Block 46 by Johana Gustawsson

In Falkenberg, Sweden, the mutilated body of talented young jewellery designer Linnea Blix is found in a snow-swept marina. In Hampstead Heath, London, the body of a young boy is discovered with similar wounds to Linnea’s. In Buchenwald Concentration Camp in 1944,  Erich Hebner will do anything to see himself as a human again.

Are the two murders the work of a serial killer, and how are they connected to shocking events at Buchenwald? Emily Roy, a profiler on loan to Scotland Yard from the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, joins up with Linnea’s friend, French true-crime writer Alexis Castells, to investigate the puzzling case. They travel between Sweden and London, and then deep into the past, as a startling and terrifying connection comes to light.

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Wow what a powerful read. I’m shocked that this is a debut novel because it has everything and it is written so beautifully! In current day, there are multiple crimes and bodies that span over 2 countries. There is a pattern, but jewellery designer Linnea, is a very odd piece in this puzzle. Also back in 1944, Erich Hebner is living through the brutal conditions of being a German Jew in Buchenwald Concentration Camp.

I wondering through most of the novel how the 2 storylines would connect. Gustawsson does an incredible job describing the horrors of life in a concentration camp and doesn’t hold anything back. It was very tough to read those chapters as I had so many emotions. I was surprised not once, but twice on the conclusion of the book. I love it when an author leads you down one path and then flips the switch!

I only have one small negative and that was the character of Alexis Castells. She is one of the main characters and a close friend of the deceased Linnea. Maybe I missed it, but I didn’t understand why she was so linked to the investigation. I’m surprised that the police force would let her be so involved. Again, I could of totally skipped something important, but the whole time I was questioning why she was there.

4 calculators out of a potential 5. Read this book! Such an incredibly beautifully sad mystery that won’t leave my mind for the next little bit. So happy that this is a series!!

 

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Dead Man’s Footsteps (Roy Grace #4) by Peter James

“Abby stepped in the lift and the doors closed with a sound like a shovel smoothing gravel. She breathed in the smell of someone else’s perfume, and lemon-scented cleaning fluid. The lift jerked upwards a few inches. And now, too late to change her mind and get out, with the metal walls pressing in around her, they lunged sharply downwards. Abby was about to realize she had just made the worst mistake of her life . . . “

Amid the tragic unfolding mayhem of the morning of 9/11, failed Brighton businessman and ne’er-do-well Ronnie Wilson sees the chance of a lifetime, to shed his debts, disappear and reinvent himself in another country. Six years later, the discovery of the skeletal remains of a woman’s body in a storm drain in Brighton, leads Detective Superintendent Roy Grace on an enquiry spanning the globe, and into a desperate race against time to save the life of a woman being hunted down like an animal in the streets and alleys of Brighton.

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There was so much happening during this book it was hard to keep track of all of the story lines at the beginning.

1. In present day, Roy Grace is investigating a body found in a storm drain. The body resembles Roy’s wife that disappeared years ago.
2. Also in present day, Abby is trapped in an elevator. Abby is not who she seems to be and looks to be hiding something.
3. A couple in Australia stumble upon a car at the bottom of a lake.
4. On September 11, 2001, Ronnie Wilson is getting ready for a business meeting in one of the twin towers.

For the majority of the novel, I had no idea how these storylines were going to come together. I loved in the end how they were woven together and the connection between the characters.

I really like the main character in the series, Roy Grace, but I’m a bit tired of the disappearance of his wife, Sandy. With every book, there is a big debate if she is dead or alive that never seems to go anywhere.

4 calculators out of a potential 5. I enjoyed this 4th novel of the series, much more than the 2nd and 3rd novels. I can’t wait to read more!

 

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WWW Wednesdays – May 9, 2018

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme is hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

There are so many amazing reviews for Block 46 and the rest of the series. I’m hoping that this will be a new favourite!

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In Falkenberg, Sweden, the mutilated body of talented young jewelry designer Linnea Blix is found in a snow-swept marina. In Hampstead Heath, London, the body of a young boy is discovered with similar wounds to Linnea’s. Buchenwald Concentration Camp, 1944. In the midst of the hell of the Holocaust, Erich Hebner will do anything to see himself as a human again.

