Broken Ghosts by J D Oswald #BrokenGhosts @SirBenfro @WildfireBks #BookReview

Spring, 1985. Twelve year old Phoebe MacDonald's world is falling apart.

She has just buried her parents, a fire at their family home claiming both in a freak accident. Now she must leave Scotland, the only place she has ever known, and go to live with her uncle Louis and aunt Maude in their home in the Welsh woods.

As spring turns to summer, Phoebe falls slowly into the rhythm of life with her eccentric guardians in their curious home. But there is no one her age in the nearby village, and she is lonely until she meets a strange girl, Gwyneth, who wanders the surrounding forest barefoot and alone.

Outsiders both, the two girls form a strong bond, though nobody else seems to believe that Gwyneth is real. Phoebe knows better, and soon with her new friend's help, she begins to see the woods for what they truly are - a place of magic and wonder, where the line between life and death is blurred. Where spirits roam and secrets fester.

Something happened here, a lifetime ago. A wrong that yearns to be put right. The answer is within Phoebe's grasp, but will revealing it put her in grave danger?

For the woods hold a dark truth, and some will do anything to keep it in the shadows.

Broken Ghosts by J D Oswald was published on 12 September 2024 by Wildfire in hardback. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

J D Oswald is better known as James Oswald, the author of the much acclaimed Inspector McLean series. In Broken Ghosts, he has taken a new turn with this writing, creating a beautiful, lyrical coming of age story. Immersed in myth, folk lore and incorporating a setting that is a wonderful as the superbly created characters that populate the tale. 

I love a dual time line story, and Oswald has managed to depict his lead character Phoebe perfectly, both as a young, grieving child and then in her later adult years. The two parts of the novel are seamlessly woven together, allowing the reader to take Phoebe's life journey along side her. 

Twelve year old Phoebe is returning from a school trip. It's not been the greatest of days and she is looking forward to getting home. As she turns the corner of her street, she sees the emergency vehicles, just outside her home. This is the point where Phoebe's comfortable life ends. Her parents are dead, after a fire in the house. Phoebe is now alone, frightened, stricken with grief. 

After spending her entire life in Scotland, Phoebe must now move to Wales. She's been given a home by her Uncle Louis and Aunt Maud. Their home, deep in a Welsh woods is nothing like Phoebe has ever known. Their style of living, whilst kind and caring, is so very strange. There are no other children nearby, no television, nothing to do. Louis is an author and the house is full of books, not having previously been a big reader, Phoebe begins to read the slightly odd romance novels that Louis is sent for review. She also has to avoid Maud's attempts to get her to help with the gardening, so begins to explore the surrounding woods. This is when she meets Gwyneth; a strange girl, around the same age, but dressed strangely and full of tales of local folk. 

As Phoebe and Gwyneth's friendship develops, despite the fact that nobody else has met her, or even believes that she exists, they discover so much more about the woods and things that have happening there historically. 

In the more modern part of the novel, Phoebe has returned to Wales, to close up the house after the death of Maud. During these parts, the reader learns more about the family, and about Phoebe's life since those early days in the woods. 

This is a magical, enchanting novel that is an utterly compelling, and quite beautiful read. The author's ability to get into the mind of a young girl is startling and his depiction of the woods and the local landscape, along with the small community nearby is perfectly done. 

Lyrical, haunting and such a wonderful novel. Highly recommended. 

James Oswald is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling Inspector McLean series of detective mysteries. The first two of these, Natural Causes and The Book of Souls were both short-listed for the prestigious CWA Debut Dagger Award. Set in an Edinburgh not so different to the one we all know, Detective Inspector Tony McLean is the unlucky policeman who can see beneath the surface of ordinary criminal life to the dark, menacing evil that lurks beneath.

James has also introduced the world to Detective Constable Constance 'Con' Fairchild, whose first outing was in the acclaimed No Time To Cry.

As J D Oswald, James has written a classic fantasy series, The Ballad of Sir Benfro. Inspired by the language and folklore of Wales, it follows the adventures of a young dragon, Sir Benfro, in a land where his kind have been hunted near to extinction by men. The whole series is now available in print, ebook and audio formats.

