Published in the Sunday Times
An Imperfect Occupation: Enduring the South African War
John Boje (University of Illinois Press)
Book buff
****
Drawing on a rich pool of primary sources, this is oral and social history at its best. Going behind the conventional narrative of the Anglo-Boer War, this fascinating study recounts the reactions of ordinary people in a Free State community, from those committed to the Boer cause to those who were ambivalent or neutral, or who even collaborated with the British. Detailed attention is given to the experiences of women, prisoners of war, concentration camp inmates and black inhabitants. — David Lea
Depraved Heart (A Kay Scarpetta Thriller)
Patricia Cornwell (HarperCollins)
**
Book thrill
Depraved Heart is about as thrilling as watching blood congeal. The plot kicks off with a disturbing video sent to Scarpetta’s phone. The intimate clips of Scarpetta’s niece under surveillance, taken 20 years ago by her ex-lover and their deadliest enemy, suggest Lucy is in danger. The possible role of Scarpetta’s FBI husband adds to her sense of paranoia. Part of the story is the concept of “data fiction”, or what can happen “if we’re so reliant on technology that we become completely dependent on things we can’t see … we can no longer judge for ourselves what’s true, what isn’t”. This adds to the suspense but is not developed. The real mystery is how Cornwell, who flies helicopters and Scuba dives, could churn out a story so devoid of excitement. — Claire Keeton @ClaireKeetonST
Slade House
David Mitchell (Sceptre)
***
Book fiend
Five interwoven narratives, spanning five decades, follow five characters as their destinies lure them to the same creepy house, where a pair of soul-sucking twins eagerly await their delicious, life-sustaining energy. The story began life on Twitter and is a companion to The Bone Clocks; Mitchell calls it “an exercise in world building”. His storytelling is stylish – we’d expect no less – and there are moments of humour and horror, but in comparison to the richness of his previous work, it feels a bit like the publishing machine cashing in on a literary celebrity’s writing practice. — Jennifer Malec @projectjennifer
Fool Me Once
Harlan Coben (Century)
***
Book thrill
You can always count on a surprise ending with Harlan Coben, a culmination of complex plotting and clipping pace that has, over the course of two dozen or so books, driven him into the big league of thriller writers. But while Fool Me Once delivers these, there is an empty, overly contrived feel to the story. Disgraced special ops pilot Maya Stern is a cipher of a strong woman, a gun-lovin’, straight-talkin’ soldier who witnesses her husband’s killing and who then sets about solving the murder. You’ll want to read until the end, but ultimately its plausibility is pulled too thin for you to care what happens. — Michele Magwood @michelemagwood
Book details
- An Imperfect Occupation: Enduring the South Africa War by John Boje
EAN: 9780252039560
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- Slade House by David Mitchell
EAN: 9781473616684
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- Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben
EAN: 9781780894201
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- Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell
EAN: 9780007552474
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