It’s just over a year since lovely Emma Cowell stayed in with me to chat about The House in the Olive Grove in a post you can find here. Today, not only do I welcome Emma back to Linda’s Book Bag to tell me about her latest release, but there’s a wonderful giveaway for you too!

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Emma Cowell

Welcome back to Linda’s Book Bag Emma and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me once more.

Thank you for inviting me back! Did the baklava I baked last time that helped secure a return visit?!

It did indeed – that and the wonderful books! I rather think I know, but tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought along The Island Love Song– my third novel! It still feels strange to say that and I’m not sure how I’ve written three, and in the middle of drafting my fourth. But I feel very lucky to be living a dream and I wouldn’t be able to without the support of the readers and amazing bloggers like you, so thank you.

It’s always a pleasure to support authors Emma! And I understand today is The Island Love Song publication day, so congratulations.

The Island Love Song also marks another step away from how it all began with my first novel, One Last Letter From Greece, which was inspired by the death of my darling Mum. I so wish she was here to see everything that’s happened. Sorry to put a downer on the evening- I’m pouring you a shot of ouzo!

That’s not a downer Emma. Of course you should remember your Mum. I’m sure she would be very proud of you. Let’s drink a toast to her.

What can we expect from an evening in with The Island Love Song?

It’s a story about love and family, which I’ve realised are unintentional themes in all my novels so far- though the stories are all unconnected. It’s about two sisters- Ella and Georgia- and their journey to an island called Hydra in Greece to scatter their mother’s ashes. But their relationship is strained to say the least! They’re both hiding secrets, hiding from themselves and from their past. All their troubles bubble up to the surface against a backdrop of blissful Greek paradise. They are both very different. Georgia is one of those women who plan and try to control everything so much that they forget to have fun. Ella is carefree with no urge to settle down, she lives out of a suitcase and follows her creativity wherever it takes her. There’s also a love song that has haunted Ella for decades. It was written about her by the man who broke her heart, and she has tried to escape it, but she can’t. The island forces them to confront their demons and face the truth… it isn’t all sunshine and crystal clear blue waters, but there’s a sweeping love story in there too.

That sounds gorgeous. I’m so glad I have The Island Love Song on my TBR pile.

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

Last time I inflicted the husky sounds of Leonard Cohen on you, so you’ll be thrilled to know I have my playlist that I wrote the book to. It has become part of my process to create a soundtrack, choose a candle and make a mood board to transport me into the world I’ve created. It’s filled with some of the greatest love songs- in my humble opinion- ever written. For the audiobook version of The Island Love Song, I wrote three original songs as music is an important part of the novel and such an integral part of my life- I couldn’t be without it.

Wow! As someone tone deaf I find that amazing!

The song that Ella is trying to avoid is one of those iconic songs that gets used for weddings, funerals and christenings, like Angels by Robbie Williams or Something by George Harrison- my personal favourite love song. Do you have a favourite, Linda?

It’s so hard to choose a favourite song but I think probably Love is the Drug by Roxy Music as I am somewhat obsessed with Bryan Ferry – I’ll make you look at my photos of me with him later!

And of course, I’ve cooked Greek food for you which features heavily in all my writing.

I was hoping you might say that!

I’ve made a very simple dish of roasted vegetables- tomatoes, aubergine, onions, and courgettes with herbs, a little lemon and a sprinkling of capers- it’s my twist on a dish called Briam. Served with a classic Greek salad of course.

That sounds delicious…

And there’s pudding…I’ve made Portokalopita which is the most delicious orange cake that I discovered in Greece years ago. It’s a light orange flavoured sponge, though the Greeks call it a pie, and is covered in a sweet orange and cinnamon syrup glaze and is absolute heaven. It’s mentioned somewhere in all of my books. I can’t go to Greece and not have a slice or four!

You might have to fight me for that actually…

I also love that my readers have sought out some of the dishes featured in my stories and they send me pictures of their home cooking or taverna orders.

How brilliant.

And before I go, I’d also like a re-match of our Backgammon tournament we had last time we stayed in…the dice weren’t kind to me then, but I’m always hopeful that luck may turn in my favour….

I think they might be Emma. All that ouzo seems to have gone to my head! Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about The Island Love Song. You set up the Backgammon board and I’ll give readers a few more details and a chance to win a copy for themselves!

The Island Love Song

Escape to the beautiful Greek Island of Hydra with this moving novel, filled with family secrets and romance

Emma Cowell, author of The House in the Olive Grove, returns with her brand new, emotional and romantic novel set on an idyllic Greek Island.

Hydra, the picturesque Greek island, is a paradise for most, yet for sisters Ella and Georgia, it is a place where their darkest secrets dwell. And now the time has come for them to confront their past as they return to Greece to scatter their mother’s ashes.

Ella is haunted by a love song that was written for her by the man who broke her heart years earlier and she longs to find peace so she can move on with her life.

Georgia pretends everything in her life is perfect, but she is plagued with guilt. If what she’s kept hidden for decades was revealed, their family would never be the same again.

The island is urging the sisters to confront the truth, but can they build a future on the ruins of their past?

Published today, 6th June 2024, by Harper Collins imprint Avon, The Island Love Song is available for purchase through the links here.