Are the two murders the work of a serial killer, and how are they connected to shocking events at Buchenwald? Emily Roy, a profiler on loan to Scotland Yard from the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, joins up with Linnea’s friend, French true-crime writer Alexis Castells, to investigate the puzzling case. They travel between Sweden and London, and then deep into the past, as a startling and terrifying connection comes to light.

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished reading Dead Man’s Footsteps last night! Full review should be posted tomorrow! I enjoyed the different stories/characters and seeing how they all connected in the end.

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“Abby stepped in the lift and the doors closed with a sound like a shovel smoothing gravel. She breathed in the smell of someone else’s perfum, and lemon-scented cleaning fluid. The lift jerked upwards a few inches. And now, too late to change her mind and get out, with the metal walls pressing in around her, they lunged sharply downwards. Abby was about to realize she had just made the worst mistake of her life . . . “

Amid the tragic unfolding mayhem of the morning of 9/11, failed Brighton businessman and ne’er-do-well Ronnie Wilson sees the chance of a lifetime, to shed his debts, disappear and reinvent himself in another country. Six years later, the discovery of the skeletal remains of a woman’s body in a storm drain in Brighton, leads Detective Superintendent Roy Grace on an enquiry spanning the globe, and into a desperate race against time to save the life of a woman being hunted down like an animal in the streets and alleys of Brighton.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Cemetery Lake is the oldest book on my to-reads so I’m going to tackle it next!

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Cemetery Lake begins in a cold and rainy graveyard, where Private Detective Theodore Tate is overseeing an exhumation—a routine job for the weathered former cop. But when doubts are raised about the identity of the body found in the coffin, the case takes a sinister turn. Tate knows he should walk away and let his former colleagues on the police force deal with it, but his strong sense of justice intervenes.

Complicating matters are a few loose ends from Tate’s past. Even good guys have secrets, and Tate thought his were dead and buried for good. With time running out and a violent killer lurking, will he manage to stay one step ahead of the police, or will his truth be unearthed?

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What are your WWW? Have you read Block 46, Dead Man’s Footsteps or Cemetery Lake?

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Top Ten Tuesday – Books With My Favourite Colour On the Cover

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Books With My Favourite Colour On the Cover.

My favourite colour is blue, so check out some gorgeous blue book covers! I think it’s obvious that I really like covers with water!

What is your favourite book cover that features your favourite book cover?

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The Elizas by Sara Shepard

When debut novelist Eliza Fontaine is found at the bottom of a hotel pool, her family at first assumes that it’s just another failed suicide attempt. But Eliza swears she was pushed, and her rescuer is the only witness.

Desperate to find out who attacked her, Eliza takes it upon herself to investigate. But as the publication date for her novel draws closer, Eliza finds more questions than answers. Like why are her editor, agent, and family mixing up events from her novel with events from her life? Her novel is completely fictional, isn’t it?

The deeper Eliza goes into her investigation while struggling with memory loss, the closer her life starts to resemble her novel until the line between reality and fiction starts to blur and she can no longer tell where her protagonist’s life ends and hers begins.

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Well the time has come…I have my first 1 calculator read on my blog. So, so sad especially since I was so looking forward to The Elizas.

I choose to read the Elizas because I had previously read and enjoyed the Pretty Little Liars series (also by Sarah Shepard). There were 16 books in the series and even though there was some great and not so great books, they were an enjoyable read that constantly kept you guessing…who is A?! Unfortunately that didn’t translate into The Elizas because it was hard to understand what was happening and I just didn’t like it.

The novel was divided into two narratives – Eliza’s and sections of her debut novel, called The Dots. Eliza is an unreliable narrator and she doesn’t remember a lot of things, including how she ended up in the bottom of a pool.

I found myself getting bored between both stories and I was getting very, very confused. I didn’t know if something happens in the past or if they were currently happening. It was a bit of a mess to sort through.

1 calculator out of a potential 5. Did not enjoy the book at all. It was hard to understand what was happening and I was more confused than thrilled.

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