The Woman In Black by Susan Hill

Started: 26.4.25

Finished: 28.4.25

Paperback

Dolly by Susan Hill

Started: 25.4.25

Finished: 26.4.25

Paperback

The Body: A Guide For Occupants by Bill Bryson

Started: 18.4.25

Finished: 24.4.25

5 stars - top ten

Hardback

Fascinating book all about the inner workings of the human body, but also about the doctors, researchers and scientists who have made so many startling discoveries over the years. As with all Bill Bryson books, it's well-researched, well-written and gently humourous throughout. I bet he wishes he'd waited another 12 months before publishing it though; the chapters about viruses would've been about twice as long!

The Secret Collector by Abigail Johnson

Started: 16.4.25

Finished: 17.4.25

Kindle

Amazon First Reads - March

Really enjoyable quick read with likeable characters, reminded me a bit of A Man Called Ove.

And He Shall Appear by Kate van der Borgh

Started: 9.4.25

Finished: 15.4.25

Kindle

I didn't love this book, but I did enjoy it. I read it on my Kindle, and at the top of the page it said "shades of Saltburn" and to be honest, that's all I could think after I'd noticed that, particularly because it was about an obsessive friendship amongst a group of Cambridge students.

Ghostwriting by Eric Brown

Started: 6.4.25

Finished: 8.4.25

Paperback

My favourite genre is ghost stories, so I inevitably gravitate to anything that seems to suggest it fits into that category. I spotted this book in a charity shop, but despite its title, it wasn't an immediate yes, as it appeared from the blurb that the author mostly tended to write science fiction (not a favourite of mine), and I wasn't quite sure what I'd be getting with this book. I took a chance though, and I'm so glad I did!

I enjoyed every one of these short stories. They weren't all 'ghost stories' as such, but there was just enough creepiness, or weirdness, in them that I would say they would fit into the paranormal / supernatural genre at least. Some sci-fi even crept in, and I didn't mind! 

My favourite was probably The Disciples of Apollo - the unexpected ending stayed with me for a long time. 

The only very slight negative which stood out for me (barely a negative at all really, just an observation) is the author's use of the name Caroline - it's clearly a favourite as three separate stories had a character with that name. The stories were all originally written and published at different times and in different publications, so why not re-use a name? It's just a bit unfortunate when they're compiled together in the same book. It didn't affect my enjoyment of this collection however.

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

Started: 29.3.25

Finished: 5.4.25

Paperback

I'm not usually a sci-fi fan, but this sounded intriguing so I thought I'd give it a go.

I don't think the style of interviews and journal entries worked; it might've been better to have a first or third person narrative, interspersed with some of the case interviews, for example. I didn't like the unnamed interviewer, and some of the questions being asked, and answers given, just didn't seem realistic.