20 Books For Summer

For the last few years I have followed the progress of other readers as they tried to complete the 20 Books For Summer reading challenge. This excellent initative was devised by Cathy at 746Books and the aim for the participants is to read 10 or 15 or 20 books between 1 June and 1 September. I have not taken part in any of the previous challenges but this year I am decidedly light on blog tour commitments and have far too many books in my TBR which I really want to make time to read.

I’ve identified all twenty I plan to read and will go through each of them here, briefly explaining the reason for adding them to the mix – some reasons will be much more sensible than others! Lets get stuck in…

Getting through all 20 books will be challenge enough so I don’t plan to tackle them in any particular order. I am a mood reader so if the mood is horror it means Lawrence Block will not be my first choice. Consequently there is no structure to this summary of my choices – lets start with Mr King and go from there.

Doctor Sleep and Elevation – Stephen King

The only author that features twice. Ten percent of the whole list. I have been trying to revisit lots of the King stories I read years ago (long before I started blogging) and I realised I have missed quite a few releases since I began blogging. I’ve picked up quite a few of the titles I haven’t read yet so this felt like the ideal time to phase some of the unread books into my reading plans.

When I Was Ten – Fiona Cummins

A book I saw many others reading (and loving) so I picked up a copy. I’ve read a couple of Fiona’s books previously and enjoyed them immensely so this was another easy choice to add to the mix. Plus…what’s the deal with the scissors???

The New Kingdom – Wilbur Smith

There’s going to be a fair few Wilbur Smith books featuring on the blog in the coming weeks. I will explain more in due course but The New Kingdom is not one of the many Smith books I read when I blitzed his back catalogue when I was in my 20’s – lots of more recent books for me to discover. This will be the first.

Strong Female Character – Fern Brady

I don’t read many non-fiction books but I have been looking forward to reading Fern Brady’s story of her autism diagnosis, her stories of growing up (not a million miles from where I live) and the other things she took pains to redact from the blurb. Expecting this to be shocking and hilarious in equal measure.

Moon Over Soho – Ben Aaronovich

Back in September I was on the panel of the Bloody Scotland Book Club. I had recommended we read Rivers of London – the first in the Peter Grant series which combines crime, fantasy and horror. Moon Over Soho is the second book in the series and I’ve been looking foward to reading my copy for ages – I had the good fortune to meet the author when he did a signing in Glasgow so it is time to (Carefully) read this book. My Bloody Scotland thoughts on Rivers of London can be seen here: https://youtu.be/sh2gxl_tY2A

Confidence – Denise Mina

A book I have been meaning to read but just have not found time for. I will often pick up a book purely down to who the author is. I haven’t read the blurb for Confidence and I have no idea what the story is about so I will be going in blind – I am expecting fun!

Nation – Terry Pratchett

It’s a Pratchett book I haven’t read. It isn’t a Discworld novel (which is why I didn’t immediately read it) but I bought this on release day and for some reason I never quite picked it up to read. Alarmingly it seems I have had this on a shelf for over fifteen years. IT IS TIME.

Containment – Vanda Symon

Love this series but I didn’t read Containment during the launch window as I didn’t want to do a review which clashed with the bloggers taking part in the blog tour (I always try to avoid official blog tours when sharing a review). I think it should be safe enough to read and review this book now.

Emily Noble’s Disgrace – Mary Paulson-Ellis and Life Science – A.K. Turner

Why are these two books grouped together? Two more books with a Bloody Scotland connection and both books in the pictures are my signed copies. The first panel I attended at the 2022 Bloody Scotland festival was Mary, Ali and Doug Johnstone talking about death. It was a lot more fun than it sounds and after the event was over I met all three authors and bought their books. I wanted to read them at the time and, if anything, I want to read them even more now.

The Secret of Cold Hill – Peter James

Back in the 1990s I discovered horror stories and I read all the chiller thrillers written by Peter James. This was long before Roy Grace became a fixture in our bookshelves. I always enjoyed Peter’s chilling tales so when The House on Cold Hill and then The Secret of Cold Hill slipped into the release schedules I was delighted.

Unpresidented – Jon Sopel

From one horror to another. The end of the (first?) Trump Presidency as captured by Jon Sopel who was the BBC correspondent in America at the time of this extraordinary period of American political history.

A Lesson in Violence – Jordan Harper and The Chalk Circle Man – Fred Vargas

Why are these two grouped together? These two books were recommended by two fabulous authors so I bought them. A Lesson in Violence was a recommendation made by Dom Nolan. Dom wrote Vine Street, my favourite book of last year, so when he started praising Jordan Harper’s novel I paid attention. The Chalk Circle Man was recommended by Sarah Hilary when she penned this piece for my Serial Heroes feature: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=1898

I Am Dust – Louise Beech

Just before the first Covid Lockdown I attended an Orenda Roadshow in Glasgow. I heard Louise talking about I Am Dust and the idea of a chilling tale set in a theatre really appealed…I just needed to actually get around to reading it. Can you see a theme developing here? Why are there so few hours in the day available for reading?

