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

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

Happy Bloody Christmas

Anna’s Christmas Eve To Do List:

1. Wrap the kids’ presents​

2. Peel the potatoes ​

3. Get rid of the dead body?!

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

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

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

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

My Review of Happy Bloody Christmas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Jo Middleton

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

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

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

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

Always and Only You

Could the wrong man be the right one after all?

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

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

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

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

My Review of Always and Only You

Erin and Simon are getting married.

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Fiona Lucas 

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

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

I can’t believe it’s two years since I reviewed Cathy Bramley’s Merrily Ever After for My Weekly magazine online in a post you’ll find here. This time I’m back with another My Weekly review of Cathy’s latest book A Merry Little Christmas.

A Merry Little Christmas was published by Orion on 10th October 2024 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

A Merry Little Christmas

This Christmas indulge in some me-time and enjoy this uplifting and heart-warming story from Sunday Times bestseller Cathy Bramley. Full of romance, laughter and family drama, A Merry Little Christmas is the perfect book to curl up with this festive season.

In the snowy market town of Wetherly, Merry is about to take on her biggest project yet – the arrival of a new baby. She has always dreamed of being a mother, since losing her mum at a young age. Everyone is so excited, so why is Merry feeling terrified? And why is she struggling to open up to business partner and best friend Nell, whose help she needs at their thriving candle shop more than ever?

What Nell desperately wants for Christmas is a baby with husband Olek. But when she uncovers a shocking truth about Olek’s past, dreams of a family are turned upside down. Nell feels she has no-one to turn to, as Merry is wrapped up in her own plans for the new baby.

Tensions run high as Christmas approaches, and Merry and Nell’s friendship reaches breaking point. As long-held secrets finally come to light, can Nell and Merry save the most precious gift of all – their friendship?

My Review of A Merry Little Christmas

My full review of A Merry Little Christmas can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that A Merry Little Christmas is a deeply emotional exploration of family set against a backdrop of Christmas that both moves the reader and makes them reassess what is important in their own lives. It’s not to be missed.

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Cathy Bramley

Cathy Bramley is the Sunday Times Top Ten best-selling author of The Lemon Tree Cafe. Her other romantic comedies include Ivy Lane, Appleby Farm, Wickham Hall, Conditional Love, The Plumberry School of Comfort Food and White Lies and Wishes. She lives in a Nottinghamshire village with her family and a dog. Cathy turned to writing after spending eighteen years running her own marketing agency. She has been always an avid reader, never without a book on the go and now thinks she may have found her dream job! Cathy loves to hear from her readers. Her next book, Somewhere Only We Know will be out in June 2025.

For more information about Cathy , visit her website or follow her on Twitter/X @CathyBramley, and on Facebook and Instagram.

I love reading children’s books – possibly because I was quite a late independent reader myself and am making up for lost time, so when Stephanie Bretherton got in touch to ask if I’d like to see a copy of Figgles and Flo: The Elephant in the Room by Antonia Blackmore and illustrated by Sarah P Sharpe, written in support of the charity Families in Grief, I jumped at the chance. I’m so glad I did. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Figgles and Flo today.

Figgles and Flo: The Elephant in the Room was published by Breakthrough Books on 17th October 2024 and is available for purchase here.

Figgles and Flo: The Elephant in the Room

Meet Figgles, a very sad elephant, and Flo, a very wise old dog.

Sad times can be so hard to go through and even harder to understand. That’s when we need a bit of extra help. In this touching story from Families in Grief, lonely Figgles learns to remember the good times with the people he has loved, and to look forward to new possibilities, through the kindness of his friend Flo.

Join two irresistible characters as they explore the journey of healing and get ready to make new memories.

My Review of Figgles and Flo: The Elephant in the Room

Figgles the toy elephant is lonely and upset because Child has grown up and forgotten all about him.

I could not have loved Figgles and Flo more, even if it did reduce me to a snivelling wreck. The empathy, love and understanding between its pages mean that it feels perfect for anyone, especially a child, who is grieving the loss of a loved one. Death is not mentioned, but the story perfect for anyone who feels a loss, whether that’s through death or physical and emotional distance. Very much part of the ‘it’s OK not to be OK movement’ Figgles and Flo teaches all of us that grief and loss are natural.

