Lee Allen's Blog, page 7

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird - Review

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A poignant, timeless classic, bearing witness to social injustice and both the empathy and depravity of humanity.

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is a Southern Gothic novel by Harper Lee, originally published in 1960, the first of only two novels published during her lifetime; a piece of classic literature hugely significant for its social themes, and both a coming-of-age drama and legal drama. Set in 1930s Alabama, we are taken to the old town of Maycomb in the midst of the Great Depression, the setting for the events our narrator, Scout Finch, looks back on to the time when she was still a child and the world was both a simpler and more terrifying place. Scout introduces us to her brother and friend, her neighbours, the teachers and fellow pupils at her local school – and the hero of the tale, her father and lawyer, Atticus Finch, who is defending an unwinnable case – of a black man accused of the rape of a white girl.

Delving in to this doomed fight for justice, the novel is an astute observation of humanity, exploring themes of prejudice and discrimination, significantly regarding race, but also gender, class, and religion. A touching and moving story, beautifully told, it speaks to you on a deep level, as we experience it through the eyes of a child who cannot understand why things are the way they are and does not perceive the cruelty of the world, juxtaposed with how so many of the adults see the world on such a superficial, and black and white, level – leading us to also ask ourselves, just why must society be this way? What may often be attributed to the naivety of the young actually poses a question no one can ever adequately answer – because the truth is, society does not need to be this way.

The relationships between the children, and their observations of Atticus’ wisdom, morals and integrity, drive the narrative, evolving into many vivid scenes that stay with you long afterwards. One such scene depicts how it takes the innocence of a child to remind a lynch mob of their humanity and dispel the threat of violence; others those powerful courtroom scenes, including Atticus’ closing argument; and the tragedy of Tom Robinson, whose fate was sealed for no other reason than the colour of his skin. The children’s fascination with the mystery of their reclusive neighbour, “Boo” Radley, provides some additional suspense in a subplot that ultimately merges with the main plot in an intense climax, one that brings a satisfying conclusion to the various threads, as well as the themes of prejudice and distinction between expectation and reality, while philosophising on social justice and morality.

Reading the novel over sixty years later (and ninety years on from the period in which it is set), one is struck by how little has changed. There may have been some progress in some ways, perhaps in superficial ways, but the passage of time has sadly not allowed for as much change as should have been possible. The messages entwined within the plot give the novel a fable-like quality; this is a story that will always have something to say.

The novel was adapted for the screen in 1962, a critically acclaimed film directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. While there have also been several stage adaptations, to date the film is the only adaptation for the screen. In 2015, a long-awaiting sequel ‘Go Set a Watchman’ was published, following its rediscovery in 2011. It features the return of Scout as an adult, returning to Maycomb to visit Atticus. While publicised as a sequel, this novel was written prior to its predecessor, and is largely believed to be an original draft, with many elements developing into what became the original 1960 novel, Scout looking back on her childhood and this tale of tragedy and the best and worst of humanity.



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Sophie Hannah's Hercule Poirot's Silent Night - Review

Hercule Poirot's Silent Night by Sophie Hannah

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A Yuletide mystery for Agatha Christie's most famous detective.

A bizarre request from an unexpected visitor finds Poirot and Catchpool journeying to stay at Frellingsloe House with the Laurier family in the days leading up to Christmas.

Poirot seems particularly intrigued by the case of the murder victim – a man who appeared to be truly happy and one whom no one would appear to want dead. Meanwhile, all the Laurier family wish is for the case to be solved to prevent a dying man from attempting to track the killer.

Having no desire to spend Christmas away from home, Poirot and Catchpool have only a few days to identify a murderer, but it may already be too late to prevent a chain of events that will result in further deaths.

'Hercule Poirot's Silent Night' is the fifth of Sophie Hannah's Poirot novels, continuing the series by Agatha Christie. Set in 1931, it takes place during Poirot's time as a consulting detective based in London between the world wars. Assisting Poirot is Scotland Yard Inspector Edward Catchpool, who has co-starred in each of Hannah's Poirot novels so far. Once again narrated by Catchpool, we are drawn into a twisty mystery with a dark philosophical edge and psychological depth.

With the primary setting of an isolated house, one in a state of dilapidation and impending destruction in a rather gothic approach to the classic mystery setting of the English country mansion, we are presented with the classic limited and specific list of suspects of Golden Age crime fiction. The residents of Frellingsloe House are a bizarre crowd; on the surface their behaviour appearing somewhat erratic and unexpected, while beneath the skin their relationships are fraught with emotional tension and unease. Amongst them is Catchpool’s mother, further complicating matters with emotional turmoil for our narrator and a deeper insight into his character and history.

