My enormous thanks to Comma Press for sending me a copy of The BBC National Short Story Award 2019 edited by Nikki Bedi in return for an honest review. This is the 14th National Short Story Award and this time the shortlist is inspired by #metoo, Trump and discrimination.

Supported by Cambridge University, this collection features stories by Lucy Caldwell, Lynda Clark, Jacqueline Crooks, Tamsin Grey and Jo Lloyd.

Published by Comma Press, The BBC National Short Story Award 2019 is available for purchase through the links here.

You can find out more about the anthology and the award, and meet the judges and finalists, here.

The BBC National Short Story Award 2019

A young boy takes delight in his mother’s ability to shapeshift from one animal to another, only realising how odd she is when it comes to parents evening…

The values of a small farming village are challenged by talk of a well-heeled community living on the other side of the lake that only one person can see…

A writer researching the life of a 19th century child custody reformer discovers all too many parallels between that century and ours…

The stories shortlisted for the 2019 BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University variously explore the sanctity of the home and family, and the instinct to defend what’s closest to us. Against a backdrop of danger or division, characters sometimes struggle – like the 15-year-old charged with looking after her siblings whilst her mother works through the night – and sometimes succumb – like the young woman who allows herself to be manipulated by an older, richer man. But in each case, these stories demonstrate what Nikki Bedi argues in her introduction: short stories are not a warm-up act, they’re the main event.

My Review of The BBC National Short Story Award 2019

Five short stories written by women.

The BBC National Short Story Award 2019 collection is a joy. No wonder these are the shortlisted stories for this prestigious award. Each one is a skilled delight to encounter and each one transports the reader to another identity, time or place so convincingly.

Before commenting on the stories, I must say something about the appropriateness of the cover illustration by David Eckersall. The Russian doll motif is particularly fitting because it suggests traditional story telling, layers to uncover and a multiple femininity that echoes the narratives (and an aspect of Lucy Caldwell’s The Children in particular). I also loved the inclusion of Nikki Bedi’s introduction and the information at the end of the book about the authors, the award and its partners, and the list of previous winners as I now have a cornucopia of new-to-me writing to discover.

There’s a distinct authorial or character voice behind each tale so that reading The BBC National Short Story Award 2019 felt a bit like attending a party where I was meeting fascinating new people for the first time. Direct speech is natural and engaging although I did have to concentrate to follow all of the patois in Jacqueline Crooks’ Silver Fish in the Midnight Sea. This is by no means a criticism because that level of concentration meant I got so much from the story and when I read it aloud to myself the beautiful rhythms and meanings made so much more sense. And that’s the thing with this anthology. I read each story at least twice over a couple of days and found they took on a new identity if they were read aloud or read at different times of the day. The BBC National Short Story Award 2019 a less an anthology and more a living, breathing entity.

There’s so much to discover and enjoy in these five stories. I especially appreciated the mysticism and magical realism that runs through quite a lot of the writing. Each author is skilled in developing their tale, providing endings that are completely fitting and yet manage to leave the reader pondering and reflecting on what they have read. It is as if the stories have a life beyond the confines of their written structure. They felt quite mercurial in a sense, so that it is as if they are reluctant to stay between the cover pages of the book. I also felt a kind of wistfulness, what Jo Lloyd perhaps might call hiraeth, as I finished each one.

There is both a sense of history (in Jo Lloyd’s The Invisible) and modernity (especially in Lucy Caldwell’s The Children and Tamsin Grey’s My Beautiful Millennial) as well as the exploration of otherness (in Jacqueline Crooks’ Silver Fish in the Midnight Sea and Lynda Clark’s Ghillie’s Mum) so that all readers with a preference for different eras and genres will find something for them in this little volume to match their reading taste. Great enjoyment came for me too in finding echoes of other books I have enjoyed through reading these stories. Lynda Clark’s Ghillie’s Mum had resonances of Pullman’s daemons from His Dark Materials, for example, but not one of these short stories is derivative or hackneyed. Each one is an individual delight, carefully crafted, affecting and beautifully written.

The characters in each story are alive with vitality and enchantment. Martha in particular appealed to me and I loved Ghillie’s mother, but in each story I found someone to relate to or who captivated me.

