June 2022 Reading Round-Up

A real mix of genres this month! To go to my review for each book,

please click on the caption under each photograoh below.

The Goldhanger Dog by Wanda Whiteley

No Place To Run by Mark Edwards

The Companion by Lesley Thomson

Madwoman by Louisa Treger

Brouhaha by Ardal O'Hanlon

Aurora by David Koepp

The Mirror Man by Lars Kepler

Wake by Shelley Burr

Devil-Land by Clare Jackson

These Streets by Luan Goldie

Sharpe's Skirmish by Bernard Cornwell

Fish Swimming In Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda

The Loyal Friend by A.A. Chaudhuri

Appointment With Death by Agatha Christie

That Green Eyed Girl by Julie Owen Moylan

Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant

The Ballad Of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings

More great books next month!

If you have enjoyed my photographic efforts, please head to my Instagram page

 @brownflopsy for more! 

The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings

 

The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings.

Published 23rd June 2022 by Orbit.

From the cover of the book:

Put on your dancing shoes and step into New Orleans as you've never seen it before in this vibrant and imaginative debut.

Nola is a city of wonders. An alternate New Orleans made of music and magic, where spirits dance the night away and Wise Women help keep the order. To those from Away, Nola might seem strange. To failed magician Perilous Graves, it's simply home.

Then the rhythm of the city stutters.

Nine songs of power have escaped from the magical piano that maintains the city's beat, and without them, Nola will fail. Unwilling to watch his home be destroyed, Perry will sacrifice everything to save it. 

But a storm is brewing and even if they capture the songs, Nola's time might be coming to an end.

***********

Somewhere out of sight lies the city of Nola, an alternate New Orleans that resounds with the inseparable mix of magic and music. Nola is full of wonders: a place where spirits, animals, and people (some with very unusual talents) all rub along together in harmony - with the rhythm of the city sustained by the indefinable Doctor Professor and the nine songs of power that he controls through his rather special, glittery piano. 

But then someone steals away the songs of power, and without them Nola cannot hope to withstand the monstrous storm that threatens to destroy it, and all who call it home. Failed musician/magician Perilous (Perry) Graves is called upon to find the missing songs, with the help of his younger sister Brendy, and their special friend Peaches. A mammoth task lies ahead of them, and they will need to use all their unique skills to fight the darkness that threatens their existence. In the process they will learn many strange truths about themselves, Nola, and the people that live in the Away - the other New Orleans that connects with their home in more ways than they think.

The Ballad of Perilous Graves is a weird and wonderful urban fantasy, that is flooded with sumptuous threads of magical realism that draw on all the elements that mark New Orleans as a city unlike anywhere else in the world. Through the eyes of Alex Jennings, we get to see the sensuous inner soul of New Orleans, in the guise of Nola, where magic, music and mystery combine to produce a vivid backdrop to the remarkable story that plays out in these pages - a story unlike anything I have ever read before.

It's fair to say outright that this is a demanding novel, filled with complex language, and surreal concepts around how two similar, and yet very different, places can co-exist in the same space and time. The two backdrops of Nola and New Orleans bleed into each other in unexpected ways as the tale unfolds in each one, particularly through the very clever use of graffiti, and it does take a bit of time to get your head around how the two relate to each other - especially on the New Orleans side, where we are introduced to a character called Casey, whose connection to Nola is not immediately apparent. I confess there were times when I completely lost the thread of what was happening, as the tale weaves around with free-wheeling abandon, but there is something highly addictive in the way Jennings tugs on your imagination, and I found I could not look away.

Jennings displays spellbinding talent here with truly creative storytelling, mixing up fantastical and very real world situations that pose quite a challenge for the vivid and captivating characters that must overcome them. There is very inventive use of subtle impression, imagery and symbolism; and the whole book thrums with the seductive power of music; the love of family; and the rhythms of life... and death. Themes of belonging and acceptance are used with heartfelt poignancy, with rich seams of humour to balance the darkness. And in the spirit of Jenning's aim to write the "Blackest fantasy ever", the whole book celebrates the significance of Black culture, especially in the roots of Jazz, embedded in the fabric and history of New Orleans.

If you like your fantasy to proceed logically, with a well defined structure, then this is not for you. However, if you are happy to walk on the dark and innovative wild side, and immerses yourself in the flow, then you will find a lot in these pages to please. I guarantee that you have never seen New Orleans quite like this!

The Ballad of Perilous Graves is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Orbit for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and to Compulsive Readers for inviting me to take part in this blog tour.

About the author:

Alex Jennings was born on Wiesbaden AFB in Germany, in 1979. Since then, he has lived with his diplomat father and the rest of his family in Gaborone, Botswana, Paramaribo, Surinam, Tunis, Tunisia, and the D.C. area.

After a stint at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, Jennings attended the Clarion West Writers Workshop in 2003. Since 2006, he's lived in New Orleans, working as a non-profit fundraiser, entertainment journalist, and teacher, in addition to his writing work. He probably drinks too much cold brew coffee, and he definitely spends too much time surfing the internet for bizarre news stories.

Along with his friends, Jennings has acted as MC and co-producer of the Dogfish Readings series, a monthly literary reading and open mic in St. Roch, New Orleans. The readings series has run for nearly four years, and Jennings calls it his "pride and joy."

Some of his preoccupations include Afrofuturism, comic books, horror media, and standup comedy. Influences include Octavia E. Butler, Nisi Shawl, Victor Lavalle, Junot Diaz, and Jazz.

Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant

 

Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant.

Published 2nd June by Hodder and Stoughton.

From the cover of the book:

Ali is a woman hiding many secrets. This summer, in the heat of the south of France, they are all about to rise to the surface ... 

SUN DAMAGE is the sensational new thriller from the universally acclaimed Sabine Durrant and is destined to be the thriller of summer.

The heat is intense.
The secrets are stifling.
She just needs to escape . . .

