Marguerite: Hell Hath No Fury! by Judith Arnopp - blogtour

 

I am delighted to be bringing you an extract of Marguerite: Hell Hath No Fury! by Judith Arnopp. The book is the story of Marguerite of Anjou and it is a cross between historical and biographical fiction.

The Blurb

Marguerite: Queen of England

 Her enemies impede her role as the king’s consort and when Henry sinks into apparent madness, her bid to become regent is rejected. Marguerite must fight, not only for her own position but to maintain Henry’s possession of the crown. 

The ambitious Duke, Richard of York, seizes control of the country, thrusting Marguerite aside and inflating the mutual hatred between the houses of York and Lancaster. But the queen refuses to relinquish power and fights determinedly for the rights of her son, Edward of Lancaster.

The long and bitter civil conflict, that has come to be known as the War of the Roses, commences.

The Extract

Marguerite is in exile and has reluctantly agreed to an alliance with her old enemy the Earl of Warwick against Edward of March, who is now wearing her husband’s stolen crown.

July 1470

I know what is required of me. I must welcome the Earl of Warwick and forgive the numerous injuries he has inflicted on me and mine. To gain my heart’s desires I must embrace him as a friend and ally. It sounds a simple cure. Just one small spoonful of vile medicine to relieve years of discomfort but, by God, the pain of the remedy almost supersedes any other I have felt. I am not sure I can swallow it. 

I try to refuse, find another way, but all my advisers urge me to conceal my pride and look beyond this moment and concentrate on the image of my son, his handsome face topped with the crown of England.

My glory.

Reluctantly, I agree to try.

Jasper and Exeter wait with me for the earl to arrive. My stomach is full of snakes that writhe and burn. I want to run. I want to vomit up this idea of a union between my son and the earl’s daughter. Oh, how I wish we had impaled Warwick’s head alongside York’s on the Micklegate Bar when we had the chance.

We can only do what we can do.

The world outside the chamber stirs, I hear footsteps, confident and masculine – determined. My determination quails as the doors are thrown open and I hear the sound of heels on marble. I raise my head and open my eyes, steeled for the sight of Satan as he comes slithering into my presence. 

And there he is.

He swirls his cloak behind him, his hand on his sword hilt as he makes an overly extravagant bow. Does he mock me? I do not move. I keep my eyes fixed on the far wall. Long moments pass before the arrogant swine realises he should be on his knees. As I hear him lower himself to the ground, I cannot resist looking as he bows his disgusting head in fealty to me. It is something I never thought to see.

“Your Grace. I am honoured and gratified that you agreed to discuss this matter.” 

He is indeed a prince of falsehoods. For all my faults, I have never been less than honest. I would trust him more were he to admit his detestation for me. I can work to the same ends with a man who hates me. I see no need for lies. 

Unable to bring my lips to form amiable words, I merely stare at the back of his lowered head. 

If I had a sword, I would use it.

Edward stirs beside me, nudges me to respond, but it is as if I am trapped in this moment. I should speak, I should bid him rise, allow him to kiss my fingers, and let the negotiations begin, but I cannot. 

The faces of all those I have lost, those Warwick killed, rise like smoke before my eyes. Somerset, and his son Harry, are at the head. This man before me has stolen not just my friends but my peace of mind too. Because of him, I will never now be the woman I could have been, should have been. 

Jasper clears his throat. I glance up and discover Exeter is also urging me to speak. I turn back to the toad of Warwick and hope his knees are aching.

I wait. They wait, in awkward silence while the all-powerful scourge of England kneels in supplication to me, his queen. I want to kill him. I want to watch him suffer agonies, but I need him. I am in a cleft stick and since I cannot have his head, I will use him to my own ends. 

This time, Warwick will be the puppet and I will work his strings.

Less than two weeks later, at the Chateau d’Amboise, my son pledges to marry Anne Neville, but the union is not to be sealed until Warwick has performed his part and restored my husband to the English throne.

Book Details

ISBN:  979 8286235018

Publisher:  Independently published

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

No. of Pages:  426 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

A lifelong history enthusiast and avid reader, Judith holds a BA in English / Creative Writing and a Masters in Medieval Studies. She lives on the coast of West Wales where she writes both fiction and non-fiction. She is best known for her novels set in the Medieval and Tudor period, focussing on the perspective of historical women but recently she has written a trilogy from the perspective of Henry VIII himself.

