December 2020 - The Quick and the Read

Brilliant Books that don’t fit on my other lists of 2020

So far, I’ve written my top 10 non-fiction books of 2020, top 10 historical fiction and top 10 crime fiction. That just about covers my favourite genres!

However, it misses out some absolutely fabulous books that don’t really fit those lists, so here are 6 more books I’ve loved in 2020 and wanted to shout about!

This lists features affiliate links – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you).

‘The Great Godden’ by Meg Rosoff

I loved this YA coming-of-age tale which captured a long, hot summer and the obsession of young love.

The story follows an unnamed narrator as they spend a summer with their family by the beach – and the Godden brothers whose arrival changes everything.

It isn’t a book that I’d usually pick up but comparisons to ‘I Capture the Castle’ in the blurb won me over – and I’m so glad I read it.

‘Zeus is a Dick’ by Susie Donkin

This is a hilarious retelling of the Greek myths by one of the writers on the very funny ‘Horrible Histories’ BBC TV programme. Although that show was for kids, this is very much an adults’ book as Donkin points out all the ways in which Zeus was – as the title suggests – a dick. There’s a lot of swearing and irreverence…and I loved it!

You can read my original review here.

‘Longhand’ by Andy Hamilton

This was a book that I read for a blog tour and I was totally caught up in the premise – a man leaving a handwritten letter for his long-term partner explaining why he has to leave. It is totally unexpected, funny in places and also very moving.

I would totally recommend this brilliant, quirky book – you can read my review here.

‘The Switch’ by Beth O’Leary

Another book that is outside of my usual genres, but I loved O’Leary’s ‘The Flat Share’ and knew that I had to read this one.

This is the story of Leena and her grandmother Eileen and their plan to switch lives for two months. Eileen heads for London and a chance to find a man while Leena looks forward to a relaxing time in her grandmother’s home in a tiny Yorkshire village. Of course, nothing works out as expected – but this is a heart-warming gem so you know nothing too bad will happen!

‘Grave Secrets’ by Alice James

This was one of my surprise favourite books of the year – and another one that isn’t one of my usual reads at all.

This is the story of estate agent by day, necromancer by night Lavington Windsor and her encounters with zombies, vampires and the dark side of a small village in Staffordshire! It’s packed with humour of a very British variety – and is brilliant.

You can read my original review here.

‘Cows Can’t Jump’ by Philip Bowne

This was another blog tour read and another surprise hit – this is one of the books that I’ve told everyone I can about!

This is a coming-of-age story that is full of humour and quirks. Billy is a 17 year-old boy who lacks direction – he begins the novel as a trainee gravedigger before embarking on some rather odd schemes to allow him to take a road trip across Europe in pursuit of a girl. The characterisation is fabulous and the reader is totally pulled into Billy’s story.

This is a great debut novel and I hope there is a lot more to come from this writer.

You can read my review here.

WWW Wednesday – 30th December, 2020

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Taking on a World of Words. Anyone can take part and it is a great way of sharing what you have just finished reading, what you are currently reading and what is next on the TBR.

Affiliate links are provided – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you!)

What have you recently finished reading?

It’s been a slightly more productive reading week – it’s not like there was much else to do because I was in isolation for most of it!

I finished ‘The Art of Death’ by David Fennell, a very tense crime thriller about a serial killer who sets up art installations on the streets of London featuring his victims. It’s a creepy idea and the female detective, DI Grace Archer, is a great character. This will be released in February 2021 so a review will follow nearer the time. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Next, I listened to an audiobook of ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens (read by Hugh Grant). It’s a book I know well (having taught it quite a few times) but it was good to have it read to me and I liked Grant’s reading – lots of character voices and a lively pace. The perfect listen for Christmas Eve – it sound-tracked my present wrapping which, as usual, I’d left too late!

Next I read ‘The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires’ by Grady Hendrix which has been on my TBR for a long time. Although I did quite enjoy it, it really wasn’t what I expected – I wanted sexy vampires and female solidarity, a kind of middle-aged ‘True Blood’ with added books! It was much darker than I anticipated – good, but didn’t quite deliver what I expected.

Lastly, I read ‘How to Solve a Murder’ by Derek and Pauline Tremain, a non-fiction book about the experiences of a couple who met while working for the forensic department at Guy’s Hospital. This was a a gruesome but fascinating trip through careers spent working on investigations into various modes of death. This will be published by Harper Collins in January and a review will follow. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

What are you reading now?