However, aside from the pure entertainment of The BBC National Short Story Award 2019, this anthology is a thought provoking reflection of today’s society. The prejudices we hold, the treatment of those who are ‘other’ than we are, the way those with money are so often seen as superior to those who are poor, our relationships and our behaviour towards those with unconventional lives or mental health issues are just a few of the themes explored.

I thoroughly enjoyed The BBC National Short Story Award 2019 and I can see myself returning to it time and again to enjoy the stories and to find new elements each time I read them. I really recommend them as they represent short stories at their very best.

About the Editor

Nikki Bedi is a television and radio broadcaster with a passion for making arts and culture accessible.

She currently curates, writes and presents The Arts Hour on the BBC World Service, their flagship arts and culture programme, which once a month becomes The Arts Hour On Tour, a show that is travelling across the globe, one country at a time, to bring the hottest names, talents and issues to the airwaves and to 75 million listeners.

Nikki has most recently been seen on TV presenting the topical, weekly arts and entertainment programme Front Row, on BBC 2 on Saturday nights. She’s a regular interviewer and presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends and has presented Front Row and Woman’s Hour on the same station.

Describing herself as ‘glocal’, Nikki’s work is both global and local and her Sunday morning show on BBC Radio London keeps her at the heart of the capital’s radio station.

Born to an Indian father and English mother, Nikki began her career in Mumbai as both a stage and film actress and worked with some of India’s finest directors. Her foray into the world of presenting came when the UK’s Channel 4 gave her a talk show, Bombay Chat and its success prompted Star TV in Asia to give her a primetime chat show called Nikki Tonight, which became Asia’s most widely viewed and most controversial talk show. After spending time living and working in Los Angeles, Nikki returned to the UK to become the face of Universal’s film channel The Studio and also presented the live movie show Worldwide Screen on NOW TV.

You can visit Nikki’s website and follow her on Twitter @nikkibedi for more information.

I have a confession. Despite so many of my blogger friends raving about Linwood Barclay’s writing, I’ve never actually read one of his books before, so when I was given the opportunity to read Elevator Pitch, I thought I’d give it a go. I’m so pleased I did and that I have my review to share today.

Published on 5th September 2019 by Harper Collins imprint HQ, Elevator Pitch is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Elevator Pitch

It all begins on a Monday, when four people board an elevator in a Manhattan office tower. Each presses a button for their floor, but the elevator proceeds, non-stop, to the top. Once there, it stops for a few seconds, and then plummets.

Right to the bottom of the shaft.

It appears to be a horrific, random tragedy. But then, on Tuesday, it happens again, in a different Manhattan skyscraper. And when Wednesday brings yet another high-rise catastrophe, one of the most vertical cities in the world – and the nation’s capital of media, finance, and entertainment – is plunged into chaos.

Clearly, this is anything but random. This is a cold, calculated bid to terrorize the city. And it’s working. Fearing for their lives, thousands of men and women working in offices across the city refuse leave their homes. Commerce has slowed to a trickle. Emergency calls to the top floors of apartment buildings go unanswered.

Who is behind this? What do these deadly acts of sabotage have to do with the fingerless body found on the High Line? Two seasoned New York detectives and a straight-shooting journalist must race against time to find the answers . . .

Pulsating with tension, Elevator Pitch is a riveting tale of psychological suspense that is all too plausible . . . and will chill readers to the bone.

My Review of Elevator Pitch

An elevator accident may be more than it seems…

Never having read anything by Linwood Barclay before I wasn’t quite prepared for the highly effective Hitchcock-like plotting and delivery in Elevator Pitch. There’s a build up of tension in the story that is actually quite filmic and visual that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Having lived in Manhattan and worked around New York for a short while, I found the setting described perfectly so that I felt there was an authenticity to what I hope will only ever be a fictional situation because it is very unnerving!

The narrative is exciting, with what seems at first to be diverse and separate strands woven together cleverly to create a very satisfying novel. Elevator Pitch is a deceptive book too as Linwood Barclay feeds in diversions that wrong foot the reader providing surprises along the way. I really liked the manner in which I found out details at the same time as Barbara, Jerry and Lois. Linwood Barclay’s style is brisk and pacy so that the reader is swept along in events making for an exciting read.

