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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August 26

Banquet of Beggars – Chris Lloyd

In Paris 1940, survival means sacrifice. Like most in the city, Detective Eddie Giral has already lost so much under Occupation: the people he once loved, the job he once believed in.

And his latest investigation into the murder of a black-marketeer has made it clearer than ever: Eddie is no longer just catching criminals. He’s working for them. Because when a German trader is the next to die, the authorities decide it’s innocent civilians who will pay the price – unless Eddie can find the killer in time.

As hunger grows, tensions rise and a fierce rebellion brews, Eddie will tread a dark path between doing whatever it takes to live with the enemy… and also with himself.

My thanks to the publishers for a review copy of Banquet of Beggars which I received through Netgalley.

“collaborator”

noun

disapproving

a person who works with an enemy who has taken control of their country

Collaborator is a word Eddie Giral is hearing far too often. It is shouted at him, hissed at him and muttered about him behind his back. It is not a word which Eddie accepts. He is a Paris cop, he is doing the job he’s always done and is trying to do it to the best of his ability. But the citizens of Paris are increasingly distrustful of Eddie as it is 1940 and Paris is under German control. If Eddie is trying to enforce the law then the assumption is that he is working alongside the Germans and that makes him a collaborator with their oppressor, this means people are less likely to trust him and his ability to do his job will also be severely impacted.

An inability to gather information is a major hinderance to Eddie as his role is very much to keep his German “boss”, Major Hochstetter, informed of various aspects of criminal activity within the city. Eddie’s actual boss within the French police is Inspector Dax. Both Dax and Hochstetter have an interest in Black Market activity within Paris. As the city residents approach the second Christmas under occupation there is an increasing shortage of many types of staples and this means black market trading is rife.

Banquet of Beggars opens with Eddie, not above the law in some instances, trying to join a large queue of hopeful shoppers who have had word a supply of butter may be available. The source of the rumour (and the source of the butter) are somewhat vague and there’s real doubt any butter which does materialise will be legally obtained but Eddie’s happy to take the chance and overlook any grey legal areas. Unfortunately for Eddie his shopping is going to be interrupted by the discovery of a body but with hindsight he realises he may have moved a bit closer to gathering important information about the Paris Black Market. The body Eddie will find certainly has some connection to illegal trading – not least because someone has stuffed some butter into the corpse’s mouth. And that’s not the most unexpected thing he finds at the crime scene!

Tasked with finding more about the illegal traders in the city Eddie is frustrated to find his office space is to be shared with a new administrative assistant and also with his colleague Detective Boniface. Even during wartime and in the midst of personal drama and challenging work commitments it’s somewhat reassuring to see just how frustrated Eddie can be when having to deal with workplace disruptions and losing some of his precious desk space.

What I particularly love about Chris Lloyd’s Eddie Giral books is how Paris springs to life around the police, the soldiers and even the surly bar staff who Eddie delights in winding up. These books are not simply a crime story they are accompanied by a fascinating insight into the social history of Parisians during the 40’s. Aspects of their life are woven into the plot so we can see how they coped with rationing, increasing fear at the Gestapo’s “techniques” for gathering information, travel when there are fuel shortages and even how they choose to socialise. The depth of the world Chris Lloyd spins around his characters is an absolute treat for readers – small wonder he has won the HWA Gold Crown for Best Historical Fiction.

Eddie Giral is a man with a raft of problems. To be fair, however, many of these problems come from Eddie’s own sardonic nature and his inability to keep the inside thoughts unspoken. His personal life is in turmoil as he has to keep his relationship secret from the authorities – Germans are not accepting of black women at this time and Eddie cannot afford to have Major Hochstetter discover a potential weakness in Eddie’s life which Hochstetter could exploit. This is equally true of Eddie’s son who has fled the city and Eddie doesn’t know if his son is safe or even if he is alive.

Beggars Banquet zips along at a very enjoyable pace. Eddie’s investigations into the Black Market trading gets waylaid by the appointment of a new judge who seems intent on making an example of two foolish small-time crooks by sentencing them to death by guillotine despite a lack of any real evidence. Eddie has known the crooks (brothers) for many years and is doing his best to prove their innocence despite the judge ignoring any attempts to see justice done – it will please the Germans that action is seen to be taken. Eddie has also been asked to help secure the release of a young French protestor who got caught up in an anti-German event – this is more tricky for Eddie as she is being held by the Gestapo and Eddie will need Hochstetter’s help to secure her freedom. But Hochstetter isn’t interested in helping Eddie.

