Veronika Jordan's Blog, page 95

Somebody Out There by Kevin Lynch

Be careful what you wish for…

When Ben and Deborah leave the city to start a new life in the beautiful Irish countryside, they can almost taste their perfect future – growing their own food, the kids running free, peace and silence.

But as soon as they arrive in their new home bad things start to happen. And it becomes clear that somebody out there wants them gone.

#SomebodyOutThere #KevinLynch @inkubatorbooks @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours Facebook @damppebblesblogtours 

But ex-crime reporter Deborah doesn’t scare easily. This is the life she’s dreamed of for her family and she’s not giving up on it without a fight.

As the campaign against the family intensifies and becomes truly terrifying, Deborah is determined to unmask whoever is trying to hurt them and starts to dig for the truth.

What she finds is more twisted and horrifying than she could ever have imagined.

My Review

I actually read this in one day. I just wanted to see what happened, so I kept reading. It’s not a particularly long book. There were some truly horrifying moments – the ones that keep you on the edge of your seat.

Even though I really enjoyed it, there were a couple of things that bothered me. The children are 12 and 14 – far too young to be left alone in the house in the daytime, let alone at night. Especially after the various ‘incidents’. Ben and Deborah seem a bit lax with their parenting. Just because you live in the countryside doesn’t make it safe.

Then there is the other thing – anyone who knows me will know what I’m referring to. Unnecessarily over-the-top in my opinion. Oh yes, and don’t keep secrets from each other, it will only end in tears.

However, it was a cracking good read, a fast-paced mystery with a great twist at the end and plenty of red herrings. I think some of us will have had our suspicions as to who was responsible, but not why as it isn’t hinted at, unless I missed something. Maybe I should have a quick skim read to make sure.

If it wasn’t for those few things I would definitely have given it five stars, but they bothered me – they probably won’t bother other readers, at least two of them won’t. Great book, great plot and satisfying outcome.

Many thanks to @damppebbles for inviting me to be part of #damppebblesblogtours

About the Author

Kevin is a Guidance Counsellor by day and a thriller author during his off hours. He puts an original slant on some common experiences and creates engaging stories with a personal twist. Kevin lives in Ireland with three great kids and a wife who makes him laugh, which is really all he could ask for. 

Purchase links

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3s6g3gZ

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3sXZZid

On Guard by Cat on a Piano Productions / Theatrephonic

On Guard
And so it was writ, the stairs shall be guarded.

Tropical desert islands, tree houses, forts and sailing the high seas. Who wears the hat and who gets the spatula? And so it was writ, the stairs shall be guarded. The stairs must always be kept safe.

Another cracker from Theatrephonic and I particularly love the Step Shanty.

Written by Tilly Lunken
Directed by Jackson Pentland

Starring
Fran Burgoyne as Stair Monitor 1
Mary Roubos as Stair Monitor 2
Jeannie Dickinson as Stair Monitor 3

Produced by Cat on a Piano Productions

Music:
We Can’t Escape this – lyrics by Tilly Lunken, music by Jackson Pentland, performed by Fran Burgoyne, Mary Roubos and Jeannie Dickinson
Step Shanty – lyrics by Tilly Lunken and Jackson Pentland, music by Jackson Pentland, performed by Jeannie Dickinson

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.

And if you really enjoyed On Guard listen to Theatrephonic’s other plays and short stories and consider becoming a patron by clicking here…

A Mirror Murder by Helen Hollick

Eighteen-year-old library assistant Jan Christopher’s life is to change on a rainy Friday evening in July 1971, when her legal guardian and uncle, DCI Toby Christopher, gives her a lift home after work. Driving the car, is her uncle’s new Detective Constable, Laurie Walker – and it is love at first sight for the young couple.

#AMirrorMurder @HelenHollick @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours Facebook @damppebblesblogtours 

But romance is soon to take a back seat when a baby boy is taken from his pram, a naked man is scaring young ladies in nearby Epping Forest, and an elderly lady is found, brutally murdered…

Are the events related? How will they affect the staff and public of the local library where Jan works – and will a blossoming romance survive a police investigation into murder?