I’m reading ‘Dark Memories’ by Liz Mistry, the next instalment in the excellent crime series featuring DS Nikki Parekh. I really loved the last book and am excited to be joining a blog tour for this one in January – watch out for my review.

I’m also reading ‘Maiden Voyages’ by Sian Evans, a fascinating look at a range of women who undertook trans-Atlantic sea voyages during the ‘Golden Age’ – approximately the time between the wars. I am really enjoying this insight into past women’s lives, from the celebrities in first class to the stewardesses who worked on the luxury liners.

What do you think you will read next?

I was extremely fortunate to get given a lot of books for Christmas so I’m going to enjoy working my way through some of these before I begin my January TBR.

In particular, I can’t wait to start Professor Sue Black’s ‘Written in Bone’ – as a celebrated forensic anthropologist, she has had a fascinating career and I loved her first book, ‘All that Remains’.

I’ve also heard really good things about ‘Scoff’ by Penelope Vogler, an exploration of the links between food and social class. I love social history and this one has had excellent reviews.

Hope you have all had a good week – and wishing you all the best for 2021!

My 10 Bookish Surprises of 2020

I am a life-long bookworm, but 2020 marked the point at which a hobby became something so much bigger. This blog was born in July 2020 after years of writing NetGalley reviews and it has supplied the steepest learning curve of all!

Aside from the usual revelations to bloggers (the vagaries of WordPress, for example), there have been some genuine bookish surprises in this very strange year.

Here are just a few things that have given me food for thought this year…

Book Twitter is fabulous…

Many thanks to all the lovely bloggers who have crossed my path this year – I have been genuinely astounded at how lovely the bookish community is on Twitter and grateful about how I’ve been welcomed.

I have to make special mentions of the Tsundoko Squad and The Write Reads crew – you guys have been just wonderful in this otherwise pretty awful year!

…but it loves a drama

With this in mind, I’ve also been astonished at how many Twitter spats seem to happen. I get that we are an opinionated bunch of people, but I’ve been bemused by lots of arguments this year. I’m way too old for all that!

Reading non-fiction puts you in a minority

I’ve always read loads of non-fiction and assumed everyone else did too. Wrong!

Incidentally, you can read my top 10 non-fiction reads of 2020 here.

It’s sometimes fun to read outside your genres

One thing that has surprised me this year is how much I’ve enjoyed some books I really didn’t expect to! I think of myself mainly as a reader of historical and crime fiction, plus a lot of non-fiction. However, this year some of my favourite books have been odd choices for me – YA romance (‘The Great Godden’ by Meg Rosoff), vampires (‘Grave Secrets’ by Alice James) and a book about graveyards (and so much more! ‘A Tomb with a View’ by Peter Ross).

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There is always someone who has read more than you

I’ve always read loads but not on the scale of most of Book Twitter! I’ll finish this year on about 120 books and that’s just fine.

Seasonal reading is a thing

Having never read Christmas books, I honestly didn’t really register that seasonal-themed reading was a thing. Not just Christmas, but Halloween and pretty much any other holiday/season/event you can think of – there will be a corner of Book Twitter and many blogs dedicated to it. Mind blown.

I still haven’t read any Christmas books though!

Bookstagram is huge…and I still don’t get it

I’m way too old to get Instagram.

I’m seriously impressed at the dedication of those who lovingly photograph books in gorgeous settings and with fabulous lighting. It’s one of those things that is beyond my skill set, like knitting or skiing or being able to carry off wearing a hat. Carry on, everyone else!

My favourite books of the year weren’t ones I expected

I’m pretty good at choosing books for myself – it’s pretty rare that I DNF books and have enjoyed pretty much everything I’ve picked up this year.

What I’m less good at is predicting the books that I will adore – the ones I’ll be raving to everyone about forever. This year, there have been some brilliant surprises – ‘Cows Can’t Jump’ by Philip Bowne, ‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth’ by Matson Taylor and ‘The Quickening’ by Rhiannon Ward to name just three fantastic examples.

Affiliate links are below because everyone needs a copy of these! Thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases.

Buddy reading is fun

I’d always been sceptical about buddy reads and reading groups. Then I worked my way through ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier with The Write Reads bunch and I have honestly never laughed so much. I not only finished a book that I’ve failed to read on other occasions, I totally enjoyed the chat and there will be elements of it that stay with me for quite a while!