James has pursued a varied career - from Wine Merchant to International Carriage Driving Course Builder via Call Centre Operative and professional Sheep Shit Sampler (true). He moved out of the caravan when Storm Gertrude blew the Dutch barn down on top of it, and now lives in a proper house with two dogs, two cats and a long-suffering partner. He farms Highland cows by day, writes disturbing fiction by night.

www.jamesoswald.co.uk

X @SirBenfro

What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena #WhatHaveYouDone @sharilapena @TransworldBooks #BookReview

 

Nothing ever happens in sleepy little Fairhill.

The teenagers get their kicks telling ghost stories in the old graveyard. The parents trust their kids will arrive home safe from school. Everyone knows everyone. Curtains rarely twitch. Front doors are left unlocked.

But this morning all of that will change.

Because Diana Brewer isn’t lying safely in her bed where she belongs. Instead she lies in a hayfield, circled by vultures, discovered by a local farmer.

How quickly a girl becomes a ghost. How quickly a town of friendly, familiar faces becomes a town of suspects, a place of fear and paranoia.

Someone in Fairhill did this. Everyone wants answers.

And one innocent question could be deadly.

What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena was published on 18 July 2024 by Bantam / Transworld. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

I read this one whilst on holiday in Cyprus and like most of her previous novels, I flew through it really quickly. Shari Lapena writes page-turners that are almost impossible to put down. Her writing style is fast and furious, her plot lines intriguing and I never really knew who to trust in this one. 

When a local farmer see vultures circling in one of his fields, he expects to find a dead deer. However, he is utterly shocked to find the body of a young girl from the local town of Fairhill Dead, naked and a feast for the birds of prey. 

The victim, Diana Chambers is a popular, bright, pretty girl from the sleepy town where nothing usually happens. Raised by her loving single mother with a boyfriend who adores her, the whole town is rocked to its core by her death. 

Detectives from the Vermont State Police are called in to investigate the crime and what appears to be a small town with nothing happening is soon exposed as a hotbed of suspects. There are so many people associated with Diana, so many who have a motive, but who in Fairhill is the killer? 

Lapena tells the story in varying points of view, making for even more confusion for the reader, she's a clever author for sure, just when you think .... ahhh, yes, it was them ..... you hear from another character and your mind is changed, quick as a flash. I enjoyed these short, snappy chapters, they fit the plot so well, it's almost unrelenting at times and makes the reader increase their speed as the pace increases too. 

Interestingly, the reader also hears from Diana herself, with short chapters from her point of view as a ghost, looking down on the town, watching the investigation. It's an unusual thing for an author to do, but works very well. I enjoyed those parts which add a depth to the narrative. 

This is a quick, intense and satisfying read from an author who is at the top of her game. 

Shari Lapena is the internationally bestselling author of the thrillers The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest, Someone We Know, The End of Her, Not a Happy Family and Everyone Here is Lying which have all been Sunday Times and New York Times bestsellers. 

Her books have been sold in forty territories around the world. 

She lives in Toronto.

Facebook: ShariLapena

X: @sharilapena

Instagram: @sharilapena

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins #TheBlueHour #PaulaHawkins @DoubledayUK #BookReview

 

WELCOME TO ERIS - A SCOTTISH TIDAL ISLAND WITH ONLY ONE HOUSE, ONE INHABITANT,

ONE WAY OUT. . .

A place that is unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day. Once the hideaway of Vanessa, a famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago.

Now home to Grace. A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.

But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, Grace receives an unexpected visitor.

And the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge . . .

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins is published in hardback on 10 October 2024 by Doubleday. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

I have read and reviewed all of Paula Hawkins' previous novels and really believe that she gets better and better with each book. There is an intensity to her writing that draws in the readers so steadily. There is no doubt that she takes risks in her writing, she is ambitious in her plots and with her characters, and for me, this really works. 

Hawkins sets her story on Eris, an isolated island, off the coast of Scotland. Eris is cut off from the mainland for twelve hours each day and is the home of Grace. 