My Review

It doesn’t seem quite right to call this ‘cosy’ when it involves a murder and a missing baby. Especially when the outcome isn’t all happiness and light. But this was mostly a very pleasant read and the dynamics between the main characters are perfect. I’m glad this is the first of a new series.

Jan (real name January – I love that name) Christopher lives with her aunt and uncle after her father was brutally shot to death in front of her when she was a young child. Her mum died soon after. Dad was a police officer and her uncle just happens to be DCI Toby Christopher of the Chingford police force. Jan works in the local library. Uncle Toby’s driver is on sick leave and his new driver is the handsome, Detective Constable Laurie Walker and for Laurie and Jan it is love at first sight. I found their escapades and budding romance really lovely. Laurie seems a bit accident prone, which was rather endearing.

The year is 1971 – the year I took my A levels – and I can see from the author information that Helen and I are the same age. Therefore as well as loving the story I also adored the nostalgia, which brought back so many memories and with which I could identify. There was a fair bit of humour in the story as well as sadness, which I loved. The stories about Gloria, Eddie and Mr and Mrs Hurst were very funny.

The main story revolves around an elderly lady who frequents the library and cuts out the food coupons from the newspaper. Then one day she rushes out the door with the newspaper still in her hand and soon after it is Jan and Laurie who find her murdered in her own home. Outside a woman with a baby in a pram is going to the shop to buy formula milk, only it is after 11 pm and Jan finds it all a bit strange.

In the meantime Jan has seen a flasher in the woods and is convinced it’s Gloria’s boyfriend Eddie. What is the connection between these events? Will she and Laurie and of course Uncle Toby solve the mystery?

It’s a great story with a cast of likeable characters. I shall look forward to the next instalment.

Many thanks to @damppebbles for inviting me to be part of #damppebblesblogtours

PS Helen, if you ever get to read this review, George Harrison was my favourite Beatle as well. Obviously great minds think alike.

About the Author

First published in 1994, Helen became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am The Chosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she writes a nautical adventure/fantasy series, The Sea Witch Voyages. She is now branching out into the quick read novella, ‘Cosy Mystery’ genre with her new venture, the Jan Christopher Murder Mysteries, set in the 1970s, with the first in the series, A Mirror Murder (due to be published in early 2021) incorporating her, often hilarious, memories of working as a library assistant.

Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of A Smuggler. She lives in an eighteenth-century farmhouse in North Devon, runs Discovering Diamonds, a review blog for historical fiction, and occasionally gets time to write…

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HelenHollick

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HelenHollickAuthor

Website: https://www.helenhollick.net/

Newsletter Subscription: http://tinyletter.com/HelenHollick

Main Blog: www.ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com

Amazon Author Page (Universal Link) http://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick

Purchase Links :

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3lnJd9C

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3czU5gx

The Girls Inside by NJ Mackay

Blue grew up in the Black House.

In remotest Wales, Joseph Carillo recruited young, lonely women to join his community and adopt his erratic views. Blue’s mother was one of them. But when the Black House goes up in flames, Blue escapes to freedom and never stops running.

Twenty years later, when Blue’s old dormmate commits suicide, Blue receives a strange call. She has been awarded sole custody of Natasha’s daughter. But things don’t add up. The girls haven’t spoken since the night of the fire.

As Blue begins to dig into Natasha’s life, her suspicions take her all the way back to that fateful night…but will the truth help Blue to face her past, or will it put everyone she holds close in danger?

My Review

I have always been fascinated by religious cults and what makes people join them. How you can have such power over someone that you can make them bend to your will (think Charles Manson and the killing of Sharon Tate and her friends). Then there was Jonestown and WACO amongst others, including The Moonies (or Unification Church) – though no killing or mass suicides. I won’t go into too much detail as I have already written about it in another review but suffice to say that Children of God – which became Family International in 2004 – not only permitted sex with children but actually encouraged it, believing it was ‘a divine right’. It still exists today but without the underage sex. Potential members of cults are often vulnerable, unattached and in their late teens/early twenties, making it ‘easier’ for them to be brainwashed.

