Lee Allen's Blog, page 12

Carrie Dalby's Malevolent Hearts - Review

Malevolent Hearts by Carrie Dalby

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The opening installment in a gothic historical family saga.

Merritt Hall arrives in Mobile to stay with her aunt and uncle and their orphaned niece, her cousin Winifred, with whom she quickly develops a bond.

Haunted by tragedy, the family strives to overcome their sadness, though Winifred may be haunted by more than just her memories and her grief.

Meanwhile, the Yellow Fever epidemic rages. As it reaches the town, their hopes for happiness and their very lives become fraught with peril.

'Malevolent Hearts' is the first novel in 'The Malevolent Trilogy' by Carrie Dalby, a family saga in the Southern Gothic tradition, with ties to her gothic saga 'The Possession Chronicles'. Set in Mobile, Alabama, during the 1897 Yellow Fever epidemic, this is emotive historical fiction, evermore poignant when you consider it was written and published during the 2020 global pandemic. The story is narrated by Merritt, who, at nineteen years old is charged with the care and education of her fifteen year old cousin, Winifred. Their family is haunted by grief and guilt connected to the tragic losses of many of their loved ones.

This is also a tale of romance, Winifred's mutual attraction with their charming and roguish neighbour, Sean, building into a burgeoning passion, a love forbidden for many reasons, while Merritt also begins a courtship of her own. There's a coming-of-age theme running throughout, with Merritt, Winifred and Sean all on a journey of self-discovery, events forcing them to mature and to discover their adult selves through the trauma they suffer. The core characters never fail to be likeable, even when one or two may engage in rather questionable behaviour. Winifred is perhaps my favourite character - her fighting spirit, innocence and rebellious streak provoking amusement, sadness and admiration. Dalby has crafted an emotionally-driven tale, our connection to these characters keeping us riveted through joy and tragedy.

The historical backdrop is well-developed, an authentic exploration of the social norms and expectations of the period, demonstrating just how scandalous some things would be. The attitudes of some of the more powerful male characters in particular are quite stark, though you never lose sight of an awareness of experiencing the past through the lens of its sometimes vastly different attitudes. The subtle demonstration of female strength and rebellion was one of my favourite elements. Religion and spirituality are also explored – in the societal split between Catholics and Baptists, as well as some traditional ways to avert the attentions of evil spirits. Most of all, the fear and isolation as a result of the epidemic is sublimely captured, and the dreadful reality that sometimes illness can claim us and there is little we can do to prevent or even fight it.

The story continues in 'Tangled Discoveries', taking the saga into the next generation - with threads seeded through this novel that may have a bearing on the future. Chronologically, Dalby's young adult novel 'Fortitude' and the first novel in 'The Possession Chronicles' follow this one, all part of a shared universe of historical gothic fiction. Nevertheless, this book also works brilliantly as a standalone Southern Gothic historical drama.

Equally heart-wrenching and heart-warming, 'Malevolent Hearts' is a moving story of love and loss, a fantastic first chapter in the history of a family and their haunted legacy.



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Patricia Cornwell's Livid - Review

Livid by Patricia Cornwell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A dangerous and sinister case for Dr. Kay Scarpetta.

While testifying in a controversial trial, Scarpetta finds herself called to a crime scene at the judge's home, her sister having been found dead.

In a complex case with links to national security concerns and evidence that dangerous technology is in use, events become increasingly alarming as protests surrounding the murder trial escalate.

With tensions threatening to grow more volatile, Scarpetta finds herself drawn into the centre of the hunt for a psychopathic and sadistic terrorist intent on devastating carnage.

'Livid' is the twenty-sixth novel in Patricia Cornwell's forensic science thriller series featuring forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Following on the heels of 'Autopsy', when Kay had first returned to Virginia to once again take on the position of Chief Medical Examiner which she held when we first met her over three decades ago in ‘Postmortem’, we are reacquainted with Kay in the middle of her testimony in a case she reviewed, originally investigated by her deceased predecessor. With the story narrated by Kay herself, we gain insights into her professional and personal life and experience her responsibilities to the dead.

