The River Has Roots

 By: Amal El Mohtar  

Location: FIC ELM

Genre: Fantasy 

Alex reviewed it this way:

It’s half poetry, half fairytale and it WILL make you cry. Five stars, perfection❤️

"But that is not the truth of grammar. There was a time when grammar was wild— when it shifted shapes and unleashed new forms out of old. Grammar, like gramarye, like grimoire. What is magic but a change in the world? What is conjugation but a transformation, one thing into another? She runs; she ran; she will run again.”

Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death.

“Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.”

In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.

There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.

But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters’ bond but also their lives will be at risk…

Wolf Siren

 By: Beth OBrien 

Location: FIC OBR

Genre: Fantasy

A vibrant, evocative and magical debut which centres a positive, empowered disabled character at the heart of a reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood.

The woods are hiding a secret… but then so is Red…

Red is not allowed to go into the woods. Everyone knows that they are dangerous – because of their strange magic and the wolves that lurk there… But Red finds herself increasingly drawn to the woods and the place where her grandmother disappeared without a trace three years ago. When the woodcutter fails to return home one night and wolves are spotted close to the village boundary, fear drives a deep and dangerous divide between the villagers and the nature they live alongside.

Only Red seems to hold the key – but she has a secret, and exposing it could ruin her family forever

Review by Rae: Wolf Siren is a beautifully crafted fairy tale retelling that is haunting, empowering, and deeply immersive. Fans of gothic fantasy, strong female protagonists, and magical realism will find much to love here.

Here One Moment

By: Liane Moriarty 

Location: FIC MOR

Genre: Mystery 

Nilufer's review: Wow! This long, fascinating saga is a mind-bending mystery with mystical, dramatic, and philosophical elements. It delivers a powerful message, advising readers to live their lives fully in their limited time, defying the odds and beating the reaper by challenging statistical consequences.

Life is full of twists and turns you never see coming. But what if you did?

Flight attendant Allegra Patel loves her job, but today is her twenty-eighth birthday and she’d rather not be placating a plane full of passengers unhappy about a long delay. There’s the well-dressed man in seat 4C desperate not to miss his daughter’s musical. A harried mother frantically tries to keep her toddler and baby quiet. Honeymooners still in their wedding finery dream of their new lives, while a chatty emergency room nurse dreams of retirement.

Suddenly a woman traveling alone stands. She walks down the aisle making predictions about how and when passengers will die. Some dismiss her, they don’t believe in psychics. Some are delighted with her prophecies! Their lives will supposedly be long. Others are appalled.

Then: a few months later, the first prediction comes true.

Intricately plotted, with the wonderful wit Liane Moriarty has become famous for, Here One Moment brilliantly looks at friends, lovers, and family and how we manage to hold onto them in our harried modern lives.

The House of Lincoln

 By: Nancy Horan 

Location: FIC HOR

Genre: Historical Fiction

Engaging, insightful, and rich!

Nancy Horan, author of the million-copy New York Times bestseller Loving Frank, returns with The House of Lincoln, which tells the story of Abraham Lincoln's ascendance from rumpled lawyer to U.S. President to Great Emancipator and presents Lincoln's Midwestern home as a complex third home front of the Civil War.

Rich with historical detail, The House of Lincoln is an insightful account of Lincoln's transformative vision for democracy as observed through the eyes of a young immigrant who arrives in Lincoln's home of Springfield, Illinois from Madeira, Portugal.

Showing intelligence beyond society's expectations, fourteen-year-old Ana Ferreira is offered a job in the Lincoln household assisting Mary Lincoln with their boys and with the hosting duties borne by the wife of a rising political star. Ana bears witness to the evolution of Lincoln's views on equality and the Union and observes in full complexity the psyche and pain of his bold, polarizing wife, Mary. Yet, alongside her dearest friend in the Black community, Ana confronts the racial prejudice her friend encounters daily as she watches the inner workings of the Underground Railroad, and directly experiences how slavery contradicts the promise of freedom in her adopted country.

Culminating in an account of the little-known Springfield race riot of 1908, The House of Lincoln takes readers on a journey through the historic changes that reshaped America and continue to reverberate today.

