Fear In The Sunlight (Josephine Tey Book Four) by Nicola Upson

 

Fear in the Sunlight (Josephine Tey Book Four) by Nicola Upson.

Audio book narrated by Sandra Duncan.

This edition published 4th February 2021 by Faber and Faber (originally published April 2012).

From the cover of the book:

Summer, 1936. The writer, Josephine Tey, joins her friends in the holiday village of Portmeirion to celebrate her fortieth birthday. Alfred Hitchcock and his wife, Alma Reville, are there to sign a deal to film Josephine's novel, A Shilling for Candles, and Hitchcock has one or two tricks up his sleeve to keep the holiday party entertained - and expose their deepest fears.

But things get out of hand when one of Hollywood's leading actresses is brutally slashed to death in a cemetery near the village. The following day, as fear and suspicion take over in a setting where nothing - and no one - is quite what it seems, Chief Inspector Archie Penrose becomes increasingly unsatisfied with the way the investigation is ultimately resolved. Several years later, another horrific murder, again linked to a Hitchcock movie, drives Penrose back to the scene of the original crime to uncover the shocking truth.

***********

Summer, 1936. Josephine Tey arrives in the holiday village of Portmeirion for a get together with her friends in celebration of her fortieth birthday. It will also be a chance for Josephine to meet with Alfred Hitchcock, and his wife Alma Reville, to discuss the film rights of her novel, A Shilling for Candles, something that she is more than a little apprehensive about.

Although Josephine is delighted to be back in company with Inspector Archie Penrose and her other close friends, and more particularly, Marta (who Josephine now acknowledges she is in love with), it is clear that the presence of the Hitchcock couple and their retinue will mean this is rather less of a relaxing break than planned.  Before long, the toll of Hitchcock's famous psychological games start to tell on the holiday guests, with grisly results: one of Hollywood's famous actresses is found murdered near the village, and other deaths soon follow...

Eighteen years later, Archie receives information about another murder that draws him back to Portmeirion, even though he is now retired. He was always dissatisfied with the direction of the murder investigation all those years ago, and believes it is now time for the truth to be uncovered...

I am back on the reread trail of one of my favourite book series, with book four of the Josephine Tey Mysteries by Nicola Upson, Fear in the Sunlight. This is the first book in the series where Upson ramps up the complexity of her story-telling game to weave a tale that is, for the greater part, a retrospective - and for this reason it is tinged with sadness. 

The action begins in 1954, with Archie feeling at a bit of a loss now he is retired. Following an unexpected visit, he is thrown back in time to the shocking events surrounding Josephine's fortieth birthday celebrations, and the murders that he feels were never investigated properly. Josephine herself has now been dead two years, taken too soon at only fifty-five, so revisiting the scene of the crimes is especially hard for Archie - and he is not the only one suffering from the weight of ghosts of the past.

The story then unfurls in classic Upson style, taking you through the heady summer visit of Josephine and co to Portmeirion, a setting that makes the perfect backdrop for the Hitchcock-esque shenanigans that play out. Upson beautifully blends the more intimate sides of the story, following the developments in Josephine's relationship with Marta and the lovely meanderings in her friendship with Archie, with the dramatic twists and turns of characters hell-bent on twisting the knife both metaphorically and quite literally. This is all gorgeous stuff, wreathed in suspense, psychologically fascinating, and as tense as you like, but the elusive truth of what really happened that summer is only finally revealed when Archie finds himself back in Portmeirion in 1954 - here Upson ties up the threads of the story with lashings of emotion, and bitter scenes that cut right to the quick.

There is a lovely Hollywood flavour to it all that delves into Hitchcock's character and working methods behind the scenes, as well as his relationship with Alma, the acting talent, and the direction of his career. Upson has a great time getting into the nitty gritty of the lives of actors, film production staff, and the acting profession of the era - particularly when it comes to the secrets they keep, simmering rivalries, ambition, and the hatred that lies deep within their hearts. Of course, Upson being Upson, she also knows how to expose the rawness of feelings that relate to the location where her story is set. Complex family relationships, and the long shadows of sins that colour the lives of those tied to this small community provide rich, and deliciously dark themes, which weave into the stories of all the characters - both locals and outsiders. 

Anyone who has read Upson's latest glorious book in this series, Shot with Crimson (book eleven), which revisits Josephine's bumpy track record with Hitchcock, should certainly read this one. It charts exactly why Josephine was wary of having her work adapted given the treatment A Shilling for Candles received at Hitchock's hands, resulting in a film called Young and Innocent, which bore little resemblance to the original book. This is a storyline that resonates well with both authors and book lovers alike, and I thoroughly enjoyed the way Upson uses pathos and humour in exploring it. 

Another fine Josephine Tey story, consumed through the accomplished voice talents of Sandra Duncan, confirms exactly why this series has a place in my heart. Onwards to some self-indulgence with a revisit to book five, The Death of Lucy Kite. I cannot wait.

Fear in the Sunlight is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

About the author:

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

Palisade (Kanha and Colbey Book Two) by Lou Gilmond

 

Palisade (Kanha and Colbey Book Two) by Lou Gilmond.

