Curiosity Spares The Butterfly by Anthea Syrokou

 

Curiosity Spares The Butterfly by Anthea Syrokou.

Published 2nd March 2026 by Glittery Sea Publishing.

From the cover of the book:

Foteini Carteris leaves her life in Australia and moves to Greece at the cusp of adulthood. When she starts a business in the city of Thessaloniki several years later, her life is running smoothly and it continues to do so when a philosophical and charismatic young man named Lazaros enters her life … the same year that the city is recognised for its cultural assets. She rejoices in new-found love and in the art scene that surrounds her.

However, it all comes crashing down! Lazaros vanishes, and she finds herself constantly looking over her shoulder as she senses danger is following her at every turn. Her childhood fuses with her present life when memories of an unforeseen incident come flooding back … of her and her parents fleeing the port of Thessaloniki in 1977 and frantically flying back to Australia … soon after meeting a mysterious university lecturer who'd been introduced to them as Manolis.

Throughout her childhood, Foteini relentlessly searches for answers … to no avail, as her parents have shut the door to that chapter of their lives forever! As danger pursues her again, she is forced to take matters in her own hands and to shed light on the strange incident which occurred at the port back in 1977. More importantly, could recent events explain why Lazaros jumped ship?

Spanning three decades from the seventies, eighties and nineties, this roller-coaster journey of mystery, love, and self-determination unfolds with the omnipresent backdrop of the alluring Aegean Sea, and the historical surroundings of Thessaloniki where the enigmatic coastline is a constant reminder of the mystery and beauty of life.

Curiosity Spares the Butterfly is a captivating and heart-warming tale of one woman's quest to put an end to all the pretences and innuendoes, and to seek justice and truth!

***********

Australia, 1977. Foteni is looking forward to her holiday to Greece, thrilled to finally be visiting the friends and family her parents have spoken about. But the visit is filled with confusing events that bring their holiday to an abrupt end, after a university professor called Manolis is brutally arrested in front of her at the port of Thessaloniki.

Years later, Foteni returns to Thessaloniki to open her own cake shop. The city has been newly recognised as a centre for culture, and is buzzing with optimism - a feeling reflected in Foteni's own heart when she meet a young man called Lazaros, and finds herself falling for him.

But Foteni cannot shake the unsettling sensation that something is not right. When Lazaros vanishes, she becomes overwhelmed with childhood memories that her parents are reluctant to speak about. In her heartbroken state, she searches for answers about events of the present... and the past.

This fascinating novel spans three decades and two countries, and combines elements of family drama, coming-of-age tale, tender love story, and mystery yarn that delve into the impact of childhood events on the course of Foteni's life.

The pace is gentle, with twists, turns packed into the final part of the story in a sudden profusion of revelations on a number of enlightening fronts. Given the slow-burn style up to this point, and the number of characters and connections to keep track of, you do have to pay close attention from here onwards, but the eventual destination makes going with the flow worthwhile.

It did take me a while to get into the rhythm of Syrokou's writing style, and a handle on the sprawling cast of characters, but Foteni captured my interest from the very beginning. It was an enchanting experience looking at the world through her eyes as she grows, navigates love and loss, and puts together all the little pieces of a compelling mystery steeped in complicated relationship dynamics, political intrigue, and secrets.

Syrokou does a good job of packing these pages with well-written scenes that stir the emotions, and bring time and place alive. I have not read a novel set in Thessaloniki before, and really enjoyed the clever way she immerses you in the city, particularly when it comes to blending atmosphere and the changing tides in the plot (the sea is used especially well). She weaves popular culture references into the story throughout that make for a lovely amble down memory lane too.

If sweeping, escapist novels set in Greece are your thing, with lyrical prose and a protagonist you can take firmly into your affections, then you will find plenty here to please. I liked how Syrokou uses the recurring motif of butterflies, and the heart-warming themes of family, love, and truth are truly compelling.

Curiosity Spares the Butterfly is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

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

About the author:

Anthea Syrokou is an author who grew up and resides in Sydney, Australia.

Anthea's love for writing was planted at a young age when she studied Greek mythology. Her love for literature continued well into her teenage years when she enjoyed reading novels by many of the great English writers.

Her new novel, Curiosity Spares the Butterfly, is a coming-of-age literary tale in the upmarket fiction/mystery genres, and was just released on the 2nd March, 2026.

Anthea has a BA degree, majoring in psychology and industrial relations, and a diploma in counselling. She also studied Greek literature at university and has worked in direct marketing, and insurance and investments.

When she isn’t writing or reading, Anthea enjoys travelling, yoga, spending time with her family, and escaping to the vineyards. A quiet house with some jazz playing in the background, surrounded by a few lit scented candles is her idea of relaxation. Even though Anthea dreams about hosting the “perfect” dinner party, she is more likely to be found at a cosy, candlelit restaurant. She lives with her husband and their two sons, and enjoys regular visits from the neighbour's cat.

Kiss Marry Kill by Yemi Dipeolu

 

Kiss Marry Kill by Yemi Dipeolu.

Published 23rd April 1016 by Faber Books.

From the cover of the book:

It's Ife's dream wedding - until her new husband Ade is arrested for murder.

His missing ex, Cynthia, has been found dead on the Dorset coast.

Case closed: it's always the ex, right?

But did Ade kiss, marry - and kill? One person hopes the truth never comes out.

A pulse-racing, bingeable thriller about love, marriage and obsessions that fans of Adele Parks and The List will LOVE.

***********

Ife is excited when she has finally bagged her man, Ade. However, her dream wedding turns into a nightmare when her new husband is arrested for murder.

The body of Ade's missing ex, Cynthia, has been found on the Dorset coast, near the picture-perfect cottage when she and Ade will begin their married life. Ife is forced to travel to their new home on her own - a cottage that is still filled with traces of Cynthia. 

As she sits waiting for Ade to join her, she begins to wonder whether he really is guilty. Is he keeping secrets that reveal he did kiss, marry - and kill? But then she has secrets of her own too...

This propulsive thriller unfurls through the perspectives of Ife and Cynthia, moving back and forth in time between before and after Cynthia went missing. The cast of characters is small, intimate, and intensely dysfunctional, especially when it comes to Ade's relationship with his controlling mother (and his two love interests Cynthis and Ife), and Dipeolu soon has you tied up in deliciously dark-themed knots as it becomes clear not everyone here is above board about their motives and actions.

Dipeolu excels in weaving themes of obsession, unhealthy relationships, and trauma throughout this story of the most unreliable of narrators. The drama pulls you in as the messy lives of the characters fall apart, revealing their closely guarded secrets, and there is a full quota of human frailty on display which makes it addictive reading. The mix of Nigerian and Jamaican cultural attitudes in Dipeolu's characters is insightfully explored too.

I really did not know where this story was going to take me, and I am so impressed with the way Dipeolu keeps the momentum going all the way to her jaw-dropping conclusion! What a debut! Yemi Diepolu is a new voice in fiction that is set to go far!

