It’s such a pleasure to have a return visit to Linda’s Book Bag from author CT Sullivan. Chris last stayed in with me some seven years ago in a post you’ll find here.

Today Chris has a change of genre and a new book to tell me about.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with CT Sullivan

Welcome back to the blog Chris and thank you for staying in with me again. I know you’ve had a change of genre since we last spoke so which book have you brought along this evening?

I’ve brought my second psychological crime thriller, Fractured Web.

Fractured Web was published 29th May 2025. It is now receiving excellent reviews so I’d like to take this opportunity that you have so kindly offered to maintain the momentum in the awareness of my book.

It’s my pleasure. Tell us a bit about Fractured Web. Where did you get the idea?

The idea for this story came initially from a shocking newspaper article I read of a female teacher’s very questionable behaviour in her school. Shortly after, I met an old friend who was a retired female teacher. When I told her of the article she wasn’t at all surprised. After she had informed me of the comings and goings and at times fierce inhouse competition that existed at the various schools at which she worked, I realised I had my next book.

Aha! As I’m an ex-teacher Fractured Web has grabbed my attention immediately. Did you have a real school in mind as you wrote?

Fractured Web is set in Sir Montagu Web Grammar School, a beautiful eighteenth-century building in Battersea High Street. Actually, it was the school, name changed, that I attended for six years that also housed at different times, novelist Martin Amis and actors Melvyn Hayes and Buster Merryweather.

It’s now an independent school at which Prince George and Princess Charlotte were recently educated. So, I do have a vague and distant connection to the Royal Family which, I imagine, they are totally unaware of.

A claim to fame nonetheless! That’s quite an illustrious cast. What about the people in Fractured Web?

At the heart of the story is Wendy Jacks, who experiences scarring early childhood trauma in the shape of her mother’s scandalous affair and her father’s sudden departure. Her sense of frustration and loss is so deep her life is driven by a twisted sense of justice.

Now, her existence is one of manipulation and deceit. It’s when she becomes a teacher at the Web grammar school that her life begins to unravel with devastating consequences for herself and those around her.

Fractured Web sounds quite intense and incredibly intriguing. Am I right in thinking that?      

Fractured Web explores the damaging effects of revenge and obsession. It’s a tale of suspense and moral ambiguity, where every action has a ripple effect that threatens the delicate web of our existence.

Sounds brilliant. How has Fractured Web been received by readers?

I have brought along this review.

Unpaid Book Review: Fractured Web by C.T. Sullivan

By Ralph Surman, published author and educator, after reading the book.

“C.T. Sullivan’s Fractured Web is an unflinchingly bold, utterly compelling psychological thriller that drags the reader deep into the murky waters of power, manipulation, and moral collapse within a seemingly ordinary school environment. What begins as a tale of family dysfunction in a quiet English village unfolds into a complex lattice of obsession, betrayal, and dangerously blurred boundaries.

From the chilling opening scenes of domestic conflict and teenage vengeance to the expertly drawn atmosphere of Sir Montague Web Grammar School, Sullivan creates an unsettling and richly layered world. The novel thrives on tension: personal, professional, and sexual. His characters, particularly Wendy Jacks, are drawn with sharp psychological insight.

Sullivan’s prose is clean and confident, with dialogue that crackles with realism and subtext. His ability to capture both the weary banter of seasoned staffroom regulars and the petty cruelty of teenage boys is impressive. The novel’s strength lies in its shifting perspectives and overlapping storylines.”

Wow! That’s amazing. You must be delighted with that response. What else have you brought along?

 

I have brought along a picture of my old grammar school in which the story was set. It provided me with a tangible location for Fractured Web where my many adventures and blueprint of this charismatic building remain a vivid memory.

That’s quite a building. 

I’ve also brought a picture of The Bookshop, my garden lodge where I write.

Oh I’m so jealous. That looks like a wonderful writing space. Speaking of writing, would you mind sharing a couple of brief passages from Fractured Web?

Of course:

James sat in his car scouring the school car park. It was six-fifteen p.m. The October nights were drawing in. The gloomy square of concrete had just one light. It sat on top of a thin, towering metal pole situated at the far corner. His engine was off. Two blackbirds in a nearby tree were having an aggressive singing competition between them. His subconscious may have heard them. But his mind was focused.

It switched on to full alert when the figure of the headmaster appeared carrying his briefcase, climbed into his car and left the school premises. James followed. The head turned left out of the gates. James knew the area where his boss lived. He wasn’t going home that’s for sure, he thought.

And now, of course, we want to know where he’s off to!

Sir Montague Web Grammar School for Boys, known in-house as the Web, sat in five acres of prime real estate. It was situated on the outskirts of Battersea overlooking the unrelenting murk of the river Thames. It was one of less than two-hundred grammar schools in the UK having survived closure or merger with the country’s numerous comprehensive schools. Founded in the early eighteenth-century the building reeked of an age time was struggling to cling on to.

Inside the hallowed, red-bricked walls hope and expectation ruled. Silent corridors, on the sound of a shrill bell, were clogged in a matter of seconds. A swarm of grey flannels, striped ties and dark blue blazers dominated the scene. It was as if the bodies within were in a competition to see who could make the most noise.

I think I might have inspected a school like that in the past! Thanks so much for returning to the blog Chris. I love the sound of Fractured Web. I’ll give readers a few more details too:

Fractured Web

Fractured Web by C.T. Sullivan is a gripping tale that begins in the quiet village of Much ‎Hadham, where rumors spread like wildfire, exposing the fragile lives of its inhabitants. At the ‎heart of this story is Wendy Jacks, a seemingly ordinary girl whose childhood is marred by her ‎mother’s scandalous affair and her father’s sudden departure. Growing up with a hardened ‎heart, Wendy navigates life with a twisted sense of justice, setting her on a dark path of ‎manipulation and deceit.‎

Twenty-six years later, as a science teacher, Wendy’s bottled-up rage manifests in sinister ways, ‎leading to devastating consequences for herself and those around her.

