+ audio book, fiction, gothic, grief, Historical fiction, literature, mental illness, review, secrets, sisters, twins, whimsical, writer
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield narrated by Jenny Agutter
All children mythologize their birth…So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter’s collection of stories, which are as famous for the mystery of the missing thirteenth tale as they are for the delight and enchantment of the twelve that do exist.
The enigmatic Winter has spent six decades creating various outlandish life histories for herself — all of them inventions that have brought her fame and fortune but have kept her violent and tragic past a secret. Now old and ailing, she at last wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. She summons biographer Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth, hidden by those who loved her most, remains an ever-present pain. Struck by a curious parallel between Miss Winter’s story and her own, Margaret takes on the commission.
As Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for good, Margaret is mesmerized. It is a tale of gothic strangeness featuring the Angelfield family, including the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess, a topiary garden and a devastating fire.
Margaret succumbs to the power of Vida’s storytelling but remains suspicious of the author’s sincerity. She demands the truth from Vida, and together they confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves.
The Thirteenth Tale is a love letter to reading, a book for the feral reader in all of us, a return to that rich vein of storytelling that our parents loved and that we loved as children. Diane Setterfield will keep you guessing, make you wonder, move you to tears and laughter and, in the end, deposit you breathless yet satisfied back upon the shore of your everyday life.
My Review
I am not going to leave a long review as this book has been reviewed so many times, there isn’t much I can add. Suffice to say it moved me to tears on more than one occasion. As with Once Upon A River, the writing is beautiful, perfect and evocative. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before (or in this case listened to). And the narration by Jenny Agutter is just right.
But there is one important thing about this book to remember before you embark on a remarkable journey. It’s long (especially as an Audiobook). It’s a slow, beautiful, moonlight cruise, not a 4-hour trip on a jet plane. It’s as much about the journey as the destination. In fact it’s all about the journey, with quite a few stops along the way for tea and cake. And there’s a cat. Need I say more. Oh and a bookshop.
Biographer Margaret Lea is summoned by prolific author Vida Winter to write her life story. It must have a beginning, a middle and an end, in that order, Ms Winter informs her at their first meeting. Margaret says that everything she is told must be the truth and she will do her research to check where necessary. And then the story begins to unfold. It’s wonderful.
About the Author
Diane Setterfield is a British author. Her bestselling novel, The Thirteenth Tale (2006) was published in 38 countries worldwide and has sold more than three million copies. It was number one in the New York Times hardback fiction list for three weeks and is enjoyed as much for being ‘a love letter to reading’ as for its mystery and style. Her second novel, Bellman & Black (2013 is a genre-defying tale of rooks and Victorian retail). January 2019 sees the publication of her new title, Once Upon a River, which has been called ‘bewitching’ and ‘enchanting’.
Born in Englefield, Berkshire in 1964, Diane spent most of her childhood in the nearby village of Theale. After schooldays at Theale Green, Diane studied French Literature at the University of Bristol. Her PhD was on autobiographical structures in André Gide’s early fiction. She taught English at the Institut Universitaire de Technologie and the Ecole nationale supérieure de Chimie, both in Mulhouse, France, and later lectured in French at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK. She left academia in the late 1990s to pursue writing.
The Thirteenth Tale was acquired by Heyday Films and adapted for television by the award-winning playwright and scriptwriter, Christopher Hampton. Starring Vanessa Redgrave and Olivia Colman, it was filmed in 2013 in North Yorkshire for BBC2. The TV rights to Once Upon a River have even sold to Kudos (Broadchurch, Spooks, Grantchester).
Diane Setterfield has been published in over forty countries.
Diane lives in Oxford, in the UK. When not writing she reads widely, and when not actually reading she is usually talking or thinking about reading. She is, she says, ‘a reader first, a writer second.’
+ abuse, child abuse, childhood, crime fiction, fiction, murder, mystery, Nigeria, Psychological fiction, revenge, review, secrets, thriller
Under Her Roof by A.A. Chaudhuri
It seems too good to be true…
When struggling writer Sebastian finds a room to let in a palatial Hampstead residence he cannot believe his luck. The rent is ridiculously cheap and he immediately feels a connection with his beautiful widowed landlady, Adriana.
It is.
Genre: Psychological thriller
Publisher: Hera
Things take a dark turn when he finds out what happened to the last lodger. Could this be why the house is a fortress of security, and why Adriana seems so fragile? Adriana doesn’t want to talk about the death and sadness that seem to follow her wherever she goes and Sebastian has secrets of his own.
Now someone is watching their every move and there is nowhere to hide.
This house of light becomes a dark nightmare as the threat ramps up – what does the watcher want? And how far will they go to get it?
