A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke - Book Review

Publication Date: 12th Oct 2023

Genre: Multi Timeline, Dark Fiction, Paranormal 

2.5 Stars 

One Liner: Atmospheric but ruined by the ending (outliner opinion) 

1901, Dundee, Scotland 

Nicky is missing her husband Allan, who is at war. One day, she is attacked by a stranger and wakes up aboard the Ormen, her father’s whaling ship. Soon, Nicky realizes she is in big trouble, and things aren’t what they seem. 

2023, Skúmaskot, Iceland 

Dominique is an urban explorer. She finally managed to reach Skúmaskot, an old shark fishing village on the northern tip of Iceland, to stay aboard Ormen, which was to be dismantled in the next few weeks. She meets a trio of explorers who may or may not have hidden intentions. 

What is the connection between the two timelines? Where will the stories intersect, and what happens next? 

The past timeline comes in the third-person POV of Nicky, and the present timeline is in the first-person POV of Dominique. 

What I Like: 

After enjoying the previous two books by the author, I was excited to read this one. As always, the setting is atmospheric and has touches of magic realism. The book starts slowly but picks up pace, which turns out to be a blessing. 

The book tries to deal with issues like past trauma, grief, closure, etc. It does get a few things right, especially Nicky’s life with Allan, her father’s business, her dysfunctional family, etc. 

The third-person narration for Nicky’s timeline is a relief, given the content. While some readers may find it too distant, I prefer it that way. Makes it easier to continue reading at a stretch. 

What Didn’t Work for Me: 

First, this one is a dark read. I was expecting it, so that wasn’t an issue (please check the triggers at the end of the review) for me. However, as the book progressed, it felt more like misery porn (most of Nicky’s track is a torture) rather than having the characters do something to change the situation. When it does happen, it feels a little too late. 

Second, I confess to having little to no idea about ships and the whaling industry. However, it does seem that the Ormen spent a long time on the sea, that too, with the men more interested in r*ping the MC rather than catching whales (there is just one instance of capturing a whale). 

Third, the present timeline seemed quite well until the end. Then, it made almost no sense. The author’s note explains the intentions behind the concept, but TBH, it’s badly done. I wish I could say otherwise. I don’t want to reveal spoilers, but the ‘truth’ nullifies a majority of the timeline, which is not how one handles a plot. I have too many questions with no answers. I knew there would be weak points (the previous books had them), but this one gets too much. 

Fourth, if the book has magic realism, it should be more than a decorative piece. The Selkie stuff was interesting until it wasn’t. It takes way too much time to see it in action. Even then, it’s just a glimpse. For a book based on revenge, this one doesn’t even show the actual bits. That’s the most disappointing part. If you make me read so much tragedy and tell me multiple times that someone got their revenge on the actual bad guys, have the courtesy to show me at least a scene or two. 

Fifth, I don’t like the representation of the Inuit tribe. It may or may not have been based on truth, and I will not take a non-native’s version as ultimate. 

Sixth, there are third and fourth timelines, which are vague and try to add to the atmosphere but don’t really work. They only cause more confusion and add to the questions. Just because a book has supernatural elements doesn’t mean it cannot make sense. It still needs to stand on its own and provide satisfactory answers. 

To summarize, A Haunting in the Arctic starts great but spirals into a neverending tragedy and an unappealing reveal/ twist. I wish I loved this, but I don’t. 

I’m an outliner (until now), so please read other reviews before you decide. 

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #AHauntingintheArctic

***

T.W.: Kidnap, rape (multiple), hostage, injuries, assault, miscarriage, self-harm, death of a child, animal death, mentioned suicide (off-page) 

A Midwinter's Tail by Lili Hayward - Book Review

Publication Date: 12th Oct 2023

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Magic Realism 

4 Stars 

One Liner: Beautiful! 

It is Christmas time, and Mina Kestle gets one step closer to signing the biggest deal for her agency. This is everything she wanted, or so it seems until Mina finds a cryptic letter with an iron key in her handbag. 

Why did her godfather contact her after twenty years? Mina doesn’t want to bother. After all, he didn’t respond when she needed the most. However, she rushes to his cottage on the tiny Cornish island of Morgelyn to take care of his cat, Murr. Mina is sure she can sort the matters in a day and rush back to London and her life.

However, many truths come out in the open, forcing Mina to reconsider what she knew about her life and her godfather. With more concerns added to the list, Mina might be the only one to set things right, with Murr’s help, of course! The grey cat with green eyes has its own stories to tell! 