It’s a glorious sequence of dilemma, drama and a swinging shift in power dynamics. Chris Lloyd keeps many plates spinning through the whole book and just as it looks like everything will come crashing down around the ears of Eddie Giral, well perhaps something does…

Crime fiction in a wartime setting – the Eddie Giral novels should not be missed. Essential reading.

Banquet of Beggars is published by Orion and is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/banquet-of-beggars/chris-lloyd/9781409190356?_gl=1*9urw77*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTMxNTIwODkyMC4xNzI0NzAzMjky*_ga_P4C39TQPV3*MTcyNDcwMzI5MS4xLjEuMTcyNDcwMzUzMy4wLjAuMA..

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August 25

Bloody Scotland 2024 – Friday 13th Fright Night

The countdown is on – Bloody Scotland 2024 is now so close we can almost touch it. Each year a huge number of the very best crime writers and contributors head to Stirling in the middle of September (collectively crossing their fingers the weather will be fair) and entertain us across three days with their insight, inspiration and investigative skills. The panels are diverse and will be funny, informative, sobering or educational but they always entertain.

This year there is another dazzling array of talent on show and for visitors to the Bloody Scotland festival the usual dilemma around which panels you need to attend. As we count down the days towards Friday 13th September and the commencment of Bloody Scotland 2024 a number of bookbloggers will share their thoughts on the festival and highlight the panels they are most excited to see. I have the honour of kicking things off today and making my “most anticipated” selection was a bit of a no-brainer as one panel immediately drew my attention as I perused the programme: Friday 13th Fright Night with Stuart Neville, Ben Aaronovich and JD Oswald.

I’m a firm believer in allowing crime stories to deviate from the vices and evils of the human race. I’m aware many readers will opt not to pick up a crime story if they believe there are fantasy or supernatural elements to the book – while I fully respect their decision I do feel it only fair to point out they are missing out on some of the very best crime novels in print today. Why be tied down with a more conventional solution when a supernatural twist to a tale opens up so many more possibilities?

Which leads me nicely to the Fright Night Friday 13th panel at this year’s festival. The very fact we have panels on Friday 13th September sets up the wonderful opportunity to bring some chills into our reading.

And so to the panel…first name to catch my eye was a former Decades contributor JD Oswald. James’s Tony McLean novels and the Constant Fairchild books are firm favourites of mine and I always enjoy any opportunity to hear James speaking about his writing.

Broken Ghosts is due to be published in the very near future under the name JD Oswald and the intriguing title has already grabbed my attention. I’m hoping for the chance to pick up a copy at the event.

I’m also very much looking forward to hearing Ben Aaronovitch. Last year I was one of the contributors to the Bloody Scotland Book Club and I suggested we read the first Rivers of London novel. I loved revisiting a story I’d previously enjoyed but the high point of our chat was when one of my fellow contributors confessed she’d not have considered reading the book due to the supernatural elements…she loved it and was seeking out more of Ben’s books. Which takes me back to my introduction – so many great books can be missed if you exclude a supernatural element from your reading.

And the third member of this chilling trio…Stuart Neville.

I have a self-imposed reading deadline ahead of this panel as I’ve just bought Blood Like Mine by Stuart Neville. In the lead up to publication day of Blood Like Mine I’d seen nothing but praise for this book from authors and bloggers so I nabbed myself a copy and I’ve intentionally avoided reading the blurb and ANY spoilers…I’m going in cold and I can’t wait!

You can’t forget Friday 13th so kick of your Bloody Scotland in the chilling Fright Night panel.

Tickets for all the events at Bloody Scotland can be purchased directly from the festival website at http://bloodyscotland.com

If you want to take in the Fright Night Chills of Friday 13th then here’s the link you need: https://bloodyscotland.com/friday-13th-fright-night-stuart-neville-ben-aaronovitch-and-jd-oswald/#more

Keep your eyes peeled over the next couple of weeks as the Bloody Scotland Blog Tour visits all these wonderful bloggers and they share details of the panels and guests they are most excited to see:

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August 19

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Luke Deckard

Welcome back to the Decades Library and the opportunity to add five highly recommended new titles to your TBR. I say “new titles” yet the five books which have been recommended by my guest curator this week are actually all over forty years old. Indeed one was actually published in 1940 so it is more accurate to say five books which are new to the Decades Library, if not actually “new” to some readers.

The Decades Library, should this be your first visit, is a collection of unmissable and much loved books which have been recommended to me by the guest curators who have joined me here at Grab This Book. I set the challenge of filling a brand new library (no books on the shelves) and ask my guests to help me assemble the very best library of books which visitors to the library could enjoy. My guests are set just two rules when nominating the books they feel should be added to my Ultimate Library (the Decades Library):

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

I’m closing in on the one hundreth Decades post so please do take time to browse the rest of the site and take in some of the previous recommendations you may have missed. You may also find some book reviews during your browsing – a happy accident should you read one of those too.