Chemical Code – Fiona Erskine

The only book in the twenty which isn’t officially published at the time I pulled my selections together. I wasn’t prepared to miss the chance to read the new Jaq Silver novel – Fiona Erskine’s an absolute gem and I love her writing. I am really looking forward to this one. Plus that cover is lush!

The Cabin at the End of the World – Paul Tremblay

A book which was getting overlooked too often when I plucked the next read from the shelf. I never watch horror films but I was aware of the buzz surrounding the movie which was based on this story. It made me realise I hadn’t read the book yet and as I will never see the film I can know the book is always better!

The Guards – Ken Bruen

Ken Bruen’s books were recommended by Paul Gadsby when he took part in my Decades challenge. When I shared Paul’s Decades choices there was a lot of love for Mr Bruen’s work – as I had never read any I picked up The Guards. I find I pick up quite a few books as I share more Decades posts.

The Burglar Who Traded Tad Williams – Lawrence Block

Finally the book which has been on my TBR pile longer than any of the other 19 titles. A Lawrence Block Burglar book. Fun guaranteed. I discovered this series while I was still at school, I will turn 49 during the course of this reading challenge. That’s a long pause for me to have between two titles in a single series.

I will tweet my progress as we go – follow me @grabthisbook

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May 11

Bastard Verdict – James McCrone

You don’t have to win, just don’t lose.

High stakes and low politics combine with deadly effect in the new thriller, Bastard Verdict, by James McCrone.

A second referendum on independence looms, and a Scottish official enlists elections specialist Imogen Trager, a by-the-numbers, if rarely by-the-book investigator, to look into irregularities in the 2014 Scottish Independence referendum. Imogen uncovers a trail of criminal self-dealing, cover-ups, and murder leading to the highest levels of power. None but a very few know the truth. And those few need it to stay hidden at any cost.

Imogen will risk what’s left of her standing, her career–and maybe her life–to get at the truth.

I received a review copy of Bastard Verdict via Netgalley and was invited to host this leg of the blog tour by Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours.

In the United Kingdom if you mention a contentious referendum result most people will immediately think of the 2016 “Brexit” vote. If, however, you live in Scotland then your first thoughts may well shift to the 2014 Independence Referendum. This YES/NO vote split the country, families disagreed, friends fell out and the media first showed their true colours by brazenly ditching any suggestion of impartiality…you see! It still causes high emotion.

The “Indy Ref” is almost 9 years in the past (a generation if you’re Irish but apparently not if you’re Scottish) the outcome still raises passions and many, many people believe there were significant trust issues surrounding the vote and the result. In Bastard Verdict James McCrone turns attention to the turmoil, incorporates the suspicions and unusal practices into a cracking thriller He brilliantly taps into the paranoia which his protagonists will experience as they look to see if there was Governmental interference in the vote and it makes the story a tight and tense affair.

Imogen Trager is an FBI agent but she is working at Glasgow University as a guest lecturer following her involvement in an extremely high profile case in the US where she exposed vote tampering in the Amercian elections. Imogen became toxic at home as the fallout from her investigations cast huge ripples through the American political system. She is in Scotland where she will be safely out of the way! But soon after her arrival Imogen is approached by a high ranking official of the Scottish Government. He indicates he would like Imogen to spend some time looking at the 2014 Independence referendum, she is a specialist in identifying election irregularities and he says the 2014 election “was stolen”. But his request comes with a warning, if Imogen is going to look at the vote she must be very careful – if she does find any evidence of wrongdoing then this can only have been orchestrated by some very powerful people. Those people would not want anyone to shine a spotlight on their interference.

McCrone has also tapped into live political issues. In Bastard Verdict there is a strong suspicion the UK Goverment is seeking to announce a new policy initiaive to make Great Britain stronger. This patriotic excercise in London would also seriously undermine the authority of the devolved governments and would see several key areas which are legislated in Edinburgh cede back to London’s control. If Imogen can identify interference in the Independence Referendum it will seriously undermine any London attempts to wrestle control away from Scotland – suddenly a vote nine years ago has a very real and imminent deadline if doubt is to be cast upon the outcome.

As someone that closely followed the 2014 election I was very aware of some of the “unusual” elements surrounding the vote. James McCrone uses real questions (never fully answered) as fictional plot points which drive Imogen’s investigations forward. When there is suspicion of sensitve infomration being revealed people start to die. But the forces working against Imogen and her small cohort of colleagues are worried and mistakes are being made – the reader gets to follow both sides of the process we see when robberies are arranged, when surveillance is deployed and who is calling the shots. Knowing Imogen is getting deeper into danger keeps the reader turning the pages.

