A Quiet Contagion #JaneJesmond #AQuietContagion

By Jane Jesmond https://jane-jesmond.com/ @AuthorJJesmond

Published by Verve Books https://www.vervebooks.co.uk/index.php @VERVE_Books

320 pages ISBN 9780857308498

Publication date 27 February 2024

I was allowed access to a pdf review copy on Net Galley https://www.netgalley.com/ @NetGalley.  Thanks to the Author and Publisher for organising this and accepting me onto this Blog Tour.

The cover

Well, there’s no room for doubt what this novel is about with the vaccine ampoule. The strapline ‘Six decades. Seven people. One unspeakable secret.’ Is perfect.

My thoughts

Comedy is all about timing. Capturing the zeitgeist can also be important with the other arts too. I read this novel whilst the Covid 19 enquiry is in full swing (which I am ignoring) and the timing is perfect. The message the story delivers is certainly an important one and for this reason alone I hope it is widely read.

Its June 2017 and Phiney (Josephine) Wistman’s much loved grandfather Wilf is dead. She discovers this in a garbled message from her distraught step-grandmother Dora, who is coming down to Coventry from Matlock. Wilf died in Coventry, so Dora assumed that he had gone down to visit Phiney, but she knew nothing about his visit. The mystery deepens when the police say it is suicide and not some tragic accident. They know this because there was a witness, a local journalist Mat Torrington, who confirms to Dora and Phiney what he saw. Wilf has struggled all his life with the effects from childhood polio, he is a battler, a survivor determined to wring the maximum out of life. Why would he tie his much-loved assistance dog Jack to a fence and then jump off a railway bridge? It makes no sense to Phiney and Dora cannot accept he would do such a thing. Unable to let matters lie the decide to start asking questions.

In Wilf’s old clock making workshop Phiney discovers a box of old papers, but it is one left out on the workbench that catches her eye. A newspaper clipping from The Coventry Evening Telegraph from July 1957, with a photo of 8 people outside Poulters Pharmaceuticals. Great grandfather Harry had worked there all his life, and it seems Wilf had worked there for one summer holidays when a student. Could the answers Dora and Phiney are looking for be connected to events in 1957?

If you love mysteries then you are in for a treat, not only is this a whodunnit but also a what-the-hell-did-they-do, so a two in one bargain. Rarely do I pick up a book and be unsure where the narrative arc is going, but in this case, I was flummoxed. An incident in 1957 is the key but we do not discover what it was or the magnitude until the conclusion of the story. This is so well disguised you will run through so many possibilities and that is before you need to work out who is behind it all. More than enough to keep the most demanding reader occupied.

Phiney is the central character and is the strong, resilient and capable female that the author writes so well. She is rather self -absorbed and avoids toxins, food additives and even mobile phone radiation almost like somebody wracked with OCD. There is a good reason for why she is consumed by worry though, which many will empathise with. This self-obsession has damaged her relationships, particularly with Dora, though through the story she becomes more enlightened to the plight of others.

Poor Dora is put through the emotional wringer, but it is her determination that keeps the investigation moving. As we see developments from her perspective, we warm to her.

It is journalist Mat who has the investigative skills and early in the story one character tells Phiney he is a man not to be trusted (well he is a journalist). A simple ploy but a masterstroke as you read along and to paraphrase the old Harmony Hairspray ad ‘Is he or isn’t he’ on their side.

The plot is clever and quite believable, probably more so with developments over the last twenty years. The story line does jump around between 1977, 1957 and 2017 (where it skips around a number of weeks) but it is easy to follow. The storyline is peppered with incident and low-key action before the build up to a big confrontation. There is some violence, but it delivered in an understated way that works on a psychological level rather than being graphic, sometimes the mind worrying what might happen proves worse than the reality. As with the events of 1957, it’s the dawning realisation of what has happened. All skilfully expressed within the prose.

The central theme is one of trust versus deception. The modern world works on a basis of trust, be it paper money and investments to what we surround ourselves with and put in our bodies. Our new three-piece suite has a label to say it is fire resistant, which we take on trust, but is it? Once trust is eroded the system collapses, best illustrated by the queues outside banks when there are rumours about it which then become self-perpetuating. Throughout the story characters place trust in others and what they are told but behind it all is one big deception.

The description of the polio virus, its effects and the science behind immunology is excellent, pitched at just the right level. The author could give her friend and fellow author, Fiona Erskine a run for her money with the pitching of science in a thrilling story, being entertaining and at the same time enlightening is no easy task to pull off. One of the greatest benefits to mankind has been the development of immunology, with vaccines making many once fatal or debilitating diseases, like measles and polio, a thing of the past. There has always been people who see it as something unnatural, but now we have active anti-vaxers and concerns at side effects, the question is what level of risk is acceptable?

A Quiet Contagion is an excellent science-based thriller that manages to be great entertainment but also thought provoking.

A Quiet Contagion can be purchased direct from the publisher here

The author

Jane Jesmond writes crime, thriller and mystery fiction. Her debut novel, On The Edge – the first in a series featuring dynamic, daredevil protagonist Jen Shaw – was a Sunday Times Best Crime Fiction of the Month pick. The sequel, Cut Adrift, was selected as a Times Thriller of the Month and a Sunday Times Book of the Year upon its publication. Jesmond also recently published Her, a speculative standalone novel, with Storm Publishers. A Quiet Contagion is a brand-new standalone and her third book with VERVE Books.

Although she loves writing (and reading) thrillers and mysteries, her real life is very quiet and unexciting. Dead bodies and dangerous exploits are not a feature! She lives by the sea in the northwest tip of France with a husband and a cat and enjoys coastal walks and village life. Unlike Jen Shaw, she is terrified of heights!

Source: Publisher’s website

Don’t forget to check out the other great reviews on this blog tour:

The Last Bird of Paradise #AJAberford #TheLastBirdOfParadise

By AJ Aberford https://ajaberford.com/ @AJAberford

Published by Hobeck Books https://www.hobeck.net @HobeckBooks

448pages ISBN 9781915817280

Publication date 28 November 2023

The Last Bird of Paradise is the fifth novel in the Inspector George Zammit series. Click on the links to read my reviews of the other books in the series – Bodies in the Water, Bullets in the Sand, Hawk at the Crossroads and Fire in the Mountain.

I was sent an electronic copy in exchange for a fair review.  I would like to thank Rebecca at Hobeck Books and the Author for the invitation to participate in the Blog Tour.

The Cover

Very much in keeping with the rest of the series. A refugee camp and a young boy, arms outstretched, perhaps symbolic of wanting to fly, for freedom. Captures a lot of what the novel is about.

My thoughts

We begin with a young child, wide eyed in wonder, as he climbs the terraces of a football stadium in London. An amazing experience is about to become the ultimate sacrifice on his uncle’s instructions. This Bird of Paradise is going to spread his wings and fly off to paradise, or so he has been told, leaving carnage in his wake.

