Three Stars

Best for:
Folks in the middle stages of life who are interested in a sort of Midlife 101.

In a nutshell:
BBC Sport presenter and host of The Midpoint podcast puts some of what she’s learned through hosting her podcast into a book.

Worth quoting:
Take stock of what you want to change so you can repot yourself, be it professionally or personally.

Why I chose it:
I am, you know, not young, and will take any tips I can get.

Review:
The book is a compilation of things Logan has learned from famous guests on her podcast, and while it is a coherent read, and I love the way it is organised, some of the suggestions rubbed me the wrong way, as did the assumption that everyone has children. I know, if it’s not for me then move along, but considering around 20% of women over 45 don’t have children, that’s kind of a huge population to just disregard.

The book is divided into three sections – one that deals with mental health, one with physical health, and one with the other aspects of our lives. I felt I could skim some parts; for example, the chapter on fitness was mostly about convincing people to work out, and I do not need to be told that. Same with the chapter on alcohol – I have about one drink every quarter so again, not a big issue for me. Sections on parenting and divorce also didn’t apply. But I do understand why they are included – those can be huge issues for people in their 40s and 50s.

The nutrition chapter bummed me out – a lot of discussion around things that don’t have a lot of science to back them up, like intermittent fasting and ‘detox’ foods. Also a discussion about tips for quick weight-loss. Just … felt like a lot of instagram and tiktok-style guidance. I did find the section on hormones to be helpful, even though I have read other books that discuss that topic.

Overall I’d say this is a fine book to skim and pull ideas from that one might want to look into.

Four Stars

Best for:
Fans of lighthearted mysteries.

In a nutshell:
It is 1920, and Lady Eleanor Swift has just inherited an estate, left to her by her deceased uncle. On her first night in town, she witnesses a murder, but no one believes her. Except the butler…

Worth quoting:
“I’m not really one for running to the first uniform around … Give a man a badge and an official title and he thinks he’s the sole decider of right and wrong.

Why I chose it:
As part of a gift card I received from my friend, she said I needed to purchase this.

Review:
How fun! I started reading this in the afternoon on Christmas, and finished it in the afternoon on Boxing Day. And I am delighted to learn there are like 20 books in the series. Author Bright is clearly prolific.

This book employs something I’m not usually a fan of – there are essentially a lot of scenes cut so that the reader doesn’t have all of the information. But in this book, it worked for me. Sometimes our narrator Lady Swift will find herself in a predicament at the end of one chapter, and wake up in bed at the start of the next. We generally find out what has happened pretty quickly, so I suppose on that front there is perhaps more exposition than one might enjoy. But as I said, I think it fit well into the book.

I appreciate that the main character is an interesting woman – she’s well-traveled, and can definitely hold her own. She needs to learn how to live in this new town — and new world, really — but she relies on other underestimating a society woman. In this instance, nearly every man she shares he story with (she witnessed a murder from afar) dismisses her outright. It is infuriating, and while she does at times show her frustration, she also refuses to accept no for an answer, going to great lengths to prove that she saw what she saw, and to try to sort out who was killed and who did the killing.

I also appreciate that the supporting characters are introduced and treated by the author with respect – I hope to learn more about them in the later books.

Two Stars

Best for:
Fans of the actress who don’t mind a lot of unnecessary name dropping.

In a nutshell:
Actor Rebel Wilson shares her story, from her upbringing in Australia, through her time as an actress and welcoming her first child.

Worth quoting:
N/A

Why I chose it:
I do love the Pitch Perfect films, and I love a good memoir read by the author. I’ve hesitated reading it because I don’t know much about Wilson, and I kind of wish I’d trusted that instinct.

Review:
First off – the good. Wilson shares the story of fighting the Australia tabloid press and winning her defamation suit against them. That is a super bold move, and I remember the stories themselves, saying Wilson was basically a liar, so good on her for proving them wrong and showing that actions have consequences.

