February 2023 Reading Round-Up

What a super month on the reading front February has been! Somehow I have devoured 20 books in the shortest month of the year, and what a selection!

You can find your way to each of my reviews by clicking on the photos below.

Looking Out For Love by Sophia Money-Coutts

Never Go Back by Jessie Keane

The Night Man by Jorn Lier Horst

The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon

Dead Of Night by Simon Scarrow

Mrs McGinty's Dead by Agatha Christue

Hanging Out by Sheila Liming

The Broken Afternoon by Simon Mason

Partners In Crime by Agatha Christie

You Will Never Be Found by Tove Alsterdal

Nobody Puts Romcons In The Corner by Kathryn Freeman

One French Summer by Gillian Harvey

Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson

The Forcing by Paul E. Hardisty

Murder Before Evensong by The Rev Richard Coles

Black Wolf by Kathleen Kent

Dark Dweller by Gareth Worthington

Still Life by Sarah Winman

Expectant by Vanda Symon

A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella

More excellent books coming up next month! If you have enjoyed my photos above, and enjoy bookish content, please check out my Instagram account at @brownflopsy and give me a follow!

A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella

 

A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella.

Published 23rd February 2023 by Muswell Press.

From the cover of the book:

Chuck Ayers used to look forward to nothing so much as his annual trip to Hilton Head with his wife, Cat. Now, just months after Cat’s death, Chuck finds that he can’t let go of her things, as he struggles to pack for a trip he can’t imagine taking without her.

Ella Burke delivers morning newspapers and works at a bridal shop to fill her days while she anxiously awaits news—any piece of information—about her missing daughter. Ella adjusts to life in a new apartment and answers every call on her phone, hoping her daughter will reach out one day.

After the sudden death of her father, Kirsten Bonato set aside her veterinary school aspirations, finding comfort in the steady routine of working at an animal shelter. But as time passes, old dreams and new romantic interests begin to surface—and Kirsten finds herself at another crossroads. 

In this beautifully crafted and profoundly moving novel, three parallel narratives converge in poignant and unexpected ways, as each character bravely presses onward, trying to recover something they have lost. Emotionally riveting and infused with hope, A Quiet Life celebrates humanity in the midst of uncertainty.

***********

In wintery Pennsylvania, three people are struggling to come to terms with their grief: Chuck Ayers is spending his first snowy season alone after the death of his wife, and trying to decide if he can face their annual trip to South Carolina without her; Ella Burke is waiting for news about her missing daughter; and Kirsten Bonato feels lost without the father who she thought would always be there.

Each of them is held in the grip of their loss, reflecting on the past, and unable to move on - but all is not lost. As their lives touch, they begin to see that they can each make a difference to help the others work through their pain, and in doing so find a way to deal with their own.

I adored Ethan Joella's powerfully moving debut, A Little Hope, so his follow up, A Quiet Life, was right at the top of my list of most anticipated reads! 

As in A Little Hope, this is a quiet book with fathomless depth that follows the lives of characters who are struggling to hold things together under the enormous weight of sorrows that they feel unable to share with those around them. However, unlike in his previous book, which beautifully portrays the intricate workings of a community, Joella narrow the focus down to three characters, who we get to know in intimate detail. 

Interestingly, only Chuck is dealing with a situation that is most familiar, as he is reeling from the death of his wife after a long illness. The myriad feelings that come with this kind of loss are the most relatable, as he reflects on their time together, and feels guilty about the issues that can never be resolved now she has gone. There is such poignancy in the way he finds himself unable to clear the house of objects that hold so many memories, and his inability to contemplate travelling to a place where he will be reminded of the happy times they spent together. However, in Ella and Kirsten's stories, the grief that overpowers them comes primarily from events that are ones no one wants to have to confront. In Ella's case, her father was gunned down while at a gas station, and in Kirsten's her child has been abducted by her former husband. 

While common themes echo through the three stories, plucking deftly on the heartstrings in the way that Joella proved he can do so effectively in his previous work, this novel also offers a glimpse of a different side to his writing: one which weaves in an element of tension to what is essentially a tale steeped in the drama of human emotion, with an anxious search for a child in Ella's case, and some enchanting romantic suspense for Kirsten - and he does it very well.

For me, the most wonderful thing about this story is the way the three characters become involved in each other's lives. Their interactions are tentative at first, in scenes that break up their own reveries to give each of them a reason to think of the troubles of others at times when their own grief is all consuming. As you get to know each of them, in parallel you also see their relationships growing in a way that lifts your heart. Somehow, just by being more open to the suffering of others, by giving something of themselves, they come to terms with their ghosts and initiate a healing process.

I have to be honest and say that I was not sure that this book could affect me as much as A Little Hope did, but I should not have worried. I came to love these characters even more, and was completely invested in their journeys towards the quiet lives they craved. This story thrums with love, compassion, and hope, with a lovely thread of romance to boot. I adored it, and had a good old cry at the end. I long for more from the pen of the very talented Ethan Joella.

A Quiet Life is available to buy now in multiple formats.

Thank you to Muswell Press for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Ethan Joella was consistently compared to Elizabeth Strout in the UK reviews for his first book, A Little Hope. 

He teaches English and Psychology at the University of Delaware and specialises in community writing workshops. He lives in Delaware with his wife and tow daughters, but is of Irish heritage.

Expectant (Sam Shephard Book Five) by Vanda Symon

 

Expectant (Sam Shephard Book Five) by Vanda Symon.

