My enormous thanks to Jo Hardacre at Macmillan Children’s Books for sending me a surprise copy of The Ice Children by M.G Leonard, illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee. Now, I have about eleven million (only a slight exaggeration) books on my TBR but I always enjoy children’s fiction and The Ice Children kept calling to me so I’m delighted to share my review today.

Published by Macmillan Children’s Books today, 2nd November 2023, The Ice Children is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

The Ice Children

At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city park standing on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling serenely, but no one can wake him.

Finn’s big sister, Bianca, suspects that the beautiful sparkling book Finn got from the library has something to do with it, but the book has vanished. Does the tall mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn know more than they will admit?

Each day, more children are found frozen and Bianca realizes she’s running out of time. Her quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty and danger, where all is not as it seems.

Can Bianca save her brother and the other Ice Children before they are forever lost?

My Review of The Ice Children

Finn has been turned to ice.

The Ice Children is a magnificent children’s book and thoroughly magical. Firstly, it is atmospherically illustrated throughout by Penny Neville-Lee with images that support less confident young independent readers, and which enhance and exemplify what’s happening. From the gorgeous endpapers, through the winter spirit animal inspired ice crystals at the start of each chapter, to the dramatic pictures supporting the text, the illustration elevates The Ice Children into the most perfect gift book.

The plot simply races along as more and more children become frozen in suspended animation and Bianca tries to establish what has happened to her little brother Finn. M.G Leonard weaves in elements of traditional tales with fantasy and adventure so that The Ice Children feels as if it is a natural part of established children’s fiction whilst being absolutely fresh and modern too. Themes of family, climate change and the environment are explored without preaching, but in ways that show just how we are affecting our planet and how important children are to the future of the world. I loved the status this gives to children and thoroughly appreciated the fact that Bianca is a strong, intelligent and feisty girl as the protagonist so that there is a touch of feminism here too.

The celebration of winter is just wonderful.  M.G Leonard’s descriptions of cold, ice and snow are so beautifully written and so vivid that there’s a dramatic and visual quality to the story. Indeed, I thought the language was perfect. The rhyming couplets spoken by Pitter and Patter, Jack’s appearance, and the references to food all added layers of interest and mystery, with the inscriptions next to the frozen children and Ishild’s riddle all helping children to understand the power of language. I found the concept of story as a powerful means to explore new worlds very touching, but you’ll need to read The Ice Children to discover quite why.

In fact, there’s considerable emotion throughout the story because the characterisation is sensitively handled. The relationship between Bianca and Pordis is just lovely and the dynamics with her parents, as well as the emotions she feels when confronting Finn in Winterton are strong and relatable. Through The Ice Children young readers get to explore and understand love, family, friendships, fear, grief, happiness and sadness in an enchanting and entertaining manner. 

Aimed at readers aged 8-12, I have a feeling that The Ice Children will bring a lifetime of joy to any reader and become a family favourite returned to and shared across generations. I thought it was utterly brilliant. 

About M.G. Leonard

M. G. Leonard has made up stories since she was a little girl, but back then adults called them lies or tall tales and she didn’t write them down. As a grown up, she has written stories about fantastical beetles, beautiful birds and thrilling train rides. Her books have been translated into over forty languages and won many awards. She is the vice president of the insect charity Buglife, and a founding author of Authors4Oceans. She lives in England, by the sea, with her husband, two sons, a dog called Nell, and a variety of exotic beetles.

For further information about M.G. Leonard, visit her website, follow her on Twitter/X @MGLnrd and find her on Facebook and Instagram.

I understand that M.G. Leonard will be at the Guildford Book Festival on 25th November and you can buy a ticket here.

About Penny Neville-Lee

Penny Neville-Lee was raised on a healthy diet of Saturday cartoons and MGM musicals. Never happier than when creating, she spent her early years drawing and making and was rarely found without a doodle somewhere in the margins. Penny studied MA Painting at the Royal College of Art. After several years making large oil paintings of gloomy woods in the company of Radio 4 and some studio mice, she had her small son, shifted to the kitchen table and realised there might be something in those doodles after all. Penny is inspired by small people, bright colours, a blank page and newly sharpened pencils. She lives in Manchester with her two children, husband and very adventurous cat.