Through Kay's relationships with her close colleagues, friends and family, we witness the investigation from different angles of law enforcement and through the lens of multiple agencies. In addition to the forensic science and investigative procedure, the novel also blends elements of psychological profiling, political intrigue and national security, and experimental advanced technology. Cornwell’s passion for her subject matter is always evident in her work, incorporating the latest research, allowing us to share this fascination.

Cornwell's forensically detailed prose creates vivid scenes that live and breathe in your mind and linger there - in particular scenes in the courtroom, the crime scenes and the post-mortem examinations, and even an evening conversation around Kay's dinner table, all developed superbly. The novel explores many themes, such as vigilantism and public faith in government and law enforcement, which feel particularly topical considering events in recent years, set very much in the socio-political present. As the narrative takes an unexpected twist, ratcheting up the suspense, we plummet into a tense conclusion which ties all the threads together seamlessly. As Cornwell's plots develop, I often wonder how everything can possibly be wrapped up by the end, yet she never fails to deliver; an expert still at the top of her game.

Fascinating and gripping, 'Livid' is an intense, cutting-edge thriller, with modern science and retrospective mystery as entwined as a strand of DNA.



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Hello 2023!

I'm back after a short semi-break from social media.

January is always a challenging month. The cold edge of winter bites hard, the festivities are past, and it's time to commit to eating healthier and exercising again while navigating a return to normality.

My main goal during January was to return to my writing routine. I am so happy to say I have been writing my new book on every one of those thirty-one days!

Now, we can begin to look forward. With sundown today began Imbolc, the Pagan sabbat celebrating the oncoming spring as nature begins to stir and shake off its hibernation. In ancient times, it was associated with the Celtic goddess, Brigid, goddess of spring, fire, healing, fertility, motherhood, music and poetry, and much more, with many myths surrounding her.

The Christian Church later adopted the day as St. Brigid's Day (preceding Candlemas, often linked to Imbolc, though geographical evidence suggests they initially developed independently). Legend recounts how Brigid was born into slavery and went on to become Ireland's first female bishop. Believed to have performed many miracles, including an abortion through blessing (interesting how we don't hear much about that one these days), she was known as a formidable force and a passionate protector of women. There are many legends related to her, all the more fascinating when you consider that, a thousand years later, women would be persecuted and executed as witches.

It is also National Storytelling Week. A perfect way to end one month and begin another, by celebrating our love and the power of storytelling, which has been part of the human experience for millennia!

Something all these events share is the symbolism of seeking and finding the light, of emerging from the darkness. No matter the stories we seek or what they mean to us, we can all find some comfort in that.

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Marple - Review

Marple: Twelve New Stories by Naomi Alderman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Agatha Christie's Miss Marple returns in a collection of mysteries by contemporary writers.

Schemes of blackmail and murder in a small village…
St. Mary Mead’s vicarage is once again host to murder…
A trip to Manhattan turns deadly…
Miss Marple unravels a public family drama…
Christmas celebrations are interrupted by a jewellery theft…
A sudden death in an academic circle…
A killer strikes on an Oriental cruise ship…
A wedding is interrupted by a sudden poisoning…
A writer plots a murder in the sunny Mediterranean…
Miss Marple’s great-grand-niece becomes embroiled in a murder…
A peaceful visit to a Sussex village leads Miss Marple to uncover a string of murders…
Called back to St. Mary Mead, Miss Marple is asked to investigate a man’s sudden disappearance…

'Marple' presents twelve short stories by twelve mystery and thriller writers, celebrating one of Agatha Christie's most ingenious characters and her second most famous detective - Miss Jane Marple. Behind her unassuming appearance of the elderly spinster and legatee of the Victorian era, in her neat quaint cottage where she tends her garden in the small chocolate-box English village of St. Mary Mead, is a woman with a keen understanding of human nature and a skill at solving even the most complex of mysteries.

