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SQUADPOD REVIEWS: The Birdcage Library by Freya Berry

Published June 22nd, 2023 by Headline
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

Welcome to my review for the gorgeously gothic The Birdcage Library. This was one of our summer Squadpod Book Club picks, so I’m late with this review. But this book was more than worth the wait for me. Thank you to Headline for the proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:
Dear Reader, the man I love is trying to kill me…

A mesmerising tale of buried secrets and dark obsession with shades of Daphne du Maurier, The Birdcage Library will hold you in its spell until the final page.

‘A delicious page-turning mystery within a mystery’ LIZ HYDER
‘A twisty treasure hunt of a novel… Utterly beguiling’ LIZZIE POOK
‘It glistens with a hint of the danger that lurks within‘ CHARLOTTE PHILBY
‘Dark, claustrophobic and clever storytelling’ JANE SHEMILT
_________

1932. Emily Blackwood, adventuress and plant hunter, travels north for a curious new commission. A gentleman has written to request she catalogue his vast collection of taxidermied creatures before sale.

On arrival, Emily finds a ruined castle, its owner haunted by a woman who vanished five decades before. And when she discovers the ripped pages of a diary, crammed into the walls, she realises dark secrets lie here, waiting to entrap her too…

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MY REVIEW:

“Welcome, dear reader. You have found me, and I you. The diary you hold in your hands is a treasure map. It will lead you to what you ought to seek. Like all such maps, the trail is cryptic. The reason for this is simple. The man I love is trying to kill me.”

Gorgeously gothic, dark and forbidding, The Birdcage Library is an absolute masterpiece. Set in 1930s Scotland, Botanist and Adventuress Emily Blackwood is about to begin a new commission cataloguing the collection of creatures for sale. When she arrives at Castle Parras she finds a remote and ruined place inhabited by a peculiar nonagenarian and haunted by the memory of a woman who disappeared fifty years ago. After finding the pages of an old diary hidden in the walls, Emily sets out to solve the mystery in its pages. But alongside its secrets, a darkness lurks in the crevices of this old castle. Can she discover the truth before it entraps her?

Enthralling, eerie and suspenseful, this had everything I want in a Gothic mystery. This was one of our summer Squadpod Book Club picks so I’m late reading it, but it feels perfect for this time of year. Castle Parras is a cold, uninviting place but it lures you in, tempting you to try and be the one to make it give up its secrets. There’s a hint of malevolence and a nameless dread that hovers over the pages, making tendrils of fear creep up your spine as you read. With her exquisite storytelling and evocative imagery, Freya Berry takes you on a literary treasure hunt that wrenches you out of your own world and into the one she’s created as you try to solve the decades-old mystery. I was utterly captivated, not wanting to put the book down even to sleep as I desperately needed answers. 

“The summer solstice, with its sliver of dark, seemed a strange time of year for a haunting. But perhaps it was not the creatures of night that were most terrifying – at least with those you knew that day would come. Worse, perhaps, were the monsters that rose while the sun was high.”

Emily and Hester were great protagonists. While they lived very different lives fifty years apart there were many similarities between them. Both women are strong yet vulnerable. They are plagued by inner torment, fear, and regret while also possessing a fierce resolve and determination. They are also both surrounded by mystery. For Hester, this is her disappearance, while for Emily it is her past and the secrets she’s keeping from the reader. While you are never completely sure if either woman is a reliable narrator, they are easy to like and I was cheering them on at every step. We can’t talk about the characters without mentioning Heinrich Vogel, Emily’s employer and Hester’s brother-in-law. The nonagenarian is a strange man who gets increasingly creepy as the story goes on. I didn’t trust him or his nephew, Yves, one bit, and was worried for Emily’s safety as she’s trapped in the castle with them.

“The best most of us can hope for is to find comfort in our cages.”

One of the themes running through this book is cages as Berry explores the ways in which they are a metaphor in our lives. She discusses how we can be caged by society, relationships, or even ourselves, vividly capturing how it feels to be trapped in an invisible prison, being desperate to escape but having no idea how to free yourself. She also weaves in literal cages in the form of the castle walls, birdcages and the boxes that hold the various creatures, both alive and dead, adding to the claustrophobic feeling radiating from the pages.

Darkly atmospheric, chilling and immersive, this clever and twisty puzzle gets all the stars. One of my favourite books so far this year, The Birdcage Library is a mesmerising gothic mystery that will haunt you long after reading. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Freya Berry worked as a journalist at Reuters, covering everything from corporate M&A to Brexit. After a stint in New York reporting on the 2016 US election she left to write her first novel, The Dictator’s Wife, published by Headline in 2022. She received a double starred first in English from Trinity College, Cambridge and her writing has appeared in the TLS, the Guardian, the Independent and the Mail Online among others. She also works as an investigative corporate researcher. Her time is split between London and the Welsh coast, where she spends an inadvisable amount of time in the sea.

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SQUADPOD REVIEWS: My Legendary Girlfriend by Mike Gayle (25th Anniversary Edition)

Published September 28th, 2023 by Hodder Paperbacks
Romance Novel, Humorous Ficiton, Comedy, Literary Fiction, Lad lit

Happy Publication Day to the 25th Anniversary Edition of My Legendary Girlfriend. Thank you to Alainna at Hodder Books for offering the Squadpod the opportunity to take part in this PR Campaign and for my copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

Celebrate Mike Gayle’s 25th year of publishing with this special anniversary edition of his first ever novel!

Meet Will Kelly. English teacher. Film Fan. Pot Noodle expert. Ex-boyfriend.