Kiss Marry Kill is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Yemi Dipeolu is a British-Nigerian writer from South East London. She studied English Literature with Creative Writing at the University of Surrey and has an MFA from Kingston University. By day, Yemi works as a copywriter, using her passion for storytelling to help businesses connect with their customers. 

In her fiction, she blends her two favourite genres, crime and romance, to create character-driven thrillers with relationships at their centre. Kiss Marry Kill is her first novel.

Strange Buildings by Uketsu

 

Strange Buildings by Uketsu.

Translated from the Japanese by Jim Rion.

Published in paperback 26th February 2026 by Pushkin Vertigo.

From the cover of the book:

The addictive mystery taking the world by storm, from the author of Strange Pictures.

Eleven strange buildings. One terrible secret.

A lonely hut in the woods.

A hidden chamber.

A mysterious shrine.

A home in flames.

A nightmarish prison...

Each of the buildings in this book tells a chilling story. Each one is part of a puzzle.

Look closely... and you'll see that everything is connected.

All leading to a revelation so horrifying you won't want to believe it.

Millions of readers have become addicted to solving Uketsu's dark mysteries.

Strange Buildings is the strangest, and darkest, so far.

***********

Following the publication of Strange Houses, our unnamed author is contacted by a number of people who believe they have similarly odd experiences with weird properties.

The author decides to investigate eleven of these buildings, looking into the strange events associated with them. What he does not expect to find is there is a connection between them all. Each is part of a puzzle that reveals a horrifying truth...

I was introduced to the weird and wonderful world of Uketsu, the mysterious best-selling Japanese phenomenon, through the mesmerising Strange Pictures - and I was very keen to explore more of their unsettling literary riddles!

Like Strange Pictures, this book contains a series of linked stories - this time around eleven buildings associated with dark deeds. The book largely follows the format of transcripts of interviews between the author and interested parties, supplemented with drawings, articles and stories that delve into peculiar goings on - mostly around murder, suicide, and bizarre rituals. The truth behind each one is a mystery, but the author is determined to track down clues which will reveal what has really gone on in each case, no matter how obscure the facts.

At the conclusion on the book, the author co-opts the help of their architectural draughtman friend Kurihara (who proved to be of great assistance in Strange Houses), as they sift through all the information gathered about the eleven cases, and make their deductions.

Uketsu is a delight for those who enjoy logic puzzles, particularly when it comes to the deductive process towards the end of the book. Having read Strange Pictures, I was armed to look out for enlightening clues whilst the story unfolded - and was pleased to have spotted many of them. However, the Uketsu magic comes into its own when each case comes under the scrutinising attention of Kurihara, and he details the connecting facts. All the little twists and turns in the eerie tales then give up their dark secrets... and the shocking truth is exposed.

Every single element of this book comes together to produce an ingenious novel that is utterly absorbing from the first page to the last - and really tests your inner detective. Somehow, Uketsu distils so many things I love about Japanese mysteries into their books, and then blows your mind with a fresh twist that I am absolutely here for. More please!

Strange Buildings is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Uketsu is an enigmatic Youtuber and author, specializing in horror and mystery, who has exploded onto the literary scene in Japan and around the world, becoming an international bestseller. He only ever appears online, wearing a mask and speaking through a voice changer. His true identity is unknown.

Strange Pictures and Strange Houses are also available from Pushkin Vertigo. 

About the translator:

Jim Rion is an American translator and writer living in the beautiful western Japan prefecture of Yamaguchi with his wife, son, and cats of unusual size. His translations for Pushkin Press include The Devil's Flute Murders by Seishi Yokomizo and The Ark by Haruo Yuki, as well as Strange Pictures and Strange Houses by Uketsu.

Dangerous by Essie Fox (Paperback Release)

 

Dangerous by Essie Fox.

Published in paperback 9th April 2026 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

Fiction can be fatal…

 Living in exile in Venice, the disgraced Lord Byron revels in the freedoms of the city.

 SCANDAL

 But when he is associated with the deaths of local women, found with wounds to their throats, and then a novel called The Vampyre is published under his name, rumours begin to spread that Byron may be the murderer…

 MURDER

 As events escalate and tensions rise – and his own life is endangered, as well as those he holds most dear – Byron is forced to play detective, to discover who is really behind these heinous crimes. Meanwhile, the scandals of his own infamous past come back to haunt him…

 MYSTERY

 Rich in gothic atmosphere and drawing on real events and characters from Byron's life, Dangerous is a riveting, dazzling historical thriller, as decadent, dark and seductive as the poet himself…

***********

Exiled from London society, Lord Byron has relocated to Venice, where he continues to indulge his passions and engage in every vice that has made him infamous. But his freedoms are reined in when he becomes a person of interest in the deaths of local women associated with him - each body discovered with mysterious wounds to the neck.

With the recent publication of a novel called The Vampyre, which has erroneously been issued under his name, gossip is rife about Byron's guilt. If he wants to prove his innocence, he must turn detective to establish who means him, and his loved ones, harm...

Mad, bad, and dangerous Lord Byron is a seductive character to conjure with, and this glorious retelling by Essie Fox makes the most of the mystique and romance associated with his disreputable antics. Beginning with an eerie opening of Byron's tomb, during which secret manuscripts are discovered, Fox proceeds to blend fact and fiction to create a very clever Gothic murder mystery that embroiders what we know of the man with supernatural whispers.

Quite brilliantly, Fox takes the very real furore about the publication of The Vampyre under his name (a book which was actually penned by his former associate, Dr John Polidori), and speculates what might have happened had Byron been connected to suspiciously vampiric murders during his residence in Venice. Given his tendency to make his own writings semi-autobiographical, a story about vampires from his pen provides rich fodder for gossip, insinuation, and the destruction of the last vestiges of his reputation - not to mention the risk of physical harm for himself and his household.

Of course, the Byron of this tale is neither the guilty party, nor a vampire (or is he?), and he makes a delightfully quirky detective, straying off the path in his debauched way as he ferrets out the truth behind the murders. In the telling, Fox litters his progress with obstacles put in his way by the manipulations of those out for revenge, as well of those of his own making - mostly when it comes to the psychological effects the ghosts that haunt him. 

Venice is a fabulous backdrop for the story, standing as a character in its own right, as the action oozes unsettlingly through its moody, mysterious back alleys, palazzos, and sinuous waterways. It is so atmospheric that you can feel menace round every corner, and find yourself doubting the intentions of the entire vividly drawn cast - with good cause. The twists and turns are drop dead gorgeous, inextricably tied to luscious themes of obsession and dark deeds (inevitable given Byron's lifestyle and innumerable affairs). There are lovely links to the fateful summer Byron spent at Lake Geneva with the Shelleys, Claire Clairmont, and Polidari too. I even applaud Fox's best attempts to show different sides to Byron, particularly around his daughters, and his menagerie, which is far from easy given the fact that his propensity for degeneracy still lives so large in our minds some two hundred years after his death.

