10 Ten Books I Want to Read in April 2026

Hello April. It's lovely to welcome you again with your promise of tulips and sunshine.

What are your reading plans for this month? Here are ten books that I would like to read this month.

 Six Mile Store by A.M. Belsey

SOMETHING UGLY’S WAITIN’ FOR YOU

Honey’s working weekends down at the Six Mile, trying to figure her life out. Her boyfriend’s about to leave the country, her college advisor hates her guts, her momma ain’t listening, and she’s got this cop breathing down her neck just about all the time.

She finds a friend in her new colleague Lisa, but when one of their regular customers turns up dead, everything goes sideways faster than a greased hog at the county fair…

Purchase Link - Amazon

Fruit Fly by Josh Silver

Anyone can write a bestseller. Here’s how.

GO GAY

It’s been seven years since Mallory shot to fame as a literary sensation. But after years of struggling with writer’s block, she’s desperate to resurrect her career before it spirals into obscurity. She needs inspiration to strike – and fast.

GO SAD

Enter Leo – a young struggling addict sleeping under bridges and trading sex for survival. He’s vulnerable. He’s enigmatic. He’s exactly what Mallory has been looking for.

GO DARK

Mallory needs Leo if she wants another bestseller. Authenticity sells, and there’s nothing more authentic than real life. She’s the perfect person to tell Leo’s story. Gay, sad, dark – just what the world needs right now. But as secrets threaten to unravel more than just her career, Mallory must decide: just how far will she go to pen the perfect story?

Preorder Link - Bookshop.org

Story of a Murder : The Wives, the Mistress and Doctor Crippen by Hallie Rubenhold

No murderer should ever be the keeper of their victim's story …

On 1 February, 1910, vivacious music-hall performer, Belle Elmore, suddenly vanished from her north London home, causing alarm among her circle of female friends, the entertainers of the Music Hall Ladies’ Guild who demanded an immediate investigation.

They could not have known what they would provoke: the unearthing of a gruesome secret, followed by a fevered manhunt for the prime suspect: Belle’s husband, medical fraudster, Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen.

Hiding in the shadows of this evergreen tale is Crippen’s typist and lover, Ethel Le Neve – was she really just ‘an innocent young girl’ in thrall to a powerful older man as so many people have since reported?

In this epic examination of one of the most infamous murders of the twentieth century, prizewinning social historian Hallie Rubenhold gives voice to those who have never properly been heard – the women.

Featuring a carnival cast of eccentric entertainers, glamorous lawyers, zealous detectives, medics and liars, STORY OF A MURDER is meticulously researched and multi-layered, offering the reader an electrifying snapshot of Britain and America at the dawn of the modern era.

Purchase Link - Bookshop.org

 The Other Killer by Heidi Field

You can change your name. Change your life. But someone knows exactly who you are.

Twenty years ago, Mason Tucker was tried and convicted as the teenager who helped lure young boys to the serial killer known as the Pied Piper of Peasedale. After serving his twenty-year sentence, Mason is freed and hopes to remain invisible while he rebuilds his life as an adult, hoping to become a man he can be proud of. A new town, a new flat, a new job and a new purpose.

But living with secrets is challenging, and protecting his anonymity, the woman who stood beside him, and her child becomes impossible when the past pushes back. Hard. Within days of his release, Mason suspects he’s being stalked. He’s threatened and twice attacked. He never imagined being outside would be more dangerous than being in prison. The police aren’t an option. One headline will destroy him.

Someone wants him punished, not redeemed, and as danger closes in, you will never suspect where the next threat comes from.

Purchase Link - Amazon

 1984 by George Orwell

A dystopian masterpiece - the powerful and prophetic novel that defined the twentieth century.

The year is 1984. War and revolution have created an unrecognisable world. Great Britain, now known as Airstrip One, is ruled by the Party, led by Big Brother. Mass surveillance is total and The Thought Police ensure no individual thinking is allowed.

Winston Smith works at The Ministry of Truth, carefully rewriting history. But Winston dreams of freedom, and of rebellion. It is here that he falls in love with Julia, and starts a secret, forbidden affair with her - but in this world nothing can be kept secret, and they are forced to face consequences more terrifying than either of them could have ever imagined.

