The Man Who Watched the Trains go By

By George Simenon

Not a Maigret but a fantastic read. Very dark. A normal guy in Holland is suddenly transformed by events in his employer's business. Edge of the seat stuff 9/10

Paris in Turmoil

 by Eric Hazan

A series of vignettes about the history and current state of the city of Paris. In Hazan's normal style it is a no holds barred account where he praises and disparages in equal measure. It is a short and very enjoyable read for anyone who loves the city and will certainly provoke discussion. 8/10

Maigret and the Old Lady

 by George Simenon

Maigret is off to the Normandy coast following the poisoning of a maid. The glass she drank was meant for her mistress. As you would expect not everything is as it seems as we learn more about the family history the true story behind the poisoning comes to light. Vintage Maigret 9/10

Chinaman

By Shehan Karunatilaka

A very funny, cricket rich book about a mystery Sri Lankan cricketer called Pradeep Matthew. 

It is told by an unreliable narrator who is 64 and drinking himself to death. This story of his attempts to find the man and tell his story against the background of civil war in Sri Lanka is great. 8/10

Mrs. S

By K. Patrick

A lesbian romance set in a girls boarding school in the UK. The two main characters are an Australian women in her early twenties and the headmaster's wife, Mrs S. 

The tension is built in an incredible fashion which I really enjoyed. The sex when it arrives is explicit and breaks the tension in a way that was both a relief and disappointing. 

An honourable mention for the house mistress -a fellow  lesbian- who was a true friend and brought some light relief when needed. 8/10

Rosy & John

 by Pierre LeMaitre

A great novella featuring the french police officer Camille Verhoeven. 

Following an explosion in the middle of Paris a man hands himself in and says he has planted six other bombs due to go off at 24 hour intervals.

The pace is relentless and nail biting. Lemaitre at his best 8/10

The Enchantress of Florence

 by Salman Rushdie

A complicated tale moving from India and the Moghuls to renaissance Florence with a cast of characters who appear to move through time and have several names to boot! But, Rushdie is such a great story teller that this is an enjoyable yarn about a beautiful princess and the way her life unfolds and her son?/grandson?/none of the above? who is telling her tale to try and be recognised as a prince. We are kept guessing until the end but it was a very enjoyable journey 8/10