I’ll let you into a secret. I’m desperate to read The Tick and the Tock of the Crocodile Clock by Kenny Boyle as I have heard such wonderful things about it. Sadly my TBR is so tall I simply haven’t had chance yet. However, that doesn’t stop me inviting Kenny onto Linda’s Book Bag and I’m delighted to share a cracking guest post from Kenny today. First though, let’s find out more about The Tick and the Tock of the Crocodile Clock.

Published by Lightning on 3rd May 2022, The Tick and the Tock of the Crocodile Clock is available for purchase in all good bookshops including here.

The Tick and the Tock of the Crocodile Clock

An aspiring writer from the Southside of Glasgow, Wendy is in a rut. She tries to brighten her call-centre job by shoehorning as many long words as possible into conversations with customers. But her manager isn’t amused by that and, after a public dressing-down, Wendy walks out.

Jobless and depressed, she finds consolation in a surprise friendship with another disgruntled ex-colleague, wild-child painter Cat, who encourages her to live more dangerously. It’s just what Wendy needs and it’s also brilliant for her creative juices. But a black cloud is about to overshadow this new-found liberation, as well as to put Wendy on the wrong side of the law.

Fresh, insightful and funny, as well as unflinchingly honest about the tougher side of life, Kenny Boyle’s debut novel takes us deep into the psyche of a likeable misfit who treads a fine line between reality and fantasy – and just wants the world to see her true self.‍

On Being Scottish

A Guest Post by Kenny Boyle

I’m Scottish.

And that has already probably conjured some images in your head. Scotland is portrayed so stereotypically around the world that even the mention of our country makes people outside of it jump to certain assumptions. So, be honest, when you read “Scottish” did you think any of these:

A big drinker?
Brusque, straight talking, and no nonsense?
Bad at showing emotions unless it’s anger, aggression, or over the top hospitality?
Maybe living in poor socio-economic conditions?
Maybe a drug user?
Or… perhaps… ginger?

Don’t judge yourself too harshly if you thought any of those things. Scotland has a bit of an identity issue when it comes to how we’re perceived around the world. It seems if you’ve got a Scottish character in literature, film, or tv they’re probably going to fit into one of two general brackets. Either you’ll have a gangster, drug dealer, drug user, hard man from Glasgow who comes from a terrible, gritty, kill or be killed background and is always drunk; or you’ll have a charming, kilt wearing, tartan clad, warrior who comes from an undefined place in the highlands… and is always drunk.

A lot of this worldwide reputation springs from our seminal works of fiction. Scottish writers write really good crime books, really good social realism books, and earth shatteringly good books about how hard it can be for the working classes in our country. Douglas Stuart’s Shuggie Bain rightly won the booker prize. Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, and their contemporaries write crime novels that define the genre. Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting took the world by storm. These books are incredible, and their influence and importance can’t be overstated. But perhaps their very success has led other authors to tend towards these kinds of stories rather than delve into the bottomless well of other stories our country has to tell.

Respectfully, I’d like to disagree with Renton from Trainspotting. It’s not “s**** being Scottish.”

Or at the very least it’s not always.

We Scots seldom get to be loving, accepting, or vulnerable on screen or in print, and if we are we have to do it in a different accent. You can only be presented with those stereotypes for so long before you start to internalise it. We begin to feel as though nothing good, pure, or transcendental can happen here. That life is grey and we will be forever underdogs.

I’m here to tell you: Scotland is beautiful.

I don’t just mean our scenery, which undoubtedly is breathtaking. I don’t just mean our wildlife, which is stunning, vibrant, and free. I mean the people. We’ve been at the forefront of positive social change for decades. We’re the birthplace of world leading scientific innovation. More than that, the most loving, empathetic, and bravely vulnerable people I have ever known were Scottish.

It’s incredible being Scottish. That’s the Scotland I know. That’s the Scotland I write about.

My debut novel, The Tick and The Tock of The Crocodile Clock was released this year. It’s a modern retelling of Peter Pan set in Glasgow and the Trossachs and, though it focuses on the story of two young Glaswegian girls in their early twenties and deals with some very serious mental health themes, I was aware at all times that I wanted to tell a story that revelled in the cultural beauty of Glasgow rather than painting it as a foreboding or sinister place. The protagonists, Wendy and Cat, are a poet and artist respectively. Their antagonist doesn’t come in the form of a gangster, drug dealer, or murderer but instead in the form of our capitalist system that insists they grow up too quickly and leave whimsy and art behind. The girls rebel and go on a spree of mischief, which ultimately results in Wendy going too far, stealing a priceless work of art, and being forced to go on the run from the law. It’s a quintessentially Scottish story… after all, J.M Barrie was Scottish, and Glasgow is home to Glasgow School of Art and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland among other things, both of which are world renowned centres of creative training… but perhaps it’s not the kind of Scottish story you’ll have heard often.

