Karen regularly reviews fiction and non-fiction titles. Please see below some of her latest recommendations.
A Good Girl Comes Undone by Polly Williams
If you like your ‘chick lit’ light but not too light, fun but not farce, then this is the book for you. Polly Williams has a distinctive and appealing writing style that spins a great tale about a young woman, Anne, who is a hard-working, controlled and, well, good. She’s a woman who’ll work late without complaint even as her boss swans out of the office for a beauty appointment leaving her with even more problems to solve – and she’s ready for the responsibility of a mortgage with her gorgeous live-in boyfriend, Nick. But things take a turn for the unknown when Nick chucks in his job to ‘find himself’ and there is a new alpha male executive at work, Don. You guessed it – Anne finds herself increasingly attracted to Don, despite the growing evidence that he is not just insufferably rude and opinionated, but also secretive and possibly dishonest. There are plenty of surprises as the story unfolds at a tearaway pace and Anne’s controlled and perfect life begins to unravel in unexpected and seemingly, disastrous ways. This novel also features a delightful cast of supporting characters, friends, family and work colleagues, that will make you chuckle. A Good Girl Comes Undone is funny and fresh; a fabulous easy read that ultimately satisfies.
A Whispered Name by William Brodrick
This is an outstanding novel about the First World War and the long shadows the war casts. The writing is so accomplished and compelling I had to keep reading despite the horror of the story that was unfolding. Moving between the events at Passchendaele in 1917 and the terrible conditions of trench war fare, and a serene monastery more than sixty years later, a secret long hidden is uncovered. Father Anslem embarks on a journey of discovery after allegations are made against his mentor, the deceased Father Herbert Moore, who was once a Captain in the army. Was Moore responsible for sentencing a young Irishman, Private Joseph Flanagan, to death by firing squad for the charge of desertion? But did Flanagan really desert? And was he ever executed? And why are the records from this time incomplete?
Father Anslem unravels a truth that gives testimony to a terrible incident in one of the darkest chapters of modern history, while capturing the complexities of people who were caught up in exceptional – and impossible - circumstances. A Whispered Name is profoundly moving and beautifully constructed, with convincing characters that are complex, raw, and utterly human. It is a book that lingered in my mind for a long time after I had savoured the last sentence.
Bait by Nick Brownlee
This is a debut novel that really packs a punch. Admittedly, I found the opening scene of a man being gutted by a filleting knife difficult to stomach, but after that Bait quickly settled into a very enjoyable and satisfying read. Set in Kenya, this is a fast-paced thriller that captures the exotic land and seascape, but also the pervading corruption in the country away from the tourist glitz.
Hardworking and honest Inspector Jourma appears to be the only member of the police force not taking bribes from criminal gangs, and he is busy trying to make sense of the clues in an increasingly complicated murder investigation. Jake Moore runs a game fishing business and seems an unlikely helper for Jourma, until you discover that Jake is an ex-cop, and his old skills of observation haven’t waned. When the daughter of the murdered man turns up from America and her boyfriend follows, bullets begin firing and events take a surprising turn. With a high-energy plot line, great characters and plenty of surprises, this is a novel that quickly had me hooked. I believe this book will be the start of a series, which is great news. Jake and Jourma are a great crime-fighting duo – characters that are fresh and memorable, nuanced and believable.
Breakneck by Erica Spindler
Moving at breakneck speed, Erica Spindler’s latest novel is a page-turning read that ticks all my boxes for a great thriller. Pacey plot. √. Strong, believable characters you can relate to. √. Tight prose. √. And twists and turns that come to a satisfying conclusion. √.
Detective M.C. Riggo and her partner Kitt Lundgren are called out to a student’s apartment where a young man appears to have been murdered in his sleep – his neck broken. The trail to find his killer quickly turns cold, but then M.C.’s fiancée is shot dead and other victims are murdered, seemingly by a professional killer, and the two detectives have a number of different leads to follow as they race to catch the killer. Erica Spindler expertly creates a tale that is suspenseful and keeps you guessing what might happen next. The author also creates a believable and, at times, difficult relationship between the main protagonists – two headstrong women, battling to keep their hard-earned partnership and friendship on track. M.C. struggles with her grief, determined to find her fiancée’s killer at any cost, while Kitt has to make sacrifices in her private life to try to stop her partner taking the law into her own hands.
Erica Spindler is an assured thriller writer and I would highly recommend her latest novel – but be warned, you’ll want to keep reading to find out what happens next so make sure you start this book when you have a few hours spare. It’s compulsive reading.
