The Midnight Secret (Wild Isles Book Four) by Karen Swan

 

The Midnight Secret (Wild Isles Book Four) by Karen Swan.

Published 24th April 2025 by Pan Macmillan.

From the cover of the book:

Jayne Ferguson has always been a keeper of secrets, most especially her own . . .

If there’s one thing Jayne Ferguson has learnt in her life, it’s that every blessing comes with a curse. She married the most handsome man on the isle of St Kilda - but he’s a bully. She inherited her mother’s gift of second sight - but only ever foresees her fellow islanders’ deaths. She has learnt to keep to herself, treading in the shadows and shirking the highs for fear of the lows.

When a needless death strikes at the heart of her home, Jayne’s bad marriage becomes worse and she finds solace with an unlikely friend. Glimmers of happiness tantalise her, though there’s no possibility for anything more, especially once word comes of St Kilda’s evacuation.

But as the day draws near, tensions on the island rise. Secrets are being forced to the surface, passions and enmities erupting with equal violence. A man is killed, as Jayne knew he would be, and her closest friends Effie, Mhairi and Flora are each implicated.

On the mainland, the villagers scatter into new lives, hoping distance means refuge. But then Jayne has another of her dreams and she knows the past isn’t done with them yet.

The Midnight Secret is the fourth and final book in Karen Swan's sweeping, bestselling Wild Isles series, following on from The Last Summer, The Stolen Hours and The Lost Lover.

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Jayne Ferguson has always been an outsider among the St Kildan community. Cursed with her mother's ability to foresee death, Jayne was astonished to be courted by the island's most handsome man, but Norman Ferguson turned out to be a bully of the worst kind and marriage to him is far from easy.

Transplanted to the mainland, with the rest of the St Kildan community, Jayne's existence is worse than ever. Now forced to endure her husband's open infidelity, and with her friends Effie, Mhairi and Flora scattered to their new lives, Jayne's only solace is an unlikely partner in the grief they share.

But Jayne also holds the key to unravelling the mystery of a past that stalks them all, if she can find the courage to tell what she knows...

And so we have reached the concluding volume of the fabulous Wild Isles series, which has followed Effie, Mhairi and Flora through their emotional trials and tribulations from their home on St Kilda to destinies which have separated them from each other.

The previous books (The Last Summer, The Stolen Hours, and The Lost Lover) have each been told from the perspectives of the central characters Effie, Mhairi and Flora, dovetailing their parallel plotlines together in an absolute masterclass of storytelling as they pursue their hopes and dreams, and negotiate the fallout of the tragic events they left behind on St Kilda. This time, Swan brings everything full circle by taking a little turn via Jayne Ferguson, a character who has always been on the fringe of the stories of her friends, and of the community as a whole - separated by the otherness of her unwanted psychic abilities, and a marriage blighted by domestic violence.

As we get to know more about Jayne, we discover she holds crucial information about what happened on St Kilda. The storyline now splits between Jayne, and the the other girls, with a full quota of additional heartache for Effie, Mhairi and Flora, just when you thought they had each found happiness. Swan has more surprises up her sleeve as she flips back and forth between the girls, and I began to wonder how they would ever get to the places I dearly wanted them to arrive at by the end of the series. But have no fear, though she drags you through the emotional mill, the threads all work out in the most satisfying of endings for them all.

The Wild Isles books have made up one of my favourite series of the last few years, as they are full of vivid characters caught up in compelling adventures, and packed with delicious social history from the 1920s and 30s. I found myself sipping this final story to make the pleasure last as long as possible, and am bereft to be leaving behind Jayne, Effie, Mhairi, and Flora as they embark on their future journeys without me. 

Absolutely cracking writing from Karen Swan in her first series, which I highly recommend you add to your reading piles if top-drawer historical fiction is your bag - make sure you read them in order they are written to avoid major spoliers though!

The Midnight Secret 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.

Ravenglass by Carolyn Kirby

 

Ravenglass by Carolyn Kirby.

Published 25th September 2025 by Northodox Press.

From the cover of the book:

In 18th century Whitehaven, Kit Ravenglass grows up in a house of secrets. A shameful mystery surrounds his mother’s death, and his formidable, newly rich father is gambling everything on shipping ventures. Kit takes solace in his beloved sister Fliss, and her sumptuous silks, although he knows better than to reveal his delight in feminine fashion. As the family’s debts mount, Kit’s father turns to the transatlantic slave trade – a ruthless and bloody traffic to which more than a fortune might be lost.

Adventures will see Kit turn fugitive and begin living as ‘Stella,’ before being swept into the heady violence of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebellion. Driven by love, revenge and a desire to live truly and freely, Kit must find a way to survive these turbulent times - and to unravel the tragic secrets of the Ravenglass family.

***********

Kit Ravenglass is brought up in 18th century Whitehaven, in a shipping family with dark secrets no one seems willing to share with him. Unsettled by how little he knows about the circumstances surrounding his mother's disappearance from his life at a young age, Kit has grown close to his older sister, Fliss. Kit's solace does not only come from Fliss' company, for he also loves to be dressed up in her silks and satins, taking on the persona of Stella as part of their games.

As Kit grows, he is torn away from the comfort of his hours with Fliss and forced to face the harsh realities of a family with mounting debts. His father turns to the transatlantic slave trade in an effort to regain his wealth, and as tragedy continues to take its toll on the family, Kit becomes a pawn in his father's ambitions. But Kit has other plans. Taking on the guise of Stella, Kit leaves to pursue his own destiny, which unknowingly drags him into Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion.

This sweeping adventure immerses you Kit's life, as he makes an emotional coming of age journey that takes him from Whitehaven to Edinburgh and back again, against a backdrop rife with significant moments in 18th century history. 

Kit's personal quest to live the life he wants drives the heart-rending narrative, particularly when it comes to exploring sex and gender in Georgian Britain. With beautiful prose, emotionally-rich characters, and settings that ooze an atmosphere of time and place so tangible you can almost taste it, Kirby conjures tragedies, trials, and tribulations for Kit as he negotiates the legacy of family secrets, the tug of war between his own desires and expectation, and the fallout of war.