Published 16th February 2023 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

A killer targeting pregnant women.

A detective expecting her first baby…

The shocking murder of a heavily pregnant woman throws the New Zealand city of Dunedin into a tailspin, and the devastating crime feels uncomfortably close to home for Detective Sam Shephard as she counts down the days to her own maternity leave.

Confined to a desk job in the department, Sam must find the missing link between this brutal crime and a string of cases involving mothers and children in the past. As the pieces start to come together and the realisation dawns that the killer’s actions are escalating, drastic measures must be taken to prevent more tragedy.

For Sam, the case becomes personal, when it becomes increasingly clear that no one is safe and the clock is ticking…

***********

When a heavily-pregnant woman is found murdered in an alley, with her baby missing, quiet Dunedin is shocked to the core. It is a crime that hits Detective Sam Shephard hard, being only a few weeks away from the birth of her own child. 

Her boss is keen to keep Sam well away from this investigation, but they need every hand they can get to track down the person capable of such a brutal crime, so she finds herself doing all she can to help from the confines of her desk... and her painstaking work uncovers a trail that paints a picture of someone desperate to achieve their aim by any means necessary.

Sam is sure that the only way to catch this killer will be to make this case even more personal, but has she gone too far this time...

It is a joy to be back with Sam Shephard as she undertakes another investigation, and this story is one that pulls no punches right from the word go, with a crime that grips you with icy fingers around your heart - fingers that do not let you go for the entire story. 

Sam is doing her level best to ignore the fact that she is just about to become a mother, despite the ever increasing baby-bump, but this crime gives her little choice but to examine motherhood in a very intense way. This is a slightly different Sam to the firecracker we are used to, although she has some feisty moments. She is still recovering from the loss of her father, and has to acknowledge that she is a lot more vulnerable than she wants to admit. Naturally, there are fewer busting down of physical doors moments from my favourite New Zealand detective in this story, but her mind is just as active as ever, and this allows her to make headway through the hard graft of sifting information and being guided by her instincts. Along the way she is forced to confront her fears about the unknown territory that awaits her, and how much this momentous event will change her life.

It is rather difficult to tell you how cleverly Vanda Symon shapes this story to delve into very thought provoking subjects without spoilers, but suffice to say that she has Sam gradually uncovering some facts that are highly disturbing on a number of levels. Symon drops her reveals slowly, like a trail of breadcrumbs, giving you just enough to tweak your perception of what is going on here with every morsel you pick up. I was a whisker ahead of Sam just as she gets to the heart of the matter, but even so, the cracking climax still hit me broadside with a deliciously terrifying twist.

I guarantee that this story will set you pondering about whether the ends can ever justify the means, when the whys behind the crime are finally exposed. The obvious answer is a resounding negative, but nevertheless Symon beautifully poses some timely questions about the grey areas that motivate the murderer to act as they do.

This is a book to consume in a single, heart-racing session. It has a particularly visceral impact if you have ever carried a child, and brings back many of the fears of first time motherhood. Sam's character develops in so many unexpected ways in this tale, maturing in a way that cannot fail to change how she see the world in the future. 

I think this is Sam's most emotional story yet, and the conclusion made me shed more than a few tears. I cannot wait to see what Symon has in store for Sam next.

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

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me an ecopy 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:

Vanda Symon lives in Dunedin, New Zealand. As well as being a crime writer, she has a PhD in science communication and is a researcher at the Centre for Pacific Health at the University of Otago. 

Overkill was shortlisted for the 2019 CWA John Creasey Debut Dagger Award and she is a three-time finalist for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel for her critically acclaimed Sam Shephard series. 

Vanda produces and hosts 'Write On', a monthly radio show focusing on the world of books at Otago Access Radio. When she isn’t working or writing, Vanda can be found in the garden, or on the business end of a fencing foil.

Still Life by Sarah Winman

 

Still Life by Sarah Winman.

Published in hardback 1st June 2021 by 4th Estate.

Audio book narrated by Sarah Winman.

From the cover of the book:

1944, in the ruined wine cellar of a Tuscan villa, as bombs fall around them, two strangers meet and share an extraordinary evening.

Ulysses Temper is a young British soldier, Evelyn Skinner is a sexagenarian art historian and possible spy. She has come to Italy to salvage paintings from the wreckage and relive memories of the time she encountered EM Forster and had her heart stolen by an Italian maid in a particular Florentine room with a view.

Evelyn’s talk of truth and beauty plants a seed in Ulysses’ mind that will shape the trajectory of his life – and of those who love him – for the next four decades.

Moving from the Tuscan Hills and piazzas of Florence, to the smog of London’s East End, Still Life is a sweeping, joyful novel about beauty, love, family and fate.

***********

Italy, 1944. In the Tuscan Hills. sexagenarian art historian Evelyn Skinner awaits the arrival of the Allies, as they advance against a retreating German army. She longs to be rid of the tedious companionship of fellow English spinster, Margaret someone, and return to her beloved Florence  - city where she enjoyed her 'room with a view' in a small hotel in the company of guests including a youthful EM Forster, and where she fell in love with a woman for the first time.

Evelyn's chance to escape comes in the form of young British soldier Ulysses Temper, and a lifelong connection is formed as they shelter from bombs in the cellar of a villa containing precious art works. Evelyn imparts the infectious joy of her passion for art, beauty and all things Italian to Ulysses during their brief meeting, and from this point onwards the course of his own life, and subsequently those of the people he loves, takes an unexpected turn - bringing profound changes for the them all over the next four decades.

