+ audio book, childhood, dark humour, family, fiction, grief, Ireland, loss, Magical realism, mystery, psychic, review, supernatural
The Hoarder by Jess Kidd
Maud Drennan – underpaid carer and unintentional psychic – is the latest in a long line of dogsbodies for the ancient, belligerent Cathal Flood.
Yet despite her best efforts, Maud is drawn into the mysteries concealed in his filthy, once-grand home. She realises that something is changing: Cathal, and the junk-filled rooms, are opening up to her.
With only her agoraphobic landlady and a troop of sarcastic ghostly saints to help, Maud must uncover what lies beneath Cathal’s decades-old hostility, and the strange activities of the house itself. And if someone has hidden a secret there, how far will they go to ensure it remains buried?
My Review
So this was my second audiobook book by Jess Kidd, with the same Irish narrator. This time I listened on Borrowbox. There is something about the strangeness of her work that draws me in. Her books and her writing are totally unique. There is once again more than a hint of the supernatural, but this time Maud sees the ghosts of dead saints. They are not quite what you would expect saints to be though – advising, warning and spewing sarcasm.
Irish comedian Dave Allen was my father’s favourite, but because of his irreverent pope jokes and sketches, he received death threats from offended Catholics in Ireland. I’m wondering if Jess has ever been criticised for being disrespectful towards the Church.
Maud Drennan is really quite a simple soul, working as a carer of sorts for Cathal Flood, though what she is really doing is clearing the old house, Bridlemere. There are other characters who are more eccentric and/or flamboyant. Cathal himself is ancient, about 6ft 8ins tall, and has hoarded junk and curiosities over many years. He has numerous semi-feral cats and there is a fox who Maud calls Larkin, who lives in the grounds and sees too much. Cathal’s wife Mary died when she fell down the stairs, but was it an accident? Then there is Renata, Maud’s colourful, agoraphobic, transgender landlady, who Jess describes better than I can. Renata is sure there has been foul play at Bridlemere.
Every now and again, we visit Maud’s childhood, at the time when her own sister went missing and was never found.
The Hoarder is probably no weirder than Things in Jars, maybe slightly less so, and next I am going back to Audible to delve into Jess’s first novel Himself. I’m sure I won’t be disappointed. I just hope someone sees ghosts.
There is something about Jess’s books that makes the journey more important than the destination, if that makes sense.
About the Author
Jess Kidd was brought up in London as part of a large family from county Mayo and has been praised for her unique fictional voice. Her debut, Himself, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards in 2016. She won the Costa Short Story Award the same year. Her second novel, The Hoarder, published as Mr. Flood’s Last Resort in the U.S. and Canada was shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2019. Both books were BBC Radio 2 Book Club Picks. Her latest book, the Victorian detective tale Things in Jars, has been released to critical acclaim. Jess’s work has been described as ‘Gabriel García Márquez meets The Pogues.’
For over 2000 years, dramatic writers have relied on Aristotelian principles to write their stories for the screen and stage.
But now for the first time ever, these same timeless principles from Aristotle’s esteemed Poetics have been adapted for novelists.
With succinct clarity, novelist Douglas Vigliotti shows you exactly how to write a novel using tried-and-true principles that have been used since antiquity to tell great stories. These timeless principles are the foundation on which any story can be written. Whether you are writing your first or tenth novel, Aristotle for Novelists has something to offer any serious writer of fiction. It is both a challenge to writers to simplify their craft and a no-frills, impassioned outcry for novelists everywhere.
My Review
Reading this book, I felt like I was revising for my Open University Humanities degree again, part of which was a Diploma in Literature with Creative Writing. I needed this! I graduated in 2009 and had forgotten so much about the principles. ‘Less is more’, ‘murder your darlings’, relevance. How it all came back! Basically, stop waffling to reach your word count. Note the use of italics. I use it for titles of things – for me it’s just my editorial style.
But that’s only one of the principles. It all came from Aristotle apparently, who never actually wrote a novel. But the principles remain true today. In general a novel should have a beginning, a middle and an end. And be a certain length depending on the genre (a lot of historical fiction can be VERY long). Break the rules if you want, but do so at your peril. You need a good reason, do it well, but be prepared to take the flak.
