Veronika Jordan's Blog, page 63

No More Lies by Rachel Abbott

It would be unfair to blame the woman I met tonight for turning my life upside down. She didn’t. It was already upside down. I just didn’t know it.
 
Recently life has been good for Mallory Hansen: a great job, a lovely home, and a wonderful man, Nathan, to share it with.
 
But now she must ask herself: is it all built on lies?
 
A terrible accusation has been made against Nathan, and Mallory doesn’t know who to believe. All the signs point to his guilt. She has learned to trust Nathan, but she also remembers the fickle boy he used to be.

#NoMoreLies @RachelAbbott #RandomThingsTours @annecater @RandomTTours #blogtour 

Together, Mallory and Nathan were part of a close-knit group of six friends until a vicious argument drove them apart. Now, fifteen years later, they are back in touch with one another, only to find themselves drawn into a web of mutual distrust, one by one…
 
The attacks on their lives are cleverly targeted, designed to hit them where they hurt the most, and when a young woman disappears and a baby is abducted, DCI Tom Douglas must try to unravel the past and discover the architect of their misery.

My Review

I’ve read quite a few of Rachel Abbott’s books – in fact this is number eight as far as I know, most of them being part of the DCI Tom Douglas thriller series. I’ve loved every single one. I’m a huge fan. This is my first blog tour though.

Having read so many of the others, I know a lot about Tom’s back story (though it doesn’t matter if you haven’t read them). I know about his brother Jack, his ex-wife, his daughter and his relationship with Louisa. And baby Harry of course. But on to the main story.

Mallory and Nathan were part of a group of six friends until an argument ended their friendship. Nathan had a fling with Jodie, but dropped her quite quickly for a girl outside the group (it might break up their friendship he told her), called Erin. That was also short-lived, because the only girl he really wanted was Mallory, but she knew he meant trouble. Fifteen years later, Mallory and Nathan are married – he swore he’d changed – but when Nathan is suspended at work for an accusation which he emphatically denies, Mallory has doubts. Is he the same womaniser he was all those years ago?

In the meantime, one of their other friends, Taya, has also been targeted, but at this point there isn’t a link. In fact the police don’t know yet that Taya, Mallory and Nathan were friends.

At times during the story, we jump back to that fateful night, fifteen years ago, when it all fell apart. Nathan, Mallory, Connor, Akin, Jodie and Taya decided to spend their last night drinking and celebrating before they all went off to university. But something happened when they got to their destination and played a silly game from their childhood. And that’s when it all went wrong.

This is a brilliant book, maybe even my favourite of Rachel’s novels. It’s exciting, fast-paced, well thought out, with a maturity that has grown since book one.

Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours

About the Author

Rachel Abbott is a British author of psychological thrillers. As a self-published author, her first ten novels (and one novella) in the DCI Tom Douglas series have combined to sell over four million copies. All have been bestsellers on Amazon’s Kindle store, and her books have been translated into over 20 languages. In 2015, Rachel was named the number one bestselling self-published author in the UK and the 14th bestselling author (both published and self-published) over the previous five years on Amazon’s Kindle in the UK.

In 2017, following a five-way auction, Rachel signed a two-book deal with Headline Publishing Group. The first book, And So It Begins, was published in 2018 and features Sergeant Stephanie King. The second book in this series, The Murder Game was released in April 2020. Books three and four in the series are to be published by Headline in late 2023 and 2024.

Rachel’s writing career began in 2009, when she decided to write a book about a woman facing a situation which gave her no option but to commit murder. In November 2011, she published the story – Only the Innocent – on Amazon. It rose to number one in the charts and remained there for four weeks. Rachel followed up Only the Innocent with The Back Road, Sleep Tight, Stranger Child, Kill Me Again, The Sixth Window, Come A Little Closer, The Shape of Lies, Right Behind You and Close Your Eyes. All the thrillers in this series focus on the victims and perpetrators of the crimes, and the complex relationships that exist between protagonist and antagonist. This series features Detective Chief Inspector Tom Douglas.

Rachel grew up near Manchester, England. She worked as a systems analyst, and then founded an interactive media company, developing software and websites for the education market. When she sold the company in 2000, she moved to Italy where she restored a 15th-century Italian monastery. For a time she and her husband operated the property as a venue for weddings and holidays. She now lives on the Channel Island of Alderney in a Victorian Fort where she spends her days writing in her office – a former gunpowder shelter.

