The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera

 

The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera.

Published 3rd October 2024 by Oneworld.

From the cover of the book:

A searingly original novel about sisterhood, art, and a community of women who refuse to be silenced.

Nine-year-old Graciela is raised in the shadow of El Salvador's Izalco volcano, until the day she is taken to the capital city by the country's fearsome – and fearsomely superstitious – dictator, who believes her to be a muse capable of foreseeing the future.

There, Graciela meets Consuelo, the sister she never knew existed. Consuelo is everything she is not – volatile, dreamy and teenaged – yet despite their differences, the sisters form an unlikely bond. When the dictator's brutality is finally unleashed, El Salvador is forever changed. Graciela and Consuelo survive the massacre, but most of their community are not so lucky.

From San Salvador to Los Angeles, Paris to San Francisco, the sisters create a new future for themselves. But the story of those they left behind is not yet over. Their voices, once just a whimper, now shout louder than ever. Listen.

***********

Nine-year-old Graciela and her friends are raised in a village that lies in the shadow of El Salvador's Izalco volcano. Her happiness is shattered when she is dragged from the arms of her mother and taken to the home of her late father in the capital city, San Salvador.

Here she meets Consuelo, the older sister she did not know existed, and learns that her fate is to become the orcale of El Salvador's capricious dictator. The sisters struggle with the sacrifices they are expected to make, and long for freedom, finding comfort in each other's presence. But disaster comes when El Salvador's tyrant unleashes his violence on the country, and those they love best.

The Volcano Daughters is a powerful story of two sisters, set against the backdrop of El Salvador's violent past, covering the period of 1914 to 1942. Its format is somewhat unconventional, being a blend of historical fiction that shines a light on the country's dark past, through the experiences of the sisters, and a magical realism retelling through the voices of their fellow 'volcano daughters', who are victims of a wide-spread massacre born of the dictator's wrath.

The first part of the novel concerns itself with the villagers in the shadow of the Izalco volcano, then moves onto the course of the lives of the sisters in San Salvador, and beyond to the places that the tide of history takes them to in the wake of the massacre - Los Angeles, San Francisco and Paris. Throughout, the voices of Lourdes, Maria, Cora and Lucia, who have become all-seeing spirits (and sometime ghosts), guide the story, taking up the role of narrators through their own storytelling passages and conversations. 

It did take me a while to get my head around the story, as the text is Spanish heavy, and the pace is quite rambling, but an intriguing pattern takes shape. Consuelo and Graciela's parts in the tale are overshadowed by the legacy of the trauma that follows them through their lives, which makes the book pretty hard hitting, but there are moments of tenderness and love amongst the pain. There is also plenty of social history to enjoy from their poignant journeys, not least when it comes to El Salvador, and I found myself going down a lot of rabbit holes to discover more about its political history. The sections set in Hollywood and Paris are especially atmospheric, and Balibrera's exploration of the nature of art is fascinating.

For me, what makes this book is the way Lourdes, Maria, Cora and Lucia dip in and out with their observations on the lives of the sisters, filling in parts of the story where Consuelo and Graciela do not have the words to tell their own truths. I really enjoyed how their separate personalities, and strength of character, shine through these sections, and they save the story from becoming too grim with their irreverence and humour in what is ultimately, a terribly sad chronicle. 

There are shades of Isabel Allende in this novel which is nice to see in a debut. I look forward to seeing how the writing career of Gina Maria Balibrera develops.

The Volcano Daughters is available to buy now in hardcover and ebook formats.

Thank you to Oneworld for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

GINA MARÍA BALIBRERA earned an MFA in Prose from the University of Michigan's Helen Zell Writers' Program. She's been awarded grants from Aspen Words, Tin House, the Rackham Institute, and the Periplus Collective, as well as a Tyson Award, the Aura Estrada Prize, and the Under the Volcano Sandra Cisneros Fellowship. Her work has appeared in the Boston Review, Latino Book Review, Pleiades, The Wandering Song: An Anthology of the Central American Diaspora, and elsewhere. She lives in Ann Arbor, MI, with her family.

Leaving by Roxana Robinson

 

Leaving by Roxana Robinson.

Published in paperback 3rd October 2024 by Magpie.

From the cover of the book:

High school sweethearts, Sarah and Warren, have grand plans for an adventurous future together, but when a misunderstanding causes them to part ways, they end up marrying other people.

When they meet again at sixty, their lives have been carved into very different shapes. Sarah lives outside New York; Warren lives in Boston. Sarah is divorced, Warren still married, and both have grown up children. When they reconnect, they feel the rekindled spark of love and desire - a spark that has been dead for so long. 

But are they willing to risk destroying all that they have built separately for the chance of a future together?

***********

Sarah and Warren were high-school sweethearts, but a misunderstanding led to them parting during their college years. Both went on marry other partners and settle into family life. Now sixty-years-old, their lives have taken different paths, but a chance meeting between them at the opera gives them pause for thought.

Sarah is divorced and although a busy mother and grandmother with lots of outside interests, she is often lonely in her large house just outside New York. The thought of being with Warren again is tempting. For Warren, in Boston, things are more complicated. To all intents and purposes his long marriage is a happy one - at least in the eyes of his wife and daughter, but he cannot get Sarah out of his mind. What would they be willing to risk to be together?

Leaving is a heart-breaking novel that examines many different facets of what 'leaving' means, through the eyes of former lovers who meet again in later life. The story unfurls through the points of view of Sarah and Warren, who realise that the spark between them has never died, despite not having seen each other for a considerable number of years, and having followed completely separate lives.

As a divorcee, Sarah is easily able to put aside her concern for Warren's marital state for a second chance at happiness, but there are still hard decisions to be made that are not immediately evident. While, for Warren, the necessity of breaking up his stale marriage to pursue a life with Sarah is bound to be difficult, he is unprepared for the acrimony this leads to from not just his wife, but unexpectedly, from the grown daughter he thought would be understanding. No matter how sure they are that they belong together, things are more complicated than they thought, and the sacrices required might just be too hard.

Robinson's writing is staggeringly beautiful and evokes a wealth of intense emotions as she follows Sarah and Warren's painful journey. Soaring hearts and rekindled passions are all consuming at first, but when the couple have to get into the nitty-gritty of the things they must leave behind in order to be together, their idealistic dreams take a pounding - and interestingly this is not just about the impact of betrayal and hurt feelings on Warren's family and what this means for his future, but also how this affects Sarah's view of the things and places she has learned to find comfort in since her divorce, which I found very thought provoking.

This is one of those incredible books that you know will stay with you for ever, not just for the immensely powerful threads of yearning and heartbreak that are the riveting focus of Sarah and Warren's story. Robinson cleverly delves into other aspects of leaving and loss around multi-generational relationships that really resonate too. I loved how she weaves in Sarah's poignant memories of her parents, and the utterly compelling parallel story that plays out with her daughter left me breathless. Be prepared for tears...

Leaving is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback and ebook.

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

About the author:

Roxana Robinson is the author of six novels, three collections of short stories, and a biography of Georgia O’Keeffe. Her books have been chosen as New York Times Notable Books and as New York Times Editors’ Choices. Her fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harper’s and elsewhere. She is the recipient of many awards, including the Barnes & Noble “Writers for Writers” Award. She teaches in the MFA Program at Hunter College. She lives in Connecticut.