Published 21st November 2024 by Armillary Books.

From the cover of the book:

WHAT CAN SEE WATCHES, WHAT CAN HEAR LISTENS, WHAT CAN BE FOLLOWED IS TRACKED…

When opposition Chief Whip Esme Kanha is handed a secret dossier containing evidence of government corruption, she suspects its original owner, a top journalist, was murdered for gathering it. Despite the danger, she feels she must investigate. Meanwhile, lowly backbencher Harry Colbey is working his own leads. A known campaigner against big tech, he is often sent data from anonymous sources and this time round he has something truly alarming.

But both Colbey and Kanha must tread carefully in a world dominated by AI, where 'what can see watches, what can hear listens, and what can be followed is tracked'.

As Kanha and Colbey again join forces, they are locked into a deadly race against political corruption, no matter what the cost. But when an old enemy returns, it may already be too late…

***********

Harry Colbey MP is on the back benches once more, this time with his party in opposition, but his well-earned reputation as a campaigner for privacy often means interesting whispers still come his way. This time, a really shocking piece of information has dropped into his lap about the intentions of the new government from an anonymous source.

Meanwhile, opposition chief whip, Esme Kanha has recently come into the possession of a secret dossier that tells of the deeply sinister influence of an elitist organisation pulling strings in the corridors of power - an organisation that is not beyond murdering to keep its secrets from getting out.

In a world where AI watches over every move people make, Colbey and Kanha must join forces once more to fight back against, not just, corruption and the terrifying plans of those who prize security above all things, but the re-emergence of an old enemy they thought had been thwarted...

Lou Gilmond returns with the second part of her gripping near-future, political thriller series featuring Harry Colbey and Esme Kanha, Palisade. The first book in the series, Dirty Geese, absolutely blew me away last year, easily earning itself a place among my books of 2023, so I could not wait to dive into this book.

Continuing the ever-more topical theme of the conflicting arguments for privacy vs security, Gilmond weaves an intricate, and supremely slick novel that has Colbey and Kanha racing against time to stop the nefarious plans of a new political opponent on one hand, and an old adversary on the other, all while trying to avoid the surveillance that pervades a near-future world so scarily prophetic that you can taste it.

Gilmond leans heavily into the thriller genre for this second book, building on the thought-provoking tenets of Dirty Geese (which you really do need to read first) to up the ante in every aspect of her tightly woven plot. She brings the worlds of politics and the super-rich players who tip the balance of power through fair means or foul (mostly foul) vividly alive, and evokes real fear in the pit of your stomach about what the seemingly unstoppable march of AI into every aspect of our lives could mean for the freedoms we hold so dear.

This is serious stuff, but Gilmond presents it in such an engaging way, incorporating her message into the fabric of a utterly consuming story, tying you to the fates of characters to both love and loath, and using humour to lighten the book at just the right moments. I adore the relationship that has blossomed between Colbey and Kanha, with a budding romance that has grown out of mutual respect and the recognition that they both stand for good in an environment not always known for integrity - and there is a stellar supporting cast for you to take to heart too. It was great to see tech wizz Mani making an appearance once more, and how I loved Kanha's little group of aristocratic help-mates working under the auspices of her godfather, Lord Silverman. An interesting little development of the front of Colbey's ex-wife too - go Clarissa!

Twist, turns, a cracking plot, truly fabulous characters, and themes to ponder make this another winner from Lou Gilmond, and yet again a book that makes my books of the year list. And if cliff-hangers to die for are your bag, then this is something pretty special... I cannot wait for book three, The Divinity Games, which is coming in 2025!

Palisade is available to buy now in paperback and ebook. Thank you to Armillary Books for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to M8das PR for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Based in Oxford, UK, Lou Gilmond is an author of mystery and thriller fiction, screenplays and travel books. www.lougilmond.com

Victim (Blix and Ramm Book Five) by Jorn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger

 

Victim (Blix and Ramm Book Five) by Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger.

Translated by Megan E. Turney.

Published 7th November 2024 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

Buried sins
Brutal revenge…

Two years ago, Alexander Blix was the lead investigator in a missing person’s case where a young mother, Elisabeth Eie, was kidnapped. The case was never solved.

Blix’s career in law enforcement is now over, but her kidnapper is back, leaving evidence of Elisabeth's murder in Blix’s mailbox, as well as hints that there are other victims.

At the same time, Emma Ramm has been contacted by a teenage girl, whose stepfather has been arrested on suspicion of killing a childhood friend. But there is no body. Nor are there any other suspects…

Blix and Ramm can rely only on each other, and when Blix’s fingerprints are found on a child’s drawing at a crime scene, the present comes uncomfortably close to the past.

A past where a victim has found their own, shocking form of therapy.

And someone is watching…

Shocking, relentless and unbearably tense, Victim marks the return of the international bestselling, blockbuster Blix & Ramm series from two of Norway's finest crime writers.

***********

Former police detective, Alexander Blix, is struggling to move on with his life, even though he has been exonerated from murdering the man who killed his daughter. Unable to reconcile the feelings of guilt he carries with him, he feels consumed by darkness, and without direction now his police career has ended. 