Nine guests arrive at a remote villa in the south of France.
They know each other well. Or think they do.
But at least one of them has plenty to hide - and nowhere to run.

Under the relentless sun, loyalties will be tested, secrets revealed, and tensions pushed to the point of no return.

***********

Ali has been trying to escape her traumatic upbringing for most of her life. Drifting and living on her wits, she does not picture herself having a cosy happy-ever-after, and has convinced herself that a life without ties is all that she needs. For the last three years she has been travelling with con-man Sean, acting as his accomplice in a series of profitable scams. Sean has taught Ali all he knows about being able to spot a mark, but he is careful to ensure she knows he is in charge at all times - and the constant fear of violence is starting to wear a bit thin.

When a con in France goes horribly wrong, Ali knows the time has come to escape once more. In an attempt to drop off the radar, she assumes the identity of someone who bears a striking resemblance to her, and falls in with a group of holidaymakers in a luxury villa in the South of France. These people live a very different kind of life to Ali, and she must keep her secrets close if she is to avoid being found by Sean. Her situation is complicated by the fact that everyone here seems to have secrets of their own - secrets that she knows exactly how to use to her advantage.

Sun Damage is an entertaining thriller that evokes all those tense, summer of secrets vibes. As the story unfolds, we come to learn about Ali's difficult past, how she has become prey to the despicable Sean, and the regrets that are starting to haunt her. The suspense builds in a lovely slow-burn when Ali is forced to flee and hide out among a quirky mix of characters who all have secrets of their own, and she has to stay on her toes to pull off the biggest con of her life.

Although the blurb promises an out-and-out thriller, this is actually something of a different beast, with lots of surprising depth. For me, the most interesting element is the way in which Ali, with all her special skills, is able to discern that everyone around her in the villa has a little con of their own going on - although their privileged status would never allow them to look at their behaviour in this way. This has an unexpected effect on her, and she finds her control slipping until a lovely couple of twists throw everything into disarray... but no spoilers from me.

This is an absorb in one sitting book, full of themes about pretence, insecurity, and the lies we tell ourselves and others. It would make a perfect beach read, and if I had not been reading it in sections for a readalong I would have polished it off in double quick time. Sabine Durrant is a new author to me, and I love her engaging writing style. I can't wait to explore her other books!

Sun Damage is available to but now in hardcover, ebook, and audio formats.

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for sending me a hardcover copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Tandem Collective UK for inviting me to be part of this readalong.

About the author:

Sabine Durrant is the author of five psychological thrillers, Under Your Skin, Remember Me This Way, Lie With Me, a Richard and Judy Bookclub selection and Sunday Times paperback best seller, Take Me In and Finders Keepers.

Her previous novels are Having It And Eating It and The Great Indoors, and two books for teenage girls, Cross Your Heart, Connie Pickles and Ooh La La! Connie Pickles. She is a former features editor of the Guardian and a former literary editor at the Sunday Times, and her writing has appeared in many national newspapers and magazines. 

She lives in South London with her partner and three children.

That Green Eyed Girl by Julie Owen Moylan

 

That Green Eyed Girl by Julie Owen Moylan.

Published 12th May 2022 by Penguin Michael Joseph.

From the cover of the book:

1955
In an apartment on the Lower East Side, school teachers Dovie and Gillian live as lodgers. Dancing behind closed curtains, mixing cocktails for two, they guard their private lives fiercely. Until someone guesses the truth . . .

1975
Twenty years later in the same apartment, Ava Winters is keeping her own secret. Her mother has become erratic, haunted by something Ava doesn't understand - until one sweltering July morning, she disappears.

Soon after her mother's departure, Ava receives a parcel. Addressed simply to 'Apartment 3B', it contains a photo of a woman with the word 'LIAR' scrawled across it.

Ava does not know what it means or who sent it.

But if she can find out then perhaps she'll discover the answers she is seeking - and meet the woman at the heart of it all . . .

***********

It's 1955, and school teachers Dovie and Gillian live together in their New York apartment. To outside eyes they must be careful to appear as friends, but within the safety of their home they are free to express the love they feel for each other. Until their busy-body colleague Judith guesses the truth and uses what she knows for her own ends...

Twenty years later, in the same apartment, fifteen-year-old Ava Winter is struggling to cope with her mother's increasingly erratic behaviour, following the breakdown of her parents' marriage. Although their marriage was never a happy one, what has happened between her parents has dredged up painful memories from her mother's past that Ava cannot fathom, and she is desperate to keep the current situation away from prying eyes. 

Then a mysterious parcel arrives at the Winters' door from Paris, containing personal items, letters, and a photograph of three women with the word 'LIAR' scrawled across it. Curious about who these women are, Ava decides to embark on a quest to find out all she can about them. Perhaps if she can solve the riddle, she might also be able to find a way to the answers she seeks to her own questions?

That Green Eyed Girl is a beautifully written and evocative novel, that moves between the timelines of 1955 and 1975 in the same New York apartment. In 1955, we are immersed in the very private love affair between Dovie and Gillian, and their constant fear that their lives will be destroyed should anyone discover the truth about their relationship. In 1975, Ava has cause to keep secrets too: struggling with all the conflicting feelings of her age, she now finds herself alone with a mother in the full throes of a breakdown. A mysterious parcel sets Ava on a course of action that brings the timelines together.

This is the kind of book that pulls you in from the very start and gives your emotions a thorough workout. Owen Moylan does a stellar job of creating the perfect feelings of time and place for each of the periods, linking them with cleverly with recurring themes. The 1950s part of the tale brings home the heart-rending difficulties of same sex couples who wish to pursue relationships that are not only wrong in the eyes of the law, but also viewed as unnatural by society at large. There is such a poignancy in the tender way Dovie and Gillian are able to express their love for each other in the safety of their apartment - dancing, listening to Jazz, drinking whisky and enjoying the simple pleasures associated with being a couple - which contrasts starkly with how the must behave at work and in public for fear of detection. Owen Moylan does not shy away from describing the very dangerous consequences of discovery, showing the ways lives could be destroyed; the brutality of the police; and the disgusting forced 'treatments' intended to correct what was viewed as deviant behaviour, including the legacy of such 'cures'. 