In my upcoming radio play Knock Of The Ban-Sìthe, which will be broadcast on BBC radio 4 on the 18^th of August, I explore a different side of Scotland entirely. I‘m from the tiny village of Cromore in the Outer Hebrides, which has a population of fewer than fifty people. The culture and way of life on my island are so different from the mainland that even fellow Scots find it hard to understand them until they visit themselves. At midwinter we barely see the sun. The darkness and isolation are a prime breeding ground for ghost stories. Knock of the Ban-Sìthe is a story steeped with our often forgotten mythological Scottish creatures, and interspersed with our often maligned Gàidhlig language.

Crocodile Clock and Ban-Sìthe aren’t what you might expect when you pick up a book or tune into a radio play that is Scottish. But Scottish they are, and they represent stories from Scotland that get overlooked amidst all the tartan, boozing, and grit.

If you’re going to read one book from Scotland this year then… make it Young Mungo, who am I kidding, it’s incredible.

But if you’re going to read two, perhaps consider picking up one of the stories lesser told. There’s more to us than you might realise. There are new stories just waiting to be discovered. Waiting for you to discover them.

****

Thanks so much Kenny. Of course, Your post has made me even more determined to read The Tick and The Tock of The Crocodile Clock as it sounds EXACTLY my kind of book.

About Kenny Boyle

Kenny Boyle is an author, actor and playwright from the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. Kenny trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is a recipient of Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland’s New Playwrights’ award 2021. He plays the lead role of Rob in feature film Lost at Christmas.

His debut novel The Tick and The Tock of The Crocodile Clock is available now in all good bookshops and his debut radio play The Knock of The Ban-Sìthe will broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the 18^th of August at 2:15pm.

For further information, visit Kenny’s website, follow him on Twitter @KennylBoyle or find him on Instagram and Facebook.

One of the ways I got in to blogging was because I used to read young adult fiction, review it and write the classroom resources for a large UK publisher. As a result, when I heard about Eugene O’Toole’s new book, I simply had to invite him on to the blog to chat about it. Let’s see what he told me:

Staying in with Eugene O’Toole

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

Thank you for having me — there’s nothing better than staying in with a book! I’m very grateful: I can talk about a subject that’s important to me.

It’s my pleasure. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I have brought my debut novel for young adults, Molly Path, which is published by Hawkwood Books, one of those brilliant independent presses that sometimes throw untested writers like me a lifeline. I’ve chosen it because it can be hard attracting interest in uncomfortable ‘social’ themes that are not, on the surface, glamorous.

That sounds very positive. I understand Molly Path is out today, so happy publication day Eugene. What can we expect from an evening in with Molly Path?

I hope we can expect an uplifting story that leaves the reader inspired. It’s a contemporary tale about the challenges faced by one teenage girl from a very broken home who flatly refuses to go to school. The reasons for that become clear as the story unfolds, and originate in problems she has inherited from her parents. The story is variously raw, humorous and sad—yet ultimately redemptive. The use of the first person and vernacular, hopefully, enable the reader to get into Molly’s head.

I think Molly Path sounds much needed Eugene. I’ve taught youngsters like Molly in the past.

Moreover, Molly Path is based on true events: specialist teachers I talked to about their work told me that in many such cases the root causes of truancy, exclusion, and emotional problems etc. are the parents, not the child. Here’s an extract about Molly’s mum, Stella:

“Stella is in the kitchen sucking juice from an orange, although in this case it is a cigarette. Nonetheless, she draws on it with a slurp, then gulps the breath down into her lungs forcibly like a reluctant hostage. On a good day she can finish almost an entire fag with one, long, unbroken inhalation. A crooked digit of ash dangles precariously, ready to fall with the slightest judder. It is as if the cigarette has become her accusing finger.

