Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Introducing Borderline by Graeme Cumming and avocado and lemon bread #fiction #Borderline #baking

Today, I have a special treat for you. A review of Graeme Cumming’s new thriller, Borderline, and a short Q&A with this excellent author.

Borderline by Graeme Cumming Picture caption: Cover of Borderline featuring a man facing towards a dock with warehousesBlurb

When the system isn’t working, work outside the system.

A search for a missing man thrusts Rand Scott into the dark realms of homelessness, drug dealing and sex clubs.

Kirsty Moore wants to find her brother Johnny, a one-time rock star.

The police also want him – for murder.

And there are others looking who don’t play nicely.

A simple job turns deadly as Rand uncovers a world where money talks louder than the screams of innocent bystanders.

My review

I don’t read a lot of thrillers as I find the plotlines tend towards being repetitive. I am really glad I gave Borderline a chance as it is not the run of the mill thriller. Using the dark scene of sex clubs as a spring board, this book delves into the world of organised crime in Britain that reaches right up into the top echelons of the police force. It stretches into the murky waters of fear of job losses and reprisal being used as a tool to keep police colleagues from taking action against the corruption. The main character, Rand, is a victim of such manipulative reprisal and his unjust treatment has helped mould his attitudes and character. There is a great deal going on in this novel which also sends tendrils into the world of hard core environmentalists who will cross legal lines in pursuit of their cause.

There are two areas, in my mind, that differentiate this book from its peer group. Firstly, the excellent characterisation. The author has depicted various characters with a clear and brutal honesty that cuts to the bone of human nature and fallibility. Rand, a man whom the system has failed and even savaged, has a deep understanding and sympathy for the homeless and is driven to try and make a difference. The homeless are not invisible to him, as they are to many of the well fed workers of the world, he sees them clearly and understands the hopelessness of their situations. He tries to make a difference. His assistant, Hazard, a war veteran who has experienced homelessness, is one of the people Rand has helped and it has changed her life and turned her into his best friend.

Kirsty, a woman with whom Rand has a fleeting relationship and who asks for his help leading into the plot of the book, is also depicted with fearless accuracy. The author has delved deeply into human nature and effectively depicted the reality of conflicting emotion and manipulated trust. Even Elizabeth, who only makes a few sporadic appearances in the book, is very human in the eyes of the reader. You really hope these women can find a way out of the mess they’ve made of their lives and can find a better path.

The second differentiating factor for me with this book, was the number of topical political and social issues the author seamlessly wove into this story. It was not overwhelming, it was gratifying to see such topics given a good airing. After all, life does not come in separate little boxes and we are all confronted daily with all of these overwhelmingly appalling factors of modern life.

In summary, this is a fast paced and multifaceted book with excellent characterisations. I highly recommend it.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F9R12GB9

Amazon UK purchase link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Borderline-Graeme-Cumming/dp/0957510748

Graeme has two other excellent novels, both of which I have read and enjoyed.

Raven’s Gathering is very dark but is fantastic if you like horror. You can read my review here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RDDP9QUJIC5NW

Carrion is fantasy and I did enjoy it although I don’t read much fantasy. You can read my review here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R854IGQE68C48

Q and A with Graeme CummingTell us a bit about yourself and your aspirations as a writer

As you know, I have written books in the past, though these have been in other genres. My first love, though, is crime fiction, and this is what I’m focusing on for the foreseeable future.

Borderline is the first of a series. That wasn’t my plan, but the main character was too good to use just once, as were the supporting characters – have you got a favourite yet?

Having decided to go down the series path, I was also conscious that it would need continuity, so I wrote books two and three before going back to Borderline and revising it to make sure it fit the stories to come.

As a result, although final drafts are not there yet, the next two in the series should be released comparatively quickly (by my standards anyway). Book two, Renegade, should be out within the next 6 months, and the third book, Suicide, some time next summer.

I feel like I have the bit between my teeth now, so there should be some momentum over the next few years.

I really like the inclusion of the homeless people aspect in your book. What gave you the idea to include this aspect in your novel?

I’ve spent quite a bit of time over the years talking to homeless people. The stories behind their homelessness are varied, but always tragic in their own way.

Relevant to Borderline is the relatively high proportion who came from a military background. I don’t delve too deeply into this. After all, the book is intended to entertain first and foremost. But it did allow me to highlight shortfalls in support for them.

Borderline is the first in a series and, when I came up with the original idea for the main character – and the people around him – it had a kind of pulp fiction feel to it. But I also wanted to include references to the growing inequalities in society. Homelessness is one of the more extreme outcomes.

Hopefully, by providing an entertaining read, I’ve also given readers some food for thought.

Your main character in Borderline is a vegan. What inspired this choice? Are you a vegan or did you research veganism for this book?

I stopped eating meat in 1999 because I wanted a healthier diet. Since then, I’ve become more conscious of animal welfare and went vegan 6 years ago. Animal welfare will be touched on in the next book in the series, Renegade – which should be available within the next 6 months. Hopefully, that’s also told in a way that’s entertaining but might give readers pause for thought.

There is a reason for Rand to be vegan that is relevant to plot, and it harks back to his past life, some of which is revealed in Borderline, but is expanded on in Renegade – so watch this space!

About Graeme Cumming Picture caption: Author photograph of Graeme Cumming

Graeme Cumming lives in Robin Hood country. He has wide and varied taste in fiction, but a particular leaning towards the darker side – though he’s very pleasant when you meet him. Borderline, the first book in his new crime series was released in 2025 and already gained praise from readers.

When not writing, Graeme is an enthusiastic sailor (and, by default, swimmer), and enjoys off-road cycling and walking. He is a past President and Education Director at Sheffield Speakers Club. He also reads (a lot) and loves the cinema.

For more information about Graeme and his books, you can check his website www.graemecumming.co.uk.

Weblinks:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Graeme-Cumming-1638108329841072/about/

www.twitter.com/GraemeCumming63

https://www.instagram.com/graeme_cumming_author/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2884537

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Graeme-Cumming/e/B00D11DO4E/

Avocado and lemon bread Picture caption: Two loaves of avocado and lemon bread

This recipe is like banana bread i.e. it is sweet. It is not a vegan recipe but it is vegetarian.

Ingredients

430 ml (1 and 3/4 cups) cake flour

310 ml (1 and 1/4 cups) sticky brown sugar

5 ml (1 tspn) bicarbonate of soda

2.5 ml (1/2 tspn) salt

2 medium sized eggs

2 medium sized avocados, mashed

1 medium sized lemon, zested

125 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil

60 ml (1/4 cup Greek yogurt

5 ml (1 tspn) vanilla extract

Method

Mash the avocados in a mixing bowl and add the lemon zest. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and then add to the mixture. Add the yogurt and vanilla. Finally add the sugar, mix, and then the flour and bicarb. Mix until combined. Do not over mix, stop when the dry ingredients are combined.

Picture caption: mashed avocado and lemon zest

Spoon the mixture into a prepared loaf tin and bake in an oven pre-heated to 180C for 55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Slice and serve with butter.

Picture caption: Sliced and butter avocado and lemon breadAbout Roberta Eaton Cheadle Picture caption: Robbie Cheadle author photograph 2025

Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and  WordCrafter Press .