Election vote counting doesn’t sound like the most likely backdrop for a crime thriller but James McCrone steps up and makes it an utterly absorbing read. I loved this story and have already been recommending it to many of my friends.

Bastard Verdict publishes on 18 May 2023 and you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0999137743/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3

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May 5

Moscow Exile – John Lawton

Charlotte is a British expatriate who has recently settled in Washington, D.C. with her second husband, but enviable dinner parties aren’t the only thing she is planning. Meanwhile, Charlie Leigh-Hunt has been posted to Washington as a replacement for Guy Burgess, last seen disappearing around the corner and into the Soviet Union. Charlie is surprised to cross paths with Charlotte, an old flame of his, who, thanks to her gossipy parties, has a packed pocketbook full of secrets she is eager to share.

Two decades later, in 1969, Joe Wilderness is stuck on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain, held captive by the KGB, a chip in a game way above his pay grade – but his old friends Frank and Eddie are going to try to spring him out of the toughest prison in the world. All roads lead back to Berlin, and to the famous Bridge of Spies…

My thanks to Ayo Onatade for the opportunity to join the blog tour for Moscow Exile.

My introduction to John Lawton’s books. First impressions of a new author are always important and I very much enjoyed the story and the style of the telling when I read Moscow Exile. The narrative zipped along and there always seemed to be something happening to push events forward. What I did find perplexing was when I looked at the blurb and found it was the fourth book in the Joe Wilderness series – I think I was around the half-way mark in the story before the lead character rocked up. Not that I was too conerned, I was enjoying the exploits of Charlotte Mawer-Churchill.

Charlotte,for me, was the vibrant and entertaining character I wanted to read about. We first join her in England in 1939 where she’s working in the background of parliament, helping her older husband steer his way through political waters and making a large contribution towards the thinking of government. During the course of the early war years she happens to cross paths with a dashing American, Mr Avery Shumacher. Charlotte didn’t mean to fall in love with Mr Schumacher but these things happen and her husband, recognising Charlotte needs to leave their marriage, helps co-ordinate a divorce. Charlotte Mawer-Churchill becomes Coky Shumacher and will be a post-war socialite hostess in Washington DC. She brings black musicians to play for the wealthy white families at her parties and ensures her home is a hub of engagement.

Washington is where the action is. Charlie Leigh-Hunt was living a life of fun in London, leaving a trail of one night stands in his wake until Burgess and McLean were discovered to be sharing information with the Russians. Their unexpected defection leads to Charlie being posted to Washington – get to America and report to Kim Philby – is the order he receives and before he can catch up on himself he is the sole agent in the American capital as Philby gets recalled to London. Charlie is the main man on the ground and the actions of his former colleagues have cast a shadow over the UK’s presence in Washington, he will have to do some serious damage limitation before he can even contemptate doing his job – if he knew what his job was supposed to be.

I really enjoyed the nuanced behavoiur of the central characters and their conversations are witty, serious and suitably cautious for a spy thriller. John Lawton slickly blends real people (I refer you to Philby and Burgess) with his fictional cast and it sells the perception of authenticity which great spy stories have.

Lawton’s lead character does make his appearance as the story develops – Joe Wilderness is in captivity, held by the enemy in foreign lands so there are plans afoot to get a rescue sorted. Charlies and Coky (she doesn’t like Charlie and Charlotte) will play a key role in the story and I easily felt myself slipping into their world as the story unfolded around me.

Returning readers will certainly have some advantage over new readers (like myself) as these are complex and well established players in a complicated diplomatic game which plays out over a number of countries. There are plenty of characters to keep track of, plots and situations which create dilemma and tension and the whole story is terrific fun to read. I enjoyed Moscow Exile, it reminded me I should be reading more spy thrillers – I always enjoy them but seldom get the oppotunity to get stuck into a new series. I’ll certainly be on the lookout for more books by this author.

Moscow Exile is published by Atlantic Books and you can order a copy of the book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/moscow-exile/john-lawton/9781804710098

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March 30

Blake’s 7: Origins – Big Finish Anthology

Big Finish Productions, the audio production company and publisher best known for its range of Doctor Who audio releases, have published a stunning limited set of Blake’s 7 hardback novelisations. Blake’s 7: Origins released on 27 March, 2023, marking 45 years since the original broadcast of the first season’s final episode.

Blake’s 7 debuted on BBC television in 1978 and quickly developed a cult following of fans eager to enjoy the exploits of Roj Blake and his gang of rebels in their battle against the sinister Federation. Considered far ahead of its time, it ran for four series, and helped influence much of the science fiction we see on our screens today.

Now, for the first time, the complete first season of Terry Nation’s classic sci-fi adventure series will be published as a collection of brand-new hardback novelisations, featuring lavish photos and artwork, and released as a single hardback box set limited to just 1,500 copies. These books will not be available to buy separately.

