Home by Harlan Coben

"A decade ago, kidnappers grabbed two boys from wealthy families and demanded ransom, then went silent. No trace of the boys ever surfaced. For ten years their families have been left with nothing but painful memories and a quiet desperation for the day that has finally, miraculously arrived: Myron Bolitar and his friend Win believe they have located one of the boys, now a teenager. Where has he been for ten years, and what does he know about the day, more than half a life ago, when he was taken? And most critically: What can he tell Myron and Win about the fate of his missing friend?"

This gripping thriller manages to deal with the cold case of  missing boys with sensitivity. Win is back, with his lethal charm. The witty repertoire between our resident hero, Myron Bolitar and Win, does not disappoint. Mickey, Esperenza and Big Cyndi all make an appearance. With assistance from all quarters, he finally figures out what happened 10 years ago but true to Harlen Coben style, there is a twist in this tale - and it's a whopper!

Excellent read!

Grief by Kashna Dass

All sanity has disappeared now that hysteria has taken over,
Frothing and bubbling as it pulls me into its mire,
Pain is my only tangible thread to life,
The irony doesn’t escape me.

Memories of laughter and happiness bring endless pain
The gaping wound gets wider with every breath,
Bleeding slowly, its ragged edges raw.
My agony knows no bounds.
 
Will this loss echo further than me?
The death of the future,
An enquiring mind that will no longer question,
Will only I notice? 

Thoughts of missed milestones break me,
I’m shattered into a million pieces,
Pieces that will never fit as a whole again,
Now I am the one questioning.

Fear and despair have united like the old friends they are,
Sorrow has clenched this fragile heart,
My need to embrace the warmth of life lost,
This futility, is my undoing.

Helpless and hopeless the light inside me has perished
My time, measured only by my heartbeats.
The days and nights ahead are already lost into oblivion
Now I ache to be swallowed by blackness.

Best “New” African Poets 2016 Anthology Entry

When Time Collides by Kashna Dass

Sometimes,
Just sometimes,
I wish I could step back.
Not for long, not to be seen or heard,
Just to feel.

These memories

Time does not heal,
These memories
Full of innocence and wisdom,
These memories
Are most beautiful and tragic.
These memories
Have molded me.

I see you walking amongst angels,

For now my mind keeps me company
But one day
The past, present and future will collide
Then we’ll meet again.

Kashna Dass

Fire Damage by Kate Medina

A haunting and suspenseful thriller!

Psychologist, Dr Jessie Flynn has been given a case revolving around a troubled child, Sami. Battling her her own demons and tackling this sensitive case has hit her for a six and to make matters more stressful she is asked by former patient and army policeman, Callan, to assist in a case of his.

Coincidentally, both cases are related.

Kate Medina definitely knows her genre. Chilling, this book is a must read!

Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz

What a treat! Thank you Jonathan Ball Publishers for this review copy!

It has been years since I've read a Dean Kootz novel. They are take me back to my teen years where I devoured every Koontz and King novel I could lay my hands on!

It took me awhile to get into as I've been hooked on several non fiction reads. (See   A Mother's Reckoning and Black Flags). 

Enter Bibi Blair, young and talented with so much to offer life. Devastatingly she is suddenly diagnosed with a rare form brain cancer and is given a short while to live. 

Admirably, she insists she will beat it and miraculously, she does-in a day-and here is where this story begins.

With doses of standard Koontz ingredients: golden Labrador, mystery, mayhem and spookiness this novel is everything you expect as a fan. 

Do not read if you are expecting something different. 

A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold

I don't often read non fiction. The publisher recommended this book and Black Flags, the book on ISIS (review to follow) and I was riveted from the introduction right till the last word.

It was a harrowing story told through the heartache, loss and love of a mother, which I believe to have been a cathartic  experience for Sue Klebold. 

Understandably, she questioned her parenting, her inability to see behind the facade her son, Dylan, constructed. 

She openly discusses mental health and it's possible forms of expression. 

Her account of the days and months after the shooting are accurately recaptured (with the aid of her constant journaling at that time."

A must read!

An Eagle In The Snow by Michael Morpurgo

I have read a few books by Michael Morpurgo over the years and Running Wild has always been my favourite.

An Eagle In The Snow was recommended to me and after putting it aside (I've had quite a reading list to get through) I read it the other day. It is aimed at the 9-12 year old market. It isn't a big book and kid's wont be intimidated by the font or size. In fact, it can be read by younger kids as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this powerful new novel. Michael Morpurgo is at his usual best. Here he writes a story inspired by true events and a man who could have stopped World War II.

The year is 1940, and young Barney is travelling with his mum when suddenly their train comes under attack by German bomber planes. The train finds shelter in the darkness of a tunnel. A stranger in their carriage starts telling a story to pass the time and ease Barney's fear.

The story is of a young soldier who could have prevented the war, by doing what he thought was the right thing at the time. It turned out to be the biggest mistake he could ever have made and one that needs to be put right.

As the story unfolds you realise the narrator is actually the soldier from the story.

This story is both compelling and thoughtful, based on events from the life of Private Henry Tandey VC.

If you're anything like me, then the little I learned about him in the book's afterword encouraged me to find out more about this brave man.