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Old Romantics by Maggie Armstrong

 

Old Romantics by Maggie Armstrong.

Published 18th April 2024 by Tramp Press.

From the cover of the book:

Slippery, flawed and acute, Old Romantics is a collection of alternative romances told from a nether world of love and disenchantment by an astonishing new talent.

The linked stories follow the interior biography of an indistinct Dublin woman, from early adulthood into motherhood and the trials of young family life right up to pandemic times. Whether a catastrophic road trip, an ill-advised career move or a sinister encounter on the beach, these stories dig at the heart of what it is to be alone and alienated in your world. The heroes of these escapades are thickly masked and often unreliable as they pursue each other. Love is sometimes obsessive and often delusional. Motivations are slippery, expectations are shattered, and self-knowledge is hard-won yet inevitable. 

This collection opens the under-seam of what it is to fall in love and back out again. Romance has a rotten heart, but love is real and infinite. From bad dates that call to mind an Irish ‘Cat Person’ by Kristen Roupenian, to comically observed workplace absurdity, Maggie Armstrong is a powerful new voice in Irish fiction.

***********

Old Romantics is a collection of twelve short stories by Irish writer Maggie Armstrong, linked by echoing themes which perversely have very little to do with conventional notions of romance - and it is that which makes this book so mind-jarringly compelling.

Generally speaking, the collection follows a chronology from teenage angst to motherhood and strained family life, through scenes of sexual awakening and off-kilter relationships, with a little side-order of work place weirdness. In every case there is a discord between fantasist levels of expectation and the harsh thwack of reality, and the way the narrative flips between stream of consciousness-like first person intensity and third person separation fits nicely with each one.

There is pitch black humour to be found in many of these tales - I particularly liked the comic Black Mirror vibes of The Dublin Marriage (my favourite of them all), and the surreal road-trip of Old Romantics - but there is also a darkness of a different kind, which I found quite disconcerting. I was unable to shake the feeling that life is happening to these characters almost against their will, as they are so mentally detached from from the physical acts they are engaging in, and the bitter tastes of sordidness and hopeless despondency become quite overwhelming as you work your way through the stories. 

Repeated threads of dysfunctional relationships that leave their mark on fragile mental health make this a collection that is the antithesis of warm-hearted romantic fayre, and the sharply observed, thought-provoking way Armstrong uses them means there is a lot here to talk about, and to divide the crowd. This makes this book a great choice for book clubs and reading groups. 

I confess that I am in two minds about this collection, caught between the highly entertaining farcical tales, and the tragic ones that hit with a visceral poignancy. This is not a book I can easily refer to as one I 'enjoyed' as there is such a disenchanting edge to it, but I can tell you that reading it has been a fascinating experience. I suspect that I will be picking it up again in the future to reread some of these stories, as Armstrong's writing has a seductive pull to it that is hard to ignore. 

Maggie Armstrong is now a writer on my literary radar, and I look forward to seeing what comes from her pen next.

Old Romantics is available to buy now in paperback.

Thank you to Tramp Press for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and to Helen Richardson PR for inviting me to join this blog tour.

About the author:

Maggie Armstrong’s work has appeared in the Dublin Review, The Stinging Fly, Banshee, and elsewhere. 

The author was longlisted for a 2023 Irish Book Award. 

She lives in Dublin.

Palamedes PR: In Praise Of Bookbloggers

 

About Palamedes PR:

Palamedes PR is a long-established and award-winning name in the book marketing

field and the recognised UK market-leader.

Their specialist services include national and international press, TV and radio, and PR stunts.

For more information, visit www.palamedes.co.uk

Working with book bloggers by Anthony Harvison - Palamedes Publicist

Book bloggers are no longer considered ‘fringe media’ but important vehicles to promote new titles, authors and publishers. Unlike mainstream news and feature outlets, which reach a wide but less targeted audience, blogs like Brown Flopsy's Book Burrow are the go-to destination of choice for engaged consumers who return time and time again for expert reviews and advice.

According to Palamedes PR, the UK’s market-leading book marketing agency, bloggers can be instrumental in shaping the overall success of a new release and are an indispensable force in the public relations industry.

Here, we speak to one of its publicists, Anthony Harvison, to find out why book blogs are reshaping the literary marketing and sales landscape, and how they are an increasingly important advocate for underrepresented voices and genres.


Q: How has the landscape of book marketing evolved with the rise of book blogging, and what role does it play in promoting books?

