Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Winner of The Women’s Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.

The poignant – and at times very funny – novel from the author of The Dutch House and Commonwealth.

Somewhere in South America, at the home of the country’s vice president, a lavish birthday party is being held in honour of the powerful businessman Mr. Hosokawa. Roxane Coss, opera’s most revered soprano, has mesmerised the international guests with her singing.

It is a perfect evening – until a band of gun-wielding terrorists takes the entire party hostage. But what begins as a panicked, life-threatening scenario slowly evolves into something quite different, a moment of great beauty, as terrorists and hostages forge unexpected bonds and people from different continents become compatriots, intimate friends, and lovers.

E6 Janet 6 June 6 P7 T7 C8 S7

Christine P
Score: 6.7

2024-02-14

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Alicia Berenson lived a seemingly perfect life until one day six years ago.

When she shot her husband in the head five times.


Since then she hasn’t spoken a single word.


It’s time to find out why.

R 8, C8, S8, P 8, T7, Jane 8, June 8, Janet 7, E 7

Jane B
Score: 7.7

2024-01-17

The Puppet Show by M W Craven

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless. When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of . . .

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant, but socially awkward, civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he’s ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive

E6 Janet 8 June 8 C 8 Trude 6 S 8 Jane 6

June T
Score: 7.1

2023-11-08