Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford

A body has been found on the Land Trust roof. Joseph Barrow and Phineas Drummond, a detective from Cahokia PD Murder Squad investigating the murder. But the body was put there to tell a story, deliberately someone's idea to create a chaos and crazy scheme.

The city of Cahokia is home to three major ethnic groups: native Americans (takouma), African Americans (taklousa) and European Americans (takata). The story of a city that is full of accidents, improbabilities, grand ambitions, tragedies, sudden changes and the slow march of time to wipe away native power and native property rights.

This historical crime novel is set circa 1922. It is a whimsical and imaginative tale that explores topics of organisations such as subversive networks, anarchists, race radicals, KKK, Class solidarity, the Church, ancient Aztecs and the Inca.

The book is definitely NOT about whodunnit but focuses particular attention on symbols and the inside story of distinctive of the ethnic. The author also expertly pulls all the threads together to provide a satisfying detective noir theme to tell history through a wider and more inclusive lens. My personal rating is 5 ⭐️

Thanks to @times.reads and @putrifariza for the review copy. Opinions are my own 💙

*Available at all major bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia and their online stores 

Geneva by Richard Armitage

Sarah Collier was a scientist who worked on a prototype gene therapy and just received a Nobel Prize. Not even 50 yet, she left everything and considering an early retirement. She starts to show symptoms of dementia and wants to keep things private until then. 

Her husband, Daniel urged her to attend an event on a new product that would be held in Geneva - brain implants. This product could be a lifeline, but it could also be a terrifying Pandora's box if it fell into the wrong hands before it was fully trialled. Only potential investors were in attendance. Unfortunately, the truth about her condition was exposed. She's losing her grip. 

I can honestly say, the author offers a window into the subtlety of dementia. This is how Sarah felt in the early stage, which affected her thinking, memory, reasoning, personality, mood and behaviour. Having a father with Alzheimer's has taken quite a toll on Sarah. But the truth is more shocking! 

Another imaginative and uniquely twisted story about betrayal and relationships, and how all is not always as it seems.

Thanks to @times.reads and @putrifariza for the review copy. Opinions are my own 💙 

*Available at all major bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia and their online stores 

The Spider by Lars Kepler

Joona Linna and Saga Bauer begin to build somewhat of a 'history' with Jurek Walter, a serial killer. To make a long story short Walter was killed by Joona. Since then, Saga has been getting help from a psychiatrist and struggling to return to duty.

After three years, she received a package that contained a metal figurine of a man and nine white bullets. It was posted before the murders took place. National Crime Unit think that there must be some influence by Jurek Walter. The killer aimed to make things personal. Eight people close and had conflicted with Saga died. She's been trying to stop a serial killer, but in the process, she becomes a suspect.

Of course, it's full of murders. It feels surreal and I can understand why it takes longer to capture the killer. Absolutely a psychological mess it puts you through violence and torture.

There were a few parts where I had to step back and process what I had just read because it was just a bit too much for me. It managed to surpass my expectations. The character-driven is the best part of this book. 5 ⭐️


Thanks to @definitelybooks #pansing for the review copy. Opinions are my own 💙

*Available at all major bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia and their online stores