Purchase Link - Bookshop.org

 Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben

The present day is hard enough for former Detective Sami Kierce, but his past isn’t through with him yet…

Sami Kierce, a young college grad backpacking in Spain with friends, wakes up one morning, covered in blood. There’s a knife in his hand. Beside him, the body of his girlfriend. Anna. Dead. He begins to scream - and then he runs.

Twenty two years later, Kierce, now a private investigator, is a new father who’s working off his debts by teaching wannabe sleuths at a night school in New York City. One evening, he recognizes a familiar face at the back of the classroom. Anna. It’s unmistakably her. But as soon as he makes eye contact with her, she bolts.

For Kierce there is no choice. He knows he must find this woman and solve the impossible mystery that has haunted his every waking moment since that terrible day.

His investigation will bring him face-to-face with his past. Soon he discovers that some secrets should stay buried...

Purchase Link - Bookshop.org

 The Body That Floats by Jayne Chard

TWO RETIRED SISTERS

ONE DEAD BODY

Julia, a retired head teacher with a fondness for order, and her half-sister Frankie, who believes that rules are more like vague suggestions, are back—this time in the picturesque Cornish village of Portscatho.

Their morning swim off Tatum’s beach is rudely interrupted by a floating corpse. The police declare the death accidental, but the sisters have other ideas.

Soon, they’re knee-deep in smugglers’ tunnels, taking a bumpy ride in the back of a builder’s van, and facing down a gun-toting local with questionable fashion choices.

Can the sisters keep their heads above water long enough to uncover the truth or will the killer make sure they sink without a trace?

The Body That Floats – the mystery’s deep, the water’s cold, and the locals are packing more than just fishing gear. The second charming and witty adventure in the Julia and Frankie mysteries.

Preorder Link - Bookshop.org

 The Spirit Guide by Bridget Walsh

Tragedy strikes Minnie Ward's beloved Variety Palace Theatre when a man is found dead in suspicious circumstances. Along with private detective Albert Easterbrook, she investigates. The trail leads them from the streets of London to a grand country house in the Suffolk countryside, home of the shadowy Spirit Sisterhood, who promise their clients an audience with the deceased.

Minnie isn't buying it. She goes undercover within the Sisterhood and enters an eerie world of seances and mediums. But unravelling their secrets will bring Minnie face-to-face with ghosts from her own past. Can she get to the truth before the murderer kills again?

Purchase Link - Bookshop.org

 The Witch by Marie NDiaye

In a small, sleepy town, a mediocre witch, in a mediocre marriage, tries to pass on her gifts to her twin daughters, who, it becomes immediately apparent, have skills far beyond her own.

Lucie comes from a long line of witches, powers passed down from mother to daughter. Her own mum was formidable in her powers, but ashamed of her magic. Perhaps as a result, Lucie's own gift is weak: she can see into the future, sometimes - but more often, she can only see the present of some other location. Not very useful. And the worst part? All she can ever see are insignificant details - a scrap of outfit, the colour of the sky.

Lucie's own children are initiated into their family's peculiar womanhood when they reach twelve years of age, and in a few short months, Maud and Lise are crying the curious tears of blood that denote their magical powers. Having learned, they take off quickly and fly the nest. Literally.

Witty, dreamlike, vaguely unsettling, and utterly enchanting (pun intended), The Witch brings the mysteries of womanhood and motherhood into sharp relief and leaves us teetering on the edge, unbalanced by questions as seemingly unbreakable relationships break down left and right.

Who is to blame for family failures? And how can you - can you? - build a nest that no one wants to fly?

More Than Just a Dog : Understanding, Loving and Living with Dogs : An Essential Guide for Humans by Simon Wooler

This book explores what every dog owner knows – that a dog is never just a dog.

They are our companions, best friends, members of the family and for some the most important part of our lives.

Our ability to make meaningful connections with other animal species and their ability to return the favour is, perhaps, never more beautiful than the bond we have with dogs.

Simon Wooler, trainer to Sophie from Romania, social media’s most famous fearful canine, unlocks the heart of the special relationship we have with dogs.