For further information, visit Penny’s website, or follow her on Twitter/X @PennyNevilleLee.

Many moons ago when I submitted a thesis on Charlotte Bronte for my degree I became fascinated by that literary family. Today sees a brand new imagining of Emily Bronte’s character Heathcliff and I was so interested to hear more I simply had to invite Nicola Edwards onto Linda’s Book Bag to tell me more. My enormous thanks to Julia Forster for putting us in touch with one another.

Let’s see what Nicola has to say:

Staying in with Nicola Edwards

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

Thanks for having me, Linda.

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 my debut novel, This Thing of Darkness, a dark reimagining of Heathcliff’s lost years in Wuthering Heights. The novel is out today.

How exciting! Happy debut publication day Nicola. So, what can we expect from an evening in with This Thing of Darkness?

The novel has been described by early readers as ‘visceral, disturbing and deeply compelling’, a ‘brave and unflinching’ account of a dark period in English history. Heathcliff’s brutality is very much a product of his environment and what befalls him as he ventures into the world. He is not the same person when he returns to the Heights, and I explore this transformation. I use multiple first-person narrators, so we see Heathcliff’s development through a prism.

This sounds utterly brilliant Nicola. I’m thrilled to have This Thing of Darkness waiting for me on my TBR. I have a feeling I’ll love it.

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

I’ve brought my most precious copy of Wuthering Heights, a gift from my husband when I first began to write This Thing of Darkness. I’m not sure of the precise date, but I know it was published in the mid-1800s due to the use of the Bronte pseudonyms. I was incredibly excited when I read Ellis and Acton Bell on the front cover!

I imagine you were. What a wonderful gift.

Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about This Thing of Darkness Nicola. I can’t wait to dive in and discover more about Heathcliff. Happy publication day once again. 

This Thing of Darkness

The storm that dismantles a dynasty… 

1780. Wild and windswept Yorkshire. Sixteen-year-old Heathcliff runs from the only home he has ever known in a squall of pain and fury.

Blown into an inn on the edge of the moors, sodden, rejected, and hankering for revenge, he steals a horse and sets out for Liverpool in search of answers. The town he arrives in is a brutal new world, brimming in equal measure with risk and opportunity. Here, Heathcliff might map his future, make his fortune, forge a role for himself. But at what cost…  

Reimagining the three years during which Heathcliff is absent from Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, This Thing of Darkness traverses countries and oceans in pursuit of one of literature’s best known characters.

This Thing of Darkness is published today, 2nd November 2023, by Aderyn Press and is available for purchase in all the usual places including here.

About Nicola Edwards

Nicola Edwards is a PhD candidate at the University of Bangor and teaches English and Classics in a school in North Wales. Nicola has worked as a journalist and has lectured on race and representation in the media for Race Council Wales. Her non-fiction writing has appeared in Wales Arts Review. This Thing of Darkness, her first novel, won the Michael Schmidt Prize at the Manchester Writing School.

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

I’m a huge fan of SJI Holliday’s writing and would like to thank Susi for making sure I received an early proof of her latest book, The Party Season in return for an honest review. I also owe thanks to Kimberley Nyamhondera who subsequently sent me a surprise finished copy of The Party Season which I will be donating to my local library so that other readers get to enjoy it too.

Recently (and rather belatedly) I reviewed Susi’s The Lingering here.

I reviewed Susi’s Substitute here and The Last Resort here. You’ll also find my review of Willow Walk here, an interview with Susi to celebrate The Damsel Fly here and my review of her outstanding Violet here.

The Party Season is published in paperback by Hodder on 9th November and is available for purchase through the links here.

The Party Season

It’s the most deadly time of the year…

The festive season is in full swing – parties, mistletoe and Christmas crackers abound.