Set against the backdrop ‎of an elite grammar school, Fractured Web explores the themes of revenge, obsession and the ‎lingering impact of childhood trauma. Sullivan masterfully weaves a tale of suspense and moral ‎ambiguity, where every action has a ripple effect that could unravel the delicate web of life.‎

Fractured Web was published on 29th May 2025 and is available for purchase here. 

About CT Sullivan

C T Sullivan is the author of crime thrillers, Reasonable Force, Fractured Web and travel book, Apple Insider, an Englishman in New York – a humorous and informative account of his three-month stay in Manhattan. During a successful career as a foreign exchange broker, he wrote and performed stand-up musical comedy to sporting and corporate audiences. He lives with his wife Deborah and golden labrador, Splosh, in Midhurst, West Sussex.

For further information visit Chris’s website or find him on Facebook and X @Sullyonair.

It’s my pleasure to welcome a brand new to me author, Albina du Boisrouvray to stay in with me today and tell me all about her latest book. My thanks to Grace Pilkington for putting us in touch with one another.

Let’s find out more: 

Staying in With Albina du Boisrouvray

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag, Albina. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening, and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought my memoir, Phoenix Rising. It took me three years to write it in French, and I’m delighted that it’s now been translated into English. I actually began writing it in English about ten years ago, but since I was living in France, the language of the book gradually shifted to French.

That sounds quite a task. Do you speak both languages fluently?

My first language is English — I spent two years at an English boarding school when I was young — but I studied and worked in France, so I now have a wider vocabulary in French.

How brilliant. And why the title Phoenix Rising?

Phoenix Rising was the title suggested by my publisher, Nomad Publishing, and I love it — it feels so fitting to my life as a whole. I’ve lived three distinct lives, each very different from the one before.

Fascinating. Tell me more.

My first life was my childhood, which feels like an era that no longer exists — a world apart, marked by my mixed heritage, many obstacles, and several brushes with death. It was far from harmonious, and everything changed when my mother died when I was nineteen.

That must have been tough. What happened next?

My second life began at twenty-one, when I became a housewife in the Alps, married to a rescue pilot and mountain guide. We had a beautiful child, my treasured son François-Xavier, who shared his father’s passion for flying. I later divorced and returned to Paris, where I built a successful career as a film producer in a world dominated by men. But when François-Xavier was killed in a helicopter accident at the age of twenty-our, I was utterly destroyed.

My huge condolences. I can’t imagine how you recovered from that.

My third life tells the story of how I rose from those ashes. Having inherited my father’s fortune a few years earlier, I sold three — quarters of it — along with my film company, my home, and all my possessions — to create a foundation in my son’s name: the François-Xavier Bagnoud Foundation (FXB). Its mission was to carry on his spirit of rescue, in the broadest sense of the word. Through FXB’s work — supporting destitute children, empowering women in extreme poverty, and fighting AIDS around the world when few would even speak of it — I found my way back to life.

What a magnificent way to honour François-Xavier.

More than thirty-five years later, FXB continues to evolve. Today, we focus on engaging young people in addressing the consequences of climate change — teaching them about the dangers threatening our planet and helping them find local solutions that can be shared globally.

That’s just wonderful. What else have you brought along this evening, and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought a photograph of the very first FXB mission, which I undertook alongside Doctors of the World before FXB itself was created.

It was a campaign to lobby the United Nations to adopt the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In August 1989, fifteen children from fifteen countries sailed to New York to present it at the General Assembly. Among them were two boys — one Israeli, one Palestinian — who refused to speak to each other when they boarded the boat in France. Over the three-week journey, they became best friends.

The photograph shows them sitting together on a sidewalk in New York, smiling at each other. It captured, for me, the moment I realised how one could knit small stitches of peace through children

If only the current world leaders could realise that too.

When the Foundation’s funds were nearly gone, I devoted what remained — and later my own resources — to trying to do the same in Israel and Gaza. I continued that work until the summer of 2023.

What a wonderful story. Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about Phoenix Rising. It sounds like an absorbing read.

Phoenix Rising

From her mixed-race heritage and privileged yet unconventional upbringing amidst historical events, to her early rebellions and forays into the glamorous world of filmmaking, du Boisrouvray’s early life reveals a fiercely independent spirit navigating complex family dynamics and societal norms.

The narrative takes a poignant turn with personal tragedy, which ignites a profound commitment to humanitarian action. Driven by a mother’s love and a desire to honour her son’s memory, du Boisrouvray founded the Francois -Xavier Bagnoud Foundation – FXB – and its NGOs, pioneering innovative approaches to combatting AIDS, putting AIDS orphans on the map and exposing extreme poverty globally

Phoenix Rising will be published by Nomad on 27th November 2025 and is available for pre-order from Waterstones and here .

About Albina du Boisrouvray

Albina du Boisrouvray is a philanthropist, humanitarian, and former film producer who founded the François-Xavier Bagnoud Foundation (FXB) in honour of her late son. For over three decades, she has dedicated her life to supporting vulnerable children, empowering women in poverty, and advancing global health and human rights initiatives. Her memoir, Phoenix Rising, traces her extraordinary personal and professional journey across three lives of transformation, loss, and purpose.

For further information, visit the FBX website or find more on Instagram and X @FXBGlobal.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

I was most surprised when Abi Herbert from Lush got in touch to ask if I would be interested in reviewing a copy of Cosmetics to Go: The Story of the Company that came before LUSH by Mira Manga. I was intrigued so gratefully accepted and it’s my pleasure to share my review today.

