My enormous thanks to Christian Lewis for sending me a copy of The Midnight Train by Matt Haig. I so loved Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library (reviewed here) that I was thrilled to receive The Midnight Train. It’s my pleasure to share my review today. 

You’ll also find my review of Matt Haig’s Reasons to Stay alive here, and of his children’s book Evie in the Jungle here.  

The Midnight Train was published by Canongate on 21st May 2026 and is available for purchase in all good bookshops and online including 

The Midnight Train

When your life flashes before your eyes, what will matter most?

For Wilbur it was his time with Maggie, the love of his life. Their honeymoon in Venice. Before he threw it all away.

Years later, on the brink of his own death, a train arrives. It can take Wilbur back in time. To relive his most important moments. Soon he realises just how much he would have changed…

An adventure through time, The Midnight Train is a story of love and second chances, from the world of The Midnight Library.

My Review of The Midnight Train 

Wilbur’s life is flashing before his eyes.

What a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful book! 

Whilst The Midnight Train has echoes of The Midnight Library with the theme of life choices, the two books are totally separate and succeed brilliantly as a pair or in isolation. I loved The Midnight Library but The Midnight Train transcends my ability to review it. 

In order to give space to the importance of theme, the plot of The Midnight Train is, essentially, simple. When Wilbur dies his life literally flashes before his eyes as he is aboard a magical train with stops representing moments in his life. But that simplicity belies the profound, emotional and completely mesmerising story. I was transfixed throughout. 

Wilber is a total triumph. His death in his eighties comes at the end of a very successful business life as a bookshop owner. As the train takes Wilbur on his journey to eternity, we see him as damaged by his childhood, idealistic and intelligent and whilst flawed in his choices, capable of great love and of total selfishness. Indeed, he is what we all are; a mess of contradictions, successes and missed opportunities. The reader’s heart breaks for him over and over again. As a result, The Midnight Train hits right to the heart and soul of who we are.

Central to the story is the contradiction that is the all consuming love between Wilbur and Maggie that is simultaneously ignored as Wilbur erroneously chases the wrong priorities in his life. The reasons for this are sensitively and sympathetically explored at the same time as sparing Wilbur nothing when it comes to blame and fault so that it is impossible not to love him whilst wanting to shake him until his teeth rattle! 

With books at the heart of Wilbur’s life (until they aren’t!) The Midnight Library is partly a beautiful love letter to literature, to the power of reading and to the way books can transport us and fire our imaginations. Regardless of the rest of the fabulous narrative, book lovers will thoroughly enjoy discovering old literary friends and new ones alike. 

For me, what was so personally affecting was the glorious exploration of choice and chance, of the potential for redemption, for other potential lives despite the one we choose to lead, and the layered approach to dealing with love, grief, responsibility, commercialism, creativity and loyalty. What Matt Haig does so beautifully is to present these themes without judgment. Through Wilbur, the reader can reflect on their own lives with the effect that The Midnight Train has the potential to impact a reader’s destiny at the same time as watching Wilbur reflect on his own. This truly is a narrative of second chances and being true to ourselves. 

Reflective, restorative and utterly remarkable, The Midnight Train is absolutely brilliant. Read it merely as a diverting and entertaining story if you wish, but be prepared to have your whole life outlook shaped and enhanced by Matt Haig’s glorious writing. I could not have loved this more. It’s sublime. 

About Matt Haig

Matt Haig is the internationally bestselling author of the novels The Midnight Library, How to Stop Time, The Humans, The Radleys, children’s novel A Boy Called Christmas, and memoir Reasons to Stay Alive. His The Life Impossible, was published in summer 2024 and his latest book is The Midnight Train. His work has been translated into over fifty languages.

You can follow Matt on Twitter @matthaig1. Visit his website for further information and find him on Instagram.

My grateful thanks to Louise Court at Hodder for sending me a surprise copy of Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer. It’s my pleasure to share my review today.

Villa Coco is published by Sceptre on 9th June 2926 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Villa Coco

A coming-of-age novel, a love story and a tale of life-enhancing friendship: Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew Sean Greer showcases his wit and warmth in this magical tale set amidst the Tuscan hills.

Broke and directionless, our young protagonist takes a job in the Italian countryside as the assistant to Lisabetta – better known to her friends as Coco – a strong-willed, wealthy aristocrat of great local renown.

Trained as an archivist, he thinks he’s been hired to catalogue the contents of the beautiful, crumbling mansion nestled in the green Tuscan hills. But what are his actual duties? Days are spent in a series of increasingly eccentric pursuits: entertaining an endless carousel of guests (from bohemian painters to elderly princesses to unnervingly handsome nephews), attending a funeral in order to make off with the urn, and aiding and abetting Coco’s great and final plan – to reunite with the lost love of her life before it’s too late.

As summer turns into autumn and the Italian countryside begins to work its magic, the secrets of Villa Coco and its inhabitants are slowly brought to light – and with them, an unforgettable story of the enduring power of friendship.

My Review of Villa Coco

A young man is going to discover more than a house of objects!