What I took away from reading this book is that Wilson is probably a kind human, which we need more of in this world, but that I would be exhausted spending time with her (if her actual persona is similar to what was shared in the book). She shares a lot of stories that involve famous people, but the people she chooses to highlight – Ellen Degeneres, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt, James Corden, Matt Lucas – none of them are individuals who I’d want to praise in print forever. Yes, this book came out a couple of years ago, but information about the actions of most of these folks has been out there for years.

She also chooses to share all the free and fancy shit she’s gotten over the years, which could serve as an ‘oh my gosh how absurd is it that rich famous people get this stuff’ but instead comes across more as oblivious. And this is a minor complaint, but she uses brand names / restaurant names when its not necessary. She’s always talking about her ‘G Wagon’ instead of just saying she got in her car. It just rubs me the wrong way.

She doesn’t shy away from bringing up some controversial things – because I have the UK version of the book, large parts of the section where she has accused Sacha Baron Cohen of some despicable things things was literally bleeped out, though I read up on it and good for her for raising the issue – but she leaves out one controversy that I recall pretty clearly. When she was cast as the romantic lead in a rom com, she kept saying she was the first heavy actress in that role, even though Queen Latifah, Melissa McCarthy, and others have been in a few rom coms as the lead. It strikes me as odd that she left that whole thing out, as it would have shown that she too can make errors.

That said, she obviously had to work hard in her life to build a career, and was fairly old (by Hollywood standards) before she had her success in Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect. She talks a lot about her size, and I think she probably did a lot of Gwyneth Paltrow-style b.s. ‘wellness’ stuff, and I found those parts hard to listen to because it felt like she was trying to justify her weight loss when I don’t think she owes that to herself or anyone else.

Three Stars

Best for:
Those who enjoy a little bit of wry humor with their cozy mystery.

In a nutshell:
Inspector Grasby has been sent to a village to help investigate some thefts, but while there, at least one body is discovered.

Worth quoting:
(Shows the style of humor in the book) “Let me tell you, being assailed at gunpoint is by no means my favourite way to spend time.”

Why I chose it:
I got sucked in by the display at Waterstones.

Review:
This was a fairly fun read. Not my favorite mystery, but it definitely kept me guessing.

Grasby narrates the story from his perspective, though we are told in the beginning that this has been pieced together based on journals his distant cousin has discovered. And it is clearly set up to be the first in a series, as Grasby hints at other stories to tell ‘at another time.’

Grasby is a bit of a screw up, though he hints that he did some brave things during his time as a soldier in WWII. This book is set seven years after the war, and while I found it interesting how often the war was referenced, it eventually does make sense. The town is full of interesting characters, as you’d expect. When Grasby arrives to investigate thefts (a bit of a punishment for messing up a case in his larger city office), it becomes clear that something else is going on. Some of the townsfolk are quite helpful, others are standoffish and rude.

About partway through the book we learn there’s another level to what is going on in the town, but like Grasby, we aren’t entirely sure what should be believed and who should be trusted. As is always the case with a good mystery, eh?

I’ll probably read the follow-up book (I bought that one too), but maybe not until next Christmas.

Four Stars

Best for:
Those interested in a compelling history of pyramid schemes and their evolution into multi-level marketing schemes.

In a nutshell:
Author Read provides the history of pyramid schemes and the modern turn to MLMs, framed on the backdrop of a Mary Kay consultant named Monique.

Worth quoting:
“We are taken care of as consumers, not as human beings.”

Why I chose it:
I find MLMs disgusting and fascinating.

Review:
What an great read. Author Read took a topic that is definitely intriguing, but managed to make even the discussions around regulation compelling.

Throughout the book, Read begins each section with an update on Monique. Monique is a former service woman who is struggling, and decides that becoming a seller of Mary Kay cosmetics is the way to go. She’d be her own boss, and apparently make boatloads of money. Spoiler: She end up spending over $75,000 of her own money over eight years, bringing in only about $5,000 in that time. So, not great.

Read doesn’t just examine Mary Kay (though she does manage to infiltrate their annual convention, so we get some first-hand insider information on them); she looks at the root of pyramid schemes and how they have preyed upon people – most often women – who are looking to make money without the schedule that shift or full-time work brings. Think mothers, or people who perhaps have a regular job but it doesn’t pay nearly enough because capitalism sucks.