Giveaway

A Paperback Copy

of

The Island Love Song

Doesn’t The Island Love Song sound amazing? Thanks to lovely Laura Sherlock I have a paperback copy to give away to a lucky UK reader. The giveaway ends at midnight on Sunday 9th June 2024 and the winner needs to provide a UK postal address to receive their prize. Winner details will not be retained once the prize is dispatched.

To enter, click here.

Good luck!

About Emma Cowell

Emma lives in Cornwall with her husband, Tony, and their fur baby, a Russian Blue called Papoushka Gerald Cowell. A former actress and BBC presenter Emma is currently Head of Philanthropy for national charity Together for Short Lives. Outside of work, Emma is a keen angler and held a Cornish record for over 10 years until her crown was toppled. She is yet to get over it but tries to keep calm by practising yoga. Also, a keen linguist, Emma is attempting to learn Greek to maintain her love affair with the country where she has set her debut novel. She is yet to achieve a level of proficiency outside of tavernas and bakeries.

For further information, follow visit Emma’s website or follow Emma on Twitter: @EmmaLLoydCowell, and find her on Facebook and Instagram.

It’s always a sadness to me that I physically can’t read every book that I’d like to. That’s most definitely the case with Anne Montgomery’s new novel. However, I am delighted to find out more by staying in with Anne today.

Let’s see what Anne told me:

Staying in with Anne Montgomery

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

I’m happy to be here, Linda.

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

Your Forgotten Sons is my new novel that will be released on June 6, 2024, which is the 80^th Anniversary of D-Day. The story details the life of Bud Richardville who was assigned to the Graves Registration Service during World War II where soldiers were tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead.

Happy publication day for tomorrow Anne. That sounds like quite a task for the Graves Registration Service. What can we expect from an evening in with Your Forgotten Sons?

Bud’s story came to me in a strange way. I’d travelled to Baltimore at the request of a dear friend. She was facing a delicate, possibly life-changing surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and asked that I stand in as her healthcare power of attorney.

The night before the operation, Gina, handed me a Ziplock bag. Inside I found a packet of yellowed letters. We’d spoken of Gina’s elusive uncle—her mother’s handsome, rakish brother—on occasion over the years, and of the odd circumstances surrounding his death near the end of World War II.

I followed Bud’s trail through the postmarks—dates and locations—on those letters and travelled with him from England, to the beaches of Normandy, to the Battle of the Bulge and beyond.

I learned that those who served in the Graves Registration Service had arguably the toughest job in the military and that they rarely, if ever, got credit for their efforts.

Wow. That sounds like a brilliant catalyst for the novel. It has me completely intrigued.

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

When I think about Bud, I sometimes hear the popular music of the time. Big Band songs that young people danced to. Swing music with horns blaring. I can see Bud as he was before the war. He was easy-going and happy. People liked him, especially women. I’m guessing he could be a charmer. But war with its relentless cruelties beat him down.

I imagine Bud’s experience was one so many went through. Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about Your Forgotten Sons Anne. Happy publication day for tomorrow.

Your Forgotten Sons

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares to enter World War II in 1943.

A chance comment has Bud assigned to the Graves Registration Service, where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Lorraine: a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose shadowy past leaves many unanswered questions.

When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. Bud is beaten down by the gruesome demands of his job and losses in his personal life, but then he meets Eva, an optimistic soul who despite the war can see a positive future. Will Eva’s love be enough to save him?

Published by Next Chapter on 6th June 2024, Your Forgotten Sons is available for purchase online in all the usual places including here.

About Anne Montgomery

Anne Butler Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, author, and amateur sports official. Her first TV job came at WRBL-TV in Columbus, Georgia, and led to positions at WROC-TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP-TV in Phoenix, Arizona, and ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award-winning SportsCenter. She finished her on-camera broadcasting career with a two-year stint as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery was a freelance and/or staff reporter for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archaeological pieces. Her novels include The Castle, A Light in the Desert, Wild Horses on the Salt, The Scent of Rain, and Wolf Catcher.

Anne Montgomery taught sports reporting at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and taught high school journalism for 20 years. She was an amateur sports official for four decades, a time during which she called baseball, ice hockey, soccer, and basketball games and served as a high school football referee and crew chief.

Anne Montgomery is a foster mom to three sons and a daughter. When she can, she indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, theatre, and playing her guitar.

For more information, visit Anne’s website, find her on Facebook and Instagram or follow Anne on Twitter/X @amontgomery8.

My enormous thanks to Becci Mansell at Harper Collins for sending me a copy of A Woman of Intrigue by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York with Marguerite Kaye in return for an honest review. It’s my absolute pleasure to share that review today.

A Woman of Intrigue will be published by Mills and Boon in paperback on 6th June 2024 and is available for pre-order through the links here.

A Woman of Intrigue

Scandals, seduction and secrets… and one woman’s quest to uncover the truth. The most intriguing historical romance of 2024, perfect for fans of Bridgerton.

Wallflower Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott has a secret. Moving effortlessly unnoticed amongst the ballrooms and palaces of Queen Victoria, her sharp intelligence and keen powers of observation allow her to quietly solve society crimes – coming to the rescue of those whose pride and fortune are at stake.

Overlooked and underestimated, Mary finds missing money, recovers stolen jewellery and saves reputations. When she meets Colonel Walter Trefusis, an unlikely and spirited alliance is formed. But Mary has more than met her match in her sleuthing partner. As she battles the expectations of society and her family, Mary must follow her heart – whatever the cost…

My Review of A Woman of Intrigue

Lady Mary Montague Douglas Scott is not quite the wallflower she might appear! 

