Review: I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

In an isolated village in the Icelandic Westfjords, three friends set to work renovating a derelict house. But soon they realise they are not alone there - something wants them to leave, and it's making its presence felt. Meanwhile, in a town across the fjord, a young doctor investigating the suicide of an elderly woman discovers that she was obsessed with his vanished son. When the two stories collide the terrifying truth is uncovered... Review I picked this up because I had heard from numerous people that it was genuinely frightening. Sadly, it didn’t seem so to me. Parts of it were a little spine-tingly but mostly the ghost story aspect fell flat for me. Don’t get me wrong, it is extremely well written and the mystery of the missing boys, decades apart, was cleverly interspersed with the supernatural happenings on the island. I was definitely driven to keep reading and ultimately enjoyed it. 

Review: The Dry by Jane Harper

In the grip of the worst drought in a century, the farming community of Kiewarra is facing life and death choices daily when three members of a local family are found brutally slain. Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk reluctantly returns to his hometown for the funeral of his childhood friend, loath to face the townsfolk who turned their backs on him twenty years earlier. But as questions mount, Falk is forced to probe deeper into the deaths of the Hadler family. Because Falk and Luke Hadler shared a secret. A secret Falk thought was long buried. A secret Luke's death now threatens to bring to the surface in this small Australian town, as old wounds bleed into new ones. Review: A tragic story of a family cut down and murdered in their home. Childhood friend, Aaron Falk, is now a Federal Police Detective and he is determined to clear his mate’s name and find out who really killed him and his family. A real page turner, this one kept me reading all hours. The hopping back and forth to the past, when another mysterious death had shocked the town, was skilfully done, and added a deeper element to the story. 

Travel Notes

Is there anything more annoying than trying to read on a plane, and being constantly interrupted by noise, engines, chatter, laughter and, well, anything else?! I recently visited friends for a birthday celebration weekend and travelled for just over an hour on a Fokker 100. No problem, I thought, I have my book. I endured the nerve-wracking take off (I am not the most relaxed flyer in the world) and prepared to settle down with my Kindle. The young man next to me had hogged the middle arm rest and so I was leaning slightly skewwhiff in my seat, towards the aisle, I wasn’t exactly comfortable but that’s ok, I had my book. The seatbelt light was extinguished but I didn’t plan on moving around the cabin. I had my book. Then the refreshments trolley approached, and I had to tuck my wing in. Trying to become as narrow as possible I re-read the last paragraph and tried to relax into the story. Bump. Crunch. Rustling wrappers. “Can I interest you in a sandwich?” “Tea or coffee?” I glanced up and smiled briefly at the beaming flight attended a few rows ahead of me. I re-read the paragraph again. Raucous laughter. Dad Jokes. Convivial banter. More wrappers ripping open. My turn. Resignedly I smiled “Tea please.” And took the paper cup filled with hot, dubious looking liquid that I hoped would at least resemble my chosen beverage. A sachet of sugar and the tiniest plastic spoon I have ever seen accompanied my drink. Once more I re-read that paragraph. Dipping my head slightly I endeavored to push myself further back into my seat and out of the way as lunch was served to my seat companion. Sipping my tea, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was actually more than passable. Very good in fact. How surprising. I moved on to the next paragraph, and the next, then the next couple of pages, almost finishing the chapter when… “Any rubbish?” the cheerful flight attendant waved a plastic bag at me and I obligingly placed my now empty cup inside. My ears popped, sensing the decrease in altitude that had crept up on us. The seatbelt sign pinged back on. I re-read the last paragraph. Cabin announcement, shuffling movements as fellow passengers gathered their loose belongings in readiness for the imminent landing. I tried once more to make sense of that last paragraph and then gave up. Tucking my Kindle away in my bag I watched our descent through my neighbour’s window. I would read later.