The 1975 sections unfurl like a crossover between a coming of age and mystery tale, as Ava follows the clues to the identities of the women involved, while struggling to navigate her teenage feelings and traumatic home life. The themes of secrets and discrimination take on a different form for Ava, but they still pack a hefty emotional punch, and there are nicely conceived connections between her story and that of Dovie and Gillian that reveal themselves slowly as the novel progresses. I particularly enjoyed the way Owen Moylan uses objects to link the timelines together, making you fully aware of their significance in Dovie and Gillian's sad story. 

Some clever little twists bring the timelines together in a collision the brings about the opportunity for a long overdue reckoning, a realisation that love endures, and healing for more than one character. There is a lot of sadness threaded throughout the novel, but it leaves you with hope, and the ending had me in floods of cathartic tears.

There is a wonderful potency to Owen Moylan's writing, which I find very impressive for a debut novel - and my goodness, how you long to be in a smoke-filled New York Jazz bar with a glass of whisky in your hand after reading it. She has the ability to imbue a moment with such intensity, squeezing every ounce of emotional weight from it in a way that is powerfully affecting. I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come, and cannot wait to read what comes next from Julie Own Moylan.

That Green Eyed Girl is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Penguin Michael Joseph for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to take part in this blog tour.

About the author:

Julie Owen Moylan was born in Cardiff and has worked in a variety of jobs, from trainee hairdresser and chip shop attendant at sixteen to business management consultant and college lecturer in her thirties.

She then returned to education to complete her Master's degree in Film before going on to complete a further Master's degree in Creative Writing.

Julie is an alumna of the Faber Academy's Writing a Novel course. She lives in Cardiff with her husband and two cats.

Appointment With Death by Agatha Christie.

 

Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie.

The edition published 8th September 2016 by Harper Collins.

From the cover of the book:

A repugnant American widow is killed during a trip to Petra…

Among the towering red cliffs of Petra, like some monstrous swollen Buddha, sat the corpse of Mrs Boynton. A tiny puncture mark on her wrist was the only sign of the fatal injection that had killed her.

With only 24 hours available to solve the mystery, Hercule Poirot recalled a chance remark he’d overheard back in Jerusalem: ‘You see, don’t you, that she’s got to be killed?’ 

Mrs Boynton was, indeed, the most detestable woman he’d ever met…

***********

The reclusive Boynton family have uncharacteristically left New York for a touring holiday in the heat and dust of the Middle East. We first meet them in a hotel in Jerusalem, where the evil matriarch Mrs Boynton presides over her family like some monstrous spider. Each of them seems unable to escape the poisonous web she has spun around their lives, and her domineering ways have not gone beyond the notice of their fellow guests - including young Dr Sarah King, who has taken a fancy to the youngest son Raymond Boynton; and the eminent French psychiatrist Dr Gerard, who is fascinated by the way Mrs Boynton controls them all, and very worried about the sanity of the youngest daughter Ginevra.

The location them moves to the mysterious ancient ruins of Petra in Jordan, where the Boynton family are uncomfortably reunited with Drs King and Gerard, in the company of a handful of other tourists, including the indomitable Lady Westholme. Mrs Boyton's presence casts a shadow over them all, so it's something of a relief when she is found dead - apparently from natural causes.

But Dr Gerard is not so sure, and when he raises his suspicions with the authorities, good old Hercule Poirot, who happens to be staying with one Colonel Carbury, is at hand to get to the truth of the matter. And he has an interesting clue already at his disposal - the fact that he overheard two of the Boynton children in the hotel in Jerusalem discussing murdering the tyrannical old woman.

This is one of those Christie stories clearly taken straight from her own experiences travelling in the Middle East, which I always find rather thrilling. It is also one of her stories that has a big build up before we get to see the genius of the little Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, at work. The preamble is full of much delving into the psychology of the Boynton family through the conversations of Drs King and Gerard, and their observations on the interactions between the sadistic mother and her children/stepchildren. It is all perhaps a little overworked, but it does give a good picture of the lie of the land before the murder itself ups the pace, particularly given the complexity of the red herrings Poirot takes you through before unveiling the killer.

Poirot, as usual, puts his little grey cells to good use to weed out the truth among all the dysfunctional 'psychologies' he loves to ponder on so much, and picks out the little clues that don't seem all that significant in the grand scheme of things, but are, of course, the very ones that point to the guilty party. He is especially methodical in solving this case, and indulges in his characteristic gathering of suspects to explain the hows, whys, and wherefores which I always love. 

It has to be said that, although enjoyable, this is not one of my favourites, as it is a little lacking in stand-out characters for me. The greater part of the cast is taken up with the Boynton family who, beyond the clearly reprehensible Mrs Boynton herself, are all a little insipid. The romances are a bit lacklustre too. Poirot himself is as marvellous as ever though, although maybe a trifle judgemental given the thorough nastiness of the murder victim, and I do have a soft spot for old Colonel Carbury and his insistence on making the case neat and tidy.

The very best thing about this mystery is the exotic locations that Christie weaves into the tale. The backdrops and sense of history are glorious, and make up for the sameness of a big chunk of the characters. I also love the masses of misdirection she works into the story.

This is my June selection for the #ReadChristie2022 Challenge for a story 'Featuring Archaeology'. I swapped between reading the paperback and listening to the atmospheric audio book narrated as brilliantly as ever by Hugh Fraser.

Appointment with Death is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Born in Torquay in 1890, Agatha Christie began writing during the First World War and wrote over 100 novels, plays and short story collections. She was still writing to great acclaim until her death, and her books have now sold over a billion copies in English and another billion in over 100 foreign languages. Yet Agatha Christie was always a very private person, and though Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple became household names, the Queen of Crime was a complete enigma to all but her closest friends.