Imagine my further surprise when Cosmetics to Go: The Story of the Company that came before LUSH arrived with an array of gorgeous smelling products too. 

Cosmetics to Go: The Story of the Company that came before LUSH was published by Harper Collins on 12th September 2025 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

Cosmetics to Go: The Story of the Company that came before LUSH

Here in lies the story of the meteoric rise, and devastating fall, of Cosmetics To Go, the dynamic cosmetics brand that revolutionised bathing and enchanted customers with their innovative offerings, all well ahead of their time.

This book is a journey of invention, following the fortunes of this young company as they create new, ground breaking products – set to revolutionise the cosmetics industry. Read all about the invention of the original bath bomb, shampoo bars and fresh facemasks that have since gone on to become some of LUSH’s most iconic and best-selling products.

Featuring artwork and photography from the original Cosmetics to Go catalogue, this new book is an essential read for Cosmetics to Go customers and fans and anyone who wants to know more about the origins of LUSH.

My review of Cosmetics to Go: The Story of the Company that came before LUSH

The rise (and demise) of Cosmetics to Go.

Now, anyone who knows me will understand that I am not a huge user of cosmetics, so I was amazed at how compelling, interesting and fascinating I found Cosmetics to Go: The Story of the Company that came before LUSH. 

I think the initial attraction was the physical format of the book, because it held such a nostalgic feel, reminding me of those much desired and anticipated Christmas annuals of my youth. The vibrant cover, the brilliant end papers, originating from the cover of the mail order catalogue of 1993, and the eclectic mix of images, including drawings, photographs, newspaper cuttings, and so on, truly draw in the reader.

I loved the size and quality of the hardback cover too as it felt like a real gift book. There’s a fabulous balance of text to image in the 140+ pages so that there’s plenty for avid Lush or Cosmetics to Go fans to delve into, whilst the more casual reader like me can dip in and out and discover all manner of things.

Cosmetics to Go covers so much besides the establishment, life and ending of Cosmetics to Go. Packed with a sense of creative chaos and a blend of considerable enthusiasm and not a little naivety, readers get a true sense of the people behind the brand. As a result, it made me consider those working in similar industries like LUSH today and I found I cared about the people involved in Cosmetics to Go every bit as much as I do fictional characters in novels. There’s a moment with Helen’s bath bomb that actually brough a lump to my throat. Cosmetics to Go is certainly a comprehensive insight into the cosmetic world, but it also contains social history, geography, economics, media, science, ethical considerations and an eclectic range of other topics. I most certainly didn’t expect a reference to Buddhism in a book about cosmetic products for example! 

As someone not a great user of cosmetics, I found Cosmetics to Go a really interesting and engaging book that has left me with the overwhelming desire for a Mistress Lipstick (and possibly a bowl of tomato soup, but you need to read the book to find out why)! It has also made me want to investigate LUSH products far more too.

As effervescent in style as the famous bath bombs, Cosmetics to Go would make a super gift for any lover of LUSH and Cosmetics to Go products, but I also think those interested in art, design, marketing and business would find it riveting reading. I was both surprised and entertained by the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. 

About Mira Manga

Mira Manga is a London-based writer, editor, and songwriter. She has worked at LUSH since 2000 and was formerly the editor and lead writer of The Lush Times, the brand’s much-loved customer newspaper. In her spare time, Mira has written and edited for a range of gaming publications and websites. She is also the author of the first edition of Cosmetics to Go, now refreshed, revitalised, and expanded with new content.

For further information, follow Mira on X @miramanga or find her on Instagram. 

You all know that I’m a huge fan of Milly Johnson – and I’m delighted that she’s become a true personal friend over the years. 

To celebrate Milly’s latest book, Let The Bells Ring Out which I reviewed here, I’m thrilled to have a signed hardback copy to give away today. It was my pleasure to take a copy of Let The Bells Ring Out to Molecey Mill Frost Fair on Saturday where Milly signed the book for me.

As soon as she knew I was going to run a giveaway for it, Milly immediately included a Let The Bells Ring Out bookmark, planner and pen for me to pass on too – just showing what a lovely lady she is!

For your chance to win this smashing bundle of Milly Johnson Let The Bells Ring Out goodies either for yourself or a wonderful gift for someone else, all you need to do is comment on this blog post saying why you’d like to win. Sadly this has to be UK only because of postage costs. 

So drop me a comment below – or if that doesn’t work for you (I know I sometimes have a problem leaving comments) just comment on one of my socials posts about the giveaway and I’ll add you in.

The giveaway closes at 11.59 PM on Friday 14th November 2025 and the winner will be selected at random on Saturday 15th November 2025. I will need a UK postal address to send your prize. Please be aware that at no point would I ask for any kind of payment as there are always scammers who try to dupe people. Good luck!

In case you’ve been living under a rock, here’s what Let The Bells Ring Out is all about:

Let The Bells Ring Out

Seven people, four days and a snowy Christmas on board a luxury sleeper train. This festive season getting away from it all takes on a new meaning…

The Yorkshire Belle is a glamorous steam train all decked out for an escapist festive getaway. It is not supposed to be where a group of people, all trying to get to their destinations for the holidays, will spend their Christmas.

Seven people, each with their own hopes and dreams, secrets and sorrows, board the train as strangers, but as the snow keeps falling and they realise they are going nowhere fast, they are forced to slow down and embrace the present.

This Christmas on board the Yorkshire Belle, will the friendships they make change their lives forever?

Let The Bells Ring Out was published by Simon and Schuster on 23rd October 2025 and is available for purchase through the links here.

About Milly Johnson

Milly Johnson was born, raised and still lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. She is the author of 23 novels, 4 short story ebooks, a book of poetry and a Quick Reads Novella (The Little Dreams of Lara Cliffe) and was an erstwhile leading copywriter for the greetings card industry. She is also a poet, a professional joke-writer, a newspaper columnist and a seasoned after dinner speaker.

