Rita Falk: Grießnockerlaffäre

Herbert Dutzler: Letzter Saibling - 04

Der Gasperlmaier hat schon viel erlebt - aber so etwas Furchtbares ist ihm noch nie untergekommen: Leichenteile im malerischen Toplitzsee. Das Verbrechen hat offenbar mit dem jährlichen Fischessen des Altausseer Skiclubs zu tun. Doch als grausamen Killer kann Gasperlmaier sich keinen seiner Skiclub-Freunde vorstellen.

Wie immer hat Gasperlmaier überall zu kämpfen. Er muss sich mit seiner Frau, seiner Vorgesetzten, seinen Kindern, aber jetzt auch noch mit seiner Mutter zusammenraufen, und dabei innerhalb seines Bekanntenkreises ermitteln. Es kommt zu einer Überraschung für den Leser.

Beate Maxian: Der Tote vom Zentralfriedhof

Dorothea Böhme: Sauhaxn

Herbert Dutzler: Letzter Gipfel - 02

Der Gasperlmaier hat es nicht leicht: Ein mysteriöser Anruf führt ihn auf den Loser, wo gleich zwei Frauenleichen zu seinem neuesten Mordfall werden. Während Gasperlmaier gegen Höhenangst und seinen schwachen Magen kämpft, tun sich für ihn und Frau Doktor Kohlross vom Bezirkspolizeikommando Liezen immer neue brisante Fragen auf.

Und bei dem einen Aufstieg zum Loser bleibt es nicht! Gasperlmaier muss wieder hinauf, und es kommt sogar zu einem Gerangel, bei dem er Renate schützen will, aber selber verletzt wird. Rasch zu lesen und sehr unterhaltsam. Die Tollpatschigkeit von Gasperlmaier macht ihn um so liebenswerter.

Oskar Feifar: Dorftratsch

Niederösterreich 1971. In dem kleinen Ort Tratschen wird der Trainer der örtlichen Fußballmannschaft tot im Clubhaus aufgefunden. Verhaftet wird Manfred Sedlak, Platzwart des Vereins, der am Vorabend Streit mit dem Opfer hatte. Sofort kursieren im Dorf Gerüchte über das Motiv des angeblichen Mörders. Doch Postenkommandant Leopold Strobel hat Zweifel an der Schuld Sedlaks. Er findet heraus, dass mehrere Personen gute Gründe für den Mord gehabt hätten und stößt auf einen Sumpf aus Scheinheiligkeit, Neid und Korruption hinter der dörflichen Idylle.

Zu Beginn hatte ich meine Schwierigkeiten mit dem Erzählstil in diesem Buch, da die Handlung praktisch mündlich überliefert, und daher ergeben sich viele Abschweifungen. Aber dennoch war die Geschichte sehr amüsant und "wie der Mampfi dann eingesperrt worden ist", wurde der Krimi von Seite zu Seite interessanter. Österreich am Land in den 70ern und 80ern war wirklich ganz anders als unser heutiges Österreich!

Cecilia Ahern: The year I met you

Jasmine loves two things: her sister and her work. And when her work is taken away she has no idea who she is. Matt loves two things: his family and the booze. Without them, he hits rock bottom. One New Year’s Eve, two people’s paths collide. Both have time on their hands; both are at a crossroads. But as the year unfolds, through moonlit nights and suburban days, an unlikely friendship slowly starts to blossom. Sometimes you have to stop still in order to move on…

A lovely story about endings and new beginnings in life and how some seemingly horrible situations might actually be the beginning of something good. There are some predictable aspects to the story line but the characters were well developed and that drove the story on. A lovely Christmas story really. And it did make me cry, too.

Jodi Picoult: Leaving time

Jenna Metcalf was with her mother the night she disappeared in tragic and mysterious circumstances, but she remembers nothing. Over ten years have passed, and still Jenna reads and rereads her mother's journals, hoping to find some clue hidden there, in the meticulous recording of her scientific research with elephants. Desperate for answers, Jenna uses all her savings to recruit the aid of a private detective - and a psychic. Jenna knows her mother loved her. She knows she would not leave her. And she will not rest until she finds out what happened that night.

Jodi Picoult does not disappoint, but this is one of her best books ever. As always, I could not wait to get my hands on this new novel and once I started I could not put it down. Jenna, Serenity, Virgil and Alice are all interesting characters and piecing their stories together from each individual's viewpoint makes for gripping reading. I would love to see this story as a film, as I can imagine it to be a fantastic movie with great twists and turns. Although I had expected some odd turns, I could not predict the ending. And the stories Picoult researched around the elephants and their behaviours regarding grieving and mothering also makes you want the book to go on for longer. Fantastic and I cannot wait for the next Picoult novel to come out...

John Green: The fault in our stars

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

What a fantastic YA read. This is a funny, poignant tear-jerker about Hazel, Isaac and Augustus. The storyline was somehow predictable in a way, and yet this is still a fascinating read and very insightful as far as the Professionally Sick are concerned...