 Judith is also a founder member of a re-enactment group called The Fyne Companye of Cambria which is when and why she began to experiment with sewing historical garments. She now makes clothes and accessories both for the group and others. She is not a professionally trained sewer but through trial, error and determination has learned how to make authentic looking, if not strictly historically accurate clothing. A non-fiction book about Tudor clothing, How to Dress like a Tudor, was published in 2023 by Pen and Sword.

 She runs a small seaside holiday let in Aberporth and when she has time for fun, likes to garden and restore antique doll’s houses. 

You can also find X at:

Author Website

Author Blog

X

Facebook

Instagram

Bluesky

Pinterest

Her novels include:

A Song of Sixpence: the story of Elizabeth of York

The Beaufort Chronicle: the life of Lady Margaret Beaufort (three book series)

The Henrician Chronicle: comprising of:

A Matter of Conscience: Henry VIII, the Aragon Years (Book One of The Henrician Chronicle)

A Matter of Faith: Henry VIII, the Days of the Phoenix (Book Two of The Henrician Chronicle)

A Matter of Time: Henry VIII, the Dying of the Light (Book Three of The Henrician Chronicle)

The Kiss of the Concubine: a story of Anne Boleyn

The Winchester Goose: at the court of Henry VIII

Intractable Heart: the story of Katheryn Parr

Sisters of Arden: on the Pilgrimage of Grace

The Heretic Wind: the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England

Peaceweaver

The Forest Dwellers

The Song of Heledd

The Book of Thornhold

A Daughter of Warwick: the story of Anne Neville, Queen of Richard III

(media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club )

(all opinions are my own)

Viva Violetta and Verdi by Howard Jay Smith - #blogtour #excerpt #extract

I was instantly pulled in by the cover of this book. Viva Violetta and Verdi by Howard Jay Smith is biographical historical fiction and looks like a good read. I'm delighted to be bringing you an extract of this book today.

The Blurb

A Love Affair Inspiring the World's Most Unforgettable Operas:

Experience the intense, lifelong love affair between Giuseppe Verdi and Giuseppina Strepponi, the brilliant and seductive soprano who shaped his legacy. As his muse, lover, and wife, Strepponi was the inspiration behind Verdi's most iconic works, including La Traviata and Aida. Her influence was pivotal, as she became the architect of his creative triumphs and the heart of his operatic genius.

Set against the backdrop of Italy's Risorgimento, this sweeping novel intertwines their turbulent relationship with the nation's fierce struggle for independence. Through the heartbreak of three brutal wars, Verdi and Strepponi's passion, betrayal, and artistic ambition come alive, mirroring the era's fiery spirit.

Rich with themes of love, power, food, wine, and unrelenting passion, Viva Violetta & Verdi is an unforgettable exploration of art, resilience, and the enduring bond that transformed both an artist and a nation.

The Excerpt

Milan, February 27, 1901 

On the morning of Verdi’s funeral, I awoke well before dawn. After a double shot of espresso and a cornetto, one freshly baked and served up by my daughter-in-law, Luisa, I dressed in my black mourning suit. At my age, this was an exercise I engaged in with an all too familiar regularity. 

Then with the necessary assistance of my silver-handled cane, I left my bedroom suite and headed down the marble stairs to the entryway foyer of our home, Casa di Trevi, on the Via Vittorio Veneto. Tap, step, step. Tap, step, step – a rhythm and beat that had been my companion for over three decades. Tap, step, step.

There, waiting by the coat rack was Luisa, whom I had known since she was thirteen. A pugnacious and steely eyed woman, she greeted me with a warmth that never flagged, “Buongiorno papà.”

I nodded and thanked her for the coffee. “And Tre?” I asked referring to my son, whom we all called by his nickname.

“He left an hour ago,” she replied as she helped me into my black overcoat and then handed  me my top hat.

As I settled the hat onto my head, Luisa stepped back and gave me that “look,” that glare, the one which every man who has ever been married, knows only too well.

“What?” I asked as I glanced in the hallway mirror. Save for a few flecks of grey in my otherwise neatly trimmed beard, the reflected image of my hair came back to me as black as the night I was about to step out into. Despite my age, I was fortunate that my hair, save for a few grey streaks, still retained its natural color.

“Just this,” she said. From a pocket buried in the many folds of her housedress, Luisa pulled a patch to which she had already added a tri-colored ribbon of red, white and green. She pinned it to the band of my top hat and then kissed me on both cheeks. “Now you are ready, papà. Viva Verdi.”

