The Maternal Element by Kate Nicholls - #extract #excerpt #blogtour

I am very excited to be bringing you an extract from The Maternal Element by Kate Nicholls. I love books which feature forgotten women and this one looks fabulous.

The Blurb

Siberia 1833.

Forty-one-year-old Maria Mendeleeva is enduring her seventeenth pregnancy. Her husband Ivan has lost his sight, and her brother Vasily has left their grandfather’s glass factory in ruins. The factory Maria hungered for as a child. On the brink of poverty and her family’s only remaining hope, Maria must find a way to make the factory viable. She must find the power to bring her grandfather's dreams back to life. She must make the glass sing.

The Maternal Element is a sweeping, gripping epic with an extraordinary woman at its heart. Maria Mendeleeva – mother of Dmitri Mendeleev, who devised the Periodic Table of the Elements – is a heroine like no other. A woman who refuses to be quashed by circumstance, Maria fights against the strictures of her time to gain an education for herself and for her children as she traverses the Urals of Russia seeking opportunity and safety for her family. A vivid and visceral portrait of a woman history has long since forgotten, The Maternal Element is a manifesto for truth, female empowerment and defying societal expectations.

The Extract

 “Why must I stay at home and study all alone? I know there are questions that I cannot ask because I am ignorant of their very existence,” Maria cried furiously one morning, pummelling her fists into a heap of flour moistened by buttermilk. She and Nyanya were preparing the midday meal with Cook, who was at the other end of the kitchen table chopping yellow onions into fine pieces and adding them to a bowl of minced pork.

“Gently, Masha, gently,” Cook instructed, “you must encourage the dough – not beat it to death.”

“Exactly my point,” declared the girl, “I want to be encouraged . . . to be allowed to grow and think and understand the world. Instead, I’m trapped at home, and without Papinka and Vasily to help me, I would be lost.”

Cook glanced at Nyanya and saw a fleeting hurt pass over her friend’s face.

“You have a good many people here to help you, Masha,” Cook retorted sharply, “and you have much to learn. One day, your Papa will not be there to give you a roof over your head, and there may not be so much good food in your pantry or so many fine pots to boil soup in.” Her knife was gathering quite terrifying speed. “Your book reading won’t feed your family or keep them warm at night, I can tell you that . . . you need to know how to squeeze the goodness out of a cabbage leaf Miss Know-it-all . . . that’s women’s work . . . and good work too, don’t you think otherwise.”

Cook ran her sleeve against her face to wipe away tiny pearls of sweat that had gathered on her brow, and Maria ran to hug her.

“I know, I know how lucky I am. You and Nyanya are my dearest friends,” cried the child, distraught to see the usually cheerful woman in such distress.

Yet, Maria’s frustration grew, and things came to a head on a rainy afternoon some months later when she and her brother fought so fiercely that they tumbled onto the floor, pulling each other’s hair, and had to be separated by their exasperated nanny.

“Vasily Kornilyev,” cried the woman, wrenching the boy from his sister’s grasp and shaking him until he rattled – the household keys around her waist clanging in lockstep with her fury. “Maria Kornilyeva, what is this? You are both too old to engage in such unruly behaviour. I have never seen such bad children. I shall put you both out in the night to freeze to death.”

“He called me foolish,” shouted the unrepentant girl, “I’m far cleverer than he and – and – I shall do great things in my life – you shall see – I shall travel far and wide like Professor Lomonosov and I shall go the far ends of the earth, just you wait. Vasily is so stupid – too – too stupid to remember the words of his poem . . . and such a wonderful poem . . . and he called me foolish and . . . oh I just hate him.”

At this she ran out of the room in a storm of tears. It transpired that Vasily had been instructed by his teacher to learn An Ode on the Benefits of Glass, by the polymath Mikhail Lomonosov. On seeing her brother struggling to recall the lengthy poem, Maria had offered to help by reading the text and gently correcting his mistakes. For a while, she urged him along, but as time passed, his fumbling became too much to bear, and finally throwing the book to the floor, she stood full square and recited the entire poem with such a flaming passion that her brother fell upon her in a fury, declaring her a foolish girl who had no right to their father’s library.

Perhaps it was irony that had caused Maria such anguish, for the ode revealed the poetic chemist’s reverence for the enigmatic material that lay somewhere between liquid and solid in which light and colour were both captured and free. It was she, not Vasily, who shared their grandfather’s passion for glass – it was she who longed to be taken to see the great furnaces in which, by glorious alchemy, sand was transformed into transparency. And it was she who trundled up stairs to watch from the upstairs window as her father and Vasily sped off in the carriage to spend weeks and weeks together in the village on the other side of the forest.