Volker Klüpfel & Michael Kobr: Milchgeld - Kluftingers erster Fall

Ein Mord in Kommissar Kluftingers beschaulichem Allgäuer Heimatort Altusried – jäh verdirbt diese Nachricht sein gemütliches Kässpatzenessen. Ein Lebensmittelchemiker des örtlichen Milchwerks ist stranguliert worden. Mit eigenwilligen Ermittlungsmethoden riskiert der liebenswert-kantige Kommissar einen Blick hinter die Fassade der Allgäuer Postkartenidylle – und entdeckt einen scheinbar vergessenen Verrat, dunkle Machenschaften und einen handfesten Skandal.

Kluftinger ist ein liebenswerter, und doch cleverer Kommissar, der seine Truppe unter Kontrolle hält, wenn auch er manchmal etwas ungeschickt vorgeht und Kleinigkeiten wie seine Waffe und Handy vergisst.

Hermann Bauer: Karambolage - ein Wiener Kaffeehauskrimi 2

Tödlicher Zusammenstoß in Wien: Nach einem Billardturnier im Kaffeehaus "Heller" wird der Sieger vor ein Auto gestoßen. Niemand hat etwas Genaues gesehen, denn es ist Nacht und stockfinster. Der Tote war ein Zyniker und Provokateur, den kaum jemand leiden konnte, so gehört nicht nur sein Kontrahent zu den Verdächtigen. Wiens liebwürdigster Ermittler - Chefober Leopold - ist aber zur Stelle....

Wenn die "Tschapperl" bei einer "Mischung" im "Heller" sitzen, und Chefober Leopold seine Freunde, alles voran den Lehrer Korber als "Weh" für seine Zwecke einsetzt, dann ist gute Unterhaltung garantiert. Der Wiener Schmäh, der Dialekt, die Vokabeln, das alles macht diese Kaffeehauskrimis aus. Ich freue mich schon jetzt auf das nächste Buch in dieser Reihe. Die Krimi-Geschichte selbst ist nicht schlecht, aber nicht so spannend wie in so manch anderen Krimis, aber dennoch ist Leopold einer meiner liebsten Ermittler....

Andreas Föhr: Totensonntag

Im Herbst 1992 ist Clemens Wallner frischgebackener Kriminalkommissar. Bei einem Besäufnis auf einer Berghütte am Tegernsee, zu dem Kreuthner ihn mitgenommen hatte, geraten Wallner und Kreuthner in eine Geiselnahme. Vom Geiselnehmer erfährt Wallner von einer dramatischen Geschichte, die sich in den letzten Tagen des Zweiten Weltkriegs ereignet hat und die Kreuthner alias »Leichen-Leo« den Hinweis zur Entdeckung seiner ersten Toten liefert. Es handelt sich um ein Skelett in einem edelsteinbesetzten Sarg mit einer Kugel im Schädel …

Das wäre Wallners erster Fall gewesen. Für mich war's der dritte Wallner. Kreuthner und Wallner sind mir schon recht ans Herz gewachsen, aber leider die Reihenfolge wäre wichtig, denn in diesem Fall weiß ich schon mehr als die Charakteren selbst. Was den eigentlichen Krimi angeht, wir immer spannend, und dieses Mal besonders gut gelungen, da alte Geschichte mit neuer Geschichte aufgearbeitet wird.

Sarah Rayner: Another night, another day

Three people, each crying out for help..... There's Karen, worried about her dying father; Abby, whose son has autism and needs constant care; and Michael, a family man on the verge of bankruptcy. As each sinks under the strain, they're brought together at Moreland's Clinic. Here, behind closed doors, they reveal their deepest secrets, confront and console one another and share plenty of laughs. But how will they cope when a new crisis strikes?

Having read Sarah Rayner's other two books about the characters in Brighton, I felt I needed to read this one, too. And I was not disappointed. Reading about Karen, Anna and Lou is great, as the characters have moved on from their last experiences, but have not necessarily moved on in a positive way. Karen is still struggling to come to terms with her serious loss and so mental health issues are covered in a gentle but fascinating way. Everybody can suffer depressions, everybody may need help. Moving and yet uplifting.

Nathan Filer: The Shock of the Fall

‘I’ll tell you what happened because it will be a good way to introduce my brother. His name’s Simon. I think you’re going to like him. I really do. But in a couple of pages he’ll be dead. And he was never the same after that.’

This book reminded me of Mark Haddon's "Incident with the dog in the night-time" in that we are given a perspective that we cannot usually see - that of a person suffering from a mental health issue. The story is easy to follow despite the many voices and jumps, as we grow used to the workings of Matthew's mind. A fascinating, but sad and yet strangely uplifting read.

Jane Shemlit: Daughter

THE NIGHT OF THE DISAPPEARANCE: She used to tell me everything. They have a picture. It'll help. But it doesn't show the way her hair shines so brightly it looks like sheets of gold. She has a tiny mole, just beneath her left eyebrow. She smells very faintly of lemons. She bites her nails. She never cries. She loves autumn, I wanted to tell them. She collects leaves, like a child does. She is just a child.

