My Book Reviews for June 2026
My Book Reviews for June 2026
My book reviews for June 2026 are for thrillers, crime fiction, feelgood fiction and a short story collection.
The Butler by Clare Mackintosh
Evil Under The Sun meets The Remains of the Day – a delightful whodunnit set in a glamorous and sultry location and featuring a butler sleuth.
Clare Mackintosh has done it again and come up with something new. This time, she’s dreamt up fresh protagonists and dropped them into an Agatha-Christie-style mystery in the wonderfully evoked setting of modern-day Cannes.
Star of the show is narrator Baxter, a top-flight butler who can be relied upon to fix any problem for his clients before they even know it’s a problem. He has the snobbery and just-so buttling skills of Stevens in Kazuo Ishiguro’s TheRemains of the Day but he’s far more streetwise and clocks every misdemeanour taking place under his nose. That includes seeing off Red, a young pickpocket chancing her luck among rich tourists in the resort centre.
Baxter’s latest assignment is to supervise a chef and housekeeper to prepare the holiday villa of wealthy businessman, Alec Prescott, before Prescott arrives with his decades-younger new wife; his ex-wife, their son and the son’s girlfriend; and his film producer friend and the producer’s actress wife.
Baxter’s skills are tested to the limit when first the villa is burgled and then the host is murdered. Did one of the guests facilitate the break-in? Why is Red, the young thief, hanging around outside? And which of them killed Alec?
This is a fluently written, wryly humorous and well-paced story that, at 216 pages, is quick to read. Best of all, the author has set up for it to be the first in a series. This is absolutely my kind of book and it will be appearing on my Rave Reads 2026 list at the end of the year.
This is an independent review of an early copy. I thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it.
The Girl on Floor 29 by D.E. White
How many of us have a fear of getting trapped in a lift? Me for one, so D.E. White had me nervously hooked from the premise.
As elevators go, this one, in a London hotel, is quite spacious. But with seven people trapped inside, it soon becomes claustrophobic and, as the time lengthens, panic-inducing.
The author does a great job of engaging the reader with chapters from each character. We learn something of their lives, backstories, motivations and, in some cases, secrets.
There’s Lyndsey, a hotel cleaner who’s escaped an abusive marriage and now thinks her new boyfriend is losing interest. Her housekeeping cart keeps the others in bottled water and towels.
Jace is a good-looking Division Two footballer, who’s keeping a devastating secret.
Grace and Michael are a well-off couple in their fifties who don’t let the inconvenience of being in the lift interrupt their latest argument.
Simon is trapped with his two-year-old son, Cooper. His sole aim is to keep the child entertained.
Owen, who was en route from the hotel spa to his bedroom, wearing only a towel, had very specific plans for the day, plans that are now badly disrupted.
Two other viewpoint characters are: Ellie, the lift engineer summoned to the building to fix the problem; and a remote operator, who is controlling not only the lift but also all of the hotel’s communications systems. He aims to manipulate Ellie and cause carnage.
This is a tense and characterful thriller. An easy page-turner with the heart-belting pace of a disaster movie. I really enjoyed it
This is an independent review of an early copy. I thank the author and publisher for the opportunity to read it.
Saving the Lakeside Hotel by Melinda Huber
Best friends, Stacy and Emily, go on holiday to a hotel on the bank of Lake Constance in Switzerland. Stacy is looking forward to planning her wedding to her childhood sweetheart after the trip is over. Emily is recovering from knee surgery and will face more physiotherapy when she gets home.
Rico, the son of the hotel owner, fears that his father will sell the failing hotel to the highest bidder. His instant attraction to the happily engaged Stacy only adds to his worries. Barman Alan takes a shine to Emily, but she’s sworn off men since a nasty breakup.
Reluctantly accepting their time with the two holidaymakers will be platonic, the men invite the women to see the sights of Switzerland and taste the gorgeous cuisine. I’ve had the privilege of enjoying two trips to the Bodensee. The author’s well-written and evocative descriptions sent me back there immediately.