He explores how, over millennia, they have inveigled their way into our homes and hearts and evolved to live alongside us. Demystifying the science behind dog behaviour, he explains how they learn (and why they sometimes seem immune to our efforts to train them), how they communicate and what influences the powerful bond they form with their people.

(header photo courtesy of Elin Melas at Unsplashed)

Ten Exciting New Releases in September 2023

 September is almost upon us and with it comes some fabulous new books to be released. 

Here are just ten that I think look great.

Murder on the Farm by Kate Wells

Lambing season always brings the unexpected… But no one expected murder

Jude Gray never thought she’d find herself widowed and running a working farm full-time, but here she is, living in the small Malvern village her husband Adam spent most of his life in.

After a particularly gruelling lambing season, she is looking forward to some time off, but there’s no rest for the wicked, especially when she finds the body of one of Adam’s oldest friends on her farm.

Unimpressed with the local constabulary's efforts, Jude starts an investigation of her own. But as the body count rises, danger creeps ever closer to Malvern Farm.

A killer is on the prowl. And all that stands in their way is one woman – and her dog.

The Kitchen Witch Handbook by Aurora Kane

A magical life begins at home with this warm and lively introduction to the traditions and practice of kitchen witchcraft.

As spiritualists, healers, and herbalists, witches throughout history have developed various methods of healing through potions, spells, and remedies worldwide. Despite their efforts for good, many have suffered from years of persecution, which has led to a general misunderstanding of their craft. The Kitchen Witch Handbook combats that, providing an assortment of magical traditions from a fresh, modern perspective. If you are interested in Wicca and traditional kitchen potions, spells, and rituals, The Kitchen Witch Handbook is the perfect magical reference. 

This hands-on guide introduces the home-based folk witchcraft that has been practiced for countless generations. Learn to weave your magical intentions into food and cooking and use everyday ingredients for mystical purposes.

Brimming with beautiful photography and illustrations, this intriguing and accessible volume offers: 

Guidance on creating a magical kitchen and kitchen altar, 100 Recipes and kitchen spells, including a candied lime money spell, rosemary protection cookies, and a lavender simple syrup for clarity and calm, tips on how to incorporate magic and intention into cooking, a glossary of correspondences and magical properties for fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients and a framework for creating your own unique spells at home using the ingredients you have on hand.

Preorder Link*

The Figurine by Victoria Hislop

Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors - and looters - alike.

When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship. Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime's generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them?

Helena's desire to find answers about her heritage dovetails with a growing curiosity for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered from the baked earth - and to understand the origins of her grandfather's collection.

Helena's attempt to make amends for some of her grandfather's actions sees her wrestle with the meaning of 'home', both in relation to looted objects of antiquity ... and herself.

Preorder Link*

Stone Mother by Malve S. Burns

Imagine growing up in a German family right after WWII with no knowledge of your country's horrendous Nazi past or an understanding of your own family's fierce internal struggles.

Marie is a dreamy child of a doctor whose family is offered refuge within the walls of Falkenburg Castle after the war. Within the safety of this thousand-year-old "stone mother," Marie begins her coming-of-age journey dominated by her troubled, often violent mother and comforted by her beloved father.

Soon, Marie is forced to leave the castle and is bounced from a Dickensian Children's institution, to an inspiring private prep school for girls in Heidelberg, to the wild Alaska Highway, and back to Germany, where, at age fifteen, she discovers the full extent of Nazi atrocities and contemplates suicide.

With the help of her mother's former teacher and the spirit prince of Falkenburg Castle, Marie begins to understand her mother's pain. She finds a way to accept-though never condone-what she cannot change. Ultimately, when she faces the transgressions of both her mother and her motherland, she is inspired to engage more fully with her new Germany.

The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page

Her new chapter starts now…

Jo Sorsby is hiding from her past when she agrees to run her uncle’s beloved stationery shop. Glimpsing the lives of her customers between the warm wooden shelves, as they scribble little notes and browse colourful notebooks, distracts her from her bruised heart.

When she meets Ruth, a vicar running from a secret, and Malcolm, a septuagenarian still finding himself, she suddenly realizes she isn’t alone.

They each have a story that can transform Jo’s life… if only she can let them in.

The perfect gift for book lovers, The Keeper of Stories meets The Lost Bookshop in this gorgeous novel about secrets, second chances and finding friendship in the most unlikely places.