Nightshade

 By: Michael Connelly  

Location: FIC CON

Genre: Mystery

...'A  compelling, engrossing, twisty, fast-paced, character-driven, page-turning, well-crafted new police procedural thriller!!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly introduces a new cop relentlessly following his mission in the seemingly idyllic setting of Catalina island.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell has been “exiled” to a low-key post policing rustic Catalina Island, after department politics drove him off a homicide desk on the mainland. But while following up the usual drunk-and-disorderlies and petty thefts that come with his new territory, Detective Stilwell gets a report of a body found weighed down at the bottom of the harbor—a Jane Doe identifiable at first only by a streak of purple dye in her hair. At the same time, a report of poaching on a protected reserve turns into a case fraught with violence and danger as Stilwell digs into the shady past of an island bigwig.

Crossing all lines of protocol and jurisdiction, Stilwell doggedly works both cases. Though hampered by an old beef with an ex-colleague determined to thwart him at every turn, he is convinced he is the only one who can bring justice to the woman known as “Nightshade.” Soon, his investigation uncovers closely guarded secrets and a dark heart to the serene island that was meant to be his escape from the evils of the big city.

Propulsive and atmospheric, Nightshade launches a brand new character into the Connelly universe, and proves without question that Michael Connelly is “the undisputed master of the modern crime novel” (Real Book Spy).

The Presidents Shadow

 By: James Patterson and Richard DiLallo    

Location: FIC PAT

Genre: Thriller

One of America’s iconic thriller heroes recruits his lasting love, Margo Lane, and his great-great-granddaughter, Maddy Gomes, to join an international investigation.   

For over 150 years, Lamont Cranston, and his alter ego, The Shadow, has possessed an array of mental and physical scientific skills, shape-shifting ability, and mind control.
When a series of deadly natural disasters strike the planet, immediately set out to identify who’s responsible…
A disgruntled graduate student? The power-hungry president of the Americas? Or could it be Shiwan Khan, the Shadow’s fiercest enemy?
The Shadow’s latest adventure is also his, Maddy’s, and Margo’s most dangerous. Triumph or perish, they’ll rise or fall...together.

The Parrot and the Igloo

 By: David Lipsky 

Location: NF 304.25 LIP

Genre: Climate and the Science of Denial

Featuring an indelible cast of heroes and villains, mavericks and swindlers, The Parrot and the Igloo delivers a real-life tragicomedy—one that captures the extraordinary dance of science, money, and the American character.

Climate change has become an unavoidable fact and ongoing catastrophe. The science was clear decades ago. How did so many Americans come to doubt evidence so widely accepted and compelling?The Parrot and the Igloo is the thrilling narrative of our grand lost the story of the inventors (Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse) who made our world; the scientists who bravely sounded the alarm; and then the hucksters, dreamers, zealots, and crackpots who lied about that science. David Lipsky masterfully shows how climate denial grew out of early efforts to build a network of untruth about products like aspirin and cigarettes, revealing the infrastructure that allowed denier ideas to take hold, the untrue to replace the true. With narrative brio, Lipsky delivers a real-life tragicomedy—one that captures the extraordinary dance of science, money, and the American character.

Review by Steve

Many have successfully tackled the history and science behind global warming, leaving zero doubt in my mind on that issue, but this is the first time I've seen the history of the denial movement exposed with such an unimpeachable, and mentally satisfying, linear presentation.

It has always been obvious the global warming skeptics were simply copying big tobaccos playbook from decades earlier, but I had no idea it is in fact many of the same non degree holding, self titled "scientists" who made the switch to global warming denial once the tobacco fight was lost and the funding dried up. Lipsky exhibits exceptional research in tracing this long history of both science and skeptism from the late 1800s to our modern day and unpacks many of the famous "studies" used to refute the fact that global warming is a real issue, and one that human beings continue to contribute to through our actions.

Lipsky's writing style made this a more pleasant read, for what can often be a really grim topic. He injects plenty of humor and pop culture references, creating a more stimulating and engaging experience with subject matter that, when handled by the actual scientists, would likely put even the most motivated readers to sleep.

I had been looking forward to this book for months and was, thankfully, offered even more than I was expecting.

