When I First Held You By Anstey Harris

When I First Held You by Anstey Harris.

Published 24th January 2023 by Lake Union Publishing.

From the cover of the book:

Silence tore them apart. Can the truth bring them back together?

In 1960s Glasgow, anti-nuclear activists Judith and Jimmy fall in love. But their future hopes are dashed when their protestors’ squat is raided and many, including Jimmy, are sent to prison. Pregnant and with no word from Jimmy, Judith is forced to enter an unmarried mothers’ home, give up their baby and learn to live with her grief.

More than half a century later, Judith’s Mending Shop restores broken treasures, just as Judith herself has been bound back together by her late, much-missed partner, Catherine. But her tranquillity is shattered when Jimmy—so different and yet somehow the same—reappears, yearning to unpick the painful past.

Realising they each know only half of the other’s story, Jimmy and Judith finally break the silence that tore apart what might have been their family. Amid heartbreak and hope, how much can now be mended?

***********

In the years since the death of her much missed partner, famous artist Catherine Rolf, retired social worker Judith has valiantly carried on running Catherine's beloved Mending Shop, which restores broken treasures in much the same way as she repaired Judith's broken heart more than fifty years ago. Lately, however, she has been wondering whether keeping the shop going herself is really what Catherine wanted for her. Maybe the time has come for her to step aside and follow a new path?

Then, following news coverage about the work of the Mending Shop, Judith's fragile progress is shattered by the appearance of someone from the dark days of her past - Jimmy McConnell. The man she last saw in 1960s Glasgow, when he was dragged away from the squat where she and other anti-nuclear protesters lived, to be sent to prison. The man who left her pregnant with no option but to enter a mother and baby home and give up her much wanted daughter for adoption. The man who betrayed her.

Jimmy's shock return sends Judith reeling. He wants the chance to explain what happened all those years ago, but they are strangers who barely know each other, and Judith is unwilling to stir up all the painful memories associated with that episode of her life. Can they find a way to mend the heartbreak that tore them apart? Should they even try?

Inspired by Anstey Harris' own family history, When I First Held you delves into the shocking history of forced adoptions throughout the 1950s to 1970s, when unmarried mothers were made to give up their babies to preserve the fallacy of 'family values'.

It is really difficult to talk too much about this one without giving spoilers, as the story covers a lot of ground emotionally, ideologically, historically, and geographically, which is darned impressive. It moves back and forth between Judith and Jimmy's relationship in the 1960s and the resulting sad tale of Judith's pregnancy; and the present from when Jimmy unexpectedly walks back into Judith's life. Judith is the central narrator, and the force of her inner turmoil cuts you to the quick as she takes you through her heartrending experiences, both firsthand in the past, and when she revisits them upon Jimmy's arrival. As the story progresses beyond Judith and Jimmy's painful reunion, another character adds their voice to the story... but I leave you to discover who this is for yourselves.

This is my first book from Anstey Harris, and I have been bowled over by her beautiful writing. Judith's voice drew me in from the very beginning, and the impact of her sense of loss is heart-breaking to bear witness to. She is beginning to find a way forward until Jimmy intrudes into her life, but his arrival brings up all the things she thought she had recovered from through her happiness with Catherine, opening raw wounds once again.

However, it is not so easy to paint Jimmy as the villain of the piece as you might think. When he and Judith come to tell both sides of their sad history, we begin to understand every facet of their tragic love story. The truth on both sides unfurls with perfect timing, slowly changing you perspective on their relationship and the factors that came into play to keep them apart. I shed many tears as they gradually worked through the mountain of pain that lay between them, and found a way to forgive each other and themselves. I especially loved the way Harris separates the idea of the people they were in the past when they parted, and who they have become when they are reunited.

Harris keeps nothing back about the impossible position unmarried mothers found themselves in if they became pregnant and had no husband, or family, to support them. There are many difficult scenes to negotiate in this part of the story that will break your heart in two. Interestingly, in the telling, she touches on the difficulties of obtaining reliable contraception, and the harsh facts of the wider adoption process too. The thread around nuclear protests of the 1960s is absolutely fascinating as well.

For all the pain in this book, with its exploration of the agony of different aspects of loss, it is balanced by love, understanding, and reconciliation in abundance. Judith's journey is an all consuming one, and Harris tells it with accomplished skill. My favourite theme is the way Harris uses unity - especially at the end of the book. I sobbed!

This is an incredible book, guaranteed to be on my best of 2023 pile. I will be buying Harris' back catalogue without further ado - her writing is wonderful.

When I First Held You is available to buy in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Anstey Harris was born in an unmarried mothers’ home in Liverpool in 1965. Now a mother and stepmother herself, she lives in Scotland where she runs a writing retreat. She has been inspired by her family history, and hopes to give a voice to the women and children—16,000 a year during the 1960s in the UK—separated from each other by forced adoptions.