It was Vasily who cared not a jot, who would inherit the dragon’s lair.

Life was intolerably unfair.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1784633998

Publisher:  Salt Publishing

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  400 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Salt Publishing

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

About the Author

Kate Nicholls is an author and former actor who traded the stage to study evolutionary biology. She raised and home schooled five children while researching lions in the Ocavango Delta. She now lives and writes in Rome

You can also find Kate at:

Instagram

Bluesky

(media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)

No One Would Do What the Lambert's Have Done by Sophie Hannah - #bookreview #blogtour

PC Connor Chantree was afraid he'd already ruined everything and was about to be sent abruptly on his way...

***

It has recently come to my attention that I must make it clear at the beginning of my reviews that I received this book for free from Random Things Tours. I have not been paid for doing this and all opinions are my own. I am Bookshop.org affiliated, which means I earn a very small amount of money if you buy from there using my direct link. Although I include purchase links to Amazon, I am not affiliated with them. I include them to make it easy for you to navigate to them if you so wish.

***

The Blurb

You think it will never happen to you: the ring of the bell, the policeman on the doorstep. What he says traps you in a nightmare that starts with the words, 'I'm afraid…'

Sally Lambert is also afraid, and desperate enough to consider the unthinkable. Is it really, definitely, impossible to escape from this horror? Maybe not. There's always something you can do, right?

Of course, no one would ever do this particular something – except the Lamberts, who might have to.

No one has ever gone this far. Until Sally decides that the Lamberts will…

My Review

This book was very different to any of the books that I have previously read by Sophie Hannah.

To be honest, I couldn't decide if I loved it or hated it and ultimately I have landed somewhere in the middle. I think it is a polarising book. Fans of the author's other books may be disappointed but newcomers to her work may well lap it up. I wouldn't say that I loved it but good on her for trying something a bit different. Personally, I don't believe that an author has to stick to their tried and tested genre in which they have been successful. An author of Ms. Hannah's calibre can well afford to go slightly off piste. 

That said, there were things that I liked about this book.  The main character is Sally who lives with her husband and teenage son and daughter. The book begins with a knock at the door by a police officer informing her that her beloved dog, Champ has been accused of biting one of her neighbours. Sally is certain of Champ's innocence and in a moment of panic and aided by one of the villagers, she packs up her family and flees to safety. What follows is a humorous account of a family on the run and their attempts to prove their dogs innocence. I think every dog owner will read this and understand why Sally went to the extremes she did. 

The chapters change from person to person, and thus, we get multiple perspectives on the narratives which adds to the book. I think had this been told solely from Sally's point of view I would have questioned how reliable a narrator she was. The multiple points of view encourage the reader to believe what she claims and not to believe the neighbour who has accused Champ.

It is a quirky and humorous book that will appeal to some readers and not others. I would encourage you to give this book a read for yourself, and I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1835011607

Publisher:  Bedford Square

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  416 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Sophie Hannah is a Sunday Times, New York Times and Amazon Kindle UK No. 1 bestselling writer of crime fiction, published in forty-nine languages and fifty-one territories. Her books have sold millions of copies worldwide. She writes contemporary psychological thrillers and, at the request of Agatha Christie’s family and estate, the new series of Hercule Poirot novels.

Sophie’s murder mystery musical, The Mystery of Mr E, was released as a feature film in 2023, directed by Martyn Tott, and is available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+ and soon to be on several other platforms too. In 2023, Sophie won the Crime Writers Association’s Dagger in the Library Award for her body of work, and in 2013 her thriller The Carrier won the Crime Thriller of the Year Award at the Specsavers National Book Awards. Sophie is also a poet and has been shortlisted for the TS Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A Level and degree level across the UK.

In 2018, she created the How to Hold a Grudge podcast, based on her self-help book of the same name. More recently, she has published two other self-help books: Happiness: A Mystery, and her latest, The Double Best Method, which was an Amazon UK Top Ten best-seller and is a guide to making brilliant decisions and avoiding second-guessing and regret.

Sophie is the founder and coach at Dream Author Coaching, a coaching programme for writers and anyone who wants to write. She lives with her husband, children and dog in Cambridge, where she is an Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College.