What a super story. I must say at the outset that I’m hugely impressed by the openness with which Sarah Ferguson acknowledges the input to A Woman of Intrigue from her writing partner Marguerite Kaye. Between the two authors they have blended both real and imagined characters and events into an entertaining, compelling and really interesting narrative. 

The plot of A Woman of Intrigue is totally engaging because there’s lots of action, a tantalising physical attraction between Mary and Tre, and considerable intrigue, mystery and crime to capture the imagination. Indeed, I think there’s huge scope for more adventures featuring Mary and Tre. 

The historical detail and the depiction of Victorian society are so well drawn that they place the reader right in the era. Balanced by Tre’s affliction that places him just slightly at a tangent to polite society, there’s a realism that I found truly refreshing. I thoroughly enjoyed the references to food, to gardening and to the running of large, wealthy households as well as the more prosaic aspects of life and the depiction of how lower classes live. Every aspect felt really vivid.

I thought Mary was a wonderful character. She is determined, principled and adventurous. I so appreciated the way Sarah Ferguson avoids making her a constrained, simpering woman of heaving bosom and the vapours, so typical of her class and upbringing. Instead, she is quite prepared to put pragmatism before romance, and to identify what she wants for herself in a modern and feminist manner, rather than allow herself to be drawn into marriage as might be expected of her. This makes A Woman of Intrigue relevant to today’s society as well as an engaging historical read.

Similarly, although he is physically attractive, Tre is also not cliched. His physical affliction arising out of mental trauma is sensitively handled, realistic and makes him feel modern and appealing. His attitude towards Mary, respecting her autonomy, makes him all the more charismatic. 

The more minor characters such as Charlotte and Louisa are also entertaining and interesting because they add texture to the story. It’s wonderful to discover older characters in historical fiction of this kind who find a new lease of life. 

Not being a fan of ‘celebrity’ books I confess that I began reading A Woman of Intrigue without great expectations. I was proved totally wrong. A Woman of Intrigue is a cracker of a read. It has a fast paced, interesting and exciting plot. It has rounded, engaging characters. It depicts the era, the roles of men and women and the sense of history with elan. A Woman of Intrigue entertains brilliantly and I thought it was such a smashing read. 

About Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York

Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, is also a bestselling memoirist and children’s book author, film producer, and has been a spokesperson for Weight Watchers and Wedgwood china. She currently campaigns for her international charity Sarah’s Trust which supports children’s literacy and education globally. She works on historical documentaries and films that draw on her deep interest in Victorian history.
She was the daughter-in-law of HM The Queen and former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, brother to King Charles III. Grandmother to August and Sienna and mother of two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. She lives in Windsor.

For further information, visit Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York charity website, follow her on Twitter/X @SarahTheDuchess, or find her on Instagram and Facebook.

About Marguerite Kaye

Marguerite Kaye is a prolific historical romance author hailing from the west coast of Argyll in Scotland. She has written almost sixty books and novellas, and co-authored two books with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. She is a voracious reader, a keen sewist and a cook who loves to eat.

For further information, follow Marguerite on Twitter/X @MargueriteKaye, or find her on Instagram and Facebook.

It was my privilege to stay in with L. T. Shearer last November when The Cat Who Solved Three Murders came out in hardback. You’ll find that post here.

Today, in advance of the paperback release of The Cat Who Solved Three Murders, I’m delighted finally to share my review.

The Cat Who Solved Three Murders is published by Macmillan in paperback on 20th June 2024 and is available for purchase through the links here.

The Cat Who Solved Three Murders

Conrad the cat detective and retired police detective Lulu Lewis travel to Oxford on their canal boat and investigate a case of art theft in a grand country manor house.

Retired police detective Lulu Lewis’s life changed forever when she met a street cat named Conrad. There’s something very special about Conrad, but it’s a secret she has to keep to herself.

When Lulu takes her narrowboat to Oxford, she is planning nothing more stressful than attending a friend’s birthday party. And drinking a few glasses of Chardonnay.

But a brutal murder and a daring art theft means her plans are shattered – instead she and Conrad find themselves on the trail of a killer. A killer who may well strike again.

My Review of The Cat Who Solved Three Murders

Lulu and Conrad have a second case to solve.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Cat Who Solved Three Murders. The premise of a talking cat, Conrad, acting as a detective is utterly bonkers, and yet it really works. In a sense, although Conrad is a physical Calico cat, he perhaps represents ex-Detective Lulu’s inner monologue so that he is a kind of sounding board for her theories and conclusions. Whatever the manifestation of Conrad, the story works highly entertainingly. It doesn’t matter at all that this is the second in LT Shearer’s Conrad the Cat Detective series, as Lulu’s back story and the reasons why she lives on a narrow boat with Conrad are skilfully woven into the narratives so that the story can be enjoyed completely independently. 

As Lulu and Conrad investigate a burglary and killing at Lulu’s friend Julia’s home, the plot is full of action, crime and murder. It is pacy, engaging and interesting. The Cat Who Solved Three Murders is an excellent example of the current trend in cosy crime, but with a talking cat it has the edge of novelty too, so that it feels just a little bit different and all the better for it.

