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BOOK REVIEW: Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Published March 18th, 2021 by Hodder
Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Lesbian Literature, Young Adult Literature, Bildungsroman

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE; THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE; THE STONEWALL BOOK AWARD (YA); THE PRINTZ HONOR
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‘A gripping novel where historical fiction meets romance, Last Night at the Telegraph is a whirlwind read… Immersive and creative.’ – Gay Times

‘Lo’s writing . . . shimmers with the thrills of youthful desire. A lovely, memorable novel’ – Sarah Waters, author of Tipping the Velvet and The Night Watch.

From the award winning author of Ash comes a gripping story of love and duty set in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the 1950s.

Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.

America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father – despite his hard-won citizenship – Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.

BUY HERE

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MY REIVEW:

Chinatown, 1954. Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember when she started questioning her sexuality, but she knew the answer as soon as she accompanied Kathleen to a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club. But 1950s America – and especially Chinatown – is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love. Lily is torn. Deportation already looms over her family and she knows that if her relationship is discovered, it will only mean more trouble for them. But she can’t let Kath go and risks everything for love. 

Powerful, moving, immersive and compelling, Last Night at the Telegraph Club was a thought-provoking read. This book was not on my radar until I started researching banned historical fiction books for my Little Stack article and came across it. Malinda Lo’s writing is beautiful, raw and deeply human. It is clear she has done her research and I enjoyed the timeline sections that gave extra historical context to the story. Malinda also goes further into this in her author’s note, where she also shares that this book was inspired by her own family history. Unfortunately, the topics covered in this book have led to it becoming the fourth most banned book in the U.S  during the 2024-2025 school year. That is a tragedy to me as I believe many young people would benefit from reading this story. But it has also won awards which makes much more sense to me as it is a truly magnificent read.

The 1950s are not that long ago and it is always sobering to read a story that reminds us just how much has changed since that time. My heart broke for Lily, Kath and the other women as they were forced to hide who they are and who they love or face devastating consequences. And Lily had the extra pressure of being a Chinese immigrant at a time when people were threatened with deportation if they were suspected of being communists. I was shocked at some of the historic details about what they went through and can’t imagine how hard it must have been.

A heart-rending and unforgettable story of love, sexual awakening, identity, loyalty and prejudice, I highly recommend this book.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Malinda Lo is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, including most recently A Scatter of Light.

Her novel Last Night at the Telegraph Club won the National Book Award, the Stonewall Book Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, a Michael L. Printz Honor, and was an LA Times Book Prize finalist.

Her books have received 15 starred reviews and have been finalists for multiple awards, including the Andre Norton Award and the Lambda Literary Award. Born in Guangzhou, China, Malinda immigrated to the United States as a child with her family, and grew up near Boulder, Colorado. She now lives in Massachusetts with her wife and their dog.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: How To Disappear by Gillian McAllister

Published July 9th, 2020 by Michael Joseph
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Legal Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Political Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The gripping Sunday Times bestseller that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last page

‘Bravo! Gripping and emotional – a cracking read’ Clare Mackintosh

‘A relentless drumroll of suspense . . . ranks among the best psychological-suspense thrillers of recent years’ A. J. Finn

You can run, you can hide, but can you disappear for good?

Lauren’s daughter Zara witnessed a terrible crime. But speaking up comes with a price, and when Zara’s identity is revealed online, it puts a target on her back.

The only choice is to disappear.

To keep Zara safe, Lauren will give up everything and everyone she loves, even her husband.

There will be no goodbyes. Their pasts will be rewritten. New names, new home, new lives.

The rules are strict for a reason. They are being hunted. One mistake – a text, an Instagram like – could bring their old lives crashing into the new.

They can never assume someone isn’t watching, waiting.

As Lauren will learn, disappearing is easy. Staying hidden is harder . . .

