My First Blog Birthday!

A year ago today, I sat down at my computer and decided to start a blog. I had never been on Twitter before, I had never set up a webpage before, I had never written book reviews before - well, not for public viewing anyway! But on a whim, I set up a twitter account, a blogger page and wrote my first ever review and suddenly I discovered a whole new world of book bloggers, TBR piles, acronyms, blog tours and - the most coveted prize of all - advance reader copies!! 

I have had such a blast this year! I have "met" so many lovely, friendly, generous book bloggers who all share my passion for books and I genuinely look forward to chatting with. I have had "conversations" with authors who I admire and adore and with some great people from the world of publishing. I have read more than ever and my screams of delight can still be heard at the end of the street the when I'm approved for an ARC or I receive some book post! Sadly for my neighbours - and my very confused children, I don't think I will ever stop doing that - it's just far too exciting! 

So here are a few highlights from the last 12 months! No, I cannot tell you my favourite book or author because quite frankly that is impossible!

Here is my Top Ten Most Read Posts - click on the link to read the review!

The Girls by Lisa Jewell
Local Girl Missing by Claire Douglas
My Sister's Bones by Nuala Ellwood
Watch Me by Angela Clarke
Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller
What Alice Knew by TA Cotterell
Glass Houses by Jackie Buxton
The Easy Way Out by Steve Amsterdam 

How To Be Brave by Louise Beech

Jo Malone - My Story by Jo Malone

And my first 5* review of 2017?
The Unseeing by Anna Mazzola

My very first Book Review was Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Still Alice by Lisa Genova

My very first ARC via NetGalley was Unforgotten by Laura Powell
Unforgotten by Laura Powell

My very first Festival was the Killer Women Crime Festival in October
Killer Women Festival: Fresh Blood
Killer Women Festival: History and Mystery
Killer Women: How to Write a Thriller
Killer Women: Inside the Killer's head
Killer Women: Silver Scream- book v film?

My first quote in a paperback was for "The Good Mother" by A L Bird
The Good Mother by A L Bird

My first "live" event was when Deborah O'Connor (My Husband's Son) came to our book group:
My Husband's Son by Deborah O'Connor
Bibliomaniac's Book Club: Deborah O'Connor

My first Bibliomaniac's Book Club event was only held on the 18th January 2017:
Bibliomaniac's Book Club: Criminally Good Books
A review of Criminally Good Books

My goals for the next year?

• To run another Bibliomaniac's Book Club live event! (Dazzling Debuts)
• To run Bibliomaniac's Book Club via this blog with suggested reads for each month providing questions and ideas for any book group to use
• To attend more festivals! 

And most importantly -

• To carry on enjoying book blogging, sharing my passion for books with anyone who will listen, chatting away with all the fabulous book bloggers, authors and publishing peeps I have got to know over the last 12 months, hopefully meet a few more and whatever else happens, to carry on reading, recommending and reviewing as many books as my bibliomania can manage!! 

There are so many of you out there to thank - far too many to mention but I really would like to say a huge thank you to anyone who reads my blog, retweets, shares, comments and likes my posts, and an enormous thanks to the authors and publishers who are generous enough to send me ARCs!




And to show my thanks, here's a giveaway! A mystery prize for anyone who loves reading!! Enter below if you'd like to be in with a chance of winning! Ends of Friday 3rd Feb 2017.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


If you'd like to see how I get on in the next 12 months of my blog then please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) 

**BLOG TOUR** Corpus by Rory Clements

"Corpus" By Rory Clements was published on 26th January 2017 by Bonnier Zaffre.

1936.

In Berlin, a young Englishwoman evades the Gestapo to deliver vital papers to a Jewish scientist. Within weeks, she is found dead in her Cambridge bedroom, a silver syringe clutched in her fingers. 

In a London club, three senior members of the British establishment light the touch paper on a conspiracy that will threaten the very heart of government. Even the ancient colleges of Cambridge are not immune to political division. Dons and students must choose a side: right or left, where do you stand? 

When a renowned member of the county set and his wife are found horribly murdered, a maverick history professor finds himself dragged into a world of espionage which, until now, he has only read about in books. But the deeper Thomas Wilde delves, the more he wonders whether the murders are linked to the death of the girl with the silver syringe - and, just as worryingly, to the scandal surrounding King Edward VIII and his mistress Wallis Simpson... 

Set against the drumbeat of war and moving from Berlin to Cambridge, from Whitehall to the Kent countryside, and from the Fens to the Aragon Front in Spain, this big canvas international thriller marks the beginning of a major new series from bestselling author Rory Clements


It is my turn on the "Corpus" Blog Tour today and I am thrilled to be able to offer you the chance to read an extract from Chapter One! Read on and then I dare you not to want to read more!!

***EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT FROM CHAPTER ONE***

God, she was a fool, a bloody novice. She had been told what to do, of

course, how she must lose possible pursuers with backtracking, circling

and stops. How to spot a tail. But that was theory; this was reality.

The man with the sandals had disappeared into the heaving mass of

people. Perhaps he had been one of many; perhaps someone else was now

on her case. Nancy had attempted to dress as anonymously as she could,

in a shapeless green frock, with her hair braided and pinned up around

the top of her head. In their shared hotel room, Lydia had looked at her

oddly. ‘I know what you’re thinking,’ Nancy had said. ‘You think I look

like a bloody little Waltraud.’ Lydia had raised an eyebrow. A Waltraud

was their private derisory name for the sort of Nazi girl who belonged to

the BDM, wore dirndls and eschewed make-up and cigarettes. Was there

anyone in the world less like the clean-living jungmädel ideal than Nancy

Hereward? They had both fallen about laughing.

She headed south and westwards. On every corner and from every

public building, the swastika banners fl uttered in the warm breeze, black

on a white circle in a sea of red. Every one of them seemed like a personal

threat. Turning right into a side street, she stopped at a butcher’s shop

window and gazed at the cuts of meat and the endless varieties of sausage

without really seeing them. She tensed as an old woman bustled up to her

elbow and put a letter in the red Reichspost box fixed to the wall at the

side of the shop, then ambled away at snail’s pace. No one was following.

She carried on, walking further away from the main arteries of the city. At

the end of the street she turned right then, quickly, went left . The area was

residential now, a respectable mixture of smart tenement blocks, parks

and churches, very different from the regimented grid of streets bordering

Friedrichstrasse.

She knew that Lydia would be getting worried. Nancy had told her

she would only be gone twenty minutes; she should wait for her at the

Victoria with a coffee and cake and her book. ‘I just want a little time on

my own,’ she had said. Lydia had shrugged, clearly puzzled, but seemed to

accept it. This was going to take a lot longer than twenty minutes; Lydia

would just have to wait.

My thanks to the publisher for letting me be part of this Blog Tour, an advanced copy of the book in return for a review and for the exclusive use of this extract on the blog tour.

To read my review of "Corpus" please click on the link below:
Bibliomaniac's Review of Corpus

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk)

Bibliomaniac's Book Club: My Husband's Son by Deborah O'Connor

BIBLIOMANIAC'S BOOK CLUB:
 “MY HUSBAND’S SON” BY DEBORAH O'CONNOR

What's the book about?

You'd always recognise your own son. Wouldn't you?

Heidi and Jason aren't like other couples.

Six years ago, Heidi's daughter was murdered. A year later, Jason's son Barney disappeared. Their shared loss brought them together.

By chance, Heidi meets a boy she's certain is Barney.

But Jason is equally convinced it's not him.

Is Heidi mad? Or is Jason hiding something? And can their fragile marriage survive Heidi's newfound quest for the truth . . 

Shoebox Prompt Box

Here are a few ideas of things to pop in the box to start off the evening:

• A page of photos of celebrities as children to match to their adult photos 
• Why? Think about how much people do  / don't change over time and how easy it might be / might not be to recognise someone after a long time)
• A Newspaper Headline from the Ben Needham case
• Why? A true life story of a mother searching for her son for 25 years
• A photo fit of Madeline McCann as they believe she may look now
• Why? Think about how faces change, how the police or press can influence investigations, opinions and the truth....
• Some props from the story - see if people can guess what they are, why they are significant to the story and any other comments generated from thinking about these specific items and their role in the story
• We chose: a fire engine, a compass, a hotel room key, a black file with 'Vicky' written on it, a jiffy bag with some strands of hair
• Questions (see section below for full details)
• We cut the questions up and put them in an envelope for a kind of "lucky dip" approach to vary the discussion 
• A sheet with a few games / activities / fun discussion points, for example:
• Write Jason and Heidi's wedding vows
• What questions would you ask Heidi when she's 'on the psychiatrists couch'?
• Write a letter from Clara to Heidi following their falling out
• Write Heidi's work appraisal / final warning letter /resignation letter
• Write a one line synopsis / sales pitch for the book or one line selling the book to another book group
• A copy of the book 
• A list of suggested books you might want to read next if you enjoyed this one - several copies so people can take them away if they wish (see below for full details) 

Questions for Book Group:

·       How effective do you find the inclusion of a prologue in this book?

·       Does one single event have the power to shape and define a person?

·       What does the book have to say about the parent / child connection? Was there anything you particularly agreed or disagreed with?

·       Is there ever an instance where it is right to do the wrong thing? 

