Hidden Depths by Araminta Hall #HiddenDepths @AramintaHall @orionbooks @FrancescaPear #BookReview

 

Passenger...
Lily is pregnant, travelling onboard the Titanic to her beloved family in the United States, hoping she can get there before her mind and body give up.

For a long time now she's known her husband is not the man he's pretending to be and she's not safe.

So, when she meets widower Lawrence she knows he's her last chance for help.

Or Prisoner...
But Lawrence knows he hasn't got time to save Lily.

Lawrence is the only person on board the unsinkable ship who knows he will not disembark in New York.

And the danger is much worse than either of them could imagine.

Can Lily and Lawrence help each other to safety before it's too late?

Hidden Depths by Araminta Hall is published by Orion on 31 March 2022. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

Araminta Hall's previous novel; Imperfect Women, was one of my top books of 2020. I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Hidden Depths from the publisher. Whilst, this is a completely different style to her earlier books, it is another wonderful read. Engrossing and filled with history, a story that driven by the most immaculately created characters, in a setting that will be familiar to every reader, yet is so different to how one would imagine. 

The story is set on the Titanic, but it is not about the Titantic. The imposing, beautiful, 'unsinkable' ship is merely the vessel for a tale that is compelling and enticing. Despite the fact that every reader will know the inevitable ending for the ship, this does not consume the story in any way. In fact, towards the end, I was so caught up with Lawrence and Lily that I'd forgotten what was to come.

Lily and Lawrence are two people who would probably never have met on land. Lawrence is recently widowed, his beloved wife Cissy was the absolute love of his life and he can see no future without her. Despite the fact that he has a small son, Lawrence had made the decision to end his life. He is not expecting to dock in New York, he looks forward to escaping his feelings; the sorrow, anguish, guilt and anger that he experiences when he thinks about Cissy.

Lily is pregnant. She's American, married to a cruel and unkind man who married her for her money, and to produce an heir. She is travelling, with him, and her maid and personal doctor to give birth near to her family. 

Lily is a distressed and distressing character. Her marriage is clearly a sham, she feels unloved and unwanted. She is made to appear stupid and weak by her overbearing husband. However, it is the regular medical examinations and the strange tasting tea that really alert the reader.

Araminta Hall does a lot of character building in the first 100 pages of her novel. The reader comes to know Lawrence and Lily so well, being privy to their innermost thoughts. Through Lawrence's memories, the reader also learns about his late wife Cissy; a woman who defied her upbringing to marry Lawrence and who made it her mission to ensure that women's voices were heard.  Although Cissy is dead before the story begins, her character forms the story so much. Her lasting influence on Lawrence impacts Lily too and despite the odds, she too becomes stronger and more aware of exactly what is happening to her. 

With a strong message about the treatment of women, and the slow and subtle changes made by those who supported the Suffrage movement, along with the finest and most beautiful historical detail about the iconic Titanic, this is a novel of great beauty and great depth. It is a study in relationships and attitude, a look at the higher classes and the treatment of those who were perceived to be weaker and less important. 

Elegant and moving, with a solid and important message, Hidden Depths is rich and consuming. Do be sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book which explain the background to this story. Lawrence is in fact based upon her great grandfather, and what a man he was.  He left such a legacy for his family and we are lucky that this author was able to include his story into this beautiful novel. 

Araminta Hall has worked as a writer, journalist and teacher. 

Her first novel, Everything & Nothing, was published in 2011 and became a Richard & Judy read that year. 

Her second, Dot, was published in 2013, and her third, Our Kind of Cruelty, in 2018. 

She has taught creative writing for many years at a variety of places, including New Writing South in Brighton, where she lives with her husband and three children. 

Contact Araminta on Twitter at @AramintaHall

One Of The Good Guys by Araminta Hall BLOG TOUR #OneOfTheGoodGuys @AramintaHall @panmacmillan @laurasherlock21 #BookReview

 

If most men say they’re one of the good guys, then why are so many women afraid to walk alone at night?

Cole is the perfect husband: a romantic, supportive of his wife, Mel’s career, keen to be a hands-on dad, not a big drinker. A good guy.

