Elena Collins - The Lady of the Loch
Leah has been through a troubling time, so her sister Zoe encourages her to apply for her dream job, as caretaker of a historic Scottish castle. Zoe agrees to join Leah as co-caretaker as she can continue working from home. But she finds Ravenscraig spooky and at times chilling. Leah on the other hand falls in love with the place and its surroundings immediately. There's something strange about the deserted wing which houses the chapel. As the story unfolds, we're drawn centuries into the castle's past, when Agnes is a serving maid in the time of King Robert de Brus. She falls in love with daring Highland warrior, Cam. He is often away fighting secretly against the English king, Edward Longshanks, who aims to subdue the Scots. It's a bitter war, bringing hearbreak to many Scots. The stories of Agnes, Leah and Zoe eventually are woven together as each seeks to follow her heart, and find the solace of fulfilment at last. Intriguing, historically detailed, with the Scottish scenery of 14th and 21st Centuries brought vividly to life.
Christy Lefteri - The Beekeeper of Aleppo
Nuri and his wife Afra are Syrian refugees, seeking to stay in England. Nuri misses his work as a beekeeper in Aleppo, but the hives are long gone, and his friend and mentor, Mustafa, has already been given residence in England. Nuri looks back on how he and Afra managed to escape the civil war back in their home country. It has been a harrowing journey, especially as Afra is now blind. Beautifully written, evocative, shocking and uncomfortable at times, we discover the reasons for Afra's blindness, and see the emotional damage that both she and Nuri have suffered. A book that stirs up many questions, and much compassion in the reader as we see the sort of events that people like Nuri and Afra have lived through in their search for peace and safety. Interesting also to read the author's afterword about how she came to write the novel.
Louise Douglas - The Lost Notebook
In Brittany, France, Mila is looking after her stepsister's daughter, Ani, following the tragic death of the girl's mother, Sophie, in a boating accident. Ani's father is also missing. Mila longs to get back to her life as a writer in the UK, feeling inadequate in her role as carer for her young niece. But an encounter with an eldelry travelling woman, Gosia, changes the course of the summer. Gosia is found dead shortly after, and Mila suspects her death was not natural, as the authorities insist. The notebook that she had seen in the old woman's caravan is missing, and no-one except Mila seems to find this important. Then the lead archaeologist on a local dig, Professor Perry, becomes the centre of a scandal which involves the investigation agency of Ani's grandmother. As the situation becomes more dangerous and involved, Mila finds herself torn between her wish to return to her old life, and her growing feelings of responsibility for motherless Ani - and her need to uncover the secrets of the past and bring a killer to justice. As always, Louise Douglas weaves a tale of intrigue and suspense, while the characters strive to find a resolution for their own personal dilemmas.