I might be some half a century or more older than the target audience, but reading this story has enabled me to deal with my own grief and feels cathartic and healing. Through Flo’s support for Figgles and her helpful suggestions for remembering someone we love, children can learn to embrace their own feelings and to deal with them. I loved the concept that tears are memories of those we miss.  I’d say Figgles and Flo is absolutely essential for any home or establishment where children are present, because it is a lovely, entertaining story but more importantly, enables conversations to be had about grief and sadness in a sensitive and accessible story. It also shows children how a little kindness towards someone else can have a huge impact.

Once Figgles has some tools to help manage his feelings, there is a sense of uplifting hope and positivity as he and Flo head off for new adventures so that the story ends cheerfully.

I must mention too, the wonderful illustrations in Figgles and Flo. They are naïve in style so that they appeal to young children and yet the facial expressions of the two toys convey a wide range of emotions that older readers will also appreciate. There’s also a sense of ownership with the ability for a child to inscribe their name at the beginning as well as some line illustrations for colouring at the end of the book which help to embed the characters and story.

Figgles and Flo is a beautiful, helpful and emotional story filled with understanding and hope for any child (of any age) dealing with grief. Just wonderful. It’s one of my books of the year!

My grateful thanks to Kelly Pike and to Cathy Hayward for sending me a copy of The Secret of the Brighton House in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to share that review today.

Published by Lake Union on 1st November 2024, The Secret of the Brighton House is available for pre-order here.

The Secret of the Brighton House

Her family lied to protect her. Will the truth tear them apart?

Joanne’s always been told her mother died in childbirth, but she never questioned her dad’s love. When unpacking a box of her own old baby clothes, Joanne accidentally discovers a photo of her birth mum holding a newborn, and realises she’s been lied to.

As Joanne begins to dig into the past, she uncovers layers of secrets that threaten to destroy the very family she holds dear. What really happened to her mum? What could be so devastating that her dad has kept it from her for her whole life—and is she ready to find out?

My Review of The Secret of the Brighton House

Joanne’s pregnancy prompts her to look at her own past.

What an absorbing and affecting read. The Secret of the Brighton House works on many levels. Firstly it is an exploration of marriage as Joanne and Alex navigate their final IVF chance at having a child. I loved the way Alex’s perspective as a prospective father is given. Too often, if understandably, the focus on parenthood is given to women and here we are reminded that men are impacted too. I thought Cathy Hayward’s ability to show how those who do really love one another can find themselves drifting apart and losing sight of who they really are in a relationship as they focus on one event and forget their own dreams and desires, was thoroughly convincing. I was desperate for Joanne and Alex to find their way back to one another and to become successful parents happy in their own skin because Cathy Hayward made me care about them. 

Secondly, alongside the marriage aspect is the consideration of who Joanne’s Mum is – her birth mother Grace or Lou, the woman who brought her up. There’s a real maturity in how this thread is woven into the story with the potential for Joanne’s whole personality and future to be changed. I loved the fascinating way Mike’s true personality is peeled back layer by layer too.

In addition, is the mystery at the heart of The Secret of the Brighton House. It’s not possible to say too much for fear of revealing spoilers, but as Joanne uncovers the 1970s events in Brighton there’s not just an entertaining plot, but a real sense of social history too.

But it is Grace who drives the narrative and through whom the most profound part of the story is conveyed. Her terrible mental health experiences feel completely convincing. She’s the kind of character whom the reader continues to think about long after the book is read. I genuinely think The Secret of the Brighton House has the power to change attitudes towards mental health.

The Secret of the Brighton House is a highly affecting, realistic and sensitively written exploration of motherhood in various forms. It considers severe mental illness and the depth of connection in families beyond the usual units. I thought it was not just very interesting, but that it was actually a highly important book because it brings difficult topics out into the open in an honest and caring manner. I recommend it most highly.

About Cathy Hayward

Cathy Hayward is a writer and bookseller based in Brighton, on the south coast of England.

