Category: review
The Old Scarecrow by Tabatha Jean D’Agata
When a hungry flock of crows start eating all the corn crops, Farmer Fred must decide if it’s time to replace Tom, the cherished old scarecrow. Genre: Children’s Fiction 3-9 yearsPublisher: HB Publishing HousePages: 40 Will Goose, Pig, Cow, and Sheep, who is desperately in need of a shave, save Tom – or, will an eight-legged friend come to his rescue? A heart-warming story of friendship and the … Read More The Old Scarecrow by Tabatha Jean D’Agata
+ audio book, Australia, fiction, folklore, Historical fiction, mythology, Netherlands, review, superstition
The Night Ship by Jess Kidd
Based on a true story, an epic historical novel from the award-winning author of Things in Jars that illuminates the lives of two characters: a girl shipwrecked on an island off Western Australia and, three hundred years later, a boy finding a home with his grandfather on the very same island. 1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch … Read More The Night Ship by Jess Kidd
Busy This Evening by Chris Bastin
Yarns of a London Minicab Driver A humorous fictionalised account based on the author, Chris Bastin’s many years as an unwitting therapist and witness to many colourful passengers. “One thing that never ceases to astonish me, especially in this hypersensitive age of confidentiality and data protection in the workplace, is the things that people openly discuss in my presence the moment they get into … Read More Busy This Evening by Chris Bastin
The Grapevine – Kate Kemp
A gripping and atmospheric debut novel about a mysterious murder that exposes the secrets behind closed doors in 1970’s suburban Australia. It’s the height of summer in Australia, 1979, and on a quiet suburban cul-de-sac a housewife is scrubbing the yellow and white checkered tiles of the bathroom floor. But all is not as it seems. For one thing, it’s 3am. For another, she … Read More The Grapevine – Kate Kemp
+ adoption, childhood, family, fiction, forgiveness, grief, loss, love, mystery, relationships, review, secrets
Her Empty Chair by Sunna Coleman
She left without a trace… not even a crumb. For student and waitress, Sylvia Morelle, it’s just another day at the French café in Covent Garden – that is, until her beloved elderly regular, Mrs Ida Laine, mysteriously disappears. As weeks go by with no sign of the glamorous Parisian, the young journalist in training begins her own investigation, only to unearth far more … Read More Her Empty Chair by Sunna Coleman
World Book Day – Whispers in the Park by Emmanuel Olympitis Illustrated by Olympia Olympitis
Today, 6th March 2025 is World Book Day. This annual celebration of authors, illustrators, books and the joy of reading is one of the highlights of the year at the National Literacy Trust! Why is World Book Day important? World Book Day provides a fantastic opportunity to focus on reading for pleasure, supporting children’s autonomy in book choice, and embedding a habit of reading that brings … Read More World Book Day – Whispers in the Park by Emmanuel Olympitis Illustrated by Olympia Olympitis
Even Lions Get Scared by Dr Marcelle Moore
Written for every child who needs a helping hand to develop agency when they face ordinary wobbly moments in early life and beyond. Dr Marcelle Moore, a Clinical Psychologist with more than two decades of experience working with children aims to help caregivers and parents support children in their transformative journey… from fear to bravery. When mischievous little lion Scout finds himself fearful of … Read More Even Lions Get Scared by Dr Marcelle Moore
+ childhood, Detective novel, fairy tale, female friendship, fiction, grief, kidnapping, literature, loss, love, murder, murder mystery, mystery, obsession, police drama, review, serial killer, thriller, writer
Little Red Death by A K Benedict
ONCE UPON A TIME LIKE YOU’VE NEVER READ IT BEFORE . . . DI Lyla Rondell is on the case of a lifetime. Tasked with investigating a series of perplexing deaths, the only lead she has is that each appears to be based on a different classic fairy tale. Far from the stuff of bedtime stories, the press is having a field day with what … Read More Little Red Death by A K Benedict
+ cover reveal, fiction, folklore, gothic, gothic horror, murder, mythology, review, superstition, witchcraft
Small Fires by Ronnie Turner
Poison runs through this land like blood… When sisters Lily and Della Pedley are persecuted for the shocking murder of their parents, they flee from their home in Cornwall to a remote and unnamed island in Scotland – an island known for its strange happenings, but far away from the whispers and prying eyes of strangers. Lily is terrified of what her sister might … Read More Small Fires by Ronnie Turner
+ crime fiction, Detective novel, fiction, kidnapping, murder mystery, mystery, police drama, police procedural, psycopath, revenge, review
The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter (Robert Hunter #1)
When the body of a young woman is discovered in a derelict cottage in the middle of Los Angeles National Forest, Homicide Detective Robert Hunter finds himself entering a horrific and recurring nightmare. Naked, strung from two parallel wooden posts, the victim was sadistically tortured before meeting an excruciatingly painful death. All the skin has been ripped from her face – while she was … Read More The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter (Robert Hunter #1)
+ audio book, childhood, dark humour, family, fiction, ghosts, grief, Ireland, loss, Magical realism, mystery, psychic, review, supernatural, superstition
Himself by Jess Kidd
Blending strange kindnesses, casual violence and buried secrets: an unforgettable debut from a dark new voice in Irish fiction. When Mahony returns to Mulderrig, a speck of a place on Ireland’s west coast, he brings only a photograph of his long-lost mother and a determination to do battle with the village’s lies. His arrival causes cheeks to flush and arms to fold in disapproval. … Read More Himself by Jess Kidd
Eight Years of Lies by Lisa Hall
I get a call from the school. My husband hasn’t picked up our 7-year-old daughter. This is the day my life changes for ever. Earlier, I was scrolling through Facebook when something caught my eye. A photograph. The caption beneath: PLEASE CAN ANYONE HELP ME? HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN? #EightYearsOfLies X(Twitter) @LisaHallAuthor @JoffeBooks @ZooloosBT #ZooloosBookTours #blogtour #booktwitterInstagram @lisahallauthor @zooloosbooktours @joffebooks #bookstagram It’s my husband and our daughter. The man I married eight … Read More Eight Years of Lies by Lisa Hall
Bookchatter@Cookiebiscuit 