August 2026 Round Up

 Six of the books I have read this month have been library books. I am disproportionately proud of that statistic as I believe passionately in our need for libraries and if we don't use them we will lose them. It also has to do with my resolution to not buy books. I have faltered slightly there though. More on that later. 

First up this month was Erik Axl Sund's The Crow Girl. And yes, I did read it because of the TV adaptation! I am a sucker for that. I watch something on the television, find that it's been adapted from a novel and seek the novel out. This is fascinating because apparently it was originally three novels and it's written by two people. Not unexpectedly the book has far more depth than the TV show and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you didn't see the TV show, it's a crime thriller investigated by Detective Jeanette Kihlberg. The themes are dark and quite disturbing - child abuse, psychological trauma, serial killing and murder - but it is gripping.

Second up was Rebecca Perry's May We Feed the King. Wow. Winner of the Waterstones debut fiction prize and long listed for the Booker. I can see why. It's literature as opposed to 'just' a story. It looks at our perception. of history, interpretations and disseminations, yet within the story it considers the nature of leadership and power. Perry is a poet and the prose is as expansive and as lyrical as you might expect from a versifier. I was mightily impressed. I loved the characters, the curator and the king too. 

But how do you follow that kind of read!? Well, you do so with a book called Careless People by Sarah Wynn Williams. It's non-fiction and is a memoir about her time working for Facebook, as it was then before it became Meta. And if you have a Facebook account and you read this book I'm pretty sure you'll want to delete it and have no more to do with them. I don't use Facebook. In many ways there was nothing here that surprised me. I've never had any respect for Mark Zuckerberg, he puts profits and engagement before people and his morals are questionable. What is kind of sad here is that the author joined the company full of ideals and positivity. She was let go. She had started to question the basic morals of the company's actions regarding posts that may or may not have got president Trump elected and may or may not have contributed to the Myanmar genocide and the atrocities that took place there.This was a library book which I had to return and because I felt it was important, I actually bought myself a copy.

Emma Donoghue is one of those writers whose books I'll always read. Ever since I read Room she's interested me. And this was sitting in the Library. I hadn't read it. I was returning another book – Careless People as it happens – so I borrowed this one. It's an historical novel based on the 1895 train disaster at Montparnasse Station in Paris. It didn't disappoint. I loved the way the narrative gathered momentum as if it was a train on its journey heading for its destination. With a diverse cast of characters all with their own issues and motivations it was entertaining yet created the tension of the impending disaster.

Another library book I just plucked from the shelf. Often I reserve books. It's absolutely great. But when I go to return one, I can't help but look on the new bookshelf and I generally find something that I want to read. I was actually mortified when I saw this next book because I regard this  lady as one of my favourite writers ( I've even interviewed her in the past!) and I didn't even know she'd written this book. It's Elizabeth Fremantle's Sinners. What I love about her books is that she usually takes some lesser known female character from history with a story to tell and brings them to life through the pages of a novel. In this particular case it's the story of Beatrice Cenci. Raped by her own father she ultimately killed him and was tried for murder and beheaded. She was only 22. And the story poses the question. Was she a saint or a sinner?

I bought the next book. I bought it at my local independent bookshop which we've had in the town now for two and a half years. But, alas,  the dream is over. And it's closing down on the 12th of September. I'm actually quite distraught. It's been a haven for me. But rising rents and having to compete with the likes of Amazon and Waterstones just hasn't made ends meet for the owners. They're selling some books out half price. And this was one of them. And I was intrigued to buy it because the author won the Nobel Price for literature in 2021 and ....he happened to be in my year at college! Theft by Abdulrazek Gurnah. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Set in Tanzania it explores the lives of three friends living in today's East Africa. Their lives are intertwined. They are all from different backgrounds and circumstances. The novel explores ideas of identity and relationships. The narrative allows us to experience the story thought the different perspectives of the three characters. 

Another library book which I've had to wait weeks, possibly months for. And I completely understand why. Everyone wants to read it because it is by the absolutely wonderful Elizabeth Strout - The Things We Never Say. She's one of my favourite writers and this didn't disappoint. Telling the story of history teacher Artie Dam, the novel explores relationships, familial and professional, feelings of loneliness and isolation and the secrets that are never told that can be carried with us for a lifetime. I love the almost conversational style of her writing that is deceptively simple but it delves so deeply into the human condition. It's so easy to engage with her characters and although I'm always a little bit disappointed when Lucy Barton doesn't put in an appearance I very quickly warmed to Artie.