Cathy trained and worked as a journalist for many years before moving into the world of PR. In 2022, after having spent a lifetime pottering around bookshops, she bought Kemptown Bookshop in Brighton and has worked to create a community which supports local authors and aspiring writers. In 2024, Cathy took on the management of The Creative Writing Programme, the leading independent centre for creative writing teaching in the south-east of England, which is now based at the bookshop.

When she’s not writing (or reading), Cathy loves pottering in other people’s bookshops, going to the theatre and drinking wine. She lives with her three children and two rescue cats.

For further information, visit Cathy’s website, follow her on Twitter/X @cathyhayward7 or find Cathy on Instagram and on Facebook.

My huge thanks to Georgia Hester at Harper Collins for sending me a copy of Steel Girls in the Blitz by Michelle Rawlins in return for an honest review. It’s my absolute pleasure to share that review today.

Steel Girls in the Blitz is published by HQ on 7th November 2024 and is available for pre-order through the publisher links here.

Steel Girls in the Blitz

In December 1940, the Blitz has reached Sheffield, but Steel Girl Hattie is more concerned about the war brewing at home between her parents. Desperate to help her mother in any way she can, will Hattie get through with the help of her factory sisters?

Betty is overjoyed to learn that her fiancé will be coming home to complete his RAF training. But when the Blitz begins, he may be in greater danger than ever.

Young Patty has never been prouder of her sweetheart, Archie, than in his role as an Air Raid Warden. But having seen the true cost of war, is he struggling more than Patty could ever imagine?

And as the bombs begin to fall, with heartbreak on the horizon, will the Steel Girls find shelter in each other?

My Review of Steel Girls in the Blitz

World War Two has arrived in Sheffield.

I thoroughly enjoyed Steel Girls in the Blitz and although it is part of a series I never felt at a disadvantage at not having read all the other books. Any backstory was woven into this narrative perfectly and each individual was so clearly depicted that the book can be read as a standalone perfectly well. 

The plot is cleverly constructed. With everything revolving around the lynchpins of Hattie, Betty and Patty there’s a confident balance of events making Steel Girls in the Blitz feel effortless to read. That isn’t to say it is simplistic, but more that the natural dialogue, the authentic historical detail and the realistic occurrences make it flow beautifully. Michelle Rawlins is an author who understands the art of storytelling. Much of the story is quiet and relatable, with friendships developing, ordinary lives going ahead, and the private concerns of the characters feeling identifiable and true. If it doesn’t sound ridiculous, reading Steel Girls in the Blitz felt a bit like getting home from a very trying day, putting up my aching feet and having the perfect cup of tea – in the same way characters reach for the teapot at trying times.

However, the sense of quiet is merely the calm before the storm and there are moments of peril, drama and pulse elevating excitement too. These elements feel all the more heightened when contrasted with the ordinary, daily lives of the women. The effect is that Steel Girls in the Blitz feels akin to a Pathé news reel as its realism shines through.

I loved getting to know more about the characters, and especially the way those like Dolly have a stoic, caring and determined nature. My favourite character was Archie. He epitomises just how hard the war was on those who’d seen action or who were faced with unspeakable sights. His mental health suffers and through him the reader is helped to understand the other characters through the way they respond to him. 

In fact, whilst Steel Girls in the Blitz is entertaining and warm, it is also insightful. Michelle Rawlins explores domestic violence, grief and loss, family and friendship, guilt and forgiveness, and the full range of emotions from deep seated grief to sheer joy, making it a narrative that keeps the reader engaged and caring about those between its pages. I confess I may have shed a small tear on occasion as I read. 

Steel Girls in the Blitz is a super historical saga filled with authentic detail and engaging characters. It’s a must read narrative for those who love the genre. 

About Michelle Rawlins

After working as a journalist for 25 years, writing real life stories, for the women’s magazines and national newspapers, Michelle began teaching at the University of Sheffield.

Around the same time, she finished writing Women of Steel, after spending two years researching this incredible generation. This research has become a series of historical fiction books on this remarkable band of women, who sacrificed so much, by taking highly dangerous and physically relentless roles in the Sheffield steel factories, during WW2, to ‘do their bit’.

When she’s not teaching or writing, Michelle spends her time with her children and cavapoo.

For further information, visit Michelle’s website, follow her on Twitter/X @Mrawlins1974 and find Michelle on Instagram.

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.

22

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.