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

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

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

Staying in with Freya North

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Er, is there any other way to eat them?

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

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

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

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

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

Christmas at Flora’s House 

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

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

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

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

The Book Lover’s Journal

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

About Freya North

Freya North’s novels explore the emotions and complexities of everyday relationships and families. First published in 1996 with her ground-breaking debut Sally, Freya has written 15 further bestsellers including the highly acclaimed Little Wing and The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne. Translated into many languages, Freya won the Romantic Novel of the Year award for Pillow Talk and has been short-listed for others. A sense of place is central to Freya’s writing. Never a backdrop, always a leading character, locations featured in her novels include New England, France, British Columbia, North Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Norfolk, Freya’s own county of Hertfordshire and of course the Outer Hebrides.

Freya holds degrees in History of Art from the University of Manchester and the Courtauld Institute, London. She lives on a small farm in Hertfordshire with her dogs, horses and sheep. She enjoys ceramic classes and road cycling and loves to connect with her readers.

For further information, visit Freya’s website, follow her on X @freya_north or find Freya on Instagram and Facebook.

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

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

Vengeful Women

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Message from Melanie Blake

What is one message you want to give your readers?

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

My Review of Vengeful Women

The women of Falcon Bay are in trouble! 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Melanie Blake

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

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

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

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

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

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

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

Let The Bells Ring Out

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

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

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

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

My Review of Let The Bells Ring Out

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Milly Johnson 

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

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

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

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

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

Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson was first published just as I began blogging a decade ago and was one of those books I never got round to reading. Since then, with Snowblind selling over five million copies worldwide, being published in over 36 languages and selected as one of Top 100 Crime Fiction of all time by Blackwell’s Bookshop and French press, I have had terrible FOMO! Ragnar Jónasson’s The Dark Iceland series is now in production for a major TV series with an international cast, so when Anne Cater invited me to be part of the Snowblind tenth anniversary blog tour I broke my self-imposed ban on tours and jumped at the chance. It’s my pleasure to share my review today and to help close the tour.

The anniversary edition of Snowblind was published by Orenda on 10th October 2025, alongside a never-before published prequel Fadeout and is available for purchase here. 

Snowblind 

Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he’s unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying halfnaked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life. An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24- hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose… 

Fadeout

When Ari Thór Arason receives a staggeringly high bill for a foreign credit card that was taken out in his name, his life takes a turn he never anticipated. The bill in question belongs to his namesake – his father, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances when Ari was only a child. Seeking answers, Ari Thór travels to London to investigate, hoping to learn the truth about what happened to his father all those years ago, and discovering far more than he could ever have imagined… 

My Review of Snowblind

Ari Thór Arason has a new police placement in Siglufjörður.

Let me say from the outset that, whilst I had heard very positive praise for Snowblind, I still wasn’t prepared for the frequent beauty of the prose. This may be a novel in translation (by Quentin Bates) but it has a mellifluous fluidity to descriptions that is simply stunning, making the Icelandic setting thrum with authenticity. I found the dated structure of the book, with the italicised aspect gradually uncovered, meant that there’s intriguing mystery throughout. I had expected a hard hitting and perhaps rather visceral narrative and loved the way that instead this story has a more traditional atmosphere, frequently reminding me of Agatha Christie. 

It took me a little while to attune to the unfamiliar Icelandic names which worked brilliantly because it placed me in an unfamiliar environment in exactly the same manner as Ari Thor finds himself when he arrives in Siglufjörður. Siglufjörður itself is so much more than a setting. The claustrophobic isolation, the small town intensity where everyone knows everything (or so they think) about everyone else, and the harshness of the winter all contribute not only to the plot, but to the reader’s appreciation of Ari Thor’s personality, mentality and situation.

I loved meeting Ari Thor because he’s so realistic. Young, rather stubborn and not quite sure what he wants to do with his life, he is impulsive, frequently naïve and yet perceptive and likeable. As Snowblind progressed I felt he developed brilliantly, with incredible potential for his character in future books. Ari Thor is a nuanced and layered person and I feel sure I have only just begun to understand him.

