Inspired by a recent read which mentioned the Knights Templar in passing, I’ve decided to set myself a little project for January, and you’re all welcome to join in. Back in January 2019, I launched a project to re-read Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose over the month (here’s the final post in the series Read More
A #NovNov24 read for Norway in November: Doppler by Erlend Loe.
Translated by Don Bartlett and Don Shaw Alerted belatedly to Dolce Bellezza’s Norway in November reading month, I was able to find a novella to fit in, thus fitting #NovNov24 too. Back in 2014, I read Loe’s Lazy Days, a novel about a family on holiday, although Bror is meant to be writing. Instead he Read More
The After-Life of Brian by Julian Doyle – blogtour
Before I tell you about what is inside this book, take a look at its cover above. See the irreverent humour in the tagline at the top ‘Spoil Christmas for someone special’, the homage to the title graphics of Monty Python’s Life of Brian, the fact it is by that film’s editor. Factor in some Read More
2 more novellas for #NovNov24: A ‘Maigret’ by Simenon and a ‘Parker’ by Stark
The Madman of Bergerac by Georges Simenon (No 15) Translated by Ros Schwartz Inspector Maigret is embarking on a holiday, going to the Dordogne to see an old friend and colleague, with a small job to do in Bordeaux on the side, while Madame Maigret is visiting her sister in Alsace. In his sleeper compartment, Read More
Three to See the King by Magnus Mills, #NovNov24
Somehow I managed to miss reading Mills’ third novel, published in 2001, before. Time to put that right. Although Mills’ novels are always about work, and usually and specifically, men and their work (or hobbies) – they do fall into two camps. About half are set in the real world of today – from the Read More
Celebrating Alan Garner’s Life of Creativity
This Tuesday, I went to Blackwell’s in Oxford with friend and fellow Garner devotee Fiona to see Alan Garner’s daughter Elizabeth, (also an author of two novels I’ve long meant to read) in conversation with Robert Powell. Yes! The Robert Powell of the gorgeous blue eyes and lovely voice. Powell is 80 now, and has Read More
Nonfiction November Week 4 – Mind Openers
Week 4 is hosted by Rebekah at She Seeks Nonfiction blog. The topic is mind openers, and she asks: One of the greatest things about reading nonfiction is the way it can open your eyes to the world around you—no plane ticket required. What nonfiction book or books have impacted the way you see the Read More
Nonfiction November Week 3 – Book Pairings
Week 3 of Nonfiction November is the always intriguing Book Pairings topic, hosted by Liz at Adventures in reading, running and working from home. Nothing had occurred to me as suitable pairings this year, until it did. Not once, but twice! Again, I’m taking the opportunity to combine this with #NovNov24 by pairing two short Read More
#NovNov24 – an assortment of Novellas – Morpurgo, Magariel, Schenkel
Book Group Report – War Horse by Michael Morpurgo Just occasionally in our book group, we’ll read a children’s book – usually a classic – and War Horse will surely become a modern one. It begins: My earliest memories are a confusion of hilly fields and dark, damp stables, and rats that scampered along the Read More
A Screenplay for #NovNov24 – Dougal and the Blue Cat by Eric Thompson
Reading screenplays is difficult, with fewer clues apart from stage directions to imagine the scene, they often come across as strange and in the case of the first Magic Roundabout movie, completely bonkers. The screenplay written by Eric Thompson, (Emma’s dad, in case you didn’t know), who wrote the English scripts to all the episodes Read More
Shiny Linkiness – Despentes and Ayoade
I’ve two recent reviews at Shiny to share with you here too. Both are lockdown books, such is the length of the publishing cycle. Dear Dickhead by Virginie Despentes Translated by Frank Wynne I would never have predicted that Virginie Despentes, creator/director of the 2000 rape-revenge novel and film Baise-moi, author of the superb ‘State of Read More
Nonfiction November Week 2 – Choosing NF
Week 2 of Nonfiction November is hosted by Frances at The Volatile Rune. She asks: What are you looking for when you pick up a nonfiction book? Do you have a particular topic you’re attracted to? Do you have a particular writing style that works best? When you look at a nonfiction book, does the Read More
Black Storms by Teresa Solana – blog tour
Translated from Catalan by Peter Bush I’m delighted to be today’s stop on the blog tour for another new to me crime author, now published by Corylus books in translation. It’s the third crime novel by Teresa Solana, and the first to feature her detective Norma Forester. Now I know you’re thinking that doesn’t sound Read More
Karla’s Choice by Nick Harkaway – blogtour
I’m delighted to be bringing the blog tour for this book to a close. Karla’s Choice was one of my most anticipated reads of the season, written by Harkaway – son of John Le Carre – who carries on the legacy of Smiley v Karla from his late father’s books to bring us a completely Read More
Six Degrees of Separation: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
First Saturday of the month and time for the super monthly tag Six Degrees of Separation, which is hosted by Kate at Booksaremyfavouriteandbest, Six Degrees of Separation #6degrees picks a starting book for participants to go wherever it takes them in six more steps. Links to my reviews are in the titles of the books chosen. This Read More