I am so impressed with how much history and social history Kirby packs into this story, and her level of research really tells. She touches on merchant adventurers, sea-faring voyages, the slave trade, the dressmaking and millinery sectors, justice, class, and so many aspects of Georgian society - not to mention getting to grips with the Jacobite Rebellion in such an engaging way. She does not shy away from confronting poverty, violence, callous depravity, and discontent through her characters - but this story has many moments of love, tenderness, and the kindness of strangers too.

Utterly spellbinding, this is one of those books that will linger with you for a long time. I loved it.

Ravenglass is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Northodox Press for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Following careers in social housing and as a teacher, Carolyn Kirby has been a full-time writer for the past ten years. As well as being listed for prizes from the Historical Writers’ Association and the Crimefest/Specsavers Crime Fiction Award, her books have appeared on the Times and Sunday Times lists of Best Novels of the Year. Born in Sunderland, Carolyn studied history at St Hilda’s College, Oxford and she now helps to run Hilda’s Crime Fiction Weekend, a world-renowned literary festival held in the college every August.

A Lethal Legacy by Guðrún Guðlaugsdóttir

 

A Lethal Legacy by Guðrún Guðlaugsdóttir.

Translated by Quentin Bates.

Published 20th September 2025 by Corylus Books.

From the cover of the book:

Nothing has changed at Bjargarlækur for as long as anyone can remember – so are moves to bring change to this remote farm in the Icelandic countryside a motive for murder?

Three elderly siblings have lived more or less peacefully in this isolated place their whole lives, until Brynjólfur is found dead in his own bed. Called on to help out at the farm, freelance journalist Alma is far from certain that the old man died a natural death. Determined establish the facts of the matter, she finds herself caught up in a vicious family feud.

Sisters Klara and Thórdís are unable to agree on the future of the farm, just as others with an interest in the place circle hungrily around them. Echoes of missed opportunities, lost love and age-old crimes surface as a reckoning takes a bitter toll on those left behind – and Alma struggles to get to the truth.

***********

Freelance journalist, Alma Jónsdóttir receives a desperate call for help from her daughter Gunnhildur, who has been caring for three elderly siblings at remote farmstead, Bjargarlækur. The eldest of the siblings, Brynjólfur, has been found dead in his bed, and Gunnhildur is worried she might be accused of wrong doing.

Alma heads to Bjargarlækur where she is immediately suspicious that Brynjólfur has not died a natural death. Brynjólfur and his sisters Klara and Thórdís, who disagreed over his plan to turn their home into a museum, were definitely at odds - not to mention that the family had been caught up in a bitter feud with their tenants Rósa and Thorbjörn. But would any of them stretch to murder?

It is always fascinating to be in at the start of the publication journey of a popular foreign language book series when it appears for the first time in translation, so I was delighted that Corylus books have brought Guðrún Guðlaugsdóttir's work to an English speaking audience for the first time with A Lethal Legacy, featuring her well-loved amateur detective, Alma Jónsdóttir. 

The story follows two threads which connect through the very likeable Alma - one in relation to her own family history through a book she has been working on about her grandmother; and the other, a compulsive mystery about distubing happenings at Bjargarlækur. 

Guðlaugsdóttir makes this very much a story about characters whose motives are influenced by sins of the past, and weaves a compelling, many-layered mystery around them. Alma's delving into her own history, in the midst of a murder investigation steeped in shocking family secrets about the elderly siblings, proves to be a great story device when it comes to the themes Guðlaugsdóttir explores too - particularly sexual abuse, guilt, shame, jealousy, legacy, and responsibility.

Christie-esque twists and turns abound, and tenacious Alma drives the story in the role of sleuth. I very much enjoyed being at her side as she ferrets out clues, questions persons of interest under the guise of journalistic intent, and gets to the heart of the matter in a way that reminded my very much of Murder She Wrote by way of dark Icelandic yarn - while the unsettling atmosphere and damaged personalities are authentically Icelandic, Alma certainly has Jessica Fletcher's talent for solving crime and neatly tying up the threads at the conclusion of the book.

At times Guðlaugsdóttir drops in casual references to Alma's own backstory, which make this story feel like it is not the first in the series, so I look forward to more detail here as further books about her appear in English. Alma is a great character, with a quick brain, a firm moral compass, and great compassion. I can see how she how her adventures have spawned such a popular series on her home turf in Iceland, and have no doubt she will win more hearts via Quentin's Bate's excellent translation. More please!

A Lethal Legacy is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Corylus Books for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and Ewa Sherman for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author: 

With a long career as a journalist behind her, Guðrún Guðlaugsdóttir's literary output has been prodigious, having witten biographies, books of interviews, collections of short stories, and a book of verse, as well as the enduringly popular series of novels featuring the exploits of journalist Alma Jónsdóttir.

Guðrún lives in Kópavogur. She has no plans to retire, and is still writing when most people of her age are taking it easy.

London Rain (Josephine Tey Mysteries Book Six) by Nicola Upson

 

London Rain (Josephine Tey Mysteries Book Six) by Nicola Upson.

This edition published 2nd June 2015 by Faber & Faber.

From the cover of the book:

May, 1937. Josephine Tey is in London to oversee a BBC radio production of her play,. Meanwhile, the country is preparing to crown a new king.

At the height of the Coronation celebrations, Detective Chief Inspector Archie Penrose is called in to investigate the murder of one of the BBC's best-known broadcasters. A second victim - his mistress, Queen of Scots and the play's leading actress - suggests that the motive lies close to home, but Josephine suspects that the killings are linked to a decade-old scandal.

With Archie's hands tied by politics, and his attention taken by another, seemingly unrelated death, it is left to Josephine to get to the truth - and to confront at first-hand the deadly consequences of love, deceit and betrayal.

***********

1937. Josephine Tey is in London to see her play,  Queen of Scots, performed on BBC radio as part of the celebrations to mark the coronation of George VI. Coronation fever is at its height, and Josephine's friend , Detective Chief Inspector Archie Penrose, has the unenviable task of ensuring events run smoothly. But Archie is given a massive headache when the murder of one of the BBC's most famous radio presenters takes place on coronation day. Events are complicated when the presenter's mistress, who had been cast to star in the production of Queen of Scots, is also found murdered.

