David Menon's Blog, page 2
July 7, 2021
The Dinner Guest
The Dinner Guest by B.P. WalterMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
The plot of this novel was ingenious and very original. And it was brilliantly constructed. But there was way too much padding of the story and I reached the point about 3/4 of the way through when I was growing impatient for the end. Also, I really didn't like any of the characters and they were more or less all drawn from an overly privileged upper class world where people obsess about things that people lower down the social scale wouldn't have the time to. That said, if the subtext was an observation on class then it worked very well.
View all my reviews
June 20, 2021
The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle
The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt CainMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Oh my God ... where do I start with this book? It is such a life affirming story of hope that the cruel restraints and prejudices imposed on you by others can be swept away when life finally presents you with a happy ending. For Albert this came after almost a whole lifetime without his precious George and without giving too much away I don't mind saying that I cried buckets of joy at the end. The way that Matt Cain slowly peels away the character of Albert Entwistle, and we learn more and more about him, the more I was willing him on to trust his instincts and not become a victim of his doubts. All of the characters are superbly drawn and, especially those of us who live in the north of England, we've met them all. Darkness can be loved back into light - that's the message I'll take with me from this book and also the fact that, as gay men in the UK, we're a whole lot better off today than we've ever been.
View all my reviews
June 13, 2021
Bitter Wash Road
This is the first Garry Disher book I've read and I'll definitely be reading more of his. The characters come to life by leaping off the page at you and whilst the plot is a little like trying to track a ghost through fog sometimes - there were a couple of chapters I had to read twice before I got it - I like his very seductive style of writing that makes the action unpredictable and very entertaining. there are no happy people in this story - everyone is damaged in some way - but he introduces us to the character of constable Paul Hirschhausen who I'm sure is going to become legendary in Australian crime writing. The ending left me a bit wanting but it does fit with the rest of the story. Overall, a great read.
May 21, 2021
A review of 'Still Life'
Val McDermid is my favourite crime fiction author and with this one she shows that she's still well and truly got it. There were two plots running which came together intricately towards the end and I imagine that a TV adaptation will not be long in coming. Her writing has changed in that there is now considerably less graphic depiction of violent acts in her novels than there was in her earlier work such as 'The Mermaid's Singing' for instance, but it's a progression that I've gone with. My only criticism of 'Still Life' is that one or two of the plot twists were a little far-fetched, and Val does seem to like depicting male police officers as being rather less than competent and female ones as showing the greatest promise. Karen's attitude to her male colleagues would sometimes be unacceptably sexist if it was the other way round. But that said, 'Still Life' is still a thoroughly great read and well worth it.
December 20, 2020
Uncle Dad
My novel 'Uncle Dad' about a gay man's fight to fulfil his sister's dying wish that he adopts her two kids when she passes - is available to download for FREE until 24th December! So go on - you've nothing to lose!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncle-Dad-br...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncle-Dad-br...
November 27, 2020
The Married Ones (Modern Lives 3)
My new novella 'The Married Ones' is out today and tells the story of seven characters who are all in various stages of cheating on the ones they love. Or are they? Is it just physical? It's available on Amazon, Kobo, and Google Play. And who will be crying at the end?The Married Ones
And check out my website at www.silversprings-publishing.com
And check out my website at www.silversprings-publishing.com
November 12, 2020
Uncle Dad
I'm delighted to see that my novel 'Uncle Dad' has been featured on the Australian lifestyle website 'Out Down Under' With thanks to Luke Farrell.
https://outdownunder.com/its-still-no...
https://www.amazon.com.au/Uncle-Dad-b...
https://outdownunder.com/its-still-no...
https://www.amazon.com.au/Uncle-Dad-b...
October 31, 2020
The Married Ones (Modern Lives 3)
My new novel about contemporary relationships is available for pre-order ahead of it's release on November 27th. It's all about those things we shouldn't do but which give us the greatest of pleasure when we do them!
October 24, 2020
chapter One of 'The Dead Can Hear You'.
This is chapter One of 'The Dead Can Hear You' and will give you a taste of the flavour of the book. Tangled relationships, historical acts of cruelty, murder. It's out on Friday 30th October. You can pre-order it now on Amazon.
THE DEAD CAN HEAR YOU
ONE
Rita Makin had been a widow for ten years. Her late husband George had worked at the local factory manufacturing shampoo and other personal hygiene items for all their married life, but the pension still had to be supplemented by the state. Rita had worked all that time too. She’d worked in Catholic children’s homes until vicious nuns had sacked her for wanting to show the kids some love. Then she’d spent the rest of her working days in a local flower shop, working alongside an owner whose husband had bought the shop for her as a means of tax avoidance. Rita had never been able to give herself to such luxurious thinking. She’d simply needed the cash and her boss, though friendly, had often subtly reminded Rita of their respective places in life. Rita had never really thought of herself as downtrodden. But she’d grown older believing that life could’ve offered her just a little more.
Which was why she wasn’t feeling guilty about what she was doing now.
