Journalist – Grab This Book

Some Lockdown Reviews

Without being too subtle about 2020 – it has been a really crap year. I have found my reading has really suffered and my reviews more so. Working from home has been a great relief but at the end of my working day I have felt little urge to shut down the work laptop only to remain sitting in the same spot and crank open my own laptop to draft a few reviews.

But that’s selfish behaviour – I have used stories to lift my blue moods and give me the escapism I needed. Maybe someone else would benefit from knowing about the great stories which brought me some respite and the authors and teams behind the stories worked so hard to get their books out there that I cannot simply pass them over without comment. So here are some catch up reviews for books I have read “in lockdown”

Knife Edge – Simon Mayo

You never know where danger may come from…

6.45am. A sweltering London rush hour. And in the last 29 minutes, seven people have been murdered.

In a series of coordinated attacks, seven men and women across London have been targeted. For journalist Famie Madden, the horror unfolds as she arrives for the morning shift.

The victims have one thing in common: they make up the investigations team at the news agency where Famie works. The question everyone’s asking: what were they working on that could prompt such brutal devastation?

As Famie starts to receive mysterious messages, she must find out whether she is being warned of the next attack, or being told that she will be the next victim…

I received a review copy from the publishers through Netgalley

I know that Simon Mayo has had a number of successful books which are aimed at younger readers so I was keen to see how the transition to the adult market would be recieved. If Knife Edge is reflection on the excitement and tension he brought to his earlier books then I can see why his previous titles are held in such high regard. This was a highly enjoyable thriller.

Focus is on Famie Madden, she works for one of the top media outlets in the country and on the day we join her story she is in the hot-seat for co-ordinating all the stories which are going to air. However, Famie is soon to find the news is coming far too close to home – a series of murders in London all take place during the start of the morning rush hour. The attacks are clearly linked and must have been conducted by different people as they are spread around the city. As more information starts to come through to Famie and her team they realise that all the victims are their colleagues.

It is a shocking opening to the story and Famie is impacted more than most as she had been in a secret relationship with one of the victims. Naturally Famie wants answers so she begins to look into what story her colleagues may have been working on that brought about their terrible fate.

Knife Edge has all the thrills you need from a high stakes thriller. After a dynamic start the pace does slow a touch but it’s a steady build up back to a corking finale. While there haven’t been many opportunities to post recommendations for a summer beach read – Knife Edge falls into that category. The paperback is out in March 2021 so keep this one in mind when the good weather returns and you are planning some relaxing downtime. If you can’t wait that long then hardback, digital and audio copies are all available now!

Knife Edge is published by Doubleday and is available in Hardback, Digital and Audiobook format: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07WFS252B/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

The Photographer – Craig Robertson

The sergeant took some from each box and spread them around the floor so they could all see. Dozens upon dozens of them. DI Rachel Narey’s guess was that there were a few hundred in all.

Photographs.

Many of them were in crowd scenes, some just sitting on a park bench or walking a dog or waiting for a bus or working in shops. They seemed to have no idea they’d been photographed.

A dawn raid on the home of a suspected rapist leads to a chilling discovery, a disturbing collection hidden under floorboards. Narey is terrified at the potential scale of what they’ve found and of what brutalities it may signal.
When the photographs are ruled inadmissible as evidence and the man walks free from court, Narey knows she’s let down the victim she’d promised to protect and a monster is back on the streets.
Tony Winter’s young family is under threat from internet trolls and he is determined to protect them whatever the cost. He and Narey are in a race against time to find the unknown victims of the photographer’s lens – before he strikes again.

I was at the launch of The Photographer and Craig Robertson gave a very powerful demonstration of the inherent creepiness behind an element of this story. It made me uncomfortable but made me really want to read The Photographer to see how the author addressed the issue in the book.

I was horrified to realise that a good many months (far, far too many) have passed since that launch event and that a review I thought I had written remained outstanding. The good thing about a good book is that it doesn’t go away and on a recent trip to my local bookshop I saw copies of The Photographer on the shelves waiting to find new readers. Go find it – this is a powerful and brilliantly told story.

