Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett

"Eye of the Needle" by Ken Follett is one of the best spy thrillers I've ever read. It's right up the with The Day of the Jackal" by Frederick Forsyth - which, okay, stricktly speaking doesn't feature spies. What's interesting in both these books is that the plot hinges on events that have already happened, and yet the books manage to keep you biting your nails through the night as you read "just one more chapter".

I almost didn't read "Eye of the Needle" on principle, because I actively avoid World War Two fiction, having been exposed to it way too much as a child. I'm glad I bent on this one - it's exceptionally well written.

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger

I love Lisa Unger's fiction, and her novella "Christmas Presents" was no exception. I read it just before Christmas (apologies I'm only blogging it now, but it's been a wonderful and busy holiday season), and can I just say to my favourite authors out there that writing an annual Christmas novella is an excellent idea....

This one has a podcaster, a cold case, and beautiful Christmas presents that may or may not be from a serial killer. Christmas fiction the way I like it! (And yes, along the same line of thought, "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie.)

A Stroke of the Pen by Terry Pratchett

"A Stroke of the Pen" by Terry Pratchett is a collection of his early stories published under a pen name in various newspapers and magazines. They are full of magic trees and dragons, and while the style may not be as polished as in "Night Watch", the author's voice is definitely him.

Speaking of voices, what makes the audio book extra special is that the stories are read by people like David Tennant, Nigel Planer, Stephen Briggs, AND Rhianna Pratchett.

The foreword is - of course -  by Neil Gaiman. 

This is more of a cult book, so if you've never heard of Terry Pratchett, start with... hmmm - "Going postal"? "Mort"? "Hogfather"? "Guards Guards"? "Good Omens"? - and circle back to this one once you're a fan.

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

"Leaving Time" by Jodi Picoult is a novel about mourning, memories, mothers and - yes - elephants. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, it will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

Is it sad in parts? Yes. 

Is it uplifting? Yes.

Is it enjoyable? Immensely. 

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

I love John Scalzi's sci fi books, and "Starter Villain" is no exception. Expect Scalzi's on-brand humour, adventure, fast-moving twisty action, and characters you can't help but root for. In addition, you will find cats, dolphins, trillions of dollars, and an island of secrets. This book ticks all the boxes.

Blurb:

Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place.

Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan.

Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie.

But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital.

It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyperintelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.

In a dog-eat-dog world...be a cat.

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

I love the premise of retired CIA operatives getting involved in solving crimes again. A bit like the movie RED, The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen is a rollercoaster - both fun and thrilling. There are two timelines (with the events in the past shedding light on what's happening in the present).

Immensely readable, with quirky lovable characters. This is the first book in the Martini Club series, and I hope there will be many more.

Blurb:

Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she’s living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement.

But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends―all retirees from the CIA―to help uncover the truth about who is trying to kill her, and why. This “Martini Club” of former spies may be retired, but they still have a few useful skills that they’re eager to use again, if only to spice up their rather sedate new lives.

"The Secret" by Lee Child (kind of)

"The Secret" is the latest Jack Reacher instalment by the brotherly Child duo. I must say, I'm really grateful to Andrew (real surname Grant) for continuing the series. I'm a true Reacher fan, and I love spending time in his company. The books are extremely well written and well plotted, and I can't help thinking that hey, I'm sure there are other brothers in that brood, maybe each and every one of them should write a Reacher book a year? Just an idea - feel free to steal it, @Lee.

"The Secret" is fantastic. It goes back in time to when Jack Reacher was still in Uncle Sam's service. This is the official blurb:

1992. All across the United States respectable, upstanding citizens are showing up dead. These deaths could be accidents, and they don’t appear to be connected—until a fatal fall from a high-floor window attracts some unexpected attention.

That attention comes from the secretary of defense. All of a sudden he wants an interagency task force to investigate. And he wants Jack Reacher as the army’s representative. If Reacher gets a result, great. If not, he’s a convenient fall guy.

But office politics isn’t Reacher’s thing. Three questions quickly emerge: Who’s with him, who’s against him, and will the justice he dispenses be the official kind . . . or his own kind?