ONE YEAR LATER: Naomi is still missing. Jenny is a mother on the brink of obsession. The Malcolm family is in pieces. Is finding the truth about Naomi the only way to put them back together? Or is the truth the thing that will finally tear them apart?

After "Before I go to sleep" this book was not as chilling and thrilling, but the characters were well developed and you could identify with the family and each member. I was disappointed with the ending though, as this was a little too stilted and unrealistic in my view.

Andreas Föhr: Schafkopf

Der Kleinkriminelle Stanislaus Kummeder geht an einem Oktobersonntag frühmorgens mit einem Bierfass auf den Riederstein. Dort auf dem Gipfel, hoch über dem Tegernsee, wird ihm aus heiterem Himmel der Kopf weggeschossen. Was der Mann, der nie auf Berge ging, auf dem Riederstein zu schaffen hatte, wozu er ein Bierfass auf den Gipfel schleppte und weshalb ihn jemand mit einem Präzisionsgewehr aus 500 Meter Entfernung erschoss – das können nur zwei Menschen beantworten: der ewig frierende Kommissar Wallner und sein bayerisch-anarchistischer Kollege Polizeiobermeister Kreuthner. Bei ihren Ermittlungen stoßen die beiden auf das geheimnisvolle Verschwinden einer jungen Frau, auf 200 000 Euro im Kofferraum eines dubiosen Anwalts, einen prügelnden Wirt mit abnormen Körperkräften und eine Neumondnacht vor zwei Jahren, in der die Geschehnisse durch eine Partie Schafkopf ihren tragischen Anfang nahmen …

Ein gelungener Krimi rund um Kommissar Wallner. Die Mitglieder der SOKO und die Gemeindebeamten sind gut charakterisiert und obwohl die Geschichte traurig und erschreckend ist, fehlt der Humor auch in diesem Föhr-Krimi nicht. Das einzig Unangenehme war, dass ich einen späteren Wallner schon vorher gelesen hatte, und daher ein paar Details schon kannte und schon wusste, was im Privatleben des Kommissars passieren würde.

S J Watson: Before I go to sleep

What if you lost your memories every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story.... Welcome to Christine's life!

A fantastic read and great thriller. I woke up one night thinking I was Christine myself. This really was chilling. And the ending is just as great....

Robert Galbraith: The Silkworm

When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, she just thinks he has gone off by himself for a few days - as he has done before - and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home. But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine's disappearance than his wife realises. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were published it would ruin lives - so there are a lot of people who might want to silence him.

Having read the first Cormoran Strike, I could hardly wait for the second one. And what a read it is. The characters are great and the stories complex, but interesting. At times, the novelist's novel was a little dark and dubious, but the storyline around his disappearance and around Strike and Robin's attempts to solve the puzzles made for great reading. I cannot wait for the next one....

Herbert Dutzler: Letzter Kirtag - 01

So etwas hatte selbst Gasperlmaier noch nie gesehen. Dabei hat er schon viel gesehen, der Gasperlmaier, schließlich ist er seit mehr als zwanzig Jahren Polizist in Altaussee. Aber ein Erstochener am Montag in der Früh im Festzelt vom Altausseer Kirtag, das ist auch für ein gestandenes Mannsbild wie ihn zu viel. Und so trifft er eine falsche Entscheidung nicht die letzte an diesem Tag, und auch der Tote, der in seinem eigenen Blut im Festzelt hockt, wird nicht das einzige Opfer bleiben. Herbert Dutzler setzt in seinem ersten Krimi ein mörderisches Karussell in Gang, das die unschönen Seiten der Ausseer Postkartenidylle zeigt. Konsequent aus der Perspektive von Gasperlmaier erzählt, findet Dutzler einen ganz eigenen Ton, der das Lokalkolorit glaubhaft wiedergibt. Mit dem liebenswürdig tollpatschigen Dorfpolizisten hat er einen originellen Ermittler geschaffen, der für Spannung und Schmunzeln gleichermaßen sorgt den Gasperlmaier wird man sich merken müssen!

Der Gasperlmeier ist nicht nur lustig, sondern auch sehr faszinierend und heimatverbunden und als Patriotin ist diese neu-entdeckte Reihe ein Muss. Die Eigenwilligkeiten des Landlebens in Österreich hübsch verpackt...

Raymond Khoury: The Sanctuary

Portugal, 1705. In the dungeons of a Templar castle, a dying old man bequeaths an ancient, half-burnt book to his young inquisitor. Keeping one step ahead of those who would kill to wrench the book's secret from his hands, the inquisitor turns his back on his calling and sets off on an impossible journey to complete the old man's quest. Baghdad, 2003. A military unit makes a horrifying discovery: a hidden state-of-the-art lab, where dozens of men, women and children have died. The scientist they were hunting is believed to be working on a bio weapons programme. But the man known only as the hakeem - the doctor - has escaped, taking with him the startling truth about his work ..

A story around a secret book detailling ideas and formulae for staying young.

