Book Review of The Scholar

I’ve come back to these very readable Dervla McTiernan mysteries even though I complained somewhat that the main character isn’t really crucial to the solving of the mystery in the first in the sequence, The Ruin.

No such complaints about her second Cormac Reilly novel, The Scholar.  This is a much more traditional mystery, and Reilly is imperative to the storyline, and a much more fleshed out character.

It starts with a hit and run accident, called in by his girlfriend Emma.  The victim she believes – from recognising the clothing – is Carline Darcy, the granddaughter of a well known scientist.  But when Carline Darcy appears alive, a thicker plot exists and a connection between the two young women slowly comes to light.

I really enjoyed this novel, a purchase on Audible.  A little predictable in places, but some good characterisation and complex relationships carry this through. Reilly is a much more intriguing character here and carries the literary leading man title much more reliably.  I’ll definitely take in the next one when it is released.

Book Review of My Sister, The Serial Killer

This was another balm on my tired brain this week, pacy and entertaining.  And at around 200 pages, it easily gives you that great sense of finishing which is sometimes the most beautiful feeling about reading a book.

We start with two sisters who could not be more different.  Korede is sensible, loyal, and generally honest.  Except when it comes to her beautiful, manipulative sister Ayoola.  One day, Ayoola calls her and sobs that she is accidentally killed her boyfriend – in self-defence of course.  they clean up and hide the body and try to put it behind them… But the third time Korede is called for a similar clean up, she has to wonder, is her sister a serial killer?  Is she really capable of what appears to be happening?

But when Ayoola starts dating the doctor Korede has a crush on… love, honesty and loyalty will clash.  Who will she choose?

Vastly entertaining, this was the perfect read for me this week.

Book Review of The Chalk Man

C. J. Tudor’s The Chalk Man belongs to that category of reasonably interesting, reasonably accomplished thrillers.  It generates some interest, although not highly original.

It does however have two strong things going for it.  Firstly is structure.  The novel’s narration occurs between two different timeframes.  The narrator, Ed Adams, tells the story as a young teen but also as a man in his early forties. Both times in his life are marked by murders in his local town that come paired with men drawn in chalk – something that began as a childhood game and took on a more sinister note.  By revealing only part of each story at a time, the reader is kept wondering and engaged.

The second is Ed himself –  a narrator whom the reader is invited to question, and not only in the childish way he interprets the events of the earlier narrative.  You can’t help but wonder how else Ed is implicated in these events.   There is a real sense that he is leaving things out.

The ending is not totally surprising, but it’s the perfect kind of listen on audio, which is how I engaged with it.  Not too complicated, but enough to keep you reading with some level of interest.  Not likely to be a life-changing read, but an interesting foray into thriller, perhaps even for younger readers.  For more accomplished readers, pick up a Stephen King instead.