Fox's talent for immersing you up to the gills in all things Gothic is a thing of dark beauty, and I enjoyed this immensely. I am intrigued that this is sub-titled 'A Lord Byron Mystery' - will there be more? I sincerely hope so!

** Review previously published in April 2025 for the hardcover release.

Dangerous is available to buy now in paperback, 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:

Essie Fox was born and raised in rural Herefordshire, which inspires much of her writing. After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London where she worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, then the book publishers George Allen & Unwin – before becoming self-employed in the world of art and design. 

 Always an avid reader, Essie now spends her time writing historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4's TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, set in the early years of silent film, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. Her novel, The Fascination is based in Victorian country fairgrounds, the glamour of the London theatres, and an Oxford Street museum full of morbid curiosities.

Essie is also the creator of the popular blog: The Virtual Victorian She has lectured on this era at the V&A, and the National Gallery in London. 

Last One Out by Jane Harper

 

Last One Out by Jane Harper.

Published 23rd April 2026 by Pan Macmillan.

From the cover of the book:

He had been here, that was clear from the marks in the dust. And he had been alone.

In a dying town, Ro Crowley waits for her son on the evening of his twenty-first birthday.

Sam never comes home. His footprints in the dust of three abandoned houses offer the only clue to his final movements. One set in. One set out.

Five long years later, Ro returns to Carralon Ridge for the annual memorial of Sam’s disappearance. The skeletal community is now an echo of itself, having fractured under the pressure of the coal mine operating on its outskirts.

But Ro still wants answers. Only a few people remain. If the truth is to be found in that town, does it lie among them?

***********

Five years ago, Ro's son Sam went missing on the eve of his twenty-first birthday. It was an event that tore her family apart, and eventually led to her leaving the dying town of Carralon Ridge.

Ro has now returned for the fifth anniversary of Sam's disappearance, to be present for the annual memorial that takes place at the abandoned houses where he left dusty footprints on that fateful day. Few people remain in Carralon Ridge, but Ro has never given up on the hope that she will find answers to the mystery of why Sam visited that lonely spot, and what happened to him that day. If the truth is here, she is determined to find it.

I am a huge fan of Jane Harper. She is the queen of Aussie slow-burn, and this book is a glorious showcase for her atmospheric-rich writing skills. Carralon Ridge is a town overshadowed by the ever-encroaching presence of the sprawling mine that has destroyed the community, and it is the perfect location for a murder mystery steeped in bitterness and closely-guarded secrets.

The story is told from the perspective of Ro, a mother who is unsure if she will ever find the answers to questions about the disappearance of her son. Back in Carralon Ridge to mark the fifth year since he vanished into thin air, Ro returns to a town more fractured that ever before. Bitter recriminations are the name of the game, in a community now a shadow of its former self - and the same applies to Ro's marriage to her husband Griff, who she left behind when the gulf between them became too much on top of the unfathomable loss of Sam.

Ro drives the plot by shifting the focus between present and past, revealing glimpses of the years leading up to Sam's disappearance, which include the unexplained suicide of Griff's cousin; events at the time Sam went missing; and the dire state of affairs in Carralon Ridge as the latest anniversary approaches. In parallel, Ro is left trying to navigate a crumbling marriage to Griff, complicated by their different views on the town, and the way they have each dealt with loss.

The sinuous course of the story has Ro, and her daughter Della (also back in town for the anniversary) gradually uncovering new leads around previously undiscovered secrets in a masterclass of story-telling by Harper. Relationships are shattered by the shocking betrayals that surface, and the looming presence mine and its impact on the community keeps the tension buzzing throughout. 

Deliciously dark; thrumming with thought provoking themes about rural communities, generational trauma, legacy, trust, and guilt; and with a subtle vein of tender reconciliation that will have you sobbing; this is Harper at her finest. What a scorcher!

Last One Out 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:

Jane Harper is the multi-award-winning author of the international bestsellers The Dry, Force of Nature, The Lost Man, The Survivors and Exiles. Her books are published in forty territories with more than 3.5 million copies sold worldwide.

The Dry and Force of Nature have been adapted into major motion pictures starring Eric Bana, with The Survivors released as a Netflix television series.

Jane worked as a print journalist for thirteen years both in Australia and the UK, and now lives in Melbourne with her husband, two children, and two cats.

The Lottery Winner Widows Club by Elly Vine

 

The Lottery Winner Widows Club by Elly Vine.

Published 26th March 2026 by Wildfire.

From the cover of the book:

Having just lost her husband in a freak accident, Paula is gobsmacked when, two days later, she wins the lottery - with a ticket he bought.

Out of nowhere, she is approached by a tight-knit trio of other glamorous jackpot winners who tell her that they've been where she is now. That grief looks good on her. That freedom does, too.

There's just one problem: Paula didn't kill her husband. She loved him, of course.

But something about their world is hard to resist. And when other people come sniffing around for a share of Paula's winnings, she's faced with the ultimate choice: hold onto her old life, or accept help from her new friends, whose methods are a little more . . . unconventional.

***********

To say Paula was having a roller coaster of a week would be an understatement. Trying to cope with the loss of her husband of more than thirty years is shocking enough, but to also discover that she is now in sole charge of a twenty-one million pound lottery win has sent her reeling.

Lost in grief, mired in family ructions, and weighed down with newly discovered secrets about her husband, Paula feels like she is in a walking nightmare - until a trio of glamourous lottery winner widows barrel into her life. They are all for Paula spending her millions on living the high-life, the problem is they think she killed her husband to get her hands on the winnings, just like they did... and they are not the only ones.

When the lovely Lucy Vine decides to change-lanes with a crime thriller, under the pseudonym Elly Vine, she does not do things by halves! Enter stage right the fabulous Lottery Winner Widows - Teddy, Audrey, and Ivy - as The Lottery Winner Widows Club (TLWWC) who draw Paula into their multi-generational gang, and carry her along on an adventure filled with Vine's enjoyable brand of laughs and emotion... but this time with a dark core of murderous mayhem!

Paula suddenly finds herself tied up in knots as she discovers things she never realised about her husband, and the way he has manipulated her over the years. It is time for her to take charge of her own fate, but first she must disentangle herself from the 'tentacles of grief' her bossy daughter Tilly seems obsessed with saving her from; work out exactly what is going on with her lackadaisical son Seb; and deal with sinister types after her money - which is going to require the help of the unconventional TLWWC ladies.

This story is a riot. I found myself constantly chuckling along at the antics of the TLWWC and their shambolic plans to rid the world of troublesome men. There are really enjoyable twists and turns in the course of the story that take in the TLWWC and their families, and Vine packs this book with poignant themes that will bring a tear to your eye, particularly when it comes to coercive control, and domestic abuse. Paula's heart-rending situation, as an older woman breaking-free and trying to be seen, is very powerful - and I loved being at her side as she finds the courage to change her fate with the assistance of the glorious TLWWC (and a little help from sweet Seb). There is oodles of thought-provoking stuff about navigating the weird world of lottery winners too. 

