Ghost Story by Elisa Lodato #GhostStory #ElisaLodato @bonnierbooks_uk #ManillaPress @ElStammeijer #BookReview

 

She came to write, but the island has its own story . . .

Off the windswept coast of Scotland lies Finish Island, rugged and remote. Once a home, it now stands abandoned, a place of dark history and deep memory, a place that holds its stories close. Unable to write since her daughter's death, it's here that Seren comes to work, hoping that the solitude and silence will inspire her next novel.

But the island holds memories of its own, restless and unwilling to stay buried. As unsettling occurrences become even more bizarre and frightening, Seren starts seeing uncanny resonances between her past and the island's history. There is something on this island, something ancient and unforgiving. Will Seren discover its secrets, before it's too late?

Ghost Story by Elisa Lodato is published by Manilla Press on 26 September 2024. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

I read and reviewed Elisa Lodato's two previous novels back in 2018; An Unremarkable Body and The Necessary Marriage. Both of those books made it into my Top Books of the Year list and I've been waiting for years for more from this incredible author. When I heard that Manilla Press were to publish Ghost Story, I was delighted and so keen to read it. 

This is an utterly captivating read. Once again, Lodato has created characters that are brilliantly human, realistic and incredibly flawed. She has set her story on the fictional island of Finish in the Outer Hebrides, a place that is lonely, with no people, yet is fully populated by the myths and history of the place.

Seren Doughty is a woman facing impossible losses. A mother without a child, a writer without a story. Her marriage has broken down, and her husband has moved on to a new wife and family. Seren's success as an author has always been judged on her first novel, she didn't want to write the second, yet she did. When her publisher urges her to go away, and write another book, she is frightened, unsure of if she can. Whilst researching in Edinburgh library, she is helped by Alex, a man far younger than her but who shows such an interest in her and her planned work. A man who will shape her future in many ways. 

Seren arrives on Finish, she will stay in the bothy, a small structure with little comfort. No running water, no toilet facilities. It would appear to be the perfect place for her to find inspiration for her work. Yet as soon as she arrives, and even before she lands, when she stays on the mainland at the home of people who know the island well, Seren feels unsettled. Terrible tragedies have taken place on Finish, and Seren experiences things that are unexplainable, and so unsettling. 

This really is a beautifully written story that encompasses the fragility of the bereaved mother, along with the vulnerability of her state of mind. Seren often makes decisions that are questionable, yet underneath, she is a strong woman who knows her mind, yet is dealing with the horrors that have consumed her life over the past years. 

The isolated setting of Finish adds such depth to the story, the island almost becomes a character in itself, with the whistling wind, the freezing streams, the treacherous landscape, and the constant reminders of what has happened there in the past. 

I don't want to give away any of the plot, but it is safe to say that Seren faces more danger from fellow humans than she ever does from the unsettled spirits that inhabit the island. Towards the end of the novel, the author exposes the madness that can turn people into monsters, it is tense and so emotionally challenging. 

This is another wonderful book from an incredibly talented author. Her ability to conjure up people and places, along with otherworldly aspects without veering into the ridiculous is sublime. Highly recommended. 

Elisa Lodato grew up in London and read English at Pembroke College, Cambridge. 

After graduating she went to live in Japan where she spent a year teaching, travelling and developing a love for cherry blossom and tempura. 

On returning to the UK, she spent many happy years working for Google before training to become an English teacher. 

Helping pupils to search for meaning in a text inspired Elisa to take up the pen and write her own. 

Her first novel, An Unremarkable Body, was longlisted for the Bath Novel Award 2016 and shortlisted for the 2018 Costa First Novel Award. 

Her second novel, The Necessary Marriage was published in August 2018. 

Elisa lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and two children.

No Small Thing by Orlaine McDonald #NoSmallThing @orlainedee @serpentstail #BookReview

 

Alone among the lush tangle of plants on his balcony, Earl watches as a broken family reunites in the flat below.

There's Livia, who has been running for long enough to think her past might never catch up with her. Now she's forced to catch her breath and face the daughter she left behind.