But his investigative days are far from over. Out of the blue, he receives a chilling letter in his mail box, connected to the unsolved case of a young mother who was abducted two years ago. His ex police colleagues seem uninterested in this new lead, despite the fact that her body was never found, and that the letter writer gives a chilling hint about the existence of other victims. Blix is sure this might be the chance to finally find some answers, and he cannot let matters lie.

Meanwhile, Blix's friend and some-time sleuthing partner, Emma Ramm, is looking for a way to pick up the threads of her journalistic career. When she is contacted by a teenager needing help to clear the name of her step-father in a murder investigation, she find herself digging into a case which the police consider open-and-closed, but which is actually far more complicated.

The quite brilliant Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger writing partnership is back in business with instalment five of  the sublime Blix and Ramm series - a couple of characters who make a formidable partnership all of their own. Picking up from one of the best-selling duo's classic cliff-hangers at the end of book four, Stigma, Blix is a free man, but feeling there is little light at the end of the tunnel now his police days are over. In many ways, his young friend Emma Ramm is also at a crossroads in her life. Both of them are about to find a new sense of purpose.

The story unfurls beautifully in two threads around the crimes they are investigating, with Blix and Ramm going their own way, and coming back together to help each other work through knotty problems in the highly enjoyable way they can - which has not always been the case in the course of the series. This is peak Blix and Ramm, where their special talents complement each other to solve a tricky current investigation, and a series of shocking cold case abductions/murders which you gradually learn are related to tragedies in Blix's own life. 

Fascinating themes of family, motherhood, the impact of dysfunctional parental relationships, and unresolved trauma echo through both sides of the story, and there is a lovely character-led element for delicious depth. Blix has always remained a bit of a puzzle, largely on a path to self-destruction: for the first time, our novelist duo delve into the things that have shaped him into the man he is, and I found that very emotional - especially when you discover he is still capable of redemption. I was unable to look away until all the twists and turns had worked out. The tension is pitch perfect, the clever red herrings are nicely misdirecting, and the climax is edge-of-your-seat heaven. Superb translation work from Megan Turney too. 

Whenever I read a new Blix and Ramm I think Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger cannot possibly ramp up the atmospheric, Nordic noir thrills another notch, and each time I am proved wrong. Absolutely my favourite one yet (yes, I know I am always saying that), and this time I am in love with the little cliff-hanger guys... roll on book six.

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

Thank you to Orenda Books for providing me with an ecopy in return for an honest review, and to Random Things for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the authors: 

Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger are both internationally bestselling Norwegian authors.

Jørn Lier Horst first rose to literary fame with his no. 1 bestselling William Wisting series.

A former Detective Chief Investigator in the Norwegian police, Horst imbues all his works with an unparalleled realism and suspense. 

Thomas Enger is the journalist-turned-author behind the acclaimed Henning Juul series. Enger’s trademark is his dark, gritty voice paired with key social messages and tight plotting. 

Besides writing fiction for both adults and young adults, Enger also works as a music composer. 

Death Deserved, the first book in the Blix & Ramm series, was Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger’s first co-written thriller, and all five books in the series series have hit no. one on bestseller lists worldwide.

The Cut by Richard Armitage (Audio Book)

 

The Cut by Richard Armitage.

Released 22nd August 2024 by Audible Originals.

Narrated by Richard Armitage and Jacob Dudman.

From the cover:

You can’t escape your past. The cut always reopens.

In the sleepy village of Barton Mallet, the old ruins of Blackstone Mill watch over the residents as they go about their quiet lives. Ben Knot and his friends are looking forward to a summer of fun and freedom once their last year of school is over. The class of 1994 have been through a lot together, good and bad, but teasing turns to bullying when the Knot gang target younger boy Mark Cherry. As tensions rise and violence escalates, the group fractures and tragedy strikes. Before the summer is over, one of them will be killed. Murdered by someone they called a friend.

Thirty years on, Ben is an award-winning architect who has moved his family back to the village where he grew up. His girlfriend Dani is a hands-on step mum to his kids, budding actor Nate and star footballer Lily, but even though the family seem happy, Ben has never been able to forget the tragedy of the past. And it’s a past that is coming back to haunt him with the murderer’s imminent release from prison. Ben’s glittering career is also starting tarnish as some shady business deals have put him on the path to bankruptcy. With the killer’s parole date approaching and the banks calling in their loans, Ben struggles to keep a grip on the perfect life he has built.

When Nate lands the leading role in a new horror movie, Dani jumps at the chance to propel him towards stardom, despite Ben’s concerns that it will complicate their lives. Ben is persuaded to support his son’s dreams, but when the film crew descend on the village to start shooting, the dream starts to turn into a nightmare. The film is not quite what it seems. His kids are being pushed to the limit and Ben’s paranoia makes him question the film makers’ motives. Ben is desperate for answers and will stop at nothing to keep his family safe.

If the first cut is the deepest, then the last cut is going to end it all.

***********

1994. For Ben Knott and his friends in sleepy Barton Mallet the end of their last year at school is a time for celebration. They intend to make the most of a summer of freedom in the shadow of Backstone Mill, but the pent up emotions released result in murder.