Photographs – taken without the consent of the subject, or without the subject even knowing they were being photographed, have been found by DI Rachel Narey while she searched the home of a suspected rapist. What was already a harrowing case has taken an even more sinister turn. Narey is convinced her suspect is guilty of the rape she is investigating but now she wonders what other crimes he may have committed. She will throw herself at this case in the pursit of justice and in doing so will bring danger to her home.

This is an incredibly tense read and it’s another cracking addition to what is already a brilliant series. Craig Robertson knows how to hold his readers attention and I found I lost huge chunks of time engrossed in The Photographer. The scenes of tension and peril are nicely balanced out with lighter moments between Narey and Winter as their relationship further develops and they juggle their time between work and caring for their young daughter.

It is always a reading treat to spend time with one of Craig Robertson’s books – if you haven’t read any of his books before now then there is no time like the present to start!

The Photographer is published by Simon & Schuster and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06XKH76MX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4

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August 11

Nothing Bad Happens Here – Nikki Crutchley

“She looked away from his face and took in the clear spring night, full of stars. Her last thoughts were of her mother. Would she finally care, when one day they found her body, and a policeman came knocking at her door?”

The body of missing tourist Bethany Haliwell is found in the small Coromandel town of Castle Bay, where nothing bad ever happens. News crews and journalists from all over the country descend on the small seaside town as old secrets are dragged up and gossip is taken as gospel.

Among them is Miller Hatcher, a journalist battling her own demons, who arrives intent on gaining a promotion by covering the grisly murder.
Following an anonymous tip, Miller begins to unravel the mystery of the small town. And when another woman goes missing, Miller finds herself getting closer to the truth. But at what cost?

My thanks to Craig Sisterson at the Ngaio Marsh Awards Team for my review copy and a chance to join the celebration of #YeahNoir for 2018

Nothing Bad Happens Here. But what if something bad *did* happen here? Well in the first pages of Nikki Crutchley’s debut thriller something bad does happen and it turns out not to be an isolated incident. When journalist Miller Hatcher starts digging for a story someone will have to take steps to keep their secrets.

The town where “nothing bad happens” is Castle Bay in New Zealand. It appears a sleepy, idyllic place where all the residents know each other, the town mayor also doubles as a real estate agent and gossip is currency for the residents. As with all small towns there are a few bad eggs who people know to avoid but overall life seems uncomplicated and peaceful.

Until an English backpacker, traveling alone, goes missing – last seen in Castle Bay. The small police force conduct searches but to no avail. The reader, however, does know what happened as Nothing Bad Happens Here opens with a sequence which outlines exactly what happened to the backpacker on the night she disappeared. The main story then picks up events several weeks later when her body is found.

Sent to Castle Bay to report on the resulting investigation, Miller takes up residence in a home which acts as a retreat for women who need space, understanding and the opportunity to speak freely to discuss concerns. Run by Delta, described as an American Hippy, Miller finds that the other guests all have stories to tell (although not all want to).

In her debut novel Nikki Crutchley focuses on Miller’s pursuit of her story and it makes for engaging reading. The characters in the town display the best and worst of people and Miller tries to establish confidences whilst simultaneously abhorring the gossipy nature of some of the residents. As Miller gets closer to understanding what happened the night the backpacker disappeared another girl vanishes from the town. The author builds tension more and more and Miller finds herself in jeopardy when she realises how close she is coming to uncovering the truth.

A fun debut read which captures the claustrophobia of a small town suddenly confronting the discovery that their safe haven is not as safe as they had believed. A strong cast of well established characters makes this an engaging and enjoyable read.

Nothing Bad Happens Here is published by Oak House Press and is available in digital and paperback editions and you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nothing-Happens-Here-Nikki-Crutchley-ebook/dp/B074V4HTSL/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1533939383&sr=8-1&keywords=nothing+bad+happens+here

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December 7

The Mine – Antti Toumainen

A hitman. A journalist. A family torn apart. Can he uncover the truth before it’s too late?