Then Mickey, angry about having a mother who left, a father who died, about the mess she's made of her own life. With no other place to go, she needs the mother who abandoned her.

And Summer, whose new grandmother is weird, and whose mum is always sad or out looking for men to distract her. Left to roam, she finds friends who are willing to give her the attention that Mickey won't. But are they as kind as she thinks they are?

This is a novel about the power and pain of mothering. It crackles with desire, burns with hope and sings in a voice as compelling as it is true.

No Small Thing by Orlaine McDonald was published on 18 July 2024 by Serpent's Tail and is the author's first novel. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

This evocative and emotionally challenging novel is just under 240 pages in length. It is so deep, so taut and wonderfully woven with a small cast of colourful yet flawed characters. It really is a triumph.

The author opens with a prologue that is shocking and delivers a massive emotional punch, she then goes back a year and the novel is told over the following twelve months. 

A housing estate in South London, populated by ordinary working class people, an area of social deprivation, but with grassy parks and trees and wild foxes. 

Earl lives on the floor above the three lead female characters; Livia, Mickey and Sunny. He spends most of his day attending to his vast array of house plants, taken from cuttings from the gardens of people that he works for. Earl is surrounded by photographs of his late mother Bibby, a woman whose words have echoed through his life forever. He observes the women in the flat below, he hears them, he sees their regular comings and goings, and he reaches out to the 'Child', Sunny. 

Livia, Mickey and Sunny are three generations of the same family, yet do not know each other at all. Mickey feels that Livia failed as a mother, and this was the last place that she wanted to end up. However, her father Jimmy has died and the man she was living with was handy with his fists, Livia's flat was the last resort for her and her daughter Sunny. 

This author is so skilled at portraying the issues of inequality, family trauma and race for mixed-race women in London. All three of these women have to deal with the problems of poor and unsafe housing, domestic violence and health inequalities. Yet she does this in a very down to earth fashion, there's no sentimentality here, just plain hard facts. Both Livia and Mickey have made many rash and bad decisions in their lives, and the effects on young Sunny are glaringly obvious as she struggles through her school life, with an often uncontrollable temper and an urge to know everything that is happening, Sunny's life seems to be one long round of punishment. 

This is a story that can be incredibly bleak, especially as Mickey makes mistake after mistake. The cigarettes, the booze, the badly chosen sexual partners, these keep on happening, time after time. As Sunny gets a little older, she begins to question the relationships within her own family, and then seeks solace in others outside the family, but like Mickey, she doesn't always make the best choices. It is what happens within one of these 'friendships' that ultimately becomes the downfall of this family. 

Blunt, raw, astute and gripping, this is a magnificent look at parenting relationships, in their many forms. Often very tender, it is also so very brutal at times. Beautifully written, with prose to savour. Highly recommended. 

Orlaine McDonald is a writer of mixed Jamaican and Irish heritage, and lives in
London. 

This is her first novel.

X @orlainedee

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman #WeSolveMurders @richardosman @VikingBooksUK @MeadOlivia @RosieSafaty #BookReview

 

A brand new series.

An iconic new detective duo.

And a thrilling new murder to solve . . .

-----

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favourite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job . . .

Then a dead body, a bag of money and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a deadly enemy?

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman is published in hardback on 12 September 2024 by Viking. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review 

Holding up my hands here to admit that I am one of the very few people that hasn't read the Thursday Murder Club books .... I know!  There are just so many books aren't there? However, I was very intrigued by the premise for We Solve Murders and have spent a couple of days being totally entertained by this story of killers on the loose all over the world. 

I absolutely love Osman's chatty style of writing, I really felt as though the reader was so involved with the plot, he almost talks directly to us. 

This story is bang up to date, featuring a faux French man who likes to use ChatGBT to ensure that his emails appear to be from a 'friendly English gentleman'. We have a bunch of influencers who are so concerned about their followers and likes that they put themselves in incredible danger .... they don't appear to have a lot of common sense.

