Star of the North by D. B. John

Description from Goodreads:

"North Korea and the USA are on the brink of war.

A young American woman disappears without trace from a South Korean island.

The CIA recruits her twin sister to uncover the truth.

Now, she must go undercover in the world's most deadly state.

Only by infiltrating the dark heart of the terrifying regime will she be able to save her sister ... and herself."

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A gripping look into the hidden world of North Korea

I’ve finally done it! I've managed to clear a bit of space on my virtual bookshelf and get around to reading Star of the North. It’s been sitting on my to-be-read pile on my Kindle since the beginning of 2019, which is quite embarrassing really, but I’m so glad I finally picked it up.

The story’s a bit of a slow burner at first because it follows three very different paths. You’ve got an American academic looking for her twin sister, a North Korean diplomat trying to survive the regime’s politics and a peasant woman just trying to get by. It’s a lot to keep track of, but the way D B John eventually weaves these lives together is brilliant.

The level of detail about life in North Korea is what really stuck with me. It doesn't feel like a typical Hollywood thriller; it’s gritty and far more realistic. Some parts are actually quite difficult to read because the author doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of the labour camps. It’s clear a huge amount of research went into this to make the setting feel so authentic.

It isn’t perfect - some of the coincidences felt a little bit convenient - but the tension kept me turning the pages late into the night. It’s a very good, solid thriller that actually makes you think. If you like stories with a bit of political weight, you’ll definitely enjoy this one.

Huge thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this and eventually share my thoughts.

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I Think We Should Kill Other People by L. M. Chilton

Description from Goodreads:

"The nation watched them fall in love. Now someone's watching them die.

Hazel and Marc were paired together on revolutionary new reality TV show Love Synced, in which sophisticated AI matches hopeful lovers based on its perceptive algorithms.

But when it came time to say I Do on camera, Hazel couldn't go through with it, leaving her perfect match at the altar, his family furious and the whole TV production in jeopardy.

Now all she wants to do is fly home. Instead, she's trapped in a tiny isolated airport that's been ground to a halt amidst a massive snow storm... with her ex and his obnoxiously rich family sitting at the gate with her. But when they start turning up dead, a jilted lover is the least of Hazel's worries – there's a serial killer to catch first.

The heart's a fickle thing, so it's no surprise that AI couldn't predict true love for Hazel… But could it help crack the case when a murderer is picking off her almost-in-laws one by one?"

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An intriguing locked-room mystery with a unique AI twist

I was really looking forward to reading this one after enjoying the author's debut, Don't Swipe Right. The premise is so clever and modern – a reality TV show called Love Synced where AI is used to find your perfect soulmate. As someone who's always a bit wary of how much we rely on technology, the idea of an AI "fairy godmother" called CILLA running a social experiment really piqued my interest.

The story follows Hazel (great name!) who has just left her "perfect match" Marc at the altar. She’s stuck in a tiny, snow-bound Norwegian airport with her jilted ex and his incredibly wealthy, pretty awful family. It’s a great setup for a locked-room mystery, especially when people start turning up dead. I loved the satire of reality TV culture and the way it explored how Hazel tried to solve a murder with the help of CILLA.

Hazel is a great main character – a bit chaotic with some secrets of her own that kept me reading. The chapters alternate between the tense night at the airport and flashbacks to the filming of the show, which was a great way to build up the backstory of the "almost-in-laws." There were definitely some sharp, funny moments and a few twists.

However, I did find the pace a bit slow in parts. The middle section felt like it went on for a bit too long and I found myself wanting things to move along a bit faster. While the setting was atmospheric, some of the dialogue felt a little forced and I did have to suspend reality in a big way. It’s a solid, entertaining read but it just didn't quite have the same "unputdownable" feel for me throughout.

Many thanks to the author, Aria & Aries and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this book.

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The Nazi Ghost Train by Greg Lewis

Description from Goodreads:

"The true story of how more than 1,400 men and women of the Resistance, SOE agents, and airmen from Britain, the US and Canada were saved from death in a concentration camp by the courage and cunning of a small group of Belgian civilians.

Nazi Ghost Train unfolds in a pulse-pounding narrative, describing the terror of being shot down on bombing missions, the fight to stay free and alive with Gestapo on your tail, and the gut wrenching horror of betrayal.

From the opening scenes inside a B-17 when it is pounced on by an enemy fighter to the final desperate hours on the 'Ghost Train', this fight for survival will keep readers truing the pages after they should have flicked out the light.