The plot is thoroughly engaging. Again, the denouement has a Christie-esque impression so that there are real ‘aha’ moments. The the way the author drops hints as Ari Thor continues his investigations, but doesn’t fully reveal everything to the reader means that they are held captivated and compelled to read on. It sounds somewhat cliched to say so, but I felt completely drawn into the story. 

But whilst Snowblind is an engaging and entertaining police procedural novel, it is so much more too. Ragnar Jónasson explores deeper themes with a lightness of touch that is highly impressive. There’s rivalry and guilt, family and relationships, adultery, betrayal and a terrifyingly realistic understanding that justice isn’t always served to those who deserve it – but you’ll need to read Snowblind to discover more. 

Snowblind rather took me by surprise. Cosier and more traditional in style than I anticipated, I felt it was perfectly pitched and am entirely hooked on reading more about Siglufjörður and Ari Thor. I really recommend Snowblind and it’s just right for these darker winter days. Don’t miss it. 

About Ragnar Jónasson

Ragnar Jónasson is the award-winning Icelandic author of the international bestselling Hulda series, the Dark Iceland series, and standalone crime fiction, with five million copies sold across 36 territories. The Times selected The Darkness as one of the 100 Best Crime Novels and Thrillers since 1945, and Snowblind has been selected as one of Top 100 Crime Fiction of all time. The Times has said of his work: ‘Is this the best crime writer in the world?’ His books have been on bestseller lists across Europe and the USA, and won multiple prizes. He has also won a special jury recognition for his poetry in Iceland. Ragnar has translated fourteen of Agatha Christie’s novels into Icelandic. Ragnar was also an executive producer of the CBS Studios TV series The Darkness, based on the first novel in his Hulda series. His novel Outside is currently being developed for the screen by Ridley Scott.

Ragnar has a law degree and teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University. He also serves as a board member of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, and as the Deputy Chair of the Writers’ Union of Iceland. Ragnar is the co-founder and co-chair of the literary festival Iceland Noir, held annually in Reykjavik.

For further information visit Ragnar’s website and follow him on X @ragnarjo, Instagram and Facebook.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

The Meaning of Liff by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd is the same age as my marriage so when Gaby Jerrard sent me the brand new 42nd anniversary edition I couldn’t have been happier. It’s my pleasure to share my review of The Meaning of Liff today. 

Published by Pan Macmillan on 23rd October 2025, The Meaning of Liff is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

The Meaning of Liff

From Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and John Lloyd (Blackadder, Spitting Image, QI), this is the 42nd anniversary edition of The Meaning of Liff. Revised, updated and ready to change your life.

In life, there are hundreds of familiar experiences, feelings and objects for which no words exist, yet hundreds of strange words are idly loafing around on signposts, pointing at places. The Meaning of Liff connects the two. This is a hilariously essential dictionary of things there should be words for – where all the words themselves are recycled place names.

BERRIWILLOCK (n.) – An unknown workmate who writes ‘All the best’ on your leaving card.

ELY (n.) – The first, tiniest inkling that something, somewhere has gone terribly wrong.

GRIMBISTER (n.) – Large body of cars on a motorway all travelling at exactly the speed limit because one of them is a police car.

KETTERING (n.) – The marks left on your bottom or thighs after sunbathing on a wickerwork chair.

OCKLE (n.) – An electrical switch which appears to be off in both positions.

WOKING (ptcpl.vb.) – Standing in the kitchen wondering what you came in here for.

42 years later, The Meaning of Liff is back, but in a snazzier jacket.

Think of it as a mid-liff crisis.

My Review of The Meaning of Liff

A special 42nd anniversary edition.

What on earth can I say about The Meaning of Liff? It’s bonkers, brilliant and reading it feels like a Burwash (buy the book and look it up!) and any fan of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy will love it.