Book blogging has become a powerful force in book marketing, offering a dynamic platform for readers to share their thoughts and recommendations. It plays a crucial role in creating buzz around books, reaching niche audiences, and influencing purchasing decisions.


Q: In what ways do book bloggers contribute to building a book's online presence and visibility? 

Book bloggers contribute significantly to a book's online presence by writing reviews, hosting blog tours, and participating in social media discussions. Their authentic and personal recommendations can enhance a book's visibility and attract a diverse readership.


Q: How do book publicists identify and collaborate with book bloggers to promote specific titles?

Book publicists often research and reach out to book bloggers whose content aligns with the target audience and genre of a particular book. Collaboration may involve sending review copies, organizing blog tours, or facilitating author interviews to generate interest among the blogger's followers.


Q: Can you share examples of successful book marketing campaigns that heavily leveraged book blogging?

Successful campaigns often involve strategic partnerships with influential book bloggers. For instance, organizing blog tours with well-established bloggers, hosting giveaways, or encouraging book discussions on popular platforms can generate substantial online buzz and drive book sales.


Q: How do book bloggers contribute to the diversity and inclusivity of book promotion, particularly in highlighting underrepresented voices or genres?

Book bloggers have a unique ability to champion diverse voices and genres that might be overlooked in mainstream media. They can bring attention to underrepresented authors and stories, fostering a more inclusive literary landscape and broadening the range of books available to readers.


Q: With the prevalence of social media, how do book bloggers use platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube to enhance their book reviews and recommendations?

Many book bloggers utilize social media platforms to share visually appealing book recommendations, snippets of reviews, and engage in real-time conversations with their followers. Platforms like Instagram and YouTube, in particular, provide a multimedia approach to book promotion, enhancing the overall impact of their reviews.


Q: How can book publicists and authors effectively engage with book bloggers to ensure a mutually beneficial collaboration?

Building genuine relationships is key. Publicists and authors can engage with book bloggers by offering personalized pitches, providing relevant content, respecting their schedules, and acknowledging their contributions. It's essential to approach collaborations as a partnership that benefits both parties and their audiences.


Q: Looking forward, do you see any emerging trends or changes in the relationship between book blogging and book marketing?

As technology evolves, immersive experiences like virtual book clubs, interactive content, and multimedia reviews may gain prominence in book blogging. The relationship between book bloggers and marketing may deepen as influencers continue to shape literary conversations and bridge the gap between authors, publishers, and readers.


For more information about Palamedes PR and its book marketing services, go to:
www.palamedes.co.uk or call 0208 1036883

Phineas Finn (Palliser Book Two) by Anthony Trollope

 

Phineas Finn (Palliser Book Two) by Anthony Trollope.

This edition published 10th November 2011 by Oxford World's Classics. 

Originally published in 1869.

From the cover of the book:

Phineas Finn, the handsome Irishman, is equally successful at scaling the political ladder and gaining the affection of influential women. 

As he makes his precarious way in parliament he discovers how far principles must be sacrificed to the common cause, and how essential money is to political progress. 

Set during the turbulent passage of the second Reform Act of 1867, the novel paints a vivid picture of the compromises and tactics of daily political life. 

Loss of independence is felt just as keenly by Lady Laura and Violet Effingham, whose choice of marriage partner will determine their future freedom as much as their happiness. 

With politics and the personal so closely entwined, Phineas faces an act of conscience that will have a profound effect on his life.

The second novel in Trollope's Palliser series, Phineas Finn's engaging plot embraces matters as diverse as reform, the position of women, the Irish question, and the conflict between integrity and ambition.

***********

The second novel in the Palliser series continues the political theme when the eponymous hero of the piece, handsome Phineas Finn, the only son of an Irish doctor, decides to give up on his intention to become a lawyer and try his hand at becoming an MP. The story then follows Phineas through the next five years of his career in the House of Commons, as he works his way up to a position as a junior minister.

Alongside Phineas' political career, Trollope also engineers various romantic adventures for the young Irishman, as he falls in love (mostly) with society heiresses with a modicum of success, until the whole tale comes satisfyingly full-circle in a way that spoilers naturally prevent me from divulging.

As Trollope novels go, this really is a story of two halves for me. The first issue is Trollope's preoccupation with political shenanigans for the first half of the book, which I think stems from his own, failed, political ambitions at the time of writing. The second, is that Trollope's excellent female characters, who always prove to be the most interesting part of any of his books, take way too long to have anything interesting to do.