Characters: 

·       How did you feel towards Heidi? Is she a reliable narrator and how far can we trust her?

·       “What happened to my daughter now defines who I am.” (Heidi). Is this true? To what extent does Heidi fight this definition? Is it possible to not be defined by it?

·       How convincing did you find Heidi and Jason’s relationship?

·       Why is Heidi attracted to Tommy? What does he give her that Jason cannot?

·       Heidi refers to her weight a lot. It is used in descriptive detail as well to reveal character, relationships and her mental state. Did you find this an effective metaphor in the novel? If so, why? If not, why not? 

·       “If Jason were to get his kid back, how long do you think it would be until he realises you and he no longer have anything in common?” (Tommy). What do you think about Tommy’s comment? Does Heidi have Jason’s best interests at heart?

·       How did you feel towards Vicky? 

·       Jason is always searching for something “concrete” or for “an answer, any answer”. He clings to “a fable” and the belief that a bond between parent and child can never be broken or lost. How convinced are you by Jason’s search? Does he want to find his son? Is Jason really able to recognise the truth amongst the myths, false sightings, police findings and years of searching?

General:

·       “Family is who or what you make it.” “We raised him, we’re family.”(Tommy) What might the author be saying about family in this book? 

·       “You don’t have a conscience. Your sort never do.” What did you think about the presentation of the media and journalists in the novel? 

·       Some of the key revelations in this book come a little early than in many conventional thrillers. How effective did you find this? How effective did you find this book as a thriller or would you put in another genre?

·       The epilogue has the final twist. Did you enjoy this? Did you like it? Dislike it? Was it needed? 

Quick Fire:

·       Did you like the ending?  How plausible did you find it? 

·       Do you like the title of the novel? Why is it effective? (or not?!)

·       If you were Heidi, would you have made the same decision? 

·       What motivates Heidi? What is her overall goal?

·       Where do you see Heidi and Jason in five years time?

·       Who is the villain in book? Who is the victim?

·       “Life is series of trade offs, of choices considered and choices made.” Do you agree with this?

·       What was the thing you liked best about the book?

If you liked this book, try:

Gone Astray by Michelle Davis

Lesley and her husband Mack are the sudden winners of a £15 million EuroMillions jackpot. They move with their 15-year-old daughter Rosie to an exclusive gated estate in Buckinghamshire, leaving behind their ordinary lives - and friends - as they are catapulted into wealth beyond their wildest dreams. But it soon turns into their darkest nightmare when, one beautiful spring afternoon, Lesley returns to their house to find it empty: their daughter Rosie is gone.

Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra

In 2003, sixteen-year-old Rebecca Winter disappeared.

She’d been enjoying her teenage summer break: working at a fast food restaurant, crushing on an older boy and shoplifting with her best friend. Mysteriously ominous things began to happen―blood in the bed, periods of blackouts, a feeling of being watched―though Bec remained oblivious of what was to come. Eleven years later she is replaced. A young woman, desperate after being arrested, claims to be the decade-missing Bec.

Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller

1976: Peggy Hillcoat is eight. She spends her summer camping with her father, playing her beloved record of The Railway Children and listening to her mother's grand piano, but her pretty life is about to change.Her survivalist father, who has been stockpiling provisions for the end which is surely coming soon, takes her from London to a cabin in a remote European forest. There he tells Peggy the rest of the world has disappeared.Her life is reduced to a piano which makes music but no sound, a forest where all that grows is a means of survival. And a tiny wooden hut that is Everything.

After Anna by Alex Lake 

A girl is missing. Five years old, taken from outside her school. She has vanished, traceless.The police are at a loss; her parents are beyond grief. Their daughter is lost forever, perhaps dead, perhaps enslaved.But the biggest mystery is yet to come: one week after she was abducted, their daughter is returned.She has no memory of where she has been. And this, for her mother, is just the beginning of the nightmare.

The Missing by C L Taylor 

When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire, blames herself. She's not the only one. There isn't a single member of Billy's family that doesn't feel guilty. But the Wilkinsons are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn't until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?

The Good Mother by A L Bird 

Susan wakes up alone in a room she doesn’t recognise, with no memory of how she got there. She only knows that she is trapped, and her daughter is missing.

The relief that engulfs her when she hears her daughter’s voice through the wall is quickly replaced by fear.

The person who has imprisoned her has her daughter, too.

Devising a plan to keep her daughter safe, Susan begins to get closer to her unknown captor. And suddenly, she realises that she has met him before.