Enough from me, time to pass you over to the care of my guest this week. It is with real pleasure I welcome Luke Deckard to the Decades Library…

Luke Deckard is the author of BAD BLOOD, a 1920s hard-boiled thriller set in Edinburgh now available at AMAZON UK and AMAZON US. He is also the creator and co-host of the film noir podcast MEAN STREETS, a weekly show dedicated to investigating the best, worst and forgotten movies of the genre. Find Luke on Twitter/X or on his website!

Amazon UK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Blood-Logan-Bishop-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0D69CBWKL/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1Z6CYQC4CADO2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.s1ftWd2JKB6R3cwM0E_Xijcda6sCzj2ktYfLFNwor5C9YyrGpeMpjxNtSkpqAJsg-KQ2M2WTNy0FbnuyPMCBs-lpT-bYpDDmirymC-pu9pqTW9QSLJL3lHa9wZvFKg-rRxw1h2-jr-gJ8U1GQxblpWWysq5oUsnXAsV1P4ERFxBQuSbN6oLP0ZFTy5slqweItfKTwKGjKp3mO8ExzVcSLjW2ZNrih7TFKD9b_YBbFs4-6FoX05AU0RaWtPfAjh0KyHVB99Zghp6wUBF5wvajbANqW7xmfVb8TeIqbHesl6A.hiw5lMyzsn1F1K1pm305tDcUWZHvZtEv_obSj8mCh2I&dib_tag=se&keywords=bad+blood&qid=1721746792&sprefix=bad+bloo%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-6

Amazon US

https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Blood-Logan-Bishop-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0D69CBWKL/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1Z6CYQC4CADO2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.s1ftWd2JKB6R3cwM0E_Xijcda6sCzj2ktYfLFNwor5C9YyrGpeMpjxNtSkpqAJsg-KQ2M2WTNy0FbnuyPMCBs-lpT-bYpDDmirymC-pu9pqTW9QSLJL3lHa9wZvFKg-rRxw1h2-jr-gJ8U1GQxblpWWysq5oUsnXAsV1P4ERFxBQuSbN6oLP0ZFTy5slqweItfKTwKGjKp3mO8ExzVcSLjW2ZNrih7TFKD9b_YBbFs4-6FoX05AU0RaWtPfAjh0KyHVB99Zghp6wUBF5wvajbANqW7xmfVb8TeIqbHesl6A.hiw5lMyzsn1F1K1pm305tDcUWZHvZtEv_obSj8mCh2I&dib_tag=se&keywords=bad+blood&qid=1721746792&sprefix=bad+bloo%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-6

WEBSITE:

lukedeckard.com

TWITTER:

https://x.com/LukeWritesCrime

Podcast:

Mean Streets The Film Noir Podcast

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/luke-deckard

DECADES

1940

Farewell, My Lovely – Raymond Chandler

Book Quote:

“This was the time to leave, to go far away. So I pushed the door open and stepped quietly in.” – Philip Marlowe.

It’s hard to beat Chandler. There’s hardly a crime thriller today that isn’t somehow inspired or influenced by him. Farewell, My Lovely has always been my favourite of his novels, even more so than The Big Sleep. Unlike “Sleep,” Chandler didn’t write “Farewell” by Frankensteining several short stories. It’s easy to read “Farewell” for what it is: a hard-boiled thriller with numerous quotable lines, but the novel is an onion—layered and complex. Here, Chandler presents a slickly plotted story, a much darker and meaner L.A., and a stronger and more brutal social commentary about city-wide/police corruption.

1950

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – C S Lewis

Book Quote:

“Bless me, what do they teach them at these schools.” – The Professor.

I wanted to include a children’s book in my list. I can’t think of a better one than The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It is the first book I really remember from my childhood. It ignited my imagination as a kid. It’s fantastic and terrifying. I have always loved the professor and his rattling about what they teach in school these days. The clash between the professor’s open mind and Peter’s, Susan’s, and Edmund’s desperation to be adults and logical is pure magic on the page. Children’s books are often far more layered and rich than given credit, and this is no exception! Also, anyone sitting down to read the Narnia books for the first time should not read them chronologically, which is how they are published today, but in publication order. The door to Narnia starts with the Wardrobe.

1961

Thunderball – Ian Fleming

Book Quote: “What’s the good of other people’s opinions? Animals don’t consult each other about other animals. They look and sniff and feel.”

