The Family Remains opening lines: 'Jason Mott?' 'Yes. Here. That's me.' I stare down at the young man who stands below me ankle-deep in the mud of the banks of the Thames. My blurb: Changing your name cannot change your past. And when that past appears in the form of a bag of bones, many … Continue reading The Family Remains, Lisa Jewell

Michael Olivier says Friends. Food. Flavour. is the culmination of a long journey. He was invited by the Voyager Wine Estate in Western Australia to prepare a ‘Cape Buffet’ for the duration of the Margaret River November Wine Festival. He and his wife, Madeleine, researched, deconstructed, and rebuilt the recipes, leaving them with a collection … Continue reading Friends. Food. Flavour. Michael Olivier

Last year I was invited to attend a function at Sense of Taste Cooking School. Somehow my email got lost on the way back to Debs which meant my space was taken up by someone else. She kindly arranged for me to attend the SA Pork event the next day and I am so glad … Continue reading 100 Choice Recipes With Pork

Buck’s Pantry, opening line: Lianna's hands gripped the steering wheel at ten and two as she drove five miles under the speed limit down the country highway. My blurb: Lianna has been sent to rural Texas to buy out a private bank. She is focussed on one thing, and one thing only, and that is … Continue reading Buck’s Pantry, Khristin Wierman

To Herman, Home Cooking is like Rachel from Friends. To me, it's about memories, old and new. Home Cooking  is Herman Lensing’s sixth cookbook and follows the highly successful Dit Proe Soos Huis (Human & Rousseau), published in 2019 and 2020 winner of the SA Boekprys best nonfiction title. Home Cooking  tells the story – in his own … Continue reading Home Cooking, Herman Lensing

Shattered opening lines: Early morning was one of her favorite times of the day. The sun had just cracked the horizon and traffic was still light. My blurb: Michael is in Ireland, on honeymoon, and decides that a call from his FBI agent friend can wait for his return to New York. But he will … Continue reading Shattered, James Patterson & James O. Born

Escape opening lines:  He's here somewhere. I know it. And the girl might still be alive. The girl: fifteen-year-old Bridget Leone, abducted off the streets of Hyde Park forty-four hours ago. My blurb: Detective Billy Harney cannot understand why he has been taken off a case and moved into a special unit. But he follows … Continue reading Escape, James Patterson And David Ellis

As author Chantal Lascaris says, it’s time for the salad to take centre stage! Traditionally salads have been viewed as side dishes, but those featured in The Ultimate Salad Book, are anything but as they move boldly into the realm of main dishes. And nobody knows better how to achieve this than Chantal as she presents … Continue reading The Ultimate Salad Book, Chantal Lascaris

Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love, written by Yotam Ottolenghi  and Noor Murad, was egged on by the Pandemic. The recipes were inspired by what was in their kitchen and is a guide to making the ordinary, extraordinary. This handbook has many recipes that are similar to others in the Ottolenghi collection, using ingredients I associate … Continue reading Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love

Here is a selection of books for children that I have been sent to review. All of these get gifted to Hannah for her birthday. She is turning 4 this month so they are age appropriate. I See a Buffalo I See a Buffalo tells the tale of a young buffalo who is distressed by her size. … Continue reading Books For Children

22 Seconds opening line: Cindy Thomas was working at the dining table she'd bought at a tag sale down the block. My blurb: Detective Lindsay Boxer and her husband Joe are working the same case. He has been called in by the FBI as a consultant and together they are tracking a large gun shipment. … Continue reading 22 Seconds, James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

The Auschwitz Photographer opening line: Wilhelm Brasse switched on the enlarger and a bright beam of white light fell on to the sheet of photographic paper. My blurb: Wilhelm Brasse was inmate 3444 in Auschwitz. His skills as a photographer were noted and used to document all incoming prisoners. Until it was decided that there … Continue reading The Auschwitz Photographer

The Match opening line: At the age of somewhere between forty and forty-two - he didn't know exactly how old he was - Wilde finally found his father. My blurb: No sooner than Wilde finds his father, he loses him again. With so many questions left unanswered he turns to the next DNA match. But … Continue reading The Match, Harlan Coben

Dark Horse opening lines: Some men speak of angels and devils. Some talk about their emotions or unbidden urges. My blurb: Evan Smoak will always help the innocent, but he will not aid criminals. That is on his list of rules. But the rules are being broken and in order to save Anjelina, he must … Continue reading Dark Horse, Gregg Hurwitz

One Step Too Far opening line: The first three men came stumbling into town shortly after ten A.M., babbling of dark shapes and eerie screams and their missing buddy Scott and their other buddy Tim, who set out from their campsite before dawn to get help. My blurb: Frankie doesn't know why she chose this … Continue reading One Step Too Far, Lisa Gardner