Ten Psychological Thrillers on my "To Read" this holidays

It's time to confess that my "To Read" list is out of control! As is the number of downloads on my Kindle and the pile of paperbacks by my bedside! There have been so many good recommendations this year and so many new releases, it has just been too tempting! I have an unrealistic view of how much I can get read over the next few weeks but here are the titles that I will be taking with me - at the expense of packing anything useful like clothes, food and children.

Psychological Thrillers on my "To Read" list - recommended by Twitter, Authors and Book Bloggers:

KINDLE PRICE 99p
They say every marriage has its secrets. But no one sees what happens behind closed doors. And sometimes those doors should never be opened … Sal and Charlie are married. They love each other. But they aren’t happy. Sal cannot leave, no matter what Charlie does – no matter how much it hurts.

The advice from bloggers is not to read any reviews about this book! All they seem to say is "WOW!" and exceptionally effusive comments about the twist! I'm intrigued.......
KINDLE PRICE 99p
Her eyes are wide open. Her lips parted as if to speak. Her dead body frozen in the ice…She is not the only one. When a young boy discovers the body of a woman beneath a thick sheet of ice in a South London park, Detective Erika Foster is called in to lead the murder investigation. 

Game for anything with "Girl" in the title! This is highly recommended on Goodreads with positively gushing reviews from readers! Again, all the usual descriptors that accompany reviews of thrillers and murder mysteries so I am following the trend on Twitter and looking forward to reading

KINDLE PRICE 99p
Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do. Though, you’d like to get to know Grace better. But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart. Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of the bedroom windows. Sometimes, the perfect marriage is the perfect lie

Absolutely desperate to read this!! Have seen so many blogs and tweets about it that I can't believe I've managed to hold off this long! It sounds fantastic and I am completely intrigued! 
KINDLE PRICE £1.49
A baby goes missing. But does her mother want her back? When Estelle’s baby daughter is taken from her cot, she doesn’t report her missing. Days later, Estelle is found in a wrecked car, with a wound to her head and no memory. Estelle knows she holds the key to what happened that night – but what she doesn’t know is whether she was responsible…

Despite it's rather pink and softer front cover than the other books here, this is described as stunning and unsettling. It sounds like it is suitably full of anguish and psychological thrills! I'm sure it will prevent me sleeping properly for a few days!
KINDLE £1.99
Eighteen years ago, Simone's six month old baby, Helen, was abducted. Out of the blue, Grace turns up on her doorstep claiming to have information about Helen. Simone lost her baby, will she lose her life trying to find her? 

Reviewed as a perfect thriller, full of twists and intrigue and gripping, this is highly recommended and comes from an author with several best-selling mystery titles to her name.
KINDLE PRICE £1.99
A searing and sinister thriller for readers who liked Gone Girl.What if your best friend's child disappears? And it was all your fault. This is exactly what happens to Lisa Kallisto, overwhelmed working mother of three, one freezing December in the English Lake District. She takes her eye off the ball for just a moment and her whole world descends into the stuff of nightmares. 

Well this already sounds like my worst nightmare and I can't resist it! I am very keen to get started on this one as the reviews are really good and it sounds like a deliciously uncomfortable gripping read!

KINDLE PRICE £1.99
A disappearance. A sudden death. A betrayal of the worst kind. Ella longs for a child of her own, but a gruesome find during an adoption process deepens the cracks in her marriage. A family visit starts off a horrifying chain of events, and Ella can only hope she won’t lose the person she loves most of all.

I read "The Attic Room" last year on holiday (available for £1.99) and it was a greatly satisfying psychological thriller so since then have marked out Huber as someone to look out for. I have also downloaded "The Cold Cold Sea" for £2.79 as I think they will both be good, fast paced, gripping and perfect for a holiday read.

 KINDLE PRICE £2.99
At 2am on the morning of her 40th Birthday, Sophie awakes to find an intruder in her room with a letter that she must read out at 8pm that evening at her party, in front of all her friends and family or those she loves will be in grave danger......

Reviewers have given very little about the plot away but describe this read as gripping, unpredictable, unputdownable and full of twists. It has scored highly with a general 4/5 rating.
KINDLE PRICE £3.49
This is a dark story of friendship gone wrong and regret, and how past mistakes can haunt us. It's a dual timeline narrative with alternating chapters. One thread is set in 1996 telling the story of two sixth formers at an exclusive boarding school and the disintegration of their friendship after a night out goes horribly wrong. The second follows one of the friends in present day as the past catches up with her. (Jackie, Goodreads)  "The Exclusives" is a gripping and emotional thriller that explores the power the past can have on our present and confronts how far we are willing to go when everything we prize is threatened.

Boarding school....intense friendships....a past trying to catch up with them.... Sounds like all the ingredients for a perfect holiday read!
KINDLE PRICE £3.49
Sarah is in a coma. Her memory is gone - she doesn't know how she got there. And she doesn't know how she might get out. But then she discovers that her injury wasn't an accident. And that the assailant hasn't been caught. Unable to speak, see or move, Sarah must use every clue that she overhears to piece together her own past. And work out who it is that keeps coming into her room.

A bit more of a pricey investment but I'm hoping it will be worth every penny! The concept sounds unusual and intriguing in itself and there have been so many reviews, blogs and tweets about this book there must be something a bit special behind all the hype! It has also been commended by other crime and thriller authors!

Happy Easter Reading! I hope you find something suitably terrifying and disturbing from the above list to keep you up all night!

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future blog posts.

My Review of "A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding"

This novel opens with a badly scarred man knocking on the door of 80 year old, widowed, Amaterasu Takahashi's front door claiming to be her grandson, who she knows died when the atomic bomb dropped on Nagaski. Is it a miracle or a cruel trick? The visit from this stranger forces her to revisit her past. Can she let go of the haunting secrets which consume her every waking moment and move forward to create a new future?