Book Bond is very different to cinematic Bond. At least until you get to Casino Royale (2006). I didn’t read Fleming until my twenties for that very reason. I liked the exaggerated, swinging silliness and gadgets of the films. As a reader, you approach Bond at your own risk. When I finally turned to Book Bond, I was captivated. For whatever reason, I didn’t start at the beginning; I read Thunderball, which is my second favourite Connery film; From Russia With Love being my first. I quickly realised that while cinematic Bond was a hero, Book Bond is Britain’s anti-hero. He may do heroic things and save the day but Bond isn’t a ‘good guy.’ This often isn’t discussed or acknowledged. There’s truthfully nothing honourable about him. He’ll die for the Crown, but he is a sad, repressed alcoholic with nothing to lose, which makes him dangerous. And you can see that on every page. It also makes him a terribly interesting character to read. Not because he’s someone to aspire to be like but to see how far he’ll go for Britain.

1975

The Wrong Case – James Crumley

Book Quote: “This is the great American West. Where men came to get away from laws…You can murder your spouse and the lover in a fit, preferably of passion, and the maximum sentence is five years.”

I picked up The Wrong Case in Edinburgh’s Waterstones around 2018. I was on the hunt for something tough and gritty and splashed on the back cover was a quote from Ian Rankin that read: “As sweetly profane a poet as American Noir could have asked for.” And boy, he isn’t wrong. Crumley took the hard-boiled genre somewhere darker, nastier, and more real than anyone before him. He could wax lyrical like Chandler, be tough like Spillane, but never feel cheap or comic-book-like. His detective, Milo, is one of the few fictional private detectives who you believe suffer the trauma of war; in Milo’s case, the Vietnam War. Crumley expertly tackled the disillusionment and seedy, sweaty corruption of the 70s. Read him and you’ll never be the same!

1980

Looking for Rachel Wallace – Robert B Parker

Book Quote: “And I will always remember that you cried.” – Rachel Wallace

Robert B Parker is my favourite author in the hard-boiled genre, and Looking for Rachel Wallace is my number one Parker book. Parker’s genius was his ability to tackle sociopolitical issues head-on without preaching and offer multiple perspectives without necessarily making one side good or bad/right or wrong. Life is complicated, and so are his stories. Despite his novels being short, they are packed with complex, three-dimensional characters. The beauty of Looking For Rachel Wallace is how Parker explores two people on different sides of the political spectrum and how they come together, respect each other, and build a genuine friendship. This is one of the few crime fiction novels that I would dare call important. Seek it out. You won’t regret it.

Huge thanks to Luke for these excellent recommendations. My frequent returns to the Decades Library are a constant reminder of the thousands of books which have brought joy to readers over the years and a regular reminder to me of how few books I’ve actually read during my 50 years on this planet. I’ve only read Thunderball from Luke’s selections so I clearly need to do even more catching up – my TBR is braced for impact.

If you are in the Manchester area this week you can meet Luke along with Emma Talon and, former Decades Curator, Chris Lloyd at Manchester Central Library. The chat kicks off at 6pm on Thursday 22nd August in the Manchester Central Library.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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August 9

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Syd Moore

Welcome to a very special Decades selection. Special because the fabulous Syd Moore has brought some wonderfully wyrd books into the Decades Library but also because this week sees me complete my own fifty year span. It’s a landmark birthday week for me and I love that I will get to share more great book recommendations which I hope will swell your TBR to a dangerous level.

As ever I will do a very quick recap to explain my Ultimate Library and why I refer to it as my Decades Library. Back in January 2021 I was contemplating the immense challenge a librarian would face if they were given a brand new library and were tasked with filling all the empty shelves with the very best books. Which titles would the librarian choose? Which titles would I choose? Would they look to add classic titles or seek out newer books?

I realised that I could not begin to take on a task of that magnitude as my own reading preferences would be too narrow. So I decided to ask other booklovers which books they would add to the Ultimate Library. Over the last three years I have added several hundred books to the Library shelves, all selected by my guests (authors, publishers, bloggers and journalists) and I do believe we are curating an amazing selection of books.

Why do I call my Ultimate Library the Decades Library? Each time I ask someone to select books to be added to the Library shelves I ask them to follow two rules:

1 – You Can Select ANY five Books
2 – You May Only Select One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades (a fifty year publication span).

My Decades Library.

Okay, it is time to take my customary step back and pass control over to my guest curator…

Syd Moore here, reporting for action. If you aren’t familiar with my work, Starburst Magazine has described my writing as ‘Dennis Wheatley meets Caitlin Moran.’ Most of my novels and short stories are indeed flavoured with the occult, witch trials, secret or forgotten histories, and often populated with firmly feminist characters.