One of the greatest successes of Elevator Pitch for me was the characterisation. Jerry Bourque’s back story gave him a humanity that elevated him (if you’ll pardon the pun) above the usual maverick, world weary, detectives of so many crime thrillers I have read. Here, instead, is a man with heart and a conscience. I’m hoping there will be more involving him in future books. I found the family dynamics between Richard Headley and his son Glover both enlightening and very sad. The effect of a parent on a child – of whatever age – can be deeper than any might imagine. I thoroughly appreciated the feisty Barbara, especially when I was afforded an insight into her softer and more emotional side.

Thematically, there’s much to mull in Elevator Pitch and once the book has been read as a fast paced thriller, I think it would reward a second perusal to concentrate on the concepts of power, politics, corruption, PTSD, revenge, terrorism, relationships and society. Having said that, I thought the premise for the novel was possibly more than exciting enough for me on its own. I am claustrophobic so avoid lifts as much as I can so that I frequently felt physically uncomfortable whilst I was reading. Elevator Pitch has definitely not left me any more inclined to enjoy the enclosed spaces of lifts!

I really did enjoy Elevator Pitch and it has persuaded me that I’ve left it too long to discover Linwood Barclay as a writer. This won’t be my last reading of his books, but I think it was a very good place to start.

About Linwood Barclay

Linwood Barclay is an international bestselling crime and thriller author with over twenty critically acclaimed novels to his name, including the phenomenal number one bestseller No Time For Goodbye. Every Linwood Barclay book is a masterclass in characterisation, plot and the killer twist, and with sales of over 7 million copies globally, his books have been sold in more than 39 countries around the world and he can count Stephen King, Shari Lapena and Peter James among his many fans.

Many of his books have been optioned for film and TV, and Linwood wrote the screenplay for the film based on his bestselling novel Never Saw It Coming. He is currently working with eOne to turn the Promise Falls trilogy into a series. Born in the US, his parents moved to Canada just as he was turning four, and he’s lived there ever since. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Neetha. They have two grown children.

You can follow Linwood on Twitter @linwood_barclay, visit his website and find him on Facebook for more information.

My enormous thanks to the lovely folk at Harper Collins for allowing me to read Rewrite the Stars by Emma Heatherington through Netgalley. I adored Emma’s The Legacy of Lucy Harte and you’ll find my review of that book here.

Rewrite the Stars was published by Harper Collins in ebook on 6th September 2019 and is also available for pre-order in paperback through the publisher links here.

Rewrite the Stars

From the moment they meet one December day there’s something between Charlotte Taylor and her brother’s best friend, Tom Farley. But Tom’s already taken and Charlie has to let him go…

It’s another five years before their paths cross again only a secret from the past forces Charlie to make a choice. She promises herself she’ll never look back…

The years pass and Charlie moves on with her life but she can never forget Tom. He’s always there whispering ‘What if?’.

Can Charlie leave the life she has built for one last chance with Tom?  Or is the one that got away not really the one at all…?

My Review of Rewrite the Stars

Charlotte’s life is about to be turned upside down.

Oh my word, Rewrite the Stars is a lovely book. It had the same effect on me as slipping into clean bedding, taking off uncomfortable shoes and putting up my feet, or taking the first sip of tea when I’ve been desperate for a cup all day. I found it comforting, uplifting and affecting. I know there will be those who would never dream of picking up Rewrite the Stars, believing it to be too ‘girly’ (or whatever derogatory adjective they might like to apply) for their reading tastes, but they will be so foolish. They will have denied themselves a gorgeous story, smooth and skilled writing and plotting, with characters and themes that feel true and genuine.

I admit that I railed against Charlotte’s actions and choices at times, but I understood her completely through Emma Heatherington’s perfect creation of character. Here is a young woman who strives to find her way in life; exactly as we all do. Charlotte’s first person voice is distinct, making her words feel intimate and allowing the reader to access her innermost thoughts and feelings. She is natural and self-critical so that her fears and desires become those of Emma Heatherington’s readers too. The men in Charlie’s life are all distinctly drawn, making for a cast that feels so vivid and real. Just like Charlotte, I had no idea which of them I had the most genuine feelings for so that I felt her indecision and concerns with her.

As is so often the case for me, what I enjoyed most about Rewrite the Stars, however, was the sensitive exploration of themes. Emma Heatherington seems to understand at an almost primeval level how we need love and affirmation to be able to create our own individual identities. She also conveys flawlessly the human emotions of guilt, love and regret and she convinces the reader that what we may have been in the past may have helped shape who we are today but that it doesn’t need to dominate who we are in the future. I found this message very powerful indeed.