Still Life is the most wonderful sweeping story that moves between the East End of London and the glorious Tuscan Hills of Florence, spanning the years 1944 to 1979 - with a powerful revisit to Evelyn's fateful summer of 1901 before the tale is over. It is one of the most beautiful novels I have ever read, and inevitably a short review is not going to be anywhere near enough to convey to you quite what an experience it has been to spend time with these characters.

Ah, the characters! It all begins with a meeting between Evelyn and Ulysses in 1944. Evelyn has spent the war in Italy, possibly as a British Spy, and when fate throws her together with the young Ulysses her advice to let the magic of Florence into his heart becomes a turning point in his life. Their meeting is brief, but the effect brings about an event that powerfully affects where he will find himself a few years in the future.

Once Ulysses is demobbed, he returns to the East End and the friends and loved ones he has left behind, including the love of his life, his wife Peg, However, their relationship has never been a comfortable one, and war time has brought about a breach between them. This part of the tale is centred around the local pub, with its motley crowd - most importantly young Alys, Col the publican, his daughter Ginny, Pete the pianist, Claude the parrot, and the enchanting Cress who is the loveable philosopher of the gang. These characters soon get under your skin, and as the years go by, they become like family to you.

Without giving anything away, Florence becomes a city that appears in much of the novel, for reasons relating to Ulysses' time there in 1944. Many more characters from the streets of Florence will make their way into your heart too, along with all the gorgeous things that make Italy a feast for the senses - the buildings, the art, the food, and the essence of the Florentine people.

There is so much in these pages about love, family, roots, connection, and self-discovery, with a hefty serving of emotional content, and moments where lives brush up against each other in portentious ways. There is joy, humour, wisdom, and deep loss, and I spent the entire book alternating between laughter and tears. There is a glorious fullness to the whole that brings everything full-circle back to Evelyn, with a detailed account of her first visit to Florence in 1901, in which she tells of her first, passionate love affair, and the people that influenced the path her own life has taken.

This book is one from my backlist, and it has spent too long languishing on a shelf. I eventually decided to listen to the fabulous audio book, which is narrated by Sarah Winman herself, and I am very glad that I did. It is spellbinding. There is so much to love in these pages. The story called on my own roots in the East End of London, and my time in Florence, and If you have spent any time in Italy then you are bound to find much to delight you too - especially if you are partial to the enchanting Room with a View by EM Forster.

I adored this book, and did not want it to end... If it is not on your radar, then it really should be.

Still Life is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Sarah Winman (born 1964) is a British actress and author. In 2011 her debut novel When God Was a Rabbit became an international bestseller and won Winman several awards including New Writer of the Year in the Galaxy National Book Awards.

Dark Dweller by Gareth Worthington

 

Dark Dweller by Gareth Worthington.

Published 28th February 2023 by Dropship Publishing.

From the cover of the book:

Captain Kara Psomas was pronounced dead when her research vessel slammed into Jupiter.

More than a century later, the crew of the Paralus, a helium mining freighter, find a pristine escape pod with a healthy young girl nestled inside. A girl who claims to be Kara-and she brings a message of doom.

She says she has been waiting in the dark for that exact moment. To be found by that particular crew. Because an ancient cosmic being has tasked her with a sacred responsibility.

She claims she must alter the Fulcrum, a lever in time-no matter the cost to the people aboard-or condemn the rest of civilization to a very painful and drawn-out demise.

She sounds convincing. She appears brave. She might well be insane.

***********

The Paralus arrives at Jupiter after months of space travel, to mine for the helium that Earth desperately needs - only to discover the planet's position seems to have altered slightly. Frantic manoeuvres are called for, but just when they think they have salvaged the situation, an object appears on their screens that is about to bring chaos to their mission...

The unexpected object is an escape pod that has materialised from nowhere, but it is what lies inside that blows their minds - for it contains a girl who claims to be Captain Kara Psomas, a woman who died when her ship crashed into Jupiter over one hundred and twenty years ago. How can a girl that looks to be only fifteen years old be this woman?

Things get even stranger when she tells them that she has been waiting for them, and has been tasked with saving all civilisation by an ancient cosmic being. Kara's purpose is to alter the Fulcrum, and she must complete her task before time runs out. Is this strange girl really here to save them from destruction, or is she simply a clone that has been driven insane by isolation? The crew of the Paralus must decide...

Gareth Worthington covers a lot of ground in this deeply thought provoking space adventure, combining lashings of gripping action with a solid kick of philosophising about life, the universe and everything. It is the kind of tale that you need to buckle up for as it makes the most of a myriad of threads about space and time, by exploring layered themes around the nature of gods and monsters, chaos and order, and the good old knotty push and pull of science vs religion - wrapping it all up in fast paced storylines that leave you with little time to breathe.

The plot begins with the usual fodder of a space opera, by introducing you to a cast of characters negotiating a mass of taut relationship issues, mostly caused by the irksome presence of the daughter of the head honcho of the company, psychiatrist Dr Sarah Dallas, who seems to create waves amongst the crew rather then being a calming presence. Things are already a bit tetchy between them, so when Kara becomes part of the equation, conflict quickly becomes the order of the day, exposing sinister intent on the part of some of them as the narrative flips between their points of view. No one really knows what to make of Kara and her claims, and as they procrastinate, bringing in the members of a scientific base on Europa into their dilemma, events spiral out of control. It becomes hard to ignore that there is something very odd going on in the vicinity of Jupiter. 