The setting is so clever because the majority of it takes place at Julia’s home so that the reader gets a real sense of the grandeur and scale of the mansion. I loved the descriptions of the rooms. It’s so easy to picture where the action happens as there is a filmic quality to the descriptions. 

The narrative might feel essentially light in tone and an easy, diverting read, but there are deceptively deep themes too. The Cat Who Solved Three Murders contemplates friendship, family, marriage, loyalty and revenge. There’s a blurring of morality in doing the right thing for the wrong reason and the wrong thing for the right, or at least understandable, reasons. Lulu struggles with her conscience at times and through her conversations with Conrad we discover that choices are not always clear cut. 

Is The Cat Who Solved Three Murders the finest literary fiction I’ve ever read? Well, no. But it is extremely well plotted, absorbing and brilliantly entertaining. It would make a wonderful television series and I had a super time reading it. For those who want a well thought out narrative with an innovative extra in Conrad, The Cat Who Solved Three Murders is an absolute must read. I thought it was great! 

About L.T. Shearer

L T Shearer has had a lifelong love of canal boats and calico cats, and both are combined in The Cat Who Caught a Killer, a one-of-a-kind debut crime novel which continues with The Cat Who Solved Three Murders.

For further information, find L.T. Shearer on Facebook.

Regular Linda’s Book Bag visitors will know how much I enjoy being part of the start of a book’s journey. I’m also a huge fan of the award winning independent press Fly on the Wall and of short stories. Consequently, I’m delighted to participate in the cover reveal for Your Sons and Daughters are Beyond by Rosie Garland

Your Sons and Daughters are Beyond will be published by Fly on the Wall Press on 17th January 2025 and is available for pre-order here.

Your Sons and Daughters are Beyond

“Who’s afraid of a girl who shines bright?” Rosie Garland’s spellbinding short story collection explores extraordinary people defying expectations. Blurring natural and supernatural, these enchanting yet disquieting stories unveil the extraordinary within ordinary people. Garland deftly unveils our deepest fears and desires, embracing transformative potential. Brace for a journey pushing imagination’s limits, where the impossible becomes reality…

****

Your Sons and Daughters are Beyond sounds fantastic and I can’t wait to read it.

About Rosie Garland

Rosie Garland writes short and long fiction, poetry and hybrid works that fall between and outside definition. She’s lead singer in post-punk band The March Violets. Her poetry collection What Girls Do In The Dark (Nine Arches Press) was shortlisted for the Polari Prize 2021, and her novel The Night Brother was described by The Times as “a delight…with shades of Angela Carter.” Val McDermid has named her one of the most compelling LGBT+ writers in the UK today. Her novel, The Fates (Quercus) is a retelling of the Greek myth of the Fates. In 2023 she was made Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

For further information about Rosie, visit her website, follow Rosie on Twitter/X @rosieauthor or find her on Facebook and Instagram.

Given that M.W. Craven is one of my favourite crime writers, when a surprise copy of his latest Washington Poe book, The Mercy Chair, arrived some months ago I could hardly contain my excitement. My enormous thanks go to Beth Wright at Little Brown for sending me a copy. It’s my absolute pleasure to share my review of The Mercy Chair today.

You’ll find my reviews of Mike’s other Washington Poe books here.

The Mercy Chair will be published by Little Brown imprint Century on 6th June 2024 and is available for purchase through the links here.

The Mercy Chair

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin . . .

Washington Poe has a story to tell.

And he needs you to listen.

You’ll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them. Enough for a murder . . .

He’ll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even the gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it. He’ll tell you how the man’s murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family. 

And finally, he’ll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it . . . 

Poe hopes you’ve been paying attention. Because in this story, nothing is as it seems . . .

My Review of The Mercy Chair

There’s a man in therapy.

I don’t think I’m going to be able to review The Mercy Chair. I’m sitting here stunned, trying to process what I’ve just read. The Mercy Chair is a magnificent crime thriller and really, all that there is to say is ‘Buy the book.’ Although The Mercy Chair can be read as a compelling stand alone with sufficient back story to Poe and Bradshaw uncovered by the presence of Linus, I’d urge readers to start from the beginning of the series, so that the emotional impact has all the more power. There are too many books published for me to bother with a series normally, but M.W. Craven’s Washington Poe books are ones I’d never miss. I have absurdly high expectations of the series and the multi-layered The Mercy Chair is, I think, the best yet. 

The plot is sensationally good. With trademark short, pacy chapters, a real sense of place, witty dialogue and numerous cliff hangers and twists, M.W. Craven builds and builds the tension so that the story is enthralling and mesmerising. This is one of those stories that genuinely removes all free will from the reader. Certainly it’s a police thriller, but it has the added mystery of what Linus is there for, as well as Poe’s condition and how that came to be, making it all the more absorbing. Even given the breaks I needed to recover my equilibrium at what I was reading, I consumed The Mercy Chair over two days because I could not put it down. Meals, conversations – indeed, all normal life – were put on hold until I’d finished it. I’m not going to say anything further about the plot as I don’t want inadvertently to reveal anything, except to say that I don’t think I’ve ever been more successfully manipulated by a writer and I was certainly listening carefully! I thought the narrative was outstanding. I am, however, outraged and aghast too and desperate for the another book, but you need to read The Mercy Chair to find out why, and why I cried! 

