READING IDEAS FOR THE WEEK

Morgan Cry has come up with the perfect summer novel with this latest release, Six Wounds. The author transports the reader to a slice of Spain which provides a haven for a diverse range of British expats, including our protagonist Daniella, who runs a weary pub passed down to her by her deceased mother and which she manages with her partner Zia.

The pub has seen better days, and its few remaining regulars consist of a few questionable characters, with Daniella feeling overwhelmed with the task of bringing it back to life.

When the body of her mother’s old boyfriend Pat Ratte is found in the pub cellar, Daniella’s world is turned upside down.

She is the local police’s number one suspect, and soon finds herself seriously threatened by bookie Carl Stroker, who wants to expand his business empire and has his eyes set on the pub.

With the chief of police watching her every move, Daniella takes it upon herself to get to the truth – who committed the murder and put her in the frame for it, and why is everyone around her so terrified of Carl Stroker?

While this book is part of a series, it works equally as well as a standalone. It features all the twists and turns that one expects from a crime thriller, and there is a particularly clever revelation that neatly encompasses the individual stories of each character we meet along the way.

It is admittedly a little slow-paced in places, but the brilliantly vivid depictions of the setting, and the familiar eccentricities of the expats who make up the community, bring the novel to life.

The author strikes the perfect balance between seriousness and light-heartedness, and there are some moments of real genius thrown in the narrative as we follow Daniella on her investigation.

The conclusion is somewhat open-ended, hopefully paving the way for a sequel.

Ultimately it is an engaging page turner that will make you long for a holiday to the Spanish coast.