I’ve been meaning to read Things We Lose in Waves by Lucy Ayrton since it was released in hardback so, with the paperback now upon us, I’m delighted that it is my latest online book review for My Weekly magazine. My enormous thanks to Millie Seaward at Hachette for originally sending me a copy of Things We Lose in Waves.

Published by Dialogue imprint Renegade in paperback on 14th November 2024, Things We Lose in Waves is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Things We Lose in Waves

Jenny’s world is falling apart.

Ravenspurn is falling into the sea. The little town is perched on a remote cliff, and every day, frequent storms are claiming more land, more homes and more livelihoods.

The news of her father’s sudden death forces Jenny’s return to her hometown from London, but the ravaged landscape now feels like a foreign place. In a small town like Ravenspurn, the rifts between her and those she once knew are so deep they threaten to swallow her whole.

Jenny is now responsible for her late father’s small pub, and its staff, Alex and Si – her former best friend and ex-boyfriend, now a couple. She’s stuck living in her childhood bedroom, orbiting awkwardly around her distant mother. Her boyfriend is still in London, separated by more than just distance. Each day that Jenny remains, the town seems to shrink around her, but she knows soon the pandemic will be over. Soon, she’ll be able to return to her real life.

But the secrets and the unspoken regrets that have come to haunt Jenny are not so easily escaped. In the claustrophobia of Ravenspurn, where can she turn?

A timely story of a home pushed to the breaking point; Things We Lose in Waves explores how you keep afloat when your world is falling away from underneath your feet.

My Review of Things We Lose in Waves

My full review of Things We Lose in Waves can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that Things We Lose in Waves is an intense, claustrophobic insight into how the past shapes our present. It lays bare the innermost secrets and fears of Jenny and Alex, leaving the reader affected and emotional.

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Lucy Ayrton

Lucy Ayrton has an MA in Creative Writing from Warwick University, and is a novelist and performance poet. Her debut novel, One More Chance, the story of a young mother battling imprisonment and addiction, was published in 2018 with Dialogue Books and was a finalist in the Exeter Novel Award. She wrote and performed two full-length spoken word shows at the Edinburgh Festival, which were respectively turned into a poetry pamphlet and a radio play. She also competed as a national finalist at the UK Poetry Slam. Lucy currently teaches Creative Writing at Oxford University.

For further information, visit Lucy’s website, follow her on Twitter/X @lucyayrton or find Lucy on Facebook and Instagram.

I’ll let you in to a bit of a secret. Emylia Hall was one of the first authors I featured on Linda’s Book Bag way back when I began blogging in 2015 and I’ve been rather obsessed by her writing ever since. You’ll find my reviews of some of Emylia’s books here.

Indeed, I had a bit of a fan girl moment in July when we met one another for the first time in real life in Harrogate!

Consequently, with The Shell House Detectives mystery series one of my favourites and the latest book coming out today I simply had to invite Emylia onto the blog to chat with me all about it. Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Emylia Hall

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Emylia. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. I know already but tell readers, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought The Death at the Vineyard, which is the 4^th book in my Cornwall-set cosy crime series, The Shell House Detectives Mysteries. It’s out today! So it’s great to mark the occasion with you, Linda – thank you for having me.

The happiest of publication days Emylia. Congratulations. I’m thrilled to have The Death at the Vineyard on my TBR as The Shell House Detectives Series is just fabulous!

What can we expect from an evening in with The Death at the Vineyard?

Well, the novel is set in deep autumn, a season when gales are battering the coast, rain is hammering the roof of The Shell House, and night closes in fast. So we’d best stoke the fire and hunker close. Things might get a little creepy as there are rumours of an old ghost story up at Shoreline Vines, the titular vineyard. But local myth aside, Ally and Jayden have their hands full with a new case – one that starts mundanely, with a piece of missing machinery, but very quickly escalates into a murder investigation. Along the way, my sleuths will encounter a bereaved father, a glamorous French investor, and an ambitious land-owning family on the edge of ruin (or triumph …).

It sounds brilliant. I love the dynamics between Ally and Jayden in this series, but I’ve yet to read The Death at the Vineyard. How is the new book being received?

Some amazing authors have read early copies, with Susan Fletcher describing it as ‘Cosy crime at its finest,’ Emma Stonex saying it’s ‘haunting and riveting,’ Lucy Clarke proclaiming it ‘deliciously dark,’ and ‘masterfully woven’ from Libby Page. I feel really lucky to have such wonderful support for this series – including from fantastic bloggers like yourself, Linda.

It’s no more than you deserve! And what perfectly apt comments. I agree with them all. How does The Death at the Vineyard take the series forward?

I wanted this story to have a darker feel, owing to the season, I think, and the bleak beauty of the vineyard and surrounding landscape in November. I also wrote it at a time when there were some sad things happening in my personal life; loss, in various forms, was looming large, and I think that found its way into the writing too – but in a way that is, I hope, ultimately uplifting and life-affirming. Because there is so much love in this novel too. While my Shell House mysteries are ‘cosy,’ I always take death seriously and never want to underserve my characters’ emotions. I love what the poet Wendell Berry says, in his poem The Mad Farmer Liberation Front: ‘Be joyful though you have considered all the facts.’ That, for me, is the essence of good Cosy Crime.

And you do it perfectly. I’m sorry to hear it has been tough at times this year. 2024 has been a bit of a challenge all round…

With the uplifting rather than the challenging in mind, what else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

Two things: a photograph and a bottle of Cornish sparkling wine (it’s publication day, so I’m feeling celebratory!).