Scandal erupts when the wife of the radio presenter is arrested for the murders. Archie is unconvinced by the rushed case being put together against her under pressure from the BBC, but he has been moved sideways to another case. Josephine shares his doubts, and begins to question whether the murders could actually be related to a much older case...

Book six of Nicola Upson's excellent Josephine Tey mysteries opens with Joesphine back in London for the honour of seeing her play adapted for radio, which brings her into contact with many of the characters who become involved in the murders that follow - including one of the victims, and the wife of the other.

Set against a beautifully imagined back-drop that ties the historic coronation of George VI with the early days of the British Broadcasting Corporation (and Radio Times), this mystery has Josephine deliberately getting stuck into the role of unofficial sleuth on one of Archie's cases, with perilous consequences.

As is Upson's forte, the historical detail that anchors the story in time and place is an atmospheric joy, and has a big part to play in the parallel storylines that encompass the murders, and Josephine and Archie's personal lives - with Josephine reaching an emotional water-shed moment in her relationship with Marta, and Archie unaware of a shocking secret related to his re-kindled relationship with Bridget.

The twists are first class in this instalment, with Upson playing a blinder with her final surprise, and as ever, the central roles her female characters have in the story are wonderfully insightful. Complex facets of love, betrayal, and astonishing deceit lay at the heart of this mystery, and, as usual, murky motives make for a thought provoking outcome - with an especially bitter taste when it comes to the scandal avoidant behaviour of the fixers at the BBC, and their authority figure paymasters (nothing changes). 

I enjoyed every moment of this one just as much as I did first time around - via Sandra Duncan's excellent audio book narration. 

My revisit to book seven, Nine Lessons, awaits...

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

About the author:

m

Nicola Upson is the author of four previous Josephine Tey mysteries, including An Expert in Murder, and two works of nonfiction. She has worked in theatre and as a freelance journalist. A recipient of an Escalator Award from the Arts Council England, she splits her time between Cambridge and Cornwall.

The Time Hop Coffee Shop by Phaedra Patrick

 

The Time Hop Coffee Shop by Phaedra Patrick.

Published 25th September 2025 by Aria.

From the cover of the book:

Now, fame has faded, her marriage is on the rocks, her teenage daughter has become distant, and Greta's once-glittering career feels like a distant memory.

So when Greta stumbles upon a mysterious coffee shop, serving a magical brew, she wishes for the perfect life in those past Maple Gold commercials. Next thing she knows, Greta wakes in the idyllic, make-believe town of Mapleville, where the sun always shines and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and second chances fill the air. Given the opportunity to live the life she dreamed, Greta is determined to rewrite her own script. But can life ever be like a coffee commercial? And what will happen when Greta has to choose - between perfection and real life, with no turning back?

***********

Greta yearns for the glamour of a past when she, her husband, and her young daughter were the faces of the ad campaign for Maple Gold coffee. Now, her marriage is on the rocks, she feels increasingly disconnected from teenaged Lottie's life, and her acting career is firmly in the doldrums.

Then Greta happens upon a strange little coffee shop, whose proprietor, mysterious Iris, serves a very special kind of brew that grants the drinker some very special wishes. Greta wishes to live in the perfect world of Mapleville, the made up town portrayed in the ad campaign all those years ago, but there are rules she must adhere to...

Unfurling from the perspective of Greta, who is disappointed with the direction of her life, Patrick spins a charming tale of heartache, regret, and yearning for a past that never truly existed. Greta stands at a magical crossroads, given the chance to choose between a perfect version of her life, set in the make-believe world of Mapleville, and the ups and downs of an unknown future.

There is a Sliding Doors feel to this tale, as Gretta moves between a Truman Show- meets-Pleasantville setting in Mapleville, where her family life is perfect and she is a star, and the less than glamourous reality where she and her husband face a decision about their marriage on New Year's Eve. The lure of Mapleville is strong, but Greta gradually realises that perfection is not necessarily all it is cracked up to be.

I really enjoyed the contrasts between the two settings, the magical realism, and the gentle romance in this story - particularly the way Greta learns things about herself and her family along the way. There are some lovely sub-plots in this tale too, about some of the characters that Greta meets in both worlds, which nicely hit the emotional soft-spot.

Charming, with heart-warming threads about family, community, love, loss, and acceptance... with the added sparkle of a sprinkling of magic... this was just right for snuggling up with on the sofa!

The Time Hop Coffee Shop is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

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

About the author:

Phaedra Patrick has always wanted to write books but came to it the long way around. She originally studied art and marketing and then worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organiser and communications manager. She won several awards for her short stories and has now written six novels, four of which became USA Today bestsellers.

She lives with her family in Saddleworth, UK, where she writes full time.

Her debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, was translated into twenty five languages worldwide and was optioned by a major Hollywood film studio. Her second novel, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone (named Wishes Under the Willow Tree in the UK), was made into a Hallmark movie in 2021. Her third novel, inspired by her love of stories, is The Library of Lost and Found. It was selected as ’The Great North West Read,’ to be read across 300 libraries in the UK in 2019. Her fourth is titled The Secrets of Love Story Bridge (The Secrets of Sunshine in the UK) and her fifth, The Messy Lives of Book People (titled The Book Share in the UK) was the Barnes & Noble fiction pick for June 2022 in the USA. Her sixth novel is The Little Italian Hotel, a warm, uplifting escape about the power of love, friendship and following your dreams.

The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek

 

The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek.

Published 11th September 2025 by Open Borders Press.

From the cover of the book:

November, 1939. A conscription officer arrives in the peaceful farming village of Rautjärvi. The Soviet Union has invaded, and for the first time in its history as an independent country, Finland is at war.

Setting off into the depths of winter to face the Red Army, the small group of childhood friends recruited from Rautjärvi have no idea whether any of them will ever return home. But their unit has a secret weapon: the young sniper Simo Häyhä, whose lethal skill in the snow-bound forests of the front line will earn him the nickname ‘The White Death’.