Still in love with The One, Will is desperate to discover if there can be An-Other One. In his decrepit flat where he can’t even manage to cook spaghetti hoops without setting off the communal smoke alarm, his lifeline is the telephone. Will realises that with a single call, friends can either lift him from the depths of despair or completely shatter his hopes.

There’s Alice (who remembers his birthday), Simon (who doesn’t), Kate (the previous tenant of his rented hovel). And of course his ex, Aggi. The inimitable Aggi. His legendary Girlfriend.

Or is She?

A hilarious, original story for anyone who has ever been dumped, or lived in a dump, ‘full of belly-laughs and painfully acute observations’. (Independent on Sunday)

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MY REVIEW:

Warm, witty, and heartfelt, My Legendary Girlfriend is a story about life, heartbreak, and unrequited love. It introduces us to Will Kelly, an English teacher whose life isn’t going the way he’d hoped. He’s about to turn 26, totally skint, living in a run-down flat, and still pining after his ex-girlfriend, Aggi. Over the course of a weekend we get to know his deepest, and often darkest, thoughts as he agonises over whether he will ever find a love like he had with his Legendary Girlfriend. 

When Hodder Books offered the Squadpod an exclusive and limited PR run to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Mike Gayle’s debut novel I jumped at the chance to be part of it. I’ve been a huge fan of his books ever since reading All the Lonely People – yes, I know I was late to the party – so I couldn’t wait to finally read the book that started it all. And as with all his books, reading this felt like being wrapped in a warm hug. It envelops you, comforts you and soothes your soul. It is a more melancholy book than any other I’ve read by him yet, but Gayle has a talent for offsetting the more serious and sombre elements of a story with dry, dark humour that lightens the mood.

So, we need to talk about Will. Lovestruck doesn’t quite cover the way he is about Aggi. Totally and utterly obsessed is better. Look, we’ve all had that relationship that’s hard to get over, where you were sure they were The One, but they didn’t agree and ripped your heart out, but to be this obsessed after three years seemed quite ridiculous. And that pedestal he’d got her on was so high I’m surprised she didn’t get dizzy. I wanted to grab hold of him, shake him, and tell him to get a bloody grip! But love isn’t rational, is it? So I did have some sympathy for him. Not that he made it easy. Because this guy wasn’t likeable most of the time. He was self-centred, moody, pessimistic, and his outlook was as bleak as the flat he lived in. Everything revolved around him and his feelings, and he certainly made sure everyone knew about them. But yet there’s something about him that is still engaging, making you keep reading and not quite give up on him, even if you’re shouting at him in your head the whole time. 

My favourite aspect of this book is the phone calls. Much of the story takes place during conversations Will has with various people over the phone that weekend. These calls are a lifeline for Will and he recognises that a single call has the power to shift his entire mood depending on who is calling. These calls were often hilarious and provided a lot of levity in the book, as well as introducing us to some really great secondary characters such as Alice and Kate. They also provided a lot of the book’s nostalgia, reminding me of when I would spend hours on the phone talking to friends or loved ones. And, for me, the nostalgia was something I loved about this book. In 1998 we still had landlines, answering machines, video players, and the speaking clock. It was like being transported to my past and contributed to the sense of comfort I felt while reading. 

An enjoyable and funny read with an ending I really loved, I would recommend this book. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Mike Gayle was born and raised in Birmingham. After graduating from Salford University with a degree in Sociology Mike moved to London with ambitions of becoming a music journalist. This didn’t happen however and following a slight detour in his five-year plan he ended up as an agony uncle for teenage girls’ magazine Bliss before becoming Features Editor on the now much missed Just Seventeen. Since those early days Mike has written for a variety of publications including The Sunday Times, The Guardian and Cosmopolitan.

Mike became a full time novelist in 1997 following the publication of his Sunday Times top ten bestseller My Legendary Girlfriend, which was hailed by The Independent as ‘Full of belly laughs and painfully acute observations,’ and by The Times as ‘A funny, frank account of a hopeless romantic.’

To date Mike is the author of twelve novels including Mr Commitment, Turning Thirty and Wish You Were Here. His books have been translated into over thirty languages.

You can read more about Mike’s books here.

After stints in Manchester and London Mike now lives in Birmingham with his wife, kids, two sheds and a rabbit.

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SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: 73 Dove Street by Julie Owen Moylan

Published July 20th, 2023 by Michael Joseph
Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Romance Fiction

Welcome to my review of the stylish, soulful and compelling, 73 Dove Street. This was our Squadpod Book Club pick for July. Thank you to Michael Joseph for the gifted proof.

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SYNOPSIS:

The page-turning and evocative new novel set in 1950s London from the author of That Green Eyed Girl


‘An incredibly vivid rendering of post-war London and the complicated lives of three woman whose fates intersect at a boarding house . . . emotional, immersive and utterly absorbing’ JENNIFER SAINT
‘The sense of time and place is beautifully evocative. It’s about pride and shame and love and loss and ultimately hope’ LAURA SHEPHERD-ROBINSON
‘Once again, Julie Owen Moylan has created a world that feels completely real and vivid’ JODIE CHAPMAN
‘From the Rivoli Ballroom to the seedy nightlife of Soho, the characters leap off the page in this compelling mystery’ WOMAN & HOME
___________
When Edie Budd arrives at a shabby West London boarding house in October 1958, carrying nothing except a broken suitcase and an envelope full of cash, it’s clear she’s hiding a terrible secret.
And she’s not the only one; the other women of 73 Dove Street have secrets of their own . . .
Tommie, who lives on the second floor, waits on the eccentric Mrs Vee by day. After dark, she harbours an addiction to seedy Soho nightlife – and a man she can’t quit.
Phyllis, 73 Dove Street’s formidable landlady, has set fire to her husband’s belongings after discovering a heart-breaking betrayal – yet her fierce bravado hides a past she doesn’t want to talk about.
At first, the three women keep to themselves.
But as Edie’s past catches up with her, Tommie becomes caught in her web of lies – forcing her to make a decision that will change everything . . .