Thirty years later, Ben's glittering architectural career has allowed him to return to live in style in Barton Mallet with his girlfriend Dani, and his two children, Nate and Lily. But their comfortable existence is about to be threatened. Ben's shady business dealings have led him to the brink of bankruptcy, something he is desperately keeping from his family. Under intense strain from his financial woes, he feels himself heading for breaking point when he hears that the person found guilty of the murder in 1994 is about to be released from prison.

 
Barely keeping it together, Ben is persuaded by Dani to back Nate's dream to be an actor, when he is cast in a central role in a horror movie being filmed in the village. Absorbed by his own problems, and the ghosts that haunt him, Ben only slowly becomes aware that there is something odd about the direction of this film project. He needs answers...

 
Having been wowed by Richard Armitage's debut, Geneva, in both its original audio book and subsequent physical book forms, I could not wait to get my ears around this follow-up thriller, The Cut. As before, this is first being released in audio format by Audible Originals, and is narrated impeccably by the man himself and Jacob Dudman, before then being published by Faber and Faber (coming in hardback and ebook August 2025).

The first thing that strikes me is how much of a different kind of beast this is to Geneva, both in terms of subject matter and structure, which gives an indication of quite how versatile Armitage's writing is. Although there is a hint of international conspiracy in this story, it almost exclusively takes place in a small English village, which has never quite recovered from a shocking murder in 1994. Thirty years later, troubled central character, Ben, who was closely tied to the tragedy, has returned to his childhood village, and Armitage uses this to spin a dual timeline thriller that really gets its claws into you.

I do not want to say too much about the plot itself, as so much of the charm of Armitage's books involves the way the twists and turns of the story gradually reveal themselves. However, suffice to say that as he weaves back and forth between the past and the present (cleverly narrated by Dudman's voice in the former, and his own in the latter), your perception of the events of 1994, and of Ben himself, changes quite spectacularly.

I do not think the ending hits with that exquisite moment of clarity that Geneva's does, and there is a 'happy ending' of sorts that does not quite fit for me, given the the fact that ultimately more than one character here should be taking responsibility for their parts in the 1994 tragedy. However, this is certainly a gritty, and viscerally affecting tale that sits nicely on the crossover between thriller and crime story. I found myself listening with my heart in my mouth as it flips back and forth between the narrators. It is not a comfortable journey from slow-burn beginning to action packed ending by any stretch of the imagination (especially as a parent), but my goodness, it is captivating. I tip my hat to Armitage for stepping up and fully committing to a dual timeline story as intricately crafted as this one, with echoed scenes, and themes, and the way he pivots around different shades of meaning behind the title is impressive.

As someone who was very fortunate to be able to meet and chat with Richard Armitage at Faber Books a few weeks ago, it was a fascinating experience to listen to his work with an insider's view about his creative process. You can really feel his 'visually' centred brain at work here. This is every bit a cinematic experience, which is fitting given aspects of the story, as much as it is an auditory one - there are some lovely, atmospheric touches on the soundtrack too.

I will definitely be revisiting this one when the book hits next year, and I am very much looking forward to what comes next from Richard Armitage.

The Cut is available now in audio format from Audible, and will be published in ebook and paperback by Faber Books in August 2025.

P

About the author:

Richard Armitage is a multi-award winning stage, screen and voice actor best known for his roles in Peter Jackson's trilogy of The Hobbit, Captain America, Alice through the Looking Glass and Oceans 8. 

The Cut is his second novel, following his debut, Geneva. 

The Viscount And The Thief by Emma Orchard

 

The Viscount and the Thief by Emma Orchard.

Published 11th November 2024 by Boldwood Books.

From the cover of the book:

Spring, 1811... A stranger arrives at Wyverne Hall

Sophie Delavallois is the new companion to the ageing Dowager Marchioness, but she also has another reason for coming to the infamous Wyverne mansion, one that will shake the family to their core.

Lord Drake left his childhood home many years ago, and only returns now to see his beloved grandmother. He takes little interest in the goings on of the house, until the arrival of Mademoiselle Delavallois. There’s something about her that he can’t put his finger on; it's as if he’s seen her before, but surely, that is not possible…

Sophie is also drawn to Drake, but he is a Wyverne, and she cannot allow herself to fall for him, because her intentions towards the family are resolute – revenge. But inside the walls of Wyverne Hall, she discovers the rumours about the family barely scratch the surface, and she can’t escape the dangerous allure of the Viscount.

Once her plans are set in motion, will he be her saviour or her ruin?

***********

1811. Sophie Delavallois is employed at Wyverne Hall as a companion to the elderly Dowager Marchioness, a job which pays very well for duties which include little more than reading the old lady racy French novels - mainly due to the scandalous reputation of the Wyverne family.

Lord Drake, heir to the Wyverne title, no longer lives at the family seat, having distanced himself from his infamous father, the Marquess, and disreputable step-mother, but he still visits the house to see his beloved grandmother. He generally takes little account of his grandmother's middle-aged companions, but Mademoiselle Delavallois is something quite different. He becomes captivated by her, and is sure he has met her before somewhere... if only he could remember where?