Preorder Link*

The Pit by Peter Papathanasiou

With DS Manolis on leave in Greece, Senior Constable Sparrow receives a phone call from a man who wants to turn himself in.

Bob is sixty-five years old, confined to a Perth nursing home. But thirty years ago, he killed a man in the remote northern Kimberley mining region. He offers to show Sparrow where the body is, but there's a catch: Sparrow must travel north with him under the guise of being his carer.

They are accompanied on the drive by another nursing home resident: Luke, thirty years old, paralysed in a motorbike accident. As they embark on their road trip through the guts of Western Australia, pursued by outback police and adrenaline-soaked miners, Sparrow begins to suspect that Bob's desire to head north may have sinister motivations. Is Luke being held against his will? And what lies in store for them when they reach their goal?

Preorder Link*

The Two-Tailed Snake by Nod Ghosh

North-east India, 1945. Tensions are rising, but fourteen-year-old Joya doesn't pay much attention to 'political business' - she is more concerned with doing well at school and having fun with her best friends.

Yet when her father disappears without a trace, Joya's life falls apart. Forced to drop out of school and support her mother by working in a garment factory, she refuses to accept that her father is gone forever, spending her nights sewing him a suit from scraps of fine material.

But as political unrest grows and rumours of corruption spread, Joya questions the true nature of her father's disappearance. And who is the sinister figure known only as the two-tailed snake?

You'd Look Better as a Ghost by Joanna Wallace

I have a gift. I see people as ghosts before they die.

Of course, it helps that I'm the one killing them.

The night after her father's funeral, Claire meets Lucas in a bar. Lucas doesn't know it, but it's not a chance meeting. One thoughtless mistyped email has put him in the crosshairs of an extremely put-out serial killer. But even before they make eye contact, before Claire lets him buy her a drink, before she takes him home and carves him up into little pieces, something about that night is very wrong. Because someone is watching Claire. Someone who is about to discover her murderous little hobby.

The thing is, it's not sensible to tangle with a part-time serial killer, even one who is distracted by attending a weekly bereavement support group and trying to get her art career off the ground. Claire will do anything to keep her secret hidden - not to mention the bodies buried in her garden. Let the games begin...

Preorder Link*

The Worst Medieval Monarchs by Phil Bradford

Stephen. John. Edward II. Richard II. Richard III. These five are widely viewed as the worst of England’s medieval kings. Certainly, their reigns were not success stories. Two of these kings lost their thrones, one only avoided doing so by dying, another was killed in battle, and the remaining one had to leave his crown to his opponent. All have been seen as incompetent, their reigns blighted by civil war and conflict. They tore the realm apart, failing in the basic duty of a king to ensure peace and justice. For that, all of them paid a heavy price. As well as incompetence, some also have reputations for cruelty and villainy, More than one has been portrayed as a tyrant. The murder of family members and arbitrary executions stain their reputations. All five reigns ended in failure. As a result, the kings have been seen as failures themselves, the worst examples of medieval English kingship. They lost their reputations as well as their crowns. Yet were these five really the worst men to wear the crown of England in the Middle Ages? Or has history treated them unfairly? This book looks at the stories of their lives and reigns, all of which were dramatic and often unpredictable. It then examines how they have been seen since their deaths, the ways their reputations have been shaped across the centuries. The standards of their own age were different to our own. How these kings have been judged has changed over time, sometimes dramatically. Fiction, from Shakespeare’s plays to modern films, has also played its part in creating the modern picture. Many things have created, over a long period, the negative reputations of these five. Today, they have come to number among the worst kings of English history. Is this fair, or should they be redeemed? That is the question this book sets out to answer.

Preorder Link*

The Lost Flock by Jane Cooper

The Lost Flock is the story of the remarkable and rare little horned sheep, known as Orkney Boreray, and the wool-obsessed woman who moved to one of Scotland’s wildest islands to save them.

It was Jane Cooper’s passion for knitting that led her to discover the world of rare-breed sheep and their wool. Through this, Jane uncovered the ‘Orkney Borerary’ – a unique group within the UK’s rarest breed of sheep, the Boreray, and one of the few surviving examples of primitive sheep in northern Europe.

