What an enormous pleasure to share my latest My Weekly magazine online review which this time is of Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency by Josie Lloyd. My enormous thanks to Sophie Calder for originally sending me a surprise copy of the book. I’m delighted to review it for My Weekly.

Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency was published by HQ on 24th October 2024 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency

Alice Beeton never meant to wind up single and childless on the wrong side of fifty. Like her distant relative Mrs Beeton – yes, that Mrs Beeton – she had hoped to have her own spic-and-span household by now. In reality, she lives in an immaculate but dingy basement flat in a rather shabby block in Kensington with Agatha, her fiercely intelligent, if rather over-territorial, corgi-Jack Russell cross.

Now Alice runs the Good Household Management Agency, providing discreet domestic staff to extravagant townhouses and sprawling country piles. So when Camille Messent calls in urgent need of a new housekeeper, Miss Beeton sends out new hire Enya. She’s rather forward but she does come with impeccable references and is fluent en français.

But in the early hours of New Year’s Day, Alice is rudely awakened with the news that Enya has been found dead. As the intriguing, if somewhat scruffy, Detective Rigby struggles to drum up an adequate investigation and the wealthy family and their party guests close rank, Miss Beeton takes it upon herself to solve the crime…

My Review of Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency

My full review of Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency is a fantastic murder mystery, filled with intrigue, subterfuge and a cast of sparkling characters – as well as some cracking recipes. I thought it was fabulous.

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Josie Lloyd

Josie Lloyd, also writing as Joanna Rees, is the Sunday Times No.1 bestselling international author of over twenty novels and has been translated into 27 languages. Come Together, which she co-authored with her husband Emlyn Rees, was number one for 10 weeks and made into a Working Title film. Josie Lloyd recently wrote contemporary women’s fiction novels The Cancer Ladies Running Club and Lifesaving for Beginners, which was a No.1 Bookseller Heatseeker. Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency is her first crime novel.

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

Lovely Isabelle Wilson at Headline recently sent me two beautiful Kew gift books for review. The first, Parched by Philip Clayton I reviewed here. Today it’s my absolute pleasure to share my review of the second Kew book, Fragrance by Josh Carter and Samuel Gearing.

Published by Welbeck on 24th October 2024, Fragrance is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Fragrance

The luxurious and evocative scents that have fragranced the world all have their roots firmly in nature. Kew: Fragrance explores the botanical origins of perfume, unveiling the science and secrets behind the most intoxicating ingredients and their journey from bloom to bottle.

From lemon, lavender and licorice to cumin, cardamom and cotton flower, Fragrance reveals the alchemy, cultural meaning and plant provenance of 100 key ingredients that make up the most seductive scents. With beautiful botanical illustrations from the Kew archive and expert text, this book is an enchanting exploration of scent and the plant origins of perfume.

My Review of Fragrance

An exploration of 100 plants and their fragrance.

As might be expected from an association with Kew gardens and two fragrance experts, Fragrance is a classy, elegant and superior book that would make a wonderful gift for gardeners and perfume lovers alike. The illustrations that come from the collections at Kew are breathtakingly beautiful and I loved the stark monochrome contrast of the chapter title pages. They have real impact.

Whilst the two co-authors have written fascinating and often quite poetic prose in Fragrance, the horticulturally scientific background text has been contributed by Kew’s own Eliot Jan-Smith and Melanie-Jayne R, so that there’s an expert authority to those aspects. Each of these elements is impressive in its own right, but combined they make a truly lovely gift book. I very much appreciated the glossary of perfumery terms at the start of the book and the index at the back, because I felt I was being gently educated as well as entertained.

There’s so much to discover here. Each entry is introduced by a pithy and frequently surprising comment. I always find it tricky to review non-fiction without simply regurgitating a few of the book’s contents, but I must just mention two aspects. Firstly, who knew the importance of mountain goats in perfumery? You’ll need to read Fragrance to discover why. Secondly, I was amazed at the inclusion of tomato leaves. Whilst roses, violets, lily of the valley and so on might have been expected, I had absolutely no concept of tomato leaves as an ingredient in perfume!

At the end of each section are examples of commercial perfumes where the plant plays a large role in their signature fragrance. I loved discovering the plants included in two of my favourite aromas, Trésor by Lancôme and J’Adore by Dior. As Trésor seems to be increasingly difficult to buy, I shall be investigating the other two perfumes with similar fragrance notes that are included.