Hideo Watanabe was killed by the atomic bomb when he was 7 years old and Amaterasu chooses to remember him as a young school boy in his uniform, on their final walk to school. "This man was an aberration," she states firmly. "I had mourned Hideo for too many years to believe him resurrected." She sends the man away, dismissive of his claims. Left alone, her mind returns to thoughts of her daughter and she asks "Dear Daughter, the life I sought of you was not a bad one was it? Did you forgive me in those final moments?" Through these searching questions and Ama's obvious unease of the visitor's surprise appearance and declaration, Copleton implies that there is something more complex at play and suggests some mystery and intrigue about the truth surrounding Hideo's death and her relationship with her daughter.

Amaterasu's ability to hide from the truth and edit the version of her past becomes clearer as she recollects how her and her husband coped with the loss of Hideo and his mother, their daughter, Yuko. "I wanted to believe she was at peace when the clouds parted over Nagaski and the B-29 dropped its load.....we were adamant that she felt nothing...this gave us solace....she had not suffered on August 9th, 1945 at 11.02am." The fact that over 40 years on the date is so precisely recalled shows the depth of their grief. The theme of war and it's life lasting effects on people is one that echoes throughout the whole novel, as does the portrayal of the Japanese people's inability to ever fully come to terms with what happened and how they are haunted by "not how they died, but why?" The only way to endure their lives after 1945 is through lies and omissions until their memories become a completely intertwined fuse of fact and fiction. Amaterasu's fear is this man, claiming to be her grandson, will want the truth. But to "look back would bring neither forgiveness nor release." For me, Copleton created such a compelling character in this old woman. One fraught with dilemma and pain. One whose past I was desperate to hear more about and discover her deeper secrets buried in amongst these false memories.

The man has left her a letter which explains Hideo was rescued from the rubble of his school building and taken away for treatment. He was unidentifiable after the attack and sent to an orphanage from where he was adopted. He was adopted by Natsu and Jomei Sato - Nastu is the author of the explanatory letter. Intriguingly, Amaterasu appears to know this couple and the words "Why wait to take revenge?" immediately heighten our curiosity and create suspense and tension. Again her repeated plea that "no punishment could match all the years lived since that summer, that morning, that minute" further reinforce that something else clearly happened  - is the bomb the only thing that killed her daughter or did something else happen? Why is Ama so completely consumed with grief and regret? Why has she spent the last 40 years punishing herself?

The narrative continues by revisiting August 9th 1945 and the "Pikadon" (Pika = bright light, don= boom). The writing is poetic and beautifully lyrical. At the moment of devastation, Amaterasu has gone into a shop - which saves her life. Amidst the confusion about what has happened it is still clear that something immense has happened - "close enough to know what the end of existence sounds like......it felt as if the world's heart had exploded." I found the lines "may they never find the language for such an agony of noise.....the silence that followed...." incredibly moving. The next section of the book is hard to read but equally a wonderful example of evocative descriptive writing. I've refrained from quoting as it is upsetting and disturbing reading despite it's power. One line I did find particularly effective was when she visits Yuko's house to retrieve some personal belongings and says "how quickly a home can become a mausoleum". So poignant.

What really struck me was the sadness about how pointless they felt the deaths from the bomb had been. Although it hurries the surrender of Japan, there is a strong sense that it was not because of the horrific repercussions of the bomb but because America wanted to teach the world a lesson. No one cares about the personal loss of Yuko and Hideo. This causes further agony for Ama. They leave Japan for America in a bid to escape their pain.

Amaterasu pulls out her daughter's old diaries which she has not ever read. With the arrival of Hideo, she decides it is time to read them and extracts are then incorporated within Amaterasu's narrative. We move away from the shocking  aftermath of the bombing and instead focus on the love story of Yuko and her transition into adulthood and marriage. Yuko found first love with Jomei Sato. She is besotted, utterly in love. Amaterasu's disapproval is more than a mother's concern for the fragility and vulnerability of her daughter's heart. Frequent interjections about "duty as a mother", her need to "save" Yuko from this man, to wipe him out, to remove him from her daughter's life without her ever finding out why really intensify the tension and also add a more complex, more devious and dishonest side to Amaterasu's seemingly quiet and tender character. She has to divulge more and more of her back story in order for us to gain a full picture of why she was so against this match. It's for you to read these passages and experience the love story first hand without any further spoilers and again, I'd love to get carried away with the mesmerising imagery and symbolism used to illustrate the story but don't want to give anything away.

This is a poetic, elegant, poignant and tragic love story which explores themes of parenthood, choices, betrayal, secrets, forgiveness, redemption and family. It could be an overwhelming read because of the historical context but actually most of the novel is caught up with Amaterasu's emotional journey and attempts to reconcile herself with the past. There is more writing about love than death. It is somber and it does show the consequences and repercussions of the atrocities of war but it also focuses on the pain that can be caused by parenting and love.

I really liked the use of Japanese definitions at the start of each chapter. These subtly added meaning to the chapters as well as placing the reader within the Japanese culture. They were really interesting. My favourite was "Ai-ai-gasa". In feudal times, men and women were not allowed to be intimate in public or hold hands so in wet weather they would share an umbrella instead. Therefore, if a man offers you to share his umbrella, it is an expression of their love! I also like "Ninjo" - love, affection and compassion are the most important feelings to nurture.

I hadn't heard anything about this book - I took it on a whim, perhaps having just read several of Dinah Jefferies' novels which are set in the East and a fond recalling of "Memoirs of a Geisha" . I was really pleased that I had read it. I was very impressed with the cadence and nuances in the writing and the author's sensitive and lyrical evocation of character's, themes and locations. I will be looking out for this author and I will be awarding it 4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

For further recommendations, reviews and bookish chat, please follow me on Twitter @katherinesund3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future posts.

My Review of "The Swimming Pool" by Louise Candlish

A good book needs to start with a good first line. Here's how the prologue for "The Swimming Pool" opens:
"I am running naked through the streets of Elm Hill."
Hooked? Of course you are!
It continues in an almost surreal style that had me wondering whether this was a nightmare or reality; a game or a threat. The imagery insinuates a malevolent presence and a foreboding sense of horror with descriptions of "streetlights burning synthetic holes in the darkening sky," the "hostile" air, "near silence" and "thunderous" atmosphere. And then the abrupt statements: "He had done this to me," and "It will never be over."
Quite deliberately, Candlish's prologue is confusing, but the reader is already pulled in, turning the page quickly to try and make sense of what is going on.

