Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Dominic Nolan

I’ve been looking forward to this week for many, many months. If you follow me on Twitter (aka X) you can’t help but have noticed my continued insistence that people should read Dominic Nolan’s excellent Vine Street.

Vine Street utterly blew me when I listened to the audiobook, it was like no story I had read and it put me through an emotional spin cycle. I described it as a serial killer story which spanned several decades. When I saw Dom at Aye Write and also at Bloody Scotland he described Vine Street as a book about the dance halls of Soho in the 1920s. It’s both those things and so much more.

Why have I been looking forward to this week when Vine Street has been on my mind for the last two years? Simply because this week sees the publication of White City, Dominic’s new book and I am actively avoiding all spoilers so I can read it on release this week. The excitment is real people – this is what I blog for, to share my reading highights.

With White City looming into view I asked Dom if he would take on my Decades challenge and add some new books to my Ultimate Library. I was delighted he agreed and I am really excited to share his selections with you.

Before we get to the books I shall quickly recap the Decades Challenge and why these books are being added to my Decades Library:

I am trying to assemble the best collection of unmissable books. In January 2021 I opened the Library with no books on the virtual shelves. I have invited authors, publishers, bloggers and journalists to add their favourite books to my Library shelves so I can ensure visitors to my Decades Library will only have the very best books to choose from. Why is it a Decades Library?

Two rules govern the selection process:

1 – You May Choose Any Five Books
2 – You May Only Choose One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

It’s a Decades Library as each book which is added to the Library by my guests must be contained wihin a fifty-year publication span. As you will see, this week’s selections begin in the 1960s. It’s time to let Dom take over – brace your TBR, this is going to challenge your book buying willpower…

Dominic Nolan lives in London and is the author of the widely acclaimed VINE STREET, AFTER DARK, and PAST LIFE.

In WHITE CITY, his fourth novel, two broken families, unknowingly connected by the biggest heist in British history, fight to get by in a ruined city blighted by crime, corruption, and the fanning of racial tensions among the working poor. It is out November 7th from Headline.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/White-City-stunning-unforgettable-historical/dp/1035416751

Sometimes he’s on twitter @NolanDom, usually when he’s supposed to be writing.

DECADES

THE LOWLIFE – ALEXANDER BARON (1963)

“I am full of knots that are going to get tighter and tighter unless I put the money on.”

Baron was one of the great London novelists, a bard of the poor and downtrodden. WR Burnett said, “I humanize people that other writers don’t even write about,” which could have been Baron’s epitaph. A born loser, a survivor, a dogtrack player, Harryboy is always on the scheme and always in debt, living through the postwar reconstruction of a Hackney of poverty, crime, and gentrification. A slum picaresque.

Baron wrote other fine novels, but the sequel to The Lowlife, Strip Jack Naked, was not one of them. A preposterous Euro-jaunt where Harryboy trails after a rich woman from Paris to Venice. For a genuine French-flavoured companion to The Lowlife, track down Jean Cayrol’s Foreign Bodies, published in English the same year.

BLUE IN CHICAGO – BETTE HOWLAND (1978)

“Chicago isn’t a city. Just the raw materials for a city.”

Howland’s second book (following 1974’s W-3, a memoir about her attempted suicide and subsequent spell in a psychiatric facility) is a sharply observed collection of autobiographical stories about a working class Jewish family in Chicago. Her world is dilapidated, but not grim; compassionate, but not sentimental; angry, but not cold-hearted. It brims with vitality, and is told in her own off-beat cadence, which might wrongfoot you, but is always honest.

Howland was well-received critically on publication, and was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship – the so-called “Genius Grant” – in 1984, a year after her third book, Things to Come and Go, a triptych of long stories. She never published again; praise is nothing in the face of expectation. In recent years she has been rediscovered to some minor fanfare, and Picador have published gorgeous new editions of her books. Buy them, please.

WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOVE – RAYMOND CARVER (1981)

“A man without hands came to the door to sell me a photograph of my house.”

A family friend, a librarian, gifted me my first volume of Carver’s stories for my eighteenth birthday. For the first time, I became consumed not by what a writer was saying, but how they were saying it. Carver’s brief, pared down stories of working class purgatory are elliptical. Precarious. His silences have sharp edges. His characters live in fear and expectation. Of what exactly, on either count, they are unsure, other than the certainty it will be a catastrophe. Marriage, infidelity, financial woes, the lethally quiet domestication of bad intentions; sleights of the human heart by which we change out of our own sight. A gallery of blue collar characters sketched in potent prose you catch just out of the corner of your eye. Plant workers and waitresses haunting depressed towns in the death rattle of industry. Travelling salesmen with no place to go and nothing to sell. Good people, surely, doing the best they can. Like all of us, none of them are getting out alive.

MIDDLE MURPHY – MARK COSTELLO (1991)

“I can neither excuse nor blame my father. I can do nothing, it seems, but resemble him.”

A writer who loved words, who wielded language bizarrely, Costello couched comedy in despair. Seventeen years after his debut, Murphy Stories, he returned with another collection of connected stories about his eponymous working class protagonist from Decatur, Illinois. The tales almost cohere novelistically, are perhaps something more than a collection but not quite a novel. They require the space between them that the shorter form grants. “My aesthetics when it comes to writing are novels that read like short stories, short stories that read like poems, and poems that read like prayers.” I would say he was a writer’s writer, but he’s so woefully underread even by his published peers that he was more like a writer’s writer’s writer. Joy Williams passed Costello’s work to Gary Fisketjon in the 1980s, but the editor showed no interest. Tastemakers often lack requisite taste. Costello remained obscure until his death, and now beyond it. His books have never been reprinted, but old University of Illinois editions can be spotted by eagle-eyed hunters. Go find them.

TREE OF SMOKE – DENIS JOHNSON (2007)

“Ninety percent of what goes through my mind on a daily basis is against the law.”

Given he’s a writer much admired for thin, chiselled classics such as Jesus’ Son and Train Dreams, Denis Johnson really went on safari without a hat when he gave us Tree of Smoke, a 600+ page whacked-out hallucinogenic leviathan that lurches through various mishaps of American intelligence in Vietnam, the land and its invaders drawn in a perpetual state of delusional madness. A big novel in all ways – size, ambition, theme, span – it moves at a pace that belies its tombstone heft.

“I don’t have much interest whether any of my books work or not,” Johnson said, in an interview shortly after Tree of Smoke won the National Book Award. He took risks, he put himself and his writing in the path of hazard, and that’s surely the way to do it. Anyone can do it the other way.

I’ve long hoped that Dom would take on the role of my guest curator as I knew he would recommend some titles I’d not previously encountered. As it turns out he recommended five books I’ve not read and I genuinely want to read all five. But they will have to wait as I am clearing the decks for White City. My sincerest thanks to Mr Nolan for expanding the Decades Library with these wonderful sounding books.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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October 28

Decades: Compiling The Ultimate Library with Molly Macabre

It is time for a Halloween trip to my Decades Library.