Each adaptation comprises two stories from the TV series and has been written by a well-known sci-fi author, including Una McCormack and Paul Cornell.

There are seven books in the collection, each book features two stories from the opening series.

The Way Back/Space Fall by Paul Cornell
Cygnus Alpha/Time Squad by Marc Platt
The Web/Seek-Locate-Destroy by Gary Russell
Mission to Destiny/Duel by Jaqueline Rayner
Project Avalon/Breakdown by Steve Cole
Bounty/Deliverance by Una McCormack
Orac/Redemption by James Goss

I recieved digital review copies of the Blake’s 7: Origins collection from Jamie-Lee at Black Crow PR.

I grew up watching Doctor Who and Blake’s 7. They were an integral part of my childhood. The sheer volume of Doctor Who books, toys, magazines etc meant the Doctor’s adventures would always be the most accesible stories and my love of Doctor Who has endured for over 40 years. But all these decades later I still remember the excitement of sitting down to watch a new episode of Blake’s 7.

My strongest memory of watching the show was that it was darker than Doctor Who, much more edgy, and bleak – it felt bleak – and it felt more grown up. Perhaps I was too young to apprecaite many of the finer elements of the scripts but having revisited some of the stories from the first season, courtesy of the books contained in the Origins collection, I do feel it likely I missed many nuances due to my relative youth at the time.

Thanks to the geniuses at Big Finish, the “great ideas factory” I can now revisit Blake’s 7 and enjoy the full first season and experience those early adventures in full. And I can do it in written format (my favourite medium). As much of my initial Doctor Who exposure can through reading the Target paperbacks of the old episodes this is a similar experience (though the beautiful books in this collection are much more classy than my tatty target paperbacks).

I haven’t had time to read all fourteen stories yet so I had to pick and choose which authors and stories I read. All seven of the authors contributing to the Origins collection are well known to me and I have many of their other work on my bookshelves. Big Finish have picked some of the very best writers to work on these books and I loved the stories I selected to read. The original source material was well represented and the tone felt spot on each time.

My first selection was Mission to Destiny and Duel which were written by Jaqueline Rayner. Jaqueline wrote some of my favourite Doctor Who novels and I always enjoy her writing style so a perfect place to start. And for this crime book reader it turned out to be an excellent decision as Mission to Destiny has shades of Christie’s And Then There We’re None.

The crew find a ship circling alone in space. When they teleport over to the seemingly abandoned ship it they find the crew asleep – or more accurately, drugged. As they revive the unconscious crew members they discover they were on a mercy mission to bring a valuable piece of technology back to their home planet as it will help save their crops and keep their civilisation alive. But dark forces are at work and one of the crew doesn’t want the mission to succeed – he’s killing off the crew members one by one, nobody is safe.

The story is slickly told, the claustrophobic tension from this deep space thriller is well conveyed and the author has made the small cast feel important to me in very short space of time. An excellent start.

When Mission to Destiny ended the book ran straight into Duel. This was a story more focused on Blake and the regular cast. The Federation are determined to capture the crew of fugitives and send an old enemy of Blake to hunt them down. Once again the energy and tension from the original story is captured well and it was another great read.

I have no doubt the other books in the Origins collection will also delight fans as these stories delighted me. I will be savouring each and I think I will stop dipping into the stories randomly and read them in order.

The collection is presented in a gorgeous slipcase, each of the seven volumes are hardback books and you’ll struggle to find a better ensemble of authors contributing to a single collection than this one. There are plenty of Blake’s 7 fans out there, this would be a stunning addition to any fan’s collection. Big Finish knock it out the park once again.

Blake’s 7: Origins is available now and limited to just 1,500 copies. Secure yours now: https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/blake-s-7-origins-2814

Publisher: Twitter @Bigfinish / Instagram: bigfinishprod
Black Crow: Twitter & Instagram: BlackCrow_PR

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March 26

Ultimate Fantastic Four: Doom – Ellis, Immonen, von Grawbadger

Collects Ultimate Fantastic Four #7-12.

Before the Fantastic Four can even get accustomed to their new powers, former classmate Victor Van Damme, who was caught in the same experiment that gave the Fantastic Four their superhuman powers, returns to exact his revenge!

One from my own collection – I read through a subscription to Marvel Unlimited

Keeping the good run of issues going it’s the F4 going up against Doom for the first time. I liked the way Victor’s character was brought to the fore before we see him as Doom.

Holed up in Denmark after the incident (which he apparently caused) Doom has assembled a kingdom of his own in a tented village within Copenhagen. Using mind control over his subjects to keep his commune a safe haven for himself, Victor assembled an army of flying bots which he sent to New York to attack Reed, Sue and Johnny. He learns of Ben’s transformation into The Thing and also correctly realises that after his attack fails the F4 will come for him.

The first real showdown happens in Denmark and it was nicely executed and left me ready for more.

Some great scenes in this collection, not least the introduction of The Fantasticar.