Villa Coco is such an accomplished novel and one I thoroughly enjoyed. I thought it was inspired that the ‘young man’ is mis-named from the beginning. As Giovedi he can become anyone he wants, leaving behind the disapprobation of his parents and finding his own identity. There’s a delicious irony that his true name is spoken once – when he finally accepts who he has become in his new identity.

The plot of Villa Coco is fascinating because it has a defined timescale for the young man’s stay with Baroness Lisabetta, or Coco, in order to catalogue the contents of her Tuscan home, and yet it has a fragmentary feel as stories are told and memories revealed that are not always as clear cut as they might appear. This has the effect of enhancing the experience the young man has, drawing in the reader. There’s an underpinning mystery too which leads to a wonderful resolution making for a hugely satisfying read. Add in the three part structure and Andrew Sean Greer draws on classical framing to create drama and attraction, especially as this first person narration reads like a confidential memoir making the reader feel an intimate affinity with Giovedi.

Equally convincing and skilful is the use of description. Reading Villa Coco truly immerses the reader in the landscape, eating eel or anchovies, and being controlled by the weather. It isn’t just the young man who finds insight and understanding, but there are so many references to art, history and culture woven in that the author makes the reader want to find out more, with the effect that the book lingers far beyond the final page. At the same time, none of these aspects ever leaves the reader alienated. Rather, they form a bond with Giovedi as he navigates the wilful nature of Coco and gets to grips with the Italian language.

And what a character Coco is. I adored her. As uncontrollable and changeable as the wind, she is also contrarily constant, loyal to her friends and, like us all, actually desperate for love and understanding, making her a kind if Everywoman. Her audacious reasoning for the inventory of her home is brilliant but I’m not spoiling the plot by telling you why!

Other characters too feel Shakespearean in nature with Ghazel every bit the humorous light relief at the same time as the wonderful Oscar is a kind of Greek chorus, leading Giovedi to the truth. And throughout, moral ambiguity adds layers to both character and plot.

From the endorsements for Andrew Sean Green’s writing I had expected high quality prose. I got it. I also got beauty, truth, humour and affecting themes as he explores sexuality, social expectation and convention as well as family, friendship and the glorious concept of carpe deum. Villa Coco makes the reader want to grasp every opportunity that comes their way. It’s entertaining, and filled with heart. I thought it was wonderful.

About Andrew Sean Greer

Andrew Sean Greer is the bestselling author of eight works of fiction, including the novel Less, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018. His latest novel, Villa Coco, comes on June 9th. Greer lives in San Francisco and Venice, Italy.

For further information, visit Andrew’s website.

My enormous thanks to lovely Annabel Kantaria for giving me a signed copy of You Lied First. I had meant to read and review You Lied First immediately, but this was at Capital Crime last year, my Mum was ill and then died shortly afterwards so sadly You Lied First has languished on my night stand ever since. However, it was so worth waiting for and I’m delighted finally to share my review.

You will find an interview with Annabel, writing as Anna Kent, here on Linda’s Book Bag.

Published by Harper Collins imprint HQ on 17th July 2025, You Lied First is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

You Lied First

Sara is about to spend a week in a villa with people she barely knows.

She’s been invited to join her daughter, Liv, her boyfriend and his parents on their holiday. She can’t say no. After what happened, she’ll jump at any chance to spend time with Liv.

She tries to be the perfect guest, and they seem like the perfect hosts. But something about the Forrest family isn’t right.

By the end of the trip, someone will be dead. Lies will bind the rest of them together. But who can lie the best?

My Review of You Lied First

Sara’s on holiday in Oman with her daughter, Liv, her boyfriend and his parents.

What a fabulous thriller. I loved You Lied First. 

The setting is wonderful. Oman is depicted in such an evocative way, through the souks and desert, the heat, the food and the markets, so that Annabel Kantaria truly transports her readers to her setting – especially when it is contrasted with the wintery landscape of the UK. There’s a real sense of affection for the Middle East that I found compelling. 

The plot is superb. It’s pacy, dynamic and enthralling. There’s an underlying tension and sense of menace from the beginning, but I didn’t foresee the pivotal event at all. Neither could I be certain how the narrative might finally resolve itself because the twisty and psychological skill in its execution was so accomplished. I found the entire narrative very exciting. It also had the effect of making me tense and it unsettled me. My sense of right and justice was challenged, but you must read You Lied First to see why! 

The characters and relationships are deliciously toxic but completely believable. I loathed Guy from start to finish. Through him, we are given a sensitive insight into controlling and coercive behaviour and we see the veneer of respectability that powerful men can exude. I loved the fact that he was called Guy as it hinted that any guy as charming as he is might have that negativity beneath the surface. He’s a kind of negative Everyman. That’s not to say that You Lied First contains misandry. Both Flynn and Sara’s estranged husband Michael are positive individuals. Rather, Guy is so well delineated that it’s impossible not to loathe him! 