Madeleine: Our Daughter’s Disappearance….. Kate McCann

'The decision to publish this book has been very difficult, and taken with heavy hearts ... My reason for writing it is simple: to give an account of the truth ... Writing this memoir has entailed recording some very personal, intimate and emotional aspects of our lives. Sharing these with strangers does not come easily to me, but if I hadn't done so I would not have felt the book gave as full a picture as it is possible for me to give. As with every action we have taken over the last five years, it ultimately boils down to whether what we are doing could help us to find Madeleine. When the answer to that question is yes, or even possibly, our family can cope with anything ... Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl.'

Ben by Kerry Needham

In 1991 Kerry and her son Ben followed Kerry’s parents to live on the Greek island of Kos. On 24 July, she was at work when her mum Christine arrived crying uncontrollably. Ben had been playing outside, and then disappeared. Someone had taken Ben.

In her heartbreaking memoir, Kerry describes the agony of being initially suspected by the police, which meant the closure of airport and ferry terminals were delayed, the early sightings that raised their hopes and the hoaxes which dashed them completely. And the unbearable pain of knowing her baby boy was alone somewhere without his mum.

And don't forget.....

Best snacks to accompany this title:

Rich tea biscuits taken from the staff room

A packet of crisps or nuts grabbed from behind the pub counter 

Take Away selection of starters 

Best drink to accompany this title:

Coffee / tea

Chilled White Wine 

Best venue for this title:

College staffroom 

Canteen (college / school hall style) 

Wine bar 

Deborah O'Connor can be found on Twitter @deboc77 
Deborah O'Connor is a writer and TV producer. Born and bred in the North-East of England, in 2010 she completed the Faber Academy novel writing course. She lives in London with her husband and daughter.

For more recommendations please follow @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) 

"The Girl in the Garden" by Melanie Wallace

When June arrives on the coast of New England, baby in arms, an untrustworthy man by her side, Mabel—who rents them a cabin—senses trouble. A few days later, the girl and her child are abandoned.  June is soon placed with Mabel’s friend, Iris, in town, and her life becomes entwined with a number of locals who have known one another for decades: a wealthy recluse with a tragic past; a widow in mourning; a forsaken daughter returning for the first time in years, with a stranger in tow; a lawyer, whose longings he can never reveal; and a kindly World War II veteran who serves as the town's sage. Surrounded by the personal histories and secrets of others, June finds the way forward for herself and her son amid revelations of the others' pasts, including loves—and crimes—from years ago. 

I requested this book not just because the cover looked so appealing (although that was a large factor!) but because it sounded like it would be a complete contrast from the other novels with "girl" in the title that are out at the moment. And it is.

This is a novel to be read slowly. This is a novel which is about characters and relationships. This is a novel about the universal themes that affect everyone as they make their journey through life. I felt elements of Anne Tyler, Anita Shreve and Maggie O'Farrell seeping onto some of the pages as Wallace focusses a small community, gradually revealing what lies behind them and how their stories are interwoven with each other.

This is a perfect novel for those of us who like to people watch. In fact, some of the characters love to people watch too and it is Mabel who is uses her "sixth sense" to interpret the unhappy situation that June finds herself in at the beginning of the novel.

"She said her name was June. As though, it struck Mabel, she'd never had or no longer had a last name or a need for one........[Mabel] wasn't about to send her on her way with that, not that she and anywhere to go. Nor was Mabel about to discuss the girl's future, as her present was disastrous enough, the thought of it almost intolerable." 

All the characters are likeable and in a way the novel is almost like a collection of short stories or character studies as you follow from one to the other, tugged gently along by the swell of the tide and aware of the undercurrent that links them altogether. The setting of the coast line is used very effectively to illustrate emotional turmoil, the sense of insignificance or failure and the isolation or sense of being lost that some of the characters feel.

".....the ocean- like life - simply beyond comprehension because of its magnitude, it's meaninglessness."

I do like a long sentence and I do like a lot of beautiful imagery so Wallace satisfied me with this on nearly every page. Although it is a relatively short novel, the writing is quite dense. Not only are there long sentences, but also long paragraphs. There is very little dialogue but this is a book about exploring the inner thoughts, feelings, fears and sadness of these carefully crafted characters; characters who appear reserved and understated yet are full of complexities.

Wallace's use of long sentences does mean that finding appropriate quotes and pulling out succinct examples for this review is tricky but I am going to share a few! The following quote is about June herself when she arrives at the coastal town.

"She gazed at the water dumbly, unable to make sense of it, too tired to be overwhelmed, not even fully realising that they'd reached an edge of the continent, unable to process the enormity of having come to the destination she'd chosen, because every cell in her body was crying out for sleep."

 Although June appears to be our protagonist, for me I felt the book was actually equally about all the characters who feature. It almost like "The Girl in the Garden" is a story where the understudies take the stage and the lives of those who we usually overlook take their chance to speak; a chance for the lost, failing and reclusive shadows to win the affection, sympathy and care of the reader.

