A smooth and energetic read about the making of one of Aotearoa’s most prominent drag queens. Recommended for readers who enjoy getting a peek behind-the-scenes of reality television and entertainment culture.
This second installment in the “Daughters of War” trilogy encompasses the rich sense of place and strong female characters that fans have come to expect from Jefferies. On its own, the novel paints a vibrant picture of family, survival, and courage in war-torn Europe.
McCreight artfully delivers a solid psychological thriller with a twistedly complex plot. Readers who enjoy unraveling the mystery through numerous viewpoints as in The Guest List, by Lucy Foley, or Into the Water, by Paula Hawkins, will be sure to enjoy.
While still full of very grim crimes, this mystery’s setting in the countryside during the summer makes for a less bleak setting than usual for the genre. Alsterdal plots enough twists to keep the police procedural interesting and writes a great woman protagonist; fans of international mystery will be happy to discover her.
Adkins offers great fodder for book club discussions; her novel should appeal to readers who enjoyed Cristina Alger’s The Darlings, Julian Fellowes’s Snobs, or Sophie McManus’s The Unfortunates.