Mere

 By: Danielle Giles 

Location: FIC GIL

Genre: Mythology

Mere is an accomplished atmospheric debut novel by Danielle Giles. With lyrical writing, she imbues a sense of creeping foreboding and entrapment transporting the reader to an isolated convent surrounded by marshlands and ice-cold water and less than 200 souls. The novel explores themes of faith, superstition, manipulation, sexuality and politics, narrated in lyrical prose, revealing a unique new voice in English literature. Giles has innate talent in blending historical fiction and folklore elements, creating a compelling narrative with superb imagery that makes you feel the dampness of the mere and looming presence of an ancient power. “I feel no evil in it. No good either. It is vast and old and slow.”- Carl

The mere has fingers.
Clever fingers to reach through the marsh and wrap around little ankles.
Strong arms to pull poor sinners downwards.
And a great gaping belly that can never be filled . . .

Mere by Danielle Giles is a strikingly beautiful historical novel about fear and survival, power and position, and a love that takes hold in the darkest of places.

Norfolk, 990 AD. Deep in the Fens, isolated by a vast and treacherous mere, an order of holy sisters make their home. Under the steely guidance of Abbess Sigeburg they follow God’s path, looking to their infirmarian, Hilda, to provide what comfort and cures she can.

But when the mere takes a young servant boy, Sigeburg’s grip falters and Hilda quickly realises this place holds secrets darker and more unholy than she can fathom.

Then proud Sister Wulfrun, a recent arrival to the convent, has a a curse is upon them and change must be brought. Is she saint or serpent? To Hilda, Wulfrun is a signal bolder and brighter than any fire set – one she cannot help but follow . . .

Megs review on Goodreads-An eerie and moving gothic that often highlights the hypocrisy of organised religion. I enjoyed the perspective of the protagonist, Hilda, who after being raised in a convent is both naive and jaded in turn. Her often witty commentary on the struggles of her sisters with sin and propriety was a joy to read, and the ending was very satisfying. There were some unexpectedly heartbreaking moments, I wasn’t expecting such a rollercoaster of emotions. Wonderful book!

Arcana Academy

 By: Elise Kova 

Location: FIC KOV

Genre: Romantasy

This novel is magic! I absolutely loved it! - connie

 What does Nilufer say: By the time I reached the final pages, I was desperate for more. Arcana Academy delivers everything I crave in a fantasy novel—high-stakes magic, a dangerous yet alluring academy setting, characters who are flawed but oh-so-easy to love, and a romance that burns. If you love dark academia, cunning heroines, and books that leave you breathless, DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS ONE.

A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first installment of an enthralling fantasy romance series from the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.

Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards-a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.

Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy's enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape-for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.

In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.

Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world-and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?

Esta says this: Arcana Academy catapulted me into a dark academia world stitched together with an elaborate card magic system, a socio-political structure loaded with real-world parallels and a classist academy built to favour nepo babies while grinding the poor into powder (so almost non-fiction. lol/sob.). It’s intricate and impressive, that’s for sure.

Gangsters Paradise

 By: Jared savage 

Location: NF  364.0 SAV

Genre: NZ Gangs

"An interesting insight to the NZ underground. The story is told by telling a different story in each chapter. Savage does a great job of tying these stories together to show the picture of what he is writing about." Cam Yaxley

The much anticipated follow-up to the bestseller that exposed the escalation of organised crime in New Zealand.Gangster's Paradise is about drugs, guns, gangs and money. Lots of money. A gang which took over a small rural town. A police officer shot and killed in a routine traffic stop. A port-worker who helped a gang whisk a shipping container off a wharf in the middle of the night. A crew of corrupt baggage handlers smuggling meth into the country during Covid lockdowns. A shooting inside a 5-star hotel in broad daylight. Turf wars, retaliation, and new gangs like the Mongols and Comancheros have brought with them better connections with international syndicates, challenging the established gangs like the Head Hunters - so dominant for many years - who have had to up their game in response. Jared Savage's bestselling book Gangland was about the evolution of gangs in New Zealand. Gangster's Paradise is about the deadly escalation .