I’m not sure who book blogs are really for

I’ve loved every minute of setting up and writing my blog this year (technical issues aside – curse you, JetPack) but I’m no clearer on who it is really for. Website hits, though satisfying, aren’t massively high and feedback is limited.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ll keep writing the blog for me – and if any of you want to carry on reading then GREAT!

Here’s to a 2021 that is everything that 2020 wasn’t!

My Top 10 Crime Fiction Books of 2020

I love crime fiction and there have been some brilliant books published in this genre in 2020! I’ll admit that I’m particularly partial to a police procedural and love a twisty crime thriller.

I have included only contemporary crime in this list – historical crime fiction features rather heavily on my top 10 historical novels of the year here.

Affiliate links are provided – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you).

Here are my top 10 crime novels of this year, starting at number 10…

10 – ‘Neon’ by G S Locke

This is serial killer thriller with a very unconventional detective duo who are working very much outside the law themselves! It’s an absolute page -turner set on the gritty streets of Birmingham – you can read my original review here.

9 – ‘Knife Edge’ by Simon Mayo

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Simon Mayo’s novel as I’m always a bit sceptical when people in the public eye turn to writing. However, I needn’t have been worried – this is a tense, tightly-plotted novel with terrorism at its fore. It keeps you reading from the very first pages when the first attacks take place in rush-hour London. You can read my full review here.

8 – ‘The Cutting Place’ by Jane Casey

I’m a huge fan of the DS Maeve Kerrigan series – this is the ninth book and I think could work as a stand alone (but why miss the other 8?!) This story is about uncovering corruption at the highest levels in society and it is another excellent police procedural. My review is here.

7 – ‘Their Silent Graves’ by Carla Kovach

This is the seventh book in the crime series featuring DI Gina Harte – I personally think this is one of the best in an always-excellent series. In this book (which I think could be read as a stand alone), Harte and her team are called in to investigate some particularly chilling Halloween murders in which a serial killer stalks the residents of a town. You can read my review here.

6 – ‘The Watcher’ by Kate Medina

I could not put this book down when I read it for a blog tour earlier in the year! It is gruesome, gritty and absolutely edge-of-your-seat tense. The story is about a killer who stalks their victims and leaves horrific crime scenes, but what I really loved was the fact that one of the investigators is a police psychologist, Dr Jessie Flynn. This gives a different flavour to the police procedural and I’m hoping Dr Flynn will feature in many more books. My review is here.

5 – ‘The Postscript Murders’ by Elly Griffiths

This one is a slightly cosier option than some of my other choices. In this, an unusual mix of characters come together to solve the killing of a ‘murder consultant’ who helps authors with their crime novels. I really enjoyed the combination of a cleverly-plotted murder mystery with the literary backdrop to it all. My original review can be read here.

4 – ‘Lost Cause’ by Rachel Lynch

This is the eighth instalment in the brilliant crime series featuring DI Kelly Porter and set in the Lake District. I think this is a high-point in a series that can always be relied upon to deliver solid police procedurals with plenty of twists. In this book, Porter and her team are investigating the brutal death of a woman whose abused body is found in a bin – but is she the only victim? It is grim and gritty but absolutely compelling. My review is here.

3 – ‘All Fall Down’ by M J Arlidge

In a kind of modern twist on the classic ‘A Murder is Announced’, victims are being warned of their own impending demise in a phone call. DI Helen Grace and her team are called in to investigate and begin to find connections to events eight years before. This is tense and twisty and really quite creepy – full review here.

2 – ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ by Richard Osman

This was a highly-anticipated debut from Richard Osman and I was charmed by this mystery set in a retirement village. Although the mystery plot was well handled, the real strength of this book was the characterisation and emotional punch. You can read my review here.

1 – ‘Broken Silence’ by Liz Mistry

This was one of those books that I was totally unprepared for – the pacing, the twists and the tension all totally took me by surprise and I loved it! It’s a gritty tale of Bradford’s criminal underworld featuring DS Nikki Parekh (who I loved) investigating the disappearance of a fellow police officer and I absolutely raced through it! Full review here.

Header photo by Maggie Yap on Unsplash.

WWW Wednesday – 23rd December, 2020

Links are provided for books already published – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you!)

What have you recently finished reading?

Yay, it’s the school holidays so I have the gift of more reading time! Unfortunately, 2020 also gifted me Covid, so I haven’t been able to make the most of my time because I feel like my brain is full of cotton wool.