Our lead characters are Amy Wheeler who works in private security, her ex policeman father-in-law Steve and the world's best selling author (after Lee Child) Rosie D'Antonia. What a fabulous bunch they are too, so well created, wholesome and realistic, they are so funny at times, yet each of them have their own strengths, creating a team who really can solve murders. 

It's complex plot with a lot of characters and you really do need to keep your wits about you when reading, but it's so fast paced and such a lot of fun that everything seems to just drop into place quite magically. 

We meet Amy and Rosie on a private island. Rosie has had death threats from a Russian and it's Amy's job to protect her. Steve, meanwhile, is living his quiet life back home. Going to the quiz, having a pub lunch, feeding Trouble, his cat and recording chats to his dead wife on his Dictaphone. Steve is an unassuming guy, he likes a quiet life. He's happy to look for a missing dog, but he doesn't really want to have to drive anywhere. Steve and Amy are close, they chat often, but Steve would love nothing more than for Amy to open up about her earlier life, he knows it was traumatic, but she's staying silent about it. 

Despite Steve's aversion to change and to travel, he finds himself on Amy's team. Travelling the world in private jets and getting involved in some increasingly tricky situations. Steve's observations on life, people and places are priceless. He is unaware just how hilarious he is at times. He's also incredibly sharp, bright and more than able to pick up clues. 

I loved this story. I loved the characters, and not just the leads, there is an amazing supporting cast of colourful, varied people who are just a delight to discover. The multi layered plot is woven together very well, and the reader gradually peels each layer away to discover just who is responsible for the many deaths being investigated. 

Great fun, utterly entertaining and I'm hoping these characters will return very soon. 

Richard Osman is an author, producer and television presenter. 

His first four novels, The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice and The Bullet That Missed were multi-million-copy record-breaking bestsellers around the world. 

We Solve Murders is the first book in a new series featuring a family detective duo. 

He lives in London with his wife, Ingrid, and their cat Liesl.

X @richardosman

Instagram @mrosman

Swimming To Lundy by Amanda Prowse BLOG TOUR #SwimmingToLundy @MrsAmandaProwse @RandomTTours #BookReview

A poignant and inspiring story from multi-million-copy bestselling author Amanda Prowse about how it’s never too late to follow your dreams and find your way back to happiness.

Tawrie Gunn feels stuck. She’s spent her whole life in the same seaside town with her beloved Nana and grief-stricken mum, all of them still reeling in different ways from the tragic loss of Tawrie’s dad at sea. Desperate for a change, she challenges herself to take up wild swimming―every morning, no excuses, from March till September.

Daring to take the plunge with the ‘Peacock Swimmers’, Tawrie feels alive in a way she’s never known. Suddenly it seems she might be able to step outside her comfort zone after all and let life surprise her―perhaps even dream of a future beyond the shores of Ilfracombe? Especially when, one day, she spots a man in a pink linen shirt who seems as eager for a new start as she does.

But it turns out taking risks on land is a little different from wading into the sea. Can Tawrie face her fears head-on and find her way to happiness? She knows it’s never too late to pursue your hopes and dreams, but it might be easier said than done…

Swimming To Lundy by Amanda Prowse was published in paperback on 6 August 2024 by Lake Union Publishing. My thanks to the author who sent my copy for review as part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour. 

It is a very long time since I've read a book by Amanda Prowse, but I am just so delighted to have discovered Swimming To Lundy. It was an absolutely perfect read for me, it came at the right time, it made me smile, it broke my heart a little and it made me want to immediately book a trip to Ilfracombe! 

I love a story with a dual time line, and this author cleverly weaves her two stories together. Our main lead character is Tawrie Gunn. Tawrie has lived in the small town for her entire life, she's never really felt able to leave, despite her desire to train as a midwife. Tawrie's Dad was lost at sea twenty years ago, and she's been the rock of the family ever since. She lives with her lovely Nan (her Dad's mother), and her fragile, alcohol mother. Working at her cousin's cafe, Tawrie appears to be a joyful, happy soul, yet she's beginning to feel stuck. So, she gives herself a challenge; she will swim in the sea, every single morning from March until September. Joining octogenarian couple Maudie and Jago, she becomes a 'Peacock Swimmer', and that daily dip invigorates her. 