The Black House is the extreme. Natasha’s mother Sienna was the first to be recruited by spiritual leader Joseph Carillo, whose teachings were based around the evil of the outside world and the suspicion that surrounded figures of authority like the police and teachers. But the evil inside The Black House made the outside world look like Noddyland. Mothers became the ‘Aunts’ who no longer tied themselves to their own children, who were punished for calling them ‘mummy’. Young children were starved and often beaten. The girls would ‘mature’ into sex partners for Carillo and the older boys and eventually married off while in their teens. What they all endured was horrendous, but the loss of their own mother was one of the hardest.

Following a fire at The Black House in which many of the adults died, Blue, Lisa, Natasha, her brother Brodie and Sienna escaped. Once outside the three girls were separated, supposedly for their own good. Blue meets ageing rock star Isaac, who takes her under his wing. She works for him in his record shop Pop Planet. She is recovering as well as can be expected until she receives an unexpected call. Something has happened to Natasha and Blue has been given custody of her 10-year-old daughter Pen, who she has never met or even knew existed. But something doesn’t add up and soon DI Annie Grafton is on the case.

This was a brilliant read and I loved every minute, though some of the abuse was pretty hard to take.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, the author and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read. 

About the Author

NJ Mackay is a writer and a bookworm. She studied Performing Arts at the BRIT School. “It turned out I wasn’t very good at acting”, she says, “but quite liked writing scripts”. She went on to take a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Drama and later won a full scholarship for an MA in Journalism.

Kill Shot by Sally Rigby

The game is over…..there’s nowhere to hide.

When Lenchester’s most famous sportsman is shot dead, DCI Whitney Walker and her team are thrown into the world of snooker.

She calls on forensic psychologist Dr Georgina Cavendish to assist, but the investigation takes them in a direction which has far-reaching, international ramifications.

#KillShot #CavendishandWalker @SallyRigby4 #CavendishandWalker @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours Facebook @damppebblesblogtours 

Much to Whitney’s annoyance, a member of the Met’s fraud squad is sent to assist.

But as everyone knows…three’s a crowd.

Kill Shot is the tenth book in the acclaimed Cavendish & Walker series.

My Review

A detective murder novel about snooker. Who would have thought? Not being a snooker fan I was a tad apprehensive, firstly in case I didn’t understand the ‘jargon’ and secondly because I am not really interested in books that involve sport.

However, this is a Cavendish and Walker story, so you know it’s going to be good. The snooker element is really incidental – the victim Ryan Armstrong could have been a tennis player (that would be better) or a footballer, but I draw the line at darts. Overweight men in red shirts don’t really do it for me.

We also are introduced to DI Seb Clifford, son of a Viscount, 6’6″ tall and by all accounts, rather handsome, who has been sent from the Met to assist the investigation, but we know there is more to it than that. He sounds a bit like Inspector Lynley, only taller. And he has a dog called Elsa. So far so good.

In Whitney’s private life, things have moved on. In the last book she was reunited with Martin, father of daughter Tiffany, who is now pregnant. Whitney and Martin are trying to rekindle a teenage romance (it can only end in tears), but I was hoping for a bit of flirting with Seb, but maybe he is destined to have a relationship with George, even though she is back with ex-boyfriend Ross.

This is another cracking good mystery from Sally Rigby, the tenth in the Cavendish and Walker series. As well as murder, there is a side story about match-fixing and organised crime. I think in the next book we need to focus more on George – she seems to be secondary most of the time – we focus mainly on Whitney.

I’ve also been thinking about casting this for TV (it’s ages since I’ve done this). I think Whitney could be played by Thandie Newton and George by Ruth Wilson. As for Seb – I can’t think of anyone tall enough to suit the part. Suggestions please.

Many thanks to @damppebbles for inviting me to be part of #damppebblesblogtours

About the Author

Sally Rigby was born in Northampton, in the UK. She has always had the travel bug, and after living in both Manchester and London, eventually moved overseas. From 2001 she has lived with her family in New Zealand (apart from five years in Australia), which she considers to be the most beautiful place in the world. After writing young adult fiction for many years, under a pen name, Sally decided to move into crime fiction. Her Cavendish & Walker series brings together two headstrong, and very different, women – DCI Whitney Walker, and forensic psychologist Dr Georgina Cavendish. Sally has a background in education, and has always loved crime fiction books, films and TV programmes. She has a particular fascination with the psychology of serial killers.