You can also find Sophie at:

Author Website

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Facebook

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Bluesky

(ARC and media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(author bio courtesy of the author's website)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)

The Axeman's Carnival by Catherine Chidgey - #blogtour #bookreview

 

A long long time ago, when I was a little chick, not even a chick but a pink and naked thing, a scar a scrap a scrape fallen on roots and wriggling, when I was catching my death and all I knew of sky was the feel of feathers above me, the belly of black as warm as a cloud above me...

***

The Blurb

In this darkly comic work of literary satire by New Zealand’s most acclaimed and best-selling novelist Tama, a talking magpie and social media influencer, is the sole witness to a marriage in freefall.

Tama is just a helpless chick when he is rescued by Marnie. ‘If it keeps me awake,’ says Marnie’s husband Rob, a farmer in the middle of a years-long drought, ‘I’ll have to wring its neck.’ But with Tama come new possibilities for the couple’s future. Tama’s fame is growing, and with it, his earning potential. The more Tama sees, the more the animal and the human worlds – and all the precarity, darkness and hope within them – bleed into one another. Like a stock truck filled with live cargo, the story moves inexorably towards its dramatic conclusion: the annual Axeman’s Carnival.

Part trickster, part surrogate child, part witness, Tama is the star of this story. And although what he says to humans is often nonsensical (and hilarious), the tale he tells makes disturbingly perfect sense. The Axeman’s Carnival is Catherine Chidgey at her finest – comic, profound, poetic and true.

My Review

This book is well worth the five stars I have given it. I have not read any books by this author before but I certainly intend to change that as it was a fabulous read.

What makes this book unusual is that it is narrated by a magpie named Tama. In fact, he is the main character of the book. He lives with Marnie and Rob on their sheep farm. They are struggling to make ends meet, and this, amongst other things means Rob has a very short temper. He hates Tama until he realises that the bird may have the ability to change their financial position.

It is a very powerful and sometimes dark novel. It is clear from the very beginning that the book is working towards the annual event, the titular Axeman's Carnival. As we observe Rob preparing to win the title for the tenth year running, we can feel his inner anger oozing from the pages. As readers we know that the book is creeping towards its climax of the carnival and the author has done a great job in building the tension as the story moves along.

Meantime, Tama has learned to mimic speech and as such has become a media sensation. The book has much to say about social media, for good and bad.

The bird is devoted to Marnie and there is a mutual love between them that is palpable. It demonstrates an innocence which contrasts so well with the darker aspects of the novel. Tama also injects a little humour into the story with his mischievous nature.

The book is extremely well written, and the author has bought her story alive on the page vividly. There were aspects of the book which took my breath away. Something happens at the end which had so much to say about human nature and social media and is was quite shocking.

This book is releasing tomorrow, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I feel privileged to have read it.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1787705517

Publisher:  Europa Editions

Formats:

No. of Pages:  336 (paperback)

Preorder Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Catherine Chidgey’s novels have been published to international acclaim. Her first, In a Fishbone Church, won Best First Book at the NZ Book Awards and at the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (South East Asia and South Pacific). In the UK it won the Betty Trask Award and was longlisted for the Orange Prize. Her second, Golden Deeds, was a Notable Book of the Year in the New York Times and a Best Book in the LA Times. Catherine has won the Prize in Modern Letters, the Katherine Mansfield Award, the Katherine Mansfield Fellowship and the Janet Frame Fiction Prize. She lives in Ngāruawāhia, NZ, and lectures in Creative Writing at the University of Waikato. Her novel Remote Sympathy was shortlisted for the DUBLIN Literary Award and longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her novels The Wish Child and The Axeman’s Carnival both won the Acorn Prize for Fiction, NZ's most prestigious literary award.

(book courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(media courtesy of Europa Editions)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org afilliated)

The Scandalous Life of Ruby Devereaux by M.J. Robotham - #bookreview #blogtour

 

With a sense of expectation and a tinge of dread, Marina Keeve opens up her email inbox and sips at the palliative flat white by her side...

***

The Blurb

Everyone knows Ruby Devereaux's books. But no one knows her story... until now.

From a teenager in wartime England to a veteran of modern-day London - via 1950's New York, the Swinging Sixties, Cold War Berlin, Venice and Vietnam - Ruby Devereaux has lived one hell of a life: parties, scandals and conflict zones, meeting men and adventure along the way. In a writing career spanning seven decades and more than twenty books, she's distilled everything into her work. Or has she?

Now beyond her 90th year, Ruby's energy is ebbing and her beloved typewriter put away. Until a call from her publisher presents Ruby with an ultimatum, and the impetus to embark on one last book - "warts and all", as she says. Even in her dotage, Ruby M Devereaux has the power to surprise, because whatever this author does, she does on her own terms. Always.

