In Deep water - Elle Blair

 

DI Rachel Harlow is off duty on a cruise with her twin teens and parents. Trying to escape problems at Northumbria Police HQ, she flirts with a stranger who turns up dead the next day. With no official investigation and an uncooperative crew, Rachel pursues the case alone, defying orders. In international waters, she uncovers a dangerous crime ring but has no team for support.

 

If a crime aboard a ship away from land constitutes a locked room mystery, then Deep Water might be that. But however you want to categorise the tale, it is immersive and engaging. 

 

There is a dual narrative cleverly delineated by ‘Land’ and ‘Sea” so you know exactly where you are with each chapter. The Land sections describe Rachel’s situation before embarking upon the cruise and inform the reader of how she is in her current position. The link between the two ‘worlds’ seems to be her colleague, Lennon. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the ‘on duty’ Rachel and the ‘off duty’ Rachel.

 

The story moves along at a cracking pace with plenty of suspense and some good twists. I was surprised to learn that this is a debut novel. The writing is efficient, absorbing and intelligent. 

 

Rachel is a formidable character, very determined and, as often the case with members of the crime prevention profession, treading a tenuous line between the personal and the professional. She faces up to conflicts on both these levels and show herself to be unafraid of challenge. 

 

Alongside the crime and its solving, family dynamics play a big part. They’re another minefield that Rachel must navigate, as a mother, as a daughter and as a colleague. But none of these themes get in the way of the main thrust of the story. They are used to complement it and cause Rachel to reconsider her priorities.

 

And as much as we are invested in Rachel as a character this author cleverly entices us into engaging with several others. There were times when I wanted to give Rachel’s mum a good shake but as the story unfolded, I became more sympathetic. The twins are great. I loved Jess’s teenage indignation at the injustices facing the environment and Jake’s adolescent shenanigans, (trying not to give anything away here). 

 

The long and the short of it is I can’t wait for Elle Blair’s next novel! But I don’t envy her the task of matching this one! It really is that good.

 

My thanks to Caitlin McCoy at HQ stories for my copy. 

 

 

The Kingpin - A.A.Dhand

 

If you've read The Chemist you'll want to read this. It follows on very naturally from that book where we met pharmacist Idris Khan. However it doesn't matter if you haven't read it because of all of the salient details are referenced within the narrative of The Kingpin.

I read The Chemist last year and I wrote about it on this blog. Much of I wrote would apply to this story too. 

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-chemist-aadhand.html

Many crime/thriller series can become formulaic, they are no less enjoyable for that because sometimes you simply enjoy the familiar. The main protagonist often remains stable, not a great deal of  discernible progression in their lives and modus operandi. Not the case here though. We see how circumstances have altered Idris. The release of his brother from prison is a further tangle in this knotted life. You have a sense of the moral struggle within him. It's as if his world has disintegrated and his survival is in the balance unless he follows a path that could lead to his own demise. He's not alone! There are other characters who are considering their futures regardless of the ethics of their behaviours.

Dhand's prose doesn't dawdle, he's writing a sprint not a marathon and it is exciting. There's just enough detail to satisfy the readers' imagination but action dominates.  The characters are raw, real and often brutal. There are many here I would not like to meet on a dark night, or even in broad daylight!

There is violence aplenty, and Idris attempts to solve many of his problems with his pharmaceutical knowledge. I love this aspect of the stories, it gives the character an original edge. Drugs and turf wars, revenge and retribution, some challenging issues  populate almost every page in the book. There is the occasional bit of light relief but it's an intense read that will you have turning the pages desperate to know what happens next but, paradoxically, fearful of what atrocities you might encounter! 

And if you are hungry for more I suspect that a further book is intended as the conclusion of The Kingpin suggests that we have not heard the last of Idris Khan. 

My thanks to Caitlin McCoy of HQ stories for my copy. 

June 2026 Round Up

 All it takes is a heat wave! I'm reading like it's gone out of fashion. Too hot to race around like I usually do. I use the term race figuratively. It's a long time since I did that. And I'm pleased to say that I've read several Library books. I think they're all by the same author but hey!