The Loyal Friend by A.A. Chaudhuri

 

The Loyal Friend by A.A. Chaudhuri.

Published 23rd June 2022 by Hera Press.

From the cover of the book:

She has your back.

And may stab you in it.

Wealthy, pampered Susan is living the perfect life in leafy Kingston. She’ll never let anyone see the darkness she’s concealing behind the diamonds and rosé.

Grace is new to the group, seemingly the perfect wife and mum. Yet no one knows the truth of what’s happening behind closed doors.

Loner Natalie hides the pain of her childhood behind a carefully ordered life. But how long can the past stay hidden?

Three unlikely friends, brought together for a weekly class run by beautiful, friendly, instructor, Jade.

But when Jade goes missing in mysterious circumstances, the group starts to unravel. And as their darkest secrets come to light, it seems that no one can be trusted. Even their closest friends…

A heart-in-your-mouth thriller that builds twist after twist, culminating in an unforgettable ending. This shocking, tense and gripping read will delight fans of T.M. Logan, B.A. Paris and Big Little Lies.

***********

A weekly yoga class in suburban Kingston, run by fitness instructor Jade, has attracted a diverse crowd and made some unlikely casual friendships. On the surface of it, these women seem like your average mix of types you find all over - brash, showy Susan, wife and mother Grace, and introverted Natalie, but their lives are not quite as they appear...

Susan, Grace and Natalie each have their dark little secrets, and when Jade goes missing it's not long before the cracks start to show. Perhaps these women are not quite so friendly after all?

A.A. Chaudhuri is highly skilled at delving under the surface of her characters, and ferreting out the darkness that lies within, to weave a cracking psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and she has she hit the jackpot once more with The Loyal Friend! 

The story revolves around a fitness club in leafy Kingston, focussing on the regulars who attend a yoga class run by the beautiful, kind-hearted Jade. We meet the thoroughly unlikable Susan, who cannot help herself from making sure everyone knows about the pampered life she leads; the put-upon Grace, who projects the image of dedicated wife and mother, but is clearly struggling with the multiple directions she finds herself pulled in; and the reclusive, slightly odd Natalie, who doesn't really sit comfortably in any social situation, but who is trying to change her life with Jade's encouragement. Each of them gets something positive out of attending Jade's classes, and a loose friendship has developed between the four of them.

But appearances can be deceptive, and as Chaudhuri creates a vivid picture of each of these women, we begin to realise that the faces they show to the outside world are nothing like the dark and troubled reality that lies within. In fact, each of them has very dark secrets indeed, ones that they are desperate to keep hidden, and their connection to each other is not quite what we thought it was. When Jade disappears under suspicious circumstances, its very clear that trust is thin on the ground, and they all have a motive to wish her harm.

The story unfurls with a delicious slow-burn, through the separate narratives of each of the women, flipping back and forth in time, and dredging up their past misdeeds. Chaudhuri drops her perfectly timed reveals with precision, so that your perception shifts time and time again about where the story is taking you. The unsettling whisper that something is very off about the private lives of the characters and their relationships with each other builds nicely, and Chaudhuri keeps you constantly looking in the wrong place for the answers with clever misdirection. When you think you know who did what to whom, and why, it twists again, casting off red herrings before blindsiding you with the shocking truth. It's all so beautifully constructed!

Hidden within the most compelling of stories, there are a lot of interesting themes to ponder upon. There's so much about what really motivates people, and the pressures of modern life, especially the effect this has on your mental health - particularly through the story of Grace, who is the most sympathetic of all the characters. Disturbed childhoods, control, trauma, and the legacy of abuse also have a big part to play, but the overriding theme, and the one which makes this story so seductive, is the driving force of revenge. 

I was gripped by this book from start to finish, gulping it down in one page-turning bite. I cannot wait to see what comes from Chaudhuri's twisted imagination next!

The Loyal Friend is available t by now in paperback, ebook and paperback.

Thank you to Hera Books for sending me an ebook copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Danielle Price at The Reading Closet for inviting me to take part in this blog tour.

About the author:

A. A. Chaudhuri is a former City lawyer. After gaining a degree in History at University College London, she later trained as a solicitor and worked for several major London law firms before leaving law to pursue her passion for writing. She is the author of The Scribe and The Abduction, books 1 and 2 of her Kramer & Carver legal thriller series featuring the feisty Maddy Kramer, also published in audio.

Her first psychological thriller with Hera Books, She’s Mine, was published on kindle, paperback and audio in August 2021, her second The Loyal Friend in June 2022. 

Represented by Annette Crossland of A for Authors Literary Agency, she lives in Surrey with her family, and loves films, all things Italian and a good margarita!

Find out more about A.A. Chaudhuri HERE.

Fish Swimming In Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda

 

Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda.

Translated by Alison Watts.

Published 16th June 2022 by Bitter Lemon Press.

From the cover of the book:

Set in Tokyo over the course of one night, Aki and Hiro have decided to be together one last time in their shared flat before parting. 

Their relationship has broken down after a mountain trek during which their guide died inexplicably. Now each believes the other to be a murderer and is determined to extract a confession before the night is over.

Who is the murderer and what really happened on the mountain? In the battle of wills between them, the chain of events leading up to this night are gradually revealed in a gripping psychological thriller that keeps the reader in suspense to the very end.

***********

Aki and Hiro's relationship has broken down in the wake of a mountain trek holiday, during which their guide mysteriously died. Each of them is secretly convinced that the other is guilty of murder, and the uncomfortable atmosphere that has grown between them means they can no longer live together under the same roof.

This is the last night they will spend in each other's company in their Tokyo apartment, now devoid of furniture, and each of them is determined to get the other to confess. A battle of wills plays out moment by tense moment, laying bare their pasts, exactly what they mean to each other, and whether they will survive to see the next day.

