September Books

Here's what I've been reading in September (my round up is late due to being in London last weekend)

Betwixt by Evie Gaughan - this is a really atmospheric short read which I absolutely loved! Catherine revisits Hollowbrook Cottage, a place where she'd been really happy before on a stormy autumn night. She meets a stranger who makes her look at everything differently. A short read which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The Health of Strangers by Lesley Kelly - I absolutely loved this first book in a new series. The North Edinburgh Health Enforcement Team who are a mix of seconded police and health service staff. The team help to stem the spread of the Virus - a mutant strain of flu and track down people who have missed their monthly health check. Mona and Bernard are paired up and she feels that he holds her back, is indecisive and doesn't have a cop's mind.

They are trying to track down two students who have gone missing but the path to finding them is not easy - they encounter a cult, drug dealing and need to find out the link to the biker's bar. A great read which I highly recommend. I'm looking forward to catching up with the characters in book 2.

The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick - I simply loved this story which was set in the past and the present day. It's just un-put-downable and I can't wait to read more by this author (thanks must also go to Adele as I won it in her giveaway). 

Alison Bannister discovers an old portrait which is supposedly of Anne Boleyn..but Alison knows it's not her but "Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr who was taken to Wolf Hall in 1557 as an unwanted orphan and presumed dead after going missing as a child".

Alison believes the portrait holds the key to unlocking everything that happened in the past including the whereabouts of her beloved son and also the key to her future.

The story is told in the present day and the past and makes such interesting reading. We find out about the lives of Alison and Mary. Alison with the help of historian Adam with whom she's having a relationship again makes the leap back into the past to find her son. It's a fantastic historical story with many twists and turns and I absolutely loved it. 

She Did it by Mel Sheratt* - WOW! What a rollercoaster of a read!  Tamara, who has her own PR business is lonely, not great with money and feels she has to prove herself to her family all the time. She hires a part time member of staff Esther who comes with glowing references to inject new ideas into her failing business.

They win the coveted contract to promote a new novel by Dulston Publishing and it quickly becomes apparent that Esther is out to hurt someone who works there. I found it hard to warm to either woman who both seem to have secrets from their pasts but I found I was mainly was rooting for Tamara. 

It's a fast paced read with twists and turns, lies and secrets. Highly recommend! I loved it.

Operation Goodwood by Sara Sheridan - I absolutely adore the Mirabelle Bevan series. The latest installment starts with a fire in Mirabelle's block of flats, she escapes alive but her upstairs neighbour, Dougie Beaumont, a successful racing driver does not.

They find out that it was arson and Mirabelle's inquisitive mind works overtime. She and her assistant Vera as ever make investigations of their own.  These take her to Fleet Street and Goodwood itself.  There is a second murder which is definitely connected... A fast paced read which I loved (the next one is sitting in my TBR pile)

Cold Blood by Robert Bryndza** - a fantastic read. I took part in the Blog Tour and you can read my review HERE.

The Break by Marian Keyes** - I just loved The Break - witty, full of laugh out loud moments, heartbreak and sorrow. It's a really great read.

Hugh decides he needs a break after his dad's death and sets of on a 6 month trip around the world. Amy, his wife is totally devastated. She's sure this will be the end of her marriage and doesn't want to be single again. She broke up badly with daughter Neeve's dad and can't bear it happening again. But she picks herself up and gets on with life until she sees the photo on facebook.....

She's absolutely brokenhearted and throws herself into her work and looking after the girls. When in London for work she meets Josh, a features editor whom she used to meet sometimes for lunch. Their attraction is instant and they fall head over heels into a hot and passionate affair....then Hugh returns from his travels early and expects to slot back into family life.. A great read. Highly recommend.

Our Altered Life by Charlene Beswick* - I took part in the blog tour for this book and you can see my review HERE

What have you been reading lately?

*e-copy from the author
**e-copy from Netgalley