Love Like Blood

"Love Like Blood" is Mark Billingham's latest thriller (2017), again featuring both Thorne and Tanner. I liked the ratio in this one (his previous book was a bit Thorne-poor), I was intrigued by the topic of honour killings, and I enjoyed the non-predictable plot twists.


5/5. This one's a winner.


Warning: the official blurb contains a spoiler (IMHO).
DI Nicola Tanner needs Tom Thorne’s help. Her partner, Susan, has been brutally murdered and Tanner is convinced that it was a case of mistaken identity—that she was the real target. The murderer’s motive might have something to do with Tanner’s recent work on a string of cold-case honor killings she believes to be related. Tanner is now on compassionate leave but insists on pursuing the case off the books and knows Thorne is just the man to jump into the fire with her. He agrees but quickly finds that working in such controversial territory is dangerous in more ways than one. And when a young couple goes missing, they have a chance to investigate a case that is anything but cold.

The Dry

The Dry is the debut thriller of Australian author Jane Harper. Atmospheric, quick-paced, and written with a lot of heart. I loved it. Can't wait for the next book.




Blurb:
A small town hides big secrets.

After getting a note demanding his presence, Federal Agent Aaron Falk arrives in his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his best friend, Luke. Twenty years ago when Falk was accused of murder, Luke was his alibi. Falk and his father fled under a cloud of suspicion, saved from prosecution only because of Luke's steadfast claim that the boys had been together at the time of the crime. But now more than one person knows they didn't tell the truth back then, and Luke is dead.
Amid the worst drought in a century, Falk and the local detective question what really happened to Luke. As Falk reluctantly investigates to see if there's more to Luke's death than there seems to be, long-buried mysteries resurface, as do the lies that have haunted them. And Falk will find that small towns have always hidden big secrets.

Watching the Detectives

Watching the Detectives by Julie Mulhern is the fifth book in the Country Club Murders series. IT's probably my favourite, because it deals with gender equality. Hard to imagine that this was still an issue as late as the 1970s, and yet.

Murder Games by James Patterson and Howard Roughan

I can't resist a book with playing cards on the cover. And so, having decided not to read any more James Patterson thrillers because of their graphically brutal nature, I found myself reaching out for Murder Games by James Patterson and Howard Roughan.

It's a page-turner. Loved the dialogues and the characters. And the violence level was tolerable.

Really enjoyed this one.

Oh, and was James Patterson inspired by my cover of "Murder @ Play" by any chance? Compare the two:

 

No Middle Name

Lee Child's latest book, "No Middle Name", is a collection of short stories about Jack None Reacher. Fans will have accumulated most of them electronically over the years, but it's still neat to have them grouped together in one bundle.

Lie with me

"Lie with me" by Sabine Durrant is a fine example of British crime fiction. Set in part on a Greek island Pythos, it weaves the web in which to catch past actions. A clever book.

A few little lies never hurt anyone. Right?

Wrong.

Paul has a plan. He has a vision of a better future, and he's going to make it happen.

If it means hiding or exaggerating a few things here and there, no harm done.

But when he charms his way on to a family holiday...
And finds himself trapped among tensions and emotions he doesn't understand...
By the time he starts to realise that however painful the truth is, it's the lies that cause the real damage...

Well, by then, it might just be too late.

Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn

Sharp Objects (2006) is a debut novel by American author Gillian Flynn - yes, Gone Girl. It's a page-turner, masterfully written. It's also an uncomfortable read, particularly if you're a parent. It's a must-read of fans of suburban thrillers.

The novel is also being made into an 8-episode TV drama.