So when Mel leaves him, he's floored. She was lucky to be with a man like him.

Craving solitude, he accepts a job on the coast and quickly settles into his new life where he meets reclusive artist Lennie.

Lennie has made the same move for similar reasons. She is living in a crumbling cottage on the edge of a nearby cliff. It’s an undeniably scary location, but sometimes you have to face your fears to get past them.

As their relationship develops, two young women go missing while on a walk protesting gendered violence, right by where Cole and Lennie live. Finding themselves at the heart of a police investigation and media frenzy, it soon becomes clear that they don’t know each other very well at all.

This is what happens when women have had enough . . .

One Of The Good Guys by Araminta Hall was published on 4 January 2024 by Pan Macmillan. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this Blog Tour. 

I read, reviewed and loved Araminta Hall's last two books: Imperfect Women (August 2020) and Hidden Depths (March 2022), I've been looking forward to One Of The Good Guys for a long time. Once again, this clever author takes a challenging and very relevant subject and creates a story that had me totally gripped from the first page. 

In part one of the novel we hear the voice of Cole, the lead male character of the tale. Cole has recently moved to the south coast where he's taken a new job as an environmental warden. We are treated to his stream of consciousness as he relates how Mel, his wife of seven years has left him and they are now divorcing. 
It is clear that Cole considers himself to be one of the good guys. He explains how Mel was able to create and run a successful PR agency - obviously, it was all down to him. The fact that he did the housework and the cooking and never ever complained. 

Cole appears confused as to why Mel has been so cruel to him, but there's also an anger bubbling underneath, there are many red flags in Cole's narrative. He is especially determined that he will not sign the papers that Mel so desperately wants him to, and his reasons for this become clearer as we learn more about him, and their relationship.

Cole stumbles upon a cottage, just on the edge of the cliffs and as he gazes through the window, he sees a woman there.  That women is Lennie, an artist who is spending time away from her busy life. Cole and Lennie form a friendship, that teeters upon a romantic relationship.  

Part Two brings in Mel's voice, and the reader gets another side of the story of this broken marriage. Whilst Mel relates very similar things as Cole does, her language and phrasing clearly show that the things that Cole admire about himself are the things that led Mel to end the marriage. 

Two young women are walking the south coast, to raise money and awareness for a charity that works to ensure the safety of women. Cole comes across them as they venture too close to the edge of a cliff, and then, they disappear.

Cole and Lennie become part of the police investigation and this is when the truths are slowly uncovered. 

Araminta Hall's structuring is so well done, and I especially enjoyed the use of social media clips as part of the narration, keeping it fresh and relevant.

This is a truly uncomfortable read. Cole's thoughts and actions sent shivers down my spine. Mel's frustration at him, and at the people who think he's wonderful just because he washes the dishes is totally believeable, yet I didn't care for her either.   None of the lead characters are particularly likeable, I certainly wouldn't want to spend time with any of them, however this doesn't take anything away from the story, in fact, I'd say that it adds depth. We tend to favour the character we like the best, regardless of what they do. In this book we have to unpick the facts. 

Billed by the publisher as a 'feminist thriller', there is no doubt that it is both a thriller and extremely feminist. There is also no doubt that many women who read this book will recognise much of Cole's behaviours.  'Influencers' such as Andrew Tate and his toxic messages, and the rise of the incel movement online exists and are dangerous and extremely worrying. 

Readers could think that this story is a little over the top, and that Lennie and Mel are extreme in their views and what they decide to do,  however, the author gives a great outline of their back stories, and we have two intelligent women who find common ground and decide to do something about it. There's a discussion to be had about what they do, and there's lots to be said about the outcomes for all of the characters too.

The perfect choice for discussion at book club, I really enjoyed One Of The Good Guys; it's extremely well written and the character creation is amazing. It's dark, and uncomfortable but so relevant to society today. I think this one will split readers. It's a brave and daring book, and very stylish. Recommended by me. 

Araminta Hall is a journalist and teacher. 

She is the author of five previous novels, including her first novel, Everything & Nothing, which was published in 2011 and became a Richard & Judy read that year. 