My favourite character was actually Iris. I thoroughly enjoyed the passages about her and found the ending of the novel very poignant and moving.

"I don't need to be nostalgic.....I'm not even capable of such a thing. And I'm not interested in seeing myself as someone I can no longer recognise."

It is hard to write a lengthy review on a book where the plot is secondary to the prose so all I will say is that this is a read that demands attention, time and appreciation. It will force you to slow down and allow you to consider, reflect and enjoy Wallace's insight, observations and description.

If you enjoy books like "Stoner" then this is the book for you. Similarly if you enjoy eloquent literary fiction then this is also the book for you!

I recommend this book. It was well written and with some memorable characters.

"The Girl in the Garden" by Melanie Wallace is published on 31st January 2017.

For more recommendations and reviews you can follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk)

"Those Who Lie" by Diane Jeffrey

Emily Klein doesn’t know her husband has died until the day of his funeral.

But, as she pieces together the events before his death – events which led to her own memory loss – Emily begins to suspect that his death may not have been such a tragic accident after all.

If only she could remember…

The question is: are there some memories which Emily should leave alone?

At the moment there is a trend to follow the title of a new books with claims of unexpected twists, psychological thrills, or that it is the next big "Gone Girl" release. Not only does "Those Who Lie"  not do this, it also carries one of the most brief blurbs I have come across in a while. The effect? I want to read it even more.

"Those Who Lie" could easily carry a subtitle along the lines of "Be warned, this psychological thriller is full of secrets, lies and memories....Who do you trust when you can't even trust yourself?" It could easily add the claim that if you liked "The Girl on the Train" or love writers like Samantha Hayes or Elizabeth Haynes then this must be your next read. But it doesn't. This book relies merely on the tantalising implication that this is a story about murder, memory and nothing being as it seems.  And it was that short taste of what might reveal itself in the pages of the novel (and the cover design) that attracted me to the book.

Of course, this is a great psychological thriller and yes it will sit very well alongside its contemporaries in this genre. It deserves to sell well and it deserves to be read by all fans of Grip Lit. The opening line is a killer in itself:

"Emily Klein doesn't know she has killed him until the day of his funeral. Her loved ones, including, of course, her husband, are all at the church rather than at her bedside. That explains why there are no familiar faces around her this time when she regains consciousness."

It hooked me in right away.

I really enjoyed the opening chapter. It's full of questions and Jeffrey really captures the distraught and confused state of Emily as she awakes in hospital unable to piece together why she is here, what happened, why the police are there and why her husband is not at her bedside.

"What's going on? What do the police want? Emily can't shake off the unnerving impression that something is very wrong. .............Something doesn't feel right. Emily's mind is even foggier, and she's struggling to organise her thoughts."

Just like Emily, the reader is on the edge of their seats waiting for some sort of revelation that will clarify what happened, just what the police are accusing Emily of and what events preceded the car accident. You have to wait a long time. Jeffrey reveals little clues, hints and tit bits as the plot develops and allows us to piece together a lot of the story, but don't be deceived into thinking that this book won't have some final twists and turns thrown in on the very last pages!

As with all satisfying psychological thrillers there is a dual timeline flitting between Emily's childhood in 1995 and 1996 and the present day of 2014 and 2015. Jeffrey manages both narratives really well and it is a great way of getting us to read as we try to solve the mystery facing Emily about events in the present day.

Returning to 1995 helps us get to know Emily much better as a character. Her childhood is very traumatic but it also reveals her relationships with her mother, father and sister. It helps give us a better picture of all the characters and the relationships between them. Jeffrey starts these sections with little details that immediately show the reader something unsettling is going on - I don't know if there is a word which means a 'cliffhanger in the opening line of a chapter' but if there is one, this is what Jeffrey does. Not only does she leave you wanting more at the end of each chapter, she also drags you right into the next chapter.

"Her stomach was heavy with dread. She was terrified she wouldn't be able to go through with it." 

Emily's relationship with her mother Josephine is complicated. She is not portrayed as a likeable character; a drunk and a mother who turns too much of a blind eye leaves us feeling little sympathy for her and even as she appears to sober up in the present day storyline there still seems to be a huge void between mother and daughter. Like Emily, we are unable to determine exactly what is going on in Josephine's mind and exactly what she thinks about events.

"Josephine's expression is inscrutable." 

The sections set in 1995 are also crucial in revealing Emily's fragile and vulnerable mental state. Jeffrey has been very ambitious with her main protagonist who suffers from depression, anorexia, a personality disorder and issues with identity. Emily has memory loss and often seems to get distracted or a little hypnotised by smells, flashes of recollection, things she thinks she sees. Her quote from Alice in Wonderland is absolutely perfect:

"I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, sir," said Alice, "because I'm not myself you see." 