As her knowledge of this rarest of heritage breeds grew, she took the bold step to uproot her quiet suburban life in Newcastle and relocate to Orkney, embarking on a new adventure and life as farmer and shepherd.

Jane was astonished to find that she was the sole custodian of this lost flock in the world, and so she began investigating their mysterious and ancient history, tracking down the origins of the Boreray breed and its significance to Scotland’s natural heritage.

From Viking times to Highland crofts and nefarious research experiments in Edinburgh, this is a so-far untold real-life detective story. It is also the story of one woman’s relentless determination to ensure a future for her beloved sheep, and in doing so revealing their deep connection to the Scottish landscape.

An unforgettable story of a heritage breed and the importance of its existence.

Preorder Link*

*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.

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.

The Associate: A Shanna Regan Murder Mystery by Victoria Goldman - #BookReview

Two fresh pig's ears, pink and plump, hang from a rusty wall light. Blood trickles down into a shiny red pool on the yellowing flagstones.

For years I explored the globe, tracking down news stories. But I don't need to travel far to see the worst of human nature, it seems. Sometimes it's right on my doorstep.

Rubberneckers jostle around me, peering through the black railings. A small crowd - ten, maybe fifteen. Some cheering, some jeering, some seeming as bewildered as I am.

A handful carry white placards...

***

THE BODY COUNT IS RISING ... AND GETTING FAR TOO CLOSE

A missing architect. An interfaith charity project. Vandalism and online threats. Can racist slogans lead to kidnap – or even murder?

When an architect vanishes in East London, her concerned fiancé asks journalist Shanna Regan to find her. The missing woman has been leading an interfaith Jewish-Muslim charity project that’s become the target of malicious damage and racist threats.

After Shanna witnesses a teenage girl fall to her death, she’s convinced the architect’s disappearance is also linked to a local youth outreach project. And then another woman is reported missing.

Amid rising local tensions, danger appears to be lurking around every corner. Even the safest sanctuaries seem to be hiding the darkest secrets. As Shanna uncovers a tangled web of lies, she puts her own life on the line. Will she find the missing architect before it’s too late?

The Associate is the compelling and thought-provoking sequel to The Redeemer.

***

This book is the second in the Shanna Regan series. It follows on from The Redeemer, which began Shanna's story. If you would like to read my review of The Redeemer you can find it by clicking here.

Whilst The Redeemer was an excellent debut, in The Associate, we find the author appearing more self-assured and mature in her writing. She has given us an accomplished novel which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

It is an engaging and compelling story centred around a Jewish and Muslim community project, and which serves to highlight the commonalities surrounding the two religions rather than their differences. For some readers this will provide an illustrative and educational aspect to the story which the author accomplishes without being remotely preachy.

Rather, it is built around a believable story and setting with a plot with sufficient twists and turns to keep the reader enthralled. There is a tension, mystery and suspense throughout. With the theme of asylum seekers, gun crime and gang culture included this is a very relevant story.

Shanna is a fantastic character. She is a bold and determined woman who deals with her own flaws and insecurities. I enjoyed her backstory playing out alongside the plot of the book.  Any reader who has ever questioned where they come from will readily identify with Shanna.

The Associate is a well written and engaging book. I certainly hope that this is not the last of Shanna, and that the talented Ms. Goldman will be bringing us another book in the series.

I highly recommend this book.

ISBN: 978 1739695439

Publisher:  Three Crowns Publishing UK

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  328 (paperback)

About the Author:

VICTORIA GOLDMAN is a freelance journalist, editor and proofreader. She was given an honourable mention for The Redeemer in the Capital Crime/DHH Literary Agency New Voices Award 2019 and was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards.

Victoria lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two sons. The Associate is her second novel in the Shanna Regan series.

Victoria also featured here on the blog with her top eight books she would take with her to a desert island. You can read this feature by clicking here.

(ARC courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz - #BookReview

 

Just after eleven o'clock on a bright spring morning, the sort of day when the sunshine is almost white and promises a warmth that it doesn't quite deliver, Diana Cowper crossed the Fulham Road and went into a funeral parlour.