And then Tawrie spots a man in a pink shirt, and something changes inside her. Never having felt like this before, she and Ed gradually get to know each other. Maybe, at long last, Tawrie's life is about to change. 

Throughout the novel, the reader is taken back to 2002, where we hear from Harriet Stratton; a mother of two young children who is facing up to the fact that her husband has been unfaithful. Harriet is devastated, and angry and feels embarrassed and let down. Uprooting the family to Ilfracombe felt like the right thing to do, but it's clear that Harriet's wounds are far too deep. 

Quite often, in a dual timeline novel, I prefer one over the other, but in Swimming To Lundy, I loved both stories so much. As each part ended, I felt a little bereft, only to become engrossed in the next part once again. For me, this is the sign of a very good author, one who can keep her readers engaged throughout. 

At first, it is difficult to understand why we hear from Harriet as she doesn't seem to have anything at all to do with Tawrie, but gradually the two stories weave together and it is really quite magically done. 

Amanda Prowse does not shy away from some very deep, emotional issues within the story, it is certainly not all sweetness and light. She expertly explores the effects of loss, the long-term damage that grief can do and the intricacies of discovering new love, and the shattering heart break that this can also bring. 

With perfectly formed characters, this is truly a love letter to Ilfracombe, with evocative descriptions of the town and the coastline, and a wonderful sense of community spirit and support. 

I enjoyed every single page and highly recommend this one. 

Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author whose twenty-nine novels, two non-fiction titles and ten novellas have been published in dozens of languages around the world. Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres. Her books, including the chart-topping No.1 titles 'What Have I Done?', 'Perfect Daughter', 'My Husband's Wife', 'The Girl in the Corner' and ‘The Things I Know’ have sold millions of copies across the globe.

Described by the Daily Mail as ‘The queen of family drama’ Amanda’s novel, 'A Mother's Story' won the coveted Sainsbury's eBook of the year Award and she has had two books selected as World Book Night titles; 'Perfect Daughter' in 2016 and 'The Boy Between' in 2022. 

Amanda is a huge supporter of libraries and having become a proud ambassador for The Reading Agency, works tirelessly to promote reading, especially in disadvantaged areas. Amanda's ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can't possibly read another book until the memory fades...

X @MrsAmandaProwse

www.amandaprowse.com

Instagram @mrsamandaprowse

Isolation Island by Louise Minchin #IsolationIsland @louiseminchin @headlinepg #BookReview

 

IT'S A PRIZE ANYONE WOULD KILL TO WIN...

Ten celebrities have arrived to take part in the most gruelling - and lucrative - reality survival show ever devised: two weeks completely alone on a remote Scottish island, in the depths of winter.

With a production team that seems incapable of keeping them safe, a gathering storm and the unrelenting gaze of hidden cameras, the contestants are stretched to the limit as they try and outshine their fellow competitors and hide their darkest secrets.

But when a contestant winds up dead, it soon becomes clear that the players are not just fighting for the prize, but for their lives.

Isolation Island by Louise Minchin is published in hardback by Headline on 12 September 2024. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

This is one of those books that would be absolutely perfect for reading on holiday. On a sunbed, with a glass of something cold at hand, with nothing more to think about than the plot of the story. Sadly for me, I read it whilst settled on my settee, with a cup of tea! It's a destination thriller, in a cold and isolated setting combined with a locked-room mystery, only the room is an entire island off the coast of Scotland. 

It's the latest reality show, brand new and aiming to be the best, and the most gruelling for the bunch of celebrities who are lucky enough to take part. As with most of these shows, the contestants are a mixed bunch, some are almost at the end of their career, some are trying to regain their credibility, there are TV stars, and sports stars, wanna-be pop singers and some influencers. There's also a surprise, huge name guest in the form of Hollywood superstar Nate Stirling. 