Drawing upon a wealth of primary sources and extensive interviews, Nazi Ghost Train brings to life a cast of unforgettable characters, a Jew who risked his life to work with the armed resistance; a Liberator pilot who dropped secret agents behind the lines; a fascinating young Resistance heroine who ordered an attempt to kill one traitor and escaped to London to expose another to British intelligence; and Francoise Labouverie, who gathered intelligence on German radar until a Nazi officer dedicated a detective unit to track her down.

These stories weave together until - with liberation a heartbeat away - the Belgian patriots, Allied airmen and agents are roused from their prison cells and loaded onto cattle trucks. Would that be the end of them or could one last extraordinary escape plan change everything?"

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Essential reading to ensure these remarkable people are never forgotten

I've read quite a few books about the Second World War but this one really stuck with me. It tells the story of Allied airmen and members of the resistance who were trapped on one of the final deportation trains leaving Brussels just as the city was about to be liberated. The sheer scale of the research Greg Lewis has put into this is incredible and it shows in every chapter.

What really got to me was the unbelievable bravery of the "normal" people involved. These weren't professional soldiers in the traditional sense – they were just people who decided they couldn't sit back and do nothing while their country was occupied. The detail provided about the individual airmen and the Belgian resistance fighters makes the whole ordeal feel very personal rather than just another history lesson.

The conditions these people faced were nightmare-ish, and the author doesn't shy away from the grim reality of life in occupied territory. It isn't just about the train itself, but the constant fear and the unknown that they lived with every single day. From the tension of evasion and moving between safe houses to the harrowing experiences after being caught, you really get a sense of the immense pressure on both the airmen and the resistance members.

If you're interested in untold stories of WWII or the resistance in occupied Europe, I'd definitely recommend picking this up. It’s a remarkable tribute to those who suffered and fought back during such a dark time.

Many thanks to the author, Mirror Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this informative book.

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It's Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh

Description from Goodreads:

"He has a secret. She knows he’s lying…

YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Nadeeka is certain Jamie is having an affair. She knows the tell-tale signs.

She’s been here before.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST

When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he’s lying. He’s with another woman, and she’s determined to catch him in the act.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS

But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can't explain himself. The house has become a crime scene…

Jamie is dead.

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK"

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The twist of the year

I’ve been a fan of Clare Mackintosh since I read I Let You Go and Hostage – too many years ago – and I've been remiss at not picking anything up by her since. Where have I been? With my head in the clouds obviously! I'm so glad I finally jumped back in with this one because it's a cracker.

It starts with Nadeeka who is convinced her boyfriend Jamie is having an affair. She’s been cheated on before so she knows the signs and decides to head home early to catch him in the act. But when she gets there the house is a crime scene and Jamie is dead.

The story is told through multiple points of view and it’s so cleverly constructed. Every time I thought I’d finally got a handle on what was happening the rug was pulled out from under me again. I actually took a sharp intake of breath and covered my mouth when the big reveal came because I honestly didn't see it coming at all.

The characters are so well written and felt really credible which just made the whole thing even more tense. It’s one of those books where you shouldn't trust anyone – including the person telling the story! If you’re into psychological thrillers that keep you guessing until the very last page then you really need to pick this one up.

Thanks to the author, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts.

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It Ends Here by Heidi Perks

Description from Goodreads:

"You are one of five strangers whose day will start with the worst phone call imaginable.

Your loved one is in danger.

They are part of a group trapped in a café in a sleepy marina town.

The young barista on the early shift

The bestselling novelist looking for a writing spot

The husband on his way back from a work trip

The influencer mum whose picture-perfect life isn’t the whole truth

The woman starting her birthday with a quiet coffee

As the hours tick by it will soon become clear that one of them has a secret they would kill to keep.

How well do you know the person closest to you?"

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A bit of a mixed bag

I've previously read and enjoyed Now You See Her by Heidi Perks, so I was really looking forward to diving into this one. The premise is definitely a hooker – a gunshot rings out from a café on the Isle of Wight at 7am and there are five people inside. One is the perpetrator and four are the victims but we don't know who is who. It's a great setup for a thriller and it really makes you think about how well you actually know the people closest to you.

The story is told through alternating chapters from different perspectives and I admit to getting a little confused between two of the wives and who their husband was in the café. It starts off really well with a shock reveal that certainly kept me on my toes. I liked that it wasn't just a standard action-packed hostage situation – it's much more character-driven and focuses on the secrets everyone is hiding.

However, I did struggle a bit with the middle section. It felt like it dragged longer than it to and it became quite repetitive. It also seemed a bit far-fetched that no one made any contact with the café for the entire six hours the group was trapped there.

It's a decent read if you're a fan of psychological thrillers and want something with a unique "whodunnit" angle, but it didn't quite hit the high notes I was hoping for. It's a solid 3-star read – it does what it says on the tin but didn't completely blow me away like I'd hoped.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this book.

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