Fragrance is a book to savour. It can be read in the order presented or dipped into so that it is not only beautiful, but it has longevity as a potential gift book. It has fascinating snippets of information that take readers from the blockades of the Napoleonic wars to Beyonce, so that there really is something for everyone to discover between its pages.

About Josh Carter

Josh Carter is a British fragrance expert based in London, UK. He trained with some of Britain’s most renowned perfumers and co-founded the acclaimed fragrance platform Fiole. This is his first book.

About Samuel Gearing

Samuel Gearing is a British fragrance expert based in London, UK. He trained under British and French perfumers and founded an agency to support artisan fragrance houses, before co-founding acclaimed fragrance platform Fiole. This is his first book.

Samuel and Josh are regular commentators on the art of perfumery and the fragrance industry at large. Their fragrance platform Fiole has become one of the UK’s leading stores for artisan brands and has been featured in the likes of GQ, Harpers Bazaar and the Evening Standard.

You can find Fiole on Instagram.

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My very grateful thanks to Aoifke McGuire at Penguin for sending me a copy of The Winter Runaway by Katie Flynn in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share that review today.

The Winter Runaway is published by Penguin in paperback on 24th October 2024 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

The Winter Runaway

Tammy and her mother, Grace, are desperate to escape Tammy’s violent bully of a father. But when an unforeseen tragedy strikes, mother and daughter must flee Scotland in the dead of night.

To survive the severest of penalties, they leave behind everything they know and love – including one another.

Under new identities, Tammy and Grace must start afresh. Tammy joins the services and there she meets a dashing officer who begins to break her guard down.

But can the course of true love ever run smooth with Tammy unable to reveal her true self?

My Review of The Winter Runaway

Tammy and her mother Grace need to leave their home, and quickly.

I thought The Winter Runaway was an excellent historical saga as the story is fast paced and as smooth as silk to read. This is testament to Katie Flynn’s skill in creating drama and drawing her reader into the story. I was entirely captivated from the first gripping sentence of the prologue to the very last word because the plot is pacy, filled with peril and both interesting and engaging to read.

Although the story is set authentically in the 1940s, Katie Flynn incorporates real relevance to today’s world, with her themes of feminism, social class, domestic abuse and war. As a result, the story is all the more impactful as modern readers can relate to the concepts whilst enjoying the historical accuracy. Such concepts add a mature depth to the storytelling too.

I thought the characters were finely drawn. The direct speech they use feels natural and helps uncover their personalities. The use of Scottish pronunciation is perfect, with enough to add colour but not so much as to slow pace or impede understanding. There’s more about Tammy than Grace in this first book of a new series so that we understand her more deeply and she’s entirely convincing. Her strength and resilience is balanced by her anxieties about her past life and her burning need to tell Cecil the truth. I felt every moment of her dilemma with her; particularly when it came to her conflicting feelings about Rory and Cecil. I genuinely didn’t know how I might respond in her situation so that the story had me hooked. I also really appreciated that, whilst Tammy’s father is truly dreadful, unlike some sagas, he is in the minority. Rory, Cecil, Harry and Archie illustrate that not all men have violent tendencies or hold sexist beliefs. 

I loved the ending To The Winter Runaway because there’s enough resolution to satisfy the narrative, but it’s so tantalising that I can’t wait for the next book in the series. It would be wonderful to see this excellent book picked up for Sunday night television drama as I think it would be perfect. Indeed, I think The Winter Runaway is my favourite sage read to date. It’s one of those books that I simply didn’t want to put down. I thought about what the characters might be doing when I wasn’t reading about them. Don’t miss it.

About Katie Flynn

Katie Flynn is the pen name of the much-loved writer, Judy Turner, who published over ninety novels in her lifetime. Judy’s unique stories were inspired by hearing family recollections of life in Liverpool during the early twentieth century, and her books went on to sell more than eight million copies. Judy passed away in January 2019, aged 82.

The legacy of Katie Flynn lives on through her daughter, Holly Flynn, who continues to write under the Katie Flynn name. Holly worked as an assistant to her mother for many years and together they co-authored a number of Katie Flynn novels.

Holly lives in the north east of Wales with her husband Simon and their two children. When she’s not writing she enjoys walking her dog Tara in the surrounding countryside, and cooking forbidden foods such as pies, cakes and puddings! She looks forward to sharing many more Katie Flynn stories, which she and her mother devised together, with readers in the years to come.