Anstey won the H. G. Wells Short Story Award in 2015 and her debut novel, The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton, a Richard and Judy Book Club choice, won the Sapere Books RNA Popular Romantic Fiction Award in 2020. Her second novel, Where We Belong, was shortlisted for the RNA Book of the Year Award 2021 and she numbers Libby Page, Katie Fforde and Beth O’Leary among her many fans.

Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie

 

Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie.

This edition published 21st May 2015 by Harper Collins.

First published 1940.

From the cover of the book:

An elderly stroke victim dies without having arranged a will…

Beautiful young Elinor Carlisle stood serenely in the dock, accused of the murder of Mary Gerrard, her rival in love. The evidence was damning: only Elinor had the motive, the opportunity and the means to administer the fatal poison.

Yet, inside the hostile courtroom, only one man still presumed Elinor was innocent until proven guilty: Hercule Poirot was all that stood between Elinor and the gallows…

***********

When beautiful Elinor Carlisle receives a rather worrying letter about her wealthy aunt Mrs Laura Welman, she decides to take a trip down to Hunterbury with her cousin Roddy Welman to check that everything is in order. They find the old lady downcast by her latest stroke, but she is soon cheered by the news of their engagement, and the ever positive Dr Lord and two attending nurses seem to have everything in hand.

The presence of the lovely Mary Gerard, daughter of Mrs Welman's former lady's maid and the childhood playmate of Elinor and Roddy, is less comforting, at least for Elinor. Mary has recently returned to Hunterbury after being supported through her education by Mrs Welman, who is very fond of her. Roddy finds himself immediately attracted to her, and Elinor is not blind to his change of heart.

When Mrs Welman dies unexpectedly following another stroke, after expressing a wish to make provision for Mary's future, the atmosphere at Hunterbury becomes unbearable. Mrs Welman has died without making a will, leaving Elinor the sole heir to her fortune, and suspicious eyes are cast her way. The tension between her and Roddy inevitably brings an end to their relationship, and Elinor wants nothing more than to see Mary, the instrument of her heartbreak, dead. So, when Mary succumbs to poison, Elinor is the prime suspect. All the evidence points to Elinor as the perpetrator of the crime, driven by motives of jealousy and hatred. But is she guilty of more than just wishing her rival out of the picture? Dr Lord thinks not, and asks Hercule Poirot to use the power of his little grey cells to save Elinor from the gallows.

The story is split into three parts - the first detailing the story at Hunterbury up to the point when Mary Gerrard is murdered and Elinor arrested; the second outlining Hercule Poirot's investigation; and the third taking you into the courtroom as the trial against Elinor plays out. 

Not unusually for Christie, her star detective Poirot does not appear for a while in this story - in fact, he is absent for the entire first part, apart from a brief mention in the prologue. Part two is when he excels in all his cerebral glory, as he runs through the evidence in the case, asks pertinent questions, and puts his knowledge of 'the psychologies' to good use. 

What is unusual for a Poirot story however, is that and he is almost entirely silent during the third part of the tale too. His crucial discoveries have only been hinted at up to this point. What he has uncovered is finally revealed as the court case proceeds through legal jousting and the testimony of several witnesses, culminating in a suspenseful wait before the verdict is announced. He does pop up again at the end with some sage wisdom for Dr Lord to round the story off nicely though. This is a completely different format from any other Christie I have read before, but it works marvellously well.

This is Christie at her very best, with complex characters and twisty plotlines that hide the truth for almost the entire story. This is one that you really have to delve into to discard the red herrings, as all the evidence points strongly to one person, but Poirot shines through. It goes without saying that Poirot is always my favourite in one of his mysteries, but Dr Lord with his unprofessed love for, and quiet devotion to, Elinor made him a little treasure in this tale.

There are some intriguing details in this story that set the scene of time and place in a more tangible way than many other Christie stories, which I found quite delicious. This comes across beautifully in the way she uses popular culture in reference to the movies playing at the cinema through the story, especially in the letters that pass back and forth between the two nurses, Nurse O'Brien and Nurse Hopkins - which are also used to fill in a lot of vital background information too. Well played Agatha!

As my first book in the brand new #ReadChristie2023 challenge, celebrating her use of methods and motives, this has been an absolute winner. That is jealously ticked off the list, and I cannot wait to see what is on the menu for February.

I alternated reading the print edition of Sad Cypress, and listening to the excellent audio book narrated by my favourite Poirot David Suchet this month - it was delight to listen to his dulcet tones once again. 

Sad Cypress 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.

The Wrong Key by A.J. Campbell

The Wrong Key by A.J. Campbell.

Published 12th January 2023.

From the cover of the book:

Unlocking the truth is the only way to save her daughter...

When her US counterpart is involved in a serious car accident, London-based Steph Knight is sent to New York to provide cover at the company she works for.

After her recent traumatic divorce, it’s the perfect opportunity for a fresh start and for Steph to spend some time with her teenage daughter, Ellie, a gifted musician, before she leaves for university.