She won the RoNA for Best Romantic Comedy Novel of 2014 and 2016, the Yorkshire Society award for Arts and Culture 2015, the Romantic Novelist Association Outstanding Achievement award in 2020, the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Romantic Novel Award in 2021 and the Richard Whiteley Award for Inspiration to the County of Yorkshire in 2022.

She writes about love, life, friendships and the importance of community spirit. Her books champion women, their strength and resilience and celebrate her beloved Yorkshire.

Her 23rd novel Let the Bells Ring Out is available now.

You can follow Milly on Twitter/X @millyjohnson and Facebook, or you can visit her website for more information. You’ll also find Milly on Instagram.

My enormous thanks to Peter Wiholm for sending me a copy of his children’s book Grumpy Gnome all the way from Canada. Grumpy Gnome is illustrated by Alejandro Segura Baron and it’s my pleasure to share my review today. 

Grumpy Gnome was published on 15th October 2025 and is available for purchase here. 

Grumpy Gnome

The old gnome was angry with the ducks next door. They had dragged him out of his hundred-year retirement to help a father and daughter in trouble. Why would the gnome care about silly humans, especially ones who had made a big mess at the beloved farm where he used to work? Surely there was nothing about these well-meaning but clumsy people that could soften his prickly mood?

Grumpy Gnome is a humorous, exciting and cozy story about rediscovering joy thought to be long gone, parental love, and the ways of the old world clashing with the new.

My Review of Grumpy Gnome

The gnome is feeling bad tempered. 

Grumpy Gnome is brilliant. It’s so luxuriously presented with a robust, glossy cover and equally attractive slip cover that it would make an ideal gift book. 

The book size is perfect for sharing with an individual child or in a group situation. The illustrations are wonderful, with a smashing balance between modernity and nostalgia in style. I loved the subdued colour palette that represented the emotions of the story really effectively. It also appealed that there is a single parent and mixed race child so that Grumpy Gnome feels inclusive. In addition, there’s a very good balance of text to image so that young emergent readers are not daunted and more confident ones have enough text to satisfy them. The language is mature so that vocabulary is increased, and it is enhanced by the images that help develop understanding and context. 

The Grumpy Gnome himself is inspired. He has lost touch with his old life and is obviously lonely and there’s a very important message in the story that shows children how being kind and helpful towards others actually brings happiness to the person (or gnome) doing so. Consequently, Grumpy Gnome affords the opportunity for adults and children to discuss emotions in a non-threatening environment. Indeed, it felt quite emotional that the little girl seems wiser than her father and her belief in magical things like the gnome gives a sensation of warmth, happiness and hope to readers of any age. 

I loved the recalcitrant sheep and the insistent ducks too, because they help bring the narrative to life, adding humour that children will love. 

I thought that Grumpy Gnome has all the high quality attributes of traditional tales, containing morals, but within a modern setting so that it slots into the canon of children’s books perfectly without preaching or forcing adult preferences onto children. It’s a lovely story and children will thoroughly enjoy reading it – and what adult doesn’t need a bit of magic in their lives? 

About Peter Wiholm 

Peter has written articles, short stories, screenplays and reviews for a wide variety of publications, and his love of storytelling is also demonstrated in his short films, documentaries, music videos and photos. He lives in Vancouver, Canada with his wife and daughter. Grumpy Gnome is his first children’s picture book.

You can find Peter on Instagram.

About Alejandro Segura Baron

Alejandro has worked as an illustrator and graphic designer for multiple publishing houses and magazines. He has created comics, book illustrations, posters and more. Grumpy Gnome is the second children’s picture book he has illustrated, after El Castillo de los Siete Ojos. He lives in Barcelona, Spain with his wife and son.

I’m a huge fan of children’s fiction – possibly because my awful sight meant I was such a late reader myself and feel I missed out a little bit as a child. Consequently I was delighted when Julia Blackburn sent me a copy of her middle grade book The Songbird Army in exchange for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share that review today.

The Songbird Army was published on 21st September and is available for purchase here. 

The Songbird Army 

Rube the robin would much rather sing than lead. But when a gang of bullying magpies threatens the nests of his choir, Rube discovers that being the star of the garden isn’t enough.

The Songbird Choir needs a true leader, and Rube must leave the safety of his riverside home to rally allies from the wild woods beyond. Along the way, he teams up with Hula, a blind bullfinch, Phil, a dependable song thrush, and Alcedo, a lightning-fast kingfisher, facing dangers, uncovering unexpected friendships, and discovering courage he never knew he had.

As the magpies’ raid approaches, Rube must lead the garden birds in a daring stand to protect their nests. Will a choir of small voices be enough to defeat a gang of bullies, or will the garden fall silent forever?

The Songbird Army is a lower middle-grade adventure full of song, courage, and unlikely friendships. Perfect for fans of animal adventures, stories of bravery, and nature-inspired middle-grade fiction.

With a blind bullfinch, a brave thrush, and an outcast crow, Rube must discover that true courage isn’t about having the loudest voice—it’s about knowing when to listen, when to lead, and when to trust that even the smallest allies can make the biggest difference.

Sometimes the greatest battles are won not by the strongest, but by those brave enough to sing together.

My Review of The Songbird Army

A gang of menacing magpies is threatening the other birds.

Whilst it is not essential to the engagement of The Songbird Army, I thought the presentation of the text was inspired because there’s a double line spacing which gives plenty of white space that doesn’t daunt more reluctant young readers. It also means that those tracing text with their finger to assist their reading have the space to do so with ease. In addition, (and at the risk of appearing sexist) the danger, tactics and final battle will appeal particularly to traditional boys who would rather be active than reading so that there’s a real educational benefit in the book. Having chapter headers with notes from the Bird Boy also appeals to male readers.