Vigliotti tells us that films pack everything into a couple of hours or less, but that the rules still apply. Novels (and films) can be tragedy or comedy. The main difference is that a tragedy will end in…well…tragedy, while a comedy should have a happy ending. Hamlet is my favourite Shakespeare play even though everyone dies at the end (tragedy), while in A Midsummer Night’s Dream everyone ends up happy (comedy).
My husband is always coming up with ideas for a novel. I rarely do – I wish I did – because I admit I am more ‘style over substance’. On that basis, he says we could write one together. My answer is always the same. Go away and read as many books as you can that were written later than the 1970s. Your ideas are great, but they’ve been done a million times already. You would know this if you tried reading more – it’s fine, we’ve been married 42 years.
Stephen King said famously, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.”
So where are we? Having a good idea is only the beginning. You have an amazing protagonist. He/she will be the stuff of dreams (after they have overcome the usual problems and journeys and found themselves – think Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy). Spoiler alert – you know they will get together in the end. The villain can be handsome and charming like Christopher Lee’s Dracula, or look obviously evil with one eye, a limp and a scar across his face. The reader will be awaiting his downfall with baited breath. Or maybe they won’t, but it depends on the reader.
As usual, I’m in danger of waffling. Just read the book – it’s only short – and take from it what you need. It’s well worth it.
Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of the #AristotleForNovelists readalong and review tour.
About the Author
Douglas Vigliotti is the author of three books, including his first work of fiction, Tom Collins: A ‘Slightly Crooked’ Novel, which is available to listen to (gratis) on the podcast, Slightly Crooked: Good Stories, Told Well. He is also the host of Books for Men, a podcast to inspire (more) men to read and bring together men who do. He currently lives in New Haven, Connecticut.
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Some things are earned. Some things are worth fighting for…
It’s 1782, Daniel and his sister Pearl arrive in London with the world at their feet and their future assured. Having escaped a Jamaican sugar plantation, Daniel fought for the British in the American War of Independence and was rewarded with freedom and an inheritance.
But the city is not a place for men like Daniel and he is callously tricked and finds himself, along with his sister Pearl, in the rookeries of St Giles – a warren of dark and menacing alleyways, filled with violence and poverty.
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The underworld labyrinth is run by Elias, a man whose cruelty knows no bounds. But under his dangerous rule is a brotherhood of Black men, the Blackbirds of St Giles, whose intention is to set their people free.
Can Daniel use his strength, wit and the fellowship of the other Blackbirds to overthrow Elias and truly find the freedom he fought for…?
My Review
I know very little about this period of history. I did a bit of research and discovered it was when William Wilberforce was involved in ending the slave trade in the UK. However, it was still rife across the pond, and our main protagonist Daniel has escaped a sugar plantation in Jamaica with his little sister Pearl. He has had to abandon his true love, Adanna, who was employed at the big house.
Daniel fought for the British in the American War of Independence, becoming a Lieutenant, and receiving his freedom and an inheritance. But when he and Pearl arrive in London, they are double crossed and there is no-one who can vouch for the authenticity of the will.
Having nothing but the clothes they stand up in, they find themselves in ‘the rookeries of St Giles – a warren of dark and menacing alleyways, filled with violence and poverty.‘ What are they to do?
They soon find they are not alone, and are befriended by an apothecary called Jerome, and a woman named Jen. They discover that it’s not just poverty that is their enemy, but a character called Elias, who calls himself the ‘King of the Rookery’ and whose cruelty is unimaginable, even to his fellow Black men and women. An underground movement known as The Blackbirds of St Giles is ready to overthrow him and set their people free. But Elias has spies everywhere, and crossing him could result in torture and death if caught.
Wow! This book was epic! It would make a great film or Netflix series. I’m not sure who could play Daniel – Idris Elba is a bit too old (sorry Idris), but my personal first choice would be Regé-Jean Page from the original series of Bridgerton.