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

After witnessing a group of young men stabbing a homeless man to death, Zara speaks up and testifies in court. The young men, who were promising footballers, are outraged that they have lost their careers and had their life ruined. Her identity is revealed online and Zara’s life is now in danger. There is only one solution: Zara and her mother, Lauren, must disappear…

Heart-stoppingly tense, twisty and addictive, I binged this book in under a day. Nobody goes heart-pounding tension and twists that make your jaw drop like Gillian McAllister, and this book is the perfect example of why she’s one of my favourite thriller authors. Masterfully written and skillfully choreographed, this is a story that held me tight by the heartstrings whilst keeping me on the edge of my seat. And make sure you clear your schedule before you start reading, because once you pick this one up you won’t be able to put it down. It’s emotional, hard to predict and so twisty it gave me book whiplash. And that ending! A round of applause Ms. McAllister for one of the best thriller endings I’ve ever read. It’s been a few weeks and I’m still not over it.

Before Zara witnesses the crime, she, Lauren, Aiden and Poppy are an ordinary blended family. But after Zara’s identity is revealed they are dropped into a nightmare. Lauren and Aiden have difficult decisions to make that could tear their family apart. It is so emotional as well as tense, and really made me think about what I would have done in their situation. My heart broke for them, but especially for Zara. Being a teenager is hard at the best of times, but being a teenager when you’re having to hide your identity, run from people trying to kill you and worry about everything you say and do, is impossible.

Thriller lovers, you don’t want to miss this book! 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you Michael Joseph and Netgaelly for provoding me with a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gillian McAllister  is the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of nine stand-alone novels. Her books have been selected for the Radio 2 Book Club, Reese’s Book Club and the Richard & Judy Book Club. Her previous novel, Wrong Place Wrong Time, was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month and was shortlisted for The British Book Awards Crime & Thriller Book of the Year and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. Gillian’s books are published in thirty-eight languages.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan

Published August 20th, 2020 by Hodder & Stoughton
Hisotorical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Police Procedural, Adventure Fiction, Suspense

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

*** WINNER OF THE CWA SAPERE BOOKS HISTORICAL DAGGER 2021, and an INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER ***

‘The leading character is the deftly drawn Persis Wadia, the country’s first female detective. She’s a wonderful creation and this is a hugely enjoyable book’ ANN CLEEVES

‘This is historical crime fiction at its best – a compelling mix of social insight and complex plotting with a thoroughly engaging heroine. A highly promising new series’ MAIL ON SUNDAY

Bombay, New Year’s Eve, 1949

As India celebrates the arrival of a momentous new decade, Inspector Persis Wadia stands vigil in the basement of Malabar House, home to the city’s most unwanted unit of police officers. Six months after joining the force she remains India’s first female police detective, mistrusted, sidelined and now consigned to the midnight shift.
And so, when the phone rings to report the murder of prominent English diplomat Sir James Herriot, the country’s most sensational case falls into her lap.

As 1950 dawns and India prepares to become the world’s largest republic, Persis, accompanied by Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch, finds herself investigating a case that is becoming more political by the second. Navigating a country and society in turmoil, Persis, smart, stubborn and untested in the crucible of male hostility that surrounds her, must find a way to solve the murder – whatever the cost.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Bombay, New Year’s Eve, 1949. Inspector Persis Wadia spends the evening standing vigil in the basement of Malabar House, home to the city’s most unwanted unit of police officers. Persis is India’s first female police detective and people haven’t exactly been welcoming. She faces sexism, mistrust and scathing criticism, which is why she has been consigned to the midnight shift. But then the phone rings. Prominent English diplomat Sir James Herriot has been murdered. And Persis realises that the most sensational case in the country has just fallen into her lap. 

Intriguing, clever, tense and totally riveting, Vassem Khan has crafted a book that feels like an Indian Agatha Christie. Transporting us to post-Partition India, he introduces us to maverick cop Persis. Gutsy, headstrong, driven and formidable, Persis is a brilliant protagonist who would fit right in with Poirot or Marple. Unafraid to defy convention or challenge authority, Peris is more than up for the challenge of being India’s first female detective. I was rooting for her to prove her haters wrong at every step and am so glad this is a series so I can see what is next for her.