Ted Kosmatka: Prophet of Bones

An ancient discovery. A hidden past. A deadly conspiracy to bury the truth. He was told his was the only name on their list. But for brilliant young anthropologist Paul Carlsson, asked to examine the cache of bones found on as remote Indonesian jungle island, fascination soon turns to fear. Because waiting for him east of Java is evidence of something that shouldn't exist; a revelation that if made public will turn scientific and religious orthodoxy on its head. If Carlsson discovers the truth too many powerful interests have far too much to lose.

An odd book about DNA meddling and genetics. Not quite the thriller I expected, but still not a bad read.

Lucie Whitehouse: Before we met

A Hannah Reilly has seized her chance at happiness. Until the day her husband doesn't come home... Can you ever really know what happened before you met?

This was a fast-paced novel about love and how love makes us blind and careless at times. Hannah is an interesting and in no way naive woman whose marriage starts to fall to pieces when she realizes the lies her husband is telling.

Mark Haddon: The Red House

Angela and her brother have spent twenty years avoiding each other. Now, after the death of their mother, they bring their families together for a holiday in a rented house on the Welsh border. Four adults and four children. Seven days of shared meals, log fires, card games and wet walks.

I looked forward to this book - having read The curious incident of the dog in the night-time. This story was more difficult to read though, especially as it was hard to see whose perspective you are reading... Still an interesting story.

Katherine Rundell: Rooftoppers

Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. Found floating in a cello case and swaddled in a Beethoven score, she is the only recorded female survivor of a shipwreck on the English Channel. But Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Charles, a fellow survivor and an eccentric scholar, finds Sophie and brings her home to his London bachelor flat. Raised in a quirky home filled with music, words and love (though questionable diet), Sophie grows into a free-spirited tomboy with a taste for Shakespeare and the unshakeable belief that anything is possible. And you should never ignore a possible. So when the child welfare agency in its bureaucratic wisdom threatens to send Sophie to an orphanage, the optimistic girl and her odd guardian flee to Paris on a quest to find her mother, starting with the only clue she has - the address of the cello maker. Secured in an attic to evade the French authorities, Sophie escapes through the skylight and meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers - homeless urchins who tightrope walk above the busy streets below, dining on pigeons and snails alongside the gargoyles and bell tower of Notre Dame. Together they set out on an unimaginable adventure, scouring the city for Sophie's mother before she is caught and sent back to London - and most importantly, before she loses hope.

Picked up from the library, as this was advertised as a modern classic in children's literature. I genuinely enjoyed the story, but would argue that this is a girl's adventure story. Of course, it might well be that some boys would enjoy this read as much as I did, but it is not quite what I would have expected for an adventure story.

Dan Brown: Inferno

Florence: Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon awakes in a hospital bed with no recollection of where he is or how he got there. Nor can he explain the origin of the macabre object that is found hidden in his belongings. A threat to his life will propel him and a young doctor, Sienna Brooks, into a breakneck chase across the city. Only Langdon's knowledge of the hidden passageways and ancient secrets that lie behind its historic facade can save them from the clutches of their unknown pursuers. With only a few lines from Dante's Inferno to guide them, they must decipher a sequence of codes buried deep within some of the Renaissance's most celebrated artworks to find the answers to a puzzle which may, or may not, help them save the world from a terrifying threat.

Reading about Florence and Venice is great. The links to Dante's Commedia dell'Arte are fantastic and interesting. The storyline is pacy, but at times a little far-fetched and confusing. The surprising turns are good, but there are too many agents and double-agents in this story for my taste. I still enjoyed the read, though.

Chris Kuzneski: Hunters 2 - The forbidden tomb

For over two thousand years, the legendary tomb of Alexander the Great - and the riches concealed within - has evaded discovery. Now, after centuries of searching, an ancient map has come to light that could hold the key to finding the fabled vault. Only one team has the skill and the expertise to solve the mystery once and for all. It's up to The Hunters to find the tomb. But on arriving in Alexandria, it quickly becomes clear that hostile forces are on their trail. And when one of the team is captured in cisterns deep below the city, what began as a treasure hunt becomes a deadly rescue mission. For there are some who will use any means possible to destroy The Hunters' efforts, and now there is more at stake than they ever could have imagined.

Although I prefer the Payne and Jones series, I genuinely enjoyed this Hunters book, too. With the Ulster archives becoming more prominent in this series I am waiting for Payne and Jones to join the Hunters at some point. Knowing that the anonymous benefactor is chasing several pieces of a puzzle, there is obviously scope for more books. The storyline is well thought through and thrilling with some surprising turns, especially where the historian is concerned.

Donna Leon: Brunetti 23 - By its cover

In "By its cover" Commissario Brunetti is better than ever as he addresses questions of worth and value alongside his ever-faithful team of Ispettore Vianello and Signorina Elettra. When several valuable antiquarian books go missing from a prestigious library in the heart of Venice, Commissario Brunetti is immediately called to the scene. The staff suspect an American researcher has stolen them, but for Brunetti something doesn't quite add up. Taking on the case, the Commissario begins to seek information about some of the library's regulars, such as the ex-priest Franchini, a passionate reader of ancient Christian literature, and Contessa Morosini-Albani, the library's chief donor, and comes to the conclusion that the thief could not have acted alone. However, when Franchini is found murdered in his home, the case takes a more sinister turn and soon Brunetti finds himself submerged in the dark secrets of the black market of antiquarian books. Alongside his ever-faithful team of Ispettore Vianello and Signorina Elettra, he delves into the pages of Franchini's past and into the mind of a book thief in order to uncover the terrible truth.