The Bird Boy’s notes and the occasional little bird illustrations (which are simply gorgeous) also draw in young readers to this fast paced narrative and provide ample opportunity for children to research more about the types of birds.

What I really appreciated is the fact that Julia Blackburn does not patronise young readers in The Songbird Army. The vocabulary is varied and occasionally challenging and her presentation of the potential harshness of life for birds – and for children by analogy – is realistic and relatable. There’s actually quite a lot of violence, but it is handled appropriately. It’s such a helpful concept to have a variety of personalities amongst the birds as this stimulates appreciation of people too. Hula, for example, is brave and strong, being physically large, but he also lacks confidence so that children are encouraged to look beyond external appearance. I also thought Gunman’s development illustrated how we can change if we learn to understand others, which is an important message. There’s a super sense of inclusion too as birds who are physically different, disabled or friendless are given real status.

There’s an engaging and entertaining story in The Songbird Army with the various adventures the birds have as they work to prepare themselves against the violent threat from the magpies, but it is the themes of the story where the greatest success lies.  Julia Blackburn explores friendship and courage, loyalty, loneliness, fear and determination for example. There’s also a cathartic moment of grief over Fruggie that I found quite moving and this would be a perfect way to introduce death and loss in a non-threatening manner to children. 

More aggressive than I had anticipated, I think The Songbird Army is better suited to 9-10 year old readers than younger ones. It can be read on many levels so that it would be highly useful in a classroom situation, as well as being an engaging narrative for children to experience independently. 

About Julia Blackburn

 

Julia Blackburn is a children’s author, nature lover, and former BBC Berkshire book reviewer. Her debut middle grade novel, A Mystery at Whisper Lake — longlisted for the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition — launches alongside her younger chapter book, The Songbird Army. Both celebrate the healing power of nature and the wild creatures that help restore balance to the world.

She co-authored the cozy mystery Riverside Lane (Momentum Press, 2019), which sold over 5,000 copies, before turning her focus to children’s fiction. A lifelong lover of the natural world, Julia writes from her desk with her loyal dog, Muttley, curled beneath her chair, and collaborates with her daughter Louisa, who illustrates all her books.

Together, they bring stories of wonder, courage, and the natural world to life for children everywhere.

For further information visit Julia’s website and find Julia on Facebook, Bluesky and Instagram. 

I’m a huge fan of Alice Jolly’s wonderful and versatile writing and you’ll find my reviews of some of her books here. 

When I discovered she has a new book out I simply had to invite Alice onto Linda’s Book Bag to discover more. 

Let’s see what Alice told me:

Staying in with Alice Jolly

I’m thrilled to welcome you to Linda’s Book Bag Alice. I know I already know, but tell me, which book have you brought along and why have you chosen it?

I have brought along my new novel which is called The Matchbox Girl.

And it’s out today – happy publication day! What is The Matchbox Girl about?

It is an historical novel which is based on real life events. At the centre of my novel is the real Dr Asperger who worked in The Vienna Children’s Hospital starting in the 1930s. When Asperger’s work was rediscovered in the 1980s, he was hailed as ‘the father of neurodiversity’ but he was also rumoured to have collaborated with the Nazis. The story of Asperger and his colleagues is told through the eyes of a fictional 12-year-old girl called Adelheid Brunner who is obsessed by collecting matchboxes. She sometimes comments on the events unfolding around her with great accuracy but, like many in 1930s and 1940s Vienna, she also often fails to see what is really happening. Increasingly, she finds herself caught up in a deadly game whose rules she cannot understand. 

That sounds an incredible tale Alice. I had wondered why you’d used The Matchbox Girl and why the book had that cover. Can you tell me a little more?

I know that Bloomsbury thought long and hard about the cover and I think that all their work has really paid off. For me, the cover really encapsulates the dual nature of the book. On the one hand, the book is about eugenics in the Second World War but because the book is being told by a bright and quirky young girl, it reads rather like a children’s adventure story. That is a deliberate choice.

And difficult to achieve I imagine. Why did you decide on that style?

I think we can write about dark issues but we don’t have to do it in a dark style. The figure of the child on the book is dashing through a confusing nighttime landscape of steps which lead nowhere. Up above are the planes which encapsulates the Second World War. The cover also hints at the design of 1930s matchboxes – and that references Adelheid’s dream of collecting 1000 matchboxes. I love that the cover is capturing so many aspects of what I have written.

How brilliant. So, what can we expect from an evening in with The Matchbox Girl?

At the heart of my book is a truly fascinating – but also very difficult – story. I get tired of Second World War books where there are goodies and baddies. The reality of what happens in war is so much more complicated. 

I am trying to tell the story of a person (Asperger) who was not a hero. I wanted to unpick why people don’t resist. For me, this is very current. I don’t like books which deal in cheap judgements. I want the reader to ask themselves – if I was in this situation, would I have done any better? 

Most definitely. I often wonder how I might behave in such circumstances. I’d like to believe I would always behave morally but…

I also want them to enjoy the character of Adelheid. She really wants to understand how the world works but, sadly, she is living in a world which just doesn’t make sense. Happily, she is surrounded by the staff of the Hospital who appreciate her and want to keep her safe.

I love the sound of The Matchbox Girl. Given the themes of the book, what else have you bought along?

I have bought along one of the secondary characters in my book. I would really love to show you a photograph of her but I have not been able to find one. That in itself is significant.

More evidence of history than herstory perhaps?