Rewrite the Stars is a brilliant story; very moving, beautifully written and, for me, a completely uplifting read. I thought it was utterly lovely and cannot recommend it highly enough.

About Emma Heatherington

Emma Heatherington has penned more than thirty educational short films, plays and musicals as well as eleven novels, two of which were written under the pseudonym Emma Louise Jordan.

She was ghost-writer to Irish country music legend Philomena Begley and Liverpool born Nathan Carter, whose autobiography Born for the Road was nominated for an Irish Book Award.

Emma’s novel, The Legacy of Lucy Harte, was an eBook bestseller in both the UK and US.

Emma lives in her native Donaghmore, Co Tyrone, with her partner Jim McKee and their children Jordyn, Jade, Dualta, Adam and Sonny James.

For more information you can follow Emma on Twitter @emmalou13 and find her on Facebook.

It’s been far, far too long since I last featured lovely Adele Parks properly on Linda’s Book Bag. I first encountered Adele at a blogger evening two years ago in an event you can read about here. Following that event I reviewed Adele’s The Stranger in My Home here. More recently I was delighted to spend time chatting with Adele at the #DestinationHQ evening which you can read about here, and where I first heard about Lies Lies Lies that I am delighted to review today.

Lies Lies Lies was published by Harper Collins imprint HQ on 5th September 2019 and is available for purchase through the links here.

Lies Lies Lies

Daisy and Simon’s marriage is great, isn’t it?

After years together, the arrival of longed-for daughter Millie sealed everything in place. A happy little family of three.

And so what if Simon drinks a bit too much sometimes – Daisy’s used to it, she knows he’s letting off steam. Until one night at a party things spiral horribly out of control. And that happy little family of three will never be the same again.

In Lies Lies Lies Sunday Times bestseller Adele Parks explores the darkest corners of a relationship in freefall in a mesmerising tale of marriage and secrets.

My Review of Lies Lies Lies

Simon’s increasing reliance on alcohol will have more repercussions than he can ever imagine.

Oh my goodness! What clever storytelling from Adele Parks. There’s a gradual and escalating build up of events around Simon’s alcohol dependency that initially feels very measured and controlled and then just when the reader is lulled into thinking they have the measure of Lies Lies Lies Adele Parks delivers a punch that leaves them reeling and she doesn’t let up. I was ensnared and engrossed throughout.

There’s quite a cast of characters in Lies Lies Lies who all represent a fascinating microcosm of middle class society. I utterly abhorred Simon and felt guilty that I didn’t feel more empathy for his problems and then I fell in love with him and felt guiltier still. Never mind an author making their characters have strong reactions – Adele Parks causes equally profound feelings in her readers too. Unlike Simon, Daisy, however, held my sympathy throughout. I didn’t always agree with her behaviour so that she frustrated me, infuriated me and at times appalled me, but I always wanted her to triumph.

I loved the themes in Lies Lies Lies. Adele Parks understands completely and conveys so convincingly how precarious life can be. Her picture of addictive or controlling behaviour, her illustration of prison life and her exploration of love, obsession and, of course, deceit are all pitch perfect. Lies come in all forms in this novel and the fine line between adhering to the truth with perhaps an occasional white lie, and the gradual insidious and perverting build up of greater untruths feels terrifyingly accurate. So many layers add interest and depth and it’s obvious the author comprehends fully how we can make irrational and even harmful choices in our lives.

Lies Lies Lies is a superb story. Character driven, it compels the reader into a world where they don’t want to be because some of the action is so emotionally disturbing, but that they are unable to leave until they have devoured every word. I thought it was a cracking read.

About Adele Parks

Adele Parks was born in Teesside, North East England. Her first novel, Playing Away, was published in 2000, and since then she’s had seventeen international bestsellers, translated into twenty-six languages. She’s been an ambassador for The Reading Agency and a judge for the Costa Book Awards, and is a keen supporter of The National Literary Trust. Adele has lived in Italy, Botswana and London and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey, with her husband, son and cat.

You can follow Adele on Twitter @adeleparks, find her on Facebook and visit her website for more information.

It’s just over two years since Moira Forsyth appeared on Linda’s Book Bag with a smashing guest post linked to her book A Message From The Other Side. You can read that post here alongside my review. Today I’m delighted finally to have a review of another of Moira’s books, Tell Me Where You Are and would like to thank Sandstone Press for sending me a copy of the book in return for an honest opinion.