The main characters in this thriller are Natalie, her husband Ed, their daughter Molly and the Channing Family. It is set in London, during one hot summer holiday where teachers Natalie and Ed look forward to a long relaxing break. Lara Channing, "less queen bee than citizen queen", has led a project to renovate the local Lido and while visiting, Natalie becomes fixated with Lara and a friendship blossoms. But all is not as it seems..........

At first I found myself drawn to Natalie. She is human and ordinary. She is very distracted with concern for her 13 year old daughter who suffers from "hyper vigilance" and she can't escape the "rush of tenderness when Molly's fear becomes tangible." Her relationships with both Molly and Ed are filled with anxiety, guilt and blame. She is also wrapped up in the usual domestic concerns, a bit overprotective but essentially putting the emotional safety of her daughter above everything else. Her and her husband like order, efficiency and neatness. To me, this really does invite disaster!

Lara is the complete opposite. An ex-actress; wealthy, groomed and walking around with a "casual assumption that Natalie would know who she was and what she had done." After speaking with her, Natalie wonders "how much more arrogant complacency could one parent fit into a statement?" She both irritates and impresses Natalie in a way which takes us back to school and the politics of popularity and friendship. It also reveals Natalie's naivety and impressionable side - or a her need for something different and some sort of escape from the life she has. After one of their brief interactions at the poolside, Natalie says "our parting left me with the absurd sensation of having received the healing touch of Mother Teresa," such is Lara's magnetism and enchanting power. And here begins Natalie's obsession with Lara.

The narrative is interspersed with flashbacks and flash forwards. The flash forwards take us to the end of the summer holiday where it is clear some dreadful traumatic accident has taken place - although Candlish is very skilled at revealing mere snippets of dialogue and detail so that the reader is unable to fully put all the pieces of the jigsaw together. The flashbacks take us to the 1980s and Natalie's childhood friendship with Meg. Again, there is a sense of impeding danger and a dark secret but Candlish is not going to make it that easy - the reader has to listen to all the clues, hints and implications - holding on to all the different threads- as the tension and suspense mounts. The only thing she makes grippingly clear is that something sinister or disastrous is going to happen.

Meg is like Lara - a leader, someone who has a hold over Natalie. The flashbacks reveal more about Natalie's misconstrued ideas about friendship and perhaps go somewhere to explaining the issues she has with guilt and blame that are also mixed up with her relationship with her husband and daughter. Natalie is flawed and fallible. For me this usually makes characters more appealing, but with Natalie there is also a sense of frustration. Her blindness towards Lara and her desperateness to be accepted by her is a little cringeworthy and it is hard to maintain respect for someone who refers to their new friend as their "saviour from ordinariness," and glows with a "secret pride of how well things had worked out for her if she was my friend now!" As the novel progresses it is harder to sympathise with Natalie all the time. Her daughter has a serious phobia of the water, yet she insists on going to the pool daily in order to orchestrate meetings with Lara as she becomes more and more swept away by them, abandoning her older friends like Gaby with hurtful dismissiveness.

As one reviewer wrote; she is so "entranced by Lara, you want to pull her bak to reality, but at the same time you're desperate to see what happens next." I couldn't agree more. The relationship between them is well crafted with such effective use of cliffhangers and subtle suggestions that gradually an ever whelming sense of apprehension keeps you turning the pages at a rapid rate.

I really liked the writing style. There were some great - almost philosophical -one liners about friendship, relationships, motherhood and life. I particularly liked the reference to how a friendship with Lara was like striking gold and you could never go back to being penniless. I think this was hugely evocative and reminiscent of friendships we've all had at one time when we have craved the approval from the "queen bee" and sacrificed integrity and other relationships in the process.

At some points I found the constant switches between present day, the past and the future a little confusing, particularly as within these different time frames there were further divisions of time of day, but all in all it did help create tension, suspense and excitement. There are so many snippets and clues but never is the entire game given away. In fact, I had to reread the ending as it held so much resonance for each character and was such a defining moment for each one of them. Candlish cleverly pulls out a series of unguessable twists which although on the one hand neatly resolves things, on the other, leaves you full of questions.

It is a thought provoking read. It is full of psychological suspense and I enjoyed reading a slightly different variation of the psychological thriller genre. The novel was hugely evocative of a hot summer which obviously increased the atmosphere of intensity, obsession and danger. It would be the prefect book to take with you to the swimming pool this summer!

I would recommend this book to people who like thrillers, stories about friendship, bullying, women, revenge and dark hidden pasts. If you like a gripping read with "love to loath" type characters and a narrative sprinkled with teasing clues this is for you. Having finished the book a few days ago, the vision of the pool, Lara and Natalie are still very vivid in my mind - definitely a sign of a good read!

My thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for a fair review. I was delighted to be approved having seen the flurry of excitement on Twitter as other readers confessed to being unable to put it down.

For recommendations, reviews and bookish chat follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future posts.

Poetry Collections for Children

Here are some suggestions for Poetry Collections for children! Some of the collections are more recently published than others, but I think they are all collections that have been thoughtfully collated and designed to introduce children to a range of poets and styles as well as extending a wider enjoyment of the genre with those who are more familiar with it. It might also mean you can pick some of them up at a bargain price!

 
Poet Laureate and a prominent writer on the GCSE and A Level syllabus, Carol Ann Duffy is my absolute favourite poet. Her poems are imaginative, funny, clever, observational and memorable. They are dynamic, relevant and accessible. Her "New and Collected Poems for Children" is specifically for young people and as we would expect, it is full of wit and humour. It includes the voices of the Loch Ness Monster's husband, the oldest girl in the world and a heard of cows on a shopping trip to Manchester! A teacher reviewed this as the perfect collection for her class of 10 year olds as the poems were gritty, thought provoking, helped extend vocabulary and led to interesting discussions on a variety of topics. I think it would be a perfect starting place from which young people could discover poetry. The "100 Poems for Children" have been very thoughtfully selected by Carol Ann Duffy and include a broad and refreshing range of both classic and modern poems. This would suit older primary school aged children, encouraging both an enjoyment of poetry as well as extending wider reading amongst the more able.


