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 It’s a Tough Job Being a Dog, The Hawk is Dead, Woodspring, Beneath the Orange Blossom, and Some of Us Are Liars.
Note: Prices can often change, so you may notice some variations on the providers’ websites. Prices and availability are accurate as of the 23rd of April, 2026.
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter break – we didn’t do much at all because if your car is going to break down, the odds are it will break down on a bank holiday.
However, that left me more time for reading and, with the sun shining, my husband ironing, and Rollo munching chocolate from his Easter egg, we made the best of it.
It’s a Tough Job Being a Dog by Iain Welch (Amazon £10.39, Kindle £0.99)
When Rollo first joined X (or Twitter, as it was then), he began chatting to the wonderful Iain Welch – an author who was so taken with Rollo that he sent us a wonderful cartoon he’d drawn, which now has a prideful place among all our family pictures.
Now out in a cute-sized hardback, It’s a Tough Job Being a Dog is a must-buy for all those doggy owners who are convinced that their dog not only knows exactly what they’re saying and doing, but also knows full well who’s in charge!
I tucked Rollo up on the sofa with me and read him extracts. Needless to say, he agrees with absolutely everything Iain Welch has written.
The Hawk is Dead by Peter James (Amazon £4.98, Kindle £5.99, HarperCollins £9.99)
I’ve watched the TV adaptation of Grace, and to be honest, I prefer the books. So, after reading Peter James’ latest Grace novel, The Hawk is Dead, I was very pleased to say he’s surpassed himself. Apparently, Queen Camilla asked James whether he could set one of his novels in London, and he went one better and actually set it in Buckingham Palace.
Queen Camilla is on the Royal Train when it’s derailed in the long tunnel not too far from Brighton. After the Queen and her entourage are led out of the train and emerge from the tunnel via some secret steps, her trusted aide is shot dead within seconds.
The question is: was the bullet meant for the Queen? Of course, everyone assumes so, but senior detective Roy Grace isn’t so sure.
Fighting against the Brighton cop management and the Met Police, who really want to take over the case, Grace presents his theories to King Charles and Queen Camilla and prays that he’s not barking up the wrong tree.
If you’ve never read any Grace books before, this could easily be a stand-alone. It’s certainly a take-your-time read, but it’s absolutely superb.
Woodspring by Elizabeth Buchan (Amazon £13.79, Kindle £3.99)
On the topic of Peter James, there’s a wonderful quote from him on the cover of Woodspring that refers to Elizabeth Buchan as “One of our greatest living novelists”.
I’ve been reading Elizabeth Buchan’s books since the release of her bestseller, Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman, which I’ve actually read two or three times. So, it’s needless to say, I had high hopes for Woodspring.
The Danes have lived at Woodspring since it was built in 1810, and the book follows the lives of three generations of the same family: Harry, Nell, and Joey. Their stories begin in 1940 when Harry Dane, newly enrolled, is on a train to Scotland for WWII commando training after sending his wife and baby away to safety.
Meanwhile, in 1975, Nell – the daughter who was sent away – returns to inherit the family home, which she finds “battered, bruised, and full of secrets”. And, in 2005, we meet Joey, a vet working in London, who faces the challenges of managing the estate and deciding its future.
This is such a lyrical, beautifully written, and absorbing read. Although it has a slow start, it definitely drew me in and kept me captivated throughout.
Win!
Courtesy of Corvus, two lucky members can get their hands on a free copy of Woodspring. To have a chance of winning, answer the question below…
What is Woodspring?
a) A house
b) A plot of land
c) A castle
Terms and conditions
The giveaway will close at 11.59pm on 3rd May 2026, and the winner will be chosen at random in a prize draw on 4th May 2026. The winner will be connected with Janet via email for the fulfilment of their prize.
Beneath the Orange Blossom by Emma Cowell (Amazon £9.49, Kindle £2.99)
Beneath the Orange Blossom follows protagonist Ellen, who’s been a widow for two years. As a dressmaker, she keeps herself busy and makes the most glorious clothes. Now on her own, her thoughts turn to Alexandros, her first love from the summer she turned 18.
From the moment she arrived in Alexandro’s hometown of Kardamyll, Greece, Ellen was entranced by the scent of orange blossom and the sight of sparkling azure waters. But paradise only lasted so long, as a devastating secret meant Ellen had to leave it all behind.
Years later, her best friend suggests they go and recreate their teenage adventures in Kardamyll, and Ellen knows it’s time to see Alexandros again.
Will she realise she was right to leave, or could this trip rekindle everything she thought she’d lost?
I adored this one. What a wonderful holiday read.
Some of Us Are Liars by Fiona Cummins (Amazon £4.61, Kindle £0.99)
My local library held a Crime Panel event the other week, to which I was invited. One of the panellists was the delightful Fiona Cummins, whose latest novel, Some of Us Are Liars, is now out in paperback.
The story follows Winter Kellaway, a world-famous superstar with a luxurious beachside estate. When her older sister, Jen, gets married, Winter’s home is the perfect place to throw the party of a lifetime to celebrate. But what she doesn’t know is that it will also become the scene of a mishap that will throw the family into turmoil.
Through a series of flashbacks, we’re introduced to Cummin’s recurring character – the skilled yet tormented Detective Saul Anguish – who’s called in to investigate the skeletons in the family’s closet.
It’s here we learn a dramatic, long-buried truth that begs the question: can you really leave the past behind?
Anguish is a genuinely haunted creation, and hearing Fiona unpack the psychology behind her detective’s trauma made for one of the evening’s most compelling moments.
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.