Welcome back to my ongoing quest to assemble the ultimate reading experience – my Ulitmate Library curated by book lovers, readers, authors, bloggers, journalists and publishers. In January 2021 I set out to fill the shelves of a brand new Library. I felt it an almost impossible task; to be faced with rows and rows of empty shelves and challenged with filling those empty spaces with briliant reads.

As I knew I could not possibly hope to fill the empty library alone I invited friends to help me put their favourite books onto those shelves. I ask them to nominate books which they feel should be included in the Ultimate Library – the not to be missed books they loved or that influenced them. So why is my Ultimate Library a Decades Library?

When my guest curators nominate the books to add to the Library shelves they have just two rulest to follow:

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

The Decades Library.

If you have not visited the Library before today this site is fully searchable and, as I am approaching the one hundredth instalment of Decades, there are lots of amazing book recommendations and nostalgic reads to catch up on.

As this is Halloween week I am delighted to be able to welcome Dark Bloom author, Molly Macabre to Grab This Book. As ever I pass the Curator Hat to my guest and I take a back seat:

Molly Macabre has been writing since middle school, working in genres that explore the dark crevices of mental health. After years of writing short stories and poetry, her debut novel released in 2024. A lover of all things spooky, Molly enjoys horror movies and books, noting Stephen King as her biggest literary influence. When Molly is not writing the darkest things her mind can conjure, she enjoys exploring dungeons, preferably ones rich with loot and guarded by dragons, playing video games, or listening to face-melting metal breakdowns.

You can catch up with Molly through her linktree: www.linktr.ee/mollymacabre

DECADES

1986

It by Stephen King

It is a creepy adventure and a brilliant tale about facing our fears. King does an incredible job building the lives and emotions of the characters. We watch them endure the ultimate tests of chilling events, and cheer them on in their resiliency.

1991

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

This is not a book I recommend lightly. It is, by far, one of the most difficult books I have ever read regarding gore and torture. It is also one of the most unique books I have ever read. The narrator is unhinged and unpredictable. The events are wild and interesting. I spent the entirety of the book wondering if it was all a metaphor and came up with no answers but the certain feeling that sometimes trying to conform can drive a person utterly insane.

2008

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I loved this series as a young adult. Featuring strong characters and an in-depth dystopian world, the Hunger Games revived my reading hobby after a long hiatus. I devoured this book, loving everything from the intense action to the heartwrenching emotions to the well-earned romance.

2016

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison

A dark tale with many twists and turns, this book was one of the first that got me into eerie thrillers. A man collects women he finds beautiful, hoping to preserve them and accentuate his garden. So many secrets and questions.

2024

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

This book is told from the point of view of an eight-year-old girl. I listened to this one as an audiobook, and the narrator actually performed as a young girl which only added to the creepyness. The very first chapter sets the pace for this chilling ghost story, putting me on the edge of my seat and leaving me there for the rest of the book. Malerman uses all the right techniques to spook the reader and I loved every minute. I was so curious how it could possibly end after delivering such a well-paced, terrifying narrative. The ending blew me away.

My thanks to Molly for making these selections. I have never made my own Decades choices but if (or when) I finally do I will start in 1986 with IT – my favourite book. I actually whooped when I saw Molly had selected It to be added to the Library Shelves.

I am also extremely excited to see Incidents Around The House – the June 2024 publication date makes this the newest of all the titles which can be found in my Decades Library…the previous “newest” book was published in 2022. In chronological order the Library begins with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and culminates with Incidents Around The House. How long until those two books are replaced at the start/end points?

Dark Bloom is available in digital and paperback format:

When a disease runs rampant, turning people into cannibalistic horrors, society comes to a halt. Kate manages to escape the sadistic captivity she has endured and collides with Nick, a Marine haunted by the scars of war.

They join forces to navigate a treacherous landscape, battling the undead and hostile survivors. But what happens when the monsters outside are the least of their worries?

Nick’s shame is crushing, and Kate’s distrust is swallowing her whole. Will they overcome the darkness that threatens to consume them from within? And what will become of a world overrun with creatures that cannot seem to stop…laughing?

DECADES WILL RETURN

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October 7

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with A.K. Turner

I adopted my alter ego of Grab This Book back in the spring of 2014. Initially I had hoped my blog would encourage someone to buy books I had loved reading. Ten and a half years later that hope endures, I love to know my blog is responsible for someone buying a book and discovering the work of an author they may not have previously enjoyed.

As I prepare to share the latest contribution to my Decades Library I am able to report my blog is meeting my primary goal…someone has bought a book which has been recommended on Grab This Book. That someone is me. And the person responsible for me buying a new book is my latest Decades Curator, A.K. Turner (Ali), who has drawn my attention to a book published in the 1950’s that sounds right up my street. You’ll find out which book that is once you scroll further down this post.

But first the Decades introduction: Since January 2021 I have been assembling the Ultimate Library; a collection of unmissable and much loved books. I tried to put myself into the shoes of a librarian who was presented with a brand new library. No Books, dozens of empty shelves. Which books would the librarian (me) add to those empty shelves to ensure library visitors would only have the very best books to choose from. I decided I could not possibly fill the empty shelves alone so I invite guests to nominate their favourite reads and help me assemble a Decades Library.

Why a Decades Library? This is down to the two rules I ask all my guests to follow when making their choices:

1 – You Can Select ANY Five Books
2 – You May Only Select One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

Sometimes my guests will “flex” the rules to ensure their favourite books make the cut. But I am happy to report that this week’s guest curator, AK Turner, has stuck to the rules and made five terrific recommendations. I’ve already bought one and I’ve got my eye on the selection from the 1990s too! This is a good week for me (but perhaps not for my bank balance) so over to Ali to terrorise your TBR with more temptation than you wanted.

A K (aka Ali) lives in East London where she writes the mortuary-set Cassie Raven mysteries. Ali produces TV documentaries on true crime and science topics. And just for light relief she is a City of London guide.

Ali likes to create memorable characters, throw them into unusual settings, and add a hefty dose of murder and a twisty-turny plot. Her latest series introduces a forensic heroine – a crime-solving Goth-girl mortuary technician who talks to the dead, a character first launched in two crime shorts aired on BBC Radio 4. A K’s previous series, written under the pen name Anya Lipska, starred a London-based Polish fixer who’s happy to crack heads to solve crimes – which saw her being selected for Val McDermid’s prestigious New Blood Panel at Harrogate Crime Festival in 2012.