What is most effective about this aspect of Emily's character is that we then start to distrust her and be wary of what she perceives to be happening around her - or indeed happened to her in the past. Can we rely on her? Is she telling the truth? Is she even able to discern what is the truth and what is a dream, a memory, a false memory? And if we don't trust her, who else is there that we can trust?

And again, the quote from Alice in Wonderland encapsulates the thoughts of Emily and the reader!

"It would be nice if something made sense for a change." 

This is also a novel about love. What happens when you love someone too much, when you love the wrong person, when you misjudge that love, when you can't trust yourself to love or when you are too trusting in your love that you can't see what is really going on in front of you? It is a novel about families, jealousy and revenge. It is also a novel about art and I liked the extra dimension that Emily's paintings added to the exploration of her personality - of her feelings of darkness and confusion and then the emergence into colour and light.

This novel also reminds us of the impact of social media on our lives. Facebook features as a perfect vehicle for stalking, trick playing, mind games and anonymous comments. Again, it also questions what we know, what we see, what we believe and what we are prepared to reveal to each other.

Emily and Amanda are convincing characters. I thought the relationship between them was authentic and Jeffrey manages the conflict that we see in Amanda really well. Amanda seems incredibly protective towards Emily in one way yet clearly bothered by something more underlying and, as the novel progresses, it is clear she is harbouring some deep secret.

I felt that I developed a relationship with both of them but obviously we are particularly encouraged to align ourselves with Emily despite her unreliable narrative and her delicate mental state of mind. If I had one quibble with the story is that I might have preferred the book to be in first person from Emily's point of view. This is her story and Jeffrey's use of close third person means that we hear much more from her point of view than anyone else's and often share her internal thoughts so I wonder if first person would have given Jeffrey more opportunity for this?  I wonder if the use of third person creates a little bit of distance and objectiveness and actually, particularly because of Emily's depression, memory loss and confusion, a first person narrative might emphasise this further and help exaggerate the tension and suspense?

Jeffrey's control of the narrative is very effective though. She manages the two different threads of past and present well and draws everything together in a dramatic climax. I would say she finishes with a satisfying conclusion but there is nothing satisfying about the last line and there is no neat conclusion! Jeffrey pulls a great last punch in her final words.

I enjoyed "Those Who Lie". The story is well structured and contains all the ingredients for a exciting psychological thriller. There are lots of twists, turns, revelations, hidden secrets and moments of confusion which leave the reader wondering who they think is lying and who they think is telling the truth. A good first novel!

"Those Who Lie" by Diane Jeffrey is published by HQ Digital on 27th January 2017.

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniancuk)

"Corpus" by Rory Clements

1936.

In Berlin, a young Englishwoman evades the Gestapo to deliver vital papers to a Jewish scientist. Within weeks, she is found dead in her Cambridge bedroom, a silver syringe clutched in her fingers. 

In a London club, three senior members of the British establishment light the touch paper on a conspiracy that will threaten the very heart of government. Even the ancient colleges of Cambridge are not immune to political division. Dons and students must choose a side: right or left, where do you stand? 

When a renowned member of the county set and his wife are found horribly murdered, a maverick history professor finds himself dragged into a world of espionage which, until now, he has only read about in books. But the deeper Thomas Wilde delves, the more he wonders whether the murders are linked to the death of the girl with the silver syringe - and, just as worryingly, to the scandal surrounding King Edward VIII and his mistress Wallis Simpson... 

Set against the drumbeat of war and moving from Berlin to Cambridge, from Whitehall to the Kent countryside, and from the Fens to the Aragon Front in Spain, this big canvas international thriller marks the beginning of a major new series from bestselling author Rory Clements

This book opens with a Nancy Hereward on some sort of covert mission in Berlin in 1936. I was immediately caught up in the events as she hurried through the streets worrying that she was being followed or that her friend would notice she was missing.

"God she was a fool, a bloody novice. She had been told what to do of course, how she must lose possible pursuers with backtracking circling and stops. How to spot a tail. But that was theory; this was reality."

It reminded me of books like "Charlotte Grey" and "Restless" and I was intrigued by Clements' female character and what exactly she had become embroiled with. The chapters often end with really effective cliffhangers that imply everyone is watching everyone and we really are entering a world of espionage, danger and political games. Nancy may have got back to her friend, may have thought she'd completed her mission but......

"Neither woman saw the boy looking in through the cafe window."