Food Glorious Food by Patrick Holford and Fiona McDonald Joyce
Somewhere between a cookbook and a nutritional guide, Food Glorious Food is a fantastic addition to any home. I freely admit that I am the world’s worst cook, but fortunately I am married to a man who is skilled in the kitchen. He has created many of the meals that feature in this book and a number of them have become personal favourites that we enjoy regularly – in particular the Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Olives, Sage and Walnuts (just divine) and the Moroccan-Style Chicken (fabulously flavoursome). My husband tells me the recipes are easy to prepare. The best part is that I can eat these wonderful meals and feel self-righteous that the food is not only delicious but incredibly healthy. The recipes are all low-GL and inspired by Thai, Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Mediterranean and Caribbean cuisines.
Patrick Holford is a leading nutritionist and has written a number of books explaining which foods will achieve optimum health and it is interesting to read the section that prefaces the book that answers the question, ‘what is a well-balanced diet?’ when there is so much contradictory information on basic nutrition. So forget faddish diet books or cookbooks laden with fatty sauces – this cookbook/nutritional guide is packed full of dishes that are mouth-watering while still being healthy. This book proves you can have your cake and eat it too!
Goodnight, Beautiful by Dorothy Koomson
Goodnight, Beautiful is an exquisitely-written book that explores the sensitive subject of surrogacy with honesty and compassion. It is Dorothy Koomson’s fifth novel and proves her to be a writer who is adept in exploring our fragile and complex humanity.
A multi-layered tale that also explores secrets, mental illness, love and friendship, Goodnight, Beautiful centres around three characters and their respective relationships. Nova Kumalisi agrees to help her best friend, Mal Wacken and his wife Stepahnie have a baby by being their surrogate. At first Stephanie is overjoyed at the thought of becoming a mother – until she finds a text from Mal to Nova saying, ‘Goodnight, Beautiful.’ Terrified she is losing her husband to his closest friend, Stephanie asks him to cut all ties to Nova and their unborn child. They walk away, leaving Nova pregnant, scared and alone. But eight years on, their son Leo is in a coma and Nova makes contact with the couple – opening a Pandora’s box for all of them.
This novel is a thought-provoking read, and at times, a book that is incredibly moving. I highly recommend this wonderful book, the characters are superb, and the moral dilemma of the situation compelling.
Sweetsmoke by David Fuller
Sweetsmoke is the debut novel from a writer with unmistakable talent, set in 1862 in Virginia. I found the book a little slow to begin with, but suspect this may be because I began reading it on a plane when I was dog-tired. However, several chapters in I was gripped by the story of Cassius Howard, a skilled carpenter and slave on the ‘Sweetsmoke’ tobacco plantation, who searches at great personal cost to find the truth about who murdered freed black woman, Emoline, a remarkable character who secretly taught Cassius to read and once saved his life. He soon learns that there is more to Emoline’s death – and her life – than first meets the eye.
Part whodunit, part love story, part historical fiction, Sweetsmoke is a highly original work that captures the harrowing daily indignities suffered by the slaves during this period in history, of being treated as little more than beasts, of being reprimanded or beaten for little or no reason – or everyone’s worst fear, that at any time their families could be torn apart and on-sold, never to see spouses or children again. This is a world where to be a black woman and beautiful was ultimately a curse. Sweetsmoke is also a story that reveals the brutality of the American Civil War, a hellish conflict resulting in great loss and devastation, of shattered families and broken minds. Sweetsmoke is a subtle, but powerfully written book, and its main protagonist Cassius is unforgettable. This is a book about people dealing with a legacy of loss and injustice, and the fight for identity and freedom. Sweetsmoke is an accomplished, thought-provoking read.
Testimony by Anita Shreve
Anita Shreve has always been a strong storyteller, creating books with nuanced, believable characters. She has a knack of exploring complex human relationships with a great deal of compassion. Her latest book, Testimony, is a work that is darker than her previous books and reveals a grittier tale. This time a sex scandal derails a New England boarding school. Even more shocking than the sexual acts involving an underage girl is that every sordid detail was captured on videotape. And even more destructive than the actual event, are the repercussions that ripple through the school and surrounding community.
The story is told from a wide array of characters – the school principal, the participants that were involved in the sex scandal and their parents. As each character gives ‘testimony’ the reader is taken on a journey of ever changing sympathies as new revelations and background to the event come to light. It is a compelling and fascinating novel that effectively explores the human condition and the way people’s lives interact with each other for both good and bad – and how one foolish decision can have such a negative outcome on so many lives. It is polished storytelling from a writer who is only getting better at her craft.
