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OutsmartYourShelf
Let the Dead Speak | Jane Casey
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Pickpick

2025 Re-Read:

18-year-old Chloe Emery unexpectedly returns home from her father's house. Inside the house is covered in blood & the cat has been confined to one room for several days but is otherwise OK. Chloe's mother meanwhile is nowhere to be seen but no-one can survive losing that much blood. Newly promoted DS Maeve Kerrigan is one of those investigating the case, & soon learns that the missing woman, Kate Emery, had made a lot of enemies.

OutsmartYourShelf My previous review pretty much stands but there were some moments between Derwent & Maeve that stood out this time around, some definite flirting going on there. Derwent seems unhappy in his new relationship already. Again upping my rating to 4🌟this time around as the case was intriguing & Kerwent is on the bubble.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2386417003
Read 18th-19th Jan 2025
7h
23 likes2 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Dive Smack | Demetra Brodsky
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Ever since Theo Mackey's mother died in a house fire, Theo has been living with the guilt of a secret only he knows - he lit the match that accidentally caused the fire although he can't remember it clearly. Now his father is also dead, & his grandfather is drinking himself into a stupor most nights. Still, Theo is keeping it together: good grades & captain of the school's diving team, (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf but when he starts remembering bits & pieces from the night of the fire, his life starts to spiral & his future is at risk from the past.

Wasn't expecting much from this as it was a random pick from my TBR pile, but it turned out to be quite good. If you're unfamiliar with diving (like me), there's explanations of the different terms etc (including the title phrase) at the start of each chapter which was interesting. Name check for Tom Daley too!
1d
OutsmartYourShelf The plot was kept simple & uncomplicated, but I thought it was a little too obvious who the 'bad guy' was though right from the start, even for a YA book. I probably wouldn't read it again but it was worth a read. 4🌟

TWs: drug use (moderate), sexual content (moderate).

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2427676566
Read 16th - 18th Jan 2025
1d
See All 6 Comments
DieAReader 🥳Excellent! I love it when random picks work out like this! 1d
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 1d
PuddleJumper 🙌🙌 1d
31 likes6 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

The village of Chipping Cleghorn is surprised by a very unusual newspaper announcement. This week, amongst the furniture for sale, the local gazette's announcement page contains an advertisement which reads: ‘A murder is announced and will take place on Friday October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m.‘

Unsure if it is a practical joke or one of those new 'murder mystery games', the neighbours gather at the house on Friday evening (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf but no-one seems to know what's happening, not even the inhabitants of Little Paddocks: Letitia Blacklock, Dora Bunner, cousins Patrick & Julia, & lodger Philippa. Then suddenly, without warning the lights go out & gunshots are heard....

This one starts off quite slowly but once Miss Marple appears, the pace picks up & the twists begin. It's classic Christie, where the subtle clues are liberally sprinkled throughout the narrative,
2d
OutsmartYourShelf though I'm not sure it's her “most ingenious murder mystery“. I remember this one from the 1980s TV series which had a young Kevin Whately (pre-Inspector Morse) as one of the police officers. 4🌟

TWs: xenophobia, chronic illness/death.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5439097946
Read 16th - 17th Jan 2025

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
#WinterClearDown @puddlejumper
#SeriesLove2025 @thespineview
(edited) 2d
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2d
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 2d
35 likes4 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Mehso-so

The offbeat friend group from the first book consisting of reluctant medium Claire, the ghost of her forever-17-year-old murdered friend Sophie, nonbinary Alex, & gay ex-police detective Sebastian (aka Bash) go on a cheap minibreak to Spike Island, off the Irish coast. There they encounter a second group of friends on a yoga retreat who aren't particularly happy that the accommodation has been double-booked. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf It doesn't take long for Claire to be sought out by the local ghosts, mainly two groups who are locked in a long-running pirate feud over the island & some missing treasure. Unfortunately Claire comes under suspicion when she finds the dead body of one of the other group of friends, & just when she needs her friends it seems they've deserted her - Bash is conveniently never around, Alex is making friends with the other group, 4d
OutsmartYourShelf & Sophie is falling for one of the pirate ghosts.

This was quite good but could have been better. The plot seemed to take forever to get anywhere. Although there were some genuinely funny bits (nice reference to The Princess Bride at one point), it seemed like Claire spent most of her time saying “Err“ & running away from everyone else. I really wanted her to finally stand up to people & advocate for herself.
4d
OutsmartYourShelf I'd probably read another one but really need some character development for Claire. 3⭐

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6587702833
Read 13th-15th Jan 2025

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
#FrozenSick (A6 to E4 Cosy Mystery) #WinterClearDown #WinterCosy @puddlejumper
4d
See All 6 Comments
DieAReader #Next 👋🏻 4d
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 4d
Andrew65 Excellent 👏🥳📚 3d
33 likes6 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
James Dean | George Perry
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Pickpick

30th Sept this year is the 70th anniversary of the tragic death of James Dean at just 24 years old. This book is a look back at his short life & career, a reminiscing & a wondering of what could have been.