Ali is on Twitter (X) as: @AKTurnerauthor

Her website is: https://www.anyalipska.com/ and all of Ali’s books can be found here too: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B088P77TFC?ingress=0&visitId=226787bb-40e2-4a4b-a7fa-b09b7cfcfa58

DECADES

FIFTIES

BEAST IN VIEW, MARGARET MILLAR

A US crime novelist famous in the Fifties, Margaret Millar deserves to be better known in the UK. She was a pioneer of the psychological crime genre whose work has (still) rarely been bettered. Her prose is spare yet razor-sharp, the psychology credible, and her ability to conjure a potent noir mood is up there with Ray Chandler. For me, Beast in View – a rattlingly-told, slender but compulsive 160 pages – is her best, and in 1956 the judges of the Edgar Allan Poe Award agreed when they handed her the prestigious prize. Helen Clarvoe, who lives alone in the hotel she has inherited, is brittle and neurotic (I love Millar’s description: ‘skinny in her plaid coat’) and her anxiety is ramped to the max by a series of mysterious taunting phone calls. She hires a private detective to trace the malicious caller – and their relationship provides the emotional bedrock of the tale.

SIXTIES

IN COLD BLOOD, TRUMAN CAPOTE

Way before true crime became a podcast phenomenon this classic of the genre is Capote’s standout achievement and a work of genius. A journalist/columnist more accustomed to necking Screwdrivers in the Ritz Carlton and peddling high society gossip he was an unlikely character to chronicle the horrendous murder of the Clutters, a blameless mid-Western farming family in rural Holcomb, Kansas. Capote tells the chilling story of how a home invasion by two robbers that spirals inexorably into cold-blooded multiple murder but where his account really excels is in his psychological portrait of one of the killers, Perry Smith, who Truman interviewed – and even befriended – on Death Row over several years. Truman interrogates Smith’s utterly grim upbringing (an alcoholic mother who choked on her own vomit when he was 13, abused by nuns in an orphanage,) arguably the triggers that set him on track for a life of petty crime and eventually brutal murder. A beautifully written journey into the dark side of the American dream.

SEVENTIES

DAY OF THE JACKAL, FREDERICK FORYSYTH

When I was eleven or twelve I wasn’t allowed full access to my dad’s book collection. Undeterred, I would wait until my parents were out and clamber on a chair to reach the upper cupboard where the censored works were (poorly) concealed. Here were adult treasures like the X-rated Lolita and Onward Virgin Soldiers, but the books that really stuck with me – and which influenced my debut crime novel nearly 40 years later – was this stellar example of the thriller form.

Nowadays the descriptor ‘thriller’ can be applied indiscriminately, but Day of the Jackal delivers on the original and more precise definition – a story in which we know the identity of the bad guy upfront, and in which the narrative propulsion is whether he is going to fulfil his mission – the assassination of General de Gaulle, or whether his police inspector antagonist will stop him. Why was the book on the ‘top shelf”? I suspect because of the troubling scene in which a woman strays into his path which ends with the pair having an ill-fated one-night stand. Forysth remains unbeatable in my view for sheer storytelling. See also The Odessa Files.

EIGHTIES

NAME OF THE ROSE, UMBERTO ECO

Proof positive that an intellectual like Eco can also write a cracking whodunnit – while in the process exploring the power of heretical ideas that conflict with Church dogma of the medieval era, Greek philosophy, the history of theology, and more. From the moment the

daring thinker Brother William sets foot in a Benedictine monastery in the Italian mountains where he is charged with exploring the mysterious death of one of the brothers, you’ll be hooked. His characters are unforgettable as are his descriptions of the snow-bound monastery and its spooky and labyrinthine scriptorium, where lie hidden forbidden manuscripts which doom the reader to instant death. Cracking stuff.

NINETIES

THE THREE EVANGELISTS, FRED VARGAS

I enjoy having to navigate the unfamiliar both in terms of place and the different vibe non-UK writers, especially the French, bring to the genre. The crime fiction of continental Europe feels more quirky and less mainstream than much of our homegrown crimefic, where writers can face a more commercial attitude from the publishing industry.

Fred Vargas is one of my favourite crime writers of any nationality. Her Inspector Adamsberg policier series is a reliable treat but The Three Evangelists is my standout favourite. The ‘evangelists’ – friends Marc, Mathias, and Lucien – are hard-up historians in a dilapidated house-share who notice that a new tree has unaccountably appeared in the back garden. Soon afterwards a neighbour is murdered and they are drawn into investigating the death. The resulting tale – off-beat, amusing, and indefinably French – effortlessly transported me from workaday East London into a different world.

Five terrific selections which I am adding to my Library shelves. I’ve started collecting the Fred Vargas books but have not yet reached The Three Evangelists so it is really exciting to see this book being nominated for inclusion in the Decades Library, it bodes well for my future reading. I am so grateful to Ali for finding time to make her choices, her Cassie Raven series is easily one of the best collections I have been reading over recent years and I await each new title with an unhealthy obsession. If you have yet to discover the world of Cassie Raven then the best move you can make today is to seek out the first book (Body Language) and then thank me later.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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September 30

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with J.M. Simpson

Welcome back to the Decades Library. My ongoing quest to assemble the ultimate collection of unmissable reads returns once again (this is Decades number ninety five) and this one is an absolute cracker – five brand new titles will be added to the shelves of the Decades Library by the time you have reached the end of this post.

As pen the ninety-fifth variation of what my Decades Library is (and why we are making these choices) I rue my lack of foresight at not drafting an all-purpose introduction which I could have copied and pasted each week. However, if this is your first visit to my Library I am extremely happy to welcome you, let me explain what is about to unfold.

Back in January 2021 I was pondering the impossible dilemma a librarian may face if they were presented with a brand new library, dozens of empty shelves but ZERO books (the trauma of it still haunts me). I wondered where you would start if you were tasked with filling those shelves with nothing but the very best books which had ever been published…an Ultimate Library.

As I knew I could not answer that question alone I invited some friends to help me choose. Ninety Five friends…and counting. Each guest curator to my Decades Library nominates their favourite books or books they feel everyone should have the opportunity to read – I put their selections into my library. Why is it a Decades Library? That’s down to the two rules I ask each of my curators to follow:

1 – You May Choose ANY Five Books
2 – You May Only Choose One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

Apparently following the rules causes cussing. It usually also involves Googling publication dates, revisiting favourite books from your childhood or school days and a bit more cussing as you frantically try to work out how to flex the rules to your advantage. But we have to have rules or there would be chaos.

This week I am thrilled to welcome J.M. Simpson to my Decades Library. I’ve just finished the first book in Jo’s Castleby series (Sea State) and I am rolling straight into book two as I loved the characters and I need to find out what happens next.

But time to pass control over to Jo, she has five cracking books to share with us….

J.M. Simpson was born in Essex, but was raised primarily in the West Country, never far from a rugged coastline, a sandy beach, or harbour. With a degree and PhD, much of Jo’s working career has been spent undertaking research; primarily in development and housing where her expertise lies.

Staying in the Welsh town of Tenby some years ago and watching the local lifeboat launch one stormy night, gave Jo the beginnings of an idea for a book. Jo’s novels are the Castleby series; Sea State, Sea Change, Sea Shaken, Sea Haven and Sea Rift – they are crime suspense thrillers set against the backdrop of a lifeboat crew in a coastal town. Jo also has a Castleby Christmas special planned for this coming November. In the new year (2025), Jo will release the first novel in a new Scottish series set in the Highlands. The Ophelia Murders – First in the Whistlers Peak series.

Jo lives in Kent, with her two (occasionally stroppy) teenage daughters, her extremely long-suffering husband and her rescue Border Collie, Merlin. She also runs a successful research consultancy and sits on the board of a local housing association, but dreams of becoming a full-time writer.

In what little spare time Jo has, she spends writing, seeking out live music (except difficult jazz), walking the dog, being an armchair movie critic, dreaming of Scotland or the Pembrokeshire coast; drinking endless coffee’s in various local café’s (on the pretence of writing) or drinking copious amounts of wine in her most favourite pub with friends, (where no writing occurs whatsoever).

Her Amazon page is:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/J.M.-Simpson/author/B09L6Y97RZ?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1725359827&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Books can also be purchased from Jo’s website.

https://jmsimpsonauthor.co.uk/

Jo is on Twitter/X, Instagram and threads

@jmsimpsonauthor

DECADES

Huge thanks for Gordon for asking me to do this. I have so enjoyed scrolling back through my memory to try and find a book choice! Some were a very tough call and at one point I think I had a list of about three each for two decades – hard to whittle down – but here we are! Thanks for the opportunity to share!

1980 – 1989

John Grisham – A Time to Kill

I found this book in a cafe. Someone had left it on the table, and I sat and devoured it for much longer than I should have, hoping that the owner didn’t come back for it. It was my first foray into John Grisham. After that I read loads of them, but this was the one that stayed me and really affected me in a way that no book had ever before. The horror, sadness and outrage at the injustice. I still remember the feeling of being so outraged at some of the events that occurred in the book and Grisham is the absolute master of holding your emotions hostage. To this day, I think that the screen adaptation of it, with Samuel L Jackson as the father is one of the best book to film adaptations ever made.

1990 – 1999

Joe Simpson – Touching the Void

In my younger days, in a particularly difficult period when I was trying to finish my PhD (which was nothing related to writing), my PhD supervisor at the time, gave me a copy of a book. He attached a note that said. ‘Jo, same name, different struggle. Keep going.’ This book was by the wonderful Joe Simpson, famous climber and mountaineer. The book was ‘Touching the Void. This book is all about life changing decisions and hard, endless struggles. It showcases how we draw on the reserves and resilience we never knew we had, carrying on until the end is in sight. Joe’s story has always stayed with me, and I have often thought of it in really difficult times. If you’ve not read Touching the Void, then do. You’ll never hear a certain Boney M song in the same way ever again.

2000 – 2009

Linda Castillo – Sworn to Silence

I absolutely LOVE this series of books. Ever since I first saw the movie ‘Witness’ with the delectable Harrison Ford, years ago, the Amish community has really intrigued me. I discovered these books and have (it’s safe to say) consumed them all. Castillo has a wonderful way of writing, and you genuinely feel the main characters struggles, both emotionally, and in her trying to balance the past and present, together with her previous ties to the Amish community. Brilliantly written and pacey, the whole series is an absolute must.

2010- 2019

Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert

I don’t normally read books like this at all, but I heard the author talk on the radio, and she was discussing the book, with the wonderful, hugely missed, Steve Wright. Intrigued, I bought a copy, and it was this book that got me started in writing – reading it and her narrative about living more creatively, almost gave me ‘permission’ to think, ‘Yes, I don’t write fiction for a living, but could I have a go?’ And this is what I did. So, for me, this book was pivotal in my author journey. It is genuinely inspiring for people who want to live more creatively. I highly recommend it!

2020 – 2029

The Running Grave: Cormoran Strike – Robert Galbraith

Irrespective of all the stuff in the press about this author – I almost had a Harry Potter book in this list as I adored the Harry Potters. I remember reading the first one to my daughter (now 18), when she was a tiny baby. I read them to her and then later, her sister; as a family, we love Harry Potter. However; I do love The Cormoran Strike books – (well, most of them). This one is down as a firm favourite – as there is a cult involved and I found the whole thing fascinating. The relationship between Robin and Cormoran is developing, with both of them steadfastly ignoring how they feel about each other which adds to another dimension. The detail of the cult and the controlling aspects of it for the residents is superb. Apart from a few niggles, I think this has to be one of my favourites of the series.

My thanks to Jo for these fantastic selections – five brand new books added to the shelves of my Decades Library and it’s always great to see some non-fiction included in the mix. I am particularly excited to see Touching the Void included, I don’t read much non-fiction but this is one I’d inhaled many years ago and it stuck with me long after the last page was turned.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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September 24

Ghost Story – Elisa Lodato

She came to write, but the island has its own story . . .

Off the windswept coast of Scotland lies Finish Island, rugged and remote. Once a home, it now stands abandoned, a place of dark history and deep memory, a place that holds its stories close. Unable to write since her daughter’s death, it’s here that Seren comes to work, hoping that the solitude and silence will inspire her next novel.

But the island holds memories of its own, restless and unwilling to stay buried. As unsettling occurrences become even more bizarre and frightening, Seren starts seeing uncanny resonances between her past and the island’s history. There is something on this island, something ancient and unforgiving. Will Seren discover its secrets, before it’s too late?

My thanks to the publisher, Manilla Press, for a review copy ahead of the Ghost Story blog tour and to Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to join the tour.

Seren is in a bad place. Her debut book was published to great acclaim and she enjoyed a degree of success. However, against her better judgement and after a number of failed approaches the sequel fails to deliver and readers appear underwhelmed. For Seren this is of no real interest as she is mourning the loss of her young daughter. Wrapped in the tragedy of her personal loss she has no appetite or inclination to write.

When we meet Seren at the start of Ghost Story she has found herself in a lonely and somewhat desperate situation. Her house is being packed up, she is moving out and her ex is now with another woman who is pregnant with his baby. It appears to have been a naturally agreed parting of ways between Seren and Jamie and she is even on speaking terms with Jamie’s new wife, Claire. Though only just.

Seren is taking some control of her own future – she has agreed with her publisher to write a new book. The decision was entirely driven by the need for money but Seren does realise she needs to try to start afresh. During their negotiations around what book her publishers would like to see the idea of a ghost story is floated and Seren is won around and agrees to deliver what they need. To do so she decides she needs a change of location, a resettlement to a place of undisturbed peace and inspiration. The remote Scottish Island of Finish is where she picks. If isolation is desired then there can be no better place.

Seren would visit Finish Island as a child and rememebers the rugged, desolate landscape. There are no inhabitants any longer, a house is available to lease (through the Scottish National Trust) but it relies on a wind generator and facilities are basic at best. When she enquires about a lenghty lease there is a degree of shock as most visitors only look to spend one or two nights before they return to the comforts of civilisation. Seren does get her way in the end and we soon join her on the Scottish West Coast as she prepares to take up residence in her new home.

A troubled writer, grieving and alone on a remote island with a dark history of violence where nobody wants to live any longer. All the ingredients are in place for a tense read. And it is a tense read which Elisa Lodato delivers for the readers. But not the read I had been expecting and I don’t really feel I can explain why without straying too far into spoiler territory…tricky.

Seren is very much the focus of this story and the turmoil and baggage she brings with her will play a significant part in the telling of Ghost Story. Very near the start of the book the reader will get some insight into what may happen to Seren as she works on the manuscript but as you dig deeper into the story you will find there’s a lot more going on than you may have originally anticipated. It isn’t the chilling supernatural tale I had expected from the title but there are the twists and surprises I enjoy when I go into a new book “blind” and with no real insight as to what my be about to happen to the characters being introdduced.

One key part of my enjoyment of Ghost Story was the seeminly effortless flow of the chapters. Elisa Lodato has a style of writing which I could read all day long. There are some delightfully funny moments, particularly as Seren prepares to leave on her journey and is ticking off a few chores, doing some research and scratching the odd itch before she embarks. I felt the characters were seeded very well and their quirks and peculiarities made them interesting to follow which helped keep me reading. That said they also have some incredibly frustrating features and habits too – this isn’t a sugar-coated fluffy unicorn tale I am afraid and some dark and unsettling things are going to happen.

I can best summarise Ghost Story as an unexpected but engaging story (for me). The writing was terrific and the pacing kept me reading as I wanted to discover more about Seren and what may be about to occur. Definately one to consider as the darker evenings draw in and the autumnal chills draw us to creepy and disturbing stories.

Ghost Story publishes on 26 September 2024 and will be available in Hardcover, Digital and Audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ghost-story/elisa-lodato/9781786583369

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September 23

Decades: Compiling The Ultimate Library with Donna Morfett

Decades took a snooze last weekend as I was snoozing after a busy long-weekend at Bloody Scotland up in Stirling. The festival remains the absolute high point of my reading year and once again I had an absolute blast meeting old friends, making new friends and listening with rapt attention to the stories and anecdotes of so many wonderful authors.

But the important matter of filling the shelves of my Decades Library cannot be ignored for too long and it is with great pleasure I welcome a new guest curator to Grab This Book. Before I hand over the controls to Donna I’d best explain a little more about my Decades Library and the rules I set all my guest curators…

Back in 2021 I pondered the dilemma a new librarian may face if they were presented with an empty libarary and given carte blanche to add absolutely any books to the library shelves. Where would you start? Which books would you choose? How could you be sure the books you were picking would be loved by readers? Realising I could not answer this question alone I invited guests to join me and get them to tell me which books they would add to my library shelves. I wanted the Ulitmate Library, the best, the most loved and the gems which my guests have read down the years.

To ensure a broad selection of titles I asked each of my guests to follow just two rules when making their nominations for books to add to my Decades Library:

1 – Choose Any Five Books
2 – You May Only Choose One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

Easy – five books from any fifty year publication span.

This week it is my pleasure to welcome Donna Morfett to my blog. Donna has made five terrific recommendations and she has kept things as up-to-date as my rules permit by choosing a book which was published just two years ago!

Time for me to stop milking my part and pass you into the care of Donna…

Born and raised in a small Town in Bedfordshire.

I have loved reading as long as I was able to understand the words written on the page, and the love has remained. Now I use it as a way to help cope with poor mental health.

As with many people across the world, the pandemic left us with lots of time, and twiddling thumbs. As well as trying to complete a degree in Forensic Science at the time, I thought i’d try and write a book!

I took part in NaNoWriMo, in November 2021, and wrote my first full length novel, The Disappearance of Peter Markham. I finished it in June 23 and it was picked up by Rampart Books in Dec 23. Then there is Cassie, which came joint second in a recent short story competition. When entered, they were given covers and proper editing, so I thought, why not release it, and raise some money for charity. So thats how Cassie came to be.

My debut novel The Disappearance of Peter Markham was released by Rampart books on May 23rd 2024. Its the most exciting experience, releasing your first book. If you want to write. Do It!! The follow up is well underway so keep an eye on my socials for news on that.

If you’d like to get in touch or follow me on social media, then please do so here:

FACEBOOK Donnas Interviews Reviews and Giveaways

X @lilmissmorfett

THREADS/INSTA @donnasbookreviewsandinterviews

TikTok @donnamorfett

DECADES

1980s

Secret Diary of Adrian Mole – Sue Townsend

Although I was born in the 80s and I probably didn’t read this until the early 90s, everyone loved these that I recall. They were relatable in some way and hilarious, maybe easing some of our own teenage angst.

1990s

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone – J.K Rowling

I didn’t read the first Harry Potter until i went to Uni for the first time at 18. I was hooked and I fell in love with the characters and the world created. One of the few series that ive reread multiple times. Its my fall back to get out of rare reading slumps. It was tough to choose between this and The Secret History by Donna Tartt, but the impact this book had long term is greater so edges it.

2000s

The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruis Zafon

This book is stunning, beautiful, mysterious, brilliant. Set in Barcelona in 1945, it features the Cemetry of Forgotton books. I mean how can that not pique your interest. It follows a young boy that picks a book everyone is interested in and became a series. Sadly Carlos Ruis Zafon passed away but this lives on long in my memory and I recommend it to everyone.

2010s

Abattoir of Dreams – Mark Tilbury

I credit this book at the starting point to changing my life. I read it, loved it, raved about it on social media, received my first ever signed book. From there my life as a blogger began and everything that followed came from that one point. The story is dark, brutal at times, but utterly brilliant. I have a tattoo of the central image of the original cover.

2020s

Lessons in Chemistry – Bonnie Garmus

This was one of those books that was everywhere and one friend whose judgement I trust raved about it, so I read it. It blew me away. As a female fighting a still male dominated society, to read about someone like Elizabeth who was unafraid to just be herself and do what she did because she genuinely couldn’t understand why she wasn’t allowed was refreshing and wonderful. There was a brilliantly thrown in shock early on as well.

A huge thank you to Donna for five terrific recommendations. All the books are being added to my Decades Library and the “newest” book to join the Decades collection remains a novel from 2022…as we get further into this decade will there be a new contender emerging from the ranks? There are so many wonderful books out there I am sure it will just be a matter of time.

Don’t miss Donna’s debut: The Disappearance of Peter Markham

DECADES WILL RETURN

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September 9

The Black Loch – Peter May

A murder.

The body of eighteen-year-old TV personality Kathleen is found abandoned on a remote beach at the head of An Loch Dubh – the Black Loch – on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. A swimmer and canoeist, it is inconceivable that she could have drowned.

A secret.

Fin Macleod left the island ten years earlier to escape its memories. When he learns that his married son Fionnlagh had been having a clandestine affair with the dead girl and is suspected of her murder, he and Marsaili return to try and clear his name.

A trap.