Gothic Horror Feature: Tales of the Damned by Matt Ralphs and Taylor Dolan and Escape Castle Dracula by

 

Tales of the Damned: A Collection of Classic Horror Stories by Matt Ralphs (Author), and Taylor Dolan (Illustrator).

Published 14th September 2023 by Big Picture Press.

From the cover of the book:

Tales of ghosts, monsters and murderers have terrified and delighted readers for thousands of years.

This spine-chilling collection features retellings of eight classic horror stories. From the disturbing short stories of Edgar Allan Poe, to gothic classics and chilling ghost stories, this striking anthology is the perfect introduction to the world of horror.

Includes:
Dracula
Frankenstein
The Masque of the Red Death
Bluebeard
And many more...

Written by Matt Ralphs and with vivid illustrations by artist Taylor Dolan.

Escape Castle Dracula by Sam Fern (Author), and Adam Allori (Illustrator).

Published 12th September 2024 by Big Picture Books.

From the cover of the book:

THE BLOODTHIRSTY COUNT DRACULA HAS TRAPPED YOU INSIDE HIS CASTLE!

CAN YOU ESCAPE?

Readers will be transported into the pages of 14 classic horror stories in their quest to escape from Count Dracula's castle. Aid Victor Frankenstein create his monster, help Dr Jekyll escape the clutches of Mr Hyde, and lay the vicious ghost of the headless horseman to rest forever. Trace your way through labyrinthine mazes and solve intricate puzzles, learning about some of the most terrifying tales in literature as you go.

Illustrated in astonishing detail by Adam Allori, this stylish and immersive puzzle book will appeal to readers of all ages.

***********

This spooky season I am celebrating with two wonderful books for Gothic horror lovers, which have kindly been gifted to me by Big Picture Press. Both are beautifully produced in hardback with full colour illustrations throughout (and splendid end papers), which are a feast for the eyes of even the most demanding lover of the macabre.

Tales of the Damned by Matt Ralphs, beautifully illustrated by Taylor Dolan, contains seven retellings of classic horror stories of varying lengths, and from different genres, such as The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and the traditional fairy tale Red Riding Hood. There is an eighth, chilling, original story to send shivers up your spine by Matt Ralphs too, entitled Vasilisa the Daughter. An intriguing introduction prefaces the collection, and each story is followed by a fascinating postscript delving into its history and special features. 

These tales are gruesome indeed, and absolutely perfect for an adult audience (older teens too). Ralphs does an excellent job in his retellings, and cleverly condenses down the essentials of the novels to maintain the atmosphere and story incredibly well. I thoroughly enjoyed them all.

Escape Castle Dracula by Sam Fern, intricately illustrated by Adam Allori, makes a great companion piece to Tales of the Damned. This book is a Gothic puzzle adventure for horror fans of all ages (middle grade upwards). The setting is Dracula's castle and an introduction by vampire hunter Van Helsing asks the reader to solve a series of challenging logic and observational puzzles based around classic Gothic stories, in order to escape the clutches of the Count and his vampiric lady friends. 

These are excellent fun and reference a lovely range of stories, from The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stephenson, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, and even Shakespeare's Macbeth. The puzzles do not require prior knowledge of the stories (younger readers are unlikely to know most of them), but they are definitely more entertaining if you do know about the plots and characters involved. Many of them are pretty tricky to solve, which gives you lots of time to take in all the incredible detail in the pictures!

Both books would make great gifts for Gothic horror fans!

Tales of the Damned and Escape Castle Dracula are available to buy now.

Thank you to Big Picture Books for gifting me copies of these books in return for an honest review.

About the authors:

Matt Ralphs writes fiction and non-fiction for children. He has published books for Nosy Crow, Flying Eye, DK, Macmillan, Phaidon Kids, Templar, Big Picture Press, Titan Books and Oxford University Press. He lives in England on a boat called Nostromo.

Sam Fern grew up in a handful of quiet English villages, then went off to London for something to do. Inspired by anything fantastical, Sam's stories have been published in a number of literary magazines.

Adam Allori is a UK based concept artist and designer. He studied concept art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, Poland. Escape Castle Dracula will be his first book.

 

The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen

 

The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen.

Translated by David Hackston.

Published 24th October 2024 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

Saunas, love and a ladleful of murder…

A cold-blooded killer strikes at the hottest moment: the new head of a sauna-stove company is murdered … in the sauna. Who has turned up the temperature and burned him to death?

The evidence points in the direction of Anni Korpinen – top salesperson and the victim’s successor at Steam Devil.

And as if hitting middle-age, being in a marriage that has lost its purpose, and struggling with work weren’t enough, Anni realizes that she must be quicker than both the police and the murderer to uncover who is behind it all – before it’s too late…

From the international bestselling author of The Man Who Died and The Rabbit Factor, comes a darkly funny, delightfully tense new thriller that showcases humanity at its most bare – in middle age, suspected of murder and, of course, in a sauna…

***********

When Ilmo Rӓty, heir apparent at the illustrious Steam Devil, is burned to a crisp in his home sauna, top salesperson Anni Korpinen, next in line as head of the steam-stove company,  falls under suspicion as the cold-blooded murderer. The thing is, Anni knows she is innocent, despite the damning evidence stacking up against her. Middle-aged Anni acknowledges she is not cut out to be a sleuth, but if she does not find out who really killed the unfortunate Ilmo from among her rivals fast, then she is in big trouble...

An Antti Tuomainen novel is always a breath of Finnish fresh air, full of dark humour and heart-felt emotion, weaving through a cracking crime story, and this is no exception. The story unfurls from the point of view of fifty-something Anni, who has spent the last twenty years working her way up to the top of the ladder selling the fine steam-stoves installed in the world's best saunas. She enjoys her job, which takes her away from the cares of a marriage that is long past its sell-by date, to a husband more interested in Formula one racing than her. 

Finding herself in the spotlight as number one suspect in a very odd murder, especially as she is now the likely successor to her boss, Erkki 'Stove King' Ruusula, Anni is up against it - but she is more of a Sherlock Holmes than she thinks herself to be. Digging into the shenanigans of her fellow employees at Stove Devil, she comes across some intriguing clues that might put her on the trail of the real killer... if she can stay alive long enough, of course.

All the delightfully absurd situations and characters I have come to expect in one of Tumainen's books are here, cleverly sprinkled throughout the story to provide Anni with perplexing trials to overcome - deliciously awkward conversations, ridiculous planted evidence (I give you enchantingly named, stolen 'bumlets', and sauna ladles in places they were never intended to be), a steam-stove client fixated on true crime, mambo-loving Erkki, and a police detective unable to let an old grudge about an enormous elk go... such fun! There is so much poignancy in many of these situations and relationships too, that Tuomainen touches on with tenderness in that gentle way he has - particularly around marital troubles, dementia, and second-chance love. And, as always, there is a left-of-field mystery that keeps you guessing right until the end. Excellent translation work from David Hackston once again too!

I loved Anni, and the way she transforms herself throughout this story, making her way out of the middle-aged rut she has fallen into, and reigniting the fire in her belly like the steam-stoves she sells, to battle the odds, banish her ghosts and find the happiness she deserves. 