Even though Dean died several decades before I was born, one of my favourite films ever is 'Rebel Without a Cause' & I've always been fascinated with him. This book has some fantastic photographs of Dean & reproduced some handwritten (cont'd)

OutsmartYourShelf schoolwork & letters - for those alone I would give it 5 stars.

The issue is that the text really doesn't give us a strong idea of who James Dean was. We know he could be taciturn, & he was introverted, but it's mainly just the facts of where & when he was born, went to school, his favourite teachers, etc. It's very readable but it left me wanting to know more. 4🌟
5d
Librarybelle Wow! 70 years! 5d
See All 7 Comments
PuddleJumper ❤️❤️ 5d
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 5d
DieAReader 🎉🎉Excellent!! 5d
29 likes7 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Cybill Disobedience | Cybill Shepherd
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Panpan

Growing up, one of my weekly TV viewing highlights were the repeats of 'Moonlighting' shown on British tv. The quick wit back-&-forth between David Addison & Maddie Hayes was a treat, until they brought Bert Viola onto the scene. I decided to read Shepherd's autobiography on a whim & it was OK.

'Moonlighting' itself takes up a very small part in the book (a couple of chapters at the most) & the majority of it is about Shepherd's love life.

OutsmartYourShelf I agree with her about the dearth of onscreen roles for women of a certain age, & her refusal to be shamed for not living her life how she was expected to was refreshing to read, but the revolving door of men got old very quickly.

It started to feel just a bit tawdry after a while, & I cannot believe that she was annoyed with the estranged wife of one man for not wanting her on set
7d
OutsmartYourShelf I mean, you had an affair with her husband & he left her for you, why would you think she wants to see your face every day? Still, you lose them how you get them.
2⭐

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/729246712
Read 6th-12th Jan 2025

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
#WinterClearDown @puddlejumper
#ReadYourKindle @CBee
7d
CBee Oof. At least it‘s off the shelf! 🤦‍♀️ 7d
DieAReader #Next 👋🏻I hope your next read is much better🤓 6d
Andrew65 Oh no. Agree with you totally about Moonlighting. 5d
36 likes5 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

Short Review: This was an odd Poirot book for me, he doesn't appear for the first few chapters & when he does he seems to be more of a side character to Katherine Grey. The mystery itself was textbook Christie but it just didn't seem to work as well as some of her other books. I think the problem for me is that I just didn't like Katherine Grey. Don't know why, just didn't. 3.5🌟

TWs: racism/xenophobia, internalised misogyny.

TheSpineView 📖 💜 Excellent! 2w
Librarybelle Agree with this! 2w
See All 8 Comments
willaful I seem to recall this was Christie's *least* favorite of her own books. 2w
DieAReader 🎉🎉🎉 2w
OutsmartYourShelf @willaful I wouldn‘t be surprised. 1w
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 1w
40 likes1 stack add8 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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Pickpick

Out of Churchill, Hitler, & Stalin, I know the least about Stalin so decided now would be the perfect time to read this first book in the two part series. How did Joseph Dzhugashvili from Georgia become the megalomaniac ruler of Russia & preside over millions of deaths of his own people?

OutsmartYourShelf Even from the start Stalin seemed to have innate confidence in his own abilities & judgment & a powerful personal charisma. This book deals with his life from his humble origins to just after Lenin took power. It's informative but it's very verbose & therefore the text seems very dense. It also seemed a much longer book than it actually was & there are lots of footnotes. 2w
OutsmartYourShelf Stalin comes across as a sociopath or even psychopath at times: manipulative, able to walk away from those he professed to love without a backward glance (including some of his own children), & an astounding lack of empathy with others. I'm thinking the second book will be very interesting. 4🌟

TWs: adult/minor relationships, animal death (moderate).
2w
See All 9 Comments
Andrew65 Excellent 🎉🎉🎉 2w
PuddleJumper Nice! 2w
Librarybelle Montefiore‘s books all seem a bit verbose. I have a discarded library copy of this one to read some day: 2w
OutsmartYourShelf @Librarybelle Oh yes, I‘ve got that one too. 2w
dabbe Wowza. Those eyes just scream to me: psychopath. 😱😱😱 2w
DieAReader 🎉🤓Great!! 2w
37 likes9 comments
review
BookwormAHN
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Pickpick
Andrew65 Excekkebt 👏👏👏 3w
TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! 3w
50 likes2 comments
review
BookwormAHN
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Pickpick
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 3w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3w
PuddleJumper ❤️❤️ 3w
44 likes3 comments