Drawing on the real-life figures and battles of the Finnish-Soviet Winter War, The Winter Warriors is a riveting, heart-pounding, utterly epic historical thriller from one of Europe’s most acclaimed crime writers.

***********

In the winter of 1939, Finland withstood the might of Soviet Russia in a conflict that became known as the Winter War. It is a part of World War II history that has been largely eclipsed by other events, and Olivier Norek's engaging book makes the ideal vehicle to shine a light on what happened and why.

Blending detailed fact and real characters with superbly compelling fiction, Norek begins by exploring the motives and machinations that led to the Winter War, flipping between both sides of the border to show how Stalin's paranoia kicked off the conflict in an act of shocking deception. He continues throughout to examine all aspects of political wrangling, military strategy (and bungling), and the lessons history teaches, from actions on both sides of the conflict, which gives a fascinating glimpse of what it was like to live in Stalin's Russia.

But the meat of the story lies in the Finnish people this book is about - the brave and determined citizens of a newly independent country. Through the eyes of the small group of childhood friends recruited from Rautjärvi, and those they stand shoulder to shoulder with in bitter winter weather, the history really comes alive. These are characters who live moment to moment, knowing they may not make it home to the small towns and villages of their birth as they face the superior military force of the Red Army - amongst them young sniper Simo Häyhä, whose renown earned him the nickname ‘The White Death’.

There is no way to do this story justice in a short review. Norek has clearly researched his subject well. The way he effortlessly pulls you into this incredible story, and the ease with which he stirs your emotions with his words are impressive. I had no idea how significant this conflict was in terms of death toll, legacy, and how it came to shape Finland as a nation, and I was deeply moved by what is, in essence, a tribute to the men and women who lived and died in defence of their sovereignty. 

Ambitious in scale and full of insight, this book pulls no punches when it comes to the human cost of war, but it also celebrates the strength of the human spirit. Nick Caistor's translation is excellent too, maintaining pace and suffusing the text with emotional impact. If you are interested in 20th century world history then I cannot recommend this book highly enough. 

The Winter Warriors is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Open Borders Press HERE

Thank you to Orenda Books/Open Borders Press 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:

Olivier Norek was born in Toulouse in 1975. After eighteen years in the French police force, where he rose to the rank of capitaine in the Seine-Saint-Denis Police Judiciare, he turned to crime writing. Norek’s books have sold millions of copies and won many prizes. The Winter Warriors is his first historical novel.

The Howling (The Annie Jackson Mysteries Book Three) by Michael J. Malone

 

The Howling (The Annie Jackson Mysteries Book Three) by Michael J. Malone.

Published 11th September 2025 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

Two men, centuries apart, dream of being a wolf.

One is burned at the stake.

Another is locked in a psychiatric hospital for most of his life.

And Annie Jackson is about to find out why…

Vowing once again to remove herself from society, Annie is back living alone in her little cottage by the shores of a loch. But when an old enemy – now locked up in a high security hospital – comes calling, begging her to find the son that she was forced to give up at the age of seventeen, Annie is tempted out of seclusion. The missing boy holds the key to ending Annie’s curse, and he may be the only chance that both she and Lewis have of real happiness.

Annie and Lewis begin an investigation that takes them back to the past, a time etched in Scottish folklore, a period of history that may just be repeating itself. And what they uncover could destroy not just some of the most powerful people in the country, who will stop at nothing to protect their wealth and their secrets, but also Annie’s life, and everything she holds dear…

Dark, immersive, and utterly compelling, The Howling is a story of deception, betrayal, and misplaced power, and a reminder that the most public of faces can hide the darkest of hearts…

***********

After yet another brush with death, Annie is back living alone in her remote cottage on the shores of the loch, but her peaceful seclusion does not last for long. Her twin brother Luke arrives with mixed news - he is overjoyed to tell Annie that his partner is expecting a child, however, this is tinged with an unwelcome request from Sylvia Lowry-Low, the distant cousin who is now locked up in secure hospital.

Reluctantly, Annie must leave her haven and risk experiencing the overwhelming visions of death that plague her once more. She finds herself back in the presence of Sylvia, the woman who tried to sacrifice her to raise a demon, listening to her nemesis beg for help. Sylvia tells Annie about the son who was taken from her at seventeen, and who she has not seen since. She believes he may hold the key to banishing the curse that affects both sides of their family, ensuring Luke's child will not suffer the same fate.

Annie and Luke embark on a new investigation that takes them back into Scotland's past to the time of witches and wolves. Their discoveries threaten to bring down the rich and powerful people behind The Order - people who will stop at nothing to prevent their secrets from getting out.

Annie Jackson is back in a third adventure that beautifully brings together the threads of books one (The Murmers) and two (The Torments), which you should read before you embark on this cracking novel. 

With her twin Luke once again by Annie's side, Malone spins a story that revisits their family history from the 18th century, when jealousy between sisters resulted in the curse that rebounded to afflict females on both sides of the bloodline. Injecting new detail about the rivalry that led to tragic ends, Malone tells of the boy Andra McClean, who bonded with a wolf before he was burned at the stake with his mother and sister, and whose legacy lingers on into the present in new character Drew. Dovetailing into this storyline, Malone also brings back evil Sylvia Lowry-Low whose supernatural ambitions almost brought about the end of Annie and Luke, with more detail about her sinister past with The Order.

With intricate choreography, Malone's literary dance moves back and forth in time, and between the narratives of a number of characters, to create an unsettling performance steeped in mystery, folklore, family ties, and the manipulation of others. Supernatural whispers that ripple through time mix nicely with the grit of a modern day thriller steeped in power hungry greed and depravity, and there is plenty of edge-of-your-seat action Malone-style to keep the tension stakes high.

If well-woven contemporary gothic thrillers, with a touch of cinematic Hammer House of Horror, are your bag then this series needs to be at the top of your reading pile. Perfect for spooky season!

The Howling 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 copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines, After He Died, In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation soon followed suit. A former Regional Sales Manager at Faber & Faber, he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.