“Her bleached hair flops across her face and half covers it, but she does not make an effort to push it away from her sunken eyes. These languish deep in their sockets with a weariness that is hard to fathom. Around them are bagged cushions of skin smeared with yesterday’s eyeliner. Those eyes are as tired of her as she is of herself, and when she mocks the people around her which is often they roll with an autonomy that could be mistaken easily for madness. Perhaps it is.”

That’s such an accurate portrait of some of the parents I’ve encountered!

Luckily, Molly is drawn back into education by the peripatetic tutor sent by the local authority to teach her at home. It’s not well known, but behind the scenes a small, dedicated legion of teachers carry out the most heroic work imaginable helping young people like Molly. Special education centres and pupil referral units help at least 16,000 students across the country. Their work mostly goes under the radar—yet literally transforms lives. Molly forms a bond with her teacher, Eileen, who also learns a lesson about life from her pupil.

I hope Molly Path will strike a chord with young adults and their teachers, because it explores a neglected theme: the influence of the home environment on a child’s education. It’s critically important and can be a distinguishing factor in terms of educational outcomes. Without preaching, I would judge Molly Path a success it if were to make some young people reflect on just how lucky they are to attend school in the first place, but also to have parents who take an interest in their education.  I have a lot of faith in young people and know from my own daughters that they care deeply about social problems and want to help.

It sounds to me as if Molly Path is a vital addition to the young adult literary world Eugene. Having worked in so many schools who cater for underprivileged youngsters I think Molly’s story would give so many an identifiable character and sense of belonging. I’m thrilled to have a copy on my TBR.

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

I have brought an airline ticket to Ireland, to which I will soon be travelling in order to take a copy of the novel to a retired friend who was the inspiration for this story. My friend is called Margaret and I have dedicated the book to her—because she dedicated her life to helping young people like Molly. If there were more people like Margaret, the world would be a better place.

Oh it would indeed. Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about Molly Path. Let me give readers a few more details:

Molly Path

Special needs teacher Eileen must tutor one last pupil before retiring to her native Ireland, Molly, a teenager who refuses to attend school.

As a bond forms between them, both unravel a common thread stitched throughout their lives: a loveless mother. The books that Eileen gives Molly enable her to reflect upon the condition of her dysfunctional parents, whose demons explain her broken home.

Understanding empowers Molly to overcome her limitations, and Eileen to learn something from her student—forgiveness.

Molly Path is available for purchase in the usual places including from Waterstones, Wordery, Bookshop.org and W.H. Smith.

About Eugene O’Toole

Gavin Eugene O’Toole is a freelance journalist, editor and writer. He is a winner of the Listowel Writers’ Week short story and humorous essay competitions, and the Ovacome competition, and has been second, a runner-up, shortlisted or commended in several other competitions. He is married with three daughters and lives in London.

For more information, follow Eugene on Twitter @GOTwrites or visit his website.

I so enjoyed My Name is Jensen by Heidi Amsinck (reviewed here) that I simply couldn’t resist participating in the blog tour for Heidi’s second book in the Jensen thriller series, The Girl in the Photo. My huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me to take part and to Muswell Press for sending me a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

The Girl in the Photo was published by Muswell Press on 28th July 2022 and is available for purchase here.

The Girl in the Photo

When ninety-year-old Irene Valborg is found brutally murdered in an affluent suburb of Copenhagen, her diamond necklace missing, it looks like a burglary gone wrong. When two more victims are attacked, the police lament a rise in violence against the elderly, but who is the young girl in the photo found by DI Henrik Jungersen on the scenes of crime? Impatient to claim her inheritance, Irene’s daughter hires former Dagbladet reporter Jensen and her teenage apprentice Gustav to find the necklace. Henrik finds himself once more pitched in a quest for the truth against Jensen – the one woman in Copenhagen he is desperate to avoid.

My Review of The Girl in the Photo

A series of murders needs investigating.

What a pleasure to be back in the company of Jensen and Henrik. As The Girl in the Photo is the second Jensen book, despite it working really well as a stand alone, I’d really recommend reading My Name is Jensen first as this adds understanding of the characters; Jensen, Henrik and Gustav in particular. This time I felt Copenhagen was less of a presence (though I’m not sure my desire to visit is a safe one!) and this allowed Henrik especially to be more satisfyingly developed. Indeed, it was wonderful to find out more about all the major characters. I adore the troubled relationship between Jensen and Henrik because Heidi Amsinck illustrates the pull of desire versus a sense of responsibility and self preservation to perfection. This means that there is humanity and understanding underpinning the murky world of police and journalistic investigation making for a more emotionally affecting read. These are real people I’ve come to care about.