I am enjoying these Ultimate introductions much more than I enjoyed the early issues of the original run. At least the Ultimate F4 are not squabbling amongst themselves every single issue.

The N-Zone is next, I can’t wait!

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February 27

Blood on the Tracks – Guy Hale

Jimmy Wayne is headed for LA to make the new album that will hopefully make him a star. In a quiet, deserted canyon a few miles outside Blackjack lie the bodies of his victims who inspired each song – all his secrets are buried in that dry and arid ground. Can he leave his past behind or will the ghosts of his past come back to haunt him?

I received a review copy from the publishers and was invited to join the blog tour by Anne at Random Things Blog Tours

Blood on the Tracks may sound like Guy Hale is taking us on a train journey but the Tracks in this book are musical, he is taking us into the recording studio. We join Jimmy Wayne and his band as Jimmy prepares his big comeback after around two decades of being in the music wilderness. But there’s a dark secret behind Jimmy’s songwriting success, the tracks which seem to be destined to propel him back up the music charts only get written when Jimmy is responsible for someone’s death.

In the first book in this series (Killing Me Softly) it appears Jimmy managed to wipe out a few bad guys. Their lives ending meant Jimmy had enough songs written which allows him to get an album together. Though Jimmy isn’t overly upset at killing a few people who deserves to die he also accidentally is responsible for his girlfriend’s death. But, despite being dead, Wendy still manages to appear in ghostly form beside Jimmy to chat with him and provide useful information on what his enemies are up to.

You don’t get much of a clue from the book’s blurb as to what to expect from Blood on the Tracks so I was quite surprised to see Jimmy chatting to a ghost, two former Scandanavian “special forces” playing an integral part in the story, a heavily guarded (but secret) goldmine hidden in the mountains outside Las Vegas, a psychopathic 74 year-old and her mob boss son plus a mystery man who brings calm and compassion everywhere he goes – he’s determined to see Jimmy succeed and nobody is going to stop this all-seeing stranger from getting Jimmy where he wants him to be.

The bad guys want Jimmy dead. Maybe. If he does well then they may actually make some money off his success. So maybe they will let him live a bit longer. But if he flops then there’s an expectation that the mob boss will pass Jimmy to his mother so she can violently end his life – she feels he deserves to die as Jimmy has slighted her family honour. People just don’t get away with that – even if their record could net them a healthy investment return.

The best way to enjoy Blood on the Tracks is very much to let Guy Hale have fun with his cast. Some people will die, some comedy characters will pop up to make you laugh then the bad guys will plot for more bad things to happen. Jimmy’s dead girlfriend will keep him in the loop as to how his enemies are out to get him and the mysterious stranger will just keep being mysterious but highly entertaining at the same time. It all sounds a bit surreal at times but it’s surprisingly readable and I found myself enjoying the story more and more.

One cool bonus which I only spotted as I was preparing my review; there’s a QR code at the start of the book which you can scan and the wonders of technology will let you hear Jimmy’s song – a nice touch to give the reader a feel for the music we read so much about.

Blood on the Tracks – decidedly quirky, often unexptected, lots of fun.

Blood on the Tracks is published by Whitefox and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/blood-on-the-tracks-2/guy-hale/9781915036810

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January 27

Decades: Compiling The Ultimate Library with Heather J. Fitt

It was this very week in 2021 that I launched my Decades quest. So before we go any further I’d like to wish the Decades Library a very happy second birthday. Little did I suspect my quest to compile one of the best digital libraries would still be ongoing after all this time. Despite a couple of unplanned breaks in the second half of last year (demands of the day job) I have been honoured to host so many incredible guests here at Grab This Book – each prepared to give up some of their time to talk about the books they love. I am beyond grateful for their kindness and the time they gave to keep the Decades Library growing.

But perhaps this is your first visit to the Decades Library? You are very welcome, please let me explain what’s about to happen. I set myself a challenge two years ago. If I had a brand new library which had no books on any of its empty shelves, which books should I bring to the Library to ensure it only offered the very best books to readers?

I quickly realised that I could not answer that question alone so I enlisted some help. Authors, bloggers, publishers, journalists have joined me over the last two years and nominated their favourite “unmissable” books which they think the very best library should offer. But I don’t just ask them to pick books at random – I made up rules. Two rules to be exact and this is why I refer to my library as the Decades Library.

1 – Pick Any Five Books
2 – You May Only Select One Book Per Decade Over Any Five Consecutive Decades

Easy! Or is it? Have a go at making your five selections and see how quickly you can nail down all five from five consecutive decades. It’s not by accident that after two years I still haven’t managed to make my own five choices.

But enough of my rambling, it is time for me to give way and allow my first guest of 2023 to take the floor. This week sees the publication of Heather J. Fitt’s second novel (The Flight) so what better time to let Heather tell you about five of her favourite books….