Grace spent many years of her life caring for famous artist Vanessa, a woman whose work was surrounded by mystery and scandal. Not only was she a solitary, insular woman, she was also the wife of a man who was unfaithful to her, a man who mysteriously disappeared from Eris many years ago. 

Grace guards Vanessa's memory and her remaining artefacts with a bulldog approach. However, these were left in Vanessa's will to the Fairburn Foundation, owned by a man who could be seen as one of Vanessa's arch enemies during her life. 

Becker is the curator of the Fairburn collection, so far, they only have a few of Vanessa's works and are waiting for Grace to hand over the remains of the collection. One of the pieces that they do own is currently on show at Tate London, and when Becker is informed by Tate that it contains a human bone, he knows that he has to visit Eris, to find out more. 

And so begins the strange and tumultuous relationship between Becker and Grace. Both of them are a little obsessed with Vanessa, but for differing reasons. Told in varying points of view, the reader learns more about Becker and his odd relationship with his employers. We see how various members of the Fairburn family treat him and how he struggles to really become part of the Foundation. 

Meanwhile, the author cleverly interweaves snippets from Vanessa's own diaries and letters, spinning a whole other side to this incredibly atmospheric and twisty tale of regrets, revenge and lost love. 

The Blue Hour is a slow burn of a novel, with characters who are perfectly created in a setting that sends shivers down the spine. Once again, Hawkins has produced an irresistible, gripping story that I was completely immersed in from page one. 

PAULA HAWKINS worked as a journalist for fifteen years before writing her first novel. 

Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, she moved to London in 1989. 

Her first thriller The Girl on the Train became a global phenomenon, selling over 23 million copies. Published in over fifty languages, it was a No.1 bestseller around the world and a box-office-hit film starring Emily Blunt. 

Paula’s most recent thrillers, Into the Water and A Slow Fire Burning, were also instant No.1 bestsellers. 

In 2021 A Slow Fire Burning was nominated for Thriller of the Year at the British Book Awards. 

Her upcoming thriller, The Blue Hour, will be published around the world in October 2024.

www.paulahawkinsbooks.com

Instagram @paulahawkins2020

Becoming Ted by Matt Cain #BecomingTed @MattCainWriter @headlinepg #BookReview

 

Ted Ainsworth has always worked at his family's ice-cream business in the quiet Lancashire town of St Luke's-on-Sea.

But the truth is, he's never wanted to work for the family firm - he doesn't even like ice-cream, though he's never told his parents that.

When Ted's husband suddenly leaves him, the bottom falls out of his world. However, what if from is heartbreak could come an opportunity for Ted to build something new? And to finally put what he wants first.

Because Ted has always had another dream. A secret dream. Since childhood he has always wanted to be a Drag Queen.

As he starts on his path of self-discovery, he will soon be faced with a choice. Will he take on the responsibilities that others have laid out for him, or will he choose to pursue his lifelong dream?

Becoming Ted by Matt Cain was published in paperback on 1 June 2023. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

Way back in May 2021 I read and reviewed The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by this author and adored it so much. My proof copy of Becoming Ted has been sitting on my shelf for far too long, so I packed it in my case for my Cyprus holiday. What an absolute treat this book is. The perfect holiday read, packed with characters that the reader will care for, in a realistic and almost familiar setting. 

Ted Ainsworth is a nice guy. He has spent his career working in the family ice-cream business, despite the fact that he doesn't even like ice cream. Ted is one of those people who wouldn't tell his parents that, he just gets on and does his duty. Every so often, he does get a little annoyed by the fact that his gorgeous sister has been able to do her own thing, whilst he is left in the seaside town of St Luke's on Sea.

Ted is happily married to Giles, with a nice home and a dog. Until the day that his world crashes around him and Giles declares that he is no longer in love with Ted. He's found somebody else and is moving out immediately. Ted didn't see this coming, he was happy, he thought they were both happy. He is devastated, and for a while, he keeps the split to himself. Carrying on at work, supporting his staff, plastering on the smile. 