Finally, another book that I bought and I read because I watched the series on TV. The TV series is called The Dark but the book by G R Halliday is called From the Shadow and is the first of the D.I.Monica Kennedy stories. I'm actually sent for a secondhand copy of the next in the series to see if the TV adaptation fused them all together. If it doesn't then I think it's a bit cheeky. Because it's almost as if the creators of the TV script save themselves a bit of creative trouble by using the bulk of somebody else's idea and then put bits of their own in. I'm not happy about that. But I'll reserve judgement until I read the next in the series in case that's what they're combining the two, which is fair enough. 

I thought I wasn't going to be able to post any photos for this month because Google is playing silly buggers with me. But I've managed to sort it on my laptop at least. I wonder if it's to do with them and their silly AI. I wonder if they're stealing all my photos to train their AI? It wouldn't surprise me, they seem to see no barrier to taking other people's creativity and regurgitating it artificially. And I don't think it's just Google. They're all at it. 

The Courage to be Ordinary – Ichiro Kishmi

 

 Clearly, I’m ahead of the game here. I’ve never considered myself to be anything but ordinary!  And I find it kind of sad that a book like this even needs to be read or written. I think that truly special people are in the minority. I think we can all be special from time to time but on the whole humankind are a pretty ordinary bunch.

 

However, I suspect that the rise of social media and influencers have contributed to peoples’ need to be noticed, to stand out and to believe that they are special. And this is probably an age thing. I’m old so I’ve always been ordinary, and I’m content to continue to be ordinary. I have had a few special moments and that’s great. But I am not suffering or struggling because I’m not special.

 

This book though does have some very interesting insights and some good advice for people who are struggling with the concept of being ordinary. There’s a great deal of wise counsel here and I found many of the chapter headings good maxims for the way to live our lives – “don’t be afraid to be different from everyone else” and that’s something I would agree with. The herd and flock mentality dominate so much behaviour nowadays. “Stop thinking only of yourself” is another excellent piece of advice. And the world will be a better place if folk could stop doing that and I like the fact that the author himself says that ‘it’s no exaggeration to say that many of today’s problems are caused by people who think only about themselves.’ I have found that to be so true.

 

The author of the book Is clearly influenced by the work of Alfred Adler, the Austrian psychotherapist who is noted for coining the concept “inferiority complex”.

So, I can see where the author’s ideas are coming from within that context.

 

I think this book would be of interest and of use to some of the younger generations who are struggling with their confidence and their identities because of the current world we live in. The world of influencing has given some people an exaggerated sense of their own worth, but the reverse is true of others who feel themselves to be inadequate. This book hopefully should address some of those issues and inspire its readers to understand that we must be who we are and if that’s ordinary so be it.

 

My thanks to Jen Furmage of Tandem Collective for the opportunity to read this book.

 

July 2026 Round Up

 July saw heatwaves and the grass court tennis season. One encouraged my reading, the other placed obstacles! But I've enjoyed a month of books that I had no expectations of bar one, perhaps.

Let's start with the bar one - Richard Osman's We Solve Murders. This was a departure from the Thursday Murder Club format but the style was very similar. Cosy crime and entertaining. A new set of Osman characters and the stage is set for another series. 

Next was a book that was lent to me by a dear friend dealing with bereavement. The Ones We Wait For by Michael V Ivanov which is a fictional exploration of how it might be to pass over and enter heaven. I can see what a comfort it might be to those struggling with the loss of a loved one.

I continue to ensure that my month includes one library book at the very least. I passionately believe in libraries and I know that if we don't use them we will lose them. I heard this author, Aisling Rawle, talking on JazzFM's Summer Book Club programme about her book The Compound. It piqued my interest and I sought the book out. It's a dystopian story that first reminded me of the Big Brother reality show. I saw on the cover endorsement that someone had described it as 'Love Island meets Lord of the Flies". I've never watched Love Island I'm proud to say!! But I have read Lord of the Flies, I'm proud to say! 😉 I found it to be a compelling book, full of satire and with much to say about reality TV and consumerism.