Uplifting, and with bags of humour and heart, this is an intriguing change of direction from Vine that blurs the edges between feminist buddy story, comic crime caper, and family drama. It totally works with Vine's writing style, and I absorbed it in a single sitting. More please!

The Lottery Winner Widows Club is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Elly Vine is the pseudonym of bestselling author, Lucy Vine. Lucy Vine is the author of novels Hot Mess, What Fresh Hell, Are We Nearly There Yet?, Bad Choices, Seven Exes, Date with Destiny and Book Boyfriend. Her eighth novel is Good For You.

Her books have been published in seventeen territories, with Hot Mess optioned for a TV series in America.

In a previous life, Lucy was a journalist, writing for publications including Grazia, Stylist, Heat, Fabulous, Marie Claire, Sugar and Cosmopolitan.

The Traveler by Joseph Eckert

 

The Traveler by Joseph Eckert.

Published 11th June 2026 by Tor.

From the cover of the book:

It’s a morning like any other when Scott Treder first slips. One moment, he’s driving to work, fingers drumming the steering wheel. The next, he is tumbling down the road, his car gone, his world changed.

7:51 am. Monday, April 13th.

7:52 am. Tuesday, April 14th.

Twenty-four hours, lost in a heartbeat.

This first slip is just the beginning. At precisely 7:52 am each morning, Scott jumps forward in time in ever-doubling intervals. First a day is lost. Then weeks. Then decades. As Scott hurtles helplessly toward the future, he watches his seven-year-old son, Lyle, grow into a man – and then an old man – in a matter of days.

But Lyle has a plan. He dedicates his entire existence to a single, impossible goal: catching the father who is leaving him behind . . .

An epic story of survival, heartbreak, and a father-son bond that defies the laws of physics.

***********

On 13th April at 7.52am something very unusual happens to Scott Treder. While driving to work the world slips around him. His car suddenly disappears and he finds himself rolling across the hard surface of the road. Scott is confused about what just happened to him - even more so when he realises twenty-four hours have passed in an instant. Scott cannot account for any of them, and has no way to explain where he has been to his concerned family. The next morning, at exactly7.52am, Scott jumps forward again. This time for two whole days.

Much to Scott's dismay, the pattern continues at 7.52am every day, with the time he is away doubling each episode. Weeks, months and years pass in a matter of days for Scott, while the world changes around him, and a gulf opens up between him and his loved ones. There seems no way to stop this process, but as his clever son Lyle's life passes in Scott's absence Lyle comes up with a plan...

This ambitious debut has an absolutely fascinating premise, following Scott Treder as he leaps forward in ever increasing spans of time. It is difficult to talk about the story in too much detail without giving away spoilers, but as Eckert weaves an epic voyage for his character the novel takes on different forms, evolving from contemporary time-travel thriller, into near future dystopia, and then way beyond into speculative sci-fi mind-blower.

Eckert explores a lot of intriguing themes as the story progresses, mostly around the propensity for humanity to destroy itself over and over again, which means there is a good deal of rising and falling of civilisations as Scott travels in time. However, this is not a novel that is devoid of finer feelings, particularly when it comes to fathers and sons, as the relationship between Scott and Lyle provides an emotional back-bone to the story that is intensely moving.

I very much enjoyed the way Eckert touches on oodles of lovely classic sci-fi standards, and conjures an irony-rich dual role for Treder as both potential messiah and anti-Christ as mysticism runs riot during his lengthy absences. He asks a wealth of philosophical questions about Scott's purpose too, which tie-up in a surprising conclusion.

This is one of those books that you simply cannot put down. Although The Traveler's destination point proved to be a little meta-physical for my time-travel tastes, the journey there kept me trans-fixed. Eckert's writing style is both engaging and entertaining, and I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next. 

The Traveler is available to preorder now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Joseph Eckert grew up in Northern Wisconsin before heading to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study history. He later attended the University of Iowa and received a master’s in political science. He’s been writing speculative fiction since high school and remains most interested in placing believable characters in unbelievable situations. Joseph currently lives in Greater Seattle with his wife, daughter, and grumpy old cat.

Maurice by E.M. Forster

 

Maurice by E.M. Forster.

This edition published 7th November 2024 by Sceptre. Originally published 1971 (written in 1914).

From the cover of the book:

Maurice Hall grows up in comfort and privilege near London, in a villa surrounded by pines, where all is convenience and ease. He progresses through a traditional English education, projecting an outer confidence that masks troubling questions about his unspoken desires.

At Cambridge University, Maurice meets Clive, an assured older student, with whom he enjoys a close and intense relationship. Sneaking around college, climbing through windows and skipping lectures, Maurice begins to grasp a less conventional view of the nature of love. And then, on a trip to Clive's family estate, he meets Alec, the gamekeeper, and his emotional and sexual awakening reaches its height, opening up the possibility of a life that strays from the path he was raised to follow. But can Maurice overcome societal pressures, self-doubt and heartbreak to find happiness?

Forster completed Maurice in 1914 but felt that it could not be published in his lifetime. It was not until 1971, the year after Forster's death, that the novel was finally published.

***********

Maurice Hall is born into a life of upper middle-class privilege near London, with a doting mother and two younger sisters. Expected to continue the family traditions of his late father, he progresses from minor public school to Cambridge, where he embarks on an intense friendship with fellow student, Clive. 

Maurice comes to realise that his previously confused feelings about sexual relationships reveal he has an unconventional view of love. His friendship with Clive develops into a relationship. Until Clive decides he wants to marry, and turns away from his former companion.

Heartbroken, Maurice seeks to 'cure' himself of his desires, but during an awkward visit to Clive and his new wife, he meets and falls for their gamekeeper, Alec. The emotional and sexual awakening this brings forces Maurice to make a decision about his future in the face of societal pressure and his own self-doubt.

This daring novel of homosexual love was written by Forster between 1913 and 1914, inspired by his admiration for early gay rights activist, Edward Carpenter who had a happy cross-class relationship with a male partner. It was only published following Forster's death in 1970, owing to public (and legal) attitudes to homosexuality - and the fact it would have revealed too much about his own sexual orientation. Interestingly, there is also an alleged link with Lady Chatterley's Lover, which led me to reading this one, as it is rumoured Maurice's relationship with Alec inspired D.H. Lawrence to write the love story between Lady Constance and Oliver Mellors.

The novel is beautifully written. Largely told from the perspective of Maurice, with occasional contributions from Clive, the story draws you in completely. There is little in the way of Forster's wit beyond the first part of the novel, but there is an over-arching, highly emotionally-charged dimension to Maurice's struggles as "an unspeakable of the Oscar Wilde sort" given Forster's own sexual leanings.

I found it a tender and fascinating read that reveals a lot about the time and place in which it is set. There is some harping on about religion and the classics, especially during the Cambridge years, but they are mostly relevant to the story. And it is a story that captures you, especially theway Forster writes about coming of age; longing; snatched moments of intimacy; the fear of discovery; and the need for gay men to live outside the bounds of society.

