After reading just five books in July and two in August, normal service was resumed in September! After the chaos of summer, things settled back down, the kids returned to school and the cooler autumn nights meant lots of cosy reading time. I completed ten books during September, including some I’d been wanting to read for a while.
Here are the books I read in September 2021.
Believe Me by JP Delaney
Claire is a British struggling actor living in America without a green card and she needs work and money to survive. She agrees to work for a firm of divorce lawyers hired to entrap straying husbands. However, Claire’s life changes when the wife of one of Claire’s targets is violently murdered. The police suspect the husband and they enlist Claire to lure him into a confession. As an actress, Claire is determined she can do it as she has perfected the art of manipulation. But as she becomes closer to the husband she realises things may be a little more complicated. Is she the decoy, or the prey?
I found it to be quite dull and depressing and after becoming bored midway through, I began to skim read- something I never do! I know I’m in the minority with this one, as it has received so many positive reviews, but I just didn’t enjoy this one at all.
Click here to read my full review of Believe Me by JP Delaney
The Family Upstairs Lisa Jewell
In a large house in London, a baby is found awake in her cot. She’s well-fed and cared for and happily waiting for someone to pick her up. Meanwhile, downstairs in the kitchen, three decomposing corpses are lying next to a hastily scrawled note. The bodies have been there for days, so who has been looking after the baby? And where did they go?
Overall I found it to be an enjoyable read full of the twists and turns Lisa Jewell is known for.
Click here to read my full review of The Family Upstairs Lisa Jewell.
On A Night Like This by Lyndsey Kelk
While stuck in a rut in both her relationship and her career, Fran is offered the once in a lifetime opportunity – to be assistant to a megastar. The job takes her away from her ordinary life and despite things not always going to plan, she finds herself attending the exclusive and prestigious Crystal Ball. After (literally) bumping into a handsome American earlier in the day, she finds herself face to face with him again at the ball. Could this be the start of the life she has always dreamt of? Or will ‘real life’ bring her back to earth with a bump?
A fun, romantic and witty read.
Click here to read my full review of On A Night Like This by Lyndsey Kelk.
Piranesi by Suzanna Clarke
Piranesi’s house is no ordinary house. The rooms, vestibules and staircases are infinite and within this labyrinth, there are clouds above and gushing tides below. The house is Piranesi’s whole world. Piranesi is joined twice a week by his only friend – and only other inhabitant of the house – known only as The Other. Piranesi assists The Other with his research into ‘A Great and Secret Knowledge’. However, as Piranesi explores his world, it becomes evident there is another person in the house. Piranesi begins to realise things may not be as he seems and there may be a world beyond what he has always known.
An atmospheric and thought-provoking read which encourages the reader to look at the world differently.
Click here to read my full review of Piranesi by Suzanna Clarke.
Local Girl Missing by Claire Douglas
Twenty years ago, 21-year-old Sophie vanishes leaving nothing behind but a trainer on the old pier and devastated best friend Francesca. In the present day, a body has been found and Francesca finds herself back at her seaside hometown, a place she’s tried so hard to forget. Francesca soon wishes she had never returned as old ghosts from her past seem determined to haunt her. But now is the time to finally find out the truth and discover who really knows what happened to Sophie that night.
I personally found the whole thing to be implausible and I was really disappointed, especially when comparing it to The Couple At No9 by the same author. Not for me this one.
Click here to read my full review of Local Girl Missing by Claire Douglas.
The Christmas Escape by Sarah Morgan
Christy has planned a dream Christmas vacation – a trip to visit her mysterious aunt in Lapland with her husband Seb and their young daughter, Holly. However, when their marriage hits a bump in the road, Christy realises she desperately needs time alone with Seb to fix the issues in her relationship. She calls on her best friend Alix to help. Not wanting to disappoint her daughter and cancel the trip completely, Christy asks Alix and Seb’s oldest friend, Zac, to take Holly to Lapland before they all reunite there in a few days time.