There’s an intimacy from having just half a dozen characters. We get to know and understand them thoroughly. I thought it inspired to have Sara’s sections written in the first person as it forms a bond with the reader because they and Sara are usually outside the social sphere of the Forresters. There’s a Gatsby-esque hedonistic sense of social glitterati, especially with Celine’s personality that raises alarm bells. The way this strand of the novel unravels is superb. Even the teenagers Liv and Flynn feel rounded and realistic. 

Themes of parenthood, marriage, relationships, society, truth and manipulation weave through You Lied First. I lost count of the number of times I questioned what I might do in similar circumstances, so thoroughly did Annabel Kantaria draw me into the story. This is a narrative to give the reader pause for thought as well as to entertain them brilliantly. 

In case it isn’t entirely obvious, I thought You Lied First was fabulous. It’s elegantly written, cleverly plotted, packed with action and contains events, themes and characters that won’t be forgotten in a hurry. It’s a cracker of a book and not to be missed. 

About Annabel Kantaria

Also writing as Anna Kent, Annabel Kantaria became a published author when the manuscript for her first novel, Coming Home, won the Montegrappa Prize for First Fiction at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in 2013. It was published in 2015. You Lied First is her sixth book. 

Annabel lives in Dubai, UAE, with her husband.

You can follow Anna on Twitter @BellaKay and Instagram, find her on Facebook or visit Anna’s website for more information.

My enormous thanks to Beck Lewis for sending me a copy of Double Take in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Double Take today.

Double Take, part one in the Dead Ends series, was published on 10th April 2026 and is available for purchase here. 

Double Take

She did the right thing. Now she’s the problem.

When Esther Butler sees a man with a gun following a woman through the dark streets, she calls the police.

Minutes later, the man is dead.

The police fired the shot.

There’s just one problem.

No weapon is found.

Esther knows what she saw.

So why is her story falling apart?

As the investigation deepens, the truth starts to shift – and the evidence begins to point back at her.

DC Josie Kaminski, newly assigned to Leicester’s most overlooked police team, is tasked with finding the truth. But the more they dig, the less anything makes sense.

And the only witness they have… might be lying.

Or she might be next. 

My Review of Double Take

Esther has seen a man with a gun.

I’ll let you into a secret. I’m not a great fan of novels featuring police procedures, which just goes to illustrate how fantastic Double Take is as I thought it was brilliant. I’ll definitely be reading any  future books in the series.

The writing is razor sharp with short punchy chapters that propel the reader through the narrative. As those chapters became shorter and faster towards the denouement of the story, so my heart rate increased because the excitement level just kept elevating. I thought the direct speech was so good, as it felt natural and the contrast between Esther’s first person account and the rest of the book gave an extra edge. Was Esther a reliable narrator, or was she lying as the police thought? You’ll need to read Double Take to find out. 

As for the plot, it simply races along so that it’s impossible not to want to know what happens next. The strands of the story took me by surprise and I thought the way the narrative was constructed was sublime from start to finish. Indeed, the opening chapter made me so invested in Josie and so loathe Greg that I don’t think I’ve ever formed such strong opinions about character within four pages of a novel before.

I loved the characterisation. Esther intrigues and is the lynchpin of the narrative. She is a complex individual whose rashness is balanced by her intelligence. In addition, the police team is varied and wide ranging, with Beck Lewis exploring the hierarchy, rivalry and politics of policing as well as illustrating how investigations are conducted, so that as well as introducing individuals, there is a sense of another being – the whole team. This makes for fascinating reading and I loved the potential for future stories as I want to know more.

As well as captivating characters and a blisteringly good story, there are themes in Double Take that add layers and depth. I don’t want to spoil the story for others, but Beck Lewis weaves in such features as crime and justice, family, friends and relationships, the power of social media, domestic abuse, control, and PTSD. There are emotional and psychological aspects within the exciting story which give it extra impact so that this is intelligent as well as entertaining writing. 

I’m not sure what I was expecting from Double Take, but what I got was a fantastic read, packed with action surrounding vivid and wide ranging characters. I was drawn in from the very first page and resented any interruption to my reading of the narrative. Double Take is an absolute belter of a thriller and one I recommend completely. I thought it was fantastic.

About Beck Lewis

Beck Lewis, a writer who has spent most of her adult life immersed in stories, believes deeply that stories exist to connect people, to help us see the world through perspectives that are not our own.

She has spent years in writing groups, workshops, conventions, and creative spaces, learning both from established voices and from those taking their first steps. Just as importantly, Beck Lewis spends time around readers. Readers are at the heart of everything she does, because no writer exists in isolation. The relationship between writer and reader is a partnership built on trust, curiosity, and the shared love of stories.

For further information, visit Beck’s website and find her on Facebook and Instagram. 

My grateful thanks to Caitlin Raynor at Headline for sending me a surprise copy of The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett. It’s my absolute pleasure to share my review today.

The Road to Tender Hearts was published by Headline imprint Mountain Leopard Press on 21st May 2026 and is available for purchase through the links here.

The Road to Tender Hearts

At sixty-three years old, million-dollar lottery winner PJ Halliday should be the happiest man in town – but everything in Pondville is another reminder of the child he lost, and the way his marriage fell apart.

