Published February 18th, 2021 by Mantle Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Historical Mystery, Women Sleuths
Thank you to Mantle Books for my proof copy of this book.
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SYNOPSIS:
‘The best historical crime novel I will read this year’ – The Times
‘This is right up there with the best of C. J. Sansom and Andrew Taylor’ – Amanda Craig, author of The Golden Rule
From the pleasure palaces and gin-shops of Covent Garden to the elegant townhouses of Mayfair, Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s Daughters of Night follows Caroline Corsham as she seeks justice for a murdered woman whom London society would rather forget . . .
London, 1782. Desperate for her politician husband to return home from France, Caroline ‘Caro’ Corsham is already in a state of anxiety when she finds a well-dressed woman mortally wounded in the bowers of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. The Bow Street constables are swift to act, until they discover that the deceased woman was a highly paid prostitute, at which point they cease to care entirely. But Caro has motives of her own for wanting to see justice done, and so sets out to solve the crime herself. Enlisting the help of thieftaker Peregrine Child, their inquiry delves into the hidden corners of Georgian society, a world of artifice, deception and secret lives.
But with many gentlemen refusing to speak about their dealings with the dead woman, and Caro’s own reputation under threat, finding the killer will be harder, and more treacherous, than she can know . . .
‘Spectacularly brilliant . . . One of the most enjoyable and enduring stories I have ever read’ – James O’Brien, journalist, author and LBC Presenter
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MY REVIEW:
“In the wrong hands, a secret is a weapon.”
Atmospheric and absorbing, this riveting historical crime story opens on a dark night in Georgian London when Caroline ‘Caro’ Corsham finds the bloodied and mortally wounded body of a woman she knows as Lucia, an Italian Contessa. Lucia’s fingers find Caro’s, she gazes into her eyes, and with her last breath she whispers, ‘He knows’. The police are initially quick to investigate but drop the case when they discover that Lucia is in fact Lucy Loveless, a highly paid prostitute. Caro is incensed. So, with the help of thieftaker Peregrine Child, she sets out to solve the crime. Their investigation leads them into the darkest corners of Georgian society and gentlemen who refuse to talk for fear of sullying their reputation. Can Caro and Perry find the killer before they too are silenced?
Daughters of Night has been sitting on my shelf ever since I received the proof in early 2021 and I am so glad I finally got around to reading it. Laura Shepherd-Robinson is an exquisite storyteller, bringing Georgian London and its dark, shadowy underbelly to life in vivid detail. Her research is evident in the authenticity that runs throughout the book, making me feel like I’d been transported back in time. Exploring topics such as shame, lack of female agency, and the unrelenting exploitation and abuse of women, Shepherd-Robinson writes with compassion, but there is also a brutal honesty, and some of the scenes in this book are not for the faint hearted.
The huge cast of characters felt reminiscent of Dickens which added to the authentic historic feel. The richly drawn and varied cast of characters leaped from the pages and I connected quickly with Caro and young Pamela, the latter breaking my heart in every scene. Evocatively narrated, I lost myself in the elaborate and intricate plot, my heart pounding as the mystery deepened and the many threads began to weave together to finally reveal the full shocking picture.
A tense, gripping and intriguing historical mystery that is a must-read for anyone who enjoys this genre.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Laura Shepherd-Robinson was born in Bristol in 1976. She has a BSc in Politics from the University of Bristol and an MSc in Political Theory from the London School of Economics.
Laura worked in politics for nearly twenty years before re-entering normal life to complete an MA in Creative Writing at City University. She lives in London with her husband, Adrian.
Blood & Sugar, her first novel, won the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown and the Specsaver’s Debut Crime Novel award, was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month, and a Guardian and Telegraph novel of the year. It was also shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and the Sapere Historical Dagger; the Amazon Publishing/Capital Crime Best Debut Novel; and the Goldsboro Glass Bell; and longlisted for the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year.
Her second novel, Daughters of Night, was been shortlisted for the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year, the Goldsboro Glass Bell, the Capital Crime Fingerprint Historical Novel Award and the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown, longlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger and was a Book of the Year in The Times, The i, and the Guardian.
Her third novel, The Square of Sevens, is a Sunday Times bestseller and available from all good bookshops now.
Published February 29th, 20204 by Harper 360 Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, War Story, Urban Fiction
Today is my stop on the blog tour for this moving story, Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Louise Fein and Harper 360 for the gifted proof.
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SYNOPSIS:
From the bestselling author of Daughter of the Reich, an historical drama set in London about a bookshop involved in an espionage network.
“An utterly atmospheric and completely compelling read!” —Julia Kelly, international bestselling author of The Lost English Girl
Two courageous women. One astonishing secret. A world on the brink of war.
London, 1962: The world is teetering on the brink of nuclear war but life must go on. Celia Duchesne longs for a career, but with no means or qualifications, passes her time working at a dusty bookshop. The day a handsome American enters the shop, she thinks she might have found her way out of the monotony. Just as the excitement of a budding relationship engulfs her, a devastating secret draws her into the murky world of espionage.
France, 1942: Nineteen-year-old Anya Moreau was dropped behind enemy lines to aid the resistance, sending messages back home to London via wireless transmitter. When she was cruelly betrayed, evidence of her legacy and the truth of her actions were buried by wartime injustices.
As Celia learns more about Anya—and her unexpected connection to the undercover agent—she becomes increasingly aware of furious efforts, both past and present, to protect state secrets. With her newly formed romance taking a surprising turn and the world on the verge of nuclear annihilation, Celia must risk everything she holds dear, in the name of justice.
Propulsive and illuminating, The London Bookshop Affair is a gripping story of secrets and love, inspired by true events and figures of the Cold War.
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MY REVIEW:
“This will remain a mystery unless Celia can find a way to unravel it.”
Atmospheric, gripping and emotive, The London Bookshop Affair is a dual timeline novel set against the backdrop of World War 2 and the Cold War. A story of courageous women, old secrets and love, we follow Celia and Jeannie, two women connected by a long-buried secret who find themselves caught up in the cloak and dagger world of espionage. There is mystery, intrigue, cover-ups, lies, betrayal and romance that are all woven together to create a compelling story that had me hooked.
I’m a huge history lover, so I’m a sucker for a historical fiction book, and as a big fan of Louise Fein’s last novel, The Hidden Child, I couldn’t wait to read this one. Well written, multi-layered and evocative, I loved how Fein brought the past to life through the small historic details, making me feel like I’d stepped inside a time machine. I could picture 1940s London with its dark, dank heaviness, air raid sirens, food shortages and oppressive fear in the air. In the 1960s I could see the bleak housing, devastation left over from bombings, smell the smoky pubs and cafes and hear the rock music. And in the bookshop where Celia works I could smell the old books and see the dust motes flying in the air. The novel is based on actual historical events, primarily focusing on the threat of nuclear war that lingered over the world at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Special Operations Executive and their secret missions during World War Two. I know very little about the Cold War and knew nothing of the SOE, so I found it to be a very interesting and educational read.
Against this backdrop of real events were our two heroines, Celia and Jeannie, who leapt from the page in vivid technicolour. These two brave women were fascinating to read and I enjoyed viewing important historical events through the personal lens that their stories provided. The secret that links them was heartrending and there were many times I was near tears while reading. There is also a third narrator: Septimus, a mysterious American who begins a blossoming romance with Celia. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow, though I admit that, like Celia, I wasn’t sure if Septimus could be trusted. But Celia must decide who and what she can believe in, the tension palpable and keeping me on tenterhooks until the big reveal.
I highly recommend this moving and suspenseful story to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction. And don’t miss the author’s note at the end of the book which provides a fascinating insight into the real life people and events that inspired the book.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
From Louise’s Blog: For just about as long as I could read, I have wanted to be an author.
Much of my childhood, when not pretending to be a pony or on my bike, was spent with my nose in a book, or escaping the mundane of everyday life in the vastly more interesting world of my imagination.