It’s also quite difficult to say too much about themes in The Mercy Chair because they are so intricately connected to the plot. There’s family, loyalty, relationships, religion, extremism, mental health, sexuality and so much more here. Each aspect is incorporated with mature understanding and is written about vividly, terrifyingly and convincingly. The Mercy Chair reverberates through the reader’s mind.

As in the other fabulous books in the series, the relationship between Washington Poe and other characters, especially Tilly Bradshaw, is riveting. I love the way Poe has evolved as a person over the series as a result of his interaction with Tilly and Estelle and yet he is still absolutely the curmudgeonly, tenacious Poe we expect, admire and love. I find it hard to accept that Poe is a fictional character and not a real person because he is so realistically depicted. Tilly, too, is simply wonderful and although in this story she is less present than Poe, her importance in forwarding the story, introducing light relief and adding emotional depth cannot be exaggerated. 

I am fully aware I’ve said nothing tangible about The Mercy Chair. When you’ve read it for yourself, and read it you must, you’ll see why I say it is going straight on my list of books of the year for 2024. Often brutal, surprisingly sensitive, totally brilliant and utterly captivating, The Mercy Chair must not be missed. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I thought it was fabulous.

About M.W. Craven

Multi-award winning author M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle. He joined the army at sixteen, leaving ten years later to complete a social work degree. Seventeen years after taking up a probation officer role in Cumbria, at the rank of assistant chief officer, he became a full-time author. The Puppet Show, the first book in his Cumbria-set Washington Poe series, was published by Little, Brown in 2018 and went on to win the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger in 2019. It has now been translated into twenty-one languages. Black Summer, the second in the series, was longlisted for the 2020 Gold Dagger as was book three, The Curator. The fourth in the series, Dead Ground followed in June 2021, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller, longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Novel of the Year 2022, and went on to win the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger 2022. The Botanist, the fifth  instalment, released in June 2022 was also an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Book six in the series, The Mercy Chair, will be published on 6th June 2024.

The gap is due to the publication of Mike’s new US set series starring ex-US Marshal, Ben Koenig …

Fearless was published in the UK in June 2023 and in the US in July 2023, and stars Ben Koenig, an ex-US Marshal with an interesting story. It has been picked up by a major streamer, further announcements to come in due course.

You can follow M.W. Craven on Twitter/X @MWCravenUK and visit his website for more information or find him on Facebook and Instagram.

My grateful thanks to Libby Haddock at Harper Collins for sending me a copy of Whisky Business by Elliot Fletcher in return for an honest review. 

Published in paperback by Harper Collins on 6th June 2024 Whisky Business is book one in the Mccabe Brothers series and is available for pre-order through the publisher links here.

Whisky Business

One flirty Hollywood actress. One grumpy Scottish islander. One magnetic connection.

When her acting career hits rock bottom, Hollywood star April Sinclair returns to her Scottish hometown on the Isle of Skye to lick her wounds. In desperate need of distraction, she sets her sights on restoring her family whisky distillery to its former glory. But she wasn’t expecting short-tempered and totally irresistible Malcolm Macabe to be the one in charge.

Master distiller Mal has three loves in his life: whisky, his dog, and silence. He has no time for the pampered princess poking her nose around, even if said princess is the one who got away. Mal is content to wait her out. She’ll grow bored and run back to her glamorous world eventually.

But their shared desire to save the distillery will mean working a lot closer than either of them might wish …

With a stunning rural Scottish setting, a healthy measure of steaminess, and a rugged heartthrob to die for, opposites definitely start to attract in this spicy enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine romcom.

My Review of Whisky Business

I had meant to include Whisky Business in one of my My Weekly reviews but I think it is a little too raunchy for the demographic so I’m reviewing here instead! 

Film star April Sinclair is back on the Isle of Skye.

Phew! That was spicy – and a whole lot of fun. I will say from the beginning that until half way through Whisky Business I found it as I’d anticipated, with mounting romantic attraction between April and Mal, but in the second half of the book I certainly got more that I’d bargained for. It’s highly entertaining, that’s for sure! That said, I didn’t think the sex scenes were overdone as the relationship has been building between April and Mal since they were teenagers, so that it felt a natural progression once they had broken down the emotional and psychological barriers between them. Physical attraction aside, Elliot Fletcher also presents true emotional love and connection in a highly convincing manner.

And that for me is the strength of the book. Whilst I enjoyed the plot very much as they work to save the whisky distillery, it is what April and Mal learn about themselves and each other that has the most impact. They are flawed and human characters. Both suffer terrible anxiety and have been traumatised by aspects of their pasts so that as the story unfolds they each take on a truly authentic persona. There’s a very strong message about truth, self acceptance and identity underpinning what might at first glance appear to be a frivolous narrative.

The themes of coercion, physical attractiveness and deformity, guilt and betrayal, along with the impact of fame, society and the role of family in shaping who we are all blend into a vintage every bit as tasty as the whisky Mal is creating. There’s a super balance in the story too between April’s experience of a Hollywood lifestyle and the reality of small community living on the Isle of Skye, enabling readers to consider what truly is important in life.

Whisky Business is not my usual kind of read and I must say it’s far more sexually explicit than I had anticipated. Readers who want a very convincing level of sexiness in their enemies-to-lovers romance will absolutely adore it and I found it hugely engaging and entertaining.