And there is Lauren. An investigative journalist who has poked her nose into things that have caused trouble. So much trouble that she's lost her job. Lauren's only reason for taking part is Nate Stirling; he's the guy that she's been investigating. She is determined to expose him for what she, and many women that she's spoken to, have known for years. Underneath that glam exterior, there's another cruel, heartless man who uses woman and then throws them aside when he's done. He has ruined so many lives and Lauren is certain that she can be the one to show the real Nate. 

After a gruelling start to the show, there are a couple of shocks in store and it's not long before their numbers are reduced. The producers are not going easy on these guys, it is certainly no walk in the park and any one of them that believed that these game shows were all a front for the camera is proved very wrong. 

Minchin creates a fairly slow and sure start to her book, introducing the characters to the readers, telling their back stories, giving us a little insight into why they are there. As the contestants get to know each other, small cliques begin to form and it really isn't long before an unofficial hierarchy is formed. It's a fabulous look at the way that humans come together, how they form opinions, how they are swayed by others. How fame can influence reasoning and judgement, and how it's often difficult to speak freely. 

The contestants really are alone when a fierce storm hits the island and all forms of communication are cut off. The cameras die, the recording equipment collapses and they have no way of knowing what's going to happen to them. As the wind and rain lashes the island, the drama really begins to happen and the first dead body is discovered. This causes shock, panic and paranoia to set in and Lauren finds herself on the outside of the group, cast out, talked about and trying her best to find out just what is happening. 

It's a claustrophobic read, it's unsettling and the final one hundred pages are tense, fast paced and more than a little bit crazy. As the action increases, so does the utter panic and meltdown of the characters.

The isolated island, the terrible storm and the huge imaginations of the characters make for an exhilarating finale, with an ending that is suitably and satisfyingly shocking.  Plenty of action, twists and turns to keep the reader guessing and turning the pages quickly. 

Louise Minchin is best known for her twenty-year stint on BBC Breakfast's red sofa, but
she has also been the main news anchor on the BBC News Channel and the BBC's One O'clock News and presented The One Show, Five Live Drive, Real Rescues and Missing Live.

Her television career has also seen her participate in a number of reality TV shows including ITV's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, Channel 4's Time Crashers and the BBC's Celebrity MasterChef.

Louise has also written non-fiction titles, Dare to Tri and Fearless, and she was Chair of the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023.

X @louiseminchin

The House on Cold Creek Lane by Liz Alterman @LizAlterman #TheHouseonColdCreekLane @severnhouse #BookReview

 

An unflinching examination of motherhood and the dark side of domesticity set against a suburban backdrop that's anything but blissful. This twisty tale invites readers to a slow motion unravelling that culminates in a devastating finale!

Who was I? What had I become?

Breathe, I commanded. You're doing this for your family.

When Laurel and Rob West move into their new home in New Jersey, it seems too good to be true. But Laurel can't shake off her old feelings of anxiety. The neighbor who pays far too much attention to the Wests' two young children . . . Rob watching her every misstep . . . and there's something people aren't telling her about this house . . .

I promised myself I wouldn't go to that neighborhood again. Not that street. Not so soon.

But I couldn't help it. They made it too easy.

Corey Sutton is trying to outrun her past. Recently divorced and reeling from a devastating loss, she moves into her widowed mother's retirement condo in Florida. Everyone says she just needs some time to recover and rebuild . . . but is Corey beyond saving? She wants answers. And there's very little she won't do to get them.

Though Laurel and Corey have never met, the women have something in common, and if they're not careful, it may just destroy them both . . .

The House on Cold Creek Lane by Liz Alterman was published on 6 August 2024 by Severn House. My thanks to the publisher, and the author, who sent my copy for review. 

In April 2023 I read and reviewed The Perfect Neighbourhood by Liz Alterman. I enjoyed that heady slice of domestic noir set in a leafy street full of nosy neighbours. Once more this author takes her readers to what appears to be a normal street in the suburbs of a town in the US, and yet again, she has done it with style. 