Given that this is a special anniversary edition, I just want to comment on Douglas Adams’ insistence that the book must be of a size to fit into a pocket. This means that The Meaning of Liff is perfect for slipping into a bag or pocket and reading at those moments when life needs some lightness. I loved the space-blue background, gold lettering, the suggestion of stars and the robust cover too as they give a feeling of quality.  

I was surprised by John Lloyd’s preface as it reveals aspects I hadn’t previously known about his working relationship with Douglas Adams. Add in the map of the world and the narrative contained in the dialogue of the previous prefaces, and The Meaning of Liff entertains before it’s actually begun.

It was such a treat to work my way through what is, essentially, an alphabetical list of international place names that have been given zany, witty or humorous definitions. I was particularly entertained by Kettering (where I was born) – ‘The marks left on your bottom or thighs after sunbathing on a wickerwork chair’ and Oundle (where I went to school) – ‘To walk along leaning sideways, with one arm hanging limp and dragging one leg behind the other. Most commonly used by actors in amateur productions of Richard III, or by people carrying a heavy suitcase in one hand’ as this was my default gait when traipsing home from Oundle via the school bus with all my A’Level text books.

In addition, there’s a completely insane Index of Meanings that is enormously entertaining and somewhat anarchic, providing place names for a wide range of ordinary words, thereby inverting the structure of the main book. I don’t think I have ever read an index to a book from start to finish before and this one has some real surprises. 

The Meaning of Liff will not suit every reader. Those who are not fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy probably won’t find it Clixby. However, they are probably Ainderby Quernhow or Kibblesworth, as I thought it was a wonderfully nostalgic, witty read that lifts the spirits and brings a whole lot of fun. It made me chortle throughout. The Meaning of Liff would be a great gift book for the person who has everything.

About Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams created all the various and contradictory manifestations of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: radio, novels, TV, computer game, stage adaptations, comic book and bath towel. He lectured and broadcast around the world and was a patron of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and Save the Rhino International. Douglas Adams was born in Cambridge, UK and lived with his wife and daughter in Islington, London, before moving to Santa Barbara, California, where he died suddenly in 2001.

About John Lloyd

John Lloyd is one of the most successful television comedy producers of all time, having been responsible for Not the Nine O’Clock News, Blackadder, QI and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

It’s another of the Kew Gardens collection books from Welbeck for review today as I’m taking a look at Kew: The Psychedelic Garden by Sandra Lawrence thanks to lovely Isabelle Wilson at Headline who sent me a copy in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share my review today.

The other Kew books I have reviewed are: 

Fragrance by Josh Carter and Samuel Gearing reviewed here 

Parched by Philip Clayton reviewed here 

The Apothecary’s Garden by Emma Wayland reviewed here 

Published by Welbeck on 24th July 2025 The Psychedelic Garden is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

Kew: The Psychedelic Garden

From ancient ayahuasca rituals in the Amazon to substance-fuelled partying in the Summer of Love, psychoactive plants have been used for thousands of years for everything from shamanic ceremonies to staying awake. The Psychedelic Garden is a fascinating exploration of these incredible species that, for centuries, have helped shape the way we see the world.

With expert text and gorgeous botanical illustrations from the archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this mind-expanding book delves into the folklore, cultural relevance and botanical background of these remarkable plants.

My Review of The Psychedelic Garden

The history and folklore of mind-altering plants!

Crikey! This is quite a read. 

Before I get on to the contents, however, I must once again praise the physical properties of The Psychedelic Garden. As with other books in the Kew series that I’ve read, this one has all the high quality properties I’ve come to expect, making it a wonderful gift book. Beautifully illustrated with everything from film posters through superb images from the Kew library to even a Jimi Hendrix poster, there’s so much to delight the eye. The hard back cover is weighty and robust with lovely end papers too. 