In New York, Steph meets corporate lawyer Edward, and Ellie meets bartender Jack. Both women become embroiled in whirlwind romances that intensify over a hot and sultry New York summer. But as Steph begins to uncover a web of corruption within her company that seemingly reaches right to the top, she feels increasingly threatened, with no idea who she can trust. Not even the men they've fallen for are beyond suspicion.

And just when it appears things can’t get any worse, Ellie disappears.

When Steph receives an ominous text message and a video, she knows her daughter has been kidnapped. To secure her safe return, Steph must stop her investigation at work. The clock is ticking. Ellie’s life is in danger.

Alone, terrified and far from home, Steph has to draw on all her inner strength and investigative skills to find Ellie before it’s too late. Because a mother’s love knows no bounds, Steph is going to save her daughter, even if it kills her…

***********

It has been a difficult time for auditor Steph Warren after the shock break-up of her marriage. She has been gradually piecing her personal life back together, but soon her talented musician daughter Ellie will be off to university to follow her dreams, and Steph is unsure what the future holds.

When Steph is needed in New York to stand-in for her American counterpart Melissa, who has been involved in a serious car accident, it seems the ideal opportunity for her and Ellie to spend some time together before their lives change for ever. Their summer adventure gets off to a great start too, when Steph meets corporate lawyer Edward, and Ellie meets bartending college student Jack, and they both fall into whirlwind romances.

However, the job that Steph was sent here to do is another matter. Having looked into Melissa's work, she is convinced that there is some kind of corruption going on around the high value trades that pass through the company. Veiled threats to leave things well alone, and the feeling that someone is following her, have Steph increasingly concerned, but she is determined to get to the truth. When Ellie goes missing and the threat of violence becomes real, she does not know who she can trust - including the men that she and Ellie have become close to.

With Steph under pressure to drop her investigation at the risk of losing her daughter, she must use all her wits to find Ellie before it is too late...

The Wrong Key immerses you in the world of corporate finance stateside in the Big Apple itself, New York. Auditor Steph is a fish out of water in this place, but she has been trying to take on new challenges since the break-up of her marriage, and the prospect of promotion on the horizon means she is prepared to give this opportunity her all. Being in this new city emboldens Steph to take the plunge into a new romance too, and despite her plan to use this trip spend more time with Ellie, it has turned into something that has taken them both in unexpected directions.

But... this being an A.J. Campbell, you know you are in for far more than a cosy little transatlantic romance. The sinister prologue from Ellie tells you from the beginning that danger lies ahead for her and Steph, and all the time you are on tenterhooks, eyeing everyone and everything with suspicion, while you wait for the shoe to drop. 

Campbell creates a delicious atmosphere of menace, with characters you are never quite sure you can trust, despite appearances. Once things begin to go seriously awry, she mixes up the mystery by throwing a few well-crafted red-herrings your way to keep you guessing, right until the twists and turns work themselves out in a thrilling climax. The pages fly by as the narration between Steph and Ellie swaps back and forth, and the tension rises with perfect pacing. I loved the way the title hints at an integral part of the story too - in a way that proves to be really rather clever.

The story flows well, leads you on nicely, and is entertainingly cinematic. Although, for me, there is perhaps a little link in the chain missing between the full-on edge of your seat reckoning scene and the tying-up-of-threads epilogue, there is so much here to get your teeth into. I very much enjoyed the satisfying ending Campbell contrives - and I am sure you will too. This is a read in one gripping session thriller, which is exactly what I did as I could not put it down! I think it might be Campbell's best one yet!

The Wrong Key is available to buy now in paperback and ebook now.

Thank you to A.J. Campbell for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

AJ CAMPBELL is an Amazon bestselling author of psychological suspense and promises stories full of twists, turns and torment. Her fourth book The Phone Call was released in July 2022 and topped the Amazon charts for several months. She has just released her fifth novel The Wrong Key.

AJ draws inspiration for her stories from seemingly unbelievable situations in which ordinary people find themselves. She creates compelling characters that resonate with her readers. AJ lives in the UK on the Essex / Hertfordshire border with her husband, sons, and cocker spaniel, Max. A dog lover, Netflix junkie, wine and Asian food enthusiast, either reading or writing, AJ enjoys nothing more than getting stuck into a twisty book!

Dirt by Sarah Sultoon

 

Dirt by Sarah Sultoon.

Published by 19th January 2023 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

This is no utopia…

1996. Northern Israel. Lola leaves an unhappy home life in England for the fabled utopian life of a kibbutz, but this heavily guarded farming community on the Arab-Israeli border isn’t the idyll it seems, and tensions are festering.

Hundreds of miles away, in the Jerusalem offices of the International Tribune newspaper, all eyes are on Israel’s response to a spate of rocket attacks from Lebanon, until cub reporter Jonny Murphy gets a tip from a mysterious source that sends him straight into the danger zone.

When the body of an Arab worker is discovered in the dirt of the kibbutz chicken house, it triggers a series of events that puts Lola and the whole community in jeopardy, and Jonny begins to uncover a series of secrets that put everything at risk, as he begins to realise just how far some people will go to belong…

***********

1996, Northern Israel: Lola thought she had left her unhappy family life, and feelings of never quite fitting in, back in the UK, when she followed her best friend Sam out here to sample the famed kibbutz lifestyle. But it is not quite so easy to leave your problems behind when you are living among strangers in a heavily guarded compound near the Lebanese border, and you understand only a fraction of the divisions that trouble this land.