Can't not include a Michael Rosen book in a list of poetry for children! Wacky, energetic Rosen writes poems which make children laugh as well as pause for thought. They are often great for reading aloud and my children seem to be able to recite them after only hearing a few times they are so memorable, rhythmical and sometimes a bit cheeky!


I haven't read this collection but I am a fan of Grace Nichols and have read a lot of her poems. I liked the concept of this book and feel a family visit to the Tate coming on to see if we can have a go ourselves! As the first Writer-in-Residence for the Tate, Nichols worked with London Schools running a project to help children respond to art through poetry. These are the poems she was inspired to write as a result, also inspired by works of art exhibited at the Tate. I would hope it could show children how poetry is versatile, diverse and a way to express your responses to everything and anything you discover in the world as well as you emotions and more standard, obvious muses.


I have used Judith Nichols' poetry a lot when I was an English Teacher. These collections focus on the environment and the planet. They include a range of poets and I found they were good for analysis, discussion and for inspiring children's own writing.


This would probably suit ages 7-9 more but Julia Donaldson's endorsement will encourage even the more reluctant poetry reader to take a look inside! And poetry, after all, is for performing! Have some fun with this collection and hopefully it will inspire reading, performance, a deeper understanding of language and poetic devices as well as enjoyment and creativity!


This collection is probably about 15 years old now and the "literacy hour" has greatly changed but this book is still a great resource as it includes every type of poem you can think of including chants, riddles, shape poems, epitaphs, limericks, raps and narrative verse to name a few. It also includes a huge range of classic and contemporary  poets. It is great for dipping in and out of and there should definitely be something in here for everyone!

I've popped this in as Benjamin Zephaniah is such a "cool guy" who isn't afraid to tackle issues and writes poems that shout from the pages. He is the best example of performance and rap poetry! It may be a bit dated - I confess to not having really looked at his poetry very recently but he used to be a very high profile author who could engage even the most disinterested student! His poems here address different cultures and diversity. Good for introducing discussions, for exploring raps and hip hop in poetry and for performance poetry.


Again, you can't have a list of poetry collections without referencing these "Kings of Poetry"! This is their selection of poems deliberately selected to appeal to children and to make it fresh and accessible. It introduces a wide range of poets and styles and should be a staple for any young person's poetry shelf.


I am a big fan of Sarah Crossan and this novel is unique as it is written in prose and can be read (by an adult) in about an hour. It may be worth skimming over before you share with your children and I would recommend it for aged 10/11+ as it deals with a few issues and might need a little explanation. The story is of 12 year old Kasienka and her mother arriving in England as immigrants. The writing is exceptional and I like the fact it will challenge reader's perceptions of poetry and novels. It will introduce them to a different way of using poetry and show them that there are no restrictions or conventions that cannot be broken with creativity and imagination.


I have to include this book as another novel written in verse even though it is more suitable for 11+ readers. The 14 yr old narrator meets a 17 year old single mum who needs a babysitter. I read this about a decade ago and it was the first YA "novel as verse" book I had come across. It really impressed me and I haven't ever forgotten it. I shared it with some pupils I was teaching at the time and one, who hated poetry, reluctantly took it and was completely converted -she began reading poetry quite vicariously! She had also previously argued that a poem was only a poem if it rhymed - this book changed her opinion. Therefore I have a soft spot for this book and the effect it had on my students!

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future blog posts.

Reads for the Commute: Short Stories & Short Novels

If there are any benefits to commuting, it has to be the opportunity to read! But then, how frustrating is it when you only have a couple more pages to go with your chapter but it's your stop?! Or you have reached the most exciting part of the story and it's impossible to tear yourself away so you try reading while negotiating escalators and ticket barriers! What about short stories as an alternative?

I have only recently become a big fan of short stories and used to think them a slightly acquired taste. However, after reading a few more, I realised how much skill is actually involved in writing them. I also find them a good tonic in between "big" or "weighty" reads, or for following a book you've totally fallen in love with and to which nothing else is going to compare. Sometimes it's often easier to fit in "bite sized chunks" of reading around your routine and commitments. 

Here are some suggestions of collections of short stories and short novels that could easily be read or dipped in and out of during a commute or busy day.

Austrian author Zweig is famous for his novellas. This was first published in 1941 and is 104 pages long. I read it sitting in the car park at Sainsbury's, seven months pregnant, while my husband did the weekly shop! He had been pushing this book on me for ages and I had resisted as we read quite differently but finding myself stuck there for a while, I had nothing else to do! I didn't think I would like the style and chess does not particularly fascinate me, but once I started reading, I realised I had completely misjudged this quite powerful book! The writing is exceptionally well crafted and it is a bit of a psychological novel with interesting character analysis and clever analogies with the game of chess itself. It is memorable. Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Travellers by ship from New York to Buenos Aires find that on board with them is the world champion of chess, an arrogant and unfriendly man. They come together to try their skills against him and are soundly defeated. Then a mysterious passenger steps forward to advise them and their fortunes change. How he came to possess his extraordinary grasp of the game of chess and at what cost lie at the heart of Zweig's story.

 
William Boyd is perhaps better known for his novels such as "Restless", "Any Human Heart" and very recently, "Sweet Caress," but he has also published several collections of short stories. I read "The Dream Lover" a long time ago with a Book Group and it had quite a mixed response. As I often find with collections, there are usually two or three stories that really stand out and then one or two which are slightly weaker links. For me that was the case here. They are quite male orientated and more like snapshots or shorts than stories. There are about 25 of them in the space of around 350 pages. Boyd is a great writer and I am always hooked by his books, but I think I prefer his novels to his short stories. However, they are worth considering and the online reviews vary enormously so - as books so often are!- it's very subjective! 

M R James is the absolute master of gothic tales and ghost stories in my opinion! There are several collections available and some are free on Kindle. M R James was a victorian author but his books have inspired many of todays crime and thriller writers. Mostly he focuses on generating atmosphere, tension and understated chills rather than horror, but they are gripping and unsettling tales.