Follow her at:
Twitter: @RachelAbbott
Instagram: @rachelabbottwriter
Facebook: RachelAbbott1Author
Website: rachel-abbott.com

Lionel Hetherdew’s War by Cat On A Piano / Theatrephonic

“I don’t want to be here” – based on a true story.

All reservists are being called up. But Lionel has already done his bit for King and country. Two and a half years as an officer. So why would he want to sign up as a guardsman?

It seems he has no choice. He’s been conscripted, but he doesn’t want to be here. Can he find ways to avoid fighting? Of course he can!

Very funny and inventive (particularly on Lionel’s part). I love Lionel’s mum as she gets more fed up with each phone call.

Written by Nigel Foster
Directed by Emmeline Braefield

With 
Sally Hyde Lomax as Mrs Gwendoline Hetherdew
Ben Manning as Lionel Hetherdew
James Parsons as Sergeant Beaumont and Sergeant Rudger
Scott Peacock as Captain Horncock
and
Emmeline Braefield as The Telephone Operator

Produced by Cat on a Piano Productions 

Music:
Invitation to the Castle Ball by Doug Maxwell
Brooke’s Triumphant March – United States Marine Band
Bike Sharing to Paradise by Dan Bodan
With Shot and Shell by the United States Marine Band
Away by Georgrapher
Strenuous Life by United States Marine Band

The Theatrephonic Theme tune was composed by Jackson Pentland
Performed by
Jackson Pentland
Mollie Fyfe Taylor
Emmeline Braefield

Cat on a Piano Productions produce and edit feature films, sketches and radio plays.

Their latest project is called @Theatrephonic, a podcast of standalone radio plays and short stories performed by professional actors. You can catch Theatrephonic on Spotify and other platforms.

For more information about the Theatrephonic Podcast, go to catonapiano.uk/theatrephonic, Tweet or Instagram @theatrephonic, or visit their Facebook page.

And if you really enjoyed this week’s episode, listen to Theatrephonic’s other plays and short stories and consider becoming a patron by clicking here…

A Reservoir Man by LJ Ambrosio

Everywhere Michael turns he sees a Reservoir Man.

Michael’s endless trials of survival include sexual assault, The Vietnam War, an arrest in Spain, Hollywood scandal, the AIDS outbreak, 9/11 and beyond.

If only Michael could find the one thing he values most, his freedom. Michael’s coming-of-age is tarnished by many but the courage to live his truth may just keep Michael one step ahead…or will he succumb to the embraces of a Reservoir Man?

#AReservoirMan @authorlambrosio @Zooloo’s Book Tours @zooloo2008 #ZooloosBookTours #blogtour

A Reservoir Man, critics have hailed this explosive and timely work as “a must-read coming-of-age story of 2022.” 

Twists and turns further pull the reader into Michael’s action-packed tale, with powerful themes, from betrayal and family to secrets and identity. 

My Review

I am still slightly confused about the meaning of ‘reservoir man’. I have had to go back to the beginning of the book and search for the first few times it is mentioned. I think it is based on the men who hung around the reservoir at the top of the hill. Michael needs to get to the top of the hill. But it appears that these ‘reservoir men’ are wandering around aimlessly. Michael doesn’t want to do that. He wants to find purpose in his life and be free from the constrictions put on him by society and religion.

But it’s still only the 1960s (Michael was born in 1947) and things we take for granted today are frowned upon or illegal.

Michael was born with a harelip but he is still attractive to both men and women, though I don’t think he realises it. He is very clever even though his initial school career doesn’t reflect this. He has friends and many casual relationships with men, but none of them last. Sometimes he is very naive. He starts businesses, but they seem to fold or run out of steam quite quickly. At times he seems to drift without purpose, even though that is not his intention.

He adores his parents Andy and Frances, but seems to spend a lot of time away from them. He is a man of contradictions. His life doesn’t stabilise until he adopts his two children. Even then his business operations run into trouble.

During the 1980s AIDS had become a worldwide pandemic. Michael loses almost all his close friends and colleagues to AIDS.