First up is a book that was sent to me from HQ stories by Elle Blair - In Deep Water. I was not familiar with the writer and it looks very much like it's the first in a series featuring DI Rachel Harlow. I will certainly enjoy reading some more. I have blogged about this but I'm saving it until the book's publication. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Also this month I finally got round to reading Elif Shafak's There are Rivers in the Sky. Some things are just worth waiting for. A book to be savoured, stirred not shaken. I will never think of a raindrop in the same way again. And I love the magic of considering the journey it makes. I also loved the breadth of the novel from Mesopotamia, the Victorian sewers and more modern times. I did not know of the genocide of the Yazidi people. Thanks to this book I do now. It's a story of depth and determination. But it is so much more. A book that stays with you. 

The third book was one of my Librarything wins. Melissa Jones, Gone for a Soldier. One of those stories that you have no preconceptions expectations of but totally grips you from beginning to end. It's a psychological drama that kept me utterly absorbed until perhaps the end where it did tail off a bit. Maddie, once a writer and married, is now an English teacher and mother to her troubled son, Pip. She claims responsibility for the death of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Benedict Fordham, but there’s no evidence he existed or died. The book explores themes of truth, deception, and trust in a postmodern world.

First Library book. Which Trial by Harriet Tice. I read Harriet Tyson's debut novel Blood Orange and really enjoyed it. And I knew she was someone to keep on my radar. But somehow another I've only just got around to reading some more of her books. I was motivated to when I saw her appear on series 4 of The Traitors. So to date, I've borrowed four of her books from the library - It Ends at Midnight, The Lies You Told and A Lesson in Cruelty in addition to Witch Trials. Without exception, they're all page turners. Couldn't put any of them down. All of them full of twists and turns. Deception and subterfuge. Action and reaction. So I've now read all of Harriet Tyce's books which, as a completist, is extremely satisfying.

Sandwiched in between the Harriet Tyces was A.A. Dhand's sequel to The Chemist, The Kingpin. It's another book I received from HQ stories and I have written a review but I won't post it until the book's publication date. If you've read The Chemist, you'll know what to expect as it follows on from that story. A high octane thriller. 

And finally I broke my books embargo after a trip to my local bookshop event. Lizzie Page's The Airline Girl. I've reviewed and blogged about it.

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-airline-girl-lizzie-page.html

Footnote: I've noticed again that, whilst it doesn't show up in my draft of the post , the finished one shows a change in the format of the type, parts seem to have been in bold. However I cannot clear it. If anyone using Blogger can throw any light on why and how I can remedy it ,I would be thrilled!!!

The Airline Girl - Lizzie Page

 Unusually for me this year I made a resolution. The resolution was I’m not to buy any more books. I’m allowed to borrow them from the library. I’m allowed to accept books as gifts, and I’m allowed to accept books that are being lent to me. But I mustn’t buy any. I’ve got so many unread books. And it was going so, so well. Until the other evening. I went to an event at my local bookshop where I was thoroughly entertained by two local authors, Lizzie Page and Syd Moore. Fortunately, I’d already bought Syd’s books, but I hadn’t read any of Lizzie’s and after hearing her talk I couldn’t resist. I caved in and I bought a copy of The Airline Girl and Lizzie signed it for me. Do I regret it? Do I regret my weakness? No, I do not!

 

There’s something very intriguing about reading a book that is set in a location that you’re familiar with. It somehow brings you closer to the narrative and you’re experiencing what the characters are experiencing. The Airline Girl is set in my hometown. So immediately I was hooked.

 

Audrey Wright, a young woman in post-war London, longs for adventure despite planning a traditional future. After losing her job, she cares for her injured mother and prepares to marry Martin, who expects her to stay home. When Audrey is offered a chance to become an airline stewardess—an opportunity open only to unmarried women—she secretly pursues it, discovering fulfilment in her new role. As Martin pressures her to wed sooner, Audrey must decide between her dreams and the life she's always expected to live.

Audrey travels to Southend on Sea and trains at Southend airport. The story that follows allows us a glimpse into the post war life of women, the social flavour of those times and the evolution of commercial flying. Romance plays a part, but this is historical fiction. 