For the most part I was entertained the mix of characters, eventhough they are generally unlikeable (except for the Europa bunch), as they cover an interesting range of personality types - with all the resulting trials this brings in close proximity. Although could have done with a bit less of Dr Kilkenny and the odd choice to have them as the sole character speaking in tortured dialect.

I am a kickass space adventure kind of gal, and there is lots in these pages that ticked this box for me. I enjoyed how Worthington brings in physics, mythology and religion to the story, giving them a twist and threading them through all that happens, but confess some of the more philosophical passages were a bit lost on me. I also found Worthington's musings on the future of humankind rather chilling. If you enjoy a space tale that takes you on a metaphysical journey then you are in for a full on treat with where this story goes. Lots to ponder on!

I suspect this will be a book that will divide the crowd depending on how you like your flavour of science fiction. I read it in a single session, and can confirm that it is slick, imaginative, lots of fun, and keeps you on your toes from beginning to end, if a little esoteric for my tastes. The premise is certainly an intriguing one, and this has made me more than a bit wary of what may be hiding under the ice out there in space...

Dark Dweller is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.

Thank you to Black Crow for sending me a copy of book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Gareth Worthington holds a degree in marine biology, a PhD in Endocrinology, an executive MBA, is Board Certified in Medical Affairs, and currently works for the Pharmaceutical industry educating the World's doctors on new cancer therapies.


Gareth is an authority in ancient history, has hand-tagged sharks in California, and trained in various martial arts, including Jeet Kune Do and Muay Thai at the EVOLVE MMA gym in Singapore and 2FIGHT Switzerland.


He is an award-winning author and member of the International Thriller Writers Association, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the British Science Fiction Association.


Born in England, Gareth has lived around the world from Asia, to Europe to the USA. Wherever he goes, he endeavors to continue his philanthropic work with various charities.

Black Wolf by Kathleen Kent

 

Black Wolf by Kathleen Kent.

Published 16th February 2023 by Aries, Head of Zeus.

From the cover of the book:

A dazzling new spy thriller about a female CIA agent whose extraordinary powers lead her into the dangerous heart of the collapsing Soviet Union - and the path of a killer that shouldn't exist.

Minsk, 1990. The Soviet Union is crumbling. The scavengers and predators are gathering, eager to pick the meat off the bones of a dying empire.

THE SPY: Melvina Donleavy is part of a US trade delegation... and on her first undercover mission with the CIA. Mel has a secret skill: she is a 'super recogniser', someone who never forgets a face. She is the CIA's early warning system, on watch for hostile agents trying to extract fissionable materials from the moribund USSR.

THE SERIAL KILLER: On the streets of Minsk, women are being strangled. Many more have disappeared. The Soviet Union is not a gentle place for women and too many men are capable of such violence, but the truth is worse: just one man is responsible. Worse still, the authorities will never admit to his existence - serial killers, after all, are a symptom of capitalist decadence. And now he has a new target...

THE SPY HUNTER: Chairman of the BSSR's KGB, recipient of the Hero of the Soviet Union medal, the Order of Lenin, the Medal for Valour, the Order of the Patriotic War and the Order of the Red Star. They say you never hear his footsteps until he's carrying your coffin. And now he has a new target...

The Cold War may be coming to a close, but Mel is in danger of being obliterated by its fallout. Whichever way she turns, the wolves are gathering.

***********

It is 1990 and the walls of the former USSR are coming down in the spirit of glasnost. As part of President Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms former states of the Soviet Union are begining to break away from Mother Russia, but she still holds them fastened to her apron strings.

A USA trade delegation has just arrived in Minsk, apparently to forge closer economic ties with Byelorussia, but this is a front for a CIA mission to gather information about rumoured secret plans for a nuclear weapon programme in partnership with Iran. Posing as a lowly secretary to the delegation, Melvina (Mel) Dunleavy is on her first mission, and unknown to her fellow agents she has a secret task of her own - one that is the real reason for their presence in Minsk. Mel has a very rare skill, because she never forgets a face, and as a 'super-recogniser' she is well placed to spy out the Iranian nuclear engineers they fear may be helping Byelorussia in its dangerous aims.

If keeping their true intentions secret in a country that has them under constant close scrutiny was not taxing enough, Mel and her colleagues soon learn that there is a serial killer on the loose in Minsk who is targeting women, which adds an extra level of danger. The Svisloch Strangler seems unstoppable, especially since such crimes cannot even be acknowledged in this 'perfect' communist society. However, he is very real indeed, and he is watching...

Meanwhile, the infamous Chairman of BSSR's KGB, Martin Gregorivich Kavalchuk, known as The Black Wolf, knows more about this little delegation than they are comfortable with. He has earned his nickname for a reason: they say you never hear his footsteps until he is carrying your coffin, and he is determined to find out Mel's purpose...

Black Wolf is a cracking thriller set in the unsettled days of the break-up of the USSR. Kent fixes her story in a time and place that allows her to spin an authentic tale about intelligence gathering against a backdrop that is rich in atmospheric elements of the powerful shadow cast by the Cold War, and of a foreboding about the rise of terrorism in the Middle East. The threat of nuclear capability in unstable hands underpins this story, and Kent uses the impact of the Chernobyl disaster to perfection in exploring both the political and human parts of this novel.