Sister Viktorine Zak was a nurse and in Austria they keep records relating to doctors but not to nurses. (It would be the same in many countries.) As I was researching my book, it became clear to me that some of the secondary characters in this story are at least as interesting as Asperger himself. Sister Viktorine was a woman of enormous compassion and skill. Asperger described her as ‘a genius.’ She was entirely central to the work which led to the first autism diagnoses but she has been forgotten. I am so happy that my book puts her back where she belongs – right at the centre of the pioneering work which was going on in Austria before the annexation. 

And Sister Viktorine Zak is most welcome. I fear that in today’s world, the role of, and impact on women, in such situations is still far too under-represented so I’m delighted she’s here, especially as my niece wasn’t diagnosed as autistic until she was almost 40.

Thank you so much for staying in with me Alice, to chat about The Matchbox Girl. I think it sounds an amazing book and I cannot wait to read it. Let me give readers a few more details:

The Matchbox Girl

Adelheid Brunner does not speak. She writes and draws instead and her ambition is to own one thousand matchboxes. Her grandmother cannot make sense of this, but Adelheid will stop at nothing to achieve her dream. She makes herself invisible, hiding in cupboards with her pet rat, Franz Joseph, listening in on conversations she can’t fully comprehend.

Then she meets Dr Asperger, a man who lets children play all day and who recognises the importance of matchboxes. He invites Adelheid to come and live at the Vienna paediatric clinic, where she and other children like herself will live under observation.

But the date is 1938 and the place is Vienna – a city of political instability, a place of increasing fear and violence. When the Nazis march into the city, a new world is created and difficult choices must be made.

Why are the clinic’s children disappearing, and where do they go? Adelheid starts to suspect that some of Dr Asperger’s games are played for the highest stakes. In order to survive, she must play a game whose rules she cannot yet understand.

Triumphant and tragic, soulful and spirited, The Matchbox Girl is a burningly brilliant book – that brings the stories of a generation of lost children into the light.

The Matchbox Girl is published by Bloomsbury today, 6th November 2025, and is available for purchase through the links here. 

About Alice Jolly

Alice Jolly is a novelist and playwright. Her writing has been awarded the PEN/Ackerley Prize, an O Henry Prize and the V. S. Pritchett Memorial Prize, and been longlisted for Ondaatje Prize and the Rathbones Folio Prize. She teaches on the Creative Writing Masters at Oxford University. 

For further information, visit Alice’s website, or follow her on X @JollyAlice and Instagram.

Although I have yet to meet lovely Freya North in real life, she feels like a true friend as I’ve been reading her books for almost 30 years. When I was working in Jersey back in 2011, I distinctly remember reading Chances and leaving my copy for a fellow hotel resident at breakfast as we’d been chatting at dinner the evening before about how much we loved Freya’s writing. 

I first began blogging in 2015 and Freya’s The Way Back Home was one of the earliest reviews I posted too with The Turning Point one of my books of the year that first year. Add in the fact that her The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne was one of my books of the year last year, and you’ll see why I asked Freya to stay in with me to chat about her latest book today.

Let’s see what Freya has in store for us next:

Staying in with Freya North

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Freya and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

 

Well, I’ve chosen a short novel, Christmas at Flora’s House for a number of reasons. First and foremost, when I finish writing a book I genuinely miss the characters with whom I have hung out for all that time whilst writing their stories – so I really want to see them again.

I want to meet them for the first time! I understand that Christmas at Flora’s House is out tomorrow, 6th November 2025, so happy publication day for tomorrow!

Secondly, without sounding boasty-big-boots, I’m just really proud of this book. It is the first in a series of four novellas which I am independently publishing – and it hasn’t been so much a learning curve as a sheer rockface to grapple up!

Goodness – that’s a bit of a departure. I think new authors will be intrigued that such an established one like you had such a steep learning experience in self-publishing. How exciting! And it’s not boasty at all – after almost three decades of reading and loving your books I can vouch for them being wonderful.

Thanks Linda. But mostly, I just loved the setting of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. For me setting is never a backdrop, it is always a leading character in my stories. 

If that is Harris Freya, I need to get there as soon as I can! What can we expect from an evening in with Christmas at Flora’s House?  

This book will take you on a gentle adventure to one of the most remote parts of the UK so you can experience the beauty and wildness of deep winter there.

It will also take you on an emotional journey with Maggie and Roger from Cheshire – a long married couple who are spending their very first Christmas away from home. Maggie, in her mid 60s, strikes up an unlikely friendship with Shona who is in her early twenties and works in the shop. I love writing cross-generational stories. I had a little cry when I wrote parts of this story.

Now that’s my kind of read. I love a cathartic cry when I’m reading. I have a feeling I’m going to adore Christmas at Flora’s House.

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

Well, goodness me, you cannot read Christmas at Flora’s House without a Tunnocks teacake! Now, I don’t know about you, but I like to try and prise off the chocolate shell and then delight in the gooey fluff inside. I’ll probably have two or three but make a single ball out of the wrappers so that it looks like I’ve had just the one…! 

Er, is there any other way to eat them?

I will also indulge in a wee snifter of a really peaty single malt – my Dad and I love sharing a whisky… my Dad always calls it his ‘medicine’ so imagine my delight to find that Roger, in Christmas at Flora’s House also calls it his medicine too! 

I’ll join you in a medicine – but I’ll make mine a Bailey’s.

I’ll be wearing my favourite cosies: a hooded fleece, trackie bottoms and snuggly socks. If you expected me to be in high heels and festive sparkles, I’m sorry to disappoint! But just wait to see what the character Maggie wears on Christmas Day…

I can’t wait! I’m so looking forward to meeting Maggie as I have a feeling I’m going to love her. 

Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about Christmas at Flora’s House Freya. Grab the Tunnocks, pour out our ‘medicine’ and I’ll give readers a few more details about the book:

Christmas at Flora’s House 

On the windswept dunes of the Isle of Harris in the wild and beautiful Outer Hebrides of Scotland, is a small white house with a big history. These days, Flora’s House is a holiday home – the perfect base for visitors from far and wide to explore the stunning and often dramatic landscape.

Arriving with one suitcase for clothes and another for their own decorations, retired couple Maggie and Roger have booked Flora’s House for the festive season. It’s their first trip to the island and their first Christmas away from home – but where does Roger disappear to on his long walks? And why is Maggie so taken with one particular member of staff at the local shop?

Christmas is coming: a time for family and togetherness, for joy and forgiveness. Out there, high on the hills and deep in the heather, across the shimmering lochs and hidden in the waves, this Christmas will soon become unlike any Maggie and Roger have had before.

Christmas at Flora’s House is available for purchase in the usual places, but LIMITED EDITION COPIES – each personally signed at Freya’s kitchen table – are available directly from Freya here. 

The Book Lover’s Journal

In addition, Freya also created and edits The Book Lover’s Journal – a luxury, hardback desk diary and journal for bookworms, brimming with original content from over twenty bestselling authors with a donation made to BookTrust for every copy sold. I love my copies and you can get your 2026 copy here. 

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.

I can’t believe it was back in 2019 when I first met Melanie Blake at the launch of her debut novel The Thunder Girls (reviewed here). I am delighted to have been invited to participate in the blog tour for her latest book Vengeful Women which is the latest part of Melanie’s Falcon Bay series. My enormous thanks to Divia at Tiger Team Creative for inviting me to take part. It’s my pleasure not only to share my review of Vengeful Women, but to share a special message for her readers from Melanie.

Published on 6th November 2025, Vengeful Women is available for purchase here. 

Vengeful Women

Power. Passion. Revenge. Nothing is off-limits in Falcon Bay.

From Sunday Times bestselling author Melanie Blake comes a gripping new chapter in the Falcon Bay series – where showbiz glamour collides with dark secrets, and women who’ve lost everything are ready to fight back.

On a private island off the coast of England, five powerful women sit in jail, awaiting trial for manslaughter: a world-famous soap star, an ambitious talent agent, a ruthless producer, a brilliant screenwriter and a cougar casting director.

The man who put them there, their long-term nemesis Jake Monroe, is cashing in – turning the island they once ruled into a twisted theme park crowned by the world’s tallest skyscraper. While the women plot revenge, old secrets that could change everything begin to surface.

The glossy veneer of their showbiz world was shattered when they were incarcerated and the rot beneath the red carpets and studio lights is beginning to show… and meanwhile, a journalist chasing the truth behind an American serial killer is uncovering stories that could destroy everything – and everyone.

As the body count climbs and the women’s trial date looms, Jake’s empire teeters. Because one thing is certain. Hell has no fury… like vengeful women.

A Message from Melanie Blake

What is one message you want to give your readers?

Thank you for loving my world of make believe… which isn’t really that made up! Without you I wouldn’t be here, and I will never forget that. xx

My Review of Vengeful Women

The women of Falcon Bay are in trouble! 

Is Vengeful Women Booker Prize winning literature? Definitely not. Is Vengeful Women brilliant entertainment brimming with modernity, intrigue and quite a lot of sex? Absolutely yes! This is a story to grab the reader from the very first page and keep them reading open-mouthed throughout.

Although this is the third book in the series, there’s absolutely no need to have read Ruthless Women and Guilty Women (although I strongly suggest you do for the greatest enjoyment) because Melanie Blake weaves in character back stories with aplomb so that how they have come to be where they are in Vengeful Women is clearly explained and yet still tantalising. There’s even a cast list of ‘Players’ to help out  – and let me tell you, never have characters been more aptly defined. There are some real players here! 

Indeed, whilst there’s quite a cast of characters, each person is distinct and clearly presented. I loved the way the reader is drip fed character intentions and real emotions through the authorial voice in ways that make the reader feel almost part of the action. And these characters are brilliantly untrustworthy so that whilst the reader thinks they have a real handle on what’s happening, there are twists and shocks galore. I’d love to see Vengeful Women – in fact the entire series – as a television drama. Viewers would be hooked.

And what action there is! The plot of Vengeful Women simply races along. There’s scheming, murder, manipulation and so many twists and turns that it leaves the reader breathless. I’d even go so far as to say that this narrative is totally audacious. The author does not pull her punches and there’s so much action of all kinds that it left me reeling. 

As well as characters to root for (as well as those like Jake to hate) and the action packed story, I loved the insight into the duplicitous, Machiavellian world of show business, journalism and media. Melanie Blake makes it simultaneously abhorrent and mesmerising so that it’s impossible not to get wrapped up in the narrative. This might be a story that’s an Adrenalin filled fast paced romp, but there are deeper elements too, from abuse to online trolling, sexism to corruption, and greed to friendship for example, so that Vengeful Women is more than just that romp. 

With glamour throughout, and being sharp, sassy and sexy, Vengeful Women is a thrilling bonkbuster for the modern age. It’s frenetic, fun and fabulous. With the National Year of Reading 2026 on the horizon, Vengeful Women could just be the very narrative to get non-readers hooked on books. I loved it.

And for all the doubters out there about this genre of writing, just remember – and beware – Hell hath no fury… 

About Melanie Blake

Melanie Blake is the internationally bestselling author behind the sensational trilogy that began with Ruthless Women, the Sunday Times #4 bestseller that sold 250,000 copies in its first month, and its bestselling sequel, Guilty Women. She’s also a successful playwright, having adapted her first novel The Thunder Girls into a play which broke box-office records for a new work – a credit she still holds to this day. Melanie’s books have been translated into nine languages and have captivated more than a million readers worldwide. 