George is contemplating being a grandfather, as Gina will shortly be giving birth, but his hopes for a quiet life always seem to be just out of reach. That is mainly down to Assistant Commissioner Gerald Camilleri, who once again has him in his sights. The EU need an independent investigator to search for evidence of a potential aid fraud at a Syrian refugee camp. Gerald thinks that George is the man for the job, the one he trusts the most, well the man he can easily manipulate the most. George is getting a bit too old for all these adventures so Gerald decides that his son Denzil, who is now a sergeant in the force, can go with him, it will be good experience… Wife Marianne is not happy and is adamant that they return in time for the birth of Gina’s baby.

The trip to Syria goes remarkably well until George sees a face from his past and Denzil’s digging uncovers something unexpected. Once again George is in grave danger with secrets to disclose if he can get back home safely, only now he has Denzil to worry about too… and getting back for the birth.

So, we reach the fifth outing of Europe’s most unlikely supercop on another mission impossible, like a rotund, superannuated Ethan Hunt with emergency pastries in his pocket. George loves his food and pastizzi is as synonymous to George as spinach to Popeye (and a lot tastier.) For me the beauty of the series is how a plausible task is allowed to free wheel and become entertainingly implausible and yet he manages to come out relatively unscathed. At moments of crisis fortune favours the brave, well the foolhardy in the case of George, and opportunities fall in his lap, quite literally in this case. The inclusion of Denzil this time is a masterstroke, with their father-son bonding a particular joy. Denzil’s eyes are opened regarding his father, who adopts the army approach of eat when you can sleep when you can to extremes but then battles through situations of mortal danger. I loved the don’t tell your mother entreaty as she has no idea how dangerous it is.

The series has the perfect blend of action and characters which offer so much. Be it the adoration of George by US special forces, a Polish female bodybuilder or the most dangerous woman in Europe there is always something to pique the reader’s interest.

AC Camilleri is becoming increasingly frail and is seriously ill, he appoints George to fill in for him temporarily, but it looks like retirement is coming soon. George ponders the maxim, better the devil you know, whilst Marianna asks Gerald to be baby Joseph’s godfather!

Malta’s femme fatale (in this case very fatal) Natasha Bonnici appears to have finally gone too far and forces are combining to oppose her. Even her latest on-off lover ‘The Hawk’ is keen to distance himself. Not a great situation for a woman already deranged by power. The timely arrival of Greca, Sergio’s daughter provides her with a potential ally and something of a protégé. Greca was cut off by The Family from managing to get her share of Sergio’s supposed wealth and is keen to strike back. Naturally Natasha sees a bit of herself in Greca and decides to guide her, but unbeknown to her Greca has bolder plans too. Time is running out for the beautiful Natasha in terms of her looks and her fortunes.

There is a big humour injection to the storyline by the reappearance of computer whizz and ace gamer Savvi Azzopardi, whom Natasha has tracked down to Madrid. Our typically deluded man-child has matured slightly and is no longer incel as he has a girlfriend, Mia. His warped perception of real life is always a delight, an easy target perhaps but these people do walk amongst us. Mia, who must have the patience of a saint, turns out to be something of a surprise and I’ll add no more.

Its not all action and laughs though, there are moments of reflection. Life in the refugee camp is not glossed over, it is a tough existence and the indoctrination of the children to be suicide bombers feels very real. That said these are issues that have no easy solutions.

If you are already a fan of the series then you won’t feel let down, you know what to expect. Guns, explosions, helicopters, henchmen, psychopathic women, Machiavellian scheming, rabbit pasta, greasy kebabs and a whole lot more are jammed in. It does seem to be at a crossroads with the long narrative arc of the series, Gerald retiring, George getting old and Natasha sidelined, so it will be interesting to see how it develops. Perhaps George will be handing the baton on to Denzil soon?

Most readers when describing a book will liken it to that of another author, but I can’t think of anyone else who manages to meld serious geo-political issues and Southern European corruption into a thriller with regular injections of comedy genius.

The Last Bird of Paradise is another superb thriller that balances action with great comic moments.

The Last Bird of Paradise can be purchased direct from the publisher here

If you would like to hear more about the George Zammit series and the inspiration behind it then listen to episode 150 of the Hobcast Book Show, when the author Tony Gartland is the guest of Adrian Hobart and Rebecca Collins, the publishers.

The author

AJ Aberford has enjoyed a varied career, having been both a corporate and banking lawyer, owning and running a private investment company and founding a leading Yorkshire craft brewery. Changing direction again, he is now a debut author of the Inspector George Zammit crime and thriller series.

AJ Aberford still keeps his house in Yorkshire, but lives primarily in Malta, which is the inspiration for the Inspector George Zammit series. Upon moving there, he soon became enthralled by the culture and history of the island that acts as a bridge between Europe and North Africa.

Malta’s position at the sharp end of the migrant crisis, as well as the rapid growth of its commercial and offshore-financial sectors, provide a rich backdrop for his writing. The culture, politics and geography of the southern Mediterranean continually throws-up surprises in this fascinating part of the world, nothing is ever what it seems, with the lines between right and wrong often blurred and twisted.

AJ Aberford is married and has has two grown-up sons, as well as grandchildren. He is a keen cook, an adventurous traveller, a cyclist and is currently writing the fifth book in the Inspector George Zammit series.

Source: Author’s website

Don’t forget to check out the other great reviews in this Blog Tour:

Murder at Holly House #DenzilMeyrick #MurderAtHollyHouse

By Denzil Meyrick https://denzilmeyrick.com/ @Lochlomonden

Published by Bantam, Transworld Books @TransworldBooks (a division of Penguin Random House UK https://www.penguin.co.uk/)

368 pages ISBN 9781787637184

Publication date 9 November 2023

I was allowed access to a pdf review copy on Net Galley in exchange for a fair review. I would like to thank Net Galley https://www.netgalley.com/ @NetGalley, and of course the Author and Publisher for granting this access.

The Cover

A cover that conjures up the ‘golden period’ of crime fiction with a cracking strap line “In a village of lies… death comes with the snow”. All quite fitting for this period piece, I like it.

My thoughts

The first point for the pedants, is it a Christmas story? Well for those of you who still question whether ‘Die Hard’ is a Christmas movie (it is) I believe it is. It is set in December 1952 during the run up to Christmas and the land is covered with a thick blanket of snow, which is good enough for me. That said it can be difficult to tell these days with the shops stocking Christmas gifts from October, and I managed to buy hot cross buns in November. It’s the 2020’s and life is all mixed up, things were more straightforward back in 1952 weren’t they?

I’ve been a fan of the author’s DCI Daley series from the beginning and so was curious to see what this novel would bring, being based in Yorkshire and historical. Through Twitter I was aware of his family links to my home City Hull so I wondered if it would be included within; I was not to be disappointed. Curious is an appropriate adjective as this very engaging novel is a bit like a Victorian cabinet of curiosities with plenty of appealing oddities.