I have always loved to write and as I grew into adulthood, I wrote stories, diaries and poetry. Writing was always just a hobby, as I needed to earn a living and I never once considered it could be a career.
After I finished university, I took some time out to travel, qualified as a lawyer and worked in finance. Life became busy with a career, husband and three children and I had little time for writing. But the bug wouldn’t leave me alone. I used the train journey home from work to scribble ideas, the beginnings of novels, stories and poems. I took an evening class in creative writing at the CityLit and thought one day.
One day came when I saw an advertisement for a master’s degree in creative writing, aimed at writing a first novel at St. Mary’s University, London. I went home and told my husband with a sigh how much I would love to sign up for that course. Go for it, he said. By this time I was running my own consultancy business, and after realising he wasn’t joking, I didn’t hesitate. I’ll give myself a year, I thought, certain I could get a novel written in that time, and then go back to my job.
Of course, the year turned into a few, but the result was People Like Us (Daughter of the Reich in the USA) and I’ve not looked back. I’m incredibly lucky in that I have a supportive spouse and am now able to write full time around family commitments.
I live in Surrey with my family, two naughty cats, and small dog Bonnie, who is the best writing companion I could ask for. Always at my side when I write and she listens most patiently when I need to talk through a tricky plot problem.
Published March 14th, 2024 by Orenda Books Science Fiction, Suspense, Adventure Fiction
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Collapsing Wave. Thank you to Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda Books for the gifted proof.
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SYNOPSIS:
Ava, Lennox and Heather make contact with alien Sandy and head for a profound confrontation … The awe-inspiring, exquisitely moving sequel to The Space Between Us, as seen on BBC Two’s Between the Covers.
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Six months since the earth-shattering events of The Space Between Us, the revelatory hope of the aliens’ visit has turned to dust and the creatures have disappeared into the water off Scotland’s west coast.
Teenager Lennox and grieving mother Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base, the subject of experiments, alongside the Enceladons who have been captured by the authorities.
Ava, who has given birth, is awaiting the jury verdict at her trial for the murder of her husband. And MI7 agent Oscar Fellowes, who has been sidelined by the US military, is beginning to think he might be on the wrong side of history.
When alien Sandy makes contact, Lennox and Heather make a plan to escape with Ava. All three of them are heading for a profound confrontation between the worst of humanity and a possible brighter future, as the stakes get higher for the alien Enceladons and the entire human race…
Sequel to the bestselling The Space Between Us, The Collapsing Wave is an exquisite, epic first-contact novel, laced with peril and populated by unforgettable characters, and the awe-inspiring book we all need right now…
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MY REVIEW:
“How can you explain the depths of humanity to something like Sandy or Xander? The conspiracies, hatred and anger, the violence, deviousness and dishonesty.”
It’s six months since the events of book one in The Enceladon Trilogy, and things aren’t looking good for Lennox, Ava and Heather. Ava is nervously awaiting the outcome of her trial for murder, while Lennox and Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base where they are subjected to experiments alongside Enceladons the authorities have managed to capture. When Sandy contacts them for the first time in months, they make a plan to escape, leading to a confrontation that will impact the future for all of humanity.
Somehow this was even better than book one! It jumps straight into the action, succinctly catching the reader up on the extraordinary events of book one and filling in the gaps of what’s happened since. After sharing such a profound experience, the bond between Lennox, Heather, and Ava is stronger than ever, as is their bond with Enceladons, and we are taken on an even more remarkable journey alongside them. I wondered how they’d escape from a place that doesn’t officially exist and is run by a man drunk with power. It was terrifying, and my heart shattered as humans and Enceladons were subjected to his barbaric experiments. But what is most frightening is how plausible it all feels, and I was cheering them on while hoping for the downfall of others.
Doug Johnstone really can do no wrong in my eyes. This storytelling master had me in his thrall and I was completely immersed from the start; devouring the book in under a day. Exquisitely written, multi-layered and fast-paced, danger and tension radiate from every page, and I was on the edge of my seat as I tried to predict what would happen next. But it isn’t only entertaining and really makes you think as Johnstone explores topics such as prejudice, humanity, and the power of connection. Examining how humans treat anything that is new or different, he reminds us that our way might not always be best and that there is much we can still learn.
Breathtaking, moving, nerve-shredding and addictive, The Collapsing Wave is an outstanding instalment in an unmissable series. The only problem now is I have to wait impatiently for its conclusion.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Doug Johnstone is the author of Fourteen novels, including The Great Silence, the third in the Skelfs series, which has been optioned for In 2021, The Big Chill, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. In 2020, A Dark Matter, the first in the series, was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Independent Voice Book of the Year award. Black Hearts (Book four), was published in 2022, with The Opposite of Lonely (book five) out in 2023. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his first science fiction novel, The Space Between Us, was a BBC2 Between the Covers pick. He’s taught creative writing, been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He lives in Edinburgh.
Published March 16th, 2023 by Orenda Books Science Fition, Mystery, Suspense
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SYNOPSIS:
When three people suffer strokes after seeing dazzling lights over Edinburgh, then awake completely recovered, they’re convinced their ordeal is connected to the alien creature discovered on a nearby beach … an adrenaline-soaked, deeply humane, life-affirming first-contact novel from one of Scotland’s most revered authors…
**Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023**
‘All the drive, curiosity and wonder of his crime and mystery novels … science fiction gains a new author’ Derek B Miller
‘If you read one life-affirming book this year, make sure it’s this one’ Nina Pottell, Prima
‘The main characters, their lives and their struggles, are portrayed very vividly. I was straight into this, just like a thriller’ Ivo Graham on Between the Covers
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Connecting will change everything…
Lennox is a troubled teenager with no family. Ava is eight months pregnant and fleeing her abusive husband. Heather is a grieving mother and cancer sufferer. They don’t know each other, but when a meteor streaks over Edinburgh, all three suffer instant, catastrophic strokes…
…only to wake up the following day in hospital, miraculously recovered.
When news reaches them of an octopus-like creature washed up on the shore near where the meteor came to earth, Lennox senses that some extra-terrestrial force is at play. With the help of Ava, Heather and a journalist, Ewan, he rescues the creature they call ‘Sandy’ and goes on the run.
But they aren’t the only ones with an interest in the alien … close behind are Ava’s husband, the police and a government unit who wants to capture the creature, at all costs. And Sandy’s arrival may have implications beyond anything anyone could imagine…
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‘This had all the makings of a film … such relatable characters. Writing a story about a mixed-race boy in the care system and two women so brilliantly is so impressive’ Sunetra Sarker on Between the Covers
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MY REVIEW:
A trio of strangers are brought together in extraordinary circumstances in the first book of The Enceladon’s Trilogy. This is a book that’s way outside of my comfort zone, so I’d put off reading it for a while. But I’m a big fan of Doug Johnstone’s writing and I have heard so many great reviews for this book that I decided to finally take the plunge and read it for myself.
Lennox is a troubled teen without any family. Ava is eight months pregnant and trying to escape her abusive marriage. Heather has terminal cancer, is grieving her daughter and feels she’s nothing to live for. What starts out as another ordinary day in their lives becomes something exceptional, starting with a meteor that streaks over Edinburgh and causes them to have catastrophic strokes. When they wake up in hospital the next day they are somehow fully recovered. No one can explain it. The group then learns that an octopus-like creature has been recovered, washed up on the shore near where the meteor was. Could an extraterrestrial force be behind what happened? They set out to find out, starting with rescuing the creature, who they call ‘Sandy’. But they aren’t the only ones after Sandy and must stay one step ahead of the police, a government unit and Ava’s furious husband.