Still, since last WWW Wednesday, I read Mel Giedroyc’s ‘The Best Things’ which I hoped would be fun and uplifting – and it mostly was. This is the story of a wealthy family who fall on hard times and learn to be resourceful to get through. I love Mel Giedroyc and her humour does come through in the book – review to follow.

I also finished my audiobook of Sandi Toksvig reading ‘Toksvig’s Almanac 2021’ which is packed with interesting snippets of information about women who have (mostly) been forgotten by history and yet did really notable things. I did enjoy the lively narration but felt that the contents of the book don’t really lend themselves to a cohesive listening experience – I’ve got a hardback copy of the book that I plan to look at too in order to pick up the bits I missed on the audio.

What are you reading now?

In order to combat the brain fog, I’ve gone for a fast-paced and lively read! I’m reading ‘The Art of Death’ by David Fennell, a serial killer crime novel with a female detective, DI Grace Archer. So far the killer has taken to displaying murder victims as art installations on the streets of London and it is fair to say I’m hooked…

What do you think you will read next?

I’m going to continue with the crime novels as this seems to be keeping me reading at the moment!

I’ve just been granted access to the new Liz Mistry book on NetGalley (‘Dark Memories’) – I loved the previous book in this series featuring DS Nikki Parekh and cannot wait to read this one.

I’ve also just bought ‘One by One’ by Ruth Ware after hearing so many great reviews.

So that’s me for this week! As always, thanks to NetGalley for keeping me in great books in exchange for honest reviews.

Header photo with thanks to Aaron Burden for sharing their work on Unsplash.

My Top 10 Historical Fiction Books of 2020

The genre I’ve read most this year is – hands down – historical fiction. I love a story set in a vivid and colourful past and am particularly drawn to the Victorian era – although I can be tempted into other time periods occasionally!

For the purposes of my list, I’ve included books set more than 50 years in the past and published this year(ish!)

Affiliate links are provided – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you).

Without further ado, here are my top 10 historical reads of the year ranked from 10 to 1 *cue ‘Top of the Pops’ theme tune*…

10 – ‘Jeeves and the Leap of Faith’ by Ben Schott

It might not quite hit the spot like an authentic Wodehouse Jeeves and Wooster novel, but it is joyous and funny and well worth a read. Bertie’s antics as an undercover spy in this novel are always entertaining and – luckily – faithful valet Jeeves is never too far away. You can read my original review here.

9 – ‘Midnight at Malabar House’ by Vaseem Khan

This is an excellent murder mystery set in Bombay as 1949 turns into 1950 and heralds a new decade of Indian independence. Inspector Wadia, India’s first female police officer who has been rather side-lined in her career, is called in to investigate a high-profile and politically sensitive killing. This looks to be the first book in a very promising series! You can read my original review here.

8 – ‘V for Victory’ by Lissa Evans

Set in London during World War II, this is the third (and, I think, final) book in Lissa Evans’ excellent series that started with ‘Crooked Heart’ and then ‘Old Baggage’. It weaves together the stories of those caught up in the war and is just packed with charm and a whole host of fascinating characters. You can read my review here.

7 – ‘People of Abandoned Character’ by Clare Whitfield

This is a seriously sinister book! Set in London during the height of the Jack the Ripper murders, the story follows Susannah, a newly-wed nurse who starts to suspect that her husband is involved in the crimes. My review is here.

6 – ‘The Betrayals’ by Bridget Collins

Collins’ second novel (after the brilliant ‘The Binding’) is an absolute treat! It is set in a university sometime in the first half of the twentieth century – my money is on the 1930s – and centres on a mysterious ‘Grand Jeu’ that is played by academics. The book is multi-layered and almost impossible to untangle in order to do it justice in a review. You can read my (attempt at a) review here.

5 – ‘The Graves of Whitechapel’ by Claire Evans

Regular blog visitors will know that I’m quite obsessed with books set in the Victorian era and this is just one example – set in 1882 on the grimy streets of East London, it is an atmospheric and pacey murder mystery. You can read my original review here.

4 – ‘Death in the East’ by Abir Mukherjee

I read this series of books all in the wrong order, but was absolutely blown away by this – the fourth instalment in Mukherjee’s series set in 1920s India (cut with flashback scenes in the Whitechapel of 1905). This is absolutely excellent historical crime fiction and I cannot wait to see what Captain Sam Wyndham and his Sergeant, Surrender-Not Banerjee, do next! My review is here.