The story only came to light when a distant cousin of Frank Grasby was sent some crates from the home of his late parents. In searching through all the paperwork enclosed he discovers the unpublished Memoirs of Inspector Frank Grasby along with several police reports, telexes and memorandum. From this the author has managed to piece together this tale…

Frank Grasby is a bit of a bumbling buffoon of a policeman working in York. He is prone to mishaps and lapses of judgement for which he has something of a reputation. After one too many cock up Superintendent Arthur Juggers decides it is time for Frank to be moved away for a short while for the benefit of everyone. Frank is chilled, he dreads being posted to Hull, and more importantly the beat down Hessle Road tackling ‘three day millionaires’ the drunken trawlermen briefly ashore between voyages. To Frank’s relief it’s not Hull but Elderby in rural North Yorkshire where he is to investigate a series of thefts from farms. Now what could possibly go wrong here? Well, he does find a body stuck up a chimney, but thankfully it’s not Santa Claus…

So, we have the spoof journal of a hapless fool who manages to get himself into The Yorkshire Post for all the wrong reasons. The start of the novel is very funny as we discover his errors and terrible attempts at excuses, not to mention the strange foibles of his character. Here is a middle-class snob who doesn’t pay respect to his seniors but expects it from subordinates. A man who is ‘all piss and wind’ at times hopelessly ineffectual but still not without some charm. A complete embarrassment but also an accidental hero we can warm to.

The characters are wonderfully drawn, as eclectic as they are colourful. Towards the end of the story, we discover that some of these characters are not who they appear to be, which results in a beautifully chaotic finale.

There is the widow Mrs Gaunt who runs the guest house which is dark and spooky (though it is spooks of another variety play a part in the tale) whose companion is Cecil, a crow who perches on her shoulder. Sergeant Bleakly is a war hero, he served in Burma with Orde Wingate in the Chindits, but he now has a condition which means he falls asleep at inopportune times. Also at the station is Daisy Dean (Dee Dee) an American intern who has the looks to turn heads. She may appear to be sweet and demure but there is steel under the surface, a woman not to be taken at face value.

The dialogue is peppered with beautifully dated language where men are good chaps or coves, and ‘oh I say there old chap’ would be considered a firm rebuke. The plot quickly transforms from simple robbery with the discovery of murder and then into a spiffing Boy’s Own story (keeping in the spirit of the novel there). All the while Frank is a couple of steps behind the action and getting hints at a mysterious past in Elderby. Why is there drawing on the wall in Frank’s room at Mrs Gaunt’s which includes a man who looks remarkably like his father the Reverend Grasby?

Overall, this novel is intended to be jolly good fun and that it certainly is. Packed with gentle humour, buffoonery, a bit of slapstick and the occasional flash of danger, it brings a sense of feel-good satisfaction. I could see this book having wide appeal and appearing in many Christmas stockings. I dare say a few copies will be intended as gifts but end up being kept once the buyer skims the first few chapters! It’s the sort of book I would come back to, and I feel sure the author will be able to piece together some more hair-raising tales from Frank’s memoirs.

Take a quirky cast of characters, liberally soak with humour and the add a dash of action, combine and bake on a medium heat and you end up with Murder at Holly House, a perfect Christmas mystery that can be enjoyed anytime.

Murder at Holly House can be purchased direct from the customer here

The author

Denzil Meyrick was born in Glasgow and brought up in Campbeltown. After studying politics, he pursued a varied career including time spent as a police officer, freelance journalist, and director of several companies.

Beginning with Whisky from Small Glasses, then The Last Witness, Dark Suits and Sad Songs, The Rat Stone Serenade, and Well of the Winds, the DCI Daley series have all become Scottish Crime bestsellers. Whisky from Small Glasses reached #2 in the UK Kindle store in 2016.

An anthology of short stories, One Last Dram was published in late 2017.

The Daley series to date have all been number one bestselling UK audiobooks on Audible. DCI Daley #6 The Relentless Tide and #7 A Breath on Dying Embers one of the Scotsman newspaper’s books of 2018 and 2019. A Breath On Dying Embers was longlisted for the 2019 McIlvanney Prize.

Source: Amazon profile

Pulpit Rock #TEAM SCILLY #KateRhodes #PulpitRock

By Kate Rhodes @K_RhodesWriter

Published by Simon & Schuster UK https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/ @simonschusterUK

416 pages ISBN  9781471189890

Publication date 15 April 2021

Pulpit Rock is the fourth book in The Isles of Scilly Mysteries featuring Ben Kitto. Click on the links to read my reviews of the first three books in the series Hell Bay, Ruin Beach and Burnt Island.

I reviewed an electronic copy purchased from Amazon Kindle. I would like to thank Tracy @Tr4cyF3nt0n from Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to take part in the #TEAMSCILLY review project. My review of Devil’s Table the fifth novel in the series will be posted on this blog early in December.

The Cover

The cover is very much in keeping with the previous three and helps to give the series identity. Dramatic skies, choppy or rough seas and picturesque but isolated locations. In the spirit of the old Ronseal advertisement ‘it does what it says on the tin’ the reader knows what is in store.

My thoughts

Ben Kitto is on a training swim, in the sea, along with colleagues (Eddie and Isla) and friends (Steve and Paul Keast.) They are building up their stamina for the islands’ Swimathon, but today they are a team member short as Sabine is nowhere to be seen. As they come to the lighthouse and Pulpit Rock a local landmark and beauty spot, they see what appears to be a body hanging. Could this be a suicide? Ben heads over to investigate and gets a shock when he gets close, whoever she is is dressed in a full bridal gown including a veil. This is not a series for the mundane dog walker finds body old chestnut (though they frequently do in real life) it’s much more dramatic.

When the body is lifted clear and the veil lifted Ben realises that its Sabine who didn’t turn up for the swim. Why would a young woman, a gifted Latvian student working a summer job in the Scilly Isles kill herself, and why choose the wedding attire and that beauty spot?

Whilst Ben is delivering the news to the hotel where Sabine was working an envelope was delivered to the police station. In it is a polaroid of Sabine with what appears to be a song lyric written on the back. Its not a suicide, she has been murdered and the young women on the island are going to be in danger unless Ben can find the killer.

Another enticing ‘locked island’ mystery set in the Scilly Isles, with the action being on St Mary’s this time. It may be the biggest and most populous of the islands, but it is still relatively tiny, even compared to some villages on the Cornish mainland. Ben faces similar restrictions over his investigation and naturally the procedural part of the story follows similar lines to the previous three novels in the series. The pleasure from this series comes from the beautifully described settings, the interrelationships between the characters and acute observations of human nature not the procedure.

Time has moved on and things have changed; Ben has finished building his boat, Zoe has got married in India (Ben did go over) and Isla has joined the force. Some things never change though and Ben still manages to irritate his superior DCI Madron by simply not shaving. He still is very reluctant to trust Ben fully and even though he is on holiday in France he remains eager to but in thanks to Skype.

Island life continues to be the framework on which the story is built, and in some cases provides the locals with their identity. We see struggling famers, ambitious hoteliers, migrant students over to work the summer season, academics and a burnt-out photojournalist. The style and structure of the novels allows each character space to express themselves, usually when Ben is questioning them or digging into their past. This way the small population produces several viable suspects, not quite a full blown whodunnit but the reader will make false assumptions and guesses before the reveal.

Ben’s character continues to be fleshed out, appropriately seeing how he is a big man. His return to the islands is still uncovering old friendships being rekindled, but investigations are messy and bad calls also means he can lose friends. With the sexual tension now dissipated by Zoe’s marriage, Ben is a man in need of a good woman to keep him on his toes, as it is pointed out to him.

