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 Six Motives for Murder, The Kill List, A Court of Betrayal, The Darkroom, and the Hotel Portofino series.
Note: Prices can change often, so you may notice some variations on the providers’ websites. Prices and availability are accurate as of the 20th of May, 2024.
I’ve just got back from Norfolk after a three day break to Strawberry Cottage (courtesy of Crabpot Cottages who have a superb range of rental holiday lets), where it did nothing but rain – so much so, I’m surprised I’m not rusty! If you’re interested in what I got up to, you can read about it, here.
It’s a good thing that I always overpack on books, since with so much rain, I did lots of reading…
Six Motives for Murder by Frances Brody (Kindle £5.49, Amazon £8.49, Piatkus £9.99)
This is a cosy crime fiction novel, perfect for reading in a cosy cottage! Frances Brody is the author of the delightful Kate Shackleton mysteries and this is the second book in a new series featuring Nell Lewis – the governor of HMP Brackerley (an open prison for women nearing release).
It’s Yorkshire, 1969, and the local landowner’s daughter is getting married. Let down by their chosen caterers, the women from the prison are co-opted to organise the refreshments. They make an eclectic group, all with their own hang-ups, but they do a great job…until the body of Mr Chapin, the father of the bride, is found behind the marquee – with a knife sticking from his body. Chapin had his enemies – he was trying to sell some land which wasn’t a popular decision – but who hates him enough to kill him?
The Kill List by Nadine Matheson (Kindle £7.99, Amazon £9.19, HQ £16.99)
This is anything but a cosy read! Nadine Matheson is a practising criminal lawyer and The Kill List is her third novel which features DI Henley.
Henley is forced to re-open a 25-year-old case which she’d thought had been put to bed by her former boss and mentor, DCI Harry Rhimes. Rhimes had put away Andrew Streeter for being guilty of five brutal murders. Streeter had always protested his innocence and, as the evidence mounts, it would appear that Rhimes may well have been guilty of corrupt practices and it becomes increasingly difficult for Henley to maintain a neutral side.
Brilliantly written, I look forward to more outings for DI Henley.
A Court of Betrayal by Anne O’Brien (Kindle £9.99, Amazon £9.19, Orion £20.00)
My husband – AKA the slowest reader in the world – is a medieval history buff. And, surprisingly for him, he finished this book in record time. It shows just how enthralling he found it.
Set in the Welsh Marches during the reigns of Edward I and II, Roger Mortimer, the first Earl of March, marries Johane de Geneville. The author takes us through Mortimer’s rise to fame and fortune as he comes to rule England alongside Queen Phillipa of Hainault – and Johane realises that Mortimer has betrayed her in every possible way.
Mortimer was, at one time, imprisoned in the Tower of London from where he escaped to France, and found his way back to England by starting an affair with the Queen.
My husband commented that medieval history is normally all about the man, but this story tells the tale of a very strong-willed woman.
The Darkroom by A.J. Hewitt (Kindle £5.49, Amazon £7.90, Seven Dials £9.99)
Years ago, we were friends with a Scenes of Crime Officer based in North London who, against all police policy (it was the ‘good old days’), showed us the photographs taken in the Dennis Nilsen case.
You may remember the news surrounding this, or even have watched the recent ITV programme, Des, where Nilson was played so convincingly by David Tennant. The photographs were horrific and really difficult to look at.
So, spare a thought for forensic photographers who are faced with documenting every drop of blood, horrific injury, and gory crime detail. It seems to be a police role that often gets forgotten.
The Darkroom follows A.J. Hewitt’s career as a Scotland Yard forensic photographer – it’s definitely not a read for the squeamish.
Hotel Portofino (Kindle £5.99, Amazon £6.60, Simon & Schuster £8.99) and Hotel Portofino: Lovers and Liars by J.P. O’Connell (Kindle £6.99, Amazon £9.19, Simon & Schuster £9.99)
I love books about hotels; remember Arthur Hailey’s Hotel (first published in 1965)? I’m also hooked on The Hotel Inspector documentary show and I’ve found myself pretending to be Alex Polizzi, or a Four in a Bed guest house owner, whenever I stay somewhere new. Incidentally, Strawberry Cottage passed muster on every count – it was immaculate!
So, if I can’t go abroad on holiday (our dog Rollo doesn’t do well in kennels) the next best thing is reading about holidays abroad. Bella has opened a high-class hotel on the Italian Riviera just after the end of the Second World War, but problems are looming. Alongside grumpy guests, Bella’s marriage is in trouble and her son isn’t helping her run the hotel.
The second book in the series, Lovers and Liars, jumps to 1927 and (spoiler!) the hotel is flourishing. But trouble brews when a visit from a travel guide inspector who’s even more frightening than Alex Polizzi threatens the future of the hotel.
And if you enjoy the books, they inspired a 2022 TV series of the same name which you may like to watch.
For more reading inspiration, head over to the books, literature, and writing section of our website. Or, for further book and literature discussions, you might be interested in joining the thriving book club or short story 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.