The Blackbirds of St Giles is a real page-turner, with a host of memorable characters, Daniel of course, Pearl, Adanna, Sparrow and Octavian, to name but a few. There’s only one thing I didn’t want to happen, but I can’t say because it would be a spoiler.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
About the Authors
Lila Cain is the pseudonym for two authors writing together.
Kate Griffin won the Faber/ Stylist Magazine competition with Kitty Peck and the Music Hall Murders and went onto to write three more novels in the series before writing her first standalone novel, Fyneshade.
Born to Windrush-era Jamaican parents, Marcia Hutchinson worked as a lawyer before founding educational publishing company Primary Colours and was awarded an MBE for services to Cultural Diversity in 2010. Her solo debut novel Mercy is due for publication in summer 2025.
Sunderland, 1945. Ida Boulter makes the heart-wrenching decision to leave her five children behind as she escapes her husband and moves to London to start afresh with the love of her life.
1953, County Durham. Ida’s children have since built a new life in the beautiful home of Cuthford Manor – looked after by their eldest sibling Angie and her husband.
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But their world is about to be rocked once again when their mother turns up out of the blue for the first time in eight years.
She has come back bearing a secret she can no longer keep from her family.
My Review
I really enjoyed reading A Secret In The Family even though it’s not my usual time period. If I’m reading historical fiction it will either be Victorian Britain or World War Two. This book is set around the time I was born, in a part of the country I don’t know at all. Living in the middle class Cotswolds, I have no point of reference, but that was fine by me.
It mainly revolves around Angie, and her ‘mam’ Ida, who walked out on the family to live with the love of her life, Carl, in London. Angie is left to look after her four younger siblings, the littlest one being only two years old. To make matters worse, it’s the night before Angie’s wedding when Ida disappears.
Eight years later, Ida returns, bearing a terrible secret that she must reveal as soon as possible. Her reappearance throws everyone into confusion. And while Angie is ready to hear her mother out, the two older children Danny and Marlene are not so forgiving. The younger two, who don’t remember her anyway and have always seen Angie as their ‘mam’, take to her immediately, as does Angie’s seven-year-old daughter Bonnie.
It’s a really engaging, well-told story, with some likeable characters, particularly Angie and Marlene. It’s mostly set at Cuthford Manor, a beautiful manor house left to Angie by her late well-to-do husband, and now run as a country house hotel, with a riding school. We also flip back and forth to Ida’s childhood, and to London at one point. I admit I cried a fair bit towards the end.
Take it on holiday so you can read uninterrupted. I feel sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
About the Author
Nancy Revell is the author of twelve titles in the bestselling Shipyard Girls series – which tells the story of a group of women who work together in a Sunderland ship yard during the Second World War. This new novel features some of the characters from the world of the Shipyard Girls series in a new County Durham setting. Her books have sold more than half a million copies across all editions.
Before that she was a journalist who worked for all the national newspapers, providing them with hard-hitting news stories and in-depth features. She also wrote amazing and inspirational true life stories for just about every woman’s magazine in the country.
Nancy was born and brought up in the North East of England and she now lives in Oxfordshire with her husband, Paul.
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.
Will Goose, 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 lesson that you are never too old.
Many thanks to Hygge Book Tours for inviting me to be part of #TheOldScarecrow #coverreveal. And here is the fab cover!!
Genre: Children’s Fiction 3-9 years
Publisher: HB Publishing House
Pages: 40
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My review will follow on 19th March as part of #TheOldScarecrow #blogtour.
Demons of the past aren’t easily left behind…
At Sunnyside, women serve in silence. Mae—an outspoken, rebellious outcast—has a penchant for getting in trouble. Her only ally is Lily, the perfect follower. When their husband dies and the cult’s new leader claims Lily as his bride, the facade of peace crumbles. Mysterious deaths haunt the commune, and Mae’s attempts to protect Lily only get her banished to the woods, leaving Lily vulnerable without her protection.
Faced with a heartbreaking choice, Mae makes a desperate decision the night before Lily’s wedding and escapes the cult. But the past clings to her like a shadow. Heartbroken and alone, Mae meets Charlotte, a true-crime podcaster obsessed with uncovering the dark secrets of Sunnyside. Charlotte offers Mae a chance to start over, but only if she’s willing to talk.
