The Vows of Silence, Susan Hill

Read in paperback, borrowed from one of the ladies at work.

The cover of the book proclaims "The New Simon Serrailler Novel".  Not having read any of the previous ones I was a bit dubious about this book, but it turned out that you needn't have read any of the other books, as characters' biographical details were filled in as and when required.

A rogue gunman (or is there more than one?) is terrorising the women of sleepy cathedral town, Lafferton. Can Simon solve the crime before the imminent arrival of the Royals for the Lord Lieutenant's daughter's wedding, whilst wrestling with a tragedy unfolding within his own family.

I did guess the twist before the end. But this book was enjoyable and pacey.  They've got the first two novels on offer as a bundle on Amazon, so I'll probably download those and give them a go.

This is where I am, Karen Campbell

Read on the Kindle, daily deal for £1.39.  I had heard a snippet of this book on Radio 4 book at bedtime and was intrigued.

Newly widowed Deborah needs some meaning in her life so she volunteers with the Scottish Refugee Council.  She is paired up as a mentor with Abdi Hassan, a Somalian refugee who has escaped to the UK with his young daughter Rebecca.  The book is told in Deborah and Abdi's voices in alternating chapters, and whilst Abdi says at the beginning that he would rather have been mentored by a man, the two soon form a bond of friendship.

A chance conversation with Rebecca leads Deborah back to the refugee camp in Africa where Abdi had been staying, and from here the thread of credulity is stretched very thin until the book's ending.

This book gives a heart-breaking insight into the lives of refugees, how they are haunted by their past and terrified by cultural differences in their adopted countries.  It's also full of interesting, well-drawn and believable characters.  A very enjoyable book, let down by its ending.

Ignorance, Michèle Roberts

Read on the Kindle, bought as 99p daily deal.  I'd read some Michèle Roberts years ago, and thought this one would be worth a punt.

More Second World War, but this time in France.  This book follows the very different life stories of childhood friends Jeanne and Marie-Angèle.  One comes from a Jewish family, and her mother has converted to Catholicism after the death of the father.  The other is the daughter of the local grocer.  The book is narrated alternately by these women, and eventually by one of their daughters.  The book's title "Ignorance" comes from the lack of understanding of each other's motivation and the judgement they make about each other as they grow older.

I found this book beautifully written, but very depressing. 

Life After Life, Kate Atkinson

Read on the Kindle.  Jo's choice for June Book Club meeting.

I've read a lot of Kate Atkinson books, most recently the Jackson Brodie series of detective novels, serialised on TV as "Case Histories".

This book is a big departure.  Ursula Todd is born in 1910 in the middle of a snow storm.  She finds herself living the same life over and over again, until she learns from her mistakes.

The repetition in the book could get boring, but the author always seems to be able to put a slightly different spin on things - must have had great fun thinking of all the different ways to kill Ursula off. Also the detail about Britain in the inter-war years and the second world war are fascinating.

I enjoyed this book, and it will doubtless generate much discussion at Book Club.