Nordic noir the Antti Tuomainen way is an absolute joy.

The Burning Stones is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

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

About the author:

Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. 

In 2011, Tuomainen’s third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for Best Finnish Crime Novel and was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. In 2013, the Finnish press crowned Tuomainen the ‘King of Helsinki Noir’ when Dark as My Heart was published. 

With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime-genre formula, and his poignant, dark and hilarious The Man Who Died became an international bestseller and has been released as a TV series, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh Awards. Palm Beach Finland (2018) was an immense success, with The Times calling Tuomainen ‘the funniest writer in Europe’, and Little Siberia (2019) was shortlisted for the Capital Crime/Amazon Publishing Readers Awards, the Last Laugh Award and the CWA International Dagger, and won the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel. The Rabbit Factor, the prequel to The Moose Paradox and The Beaver Theory, will soon be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell for Amazon Studios.

About the translator:

David Hackston is a British Translator of Finnish and Swedish literature and drama. Notable publications include The Dedalus Book of Finnish Fantasy, Maria Peura’s coming-of-age novel At the Edge of Light, Johanna Sinisalo’s eco-thriller Birdbrain, two crime novels by Matti Joensuu and Kati Hiekkapelto’s Anna Fekete series (which currently includes The Hummingbird, The Defenceless and The Exiled, all published by Orenda Books). He also translates Antti Tuomainen’s stories. 

In 2007 he was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Translation. David is also a professional countertenor and a founding member of the English Vocal Consort of Helsinki.

Because She Looked Away (Ronnie Blake Book One) by Alison Bruce

 

Because She Looked Away (Ronnie Blake Book One) by Alison Bruce.

Published 26th September 2024 by Constable.

From the cover of the book:

After the sudden death of her sister, devastated detective DS Ronnie Blake relocates to Cambridge to help her brother Alex raise their sister's young son, Noah. She reports for her first day but instead finds herself being questioned by a special investigations unit, nicknamed the DEAD Team.

With a small group of six, led by DI Fenton, the once-successful DEAD team has a single outstanding case, Operation Byron, and the failure to resolve it threatens the unit's existence. Their most promising lead is an anonymous note linking three seemingly unconnected people: a convicted fraudster, a dead academic... and Ronnie's sister Jodie.

When Ronnie is denied information about Operation Byron, she follows a lead slipped to her by Malachi, the youngest member of the team, and makes a discovery which links Operation Byron to a disturbing unsolved murder. She is rapidly drawn into an intricate web of deceit, buried secrets and tragedy and the discovery that her connection to Cambridge is far darker than she could ever have guessed.

***********

Still reeling from the sudden death of her sister, DS Ronnie Blake relocates to Cambridge to help her brother, Alex, raise the son she left behind, eight-year-old Noah. Ronnie knows this is going to bring big changes on the personal and professional fronts, but she does not expect her first day with the Cambridgeshire police force to be quite so strange.

Rather than getting back to work, Ronnie is called in to answer questions about her sister's death as part of Operation Byron, an extortion investigation being conducted by a special unit nicknamed the DEAD team. She is then unceremoniously sent home to await approval to recommence active duties.

Ronnie refuses to be kept in the dark about what her sister's death could possibly have to do with a spate of bizarre blackmail cases. Her persistence results in the new member of the team, Malachi, passing her a tip-off about three seemingly unconnected names that have been sent anonymously to the investigative team - one of them being the name of her sister. 

It is not long before Ronnie uncovers a lead which appears to connect Operation Byron to a shocking local murder, and she is seconded to the DEAD team to help with the investigation - with strict instructions not to venture into territory about her own sister's possible part in the case. But Ronnie, never known for her ability to work well with others, is determined to find out exactly why her sister died. She is unprepared for the dark secrets and lies she discovers in Cambridge's leafy environs - and quite what they mean for her own family...

This is the first part in a new crime series set in Cambridge by Alison Bruce, featuring DS Ronnie Blake. We meet Ronnie at a difficult time in her life when she is trying to adjust to taking on the unfamiliar role of co-parent to her young nephew, Noah, while also having to get used to living in a new city and beginning a new job.

If all this was not enough to cope with, Ronnie is thrown into the deep end of a difficult case that no one wants, within a team struggling for its own survival - not to mention one which gives her a whole new perspective on the death of her sister. Ronnie is not a team player, so suddenly having to work closely with a small group of officers she does not know is less than ideal, but unexpectedly she finds herself striking up a working relationship with young DC Malachi Henry, who is newly appointed to the team and still feels something of an outsider. It is a match made in heaven, and I loved how their relationship develops over the course of the story, with eager, wise-beyond-his-years, hot chocolate-loving Malachi knocking off some of the hard edges Ronnie has cultivated over the course of her career, as they go about giving Operation Byron the impetus it needs to reach a conclusion.

This is not your average police procedural, as it gives a fascinating oblique view of the workings of a force mired in tricky internal politics, with clashing personalities and complicated boundary issues, through the eyes of a tiny, specialst team desperate to prove themselves. Loose cannon Ronnie is caught between loyalties she does not fully understand, with an agenda of her own, and this feeds into all the beautifully wielded threads of mystery that run through the story. The Cambridge setting is so atmospheric, the pacing and build up of tension are spot-on, and Bruce knows how to create oodles of misdirection to have you casting a suspicious eye at practically every character when it comes to the chilling truth that lies behind a tangled web of dark deeds. 

Bruce explores lovely, wide-ranging themes in this book, examining different sides of family relationships; how much we really know about those close to us; ambition; corruption; academia; sexual violence; grief; and personal responsibility. The characters are well drawn, and she uses them nicely to evoke a whole range of keenly felt emotions - particularly when it comes to Ronnie and the way she is finally able to process the loss of her sister. Her relationship with Noah and her brother Alex, much like the budding partnership she forges with Malachi, provide much needed warmth to cut through the darker parts of the story too.

This is my first Alison Bruce novel and I am mightily impressed. I was drawn in from page one and remained completely absorbed right to the final page. What a cracking start to a new series - I cannot wait for book two! 

Because She Looked Away is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Alison Bruce is the author of eight crime novels and two non-fiction titles. Her first novel, Cambridge Blue (2008), was described by Publishers Weekly as an ‘assured debut’ and introduced both detective, DC Gary Goodhew, and her trademark Cambridge setting. She went on to complete the DC Goodhew series with a further six novels before writing the psychological thriller I Did It for Us.

Alison Bruce was born in Croydon and grew up in Wiltshire before moving to Cambridgeshire in 1998. Alison worked as an electroplater, taxi driving and band promoter and spent ten years working in the IT industry before leaving to concentrate on completing her first novel.

Alison is a proud supporter of local libraries and is the patron of Lakenheath Library in Suffolk. Alison teaches creative writing at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge.

The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side by Agatha Christie

 

The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side by Agatha Christie.

This edition published 11th May 2023 by Harper Collins.

Originally published 1962.

From the cover of the book:

A movie star.
A deadly cocktail.
A murder.

When glamorous Marina Gregg came to live in St Mary Mead, tongues were sure to wag.

But, with a local gossip’s sudden death, has one tongue wagged a bit too much?