3 – ‘The Devil and the Dark Water’ by Stuart Turton

Another historical crime novel, this time set on a ship sailing from the Dutch East Indies to Amsterdam in 1634. The voyage seems cursed from the start after a mysterious event at the docks and the strange collection of ship-mates have an eventful trip ahead of them! My review is here.

2 – ‘The Quickening’ by Rhiannon Ward

I absolutely loved this spooky, gothic tale! Set in 1925, it tells the story of a pregnant woman who takes a photography commission at the creepy Clewer Hall in order to make ends meet. As she works, she begins to uncover a story surrounding a seance that was held at the Hall in 1896 – an event that has had lasting repercussions. You can read my review here.

Also, at the point I wrote this, this book is 99p on Kindle – definitely worth snapping up now!

1 – ‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth’ by Matson Taylor

Only just squeaking into my historical list by a few years, this is a glorious coming-of-age novel set in 1960s Yorkshire. I fell in love with sixteen year-old Evie and her quaintly naïve telling of her story. It is funny and charming and copies may well be gifted by me quite a few times this Christmas! You can read my original review here.

Header photo by Emmanuel Phaeton on Unsplash.

My Top 10 Non-Fiction Books of 2020

I read a lot of non-fiction books this year – regular visitors to the blog will know that I love history, popular culture, books about books, feminism and biography in particular.

So while I cannot possibly say I’ve read a huge variety of the fabulous non-fiction books published this year, I have found some real gems. In true ‘Top of the Pops’ style (yes, I am of that vintage!), here’s my countdown of the best in 2020’s non-fiction books from number 10 to 1…

Affiliate links are included – thank you for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you).

10 – ‘The Gran Tour: Travels with my Elders’ by Ben Aitken

If someone had told me that one of my favourite books of the year would be about a young man going on Shearings coach tours, I’m not sure I’d have believed you! Still, this is a witty, warm and wise story about Aitken’s travels with the older generation and is more focused on interesting people-watching than any real travel narrative. You can read my full review here.

I also read Aitken’s ‘A Chip Shop in Poznan’, an engaging tale of his year in Poland just as Brexit-fever took hold of Britain.

9 – ‘Practically Perfect: Life Lessons from Mary Poppins’ by Katy Brand

Having been raised on the glorious 1964 film of ‘Mary Poppins’, this book was a fabulously comfortable and engaging read. Brand is clearly a Poppins-obsessive and it is something I both recognise and respect! This book is packed with nostalgia, interesting facts and witty analysis. You can read my review here.

If this one floats your boat, Brand’s book about Dirty Dancing is also well worth a read (‘I Carried a Watermelon’).

8 – ‘Essex Girls: For Profane and Opinionated Women Everywhere’ by Sarah Perry

This is a brilliant re-evaluation of the stereotype of the Essex girl and a celebration of ‘profane and opinionated women’ through history. As a Southend-born and long-term Chelmsford resident, this one struck a chord with me. You can read my full review here.

7 – ‘This is Shakespeare’ by Emma Smith

I love a book about Shakespeare and I’ve read a lot! What I loved about this one was the fact that it contained so many new things that I hadn’t really thought about before, even for the plays that I consider that I know really well. You can read my review here.

If this is your thing, I can also recommend Kathryn Harkup’s ‘Death by Shakespeare’, a fascinating look at the deaths in Shakespeare from a scientific perspective. Dark but absolutely engrossing! (review here)

6 – ‘How Love Actually Ruined Christmas (or Colourful Narcotics)’ by Gary Raymond

A late entry into my favourites list but this one is hilarious! I am really not a fan of the film ‘Love Actually’ at all and I really enjoyed Raymond’s scene-by-scene evisceration of it. Thoughtfully-written and genuinely enlightening…and did I mention very, very funny?! You can read my full review here.

5 – ‘Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity from Bronze Age to Silver Screen’ by Greg Jenner

This is a thoroughly enjoyable jaunt through the culture of celebrity. Jenner, who was historian for the BBC’s excellent ‘Horrible Histories’ TV series, is an engaging guide and brings together stories that are funny, interesting and also occasionally tragic. You can read my review here.

If you like the look of this, I can also recommend Jenner’s first book, ‘A Million Years in A Day’, a book focusing on the history of the things we do every day.