As Mae begins to reveal the cult’s sinister secrets, she comes dangerously close to admitting the truth about what happened the night she fled—something far more twisted than anyone can possibly imagine. And it’s only a matter of time before the past catches up to her and she’s forced to confront the nightmare she thought she’d left behind…
And here is the fab cover! My review will be posted on 9th March as part of the #KillingLily #blogtour.
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About the Author
Author of the psychological thriller Killing Lily to be published by Bloodhound Books on 20 February 2025
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A satirical novel which makes a serious point about mental illness and the way we treat it.
Set in the polite society of a market town in the south of England which, below the surface, is rife with prejudice and hypocrisy.
A story which examines the traits, addictions and failings of the English middle classes.
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The Midhurst Amateur Dramatic Society are putting on a production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit, and Tessa has agreed to play a part. But when she suffers a psychotic episode, Ros, a C-list celebrity and new to the community, takes her place.
In this darkly comic tale of psychosis in the Home Counties, the stage is set for a blistering examination of mental illness, how we treat it and why we don’t. While Tessa is sectioned in a secure psychiatric hospital, the relationships in the community unravel, and by the time she’s released, all that we thought we knew, and all of our judgements, are thrown into question.
Dim the lights, turn off your phones, settle in as the curtain rises…
My Review
Honest to God I hope I never have to socialise with these people in real life, or be in a play with them. It’s not even the swearing, the smoking or the drinking – it’s the drunk-driving and the attitude. I used to work with people like this many years ago – entitled, rich, selfish, smoking dope, using cocaine, and wondering why their kids disrespect them.
Like quite a few readers, I struggled to see the darkly comic humour, other than Derek and Clive and Ethel in Mercury Ward. Maybe because my childhood was lived in the shadow of my mother’s mental illness, it was all a bit too upsetting and personal for me. Not that my mother was bi-polar or psychotic (I won’t go into details about her condition, her post-war PTSD or her eventual lobotomy), but rather that no-one understood – it was as if she had chosen to live like that. No-one would choose to be mentally ill.
But don’t let me put you off. It’s wonderfully written and the characters’ lack of understanding of mental illness is intentional. The use of language is sublime, the story will tug at the heart strings, but also make you cross. The scene where Ros finds out about Poppy, but seems more concerned that her ex is seeing her daughters behind her back says it all. Clare also warns Ros off about spending time with Scott while Tessa is sectioned following her psychotic episode, but to Ros, Scott is fair game.
The psychotic episode written from Tessa’s point of view is a hard read. Like Scott and Tessa’s friends, I just wanted her to take her meds. But it is not for me to sit in judgement, and I am not going to. My review is about the book and the fantastic writing, not the treatment of mental illness.
But if I could just say one thing (from my own personal experience), where was the help and support for Freddy, Molly and Issy? Haven’t things moved on at all since I was a child?
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
About the Author
Eleanor Anstruther was born London, educated in Westminster and studied History of Art at Manchester University where she was distracted from finishing her degree by a trip to India.
She was lost and found for the next twelve years, starting a commune and travelling the world before finally settling down to write.
Her acclaimed debut novel, A Perfect Explanation (Salt Books), was long-listed for the Desmond Elliott Prize.
She now lives quietly on a farm in Surrey.
Perfect Neighbours, Perfect Lies…
When Viola’s new neighbours move into Number 33, everything seems picture-perfect.
But behind the manicured lawn and polite smiles, dark secrets lurk in the shadows. As Viola, a quiet retiree, digs deeper into the strange behaviour of the family next door, she uncovers a disturbing web of lies.
The father, Rhys, is hostile. The mother, Wendy, seems to be losing her grip on reality. And their daughter, Mirabelle is an eerie eight-year-old.
When Viola sneaks into Number 33, she discovers a locked room and a secret hidden inside. Soon her curiosity turns into obsession. But as she pushes closer to the truth, the family turns the tables and suddenly, Viola is the one questioning her own sanity.
Will Viola uncover the sinister truth… or is she the next victim in this twisted game of cat and mouse?
The Family Next Door is a chilling psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last page.