Although The Girl in the Photo revolves around violent murders, somehow Heidi Amsinck manages a lightness of touch – sometimes almost a playfulness in her writing style so that it is incredibly captivating and entertaining. I loved, for example, the sound of Henrik’s wife’s comments in his head, the interplay between Jensen and Gustav and the brilliant hooks at the end of the short chapters that keep the story fast paced and riveting. Add in an ending that has made me desperate for the next book in the series and The Girl in the Photo is a corker of a read.

The plot is layered and interesting. It is filled with surprises so that the readers is fed information just a beat behind Jensen and Henrik, adding to the feeling of mystery. There’s a real sense of urgency in the story that sweeps the reader along.

I almost never read a whole series of books because I have so many to read, but with The Girl in The Photo building on My Name is Jensen so effectively, I know I cannot resist Heidi Amsinck’s writing. She is fast becoming a new favourite author and if you’ve yet to discover Heidi Amsinck’s brilliant books you’re really missing out. I thoroughly enjoyed The Girl in the Photo.

About Heidi Amsinck

Heidi Amsinck, a writer and journalist born in Copenhagen, spent many years covering Britain for the Danish press, including a spell as London Correspondent for the broadsheet daily Jyllands-Posten. She has written numerous short stories for radio, including the three-story sets Danish Noir, Copenhagen Confidential and Copenhagen Curios, all produced by Sweet Talk for BBC Radio 4.

A graduate of the MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London, Heidi lives in London.

She was previously shortlisted for the VS Pritchett Memorial Prize. Last Train to Helsingør is her first published collection of stories. Her crime novel My Name is Jensen, set in Copenhagen, will be published in August 2021.

For more information, follow Heidi on Twitter @HeidiAmsinck1. You can also find Heidi on Instagram and Facebook.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

With The Rule and The Resident still awaiting my attention on my TBR I was determined to read David Jackson’s latest book No Secrets. My enormous thanks to the team at Viper for sending me a surprise copy. I’m delighted to share my review of No Secrets today.

No Secrets was published by Serpent’s Tail imprint Viper on 7th July 2022 and is available for purchase through the links here.

No Secrets

THEY BELIEVE HIS LIES. SHE KNOWS THE TRUTH.

You can’t lie to Izzy Lambert. Her highly developed empathic abilities allow her to read people’s emotions with terrifying accuracy – and consequences. As a child her insights sparked her parents’ divorce. As an adult she avoids getting too close to people for fear of what she might learn.

But now young girls are going missing in her town. The police have no suspects but, seeing her old school caretaker interviewed on the news about the story, Izzy comes to a chilling realisation: he knows where the missing girls are. When the police won’t take her seriously despite the lives at stake, she will risk everything to uncover the truth.

My Review of No Secrets

Izzy can tell when people are lying.

Good grief. Can anyone explain to me why I have been stupid enough not to have read David Jackson before? What a talent! I thought No Secrets was absolutely brilliant because it held me spellbound from start to finish to the extent that I put life on hold to gulp it down over a weekend. I loved David Jackson’s writing style. Through variety of sentence and paragraph length, and with natural dialogue, he seems to have a natural ability to convey life incredibly effectively.

No Secrets is so well plotted that I simply didn’t anticipate some of the actions and that element of surprise enhanced my enjoyment immensely. The pace is fast and captivating, with short chapters that create an almost breathless pace. I definitely had willingly to suspend my disbelief at some of Izzy’s actions, but not because David Jackson didn’t make them plausible in the context of the narrative and her ability to know when someone is lying, but because I couldn’t conceive of having her level of doggedness and conviction. This made her fascinating and frustrating – just like a real person.

Indeed, Izzy is a superb character because she illustrates how those who do the right thing for the right reason don’t always achieve the right outcomes. This means that, as well as being a snappy, enthralling thriller, No Secrets is a mature and contemplative insight into morality, our past and how we are affected by the events life throws at us. Whilst I had expected an exciting story, I wasn’t prepared for the level of emotion I felt too, especially with regard to Izzy and Josh. I was thoroughly entertained, but I was emotionally touched too.