Heather was born in Scotland and after moving around Europe with her parents and sister, settled in Hampshire where she met her husband, Stuart.

After leaving the rat-race in 2018, Heather re-trained as an editor and proof-reader and entered the world of publishing. These days she works as a part-time freelancer and a part-time Commissioning Advisor for Bloodhound.

Heather was inspired to start writing her novel by the authors who have become her closest friends. Now the ideas are flowing she has plans to write several more over the coming years.

Her debut novel, Open Your Eyes, was published in 2022 by Bloodhound Books, and her latest, The Flight, was published on 26^th January 2023.

You can get Heather’s books here:

Open Your Eyes geni.us/OpenYourEyes_

The Flight https://geni.us/TheFlightCover

And Heather is online at all these places:

Twitter: @HeatherJFitt

Instagram: @heatherjfitt

Facebook: Heather J. Fitt Author

TikTok: @heatherjfitt

DECADES

1980s – The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay

This is a book I borrowed from someone at school, and, despite its length, I devoured. It’s also one of the few books I’ve read several times over.

1990s – 13 More Tales of Horror by Various Authors

This is a bit of a cheat. I was a teenager is the 1990s – well, for most of them – and I LOVED all of the Point Horror books, so this anthology really represents all of them!

2000s – On Writing by Stephen King

I read this one in the last few years. I’m sure many people will have picked it, but it really is an excellent book and it’s not just for writers.

2010s – Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

To me, this is one of the best and most important fiction books that discusses domestic violence. To this day, the character Lee terrifies me.

2020s – Razorblade Tears by SA Cosby

Shawn Cosby is a fairly new author on the block, but when I read this last year I knew I was going to read everything he ever wrote. I would say it’s a book of our time, and don’t forget, “love is love”.

Brilliant! Five great selections to kick off the new season of Decades. I am always delighted to see horror stories added to the Library shelves (and we don’t have many short story collections) so the Point Horror collection made me happy.

My memory is awful but is this the first time a book has made it into the Library which was written by a former Library Curator? Elizabeth Haynes made her five selections last year and now Into The Darkest Corner has found its way onto the Library shelves. I would be greatful if someone with a better memory than mine can tell me if this is indeed the first time this has happened. Then I look at Razorblade Tears and it reminds me that Mr Cosby is very high on my wishlist of future guests – he just doesn’t know it yet. Does anyone want to warn him?

My thanks to Heather for these wonderful reading recommendaitions. Don’t forget to pick up your copy of her brand new book The Flight – published this very week: The Flight https://geni.us/TheFlightCover

DECADES WILL RETURN

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January 16

The Library Suicides – Fflur Dafydd

`You can get in. But you can’t get out. Welcome to the library…

Twins Ana and Nan are lost after the death of their mother. Everyone knows who drove Elena, the renowned novelist, to suicide – her long-term literary critic, Eben. But the twins need proof if they’re going to get revenge.

Desperate to clear his name, Eben requests access to Elena’s diaries at the National Library where the twins work, and they see an opportunity. With careful planning, the twins lock down the labyrinthine building, trapping their colleagues, the public and most importantly Eben inside. But as a rogue security guard starts freeing hostages, the plan unravels. And what began as a single-minded act of revenge blooms into a complex unravelling of loyalties, motives and what it is that makes us who we are.

Hauntingly written, with a fresh, captivating voice, The Library Suicides is an intensely memorable and provocative literary read for fans of high concept thrillers that break the mould, and books about books and the concept of the written word.

I received a review copy of The Library Suicides from the publishers via Netgalley.

The Library Suicides was described on Waterstones website as a “captivating locked-room psychological thriller” those words made me think of a much darker tale than Fflur Dafydd’s excellent story. The description quoted above describes it as “an intensely memorable and provacative literary read” – yes to this. It’s quirky, clever and wonderfully constructed. I tend not to read books which get classed as “literary” as I don’t feel I am their target audience and I don’t have the depth of knowledge to compare these reads to other offerings. In the case of The Library Suicides, I had fun with the story and thought the characters were marvellous – I particularly enjoyed how easily they became real for me.

I didn’t get the gritty darkness I had expected from The Library Suicides and I think that’s taken some of the shine off the story for me which is a real shame as these characters do get the chance to shine under the care of Fflur Dafydd.

Twins Nan and Ana are a complex duo who have a plan. They are going to their place of work, the National Library, they will lock down the building, they will hold their colleagues hostage and – most importantly – they will have literary critic Eben Prytherch trapped inside with them. Exactly where they want him.

Nan and Ana’s mother, Elena, was a famous novelist but Eben was one of her fiercest critics – irrationally so. When Elena took her own life the blame was placed firmly at Eben’s door. Now Eben has been granted access to Elena’s diaries (all stored in an archive in the National Library) and he wants to tell her story, perhaps to absolve himself of some personal guilt? Or perhaps to find a reason to shift the blame on Elena’s death onto someone or something else? Irrespective of his motives it comes as a surprise when the Twins agree to allow Eben to read their late mother’s words. But the reader comes to understand the true reason for their motivation.