The Fraud by Barbara Ewing
The Fraud was the cause of much trouble in my household recently. Instead of doing all the things that I was supposed to one Saturday I started reading Barbara Ewing’s latest and then I found that I literally couldn’t put the book down. However, I was forgiven by my husband when he started reading it also and found the book impossible to resist.
The Fraud is set in the 18th century art world and centres around a young woman, Francesca, who is desperately trying to find her true place in the world, and her older brother Filipo di Vecellio of Florence, who is a portrait painter and the toast of London. He is rich and successful – his social gatherings include the crème de la crème of artists and their agents – but beneath this glossy surface a terrible fraud has been perpetrated, one that will rock the art world to its very core. Barbara Ewing is renowned for her meticulous research and she brings 18th century London so vividly to life I felt I was walking the streets with her characters – but it was the characters themselves that kept me reading, especially the passionate, artistic, headstrong Francesca who burns with such desire and obsession! This is a book of secrets and scandals, love and tragedy, art and ambition. This is a truly captivating read and one that I would highly recommend.
The Kissing Gates by MacKenzie Ford
Set during the Great War, The Kissing Gates opens with the extraordinary Christmas truce of 1914. From Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, ordinary soldiers on both sides of the war laid down their arms in defiance of the orders from High Command. They swapped cigars, buttons and badges before returning to their trenches. English solider Hal strikes up a conversation with German Lieutenant Wilhelm and learns that Wilhelm is in love with an English girl, Sam. Hal promises to give Sam a photo of Wilhelm in his uniform if he makes it home. Wounded in action, Hal does make it home, but when he sees Sam he also falls in love with her. The photograph remains hidden and therein follows a compelling love story. Sam slowly comes to grow fond of Hal while always yearning for the father of her child, Wilhelm. Hal is essentially a decent and honest man, but he makes the choice not to tell Sam that he has met Sam’s lost German lover. But can their fledging relationship survive when at its foundation is his deceit?
The Kissing Gates is much more than just a love story with a moral dilemma at its heart, however. When Hal begins working gathering intelligence, it also becomes a fascinating insight into how German newspapers and other documents offered up clues that were follow up by British intelligence. The novel also captures the essence of the time, of the changing attitudes towards women’s roles, and the difficulties of families adjusting to the loss of loved ones. I’d highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes a good historical read. It is a novel about the consequence of choice – and a man at war with himself. The settings and characters are beautifully written, and the ending of the book, while incredibly poignant, made me dwell on the moral aspects of love and war for some time after.
The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama
This is a book that brought a smile to my face as I read it. The Marriage Bureau for Rich People is truly delightful and peopled with characters that are charming, funny and even, at times, wise. Mr Ali quickly becomes bored with retirement so he decides to open a marriage bureau, with the full support of his wife (who is fed up with him disturbing her household routines). Business is so busy he hires a local girl, Aruna, as his assistant. Together they arrange many successful matches, although Aruna herself seems to be doomed of ever marrying due to her family circumstances.
What follows reminds me a little of a Jane Austen novel, such is the detailed observations of humanity, but the story is very contemporary and the settings taste and smell of exotic India. I found myself getting wonderfully sidetracked by the vivid detail of traditional Indian life, ceremony and etiquette without ever losing interest in the main story. This is a debut novel from a writer with clear talent and I would expect this book to easily be the beginning of a very successful new series. This is a first-class novel and enchanting love story.
The Shack by Wm. Paul Young
The Shack is one of the most original and emotionally engaging books I have read in some time. A novel about brokenness and restoration, forgiveness and healing, it would be a hard person not to be moved by this story of a family and their loss, and the responses to the question that many people ask in the face of personal tragedy – where is God in a world full of pain?
Mack, the central character, has had to try and deal with the worst thing any parent could ever face – the abduction and murder of his beautiful daughter, Missy. Four years later, he is still stuck in the midst of terrible grief, a condition he refers to as his Great Sadness. But then a suspicious note, apparently from God, invites him to the very shack his daughter’s blood-stained dress was found. Against his better judgement he returns to the shack, and what he finds there is extraordinary and life-changing. The story is beautiful written, almost like a pitch-perfect song or prayer. It is creative, imaginative, spiritual and daring. It is a story that moves the heart while challenging the intellect, and it is filled with hope, compassion, wonder and surprise. This book will certainly resonate with anyone who has encountered loss in their life – but be warned – you are likely to need some tissues handy while you read.