Shadow continues to demonstrate his independent streak and goes missing for a fair portion of the storyline. Shadow is a smart dog though having found a returning ‘old friend’ of his own and later demonstrates amazing loyalty.

Liz Gannick returns to do the forensic work and provide a spiky counterpoint to the laid-back Ben. It great to have a such an independent and determined disabled character. A woman never to be seen as a victim, the ultimate professional at work, never afraid to stand up for herself and keep Ben in line. We also get to find out a little bit more about her personal life.

The plot is slightly bonkers, with the victims being dressed as brides drawing from the mad US serial killer style, but it is done in the slightly understated British style. It certainly leaves the motivation baffling enough for the reader which adds to the overall enjoyment.

Pulpit Rock is another entertaining addition to a wonderful character-based series.

Pulpit Rock can be purchased via the publisher’s website here

The author

Kate Rhodes is an acclaimed crime novelist and an award-winning poet. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, the writer and film-maker Dave Pescod, and visited the Scilly Isles every year as a child, which gave her the idea for this series. She is one of the founders of the Killer Women writing group.

Source: Publisher’s website

The Glass Pearls #EmericPressburger #TheGlassPearls

By Emeric Pressburger

Narrated by Mark Gatiss @Markgatiss

Published by Faber Editions https://www.faber.co.uk/ @FaberBooks

226 pages (7 hours 2 minutes) ISBN 9780571371068

Publication date 2 August 2022 (first published 1 January 1966)

I reviewed an audiobook version purchased from Audible UK https://www.audible.co.uk/ @audibleuk.

The Cover

A stylistically simple cover but one totally in keeping with the original date of publication.

The narration

My first impression was that the narration was a bit dull, more a case of being read rather than performed. However, as the story progressed it became clear that this understated approach was the best way of conveying the story rather than detracting from it. What I mean by this will become apparent if you read on.

My thoughts

An old book that has only just appeared on my radar. I first heard of it only a month ago from author Nick Triplow @nicktriplow who had just read it in preparation for an event. Along with fellow author Nick Quantrill @NickQuantrill, the two Nicks are the artistic brains behind Hull Noir @HullNoir which is now holding monthly events in the James Reckitt reading room at Hull’s Central Library. These events are free to attend or livestream and of course everyone is welcome. The event that Nick was preparing for was a joint project with Film Noir UK @FilmNoirUK, a discussion with historian Ian Christie and broadcaster Matthew Sweet on ‘The Creative Words of Powell and Pressburger’ followed by a showing of ‘Wanted for Murder’. The Glass Pearls featured prominently in a lively discussion. The audiobook opens with a foreword by the author Anthony Quinn, which is informative, insightful (and shouldn’t be skipped) reflecting much of what was discussed on the evening.

The plot for the novel is rather thin and certainly straightforward, it is the skill of the author that makes it a compelling and at times a challenging read. It manages to confuse your thoughts, feelings and emotions as you progress and many readers will feel uncomfortable during some passages.

The central character is Karl Braun a middle-aged German who is looking for lodgings in Pimlico, London. He is a slight, quiet, and unassuming man, who is polite and well mannered. Karl is currently working as a piano tuner, but he harbours a dark secret from his past.

As Karl settles into his new digs, he attracts interest. His rooming neighbours are fellow émigrés, who assume that he, like them, came to England to escape Nazi Germany. With these friends he is careful to give little away. He also draws the attention of two women, one of them wrongly assumes a future with Karl, whilst he falls for the other.

Karl is an avid newspaper reader and he is drawn to the reports of Nazi war crime trials. Karl had been hoping that the twenty-year statute of limitations would save him from his crimes of the past, but they have recently been lifted to twenty-five years. Can he manage to live a lie for another five years and escape justice?

Set in 1965, its descriptions of the shared accommodation in bed-sit land of London are perfect, from the shared bathrooms to the telephone in the hall (leave a penny if you make a call). This is a time when Britain was starting to recover from the privations of war but even then, some people still cling to their old ways and little fiddles. A fellow émigré can get concert tickets cheaply for Karl, the best seats, any concert, thanks to a little scam. Actions that once secured survival now prove difficult to relinquish.

The novel is essentially about Karl in the present, but with echoes of his past. We see Karl as a quiet, pleasant enough man of culture, who loves music and plays the violin, trying to make his way through life and be no trouble to anyone. When he starts to fall for a woman and takes her to classical concerts and restaurants the reader will probably start to warm to him. Here seems to be a thoroughly nice man. The reality is though that Karl is was a doctor and one who did experimental treatments on concentration camp inmates. A past that he is seemingly unrepentant about. The genius of Pressburger’s writing and story construction is that we can hold this dichotomy about Karl. It is truly disconcerting that a man we would consider to be an evil war criminal can also prompt some feeling of warmth to his current predicament, making it an unsettling read. We would like to believe we could recognise evil people, but they are often nondescript or banal, why shouldn’t they like culture, there really is no correlation. It is this contradiction that lifts Hannibal Lector into the top tier of fictional serial killers. What some will find truly astonishing is that Pressburger was a Hungarian Jew who was made stateless and fled to Britain in 1935, yet he is able to create such a nuanced character in Karl. In his film work he did portray some German characters as essentially decent, being at pains to differentiate between Nazis and normal Germans.

As the pressure builds on Karl, he becomes more erratic and his judgement starts to suffer. He becomes in the grip of paranoia, but in this case they really are out to get him!

The timing of writing the novel is interesting and could explain its comparative lack of success. Adolf Eichmann had been captured by Mossad in 1960 and tried and executed in 1962. This represented the last significant war crimes trial from World War II. It did bring about an increase in interest in hunting down Nazis but largely by this time many politicians just wanted to move on rather than tracking down old men who would be dead soon. Simon Wiesenthal was busy trying to find the last big target Josef Mengele in all the wrong places and Beata and Serge Klarsfeld would be tenacious in pursuit of Nazis for many years to come, but it essentially became a private activity. The late 1970s brough the ludicrous but entertaining Marathon Man and The Boys From Brazil but it is the satellite TV boom of the twenty-first century that has brought with it interest in World War II, so perhaps there will be more interest in the novel this time around. I certainly hope so because this is a work that deserves to be widely read.

I’m rarely convinced when lost classics are unearthed, but I found The Glass Pearls to be an unsettling masterpiece.

The Glass Pearls can be purchased direct from the publisher here

The author

Imre József Pressburger was born into a Jewish family in Austria-Hungary in 1902. He studied engineering at Prague and Stuttgart universities before moving to Weimar-era Berlin in 1926. There he fell on hard times and lived on the streets for a period before publishing his first short story in 1928. Two years later he started writing scripts for UFA, the dominant German studio of the time. With the rise of the Nazis in 1933, Pressburger lost his job in the purge or Jewish employees and fled to Paris. His mother and many other relatives subsequently died in the Holocaust. In 1935 he relocated to London, anglicising his name to Emeric and meeting the director Michael Powell. Starting in 1942 they shared credit for writing, producing and directing fourteen films under the banner of their production company, The Archers. Their classic films include The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, A Matter of Life and Death, Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes. In the early 1960’s he wrote two novels, Killing a Mouse on Sunday and The Glass Pearls. After a long period in the critical wilderness, Pressburger was made a fellow of Bafta in 1981 and of the BFI in 1983. Pressburger married twice and was survived by a daughter, Angela. He died in Suffolk in 1988.