However, the change in Ted's life makes him begin to take stock of what he's done so far. He's always had a dream, one that he has never admitted to anyone. He would love to be a Drag Queen. After meeting a Queen on a Spanish holiday when he was a child, he has always harboured thoughts of doing it himself. 

Encouraged by his no-nonsense friend Denise and new found friend Stanley, Ted embarks on a wonderful and heart lifting journey to become a Drag Queen. 

Matt Cain writes wonderfully. His characters jump from the pages and I cannot believe that there is anyone out there who wouldn't fall instantly in love with Ted and back him all of the way. There are some hilarious moments, there are also some heart breaking tales that really do have such an emotional impact on the reader. 

A beautifully written novel, one to savour and then to treasure. Highly recommended. 

Matt Cain is a writer, broadcaster, and a leading commentator on LGBTQ+ issues. 

He was Channel 4’s first Culture Editor, Editor-In-Chief of Attitude magazine, has written for all the national newspapers and appeared on BBC Breakfast, Lorraine, Good Morning Britain, The Today Programme and Woman's Hour.

Matt's breakthrough work of fiction, The Madonna Of Bolton, became Unbound’s fastest crowdfunded novel ever before it was published in 2018. 

In 2021, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle was published by Headline, followed by Becoming Ted and One Love. His Quick Read Game On was one of the official short novels of World Book Night 2024.

Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, Matt now lives in London with his husband, Harry, and their cat, Nelly.

www.mattcainwriter.com

X @MattCainWriter

Instagram @mattcainwriter

Unravelling by Preethi Nair BLOG TOUR #Unravelling #PreethiNair @RandomTTours #AuthorInterview

 

The stories we tell ourselves and others are very often not true…

To the outside world, Bhanu seems to have a perfect life: a beautiful home and a wonderful husband and family… No one knows that each superficial layer has been carefully constructed to hide the dark secrets of her past and to bury the utter disappointment that what was written in the stars did not come to pass.

Then, on the eve of her fortieth wedding anniversary and vow renewal ceremony, a chance encounter shatters Bhanu’s pretence, when a face from her past reappears.

Deep, her first love who was etched into her heart, the man who lingered in her dreams throughout her married life, reappears, asking her to abandon everything for a second chance at love.

Forced to confront the consequences of choices made long ago, Bhanu begins to unravel as her life is thrust into chaos. But by reaching for a different future, can she heal the wounds of her past?

An extraordinary story about the complex tapestry that makes up a woman’s life and how facing the truth can change everything…

Unravelling by Preethi Nair was published on 26 September 2024 by Kiss The Frog Press. As part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour, I am delighted to share an interview with the author. 

Interview with Preethi Nair - author of Unravelling 

1. Tell us a bit about your upbringing. How do you feel your South Asian cultural roots have influenced your writing and storytelling?  

I was born in a tiny village in Kerala, South India, and came to England as a baby. We lived in the East end of London which was quite a tough place to be in the 1970s. I remember going back to Kerala for the first time when I was four of five and the contrast was stark. It was like going from a black-and-white film (England) to full technicolour (India). My mother says that when we arrived in the village it was dark, and I jumped out of the car and ran to my grandmother’s house. Having no idea where it was, I found it. My grandmother was like a grandmother out of a fairytale. She could read people's faces and tell them their fortune (looking back I’m not sure she really could) and she owned the local rice mill so all the villagers would congregate there with their letters (my grandmother was one of the very few people who could read and write) and so she would read their letters out for them, and they would share their problems. It was so different from London predominantly because I felt I belonged in Kerala and for many years, I longed to go back to her, to the village. Back in London, I felt like a total outsider and had a double life like most children of immigrant South Asian parents. My parents wanted me to be a lawyer, I wanted to be a writer, and I knew this from a very young age. To make sense of all my emotions, I used to write. Although I write fiction, I write about what I know and draw on a lot of the influences of my cultural heritage.

2. Your journey from a management consultant to author and entrepreneur is inspiring. What motivated you to take the leap and pursue your dream of becoming a writer?

I have always believed that we just have one life and that it is short. In my twenties, I was in a routine doing the 9-5 and thinking is this it? I decided to leap. I think the decision to leave a “stable” career was motivated by the fact that at the time, I was writing a book “Gypsy Masala” about following your dreams and perhaps, I was writing this book for myself and I thought – “If not now, then when?” 