In a hotel bar, a woman approaches you. Her party dress glitters with sequins.

What you don’t know is that your life is now in her hands – and there’s only one thing that will determine whether you live or die.

Are you a good person? Are you really? . . .

My Review of The Party Season

Be careful who you chat to at the Christmas party bar! 

I thoroughly enjoyed The Party Season. It’s a bit like a spider’s web; each strand is connected and vibrates with meaning and menace but it isn’t until the final pages of the story that the reader finds if their guesses as to how it all is linked are correct. This makes for an immersive read.

The plot is fast paced and engaging and whilst there are characters that SJI Holliday has used before, The Party Season is a self-contained police thriller that can be read entirely independently. That said, I so enjoyed the police team dynamics that I’d love this to be a series developing Eddie and Becky’s lives further and I now want to go back and read The Deaths of December where they first appear.

Eddie and Becky are a super duo. There’s connection and understanding between them that makes them feel human, but SJI Holliday doesn’t force a more personal relationship so that they also feel realistic. I liked the pragmatism of how their work is carried out against a backdrop of cutbacks as this aspect made me consider real policing constraints more and gave The Party Season an authenticity and added realism.

However, it is the party girl herself who is the most interesting character. As she uses an arbitrary ‘naughty or nice’ selection process for the men she is about to murder, she should be anathema to the reader. But SJI Holliday explores the reasons for the party girl’s behaviour with humanity and compassion so that the reader is on her side whilst still being unnerved by her behaviour. This is such clever writing and manipulation of the reader.

Consequently, even as it entertains, The Party Season, considers bigger issues. Morality, revenge, #metoo, family and relationships, for example, give layers of consideration that add depth. At the same time, there’s a truly seasonal mention of Christmas songs that make the reader feel Christmassy even as the body count rises and which add a lightness to a disturbing series of murders.

The Party Season is well balanced between reality and traditional Christmas sentiment so that it’s the perfect antidote to saccharine Christmas schmaltz. Reading The Party Season may have entertained me brilliantly, but it may also have put me off Christmas parties for life! I really enjoyed it.

About Susi Holliday

Susi (S.J.I.) Holliday grew up in East Lothian, Scotland. A life-long fan of crime and horror, her short stories have been published in various places, and she was shortlisted for the inaugural CWA Margery Allingham prize. She lives in London (except when she’s in Edinburgh) and she loves to travel the world.

Her serial killer thriller The Deaths of December, featuring Detective Sergeant Eddie Carmine and Detective Constable Becky Greene was a festive hit in 2017.

Writing as SJI Holliday, she also has three crime novels set in the fictional Scottish town of Banktoun, which are a mix of police procedural and psychological thriller. They are: Black Wood, Willow Walk and The Damselfly – all featuring the much loved character, Sergeant Davie Gray.

Also as SJI Holliday, her spooky mystery The Lingering was released in September 2018, followed by Violet – a psychological thriller set on the Trans-Siberian Express – in September 2019. Violet has been optioned for film.

You can find out more about Susi Holliday on her website and on Facebook or Instagram and by following her on Twitter/X @SJIHolliday.

I’ve had The Witches of Vardø by Anya Bergman calling to me from my TBR for a while so it was brilliant to be able to read it for the latest of my My Weekly online reviews.

Published by Bonnier imprint Manilla Press, The Witches of Vardø is available for purchase in all good bookshops and online including here.

The Witches of Vardø

Norway, 1662. A dangerous time to be a woman, when even dancing can lead to accusations of witchcraft. After recently widowed Zigri’s affair with the local merchant is discovered, she is sent to the fortress at Vardø to be tried as a witch.

Zigri’s daughter Ingeborg sets off into the wilderness to try to bring her mother back home. Accompanying her on this quest is Maren – herself the daughter of a witch – whose wild nature and unconquerable spirit gives Ingeborg the courage to venture into the unknown, and to risk all she has to save her family.

