It’s the most wonderful time of the year – and I don’t mean the Holidays. No, I’m referring to the torture that is ‘My Top Five Books of 2016’. I’ve reviewed around 45 books this year and honestly, it’s like choosing a favourite child! So I’ve made a list, checked it twice and I’m ready to share. But not without mentioning a few people who just missed the cut. Sorry, Nicci French, Michael J Malone, Karen Charlton and Douglas Skelton. Without further ado, here are my picks…
5 – Tastes Like Fear by Sarah Hilary
Number three in the Marnie Rome series and this author just gets better and better. This time, the concept of family is given an almighty twist in a tale of shady dealings and dark manipulation. Rome and her sidekick Noah Jake have their work cut out when a young girl disappears – but this is no simple runaway. Hilary uses her undoubted narrative skills to create a dangerous world inhabited by some seriously scary individuals. Set aside some quality reading time, because you won’t want to put this one down. A full review is here.
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4 – Watching Edie by Camilla Way
This book has been on my top five list since July and I can still recall that gut-wrenching moment when the final almighty sucker punch was revealed. There’s nothing better than a psychological thriller that leads you up the garden path and Watching Edie is a fine example. 17 years ago, lovely, talented wild child Edie is preparing to start sixth form at a new school. She looked destined for great things – but jump to the present day and Edie is alone in London, with a crummy job and an even crummier flat, pregnant. The surprise arrival of her old school mate Heather seems like a Godsend… but is it? Read the review here.
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3 – Dead Pretty by David Mark
I’ve been a huge fan of David Mark, and his creation Aector McAvoy, since day one. We’ve now reached book five and it’s a cracker. Aector’s boss (and foil) is Det Supt Trish Pharoah and the pair make a formidable team. This time, however, the unpredictable Pharoah is acting even more erratically than usual and straight, by-the-book McAvoy is worried. Cue a deftly plotted, dark and brooding novel which gets its light relief in some surprising places. And look out for the blossoming of McAvoy’s wife, Roisin, who has a big part to play here. Click here for a full review.
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2 – 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough
The YA genre isn’t my usual stomping ground (a bit long in the tooth, if I’m honest), but this is a book I’ve been recommending to all and sundry since I reviewed it at the start of the year. Teenage girls are at the centre of a tale set very much in the here and now, with social media and smartphones playing important roles throughout. Tasha is the most popular girl in the school, so why was she left for dead at the edge of a river on a bitterly cold night and who put her there? You’ll be taken into many a cul de sac before the answers to those questions become clear. Read about it here.
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1 – In Her Wake by Amanda Jennings
The real life disappearances of Ben Needham and Madeline McCann continue to make headlines but what if one of them was found, living another life, oblivious to all the hoo-ha? Such a creature is the timid Bella Campbell, whose world comes tumbling down when her father commits suicide and leaves her a letter, revealing that she is really Morveren Tremayne, snatched from her real parents as a toddler. Follow Bella as she comes to terms with the revelation, and those that follow. It’s a journey well worth taking and makes for a never-to-be-forgotten read. A worthy Book of the Year. Here is my review.
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