Alix would do anything for Christy but with communication between the two already strained, the trip may prove to be the ultimate test of their once solid friendship. Plus Seb and Christy are completely unaware that Zac and Alix already have a complicated history.
Can Seb and Christy get their marriage back on track? Can Zac and Alix put their differences aside to give Holly her dream holiday? And will Christy and Alix’s friendship survive it all?
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a change of pace to the books I’ve been reading and sometimes you just want to read a feel-good story without a depressing or ambiguous ending!
Click here to read my full review of The Christmas Escape by Sarah Morgan.
Triflers Need Not Apply by Camilla Bruce
Triflers Need Not Apply is the reimagining of the life of Belle Gunness, history’s original female serial killer. Born Brynhild Paulsdatter Størseth, we read about her upbringing in Norway and the events that led to her becoming a ruthless murderer. We follow her as she changes her name and joins her older sister Nellie in America.
Bella (as she is known in the book) has reason to dislike and distrust men and considers them all weak, especially where women are concerned. Bella sets out to prove that even in a man’s world, women can be just as ruthless and black-hearted as any man.
She embarks on a killing spree and becomes history’s most prolific female serial killer. Her kindhearted sister Nellie, can only watch on as she slowly starts to realise her sister is not the woman she thought she was.
I found it really interesting to read about Belle Gunness, it just didn’t grip me as much as I would have liked.
Click here to read my full review of Triflers Need Not Apply by Camilla Bruce.
Call Of The Penguins by Hazel Prior
Veronica, Patrick and Terry are back again, bringing with them their love of penguins. 87-year-old Veronica has enjoyed a trip of a lifetime meeting her beloved Adélie penguins in Antarctica, proving she can do whatever she puts her mind to. Therefore when she’s invited to present a wildlife documentary in the southern hemisphere, she jumps at the chance at another adventure.
Meanwhile, Veronica’s grandson Patrick and his girlfriend Terry are facing big decisions when it comes to their relationship. Patrick is also determined to find out what happened to his mysterious father, but will he and Veronica be prepared for what he discovers?
I really enjoyed the first book but I do feel this sequel lacks some of the charm of the original. It was nice to catch up with the original characters but as a stand-alone novel, I found it a little underwhelming.
Click here to read my full review of Call Of The Penguins by Hazel Prior.
Midnight In Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar
The story is set in Nottingham, 1906. The Edwardian era wasn’t always the kindest for young women who want to make their own choices, as Marietta Stelle soon finds out. All Marietta wants to do is dance but her family have other ideas. It is currently approaching Christmas, but in the new year, she will be obliged to marry and take her place in society.
With her heart firmly set on being a professional ballerina, Marietta refuses to accept any man her family presents to her. When the mysterious Dr Drosselmeier comes into her life, he brings a magic she has never seen before. He is a skilful toymaker and keen to win Marietta’s hand.
He promises to construct an elaborate theatrical set for her final ballet performance. Marietta accepts, not knowing the set will carry a magic all of its own. Through the set Marietta finds herself walking through an unknown land, full of magic and confectionery. The land is full of temptation but Marietta soon realises she must try and find a way back home as nothing in Everwood is quite as it seems.
The story had everything including villains, magic, romance and dance but it just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I liked it, I just didn’t love it. However it is a debut novel and if there was a sequel to this book, I would still read it.
Click here to read my full review of by Midnight In Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar.
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
Our favourite septuagenarian detectives are back with a new case to solve. When Elizabeth receives a letter asking for her help, she is intrigued. The letter is from an old colleague, someone she shared more than just work with, and he is now in trouble. His big mistake, involving stolen diamonds and a violent mobster, has resulted in a very real threat to his life. The case becomes even more complicated after two bodies are found.
Elizabeth, along with her trusty friends Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, set about trying to solve the case, following some pretty elaborate clues. But will they find the killer, before the killer finds them?
A brilliant sequel, that I personally found to be better than the original.
Click here to read my full review of The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman.
Some of these books were sent from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You may also be interested in reading the books I read in August 2021 and my other previous monthly reads.