Source: Publisher’s website

The narrator

Mark Gatiss (born 17 October 1966) is an English actor, screenwriter and novelist. He is best known as a member of the comedy team The League of Gentlemen, and has both written for and acted in the TV series Doctor Who and Sherlock.

Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Gatiss has written three episodes for the 2005-revived BBC television series Doctor Who. His first, “The Unquiet Dead”, aired on 9 April 2005; the second, “The Idiot’s Lantern”, aired on 27 May 2006 as part of the second series. In addition, Gatiss was the narrator for the 2006 season of documentary series Doctor Who Confidential, additionally appearing as an on-screen presenter in the edition devoted to his episode. Gatiss did not contribute a script to the third series, but appeared in the episode “The Lazarus Experiment”, as Professor Lazarus. After his submitted script for the fourth series, involving Nazis and the British Museum, was replaced at the last minute with “The Fires of Pompeii”, he eventually returned to the programme in 2010, writing the (also World War II-themed) episode “Victory of the Daleks” for the fifth series, in which he also appears uncredited as the voice of “Danny Boy”. It has also been confirmed that Gatiss will be writing an episode for the 2011 season of Doctor Who, although details about the story are yet to be revealed.[19]
Gatiss wrote an episode of Sherlock, a modern day Sherlock Holmes series co-produced by him and Steven Moffat. The unaired pilot was shot in January 2009 and a full series was commissioned. This was aired in August 2010 and consisted of 3 episodes. Gatiss also starred in these as Holmes’ older brother Mycroft. A second series has been confirmed, but dates have yet to be decided, since both Gatiss and Moffatt have additional commitments.[20]
Gatiss also wrote and performed the comedy sketches The Web of Caves, The Kidnappers and The Pitch of Fear for the BBC’s “Doctor Who Night” in 1999 with Little Britain’s David Walliams, and played the Master in the Doctor Who Unbound play Sympathy for the Devil under the name “Sam Kisgart”, a pseudonym he later used for a column in Doctor Who Magazine. (The pseudonym is an anagram of “Mark Gatiss”, a nod to Anthony Ainley, who was sometimes credited under an anagram to conceal the Master’s identity from the viewers.) The pseudonym was used again in television listings magazines when he appeared in episode four of Psychoville, so as not to spoil his surprise appearance in advance.
In mainstream print, Gatiss is responsible for an acclaimed biography of the film director James Whale. His first non-Doctor Who novel, The Vesuvius Club, was published in 2004, for which he was nominated in the category of Best Newcomer in the 2006 British Book Awards. A follow up, The Devil in Amber, was released on 6 November 2006. It transports the main character, Lucifer Box, from the Edwardian era in the first book to the roaring Twenties/Thirties. A third and final Lucifer Box novel, Black Butterfly, was published on 3 November 2008 by Simon & Schuster.[21] In this the protagonist finds himself serving Queen Elizabeth II, in the Cold War era.
Gatiss also wrote, co-produced and appeared in Crooked House, a ghost story that was broadcast on BBC Four during Christmas 2008.

Source: Goodreads profile

Telling Tales #AnnCleeves #TellingTales

By Ann Cleeves https://anncleeves.com/ @AnnCleeves

Narrated by Janine Birkett @JangleB

Published by Pan MacMillan, MacMillan UK Audio https://www.panmacmillan.com/ @panmacmillan

432 pages (11 hours 58 minutes) ISBN 9781035012725

Publication date 1 January 2024 (audiobook). First published in 2005.

Telling Tales is the second novel in the Vera Stanhope series.

I was allowed access to an audio review copy on Net Galley https://www.netgalley.com/ @NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. I would like to thank Net Galley, the author and publisher for granting this access.

The Cover

Moody. Early morning mist across open farmland. The story is set in East Yorkshire, so this is a perfect portrayal of spring or autumn.

The narration

Initially I was a little bit surprised because I was expecting the narrator to have a Northeast accent as that is where Vera originates. The standard narration is rather neutral, but as soon as Vera’s surname was pronounced Stan-up I knew things would be just fine regarding Vera. The action is set in East Yorkshire (where I was born, bred and still live) and she manage to pull off a decent local accent which isn’t that easy. Excellent range of voices too, so a great job all round.

My thoughts

This is not a new story for me, I read it shortly after publication, but it is largely one that has slipped from my memory, which is a bit of a surprise seeing as it is set in my locality. If you live outside the major cities, I think you have a special interest in novels set in your hometown or city. The familiarity can bring the story to life, making it feel more realistic and almost tangible. There haven’t been too many novels set in Hull and East Yorkshire, or written by local authors, so there still feels a bit of a novelty reading them. So, coming back to this early Vera tale was no hardship.

The story begins with a dramatic turn, Jeanie Long continues to protest her innocence and so has been turned down for parole again. After ten years inside she his getting desperate, being faced with a moral Catch 22; show fake remorse for a crime she didn’t do and possibly get an early release or continue so say she was wrongly convicted and miss out on parole. With a tormented mind she commits suicide.

This is tragic because new evidence has come to light, a witness to support her alibi of being in London at the time. The case was to be reopened pending the possibility of a miscarriage of justice. The news comes just too late for Jeanie.

The case to be reopened is that of the murder of fifteen-year-old Abigail Mantel whose body was found in a ditch by her best friend Emma. Police scrutiny fell on only one person at the time, Jeanie the lover of Abigail’s father the flamboyant, but scheming, businessman Keith Mantel. So certain were the investigating officers Dan Greenwood and Caroline Fletcher that other possible lines weren’t properly considered.

So, an outsider is needed to clear up this mess, which won’t be easy as Greenwood and Fletcher left the force shortly after the case. Who better to dig around amongst the secrets and lies than the straight-talking no-nonsense DI Vera Stanhope.

The author has a great eye for nature and here she manages to capture the setting to a tee. The plains of Holderness a flat seemingly desolate, farming landscape as far as the eye can see, with big grey skies and early morning mists that permeate the clothes and chill to the bone. So different to what she is used to, as Vera remarks, there’re no hills and if you hang your washing out, they can see it in the next county.

It is not just the setting though, it’s the village life too, the tight, close-knit community that must rub along, burying grudges and secrets temporarily. This is achieved by setting it in fictional village close to Spurn Point (again partly fictionalised in description) with the lifeboatmen and Humber Pilots close by. The lives of the pilots seem to be faithfully portrayed and I’d like to think that if Ruth’s employer had lived in Hull rather than Penzance, Frederick would have been apprenticed as a pilot and not a pirate (Pirates of Penzance.)

The plot centres on keeping dark secrets, arising from human frailty of a sordid nature and the likelihood of actions repeating. At the core are relationships, some inappropriate, whereas others are familial, loyal but at the same time stifling.