There’s more on Instagram and Facebook.

It’s almost 18 months since the lovely folk at Harper Collins sent me a proof of The Good Liars by Anita Frank and with the paperback release almost upon us, it’s high time I shared a full review. I am delighted to do so today.

Out in paperback on 24th October 2024 from HQ, The Good Liars is available for purchase in all formats through the links here.

Sadly, having chosen this fantastic book for my October The People’s Friend paperback bookshelf, a glitch in the new scheduling meant they forgot to include it! Such a shame as The Good Liars is one of my favourite reads this year and I’d have loved to promote it further.

The Good Liars

In the summer of 1914, a boy’s disappearance is overshadowed by looming war.

Six years later, Detective Sergeant Verity arrives at Darkacre Hall armed with new evidence regarding the boy’s case – evidence which throws the spotlight firmly upon the once-esteemed Stilwell family.

Darkacre’s grandeur has faded, and the Stilwells no longer command the respect they once took for granted. While brothers Maurice and Leonard carry the physical and mental scars of their war service, Maurice’s wife, Ida, longs for the lost days of privilege and parties.

As Verity digs deeper into the events of that final halcyon summer, he uncovers dark secrets with far-reaching consequences. And as he does so, Darkacre Hall becomes an unlikely battlefield – one that not all will survive.

My Review of The Good Liars

The inhabitants of Darkacre Hall have a new employee.

The Good Liars is blisteringly good. It has everything any reader might desire from complicated relationships, through murder and mystery to a hint of the supernatural. I absolutely loved it.

Anita Frank’s writing is fabulous. The immediacy of the continuous present tense, the naturalistic dialogue and the beautiful, stark and stunning descriptions that are so wonderfully evocative, all combine into a skilled, immersive and gripping story. Every sense is catered for and every emotion is engendered by the writing, from fear and apprehension to disdain and pity.

The plot itself is, in my opinion, perfect. The brittle Gatsby-esque feel of post First World War events, contrasting with the realistic depiction of war action, combined with a fast moving, creepy narrative makes The Good Liars totally riveting.  It’s one of those stories that draws in the reader completely. Certainly I guessed some of the plot’s aspects, but that made no difference to my enjoyment or engagement. In fact, I was all the more enthralled in witnessing the skill of Anita Frank in crafting her story. The title too couldn’t be more fitting. Liars abound, but some are better at it than others and some are more forgivable than others so that this is a narrative that questions morality. It makes the reader think even as they are entertained.

The reduced numbers of characters provide an intensity and intimacy that allows readers to witness their progression, and indeed decline, over the course of the book as they are gradually revealed. Through them Anita Frank illustrates mature and affecting themes, obviously exploring truth, as the title suggests, but also delving into love, marriage, war, guilt, forgiveness, spirituality, retribution, family, friendship and loyalty. Plot, character and theme are masterfully woven into a captivating, fantastic read and these strands are difficult to separate for individual comment as they are so integral and captivating. I loathed Ida with a passion, pitied Leonard (and equally felt conflicted and patronising in doing so), was unsettled by Victor and was entirely discombobulated by Maurice, unsure whether to feel sorry for him, or to think his evident shell shock distress was befitting and deserved – this maelstrom of reaction was very unsettling. And this is the ultimate power of The Good Liars. Whilst enormously entertaining, it is also profoundly, emotionally intelligent, illustrating how goodness and truth might be far less definitive than we imagine. 

I thought The Good Liars was a deliciously told tale of secrets, intrigue and truth. It’s perfect for reading next to a roaring fire and is one of my favourite novels this year. I could not have enjoyed it more. Not to be missed!

About Anita Frank

Born in Shropshire, Anita studied English and American History at the University of East Anglia. She now lives in Berkshire with her husband and three children.

For further information, follow Anita on Twitter/X @Ajes74 and Instagram.

My huge thanks to Isabelle Wilson at Headline for sending me a copy of Parched by  Philip Clayton in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to share my review of Parched today, not least because Philip lives just a few miles away from me!

Parched was published by Welbeck on 9th May 2024 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Parched

Dazzling, diverse, durable – discover the remarkable drought-proof plants that flourish in the driest environments.

With rainfall unpredictable and summers increasingly hot, plants that survive and thrive in these conditions have become more important than ever.