“Viva la rivoluzione,” I replied as I looked in the mirror and nodded my approval.

“Viva la rivoluzione,” repeated Luisa as she opened the front door.

I stepped out into the chill of that February morning. The streets of Milan were still deserted at this hour. Later, though, news reports would hold that some four-hundred thousand mourners would gather along the funeral route to view the carriage carrying Verdi’s coffin along with that of his wife, who had preceded him in death by some three years. The procession would travel the two miles from the Cimitero Monumentale to the Piazza Michelangelo Buonarroti and their final resting place at the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti. 

One reporter from Corriere della Sera would even remark that the crowd for Verdi’s funeral procession was the largest gathering of humans in a single place since Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812. That event some 89 years ago occurred a year before Verdi and I were born just days apart in Busseto, a small village in the Duchy of Parma some 65 miles southeast of here. And although today Verdi is considered not only the quintessential Italian composer but the quintessential Italian, our birth records in the Busseto town hall archives are written in French, for they ruled our home territory. 

Yes, liberami, save me. There is no one else alive today who has known Giuseppe Verdi longer than I. Today it is time to put my friend to rest in the soil of an Italian nation that did not exist when we were born and to remember all the sacrifices our beloveds made in blood to achieve those victories. 

 

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1962465878

Publisher:  Historium Press

Formats:  Hardback and Paperback

No. of Pages:  256 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Howard Jay Smith is an award-winning writer from Santa Barbara, California. 

VIVA VIOLETTA & VERDI, is his third novel in his series on great composers, including BEETHOVEN IN LOVE; OPUS 139 and MEETING MOZART: FROM THE SECRET DIARIES OF LORENZO DA PONTE. 

His other books include OPENING THE DOORS TO HOLLYWOOD (Random House) and JOHN GARDNER: AN INTERVIEW (New London Press). He was recently awarded a Profant Foundation for the Arts Fellowship for Excellence in Writing. 

Smith is a former two-time Bread Loaf Scholar and three-time Washington, D.C. Commission for the Arts Fellow, who taught for many years in the UCLA Extension Writer’s Program and has lectured nationally. His articles have appeared in the Washington Post, American Heritage Magazine, the Beethoven Journal, Horizon Magazine, Fig Tree Press, the Journal of the Writers Guild of America, the Ojai Quarterly, and numerous trade publications. While an executive at the ABC Television, Embassy TV, and Academy Home Entertainment he worked on numerous film, television, radio and commercial projects.

He serves on the board of directors of the Santa Barbara Symphony and is a member of the American Beethoven Society.

You can also find Howard at:

Historium Press

Facebook

(media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

(all opinions are my own)

 

The Many Lives & Loves of Hazel Lavery by Lois Cahall - #blogtour #bookspotlight

 

I am so pleased to be shining the spotlight on this gorgeous looking book today. The Many Lives & Loves of Hazel Lavery by Lois Cahill is historical biographical fiction and looks like an amazing read.

The Blurb

In the heart of tumultuous times, amidst the grandeur of Victorian opulence, there existed an American socialite whose influence altered the course of the Anglo-Irish treaty: Lady Hazel Lavery

Boston-born Hazel ascended from her Irish roots to become the quintessential Society Queen of Chicago, and later London, where she lived a delicate dance between two worlds: one with her esteemed husband, Sir John Lavery, a portrait artist to royalty, and the other with Michael Collins, the daring Irish rebel whose fiery spirit ignited her heart. Together, they formed a love triangle that echoed through the corridors of power at 10 Downing Street, London.

Hazel's wit and charm touched on the lives of the who's-who of England, including Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw and Evelyn Waugh. The image of her memorable face graced the Irish note for close to half-a-century.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1962465632

Publisher:  Historium Press

Formats:  e-book, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  340 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Lois Cahall began her writing career as a columnist for Cape Cod newspapers and local periodicals, including Cape Cod Life. She spent a decade writing for national magazines (Conde Nast/Hearst). Her articles have been published in Cosmo Girl, Seventeen, SELF, Marie Claire, Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, Reader’s Digest, Men’s Journal, and Bon Appetit. In the UK she wrote for RED, GQ, Psychologies, and for The Times. In addition, Lois wrote profiles for The Palm Beach Post.