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MY REVIEW:

73 Dove Street is a story of secrets, lies, heartbreak, trauma, and fear told through the eyes of three women: Edie, Tommie, and Phyllis. To keep their secrets, the women keep to themselves, leaving them feeling isolated, lonely, and without anyone to turn to or confide in. But when Tommie gets tangled in Edie’s web of lies the women are forced to make decisions that will alter the course of their lives forever…

My love for Julie Owen Moyan’s writing is sealed after reading this book, which was the Squadpod Book Club pick for July (yes, I’m a bit behind). Beautifully written and compelling, she knows how to captivate her audience, drawing you into the story and the lives of her characters. She transports you to 1950s London with descriptions that are so vivid you can not only see it in front of you, but you can hear and smell it, too. A tense, claustrophobic atmosphere leapt from the pages, and there’s a quiet intensity to it that tells you something is simmering beneath the surface just waiting to boil over. I lived every moment alongside the characters as I read this heartbreaking and hopeful story. 

The characters are key to this story, giving it its beating heart. Edie, Tommie and Phyllis live in a time where women are subservient to men, often abused, and have few options for an independent life. The story seamlessly shifts between dual timelines to tell their stories, illuminating the lives of these ordinary women who were ignored by a misogynistic society. They spend their lives swimming in guilt, trauma, and fear, but it was powerful to watch as they discovered their own strength and resilience, refusing to be cowed by society and finding the courage to live life on their own terms. I loved these strong, inspirational women and was rooting for them every step of the way.

Stylish, soulful, and deeply human, 73 Dove Street is a gripping novel from a rising star in literary fiction and I can’t wait to see what this author writes next.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Julie Owen Moylan is a writer whose short stories and articles have appeared in New Welsh Review, The Independent, Sunday Express, and My Weekly.

She has also written and directed several short films as part of her MA in Film. Her graduation short film called ‘BabyCakes’ scooped Best Film awards at the Swansea Film Festival, Ffresh, and the Celtic Media Awards. She also has an MA in Creative Writing, and is an alumna of the Faber Academy’s Writing a Novel course. 

Julie has written two novels, THAT GREEN EYED GIRL ( May 2022) and 73 DOVE STREET ( July 2023 ) Both novels are published by Penguin Michael Joseph.

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SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: The Good Daughter by Laure van Rensburg

Published August 3rd, 2023 by Michael Joseph
Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Thriller

Today I’m sharing my review for this tense and mesmerising thriller, which was our Squadpod Book Club Pick for August. Thank you to Michael Joseph for the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

DISCOVER THE TRUTH ABOUT THE GOOD DAUGHTER IN THIS UNPUTDOWNABLE THRILLER . . .

‘A stark, stunning and deeply affecting thriller. The Good Daughter takes a tender, chilling look at family and fear, the illusion of safety and the power of inner-resolve. I loved it’
CHRIS WHITAKER

‘A powerful Southern Gothic thriller about the dangers of blind faith, the strength of women, and the deceptive nature of memory’ ANNA BAILEY

‘Laure Van Rensurg has established herself as a master of the literary thriller. An eerie, chilling, gorgeously written novel that is unafraid to challenge and question its subject matter’ LAURIE ELIZABETH FLYNN

Abigail is a proud member of the New America Baptist Church. Living miles away from the nearest town in South Carolina, she is safe from the depraved modern world.

She is a good daughter. A valued member of the community.

So when she is the sole survivor of a fire that burns her family’s home to the ground, it seems like a tragic accident.

Until a surprising discovery is made: before the fire, Abigail let a stranger in.

Who was the stranger? What started the fire? And was the outside world always the threat – or did danger lurk within the community’s walls?

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MY REVIEW:

The good daughter respects her father’s command.
The good daughter dresses modestly.
The good daughter must do as she’s told.
But sometimes daughters must be bad to survive. 

With a tagline like that, I had to read this book, and I was delighted when it was picked as the Squadpod Book Club book for August. We’d read Laure van Rensburg’s debut, Nobody But Us for our book club last year and I was a big fan, so I couldn’t wait to read this one. 

Newhaven, South Carolina. Home to the controversial New America Baptist Church and a refuge from the immoral modern world for its members. Abigail is proud to be one of them. The 17-year-old is committed to being a good daughter and spreading the church’s teachings to lost souls. One night a fire ravages her family home and Abigail is the sole survivor. It seems like a tragic accident, but as Abigail’s memories of that night and the weeks leading up to it fail to return, members of the congregation become increasingly suspicious. Did an outsider break in and start the fire? Or was this good daughter involved in her parent’s death?

“They all keep staring at me, waiting for me to talk, but I ain’t got no words for them. No answers to their questions. The fire’s left me with nothing but charred memories, no shapes. It burned all my feelings and left me numb with questions of my own.”

Laure van Rensburg has lived up to the hype of her debut with The Good Daughter. There’s no ‘sophomore syndrome’ in sight as she once again delivers a darkly atmospheric, suspenseful and unputdownable thriller that I quickly devoured. A story of dark secrets, fractured people, indoctrination and trauma, it captures the many shades of evil that can be hidden behind a guise of love. Well-written, shrewdly choreographed, and told with empathy and sensitivity, the intricately woven plot contains a complex maze of twists and turns that keeps you guessing. I was in van Rensburg’s thrall, on the edge of my seat as she slowly untangled the knots to reveal the shocking truth, leading to a jaw-dropping finale I’m still not over. 

