Book news, reviews and recommendations
Fire is the third in John Boyne’s novella series preceded by Water and Earth both of which I’ve reviewed. It follows Freya, already an eminent surgeon at thirty-six, living alone in a luxurious flat, once the home of a footballer who she helped convict of rape as a jurist. Since my twelfth summer, I have […]
Fire by John Boyne: Are abusers born or made? Read More »
I was thrilled when I spotted a new Lissa Evans on social media, knowing that not only would I be in for a treat but that it would be a cheery one. I wondered if Small Bomb at Dimperley might follow the characters I’d become so fond of in V for Victory and Old Baggage
Jackson Brodie’s last outing came after a gap of nine long years so I was delighted when Death at the Sign of the Rook popped up on Netgalley a mere three years after Big Sky was published. For those who’ve yet to read Atkinson’s crime series or watch Jason Isacc’s brilliant portrayal of Jackson in
I was delighted to see a new Donal Ryan in the publishing schedules, jumping at the chance to read it as soon as it appeared on NetGalley. Heart, Be at Peace returns to the setting of Ryan’s debut, A Spinning Heart, a decade after many in the town were devastated when the son of the
Heart, Be at Peace by Donal Ryan: Revisiting the past Read More »
I was pitched Paddy Crewe’s True Love because of my liking for Donal Ryan. Ever sceptical of such comparisons, I checked out Goodreads to find two Ryan mentions then twigged that Crewe was the author of My Name is Yip which has been sitting on my TBR shelves for a while. It seemed a safe
True Love by Paddy Crewe: Love and healing Read More »
So many readers whose opinions I trust enjoyed Catherine Newman’s We All Want Impossible Things that I snapped up Sandwich which came with a feelgood billing and a Cape Cod setting, one of which I was sorely in need of after thinking too much about the state of the world, the other I find irresistible
Sandwich by Catherine Newman: Learning to let go Read More »
I’ve been a fan of Sarah Leipciger’s writing since her debut, nine years ago. The Mountain Can Wait exemplified that carefully pared back prose from which gorgeous descriptions of the natural world shine out which I find particularly pleasing. Her second novel, Coming Up for Air, was also beautifully crafted, weaving three narrative strands across
Moon Road by Sarah Leipciger: Well worth the wait Read More »
I read the first in John Boyne’s four-novella series last year, ending my review with reservations but planning to read the next instalment. While Water looked at the complicity of a wife in her husband’s sexual abuse of minors, Earth is set in the world of professional football where two players are accused of a
Earth by John Boyne: A modern morality tale Read More »
I very much enjoyed Nick Bradley’s The Cat and the City, its distinctive feline striding through the lives of a disparate set of Tokyoites, which made me keen to read Four Seasons in Japan. Similarly cleverly structured, Bradley’s second novel sees a young translator whose appetite for life is ebbing away, becoming captivated by an
Four Seasons in Japan by Nick Bradley: ‘Keep going. You can do it.’ Read More »
It might seem surprising but I have a weakness for romcoms. If done well, they have me snivelling happily on the sofa or in the case of the wonderful Rye Lane, at the cinema. Curtis Sittenfeld’s Romantic Comedy sounded like a pleasing subversion of the romcom rules with its averagely attractive introvert meets rock god
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld: ‘Hot eventually gets boring but funny never does’ Read More »
I’d love to show off my jazz erudition and tell you that I knew the title of Laura Warrell’s debut was a Jelly Roll Morton quote but that’s not the case. Truth be told, I know little or nothing about the genre but I did like the idea of a novel that told the story
Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm by Laura Warrell: Men behaving badly Read More »