Monthly Archives: May 2016

“The postbox murders” by Edmund Glasby

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Fictionophile

Grisly murders in picturesque Oxfordshire villages.  Yes, as the title implies, bodies are being dismembered and stuffed into postboxes!  The first is discovered by a little old lady mailing her letters, then on the same day another.  A months respite, … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Mystery fiction | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

“Like Family” by Paolo Giordano

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Fictionophile

This story is scarcely more than novella length and so skillfully written that I can only guess it loses nothing in its translation from the original Italian. A young, dual-career couple living in Turin, Italy are expecting their first child.  When the … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Fiction, Love stories, NetGalley, Novellas, novels in translation | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

“The Two-Family House” by Lynda Cohen Loigman – Book Review

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Fictionophile

Abe and Mort Berman are brothers who are as different as night and day.  Abe is personable and gregarious.  Mort is anti-social and acerbic. Together they run a company that makes cardboard boxes.  When their father passed away they took over the … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, debut novels, Family sagas, NetGalley, Women's fiction | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Cover Love: Part 4 – Doors

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Fictionophile

I find myself attracted to certain kinds of covers.  Covers are, after all, the way the publisher ‘hooks’ the reader into choosing one book over countless others. In this, my fourth installment of ‘Cover Love‘, I’d like to show you books from my … Continue reading →

Posted in Cover Love series, Dustjackets, Fiction | Tagged , | 4 Comments

“The Mourning Hours” by Paula Treick DeBoard – Book Review

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Fictionophile

Suspicion and circumstance serve to decimate a Wisconsin farm family in this memorable debut by Paula Treick DeBoard. A typical rural family, the Hammarstroms run a 160 acre dairy farm.  The grandfather, a widower, lives on the farm in his … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, debut novels, Edelweiss, Family sagas, Fiction, Mystery fiction | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

“What the waves know” by Tamara Valentine – Book Review

Posted on May 18, 2016 by Fictionophile

Izabella Rae Haywood adores her father who she says is “one-eighth Narragansett Indian and seven-eights mystery”.   He takes her to Tillings Island, where he has roots.  They fish together and share a deep bond.   But her parents argue more … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, debut novels, Edelweiss, Literary fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cover Love: Part 3 – Gates

Posted on May 15, 2016 by Fictionophile

NOTE: This post was last updated on December 6, 2018 I find myself attracted to certain kinds of covers.  In this, my third installment of ‘Cover Love‘, I’d like to show you books that feature gates on their covers. Some I’ve already … Continue reading →

Posted in Cover Love series, Dustjackets | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

“Breaking measures” by Emma Raveling- Book Review

Posted on May 15, 2016 by Fictionophile

From the tender age of three, Leila has known that she was destined to be pianist.  Born to wealthy and influential parents she is guided every step of the way toward what she feels is her hard sought for destiny … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Mystery fiction, NetGalley, Novellas, Suspense | Tagged , | 3 Comments

“The Wacky Man” by Lyn G. Farrell – Book Review

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Fictionophile

A heartbreaking novel that packs a visceral punch! “The Wacky Man” is a compulsively readable debut novel that expounds upon the life of Amanda May.  Amanda is fifteen when we meet her and she is a scarily intelligent and seriously mentally … Continue reading →

Posted in award winners, Book Reviews, debut novels, Fiction, Literary fiction, NetGalley | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

“Quiet neighbors” by Catriona McPherson – Book Review

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Fictionophile

If ever there was a mystery penned for bibliophiles, this one has to be it!  With myriad book references, and the atmospheric settings of a) a house built next to a graveyard, and, b) an unorganized used bookshop – it … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Fiction, Mystery fiction, NetGalley | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

“Britt-Marie was here” by Fredrik Backman – Book Review

Posted on May 9, 2016 by Fictionophile

Britt-Marie is 63 years old and she has always felt invisible.  The only people who ever appreciated her enough to ‘see‘ her were her sister Ingrid (long since dead) and her husband Kent (for a short while after they were … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Favorite books, Fiction, NetGalley, Scandinavian | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

“I let you go” by Clare Mackintosh – Book Review

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Fictionophile

On a rainy, dark November late afternoon in Fishponds, Bristol a small boy dies.  Walking him home from his school his mother lets go of his hand for a moment to tuck her wet hair behind her ear.  Jacob dashes across the street … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, debut novels, Edelweiss, Favorite books, Psychological thrillers | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Cover Love: part 2 – Windows

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Fictionophile

There is an old English proverb that states “You can’t judge a book by its cover”. I have to disagree.  Perhaps we can’t judge, but we can certainly use covers to choose books.  Anyone who says they don’t is fooling … Continue reading →

Posted in Cover Love series, Dustjackets, Fiction | Tagged , | 4 Comments

“The travelling companion” by Ian Rankin – Book Review #bibliomysteries

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Fictionophile

Open Road Media have published a series of Bibliomysteries (Short tales about deadly books, by top mystery authors).  I have read three of them.  The first one I read and enjoyed was by Elizabeth George called “The mysterious disappearance of … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, NetGalley, Novellas | Tagged | 2 Comments

“That darkness” by Lisa Black

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Fictionophile

“Is it better to do the right thing or the legal thing?” What’s a cop to do when he craves justice and there just doesn’t seem to be any??? Well, he takes matters into his own hands.  Jack Renner, Cleveland … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Fiction, Mystery fiction, NetGalley, Page turners, Psychological thrillers, Suspense | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments