The Depths of the Forest

I've enjoyed The Depths of the Forest by Eugenio Fuentes, a Spanish author. A young woman, Gloria, is brutally murdered in the forest and her boyfriend, Marcos, hires private detective Ricardo Cupido to find the murderer before the police. More murders follow and Cupido and the police question whether there is a connection. Cupido learns a great deal about Gloria's life and personality from the people around her, some of whom are suspects. She had a positive impact on their lives as they couldn't help but love her. This is a well-written sophisticated murder story as the psychology of the victim and suspects is explored. 41/2/5

The Scarecrow

I've quite enjoyed reading The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly. This story sees a return of the characters who solved the murders in The Poet - crime reporter Jack McEvoy and FBI Agent Rachel Walling. They investigate a series of brutal murders with unusual connections and find at least one person has been wrongly accused. The reader knows from the beginning the identity of the murderer and so we watch the investigation from both perspectives - the hunted and the hunters. There are lots of twists and turns along the way, making it a good story. 31/2/5

The Redbreast

I've very much enjoyed The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo, a Norwegian writer. However, it did take a little while to get into it. For the first several chapters the story moves in two time zones, World War II, and the "present" of the story and it takes a while to see the connection. Set in Norway, the story centres around a WWII veteran who feels he has been betrayed - but by whom? There is a connection with neo-Nazis and the mysterious veteran purchases a rare and powerful weapon, for what purpose? Detective Harry Hole investigates and as he does, there are murders along the way before he finally discovers the truth. It is well written and keeps the reader guessing right till the end. Part of the ending was unsatisfactory which, of course, leads to the next book, The Devil's Star. 41/2/5

Blue Water

This book Blue Water by Manette Ansay was a very good read. A middle-aged couple's six year old son is killed in a car accident and they're not sure how they will get past their grief. The couple, Megan and Rex, want the woman responsible, Cindy Ann, to pay but then decide to "start again" and go off sailing in the Atlantic. Megan has known Cindy Ann since they were teenagers and they share a terrible secret. This story is about forgiveness, love and quest for revenge and how these issues can be reconciled or even if they can. 4/5

Deadly Intent

I've read the large book Deadly Intent by Lynda La Plante and enjoyed most of it. DI Anna Travis investigates the murder of an ex-cop and as the body count rises, she suspects an international drug dealer is involved. Travis is also dealing with an ex-boyfriend who has been promoted and gives her a hard time. He is really irritating. As well, her immediate boss seems to be always putting her down. So Travis is constantly trying to prove herself. Eventually the truth is revealed with its myriad of convoluted connections. I found the ending disappointing - not what happens to the "baddie", but a silly new romantic connection. 3/5

Roadside Sisters

I enjoyed this "chick-lit" story Roadside Sisters by Wendy Harmer. Nina, Annie and Meredith used to sing together 20 years ago and get together to talk about old times and decide to travel in Nina's roadster from their home in Melbourne to Meredith's daughter's wedding in Byron Bay. They have adventures along the way and get to know each other better, confronting issues in their lives. This is a fun story, well-told. 3 1/2/5

In God's Name

This controversial book In God's Name by David Yallop states the convincing case that Pope John Paul I was murdered. He lived for only 33 days after his election, dying during the night of 28/29 September 1978. Yallop outlines the corruption that was rife in the Vatican at the time, particularly in regard to the Vatican Bank which had close ties with the Mafia and Freemasons. Pope John Paul I promised to be a reforming Pope and had many changes in train quite early in his papacy that would have upset the Vatican establishment, who were used to doing things "their way". Yallop presents the case that the new Pope was in favour of artificial contraception, divorce and would have acted to make changes on those issues. His book appears very well researched and he backs his case with documentary evidence and personal testimonies from people he interviewed. He names the people he believes were involved in the Pope's murder. He also discusses the subsequent Pope and his failure to act when presented with the same evidence of the corruption within the Vatican, thus allowing it to continue. This is a very interesting book with a convincing argument. Because of the nature of the book, it was quite dense and detailed, so not an "easy" read. The book has recently been re-released together with a new book, The Power and the Glory: Inside the Dark Heart of Pope John Paul II's Vatican about the papacy of John Paul II. This book will also be controversial. 4 1/2/5

'Art'

This small book 'Art' by Yasmina Reza is a play about friendship. It has been translated from French into English by Christopher Hampton. There are three characters in the play - three male friends. A crisis in the friendship is caused when one them pays a fortune for a canvas that is only white paint, by a famous artist. Another of them cannot understand how his friend could have paid so much for such an 'art' work. The friendship of the three is thus tested following this trigger. This would be an interesting play to see. 3 1/2/5