Spending time in Cornwall on self-styled writing retreats is a really important part of my process. I tend to hole up in a coastal cottage, out of season, often on my own but sometimes with a writer friend, and fully immerse myself in my story for five or six days. I find so much joy, inspiration and productivity on such retreats. A new Shell House mystery publishes every six months, and I honestly don’t think I could get them written without this pure time, this ‘bubble’ away from real life. When I was working on the first draft of The Death at the Vineyard, this time last year, I had a writing week in St Ives. It was luminous, full of wild weather and such beauty. One of my favourite spots to work in, come rain or shine, is the restaurant above Porthmeor beach, which has covered pods with heaters and blankets. This photograph encapsulates what that writing trip was for me: serenity and focus – with a sea view.

That sounds quite perfect!

One the same trip I visited Polgoon Vineyard just outside of Penzance, and took a tour, hoping to stitch a few authentic details into the story. It’s a wonderful family-run vineyard (and let it be said, the Coulsons are nothing like the Harper family in my story!) and there was a perfectly haunting feeling to the rows of leafless vines tracking down the hillsides – they appeared almost skeletal (something that’s brilliantly reflected in the book cover for The Death at the Vineyard).

I love the covers for this series. So evocative. And you mentioned sparkling wine…

I left full of inspiration, and with a couple of delectable bottles of Pinot Noir sparkling wine in my backpack, to boot. This particular wine has a part to play in the story too, so let’s crack one open by the fireside. Cheers!

Aha! I can’t drink ordinary wine as it makes me ill, but there must be something in the sparkling wine process as that suits me just fine. Congratulations on The Death at the Vineyard Emylia and thank you so much for staying in with me to chat all about it. It’s been lovely to catch up again. Now, you pour the wine and I’ll give readers a few more details:

The Death at the Vineyard

At Shoreline Vines, high on the Cornish cliffs, the Harper family are preparing to welcome glamorous investor Celine Chevalier to their vineyard.

They desperately need Celine’s backing to keep their business afloat. But everything is jeopardised when a body is found in one of their fields. Police believe the death was a tragic accident but the victim’s family suspect otherwise and turn to the Shell House Detectives to investigate.

As Ally and Jayden question the community, they discover that Shoreline Vines has always been shrouded in mystery. There are old rumours about buried bones, and even a curse on the land itself. Are these just local myths or is there something sinister hidden in the vineyard’s past?

As tensions reach breaking point, Ally and Jayden must uncover the truth, in a gripping story of family secrets and shocking betrayals.

Published by Thomas & Mercer today, 15th November 2024, The Death at the Vineyard is available for purchase here.

About Emylia Hall

Emylia Hall lives in Bristol with her husband and son, where she writes from a hut in the garden and dreams of the sea. She is the author of the Shell House Detective Mysteries, a series inspired by her love of Cornwall’s wild landscape. The first, The Shell House Detectives, was a Kindle Top 10 Bestseller, with the rights being optioned for TV. The Death at the Vineyard is her fourth crime novel. Emylia has published four previous novels, including Richard and Judy Book Club pick The Book of Summers and The Thousand Lights Hotel. Her work has been translated into ten languages, and broadcast on BBC Radio 6 Music. She is the founder of Mothership Writers and is a writing coach at The Novelry.

For further information, visit Emylia’s website, or you can follow Emylia on Twitter/X @EmyliaHall and find her on Instagram.

If you’re a regular visitor to Linda’s Book Bag you’ll already know how much I love Will Dean’s writing; both his standalone books and his Tuva Moodyson series. Consequently, although I’m taking on very few blog tours at the moment whilst I find life a bit of a challenge, I simply could not resist being part of the launch celebrations for Will’s latest book, Ice Town. Having been coveting Ice Town since hearing about it in Harrogate earlier this year, my huge thanks go to Alainna Hadjigeorgiou for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and for sending me a copy of Ice Town in return for an honest review.

You’ll find my reviews of many of Will’s books here.

Published by Hodder and Stoughton on 7th November 2024, Ice Town is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Ice Town

ONE WAY IN. NO WAY OUT.

‘Deaf teenager goes missing in Esseberg. Mountain rescue are launching a search party but conditions hinder their efforts. The tunnel is being kept open all night as an exception.’

When journalist Tuva Moodyson reads this news alert she knows she must join the search. If this teenager is found, she will be able to communicate with him in a way no one else can.

Esseberg lies on the other side of a mountain tunnel: there is only one way in and one way out. When the tunnel closes at night, the residents are left to fend for themselves. And as more people go missing, it becomes clear that there is a killer among them …

Ice Town is an unputdownable new standalone Tuva novel, which will delight existing fans of the series and bring many new readers to it.

My Review of Ice Town

Tuva Moodyson is heading north to investigate a missing deaf teenager.

Ice Town is a breath-taking thriller that twists and turns with revelations that stop the reader in their tracks. That in itself makes this an outstanding narrative and a gripping read. The murders and mystery completely engage the reader in a spellbinding story and it’s impossible to predict just what might happen next. And yet that wasn’t the greatest success of the book for me. What I found so captivating, so affecting and, ultimately, so moving was the way in which Will Dean explores the sense of other and how he delves below what Joseph Conrad might call the thin veneer of civilisation. He illustrates to perfection the way we judge, the way we make assumptions and how we choose to ignore the evils of the world that hide in plain sight. This is intelligent, sophisticated writing underpinning a fantastic tale.

In Ice Town Will Dean manages that perfect balance between sparse, almost brutal prose that slices like a knife, and beautiful description that places the reader right alongside Tuva in Esseberg. The variety of sentence is completely compelling and creates tension and atmosphere so effectively that I had to keep stopping as I read to give myself time to recover from the text, not least because Tuva’s first person voice makes the narrative so intimate. As Tuva uncovers layers of the investigation, so the author reveals a little more about her with the effect that she becomes even more vivid and convincing. It doesn’t matter how many of the previous Tuva Moodyson novels readers have read because woven into Ice Town are sufficient details to give the requisite essence of Tuva’s backstory, but equally, the reader can simply enjoy this book as a standalone. Tuva is a magnificent creation. 

