Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

 Diana and Finn live together in New York.  Finn is a doctor in his fourth year of residency and Diana is a specialist in the art auction field handling acquisitions  of prime pieces of art. They have a specific plan for getting married, moving to a suburb, buying a home and having children.  That part of the plan reminded me of Rebecca Serle's book In Five Years. Very similar with the plans/goals and timeline.

Covid is just starting to make it's presence known and the medical professionals are dealing with cases flooding the emergency room. The well planned trip to the Galapagos Island Finn and Diana made may need to be canceled.  Finn tells Diana to go ahead as it's paid for and nonrefundable.

I found it interesting to read about Finn's perspective in trying to treat patients, watching them die after being ventilated, trying new treatment plans and drugs and the sheer exhaustion he feels after working nonstop for days. This is so realistc and you can tell Picoult did her homework on these scenarios.  It's relayed to Diana through emails as she went on the trip and then found herself isolated and in lockdown.  She wishes she hadn't gone but her experiences on the island are interesting as well. 

Without revealing spoilers you will come to a part of the story where it changes completely and you wonder if Diana is indeed in the Galapagos. This isn't like other Picoult books but I did find it interesting.

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

 

No one even knew they were together. Now one of them is dead.

56 DAYS AGO
Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin and start dating the same week COVID-19 reaches Irish shores.

35 DAYS AGO
When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests they move in together. Ciara sees a unique opportunity for a relationship to flourish without the scrutiny of family and friends. Oliver sees a chance to hide who - and what - he really is.

TODAY
Detectives arrive at Oliver's apartment to discover a decomposing body inside.
Quoted from Amazon

This synopsis above is what drew me in and I can say I was not disappointed.  As with most mysteries there is that twist where you see how it will be played out but I can honestly say, I didn't see this one.  

Then, there is another twist and surprise to the story which I though was brilliantly woven in. What you'll find early on is both Oliver and Ciara have secrets.  The revelations are slowly introduced and my guesses for each secret was way off base.

When I first started reading it appeared it would be chick lit with budding romance and a simple mystery inserted. The interactions of Oliver and Ciara are a bit stilted at first but as the reader knows they have something to hide, it's understandable. Not chick lit or romance at all.

The storylines will change back and forth to the police investigation in present time then back to 56 days ago when Oliver and Ciara met, then move to 35 days ago as they are living together.  The perspectives and narrator changes as well.  You'll hear Ciara's side of things, Oliver's side and the detectives.

The author Catherine Ryan Howard is a crime writer from Cork Ireland and wrote this novel during the lockdown. 

My reading partner Loki.

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.