So, when PJ hears that his high-school sweetheart, Michelle, is unexpectedly back on the market, there’s nothing stopping him driving straight to the Tender Hearts Retirement Community in Arizona to win her back.

But before he can hit the road, a spanner in the works: a tragic incident has suddenly left PJ as the only guardian of his estranged brother’s grandchildren.

Anyone else might be deterred, but it seems like the newly orphaned kids might enjoy the trip out of town. And PJ’s adult daughter, Sophie, has been roped in to help babysit.

There’s one final surprise passenger – Pancakes, a former therapy cat with a knack for predicting death, who recently turned up outside PJ’s home . . .

My Review of The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett

PJ Halliday is about to find his life changing dramatically.

What a glorious book. I loved it.

The plot of The Road to Tender Hearts is, quite frankly, somewhat exaggerated and a bit bonkers at times but actually completely believable and totally absorbing. It’s fast paced and perfectly balanced between the most outrageous premise of the seemingly death dealing cat Pancakes, Luna’s obsession with her paternity and the sheer humanity of providing a family for those most in need of one. The initiating events are shocking and tragic, but whilst they introduce the theme of grief and lead to the creation of a dysfunctional group taking a road trip, they are never morbid and nor do they feel contrived. What Annie Hartnett provides for her readers is sheer entertainment that encompasses humour to sadness and everything in between. This is such fabulous writing.

I fell in love with PJ from the first moment and my goodness it was brilliant to have a middle aged man rather than a gorgeous hunk 30 something as the protagonist. I rarely make comparisons between books but I felt PJ was rather like an amalgam of Harold Fry, Ove and Don from The Rosie Project. He is, however, equally distinct and his own self too. He drinks, he’s had driving convictions, he’s often unintentionally reckless and irresponsible. He’s also generous, vulnerable, a dreamer and caring so that it is impossible not to want him to find Michelle and have his own happy ending.

I am not usually a great lover of children in fiction (or real life!) but here my heart was broken for Luna and Ollie because they are developed with conviction, realism and pathos. There is a moment between Luna and Sophie that will stay with me a very long time, but you need to read The Road to Tender Hearts to find out more. I didn’t so much want the children here to have a positive outcome, but NEED them to because I cared about them. More importantly is the understanding that the characters are ALL children, shaped by their past, their parents and their upbringing. Annie Hartnett teaches her reader not just about her characters, but about themselves in a supportive, funny and sensitive manner.

Whilst there is a physical road trip, the real road to tender hearts is an emotional journey, providing insight into the characters for the reader. However the greatest ‘journey’ is the level of understanding each person gains along the way. Wrapped in their own grief, Ivy, PJ and Sophie have lost sight of one another and themselves. They learn emotional honesty, compassion and connection as the adventure progresses. Here we see that real family may not be those with a genetic link at all.

I’m aware that this review is rather vague, but it’s so hard not to reveal crucial moments that a reader needs to discover for themselves. What I can say, totally unreservedly, is that The Road to Tender Hearts is a narrative that deserves spreading far and wide. It’s wonderful. It entertains. It’s funny and sad. It is packed with human understanding and written with skill to draw in the reader perfectly. I absolutely loved it.

About Annie Hartnett

Annie Hartnett is the author of three novels: The Road to Tender Hearts, Unlikely Animals and Rabbit Cake. Unlikely Animals was listed as one of the best books of 2022 by the Washington Post and BookRiot, and was long-listed for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize. Rabbit Cake was listed as one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2017, was a finalist for the New England Book Award, and was long-listed for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize.

Annie has been awarded fellowships and residencies from the MacDowell Colony, Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. Annie co-runs Accountability Workshops for writers, helping writers commit to routines and embrace the long, slow, joyful, terrible process of doing the work. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and dog.

For further information, visit Annie’s website, and find her on Instagram.

My infinite thanks to the lovely Freya North for sending me a signed and dedicated copy of Spring at Flora’s House. Given that I adored Christmas at Flora’s House (reviewed here) I was thrilled to receive it. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Spring at Flora’s House today.

Spring at Flora’s House was published on 26th March and is available for purchase here.

Spring at Flora’s House

From the award-winning author comes an uplifting story of friendship, bravery and discovery.

Arriving on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland with swash and bluster, three young American students are set to run a marathon the islanders know nothing about.

At first, it seems the lads are more interested in partying. Gradually, however, their reasons for making this journey, for running this race, come to the fore. JB has an overbearing father to appease. Drew needs to find his feet in more ways than one. And Taylor has history here – his mother was born in Harris but left when she was a teenager, never to return. Hidden in his backpack are four old pieces of Harris Tweed with family secrets tightly woven through the iconic cloth.

It’s spring on the island; a time of renewal and growth, of sunshine and snow, for putting distance between the dark days of winter and the promise of summer. In the tiny holiday cottage on the windswept dunes, friendship, ambition and identity are put to the test. Is the race all about the finish line? What is it that these three are running from – and towards?