As a result, I found it very difficult to get into this book, bored rigid by lengthy political ramblings, that no doubt would have been rather entertaining to Trollope's contemporary Victorian audience, but which left me cold. Despite the fact that Phineas is actually a genial and jolly decent chap who wants nothing more than to make a difference, and the odd flash of satirical humour, it was hard going indeed. However, bolstered by the assurances of the lovely Trollope read-along gang that things would eventually improve, I girded my loins and soldiered onwards... and I am rather thankful that I did.

Trollope eventually seems to give himself a little shake and remembers that he can write female characters with verve! As a result, Phineas' propensity to fall in love too easily gives rise to some lovely storylines about the women he gives his heart to. His first London-based love, Lady Laura Standish, who marries in haste and repents in despondent leisure; the heiress Violet Effingham, who is intended for Phineas' best pal (and Lady Laura's brother) Lord Oswald Chiltern; the unconventional wealthy widow, Madame Max Goesler; and sweet little Mary Flood Jones, back home in Ireland; draw Phineas into wandering plotlines about money, matrimony, and the loss of female independence that work themselves out in society salons, on country estates, during parliament business, and even via a garrotting and a misguided Continental duel! Some familiar faces from previous novels make a welcome appearance too, such as Plantagenet Palliser and his vivacious wife Glencora. Suddenly the continuing political threads are much less tiresome, and Trollope even manages to weave the personal and professional sides of Phineas' life together nicely to direct the course of his principal-guided fate at the end of the novel. Thank goodness, this is much more like the Trollope I know and love!

Phineas crops up again in the Palliser series in book four, which is intriguingly entitled Phineas Redux, so I am glad I finally conquered this beast in a much better state of mind than I was anticipating at the halfway point. This was definitely a struggle after the excellent first book in the series, Can You Forgive Her?, but I am looking forward to meeting up with Phineas again. In the meantime, the next Palliser novel awaits in The Eustace Diamonds, and, based on the title alone, I have high hopes that this will be more engaging straight out of the gate... stay tuned to see how I get on.

Phineas Finn is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Anthony Trollope (1815-82) became one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of Trollope's best-loved works revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire, but he also wrote penetrating novels on political, social, and gender issues and conflicts of his day.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

 

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth.

Published 25th April 2024 by Pan Macmillan.

From the cover of the book:

It’s not just secrets buried at Wild Meadows.

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. Rescued from their own family tragedies, they were raised by a loving foster mother on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance for a happy family life.

But the girls’ childhood wasn’t quite the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. And when a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the three foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses.

It’s time for them to return home as adults. The only question is are they innocent victims or the prime suspects for murder?

***********

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are sisters in every way but blood, tied together by their childhood experiences at Wild Meadows in Port Agatha, the foster home they were told they were 'lucky' to have. Each of them carries the inner scars of the time they spent with foster mother Miss Fairchild, who was far from the loving parent she presented herself as, and the burden of these has dictated the direction of their lives.

The women have done their best to leave their past behind, navigating their individual struggles and supporting each other in the only way they know how - with a fierce protectiveness. But then an unexpected telephone call brings all their troubling memories rushing back. A body has been found underneath the house they grew up in, and they find themselves called back to Port Agatha to answer questions as part of a murder investigation - but are they being asked to return as potential witnesses, or as suspects? 

The story unfurls through the narratives of each of the women, moving back and forth between the disturbing events of their childhood at Wild Meadows, and the time they receive the fateful phone call asking them to return to the last place on earth they want to see again. Weaving in-between these narratives, Hepworth inserts scenes of psychiatric assessment sessions with an unknown character about their childhood at Wild Meadows too, and she keeps you guessing about these for quite a while before revealing the whos-whats-whys-and-wherefores about their meaning in the overall scheme of things.

The relationship between Jessica, Norah, and Alicia is the central core of this compelling tale, and Hepworth spares nothing in delving into the details about how they have come to be so close through the horrendous circumstances of their childhood at Wild Meadows. She describes upsetting scenes of psychological and physical torment, which are very difficult to read, but these are all essential to build the complex layers of story around the shape their lives have taken, and the dysfunctional strategies they rely on to get by - as well as to ramp up the mystery and suspense about the murder investigation.

With slow-burn lusciousness, the threads of the story come together, via some nicely plotted twists and well-judged dark humour, and Hepworth saves the biggest secret of all until the very end, with a jaw-dropping reveal that will have you questioning everything you think you know. She drives you through a range of powerful emotions as she delves into the legacy of the abuse these women have experienced, but there is hope too in the way they finally make their voices heard and come to terms with their past. 