In the dead of winter, investigative reporter Janne Vuori sets out to uncover the truth about a mining company, whose illegal activities have created an environmental disaster in a small town in Northern Finland. When the company’s executives begin to die in a string of mysterious accidents, and Janne’s personal life starts to unravel, past meets present in a catastrophic series of events that could cost him his life.

A traumatic story of family, a study in corruption, and a shocking reminder that secrets from the past can return to haunt us, with deadly result.

My thanks to Karen at Orenda for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour.

An investigative reporter, Janne Vuori, is digging into the background behind the 2 Euro sale of a large mine in Northern Finland. The story becomes his sole focus and the distraction is having a detrimental impact on an already strained home life. As Janne uncovers more detail on the mine and the personnel behind the scenes the bigger the story becomes.

I really enjoyed how Toumainen depicted Janne’s dogged pursuit of his story, we could see how Janne was chasing down leads, quizzing involved parties whilst hoping for a nugget of information which would open a new line of questioning. You can’t help but get caught up in his quest for the truth – something decidedly wrong has happened at Finn Mining Ltd and you want to know what.

As if the whiff of corruption and scandal was not enough to keep me reading I was (disturbingly) delighted when the directors of the mining company started to die…a hitman had entered the mix. The killer will cross paths with Janne and with a totally unexpected outcome.

I read The Mine over a couple of days (it was my commute book) and I found myself wholly absorbed by the story. Big shout to David Hackston who has done a phenomenal job with the translation of the original work as I was completely sucked in by the telling of the tale. The locations felt real and I could easily visualise the bleak Northern landscapes. The tension between Janne and his partner Pauliina made me feel uncomfortable and the awkwardness when Janne meets an unexpected face from his past was handled superbly. There are so many layers of story and characterisation to The Mine which give the story that extra edge.

I was disappointed when The Mine ended as I wanted more – that can only be a good sign! One to watch out for.

The Mine is published by Orenda Books in paperback and digital format and you can get a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mine-Antti-Tuomainen-ebook/dp/B01BOGQDS6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1481147967&sr=8-1

And YES there is a bad pun in the first sentence of my review but I’m not going to apologise for it.

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November 4

My Sister’s Bones – Nuala Ellwood

Kate Rafter is a high-flying war reporter. She’s the strong one. The one who escaped their father. Her younger sister Sally didn’t. Instead, she drinks.

But when their mother dies, Kate is forced to return home. And on her first night she is woken by a terrifying scream.

At first Kate tells herself it’s just a nightmare. But then she hears it again. And this time she knows she’s not imagining it.

What secret is lurking in the old family home?
And is she strong enough to uncover it…and make it out alive?

My thanks to Annie at Penguin Random House for my review copy

Another book that I picked up without knowing what lay ahead – no description on the cover of my proof copy so everything which happened, from the first word, was totally unexpected. It is a really refreshing way to read a story and in the case of My Sister’s Bones it made all the twists more shocking.

We meet Kate, she is a reporter and has been covering events in Syria but it quickly becomes apparent that Kate is struggling. She has been detained and her mental stability is being examined by a psychologist. If Kate cannot convince the doctor that she is of sufficiently sound mind and not a danger to the public (and herself) she may be sectioned under the mental health act. So for the first section of the book we have Kate under a microscope as her life is picked apart.

Kate’s story makes for uncomfortable reading. A difficult upbringing in a house with a drunken father. A family tragedy. A sister she cannot connect with and who now spends her days in a drunken haze. Then there is the not-insignificant trauma of reporting from war torn Syria…Kate’s stories seem to focus on how the conflict is impacting on families and children.

As Kate is interrogated, her worst memories are exposed, analysed and discussed. She is nearing breaking point. But from a reader’s perspective it is fascinating reading – the author has brilliantly captured the horror that Kate experiences while in Syria and it makes the problems she encounters on her return home all the more upsetting.

The narrative does not just follow Kate – we get a look at her sister Sally too. Sally the drunk. Sally the girl who alienated her sister and didn’t stand up to her dad. Sally who has her own tale to tell. Sally who has her own problems, her own demons. Sally who is possibly more complex and conflicted character I have encountered for some time.