In an absolutely genius twist, this is not just a gripping spy caper, but also one of the most exciting serial killer hunts that I have read for a very long time. Evoking vibes of Tom Rob Smith's Child 44 and The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris, Kent plays Mel as something of a Clarice Starling character who becomes embroiled in the search for the dangerous Svisloch Strangler - a killer whose existence cannot be spoken about. The killer lurks in the shadows, stalking his prey, while also hiding in plain sight, and the suspense is delicious as Kent keeps you guessing about their identity. There are a lot of well contrived red herrings here, and I spent the whole time with my heart in my mouth, concerned for Mel's safety.

I love the way Kent combines all sides of Mel's past in the espionage and crime storylines, which works beautifully. You do have to put to one side the passing thought that surely her CIA mission is more than enough to occupy Mel when she starts going off-piste, but once the threads play out tying the two storylines together, you get an idea of where Kent is heading - and when the payoff comes, it results in an intriguing partnership with a tasty hook into a possible next adventure.

This compelling story kept me feverishly turning the pages from start to finish. It has all the hallmarks of the first part in a new series, and I have my fingers crossed that book two will follow in short order!

Black Wolf is available to buy now in hardcover and ebook formats.

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

About the author: 

Kathleen Kent’s debut novel, The Heretic's Daughter--about the author's 9X great-grandmother who was hanged as a witch in Salem in 1692-- made the New York Times' Bestseller List the first week of publication. It has since been published in 17 countries, and was followed by two more bestselling historical novels, The Traitor's Wife and The Outcasts. Her 7th novel Black Wolf, a Russian spy novel, will be released 16/02/23. 

She was Edgar Nominated for her contemporary crime trilogy: The Dime, The Burn and The Pledge. The Washington Post writes, “Raymond Chandler praised Dashiell Hammett for taking crime fiction out of the drawing room and into the streets. With Betty Rhyzyk, Kathleen Kent brings those mean streets to life as excitingly as anybody has in years.” 

She has written short stories and essays for D Magazine, Texas Monthly and LitHub, and has been published in the crime/horror anthology Dallas Noir. In March 2020 she was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters for her contribution to Texas literature.

Murder Before Evensong (A Canon Clement Mystery: Book One) by The Reverend Richard Coles

 

Murder Before Evensong (A Canon Clement Mystery: Book One) by The Reverend Richard Coles.

Published in hardback 9th June 2022 by W&N.

From the cover of the book: 

Canon Daniel Clement is Rector of Champton. He has been there for eight years, living at the Rectory alongside his widowed mother - opinionated, fearless, ever-so-slightly annoying Audrey - and his two dachshunds, Cosmo and Hilda.

When Daniel announces a plan to install a lavatory in church, the parish is suddenly (and unexpectedly) divided: as lines are drawn, long-buried secrets come dangerously close to destroying the apparent calm of the village.

And then Anthony Bowness - cousin to Bernard de Floures, patron of Champton - is found dead at the back of the church, stabbed in the neck with a pair of secateurs.

As the police moves in and the bodies start piling up, Daniel is the only one who can try and keep his fractured community together... and catch a killer.

***********

Canon Daniel Clement has been the rector of Champton for eight years now, and has settled nicely into his role as spiritual guide and good listener to his flock. Sharing the Rectory with his formidable, widowed mother Audrey, and his two dachshunds Cosmo and Hilda, can be trying (especially in Audrey's case), but the routine of a country clergyman suits him.

Champton is generally a quiet village, but Daniel's plan to install a lavatory in the church has unexpectedly caused uproar amongst its residents, especially within the ranks of the redoubtable Flower Guild. Feelings are running deep about the proposed meddling with the pews, and in the wake of the furore dark secrets connected to the history of the village threaten to be uncovered. For someone in Champton, this cannot be allowed to happen...

When a body is discovered in the church, stabbed with a pair of secateurs, Daniel finds himself embroiled in a murder investigation. Everyone in Champton is unsettled by the development, and as more bodies pile up, Daniel has his work cut out trying to discover the identity of the murderer at the side of his new found crime-solving partner DS Neil Vanloo.

Murder Before Evensong is the debut fiction novel of The Reverend Richard Coles, introducing Canon Daniel Clement to the world of cosy crime. Set in the rural village of Champton during the 1980s, Coles has a ball gently weaving small community dynamics, with a delicious undercurrent of menace, that evoke vibes of Agatha Christie's St Mary Mead combined with the countryside shenanigans of Midsomer Murders.

However peaceful Champton may first appear, its intriguing history means that a fair few of the members of this parish have things to hide, and curiously the skeletons all come tumbling out of their hiding places because of Daniel's plan to put a lavatory in the church. The story begins slowly, laying seeds of contention as we are introduced to the residents of Champton, and it is full of delectable twists and turns rife with red herrings that delve into the past.

There are all the characters you expect, from the well-respected, financially strained, Lord of the manor down through the vestiges of the former social order, and plenty of grist for the gossip mill at the counter of the village post office. Coles introduces some clever clashes of era too, with characters of the modern age uncomfortably rubbing shoulders with the more old-fashioned set, and he drops reference, after enjoyable reference, to 80s popular culture that I found very nostalgic. The relationship between Daniel and Audrey is especially delightful, as she completely disregards her son's more sedate way of doing things and forges on with an agenda of her own (Audrey, how I love you!). 

I am a huge fan of the recent resurgence in cosy crime mysteries, and although this is perhaps not quite as sharp as some of the other novels of its kind in the best seller lists, it is cleverly constructed and has a real charm all of its own. Coles' experience as a member of the clergy brings a sincere poignancy to many of the events that happen in these pages, and there is a tangible sense of calm that comes from the inner peace Daniel derives from the routine duties of his office. I am not someone with faith, but found this rather comforting nonetheless. I also delighted in the frequent references to my beloved Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope, and laughed out loud at the comparison of the Bishop's chaplain to the odious Mr Slope. Thank you Reverend Coles!