It had been difficult to get used to at first. Her late husband George had been the only man she’d ever been with before and when they got married, they’d both been innocents. Which meant that neither she nor George had ever been particularly adventurous in the bedroom department. It had always been nighty up, pyjama bottoms down, straight in, do the business, straight out again and then George would roll over and go to sleep. No romance. No cuddling whilst talking quietly in post coital bliss. So, the first time with the second man she’d ever slept with had been a somewhat nervous experience. But it hadn’t been long before a whole wealth of feelings had gradually overwhelmed them both and she’d been as frustrated as him when he came too quickly on that first time. That had been an expression of his nervousness too so they’d practised their intimacy until now she felt like a woman should feel about having sex with a man who clearly loved her despite the circumstances and she celebrated the fact that this could happen to her at this time in her life. There weren’t many women who’d been given a second chance at love like this. But they’d both needed comfort. That’s how it had happened. They’d each seen through the tears to something beyond. Now there wasn’t a cloud in the sky when he smiled at her. That’s what gave her the thrill she’d never known had been possible. That’s what made her long for him to be inside her when she was all alone at night because of course, he couldn’t stay over. That really would set the cat amongst the pigeons.
She’d been absent from the church for several years after her sacking but when the children’s home was closed down, she took that as her cue to return and the church could now boast many worshippers who, like her, took a more measured view of the faith. When she thought back to all that she had seen and heard back then, she knew she should’ve spoken up for those poor kids who suffered unmercifully at the hands of those sadistic bitches who called themselves Nuns. Discipline and obedience were all that they dished out to the poor little mites and they could be savage with it, causing many a child to cry themselves to sleep in pain at the physical treatment they’d been subjected to. If it had been this day and age, she’d have reported them all. Just because they were Nuns didn’t mean that they were above the law. She would’ve found it easy to report them now because the authorities these days made it easier for people like her to come forward and expose wrongdoing, particularly abuse against children who were supposed to be in someone’s care. But back then it was a lot more difficult and almost impossible to go against authority, whether it was some public body or something like the church. She attended church now because her faith in God had remained constant and she used her prayers as a private conversation with Him and to ask Him to take care of all the children who’d been so badly treated. She also prayed for the Almighty’s forgiveness for not having spoken up to protect them.
She luxuriated in a long soak in the bath. Her cousin down in Derby had sent her some bath oil last Christmas and she kept it for special occasions such as when ‘he’ was coming round. The trouble was, she was having so many special occasions with ‘him’ that the bath oil was rapidly running down. She’d have to treat herself to another bottle.
She knew her body wasn’t what it used to be, but he didn’t seem to mind. Her breasts were a joke compared to what they’d been when she’d married George, but she couldn’t help that. And it was another thing that he didn’t seem to mind about. He seemed to celebrate the fact that she was a woman of advancing years who could still show a man how much she cared about him when they twisted their bodies together. She’d never known passion with George. Now it was as if she’d been born into a world of sheer pleasure. She wanted to shout about it from the rooftops, but she couldn’t. This was their private world and would have to remain so until one day when perhaps the circumstances might change. God was really going to hate her for this. Every Catholic knows that adults shouldn’t indulge in pleasure unless it resulted in children or misery. That way the church could claim responsibility for the child’s welfare or the adults’ salvation. Well Rita had decided that she didn’t need saving. And more importantly, she didn’t want to be saved.
She drew the curtains in the small conservatory at the back of the house and took her now empty coffee mug into the kitchen. She’d put on her best dress, the one he liked that she’d bought it out of a friend’s catalogue last year never imagining that she would one day be wearing it because it pleased her man. She’d taken great care over her make-up, and there wasn’t a single hair out of place. She’d even been to one of those lingerie boutiques and got herself something that she knew he’d like once her dress was off. She was excited. She felt that catapult in her stomach as the time drew near for him to arrive. She looked at her watch and saw that there was still half an hour to go. What on earth was she going to do to fill the time? She could try munching on something, nothing heavy, just a bit of salad but with no onions to linger on her breath.
She walked into the kitchen and was about to open the fridge door before she realised there was someone else in the room. She turned around and almost screamed but the shock prevented her.
‘What the Hell are you doing, creeping up on me like that?’
‘You shouldn’t leave your back door unlocked, Rita’.
‘Look, I’ve got someone coming shortly and he won’t take kindly to you being here. Now I’m not being rude, but would you please leave now’.
He stepped up closer and then wielded the cold, sharp blade of steel, slashing it across her throat.
She then fell back against the wall and began the short journey into death.
-----------
So why would anyone want someone as ordinary as Rita dead? She must've been terrified in those final moments. But why?
THE DEAD CAN HEAR YOU
ONE
Rita Makin had been a widow for ten years. Her late husband George had worked at the local factory manufacturing shampoo and other personal hygiene items for all their married life, but the pension still had to be supplemented by the state. Rita had worked all that time too. She’d worked in Catholic children’s homes until vicious nuns had sacked her for wanting to show the kids some love. Then she’d spent the rest of her working days in a local flower shop, working alongside an owner whose husband had bought the shop for her as a means of tax avoidance. Rita had never been able to give herself to such luxurious thinking. She’d simply needed the cash and her boss, though friendly, had often subtly reminded Rita of their respective places in life. Rita had never really thought of herself as downtrodden. But she’d grown older believing that life could’ve offered her just a little more.
