Book Review Archives - Page 33 of 43 - The Quick and the Read

WWW Wednesday: 6th January, 2021

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.

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?

Since my last update, I finished reading ‘The Art of Death’ by David Fennell, a serial killer crime novel with a female detective, DI Grace Archer. It is such a tense thriller, although definitely quite gruesome at times as Archer and her team find victims’ bodies turned into art installations on the streets of London. This is definitely a brilliant book for keeping readers turning pages – my review will follow

I also read ‘The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires’ by Grady Hendrix. Although it was nothing like I expected (I wanted a middle-aged, book club version of ‘True Blood’!), I did find it engaging.

I loved the idea of a group of women, brought together by their love of books, standing together against a vampire in their safe, middle-class neighbourhood. However, I was less prepared for the quite extreme horror elements – a bit beyond what I’d signed up for with its rats, bugs and dead animals.

Still, it kept me reading as I wanted to see the women – not a cohesive or cosy group by any means – triumph.

Then I read ‘How to Solve a Murder’ by Derek and Pauline Tremain, a rather gruesome but interesting book about forensics. The Tremains worked in the forensic department at Guy’s Hospital (where they met) and this book is packed with information about how deaths are investigated. I’d hoped for some insights into specific cases, but this was more about the science and the people doing the work – recommended for crime fiction fans.

My first book of 2021 was James O’Brien’s ‘How Not to be Wrong: The Art of Changing your Mind’. I really liked this non-fiction look at how broadcaster O’Brien has been led to shift his own world views by callers to his radio show or through the process of therapy. It’s an engaging and lively read, packed with O’Brien’s own reflections, transcripts of his radio show and plenty of food for thought.

What are you reading now?

I’m reading the new Liz Mistry book on NetGalley (‘Dark Memories’) – I loved the previous book in this series featuring DS Nikki Parekh and have so far been caught up in this story about Parekh investigating murders that have connections to her own poverty-stricken childhood in Bradford. The friendship between Parekh and her sidekick, Saj, is just lovely in this book and offsets some of the bleak themes.

I’m also reading ‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ by Agatha Christie as a readalong with my blogger friends at The Write Reads. I’m only a few chapters in and remembering all the reasons I loved reading Christie’s books when I was a teenager – the characterisation, the fiendish plotting, the red herrings… I love it all!

‘The Appeal’ by Janice Hallett is also on my current reading pile – I’m reading this as a buddy read with Locky Loves Books. It’s a really unusual crime fiction book in that it is all written as emails, voicemail transcrips, texts and notes between the main protagonists surrounding a murder in a small community (and the lawyers who are trying to piece together the solution at the same time as the reader). Highly original and absolutely brilliant!

And (because three books on the go isn’t enough!) I’m also reading ‘Maiden Voyages: Women and the Golden Age of Transatlantic Travel’ by Sian Evans. This is a very readable non-fiction book about women travellers mainly between the wars. The opening chapters deal with the Titanic and the ‘Unsinkable’ Violet Jessop before moving on to war time and the tragedy of the Lusitania. It’s fascinating stuff so far!

What do you think you will read next?

I have so many books, thanks to Christmas and my Waterstones’ sale spree – I am very lucky to be drowning in books. My husband is less happy about the amount of books in our house right now…

I do have a book to read for a blog tour – ‘Silent Graves’ by Sally Rigby, a crime fiction novel in the Cavendish and Walker series. I haven’t read previous books but I am totally intrigued by the fact this is a female DCI partnered with a female forensic psychologist to solve the historical murders of teenage girls who were killed in 1980.

Aside from this, I’ve got my eye on some more crime fiction – it’s becoming a bit of an obsession! I’m tempted by ‘The Jigsaw Man’ by Nadine Matheson as I won a proof, plus ‘One by One’ by Ruth Ware (who has been described as a modern-day Christie – perfect!)

So that’s me for this week! As always, thanks to NetGalley, publishers, my family and my ever-dwindling bank account for keeping me in great books.

December Wrap Up and January TBR

Well, the eternal 2020 is finally over!

I managed to read 11 books in December, taking me to a total of 120 for the year – a lot for me and more than my Goodreads target of 100.