A gripping, twisty thriller perfect for fans of B.A. Paris, Shari Lapena and Lucy Foley. If you were hooked by Netflix series You or The Watcher you’ll love this.
Author website: https://aachaudhuri.com/
My Review
It’s been a while since I read a psychological thriller. It used to be that it was all I was offered and they began to become a bit samey. But not Under Her Roof! It has some very unexpected twists and dark turns. One or two involve coincidences that are a tad far-fetched, but I never mind that. It’s fiction after all!
Writer Sebastian is looking for somewhere to live. He’s been staying with best friend Jasper, whose wife Rochelle must be getting a bit sick of her lack of privacy, and the place is a bit of a chaotic tip. Then a room comes up in Hampstead, in a beautiful house, with a gym and swimming pool, but it’s just a room and he’ll be a ‘lodger’ – which is not really what he wants. But the rent is ridiculously cheap.
The landlady is called Adriana, widowed and beautiful, fourteen years older than Seb. Jasper sees trouble on the horizon, but Seb feels it’s an opportunity too good to be true and decides to go for it. There are rules, some strange ones, and the house is secured like a fortress. Why is Adriana so scared? Is it to do with her husband’s death, or the death of the last lodger?
The story is told from the point of view of Seb, Adriana, and another voice from ‘before’. Who is this person, and who is the shadowy figure sometimes seen hanging around the Hampstead house? Is there a connection? And if Adriana is so worried, why doesn’t she sell up and find somewhere she feels less insecure? And why didn’t Seb get out of there as fast as his feet would carry him? There are also multiple timelines, but don’t be put off – they are never confusing.
The book is full of secrets, sadness and tragedy, but there is so much more hidden underneath. No-one is who they say they are, and what are they hiding? Sometimes you’ll gasp and think ‘Oh my God!’ It can be very dark at times, but it’s also great fun (or maybe that’s just me).
Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of the #UnderHerRoof #BlogTour.
About the Author
A.A. Chaudhuri is a History graduate and former City lawyer. Born and raised in Portsmouth, Hampshire, she now lives in Surrey with her family, where she writes full time.
The Scribe and The Abduction, published in July and December 2019 by Lume Books, are her first crime book series, plunging readers into London’s glamorous legal world and featuring series’ heroine, Maddy Kramer, fiction’s first female City lawyer amateur sleuth, who teams up with charismatic DCI Jake Carver to solve a gruesome series of murders and a puzzling abduction. Both books were published in audio by Isis Audio in January and March 2021.
She also contributed a short story, The Encounter, to Lume Books’ crime anthology. Given In Evidence, published May 2020, and had two short stories published on the CWA website.
Her first psychological thriller with Hera Books, She’s Mine, was published in August 2021, her second, entitled The Loyal Friend, was published in June 2022. It will be published in the USA in August 2023. Her third psychological thriller with Hera, The Final Party, was published in May 2023.
Besides being an avid reader, she enjoys fitness, films, anything Italian and a good margarita.
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+ abuse, crime fiction, Detective novel, fiction, Iceland noir, murder, Nordic noir, police drama, police procedural, Scandi noir, secrets, thriller
Boys Who Hurt by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir (Forbidden Iceland #5) translated by Victoria Cribb
Fresh from maternity leave, Detective Elma finds herself confronted with a complex case, when a man is found murdered in a holiday cottage in the depths of the Icelandic countryside – the victim of a frenzied knife attack, with a shocking message scrawled on the wall above him.
At home with their baby daughter, Sævar is finding it hard to let go of work, until the chance discovery in a discarded box provides him with a distraction. Could the diary of a young boy, detailing the events of a long-ago summer have a bearing on Elma’s case?
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Once again, the team at West Iceland CID have to contend with local secrets in the small town of Akranes, where someone has a vested interest in preventing the truth from coming to light. And Sævar has secrets of his own that threaten to destroy his and Elma’s newfound happiness.
Tense, twisty and shocking, Boys Who Hurt is the next, addictive instalment in the award-winning Forbidden Iceland series, as dark events from the past endanger everything…
My Review
When I read The Creak On The Stairs, the first book in the Forbidden Iceland series, I said the following: ‘Everything about it is exciting, chilling, scary, I could go on with a list of adjectives. It’s the perfect police procedural but there is also so much more.’
Well, Boys Who Hurt is even more exciting, more chilling and more scary. We are back with police officer Elma, now living with Sævar and their seven-month-old baby Adda, in her childhood home town of Akranes. Her boss is still Hörður, whose wife died almost a year before, and he is devastated.
