Welcome to my personal book blog - Brown Flopsy's Book Burrow!!
I am mad about books in all their forms - paper books, e-books and audio books.
I review books and share the bookish love. You may also see me talking about books on Twitter (X), Instagram and Threads (@brownflopsy).
I always give honest reviews of the books I have enjoyed, and the views expressed here are completely my own.
I am also a member of, and admin for, the SquadPod Collective bloggers group.
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Tuesday, December 31, 2030
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Victim (Blix and Ramm Book Five) by Jorn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger
Victim (Blix and Ramm Book Five) by Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger.
Published 7th November 2024 by Orenda Books.
From the cover of the book:
Buried sinsBrutal revenge…
Two years ago, Alexander Blix was the lead investigator in a missing person’s case where a young mother, Elisabeth Eie, was kidnapped. The case was never solved.
Blix’s career in law enforcement is now over, but her kidnapper is back, leaving evidence of Elisabeth's murder in Blix’s mailbox, as well as hints that there are other victims.
At the same time, Emma Ramm has been contacted by a teenage girl, whose stepfather has been arrested on suspicion of killing a childhood friend. But there is no body. Nor are there any other suspects…
Blix and Ramm can rely only on each other, and when Blix’s fingerprints are found on a child’s drawing at a crime scene, the present comes uncomfortably close to the past.
A past where a victim has found their own, shocking form of therapy.
And someone is watching…
Shocking, relentless and unbearably tense, Victim marks the return of the international bestselling, blockbuster Blix & Ramm series from two of Norway's finest crime writers.
Friday, November 15, 2024
The Cut by Richard Armitage (Audio Book)
The Cut by Richard Armitage.
Released 22nd August 2024 by Audible Originals.
Narrated by Richard Armitage and Jacob Dudman.
From the cover:
You can’t escape your past. The cut always reopens.In the sleepy village of Barton Mallet, the old ruins of Blackstone Mill watch over the residents as they go about their quiet lives. Ben Knot and his friends are looking forward to a summer of fun and freedom once their last year of school is over. The class of 1994 have been through a lot together, good and bad, but teasing turns to bullying when the Knot gang target younger boy Mark Cherry. As tensions rise and violence escalates, the group fractures and tragedy strikes. Before the summer is over, one of them will be killed. Murdered by someone they called a friend.
Thirty years on, Ben is an award-winning architect who has moved his family back to the village where he grew up. His girlfriend Dani is a hands-on step mum to his kids, budding actor Nate and star footballer Lily, but even though the family seem happy, Ben has never been able to forget the tragedy of the past. And it’s a past that is coming back to haunt him with the murderer’s imminent release from prison. Ben’s glittering career is also starting tarnish as some shady business deals have put him on the path to bankruptcy. With the killer’s parole date approaching and the banks calling in their loans, Ben struggles to keep a grip on the perfect life he has built.
When Nate lands the leading role in a new horror movie, Dani jumps at the chance to propel him towards stardom, despite Ben’s concerns that it will complicate their lives. Ben is persuaded to support his son’s dreams, but when the film crew descend on the village to start shooting, the dream starts to turn into a nightmare. The film is not quite what it seems. His kids are being pushed to the limit and Ben’s paranoia makes him question the film makers’ motives. Ben is desperate for answers and will stop at nothing to keep his family safe.
If the first cut is the deepest, then the last cut is going to end it all.
Barely keeping it together, Ben is persuaded by Dani to back Nate's dream to be an actor, when he is cast in a central role in a horror movie being filmed in the village. Absorbed by his own problems, and the ghosts that haunt him, Ben only slowly becomes aware that there is something odd about the direction of this film project. He needs answers...
Having been wowed by Richard Armitage's debut, Geneva, in both its original audio book and subsequent physical book forms, I could not wait to get my ears around this follow-up thriller, The Cut. As before, this is first being released in audio format by Audible Originals, and is narrated impeccably by the man himself and Jacob Dudman, before then being published by Faber and Faber (coming in hardback and ebook August 2025).