On the surface No Secrets is another thriller revolving around missing young women, but it is so much more than that. I’m not able to say too much about plot or theme as both would reveal too much of the story for others, but I loved this book. Simultaneously unsettling, emotional, exciting and witty, No Secrets is a fantastic read that I thoroughly, thoroughly recommend. I’m so glad I’ve finally got round to reading David Jackson’s excellent writing.

About David Jackson

David Jackson is the acclaimed author of the crime thriller series featuring New York detective Callum Doyle. Pariah, his debut novel, was Highly Commended in the Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Awards. It is published in the UK by Pan Macmillan, and various audio and foreign rights have been sold. Follow-up novels in the series are: The Helper, Marked, and Cry Baby. The Guardian newspaper said of David’s writing: ‘Recalls Harlan Coben – though for my money Jackson is the better writer.’

For further information visit David’s website and follow him on Twitter @Author_Dave. You’ll also find David on Facebook.

Today I’m delighted to share details of another of my online reviews with My Weekly and this time it’s of the thriller The Last House on the Cliff by Anne Wyn Clark.

Published by Harper Collins’ imprint Avon on 18th August 2022, The Last House on the Cliff is available for purchase through these links.

The Last House on the Cliff

When a young widow’s little girl vanishes, could a dark family secret hold the answer?

On the death of her aunt Gwyn, Lowri returns once more to Gwyn’s home on the remote island of Anglesey, Wales, with her young daughter Ruby in tow. Lowri hadn’t seen her aunt in years, but this beautiful island offers a fresh start.

Yet right away, strange things begin to happen. Ruby insists an old woman is visiting her when no one else is watching, and a tattered old doll keeps being left for Ruby to find.

Then Ruby goes missing. Desperately seeking answers no one seems to have, Lowri looks to her dark family past for clues. But the secrets she uncovers suggest that Ruby is not the only one in danger, and time is running out – for both of them…

A terrifically dark and twisty tale that asks: can you ever really trust those closest to you? Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Cass Green and C.J. Tudor.

My Review of The Last House on the Cliff

My full review of The Last House on the Cliff can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, what I can say here is that The Last House on the Cliff is steeped in lies, secrets and deception and I thoroughly enjoyed its murky, creepy atmosphere.

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Anne Wyn Clark

My enormous thanks to Sophie Claire for inviting me to be part of the blog tour for her latest book, An Escape to Provence and to Oliver Martin at Hodder for sending me a copy of the book in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to share that review today.

An Escape to Provence was published by Hodder and Stoughton on 21st July 2022 and is available for purchase here.

An Escape to Provence

Where there’s a will, can love find a way?

When cynical divorce lawyer Daisy Jackson unexpectedly inherits a ramshackle farmhouse in Provence, she sets off for the French countryside to oversee renovations herself.

But Gabriel Laforet has other ideas. A local builder with ties to the property, Gabriel is determined to see Daisy off and preserve the characterful, charming farmhouse – which, but for a missing will, he knows is rightfully his.

When the two meet, it’s clear they couldn’t be more different: Gabriel has lived in the small country village all his life; Daisy is a city girl whose career means everything. He is laid-back and messy; she is used to being in control. As they begin to work together, sparks fly. Yet they’re inexplicably drawn to each other and, in the heat of the Provence sun, secrets begin to spill. Perhaps Daisy can trust him with her carefully guarded heart after all?

But Gabriel is still searching for the missing will that proves the farmhouse belongs to him – and in doing so, risks upturning everything he and Daisy have started to build together . . .

My Review of An Escape to Provence

Daisy Jackson has inherited a run down house in Provence.

My goodness, An Escape to Provence was a delight to read. Sophie Claire whisks the reader away to her Provençal setting just perfectly, with the heat, the aromas, the weather, the food and just enough smatterings of simple French to make to story feel completely authentic. Reading An Escape to Provence made me want to be in the region immediately and I certainly felt transported to the setting.

The plot in An Escape to Provence is very much a ‘will they, won’t they?’ romance, but that only enhances the enjoyment of reading the book as it is sheer escapism. I think I found myself as much in love with Gabriel Laforet as any fictional character I’ve ever read about. He embodies the perfect fantasy hero so that there’s real interest in how his relationship with Daisy might develop – and not a little day-dreaming on my part too! That isn’t to say he is stereotypical or two dimensional. Far from it. He has his stubbornness, his intractable sense of morality and his temper too that add to the layers in his personality, making him all the more vivid.