My Review of Spring at Flora’s House.

Three twenty-three year old American young men, JB, Drew and Taylor are heading to Harris to run a marathon.

Now, given that I adored Christmas at Flora’s House I was slightly anxious about Spring at Flora’s House. What if it didn’t live up to my expectations? Hmm. Maybe the question should be, ‘Why question the unique ability of Freya North to understand humanity, to make the reader love her characters and to transport anyone picking up her books to her location?’ Spring at Flora’s House is simply glorious.

What I adored here was being given an insight into the lives of three young men. So many books are from the perspective of 30 something women, but here we see the bravado, the impetuousness, the energy and, most importantly, the flaws and vulnerabilities of three close friends. They are magnificent. Physically they are on a journey, but emotionally and spiritually they travel the furthest in the remarkable setting of Harris and Flora’s House.

And what a setting it is. Freya North conjures the most glorious landscape. She made me determined to visit Harris and for those readers who can’t make it there, she gives such a vivid depiction that it’s as if you are actually there. The haunting surroundings, capricious weather, even the coos, all contribute to an achingly immersive sense of place that feels every bit as much a character as the people.

Speaking of people, whilst it isn’t remotely necessary to have read Christmas at Flora’s House to enjoy Spring in the same cottage, there is a real sense of coming home in encountering characters and places from the first book which feels so inclusive.

And coming home, community, friendship, finding oneself and deep, deep human understanding are themes that thread their way through the story in ways that resemble the soft and tickle of a Harris weave. Whilst the narrative might seem simple – three young men deciding to run a marathon in Harris – there is so much to discover alongside JB, Drew and Taylor.

I adored this novella. It’s beautifully written, evocative and immersive. I’d go so far as to say that Reading Spring at Flora’s House is balm for the soul. It re-establishes personal equilibrium not just for JB, Drew and Taylor, but for the reader too. Make sure you read it.

About Freya North

Freya North’s novels explore the emotions and complexities of everyday relationships and families. First published in 1996 with her ground-breaking debut Sally, Freya has written 15 further bestsellers including the highly acclaimed Little Wing and The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne. Translated into many languages, Freya won the Romantic Novel of the Year award for Pillow Talk and has been short-listed for others. A sense of place is central to Freya’s writing. Never a backdrop, always a leading character, locations featured in her novels include New England, France, British Columbia, North Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Norfolk, Freya’s own county of Hertfordshire and of course the Outer Hebrides.

Freya holds degrees in History of Art from the University of Manchester and the Courtauld Institute, London. She lives on a small farm in Hertfordshire with her dogs, horses and sheep. She enjoys ceramic classes and road cycling and loves to connect with her readers.

For further information, visit Freya’s website, follow her on X @freya_north or find Freya on Instagram and Facebook.

My enormous gratitude goes to lovely Tracy Rees for sending me a very early copy of her latest book, The Golden Feather, all those months ago. I’m delighted that it is finally time to share my review. 

As well as being one of the first authors I ever met, Tracy’s Amy Snow was one of the first books I ever reviewed on Linda’s Book Bag way back in 2015 and I have read and reviewed many of Tracy’s historical novels and her contemporary fiction over the years. You’ll find those reviews here. 

The Golden Feather is published by Ronnald Press on 4th June 2026 and is available for purchase here. 

The Golden Feather

Saul Bonnytop – penniless, uneducated and very, very old – has a secret dream: to enter the mighty Emperor’s storytelling competition. But the contest, to find the most marvellous tale in all the land, is out of reach for someone like Saul – until the arrival of a mysterious golden feather. Despite the impossible odds, Saul and his family embark upon the ultimate road trip, making an unlikely assortment of friends and a dangerous enemy. If Saul fails, the Bonnytops will return to poverty. If he succeeds, they’ll be in greater danger than ever. Saul’s journey is full of splendid tales told in grand halls – but his own quest might be the most remarkable story of all.

My Review of The Golden Feather.  

Being used to Tracy Rees’s historical fiction in particular, it took me a little while to attune to The Golden Feather because it felt so different and initially I was unsure if I’d enjoy it. However, I didn’t just enjoy the story of Saul et al, but I absolutely adored it. 

In effect (and magnificently given that this is a narrative about story-telling) elements of whatever genre of book a reader enjoys can be found between the pages of The Golden Feather. Drawing on the great traditions of oral story-telling, here we have fairy story and fable, romance and fantasy, a touch of horror and a great epic journey, quest and self-discovery, magic and rags to riches to name but a few. There really is an aspect of The Golden Feather that appeals to everyone. The layers of the story can be accessed and appreciated in many ways so that the narrative could be read simply as a magical adventure whilst simultaneously being a love letter to narratives, to life and to what makes community, friendship and humanity so special. The plotting is so deftly handled that there are some true surprises along the way. 