Through expert text and beautiful botanical illustrations from the archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Parched explores the captivating variety that exists in the world of dry plants. From poppies and palms to cypress and cyclamen, this stunning book showcases the incredible species that have become a mainstay of dry gardens around the world.

My Review of Parched

A compendium of 50 plants that survive and thrive in a dry garden.

Oh my goodness. Parched is wonderful. From the beautiful cover, through the glorious end papers of the hard backed edition I have, to the illustrations for every plant, this book is a visual delight. Forget those interested in gardening or horticulture, Parched will appeal to those who have an interest in art. The illustrations have come from Kew’s collection and with many being C19th watercolours, there’s so much to research and discover beyond the pages of Parched itself. I found myself spending time looking up the artists mentioned and discovering all manner of information. Indeed, Parched is almost a travelogue as Philip Clayton takes the reader to regions of the world where the plants originate. There are touches of history too.

Each of the entries is written with both authority and accessibility and is accompanied by those wonderful illustrations. With both horticultural and common names provided, it is easy to identify the plants and Philip Clayton provides a short resume of their characteristics before the more detailed information. The entries cover the origins of the plants, how they might be grown (including helpful suggestions for companion planting), potential problems and alternative varieties to try. It’s incredibly helpful to know the frost hardiness of the plants included, their mature size and whether they are affected by other environmental aspects such as wind or salt. Some plants were comfortingly familiar such as the verbena that is the staple of my own garden, but others felt more exotic and had the effect of making me more interested in plants and gardening again.

On a personal note, it gave me great pleasure to discover the inclusion of nerine bowdenii, which I had no idea was also called Bowden Lily – I just knew it as Nerines! You see, this flower always blooms in my parents’ garden every year over 6th October which is their wedding anniversary and feels all the more poignant now Dad is no longer with us.

With a comprehensive index at the back of the book, Parched is a volume to return to time and again. It really is the most perfect gift book and I thought it was quite brilliant.

About Philip Clayton

Philip Clayton is a freelance garden writer and editor, and one of the UK’s most knowledgeable horticulturists, having previously worked with the RHS for two decades, latterly as Deputy Editor of The Garden magazine. He has written hundreds of articles for a broad range of publications with expertise in garden plants, gardens (great and small) and nurseries. Phil’s knowledge is substantial, borne from personal endeavour and an appetite to grow a diverse selection of plants, currently in his small walled garden in Peterborough, one of the UK’s driest cities. His book, A Plant for Every Day of the Year, was published by Dorling Kindersley in October 2022.

For further information, follow Philip on X/Twitter @clayton_philip.

It’s my very great pleasure to share details of my latest My Weekly magazine online review. This time I’m thrilled to have read It’s Getting Hot in Here by Jane Costello. I’ve read and adored Jane’s books under her Catherine Isaac pen name (see here) but have never before read one of her Jane Costello books. I’m delighted to have put that right and my enormous thanks go to Jo Dickinson for originally sending me a copy of It’s Getting Hot in Here.

Published by Hodder on 17th October 2024, It’s Getting Hot in Here is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

It’s Getting Hot in Here

To the outside world, Lisa Darling looks like she has it all. A high-flying TV-executive and twice-divorced mother-of-two, she juggles her inbox and mum-duties with the calmness of a Buddhist monk. Even when her son’s pet hamster, Alan, suddenly gives birth to nine baby hamsters, Lisa takes it all in her stride.

Until handsome New Yorker Zach Russo arrives to replace Lisa’s best friend at work. There is something about Zach that just gets under Lisa’s skin and even her composure begins to crack.

When she clashes with Zach in the office (on an almost daily basis) Lisa feels hot and bothered. She tries to pass this off as one of the perimenopause symptoms she’s found on Google, until she finds herself in a sexy – and seriously ill-advised – clinch with him.

Could Lisa’s hot flashes actually be sparks? And is she ready to lose control and risk her heart again?

My Review of It’s Getting Hot in Here

My full review of It’s Getting Hot in Here can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that It’s Getting Hot in Here is a brilliantly relatable, laugh out loud romcom with added depth and a hero to get us all a little hot under the collar! I loved it.

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Jane Costello

Jane Costello writes bestselling romantic comedy books that celebrate all that’s great about midlife – and make you laugh about anything that isn’t.

She is the Sunday Times bestselling author of 15 novels, five of which were published as ‘Catherine Isaac’.