Also captive in the fortress is Anna Rhodius, once the King of Denmark’s mistress, who has been sent in disgrace to the island of Vardø. What will she do – and who will she betray – to return to her privileged life at court?

These Witches of Vardø are stronger than even the King. In an age weighted against them, they refuse to be victims. They will have their justice. All they need do is show their power.

My Review of The Witches of Vardø

My full review of The Witches of Vardø can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that The Witches of Vardø is a mesmerising, brutal and beautiful story that stays with the reader long after it has been read. This is very powerful storytelling.

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Anya Bergman

Anya Bergman became interested in the witch trials of Vardø and the vivid folk tales of the north while living in Norway. Travelling to the Steilneset memorial, in which Louise Bourgeois and Peter Zumthor commemorated those persecuted as witches, she became fascinated by their stories. Now resident in Ireland, she is currently undertaking a PhD by Published Works at Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland where she also lectures as well as tutoring for Jericho Writers. She is working on her next novel, which unites the fates of two very different women against the tumultuous backdrop of the French Revolution.

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

My enormous thanks to the lovely team at Bookouture for sending me a copy of Snowed In by Catherine Walsh in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share that review today.

Published by Bookouture on 1st November 2023, Snowed In is available for purchase here.

Snowed In

Megan is dreading going home for the holidays. She’s the village pariah, the she-devil who left local golden boy Isaac at the altar four years ago and ran away to the big city. She could really do without the drama. Particularly as he’s engaged again, and she’s just been dumped for the fourth time this year.

Christian’s fed up of being on his own every Christmas. He doesn’t mind being alone, but he hates his family’s sad eyes and soft tones as they sit around coupled up. Because he’s actually, totally, fine.

So when Megan literally bumps into Christian in a Dublin pub, they come up with a pact to see them through the holiday season. They’re going to be the very best fake dates for each other, ever.

Rules are drawn up, a contract is signed on a wine-stained napkin. They will sit through each other’s family gatherings and be outrageously in love until freed from their annual obligations. After all, it’s only for a few weeks.

But with everyone home for the holidays, two big families to deal with alongside old friends, old flames and old feelings, things are bound to get messy. And when a snowed-in cabin and a little Christmas magic are added to the mix, anything could happen…

My Review of Snowed In

Megan is on the run from her own wedding.

What a gorgeous, witty, romantic, Christmassy story. I absolutely loved Snowed In. Catherine Walsh writes with an effortless style that draws in her reader and keeps them spell bound by her storytelling. Her descriptions add the perfect amount of detail and her dialogue is natural and believable so that combined they enhance her setting, plot and characters. 

It’s a fabulous plot. Of course, much of Snowed In is as any reader of romantic fiction would hope, and it’s incredibly satisfying to read with just the right amount of sexiness and love woven in, but at the same time Catherine Walsh does not shy away from bigger themes too. Megan’s reasons for leaving Isaac at the altar, Christian’s relationship with his father and the ways in which society can make assumptions about, and judge, others are all serious enough to add depth without for one moment spoiling what is a smashing romance. 

I loved meeting Megan and Christian. What I enjoyed so much was the fact that Christian isn’t some conventionally hard boiled, grumpy hero who is miraculously ‘cured’ by Megan as the only heroine who can break through his tough veneer. Rather, this is the story of two warm, vivid individuals who have a past that affects them and who get to know one another in a natural, funny and engaging way. From the very beginning it is impossible not to care about them. The other characters feel equally real, as do the familial relationships so that there’s much to relate to in Snowed In as well as to enjoy. I thought this was such lovely writing. 

I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed Snowed In. It’s the kind of book that entertains beautifully and leaves the reader feeling uplifted, hopeful and happy. Snowed In deserves to be read by a crackling fire on a cold winter’s afternoon as it transports the reader from the cares of the world into a narrative that has every romantic fiction element blended into a beautiful, transporting story. It’s a total smasher! Don’t miss it.

About Catherine Walsh

Catherine Walsh was born and raised in Ireland.