Daisy works so well as a character because there is genuine change and development over the course of the narrative. Her demons from the past are satisfyingly, gradually, revealed giving her a complexity that makes her all the more real. I think the pressure she feels to exceed her own expectations is something so many women feel and I found myself increasingly drawn to her as a person as I read.

Because An Escape to Provence is so clearly set in a warm, vibrant and realistic community, the story seems to unfold more convincingly. I enjoyed meeting the secondary characters, and especially the catalyst of the deceased Jeanette, every bit as much as Daisy and Gab.

An Escape to Provence crackles and fizzes with sexual tension in the heat of the summer and yet there is genuine romance here too that engages the reader. I loved the underpinning themes of moral and legal right, family and community, self-preservation, truth and self-knowledge that gave An Escape to Provence added layers of interest alongside a smashing summer read.

An Escape to Provence is a lovely summer story and you need to pack it in your suitcase immediately! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

About Sophie Claire

Sophie Claire, born to a French mother and Scottish father, grew up in Manchester where she still lives with her husband and two sons. She writes stories centred around sunny Provence, where she spent her summers as a child.

You can find out more by visiting Sophie’s website or by following Sophie via Twitter @sclairewriter. You’ll also find Sophie on Facebook and Instagram.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Milly Johnson’s writing because she seems to be able to convey the life events and emotions of real women so brilliantly. I’ve been reading Milly’s books since way before I began blogging. Having met Milly on numerous occasions, I’m also a huge fan of her as a warm-hearted, funny, kind and talented person. As a result, I couldn’t be more excited to help share the news about Milly’s twentieth book, Together Again.

Before I do tell you about Together Again, here are other Linda’s Book Bag posts where Milly’s writing has appeared:

I’ve a review of The Woman in the Middle here

I’ve a review of I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day here

I reviewed My One True North here and it was one of my books of the year in 2020.

My review of The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew is here.

Milly was kind enough to write a piece for Linda’s Book Bag when The Mother of All Christmases was released in a post available here.

I have my review of another of Milly’s books, The Perfectly Imperfect Woman, here.

****

However, today is all about Together Again so let’s find out more:

Together Again

Sisters, Jolene, Marsha and Annis have convened at their childhood home the huge and beautiful Fox House following the death of their mother, the cold and impenetrable Eleanor Vamplew, to arrange the funeral and sell up. Born seven years apart, the women have never bonded and are more strangers than sisters.

Jolene, the eldest, is a successful romantic novelist who writes templates of beautiful relationships even though her marriage to the handsome and charming  Warren is a barren wasteland.

Marsha, the neglected middle child has put every bit of her energy into her work hoping money would plug up the massive gap in her life left by the man who broke her young heart, only to find it never has. And now he has been forced back into her life.

Annis is the renegade, who left home aged sixteen and never returned, not even for the death of their beloved father Julian, until now. It is therefore a surprise to all of them to discover that Eleanor recently changed her will to leave everything to the daughter she considered a wretched accident.

Together, Again is the story of truths uncovered and lies exposed, of secrets told – and kept. It is a novel about sister helping sister to heal from childhood scars, and of finding, in each other, the love they have all been deprived of. Together, Again is about vulnerability and strength, acceptance and family. 

Published by Simon and Schuster on 29th September, Together Again is available for pre-order through the links here.

About Milly Johnson

Milly Johnson was born, raised and still lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

A Sunday Times bestseller, she is one of the Top 10 Female Fiction authors in the UK with millions of copies of her books sold across the world. In 2020, she was honoured with the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Outstanding Achievement Award and was a featured author in the Reading Agency’s Quick Reads and World Book Night campaigns.

A writer who champions women and highlights the importance of friendship and community, Milly’s characters are celebrations of the strength of the human spirit. Together Again is her twentieth novel.

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

Although I’ve been aware of Elizabeth Noble’s writing – not least because I have a friend of the same name – I have never read her until now. Consequently I’m very grateful to Courtney Jefferies at edpr for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Other People’s Husbands.

Published by Penguin’s Michael Joseph on 21st July 2022, Other People’s Husbands is available for purchase through the links here.

Other People’s Husbands

Sometimes friendship crosses a line . . .

A group of close friends, their bonds forged at the nursery gates two decades ago, have celebrated, commiserated and grown together: they thought they all knew each other so well.

Until the affair.

Now a crack appears in everything.

Could one betrayal really destroy it all?