The characters in The Golden Feather are superbly created and the links between them are spun together in such a satisfying way that I found myself completely drawn into the circle of Bart and the Bonnytops. It’s simply wonderful that the aged, poverty-stricken Saul learns just as much about himself, others and what is important in life as does the initially brash, conceited Bart. Even the near-perfect Marralda learns something in the narrative, but you’ll need to read the book to discover what it is! This has the effect of avoiding cliche where the worst character simply learns to be a better person, and instead illustrates how all of us have the potential to change and grow, even if not all of us choose to do so. It gives realism amongst the magic and is a powerful and affecting combination.

More importantly, I feel, is the awareness that dawns on the reader. I found myself finding a childlike, but never childish, delight in rediscovering the power of story, of being drawn into an imaginary world where I had no idea how events might resolve themselves, but being able to relax in the wonderment of knowing they probably would. It’s no exaggeration to say that The Golden Feather is highly entertaining, captivating and compelling, but equally that it brings the most glorious joy to the reader. Having begun the first few pages unsure about the register of the story, I found myself ensnared in the magical quality of plot and authorial style. I could not draw myself away from the people between the pages. 

At the risk of being hyperbolic, I can honestly say that reading The Golden Feather restored my soul. I felt uplifted, as if I’d been privy to the innermost thoughts and actions of people I care about, and I closed the story with the most warm feeling of deep satisfaction. For those, like me, who usually eschew anything bordering fantasy (and there are fantastical aspects here), I urge you to put aside any preconceived opinions and read The Golden Feather. It’s an absolute gem!

About Tracy Rees

Tracy Rees was the first winner of the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller competition. She has also won the Love Stories Best Historical Read award and was shortlisted for the RNA Epic Romantic Novel of the Year. A Cambridge graduate, Tracy had a successful career in non-fiction publishing before retraining for a second career practising and teaching humanistic counselling. She has also been a waitress, bartender, shop assistant, estate agent, classroom assistant and workshop leader.

Tracy is the bestselling author of ten published novels and is currently working on a historical trilogy for Quercus. She divides her time between beautiful south Wales and London. In her rare spare time, her interests include singing, walking, learning languages and film-making.

For further information visit Tracy’s website or find her on Instagram and X @AuthorTracyRees. 

It’s well over six months since a surprise copy of Every Lifetime After by Jennifer Ross dropped into my post box. My huge thanks to Rhiannon Morris at Harper Collins for sending it to me. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Every Lifetime After today.

I have previously reviewed one of Jennifer’s Jenny Ashcroft books, Echoes of Love, here.

Published in other formats by HQ in January 2026, Every Lifetime After is coming in paperback on 16th July and is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

Every Lifetime After

Can they find each other in every lifetime after…?

Claudia is searching for her past.

Suffocating in the glamour of Hollywood, A-list star Claudia Baxter is desperate for an escape. But when she arrives at the Yorkshire estate of Doverley for her next project – an epic romance set in the throes of war – Claudia is astonished to find herself slipping into the story, into the life of her heroine, into time…

Iris can’t unsee her future.

Radio operative Iris Winterton sits in the grounds of Doverley on a moonless night, watching planes depart for Europe. Her stare is fixed on one plane in particular – inside is the man she has loved since childhood. But Iris already knows that this time he’s not going to come back, and she will be the reason why.

Together, can they complete their story?

Pulled together by the past and the future, Claudia and Iris begin to unravel the threads of their connection. But in doing so, will they discover a secret bigger than they could ever imagine…?

Discover this spellbinding time-slip romance, perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Paige Toon.

My Review of Every Lifetime After 

Actress Claudia (Claude) Baxter is playing the part of Iris Winterton in a movie.

What a wonderful, wonderful book. I don’t often read time slip novels but Every Lifetime After has made me an immediate convert to the genre. This isn’t a book that takes yet another well known character from history and transports them to a modern setting for a bit of a romp, but rather one that examines the impact of the Second World War on ordinary people and one which delves into the possibilities of different, congruent, echoing lives through a kind of string theory of connection in a soaring love story. I adored it.

The plot is fascinating, weaving in historical detail, a variety of relationships and an interconnected story that ensnares and mesmerises the reader. This is historical, romantic, mystery, psychological writing wrapped into one glorious narrative.

Reading Every Lifetime After isn’t always easy because the depth of emotion is profound. The reasons for the complex relationship between Claude and Nick are heart breaking. They illustrate the ways in which we truly can hurt the ones we love. The parental, authoritarian and societal control exerted over those in both the 1940s and 2018 timeframes indicate just how a simple moment might alter a whole lifetime and there are moments in the story that left me enraged by the interference in other people’s lives.

I thought the depiction of the two timeframes was perfect. The war setting of the airforce base at Doverley is vivid and clear so that I could picture the men flying off on raids and feel the anxiety of those awaiting their return as if I were there with Iris, Clare and Prim. Equally impactful was the way Jennifer Ross gave me insight into making a film in the modern spotlight of media intrusion. This thread is absolutely believable. There’s such a wonderful balance in the prose between historical and modern eras and I must comment on the brilliant variety of sentence structure in Every Lifetime After. Often the shortest of sentences or phrases have the greatest impact. 