The plot is complicated, and at first we don’t see any link between the current gruesome knife attack, and the death of a teenager at a summer camp in 1995. Except for the writing on the victims’s wall (Take away my crimes and sins with blood, O Jesus), the mystery surrounding the boy’s ‘accidental drowning’, and the fact that the victims (yes there are more to come) were all present at the time, sharing room number four with the dead boy.
At times Boys Who Hurt is very dark, with not only murders, but also child abuse, bullying, rape, missing women, and quite a few truly horrible people, especially Hafdís, wife of Matthias, both of whom were at the summer camp in 1995, along with Thorgeir. Ottó is Hörður’s predecessor and Matthias’s father, who would make you want to quit the force if he was your boss.
There are quite a few theories as you read along, mostly red herrings. I only guessed one of them, which was fairly near the end. Boys Who Hurt is so good and so clever, I nearly missed my yoga class reading the last few chapters. When I say I couldn’t put it down, I really mean it.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
About the Author
Born in Akranes in 1988, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir studied for an MSc in globalisation in Norway before returning to Iceland to write her first novel. Her debut thriller The Creak on the Stairs, was published in 2018, and won the Blackbird Award in Iceland. Published in English by Orenda Books in 2020, it became a digital number-one bestseller worldwide, was shortlisted for the Capital Crime/Amazon Publishing Awards in two categories and won the CWA John Creasey Dagger in 2021. Girls Who Lie, the second book in the Forbidden Iceland series was shortlisted for the Petrona Award and the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger, and Night Shadows followed suit. In 2024, she won the Blood Drop Award for Crime Book of the Year in Iceland. With over 260,000 copies sold in English alone, Eva has become one of Iceland’s – and crime-fiction’s – most highly regarded authors. She lives in Reykjavik with her husband and three children. Follow her on @evaaegisdottir
About Orenda Books
Orenda Books is a small independent publishing company specialising in literary fiction with a heavy emphasis on crime/thrillers, and approximately half the list in translation. They’ve been twice shortlisted for the Nick Robinson Best Newcomer Award at the IPG awards, and publisher and owner Karen Sullivan was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2016. In 2018, they were awarded a prestigious Creative Europe grant for their translated books programme. Three authors, including Agnes Ravatn, Matt Wesolowski and Amanda Jennings have been WHSmith Fresh Talent picks, and Ravatn’s The Bird Tribunal was shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award, won an English PEN Translation Award, and adapted for BBC Radio Four ’s Book at Bedtime. Six titles have been short- or long-listed for the CWA Daggers. Launched in 2014 with a mission to bring more international literature to the UK market, Orenda Books publishes a host of debuts, many of which have gone on to sell millions worldwide, and looks for fresh, exciting new voices that push the genre in new directions. Bestselling authors include Ragnar Jonasson, Antti Tuomainen, Gunnar Staalesen, Michael J. Malone, Kjell Ola Dahl, Louise Beech, Johana Gustawsson, Lilja Sigurðardóttir and Sarah Stovell.
+ Dogs, fiction, friends, friendship, grief, literature, loss, love
Exiles by LJ Ambrosio (Reflections of Michael Trilogy Book 3)
In this final chapter, Ron’s story concludes from Reflections on the Boulevard (2023).
Michael’s wish was for Ron to exile himself in the heart of Paris with its beautiful culture and citizens as they protest and fight for the soul of the city.
Ron’s journey is met with life-affirming friendships and lessons along the way. The final book in the Reflections of Michael Trilogy, which started with A Reservoir Man (2022).
Excerpt
“Ron, weak in the legs from forgetting the spirit of his youth, had been managing bookstores more than living life. His legs pumped forward. but with the awkwardness of an old man who had forgotten how to walk. In a few seconds he was up to speed and ran faster to catch the thief.
“Near the corner, Ron had missed his opportunity to slow and check for other people walking, so he slammed into a group of women. He especially blasted into an old lady whose groceries flew into the sky, and a yogurt splattered against a wall and the faces of the other women. She turned to condemn her assailant, but he was already on the next block in pursuit of the thief. He spotted the thief at the Notre Dame Hotel, out of breath, leaning against a pillar. Surprised at the thief’s choice to stop here, he slowed down and let his feet pound the street into a halt. Ron grabbed at him but still missed his shoulder.
“Give me the book back!” he said, very loudly.
“The thief just shrugged his shoulder, a mocking smile. His smile made the act of chasing him through the streets feel silly, as if this were a game that had been played and he took it too seriously.
“The thief looked at Ron and asked, sarcastically, “What language are you speaking?”
“What do mean? I am speaking French!”
“Our thief laughed, turned to a random man who walked down the street, and said, “This young man thinks he is speaking French Go ahead say something to this stranger; he will tell you are speaking some other language other than French!”
“I will call the police,” Ron said firmly.”