The book comes in Mina’s first-person POV and snippets of folklore/ stories in the third-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

This is a whimsical, cozy, cutesy story with Cornish folklore and contemporary drama set in December. The book is less than 250 pages and has a steady pace. While this sacrifices some character development, it’s easy enough to empathize with the main characters. 

The book has touches of magic realism, though it is very light. The otherworldly elements get stronger as the story progresses. This works for the plot as Mina takes time to feel a part of the tiny island with a history. 

The stories woven into the main plot are my favorite. They are short and evocative and stay connected to the overall storyline, even if it is not immediately apparent. 

Murr, the mysterious cat, is one of the main characters. She does have a prominent role, though I think it could have been even better. I was hoping for Murr to be more active in the present. That said, the story relies on the cat and justifies the title and the cover (don’t you love that cover design). 

The book has a bit of romance, too, though it doesn’t dominate the main plot. The same goes for a touch of inclusivity with a non-binary character (very minor role) and a lesbian ex-couple. 

The villain or the grey character does what they are supposed to do. No depth again, though we do get a reason for their actions. 

The writing, however, is beautiful. The descriptions have a touch of poetic charm without feeling verbose or overwhelming and also without slowing down the narration. I love how the words flow. The setting doesn’t just come alive. It sucks the reader in and transports them to the cold, mystical island with secrets from the past. 

The book was an almost 5-star read until certain twists or revelations came to light. Though it sounds heartbreaking, I have too many questions and not enough information (also, I'm not a fan of that trope). I wish this aspect was handled differently. Not saying more to avoid spoilers. 

There’s an epilogue with happy moments, so that’s a bonus. 

To summarize, A Midwinter's Tail is a heartwarming novel about life, priorities, and being true to oneself, community, and family. You can finish it in a couple of hours on a cozy afternoon.  

Thank you, NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK, and Sphere, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #AMidwintersTail

***

TW: Parental death 

A Lady to Treasure by Marianne Ratcliffe - Book Review

Publication Date: 15th Oct 2023

Genre: Historical Sapphic Drama 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: A nice read but more drama than romance 

1812-1813 

Louisa Silverton is the daughter of an American businessman whose idea of happiness is through profit and money. Her business expertise and love for numbers keep her going. When Louisa’s father takes too many risks with his ventures, he ships her to England to find a wealthy husband. 

Sarah Davenport is single-handedly running her family estate in Kenilborough. Her father is weak. Her stepmother and her son love money, and they are in debt. Sarah is shocked to see that talented Louisa is more than willing to settle for money. Louisa is intrigued by Sarah’s complexity, grit, and strength of character. 

The duo realizes their feelings for each other are more intense than expected. But with neither of them in a position to do what their hearts want, can Sarah and Louisa find their HEA, or will they sacrifice themselves for their families? 

The story comes in the third-person POV of Louisa and Sarah. 

My Thoughts: 

I quite enjoyed The Secret of Matterdale Hall by the author and was looking forward to this latest book. As an #ownvoices author, she effortlessly presents Sapphic romance and interesting main leads. 

Louisa and Sarah are different yet similar. They both bear the burden of their family responsibilities and finances, even if they choose different methods to handle these. I like how the characters feel real and vulnerable and make some annoying decisions. 

The interactions between Louisa and Sarah kind of give P&P vibes (but without the delightful banter). Even the writing style is formal and suits the period. In fact, it fits so well that the already slow-burn romance feels even slower and distant than I prefer. There’s some progress in the last quarter, which I do appreciate. I had to wait too long already! 

While the book is supposed to be a historical Sapphic romance, it reads more like a family drama. This makes sense as the core plot revolves around families. However, there’s a lot of drama. I was reminded of daily soaps on the telly more than once. Combined with almost no humor or lighthearted scenes, the content becomes quite heavy. The saving grace is the moderate-to-fast pacing. 

Of course, the social customs, attitudes, and general conditions of the period come across clearly. These have a dominant role in the plot, making the book seem more believable. Be it the ‘responsibility of a daughter to find a rich husband to save the family business or a weak (and rather spineless) father ignoring realities and being unconcerned for his daughters, every aspect aligns with the setting. 

However, this eats into the time required by the main couple to establish a stronger relationship. I wanted them to spend more time together when they aren’t snapping or pushing each other away, et al. 

The side characters, Ann and Eleanor, are nice and sweet. I like that the book also has a disability rep. Furthermore, the second half of the book is stronger and more interesting. We have HEA and an epilogue, too.  