In Jerusalem, young reporter Jonny Murphy is also in Israel, searching for a sense of belonging among the family his mother left behind when she 'married out' of the Jewish community. His work immerses him in the fallout of the recent rocket attacks from Lebanon, and when he receives a surprising tip about something odd going on in a kibbutz near the northern border, he is sure he is on to a big story.

An Arab worker has been found murdered in a chicken house on the kibbutz, and it sparks a series of events that put Lola and her fellow kibbutzniks in danger. Can Jonny uncover the secrets that lie at the heart of this community before it is too late?

I love a story with layer upon layer to peel back before the truth becomes clear, and Dirt by Sarah Sultoon does this to perfection. What begins as a tale of a group of volunteers finding their feet in a kibbutz community that it not quite as idyllic as anticipated, especially given the strain of frequent missile attacks from just over the border, ripens into a story rife with complex relationship dynamics that are provoked by more than political and religious tension.

Following on from a chilling prologue, the story is driven by the narrations of Lola and Jonny, setting the scene about atmosphere between the workers at the kibbutz from one side, and the over-arching time and place on the other. You get the feeling that something is very wrong here about the way the workers interact with each other, but it is not until the murder brings Jonny on the scene in pursuit of a headline grabbing scoop that the secrets start to spill - especially when he is forced to reluctantly take on the role of detective.

Sultoon touches on so much in the telling of this tale, and her knowledge of the conflict that marks the Middle East really comes through in the way she spins what is essentially a murder mystery into a complicated story that twists beautifully into a cracking political thriller. However, it is the human factors that really make this book for me, in the way she floods it with echoing themes around blood, family, identity, loyalty, and power, using them with a light touch to lay bare what lies underneath the surface in more ways than one. Jonny and Lola are both broken, and I very much enjoyed how Sultoon uses their search for belonging to ramp up the emotional content too. And, as a fan of a clever book title, I must say that Dirt deserves a mention as one filled with many shades of delicious meaning.

This is a book to read in one sitting, as you follow the suspense suffused threads to their explosive conclusions - which I guarantee will take you to places you do not see coming! I am really looking forward to adding more Sarah Sultoon to my reading pile!    

Dirt is available to buy now in paperback and ebook.

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

About the author:

Sarah Sultoon is a journalist and writer, whose work as an international news executive at CNN has taken her all over the world, from the seats of power in both Westminster and Washington to the frontlines of Iraq and Afghanistan. She has extensive experience in conflict zones, winning three Peabody awards for her work on the war in Syria, an Emmy for her contribution to the coverage of Europe's migrant crisis in 2015, and a number of Royal Television Society gongs. 

As passionate about fiction as nonfiction, she recently completed a Masters of Studies in Creative Writing at the University of Cambridge, adding to an undergraduate language degree in French and Spanish, and Masters of Philosophy in History, Film and Television. 

When not reading or writing she can usually be found somewhere outside, either running, swimming or throwing a ball for her three children and dog while she imagines what might happen if ...

Bellatrix (Legion XXII Book Two) by Simon Turney

 

Bellatrix (Legion XXII Book Two) by Simon Turney.

Published 5th January 2023 by Aries, Head of Zeus.

From the cover of the book:

Warrior and combat medic of the Twenty Second Legion, Titus Cervianus, must fight the armies of the fabled Warrior Queen in this blistering new Roman adventure from Simon Turney.

Egypt, 25 BC. Titus Cervianus is no ordinary soldier. And the Twenty Second is no ordinary legion. Formed from the personal guard of a conquered king, the Twenty Second's ways are strange to soldiers of the Empire - yet the legion has proved itself in the blistering heat of the desert.

Cervianus and his comrades march into the unknown as he and the Twenty Second Legion contend with the armies of the Bellatrix: the Warrior Queen of Kush. 

The Kushites and the Egyptians are united against the Roman presence in their lands - but there are complex political and military forces at work. 

Deep in the deserts, Cervianus and his comrades must brace themselves for a furious onslaught as they take on the might of the Bellatrix.

***********

Egypt, 25 AD. With Buhen secured from the Kushite invaders after a bloody battle, Cervianus and his fellow comrades of the XXII Legion are faced with the prospect of a foolhardy incursion into Kush to take on its infamous warrior queen Bellatrix, under the command of the increasingly unpopular Vitalis.

It is Cervianus' fate to be capsarius to the force of the First and Second cohorts who must march into the inhospitable desert towards the Kush stronghold of Napata, and attempt to survive its dangers - and be ready for battle when they get there.

Can they hope for victory in an environment that wants to see them dead, against a bloodthirsty foe, and under the command of a man who prizes fame above the welfare of his men?