The Grand Illusion, my latest offering, focuses on how the British Secret Service exploited the Nazi’s obsession with the occult. It proved quite a challenge to create an independent female protagonist, full of feist, in the world of 1940 before the f-word had even been invented. However, as I researched, I discovered that many young women called into the war effort actually found the work liberating. So when the Security Service approach Daphne Devine and her boss, The Grand Mystique, they are spirited away from treading the boards of London’s theatreland and sent off for training, where they must use their resources and skills in illusion to pull off an operation created to repel the German invasion of the British Isles. As a result, Daphne, like most of us faced with a huge challenge, grows in confidence and self-knowledge into a formidable force of her own.

As with my other novels this is also based on what is thought to be a real event.

With my Dennis Wheatley and Caitlin Moran tendencies I don’t think anyone will be surprised by my eclectic choice of books for Decades.

I hope you enjoy them.

DECADES

1930s

The Sea Priestess by Dione Fortune (1938)

Dione Fortune, aka Violet Mary Firth, was an occultist and writer who founded the ‘Fraternity of the Inner Light’. This was an esoteric society born out of the more famous Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn whose members included W.B. Yeats, Aleister Crowley, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Algernon Blackwood, amongst other luminaries.

The Sea Priestess is very much a novel that demonstrates Dione Fortune’s beliefs. It features the disillusioned and unfulfilled Wilfred Maxwell, who meets Vivien Le Fay Morgan, a magical practitioner of an esoteric sect. Vivien introduces Wilfred to ancient rituals and esoteric practices connected to the sea and lunar magic, all of which produce a powerful spiritual awakening. The novel had a huge impact on me when I read it in my twenties, blending the esoteric with excellent storytelling. Sadly, I’m not sure it’s the kind of thing that would be published today. The eagle eyed can spot Fortune come to life once more in a brief cameo in The Grand Illusion.

1940s

‘The Lottery’ by Shirley Jackson (1948)

Not a novel but a short story. Set in a small and isolated village where an annual ritual takes place, ‘The Lottery’ is an early piece of folk horror. Succinct but bone chilling, it explores themes of pagan tradition, irrationalism versus thought and logic, and the human propensity for violence. Yep, its dark. The story is well known and in fact inspired one of my own in The Twelve Even Stranger Days of Christmas. Recently there has been a revival of interest in Jackson’s work probably due to the biopic ‘Shirley’, released in 2020, which starred Elisabeth Moss in the title role. It is definitely worth watching if you enjoy the wyrd and spooky.

1950s

The Daughter of Time by Joesphine Tey (1951)

Alan Grant, a police officer, is laid up in hospital with a broken leg. When his friend, Marta, visits him with a series of pictures and postcards one of them sparks an intense curiosity in Grant. It is a portrait of the much maligned king, Richard III, who has historically been cast as the villain in the murder of the princes in the tower. Grant decides to investigate their mysterious disappearance like a crime and comes to some startling conclusions.

I read this book at the age of thirteen and it really stuck in my mind. To my surprise the historical research was not boring. I enjoyed the way Grant delved into the past with help from those around him and how readers learnt about the myths and legends that were constructed around Richard after his death. It was a lesson in how History’s winners tend to shape the past and shed light on methods with which one might unpick the narratives they spin. For these, as I have discovered in my own research, tell only half the story.

1960s

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (1966)

Bulgakov’s magnum opus was written sometime between 1928 and 1940. It is one of the most imaginative novels I have ever come across and features the Devil descending (or ascending according to your own belief systems) onto Bulgakov’s contemporary Moscow. He is accompanied by a huge talking cat called Behemoth, a vampire, a strange valet, and an assassin, all of whom misbehave with hilarious and absurd results. The subplots are many: one weaves through the love story of the ‘Master’ of the title, a writer, and his lover, Margarita. Another, full of pathos, features a tormented Pontius Pilot labouring over the verdict passed on a young Jewish preacher. It is mad, funny, joyous and horrifying. The language and imagery are truly exceptional. But, as the book satirised Russian society at the time, it was not published until the 1960s and only serialised. Even then it was censored.

Bulgakov was heavily criticised for his works during his lifetime and sadly died in 1940 without seeing the global success that his novel would become. Today his book is thought to be one of the best novels of the Twentieth Century.

I have taught it to M.A. students who have mixed reactions – some of them love it, but others find it hard work. Personally, I think it’s a masterpiece which explores the enduring themes of good and evil, corruption and the triumph of love in difficult times.