Another successful Brunetti!

Liane Moriarty: What Alice forgot

Alice has slipped in a step-aerobics class, hit her head and lost a decade. Now she's a grown-up, bossy mother of three in the middle of a nasty divorce and her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her. This is her life but not as she knows it. Clearly Alice has made some terrible mistakes. Just how much can happen in a decade?

A feel-good story about how a little accident can change the worst things in your life. Alice is honestly trying to regain her memory, but then finds out that knowing what happened is perhaps not that brilliant, as she is aware of her mistakes leading to her marriage break-up.

Jane Fallon: Getting rid of Matthew

What to do if Matthew, your secret lover of the past four years, finally decides to leave his wife Sophie and their two daughters and move into your flat, just when you're thinking that you might not want him anymore. PLAN A: Stop shaving your armpits. And your bikini line. Tell him you have a moustache that you wax every six weeks Stop having sex with him. Pick holes in the way he dresses. Don't brush your teeth. Or your hair. Or pluck out the stray hag-whisker that grows out of your chin. Buy incontinence pads and leave them lying around. PLAN B: Accidentally on purpose bump into his wife Sophie. Give yourself a fake name and identity. Befriend Sophie. Actually begin to really like Sophie. Snog Matthew's son (who's the same age as you by the way. You're not a paedophile). Buy a cat and give it a fake name and identity. Befriend Matthew's children. Unsuccessfully. Watch your whole plan go absolutely horribly wrong.

This was a funny chick-lit story told from the perspective of a mistress who suddenly no longer wants the responsibility of a relationship, when her boyfriend suddenly leaves his wife and children. The characters are well described and it is easy to identify with all characters apart from Matthew who is a cheat and a liar, who never changes his ways. Having read "Sekeletons" I knew that I would enjoy this unusual perspective, too.

Donna Leon: Brunetti 5 - Acqua Alta

Jane Fallon: Skeletons

Jen has discovered a secret. It's not hers to share, but is it hers to keep? If she tells her husband Jason, he might get over the shock but will he forgive her for telling the truth? She might drive a wedge through their marriage. If she tells someone else in Jason's family - the family she's come to love more than her own - she'd not only tear them apart but could also find herself on the outside: she's never really been one of them, after all. But if she keeps this dirty little secret to herself, how long can she pretend nothing is wrong? How long can she live a lie? Jen knows the truth - but is she ready for the consequences?

This is a very interesting story about loyalty within a family and in-laws. Jen's feelings for her family and the members of her husband's family are well described and help identify with all characters. Ultimately, some parts are exaggerated, but overall a great read.

Jenny Downham: You against me

When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the offence, her world begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide. This is a brave and unflinching novel about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it's a book about love.

Another young adult book that is demanding and challenging and links strong emotions.

Emily Barr: The perfect lie

For Lucy Riddick, Venice has always been the dream destination. A dream inspired by the pretty picture pinned to her mother’s kitchen wall. To Lucy, Venice seems the ideal place to lose herself. And now she needs to do just that. The secret she’s been keeping from her boyfriend and her friends has finally caught up with her and Lucy needs to disappear – and fast. There’s no better time to pack her bags and head for Italy. But what if, when she sets foot in Venice, Lucy finds that the one thing she has been running from, the one thing she has been trying to escape, is already there, lying in wait for her? Time to run away again? Or time to end the chase, once and for all?

This was a great read although in places it was a little slow and too predictable. The story around Lucy and her secrecy were perhaps far-fetched, but the characterisations made up for that.

Michael White: The Medici Secret

In the crypt of the Medici Chapel in Florence, palaeopathologist, Edie Granger, and her uncle, Carlin Mackenzie, are examining the mummified remains of one of the most powerful families in Renaissance Italy. The embalmers have done their work well in terms of outward appearance. But under the crisp skin, the organs have shrivelled to a fraction of their original size, which means it is difficult to gather a usable DNA sample. Edie and Mackenzie both have serious doubts about the true identity of at least two of the five-hundred-year-old bodies. And no one can explain the presence of an alien object discovered resting against Cosimo de Medici's spine. For Carlin Mackenzie, this is the most fascinating and the most dangerous discovery of his life. For Edie, it is the beginning of an obsessive, life-threatening quest.

Having just come back from a holiday in Tuscany, this was the best possible read. It was great to read about Florence and Venice and still having the great buildings in mind. I only didn't like the side-story about Jeff's daughter. I am looking forward to another Tuscany book some time soon.