This isn’t a gardening book about cultivation, but rather a journey into all the elements of mind-altering plants to the extent that it seems to have the same effect as some of the plants featured. Quite a lot of the information is mind-blowing – you might be very surprised at the effect of the kava plant stalk but you’ll need to read the book for yourself to discover why! 

One of the aspects I especially appreciated is the reference to literature. Sandra Lawrence’s introduction begins with a mention of Aldous Huxley and there are literary examples and instances throughout from Frank Baum to Shakespeare, so that those who prefer fiction to non-fiction will find relevance here. Indeed, to quote from the Tea section, ‘it’s the stories that count’. 

It’s quite hard to review The Psychedelic Garden without simply regurgitating some of the fascinating facts and details contained within its pages, but this book takes the reader on all kinds of journeys. From its pages you’ll discover the effects of plants, information about history, geography and culture for example. You’ll find out where words originated and learn far more than might be imagined. I absolutely abhor cigarettes and one of the facts I enjoyed the most was discovering that in 1604 James VI and I wrote an anti-smoking treatise called ‘A Counterblaste to Tobacco’.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Psychedelic Garden. It’s the kind of book that tells you all kinds of interesting and entertaining things you never even imagined or knew you wanted to know. It’s part of an excellent series and I think its my favourite so far.

About Sandra Lawrence

Sandra Lawrence is a journalist and author. She writes for the Evening Standard, Guardian, Financial Times, The Times, Londonist.com and the English Garden. She is the London columnist for British Heritage magazine and is on the Q&A panel of experts for History Revealed magazine.

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

It’s far too long since I reviewed one of Lexi Rees’s children’s books here on Linda’s Book Bag. Consequently, I was delighted to accept Rachel’s offer to join the blog tour for Lexi’s latest book A Vampire Is NOT A Pet. It’s my pleasure to share my review today to start off the tour.

A Vampire Is NOT A Pet was published on 25th September 2025 and is available for purchase here.

A Vampire Is NOT A Pet

Yasmin REALLY wants a pet. A cat, a dog—she’d even settle for a snake. After all, there’s hardly anything Yasmin is afraid of… unless you count ghosts, zombies, monsters, and maybe custard. But Velma wasn’t the pet Yasmin expected. For starters, there are the fangs. And, well… she’s a vampire.

From classroom chaos and dental disasters to a blood bank heist (don’t ask), the world’s worst cow impressions (really don’t ask), and a Halloween party wild enough to wake the dead, Yasmin and Velma are about to have the time of their (after)lives.

As the mayhem piles up, Yasmin starts to wonder… could a vampire be the most fang-tastic pet ever?

My Review of A Vampire Is NOT A Pet

Yasmin is desperate for a pet. 

A Vampire Is NOT A Pet is such a fun read. It’s jam packed with wacky, manic events as Velma and Yasmin unintentionally get into all kinds of scrapes so that the story races along. 

The night-time shaded effect on the first page of each chapter, as well as the illustrations of Velma with her incredibly expressive face, all help make this a really engaging story. With short chapters the book is one that children can read independently, although one or two references such as the importance of garlic can be enhanced by an adult explaining further. Indeed, there’s a sublayer to the narrative that adult readers will really enjoy with reference to stakes/steaks and so on. I thought this approach was brilliant because it makes the story perfect for readers of any age. 

However, the real appeal is for the younger reader. From wanting a pet as Yasmin does, through school show and tell, to not enjoying eating green things or being apprehensive about a visit to the dentist for example, there’s so much that is appealing and relatable for children. The most affecting element of all I think, is Velma’s desire to be accepted, to fit in and to have a true friend. In amongst all the funny, zany episodes is a wistful desire to belong. I think all readers, regardless of age, will be able to relate to this concept.

I had huge fun reading A Vampire Is NOT A Pet because it’s filled with action, fast paced and somewhat bonkers – just the kind of narrative young readers will love. And for adults reading A Vampire Is NOT A Pet to or with children, watch out. You’re going to be badgered forever for a vampire as a pet! 