The book follows Michael from birth to old age, and everything in between. He is sexually assaulted as a young man, though he doesn’t seem to realise he was assaulted. He travels around Europe, is arrested in Spain, escapes the Vietnam war draft, witnesses 9/11, and survives a Hollywood scandal. He strives for freedom and truth as he tries to find his identity.

Michael’s father Andy once told him that ‘men don’t cry.’ Michael repeats this on several occasions, including to his son Joshua. But the very last paragraph will have you in tears, whatever your gender.

Many thanks to @zooloo2008 for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the Author

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

Follow him at:
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/ljambrosioauthor/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/louis.ambrosio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorlambrosio
Website : https://ljambrosio.blogspot.com/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61401919-a-reservoir-man
Buy Link – https://geni.us/Xc1oErq

Make Me Clean by Tina Baker

She will leave your surfaces sparkling.
But she may well leave you dead…

Maria is a good woman and a good cleaner. She cleans for Elsie, the funny old bird who’s losing her marbles, with the terrible husband. She cleans for Brian, the sweet man with the terrible boss. She cleans for the mysterious Balogan, with the terrible neighbours.

If you’re thinking of hiring her, you should probably know that Maria might have killed the terrible husband, the terrible boss and the terrible neighbours. She may also have murdered the man she loved.

She didn’t set out to kill anyone, of course, but her clients have hired her to clean up their lives, and she takes her job seriously – not to mention how much happier they all are now. The trouble is, murder can’t be washed out. You can only sweep it under the carpet, and pray no one looks too closely…

My Review

Having read both of Tina’s other novels, I knew what to expect. It wouldn’t be ordinary, the humour would be dark and the story wouldn’t pull any punches. And I wasn’t wrong.

Our main protagonist is Maria – a cleaner. But she’s no ordinary cleaner. She’s very good at getting blood out of the carpet and bodies out of the house. She could make a career out of it, if she didn’t feel so guilty.

First there might have been her traveller husband Joby, the love of her life, but initially there are only vague references to what may have happened.

Then there is Nick, the on-off husband of the old dear she cleans for. That’s Elsie, and Maria is fiercely protective of her. Because Elsie has dementia. Sometimes she’s as happy as Larry, singing and dancing and swearing like a trooper. At other times she thinks Maria is her dead sister Violet.

Elsie has four cats and she loves them all, though Sweetie is her favourite. Nephew Del wants her to go into a care home (he’s after the house). Nick is getting off with the bird from the betting shop (but he also wants the house). Maria will do anything to help Elsie stay in her own home – it’s about the cats mainly, but also because Nick is currently pushing up the daisies – well the roses actually, so all he’s going to get is black spot and powdery mildew.

Maria also cleans for Brian, who hates his horrible boss, and for the mysterious Balogan, who is seriously scary. But Maria is also scary, but only if you cross her. So don’t make her angry – she won’t turn green and tear her clothes. But she might just kill you.

At this point I must say that the way Tina writes about dementia is both sympathetic and insightful. It will bring tears to your eyes. It’s also so full of pain, that at times it seems personal.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, the author, and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read. And to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author

Tina Baker, the daughter of a window cleaner and fairground traveller, worked as a journalist and broadcaster for thirty years and is probably best known as a television critic for the BBC and GMTV. After so many hours watching soaps gave her a widescreen bum, she got off it and won Celebrity Fit Club. She now avoids writing-induced DVT by working as a Fitness Instructor.

Call Me Mummy was Tina’s first novel, inspired by her own unsuccessful attempts to become a mother. Despite the grief of that, she’s not stolen a child – so far. But she does rescue cats, whether they want to be rescued or not.

Nasty Little Cuts was her second novel. Make Me Clean is her third.

Hunter’s Force (The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries #3) by Val Penny

Hunter by name – Hunter by nature. Can DI Hunter Wilson keep Edinburgh safe when he is the hunted?
 
Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is woken in the early hours of the morning by a call from his son. Cameron’s flatmate has been murdered.

Why would anybody want to kill a young woman recently arrived in the city?