My Review
I’m getting a bit worried. The house next door to us has become empty after all this time. The current owners lived there for twenty-eight years – we’ve been in ours for thirteen of those. It’s a spooky old house and we don’t yet know who’s going to move in. I just hope it’s not Rhys, Wendy and Mirabelle. If it is, I’m definitely not popping round for a cup of tea.
I don’t quite know what to make of Viola. I think we could be friends, but I probably don’t want to live next door to her either. She’s too nosy (she says she’s not) and suspicious. There is no way I would have gone into someone’s house if they left the door open – well maybe just the hall before closing the door – but not snooping around upstairs. And pretending to water the plants so I can spy on them? Maybe…
The Family Next Door is creepy as hell. They are a weird bunch and Rhys is a real chauvinist, but are they as odd as Viola thinks they are? Not having had children of her own, I think she also finds Mirabelle’s behaviour stranger than I would have done (with two sons and four granddaughters in tow). And her pre-retirement job working in social services probably makes her see stuff I might have missed.
However, things only get worse. By now I would have confided in someone and sought help. But Viola is that person in the horror film who goes down in the cellar while we are all yelling at the screen ‘don’t go down there!’.
At times her behaviour made me feel really uncomfortable, and I despaired of her most of the time. But it’s one of those stories where you have to keep turning the pages even though you want to hide behind the sofa. Thank goodness she’s gone home….oh no, she’s gone back. Viola what were you thinking! The Family Next Door is full of suspense and surprises, even though you may want to drag her back to safety and reality.
Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of #TheFamilyNextDoor blog tour.
About the Author
Charlotte Stevenson is an author born and raised in North West Cumbria. Charlotte studied Medicine in Scotland and continues to work part-time as a doctor.
Charlotte writes dark, twisty psychological thrillers with elements of psychological horror. She is fascinated by the complexity of human behaviour and the dark depths of the mind. The Serial Killer’s Son was her first novel.
Charlotte now resides in Greater Manchester with her husband, three wonderful children and two rambunctious dogs. When not writing or working, Charlotte is a voracious consumer of audiobooks and has an ever-expanding TBR pile that she has no desire to control.
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+ 1940s, 1950s, fiction, guest post, Historical fiction, loss, love, review, Victorian Britain, World War Two, WW2
The Butterfly Girl by Tania Crosse spotlight post
A heart-wrenching tale of wartime spirit, love, loss and the courage of a young nurse during the Plymouth Blitz.
1941. The midst of the Blitz. Bombs are raining down on the city. In one terrifying moment, trainee nurse Pippa Luscombe’s life is turned upside-down when her hospital takes a direct hit.
As Pippa comes to terms with the full extent of the tragedy, she must pick up the pieces of her life. But the incident has left lasting scars. She determines to dedicate her life to her nursing career, and forget about finding love of her own.
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Until one day she discovers she has an unexpected admirer. A patient hands her a piece of paper. A heartfelt note to his butterfly girl.
In this one moment, Pippa’s life is changed once more.
The war in Europe rages on. But for Pippa this unsolicited note brings a threat much closer to home. She must make some difficult decisions as she experiences both love and loss in search of her own happiness.
Spotlight
The Butterfly Girl is the second novel in my Devonshire series to be set in wartime Plymouth. As with all cities that were badly blitzed in the Second World War, Plymouth has many tales to tell. Our heroine in the previous saga, The Convent Girl, Book 10 in the series, was an auxiliary fire-fighter. Philippa in The Butterfly Girl is a nurse, giving a different viewpoint among the mind-boggling variety of roles played by brave civilians in those terrible times.
So why did I decide what part she was to play? Two main reasons. Firstly, I was so deeply moved by the horrific event on one of the worst nights of the Plymouth Blitz in March 1941 when the brand new maternity block at the City Hospital received a direct hit. Writing this story was my way of honouring the innocents who lost their lives that night, and you will see that the book is dedicated to them. We must remember that life continued despite the trials of war. As well as being injured in air raids, the public became ill, needing care and in some cases operations, and the medical profession had to carry on as normal, though in exceptionally difficult circumstances.
