A God in Every Stone

I very much enjoyed A God in Every Stone by Kamila Shamsie which begins on the eve of World War I as a young Englishwoman, Vivian, leaves an archeological dig to return to Britain vowing to join the man she loves after the War.  Viv struggles to find a satisfactory position during the War as she finds she cannot cope with working in hospitals.  She sets out for India to search for an ancient artefact and introduces a teenage boy, Najeeb, to the wonders of the ancient world.  Meanwhile an Indian Muslim and Najeeb's brother, Qayyum Gul, fights with the British troops in France, where he is seriously injured and returns to India. About 15 years later Najeeb asks Viv to come back to India as he believes he knows where to find the artefact.  There is a push for change in India and a dangerous time for all.  The characters are well drawn and the story suspenseful and beautifully written. 5/5

A Tale For The Time Being

I very much enjoyed A Tale For The Time Being by Ruth Ozeki which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.  Ruth, who lives on an island on the west coast of Canada finds a bag washed up on the beach near her home.  One of the items in the bag is a diary written by a young Japanese girl, Nao.  There are other items in the bag which are gradually revealed in the book.  Nao's story is very intriguing and Ruth is determined to find out more about her.  The book has alternate chapters which tell Ruth's and Nao's stories.  For Nao, the most important people in her life are her father and great-grandmother, Jiko.  Nao is being bullied at school and that shapes much of the story.  This is a really beautifully written book.  Highly recommended. 5/5

Blind Goddess

I enjoyed Blind Goddess by Anne Holt which was written in 1993 in Norway and translated in 2012.  A body is found by a lawyer, Karen, and when a young drug addict confesses to the murder he demands that Karen be his lawyer despite her having no experience in criminal law.  There is another murder and detectives Hanne and Hakon feel there is a connection between the two murders.  There are some very dangerous people involved in these drugs-related murders and the people involved don't know who to trust.  There are a number of twists and turns before the truth is revealed.  It is interesting to see how much our technology has advanced in the last 20 years with the tools that are now available to police that weren't then.  Good yarn. 4/5

The Word Ghost

I enjoyed The Word Ghost by Christine Paice which is set in rural England in the mid 1970s.  A teenage girl, Rebecca, lives with her family in a small village where her father is the vicar.  She has difficulty adjusting at first when she discovers a ghost in her wardrobe named Algernon Keats, her life becomes more interesting.  He is very friendly and later his sister Augusta visits.  In the early 19th century Augusta was in love with the Lord of the Manor but that romance didn't end well.  Now Rebecca has a relationship with the current owner of the Manor House.  Rebecca finds an elderly lady who can also see the village ghosts.  It is a lovely whimsical story of teenage love and life in a small village. 4/5

The Son

I very much enjoyed The Son by Jo Nesbo which is his latest book but not a Harry Hole mystery.  A quiet young man, Sonny, is a heroin addict in a very secure prison.  He is determined to escape prison and avenge the death of his policeman father.  A detective, Simon, who worked with Sonny's father investigates murders which may be linked.  Sonny wants to learn the identity of the "mole" in the police force and who murdered his father.  It is easy to read, suspenseful and a great story. 5/5

Blood Count

I've read Blood Count by Robert Goddard which is set in Europe in about 2001.  A surgeon, Edward, performed a liver transplant on a Serb leader, Gazi, some years earlier.  When the conflict in the Balkans is over Gazi faces trial as a war criminal for his horrific deeds during the war.  Gazi's daughter contacts Edward to get information about transferring her father's ill-gotten gains to an offshore bank.  Edward complies with the request when he learns who murdered his wife.  He has a daughter and he fears for her life so he reluctantly agrees to do as he's asked.  There were a number of times during the book when readers will shake their heads at the stupidity of Edward as he moves from one disaster to another.  But then if he was smart, the book would only be 20 pages. 31/2/5