Artificial Wisdom by Thomas Weaver

 

Artificial Wisdom by Thomas Weaver.

Published 14th August 2025 by Bantam.

From the cover of the book:

Who would you trust with the future?

The year is 2050. In the teeth of a climate catastrophe, the world is left with a drastic solution: one global leader to steer it through the coming apocalypse.

The final two candidates are ex-US President Lockwood, and Solomon, the world’s first political artificial intelligence.

As whispers of a global conspiracy emerge, investigative journalist Marcus Tully find himself at the centre of it – when Solomon’s creator turns up murdered.

Overnight, one investigation becomes two, and it’s not just the result of the election that’s at stake but the future of the species. Suddenly humanity must make an impossible choice – between salvation, or freedom.

***********

2050. The world is in the grip of a climate emergency. Drastic measures are called for if the human race is going to survive. In an unprecedented move, nations have come together to cede power to a single 'protector' of the earth - someone who will have ultimate control over what happens next. Candidates from around the world have gradually been discarded in the biggest election run-offs of all time. Only two remain, former US President Lawrence G. Lockwood, and Governor Solomon, the world's first political AI entity.

As the countdown to the final vote gets underway, journalist Marcus Tully receives a tip off that the climate anomaly that took place ten years ago, in Kuwait, might not have been the natural disaster everyone believes it to be. Marcus' pregnant wife died that day, and he cannot rest until the world knows the truth about the political conspiracy that led to the tragedy.

His quest takes him to the floating cities where Solomon's creator, Martha Chandra, lives. When she turns up dead, his investigation suddenly becomes a murder mystery of a different kind... and what he discovers could change the course of the election.

Thomas Weaver's bold and ambitious novel unfurls from the perspectives of Tully, Livia Chandra (sister of Martha, who works for Tully), and Commander October of the floating cities, who become mired in a tangled mess of conspiracy, power games, and violence when Tully is persuaded to follow a tip-off from an anonymous source.

I came to the novel expecting a dystopian thriller with a philosophical core exploring the dilemma of who was best qualifies to save humanity - a human, or an AI. While it is both of these things, the novel mostly takes the form of a murder mystery, developing from Tully's private crusade for vengeance for sins of the past into a here-and-now, fast-paced investigation against the clock to discover how and why Martha Chandra was killed. 

Conspiracy and technology are the names of the game, and the plot twists and turns as Tully, Livia and Orchard burrow into layers of deception hidden beneath cutting-edge virtual reality platforms, password protected safeholds, and skilfully employed propaganda that plays on their expectations and vulnerabilities. Expect your perception about what is really happening in this tale to change radically as the layers are stripped back, and your emotions to be tweaked as Weaver leans heavily into themes of loss and regret.

This is an action-filled book, and I really enjoyed the way Weaver plies his trade as a writer when it comes to the mysteries at the heart of the story. Inevitably, there are no easy solutions to the starkly described situation Weaver's characters face, and he leaves you to make up your own mind about the conclusion to the story. It will certainly leave you with a lot to ponder on when it comes to what the future may look like, and how we save ourselves from a burning world.

Artificial Wisdom is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Thomas R. Weaver writes stories about tomorrow to help make sense of today. His debut novel, Artificial Wisdom, launched as an independently published edition in 2023, and after it took off on social media, was acquired by Penguin Random House, with extended and revised new editions releasing in 2025.

He is also a tech entrepreneur whose last startup was acquired by Just Eat Takeaway.

Clown Town (Slough House Book Nine) by Mick Herron

 

Clown Town (Slough House Book Nine) by Mick Herron.

Published 11th September 2025 by Baskerville.

From the cover of the book:

Spies lie. They betray. It's what they do.

Slow horse River Cartwright is waiting to be passed fit for work. With time to kill, and with his grandfather - a legendary former spy - long dead, River investigates the secrets of the old man's library, and a mysteriously missing book.

Regent's Park's First Desk, Diana Taverner, doesn't appreciate threats. So when those involved in a covert operation during the height of the Troubles threaten to expose the ugly side of state security, Taverner turns blackmail into opportunity.

Over at Slough House, the repository for failed spies, Catherine Standish just wants everyone to play nice. But as far as Jackson Lamb is concerned, the slow horses should all be at their desks.

Because when Taverner starts plotting mischief people get hurt, and Lamb has no plans to send in the clowns. On the other hand, if the clowns ignore his instructions and fool around, any harm that befalls them is hardly his fault.

But they're his clowns. And if they don't all come home, there'll be a reckoning.

***********

In a nondescript four-storey block on Aldersgate Street, Finsbury, the slow horses plod along the dead-end career path designated for failed spies. Each one is stuck in their own private hell, characterised by the weight of their misdeeds, biting sarcasm, and laborious paperwork, under the deceptively watchful eye of dishevelled Jackson Lamb.

Waiting to be passed fit for work after a close-call with deadly poison, slow horse River Cartwright has been overseeing the relocation of his grandfather's library to the hallowed halls of Oxford. All is going smoothly, until the archivist in charge contacts him about a book that appears to be missing from the famous spy's collection - one that should not even exist.

Meanwhile, Diana Taverner, devious First Desk over at Regents Park, has received a blackmail message from a former operative involved in a covert mission during the days of the Troubles in Ireland. Taverner does not welcome threats to expose the secrets of the security services, but perhaps she can use this as an opportunity to rid herself of another sticky problem...?

In an absolute baptism of fire, Clown Town is my introduction to the intricate world of Mick Herron's Slough House - a series that has spawned the hit TV drama Slow Horses. The story begins with the slow horses in disarray (a normal state of affairs it seems), with the usual dismal cloud over Slough House for those in residence, and some awaiting clearance to return to work after brutal bumps with death and violence in the course of missions which were not necessarily their responsibility. Presiding over this bunch of loose cannons sits scruffy, sardonic Jackson Lamb, a man with a legendary past in the field, who wishes his slow horses would confine themselves to their allotted tasks - but who knows full well that this is unlikely to happen.

