Smoke and Murders by J. L. Blackhurst

TW: murder, death, fire, grief, violence, mild gore, manipulation

This is a gripping and grisly mystery. We get some spine-tingling build-up and that reveal is nothing short of breath-taking. I was reminded of The Wicker Man in terms of the small-town claustrophobia and paranoia.

Full review here.

One Bad Apple by Jo Jakeman

⭐️🧠

TW: death, murder, violence, cheating, manipulation, abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault, bullying, drowning, grief

It is such a well-paced and compelling mystery. The stakes are growing higher by the page, particularly as you get more involved with these characters. Of course, the added dynamic is the fascination with the idea of elite private schools.

Full review here.

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠💙

TW: death, murder, gore, graphic violence, religious trauma, homophobia, conversion therapy, torture, body horror, familial abuse, insects

This is exactly the type of horror I love – mired in guts and gore but also with a socially conscious slant. It is full of rage and anger, with hope for the future and a path towards healing.

Nettle by Bex Hogan

TW: manipulation, imprisonment, grief, torture, illness

This captures the twisted, atmospheric darkness of the original fairytales and imbues it with heart in its excellent characterisation. Nettle leapt off the page and straight into my heart. 

Full review here.

All The Hearts You Eat by Hailey Piper

🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: murder, death, violence, transphobia, homophobia, deadnaming, grief, suicidal ideation, self-harm, misgendering, blood, parental abuse

I loved Piper’s take on certain creatures in this book and the exploration of how the pursuit of revenge can consume you. Thematically, it was rich and interesting, but the pacing was not the most precise for me.

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

🏳️‍🌈🧠💙

TW: death, murder, violence, domestic abuse, physical abuse, extreme weather, drowning, grief, depression, grooming, misogyny, sexism

I am loving the reality TV gone wrong on a remote island trend that I’m picking up in recent thrillers and a lot of the themes discussed are impactful and important conversation starters. However, the ending took a little of the sting out for me.

Cold Snap by Lindy Ryan

🧠

TW: death, grief, violence, animal death, graphic gore, animal cruelty, mutilation, traumatic flashbacks

Ryan’s writing is extraordinarily atmospheric and pulls you right into the beating heart of this story. I loved the exploration of grief and how shattering it can be, constantly echoing memories and regrets. However, the ending let me down a little.

Januaries by Olivie Blake

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: death, violence, murder, depression, mania, grief

Olivie Blake continues to cast her spell in this rich, intriguing anthology of short stories. It is divided into seasons, with each mini-collection encapsulating the atmosphere but all spanning various genres and themes.

Full review to come.

Coup de Grace by Sofia Ajram

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: suicide, suicidal ideation, self-harm, body horror, depression, claustrophobia

This was such a dark, eerie and experimental book with gorgeous writing, perfectly finished off with Vicken’s acerbic narration. The title fits in perfectly as well. Ajram just lost me with the structural choice for the final parts of the book.

The Blood Orchid by Kylie Lee Baker

⭐️🧠

TW: death, violence, blood, murder, graphic violence, gore,  death of a loved one, fire, self-harm, grief

This  follows up the bloodthirsty beast that was The Scarlet Alchemist. It not only matches its excellence, it sharpens its claws and prepares to draw blood in this electrifying ending to an intense and intriguing duology. 

Full review here.

The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh

🧠

TW: death, murder, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, cheating, gaslighting, toxic relationships, classism, slut shaming, stalking

This solidified DC Ffion Morgan as one of the most interesting protagonists in a police procedural I’ve read recently. It perfectly captures that tension between rich gentrifiers and the local community they invade.

Hemlock House by Katie Cotugno

TW death, murder, drug use, classism, misogyny, sexism, grief, bullying, hazing

I thoroughly enjoyed Liar’s Beach last year so wanted to pick up this follow-up. It was a good mystery, but felt a little underdeveloped. I do wish we had Holiday’s perspective, as I think that would be a more compelling voice.

I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠💙

TW: transphobia, homophobia, racism, classism, misgendering, infidelity, death of a loved one, grief

This was such a wonderful read, full of heart and love amidst its fantastic characters and the romances you just rooted for. The illustrations were sumptuous as well with plenty of detail to discover.

Full review here.

The Grand Scheme of Things by Warona Jay

⭐️🏳️‍🌈

TW: racism, microaggressions, homophobia, infidelity, cheating, manipulation

This is a thought-provoking and character-driven narrative that looks at the performative representation of the performing industry. It is sharp, but leaves plenty of room for nuance and the mess of being human. 

Full review here.

Wisteria by Adalyn Grace

💙 🧠

TW: death, murder, gore, grief, trauma, animal death, toxic relationship

I did enjoy this closing chapter to the story started in Belladonna, particularly getting to spend more time with Blythe and exploring her trauma. However, I feel like the spark lit in the first book has dimmed by now with slightly lacklustre sequels.

The Best Way to Bury Your Husband by Alexia Casale

⭐️🧠

TW: murder, death, violence, domestic abuse, physical abuse, gaslighting, manipulation, COVID, lockdown

This had the perfect balance of dark humour and sensitive handling of the dark topic at the core of this book. It is a book about domestic violence and abuse, emphasising the horrors of lockdown, particularly for those trapped and isolated even further.

The Hollow and the Haunted by Camilla Raines

🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: death, murder, violence, homophobia, classism, anxiety,  grief, panic attacks, death of a loved one

This was a wonderful and well-paced queer horror mystery filled with excellent twists and some incredibly imagined paranormal elements. The ending is spot on, but I do have a bone to pick with Raines over it.

Full review here.

The Stars Are Dying by Chloe Peñaranda

🧠

TW: domestic violence, emotional manipulation, gaslighting, violence, gore, suicidal ideation, grief, death, addiction

I really enjoyed the character development and arc for Astraea over the course of the book & the trials had great tension, with personal twists on the danger. However, this book had quite a few pacing issues and the ending felt a bit abrupt.

All The Little Liars by Victoria Selman

⭐️🧠

TW: murder, death, violence, grief, death of a parent, grooming, manipulation, sexual assault, toxic relationships, bullying

I really liked the set-up of this mystery, it had a great concept and overall makes the most of it. However, I was not a big fan of the twists and eventual reveals.

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

🧠💙

TW: death, murder, violence, misogyny, stalking, blackmail, sexual harassment, sexism, illness, cancer

I really enjoyed this film-immersed mystery that has a unique and fascinating setting, with plenty of Hitchcockian influences. It is very well-crafted and Wrobel has plenty of tricks up her sleeve.

Full review here.

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

⭐️🧠

TW: death, graphic violence, murder, beheading, poison, gore, drowning, execution, sexual harassment, misogyny, sexism, racism, war, death of a child, PTSD, grief

I really enjoyed this adult fantasy debut from Liang, whose work I have previously enjoyed. The characterisation was great and the central relationship felt believable, with a good level of tension and chemistry. However, some of the timeframe felt a little underutilized. The ending was tragically beautiful though.