Time for another round of Yvo’s Shorties! This time around two titles that have been highly recommended to me multiple times and both turned out to be worth the hype. I can definitely understand the love for Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens now, and while it wasn’t a 5 star read for me I still really enjoyed my time with the story. And I’ve found a new favorite series and character duo with The Puppet Show by M.W. Craven!

Title: Where The Crawdads Sing
Author: Delia Owens
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
First published: August 14th 2018
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Finished reading: July 12th 2019
Pages: 384

“Kya laid her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and the marsh became her mother.”


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This is such a hyped book and I’ve lost count of the times it has been recommended to me since it was published last year. I definitely understand the love for the story now, and while it wasn’t a 5 star read for me, I still thoroughly enjoyed my time with Where The Crawdads Sing. The pace might be slow in the beginning, but the story will grow on you soon enough and the pace will pick up later on as well. The main focus of this story is on the characters and with the way the marsh is described, it almost feels like it is another important character of the story. Both the character and setting descriptions are extremely detailed and wonderful done, and I think those descriptions are part of the power behind Where The Crawdads Sing. My favorite part of this story is probably related to the many descriptions and references to the marsh and its wildlife. It really made the story come alive for me and was also a perfect backdrop for the development of Kya’s character and those close to her. I also liked how past and present chapters were mixed and slowly helped you understand more about Kya, her past and the events leading to the present. Tate and Jumpin were great characters as well, and I loved to see their development over time. I admit I guessed the ending, but I still think the twist was very well handled. Where The Crawdads Sing gives us a character-driven story set in the marsh wilderness, a story filled with family drama, rejection, loneliness, hope and a dose of courtroom action and mystery to boot. And it’s one of those exceptions where the book is most definitely worth the hype.

Title: The Puppet Show
(Washington Poe #1)
Author: M.W. Craven
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: June 7th 2018
Publisher: Constable
Finished reading: July 14th 2019
Pages: 352

“They were polar opposites – her light and his darkness – but sometimes those friendships were the strongest.”


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I’ve been wanting to read The Puppet Show ever since it was published last year. I have a weak spot for serial killers, and between the blurb and many recommendations by fellow crime lovers I knew was going to be in for a treat. The @criminallygoodbookclub on Instagram picked this first book of the Washington Poe series as their July read and was the final push I needed to stop posponing my meeting with Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw… And boy, what a meeting it was! There is no doubt I have found a new favorite series and character duo in The Puppet Show. I can confirm that there are multiple elements helping me make my decision to hand out that elusive highest rating. First things first though, and there is no denying that the main reason The Puppet Show was such a success for me has everything to do with the new star duo Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw. As fast as lightning, both characters have managed to win over my heart, make me root for them and deliver a fascinating investigation and story in the process. They complement each other so well and they are absolutely brilliant together! The character description and development in general is very well done and in such a way that you won’t see a certain twist coming AT ALL. Oh yes, The Puppet Show has a plot twist bomb under its sleeve that will blow your socks off. Both the writing and plot development are brilliant and together with the well handled suspense and plot twists you won’t be able to put down this story easily before you reach that final page. The wonderful descriptions of the Cumbria setting help set the tone of this story, and on top of that we have a chilling serial killer, a dark dark secret and a scandal of the past… All ingredients that turn The Puppet Show into a new favorite and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of the sequel.

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