Ice Town itself, or Esseberg, is every bit as much a character as a setting. There’s a claustrophobic sense of threat and isolation. Brooding mountains, a constricting tunnel and a population that feels enclosed and uneasy, create such a sense of menace that I found an almost unbearable intensity in the area. Reading Ice Town made me glad to be in rural, flat, fenland Lincolnshire!

One of the elements I loved so much was, whilst Tuva is investigating and building her story through layers and snippets of information, so Will Dean threads his narrative with sensitive social issues such as his sympathetic depiction of Peter’s Grandmother Mrs Wikstrom. Through her he gives status and gravitas to older people. Indeed, I found the characters truly realistic and vivid. Tuva is, of course, at the centre of the action and this story adds greater detail to who she is, but each person depicted here feels like someone who could live next door to the reader. The effect is to make Ice Town even more unsettling, making the reader question what might be happening in their own environment. The isolated, the dispossessed and the different are presented in Ice Town with complete understanding of human nature, making for an affecting as well as entertaining story.

It’s quite difficult to say too much about the plot of Ice Town without spoilers, but it is fast paced, surprising, compelling and gripping. I’d even go so far as to say that all a reader needs to do is to think of any positive adjective to describe a thriller and Ice Town will embody it.

As an enormous fan of Will Dean’s writing and of his Tuva Moodyson character, I had high expectations of Ice Town. Perhaps they were unrealistic expectations. However, Ice Town surpassed them all. I thought it was quite, quite brilliant and I loved it. It’s one of my favourite reads this year!

About Will Dean

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands and had lived in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying Law at the LSE and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden where he built a house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. His debut novel in the Tuva Moodyson series, Dark Pines, was selected for Zoe Ball’s Book Club, shortlisted for the Guardian Not the Booker prize and named a Daily Telegraph Book of the Year. Red Snow was published in January 2019 and won Best Independent Voice at the Amazon Publishing Readers’ Awards, 2019. Black River was shortlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Award in 2021. Will also writes standalone thrillers: The Last Thing to Burn, First Born, the top twenty hardback bestseller The Last Passenger and The Chamber.

For further information, find Will on Twitter/X @willrdean, Instagram and on Facebook.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

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I never seem to have enough sleep so when lovely Mel Sambells got in touch about a new series of books – Pockets – from Gemini, I asked if I could take a look at one of the first to be published, Deep Sleep. I was thrilled when it arrived with others from the collection, including Sherlock Holmes, The Brontës and Jane Austen. My enormous thanks to Mel for sending them. Today, it’s my pleasure to review Deep Sleep.

You’ll find the full Pockets collection here. There are many more to be added soon.

About the Gemini Pockets Collection

From techniques on how to achieve deep sleep to an all-access pass to the record-breaking life of Ariana Grande; and from quizzes and puzzles for classic lit lovers to the original best-selling glossary of Cockney Rhyming Slang; these are enticing little gifts to pick up, prize and pocket.

With over 100 titles scheduled across Music, Fashion, Travel, Humour and more, Gemini’s Pocket series will become a mainstay across the trade, and will be supported with major marketing activity at launch and throughout 2025.

****

The three Pocket literary books I have are brilliant.

Each has illustrations befitting the topic and all the books are filled with fiendish subject related quizes, word searches, quotations, name games and so on.

The only problem for me was they made me realise I need to read the entire works of the authors – the Brontës, Jane Austen and Sherlock Holmes – again as I was hopeless at finding the answers. Thankfully, each book also comes with solutions!

Let’s take a closer look at Deep Sleep.

Deep Sleep

Reboot your physical and mental health with slow-wave deep sleep. An easy-access sleep book that distils all the important information about sleeping well into succinct information, advice and tips.

Wouldn’t you love to wake up every morning feeling refreshed, energetic and ready for the day? Deep sleep – the slow-wave cycle that truly restores and repairs your body and mind, leaving you with that ready-for-anything feeling in the morning – has a starring role in your health, both physically and mentally. In Deep Sleep, you will find concise information to help you understand the most beneficial sleep cycle of them all, as well as tips for increasing your deep sleep and overcoming obstacles that interfere with your essential rest.

One-third of people don’t get enough sleep in general and deep sleep decreases with age. A deep sleep deficit causes you to feel unrefreshed and drowsy, reduces alertness and attention, makes learning and forming new memories more difficult and encourages high-calorie cravings.

Deep sleep has the most benefits of all the sleep cycles: regenerating and healing skin and tissues, processing memory and learning, regulating and processing emotions, stabilizing glucose and metabolism, boosting the immune system and fighting infection.

Includes natural techniques, such as mindful meditation and behavioural therapy, to enable longer, deeper sleep, and to get you back to sleep quickly.

Deep Sleep is out from Gemini on 28th November 2024 and is available for purchase here.

My Review of Deep Sleep

A pocket handbook to help the reader sleep better.

As one of the first books in this new series, I feel duty bound to comment on the physical attributes of the Deep Sleep. It is, as the series might suggest, the perfect size for slipping into a pocket but with a robust cover that means it will last being battered and transported far and wide. I love the fact there are (at least in the books I have) no authors attributed to the books because it gives them a more universal appeal. With Deep Sleep there is a soothing pink and green colour palette that feels suitable for the subject matter. There’s an excellent balance of text to space so that the reader is not overwhelmed by information and throughout the book are lovely little illustrations which, in some cases have an ethereal quality.

Deep Sleep is divided into four interesting and informative chapters. In amongst the scientific and social elements of sleep, I was fascinated to discover I’m a Lion chronotype and I confess I was previously ignorant of ghrelin! Given that my husband is an incredibly twitchy sleeper (which is one of the reasons I don’t sleep well) and discovering that hypnic jerks can partly be cause by caffeine, and we are addicted to tea, we have reduced our caffeine intake with drinks now being ‘caffeine free after 3’ in the afternoon. It certainly seems to have helped.

