| The Thursday Murder Club
Coopers Chase is a peaceful retirement village, home for four unlikely friends. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahaim, and Ron meet every Thursday to discuss unsolved murders. It is a past time they enjoy and when a local developer is found dead, they jump at the chance to solve a live case.
But as the bodies begin to pile, can they find the killer before it's too late?
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman is personally not my favourite read but thousands of other readers adore this novel and I agree with the majority's reasoning of why this is an enjoyable read, it just was not for me. It is the first instalment in the Thursday Murder Club series and a novel, like all the ones on this list, I found quick and simple to read. If you want a fun murder-based novel but with more mystery and intelligent retired individuals, this is a good choice for you!
Find the full review | HERE | for The Thursday Murder Club
| The Lost Apothecary
Nestled away from view in a London back alley sits an apothecary. The owner, Nella, has transformed her shop into one of secrecy, a place where women can go to find a solution against the men who harmed them. When Nella discovers her newest customer to be a twelve-year-old named Eliza, she is at first hesitant to sell to her but soon an unlikely friendship develops triggering a series of events that threatens the very nature of the apothecary and themselves.
Flash forward 200 years, Caroline is spending her anniversary alone in London using the time to try and understand her husband's affair. Determined to not take part in anything they planned together, Caroline is led on a journey of discovery starting with an old apothecary vial found in the mud. As her search continues, the past intertwines with the present and the apothecary rears its head to take one last victim.
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is a novel you may want to read if you crave a bit of history with mystery.
Find the full review | HERE | for The Lost Apothecary
| The Companion
The Companion by Katie Alender is a young adult novel that you should bring to the beach ONLY if you can bring it on a kindle. It is a thick novel but as it is oriented towards a younger age group, the length doesn't deter how quickly you speed through it. It contains a simple premise that even if you heavily suspect how the ending will be formed, you will still be sucked in. It is a predictable novel that is fun regardless.
The Companion is about Margot. As the sole survivor of a horrific car accident which took everyone in her family except her, people say she is lucky. Lucky to live. Lucky to have her own room. Lucky to be chosen to live with a prestigious family.
Margot does not feel lucky and when she is hand-picked by the Sutton's, she suspects there is something more to their decision than just luck. Upon her arrival, Margot discovers her instincts are correct - she has been chosen to be a companion to their silent daughter, Agatha.
Initially Margot does her best to help Agatha and mould herself into the rich Sutton world but things quickly begin to unravel. So yes, Margot may be perceived as lucky but when her nightmares turn into reality, she feels anything but.
| Every Last Fear
Matt Pine has lived an anything but normal life. His older brother is a convicted murderer and he has just been informed his immediate family has been found dead in Mexico.
The news of the tragedy spreads fast and Matt is thrust into the spotlight, forced again to confront his past. The public have an intense fascination with his family after the publication of a true crime documentary that insinuated Danny, his older brother, was wrongfully convicted. The public believe in his innocence but Matt knows the truth, he saw Danny that night and the secret is eating him alive.
When Matt returns from Mexico to bury his family, he is met with frenzy; Angry locals, invasive media, and memories that he wishes he could forget. As suspicion increases around the death of his family members, Matt must find the truth behind his brother's sentencing otherwise he may find himself suffering a worse fate than his family.
Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay is a thriller you will breeze through. It is not psychologically mind boggling but instead a quick and slightly suspenseful read. Is Danny actually innocent? Was his family's death's accidental? Is he next? You'll have to bring this to the beach to find out.
| A Children's Bible
A not-lighthearted but quick to read novel, A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet is a read you should take to the beach. It is a shortish novel to read that I classify as a dystopian and one I think you will breeze through. If you want something a bit more dense but still easy enough to put down and come back too, A Children's Bible is a good book to take with you.
This fictitious novel is the story of twelve "mature" children forced to vacation at a lakeside mansion with their parents. Parents who prefer to pass their time with drugs, sex, and alcohol leaving their children alone to fend for themselves whilst battling their heightened emotions of neglect and suffocation simultaneously.
