Novel Nerd Blog - Book Reviews by Smitha

  MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW If you love your crime fiction with a touch of faith, a dash of humour, and a heroine unlike anyone else in the genre, The Earth Weighs Heavy is an absolute treat. Alison Joseph’s novel introduces us to Sister Agnes — a nun with a taste for killer heels, prosecco, and unravelling dark secrets. The story opens in a rain-soaked Hackney convent, where the crumbling cellar gives up a disturbing secret: the skeleton of a woman, long buried and long forgotten. The police hit a dead end, but Sister Agnes’s sharp intuition and quiet persistence soon lead her into the convent’s murky past. As she digs deeper, she uncovers secrets some would rather stay buried — and when a gunshot pierces the night, it becomes clear that history might be repeating itself. What makes this book stand out isn’t just the clever mystery (though it’s full of twists and atmosphere), but the richness of its characters and setting. Sister Agnes is brilliantly drawn — a woman of faith who...

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW The Girl Next Door by Matt McGregor is a dark, twisty domestic thriller that grabs you from page one. When Helen befriends her young, mysterious neighbor Dakota, she thinks she’s just being kind — but kindness quickly turns deadly. McGregor delivers sharp writing, tense suburban drama, and enough secrets and betrayals to keep you guessing until the final page. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Couple Next Door. McGregor’s writing is crisp and cinematic. He has a gift for creating ordinary domestic settings that feel increasingly claustrophobic, turning backyard fences and kitchen counters into stages for psychological warfare.  The ending of the story is an overwhelming and rapid series of shocking twists and turns that forces the audience to confront complex and unsettling questions about morality, rather than providing a simple, satisfying resolution.  Themes & Strengths: The fragility of trust and perception in marriages The seductive dan...

 MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW Janice Frost delivers another tightly-plotted and thoroughly engaging British crime mystery with Murder on the River, the latest installment featuring Detective Steph Warwick and Special Constable Jane Bell. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of a frosty Lincolnshire Christmas, this gripping novel begins with the chilling discovery of a student’s body in the River Witham and quickly unravels into a complex web of secrets, archaeology, and academic intrigue. Frost excels at building suspense, and the dual perspective of the seasoned detective and the more empathetic, civilian Jane Bell offers a refreshing dynamic. The investigation takes unexpected turns—from an abandoned dig site to a hidden relationship—keeping the pace brisk and the stakes high. The emotional depth, particularly Jane's moral dilemma over a critical piece of evidence, adds a human layer to the procedural plot. While some twists might feel slightly telegraphed to veteran crime readers...

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW Cosy, charming, and full of festive feels! Sue Roberts delivers a heartwarming second-chance romance set in a snow-dusted village you’ll never want to leave. Ruby and Nathan’s slow-burn love story is filled with gingerbread, nostalgia, and just the right amount of holiday magic. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Heidi Swain. Sue Roberts delivers another heartwarming festive treat with Home for This Christmas, a charming second-chance romance that wraps you up like your favourite woollen blanket and doesn’t let go until the final snowflake falls. The story follows Ruby, a talented London chef who reluctantly returns to her quaint hometown to judge a charity gingerbread competition – only to find herself face-to-face with Nathan, her brooding childhood sweetheart. What starts as an awkward reunion soon turns into something far more compelling as shared memories, snowy mishaps, and gingerbread-fuelled encounters rekindle old sparks. Roberts beautifully captu...

  MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW Detective Mark Turpin of Thames police is called to a crime scene late on a Friday afternoon where he finds a man dead, his face bubble wrapped in a plastic sheet. The victim is suspected to be Trent Jardel who was found at his office desk killed. However, the investigation quickly escalates. Tracing the victim's last movements leads Mark to a rented property by Jared in the Oxfordshire countryside with his constable collegue Mr West. Inside the property, he discovers a far more horrific scene: another body, butchered and left to decompose. There they get to find a third mystery victim too. This discovery immediately throws the case into high gear, signaling a killer far more dangerous than initially suspected.  This cold case "The Hollow Man" seems to be classic of its kind leaving the reader with a suspenseful mind. The two murders are done differently which leaves the case complex and at the edge of your seat. The killer has left not much ...

 MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW Widow Vanessa Mayfield, still grieving for her late husband, embarks on a sincere hunt for her family's heritage ring, which was misplaced shortly after his terrible death. During her Columbus, GA, community's holiday preparations, she forms an unexpected connection with charming antiques merchant Ben Miller and realizes that love may return when least expected. Ben learns evidence regarding the ring's D-Day origins and realizes the lost wealth may already be in his father's possession, prompting him to prevent its sale. What follows is a touching test of devotion, faith, and if real love can weather the storm before Christmas. Karen Kingsbury tells a wonderful, emotional Christmas story filled with grace and genuine emotion. If you enjoy Christian romance stories about second chances, family treasures, and emotional redemption, this book is ideal for the holidays. It moves at a steady pace, with characters full of faith and emotion. A littl...