Is Ruby finally about to reveal the secrets of her infamous life?

Taking the reader on a rollercoaster ride through the latter half of the 20th Century, The Scandalous Life of Ruby Devereaux is a mesmerising story of one unforgettable woman's place in an ever-changing world.

My Review

Ruby Devereaux is an outstanding character and one that I will not easily forget. She has made her name as an author of bestselling books, which she has based around her own life experiences. When at age ninety, she is reluctantly persuaded by her publisher to write her biography she is reluctant to do so but is provided with an assistant, Jude who will type up her words and cook for her.

The writing of this book takes her on a reminiscent journey of the twelve men that she has had relationships with. It is as well that Jude is not easily shocked.

Ms Robotham has done a fantastic job in her creation of Ruby and her world. Ruby has lived a tumultuous, hectic and adventurous life and is an extremely colourful character. She comes vividly to life on the page, and the author wrote in such a way that I felt as though I was in the room listening to Ruby tell her story.

We are taken from London in 1947 by way of Paris, Berlin, Venice, Saigon and Budapest before finishing back in London in 2020. She is a strong and determined woman who largely lives life on her own terms. However, her autobiography is based around the twelve men who she has met, and who have shaped her life without ever changing her character. By her own admission she is a selfish person who will live her life the way she wants to. 

It was an interesting journey to accompany Ruby on as the world was a very different place in 1947. We are able to read and observe the way the world changed as we read. 

I thought this was a fantastic book, and I enjoyed every word. I can well imagine going back to it to read again at some point, and there are few books that I consider reading for a second time. This will appeal to readers who enjoy literary fiction or books with a strong female lead.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1035901128

Publisher:  Head of Zeus

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  400 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Waterstones

Blackwell's (free postage)

About the Author

M J Robotham saw herself as an aspiring author from childhood, but was waylaid by journalism, birth, children and life. After twenty years as a midwife and a Creative Writing MA, she is a full-time author, writing historical fiction as Mandy Robotham. She lives in Gloucestershire with her partner.

You can also find her at

Bloomsbury.com

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Instagram

Twitter / X

(book and media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(author bio courtesy of the publisher)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org affiliated)

Gone with the Penguins by Hazel Prior - Veronica McCreedy series - #bookreview #blogtour

 

I have asked Eileen to refrain from humming. In order to read the article in the Scots Times, I require absolute peace and quiet. Now silenced, she continues to busy herself flicking dust around the mantelpiece...

***

The Blurb

Still fiery and feisty at eighty-seven, Veronica McCreedy, the very first Penguin Ambassador, is determined to prove that nothing is impossible when you put your mind to it.

Eileen, Veronica’s ever-patient assistant, is content taking care of other people. But when a new adventure calls, it makes her question everything...

Ten-year-old, penguin-obsessed Daisy can’t wait to be reunited with Mrs McCreedy in her huge house by the sea for the school holidays.

When they discover that the local Sea Life Centre is under threat, the unlikely trio are determined to save it and the penguins that live there.

Inspired by the penguins and fuelled by Darjeeling tea and finger sandwiches, they embark on an epic fundraising walk. But soon, their mission becomes so much more and it might just lead each of them to a new beginning...

My Review

This book is the third in a trilogy, which you may think is a strange point to begin reading. I have had my eye on the first two books in the series, How the Penguins Saved Veronica and Call of the Penguins for some time. I know you all understand how difficult it is to find time to read all of the books that we would like to and so I never got to the first two in the series. When I was offered a place on the blog tour for this final book in the series I thought I would jump in.

To be honest, not having read the first two did not impede my enjoyment of this final book in any way. I fell in love with Veronica, Eileen and Daisy; three unrelated women from three generations and they were all wonderful in their own way.

I enjoyed the easy narrative of this book. It was perfect to snuggle up with in the evenings and to lose myself in the world of the three characters.

The author must have undertaken extensive research in order to write this book. She understands and portrays the need to be concerned about climate change, and it's effect on the world around us. This book is largely about conservation needs and the necessity of us all addressing them. It reads in a very lighthearted way but conveys an important message.

However, the book is also about friendship and love. It was delightful to read of the blossoming romance between two characters in the book. I am not going to reveal who. You will have to read the book to discover this for yourself.

This was a wonderfully heartwarming book which I highly recommend.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1804993330

Publisher:  Penguin

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  448 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Waterstones

Blackwell's

About the Author

HAZEL PRIOR lives on Exmoor with her husband and a huge ginger cat. As well as writing, she works as a freelance harpist.