Competition
L.J. Ambrosio will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card, a dragonfly necklace, or a second dragonfly necklace, to three randomly drawn winners via Rafflecopter during the tour, and a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn host.
My Review
I was so glad that Rhonda, a wire-haired Jack Russell who Ron adopted as a stray, shortly after meeting Michael in the previous book Reflections On The Boulevard, is still with us. Considerably older now, she is blind in one eye and is mostly taken out in a baby buggy because she is afraid of burning her paws on the cigarette butts on the street. Past trauma I believe. We always had to carry our beloved Jack Russell, Pancake, across bridges if they were made of something you could see through. Dogs always remember the past trauma. In Pancake’s case, it may well have been in a previous life.
Ron is now living in Paris, with Rhonda of course, and working in a bookstore. It’s not like any other bookstore. Customers who have nowhere to live – Tumbleweeds as they are referred to – can stay for a few nights. They drift in and out.
Then one day, Ron chases and catches a young man who has stolen a book from the shop. The man explains that he isn’t really a thief. His name is Louie and he tells Ron about his reasons for taking the book. He has a girlfriend called Lily, who happens to be a friend of Ron’s girlfriend Julia. And so the friendship between Ron and Louie develops.
Ron has now taken Michael’s place as ‘mentor’ – he is the one mentoring Louie. He talks about love and friendship, not just of another person, but also the love of a dog like Rhonda. Incidentally, I am fascinated by Rhonda’s choice of food – she seems to live on ham and cheese sandwiches. I’m sure it’s not good for her.
While Ron really just minds his own business running the bookstore, Louie is very involved in the political scene under Macron. At one point, he and Lily are caught up in a demonstration against raising the pension age from 62 to 64. Ha! Here in the UK we are just about to move from 66 to 67. Everyone objected when it first went up about 10 years ago, but we didn’t riot like they did in Paris.
Once again it is an emotional read. I don’t want to go into why, as that would involve spoilers. Suffice to say there are some sad events, as there have been in all three books, and it is now time to say goodbye once and for all to Michael, Ron, Louie and of course my beloved Rhonda. I’ll miss them all.
Many thanks to Goddess Fish Promotions and the author for inviting me to be part of the review tour.
About the Author
Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio taught at seven universities. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.
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+ crime fiction, dark humour, fiction, kidnapping, mid-life crisis, online dating, revenge, review, thriller
The 23-Day Girlfriend by Mark Eklid
Lonely heart Barry thought Gina might be too good to be true. He was right.
Gina preys on vulnerable older men through online dating sites. She lures them in, uses them to set up a financial scam and then vanishes without trace.
But when an angry victim of her fraudulent scheme comes looking for Gina, Barry is drawn into deadly danger. He faces having to kill – or be killed.
My Review
This was so funny. It’s the fourth book I’ve read by this author and definitely my favourite so far.
Barry is in his fifties, when his wife Louise decides he’s too boring and that their marriage has gone stale. She decides to do a Shirley Valentine and find herself and see the world. The Isle of Man just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Barry is devastated. And lonely. So he joins an online dating site, where he meets Gina. She’s gorgeous. What would she see in him? Gullibility would be my first guess. Because Gina is not what she seems. She’s a con artist and Barry falls hook, line and sinker.
Unfortunately, one of Gina’s other scam victims appears and that’s when the trouble begins. Because he wants his money back and he’ll stop at nothing to get it. That includes extreme violence, because he’s the hardest geezer in Skelmersdale. Could Barry kill someone to protect his family? He might have to. And it may even involve using a squirrel-proof bird feeder from the middle of Lidl as a weapon – other brands are available.
Poor old Barry! He’s really out of his depth. He’s never done anything wrong in his life, he’s just a humble carpet fitter looking for love. As the story becomes more and more insane, the humour rises to an all-time higher level, as we follow our hapless hero through the wilds of the Peak district to Sheffield and back again.
Take the book on holiday. Read it on the train. People will wonder what you’re laughing at.
Many thanks to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
About the Author
Mark Eklid was an award-winning regional newspaper sports journalist before switching from cricket to crime thrillers.
The 23-Day Girlfriend is his sixth. His first novel was Sunbeam in 2019, followed by Family Business and Catalyst. The Murder of Miss Perfect and Blood on Shakespeare’s Typewriter were published through SpellBound Books.
All six are fast-moving, plot-twisting crime thrillers set in the city of his birth, Sheffield. Mark lives in Derby with his partner, Sue. They have two adult sons and have been adopted by a cat.
Website: markeklid.com
Facebook: @meklidauthor
Twitter: @MarkEklid
Instagram: @mark.eklid
Story and Structure – A Complete Guide – also by author, Leon Conrad.