1970s

Misty Annual 1979

Misty was a comic that came out in the 70s and 80s. It was a kind of Tales of the Unexpected for young and teenage girls, though boys loved it too. I used to wait avidly behind the front door when I knew it was about to be delivered and would devour the publication each week, meeting one of my similarly obsessed friends to discuss the ins and outs of the various storylines. At the time, these tales filled both of us with a sense of mystery and awe, ranging across subjects that would now be categorised as ‘horror’. Psychokinesis, clairvoyancy, ghosts, witches, curses, werewolves, karma, time slips, precognition and legends of old – all of these unsuitable topics for children filled its deliciously ghastly pages. I’m surprised that my parents allowed me to read it!

A couple of years ago, when I moved house, I came across my Misty 1980 annual and found a piece on the Witchfinder General. I had no memory of reading it but clearly must have done as there was Marmite smeared on the bottom of a page which contained a tiny fingerprint similar to that on my right index finger! In 2012 my book Witch Hunt was published, all about the same despicable man. Though I don’t think I had ever been consciously aware of it, the seeds of my career and the style of my books had clearly been planted back, whilst I sat on the doormat and flicked through its splendidly dark (and Marmite stained) pages.

After reading Syd’s selections I reaslied what an important part Annuals played in my childhood reading. I would always get an Annual for my Christmas (usually The Beano or Whizzer and Chips) but for the rest of the year I would scour jumble sales or second hand bookshops trying to find old annuals from the 70s and 80s…I would read them over and over again. I am delighted Syd has brought Misty into the Decades Library and all five selections are brilliant additions to the Decades Library. Syd, thank you!

DECADES WILL RETURN

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July 14

Decades: Compiling The Ultimate Library with Philippa East

Welcome back to my Decades Library, my ongoing quest to curate a library of the very best reading options selected by authors, publishers, bloggers, journalists – booklovers all.

Back in 2021 I was contemplating a hypothetical situation: What if I had a brand new library with no books on the shelves…which books should I add to my library to ensure only the best and most-loved books were to be available to library visitors. My own knowledge of books is too limited to a narrow time period and heavily leaning into crime and thrillers. It was clear the only way I could get a good representation of great books was to ask for help to fill the shelves of my Ultimate Library. But why do I call it a Decades Library?

To ensure my new Library has a good spread of reading options I ask each of my guests to follow two rules when they make their selections around which books they would like to see included within my Library:

1 – Choose ANY five books
2 – You may only choose one book per decade from five consecutive decades.

Five books from Five Decades. That is my Decades Library in a nutshell.

Today I am utterly thrilled to be able to welcome Philippa East to Grab This Book. Before I hand over the rest of this post to Philippa I’d just like to apologise for the delay in sharing these selections – last Friday there was a bit of a national distraction when the UK Government changed so I didn’t want booklove to get lost in the collective upheaval we experienced!

Let me stop waffling on now and let Philippa take over from here.

Philippa East grew up in Scotland and originally studied Psychology and Philosophy at the University of Oxford. After graduating, she moved to London to train as a Clinical Psychologist and worked in NHS mental health services for over ten years. Her debut novel Little White Lies was longlisted for the Guardian’s “Not-The-Booker” prize and shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger for best debut of 2020. She has since published three further psychological thrillers: Safe and Sound, I’ll Never Tell and A Guilty Secret. Philippa lives in the Lincolnshire countryside with her spouse and cat, and alongside her writing she continues to work as a psychologist and therapist. You can find her on X/Twitter: @philippa_east and on Facebook/Instagram @philippa_east_author.

Amazon Author Page:https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Philippa-East/author/B07S3JQDGK

DECADES

The Avignon Quintet by Lawrence Durrell: 1974 (Book 1)

I’ve been a huge fan of Lawrence Durrell since reading the Alexandria Quartet (which I would have chosen here but that was published the decade before!). He writes beautifully and I find his storytelling utterly immersive.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood: 1985

It’s amazing to think this book was written almost 40 years ago. I follow US politics closely, and it’s shocking to see how close America currently seems to be to devolving into a Gilead state.

Del-Del by Victor Kelleher: 1991

This YA book was a huge inspiration for my debut Little White Lies, with it’s moving portrayal of a grieving family, wrapped around a powerful thriller plot.

Transition by Iain Banks: 2009

I’ve loved so many of Iain Banks’ books and this novel is such a tour-de-force. The book I’m currently writing is a speculative thriller, and I’ve always enjoyed books that play at the edges of reality as this one does.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: 2012

I consider this the masterwork of the modern psychological thriller and it’s the book that inspired me to write myself in this genre. I have read it at least three times and always discover some other gem in this incredible work.