Secondly, my own mother trained as a nurse during the London Blitz and related such interesting tales that I felt they ought to be recognised. Climbing in through the Nurses’ Home windows out of hours, counting swabs in theatre, paying for broken thermometers were all true. A grateful patient wrote my mother a thank you poem entitled ‘Nurse Blue Eyes’ that always made me smile because my mother’s eyes were green. This did, though, give me the idea for Archie’s poem, ‘The Butterfly Girl’, that is central to the plot. I still have some of my mother’s nursing textbooks that are mentioned in the story, but were also extremely useful for research, along with many other memoirs by wartime nurses that proved fascinating reading. As a result, I was able to describe medical procedures and medications of the period, the treatment of childhood diphtheria which was rife at the time, even down to the preparation of penicillin injections as the then new wonder-drug was not yet available in tablet form. Finally, a dear friend of mine, sadly no longer with us, began her training in1947 at the City Hospital that was soon to change its name to Freedom Fields. She also had many stories to relate, and gave me copies of various photographs of her nursing days.
Nursing is just one of the aspects of the war covered in The Butterfly Girl. I do hope that in reading it, you will also learn a little about the heroism, determination and resilience of the people of Plymouth in such appalling times, and that you will love the way Philippa and her friend, Stephanie, cope with adversity. Reviews are always greatly appreciated, and I hope you will love the characters and their stories in the same way as I enjoyed creating them.
Many thanks to @ZooloosBT for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the Author in her own words
“Hello, and welcome to my author page. In it, you will learn a little about the background to my stories.
“GREAT NEWS!
“I’ve just signed a contract with my lovely publishers, Joffe Books, for my latest saga, The Butterfly Girl, that will be Book 11 in my Devonshire series! It’s another heart-wrenching tale set during the Plymouth Blitz, based on true events and partly inspired by my mother’s nurses’ training during the war.
“In the meantime, why not take advantage of the special offer on the Box Set of Books 6-10? Through both world wars and into the 1950s, they show how the ugly tentacles of war reach way beyond the end of the conflicts.
“For those of you who are new to my books, each is a stand-alone, but you will enjoy them most if they are read in order. The first in the series is The Harbour Master’s Daughter, based on the history of Morwellham Quay, once the greatest copper port in the whole of Queen Victoria’s Empire. Four more Victorian tales follow, mainly set on the wilds of Dartmoor, illustrating different aspects of the harsh life on the moor, from farming, mining and quarrying, to the little known gunpowder factory and the infamous prison. A Box Set is available to download of Books 1-5, the Victorian tales. As mentioned above, a second Box Set of Books 6-10 is also now available to download, with two WW1 titles, showing how sleepy Devon was just as involved in the conflict as anywhere. Then we jump forward to the 1950s with The Dartmoor Girl and The Girl At Holly Cottage, both stories of the legacy of war, before popping back to the WW2 years with Book 10, The Convent Girl. The action actually begins in a convent in Ireland, based on my own mother’s childhood there, before moving to Plymouth where we see the run-up to hostilities through the eyes of the heroine. What will happen to her when war breaks out and Plymouth is devastated by the Blitz? You can enjoy this book without having read the previous titles, but for the eagle-eyed, there is a link to The Wheelwright Girl.
“And don’t forget my four Twentieth Century Sagas set in London and Kent, the last one of which, The Street Of Broken Dreams, won Saga Of The Year in the prestigious RoNA Awards 2020, so I can officially call myself an award-winning author! It’s the summer of 1945 and WW2 is drawing to a close. But for some it can never end. Set in Battersea, London, where I myself lived as a small child, it’s another gripping, powerful drama, quite dark in places. I believe that, like all my novels, it will tug at your heartstrings.
“Whichever of my books you choose to read, I do hope you enjoy them! So why not take a look at my website for more details? I’m sure you will discover many hours of engrossing reading!”
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+ 1990s, Catholic Church, crime fiction, fiction, jealousy, lies, murder, murder mystery, obsession, religion, review, secrets
A Prayer Before Killing by CC Gilmartin (The Colin Buxton Series Book #3)
An exclusive Catholic boys’ school…the death of a young nun…a potential cover-up.