Check out her website for a FREE prequel story….. www.sallyrigby.com  

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SallyRigby4

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Sally-Rigby-131414630527848/posts/?ref=page_internal

Website: https://sallyrigby.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sally.rigby.author/

Purchase Links :

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/3rqo28V

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3qvJGrd

Books on the Hill Kickstarter Project

Making exciting good quality fiction accessible to a minority group currently not provided for by today’s UK traditional mass book market and providing a new tool for booksellers to use in their drive to increase diversity and inclusion. 

For more information click here.

Who Are We Working With

“We, Books On The Hill, have been so fortunate that many great authors have agreed to contribute to this project. All are brilliant authors and are names I am sure you will recognise.

“Stan Nicholls, who has been a great support to me particularly with my PhD. He is the author of many novels and short stories but is best known for the internationally acclaimed Orcs: First Blood series.

“Steven Savile, the fantasy, horror and thriller writer, now lives in Stockholm. His father is a customer of our bookshop.

“The horror duo that is Thana Niveau and John Llewellyn Probert, both well established and engaging authors and also residents of Clevedon.

“Adrian Tchaikovsky is an Arthur Clark Award winner and best known for his series Shadows of the Apt, and for his novel Children of Time.

“Steven Poore is the highly acclaimed fantasy writer who I first met on my first fantasy convention in Scarborough.

“We finish the Magnificent Seven with Joel Cornah, who also has dyslexia, and with whom I participated in a podcast on dyslexia for the Clevedon Literature 2020 ‘Festival in the Clouds‘.”

How To Get involved

“We are launching a Kickstarter beginning on April 2nd 2021 for 30 days, with the focus on paying for the printing of our books and giving us starting capital to continue to print more titles.

“There will be many ways you can be involved in this. You can contribute on the Kickstarter website itself. There will be a number of different options of donating money, in which you will receive rewards, such as ebooks of a title or a paperback of one or more of the titles to be published. In addition a unique reward from authors who are contributing to the project.  

“You can still contribute outside the Kickstarter. We are happy to receive your help in the shop, where we will have a donation box available.”

The Project

“Books on the Hill is passionate about helping people who have dyslexia, or have any difficulty with reading, to access the joy of good fiction. There are great books out now for children with dyslexia, with specialist publishers like Barrington Stokes and mainstream publishers such as Bloomsbury doing their part. However, there are sadly very few books for adults with Dyslexia in traditional mass market publishing.

“Dyslexia is a learning difference that primarily affects reading and writing skills. The NHS estimates that up to 1 in every 10 people in the UK have some form of dyslexia, while other dyslexic organisations believe 1 in 5 and more than 2 million people in the UK are severely affected.

“Dyslexia does not stop someone from achieving. There are many individuals who are successful and are dyslexic. Famous actors, such as Orlando Bloom, Entrepreneurs like Theo Paphitis, and many, many more, including myself. All of who believe dyslexia has helped them to be where they are now. Dyslexia, though, as I can attest to, does not go away. You don’t grow out of it, and so we are acknowledging that and trying to without being patronising, create a selection of books that will be friendly to people who deal with dyslexia every day.

“Since we started the project in 2019, Books on the Hill have had many adult customers with dyslexia come in shop the asking for something accessible to read. For example, one customer asked if we stocked well known novels in a dyslexic friendly format. Unfortunately we had to say no, as they just don’t exist. We explained what we are trying to achieve by printing our own and she replied:

“I have been reading [children dyslexic] books but they are a bit childish so am really happy I have found your company!! Thanks so much again and thank you for making such a helpful and inclusive brand – it means a lot.”

“This response is not isolated. We have had many adults come in to the shop with dyslexia, who do not read or struggle to read and they they believe dyslexic friendly books would have real impact on their reading for pleasure.”