I found the range of sleep related quotations both interesting and surprising. I wouldn’t necessarily have expected Beyonce, Leonardo da Vinci, Homer (the philosopher, not the cartoon character) and Shakespeare in the same book!

There are plenty of tips for improved sleep in Deep Sleep. Some are well known, but others more innovative so that there’s something for all poor sleepers to try. I thought Deep Sleep was a smashing little book and well worth a look if, like me, you find sleep can be elusive. I’m going to try some of the breathing techniques and journalling suggested to see if they help.

In addition, I have a feeling that this new series of pocket books is going to be a collector’s delight and an absolute godsend to those trying to buy gifts for bookworms.

****

Don’t forget to check out the Pockets collection here.

Having been privileged to pick up an early copy of Beautiful People by Amanda Jennings in Harrogate in July, I was delighted when a finished copy arrived too and must thank Isabel Williams at Harper Collins for sending it to me. I love Amanda Jennings’ writing and it’s my absolute privilege to review Beautiful People for My Weekly online today.

Published by HQ on 7th November 2024, Beautiful People is available for purchase through the links here.

Beautiful People

When Victoria escapes her broken home for university in London, she is determined to reinvent herself and make a fresh start. She falls in love with Nick, who welcomes her into his privileged circle of friends, opening her eyes to a world she only ever dreamt of.

Then life takes a darker turn.

Twenty-five years later, the circle is reunited alongside a host of glittering guests to celebrate the wedding of Hollywood darling Ingrid Olsson to ruthlessly well-connected Julian Draper. Victoria has spent years trying to forget Nick and put the horror of what happened behind her. Now she has to face the past she tried so hard to bury.

As the champagne flows and painful memories resurface, Victoria can’t shake the feeling that some people seem to get away with everything.

But maybe not this time.

Maybe this time, someone will pay the ultimate price.

My Review of Beautiful People

My full review of Beautiful People can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that Beautiful People is an intense, beautifully written narrative that not only enthralls the reader, but makes them rage too. It’s compelling, intelligent and gripping and I loved it.

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Amanda Jennings

Amanda Jennings has written seven novels, and numerous short stories for anthologies and magazines, and is published both in the UK and abroad. She is a contributor to BBC Radio Berkshire and a long-standing judge for teh Henley Youth Festival literary competition, has taught writing workshops, and enjoys appearing at literary festivals. Before becoming an author, Amanda worked at the BBC as a researcher , and studied History of Art at Cambridge University.

For further information, visit Amanda’s website or follow Amanda on Twitter/X @MandaJJennings, or find her on Facebook and Instagram.

If you’re a regular visitor to Linda’s Book Bag, you’ll have noticed fewer blog tours and staying in posts of late. I’m finding there’s just too much happening in my life at the moment to deal with them. That said, I couldn’t resist inviting A J Aberford onto the blog today to tell me all about his latest release in the Detective George Zammit series as I think it sounds great.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with A J Aberford

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag AJ. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Well, thanks for inviting me in!!

My pleasure. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’m bringing the sixth book in the Detective George Zammit series, called The Car Horn Revolution, which can also be read as a stand-alone, despite being the last in the series. It features a Maltese policeman, who finds himself in perilous situations, not of his own making, across the Southern Mediterranean. The locations of the stories range from the deserts of Libya and the shores of the Bosphorus, to the palazzos of Milan and the Greek islands. However, in this book, the action is centred firmly on the beautiful island of Malta.

Oo. I love a book where I can travel vicariously. What can we expect from an evening in with The Car Horn Revolution?

George is no ordinary sleuth; in fact, he couldn’t be more different. He finds himself surrounded by corrupt politicians, a fearsome organised crime family and manipulative superiors. Despite this, he always manages to find a way through the complexities of island life and the turmoil of the many countries that border the Med. The geopolitics of the area is a rich source of plot lines. Ongoing conflicts in Libya, Syria, Greece and Turkey all feature in the series, along with the ever-present threat of the eruption of Sicily’s Mount Etna. No crime story set in Southern Europe would be complete without the presence of the Cosa Nostra, Camorra and ‘Ndrangheta. Take your pick, all make an appearance! But while it might all sound heavy, there’s also a rich vein of humour running through the stories.

It sounds as if George has quite a bit to deal with. How does he cope?

In a country where corruption plays a big part in everyday life, George is faced with moral dilemmas on a daily basis. He rubs along with politicians, criminal gang leaders and power brokers; he has to – on small island you can’t arrest everybody! In The Car Horn Revolution, his resolve is tested to the limit when the country he loves falls under the influence of seriously powerful, foreign forces (to say more would be to risk a spoiler!) and he’s expected to become complicit in a regime he cannot accept.

That sounds intriguing. Tell me more about George.

George is not your typical hero. He is not courageous, and his waist line shows he cannot resist a fresh pastizzi when the smell of freshly baked filo pastry drifts across his path. He avoids trouble when he can, although trouble always has a knack of finding him. At home, he is at the mercy of his fearsome wife, Marianna, and their daughter Gina.

He sounds a bit outnumbered!

If George has an ally, it is their son, Denzel, a competent and upright police sergeant with whom George shares his later adventures. Their relationship, and the subject of family, is a theme of the series. Denzel features prominently in The Car Horn Revolution, as do the rest of George’s characterful family. Below is the scene from The Car Horn Revolution, when you meet the family for the first time. Denzel has just broken up a mass fight, involving Russian sailors, in the Paceville entertainment district, one of whom has been declared dead, and he doesn’t like how the newspaper has reported it:

The Zammits lived in Birkirkara, one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in Malta. The majority of the three-storey blocks were split into apartments, and the family considered itself lucky to have a ground-floor property with sole access to a small central courtyard, where George’s wife Marianna could dry washing and tend her pots of herbs, and he could grab the occasional after-lunch nap. In Malta, families tended to stick together and, more often than not, remained living in the same tight-knit neighbourhoods. So, although there was mutual support within the area and lifelong friendships were forged, everybody also knew everybody else’s business, their secrets and their comings and goings. And nobody paid more attention to these, or was better informed about local goings on, than Marianna Zammit.

