October books

I seem to be falling into a pattern of a once-monthly update now. Oh dear.

In the Shadow of Deception by David Hough
A Cornish historical crime mystery by a prolific writer.

Policeman Pascoe Carne falls in love with a woman who has a secret, though she doesn't know what it is. As her past is uncovered it causes a rift between them...

I loved the characters here and the many twists and turns. I felt there were possibly a few too many plot elements and I lost sight of the main story at one point, but it kept me reading wanting to know how everything was going to be resolved.

Some Veil Did Fall by Kirsty Ferry
Timeslip novel told in two parts - first the contemporary story then the historical.

Becky puts on a historical costume for a photography shoot, and begins experiencing flashbacks, as does the photographer Jon with whom she is falling in love. They investigate the characters and uncover mysteries from the past.

I loved the setting here - Whitby during the Goths festival and also a country house hotel. Very atmospheric. I enjoyed the contemporary story more than the historical and felt the book would have been improved by alternating the chapters.

Beneath the Moon and the Stars by Amelia Thorne
Pen name for Holly Martin.
Joy Cartier moves into 'Britain's Friendliest Village' and finds it anything but. Hunk Finn MacKenzie lives next door and although there is immediate chemistry between them he seems to push her away unable to form a relationship. Joy has an unusual job of chainsaw carving - taking on commissions to create sculptures in woods, anonymously.

There are loads of twists and turns in this very lively but rather unbelievable story. I absolutely loved it although i did have to suspend disbelief on many occasions. The power of the writing kept me going, and the originality of the plot.

Room In Your Heart by Wendy Clarke
A delightful collection of warm, life-affirming stories all previously published in People's Friend.

Summit 8000 by Andrew Lock
Birthday present from a friend. Andrew is the only Australian to have climbed all of the world's 8000-metre peaks, This is the story of all those climbs and the unsuccessful attempts along the way. It's an exciting read if you love mountain adventure books, but so sad, as there are many little epilogues telling of the fate of people he climbed with along the way.