The first thing that strikes me is how much of a different kind of beast this is to Geneva, both in terms of subject matter and structure, which gives an indication of quite how versatile Armitage's writing is. Although there is a hint of international conspiracy in this story, it almost exclusively takes place in a small English village, which has never quite recovered from a shocking murder in 1994. Thirty years later, troubled central character, Ben, who was closely tied to the tragedy, has returned to his childhood village, and Armitage uses this to spin a dual timeline thriller that really gets its claws into you.
I do not want to say too much about the plot itself, as so much of the charm of Armitage's books involves the way the twists and turns of the story gradually reveal themselves. However, suffice to say that as he weaves back and forth between the past and the present (cleverly narrated by Dudman's voice in the former, and his own in the latter), your perception of the events of 1994, and of Ben himself, changes quite spectacularly.
I do not think the ending hits with that exquisite moment of clarity that Geneva's does, and there is a 'happy ending' of sorts that does not quite fit for me, given the the fact that ultimately more than one character here should be taking responsibility for their parts in the 1994 tragedy. However, this is certainly a gritty, and viscerally affecting tale that sits nicely on the crossover between thriller and crime story. I found myself listening with my heart in my mouth as it flips back and forth between the narrators. It is not a comfortable journey from slow-burn beginning to action packed ending by any stretch of the imagination (especially as a parent), but my goodness, it is captivating. I tip my hat to Armitage for stepping up and fully committing to a dual timeline story as intricately crafted as this one, with echoed scenes, and themes, and the way he pivots around different shades of meaning behind the title is impressive.
As someone who was very fortunate to be able to meet and chat with Richard Armitage at Faber Books a few weeks ago, it was a fascinating experience to listen to his work with an insider's view about his creative process. You can really feel his 'visually' centred brain at work here. This is every bit a cinematic experience, which is fitting given aspects of the story, as much as it is an auditory one - there are some lovely, atmospheric touches on the soundtrack too.
I will definitely be revisiting this one when the book hits next year, and I am very much looking forward to what comes next from Richard Armitage.
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
The Viscount And The Thief by Emma Orchard
The Viscount and the Thief by Emma Orchard.
Published 11th November 2024 by Boldwood Books.
From the cover of the book:
Spring, 1811... A stranger arrives at Wyverne HallSophie Delavallois is the new companion to the ageing Dowager Marchioness, but she also has another reason for coming to the infamous Wyverne mansion, one that will shake the family to their core.
Lord Drake left his childhood home many years ago, and only returns now to see his beloved grandmother. He takes little interest in the goings on of the house, until the arrival of Mademoiselle Delavallois. There’s something about her that he can’t put his finger on; it's as if he’s seen her before, but surely, that is not possible…
Sophie is also drawn to Drake, but he is a Wyverne, and she cannot allow herself to fall for him, because her intentions towards the family are resolute – revenge. But inside the walls of Wyverne Hall, she discovers the rumours about the family barely scratch the surface, and she can’t escape the dangerous allure of the Viscount.
Once her plans are set in motion, will he be her saviour or her ruin?
Emma was born in Salford and studied English Literature at the universities of Edinburgh and York.
Friday, November 8, 2024
The Enigma Girl by Henry Porter
The Enigma Girl by Henry Porter.
Published 7th November 2024 by Quercus.
From the cover of the book:
Slim Parsons is all but burned.Her last deep cover job for MI5 ended with a life-and-death struggle on a private jet that caused her to go on the run from both the deadly target and her angry bosses in the Security Service. They say that violence comes too easily to her; that she's bordering on delinquent and unsuitable for the role of an MI5 operative.
Yet she is recalled and asked to infiltrate a news website that's causing alarm in the highest circles. It is staffed by a group descended from wartime codebreakers operating from an unassuming office block near Bletchley Park. Operation Linesman looks like a come down, the curtain on a brilliant career in the shadows. However, she accepts the assignment on condition that the Security Service searches for her missing brother.
Linesman turns out to be anything but simple. Her personal loss, her previous deep cover role, and a threat to MI5 itself from her original target come together in a three-way collision.