Lois’s first novel, Plan C: Just in Case, was a #1 bestseller in the UK, where it remained in the top three fiction for the year before selling into foreign translation markets. In July of 2014, her novel hit #1 on the Nook “Daily Deal” in America. Her second novel, Court of the Myrtles, was hailed as “Tuesdays with Morrie on estrogen” by the Ladies Home Journal. Her newest book, The Many Lives of Hazel Lavery, is a work of historical fiction and will be published in 2025.

Lois is the former Creative Director of Development for James Patterson Entertainment. She credits her friend, Jim Patterson, the world’s most successful bestselling author, with teaching her about the importance of children’s reading and literacy. As a result, she founded the Palm Beach Book Festival in 2015, an annual event bringing in NYT bestselling and celebrity authors. The event is for book lovers, nurturing the written word for the children and adults of southern Florida.

In 2024 Lois also founded The Cape Cod Book Festival, an annual autumn event that promises to be a new cultural footprint in Massachusetts. It will be for locals and ‘washashores’ alike – a magical place where charitably minded readers can rub elbows with great writers and thinkers.  

Lois divides her life between New York and Cape Cod, although her spiritual home is London. But most importantly, Lois can do the Hula Hoop for an hour non-stop and clear a Thanksgiving table in just under ten minutes.

(all media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

(all opinions are my own)

Books I Want to Read in November 2024

 

Wow, it's November already and I am looking ahead to some of the books that I hope to read this month.  Here are just ten that have caught my eye.

You may notice that there are no Christmas titles in this list. There will be a dedicated post of Festive reads coming soon so watch this space!

What are your reading plans this month? Are any of these books on your reading radar?

The Poison Pen Letters by Fiona Walker

The Dressmaker's Mirror by Susan Weiss Liebman

The Reunion by M. A. Hunter

Someone Like You by Sandy Barker

The Palace Dressmaker by Jade Beer

Elizabeth of York and the Birth of the Tudor Dynasty by Beverley Adams

A Witch's Book of Wisdom by Patricia Telesco

Shtum by Jem Lester

The Cavendon Women by Barbara Taylor Bradford

My Family: The Memoir by David Baddiel

Try Before You Trust by Constance Briones - #excerpt #blogtour

 

Today I am so pleased to be bringing you an excerpt from Try Before You Trust: To All Gentlewomen and Other Maids in Love by Constance Briones. But first, a little about the book...

The Blurb

What if Taylor Swift found herself penning songs about love in Elizabethan England when women were required to be chaste, obedient, and silent?

Isabella Whitney, an ambitious and daring eighteen-year-old maidservant turned poet, sets out to do just that. Having risked reputation and virtue by allowing her passions for her employer's aristocratic nephew to get the better of her, Isabella Whitney enters the fray of the pamphlet wars, a scurrilous debate on the merits of women.

She's determined to make her mark by becoming the first woman to write a poem defending women in love, highlighting the deceptive practices of the men who woo them. Her journey to publication is fraught with challenges as she navigates through the male-dominated literary world and the harsh realities of life in sixteenth-century London for a single woman.

The Excerpt

That night in my prayers, I asked forgiveness for my ingratitude. How peevish of me to wail to Mistress Walden about the hardships of working for Lady Bramwell. When my term was done here, I had a comfortable home to return to with a mother who readily forgave my flights of fancy whilst I did my chores. ‘Rid your mind of foolish dreaming,’ my mother would say, ‘go for a brief walk in the garden and resume your work with a clear head.

’Henceforth, whenever I spied the washerwoman leaving at the end of her workday, I uttered a blessing to keep her well and wished for her safe return the next day. And when my work day was done, I welcomed the sweet night. My mind, finally at liberty to drift away with fanciful thoughts of befriending the elusive Robert Barrington.

Loosely based on the life of Elizabethan poet Isabella Whitney, this is a compelling tale of a young woman's resilience and determination to challenge the status quo and leave her mark in a world that was not ready for her.

About the Author:

Constance Briones has a Master's in Woman's History, which informs her writing.

She first learned about the subject of her debut historical fiction novel, the sixteenth-century English poet Isabella Whitney, while doing research for her thesis on literacy and women in Tudor England. Isabella Whitney's gusty personality to defy the conventions of her day, both in her thinking and actions, impressed Constance enough to imagine that she would make a very engaging literary heroine.