Seamlessly moving between dual timelines, we follow the aftermath of the fire as Abigail desperately tries to remember what happened that night and in the weeks leading up to her parents’ death, but she is haunted by nightmares and distorted fragments of memory slowly return to her, ramping up the tension with each new revelation. Also included are audio files and other media that hint at something dark and sinister yet to come while also helping us slowly piece the story together. Van Rensburg’s evocative storytelling and richly drawn characters offer us a glimpse of life inside the cult that feels authentic. There are clear gender roles taken from their warped view of the bible and that we see in the coercive control, dominance and abusiveness of the men alongside the subjugation and compliance of the women. Abigail has been raised in this since she was a young child and sees nothing wrong with the rules she follows. She idolises her father, who, quite frankly, is an abusive asshole. I wanted to reach into the book and rescue her from the life she’s been brainwashed into accepting. But thankfully there was hope on the horizon. Summer comes into Abigail’s life when she agrees to secretly be interviewed for her podcast and the young woman becomes a catalyst for change as she opens her eyes to some of the lies she’s been told, creating an inner conflict and rage that leapt from the page. It is powerful stuff that really makes you feel for Abigail as her world is turned upside down and makes you wonder if she could have been involved in the fire after all…

“My head is full of screams, deafening echoes hitting the walls of a cave; they mingle with roars from the fire, but there’s something else underneath them, scratching to get out. 
But I can never see past that shattered mirror, the pieces only allowing me to catch a glimpse, a detail, never enough for a full picture, for anything to make much sense. 
Always a red fire. So much red. A red that burns.”

There’s a sinister cloud of mistrust that lingers over these pages, and never more so than when surrounding most of the cult’s members. Again, there is a clear divide between genders with the women seeming more mysterious and meek, while the men are controlling and violent. Abigail’s father is a real piece of work who made me so angry that I wanted to reach into the book and book and give him a taste of the abuse he dolled out. I was furious with her mother for not only standing idly by, but encouraging her daughter to accept the abuse as something she deserves. While it was obvious she had secrets that made her feel she owed him something, nothing excuses allowing your child to be abused and my heart broke for Abigail being so let down by both parents.

A first-rate thriller with Handmaid’s Tale vibes, The Good Daughter is a powerful, mesmerising and addictive read that would make a perfect series. READ IT NOW!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Laure Van Rensburg is a French writer living in the UK and an Ink Academy alumna. Her stories have appeared in online magazines and anthologies such as Litro Magazine, Storgy Magazine, The Real Jazz Baby (2020 Best Anthology, Saboteur Awards 2020), and FIVE:2:ONE. She has also placed in competitions including 2018 & 2019 Bath Short Story Award.

Her debut novel, Nobody But Us, follows Ellie and Steven who take their first trip away together, but what starts as an idyllic weekend soon takes a darker turn, as it quickly becomes apparent that each of them harbour secrets – and that one of those secrets is deadly.

Nobody But Us (originally titled The Downfall) was shortlisted for the 2019 First Novel Prize, 2019 Novel London Competition and 2019 Flash 500 Novel Opening. It will be published by Michael Joseph in April 2022 and has sold in fourteen territories, including Germany, Italy, Norway and the United States.

Laure’s latest novel. The Good Daughter, was longlisted in 2019 Exeter Novel Prize and more recently shortlisted in the 2020 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize. It publishes in August 2023.

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SQUADPOD REVIEWS: The Continental Affair by Christine Mangan

Published August 3rd, 2023 by Bedford Square Publishers
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Historical Thriller

Welcome to my review of this elegant and enthralling caper. Thanks to EdPR for the invitation to review this book, and to them and Bedford Square Publishers for the gifted ARC.

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SYNOPSIS:

With gorgeous prose, European glamour, and an expansive wanderlust, Christine Mangan’s The Continental Affair is a fast-paced, Agatha Christie-esque caper packed full of romance and suspense.

Meet Henri and Louise.

Two strangers, travelling alone, on the train from Belgrade to Istanbul.

Except this isn’t the first time they have met.

It’s the 1960s, and Louise is running.

From her past in England, from the owners of the money she has stolen―and from Henri, the person who has been sent to collect it.

Across the Continent―from Granada to Paris, from Belgrade to Istanbul―Henri follows.

He’s desperate to leave behind his own troubles and the memories of his past life as a gendarme in Algeria.

But Henri soon realises that Louise is no ordinary traveller.

As the train hurtles toward its final destination, Henri and Louise must decide what the future will hold―and whether it involves one another.

Stylish and atmospheric, The Continental Affair takes you on an unforgettable journey through the twisty, glamorous world of 1960s Europe.

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MY REVIEW:

Henri and Louise are two strangers travelling alone on a train from Belgrade to Istanbul. Only this isn’t the first time they’ve met…

An elegant and alluring story filled with glamour, romance and intrigue, The Continental Affair is an action-packed historical mystery you won’t want to put down. This was my first time reading a book by Christine Magnan and I’m so mad at myself for sleeping on her books! Rich in sumptuous detail, filled with lyrical prose, and oozing with malice, I lost myself in this book. Magnan transported me back to 1960s Europe so vividly that I could feel the heat on my skin and smell the cigarettes. 