She follows multiple companies, including Amway, which sort of started it all. And wouldn’t you know – one of the wost families in the world is behind it. The DeVos family! You are probably familiar with Betsy, who married into the family and started the destruction of the US Department of Education. Her brother is Erik Prince, who started the mercenary company Blackwater. Just a horrifying group of human being who have preyed on society for generations in order to make as much money as possible while controlling as many people as possible.

So much of this book had be yelling ‘what the fuck’ – but nothing more than when the author shared the connection between the backers of MLMs and Project 2025, the manifesto currently destroying what remains of the US government and economy. But the leaders of these ‘companies’ just don’t care – they get money, while millions of people get stuck in trying to sell products no one wants, buying more and more to move up the line. While the government has repeatedly shied away from calling these MLMs pyramid schemes, Read shows that they basically are, and they are not helping anyone but the smallest fraction at the very very top.

Four Stars

Best for:
Those looking for a straightforward mystery that holds a few twists.

In a nutshell:
Officer Birch is working on the Endeavor when a man dies, and another man – a detective from London – insists on investigating the death. Is it murder? An accident?

Worth quoting:
N/A

Why I chose it:
Had finish the author’s catalog as I’ve so enjoyed his other books.

Review:
Unlike the other three books Hindle has written that I have read, this book is told solely from the perspective of one character – Birch, an officer on a passenger ship heading from England to New York. But like the other books, the list of suspects is small. Not tiny – it is a ship of 2,000 people – but if there is a killer on board, they aren’t going anywhere until they dock in a few days’ time.

After an older man is found dead at the base of a staircase, Temple – a detective from London – insists on investigating it, and Birch is assigned to follow him. Temple is not pleased by this, and Birch himself is hesitant. Birch has experienced his own loss, and is struggling with it. But Birch agrees, and the rest of the book plays out while he Temple chase down clues and witnesses.

There is enough to keep the reader guessing, and the main twist is one I might have sort of seen coming, but not in the way it played out. And it was surprising enough that I audibly gasped. So that’s always fun in a mystery.

I’m sad though – that’s the last of his books (for now). But his next release comes out in January!

Three Stars

Best for:
Kids who like animal stories but like a little bit of meat in them.

In a nutshell:
The (true-ish) story of how a puppy found its new home.

Worth quoting:
N/A

Why I chose it:
I am related to the author!

Review:
As stated above, I am related to the author, so please keep that in mind.

This story is based on the author’s experience of being removed from a flight when trying to transport her newly-adopted puppy home. Its the rare example of a video that went fairly viral where the subject actually comes across positively.

Dr Pritchard decided to use this experience and write this story as a children’s book, with an eye towards making it into a series (I believe the second book is already on its way). The illustrations are great – Sitka Sue is an adorable puppy, and the likeness of her human (my relative) is pretty close to reality.

The story is told from the perspective of the puppy, following her confusion about being taken from her original home, flying somewhere, and then feeling safe and loved. It’s got adversity and talks about the importance of friendship, which is pretty cute too. It is a bit wordier than I’d expect from a kid’s book, but I could see the right kiddo really enjoying it.

Four Stars

Best for:
Fans of cozy mysteries.

In a nutshell:
Laurence and Eva are getting married in Italy. The bride is running late to the ceremony and then we hear a scream. So … what’s happened?

Worth quoting:
N/A (though the writing is good, just nothing stood out to me).

Why I chose it:
Working my way through Hindle’s back catalogue

Review:
Third book of Hindle’s that I’ve read and probably my favorite so far. This book is 360 pages long and the murder in question isn’t revealed until page 150ish. That’s WILD set-up but it works so well.

While we get many different perspective chapters, I’d say the main character of the book is Robyn. Robyn is meeting her boyfriend’s Toby’s family for the first time at this wedding, and it’s a rough go. Toby’s family is super wealthy, and Toby is interested in opening and running a bar, not working for the family business. But his brother (the groom) and his mother are absolutely determined to get Toby in, and they do not like Robyn, as she is ‘just’ a bartender, and they think she’s steering Toby astray (she’s not).