To summarize, A Lady to Treasure is an engaging historical drama with a super slow-burn Sapphic romance. The writing is classy and nice to read. 

My thanks to the author for the electronic ARC. 

***

TW: Attempted sexual assault (not graphic), implied physical assault, mention of suicide (off-page) 

One Last Kill by Robert Dugoni - Book Review

Series: Tracy Crosswhite #10

Publication Date: 03rd Oct 2023

Genre: Contemporary Police Procedural, Mystery 

4 Stars 

One Liner: A solid read 

Chief Webber asks Tracy Crosswhite to reopen the Seattle’s Route 99 serial killer case. Tracy is expected to bring closure to the thirteen victims’ families almost twenty-five years later. When she has to work with Johnny Nolasco, Tracy knows it will be an uphill battle. 

Nolasco was the lead detective working on the case back then, and somehow, he and Tracy manage to work together in the present time. However, Tracy follows her intuition, which yet again leads her to high-level corruption, cover-ups, and people in power who will do anything to prevent the news from coming out. Still, Tracy will not give up without a fight, especially when the killer strikes again. 

The story comes in Tracy’s third-person POV, with a few chapters in the past timeline from Nolasco’s POV. 

My Thoughts: 

I haven’t read books 1 to 8 in the series but enjoyed the ninth installment. I even read #8.5, The Last Line (short story), which ties up with #9. This helped get a better picture of the context, as there are quite a few references to both in this one.

Tracy solves cold cases (by reopening the investigation and through DNA comparison). After being successful in three such cases, Chief Webber assigns her to another serial killer case. Tracy is a smart, capable, and efficient detective. She is thorough and knows when to follow her hunches. 

Though this one doesn’t have much of Del and Faz, they do appear from time to time. Nolasco has a major role, given he was the chief of the investigation back then. I don’t know much about his animosity with Tracy, though there are enough hints to get an idea. Providing his POV from the past helped me consider things from his perspective. This made it easier to understand his actions and motivations. 

The pacing is steady, neither slow nor fast. It may seem like not much happens in the first 50-60%, but that’s the thing with reopening cold cases. There is already enough information to go through before finding more. I like how Tracy uses different bits of information and various perspectives to bring everything together. Be it DNA advancement and profiling, she doesn’t ignore things that don’t align with her ideas. Instead, she thinks about how these perspectives can help her solve the case. 

I’m waiting for Webber to get her due. Looks like I need to wait longer, and more names are being added to this list. Realistic endings are good, but I don’t mind if a touch of it is compromised to make the readers happy (we know it is not likely to happen in the real world; why not give us the satisfaction on-page). Still, I’m hopeful that justice will be served, one way or another. There will be more books in the series, so we’ll get to it (hopefully). 

This should read well as a standalone. However, it will work better if you read at least the previous installment. Even the author calls books 8.5, 9, and 10 a sort of trilogy within the series. 

To summarize, One Last Kill is a solid police procedural with relatively less action but a lot of problem-solving. There are enough twists to engage the reader. Looking forward to the next case! 

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for the eARC.  

#NetGalley #OneLastKill 

Under Ground by E.S. Thomson - Book Review

Series: Jem Flockhart #6  

Publication Date: 05th Oct 2023

Genre: Historical Mystery 

4 Stars 

One Liner: Darkish mystery 

***

1854, London 

The dreaded cholera, aka blue death, is hounding London again. The city is in panic, but that doesn’t stop Jem Flockhart and Will Quartermain from pursuing a murder case. 

An unknown man was murdered in a brothel, and its guard has been arrested for the crime. Jem and Will know he is not the killer but have only a few days to find out more about the victim and trace the killer. Their investigation takes them to the powerful, rich, and mysterious Mortmain family. 

 With the clocking ticker faster, can Jem and Will save an innocent’s life and bring justice to the dead? 

The story comes in Jem’s first-person POV and journal entries by Will.

My Thoughts: 

So, first things first. I didn’t realize this was a part of a series until a day before I started reading the book. I came across a review mentioning this and went on Amazon to find out. Well, I was surprised this was book #6. Lucky that I’m not particular about reading a series in an order. I think there are a few spoilers for the main characters in this one, though I cannot say how much or what. 

The setting is bleak, foul, smelly, and oppressive like the underground sewers polluting the River Thames. With fog, cold, smell, cholera, and death, there isn’t anything breezy or light about the book. Though some of it is uncomfortable to read, it’s necessary to keep the reader immersed in the setting. 

The narration is easy to follow but slow. The story moves at a languid pace to suit the overall atmosphere of gloom, treachery, and violence. It’s a good change from reading about only the best side of London. This one is realistic and brutal. 