Hazel is the author of Ellie and the Harp-Maker, the #1 ebook and audiobook bestseller Away with the Penguins and its follow-up, Call of the Penguins. Gone with

the Penguins is her fifth novel.

You can also find Hazel at:

Hazel Prior website

Twitter / X

Instagram

(book and all media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org affiliated)

Jump 2: You Are Enough by J.G. Nolan - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Dear Diary

Am I actually still alive? Would you tell me if I wasn't?

I guess I am writing this, so I must be. Sort of. But you wouldn't say anything anyway, would you?

It's all one-way traffic with you. I tell you everything, but what do I get in return?

***

The Blurb

In the world of football, a blend of physical prowess and mental strength shapes champions.

Jamie Campbell is a talented young footballer whose sporting journey takes an unexpected twist when a family tragedy shatters her dreams and plunges her into a dark, lonely world from which she feels she will never escape.

In the depths of despair, Jamie finds solace and strength in her loyal friend, Robbie Blair.

Sent to the Lake District for a change of scene, Jamie embarks on an epic journey of self-discovery, where she must confront her fears, unlock the past and unearth her true potential.

But will she find all the answers and ultimately … is she enough?

 

My Thoughts

This was such a nice book to read and will appeal to both girls and boys alike. I think readers of upper middle grade/lower teens would enjoy this.

 Much of the story revolves around sport, and football in particular. I am not a sport fan but I enjoyed reading this. It is the second book in the Jump series and not having read the first book did not hinder my appreciation of this.

The main character is Jaime, who following the death of her mother suffers some mental health issues. This had a profound impact on her ability to play football, which had previously been of huge importance to her. In fact, I learnt a lot about OCD from reading this. It also highlights the importance of speaking out and getting help when it is needed. I enjoyed following Jaime's story of self-discovery and ultimately this is a book about hope and self-acceptance.

The book was well-written and I was very engaged by Jaime's story. I admired her enormously and found her to be likable, corouageous and realistic. I enjoyed seeing the impact that her friend, Robbie had on her and the way in which he encouraged her self-acceptance.

It has also been nicely illustrated by Carina Roberts and this really elevates the book.

Also, there are a set of questions at the back of the book which makes this perfect for the classroom. This is well worth reading. There is something for everyone included in this book and I strongly recommend it.

***

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1739208424

Publisher:  Sergar Creative

Formats:  e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  196 (paperback)

About the Author:

JG NOLAN was born and raised in a sleepy village in Shropshire and loved writing stories and playing football as a child.

He has been a teacher for many years, working mainly with children who have had difficult beginnings in life. He strongly believes in positive thinking and feels most things are achievable if you put your mind to it.

When his football-mad son Robbie was much younger, he kept breaking bones and was told by the doctors that he would never play football again. It was during one of JG Nolan’s many lengthy stays visiting his son in the local children’s hospital that the idea for his first book, Jump!, drifted into his mind.

Following on from the success of Jump! JG Nolan was keen to explore the story of Robbie Blair’s footballing friend Jamie, and this led him to delve into another journey of adversity, determination and recovery.

The first two books in the Jump! series reflect JG Nolan’s deep-rooted interest in sporting prowess, mental strength and history.

When he’s not busy battering away at his old computer, conjuring up new tales, JG Nolan can either be found playing squash or strumming his guitar. For many years he tried to “make it” in his indie rock band, The Poet Dogs.

He still writes songs now. When he has the time.

Connect with JG Nolan on TikTok and Instagram @JGNolan3

Why Not Check Out Some of the Other Bloggers on the Tour:

Claire's Book Obsession

Pause the Frame

Books Happy Thoughts

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(all opinions are my own)

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The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope looked up from the teenager's scrawl.

"It's got today's date. Chloe must have written it this evening."

The manager of the children's home was faded, dusty. He had grey hair tied back in a ponytail. He seemed well out of his depth."

***

The man’s body is found in the early morning light by a local dog walker on the common outside Rosebank, a care home for troubled teens. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who was due to work the previous night but never showed up.

DCI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate the death. Her only clue is the disappearance of one of the home’s residents, fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence. Vera can’t bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can’t dismiss the possibility.

Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie Bell are soon embroiled in the case, and when a second connected body is found near the Three Dark Wives standing stones in the wilds of the Northumbrian countryside, superstition and folklore begin to collide with fact.

Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, but it seems that the dark secrets in their community may be far more dangerous than she could ever have believed possible.