I am so glad I finally read this book. With a large cast of characters and intricate storyline, it took me a bit of time to get into it, but once I did I was hooked and on the edge of my seat as they tried to stay one step ahead of the people chasing them and get Sandy to safety. I loved the characters in this book. Lennox, Ava and Heather are fantastic characters and compelling narrators, each having a charisma that draws you in and makes you care about them. I loved the camaraderie that they built with each other and Sandy and I was rooting for them at every step, cheering for them to succeed in evading capture and finding a safe place for Sandy. And, speaking of Sandy, they are a richly drawn and fascinating character, feeling so real that I believed their existence was possible. I adored their bond with Lennox and their scenes together were my favourite moments in the book. The eclectic cast of background characters are all equally well-written and help provide a lot of tension and drama along the way, with Ava’s husband standing out in particular as the biggest villain of the story. I hated that man.
This book is yet more proof of what a masterful storyteller and writer Doug Johnstone is. Anything he turns his hand to is phenomenal and I’m going to read it. I was so relieved to have book two waiting to be read when I finished this one as I was left desperate to know what happened next. My review for that book will be posted as part of the blog tour tomorrow.
Exhilarating, tense and addictive, this is a brilliant start to what promises to be an exciting new series. Even if this doesn’t sound like your usual kind of book I recommend giving it a try. It might surprise you like it did me.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Doug Johnstone is the author of Fourteen novels, including The Great Silence, the third in the Skelfs series, which has been optioned for In 2021, The Big Chill, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. In 2020, A Dark Matter, the first in the series, was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Independent Voice Book of the Year award. Black Hearts (Book four), was published in 2022, with The Opposite of Lonely (book five) out in 2023. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his first science fiction novel, The Space Between Us, was a BBC2 Between the Covers pick. He’s taught creative writing, been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He lives in Edinburgh.
Published February 1st, 2024 by HQ Mystery, Dark Comedy, Satire, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Adventure Ficiton
Today I’m sharing my review for the fierce and funny The Murder After The Night Before, which is one of the Squadpods Featured Books in February. Thank you HQ for my gifted copy of the book.
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SYNOPSIS:
From the author of How to Kill Men and Get Away With It, don’t miss this wickedly witty and utterly addictive novel, perfect for fans of Bella Mackie, Dawn O’Porter and Killing Eve.
Something bad happened last night.
I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons.
But I can’t remember a thing…
My best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. I know she was murdered.
There’s only one thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.
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MY REVIEW:
Molly wakes up with the hangover from hell, no memories of the night before, a stranger in her bed, and has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. And it only gets worse when her best mate and flatmate Posey is found dead. The police write it off as a tragic accident, but Molly is sure Posey was murdered and sets out to find proof. The problem is, she still can’t remember what happened the night before.
This book was quite the ride! As a fan of dark comedy thrillers such as Sweetpea and Over My Dead Body I knew I was going to love this one. But what I didn’t expect was to devour it so quickly, how timely it would be, or how Katy Brent would leave my jaw on the floor with her unexpected twists. Opening with Molly waking up after the night she can’t remember, it jumps straight into the action and never lets go, taking the reader along for the ride beside Molly as she tries to piece together what happened the night before and who killed her best friend. It feels claustrophobic, like the walls are closing in on Molly and her world keeps shrinking as she’s increasingly alone and scared to leave the house, and there’s a climate of distrust and suspicion lingers over every page as Molly tries to figure out who she can trust.
Brent explores some sensitive and timely topics in the book, using black humour throughout to lighten the mood. This is a story that will make you feel every emotion: heartache, rage, fear, joy, laughter. But it is never heavy or bleak and instead makes you feel the many emotions those topics should make you feel. These topics are explored alongside the mystery of Posey’s death, something that I think helps alleviate some of the weightiness of the topics. I liked that Brent included excerpts of some of the tweets surrounding both Molly’s viral incident and Posey’s death at the beginning of each chapter as it felt like I was reading a true story rather than fiction. I was completely invested in both storylines and read on tenterhooks as I tried to figure out what had really happened.
Molly is a fantastic protagonist. She’s feisty, chaotic, volatile, sloppy and destructive. Quite frankly, this girl is a hot mess. But behind her brittle and spiky veneer is a damaged, fearful young woman who is all alone and I wanted to hug her and tell her it would be ok. She is also the epitome of an unreliable narrator as she can’t even trust her own memories, something that made her even more likeable to me as you know she’s not deliberately being duplicitous. I loved this character and was rooting for her at every step.
Fast-paced, fierce, darkly funny, and unflinching, this addictive thriller is a must-read. Just make sure you clear your schedule before you start.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Katy is an author and award-winning journalist from the UK. She has worked on newspapers, magazines and websites since 2005, writing about popular culture. How To Kill Men and Get Away With It is her first novel.
Published February 15th by Hutchinson Heinmann Mystery, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
Here’s my review for a book you HAVE to read. Thank you Hutchinson Heinemann for the proof copy.
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SYNOPSIS:
THE BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK
‘To read it is to feel that little bit better about life‘ ELIZABETH DAY
‘A beautiful mystery with heart’ ROB RINDER
‘This is a heart-warming book’ EMMA HEALEY
‘A gorgeous, page-turning book’ I PAPER
Yorkshire, 1979
Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South.
Because of the murders.
Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn’t an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv’s mum stopped talking. Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?
So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don’t.
But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families – and between each other – than they ever thought possible.
What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?
THE PERFECT DEBUT NOVEL TO DISCUSS IN BOOK CLUBS
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MY REVIEW:
‘We’ll make a list,’ I said. ‘A list of the people and things we see that are suspicious. And then… And then we’ll investigate them.’
If you’ve not read The List of Suspicious Things then you need to add it to your TBR right now! A coming-of-age meets slice of life and mystery novel, this debut was a good book that became SPECTACULAR with its conclusion. So much so that I sat hugging it to my chest for ages just repeating ‘Wow’ after finishing it.
Yorkshire, 1979. Margaret Thatcher is the new Prime Minister, mills are closing, and a terrifying serial killer is stalking local women. It is against this bleak backdrop that The List of Suspicious Things is set, following twelve-year-old Miv as she and her best friend, Sharon, set out to find the Yorkshire Ripper in order to stop Miv’s family moving ‘down south’. But are they prepared for what they will discover?
What a book! Jennie Godfrey is a masterful storyteller and a talent to watch, crafting an unforgettable story about family, friendship, community, secrets, suspicion, and the loss of innocence. And how could this Yorkshire girl, born in 1979, resist that premise? The familiar dialect places and characters created a sense of home for me, and I loved the feelings of nostalgia it evoked. Miv is a great protagonist who I related to from the start. She took me right back to being that age with all the same feelings and confusion about the world. I loved the child-like innocence and wide-eyed wonderment about the world that shines through in Miv’s chapters, something that is balanced by the adults’ points of view, which not only give us a greater perspective, but also help add to the sense of community that flows throughout the book. There are a number of sensitive and difficult subjects explored in this book and I liked that Godfrey handled them with honesty and compassion. One example is the ever-looming presence of the Yorkshire Ripper. I appreciated that Godfrey focuses on the impact of his crimes and the atmosphere of fear, danger, suspicion and distrust he created rather than the man himself.
A phenomenal debut that left me reeling, everyone needs to read this book.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Jennie Godfrey was raised in West Yorkshire and her debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things, is inspired by her childhood there in the 1970s. Jennie is from a mill-working family, but as the first of the generation born after the mills closed, she went to university and built a career in the corporate world. In 2020 she left and began to write. She is now a writer and part-time Waterstones bookseller and lives in the Somerset countryside.
Published January 4th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Series, Domestic Fiction, Urban Fiction, Science Fiction
I’m finally sharing my review for the brilliant In the Blink of an Eye, which was a Squadpod Reviews book. Thank you Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of the book.
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SYNOPSIS:
As seen on BBC 2’s BETWEEN THE COVERS
‘I devoured this in one sitting’ Rob Rinder, as featured on BBC 2’s Between the Covers
‘Terrifyingly timely and provocative’ Val McDermid
‘The most original crime novel you’ll read this year’ Clare Mackintosh
In the UK, someone is reported missing every 90 seconds. Just gone. Vanished. In the blink of an eye.