Sophie cares little that working for the Wyverne family will reflect badly upon her own reputation, for she is not quite what she appears to be. However, she cannot allow herself to fall for the young Viscount and become distracted from her purpose. For Sophie's quest is not for love, but for revenge... 

Welcome to more Regency gorgeousness from the pen of Emma Orchard, with a story that takes place outside the strict codes of the haut ton, in a family steeped in scandal. She pulls out all the stops in her latest escapist novel to conjure a tale which is a delicious concoction of riotous revenge scheme, helter-skelter heist plot, and risque romance. And I was here for it all!

Sprawling Wyverne Hall makes a wonderfully atmospheric backdrop for this tale, with a lovely contrast between its opulent public rooms and the hidden, forgotten passageways that ooze Gothic vibes. Against this imagination stirring backdrop, the threads of the story around Sophie's plans for retribution unfurl, revealing her reasons for being here, and showcasing the very particular skills that have kept her alive against the odds.

Orchard has a lot of fun going overboard in the den of iniquity vein, indulging in scenes on a grand scale that paint Marquess Wyverne as morally corrupt as they come, with a wife to match. Weaving in and out of the salacious, show-stopper vignettes, the more intimate side of the story emerges as Sophie's turbulent emotions threaten to derail her carefully laid plans. Unexpectedly, she becomes fond of the elderly Dowager Marchioness, and an all-consuming, passionate affair blossoms between her and Lord Drake, a man very different from his father. I absolutely loved the astute and unapologetic old Dowager, who has lived life to the full; and the bumpy road to happiness of Sophie and Lord Drake was just the ticket for hitting the romantic hot spot in more ways than one - oh my, those steamy, roof-top trysts!

This was a lot of fun, and so much more than a light romantic dalliance. The highly enjoyable crime caper to adds pace with its slick twists and turns, and there are cracking characters to love and loath too. Emma Orchard is rapidly becoming a bit of a favourite with me for an entertaining literary romp. I cannot wait to read more of her page-turning Regency delights. 

The Viscount and the Thief is available to but now in paperback, ebook and audio formate.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Rare Resources Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Emma was born in Salford and studied English Literature at the universities of Edinburgh and York.

She was a copy editor at Mills & Boon, where she met her husband in a classic enemies-to-lovers romance.

Emma has worked in television and as a Literary Agent, and started writing in 2020.

The Enigma Girl by Henry Porter

 

The Enigma Girl by Henry Porter.

Published 7th November 2024 by Quercus.

From the cover of the book:

Slim Parsons is all but burned.

Her last deep cover job for MI5 ended with a life-and-death struggle on a private jet that caused her to go on the run from both the deadly target and her angry bosses in the Security Service. They say that violence comes too easily to her; that she's bordering on delinquent and unsuitable for the role of an MI5 operative.

Yet she is recalled and asked to infiltrate a news website that's causing alarm in the highest circles. It is staffed by a group descended from wartime codebreakers operating from an unassuming office block near Bletchley Park. Operation Linesman looks like a come down, the curtain on a brilliant career in the shadows. However, she accepts the assignment on condition that the Security Service searches for her missing brother.

Linesman turns out to be anything but simple. Her personal loss, her previous deep cover role, and a threat to MI5 itself from her original target come together in a three-way collision.

And all the while she is watched by someone even deeper in the shadows than she is.

***********

Alice 'Slim' Parsons has been keeping a low profile, caring for the elderly mother who is drinking herself to death from grief, since her last mission as an MI5 agent went horribly awry. Convinced she has blotted her copybook by going completely off the mission play-book, and by causing all kinds of headaches for her spy masters by going on the run across Europe, Slim is certain she will not be called back to active duty any time soon - no matter how justified her actions were.

Slim is astonished when she is recalled to work on a new mission rather sooner than expected, Operation Linesman. Her task is to infiltrate a news website called Middle Kingdom, run by descendants of Bletchley Park's war-time finest, that is causing concern among the powers that be. She agrees, on the understanding that MI5 put their resources to use in finding her missing brother.

To Slim's surprise, Operation Linesman proves to be a lot more complicated that it first appears, and it brings with it dangers connected to her last mission that she did not see coming...

The story unfurls in three cleverly wielded storylines around the dangerous legacy of Slim's last mission; her current operation into the goings on at Middle Kingdom; and the fate of her missing brother Matt, which is closely tied to the the dysfunction that runs through her relationship with her mother. In a masterclass of plotting, the storylines touch and gradually weave together as the pertinent details of each one are revealed in parallel, until they clash gloriously together in the kind of way only a consummate storyteller can pull off.

Porter's style is deliciously old school espionage fare, punctuating the slow-burn rise in tension with perfectly timed bursts of action to keep the pace going nicely, and inserting tenderness and humour where required. He beautifully combines timeless spy-story themes of sacrifice, secrets, and a renegade agent, with a particular sense of right and wrong; fascinating historical titbits about remarkable war-time deeds; and current topics to keep the novel fresh for a modern audience, especially when it comes to investigative journalism, corruption at the highest levels, modern slavery, people trafficking - and Slim's personal life. It is an addictive blend, and the journey from emotional opener to an ending that had me punching the air with glee is immensely satisfying. 

