Book Review | One Beats The Bush by Riall Nolan - The First in the Max Donovan Adventure Series

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One Beats The Bush is a well-paced action thriller that ticks multiple boxes; page-turning twists, fight scenes, a lot of crime and, more importantly, a main character you cannot help but love. Vietnam veteran Max Donovan is in Bangkok, and very hungover, when his friend “Fat” Freddie Fields is arrested in San Francisco for the murder of an Australian diplomat. He knows his old buddy would never hurt a fly, so he rushes back to the Bay Area to help. Suspecting Freddie is being framed, Donovan tries to rustle up some cash to bail him out, but only succeeds in getting into trouble with the local mob.  He’ll have to solve the case on his own. Unfortunately, the only clue he has suggest the answer lies in the jungle-covered mountains of Papua New Guinea. As he comes face-to-face with smugglers, hostile tribesmen, insurgents, and a web of corruption and deception, can Donovan achieve what is seemingly impossible? Nolan has managed to achieve a page-turning action thriller that doesn’t feel
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Book Review | The Couple at No.9 by Claire Douglas - A Gripping Page-Turner

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The Couple at No.9 came highly recommended, mainly from non-bookish friends, so I went in with quite high expectations. It’s hard not too when so many people have loved this book. But thankfully, it lived up to every single one of them.

The book follows Saffy and her boyfriend Tom as they move into their new home and begin renovations. But their dream home is quickly stripped away when two bodies are uncovered in the garden. Forensics determine the bodies are over 30 years old, much to Saffys relief. But this now puts suspicion on the original owner of the cottage, Saffys grandmother Rose. As Alzheimer’s confuses Roses’ memories, can a police investigation help restore her memories and discover the truth about the bodies?

The first chapter, oh boy does it just get straight into the plot and mystery. I love when books can grip you from the first chapter, although it sets a high expectation for the rest of the book it does showcase the writers ability to draw you in and sets the right tone for the remainder. And I definitely was gripped, I struggled to put this book down and it was constantly on my mind. 

If you are not a fan of multi-narrative books, then please beware. There are about four different main characters and each writes their own chapters and therefore they are told in slightly different styles. Saffy’s is written in first person, two other characters are written in third person (I think but don’t quote me) and Roses’ is written in an almost diary / letter format. Personally, I love multi-narrative so I adored this way of story-telling. It feels more personal and you get that sense of connection with the different characters. But I know its not for everyone. 

No mystery is complete without twists, and The Couple at No.9 has its fair share. Although I could figure some of it out, I was still shocked when it was all revealed and pulled together. I don’t know about any of you, but I can’t read a thriller or mystery without trying to figure out the twists. So although I was able to partially figure out what was happening, it didn’t take away from the overall joy of the book. The plot and characters are so much more than the twists. 

This was my first Douglas book, but it will not be my last. I have already added her new book “The Girls Who Disappeared” to my tbr pile, and strongly suggest you do the same!

A safe space for me to ramble on about the books I’ve read. Don’t expect high quality, news worthy reviews; I’m just a simple woman who needs somewhere to vent! This blog contains affiliated links.

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