Monthly wrap-up – April 2018

During April, I read:

Having hoped to read sixteen novels during April, I managed eleven (not all of which I had planned: #TBRfail), plus another two Agatha Christie audiobooks.

Murder in Mesopotamia is one of my favourites and, although it took me a while to get used to it, I really enjoyed Anna Massey’s narration.

After the Funeral is also a great story and, I think, one of her cleverest solutions. As usual, excellent narration from Hugh Fraser.

Both the above are surprising in that Poirot does not play a huge part in either story for the first half or so.

• One of my must-reads for 2018, Sharon Bolton’s The Craftsman and its short prequel, Alive.
• The astounding Block 46 and incredible Keeper, both by Johana Gustawsson.
• Robert Bryndza’s latest Erika Foster book, Deadly Secrets – in my opinion, his best so far.
• Blog Tour stops for the brilliant Beautiful Liars by Isabel Ashdown and This Dark Place by Claire Kittridge.
• The twisted debut from Chris McGeorge, Guess Who.
• Serial killer thriller Now You See by Max Manning.
• Two more debuts, the light-hearted Catfished by Stella Bixby and the much less so The Next Girl by Carla Kovach.

Other highlights for me were:

• Identifying my Top Ten Nine I-must-have-that-book triggers. I am still shamelessly keen for more recommendations, so please feel free to suggest any suitable books! * hopeful face *
• Celebrating some old favourites, here and here.
• My picks for the Top Ten Frequently Used Words In Crime Fiction Titles.
• My stop on the Blog Tour for one of the best book by one of my favourite authors, although I read it in March: Bryant & May – Hall of Mirrors by Christopher Fowler.
• Then Christopher Fowler calling me “star to light the way” 😮 *fangirls*
• Making Johana Gustawsson cry (in a good way, I think!)
• Doing some Easter baking and bunny snuggling.

Here’s to more #booklove in May!