***

This is book eleven in the well known Vera Stanhope series.

If you are a fan of Vera from the television series, I recommend reading the books as there is much more insight into Vera's thought processes, and how she approaches her cases and staff in her own inimitable way.

In this book Vera and her team are investigating the murder of a care worker in a children's home, as well as a missing teenager. There is also a new member on the team, Rosie who at first struggles to fit in and find her place in her new job.

The pace of the book was steady to begin with as the author spends some time setting the scene and laying out her characters. However, it quickly picks up pace and has some surprising plot twists. I was totally unaware as to who the murderer was throughout. It was suspenseful and there was much to keep me guessing.

The Northumberland setting was beautifully portrayed. There was also some local folklore woven into the story. For example, the titular Dark Wives are a set of standing stones in the local area and they had their own part to play in the story.

I found this a compelling read. I have not read any of the earlier books, although the television series is essential watching in our house. Not reading the earlier books did not hinder my enjoyment of this one and it works perfectly well as a standalone. 

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys police procedural, crime and suspense novels. Enjoy!

ISBN: 978 1529077742

Publisher:  MacMillan

Formats: e-book, audio and hardback

No. of Pages:  384 (hardback)

About the Author:

ANN CLEEVES is the author of 37 critically acclaimed novels, an international bestseller translated into over 20 languages worldwide. In 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television in ITV’s Vera, BBC One’s Shetland and ITV's The Long Call respectively. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide.

Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of ‘Murder Squad’, working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann also spends her time advocating for reading to improve health and wellbeing and supporting access to books. In 2021 her Reading for Wellbeing project launched with local authorities across the North East, and in 2022 she was awarded an OBE for her services to reading and libraries. 

The Dark Wives, is her 11th Vera novel. She lives in Northumberland where the Vera books are set. You can find Ann on Twitter and Facebook @AnnCleeves.

(book and media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley - #bookreview #blogtour

 The stars were hidden at my birth. There was no moon. A tempest rising in the west sent clouds that settled like a veil of black across the night sky, and my father feared this total darkness was a sign of trouble...

***

1613: Scotland and England, unified under one crown, are reeling from the sudden death of King James' popular eldest son, Henry, as rumours swirl that the prince was poisoned.

Andrew Logan, one of the King's Messengers, is sent north with secret orders to find and arrest the man the king suspects.

Phoebe Westaway cannot abide Andrew Logan. But when her ageing father is tasked with helping Logan, Phoebe finds herself with no choice but to join them in their quest to capture Sir David Moray, once Prince Henry's trusted courtier, and carry him to London to stand trial for the prince's murder.

It's a journey rife with complications. Sir David has no intention of allowing himself to be delivered to London, and as he draws them deeper into the dark web of court alliances and rivalries, Phoebe realises she might have more need of Logan than she believes.

A story of justice, honour, truth and love - and survival against impossible odds…

***

I like Susanna Kearsley's books, and I have read a few in the past; Mariana, Sophia's Secret, The Firebird and A Desperate Fortune. I have enjoyed all of them and thus, had high expectations of The King's Messenger.

I am delighted to say that this book completely lived up to those expectations. It is well written and had everything that you would expect to find in a historical fiction novel. There were a handful of characters based on actual historical figures mixed in with some fictional ones, and these came together to create an excellent work of historical fiction that I really enjoyed reading.

The chapters were written from the points of view of four of the characters: Phoebe Westaway, Andrew Logan, Sir David Moray and Queen Anna, the wife of James I of England/VI of Scotland. I really enjoyed reading this story from the perspectives of each of them, especially Phoebe and Andrew. Watching their relationship develop made for fascinating reading.

As you would expect from Ms. Kearsley, her research is meticulous and this really shows. It enabled me to really wallow in the 17th century. It is a period that fascinates me, and I enjoyed reading about Andrew's second sight. This period was around the time of the infamous witch trials, and I rather admire the author for not taking that road through the story, although I'm sure it would have been equally fascinating.

Instead, she focussed her story on the politics of the day, especially those surrounding the death of Prince Henry. Andrew, who is the titular King's Messenger, is tasked with escorting Sir David Moray back to London from Scotland in order that he faces trial as he is suspected of having a hand in the death of the young Prince Henry.

Watching the development of the dynamic and relationships between the characters on this journey was riveting. I enjoyed reading about the way they interacted with one another, and how with time and observation they were able to change their preconceived opinions. 