About Elliot Fletcher

Romance writer Elliot Fletcher resides in her too-small flat in Edinburgh, Scotland, with her husband, cat and dog. When she isn’t writing about swoon-worthy, lovable men and the captivating heroines they fall for, you can find her browsing second-hand book shops, collecting pebbles on the beach, or re-watching the 2005 Pride & Prejudice.

You can find Elliot on Instagram and TikTok.

Many, many moons ago I attended a creative writing class with Kitty Johnson’s alter ego Margaret Johnson but I never got round to reading one of her books. I’m delighted to rectify that today by sharing my review of Kitty Johnson’s Prickly Company. My enormous thanks to Sophie Goodfellow at FMcM Associates for sending me a copy.

Prickly Company is published by Lake Union today, 28th May 2024, and is available for purchase here.

Prickly Company

Friendships, feuds, romance, and unexpected secrets shake up a small community in this sharply funny and compassionate novel by the author of Five Winters.

Frances Mathews doesn’t get out much since her husband died, but that doesn’t stop her from jump-starting a campaign to create a hedgehog highway in Hilltop Place―feeding stations, holes at the bottoms of gates and fences, and wild garden areas for hibernation. To Frances’s delight, her neighbours are on board. Mostly.

There are Jess and Michael, whose marriage is cracking under the unanticipated strain of a recent adoption. And Ryan, a wounded war reporter struggling to connect with his son after a divorce and forced to return to an exasperating parental fold. Plus, a very forthright single mum new to the neighbourhood and an exceedingly proper couple not about to upend their picture-perfect garden for prickly nuisances.

As relationships―from the romantic to the nerve-racking―form and secrets are unearthed, Hilltop Place is threatened in ways that affect them all…unaware hedgehogs included. What Frances and her charitable neighbours soon discover about themselves and each other is hardly what any of them expected.

 My Review of Prickly Company

There’s a campaign to save hedgehogs in Hilltop Place

I confess that I wasn’t initially sure I would enjoy Prickly Company because before I read it, I feared it might be too anthropomorphically twee, but I was wrong and ended up thoroughly enjoying it and fully appreciating the parallels between the trials and tribulations of hedgehog and human life, and the impact one can have on the other. Kitty Johnson slips in hedgehog facts effortlessly so that the reader is educated as well as entertained. I really appreciated the information about hedgehogs included at the end of the book and the author questions too as they added depth and colour and are inspiring for those interested in wildlife

There’s a smashing plot in Prickly Company as Frances mounts her campaign for a hedgehog highway between her neighbours’ gardens. Looking like a middle aged has-been, Frances has hidden depths, some of which are revealed to be more surprising than others so that Kitty Johnson inverts the concept that such women are bland and easily ignored. 

Although a brief novel, Kitty Johnson packs Prickly Company with super interest. She considers different kinds of marriage, with the trials of real family life feeling very authentic. Jess’s difficulties in blending adopted Toby into her family work really well in making sure readers realise there isn’t always an immediate panacea for all ills. 

Because the action and characters are confined almost entirely to Hilltop Place, there’s a real sense of cohesion. I thought the theme of Ryan’s PTSD was maturely and sensitively handled, making the reader care about him completely. Indeed, I loved meeting all the folk in Hilltop Place as they are varied, interesting and engaging. I think there’s someone here for any reader to relate to.

From being uncertain at the start of Prickly Company, I ended up feeling I had enjoyed a highly entertaining read, that is sensitively and humorously written with mature themes that thoroughly appealed. And with hedgehogs woven throughout, what more could a reader desire? Great stuff.  

About Kitty Johnson

Kitty Johnson is the author of Five Winters. She has an MA in creative writing from the University of East Anglia and teaches occasional creative writing classes. A nature lover and artist, Kitty enjoys walking in woodland and on the coast with her dog and makes collages and paintings from the landscape. She loves a challenge and once performed stand-up comedy as research for a book—an experience she found very scary but hugely empowering. Kitty lives in Norwich, Norfolk, in the UK with her partner and teenage son.

For further information, visit Kitty’s website. Kitty can also be found on Facebook, and Instagram and you can follow Kitty on Twitter/X @kittyjohnsonbks.

It’s my pleasure to welcome back Leslie Tate to Linda’s Book Bag today. Leslie has been a huge supporter of the blog over the years and has featured here.

Today Leslie provides a thought provoking guest post to celebrate the release of his latest book Ways To Be Equally Human.

Published on 20th May 2024, Ways To Be Equally Human is available for purchase as a signed copy from Leslie’s website, or from The Black Spring Press here.

Ways To Be Equally Human

In Ways To Be Equally Human Leslie Tate tells the inside story of coming out as a non-binary person, from being ‘othered’ in gendered toilets to stepping up on stage & radio and taking action with Extinction Rebellion.

Leslie’s poetic life-fiction takes us on a journey through crazy childhood dreams and gender dysphoria into personal growth. Full of lyrical writing, humour and quirky insights, this is a book for lovers of language, nonconformists and passionate thinkers. It’s a clear-eyed account of how we live today, including computer stress, noisy neighbours, guided meditation and the spirit of rebellion inside the machine.

Ways To Be Equally Human is also a love hymn to Leslie’s partner and the planet.

WHO’S HIDING BEHIND THAT BOOK?

