It’s currently Saturday 1^st June – well, it is when you read this, I wrote this two days ago. Why, you might ask? Because as of time of publication, I’m ensconced in the British Library at the Bodies From The Library conference, the first time I’ve been able to attend for three years due to work commitments and the British railway network melting. But it’s also the first of the month, and I can’t have you, dear reader, on the edge of your seat wondering who’s won the Puzzly, can I?

Let’s start with some other bits and bobs. I didn’t do a review, but I heartily recommend The Fall Guy, a fun film with a great cast clearly enjoying themselves. There’s even a decent enough little mystery there too. Plenty of TV with Monk and Psych on Netflix and JJ convincing me to go back to Elementary and Castle too. And of course, Doctor Who is back – it may be different but it’s still far more fun that the Chibnall era.

OK, book time. The nine books read were:

The Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy aka the dinner ladies who get told whodunit. Great characters, poor mystery.

Hunted by Abir Mukherjee A chilling modern thriller, a page-turner that could be taken from the current headlines.

The Brutal Tide by Kate Rhodes The sixth Ben Kitto Scilly Isles mystery – a good read but with two oddly disparate plots.

Mr Monk Goes To Hawaii by Lee Goldberg My go-to easy read series, and one of the best that I’ve read.

Think Twice by Harlan Coben One of the best from one of the best.

The Fashion In Shrouds by Margery Allingham which did not convince me to read more…

Off The Record by Dolores Gordon-Smith Another celver classic-style mystery featuring Jack Haldean.

The Mercy Chair by M W Craven Just read it. Mesmerising.

A Telegram From Le Touquet by John Bude Classic crime let down by losing the first person narrative for the second part.

Very much a month for thrillers – and bad timing for Abir Mukherjee and Harlan Coben who would normally walk it with the quality of their books. But The Mercy Chair walks it – yet another Puzzly for M W Craven. It’s a good job they don’t actually exist or he’d be rapidly running out of space in house. If you’ve not read the series, then read it. And if you have, you know you have to pre-order this now, if you haven’t already. It’s the best year, and that’s saying something.

Next month… Book Club is taking a look as Philip MacDonald’s The Maze, a couple of new releases and who knows what else…