A sense of anticipation is also created through the fact that the book is organised into consecutive days set during one week in December 1936. This is also effective as it is a complicated moment in history which is full of significance both politically and socially so by focussing the story more specifically and completing within a set time frame made it feel less overwhelming. As all readers know what comes next in the subsequent years, Clements creates a sense of a ticking clock which builds further tension. Everyone is very familiar with the events leading up to the Second World War and the rise of Hitler but I felt that Clements had actually breathed some freshness into his spy thriller by choosing Cambridge 1936 as the setting for his adventure.

Following on from Nancy's adventures we then move on to an anonymous narrator who is carrying out a murder with chilling precision. I loved the murderer's attention to detail as he prepares to carry out his violent act. He appears to have all the time in the world, mastery stealth, a whole range of specific equipment and his preparations are so measured that the actual moment when he kills has a huge impact on the reader. The graphic description of the killing is a real contrast from the description of his calm demeanour and it was one of the most gripping murder scenes I have read for a while. Clements writing is very visual and it was easy to imagine this scene as if it were unfolding before me on television.

I liked the main protagonist Thomas Wilde. He is a college professor; intelligent, unassuming, likeable and an unlikely hero for a spy thriller. We are introduced to him through his teaching at Cambridge where he is telling his students that it is essential to "reexamine everything you have ever been told," and "make your own mind up on the evidence you can find...... keep an open mind.." And my favourite bit:

"Become a detective because if you don't you'll never become a historian."

This professor, who "dislikes college politics and tittle-tattle whispers" is a historian who becomes a detective, determined to solve the mystery surrounding Nancy's death and unwittingly finds himself caught up in a political drama which rivals the story lines of Robert Harris and William Boyd. Wilde realises that although "he might know all about the history and theory of espionage and detective work, he had a lot to learn about the practicalities." I liked this aspect of his character and I liked the fact that his character did not feel cliched.

Clements cleverly judges the tricky line between writing an exciting and engaging crime thriller which is simultaneously set within a very real moment in history. There are specific references to King Edward's abdication, the growth of societies like the British Union of Fascists and the book features the real characters of the Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, Prince Albert and Wallis Simpson. 

It's a complex and ambitious story and although not a genre I read a lot, I was pleasantly surprised about how engaging I found it. I really enjoyed the characterisation of the women and their storyline. I liked Wilde and I liked the descriptions of Britain, the houses, the colleges - everything was very easy to picture. It wasn't quite what I expected and it would certainly make a good TV drama series.

I do wonder if the front cover slightly misrepresents the book a little. To me the cover implies a very male, heavy duty war story and yet I think this novel has a wider appeal. I think it would be enjoyed by readers of crime fiction, historical fiction and as I mentioned before, fans of novels like "Charlotte Grey", "The Girl at Lion D'or" and "Restless". Ultimately it is a espionage novel with a complicated political and historical plot. In Thomas Wilde, Clements has created a character who has enough appeal and longevity from which to develop a successful series and I'm sure his book will be successful.

"Corpus" by Rory Clements is published by Bonnier Zaffre on 26th January 2017.

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk)

"The Unseeing" by Anna Mazzola

Sarah Gale, a seamstress and mother, sentenced to hang for her role in the murder of Hannah Brown on the eve of her wedding.

After Sarah petitions for mercy, Edmund Fleetwood is appointed to investigate and consider whether justice has been done. Idealistic, but struggling with his own demons, Edmund is determined to seek out the truth. Yet Sarah refuses to help him, neither lying nor adding anything to the evidence gathered in court. Edmund knows she's hiding something, but needs to discover just why she's maintaining her silence. For how can it be that someone would willingly go to their own death? 

This is a brilliant book. I can not believe it is Mazzola's first novel; it is so eloquent, engaging, evocative and quite frankly, just down right excellent!

I read about this book on Twitter and knew it was THE book I had to read in 2017 so I was absolutely delighted to receive an advance copy from Millie Seaward at Tinder Press - the best belated Christmas present ever!

So what makes this book so brilliant?

How long have you got?!

It's set in 1837 and I don't think I have read a book recently that has been able to place me so firmly in its historical setting. The sights, smells, sounds and surroundings are evoked with such conviction and authenticity that you are utterly transported back in time. Mazzola's careful attention to detail means that the reader is completely immersed in the 1830s and able to experience the reality of living in London at this time. Whatever stenches Mazzola does bring to our attention, there is not a whiff of academia or showing off - she does not draw unnecessary attention to the extensive research that must have gone it to this book. She has a fascinating story to tell and is a gifted story teller. The setting, the social context and the historical references creep like shadows onto the page, furnishing your mind with all it needs to feel as if you are walking the streets alongside Edmund and Sarah rather than reminding you this is based on a real case in history and it is 1837. Mazzola manages to create a wonderful reimagining of this time and place with immense success.