A Guest Post by Leslie Tate

Behind every book there’s an author like me with a story. Sometimes it’s about finding a first-line hook or unique selling point (helped by agents & publishers); at other times it’s the outcome of a creative writing course, or a thesis, or it’s written in a month with NaNoWriMo; sometimes in a few high-profile cases, it follows the money (with goods and merchandise and spinoffs); but in my case, Ways To Be Equally Human wasn’t written to grab C1readers, chase fame or get adapted for TV. (Quick disclaimer: writing best sellers takes a lot of time and skill, it’s just not for me.)

If you want a 16-wordsummary of Ways To Be Equally Human, it’s a ‘no-holds-barred psychological investigation into gender and XRactivism using poetic realism, lyrical essays and behind-the-mask stories’. But in case you’re looking for something shorter and punchier, how about: ‘get down with this must-read book from a 75-year-old member of Gen Z!’.  Blurb-writing, of course, is part of the indie author’s toolkit.

So, is it just a book for literary types? And what’s in it for me, you ask? To give you a flavour, here’s pp.22-24 from the Extinction Rebellion section:

“What are you, man or woman…?”

It was Friday lunchtime and I was with a group outside Barclays speaking to people about fossil fuels. We’d been inside, acted a die-in, filled the pavement with bodies and placards and been taped off by the police. It looked like a crime scene. Now we were preparing for part two of our protest.

The question – or statement – came from a young overweight spectator-man standing at the front of the crowd. He was staring at me with a dirty grin. I could picture him ogling girls and winding up kids at school

Behind me, two demonstrators, one male, one female, were kneeling in front of a large black-and-white sign. They were getting ready.

My answer popped out without thinking. “Neither.”

Part of me had always considered myself male, softened by the non-binary label, but to be neither took it further. I’d become myself, a resister picked out by my difference. I could hear in my mind the words of Where the Streets Have No Name.

It had happened before. I’d been called a lady – sarcastically, aimed from behind – whistled and shouted at, and once, kerb crawled while shopping. Being catcalled was no surprise and the man in the van was a Bluto-type, but it took some getting used to. It was a lesson in what women had to put up with.

“Wha’ the fuck,” my spectator-man said.

In my head, I completed his phrase with …are you?

A thin woman in a red top stepped up to the kneeling demonstrators. She was holding a bottle of thick, dark liquid.

“Climate breakdown,” I called. “This bank funds it.”

I stared at the man. With his bristly chin and leery expression, he was acting a part. I could see him in later life, leaning on a bar and swearing at women on TV.

“Crazy,” he said, screwing one finger into his temple.

Behind me, the woman had raised her bottle to head height. As the spectator-man glared, my thoughts flashed back to a bully at school. It was all about swagger and overstated gesture. There was nothing underneath.

“F… F… bank,” the woman called, anointing the protestor’s head.

As the liquid oozed across flesh, the spectator-man laughed. “Weird,” he shouted, waving one arm. “Weirdo man. Weirdo people.” Choosing his moment, he began to walk away.

“No. Beautiful,” I said, as the liquid spread like gravy. “But also… not beautiful,” I called as it hardened to a crust. “Neither, really,” I added. “Just human and wanting to live.” In my mind I heard the phrase That’s why I’m here.

His question had been answered.

And the story behind that? I poured the oil onto my wife’s head, a crowd gathered and some of them were rude, I was wearing a dress and leggings but no one questioned my gender. The other experience that found its way into the piece was being picked on at school. As a repeat theme in Ways To Be Equally Human, it’s both seminal and formative. It’s also part of the book’s ‘inside report’ on masculinity.

Here’s one example, taken from p.104:

The old one-two

I

Class 5C were playing in the rain.

As they kicked and went down,

they shouted, calling it a dirty match.

 

Someone got stomped on. With the wind against them

they threw up their arms and yelled PENALTY.

 

Being 5C they were famous.

 

So who were their heroes and what did they stand for?

 

As squaddies they were on target.

As escaped POWs they hit the ground running.

As the team out of hell they took route one.

 

Between runs they held their sides and scowled.

 

What did they say, splashing through mud?

Ref. Replay. Wrong. Fix. Offside. Foul. Unfair.

Mostly, they just floundered.

 

At half time, changing ends,

they dragged their feet as if they’d been wounded.

The rain had filled their boots.

 

And their names?

 

Baggy, Messy, Clever Clogs, Chop Chop,

Fidget, Burper, Dodger, Pimple,

Big Foot, Fixer and Lout.

 

II

All that summer the boy at the back had dreamed

of being in charge.

 

He’d be the cannonball striker who scored

with a high-dive backflip somersault.

 

Later he blocked all shots

by turning his body into a No Entry sign.

 

He was the comeback kid who wore the armband

as bully repellent.

 

Turned Pied Piper, he drew off the other side’s defenders.

 

And when he launched his tackles

he became the spade that dug up gold.

 

Afterwards, his legend lived on.

Nicknamed Long Shot, he was in the air

nodding in the equaliser when the ground

came up and hit him.

 

He missed. Nobody cheered.