In the telling, Hepworth explores heart-rending themes about foster care, and the children who are made to think they are 'lucky' to be in the care system, but she also touches on what can be achieved with love and understanding. I always think a good story, told well, is a great way to set readers thinking about weighty issues, and this book will certainly leave you with lots to ponder upon.

This is my first Sally Hepworth, but it definitely will not be my last. I swallowed it whole, unable to look away for a second!

Darling Girls is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including The Good Sister and The Soulmate. Her latest novel, Darling Girls, was released in Australia in September 2023, and will be released internationally in April 2024.

Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone. They are available worldwide in English and have been translated into twenty languages.

Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her three children and one adorable dog. She has recently taken up ocean swimming (or to put it more accurately, ocean dipping).

Better Left Unsaid by Lia Louis

 

Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis.

Published 11th April 2024 by Zaffre Books.

From the cover of the book:

Millie Chandler is known at work as the nice receptionist who got dumped by the company hotshot, and ever since then, she has vowed to keep everything to herself - her feelings, her hopes, and especially her fears.

But Millie does have an outlet: her emails. From sarcastic replies to her rude boss, rants to friends about their terrible taste in men to a five-hundred-word love declaration to her ex, who three years on, is about to marry someone else. Millie's reality lives in her drafts until the morning she discovers that they are somehow in her sent folder. The truth is out.

As every dark secret she's worked so hard to keep password protected is released, Millie must fix the chaos her words have caused.

Will Millie find the strength to open both her heart, and her inbox?

***********

Millie Chandler works as a receptionist at a sports television production company, where she likes to stay under the radar since being unceremoniously dumped by star director, Owen, three years ago. Always ready with a smile, no one ever hears Millie complain, but she has a secret - for her draft email folder is full of every sarcastic reply, gripe, piece of 'helpful' advice, and unspoken declaration that she has never had the courage to say out loud.

One nightmare day, Millie arrives at work to find that her secret is not so secret anymore. Somehow, every single one of her private rants and heartfelt confessions has been sent to its intended recipient - including a lengthy, lovelorn message to her ex; and a flirty missive to her co-worker crush, Jack. How will Millie ever deal with the fallout...?

Can you imagine if all your private thoughts suddenly made their way out in the world to the very people you have directed them at? With the most cringe-worthy of premises, Lia Louis crafts a brilliant new rom-com in Better Left Unsent that is equal parts funny, thought-provoking, and heart-meltingly gooey!

Shocked, bemused, and shamefully embarrassed, Millie spends the entirety of this story wading through the consequences of her emails, going on an epic emotional journey that is wonderfully heart-warming given the nightmare beginning - and not just for herself. As the story unfurls, following the threads of the impact of Millie's emails, we learn a lot about the poignant events that have led her to keep her hopes, fears, and grumbles between herself and her draft folder, especially when it comes to her relationships with friends, family, the wretched Owen, and love interest Jack.  

There are characters galore to love and loathe, all with issues of their own to work through that are given an unintended push by Millie's emails, and this makes the story really compelling. Essentially, it is a romance, and a gorgeous one at that, with as much will-they-won't-they suspense between Millie and Jack as you could possibly want, and lashings of friendship-centred pulling together. But there are so many echoing themes that Louis touches on in that special way she has, exploring the darker side of relationships amidst the laughs and love-story too. Control and manipulation get Louis' attention here, but my favourite theme she examines through Millie's tale, and some of the characters around her, is all about being honest with yourself and those you care about.

I loved this from start to tear-jerking finish... make sure you have the tissues handy, because you are going to need them.  

Better Left Unsaid is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Zaffre Books for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to join this blog tour.

About the author:

Lia Louis lives in the United Kingdom with her partner and three young children. 

Before raising a family, she worked as a freelance copywriter and proofreader. She was the 2015 winner of Elle magazine’s annual writing competition and has been a contributor for Bloomsbury’s Writers and Artist’s blog for aspiring writers. 

She is the author of Somewhere Close to Happy and Dear Emmie Blue.

The Kitchen (Chastity Reloaded Book Two) by Simone Buchholz

 

The Kitchen (Chastity Reloaded Book Two) by Simone Buchholz.

Translated by Rachel Ward.

Published 11th April 2024 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

When neatly packed male body parts wash up by the River Elbe, Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley and her colleagues begin a perplexing investigation.

As the murdered men are identified, it becomes clear that they all had a history of abuse towards women, leading Riley to wonder if it would actually be in society’s best interests to catch the killers.