The Order of the Seven Stars

 By: Luanne G Smith 

Location: FIC SMI

Genre: Fantasy- Historical Fiction

We have a blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal all mixed into one. Set during World War 1, the war is being fought by humans, but added into the mix are undead creatures such as zombies and vampires. Witches have also been thrown into the mix and are causing chaos and death on both sides with no end in sight.- Michelle

As World War I rages, there are evils―both living and dead―that only a witch can see in a spellbinding novel by the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of The Raven Spell . With her husband off fighting at World War I’s eastern front, Petra Kurková embraces her fleeting freedom, roaming the city at night with her camera. A born witch, she’s discovered that she can capture the souls of the dead on film. Her supernatural skills don’t go unnoticed by the enigmatic Josef Svoboda. He’s recruiting a team of sorcerers to infiltrate the front lines, where the bloodshed of combat has resurrected foul creatures. Petra’s unique abilities will be needed against the most dangerous enemies of all―those ever present, undead, and unseen. Deep in the cursed Carpathian Mountains, the ragtag team meets with an emissary of an ancient organization founded to maintain balance between worlds. Photographing the escalating horrors is beyond anything Petra imagined. So are the secrets among her fellow witches. But Petra can’t turn back. Not before she discovers her husband’s fate and the myriad ways her magic is manifesting. To defeat an occult foe, Petra must release the power she’s been concealing for so long, or risk damning a war-torn world to ashes.

Lisa's review

As with any new fantasy series, I struggled at first to understand the complexity of the world-building. It's a tantalizing blend of World War I history and magic with a splash of The Walking Dead for good measure. I now look forward to the next book so I can read more of Petra's magical gifts and possibly a liaison with Josef, as long as Rasputin is held at bay. Yes, Rasputin!

Warrior, Princess, Assassin

 By: Brigid Kemmerer 

Location: FIC ROM

Genre: Romantasy

Fates collide and passions ignite in New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s steamy adult fantasy debut about three characters torn between chasing, betraying, and craving each other: a princess caught between duty and desire, the fearsome warrior king she’s promised to, and the assassin now tasked with hunting them down.

WARRIOR. King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation on the battlefield, but now his land is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighboring nation of Astranza, and hope that their royal family’s power to manipulate the weather will help his kingdom flourish once more. He just needs to ensure no one finds out how this blaze began.

PRINCESS. With enemies advancing on Astranza, Princess Jory’s home needs the protection of the fearsome warrior king, but she is hiding a dangerous secret: her family’s magic is fading. Tempting as it is to reject her duties and run away with her childhood friend, Asher, Jory knows that she is the kingdom’s last hope. When she meets her intended, Jory is surprised to discover that beneath Ky’s daunting exterior is a compassionate and sharp-witted man who sets her heart aflame. But what will he do when he realizes she’s deceiving him?

ASSASSIN. Asher’s done what he must to survive, even if that means getting his hands dirty. Once a young nobleman in Astranza’s palace, where he and Jory caused mischief together, now he’s part of the Hunter’s Guild, employing much darker skills. When a lucrative job comes his way, Asher can’t say no—until he discovers the targets. Someone wants Ky and Jory dead. With the Guild watching, Asher must decide what he’s willing to do to protect the woman he loves.

A tale of three complex characters torn between chasing, betraying, and craving each other, Warrior Princess Assassin marks the beginning of a thrilling new fantasy trilogy filled with enchantment, adventure, and passionate romance.

Review by Fernado

Warrior princess assassin was everything I could ever want, this is a true love triangle story and it has a throuple which is even better. 
It went by so quickly because of how much happened that I didn't even realize it was more than 400 pages. I like the magic system and I feel like it will be more explored in the next book, the plot is political intrigue gold. And the romance. I'm obsessed. 
The only downside is that I discovered this book pretty soon after the release so now I have to wait so long for the sequel.

Island of Influencers

 By: Monique Turner

Location: FIC TUR

Genre: Teenage Life

“It’s like nothing they do or say can ever match up to the image I created of them inside my own head.
I wonder what image the audience has of me, and whether it matches up to who I really am.”

Funny, dramatic, sometimes dark and bang on trend, this thrilling YA novel is perfect for those who love a Black Mirror twist.

Harper wants to be an influencer. Badly. She’ll do anything to be like her famous cousin, Belle.

When Belle is the latest 'victim' in a string of influencer kidnappings, and is put on an island for a new reality show, Harper wants in too.

It's her chance to join the greatest talents and finally make a name for herself.

But with demeaning tasks and the constant pressure of a live audience judging their every move, it's not long before cracks begin to appear in the influencers' shiny veneers . . .