I absolutely loved Slim. She is gutsy, unapologetic, and resourceful, but she is also just the right side of vulnerable. This story brings her plenty of trouble and heartache, but everything that happens here forges her character into the kind of person you are sorry to let go of at the end of a novel. I really hope Porter uses this book as a launching pad for a new series with her at the helm, because I want to read about more of her adventures - and there is a brilliant supporting cast for her to bounce off too. Superb!

The Enigma Girl is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Henry Porter was a regular columnist for the Observer and now writes about European power and politics for The Hive website in the US. He has written several bestselling thrillers, including Brandenburg, which won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, A Spy’s Life and Empire State, which were both nominated for the same award. He is also the author of the Paul Samson spy thrillers: Firefly, which won the 2019 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize, and White Hot Silence.

Henry Porter is frequently described as the heir to John le Carré. He lives in London.

Yule Island by Johana Gustawsson (Paperback Release)

 

Yule Island by Johana Gustawsson.

Translated by David Warriner.

Published in paperback 7th November 2024 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

Don’t...

Art expert Emma Lindahl is anxious when she’s asked to appraise the antiques and artefacts in the infamous manor house of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families, on the island of Storholmen, where a young woman was murdered nine years earlier, her killer never found.

Emma must work alone, and with the Gussman family apparently avoiding her, she sees virtually no one in the house. Do they have something to hide?

Trust...

As she goes about her painstaking work and one shocking discovery yields clues that lead to another, Emma becomes determined to uncover the secrets of the house and its occupants.

When the lifeless body of another young woman is found in the icy waters surrounding the island, Detective Karl Rosén arrives to investigate, and memories of his failure to solve the first case come rushing back. Could this young woman’s tragic death somehow hold the key?

Anyone...

Battling her own demons, Emma joins forces with Karl to embark upon a chilling investigation, plunging them into horrifying secrets from the past – Viking rites and tainted love – and Scandinavia’s deepest, darkest winter…

***********

Art appraiser Emma Lindahl is sent by a prestigious auction house to value the rumoured treasure trove of antiques at the manor house of one of Sweden's wealthiest families, the Gussmans. She is anxious to live up to the responsibility placed upon her, but the location of the manor house on the island of Storholmen makes her feel uneasy, given the island's connection to the brutal murder of a young girl nine years ago.

When Emma arrives at the house, the sheer scale of the job ahead of her does nothing to alleviate her nerves, especially as the Gussman family seem almost hostile to her presence. Moving from room to room on the ridiculously strict timetable dictated by the family, the days begin to blur into one, despite the remarkable array of artefacts within them... until she makes a shocking discovery that could be a piece of the puzzle to the mystery of the murder that has made this island infamous.

Detective Karl Rosén is tortured by his inability to solve the murder of 'the hanging girl' on the island of Storholmen nine years ago. When the body of another young girl is found in the freezing waters off the island, bearing similar marks, he is hopeful that her death may unlock the answers to these bizarre ritualised killings. Emma's discovery brings her and Karl together, and they unexpectedly find themselves teaming up in an attempt to finally bring a murderer to justice, but they are unprepared for the secrets from the past that they uncover - secrets of Viking rites and dark deeds that touch upon their own tragedies...

Johana Gustawsson is the queen of the a gritty noir crime story threaded with the icy chill of horrors from your darkest nightmares, and in Yule Island she proves once again that she can do this with consummate skill. This novel is packed with troubled characters hiding secrets, including Emma and Karl our unlikely crime-busting pair, and the deeply unsettling location of Storholmen makes the ideal backdrop for Gustawsson to weave her spell-binding magic against.

In a masterclass of plotting and misdirection, the story unfurls in the past and present with elements of fast-paced, macabre treasure hunt, and slow-burn Gothic hair-raiser, which come together in a delicious whole. Gustawsson subtly seduces you into falling into all her well-laid traps, before flooring you with oh so beautifully contrived twists and turns - which I promise, you will not see coming - and to top it all, in a spark of absolute genius, she drops in a moment of exquisite clarity that only the very best writers can pull off.

Bursting with echoing themes of motherhood and madness, Viking rituals and intense relationships, this is a novel which completely consumes you and scares you witless. The unbearable tension, the claustrophobic atmosphere, the visceral chills, and the images Gustawsson conjures in your imagination... all this will linger long after you have closed the cover on this stonking thriller. I am so impressed with the work of translator David Warrinder here too, maintaining pace and spot on tone throughout.

Yule Island easily made it on to the list of my books of 2023, when it came out in hardback - and you can now discover its creepy delights in paperback. It is, quite simply, sublime.

**Review originally published for release of the hardback edition in November 2023.

Yule Island is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE;

About the author:

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series, including Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song, has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in nineteen countries. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. The Bleeding – a number one bestseller in France and the first in a new series – will be published in 2022. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband and their three sons.

