April 2023 Books 1 & 2

Book reviews for "Rach's Reading Club" 

1. Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone
Genre: Mystery, thriller

This is a can't put down book, with lots of action and intrigue. Ariel accompanies John, her husband of 3 months, on his short business trip to Portugal. The morning after their arrival Ariel discovers that John has been kidnapped. The ransome is 3 million Euros and she has 48 hours to come up with the cash. Unfortunately neither Ariel nor John have that kind of money.

The story is told mainly from Ariels point of view and flips between her current vexing dilema and the background story leading up to her sticky situation. Along the way we learn that Ariel is not as forthcoming with information as she ought to be with the authorities, who are reluctantly trying to help.

I found the flipping back and forth a little bit confusing at times. I wasn't always sure if Ariel was talking about the present or the past. With plenty of unexpected twists and turns, I'd like to reread this, knowing what I know now, to see if the convoluted story actually answers all the questions I had while reading about Ariels past.

Overall I enjoyed reading this intricate story with its surprize ending..
*Caution* One graphic/triggering scene, and some adult language.

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2. Exiles by Jane Harper
Genre: Mystery

Set in small town Australia wine region. No horror, no blood n guts, just a good old fashioned "who dun it", with a hint of romance.

Why did Kim, who just gave birth 6 weeks earlier, leave her baby in the stroller, unattended at the local fair?
And where did Kim disappear to? Was it suicide, murder, accident or something else?

I really enjoyed the characters in this book: lots of relatives and extended family, who support and care for each other. This is a pleasant read and a smart mystery that kept me guessing till the end. Looking forward to reading more of Janes' books.

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