3. Facing rejection from publishers for your first book, "Gypsy Masala," led you to establish your own publishing company and PR agency. Can you share some pivotal moments from that period?

My first novel “Gypsy Masala” got rejected by most publishers, so I set up my own publishing and PR company, promoted it under an alias alter-ego (Pru), got it into the book charts and sold it off to HarperCollins as part of a 3-book deal. This was all whilst putting on a suit and pretending to go to work so you can imagine the challenges of running two companies and pretending to go to work! This went on for around two years. I think the biggest challenge was deceit. I had to lie and deceive so much, especially my parents and this went against everything my father taught me - to always tell the truth. So, the international conflict of following my dreams was huge.

The most rewarding time from that period was signing the book deal with HarperCollins, my alter-ego, Pru, was short-listed as Publicist of the Year

and I won Young Achiever for the Asian Women of Achievement Awards. My second novel “One Hundred Shades of White” was translated internationally.

4. As Pru Menon, your alter ego, you successfully navigated the world of marketing, PR, editorial, and sales to promote your work. How did managing these diverse roles contribute to your growth as an author and entrepreneur? 

I was learning on the job and making most of it up as I went along so being Pru gave me permission to be someone else; to fail and not take things personally and these are the skills you need as an entrepreneur -fail, keep going and know that nothing is personal. It contributed to my growth as an author as I had some great stories to tell!

5. Adopting the alias Pru Menon played a pivotal role in your journey as an author. Can you share the significance behind choosing this particular alter ego and how it influenced your approach to marketing, PR, and sales during the early stages of your career?

I chose the alter ego Pru as that’s what my brother calls me and I thought if someone is talking to me and calling me Pru, I could in some ways identify. Menon was my mother’s maiden name. Pru was the total opposite of me: feisty, fearless of rejection, wouldn’t take no for an answer and would get the job done. I am shy introverted and incredibly sensitive and my alter ego, Pru, was loud and proud – everything that I was not and perhaps wanted to be! I was able to hide behind this alter-ego and perhaps do things that I wouldn’t ordinarily do – as Pru, I used to gate-crash publishing parties and speak to people to promote the novel. There isn’t anything she wouldn’t have done!

6. "Sari: The Whole Five Yards" marked your debut as a playwright, producer, and actor. What inspired you to step into the world of theatre, and how did this experience shape your creative journey?

I went on to write a one-woman show where the character was a 59-year-old Asian woman, and I thought which West End theatre is going to want to put this on? So, I booked the theatre myself, having never acted before (not even at school), trained for over a year and performed it. It was one of the most nerve-racking experiences and in a way, for me, it came out of a mid-life crisis. I was 47, safely in my comfort zone and I thought, I need to do something that terrifies me for some people it’s bungee jumping or something physical. I’m not a physical person and putting on Sari play was the challenge I needed to get out of my comfort zone. I felt alive doing it and conquered so many fears. I learned that it’s never too late to do something new. I also learnt about presence and energy and how to feel and respond to the energy in the room and most importantly, to believe in myself again - when you stay too long in your comfort zone, self-doubt creeps in and the more you want to stay there. There is so much to experience but it is outside of that zone! That show was optioned for television and went on to be Unravelling.

7. You have turned down a fourth book deal to publish Unravelling yourself. Can you tell us why?

I didn’t really enjoy being published by a big publisher – you lose a lot of creative control, and I knew exactly how I wanted Unravelling to look and feel. The book is about liberation, and I felt hugely liberated publishing it myself.

8. Tell us about Unravelling and the themes. 

It’s based on Bhanu, the character of the stage play “Sari: The Whole Five Yards”. Bhanu, a 59-year-old woman has spent years carefully curating the perfect life - great kids, a loving husband, and a beautiful home, all to hide the dark secrets of her past. But on the eve of her 40th wedding anniversary celebration, she bumps into her first love, Deep, reigniting long-buried feelings. He asks her to come away with him. The story delves into the complex tapestry of a woman's life and the power of self-truth in the face of it all. Ultimately, when we tell ourselves the truth, and I mean the real truth, everything changes…

So essentially, I wanted to explore the gap of who we really are and who we pretend to be. I also think as women, once we hit a certain age, we become invisible, and I wanted to give a voice to an invisible woman. To say that sometimes, when we think it’s all over, it’s just beginning.

