental deaths’ and a protagonist who won’t take no for an answer, and ends up uncovering secrets that are long, long buried.
Death at Booroomba is a historical murder mystery set in rural Australia, but also a war story. It’s a tale about the consequences of a split second decision to save a man’s life. Sounds like a good decision? And it was… except… it also wasn’t.
What do you do when you’re stuck in a lift with a stranger? If you’re the main character of Kate Emery’s latest YA mystery, A Murder is going Down, you launch into a retelling of your brother’s possibly accidental, though probably very deliberate, death. A Murder is Going Down is an enjoyable read with just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and turning the page to uncover all the facts. Recommended for fans of Kate’s earlier work and anyone wanting to read a ‘gentler’ murder mystery.