Which was why she wasn’t feeling guilty about what she was doing now.
It had been difficult to get used to at first. Her late husband George had been the only man she’d ever been with before and when they got married, they’d both been innocents. Which meant that neither she nor George had ever been particularly adventurous in the bedroom department. It had always been nighty up, pyjama bottoms down, straight in, do the business, straight out again and then George would roll over and go to sleep. No romance. No cuddling whilst talking quietly in post coital bliss. So, the first time with the second man she’d ever slept with had been a somewhat nervous experience. But it hadn’t been long before a whole wealth of feelings had gradually overwhelmed them both and she’d been as frustrated as him when he came too quickly on that first time. That had been an expression of his nervousness too so they’d practised their intimacy until now she felt like a woman should feel about having sex with a man who clearly loved her despite the circumstances and she celebrated the fact that this could happen to her at this time in her life. There weren’t many women who’d been given a second chance at love like this. But they’d both needed comfort. That’s how it had happened. They’d each seen through the tears to something beyond. Now there wasn’t a cloud in the sky when he smiled at her. That’s what gave her the thrill she’d never known had been possible. That’s what made her long for him to be inside her when she was all alone at night because of course, he couldn’t stay over. That really would set the cat amongst the pigeons.
She’d been absent from the church for several years after her sacking but when the children’s home was closed down, she took that as her cue to return and the church could now boast many worshippers who, like her, took a more measured view of the faith. When she thought back to all that she had seen and heard back then, she knew she should’ve spoken up for those poor kids who suffered unmercifully at the hands of those sadistic bitches who called themselves Nuns. Discipline and obedience were all that they dished out to the poor little mites and they could be savage with it, causing many a child to cry themselves to sleep in pain at the physical treatment they’d been subjected to. If it had been this day and age, she’d have reported them all. Just because they were Nuns didn’t mean that they were above the law. She would’ve found it easy to report them now because the authorities these days made it easier for people like her to come forward and expose wrongdoing, particularly abuse against children who were supposed to be in someone’s care. But back then it was a lot more difficult and almost impossible to go against authority, whether it was some public body or something like the church. She attended church now because her faith in God had remained constant and she used her prayers as a private conversation with Him and to ask Him to take care of all the children who’d been so badly treated. She also prayed for the Almighty’s forgiveness for not having spoken up to protect them.
She luxuriated in a long soak in the bath. Her cousin down in Derby had sent her some bath oil last Christmas and she kept it for special occasions such as when ‘he’ was coming round. The trouble was, she was having so many special occasions with ‘him’ that the bath oil was rapidly running down. She’d have to treat herself to another bottle.
She knew her body wasn’t what it used to be, but he didn’t seem to mind. Her breasts were a joke compared to what they’d been when she’d married George, but she couldn’t help that. And it was another thing that he didn’t seem to mind about. He seemed to celebrate the fact that she was a woman of advancing years who could still show a man how much she cared about him when they twisted their bodies together. She’d never known passion with George. Now it was as if she’d been born into a world of sheer pleasure. She wanted to shout about it from the rooftops, but she couldn’t. This was their private world and would have to remain so until one day when perhaps the circumstances might change. God was really going to hate her for this. Every Catholic knows that adults shouldn’t indulge in pleasure unless it resulted in children or misery. That way the church could claim responsibility for the child’s welfare or the adults’ salvation. Well Rita had decided that she didn’t need saving. And more importantly, she didn’t want to be saved.
She drew the curtains in the small conservatory at the back of the house and took her now empty coffee mug into the kitchen. She’d put on her best dress, the one he liked that she’d bought it out of a friend’s catalogue last year never imagining that she would one day be wearing it because it pleased her man. She’d taken great care over her make-up, and there wasn’t a single hair out of place. She’d even been to one of those lingerie boutiques and got herself something that she knew he’d like once her dress was off. She was excited. She felt that catapult in her stomach as the time drew near for him to arrive. She looked at her watch and saw that there was still half an hour to go. What on earth was she going to do to fill the time? She could try munching on something, nothing heavy, just a bit of salad but with no onions to linger on her breath.
She walked into the kitchen and was about to open the fridge door before she realised there was someone else in the room. She turned around and almost screamed but the shock prevented her.
‘What the Hell are you doing, creeping up on me like that?’
‘You shouldn’t leave your back door unlocked, Rita’.
‘Look, I’ve got someone coming shortly and he won’t take kindly to you being here. Now I’m not being rude, but would you please leave now’.
He stepped up closer and then wielded the cold, sharp blade of steel, slashing it across her throat.
She then fell back against the wall and began the short journey into death.
-----------
So why would anyone want someone as ordinary as Rita dead? She must've been terrified in those final moments. But why?
October 20, 2020
My new website
My new website is now live! I'd really appreciate it if you could send an email to the address on the opening page so that I can add you to my mailing list for future updates and bookish chit chat. And for your trouble, you'll receive a free copy of my collection of short stories. S
o go on. what are you waiting for?
https://silversprings-publishing.com/
o go on. what are you waiting for?https://silversprings-publishing.com/
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