Contacts by Mark Watson

Contacts by Mark Watson is an extraordinary story about ways in which people's lives connect and dovetail, about how our actions influence others, about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Warning: content may be triggering.

Project Hail Mary

"Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir is a fantastic read. The author has done the impossible: written a book that's even better than his previous bestseller "The Martian".

This novel has everything: the heart, the pace, the science, the unexpected yet perfect ending.

Whether you're into SF, think you might like to try an SF book, or are vehemently against SF, you should read it.

One Step Too Far

"One Step Too Far" by Lisa Gardner sees the return of Frankie Elkin, and that's really all you need to know before you rush out to buy a copy (or open a new tab to buy a copy, whatever your preference- mine is to get it in audio format and I can tell you, the performer does a good job). 

For those who need to know the plot, it's about finding people gone missing in the mountainous forests of the Popo Agie Wilderness in Wyoming. There is a bachelor party, secrets, and a delightful search dog called Daisy.

Still need more? Here's the official blurb:

Meet Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. Her latest mission has brought her to Mattapan, Boston, to find a missing Haitian teen. Eleven months later, Angelique Badeau's disappearance remains a mystery. What happened to the quiet, studious teen? Frankie learns quickly the dangers of asking too many questions, but that won't stop her from learning the truth behind what happened before she disappeared.

Three Hours

Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton is a breathless, beautifully written page-turner with a strong theme of human decency, love, courage and heroism. The characters are both extremely realistic and also larger than life. 

Yes, it's about a school shooting. Don't let it prevent you from reading one of the best books I've had the pleasure of reading in the recent months.

Three hours to save people you love. And... go!

Playing Nice

What if the two-year old boy you were raising as your son turned out to have been swapped shortly after his birth? Would you want to swap him back? What if the other family were richer than yours? What if they were not as nice as you?

This was an intelligent domestic suspense thriller with very believable characters and a story so scary, you just had to keep reading till the end.

Not as creepy as The Girl Before, but just as readable, Playing Nice is a book I want everyone to read.

Invisible Girl

Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell is a psychological thriller, a page-turner, with a clever plot and on-point pacing. Most importantly, the book has a lot of heart. Difficult topics such as sexual assault and self-harming are handled with sensitivity and skill. There are enough uplifting relationships to remind the reader that people are, essentially, good. 

All the story people felt super-real to me. I enjoyed the female protagonists, Cate and Saffyre. I felt genuinely sorry for the male protagonist, Owen, and the set of circumstances that led to his situation. A minor spoiler: a semi-tamed fox is a very peripheral yet a very lovable character.

A slow fire burning

"A slow fire burning" is the third novel by Paula Hawkins, and it's as different from its predecessors as "Into the Water" was from "The Girl on the Train". Which, of course, is a very good thing. After all, if I wanted to read "The Girl on the Train" or "Into the Water" again, I could just - wait for it - read them again.

So, it's a psychological thriller as well as a murder mystery. The characters are damaged and flawed, yet you like being in their company. The unusual friendship between a retired widow and a much younger woman was a lovely touch.

Warning: dark themes.