About Lexi Rees

Lexi Rees was born in Scotland but now lives down south where she’s slave to carrot obsessed gelding, a frisky mare, a dog who’s convinced he’s not been fed in a month, and a house of hungry boys.

She writes action-packed adventures and fun activity books for children. She’s passionate about reducing her footprint on the planet and becoming more self-sufficient.

She has an active programme of school visits and other events, is a Book PenPal for three primary schools, and runs a free online #kidsclub and newsletter which includes book recommendations and creative writing activities. 

For further information, visit Lexi’s website or find her on Instagram, Facebook and X @lexi_rees. 

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

My enormous thanks to Sara-Jade Virtue at Simon and Schuster for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Just a Taste by Anise Starre. It’s my pleasure to share my review today.

Published by Simon and Schuster on 23rd October 2025, Just a Taste is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Just a Taste

A Christmas romance featuring a personal chef who is snowed-in with her least favourite client – a sexy but miserable technopreneur.

The only thing personal chef Noelle Jones loves more than cooking is Christmas. She has a roster of extremely wealthy clients, including the elusive and stoic Alexander Hoxton.

When he asks her to cook a last-minute business meal he’s having, offering triple her pay for the short notice, Noelle jumps at the chance. It’s easy money, one of her favourite dishes and she’ll still have plenty of time to get to her family’s annual Christmas reunion.

But, when a sudden blizzard leaves Noelle snowed-in with Alexander, she quickly realises he wants absolutely nothing to do with anything festive. Stuck with a veritable grinch, she’s sure this Christmas is about to become one of her worst . . .

My Review of Just a Taste

Professional chef Noelle has a new client in Alex Hoxton.

Oh yes! I thoroughly enjoyed Just a Taste. Of course it has a familiar structure with a forced proximity trope, but the exposition of that trope is fabulous. The story sizzles with tension, from professional annoyance to sexual attraction, so that the reader lives the undulations of Noelle and Alex’s relationship with them. The slow build of sensuality could not be more effective or more deftly handled. And Just a Taste isn’t just a conventional love story about two heterosexual people, but it’s one about love of family and self love too so that it has additional depth.

The Christmas setting works perfectly and with Alex’s aversion to the season Anise Starre exploits potential humour to perfection. This might be a cracking slow burn love story that ends explosively (and very satisfyingly for reader and character alike!), but is huge fun too. Indeed, the only aspect of Just a Taste I didn’t appreciate was not knowing the full identity of the author. Transpose Anise Starre and you have the perfect pseudonym for an author with a chef as a protagonist and I was sure there was more to know! 

And what a protagonist Noelle is. I loved her. She’s sharp witted, caring, hard working and talented. She’s also quite quick to judge and make assumptions about Alex and not averse to a tiny bit of snooping so that, not only does she feel very authentic, she’s well balanced and creatively defined too. It shouldn’t matter that she is a black woman, but I found myself desperate for more readers to discover such a woman. Her ethnicity matters as it’s part of her beauty, but more importantly, she’s a brilliant role model for readers of all ethnic backgrounds.

I loved the developing relationship between Noelle and Alex, not least because Noelle doesn’t need a man in her life to be a fully rounded and complete individual. As with any relationship, they encounter mis-understanding and problems along the way so that they are relatable and believable too. When Alex’s taciturnity about Christmas was finally explained, I found the story rather emotional too. 

Just a Taste is such an apt title as Noelle and Alex get just a taste of one another’s lives so that they discover the true person under the public and professional veneer.  Underpinning a highly entertaining narrative are themes of professionalism, family, and the impact of upbringing that add layers of interest. However, it is Noelle’s food and cooking that are truly magnificent. I’d defy anyone reading Just a Taste not to feel ravenous and I definitely was left wanting just a taste of Noelle’s food!  

