Using August as a catch-up period gave me the chance to tackle all those books that had been sitting on my bookshelf or kindle over the last couple of months. It was good to see that book pile go down slowly although a month without a single (new) book purchase was enough for me. September will be business as usual and I’ll buy, borrow and read what I fancy.

Of the eleven books I read for crimepieces, ten were new-to-me authors. The only exception was Peter Robinson which I slipped into my reading purely because I couldn’t resist it. My stand-out book of the month will be reviewed in September so that one will have to wait. However, Ashes, by Sergios Gakas was a wonderful slice of Greek Noir and is my nominated book of the month. It was a crime novel that was realistic and gritty but the cynicism was restrained enough for the writer to tell an excellent story.

The eleven books I read for crimepieces were:

1. Blood Tears by Michael J Malone

2. Bone and Cane by David Belbin

3. Kind of Cruel by Sophie Hannah

4. The Invisible Circus by Jennifer Egan

5. Before I Go to Sleep by S J Watson

6. Out of Range by C J Box

7. Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

8. Ashes by Sergios Gakas

9. Bird of Prey by Nikitas Terzis

10. The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri

11. Watching the Dark by Peter Robinson

As usual, Kerrie from  Mysteries in Paradise is collating the pick of this month’s crime reads and has an eclectic mix of recommendations which I have come to expect.