This edition also includes a must-read introduction from Colm Toibin, which sent me down a rabbit hole about the Oscar Wilde trial and how it highlighted the visibility of homosexual men in society. 

If audio books are your bag, the Audible Originals production voiced by Peter Firth is absolutely worth your time too.

Maurice is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Edward Morgan Forster was born in London in 1879, attended Tonbridge School and went on to King's College, Cambridge in 1897, where he retained a lifelong connection and was elected to an Honorary Fellowship in 1946.

He died in June 1970.

First Of December by Karen Jennings

 

First of December by Karen Jennings.

Published 26th March 2026 by Holland House.

From the cover of the book:

On the 1st December 1838, all slaves were finally freed in South Africa, four years after slavery had officially been abolished.

First of December follows three people during the week of November 1838: James and Caroline Kendrick, and an unnamed runaway slave making her way to Cape Town along the coast, desperate to reach it by midnight on the 31st November.

Caroline is trapped in an unhappy marriage, in a place she hates, always longing to go home; bored, lonely, without purpose or any sense of belonging. James is forever on the move, desperate for success after a lifetime of failure and humiliation, seeing South Africa as his last great hope, preparing for the climax of his work, a bank to serve the city. Each resents the other, feeling trapped and unloved, yet with a wish for it all to change. Meanwhile the slave-apprentice, fearful of being caught before the deadline, meets others living on the coast, at the edge of society, yet always remaining alone, without any clear idea of what to expect in Cape Town.

***********

Cape Town, 1838. Four years ago slavery was abolished, but for the slaves in South Africa this did not mean freedom. Instead, they were bound for four more years of unpaid service as slave-apprentices, under the guise of 'training' them to become useful members of colonial society. From midnight on the 31st November they will finally be free to pursue their own lives.

Over the course of the week running up to 1st December, this poignant historical fiction novel follows the lives of three people - married couple James and Caroline Kendrick in Cape Town; and an unnamed female runaway slave-apprentice who is making her way towards the capital, where she hopes to celebrate the moment of freedom.

The story flows seamlessly (and sometimes confusingly) between the narratives of the three individuals during this tense and fearful time, as they look back on the past, and consider what the future might hold. For James and Caroline this largely involves painful reflections on a disappointed marriage filled with recriminations - while James desperately chases grand dreams of fortune to make up for his daddy issues; and Caroline is trapped in an endless fever dream-like inertia, in a role she despises and a country she wishes she could leave. Meanwhile, the unnamed slave girl makes her journey on a knife-edge, haunted by memories of loss and heart-rending trauma.

This is a novel steeped in visceral emotions, in a complex setting filled with contradictions. Jennings does not shy away from examining many aspects of poverty, injustice, hypocrisy, and the impact of colonialism through her characters, which makes for uncomfortable reading. There is little by way of joy, but there is hope for the slave-apprentices looking forward to change on the strike of midnight on 31st November.

This was a subject I knew nothing about, and it inevitably sent me down eye-opening rabbit holes about nineteenth century Cape Town and slavery in South Africa. Even so, there is a lot of missing context in Jennings' raw prose that wider reading does not compensate for. She touches on so much I felt some of the shades of meaning she intended to convey were lost on me. Is Caroline's malaise due to physical illness or depression? Was there more to the gulf between Caroling and James than disappointed hopes? What is the significance of being in Cape Town as the four year period expires? I was never quite sure.

However, she brings time and place vividly alive, and I was fascinated by the unexpected way she weaves an exploration of how the flush of first love can wither through the story, especially when it comes to the wildly differing expectations of men and women.

Plenty of grit gives depth and power to this literary novel, and the 'snapshot of history' premise is intriguing. It has left me with a lot of lingering thoughts about the characters and their predicaments, and Jennings' writing is starkly beautiful.  

First of December is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Holland House for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Folk PR for inviting me to join this blog tour.

About the author:

Karen Jennings is a South African writer whose novel An Island was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2021, with the follow-up longlisted for The Women's Prize in 2025. She was writer-in-residence as a post-doctoral fellow at the Laboratory for the Economics of Africa's Past, Stellenbosch University. Karen currently lectures at North-West University. She received the K. Sello Duiker Memorial Award in 2021, and has won the Africa Region Prize of the Commonwealth Short Story Competition. Her first novel, Finding Soutbek, was shortlisted for the Etisalat Prize. Travels with my Father, a memoir, has been a set university text in South Africa.

Karen founded The Island Prize for unpublished African authors to help them get published globally. Now in its fifth year the prize has helped authors from all over the continent.

 March 2026 Reading Round-Up

March has been an adventure on the reading front...

I've travelled back to fractured 16th century Mexico, the shoot-em-up Wild West, and aristocratic 20th century England; been party to murders in Oxford, Iceland, New Zealand, Egypt and near-future USA; seen the impact of family secrets spilled in Ghana and Ireland (twice); revelled in unreliable narrators in country houses and courtrooms; AND rooted for star-croosed lovers! 

There are some absolute bangers amongst this fourteen books, and you can find my reviews by clicking on the pictures below...

The Other Moctezuma Girls by Sofia Robleda

The Harvey Girl by Dana Stabenow

The Murder Pool by Stella Blómkvist

Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce

Unreliable Narrator by Araminta Hall

Reaper by Vanda Symon

Strangerland by Monika Radojevic

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

The Dangerous Stranger by Simon Mason

The Women at Ocean's End by Faith Hogan

The Park by Voss Foster

Secrets between Friends by Sheila O'Flanagan

Sister of Mine

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence

More adventures to come in April!

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence

 

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence.

This edition published 1st October 2009 by Penguin Classics. Originally published privately in 1928/29, with a full version published in 1960.

From the cover of the book:

Constance Chatterley feels trapped in her sexless marriage to the invalid Sir Clifford.

Unable to fulfil his wife emotionally or physically, Clifford encourages her to have a liaison with a man of their own class. But Connie is attracted instead to her husband's gamekeeper and embarks on a passionate affair that brings new life to her stifled existence.

Can she find a true equality with Mellors, despite the vast gulf between their positions in society?

One of the most controversial novels in English literature, Lady Chatterley's Lover is an erotically charged and psychologically powerful depiction of adult relationships.

***********

Lady Chatterley's Lover is one of those books that comes with a reputation. D.H. Lawrence's salacious 1928 novel of Lady Chatterley's affair with her husband's game keeper, Oliver Mellors, was widely banned in its unexpurgated version. It took a very famous case in 1960 for the full version to be published in all its naked glory, when the ban was challenged by Penguin. With the obscenity charge dismissed, it sold like hot-cakes, and is now easily Lawrence's most well-known book.