Story and Structure tells the untold story of how story works. Using just six primary symbols, author Leon Conrad outlines eighteen story structures and shows how they all optimally solve the problems which give rise to them.
The book also demonstrates the much wider application of story, presenting new insights into story as a dynamic force of life, allowing the reader to access more harmony and flow in their life. Writers, storytellers, creative writing teachers, folklorists, narrative therapists, anthropologists, poets, and readers interested in how story works will all find this book useful and informative. Rethink your idea of story.
My Review
I don’t understand calculus. I’ll go further – I don’t even know what it is. My late father was a civil engineer and tried to explain it to me. It fell on deaf ears. I made sure I could answer every other maths question in my ‘O’ Level (yes I’m that old) so I could avoid the calculus one.
But in Story and Structure, Leon Conrad uses just six primary symbols to symbolise and outline eighteen story structures. So leaving the calculus element behind, Conrad suggests we select a story to analyse, summarise the story in ‘bare bones’ form, note the opening and closing, and identify the ‘problem’ which gave rise to the story in the first place.
“Stories are based on a series of steps and the order in which they come distinguish different story structures.” Conrad uses The Three Little Pigs as the first example, also using the ‘fortunately’ and ‘unfortunately’ steps. I am not going to rewrite the book here, as I am only reviewing it as a textbook for storytelling – I’ll leave the author to do the rest.
We begin with a simple Quest structure. It’s the first in our eighteen story structures. There are only basically four symbols (back to calculus), representing Opening, Initial Situation, Final Situation and Closing. I particularly like the example of Nasr-el-Din and the Walnut Tree.
The author examines the different structures in great detail, using the calculus symbols to explain the flow. Of course most stories are far more complicated than The Three Little Pigs and introduce a variety of characters other than the pigs (heroes), the wolf (villain), and who can help the pigs in their ‘quest’.
As we progress, we look at other structures such as Transformation, Trickster, The Chinese Circular Structure and Creation Myth. These are just a few examples of the eighteen types of story. There are examples of stories from around the world, beautiful illustrations by Jason Chuang, and numerous notes and references.
I studied Creative Writing as part of my OU Humanities degree and I remember discussing the classic story arc of plot structure ie Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action and the Resolution (Freytag’s pyramid theory). However, Story and Structure takes this to a whole new level and should probably appear on the Creative Writing syllabus in the future. It’s certainly very interesting.
Many thanks to @LiterallyPR for inviting me to be part of the #StoryandStructure #blogtour.
About the Author
Leon Conrad is a multi-award-winning, traditionally published author and storyteller. He has been a regular columnist, had articles published in journals and magazines, written theatre shows, and contributed to radio programmes. He teaches creative writing and is a meticulous and collaborative editor and story structure consultant to both fiction and non-fiction writers, ‘plotters’ and ‘pantsers’ alike.
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“It’s expedition o’clock!” cries Mac, putting down his French book. “Expedition Supervisor ready!” replies his sister, Meli.
Adventure isn’t far away when they stumble across a lost flamingo who speaks French. Can they help Freddie find his way to the flamingo festival of the year?
Join Meli and Mac for some flamingo fun in Serendipity Forest – and use the translation guide to learn a little French along the way!
Genres: Children, Language
Publisher: Mythiko Press
Get ready for an expedition of a lifetime with the first book in the Meli & Mac series! This fully illustrated children’s picture book is packed with magic gadgets, adventure and entertaining characters.
The book is written in English but includes a basic introduction to French words and phrases. No background in French is required. It can be read to younger children following along with the beautiful illustrations and can later be used as a first reader once the child starts reading. The book encourages children to learn new things and embrace people from different backgrounds.
My Review
Meli and Mac are going to Paris. Meli thinks they need to know some French to prepare for their trip. Mac replies that it would be easier to learn how to speak Flamingo.
Then Mac declares it’s “Expedition o’clock!” and grabbing hold of their coats and magic journal they are ready to go on an adventure. So off they go into Serendipity Forest.
“Where to today?” asks Mac, when a pink feather lands on the ground in front of them. And that’s when they meet a flamingo named Freddie.
The conversation is conducted in French with English translations. I love this as it enables children to learn some simple French phrases. We then learn about the flamingo festival known as the Shrimp Extravaganza. Shrimps give flamingoes their wonderful pink colour.
Meli and Mac have a fabulous time with their new pink friend, until eventually they go home, having set a ‘rendezvous’ for next year. Finally there’s a glossary of French words and phrases. A lovely, simple book that children will enjoy and can be used as a first reader later on – “Tres bien!”
Many thanks to LiterallyPR for inviting me to be part of the Meli and Mac blog tour.