Although I’ve had Khan’s books on my shelves for years, I’m ashamed to say that this was my first time reading one of them. Why did I wait so long? At least doing so means I have his extensive backlist waiting for me to discover. Skillfully written, richly drawn and filled with complex plotting, this is a first-class cosy mystery. Khan knows how to keep his readers on their toes, delivering an array of suspects who all have reasons to kill the victim so that the answers are hard to predict. 

One thing I particularly loved was Khan’s decision to set the story during such a fascinating and tumultuous time in Indian history. It is an era I was unfamiliar with before picking up this book, but one of my favourite parts of reading historical fiction is learning about new historical events. Overflowing with Indian history, Khan’s extensive research is evident in every small detail, exploring themes such as colonialism, racism and sexism. 

This outstanding cosy mystery is a must for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vaseem Khan is the author of two award-winning crime series set in India, and the Q Mysteries, beginning with Quantum of Menace, the first in a murder mystery series featuring Q from the James Bond franchise. His debut, The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra, was selected by the Sunday Times as one of the 40 best crime novels published 2015-2020. In 2021, Midnight at Malabar House, the first in the Malabar House novels set in 1950s Bombay, won the CWA Historical Dagger. Vaseem was born in England, but spent a decade working in India. Between 2023-2025, Vaseem served as the Chair of the UK Crime Writers’ Association. In 2025, his first psychological thriller, The Girl in Cell A, was published, set in small town America.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Dinner Party by Rebecca Heath

Published June 6th, 2024 by Head of Zeus
Thriller, Suspense, Domestic Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Secrets. Glamour. Lies. Your new favourite twisty thriller was written by INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER Rebecca Heath.

A dark and twisty domestic thriller set in a seemingly idyllic suburban neighbourhood, where family secrets are best kept buried…

FOUR COUPLES.
Summer 1979. In the idyllic suburban neighbourhood of Ridgefield, Australia, during a scorching heat wave, four couples gather for their weekly dinner party.

AN ORDINARY EVENING.
When Frank Callaghan checks on the sleeping children, he finds an empty crib where his four-month-old daughter Megan should be sleeping. The party-goers swear they didn’t see anything but each of them has something to hide.

THE BEGINNING OF A NIGHTMARE.
Forty years later, a stranger knocks at the Callaghans’ door. She claims to be their missing daughter. And she’s holding the blanket she was wrapped in the night she disappeared.

Shocked, the Callaghans must finally confront how well they know their neighbours, and ask themselves:
Where has Megan really been all this time?

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

On a hot December night in 1979 in the idyllic suburban neighbourhood of Ridgefield, Australia, four couples gather for one of their regular neighbourhood dinner parties. The children are left to sleep at home while the adults let their hair down, but they check on the children regularly. All is as it should be until during one of his checks, Frank Callaghan finds his daughter Megan’s crib is empty. No one saw or heard a thing. Forty years later, no trace of Megan has ever been found and a podcast is now airing about the case. On the anniversary of Megan’s disappearance a stranger knocks at the Callaghan’s door saying she believes she is Megan. And when she shows them she has the blanket Megan was taken in as proof, it seems like the missing little girl is finally home. But Billie, Megan’s niece, can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right. So she begins to look into the stranger and the truth about that night. But is she prepared for what she’s about to uncover?

Tense, twisty and addictive, The Dinner Party had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A story of family, community, secrets, lies and the ripple effect of trauma, there is a chilling sense of foreboding from the opening pages. Expertly written, deftly plotted and intricately interwoven, Rebecca Heath merges traditional storytelling with true crime to tell this riveting tale. And I couldn’t put it down. I was in her thrall, totally lost in the drama and mystery that surrounds this family and their neighbourhood. The story is told in dual timelines: the present and in flashbacks to ‘that night’. Then there are the podcast episodes that include interviews with some of the people there that night. It unfurls slowly, drip-feeding us clues about the characters and that night that I was trying to piece together to learn what happened to Megan. But this story was so hard to predict. Almost every twist was a surprise and I had no idea what the truth was about that night. 