Of course Just a Taste fulfilled my reader expectations of a story where two mis-matched individuals discovered they have more in common than initially thought. In addition, however, Anise Starre brought me two fantastic characters in an uplifting, engaging story that I thought was fabulous. 

About Anise Starre

Anise Starre is a born and bred Londoner who now travels the world with her husband. She loves writing sweet, fluffy romances featuring Black women being loved on and adored, with a hint of steam and spice to get the heart going. One Week in Paradise is her debut novel and the first book in the Flights and Feelings series. The second book is One Last Job and One More Shot is the third and final novel in the series. Just a Taste is her brand new Christmas romance novel coming out in October 2025. 

For further information, follow Anise on Instagram and visit her website.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

 

It’s almost exactly a year since I reviewed two of the Kew Gardens collection books from Welbeck: Fragrance by Josh Carter and Samuel Gearing reviewed here and Parched by Philip Clayton reviewed here. Consequently I was delighted to receive The Apothecary’s Garden by Emma Wayland and extend my grateful thanks to Isabelle Wilson at Headline for sending me a copy. It’s my pleasure to share my review today. 

The Apothecary’s Garden was published by Welbeck on 24th April 2025 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

Kew: The Apothecary’s Garden

For centuries we have harnessed the ancient wisdom of botanical healing, with plants used for a multitude of remedies that nurture both body and soul.

Kew: The Apothecary’s Garden is a fascinating exploration of nature’s pharmacy and the healing power of plants, from soothing hops, chamomile and valerian, and invigorating guarana, maca and ginseng, to the infection-fighting turmeric and tea tree and the immunity-boosting turkey tail mushroom. Herbal remedies, natural tinctures, and the historical and botanical background of plants are revealed through expert text and beautiful illustrations from the renowned Kew archive.

This curious history of plants that heal describes the incredible properties of over 60 species. Exploring the original folk remedies they inspired and the science behind them, this is the weird and wonderful story of how humans have harnessed nature’s apothecary.

My Review of The Apothecary’s Garden

A book about the science and mythology of medicinal plants.

If you’re looking for a horticultural guidebook to cultivating medicinal plants, this is not what you are looking for. If, however, you want the most glorious gift book that examines the huge wealth of background to such plants then look no further!

As with the other books in the Kew Gardens series, The Apothecary’s Garden is stunningly presented. The hardback is exquisite quality with robust, weighty covers and includes the most glorious illustrations throughout. Even the end papers feel luxurious, with the suggestion of the timelessness of stars and a hint of plant trellis so that this is a volume that will endure much handling and bring pleasure to the reader for years to come. It’s impossible to overstate the beauty and variety of illustration.

The information contained within The Apothecary’s Garden is eclectic, extensive and immensely entertaining. It’s particularly fascinating to discover the link between some of our modern medicines and traditional use – and I loved the word of caution at the start of the book warning readers not to use The Apothecary’s Garden as a means of deciding upon or creating their own cures!

Each of the eight chapters begins with an erudite and interesting introduction and then contains information about individual plants that includes history, herbalism, geography and culture. There’s folklore, science and superstition so that every entry holds something new to discover. I was particularly interested in Gotu Kola as I’d never heard of it before!

I think The Apothecary’s Garden would make a wonderful gift book for anyone interested in plants or medicine. It can be read in the order it’s presented, or dipped into on a whim to discover something fascinating. For those wanting a gift for someone interested in plants but who has everything already, The Apothecary’s Garden could be exactly what you need.

About Emma Wayland

Emma Wayland is a journalist, writer and lecturer. Her postgraduate research at Imperial College, London, and in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Cambridge, concerned how Victorian gardeners made use of new scientific ideas. As Emma Townshend she was the Independent on Sunday‘s gardening columnist for 10 years, and for the last 15 years she has been part of the team of volunteer tour guides at Kew, interpreting the Gardens for visitors. She lives in London.