There are a cast of interesting characters, and Joe Ashworth does make an appearance, but it is very much a Vera showcase. Interestingly, it takes quite some time for Vera to first appear which has the reader on tenterhooks. Then just like when Orson Wells appears in as Harry Lime in The Third Man, there she is in a corner of the old forge which is now Dan Greenwood’s pottery workshop, rather than a dark doorway in Vienna. This is prime Vera, slightly cantankerous, but wise, observant and inscrutable, like Budda in voluminous blouse and polyester trousers. A woman who people find easy to talk to and underestimate, but all the while takes everything in and can cut through the waffle and ‘crap’. Of course, she gets the best lines and her slightly sarcastic homespun wisdom is there in abundance. In later novels she does appear to mellow a little but here she brooks no nonsense.

Telling Tales can be purchased via the publisher’s website here

The author

ANN CLEEVES is the author of more than thirty-five critically acclaimed novels, and in 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television in ITV’s Vera, BBC One’s Shetland and ITV’s The Long Call respectively. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide. Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of ‘Murder Squad’, working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann also spends her time advocating for reading to improve health and wellbeing and supporting access to books. In 2021 her Reading for Wellbeing project launched with local authorities across the North East, and in 2022 she was awarded an OBE for her services to reading and libraries. She lives in Northumberland where the Vera books are set.

Arctic Sun #JackGrimwood #ArcticSun

By Jack Grimwood (Jon Courtnay Grimwood) http://www.jackgrimwood.com/ @JonCG

Published by Michael Joseph (a division of Penguin UK Books) https://www.penguin.co.uk/ @MichaelJBooks

412 pages ISBN 9780241348338

Publication date 16 November 2023

I was sent a hardback proof copy in exchange for a fair review. I would like to thank Sienna Swire from Penguin Random House for sending me my copy and of course the author.

The Cover

A bleak snowbound collection of huts being approached by inappropriately dressed man. It does the job alright I feel cold just looking at it.

My thoughts

It’s 1987 and secrets are being kept high in the Russian arctic on the Kola peninsula, close to the border with Norway. An accident in a secret Russian development laboratory, hidden under a fake village, results in a devastating explosion. US spy planes and satellites pass over regularly but it is difficult to establish what has happened.

Research zoologist Dr Amelia Blackburn and her Sami assistant Per are nearby investigating the effects on wildlife of the radiation from the Chernobyl melt down and explosion. They come across the ruins of the village and what they discover is shocking. The Russians are desperate to prevent exposure of the accident to the outside world, putting Amelia and Per in grave danger. When British Intelligence get word of their exposure, they realise that Major Tom Fox is the man with the skills and knowledge to rescue Amelia and recover the secrets.

The problem is Tom Fox is ‘out of the game’ and trying to secure custody of son Charlie, following the death of his wife. This custody battle is with her parents and his father-in-law is none other than Lord Charles Eddington, a cabinet minister who has some control over Tom’s destiny. Tom is obliged to go on a fact-finding trip and quickly learns of the seriousness of the situation, which causes him to miss his wife’s funeral.

Charlie is somewhat piggy-in-the-middle of this dispute, there’s a battle over his future but nobody is asking him what he wants. Left to his own devices he unwittingly uncovers secrets of his own and shows finding danger runs in the family.

What a magnificently cold, bleak and desolate piece if espionage fiction this is. The descriptions of the freezing north will have you reaching for the central heating thermostat. The freezing wide open vistas of ice and snow bring home the feeling that one mistake there can end up costing you your life. Make no mistake survival skills and knowledge are essential in an environment every bit a desert as the Sahara.

My description doesn’t just apply to the environment though, the humanity within is equally bleak and desolate, adding to the cold in this Cold War thriller. The jacket quote from Ian Rankin mentions vintage Le Carré and the comparisons are obvious, not so much the prose style but in capturing the empty nihilism at it heart. The absence of morality or even sense of right or wrong, it’s an activity with betrayal at its heart and a sense that will be the fate of all agents, ultimate betrayal. With no honour and little dignity, it is deemed a job that must be done so logically somebody must do it. This brings a hefty dose of realism to balance the action; the glamour of Bond might be something for youngsters to aspire to, but nobody will want to be Tom Fox.

It starts with a funeral, that of Fox’s wife Caro. Bleak enough but Fox’s son Charlie is left bereft and disconsolate at the grave side, Tom doesn’t make it and his grandparents are taking the ultra-dignified stiff upper lip approach. Leaving an eight-year-old surrounded by people but heartbreakingly alone. Charlie is inquisitive and precocious though; he knows his own mind and is determined to do things his way. He can be a little bit too trusting though but proves to be a fabulous character.

Tom is a complex man but a product of his past. Firstly, a damaged childhood without roots and in care. Then recruited to infiltrate and battle the IRA in Ulster at the height of The Troubles, years of living a lie and literally two separate lives proves damaging to his relationships and marriage. This creates a man who instinctively gives nothing away, hardly surprising when one wrong comment could expose his legend in the field, leading to torture and death. One such operation in 1971 in Derry provides a second strand that is both intense, violent and rather visceral, but also provides a link to events of 1987. Truly a viscous, dirty ‘war’ which has a lasting effect on the psyche of those involved, so essential to the plot. It does reinforce one trait of Tom, his trust and friendship, placing his life in the hands of others has made his fiercely loyal.

The timing is ideal, the Soviet Union is showing the cracks before its ultimate disintegration. Ideological madness is starting to make way for ultimate greed. This brings us to KGB officer Dennisov the mad, bad and dangerous to know element the plot needed. A man fuelled on Vodka with the skills of a true survivor in being able to play off both sides at once, he gets the best lines and picks up a ‘cool’ full length white mink coat. A superb counterpoint to the dour troubled Tom.

The plot is straightforward but with some hidden secrets and the odd twist along the way. Thriller fans will get their fill on the regular injection of set piece confrontations and fights before some great chase scenes and a dramatic denouement. At its heart it remains a true thriller.

It may avoid the Bond type gadgets but instead it includes some magnificent Soviet grandiose engineering products. Just as every statue had to be ten times the size it needed to be, these leviathans proved to be overpowered engineering statements of ‘look what we can do.’ A truly inspirational introduction to the regular shoot outs and chases of the genre. If this ever comes to the screen, there is going to be so much fun for the boys’ toys fans of the crew.

Arctic Sun is a reboot of the Cold War thriller, action packed but with an ice cold heart.

Arctic Sun can be purchased via the publisher’s website here

Jack Grimwood, a.k.a Jon Courtenay Grimwood was born in Malta and christened in the upturned bell of a ship. He grew up in the Far East, Britain and Scandinavia. Apart from novels he writes for national newspapers including the Times, Telegraph, Independent and Guardian. Jon is two-time winner of the BSFA Award for Best Novel, with Felaheen, and End of the World Blues. His literary novel, The Last Banquet, as Jonathan Grimwood, was shortlisted for Le Prix Montesquieu 2015. His work is published in fifteen languages. He is married to the journalist and novelist Sam Baker. Moskva is his first thriller.

Source: Goodreads profile

Best Served Cold #HillyBarmby #BestServedCold

By Hilly Barmby https://www.hillybarmbyauthor.com/ @Hilly_Barmby

Published by Hobeck Books https://www.hobeck.net @HobeckBooks

320 pages ISBN 9781915817259

Publication date 14 November 2023

I was sent an electronic copy in exchange for a fair review.  I would like to thank Rebecca at Hobeck Books and the Author for the invitation to participate in the Blog Tour.