The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry – blog tour
You know me and spies! How could I resist? Especially given that this novel is set in Bahrain, (with their distinctive flag on the cover) a small island nation I knew little about, which would prove to be so fascinating. The author lived in Bahrain, and was a CIA ops officer for six years, so Read More
Dark as Night by Lilja Sigurðardóttir – blog tour
Translated by Lorenza Garcia This was the first novel by Lilja Sigurðardóttir that I’ve read, and it won’t be the last. Dark as Night is actually the fourth in her ‘Áróra Investigation’ series, but having encountered Áróra, boyfriend Daníel and the other supporting characters I need to know more. Áróra isn’t a police officer, which Read More
Nonfiction November – My Year in NF
Nonfiction November runs for 5 weeks from today! As always, week 1 is ‘My Year in NF’, and is hosted by Heather. I’ve participated since 2017! My best ever NF year was 2019 when I read 33 books, making up 25% of my total. This year, I’ve read the fewest non-fiction books for ages, 11 Read More
#RIPXIX Reprieve by James Han Mattson
I had no idea that ‘extreme haunts’ were a thing until I read this novel in which a team takes on the most extreme escape room of them all – Quigley House in Nebraska – a full-contact, (fake) blood-soaked, series of 5 cells with ‘actors’ in which contestants must find the hidden envelopes to progress Read More
Five Feat… Trains
The second in an occasional series that gives me an opportunity to recycle posts on a theme, (the first was geographical – Surrey). This time the five books I’ve chosen all feature a rail journey, three by French authors, two American. I had enough to pick from a couple of times over, so this one Read More
Simenon & a Maigret for the #1970club
It’s time for another reading week hosted by Simon and Kaggsy – this time books published in 1970. Looking at the Wikipedia page for 1970 in Literature I’ve read loads through the years, including classic SF&F from Larry Niven and Roger Zelazny, schmalz from Erich Segal with Love Story, inexplicably Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, and I Read More
Short reviews catch-up – Susie Dent, Fred Sirieix, Barbara Pym, Michael Findlay
Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent Popular broadcaster and lexcographer Susie Dent has written her first novel, after writing a handful of books all about words, and jolly good fun it was too. (I went to see her talk about it back in August.) And where else would a lexicographer choose to set their murder Read More
My Rude Awakening by E C Featherstone
It’s hard to know where to start with this memoir! I’ll be totally up front – I wasn’t sure it was a book for me. The cover suggests a polo-playing toff who pursues a woman and flies helicopters in the RAF. Now I’m not averse to a bit of Jilly Cooper and well-done smut, nor Read More
The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen – blog tour
Translated by David Hackston I’m delighted to be helping to lead off the blog tour for Antti Tuomainen’s latest novel, a standalone murder mystery set in the world of saunas, all done with his surefire comic touch. Once again, in 53-year-old Anni Korpinen, as with Henri Koskinen in Tuomainen’s wonderful Rabbit Factor Trilogy, he has Read More
Six Degrees of Separation: Long Island
I’m a day late to the first Saturday of the month, but there’s still time for the super monthly tag Six Degrees of Separation, which is hosted by Kate at Booksaremyfavouriteandbest, Six Degrees of Separation #6degrees picks a starting book for participants to go wherever it takes them in six more steps. Links to my reviews are Read More
Five Feat… “Surrey”
This is the first of a new occasional series ‘Five Feat…’ (apologies to those who don’t like the slangy abbreviation of ‘featuring’, but it keeps it neat!). I’ve decided to start at my beginning and have found five books I’ve read that are set or partially set in or adjacent to my home county of Read More
Red Dwarf: Discovering the TV Series by Tom Salinsky
Volume 1: 1988-1993 – Review with Guest Fun Facts by the author Having been a fan of Red Dwarf since the very beginning, I had to read this book. Of course it brought all the memories flooding back – well most of them! Back in the day, we struck lucky getting tickets for one of Read More
Shiny Linkiness – Rare Singles by Benjamin Myers
I’m over at Shiny today with my review of the rather wonderful Rare Singles – a heartwarming book with a ‘Northern Soul’. Some superb characters, superb descriptions of the North Sea, state of the nation comment and all that music! I loved it. Read my full review HERE. Bloomsbury Circus, 209pp. hardback. BUY at Blackwell’s via Read More
Paul Auster Reading Week II anyone?
Back in February 2020 I hosted a Paul Auster Reading Week. He was my most admired living author then, but sadly he died from cancer last April. Rather than time a second reading week for the anniversary of his death, I’ve decided to celebrate his birth instead, which was on 3rd Feb 1947. So who Read More
Blood Debt by M.K. Murphy – blogtour
Imagine the scene: you’re a hitman, hired to take out property developer Jason Florens before he can ruin someone else’s nefarious plans. But you reach the site where he is and someone has been there before you, he’s gagged and cable tied to the bath taps, you remove the gag. ‘Oh, God,’ Floren wails, his Read More