#HuntersForce @valeriepenny @SpellBoundBks @Zooloo’s Book Tours @zooloo2008 #ZooloosBookTours 

Hunter must call in the new Major Incident Team (MIT), however his ability to be involved in the case is severely compromised when someone from his past resurfaces with revenge on their mind
 
When Hunter goes missing, and his team struggle to find the clues they need to locate him. Who would want to stop Hunter in his tracks?
 
Meanwhile, Hunter’s team must also work closely with the MIT and with or without him, solve the murder in this taut crime thriller.

My Review

The team is back! DI Hunter Wilson is at the helm and still in a relationship with pathologist Meera. Tim ‘young Myerscough’ is dating Gillian, a linguist at the university, who has a green flash in her hair. Bear and Mel are still together, while Jane has relocated to MIT, but is still with Rachael.

Ian Thompson is out of ‘the big house’ (prison to you and me) on parole, but Tim’s dad, the former Chief Constable Sir Peter Myerscough is still in residence. As is Arjun Mansoor, yet another villain from book one. Jamie Thompson is still around being an idiot, as is his cousin Frankie. Keep up! I’m trying really hard to.

In the meantime Hunter’s son Cameron has a nice flat, which comes with his job as driver to wealthy ‘Lucky’ Buchanon. So far so good. Until Cameron is out one night and returns to his flat with some mates to find a dead girl, his flatmate, her face smashed in and her fingertips removed.

And so it begins. Who is she? Who killed her and why? And what is the connection to the university where Gillian works, a dodgy massage parlour and two new betting shops?

Everything appears to be connected in this story. Hunter is being hunted. Someone from his past is out to exact revenge with the help of a hired muscle man, who is connected to both the victim and Thompson. And there is also a link to Eastern European prostitutes.

It’s all very complicated and fast-paced – it’s a real page-turner. So glad there is plenty more to come.

Many thanks to @zooloo2008 for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the Author

Val Penny has an Llb degree from Edinburgh University and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction, and novels. Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.

Follow her at:
Twitter : https://twitter.com/valeriepenny
Instagram : www.instagram.com/valerieepenny
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Authorvalpenny
Website : www.valpenny.com

The Skull Keeper by Mariëtte Whitcomb Cover Reveal

Best friends on social media, Allysa and Morgan share a love of three things: thriller novels, true crime, and keeping secrets from each other.

As soon as Allysa asks Morgan to be her plus one at a funeral, Morgan jumps on the first available flight. Burying the dead might unearth the truth about what happened to Allysa’s brother twenty years earlier. She’s never believed he simply left town without saying goodbye.

Once they learn he’s the last known victim of a serial killer, Allysa and Morgan decide to do what the police couldn’t – bring him to justice.

When the hunters become the hunted, only one question remains – do you know your friend well enough to save her life?

#TheSkullKeeper #MarietteWhitcomb #CoverReveal #PsychologicalThriller

Here is the cover of this fantastic new psychological thriller by one of my favourite authors Mariëtte Whitcomb:

Release Date: March 20, 2023
Cover Design: Jabber Media
Cover Image: Pexels

About the Author

Mariëtte Whitcomb studied Criminology and Psychology at the University of Pretoria. An avid reader of psychological thrillers and true crime books, writing allows her to pursue her childhood dream to hunt criminals, albeit fictional and born in the darkest corners of her imagination. When Mariëtte isn’t writing, she reads or spends time with her family, friends, and her two miniature schnauzers.

Social Media Links

Website/Newsletter: https://mariettewhitcomb.com
Email: mariette@mariettewhitcomb.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariettewhitcombauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariettewhitcomb/
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@mariettewhitcomb
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/mariettewhitcomb
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/goodsreadscommariettewhitcomb
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mariette-whitcomb

Trust Only Me by McGarvey Black

From her home office in rural Connecticut, self-published thriller author Jillian Samuels dreams of writing a bestseller.

Her tall, dark and handsome chef husband Teddy, and her BFF, Natalie, a glamorous PR woman always in six-inch heels, cheer Jillian on when her new book, The Soul Collector, is accepted by a New York agent.

By night, she writes about serial killers. But then her stories begin to come true.

#TrustOnlyMe @mcgarveyblack @JoffeBooks @Zooloo’s Book Tours @zooloo2008 #ZooloosBookTours #blogtour

Not long afterwards, crimes from her old thrillers start to really happen — two bodies are found covered in silver paint — one unconscious, the other dead.