A chance rendezvous between two strangers in a foreign city leads to their fates being inextricably entwined. I was on the edge of my seat as we moved seamlessly between narrators and timelines, slowly revealing their stories and secrets. Henri and Louise are compelling and mysterious characters who appear at first to have little in common. But soon we see their similarities: they are both alone in the world, have tragic histories, are running from their pasts, and both just want to belong. Though they made some questionable decisions, they were likeable and I was completely invested in their stories. I enjoyed their game of cat and mouse and was rooting for them as I watched them get closer. 

Luscious, atmospheric, stylish and memorable, this twisty caper had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Christine Mangan is the author of the Tangerine and Palace of the Drowned. The Continental Affair is her latest book. She has her Ph.D. in English from University College Dublin, with a focus on 18th-century Gothic literature, and an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Southern Maine. She lives in Detroit.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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SQUADPOD REVIEWS: Good Girls Die Last by Natali Simmonds

Published June 22nd, 2023 by Headline
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

I’m a bit late, but I’m finally sharing my review for the thought-provoking and fierce thriller, Good Girls Die Last, which was a Squadpod Reviews book last month.

Thank you to Headline for the gifted copy.

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SYNOPSIS:

Today, nothing is going right for Em. And it’s about to get much worse.
Heartbroken by a recent split, with her 30th birthday looming, she loses her job and her home in the same morning because of two swaggering, dishonest men – the boss who sexually harassed her and the flatmate sleeping with her behind his fiancée’s back. But all Em can think about is catching a flight to attend her sister’s wedding and see her dying mother.

With a record-breaking heatwave, and a serial killer making the streets unsafe, London is completely gridlocked. Em’s life has always been full of men getting their own way, and today the scorched city teems with them standing between her and home. As Em’s troubled past returns to haunt her, she refuses to let them win. Her defiance leads to shocking consequences that soon spiral wildly out of control.

In a world where men don’t listen, and girls have no voice, one woman can change everything.
Today, no one will be staying silent.

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MY REVIEW:

“They don’t like a woman with a loud voice. You start shouting, bringing attention to them and it scares the shit out of them.”

Em is having one of those days where nothing is going right. She’s lost her job, lost her home, and a heatwave has brought London to a standstill forcing her to have to drag her suitcase across the city to try and make her plane back home for her sister’s wedding and to see her dying mother. But the heat isn’t the only dangerous thing about London’s streets; a serial killer is targeting women and making the streets feel unsafe. Tired of men getting their way at her and other women’s expense, Em refuses to let them win anymore. And her defiance will cause shockwaves…

Good Girls Die Last is a gripping and timely thriller about violence against women, female rage, female fear, and finding your voice. Natali Simmonds has created a book that is part entertaining thriller, part social commentary, and part call to arms. All women will recognise the fear and frustration on these pages. We’ve all had a man say, ‘Smile love, it might never happen’, or make lewd comments when we’re simply walking on the street. We all know that feeling of rage boiling inside while we are forced to plaster on a mask of normalcy and smile sweetly. And Em embodies us all when she decides to take her stand, even if she was unprepared for the ripple effect it caused. Fast-paced, laced with dark humour, and brilliantly written, I loved the mysteries that the author wove into the story that kept me on the edge of my seat. What is in Em’s past that she’s running from? And who is the serial killer stalking London’s streets? I needed answers and inhaled this book to get them. And that last sentence! I’m still reeling from that particular body blow. 

“It’s not the big things that send you over the edge. People think it is; not having a house, losing all your money, all that. But it’s not. It’s the little things that kill you. The stuff that sneaks up on you while you’re busy holding on tight to the big things.”

Em is all of us. A deeply flawed but real and relatable character who is fierce, feisty and furious. Still reeling from heartbreak, grappling with her 30th birthday looming, keeping who she really is a secret from her family, and harbouring a dark secret of her own, Em’s rage finally boils over. She’s tired of being walked over by misogynists who feel entitled to their own way at the expense of women, and tired of keeping quiet and sweet. But Em isn’t the only brilliant character in this book. I also really loved Rose, the spunky and memorable woman who Em meets on her pilgrimage to the airport and forms a quick but strong bond with. 

Fiery, enraging, unapologetic and brimming with tension, Good Girls Die Last is a thought-provoking feminist thriller every woman needs to read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Natali Simmonds’ debut thriller Good Girls Die Last will be published in hardback by Headline in June 2023. A feminist, London-centric Falling Down meets Summer of Sam, Good Girls Die Last is perfect for fans of A Promising Young Woman.

Natali also writes fantasy under the pseudonym of N J Simmonds (her adult trilogy The Path Keeper, Son of Secrets, and Children of Shadows was shortlisted for the 2022 RNA Fantasy Award), along with Middle Grade fantasy, and is one half of paranormal romance writer, Caedis Knight. Whatever the genre, Natali’s stories are always gritty and unflinching, full of complex women and page-turning suspense.

When Natali’s not writing books, she works as a freelance brand consultant and writer, and lectures for Raindance Film School (among others). Originally from London, she now splits her time between Spain and the Netherlands where she can be found drawing, reading in her hammock, or complaining about cycling in the rain.

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SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB REVIEW: This Family by Kate Sawyer

Published May 11th, 2023 by Coronet
Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review of This Family, the enthralling literary masterpiece that was the Squadpod Book Club pick for May.

Thank you to Coronet for the gifted proof copy.

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SYNOPSIS:
An ambitious new novel of family life past and present from the author of the Costa Book Awards shortlisted The Stranding.