Unbeknownst to her, the drama that was to unfold over the coming weeks and months, and that would be talked about in the neighbourhood for years to come, was taking shape in her very own kitchen.

Denzel Zammit was steaming with anger. He threw the Malta Telegraph across the kitchen, shouting: “It’s lies! Damn’ lies!”

Rummaging on the floor, he picked up a sheet of newsprint and scoured the article for the quote.

“It says, ‘The sailor’s shipmates arrived on the scene later, to try and lend assistance…’ They were almost on the point of raping two bar girls when I got there! And that manager guy, Vassallo… I’m going round there again tonight and I’ll find some underage drinkers, you’ll see! And then I’ll have his licence!”

Marianna was alarmed by the outburst.

“Sit down, bravu! I’m sure you did your best, but that Paceville… well, it’s a Godless place. You should get danger money for even going there. Anyway, I don’t want talk about such nasty things in my house!”

But Denzel was not to be placated. He smoothed the paper over the table, covering the bottom of the page with tomato and caper sauce from his pasta, as he angrily read aloud.

“‘The Pulizija took so long to tidy up the scene that large crowds gathered at the top and bottom of the stairs…’ It was a crime-scene, for God’s sake! Someone had been murdered, but Lord forbid it should be allowed to get in the way of a night out.’

George stirred from his seat and went to stand behind his son. He put his arms gently on the young man’s shoulders. Denzel was tall for a Maltese man, at just under two metres, and exceptionally tall for a Zammit, none of whom had ever before broken through the 1.75-metre barrier. Where his father was short and squat, Denzel carried his height well and his figure was athletic, in contrast to his father’s increasing portliness.

“Listen, Denzel, where did that witness statement come from?”

He glanced back to the top of the page.

“A spokesperson from Armed Forces of Malta?”

“Exactly. I think AFM have become far too cosy with our Russian friends, ever since they gave us those three patrol vessels. They were worth tens of millions and there’s talk of more to come. Tomorrow, we’ll have a chat with our own PR people and tell them about the forty-eight sailors who’ve been banned from future visits to Malta and who were handed over to the Russian Navy to be disciplined. Plus, the two who were charged with sexual assault and ended up in Corradino. That should put a different spin on the story. Leave it to me.”

George winked at him. Denzel was still not appeased.

“It’s still not right, is it? How can AFM just do that? Christ, they’re such liars! It’s getting more like Moscow every day here!”

“Listen, calm down. We need a little chat after dinner. You won’t mind if we don’t do the dishes tonight, will you, Marianna? Denzel and I need to talk shop for half an hour.”

He caught his wife’s eye and winked at her. She huffed and said:

“Doesn’t bother me, as long as it stops all this shouting and blaspheming. Father Peter wouldn’t be pleased to hear you using the Lord’s name like that. You bear that in mind at your next Confession, young man!”

“Oh, Ma, really! Confession? I haven’t been since I told Father Peter about me and Bella Brincat, and that was over fifteen years ago, so I’m hardly going to start now.”

His mother turned her back on Denzel and started clearing dishes.

“Uwejja,! C’mon! Did you hear that, George? You’d better have a word with him about being a good Catholic. I don’t want any more shame brought on this family.” There was a pause while Marianna clattered some pots and pans. The men looked at each other and Denzel mouthed to his father: ‘What shame?’

And of course I want to know the answer to Denzel’s question now! So, how has the book been received so far AJ, as it’s a pretty new release?

As well as action, crime fighting and deeds of ‘daring do’, the book also has a light touch, with, I hope, plenty of comedy to add relief to some of the tenser plot lines. Beneath are some of the comments people have been kind enough to leave:

“AJ Aberford is at it again with his inimitable, fast paced storytelling.  So buckle up and enjoy te ride with Inspector George Zammit, as he faces impossible odds.  A must read!”

Peter Portelli, bestselling Maltese author of The Order

 “Binged for a whole weekend on this – I just couldn’t put it down.  Absolutely riveting!  It’s that good!”

Rita Camilleri, Maltese actress

 “The Maltese equivalent of Frost…such a lovely character…LOVED IT!”

Carole Gourley

 “A genuine masterclass in how to craft a page turner!”

Clare Kernan

“At times, this is almost too close to contemporary themes.”

Amazon Customer

You must be delighted with those responses. They make me even more keen to read The Car Horn Revolution.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought a hamper of Maltese specialities to enjoy as we sit and discuss the book!

On most street corners in Malta, you’ll find one of the many pastizzerija. They sell pastizzi, which are diamond shaped, filo pastry snacks, filled with ricotta cheese or mashed peas-  like something Greggs would sell!! I agree with George, one is never enough. And I’ve managed to keep them warm!

I’ve also brought a selection of Maltese cheeses, called Gbejna. The cheese is made with sheep’s milk and can be soft and mild, or cured in salt to firm it up and make it tangy.  My favourite is, tal-bzar, which is the cheese covered in black pepper that adds a spicy kick.

As a special treat, I’ve I brought a dip, called bigella, made from broad beans, mixed with garlic, capers and chilli flakes. This is sold from the back of colourful vans that tour the island, playing music, as the vendors cry out ‘Bigella!’ when they stop. A bit like an ice cream van in the UK. It is served on small salty crackers.

If you’re going to bring such delicious food AJ, you can come again. 