Having read Riku Onda's stunning book The Aosawa Murders, I couldn't wait to immerse myself in her mesmerising writing once more in Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight. Once again, the translator Alison Watts, has worked her magic to produce something that is flooded with everything I love about Japanese fiction, and she deserves the highest praise for being able to do this with such accomplished subtlety.

This is essentially a murder mystery, as in The Aosawa Murders, but as before Riku Onda transforms it into something deliciously dreamlike, speculative and surreal, making it much more about the taut relationship between two people and the truth about what lies between them, rather than just the facts of the case.

As the night progresses, Aki and Hiro run through the events of what happened leading up to the death of the guide, including reflections on their pasts, which builds in a sensuous slow-burn. The narrative swaps back and forth between them, almost like a series of calculated moves in a fraught game of chess, showing their private thoughts, and their external reactions. This brings in a beautiful contrast between the two, as what they are each thinking is often very different to how they look and speak to each other.

Onda times her cleverly conceived reveals with precision, blindsiding you with shifts in your perception about what is actually going on between Aki and Hiro. Sometimes these reveals are precipitated with barely disguised menace, particularly through the use of Hiro's pocket knife. As is her forte, she uses all the senses, half-recalled memories, and distorted imagery to both misdirect and inform by turns, making best use of the play of light at pivotal moments - as in dappled sunlight - and there is such lovely symbolism in the notion that Aki and Hiro are circling each other like fish under the shifting surface of a claustrophobic pond. It's superb!

Strange, suspenseful, absorbing, dysfunctional, and ever so seductive, this is Japanese crime fiction at its exquisite best.

Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight is available to by now in ebook and paperback.

Thank you to Bitter Lemon Press for sending me a paperback copy 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:

Riku Onda, born in 1964, has been writing fiction since 1991 and has published prolifically since. She has won the Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers, the Japan Booksellers' Award, the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize and the Naoki Prize. Her work has been adapted for film and television.

About the translator:

Alison Watts is an Australian-born Japanese to English translator and long time resident of Japan. She has wrote the translation of The Aosawa Murders, Aya Goda's TAO: On the Road and On the Run In Outlaw China and of Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa.

Sharpe's Skirmish by Bernard Cornwell (BOTH Press Dyslexia Friendly Campaign)

Sharpe's Skirmish by Bernard Cornwell.

Dyslexia friendly fiction for adults by BOTH Press. For publication details see below.

From the cover:

It is the summer of 1812 and Richard Sharpe, newly recovered from the wound he received in the fighting at Salamanca, is given an easy duty; to guard a Commissary Officer posted to an obscure Spanish fort where there are some captured French muskets to repair.

But unknown to the British, the French are planning a lightning raid across the River Tormes, and they reckon the obscure Spanish fort, which guards an ancient bridge across the river, will be lightly guarded. Sharpe is in for a fight.

 

***********

I love a Richard Sharpe story. I have consumed the whole series of full novels and the short stories (except the very latest, long awaited reboot Sharpe's Assassin, which is still on my huge tbr pile), and adored them all.

When I heard of the brilliant BOTH Press Kickstarter campaign to publish more exciting fiction in a dyslexia-friendly format for adults, I was overjoyed! And the fact that one of these is a short story from the Sharpe canon, Sharpe's Skirmish, gives me a great opportunity to sing the praises of the genius historical fiction writer Bernard Cornwell, as well as promote a truly worthy campaign.

This story fits nicely into the main part of the series of novels that details the adventures of fictional rifleman Richard Sharpe in the Napoleonic Wars, and it features some very familiar faces for fans of the books. The story itself is short and sweet, which makes it perfect for a quick read, but it still contains the essence of what makes the Sharpe books so very enjoyable: the pace, the characters, the slow-burn tension, the humour, the military tactics, and the thrill of a good battle - or what Sharpe refers to as a just a skirmish, in this case.

I'm not sure how well this works as a stand-alone, as I am obviously familiar with the books, but I do think is gives a good introduction to what the series is about, and the engaging writing style of Bernard Cornwell - now in a format specifically designed to make this accessible for adult readers with dyslexia. Great care has been taken of the font, spacing, and even the background colour of the page. I may not be dyslexic myself, but as a former school librarian, I know how much these features make a huge difference to dyslexic readers, and it is great to see gripping stories given this treatment. Anything that can be done to promote reading for pleasure to as wide an audience as possible is a great move.

Thank you to BOTH Press for sending me an ebook copy of the proposed dyslexia friendly format of this book, and to Love Books Tours for inviting me to to take part in this blog tour.

About the author:

Bernard Cornwell OBE is a global bestselling historical fiction author of more than 50 novels. His Napoleonic Wars series following Richard Sharpe, was made into much-loved TV series starring Sean Bean. More recently his Last Kingdom series, set in King Alfred’s Anglo Saxon kingdom, have been adapted by the BBC.

*****

About the campaign:

Following their successful "Open Dyslexia" Kickstarter in 2021, which led to publishing eight dyslexic friendly fiction titles, BOTH Press is launching on June 7th 2022, their second Kickstarter "Open Dyslexia: the sequel" with more high-profile authors than ever before, lasting 30 days and finishing on the July 4th 2022.

The Kickstarter aims to publish eight more titles of high-quality fiction from bestselling authors: including household names such as Bernard Cornwell and Peter James.

The line-up is full of many front-list authors such as Gareth Powell, J.M Alvey (aka Juliet Mckenna), Scott Oden, Snorri Krisjanason, and James Bennett. Peter James will also be doing an introduction for the 2022 collection.

There are very few initiatives for reading for pleasure for adults. The eight titles BOTH Press has already published are the only readily available dyslexic friendly fiction for adults in the UK and can be found in libraries and any bookshop. The scale of accessibility is not nearly enough, as around 10% of the UK population deal with some form of dyslexia.