Other People’s Husbands is a story of friendship and love, crossing boundaries and breaking vows, of trying to fix what you believed could never be broken.

My Review of Other People’s Husbands

A group of friends is about to be split apart.

I confess that when I opened Other People’s Husbands and saw there was a cast list my heart sank. I wasn’t going to enjoy the book because I would find it impossible to know who was who. How wrong can you be? I absolutely adored Other People’s Husbands even if (or perhaps, especially because) it did leave me crying on more than one occasion.

Whilst the men, especially Dom, Kit and Will, play a pivotal role in the narrative, it is the women here who are so brilliantly depicted. Each of the six women around whom the story revolves is distinct and real, and I had none of my expected difficulty in knowing who was who, but it is Natalie who is the star of the story. I wanted to hate her for her infidelity, for hurting Kit and for not considering Arlo sufficiently but Elizabeth Noble writes so skilfully that she simply didn’t allow it. Certainly Natalie is selfish, flawed and reckless, but by the end of the story I understood clearly why she behaved as she did and I so wanted her to find resolution and happiness. There are no carboard characters in Other People’s Husbands, but rather real, dynamic and vivid people who could be those living in our own streets.

To some extent the plot of Other People’s Husbands is as old as time, where love and lust become confused and destructive, but this story is so imbued with sensitive understanding, with realism and compassion that it feels quite perfect. I believed in the people, the settings and the situations completely so that I found the story very affecting and emotional. Carefully plotted over a year, Other People’s Husbands would make a fantastic television drama series.

The themes in Other People’s Husbands are exquisitely considered. It’s no plot spoiler to say there is infidelity, but Elizabeth Noble illustrates so beautifully the butterfly effect of a relatively simple decision, giving the reader so much to consider. She also weaves in guilt, grief of many kinds, love, betrayal, anger and hurt, for example, so that all life and its vicissitudes ebb and flow through the story making it a captivating and engrossing read.

I haven’t previously read Elizabeth Noble so I am unsure how typical Other People’s Husbands is of her writing, but I so loved this story that I think I may have discovered a new favourite author. I found Other People’s Husbands surprised me. I expected a pleasant read that might be mildly diverting and instead discovered a narrative of depth, understanding and complete engagement. It’s a cracker and I adored it!

About Elizabeth Noble

Elizabeth Noble lives in Surrey with her husband and two daughters. Her previous Sunday Times bestsellers include: The Reading Group, which reached Number One, The Friendship Test (formerly published as The Tenko Club), Alphabet Weekends, Things I Want My Daughters to Know, The Girl Next Door, The Way We Were, Between a Mother and her Child, Love, Iris and The Family Holiday.

Between a Mother and her Child and Love, Iris were both Richard & Judy Book Club picks. Other People’s Husbandsis her tenth novel.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

It’s far too long since I reviewed Abi Oliver’s A New Map of Love here and so I was delighted to be able to participate in the blog tour for her latest book Letter from a Tea Garden. My thanks to Becky Smith at Literally PR for inviting me to participate.

Published on 22nd June 2022, Letter from a Tea Garden is available for purchase here.

Letter from a Tea Garden

1965, an English country mansion.

Eleanora Byngh is not in a good state. Wedded to the whisky bottle and with her house crumbling round her ears, her days seem destined to follow a lonely (and grumpy) downhill path.

When the post brings an unexpected invitation to return to the Indian tea gardens of her childhood, Eleanora risks breaking open painful memories of her younger years, lived across a tumultuous century.

As relationships with her new-found family face their own challenges, she is offered fresh truths, the chance of love and unexpected new life – if she is prepared to take them.

By the author of A New Map of Love.

My Review of Letter from a Tea Garden

A letter from her nephew returns Eleanora to India.

I confess that for the first few pages I didn’t initially warm to Eleanora as I found her use of diminutive forms like ‘doggies’ irritating and I wondered whether I would enjoy Letter from a Tea Garden, but it didn’t take long for me to realise that this is all part of Eleanora’s characterisation and her brusque, dismissive language is simply a cover for deep emotional pain that Abi Oliver conveys so convincingly. In fact, I went from being unsure about the book to loving it unreservedly!

The narrative is told through Eleanora’s conversational tone mixed with a dry wit and an emotional reticence that makes her such a multi-dimensional person. Her deep passion and grief, her desire to belong and to be valued, and her emotional insight despite her attempts to suppress her feelings, mean that Eleanora is as real as any person I’ve actually met. I think any reader can find a little bit of themselves in her so that Letter from a Tea Garden is relatable and emotionally connecting, making it completely wonderful.

