Sunday 29 January 2017

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough's - A Review

Behind Her Eyes has had a marketing campaign behind it revolving around 'That Ending' so I went into it determined to guess how it would turn out.

I failed.

Miserably.

The story in itself is told in two voices, Louise, a secretary (for David, among others) and Adele (David's wife). They are both, in their own ways, in love with David. It is clear from the off that something, indeed possibly many things, are not right between David and Adele but as Louise gets closer to both it becomes increasingly difficult to work out who is right and wrong, what actually happened in the past.

And then...THAT ENDING!

I was determined I would not get caught up in the hype but...BLOODY HELL!!
I certainly never saw that coming. Sarah Pinborough's delivers a twist out of the blue but then adds another, and that takes some doing.

This was one hell of a ride but well worth the journey price.

Book of the year? Quite possible 5/5*

Thursday 26 January 2017

Time Of Death by Mark Billingham

Time Of Death is the 13th novel to feature the detective Tom Thorne and, to be honest (and this is only my opinion) it may be time to retire him for a while.

The story here is overlong and revolves around child abduction and murder in the hometown of Thorne's partner Helen. There are old secrets to be revealed, a murder to solve, a possible abduction to solve, the to-be-expected race against time but for all this, for me, it dragged. The clues were there for all to see, even so far as that the murderer/abductor might as well gone round with a t shirt on that said "IT WAS ME".

Don't get me wrong, this wasn't a terrible book - just not as good as I have come to expect from Mr. Billingham. Short chapters from different view points made for a speedy read but the thing for me, I guess, is that I just didn't get on with Thorne this time round. It felt like he's got a little bit too full of his own self importance.

I don't doubt I will be reading more of Mr. Billingham's books in the future I just won't be waiting for them quite as eagerly as in the past

3/5 stars