About the translator:

David Warner translates from French and nurtures a healthy passion for Franco, Nordic and British crime fiction. Growing up in deepest Yorkshire, he developed incurable Francophilia at an early age. Emerging from Oxford with a Modern Languages degree he narrowly escaped the graduate rat race by hopping on a plane to Canada – and never looked back. More than a decade into a high-powered commercial translation career, he listened to his heart and turned his hand to the delicate art of literary translation. David has lived in France and Quebec, and now calls beautiful British Columbia home.

The Last Princess: The Daughter Of The House Of Dragons (Book One)

 

The Last Princess: The Daughter of the House of Dragons (Book One) by Ellen Alpsten.

Published 7th November 2024 by Sunbird Stories.

From the cover of the book:

Young and beautiful Gytha Godwinson is the envy of England when her father Harold seizes the country’s crown in early 1066. Soon triumph turns to terror as an evil star appears, heralding the end of an era and a new beginning for Britain. Her family and the country seem cursed. But even as she suffers loss, betrayal and humiliation, Gytha is determined to regain what is rightfully hers.

In a stunning re-telling of 1066, international bestselling author Ellen Alpsten has created a captivating new heroine in Gytha Godwinson: 'The Last Princess' is a bridge between myth and modernity. Witness the truth about the end of England's ancient house, the demise of a cursed kingdom and the emergence of a new empire. In a time when women were seen as cup-bearers, peace-weavers and memory-keepers, Gytha Godwinson is a true daughter of the House of Dragons and dares to write world-history.

***********

Beautiful, flame-haired Gytha Godwinson's life undergoes great change when her father's machinations lead to him seizing the crown in 1066, to become Harold II. Now a princess of England, this elevation in status brings with it the realisation that the price has been the betrayal of her mother, his hand-fasted bride Edith Swanneck, whose fortune has made him an important man - and his own family.

Life at court, with an alluring new step-mother from Mercia, takes some adjustment, and Harold's reign is under threat from the beginning. One invasion is repulsed, but Harold's fate is sealed when William the Conqueror is victorious at the battle of Hastings in 1066. The future of Gytha and her remaining family is now uncertain, but she is determined they will regain what they have lost...

Having adored both of Ellen Alpsten's previous novels, Tsarina and The Tsarina's Daughter, I could not wait to get stuck into The Last Princess: The Daughter of the House of Dragons - the first in a glorious new series about Gytha Godwinson, daughter of the ill-fated King Harold II.

Most of us are familiar with the tale of Harold II, of Battle of Hastings fame, whose brief reign was brought to an end by the invasion of William the Conqueror, but I confess that I knew very little about what happened to Harold's family. In this novel, Alpsten weaves a, intricate retelling of the events of 1066, and the aftermath, through the eyes of Harold's charismatic daughter, Gytha.

The book begins in 1065, when the Godwinsons' Christmas celebrations are brought to a shocking end, mired in recriminations and betrayals that mark trouble and sorrow for the whole family. In the months that follow, while Harold achieves his aim of taking the crown for himself, history tells that his reign will be cut short by violence. The toll on the family is hard, especially for the Godwinson women, who we get to know through Gytha - and we come to understand that she is far more than the meek maiden she is supposed to be.

Alpsten brings Anglo Saxon England with all its ambition-fed troubles alive, and she gives intriguing insight into the dream of Harold to unite the kingdoms under one banner - she also shows that the momentous events to come are caused by troubles within the Godwinson family rather than from outside enemies.

The story really takes off following Harold's demise, when Gytha and two of her brothers flee the country and head to Denmark, hoping to raise an army to regain their birthright. Old hatreds lurk behind the appearance of hospitality, and although Gytha's quest brings her love and friendship in unexpected places, it is also filled with perils she learns the hardest lessons from. I was completely won over by Gytha's courage and determination, and Alpsten weaves fact and fiction to create a stonking adventure tale that kept my heart firmly in my mouth.

I really enjoyed that Gytha and her fellow female characters are the focus of the novel, and leap fully-formed from the page. Some capture you heart with their everyday struggles under the toughest of conditions, and others chill you to the core as they plot the darkest of evil deeds. Alpsten beautifully captures this period in history too, with lashings of lovely social history in a time when old and new ways are uneasy bedfellows, especially when it comes to Norse traditions and the growth of the Christian faith. 

This is historical fiction as it is supposed to be consumed, and I devoured this book from cover to cover, my heart beating in time with the wonderful, flame-haired Gytha. It seems incredible to me that this is the first time I have heard of her, because her story is truly remarkable - and in a twist of epic proportions actually leads on to what happens in Alpsten's Tsarina years in the future! I cannot wait to read more of Gytha's story in the next book, The Sunrise Queen, coming in autumn 2025!

The Last Princess: Daughter of the House of Dragons is available to buy now in hardcover and ebook.

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

About the author:

Ellen Alpsten was born and raised in the Kenyan highlands, where she dressed up her many pets and forced them to listen to her stories.

Upon graduating from the 'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris', she worked as a news-anchor for Bloomberg TV London. While working gruesome night shifts on breakfast TV, she started to write in earnest, every day, after work, a nap and a run. So much for burning midnight oil!