I was already a reader willing to pick up any book that has Ms. Kearley's name attached to it, and this book has reinforced that opinion. She is a great writer and story teller and I heartily recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction.

ISBN: 978 1398514362

Publisher:  Simon and Schuster

Formats:  e-book, audio and hardback

No. of Pages:  384 (hardback)

About the Author:

Susanna Kearsley is a former museum curator who loves restoring the lost voices of real people to the page, often in twin-stranded stories that interweave present and past. Her award-winning novels are published in translation in more than twenty five countries. She lives near Toronto.

(ARC and all media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

Northern Boy by Iqbal Hussain - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Despite the years, her handwriting remains unchanged: big loops, rounded forms and circles for dots. I smile, then tut. She's put Sydney on the envelope rather than Melbourne. Judging by the date on the postmark, it's been round the whole of Australia to get here.

***

It's 1981 in the suburbs of Blackburn and, as Rafi’s mother reminds him daily, the family moved here from Pakistan to give him the best opportunities. But Rafi longs to follow his own path. Flamboyant,

dramatic and musically gifted, he wants to be a Bollywood star.

Twenty years later, Rafi is flying home from Australia for his best friend’s wedding. He has everything he ever wanted: starring roles in musical theatre, the perfect boyfriend and freedom from expectation. But returning to Blackburn is the ultimate test: can he show his true self to his community?

Navigating family and identity from boyhood to adulthood, as well as the changing eras of ABBA, skinheads and urbanisation, Rafi must follow his heart to achieve his dreams.

***

This was a wonderful book to read. Anyone who has grown up feeling that they were different will love this book. Even if that was not you, this is a great book to read. It is a heart rending story, filled with love and humour.

We follow the main character, Rafi, from his childhhood in the north of England, through to adulthood in Australia. Rafi is a fully realised character and I thorougly enjoyed getting to know him in this book. As a child he is theatrical and flamboyant. He is bullied at school and by his older brother at home, but when he is with his best friend Shazia, he is a child able to dazzle.

Rafi's mum, has a huge role in the book too. She is a colourful character, who wears flowers in her hair, sings, dances and cossetts Rafi. Whilst Rafi has his heart set on Bollywood, she wants him to have a respectable career as doctor, lawyer or account; the standard aspirations for sons in her Pakistani Muslim community. Her concerns with how others will perceive Rafi is to the forefront of her mind.

To the reader, it is abuldantly clear from the outset that Rafi is homosexual. How he will handle this within a community that is unaccepting is the main theme running through the book. The author accomplishes this superbly. His writing is full of compassion but imbued with humour. There were several occasions on which I would have liked to reach into the book and give Rafi a hug.  I was fully invested in his story and I do not think I will forget him in a hurry. 

This is an outstandingly compelling book which is well deserving of a five star rating. Reading it made for an immersive and gripping experience. This is Mr. Hussain's debut book and I think he is one to watch. I would defintely want to read another novel by this author if he were to write one. It is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 1800183148

Publisher:  Unbound

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  359 (paperback)

About the Author:

Iqbal Hussain is a writer from Blackburn, Lancashire and he lives in London. His work appears in various anthologies and on websites including The Willowherb Review, The Hopper and caughtbytheriver.

He is a recipient of the inaugural London Writers’ Awards 2018 and he won Gold in the Creative Future Writers’ Awards 2019. In 2022, he won first prize in Writing Magazine’s Grand Flash competition and was joint runner-up in the Evening Standard Short Story Competition. In 2023, his story ‘I’ll Never Be Young Again’ won first prize in the Fowey Festival of Arts and Literature short story competition. He was also Highly Commended in the Emerging Writer Award from The Bridge Award. Northern Boy is his first novel.

(book and media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

The Quality of Love by Ariane Bankes - #blogtour #bookreview

What elusive quality is it that propels people into the centre of things? My mother, Celia Paget, and her identical twin sister Mamaine seemed to possess that quality, to gravitate towards the very heart of the era in which they lived... their lives became entangled with some of the most remarkable figures of the twentieth century, whether as friend or lovers, muses or wives.

***

When her mother Celia Paget died, Ariane Bankes inherited a battered trunk stuffed with photographs and letters belonging to Celia and her twin sister Mamaine. This correspondence charted the remarkable lives of the Paget girls and their friends and lovers, including Arthur Koestler, Albert Camus, Sartre

and de Beauvoir, and George Orwell.

