There is something about being on holiday that turns me into a completely different reader. At home, I can have every intention of reading before bed and then life happens. I’m tired, I end up scrolling on my phone, or I manage about three pages before falling asleep.
Put me next to a pool in Rhodes for two weeks, though, and apparently I can get through books like there’s no tomorrow. I read five books in the first nine days of our holiday alone!
I definitely had a theme too: thrillers, crime, missing people, murder, investigations and lots of twists. Basically, nothing remotely relaxing while I was actually relaxing by the pool.
I love trying to work out what’s happening before the author tells me. Sometimes I’m annoyingly good at it. Other times I’m completely wrong, and those are often the books I enjoy the most.
So, here’s everything I read on holiday, what I thought and which ones managed to fool me.
A little warning before you carry on: there are spoilers below!
The Lost Women – Tim Weaver
The lost women was a really good start to my holiday reading. It was easy to get into, I liked the way the storyline flowed and, most importantly, I predicted absolutely nothing.
That doesn’t happen very often.
I really liked how everything started coming together towards the end and how the different parts of the story suddenly made sense. It’s exactly the sort of thriller I enjoy because I was constantly trying to work it out and the book stayed ahead of me.
My only issue was the cliffhanger. I was actually a little glum about that. After spending an entire book trying to work out what is happening, I like an ending to actually feel like an ending. I want my answers!
My Husband’s Wife – Alice Feeney
This was clever. Really clever.
My husband’s wife flowed brilliantly and was one of those books where I could easily imagine it being made into a TV series or film.
And it got me.
I did not work out that Eden Fox wasn’t actually the mum, and I definitely didn’t predict the reveal that the detective was the real mum.
Those are my favourite kinds of twists. The ones that make you mentally flick back through everything you’ve already read because suddenly you’re looking at the entire story differently.
This was definitely one of the stronger books of my holiday.
The Family Friend – Claire Douglas
I really enjoy Claire Douglas and The Family Friend was another good, easy holiday read.
I particularly liked the investigation side with Imogen. Give me someone digging around in the past, uncovering secrets and trying to work out what really happened and I’m usually happy.
I did feel a little like I was scratching my head at the final Dorothea/Dorothy and Annette exchange. I remember finishing it and not being completely sure what I was supposed to take from that. I did re-read it and then I puzzled it together.
Overall, I enjoyed it and it was an easy one to get through by the pool. I do love Claire Douglas, so I know I am going to enjoy her books anytime!
It’s Not What You Think – Clare Mackintosh
I really enjoyed this one: It’s not what you think.
It starts with Nadeeka believing Jamie is having an affair and then quickly turns into something much bigger. I loved the investigation element and the fact we got the story from multiple viewpoints.
The chapters were longer than some of the other thrillers I read – and I do love those short chapters that trick you into reading “just one more” – but the storyline kept me interested.
There was also a lot more going on than I initially realised.
Jamie’s involvement with the secretive group and his attempts to uncover who was really behind it added another layer to the story. And then came the reveal that Nadeeka’s boss – the senior detective – was actually the person running the ring.
I did not see that coming.
That was one of my favourite reveals of the holiday because I’d spent so much of the book trying to work everything out and it genuinely caught me out.
The Intruder – Freida McFadden
I’d already read and loved Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid books, so naturally I had a few more Freida books in my holiday reading pile.
I liked the flow of The Intruder. It was easy to read, kept me interested and there were plenty of twists along the way. I particularly liked discovering how all the characters were actually connected.
But the ending left me feeling a little flat.
I think it was the reveal that Anton was actually alive and in prison that did it for me. After discovering that he was Nell’s real dad, I wanted her to actually get the chance to see him. Instead, she’s left believing her dad is dead when he isn’t.
After everything the story had built towards, I wanted that emotional payoff. I wanted Nell to find her real dad and have that moment with him, so finishing the book knowing he was alive but that she still didn’t know felt frustrating.
Maybe that says more about me than the book – apparently even when I’m reading about murder, abuse and people setting houses on fire, I still want a nice family reunion at the end!
The Divorce – Freida McFadden
This one was OK. There were bits I enjoyed, but there were also moments when I thought it was all getting a little bit much. The Divorce is an easy read and did get my emotions on a rollercoaster!
I hated Jeremy.
Initially, I felt really sorry for Naomi too. Then, as Freida tends to do, the story started changing how I felt about everybody.