Not mentioned in the book description is the backdrop to The Library Suicides. The story is set in a time after a great disease has taken a toll on much of the population. There is a great fuss made when one character touches a stranger. Books and paper are no longer in use. Libraries are digitising and destroying as paper can transmit disease. I found the unexpected dystopian twist to the setting to be a real plus point in my enjoyment of the story.

You can tell I found this tricky to review. Many positive elements, humour and quirky characters which kept my attention long past the point I would have set aside a book which I felt “wasn’t really for me”. I had a real desire to find out how the twins would execute their plan (as it were) and once the stoned, ex-con security guard started to show a bit of initiatve and a desire to do the right thing I was totally onboard for the rest of the journey.

Not my normal read and a very different type of story than I had expected (that’s on me) great characters, moral dilemmas and a fascinating build up to…well to something I hadn’t expected…this book will shine and delight many readers.

The Library Suicides publishes in hardback on 19 January 2023 and you can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-library-suicides/fflur-dafydd/9781399711074

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January 4

Mirrorland – Carole Johnstone

One twin ran. The other vanished. Neither escaped…

DON’T TRUST ANYONE
Cat’s twin sister El has disappeared. But there’s one thing Cat is sure of: her sister isn’t dead. She would have felt it. She would have known.

DON’T TRUST YOUR MEMORIES
To find her sister, Cat must return to their dark, crumbling childhood home and confront the horrors that wait there. Because it’s all coming back to Cat now: all the things she has buried, all the secrets she’s been running from.

DON’T TRUST THIS STORY…
The closer Cat comes to the truth, the closer to danger she is. Some things are better left in the past…

I received a review copy from the publishers via Netgalley

In 2022 I read and reviewed fewer books than I wanted. I began 2023 with a determination to read some of the titles I hadn’t managed to get to last year and make sure I reviewed them too! Doesn’t seem too much to ask for a bookblogger…

As the New Year bells rang out I was finishing Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone. Scottish based, a dark and twisty story (gothic is a word which I have seen used more than once in connection with this story) and extensive use of flashback chapters to a time when twins Cat and El were children.

Their childhood is very much central to the story set in current times (2018 as it turns out) as the characteristics of each twin is embedded during their troubled formative years and when we first meet Cat in 2018 the sisters have not spoken for many years, Cat is living in America while El has remained in Scotland and is married to their childhood friend Ross. But Cat is finally making the return trip to Scotland as El has taken her boat out to sea and both El and the boat are missing.

Cat is utterly convinced that El is alive. As a twin she would know if something had happened to her sister. When she returns to her childhood home (where El and Ross now live) she starts receiving strange messages – warnings – and then emails begin to arrive each seem to be from El who is sending Cat on “treasure hunts” similar to those the girls played many years before. Cat believes the language and the clues can only have come from her sister, so where is she and why is she hiding from her husband and twin?

Carole Johnstone makes excellent use of flashbacks to past events to reveal more and more about the relationship between El and Cat, El and Ross and Ross and Cat. But pivotal to the story is Mirrorland. The place where the girls spent their childhood – a fantasy construct within their house and garden where clowns, pirates were real, they could hide from The Witch in their house and live out the stories they enjoyed.

If truth be told I did sometimes lose track of what was a fantasy memory and what was Cat on a present day treasure hunt – reading in a busy Christmas house was not condusive to keeping firm hold of the story thread. It got to the point where I was doubting everything all the characters were saying, I doubted their actions were genuine and I second guessed everything as it happened. This is what I want from a thriller – that uncertainty and the need to find out what actually happens kept me coming back for chapter after chapter.

A good start to my reading year as I had fun with Mirrorland.

Mirrorland is published by HarperCollins and you can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/mirrorland/carole-johnstone/9780008361426

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December 29

My Top Ten Favourite Reads of 2022

The end of another year of blogging and I look back on all the books I read this year so I can pick out ten of my favourites. It will be ten books, as I can’t keep adding more and more titles into the end of year wrap-up it becomes unweildy and a nightmare to tag everyone on Twitter.

Behind the scenes here at Grab This Book it has been a tricky 2022. There has been #Decades (which I thank everyone for) but far fewer reviews than I would like. I look forward to 2023 with a vow to do better and share more reviews – I did what I could to champion those unreviewed books on Twitter and Facebook but I would have preferred to caputre that enthusiasm here too.