Published by Sandstone Press in paperback on 16th May 2019, Tell Me Where You Are is available for purchase through the links here.

Tell Me Where You Are

Maybe the worst thing hadn’t happened yet. You couldn’t know the awful things lined up in the future, looming.

The last thing Frances wants is a phone call from Alec, the husband who left her for her sister thirteen years ago. But Susan has disappeared, abandoning Alec and her daughter Kate, a surly teenager with an explosive secret. Reluctantly, Frances is drawn into her sister’s turbulent life.

My Review of Tell Me Where You Are

Frances has no contact with her ex-husband, Alec, after he left her for her sister Susan, but that is about to change.

I think if readers are looking for a visceral thriller with several twists and turns Tell Me Where You isn’t the book for them. However, I found Tell Me Where You an intimate and sensitive portrait of family life, sibling rivalries and our desperate need to be loved and to belong and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

I thought the title was inspired because although ostensibly it refers to Susan throughout, who is missing, many of the characters are looking for happiness, their own identity, a relationship and so on, giving Tell Me Where You are multiple meanings. I don’t wish to sound patronising, but I do believe readers need a level of maturity (which isn’t necessarily linked with age) fully to appreciate the nuances of family dynamics explored by Moira Forsyth. I thought her perception and presentation was spot on.

Reading Tell Me Where You Are felt a bit like viewing a kaleidoscope because the different characters’ perceptions acted as refracted light, and the patterns and dynamics within Frances’s family shifted and changed like the pieces of a kaleidoscope so that I understood the balance within the family perfectly.  I felt Moira Forsyth had observed the people in her narrative every bit as closely and effectively as does Austen in Mansfield Park for example. There’s bigotry, disappointment, resignation, stoicism, jealousy, love and so many other emotions that bubble and surface, subside and simmer, that add depth and interest to this family story.

There’s considerable care and thought that has gone into the creation of character by the author. I loathed Alec. He made my skin crawl and had I been Frances I think his treatment might have been very different! Frances is a real Everywoman. She tries to manage the demands of being both mother and daughter, sister and individual in a way so many readers will relate to. Even though I have never been a mother, I was able to comprehend her perspective completely because of the successful way she is drawn by Moira Forsyth. Susan, on the other hand, brought out the very worst in me. Whilst she has mental health issues to which I felt I should be sympathetic, I also found her behaviour selfish and hurtful at the best of times so she didn’t gain my empathy and this made me uncomfortable. It doesn’t sit well with me not to have sympathy for those with mental health issues and Moira Forsyth has got under my skin and made me doubt myself. This is such clever writing. I found Tell Me Where You Are both thoughtful and thought-provoking.

Tell Me Where You Are is a book that somehow seems to be more than the sum of its parts. It is insightful, providing so much for the reader to consider. Moira Forsyth doesn’t provide all the answers by the end of the narrative and I liked the story all the better for that because life isn’t always neatly resolved and packaged to our satisfaction. I’ve finished Tell Me Where You Are with a feeling that these characters live on outside the book as real people. I rather hope I’ll meet them again some day.

About Moira Forsyth

Moira Forsyth is the author of five novels, and a published poet and short story writer. She has been a registrar of births, deaths and marriages, sold hotels and catering properties, been a bookshop manager, a lecturer and schoolteacher, and taught in a Young Offenders’ Institution. Moira is now an editor, and has worked on a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books. Moira has two grown-up children (non-resident), two cats (resident), and lives in the Highlands of Scotland.

You can follow Moira on Twitter @moira_forsyth.

I’m genuinely thrilled to feature lovely Shelley Wilson on Linda’s Book Bag once again. It’s been a while since Shelley ‘stayed in’ with me in a post you can read here.

I’ve previously interviewed Shelley here on the blog and she has explained here why she writes for the self-help market. Speaking of which, I have reviewed one of Shelley’s self-help books, Motivate Me: Weekly Guidance for Happiness and Wellbeing here too.

Today, thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things I am reviewing another of Shelley’s books, Meditation for Children.

Meditation for Children which is is published by BHC Press ais available for purchase here.