As the police chase false leads, and two more victims meet untimely ends, Miss Marple starts to ask her own questions.

What secrets might link a peaceful English village and a star of the silver screen?

Never underestimate Miss Marple...

***********

When aging movie star, Marina Gregg, moves to St Mary Mead, the locals can hardly contain themselves. There is lots of talk about the transformation of Gossington Hall, former home of Dolly Bantry who has retired to the East Lodge, particularly when it comes to marble bathrooms - and the chance for a glimpse of the make-over comes with the annual fete at the grounds of the Hall in aid of St John Ambulance.

Marina Gregg and her husband, film director Jason Rudd, open their doors to chosen members of the St Mary Mead community during the fete, including local do-gooder Heather Badcock, a life-long fan of the star. Everyone is shocked when a few minutes after boring her her idol with a long tale of a former meeting, Heather Badcock collapses and dies - a victim of a poisoning.

Who could have wanted to kill annoying, but apparently harmless Heather? Was the poison intended for another? Miss Marple has a few ideas...

Written in 1962, this book begins with Miss Marple reflecting on the the big changes that have happened in St Mary Mead, particularly when it comes to the 'development' which has attracted a whole new crowd of residents to the village. She is also very much regretting the meddlesome presence of nurse-companion Miss Knight, foisted on her with good intentions by her nephew Raymond, who insists on treating the wily old sleuth as a fragile creature in her dotage.

The fun begins when a murder happens at the newly transformed Gossington Hall, where Hollywood royalty, Marina Gregg, has set up home. Tongues which were already wagging are sent into over-drive speculating at the unlikely murder of one of the residents of the 'development'. Scotland Yard, under the auspices of my very favourite Marple detective, Chief Inspector Dermot Craddock, have a tough time working out exactly what has gone on here, but fortunately he is able to rely on the razor-sharp instincts of his 'aunt' Jane.

Christie has a ball in this story by delving into clashes between old and new, beginning within St Mary Mead itself and then broadening the plot to encompass the madness of the Hollywood film scene. As she always does well, social change and the passing years are examined with remarkable insight, but, ultimately, this mystery hinges on the timeless emotions that motivate us all, which Miss Marple understands - particularly when it comes to revenge.

There are some lovely interactions in this story. Miss Marple's quiet battle with Miss Knight is full of comic moments, and her conversations with Dermot are wonderful, with much twinkling on her side and admiration on his. Dolly is as marvellous as always, and proves key to unravelling the whole business with her observations about Tennyson's lyrical ballad The Lady of Shallot, which gives the novel its title. Many of the other characters are unlikeable for one reason or another, but this all adds to the delicious pot for Christie to exploit with her twisty imagination, and there is intriguing poignancy in the motive that drives the murderer to go on their killing spree - this is really one where you find yourself questioning what you would do under the circumstances too (or maybe that is just me?).

I had not read this one before, although was aware of the story from the excellent Joan Hickson adaptation (my favourite Miss Marple). Inevitably, there is much more to be enjoyed in Christie's original text, which was a joy.

This is my October pick for #ReadChristie2024 as a book written by Christie in the 1960s/70s and I loved it from start to finish. 

The Mirror Crack'd from Side To Side is available to buy now in various formats.

About the author:

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

After The Fire by Charlotte Rixon

 

After the Fire by Charlotte Rixon.

Published 2st August 2024 by Aria.

From the cover of the book:

This is the story of girl meets boy.

And then everything goes wrong . . .

Ever since they first met at university, Beth and Nick have circled in and out of one another's lives: supporting each other through grief, marriage, divorce, career crises and family dramas.

Fourteen years ago, when they were on the cusp of adulthood, they both survived a devastating fire that sent their lives in different directions. And they've been running ever since: from the pain, from the memories, and most devastatingly of all, from the guilt.

But no matter how hard they try, there's something else they can't run from. The inescapable, terrifying truth: they're in love with each other.

But how can they move forward, when neither of them can stop looking back?

***********

Beth and Nick met during their first few weeks at university. Something blossomed between them, but before their relationship could take off, a terrible fire tore through their accommodation block, killing their flatmate (Nick's recently-ex-girlfriend) Anna. The tragedy created a complex tangle of grief and guilty feelings between them, that they have never been able to address.

Over the next fourteen years, Beth and Nick have done their best to remain friends, supporting each other through the hard knocks of relationship and work issues. Time and time again their lives touch, but the trauma of the past always gets in the way of them allowing their friendship to become more. There is no denying that they love each other, but how can they ever move forward when memories of the past continue to haunt them?

As in Charlotte Rixon's excellent debut novel for Aria, The One That Got Away, this is a novel all about confronting difficult emotions concerning events from the past, but unlike her first book, this really is a love story.

Beth and Nick are a couple who are meant to be together, but their budding relationship is knocked off course by a tragic fire that builds a wall between them, bound together by the complicated feelings that unresolved trauma brings. The story unfurls through the points of view of Beth and Nick over fourteen years, dropping into their lives at various points between their meeting and time they are finally able to confront the ghosts that haunt them.

This is a tale wreathed in gut-wrenching emotions. Nick is sent reeling by survivor's guilt, and his response is to runaway from feelings he has no idea how to deal with. In parallel, Beth, sees the only way forward is to pull together and salvage something from the ashes, and she finds his abandonment impossible to fathom. Over the years, they learn to forge a friendship of a kind, with love simmering under the surface, but the timing is never right for them to be together - even if they could move past the deep-seated issues they simply do not speak about.

At its heart, this is a story about dealing with unresolved trauma, and not just of the kind that the fire brings to the surface. As the pair find a way to work through their heart-ache, Nick by going back to his roots and Beth by writing about her own view of their relationship, Rixon weaves in really thought provoking storylines about mental health, unhealthy coping mechanisms, abusive relationships, and finding a way to move on from tragedy, particularly when it comes to Nick. I was really struck by the tenderness she brings to the difficult relationship Nick has with his mother (although his saviour complex was a bit wearing), and the way she brings Nick and Beth to the point where they can finally lay bare their feelings is beautifully orchestrated.

This is a hard-hitting book, but is is also deeply touching, and displays a maturity in the writing that is remarkably compelling. It is not your typical love story, taking you through a series of very difficult scenes, and yet Nick and Beth's journey is a rewarding one that ends with warmth, healing, and hope. I am beginning to find Charlotte Rixon's books quite addictive. I cannot wait for the next one...

After the Fire is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Charlotte Rixon is the pen name of Charlotte Duckworth, USA Today-bestselling author of suspense fiction published by Quercus. Charlotte studied Classics at Leeds University and went on to gain a PGDip in Screenwriting. She worked for many years as a magazine journalist, and is a graduate of the Faber Academy 'Writing A Novel' course.

Home For Christmas by Heidi Swain

 

Home for Christmas by Heidi Swain.

Published 10th October 2024 by Simon and Schuster.

From the cover of the book:

Bella is living her best life in Wynbridge, with her beloved Spaniel, Tink. She’s found a way to keep the house she inherited from her grandparents while expanding her dream business – Away With the Fairies – and she’s ecstatic that Christmas is on the horizon!