She was a short, very business-like woman; there was a sense of determination in her eyes, her sharply cut hair, the very way she walked. If you saw her coming, your first instinct would be to step aside and let her pass. And yet there was nothing unkind about her. She was expensively dressed, her pale raincoat hanging open to reveal a pink jersey and grey skirt. She wore a heavy bead and stone necklace which might or might not have been expensive and a number of diamond rings that most certainly were.

***

A woman is strangled six hours after organising her own funeral.

Did she know she was going to die? Did she recognise her killer?

Daniel Hawthorne, a recalcitrant detective with secrets of his own, is on the case, and he's found himself a sidekick - popular crime novelist Anthony Horowitz, who's struck a deal with Hawthorne to turn his latest case into a true crime bestseller.

But the case is twistier and bloodier than Hawthorne had bargained for, and the unlikely duo of detective and writer find themselves neck deep in danger. When the written word is your only defence, you know you're in trouble when the word is murder...

***

Several years ago I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Horowitz, and I found him to be utterly charming. One of my sons was hooked on the Alex Rider novels and when we heard that he was coming to the children's bookshop, Bags of Books in Sussex it was an absolute must.

I have been a fan of his for a while, largely through his screen writing of Midsomer Murders and Foyle's War. I have also read his book Magpie Murders and you can read my review by clicking here.

Prior to beginning the book, I could not decide if I found it a conceited decision to write himself as the main character in the book, or whether it was a clever device. Let's be honest, had the author written this novel about an author who, for arguments sake was called Fred Bloggs, reviewers would probably have accused him of writing about himself anyway. Thus, by the time I had finished the book, I thought it had been an intelligent and honest choice that he made.In fact, I adored the characters of Hawthorne and Horowitz. The relationship between the two completely different characters was wonderful to read and skilfully created.

It almost feels like an oxymoron to use the words murder and fun in the same sentence but there is no escaping that this murder mystery was entertaining and fun to read. I enjoyed the way the author demonstrated his ability to laugh at himself and there is a lot of humour included in the pairing of Hawthorne and Horowitz in their Holmes and Watson type relationship.It always delights me when there are enough twists and turns in a mystery plot that I have not been able to work out the identity of the murderer prior to the resounding surprise reveal at the end.

I am delighted that the author has already written and published further books in this series. I have already ordered the next one, The Sentence is Death, and I am looking forward to reading it very much.

ISBN: 978 1784757236

Publisher: Arrow

Formats: e-book, audio, hardcover and paperback

No. of Pages: 400 (paperback)

Purchase Link *

About the Author:

Anthony Horowitz is the author of the bestselling teen spy series, Alex Rider, and is also responsible for creating and writing some of the UK's most loved and successful TV series, including Midsomer Murders and Foyle's War.

He has also written two highly acclaimed Sherlock Holmes novels, The House of Silk and Moriary; a James Bond novel, Trigger Mortis; and his most recent stand-alone novel, Magpie Murders, was a Top Five Sunday Times bestseller.

He is on the board of the Old Vic Theatre, and was awarded an OBE for his services to literature in January 2014.

The Word is Murder is the first in a series of crime novels starring Detective Daniel Hawthorne and the author Anthony Horowitz, and has been followed by The Sentence is Death and A Line to Kill. The Twist of a Knife is due to be published in August 2022.

Purchase Link *

*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.

Reading Roundup for June 2023

 

This month, I am a few days early with my reading roundup as things are going to be pretty busy for the remainder of the month.

I had a lovely trip away this month and visited the Hungerford Bookshop which was lovely. If you are ever in Berkshire I recommend a visit there.  

My time away enabled me to sit and read lots of super books this month. Without further ado, here they are.

Books I Have Read

When I Fell From the Sky by Juliane Koepcke - This was my book group choice this month and it had a mixed reception. It is a remarkable story but the overall feeling was that it was inconsistent in the quality of the writing. However, I enjoyed reading about this extraordinary woman. Purchase link - Bookshop.org *

Unorthodox Love by Heidi Shertok - I enjoyed this rom com enormously. You can read my review by clicking here. 