My review of Meditation for Children

From the moment I read Shelley Wilson’s introduction to Meditation for Children I felt its effect. The author has such a no-nonsense practical approach that the reader feels as if they can do exactly what she’s suggesting with ease. Quite frankly, once I’d read the breathing exercise in the opening ‘How to’ section I already felt more relaxed myself – never mind any children with whom the technique might be shared.

I think the way in which each of the ten meditations is structured is so well done. There’s a routine that could quite easily be one that older children could use for themselves independently, aside from sessions with adults using Meditation for Children. I could easily imagine an anxious child using the breathing technique to calm themselves in stressful situations.

Each story is short and accessible with situations that appeal to all children regardless of gender. The stories are entertaining whilst affording imaginative development and activities. I could envisage drama and role play as well as the suggested art work.

I must also acknowledge the lovely illustrations by Phaedra Elson. They have a naive quality and charm that appeals to adults and children alike. It would be lovely to discuss them with children if the meditations are used during the day so that youngsters can think about colour and art as well as enjoying the meditations and learning to relax.

I thought Meditation for Children was a super book, being practical, thoughtful and helpful. I really recommend it for children, but will be applying the techniques in my own adult life too.

About Shelley Wilson

Shelley Wilson divides her writing time between motivational non-fiction for adults and the fantasy worlds of her young adult fiction.

Her non-fiction books combine motivation and self-help with a healthy dose of humour, and her YA novels combine myth, legend and fairy tales with a side order of demonic chaos.

Shelley’s multi-award-winning motivational personal development blog has received several awards and has been named a Top 10 UK Personal Development Blog.

Shelley is an obsessive list maker who loves pizza, vampires, mythology, and history. She resides in Solihull, West Midlands, UK, where she lives with her three teenagers.

You can find out more about Shelley on her author blog or via her personal development blog. You can also follow Shelley on Twitter @ShelleyWilson72 and find her on Facebook (or here on Facebook for YA writing) and Instagram.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

It’s far too long since I last reviewed a book by Paula Daly – in fact her novel The Mistake I Made (the basis for the recent television series Deep Water) was one of the earliest reviews I ever wrote on Linda’s Book Bag and you can see that review (and how the blog has evolved) here. My very grateful thanks to Hayley Barnes for sending me a surprise copy of Paula Daly’s latest book, Clear My Name, in return for an honest review.

Clear My Name was published by Penguin imprint Bantam Press on 5th August 2019 and is available for purchase through these links.

Clear My Name

Innocent?

When Carrie was accused of brutally murdering her husband’s lover, she denied it. She denied it when they arrested her, when they put her in front of a jury, and when they sent her to prison.

Now she’s three years into a fifteen-year sentence, away from the daughter she loves and the life she had built. And she is still denying that she is to blame.

Guilty?

Tess Gilroy has devoted her life to righting wrongs. Through her job for Innocence UK, a charity which takes on alleged miscarriages of justice, she works tirelessly to uncover the truth.

But when she is asked to take Carrie’s case, Tess realises that if she is to help this woman, she must risk uncovering the secrets she has struggled a lifetime to hide . . .

We’ve all done things we’re not proud of…

My Review of Clear My Name

Tess spends her life trying to overturn miscarriages of justice.

Clear My Name is a hugely entertaining read. Paula Daly takes what should be a straightforward premise – those wrongfully convicted should be freed from prison – and then wrongfoots her reader at every turn as she forces them to confront her blurred presentation of morality so that by the end of the story I wasn’t entirely sure of right and wrong. I was so wrapped up in the events that I read the book in one uninterrupted sitting as I couldn’t wait to find out what happened.

The narrative is deftly plotted meaning that I had no idea whether Carrie was innocent or guilty as Tess tried to uncover the facts behind her conviction. I loved the way Paula Daly gradually uncovered evidence in a way that placed me in a similar position to Alice, learning from Tess, as the narrative progressed. I’m still not sure what I feel about Carrie, now I know the outcome of the story, but you’ll have to read it for yourself to see what happens! I thoroughly enjoyed the fast pace of the novel and the drip feeding of Tess’s background as the investigation progresses too.

I found Tess a fascinating character and Clear My Name was actually more about her than Carrie, whose conviction is the catalyst for the action. Tess is multifaceted with many flaws, and the parallels between her own experiences and the other women in Clear My Name, made me think hard about what constitutes morality, or good and bad behaviour, particularly in relationships. Paula Daly shows her readers completely successfully that the distinction isn’t always clear cut. I think it is a sign of good writing and a compelling character that I’m still thinking about Tess and wondering what is happening to her now that the novel is over.