Equally famous and masterful is Alice Munro who has published numerous volumes of short stories. This collection focuses on love. Munro is a great writer who is highly skilled at creating character and exploring emotions. Her writing is perhaps more literary fiction but she's accessible and all the characters and scenarios are engaging and resonant. 

I should have read Mansfield years ago  - her work has been a real revelation. I read this collection first but have since tracked down several others. I think this is free on kindle as they are from the 1920s. Mansfield is fantastic at capturing moments and scenes rather than fully formed stories and I found it easy to picture each of the characters she illustrated. I liked the glimpses into people's lives during a particular segment of time or place and found them still relevant despite being nearly 100 years old. Mansfield is a must for people exploring the short story genre.


I've included Jon McGregor as a contender for your short novel choice - although it says its actually 288 pages long - I thought it was much slimmer! I know it was hard to put down and felt more like a novella - perhaps it describes just one singular day in one ordinary street full of ordinary people.

McGregor's writing is fluent and lyrical. This book is not conventional and there is a brevity of punctuation and character names, but it is poetic and hugely powerful. It was something that surprised me and provoked quite unexpected emotions. I was pleased to discover McGregor's work.
    
Always a pleasure when I can squeeze in a few Persephone recommendations!!
"The Victorian Chaise Longue" is a mere 99 pages long and is about the story of a woman falling asleep on her chaise longue only to wake and find herself trapped in the body of her alter ego ninety years before. It is a psychological thriller!

Dorothy Whipple is my most favourite Persephone author! She has several novels already published with this company - all of which I highly recommend- and now this short story collection. Her novels are quite long and thick so I was intrigued at how she would handle such a reduced opportunity to build and develop stories. She doesn't disappoint. t think it is her focus on family relationships that makes her work as interesting and relevant today as it was when it was first published.

Perhaps another acquired taste is Ernest Hemingway! All of his novels are relatively short -this one is 132 pages. They take a bit longer to read (well in my opinion!) as his writing style is sometimes more literary or a little inaccessible even though his speciality  is "less is more" and his concise style more arresting. I can appreciate his talent and original voice and have enjoyed several of his novels.

 
"Talking Heads" was published in 1988 and I ashamed to say I only read it (and the subsequent collections!) in 2015...... but thoroughly enjoyed them and wished I'd read sooner! It is a collection of monologues which depict a range of engaging voices and are brilliantly observed, darkly comic, poignant and uplifting. They are vivid and authentic and show that Bennett really is a master storyteller. Read them!

"The Uncommon Reader" has the fun premise of the Queen discovering a mobile library and working her way through it's titles with advice from its librarian. As always with Bennett, it's witty, entertaining and very well observed. A must for book lovers!

There are lots and lots of further examples but I hope this gives you a range of things to choose from and makes your Monday morning commute a little more manageable after an almost sunny spring weekend! Have a good week bibliomaniacs!

For further recommendations, reviews and bookish chat follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future posts

YA Murder and Detective Novels (10-14yo)

There has been a recent flurry of YA novels about murder and detection. Here are some reviews of the ones that have caught my eye. I must admit, I was totally superficial in my selection and went purely on the front covers! Not only are these books all murder mysteries, they all have exceptionally gorgeous covers which are waiting to be picked up, held, stroked and looked at longingly. Now I have read them, I am so reluctant to put away on the shelf. They have all been beautifully produced and are as captivating and appealing as the words and characters inside them. All of these titles would be suit readers aged 10+


Having been lured away by the Kindle's enticingly ridiculous price offers and the double beauty that it not only solves my ongoing book storage problem, but also no one in my family is quite aware of how many books I am hoarding, I was delighted to reawaken my love for the paperback with these stunning books by Katherine Woodfine. They are beautifully produced with distinctive covers, illustrations, end pages - even the font for the blurb on the back! The blurb also establishes the setting for this period mystery with an invitation where the "Honour of your company is requested." It's then further placed within its historical context of the Edwardian era with complimenting extracts from "Lady Diana Deveres Etiquette for Debutants" humorously prefacing each chapter.

The novel starts with the introduction of Mei and her family in China Town. There is great detail which quickly and fluently establishes scene and characters. The retelling of Grand-dad's mysterious tale of the Moonbeam Diamon implies adventure and misfortune from the outset and the chapter ends on an cliffhanger.

We then return to the colourful and vibrant world of Sinclair's Department Store, first introduced to us in "The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow." It is not necessary to have read the first instalment although I'm sure you will be looking for it the minute you finish the last page of this book if you have not already read it! We are re-introduced to Lil, Sophie, Bill and Joe. This chapter not only refreshes your memory with a recap but also moves the plot along. Lil reminds us of the detective skills herself and Sophie have proven to possess: "Girls can be detectives just as well as boys...just as clever and brave....in books all girls are perfect idiots who do nothing but swoon but that's a lot of old rot," she reminds the boys.

The novel continues by developing a dual storyline. Mei and her family are being threatened by the "Baron" who runs the East End. The Baron is like the "monster who is coming to get you....the dark shadow underneath the bed...the distant shriek in the night." Mei fears for her family, especially as her dad seems to think they can stand up to him.

Back at Sinclairs, Veronica White needs the assistance of Sophie and Lil to help her find her moth shaped jewelled brooch - a gift from Lord Beaucastle - which she believes was stolen from her. The brooch was especially made for her by London's most elegant jewellers but to Veronica it reminds her that this creepy man who makes her squirm means to marry her and she will have no choice but to oblige despite her daydream that she would find a husband in a more romantic, moonlit scenario. But if anyone finds out she has lost the brooch, she will be shamed and no one will ever want to marry her ever again. Veronica is reluctant to call upon the help of mere shop girls who seem "ordinary and not very clever" but as a young girl without adult authority and finances, has no choice.

Veronica is not a particularly pleasant character at first - haughty, condescending, bored with her life and its suffocating restrictions. Sophie and Lil are a complete contrast with their positivity, energy and friendliness. Despite the period setting, these girls feel very contemporary and are really rather modern heroines set against a historical backdrop. The language and dialogue is authentic and evocative of this era but is not forced or intimidating in anyway. It adds character and humour and I actually found the vocabulary refreshing and more engaging.