DCS Kat Frank knows all about loss. A widowed single mother, Kat is a cop who trusts her instincts. Picked to lead a pilot programme that has her paired with AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock, Kat’s instincts come up against Lock’s logic. But when the two missing person’s cold cases they are reviewing suddenly become active, Lock is the only one who can help Kat when the case gets personal.
AI versus human experience. Logic versus instinct. With lives on the line can the pair work together before someone else becomes another statistic?
In the Blink of an Eye is a dazzling debut from an exciting new voice and asks us what we think it means to be human.
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MY REVIEW:
I’m a sucker for a crime series and In the Blink of an Eye is the first book in a crime series like nothing you’ve read before.
DCS Kat Frank is picked to lead a pilot programme where she will be partnered with AIDE (Artificial Intelligence Detective Entity) Lock. Kat isn’t a fan of AI or Lock, but when the two cold cases they are investigating become active investigations and things take a personal turn, she finds Lock is the only one willing to help her.
Fast-paced, tense, twisty and gripping, this is an exciting and original take on the familiar detective buddy trope. I’m a big fan of these kinds of books but always enjoy finding something a bit different and Jo Callaghan’s debut really does stand out from the crowd. It explores whether AI and logic are superior to human experience and gut feelings when it comes to solving crimes, the truth about loss, and what it means to be human. The story is narrated by Kat but every so often we have a section that is narrated by an unknown man who is being held captive. His terror leaps from the pages and as the story gets darker the tension goes through the roof, my heart racing as I tried to predict what would happen next.
I’ll admit that, like Kat, I had some apprehension about a robot detective. I needn’t have worried. In Lock Jo Callaghan has created a character who is obviously AI while also breathing the right amount of life and humanity into him to make him compelling. I liked that Kat is his total opposite and is a no-nonsense detective who relies on her instincts. I related to her in many ways on a personal level and enjoyed discovering more about her backstory. I enjoyed the banter between her and Lock and watching them learn how to work together rather than being at odds. The rest of Kat’s team were equally as well written and I am looking forward to returning to the whole cast of characters in the next instalment next month.
Thought-provoking, thrilling and addictive, In the Blink of an Eye is a strong start to what promises to be a great new series. Highly recommended.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Jo Callaghan works fulltime as a senior strategist, where she has carried out research into the future impact of AI and genomics on the workforce.She was a student of the Writers’ Academy Course (Penguin Random House), was long listed for the Myslexia Novel Writing Competition and Bath Novel Competition. After losing her husband to cancer in 2019 when she was just forty-nine, she started writing IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, her debut crime novel. Published to critical-acclaim, it selected by Val McDermid for her New Blood panel of the best debuts of 2023 and for BBC Two’s Between the Covers Book Club. TV rights were sold in a major acquisition.
Published March 2nd, 2023 by Michael Joseph Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale, Greek Mythology
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SYNOPSIS:
Mother. Monarch. Murderer. Magnificent . . . meet Clytemnestra, the ancient world’s most wronged woman . . . ‘Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling’ JENNIFER SAINT
‘A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious – and alight with murderous revenge’ DAILY MAIL
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She is born to a king but marries a tyrant.
She watches helplessly as he sacrifices her child to the gods.
She bides her time. She plots revenge. She knows how to play this game.
If power will not be given to her, then she will take it for herself.
She is Clytemnestra.
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MY REVIEW:
Mother. Queen. Wronged Woman. Murderer. Heroine. It’s time for Clytemnestra to tell her story in this glorious feminist retelling.
Before reading this book I’d only heard Clytemnestra’s story as part of the background to the stories of her sister, Helen of Troy, and her daughter Elektra. So I was excited to learn more about this strong and fascinating woman. Though she was born to a King, Clytemnestra always felt second best as the sister to Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. She manages to find love but it is soon snatched away in a despicable act of betrayal by the cruel tyrant Agamemnon, who is determined to make her his wife at any cost. And so she becomes a woman motivated by vengeance, spending her life plotting and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Exquisitely written, evocative and atmospheric, this isn’t a book you simply read, but one you step into. This phenomenal debut highlights Costanza Casati as a talent to watch and I will certainly be reading whatever she writes next. I listened to it on audiobook and I was hooked from the start. It consumed me, feeling alive as it burned with fury. And although I knew a lot of the things that happened in these myths, I was still on the edge of my seat, listening with baited breath to discover what would happen next, as if it was all new rather than a retelling, something that is a testament to Casati’s masterful storytelling.
Now, let’s talk about the woman at the heart of it all: the eponymous Clytemnestra. Fierce, feisty, intelligent, passionate, and unforgiving, she is a remarkable heroine who refuses to be broken or shackled by the rules of the patriarchal society. The fire inside her radiated from the page, Casati making me feel her heartache, rage, vengeance and strength so vividly that it was like it was coursing through my own veins. I wanted Agamemnon dead. Right now! I rooted for her at every step as she bided her time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and avenge all of the betrayal. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold. And when Clytemnestra’s vengeance is served, it is glacial.
A furious, devastating, enthralling and magnificent retelling you won’t want to put down, Clytemnestra is a must-read.
Rating: 🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Costanza was born in Texas in 1995, grew up in a village in Northern Italy and lived in the UK for five years. Before moving to London, she attended a classical Liceo in Italy, where she studied Ancient Greek, and Ancient Greek literature, for five years. Costanza is a graduate of the Warwick Writing MA programme, where she studied under Sarah Moss, and currently works as a freelance journalist and screenwriter. The art and history documentary she wrote on the 16th century painter Tintoretto had over 1 million viewers. Costanza’s short fiction has appeared in the collective Nothing in the Rulebook and broadcast on RAW1251 Warwick Radio.
It’s time for part two of my most anticipated February releases. There’s so many exciting books here, including new releases from Louise Fein, Nicci French and Paul E. Hardisty, and debuts such as Butter and A Fate Inked in Blood.
So, here’s the rest of my most anticipated books out next month:
To Cage A God(Those Monstrous Gods 1) by Elizabeth May
Published February 20th by Daphne Press Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Dark Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: Join the rebellion to burn down a cruel tyrant in this heartracing new fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and The Wolf and the Woodsman.
To cage a god is divine. To be divine is to rule. To rule is to destroy.
Using ancient secrets, Galina and Sera’s mother grafted gods into their bones. Bound to brutal deities and granted forbidden power no commoner has held in a thousand years, the sisters have been raised as living weapons. Now, the time has come for them to overthrow an empire―no matter the cost.
With their mother gone and their country on the brink of war, it falls to the sisters to take the helm of the rebellion and end the cruel reign of a royal family possessed by destructive gods. Because when the ruling alurea invade, they conquer with fire and blood. And when they clash, common folk burn.
Forced into a desperate plan, Sera reunites with her estranged lover who now leads the rebellion, while Galina infiltrates the palace. In this world of deception and danger, her only refuge is an isolated princess whose whip-smart tongue and sharp gaze threaten to uncover Galina’s secret. Torn between desire and duty, Galina must make a choice: work together to expose the lies of the empire―or bring it all down.
Published February 20th by Hodder & Stoughton Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
SYNOPSIS: THE TENSION-FILLED NEW NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF NUMBER ONE DIGITAL BESTSELLER THE PRISONER . ‘Expertly plotted and compellingly told – a cautionary tale that will put you off ever having anyone to stay with you again. I raced through it!’ HARRIET TYCE
Iris and Gabriel have just got home from a make-or-break holiday. But a shock awaits them. One of their dearest friends, Laure, is in their house – sleeping in their bed, wearing Iris’ clothes, even rearranging the furniture. She has walked out on her husband – and their good friend – Pierre over his confession of an affair.
Iris and Gabriel want to be supportive. But as Laure’s mood becomes more unpredictable, her presence begins to unravel secrets in all their pasts – until things reach breaking point …
A Tempest of Tea(Blood & Tea Book 1) by Hafsah Faizal
Published February 22nd by Pan Macmillan Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Vampire Ficiton, YA Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: From Hafsah Faizal, New York Times-bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame, comes A Tempest of Tea, the first book in a hotly-anticipated new fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.
On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it-and she can’t do the job alone.
Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.
Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.
Published February 22nd by Penguin UK Historical Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, YA Fiction
SYNOPSIS: House of Hollow meets A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, THE BAD ONES is a page-turning supernatural thriller about four mysterious disappearances in a town haunted by a sinister magical history – and one girl searching for the truth.
A GAME GONE WRONG. A MISSING FRIEND. A TOWN OF BURIED SECRETS . . .
Goddess, Goddess, count to five. In the morning, who’s alive?
One town. One night. Four people gone.
Nora’s best friend, Becca, is one of the lost. As Nora tries to piece together the truth, she uncovers dark events in her high school’s history and a string of coded messages Becca has left for her. These clues point to another missing girl thirty years previously and a sinister urban legend: a goddess figure, who played an eerie role in Nora and Becca’s own childhood games . . .
As Nora struggles to unravel the mystery, it’s clear there are dark forces at work in her town – and they’re willing to stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried deep.
Published February 22nd by Hodder & Stoughton Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Romance Novel, Lesbian Literature, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘What a sumptuous, evocative triumph of a novel!’ JENNY ASHCROFT
At the golden hour, hidden truths and desires come to light . . .
In the genteel squares of late-Victorian Brighton, Ellen and Reynold Harper – twins, companions, colleagues – ply their trade as portrait photographers.
But at the golden hour, the models arrive to pose for the lucrative – and illicit – photographs that really keep the Harpers’ business afloat. This is the other, shadowy world of the city: a world of erotic tableaux, boundary-crossing music hall performers, and the sinister figure of the local gangster, the Croc.
When Ellen is drawn into the orbit of unhappy newly-wed Clementine, she finds herself torn between loyalty to her brother, her dangerous attraction to new model, Lily, and her burgeoning friendship with Clem. And as the two worlds of Brighton collide, the three women discover that there is only a knife edge between the promise of freedom, and the threat of ruin . . .
Atmospheric, sensual and powerfully moving, The Golden Hour is a spellbinding portrait of three women determined to find their freedom – perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, The Doll Factory and The Essex Serpent.
Published February 22nd by Picador Saga, , Contemporary Horror,Ghost Horror, Political Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Costa Rica, 1968. When a lethal fire erupts at the American Fruit Company’s most lucrative banana plantation burning all evidence of a massive cover-up, the future of Teresa Cepeda Valverde’s family is changed for ever.
Now, twenty-seven years later, Teresa and her daughter Lyra are still picking up the pieces. Lyra wants nothing to do with Teresa, but is desperate to find out what happened to her family that fateful night. Teresa, haunted by a missing husband and the bitter ghost of her mother, is unable to reconcile the past. What unfolds is a story of a mother and daughter trying to forgive what they do not yet understand, and the mystery at the heart of one family’s rupture, steeped in machismo, jealousy and greed.
Where There Was Fire brims with ancestral spirits, omens and the forces of nature. John Manuel Arias’s extraordinary debut novel weaves a brilliant tapestry of love – lost and found again – and, ultimately, redemption.
Published February 22nd by Sandycove Mystery, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Two mothers. Two daughters. Two sides to the story.
When Sara leaves her high-flying London life to move to Dublin, her only concern is her nine-year-old daughter, Lexie. For Lexie’s sake she tries to get to know other mothers at the school gates, but they appear uninterested – particularly their leader, the beautiful and charismatic Vanessa, whose daughter rules the playground.
After a simple misunderstanding between Vanessa and Sara, none of the other kids at school want anything to do with Lexie. Desperate to mend fences, Sara offers to look after Vanessa’s daughter one afternoon. But when the playdate ends in catastrophe, Vanessa is convinced that what happened wasn’t an accident.
With allegations flying in all directions, Sara is forced to ask herself what she has unleashed? And how far a mother will go to protect her daughter?
Published February 23rd by Bookouture Psychological Thriller, Saga
SYNOPSIS: On a sunny Friday afternoon, beloved teacher Mrs. Walker and her eight-year-old son wave goodbye to their friends in the school playground. But they never make it home…
It’s only been a week, but the bright little faces at the picture-perfect school I’ve stepped into have captured my heart. Their big doe eyes, their paint-covered fingers and clinging hugs. They’ve been through so much, with their favourite teacher and classmate still missing…
I’m doing all I can to help them adjust, but I can’t avoid the swirling rumours that say Cate Walker’s charismatic husband, Oliver – our headteacher – is involved in her disappearance. The thought makes me shudder. But the more I find out about Cate, the more I wonder if she was also hiding a terrible secret…
I’m determined to uncover the truth about what really happened. I have to protect these other innocent children from the same fate – it’s my duty as their teacher.
That is, until an anonymous note turns up threatening me if I don’t stop looking. Until my home is broken into while I sleep.
I know the longer I stay here, the more danger I’m in.
But whoever’s trying to scare me doesn’t know who I am – or why I’m really here.
Or just how far I’ll go to protect the people I love…
An absolutely gripping psychological thriller, where no one is who they seem, that will get your heart pounding! Perfect for fans of addictive page-turners like The Housemaid, The Family Across the Street and The Family Upstairs.
A Fate Inked In Blood(Saga of the Unfated Book 1) by Danielle L. Jensen
Published February 27th by Del Rey Romantic Fantasy, Romance Novel, Fantasy Fiction, Viking Romance, Norse Muthology
SYNOPSIS: A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king – while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son – in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: she possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which gives her magic capable of repelling any attack. A magic that was foretold would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath a king-the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders his son, Bjorn, to protect Freya from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. Except the greatest test of all may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
Published February 29th by Wildfire Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: **The spellbinding, bold new retelling of the story of Lord Byron and the Shelleys, from the perspective of Claire Clairmont, the incredible woman that history tried to forget.** ‘Beautifully written, Clairmont tells the sensuous hidden story of an influential historic woman.’ Sara Sheridan, author of The Fair Botanists Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year
‘An absorbing, intoxicating page-turner about a woman who deserves to be remembered.’ Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne and Atalanta
‘An intimate and enlightening tale of one of Romanticism’s forsaken muses – an artfully told story that lingers in the mind far beyond the last page’ Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora
1816. A massive volcanic eruption has caused the worst storms that Europe has seen in decades, yet Percy and Mary Shelley have chosen to visit the infamous Lord Byron at his villa on Lake Geneva. It wasn’t their idea: Mary’s eighteen year old step-sister, Claire Clairmont, insisted.
But the reason for Claire’s visit is more pressing than a summer escape with the most famous writers in the world. She’s pregnant with Byron’s child – a child Byron doesn’t want, and scarcely believes is his own.
Claire has the world in her grasp. This trip should have given her everything she ever dreamed of. But within days, her life will be in ruins.
History has all but forgotten her story – but she will not be silenced.
Published February 29th by Harper Muse Historical Fiction, Thriller, Romane Novel, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: From the bestselling author of Daughter of the Reich, an historical drama set in London about a bookshop involved in an espionage network.
“An utterly atmospheric and completely compelling read!” —Julia Kelly, international bestselling author of The Lost English Girl
Two courageous women. One astonishing secret. A world on the brink of war.
London, 1962: The world is teetering on the brink of nuclear war but life must go on. Celia Duchesne longs for a career, but with no means or qualifications, passes her time working at a dusty bookshop. The day a handsome American enters the shop, she thinks she might have found her way out of the monotony. Just as the excitement of a budding relationship engulfs her, a devastating secret draws her into the murky world of espionage.
France, 1942: Nineteen-year-old Anya Moreau was dropped behind enemy lines to aid the resistance, sending messages back home to London via wireless transmitter. When she was cruelly betrayed, evidence of her legacy and the truth of her actions were buried by wartime injustices.
As Celia learns more about Anya—and her unexpected connection to the undercover agent—she becomes increasingly aware of furious efforts, both past and present, to protect state secrets. With her newly formed romance taking a surprising turn and the world on the verge of nuclear annihilation, Celia must risk everything she holds dear, in the name of justice.