She lived in London for a few years before returning to Dublin where she now lives between the mountains and the sea. When not writing she is trying and failing to not kill her houseplants.

For further information, Visit Catherine’s website, follow her on Twitter/X @CatWalshWriter or find Catherine on Instagram.

My huge thanks to Libby Haddock at Allison and Busby for sending me a copy of The Runaway Heiress by Emma Orchard in return for an honest review. It’s so good to read in a genre that doesn’t usually appear on Linda’s Book Bag and I’m delighted to share my review today.

The Runaway Heiress is published by Allison and Busby on 2nd November 2023 and is available for purchase here and directly through the publisher here.

The Runaway Heiress

London, 1815. Cassandra Hazeldon is on the run.

Under duress to marry a repellent friend of her uncle, Cassandra has made her escape, but now she is very much alone. With luck and quick thinking, she finds a refuge in a grand mansion in Mayfair, and a protector in Lord Irlam, or Hal to his friends.

Posing as a friend of Hal’s sister, Cassandra is swept up into the social whirl of a Brighton summer. But the attraction between her and Hal is starting to scorch, and when jealousy is added to the mix, things are set to reach boiling point.

My Review of The Runaway Heiress

Cassandra’s on the run. 

If you’re expecting demure, socially constrained Regency niceties in The Runaway Heiress you have chosen the wrong book! Emma Orchard’s story is fast paced and absolutely sizzles with sexual tension and some pretty racy passages that make not only Cass and Hal hot under the collar, but are highly charged for the reader too! 

Certainly the era is satisfyingly portrayed, particularly through the author’s style and direct speech so that the time is conveyed completely convincingly. Aspects like betrothal, reputation, wealth and so on all fit the genre really well, but it was the dramatic, stormy and very sexy relationship between Cass and Hal that I so enjoyed. 

Hal is a wonderful contradiction of conventional manners, caring for his orphaned younger siblings and upholding reputations, whilst simmering with desire for Cassandra. Cass, meanwhile, is passionate, scrupulously honest and strong, yet vulnerable and threatened so that between the two they epitomise the need to uphold the veneer of civilised behaviour whilst desperately wanting to undermine it. This makes for great tension and brilliant romance. 

I loved the plot. It bubbles with just enough historical detail to create interest, involves a wonderful balance of primary and secondary characters and it steams along at a cracking pace. The concept of a female’s place in society also cleverly underpins the narrative so that there’s an added dimension of feminism to enjoy in the story.

Regency romance is a genre I almost never read and indeed have often avoided thinking it wasn’t for me, but I so enjoyed The Runaway Heiress that I might have to revise my opinions!  The Runaway Heiress is a fast-paced, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable book that held my rapt attention throughout! 

About Emma Orchard

Emma Orchard grew up in Salford and was given tickets to the grown-up library at the age of 11 because she’d read all the children’s books and the librarians were sick of the sight of her. She became obsessed with Georgette Heyer and hasn’t stopped reading her novels since. She studied English Literature at university and went on to work at Mills & Boon and behind the scenes in television and in publishing.

For further information, follow Emma on Twitter/X @EmmaOrchardB and find her on Instagram.

I’ve been meaning to review children’s book The Magic of Forests by Vicky Woodgate for months but life simply got the better of me. However, I’m delighted finally to share my review and would like to thank Natasha Finn at DK Books for sending me a copy way back in August.

The Magic of Forests was published by DK Books on 3rd August 2023 and is available for purchase through the links here.

The Magic of Forests

Discover the world of forests, from the inner workings of trees to the legends of ancient woodlands in this magical guide.

What goes on inside a tree? Can trees communicate with each other? Why are rainforests called the lungs of the Earth? What is tree bathing? All these questions and many more are covered in this practical guide to everything there is to know about forests and how important they are to us.

Children aged 7-9 will be led into the depths of forests thousands of years old, and learn about unbelievable natural phenomena, such as the forests that have wandered away from their original homes. As well as the scientific side of forests, this book will delve into the stories people tell about forests, from fairies and the tales of the Brothers Grimm, to fearsome beasts and the real-life historical figures who have explored the most dense and mysterious woodlands.