But when her best friend Carla is attacked, and the police show little interest in tracking down the offenders, Chastity takes matters into her own hands. As a link between the two cases emerges, horrifying revelations threaten Chastity’s own moral compass, and put everything at risk…

Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley and her colleagues investigate the murders of men with a history of abuse towards women … as a startling, horrifying series of revelations emerge. Germany’s Queen of Krimi returns with the darkly funny, mesmerizingly dark next instalment in an addictive series…

***********

Hamburg State Prosecutor, Chastity Riley, and her team, are faced with a troubling investigation when carefully packaged body parts are found in the River Elbe. It transpires that the gory remains belong to men who have a track record of violence towards women, opening up the possibility that the killer might be doing Hamburg a favour.

When Chastity's best friend is attacked by two men, and the police do not seem concerned about catching the offenders, she begins to ponder whether the legal process she holds so dear is doing all it can to protect women, and it gives her pause for thought about whether she really wants to catch the serial killer she has been hunting...

Chastity Riley is back with a timely investigation that delves into violence towards women, and disturbing aspects of predatory male behaviour that are all too easily dismissed as something that comes as part of being a woman in a man's world.

The story plays out in classic, punchy Simone Buchholz style, with catchily entitled chapters that cut between Chastity's first-person narrative; tantalising perspectives on the work of the story's serial killer; and vignettes of gut-wrenching, predatory male behaviour from the points of view of the women involved. It is a clever format that immerses you in the story with a fierce intensity, and allows Buchholz to explore multiple aspects of her subject of choice at the same time. 

As a state prosecutor, Chastity believes that the law will protect women who have suffered abuse, but she finds her faith in the tenets she upholds profoundly shaken by the events in this story. Inevitably, this leads to her questioning her moral stance on the investigation into the gruesome murders that have been occupying her and her team. There is quite a lot going on in Chastity's personal life too, embroiling her in a tangle of conflicting emotions that feed into the crisis of conscience she faces.  

I love the way Hamburg comes alive in the Chastity books, through the many faces of the city that our unapologetically forthright prosecutor both loves and loathes. Once again, Buchholz takes us deep into the dark side of both her characters and the city, with an inherent feeling of danger at every turn, and the knife-edge tension is enhanced beautifully by the sweltering temperatures of a hot summer. The truth behind the murders is hinted at early on in the game, but this is essentially a character-led piece and that does not spoil the enjoyment a jot. Lashings of deliciously dark plotting, threaded with thought provoking themes, drive you on to Buchholz's tricksy ending - which works perfectly in her Queen of Krimi noir world.

There is quite a lot in this novel that will trouble your nightmares, much of it related to the cracking title The Kitchen, and the disquieting feelings evoked by the abuse story line. But it is not all murder, mayhem and menace, as there is so much pitch black humour that arises from Chastity's irreverent attitude. Her conversations with her colleagues (especially retired former colleague Faller) are often as funny as they are enlightening, and her sardonic observations are comedy gold, which lightens the mood amidst all the gritty realism.

This is the perfect opportunity to heap praise upon translator Rachel Ward. She clearly chooses her words with care, using expression and idiom to make the story flow, while preserving the cynicism and moral ambiguity that characterises noir fiction like this. She really understands the assignment in Buchholz's books, maintaining pace, and atmosphere to perfection, which makes reading them eminently satisfying.

I consumed this book in one tasty gulp, despite the shocking (and nauseating) references that are integral to the story, and which may well have you looking askance at a particular kind of trendy establishment. Fresh and exciting, Simone Buchholz's Chastity Riley books really are a literary palate cleanser, especially if you enjoy a walk on the noir dark side.

The Kitchen is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can support the best of independent publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Simone Buchholz was born in Hanau in 1972. At university, she studied Philosophy and Literature, worked as a waitress and a columnist, and trained to be a journalist at the prestigious Henri-Nannen-School in Hamburg. 

In 2016, Simone Buchholz was awarded the Crime Cologne Award as well as runner-up in the German Crime Fiction Prize for Blue Night, which was number one on the Krimi ZEIT Best of Crime List for months. The critically acclaimed Beton Rouge, Mexico Street, Hotel Cartagena and River Clyde all followed in the Chastity Riley series. Hotel Cartagena won the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger in 2022. The Acapulco (2023) marked the beginning of the Chastity Reloaded series, with The Kitchen out in 2024. 

She lives in Sankt Pauli, in the heart of Hamburg, with her husband and son.

About the translator:

Rachel Ward is a freelance translator of literary and creative texts from German and French to English. 