‘A smart yet tender page-turner. Kate Sawyer makes the reader feel as though they have a seat at the family table.’ ERIN KELLY

‘A tender yet vivid novel in both form and voice, its threads as bright as the tapestry of life it depicts. I lived, laughed and ached for these characters throughout. A superb accomplishment.’ WIZ WHARTON

‘Feels like the ultimate eavesdropping exercise, it’s satisfying fresh and expertly structured. The penultimate chapter will make you shriek. I loved it.’ ALEXANDRA HEMINSLEY

‘Lyrical, literary and luminous … buy it and treat yourself to writing at its finest.’ BETHANY CLIFT

‘Perfection. Funny and powerful, deeply moving, hugely atmospheric.’ LIZ HYDER

‘Every nuance of mother and daughters and sister relationships is vividly explored. Beautifully written, it expertly weaves the past with the present, building the tension, so you have to turn the pages.’ GEORGINA MOORE

‘Unfolds like a great piece of theatre… The more I read, the harder it became to put down.’ BOBBY PALMER

‘Fans of The Stranding, rest assured–This Family is every bit as good and then some. An absolute treat from start to finish.’ NATASHA CALDER

‘The vibrant, complex members of This Family are still alive and well in my imagination, weeks after I finished reading it. The rich, precise prose drew me into their world and held me there from beginning to end.’ JO BROWNING WROE
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It is my dearest wish, that after so long apart, I am able to bring this family together for my wedding day.

This house. This family.

Mary has raised a family in this house. Watched her children play and laugh and bicker in this house. Today she is getting married in this house, with all her family in attendance.

The wedding celebrations have brought fractured family together for the first time in years: there’s Phoebe and her husband Michael, children in tow. The young and sensitive Rosie, with her new partner. Irene, Mary’s ex-mother-in-law. Even Emma, Mary’s eldest, is back for the wedding – despite being at odds with everyone else.

Set over the course of an English summer’s day but punctuated with memories from the past forty years of love and loss, hope and joy, heartbreak and grief, this is the story of a family. Told by a chorus of characters, it is an exploration of the small moments that bring us to where we are, the changes that are brought about by time, and what, despite everything, stays the same.

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MY REVIEW:

“It is my dearest wish that after so long apart, I am able to bring this family back together for my wedding day.
I don’t think it’s my way to ask much of others, but now I am asking each of you to give me one day where you leave any animosity at the gate and try to remember that you love each other.”

Enchanting, moving and achingly real, This Family is another literary masterpiece from Kate Sawyer. This family saga is told over the course of a late summer’s day and peppered with flashbacks that illustrate their history and the animosity, discord and anger that lingers between them. Can they put their bad blood aside for this one day? Or will their deep wounds rise to the surface and bubble over in a blaze of fury and resentment? 

“It’s a new beginning. 
She should be happy.
And she is. She is.
But where there are new beginnings, there are always endings too.”

What a magnificent book! Kate Sawyere’s debut, The Stranding, was one of my favourite books of 2021 so I was highly anticipating her sophomore novel. And there is no second book syndrome in sight as Sawyer once again showcases her remarkable storytelling in this beautifully written story. A character study and exploration of life and family, Sawyer draws you into the lives of this fractured family with her eloquent and evocative writing. It is an emotional story, but not too heavy or melancholy thanks to the sprinkling of witty observations about life, parenthood and family that lighten the mood. I was lost in the pages, completely immersed in their world, and was sad to say goodbye to them when I reached the final page.

“She had been braced for a certain amount of nostalgia this weekend. It’s only to be expected that being back in your childhood home, saying farewell to all the nooks and crannies of the place where you became the person you are, is always going to invoke memories. She just hadn’t been prepared for which memories they might be, and how, remembering those memories, would feel like living it all over again.”

Told from multiple points of view, it follows four generations of one family as they come together for a wedding. This will be the first time they are all together since unknown events fractured them into pieces, but sisters Emma, Phoebe, and Rosie have agreed to put their own feelings aside for their mother Mary’s special day. But the pain runs deep between them, and they are unprepared for some of the feelings that arise when they see one another for the first time in years. This novel perfectly encapsulates the essence of family life with all of its messiness, drama, pain, and complex relationships. This is a family that is broken and we see how tensions run even higher during claustrophobic and anxiety-laden situations such as a wedding. The characters are all richly drawn, compelling, flawed and relatable. I had a particular affinity for Mary, who is a kind, selfless woman that has always given her all to her family, even raising  the child her husband had with his mistress after her death. I think a lot of this affinity stemmed from having raised children from two families in a blended household myself, as well as the fact that my children are now grown and I’ve just had my second wedding. I also really enjoyed Irene, the cantankerous mother of Mary’s ex-husband Richard and the delightful Rosie, who was the only sister talking to everyone. 

A truly decadent read that is atmospheric, stirring, insightful, nuanced and enthralling, This Family is an absolute must-read from a literary star. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

TW: Infertility and grief.

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kate was born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK where she grew up in the countryside as the eldest of four siblings, after briefly living with her parents in Qatar and the Netherlands.

Kate Sawyer worked as an actor and producer before turning her hand to fiction. She has previously written for theatre and short-film. Kate’s first novel The Stranding was published by Coronet in 2021 and was listed for the Costa First Novel Award.

Having lived in South London for the best part of two decades with brief stints in the Australia and the USA she recently returned to East Anglia to have her first child as a solo mother by choice.

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SQUADPOD REVIEWS: Mrs Porter Calling by A. J. Pearce (The Emmy Lake Chronicles, 3)

Published May 25th, 2023 by Picador
Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Historical Romance, Humorous Fiction, Coming-of-Age Fiction, Book Series

Welcome to my review of Mrs Porter Calling, which is one of our Squadpod Reviews titles for May. Thank you to EdPR Picador for my gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:
A heart-warming, heart-wrenching wartime story from The Sunday Times bestselling author of Dear Mrs Bird, AJ Pearce.