The main characters take some to get used to. Jem is easier to follow than Will, who seems to have a rather delicate disposition. There’s some backstory I’m missing (obviously), but that doesn’t affect the core plot, so I could read it for what it is without worrying too much. 

Since Jem is an apothecary doctor, we get insights into treatments, salves, and stuff. This is quite interesting (and I always like to read about natural medicine). Also, kind of scary that leeches are placed on the neck to drain some blood and provide relief from migraines. *shudder* 

The central mystery slowly unravels as Jem and Will find more information and try to connect the dots. A few clues and red herrings are scattered for readers to guess. There’s a bit of wordplay, too - some for dark humor and some as clues. 

Given the time period, the book also mentions the Golconda diamonds (still in the possession of the British). There are a couple of references to the Indian colonies, and a bit of racism, which was natural back then. 

The side characters are interesting. Thimble has great potential. I hope this lad becomes a recurring character like Jenny. Among those involved in the case, Caroline and Charlotte stand out from the rest. I like how the book shows the other side of privileged activism, where the saviors will do anything to ensure the unfortunate will continue to be needy. After all, if people have better lives, they won’t need saviors. Gasp! 

Another point I like is how women found ways to have a career and achieve their ambitions despite the stifling limitations. They still had to give up certain things, but they were willing to do it. (Not saying more to avoid spoilers). 

The book ends on a hopeful note. I’m curious to see how Jem and Will will solve more cases that come their way. I’ve also added the previous ones to my list. 

To summarize, Under Ground is a dark, stinky, and murderous mystery that works as a standalone, though you might enjoy it more if you read at least one book in the series. I still liked this.  

Thank you, NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK, and Constable, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #UnderGround

***

TW: Suicides 

When We Were Friends by Samantha Tonge - Book Review

Publication Date: 04th Oct 2023

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: Got many positives but somehow doesn’t hit the mark 

***

Morgan is living a life contrary to what she wanted as a teen. Being a single parent to a nineteen-year-old is exhausting. Things get worse when her son, Olly, is determined to find his father. Morgan hasn’t even revealed his name. Olly continues to persist, and Morgan has no choice but to reach out to her three friends and ask for help, even if they have been estranged for years. 

Paige, Emily, and Tiff are leading their own lives, happy yet unhappy. They have different reactions to Morgan’s request. After all, the best friends hurt each other and broke apart. Will this be their chance to reveal the secrets, apologize, and heal? However, the four friends have to deal with many truths before they can move on. 

The story comes in the third-person POV of the four main characters in neatly marked chapters. 

My Thoughts: 

The four friends, Morgan, Paige, Emily, and Tiff, are well-etched. They have their strengths and weaknesses and are flawed people. Even their interactions feel genuine. None of them is perfect, making it easy to root for all of them. Olly makes a strong impression despite having limited coverage. 

Though the focus is on Morgan, we get enough details into others’ lives too. The presentation is neat and clearly structured. We know whose POV (all in the third-person) we are reading at all times. However, quite a bit of it is ‘told’ to the readers, which dilutes the impact. 

Friendships and relationships are messy, and this book reflects it well without making it too dramatic. It also has many lessons about boundaries, forgiveness, healing, acceptance, moving on, etc. They blend well most of the time. 

The writing is easy enough to read but tends to get repetitive. More than once, I got tired of the supposed secrets that almost came out, but something happened to prevent the reveal. This method should not be overused. The same goes for how Emily makes people share information. That was overkill.

My issue is with how the second half is structured. There’s a major reveal at 50%, with hints about the whats and whys. However, the actual story isn’t shared until after 90%. Moreover, there are many clues to guess everything. Either the clues should be fewer, or the reason should be out sooner. I’d go with the latter, given the plotline. 

The main characters are 35-36 years old. Somehow, they sound a decade older. They are weary, I get that. But the vibes don’t feel like I’m reading about people closer to my age. 

The book would work on screen. It has the elements to become a nice TV drama (the bittersweet kind). The ending is hopeful, though I wouldn’t have said no to more details. In fact, I’d have liked it if there was another chapter exclusively for Olly. I think he deserves it. 

To summarize, When We Were Friends is a good read about school friendships, teenage mistakes, and attempts to reconnect as adults. Despite the heavy themes, the book doesn’t get too intense or stressful. It’ll make a decent one-time read. 

(Rounding up to 4 stars after much thought. 3 stars do seem a little less.) 

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #WhenWeWereFriends