Her new book, It’s Getting Hot in Here, is a spicy rom com about a 40-something TV exec and mum-of-two navigating perimenopause, a moody teenager, the to-do list from hell . . . and some delightfully steamy thoughts about a handsome new colleague at work.

Her novels have been translated into 26 languages, selected by the Richard & Judy Book Club and she has won a Romantic Novelists’ Award twice. She was born in Liverpool, where she still lives with her husband and three sons.

For further information, follow Jane on Twitter/X @Jane_Costello_, visit her website or find Jane on Facebook and Instagram.

It’s my very great pleasure to share details of my latest My Weekly magazine online review. This time I was lucky enough to read A Christmas in Prague by Helga Jensen.

A Christmas in Prague was published by Canelo’s imprint Hera on 5th September 2024 and is available for purchase through the links here.

A Christmas in Prague

What if a last wish could mean a new love?

When Olivia’s beloved Aunt Grace passes, she leaves everything to her niece, with one condition: Travel to Prague and deliver a message to Grace’s long-lost true love, Marek.

The trouble is, Olivia’s world is getting smaller. Since her husband left her one heartbreaking Christmas Eve, she has found even getting into town a challenge, let alone travelling by herself to a different country.

But this is one adventure she has to take, if she is to honour Grace.

The snowy, magical city of Prague slowly starts to awaken her festive spirit, and as Marek’s nephew, Tomas, shows her around the gorgeous Christmas markets, Olivia begins to feel she can truly live again.

Grace never had her chance at love, but might Olivia’s secret Christmas wish come true and grant her a second chance at romance?

My Review of A Christmas in Prague

My full review of A Christmas in Prague can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that A Christmas in Prague is a charming and uplifting story that transports the reader through the wonderful descriptions right to the heart of Prague from the comfort of their own home whilst adding a sprinkle of festive romance. I really enjoyed it.

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Helga Jensen

Helga Jensen is an award-winning British/Danish best selling author and journalist. Her debut novel was a winning entry in the 2017 Montegrappa First Fiction competition at Dubai’s Emirates Literary Festival. Her debut was also a contender for the coveted 2021 Joan Hessayon Award for new writers. Helga’s best selling novel, Fly me to Paris, was a finalist for the 2024 Popular Romantic Fiction Award. Helga holds a BA Hons in English Literature and Creative Writing, along with a Creative Writing MA from Bath Spa University. She is currently finishing a PhD. Helga, who lived in the Middle East for much of her life, continues to work as a freelance journalist when not writing books. A former airline stewardess, she now has her feet firmly on the ground and lives with her wonderful family, including a mischievous Labradoodle who never stops making her laugh.

For further information, follow Helga on Twitter/X @HelgaJensenF and find her on Instagram and Facebook.

It’s my pleasure to welcome I J Miller to Linda’s Book Bag today to stay in with me and chat all about a book set in a ,location I love!

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with I J Miller

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag I.J. and thank you for staying in with me.

Thanks so much, Linda for having me. Always fun to hang out and talk books.

It is. So, tell me, which of your books have you brought along this evening and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought along my latest novel, just published in September, SURVIVING THE STORM. I’ve chosen it because I’m certainly looking to get the word out there about this book. And because of the eight books I’ve published, this one has the most fun plot, with the most exotic location (the Caribbean island of Antigua where I worked for eleven summers), and has so much to say about relationships…what makes them work, what doesn’t, what love is and isn’t.

I love visiting the Caribbean I. J. so I think SURVIVING THE STORM could be just my kind of read. What can we expect from an evening in with the book?

Many readers report they’ve read the book in one sitting. So what you can expect is a page-turner, set around a murder mystery whodunit, that examines the lives of three couples who work at a glamorous resort, each of a different age, struggling to manage their emotional lives, all suspects in the murder of a lascivious co-worker, Alvin, all with ample motive.

Sounds like Alvin may have got what was coming to him! Tell me more about the couples.

JOHN AND BECCA: Late 20s, newly married. He’s the assistant manager. She’s bored and depressed. John loves Becca but is immersed in the daily functions of maintaining a five-star resort and training for a local marathon. He discovers the unusual pleasure Becca finds in the arms of Alvin and knows he must put a stop to it.

There’s a motive right there!

ROB-O AND KATE: Late 30s, live together as a couple. He’s the waterfront director. She’s the aerobics instructor. He has a hard time making decisions. She likes everything perfect. A mis-match centred around their journey to find sexual fulfilment and love amid their many insecurities. Alvin steps in to help with the fulfilment, but gets in the way of their love, and they both desperately wish he would just BACK OFF!

