Book: Lacey

Summary: Nine months later... Lacey Jerome had always fought her attraction to sexy police officer Cameron James, but one crazy night, she let her hair down and fell into bed with him. Their night together turned more passionate, more soul-scorching than she'd imagined it could be, but mixed messages from Cameron had her fleeing the scene. Now, she's back in Wirralong with the memories of their one-night stand etched into her mind and a mission to reconnect with the man who made her lose her head in the most delicious manner. Cameron never forgot Lacey -- and not for lack of trying. He has his own restrictive code, but somehow his thoughts always manage to wander to the newly returned beauty. He has questions and Lacey knows all the answers. What I Thought: Easy read. Felt a bit disjointed but still enjoyed.

Book: Conspiracy 365 - February

Summary: Cal’s old life ended as soon as the deadly 365-day countdown began. So far he’s been attacked by sharks, blamed for a vicious assault on his family, kidnapped by two criminal gangs, and left to drown in a fast-filling oil tank. He’s a hunted fugitive who’ll do anything to survive. But is Cal desperate enough to befriend a traitor with killer connections? Or risk returning to the scene of his attempted murder? Should he meet with a mysterious informant, when it could be a set-up? What I Thought: Enjoyed this – binged in a night. Shame book 3 never arrived at the Library in time for lockdown so now I have to wait.

Book: The Farm at Peppertree Crossing

Summary: An unexpected inheritance, a traumatic past and a family whose secrets are kept by the town. After a fractured childhood spent in foster homes, city-girl Roni has convinced herself that she has no need of anyone - other than her not-as-tough-as-he-looks rescued street cat, Scritches, and her unborn baby, who she's determined will feel all the love she's been denied. Despite facing a bleak future, Roni distrusts the news of a bequest from an unknown aunt, Marian Nelson. But, out of options, she and Scritches leave Sydney behind, bound for the 800-acre property on the edge of the wheat fields of South Australia. However, this is no simple inheritance: Marian seeks to control her legacy from beyond the grave by setting tasks that Roni must complete before she can claim the property and a life that could change her future. With everything at stake, Roni must learn to trust in the truth of Marian's most important lesson: everyone deserves love. What I Thought: Absolutely loved this book. Sucked in from the start. I think it would have been good to delve a bit deeper on some of the issues the characters had faced in their past but overall loved it. New author added to the list.

Book: Blood Fever (Young Bond)

Summary: James Bond has discovered danger. Now it’s come looking for him. An Eton boy’s family disappears at sea. James uncovers a shadowy society operating in a hidden corner of the school. And far from England, in the bandit-infested interior of Sardinia, a sinister Italian count has built himself a mountain fortress. Is there a connection? Young James Bond is about to find out – and face a lethal group of villains beneath the burning Mediterranean sun.

What I Thought: This one was a bit slow through the middle but I still enjoyed it. Good little series.

Book: Silver

Summary: For half a lifetime, journalist Martin Scarsden has run from his past. But now there is no escaping. He'd vowed never to return to his hometown, Port Silver, and its traumatic memories. But now his new partner, Mandy Blonde, has inherited an old house in the seaside town and Martin knows their chance of a new life together won't come again. Martin arrives to find his best friend from school days has been brutally murdered, and Mandy is the chief suspect. With the police curiously reluctant to pursue other suspects, Martin goes searching for the killer. And finds the past waiting for him. He's making little progress when a terrible new crime starts to reveal the truth. The media descend on Port Silver, attracted by a story that has it all: sex, drugs, celebrity and religion. Once again, Martin finds himself in the front line of reporting. Yet the demands of deadlines and his desire to clear Mandy are not enough: the past is ever present. What I Thought:Loved this. Different to the first in the series but it still hooked me. Looking forward to book 3 due out soon!

Book: Wedderburn

 

Summary: One fine Wednesday evening in October 2014, 65-year-old Ian Jamieson secured a hunting knife in a sheath to his belt and climbed through the wire fence separating his property from that of his much younger neighbour Greg Holmes. Less than 30 minutes later, Holmes was dead, stabbed more than 25 times. Jamieson returned home and took two shotguns from his gun safe. He walked across the road and shot Holmes' mother, Mary Lockhart, and her husband, Peter, multiple times before calling the police.

In this compelling book, Maryrose Cuskelly gets to the core of this small Australian town and the people within it. Much like the successful podcast S-Town, things aren't always as they seem: Wedderburn begins with an outwardly simple murder but expands to probe the dark secrets that fester within small towns, asking: is murder something that lives next door to us all?

 

What I Thought: This was a ripper read. I'm familiar with Wedderburn having visited and stayed there multiple times. This book gave a great insight into a shocking event and really highlighted a microcosm of society.  

Book: Heartwood Hotel

Summary: In the abandoned railhead town of Tewinga, now almost a ghost town, Lyn and Adam Portman struggle to keep the Heartwood Hotel afloat. Lyn loves her husband and longs to be a mother. But she’s kept busy caring for her elderly father, her community, and Max, the young worker who reminds her of the brother she’s lost and dearly misses.

When he fails to return from a day trip, Lyn’s concern deepens as the length of his absence grows, the more so with rumours of criminal activity at a nearby station. Meanwhile, a chance meeting uncovers a family bombshell that leaves Lyn reeling. The community must pull together as never before, proving that sometimes the smallest towns have the biggest hearts – and hide the darkest secrets.

What I Thought: Really loved this one. Off to get another of her books. I binging them too fast!