Having always been an avid reader and enjoyed word games and puzzles, she discovered a flair for languages at school and went on to study modern languages at the University of East Anglia. She spent the third year working as a language assistant at two grammar schools in Saaebrücken, Germany. During her final year, she realised that she wanted to put these skills and passions to use professionally and applied for UEA’s MA in Literary Translation, which she completed in 2002. 

Her published translations include Traitor by Gudrun Pausewang and Red Rage by Brigitte Blobel, and she is a Member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting.

The Holiday Escape by Heidi Swain

 

The Holiday Escape by Heidi Swain.

Published 25th April 2024 by Simon and Schuster.

From the cover of the book:

Her dream holiday is his everyday life. His dream holiday is her normal life. What happens when they collide?

Ally and her dad, Geoff, run the family business, a creative retreat, from their home Hollyhock Cottage in picturesque Kittiwake Cove. They give their guests their dream break, but Ally hankers after glamourous city living, fancy restaurants and art galleries.

Ally’s survival strategy is to escape out of season, take a break abroad and pretend to be the person she always imagined she would be. She meets Logan while she’s away and he turns out to be exactly the kind of distraction she’s looking for.

With her spirits restored, Ally returns home, picks up the reins again and sets her sights on another successful season, but when Logan unexpectedly arrives on the scene, she soon realises she’s in for a summer that’s going to be far from straightforward…

A story about bringing a holiday home – and what happens when what goes on on holiday comes back to bite you…

***********

When Ally's mother died unexpectedly, she suddenly found herself tied to a promise to help her dad achieve her parents' dream of turning Hollyhock Cottage, in Dorset's beautiful Kittiwake Cove, into a creative retreat. True to her word, Ally has done just that, never admitting to her father that in her heart she has never loved the house, or the Cove come to think of it, and yearns to follow her dream of exciting city living in Spain.

Ally tells herself that the escapist holidays she takes out of season, pretending to be the kind of person she once envisaged she would be, are enough to keep her sane amidst the busy, but unfulfilling, life she leads back in Dorset. But her latest trip to Barcelona has thrown an emotional spanner in her carefully curated works. For during her adventure in the guise of sophisticated 'Flora', she meets the extremely attractive Logan. She finds herself developing real feelings for him, when all she was looking for was a holiday fling.

When Ally returns home to Kittiwake Cove, she struggles to keep her conflicted feelings about more than one path not taken from bubbling to the surface. Determined to make the season a success for the sake of her father, she is just about holding it together. So the last thing she needs is for Logan to appear on her home turf, and set her emotions spiraling once more. It is time for Ally to make some big decisions about what she really wants...

Ah, what utter loveliness this book proved to be. Heidi Swain knows just how to pull you into a book with just the right mix of an escapist story in a gorgeous location, threaded with relatable themes, and with characters you can take to your heart - all wrapped up in a romantic bow! And she pulls this off in typical Swain-style in her larest gem, The Holiday Escape.

Ally is a great protagonist, pulled in two by the promise she made to her mother and her secret dreams, and nothing about the choices she must make is simple. As we get to know her, Swain does an excellent job of showing how she is grieving from not only the loss of a parent, but the life she thought she would be living, and this gives rise to layered storylines about forgiveness and unresolved feelings, that must be worked through before the heart-warming ending comes around - via all the necessary mishaps and misunderstandings along the way, of course.

I really enjoyed the multiple threads of gentle romance that run through this story, especially the clever twist that makes Ally reassess her feelings about the direction of her life through the eyes of Logan, and Swain builds in clever suspense around the will-they-won't-they element, as well as the nicely judged over-arching plotlines of deception and the weight of things unsaid. There are some cracking characters who spring from the pages to become living, breathing people (or foul-mouthed feathered friends), which makes the novel enjoyably cinematic - and their storylines have you chuckling, cheering, cussing, and crying in equal measure. Everything revolves beautifully around Swain's favourite topics of family, friendship, second chances, and a community pulling together in times of trouble - which just happen to be my favourite themes too! 

This is one of those books you find yourself swallowing whole, completely tied to the fate of the characters until the emotional finale rolls around. I always know I am in for some powerful tugging of the heart strings when a new Heidi Swain book arrives, and The Holiday Escape hit that sentimental sweet-spot to perfection. I loved it!

The Holiday Escape is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to join this Books and the City blog tour.