But nothing is as it seems, and the truth of the murder lies in a past that Fin would rather forget, and a tragedy at the cages of a salmon farm on East Loch Roag, where the tense climax of the story finds its resolution.

I was grateful to receive a review copy from the publishers before publication date to allow me to take part in the blog tour for The Black Loch

The Black Loch is Book 4 of The Lewis Trilogy. As a long-standing fan of Douglas Adams my first thought was of “So Long and Thanks For All The Fish” being dubbed the fourth volume in the Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy series and it immedately made me think kindly towards The Black Loch. But although both books brought me a great deal of satisfaction as I read them, there is nothing whacky or zany about The Black Loch and that’s probably a bit of a relief for the returning readers.

Peter May brings Fin Macleod back to The Hebrides in this compelling murder mystery tale. Fin’s son (Fionnlagh) has become caught up in a murder investigation – caught up doing a lot of heavy lifting there. Fionnlagh is accused of having an affair with the murdered girl, she’d been a vivacious outgoing character and something of a local celebrity. Unfortunately the readers don’t get to see that vibrant youth as no sooner is Caitlin introduced when her life gets cut horribly short.

Fin has been working on the mainland – far from the islands where he lived and grew up. He has a job he hates, locked in a dark computer suite for long days where he pours over images of violence and depravity analysing scenes which most people could not stand to see for a single moment and couldn’t imagine being employed to look through them. When Fin gets word Fionnlagh is in trouble he immediately moves to return “home” to help his son. However, much has changed in the time he has been away and there’s a new man heading the invesigiation who is young, keen and very much out to make a name for himself by clearing up a murder investigation in record time. He has no interest in entertaining Fin or answering any of his questions. It’s a toxic situation for Fin and Peter May will put several of the characters in The Black Loch through emotional turmoil before the story draws to a conclusion.

This is very much a story for characters and how their lives interlock and overlap. Small communities always bring the best tales of secrets and suspicion and The Black Loch will give Peter May plenty of opportunity to let his readers experience the conflicts and emotion of his assembled cast. As you should expect from a Peter May novel, this is a deeply engaging story which will see the author weave his threads and draw you into this tight nit community and it is only as you become truly immersed in the story that you will begin to see how those threads pull together.

It is always a delight to get lost inside one of Peter May’s stories. I never pick up one of his books expecting high octane thrills and cliffhangers at every chapter. But he does locations and characters magnificently and the depiction of the West of Scotland really resonated with me in this story. You cannot help but get engaged in the lives of the characters in a Peter May book and there are some dark moments going to be revisited in The Black Loch which were quite unsettling at times. But it is a terrific read and fans of Fin Macleod who will delight in his return will not be disappointed.

The Black Loch is published by Quercus (Riverrun) and will release on 12 September in hardback, digital and audiobook format. Pre-order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-black-loch/peter-may/9781529436068

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September 8

The Reunion – MJ Arlidge and Steph Broadribb

A skull looks up at Jennie from the trench, but it’s not the chalk-white bone and grimacing teeth that send her reeling. It’s the heart-shaped gold pendant, its delicate chain snapped in two. The necklace Hannah never took off. It can’t be Hannah. But it is.

When Jennie Whitmore arrives at her school reunion, she immediately regrets her decision. Why would she choose to surround herself with people who were never nice to her? Who still aren’t, even now she’s a police officer? The only person who truly looked out for her all those years ago was charming, beautiful Hannah.Until the day she disappeared.

Jennie is ready to finally put White Cross Academy behind her, the old school building demolished the morning after the party. But with the demolition comes a call: a teenage girl’s remains have been found on the grounds.

The instant drop in Jennie’s gut tells her that the remains might be Hannah’s, but when she’s called in to examine them, the truth becomes undeniable. Hannah didn’t run away and abandon Jennie thirty years ago; in fact, she never left White Cross at all.

Suddenly, Jennie has a murder to solve. The murder of her best friend. But can she do so before her colleagues discover just how closely connected she is to the victim? Before a mystery stalker makes good on his threats to silence her for good?

I received a review copy from the publisher and I am grateful to Tracy Fention at Compulsive Readers for the opportinity to join the blog tour for The Reunion.

I’ve been looking for a book like The Reunion for a while, a murder mystery with a well defined cast of characters, a protagonist who wasn’t “broken” or working in an unofficial capacity but a story which was a highly enjoyable and extremelyu well written police procedural. My recent reads seem to have had a supernatural element or been historical crime and not a everyone enjoys these stories so I’ve been seeking a “new” crime thriller which I can recommend to everyone who asks for a good murder story (something I’m often asked for).

The wonderful thing about The Reunion was that it brought all the best bits of a police investigative thriller into play. Jennie Whitmore is asked to head up the investigation when the body of a young woman is found in the ruins of a local high school. The school was scheduled for demolition and while clearing the site the demolition crew uncovered skeletal remains. Jennie was a former pupil at the school, something of an outsider as she had joined her year group late in her academic career, but it is with sinking certainty that Jennie realises she will know the vicitim.

At age 17 Jennie had planned to leave home with her friend Hannah so they could start new lives in London, Hannah as a model and Jennie as a photographer. The night they were due to leave Jennie arrived to catch the bus to London and her new start – Hannah never appeared and was never seen again. Years later Jennie still rues the disappearance of her friend and can’t help but wonder how her life may have turned out had the pair made the trip they planned. Now, as the investigating officer into what appears to be the murder of her long-missing friend, Jennie has the chance to find some answers.

What I enjoyed most while reading The Reunion was the fact we see events from Jennie’s perspective. The investigation unfolds as she uncovers clues and reveals long-forgotten secrets. However, Jennie remembers how things had been back when Hannah disappeared. The rumours of an inappropriate relationship with a teacher, the strains Hannah may have had with her boyfriend and usual teenage dramas which exist between a group of friends. She remembers it all but she doesn’t appreciate how liitle she actually knew about her friend.

For Jennie the first problem to overcome is knowing her close friendship with Hannah will immediately exclude her from conducting the investigation. So how will she find a way to convince her boss to let her be part of a murder enquiry where (in any normal situation) she could even be considered a suspect? Well that’s a spoiler but it is a factor and Jennie will have to contend with interviewing her school friends who will hold her in varying degrees of affection.

The Renunion offers a great opportunity for the reader to attempt to solve the mystery behind Hannah’s death. You will get the clues and discoveries as Jennie does and I will admit I had several moments of “it must be them” as I was reading only to have new information spill out and face me re-considering my assumptions. The story zips along at a great pace, its well structured into accessible chapters and has that “one more chapter” feel about it too.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with The Reunion – cracking crime fiction and highly recommended.

The Reunion is published by Orion and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-reunion/m-j-arlidge/steph-broadribb/9781398716575

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September 2

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Heather Critchlow

When I first opened the doors to the Decades Library (back in January 2021) I had no idea that three and a half years later I’d still be welcoming guest curators to Grab This Book and inviting them to add their five reading recommendations to the Library shelves. Earlier this week I looked back over all the previous Decades selections which feature here on my blog and I was humbled and gobsmacked to learn that this week’s guest, Heather Critchlow, is the 92nd Decades Curator. That is a lot of booklove!

