The Association of Foreign Spouses by Marilyn Heward Mills

The Association of Foreign Spouses is set in Ghana around the 1980s. It is the story of an English woman who met a Ghanian man in London, married him and moved to Ghana. Along with three other women (from England, Germany and Russia) she struggles to adapt to the culture, what is expected of her and the difficult political landscape.
I have a friend from Ghana so was very keen to read a book aet in that country, being more familiar with novels such as Half of a Yellow Sun, set in Nigeria. In the end, the setting is what kept me going through this novel. I found the characters less than appealing at times and found the situations a little melodramatic. I did get a  feel for the oppressive heat, beauty and contradictions of Ghana, but Ghana itself was a minor character as the women's relationships dominated.
The Association of Foreign Spouses is available from the adult fiction area of Wagga Wagga City Library.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro wrote The Remains of the Day, you know, that movie with Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson? So, I was expecting an old country house in England and got something quite different. Never Let Me Go is set in England in the 1990s but you soon come to realise that it isn't quite life as we know it. If you like a technical label, Never Let Me Go is dystopian science fiction but there aren't any robots and it isn't your typical science fiction at all.
This is one of the RRL Book Club books and my club had mixed reactions to it. Mind you, my club has had mixed reactions to every book we have done, that's one of the many joys of a book club! I really enjoyed Never Let Me Go and have gone on to read When We Were Orphans and The Remains of the Day, both available at the library.

Sharp Turn by Marianne Delacourt

This is the second book in the Tara Sharp series. The first book in the series is Sharp Shooter. I definitely recommend that you read the books in order as the first book describes how Tara ends up with an unorthodox PI business, or rather a "Paralanguage and Kinesics Agency". Tara sees auras and this helps her determine whether people are lying and how they will behave. I know it sounds a bit flakey but its a fast paced, fun series that you will not be able to put down. It comes with some interesting characters like Nick Tozzi who lines her up with some jobs and narcoleptic Wal Grominsky, former client, current bodyguard and a couple of pet galahs named Hoo and Brains. With more luck and determination, rather than skill, Tara solves a couple of cases.

If you like Janet Evanovich you will love this series. It is set in Perth and Australian author Marianne Delacourt keeps you entertained. I love the Perth setting and I love the Australianisms like 'tracky daks', though it took me a while to figure out that 'LBD' was Little Black Dress. I can't wait for the next book!

Violent Exposure by Katherine Howell

Just finished this crime novel by Australian author Katherine Howell, a former NSW ambulance officer. This is her fourth novel featuring Detective Ella Marconi. I really enjoyed this book and will have to go back and read the previous three!

The story opens with ambulance officers responding to a posssible domestic violence incident. Shortly afterwards Suzanne Crawford is found stabbed to death and her missing husband is suspected. Eventually Ella solves the case with some assistance from the ambulance officers. Katherine Howell's experience as an ambulance officer really comes through, making this an interesting read.

Body Work by Sara Paretsky

This is the fourteenth book in the V.I. Warshawski Series. It's hard to believe that I read the first one back in 1982 but V.I. is a character that I will always love to follow. The stories are always interesting but it's the character that keeps me coming back for more. Every time I read one of these novels I picture Sharon Gless from Cagney and Lacey! That old TV series is probably nothing to do with these books but V.I. has some similar character traits. So if you didn't like Cagney and Lacey you probably won't enjoy these books.

In this novel V.I. investigates the murder outside of Club Gouge, Chicago's edgiest nightclub where the Body Artist performs, her naked body the canvas that the audience paints on.

Crime

My favourites, if you like to follow characters:
1. Worth Dying For by Lee Child (The 15th book in the Jack Reacher series)
2. 9 Dragons by Michael Connelly (The 15th book in the Harry Bosch series)
3. Storm Prey by John Sandford (The 20th book in the Lucas Davenport series)
4. Chasing Darkness by Robert Crais (The 11th book in the Elvis Cole series)
5. Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen (the 8th book in the Rizzoli and Isles series and now a series on TV!)
6. Long Lost by Harlan Coben (The 9th book in the Myron Bolitar series)
7. Broken by Karin Slaughter (The 7th book in the Grant County series)
8. 9th Judgement by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro (The 9th book in the Women's Murder Club series, also a short lived TV series)
9. Cross Fire by James Patterson (The 17th book in the Alex Cross series)
10. Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb (The 38th book in the In Death series)
11. Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs (The 13th book in the Temperance Brennan series, also known as the TV series Bones)
12. U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton (The 21st book in the Kinsey Milhone series)
13. Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen (The 9th book in the Eve Duncan series)
14. Kill Chain by Meg Gardiner (The 5th book in the Evan Delaney series)
15. The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver (The 9th book in the Lincoln Rhyme series)
16. To Dream of the Dead by Phil Rickman (The 10th book in the Merrily Watkins series)
17. The First Rule by Robert Crais (The 2nd book in the Joe Pike series)
18. The Reversal by Michael Connelly (The 3rd book in the Mickey Haller series)
19. The Silent Hour by Michael Koryta (The 4th book in the Lincoln Perry series)

And for something zany:
20. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich (The 16th book in the Stephanie Plum By the Numbers series - It will make you laugh out loud! Soon to be released as a motion picture starring Katherine Heigl. Hard to imagine the movie living up to these fantastic novels but can't wait to see.)

Just Watch Me by Peter Grimsdale

I discovered this author by chance and this is only the second book by Peter Grimsdale. I haven't read his first book Perfect Night but if its anything like this one it would be worth a read!

Just Watch Me tells the story of ex army sniper Dan Carter who, after witnessing a terrorist attack, is placed in the Scheme, a type of Witness Protection program, with his new wife Sara. Four years on they plan their first family holiday with their twins. Just as they are about to board the plane Dan discovers his passport is missing, but he encourages Sarah and the children to go ahead and he will follow. Shortly afterwards he hears that their plane has gone down. This leads Dan on a search for answers where he will need all of his military training to get to the truth.

This is a great thriller with a surprising plot which will keep you guessing until the very end.