Christie was always exceptional at writing the darkness simmering beneath the surface; Hannah emulates this effectively, bringing that darkness closer to the surface – much like some of the more recent screen adaptations have – akin to the tone of Christie’s later Poirot novels. The identity of the perpetrator reveals itself slowly and carefully, the explanation steadily rising to the surface and culminating in a stark and emotional revelation, steered by Poirot’s usual theatrical presentation of the investigation, the evidence and the solution. Once again, Sophie Hannah delivers a gripping and entertaining novel, demonstrating the sheer brilliance of the detective we know and love.

Poirot will always hold a special place in my heart – on both page and screen, he and Christie’s wider work were my true discovery of crime and detective fiction. These five new mysteries have been a gift, and I hope for more to come.



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The Winter Spirits - Review

The Winter Spirits: Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights by Bridget Collins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An atmospheric collection of terror and tragedy.

'The Winter Spirits' is a collection of twelve short stories of the gothic and the ghostly, following the previous volume 'The Haunting Season', written by twelve masters of the craft, each tale a vividly realised and chillingly immersive piece of sublime storytelling.

With messages through the veil and malign creatures haunting the living, to the cold hand of vengeance from beyond the grave and a feared visit from Krampus himself, we bear witness to supernatural phenomena, hauntings of the mind and the home, lashings of guilt and hope for mercy, all the while each of the authors developing a sense of creeping paranoia and burgeoning dread.

To be savoured for its fine prose, gothic imagery, rich character development and intricate plotting, the collection is the perfect companion for frosty mornings, peaceful afternoons and cold, blustery evenings, when you want nothing more than to snuggle up with a ghost story to celebrate the festive season.



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Janice Hallett's The Christmas Appeal - Review

The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A riveting festive mystery.

The Fairway Players have once again found themselves at the centre of a murder mystery.

As they prepare to perform "Jack and the Beanstalk" in a bid to raise money for the church roof, sabotage and skullduggery are afoot.

Yet no one could have anticipated the turn of events, as a body claims the starring role and old ghosts tread the boards.

'The Christmas Appeal' is a novella by Janice Hallett, a thrilling and entertaining mystery and sequel to her debut novel 'The Appeal'. We return to the world of amateur dramatics group The Fairway Players, as they prepare to stage their annual pantomime for one night only. Once again, we gain an insight into the events through a dossier of evidence formed of the written communications between the players.

A mystery with its roots in the past is woven throughout the plot; as the scene is set, we don't know the identity of the victim or whom the killer may be, while we are once more entertained by the interactions of the players, their families and neighbours, and the observations of the legal team reviewing the dossier. Though there are many returning characters, there is only passing reference to the previous mystery, so the story can be enjoyed independently.

There are many laugh-out-loud hilarious moments, especially as we reach performance night. The narrative is so vividly realised through the exchanges, once again cleverly done by Hallett, peppered with clues and red herrings, revelations and misdirections. Robert Tanner, KC and his proteges Femi and Charlotte review the evidence as we race towards the solution of the mystery, ensuring we are hooked on every page. A fabulous novella, full of festive fun; we've been gifted another delightful gem by Janice Hallett.



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Charles Dickens' The Battle of Life - Review

The Battle of Life by Charles Dickens

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A love story of romance and family.

On the eve of a young man's departure into the wider world, a family dine together, and his young love promises to wait for him.

But on his return, he finds her vanished into the night with another man, leaving him and her family heartbroken.

All the players must navigate the trials and strife life offers, in the ongoing quest to live and do the best with the time one has.

'The Battle of Life' is the fourth of Charles Dickens' Christmas books. Differing from the previous three in that it features no supernatural phenomena, it is instead a tale of love and loss, of family and sacrifice, of change through the passage of time. The Christmas magic is far more metaphorical, felt through its themes and message, with only the second of the three parts taking place in the depths of winter, the opening events of the first and culminating events of the third taking place in the autumn.

Opening with a vivid description of an ancient battle and the changes wrought by the intervening years upon the battlefield, we are then introduced to the central characters - sisters Grace and Marion, their father and Marion's betrothed, Alfred. In its domestic and family themes and use of an omniscient first person narrator, either an unseen observer or someone telling the tale through hearsay, it feels reminiscent of its predecessor 'The Cricket on the Hearth'.

Dickens' trademark social commentary is more subtle in this novella, as we witness the unfolding events. The first part explores a philosophy of life, weaving the thread that runs throughout the story of viewing the struggles of life, including romance, as a figurative battle. Taking place across almost a decade, we witness how the plans for one's life go awry as the narrative picks up three years later, followed by an unexpected disappearance, returning a further six years later for closure, and concluding with some philosophy on time itself.

