The Miseducation of Evie Epworth by Matson Taylor
A fabulous tale set in Yorkshire in the 1960s with interludes in previous decades. It’s mainly told through the eyes of the wonderful Evie who is such a lovable and delightful character. She’s sixteen and a half years old and lives with her father, Arthur, and his ‘housekeeper’, Christine, on a farm. Christine has dubious intentions towards Arthur and Evie is worried that she may become her (evil?) stepmother. This is a beautifully written, highly engaging and humorous story with some laugh out loud moments. There is a whole cast of fascinating and vibrant characters and what an eclectic, vividly depicted bunch they are! The author did a great job of bringing them alive on the page for me. It’s also a nostalgic read and harks back, in my opinion, to a gentler era. It was such a joy to read and I was so sad to turn the last page. I absolutely loved it! I was easily transported to Evie’s world and will miss her dreadfully. I, for one, cannot wait for the sequel!
A Gathering of Ghosts by Karen Maitland
Set in 1316 mainly in the Priory of St Mary on Dartmoor where there is a magical well which is supposed to have healing properties. A plague of frogs occurs and the water from the well turns to blood, along with the sudden appearance of a blind boy. It would appear dark forces are afoot. I was a little disappointed, having read and enjoyed other books by Karen Maitland. It dragged somewhat for me. I found it confusing at times and quite dreary.
The Tobacconist’s Wife by AnneMarie Brear
Set in Yorkshire during the Victorian era, cobbler’s daughter, Thea, marries tobacconist Ernie Goodson in the hope of a comfortable life. However, Ernie isn’t the man Thea thought he was as he has some secrets concerning dodgy dealings. Everything changes with the arrival of the new shop owner and cabinet maker next door. This is an enjoyable, easy read with some likeable characters and quite a dastardly villain! Even though it is a lighthearted romance and also a little predictable at times, there is an underlying thread of menace and not a small amount of violence. I thought it was nicely written, well paced and just a great all round story. If you enjoy a good old fashioned saga, you’ll love this one.
The Windsor Knot by S J Bennett
A cosy style murder mystery with the Queen playing detective. When a guest is found murdered in his room after a dinner party at Windsor Castle, Her Majesty and her sidekick/secretary, Rozie, decide to investigate the matter with interesting results. I quite enjoyed this tale although I did find the pace somewhat slow. It dragged a little for me in the middle section. I thought it was confusing at times, too, but on the other hand found it different and quite original. I liked the little glimpses into the life of the Queen, albeit fictional. She was well described and I think her personality came over quite clearly, as did Prince Philip’s sense of humour. I think a lot of research must’ve gone into the writing of this book. The story harks back to the golden era of crime and, bearing this in mind, the Queen can only be described as Miss Marple with a crown! An easy and entertaining little read which should appeal to those who enjoy an old fashioned thriller with a hint of pomp and glory. 3.5
The Book of Echoes by Rosanna Amaka
The Book of Echoes is a powerful and compelling story narrated in part by the spirit of an African slave who was murdered 200 years ago. In the present day a boy from Brixton and a girl from Lagos journey towards each other as they try to escape their pasts. I thoroughly enjoyed this emotional and meaningful tale. It has some wonderful, realistic characters as well as being beautifully and vividly written. It contains themes of slavery and racial discrimination, these themes resonating throughout time, as the title suggests. It’s a thought provoking story, very pertinent to today’s world, a tale of adversity, hardship and survival, but ultimately it’s a story of hope and forgiveness. I can’t recommend it enough!
Kill a Stranger by Simon Kernick
Well, what a roller coaster of a story! A husband comes home to find the dead body of a woman in his bed and his wife missing. What happens next sends the reader on a frenzied and exciting journey with surprises at every turn and, of course, nobody is as they seem and nobody can be trusted. This is such a fun and entertaining read. It’s full of twists and turns, the odd red herring and plenty of cliffhangers. I felt like I’d fallen down the rabbit hole at times, my mind was in such a whirl! It’s nearly as mad as Wonderland itself. You definitely have to suspend belief. I read this book via the Pigeonhole app and I looked forward to receiving each stave every day. I was eager to turn the pages so that I could find out how it was all going to end! If you enjoy fast paced and action packed thrillers, you’ll love this one. Just sit back, try to disengage brain (otherwise it will hurt) and enjoy the ride.
Death Comes But Twice by David Field
The second in the Carlyle & West Victorian mysteries. This one begins with the suspicious death of a man who, according to the records, had supposedly been hanged a year previously. How could this be? As the bodies mount up it’s up to Dr Carlyle and local clergyman, Matthew West, to get to the bottom of the matter. Having read the first book in the series, Interviewing the Dead, I was looking forward to reading the second one. I can confirm it’s another fun, entertaining and easy read combining fact with fiction. It touches on women’s roles in politics and the science of fingerprinting. Carlyle and West make a great intrepid detective duo and it has a good plot line which kept me turning the pages. I like that there is a human interest story running alongside the mystery, too - it makes the story feel a little more real. I would have no hesitation in recommending this series to historical fiction/thriller fans.
Audio
The Beauty of Broken Things by Victoria Connolly
When Luke Hansard’s wife, Helen, dies in a train crash, he contacts one of her online friends, Orla Kendrick, who lives in a remote castle. Orla is hiding from her past but loves collecting broken things, perhaps as broken as she is. Can Luke put the pieces together again? This is an enjoyable, easy read if a little predictable. It’s quite a sad tale and covers themes such as loss and grief. I did think it went into the twilight zone a little. I liked the slightly ambiguous ending so I could use my imagination. An enjoyable listen.
Vanessa
Cr: Twist