Category Archives: Entries

Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood

It’s been an enjoyable and murder-free time for Judith, Suzie and Becks – AKA the Marlow Murder Club – since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the river Thames the day before the wedding, and Judith and Co. are looking forward to a bit of free champagne. But during the soiree, there’s a crash from inside the house, and when the Marlow Murder Club rush to investigate, they are shocked to find the groom-to-be… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Cheating
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Murder
  • Gun violence mentioned
  • Poisoning
  • Animal death

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

t’s been a minute—or five years—since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since their graduation when their adult lives officially began. Now Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle find themselves at the brink of a new decade, with all the responsibilities of adulthood, yet no closer to having their lives figured out. Though not for a lack of trying. Over the years they’ve reunited in Big Sur to honour a decades-old pact to throw each other living “funerals,” celebrations to remind themselves that life is worth living—that their lives mean something, to one another if not to themselves. But this reunion… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Divorce recounted
  • Infidelity recounted
  • Drug overdose
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Cancer
  • HIV/AIDs
  • Death of a friend
  • Plane crash

The Block Party by Jamie Day

The residents of the exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road are entangled in a web of secrets and scandal utterly unknown to the outside world, and even to each other. On the night of the annual Summer block party, there has been a murder. But, who did it and why takes readers back one year earlier, as rivalries and betrayals unfold—discovering that the real danger lies within their own block and nothing—and no one—is ever as it seems.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Infidelity
  • Rape, off-page
  • Alcoholism
  • Murder

Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum

None of them would claim to be a particularly good person. But who among them is actually capable of murder? Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker rule the town of Salcombe, Fire Island every summer. They hold sway on the beach and the tennis court, and are adept at manipulating people to get what they want. Their husbands, Sam and Jason, have summered together on the island since childhood, despite lifelong grudges and numerous secrets. Their one single friend, Rachel Woolf, is looking to meet her match, whether he’s the tennis pro-or someone else’s husband. But even with plenty to gossip about, this season starts out as… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Infidelity

Death on Ocean Boulevard by Caitlin Rother

The call came on the morning of July 13, 2011, from the historic Spreckels Mansion, a lavish beachfront property in Coronado, California, owned by pharmaceutical tycoon and multimillionaire Jonah Shacknai. When authorities arrived, they found the naked body of Jonah’s girlfriend, Rebecca Zahau, gagged, her ankles tied and her wrists bound behind her. Jonah’s brother, Adam, claimed to have found Rebecca hanging by a rope from the second-floor balcony. On a bedroom door in black paint were the cryptic words: She saved hum can you save her. Was this scrawled… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Paedophilia & child molestation
  • Domestic abuse
  • Suicide mentioned
  • Miscarriage
  • Death of a child
  • Kidnapping

The Other Side of Perfect by Mariko Turk

Alina Keeler was destined to dance, but then a terrifying fall shatters her leg and her dreams of a professional ballet career along with it. After a summer healing (translation: eating vast amounts of Cool Ranch Doritos and bingeing ballet videos on YouTube), she is forced to trade her pre-professional dance classes for normal high school, where she reluctantly joins the school musical. However, rehearsals offer more than she expected — namely Jude, her annoyingly attractive cast-mate she just might be falling for…. Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Racism
  • Parental abandonment discussed
  • Nightmares & sleep difficulty
  • Chronic leg injury (theme)
  • Medical treatment, rehabilitation & surgery for a severely broken leg discussed
  • Bullying

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, Vol. 7 by Nagabe

Hounded by two transformed soldiers desperate for salvation and with Teacher reeling from revelations about his own forgotten former life, the past finally catches up to Teacher and Shiva. With danger closing in around them at terrifying speed, is there nowhere safe for them to live a normal life together…?

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Loss of limb by self-injury
  • Murder & attempted murder
  • Knife & sword violence
  • Home invasion
  • Kidnapping

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, Vol. 5 by Nagabe

What Teacher feared most if true – the child Shiva has been afflicted with the curse of the Outsiders. Yet somehow, even touched by that blight, she remains human. How can it be possible? And what of the Insiders, and the revelation from their Holy Father? His divine words portend trouble for Shiva and Teacher alike…

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Death of an adopted mother
  • Attempted murder
  • Sword violence

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, Vol. 4 by Nagabe

Shiva’s little white lie has had devastating consequences. While she reels from the shock of the horrific events that have unfolded, Auntie reveals to Teacher how Shiva came to live under her roof–and the cruel fate that awaits all who are afflicted by the curse.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Abandonment
  • Memory loss
  • Dead bodies (only depicted wrapped in sheets)

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, Vol. 3 by Nagabe

Shiva’s aunt has come to the Outside to bring her home, with several soldiers in tow. Alarmed at this show of force, Teacher tries to protect Shiva, but to no avail. Meanwhile, chaos threatens to engulf the small hamlet on the Inside. Where does Shiva truly belong?

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Abandonment
  • Mass murder
  • Murder & attempted murder
  • Torture, implied
  • Arrow violence
  • Kidnapping & captivity
  • Fire