 

The reader is transported back to the late 1940’s, a nation still recovering from the ravages of war and the scars they bear, both physical and emotional. Bravery is a quality frequently associated with war but in this novel, it plays a big part in post war. It was uplifting to see how Audrey’s courage evolved throughout the story and how she followed intuition in spite of the pressure she was under to follow the expected, conformist path. This part of the plot was an opportunity to explore the gender roles of the time and the expectations placed upon both men and women. 

 

The book is populated with numerous characters. Audrey obviously, her flatmates and stewardess colleagues, Lola and Cherry who prove to be supportive friends but whereas with some stories characters appear to be included as purely functional, here they play their parts, but we can also see their development and the part they play in the wider narrative.  The way is wide open for a sequel, and I would love to learn more about some of the characters. I keep wondering about Mrs. Liker!! Such a clever name, the play on words, for me anyway, because I was frequently asking myself, do I like her?!

 

But for historical fiction to really work the research must be impeccable. And with a fiction that is historically ‘recent’ - in that there are people alive who lived through this era – there is no margin for errors which would be quickly spotted. Everything you read here is so palpable. The description of the airport for example is so authentic. 

The meals that Martin’s mum prepares are so consistent with that time. It’s the attention to detail that renders historical fiction so convincing. And there’s detail here aplenty. 

 

I hope there is another book and I suspect it may be about one of Audrey’s flatmates. I will look forward to it immensely. 

 

May 2026 Round Up

 If I ever really did lose my reading mojo, I'd have to say that I've now got it back. Decent number of books read this month. Hopefully as diverse as ever. And I'm happy to say that I've had a few books sent to me from publishers which has lifted my spirits considerably because I thought they were all done with me.

What are these diverse books, I hear you ask? Be patient. I'm just about to tell you.

First up was Asako Yusuki's Hooked. I did buy into the social media Butter hype a while back and whilst I enjoyed the book I realised that social media can distort. I borrowed Hooked from the Library because I was keen to read more of this writer’s work. I do enjoy Japanese fiction. This was an incredibly intense story of female friendship and womanhood. And perhaps also a warning not to place bloggers on pedestals they don't really deserve!

I read Callum McSorley's Squeaky Clean a while back and whilst it was quite frank in its violence I was keen to see some more work from this exciting writer. I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of Rat Race from Tandem Collective. I'm glad I read Squeaky Clean because it prepared me for another gripping, violent story featuring the detective Ally McCoist.

Earlier in the year Harper Collins (HQ stories) was kind enough to send me a copy of Ruth Dugdall's The Woman Before Me. When their blogger newsletter offered copies of three of her other books I jumped at the chance and was lucky enough to get all three. I wrote about them in a blog post.

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2026/05/a-trio-of-cate-austin-novels-ruth.html

Librarything are very good at picking my name in their draws and sending me books. This volume is, I suppose, a self-help book. It was quick and enjoyable to read but it didn't really tell me anything new. It's intended for those with a spiritual inclination and there's some nice exercises in there that may be of use. I'll probably dip back in and out of it from time to time.

I've read a couple of Belinda Bauer books in the past and really enjoyed them. I chose this as one of my rewards for participating in Penguin's Bookmarks community. The Impossible Thing is her most recent novel and it features Patrick Fort who was in Rubbernecker. I found this story differed in pace and atmosphere from the previous two books of hers that I've read. It seemed to have a gentle intensity though no less gripping. I love the character of Patrick. His Asperger's offers some light relief at times from some of the things he says and his reactions yet he also is insightful and pivotal in solving the mystery. Bird lovers may find themselves a little upset in places. Particularly if you revere the guillemot.

In case you're thinking I've not been using my Library as I should, fear not, the next book is another Library book. It was Kathy Burke's memoir, A  Mind of my Own. Somebody who speaks their mind with quite colourful language at times. The book is just as you would expect. It is as if Kathy is talking to you. It's a no nonsense life story.

Fly on the Wall Press founded by Isabelle Kenyon is a publisher from whom I've received numerous books. It's been a while though and I was beginning to think that I'd been struck off their lists, but no, I've had a couple of books this month which I've really enjoyed. I will be penning reviews for them both nearer their publications, July and December respectively. Women Mapped is an anthology of mostly poetry but some essays and is thought provoking. Nice Things is a collection of short stories from Yorkshire writer Rue Baldry which I absolutely loved. Again it's a very thought-provoking collection that demands of its readers to question things that they perhaps had assumed about class and race, gender .