I did not predict that Veronica was Teddy’s real mum. That was clever, and once everything started coming out, I actually stopped hating Veronica in the way I had earlier in the book.
I felt sorry for Ezra too, especially knowing where everything ultimately led for him.
And poor Teddy. Seriously. Poor Teddy.
It was a good holiday read and she still managed to get a major twist past me.
The Teacher – Freida McFadden
Now THIS was more like it.
The Teacher was my favourite of the Freida McFadden books I read during this particular reading binge.
The twists were brilliant.
I had no idea Jay was Hudson. I loved that reveal. Eve’s hypocrisy really got me too, and then there was the Kenzie twist.
It just kept going.
Every time I thought I finally understood what had happened, another piece of information came along and changed everything again.
That’s exactly what I want from a psychological thriller.
Out of the Freida books I read on holiday, The Teacher was the clear winner for me.
Don’t Let Him In – Lisa Jewell
I love Lisa Jewell, so I had high hopes for this one. I love all of her books and I can add Don’t let him in to the list!
It took me a good few chapters to really get to grips with it. I think the confusion is intentional, but initially I was trying to work out who everyone was and how everything connected.
Then I reached the end of Part 3 and suddenly things started slotting into place and I got very excited! I did finish this book once I had got home, for full disclosure! The drama and intensity really picked up from part 3. I love the fact I got to work some bits out, but other elements I had not!
I clocked that Nick and Simon were the same person and, as I moved through Part 4, I was convinced Simon had killed Paddy and planned everything. I wasn’t far off the mark.
I also clocked that Nick was the person who had sent Ash the letters supposedly from Ritchie.
So Lisa didn’t completely get me with this one. Albeit, I really loved the twists and turns.
Then we reached the beach. When it looked as though Simon had escaped, I was genuinely disappointed. I remember thinking, is that it? After all that build-up, it felt really flat.
And then…
Bammmm.
The final chapter. That’s better.
That final chapter was the best ending for me. I needed that last little payoff. I envisioned his little smug face being wiped clean!
Apparently I Have A Thriller Formula
Looking back at everything I read, I’ve realised there is quite a specific formula that works for me.
I want a book to move quickly. I love an investigation. Multiple viewpoints work really well for me when each perspective reveals something different. I want characters I can have opinions about – clearly very strong opinions in Jeremy’s case – and I absolutely want twists.
But probably the biggest compliment I can give a thriller is: I didn’t guess it.
That’s why The Teacher, My Husband’s Wife, It’s Not What You Think, Don’t let him in and The Lost Women are the books that particularly stand out when I think back to Rhodes. At some point, each of them managed to make me rethink what I thought was happening.
I’ve also discovered just how important the ending is to me. The Lost Women frustrated me with its cliffhanger. The Intruder didn’t give me the reunion I wanted for Nell and her real dad. And Don’t Let Him In was very nearly heading into the same category until Lisa Jewell pulled that final chapter out of the bag.
Apparently, I need closure!
And Then There Was Ann Cleeves…
My final book was supposed to be The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves. And then we came home.
Suddenly there wasn’t a swimming pool, a sun lounger and hours where nobody needed me to be anywhere. There was work, washing, teenagers and normal life again.
And apparently normal-life Sonia cannot read at the same speed as holiday Sonia.
So The Killing Stones is still waiting for me.
I’m not going to pretend to review a book I haven’t finished just so I can complete the list. I’ll get there eventually, but I also realised I was holding this entire article up waiting for enough time to finish one more book – which seemed a bit silly when I already had so many books I wanted to talk about. I love Ann Cleeves’ TV shows Vera and Shetland, and so I know I am going to love the books!
The biggest thing this holiday reminded me is just how much I love reading when I actually give myself the time to do it. I’m definitely drawn towards psychological thrillers and crime stories, particularly anything involving an investigation and a twist I can try to solve before the author reveals it.
Maybe I just need to work out how to bring a little bit more of holiday Sonia home with me.
If you enjoy reading about all the things I get up to when I’m not trying to solve fictional murders, you can find plenty more family life, travel, home and everyday ramblings in my Lifestyle posts. And if you’re heading away somewhere sunny soon, I definitely recommend loading a few thrillers onto your Kindle – just don’t blame me when “one more chapter” turns into half the night.