Melanie’s stories are exhilarating rollercoaster rides packed with all the glitz, glamour, passion, and intrigue of the blockbuster novels of the eighties, yet reflective of the world we live in today. When Melanie was asked to write a foreword to a new Jackie Collins edition, it was a dream come true; Jackie’s bold and fierce characters have always inspired her. When the Daily Mirror anointed Melanie ‘Jackie Collins for a new generation,’ the journey that started with devouring Jackie’s steamy novels as a teenager was complete.

For further information visit Melanie’s website, follow her on X @MelanieBlakeUK or find Melanie on Instagram. 

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

I was beyond excited when the lovely folk at EDPR sent me a surprise copy of Milly Johnson’s latest book, Let The Bells Ring Out, because she’s one of my favourite authors and a fabulous human being to boot! If you head here, you’ll find my other reviews of some of Milly’s books and realise why I was so delighted to receive this latest one. 

It’s my pleasure to share my review of Let The Bells Ring Out today and as Milly will be two miles up the road from me at Molecey Frost Fair at the end of the week, selling and signing copies of Let The Bells Ring Out, I’m very much looking forward to getting my copy signed.

Let The Bells Ring Out was published by Simon and Schuster on 23rd October 2025 and, as well as at Molecey on Friday evening and Saturday, is available for purchase through the links here. 

Let The Bells Ring Out

Seven people, four days and a snowy Christmas on board a luxury sleeper train. This festive season getting away from it all takes on a new meaning…

The Yorkshire Belle is a glamorous steam train all decked out for an escapist festive getaway. It is not supposed to be where a group of people, all trying to get to their destinations for the holidays, will spend their Christmas. 

Seven people, each with their own hopes and dreams, secrets and sorrows, board the train as strangers, but as the snow keeps falling and they realise they are going nowhere fast, they are forced to slow down and embrace the present.

This Christmas on board the Yorkshire Belle, will the friendships they make change their lives forever?

My Review of Let The Bells Ring Out

Seven passengers are stuck in the snow on a steam train.

Before I began reading Let The Bells Ring Out I had anticipated that it would be another of Milly Johnson’s warm and lovely stories about friendship, and it is. But it is so much more besides. I adored it. I laughed aloud and I shed several tears, both for the characters, for myself and for others I know who are akin to the characters in the book.

Those characters are quite fabulous. Ranging across five decades in age there really is someone here for any reader to relate to. And given what is going on in their lives, there’s a situation for every reader to recognise, empathise with, or learn from, too. You see, in Let The Bells Ring Out, the author has gone beyond her usual understanding of the innermost hopes, fears, vulnerabilities, strengths and weaknesses in the people she creates, and given them even greater depth that transcends mere entertainment. I loved every one of them wholeheartedly, from the slightly wacky Roo to the wise Jane. 

The setting of the Yorkshire Belle train is fabulous. There’s such an intimacy at being cocooned in the carriages and cut off from the outside world that it’s impossible not to be aboard too because of Milly Johnson’s vivid descriptions of the luxury. It’s been a lifelong ambition of mine to travel on the Orient Express, and Let The Bells Ring Out has made me feel as if I’ve partly achieved that ambition. I adored the Christmas references with the decorations, the food and drink, music from the real BBC and the wonderful sense of community that the narrative creates. The real world could benefit from a touch of Milly Johnson’s perceptive insight into what we really need at Christmas – not material gifts, but instead love, companionship, belonging and understanding. The title is inspired too. Real bells are heard, and are frequently associated with Christmas which is the timescale for the story, but bells are also sounded to toll sorrow, alert to danger and in celebration and the reader discovers all these aspects in the narrative.

Indeed, it is the themes of Let The Bells Ring Out that are truly the masterpiece of this story. We delve right into the heart and soul of Roo, Elizabeth, Vincent, Jane, Tim, Frank and Grace to discover love and loss, grief and happiness, anxiety and joy. There’s a sensitive portrait of marriage and family, friendship and kindness so that I finished the book feeling exactly how Jane describes such experiences (but you need to read Let The Bells Ring Out to discover what that is!). In  addition, there’s a real irony that whilst these characters are isolated, unmoving, on a snowed-in steam train, they go on the greatest emotional journey of discovery of their lives. 

There’s also an added extra layer of mystery in Let The Bells Ring Out but to say more would wander into spoiler territory. I found that aspect thought-provoking and again it led me into deeper contemplation. Just how much of coincidence is coincidence and how quick are we to judge others and allow flawed perception to cloud the truth? 

In case it’s not obvious, I loved this story. It entertained me unwaveringly. It made me think and it brought me enormous pleasure. There’s a real skill to bringing unalloyed joy into other people’s lives and Milly Johnson has it in spades. Don’t miss Let the Bells Ring Out. It’s glorious – the magical spirit of Christmas in book form. 

About Milly Johnson 

Milly Johnson was born, raised and still lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. She is the author of 23 novels, 4 short story ebooks, a book of poetry and a Quick Reads Novella (The Little Dreams of Lara Cliffe) and was an erstwhile leading copywriter for the greetings card industry. She is also a poet, a professional joke-writer, a newspaper columnist and a seasoned after dinner speaker.

She won the RoNA for Best Romantic Comedy Novel of 2014 and 2016, the Yorkshire Society award for Arts and Culture 2015, the Romantic Novelist Association Outstanding Achievement award in 2020, the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Romantic Novel Award in 2021 and the Richard Whiteley Award for Inspiration to the County of Yorkshire in 2022.

She writes about love, life, friendships and the importance of community spirit. Her books champion women, their strength and resilience and celebrate her beloved Yorkshire.

Her 23rd novel Let the Bells Ring Out is available now.

You can follow Milly on Twitter/X @millyjohnson and Facebook, or you can visit her website for more information. You’ll also find Milly on Instagram.