Yesterday by Felicia Yap

Yesterday
By Felicia Yap
Published by Wildfire Books (10 August 2017)

Publisher's description

There are two types of people in the world: those who can only remember yesterday, and those who can also recall the day before.

You have just one lifeline to the past: your diary. Each night, you write down the things that matter. Each morning, your diary tells you where you were, who you loved and what you did.

Today, the police are at your door. They say that the body of your husband's mistress has been found in the River Cam. They think your husband killed her two days ago.

Can you trust the police? 
Can you trust your husband? 
Can you trust yourself?

My verdict
Yesterday is very different from the norm. It's a traditional murder mystery that's set in a dystopian society - a cross between fantasy and crime. A debut thriller that's sure to do well this summer and beyond.

In Yesterday, society is split into two tiers - monos and duos - based on their memory capacity (one day or two) as they grow up. Monos are deemed as inferior to duos and given more lowly jobs, yet many strive to improve their status. Everyone has to make sure their digital diaries are as in-depth as possible to 'remember' past events. Some memories can be learned and memorised as fact. The reliance on technology means it's easy to manipulate the past, creating 'false' memories and therefore 'false' facts. Not easy, then, if you're trying to investigate a murder.

The plot focuses on a rare mixed marriage, between duo Mark and mono Claire. When a woman is found dead, she has links to Mark. Can Claire trust her husband? On reading her own diary, can she even trust herself? And will Hans, the police officer investigating the crime, discover the truth?

The dystopian society isn't that dissimilar from our own, filled with prejudice, infidelity, secrets and lies. It's more a parallel society than an alternative one, with some clever references to companies and industry figures that we're all familiar with. I found this fascinating and would love to know more about how the society worked, in terms of structure and jobs and building personal and professional relationships.

Yesterday is a fascinating exploration into memory - how it shapes us, defines us and directs us - and also into social divide. The complex plot is an intriguing murder investigation, based mainly on diary entries and with several twists. The story alternates between four characters' points of view. I didn't particularly like any of the characters (Hans, the detective, was the most likeable for me), but then it's not easy to get to know them that well due to their limited memory spans. They can't really get to know each other that well either, which creates the tension and unease.

What made this book so different for me is the concept of investigating a murder when no one can remember much of the past. It's a perfect thriller for the big screen, with its high concept core and focus on technology. I reckon, like many of the bestselling psychological thrillers (Girl On A Train, Gone Girl, Before I Go To Sleep, to name just three), it will create much discussion among readers in years to come.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher.

The Fireman by Joe Hill

The Fireman
By Joe Hill
Published by Gollancz
Paperback - 19 January 2017

Publisher's description
Nobody knew where the virus came from. FOX News said it had been set loose by ISIS, using spores that had been invented by the Russians in the 1980s. MSNBC said sources indicated it might've been created by engineers at Halliburton and stolen by culty Christian types fixated on the Book of Revelation. CNN reported both sides. And while every TV station debated the cause, the world burnt.  Pregnant school nurse, HARPER GRAYSON, has seen lots of people burn on TV, but the first person she saw burn for real was in the playground behind her school. But when she realises she has become infected, she is determined to find a way to survive - at least long enough to see her child born. No matter what is left of the world for them to live in.

My verdict
Joe Hill is certainly a talented writer with plenty of imagination - not surprising when you realise his father is Stephen King.

The Fireman features great writing, sharp dialogue and a complex page-turning plot. A powerful fungal infection, causing people to burst into flames, is devastating the world. At the heart of the story is Harper Grayson, a pregnant nurse who is now infected and wants to keep living for the sake of her unborn child.

The book is a mix of horror, action, science fiction, dystopian thriller, mystery and romance, with more than a hint of zombie fiction (although the infected retain their sense of self). The author has put ordinary people in an extraordinary situation - and you, as the reader, see how they survive, cope and pull together as the world burns around them.

At 765 pages, The Fireman isn't a quick read - and it's also heavy in your hands. I did feel that there was some 'overwriting' here, slowing down the pace at times - some of the background narrative and irrelevant conversations could have been cut. I guessed certain twists too, although this didn't detract from my enjoyment.

Overall though, the book is emotionally charged, action-packed and filled with depth. There are many themes running through it, including hope, acceptance, fear, shame, love and a sense of belonging. Highly enjoyable - just make sure you give yourself plenty of reading time for this epic journey.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher through Lovereading.

The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

The Wolf Road
By Beth Lewis
Published by The Borough Press (23 March 2017)
ISBN: 978-0008145484

Publisher's description

Trapper was my family even though I didn’t know a sure thing about him… Trapper was the kind a’ family you choose for yourself, the kind that gets closer’n blood.

He was what I chose and I chose wrong.

Lost in the harsh forest as a child, Elka was taken in and raised by the man she calls Trapper, the solitary hunter who taught her all she knows. So when Elka sees the Wanted poster in town, her simple existence is shattered. Her Trapper – Kreagar Hallet – is wanted for murder. Even worse, Magistrate Lyon is hot on his trail, and she wants to talk to Elka.

As winter sets in, Elka flees into the vast wilderness, determined to find her real parents. But Lyon is never far behind, and she’s not the only one following Elka’s every move. Soon Elka must confront the darkest memories of her past- and end Trapper’s killing spree for good.

My verdict
The Wolf Road totally 'wowed' me, and not many books do that. It's intelligent and unique and filled with raw emotion.

Set in a post-apocalyptic Canada, after what seems to be a nuclear war, it's about a girl's epic journey searching for her parents, who abandoned her as a young child. While this is a dystopian novel, it also has a 'Western' feel to it and reads as a thriller in places too, with a mystery at its heart. Definitely a 'cross-genre' book.

The story is narrated in the first person, through the eyes of Elka - in her own language, her own voice, all of her thoughts, feelings and emotions spilling onto the page. A man (Trapper) rescued her after her grandmother died. He taught her how to hunt and survive in the harsh climate and stark surroundings, yet he never became a father to her, remaining distant and aloof over the years. When she discovers something terrible about him, she runs away, realising that maybe Trapper, and their life together, wasn't what it seemed.

The Wolf Road is about Elka discovering who she is and what she believes in and trying to make sense of her past and present. It's very dark, although there are some lighter moments. The writing is beautiful, with highly vivid descriptions of the wilds. This is a fight for survival in a place where food is scarce and danger lurks around each corner.

The Wolf Road is a book that will linger with you for days after finishing it - simply stunning!

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher through Lovereading.