The Last Death of The Year by Sophie Hannah

The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah is narrated by Inspector Edward Catchpool, who along with Hercule Poirot, is invited to a remote island in Greece for a New Year celebration. The invitation comes from Nathaniel Athanasiou, known as Nash, the founder of a spiritual movement called the Very Good Friends. At the House of Perpetual Welcome, or the Spitty, Nash promises unconditional forgiveness, a fresh start, and a place where people can leave their past behind.

The premise is intriguing, but the execution feels cluttered. Nine residents live at the Spitty, each with an unclear backstory, which makes it difficult to connect with them or fully engage in the mystery. Instead of building suspense, their secrecy becomes frustrating, and their suspicious behaviour lacks emotional weight.

The New Year resolution game is meant to spark tension, yet it comes across as exaggerated. Soon after, the threatened death occurs. Nash then reveals that someone had already received a death threat and feared for their life before the tragedy. A second death follows not long after.

Many of the residents behave suspiciously, yet their characters remain vague and hazy, making it difficult to feel fully invested. While the execution of the mystery was acceptable and largely reasonable, the reckless decision to create a so called murder challenge felt absurd and unnecessarily dangerous. This is my first Poirot novel by Sophie Hannah. I found it messy at times yet it's an okay Poirot pastiche rather than a standout one. 

Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren

Disclaimer: take your time, it isn’t a fast-paced read.

I owe this read to Pansing’s former ME, Ms. Cheryl. She sent me this copy two years ago, and I only finished it yesterday. I genuinely feel sorry and a little regretful that I took so long because I ended up loving it. I’m giving it 4.5 ⭐.

Collected Works is a portrait of literature, academia, and the fragile inner worlds of its characters. The book unfolds like a long, winding diary shared between Martin Berg and his daughter, Rakel.

Fifteen years ago, Cecelia Berg had vanished after the birth of her second child. Her disappearance left behind an ache that never fully healed. Confusion, grief, and unanswered questions linger over every page, shaping the lives of those she left behind.

The story spans from the early 1980s to the present, told through Martin’s and Rakel’s alternating perspectives. Before Cecelia entered Martin’s life, there was Gustav Becker, his inseparable best friend. Their friendship, through every storm and season, is beautifully written. Together, they carry each other through the years until Cecelia disappears irrevocably.

Fast-forward, Rakel stumbles upon a novel introduced by her father. As she reads, something strange happens. The protagonist feels uncannily familiar, like a shadow of someone she once knew. Driven by curiosity and longing, Rakel begins her own quiet journey to piece together the figments of her memory, and maybe, her mother.

Part Three is the heart of the novel. It reminds us that no matter how close we are to someone, there are depths we may never truly know. The book touches gently on themes of friendship, mental health, and depression. I am grateful I finally read this beautifully translated work. Some stories linger with a gentle resilience long after the final page.

Kombo Ngeri by Gina Yap Lai Yoong

1. Ngeri (2011)
Joanne, Samuel dan Rehan merupakan pelajar Universiti Filem Masyhur. Mereka ditugaskan menghasilkan sebuah filem pendek. Namun idea mereka ditolak mentah-mentah oleh Profesor Bazri. Dalam masa yang sama, negara dikejutkan dengan penemuan mayat seorang kanak-kanak di dalam peti sejuk beku, kes pembunuhan yang langsung tidak masuk akal dan lebih mengejutkan, ia meniru bulat-bulat idea asal Samuel.

Setiap kali Samuel mengusulkan idea baharu, insiden serupa akan berlaku di dunia nyata. Samuel akhirnya ditahan. Walaupun modus pembunuhan agak luar batas logik, twist yang diselitkan memang menghiburkan dan buat aku teruskan baca.

2. Mangsa (2012)
Pasukan Orang Hilang telah ditubuhkan selepas kes remaja hilang meningkat mendadak. Namun begitu, apabila anaknya Rosmah dipercayai hilang semasa membuat liputan rencana tentang remaja dengan haiwan peliharaannya, ular sawa, di sebuah homestay di Pahang, Inspektor Rashid selaku ketua operasi mula panik dan mencari anaknya bersama team.