The Cover

A woman paddling and a view of Brighton beach. Quite wistful and reflective which matches the scope and content of the story.

My thoughts

The title gives an indication of the motive behind the plot and it isn’t how to serve the perfect pint of lager or gelato. Everyone knows the idiom ‘revenge is a dish “best served cold”’ (from Les Liasons Dangereuses by Pierre Ambroise Francois Choderios de La Clos) and this is what the title refers to. The payback from revenge is most satisfying when it is carefully planned and the timing deferred to the appropriate moment. The desire for revenge can also be self-destructive, like a poison eating away at the core of ones being. It can also come at great cost, as Confucius said “if you seek revenge, dig two graves.” So just how will this most basic of human desires manifest in this thoughtful novel?

A curious start to a novel as Lily, an illustrator, celebrates the publication of her latest work with a brief paddle on Brighton beach, in November. It’s a tradition of hers and as the reader will see rituals, traditions and habits form a central thread which highlights some of the incidents throughout. The very things we create to make us feel comfortable, appear to work against us when they are disrupted and that ultimately come to play on Lily’s mind.

Lily’s book launch passes its first test, people turn up, so the nightmare of the empty room is avoided. The second nightmare is the fixated fan, the obsessive and here Lily has a problem in the form of Rose, who says she attends all her events and asks for a strange inscription in her book. Is she a dangerous stalker, or is she someone who is lost and lonely? Later in the evening when Lily and best friend Alice meet her in the pub they think the former; Rose even makes a reference to Annie Wilkes in Stephen King’s Misery, which is a nice knowing touch. As the night progresses though they become to warm to her and decide to offer her friendship.

Lily has never really got over her student days boyfriend Harry. Rose persuades her to try a dating app and, with the help of Alice, discovers Jack, who they consider excellent boyfriend material. They agree to meet up and a relationship quickly develops. Is Jack the answer to Lily’s prayers? Just as things are blossoming with Jack, strange things start to happen at home, filling her with self-doubt. Is she doing things subconsciously, is her mind paying tricks on her, or is it ghosts of her past resurfacing. Is the past really the past and dead to her.

This is a character-based story and great efforts have been made to create fully formed, interesting and engaging characters along two timelines, the current and a past centring on Lily and Alice’s student days. The whole central portion of the novel is given way to the development of Lily’s relationships with Harry, in the past and Jack in the present. We see Harry was her perfect partner but how he managed to betray her, that his ex, Jo, still had a hold over him and how their love withers on the vine. Jack appears to the man to finally repair her heart and we can feel her relief and joy recovering from a cathartic past. Keeping the cast small allows meatier roles for Rose and in particular Alice (my favourite) who is the caring but slightly mad bestie we would all want. The complexity of inter-relationships is allowed to flourish and the story is more convincing for it.

On top of these love stories is laid a web of psychologically damaging lies and deceits to build a suspenseful story. To me it’s a Hitchcock-lite story, not one of visceral shocks but rather one where the central character thinks their mind is playing tricks, developing paranoia and tension. So often seen on film as the silly, hysterical woman, but it goes beyond coincidence and then happenstance to where they realise that something is going on, when usually it is too late. The author has done a brilliant job on this slow build-up and gradual deterioration of mind set towards the finale which will result in bated breath for the reader. To all-out action fans, it may feel a little pedestrian, but it does get quite frantic when it needs to. As the title implies revenge will be sweeter for the waiting.

The story is not devoid of action and jeopardy, as it is bookended by it. Early on there is a #MeToo incident which arrives with a bit of a shock like a slap to the face. The ending is quite fitting to the long build up where the readers patience is rewarded with a satisfying conclusion.

Best Served Cold is a beautifully crafted suspense story of poisonous revenge.  

Best Served Cold can be purchased direct from the publisher here

The author

Hilly attended Rochester College of Art to experience an excellent Foundation Course, which led to a degree course in Graphic Design at Central School of Art and Design in London. Here, she led a colourful life, which she has woven into many of her stories.

After her degree course, she went on a woodworking course to make furniture. Combining her art and woodworking skills, she got a stall at Covent Garden Craft Market to sell hand-made chess and backgammon sets.

She moved to Brighton, a fabulous city and this is where Best Served Cold is set. After teaching Design Technology for fifteen years, she gave it all up to relocate to Órgiva in southern Spain. She has been here for the last seven years, living happily in an old farmhouse on an organic fruit farm in the mountains, with her partner and two rescue dogs.

Hilly is also part of Artists’ Network Alpujarra (ANA), a community of artists who have exhibited extensively in the region of the Alpujarra. She also makes ceramics, jewellery, and up-cycles anything not nailed down.

Source: Publisher’s website

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The First 48 Hours #SimonKernick #TheFirst48Hours

By Simon Kernick @simonkernick

Published by Headline https://www.headline.co.uk/ @headlinepg

389 pages ISBN 9781472292407

Publication date 9 November 2023

I was sent a paperback proof copy in exchange for a fair review. I would like to thank Joe Thomas from Headline for sending me my copy and of course the author.

The Cover

A clock just to hammer home the importance of The First 48 Hours. Clearly the reader can expect a lot to happen in these 48 hours.

My thoughts

Critics, reviewers and bloggers all stress the importance of the beginning of the novel. The author must grab the reader’s attention. This is especially important in the case of those who preview for the press, often they will receive dozens of books many of which they will not read. They all adopt a filtering procedure and for many that will be reading the first x pages or first chapter and they will only read on if its good. The prologue here includes a kidnapping that goes wrong, with disastrous consequences, so we are immediately up and running and in safe hands. It passes the reviewers acid test.

Much less is said about endings though, perhaps it’s the risk of giving away spoilers, but for me it’s a big disappointment to work your way through three or four hundred pages and then be fobbed off with a weak ending. Sometimes the ending might be ambiguous, as in setting up a sequel, which can be forgiven. Here the ending is simply superb, the build up to it is frantic, the action dramatic and the conclusion produces an outlet of bated breath. If you are reading in the privacy of your home you might want to do a little fist pump, nobody will look down on you. Bravo Mr Kernick, what a great ending, one of the best I’ve read this year.

The story revolves around a kidnapping, a crime much overlooked in the genre, and so the plot appears straightforward, and in many ways it is. However, there is a high degree of complexity added to the mix by relationships, knowledge and motivations, which keep being introduced to throughout the storyline. Each new piece of information changes the perception of what is going on. It is clear what has happened but who is pulling the strings and why is difficult to determine amongst all the bluff and deception.

The simplicity of structure allows much more space for the characters to fully develop and they are a fascinating and gruesome collection for us to delight over.  

The kidnappee is a young woman called Elle who works as a nurse and is probably the most likeable one, someone who we can at least feel empathy for. Her mother, Becca, is a defence lawyer who has developed a bit of a reputation in achieving acquittals seemingly against the odds. Yes, there is the taxi rank rule (where when you make it to the top of the list you take the next job) and everybody deserves a good defence, but Becca pulls out all the stops. This means she has connections in low places, who ooze real menace, which may one day prove useful. The ransom demand confuses her, she feels she must deliver if she wants to see Elle again, but this comes after years of putting her job first.