Susanne Hanika: Und führe uns nicht in Versuchung

Lisa Wild hätte sich wirklich eine Menge Ärger sparen können, wäre sie nicht so unfassbar neugierig. Hätte sie nicht besser das verzweifelt vor sich hin klingelnde Handy ignoriert? Dann wäre sie nämlich nicht auf den toten Besitzer gestoßen, der wenige Zentimeter von seinem Telefon entfernt auf dem Waldboden liegt. Während Lisa Hals über Kopf den Tatort verlässt, stolpert sie über zwei unbestrumpfte Frauenbeine: die nächste Leiche...

Diese Geschichten rund um Lisa Wild sind nicht ganz so meine Sache, aber der bayrische Dialekt und das Dorfleben in Bayern sind unterhaltsam. Ich werde mir sicher keine Hanika-Bücher kaufen, aber sollte man mir welche borgen, dann lese ich sie schon...

Claudia Rossbacher: Steirerherz - Sandra Mohr 02

Abteilungsinspektorin Sandra Mohr und Chefinspektor Sascha Bergmann vom LKA in Graz werden in die Weststeiermark gerufen, um einen grausamen Mord aufzuklären. Die bildhübsche 19 jährige Studentin Valentina Trimmel wurde gepfählt und wie eine Vogelscheuche auf dem Kürbisacker ihres Vaters aufgestellt. Die Spuren führen zunächst nach Graz, wo der Freund des Opfers und dessen Vater, ein reicher Autohändler, ins Visier der Ermittler geraten. Sandra fürchtet, dass der Mörder ein weiteres Mal zuschlagen wird.

Eine unterhaltsame Krimigeschichte rund um Sandra Mohr. Ich habe zwar dieses Buch zu spät gelesen, und weiß schon wie sich so manche Beziehungen weiterentwickeln, aber dennoch gelungene Unterhaltung.

Susanne Hanika: Und bitte für uns Sünder

Ausgerechnet beim Kirchputz stößt die Journalistin Lisa Wild auf eine Kiste mit menschlichen Knochen. Gleich wird gemunkelt, es müssten die Gebeine des heiligen Ignaz sein, und schon bald planen der Gastwirt und der Metzger die Vermarktung der Reliquien. Bevor die Dorfbevölkerung auf dumme Gedanken kommt, nimmt Lisa den Fall lieber selbst in die Hand – zumal der Hauptkommissar, der dummerweise zugleich ihr Freund ist, die Sache nicht sonderlich ernst nimmt. Doch dann verschwindet auf einmal der alte Ernsdorfer, der ehemalige Bürgermeister, der eigentlich viel zu gebrechlich ist, um zu verschwinden, und wenig später erhält Lisa einen Drohbrief...

Obwohl ich Lisa als Figur nicht gut leiden konnte, war die Geschichte an sich recht nett. Der bayrische Dialekt und das Dorfleben in Bayern sind unterhaltsam geschrieben. Lisa war mir unsympathisch, weil sie sich selbst zu sehr bemitleidet. Ihre Großmutter "ah, geh" hingegen war umso sympathischer.

Gunter Haug: Hüttenzauber

Eigentlich wollte Kommissar Horst "Hotte" Meyer mit seiner besseren Hälfte Claudia nur ein verlängertes Wochenende in den Bergen verbringen. Als sie jedoch auf der Heidelberger Hütte in den Vorarlberger Alpen eintreffen, ist das Wetter zwar traumhaft, aber Ruhe finden die beiden keine: Eine Horde Mountainbike fahrender Yuppies sorgt für schlechte Stimmung und nächtlichen Lärm. Die Situation spitzt sich zu und Horst und Claudia merken bald, dass es zwischen ihren Miturlaubern nicht nur privat kriselt -- die gespannte Atmosphäre hat ihre Ursache auch in geschäftlichen Querelen. Und am nächsten Morgen treibt einer der Höhensportler ertrunken in einem Bergsee! Der österreichischen Polizei ist sofort klar, wer für die Tat verantwortlich ist. Horst Meyer dagegen misstraut dem Offensichtlichen: Mit Geduld und wachem Spürsinn versucht er, die verwickelte Geschichte zu entwirren und den wahren Mörder zu stellen.

Es dauerte lange bis ich mich durchringen konnte dieses Buch zu lesen. Aber eigentlich ist diese Geschichte ein wirklich unterhaltsamer Krimi an der Grenze zwischen Österreich und Deutschland, zwischen Tirol und Vorarlberg mit Ösis und Piefke bei Schweinsbraten und Tiroler Gröstl. Es ist zwar schon so, dass die österreichische Polizei als etwas dümmlich präsentiert wird, aber auch die deutschen Charakteren kommen nicht ungeschoren davon. Und es war auch nicht allzu sehr "schwäbisch", also recht gelungen. Nur das große Finale mit dem Showdown am Berg hätte besser ablaufen können...