Following the discovery of a murdered body, one mystery begins to lead to another. The initial crime is solved but in fact this only leads to the beginning of the real adventure - one which is more dangerous, more threatening and more complicated.

These detectives are great actresses who thrive on disguise, adventure and risk taking. They are bold, clever, full of life and spark, creative problem solvers and not confined by the expectations and stereotype. They are friendly and moral. In fact the theme of friendship is quite an important one in this book as the girls remind Veronica "we are in this together" and even though they "find her a bit of a ninny they were still prepared to fight her corner."

There is a great ending and resolution to the drama which echoes the great stories of Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes -especially with Billy writing up the case notes. I finished reading feeling desperate for the next instalment. The book ends with the arrival of a new person seeking out the detectives and the girls final intriguing words are "What can we do to help?" Fortunately the next book, "The Mystery of the Painted Dragon", is due in Feb 2017.....not too long to wait.....

This is a charming, exciting and entertaining read with great heroines and role models. Highly recommend!


An equally appealing book cover! There are four books in this series to date and my bookshelf demands them all! I love the design of the front cover and the bright colours used - it makes them very distinctive and they really stand out in the book shops demanding to be read!

These stories are set in 1934 at the Deepdean School for Girls and feature Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong who decide to set up their own detective agency. Initially struggling to find "real" mysteries, they then stumble across the dead body of the Science Teacher, Miss Bell, in the gym, and there they have their first case!

The book is very entertaining, full of vivid characters and events. Daisy is a strong character - sometimes a little overbearing-but her comments and observations are dry and provide much humour for the reader. Constantly interpreting events around her into versions that suit her personal theories she remarks that the problem with the school is that "there are too many secrets wherever you turn and most of them are pointless. It doesn't make it easy for detectives to do their jobs."

Hazel is very likeable and I really empathised with her more retiring and shy personality. You can almost feel her shudder and roll her eyes as Daisy gallops along her lines of investigation which often present themselves as slightly madcap. Hazel has more reserve than Daisy's slightly more frenzied enthusiasm for things like "Hunt the Hiding Place of Miss Bell's Body" which she claims will be like hunt the slipper only with a body. "Oh," replies Hazel, knowing full well that "looking for a body would be nothing like hunting for a slipper." When Daisy announces proudly that they've solved the crime, Hazel's more thoughtful response is that actually the evidence is not conclusive and there were still many other explanations. Daisy's typically effusive comment that "everything is wonderful" is met with Hazel's intriguing statement that "I did not think everything was wonderful at all." Indeed, it is perhaps Hazel who is the real brains behind the detective agency rather than the exuberant Daisy, with whom she often has to bring back to earth a little with a more rational approach like pointing out to Daisy that actually her plans to confront their suspect might not be the best course of action - particularly as it might lead to her own murder! Hazel is more conservative and realistic in her behaviour which the reader probably feels is more akin to the way they would respond to a situation - particularly within the context of a school - whereas Daisy is more caricatured. "I still feel a guilty lurch in my stomach whenever we go somewhere we're not allowed to go," says Hazel, whereas Daisy is as "cool as a cucumber" and walks like she's merely entering the Dining Room. Daisy's self confidence verges on arrogance and there were a few moments when I felt she was a little unkind to Hazel but I also felt the author was quite teasing towards Daisy and the reader is often smiling inwardly at her unintentionally comic phrases like "there I was unintentionally minding my own business in a opportune listening place in the library..." This is a novel after all and it's great to have characters that provoke feeling as that proves real engagement with them. The characterisation is vital and energetic as well as charming and captivating. The relationship between Daisy and Hazel provides much humour, wit, tension, complications and more depth to the characters and the plot. They provide both contrast as well as complimenting each other and Hazel's narrative is used to both create intrigue and cliffhangers.

There is a glossary at the end which obviously I only discovered as I turned the last few pages but might be worth pointing out to readers when they start to help them understand some of the more archaic expressions unique to boarding schools in the 1930s.

This is a great read. It's fun; full of suspicion, secrets, misleading clues and hints, a cast of well crafted, believable characters and vocabulary that evokes the period authentically. Although set in 1934 it is has a very fresh and original feel to it and will definitely appeal to a young adult audience and fans of "Harry Potter", "Malory Towers", "Sherlock Holmes" and "Nancy Drew."

I'd like to include a comment the author makes in her Acknowledgments. She thanks her parents for teaching her to love language and "putting every book that matters to me into my hands". This is a book that matters and a book you should put into the hands of your child to encourage their love for language, fictional worlds, adventure and friendship. Highly recommend! I will be reading the sequels!


Again, I saw the cover of this posted on Twitter and immediately had to order a copy! Again, a murder mystery set in the 1920s with a bright and vivacious female protagonist.

Fourteen year old Nancy Parker starts a new job as a housemaid to Mrs Bryce. This is her journal; her "Journal of Detection" in which she will write down "all my SUSPISHINS". Despite becoming a housemaid, Nancy really wants to be a detective and can't think of any reason why she wouldn't be "except perhaps I am too young. And I don't like blood." But as another character points out, she is in fact perfectly placed to see all that goes on - "I am a Detective in an apron and cap. This is FOOD FOR THOUGHT."

The novel is made up of Nancy's "handwritten" journal entries -complete with misspellings- illustrations, post cards, letters and more conventional narrative chapters which focus on Ella and Quentin's perspectives. Ella and Quentin are also young people hankering after careers in detection and huge Sherlock Holmes fans. Ella keeps an "Anthropology Notebook" as people "are strange even when you have been studying them for ages." Ella's observations are perhaps more thoughtful and considered than Nancy's hilarious suspicions which provide much mirth. I enjoyed reading Nancy's reasons for singling Cook out as the main perpetrator: "She does not look like a cook in my opinion. She should be plump...Mrs Jones is stringy as a worn out horse." "My experience," she adds, "is that Cook is not a pleasant woman (not spekulation)."

Nancy also adds her own key points in the "Theory of Detection". For example, "Detectives should not have to wait on everyone while they are detecting and then clean up after they have gone." She is a fun, comic and likeable character.