This story of two sisters is going to be memorable, there are both going to face tough times, there are shocks a plenty and more than once I had to revise my guess as to where the story may be heading. Well worth adding to your reading queue.

My Sisters Bones is published by Penguin and is available in digital format here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/My-Sisters-Bones-Nuala-Ellwood-ebook/B01HYTW6NS/ref=sr_1_1_twi_kin_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478298576&sr=1-1&keywords=my+sisters+bones

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July 19

In Conversation: Douglas Skelton & Theresa Talbot

Every once in a while my job lands me in an office where I can actually get to attend some book events of an evening. Lately I have found myself lurking on the fringes of Glasgow launch events and, if you go to a launch event in Glasgow, there is a pretty good chance of bumping into Douglas Skelton or Theresa Talbot (though God forbid you get them both at the same time).

I know that not everybody can make it along to book launches (and even fewer get to the Scottish ones) so it is entirely possible you may not have had the chance to meet Douglas or Theresa in person. It is an experience like no other. In a good way obviously!

So with slight apprehension as to what I may unleash I invited them to join me for a chat – and there was only one place I could start…

G – Mr Skelton, I cannot help but notice you have been nominated onto the longlist for the McIlvanney prize at this year’s Bloody Scotland festival. Congratulations! How does it feel now that you have had a day or two to let the news sink in? And I am also keen to know how you found out?

DS – Oh, you noticed that, did you? I haven’t really talked about it much (coughs and has the decency to look ashamed).

The simple truth about it is that I am hyper chuffed by the nod and I think that’s a feeling that will remain for quite some time. I mean – look at the names on that list. Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, James Oswald, Stuart McBride, Doug Johnstone, Lin Anderson, Lesley Kelly, ES Thomson, Chris Brookmyre! The words “bloody” and”hell” spring to mind.

I found out a couple of days before through Luath Press. I was sworn to absolute secrecy, on pain of beng tied to a chair and force fed a diet of reality TV. Naturally, I kept my lips buttoned, zipped and sewn.

TT – Douglas – are you really on the longlist?? OMG, you never mentioned it! (Listen whilst that Skelton chap’s away polishing his halo, can I say he’s never stopped talking about it! )

Seriously….well done, you deserve to be up there with the best of them.

DS – (Blushes)

TT – Oh behave! Has anything changed since the longlist was announced? D’you feel any different…like a proper famous author now?

DS – Well, no. As I’ve said, I was the only name I had to Google when I saw the list. It’s a great thing – and I am honoured and grateful – but I don’t want to run away with myself. I certainly do hope it will open up new avenues (new worlds, new civilisations…) and yes, I feel a positive change in certain perceptions but in reality, I’ve got another book to write and I’m stuck in the mid-story doldrums. As usual.

TT – You asked me to Google you once and I thought you were being smutty! I’m sure being nominated for this award will be such a positive thing for you.

How d’you get out of this mid-story doldrums you’re in…I’m at the end of my tether with my next one at the moment. I’m almost finished..BUT…It’s as though I have a big bag of Christmas lights which need untangled and the turkey’s already burning in the oven. Does that even make sense??

DS – I WAS being smutty. Was very disappointed when you didn’t. But then I should be used to such disappointment by now.

As for the Christmas lights/Turkey analogy – makes perfect sense. The only way out of it is to write through it. You know what you’re doing isn’t anywhere near right but getting to the end of that first draft is the primary aim. Rewrites can be done. New passages can be added. Bad ones can be cut. Everything can be fixed.

And if I ask another young lady to Google me, so might I.

G – Turkey and Christmas Lights in July! I knew I should have checked my emails more closely today….

Theresa – tell me about Bloody Scotland, I opened the brochure and you were the first familiar face I spotted.

DS – Me, too!

Helluva fright.