About the Author
Elena is a children’s book author. She grew up in Buckinghamshire before moving to London for her studies.
Since childhood, she has been fascinated by Greek mythology and has been writing stories as far back as she can remember – no, not all the way back to the days of Homer! Growing up bilingual, Elena has always had a genuine love of languages and a fervour for exploring new places.
She is the creator of the picture book series entitled Meli & Mac, chronicling the escapades of an endearing sibling duo. The debut instalment, Meli & Mac: Rendez-Vous with a Flamingo, marks the beginning of the series with more expeditions on the horizon.
Elena is passionate about encouraging children to engage with the outside world, use their imagination and learn something new through beautifully illustrated adventures. She likes to write stories with quirky characters and to give children (and their parents!) a chuckle along the way.
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Lonely heart Barry thought Gina might be too good to be true. He was right.
Gina preys on vulnerable older men through online dating sites. She lures them in, uses them to set up a financial scam and then vanishes without trace.
But when an angry victim of her fraudulent scheme comes looking for Gina, Barry is drawn into deadly danger. He faces having to kill – or be killed.
Available to buy on Amazon. Only 99p for the e-book and £7.99 for the paperback.
www.amazon.co.uk
About the Author
Mark Eklid was an award-winning regional newspaper sports journalist before switching from cricket to crime thrillers.
The 23-Day Girlfriend is his sixth. His first novel was Sunbeam in 2019, followed by Family Business and Catalyst. The Murder of Miss Perfect and Blood on Shakespeare’s Typewriter were published through SpellBound Books.
All six are fast-moving, plot-twisting crime thrillers set in the city of his birth, Sheffield. Mark lives in Derby with his partner, Sue. They have two adult sons and have been adopted by a cat.
Website: markeklid.com
Facebook: @meklidauthor
Twitter: @MarkEklid
Instagram: @mark.eklid
Germany, 1929.
When Max, a Jewish architect, and Bettina, a beautiful and celebrated German avant-garde artist, meet at a party, their attraction is instant. In love with each other and the art they create, their talent transports them to the dazzling lights of Berlin.
But Germany is on the brink of terrible change, and their bright beginning is soon dimmed by the rising threat of Nazism.
When Max is arrested and sent to the Dachau concentration camp, it is only his talent at making the exquisite porcelain figures so beloved by the Nazis that stands between him and certain death. At first, Bettina has no idea where Max has been taken but when she learns of his fate, she is determined to rescue him whatever the cost.
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Now, a lifetime later, Bettina’s daughter, Clara, sets out on a journey to uncover the truth about her identity. As she weaves together the fabric of her past, she discovers the terrible secret her mother wanted hidden forever.
Two lovers caught at the crossroads of history. A daughter’s search for the truth…
Powerfully moving and beautifully written, The Porcelain Maker is a testament to enduring love and courage.
My Review
Hard to believe this is a debut novel. It’s so beautifully written and often heartbreaking. It’s not just the characters of Max and Bettina, but also Clara and Holger who stood out for me.
It’s a dual timeline novel, starting in 1929 and into WW2 itself, and then in 1993, when Bettina Vogel’s daughter Clara is trying to find out who her father was. Having travelled alone to America to bid for a selection of porcelain from the factory at Allach (which later moved to Dachau), she returns with a number of items, including the celebrated The Viking. The Nazis, particular SS Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler, adored the porcelain, believing it to be pure, and loved pieces that showed German soldiers and animals in perfect representation. They did not like anything ‘degenerate’, as they called it, particularly expressionism. Unfortunately, Bettina, having attended the Bauhaus, is an expressionist, her hero and mentor being Wassily Kandinsky (see below).
It’s at an artists’ party that she meets Max, a Jewish architect from Vienna. They fall in love and remain together until Jews like Max find themselves in danger of being sent to a concentration camp. Bettina also realises that in order to survive, she must start painting more ‘representational’ art. Max has found that he has a talent for creating beautiful figures from porcelain, and it is this ‘that stands between him and certain death’ in Dachau. And it is there that we meet director Holger, and fellow prisoner Ezra.
I learned so much from this book. I had never heard of Allach or the Porcelain Factory, so I did some research of my own. It’s all real of course and you can still buy the figures, even on eBay. Most are worth well over £1,000. I am not sure though whether I would want to own any, in the same way that I would feel uncomfortable displaying any Nazi memorabilia. Every piece has Allach and the SS insignia on the back. Knowing its provenance, even holding it would be chilling.
I was so moved by this book. I have read numerous novels about the holocaust – my Jewish mother having escaped from Vienna in the late 1930s often makes it personal – but it still amazes me that people could treat others in this way. Only by dehumanising Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and others could they ‘justify’ the things they did.