Huge thanks to Philippa for these fabulous selections. This is the fourth year of Decades and the buzz of anticipation I get when I first get to see a new selection of recommended books is only bettered by the feeling of excitement when I discover there’s a book I’ve never heard of until now – it plays hell with my TBR but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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June 28

Decades: Compiling the Ulitmate Library with A.J. West

Decades – what is it OR where the hell has it been? Returning visitors will hopefully recognise and remember my Decades Library. You may well have wondered why it disappeared and why there has been two months since I last posted a single book review. So I’ve got a Decades recap incoming and a bit of an explanation as to why Grab This Book has been a quiet wee place for a while. Thanks for indulging a bit of personal introspection and my apology…

First up why has this blog gone quiet for the last 12 months? Well Grab This Book had nine years of championing brilliant reads – you can go back to March 2014 and find a wealth of fabulous books, author interviews, guest posts and Decades recommendations. Last year I hit a wall – mentally – I retreated back into myself and basically I found reading and blogging to be overwhelming. I no longer enjoyed the “escape” reading gave me and I actively avoided opening my blog to update it. I’ve missed lots of emails, invitations and the opportunity to celebrate great stories by authors I love. I can only apologise. But I want to keep my blog going as there is no better feeling than having someone tell me they loved a book I once recommended.

The best way I can kick off my demons is to return to Decades. I’ve some guest posts to share and I extend my profound thanks to those who have patiently waited for me to get my shizzle together.

To get back into the Decades groove I’ve a guest post from the fabulous A.J. West – his new novel The Betrayal of Thomas True is published by Orenda Books on 4 July 2024 and a blog tour kicks off on July 1st (tour details below – do check it out).

So for new readers what is Decades? Back in January 2021 I pondered the question: If you had a brand new library (with no books) which books should you add to the shelves to give your library visitors the very best reads to choose from?

I had no idea where to start so I invited guests to join me and tell me which books they thought should be added to my Ultimate Library. But I set a couple of rules in place to govern their choices.

1 – You can pick ANY five books

2 – You can only choose one book per decade from five consecutive decades. Which is why it is a Decades Library.

Now the eagle-eyed amongst you will perhaps spot this Decades post is slightly different from the previous but Mr West was killing time on a train journey and kindly set about my challenge to pass the time I was battling my inner demons so didn’t get too picky over the rules (with apologies to my previous guests)

So without further ado I am utterly delighted to bring you the first Decades selections for many, many months.

A.J. West’s bestselling debut novel The Spirit Engineer won the HWA Debut Crown Award. His second novel, The Betrayal of Thomas True will be published in July 2024. West grew up in Buckinghamshire, before studying English Literature in Preston. He previously worked as an award-winning network television and radio news presenter and reporter. To find out more, please visit: www.ajwestauthor.com

You can also access all things A.J. West through one very simple click: linktr.ee/ajwest

DECADES

Ned Ward, The London Spy (1698)

An extraordinary real life guide to London at the turn of the 17th century, written by an enigmatic tavern-keeper who assumes the fictional role of an uninitiated visitor to the city. He takes the reader to the drinking houses, coffee houses, brothels and tourist attractions of the time. It’s just the most extraordinary window into the past, complete with old London Bridge, the Tower of London menagerie, Bedlam and various prisons and places of questionable repute. In addition to the various destinations, the reader also gets a fully immersive introduction to the people, mores and dialects of the time. A lesser-known essential read for anyone who enjoys a bit of time travel.

Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure (1895)

A true classic and deservedly so, this novel changed my view on fiction and was the first book to have a deep emotional impact on me as a reader at university. With lyrical prose and such vivid descriptions of pastoral England, its greatest power to my mind is as an achingly real a study of relationships, the hope, the lust, the joy, the cruelty and the tragedy. Speaking of tragedy, I will never recover from the shock when poor Jude discovers… well, you must read it to understand.

Iris Murdoch, The Sea The Sea (1999)

I fully concede I don’t appreciate this book, and that’s perhaps partly why I loved reading it so much. The writing is sublime and, though its a literary novel, less interested in plot than philosophy and human behaviour, it manages to be completely enthralling. It taught me that gripping fiction requires expert characterisation first, narrative second. Readers with a grounding in philosophy will be able to appreciate the genius of Murdoch’s writing in a way I’ll never fully achieve, and I’m happy to be humbled.

Isabel Allende, Daughter of Fortune (2000)

How to describe this novel? It feels impossible. Spanning generations, sweeping from Chile to China and the United States, dealing with gender, sexuality, dynastic legacies, colonialism, politics and the adventures of multiple unforgettable characters, this novel is an unmatched masterpiece where the reader is whipped along at an incredible pace without ever feeling adrift.