The Callaghan’s are an ordinary family pulled into a nightmare on the night that Megan vanishes. A nightmare they are never released from. There are no clues and the family is left to wonder who could have taken their precious daughter. The family have never stopped searching, even starting a foundation in Megan’s name to try and find her and other missing people. I loved that they were a family going through normal things as well as the extraordinary as it made them easy to relate to and root for. I really liked the main character, Billie, and felt for her as she became the only one to doubt the stranger in their midst. The other characters are also well written and there is a strong sense of community that isn’t always a positive thing.

So if you like true crime, cold cases and well-written thrillers, then this is the book for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Head of Zeus and Netgalley for providing me with a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebecca Heath studied laser chemistry at university, worked in hospitality and teaching, and wrote obsessively whenever she could find the time. She wrote several young adult novels as Beck Nicholas, and was published in Australia and Germany before turning to a life of (writing) crime. She lives in Adelaide, Australia, halfway between the city and the sea with her husband, three children and a much-loved border collie. The Last Encore is her fourth novel for adults following The Summer Party, The Dinner Party and The Wedding Party all published in Australia, UK and USA.

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BOOK REVIEW: A Beautiful Way To Die by Eleni Kyriacou

Published May 8th, 2025 by Head of Zeus
Historical Fiction, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Historical Thriller, Mystery, Hollywood Noir

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Don’t miss the new novel from Eleni Kyriacou, author of BBC Between the Covers pick The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou.

‘Deeply atmospheric… From movie star glamour to the rotten core of fame, I couldn’t put this down.’ LOUISE HARE
‘Evocative, tense, seductive.’ TAMMY COHEN

PLAY THEIR GAME
Hollywood, 1953. Young actress Ginny Watkins is turning heads. Even the legendary – and married – actor Max Whitman can’t resist the allure of the hottest new starlet. He promises Ginny the world, in return for the right favour.

DO WHAT THEY SAY
London, 1954. Stella Hope, once the most famous actress in Hollywood, has been ousted to Ealing Studios after her divorce from the powerful Max. Just as she accepts her fate, she receives a letter, blackmailing her for a mistake she made many years ago.

OR THEY’LL BURY YOU
Two women on either side of stardom find themselves in the orbit of the same beguiling man. And one night, in the shadows of a glamorous Oscars afterparty, their lives are changed forever.

A Beautiful Way to Die delves into the decadence and depravity of the early film industry from Hollywood to London. Perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Babylon.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

A captivating exploration of the dark underbelly of Hollywood that lies beneath the glitz, glamour and fame, A Beautiful Way To Die is enthralling, taut and poignant. Written with style, pose, beauty and packing a strong emotional punch, it has a cinematic edge that makes it feel perfect for the big screen. Cleverly plotted and intricately interwoven, Eleni Kyriacou had me in her thrall from start to finish with her red herrings and surprising twists.  A superb story of feminism, friendships, secrets, misogyny and true crime, I inhaled this book in under a day.

Moving between L.A and London in the 1950s we follow the stories of four women: disgraced Hollywood starlet Stella, actress Ginny who is trying to make it big in Hollywood, make-up artist Maggie and an unnamed woman who has been locked in a sanatorium. The world they inhabit is very much a man’s world. A time when misogyny is rife, women have come to expect sexual assault and men’s misdeeds are covered up, especially in Hollywood. They are seen as disposable and easily replaced. This brings us to Stan Fisher is a Hollywood exec and ‘fixer’. He not only runs the studio and rules these women’s lives, he also covers up the men’s actions. But although there are dire consequences for stepping out of line, these women refuse to stay quiet and are fighting back.

I loved these fierce, strong and sassy women who pushed back and refused to behave. It’s because of brave women like them we have the rights we do today and I was cheering them on every step of the way. They and the other characters were charismatic, captivating and richly drawn. There are some truly vile, odious brutes who enraged me and the book is overflowing with unreliable narrators so we never feel sure about who we can trust. But it was the  mysterious, unnamed woman in the asylum I felt drawn to the most. Who was she? What is the truth behind the haunting flashes of memory she keeps having? I had a few theories but none of them were correct and my jaw hit the floor when her identity was finally revealed. 

