There’s something about water that tugs at the edges of our imagination; the hush of a tide slipping over sand, the stillness of a lake at first light, the quiet promise held in a river’s slow bend. As January unfolds with its soft, reflective energy, I found myself drawn to stories shaped by shorelines, islands, bays, and the mysteries that linger where land meets water.
Afrikaans / South African Flavour
Drie Moorde In Die Baai – Madelein Rust
Bianca Fabricious, hygromanskrywer en nuwe eienaar van die Strandlopergastehuis in St. Helenabaai, trek na die kus om ’n nuwe begin te maak. Skaars het sy haar voete gevind of die uitsig uit haar kamervenster verander in ’n misdaadtoneel: drie moorde skud die eens-gesellige dorpie. Bianca word nie net ’n ooggetuie nie, maar ook ’n verdagte, en terwyl sy met skrywersblok sukkel, begin sy self leidrade bymekaar sit. Kaptein Ken, die ondersoeker met sy kalm voorkoms en blou oë, bring orde in die ondersoek, maar elke nuwe getuienis en veranderende verklaring draai die verdenkings in ’n ander rigting. Die verhaal ontvou as ’n klassieke whodunnit met ’n knus, humoristiese inslag; veral deur Bianca se skerp waarnemings, haar onhandige oomblikke en die dorpskarakters wat een vir een onder die vergrootglas kom. Lees meer hier.
Konstabel Alex Steytler is gewoond aan die harde realiteite van sy werk in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens, maar wanneer sy vriend Pyper besluit om by die duikeenheid aan te sluit, word Alex saamgesleep in ’n wêreld wat nóg gevaarliker en nóg meer onvoorspelbaar is. Wat begin as ’n nuwe uitdaging, lei hom na donker riviere, grusame misdade en die soort ondersoeke wat ’n mens se siel kan skuur. Terwyl hy letterlik en figuurlik in die diep kant ingegooi word, moet Alex nie net oorleef nie, maar ook uitvind hoeveel van homself hy bereid is om te verloor — en watter lewenslyn hom uiteindelik sal help om bo te bly. Lees meer hier.
Slaying in Sedgefield — Sally Partridge
Zelda Scott is back, grounded after her supernatural sleuthing debut. But her best friend Song ropes her into what seems like a dreamy escape to a luxurious island in Sedgefield, thanks to a mysterious invite from Megs—a childhood friend-turned-social media star. Zelda reluctantly tags along, suspicious from the start. The teens are beautiful, aloof, and clearly hiding more than just their skincare routines. Then the wildfire hits. Communication is cut, and one by one, people start disappearing – or worse. Zelda realises that if she wants to make it off the island alive, she’ll have to figure out who’s hiding behind the perfect filter… and who’s the killer. Read more here.
International
River of Stars — Georgina Moore
The second book by Georgina Moore is a beautiful, moving story about love, loss, and the kind of community that makes you feel safe and warm. The story takes place on the made-up Walnut Tree Island, which is clearly based on the bohemian charm of Eel Pie Island. There are a lot of songs, memories, and the changing tides of the Thames. Read more here.
Summer Island — Kristin Hannah
Summer Island is about Ruby Bridge, a rebellious stand-up comic who is not on good terms with her mother, Nora. Nora is a famous advice columnist with a complicated past and a glossy public image. After a scandal makes Nora look bad in public and then she gets hurt in a car accident, Ruby is forced to come back into her life. What starts out as a bitter reunion slowly turns into a deep look at their shared past, long-buried secrets, and the chance to heal. The novel takes place in the peaceful setting of Summer Island, Washington, and follows Ruby as she deals with her anger, sadness, and the fact that she may not be the bad person she has always thought her mother was. We also meet Dean, Ruby’s first love, and Eric, a close friend whose story quietly steals the show. Read more here.
The House in the Cerulean Sea — T.J. Klune
Linus Baker lives a quiet, orderly life until he’s sent on a secret assignment to evaluate a remote orphanage housing six unusually powerful, and potentially dangerous, magical children. Their guardian, Arthur Parnassus, is fiercely protective of them, and as Linus grows closer to both Arthur and the children, he’s forced to confront a life‑changing choice: follow the rules he’s always lived by or embrace the future he never dared imagine. Read more here.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea — T.J. Klune
Somewhere Beyond the Sea follows Arthur Parnassus, headmaster of a magical orphanage on a remote island, as his hard‑won peace is threatened by the resurfacing of his secret past. When he’s pushed into the public eye and a troubled new child arrives calling himself a monster, Arthur must fight not only for the safety of his extraordinary family, but for a future where all magical people can live freely. It’s a tender, hopeful tale about chosen family, courage, and holding on to the life you’ve built, no matter the cost. Read more here.
Island in the Sun — Katie Fforde
When Cass agrees to photograph rare stone carvings on the hurricane‑struck island of Dominica, she’s swept into an unexpected journey of courage and self‑discovery. With Ranulph as her determined companion, their search draws them closer, but as Cass’s feelings deepen, she’s left wondering whether he feels the same. Read more here.
The Dive — Sara OchsThe Dive is a gripping thriller that takes the reader to the exotic and perilous island of Koh Sang, Thailand, where secrets and lies can be deadly. The story follows Cass, a scuba diving instructor at one of the luxurious resorts, leads her students on their first dive, only to find herself in a nightmare when the body of one of the resort’s guests are found. Cass soon realizes that someone knows her dark past and is out to get her. She must find out who is behind the mysterious accidents before it’s too late. Read more here.
The Covenant of Water — Abraham Verghese
The Covenant of Water follows three generations of a Kerala family burdened by a mysterious affliction: in every generation, someone dies by drowning. Beginning in 1900 with a young girl sent by boat to meet the much older husband she’s destined to marry, the story traces her life as she becomes Big Ammachi, matriarch of a family shaped by love, loss, faith and the relentless presence of water. Spanning nearly eight decades, this epic novel blends medicine, history and human resilience into a moving portrait of a changing India and the sacrifices made for future generations