In fact, everything is perfect until family friend, Catherine Connelly asks Bella if she’d be willing to rent part of the house to freelance author, Jude who is researching the history of the Connelly Clan and Wynthorpe Hall ahead of turning his findings into a book. The plan had been for Jude to stay at the hall, but he can’t cope with the chaos and Bella reluctantly agrees to open her door to him.

Initially, the pair clash but then friendlier feelings begin to grow and Bella finds herself wondering if Jude could become more than just another guest before it’s time for him to leave. That is, until he announces he has no time for Christmas!

With her favourite time of the year suddenly in jeopardy, will Bella ever feel like she’s home for Christmas?

***********

Bella is in her element as December approaches, and looking forward to decking out the house she inherited from her grandparents in her usual full-on, festive style. This is also her busiest time of year when it comes to her rapidly expanding business, Away with the Fairies, so her hands are going to be full making stock for all the Christmas fairs ahead.

A hiccup in her plans arises when the Connelly Clan at Wynthorpe Hall ask Bella if she would be willing to put up a guest in the run-up to Christmas. Freelance author Jude is writing a book all about the Hall, but the bustling environment there is overwhelming him. He needs peace and quiet, and given all the help the Connellys have given Bella over the years, she feels she can hardly refuse.

Grumpy Jude sets Bella's nerves on edge, but her dog Tink love him at first sight, and soon she begins to warm to him too. She begins to think there might be the chance of romance before he has to leave, but when he drops the bombshell that he is not a fan of her favourite time of year, she has no idea what to do with the feelings she has developed... or what this means for the festive season.

Back to Wynbridge we go for another lovely Christmas adventure at the hands of Heidi Swain, and it is just like returning to old friends, who are here aplenty! Bella is building up to her favourite, and busiest, time of year, looking forward to festive fun in the company of her spaniel Tink, and all her Wynbridge pals. She is not one to indulge overly in thoughts of love, beyond a fling here and there, given the experiences of her mum, but this is going to be a Christmas full of surprises that drag her right our of her comfort zone!

As is Swain's forte, there is lots of lovely stuff here about the Wynbridge community, updating the reader on the lives of her vivid characters, mixed in with glorious detail about all the festive activities that Bella is 100% committed to - and plenty of enchanting fairy-related elements too. You can feel the crisp winter days, smell the festive cooking aromas, and find yourself itching to get going with your own Christmas traditions.

Romance lies at the heart of the story, for more than one character, but it is what happens between Bella and Jude that captures your imagination, and your heart. With bags of romantic suspense (with all the mishaps and misunderstandings this entails), this tale touches of several delicious love-story tropes in the very best way possible. Bella's quest to convince Jude that Christmas really is the best time of year takes them both on a journey that opens her heart, and heals his, wrapping up in the most glorious of endings filled with Christmas (and fairy) magic. I loved the way little Tink takes on the role of match-making, go-between too.

Christmas Heidi Swain style really is the best thing to kick off the countdown to the festive season. Mince pies, anyone?

Home for Christmas is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Heidi Swain is a Sunday Times Top Ten best-selling author who writes feel good fiction for Simon & Schuster. She releases two books a year (early summer and winter) and the stories all have a strong sense of community, family and friendship. 

She is currently writing books set in three locations - the Fenland town of Wynbridge, Nightingale Square in Norwich and Wynmouth on the Norfolk coast, as well as summer standalone titles. 

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

Happy Birthday Oscar Wilde: Lady Windermere's Fan (Play)

 

The Oscar Wilde BBC Radio Drama Collection.

Various narrators.

Released 4th April 2019 from BBC Audio.

From the cover:

The collected BBC radio productions of the major works of Oscar Wilde, plus bonus play by Neil Bartlett.

Loved for his flamboyant personality, sparkling wit and brilliant epigrams, Oscar Wilde was a comic genius and a literary icon.

This collection reflects the many facets of his dazzling talent. Here are dramatisations of his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, a Gothic tale of a gilded aristocrat who makes a dangerous pact, as well as four scintillating social comedies – Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Woman of No Importance, The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband. Among the distinguished casts are Ian MacDiarmid, Joely Richardson, Edward Fox, Diana Rigg, Martin Clunes, Michael Hordern and Judi Dench.

Moving examples of his correspondence are revealed in The Letters of Oscar Wilde and De Profundis, read by Simon Callow and Simon Russell Beale respectively, and his most famous poem, The Ballad of Reading Gaol, is performed live by stars including Ian McKellen, Neil Tennant and Stephen Fry.

In addition, a bonus drama, In Extremis by Neil Bartlett, starring Corin Redgrave and Sheila Hancock, reimagines Oscar Wilde's hastily arranged sitting with a society palm reader, a week before the trial that would cost him so dearly.

***********

Happy 150th birthday Oscar Wilde, a complex man of great personality and wit, who came to a tragic end.

I am celebrating this day with a listen to the excellent BBC Radio Drama Collection from Audible, which features five productions by the great man - a dramatisation of his only novel, the wonderfully gothic The Picture of Dorian Gray; and four of his celebrated plays (plus fascinating extras). 

This is a very worthwhile collection to listen to, with excellent performances from some big acting names, particularly the plays which are ideal as voice pieces - although the adaptation Wilde's novel only gives a flavour of the story itself, so I recommend taking in the original in one of the dedicated, unabridged audio versions to experience its unadulterated magic.

Here, I am going to give my attention to one of the plays from the collection, Lady Windermere's Fan, which arguably contains Wilde's most quoted epigram of all time: 'We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.', which is often wrongly attributed to Dorian Gray.

The play was first performed in 1892, in London, and concerns the marriage of one Lady Windermere, who we understand is 'a good woman'. Its four acts centre on Lady Windermere's birthday, following the events that ensue when she hears a rumour that her hitherto beloved husband is having an affair with the infamous Mrs Erlynne, who is newly arrived in London and seems to hold the city's husbands in thrawl... not so much their wives.

Given the damning news, Lady Windermere does a bit of snooping, fears the suspicions are correct, confronts her husband (he denies any such affair), and is thoroughly outraged when he insists she invites Mrs Erlynne to her birthday celebrations that evening to launch her into society. The dramatic events of the evening, full of misunderstandings and rash decisions, gradually secrets about Mrs Erlynne that are quite unexpected, but no spoilers here...

As is Wilde's forte, this is a play full of sparkling repartee, glorious language, and cutting humour. But is also shows his ability to explore thought provoking themes through satire. I absolutely love this one for its musings on reputation, morality, sacrifice, and hypocrisy in late Victorian high-society, particularly when it comes to the gulf between attitudes about the behaviour of men and women. Lady Windermere is actually a bit insipid, despite the celebration of her 'goodness', and the male characters are largely disreputable (and lauded for being so), but Mrs Erlynne is a fabulous character, full of depth - and if you get to listen to this drama, Penelope Keith steals the entire show with her portrayal of her!

Happy birthday, Mr Wilde. Your genius lives long!

Lady Windermere's Fan is available to buy now in various formats.

About the author:

Oscar Fingall O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was born in Dublin in 1854. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and Magdalen College, Oxford where, a disciple of Pater, he founded an aesthetic cult. In 1884 he married Constance Lloyd, and his two sons were born in 1885 and 1886.

His novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), and social comedies Lady Windermere's Fan (1892), A Woman of No Importance (1893), An Ideal Husband (1895), and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), established his reputation.

In 1895, following his libel action against the Marquess of Queesberry, Wilde was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for homosexual conduct, as a result of which he wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), and his confessional letter De Profundis (1905).

On his release from prison in 1897 he lived in obscurity in Europe, and died in Paris in 1900.

Dark As Night (An Áróra Investigation: Book Four) by Lilja Sigurdardottir

 

Dark as Night (An Áróra Investigation: Book Four) by Lilja Sigurdardóttir .

Published 10th October 2024 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

When Áróra receives a call telling her that a child she’s never met is claiming to be her missing sister reincarnated, she is devastated … as ridiculous as the allegations might seem. For three years she has been searching for her sister without finding a single clue, and now this strange child seems to have new information.

On the same day, Icelandic detective Daníel returns home to find a note from his tenant, drag queen Lady Gúgúlú, giving notice on her flat and explaining that she has to leave the country. Daníel is immediately suspicious, and when three threatening men appear, looking for Lady, it’s clear to him that something is very wrong…

And as Iceland’s long dark nights continue into springtime, that is just the very beginning…

Twisty, intricately plotted and atmospheric, Dark as Night is the highly anticipated fourth book in the addictive An Áróra Investigation series, as Áróra and her friends face unimaginable danger and extraordinary experiences that may change everything, forever…

***********

For three long years, Áróra has been searching for her missing sister Ísafold without success, exhausting every possible lead. When she receives a strange call from a woman claiming that her three-year-old daughter insists she is Ísafold reincarnated, Áróra dismisses it as just another hoax. However, then she meets the child, and realises that somehow this golden-haired tot knows impossible things about her sister and the case. Could this really be the chance to find out what happened to Ísafold?

On the same day, Áróra's partner, Icelandic detective Daníel, has a shock of his own. Returning home, he discovers that his flamboyant tenant, drag queen Lady Gúgúlú, has disappeared, leaving a cryptic note saying he has had to leave the country. Daniel's confusion turns to concern when three mysterious men turn up on his door-step and threaten him with violence unless he reveals his tenant's whereabouts. Lady Gúgúlú is obviously in danger, and Daniel has no idea how to help, but private investigator Áróra might...

The fourth book in the excellent Áróra Investigations series follows two captivating storylines for Áróra and Daniel that have them questioning how much they really knew about their larger-than-life friend Lady, and in an intriguing twist, their beliefs about the circle of life and death.

The novel unfurls through the points of view of Áróra, Daniel, and Lady in an epic mash-up of eerie supernatural mystery, gritty police procedural, and suspense-filled action thriller, against a deliciously atmospheric Icelandic backdrop. Áróra is consumed with the possibility that a small child might hold the key to the mystery of Ísafold's disappearance, despite the skepticism of those around her, but her personal feelings make it difficult for her to see things clearly. In parallel, Daniel's tentative search for Lady is brought to a violent halt, while he is also trying to decide if this weird development in Ísafold's case might really be something interesting. Heightened emotions, doubts and anxieties put Áróra and Daniel's relationship under strain as the threads of their stories weave together (not helped by Áróra's misguided physical training regime), and in a lovely twist, the solution to both their problems proves to be to a division of labour that uses their individual skills to best advantage.

Meanwhile, Sigurdardottir has some lovely surprises in store when it comes to Lady Gúgúlú, who you discover has been leading much more of a double life than simply being a drag queen. His part in the story cuts in and out as he tries to save himself from the consequences of a murky past filled with cutting-edge science, dodgy dealing, astonishing subterfuge, and regrets. I loved how this allows Lady's character to develop like never before, and ties Áróra and Daniel's plotlines together in cross-genre splendour. There are nice little asides into the goings on in the lives of some of the other recurring characters too.

The pace of the book ramps up to fever pitch, swapping relentlessly back and forth between the three main characters as their plotlines reach explosive conclusions. I was kept firmly on the edge of my seat, and tip my hat at translator Lorenza Garcia for making the story flow so well - she also manages to convey the emotional intensity of Sigurdardottir's echoed themes of acceptance, family ties, and enduring love quite beautifully.

Sigurdardottir pulls off the cleverest of tricks to satisfyingly tie off the threads of poignant storylines that have run through the series as well as in this fourth book, while leaving just enough hanging to take Áróra and Daniel into staggering new country in the next book... I cannot wait. Nordic noir at its gripping best!

Dark as Night is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

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

About the author:

Icelandic crime-writer Lilja Sigurðardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972, and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. 

An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written ten crime novels, including Snare, Trap and Cage, making up the Reykjavík Noir trilogy, and her standalone thriller Betrayal, all of which have hit bestseller lists worldwide. Snare was longlisted for the CWA International Dagger, Cage won Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year and was a Guardian Book of the Year, and Betrayal was shortlisted for the prestigious Glass Key Award and won Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year. The film rights for the Reykjavík Noir trilogy have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California. 

Cold as Hell, the first book in the An Áróra Investigation series, was published in the UK in 2021. 

She lives in Reykjavík with her partner.

About the translator:

Lorenza Garcia was born and brought up in England. She spent her early twenties living and working in Iceland and Spain. In 1998 she graduated from Goldsmiths with a first-class honors degree in Spanish and Latin American studies. She moved to France in 2001, where she lived for seven years. Since 2006 she has translated and co-translated more than thirty novels and works of nonfiction from the French, the Spanish, and the Icelandic.

Stupid Stories For Tough Times by Andrew Crowther

 

Stupid Stories for Tough Times by Andrew Crowther.

Published 3rd July 2024 by Renard Press.

From the cover of the book:

In Stupid Stories for Tough Times a woodland spirit causes havoc in suburbia; a wayward uncle causes suspicion in the family; a ferocious troll seeks a friend; and Churchill's statue goes walkabout in Westminster.

In much the same vein as the short stories of W.S. Gilbert, whose oeuvre Crowther knows more about than perhaps anyone else, these tales of life and death are filled with the impossible and the improbable, the ordinary and the absurd.

Together these so-called Stupid Stories for Tough Times are a tonic for our times – a search for sense in the strange and baffling times we live in, shot through, as all good stories should be, with humour and observational wit, with purpose, fate and dogs.

***********

Stupid Stories for Tough Times by Andrew Crowther is a pocket-sized anthology of wonderfully witty short stories, flash-fiction type prose, and a clever skit on a very famous Tennyson poem.

For the purpose of this review, we will refer to the entire contents as short stories, for they all tell a tale of one kind of another. Each has a distinctive style, evoking different shades of fables, magical realism whimsy, unsettling metaphorical horror, and gritty social commentary, which really showcases the scope of Crowther's writing.

The stories are infused with meaning, although quite what Crowther intends to convey might not be immediately obvious, and I am very impressed by quite how much he covers in terms of razor-sharp satire, dark observations on the state of the world, and sensitive explorations of the human condition. Pretty admirable given that this little gem runs to under a hundred pages.