I am delighted to welcome Lucy M. Black to Linda’s Book Bag today to tell me all about her latest book. My huge thanks to Hollay at River Street Writing for putting us in touch with one another. Let’s find out more about Lucy’s brand new book:

Staying in with Lucy E.M. Black

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

I’ve brought A Quilting of Scars with me this evening. It is my newest book (released October 15 with Now or Never Publishing).

Happy publication day Lucy and what a fantastically atmospheric cover.

I chose it because I think the book is timely in terms of what I view as the frightening rise of the right and the persecution of marginalized and vulnerable peoples.  

It sounds as if A Quilting of Scars is hugely important and pertinent to today’s world. What can we expect from an evening in with A Quilting of Scars?

Let me share with you what readers think. The following endorsements have come in for the novel: 

 Black writes with a wonderful sense of place, as she takes the reader back to a “not so” gentler time.  A comfortable, yet suitably disturbing read about secrets and the ever-present of the past. 

-Robert Rotenberg, author of the bestselling ONE MINUTE MORE.

 At once a searing portrait of rural life at the turn of 19th century Canada, profound family drama, and a dark mystery, Lucy E.M. Black’s A Quilting of Scars takes the reader on a tumultuous journey from the ashes of a tragic fire to the revelation of secrets and recriminations that burn just as deeply. 

-Anthony Bidulka, author of Going to Beautiful, winner of Crime Writers of Canada Best Crime Novel, and the Merry Bell mysteries.

A Quilting of Scars by Lucy E.M. Black is a gorgeously textured story of the brutality and sorrows of submerged identity and trauma. Set in the early 1900s in rural Ontario, Black’s writing is stylistically cinematic and thematically universal. Her masterful use of the historical fiction genre serves to amplify human behaviour, allowing us to take it out of our current context and place it in an uncluttered setting that is free of contemporaneous issues and distractions. The effect is a deftly-crafted character-driven narrative that’s as breathtaking as it is shattering.

-Hollay Ghadery, author of Fuse, Rebellion Box, and Widow Fantasies

Aging bachelor Larkin Beattie is still haunted by a decades-old double murder on the next farm over. Folks assume his childhood friend Paul killed his abusive father and brother. Larkin knows things others don’t. 

Hearty as a farm-cooked meal and resonant with Lucy E. M. Black’s spot-on period dialogue and detail, A Quilting of Scars is the story of a reserved, plain-spoken man and the unsettling friendship that shapes his life. Larkin Beattie will linger with you long after you’ve finished reading this remarkable book.

-K.R. Wilson, author of Call Me Stan and An Idea About My Dead Uncle

Lucy E.M. Black’s aptly named A Quilting of Scars is written with grace and depth of character. As with all of her moving historical fiction, Lucy immerses her reader in details. In this early 20th century Canadian story, she touches on animal husbandry, small town life, illness, religious zeal, guilt, shame, and the burden of secrets. The novel moves back and forth in time at a moving pace and yet with delicate sensitivity. There is profound loneliness in protagonist Larkin, ashamed of who he might be, and yet somehow, throughout his life he held his ground, ‘lest he disappear into the blackness.’ Larkin contemplates how a life might have unfolded differently if he’d been able to trust and share closely guarded secrets and not rub sadness deeper into his pores.   

-Gail Kirkpatrick, author of Sleepers and Ties

 Lucy Black has done it again. In “A Quilting of Scars,” she has created a delightful novel set in the late Victorian and early Edwardian era. We find ourselves plunged into the fictitious rural Ontario community of Murton, somewhere in the quiet landscape of Grey and Simcoe counties. On the first page we are immediately thrust into the sights, sound and aromas of farming life through the life of Larkin Beattie, a farmer with a love of horses. Ms. Black draws us into the deeply personal life of this practical man, a bachelor with unrequited, thwarted romances. We join him in his daily chores and social encounters, discreet and otherwise.  We understand, and identify with his inner pleasures and his anguish. 