I have not read any D.H. Lawrence since my youth, and I remember finding his work a bit dull - in spite of the saucy reputation. However, after recently reading a fascinating article about the significance of the landmark case, I was tempted to delve into this classic once again. By the way, if you get a chance I highly recommend going down a rabbit hole about the case, the position for upholding the ban was based firmly in outrageous classism and misogyny - highly misjudged for a time when social attitudes were changing fast!

Most people probably have a vague idea of what this story is about - an aristocratic woman cavorting with someone so far below her in the social order. But, there is actually so much more to the novel.

Constance, Lady Chatterley, ends up tied to Lord Clifford Chatterley, who returns from the First World War a shell of his former self. Paralysed from below the waist, he is now impotent. Eventually recovering enough to throw himself into high-brow literary pursuits that bring him fame and fortune, Clifford has little use for intimacy of any kind with his wife, but needs her at his beck and call. Duty keeps Connie at the ancestral home, overshadowed by the industrial heartland in which it sits, and she begins to waste away for lack of meaningful connection.

Her life shrinks in way that is rarely captured by any of the adaptations, which focus almost entirely on the passion that sparks between her and Mellors - a quiet man with hidden depths. But her sexual awakening with a man who is not afraid of tenderness is a turning point. Drawn to each other, love blossoms between the lady and the game keeper, much to snobby Clifford's eventual disgust when Connie falls pregnant and leaves him. Earlier in the novel he is keen for her to provide an heir via another man, but Mellors is far too low-born to be acceptable in this role. Much divorce-laced drama results in the final stretch of the story.

Lawrence touches on a wealth of different themes pertinent to time and place in this story, particularly around class, money, marriage, divorce, industrialisation, the natural environment, and the shadow of war. There is a lot of pontificating from Clifford and his cronies in the first half of the book, steeped in arrogant superiority, which is incredibly tedious, but many of Lawrence's themes are very thought provoking - especially those around women's rights, intellectual freedom, social mobility, and elitism.

And then, of course, there is the sex. Although the steamy scenes in this book may be tame by today's standards, they would have been shocking for the time. For the most part, the language used is a bit awkward for modern tastes - far too much use of 'womb and 'loins' - but there is plenty of sensuality. I cannot help feeling Lawrence had a few whimsical John Thomas and Lady Jane fantasies of his own given some of the scenes. And although he is often cited as 'writing women well', the sex is very male-centric.

Connie and Mellors are tricky characters to become fully invested in, as both are frustrating in different ways. Lawrence's need to indulge in lengthy philosophical rants takes the steam out of the love story too - romance and social realism are uncomfortable bed fellows in Lawrence's hands. My favourite character is the very sensible Ivy Bolton, who is brought in to suffer as Clifford's carer - there is a woman you can get behind.

It is an odd book really, but if you are fascinated by post-WWI fiction, then this is definitely worth a read - if only to see what the fuss is all about. I highly recommend taking this is in via the superbly narrated audio book performed by Holliday Grainger (an Audible Original), who pulled me through the more laborious parts of the story. 

And if you are not feeling strong enough for text or audio, and just want a beautifully shot, deliciously entertaining adaptation that concentrates on the hot love story element, the 2022 version starring Emma Corrin and Jack O'Connell, as Connie and Mellors, should fit the bill nicely, m'lady!

Lady Chatterley's Lover is available to buy now in various formats.

About the author:

D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930), English novelist, storywriter, critic, poet and painter, one of the greatest figures in 20th-century English literature. Among his works, Sons and Lovers appeared in 1913, The Rainbow (1915), Women In Love (1920), and many others.

Sister Of Mine by Claire-Marie Amuah

 

Sister Of Mine by Claire-Marie Amuah.

Published 9th April 2026 by Magpie.

From the cover of the book:

Sika's holiday to Ghana is the trip of a lifetime, until she uncovers a family secret that changes her life...

When Sika is invited to a lavish family party in Accra, she jumps at the chance. Her life might be in London – with a high-powered job, demanding boss and intense friendships – but she's itching to get to know her cousins, aunts and uncles, and explore the country her mother left just after Sika was born. 

The holiday is better than she could have imagined, especially when handsome, charismatic Danso steps onto the scene. But on the night of the big party, as her happiness soars, Sika discovers a dark secret that will change everything – for everyone – forever. 

From an award-winning writer, Sister of Mine is a poignant and heartfelt novel about family ties, family lies and the truths we withhold to protect the ones we love. 

***********

Twenty-seven years ago, Selom left Ghana and headed for Britain with her young baby, Sika. Neither of them have been back since, so Sika is very excited to finally be travelling to Akkra for a big family celebration. This will give her the chance to meet the people she has heard so much about, to get to know something about the country of her parents - and to have a break from her demanding boss.

Sika is overwhelmed by the heat and noise of Akkra, and both charmed and bemused by the people she meets. She is especially pleased to meet handsome, charismatic Danso, and feels an instant connection with him.

But on the night of the party, Sika overhears a conversation that brings into question everything she thought she know about herself and her family. Can she ever move past the dark secret that has shattered her happiness?

This beautifully written, poignant novel follows Sika to Ghana, where she is in high anticipation of having a great time in the company of the friends and family. She also hopes to discover all she can about her own roots, and learn more about what lies behind the stories her mother has shared with her.

Ghana is an assault on Sika's senses - loud, bright, hot, and so different from her life in Britain. Many of the people she meets offer a warm welcome, especially her mother's oldest friend Larjey (whose wedding anniversary they are here to celebrate), but there is an awkward distance between Selom and her older sister, ultra-religious Edem, which Sika cannot fathom.

Soon, Sika is fully immersed in her Ghanaian adventure, spending time with gentle Danso, navigating uncomfortable situations as well as joyful ones, and getting caught up in preparations for the lavish party. But her happiness is cut short when she overhears a conversation that was not meant for her ears. Distraught, she cuts short her holiday, and flies home alone without saying goodbye to anyone. Sika's life has been derailed by the impact of what she has learned, and she does not know how she will begin to deal with what this means for her whole family.

Amuah does not shy away from exploring the light and shade of Ghana in this compelling novel, and she does the same with her wonderful cast of characters, who range from warm and loving to downright monsters in both Ghana and Britain. The characters are utterly captivating, especially Selon, and Larjay, who I cried heart-felt tears with - such amazing strong women, who are totally unforgettable.

Echoing themes weave throughout that cut you right to the quick. Amuah touches on so much in Sika's story, especially when it comes to loss, sacrifice, heart-rending trauma, and complicated family relationships. The moments of shocking hypocrisy and religious fakery are very bitter pills to swallow too. 

There are lovely moments of humour, and much needed love and romance to lighten the pain though. And I revelled in the Devil Wears Prada vibe when is comes to Sika's high-pressure job - with shades of Miranda Priestley in the awful Caitlyn, and more than a touch of Nigel in Sika's fab 'work husband' Julian. I am so impressed how Amuah ties the work-side of Sika's story into the themes of the novel, which I did not see coming.

This is the kind of novel that takes you on an emotional journey at the side of its characters. I loved it from thought-provoking prologue to gorgeous uplifting ending. 

