I get so excited when a new recipe book lands on my desk. And when the book promises exquisite tastes with an exotic touch that excitement doubles. I could not wait to open Temptations and page through the book to see what it had to offer. Prim Reddy and Niranj Pather are South Africans of Indian origin … Continue reading Temptations, Prim Reddy and Niranj Pather

I have to confess that the first time I paged through A Slimmer You Cookbook I was not impressed. But it was during hard lock down and I thought that might have affected my perception. I decided to give it a second chance when life had returned to normal. A Slimmer You Cookbook Many people … Continue reading A Slimmer You Cookbook, Regine Du Plessis

1st Case opening lines: I want to touch you. Your face, your skin, your thighs, your eyes. My blurb: Angela Hoot is brilliant when it comes to computers. She understands just how to make them work to her advantage. But her knowledge is what gets her kicked out of University. Now her mentor has got … Continue reading 1st Case, James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts

Keep You Close opening lines: The woman jolts awake, gasping, heart pounding. Gunshots echo in her head, ones conjured in sleep. My blurb: When Steph decided to become an FBI agent she promised herself she would be the best. And being the best put her, and her son in danger. So the next promise she … Continue reading Keep You Close, Karen Cleveland

Last Stop Auschwitz opening lines: How far is it to those hazy blue mountains? How wide is the plain that stretches out in the radiant spring sunshine? My blurb: Eddy de Wind volunteered to go to Westerbork labour camp in exchange for his parents not being sent to Auschwitz. He learnt, once they were sent, … Continue reading Last Stop Auschwitz, Eddy de Wind

Firewatching opening line: It starts with the striking of a match: the thin, dry snap of red powder scratched on white. My blurb: Lily cannot remember. And she is too afraid to find out the truth. But in order to stop the blackmailing she is going to have to figure it out. What really happened … Continue reading Firewatching, Russ Thomas | Book Review

Hush Hush opening lines: Someone tries to kill me at least once a day. I usually see it coming. By definition, people in prison aren't the smartest creatures in the criminal kingdom. My blurb: Harriet Blue is where she deserves to be, in prison. As a police detective she knew when she went rogue, this … Continue reading Hush Hush, James Patterson And Candice Fox

Enemy Contact opening lines: He was a Scorpion. First Ensign Salvio was never more proud of that fact than now. My blurb: Someone, somewhere is leaking secrets. And not just American ones, but those of other countries as well. Who could know so much and how is this going to affect world stability? Can Jack … Continue reading Enemy Contact, Mike Maden

A Springtime Affair opening lines: Helena was not happy. She had nearly finished weaving a throw in quite a complicated pattern only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. My blurb: Helena is a super recogniser and without a doubt, she knows who Leo is. But her mother Gilly has no idea when … Continue reading A Springtime Affair, Katie Fforde

Life Kitchen is an award-winning not-for-profit organisation that provides free cookery classes and recipes for people living with cancer, to help them rediscover their love of food. In his recipe book with the same name, Ryan Riley shares recipes to revive the joy of taste and flavour. Chapters are divided into: Snack & Little Bites … Continue reading Life Kitchen, Ryan Riley | Book Review

A Conspiracy of Bones opening lines: Reactions to pressure vary. Some people are ductile, able to stretch. Others are brittle, powerless to bend. My blurb: Tempe has been sent a photograph of a dead person. She is not sure who has sent it but she is well aware the new M.E. wants her to have … Continue reading A Conspiracy of Bones, Kathy Reichs

The Other People opening lines: She sleeps. A pale girl in a white room. Machines surround her. My blurb: Gabe makes one wrong choice in his life that will have repercussions for him for the rest of his life. He chooses to get behind the wheel of the car, and then stays for the aftermath. … Continue reading The Other People, C.J. Tudor

20th Victim opening line: Cindy Thomas was tuned in to her police scanner as she drive through the Friday-morning rush to her job at the San Francisco Chronicle. My blurb: Is killing a criminal a crime? This is the question being asked by the Women's Murder Club. But Detective Lindsay Boxer knows the answer to this. … Continue reading 20th Victim: Women’s Murder Club

News Of Our Loved Ones opening lines: Sirens. Was that what she'd heard? My blurb: Geneviève might live in America, and have American children, but she is French. Her life has been shaped by her childhood in Caen. And her experiences of World War II in her home town and Paris. She feels adrift amongst … Continue reading News Of Our Loved Ones, Abigail DeWitt

All Sorts Of One-Dish Wonders is the latest recipe book from Chantal Lascaris. She says that the recipes are meant to broaden the possibilities for creative cooking, and are simple and easy to prepare. All Sorts Of One-Dish Wonders Author Chantal Lascaris is the first to admit that she’s a messy cook, so the concept … Continue reading All Sorts Of One-Dish Wonders

Into the Fire opening line: The industrial sliding doors heaved open to a burst of bitter alpine air, a dizzying flurry of snow, and a barrage of hoarse cries. My blurb: Evan Smoak wants to be done. He wants one more case, one more person to save. And then he wants his life back. A … Continue reading Into the Fire, Gregg Hurwitz | Book Review

Bosh Healthy Vegan is all about being big on flavour and low in fat. Chapters are divided into: Lighter Greener Heartier Treats Breakfasts Bosh Healthy Vegan I totally agree with their sentiment to ditch the diets and that healthy eating is for life. This is more than a recipe book as part of it is … Continue reading Bosh Healthy Vegan, Henry Firth & Ian Theasby

The River Murders is a collection of three thrilling, pulse-pounding stories about a private investigator in a small town on the Hudson River in upstate New York Sometimes figuring out the truth means going to the point of no return. For Mitchum, returning isn't something he concerns himself with. Hidden opening line: My moody mongrel, … Continue reading The River Murders, James O. Born

Find Me opening lines: Why so glum? I watched her get on at the station in Florence. She slid open the glass door, and once inside the car, looked around, then right away dumped her backpack on the empty seat next to mine. My blurb: Samuel chooses an empty compartment on the train from Florence to … Continue reading Find Me, André Aciman | Book Review