Running through this skilfully crafted historical novel, are unobtrusive, yet relevant mysteries and secrets that keep the reader closely attached to the narrative. Even in the dialogue, with its vocabulary, colloquialisms and phrasing from more than a century ago, we are spirited back to that seemingly less complicated era. But it was still a time of hidden stresses.  

Throughout the work we are constantly reminded that, in spite of our present-day advances in technology and communication, human nature remains a constant throughout history. A delightful read. 

 -Paul Arculus, writer and historian

In A Quilting of Scars, Lucy E.M. Black weaves a murder mystery through the threads of farm life in the early twentieth century, expertly and delectably unfolding the intrigue with the everyday. Black uses cadence, dialect, and honed insight to immerse the reader in the life and psyche of Larkin Beattie — farmer, friend, and secret holder. We get poignant and fascinating glimpses into the hardships and joys of rural existence in Ontario’s past through the eyes of a man wracked with guilt, betrayal, and remorse.  

-H&A Christensen, authors of Stealing John Hancock

Lucy E.M. Black’s mellifluous prose conjures a lost world, steeped in love of family, memory, and the quiet echoes of regret. In Larkin, she crafts a character who carries the weight of grief, loss, and guilt, each shaping him in ways he cannot comprehend. His solace in the rhythms of farm life—its hard work, its quiet joys—cannot erase what has happened, nor the secret he keeps close: his love for a friend implicated in a murder that shattered his rural community. Among Black’s unforgettable creations, Larkin stands as both burdened and transcendent, a figure who lingers in the reader’s mind, refusing to be forgotten. This is a story of reckoning, remembrance, and the fragile hope found among the shadows of the past.

-AnnaLiza Kozma, Journalist and Senior Producer, CBC Radio

Goodness me! You must be beyond thrilled with those reactions Lucy – they’ve certainly made me want to add A Quilting of Scars to my towering TBR!

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

I’ve brought a vintage poster called THAT SPLENDID HORSE, YOUNG NETHERBY! It’s dated May 1st, 1874 and announces Netherby will stand for mares this season at $4 a single leap. It was this poster that was the seed of the novel. 

How brilliant!

I’ve also brought with me a pair of sheep shears in the event that people don’t know what they look like.  

They take me back to my childhood Lucy, when farm life was very much part of my community. Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about A Quilting of Scars. I think it sounds superb. Let me give readers a few more details:

A Quilting of Scars

Filled with the pleasure of recognizable yet distinctively original characters and a deftly drawn sense of time and place, A Quilting of Scars brings to life a story of forbidden love, abuse and murder. Pulsing with repressed sexuality and guilt, Larkin Beattie reveals the many secrets he has kept hidden throughout his lonely life. The character-driven narrative is a meditation on aging and remorse, offering a rich account of the strictures and rhythms of farming in the not-so-distant past, highlighting the confines of a community where strict moral codes are imposed upon its members and fear of exposure terrifies queer youth. As Larkin reflects upon key events, his recollections include his anger at the hypocrisy of the church, and the deep grief and loneliness that have marked his path. There is a timelessness to this story which transcends the period and resonates with heart-breaking relevance.

A Quilting of Scars is published by Now or Never today, 15th October 2025, and is available for purchase here or, for UK readers, here.

About Lucy E. M. Black

Lucy E.M. Black (she/her/hers) is the author of The Marzipan Fruit Basket, Eleanor Courtown, Stella’s Carpet, The Brickworks, Class Lessons: Stories of Vulnerable Youth and A Quilting of Scars.  Her award-winning short stories have been published in Britain, Ireland, USA and Canada in literary journals and magazines including Cyphers Magazine, the Hawai’i Review, The Antigonish Review, the Queen’s Quarterly and others. She is a dynamic workshop presenter, experienced interviewer and freelance writer.  She lives with her partner in the small lakeside town of Port Perry, Ontario, the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island, First Nations. 

For further information, visit Lucy’s website https://lucyemblack.com/ or find Lucy on X @lucyemblack, Facebook and Instagram.