Sister of Mine is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Marie-Claire is a British Ghanaian author.

One for Sorrow, Two for Joy (Oneworld 2022) was her debut novel. In 2021, she was awarded the John C Laurence Award by the Society of Authors in support of her writing. In 2023, Marie-Claire was named winner of the Diverse Book Awards for adult fiction.

She combines her work as an author with her legal career as a barrister specialising in white collar crime. 

In her spare time, Marie-Claire enjoys long walks with her French bulldog, Blue, travel to tropical isles and cocktails with friends. 

Secrets Between Friends by Sheila O'Flanagan

 

Secrets Between Friends by Sheila O'Flanagan.

Published 26th March 2026 by Headline.

From the cover of the book:

Ailie, Sybil and Rua can take care of themselves. But when they form an unexpected friendship, they discover new perspectives on old problems.

Ailie is recently widowed, and struggling. At least she can cut ties with her toxic Italian in-laws. Except her teenage daughter is joining them in Trieste. Should Ailie follow, and confront the family who can't forgive her?

Sybil has learned to be happy alone. But her younger sister, Tansy, thinks Sybil needs to find a man before it's too late. And she has the perfect candidate. Can Sybil cope with Tansy interfering - again?

Twice Rua has faced the worst, and twice she's started over. All that matters now is protecting her daughter. Yet she's kept the full story from her. Is it time to trust Brontë with the truth?

An intriguing and sparkling story about women discovering their strength - and loving life.

***********

Ailie, Sybil and Rua all know what it means to lose a beloved partner, and to have to learn to navigate a new chapter in their lives. Ailie, recently widowed, is struggling, but trying to keep going for the sake of her daughter Flavia, whilst dealing with troublesome Italian in-laws. Sybil is settled in her single life, but younger sister Tansy will keep interfering, sure Sybil must be in need of a man after five years of widowhood. And Rua, who has had to start over twice, is keeping secrets from her daughter Bronte, and certain she will never love anyone as much as her late wife, Lilou.

One fateful day, the three women meet outside a concert venue, after Sybil is run down by a careless youth on an e-bike. Uncharacteristically for all three, they decide to go for a drink to recover from the ordeal, and a connection sparks between them...

This lovely story unfurls through the voices of the three women, with snippets from Flavia and Bronte, and journeys between Ireland, Italy and France. As their friendship grows, the 'Merry Widows' reveal their stories - Ailie telling of her fresh grief at the loss of her Italian husband Georgio, and the difficult state of affairs with his family, who never accepted her; Sybil recounting her life with tech-genius Theo, which took her around the world, and the unwelcome efforts of Tansy to marry her off; and Rua, whose life has shrunk since the loss of her French wife, and who has no idea how to broach a difficult subject with her daughter.

Lashing of golden moments, steeped in laughter (Turkey Teeth Burt was quite something) and tears ensue as the women support each other through their trials and tribulations, and learn to open up their hearts to new experiences. There are some particularly beautiful episodes in Italy, where Sybil helps Ailie tackle her difficult in-laws; in France, when Sybil and Ailie are at Rua's side as she finds closure; and at Rua's childhood home, when Bronte forces a painful confrontation. 

O'Flanagan's women are a joy. Steadfast Sybil was my favourite, but it was a treat to spend time with them all as they learned how to come to terms with the heart-ache of their individual losses and to write their own sequels. Themes of complicated families, marriage, motherhood, unbearable grief, and generational trauma are handled with sensitivity, and I found myself mopping up tears throughout.

Absolutely wonderful storytelling about female friendship and second chances kept me absorbed from the first page to the last. I really did not want to say goodbye to Sybil, Ailie and Rua. and would love to know what happens to them next, if you ever have a follow-up novel in mind Ms O'Flanagan?

Secrets Between Friends is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Sheila O'Flanagan is the award-winning author of over thirty books, including The Honeymoon Affair, The Woman on the Bridge, What Eden Did Next, Three Weddings and a Proposal, and The Missing Wife.

She lives in Dublin with her husband.

The Park (Evenstad Media Presents Book One) by Voss Foster

 

The Park (Evenstad Media Presents Book One) by Voss Foster.

Published 1st January 2015.

From the cover of the book:

12 Contestants

20,000,000 Dollars

1 Survivor

The Park: Evenstad Media's newest reality show. There are no laws. There are no rules. The only goal is to stay alive. But in Evenstad's arena, things are far from simple. Outfitted with strange new weapons, trapped in the dark, afraid for their lives, it's only a matter of time before somebody takes the first shot.

And all the while, the world watches. Some in disgust, some rapt, but all feeding Evenstad, and all oblivious to the horrors they're helping fund. By the time anyone notices, will there be time to put an end to it? Or will it be too late?

***********

Twelve contestants find themselves dropped into a games arena modelled on a trailer park. Attached to each of the bemused contestants is a note explaining a single survivor will win $20,000,000. Food, drink, and a single curious weapon are the only provisions. Let the games begin.

This intriguing speculative novel is an enjoyable mix of Nerve meets Arnold Swarzenegger's Running Man, in which twelve contestants must fight it out to receive a life changing amount of prize money. The concept is simple, but the there is nothing easy about the game play.

The novel is almost entirely of the epistolary kind, as the plot unfurls largely via the journals of the contestants, bolstered by transcripts of emails, online blogs, news stories, ads, and corporate letters, so you have to put together all the little details of the plot yourself. And there is a lot of unsettling psychological fun to be had in the process.

The most interesting parts of the novel follow the shifting allegiances amongst the contestants, as the pressure of the game leads to murder, mayhem, and fracturing mental health. There is a lot more going on here that a cruel tv game intended to draw in millions for Evenstad Media too - a side order of real-world domination for one thing - which mixes up the premise nicely.

This a quick read, which really provokes your thoughts, and for the most part, the format works well. I would have liked a retrospective from the winning contestant to tie up the loose ends at the end of the novel though - particularly given their bold decision!

I rather enjoyed this. The series continues with further novels that follow the theme in different game settings (a mall, an inn, and in some tunnels), which I have not ventured into, but if this kind of sci-fi thriller is your bag then they are probably worth a punt.

The Park is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Voss Foster lives in the middle of the Eastern Washington desert, where he writes sci-fi and fantasy from inside a single wide trailer. He is the author of Tartaros, Zirkua Fantastic, and The Jester Prince.

When he can be pried away from his keyboard, he can be found singing, practicing photography, cooking, and belly dancing, though rarely all at the same time.

The Women At Ocean's End by Faith Hogan

 

The Women At Ocean's End by Faith Hogan.

Published in paperback 26th February 2026 by Aria.

Audio book narrated by Flora Montgomery.

From the cover of the book:

Constance Macken, in her ninth decade, is looking back on a life filled with laughter and loss, tragedy and triumph, but knows it is time to right the wrongs from her past that have always haunted her.

