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Book reviews: King delivers again with crime sequel

Stephen King has written more than 50 novels
Stephen King has written more than 50 novels Stephen King has written more than 50 novels

BOOK OF THE WEEK

Finders Keepers by Stephen King tries to avoid being repetitious by often breaking out of his default (a writer haunted by evil in Maine) – we've known he can do brilliantly outside of horror since 1982 and the novella that became The Shawshank Redemption.

Mr Mercedes, published in 2013, was similarly refreshing: devoid of supernatural spookiness, it was a cat-and-mouse suspense, with expertly delivered thrills and a fun motley trio of crime-fighters. Finders Keepers is its sequel, although it begins with new characters setting up a new plot and is probably enjoyable on its own terms.

Novelist John Rothstein is the crucial character, even though he dies in the first chapter: he lingers through his literary legacy, especially as his obsessed fan of a murderer steals a cache of unpublished notebooks. Thirty years later and the loot is rediscovered by a teenage boy, who is soon thrown in over his head into a dangerous situation as everyone fights for a scrap of previously-unread genius, eventually turning to the heroes of Mr Mercedes for help.

King has lots to say on the nature of books and their bewitching power over people, a theme he probed best in Misery as introspective terror. Here the results are frightening but they play out more like a roller-coaster of a story, with King's simple prose whisking readers easily through the plot.

The last pages do hint at something supernatural to come in the next instalment and, unlike John Rothstein, it seems that Stephen King is determined to publish everything he can write.

Stephen Wood

The House At The Edge Of The World by Julia Rochester, published in hardback by Viking

WHEN twins Morwenna and Corwin Venton were 18, their father John fell off a Devon cliff while stumbling home from the pub. They and their frustrated mother grieve and move on, while their grandfather cocoons himself in the family home, endlessly painting a personal map.

But 15 years later, emerging secrets about their unhappy home lives mean the Ventons must re-examine that fateful summer. Rochester gives first-person narration to Morwenna – a blunt, dislikeable character clinging to teenage misanthropy – and so her debut novel is a slippery tale of perception and manipulation.

Trying to distill truth from Morwenna's skewed opinion gives the text echoes of a thriller, though it is really a character study in how much people can alter themselves to meet the wills of others; for marriage, family or the bond of twinship. Its pacing is a little off, dragging in places, but there's a great twist and the mystery papers over the cracks.

Natalie Bowen

You Are Dead by Peter James, published in hardback by Pan Macmillan

PETER James gives Detective Roy Grace one of his most challenging cases to date in the latest in the Dead series: You Are Dead. Grace is handed two seemingly unconnected cases; the first, a woman's body is found buried under a pathway about 30 years ago, the second the abduction of a woman from her parking garage on a cold December night.

As the two cases start to overlap, Grace and his team realise they are dealing with a serial killer, Brighton's first since the 1950s, and one that the local council want caught quickly before the tourist trade and people's confidence is ruined.

As more women go missing Grace must use all his experience to solve the case. Meanwhile his own past is close to catching him up. The story moves at a quick pace and as with the other books in the series, James' knowledge and research is apparent.

Phil Robinson

The Turning Point by Freya North, published in hardback by HarperCollins

THE Sunday Times bestselling author returns with a tale about finding love in unexpected circumstances. Divorced children's author Frankie Shaw lives in Norfolk with her children after recently leaving the hustle and bustle of London. Unknown to her editor, Frankie is suffering from writer's block. But when she gets a call to go to London for a meeting, Frankie reluctantly makes the journey.

While having a drink at the hotel, she encounters fellow guest, Canadian musician and single father Scott Emerson, which leads to an enjoyable dinner and conversation. Despite returning to their respective homes, they begin a tentative relationship through sweet text messages, phone calls and emails.

When they make plans to meet up again, Frankie and Scott can't believe they have another chance of love. But fate has other ideas. Will Frankie and Scott get their happy ever after? An emotional read following the lives of a pair of new lovers.

Julie Cheng

NON-FICTION

The Saffron Road: A Journey With Buddha's Daughters by Christine Toomey, published in paperback by Portobello

THE Saffron Road: A Journey with Buddha's Daughters is an expansive exploration of Buddhism and the plight of Buddhist nuns across the globe. In a trip that extends from remotest Nepal to France and the British Isles, Christine Toomey introduces us to thousands of women, all with a different, fascinating story to tell.

Toomey is an award-winning journalist and author. Working for the Sunday Times, she has travelled extensively writing mostly about conflict. This piece explores a more personal interest for the author, which began as an admiration for the strength of Buddhist nuns. The sheer number of stories is at times daunting, and it wasn't always easy to follow the thread of the narrative.

Coming to the topic with little prior knowledge of the philosophy, the book was a challenging read – it's packed with detail. But the lengths the women have gone to in search of fulfilment must be admired.

Rachel Farrow