 

As for class 5C: when the final whistle blew

they quick-marched him to the changing rooms

where they all piled in with penalties

while grinning madly

as if their lives depended on it

I’ll end this blog with a confession. You may have noticed that I still haven’t told you the hidden story behind the book. That’s because it’s complex but in its own way simple. So, it’s written in different styles as a series of linked stories & reports, all of them taken from those watershed moments in life, dealing with transformations and metaphors of growth and resistance. On the way, it explores wild childhood fantasies, the highs and lows of coming out, performance anxiety on stage and radio, modern lifestyles, and the inside story of climate rebellion. But what drives the book are the personal fears of my life and others, set against the bigger picture. Or to put it another way, taken from p.192:

In writing, time slows down at the climactic moments. We’ve worked so hard to reach this point we want it to go on. And as we pause at the top, the aim is to see the big picture. That can be through the ripple effect: to maximise an incident and follow what comes next; or it can be through selective focus – a single garment or a closeup from a view – and the rest is for the reader to fill in.

And, however you use them, words are definers. They pinpoint the world. So the task is to hint at something wider while nailing things down. The generic singular. And the flow? That comes with the voice – the stops and starts and sounds that merge; the up and down signals; the own way of putting it.

****

As always, Leslie, it’s a pleasure to read your writing and to note the humanity behind everything that you do. Thank you for sharing this with us. (And apologies that my formatting didn’t do proper justice to your poetry!)

About Leslie Tate

Leslie Tate is a non-binary author and University of East Anglia graduate who interviews creative and community-active people weekly on radio and in writing at https://leslietate.com. Leslie played the lead role in Heaven’s Rage, a film that was screened at 34 international film festivals. Leslie hosts Extinction Rebellion stages, has been shortlisted for the Bridport, Geoff Stevens and Wivenhoe poetry prizes, was British under 21s Chess Champion and is a Quaker. Ways To Be Equally Human is Leslie’s fourth novel.

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

I’m fast becoming a huge fan of Sarah Morgan’s writing (most recently I reviewed Sarah’s The Christmas Book Club here) and my enormous thanks go to Isabel Williams for sending me a copy of Sarah’s latest book The Summer Swap in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share my review today.

The Summer Swap was published by Harper Collins imprint HQ on 23rd May 2024 and is available for purchase here.

The Summer Swap

A summer escape

When Cecilia Lapthorne’s 75th birthday celebrations take an unexpected turn, she seeks solace away from the festivities and escapes to Dune Cottage – without telling her family where she’s going.

A new friendship

Lily Thomas, a struggling artist, has secretly been staying in the unoccupied cottage. When Cecilia discovers Lily during a late-night visit, an unexpected bond forms between the two women.

A chance to start over

Then Cecilia’s grandson, Todd – and Lily’s unrequited crush – shows up, sending a shockwave through their unlikely friendship. Will it inspire Lily to find the courage to live the life she wants? Can Cecilia finally let go of the past to find a new future? Because as surely as the tide erases past footprints, this summer is offering both Cecilia and Lily the chance to swap old dreams for new . . .

My Review of The Summer Swap

Lily has a temporary cleaning job.

It’s only fairly recently that I’ve got round to reading Sarah Morgan’s books and I’m delighted that’s the case because it means I have a whole back catalogue waiting for me. The Summer Swap is just wonderful. 

The story is very much character driven with family, marriage and relationships at the heart of the story, ensuring that we get to know the people here so thoroughly. The Summer Swap works so emotionally well because as Lily, Cecelia and Kristen reveal their innermost thoughts, aspirations and insecurities, they are recognisable and relatable. Sarah Morgan writes with such sensitivity and understanding that on almost every page I found an aspect of Lily, Cecelia and Kristen’s lives that resonated with me. 

I loved the fact that The Summer Swap breaks away from the usual 30 somethings to characters in younger, middle and older adulthood. It’s glorious to find a woman in her seventies like Cecelia having autonomy over her life. I think it says something about the gorgeous quality of the writing that I really didn’t like Kristen at the beginning of The Summer Swap, but by the end I understood her as she gained both my sympathy and empathy.

With the focus on brilliant, layered and vivid characters that doesn’t mean there isn’t a compelling and riveting narrative here too. There are some very dramatic moments, but for me the absolute success of the story comes through the more ordinary aspects of these people’s lives. Cecelia’s reluctance at being bullied into a party she doesn’t want to attend, Kristen’s need to be proficient, noticed and to organise, and Lily’s guilt at not following the path set out for her as she develops her artistic talents is totally convincing. And whilst The Summer Swap is brilliantly resolved at the end as one might hope, there’s a true sense of these lives continuing far beyond the confines of the story. Much of the plot is precipitated before the story starts and will continue after this particular time frame is over. I found this such wonderful storytelling.

The themes of The Summer Swap are equally compelling. Our sense of self and what makes us who we are as we try to accommodate the demands of family, profession, marriage and so on, at the same time as we also strive to be true to ourselves, is at the heart of this warm, compassionate and understanding story. 

I fear there will be those readers who dismiss The Summer Swap without ever picking it up because they assume it is too lightweight for their intellect. They could not be more wrong. The Summer Swap is absorbing and diverting as a story, but it is also a sensitive, mature insight into what makes us human. Sarah Morgan teaches tolerance, empathy and acceptance even as she entertains us so fabulously. I’d defy anyone reading The Summer Swap not to love it just as much as I did. 

About Sarah Morgan

Sarah Morgan is a USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She has sold more than 21 million copies of her books and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives with her family near London, England, where the rain frequently keeps her trapped in her office.

For further information, visit Sarah’s website. You can also find Sarah on Facebook or Twitter/X @SarahMorgan_ and on Instagram.