I never assume you have visited my Ultimate Library, my Decades Library, before today so I have written my 92nd explanation as to what on earth is going on.

Back in 2021 I pondered the question…If I was a Librarian and had a brand new library, with no books on any of the shelves. which books would I want to make available to the library visitors to ensure there was nothing but the very best books available for them to read?

I realised I could not answer that question alone as my own reading tastes were far too narrow. So I began to invite authors, bloggers, journalists and publishers to join me and I asked them to nominate some of their favourite books which they believed I should add to the shelves of my Ultimate Library. Now you may wonder why I refer to my Ultimate Library as my Decades Library…it’s due to the two rules I impose upon the selections people make.

1 – Choose Any Five Books
2 – You May Only Choose One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades.

Hence the Decades Library.

This week I am thrilled to be able to welcome Heather Critchlow to the Library. I first read one of Heather’s books ahead of its nomination for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize and was not remotely surprised when Unsolved was shortlisted – I had been hooked. With the publication date of the third Cal Lovett book rapidly approaching I was delighted Heather had time to take on my Decades challenge and add five new books to the library shelves. Over to Heather….

Heather Critchlow grew up in rural Aberdeenshire and trained as a business journalist after studying history and social science at Cambridge university. Published by Canelo in May 2023, her debut novel Unsolved was shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize and is the first in a series about true crime podcaster Cal Lovett.

Unsolved was followed by Unburied January 2024, while Unsound, the third in the series, is out in September. Heather’s first speculative crime thriller The Tomorrow Project will be published in hardback in Spring 2025.

Heather’s short stories are featured in Afraid of the Light, Afraid of the Christmas Lights and Afraid of the Shadows, collections of fiction written by crime writers. She lives in Hertfordshire. Heather can be found on twitter @h_critchlow and Instagram @heather.critchlow To sign up for her VIP Readers Club visit www.heathercritchlow.com

DECADES

1981

Goodnight Mr Tom – Michelle Magorian

Classic 1980s children’s fiction that has stood the test of time. I read this at school, and have since read it to both of my children. Set during World War Two, it follows the fortunes of Willie Beech, an abused boy evacuated from London and placed with a curmudgeonly old man (Mr Tom). As Tom tends to Willie’s physical and psychological wounds, the boy’s presence unlocks the old man’s grief and changes his isolated life. But then Willie’s mother demands he go back… Goodnight Mr Tom is a tearjerker that deserves its place in the library.

1997

Into Thin Air – John Krakauer

This personal account of the Everest disaster that claimed the lives of five climbers is a must-read. Written by a journalist-mountaineer, it attempts to unpick the events of that day and understand how it went so horribly wrong. A reminder of the power and ferocity of the natural world and of the human desire to conquer it, Into the Air is a truly gripping tale of bravery, heroism, bad luck and errors of judgement. Krakauer doesn’t shy away from the guilt he feels over the expedition and the part he played. Haunting.

2000

After You’d Gone – Maggie O’Farrell

This is the book that had me stuck in the bus depot, late for work, after I sailed through several stops, utterly oblivious. Maggie O’Farrell’s debut novel is devastating and beautiful. Alice boards a train from London to Scotland, but when she arrives in Edinburgh she sees something so terrible she immediately returns to London. A few hours later, she’s lying in a coma after a possible suicide attempt. The story slips in and out of the past as her family gather around her and Alice drifts through consciousness. A perfectly drawn portrait of love and grief, After You’d Gone is an utter triumph and, rightly, cemented O’Farrell as a literary talent. I’m a fan of all her books (especially also I am, I am, I am and The Marriage Portrait) but this remains my favourite.

2012

The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern

An enchanting fantasy read about Le Cirque des Rêves – a Circus of Dreams that opens only at night. With its glittering acrobats, fortune-tellers and contortionists, it bewitches all who enter. However, the circus is the setting for a terrible competition between two young magicians, Celia and Marco. Destined to duel, only one can survive – but then they fall in love. The Night Circus is a lyrical, transporting book, unlike anything I’ve read before or since. It’s hard to describe how incredible this read is. I devoured it while feeding a newborn in the middle of the night – an appropriate time for the Circus of Dreams – and the moments whipped past.

2021

The Stranding – Kate Sawyer

I’m a huge fan of dystopian fiction, and this tale of a British woman who crawls into the mouth of a beached whale with a stranger to survive the end of the world, is one of my absolute favourites. Travelling in New Zealand, Ruth emerges from the whale to an altered landscape and the reality that everything she loves is gone. The narrative switches between her efforts to survive in this new world, and the pre-apocalypse events that led to her leaving the UK. Heartbreakingly beautiful and poignant. On finishing it, I immediately turned back to the first page and started again.

My thanks to Heather for five brilliant additions to the Decades Library. I am particulary delighted to see The Night Circus make its way to the shelves as I was mesmerised and entranced by that story when I first read it back in 2012. I’m really feeling the urge to revisit that book again – my TBR will cry in anguish.

This evening, as I prepare to share Heather’s selections, I’m aware she is counting down the days to the publication date of Unsound – the third Cal Lovett mystery.

Unsound releases on Thursday 5 September on digital format with the paperback showing a release date of Tuesday 10 September. You can order your copy using this super handy link – https://www.waterstones.com/book/unsound/heather-critchlow/9781804362624?_gl=1*1x8yyh3*_up*MQ..*_ga*ODM4NjM4Nzc0LjE3MjUyMjIyNTM.*_ga_P4C39TQPV3*MTcyNTIyMjI1Mi4xLjEuMTcyNTIyMjI1OC4wLjAuMA..

The first two books in the series were terrific read and I’m really looking forward to reading Unsound, I’ve included the cover and blurb below and (as you undoubtably know) pre-orders are a huge boost to all authors in the days and weeks leading up to publication so I’d encourage everyone to grab this book nice and early.

He left for university… and never came back

Arran went missing in Edinburgh fourteen years ago. The last time his parents saw him he was withdrawn and on edge where he’d once been happy and carefree. Still searching for their son, they turn to their last hope, true crime podcaster Cal Lovett.

Cal begins looking for answers, but is distracted by his sister’s murder trial. He’s so close to getting the justice Margot deserves. Can he finally leave the past – and Margot – behind?

As Cal unearths disturbing evidence about Arran’s fate, he suspects the young man’s close-knit group of university friends are keeping secrets to protect each other. It seems old loyalties don’t die easily. But they can’t all stay silent forever…

DECADES WILL RETURN

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August 30

Connolly Readathon

What happens when two book bloggers get chatting on Social Media about a long established series of crime thrillers?