This is fast and appealing read. As a more heavily illustrated book and seems more similar to the current genre of massive hits like "Wimpy Kid" -it will definitely be popular. The variety of extracts, different fonts and presentation are creative and make it a hugely appealing text. It will appeal to a slightly younger audience of 9-12 year olds.


Another female protagonist, another historical setting, another housemaid and another story of mystery and murder! Another hit!

This is much less serious than the first two books reviewed here; it is full of wry comments and dry, witty, understated humour. Mainly at Ivy's expense.

Ivy is a twelve year old maid who is completely deluded, her comments are full of irony and her behaviour is slapstick. The book opens with her recalling the events leading up to her being sacked from her job. At the Countess's very posh evening dinner, Ivy is serving and her supposedly thoughtful comments are in fact quite rude and disparaging towards her mistress who exclaims that she "loathes" Ivy. Ivy immediately reacts, thinking that to say such a thing the woman must be mad and responds "with lightning speed - for I have all the natural instincts of a physician.....I plunged (the countess's) face into the fruit punch...to relieve her of her brain fever."

Ivy is continuously tactless and unable to read situations. She points out to someone that their "spinsterhood....is common amongst grim, sour faced governesses," and she is sure that "a hunchbacked footman or toothless blacksmith is just waiting to sweep you off your feet." She continues to frequently behave in a manner akin to Mr Bean, walking away leaving a trail of comic destruction whilst assuring herself that "she was filled with the warm glow that comes from when you have helped a fellow traveller in need."

Indeed Ivy often provokes quite dramatic reactions towards her as later in the novel she finds she is faced by someone who "had the scissors poised right in front of my chest. Which was rather troubling." However, Ivy is an eternal optimist as well as delusional and therefore is never hurt, upset or troubled by the chaos she creates around her. She remains unaffected by it and delightfully unaware, convinced that she is "a font of wisdom and bright ideas" and that "nothing gets past Ivy Pocket."

And so, following the dying wishes of the Duchess of Trinty who Ivy comes into contact with during her search for new employment, she continues her quest to deliver the mysterious clock diamond, which can capture glimpses of events past, present and future, to Matilda at Butterfield Park.

The text is complimented with modern, stylised cartoon illustrations which enhance the more  fictional world of Ivy Pocket.

Borrowing words from other reviewers, this book is 'wildly witty" and written with "an original voice". The quotes on the end pages are taken from fictional characters, younger readers as well as critics and are also tongue in cheek, for example: "Who knew a 12 year old girl could cause so much mayhem? She means well but I'm afraid she's barking mad."

I loved the author's note in the acknowledgements which reads:
"if you are reading this you know what books can do - how they are a door to another world, a refuge, a wonderland. How they thrill and comfort, break hearts and kindle hope....You already know life is simply better with books.....I urge you this instant to go out and choose your next adventure!" 
I think I will be quoting these comments frequently!

This will appeal to fans of Lemony Snickett and the next instalment is due out in May 2016. I'm sure this will be a series we will be seeing a lot more of and will be a must have for all 10-14 year olds.



I haven't read this book but have seen it reviewed. It also features a female detective as the protagonist although it is set in a modern day boarding school in Connecticut, America.  This novel is the story of Charlotte Holmes-a direct descendent of Sherlock- and Jamie Watson, a direct descendent of Doctor Watson. They are framed for a murder which appears to mirror the stories of their great-great-great grandfathers. This is the first in a trilogy and was released on the first of March 2016. The reviews are mixed but seem more a reflection of people's love for the original Sherlock and Watson and the current BBC series rather than a criticism of Cavallaro's writing. It's always tough to take such well loved, well known characters and reimagine them and authors making such attempts always seem to get very mixed reactions. From what I can infer, I would probably still have a go at this book as to me it sounds like it has all the ingredients of a satisfactory young adult murder mystery novel.

Good luck choosing your next adventure!

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat, please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future posts.

Harpenden Library Literature Festival - Crime Writers

No Exit Crime Press are hosting an evening at Harpenden Library on 30th March with four of their authors to discuss their writing, inspiration and getting published. All of the titles below - plus many more by each author -are available at the library, currently displayed on separate, prominent stands throughout the building. Here are some of my reviews of the author's books.


This is the third DI Ian Peterson murder investigation - I haven't read the others and it did not affect my enjoyment or understanding of this novel so they can be read as stand alone books.

The story is set in York, which is recalled in vivid detail with close reference to real places and street names. Having been on a trip there very recently, I found this interesting but again, it wouldn't matter if you had never been! Russell's description makes it easy to feel as if you are there and easy to visualise the places he talks about.

York is experiencing a series of brutal murders....seemingly random murders, with a weapon that appears to be made of iron or steel and by a killer who leaves no clues.......

The opening chapter is rather surreal. It is filled with Viking imagery (appropriate for York!) about a murderous warrior. It's clear from the outset this is the anonymous voice of the murderer responsible for the incredibly violent attacks that are discovered throughout the novel and the fact that the chapters written in his voice are so different from the style of the rest of the book is effective. These brief carefully dispersed ramblings read like something from "Game of Thrones" and are a contrast from the rest of the realistic, ordinary narrative of a contemporary crime thriller.  Russell has captured the character of a deluded, dangerous, unhinged mind. The character is completely caught up in a world of fantasy, so convinced he his a Viking warrior it is as if he is possessed and this makes him even more threatening and unpredictable. His overwhelming sense of "purpose" and "quest" make him an alarming force of which there is no knowing how far he may go.

The crimes are brutal. Bodies hacked to death with an axe, skulls sliced in two, decapitations ..it's a grisly list and the violent attacks are savage. The attacks appear premeditated but at the same time, the work of a crazy mind.

Ian Peterson is a well crafted, likeable character towards whom I felt respectful. He is a workaholic but he is intuitive, experienced, perceptive and a good judge of character. He has a considered response to situations and people and an eye for details which are sometimes missed by his colleagues. He is alert to the most subtle reactions of his suspects and victims. Sometimes he appears overbearing, for example, when interviewing Gary, the victim's boyfriend, he set out to intimidate him "in the hope that fear would loosen his tongue" but I did not find it aggressive, gratuitous or egotistical in the way some DI's can be portrayed to be as a "loveable rogue"or slightly lawless in their approach to solving the case. When they interview Zoe, a friend of the victim, the other officers believe the 16 year old's account, claiming she is brave but Peterson's controversial response is that it is "disingenuous" and she has no idea of the trouble she is causing in order to "protect herself from getting into trouble with her mother." You will have to read on yourself to see who is right!