Andreas Föhr: Karwoche

Autorennen am Achenpass: Mit 150 km/h rauschen Polizei­obermeister Kreuthner und sein Spezl Kilian Raubert den Pass Richtung Tegernsee hinab. Bei einem halsbrecherischen Überholmanöver fegt Kreuthner fast ein entgegenkommendes Auto von der Straße – am Steuer ausgerechnet sein Chef, Kommissar Wallner. Kreuthner versucht, die Wettfahrt als dienstliche Aktion zu tarnen, und führt spontan eine Straßenkontrolle durch. Dabei bietet sich den Polizisten ein schockierendes Bild: Im Laderaum von Rauberts Lkw kniet eine Tote, das Gesicht zu einer grotesken Fratze verzerrt...

Ein absolut gelungener Alpenkrimi. Der bayrische Dialekt und die typisch ländlichen Gesetze sind unterhaltsam und humorvoll geschrieben. Die Kriminalhandlung war gut durchdacht und geplant. Und die Charakteren rund um Wallner und Kreuthner waren realistisch. Das war sicher nicht mein letzter Föhr...

Robert Galbraith: The Cuckoo's Calling

When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case. Strike is a war veteran - wounded both physically and psychologically - and his life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model's complex world, the darker things get - and the closer he gets to terrible danger. A gripping, elegant mystery steeped in the atmosphere of London - from the hushed streets of Mayfair to the backstreet pubs of the East End to the bustle of Soho - The Cuckoo's Calling is a remarkable book. Introducing Cormoran Strike, this is the acclaimed first crime novel by J.K. Rowling, writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

This was a great read! The mystery story was well-developed, the characters were well-explored, but then what else could have been expected. It was a JK Rowling, after all! I loved Cormoran Strike, the old-fashioned type detective that we have all seen in crime films, one who is good at what he does, but who is troubled and by far not flawless. I look forward to the next Cormoran...

Saskia Sarginson: The Twins

Isolte and Viola are twins. Inseparable as children, they've grown into very different adults: Isolte, a successful features writer for a fashion magazine with a photographer boyfriend and a flat in London, and Viola, desperately unhappy and struggling with a lifelong eating disorder. What happened all those years ago to set the twins on such different paths to adulthood? As both women start to unravel the escalating tragedies of a half-remembered summer, terrifying secrets from the past come rushing back - and threaten to overwhelm their adult lives...

Although I found the changing perspectives slightly confusing at the beginning, I genuinely enjoyed the story and was keen to find out more about Issy and Viola. The stories around their mother Rose, their friends Michael and John and their little step-sister Polly were gripping and some twists weren't foreseeable either. The fact that the story is set in 1972 and 1987 makes for an interesting change, as modern technology hadn't got the hold it has nowadays. Some questions remain unanswered, but that makes the story more credible and less clichéd.

Claudia Rossbacher: Steirerkreuz - Sandra Mohr 04

Als Sandra Mohr und Sascha Bergmann ins Mürzer Oberland gerufen werden, erwartet sie ein seltsamer Leichenfund. Ein Mann und ein Hund wurden kopfüber an einem Baum aufgehängt. Ist der Tatort unweit des Pilgerweges nach Mariazell ein Hinweis auf einen religiös motivierten Ritualmord? Welche Rolle spielt die blinde Magdalena, um die sich im Dorf alles zu drehen scheint? Und was verbirgt Pater Vinzenz, der sich so rührend um sie kümmert? Die Spuren führen die LKA-Ermittler in die Vergangenheit.

Eine unterhaltsame Krimigeschichte rund um Sandra Mohr, obwohl einige der Charakterisierungen dieses Mal vielleicht etwas weit hergeholt sind. Oder gibt es tatsächlich noch Menschen, die an die Teufelsaustreibung und Exorzismus glauben? Sandras Privatleben ist ebenfalls ein wenig übertrieben, denn ein Julius würde seine Partnerin nicht so schnell abschieben, nur weil sie einen neuen Mordfall aufzuklären hat. Es scheint mir eher, dass die Autorin Sandra mit Sascha verkuppeln will. Gelungene Unterhaltung und ich lese auch den nächsten Fall von Mohr und Bergmann.

Deborah Moggach: The best exotic Marigold Hotel

Enticed by advertisements for a newly restored palatial hotel and filled with visions of a life of leisure, good weather and mango juice in their gin, a group of very different people leave England to begin a new life in India. On arrival they are dismayed to find the palace is a shell of its former self, the staff more than a little eccentric, and the days of the Raj long gone. But, as they soon discover, life and love can begin again, even in the most unexpected circumstances.

Having seen the film posters I wanted to read this book - and I was not disappointed. This is funny entertainment about growing old more or less gracefully. And it shows that no matter how old our children are, they will always be just that - children. At times, the storyline was a little far-fetched, but that only added to the satire...

Chris Kuzneski: The Einstein Pursuit

A lab destroyed. An explosion in Stockholm claims the lives of an elite collection of scientists. Evidence suggests the blast was designed to eliminate all traces of their research.It's up to Interpol director Nick Dial to uncover the truth about the lab and the attack. A scientist on the run. When Dr Mattias Sahlberg learns of the incident, he knows his life is at risk. He turns to the only men he can trust: Jonathon Payne and David Jones. Together, they must save Sahlberg from the unknown forces that want him dead.