We definitely need a bottle of Maltese wine to wash it down. Maltese wine, both red and white, is excellent, although because the vineyards are very small, all the work is done by hand, so good wine can be expensive. As this is a special evening I have brought a bottle of red, made from a Maltese grape variety called Ġellewża. This is an indigenous grape that comes from a vineyard on the south of the island, well-suited to Malta’s hot and dry climate, and makes for a rich, fruity red. I hope you’re a red wine drinker!!

Er… actually no, I’m not. I had a weird virus that made me pass out and hallucinate and since then I’ve been unable to drink wine as it makes me really ill!

If not, there is a bottle of Kinnie. It’s a bright orange pop, made from bitter Maltese oranges and herbs.

That sounds perfect! Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about The Car Horn Revolution AJ.

Thanks Linda. It’s been great to have a night in and drop my book into Linda’s Book Bag!

I think it best if you pour the drinks and serve up those pastizzi before they get cold and I’ll give readers a few more details about The Car Horn Revolution.

The Car Horn Revolution

As Malta’s reputation as a hotbed of political corruption continues unabated, George Zammit finds himself temporarily promoted to Assistant Commissioner in the Maltese Pulizija. But life at the top is proving even more perilous and unpredictable than it was when he was a humble inspector, especially the political side to his new job.

Malta is drawing the attention of outside forces, attracted by the island’s strategic position in the Mediterranean. A foreign power wants greater influence in the region and will stop at nothing to achieve it, threatening Malta’s very independence.

When George’s son, Denzel, takes drastic action to protect a young woman who is being assaulted by foreign mercenaries, George is put in an impossible position. Can he show support for Malta’s new strategic ‘allies’, while protecting the people he cares about? Can he be seen to do his job, while preventing an invasion by stealth of the island he loves?

George is forced to draw on all his courage and diplomacy, relying on friends and adversaries old and new, to navigate his way through – The Car Horn Revolution – the sixth thrilling adventure in the bestselling Inspector George Zammit crime series.

The Car Horn Revolution, was published by Hobeck Books in October and is available for purchase here.

And readers have plenty of time to catch up with the series as, after six Inspector George Zammit books, AJ feels it only fair to give the Zammit family a bit of a rest – for now!

About AJ Aberford

AJ Aberford lives with his wife Janet, primarily in Malta, but for the last ten years, they’ve kept their old family home in West Yorkshire, fleeing the heat in Malta, for the rain in Bradford and vice versa! Following the death of their elderly parents, and the fact that their two sons are settled, AJ and his wife are now taking stock of the next part of their lives. AJ started writing initially as a hobby, but now it has taken an increasing importance in both their lives.

AJ does the writing, Janet does a lot of the initial reviews, edits and proofing, along with the invaluable work of AJ’s professional editor, Lynn Curtis. The books are ‘best sellers’ in the main book shops in Malta, but in the UK selling books is difficult, even when you have a publisher behind you. Janet’s also the engine room behind AJ Aberford socials and they are currently trying to understand the algorithms behind Facebook and Amazon Ads. There’s work to do there!

AJ is trying to make the transition from writing for his own pleasure – and hoping someone will like it – to understanding what people want and meeting that demand. His next books will be in a different genre and probably under a different name – but don’t worry, he’ll be letting people know about it in due course!

For further information visit AJ’s website, follow him on Twitter/X @AJAberford and find him on Instagram and Facebook.

On 30th October it was my very great pleasure to attend a wonderful evening hosted by Bloomsbury Raven looking at some of their latest crime fiction. At that event I received a brilliant goody bag and one of the books it contained was Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson with illustrations by Jay Cooper. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village today.

Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village was published by Raven Books on 26th September 2024 and is available for purchase in all the usual places including directly from the publisher here.

Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village

Your essential guide to not getting murdered in a quaint English village, where danger lurks around each cobblestoned corner and every bite of scone or sip of tea may be your last.

If you insist on visiting, do yourself a favour and bring along a copy of this guide book. It may just keep you alive

Brought to life with dozens of Edward Gorey-esque drawings and peppered with allusions to classic crime fiction, Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village gives you the tools you need to stay alive.

Repeat after us: don’t look in the pond, keep away from the maze and never trust the vicar.

Good luck. You’re going to need it.

My Review of Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village

A handy guide to staying alive!

Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered is brilliant. I have to comment on the physical properties of the book to begin with as they are so, so good. The cover of the hardback is incredibly robust and weighty (so that it might easily be used as a murder weapon itself). The end papers embody the elements one might expect in a Quaint English Village – from tea cups through cricket bats to croquet sets – all interspersed with threatening skulls! The monochrome illustrations have a feeling of doom just right for the subject matter and each, like the cover, has an iterative use of red, reminiscent of blood, danger and, consequently, murder!

The book is split into two main sections. Firstly, The Village where curtain twitchers, note writers and cake makers might all be getting ready to drown the unsuspecting in a vat of some kind, and secondly, The Manor where tradition and murder go hand in hand. I confess, according to my attempts at the two quiz sections, I’m likely to end up murdered (or murdering) in either setting…

The text itself is hilarious. Anyone who has ever wondered what it must be like to live in a place like Agatha Christie’s St Mary Mead where there seems to be an inordinate number of murders will fully appreciate the tongue-in-cheek humour and the scenarios depicted. And don’t be fooled. There’s an ending to Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered that might take you by surprise…

Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered is witty, and clever. Filled with recognisible stereotypes, poking fun at village life and drawing on all the crime fiction we’ve ever read, Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered would make a superb gift book for a crime fiction lover. It’s enormous fun to read and I thoroughly enjoyed it – though I’ll never look at a vicar in the same way.