Bellatrix is the second gripping adventure of Titus Cervianus, capsarius (combat medic) to the XXII Legion, following closely on from the exciting events of The Capsarius. 

Cervianus begins this story between a rock and a hard place, most likely destined to become collateral damage to Vitalis' vanity mission to subdue the kingdom of Kush and its warrior queen. The prospects of the XXII are certainly not looking bright given the task ahead, especially for the First and Second cohorts who must cross the desert wasteland to arrive at their battleground.

But in many ways, this Cervianus is very different to the naive, friendless, and extremely annoying young man who set foot of Alexandria not so long ago. He has made some firm friends, seen the reality of combat, and been forced to confront some of the intellectual principles he holds with high regard, while learning about the religious devotions of the people whose land he finds himself in - and all these factors will come into play in this second book.

Obviously, I am not going to give away spoilers about what happens, but I can tell you that Simon Turney uses his considerable talents to weave fact and fiction together to create another rip-roaring historical adventure that immerses you completely in the Roman world - this time, beyond the fringes of the Empire in an environment that has been little explored, deep into the territory of the ancient land of Kush.

Turney holds nothing back about the dangers of nature and human kind that Cervianus and his comrades in arms face on their journey, and the impact of the inevitable losses that result. You feel yourself trudging along beside these men in the heat and the dust, with despair dogging their heels. There are many difficult, and emotional moments to take in, but along the way you also get to know Cervianus and his friends all the better for them, learning so much more about their talents and the way they complement each other under exceptionally difficult circumstances. I grew to love them, to understand the importance of the dark humour that sustained them and forged the bonds of friendship, and felt every casualty with force - tears were shed.

In keeping with what I have come to expect from Turney, as one of my very favourite historical fiction writers, there is so much fantastic detail here about how Romans lived and died in pursuit of the glory of the Empire, even though many of them were born and bred far from Rome. There is also such lovely interplay between the intellectual ideas of science, and the mystique of religion, in the way Cervianus comes to terms with how intellect and belief can come together for good - which makes for a cracking climax to this story. I am always fascinated by the breadth of knowledge he has, and his dedication to learning, and it was very satisfying to see him finally receiving recognition for the personality traits that have previously made him unpopular amongst his colleagues - while still being kept grounded by his close friends.

I am rather sad to be leaving the XXII behind with this book, as the two volumes of Legion XXII have been a joy to consume. I am pretty sure that there are further adventures of the XXII to tell, which I certainly want to read, so my fingers are crossed that there may be more in the future. 

Bellatrix is available to buy now in hardcover and ebook formats.

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

About the author:

Simon Turney is from Yorkshire and, having spent much of his childhood visiting historic sites, fell in love with   heritage of the region. His fascination with the ancient world snowballed from there with great interest in Rome, , Greece and Byzantium. His works include the Marius' Mules and Praetorian series, the Tales of the Empire and The Damned Emperor series, and the Rise of Emperors books with Gordon Doherty. 

 lives in North Yorkshire with his family.

 Brownflopsy's Book Awards 2022

Time to shout about some of the wonderful books I read in 2022, with my annual book awards! 

Some of these I have already highlighted in my 22 of 22, and I will talk about them a bit more below, but there are also so many others that deserve your attention for a variety of different reasons, and this is their chance to shine. I really hope you will add some (if not all) of the ones that are new to you to your 2023 tbr piles, as they are all amazing!

I have linked all the books mentioned to my reviews so you can discover why I have chosen them...

THE DEBUTS:

There are far too many delicious debuts from 2022 to mention in this post, but here are 12 tasty morsels that really deserve your time.

In no particular order:

• All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien
• Wake by Shelley Burr
  
• Nobody But Us by Laure van Rensburg
  
• The Midnight House by Amanda Geard
  
• Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
  
• The Dictator's Wife by Freya Berry
  
• That Green Eyed Girl by Julie Owen Moylan
  
• The Measure by Nikki Erlick
  
• Bad Fruit by Ella King
  
• Wahala by Nikki May
  
• The French House by Jacquie Bloese
  
• The Secrets Of Rochester Place by Iris Costello
  

These are all fabulous, but which one makes it as my DEBUT OF 2022?

🥁🥁🥁

It has to be The Dictator's Wife by Freya Berry! 🎉🎉🎉

Freya's debut offering blew me away! It is beautifully written, cleverly conceived, totally gripping, and full of breathtaking similie and metaphor. I cannot wait for Freya's follow-up The Birdcage Library which is coming in June, and I predict a very bright writing future for her! ❤❤❤

FEEL THE LOVE:

Next up, meet the books that merit my FEEL THE LOVE Award - whether it be romantic love or love of family (sometimes both) these are sure to warm the cockles of your heart and reduce you to a blubbering mess!