Emmy Lake is the much-loved agony aunt at Woman’s Friend magazine, relied upon by readers across the country as they face the challenges of life on the Home Front. With the problem page thriving and a team of fantastic women behind her, Emmy finally feels she is Doing Her Bit.

But when a glamorous new owner arrives, everything changes. As the Honourable Mrs Porter tries to charm her way around the rest of the team, Emmy realizes that she plans to destroy everything readers love about the magazine.

With happiness quickly turning to heartbreak and war still raging in Europe, will Emmy and her friends find the inner strength they need to keep keeping on – and save the magazine they love?

‘A winning combination of warmth, humour and a compelling story of the power of friendship.’ – Katie Fforde

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MY REVIEW:

“Had she really just eviscerated nearly everything I’d worked on for Woman’s Friend? More importantly, was she dismissing the parts of the magazine that were most obviously for and about the readers.”

It is official. The Emmy Lake Chronicles is my favourite audiobook series. Having listened to Yours Cheerfully in the space of twenty-four hours, I immediately did the same with Mrs Porter Calling, which is the third instalment in this charming series. And now I’m feeling bereft that I have to wait an unknown amount of time before the next one.

It is April 1943 when we return to war-torn London to catch up with Emmy Lake, the much-loved agony aunt at Women’s Friend magazine. Her page is thriving and the staff are all working together well when the new owner, the Honourable Mrs Cressida Porter, assumes control. Fancying herself a creative genius, Mrs Porter has grand plans for the magazine that threaten to destroy the things that the readers, and Emmy, love about it most. Can Emmy and the team band together to save their beloved magazine? 

“War’s bad enough as it is. Imagine if you’re trying to get through this alone.” 

A.J. Pearce has done it again. Bubbly, bittersweet and bingeable, this is an absolute triumph. A story of friendship, community, love and loss, Pearce transports you into Emmy’s world, making you feel like you’re one of the gang. I went through every emotion alongside them in what is undoubtedly the most emotionally resonant instalment of this series so far. One of the elements I love most is how quintessentially British these books are, and combined with the warmth that radiates from every page they are like picnicking on egg and cress sandwiches, tea and victoria sponge in the park on a warm day. 

Every single character in these books is richly drawn. Emmy is one of my favourite heroines ever, and the group of people she surrounds herself with are a delight. The unwavering support they have for each other is friendship goals, and I especially love her relationships with her best friend, Bunty, and brother-in-law-cum-boss, Guy. But it was undoubtedly Mrs Porter who stole the show this time around. God I hated that woman! Rude, snobby, scheming and sly, she made me angrier than any character has in a long time. Watching her plot and try to destroy Women’s Friend was devastating, and I was rooting for Emmy and the team to find a way to beat her at her game. But all of this just goes to showIt is a great example of how skilled Ms. Pearce is as she manages to incite rage in a reader over a fictional character. Even just typing this I’m seething. And I never want to hear the phrase ‘a bit mis’ again! Ugh. 

“When you cut through the smokes, and the darlings, and the sugar sweet voice, it was quite clear that the Honourable Mrs Cressida Porter didn’t care about anyone other than herself. She was made of stone all the way through.”

Unfortunately, Mrs. Porter isn’t the only dark cloud on Emmy’s horizon, and we see her and those she loves really put through the mill in this book. Thankfully, there were lots of lighthearted and funny moments to brighten the mood along the way. The combination of Ms. Pearce’s masterful storytelling, her enthralling characters, and the outstanding narration of Anna Popplehouse took these books to another level. I could not stop listening and found that when I had to go run some errands, all I could think about was getting back and listening to the rest of the book. Without a doubt, I will be buying both the physical and audio versions of any future books in this series. 

Effervescent, uplifting, heartrending and hopeful, Mrs Porter Calling is a must-have addition to your book or audible shelves this summer. Maybe even take it with you to the park for a picnic. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

AJ Pearce was born in Hampshire, UK. Her favourite subjects at school were English and History, which now (finally) makes sense.

She majored in American History at the University of Sussex, spending her Junior Year at Northwestern University in Illinois, USA.

Her debut novel Dear Mrs Bird was a Sunday Times Bestseller and has been published in the USA, Canada and Australia and in translation in over fifteen languages. 

Dear Mrs Bird was shortlisted for the Debut of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards as well as the Royal Society of Literature Sir Christopher Bland Prize and the Historical Writers’ Association’s Debut Crown 2019 for the best historical debut. It was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick in the UK, and in the USA was shortlisted in the US Library Reads Favorites of Favorites 2018. In 2022 it was chosen for BBC Radio 4’s Book Club.

AJ has appeared at literary events and festivals across the UK, including Cheltenham, Henley, Ilkley, Chipping Norton, Durham, Guildford, and The British Library.

Her second novel, the sequel Yours Cheerfully, was published in 2021 and was a Times Top 10 hit. Her new novel, Mrs Porter Calling is the third in the Emmy Lake Chronicles series and will be published 25 May 2023 in the UK and 8 August in the USA/Canada.

AJ will be touring the UK around the publication, starting in May. Please go to the Events page for full info and how to book tickets.

When not talking about, researching, or writing books, AJ enjoys being fairly rubbish at a variety of hobbies, and has recently decided to try to learn to paint. Should anyone have alerted members of the Royal Academy of Arts, it is more than likely that no one is holding their breath.

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SQUADPOD REVIEWS: The Final Party by A.A. Chaudhuri

Published May 25th by Hera Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Thriller, Domestic Fiction, Urban Fiction, Travel Literature, Coming-of-Age Story

Today I’m delighted to be opening the Squadpod Spotlight tour for The Final Party. Thank you to Hera books for my gifted eBook.