About Abi Oliver

Abi Oliver (pseudonym of Annie Murray, bestselling novelist) has spent much of her life in the Thames Valley. At boarding school, Abi met a teacher who became a friend and mentor for 30 years, who had been a nun in Bangladesh, prompting a visit to Barishal in 1980, and sparking a life-long interest in South Asia.

She studied at Oxford and London Universities, has worked for a charity, on Indian Railways, as a nurse and as a writer. In 1991, she won the SHE/This Morning (Richard and Judy) short story competition, securing a literary agent and her first novel was accepted in 1993. She has since written 30 novels, raised four children and lives in Dorchester-on-Thames.

You can follow Abi on Twitter @AbiWriterOliver and visit her website. You’ll also find Abi on Facebook.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

I’ve all of Imran Mahmood’s books awaiting me on my TBR so although I’m trying to cut back on blog tours I simply couldn’t resist taking part in this one for Imran’s latest book, All I Said Was True. My huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me to participate and to Raven Books for sending me a copy in return for an honest review.

Published by Bloomsbury Raven on 21st July 2022, All I Said Was True is available for purchase here.

All I Said Was True

When Amy Blahn was murdered on a London office rooftop, Layla Mahoney was there. She held Amy as she died. But all she can say when police arrest her is that ‘It was Michael. Find Michael and you’ll find out everything you need to know.’

The problem is, the police can’t find Michael – there is no evidence that he exists. And time is running out before they have to either charge Layla with Amy’s murder, or let her go.

As a lawyer, Layla knows that she has only forty-eight hours to convince police to investigate the man she knows only as ‘Michael’ instead of her.

But the more she attempts to control her interviews with police, the more the truth leaks out – and how much of that truth can Layla risk being exposed?

My Review of All I Said Was True

Layla has been arrested.

Wow. All I Said Was True is fantastic. Imran Mahmood writes with such skill and dexterity that he draws his reader in to a swirling vortex of intrigue, mystery and possibility. My brain was reeling because the first person account from Layla feeds information to the reader and yet tells them nothing at all. All I Said Was True feels almost audacious at the same time as being completely compelling.

The short chapters create a fast paced plot and given the unity of Layla simply being interviewed by the police, the way the action is threaded into the narrative is astonishing. It’s so difficult to articulate the seemingly paradoxical simplicity and sophistication of how this story is constructed without spoiling the read for others.

All I Said Was True is a kind of Schrodinger’s cat narrative with concepts of free will and determinism, fate and possibility, truth and perception thrumming through the narrative so that until the box is opened and the final page is read, the reader has no idea if Layla’s truth it the actual truth. The characters might be manipulative, but my goodness, so is Imran Mahmood in his dual time structure, pitch-perfect plotting and snappy pace, stunning the reader with this brilliant narrative.

The characters are compelling. Although All I Said Was True isn’t a lengthy novel, there’s a simultaneous back story to the main characters that adds depth, such as the mental health of Layla’s mother, which makes the reader question Layla every bit as much as the police do. Combined with a deliberate withholding of information about those like Michael, the story is made all the more captivating. I am still wondering what those I’ve left behind in All I Said Was True are doing now.

Intelligent, intriguing, innovative, interesting and so impressive, All I Said Was True is an elegantly written, mesmerising read I loved unconditionally. It’s one of my favourite books this year. Don’t miss it.

About Imran Mahmood

Imran Mahmood is a practising barrister with thirty years’ experience fighting cases in courtrooms across the country. His debut novel You Don’t Know Me was chosen by Simon Mayo as a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Choice for 2017 and longlisted for Theakston Crime Novel of the Year and for the CWA Gold Dagger, and was made into a hugely successful BBC1 adaptation in association with Netflix. His second novel I Know What I Saw was released in June 2021, was chosen as a Sunday Times crime novel of the month and reached no. 2 on the Audible charts. He has been commissioned to write three screenplays and is working on his next novel. When not in court or writing novels or screenplays he can sometimes be found on the Red Hot Chilli Writers’ podcast as one of the regular contributors. He hails from Liverpool but now lives in London with his wife and daughters.

You can find out more by following Imran on Twitter @imranmahmood777 and finding him on Instagram and Facebook.

There’s more with these other bloggers too: