Sunday Salon: Contemporary Drama, Crime Novels

 Finished reading:

Meredith, Alone by  Claire Alexander Published June 23rd 2022 by Penguin Michael Joseph Genre: contemporary fiction, women's fiction

My goodreads/NetGalley review: Meredith has isolated herself indoors for 1,300 days and counting, until the time comes when she steps outside, prompted by the persistence of an internet friend Celeste; by a best friend who is the only friend to visit, by her online therapist Diane, and by a visiting social worker, Tom. I was moved by this group of people who become Meredith's support, never giving up on trying to get her out of the house and into society again. I also liked that the story behind Meredith's strange behavior is gradually revealed, and how she comes to face it and speak about it. Meredith is propelled to help the people she comes in contact with in person, on the internet, or from her front door and windows, and this also helps to get her away from her own problems. This is a sensitive, contemporary novel that looks at one person's trauma and its aftermath. The Couple at the Table (Spilling CID #11) by  Sophie Hannah Published January 27th 2022 by Hodder & Stoughton Genre: thriller, suspense My goodreads/NetGalley review: An unlikely scenario sets the stage for this psychological thriller, in which a couple, Jane and William, on their honeymoon, happen to be at the same resort as William's exwife and her new husband. This situation could be tricky and uncomfortable, and it is. Then when a murder occurs, the clues seem to make no sense and point to no one at the resort as the murderer as they all have alibis.  The novel very cleverly has the mystery resolve in an Agatha Christie fashion, with all the possible culprits facing a detective together at the end, and being grilled relentlessly in a controlled setting. This, before the detective reveals what really happened as he solves the crime. The main characters, the wife Jane in particularly, are ditsy personalities, which leads the reader to want to see more of where their extreme behavior will take them. Clever plotting and character development. Now reading:   City Under One Roof  by  Iris Yamashita Kindle Edition, 320 pages Expected publication: January 10th 2023 by Berkley Source: NetGalley Genre: crime fiction About:  A stranded detective tries to solve a murder in a tiny Alaskan town. where everyone lives in a single high-rise building. When a local teenager discovers a severed hand and foot on the shore of the small town of Point Mettier, Alaska, Cara Kennedy is on the case. A detective from Anchorage, she has her own motives for investigating the possible murder in this isolated place, which can be accessed only by a tunnel. (publisher) My review What are you reading this week?  Memes: The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated Bookreviewer. Also,  It's Monday: What Are You Reading, and Sunday Salon, Stacking the Shelves, Mailbox Monday