The Various Flavours of Coffee by Anthony Capella
The Various Flavours of Coffee is a beautiful love story that grips from the opening page. A sensual and intoxicating experience to read, the author successfully evokes the world of the late 1800s and the pursuits of Robert Wallis as he is commissioned to categorise the various flavours of coffee. The book is written from Robert’s point of view, looking back at himself as a younger man and self-professed ‘bohemian’, ‘dandy’ and ‘would-be-poet’. This is all true, but Robert is a charming character who is extremely likeable, as are the various women that he encounters, particularly the strong-willed and independent Emily. The book takes a turn into the unknown when Robert is sent to Abyssinia to create and then oversee a new coffee plantation, and his world is turned upside down when he encounters a beautiful, exotic slave.
This book is a sensory delight. The smell of coffee is as powerful as the feelings of love, the settings masterfully handled whether in London or Abyssinia. The book also explores larger themes of business and the women’s suffragette movement, without ever forgetting that it is foremost a love story. The ending is shocking and moving, but ultimately satisfying and assured. This is a wonderful novel that I would recommend to anyone who likes a read that resembles a great cup of coffee – perfectly flavoured, satisfying, but somehow just a little mysterious and exotic at the same time.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
This is the first book of a series that has fascinated millions of readers. It is a publishing phenomenon that has topped bestseller lists, attracted fan groups and has recently been made into a movie. But putting aside all the publicity and hype – is it actually a good read? In my opinion Twilight more than lives up to the hype. It is a wonderful piece of storytelling that grips from the opening sentence right through to the sensational climax.
Seventeen-year-old Bella moves to a perpetually rainy town in Washington and meets the unpredictable Edward Cullen, an impossibly handsome classmate who is hiding a gigantic secret: he’s a vampire who is thirsting for Bella’s blood. It is not long before she discovers his secret and they embark on a relationship that threatens Bella’s life, especially when a new group of vampires arrive on the scene. Sounds melodramatic? Definitely. This is Romeo and Juliet with bite. Twilight has a WutheringHeights quality of heightened passion and unrequited desire – and I predict Edward Cullen will go down in the halls of literary fame as one of the most appealing heroes of recent times – he is handsome and devoted to Bella, but also dangerous, unpredictable and capable of intense jealousy and passion. I couldn’t put the book down, and was delighted to discover there are three more books to devour after finishing the first. Like many people I know who have read this book, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it.
Under a Blood Red Sky by Kate Furnivall
I am a huge fan of Kate Furnivall’s debut novel, The Russian Concubine, so opened her latest offering, Under a Blood Red Sky, with enthusiasm. The story opens in 1933 with two inmates, Sofia and Anna, trying to survive the daily horror of the Davinsky Labour Camp in Siberia. When Anna falls ill, Sofia makes a daring escape with the promise that she will find Anna’s lost girlhood love, the passionate revolutionary named Vasily, and then return for Anna.
Sofia’s escape results in months of desolation and hardship, but she subsists on the belief she will track down Vasily, inspired by Anna’s stories of him. When she finds refuge in a remote village she also finds Mikhail Pashin who she is convinced is Vasily in disguise. Caught in a web of secrecy and lies, she finds herself drawn to Mikhail/Vasily, although he belongs to Anna. Does Sofia have the loyalty and courage to keep her promise to Anna? An epic historical novel, this is a tale that delivers both danger and desire. It is an atmospheric read that captures the sweeping nature of pre-World War II Soviet Russia, and it has wonderful, nuanced characters that are finely drawn. It is a beautifully written book that I would highly recommend. This second novel from Kate Furnivall is just as good as her first. And to fans of The Russian Concubine, please note Under a Blood Red Sky is not the anticipated sequel, but word is her next book will be!
Worth a Detour by Peter Janssen
I am a big fan of the Lonely Planet travel guides and they have become well-worn souvenirs after any adventure overseas, but when I’m travelling around New Zealand they are not the books for me. I already know all I need to know about the currency, temperature, banking hours and major attractions here – but what I don’t know is all the quirky places and things to do off-the-beaten track. That’s where Worth a Detour comes into its own. It is a gem of book filled with idiosyncratic attractions from Northland to Stewart Island – and includes everything from secluded beaches, to gorgeous waterfalls, to quirky museums, to walks the whole family can enjoy. Some of my favourites include the Elvis Memorial Room in Hawera, the Durie Hill Elevator and tunnel in Wanganui, and the trolley bus and doll collection in Foxton – but I’m sure that I will have more favourites as my copy of Worth a Detour becomes more well-worn.
As well as being packed with different places to go and explore, the book has the special charm of giving you a flavour of each attraction, but Peter Janssen has very cleverly written everything in a way so there is still more to discover when you get there. I would definitely encourage you to get a copy of Worth a Detour – it is the travel guide to the real New Zealand, and as a bonus, most attractions are inexpensive or even free.