Propulsive and illuminating, The London Bookshop Affair is a gripping story of secrets and love, inspired by true events and figures of the Cold War.
Published February 29th by Haper Muse Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, War Story, Adventure Fiction, Nautical Fiction
SYNOPSIS: The Titanic was only the beginning. What she survived has become legend.
Violet Jessop is Miss Unsinkable.
After her mother becomes too ill to work, the responsibility to provide for the family falls to Violet as the oldest of nine. When the world enters the Great War, she serves as a nurse, helping men who could very well be her brothers. Working as a stewardess and wartime nurse, Violet not only survives a shipwreck but also two sinkings, one on the infamous Titanic. No one can understand why she would return to sea, but something keeps drawing Violet back to the tumultuous waters, where she struggles to put the tragedies of her past behind her and pursue a life and love all her own.
Daphne has survived calamity of her own.
Daphne Chaundanson grows up as an unwanted child after her mother died in a tragedy. She throws herself into education, collecting languages like candy in a desperate attempt to finally earn her father’s approval. When the Special Operations Executive invites her to be an agent in France in World War II, her childhood of anonymity and her love of languages make her the perfect fit. She sees it as an opportunity to help the country she loves and live up to her father’s expectations. But the dangers of war challenge Daphne in ways she never could have expected, and the secrets from her own past must be faced for her to truly have a future beyond the conflict—if she can survive it.
Inspired by true stories of Violet Jessop and the thirty-nine women of the Special Operations Executive. Two unsinkable women. Two stories of survival, family, and finding one’s own happiness. One connection that reshapes both their lives forever.
Published February 29th by Harper North Historical Fiction, Alternative History, LGBTQ Literature, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Gunpowder, treason and a plot to destroy the British Empire…
**AN OBSERVER TOP 10 DEBUT NOVELIST OF 2024**
‘Couldn’t put this book down. Beautiful, tender, and ruthless’ HANNAH KANER
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1770. Delphine lives in the shadows of London: a secret, vibrant world of smugglers, courtesans and small rebellions. Four years ago, she escaped enslavement at great personal cost. Now, she must help her brother Vincent do the same.
While Britain’s highest court fails to administer justice for Vincent, little rebellions are no longer enough. What’s needed is a big, explosive plot – one that will strike at the heart of the transatlantic slave trade. But can one woman, one fuse and one match bring down an Empire?
An incendiary alternative history, Remember, Remember is a gripping story of conscience, conspiracy, queer identity and courage in the face of injustice.
Published February 29th by Simon & Schuster UK Suspense, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Classic Nicci French: an unputdownable missing-persons thriller that’s also a searing examination of family, memory and grief. A big-skied, full-blooded, broken-hearted book’ Erin Kelly
She’s loved by all who meet her. But someone wants her gone . . . Then
When beautiful and vivacious Charlotte Salter fails to turn up to her husband Alec’s 50th birthday party, her kids are worried, but Alec is not. As the days pass and there’s still no word from Charlie, her daughter, Etty, and her sons, Niall, Paul and Ollie, all struggle to come to terms with her disappearance. How can anyone just vanish without a trace? Left with no answers and in limbo, the Salter children try and go on with their lives, all the while thinking that their mother’s killer is potentially very close to home.
Now
After years away, Etty returns home to the small East Anglian village where she grew up to help move her father into a care home. Now in his eighties, Alec has dementia and often mistakes his daughter for her mother. Etty is a changed woman from the trouble-free girl she was when Charlie was still around – all the Salter children have spent decades running and hiding from their mother’s disappearance. But when their childhood friends, Greg and Morgen Ackerley, decide to do a podcast about Charlotte’s disappearance, it seems like the town’s buried secrets – and the Salters’ – might finally come to light.
After all this time, will they finally find out what really happened to Charlotte Salter?
Published February 29th by Bantam Press Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psycholgical Thriller, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Eight contestants. One killer. Can you find the traitor?
‘Wow! What a page-turner. I’m a Celebrity meets Lord of the Flies.’ Emma Curtis
‘The pace never slackens.’ Faith Martin
‘Dark, disturbing and addictive.’ L. C. North
Everything is a clue. Bonnie arrives on a remote sea fort off the coast of England to take part in a mysterious reality TV show. Competing against seven strangers, she must solve a series of puzzles to win the prize money, but this is no game – and the consequences of failure are deadly.
No one leaves. Under scrutiny from the watching public, the contestants quickly turn on one another. Who will sacrifice the most for wealth and fame? And why can’t Bonnie shake the creeping sense that they are not alone?
The only way out is to win. When the first contestant is found dead, Bonnie begins to understand the dark truth at the heart of this twisted competition: there’s a killer inside the fort, and anyone could be next. If Bonnie wants to escape, she needs to win…
Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
Published February 29th by Michael Joseph Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Cozy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Dark Comedy
SYNOPSIS: ‘Clever, satisfying, impossible to put down and gloriously inventive. It’s fantastic’ STUART TURTON
SIX WRITERS. FIVE DETECTIVES. FOUR DAYS. THREE WEAPONS. TWO MURDERS. ONE TRAIN…
When the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society invited me to their crime-writing festival aboard the Ghan, the famous train between Darwin and Adelaide, I was hoping for some inspiration for my second book. Fiction, this time: I needed a break from real people killing each other. Obviously, that didn’t pan out.
The program is a who’s who of crime writing royalty:
the debut writer (me!) the forensic science writer the blockbuster writer the legal thriller writer the literary writer the psychological suspense writer.
But when one of us is murdered, six authors quickly turn into five detectives. Together, we should know how to solve a crime.
Or commit one…
But how do you catch a killer, when all your suspects know how to get away with murder?
Published February 29th by Hutchinson Heinmann Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘A thrillingly suspenseful novel that reveals its riches, layers and secrets through effortlessly elegant prose . . . I was hooked right through to the shocking end‘ BERNARDINE EVARISTO
‘Obsessed‘ KERRY WASHINGTON
‘A shimmering success’ DIANA EVANS
Nicole Oruwari has the perfect life: a handsome husband, a palatial house in the heart of Lagos and a glamorous group of friends. She left London and a troubled family past behind to become part of a community of expat wives.
But when Nicole disappears without a trace after a boat trip, the cracks in her so-called perfect life start to show. As the investigation turns up nothing but dead ends, her aunt Claudine flies to Nigeria to take matters into her own hands. As she digs into her niece’s life, she uncovers a hidden truth. But the more she finds out about Nicole, the more Claudine’s own buried history threatens to come to light.
Published February 29th by Fourth Estate Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Translated Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Compelling, delightfully weird, often uncomfortable’ PANDORA SYKES
‘Unputdownable, breathtakingly original’ ERIN KELLY
‘Delicious’ i-D Magazine
‘Luscious … I devoured this’ IMOGEN CRIMP
The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story.
There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.
Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press, entertaining no visitors. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back.
Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?
Inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, “The Konkatsu Killer”, Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.
‘A salty morsel with one hell of a bite’ ALICE SLATER
‘A tour de force that will leave readers satisfied‘ RYŌ ASAI
Published February 29th by Hemlock Press Mystery, Suspense, Psychologcial Thriller, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: The brand new edge-of-your-seat thriller from the author of the smash hit bestseller The Woman in the Window.
“I’ll be dead in three months. Come tell my story.”
This is the chilling invitation from Sebastian Trapp, renowned mystery novelist, to his long-time correspondent Nicky Hunter, an expert in detective fiction. Welcomed into his lavish San Francisco mansion, Nicky begins to unravel Trapp’s life story under the watchful eyes of his enigmatic wife and plainspoken daughter.
But Sebastian Trapp is a mystery himself. And maybe – probably – a murderer.
Two decades ago, his first wife and son vanished, the case never solved. Is the master of mystery playing a deadly game? If so, who will be the loser?