And don’t miss the author’s note at the end with some fascinating facts and insight into the story.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

​Eleni Kyriacou was born and raised in London to Greek Cypriot parents. She’s an award-winning editor and journalist and she has appeared in publications such as the Guardian, the Observer, Marie Claire, Red and Stella. She’s written on a wide range of topics including adoption, relationships, travel, self-development, the arts and women’s health.

Her first novel She Came to Stay was published by Hodder in 2020, and her second, The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou (Head of Zeus, 2023) was a BBC 2’s Between the Covers pick.

A Beautiful Way to Die (Head of Zeus) was published in 2025.

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BOOK REVIEW: Perfect Kill by Helen Fields (DI Callanach, Book 6)

Published February 6th, 2020 by Avon
Crime Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Series, Police Procedural

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

He had never heard himself scream before. It was terrifying.

Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim.

Drugged and kidnapped, the realisation soon dawns that he’s been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn’t yet know is that he’s now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed…

DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland.

With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task – but there’s no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead…

Get ready for a rollercoaster ride like no other, with the next gripping thriller from the number one bestselling crime author, Helen Fields. The perfect read for fans of M. J. Arlidge and Karin Slaughter.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

The DI Callanac series is one of my favourites. So when I heard that Helen Fields was releasing a new installment next year I was thrilled. But I’d fallen behind, so I decided it was time to get back to my favourite French Detective. 

It starts with a haunting and unforgettable opening scene: twenty-year-old Bart wakes up in pain in a stinking, pitch-black room, chained at the ankle. And he has no idea how he got there. He soon realises he’s been drugged and kidnapped. But what he hasn’t yet comprehended is that he’s been put in a shipping container and is on his way to France, where an unspeakable fate awaits him. In France, DI Luc Callanach is investigating the case of a young man who has had his organs harvested. While in Scotland, DCI Ava Turner is investigating Bart’s disappearance. They soon realise their cases are connected and men and women are being taken, sent to France and having their organs harvested. And the group is also connected to the trafficking of women in Scotland. There are many lives at stake, and Luc and Ava face a race against the clock to find them before it’s too late…

Dark, gritty, intense, scalpel-sharp and nerve-shredding, Perfect Kill is a bingeable thriller. I can always rely on Helen to deliver a first-class thriller that keeps me on the edge of my seat and holds me in a chokehold from start to finish. And just when I thought this series couldn’t get better, she proved me wrong with this book. Helen is a spectacular sinister storyteller who spins the threads of this disturbing story to suspenseful perfection. A masterclass in pace and tension, the outright fear is omnipresent and my heart raced as Luc and Ava tried to solve the crimes before it was too late. As she explored the darkest underbelly of the criminal world I felt like I was watching it all unfold on screen before me. Someone really needs to adapt this series. 

Luc and Ava are great detectives and I love their will they/won’t they romance. That storyline takes a bit of a backseat this time around but I am still rooting for them to get together at last and become a kick-ass crime-fighting couple. It was fun to be back with them and the other returning characters. And then there’s the villains. Helen crafted some truly odious and deplorable characters who represent the worst of humanity but were great to read. 

A heart-pounding thriller that starts with a bang and never lets go, this book – and the whole series – is a must for thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A former criminal and family law barrister, Helen Fields has the expertise and experience to make the characters and plots scorch with authenticity. 

With a background as both a prosecutor and defence counsel, Helen Fields has a depth of knowledge about crime that lends a fierceness  to her writing. From Courts Martials to care proceedings, the Coroner Courts to the Crown Court, Fields draws on her professional years for the extraordinary colour and texture that makes her writing jump off the page.

Sunday Times Best Seller, Million copy and twice long-listed for the McIllvanney Scottish Crime Book of the Year author whose books have been translated across the globe, Fields consistently produces high impact, compelling novels that readers love.

The ‘Perfect’ series, set in Edinburgh, introduced the world to DI Luc Callanach. This year saw the release of Degrees of Guilt, her first psychological thriller in the name HS Chandler, a book as shockingly realistic as it is darkly entertaining.  