Out of this rich unseen archive, The Quality of Love weaves the story of these captivatingly beautiful – all the more so for being identical – twins who overcame a meagre education to take 1930s London society by storm and then move among Europe’s foremost intellectuals during the century’s most

dramatic decades. Above all, it is a sparkling portrait of the deep connection between two spirited sisters.

***

 This book provides an interesting and engaging insight into the lives of identical twins Celia and Mamaine Paget. 

The author, who is Celia's daughter, discovered a chest full of letters, diaries and journals following her mother's death in 2002. Through these the author permits the reader to observe and understand, not only the life of her mother and the aunt that she never knew, but also into the intellectual and cultural period in which they lived.

Born in 1916 and orphaned at a young age, the twins were largely raised by an aunt. Catapulted into the glamorous society of coming out balls, they were presented at court as debutantes in 1935. However, neither of them were interested in the marriage market, and instead were more drawn to the company of intellectuals such as George Orwell, Simone de Beauvoir and Albert Camus.

The text is littered with photographs demonstrating not only the beauty and elegance of the sisters, but also of those in the circle in which they moved. They were obviously spirited women, who the author portrays with the love and respect which she clearly feels. She has pieced together the lives of two extraordinary women through her inheritance of the letters and diaries. I so enjoyed being able to not only hear from Celia and Mamaine, but to hear the words written by Orwell and his peers.

This is a fascinating account, not only of the twins, but also of the time period and the world which they inhabited. It is well written, and delightful to read, and I recommend it for anyone interested in this era.

***

ISBN: 978 0715654989

Publisher:  Duckworth Books

Formats:  e-book, audio and hardback

No. of Pages:  304 (hardback)

***

About the Author:

Ariane Bankes had a long career in publishing, including at John Murray and V&A Publishing, before becoming a writer, critic and curator. Her writing has appeared in the Spectator, TLS, Financial Times, Country Life and Slightly Foxed. She sits on the boards of Koestler Arts, the Leche Trust and the Biographers’ Club, where she runs the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize and the Tony Lothian Prize.

(book & media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

The Night in Question by Susan Fletcher - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Four weeks ago, a man died. He fell - out in the wildest part of the grounds where the nettles are, where ivy and bindweed have climbed up the plinth of an old stone cherub so the cherub can't be seen now...

***

Florence Butterfield has lived an extraordinary life full of travel, passion and adventure. But, at eighty-seven, she suspects there are no more surprises to come her way.

Then, one midsummer's night, something terrible happens - so strange and unexpected that Florrie is suspicious. Was this really an accident, or is she living alongside a would-be murderer?

The only clue is a magenta envelope, discarded earlier that day.

And Florrie - cheerfully independent but often overlooked - is the only person determined to uncover the truth.

As she does, Florrie finds herself looking back on her own life . . . and a long-buried secret, traced in faded scars across her knuckles, becomes ever harder to ignore.

***

Florrie, the main character in this wonderful book, is an octagenarian amputee living in a retirement home. She is also spirited and quick witted, and she is a delightful character to become aquainted with in this novel.

One night Florrie witnesses the apparent suicide of someone at the retirement home. However, she is not as convinced as the police that it should be attributed to suicide. Appearing quiet and unassuming, she and her new friend, Stanhope, investigate what exactly did happen. This becomes a classic did she jump or was she pushed scenario.

There has been a number of books published in the last year or two set within a similar environment. However, compared to some others which I have read this one is much more absorbing than many of those.

It has been well-written and the characters well portrayed. I found the book engrossed me from the very beginning.

The pace of the book is gentle, mirroring the genre and I really liked that. I enjoy books that have a more sedate pace as they provide opportunity to absorb the story and the characters. That said, this is not a slow book and much happens to keep a reader interested.

The mystery running throughout is compelling and at times I worried for Florrie's safety as she continues to investigate. 

There are several flashbacks to Florrie's past, and I enjoyed reading her backstory. There are moments of both sadness and humour and the author has created a marvellously well rounded character in Florrie.

 The book is a great addition to the cosy crime genre and I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 1787637412

Publisher:  Bantam

Formats:  e-book, audio and hardback

No. of Pages: 448 (hardback)

About the Author:

Susan Fletcher was born in Birmingham and studied English Literature at the University of York.

Whilst taking the MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, she began her first novel, Eve Green, which won the Whitbread First Novel Award (2004) and Betty Trask Prize (2005). Since then, Susan has written seven novels - whilst also supplementing her writing through various roles, including as a barperson, a cheesemonger and a warden for an archaeological excavation site near Hadrian's Wall. Most recently, she has been a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of Worcester.

She lives in Warwickshire.

(book and media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)