About Maureen Johnson

Maureen Johnson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of several YA novels, including 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Suite Scarlett, The Name of the Star, and Truly Devious. She has also done collaborative works, such as Let It Snow (with John Green and Lauren Myracle), and The Bane Chronicles (with Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan). Her work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Buzzfeed, and The Guardian, and she has also served as a scriptwriter for EA Games. She has an MFA in Writing from Columbia University and lives in New York City.

For further information about Maureen, visit her website, follow her on Twitter/X @maureenjohnson and find Maureen on Facebook and Instagram.

About Jay Cooper

Jay Cooper is the illustrator and writer of over 20 books for kids young and old, including the national best-seller Your Guide To Not Getting Murdered In A Quaint English Village—and a contributor to the New York Times #1 best-selling series, The Last Kids on Earth. Jay is also a graphic designer and creative director of theatrical advertising, having crafted art and advertising for more than 100 Broadway shows, including a number of Tony and Pulitzer Prize winners. Most importantly, his dog is named Bradley Cooper Cooper.

For further information about Jay, visit his website, follow him on Twitter/X @jaycooperart and find Jay on Facebook and Instagram.

Having loved A Poet for Every Day of the Year edited by Alllie Esiri (reviewed here) I was delighted to accept a copy of Allie’s latest selection, A Poem for Every Day of Christmas and would like to thank Tory Lyne-Perkis for sending me a copy in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share that review today.

A Poem for Every Day of Christmas is published by Macmillan Children’s Books on 7th November 2024 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

A Poem for Every Day of Christmas

A Poem for Every Day of Christmas is a splendid collection of thirty-one poems, compiled by award-winning anthologist Allie Esiri, to take you through the month of December.

Perfect for reading aloud and sharing with friends and family, this book is the ideal companion for the holiday season. It features festive poems and carols by Brian Bilston, Robert Burns, Wendy Cope, T. S. Eliot, Christina Rossetti. E. E. Cummings, Dylan Thomas, Clement Clarke Moore and many more.

The day-to-day format of this fabulous and fun anthology invites readers to make poetry a part of their holiday season.

My Review of A Poem for Every Day of Christmas

A festive anthology of 31 poems. 

As I’m reviewing the hard back version of A Poem for Every Day of Christmas, I must mention the wonderful physical properties that make this little book an ideal gift or stocking filler. The red, gold and green slip cover shouts Christmas and the green, robust covers underneath feel traditional and special. Add in gold end papers and ivy line drawings on every page and this is a very special volume that readers will want to keep and return to year after year. 

Inside the covers, the contents are equally good. I loved the index of poets and the index of first lines as they enable the reader to delve further into poetry, being a catalyst for further reading. I could easily see those first lines being used for the start of a game of consequences, or to stimulate creative writing too. Poems like Edwin Morgan’s The Computer’s First Christmas Card would be great for choral speaking and might stimulate debate about modern issues like AI so that, whilst I think A Poem for Every Day of Christmas is probably best enjoyed just for the sheer exuberance and joy of poetry in the home, I think it has great potential for classrooms too. Different rhyme schemes, poetic forms and styles all add to the possible uses of A Poem for Every Day of Christmas. 

The poets range from traditional ones like Thomas Hardy and Christina Rossetti to more modern writers like Brian Bilston and Lemn Sissay so that not only is the volume a microcosm of literary history, but there really is a poem for every reader regardless of taste or preference. Whilst I read the 31 dated entries in order, albeit earlier than the December dates might suggest, I think it would be equally rewarding to dip in at random like opening a surprise Christmas gift too. This is an advent calendar of poetry that is accessible and engaging. It would make an ideal introduction to poems for reluctant readers too.

This gorgeous little volume of poetry is simply lovely. It is the perfect little gift book for any poetry lover or for anyone for whom you have no idea what to buy. However, I think it would be quite hard to give A Poem for Every Day of Christmas as a gift as you’re going to want to keep it for yourself. The only solution, I feel, is to buy several copies! I really recommend it.

About Allie Esiri

Allie Esiri read Modern and Medieval Languages at Cambridge and is an award-winning curator, described by The Sunday Times as a ‘poetry powerhouse’. Her anthology A Poem for Every Day of the Year was in the best books of the year list in The Times and the Observer. Her previous anthology, A Poem for Every Night of the Year was a best book of the year in The Times and the New Statesman and won the IBW book award. She hosts an annual poetry show at the National Theatre and regular events at major festivals including Hay, Cheltenham and Edinburgh.

For more information, follow Allie on Twitter @AllieEsiri and find her on Instagram. There’s more information on Allie’s website too.

My enormous thanks to Laura Sherlock for sending me a surprise copy of Happy Bloody Christmas by Jo Middleton in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to share that review today.

Happy Bloody Christmas was published by Harper Collins imprint Avon on 24th October 2024 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Happy Bloody Christmas

Anna’s Christmas Eve To Do List:

1. Wrap the kids’ presents​

2. Peel the potatoes ​

3. Get rid of the dead body?!

Hungover and exhausted after her family’s annual party, all Anna Johnson wants for Christmas is to finish her to-do list and finally sit down with the world’s biggest glass of wine.

But when she stumbles across a dead body in her larder, her plans are well and truly buggered.

A mysterious death in her home really is the last thing she needs, but with her judgemental in-laws arriving in less than twenty-four hours, turning her house into a crime scene is not an option. If she’s going to save Christmas, it’s up to Anna to find out what the hell’s gone on. Oh – and figure out what to do with the body before one of the kids finds it.

And you thought burning the turkey was the worst that could happen…

My Review of Happy Bloody Christmas

The night after her Christmas party, Anna has a hangover and a dead body to deal with. 

Happy Bloody Christmas is a really super read. It’s sassy, a bit sweary and stuffed with humour so that I found myself laughing aloud on several occasions. 

