Book Bites
The Buck That Buries Its Poo ★★★★ Quinton Coetzee, Jonathan Ball Publishers
Coetzee’s fun and accessible book is full of facts about South African wildlife. He tackles questions such as do hippos sweat blood? (No, but they do make their own sun cream); why do snakes “dry bite” (many reasons but not because of feelings); how do porcupines procreate (easily — if the female is in the mood); and, how likely are puff adders to bite if stepped on (not likely at all but don’t try it). The delightful read can be dipped into or enjoyed in one lazy weekend. It will provide plenty of interesting quips to liven up boring dinner parties or break the ice in awkward social situations. Tiah Beautement
The Returned ★★★ Amanda Cassidy, Canelo Crime
Nancy Wills arrives home from work to find a fire roaring through her house. All she can think of is her infant son Liam, asleep upstairs. Battling through the flames she gets to the room to find the crib empty. Six years later Nancy, who suffered horrific burns and whose marriage has since collapsed, sees a boy at a market and is convinced he is her missing child. Detective Sergeant Ally Fields, heavily pregnant, is investigating a fire in her hometown of Currolough in which a man was killed and his daughter jumped out of the window to save herself. Ally and her partner, Garda Detective Clark Casey, soon realise there’s a link between the two fires. As they work through a web of secrets and lies, their own dark secrets emerge. This second crime thriller by the Irish writer reveals a complex, layered plot that keeps you riveted from start to finish. Gabriella Bekes
A Bird in Winter ★★★★ Louise Doughty, Faber & Faber
This slowburn spy thriller takes the reader beyond the usual spy vs spy gameplay. The novel acts as a dark mirror that illuminates the sacrifices, loneliness and terror of being an older female spy in today’s world. The book opens with a cinematic scene told in the first person by Heather, affectionately known as Bird by her family. She is in an office in Birmingham. A boardroom called Alaska, because it is always cold. Her instincts tell her to run — and so begins her journey on trains, ferries and boats in and around a cold, wet Scotland. A remarkable read. Jennifer Platt