When Colin Buxton arrives in Glasgow to care for his gravely ill mother, he’s drawn into a perplexing mystery: how a bangle that once belonged to a murdered nun has inexplicably appeared on the wrist of a statue of the Virgin Mary. With a priest having been convicted of the crime, could someone be trying to signal that justice wasn’t served?
As Colin delves deeper, he uncovers a group of teenage boys whose unsettling connection to the young nun raises troubling questions about the original investigation. And then there’s the school itself, whose dubious past may be concealing the truth. What secrets is the Catholic church hiding, and how far will they go to protect their own?
In A Prayer Before Killing, the third gripping novel in CC Gilmartin’s Colin Buxton Series, dark truths emerge as Colin navigates a web of deception and betrayal, challenging everything he thought he knew about faith, loyalty, and justice.
Perfect for fans of JM Dalgliesh, LJ Ross, Simon McCleave and Rachel McLean.
My Review
There’s something very Lord Of The Flies (one of the boys is actually reading it at one point) meets If about A Prayer Before Killing. Set in the 1990s in a private, Roman Catholic school, most of the teachers are priests, and the boys aspire to join the priesthood. A group of four teenage boys Matthew, Garr, Luc and Jonny, who call themselves the ‘Apostles’, are the main focus of ex-police officer Colin Buxton’s investigation into the murder of Sister Oran, in the third in the series.
We jump back and forth from 1995 to two years earlier, when Sister Oran’s body was found in the tunnels under the school, having lain dead for at least three weeks. Father Simon Young was convicted of her murder, but a number of people believe he is innocent. Colin is asked to take a ‘teaching’ job at the exclusive Holy Trinity College, but it’s really a cover so he can investigate the murder.
In a separate story, Colin’s mother is dying and he is staying with her to help neighbour Jeannie look after her. That’s what brought him back to Glasgow.
I can’t pretend that the story isn’t quite long, complicated and involved, and there are a lot of characters all of whom matter. My favourite is Caroline, with her home counties, cut glass accent, and her red Audi Quattro. She reminds me a bit of my art teacher, who drove an Austin Healey 3000. I should really dislike her, but she brings some light relief when it’s needed.
I probably have the advantage as a reader of having been to a Catholic Convent school in the late sixties, so there are some things I may understand better than many. The blind faith in miracles, the immaculate conception, the resurrection, transubstantiation etc can seem very odd to other religions, or especially to atheists. And if you believe some of the seemingly naive devotion to be far-fetched, trust me, it isn’t.
Maybe because of my background, I love a religious slant to a crime novel, probably because you can never quite leave your experiences totally behind.
Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of the #APrayerBeforeKilling blog tour.
About the Authors
“We’re Chris Deans and Colin Thomas Begg, the bestselling writing duo behind the pen name CC Gilmartin.
“Scots born, we’ve lived in London, Sydney, Berlin, and Barcelona, but now call Glasgow home. With diverse backgrounds, we’ve come together to share our passion for crime fiction and suspense. The stories we create have dark secrets at their heart. Love, denial and betrayal drive, and sometimes destroy, our characters. We’re also inspired by the Scottish landscape and the great cities we’ve been lucky enough to live in.
“Want to know more about our books? Join the CC Gilmartin Readers Club at https://www.ccgilmartin.com/book-club and receive a FREE Colin Buxton story, plus regular updates on our writing and travels.”
Buy Links
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Get ready to giggle with ‘Frog, Fish, and Worm’!
This toe-tapping, fish-flapping, and worm-squirming adventure will have kids aged 2-8 in stitches. Watch as these three tiny titans team up against the fisherman, Stan.
But guess who joins the underwater shenanigans?
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A toothless Crocodile! With their hilarious hijinks and a pinch of teamwork, they give Stan the fright of his fishing life.
It’s a rip-roaring rhyme-time, proving that even the littlest critters can outsmart the biggest bullies. So dive into this gigglesome, fin-tastic tale, and let the underwater fun begin!
