A small town. A shocking crime. Our kind of novel. In Robert Gold’s Twelve Secrets, two boys murdered their classmate, Nick, an event that changed Ben’s life in an instant. It was a crime that shocked the nation, and threw Ben and his family into the spotlight. Fast forward 20 years, and Ben is a successful investigative journalist, living back in his home town and part of its close-knit community. But a fresh murder case brings Nick’s murder back into the spotlight, and throws suspicion on those closest to him. And it appears that many, in this small town, have something to hide. Sphere, available at Exclusive Books
It’s the club you’d kill to join, and billed to be the celebrity event of the decade. The opening of Island Home, a forgotten island transformed into the height of luxury. But, as is reported in the Vanity Fair exclusive, no-one expected how tragically things were to go wrong. From the tense opening chapter, The Club by Ellery Lloyd (pseudonym for London-based husband and wife team Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos) is taunt, exhilarating, and completely unputdownable. Mantle, available at Exclusive Books
Wife. Husband. Friend. Detective. Someone knows the truth … all of them are lying. Fiona Cummins’ Into the Dark is just that … a dark thriller which sees a family disappear from their beautiful art deco home in an affluent seaside town. Just … disappear. All that’s left is a note written in blood on a mirror. MAKE THEM STOP. Revenge, greed, ambition … this is a cracker of a thriller. PanMacmillan • More secrets, more disappearances in Susan Lewis’ Who’s Lying Now. This one sees an award-winning journalist who appears to have it all – high-flying career, happy marriage – who’s spending lockdown with her husband until one day … she vanishes. A small town, big secrets, trust no one. The best kind of thriller! HarperCollinsPublishers. Both available at Exclusive Books
It sounds a little daunting. Images of brain scans and explanations of brain types and neuroscience. Grief! But Dr Daniel Amen (who’s fab … we follow him on IG @doc_amen) walks the reader clearly and simply through You, Happier, his latest book which promises to make you 30 per cent happier in 30 days … regardless of your age, upbringing, genetics or current situation. He shows you how to protect your happiness by distancing yourself from the noise in your head, and how seven decisions and seven daily questions will enhance your happiness. Yes, there are scans and tables and science-based strategies. But there’s also ‘finding happiness in your spice cabinet’. Hint: Saffron’s up there, so’s cinnamon. Tyndale Refresh, R257 from Exclusive Books
Rose Walsh’s The Love of My Life is an exceptionally cleverly crafted story about a man who finds out his wife, and mother of his child, is not who she says she is. Even her name is false. It’s emotional and gripping and just lovely. Mantle
For a warm, feel-good, uplifting read, we loved One Good Thing by Alexandra Potter, who writes about a woman who, when her husband leaves her for a younger model, moves out to the country to make a new start … and with the help of an elderly rescue dog, a lonely old man, a scared little boy and an angry teenager, finds unexpected happiness. A joy of a weekend read. Macmillan
We think this new Roodeberg gift pack is perfect for Book Club. The art of storytelling is
synonymous with Roodeberg, the legendary red blend with a story in every bottle. Roodeberg’s own story is the stuff of legends. Evolving from the master’s original blend first created in 1949, a special panel of winemakers has steered the secret blend since the 1960s. This beautifully nuanced Roodeberg Classic Red Blend has aromatic layers of fresh red and dark fruit, cassis and hints of spice and dark chocolate. Just the thing to enjoy alongside a great book. The gift pack costs R109.99 and you’ll find it at leading bottle stores.
