Michael Connelly The Night Fire. 

Michael Connelly is without doubt one of the best crime writers ever. He makes it look easy to write a crime novel because his books flow so well. More fool anyone who tries to imitate him. This one from his Harry Bosch series is a novel to really get your teeth into. An epic thriller. 

The Prisoner’s Wife by Maggie Brookes.

This is an absolute triumph of a book. It is based on a true story of a Czech woman who posed as a man in a Nazi prisoner of war camp to stay with her British husband. It is riveting and the stuff of Hollywood films. It is well-researched like all the best historical fiction. It can be heart-breaking, but it is also a story of courage and hope. Fair Warning by Michael Connelly. 

Another Connelly novel. This one I loved more than the other. It was sleek, smart and just perfect. It throws up interesting questions about DNA ancestry sites too. Connelly is a master of his craft and his novels are absolute perfection.

When You See Me by Lisa Gardner.

This is the first book I have ever read by Lisa Gardner and now I am wondering if I have been living underneath a rock. Wow. Just wow. What a writer, what a novel. I don’t usually read crime novels – I am a of a nervous disposition- but I will be seeking out Lisa’s other books now. It is no surprise Lisa is a New York Times bestseller. She sets the scene perfectly and her characters have so much depth. I also love that the FBI agents are female and their husband, also FBI agents, are taking care of the kids at home. Lisa Gardner is a much needed female voice in the world of thriller writers.

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

This is a beautiful and brilliant novel. A romance novel with no hint of cliche. It has plenty to say and characters who are impossible to not fall in love with. Set in a 2020 where Covid 19 did not happen, this was the future we all deserved. I loved this book so much. It is so clever and pitch perfect. Sophie Cousens is one to watch.

A Christmas Wish for the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell. 

A perfect historical fiction saga novel. Like a warm hug on a Sunday evening. Make yourself a cocoa and dive in. Brilliant.

A Walk Along the Beach by Debbie Macomber. 

Debbie Macomber is a New York Times bestseller and an author of over 100 books. There is a reason for her popularity, she is a master of her craft. This heart-warming tale of the love of two sisters has its sadness, but ultimately it is a story of love and beautiful rewards.

Playdate by Alex Dahl. 

Wow is what I want to say about this tightly wound thriller. The plot has you hooked all the way to the last page, your brain working the entire time. It is set in a sleepy Norwegian town, a perfect and atmospheric setting. I usually avoid books where a child goes missing like the plague, but this book is the perfect thriller. It captures the complexity of human behaviour so well. Sometimes you do not know who you should be rooting for.  Impossible to put down.

A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington.

What an imagination Nydia Hetherington has. A Girl Made of Air is an outstanding novel. It has to hard know how a story about a circus funambulist is going to work and yet, it does. This is a vivid tale of regret and redemption weaved into a magical book of literary perfection. What a first novel, I cannot wait to see what Nydia Hetherington does next. She truly is one to watch. The Unwanted Dead by Chris Lloyd. 

This is the first in a new WW2-set crime series. It is brilliant, rip-roaring stuff. Vividly written and pitch perfect. A great historical crime novel.

Books are available from waterstones.com, amazon.co.uk, dauntbooks.co.uk and independent book stores.