​Helens’ latest character creation is Dr Connie Woolwine, an American forensic psychologist and profiler, based on a real FBI Agent who consulted on the first book.  You can find Connie in The Shadow Man, One For Sorrow and The Institution.

​Helen is a million copy best seller crime writer & UK no.1 thriller book novelist now writing her 14th book.

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BOOK REVIEW: Just Like The Other Girls by Claire Douglas

Publised August 6th, 2020 by Michael Joseph
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

*CARER/COMPANION WANTED FOR ELDERLY LADY*

*YOUNG FEMALE PREFERRED * COMPETITIVE SALARY*

*ROOM AND BOARD INCLUDED*

Una Richardson is devastated after the death of her mother. Hoping for a fresh start, she responds to an advertisement and steps into the rich, comforting world of elderly Mrs Elspeth McKenzie.

But Elspeth’s home is not as safe as it seems.

Kathryn, her cold and bitter daughter, resents Una’s presence. More disturbing is the evidence suggesting two girls lived here before.

What happened to the girls?

Why will the McKenzies not talk about them?

As the walls close in around her, Una fears she’ll end up just like the other girls . . .

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

When Una answers an ad from an elderly woman looking for a live-in companion, she feels like it’s the fresh start she’s been looking for after the death of her mother and the end of her relationship. And when she steps into Elspeth’s large, comforting home she is filled with hope for the future. But this house isn’t as safe as it seems. It is filled with a dark, dysfunctional family history and Elsepth’s daughter Kathryn is a bitter woman who resents Una’s presence. And then she learns about the two girls who worked there before her. Is this job the answer to Una’s problems? Or just the start of them…

Omg! This was one crazy rollercoaster ride!  Deliciously dark, chilling, sinister and twisty, this addictive thriller had me totally hooked. Expertly written, cleverly choreographed and filled with red herrings, it took me by surprise at every turn. I was on the edge of my seat and devoured the book in under a day. It had been a while since I’d read a book by Claire Douglas, and after reading Just Like The Other Girls I’m wondering why. And I certainly won’t be waiting long before reading more of her backlist.

I love an unreliable narrator and this book was jam-packed full of them. It was obvious that Elspeth and Kathryn were hiding things from the start and you couldn’t trust what they were saying. But the distrust rippled out to the other characters and made me question what almost all of them were saying. And who was the mysterious stalker watching Una who seemed to be involved in her predecessors leaving their positions? One person was a strong suspect for me from the start, but they weren’t the only person I considered as a start and the person I eventually landed on was the right answer. But even then Ms. Douglas had another surprise in store that left my jaw on the floor and changed everything I thought I’d known about the story.

If you’re looking for a dark and unpredictable thriller then I highly recommend you read this book.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Michael Joseph and Netgalley for providing me with a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Claire Douglas worked as a journalist for fifteen years, writing features for women’s magazines and national newspapers, but had dreamed of being a novelist since the age of seven. She finally got her wish after winning the Marie Claire Debut Novel Award with her first novel, The Sisters.
She is a Sunday Times bestseller and a frequent Richard & Judy Book Club pick. Her books have sold over three million copies in the UK alone.
She lives in Bath with her husband and two children.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Eights by Joanna Miller

Published April 3rd, 2025 by Fig Tree
Historical Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Oxford, 1920. For the first time in its 1000-year history, the world’s most famous university has admitted female students. Giddy with dreams of equality, education and emancipation, four young women move into neighbouring rooms on Corridor Eight. They have come here from all walks of life, and they are thrown into an unlikely, life-affirming friendship.

Dora was never meant to go to university, but, after losing both her brother and her fiancé on the battlefield, has arrived in their place. Beatrice, politically-minded daughter of a famous suffragette, sees Oxford as a chance to make her own way – and her own friends – for the first time. Socialite Otto fills her room with extravagant luxuries but fears they won’t be enough to distract her from her memories of the war years. And quiet, clever, Marianne, the daughter of a village vicar, arrives bearing a secret she must hide from everyone – even The Eights – if she is to succeed.