Despite Jay Blades's (the Presenter of ‘Repair Shop’) unique telling of his own learning to read on the documentary ‘Learning To Read At 51’, which the BBC recently aired. There are still few or no resources for adult dyslexia. A glance at Adult dyslexics charity websites and reading charity websites indicates there are few resources on reading fiction for pleasure for adults with dyslexia.

The dyslexic blogger Suzy Taylor who writes for Dyslexia Scotland, said:

"It is frustrating that we now have children's books in dyslexic friendly formats. As adults we apparently do not require books in the same form."

There needs to be a choice for people to read for pleasure, where there are books designed to be friendly to them and are not dumbed down, are high quality and enjoyable fiction, which people can chat and socialise about with friends and family.

Darren Clarke, the director of Succeed with Dyslexia, said:

"This books shop is doing incredible things and helping people to fall in love with reading again" [and] "I love the fact and the thought that has gone through on these [titles] with the spacing, the font, with the colour of the paper and the way that the book just flows."

BOTH Press has had many heart-warming responses of how the books have impacted their lives.

Dr Alistair Sims said:

"Many individuals who have told us their stories do not want to be mentioned due to fear of stigma about their struggle to read. For example a man in his 50s is Scotland had not read a book since he was a child. His partner found us and bought him one of our titles. He read it. Then called us up to order another. He was so happy to actually read. In fact the partner wrote us a letter explaining how much of difference it is making and then ordered the four more for a Christmas present."

BOTH aim to raise £16,000 to publish eight titles. Though looking to the future, they will need more than £20,000 a year to keep publishing eight titles regularly. All funds go toward the book production/ life cycle to make them readily available. The bookshop Books on the Hill and their manager Alistair Sims, who created BOTH Press, receives no profits from the project.

Find out more HERE.

The Kickstarter link can also be found HERE

These Streets by Luan Goldie

 

These Streets by Lua Goldie.

Published 23rd June 2022 by HQ.

From the cover of the book:

Jess is a single mother to two teenage children, and although life can be tough she’s just about keeping things together. But when her landlord asks her to move on, so he can sell the house they’re living in without warning, Jess’s worries take on a whole new meaning. 

As Jess struggles to regain her footing, cracks begin to appear in other areas of her life, and suddenly she feels she’s failing at everything. Her daughter Hazel is becoming more and more distant, her son Jacob is struggling to find where he fits in the world, and the menacing spectre of Jess’s older brother, someone she cut out of her life years ago, begins to make his presence felt again.

Jess knows she’s the only one who can keep her family together, but how can she keep going when life keeps beating her back?

Set on the streets of East London, These Streets is a searing and powerful novel that explores how we are meant to find our place in a world that is designed for only the privileged to succeed. Beautiful and honest, it is an essential story about living in Britain today.

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Jess is a single mother to two teenage children: star student Hazel on the way to Oxford University and becoming more distant by the day; and lovable, quirky Joseph who is coping brilliantly with his deafness, but struggling to find where he fits in this crazy world. Perhaps life with teenagers is not always easy, especially when she's working six days a week as an outreach worker for a local community theatre group, but Jess is not unhappy with her lot living in Stratford, East London, where she was born and raised - although she wouldn't say no to finding a decent man for a change. 

Then her landlord decides he is going to sell the house that is their family home, and Jess is forced to confront the fact that there is no way she can afford to rent anything even half-way decent for them in the same area. As the pressure mounts, Jess starts to drop more and more of the plates she has been frantically spinning, and she finds it impossible to regain control. She begins to realise that her life was not quite as stable as she thought, including her relationship with her children, and their impending homelessness has caused a chain reaction that seems to be gaining momentum. It doesn't help that the shadow of her difficult childhood suddenly starts to loom over her once more when her estranged, and thoroughly reprehensible, older brother reappears on the scene - or that her 'free-spirit' father now needs more care than he's willing to admit.

This is hardly the best time to meet the man that might just be the one she has been looking for - her father's new neighbour, divorced single dad Ben. The timing is all wrong... and so is the fact that bashful Ben has weighty problems of his own, and a secret he daren't confess about his connection to Jess' family.

 

Where do I start with how wonderful this book is? Through the story of Jess and her children, Luan Goldie examines the housing crisis in London, showing how easy it is for a family to find itself without somewhere affordable to live, and how lives can rapidly spiral downwards once the prospect of homelessness enters the equation.

But that is not all, because there is more than one thread to grab our attention here. We also meet Ben who has returned to live in London following a failed marriage, and is trying to come to terms with the breakdown of his mental health and forced separation from his daughter, while being overwhelmed by memories about his unhappy childhood in Stratford. By chance, he moves in to a flat doors away from Jess' eccentric father Wolf, and meets Jess. The seeds of a tentative romance begin to sprout between them, that could be really special - if only Jess' life wasn't an ever worsening disaster zone, and Ben was able to come clean about his past. Timing is all, and everything seems to be out of kilter right now.

Goldie writes these characters with such skill that they jump off the page right into your heart, and this draws you into a world where the trials and tribulations of modern British life become all encompassing. As the threads of each of their complex stories weave around each other, Goldie nicely covers a lot of insightful ground. Homelessness and what it can lead to is the heart-rending central focus, but she also cleverly intertwines the effects of both inner city decay and gentrification, and highlights how many Londoners are forced out of the city in the search for affordable accommodation. 

Along the way, Goldie deftly touches on so much more. Family dynamics and romantic relationships are integral to the story, especially where they have broken down and estrangement results; and we see the legacy of childhood trauma, guilt, and recrimination. And if all this wasn't enough to make this book astonishingly good, loneliness, race, identity, belonging, privilege, false stereotypes, the weight of the unspoken, and the pain of the misspoken all have a big part to play too. Fortunately, there are nuggets of gold amongst all the heartache, which thread the whisper of hope throughout the stories of all the characters, and the whole book thrums with humour, warmth, and love.