Clear My Name is clever, entertaining and full of thought provoking aspects that I really appreciated. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and recommend it very highly.

About Paula Daly

Paula Daly is the acclaimed author of six novels. She has been shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for Crime Novel of the Year award, and her books have been developed for the new ITV television series, Deep Water, starring Anna Friel. She was born in Lancashire and lives in the Lake District with her husband, three children, and whippet, Skippy.

You can follow Paula on Twitter @PaulaDalyAuthor and find her on Facebook.

Shortly after we’d landed in Rio a few years ago and we were being transported to our hotel, my husband and I were somewhat disconcerted to be told the coach lights were out and the curtains drawn to make it more difficult for us to be shot on the way. We were also told not to take much money or any valuables when we went out and that it was’t wise for me to wear jewellery. Copacabana beach was to be avoided after dark. Well, we loved Rio and Brazil in spite of the dire warnings.

Since then, I became aware of A.D. Flint’s setting for The Burning Hill was Rio and I having featured 10 things about him here on Linda’s Book Bag, I have been meaning to read the book.

My enormous thanks to A. D. Flint for sending me a copy of The Burning Hill and my apologies that it has taken nine months to reach the top of my TBR.

Published by Unbound, The Burning Hill is available for purchase here.

The Burning Hill

On the run from unjust court-martial back home, a young British soldier gets robbed and shot on Copacabana Beach. The bullet in Jake’s head should have been fatal but, miraculously, it saves him from a previously undetected condition that soon would have killed him.

Jake doesn’t believe in fate, nor does he feel he owes anything to anybody, but he does hate injustice. Vilson, the teenage favela kid who fired the bullet, is a victim of injustice, in a deadly corner with a corrupt cop and a sadistic drug-lord after his blood.

With a turf war erupting in Vilson’s favela, fear stalks every narrow alleyway, and anyone dragged up to the notorious Burning Hill had better hope they’re dead before they get there. But it’s not just fear that shapes life in the favela: belief is also powerful, able to both save and destroy.

The Burning Hill is about the power of belief and one man’s desire for justice at any cost.

My Review of The Burning Hill

Jake’s escape to Brazil may not be the panacea he’s searching for.

By rights I shouldn’t have enjoyed The Burning Hill. At its heart is the kind of injustice and unfairness that I abhor and there is a level of violence outside my usual reading comfort zone. However, I thought The Burning Hill was a fabulous read because the quality of A.D. Flint’s prose is so finely wrought that he draws in the reader and compels them to continue even as they feel uncomfortable and challenged by the content. Not only is this an exciting and thrilling read, but it is so well written too.

The Burning Hill begins dramatically and maintains the adrenaline throughout. It’s fortunate that chapters are short, which adds to the pace, because I’m not sure my heart could have tolerated the thumping of fear and excitement I experienced reading The Burning Hill. I was enthralled by the story and completely unable to tear myself away even when I found the content disturbing. I had to keep pausing to allow my pulse to subside because A. D. Flint understands exactly how to control his reader’s feelings and emotions.

I found the characters extremely vivid and real. Their flawed personalities and lives are sadly all too familiar to those living in poverty so that A. D. Flint shines an unflinching spotlight on the realities of day to day existence for those caught up in drugs, gangs and violence. Jake is the perfect example of an anti-hero whom the reader cannot help but admire. I found his version of morality a convincing antidote to the corruption of organisations like the police. My heart went out to Vilson so that I wanted him to triumph because I understood perfectly the reasons for his behaviour.

And it is the themes of corruption, the poverty, the sense of family, friendship and identity underpinning the dramatic narrative that add such depth to The Burning Hill. As well as being a very engaging and entertaining thriller, I think The Burning Hill is a hugely important book. A. D. flint does not shy away from presenting the realities of street life in Brazil and his engrossing and well-crafted prose ensures those reading his story are left in no doubt about how so many have to struggle simply to exist. The shimmering undercurrent of superstition adds an extra layer of interest too and I found the concept of honour completely fascinating.

The Burning Hill is a novel I would not usually pick up. Had that been the case I would have missed a gripping narrative, brilliantly written and heart-thumpingly exciting. I really recommend it, regardless of your usual preferred reading genres. It’s a corker!