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SYNOPSIS:

SIX FRIENDS.

In a luxury villa set high in the hills above the glamorous town of Sorrento, southern Italy, three couples gather for the perfect 40th birthday celebration.

ONE BODY.

Before the week is out, one of them is dead.

COUNTLESS LIES.

Their perfect reunion quickly becomes the holiday from hell when one of the group starts receiving anonymous messages, threatening to expose a dark secret from their university days.

As old friendships are tested to the limit, it’s clear that what happens in the dark past won’t stay buried…

A heart-racing psychological thriller that will hook you from the very first page, with twist after twist that will make your jaw drop. Fans of B.A. Paris, My Husband’s Killer and Lucy Foley won’t be able to put this down. If you were hooked by The White Lotus or The Watcher, you’ll love this.

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MY REIVEW:

“Six friends had started the week on seemingly good terms, here for a rest and the perfect birthday celebration. 
But the perfect week in paradise has turned into the holiday from hell. 
Because one of them is dead. 
One of them is a killer. 
But which one of them here is guilty?” 

A multiple point of view and dual timeline novel, The Final Party takes place in Sorrento, Italy in August 2019. Six friends have got together for the fortieth birthday of one of their group, but tensions are high as four of the friends battle with their conscience over secrets they have been keeping for eighteen years. Secrets surrounding the night that another one of their group was attacked and left forever changed by her inability to remember who attacked her or why. What is it her friends know about that night? And which one of the group will end up dead before their celebrations are over?

A.A. Chaudhuri just gets better with each book. Tense, twisty and totally thrilling, she has delivered a first-rate thriller that will knock your socks off! This is suspense writing at its best; a seven-layer cake of a thriller where each slice holds something unexpected. And I couldn’t get enough. From the start there is a sense of something dark and sinister. Of overwhelming dread, long-held secrets and deception. And you can tell that these secrets have the power to blow up their lives if revealed. Chaudhuri expertly drip-feeds the reader little pieces of the puzzle before whipping the rug away from under us every time I thought I’d got things figured out. The uncertainty only heightened the tension and I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. 

When a multi-narrative thriller is done right it is one of my favourite tropes, and this is sheer perfection. The characters are a group of fractured, flawed and relatable people who, quite frankly, are a train-wreck. But they are compelling and I couldn’t help but feel totally invested in their twisted web of friendship, secrets and lies. It was soon apparent that each one of them holds different pieces of this puzzle and no-one has the full picture, not even the ones who think they do. They are eaten up by guilt, regret and the fear of exposure; of one of the secrets being revealed and triggering a domino effect that would see their lives explode in a fiery blaze of betrayal. I really felt for Padma, who is still so eaten up by not knowing the truth about the night that changed her life. Knowing that those closest to her have held the keys to answering her questions all along yet chose to keep her in the dark only compounds the devastation. But even in my wildest theories I didn’t suspect the true horror that was waiting to be uncovered.

Unpredictable, intricate and suspenseful, The Final Party is a nerve-shredding thriller you won’t be able to put down. This is one any self-respecting thriller-lover HAS to have on their TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

A.A. Chaudhuri is a former City lawyer, turned thriller writer, who lives in Surrey with her family.

Once a highly ranked British junior tennis player, competing in the national championships and a member of the national squad, she went on to tour the women’s professional satellite circuit as a teenager and achieved a world ranking of 650.

After returning to full-time education, she gained a BA Honours 2:1 in History at University College London, and a commendation in both the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course at the London College of Law, before training as a solicitor at City firm Norton Rose and then practising as a commercial litigator at two other City firms, Kendall Freeman and Travers Smith.

She left law in 2008 to pursue her passion for writing and in 2010 passed the NCTJ fast-track newspaper journalism course, in respect of which she was awarded The Oxford University Press Public Affairs Award for the most outstanding public affairs central government paper.

In 2013 and 2014 she self-published two women’s fiction novels under the name Alexandra Sage: Love & Limoncello and the sequel Love & Loss. Love & Limoncello has sold more than ten thousand copies to date, reaching number 53 in the Amazon Kindle Bestsellers List in October 2014.

THE SCRIBE and THE ABDUCTION, published by LUME BOOKS in July and December 2019, are her first crime book series, plunging readers into London’s glamorous legal world and featuring series’ heroine, Maddy Kramer, fiction’s first female City lawyer amateur sleuth, who teams up with charismatic DCI Jake Carver to solve a gruesome series of murders and a puzzling abduction.

Both books have hit the bestsellers lists in the UK, Australia and Canada, with bestseller tags in Australia and Canada.

THE SCRIBE and THE ABDUCTION were published as audio books by Isis Audio on 1st  January and 1st March 2021, both read by David Thorpe.

She has also contributed an original short story THE ENCOUNTER to crime anthology GIVEN IN EVIDENCE published by LUME BOOKS in May 2020, has written many articles and short stories for The Crime Writers’ Association.

In February 2021, Alex signed a two-book contract for two standalone psychological thrillers with HERA BOOKS, the first entitled SHE’S MINE was published on 18th August 2021 in ebook and 26th August in paperback. THE LOYAL FRIEND was published by Hera Books on 23rd June 2022 in paperback and ebook and on 26th June in audio with Saga Egmont. In June 2022 Alex signed a deal with Hera Books for three more psychological thrillers. The first of these, THE FINAL PARTY, will be published on May 25th 2023.

Besides being an avid reader, she enjoys fitness, films, anything Italian and a good margarita!

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