I have to make a special point of saying how well Goldie writes about single motherhood though Jess' eyes, and she paints the picture of living with teenagers to perfection. Hazel hits just the right infuriating spot, teetering on the edge of womanhood with a know-it-all, self-absorbed attitude, covering up her vulnerability with a hard as nails outer shell; and Joseph is all endearing, nerdy teenage boy awkwardness, with a great sense of fun, who has no idea how the real world works. I promise you will find that their interactions really resonate if you have lived with teenagers.

This is the kind of book that begs to be lapped up in a single sitting, and I did just that. I adored it from start to finish, marvelling at how Goldie says so much, and with such subtlety, through a cracking story that captivates from the first page to the last. It gives your emotions a proper workout too, not least because this is much more of a romance than I was expecting. My thoughts have been well and truly provoked, and the cockles of my heart nicely warmed - who could ask for more?

These Streets is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio format.

Thank you to HQ for sending me a hardcover copy of this bok in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Luan Goldie is a Glasgow born author and primary school teacher who grew up in East London.

Her debut novel Nightingale Point was longlisted for the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize. It was also a BBC Radio 2 Jo Whiley Book Club Pick.

Her short stories have appeared in Hello! magazine, Sunday Express, Resist: Stories of Uprising and The Good Journal. She is also the winner of the 2017 Costa Short Story Award.

The Wolfson History Prize Shortlist: Devil-Land by Clare Jackson

 The Wolfson History Prize

Shortlist 2022

Witch-hunts, fallen statues and Britain’s most turbulent century among 

Wolfson History Prize 2022 shortlist.

Six authors shortlisted for increased £75k prize fund as prize celebrates its 50th anniversary
Shortlisted books explore the impact faith has had on our collective history, and examines divided societies through time. Books on Ottoman Empire, witchcraft, parish churches and the rise and fall of statues demonstrate breadth of historical writing.

On Thursday 21 April. London. The Wolfson History Prize, the UK’s most prestigious history writing prize, revealed its shortlist for 2022. The prize, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, showcases the best accessible historical non-fiction titles from the previous year.

The six shortlisted titles cover a range of socio-political themes, with the influence of religion appearing across a number of the books in contention for the UK’s most valuable history prize.

Topics featured in the shortlist include: witch-hunting and a society in disarray in 17th-century Massachusetts, the century leading up to the Glorious Revolution from the perspective of Britain’s European neighbours, the development of ideas about God through history, the role of the church in Medieval communities, the story of the Ottoman dynasty over 700 years, and what fallen statues tell us about historical memory.

The books shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize 2022 are:

The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars and Caliphs by Marc David Baer (Basic Books)
The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World by Malcolm Gaskill (Allen Lane)
Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688 by Clare Jackson (Allen Lane)
Going to Church in Medieval England by Nicholas Orme (Yale University Press)
God: An Anatomy by Francesca Stavrakopoulou (Picador)
Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History by Alex von Tunzelmann (Headline)

Several of the shortlisted titles explore the importance of religion throughout the centuries, discussing the wider implications of faith on retellings of our collective history. Going to Church in Medieval England by Nicholas Orme is an engaging account of parish churches and their role in Medieval communities, demonstrating the presence of religion at every point in a human life, from birth to coming of age, from marriage to death. Francesca Stavrakopoulou’s God: An Anatomy is an original and in-depth exploration of the concept of God, using an examination of God’s physicality to shed new light on the development of monotheistic religions – and Western culture more broadly. In The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars and Caliphs, Marc David Baer reflects on how the multi-lingual, multi-religious, and multi-ethnic Ottoman Empire managed to hold swathes of Europe for seven centuries, and how religious tolerance and cultural innovation shaped the landscape of East and West through to the present day.

Other books included in the shortlist demonstrate that modern social and political divisions are nothing new, reflecting on different times of crisis across the centuries. In Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688, Clare Jackson studies European perceptions of Britain during the turbulent and radical years of the Stuart dynasty, during which civil war and regicide played out against a backdrop of devastating fires, treasonous plots and deadly disease. The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World by Malcolm Gaskill also explores a society in turmoil, following one family in Springfield, Massachusetts as the battle between religion and enlightenment breeds paranoia, anger and terror with the onset of a series of witch-hunts.

Finally, Fallen Idols: Twelve Status That Made History by Alex von Tunzelmann highlights the significance of history to modern life, considering how statues define our history, showing that their removal is nothing new, and questioning what statues tell us about how views of the past change over time.

Judges’ comments on the Wolfson History Prize 2022 Shortlist:

The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars and Caliphs by Marc David Baer

‘A hugely impressive sweeping narrative. Covering seven centuries, this book adds a new perspective to global history by emphasising the role of this longstanding and important dynasty.’

The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World by Malcolm Gaskill

‘A riveting micro-history, brilliantly set within the broader social and cultural history of witchcraft. Drawing on previously neglected source material, this book is elegantly written and full of intelligent analysis.’

Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688 by Clare Jackson

‘A masterpiece that will change our view of the 17th century. Exciting and well-written, it provides fresh insights by looking at England through European eyes.’

Going to Church in Medieval England by Nicholas Orme

‘An engaging and often moving account of how religious life was woven into people’s everyday experiences from Anglo-Saxon times to the Reformation. A sparkling book.’

God: An Anatomy by Francesca Stavrakopoulou

‘Original and courageous. This ambitious yet readable discussion of the physicality of God enhances our understanding of the history of monotheistic religions and Western culture.’

Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History by Alex von Tunzelmann

‘Intelligent, illuminating and thoroughly enjoyable. A well-researched book that uses carefully chosen case studies to shed light on a topic of contemporary debate.’

The winner of the Wolfson History Prize 2022 will be announced on Wednesday 22 June 2022 in a ceremony at the Wallace Collection in London. To mark the 50th anniversary of the prize, the total fund has been increased to £75,000, with the winner being awarded £50,000 and each of the shortlisted authors receiving £5,000.

