March (already!) and the bookshelves are groaning with the weight of brilliant book club reads.
Judge Julia Cummins had no obvious enemies. There was no forced entry to her apartment, where the bodies of her and her bodyguard are found brutally murdered. Her ex and her teenage son both have strong alibies, the neighbours heard nothing, and the killer left behind a strange calling card. It’s up to FBI agent Amos Decker to investigate … kicking off with the question as to why the judge felt she needed a bodyguard in the first place. And while he investigates, he’s also dealing with personal baggage … the suicide of a close friend, the receipt of a letter concerning a personal, and possibly life-changing, issue, and a new partner. Long Shadows is another superb American detective tale from David Baldacci. Macmillan, available at Exclusive Books
Kyla Zhao wrote The Fraud Squad at the height of the pandemic, while studying in California. Set in Singapore, it’s the story of Samantha, a working-class girl who dreams of having her own byline in a high-society magazine. Instead, she works at a drab PR firm and lives vicariously through her socialite co-worker Anya, and her new friend, Timothy, the disillusioned son of one of Singapore’s elite families. With the help of both, she infiltrates high society and her dreams all start to come true. Until the arrival of a reporter on the prowl for high-society gossip, which could see her exposed! Kyla started writing in secret, not confident she’d finish the book … then it was snapped up in a six-figure deal. Love it! Headline
Susan Lewis’ No Once Saw It Coming starts off a little slowly … and with a cast of less-than-lovable characters. But around a third of the way through, it picks up the pace dramatically … and if you’re anything like us, you’ll race through it (mostly to find out if we were correct about the killer … which we have to admit we did see coming!). Clever twist. HarperCollins • Ex-Special forces veteran turned vigilante knows he has a tendancy to seek out, and enjoy, trouble. And in Ant Middleton’s Red Mist he finds more than he bargained for as he is drawn into a turf war when helping out an elderly man he meets in the bar of a small French village. Sphere • Salma and Bilal Khatan are hopeful about their new home in a new neighbourhood … just wanting to fit in and help their son get away from a bad crowd. But a neighbourly spat turns into a racial fallout and things rapidly get out of control. Kia Abdullah’s Those People Next Door is a really tremendous read with a great twist. HQ • In Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes we meet Sam, who has nothing, and Nisha, who has everything. A mix up of their gym bags see their lives intertwined, just as they both spiral out of contol. Female friendship. It’s powerful! Michael Joseph • The SAS are used to death during combat. It goes with the turf. But when one of their own is said to have committed suicide in Thailand, red flags are raised. Matt Standing investigates, and ends up having to use all his SAS jungle skills to survive what turns out to be his toughest assignment to date. It’s all fast action and high tension in Stephen Leather’s Still Standing. Hodder & Stoughton. All these titles available at Exclusive Books.
Aeons and Ancients. Outcasts and crazies. Witches back from the afterlife. Suzanne Wright’s The Wicked In Me isn’t for the fainthearted. Piatkus • Legends and Lattes from Travis Baldree is all high fantasy, ancient magic, delicious pastries … and a perfect cup of coffee. Macmillan • There are two sides to every story. And then there’s the truth. In Sandie Jones’ The Blame Game, a psychologist specialising in domestic abuse – and who finds it hard to not become overly invested in her clients’ lives – helps a middle-aged man make the decision to leave his wife. But she may have gone too far. Macmillan • The dynamics are simple in the Wolf family. Kill or be killed. The owner of a business empire has been found dead … his daughter finds herself the new head … but her brothers are trying to take over. All of them have reason, and motive, to kill. Murder runs in the family of House of Wolves by James Patterson and Mike Lupica. Century • A mother disappears from a busy festival, leaving her baby alone in a pram, never to return. Full of suspense, mystery and twists, Exiles by Jane Harper is a rip-roaring read. Macmillan • From local author Ron Irwin, My Side of the Ocean revolves around an American artist and a surfer who meet when the two are tracked by a great white shark in the ocean, leaving them deeply traumatised. An affair follows … does the artist stay with the man who’s reawakened her passion for art, or return to New York with her wealthy husband? Macmillan All these titles available at Exclusive Books.
Paserene is a small Franschhoek estate with an impressive portfolio of award-winning wines in three high-end luxury ranges – The Elements, The Paserene and The Shiner – each with their own unique features. At this March Book Club we’re serving Bright 2021 from the Elements range – the drawing of a swing on the label perfectly representing Paserene’s playful side. The ideal mid-week, easy-drinking wine, it’s made from 100 per cent Chardonnay grapes, with fresh citrus-centric aromas, which carry through to the palate, this lighter styled Chardonnay is lovely on its own or with a light seasonal salad, any type of poultry dish or with fresh tuna and salmon. Available directly from the Tasting Lounge at R190 per bottle. Details: paserene.com