Heather Banks arrives on the island to bury her mother. Already adrift with her business sold and her divorce finalised this may be the perfect opportunity to change the course of her future.

Ros Stokes has managed to slip into the perfect job, the perfect cottage and friends that feel like family. However, when the stitches of her life begin to unravel, she must find a way to hold onto the things that have become most dear to her and let go of what holds her back.

***********

Now in her eighties, Constance Macken reflects upon her long life, and all the triumphs and tragedies that have come with it. The once stately, Art-Deco splendour of Ocean's End, the house her author mother bought at the height of her fame, is crumbling around her. She is lonely and unfinished business is weighing her down.

Then two women grieving the loss of their mothers, and looking for a place to call home come, to Pin Hill Island - newly divorced Heather Banks, daughter of Constance's childhood friend Dotty; and young Ros Stokes, the local wildlife ranger. They bring with them the opportunity for Constance to right some of the wrongs which haunt her...

Off the coast of Ireland, close to Faith Hogan's more familiar, and much-loved community of Ballycove, lies the wild and windswept Pin Hill Island - where this gorgeous story from one of my favourite authors takes place. The novel unfurls from the perspectives of Constance, Heather and Ros in the present, with flashbacks to the past through the eyes of Constance and Dotty, and the threads weave beautifully together to make a wonderful heart-felt tapestry.

As Constance acknowledges the end of her life is close, and with it the chance to reunite with her beloved husband (lost long ago at sea) and her charismatic mother, she longs to make peace with her past. The chance comes through Ros' energetic generosity; and Heather's return to Ocean's End, where she remembers spending heady summer holidays with her mother, before something happened to fracture Dotty and Constance's friendship.

As the women forge a close friendship in the present, whilst trying to bring Ocean's End back to life, Heather and Ros also face up to their own sorrows and regrets, finding healing on Pin Hill Island in warm-hearted Constance's company (and gentle romances too) - they also uncover a literary treasure trove in the work of Constance's mother, Maggie Macken. Meanwhile, in the past, Hogan explores the complexities of the relationship between Constance and Dotty, delving into the impact of the secret that bound them together... and tore them apart.

This story thrums with deep emotion and a wealth of recurring themes around family, friendship, community, environment, and second chances - especially when it comes to mothers and daughters. I completely fell in love with these women as my heart broke in two, and was remade in the kind of tear-stained, uplifting ending Hogan is so good at. 

It is impossible to describe how enchanting this book is, and I so enjoyed revisiting it via the audio book impeccably narrated by Flora Montgomery. It filled me up heart and soul, and left me a blubbering mess in the best possible way. Faith, you always make me sob, and I love you for it.

I cannot wait to return to Pin Hill Island very soon in The Sisters of Hope Square (out in June).

The Women at Ocean's End is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Faith lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and two very fussy cats. She has an Hons Degree in English Literature and Psychology, has worked as a fashion model and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.

The Dangerous Stranger (DI Ryan Wilkins Mysteries Book Five) by Simon Mason

The Dangerous Stranger (DI Ryan Wilkins Mysteries Book Five) by Simon Mason.

Published 12th March 2026 by riverrun.

From the cover of the book:

On a warm and pleasant evening in Oxford, gentle city of poets and scholars, rioters outside a hotel full of asylum seekers set a young refugee on fire. The city - the country - convulses in shock. Is this who we are? It's international news of the very worst kind, and the Chief Constable demands immediate and exemplary action in bringing the perpetrators to justice. The detectives leading the investigation fill him with misgivings, however: DIs Ryan and Ray Wilkins (no relation), Thames Valley's detective pantomime horse, one Oxford-educated, the other Oxford-trailer park. He doesn't understand why they work together. 'Do they even get on?' 'Somehow that doesn't seem necessary,' their Superintendent replies.

Who burned the boy alive? Was it a far-right extremist? Was it an ordinary person who had simply gone along to watch and got caught up in the emotion? Could it even be one of the children who were there? Deploying a range of investigative skills, some standard, some unconventional and some frankly nuts, the Wilkinses do what they do: results with chaos. But when they discover that the victim was not an asylum seeker after all, or even a resident of the hotel, the whole investigation kicks into a completely different configuration.

 ***********

In the gentle city of dreaming spires tempers are running high, and not just because of the balmy temperatures. A riot breaks out in the street fronting a hotel housing asylum seekers. Amidst the violence a young refugee is set on fire - an act so appalling that it sends shockwaves through the whole country.

The Chief Constable is determined that the guilty parties be brought to justice as quickly as possible, but he is filled with misgivings about the detectives in charge of the investigation, despite the support of their Superintendent -  DIs Ryan and Ray Wilkins (no relation), an unlikely pairing that somehow seems to produce results, even if their methods are questionable.

Who killed the boy, and why? The Wilkinses are on the case...

DIs Ryan and Ray Wilkins (no relation) are back in the fifth instalment of one of my absolute favourite police procedural series!

Sedate and scholarly Oxford is reeling from an act of violence that seems too horrific to be true, when a young man is burned to death in the car park of a hotel housing terrified asylum seekers. The resulting media storm brings pressure on the police to solve this case in double-quick time, but as DIs Ryan and Ray Wilkins (no relation) track down the clues in their less than orthodox manner it seems the charred-beyond-recognition victim might not actually be who they thought he was. Meanwhile, a dangerous stranger, known only as 'Dogs', lurks in the shadows.

The investigation twists and turns in classic Mason style, as the unlikely duo - Oxford-educated, poster-boy Ray, and chaotic, but inspired Ryan from the-wrong-side-of-the-trailer-park - uncover surprising clues that hint at a very different kind of murder than racist retribution... with the help of a couple of welcome new characters. eager DS Williams and a quirky detective from across the Channel who adds a touch of joie de vivre.

Characteristically, Ryan goes off-piste into Oxford's underbelly, relying on his local knowledge to get the edge, whilst rubbing up authority-types the wrong way, and doing his best as single-dad to adorable 'little Ryan'. Intriguingly, it is the normally level-headed Ray who loses his cool somewhat in this investigation, under the mounting pressures of his personal life, whilst Ryan comes-up trumps - a heart-warming turn of affairs which I really enjoyed, particularly when it comes to how it impacts the Wilkinses' relationship.

Lots of lovely themes run through this cracking page-turner, especially around the very timely subject of the plight of asylum seekers and the rise of ugly far-right hatred, and complex relationships between father and son, which add so much intelligently employed depth. And the DIs Ryan and Ray Wilkins (no relation) partnership continues to shine in all its left-of-field, darkly comic glory. Superb!

The Dangerous Stranger is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Simon Mason has pursued parallel careers as a publisher and an author, whose YA crime novels Running Girl, Kid Got Shot and Hey, Sherlock! feature the sixteen-year-old slacker genius Garvie Smith.

A former Managing Director of David Fickling Books, where he worked with many wonderful writers, including Philip Pullman, he has also taught at Oxford Brookes University and has been a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Exeter College, Oxford.