Every one of these stories is a perfect slice of the genius of Miss Marple, as sharp, unobtrusive and quietly observant as ever, capturing the subtlety, intuition and intellect with which Christie wrote her character. My personal favourites were:
'The Second Murder at the Vicarage' by Val McDermid, for its vintage style and sleight-of-hand solution;
'Miss Marple's Christmas' by Ruth Ware, for its festive, classic mystery atmosphere;
'A Deadly Wedding Day' by Dreda Say Mitchell, for its thrilling pace and twists in the narrative;
'The Mystery of the Acid Soil' by Kate Mosse, for its detail-driven plotting and masterful piece of detection.

This collection has so much to delight a mystery reader - secrets and lies, plotting and scheming, adultery and affairs of the heart, clever thefts and strange disappearances, and, of course, brutal murders. Featuring an eclectic mix of supporting characters, which also include some reappearances of several from Christie's own stories, such as nephew Raymond and friend and neighbour Dolly Bantry, the stories are told from differing perspectives, taking place across multiple locations. With allusions and references to Christie’s stories, this collection of tales makes for an indulgent treat.

Part of the genius of the Miss Marple stories is in how so many people simply dismiss her as an elderly woman. This theme remains as timely as ever - the elderly often written off, their time passed. Within the collection, we experience how elderly people are seen in other cultures, revered for their wisdom, knowledge and life experience – in contrast to what is often seen in British society and similar cultures. As well as exploring perceptions of the elderly, the underlying theme of aging also runs throughout the collection - how it feels to grow old, especially as a woman, to fade into the background (or be expected to), while your mind may remain as it ever was. It's quite unclear just how old Miss Marple is in her later stories, but she never loses the twinkle in her eye or her ability for astute and quick observation. If we must grow old, as all of us who are lucky enough to do so must, then let it be as Miss Marple does.

Miss Marple, much like Poirot and many other classic detectives, was a delightful part of my childhood. As Sophie Hannah has done with her 'Poirot' novels, the authors featured in this collection have offered the world something we believed lost with the passing of Agatha Christie - new stories featuring these incredible characters. Like Christie's entire legacy, Miss Marple remains immortal.

A marvellous collection of mysteries, both fresh and nostalgic, ‘Marple’ proves the magic of Agatha Christie never wavers, her spirit within each of these tales from twelve talented authors.



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Happy New Year!

Thank you to everyone who has read one of my stories this year!

Another year is almost past and I just want to take this moment to say thank you to all my readers and followers for their continued support.

Highlights of the year for me were, of course, found in my writing projects. Finally releasing 'The Ghost Train' as the start of my series for children has long been in the works. In addition, my new short story 'Harbinger' continued my 'Jack O'Lantern' series. This year also marked a full decade as a published author, with the anniversary of my debut novel 'Those Crimes of Passion'.

I also took a marvellous break in Tenby, while there is also a lot to be grateful for in a year that has brought its challenges and worries.

As I look forwards into the next year, my focus is to continue working on my next novel. In addition to that, my wish is to be able to take things one step at a time, to begin building my routine back to into my life; to take time to heal, for self-care, and to try not to become overwhelmed. And to learn how to relax properly again. Ultimately, to take time for peace.

And I extend that wish for peace to each and every one of you. To those struggling and persevering, never give up. We've got this!

For many years, this night has reminded me of one thing - just how little time we have. So, cherish each moment, never stop following your dreams, and hold anything that matters close to your heart. We are truly poor if we do not love and embrace what brings us happiness.

I wish you all a happy, safe and healthy 2023, filled with stories, beauty and laughter! Happy New Year, my friends 🙂

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Tim Major's Sherlock Holmes & The Twelve Thefts of Christmas - Review

Sherlock Holmes and The Twelve Thefts of Christmas by Tim Major

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Join Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they are set a perplexing puzzle.

Morose and uninspired as Christmas approaches, Holmes receives an unexpected invitation to a theatrical performance, thus beginning a challenge set by a face from the past and an investigation into a series of baffling thefts.

Meanwhile, a new client requests Holmes investigate a series of bloody gifts left in the form of dissected meat and animal carcasses, referencing events when he was lost during an expedition in Greenland.