This magical forest book for children offers:

– Interesting facts, quizzes, activities, and tips all about forests and the natural world.
– Information on everything you can think of about forests, including science, history, how humans use and need them, and much more.
– Easy-to-read text for children aged 7-9 which includes key vocabulary about the natural world.

The Magic of Forests is perfect for children with an interest in nature, geography, and legends, and anyone who wants to learn all about the science and history behind forests. Author Vicky Woodgate introduces a beautifully-illustrated and informative book to teach your child everything they need to know about forests in this follow up title to the popular The Magic of Sleep and The Magic of Seasons.

My Review of The Magic of Forests

An exploration of forests.

Sometimes it’s quite hard to say anything about a book that doesn’t just repeat the blurb! So it is with The Magic of Forests. It’s a super book for children simply brimming with information, facts and wonderful illustrations.

In common with all the DK books I’ve had the privilege to read, The Magic of Forests is produced to the very highest standard. It is a fantastic size for home use or for sharing in other settings like schools. It has a durable and robust cover that makes it excellent value for money because it will be long lasting if many young hands come into contact with it. If I had any quibble at all it is that a couple of pages have background illustrations that removed a little clarity from the text for someone with challenging sight, but that is really nit-picking!

That one small comment aside, I loved this children’s book. The iterative image of Mimi the cat leading children though all the information is witty, effective and huge fun. It really engages young readers. The Magic of Forests contains so much information, with quiz sections and activities as well as all the facts, that it is a book a child can come back to time and again. Aimed at 7-9 year olds, I can easily see The Magic of Forests remaining a firm favourite with young readers well into secondary age. I thought the indoor and outdoor activities suggested were just lovely.

Whilst The Magic of Forests would be a fantastic gift book for any child with even the remotest interest in nature, it would make a stunning addition to any school setting. There’s science, nature, the environment, people, and so much more that it could easily be a catalyst for classroom activities. As a result of reading The Magic of Forests, I found myself researching the ‘Fabulous Forest Folk’ and the book could easily promote research skills (even just through using the Index and Glossary to show children how to use a reference book for example), project work (I’d never really thought about underwater forests as forests before) and oral presentations about the different animals included perhaps. The folklore of forests from different countries would be a wonderful introduction to multi-cultural story-telling. Indeed, there’s so much packed into this magnificent book it almost made me want to get back in a classroom to share it with children, and those who know me will realise that’s one heck of a compliment to Vicky Woodgate.

Text, new vocabulary, facts and figures aside, it’s impossible not to mention the brilliant illustrations. They really are quite wonderful and any reluctant reader would be drawn in completely. The colours, flora and fauna are presented with a naïve style that appeals to young readers whilst retaining an elegance that doesn’t belittle them, making the book feel accessible and grown up at the same time.

The Magic of Forests does exactly what it should. It educates, fascinates and engages and provides a fabulous insight into nature. I thought it was excellent.

About Vicky Woodgate

Vicky Woodgate has been drawing since a toddler! This passion for scribbling lead her to a career in commercial art for 20 years. After graduating from Chelsea College of Art in London, she worked all over the planet on fun interesting projects in TV, Film and Theme Parks, painting huge murals, backdrops and sets, she then moved into illustrating and publishing.

In 2016 she signed her first book deal to write and illustrate books for children and has been having fun ever since! Her very first book Urban Jungle for Big Picture Press was all about animals in cities around the world, the idea coming from a trip to Athens where she spotted tortoise living in the centre of the city! Next up was A World Of Birds and soon to be released A World of Dinosaurs – Also with Big Picture Press.

Her new book which she is SUPER proud of is called The Magic Of Sleep published by DK – its PAWSOME and Yawnsome!

She currently lives on the south coast of England with her husband and sleep expert Moka cat, a demanding old Siamese who has a love for fish, smooths and sleep.