But Oxford’s dreaming spires cast a dark shadow: in 1920, misogyny is still rife, influenza is still a threat, and the ghosts of the Great War are still very real indeed. And as the group navigate this tumultuous moment in time, their friendship will become more important than ever.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

St Hugh’s College, Oxford in 1920. Beatrice, Dora, Marianne and Otto are pioneers. The four women are among the first female students to study at Oxford University. It is a time of change. But change doesn’t come easy after 1,000 years of tradition, and the Eights – as they are known – face an uphill battle against misogyny and exclusion and must prove themselves worthy of their place. 

Heartfelt, warm, moving, engaging and utterly captivating, this is a delightful story of friendship, freedom, women’s rights, sisterhood and self-discovery. Joanna Miller proves herself as a debut author to watch with her superb storytelling, meticulous research and charismatic characters. The story has a strong sense of time and place, the good and the bad of 1920s England on display as she brings the past life in vivid technicolour. And while there are some heavy themes covered in the story, Ms. Miller avoids them feeling too heavy as she dovetails into light-hearted and inspiring elements that give the story an uplifting and warm-hearted vibe. 

And then there are the characters. These wonderful women – and all the other characters – are richly drawn, compelling and real. You will laugh, cry, feel angry and cringe with embarrassment at their behaviour. But you will recognise it all as painfully human. Our protagonists are plucky, strong and determined women who are making history. They are likeable, easy to root for but also flawed. I loved reading them and adored their strong friendship, which is at the heart of the story. It is  the kind of friendship every woman dreams of. The kind where they are there for each other through the good and the bad, accepting of their flaws and rooting for one another when they win. 

Thought-provoking, witty, soulful and utterly superb, this is a debut you don’t want to miss.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Fig Tree for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joanna has always loved stories – even from an early age, when the Headteacher complained to her parents that she had read all the books in the school library. Joanna went on to study English at Exeter College, Oxford and later returned to the University to train as a teacher.

After ten years in education, she set up an award-winning poetry gift business. During this time, she wrote thousands of poems to order and her rhyming verse was filmed twice by the BBC.

Unable to resist the lure of the classroom, Joanna recently returned to Oxford University to study for a diploma in creative writing. THE EIGHTS is her debut novel and is inspired by her love of local history and historical fiction.

When Joanna is not writing, she is either walking her dog or working in the local bookshop. She lives with her husband and three children near the Grand Union Canal in Hertfordshire, UK.

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Thanks for reading this, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

Published 1967 by Vintage
Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The classic, atmospheric Australian thriller about the mysterious disappearance of a group of young girls.

A cloudless summer day in the year nineteen hundred…

Everyone at Appleyard College for Young Ladies agreed it was just right for a picnic at Hanging Rock. After lunch, a group of three girls climbed into the blaze of the afternoon sun, pressing on through the scrub into the shadows of Hanging Rock. Further, higher, till at last they disappeared.

They never returned.

Is Picnic at Hanging Rock fact or fiction? Only you can truly decide.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Australia, 14th February 1900. On a sweltering summer’s day an idyllic picnic for the students at an exclusive ladies boarding school turns into a nightmare when three girls and their governess go missing at Hanging Rock. Eight days later, one of the girls is found, but she has no memories of what happened. The other two girls and their governess are never seen again. 

Atmospheric, mysterious, hypnotic and ambiguous, Picnic at Hanging Rock is a mesmerising story. This 1967 classic has been on my TBR for many years. I became fascinated with the story after seeing the movie as a teenager and for many years I believed it was based on a true story. When I learned that it was actually a work of fiction, I knew I needed to read it. This month I finally decided to pick it up and listened to it on audiobook, which was a great choice as not only did the Australian accent of the narrator make it feel authentic, but the pipe music between each chapter adds to the haunting and unsettling vibe. 

A sunny but sinister story, the book transports us back to 1900. A gorgeously gothic and melancholy Edwardian tale, Joan Lindsey’s evocative storytelling vividly sets the scene from the start. There is a hazy, dreamlike quality. A fever-dream where you are never quite sure what is real and what is fiction. I was enthralled and completely lost in the world Lindsay had created. It’s a story that captures the imagination. A puzzle steeped in the supernatural and unexplained that is waiting to be solved. But it ultimately remains without resolution. And that unending mystery is part of what makes this story so haunting and eerie.

