Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (Pottermore Presents #3) by J.K. Rowling

Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (Pottermore Presents #3) by J.K. Rowling-79 pages

I really enjoyed reading this as a fan of Harry Potter. It provides more detail on many of the secrets and known qualities of Hogwarts. Hogwarts Express, The Sorting Hat's origin, The Marauder's Map's origins, The Sword of Gryffindor, Time-Turners, The Pensieve, The ghosts of Hogwarts, The Chamber of Secrets, Hufflepuff's Common Room, The Mirror of Erised and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone are explained in greater detail, among other things, and it is cool to know more about Rowling's thoughts on many of these places, things, and people.

Stolen Souls by Stuart Neville

Stolen Souls by Stuart Neville - 354 pages

This is the second mystery featuring Detective Jack Lennon of the Northern Ireland Police Service.  Fans of dark Irish noir such as the works of Ken Bruen will enjoy Neville's work.  The story follows Galya Petrova who travels to Ireland on a promise that she will work for a nice Russian family, teaching their children English. Instead, she is dragged into the world of modern slavery, sold to a Belfast brothel, and held there against her will.  She escapes but with a terrible cost and encounters even more human depravity on her quest to simply return home.  Detective Lennon faces his own demons while trying to solve four murders tied to Petrova's actions and subsequent escape.  The book has a lot of violence and is not for the squeamish.  There is a slight paranormal element at work with Lennon's daughter Ellen that hearkens to the work of John Connolly and Stephen King's The Shining.