Agak kelam kabut plotnya tapi aku suka bab di gelanggang Lodge tu. Elemen suspen melibatkan ular memang menyeramkan.

3. Obsesi (2015)
Kali ini Hema Chandran yang pernah mengendalikan kes Ngeri dan Mangsa, bukan detektif lagi selepas dia meletakkan jawatan polis tapi fokusnya masih kepada pelaku kes Ngeri dan Mangsa yang berjaya mengaburkan diri. Dia bergerak solo sebagai penyiasat persendirian.

Apabila terdapat dua kes pembunuhan dan suspeknya kali ini Samuel lagi, dia tidak dapat lari bila semua bukti menuju ke arahnya. Pada aku part ni lebih kurang macam Ngeri cumanya ending berbeza. Protaganist agak all-out dalam cerita kali ini sesuai dengan tajuk.

Overall, aku suka penerbit compilekan ketiga-tiga novel ni. Kombo Ngeri ialah satu perjalanan gelap yang saling berkait dengan pace yang laju, misteri yang sengaja mengelirukan, dan twist yang cukup untuk buat pembaca tak senang duduk. Vibe Fixi memang terasa: gelap, urban, sinis, dan addictive. 

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

Who else can describe human nature better than Mr. King? Mr. Mercedes proves once again how sharp he is at exploring darkness and desire. Getting used to retirement has been hard for Bill Hodges, who drifts through his days without purpose until a letter arrives. A self-confessed message from someone claiming to be the notorious Mercedes Killer. Instead of fear, it sparks a reason to live, and to hunt, in Hodges.

Before retirement, Hodges faced the horrific City Center Massacre, where a man plowed a stolen Mercedes into a Job Fair crowd, killing and injuring innocent people. No DNA, no real evidence, just a clown mask and a ghost who slipped away. It became his final unsolved case, the one that never stopped haunting him.

The killer, hungry for attention in a twisted way, taunts Hodges and leaves a trail through Debbie's Blue Umbrella, an online chat site. Even Mrs. Olivia Trelawney, the owner of the stolen Mercedes, received a letter before her tragic suicide. Hodges knows he owes it to her, and to himself, to chase the truth one last time.

With help from Jerome Robinson and the unforgettable Holly Gibney, the investigation gains new life. Here, we see the roots of Holly's fragile brilliance, and it made me appreciate her character even more.

I don’t have a single critical note. King delivers gripping storytelling from the start, and Mr. Mercedes makes me want to continue exploring more of his earlier masterpieces. I give it 5 stars. I might be biased, because Stephen King is my auto buy author. 😅

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

OMG. This is one of those books you must read before you die. Ngl, I bought it a couple of years ago at BBW, only picked it up three days ago, and now I'm completely obsessed. 5 ⭐s from me.

The story begins with the narrator, who struggles with insomnia. His doctor suggests he attend support groups to see what real pain looks like. So he goes, finding himself surrounded by people seeking treatment or living with life threatening illnesses. He keeps going almost religiously. Then two people enter his life: Tyler Durden and Marla Singer.

Marla used to work in a funeral home, just to feel something, just to feel alive. But even funerals are nothing compared to the raw, intimate intensity of support groups. She senses he is fake, and he feels exactly the same about her.

Tyler Durden, on the other hand, is presented as charming, brilliant, and problem solver. He is the creator of the fight club. He truly creates it with purpose. For Tyler, fighting is not about winning or losing. It's about stripping everything away and discovering what survives. Soon, fight clubs begin appearing in different parts of town. Through Tyler, they also make and sell soap, and the money keeps flowing in. The narrator depends on Tyler, trusts him, almost worships him.

Then comes Project Mayhem. Members gather after fight club sessions, listening to Tyler's committee like a twisted support group. They carry out assignments around the city. The mission is to teach every man involved that they have the power to shape history, to save the world, and to use chaos as a form of truth. Of course, all of this is just Tyler's dogma. Tyler cannot stop himself from wanting to burn everything down.

As someone who loves psychological thrillers, I'm impressed by how the plot unfolds. The story pulls you in, almost hypnotically, and you begin to understand why people fall under Tyler's spell.