After a lovely and surprisingly eventful week, the girls return home, not expecting to visit Switzerland again. But life and this feelgood story have different ideas.
Likeable characters, beautiful scenery and a charming plot – I’ll certainly be returning to the Lakeside Hotel for book 2.
Louise Beech is the author of eleven novels and known for her versatility. Her brand is not having a brand. And she’s pivoted again with her latest title, a what-if story about Marilyn Monroe. What if the screen goddess didn’t die in 1962 but was instead visited by the Virgin Mary? As a result, she quits her home and career and disappears to find herself.
As well as following Marilyn in her personal alternate history, we meet Flora, a barmaid at a club in Hull in 2016. As a Hull native, the author’s depictions of the city and its inhabitants are spot on with some cheeky touches of humour. (Good to know a female Kenny Loggins tribute act sold out in Scunthorpe. I grew up there and my idea of a posh day out was to get the Humber ferry to Hull.)
Flora also receives a visitation from the Blessed Virgin. This changes the course of her life and ultimately leads to a surprising crossover with Marilyn. The closing stages of this story brought a tear to my eye and the depiction of Marilyn has lingered in my mind.
With lots of references to spirituality and religion, it felt like a fable of strength over abuse and lost children. The tone reminded me of Mitch Albom’s The Five People You Meet In Heaven. Although the theme was women helping other women during times of adversity, the author avoided it being a man-hating diatribe and depicted her Hull-based male characters roundly and fairly.
It would make a great film or TV series:
· the tragedies and triumphs of the Hollywood icon
· the glamour of 1960s Los Angeles
· the serenity of Mother Mary
· the struggles and secrets of likeable Flora
· the joyful earthiness of the variety acts at the Hull nightclub (But film producers be warned: don’t book ‘Sheena Turner’ because she probably won’t turn up…)
Well worth reading.
The Trawlerman by William Shaw
Alex, a detective sergeant, is on sick leave, suffering from post-traumatic stress related to ordeals she endured in previous cases. While sitting on the seafront near her home at Dungeness, she sees two brides arrive with their wedding party. A sixth sense makes Alex tingle: something bad is going to happen.
And her instincts are right. Something happens that leads to one of the brides being accused of getting away with murder. The police are called.
The first on-duty officer to arrive is Alex’s friend Jill, a detective constable. But it’s not her first case of the day. Alex soon learns Jill has just attended a scene of carnage at the home of a wealthy local businessman.
Despite Jill and Alex’s 17-year-old daughter, Zoe, both reminding her she’s off sick, Alex can’t resist getting involved unofficially. Her snooping leads her to suspicious golfers and hostile trawlermen.
It was a cleverly plotted book, with twists dovetailing seamlessly. Alex is a likeable protagonist. She’s often quite open in her dialogue with suspects, admitting why she’s asking the questions she poses. However, at other times, she keeps her cards close to her chest, so the reader often doesn’t see her thought processes or understand why she takes certain actions until there’s a reveal later.
It’s the fourth book in the DS Alexandra Cupidi series. Although it reads well as a standalone, I think some of the reasons given for Alex’s PTSD could be spoilers for previous books so it’s probably best to start at book 1 to enjoy the series to the full. I’ll certainly be reading this author again.
Engaging characters, super plot and evocative descriptions of the Kent coast.
Diamond Life: Short Stories by Anna Maconochie
These are fluently told literary tales, mostly about early-career creatives, who navigate work, social lives, sex, drugs, drink, friendships, parents back home and new relationships.
Victor and Cleo
With unexpected long-term results, Nat, a chain supply consultant, arranges a blind date between literary agent Victor and Cleo, who’s returned to London after ten years in New York.
The Steal
A near drowning leads to a life sentence of doom and theft in this magical realist tale.
Eight Men
A married mother of one indulges in extra-marital activity.