This would make a fantastic TV series. It reads like one. There are all the key ingredients for a great thriller - an axe wielding madman enjoying a killing spree, suspicious boyfriends and stepfathers, accusations of rape and a media frenzy. There are plenty of unforeseen twists and a great, suitably appropriate, climatic ending. Russell draws all the different threads of the story together well and has produced a novel with convincing characters and a realistic feel. I would recommend!


This novel transports the reader into the seedy, gritty underworld of David Blake - a wealthy criminal who controls the city of Newcastle from his exiled luxury. His empire is one of contract killers, corrupt police, drugs, prostitutes and money laundering. He lives with the love of his life Sarah, although she has no idea he is responsible for the murder of her father two years ago.

The portrayal of this underworld is excellent and completely convincing. The vocabulary and writing is gritty, seedy and authentic. There is a range of characters - all deeply unpleasant and unlikeable but Blake himself does have charisma and does command respect. His control over the city is impressive and includes everyone from pub owners, his "staff", criminals and lawyers alike. There is no end to the level of corruption at play here. I thought this was an interesting angle as crime thrillers are usually witnessed from the point of view of the detective or person wanting to "right the wrongs" and this is the opposite. This novel is narrated from the point of view of a character struggling to manage criminals and illegal activities, deal with changing loyalties and scams. Blake is a business man, an entrepreneur , a marketeer and a killer. But he has some redeeming features - his love for Sarah, his (tenuous) charitable work and he's intelligent. The other characters in the book are generally completely unscrupulous, dangerous, selfish and full of resentment. Blake is more considered.

Linskey uses cliffhangers throughout the novel to add pace and tension. It also emphasises Blake's fragile position as he continuously feels a sense of threat, risk and that his position will be usurped. There is lots of violence and action and this is not a sensationalised portrayal of the criminal underworld but a very real authentic one. It does seem to include every crime under the sun so this is not for readers who want to retain any sense of faith in people or the justice system! If you are not easily shocked and want to immerse yourself in a world of gangsters and organised crime then this book is for you! It's a complex, well written novel.

This follows on from Blackmore's debut novel "Lethal Profit", the first in the Eva Scott series. I didn't realise this when I selected it from the library shelf, even though "Lethal Profit" was sitting right next to it! But it didn't seem to be too much of a problem. There is enough recap given when needed, although for a few moments I did feel like I'd missed something but once I realised it was referring to a previous backstory and the details were filled in, it was fine! And I've made a mental note to borrow "Lethal Profit"!

This is a compelling conspiracy thriller. The opening is dramatic and we witness a death within the first page. Eva is unsettled by this death which she inadvertently witnesses and seems more bothered by it than maybe she should be which immediately tantalises the reader. There is a strong sense that she is scared of something.

Eva is clearly traumatised by the death of her brother 13 months ago. He was embroiled in some government work and there remains much mystery about his death. There are suggestions of violence, torture and illegal activity. There is no doubt about the direction this novel is heading towards as Blackmore establishes a backdrop of illegal crime and sown many seeds of suspicion and intrigue.

As with all accomplished thrillers, there is a second plot line and this is introduced early on to keep the pace. Stefano Giza, a scientific researcher specialising in genetics, is in the process of discovering a way of establishing trust artificially. The narrative is quick to point out how lucrative this drug would be and how important it's discovery would be. Giza's assertion that he deliberately chose this line of investigation in order to make money implies that it could also place him in danger - equally, what might happen if this drug fell into the wrong hands? He also sounds as if he could be corrupted, so driven by needing recognition and pursuing a marketable genetic line of research.

Within the first 30 pages the reader has experienced death, attempted abduction, murder, stalking and threats. There are references to Eva's dark past, that she has killed before and has already been party to incidents of violent attacks and outbreaks of deadly viruses. Our protagonist is a troubled character and this gives the book a lot of appeal. She feels a constant sense of unease and paranoia, always looking over her shoulder in case she is being watched or followed. She is frightened. Why? She is not safe. Why?

I won't say anymore! Only that this is an exciting, fast paced, well developed and well drawn crime thriller.


This is the third in the series of Ben Schroeder Mysteries, but again, I hadn't read any previous adventures and it did not affect my understanding or enjoyment.

This is much more of a legal thriller with more of a court room drama feel than the other titles reviewed above. It is much more dense and involved and took a little bit more investment to engage with and read. There is a lot of detail and a lot of information.

The novel is set in 1965 during the Cold War. Sir James Digby QC, respected member of the bar and member of the Chancery Division of the High Courts of Justice, employs Ben Schroeder to to sue an American journalist - Hollander - for libel. Hollander has accused Digby of spying for the Russians. He needs Schroeder to restore his good name. As Schroeder becomes more involved with the case, he realises it is more complex than first appeared and includes association with the Cambridge Spies. As MI6 become part of the drama, Schroeder is no longer sure he can save Digby from ruin.... will it be enough to obtain vital evidence even if it means putting his own career on the line as well?

More of a slow burner than the others books selected for this evening's talk, it is still worth a read and offers a more complex story of spies and legal drama rather than the more immediate violence of the other titles.

I'm sure the evening will be fascinating and it's a great opportunity to meet "real live" authors and hear directly about their work. It is great that the Library is hosting such an event and I hope it will be well supported in order to encourage more such evenings.

If you are interested in attending - whether with your book club or as an individual please see the details below.

Hope to see you there!

No Exit Press Crime Panel

Wednesday 30 March, Harpenden Library, 7.15pm

Leigh Russell, Howard Linskey, Peter Murphy, Alex Blackmore and other surprise guests from No Exit Press discuss their writing and getting published.

Book your tickets online - £7 / £5 concessions - includes a complimentary glass of wine

www.hertsdirect.org/libraryeventtickets
01707 2815333
direct from Harpenden Library


For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat, please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notification of future posts.