As a writer, Constance is interested in highlighting the little-known stories of women in history. She is a contributing writer to Historical Times, an online magazine. When not writing, she lends her time as an educational docent for her town's historical society.

She contently lives in Connecticut with her husband and Maine coon sibling cats, Thor and Percy.

(all media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

(all opinions are my own)

Reading Roundup for July 2023

 

Here we are at the end of another month. It is summertime here in the UK and the weather has not relected the season. We had a few nice days but other than that it has been warm but muggy with lots of showers. Never mind - I have still got plenty of books read but mostly have had to do it indoors.

What have you been reading in July?

Books I Have Read

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt - This is based on the story of Lizzie Borden. I found the book to be rather disappointing.

The Village Vicar by Julie Houston - Another lovely novel from Julie Houston. This is the first in a series and I enjoyed it very much. You can read my review of this book by clicking here.  

Purchase link - Bookshop.org*

Good Girls Die Last by Natali Simmonds - This was my favourite book this month. It made for a fantastic read and I highly recommend it. You can read my review by clicking here.

Purchase link - Bookshop.org*

Lucky Jack by S. Bavey - A lovely biography of Jack Rogers which has been written by his granddaughter. You can read my review by clicking here.

The Golden Bell by Robert L. Stone - This book of scholarly fiction set in the eleventh/twelfth centuries made for an interesting read. You can read my review by clicking here.

The Highlander's Bridal Bid by Nicole Locke - I enjoyed this book published by Mills & Boon. I am really enjoying their books at the moment. If you would like to read my review you can find it here.  

Purchase link - Bookshop.org*

This Child of Mine by Emma-Claire Wilson - A heartfelt and emotional debut book is well worth reading. You can find my review by clicking here. Purchase Link - Bookshop.org*

Miracle Number Four by Paul Marriner - This novel gave me a trip down memory lane by being set in 1970's London. I enjoyed it very much. You can find my review by clicking here.

Lessons by Ian McEwan - I am a fan of Ian McEwan but I was very disappointed by this novel.

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves - A fantastic new book series from the author of Shetland and Vera. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series. You can read my review by clicking here.

Purchase Link - Bookshop.org*

An Invitation to Seashell Bay by Bella Osborne - I really enjoyed this light-hearted rom-com. You can read my review by clicking here.  Purchase Link - Bookshop.org*

The Nurse by Valerie Keogh - This was a fast, gripping read that I did not want to put down. You can read my review by clicking here.

The Associate by Victoria Goldman - An excellent second book in the Shanna Regan series. You can read my review by clicking here.

#Living the Dream by Ed. Carrie Frais - A collection of essays and reflections on living as an expat. You can read my review by clicking here.

A Midlife Gamble by Cary Hansson - The last book in the Midlife trilogy. You can read my review by clicking here.

Never Trust  a Gemini by Freya Nicole Wolf - I only finished reading this book in bed last night and I will be posting my review this week.

Purchase Link - Bookshop.org*

Books I am Partway Through

Don't Look Away by Rachel Abbott

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan

*Disclosure: I only recommend books I would buy myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post contains an affiliate link from which I may earn a small commission.

Turning the World to Stone: The Life of Caterina Sforza - Part One 1472 - 1488 by Kelly Evans - #blogtour #excerpt #extract

 

I am very excited to be bringing you a short excerpt from Turning the World to Stone by Kelly Evans. It is the first part (1472-1488) of The Life of Caterina Sforza. The blurb below will tell you more about the book, and it looks fascinating.

The Blurb

Vilified by history, Caterina Sforza learned early that her life was not her own. Married at age ten, she was a pawn in the ever-changing political environment of Renaissance Italy.

Resigned to her life as a fifteenth-century wife, Caterina adapted to the role she was expected to play: raising and educating her children, helping the poor in her new home, and turning a blind eye to her husband’s increasingly shameful behaviour. But Fate had other plans for her, and soon Caterina’s path would be plagued by murder, betrayal, and heartbreak.

“Could I write all, the world would turn to stone.”

ISBN:  978 1778022425

Publisher:  Eska Publishing

Formats:  e-book and paperback (currently available from Kindle Unlimited Amazon UK)

No. of Pages:  387 (paperback)

The Excerpt

“Madonna, you have a healthy child.”

"What is it? A boy or a girl?” She knew without their having ever discussed it that Girolamo would prefer a boy. What man in Rome did not?

“A boy, Madonna.”