About A.D. Flint

On a June afternoon in 2000 there was a robbery just a few blocks from where the A.D. Flint  was living in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro. It turned into a hostage situation. The teenage robber had survived a notorious massacre of street children outside a Rio church years before, and the tragedy that played out in the aftermath of the robbery on live TV news was an embodiment of the desperation of life at the bottom of the heap. An ugly thing in this beautiful city, shocking, even to a society inured to everyday violence.

As an Englishman new to Rio, the author was beguiled by the city, and found it profoundly disturbing to watch something happening just down the road that was so out of control and so wrong. The author spent a year in Brazil and now lives on the south coast of England with his Brazilian wife and two sons.

You can follow A.D. Flint on Twitter @brazil_thriller. You can visit The Burning Hill website and find A.D. Flint on Facebook.

It’s a true pleasure to be participating in the paperback blog tour for Dead Inside by Noelle Holten today, because not only is she an absolute delight to know, as well as being a cracking author, but blog tour organiser Sarah Hardy of Books on the Bright Side publicity was one of the first fellow bloggers I met in person, so both these ladies have a special place in my blogging life.

Already available in e-book, Dead Inside is published in paperback today, 22nd August 2019, by One More Chapter and is available for purchase here.

Dead Inside

‘Hugely confident … harrowing, visceral … recommended’ Ian Rankin

‘Kept me hooked’ Angela Marsons

‘An excellent read’ Martina Cole

‘Gritty, dark and chilling’ Mel Sherratt

A dark and gripping debut crime novel – the first in a stunning series – from a huge new talent.

The killer is just getting started…

When three wife beaters are themselves found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet.

The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood – who is connected to all three victims – is hiding a dark secret. Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered.

And he is Lucy’s husband.

Now the police are running out of time, but can Maggie really believe her friend Lucy is a cold-blooded killer?

My Review of Dead Inside

Starting a new job for DC Maggie Jamieson could be a case of out of the frying pan…

Dead Inside surprised me. I was expecting a gritty and visceral story which indeed it it as times, but I hadn’t reckoned on the absolutely fascinating insight into multi-agency working, or domestic abuse and its consequences that Noelle Holten presents so utterly convincingly. Here is a writer who understands and manages to convey disturbingly realistically what it is like to present a public persona of confidence whilst simultaneously being dead inside. I felt Dead Inside had a depth I wasn’t expecting and reading it has made me look anew at society so that I feel I am less naive and accepting after reading this book. Not only do I understand the impact of domestic abuse better, I understand the reasons for it too much more clearly.

That sensitivity acknowledged, there’s a fast paced and gripping story to enjoy. Dead Inside opens with a violent and dramatic prologue that sets the tone for many of the successive scenes in the narrative. Whilst there is considerable violence sometimes very graphically described, as well as a liberal use of expletives, I never felt any of it was gratuitous. Noelle Holten conveys the reality of the people in her story very vividly. I loved the short chapters because the book’s structure adds to the pace brilliantly.

Initially it took me a while to remember who all the characters were but as this is the first in a new series of books where many need to be established, I think that is to be expected and, because they are clearly drawn, flawed and very human, I soon worked out who was who. I especially liked the fact that DC Maggie Jamieson isn’t fully revealed in Dead Inside. We are given snippets about her and hints for the future that are clever hooks and have left me wanting to know more about her.

The person I was most intrigued by was Lucy. Ostensibly a successful career woman, she has an abusive home life that she manages to conceal so well that her part of the narrative got me wondering about people I have known and worked with in the past. I found that not only was I being entertained by Noelle Holten’s writing, I was being made to think too.

I thought Dead Inside was the perfect start to a new series. I already have characters I care about and want to see more of in future books. I was enlightened and educated by Noelle Holten’s writing, but what’s more, I was entertained by a great story too. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dead Inside, in spite of its sensitive subject.

About Noelle Holton

Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. She is the PR and Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and a regular reviewer on the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast. Noelle worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of cases including those involving serious domestic abuse. She has three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice – and a Masters in Criminology. Noelle’s hobbies include reading, author-stalking and sharing the #booklove via her blog.

Dead Inside is her debut novel with Killer Reads/Harper Collins UK and the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson.

For more information about Noelle, follow her on Twitter @nholten40, find her on Facebook, Amazon and visit her blog.

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