Some people on Twitter notice the eerie similarities to Jillian’s previous books. Jillian’s book sales are rising — but the police are asking questions . . .

My Review

Jillian has written three serial killer thrillers. She self-published all three and has only sold a few of each – mainly to friends and family. Her fourth novel The Soul Collector is going to be different. She’s going to get herself an agent and a publisher and get the book promoted. It’s going to be a bestseller – hopefully.

Her husband Teddy, a glamorous, celebrity (almost) chef, and her even more glamorous best friend Natalie, are both rooting for her. After concentrating on their own exciting lives, that is.

Finally her book is accepted by a New York Agent, but it’s going to be a long road. And will involve a lot of self-promotion, particularly on social media. Not Jillian’s forte, she has a go mainly at Twitter, but it’s not proving to be a huge success. She’s out of her depth.

Until her stories begin to come true. Life imitating art maybe? It certainly boosts her online profile and her books start to sell. Teddy thinks it’s all a coincidence, her agent thinks it’s manna from heaven and Natalie is too absorbed in her own love life. The police, however, are very interested. They don’t believe in coincidences. Especially when two men turn up covered in silver paint (just like in one of Jillian’s books) and one of them happens to be dead.

I really didn’t like Natalie one bit. What a ghastly woman. Red lipstick, six inch stilettos, a real man-eater. Two or three men on the go at once and all of them rich. Then throwing them out like so much garbage after a few weeks. The only good thing about her is that she gets some of the best laughs.

‘I’m serious,’ she said…’the only men I meet are perverted losers.’
‘They can’t be all that bad.’
‘Oh yes they can. The last guy I went out with brought his pet hamster on our first date. We met in Central Park…the whole time we were walking he kept fussing with something inside his jacket. After fifteen minutes, he asked me if I’d like to meet his little friend. The next thing you know he’s holding a big (hamster? big?) brown rodent in his hand and introducing me to Pablo.’ Well it could have been so much worse.

This was a very entertaining book and that ending was inspired. It’s very witty and observant. I loved it.

Many thanks to @zooloo2008 for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the Author

McGarvey studied voice at Manhattan School of Music and was later a theatre major in college. She pursued an acting career but later moved into a magazine and digital media career. During that time, she sold advertising and managed sales teams for companies like Conde Nast, WebMD and worked for brands including GQ, Travel + Leisure, and Allure. In between, she took a year off and backpacked alone around the world. Later, after having two children, she left media and became an executive recruiter for internet companies. In 2017, she began writing full time and has since published six novels.

Follow her at:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mcgarveyblack
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/mcgarveyblack1/
Website: https://mcgarveyblack.com/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65308951-trust-only-me
Buy Link – https://geni.us/lf25Md

Death and the Conjuror by Tom Mead

An enthralling locked-room murder mystery inspired by crime fiction of the Golden Age, Death and the Conjuror is the debut novel by acclaimed short-story writer Tom Mead. Selected as one of Publishers Weekly’s Mysteries of the Year 2022.

1936, London. A celebrity psychiatrist is discovered dead in his locked study. There seems to be no way a killer could have escaped unseen. There are no clues, no witnesses, and no evidence of the murder weapon. Stumped by the confounding scene, Inspector Flint, the Scotland Yard detective on the case, calls on retired stage magician turned part-time sleuth Joseph Spector.

#DeathAndTheConjuror @TomMeadAuthor @AriesFiction #RandomThingsTours @annecater @RandomTTours #blogtour 

Spector has a knack for explaining the inexplicable, but even he finds that there is more to this mystery than meets the eye. As he and the Inspector interview the colourful cast of suspects, they uncover no shortage of dark secrets… or motives for murder. And when a second murder occurs, this time in an impenetrable elevator, they realise the crime wave will become even more deadly unless they can catch the culprit soon.

My Review

This was fun! Well as fun as a story can be with a couple of grisly murders thrown in.

It’s London, 1936. Celebrated Austrian psychiatrist Dr Anselm Rees has been murdered. Discovered in his own office with his throat cut so viciously, he has almost been decapitated. I said it was grisly. Strangely though, the room is locked from the inside, as are the windows, so there is no way the killer could have escaped.