Today, Ellen works as an author and as a journalist for international publications such as Vogue, Standpoint, and CN Traveller. She lives in London with her husband, three sons, and a moody fox red Labrador.

'Tsarina' is her debut novel.​

For more information about her literary life follow her on social media.

Black Storms by Teresa Solana

 

Black Storms by Teresa Solana.

Translated by Peter Bush.

Published in ebook 25th October 2024 and in paperback 1st November 2024 by Corylus Books.

From the cover of the book:

A country that doesn't acknowledge its past is destined to repeat its mistakes...

Why murder a sick old man nearing retirement? An investigation into the death of a professor at the University of Barcelona seems particularly baffling for Deputy Inspector Norma Forester of the Catalan police, as word from the top confirms she's the one to lead this case.

The granddaughter of an English member of the International Brigades, Norma has a colourful family life, with a forensic doctor husband, a hippy mother, a squatter daughter and an aunt, a nun in an enclosed order, who operates as a hacker from her austere convent cell.

This blended family sometimes helps and often hinders Norma's investigations.

It seems the spectres of the past have not yet been laid to rest, and there are people who can neither forgive nor forget the cruelties of the Spanish Civil War and all that followed.

***********

Deputy Inspector Norma Forester of the Catalan police is holding a family party to celebrate her birthday with her forensic doctor husband, Octavi, when the call comes through that they are both required at the scene of a bizarre murder. Someone has killed an elderly professor at the University of Barcelona, and the high profile nature of his family connections means that Norma's tact and discretion will be required to lead the investigation. 

As Norma and her team get to work, she discovers that there are links to the case that go back to the dark days of the Civil War, and a secret that someone wants to stay buried...

Black Storms is the first part in a crime series featuring Deputy Inspector Norma Forester, now available for the first time in English from Corylus Books, beautifully translated by Peter Bush to maintain every ounce of suspense and pace.

We meet Norma in the midst of her birthday celebrations, which introduces us to her lively, blended family, and then in close order, to the eccentric bunch of police officers that she works with. There are a lot of colourful characters to get your head around right from the word go, but Solana's style allows you to get to know them and all their foibles very quickly - and many of them you will get to absolutely love as they both help and hinder Norma with her investigation... but more on that later.

The story unfurls as both a suspenseful investigation into the death of the aged professor with plenty of grit, and as an absolutely compelling family drama full of emotion and nicely employed humour. Norma is a great protagonist, driving the plot as she swaps back and forth between pursuing leads in the case, dealing with all the situations that arise in her hectic family life and workplace, and reconciling her own romantic entanglements. Solana does an excellent job of bringing the character of Barcelona alive in the process. 

There are lovely echoing themes that gradually emerge, cleverly connecting the police investigation with the long shadows of the Spanish Civil War, and the current political situation, and I loved how Solana links the ghosts of injustices and betrayals that still run deep in the Spanish psyche to all aspects of the story - including Norma's fascinating family history, which is fully explained in an epilogue that fills in all the poignant gaps about her quirky family set-up. And speaking of family, Norma's family is an absolute joy. I came to know and love so many of them while the crime elements played out, even when their antics were problematic. My stand-out favourite is Norma's unconventional aunt, who is both a nun and a consummate hacker - and whose skills turn out to be crucial in cracking the case!

This is a pacy, fun and thought provoking introduction to the series and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. I hope that more instalments will follow in English, because I really need more of Norma, her family, and her oddball work colleagues - especially Aunt Margarida!

Black Storms is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

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

About the author:

Teresa Solana is a multi-award-winning Catalan crime writer and literary translator, renowned for her inventive, distinctive style.

Her first crime series has been translated into several languages, and her short story collection The First Prehistoric Serial Killer was longlisted for the CWA Short Story Dagger Award in 2019.

Black Storms is full of Teresa Solana’s signature humour, but also reflects social issues and acknowledges the weight of history that is part of Catalonia’s psyche.

About the translator:

Peter Bush is one of the most distinguished literary translators into English, and has translated from French, Spanish and Portuguese, as well as from Catalan.

Not only active as a translator, he has also been a key figure in developing literary translation as an academic discipline.

 October 2024 Reading Round-Up

A slow start to October, due to a rotten sinus infection, but I managed to pick up a few shorter reads to make a round total of fifteen very different books - there are some stunners amongst them too!

You can find your way to my reviews of this selection by clicking on the pictures below...

Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers

The Lost Lover by Karen Swan

The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey

Stupid Stories for Tough Times by Andrew Crowther

The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen

Tales of the Damned by Matt Ralphs and Taylor Dolan
Escape Castle Dracula by Sam Fern and Adam Allori

The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side by Agatha Christie

Dark as Night by Lilja Sigurdardóttir

Home for Christmas by Heidi Swain

Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde

Because She Looked Away by Alison Bruce

Leaving by Roxana Robinson

After the Fire by Charlotte Rixon

The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera

We're getting into proper festive read territory now so expect some more Christmas reads coming up... and more!

If you like what you see here, why not visit my Instagram page for more?

You can find me at @brownflopsy.