4 – ‘Difficult Women: A History of Feminism in 11 Fights’ by Helen Lewis

This is a history of feminism, but with a difference – it focused on the lesser-known figures and events so that it really feels fresh and engaging. You can read my full review here.

3 – ‘A Curious History of Sex’ by Kate Lister

I supported this book on the crowd-funded publishing site, Unbound, after following Dr Kate Lister on Twitter for a while. Her take on social (sexual) history is funny, feminist and always interesting. The book itself is eye-opening and fascinating, plus Lister donated a proportion of her profits to a sex worker charity. You can read my full review here.

2 – ‘More Than A Woman’ by Caitlin Moran

Moran’s books are always worth a read, but this take on what it means to be a middle-aged woman is brilliant. She is funny and confessional, relatable and quick with her razor-sharp observations. My review can be read here.

Moran’s earlier book, ‘How to be a Woman’, about being a younger woman, is also eminently readable:

1 – ‘A Tomb With a View’ by Peter Ross

OK, so a book ostensibly about graveyards and death might be a bit of an odd choice for my non-fiction book of the year, but hear me out! This is the book that I have talked about to people more than any other this year and it is an absolute treasure.

More than anything, it celebrates life and the people associated with graveyards and burial grounds and ossuaries: the historians, the mourners and the grave-tenders and those who carry out burial rites, as well as the departed. It is strangely comforting and absolutely compelling. Although sometimes sad, it isn’t depressing at all.

This is a brilliant book and one I strongly recommend. You can read my full review here.

Header photo by Rahul Pandit from Burst.

WWW Wednesday – 16th December, 2020

Affiliate links are provided for books – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you!)

What have you recently finished reading?

I’ve finished my *TOP SECRET* book for the BBNYA judging panel. Results will be out soon so I’ll be able to talk about it soon.

I’ve also finished ‘The Inverts’ by Crystal Jeans, a 1920s-set tale of two childhood friends, Bart and Bettina, who marry to hide their same-sex love interests from society. It’s bold and brash and I really enjoyed it, although some of the sensibilities felt very modern rather than authentically of the period. Still, it’s a lively read and one I’ll review fully nearer to publication date in April 2021.

I was also lucky enough to be granted access by NetGalley to Brian Bilston’s new poetry collection, ‘Alexa, what is there to know about love?’ Regular Twitter users will have probably come across Bilston’s witty and extremely clever poetry by now and this book is as lovely as I expected. The wordplay is sharp and I loved the mind-bogglingly varied inspirations for the poems; there aren’t many poets who can veer from Cleopatra to Google or Wordsworth to Mills and Boon with so much panache! A full review will follow nearer the publication date in January 2021.

What are you reading now?

As we near the end of term, I’m not reading so much because I fall asleep as soon as I pick up a book. Audiobooks are proving my salvation – I’m still listening to Sandi Toksvig’s reading of her ‘Toksvig’s Almanac 2021’ and I’ve moved on to ‘The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ by Douglas Adams (read by Stephen Fry) with the kids. Aside from a few saucy references I’d forgotten in the latter (funny but probably not wholly child-friendly), all is good.

What do you think you will read next?

I still have no real clue what I’ll read next – I decide totally on mood which is why ‘The Inverts’ was picked up this week even though it was a way down the TBR.

I do want to clear some of my NetGalley shelf before Christmas (when – no doubt – more books will arrive!) so I’m eyeing up ‘Dangerous Women’ by Hope Adams, ‘Hyde’ by Craig Russell and ‘The Best Things’ by Mel Giedroyc. But we shall see…

With thanks to NetGalley for keeping me in books – all the mentioned books are from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, with the exception of ‘The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ which I bought from the always-excellent Audible service.

Header photo with thanks to Andreea Radu for sharing their work on Unsplash.

Books That Matter – December 2020 Subscription Box

The December 2020 Books That Matter feminist subscription box has arrived! Warning – spoilers ahead for those of you waiting on your delivery.

The Box

The December box is themed ‘We glow through what we go through’ – nope, I’m not entirely sure what that really means either!

As usual, it is beautifully wrapped in pink tissue paper and features a range of gifts and a book of the month. This month’s contents are:

The book – ‘Delayed Rays of a Star’ by Amanda Lee Koe
A ‘Goodbye 2020, Hello 2021’ reflective journal
A metal keyring
A Teapigs uplifting tea bag
Joe and Seph’s Salted Caramel popcorn
Bookmark
‘We glow through what we go through’ booklet

My Review

The book this month is one that I haven’t heard of, but it looks absolutely brilliant. I love the idea of the 1930s setting and the focus on the women involved in the film industry.