And all the while she is watched by someone even deeper in the shadows than she is.
Thursday, November 7, 2024
Yule Island by Johana Gustawsson (Paperback Release)
Yule Island by Johana Gustawsson.
Published in paperback 7th November 2024 by Orenda Books.
From the cover of the book:
Don’t...Art expert Emma Lindahl is anxious when she’s asked to appraise the antiques and artefacts in the infamous manor house of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families, on the island of Storholmen, where a young woman was murdered nine years earlier, her killer never found.
Emma must work alone, and with the Gussman family apparently avoiding her, she sees virtually no one in the house. Do they have something to hide?
Trust...
As she goes about her painstaking work and one shocking discovery yields clues that lead to another, Emma becomes determined to uncover the secrets of the house and its occupants.
When the lifeless body of another young woman is found in the icy waters surrounding the island, Detective Karl Rosén arrives to investigate, and memories of his failure to solve the first case come rushing back. Could this young woman’s tragic death somehow hold the key?
Anyone...
Battling her own demons, Emma joins forces with Karl to embark upon a chilling investigation, plunging them into horrifying secrets from the past – Viking rites and tainted love – and Scandinavia’s deepest, darkest winter…
When Emma arrives at the house, the sheer scale of the job ahead of her does nothing to alleviate her nerves, especially as the Gussman family seem almost hostile to her presence. Moving from room to room on the ridiculously strict timetable dictated by the family, the days begin to blur into one, despite the remarkable array of artefacts within them... until she makes a shocking discovery that could be a piece of the puzzle to the mystery of the murder that has made this island infamous.
Detective Karl Rosén is tortured by his inability to solve the murder of 'the hanging girl' on the island of Storholmen nine years ago. When the body of another young girl is found in the freezing waters off the island, bearing similar marks, he is hopeful that her death may unlock the answers to these bizarre ritualised killings. Emma's discovery brings her and Karl together, and they unexpectedly find themselves teaming up in an attempt to finally bring a murderer to justice, but they are unprepared for the secrets from the past that they uncover - secrets of Viking rites and dark deeds that touch upon their own tragedies...
Johana Gustawsson is the queen of the a gritty noir crime story threaded with the icy chill of horrors from your darkest nightmares, and in Yule Island she proves once again that she can do this with consummate skill. This novel is packed with troubled characters hiding secrets, including Emma and Karl our unlikely crime-busting pair, and the deeply unsettling location of Storholmen makes the ideal backdrop for Gustawsson to weave her spell-binding magic against.
In a masterclass of plotting and misdirection, the story unfurls in the past and present with elements of fast-paced, macabre treasure hunt, and slow-burn Gothic hair-raiser, which come together in a delicious whole. Gustawsson subtly seduces you into falling into all her well-laid traps, before flooring you with oh so beautifully contrived twists and turns - which I promise, you will not see coming - and to top it all, in a spark of absolute genius, she drops in a moment of exquisite clarity that only the very best writers can pull off.
Bursting with echoing themes of motherhood and madness, Viking rituals and intense relationships, this is a novel which completely consumes you and scares you witless. The unbearable tension, the claustrophobic atmosphere, the visceral chills, and the images Gustawsson conjures in your imagination... all this will linger long after you have closed the cover on this stonking thriller. I am so impressed with the work of translator David Warrinder here too, maintaining pace and spot on tone throughout.
Yule Island easily made it on to the list of my books of 2023, when it came out in hardback - and you can now discover its creepy delights in paperback. It is, quite simply, sublime.
David Warner translates from French and nurtures a healthy passion for Franco, Nordic and British crime fiction. Growing up in deepest Yorkshire, he developed incurable Francophilia at an early age. Emerging from Oxford with a Modern Languages degree he narrowly escaped the graduate rat race by hopping on a plane to Canada – and never looked back. More than a decade into a high-powered commercial translation career, he listened to his heart and turned his hand to the delicate art of literary translation. David has lived in France and Quebec, and now calls beautiful British Columbia home.