The characters are so engaging. It’s impossible not to get to know Iris and Claude intimately because there are echoes of one life in another, with parallels that shift and reverberate in a gripping narrative. Every Lifetime After feels less like reading a novel and more like watching the ripples in a pool when a stone has been dropped into it. These ripples hold all manner of emotions for those involved, from guilt to grief, and pure love to jealousy and control, and because Jennifer Ross’s writing is so effective, it’s impossible not to feel those emotions deeply too. 

There’s huge sadness in Every Lifetime After, and I did shed a tear several times, especially for those who carry burdens they could have put down and forgiven themselves for years ago. However, it is also the most gloriously uplifting tale. Jennifer Ross shows that whilst we may make mistakes and life doesn’t always work out as we want, there is always hope. There are other connections and possible lifetimes that provide opportunity and joy as well as more difficult times. This is a very moving aspect to the story.

Every Lifetime After is a beautifully written narrative that completely transports the reader and I recommend it without hesitation. I was thoroughly entertained by the story, finding it immersive, tender and mesmerising. 

About Jennifer Ross

Jennifer Ross is the pseudonym for Jenny Ashcroft, author of the historical novels, including Secrets of the Watch House, The Echoes of Love, Beneath a Burning Sky and Island in the East. 

She previously spent much of her life living in, working in and exploring Australia and Asia and now splits her time between Australia and the UK.

For further information, you’ll find Jennifer on Instagram. 

I cannot thank enough Jess Barratt of Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of Body Of Lies by Jo Callaghan. I have adored this series and cannot believe Body of Lies is supposed to be the final book. I’m devastated and refuse to accept it! It’s my pleasure to share my somewhat inadequate review of Body of Lies today. 

You’ll also find my reviews of Jo’s In the Blink of an Eye here, of Leave No Trace here and of Human Remains here. 

Body of Lies is published by Simon and Schuster on 21st May 2026 and is available for pre-order here. 

Body of Lies

The brand-new thriller featuring DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock from the award-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author of In the Blink of an Eye.

Human suspicion. AI manipulation. Who can you trust when truth has no meaning? 

DCS Kat Frank returns to work at the Future Policing Unit after a tragic loss, only to find herself thrust into a new high-profile case. On the night of Halloween a local MP is found murdered, with a taunting message written in binary code that seems to target Kat specifically: Catch me if you can.

The victim’s anti-AI sentiments suggest a political motive, and as Kat investigates with her partner AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI detective – she finds herself once again battling her own prejudices about the technological future he represents. But when a cyberattack takes out the National Grid, Kat and Lock have to race against the clock to track down the hacker before thousands die.

Tangled in a web of suspicion and deception, Kat must choose who and what to believe when the truth seems to defy both instinct and logic.

Can she set aside her old doubts and put her faith in her AI partner one last time?

Or will this case send Lock down a path she just can’t follow – a path that will leave humanity behind for good?

My Review of Body of Lies

Kat’s got a new case on Hallowe’en.

I am at a complete loss to know how to review Body of Lies. I thought it was utterly fabulous. There are so many aspects to Jo Callaghan’s insightful writing that each book rewards multiple reads and Body of Lies is no exception.

Obviously plot is of supreme importance and in Body of Lies there is a breathtaking, gripping, terrifying (just choose your own superlative and apply it) story. The intriguing police procedural element is layered with aspects of national and international importance and has such resonance in today’s world that the real life potential of this fiction is unnervingly plausible. I cannot stop contemplating what happens, so that the effect of reading Body of Lies is profound. It’s impossible to review Body of Lies without spoilers, but I cannot stress strongly enough how good it is or how fitting the title is.

With Kat’s partner, Lock, being AI, the effects and implications of how we create, use and control AI all feature throughout the book and I adore Jo Callaghan’s skill in presenting both positive and negative aspects without steering the reader to one particular viewpoint. Body of Lies is a book that is intelligently written and not only entertains flawlessly, but that makes the reader think long after the final page is read. 

However, amongst a superb plot are themes of humanity that thrum with sensitive understanding, and affect the reader emotionally too. Kat’s PTSD following events in Human Remains, her ongoing grief at losing her husband, her desire to protect her adult son Cam as well as give him freedom and autonomy, her professionalism and strength as a DCS and her vulnerability, loneliness and compassion, all combine to make her a sublime character. Add in politics, national and international security, cyber attacks, trust, betrayal, zealousness and professional relationships, and Body of Lies transcends mere entertainment.

I realise this review is slightly vague as I really don’t want to spoil the story for others, but let me just say that Body of Lies is magnificent. It appeals to a wide range of emotions, and engages the reader completely. Indeed, I defy any reader not to shed a tear in reading it. Jo Callaghan is not only a sublime author, but her writing illustrates her as a superbly human individual who cares about her characters. Body of Lies is completely wonderful and not to be missed. 