The story opens as Rob West tells his Laurel, his wife, that their offer on a house on Cold Creek Lane has been accepted. Laurel is a little nonplussed to say the least, with one small child, and expecting another any day soon, she hasn't even seen the house. She cannot drum up the energy to get excited about a move. 

A couple of months later, and recovering from a C Section, Laurel has to face up to emptying boxes, and making this house a home. Her life has not been easy, her mother was murdered when Laurel was just twelve years old, and she's been informed that the murderer has been released from prison. 

On the surface, Cold Creek Lane appears to be a normal, everyday street. However Laurel is very uneasy, there's something about the house, and the neighbours that make her very uncomfortable. Rob is no help to her at all. In fact, he's cold and appears uncaring, brushing off her fears, making light of her history. He's probably one of the most obnoxious characters I've read in a long time. 

Meanwhile, Corey Sutton is living in a bedroom in her mother's house in Florida. Her marriage is over and she's utterly devastated by recent events in her life. Corey seems out of control, driven by a need for justice, and revenge. Her life is spiralling further and further out of control, yet's she a brilliantly created character, the total opposite to Laurel, who often appears weak and unsure. Corey is always sure, but she often puts herself into danger, she's reckless, but determined. 

It is the house on Cold Creek Lane that links these women, and as the story progresses, the reader learns more about Corey's past, and how the residents on the Lane may pose a danger to Laurel and her family. 

This is devilishly clever, it's a complex plot filled with excellently created characters; some you will hate and others you will cheer on throughout. The author doesn't make life easy for either Laurel or Corey, and she also makes her readers think really hard too. You will suspect everyone at some stage! 

This is a fine mystery story, but it is also a insightful look into the power of the family, about how parents will do anything to ensure that their children are safe, and how people are often not who they appear to be. 

Filled with suspense, with an engaging story line, with themes of grief, loss and revenge. A really satisfying read. 

Liz Alterman is the author of The Perfect Neighborhood, He'll Be Waiting, and Sad
Sacked. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney's, and other outlets. 

She lives in New Jersey with her husband and three sons where she spends most days microwaving the same cup of coffee and looking up synonyms. 

When Liz isn't writing, she's reading.

X @LizAlterman

www.lizalterman.com

Instagram @lizalterman

Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden #MrsDeathMissesDeath @salenagodden @canongatebooks #BookReview

 

Mrs Death tells her intoxicating story in this life-affirming fire-starter of a novel

Mrs Death has had enough. She is exhausted by her job and now seeks someone to unburden her conscience to.

She meets Wolf, a troubled young writer, who - enthralled by her stories - begins to write Mrs Death's memoirs. As the two reflect on the losses they have experienced (or facilitated), their friendship flourishes. All the while, despite her world-weariness, Death must continue to hold humans' fates in her hands, appearing in our lives when we least expect her . . .

Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden was published in paperback in January 2022. I bought my copy online. 

Despite being a reader for most of my life, I had never been a member of a book group. I joined my very first group last month and Mrs Death Misses Death was the book picked to read. I have to admit that it's not a book that I would have picked up before now, but surely that's the point of a book group? To discover genre and authors that one would usually pass by. 

I decided to write my review of Mrs Death Misses Death before the group discusses it. I wanted to put down my initial thoughts. I am sure that I may have some different views when I've heard other members thoughts. 

Salena Godden is an award-winning author and poet and her novel is a mix of narrative, of poetry and of observation. She starts the book with a Disclaimer, and this really sets the tone for the rest of the novel. There's humour, there's darkness, it's a little bit twisted, but it is oh so compelling. 

I really wondered just what I was getting myself into, but before long, I was utterly engrossed. The style, the different formats, the varying voices. They may feel a little disjointed at first, but it really does work. 

Like most people, I grew up with the image of Death as the Grim Reaper. Male, in a dark hood, carrying a scythe. We were wrong, Death is a woman, a black woman, she has a sister called Life, and a lover called Time. Like many women, she is often not noticed, ignored by those around her, but she's always there, always waiting, always in the wings, waiting. 

