Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

 

It all began in a nightclub on the Costa Del Sol when 21 year old American college boy Sami Kierce saw a beautiful girl smiling at him. This is a complicated, mysterious story and I found to my delight that I couldn’t predict the outcome of any of its parts.

Sami’s wild encounter with Anna will change the course of his life. I’m assuming there was a book before this which covered the time after the Costa Del Sol up to the present, but not to have read it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this one.

Sami is now an ex-cop private eye who has known tragedy but he has a wife and baby son he loves very much and is teaching a class of would-be investigators the tricks of the trade, when suddenly one day he thinks he sees Anna, the girl from the long-ago college vacation.

I don’t do spoilers ever but especially so in this case; I would hate to give away any of such a clever plot. I would highly recommend this compulsive page turner to all who admire free flowing, witty, narrative style writing.

Published by Penguin

The Great Hippopotamus Hotel by Alexander McCall Smith

 

Mma Ramotswe has taken on a new case investigating strange goings on at the Great Hippopotamus Hotel; however, she has fallen ill and Mr JLB Matekoni is insisting that she obey doctor’s orders and stay home from work until she feels better. Mma Makutsi is ready and willing to take over the case and she gets to work with all of her usual enthusiasm, especially when she suspects the evil Violet Sephotho could be involved.

So, nothing too radical. It’s just always nice to know that the people of Gaborone are still doing what they do, solving problems (not, hopefully, ‘crimes’); fixing cars, and, in the case of Mma Potokwane, caring for orphans and, of course, baking her superb fruit cake.

There have been some beautiful covers on the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books and I think this one takes the prize as the most beautiful of the lot. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get it in paperback and had to put it on my Kindle so I can’t put it on my bookshelf and admire it.

Mma Precious Ramotswe is an endearing, enduring character and Alexander McCall Smith’s books are perfect little companions when you’re looking for a quiet getaway. 

Published by Little, Brown Book Group