About the author:

Heidi Swain is a Sunday Times Top Ten best-selling author who writes feel good fiction for Simon & Schuster. She releases two books a year (early summer and winter) and the stories all have a strong sense of community, family and friendship. She is currently writing books set in three locations - the Fenland town of Wynbridge, Nightingale Square in Norwich and Wynmouth on the Norfolk coast, as well as summer standalone titles. 

Heidi lives in beautiful west Norfolk. She is passionate about gardening, the countryside, collecting vintage paraphernalia and reading. Her tbr pile is always out of control! 

Heidi loves to chat with her readers and you can get in touch via her website or on social media.

Leave No Trace (Kat And Lock Book Two) by Jo Callaghan

 

Leave No Trace (Kat and Lock Book Two) by Jo Callaghan.

Published 28th March 2024 by Simon and Schuster.

From the cover of the book:

One detective driven by instinct, the other by logic.
It will take both to find a killer who knows the true meaning of fear . . .

When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of Mount Judd, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – and DCS Kat Frank are thrust into the spotlight as they are given their first live case.

But with the discovery of another man’s body – also crucified – it appears that their killer is only just getting started. With the police warning local men to be vigilant, the Future Policing Unit is thrust into a hostile media frenzy as they desperately search for connections between the victims. But time is running out for them to join the dots and prevent another death.

For if Kat and Lock know anything, it’s that killers rarely stop – until they are made to.

***********

The Future Policing Unit (FPU) has performed well in its pilot phase, seeking answers to some tricky cold cases, and DCS Kat Frank is keen to set her team to work on a live case. When the body of a naked man is found crucified on a hill, familiarly known as Nuneaton's Nipple, Kat finally gets her wish, and the FPU get their chance to show exactly what they can do with the help of AIDE Lock, the world's first AI detective.

However, when a second victim turns up, bearing all the hallmarks of the work of a serial killer on a mission, the unfortunate media frenzy that ensues puts the ground-breaking FPU under the spotlight in undesirable ways - and puts enormous pressure on the team to ease public fears as soon as possible...

Having cut their teeth on several cold cases, the FPU now get the opportunity to work on a live investigation which tests them to the very limit in terms of their personal and professional lives. Returning to the criminal coal-face, DCS Kat Frank heads up a team comprising ambitious DI Hassan, a now very pregnant DS Browne, super-smart Professor Okonedo, and Okonedo's incredible invention AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock - an AI capable of Deep Learning. The team are bolstered this time around by two intriguing new members too, Karen-from-comms (affectionately referred to as KFC), and an unconventional pathologist in Dr Judith Edwards, both of whom I can see being firm fixtures in the books that follow.

The FPU's first live case is far from easy to solve, and the work of the team is hampered enormously by the pressure from above to move fast to ease the fears the public, which have been stoked by sensational media headlines about the profile of the (white male) victims, rumours of a serial killer, and misgivings about the involvement of Lock in solving the case. The pace is fast and furious, threaded with delicious detail about the police procedural elements (some of which are fascinatingly cutting-edge), set against a snowy backdrop that adds lovely atmosphere. The clever combination of narrative (from the FPU team, and the killer), transcripts of police interviews, and social media comments, come together to move the story along beautifully - all the way to the glorious wintry, climax where complicated judgement calls have to be made.

Callaghan does an incredible job of building on the tentative relationships between the members of the FPU, that began in the first book, to whack up the emotional content. As the point of view flips between Kat and her team, there are intensely touching moments that show how they have bonded, and are supporting each through their personal trials and tribulations. The relationship between Kat and Lock, with their continuing verbal sparring sessions about the pros and cons of logic vs intuition, remains the spine of the novel and provides so many moments of humour and heartache, as Kat gets to grips with the loss of her husband and empty-nest syndrome, and Lock learns about what it means to be human. Lock's character in particular gains real depth as he unexpectedly struggles with existential dread, and is forced to confront different, and ever more incomprehensible, aspects of human nature - I love that he becomes more playful in this second book too.

If Callaghan's writing was not impressive enough in terms of plot, character development, and emotive content, she manages to also thread a bevy of thought-provoking themes into this book. Her background as a researcher in AI in the workplace gives her the ability to present ways in which AI can be of benefit in solving crime, while highlighting the times when a human element gives the edge over facts, statistics, and data analysis, and I really enjoy the engaging way she explores this through Kat and Lock's partnership. This particular case throws up many other uncomfortable themes to examine as well, especially when it comes to violent crime; mental health; the role of the media; and the pursuit of justice. She also has some very interesting, and anger inducing, things to say about how race and gender can be used as weapons to discriminate, and pervert the truth.