The Team

“Books on the Hill is Alistair Sims. He is the manager and commander-in-chief of the bookshop (though his partner, Chloe and his mother, Joanne, who set up the bookshop with him, may disagree with this description). Alistair is dyslexic and has a PhD in history and archaeology. Alistair could not read until he was 13 and is passionate about helping anyone who has difficulty reading. He is the driving force behind BOTH Press and has been involved in every step in this project, from finding award winning authors to contribute, the cover design, and the road to publication, including setting up for distribution.

“Books on the Hill are collaborating with Chrissey Harrison, who is also an local author and member of North Bristol Writers Group. Chrissey and Alistair have designed the book-covers together, with Chrissey creating the finished product we now look on at awe with. Nearly all the design work has been done by Chrissey, and she is also in charge of the printing process, typesetting. We are so proud and appreciative to be working with her.

“Special mention must go to Harrison Gates, who runs Nine Worthy, and who has dedicated his time and expertise to produce our print catalogue for us free of cost.

“Joanne Hall is an author, editor and formerly the Chair of BristolCon, Bristol’s premier (and only) science fiction and fantasy convention. We must give a huge thank you to Jo for proof reading the stories free of cost.

“Vicky Brewster has edited all the new stories by the authors. She specialises in editing and beta reading long-form fiction. Vicky is a great professional editor.”

The Legacy by Caroline Bond

A death in the family rarely brings out the best in people – even the deceased.

Jonathan Coulter planned for his death meticulously, leaving nothing to chance. His will states that his three adult children must decide between them how to dispose of his estate. If they cannot come together over their inheritance, then they risk losing it.

But Liv, Noah and Chloe never agree on anything. And now, with only one weekend to overcome their rivalry, tensions begin to rise.

Why has Jonathan left the decision to them? And why has he made no mention of his new partner, Megan, or the children’s mother, Eloise? If he wanted to teach them a lesson from beyond the grave, what is it? And can the siblings put their differences aside for long enough to learn it?

A powerful novel about love and loss, and what we truly pass on to our children. 

My Review

Jonathan Coulter is dying, having lived with Motor Neuron Disease for a number of years. He has three grown-up children, three grandchildren, an ex-wife Eloise and a new partner who he left his wife for and she is half his age.

Partner Megan lives with Jonathan, but he has a carer called Lisa and youngest daughter Chloe also lives at The View – the Coulter’s’ family home in Scarborough. Megan and Chloe barely speak – both would prefer that they didn’t have to live together.

When Jonathan dies, they discover that the will is not what they expected. Jonathan has left the three children to decide who inherits what. And Megan and ex-wife Eloise are not included, but Lisa gets £5,000. They are horrified by Lisa’s inheritance, though I didn’t really understand why – after all she nursed him right up to the end.

They have one weekend to make a decision, but it’s not going to be easy as Liv, Noah and Chloe don’t get on. They can never agree about anything, so it’s going to get interesting.

This book is a very slow burn and it took me until the very end to realise the point of the will or in fact the point of the whole story. There are a few reveals along the way, but don’t expect any major twists and turns. It’s not that kind of book. This is about love, loss and finally finding oneself in the face of grief and adversity.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, the author and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read. 

About the Author

Caroline Bond was born at the seaside and still feels happiest when walking into a headwind with the prospect of fish and chips on the near horizon. She had a fulfilling career in research before becoming a writer.

Her debut, The Second Child, was inspired, in part, by her experiences working with, and raising, a disabled child. Her second, The Forgotten Sister, reflects her belief that our life chances are hugely impacted by our upbringings. Her third, One Split Second, explores guilt and forgiveness.

She is a slow, but tenacious runner and not a bad cook.

She prefers red to white wine.

My Top 8 Books of 2021 so far

Here are my favourite eight books of the first quarter of 2021. Last year I chose eight books in the first half but I already have eight so I’m going to break with tradition.

Lost Property by Helen Paris

Each year I wait for that one book that grabs me by the heart and won’t let go. It’s only just February and I have already found it. That book is Lost Property. Every phrase, every sentence, in this wonderful story needs to be savoured. You can’t read this beautiful book too quickly or you will miss something worthwhile.

For my full review click here

Call Me Mummy by Tina Baker

Young children, a new born baby, kittens, puppies – all the things that make me stressed when reading. And two main protagonists who are both spiralling out of control and you have a tale of two women descending into madness, which is all very Shakespearean and definitely tragic.