Affiliate links are provided below – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases.

December Reading

I started the month with a NetGalley 2021 ARC, ‘The Last House on Needless Street’ by Catriona Ward. This is a really clever book about a serial killer and a missing child – to say more would really ruin the plot! Although I did read this and was pulled along by the narrative, I personally found it to be a bit bleak for my tastes. It will be published in March 2021.

Next I read ‘Lie Beside Me’ by Gytha Lodge, the next book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series that will be published in February 2021 (again, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review). This starts with a woman waking up next to a dead man she doesn’t recognise…and then keeps you turning the pages until you find out what happened. A review will follow nearer publication.

Then came ‘The Inverts’ by Crystal Jeans, a book set mainly in the 1920s and 1930s about a gay man and woman who decide to marry to present a respectable front to society in order to hide their love affairs. It was a lively read, although felt startlingly modern in places. A review will follow on the blog nearer the April 2021 publication date.

I followed this with ‘Alexa, what is there to know about love?’, the latest poetry book from Brian Bilston (to be published in January 2021). Those who love Bilston’s clever wordplay and witty takes – usually showcased on Twitter – will find lots more to love in this poetry collection – review to follow.

Then I read the *secret book* for the BBNYA judging panel which – I can now reveal – was ‘The Devil’s Apprentice’ by Kenneth B Andersen. Way outside of my usual genres, this is the first book in The Great Devil War series and was a vividly-imagined fantasy novel about a boy who finds himself in a case of mistaken identity…and in Hell. A highly engaging read.

‘The Best Things’ by Mel Giedroyc (to be published in April 2021) was next. I love Mel Giedroyc and this was an entertaining story about a wealthy family who lose everything and have to adapt to survive. There were some lovely comic touches in this fairly cosy, easy read – review to follow.

Far from a cosy read was ‘The Art of Death’ by David Fennell, due for publication in February 2021. This was a gruesome and fast-paced police procedural about a serial killer who displays his victims as art installations on the streets of London. It introduces DI Grace Archer who – I think – has real potential to carry a whole series of books (I hope!) Review to follow in February.

I followed this with another gruesome book, ‘The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires’ by Grady Hendrix. I’d had this on my TBR for ages and was hoping for a story of female solidarity in the face of vampires, packed with Southern charm and a kind of ‘True Blood’ but with books. It didn’t deliver this at all, although I did find it quite readable.

The last book I read this month was ‘How to Solve a Murder’ by Derek and Pauline Tremain. This is a non-fiction book about the workings of a forensic department at Guy’s Hospital in London where both of the Tremains worked. This was insightful and interesting, although a bit gross at times! Review to follow nearer the publication date in January 2021.

All of the above books were provided by NetGalley in exchange for honest reviews except for ‘The Devil’s Apprentice’ which was given to me as part of the BBNYA judging panel.

Finally, I listened to two audiobooks this month – ‘Going Solo’ by Roald Dahl (read by Dan Stevens) and ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens (read by Hugh Grant). Both were fabulous and highly recommended.

January TBR

I’ve got a few blog tours coming up this month, so will be reading ‘Bad Habits’ by Flynn Meaney (YA comedy), ‘Dark Memories’ by Liz Mistry (next in the excellent DS Nikki Parekh crime series) and ‘The Appeal’ by Janice Hallett (a murder mystery with a difference!)

I’ll also be buddy reading (with ‘The Write Reads’ book club that isn’t a book club) ‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ by Agatha Christie. I read lots of Christie as a teenager so I’m hoping I don’t remember the solution halfway through!

Apart from these, I want to work through some of the excellent books I was given for Christmas (and the ones I bought in the Waterstones’ sale – I have no self control in the face of a bargain!).

These include the non-fiction books ‘How Not to be Wrong: The Art of Changing your Mind’ by James O’Brien (politics and current affairs), ‘Maiden Voyages’ by Sian Evans (women’s social history about sea travel between the wars) and ‘Written in Bone’ by Professor Sue Black (forensic anthropology).

Aside from these, I’ll see where January takes me! Wishing you all a very happy new year!

Header photo by Nicole De Khors on Burst.

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

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 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.

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.