I read seven full novels in May of this year, a feat that I find impressive since I’ve been working two jobs over the course of this month. It’s also definitely more than I read this time last year, rotting away in the heat of lockdown.
I don’t write a full review for every book I read, largely because I tend to go back and read works that have been out for years and I don’t think you need a review of say Les Misérables in 2021.
But in the event that you were interested in what books I’ve read, regardless of publication date, here is a recap of what I’ve read this month and my rating for them.
The Windsor Knot by S. J. Bennet
When she’s not busy being the face of the country or intimidating diplomats, the Queen keeps her mind sharp by solving murders. So when a diplomat dies in the middle of the night at Buckingham Palace, the Queen needs to put her detective skills to work to find out if there’s an assassin in their midst.
3.5/5
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
Despite what her manager says, Amy’s happy place is definitely not at Orsk, an American-born IKEA knockoff. So when someone starts breaking into Orsk at night and destroying the furniture, Amy is just an unwilling body forced to guard the store overnight. But whoever is vandalising the store is starting to appear less and less human, and Orsk’s IKEA-esque way of keeping people in is going south.
5/5
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Too many people are dying in the retirement village, even after you’ve taken their old age into account. Elizabeth, Joy, Ibrahim and Ron are years into their retirement, so what is there to do but to solve the mystery of who is murdering all the elderly?
5/5
The Sunshine Cruise Company by John Niven
Sometimes life just doesn’t get easier as you get older. Finding out your husband has been secretly cheating on you with professional dominatrixes and died mid-sex session, leaving you to pay back all his debt is just the last straw. Desperate to find a solution, Susan Forbisher decides the only way out of her surprise bankruptcy is to rob a bank.
4/5
Going Off Script by Jen Wilde
Bex’s life is finally falling into place. She’s gotten an internship as a writer at her favourite TV show of all time and she’s finally made it to New York. But when her job turns out to be nothing more than her being a glorified coffee maker, Bex needs to get her life back on track stat.
2/5
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee
When Monty gets the chance to leave his house for a year and travel the continent with his sister and maybe more-than-best-friend Percy, he just can’t wait to leave. But a series of mishaps ends with Monty coming into possession of a philosopher’s stone, and there are people who would gladly kill him to get it.
4/5