The good sister / Sally Hepworth.
Author: Hepworth, Sally, author.
Publisher: Sydney, NSW : Macmillan, Pan Macmillan Australia, 2020.
Review by: Manning, Julie Weeden Mrs  on: 25/02/2021 2:21:43 PM
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If you have not yet been introduced to Australian crime author Sally Hepworth reading her latest beautifully crafted book 'The good sister' would be an exemplary way to start. Sally is an accomplished author who writes domestic crime in a totally believable way with all of it's sub-plots and subtelty.
Rose and Fern are extremely close fraternal twins and Rose is overly protective of Fern and is very controlling in the manner in which Fern lives her life. Fern on the other hand is undiagnosed but obviously on the spectrum and she leads a very structured life as a librarian avoiding noises light smells crowds and faithfully having dinner three nights a week with Rose. When Rose finds out that she is unable to conceive a baby due to her diabetes Fern steps in believing that she could have a baby for her sister.
The true subtlety of this book lies with Fern's characterisation and Sally Hepworth has shown true empathy in her delicate treatment of Fern. When Fern's simple plan of falling pregnant requires a man to impregnate her enter Wally who is Fern's kindred spirit but is better equipped to question Rose's controlling relationship with her twin.
There are many sub-plots in this story that will take you on twists and turns including the girl's relationship with their mother and the loss of a sibling early on in the read but Sally Hepworth is in this novel for the long term and so will you be. You will have no choice in one thing though ..... you will come to love Fern and Wally!

Heartstream / Tom Pollock.
Author: Pollock, Tom.
Publisher: : Walker, 2019 -- London : Walker Books and Subsidiaries, 2019. -- ©2019.
Review by: Patch, Chloe Miss  on: 23/02/2021 8:48:34 AM
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Picked this one up as it sounded interesting and read it in one night. Easy quirky read that keeps you guessing till the end.

The suspect / Fiona Barton.
Author: Barton, Fiona, author.
Publisher: New York : Random House Large Print, [2019]. -- ©2019.
Review by: Nickless, Judy Mrs  on: 30/01/2021 8:32:50 AM
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An excellent twisty thriller that will resonate with parents of teenagers and keep you guessing.

The silent patient / Alex Michaelides.
Author: Michaelides, Alex, 1977-, author.
Publisher: London : Orion (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd ), 2019. -- London : Orion, 2019.
Review by: Manning, Julie Weeden Mrs  on: 3/12/2020 2:56:22 PM
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When you have your debut novel positively critiqued by the likes of David Baldacci and Lee Child you would have to be confident that you are in good hands and new author Alex Michaelides does not disappoint at all.
This is a very sophisticated debut novel that centres around a gruesome murder a woman frozen in her own mind and a therapist who is determined to unlock whatever secret she is holding on to.
Meet Alicia Berenson a famous painter married to Gabriel a fashion photographer. Gabriel arrives home late one evening and is shot five times by Alicia who then shuts down and never utters another word.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who is eager to work with Alicia in a professional capacity and hopes to be the person who can get her to talk and unravel the mystery surrounding the muder.
Michaelides introduces his characters in a clinical and methodical manner and seamlessly allows the drama to build until you are unsure of anything or anyone. it is this mastery that is so hypnotic because you are drawn into the unfolding suspense and page turning becomes compulsory to try to tie it all together.
It would be prudent to leave the plot alone at this point because it is the investigation of the characters psyches that is the essence of the success of this book. You will not know who to trust nor will you know who to like because he draws characterisation flaws into nearly every main play throughout this book.
My final word of advise - do not make any presumptions because none of them will be right. You will simply be left breathless when the book reaches its ultimate climax. And then - well it will take you a minute to absorb and believe it!
Excellent reading highly recommended.

Station eleven / Emily St. John Mandel.
Author: Mandel, Emily St. John, 1979-, author.
Publisher: New York : Gale, Cengage Learning, 2015. -- Detroit, Michigan Large Print Press, 2015. -- c2014.
Review by: jessicacoryne  on: 19/11/2020 9:40:44 AM
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I read this book upon a recommendation and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it! I was left with an overwhelming appreciation for the world we live in especially amidst the COVID19 pandemic we are currently living through ourselves. Things can always be worse!

Apart from the way this apocalyptic world makes you feel in general the storyline and the way the characters all interlink with each other keeps you invested through every page. My only wish is that it didn't end as I still have so many questions!