It’s a conundrum for Inspector Flint, the Scotland Yard detective called to the scene, so he enlists the help of retired stage magician Joseph Spector. The magician is a bit of a part-time detective and is probably the only person in London who can explain a locked-room mystery.

In this case, however, there are so many possible suspects, but none of them initially appears to have a motive, and for those of us who read a lot of crime novels, we know that a murder needs three things – opportunity, means and motive. The opportunity was there – the good doctor often admitted strangers into his house for treatment – the ‘means’ speaks for itself, but who would want the doctor dead? And why? ‘Spector grinned. “I think at last we may be asking the right questions.”‘

The second murder, this time in an inaccessible elevator, appears even more motiveless. And what is the link to Dr Rees or to his killer?

Spector gradually starts to put two and two together and discovers more motives than you could shake a stick at. Dr Rees only had three patients – an artist, a stage actress and a writer. They are all rather eccentric and they all have secrets. From agoraphobia to kleptomania and fugue states, each has his or her own personal issues. But which one of them has something so terrible to hide or hated the doctor so much that they would be prepared to murder him?

It’s all very complicated and entertaining and is hopefully the start of a series, with an unusual partnership between a police officer and a conjuror.

Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours

About the Author

Tom Mead is a UK crime fiction author specialising in locked-room mysteries. He is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the International Thriller Writers’ Organization. His debut novel is DEATH AND THE CONJUROR, featuring magician-detective Joseph Spector.

Feet (Tales from the Edge) by Cat On A Piano / Theatrephonic

Feet – From the ‘Tales from the Edge’ series
“You’ve worked your magic again.”

Corns, hard skin, bunions. Nail clippings!
‘She’s got a real way with her,’ I heard them murmur.
Feet were not my first choice of career.
But I was, ‘rather ordinary with a short neck.’

Absolutely brilliant monologue. I really enjoyed it. It was actually quite emotional.

Written by Carolyn S Jones
Starring @sallyhydelomax as Cassie

To see more of the ‘Tales from the Edge’ Series please visit https://talesfromtheedge.mystrikingly.com/

Produced by Cat on a Piano Productions 

Music:
The Tales from the Edge theme was composed and performed by Frances McMillan
Waltz of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky
No.1 A Minor Waltz by Esther Abrami
Web Weaver’s Dance by Asher Fulero
Sarabande by Joel Cummins
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies by Tchaikovsky

The Theatrephonic Theme tune was composed by Jackson Pentland
Performed by
Jackson Pentland
Mollie Fyfe Taylor
Emmeline Braefield

Cat on a Piano Productions produce and edit feature films, sketches and radio plays.

Their latest project is called @Theatrephonic, a podcast of standalone radio plays and short stories performed by professional actors. You can catch Theatrephonic on Spotify and other platforms.

For more information about the Theatrephonic Podcast, go to catonapiano.uk/theatrephonic, Tweet or Instagram @theatrephonic, or visit their Facebook page.

And if you really enjoyed this week’s episode, listen to Theatrephonic’s other plays and short stories and consider becoming a patron by clicking here…

The Forcing by Paul E. Hardisty

Civilisation is collapsing…

Frustrated and angry after years of denial and inaction, in a last-ditch attempt to stave off disaster, a government of youth has taken power in North America, and a policy of institutionalised ageism has been introduced. All those older than the prescribed age are deemed responsible for the current state of the world, and are to be ‘relocated’, their property and assets confiscated.

#TheForcing @Hardisty_Paul #RandomThingsTours @annecater @RandomTTours #blogtour 

David Ashworth, known by his friends and students as Teacher, and his wife May, find themselves among the thousands being moved to ‘new accommodation’ in the abandoned southern deserts – thrown together with a wealthy industrialist and his wife, a high court lawyer, two recent immigrants to America, and a hospital worker. Together, they must come to terms with their new lives in a land rendered unrecognisable.

As the terrible truth of their situation is revealed, lured by rumours of a tropical sanctuary where they can live in peace, they plan a perilous escape. But the world outside is more dangerous than they could ever have imagined. And for those who survive, nothing will ever be the same again…

My Review

This is a hard book to review. The Forcing takes place in a world where a climate emergency was inevitable, disaster was just around the corner, the population had reached 13 billion, one third of the animals had become extinct, the seas were full of toxic waste and we did nothing. All those older than the prescribed age (ie born before 1990) were deemed responsible for the current state of the world, and were to be ‘relocated’, their property and assets confiscated. It is probably the first time I have read a book that blames the millennials rather than the boomers for the state of the earth.