I think Alvin might have been too much of a ‘good’ thing!

TWIGGY AND NED: She’s late 40’s. He’s late 50’s. Married. He’s the owner of the resort. She’s the elegant trophy-wife hostess. A couple of convenience only, as Ned is lost in a world of self-pleasure and autocracy, while Twiggy grapples with his indifference, snoring, cover stealing, colonial attitude, and her raging encounters with the handsomest, flirtiest, sexiest man on the island…Alvin! She’s discovered by Ned through a cruel twist of fate, and he gets in touch with the local island hitman…Hercules.

Crikey! It all sounds very entertaining. What have readers been saying about SURVIVING THE STORM?

Early comments include the following Linda:

“A taut, steamy and sometimes humorous murder mystery set at a 5-star resort in exotic Antigua and featuring a cast of colorful locals and transplants. The mystery will draw you in and the relationship portrayals will get you thinking.” ~S.M. Stevens, author of Beautiful and Terrible Things

“I.J. Miller never disappoints. Passion, mystery, and romance collide to create a captivating page-turner. Filled with dazzling scenarios to ignite your inner flame.” ~Susana Mayer, PhD, Founder, The Erotic Literary Salon.

“This no-holds barred mystery seamlessly blends a classic whodunit with gripping psychological suspense. Hurricane Hugo rips the lid off the glamor of a luxury resort to reveal six couples’ tawdry secrets, along with a man’s dead body.” ~Erica Obey, author of The Brooklyn North Murder

You must be thrilled with those responses.

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

I’ve brought along my favourite Island tee shirt, one that reminds me of the beauty of the Caribbean, the glorious, vibrant music that is so much a part of the Antigua culture, and the passionate, remarkable locals I met during my time there.  All of which inspired the words of this novel.

Love that T-shirt! You say the island, the music and the people. Could you give us a little taster from SURVIVING THE STORM please?

I can.

The island:

For him and his family it was love at first sight: the pristine grounds full of palm trees, perfectly manicured grass, beds of exotic, brilliantly colored flowers, resort rooms just yards from the Atlantic, hypnotized to sleep by the steady crash of waves, the beautiful, calm, clear Full Moon Bay on the other side of the bluff, perfect for water skiing, windsurfing, and sailing.

The music:

Each member of the band stood behind steel drums ranging in height and banged the calypso beat in perfect unison. Rob-O couldn’t take his eyes off her as they danced. She quickly caught on to the island style: feet forward and back, hips swaying side to side to the sound of drumsticks hitting steel. She added an occasional samba flourish—forward, back, a dramatic spin, as her ponytail flew—then faced right back at him without a missed step.

 The people:

 Alvin’s elderly neighbor waited by the ambulance. She wore a light blue dress, her grey hair wrapped tightly in a red scarf, black slippers on her feet, wrinkly arms wrapped around herself, face marked with deep lines of perpetual worry.

Reggie turned towards her. “When the last time you saw Alvin?”

“Haven’t seen him since before the storm,” Juanita replied. “Him don’t come home much.”

“Know where he usually spend the night?”

A wry laugh. All teeth and space again. “That be like me knowin all the places where the wind blow.”

I have a feeling Alvin is a man I must meet I.J.! Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about SURVIVING THE STORM. Let me give readers a few more details:

SURVIVING THE STORM

A STORM. A BODY. AND A LIST OF SUSPECTS WHO ALL HAVE SECRETS TO HIDE!

SURVIVING THE STORM is a sexy thriller about three dysfunctional couples working at a Caribbean resort who are desperately trying to navigate their emotional lives while being suspects in the murder of a co-worker.

September, 1989, Hurricane Hugo blasts the island of Antigua. Three couples, who live and work at an exclusive beachfront resort, shelter in the wine cellar along with the security guard. When the storm passes, the lifeless body of the resort’s handsome assistant manager is discovered on the property. Was he killed by flying debris or was it murder? A local detective is called in who gradually unravels the intimate connections between the dead man and the couples, putting them all in the crosshairs of his intense investigation.

Smart, sexy, and fun, SURVIVING THE STORM is a sensual murder mystery that explores the secret lives and emotional ups and downs of everyday people as it grips the reader in page-turning suspense right up to the surprising reveal at the end.