This is the eighth instalment of the Payne and Jones thrillers, and it is as pacy, snappy and funny as all the others. Kuzneski really does not disappoint. "Like a young Chris Kuzneski" could have been so easily overlooked, but that is what makes the Kuzneski novels. Payne and Jones are devilish agents with a great sense of humour, which they need to cope with the devastation they always encounter. This time, we got to know the interpol staff a bit better, too, which added greatly to the light-heartedness of the thriller.

Martin Mucha: Papierkrieg

Arno Linder, Anfang dreißig, lebt im schönen Wien. Als Doktor der klassischen Philologie ist er aufgrund desaströser Universitätsreformen stark armutsgefährdet - nur mit mehr oder weniger legalen Nebenjobs kann er sich notdürftig über Wasser halten. In einer eisigen Märznacht stolpert Arno auf dem Heimweg über ein betrunkenes Mädchen. Als er beschließt, die Schöne nach Hause zu fahren, stellt er fest, dass das Töchterchen aus reichem Hause offenbar in einen Mordfall verwickelt ist. In der Hoffnung, für sein Schweigen gut bezahlt zu werden, beginnt sich Arno für die Hintergründe der Affäre zu interessieren und entwendet dem Ermordeten Handy und Notebook. Doch damit beginnen seinen Schwierigkeiten erst richtig: Mit der Mordwaffe in seinem Besitz wird er von der Polizei in die Mangel genommen. Seine Anstellung an der Uni droht verloren zu gehen. Und dann taucht auch noch ein serbischer Kunsthändler namens Mihailovic auf, der Arno eine antike Papyrusrolle zweifelhafter Herkunft anbietet.

Die Geschichte um Arno war zwar sehr unglaubwürdig, aber der Wiener Humor und die philosophischen Ausführungen waren sehr unterhaltsam. Mucha ist am Ende aber nicht ganz so mein Geschmack.

Graeme Simsion: The Rosie Project

Love isn't an exact science - but no one told Don Tillman. A thirty-nine-year-old geneticist, Don's never had a second date. So he devises the Wife Project, a scientific test to find the perfect partner. Enter Rosie - 'the world's most incompatible woman' - throwing Don's safe, ordered life into chaos. But what is this unsettling, alien emotion he's feeling?

This is really funny. The story is written from the point of view of a university professor who is trying to settle down and find a suitable woman to marry and start a family with. But he's got some issues with being socially inept and has Asperger's, but he doesn't seem to know. He knows he can't read social cues and doesn't understand feelings much, but he thinks that he's just being rational. Really hilarious read!

Jenny Colgan: Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop

Rosie Hopkins is looking forward to Christmas in the little Derbyshire village of Lipton, buried under a thick blanket of snow. Her sweetshop is festooned with striped candy canes, large tempting piles of Turkish Delight, crinkling selection boxes and happy, sticky children. She's going to be spending it with her boyfriend, Stephen, and her family, flying in from Australia. She can't wait. But when a tragedy strikes at the heart of their little community, all of Rosie's plans for the future seem to be blown apart. Can she build a life in Lipton? And is what's best for the sweetshop also what's best for Rosie?

This was the logical follow-up book after all the other Jenny Colgan stories. In the end, I really did enjoy it and was very moved at times. But I also found this book more difficult to get into and at some point even asked myself if I should persist at all or not.

Jenny Colgan: Christmas at the Cupcake Café

Issy Randall, proud owner of the Cupcake Cafe, is in love and couldn't be happier. Her new business is thriving and she is surrounded by close friends, even if her cupcake colleagues Pearl and Caroline aren't quite as upbeat about the upcoming season of snow and merriment. But when her boyfriend Austin is scouted for a possible move to New York, Issy is forced to face up to the prospect of a long-distance romance. And when the Christmas rush at the cafe - with its increased demand for her delectable creations - begins to take its toll, Issy has to decide what she holds most dear. This December, Issy will have to rely on all her reserves of courage, good nature and cinnamon, to make sure everyone has a merry Christmas, one way or another . . .

I meant to read this story before Christmas, but I didn't get round to it. However, it was quite nice to read on about Issy and Austin, although the toing and froing between New York and London was perhaps a little too unrealistic.

Beate Maxian: Der Tod hinter dem Stephansdom

Die junge Journalistin Sarah Pauli hat es geschafft: Ihre Kolumne über Aberglauben beim „Wiener Boten“ hat eine treue Leserschaft. Dass den Leuten manchmal die Fantasie durchgeht, ist für Sarah nichts Neues, daher nimmt sie es auch nicht besonders ernst, als eine aufgebrachte Anruferin behauptet, die todbringende „schwarze Frau“ ginge im Blutgassenviertel hinter dem Stephansdom um. Doch schon am nächsten Tag sorgt der Tod eines angesehenen Unternehmers für Schlagzeilen – und gefunden wurde die Leiche in einer Wohnung in der Blutgasse …

Dieses Mal habe ich nicht so viel Wien erwartet, also konnte ich dahin gehend auch nicht enttäuscht werden. Eine interessante Geschichte mit etwas Aberglauben.