Jackson's nemesis, Diana Taverner has a lot going on as lauded First Desk. She is willing to risk much in pursuit of the nation's security, and even more ensuring her own. When sins of the past rear their ugly heads, she sees it as a chance to rid herself of a thorn in her side, and she does not care about collateral damage, as long as it does not touch her. Suffice to say that the slow horses get mixed up in Diana's Machiavellian schemes through a delicious, round about intertwining of plots around their personal trials and tribulations, yearning to be welcomed back into the MI5 fold, and River's delving into the secrets of his grandfather's career as a spook back in the day. In parallel, Jackson Lamb quietly pursues his own quest for vengeance when his slow horses suffer the consequences of Taverner's ambition.

Full of grit, dripping with lashings of spy-related content (and lingo), and ringing with echoing themes of political jockeying, ambition, deception, and unpalatable truths, the Slough House world is one to immerse yourself in. It is a rare and beautiful thing to find an espionage series that combines such all-consuming storylines with a cast of characters as compelling as Herron's, and he does a superb job of making this novel equal parts plot and character-led. The narrative flows seamlessly between characters, offering parallel perspectives on the storylines, and the slow-beat of a tense chess game heats up with bursts of action that culminate in a cleverly choreographed climax. Herron is a class act.

Coming into a series at book nine is a tricky prospect, and there have been a lot of threads for me to pick up in the midst of this latest instalment of the slow horses' adventures, but I can honestly say that I have loved every second of my time with Clown Town. I am now off to consume every backlist novel in the Slough House series... this is how literary love affairs begin.

Clown Town is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Mick Herron’s Slough House novels have been shortlisted for eight CWA Daggers, winning twice, and shortlisted for the Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year three times. The first, Slow Horses, was picked as one of the best twenty spy novels of all time by the Daily Telegraph, while the most recent, Joe Country, was a Sunday Times top ten bestseller.

Mick Herron was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, and now lives in Oxford.

The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie

 

The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie.

This edition published 14th October 2010 by Harper Collins.

Originally published 1961.

From the cover of the book:

A priest’s death leads to sinister goings-on in an old country pub…

To understand the strange goings on at The Pale Horse Inn, Mark Easterbrook knew he had to begin at the beginning. But where exactly was the beginning?

Was it the savage blow to the back of Father Gorman’s head? Or was it when the priest’s assailant searched him so roughly he tore the clergyman’s cassock? Or could it have been the priest’s visit, just minutes before, to a woman on her death bed?

Or was there a deeper significance to the violent squabble which Mark Easterbrook had himself witnessed earlier?

Wherever the beginning lies, Mark and his sidekick, Ginger Corrigan, may soon have cause to wish they’d never found it…

***********

A dying woman makes a death bed confession to Father Gorman, but before he can pass on the information to the police, he is brutally murdered. Hidden in his shoe the police find a list of surnames. Inspector Lejeune knows that some of these people have died from apparently natural causes, but is baffled about how they could have led to murder. He shares his thoughts with police surgeon Jim Corrigan, whose own surname also appears on the list.

Meanwhile, historian Mark Easterbrook is a witness to a fight between two women in a Chelsea coffee bar. He later discovers one of them has died, but thinks nothing more about it until he hears the name 'The Pale Horse' in connection with suspicious deaths. Mark later visits his cousin in the countryside, in the company of novelist Ariadne Oliver, and is invited to the home of three unusual women who live in an old pub called The Pale Horse - his curiosity is piqued when one of them tells him of their supernatural abilities, including the possibility of inducing deaths which look perfectly natural without having ever met the victim.

Coincidentally, Mark runs into Jim Corrigan, who fills him in about the list of names, and possible fate of those on it. Mark is determined to get to the bottom of the affair, with the help of attractive side-kick Ginger Corrigan, whose puts herself directly in the path of danger...

The Pale Horse is one of Christie's 1960's stand-alone mysteries, featuring an appearance from the delightful Ariadne Oliver. I have not read this one before, so was glued to the action as the threads of Father Gorman's death, Inspector Lejeune's investigation, and Mark and Ginger's sleuthing into the goings on around the three modern day 'witches' at the Pale Horse came together.

Essentially, the story revolves around the possibility of inducing death by natural causes at a distance, and Christie piles on eerie supernatural atmosphere by weaving the plot around the paranormal methods to employed by a ruthless gang, who offer to produce miraculous results for a fee. Mark, and his plucky female pal Ginger, are the sleuths of the piece. Unfortunately, the only way they can investigate the dastardly scheme is to pretend that they require the services of the Pale Horse gang themselves, with sinister results.

The solution to these unsettling crimes really kept me guessing, and the journey to enlightenment was very enjoyable - with an intriguing detour via the observational skills of a retired pharmacist keen to prove that an impossible suspect is behind the dodgy game. I did not see the twists coming in this one, especially the slick little number pulled by Lejeune at the climax of the tale!

1960's vibes run through this mystery, as well as rich themes of science vs magic. There is a lovely little romance between Mark and Ginger too. I am less convinced of the attractions of a bacon and banana sandwich though...

This was my September pick for #ReadChristie2025 exploring the prompt of clergymen, and I listened to the excellent audio book narrated by Hugh Fraser.

The Pale Horse is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

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

Lady Susan by Jane Austen

 

Lady Susan by Jane Austen.

This edition published 25th August 2022 by Penguin Classics.

Originally published 1815.

Audio book narrated by Emilia Fox.

From the cover of the book:

Recently widowed, the unscrupulous and beautiful Lady Susan Vernon is determined to scheme her way through high society in the hope of a profitable new match - all while trying to marry off her unfortunate daughter. 

Told through a series of letters, Jane Austen's magnificent first novella is as subversive as it is charming.

***********

Lady Susan is an early work by Austen, written in 1794, but not published until 1871 long after her death.

This is an epstolary novella (with a short conclusion tying up the ends of the story) about the recenty widowed Lady Susan Vernon. Charming and beautiful, but short of funds and encumbered with a sixteen year old daughter (Frederica) she cannot wait to be rid of, Lady Susan enjoys playing the coquette.