The Last Princess: The Daughter Of The House Of Dragons (Book One)
The Last Princess: The Daughter of the House of Dragons (Book One) by Ellen Alpsten.
Published 7th November 2024 by Sunbird Stories.
From the cover of the book:
Young and beautiful Gytha Godwinson is the envy of England when her father Harold seizes the country’s crown in early 1066. Soon triumph turns to terror as an evil star appears, heralding the end of an era and a new beginning for Britain. Her family and the country seem cursed. But even as she suffers loss, betrayal and humiliation, Gytha is determined to regain what is rightfully hers.In a stunning re-telling of 1066, international bestselling author Ellen Alpsten has created a captivating new heroine in Gytha Godwinson: 'The Last Princess' is a bridge between myth and modernity. Witness the truth about the end of England's ancient house, the demise of a cursed kingdom and the emergence of a new empire. In a time when women were seen as cup-bearers, peace-weavers and memory-keepers, Gytha Godwinson is a true daughter of the House of Dragons and dares to write world-history.
Upon graduating from the 'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris', she worked as a news-anchor for Bloomberg TV London. While working gruesome night shifts on breakfast TV, she started to write in earnest, every day, after work, a nap and a run. So much for burning midnight oil!
Today, Ellen works as an author and as a journalist for international publications such as Vogue, Standpoint, and CN Traveller. She lives in London with her husband, three sons, and a moody fox red Labrador.
'Tsarina' is her debut novel.
For more information about her literary life follow her on social media.
Friday, November 1, 2024
Black Storms by Teresa Solana
Black Storms by Teresa Solana.
Translated by Peter Bush.
Published in ebook 25th October 2024 and in paperback 1st November 2024 by Corylus Books.
From the cover of the book:
A country that doesn't acknowledge its past is destined to repeat its mistakes...Why murder a sick old man nearing retirement? An investigation into the death of a professor at the University of Barcelona seems particularly baffling for Deputy Inspector Norma Forester of the Catalan police, as word from the top confirms she's the one to lead this case.
The granddaughter of an English member of the International Brigades, Norma has a colourful family life, with a forensic doctor husband, a hippy mother, a squatter daughter and an aunt, a nun in an enclosed order, who operates as a hacker from her austere convent cell.
This blended family sometimes helps and often hinders Norma's investigations.
It seems the spectres of the past have not yet been laid to rest, and there are people who can neither forgive nor forget the cruelties of the Spanish Civil War and all that followed.
October 2024 Reading Round-Up
October 2024 Reading Round-Up
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers |
The Lost Lover by Karen Swan |
The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey |
Stupid Stories for Tough Times by Andrew Crowther |
The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen |
Tales of the Damned by Matt Ralphs and Taylor Dolan Escape Castle Dracula by Sam Fern and Adam Allori |
The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side by Agatha Christie |
Dark as Night by Lilja Sigurdardóttir |
Home for Christmas by Heidi Swain |
Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde |
Because She Looked Away by Alison Bruce |
Leaving by Roxana Robinson |
After the Fire by Charlotte Rixon |
The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera |
Thursday, October 31, 2024
The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera
The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera.
Published 3rd October 2024 by Oneworld.
From the cover of the book:
A searingly original novel about sisterhood, art, and a community of women who refuse to be silenced.Nine-year-old Graciela is raised in the shadow of El Salvador's Izalco volcano, until the day she is taken to the capital city by the country's fearsome – and fearsomely superstitious – dictator, who believes her to be a muse capable of foreseeing the future.
There, Graciela meets Consuelo, the sister she never knew existed. Consuelo is everything she is not – volatile, dreamy and teenaged – yet despite their differences, the sisters form an unlikely bond. When the dictator's brutality is finally unleashed, El Salvador is forever changed. Graciela and Consuelo survive the massacre, but most of their community are not so lucky.
From San Salvador to Los Angeles, Paris to San Francisco, the sisters create a new future for themselves. But the story of those they left behind is not yet over. Their voices, once just a whimper, now shout louder than ever. Listen.