[tps_title]1. Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson[/tps_title]

For mothers who love a good literary fiction novel, filled with suspense and family history. The novel centres around Byron and Benny who are reunited at their estranged mother’s funeral. When she leaves them a lengthy voice recording, it becomes clear that the history of their family is built upon a wealth of secrets.

In the novel both Byron and Benny grapple to establish an understanding of the woman they knew.

For mothers in need of a good book to curl up to, this is the one – we haven’t yet heard of anyone who hated this.

The post 10 Books to Give for Mothers Day in 2022 appeared first on off the record.

1. Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno Garcia

Honestly, I’ve put this down and picked it up more times than we can count, but finally I persevered and it was well worth it. This is a propulsive noir thriller set in Mexico – the novel flits back and forth between the perspectives of El Elvis, an eccentric criminal and member of the Hawks who wants to escape his life and Maite, a daydreaming secretary in 1970s Mexico City. Their lives become intertwined when Maite’s neighbour Leonora goes missing, leading Maite into the kind of romantic and thrilling life that she had always wanted. This was as readable for its atmospheric evocation of 1970s Mexico as for the plot itself – worth persevering.

Pick up a copy here.

Read our full review here.

2. Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner

This may be one of my favourite thrillers from the past few years, Katherine Faulkner’s handling of suspense and way that she builds the plot is addictive and compelling. Though many books claim to be in the ilk of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train, this one actually stands up to that hype and I couldn’t put it down.

Pick up a copy here.

Read our full review here.

3. How to Not Die Alone by Logan Ury

Published in 2021, How to Not Die Alone by Logan Ury is a compilation of her research on what mistakes people make when looking for love and how to shift perspectives when navigating the modern dating terrain. It’s one of the most readable ‘dating’ books I’ve laid my hands on and is a great read to kick off 2022 if one of your goals was to put yourself out there this year.

Pick up a copy here.

Read our full review here.

4. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

I challenge anyone not to bawl their eyes out to this read. Colleen Hoover is a prolific writer but It Ends With Us stands apart as an incredibly delicate, painful and raw novel – it is clear perhaps that this book more than any other meant something very important to Hoover. The delicate and tender care she takes with her prose is testament to that. Whilst the novel is propulsive and immensely readable, it is heart wrenchingly raw and an important read for understanding the perspective of victims of domestic abuse.

Pick up a copy here.

Read our full review here.

5. Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

Out in March, Lizzie Damilola Blackburn’s new novel ‘Yinka Where is Your Huzband?’ is a hilarious, witty and addictive new comedy about the modern experience of dating. The novel centres around Yinka, her mum and aunties think they are better qualified to find her a ‘huzband’ than Yinka, herself. It’s a joyful, hilarious celebration of family, the trials of friendship, love and self-love and is addictive from start to finish. This novel is owed smash hit status.

Pre-order a copy here.

The post Everything I Read in December 2021 appeared first on off the record.

Greenwich Park – the new novel by Katherine Faulkner – is an addictive new thriller, for any fans of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train. Helen seems to have it all – a perfect husband, a perfect home in Greenwich Park and a wonderful relationship with her brother and sister-in-law, now she is expecting a baby. At antenatal class, she meets Rachel, an unpredictable single mother. Helen is drawn to her or maybe Rachel is forcing herself on Helen?  Her behaviour becomes increasingly erratic, something that her family and friends quickly pick up on. As Rachel embeds herself more firmly into their lives, links to their shared history emerge, it becomes clear that there are many secrets lying lurking in the foundations of Greenwich Park.

This novel is bound to be an instant success and classic, Faulkner twists and turns her prose with a nimble dexterity, her plotting is masterful and the narrative propulsive and pacy. We’ll be keeping our eyes on this author in the years to come.

The post REVIEW: Greenwich Park – Katherine Faulkner appeared first on off the record.