As the mystery deepens, sending Holmes and Watson in dizzying directions, the mysteries grow evermore complex and the endgame more obscure, Watson fearing Holmes is far too distracted to find this solution.

'Sherlock Holmes and the Twelve Thefts of Christmas' sees Holmes reacquainted with Irene Adler as he pursues clues left as part of a game of her creation, beginning with a visit to the theatre and the variations in a haunting melody. In this intellectual contest, with more than a little teasing that hints at flirtation, Holmes obsesses over the maze through which 'the woman' leads him - a crossword puzzle sketched over the map of London and its environs.

Tim Major has moulded a fun and enthralling novel; Holmes' wits challenged by an equal, with entertaining diversions into folklore, mythology and skullduggery, alongside hints of the gothic in the case of a series of macabre deliveries, which may be gifts or threats, presenting a mystery with suggestions of the supernatural. Impeccably written with a sprinkling of Christmas magic added to Holmes' masterful detection, this is a fast-paced tale complete with vivid scenes and themes and motifs you'll recognise from Conan Doyle's Holmes stories.

It is testament to Arthur Conan Doyle's writing that characters who made relatively minor appearances have gone on to become so popular and so entwined within the Holmes mythology - Irene Adler being perhaps the second most notable of these. Despite only appearing in one of Conan Doyle's short stories, 'A Scandal in Bohemia', she has gone on to appear in multiple continuation and spin-off stories in print and several screen adaptations. It is Holmes' fascination and respect for her which has earned her the reputation as being the closest to a 'romantic' interest for Holmes, though their attraction is far more intellectual than physical (Holmes remaining closer to asexual than sapiosexual). Major does a superb job at recreating and continuing this relationship.

In addition to Holmes, Watson and Adler, Mrs Hudson and Mary Watson play significant roles. All the lead and supporting characters are marvellously realised, driving the plot as much as the challenge itself. The novel also features real historical characters in Holmes' client and Arctic explorer Fridtjof Nansen and his wife, Major taking poetic licence with their real lives intertwined into the narrative and a mystery surrounding Nansen's most recent exploration.

A thoroughly entertaining Yuletide story, 'Sherlock Holmes and the Twelve Thefts of Christmas' is a sublime piece of historical mystery which satisfies like an after-dinner Christmas puzzle.



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Charles Dickens' The Cricket on the Hearth - Review

The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Take a glimpse into the past from a festive fireside.

A tranquil family evening is interrupted by the arrival of a stranger on the eve of a local wedding.

So begins a chain of unexpected events that lead the lives of a small group of people in unforeseen directions.

Truths will finally be seen and new paths chosen in a fairy tale of home.

'The Cricket on the Hearth' is Charles Dickens' third Christmas novella, originally published in 1845. It's more light-hearted than the previous book, ‘The Chimes’, and lacks the gothic shadows of ‘A Christmas Carol’, nonetheless feeling as if it possesses less Christmas magic. It is perhaps a much more subtle depiction of the themes of love, goodwill and family that we cherish at Christmas, the pivotal day instead being a wedding day (it may indeed be subtle commentary from Dickens that such notions are not only seasonal and exclusively for Christmas, while some sources suggest this story's plot was not originally intended as one of the Christmas books).

As with much of Dickens' work, we experience the class structure of society of the time, the deprivation of the lower classes, and the social constructs and expectations - not least of all the role assigned to women in this society. The morality of adultery becomes suddenly far more grey when one did not fully have a choice in entering into marriage. It is always interesting to consider both how much has changed and also how little has changed within our societies when reading this in the 21st century.

The Christmas books tend to include events supernatural in nature or characters preternatural in origin - previously the ghosts of 'A Christmas Carol' and goblins of 'The Chimes'. In this novella, are the fairies - their appearance is fleeting, though it may be the fairy spirits which possess a certain insect and inanimate objects throughout, the supernatural elements being far more subtle. During the Victorian era, crickets were seen as a symbol of luck and finding one in one's home was believed to bring good fortune, hence the novella's title - "to have a cricket on the hearth is the luckiest thing in the world."