TT – Bloody Scotland…I’m thrilled – nae thrice thrilled to be part of the festival this year. When I was asked to take part I have to admit to looking behind me to see who the organiser was talking to! I’m part of a panel of new crime writers made up of Abir Mukherjee, Brooke Magnanti, Martin Cathcart Froden and Me…with the lovely Alex Gray chairing. We’ll be at the Golden Lion Wallace on Saturday 10th September at 2pm…tickets still available! (Which you can book by clicking HERE).

Bloody Scotland is still a relatively new literary festival yet is up there with the big boys. It’s such an exciting, vibrant event to be part of. I went last year as a punter – I also attended a crime writing masterclass and now I’m back this year as a Baby-Crime-Writer in Training! Fantastic.

DS – It is a fabulous event and Scotland should be proud of it. I think this is my fourth year up there and it’s always immense fun.

G – Bloody Scotland has been the highlight of all the bookish events I have made it to thus far, this year will be my third – I may even pluck up the courage to actually TALK to some authors.

So festivals aside, am I allowed to ask what you are both working on at present? Theresa seems to be a full time wedding guest and Douglas is forever on tour!!!

DS – I’m working on another Dominic Queste book, Tag – You’re Dead. The first, The Dead Don’t Boogie, is due out in paperback in September, although currently available on Kindle.

And yes, I have been on tour with the Crime Factor boy band of Neil Broadfoot, Gordon ‘G.J.’ Brown, Mark Leggatt and chair Peter Burnett.

TT – At the moment I’m working my way through a box of Terry’s All Gold.

As soon as news got out that I had not one but TWO decent dresses I was in big demand for all sorts of social occasions, but I seem to have found my niche at weddings. I turn up on time, tell the bride how beautiful she is and basically I know how to work a room. I pass the dresses of as classic vintage, but the truth is they’re just really really old. Thankfully as a writer I don’t make much money so my meager diet ensures even my oldest clothes still fit me.

Other than that I’m slogging away (between bouts of Facebook) on Resurrection, which is a sort of follow up to Penance. I often call Douglas for advice as I suffer from writer’s block…he’s very good that way and listens to my tales of woe as he settles back on his wing-backed leather arm-chair sipping his 20 year old malt that his butler has just poured. I know almost all of his staff by name now and they’re organising food parcels for me. I’m blessed to have Douglas as a mentor – however he drew the line at me joining his Boy Band!

DS – I can vouch for the fact that Theresa can work the room. I have witnessed this first hand.

As for knowing my staff by name, pish tosh. There are so many of them here at Skelton Manor than even I don’t know them!

Theresa was invited to join the boy band but she failed the medical.

TT – I’ve taken something for that condition and would now like to re-apply for the boy-band!

G – Okay, dangerous territory here so am nipping this in the bud. However, just to prove you don’t always wind each other up how about I ask Theresa to say something nice about Douglas (or his books if that’s easier)? And Douglas you have to do the same for Theresa.

Neither of you have to be nice to me, I work for the Banks – my social standing is ruined.

TT – Say something nice about Douglas? Seriously…oh go on then…seriously…Douglas has helped me more than he’ll ever know in my quest to be a crime writer. He’s always there to offer sound advice and keep me calm. He’s been so encouraging and he’s just a thoroughly lovely all round nice guy. Honest to God!

His books are bloody good too..but don’t take my word for it, check out the Davie McCall series and The Dead Don’t Boogie. BTW Douglas doesn’t boogie either, but I’m working on that!

DS – So, Theresa. Or maybe Gordon, I don’t know now. No, Theresa. I’ve only known her for a relatively short period of time but already feel as if I’ve known her all my life. I loved her book, Penance, and am looking forward to her new one immensely. Her new one isn’t called Immensely, by the way. She is also a bundle of energy and has an enthusiasm that is infectious.

And if anyone can make me boogie, it’s her.

G – I know how hard that last bit was for you both so I would just like to offer my most sincere thanks – this is why I love attending events with you two, it is always such great fun.

Douglas Skelton has published 11 books on true crime and history. He has been a bank clerk, tax officer, shelf stacker, meat porter, taxi driver (for two days), wine waiter (for two hours), reporter, investigator and editor. His first thriller BLOOD CITY was published by Luath Press in 2013. The gritty thriller was the first in a quartet set on the tough streets of Glasgow from 1980 onwards. It was followed by CROW BAIT, DEVIL’S KNOCK and finally OPEN WOUNDS, which has been longlisted for the first McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year.