Wolf Willeford first met Mrs Death when he was a boy. He met her when his mother died in the fire that tore through the block of flats in which they lived. Mrs Death has accompanied Wilf throughout his life, as he went to live with his Grandparents, when he ran away, when they died. Wolf is writing Mrs Death's memoir, he has spent the last of his money on her old oak desk, and it is there that Mrs Death comes to him, telling her stories. Talking about her experiences, with Life, with Time and of course, her work as Death. 

I have many many turned down corners in my copy of this book. Marking passages that really touched me, that I've gone back to and read over and over. Wilf considers how we may live our lifes differently if we were aware of when we would die;

 'Imagine if we were like pints of milk with our best-before dates on our foreheads. I mean, if we knew   exactly how long and little time we have left to love each other, maybe then we would be more kind and loving.'

There are scenes where Mrs Death recounts some terrible deaths; murders, genocide. There's examples of racial hate and social injustices. Mrs Death often appears angry, yet there's something about the book that is also quite uplifting and a little hopeful. 

A heady blend of fantasy, magical realism and truth. Wolf's own story is often heartbreaking, his pain is deep and his regrets are vast. 

Like nothing that I've read before, this was such an experience for me. I enjoyed the ride. 

Salena Godden FRSL is an award-winning author, poet, memoirist and broadcaster of
Jamaican-mixed heritage based in London. 

Her debut novel Mrs Death Misses Death won the Indie Book Award for Fiction and the People's Book Prize, and was shortlisted for the British Book Awards and the Gordon Burn Prize. 

Her work has also been shortlisted for the 4thWrite short story prize, the Ted Hughes Award, Jerwood Compton Foundation, the Saboteur Awards and The Bridport Prize. 

Salena Godden is one of the UK's foremost poets, often topping the bill at national and international literary events and festivals. 

She is widely anthologised and broadcast on BBC radio, TV and film. 

Her poem 'Pessimism is for Lightweights' is on permanent display at the People's History Museum, Manchester. 

She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, an Honorary Fellow of West Dean, Sussex, and a patron of Hastings Book Festival.

@salenagodden | salenagodden.co.uk | @salena.godden

The Other Side of Life by J Newman #TheOtherSideOfLife #Anthology #BookReview #JNewman

 

A collection of short stories from the 17th century to the present day and beyond..

The Other Side of Life by J Newman was published on 14 October 2023. I bought my copy online. 

I do like to dip in and out of a collection of short stories from time to time and The Other Side of Life is a lovely anthology of fourteen short stories, all set in and around Cornwall. 

The anthology begins with 'Vanished Without A Trace' which is a time slip story, set in the present day and skipping back to events taking place in the 1600s. This is one of the longer stories at twenty-four pages and is a fascinating and entertaining historical story, with a little bit of a twist. 

The author moves through the ages with each story, ending with 'Closure' which is a little slice of speculative/dystopia (one of my favourite genres).

Some of the stories are very short, yet the author is skilled in creating plot and characters is just a couple of pages, something that I admire very much. I really believe that it must be so very difficult to pen an interesting and compelling tale in so few words. 

The author obviously has a great love of Cornwall, and this shines through in every story in the anthology. There's also a theme of nature, and I especially enjoyed 'Tree of Life'; a story narrated by a tulip tree that is evocative and also a little bit heart breaking. 

This is the perfect book to pick up and entertain yourself between longer reads. I have enjoyed my journey through time and through Cornwall very much and intend to track down more of the author's work. 

J. A. Newman began writing when she moved to Cornwall in 2008. She had wanted to write about an important part of her life and embarked on a series of creative writing courses. Her memoir NO ONE COMES CLOSE is an emotional second chance romance.

A writer draws on what she knows and WHERE THERE'S A WILL has some elements of her background and her family history. It is a light-hearted tale of rags to riches set in south east London and the Yorkshire Dales. LOSING THE WILL is the sequel.