Subtype
Following a break-up, impoverished 25-year-old Vicky moves into a flatshare with wealthy Lara. When Lara encourages her to have a fling, events take a sinister turn.
The Fortune Teller
A quirky short short.
Opera
Joe, a publishing intern, meets Marsha, an older opera singer. He negotiates his work first placement, his mother’s ill health and his odd relationship with Marsha.
Paul
Alex enters an on-off relationship with unstable Paul.
All that You Could Do
Two friends unravel their friendship with a third character.
Pilgrimage
Penny harbours romantic feelings for her childhood friend, Frank, and misses him when he goes to university. But she’s prepared to play the long game.
The Man who had a Tail
This horror story was my favourite in the collection.
The Soho Hotel, 6 p.m.
A married man, who’s recently ended a secret affair, gets a mysterious invitation to an assignation at the Soho Hotel.
Diamond Life
The title track has a story arc that mirrors many in the collection: a narrator observes the stages of a contemporary’s adult life over decades with envy and longing.
This is an independent review of an early copy. With thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity.
Breezy, stranded-in-a-remote-location thriller meets blood-soaked cabin-in-the-woods horror with an engaging true-crime podcast commentary throughout to add suspense.
From the blurb: Jade, Stef and Zoe are hiking Washington's Bones Hollow Trail, braving cougars, snakes and the storms that roll in without warning. The friends' paranoia isn't helped by listening to a true crime podcast about the serial killer whose hunting ground they're hiking through. Then when Stef twists her ankle, there's no one to hear them scream for help. The only sign of life is a cabin, with an owner who's a little too eager to invite them in. The friends must find a way to survive as things spiral out of control. But the only thing more twisted than this nightmare is their friendship...
Ideal for fans of twisty horror thrillers that play on friendship and betrayal.
This is an independent review of an early copy. I thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it.
The Final Six by Akinari Asakura
As part of the selection process for roles in a prestigious tech company, six candidates attend a series of project planning meetings. Under the impression there are jobs for them all if they collaborate, they work well as a team. That’s until each applicant receives a mysterious envelope, the contents of which reveal secrets from their personal lives.
The team-building exercises – with references to whiteboards, key points, shareholders, revenue, engagement, trends and strategy – felt authentic. The novel explores a fresh theme, little explored in fiction, and will likely appeal to readers looking for something different.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.
The House on Otley Road by Rosa Silverman
A book with three viewpoints. University student Emily is murdered in her digs on Millennium Night. Twenty years later, another student, Olivia, rents the same room and decides to investigate the unsolved case. But murder ensues. Kate is a journalist who follows both cases.
With a strong emphasis on creating the atmosphere of uni life and showing the backstories of the young characters - some insecure, some overconfident, some likeable, some not - this fluently written novel becomes a thriller in its closing stages.
Idea for readers looking for a slowburn approach.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.
Drop Dead Famous by Jennifer Pearson
From the blurb: Global superstar Blair Baker rises high above the stage for the opening number of her hometown show. The crowd erupts in applause. Then come the screams. For her sister, Stevie, Blair’s murder is more than a headline. And she will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.
This is a does-what-it-says-on-the-tin Young Adult mystery thriller, ideal for fans of Karen M. McManus and Holly Jackson.
This is an independent review of an early copy. I thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it.
One of the Family by Mark Edwards
Delivery driver, Patrick, can’t believe his luck when gorgeous, successful, wealthy Holly becomes his girlfriend.
Nerves about meeting her family are understandable, but Holly’s father is a multimillionaire tech entrepreneur, and Patrick has been invited to spend New Year at the family mansion in Scotland. He doesn’t know it, but he’s about to embark on the wildest few days of his life with some seriously crazy and murderous company.
A classic Mark Edwards’s thriller that fans will enjoy – snappy, straightforward storytelling and very twisty.
This is an independent review of an early copy. I thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it.