To be honest that’s practically a daily occurrence…the author gets a few Twitter/X notifications and with a bit of luck that chat will be seen by a few hundred people and some of them may be sufficienty intruged to seek out books by the author in question. Word of mouth is probably the very best way to get new reading recommendations. As bloggers, booksellers, booktokers and passionate readers we try to find the best ways to share our booklove with anyone who will listen.

However, sometimes a random chat about books can become something more, it can grow and evolve and eventually it could even become a readathon. That’s exactly what happened when my very good friend Raven Crime Reads and I started a random chat about the Charlie Parker novels by John Connolly. Raven has already put the backstory together and you can see her explanation around what a #ConnollyReadathon entails: https://ravencrimereads.wordpress.com/2024/05/10/come-join-the-connollyreadathon-revisiting-charlie-parker-jconnollybooks-grabthisbook-hodderbooks /

I’ve not mentioned the readathon here on the blog yet but for the last four months I have been fully immersed in the dark world of Charlie Parker and I’ve listened to the first four novels in the series. When I reached the end of the fourth book I felt it was the end of a natural story arc and decided it was time to put my thoughts down about those first novels and prepare for September’s listen: The Black Angel

Introducing Charlie “Bird” Parker is the first novel in the series; Every Dead Thing. In this story readers will meet Parker and we will find him at his very lowest point – he’s a police officer but drinks heavily and his drinking has impacted upon his relationship with his wife and young daughter. On returning home from the pub late one evening, Parker finds the bodies of his wife and child – both murdered in the most brutal fashion.

The event sends Parker into a spiral which will ulitmately see him leaving the police and making a vow to find justice for his slain family. At this stage it is worth explaining some of the more distincive elements of a John Connolly novel so you fully understand what these books bring into your library. They are dark, graphic, chilling and involved. But they are also packed with a dry humour, firm friendships, lots of musical references and gripping tension and unexpected twists and turns. Connolly’s writing style is detailed and descriptive and readers will get lots of background information on places, events and historical incidents. I’ve been enjoying the books on audio so I’m always getting the full story (unusual for a skim reader like myself) and it really emphasises the depth of the narrative.

Parker is joined on his quest to find justice by two unusual companions. Angel and Louis are a couple. Angel is an over the top extrovert with awful dress sense and very accompished burglary skills. Louis is the total opposite. An imposing black man, immaculate dress sense, who can loom and intimidate with ease yet also make himself nearly invisible and move with the stealth of a mouse – helpful for a man who kills for a living.

That’s the key players on the side of the “good guys” but John Connolly brings the big guns when it comes to his villains – the word EVIL should feature heavily.

In Every Dead Thing Parker discovers his family were killed by a mysterious figure who goes by the name of The Travelling Man. The Travelling Man and his actions will loom large over the first four books and it becomes apparent he’s had a long and uninterrupted journey before he crosses paths with Charlie, Angel and Louis. During the course of the novel the reader will discover Charlie Parker can see the spirits of the departed. He is visited by the dead, can interact with them and they will give (often cryptic or frustrating) guidance which will influence how Parker conducts his investigations.

The first book sets the benchmark for what will follow. It was gripping listening and I grudged the time I had to pause my audiobook, particularly as the story was reaching a concusion.

But all good things do come to an end. Fortunately on a ConnollyReadathon the next book is just a few days away and from Every Dead Thing we move along to Dark Hollow. While each book can be read as a stand alone mystery there are elements of the Parker backstory which will filter through into current events in the latest read.

Dark Hollow opens with an escape – an elderly resident is trying to escape her care home, seemingly terrified at the prospect of being found by a figure who is generally considered to be a character of local myth or legend. The takes the most extreme actions to get away from her residential home.

In this story we learn more about Charlie Parker, he has moved to live in the house which he grew up in (with his mother and grandfather) and the New England chill and rural setting is not to the liking of Louis and Angel when they come visiting. Events of Every Dead Thing do hang over Dark Hollow too, particularly the implications it had on Charlie’s relationship with Rachel Wolfe (a profiler introduced in Every Dead Thing who entered into a relationship with Charlie during the first book).

In moving back to his old childhood home Charlie will meet old friends and also some people he would prefer to avoid. But the key theme in this book is an overlap with crimes Charlie’s grandfather investigated when he was a cop several decades earlier. It’s another dark take on the evil of men and how it can connect to a missing girl. But the telling is great reading and I remembered why I first became hooked on these books over twenty years ago.

Book Three: The Killing Kind is where I felt the shackles really come off and Connelly gives the readers a particularly nasty enemy for Charlie, Angel and Louis to contend with. In this book is Mr Pudd. A grotesque man who has an extremely unhealth obsession with recluse spiders and other dangerous insects. This story is guaranteed to make your skin crawl but some of that crawling skin may actually be shivers running up and down your spine.

Religious sects from days gone by and a student who dies when she asks too many questions about a modern preacher are what draws Parker’s attention. He is engaged by a high profile politician to look into the death of the student (the daughter of one of his former business partners) but as Charlie starts to ask tricky questions he discovers there are a lot of people who don’t want him to find the answers.

With my hand on my heart I can say The Killing Kind is a novel I can clearly remember enjoying more than two decades after I first read it. Some of the scenes in this book have lurked in the dark corners of my memory and imagination far longer than I’d ever have expected. You’ll never look at spiders in quite the same way once you put this book down.

Pudd casts a long shadow as do some of the characters he worked with. Which takes us into The White Road.

I finished The White Road just this week and it is the book of the first four which seemed to connect most with Charlie’s ability to see things/people/spirits that nobody else can see. It is also a book where Louis and Angel get more of a chance to shine. Events in The Killing Kind have put the pair under a greater strain, not in their relationship but they seem weakened by what has passed and Angel is determined there is a price to be paid for ***spoilers*** in The Killing Kind.

We also get to hear the backstory of Louis and Angel in The White Road, both men have clearly been shaped by the lives they led and although they are around to help Charlie in his latest investigation they also have some personal business to attend to.

The White Road in the title is a key part of this story and I love how some phrases carry through to different books (indeed we wee Black Angels in this book which give name to book five). But there’s no White Road to guide Charlie in this book – an old friend has reached out to Charlie asking him to come South to help find evidence to clear a black man from the charge of murdering his white girlfriend. The girl was the daughter of a local businessman (a big player in town) and his family has connections to the KKK and White Supremacy groups. There is more than one type of evil rearing its head in this novel and once again Charlie will need to be constantly on guard to stay alive.

When I reache the end of The White Road I had a huge feeling of satisfaction. There are still some plots which I can see will continue into forthcoming books but I also felt some of the threads from the first four books had been tied off and should not unravel any further. But in the world of Charlie Parker dead does not mean final so I remain prepared for the unexpected.

I’d love if you joined Raven and me on our #ConnollyReadathon. We are aiming for a book a month and September is The Dark Angel but we’d just be happy to hear from anyone who is discovering these books for the first time or who has also been inspired by our reading marathon to revisit the stories too.

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