My Review
Frog, Fish, and Worm is a hilarious tale of three friends, Slimey McSprog the frog, McHish the fish, and Erm, a wiggly brown worm, who nasty Stan uses to catch fish for his dinner. The book is illustrated in bright colours which young children will adore.
It’s written in rhyme which makes it easy to read aloud. Erm is fed up with being used as bait, so the friends decide to get rid of Stan once and for all. They enlist the help of a green crocodile, but unfortunately he doesn’t have any teeth from eating too many sweets.
They still manage to hatch a plan with crocodile’s help, to send Stan on his way once and for all. It’s all very funny, and a great follow up to Christina’s first book, Dorothy Dustbucket.
Many thanks to @ZooloosBT for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the Author
Christina has had a successful career in the Art, Design and TV Industry before owning her very own Art Gallery. Inspired by her love of reading and doodling, Christina decided to put pen to paper and create Dorothy Dustbucket. Splitting time between Europe and the UK, she lives in the beautiful county of Cheshire, along with her husband and two children, who provided much of the inspiration for the children’s books.
Christina’s Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/christi87942442
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christina_b_bianco_/
Tik Tok : https://www.tiktok.com/@1christinabbianco
Book Links
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/156737966-dorothy-dustbucket
Buy Link – https://mybook.to/DorothyDustbucket-zbt
THE DARKLY TWISTED DEBUT THRILLER OF THE YEAR
How to Kill Your Family meets The Power in this entertaining and thought-provoking read, that asks:
If you had the power between life and death, what would you do?
Thea has a secret. She can tell how long someone has left to live just by touching them. Not only that, but she can transfer life from one person to another – something she finds out the hard way when her best friend Ruth suffers a fatal head injury on a night out.
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Desperate to save her, Thea touches the arm of the man responsible when he comes to check if Ruth is all right. As Ruth comes to, the man quietly slumps to the ground, dead. Thea realises that she has a godlike power: but despite deciding to use her ability for good, she can’t help but sometimes use it for her own benefit.
Boss annoying her at work? She can take some life from them and give it as a tip to her masseuse for a great job.
Creating an ‘Ethical Guide to Murder’ helps Thea to focus her new-found skills.
But as she embarks on her mission to punish the wicked and give the deserving more time, she finds that it isn’t as simple as she first thought. How can she really know who deserves to die, and can she figure out her own rules before Ruth’ borrowed time runs out?
My Review
It’s an interesting concept! “Punish the wicked and give the deserving more time. It’s that simple. Right?” Only it’s not. Giving the deserving more time is easy, especially if it’s a child, but who do you take it from? Take a few months or weeks here and there? Or ‘kill’ people you believe should be eliminated? And who decides who is wicked? Well, Thea and Sam think they have it right, though I think Thea is being coerced by Sam who promises to help her find the drunk driver who killed her parents and left her by the side of the road. He has his own agenda.
Let’s just backtrack for a second. Thea has a superpower of sorts. She can see how long people have left to live just by touching them, so when best friend Ruth hits her head in a nightclub and is about to die, Thea takes the life from the nearest stranger and gives it to Ruth. Except he didn’t deserve to die. It was a terrible mistake.
Moving on, the problem is that Thea sometimes chooses people that have hurt others, but doesn’t take into consideration that they didn’t ask for her help. And it frequently backfires. “I hate my parents or partner” doesn’t mean you want them removed from the face of the earth.
Of course Thea can ‘get away with murder’, so to speak, as who would believe that she can suck the life out of people with her power. Except Police Officer Stewart is suspicious, but he can’t work out what’s going on.
An Ethical Guide to Murder is really a morality tale, with a lot of dark humour thrown in. Entertaining and thought provoking, it will keep you up at night wondering whether Thea’s actions can ever be justified.
I can’t remember the last time I cried this much at the end of a book. Not just a sniffle, but real blobby tears, running down my face. It’s brilliant.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
About the Author
Jenny Morris lives in Crowborough, the home of Winnie the Pooh and an outrageous number of charity shops. She has a PhD in Cognitive Psychology and works as a behavioural scientist. When not reading or writing, she enjoys galloping around the Ashdown Forest on a horse, foraging for mushrooms and getting way too intense about board games at the pub.
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