Whimsical and laced in metaphor, 'The Battle of Life' is another portrayal of Dickens' view on the truth of Christmas - of love and finding light in the dark.



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Sergio Gomez's The Visitor - Review

The Visitor by Sergio Gomez

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A Christmas visit from an unexpected guest.

A snowstorm in Indiana renders travelling treacherous, several people finding their way to Sal's Diner to take shelter.

But as they settle in for the night, entirely cut off from the outside world, another visitor makes their presence known.

In a fight for their lives, the strangers band together against a foe from beyond the stars.

'The Visitor' is a science fiction horror novella by Sergio Gomez. Centred around a group of strangers stranded along a lonely American highway on Christmas Day, it's a fast-paced, gory extraterrestrial slasher that evokes the chills of the depths of winter far from the typical bright lights of Christmas.

The scene is set vividly, perfectly capturing the isolation and atmosphere of the roadside and the diner cut off by the harsh weather. We are introduced to each of the characters and the circumstances which led them here, as they make the best of a bad situation, before the threat ramps up and we catch a glimpse of the alien creatures.

Short, sharp and brutal, the novella is a fun and enjoyable quick read for the festive season. I look forward to exploring more of Gomez's work and would welcome witnessing the aftermath of this tale with the survivors and learning more about the aliens, should Gomez ever return to these characters in the future.



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Mental Health Awareness: Body Image & Body Positivity

"Fall in love with taking care of yourself - mind, body, and soul."
(Unknown)

Many of us struggle with our body image at one time or another. We look in the mirror and don't like what we see. We criticise ourselves and believe cruel words others say to us.

Rarely do I allow myself to be so publicly vulnerable. But through conversations surrounding mental health, body confidence, body shaming, and body autonomy, it felt important to share a little about my own battles with body confidence and push outside my comfort zone - especially as we rarely talk about it from the perspective of male body image; we should, too, raise our voices in support.

October 2019 marked the final milestone in a twelve-month weight-loss journey. It was the first time in my life that I truly felt comfortable in my own skin. Monitoring my progress had become an obsession. But the anxiety still lingered in the background - by July 2020, the discomfort in myself began to resurface.

In August 2022, I was again struggling with my body image and the repercussions that may have on my physical health - both contributing to a decline in my mental health as the year neared its end. It wasn't until earlier this year that I could see myself in the mirror and feel somewhat comfortable.

Too often we are expected to feel shame for our bodies - if we don't match what society deems palatable or attractive; or in general the body something to be hidden away, dressed a certain way - always through the lens of the onlooker, viewed on their terms.

Enough! We do not require validation. Nor has anyone the right to make us feel inadequate for the mould we were born with: to mock, to judge, to shame. We have every right to feel comfortable and confident in our own skin.

We are all a work in progress from multiple perspectives - our physical form is not all of who we are. Nevertheless, we are allowed to embrace it as part of us; in fact, it's vital for our self-care. Our body is the only one we have. Through it we sense, experience and communicate; its health determines our quality of life, our longevity. We should listen to our bodies: they have a lot to tell us.

Take care of yourself today 🧡

Helpful Information and Statistics:
InfographicFacts.com - Body Image and Self Esteem
Polygeia.com - Social Media and Body Image

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Alexandra Benedict's The Christmas Jigsaw Murders - Review

The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A Yuletide puzzle of vengeance.

Several days before Christmas, crossword setter and puzzle connoisseur Edie O’Sullivan is delivered a package containing several jigsaw puzzle pieces.

These clues begin to form a picture of a crime scene, one that threatens the life of Edie’s closest family and promises that four people will die by midnight on Christmas Eve.

Edie is determined to solve the puzzle and save the victims’ lives before the clock winds down to Christmas Day, a mission that may reveal far more than a killer’s identity as Edie is forced to confront her own past.

‘The Christmas Jigsaw Murders’ is the third festive mystery by Alexandra Benedict, a standalone mystery thriller following a game set by a fiendish killer with intent to murder a group of people in a grisly countdown to Christmas. With neither the killer nor victims’ identities known, the stakes are high for Edie and her nephew/adopted son Sean, a DI with the local police, to uncover the truth behind the killer’s devious scheme. From the opening chapter, Benedict hooks us with an insight into the killer’s own conflicting feelings, not relenting on that grip as we hurtle through the pages and a bonanza of clues, red herrings, action and emotional drama.