Having caused trouble by overstaying her welcome with the Mainwaring family, by wresting the affections of Mr Mainwaring from his wife, and those of Sir James Martin from the young lady he had been wooing, Lady Susan arrives at Churchill - home of her late husband's brother and his wife Catherine. Her reputation precedes her, but she is on her best behaviour until Catherine's brother Reginald De Courcy comes to stay, who she cannot resist amusing herself with.

Ructions within the house are soon increased by the arrival of shy Frederica who has run away from school, and idiotic Sir James, who Lady Susan intends for her daughter - much to Frederica's distress. In close order, Frederica falls in love with Reginald, and Lady Susan's capricious nature gets the better of her (mostly through jealousy and spite). Suffice to say Lady Susan wears out her welcome once more, and leaves a trail of trouble in her wake... 

For a book told (almost) entirely through letters between Lady Susan and her friend Alicia Johnson, and Catherine and her parents, with occasional additions to/from Reginald, this works incredibly well as a novella. The story is thoroughly absorbing, and Lady Susan's behaviour is scandalous. I like to think of her as Austen's Becky Sharp, as she displays just the same narcissitic behaviours and doesn't give two hoots for anyone but herself. Love her, or loathe her, she is certainly audacious!

There is some nice comedy in this one, and Austen's wit has a ball with the male characters who make fools of themselves throughout over a pretty face and strategically batted eyelashes. Lots of fun!

Lady Susan is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Jane Austen, the daughter of a clergyman, was born in Hampshire in 1775, and later lived in Bath and the village of Chawton. As a child and teenager, she wrote brilliantly witty stories for her family's amusement, as well as a novella, Lady Susan.

Her first published novel was Sense and Sensibility, which appeared in 1811 and was soon followed by Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma.

Austen died in 1817, and Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were published posthumously in 1818.

Emma by Jane Austen

 

Emma by Jane Austern

This edition published 1st October 2009 by Penguin Classics. 

Originally published 1815.

From the cover of the book:

Beautiful, clever, rich - and single - Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage.

Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protégée Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected.

With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, Emma is often seen as Jane Austen's most flawless work.

***********

Emma was published in 1815, and is a comedy of manners set in the fictional village of Highbury. Emma Woodhouse, the eponymous heroine of the novel, is the mistress of Hartfield (seat of the principal family), where she lives with her widowed father. With her governess just married to neighbour Mr Weston (a happening Emma likes to take credit for), Emma is lonely. Her beloved father, a terrible hypochondriac, is not good company for her, so she decides to take an interest in one Harriet Smith, a young lady of doubtful parentage who lives as a border at the local school for girls - against the advice of her brother-in-law, Mr Knightley.

Convinced her powers as matchmaker can bring about the marriage of Harriet with local clergyman, Mr Elton, Emma does her utmost to bring them together. Meanwhile, Frank Churchill, the prodigal son of Mr Weston who the whole village are preoccupied with (despite not having seen him) is expected any moment. Independent minded, and independently fortuned, Emma, has sworn off marriage herself, but feels the prospect of romance appoaching - especially since many in Highbury expect them to wed.

In a tangle of misconceptions, and dawning realisations, this tale involves just about every genteel family in the village to great comic effect, and the characters are delicious. Emma herself divides the crowd, as she is a bit full of herself, and has a tendency to meddle where she really should not - especially in empty-headed Harriet's affairs. I rather like her though, she is far from obnoxious, learns some lessons about herself, and has a good heart. 

Talking of obnoxious... smarmy Elton and his social climbing wife are definitely awful; and as for that player, Frank Churchill, I never can abide him... 🤣

I really enjoyed my revisit to Emma. It truly is comedy gold, with a lovely slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance. It has some really thought provoking reflections on class, and the dependency of women in Regency England too.

Emma is available to by now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Jane Austen, the daughter of a clergyman, was born in Hampshire in 1775, and later lived in Bath and the village of Chawton. As a child and teenager, she wrote brilliantly witty stories for her family's amusement, as well as a novella, Lady Susan.

Her first published novel was Sense and Sensibility, which appeared in 1811 and was soon followed by Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma.

Austen died in 1817, and Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were published posthumously in 1818.

The Nightingale Dilemma by Katy Moran

 

The Nightingale Dilemma by Katy Moran.

Published 3rd July 2025 by Apollo, Head of Zeus.

From the cover of the book:

**PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS MY LADY'S SECRETS**

1812...

Following the drum in Spain, rebellious aristocrat Cressida Nightingale has put her tumultuous past far behind her, and with it her short-lived marriage to Lord Greville.

Having escaped the constraints of her previous life and now scorned by society, Cressida has spent years surviving as a spy for her government. Whilst this is a hard life, it's hers and she will fight to keep it. Then her world comes crashing down when she is caught behind enemy lines by none other than her estranged husband.

Betrayed by those who have willingly taken the information she offered, Cressida is offered a deal. Entrap her childhood friend, Lord Byron, now the most famous man in England and one who is suspected of treason, or pay the ultimate price for her own treasonous acts.

Can this nightingale escape the shackles of her past, and what price will she pay for it is she can't?

***********

1812. Aristocrat Lady Cressida Nightingale has spent years following the drum in Spain, in the heat of battle of the Peninsular War. Secretly, she has spent much of her time spying for the government, but now she has been caught behind enemy lines by her estranged husband, Lord Greville, an officer in the Rifles - the man she has been pointedly avoiding since the collapse of her high society marriage in a flurry of scandal.

Arrested as a traitor, and brought back home in disgrace, Cressida has been betrayed by those who have made use of the information she has supplied. The only way she can save her skin is by taking on a another delicate mission - entrapping her friend Lord Byron, who is suspected of treasonous acts on British soil...

I am a big fan of Katy Moran's writing, having loved her Lamorna Family trilogy, and could not wait to get stuck into The Nightingale Dilemma for more of her gorgeous settings, compelling characters, and slow-burn story-telling rich with luscious detail of time and place.

This stand-alone novel is told from the perspectives of rebellious Cressida and her estranged husband Greville. Driving the story, Cressida's fight for survival gets her into a number of sticky situations that keep you firmly on your satin-slippered toes as she is required to reconcile with family and friends post-scandalous exit from the haut ton, and fight her way out of danger, not to mention negotiate a relationship with Greville that veers wildly between fiery sexual attraction and seething hate. Meanwhile, Greville has to wade through pretty much the same level of family difficulties, scandal, and attempts to decide out how he feels about seeing Cressida again too.