And last this month is one of those books where I had  no prior knowledge, no expectations but it turned out to be completely absorbing and engrossing. I was briefly reminded of Daisy Jones and the Six, and The Final Revival of Opal and Nev but Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley evolved into its own story.  It may be because I am a music lover, there were so many references here that resonated with me and I just loved the analysis of songs, lyrics construction. In common with Percy, I am a lover of the “bridge“! It’s also a love story and maybe that’s what should dominate. Two people with a common interest and understanding in music meet by chance. That sounds a little clichéd perhaps but the rest of the story isn’t really. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Borough Press sent me a copy for which I’m extremely grateful.

A Trio of Cate Austin novels - Ruth Dugdall

  

This is the second of the Cate Austin case file novels. And if you've read the first you’ll certainly want to read this. It demonstrates ably how a writer develops and grows in confidence. Another humdinger of a plot that sees Cate snake her way through its twists and turns. We are also treated to some excellent character development as we get to know Cate even better. 

 

With a storyline that’s not for the fainthearted, I will not give anything away though, the novel grips from the very first chapter. Enigmatic, the reader’s curiosity is piqued into wondering if this might be another dating app story? We are informed from the outset that the protagonist’s internet name is Robin, and her date is Mr. Smith. We are even treated to his online profile, and initially may not comprehend his true intent, instead, perhaps, we see it metaphorically. But if it’s an opening chapter fishing for readers’ attention then the bait is taken and swallowed ……hook, line and sinker!

 

But it’s never that simple, is it? Lines get tangled and caught up in each other. There’s a dual narrative that gives us insight into ‘Robin’s’ past and may give us some understanding of her motivations, but nothing prepares us for the final denouement which will leave you open mouthed if you hadn’t already begun to suspect. 

 

Cate, as in The Woman Before Me, is plunged into anomalies and dilemmas that she must unravel as she strives to reach the correct decisions. She navigates the eternal paradox of doing the right thing whilst remaining compassionately impartial and open minded. Alongside her work as a Probation Officer her own life chugs along without dominating the main thrust of the narrative at any point but we feel we are getting to know her better and, in turn, trust her judgement more. 

 

Something I do find interesting in Ruth Dugdall’s books, that doesn’t always happen in a book series, is the way in which Cate, who is the enduring character, often plays a kind of second fiddle to the protagonist. I think it’s very clever and well balanced because the reader doesn’t lose interest in either. 

 

I’ve two more published Cate Austin books to read and I believe there are a couple more planned; one later in the year, September, and another for March next year. I can’t wait.  

 

 

Boy B is the third of the Cate Austin case files. A very different scenario from the previous two books. Here Cate is responsible for Boy B being reintroduced to society after being found guilty, as a 10-year-old, of murder. I would say straight away that it reminded me very much of the 1993 James Bulger case which was referenced in the text. So, it is by no means a feel-good read. 

 

Questions are asked, moral, social questions, but answers are elusive in this twisty thriller. However, our intrepid probation officer, Cate, tries to see the issue from all sides. She doesn’t shy from the atrocity committed but she does try to see Boy B as an individual and considers his safety and his needs. Not all of her colleagues in the Police Force of the Probation Service see things the same way. 

 

There is a dual narrative that looks at the then and the now from the perspectives of the key players in the narrative. The back stories unfold but by bit and the reader is offered the circumstances that lead up to a child’s death and a conviction for murder. 

 

Ben (Boy B) is an interesting character. He isn’t unintelligent and seems extremely sensitive which seems to be the antithesis for a criminal! It isn’t hard to engage with him, and I believe we are led to consider how culpable he is at 10 when clues are hinting that he may not be wholly responsible for the tragedy.  Cate is Cate! Her life is lived alongside her case without intruding too deeply on events and outcomes. The other characters are harder to engage with. But they ably serve their purpose within the narrative.