"Preethi Nair is a one-woman whirlwind"- HarperCollins.

Preethi worked as a management consultant and gave it up to follow her dream and write her first book, Gypsy Masala. 

Having been rejected by most publishers, she set up her own publishing company and PR agency to publish and promote the book all whilst putting on a suit and pretending to go to work. 

Working under the alias of Pru, Preethi managed to gain substantial coverage and after two years of a roller-coaster journey, she signed a three-book deal with HarperCollins. 

She won an Asian Women of Achievement Award for her endeavours and "Pru" was also shortlisted as Publicist of the Year for the PPC awards.

Having never acted before (not even at school), Preethi went on to write, act and produce "Sari: The Whole Five Yards", a sell-out one-woman show in the West End. 

Preethi adapted this play into the novel, "Unravelling", which has been optioned for television. 

Preethi is also visiting professor at various business schools, teaching modules on creativity for personal leadership. 

www.preethinair.com

Nobody's Hero by M W Craven #NobodysHero @mwcravenuk @LittleBrownUK @BethWright26 #BenKoenig #BookReview

 

The man who can't feel fear is back, in a race against time to find the woman who knows a secret that could take down the world as we know it.

When a shocking murder and abduction on the streets of London leads investigators to him, Ben Koenig has no idea at first why the highest echelons of the CIA would need his help. But then he realises he knows the woman who carried out the killings. Ten years earlier, without being told why, he was tasked with helping her disappear.

Far from being a deranged killer, she is the gatekeeper of a secret that could take down the West, so for years she has been in hiding. Until now.

And if she has resurfaced, the danger may be closer and more terrifying than anyone can imagine.

So Ben Koenig has to find her before it's too late. But Ben suffers from a syndrome which means he can't feel fear. He doesn't always know when he should walk away, or when he's leading others into danger . . 

Nobody's Hero by M W Craven is published in hardback on 10 October 2024 by Constable. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

This is the second instalment in the Ben Koenig series. I read and reviewed the first; Fearless back in June last year and was so impressed.  Craven has been a favourite author of mine for a long time, and I can assure you that he can write US based crime fiction just as gripping as his well established Washington Poe series. 

Buckle up and be prepared for a tumultuous ride, this novel is relentless in its pace and the plotting and characterisation is perfectly done. Whilst I really enjoyed the first novel of the series, I was totally knocked out by this one. We learn more about Koenig, he seems a little more approachable, and the touches of humour are incredibly placed. 

The scene is set at the beginning of a book with a man being held by unknown people. He's strapped to a workbench in some sort of a factory. He is not a gangster, or a criminal, he's an ordinary bloke who happens to be a Professor. When he finds out what his captors want from him, he steadfastly refuses to say anything .... to his cost. 

Fast forward two years and we are at Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park. What seems an ordinary day turns into a bloodbath as two people are murdered and another is abducted. This is where Ben Koenig comes in; the events have set off a mysterious protocol and Koenig's name is one of those involved. He claims to know nothing about it, but he does know the woman accused of the murders and abduction. He knows her because many years ago it was his job to ensure that she disappeared. 

And so, we readers are taken on a journey, alongside Koenig, to try to discover just what the protocol is all about, and how it is going to affect the whole world. We meet people along the way who will induce nightmares. The father/daughter contract killers who seem to take pleasure in disposing of their targets in the most ingenious, yet violent of manner.  

There is violence, and lots of it. There are scenes that made me gasp and swear out loud. There are scenes that I will never be able to erase from my mind, yet all are perfectly done, adding to the depth of the story despite the flinching. 

Koenig travels the globe in pursuit of his goal, he seems to be able to think of the most insane ways to defeat those who are out to kill him, theres a scene on a staircase that is totally ingenious, frightening, yet hilarious too. 