She is the great niece of Dodie Smith and the great granddaughter of Lawrence Beesley, who survived the Titanic and wrote a bestselling account of the tragedy in the book, The Loss of the SS Titanic. 

She teaches creative writing at New Writing South in Brighton, where she lives with her husband and three children.

Twitter / X @AramintaHall

Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall @AramintaHall @orionbooks @FrancescaPear #ImperfectWomen #PerfectionIsOverrated #BookReview

Nancy, Eleanor and Mary met at college and have been friends ever since, through marriages, children and love affairs.

Nancy married her college sweetheart and is now missing that excitement of her youth.

Eleanor put her career above all else and hasn't looked back, despite her soft spot for Nancy's husband.

Mary fell pregnant far too young and is now coping with three children and a mentally unwell husband.

But when Nancy is killed, Eleanor and Mary must align themselves to uncover her killer. And as each of their stories unfold, they realise that there are many ways different truths to find, and many different ways to bring justice for those we love...

Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall is published in hardback by Orion on 20 August 2020. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review.


There is something very special about this book, I was gripped from the opening page and could hardly set it down until the end. The writing is sublime; it is intense and honest and whilst there is a murder mystery at the very heart of the story, this is so much more. The author takes three middle-aged women and explores the tiny intricate details of their lives.

It is, at times, painfully honest and often anger-inducing, as the reader learns that whilst on the surface, a life may seem perfect, it's actually true that there is no such thing, and we are all, in fact, imperfect women.

Nancy, Eleanor and Mary have been friends for many years. They met as young women, just starting out their lives at university. They shared their dreams and hopes for the future, they enjoyed life, they had visions of how everything would become perfect in their futures.

Whilst the three women have all taken different life journeys, they have remained the closest of friends. Meeting regularly, sharing their secrets, but even with each other, hiding their imperfections and creating their lives as they feel they should be seen.

Nancy is found dead, and this is the beginning of the unravelling of the lives of all three of the women. Only Eleanor was aware that Nancy had been having an affair for the past year. Mary is upset when she hears this, and wonders why Nancy had chosen not to tell her about her secret life.
Eleanor also knows that Nancy had been trying to break off the relationship with a man who is only know as 'David', and that he was very upset by her decision. It becomes clear that 'David' is the main suspect in this case.

Araminta Hall slowly, but surely, unpeels the layers that make up the lives of these women. It is engrossing and hard hitting as the reader, and the women themselves, realise that nothing is exactly as it seems.
Eleanor is the only single woman of the three, having put her career ahead of a long-term relationship, however it becomes clear that she is desperate for love, and becomes impetuous and quite self-centred at times throughout the story. Nancy and Mary's family feature heavily in the plot and the reader sees the women through the eyes of their lovers and children, and it's often quite difficult to read; the realisation that despite gender equality and the fact that both Nancy and Mary are intelligent women, they are disparaged and considered lower than their husbands is shocking, but so honest and so real.

The novel is structured perfectly, it is a dark but very powerful read and the characterisation is quite fabulous.  This is a first-class read and sure to be in my top books of the year.

Araminta Hall has worked as a writer, journalist and teacher. 
Her first novel, Everything & Nothing, was published in 2011 and became a Richard & Judy read that year. 
Her second, Dot, was published in 2013, and her third, Our Kind of Cruelty, in 2018. 
She has taught creative writing for many years at a variety of places, including New Writing South in Brighton, where she lives with her husband and three children. 

Twitter at @aramintahall
Instagram @aramintahall

My Top Reads of 2020 #AmReading #TopReads2020 #TopBooks2020 #BookBlogger

 

My Top Reads of 2020

2020 .... what a year! I can say nothing that hasn't already been said.

It's been a year like no other in our life times. It's been a year of disruption and sorrow. It's been a year of unease and unrest. I hope I never have to live through another year like it.

I have continued to read. I have continued to shout about books. Luckily, I didn't lose my reading mojo, in fact I probably read more, and I certainly read a wider range of books.