And when a body surfaces in the family’s garden, they all realize the past isn’t buried – it’s waiting.
Published February 29th by Orenda Books Science Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Polictical Fiction, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: A young man and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet to uncover the origin of the events that set the world on its course to disaster … The prescient, deeply shocking prequel to the bestselling, critically acclaimed Climate Emergency thriller, The Forcing.
Kweku Ashworth is a child of the cataclysm, born on a sailboat to parents fleeing the devastation in search for a refuge in the Southern Ocean. Growing up in a world forever changed, his only connection to the events that set the planet on its course to disaster were the stories his step-father, long-dead, recorded in his manuscript, The Forcing.
But there are huge gaps in the story that his mother, still alive but old and frail, steadfastly refuses to speak of, even thirty years later. When he discovers evidence that his mother has tried to cover up the truth, and then stumbles across an account by someone close to the men who forced the globe into a climate catastrophe, he knows that it is time to find out for himself.
Determined to learn what really happened during his mother’s escape from the concentration camp to which she and Kweku’s father were banished, and their subsequent journey halfway around the world, Kweku and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet. What they find will challenge not only their faith in humanity, but their ability to stay alive.
The Descent is the devastating, nerve-shattering prequel to the critically acclaimed thriller The Forcing, a story of survival, hope, and the power of the human spirit in a world torn apart by climate change.
Death Flight (The Jonny Murphy Files Volume 2) by Sarah Sultoon
Published February 29th by Orenda Books Crime Fiction, Thriller, Political Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Cub reporter Jonny Murphy is in Buenos Aires interviewing families of victims of Argentina’s Dirty War, when a headless torso has washed up on a city beach, thrusting him into a shocking investigation…
Argentina. 1998. Human remains are found on a beach on the outskirts of Buenos Aires – a gruesome echo of when the tide brought home dozens of mutilated bodies thrown from planes during Argentina’s Dirty War. Flights of death, with passengers known as the Disappeared.
International Tribune reporter Jonny Murphy is in Buenos Aires interviewing families of the missing, desperate to keep their memory alive, when the corpse turns up. His investigations with his companion, freelance photographer Paloma Glenn, have barely started when Argentina’s simmering financial crisis explodes around them.
As the fabric of society starts to disintegrate and Argentine cities burn around them, Jonny and Paloma are suddenly thrust centre stage, fighting to secure both their jobs and their livelihoods.
But Jonny is also fighting something else, an echo from his own past that he’ll never shake, and as it catches up with him and Paloma, he must make choices that will endanger everything he knows…
Published February 29th by Penguin UK Hisotorical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Historical Thriller, Mystery,
SYNOPSIS: THREE LOST SOULS. A LONG-BURIED SECRET. THE TRUTH THAT COULD SET THEM FREE…
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London, 1915: Tarot reader Katerina is trying to hold her life together amid the wartime chaos. When she opens a bakery that offers divination alongside sweet treats, she is hailed as a beacon of hope. But Katerina is hiding a dark truth that could cost her everything.
Germany, 1918: A mute British soldier is taken to a prisoner of war camp where he meets Miriam, a researcher. She is drawn to his gentle manner and secretly vows to help him. But soon she will have to make an impossible choice: will she save the one she loves, or herself?
Cornwall, Present Day: Recently widowed Edie is astonished to discover a mysterious box hidden in the wall of her newly renovated cottage. As Edie starts to investigate, she uncovers a secret that has lain hidden for over a century…
A long-held secret ties the tales of three women, from the cobbled streets of war-time London to an isolated German WWI camp, and the sea-swept cliffs of Cornwall. Beautifully told, moving and unforgettable.
Published February 29th by Phoenix Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Regency Romance, Christian Fiction, Religious Fiction, Regency Fiction
SYNOPSIS: SELECTED FOR THE BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB WINNER OF THE MSLEXIA NOVEL COMPETITION
‘Beautifully written . . . I raced through it’ HILARY MANTEL
‘As exquisitely and tenderly rendered as a Gainsborough painting’ TRACY CHEVALIER
‘A moving exploration of the familial ties that bind us and the grief of a life half-lived . . . a wonderful debut that lingered with me’ ELIZABETH MACNEAL
1759, Ipswich. Sisters Peggy and Molly Gainsborough are the best of friends and do everything together. They spy on their father as he paints, they rankle their mother as she manages the books, they tear barefoot through the muddy fields that surround their home. But there is another reason they are inseparable: from a young age, Molly has had a tendency to forget who she is, to fall into mental confusion, and Peggy knows instinctively that no one must find out.
When the family move to Bath, the sisters are thrown into the whirl of polite society, where the merits of marriage and codes of behaviour are crystal clear, and secrets much harder to keep. As Peggy goes to greater lengths to protect her sister from the threat of an asylum, she finds herself falling in love, and their precarious situation is soon thrown catastrophically off course. The discovery of a betrayal forces Peggy to question all she has done for Molly – and whether any one person can truly change the fate of another.
The Antique Hunter’s Guide To Murder by C. L. Miller
Published February 29th by Pan Macmillan Mystery, Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘A bold, bright and delightful jaunt back to the golden age of detective fiction’ Janice Hallett
‘A delicious read – who could resist a treasure hunt with murder at its core?’ SJ Bennett
‘It’s a delight!’ Katie Fforde
What antique would you kill for?
Freya, it’s down to you to finish what I started . . .
Freya Lockwood has avoided the quaint English village in which she grew up for the last 20 years. That is until news arrives that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and Freya’s estranged mentor, has died . . . and the circumstances seem suspicious.
You will uncover an invitation, I implore you to attend . . .
But when a letter from Arthur is delivered, sent just days before his death, and an ordinary pine chest concealing Arthur’s journals are revealed, Freya finds herself sucked back into a life she’d sworn to leave behind.
But beware, trust no-one. Your life depends on it . . .
Joining forces with her eccentric Aunt Carole, Arthur’s staunch best friend, Freya follows both clues and her instincts to an old manor house for an ‘antiques enthusiasts weekend’. But not is all as it seems; the antiques are bad reproductions and the guests all have something to hide.
Can Freya and Carole solve the mystery and unearth the killer before they strike again?
Published February 29th by Orbit Fantasy Fiction, Urban Fantasy, High Fantasy, Romatic Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: ‘Prepare to be engulfed. Chan has superbly created a world as real and complex as our own, where oppression has no easy solutions and there is no success without sacrifice. Fast-paced action combined with true social depth make this an unforgettable, must-read fantasy’ Shelley Parker-Chan
Revolution is brewing in the semi-submerged city of Tiankawi, between humans and the fathomfolk who live in its waters. This gloriously imaginative debut fantasy, inspired by East Asian mythology and ocean folk tales, is a novel of magic, rebellion and change.
Welcome to Tiankawi – shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that’s how it first appears. But in the semi-flooded city, humans are, quite literally, on top: peering down from shining towers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk – sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas – who live in the polluted waters below.
For half-siren Mira, promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to help her downtrodden people. But if earning the trust and respect of her human colleagues wasn’t hard enough, everything Mira has worked towards is put in jeopardy when Nami, a know-it-all water dragon and fathomfolk princess – is exiled to the city, under Mira’s watch. When extremists sabotage a city festival, violence erupts, as does the clampdown on fathomfolk rights. Both Nami and Mira must decide if the cost of change is worth paying, or if Tiankawi should be left to drown.
Published February 29th by Magpie Romantic Fantasy, Historical Romance, Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Enemies-to-lovers doesn’t get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli’s latest romantic fantasy.
On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.
Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?
Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch…is falling in love.
Published February 29th by Penguin UK Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tales, Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, YA Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: ‘Where the Dark Stands Still is a triumph; a deeply romantic debut with spiralling, atmospheric prose that swept me up and away to the enchanted forests of Polish folklore. You’ll never want to leave this beautiful, magical world’.Sarah Underwood, NYT Bestselling Author of Lies We Sing to theSea
A sweeping gothic fairytale romance for fans of Belladonna by Adalyn Grace and Gallant by V.E. Schwab.
