Margaret starts a new life in Hermanus after her husband leaves her for a younger man. There she develops a friendship with a very interesting mixed-race young man, that ultimately results in her killing an intruder with a kitchen knife. There are so many exciting surprises and funny nuances in the story that it is difficult to review without spoiling it. Michiel Heynes at his best again.
Julian Barnes never disappoints. This is a collection of essays on his experiences in the kitchen. Coming from a home of very conservative English cooking where men were not welcome in the kitchen, he is reliant on recipes and follows them as a pedant. I love his dry humour and tight prose.
Historical fiction - this is set in Russia just before the Revolution and follows the lives of two young sisters from the small poorer state of Montenegro who were married into the Russian Royal family on a political agenda. They brought with them some spiritism and magic and became extremely influential using seances and spells to help the Tsarina Alexandra conceive a very necessary son. They formed an uneasy partnership with the extraordinary cult leader Rasputin who also rose to high power. A really interesting bunch of people who lived in a time of inequality similar to what we have today. I found this both fascinating and entertaining - a gripping read.
Harold is a boring old fart but when his wife goes away for a few days he goes completely wild - stealing, smoking crack, befriending a young hooker and more. Ultimately he is redeemed. I always enjoy Stephen Boykey Sidley - his characters are deep and interesting and funny and human.
This is a well-constructed, clever story within a story. An investigative journalist is following up a legal case in which an old woman is being evicted from her Italian vineyard and home, by an unknown corporate entity. Underlying this is the tender account of a young Jewish violinist who had to flee Germany to escape the Nazis, nearly a century earlier. The way the two narratives are connected results in a spellbinding, un-put-downable mystery.