Eva is a rich influencer and a brat, Laurence is a stuck up private school boy (as are most of his friends). But we also have Stephen – a friend who went to school with Laurence but was a scholarship kid, and his wife Abigail.

The wedding is taking place in the height of summer in Italy, and things heat up literally and metaphorically. A magazine is covering the event, so there’s a photographer and Eva’s agent in tow.

The writing in this is great, and I get such a sense of who each of these people are. I made the mistake of having about 150 pages left when I got in bed last night, and had to stay up late to finish it because I couldn’t put it down.

Best for:
Fans of Agatha Christie-style mysteries.

In a nutshell:
Will is hosting a murder mystery party on New Year’s Eve, and a few town folk are attending. In the background looms a fight over the use of a lighthouse that was the scene of a tragedy.

Worth quoting:
N/A

Why I chose it:
I thoroughly enjoyed his book Death in the Arctic. And while it didn’t figure into my choice, I saw that the blurb on the front was by Ragnar Jónasson, one of my favorite authors.

Review:
I read this book in one day, and it had me hooked from the start.

Like his previous book that I read, the murder doesn’t happen until maybe 1/4 of the way through the book, and that’s fine. We get back story, but not all of it. History comes out over the course of the night.

The Hamlet Hall is a manor house turned hotel in a very tiny town on the southern coast of England, and the owner Ian is trying to revive it during the off season. At Will’s suggestion, he agrees to host a murder mystery party on New Year’s Eve. Will is a young man who is still dealing with a trauma he experienced as a small child, and he is looking to use the evening to figure some things out.

Meanwhile, the attendees include Gwen and her husband – she wanted to use the lighthouse for a memorial but was outbid by a former townie, who is turning it into a fancy home. Nigel is also there – he took the contract for that work, so most of the town hates him and his wife, And Martha and Edgar are there – they own a shop in town that has been robbed, and they think Nigel’s workers are at fault. There are also three actors to help the show along, including one not from town.

The book takes place basically over the course of one night, which is one of my favorite kinds of stories. I was sort of able to figure out part of what had really happened, but there are enough surprises and twists that it didn’t spoil any thing for me.

Three Stars

Best for:
Those who enjoy very psychologically-focused thrillers.

In a nutshell:
CN: Sexual Assault, Murder

Emma is a psychologist who is sexually assaulted at a conference, but manages to survive, unlike the serial killer’s other victims.

Or did she make it all up?

Worth quoting:
N/A

Why I chose it:
I found Fitzek’s previous work to be interesting and wanted to read more.

Review:
Three stars is probably a bit harsh for this book – more like 3.5 if that were allowed. The book isn’t bad, I just didn’t find it nearly as compelling or interesting as the other one. That said – the book is good, and it kept me guessing.

Emma is a psychologist, married to a police detective. As a child, she had an imaginary ‘friend,’ Arthur, who she was once scared of but eventually came to rely on. After working through her childhood trauma and recognizing Arthur as a art of her imagination, she has moved on. But while at a conference, she is attacked by ‘the Hairdresser’ – a man who assaults his victims, shaves their heads, and then kills them. But she is not killed.

But no one believes her. Yes, her hair has been shaved, but the hotel room she claimed to be in doesn’t exist, and the hotel has no record of her checking in. The room as she described it had art that the hotel doesn’t have, and no hiding places for the perpetrator. Emma is fragile and distraught, and for months can’t leave her home, as the trauma of it all led to he having a miscarriage. Her husband tries to be supportive, but she’s clearly on the edge.

One day, a package is delivered, which sets her down a bizarre road. The book skips backward and and forward, to a time when it appears she is perhaps confessing to her dear friend, an older psychologist. Or is she?

We don’t know until the very end if any of Emma’s experiences are real. But we do learn that at one point she has lied about something important. Is that proof she is lying now? If she is – does she even know she’s lying? Or is she just being expertly gaslit?