Raised in a small village near the spirit-wood, Liska Radost knows that Magic is monstrous, and its practitioners, monsters.
After Liska unleashes her own powers with devastating consequences, she is caught by the demon warden of the wood – the Leszy – who offers her a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for a wish.
Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska makes an unsettling discovery: she is not the first person to strike this bargain and all of her predecessors have mysteriously vanished. If Liska wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts of his past.
Those who enter the wood do not always return . . .
Published February 29th by Fleet Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Humorous Fiction
SYNOPSIS: *AN OPRAH DAILY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024*
‘Incandescent, astonishing, a miracle. I’m elated and deeply grateful this book exists’ R. O. Kwon
‘Katherine Min is a singular, wildly talented voice and this is a trailblazing novel’ Sharlene Teo
‘Fiercely intelligent, perfectly crafted, and brimming with wit’ Lisa Ko A provocative, hilariously savage, and poignant novel by acclaimed author Katherine Min, to be published posthumously, about a daughter’s revenge on the man whom she believes drove her mother to her death . . . and nothing goes as planned.
The rain has made everything cold and damp, and it’s the perfect evening for Kyoko to exact her revenge. After years of rage and grief over her mother’s death, Kyoko has decided who is to blame: a man named Daniel, a fellow violinist who had wooed her mother, Emi, during their time together in an orchestra, and then dropped her – driving her to her death. Kyoko follows the unsuspecting Daniel home and manages to get her rash kidnapping plot off the ground . . . and really, what could go wrong?
The Fetishist is the story of three people – Kyoko, a young singer in a punk band who cannot find enough ways to channel her angry sorrow; Daniel, a seemingly hapless man who finally faces the wreckage of his past; and Alma, the love of Daniel’s life, long adored for her beauty and talent, but who spends her final days examining if she was ever, truly, loved. It’s a beautiful, piercing and timely story that confronts race, ideals of femininity, complicity and visibility. Written and completed before the celebrated author’s death in 2019, it’s startlingly relevant and prescient, as wise and powerful as it is utterly moving.
Published February 29th by Mudlark Biography, Autobiography, Literary Reference
SYNOPSIS: The captivating true story of an underdog business – a feminist bookshop founded in Thatcher’s Britain – from a woman at the heart of the women’s liberation movement.
An Independent and Stylist Best Non-Fiction Book for 2024
What was it like to start a feminist bookshop, in an industry dominated by men? How could a lesbian thrive in Thatcher’s time, with the government legislating to restrict her rights? How do you run a business when your real aim is to change the world?
Silver Moon was the dream of three women – a bookshop with the mission to promote the work of female writers and create a much-needed safe space for any woman. Founded in 1980s London against a backdrop of homophobia and misogyny, it was a testament to the power of community, growing into Europe’s biggest women’s bookshop and hosting a constellation of literary stars from Margaret Atwood and Maya Angelou to Angela Carter. While contending with day-to-day struggles common to other booksellers, plus the additional burdens of misogyny and the occasional hate crime, Jane Cholmeley and her booksellers created a thriving business. But they also played a crucial and relatively unsung part in one the biggest social movements of our time.
A Bookshop of One’s Own is a fascinating slice of social history from the heart of the women’s liberation movement, from a true feminist and lesbian icon. Written with heart and humour, it reveals the struggle and joy that comes with starting an underdog business, while being a celebration of the power women have to change the narrative when they are the ones holding the pen.
Maurice and Maralyn : A Whale, a Shipwreck, a Love Story by Sophie Elmhirst
Publshed February 29th by Chatto & Windus Biography, True Stories
SYNOPSIS: ***A Waterstones Book You Need to Read in 2024 *** Guardian Biggest Nonfiction of 2024 *** Observer Nonfiction to Look Out for 2024 ***
‘One of those very special books that makes you put everything on hold so you can get back to it’ RACHEL JOYCE * ‘Beautiful, moving and genuinely unputdownable’ JOANNA CANNON * ‘Extraordinary . . . Elmhirst is a terrific writer’ ELIZABETH DAY * ‘Easily one of the most captivating works of narrative nonfiction I’ve ever read’ OLIVER BURKEMAN
What begins as an eccentric English love story turns into one of the most dramatic adventures ever recorded…
Maurice and Maralyn couldn’t be more different. He is as cautious and awkward as she is charismatic and forceful. It seems an unlikely romance, but it works.
Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maralyn has an idea: sell the house, build a boat, leave England — and its oil crisis, industrial strikes and inflation — forever. It is hard work, turning dreams into reality, but finally they set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway there, their beloved boat is struck by a whale. It sinks within an hour, and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
On their tiny raft, over the course of days, then months, their love is put to the test. When Maurice begins to withdraw into himself, it falls upon Maralyn to keep them both alive. Their pet turtle helps, as does devising menus for fantasy dinners and dreaming of their next voyage.
Filled with danger, spirit and tenderness, this is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive — not just at sea, but in life.
Published January 18th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK Humorous Fiction, Parody, Literary Fiction
Today I’m sharing my review for the delightful and uplifting Preloved which was one of January’s Squadpod Reviews books. Thank you to Sara at Simon and Schuster UK for the copy of the book.
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SYNOPSIS:
‘Lauren Bravo is one of my very favourite writers.’ Dolly Alderton
Gwen is coasting through life. She’s in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the countryside and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around the council’s wheelie-bin timetable.
And she’s lonely. But then, isn’t everyone?
When she’s made redundant from a job she hardly cares about, she takes herself out for a fancy dinner. There she has the best sticky toffee pudding of her life and realises she has no one to tell. She vows to begin living her life fully, reconnect with her friends and family, and finally book that dentist’s appointment.
Gwen decides to start where all things get a second chance: her local charity shop. There, with the help of the weird and wonderful people and donated items bursting with untold stories, Gwen will find a way to move forward with bravery, tenacity, and more regular dental care.
Dazzlingly witty, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss and being true to yourself no matter the expectations. Lovingly celebrating the enduring power and joy of charity shops.
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MY REVIEW:
I’ve always loved charity shops and so I was sold on this book the moment I read the premise. It opens with a short chapter entitled ‘Gift’ about an item that stands out among other charity shop donations, and my interest was piqued. We are then introduced to our main character, Gwen, who isn’t having a good day. She’s just been made redundant and during a fancy dinner to try and cheer herself up she comes to the realisation that she has isolated herself and has no one to tell about her redundancy or the amazing meal. But instead of wallowing in self pity, Gwen decides to do something about it and makes a list before setting out to make conscious changes to her life.
Lauren Bravo’s fiction debut is a delightful story about loneliness, loss, anxiety, self-discovery and second chances. A story for anyone who has been clueless about where their life is going or what they are doing, it reminds us of the importance of friendship and community. Witty, heartwarming, and moving, this is a ‘slice of life’ story filled with relatable characters and observations that drew me in. Gwen comes across as a little miserable at first but I soon warmed to her. She’s isolated, lonely, struggling with severe anxiety and panic attacks and dealing with trauma, but she’s also funny, candid, trying to figure life out, and feels like someone I could be friends with. I liked that when redundancy provided her with an unwritten future she chose to write a better story for herself by making practical changes in her life, something I think we all could learn a lesson from.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was how the charity shop was so deeply woven into the story. It is staffed by an eclectic group who were so much fun to read and I was taken back to my days in retail during many of the scenes, laughing or shaking my head at my memories. But what was most memorable for me was the sections between each chapter that tell the story of some of the items that find their way to the charity shop. These were fascinating and unique, capturing my heart and sparking my imagination.
Entertaining and uplifting, I highly recommend this wonderful debut.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Lauren Bravo is a freelance journalist who writes about fashion, popular culture, food, travel and feminism, for titles including Grazia, Stylist, Cosmopolitan and Sunday Times Style. She volunteers in a charity shop once a week (partly to get dibs on all the best clothes).
Emma's Biblio Treasures 