I thought it was going to be all Logan’s Run – anyone over 30 send to ‘Carousel’ where they were exterminated (if I remember correctly), Michael York as a handsome Sandman-turned-rebel who goes on the run to help people escape. The Forcing, however, is much darker, more terrifying and potentially could happen if we don’t address the issues now.

Poor David Ashworth (our narrator), known as ‘Teacher’ is an 89-er. He’s done his best to educate his students, but there’s nothing more he can do. I’m afraid I couldn’t stand his wife May. I know she is bipolar and we have to be understanding, but still. She’s horrible to him. She’s also horrible to their son Lachie, who is part of the youth government, but still couldn’t find a way to prevent her from being relocated with her husband – she would rather stay behind on her own.

Then there’s Derek Argent – our potential ‘villain’ of the piece – rude, arrogant, very wealthy, powerful – he reminds me of Donald Trump. Maybe he is supposed to. His wife Samantha is equally rude and selfish.

Kwesi and Francoise are a couple and they are both lovely. He is much older than her but she chose to go with him even though she didn’t need to. That’s true love. Finally we have Lan, though we don’t see that much of him. This motley band of diverse characters are thrown together in one apartment, with barely any belongings, rationed food and water, and no hope for the future. It’s time to plan their escape.

The Forcing is certainly a very bleak read, seemingly devoid of hope. The main protagonists find themselves acting out of character, though not to the extent that some of the dreadful people they meet along the way do. It’s a dangerous world and one that those who survive will barely recognise. It’s a terrifying look at the future and one that I hope will never happen, in my lifetime, in that of my children, or my grandchildren. But there is still a chance of redemption if we act now. I just hope someone is listening…

Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours

About the Author

Canadian Paul Hardisty has spent twenty-five years working all over the world as an environmental scientist and freelance journalist. He has roughnecked on oil rigs in Texas, explored for gold in the Arctic, mapped geology in Eastern Turkey (where he was befriended by PKK rebels), and rehabilitated water wells in the wilds of Africa. He was in Ethiopia in 1991 as the Mengistu regime fell, survived a bomb blast in a café in Sana’a in 1993, and was one of the last Westerners out of Yemen at the outbreak of the 1994 civil war. In 2022 he criss-crossed Ukraine reporting on the Russian invasion. Paul is a university professor and CEO of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). The four novels in his Claymore Straker series, The Abrupt Physics of Dying, The Evolution of Fear, Reconciliation for the Dead and Absolution, all received great critical acclaim and The Abrupt Physics of Dying was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and a Telegraph Book of the Year. Paul drew on his own experiences to write Turbulent Wake, an extraordinary departure from his high-octane, thought-provoking thrillers. Paul is a keen outdoorsman, a conservation volunteer, and lives in Western Australia.

Orenda Books is a small independent publishing company specialising in literary fiction with a heavy emphasis on crime/thrillers, and approximately half the list in translation. They’ve been twice shortlisted for the Nick Robinson Best Newcomer Award at the IPG awards, and publisher and owner Karen Sullivan was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2016. In 2018, they were awarded a prestigious Creative Europe grant for their translated books programme. Three authors, including Agnes Ravatn, Matt Wesolowski and Amanda Jennings have been WHSmith Fresh Talent picks, and Ravatn’s The Bird Tribunal was shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award, won an English PEN Translation Award, and adapted for BBC Radio Four ’s Book at Bedtime. Six titles have been short- or long-listed for the CWA Daggers. Launched in 2014 with a mission to bring more international literature to the UK market, Orenda Books publishes a host of debuts, many of which have gone on to sell millions worldwide, and looks for fresh, exciting new voices that push the genre in new directions. Bestselling authors include Ragnar Jonasson, Antti Tuomainen, Gunnar Staalesen, Michael J. Malone, Kjell Ola Dahl, Louise Beech, Johana Gustawsson, Lilja Sigurðardóttir and Sarah Stovell.