This was such a joy to consume. I lapped it up in a single sitting, and am very much looking forward to the next instalment, Death in the Parish, which is out in June 2023.

Murder Before Evensong is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to W&N/Orion for gifting me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Richard Coles is a writer, broadcaster and an Anglican priest. He co-presents Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4 and appears, from time to time, on QI, Have I Got News For You, and Would I Lie To You? He has won Christmas Masterchef, Celebrity Mastermind twice, and captained Leeds to victory in Christmas University Challenge in 2019. A contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, he scored a lamentably low mark for a Paso Doble. 

He writes regularly for the Sunday Times, and is the author of half a dozen books, including a bestselling autobiography, Fathomless Riches, and the bereavement bestseller The Madness of Grief, after the death of his partner, David Coles. Murder Before Evensong, the first book in the Canon Clement Mystery series, was an instant number 1 Sunday Times bestseller. 

Richard is Patron of Greatwell Homes, a Housing Association providing social and affordable housing in east Northants, and is Chancellor of the University of Northampton.

The Forcing by Paul E. Hardisty

 

The Forcing by Paul E. Hardisty.

Published 16th February 2023 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

In a near future, where civilisation has collapsed, a government of youth has taken power in North America. All older people deemed responsible for the cataclysmic climate emergency are relocated, but a breakaway group escapes exile to seek freedom … at devastating cost…

Civilisation is collapsing…

Frustrated and angry after years of denial and inaction, in a last-ditch attempt to stave off disaster, a government of youth has taken power in North America, and a policy of institutionalised ageism has been introduced. All those older than the prescribed age are deemed responsible for the current state of the world, and are to be ‘relocated’, their property and assets confiscated.

David Ashworth, known by his friends and students as Teacher, and his wife May, find themselves among the thousands being moved to ‘new accommodation’ in the abandoned southern deserts – thrown together with a wealthy industrialist and his wife, a high court lawyer, two recent immigrants to America, and a hospital worker. Together, they must come to terms with their new lives in a land rendered unrecognisable.

As the terrible truth of their situation is revealed, lured by rumours of a tropical sanctuary where they can live in peace, they plan a perilous escape. But the world outside is more dangerous than they could ever have imagined. And for those who survive, nothing will ever be the same again…

***********

In a near future where the impact of climate change has radically altered the face of the earth, civilisation is collapsing, and drastic measures are deemed vital to mitigate disaster. The young have taken power in America laying the blame for the future they have been handed squarely at the feet of the earlier generations. To compensate for their inaction, anyone older than a prescribed age must now be 'relocated' to the barren wastes of the south, forfeiting their assets in the process.

David 'Teach' Ashworth, and his wife May, are loaded onto a bus and shipped south with thousands of others who have hit the cut-off age. Their new home is a cramped apartment that they must share with an obnoxious wealthy businessman and his poisonous lawyer wife, two recent immigrants to America who are scarred by the things they have seen in Africa, and a hospital worker whose homosexuality marks him as a target in this age of religious mania.

This reality of this new life is that it offers little more than existence in a concentration camp. Escape is the only solution, fed by rumours of a tropical sanctuary, but for Teach and his new found compatriots this is a dangerous prospect - and what lays beyond the razor wire fence is an unknown in these perilous times. 

This story plays out through the narration of Teach in the present as he does his best to record the events of the past for posterity, bleeding back and forth between the life he lives now and the horrors that have brought him to this moment in time. The pacing and nature of the storytelling that Hardisty uses for the present and past are intriguingly different. In the present, an older Teach reflects on the future of humanity as he is approaching the end of a long, hard life, and these sections are full of deeply emotional philosophising, although not without some beautifully wrought dramatic tension. In parallel, the episodes recounting the past are rife with all the worst examples of human depravity that an authentic post-apocalyptic thriller can throw at you. Flipping between them is curiously disorienting, building almost unbearable suspense as the questions you ask yourself at the beginning of the novel are answered by the exquisitely timed reveals dropped throughout the twisting plotlines in the past. This is masterful storytelling from Hardisty, and it holds you fast from cover to cover, leaving you breathless and bloody when a very disturbing truth is finally revealed.

The events leading up to the future Hardisty paints are so realistic that you can taste them - and what a bitter taste they leave. He outlines the conflict between environmental campaigners and climate change deniers with powerful insight, and his prediction about how disaster can not only be hastened by inaction, but accelerated by false political promises, is horrifyingly believable. The conflict between an older generation caught between guilt and denial, and younger generation filled with resentment and the need for retribution is uncomfortably visceral, and deeply thought provoking.

 I am impressed by the way Hardisty manages to wrap up so many important messages in such a gripping tale. He lays out plainly how opinion can be manipulated by short-sighted greed; how the arrogance of the few can impact the lives of the many; and conveys some very hard truths about the kind of future we are facing. And yet, as much as this story is intensely unsettling, and full of heinous acts, there are glimmers of the kindness of strangers, and of pulling together in adversity, and it does leave you with a feeling that there is hope. This book is simply outstanding, and it should be required reading!