A Far Better Thing

 By: H G Parry  

Location: FIC PAR

Location: Fantasy

“I had no idea I was so susceptible to kings.”

― H.G. Parry, A Far Better Thing

Review by Leanna

This was A Tale of Two Cities with fae magic—and I loved every dark, emotional, beautifully written moment of it. H.G. Parry blends historical fiction and fantasy so seamlessly, it feels like this version was meant to exist all along.

The story is moody, atmospheric, and full of complicated characters, slow-burn tension, and big emotional payoffs. If you’re into dark retellings, magical realism, or just love a good cry over morally messy characters, this one definitely deserves a spot on your TBR. I recently obtained the audiobook from Macmillan audio of this and don’t miss out on it it was an excellent listen the narrator was top knotch.

H. G. Parry’s A Far Better Thing is a standalone, portal fantasy where Jonathan Strange & Mr. NorrelI meets A Tale of Two Cities in a heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge set during the French Revolution.
I feared this was the best of times; I hoped it could not get any worse.

The fairies stole Sydney Carton as a child, and made him a mortal servant of the Faerie Realm. Now, he has a rare opportunity for revenge against the fae and Charles Darnay, the changeling left in his stead.

It will take magic and cunning—cold iron and Realm silver—to hide his intentions from humans and fae and bring his plans to fruition.

Shuttling between London and Paris during the Reign of Terror, generations of violence-begetting-violence lead him to a heartbreaking choice in the shadow of the guillotine.

A Far Better Thing is my surprise gem of 2025. It was an outstanding reimagining of a favorite old classic that made it all feel new and original. It was thrilling and suspenseful, and truly did justice by its central hero, my boyhood favorite, Sydney Carton. This was the first of H.G. Parry’s books that I have read, but it will not be the last. Should any other of her books approach the quality of A Far Better Thing, I may just have discovered a new favorite author.

Theo

The Do-Over

 By: Lynn Painter   

Location: FIC PAI

Genre:  Romance

Nilufer- My favorite time loop movie concept Groundhog Day meets my favorite playing hooky YA movie concept Ferris Bueller’s Day off! This book was talking to my Gen X soul ! It’s easy to devour, enjoyable pop corn read I highly recommend!

In this “unequivocally hilarious and delightful” ( Kirkus Reviews ) young adult romp for fans of Recommended for You and A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow , a teen girl has the worst Valentine’s Day ever—only to relive it over and over again.

After living through a dumpster fire of a Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornby escapes to her grandmother’s house for some comfort and a consolation pint of Ben & Jerry’s. She passes out on the couch, but when she wakes up, she’s back home in her own bed—and it’s Valentine’s Day all over again. And the next day? Another horrendous V-Day.

Emilie is stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare that she can’t wake up from as she re-watches her boyfriend, Josh, cheat on her day after day. In addition to Josh’s recurring infidelity, Emilie can’t get away from the enigmatic Nick, who she keeps running into—sometimes literally—in unfortunate ways.

How many times can one girl passively watch her life go up in flames? And when something good starts to come out of these terrible days, what happens when the universe stops doling out do-overs?

The Bravest Word

By: Kate Foster 

Location: FIC FOS

Genre: Animals

The Bravest Word is well written for a child's level of understanding. It is a story that will help a child suffering from depression to open up and will also build empathy in other children as they come to understand the condition.

A rescue story of love and trust between a boy and a dog from the talented author of PAWS.

"Do you hear that? You’re Cliff now, and your life is going to get better, I promise."

When eleven-year-old Matt finds Cliff, a hurt, neglected dog abandoned in the bush, he knows the brave little pup needs saving. He wants to help. But can he?

Lately, Matt has had way more bad days than good days. The pieces of his life just don’t seem to fit together any more and he doesn’t understand why. He's finding it impossible to concentrate at school and has lost interest in the activities he used to love. Plus, he’s tired all the time.

Matt's too afraid to share what's really going on in his own head with anyone. His friends and family will never understand . . . maybe it's not only Cliff who needs saving.

Songlight

 By: Moira Buffini  

Location: FIC BUF

Genre: Dystopia with some romance

Series: The Torch  Trilogy#!

review by emma

Absolutely brilliant! I loved this dystopian story where those with songlight are ‘unhuman’ and dehumanised in the worst possible way, once caught. Where propaganda maintains a war, the people unaware of the State’s true agenda. Many of the tropes you’d expect to find are here, so in that sense, nothing original, but it’s done really well, which makes all the difference. I enjoyed all the characters, evil ones too!