The kidnappers, who have earned the sobriquet ‘The Vanishers’ are a delightfully grotesque (from the more original meaning) couple who provide much of the entertainment and slapstick moments in a story with few light spots. She is a part-time dominatrix, early middle-aged but still decidedly sexy, who survived her first husband and inherited his funeral directors business. Forthright and determined she has a heart as cold as liquid nitrogen. Her second husband is not exactly a charmer, but she has managed to knock off some of the rougher edges since she met him, when he was known as ‘The Slice’ for being adept with a craft knife. Now he is her submissive and something of a loyal puppy. A decidedly odd couple they appear to be and they harbour secrets.

The crack police team on their case are specialists from the National Crime Agency (NCA) Anti Kidnap and Extortion Unit, the two principles having their ranks flipped following the initial disaster laid bare in the prologue. One of them has a secret though and is not all he seems to be.

There is a lot of activity crammed into the novel, with two incident packed days, but even so it is one you glide through with ease. Not quiet as full on as Relentless, but then few novels are, even so you will not be discarding this once you have started, and the final few chapters will have you on the edge of the seat.

It is said that the first 24 to 48 hours are vital in the cases of missing persons and kidnaps and that is clearly apparent from the storyline. The constant risk of discovery or detection, the anxiety and frustration waiting for the next call with instructions are truly gripping. This must clearly have a devastating effect on loved ones in real life situations.

The First 48 Hours is a gripping crime thriller from one of the best in the business.

The First 48 Hours can be purchased via the publisher’s website here

The author

Simon Kernick is a number one bestseller and one of the UK’s most popular thriller writers, with huge hits including KILL A STRANGER, GOOD COP BAD COP, RELENTLESS, THE LAST 10 SECONDS, SIEGE and the BONE FIELD series.

Blood on Shakespeare’s Typewriter #MarkEklid #BloodOnShakespearesTypewriter

By Mark Eklid @MarkEklid

Published by Spellbound Books https://www.spellboundbooks.co.uk/ @SpellBoundBks

290 pages ISBN TBA

Publication date 30 September 2023

I was sent an electronic copy to enable be to participate in this Blog Tour. I would like to thank Tracy @Tr4cyF3nt0n from Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to take part and of course the author and publisher.

The Cover

Couldn’t be better, a photograph of a blood splattered mechanical typewriter, Shakespeare’s very own no less, with the title on a sheet in the carriage. Then there is the dreadful but brilliant pun in the strapline, oh I do approve!

My thoughts

The mess all begins when Ronnie Bridgman is on a night out with his wife to celebrate their anniversary. It doesn’t go as well as they hoped, mainly down to his uncouth behaviour. So he’s in a bad mood when he gets home and shortly is going to be incandescent. His high-end security system has been breached and some thieving toerag has had the temerity to burgle his house. They’ve got away with jewels, expensive watches, cash and the contents of his special safe. He is determined that someone will pay dearly for this, and he is determined to get one item in particular back; it is essential he gets it back. You see, Ronnie is very wealthy, a successful businessman, a special kind of businessman, one with contacts.

Dan Khan is unemployed and lives with his girlfriend Shannon in a council flat in Sheffield. She is the breadwinner, working at Asda, whereas he is drifting through life unable to stick at anything. One afternoon after a few games of pool at the local pub, The Swan, he returns with an object that is going to change his life. Fingerless Frankie has sold him an old typewriter, but not any old typewriter but the one that William Shakespeare wrote his plays and sonnets on. How cool is that! There is even a letter of authenticity from an Oxford university professor so it must be genuine. Frankie must be a mug to let it go for just £50, it must be worth thousands.

Only now things start to get complex and a little bit dangerous for all concerned.

A ludicrous premise beautifully played out. Shakespeare’s typewriter (well all know he used a biro), surely nobody would fall for that, but believe me these people walk amongst us. Here the people on the lower rungs of society are accurately but kindly portrayed. Go into certain pubs during the day and you will find these people on the fringes; in some places you will be offered an array of goods of dubious provenance. Frankie’s nickname is perfect being simultaneously ridiculous (because he has fingers) but also holds some logic. His exasperation and bewilderment as he desperately tries to buy the typewriter back from Dan is almost tangible. That Dan thinks that he can summon the spirit of the Bard himself by using his typewriter and write a crime novel (with no knowledge of the process itself) is funny enough; his efforts which he takes seriously are comic genius. Like ‘Springtime for Hitler’ in The Producers so awful they are poetic, leaving me wanting to read more. As for his leading lady, well she’s quite a woman and deserves a novel of her own, I’ll say no more than that.

The plot is simple, somewhat linear but perfectly judged. Dan and Shannon have something that someone wants and is determined to get. It all goes to show that in the end it is down to the story telling and here we have a cracking little story. It starts of funny, even a little bit silly as the situation is set up. Then it gets more serious as searching and chases develop with a sense of danger and some casualties before a starkly pleasing conclusion. The blend of comedy and action is well mixed and includes just the right amount of menace when needed, not slapstick style but with some violence.

The language and dialogue are fabulous, pitched perfectly for each level and the descriptions are wonderful; Fingerless Frankie “the burglar who left with less than he broke in with.” There also some colourful side stories such as how Roger came to change his bar snack provider and the Messi shirt. Just the sort of nonsense stories that come out in the hour before closing time, I’ve heard hundreds of them over the years. Remember this is grim South Yorkshire not the cosy Cotswolds.

It is the characters that are so well judged they bring the story alive. Some are slightly mad, somewhat larger than life but at the same time remaining believable, well almost. It’s nice that a prominent role has been given to a character with a disability but developed properly and not include for the sake of being woke. I think the true test for a reader is would you like to read more about these characters and I this case it is a resounding yes, even if it were just a cameo in some future and not a full follow up.

Blood on Shakespeare’s Typewriter is a pitch perfect comedy crime caper.

Blood on Shakespeare’s Typewriter can be purchased from Amazon here

The author

Long before Mark Eklid first became a published author, writing was his living.

His background is as a newspaper journalist, starting out with the South Yorkshire Times in 1984 and then on to the Derby Telegraph, until leaving full-time work in March 2020.

Most of Mark’s time at the Telegraph was as their cricket writer, a role that brought national recognition in the 2012 and 2013 England and Wales Cricket Board awards. He contributed for 12 years to the famed Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack and had many articles published in national magazines, annuals and newspapers.

Writing as a profession meant writing for pleasure had to be put on the back burner but when his work role changed, Mark returned to one of the many half-formed novels in his computer files and, this time, saw it through to publication.

The Murder of Miss Perfect (July 2022) was his first novel for SpellBound Books, followed by Blood on Shakespeare’s Typewriter (September 2023). Mark had previously self-published Sunbeam (November 2019), Family Business (June 2020) and Catalyst (February 2021).

All five are fast-moving, plot-twisting thrillers set in the city of his birth, Sheffield.

Mark lives in Derby with his partner, Sue. They have two adult sons and have been adopted by a cat.

Source: Amazon profile

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