Merak Magazine

The Cutting Room by Ashley Dyer

The Cutting Room by Ashley Dyer is a multi-layered, spellbinding mystery. This second instalment in the Carver and Lake series can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend book one, Splinter in the Blood, as well. DCI Greg Carver is still on restricted…

Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham

Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham is an absorbing, character driven mystery that features a  multifaceted storyline. Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven is assisting with an upcoming court case to see if Evie Cormac is ready to transition to living on her own.…

Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau

Coney Island, 1911. Peggy Battenberg, along with thousands of other revellers, is planning on spending summer at America’s playground. But Peggy, heiress to a massive fortune, is unlike the other inhabitants of Coney Island that summer; her family is in…

The Passengers by John Marrs

The Passengers by John Marrs is a futuristic, science fiction technothriller that is absolutely mesmerising. Sometime in the near future, driverless cars are now mandated in Britain. The public has been reassured these cars are not only hacker proof but will save lives…

Vegetarian by Han Kang

Yeong-hye the younger sister, unexpectedly breaks cultural mores and declares herself a vegetarian one day, leading to her husband’s confusion and anger over his wife’s new “tactics”. However, you can also see that she does not force her new change…

Bag Ladies by Jean Lant

If you are someone who’s looking for a quick read of a short thriller based on true life events, then ‘Bag Ladies’ by Jean Lant will not disappoint you.  This book about two witty, humorous and strong ladies going through…

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Blurb: It tells the story of two sisters in France during World War II, and their struggle to survive and resist the German occupation of France. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Nightingale for its storytelling and twists that kept me gripped…

The Perfect Wife by J.P. Delaney

The Perfect Wife by JP Delaney is a mesmerising novel that is part science fiction,  part mystery and completely enthralling.  Confession time: I am not a sci-fi fan but I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this domestic mystery. Tim Scott is a Silicon Valley billionaire whose tech…

Salt Slow by Julia Armfield

Once upon a time, I was a person who made the bold claim: ‘I don’t like short stories.’ Imagine that, just writing off a whole genre like that! In the past whenever I dabbled in short story collections (which wasn’t…