This is a book like no other. I loved this book. It goes where others fear to tread. It’s only the brilliance of Tina’s writing that allows humour to creep into something so dark and disturbing.

For my full review click here

The Whisper Man by Alex North

This was recommended to me by a work colleague. She said it was spooky and creepy. Boy was she right, particularly the first half. Tom is trying to find rational explanations for the things that seven-year-old son Jake says he sees and hears. The little girl in the blue dress, the grazes on her knee never healing and her dark hair swept to one side. The boy in the floor. The strange rhyme ‘If you leave the door wide open, soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken’ and the whispers themselves. 

For my full review click here

Saving Missy by Beth Morrey

I do love this book. Poor Missy. A domineering husband. A daughter she has fallen out with. A son and grandson who have emigrated to Australia. And a large empty house full of memories and loneliness.

It’s hard to put into words how emotional this book is at times. Especially at a time when we are already emotional. I laughed and I cried and then I cried some more.

For my full review click here

Dog Days by Ericka Waller

First of all let me just say that I LOVE dogs. So when this title came up for review I was a bit biased.

Dogs love us. They trust us, they never question our decisions (unless sausages are involved and they are not going to get any) and they are our best listeners.

This book is so emotional and heart-warming and at times very sad. It looks at relationships, fear and the human condition. I never wanted it to end. The characters are like old friends and I worry for their future – I hope they can all be happy.

For my full review click here

Madame Burova by Ruth Hogan

I could have added this one to my list before I even read it because I knew how good it was going to be.

I think it is something to do with the richly-drawn characters that make them seem like old friends. And the dogs of course. There have to be dogs. But it’s also the detail, which is why I have to go back, because in desperation to discover what happens next, it’s easy to miss something important or beautiful. It may only be something little, but it’s still worth a second look.

For my full review click here

Girl in the Walls by AJ Gnuse

“Listen. We know there are people who hide in our homes. They crawl into attic spaces….flit between the rooms….just outside the reach of sight.” It’s a terrifying thought.

If I could give Girl in the Walls ten stars I would in a heartbeat. I’ve never read anything like it before. But it’s not just the story, it’s the poetry of the writing. The depth of feeling. The beauty of the descriptions. The family dynamic. The references to the Norse gods. And so much more. I was entranced.

For my full review click here

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Ted Bannerman lives with his daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia. They live in the last house on Needless Street, on the edge of a forest where secrets lie buried. All the windows in the house are boarded up and no-one other than Ted goes in or out. Ted is a recluse. He’d love to have a friend but he doesn’t know how. 

For my full review click here

The Republic of Love by Carol Shields

With a foreword by Margaret Atwood

A celebration of love in its many guises, The Republic of Love recounts the heartfelt tale of two of life’s unlucky lovers: Fay, a folklorist whose passion for mermaids has kept her from focusing on any one man; and, right across the street, Tom, a popular radio talk-show host who’s been through three marriages and divorces in his search for true happiness.

#TheRepublicOfLove @WorldEdBooks #RandomThingsTours @annecater @RandomTTours

Touching and ironic, The Republic of Love flies the flag for ordinary love between ordinary people.

‘Vividly fresh, glittering and spangled with fabulous surprises.’ —The Sunday Times

‘The Republic of Love marries a wide diversity of elements, mythical and modern, ironic and moving, exhilarating and melancholy … a love-surveying story that is enticingly seductive.’ —The Times Literary Supplement

My Review

This is a story about love and the human condition. Both Tom and Fay have had relationships, but neither of them have found true love. Not like Fay’s parents’ perfect marriage of 40 years.

Fay – a folklorist – has never been married – she is afraid to commit – though she has lived with three of her partners, including Peter, but she has had enough of him after three years. Tom – a late night DJ (I kept wanting to sing the Harry Chapin song ‘I am the morning DJ on WOLD’) – on the other hand, has been married and divorced three times. None of his marriages have lasted more than four years. Maybe, like Othello, he loved not wisely but too well. Definitely not wisely and not really well enough either.