SURVIVING THE STORM was published on 17th September 2024 by Blank Slate and is available for purchase in all the usual places including Amazon, Bookshop.org and Barnes and Noble.

About I.J. Miller

Surviving the Storm is Miller’s 7th book of literary fiction.  Seesaw was translated into German & Spanish and sold 132k copies.  Miller’s Whipped was also translated into German. The audio version of Wuthering Nights was nominated for an Audie Award. Miller’s short stories have appeared in many anthologies, including The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica, 12 & 13. Miller also co-authored Promise Fulfilled: A Memoir of Immigrant Success, available in English & Spanish. Miller credits 17 summers of working in Antigua, St. Kitts, & St. Lucia with the inspiration for Surviving the Storm.

For further information, visit I.J. Miller’s website,  or find I.J. on Twitter/X @Heathcliffian and Facebook.

I confess I have never read a Jenny Colgan book before, so I am incredibly grateful to Alainna Hadjigeorgiou  at Hodder for sending me a copy of Jenny’s latest release, Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop.

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop is published by Hodder in paperback on 24th October and is available for purchase here. 

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop 

Carmen is at a loose end. Her gorgeous bookshop is the filming site of a cheesy Christmas movie, she’s been ousted from her sister’s house, and the love of her life has just flown thousands of miles away. It’s threatening to be a very unjolly Christmas indeed!

But when the elderly owner of the shop comes to Carmen with a Christmas wish that threatens to never come true, Carmen knows she must buckle down to get the funds to save not only his trip, but the shop itself. While fending off a shady tatt-selling businessman, Carmen discovers wonders to the shop she could have never imagined, and opens a labyrinth of bookish backrooms for the customers to get lost in.

With her deadline looming, it might take more than a fresh coat of paint to solve Carmen’s problems. But with the help of their neighbours, her nieces and nephew, and a very distractingly cute male nanny, Carmen might just pull her greatest magic trick yet…

My Review of Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop

Carmen is drifting through life, outstaying her welcome in sister Sofia’s home. 

What a smashing read Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop is. It plunges the reader right into the heart of Edinburgh and transports them to the Brazilian rain forest so that reading the story feels both entertaining and escapist. 

Jenny Colgan’s sense of place is vivid and convincing. It really feels as if you’re there in the Edinburgh bookshop, because the descriptions are so real and with all the senses catered for, from the taste of vegan sausage rolls, to the aroma of Spoons’s room, through the freezing temperatures in Mr McCredie’s home within the bookshop, to the sound of bagpipes murdering Christmas songs and the sight of Carmen’s window displays. All these aspects are incorporated with humour and a sharp eye for observation so that they create a rich background to the story. 

The characters also add to the humour, with the banter of direct speech, and the implication of what is not said every bit as important as what is spoken. Even the children Eric, Phoebe, Jack and Pippa enhance the lighter moments and I loved their inclusion which is a real testament to Jenny Colgan’s skill as normally I loathe reading about children, but here they are remarkably funny – often darkly so.

Carmen is the star of the story and what works so well is the fact that she is often selfish, quick tempered and snappy, making her relatable and realistic. The dynamics between Carmen and Oke add drama and Carmen’s relationship with Rudi is not only witty, but surprisingly affecting. We all need Rudi in our lives and I rather fell in love with him.

Aside from a charming, heart-warming and uplifting plot in Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop there are so many fantastic references to authors from the past as well as contemporary ones, that I not only thoroughly enjoyed this narrative, but have many others to discover too.

I thought the themes in the story were just lovely. Jenny Colgan shines a caring, yet scalpel sharp, light on family relationships, sibling rivalry, community and true friendship and on the way our high streets become taken over by uniform and poor quality material which prices out those trying to make an honest living. There is, of course, romance in the story, but it is not the main focus as Carmen learns what, and who, is really important in her life. Consequently, these aspects add up to a smashing read that embodies the true meaning of Christmas. 

I thought Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop was the kind of book simply calling out for a roaring fire, a snowy afternoon and a mug of hot chocolate as the perfect accompaniment to while away a few hours in the company of people whose lives feel authentic and true. It’s great fun.

About Jenny Colgan 

Jenny Colgan (born 1972 in Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland) is a writer of romantic comedy fiction, sci-fi and has written for the Dr Who line of stories. She writes under her own name and using the pseudonyms Jane Beaton and J. T. Colgan.

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