Hanging Rock itself is an important part of this story, almost feeling like a character in its own right. An ancient place infused with mystery that is an indigenous sacred site, the book capitalises on that atmosphere to create a modern myth. It leaves us wondering if the rock really can devour people and make them vanish into thin air. And how did three people manage to disappear without a single trace? 

Beautiful, languorous, obscure and unnerving, this is a perfect summer read that will linger long after reading.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joan Lindsay was born Joan à Beckett Weigall in Melbourne, Australia, in 1896. She attended Clyde Girls Grammar School, the model for Appleyard College in Picnic at Hanging Rock, and the National Gallery of Victoria Art School, where she studied painting. On Valentine’s Day 1922 she married Daryl Lindsay in London. She chose Valentine’s Day 1900 as the setting for Picnic at Hanging Rock, her best-known work, which was first published in 1967 and is the basis for the 1975 film of the same name by Peter Weir. She died in Melbourne in 1984.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BOOK REVIEW: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published June 3rd, 2025 by Hutchinson Heinman
Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

An epic novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.

In the summer of 1980, astrophysics professor Joan Goodwin begins training to be an astronaut at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond; mission specialists John Griffin and Lydia Danes; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer. As the new astronauts prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined and begins to question everything she believes about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, creating complex protagonists, and telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love – this time among the stars.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Atmosphere was my 100th read this year and it is certainly one I’ll not forget. It’s been a few weeks since I finished this magnificent book and I still haven’t recovered. Epic, illuminating, transporting, heart-stopping and emotional, this glorious love story is a must for your summer TBR. 

Joan Goodwin has always loved space. But as a girl she never dreamed of being an astronaut. After all, that’s something only boys could do. So when she hears that NASA is advertising for female scientists and astronauts she applies and is thrilled to be successful. So, in the summer of 1980, Joan begins her training as an astronaut at Houston’s Johnson Space Centre alongside a group of exceptional candidates. Joan expected to find adventure, but what she didn’t expect was to find a love, but that all changes as she and Vanessa, one of the other candidates get closer, leading to a passion she never thought was meant for her. Then, in December 1984, disaster strikes on mission  STS-LR9 and Joan must find a way to help get Vanessa and any other survivors home to safety.

Atmosphere is my third time reading a Taylor Jenkins Reid book and she just gets better and better. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think she could top The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo for me, but this spectacular story soared into the top spot. Beautifully written, evocatively told and cleverly choreographed, TJR had me in a chokehold from her opening author’s note to the last sentence. I thought I knew what to expect from a TJR read, but I was totally unprepared for this book. At its heart this is a love story about breaking down barriers. Joan and Vanessa are strong, brilliant and determined women who were easy to root for at every step. The story explores topics including sexism, prejudice, inequality, vulnerability and resilience. It broke my heart, made me smile and enraged me – often all on the same page. 

The story is set against the backdrop of the American Space Race of the 1980s. As someone who has never been that into space I honestly didn’t expect to be that into the setting. But I loved it. The combination of the meticulous details, compelling characters and heart-pounding tension had me completely hooked. This was an era when men still ruled the Space Programme and it was rare for a woman to be accepted. This instantly makes Joan and Vanessa’s life at the Space Centre more difficult as they battle for equality in a misogynistic industry. Then there was the added complication of them being LGBTQ. Homophobia and stigmatisation was still rife and the couple knew their jobs would be at risk if anyone found out about them, so they are forced to keep their love a secret. 

A mesmerising and unputdownable love story, I can’t recommend this highly enough.

Rating: 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the author of the New York Times Bestselling novels Atmosphere, Carrie Soto Is Back, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever, Interrupted. Her books have been chosen by Reese’s Book Club, Read with Jenna, GMA Book Club, Indie Next, Best of Amazon, and Book of the Month. Her novel, Daisy Jones and The Six, is now a limited series on Amazon Prime. She lives in Los Angeles.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliiophiles xxxx

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