When a catastrophic storm arrives, the children decide to run away into the apocalyptic chaos and far far away from their parents. The devestation outside begins to mirror the Bible carried by the narrator's younger brother and subsequently, A Children's Bible becomes a story of safety and what lies on the other side of Revelation.
You may not want to read this at the lake but if you want something to ponder at the beach, this novel is a great choice.
Find the full review | HERE | for A Children's Bible
| Don't Look For Me
Craving a fast-paced thriller with twists and turns that you think you guessed but actually didn't? Then Don't Look For Me is your read this summer!
On a rainy night, Molly disappears. The police file a report that states she does not want to be found, they believe Molly to be one of the thousands of women who disappear yearly searching for a fresh start. Her daughter Nicole does not believe the police's story. She is determined to discover what happened to her mother and when a new lead arrives on the closed case, Nicole leans in determined to uncover the truth behind her mother's disappearance.
| The Girl in His Shadow
Are historical fiction novels more your speed? The Girl in His Shadow is the ideal choice as a quick paced beach read. It is the first historical fiction novel I found to be a breeze whilst still retaining my attention. Unlike The Rose Code which is a historical fiction novel I adore, The Girl in His Shadow is not 600 pages long or filled with dense writing but instead oriented as a more light and fun novel, a must-read on the beach!
After losing her parents to a devastating pandemic, Nora Beady is taken in by Dr. Horace Croft and her upbringing was anything but typical. Whilst other young women busied themselves with needlework, Nora learned how to suture and dissect. Skills that as a woman in the 1800s, could get Nora killed. There are consequences for women who practice medicine but in Croft's clinic, Nora is his best and most private, assistant.
When new surgical resident Dr. Daniel Gibson arrives, Nora must protect the practice requiring her to face her must daunting task yet - become a proper young lady. But, Nora cannot turn away from the patients and when she makes a discovery that could change the course of medicine forever, she must make a decision: Remain a proper lady or show the world what she is made of even if it destroys her in the process.
Find the full review | HERE | for The Girl in His Shadow
| The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
Agatha Christie has gone missing, her abandoned car and distraught family are what remain. Her husband Archive has no clue about her whereabouts and her disappearances causes England to launch their largest manhunt to find their mystery writer.
Agatha is discovered eleven days later claiming amnesia and zero clue to what could have caused her disappearance. The lack of reason puzzles those assigned to the case and with her husband's shady reaction to the event, could he have played a role in her disappearance? What is real and what is a mystery?
Just like The Lost Apothecary, this is a bit of history with mystery. If you are a fan of Agatha Christie, this novel revolves around the real-life writer and her mysterious disappearance. This is a novel you will devour (like me) because it is simple and even if you can guess the ending, who cares because it is a blast to read!
Find the full review | HERE | for The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
| The Plot
Jacob Finch Bonner is a man who struggles to maintain self-respect. He currently teaches at a third-rate MFA program and the shine of being a promising young writer has finally worn off. Jacob hasn't written or published anything worth reading in years and when an egotistical student named Evan Parker announces he doesn't need Bonner's help to write, Jake's self-respect is tested. The only way to ensure it doesn't crumble is to dismiss Evan's claim as one of arrogance until he hears the plot. Jake spirals fast reflecting on his own writing career and inevitable success of a student who doesn't deserve it except, it never comes because Evan Parker dies.
His death spurs Jake into action. He knows the story must be told and it must be told by him. Years later, the work is famous and so is he. He has a glorious new life thanks to that plot but when an ominous email arrives with the line, you are a thief, Jake becomes terrified. It is now up to him to hide the truth and discover why Evan boasted the plot as a guaranteed success. Delving into his past brings more questions than answers, the most important one being - who stole from who?
Find the full review | HERE | for The Plot
| Exhalation
Exhalation by Ted Chiang is the perfect novel to bring to the beach. The novel is a compilation of short stories exploring sci-fi elements and what the future could become. All nine stories contain a unique narrative that will take you on a journey filled with introspection and intrigue. The stories contain concepts that will make you think and consider reality and the future as a whole. It is ready to be devoured in bite sized pieces on your vacation.
Find the full review | HERE | for Exhalation