In Dachau, we are introduced to Gudrun, Himmler’s 11-year-old daughter, who loved the rabbits that were kept there in cages. Gudrun’s story is fictional, though 65,000 rabbits were bred to provide the angora fur sewn into jackets to keep the soldiers warm. I hoped that young Gudrun would grow up to be a post-war hero, but was saddened to see that she remained a Nazi sympathiser and defended her father up until her death at the age of 88.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
About the Author
Sarah Freethy is first time novelist. She has been writing for television for the past three decades. Freethy has worked as an Executive Producer in factual TV and series as varied as Big Brother and Country House Rescue, to Clive James’ Postcard from Havana and TFI Friday. In 2020, she was a Script Consultant on two broadcast drama series, Before We Die (Channel 4) and Professor T (ITV) for Eagle Eye Drama. Sarah is a keen artist and photographer, as well as being a collector of vintage ephemera and odds and sods.
After centuries of suppression, the magic of England is Reawakening
Return to the world of The Seer of York with this collection of new tales set in the aftermath of The Hiding. Harper, Grace, Saqib, Heresy, and AJ bond as a team and as a family to save innocents, supernatural and human, despite hunters pursuing them.
Introducing Zero, a starlight cat with a bleak and painful past.
Demonic-possession
Faery circles
Pūcas
And more…
And here is the fab cover!
About the Author
Alethea (she/ze) writes various forms of SFF, with a particular love for science-fantasy, dark fantasy, dystopias, and folklore. Many of her works take place at the intersection between technology and magic. She enjoys writing stories with subtle political and philosophical messages, but primarily wants her stories to be great tales with characters readers will love. She also has soft spots for found family, hopeless romances, and non-human characters. Her short stories can be found in a variety of publications and links for these are on her website.
Alethea lives in Manchester, UK with her husband, little Sprite, a cacophony of stringed instruments, and more tea than she can drink in a lifetime.
Bonus content for The Hiding & other works can be found on her website: https://alethealyons.wixsite.com/stories/seerofyorkSocial media: https://linktr.ee/alethearlyons
Alethea’s Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AletheaRLyons
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AletheaRLyons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alethearlyons/
Website: https://alethealyons.wixsite.com/stories
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“What is Loneliness?” is a poignant and beautifully illustrated children’s picture book that explores the complex emotion of loneliness in a way that is relatable and reassuring for young readers. Through thoughtful storytelling and captivating visuals, this book takes children on a journey to understand, embrace, and find ways to alleviate loneliness.
Genre: Children’s
Age: 3 – 7
Pages: 31
“What is Loneliness?” is not just a story; it’s a valuable tool for parents, caregivers, and educators to initiate conversations about emotions and mental well-being. The book provides a comforting and empowering message, assuring young readers that it’s okay to feel lonely at times and that there are ways to navigate and overcome those feelings.
This picture book is an essential addition to every child’s library, offering a reassuring and uplifting exploration of a universal emotion and the profound connections that can arise from understanding it.
My Review
I think this is probably my favourite children’s book of the year. The illustrations by Kayla Phan are beautiful and the message is full of hope.
“Being alone is different from being lonely.” Loneliness can happen when you are alone or when you are in a group of people. Even with your family or friends. When you feel left out or when you feel that no-one can see you. You may be a child or grown-up. It can happen anywhere. So what can you do?
Talk to someone who understands. Spend time with people who make you happy. Or even with your furry friend. Talk to someone who is also lonely, in case you can help them.
There are also ten tips for parents if your child is lonely. Be a good listener and give positive reinforcement. Help your child find the right vocabulary to express how they feel.
This is such a lovely book. Every parent should own a copy.
Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of the #WhatIsLonelinessBlogTour
About the Author
Rebecca Eisenberg, MS, CCC-SLP is a certified speech language pathologist, author, instructor and parent of two children. She has been practicing in the field of speech language pathology since 2001 and works with both children and adults with complex communication needs in a variety of settings. Rebecca graduated with her Masters in Science from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2001. She specializes in the field of augmentative and alternative communication and is currently on the tech team at WIHD in Valhalla, NY.
She has multiple games and a workbook published by Super Duper Publications. She is also co-author of a children’s book titled, The Monkey Balloon and the sequel, A Tale of The Monkey Balloon. Her picture book, My Second Year of Kindergarten was released April 4th, 2018. Her two most recent publications are titled All About Core and All About Feelings. These books were specifically published for children with complex communication needs that are working on building literacy and vocabulary skills.
Rebecca has always loved and treasured children’s books, specifically those that embed a meaningful lesson in the story. Her passion lies in finding those moments to connect with children through storytelling. Rebecca began her blog https://www.languageduringmealtime to create a resource for parents to help make mealtime an enriched learning experience with children’s literature. She also began her podcast Language During Mealtime to help educate both parents and educators on facilitating language during read alouds.