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

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me an ecopy 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:

Canadian Paul E Hardisty has spent 25 years working all over the world as an engineer, hydrologist and environmental scientist. He has roughnecked on oil rigs in Texas, explored for gold in the Arctic, mapped geology in Eastern Turkey (where he was befriended by PKK rebels), and rehabilitated water wells in the wilds of Africa. He was in Ethiopia in 1991 as the Mengistu regime fell, and was bumped from one of the last flights out of Addis Ababa by bureaucrats and their families fleeing the rebels. In 1993 he survived a bomb blast in a café in Sana’a. Paul is a university professor and CEO of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS).

The first four novels in his Claymore Straker series, The Abrupt Physics of Dying, The Evolution of Fear, Reconciliation for the Dead and Absolution all received great critical acclaim and The Abrupt Physics of Dying was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and Telegraph Thriller of the Year. 

Paul is a sailor, a private pilot, keen outdoorsman, conservation volunteer, and lives in Western Australia.

Spotlight On: The Chase by Eva Glass

 SPOTLIGHT ON:

The Chase by Eva Glass.

Published 16th February 2023 by Penguin Books UK.

From the cover of the book:

MOVE FAST. STAY DARK.

These are the instructions sent to new operative Emma Makepeace.

She's been assigned to track down a man wanted by the Russians and bring him into MI5.

It should be easy. But the Russians have eyes everywhere.

Emma knows that if spotted she and her target will be killed.

What follows is a perilous chase through London's night-time streets.

But in a city full of cameras, where can you hide?

***********

In a race against time, The Chase follows a young female agent fresh out of spy training who has twelve hours to smuggle a Russian asset to safety across London. With Russian intelligence agents hot on their heels and with over 1 million CCTV camera’s watching their every step, one wrong move and they will both be dead. The Chase propels the reader across London’s night time parks, canals and underground rivers, through its hospitals, nightlife, secret tunnels and hidden alleyways in a heart-racing whistle-stop tour of the world’s most exciting city.


A former government operative with the highest security clearance bar one, Ava Glass has spent over a decade working with British spies at MI5 and MI6 before writing her first novel. Ava has trained spies, worked in counter terrorism, and been vetted to become a spy herself, so she knows a thing or two about what goes on behind closed government doors - and The Chase does not disappoint.

 

About the author:

Ava Glass is a former civil servient with the highest security clearance bar one. She has seen just enough of the inner workings of espionage to ensure that she will always be fascinated by spies. 

This is the first novel in the Alias Emma series.

Already a bestseller in the USA, The Chase has garnered a huge raft of fans, with recent USA media including:

'A fast-paced thriller in the spirit of Ian Fleming, with a very modern twist.' Washington Post


'A high-octane, warp-speed thriller' Guardian USA


‘Forget James Bond. We’re waiting to see who’s cast in the Ava Glass movie that is destined to be made.’ E! Online


‘Pure candy for those who love a good spy story. A novel you’ll struggle to put down.’ Amazon Books of the Month


'Superb ... Intense, cinematic action propels this terrific old-fashioned thriller.' Publishers Weekly


‘An adrenaline-fueled tour of clandestine London. Perfect for a single-sitting read.’ Library Journal

The Chase by Ava Glass is published by Penguin on 16th February, £9.99, available HERE.

 

Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson

 

Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson.

Published 16th February 2023 by One More Chapter.

From the cover of the book:

Meet Nora Hughes – the overworked, underpaid, last bookish assistant standing. At least for now.

When Nora landed an editorial assistant role at Parsons Press she thought it would be The Dream Job. But after five years of admin and taking lunch orders, Nora has come to the conclusion: Dream Jobs do not exist.

With her life spiralling and unable to afford her rent, Nora does the only thing she can think of and starts freelancing for a rival publisher.

But when Andrew Santos, a bestselling author (who also happens to be quite attractive), is thrown into Nora’s life, she must decide where her loyalties lie, and whether she’s ready to choose herself and her future over her job…

Your next book club read touching on mental health, happiness and the ups and downs of being a young woman trying to figure it all out.

***********

When Nora Hughes landed a job in publishing straight out of college, she was looking forward to her career taking off, but after five years stuck in a lowly role as editorial assistant at Parson Press, she is beginning to think that this might not be her dream job after all.

Parson Press is being reorganised, and many of the old faces that Nora worked alongside have been casualties of the bottom line. When her best friend Beth, who started at Parson Press on the same day as she did, finally jumps ship too, Nora's mood hits rock bottom. It does not help that her work load has risen enormously as jobs have been cut and employees not replaced, and now she has been asked to take a pay-cut too.

The only glimmer of light at Parson Press has been her meeting with the very attractive business author Andrew Santos, who they are desperate to woo to their list for his new book. Nora and Andrew have become friends, with the promise of more, but she does not see how she can remain in this job and still pay her bills.

She hits on a plan to take some freelance work for a rival publisher, without telling them she is still working for Parson Press, and although this appears to be the solution at first, things get complicated very quickly. The pressure of trying to make ends meet, juggling the priorities of two publishers, and navigating the conflict of interest that rears its head in respect of Andrew's forthcoming book, affects Nora's mental health badly - so much that she begins to think suicide might be the only solution to her problems.

When matters come to a head and Nora's life comes crashing down, the budding relationship between her and Andrew seems to be over too, but out of the ashes of this disaster Nora is forced to reflect on the direction her life has taken, and she realises that it might be time for some real changes.