My Heart was a Tree by Michael Morpurgo and Yuval Zommer -  This was a delightful collection of poems and short stories for children, written in celebration of trees. You can read my review by clicking here.  Purchase link - Bookshop.org *

House of Sticks by Marc Scott - This was a little out of my reading comfort zone but I enjoyed it nonetheless. You can read my review by clicking here.  Purchase link - Bookshop.org *

Tails of Two Spaniels - by Heather Peck - An utterly charming book for children about two puppies who leave their litter to go to their forever homes. You can read my review by clicking here.

The Rose of Florence by Angela M. Sims - A well written and enjoyable historical fiction novel. You can read my review by clicking here.  Purchase link - Bookshop.org *

Morgan is My Name by Sophie Keetch - This was definitely one of my favourites this month. A feminist retelling of a traditional story. You can read my review by clicking here.  Purchase Link Bookshop.org *

The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams by Victoria Williamson - This is a lovely fantasy book for children which I really enjoyed. You can read my review by clicking here.  Purchase link - Bookshop.org *

Blood on the Tide by Chris O'Donoghue - This is the first part in the DI Sonny Russell crime book series. You can read my review by clicking here.

The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths - This is the final book in the Ruth Galloway series. I have enjoyed them all. You can read my review by clicking here.   Purchase link - Bookshop.org *

Meet the Bears by Kate Peridot and Becca Hall - This is a delightful book for children about different species of bears. Beautifully illustrated. You can read my review by clicking here.   

Purchase link - Bookshop.org *

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Gamus - This was a wonderful book which I really enjoyed. I did not get around to reviewing it but it really was excellent.   Purchase link - Bookshop.org *

The Writer's Guide to Obscurity by John Steinberg. This was a very short and humourous book.  You can read my review by clicking here.  

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Suzy K. Quinn - This book is adorable and I really enjoyed every moment of reading it. You can read my review by clicking here.

Books I Did Not Finish

A Court at Constantinople by Anthony Earth - This was not for me.

The Killings at Kingfisher Hall by Sophie Hannah - I did not get very far through this before it had to be returned to the library.

Books I am Partway Through

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

The Village Vicar by Julie Houston

Good Girls Die Last by Natali Simmonds

*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.

Two for Sorrow by Nicola Upson

When Josephine Tey sets out to write a novel about the notorious Finchley baby farmers hanged for their crimes in 1903, she has little idea of the relevance of her research to the modern-day murder of a young seamstress.

Moving between the decadence and glamour of a private women's club in thirties London and the claustrophobia of Holloway Prison, Tey discovers how crimes of the past destroy those left behind - long after justice is done.

I am fast falling head over heels in love with this series of books. I have read the first two, An Expert in Murder and Angel with Two Faces, both really excellent reads, and Two for Sorrow is no exception.

One of the things I really loved about this book is the story within the story. The character of Josephine Tey is based on the real life author of the same name (although this in itself is a pseudonym of Elizabeth Mackintosh). So, the Josephine in our book is writing a fictionalised account of an actual crime which took place in 1903. 

Every word in this book is relevant to the plot. Additionally, the story of the baby farming interweaves in a myriad of ways and demonstrates the aftermath of a crime which was committed almost a generation previously. Cleverly, this all connects with the novel as we read it and the murder of the young seamstress. Ms. Upson intelligently draws all these strands together and just as I approached the denouement and thought I had solved the mystery, in comes a marvellous twist at the end which I had not anticipated.

The haunting front cover, illustrated by Mick Wiggins, cleverly depicts the atmosphere of the prison. The descriptions in the narrative of Holloway Prison are palpable and I could almost experience the claustrophobia that the inmates and visitors felt during their time there. 

I cannot enthuse enough about this book. It is intricately plotted, intelligently written and totally engrossing. I am already looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Fear in the Sunlight.

ISBN: 978 0571846359

Publisher: Faber and Faber

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About the Author:

Nicola Upson was born in Suffolk and read English at Downing College, Cambridge. She has worked in theatre and as a freelance journalist, and is the author of two non-fiction works and the recipient of an Escalator Award from the Arts Council England.

Her debut novel, An Expert in Murder, was the first in a series of crime novels whose main character is Josephine Tey - one of the leading authors of Britain's Golden Age of crime writing.

