Book Review: Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All by Jonas Jonason

Since his first book “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared” I’m a huge fan of Jonas Jonason – actually I was already a huge fan after just hearing his name ;) I love him even more after his second book came out “The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden”. His novels are always so sparky and bizarre and yet they feel somehow plausible, like fate is playing a trick on you.

To be honest I didn’t even know he had published a new book “Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All”. Passing by a book store I noticed its distinctive cover from the corner of my eye. I stopped immediately and bought it – and haven’t regretted it for a minute.

The storyline revolves around hitman Anders who just recently was released from prison. However, he is still involved in the crime scene doing some small jobs for big gangster. His life takes an unexpected turn after meeting a homeless receptionist at a one-star hotel (which used to be a brothel) and a female protestant pastor who happens to be an atheist. Together they form an unusual business plan.

I don’t wanna give away more, but if you like Jonas Jonason’s other books I recommend reading it.

Have fun,

Book Review: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym of J.K. Rowling)

If you loved Harry Potter I promise you, you will like “The Cuckoo’s Calling” as well. J.K. Rowling wrote this crime fiction novel under the pseudonym “Robert Galbraith”. Obviously the book deals with a completely different story than Harry Potter but J.K. Rowling’s style of writing just puts a spell on you – you feel like you are actually part of the story! To be fair I got the book as a present, so I can’t really tell if I would have picked up the book because of J.K. Rowling or because I liked the summary on the back. Nevertheless I think it’s a great book and definitely worth reading.

The main character of the story is Cormoran Strike, a private investigator who lost a leg while serving in the British Army in Afghanistan. He just brok up with his longtime girlfriend and is secretly living in his office. One day John Bristow walks in to his office and requests his help: his sister and supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as Cuckoo, fell from her balcony a few months ago. The police thinks it was suicide as Lula was dealing with mental health issues in the past, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of millionaires, models, rock-star boyfriends, addicts, and desperate designers. Everyone is describing Lula “Cuckoo” in a different way and it is Cormoran Strike’s task to put the puzzle together.

I absolutely loved the book! And guess what – there are actually two more Cormoran Strike novels out there :) Have fun reading!

Book Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

I heard about “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins quite some time ago and it definitely was on my reading list. Then someone recommended the movie to me but as always I prefer reading the book first. So I finally read it and it’s really such a great book. I’ll promise you, once you start you can’t put it down until you’re finished – it’ll put a spell on you.

Somehow the book reminds me a bit of “4.50 Paddington Station” by Agatha Christie. I remember watching the movie with Margaret Rutherford for the first time and it still gives me the creeps, just like Paula Hawkins book.

The story revolves around Rachel, a mid-thirty and slightly alcoholic woman, commuting to London every day. She is fascinated by the sound of the train, knows every bump on the track and each signal light. The train passes by a stretch of cozy suburban houses – in one of them Rachel used to live with her ex-husband. And one of the other houses belong to “Jess and Jason” as Rachel calls them. The picture-perfect and happy couple which Rachel sees for a few seconds every day.

Until one day Rachel makes a shocking observation which changes everything and strongly influences the upcoming events…

Have fun reading!

Book Review: Don’t Say A Word by Barbara Freethy

Sitting on the couch and reading a good book while it’s stormy and cold outside is one of my favorite things to do during the holiday season – I never really feel stressed out about them but rather that everything calms down as the year comes to an end.
So, recently I read “Don’t Say a Word” by Barbara Freethy. The story of the book captured me right away and I just couldn’t stop reading.

The storyline begins with Julie De Marco (the main character) planning her perfect San Francisco wedding. While checking out a wedding venue she stumbles across a famous photograph - a little girl behind the iron gate of a foreign orphanage who looks exactly like her. But Julia isn’t an orphan or adopted, at least as far as she knows. And she’s never been outside of the US.

This photo triggers a huge uncertainty in Julia which comes in handy as she has big uncertainties about her marriage as well. Thus in order to find out about her true identity Julia sets off on a dangerous quest. She can’t trust anyone anymore and her whole life and what she believed in is shaken by new revelations. In the end nothing will be as it has been before…

Barbara Freethy takes you on a journey through present-day San Francisco and the former USSR. If you are into books that combine romance with adventure and excitement then this is the perfect book - easy to read, enjoyable and fascinating.

Have fun reading!