They are both lonely, though neither would want to admit it. They each go home to an empty flat. Mostly the book is about their musings and self-reflection. At times it was rather self-indulgent. There was also a lot of cross-over between characters. Tom’s third wife is now married to someone else, whose second wife is the first wife of etc… I got a bit confused at times. Not really surprising.

I often forgot when it was written. It was published in 1996. At one point Fay is in Paris on a four week research trip for her book on mermaids and Tom, not wanting to ring her at her hotel, decides to write to her using an airmail letter – remember those flimsy blue stripey things? Apparently it took 10 days. This is pre-email or mobile phones. Fay replies by fax. Thank goodness for WhatsApp!

One thing worried me though. When Fay is planning a trip, she says to herself that she could get an early start on her packing. No one packs a whole week before going away, not unless they are insanely compulsive, she says. I must be insanely compulsive as I often start way more than a week before. Anyway, I digress.

Probably my only criticism is that the book is overlong by quite a long way which left me a little frustrated at times. It often says a lot about very little and I needed the writer to move the story forward. However, the beauty of the writing made up for it, but you need to be patient. Nowadays readers often want a book to be like a film, with non-stop action and instant gratification. With Republic of Love you need to savour the prose and relish the settings and the characters – even the minor ones. Ultimately, I really enjoyed it.

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

About the Author

Carol Shields (1935–2003) was born in the United States, and emigrated to Canada when she was 22. She is acclaimed for her empathetic and witty, yet penetrating insights into human nature. Her most famous novel The Stone Diaries was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, along with the Governor General’s Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Happenstance was praised as her tour de force, masterly combining two novels in one. The international bestseller Mary Swann was awarded with the Arthur Ellis Award for best Canadian mystery, while The Republic of Love was chosen as the first runner-up for the Guardian Fiction Prize. In 2020, the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, a North American literary award dedicated to writing by women, was set up in her honour. Her work has been published in over 30 languages.

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.

All these things are true. And yet they are all lies…

You think you know what’s inside the last house on Needless Street. You think you’ve read this story before. That’s where you’re wrong.

In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. But it’s not what you think…

My Review

Ted Bannerman lives with his daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia. They live in the last house on Needless Street, on the edge of a forest where secrets lie buried. All the windows in the house are boarded up and no-one other than Ted goes in or out. Ted is a recluse. He’d love to have a friend but he doesn’t know how. We have flashbacks to Little Teddy when he lived with his Mommy and Daddy.

Eleven years ago Dee and little sister Lulu were at the lake with their parents, when six-year-old Lulu was taken. She became known as Little Girl with Popsicle and though the police searched and searched, no trace of her was ever found. But Dee is convinced that Ted was responsible, even though he had an alibi.

However, if you think this is a straightforward missing child story, think again. Yes it’s a story about kidnapping, child abduction and abuse but that’s where the similarity ends. Written from the point of view of Ted, Lauren, Olivia and Dee, everything is true but nothing is as it seems. I have never read anything quite like it before.

I can’t really say anything else without spoilers, but please do read this incredible book. It’s original, unique, beautifully written and full of tragedy, sadness and hope. It’s a work of genius, a true masterpiece.

About the Author

CATRIONA WARD was born in Washington, DC and grew up in the United States, Kenya, Madagascar, Yemen, and Morocco. She read English at St Edmund Hall, Oxford and is a graduate of the Creative Writing MA at the University of East Anglia.

Stephen King praised her upcoming gothic thriller, saying: ‘The buzz building around Catriona Ward’s THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET is real. I’ve read it and was blown away. It’s a true nerve-shredder that keeps its mind-blowing secrets to the very end. Haven’t read anything this exciting since GONE GIRL.’ THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET is published 2021 by Viper (UK) and Tor Nightfire (USA).

Ward’s preceding novel LITTLE EVE won the 2019 Shirley Jackson Award, as well as the August Derleth Prize at the British Fantasy Awards, and was a Guardian best book of 2018. Her debut RAWBLOOD also won the 2016 August Derleth, making her the only woman to have won the prize twice. Her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. ‘The Pier at Ardentinny‘ was shortlisted for the ALCS Tom Gallon Trust Award organised by the Royal Society of Literature. She lives in London and Devon.