For further information, visit Vicky’s website, follow her on Twitter/X @vickywoodgate and find Vicky on Instagram and Faceboook.

I’ve had the privilege of reviewing some brilliant books for My Weekly and the latest of my reviews, is the wonderful Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone by Suk Pannu.

Published by Harper Collins on 12th October 2023, Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone is available for purchase through the links here.

Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone

Mrs. Sidhu – unofficial Aunty to everyone, caterer, and amateur sleuth from Slough – spices up the lives of Berkshire’s elite with both her mouth-watering dishes and her sharp detective skills. But when she stirs up trouble among the rich and ruthless, she finds herself an outsider in her own community.

Banished to the kitchen by her boss and sentenced to an endless loop of aubergine bhajis, Mrs. Sidhu seizes the opportunity to whip up a new recipe for success – getting a job as a private chef at an exclusive celebrity rehab retreat. But when a therapist is found dead in the quiet village, Mrs Sidhu’s appetite for mystery is rekindled.

As the plot thickens, it becomes clear that the killer is picking victims through a twisted raffle at the village fete. Is a vengeful spirit returning to exact a horrifying revenge, or is there an impostor among the residents hiding a deadly secret?

My Review of Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone

My full review of Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone is a total treat of a read, being fast paced, witty, funny and totally captivating. I absolutely loved it and it’s one of my favourite reads this year!

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Suk Pannu

Suk Pannu wrote for Goodness, Gracious, Me and five series of the Emmy Award winning Kumars at No. 42. He’s written for BBC’s My Family and is a regular contributor to TV and Radio sketch and topical shows with spells on The News Quiz, Swinging, Armando Iannucci’s Charm Offensive.

His debut cosy crime novel, Dead and Scone is published by HarperCollins.

For further information, follow Suk on Twitter/X @sukpannu and find him on Instagram.

My enormous thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me to participate in the blog tour got The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani. I’m delighted to share my review today.

TheTwelve Days of Murder is published by Zaffre today, 26th October 2023 and is available for purchase here.

The Twelve Days of Murder

Find the truth. Solve the murder. Never reveal your secret.

Twelve years ago, eight friends ran an exclusive group at university: The Murder Masquerade Society. The mysteries they solved may have been grisly, but they were always fictional – until their final Christmas puzzle, when one of the group disappeared, never to be seen again.

Now, the remaining members receive an invitation to a reunion masquerade, to be held in a beautiful and remote country house in Scotland. The game begins, and it feels just like old times.

Until the next morning, when Lady Partridge is found hanging from a pear tree.

It quickly becomes clear that in this game, the murder will be all too real, and the story is bringing long-hidden secrets to the surface. If they hope to survive the festive season then they will need to face the truth about what happened on that fateful night twelve years ago.

My Review of The Twelve Days of Murder

Several friends are spending Christmas together.

The Twelve Days of Murder seethes with menace and toxicity as the Masqueraders reunite for a Christmas Murder mystery weekend. From the very beginning when we witness Charley’s journey to the meet up, there is a sense that something nasty is going to happen and because so much is seen from Charley’s perspective, the reader is totally enmeshed in the story. 

The structure of the narrative is so clever. The freshness and ingenuity of the plot is enhanced by the traditional five act structure, and the lynchpin of the familiar Twelve Days of Christmas song, reimagined so violently and viscerally, makes the story both captivating and rather unsettling. With an almost hypnotic pendulum of timed past sections gradually adding to the understanding of the current events, Andreina Cordani provides intriguing detail. I thought the way the tenses in the writing reflected the action worked brilliantly and gave an immediacy to the present day sections. Part One sets up the insidious, untrustworthy nature of all the characters, giving tantalising glimpses into who they really are beneath the surface so that I found myself well and truly hooked into wanting to find out more. It’s such a clever trope of people playing multiple roles, not just in their murder mystery gatherings, but in real life, so that the thin veneer of civilisation is in danger of cracking at any moment. This has the effect of making the reader suspect every single character of being a murderer, and as clues are presented and the truth uncovered, Andreina Cordani takes her reader on an interesting, thrilling and dangerous ride. 

