As regular readers know, the Holocaust is one of my special interests. I’ve read a lot of books – memoir, history, and fiction – set in the period of Nazi rule. The stories of survivors will always move me and books such as Elie Wiesel’s testimony Night and Martin Gilbert’s The Boys…
In A Dark, Dark Wood
28 April 2016 by Leave a Comment
Ruth Ware has a new book out this year, The Woman in Cabin 10, and it looks great. A proper Agatha Christie-esque mystery about a mysterious disappearance on board a luxury cruise ship. I’ll definitely be adding that to my never-ending to-be-read pile…
The Woman Who Went To Bed For A Year
21 April 2016 by Leave a Comment
As part of my coverage of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee I reviewed Sue Townsend’s The Queen and I. I wasn’t entirely sold on it, it was fine but not brilliant. I was a huge fan of Adrian Mole when I was younger though so when my mum passed me her copy of The Woman who Went to Bed for a Year…
Dead Eyed
19 April 2016 by Leave a Comment
Publisher Carina has started a new online crime club, aimed at people who love crime fiction and who want to be able to interact with authors and other fans of the genre. Naturally I was completely sold on the idea and signed up straight away…
The Life and Death of Sophie Stark
14 April 2016 by Leave a Comment
Sometimes the title and premise of a book is so intriguing that, even before you’ve read any other reviews, you know it’s a must read. For me The Life and Death of Sophie Stark was one of those books. Anna North’s debut novel has impressed critics…
A Savage Hunger
6 April 2016 by Leave a Comment
In the past couple of years I’ve become something of a fan of Claire McGowan’s Paula Maguire series, crime novels with a forensic pathologist based in Northern Ireland. Last December I reviewed The Silent Dead, the third in the series and was desperate to find out what happened next …
Pitch Perfect 2
5 April 2016 by Leave a Comment
When I first watched and reviewed Pitch Perfect I wasn’t blown away by it. I liked it, I thought it was a lot of fun but I didn’t love it. In the three years since it was released I’ve seen it a few more times and become something of a fan. It’s easy viewing, cheerful…
One of Us
4 April 2016 by Leave a Comment
A few years ago I studied criminology and psychology at the Open University. I didn’t last very long because psychology got the better of me but the criminology aspect was fascinating. Trying to understand the motivation for crime intrigues me…
The Birthday That Changed Everything
5 March 2016 by Leave a Comment
I turned 40 a couple of months ago. Between Christmas and New Year I hit my fifth decade and you know what? It was fine. No trauma, no tears, no wailing about getting old. Just a lovely day with friends and family, lots of champagne and an absolutely fabulous cake…
Jihadi: A Love Story
4 March 2016 by Leave a Comment
Last autumn I was lucky enough to take part in the cover reveal for Yusuf Toropov’s debut thriller Jihadi: A Love Story. At the time I didn’t know much about the book other than its provocative title, striking cover and the fact it was being published by the always impressive Orenda Books…