About Jo Callaghan

Author photo courtesy of Edward Moss

Jo Callaghan works full time as a senior strategist, carrying out research into the future impact of AI and genomics on the workforce. She was a student of the Writers’ Academy Course (Penguin Random House) and was longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Writing Competition and Bath Novel Competition. After losing her husband to cancer in 2019 when she was just forty-nine, she started writing In the Blink of an Eye, her debut crime novel, which explores learning to live with loss and what it means to be human. She lives with her two children in the Midlands.

For further information, follow Jo on Twitter/X @JoCallaghanKat  or find her on Instagram and Bluesky. 

My enormous thanks to lovely Louise Beech for sending me an early copy of her latest novel, Wonderful. I’ve been sitting on my review for ages and although it’s still rather early, I can’t wait any longer to share my thoughts.

Louise has featured here on Linda’s Book Bag many times both as Louise Beech and as Louise Swanson and I always love her books. 

Wonderful is published by Pick Lock on 1st June 2026 and is available for purchase here. 

Wonderful

A Hollywood idol. The Virgin Mary. An everyday girl from Hull.

Three women, three eras, surprising things in common…

On 4th August 1962, the night she should have died, Marilyn Monroe – the biggest star in the world – receives a visitor who changes the course of her destiny. The Virgin Mary appears in her kitchen with a curious message. Inspired, Marilyn abandons her home, her life, her fame, and disappears into the night…

Fifty-four years later, in a Hull kitchen, Flora Baker finds Mary, bathed in light. She has a similar message for the working class woman who is on the poverty line and dreaming of a better life. Flora begins to make changes that impact not only her life but the lives of those around her…

Do Marilyn and Flora have more in common than just Mary’s visit? Are they somehow linked across time? And is Mary’s message for all the women of the world?

Wonderful is about the way women are portrayed in both history and the world of celebrity, about women not being quiet, and about women united by the shared stories that shape them.

My Review of Wonderful

Three women mysteriously linked across time…

If I’m absolutely honest, I found the premise of Marilyn Monroe, the Virgin Mary and a poverty-stricken young woman from Hull, Flora, being linked in a narrative rather unlikely. I was wrong! Wonderful is exactly as the title suggests because Louise Beech brings her incredible skill in uniting them. I so enjoyed the plot and its resolution was incredibly deftly handled – but you need to read Wonderful to discover how!

Wonderful can be read on so many levels. Firstly there is the meticulously researched and brilliantly woven historical detail about the real person who was Marilyn Monroe. Like many who rely on what the media tells us, I thought I knew her, but I learnt so much from this story. Indeed, one of the points of the narrative is that we create ideas of others in our minds without truly understanding what has happened in a person’s life. This reality adds depth and credence to the ‘what if’ creativity that imagines what her life may have been like and who she might have become had she not died. On just this level the story is highly entertaining. 

A fine balance is presented between being an icon and universally accepted iconography making the events relatable and understandable. Wonderful explores how we create persona and image, how we find signs in everyday life and how reality and illusion are inextricably linked. I found this element of the narrative utterly fascinating. This is the kind of story that resonates long after it is read and makes the reader consider the world differently.

In contrast to Marilyn’s fame, Flora is totally ordinary. Her poverty, her difficult relationship with her mother and her closeness to Bella are the kinds of experiences any one of us could relate to. I thought her developing relationship with Neil was pitch perfect. As the story unfolds and we discover why Flora maintains a romantic distance from Neil, despite their obvious attraction to one another, the emotional impact of the story deepens. 

And there is huge emotion in Louise Beech’s writing and I did shed an occasional tear as I read. One of the most affecting messages of the book is that fame does not equate to happiness. Equally important and emotionally resonant is the manner with which women – and young girls – are treated by those with power over them, how they can be used and abused and how their experiences affect the remainder of their lives. 

But although this might sound rather bleak, Wonderful is a fabulous example of how we can transcend our origins, the traumas of our past and the expectations of others. The book celebrates women for themselves, not who others want them to be. There is vulnerability and mental and emotional struggle, but there is also friendship, strength and true beauty. Wonderful shows how we can change not only our own lives, but the lives of others too. There’s a profound understanding of the power of love. 

With its magical and spiritual element of the Virgin Mary set alongside two women at the opposite ends of the fame and fortune spectrum, Wonderful takes the reader on an emotional journey that is affecting, entertaining and, actually, unforgettable. Once you’ve read Wonderful, you won’t want to be quiet about it! I loved it. 

About Louise Beech

Louise Beech is the author of nine novels and a memoir, Eighteen Seconds (2023). Her debut, How to be Brave, was a Guardian Readers’ Pick; The Lion Tamer Who Lost was shortlisted for the Romantic Novel Awards 2019 and longlisted for the Polari Prize that same year; Call Me Star Girl was Best magazine’s Book of the Year; This Is How We Are Human was a Clare Mackintosh Book Club pick; and audiobook Daffodils shortlisted for the Audies23. Wonderful, which imagines if Marilyn Monroe had lived, is released on Marilyn’s 100th birthday, 1st June 2026. Louise’s dystopian thrillers, End of Story and Lights Out, are written as Louise Swanson.

You can follow Louise on Twitter @LouiseWriter, find her on Facebook and Instagram and visit her website for further information.