"Back out on Newgate Street, Edmund was hit by the stink of horses hit and cesspits, the shouts of hawkers, the clatter of hoofs, the crack of a coachman's whip."

It's a gritty novel. London in the 1830s is not a pleasant place and Newgate Prison is a terrible institution. Conditions are horrific and there is a dark, oppressive atmosphere running through the novel which helps to build tension, suspense and as well as a sense of despair. Although Mazzola's description of life inside the prison is not for the fainthearted, it is completely compelling. It reminded me of several authors like Dickens and Wilkie Collins.

"The dark cells: that place of utter blackness beneath Newgate where those who refused to keep silent were shackled to the wall, gagged and then left to their own private hell." 

And there is real resonance in some of the phrases:

"After a few weeks of Newgate's regis, she no longer looked much like a child bearing woman. She was beginning to resemble the skeleton she would become." 

So alongside the fantastic atmosphere, this novel is also riddled with intrigue. Firstly, it is based on a real murder case so this in itself creates a sense of tension. Secondly there is the mystery of what actually happened to Hannah Brown and how she died. There is the intrigue about Sarah's lover James, who was also engaged to Hannah, his relationship with the two women and his role in Hannah's death. Then finally, the intrigue surrounding Sarah and her reluctance to speak up about the events or go to any trouble to defend herself.

Sarah is a highly complicated protagonist. The reader is continually guessing whether she is guilty or not guilty, an actress or a vulnerable woman, a victim or a manipulative liar. It's impossible to know and I thought she was a really compelling and fascinating character. There are times when she seems to be playing Edmund  - "she was not at all sure that she had the right cards, nor whether it was the right time to show them" - and then times when she appears to have been completely manipulated by a controlling, obsessed lover:

"James had a way with words: he always knew what to say to buoy people up and make them trust him. But he also knew what would cut the deepest. He began with little slices, barely perceptible and then, when, she was broken down, move on to the bigger incisions."

There is a humanity about Sarah which is reflected in her relationship with her sister, then one of the inmates and most significantly with her young son, George. But equally this is a woman who also appears to have stood by and watch her lover cut the throat of his fiancé. I really enjoyed the passage when Sarah considers what might happen to her body after her hanging has taken place. It reminds the reader not only of medial education at the time, but also medical understanding of the mind and of the criminal at this point in history:

"Or would she be anatomised..... this Gentlemen is what an evil woman's heart looks like: observe how strangely it is formed........A sure sign of a diseased and dangerous mind." 

I also enjoyed the character of Edmund Fleetwood, who has the complicated job of investigating Sarah's sentence despite an overwhelming belief that she had a fair trial with representation. "She chose to say virtually nothing at all," states the Home Secretary. She is appealing for mercy and yet refuses to speak up. She's adamant that she is innocent but won't really help Edmund put together a convincing case. But Edmund is a conscientious man who sees something in Sarah, he decides to do all he can to discover the truth and save Sarah's life even when at the detriment of his own. I liked the suspense and tension that followed Edmund around as he sought answers to his difficult questions and the implication that he was becoming haunted by this case. It emphasised a sense of something foreboding lurking within the final chapters.

"Thinking he had heard the light tread of footsteps close behind him, Edmund turned back, but only saw rags hanging on washing lines overhead, moving in the breeze like phantoms." 

I love the fact that Mazzola has quoted King Lear after one of the chapter headings. The title of the novel is "The Unseeing" and the notion of sight, perception, reality, shadows, dreams and sight - both literal and metaphorical, are used effectively within the novel adding depth, fear and anticipation to the characters and the plot. It did remind me of King Lear a few times so the quote seemed very appropriate -as were all the quotes chosen to head each chapter. There were some fascinating extracts from court cases and academic quotes about women and prison which add further food for thought to the themes explored by Mazzola.

As I said before, the historical research that went into this book must have been immense but it is not intrusive. This book is for fans of historical fiction but also for fans of crime writing. It is for fans of novels that are as much character driven as plot driven and for fans of a story that weaves an intricate web of secrets and lies. Ultimately this is a book for fans of exquisite, engrossing and absorbing writing and who like a story that is both exciting and moving.

"The Unseeing" has a complex plot which is impressively handled; it explores many interesting themes and provides real insight into society at a particular moment in time. It has appealing characters who are created with the skill of an accomplished writer. It's impossible to accept this books comes from a debut novelist. It really reminded me of one of my all time favourite writers Sarah Waters and if you enjoyed this book you should definitely read her novels!

I loved it. I highly recommend it. I can't do it justice in this review and all I can say is read it. My first book hangover of 2017!

"The Unseeing" by Anna Mazzola is published by Tinder Press on 26th January 2017.

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk)