French, Tana (2026) The Keeper. Penguin Viking.
In this third Cal Hooper story the retired Chicago detective is now an Ardnakelty local and part of the west Ireland townland’s intrigues and grievances. When young Rachel Holohan is found dead in the river a feud erupts, vicious in nature, as the scheming local power-broker threatens the future of the village. An atmospheric, immersive and slow-paced tale. A crime novel as well as a commentary on the changing nature of Irish rural life. Superb.
Rating: 5/5
Bailey, Sarah (2026) Click. Allen & Unwin.
A woman is found dead with a cryptic message, others are vanishing without trace, then photographs start appearing in the in-boxes of media and police. Is this the work of a serial killer, someone playing games or is there more than one killer? The populace are fearful and the Melbourne police overwhelmed. Digital news journalist Oli Groves (in her second Bailey outing) and rookie DC Pen Kibbs are both desperate to stop the violence. They work independently to solve the mystery whilst having to contend with the rampant news cycle and personal issues. Another story focused on the victimisation of women with underlying themes of domestic and family violence, politics and the dark side of social media. Well-paced.
Rating: 4/5
Tóibín, Colm (2026) The News from Dublin. Picador.
Tóibín’s reflective collection of nine short stories is a page-turner on dislocation, grief, anonymity, and separation. They move across time from Spain to San Francisco, to Ireland, to Argentina. Three estranged sisters after an inheritance decide to return to Catalonia, an Irishman goes into exile in Barcelona haunted by the crimes he has committed, a woman who had become pregnant during the Spanish Civil War has an opportunity to revisit her past, an undocumented father is readying leaving San Francisco before imminent ICE capture, a woman in Galway awaits news of her son’s death in WW1. Quietly absorbing.
Rating: 5/5
Keefe, Patrick Radden (2026) London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth. Picador.
Early on a winter’s morning in November 2019 a young man jumped to his death from a fifth-floor balcony of an apartment on the banks of the Thames. The fall was captured by a MI6 surveillance camera across the river. The body was found with multiple injuries five hours later. Thus 19 year old Zac Brettler’s life ends following a fantastic venture into the shadowy London underworld of excessive wealth. Patrick Radden Keefe follows Zac’s family on a dark journey to discover what brought Zac, a teller of tall tales, to the balcony on that night. Forensic narrative approach. Riveting.
Rating: 5/5
McTiernan, Dervla (2026) Three Reasons for Revenge. HarperCollins.
DS Judith Lee is a tough no-nonsense detective, but when Alexis Turner asks for her by name to report an assault she gets caught up in a game of revenge. Three identical packages arrive at three different doors, inside each package is a gift and a cryptic note. What do these three recipients have in common, why are they being targeted? As Judith races to solve the mystery people start to die and she is forced to play. And, what is the connection to Alexis Turner? Dervla McTiernan is at the top of her game. Great storytelling.
Rating: 5/5
Quindlen, Anna (2026) More Than Enough. Random House.
Polly’s bookclub as a joke gives her an ancestry test kit and the results astound her. She has a close genetic match who would like to meet her. She knows she’s not adopted and her brother has not fathered a child. So maybe the test is not accurate. This mystery underpins the story of 42-year-old popular teacher Polly who is struggling to conceive a child with her adored second husband. Meanwhile her cherished father’s dementia is worsening, her relationship with her estranged mother continues to deteriorate, and her beloved close friend is dying. This is an eclectic and multilayered novel with serious themes, asking the existential question – when is enough enough? A satisfactory, albeit maybe too pat, conclusion. Hopeful.
Rating: 4/5
Rowell, Rainbow (2026) Cherry Baby. Michael Joseph.
Cherry is a contented plus-sized career woman and wife. Cherry’s husband Tom has recently found success as the creator of a semi-autobiographical webcomic about to be turned into a movie. Unfortunately ‘Baby’ in the comic is an unflattering caricature of Cherry. This has made her instantly recognisable. Tom has abandoned Cherry for Hollywood and she has asked for a divorce. When an old college flame starts to crush on her she realises it is time to put Baby and the past behind her and rewrite her story. As ever with Rainbow Rowell – a tender and delightful read.
Rating: 4/5
7:30 Bookclub 