The Wolfson History Prize 2022 shortlisted authors will discuss their books and historical writing in a special edition of BBC Radio 3’s Free Thinking in June, with details to follow at a later date. Prize alumni will also join historians in conversation at a Wolfson History Prize anniversary event at Hay Festival on Wednesday 1 June at 7pm, further information can be found here.

The Wolfson History Prize is run and awarded by the Wolfson Foundation, an independent charity that awards grants in the fields of science, health, heritage, humanities & the arts. The Wolfson History Prize 2021 was won by Sudhir Hazareesingh, for Black Spartacus:The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture, an in-depth exploration of the leader and hero of the Haitian Revolution.

 Chair of the judges, David Cannadine, commented: 

“This year’s Wolfson History Prize shortlist once again showcases the diversity and vigour of history writing in the UK. The judges were impressed by the variety, originality, and quality of research demonstrated by the six shortlisted books. As well as being engaging reads, they are all highly deserving of a place in the eminent roll call of authors celebrated by the prize over the past fifty years.”

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, which awards the prize, said of the shortlist: 

“We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the Wolfson History Prize 2022, reflecting the very best historical writing in the UK today. This year marks fifty years of the Wolfson History Prize and its mission – to champion the importance of high-quality, accessible history writing – is as critical now as it has ever been. This past year has revealed much about how history can be valued, contested and re-evaluated. It has also revealed why it is vital for us to engage carefully and thoughtfully with the experiences of those who came before us: a reminder of the importance of history to our lives.

“Whether or not you agree with their arguments, these six books will inspire and provoke. They offer the opportunity to learn more about what mattered to previous societies and to reflect on the significance of the past to current concerns and debates. The books shortlisted this year demonstrate that turbulent times are nothing new and show how different societies have dealt with such challenges.”

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As part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Wolfson History Prize this year, it is my pleasure to bring you my thoughts on the shortlisted title Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688 by Clare Jackson.

Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688 by Clare Jackson.

Published 30th September 2021 by Allen Lane.

From the cover of the book:

A ground-breaking portrait of the most turbulent century in English history.

Among foreign observers, seventeenth-century England was known as 'Devil-Land': a diabolical country of fallen angels, torn apart by seditious rebellion, religious extremism and royal collapse. Clare Jackson's dazzling, original account of English history's most turbulent and radical era tells the story of a nation in a state of near continual crisis.

As an unmarried heretic with no heir, Elizabeth I was regarded with horror by Catholic Europe, while her Stuart successors, James I and Charles I, were seen as impecunious and incompetent, unable to manage their three kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. The traumatic civil wars, regicide and a republican Commonwealth were followed by the floundering, foreign-leaning rule of Charles II and his brother, James II, before William of Orange invaded England with a Dutch army and a new order was imposed.

Devil-Land reveals England as, in many ways, a 'failed state': endemically unstable and rocked by devastating events from the Gunpowder Plot to the Great Fire of London. Catastrophe nevertheless bred creativity, and Jackson makes brilliant use of eyewitness accounts - many penned by stupefied foreigners - to dramatize her great story. Starting on the eve of the Spanish Armada's descent in 1588 and concluding with a not-so 'Glorious Revolution' a hundred years later, Devil-Land is a spectacular reinterpretation of England's vexed and enthralling past.

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Where to start? Well, if you are looking for an eminently readable reference work that takes you through the turmoil of English politics from the doomed invasion of the Spanish Armada during the reign of Elizabeth I, all the way through to the ushering in of a new era under William and Mary following the Glorious Revolution, then this is the book you need on your reading pile. Don't be put off by its heft, because I promise you will find this very engaging - perhaps not for a cover to cover read in one fell swoop, but certainly as something to lap up in big gluts of compelling historical detail.

It's worth noting that the title of this book Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688 very much implies a focus on the action of outward pressures on England during this period, and how it affected the wheels within wheels of court politics and international relations. This is precisely what Clare Jackson deftly examines here, navigating through these complex times and urging you to consider the many happenings, motivations and scheming that influenced how history played out. For me, one of the most significant events of this period is the impact of Scotland changing its status from a foreign power to a front and centre 'united' partner under James I, so I found this section particularly interesting. This is something that I have been looking at in quite a different way since reading K.M Maitland's excellent, albeit fictional, Daniel Pursglove series, so it was great to read something that looks at the factual events of the time in such an easily digestible way. 

Religion arguably dominates events between 1588 and 1688, and Jackson explores this in detail, but she also looks into many other aspects of what made this time so turbulent, including the never-ending machinations of the game of thrones, the attitudes of the populace, and military power - all very pertinent considering this period incorporates the English Civil War too.

I think you do need to have a good handle on the social and political happenings of the years covered by this fascinating book to get the best out of it, but it is one to treasure if you love to delve into the past. The depth of knowledge Jackson shows in her writing makes this an impressive work on an epic scale. I found myself getting lost down many a rabbit hole while absorbing what she has to say about the momentous events that mark these years as so stormy, which is exactly what I want from a book of this kind.

This is a beautiful quality book, with vivid colour illustrations, maps, and extensive family trees, all of which make me very happy indeed. There are a number of appendices, with a wealth of information and references to explore once you have finished with this book too. This is one which I will be drawn back to time and time again, which makes it a winner for me, whether or not it wins the coveted Wolfson History Prize this year or not. Highly recommended!

Update: I am very pleased to report that this title did indeed win the coveted award this year! A truly worthy winner! 

Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688 is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Midas Public Relations for sending me a copy on this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to join this blog tour.

About the author:

Clare Jackson is the Senior Tutor of Trinity Hall, Cambridge University. She has presented a number of highly successful programmes on the Stuart dynasty for the BBC and is the author of Charles II in the Penguin Monarchs series.