The line-up:

• All About Evie by Matson Taylor
  
• Twelve Hours To Say I Love You by Olivia Poulet and Laurence Dobiesz
  
• Christmas Eve At Cranberry Cross by Kate Forster
  
• Every Shade Of Happy by Phyllida Shrimpton
  
• Love And Other Human Errors by Bethany Clift
  
• On The First Day of Christmas by Faith Hogan
  
• One Night On The Island by Josie Silver
• The Key To My Heart by Lia Louis
  
• Santa Maybe by Mary Jayne Baker
  

As previously announced, this group also includes by BOOK OF 2022: The gorgeous Love And Other Human Errors by Bethany Clift!

I gulped this magnificent book down in one delectable bite, completely enamoured with the way Clift combines all the best elements of a romantic tale with a rollicking, dystopian sci-fi adventure. I laughed. I cried. I lapped up the will-they-won't-they suspense. I adored it!

THE HEARTBREAKERS:

These two books are beautifully written and totally heartbreaking - be prepared to have a whole box of tissues near by when you read them!

• The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech 
  
• Blue Hour by Sarah Schmidt
  

The Lion Tamer Who Lost is one of the most affecting stories I have read about family, connection and finding the courage to be true to yourself. Beech uses the themes of lions, family ties, honesty, love and the power of wishes to perfection, and just when you think you cannot cry anymore, she hits you with further moments of sob inducing drama to get you reaching for the tissues again. This the tear-jerker of all tear-jerkers! 

Blue Hour is a beautifull written, many layered story about two women trapped by the choices they have made. Schmidt holds you in moments that convey every ounce of painfully intense emotion, and shows great insight about the contradictions that make up her characters. The push and pull of opposing feelings is captured with perfection, and you become so caught up in the intricacies that only when it is too late do you realise where she has been leading you all along... It left me uttrrly broken.

LIFE AFFIRMING READS:

What is life all about? Read these and see...

• Animal Life by Audur Ava Ólafsdottir
  
• The Measure by Nikki Erlick
  
• A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
  

BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN:

This award goes to The Unravelling by Polly Crosby which is stunning. This follow-up to Polly's incredible debut The Illustrated Child confirms her place as an auto-buy author for me. I cannot wait for her next book, Vita and the Birds, which is out in May. 

BEST FICTION AUDIO BOOKS:

These are my two favourite fiction audio books of 2022, both from fabulous little indie press Gallic Books:

• The Lady In The Car With Glasses And A Gun by Sébastien Japrisot
  
• A Hundred Million Years And A Day by Jean Baptiste Andrea
  

BEST NON-FICTION/MEMOIR AUDIO BOOK:

This award goes to Putting The Rabbit In The Hat by Brian Cox which is the best acting autobiography I have listened to in a long time -just like settling down for a chat wuth Brian Cox! 

A CLASH OF CULTURES:

This award goes to the glorious Wahala by Nikki May

Nigeria meets London, and examines female friendship, and the expectations placed on women who have a foot in more than one culture, with fabulous insight - and with an injection of a whole lot of trouble!

UNSETTLING TALES:

Here's a selection to upset your inner calm - and keep you awake at night!

• The Blackbird by Tim Weaver
  
• The Bay by Allie Reynolds
  
• The Mirror Man by Lars Kepler
  
• Shadow Girls by Carol Birch
  
• This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel
  
• Off Target by Eve Smith
  

OUT-STANDING OUTBACK:

Outback tales are one of my favourite things to read, and these are two of the very best from 2022.

• Opal Country by Chris Hammer
  
• Wake by Shelley Burr
  

Opal Country is a spin-off from Hammer's Martin Scarsden books, so if you have enjoyed them, you need this one too. The series continues with Dead Man's Creek which has just been released, and is my favourite Hammer yet (review up soon) - so, why not buy both? 

Wake is a cracking debut from new talent Shelly Burr, and it is seriously classy. I am very excited to see what comes next from her.

WISH YOU WERE HERE:

Next up, two books that evoke all those Golden Age crime vives that I love:

• Dear Little Corpses by Nicola Upson
  
• Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare
  
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Dear Little Corpses is the latest instalment in Nicola Upson's marvellous series featuring novelist Josephine Tey as a sleuth, which us such a brilliant concept - there us also a delicious appearance from Margery Allingham in this one too! I cannot wait for the next one, Shot With Crimson, coming in August.

Miss Aldridge Regrets is an enchanting 1930s murder mystery aboard a transatlantic liner, that nicely channels Agatha Christie. It makes a fine follow-up to Hare's incredible debut, This Lovely City, which I highly recommend. I am very much looking forward to her next book, Harlem After Midnight, due in September. 

I would love to be a character in both of these books - hopefully one that survives unscathed to the end of the story... and one not destined for the hangman's noose!

BEST TIME-SLIP NOVELS: 

All three of these offer a masterclass in using time in the most captivating way, whether it be in a Sliding Doors fashion, or bleeding the past and present together:

• On The First Day Of Christmas by Faith Hogan
  
• The Midnight House by Amanda Geard
  
• The Birdcage by Eve Chase
  

THE PERFECT CIRCLE:

The finest use of echoing the beginning and end of a novel, by very clever use of London's historic Thames Frost Fairs, earns The Weather Woman by Sally Gardner the PERFECT CIRCLE AWARD. The bits inbetween are pretty special too!

MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEW:

This character driven, evocative stunner really pares down the cast of players from her wonderful previous book, The Silence of Scheherazade, to just four narratives that really get under your skin. Beautifully translated by Betsy Göksel, At the Breakfast Table by Defne Suman is simply stunning.

WHAT A DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE:

Imagine, if you will, a little bit of On the Road, a splash of Natural Born Killers, a twist of Trainspotting, and perhaps a touch of a more edgy Spinal Tap, distilled into a heady concoction from Ross' imagination that begs to be swallowed whole. It might be hard to get your head around at first, but then blossoms into something absolutely stunning, and vividly cinematic. 

Reading Dashboard Elvis Is Dead by David F. Ross  has been an experience... buckle up and go with it, because it is brilliant!

HIDDEN DEPTHS:

Blowing that difficult second book notion to smithereens, The Invisible by Peter Papathanasiou is the second book in the George Manolis series, follow an impressive debut The Stoning.

Papathanasiou layers theme upon theme, with beautiful interplay between facets of 'invisibility and references to uncomfortable history that will send you down many rabbit holes!

FAST AND FABULOUS: 

I present two absolute cracking page-turners from 2022, for tge thrill lovers among you:

• A Good Day To Die by Amen Alonge
  
• Double Or Nothing by Kim Sherwood
  

A Good Day To Die by Amen Alonge is an action filled debut novel that takes place over a single violent day. I am longing for the next Pretty Boy instalment A Good Night To Kill, which is hitting the bookshops in April!

Double Or Nothing by Kim Sherwood is the first book in a new trilogy set in the universe of James Bond. This tale of the new generation of 00 spies is one of the most exciting books I have read in ages. More please! 

SCI-FI STUNNER:

Many people think science fiction is a genre that is not for them, but sometimes a sci-fi book can show incredidle insight about the human condition - The Actuality by Paul Braddon is a fine example. 

This cracking, speculative dystopian thriller deftly weaves the best if sci-fi with brilliant touches of horror and literary fiction - and it made me sob!

SCANDI THRILLS:

We Know You Remember by Tove Alsterdal  is by a new voice to me in one of my favourite genres, and it kept me turning the pages long into the night. I am very excited to have a copy of the folow-up You Will Never Be Found in my hot little hands, which is out in February. I am really looking forward to be stunned by Alsterdal once more - keep your eyes peeled for my review.

TURN THE TABLES:

The award for the most original concept goes to Argo by Mark Knowles. 

This is a very clever retelling of the story of Jason and the Argonauts, with the mythical adventurers recast as mortals - and it works beautifully! The Blades Of Bronze series continues with Jason, concluding with Hades which publishes in October. Perfect for the Greek mythology fans out there who are not afraid of a new perspective in a familiar story. They are darned exciting too! 

SEQUELS PLEASE!

PART ONE: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT...

Here are two books absolutely crying out for sequels:

• Wahala by Nikki May because there is unfinished business needs to be resolved!
  
• Housebreaking by Colleen Hubbard because I want to be part of 'that' roadtrip! I'm going to keep banging in about this brilliant little book until Colleen gets to write that sequel! 🤣
  

PART TWO: TANTALISING TEAMS:

And... two books which set up such a lovely gang of characters that I want to read more about - both from fab indie press Moonflower Books:

• The Coming Darkness by Greg Mosse
  
• The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys by Jack Jewers
  

My fingers are crossed that we will get to meet again for more adventures soon!

EAGERLY AWAITING... :

If historical fiction is your bag, then these books are all second instalments in absolutely compelling series. I am eagerly awaiting third books in them all:

• The Poison Machine by Robert J. Lloyd which delightfully echoes Alexandre Dumas in parts, and follows on from the first book in the intriguing Hunt and Hooke series The Bloodless Boy
  
• A Night Of Flames by Matthew Harffy which is a very exciting follow-up to A Time For Swords and I cannot wait for Hunlaf's next adventure A Day Of Reckoning (out in October).
  
• The House With The Golden Door by Elodie Harper which continues Amara's story in Roman Pompeii after The Wolfden, The trilogy concludes with highly anticipated The Temple of Fortuna (out in November).
  
• Traitor In The Ice by K.J. Maitland which is the second book in the Daniel Pursglove series after the knockout first book The Drowned City. Book three Rivers Of Treason coming soon (out in April).
  

THAT'S A WRAP:

Vera Kelly: Lost And Found merits a mention as the final book in an excellent LGBTQ+ series following the adventures of feisty former CIA operative Vera Kelly, through the 1960s and into the early 70s. This fab series deserves a lot more attention, and I highly recommend you pay a visit to the first two books in the trilogy Who Is Vera Kelly? and Vera Kelly Is Not A Mystery before polishing off the lot with this final volume. I am rather sad to be leaving Vera Kelly behind, but will definitely be reading them again in the future.