Edie is a fabulous character – quirky and eccentric, at times crotchety and snarky, perhaps even occasionally intolerable to those around her, but nevertheless possessing a good, if battle-scarred, heart and a restless intellect. She has suffered an immeasurable amount of heartbreak and trauma, which largely contributes to her attitude towards the Christmas season and approach to family, friends and neighbours, and in living her own life somewhat as a recluse. Her friendship with her neighbour, Riga, is both charming and hilarious, while her relationships with Sean and his husband, Liam, provide both entertainment and emotional moments. Edie is also holding desperately to her past, having still not processed the breakdown of her relationship with her ex, Sky, nor the trauma related to the loss of most of her family in Christmases past. Edie’s character arc holds centre-stage with the murder mystery, ultimately dovetailing as the puzzle becomes evermore personal and fraught with danger.

There was something of the spirit of ‘A Christmas Carol’ woven into the plot, in the notions of past, present and future converging on Christmas Eve, and the potential for closure and redemption, while the twisted logic of horror thrillers such as ‘Saw’ or ‘Seven’ flavours the narrative, topped off with classic murder mystery and the modern edge of police procedural. Beneath the festive fun and entertainment of following the clues, Benedict has woven a dark ribbon through the prose in the impact of the expanding web of trauma on human life, while demonstrating a social awareness and subtle social commentary. It’s a perfect representation of the true heart of the season – the ever-raging war between light and dark – in a cosy mix of the classic and modern that is fast becoming Benedict’s seasonal signature, as she presents another delicious delight.



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Peter Swanson's The Christmas Guest - Review

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A chilling festive mystery.

Ashley, studying in London, far from her Californian home, is invited by fellow student Emma to spend Christmas at her family home in the Cotswolds.

Ashley is thrilled, swept away by notions of romance and adventure in the picturesque countryside. But the recent death of a local girl finds Ashley faced with a mystery.

When she and Emma find themselves watched and pursued by a man in the woods, this Christmas takes a terrifying turn towards a confrontation with a killer.

'The Christmas Guest' is a novella by Peter Swanson, a festive mystery in the vein of classic crime fiction with a splash of gothic flare. Both genres are cornerstones of Christmas fiction, and Swanson delivers an enjoyable tale full of cosy darkness. We begin with our narrator in New York, going through old boxes and coming across an old diary.

Ashley's diary entries quickly pull us into a Christmas past, as we journey with this lonely young woman into the English countryside, exploring the vivid scenery of the old mansion and surrounding woodland and nearby village, feeling all of Ashley's hopes and dreams between the pages.

Some neat sleight-of-hand sets up a beautiful mid-story twist, while the finale reveals that, at heart, this is a ghost story, the shadows of the past forever haunting the present. It's exactly the type of story I love to read at Christmas - an immersive, haunting mystery, with some emotional moments and dashes of action and threat, making for a thrilling one-sitting read.



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Afraid of the Christmas Lights - Review

Afraid of The Christmas Lights by Miranda Jewess

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A charity anthology of festive short stories from a variety of crime writers.

'Afraid of the Christmas Lights' is the second collection in 'Afraid of the Light', a series of charity anthologies that began in the lockdown of the 2020 pandemic. This seasonal selection from later the same year, edited by Victoria Selman and Miranda Jewess, with a foreword by Val McDermid, features eighteen stories; Mark Billingham opens the collection with DI Tom Thorne investigating the murder of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, the list of contributors also including Sophie Hannah and Harriet Tyce as special guests for this second volume.

My personal favourites were:
"Bad Guy" by Kate Simants, for its keen characterisation and devastating twist;
"Heavenly Peace" by Heather Critchlow, for its psychological and gothic undertones;
"The Switch" by James Delargy, for its moral dilemma and emotional turmoil;
"Driving Home for Christmas" by Rachael Blok, for its twisty thriller plot;
"Bloody Christmas" by Harriet Tyce, a seasonal splash of the author’s domestic/legal blend.

Overall, 'Afraid of the Christmas Lights' is an enjoyable compendium of festive morsels to partake of during Advent evenings; entertaining slices of murder and malice with plenty of splashes of blood and dashes of snowfall. As Val McDermid notes, perfectly capturing the essence of everything this book was about, “the comfort of reading is constant. It’s a salve for isolation and a haven when we need to escape into someone else’s imagination.”

Crucially, all profits from sales of this second volume go towards supporting two charities - East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services; and Rights of Women. Both organisations do incredible work to support people suffering domestic violence, which alarmingly became a shadow pandemic at the time when we all remained in our homes to fight the COVID pandemic, victims stranded with their abusers and little avenue for escape. Even as the world returned to normality, the work of both these charities remains vitally important and a truly worthy cause for a seasonal anthology of crime fiction.



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