May Round Up

 

A charity shop find was the first read this month. Syd Moore’s Strange Sight, the second of the Rosie Strange books. Syd is a local author who I’ve met on a couple of occasions at my local bookshop. It's curious how connected you can feel to a) a local author and b) an author you’ve met. Syd’s novels are mystery thrillers inspired by the Essex countryside. 

 

During lockdown, several organisations would offer talks on Zoom by way of distraction for our closeted lives. I signed up for a few and one of them was about London’s Lost Department Stores. It was fascinating and I ended up buying the book. It’s called …. London’s Lost Department Stores! It’s written by Tessa Boase. It’s wonderfully nostalgic, particularly if you remember some of the department stores in London. And I am old enough to do so.

 

That rare thing – a book from a publisher! HQ Stories (Harper Collins) A creepy domestic thriller. I’ve blogged about it here.

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-marriage-rule-helen-monks-takhar.html

 

And another! From the same publisher! I blogged about this book, too.

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

 

Like the proverbial buses that come along in threes I had a further book sent to me. In fact, they all arrived in the same post! Talk about feast or famine. This time it was one of the giveaways from Librarything.  I’ve blogged about it here.

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2025/05/fools-errands-michael-smit-drury.html

 

This influx of books meant that I had to put my library books on hold. But I’ve returned to them full throttle so to speak. First up from the library this month was Butter by Asako Yusuki. A lot of social media hype on this one and I put in my reservation weeks, maybe months ago even. Did it live up to the hype? Not completely but I did enjoy it. I thought it was slow and drawn out, but as I am something of a foodie it had a lot of appeal. It’s less crime story than an exploration of misogyny and Japanese society. And I was interested enough to google the true crime from which the book took its inspiration. Excellent translation I felt too. 

 

The next two books are by the same author Anne Youngson. My yoga teacher got me into reading her books. And she’d recommended this book of short stories. I put in the request at my local library and while I was looking online, I found the other book which my yoga teacher wasn’t aware of so that was an exciting discovery.

The Six Who Came to Dinner is a collection of short stories and they are all quite dark tales. Unexpected having read the first two books. But I thoroughly enjoyed them. A look at the darker side of smaller communities.

A Complicated Matter, which is a full length novel, couldn’t be more different. It’s a story of love, class and belonging. Rose Dunbar is evacuated from Gibraltar during the war. The story details her journey both geographically, intellectually and emotionally. It’s a very moving book.

 

The Planet Spins on its Axis, Regardless by Kavita A. Jindal is for a blog tour in June. I have read but not reviewed yet, so I shall keep stumm for the time being but – watch this space because I will blog it. It’s a collection of short stories spanning several locations. 

 

Fiona Cummins is a local author who I have met. I’ve read all her books. And even though Quick Reads are aimed at less experienced readers than myself there was no way I WASN’T going to read it! I love the character of Saul Anguish, and I also love the fact that this story is set in my hometown and I can recognise the locations easily. Plus, it’s a cracking good story!