Her novel BAY OF SECRETS is a family saga set in her favourite part of Cornwall.

THE OTHER SIDE OF LIFE is an anthology with a touch of the unusual.

She is still very busy and hopes one day to publish a historical novel set in the English Civil War.

Ordinary Time by Cathy Rentzenbrink #OrdinaryTime @CatRentzenbrink @Phoenix_Bks #BookReview

 

There are already three of us in this marriage. I'm not sure there is room for a fourth . . .

Ann is a reluctant Vicar's wife. She tries her best but her husband only has eyes for God, her son is asking questions she struggles to answer, and it is all too easy to displease the congregation. It may only be a matter of time before she makes the headlines of the local gazette: Vicar's wife gets giggles in church. Vicar's wife refuses to bake scones. Vicar's wife does not care about other people.

When her brother needs her help, Ann travels from Cornwall up to London. There she meets Jamie, and a new world unexpectedly opens up. Ann knows what the older women of the parish would say - she's made her bed and now she has to lie in it. But once she has been led into temptation, it may prove impossible to resist . . .

The funny and heartbreaking new novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Cathy Rentzenbrink, Ordinary Time is an unforgettable story of the joys and sorrows of everyday life; one that asks big questions about friendship and marriage, forgiveness and redemption, and the real meaning of love.

Ordinary Time by Cathy Rentzenbrink was published on 11 July 2024 by Phoenix. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

I have read all of this authors books, both her fiction and non-fiction. She's an author that I greatly admire, her passion for books, and her incredible insight into the often mundane lives of character are astonishing. 

Ordinary Time is Ann's story. Ann's husband Tim is a vicar, they have a young son Sam and have lived in various parishes over the years. They've just moved to a rural parish in Cornwall. It's a tight-knit community where the church is at the heart of all business. The previous vicar was elderly and unmarried, his house is old and almost derelict in places. There's a bunch of locals who made it their life to ensure that he wanted for nothing. 

Ann is struggling. She's never really believed in God, her marriage is not what she hoped for. Tim's whole life is centred around doing God's work, assisting others, being the rock of the community, but Ann and Sam have always come second. Tim is not an affectionate man, he is blunt and often appears not to notice his wife or child, except to tick them off when they do something that doesn't really fit nicely into the 'family of a vicar' box. 

Ann meets Jamie when she goes on a mercy mission to help her brother Stephen who is having problems with life in general. Jamie notices her,  she sees her as a woman, he is kind, he appears interested in what she has to say. He acknowledges her intelligence. Ann's inner world turns inside out, desperate to spend more time in the company of someone who doesn't just see the vicar's wife.

This is a wonderfully quiet book, it is often so funny, and always so astute and well observed. Rentzenbrink's ability to look deeper than the surface is tender, and generous and will speak volumes to a lot of women who are experiencing those 'what now' moments that creep up and take a firm hold sometimes. 

At its heart, this is a novel about love, in all of its many forms. Ann and her brother have a tragic back story that has impacted so much on their entire lives. This is one of the reasons that Ann decided to marry Tim in the first place, to put aside her true character, to try to create a new world for herself. 

Tim is a cold man, a man of God, yet not a man of family. Well respected, almost adored by some of his parishioners, he is unaware of the needs of his own family. It is not until the end of the book that the reader learns more about him, about why he has led this life, and how he bears his own scars from the past. 

Populated with characters to love, including the awesome duo of Barbara and Doreen, two elderly women whose verbal battles are a joy to read. Ann's brother Stephen and his wife Sarah are beautifully created too and we cannot forget young Sam, the youngster with the wise head on his shoulders. 

Compassionate, subtle and honest. Ordinary Time is a wonderful read. Highly recommended. 

Cathy Rentzenbrink is the author of the novel Everyone Is Still Alive and several
acclaimed works of non-fiction including the Sunday Times bestseller The Last Act of Love.  

She grew up in Yorkshire, spent many years in London and now lives in Cornwall.

www.cathyreadsbooks.com

X @CatRentzenbrink

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