Next some non fiction by an author I had previously seen as a fiction writer of some substance. Death of an Ordinary Man by Sarah Perry. So I wasn't sure what to expect, but...wow. This book is so powerful and moving, with such elegance and dignity.It explores grief and the observation of death in a loved individual and how it affects our understanding of our lives and mortality. I cried.

Wreck by Catherine Newman was wonderful. So funny, there were occasions when I laughed out loud. But for all its wit, it is a serious book. An exploration of family dynamics and what anxiety can do. It looks at an ordinary family who navigate the often extraordinary ups and downs of everyday life. Things that can happen to all of us, illness, ageing etc. 

Next was a proof I received from a Penguin book community when their normal reward system failed, and they didn’t want people to miss out. Emma Nanami Strenner’s My Other Heart. A debut novel and what a debut! Two Asian American women searching for their identities and a perceptive exploration of family, friendship, culture, social class. I couldn’t put it down.

I’m always intrigued by why one book is deemed to be better than others. Reading is such a subjective process. I often wonder how the judges of these award committees arrive at their decisions. And so it interests me to read those books that have been awarded these prestigious prizes. And it was curiosity  that led me to The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. Epistolary novels have always fascinated me ever since I read Jean Webster’s Daddy Long Legs. The Correspondent won the Women’s Prize for fiction this year, and I can see why. It’s masterfully and cleverly constructed. Probably my favorite epistolary novel since We Need to Talk about Kevin.

And finally The Burning Grounds by Abir Mukherjee. This is another proof from Penguin that I’ve just got around to reading. I’ve not read any of this writer’s work before but I know he’s won awards in the past. This was a fast paced crime/ history story I guess. From what I understand it features a crime, solving duo, Wyndham and Bannerjee who featured in some previous stories. There’s obviously some history between them, but it doesn’t impact on the enjoyment of this tale. I enjoyed the dynamic between them. Two very different people with different personalities in from different cultures. It captured the spirit of an age beautifully. Definitely not cosy crime, though! 

Woman, Mapped - Edited by Jennifer Wong

 This impactful collection traces the journey of becoming a woman—highlighting its highs and lows. From childhood to old age, a dozen writers share frank reflections on what it means to express ourselves as women. 'Woman, Mapped' showcases a wide range of relevant experiences across different identities, cultures, and generations.

 

Poetry comprises the majority of the collection with some quite extraordinary pieces that keep you reflecting and thinking. I particularly enjoyed the work of Aoife Lyall. As ever for me, I have to read poetry aloud to really feel and try to get to the heart of what the poet is trying to express. I loved Equal Temperament, I’d like to quote it all, but I will confine myself to these lines. –

 

‘I want the out-of-tune piano

 

to hear the notes     stretch

 

in the rhythms of their shadows

 

     I want to feel        the felt

 

and know the strings are       trying’

 

I was also much absorbed by Janette Ayache’s A Poem in Which Female Writers Who Committed Suicide Visited Me. She seems to capture the essence of those writers  -

 

‘Sylvia Plath comes to me in the shower.

& she’s always too sad to speak.

her gaze, her oven gas, her bruised love,….’

 

And Sylvia Plath makes another appearance Ilse Pedler’s It was mountains i thought of where her poem Crossing the Water is referenced – 

 

‘it was mountains I thought of

In the silence that followed’

 

It seems to embody the spirit of Plath.

 

There are three essays in the collection, two. All of them fascinating. I’m not in general an essay reader. I’m more attracted by the poetry, but I have to say I found these essays very thought provoking. I loved Jesse Williams opening essay, Sisterhood. I loved the joyous affirmation of females together even though they have been to hell and back, the solidarity and the joy they managed to encompass was uplifting.

 

I loved Teddy Webb’s description of herself as an ‘angry feminist’ because that is the feeling I got from reading her erudite and impassioned words regarding her sexuality. 

 

The final essay in the collection, by Claire Harnett-Mann is a fitting conclusion to the anthology as it fuses the art of the essayist with the whimsy of the poet in a dissemination of class and identity - Women Poet Demolition Land.

 

It's a collection to ponder, to dip in and out of and to return to from time to time. 

My thanks to Isabelle Kenyon and Fly on the Wall Press for my proof copy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.