The setting is equally traditional and equally innovatively used. The characters are trapped by the weather, lack of phone signal and blocked roads, but they are also trapped by their own secrets and lies so that the tension is ramped up throughout. I loathed almost of all of them, trusted none of them and was entirely mesmerised trying to decide who was likely to be the next victim and who the perpetrator might be. There’s an uncomfortable pleasure in trying to work out those elements that almost makes the reader feel as culpably unpleasant as the people. I thought this was such skilled writing.

The themes woven into The Twelve Days of Murder are so pertinent to today’s world of cronyism, class division, bullying and corruption that the book has an edginess that enhances its impact. I think that whilst it’s a captivating story, it’s one that lingers after it is finished in a rather disquieting fashion, making the reader think.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Twelve Days of Murder. It’s brilliantly plotted, fast paced and entertaining and absolutely perfect for setting down to read on a cold winter’s afternoon, although it might make you look twice at any guests staying over Christmas! 

About Andreina Cordani

Before writing her first novel, Andreina Cordani was a senior editor and writer for women’s magazines including Good Housekeeping and Cosmopolitan. Her assignments included interviewing gun-toting moms on the school run, ordering illegal DIY Botox online and learning to do the splits in eight weeks.

She lives on the Dorset coast with her family where she reads voraciously, occasionally makes TikTok videos and swims in the sea. She is the author of two dark thrillers for young adults, The Girl Who… and Dead Lucky. The Twelve Days of Murder is her first novel for adults

For further information, visit her website, follow Andreina on Twitter/X @AndreinaCordani and find her on Instagram.

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My grateful thanks to Kirsten Knight at EK Books for sending me a copy of the children’s book Butterfly Girl by Ashling Kwok and Arielle Li in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to share that review today.

Butterfly Girl was released by EK Books in the UK on 10th October and is available for purchase here.

Butterfly Girl

Butterfly Girl is a charming and sensitively illustrated book about friendship and making space for animals, even in an urban environment. Olivia, who loves butterflies, has to leave her home in the countryside and move into a city apartment. Feeling lonely without her fluttering friends, she realises she needs to transform her bare balcony if she wants her friends to visit — and that turns out to be a great way to meet her new neighbours!

My Review of Butterfly Girl

Olivia has moved to the city.

As I have come to expect from EK Books, Butterfly Girl is beautifully produced with physical qualities that mean it is hard wearing and robust. Made from managed forestry, with a strong cover and wonderful end papers, Butterfly Girl would be wonderful as a home gift for a young reader or could be perfect for use in educational and social settings. Indeed, I have to comment immediately on the end papers at the back of Butterfly Girl as they are not only beautifully illustrated, but they have 5 wonderful sections of facts about butterflies and guidelines for creating a community butterfly garden that will guide and inspire readers of any age.

Butterfly Girl is a heart-warming story too. Olivia loves butterflies and is surrounded by them in the country, but when she moves to the city her life becomes grey and friendless. The fabulous artwork illustrates this as it moves into a more monochrome palette.  Olivia sets out to recreate a setting that will bring butterflies to her again and in doing so, by helping others build a more beautiful environment, she gains not just butterflies, but friends too. I loved the fact that the people in the story are illustrated as multi-ethnic and multi-generational because it makes the book inclusive.

The language used in Butterfly Girl is accessible for young readers and with far more illustration to text there’s nothing daunting to deter the most reluctant reader. However, alongside the beautiful illustrations, the great balance of text to image, and a lovely story in its own right, it is the themes that make Butterfly Girl such a success. It’s a book that gently teaches about the environment. It shows children how they do have power to change the area they live in, giving children status in what can be a challenging world, it shows how helping others can lead to friendship and happiness and it reassures children whose own circumstances are daunting,  perhaps in having to move home like Olivia, that it can be a positive thing.

I thought Butterfly Girl was a smashing children’s book and thoroughly recommend it.

About Ashling Kwok