Book club: Murder, mysteries and mayhem …
Could there be anything more exciting for a thriller-lover than this stack of new releases? We think not! An armful of adrenalin rush for August.
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A small town. A shocking crime. Our kind of novel. In Robert Gold’s Twelve Secrets, two boys murdered their classmate, Nick, an event that changed Ben’s life in an instant. It was a crime that shocked the nation, and threw Ben and his family into the spotlight. Fast forward 20 years, and Ben is a successful investigative journalist, living back in his home town and part of its close-knit community. But a fresh murder case brings Nick’s murder back into the spotlight, and throws suspicion on those closest to him. And it appears that many, in this small town, have something to hide. Sphere, available at Exclusive Books
It’s the club you’d kill to join, and billed to be the celebrity event of the decade. The opening of Island Home, a forgotten island transformed into the height of luxury. But, as is reported in the Vanity Fair exclusive, no-one expected how tragically things were to go wrong. From the tense opening chapter, The Club by Ellery Lloyd (pseudonym for London-based husband and wife team Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos) is taunt, exhilarating, and completely unputdownable. Mantle, available at Exclusive Books
It sounds a little daunting. Images of brain scans and explanations of brain types and neuroscience. Grief! But Dr Daniel Amen (who’s fab … we follow him on IG @doc_amen) walks the reader clearly and simply through You, Happier, his latest book which promises to make you 30 per cent happier in 30 days … regardless of your age, upbringing, genetics or current situation. He shows you how to protect your happiness by distancing yourself from the noise in your head, and how seven decisions and seven daily questions will enhance your happiness. Yes, there are scans and tables and science-based strategies. But there’s also ‘finding happiness in your spice cabinet’. Hint: Saffron’s up there, so’s cinnamon. Tyndale Refresh, R257 from Exclusive Books
For a warm, feel-good, uplifting read, we loved One Good Thing by Alexandra Potter, who writes about a woman who, when her husband leaves her for a younger model, moves out to the country to make a new start … and with the help of an elderly rescue dog, a lonely old man, a scared little boy and an angry teenager, finds unexpected happiness. A joy of a weekend read. Macmillan
Could there be anything more exciting for a thriller-lover than this stack of new releases? We think not! An armful of adrenalin rush for August. A magician’s box. A sword. And a woman trapped inside. No magic here … it’s murder.
Trapped by Camilla Lackberg and Henrik Fexeus (translated from Swedish by Ian Giles) is chilling, thrilling and unexpected. You’ll never watch a magician show again without holding your breath! Harper Collins Publishers • Six friends on a Greek island for a hen weekend. All sun-drenched beaches and cocktails and giggles and fun. Until it wasn’t. In One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke, one of the friends is a liar. One’s a stranger. One’s a killer. Harper Collins Publishers • A stack of thrillers wouldn’t be complete without a Karin Slaughter. Girl Forgotten kicks off with a young girl dressing for her prom night … a night that ends (obvs .. it’s Karen Slaughter) with murder. Forty years later, a newly graduated deputy in the United States Marshall Service, is in town – supposedly to protect a judge receiving death threats, in reality to find justice for the murdered teen. Harper Collins UK
• There’s a game. It’s very simple. There are five strangers. Someone they love is in danger. Each needs to play the game to save their loved one. Oh. And there’s only one winner. Good grief but The Game by Scott Kershaw’s a twisted thriller. Harper Collins Publishers • Back to Greece – this time with four families on a three-week trip to a luxurious resort. But it’s not all beach fun and games. Sly and suspenseful … Julie Mayhew’s Little Nothings is about female bonds turned toxic. Bloomsbury
• And for the most tension filled of them all … Do No Harm. Jack Jordan’s novel is chilling and terrifying. A surgeon has a patient on the table. And a decision to make. Her child’s been taken. Kill the patient, and her son will be returned. First do no harm. But is there really a choice? Simon and Schuster. All available at Exclusive Books
We think this new Roodeberg gift pack is perfect for Book Club. The art of storytelling is synonymous with Roodeberg, the legendary red blend with a story in every bottle. Roodeberg’s own story is the stuff of legends. Evolving from the master’s original blend first created in 1949, a special panel of winemakers has steered the secret blend since the 1960s. This beautifully nuanced Roodeberg Classic Red Blend has aromatic layers of fresh red and dark fruit, cassis and hints of spice and dark chocolate. Just the thing to enjoy alongside a great book. The gift pack costs R109.99 and you’ll find it at leading bottle stores.