There is a fair amount of backstory to take-on-board about complicated family situations on both sides; their short tempestuous marriage; political unrest; and significant moments from the war, before you can understand quite what is happening in the book - but hold onto your fine-linen shifts and tattered shakos, because all this detail pays dividends once the action really gets going in Scotland. It does help if you know a little about the Peninsular War before embarking on the story as this has major bearing on Cressida and Greville's motives and relationship.

Lush plotlines revolve around political scheming, rebellion, betrayal, blackmail, smuggling, slavery, and the gulf between rich and poor, which show off Moran's skill when it comes to filling out her books with historical context and oodles of social history, and she also knows how to weave in romantic suspense and red-hot passion to stir your emotions. The resulting novel sits nicely somewhere between Bernard Cornwell's excellent Sharpe series (with a lovely nod to the green-jacketed Rifles through swoon-worthy Greville), Regency society yarn, and atmospheric Du Maurier mystery, which makes for a delicious combination. The inclusion of mad, bad, and dangerous to know Lord Byron also provides a lot of salacious fun, and touches on aspects of sexuality in Regency Britain that are quite thought provoking.

Just my kind of spellbinding historical adventure, with a love story between Cressida and Greville that is enemies-to-lovers gold. Another winner from Katy Moran!

The Nightingale Dilemma is available to buy now in paperback, and ebook formats.

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

About the author:

Katy Moran writes romantic historical fiction filled with adventure, passion and political intrigue. Her books are set in an alternate history just a step away from our own. She lives in the Welsh borders with her family and four miniature sheep.

All Wrapped Up by Heidi Swain

All Wrapped Up by Heidi Swain.

Published 11th September 2025 by Simon and Schuster.

From the cover of the book:

In Wynbridge, the scent of autumn is on the breeze and love is in the air…

Clemmie Bennett has been renovating beautiful Rowan Cottage on the outskirts of the small town of Wynbridge, for eighteen months following a very public heartbreak back in her childhood hometown. The popular Instagram influencer, lost her husband, sold their home, and has been cosied up the Fens and living a very private life, but now she feels it’s time for a change.

A chance encounter with co-owner of The Cherry Tree Café, the bubbly Lizzie Dixon, pulls her into organizing Wynbridge’s first-ever Autumn Festival, and her once quiet life is soon a distant memory. With the whole town rallying behind the event, she discovers a new sense of purpose.

And when local vet Ash falls hard for Clemmie, she begins to wonder if she’s ready to move even further on from her past and fall in love again…

This autumn, cosy up with Heidi and this perfect seasonal romance.

***********

Three years ago Clemmie Bennet's life fell apart when her husband, Callum, died in a tragic accident. Broken-hearted she sold the house they had been doing-up together, closed the popular Instagram account where they had been posting about their renovation project, and moved to the Fenland town of Wynbridge for a new start.

For the last eighteen months Clemmie has kept herself to herself, anonymously sharing pictures of her autumnal colour schemes and designs on Instagram, as she transforms Rowan Cottage into a cosy haven where she can deal with her grief in her own quiet way. She now feels ready to dip her toe in Wynbridge life for the first time.

Lizzie Dixon, co-owner of The Cherry Tree Café, and handsome vet Ash become her first tentative friends. Encouraged by Lizzie, who recognises her talents, Clemmie agrees to organise Wynbridge's first Autumn Festival with Ash's help, despite her reservations. She and Ash are soon the best of pals, especially once he persuades her to adopt Pixie, a little dog who is suffering from the loss of her elderly owner.

Clemmie settles in to make this a festival to remember, but her confidence is knocked when some in the community are loudly unhappy about an outsider heading up the project. Her anxiety rises when she begins to suspect that Ash might want to be more than good friends. Can Clemmie overcome the challenges she faces, and open up her heart to love once more?

Heidi Swain's first Autumn book, All Wrapped Up, is set in her thriving community of Wynbridge, and follows the heart-warming tale of new character Clemmie. More than a few familiar faces make an appearance too, giving you a chance to catch up with the lives of the Wynbridge residents you have come to know and love.

Clemmie is a young widow, having undergone the tragic loss of her husband. Overwhelmed by grief, Clemmie has sworn off love and hidden herself away while renovating Rowan Cottage. She now feels ready to slowly discover the delights of Wynbridge, but this little Fenland community has other ideas... soon she has a lot more on her plate that she anticipated as she organises a festival, negotiates new friendships, and welcomes a special canine companion into her home.

The festival arrangements turn out to be problematic, but the fabulous community pulls together to save the day - and Clemmie eventually makes unexpected friends from the nay-sayers as well. Along the way, Swain weaves a gorgeous, gentle romance between Clemmie and Ash, with lots of will-they-won't-they suspense and Pixie playing cupid. Ahh!

With lashings of seasonal content, crisp forest walks, and super cosy settings, Swain makes the most of the atmospheric autumnal vibes. Her favourite themes of friendship, family, and community run through the story, and she touches deftly on relationships, loneliness, and dealing with loss in the heartfelt way she has.

I loved it. Perfect reading now we are into the season of mist and mellow fruitfulness! 

All Wrapped Up 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 take part in 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, 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!

 

 August 2025 Reading Round-Up

I managed to squeeze in a very healthy fourteen books in August, and there are at least two contenders here for my book of the year! You can find my reviews of these gems by clicking on the pictures below...

The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

We Live Here Now by C.D. Rose

Home Before Dark by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir

The House At Devil's Neck by Tom Mead

The Transcendent Tide by Doug Johnstone

Watching You by Helen Fields

The Cut by Richard Armitage

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie

Second Act At Appleton Green by Kate Forster

The Forest Hideaway by Sharon Gosling

Yours For The Season by Emily Stone

L.A. Women by Ella Berman

Heroes by Stephen Fry

September is off with a book to get you in the autumn mood,,, watch this space for more!