I read around 140 books in total. Most of them have been reviewed on this blog. I rarely finish a book that I'm not enjoying, so picking out my top reads of a year is always incredibly difficult. I have 25 books on my list, there could have been so many more.

As always, my list is split into three sections; I start with some of the 2020 books that I read in 2019. I mentioned them last year and hoped that they would be huge.

The second part is my list of  Top Books of 2020

Finally, I'll give a mention to some 2021 publications that I've read early.

I really think that 2021 is going to be another fabulous book year!

Enjoy! 

2020 books that I predicted would do well

At the end of last year, I'd read these 2020 books pre-publication, and predicted that they would do well. I'm still recommending them, twelve months later.  (click on the title for my full review).

A Dark Matter by Doug Johnstone published by Orenda Books on 23 January 

The Home by Sarah Stovell published by Orenda Books on 22 January 

It Started With A Secret by Jill Mansell published by Headline on 23 January 

Mix Tape by Jane Sanderson published by Bantam Press on 23 January 

The First Time I Saw You by Emma Cooper published by Headline on 9 January 

My Top Reads of 2020

My Top Reads of the year are listed in order of reading. The list contains some favourite authors who pop up year after year, and also some debuts. I think it's a great list, with something for everyone. I heartily recommend all of these books.  (click on the title for my full review)

Firewatching by Russ Thomas published on 20 February by Simon & Schuster

Firewatching is smart, it's suspenseful yet considered. The plotting is so intricate and the pace is absolutely perfect.

I Am Dust by Louise Beech published on 16 February by Orenda Books

There's a tenderness to this author's writing that brings a lump to the throat, and the final scenes are heart-stopping in their beauty.

The River Home by Hannah Richell published on 19 March by Orion

The writing is captivating, the sense of place is incredible and the story itself is intricate and perfectly woven. The River Home is beautifully and insightfully written, this probably one of the most beautiful books that I will read this year.

Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan published 2 April by Simon & Schuster

It is so carefully crafted, with multiple threads and so many shocks revealed. It is a story that haunts the reader as more is revealed. I was totally gripped throughout.

Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent published 26 March by Penguin Ireland 

I was left breathless by this novel and I have so much respect for an author who can create characters who evoke so many feelings in a reader.
Sublime and really just brilliant.  Highly recommended

The Secrets of Strangers by Charity Norman published 7 May by Allen & Unwin

A novel that looks at perception and belief. A story that is so powerfully moving, from an author who really is at the top of her game.  Highly recommended.

The Waiting Rooms by Eve Smith published 9 July by Orenda Books

This novel is shockingly brilliant, and I devoured it. It is thought provoking yet written with such an exquisite touch and is a devastating yet eye-opening story of how humanity and science merge.

Watch Him Die by Craig Robertson published 11 June by Simon & Schuster

Watch Him Die is absolutely absorbing. The sense of place, of LA and of Glasgow is perfect. It's unsettling yet compelling. Totally unputdownable.  Highly recommended by me

The Curator by MW Craven published on 4 June by Constable

Masterful and quite brilliant, this is an extraordinary story. It is an intelligent and  exhilarating read. Craven has done it again. Another pitch perfect addition to this top class series. Now I need the next one please.

The Shadow Friend by Alex North published 9 July by Michael Joseph

This is an ambitious story that is told incredibly well. It is dark, creepy and at times, a little bit terrifying. I found it really difficult to put down, and impossible to forget.

Quiet Acts of Violence by Cath Staincliffe published 2 July by Constable

This is a powerful story, excellently written with compassion and painful honesty. Outstanding and highly recommended by me.

Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers published 9 July by W&N

This author writes magnificently. Her prose is just sublime, from the descriptions of everyday things such as the falling rain and a suburban living room, to the more complicated affairs of heart and emotion, she never puts a word wrong.

Finders Keepers by Sabine Durrant published 9 July by Hodder

Finders Keepers is mesmerising and mysterious. I was absolutely gripped throughout. This author really cannot put a foot wrong, in my view. Highly recommended 

Below The Big Blue Sky by Anna McPartlin published 23 July by Bonnier Zaffre

This is a captivating and heart-rending story and I was totally involved and immersed. It really is just beautiful; sensitive, empathic and polished to perfection

The Seven Doors by Agnes Ravatn published 17 September by Orenda Books

The writing is skilled and the plotting seems effortless, yet is so dramatic, leading the reader to the final, shocking reveal.

Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall published 20 August by Orion

The novel is structured perfectly, it is a dark but very powerful read and the characterisation is quite fabulous.  This is a first-class read 

The Island by Ben McPherson published on 6 August by Harper Collins

Ben McPherson is a master story teller. This brilliantly unnerving read leaves the reader in shock, with questions of their own. It is brilliantly and sensitively written

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh published 3 September by Orion Books

An intense and powerful crime thriller, populated by characters who are totally believable and who the reader will invest in. Yet another tense and inventive story from one of the most talented crime authors around.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo published 5 March by Penguin

Girl, Woman, Other is an important book, it's a revelation for those of us that have little knowledge of the worlds inhabited by the characters within it. It is compassionate and moving, and filled with life.

The Big Chill by Doug Johnstone published 20 August by Orenda Books

This talented author can do no wrong in my eyes. His depiction of the complexities of a the female family relationship is wonderfully done, with empathy, warmth and some deliciously dark humour

Burning Island by by Suzanne Goldring published 20 January by Bookouture

Burning Island is an absorbing and emotionally charged read and I learnt so much about parts of Corfu's history that I had no idea about before. It is so well researched and the sense of place is so well portrayed

The Housewarming by SE Lynes published 21 October by Bookouture

The frailties of human kind are laid bare, and the long term damage caused by impetuous and quite selfish acts are laid out starkly.

The Housewarming is a gripping thriller but is also a mediative look at the nature of community and close relationships. 

When The Music Stops by Joe Heap published on 29 October by Harper Collins

This is bold, inventive and perceptive. Dazzlingly good, this one will stay with me forever. Highly recommended. 

Sins of the Father by Sharon Bairden published 27 November by Red Dog Press

I am in awe of this writing, and the story. It's heart-breaking and brutal and filled with characters who are far more than they appear to be on the surface. 

Tough, emotional, raw and shocking. The Sins of the Father is an outstanding read. Highly recommended from me. 

And so, I come to my final choice; my favourite book of 2020. 

This is the only the second time that I've ever singled out an individual  book in my favourites list in over 10 years of compiling one. 

There is just something about this book; the writing, the characters, the plot. It has stayed with me ever since I turned the last page. 

I will shout about this one for a long time.

There's Only One Danny Garvey by David F Ross

published by Orenda Books on 21 November, digitally - the paperback will be published on 21 January 2021

It's an exploration of family, of community and of how the past is not always another country. A book filled with honesty and written with a tenderness that is faultless. 

There's Only One Danny Garvey is one of the best books I've read for years.

Books to look out for in 2021 ....

I've already made a start on the 2021 books, and if the ones that I've read already are anything to go by, we are in for another outstanding book year.

Here are a few tips; books that I think will be huge next year. 

The Push by Ashley Audrain - 7 January 2021 from Michael Joseph

It is an exceptional debut novel. Raw and honestly brutal. Highly recommended. 

The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean - 7 January 2021 from Hodder & Stoughton

An extraordinary book. One that will haunt me for a very long time. A masterpiece.

Daughters Of Night by Laura Shepherd-Robinson - 18 February 2021 from Mantle/Pan Macmillan

This impressive story will have you on the edge of your seat. What an incredibly talented author she is. I really want more now.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles - 9 February 2021 from Two Roads

My review of this one has not been published yet. Look out for my thoughts which will be in the Daily Express in January

Everything Happens For a Reason by Katie Allen - 10 April (digital), 10 June (paperback) from Orenda Books

My review of this one has not been published yet.  I read this really early, on submission and fell for it hook, line and sinker. I intend to read the finished version and review very soon.

That's 2020 over and done with. Thank goodness!

It's been a fabulous year for books, but very little else has been joyful.

I want to wish everyone the VERY BEST for next year - let's hope that we can all meet again very soon.

In the meantime, thank you to everyone who reads my reviews and puts up with my book shouting.