Must Love Books is part publishing drama, part rom-com, and part self-help book, which is an unusual combination. Using her own experience in the publishing industry, Shauna Robinson spins a tale that is all about appreciating that the idea of the 'dream job' is in fact a fallacy. As Nora works through her problems, battles against her own demons, and comes to terms with the fact that her career path might be rather different to the one she anticipated it would be, Robinson uses the story to show that the route to happiness in the world of work is a meandering path - and to stress that it is not only okay to take a few side-turns, but that it can be be a valuable thing to do in your search for a career that is right for you.

There is so much about being aware of the things that impact your mental health, and coming to terms with who you are in a wider sense in this book, and Robinson touches on a host of themes, including taking a few side-swipes at publishing. The nature of the writing and its intent does mean that you feel a bit less connected to the characters, and, for me, the intensity of feeling that you need to be convinced they are living breathing people somehow gets lost in the telling. However, as someone who has taken a very twisty career path over the course of many years, I can see that this book actually has a lot of merit as a fable for those starting out in the world of work - especially if they are consumed with the idea of the 'dream job'. It also has a few really interesting lessons about how easy it is to become isolated and depressed when the people who make a job enjoyable fall away.

I think it is one that will affect you very differently depending on your age, and the stage you are in your career. It is an intriguing story, and makes a good book club choice, because there is a lot to talk about here - particularly about career paths, mental health, how mood affects reading, and how working in publishing affects your appreciation of books as vehicles for enjoyment. 

Must Love Books is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to One More Chapter for sending me a Netgalley copy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of the readalong.

About the author:

Shauna Robinson’s love of books led her to try a career in publishing before deciding she’d rather write books instead. Originally from San Diego, she now lives in Virginia with her husband and their sleepy greyhound. Shauna is an introvert at heart—she spends most of her time reading, baking, and figuring out the politest way to avoid social interaction. She is the author of Must Love Books and The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks.

One French Summer by Gillian Harvey

 

One French Summer by Gillian Harvey.

Published 14th February 2023 by Boldwood Books.

From the cover of the book:

It was just supposed to be a holiday, but could it become the second chance she didn't know she needed...?

Life isn’t quite going as planned for Katy. With her only daughter living in Australia and a husband who has asked for a break, she is suddenly at a loss.

Her best friends, Sam, Vicky and Ivy have always been there for her through thick and thin and they’re not about to leave her all alone now. Whisking her away to glorious France for a last minute retreat is the perfect escape, and just what Katy needs to get her life back under control.

As Katy unwinds in the beautiful French countryside, surrounded by her friends, the pain of her past slowly begins to melt away under the warm summer sun. Will this reset give Katy a new lease on life and help her win back her husband? Or could there be a new love on the horizon where she least expects it?

Escape to the French countryside this summer with top 10 bestseller Gillian Harvey, for the perfect uplifting second chances romance.

***********

When Katy's husband Will asked for a trial separation after over twenty years of marriage, she tried hard to see it as the positive he claimed it could be, but the past six months have been hard. Then their daughter Adrienne calls from Australia to say that she is extending her time there to take a job, rather than return to go to university, and Katy hits rock bottom.

To save her from despair, her four best friends whisk her away to France for a surprise two week painting holiday. After a few days in the sun with the support of her friends, surrounded by the wonderful French countryside, Katy feels long dormant parts of herself coming alive again. Indulging the passion for art that she has pushed aside for years, she wonders if it might be time for some changes - and she cannot deny that she is attracted to the very handsome Valentin, who just happens to be visiting his sister at the artists' retreat.

Caught between the desire to win back her husband, and the prospect of a new future, what will Katy decide?

Just as in Gillian Harvey's previous novel, A Year at the French Farmhouse, in One French Summer she beautifully captures the dilemma of a mid forties woman caught at a crossroads in her life, when her long-marriage takes an unexpected turn. Desperately clinging on to the idea that the separation from her husband is temporary, Katy is persuaded by her friends to come for a holiday in the sun that unexpectedly helps her to get a different perspective on where her life goes from here. At the start of the holiday, Katy is not very receptive to their suggestions that Will might not have always been the ideal husband, which leads to to awkward moments, but spending time away from her problems proves to be a revelation... and of course, the presence of a very handsome French man who is interested in her happiness helps a lot. 

As Harvey does so well, this story leads you up and down the garden path before you see what really lies ahead for Katy, and I was not sure for almost all of the book where she would land at the end. I found myself longing for Katy to find the courage to take the path towards the glimmer of a future in which she takes back control of her life, especially as her friends were so right about selfish Will (grrr!). Suffice to say, she makes the right decision for herself in the end.

I love Harvey's gentle romantic stories about older women. They are full of the trials and tribulations of long relationships, the pull of shared history that is not easily cast aside, and the times when change makes you reassess where life has brought you. She writes so beautifully about the French countryside, and the little details of French life too, which make you feel you are sitting alongside her characters as they enjoy everything the country has to offer. She also does a cracking job of examining female friendship here, and the heart-wrenching conflicted feelings that come when empty nest time eventually draws around.

I swallowed this lovely tale whole, running the emotional gamut all the way to the uplifting ending. This is perfect escapist, snuggle up on the sofa reading, and it does not disappoint. I cannot wait for Gillian Harvey's next heart-warming story. 

One French Summer is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for sending me a Netgalley copy of this book, and to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Gillian Harvey is a freelance journalist and the author of two well-reviewed women’s fiction novels published by Orion. 

She has lived in Limousin France for the past twelve years, from where she derives the inspiration and settings for her books. 

Her first title for Boldwood A Year at the French Farmhouse was published in September 2022.