The journal isn’t one that I’d really use, but my daughter will so that is fine. It is beautifully produced and has lots of prompts for reflection. It is excellent quality, but just not really my thing.

The bookmark and keyring are lovely and will be used. The keyring in particular is lovely quality – made of a heavy metal and featuring the box theme.

The Teapigs tea is nice, although one tea bag feels a bit mean!

I really couldn’t get on with the popcorn – I’m not a fan of mixed sweet and savoury flavours – and I couldn’t even palm it off on my children, so this one isn’t a winner.

The booklet, produced by ‘Books That Matter’ and giving a bit of background information to the book and gifts featured in the box, is fine – it was interesting to flick through it but it is only a few pages.

The Verdict

I really love the book choice this month and it is something that I am interested in reading. However, the gifts don’t all hit the spot this time round which is a shame – but very much down to my personal preferences.

Overall, I still think this is worth the £20 a month (including postage) and it does feel like a treat every month.

Blog Tour: ‘Banking on Murder’ by J D Whitelaw

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for ‘Banking on Murder’ by J D Whitelaw. This cosy mystery story was published by Red Dog Press on 3rd December (who have also organised the blog tour).

With thanks to Red Dog Press and the author for my copy of the book for review – as always, opinions are entirely my own.

From the Publisher:

Martha Parker runs a small private detective agency in Glasgow with her two sisters, Helen and Geri. They specialise in catching cheating partners and those playing away from home.

The Parkers are hired by the reclusive wife of a wealthy banker she suspects is breaking their vows, but when he shows up murdered, it’s up to Martha, Helen and Geri to prove the wife’s innocence in their most dangerous case yet.

Buy Links:

https://www.reddogpress.co.uk/product-page/banking-on-murder

Amazon

mybook.to/BankingOnMurder

My Review:

I jumped at the chance to read this cosy mystery story, the first in a new series to feature the Parker sisters as detectives and set in modern-day Glasgow.

In this novel, the detective agency run by Martha Parker and her two sisters is called upon to investigate the infidelity of a wealthy banker – his wife, who is both reclusive and slightly unstable, is sure that he is cheating but wants to know who with. As the trio begin to investigate, they realise they may have taken on more than they can cope with – especially when the banker is murdered and they are suspected of being involved by the formidable police detective in charge of the investigation.

What appealed to me about this book was the notion of sisters working together as detectives – the relationship between the three women, for me, was the strength of the book and I really enjoyed the slightly spiky sisterly teasing that comes with the sibling bond.

Of the three sisters, Martha is the eldest and the main focus of the novel. She is forty and has a family of her own (although we don’t see them much). Next is Helen who is 30 and the academic of the family, and then there is Geri, in her early 20s and the slightly loose cannon.

The sisters are so different and have been well-developed in their own rights so that the reader engages with them as individuals. I particularly liked Martha, slightly baffled to be middle-aged and trying to be the responsible one (but maybe my preference is linked to my own age!) The scenes with the sisters bickering about various things were my favourites – from Geri’s social life, Helen’s party faux pas and Martha’s dress sense, no topic was out of bounds and this felt absolutely relatable to my own family! This also added a humour to the story which I really liked.

The story is well plotted and engaging. While I never felt that there was any true peril, there are some tense bits and it certainly kept me interested throughout – more so because of the detectives than because of the murder victim or his wife, both of whom seemed pretty unpleasant.

The backdrop of the city of Glasgow was an interesting and appealing choice – especially the wealth of the banking area and the penthouse apartments contrasting with the less salubrious areas of the city.

I’d recommend this to anyone who likes cosy crime with appealing leads. As the Parker sisters bicker and banter their way through the investigation, you will be sure to keep turning the pages.

About the Author:

J.D. Whitelaw is an author, journalist and broadcaster. After working on the frontline of Scottish politics, he moved into journalism. Subjects he has covered have varied from breaking news, the arts, culture and sport to fashion, music and even radioactive waste – with everything in between. He’s also a regular reviewer and talking head on shows for the BBC. Banking on Murder is the first of three Parker sister novels. They follow his hugely successful HellCorp series. His debut in 2015 was the critically acclaimed Morbid Relations.