You can find Douglas’s books on the following link:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B001K7TR10/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Douglas+Skelton&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Douglas+Skelton&sort=relevancerank

Theresa Talbot is a freelance writer, journalist and radio presenter, perhaps best known as the voice of Traffic and Travel on BBC Radio Scotland and as the host of The Beechgrove Potting Shed. Prior to working with the BBC she was with Radio Clyde and the AA Roadwatch team. Theresa worked in various roles before entering the media as an assistant in children’s homes, a Pepsi Challenge girl and a library assistant. She ended up at the BBC because of an eavesdropped conversation on a no.66 bus in Glasgow. Her passions include rescuing chickens, gardening, music and yoga.

Theresa’s books can be found here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00NOJIRWM/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Theresa+Talbot&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Theresa+Talbot&sort=relevancerank

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June 28

The 3rd Woman – Jonathan Freedland

Journalist Madison Webb is obsessed with exposing lies and corruption. But she never thought she would be investigating her own sister’s murder.

SHE CAN’T TRUST THE POLICE

Madison refuses to accept the official line that Abigail’s death was an isolated crime. She uncovers evidence that suggests Abi was the third victim in a series of killings hushed up as part of a major conspiracy.

SHE CAN EXPOSE THE TRUTH

In a United States that now bows to the People’s Republic of China, corruption is rife – the government dictates what the ‘truth’ is. With her life on the line, Madison must give up her quest for justice, or face the consequences…

Day Three of The Third Woman blog tour and we are getting ever closer to publication on 2^nd July.

Sometimes you can read a book and you know from quite early on that you are going to enjoy it. You get caught up in the story from the off: the lead character is engaging, the drama unfolding is gripping and in the background there is a (seemingly) unconnected plot which you KNOW will become very relevant. That was my experience with The Third Woman…hooked, drawn in and captivated.

There was a real sense of scale in reading The 3rd Woman, it reads like a Hollywood blockbuster movie. The lead character works for one of the biggest newspapers in America, the LA Times. There is an international tension building between the United States and the all-powerful People’s Republic of China (who now maintain a presence on US soil). Also, the apparent suicide of a school teacher is catching the attention of the mayor of California, why is he feeding false information to the press about the dead girl?

Well the dead girl in question is the ‘baby’ sister of investigative journalist Maddison Webb. Maddison is not satisfied with the official explanation of suicide and seeks answers to help her deal with her grief. It should probably come as no surprise to learn that suicide is quickly ruled out and our story becomes a personal mission to track down a murderer.

There are different threads to The 3^rd Woman which all interweave in a delightfully twisty way. Maddison’s investigations cross with the local election campaign that the mayor is contesting. Maddy uses her position at The LA Times to expose her suspicions but this leads to conflicts at the paper and when she starts to rely on her contacts within the police we see how the Authorities try to shut down her renegade investigations. The ominous presence hanging over the whole story is that of the Chinese. In The 3^rd Woman the Chinese are very clearly the enemy of the American people who resent their presence on their territory.

Jonathan Freedland has created a believable environment in which to base this story. Maddison uses Social Media outlet ‘Weibo’ to communicate with her followers. The Americans have a tense diplomatic relationship with the People’s Republic of China who now seem to carry more authority/influence in California than the mayor. It adds a delightful political undercurrent to all the conflicts and actions of the press and politicians.

I am quite certain that The 3^rd Woman is going to be big. It is a powerful story, well told and has a brilliant roller-coaster of thrills and twists. Definitely a book to look out for this summer – perfect airport pickup!

The 3rd Woman is published by Harper Collins on 2 July 2015. You can pre-order the book here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-3rd-Woman-Jonathan-Freedland/dp/0007413688/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1435242557&sr=8-1

Jonathan Freedland is on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Freedland

Follow the Tour join in on Twitter through #The3rdWoman

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