Though more a sub-plot, it is the story of blind girl Bertha and the fiction her father has built for her that resonated most with me - when she finds out the truth of what is beneath the veneer described to her, she sees with a clarity that sight could not give her - a perfectly orchestrated metaphor for emotion and a person's true character beneath the skin. Their relationship felt emotionally authentic and possessing a far deeper connection than that between the various couples.

As to the identity of the omniscient narrator - this is somewhat ambiguous. Perhaps the reader, or the person who may have performed the tale at a public narration? The story has the feel of witnessing a play and is also told in three acts. My own interpretation was that our experiencing this domestic drama was akin to witnessing the interactions of spirits of the past, perhaps making the narrator somewhat a Ghost of Christmas Past.

A heartwarming and whimsical domestic fable, 'The Cricket on the Hearth' makes for a short, charming read during the Yuletide season.



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December Story Spotlight - Alone

"I'm not sure what led me to take up a pen and record these days, but from the moment I woke in the small hours of this morning, or perhaps earlier...something has urged me to sit at the table and write."

As we count down to Christmas, the final story spotlight is on novella 'Alone', a gothic supernatural mystery.

Behind the Story
At the time I began 'Alone', I was working on what was then planned to be my second novel following 'Those Crimes of Passion'. Alongside this, I wrote an early draft of 'The Ghost Train' and soon became inspired to work on another side project - a festive ghost story.

The tradition of ghost stories at Christmas has never lost its appeal. Nor has the puzzle of a crime mystery to solve during the season. For these two genres to flourish at this time makes for beautiful juxtaposition and harks back to the origins of our winter festival.

This was also a time when I was struggling with my mental health. A decade ago, it was still something we didn't really talk about. Hearing a glib "cheer up, it's Christmas, you should be happy" can become tiresome. Christmas for many can be difficult - old wounds can so easily open and current troubles feel deeper at a time celebrating love and family, friendship and community. These became key themes I wanted to explore.

Gothic fiction is a marvellous canvas wih which to explore a troubled mind - with its shadows and suspense, its atmosphere and isolation. Inspired by works of Daphne du Maurier and Agatha Christie, as well as ghost stories and supernatural horror in film, I laced these genres together, structured around Adventide, weaving a 'psychological jigsaw puzzle' in epistolary style.

The resulting novella remains a favourite amongst my own stories, released as my second book on Winter Solstice in 2014. Join Jessica as she revisits the past, isolated in an old house in the Welsh mountains, haunted by memories and perhaps something more.

Burying our secrets does not make them forgotten...

“Through the dilapidated village and crawling up into the beacons, towards the spectre that soon loomed on the hill.”

All things must end.

Recovering from a recent accident and faced with the prospect of spending another Christmas alone, Jessica accepts the invitation of an old flame to spend Christmas with him and his aged aunt at his manor house in the midst of the Brecon Beacons.

Feeling her arrival is unwelcome, Jessica awaits her reunion with a face from the past, while a snowstorm postpones his arrival and renders her trapped within the house. Behind the silence, something dark is lurking.

Left with little choice, Jessica finds she must face the secrets the old house hides. Yet what she may come to learn is that nothing haunts us more than the secrets of our own pasts, and that burying them does not make them forgotten.

“I remembered nothing else but that twinkling music, as I lay in a stupor on the ground having never felt so much fear at not being alone.”

Read the opening scene.

“Alone” is available as a standalone in ebook and paperback or as part of "Whispers from the Dead of Night - The Deluxe Collection" in ebook, paperback and hardcover.

Order "Alone"
Order "Whispers from the Dead of Night - The Deluxe Collection"

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Alexandra Benedict's Murder on the Christmas Express - Review

Murder On The Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A delightful Christmas mystery in the tradition of classic cosies with dark undertones.

Homeward bound for Christmas, a group of passengers board the sleeper train to the Scottish Highlands on Christmas Eve during a violent snowstorm.

During the journey, the train is derailed, stranding the passengers and crew without warmth and with only limited supplies.