 

Overall, it is a tense well-paced narrative that has you guessing and jumping to conclusions, sometimes you are correct and sometimes you are wrong. I think the ending was completely unexpected! Masterful twist that had me on the edge of my seat. 

 

Nowhere Girl, the fourth in the Cate Austin series, sees  a change of location and a change of circumstance for Cate but nothing daunts her inquisitive nature and her desire to seek the best truths and outcomes within the situations she encounters. Ruth Dugdall’s stories are possibly the complete antithesis of cosy crime. Somehow this novel seems darker than ever yet seeks to strike at the heart of issues that face our world.

 

A moment of bad parenting sees events spiral out of control for many of the characters. Police, educators, parents seem to flounder in their attempts to get to the true circumstances of the missing Ellie. 

 

This story is character driven and the dynamics of various relationships explored against the backdrop of finding the missing teenager. I think it helped to have read the previous books to understand Cate’s situation, but I don’t think it matters if this is read as a stand-alone. I think my favourite character is Amina, there was sympathy within her and her input is pivotal to the outcome. But other characters were quite hard to warm to. I think that is often important because a bias towards one character over another can cloud a reader’s judgment and a neutral perspective is more desirable in a story like this, as secrets and twists unfold. 

 

I do enjoy the fact that each story is very different, and Cate is the cement that binds them. I will be interested to see where the author goes next. 

 

My thanks and gratitude to Caitlin McCoy at Harper Collins for my copies.

 

 

 

 

 

April Round Up

 

I want to say normal service is resumed as I’ve read eight books this month which is more like my usual average. But within the context of this blog it’s anything but normal service is resumed. I can remember a time when I reviewed every single book I read. Now it has been reduced to books I receive, rarely, these days from publishers and any other organisation that sees fit to furnish me with some literary nourishment! But why has that happened? It's not as if I’m short of time really. I’m retired. True, I’m older and slower but I think the decline of the book blog in general and my lack of success contributes in part. It’s much more visual these days, TikTok and Instagram, reels and stories. Twitter declined once Musk got his hands on it and called it X. I don’t suppose it will be long before AI dominates. Ah well…..

It’s the books that matter to me. So here I go with this month’s bumper round up! 

 

Martha Hall Kelly is a writer I had never heard of. But I was attracted by the title of her book, The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club. Some of the happiest times of my life were spent on the Vineyard with two dear friends, now deceased. It’s probably my favourite place in the world although it’s unlikely I’ll ever get to see it again. So enjoying it vicariously through a book seems like the next best thing. When you know and recognise places in a book it somehow elevates the story in a way that the unknown doesn’t. This story was an engaging dual narrative tale spanning several decades and family secrets. 

Our Better Nature by James C Porter was a Librarything giveaway. And so I reviewed it on my blog here. 

 

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2026/04/our-better-nature-james-c-porter.html

 

Next up Claire Douglas’s The New Neighbours. A deliciously twisty tale of things overheard and conclusions being reached. It’s a tale of different timelines and different voices offering a wider perspective than the single flawed narrator tactic. It’s a story that keeps you guessing and sometimes you are right and sometimes you are not. I did enjoy this book but I think I preferred The Wrong Sister more. 

 

I tend to read anything Kate Atkinson writes. And that includes the Jackson Brodie novels. Death at the Sign of the Rook sees an older Brodie but no less ingenious. There’s plenty of wit in this clever and complicated tale of stolen paintings. 

 

I was lucky enough to receive not one but THREE Ruth Dugdall books from Harper Collins. They are all being published in May and they will be reviewed on my blog. 

They were originally published by Legend Press but Harper Collins seems to have got hold of them via their HQ stories imprint. They are part of a series called the Cate Austin Case Files. Cate is a Probation Officer. Each case is very different but immensely gripping. This month I read The Sacrificial Man and Boy B. Reviews will be on my blog next month.

The List of Suspicious Things was darker and sadder than I had been anticipating. It’s a story of friendship set against the backdrop of the search for the Yorkshire Ripper. I liked the way the author used the topical climate of the time to highlight various issues – racism, bullying, domestic violence – and if that all sounds very heavy, it is but there’s also a warmth within the book that offset some of the dark moments. That being said there is one part that’s so incredibly sad, I defy you not to cry.