Despite the fact that this is a modern cosy crime narrative with the unusual premise of finding a dead Santa in the larder on Christmas Eve, it actually draws on recognisible conventions such as unity of time (Christmas Eve), place (Anna and Oli’s house) and action (solving the murder). This makes it fast paced and wonderfully satisfying to read. I raced through the story because I found it so entertaining.

The story is, frankly, quite bonkers, but that is what makes it so appealing. It’s brilliantly plotted with hints dropped throughout in a clever, diverting and enjoyable read. Of course, I worked out from the beginning that the dead Santa, Colin, was actually not dead at all but had set up the whole thing as a joke to feed his ego. Of course I was completely wrong! I think Happy Bloody Christmas would make a sensational TV programme just perfect for Christmas Eve or Boxing Day watching. 

I loved meeting Anna. At the same time as trying to solve a murder, she has the incredibly relatable problem of trying to make her home perfect for the imminent arrival of her over critical mother-in-law on Christmas Day. Her first person narration feels like she’s chatting to the reader directly, making them her friend every bit as much as Jennie is, so that we’re on her side from the very first moment. Frequently she digresses as her mind wanders to trivial things in a way all of us can recognise. This makes Anne real and human and is actually very funny. In addition, Anna’s interaction with her family is so authentic. I’d defy any parent to read Happy Bloody Christmas and not empathise with Anna’s attempts to keep Lily blissfully unaware of events, and her relationship with Oli is perfectly depicted. He frustrates her at times, is occasionally oblivious to the obvious and yet does his best to support her, making him feel authentic and real. 

Aside from the fun and humour as Anna tries to find out exactly who murdered the Santa in her larder, are some deeper themes too. Once Anna lets go of the desire to be perfect to deflect Pamela’s criticisms, she finds life easier and more pleasurable. This is an important message for anyone hosting the big family Christmas. It’s who is there that matters, not whether the best guest towels are on display or the right confectionery offered. Themes of trust and family, identity and self worth also pepper the text so that it is one of those stories that has the reader agreeing with sentiments throughout. It’s a brilliant story.

I loved Happy Bloody Christmas because it races along, is witty and light and yet has real heart. It gives the reader permission to accept less than perfection in their own lives at the same time as entertaining them fabulously. It made me laugh to the extent I found it uplifting and mood enhancing. But be warned, it might make you want to play a game of Twister – and that can lead to all kinds of complications! 

About Jo Middleton

Jo Middleton lives in Somerset with her daughter, a disobedient golden retriever and three cats, all named after fictional detectives. Jo has a passion for mysteries, loves escape rooms, and longs to capture a cave full of smugglers. She is also a blogger, author, copywriter and one half of the It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere podcast. Playgroups and Prosecco was her first novel.

For further information, follow Jo on Twitter/X @mummyblogger and Instagram.

My enormous thanks to Sophie Calder for sending me a surprise copy of Always and Only You by Fiona Lucas. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Always and Only You today. 

Published by HQ on 7th November 2024, Always and Only You is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Always and Only You

Could the wrong man be the right one after all?

The heart-wrenching and beautiful new romance from Fiona Lucas, author of Never Forget You.

Erin is about to marry the love of her life. She and Simon have been together for eight years so it feels right that they’re finally tying the knot. It’s been stressful balancing the demands of friends and family – not to mention Simon’s difficult best man, Gil – but Erin couldn’t be happier.

Couldn’t be happier, that is, until she walks down the aisle and finds the wrong man waiting for her. But is the universe playing a cruel trick on Erin, or could it be that her perfect life isn’t quite what she imagined…?

A beautiful, deeply emotional story of love, secrets and second chances. Perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover and Lucy Score.

My Review of Always and Only You

Erin and Simon are getting married.

Always and Only You was not what I was expecting. It has far greater depth and power than I anticipated and it actually took me quite a while to read because it felt intense and I needed to absorb and process the emotions underpinning the narrative.

I didn’t initially like Erin because she is incredibly controlling, in spite of her personality that always wants to please others. However, Fiona Lucas’s skilful writing ensured I quickly began to understand Erin’s complex nature so that I was drawn into her story and ended up desperate for her life to resolve itself positively. She develops throughout the story so that, whilst she learns to understand others like Simon, Gil and her mother, the person she most learns about is herself. As a result, I felt as if I’d been on her journey with her which made for a very satisfying aspect to the story.

As there is a relatively small cast of characters, with Erin at the centre, Always and Only You feels intimate and absorbing. I loathed Simon with a passion from the beginning for his showy personality, but you’ll need to read the book to see if my attitude was justified! Gil reminded me of Austen’s Mr Darcy, being taciturn and unapproachable, but, again, you’ll have to read Always and Only You to discover if he has similar redeeming features. Neither man is a simple person so that there’s a real sensation of authentic human beings in their presentation.

The plot is cleverly structured with some real surprises that add layers of interest. There are moments that take the reader aback, but the real strength in the story is the engaging exploration of various truths that runs beneath all the action. As a result, Always and Only You gets under the reader’s skin and has an emotional impact that is surprisingly affecting. 

Other themes are equally mature and interesting. There’s a wonderful romantic aspect to melt even the hardest heart, but alongside it are deeper considerations. Grief and guilt, self-delusion and illness, family and friendship – all these elements find their place in a convincing, entertaining and mature narrative. 

Always and Only You is certainly a love story, but it is so much more besides and actually very difficult to review without spoiling the read for others. I thought it was a fabulous story. 

About Fiona Lucas 

Fiona Lucas is an award-winning author of contemporary women’s fiction. The Last Goodbye was her first novel written under this name, but she’s been writing heart-warming love stories and feel-good women’s fiction as Fiona Harper for more than a decade. During her career, she’s won numerous awards, including a Romantic Novel Award in 2018, and chalked up a no.1 Kindle bestseller. 

For further information, visit Fiona’s website, or find her on Twitter/X @fionalucasbooks and Instagram.