But their dilemma takes an ever darker turn when one of their number is found dead in their cabin. A killer stalks amongst them and their murderous plot is not yet fulfilled.

'Murder on the Christmas Express' is the second Christmas mystery by Alexandra Benedict and her fourth crime novel. A thoroughly enjoyable mystery, spiced with the darkness of a psychological thriller, the plot hurtles onwards through multiple twists and revelations, seamlessly blending character development with exploration of heavy themes. Beneath the frothy festivities of a journey home for the holiday, with everyone a suspect and potential victim, there is a cultural and sociological depth, as well as dashes of romance and domestic peril to blend this festive cocktail.

At the centre of the story is no-nonsense ex-police detective Roz, travelling home just like everyone else, desperately wanting to get to her daughter who is suffering complications in labour. I immediately warmed to Roz; beneath her, at times, steely exterior, lies an emotional and morally-driven soul, struggling with her own trauma. Nevertheless, it is her presence as a skilled professional which drives the story, investigating the case while the police are yet to reach them. It would be great to see Roz feature in further mysteries in the future.

Taking inspiration from Agatha Christie's masterpiece 'Murder on the Orient Express', the story embodies the spirit of this earlier novel in multiple ways, including its dark undercurrents and exploration of the theme of justice. Other key themes in this deadly mix are the cultures of social media and celebrity, exploring how dark truths can lurk beneath the veneer of perceived perfection – making this a timely story on multiple levels. It never loses its fun, but also has something serious to say. To complete the Yuletide package, there are also quizzes, puzzles and challenges woven amongst the prose for lovers of games.

A thrill-ride of a novel, ‘Murder on the Christmas Express’ is a hugely enjoyable and thought-provoking thriller in the style of a classic mystery with a modern edge.



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Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer & Other Stories - Review

Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer & Other Stories by Reginald Hill

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A sublime collection of crime fiction from a master storyteller.

A killer targets clergymen each Sunday of Advent…
A husband determines how best to dispose of his wife’s body…
With murder in mind, a man seeks perpetrators of the perfect murder…
A man awaits the thaw while battling his own guilt…
The search for a stolen ornamental statue…
A detective enters a pact to tell nothing but the truth for twenty-four hours…
A man reminisces following his ex-wife’s funeral…
A letter reveals what lies beneath tragedy…
A competitive hunt for corpses in a sleepy seaside town…
A man strives to finally be free from his friend’s shadow…
A mysterious theft one Boxing Day morning…

‘Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer & Other Stories’ is a collection of eleven short stories by Reginald Hill, all previously published in newspapers or anthologies and collected together for the first time; both a Christmas gift for fans of crime fiction and a tribute to Hill, complete with a foreword by Val McDermid. Featuring three cases for Dalziel and Pascoe, plus another story featuring Dalziel in a pivotal role, and seven standalone stories, the collection is bursting with crimes, mysteries and philosophical pondering galore, along with a hefty dose of dark, dry humour and delicious twists in the tales.

Making such a selection with great difficulty, my personal favourites were:
‘Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer’, for its serial killer thriller and religious themes;
‘The Thaw’, for its psychological depth and devious twist;
‘Fool of Myself’, for its confessional style and finely orchestrated twist;
‘John Brown’s Body’, for its classic crime set-up and atmospheric setting.

This is a fantastic collection of stories, all cleverly written, simultaneously concise and rich in detail, each of the highest quality. Reginald Hill was a master of the genre and his legacy lives on – this book a showcase of his skill with both the police procedural and psychological thriller; the stories perfectly paced, laced with witty dialogue and touches of satire. The characters are conjured vividly to life, perhaps none more so than Andy Dalziel, at his most colourful, obstinate and brilliant in his appearances. There is a deep sense of nostalgia amongst the pages; Hill’s work feels instantly classic even on experiencing a story for the first time, every one thoroughly entertaining while never losing its murky shadows.

Perfect for Christmas reading and for revisiting all year round, ‘Dalziel and Pascoe Hunt the Christmas Killer’ deserves a place on every crime lover’s bookshelf.



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