Caterina fought the pain in her hips and legs and, with Luisa’s help, sat up as much as she could. She reached out her arms, ignoring her exposed thighs and fluid-stained sheets. All she wanted at that moment was to hold her son.

The physician wrapped the child in soft linen and handed him to Caterina. Gazing down at the small angry face, her heart swelled to a size she never knew was possible. Bona had been right; this was a love unlike any other. Caterina knew Girolamo would be pleased. She didn’t care. As she stared into the face of this helpless creature, she knew she would give her life for this child.

***

About the Author:

Born in Canada of Scottish extraction, Kelly Evans graduated in History and English then moved to England where she worked in the financial sector. While in London Kelly continued her studies in history, concentrating on Medieval History, and travelled extensively through Eastern and Western Europe.

Kelly is now back in Canada with her husband Max and a rescue cat. She writes full-time, focussing on illuminating little-known women in history with fascinating stories. When not working on her novels, Kelly writes Described Video scripts for visually impaired individuals, plays oboe, and enjoys old sci-fi movies.

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed - #bookreview

 

'The King is dead. Love live the Queen.' The announcers voice crackles from the wireless and winds around the rapt patrons of Berlin's Milk Bar as sinuously as the fog curls around the mournful street lamps, their wan glow barely illuminating the cobblestones.

The noise settles as milkshakes and colas clink against Irish coffees, and chairs scrape against the black-and-white tiled floor.

Berlin hammers a spoon against the bar and calls out with his lion tamer's bark, 'Raise your glasses, ladies and gentlemen, and send off our old King to Davy Jones's Locker.'

***

Mahmood Mattan is a fixture in Cardiff's Tiger Bay, 1952, which bustles with Somali and West Indian sailors, Maltese businessmen and Jewish families. He is a father, chancer, some-time petty thief. He is many things, in fact, but he is not a murderer.

So when a shopkeeper is brutally killed and all eyes fall on him, Mahmood isn't too worried. It is true that he has been getting into trouble more often since his Welsh wife Laura left him. But Mahmood is secure in his innocence in a country where, he thinks, justice is served.

It is only in the run-up to the trial, as the prospect of freedom dwindles, that it will dawn on Mahmood that he is in a terrifying fight for his life - against conspiracy, prejudice and the inhumanity of the state. And, under the shadow of the hangman's noose, he begins to realise that the truth may not be enough to save him.

***

This compelling novel, which is based on factual events, is an outstanding book and one of the best I have read this year. Set in 1950's Tiger Bay, Cardiff it exudes with atmosphere and highlights the racial injustice suffered by the main character, Mahmood Mattan and his contemporaries.

I particularly enjoyed reading about this melting pot of characters who have settled in Tiger Bay from other parts of the world. This mixture of nationalities and faiths culminated in the occurrence of racial tensions, and it was this that led Mahmood to come to be in the position he did.

This character driven novel permits the reader to follow Mahmood through his time living and working in Tiger Bay, to his imprisonment for a murder which he did not commit. Despite his life experience, Mahmood seemed to have a naivety about him and had complete faith that the British justice system would come to recognise the truth of his situation.

I found this to be a heartbreaking read, written with sensitivity, intelligence and humanity. It was a calm, appropriately paced, devastating novel.

Every now and then, a novel comes along which I feel privileged to have read. This was one such book and I applaud the author for bringing this miscarriage of justice to prominence in the form of her novel.

It is no surprise to discover that the book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Costa Novel Award in 2021, as well as the Wales Book of the Year Award in 2022.

I can foresee myself re-reading this book again in the future, and I most definitely want to read other titles from Ms. Mohamed.

I thoroughly recommend that you read this book and hope that you enjoy the reading experience as much as I did.

ISBN: 978 0241466957

Publisher:  Viking

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  384 (paperback)

Purchase from Bookshop.org

About the Author:

Nadifa Mohamed was born in Hargeisa (now in the Republic of Somaliland) in 1981 and moved as a child to England in 1986, staying permanently when war broke out in Somalia.

She lives in London and her first novel, Black Mamba Boy, based on her father's memories of his travels in the 1930s, was published in 2010. It was longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Dylan Thomas Prize and shortlisted for the John Llewellyn-Rhys Memorial Prize and the Guardian First Book Award. It won the 2010 Betty Trask Prize.

(author photo and bio. info. courtesy of GoodReads)