Crowther explores rich themes with remarkable insight, managing to take you through just about the entire range of human emotion as he touches on attitudes towards artistic endeavours, war, work, politics, social conscience, and the circle of life and death (among other things). My absolute favourite was Troll, with its musings on loneliness, which brought a tear to my eye, but they are all special in their own way, even those oozing allegorical rancour that feeds your nightmares - such as Jasper (surely very timely given the recent publication of the shady memoir no one needs). Fortunately Crowther finishes on a note that rings with hope, lifting your spirits with his short, sharp Happy Ending.

Beautifully produced by Renard Press (French flaps and decorative end papers, no less), there is nothing remotely stupid about this lovely little book, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. It would make a perfect present for anyone who enjoys looking at life through the bitter-sweet comic lens of irony!

Stupid Stories for Tough Times is available to buy now in paperback. You can show your support of indie publishing by buying direct from Renard Press HERE.

Thank you to Will at Renard Press for sending me copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Andrew Crowther is not only the Secretary of the W.S. Gilbert Society, author of the major biography Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan, and the undisputed authority on the life and works of W.S. Gilbert, but is also himself a writer, author of the short novel Down to Earth and a variety of comic plays including Welcome to Paradise, Funny Men and Working Lives. His works seem to share with Gilbert's a heartfelt belief in the complete nonsensicality of the universe.

The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey

 

The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey.

Published 9th October 2024 by Boldwood Books.

From the cover of the book:

As the sun rises over the little Provence village where single mother Adeline has escaped with her little girl Lili, she breathes deeply. This is their new beginning. Here, she can forget the lies her family told her. Here, she can start her story again.

Later she opens the door to the town’s tiny bookstore, where she is to work, ready to meet the mysterious owner Monique for the first time.

She expected an ordinary bookshop. But this bookstore feels somehow different… magical. Breathing in the smell of books, she feels a jolt of something. It feels like a new chapter beginning.

As she gets to know the villagers – including the handsome Andre and friendly Michel – she starts to believe in the magic of this new start. But can a runaway like Adeline ever find what she’s looking for? Or is a happy-ever-after just another fiction?

***********

When the death of her mother brings a shocking revelation, single-mum Adeline makes a spur of the moment decision to up-sticks, head to rural France with her five-year-old daughter Lili, and take a job in a little bookshop in Provence. Sleepy St Vianne is a big change from the London buzz they are used to, and Adeline is nervous about meeting Monique, the stranger she will be working for. However, as soon as she steps through the doors of the bookshop, her worries vanish. She senses something magical about the place, and the curious Monique, who she rapidly learns has a rare talent for matching her customers with just the right books.

Adeline soon settles into life in St Vianne, making friends among the villagers (such as Michel, Monique's 'nephew', and the handsome Andre, who makes her heart flutter), and Lili begins to thrive. Adeline feels in her bones this the new start they needed, but she still has questions about who she is and what she really wants. Can she find the answers here in Provence?

I always know I am in for a heart-tugging read when I settle down with a Gillian Harvey book, and The Little Provence Book Shop was no exception. Harvey has a real talent for stories about new beginnings in France, and with each book her ability to introduce some really interesting themes just gets better.

Adeline discovers a secret about her past, when her mother dies, which creates a breach between her and her brother. She needs a new start for herself and her daughter, so when a job advert catches her eye at just the right time, and curiously in just the right place where some answers might be found, she and Lili embark on village life in Provence.

The secret is pretty easy to spot from the outset, and it allows Harvey to connect the two lovely strands of the story. The first is Adeline's search for the truth of her origins, that sensitively explores adoption and how this links to questions about your own sense of self, especially when the knowledge you are adopted comes as a complete shock. The second is the quite magical environment of the bookshop, Monique's acute sense of intuition, and the ability of books to connect with your soul. 

The two storylines weave together, touching through the experiences of Adeline, and in a clever twist Monique, as they each search for answers in their own adoption stories. Harvey maintains just the right level of mystery to keep you guessing about where their searches will take them, and hits the perfect emotional soft spot when they reach the end of their quests. The bookshop element enriches the themes of searching for answers, and healing journeys, with a sprinkling of intuitive magic that may or may not be supernatural. I adored this part of the story, which thrums with the love of books and the restorative power of their contents - absolute balm for the bibliophile soul. 

Along the way, Harvey does her usual excellent job of bringing France alive, and St Vianne and its community are an atmospheric delight. I enjoyed the light romantic suspense she injects into the tale through Adeline's friendships with Michel and Andre, for the will-they-won't-they vibes; and Adeline's relationship with her brother Kevin is so sweet. But for me, this one is all about the relationship between Adeline and Monique, and the themes that tie them together - mothers and daughters; recognising the true value of found family; connection to blood family; and trusting your gut instincts to steer your right.

Escapist loveliness, with a pinch of fairy-dust, and a warm-hearted ending - that gently explores big themes. 

The Little Provence Book Shop is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for providing an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Gillian Harvey is a freelance writer and bestselling author who lives in France. She writes escapist fiction set in France, including bestsellers A Year at the French Farmhouse and A Month in Provence.

The Lost Lover (Wild Isles Book Three) by Karen Swan

 

The Lost Lover (Wild Isles Book Three) by Karen Swan.

Published 18th July 2024 by Pan Macmillan.

From the cover of the book:

Young Flora MacQueen has always dreamt of more than life on the small Scottish island of St Kilda. So, when she catches the eye of visiting adventurer and wealthy businessman James Callaghan, her future seems brighter.

Winter seas separate the lovers but the island’s evacuation the following summer promises to reunite them – until tragedy strikes.

Heartbroken and needing to support her family on the mainland, a chance meeting offers hope. Soon Flora is the toast of glamorous Paris; fame and fortune are hers for the taking. But at a high price.

When a scandal erupts back home, she is implicated, along with her friends, Effie and Mhairi. But then a deception comes to light that will change everything . . .

The Lost Lover is Book Three in Karen Swan's bestselling Wild Isle series, following The Last Summer and The Stolen Hours.

***********

St Kilda, August 1929. Beautiful Flora MacQueen has always longed for a life far away from her home on St Kilda, and her chance to escape comes with the arrival of wealthy Scottish adventurer James Callaghan. Although their romance begins with a bumpy start, love blossoms between them, and a marriage proposal promises happiness for them both. 

Over the winter, Flora yearns for the time she will be reunited with James, and their married life can begin. But when tragedy strikes, the need to support her family takes her in a direction she could never have imagined - all the way to the bright lights of Paris. Flora hopes that the City of Lights will be the place she can forget her grief and begin again. However, there are hard decisions to be made on the road to fame and fortune, and the secrets she and her friends left behind them on St Kilda refuse to stay in the past...

The Lost Lover is the third epic instalment in the sweeping Wild Isles series. This time Karen Swan switches her attention to the story of beautiful Flora MacQueen, weaving another layer to the parallel tales she tells so well in the  previous two books, The Last Summer and The Stolen Hours, about Flora's friends Effie and Mhairi. You really do have to read these books in order for the magic to work, so make sure you do.

This book begins slightly earlier than the first two books, beginning with Flora's meeting with wealthy James Callaghan, who you know from the start of the series captured Flora's heart and offered the chance to fulfil her dreams of a different life. Swan now delves into the rocky origins of their romance, the consequences of their love, and the tragic twists and turns that bring heartache into Flora's life - and the stunning course of events that leads to glamorous 1930's Paris, where she ends up starring in her own show, with the promise of so much more... if she is willing to pay the price demanded.

