Janet Gordon is married, retired, obsessed with her Westlake Terrier, Rollo – and books are her passion. She reads multiple books a week across all genres and reviews them for Rest Less.
This month’s round-up features The Christmas Tree Killer, Room 706, Time to Fly, and Hostage.
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I’ve dubbed 2025 ‘The Year of the Break’. Not only did I break my ankle, thankfully spotted during a check-up by my favourite foot and ankle surgeon, but a couple of weeks before Christmas, I jumped up from my laptop, tripped over the cable, and smashed my foot into the coffee table. The result: three broken toes. I’m now wearing a boot on my left foot while it heals.
I’ve also had a severe bout of pneumonia during my holiday in Majorca. I saw a rather gorgeous doctor who diagnosed me, prescribed giant elephant pill antibiotics and told me, “No sightseeing, just lie on the sun lounger by the pool and relax.”
And, for once in my life – aided by dozens of books, and an endless supply of non-alcoholic cocktails – I actually did as I was told.
The Christmas Tree Killer by Chris Frost (Kindle £2.99, Amazon £9.19)
The snow has piled up along the Pennine Way, and backpacker Maddison is determined to trek to the very end.
Stopping for a break under a snow-laden tree, she’s horrified to find a gaily wrapped Christmas present addressed to her, with what appears to be blood leaking from the package. Panicked, she treks to the nearest police station, but then a farmer discovers another leaking and smelly present – this time addressed to Maddison’s boyfriend, Niall. Inside each parcel is a severed limb.
DI Tom Stonem is called in to investigate these bloody presents. What is the connection between this killer’s grisly game and the unfortunate recipients of these gifts?
Packed full of twists and turns, I certainly didn’t guess “whodunit”
Room 706 by Ellie Levenson (Kindle £8.99, Amazon £14.19)
Kate is a happily married lady. Her husband, Vic, loves her dearly, as do her two children. Her job involves talks with captains of industry for a trade magazine, and her latest interviewee is James. Instantly, there’s a spark, a frisson.
When they meet again for a second, completely unnecessary interview, they both admit to their feelings and begin a no-strings affair. Whenever James feels the urge for Kate, he sends her a text with the name of the hotel, the date, and the room number.
Amidst one of their hook-ups, James is in the bathroom showering, and Kate turns on the television. To her utter dismay, there’s a siege and hostage situation in a London hotel.
With a sinking heart, Kate recognises that it’s the very one she and James are in. The couple phones the police and is told to stay put, keep their heads down and keep quiet.
This is the most emotional, poignant and heartbreaking read. I couldn’t put this down and, to be honest, Kate and her predicament have definitely stayed in my thoughts.
Time to Fly by Lyn Asquith (Kindle £4.99, Amazon £9.19, The Book Guild £9.99)
How many times have you had the “if I won the lottery” chat? We all know exactly how we’d behave, who we’d tell, which car we’d buy, and where we’d move to.
Helen Pond, single, happily living in a small flat, and trying desperately to care for her best friend Ana, who is suffering from terminal cancer, cannot believe the results when her single lottery ticket matches the jackpot. In fact, she’s so overwhelmed that it takes her a good few weeks before she even rings the lottery line. She wants to keep it a secret, but she soon finds that it comes with a price.
This is such an engaging yet touching read, and I love how Helen comes to terms with her enormous win, navigates Ana’s illness, and quarrels with the true meaning of wealth.
Hostage by Eli Sharabi (Kindle £9.99, Amazon £13.99)
Eli Sharabi is the Israeli hostage whose entire family was tragically wiped out following the October 7th massacre by Hamas. Eli was dragged off into a car and held, firstly in a private house and then in various tunnels deep underground. This is his story.
I simply can’t imagine the strength of character needed to survive 491 days of captivity – shackled, starved, and unwashed, all while keeping up the spirits of the other hostages held with him.
I read this book and wept. This is the first memoir written by an Israeli hostage, and it’s a gut-wrenching account of the pain and destruction caused by this catastrophic event.
For more reading inspiration, head over to our books, literature, and writing section. Or, for further book and literature discussions, you might be interested in joining the thriving book club over on Rest Less Events.
Have you read any of these books? Or have you added any of them to your reading list? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.