She lives with her partner in Cambridge and spends much of her time in Cornwall, which was the setting for her second novel, Angel with Two Faces. Two for Sorrow is the third book in the Josephine Tey series, followed by Fear in the Sunlight.

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*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.

The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah

Hercule Poirot's quiet supper is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered. She is terrified, but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done.

Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at the fashionable Bloxham Hotel have been murdered, a cufflink placed in each one's mouth. While Poirot struggles to connect the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares a hotel bedroom for a fourth victim.

I am very fond of classic literature and tend to approach books that recreate a classic character with some trepidation. 

I read a goodly number of Agatha Christie novels when I was in my late teens. Clearly, that was more years ago than I care to mention, so I can not quite recall her exact writing style. Therefore, I approached this book more on it's own merit rather than as a direct comparison of Agatha Christie and I think Ms Hannah  has pulled it off quite  well.

One thing I do remember about reading Agatha Christie and that is that they were rather formulaic and once I had read a few of her stories I was generally able to work out 'who dunnit' at a fairly early point. However, I think Ms Hannah used far more twists and turns and kept me guessing pretty much until the inevitable reveal scene so typical of Poirot.

However, I was disappointed that I was not able to reengage with Inspector Japp, Hastings and his flawless secretary, Miss Lemon. Instead we are introduced to a  policeman friend of Poirot's, Mr Catchpool of Scotland Yard who I can only describe as rather wishy washy.

So, did I enjoy my reacquaintance with  Poirot? Yes, I did. The plot was much more involved than the original Christie's ever were but I felt that Ms Hannah had hit the mark in aiming this at a 21st century reading audience.

In addition, it has left me wanting more and I think I shall be revisiting my not-so misspent youth and re-reading some of the Agatha Christie novels I read in my teens. Whatsmore, I won't have cassette tapes, acne and the Bay City Rollers to distract me this time!

ISBN: 9780007547449

Publisher: Harper Collins

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About the Author:

Sophie has also published five collections of poetry. Her fifth, Pessimism for Beginners, was shortlisted for the 2007 T S Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A-level and degree level across the UK. From 1997 to 1999 she was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, and between 1999 and 2001 she was a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. 

Sophie Hannah is an internationally bestselling writer of psychological crime fiction, published in 27 countries. In 2013, her latest novel, The Carrier, won the Crime Thriller of the Year Award at the Specsavers National Book Awards. Two of Sophie’s crime novels, The Point of Rescue and The Other Half Lives, have been adapted for television and appeared on ITV1 under the series title Case Sensitive in 2011 and 2012. In 2004, Sophie won first prize in the Daphne Du Maurier Festival Short Story Competition for her suspense story The Octopus Nest, which is now published in her first collection of short stories, The Fantastic Book of Everybody’s Secrets. 

She is forty-one and lives with her husband and children in Cambridge, where she is a Fellow Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. She is currently working on a new challenge for the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s famous detective. 

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*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.

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

London, 1929. Having set herself up as a private investigator, Maisie Dobbs is relieved when her first client arrives. Christopher Davenham suspects that his wife is conducting an affair. But Maisie's investigations confound her expectations at every turn and she if forced by her findings to revisit her own turbulent experience of the Great War. For Maisie, the boundary between her private and professional life is suddenly blurred.

This is a world still reeling in the aftermath of war, a world in which many secrets lie buried. But Maisie is determined to hunt down the truth, however painful it might be.

Maisie is one of the most likable characters I have encountered in some time and I am very excited that this book is the first in a series. Sweet and heartwarming but feisty at the same time, it was impossible not to be rooting for her all through the book.

What I particularly liked was the way Ms Winspear initially drew me into the story through the plot. However, the narrative then shifts for about a third of the book and we are presented with Maisie's backstory and therefore, everything we may have assumed about her during the first part of the book is challenged.

Although simply written I did not guess the outcome of the story and there were still some surprises at the end. Wonderful writing and I can certainly envisage myself reading the twelve books in the series and I do not make a commitment like that very often. I already have the second book, Birds of a Feather, ordered from the library.

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About the author:

Jacqueline Winspear was born and raised in Kent, England and now lives in California. The Maisie Dobbs mysteries have won great acclaim and have been nominated for several awards including the Edgar Award.

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*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.