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The Girl from Berchtesgaden by Alistair Birch and Kim Rigby
In early 1930s Germany, life for the Stiepermann family was simple yet idyllic.
Artistic Ingrid and her inventive brother Dieter loved the freedom of the Bavarian Alps, but that was before the Jew haters surfaced in their society.
Fuelled by Nazi ideologies, Stefan Weiss and his friends suppress and destroy anyone who opposes their beliefs.
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While one family battles for supremacy, another is torn apart.
Fleeing the tyranny, Ingrid, and her brother escape to London. Seemingly safe from danger, can Ingrid save her family as war threatens?
My Review
Because of my background (Polish Catholic father – Jewish mother born in Bucharest but living in Vienna in the 1930s), I can only read books on this subject every now and again as I find it very upsetting. Luckily The Girl from Berchtesgaden did not go into detail about the concentration camps or the torture to the same extent as some other books I’ve read in recent years.
But be warned. People die in this story that you don’t expect and hope will survive. It’s not pretty, but it’s war. It’s harrowing stuff at times, even without the graphic details.
Ingrid Stiepermann is Jewish. She lives with her father Gerhard, her mother Freda, her Oma, and her younger brother Dieter in the idyllic town of Berchtesgaden. I’ve been there – it was around 1965 when I was 12. We visited the town and Hitler’s underground bunker which was largely destroyed in 1947, but some of it was open to us. I remember photos of Hitler, Eva Braun and their favourite German Shepherd dog. I’m still not sure what it was called.
There has to be a villain in a story and in this case it’s Stefan Weiss. And not just because he’s a Nazi. He has a personal vendetta against the Jewish Stiepermann family. And nothing will stop him from taking out his hatred on them. He’s also trying to make his way to the top in the SS and his own father often stands in his way.
It’s a wonderfully researched book, which follows Ingrid and her family, as she and her brother flee Germany to settle in London, while another fate awaits the rest of the family. Stefan will not rest until he has destroyed them all. It’s a constant battle of cat and mouse for Ingrid.
As an aside, I found the parts about Oswald Mosley in London very interesting. It’s not often covered in books about WW2 and the holocaust. It’s a reflection of what could be happening at the moment in a lot of countries where the far right is taking hold. Many people don’t see it that way, but it’s real.
Many thanks to @ZooloosBT for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the Authors
Alistair’s Bio
Alistair Birch is a thriller writer and occasional poet. His debut psychological thriller The Evil Within came out in June 2023. In June 2024 comes the release of a co-authored historical thriller, The Girl from Berchtesgaden and he plans to re-release two action thrillers, Shadow Pursuit and Shadow Play in the future. Outside of storytelling, his poems range from rather silly to tackling deeper mental health challenges. He frequently runs around his home town and occasionally steps up to do the odd half or full marathon but this is all for fun and friendship rather than being super speedy.
Alistair’s Social Media
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/alistairbirchauthor
Twitter : https://twitter.com/ABirchAuthor
Kim’s Bio
Kim was born in the cool climes of Hobart, Tasmania. She initially dreamed of a life in journalism, but opted for adventure instead with the Royal Australian Navy. Joining the Australian Defence Force Academy, Kim graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1990. After further studies, Kim became a logistics officer, serving in the Navy until the year 2000. She was medically retired as a Lieutenant after she was diagnosed with lupus.
After a couple more health hurdles, including thyroid cancer in 2011, Kim published her first book, The Black Fire Chronicles – Origins. There are currently four books in the middle-grade / young adult series, and a short prologue. A complementary series to the Black Fire Chronicles details the lives of hero Andrew’s Guardians. Dorothy the Dreamer and Patrick the War Man are suitable for young adults. Angus the Ageless is due for release in 2024.
A recent collaboration with fellow author Alistair Birch has resulted in a World War Two thriller, The Girl from Berchtesgaden, due for release in 2024.
Kim moved home to Hobart in 2023. She has previously lived in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, and other regional areas in New South Wales. Each place permeates Kim’s writing, along with other cities and towns she has visited across the world. Away from writing, you’ll find Kim in the garden, or practising tai chi. She is a member of several international online writer’s groups. Kim is an active participant on social media platforms, and her website has a dedicated page for showcasing the work of other talented authors.
Kim’s Social Media
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimrigby27/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/kimrigbywriter
TikTok : www.tiktok.com/@kimrigbyauthor
Website : www.kimrigby.com
Book Links
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212427900-the-girl-from-berchtesgaden
Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/girlberchtesgaden-zbt