In the Blink of an Eye was a winner of a debut, and this second book confirms that Jo Callaghan is so much more than a flash in the pan. I absolutely consumed Leave No Trace from cover to cover, and loved it even more that the first book, which is saying a lot. There is a spine-chilling little parting shot to lead you into book three, and I am already chomping at the bit for more...

Leave No Trace is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Jo Callaghan works full time as a senior strategist, carrying out research into the future impact of AI and genomics on the workforce. She was a student of the Writers' Academy Course (Penguin Random House) and was longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Writing Competition and Bath Novel Competition.

After losing her husband to cancer in 2019 when she was just forty-nine, she started writing In the Blink of an Eye, her debut crime novel, which explores learning to live with loss and what it means to be human. 

She lives with her two children in the Midlands, where she spends far too much time tweeting as @JoCallaghanKat and is currently working on further novels in the series.

The Murder At The Vicarage by Agatha Christie

 

The Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple) by Agatha Christie.

This edition published 16th February 2023 by Harper Collins. Originally published in 1930.

From the cover of the book:

A quiet English village.
A shocking murder.
An unlikely detective.

Nobody liked Colonel Protheroe.

So when he’s found dead in the vicarage study, there’s no absence of suspects in the seemingly peaceful village of St Mary Mead.

In fact, Jane Marple can think of at least seven.

As gossip abounds in the parlours and kitchens of the parish, everyone becomes an amateur detective.

The police dismiss her as a prying busybody, but only the ingenious Miss Marple can uncover the truth . . .

Never underestimate Miss Marple...

***********

Welcome to the village of St Mary Mead, a quiet place where apparently very little happens, until the boorish Colonel Protheroe gets himself murdered in the vicarage study, of all places. No one was particularly fond of Colonel Protheroe, and he had certainly made enemies of more than one person in St Mary Mead, in his capacity as husband, father, magistrate, and church warden, but who would be bold enough to act on their dislike?

Everyone has a theory about who was responsible, and they are not shy about sharing gossip and innuendo in pursuit of the truth, but only one resident of St Mary Mead really has a handle on the situation - the elderly spinster, Miss Jane Marple. Miss Marple can think of at least seven people who might want the Colonel out of the way, and as an expert in human nature she is way ahead of the police...

The Murder at the Vicarage featured the marvellous Miss Marple in her first full novel in 1930 (having previously only appeared in a series of short stories, later gathered together in The Thirteen Problems) - a character that Christie said she based upon her own grandmother, and who grew as an extension of Caroline Shepherd from her 1926 novel, the Murder of Roger Ackroyd. The story is narrated by vicar Leonard Clement, who becomes involved in the murder investigation by Colonel Melchett (Chief Constable of the County) and the abrasive police detective Inspector Slack, by virtue of being the person who finds Colonel Protheroe dead in his study. 

The characters are typical, small village, Christie fare, ranging in age, class and respectability, which allows her to spin delicious threads of intrigue, rife with red herrings to lead you astray. Despite appearances, there is rather a lot of lusting, hatred, and betrayal going on behind closed doors to keep the village curtain twitchers busy, but it is the deceptively pink and fluffy Miss Marple that really has her finger on the pulse of life in St Mary Mead. Christie has Miss Marple twinkling straight out of the gate, and she guides the action along in her gently persuasive, insightful way, through her interactions with several of the other characters - especially the vicar and his, enormously fun, much younger wife Griselda, who gradually realise that she is a lot more than the busy-body the police believe her to be. The case hinges on timing, misleading messages, and jaw-dropping deceit, and Miss Marple's logic is uncontestable, however bizarre the solution. 

It has been years since I first read this book, and I had forgotten how gloriously funny it is. Leonard Clement is particularly amusing in his observations about the vicarage's truculent domestic help Mary, the acerbic Inspector Slack, the deceased Colonel Protheroe, and many other of the interesting characters in St Mary Mead, including his own wife and nephew, and Miss Marple! There are so many laugh out loud moments here that I found revisiting this book an absolute delight.

This was my April choice for #ReadChristie2024 as a book written by Christie in the 1930s, and I listened to the excellent audio book narrated by Richard E. Grant. I was not too fond of his rendition of The Moving Finger, but have to say that he does a sterling job keeping the humour going in this first Miss Marple book, and I loved every second. What a perfect pick!

The Murder at the Vicarage is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Agatha Christie is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English with another billion in over 70 foreign languages. She is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 20 plays, and six novels written under the name of Mary Westmacott.