But you’re here for the books and I want to get to them too. Ten of them. Not in any order for nine of the ten. But one title did stand out for me and I have recommended it to more people than any other book this year so that will be the last book I mention below and that book will be my favourite book of 2022. All the books I detail are the stories I enjoyed the most as I read them. They may not have won awards, you may disagree (we can’t all love the same books) but these ten books stuck with me as the months slipped by. If you read any of these then I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Dark Objects – Simon Toyne

Dark Objects, dark storytelling. The best feeling for a reader is to get drawn into the story and just want to keep those pages turning. This book stands out as one of the best thrillers I read this year and I remember reading it extremely late into the night, reluctant to leave the world which Simon Toyne had spun around me.

My review: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=6594

Demon – Matt Wesolowski

The Six Stories series is a firm favourite and if you’re ever looking for a terrific audiobook experience then Matt Wesolowski’s books should be your first port of call. All the stories are dark adventures but Demon got into my head more than the previous books – haunting.

My review: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=6280

The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill – Craig Robertson

One of the first books I read in 2022 and, despite my goldfish memory, Grace’s story is not one I will forget in a hurry. I feel guilty for not shouting about this book as much as I should have done at the time but it has quite a few trigger issues which hit close to home. The fact I hold this book in such high regard, despite it putting me through emotional turmoil, is clear indication as to how good it is.

My review: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=6260

The Junction – Norm Konyu

A graphic novel? Absolutely! This book blew me away when I read it. Norm Konyu’s artwork is absolutely stunning and the story is a thing of beauty – I hadn’t cried at a comicbook since Amazing Spider-Man 400 (Aunt May died) but I came damned close to seeping tears at The Junction.

My Review: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=6609

Up Close and Fatal – Fergus McNeil

A serial killer road trip? Yes Please!

When I picked up this book I was intrigued by the prospect of a journalist receiving a list of murder victims then being drawn into a race against time to try to catch a killer. But once I started reading I was totally hooked. The words flowed past like miles under the wheels of a car as Fergus McNeil served up one of the most readable thrillers I have read for a long, long time. I had such fun with this book.

My Review: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=6685

Old Bones Lie – Marion Todd

As a reader with a terrible memory for remembering character names I like nothing more than getting stuck into a series of books where recurring characters return for multiple adventures – I feel I get to know these characters so well and I look forward to seeing what may lie in store for them in the next book. One of the best new series is the Clare Mackay books by Marion Todd – the stories are set in and around St Andrews and in Old Bones Lie there is a cracking opening scenario which grabbed me from the outset. I read this with a huge grin on my face.

My review: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=6739

The Blood Tide – Neil Lancaster

Keeping the recurring characters and police thriller theme going my next selection is this fabulous new adventure featuring DS Max Cragie. Neil Lancaster has his lead character on the hunt for corruption within Police Scotland and when you know you can’t trust any of the cops in a story how can you not be glued to every interaction? How can you not try to second guess every decision taken by the characters? The story takes the reader all around Scotland and that just makes it even better. Don’t miss these books.

My Review: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=6509

Truly, Darkly, Deeply – Victoria Selman

Every good list of books (and every list of good books) needs at least one title where you can’t reveal too much about the story as the revelations and discovery as the chapters fly by must be discovered for the first time only when the author deems it necessary. That book in 2022 was Truly, Darkly, Deeply. If you’re in the market for a cracking serial killer story then grab this book and don’t read too much into the plot before you start reading.

My Review: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=6763

Dead Rich – G W Shaw

Although most of my year finds me reading crime/detective stories, Dead Rich is a book I’d place into the Adventure category. But there’s loads of crime going on between the covers here and G W Shaw delivers an absolutely riproaring thriller which I described as a Hollywood Summer Blockbuster in a novel.

Terror on the high seas and a lead character you cannot help but root for – I read this early in the year and loved seeing other readers discovering how much fun was to be had from Dead Rich as the year unfolded.

My Review: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=6513

Vine Street – Dominic Nolan

I began 2022 listening to Vine Street on Audible. I was utterly captivated by this story and for the last twelve months I have suggested Vine Street to anyone who is looking for a new book to read. I tried to review it and I don’t think I did it justice. I saw Dominic Nolan at Aye Write and again at Bloody Scotland, each time he shared more detail about writing Vine Street which made me appreciate just how much detail was included in the story. I first described Vine Street as a serial killer story which spanned decades but at Aye Write Mr Nolan said he had wanted to write about the clubs of Soho in the 1920s – I felt had totally missed the purpose of the story but there’s just so much going on that I took in the Soho clubs as I looked for the killer among those dark streets.

My favourite book of 2022 – I wish I could have the chance to read it for the first time all over again.

My Review: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=6479

And that’s a wrap on 2022. Ten books I loved. If you haven’t read all these stories then you may wish to seek them out. If you do (and you enjoy them) then please take a minute to let the author know. You don’t need a blog to share the booklove – leave a wee review on a website (Amazon, Goodreads, Waterstones, Kobo). Just saying “I enjoyed this book” will help the author, may encourage another reader to pick up the book too and it may even give the author the motivation they need to finish just one more chaper of a new novel.

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