Joyland - Stephen King

                                                                           Mr King sir,

Oh captain, My captain...

There has always been something more urgent, more pressing.

I should be ashamed of myself leaving this to gather dust.

A joy to read, no breaks it just flows from beginning to end. Is there nothing that this man can't turn his hand to?

Early 70's static carnival. A summer job that brought together friends, and unearthed a series of murders of young girls.

Tied to the King-a-Verse via one of his favourites, the seeing/sight that you find in the shining, the dark tower to name but a few.

Compelling it draws you in, the style and content may not be normal. But, this is one of a hell of a slam dunk.

Give it a try, where the air is rare

 

Shiver - Allie Reynolds

 A possibility of two shorter novellas. Two stories, a decade apart, friends and rivals. The snowboarding set, in their heyday, when nearly everything done was groundbreaking. 

The rich that, don't worry, the sponsored who manage by video and photo shoots and the poor that work three jobs throughout the closed season to be able participate.

Following a group of friends, with the ups downs, downright dirt and the death or thought of murder of one of their own. Regrouped at the last place that they were all together. Here's where the fun begins, played with, manipulated and left to stew.

A debut, that has you wondering just what was going to happen next,a good old fashioned 'who dunnit'.

Status: Completed

Rating:    4.3/5.0

The Searcher - Tana French

 

Where to start, whilst the beginning is normally the best place. This book whilst following the path from start to finish, this bounces around. This is not a complaint it flows well even if it deviates in places.

OK, for starters, there's a a retired Chicago cop who has moved to Ireland for a quiet life, the troubled family; that everyone knows, the missing teenager and the big boys from Dublin. Oh yes, and the villagers.

I don't want to give to much away, as this is something that you need to read. Hats off, this really is THAT GOOD.

Status: Comleted

Rating: 4.8/5.0

The PVRITAN - Birgitte Margen

Two stories, several hundred years apart. The setting and the setting. Religion ties everything together. Death and penance. Boston, priests and detectives.

A bible some 700 years old, scriptures found. Bodies staged.

 This was an off chance read, and it was well worth it. It was easy reading and flowed well. The historical parts were short, but gave insight to the main body of the story.

If your stuck for something to read, this should find its way onto your reading list.

 

Status: Completed

Rating: 4.7/5.0
 

The Temple House Vanishing - Rachel Donohue

The plot-line may have come straight from what could have been a trashy YA novel. However, the story telling was absolutely second to none and made it more than it originally seemed it was going to be.

16 & 41, one persons tale of a life that once was, and has become. A journalist writing a piece on a disappearance and tale of lust. The majority of the story focuses on a teacher, a want to be muse and a new girl at a catholic boarding school.

 

The teacher, grooming, the muse besotted and drawn into it all... the new girl. Predictable, yes. Twisted, in ways you wouldn't have thought of. Enjoyable, definitely.

 

This is one spanking debut novel. I take my hat off to you.

 

Rating: 4.7 / 5.0

 

Status: Completed