When Koenig and the reader finally find out exactly what the protocol is all about, it is shocking. Craven expertly weaves detail of the toxicity of social media, fake news and how misinformation can make a bad thing seem even more terrible. It's clever without preaching and bang up to date. 

This is an action pack, rollercoaster of a read that is totally entertaining. Koenig is unique, like no other character I've ever come across, you are never quite sure just what he's going to do next. 

Oh, and that ending ...............  be prepared.  An amazing read, highly recommended by me. 

Multi-award-winning author M.W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle.
He joined the army at sixteen, leaving ten years later to complete a social work degree. 

Seventeen years after taking up a probation officer role in Cumbria, at the rank of assistant chief officer, he became a full-time author. 

He is an instant Sunday Times bestseller and, for his Cumbria-set Washington Poe series, a recipient of the 2019 Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger, the 2022 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2023. 

The series has now been translated into twenty-seven languages

Instagram: @m.w.craven

X :@mwcravenuk

Facebook: MikeCravenAuthor

Hear Him Calling by Carly Reagon #HearHimCalling @carlyreagon @BooksSphere @LittleBrownUK #BookReview

 

Kyle can barely remember his grandfather. So when they inherit his old house - a damp, secluded tower on the edge of a Welsh mountain village - Kyle and his wife, Lydia, feel they are moving into the home of a stranger.

From the start, Lydia hates the house: the disturbing paintings in the attic, the hostility of the locals, the peculiar light that pours through the kitchen window. Kyle thinks Lydia needs a break from London, from the nightmares and the panic attacks. But over the coming weeks, Lydia's sense of dread only becomes more insistent, whilst Kyle is drawn to the house in ways he cannot explain.

Yet as winter approaches, cutting them off, the house must become their refuge. For outside, on the mountain, something is calling to them.

Something that has waited decades, and wants to be let in.

Hear Him Calling by Carly Reagon is published in hardback on 17 October 2024 by Sphere. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

I read this astonishing debut novel in the intense heat of Cyprus last week. It is a skilled author who can make their reader feel chilled to the bone, with goosebumps when the temperatures are hitting the mid 30s. Carly Reagon did just this. I was totally and utterly transfixed by this story of an isolated cottage nestled amongst the wild hills of Wales, it is a psychological thriller mashed with a haunting ghost story, and a touch of horror that is totally beguiling. 

Kyle Stein has inherited a house located in a tower in Wales from his estranged grandfather. For a long time now, he and his wife Lydia have been tired of their London life. The constant noise, the pull of work and social events, the drinking, the traffic. Wales seems like their way out. However, Lydia hates the house, and the community in which it is set. She sees strange lights, she is not made to feel welcome by the neighbours. There are stains that keep appearing, it all feels eerie and she doesn't want to stay. 

Kyle, on the other hand, seems to become more and more invested in their new home. His behaviour seems to change a little, he is utterly convinced that Wales is the place for Lydia to heal. To recover from her panic attacks and the night terrors that have consumed her life. 

The reader hears from both Lydia and Kyle, in their own voices and we are also privy to the voice of Martha. Martha lived in the area many years ago and it is her retelling of her life that really invoke the shivers, and go some way to trying to explain the events that are happening in the present day. 

Reagon has created a story that is at time terrifying, yet is so compelling. Her characters are masterfully created, the landscape is evocative and plays a huge part in the whole narrative. There are times when my heart was in my throat, there are characters who really appear to be quite evil and there's a sense of foreboding about the Stein's relationship and how it is moving forward that proves to be shocking. 

Taking themes of dysfunctional families and cruelty and wrapping them in ghostly folklore, this is an excellent read and one I highly recommend. 

Carly Reagon is the author of The Toll House, which was a Waterstones Welsh Book of the Month. 

In 2019 she was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Prize for fiction. 

Her writing is inspired by her love of the Welsh countryside where she lives with her husband and three children. 

She works as a senior lecturer at Cardiff University, is a keen runner and singer, and has an interest in anything historic.

X @carlyreagon

Instagram @carlyreagonauthor

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