In a masterclass of storytelling, this third novel dove-tails seamlessly into books one and two to offer oblique views of Effie and Mhairi's tales, and it brings an entirely new perspective on what you think you know about the closely-guarded secrets that tie the young women together - especially when it comes to that last summer on St Kilda, before the evacuation. 

I should know by now that Swan always has tricks up her sleeve to turn the storylines on their head, and she does, indeed, have facts to disclose in this book that I really did not see coming. With finely judged pace and nicely contrived suspense, she spins the threads of Effie, Mhairi and Flora's stories together until they clash in a final jaw-dropping revelation that, quite literally, left me gasping with surprise! Magnifique, Karen Swan!

As Swan does so well in this series, this third book also thrums with themes of love, loss, family, friendship, and it is full of intriguing detail about the social history of St Kilda and its people. On top of this, she adds extra atmosphere and expansive historical context through touching on the wider world of the 1930's to bring in intriguing mentions of dashing explorers, corporate shenanigans, fashion, the heady attractions of Paris show business, and the allure of the burgeoning Hollywood film scene - blending the pizzazz with the sordid games that lie underneath the gloss. Lovely stuff if you are as fixated on between-the-wars history as I am.

This is one of my favourite book series of recent years, which is saying a lot. I am going to be chomping at the bit until the final instalment, The Midnight Secret, told from the point of view of the enigmatic Jayne Ferguson, publishes in April 2025. I cannot wait to finally learn the truth about the secrets these women are hiding, and how their stories end!

The Lost Lover is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Karen Swan is the Sunday Times top three bestselling author and her novels sell all over the world. She writes two books each year – one for the summer period and one for the Christmas season. Previous summer titles include The Spanish Promise, The Hidden Beach and The Secret Path and for winter, Christmas at Tiffany’s, The Christmas Secret and Together by Christmas.

Her books are known for their evocative locations and Karen sees travel as vital research for each story. She loves to set deep, complicated love stories within twisting plots.

Her historical series called The Wild Isle, is based upon the dramatic evacuation of the Scottish island St Kilda in the summer of 1930.

Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey Book 12) by Dorothy L. Sayers

 

Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey Book 12) by Dorothy L. Sayers.

This edition published 15th October 2009 by Hodder and Stoughton. Originally published 1935.

From the cover of the book:

Harriet Vane has never dared to return to her old Oxford college. Now, despite her scandalous life, she has been summoned back . . .

At first she thinks her worst fears have been fulfilled, as she encounters obscene graffiti, poison pen letters and a disgusting effigy when she arrives at sedate Shrewsbury College for the 'Gaudy' celebrations.

But soon, Harriet realises that she is not the only target of this murderous malice - and asks Lord Peter Wimsey to help.

***********

Crime novelist Harriet Vane returns to Shrewsbury College, Oxford, for the annual 'Gaudy' celebrations. It has been many years since she visited her alma mater and she is filled with trepidation, especially given the scandal associated with her reprieve from the gallows by the intervention of celebrated detective, Lord Peter Wimsey. Harriet's visit goes rather better than she expected, despite some awkward conversations, and a bizarre letter which she dismisses as a prank. 

Weeks later, an epidemic of vile, poison pen letters and vandalism now threatens to mar Shrewsbury College's spotless reputation. Keen to avoid the involvement of the police, Harriet is persuaded by the warden to secretly look into the affair. She decamps to Oxford under the pretext of undertaking an academic study, and sets her author's mind to the task. However, it proves extremely difficult to pin down the culprit, and as events spiral towards the possibility of real violence, Harriet calls on Lord Peter Wimsey's help...

It is a long time since I indulged myself with a Dorothy L. Sayers' mystery, and I have never actually read one featuring the glamorous Harriet Vane. It was perhaps, a bit ambitious to start with this one given it takes place some years after the meeting of Wimsey and Vane (which happened back in book six, Strong Poison), but when this gem came up on the reading schedule with the lovely #QuietClassics readalong gang, I just had to dive in!

This is a chunky book, coming in just shy of 600 pages, and once you embark on the story it is easy to see why. This is a Golden Age novel that takes its time, which I found a bit disconcerting to begin with, but it proves to be eminently satisfying once you settle into its seductive rhythm. Sayers' mystery is complex, and weaves sinuously through twists and turns like the rivers that flow through the heart of Oxford, and just like those waterways, it proves to be a story full of menacing eddies and changing currents that disguise hidden depths.

As the novel unfurls, tracing Harriet's attempts to discover who is behind the unsettling campaign of malice at Shrewsbury College, it explores an absolute feast of themes about class, the world of female academia, and the role of women in the 1930s. There is a lot going on under the guise of scholarly life at Shrewsbury, and Sayers does a splendid job delving into the complex emotions that the disturbed villain of the piece stirs up by their actions. The spite that motivates said villain is bitter indeed, and it dredges up an extra dimension about professional responsibility that is seriously thought provoking.

Harriet's own feelings are fascinating too, especially in the way her mind changes about Oxford, Shrewsbury College, and her feelings for Wimsey. Intriguingly, the charismatic Wimsey is absent for much of the novel, but the force of his personality is felt through Harriet's musings, and he is very significant in solving the tricky mystery. The interplay between the two in the course of their unconventional romance is delicious throughout. Alas, Wimsey's glorious valet, Bunter, only appears very briefly in this mystery, but in his stead, the stalwart college porter, Padget, is a gem. 

I really enjoyed how you come to see Oxford of the 1930s from Harriet's insightful point of view, and I sense a lot of Sayers herself in the character. There is so much lovely atmosphere in the life she describes - the hi-jinks and dramas of the undergraduates, the college surroundings, the interactions between staff and students... all provide a beguiling glimpse of the between the wars era, full of social history and nostalgia, with light touches of absurtdity and humour too.

This book was an immersive joy. Some of the literary and Latin references do feel a bit self-indulgent, but they are in keeping with the style, and I really enjoyed slowing the pace with a proper classic. I will definitely be making time for some more Dorothy L. Sayers in the not too distant future.

Gaudy Night is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957) was a playwright, scholar, and acclaimed author of mysteries, best known for her books starring the gentleman sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey.

Born in Oxford, England, Sayers, whose father was a reverend, grew up in the Bluntisham rectory and won a scholarship to Oxford University where she studied modern languages and worked at the publishing house Blackwell's, which published her first book of poetry in 1916.

Years later, working as an advertising copywriter, Sayers began work on Whose Body?, a mystery novel featuring dapper detective Lord Peter Wimsey. Over the next two decades, Sayers published ten more Wimsey novels and several short stories, crafting a character whose complexity was unusual for the mystery novels of the time.

In 1936, Sayers brought Lord Peter Wimsey to the stage in a production of Busman's Honeymoon, a story which she would publish as a novel the following year. The play was so successful that she gave up mystery writing to focus on the stage, producing a series of religious works culminating in The Man Born to Be King (1941) a radio drama about the life of Jesus.

She also wrote theological essays and criticism during and after World War II, and in 1949 published the first volume of a translation of Dante's Divine Comedy (which she considered to be her best work).

Dorothy Sayers died of a heart attack in 1957.