SHE WOLVES:

The SHE-WOLF AWARD naturally goes, once again to Amara in:

The House With The Golden Door by Elodie Harper

 Amara's character really grows in this second book in The Wolf Den trilogy through the continuing hard decisions she has to make. I have no idea where she will find herself by the end of the concluding book The Temple Of Fortuna (out in November), but it is a pleasure to be alongside her in her journey. 

QUIRKY LOVELINESS:

It was a joy to discover these QUIRKY GEMS by Finnish author Antti Tuomainen in 2022, from my favourite indie publisher of translated fiction Orenda Books:

• The Rabbit Factor
  
• The Moose Paradox
  

This wonderful series follows the hilarious, and surreal, adventures of emotionally challenged insurance actuary Henri Koskinen as he tries to make a success of adventure park YouMeFun, and negotiate the tricky landscape of inter-personal relationships. 

I totally love this series, and am so looking forward to book three, which I believe will be The Beaver Theory. Antti is now a firm favourite with me, and I have bought his entire back catalogue from Orenda to explore this year too!

UNDER THE RADAR:

An eclectic bunch here that deserve way more attention! 

• A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
  
• Housebreaking by Colleen Hubbard
  
• The Shimmer On The Water by Marina McCarron
  
• Madwoman by Louisa Treger
  
• Say Her Name by Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter
  
• Game Of Hearts by Katy Moran
  

I have already mentioned the amazing A Little Hope and Housebreaking more than once above, as they really stand out from the books I read in 2022, and I hope by now that they are on your list of books to read this year.

So let me expand on why these other books deserve your time...

The Shimmer On The Water by Marina McCarron caught me from the very first page. It is a genre-busting novel that combines a cracking mystery about the unsolved case of a child's disappearance, with a delicious exploration of complicated family dynamics. McCarron keeps you firmly on the edge of your seat with cleverly contrived suspense, while using water, and the tug of hidden depths nicely throughout. Great story telling.

Madwoman is an incredible feat of literature that displays Louisa Treger's impressive ability to mix fact and fiction in a way that really brings her characters alive - this time turning her attention towards the incredible Nellie Bly, whose quest to break the chains imposed on women changed the world in more ways that one. It is one of those brilliant books about forgotten women that are making their way steadfastly into the best-seller lists in recent years, and is the perfect way for Nellie Bly to step into the limelight for a contemporary audience. I hope it flies off the shelves.

Say Her Name by Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter really impressed me. At its heart, this is a compelling crossover between domestic drama, mystery and psychological thriller, but it is also so much more. It fulfils everything you want in an entertaining read, drawing you in nicely with deftly woven threads of corruption, secrets and sins of the past, but it is the way it delves deep into themes of identity, connection, and discrimination that make it a cut above, and unexpectedly emotional. Absolutely gripping!.

Game of Hearts by Katy Moran is the first in her excellent Regency Romance Trilogy. I came prepared to have a rollicking time, which I certainly did, but I did not expect to also find this quite so bursting at the seams with wonderful characters, storylines and a cracking spin on the historical front. It is a rare and beautiful thing, with lashings of scandal, players to both love and hate, and threads of sex, race and class woven tightly into the fabric of the story. Move over Bridgerton... 

SHORT AND BITTERSWEET:

My SHORT STORY AWARD goes to a cracking little novella, but an award winning author that needs to be more widely known:

Crossing The Lines by Amanda Huggins

This is a beautifully written, atmospheric novella that expands on the short story Red that Amanda Huggins first published in her excellent anthology Scratched Enamel Heart. It is a tale of love and family ties, of belonging and acceptance, that is infused with artlessness, hope, and innocence - making it almost the antithesis of the classic coming-of-age story.

Amanda's novellas, short stories and poetry are all outstanding. Go check them out! 

OLDIES BUT GOODIES:

My awards would not be complete without a mention of one of my favourite authors who has kept me company through 2022 as part of the #ReadChristie2022 challenge cekebrating her many travels - the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie.

These are all the lovely Christie's I read last year:

JANUARY - Inspired by Agatha's travels: The Man In The Brown Suit

FEBRUARY - Featuring travel and romance: Parker Pyne Investigates 

MARCH - Agatha wrote abroad: The Mystery Of The Blue Train

APRIL- Featuring adventure: Why Didnt They Ask Evans

MAY - Set in Europe: The Murder On The Links

JUNE - Featuring archaeology: Appointment With Death

JULY - Which takes place on holiday: At Bertram's Hotel

AUGUST - Set in a hot climate: A Caribbean Mystery

SEPTEMBER - With a female adventurer: The Secret Adversary 

OCTOBER - With multiple settings: Marple

NOVEMBER - Featuring train travel: The 4.50 From Paddington 

DECEMBER - Containing precious jewels: The Adventure Of The Christmas Pudding

Strictly speaking Marple is a 'newbie but goodie', but you get the idea. My love affair with Christie continues and I cannot wait to pick up a new mystery this month as #ReadChristie2023 gets underway - wuth a brand new theme of Motives and Methods! 

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That's all folks! Which books made your award winning line-up from 2022?