William Golding, The Inheritors (1955)

I’m reading this as I write. The perfect cleanse as I recover from a bit of historical fiction fatigue. There is nothing like this book, and no surprise it won the Nobel Prize for Literature. It is a fever dream, an enigmatic journey into a magical world long before civilisation when a small tribe of doomed neanderthals make sense of homosapien humans while the reader tries to make sense of them. Elusive and written with a level of intelligence well beyond my reckoning, this book inspires me, as an author, to be brave and to carry on challenging myself as a writer.

My thanks to A.J. for five amazing and diverse recommendations and for getting this blogger back into the right headspace. More apprecaited than you can know.

Do not miss The Betrayal of Thomas True:

THE BETRAYAL OF THOMAS TRUE

It is the year 1715, and Thomas True has arrived on old London Bridge with a dangerous secret. One night, lost in the squalor of London’s hidden back streets, he finds himself drawn into the outrageous underworld of the molly houses.

Meanwhile, carpenter Gabriel Griffin struggles to hide his double life as Lotty, the molly’s stoic guard. When a young man is found murdered, he realises there is a rat amongst them, betraying their secrets to a pair of murderous Justices.

Can Gabriel unmask the traitor before they hang? Can he save hapless Thomas from peril, and their own forbidden love?

Set amidst the buried streets of Georgian London, The Betrayal of Thomas True is a brutal and devastating thriller, where love must overcome evil, and the only true sin is betrayal…

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY HERE: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-betrayal-of-thomas-true/9781916788152

DECADES WILL RETURN

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April 26

Seven Days – Robert Rutherford

Your father is on death row. You have seven days to save him. But do you want to?
Alice knows her father is guilty of many things.
He’s guilty of abandoning her.
He’s guilty of being unfaithful to her mother.
But is he guilty of murder?

Now on Death Row, he has seven days to live.
Some people want him released.
Others will kill to keep him just where he is.
Alice has only one chance to save him. But should she?

I received a review copy from the publishers.

A story which starts in Florida and transports the reader back to 2011 and gives us a front row seat to a murder. It’s a strong start to what will become a terrific read! From the US East coast we then jump forward to current day and cross the ocean to the North East of England where we meet Alice – she’s going to be the focus of our attention for the next 400 pages.

Alice is heading to work in Newcastle, once a lawer in New York she’s relocated “home” and is practicing law in England. The readers are told it is Monday and this is Day One…Alice’s sister is waiting for her at work. It isn’t a planned visit but the news her sister (Fiona) brings will turn Alice’s life upside down. Fiona has been contacted by their stepmother – Alice and Fiona’s father is on death row in the United States for a murder in 2011. He has been told that his execution will take place in seven days time and Alice and Fiona’s stepmother has contacted his estranged daughters to let them know.

Jim Sharp maintains his innocence for the murder he’s been accused of. The jury didn’t believe him and even his lawyer isn’t trying to stop the planned execution. Alice turned her back on her father many years earlier and had no idea he had been arrested. She certainly didn’t expect to discover he was a murderer. There’s no love for her father from Alice but her stepmother has gone against Jim’s wishes and contacted his daughters to make them aware of his situation.

Almost against her will Alice finds herself on a telephone call with her father and something she learns during the call has her doubting elements of his conviction. A similar muder. In France. A second man convicted of a killing he maintains he did not commit. And in both cases the same arresting police officer.

With a seven day deadline hanging over their heads Alice begins to investigate the murder her father has been convicted of and starts asking questions which don’t previously appear to have been addressed. While the clock ticks down and various interested parties begin to slip out of the shadows, Robert Rutherford takes us on a tremenously entertaining journey to uncover the truth.

The problem I have with this review is how to share my thoughts without creeping too far into spoiler territory. This book was an absolute joy to read, the writing is slick, the pacing is spot on and each chapter is almost the perfect length to have you promising yourself there’s time for “just one more chapter”…till the next wee development or shock in the narrative. Seven Days is a story you just want to keep reading – that is never a bad thing.

Despite the week long countdown, Seven Days never felt like a race against time thriller. The countdown is always there; each chapter starts with the name of the day and how many more days there are remaining for Jim Sharp. But this isn’t a frenetic chase to a solution, there is deduction, interviews, meetings and discussions. Information is clarified, questions are raised and Alice will hunt down the answers – she’ll have help on her way but it’s her determination to get to the truth which drivers her on.

What particularly struck me was that Alice does not just turn her back on the years of hurt and anger she has felt towards her father. Despite the developments you feel that she may not always believe he could be innocent of the crimes he’s been charged with. The internal dilemma of the main character adds an extra dimension to the intensity of her investigation.

As should be clear, I had great fun reading Seven Days and would have no qualms recommending you add this to your TBR with all possible haste.

Seven Days is published by Hodder & Stoughton and is available now in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/seven-days/robert-rutherford/9781399726399

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