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Songlight is an extraordinary debut from a renowned screenwriter. A cinematic masterpiece in storytelling, the explosive first book in the Torch trilogy is the hottest release of the decade!

They are hunting those who shine . . .

Don't be deceived by Northaven’s prettiness, by its white-wash houses and its sea views. In truth, many of its townsfolk are ruthless hunters. They revile those who have developed songlight, the ability to connect telepathically with others. Anyone found with this sixth sense is caught, persecuted and denounced.

Welcome to the future.

Lark has lived in grave danger ever since her own songlight emerged. Then she encounters a young woman in peril, from a city far away. An extraordinary bond is forged. But who can they trust?

The world is at war. Those with songlight are pawns in a dangerous game of politics. Friends, neighbours, family are quick to turn on each other . . .

When power is everything, how will they survive?

An extraordinary debut – the first in a trilogy – from an award-winning, internationally acclaimed screenwriter, Songlight promises to set the world alight!

The Longest Walk Home: The epic 2,000 mile escape of a WWII POW, in his own words

 By: Ray Bailey

Location: NF 920 BAI

Genre: WWII

n 1940, Private Raymond Bailey, a 21-year-old Vauxhall motors apprentice, was captured in northern France, becoming a Nazi prisoner of war. But he wouldn't remain one for long...

The Longest Walk Home is the incredible account of his daring 2,000 mile escape across Europe and over the Pyrenees, to the safety of British Gibraltar, and home in time for Christmas. Along the way Ray has nerve-shredding encounters with German soldiers and the Spanish Civil Guard. Often he is exhausted and starving. All that keeps him going is his youthful energy, unfailing optimism, and the kindness of strangers who risk their own safety to help him.

Ray's escape is remarkable, but so too is his memoir. It was written within a year or two of the events it describes, when Ray was just 22, and despite Ray's obvious writing talent it was lost for decades until it was discovered at auction in an unmarked box of WWII memorabilia by David Wilkins. Ray's is a true unheard voice, and one of the last from this time.

Death at the White Hart

 By: Chris Chibnall 

Location: FIC CHI

Genre: Mystery

From the internationally award-winning creator of Broadchurch comes a brilliant new detective story following one man’s death and the secrets that unravel in a coastal English village.

Nothing keeps a village together like secrets.

The villagers of Fleetcombe like to think of it as one of the most picturesque spots on England’s seaside.

But now, it’s a crime scene.

A man is found dead, tied to a chair in the middle of the road, with a stag’s antler’s on his head. The gruesome scene stuns the town, especially when they learn that it is Jim Tiernan, owner of the White Hart pub, who has been found murdered.

Is it a personal vendetta, or something more macabre? Tierney’s pub is at the center of village life and he knew everyone’s secrets.

Detective Nicola Bridge grew up in Fleetcombe, and has been craving a juicy case ever since she moved back from the big city. DC Harry Ward is ten years younger, and their partnership is somehow stronger, and more satisfying even than her marriage. Together, they are determined to crack the storybook façade to find out just what the people of Fleetcombe have to hide.

And now, in the town she thought she knew so well, Detective Nicola Bridge is asking questions. Is she ready for what she’s about to find?

Review by Gigi

If you’re a fan of the TV series Broadchurch, then this book is a must-read! The creator of that show is the genius behind this book, and it’s just as gripping. The story kicks off with a bang when a publican is found dead in the middle of the road, tied to a chair with deer antlers glued to his head. Yep, you read that right!

In this small village, the suspect list is nice and short, but the drama is huge. Enter our detective duo: Nicola Bridge, back in her sleepy hometown after leaving Liverpool, and her eager but inexperienced partner, DC Harry Ward. They’re on the case, sifting through a tight-knit community full of secrets and surprises.

The writing is super engaging and the pacing is just right, like a well-edited TV drama, packed with stunning visuals, and not to mention the creepy image of the body with antlers.

It’s suspenseful, thrilling, and totally binge-worthy. You’ll race to the end just to see how it all unravels. If you love a good mystery with great characters and plenty of twists, this one’s for you.