These Mortal Bodies by Elspeth Wilson

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠💙

CW: death, grief, manipulation, violence, classism

I really liked the atmosphere and characterisation in this book and Wilson’s writing is deft & immersive. However the ending really did not work for me (an unfortunate theme of this Recent Reads) and felt jarring in comparison to the rest of the book.

The Drowning Place by Sarah Hilary

🏳️‍🌈🧠

CW: death, murder, drowning, grief, PTSD, gore, blood, violence

This was an excellent police procedural that delved into the continuing effects of trauma and grief in a beautifully imaginative manner. The central case was twisty and stomach-churning & the characterisation was stellar. I’m excited to see where this story may go next.

Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory

CW: death, violence, execution, rape, sexual assault, torture, abusive relationship, manipulation

This was interesting, however it just did not fully work for me. I’m not entirely sure what it was but the pacing felt off and the characterisation oddly flat even as Gregory added a different element to Jane.

Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray

⭐️🧠

CW: death, murder, violence, rape, sexual assault, paedophilia, cheating, affair, emotional abuse, manipulation, blackmail

One of the sharpest legal thrillers I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. It was bombastic and packed full of twists, right up until the final page.

Full review to come.

Mrs Sidhu’s Just Desserts by Suk Pannu

⭐️

CW: death, murder, violence, classism

This was an enjoyable cosy crime read and I liked being back with Mrs Sidhu. However it did not feel like it quite lived up to the first book for me with a conclusion that didn’t quite land.

The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson

⭐️🧠

CW: death, murder, violence, torture, blood, rape, sexual assault, grief, PTSD

Matheson continues to deliver police procedural excellence with the Inspector Angelica Henley series. This is another extremely dark and twisted case that continues the overarching series thread and I cannot wait to pick up the next one.

Full review to come.

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce

CW: grief, death, suicide, sexual assault, rape, graphic animal death

The build-up was brilliant, with an eerie foreboding staining the pages and an interplay between truth and fiction. However, all of that fizzled out in a conclusion that really did not work for me unfortunately. A skilled writer though.

Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce

🧠

CW: death, murder, violence, classism, manipulation

Tyce knows how to nail atmosphere with a read that has you questioning everything throughout. I was loving the legal cat and mouse game at play with witches and murder and evil. However the pivot it took, while bold, did not work for me at all. It felt like a totally different book started unfolding but I appreciate Tyce’s tenacity and will read another from her.

A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee

⭐️

CW: death, murder, racism, violence, sexism, colonialism, gore

Mukherjee writes characters wonderfully and I love the way he is setting up their arcs for further books in the series. The central mystery was solid with interesting twists and turns.

Nightbitch by Rachel Yonder

CW: graphic animal death, animal cruelty/violence, gore, body horror, death, injuries

This just was not the book for me. I enjoyed the discussion around the role of a mother but the pacing did not work and the ending did not land. I feel like it may have been more impactful as a novella or short story.

Better the Devil by Erik J Brown

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

CW: death, murder, homophobia, PTSD, violence, gore

The set up and tension in this was incredible and I really enjoyed the chaos of the final act. However it felt like it dragged a little in some places in between without getting to explore some of the complex dynamics at play fully.

Spellbound by Georgia Leighton

🧠

CW: rape, PTSD

I really enjoyed the writing style in this retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a new twist. It was flowery in the best ways and matched the dark fairytale atmosphere. Unfortunately I didn’t like how abrupt the ending felt and certain aspects didn’t get a pay-off.

How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz

🏳️‍🌈🧠

CW: murder, death, grief

I really enjoyed this meta murder mystery that delved into tropes of the genre and played with them wonderfully. It was such an entertaining read and I would read more books featuring this unlikely duo.

Full review to come.

Gone for Good by Sarah Crossan

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

CW: death, murder, homophobia, imprisonment, manipulation, torture

This was such a wonderful YA thriller told in verse – yet another example of Crossan’s mastery of the form. It had brilliant characterisation and excellent twists and turns along the way. For me, it really hit home how unfortunately timely it is.

Full review to come.

Warning Signs by Tracy Sierra

🧠

CW: death, murder, violence, avalanche, abuse, domestic violence, grief

Nightwatching was one of my favourite thrillers I have ever read and Warning Signs proves that Sierra is no one trick pony. This is tight, taut and brilliantly atmospheric with the danger of nature as an overpowering force in the face of these deeply privileged characters. Full review to come.

Unreliable Narrator by Araminta Hall

CW: death, grief, manipulation, shooting

I really enjoyed the exploration of the idea of the muse and the thin line between inspiration and exploitation. The characterisation was layered, particularly as we move between different viewpoints and gain more insights into what truly happened that summer. It felt like the heady madness of summertime bottled into a book. There were certain elements that I didn’t quite enjoy as much, but overall well worth reading.

Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer

CW: death, murder, violence, gore, injury, traumatic birth, blood

Schaefer skewers the trad wife lifestyle immaculately here but with nuance and in a way that shows the monstrosity on all sides. The atmosphere and buildup was stellar with the type of horror that sends a shiver down your spine. However I felt like the final conclusion was a little rushed and underwhelming for me.

Greedy by Callie Kazumi

⭐️

CW: death, murder, violence, gore, blood, beating

Kazumi’s writing is razor-sharp and pulls Ed deeper and deeper into a dark web that he cannot see his way out of. It is evocative and eerie with an atmosphere that pushes down on you. That ending was exquisite as well.

Full review to come.

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

💙

CW: death, murder, gore, violence, injury, suicide, grief

This was another case of brilliant atmosphere and buildup, with a mystery that twisted in brilliantly bizarre words as this family comes entirely undone. While I enjoyed some of the big twists, another did not land for me and didn’t feel like it worked for the logic of the story personally.