#Quicksand #MalinPerssonGiolito #Review

Is Maja a normal 18-year-old, the poster girl next door, popular and excelling at her schoolwork, caught in the middle of a terrible tragedy? Or, is she the most reviled teenager in the country?

Maja has spent nine months in jail awaiting trial for a shooting in her school. Among those killed were her boyfriend and her best friend. 

Now the time has come for her to enter the courtroom. 

This book is billed as a cross between "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and "The Secret History". It's said to be for fans of "Serial" and "Making a Murderer". It's the winner of Sweden's Best Crime Novel 2016 and the press release that came with my proof copy was crammed full of incredible quotes from reviews from across the whole of Europe.

There are anticipated reads and there are anticipated reads! This is an anticipated read that you need to make your next read.

The premise of the book is established on the first page. We are in a classroom with an assortment of characters. Maja is our narrator and she tells us:

"Everyone has been shot but me. I haven't got so much as a bruise." 

What happened? Is she guilty? Why did this happen? What precedes two teenagers walking into school with a bomb and guns and shooting their friends? As the novel continues with the court case of Maja we continue to ask these questions right up until the very last page. Can the story ever answer these questions? Can you ever know why these sort of tragic events happen? Can you assign guilt, judgement and punishment to one person, one moment, one thing?

The most captivating thing about this book for me was that the author is truly exploring so much more than all of these questions. By the end of the book I was still really struggling to work out what I thought and whether Maja was guilty or not and then it almost ceased to matter. The issues, themes, ideas and observations raised, discussed and described throughout the 400 pages are so interesting and so engrossing that actually I found myself asking questions about very different things from the questions I had set off with.

The novel is narrated by Maja. It is told in several different sections. There are the sections set in the court room as the trial is taking place, then we go back in time to read about the friendships, relationships and events leading up to the shooting.

Initially I found it a little hard to get into the story as the legal terminology, long sentences and immense detail was quite a lot to take in. Also although the reader has been told what happened, we have not been given much detail and so we are still trying to piece together what actually took place, who was there, why Maja was there and what she might or might not have done. We hear things from Maja, the lawyers and the newspapers which creates tension and ambiguity and though this is effective in the long run, initially it just took me a while to get used to it. We are in court but rather than finding out any answers, I found I was asking more questions.

At first I was also confused about Maja and how I was supposed to feel towards her. She is 18, she is a good student, she has a good home life and was in a relationship with lots of friends.  But she appears to be responsible for killing several innocent people. She narrates the novel in a clear, intelligent voice which feels very authentic and shows insight to the kind of relationships was involved with. She understands the duplicity and the manipulation in friendships, the importance of appearance and the competition for popularity at school. Sometimes Maja made me feel sorry for her and think she was innocent and sometimes she was vague, ambiguous and more scathing. She is a fascinating character. As the title implies, she is like quicksand, there are two sides to her which keep shifting and often leave you wondering which to believe. I loved reading her story.

After the first court scenes, the novel moves back to a section titled "Sebastian and Me". I really enjoyed this shift of location, time and context. This section had more of a YA  / crossover novel feel to it. I really became immersed in the relationships Maja was involved in and the character of the enigmatic and complex Sebastian. I really enjoyed Maja's dilemmas about being in love with him yet not being in love with him - needing to help him but not knowing how to help him, a boy who was privileged but deprived. As the chapters continued I became more attached to Maja as a character and began to build more of a relationship with her. I was not always sympathetic towards her or able to relate to her situation but I was invested and I wanted to see where we were heading and what ending we were moving towards.

The novel then alternates between the court scenes and sections recounting the relationship between Maja and her best friend Amanda and then with Samir. The reader might assume that the court scenes will dominate a book about finding out whether it's main character is a victim or a killer but actually it is more about the lives of the teenagers, their interactions, their experiences and their home lives. There is more to glean from these passages than the statements given in court.

And the ending. Wow. Totally page turning. Totally gripping.

This is a dense novel. It's one to immerse yourself in. It is thought provoking, considered and intelligent. It is about social, political and economical issues. It is a reflection on Sweden and Europe and it is also a novel about 18 year olds who negotiate their way through first love, sex, school and relationships with their parents. It has weight, depth, excellent characterisation and a gripping plot. It is a lengthy novel and it requires concentration but it is so rewarding and so well constructed that it truly does deserve every single one of the accolades it's already won and will doubtlessly go on to receive many, many more.

This book is hugely impressive. It can not be summed up in one word or one genre. It is a court room drama, it is a murder story, it is psychologically thrilling, it is a coming of age novel. It is a must read.

Quicksand is published by Simon and Schuster on the 6th April 2017.

For more recommendations and reviews follow me on Twitter @KatherineSunde3 or check out my website www.bibliomaniacuk.co.uk

#MyHusbandtheStranger by #RebeccaDone #review

A tragic accident. A terrible injury. And in a moment, the man you fell in love with is transformed into a total stranger. How would you cope? What would you do? Would you be strong enough to stay? But what if you found out that it wasn't an accident at all...?

In sickness and in health? When you say these vows, you hope never to be tested on them - at least not to the extremes that Alex and Molly experience.

I requested this book because I seem to have a morbid fascination with other people's dysfunctional relationships - or maybe I'm fascinated about how people behave, react and cope under pressure. Young, married Alex and Molly find themselves suddenly under huge pressure, emotionally, practically and financially.

Alex has been left brain damaged from a tragic accident. He can no longer work or go out as independently as before. He spends his days lying unwashed on the sofa surfing the internet. He follows instructions literally and is no longer able to complete simple tasks or be responsible for household chores. Molly has had to give up a successful career in London, friendships and a flat in the capital to move to Norfolk and take a job in a local company where she can arrive at 9 and leave at 5 so that she can care for Alex and support them both.

The opening pages are so full of sadness as Molly describes waking up and hoping that today will be the day that she comes downstairs to find the old Alex has returned. That he is cooking pancakes and that they can recapture all those in jokes and romantic rituals that they shared in the early days of their marriage. For Molly, the hardest thing about Alex's condition is that every now and again she sees a flicker of the old Alex- the 'before' Alex, every now and again something happens to remind her of why she loves him and the man he used to be. But this is few and far between and for the most part life is frustrating, demanding and unrelenting.

This is not an easy novel to read and for the first section I was wondering why I was reading something that was so distressing. Molly's pain is so vivid, so palpable, so well conveyed that I was right there with her - trying to get ready for a meeting, knowing she is under pressure at work after having already been served a verbal warning, finding Alex slumped on the sofa and that the milk has gone off because he put it back in the cupboard...... And then when he jostles with her over the half full container and it spills all down her and all over the floor I actually wrung my own hands out and shared in her gasp of horror.

"Stinking fluid is leaching across the concrete floor - the exposed innards of this cottage a constant reminder of our half-finished dream renovation project - snaking under the fridge and ancient kitchen units like something toxic. We might as well have just stuffed rotting mackerel into the wall cavity." 

The novel is narrated from Molly's point of view which makes her experiences more intense and her anxieties, worries and predicaments more immediate and more impactful. There is something a little claustrophobic about the novel - not only do the couple live in a small property that is in a rural setting, there is something quite suffocating about their lifestyle. But this is important and deliberate. Done is exploring the reality of living with the man you fell in love with who has now changed beyond recognition. Done is exploring what it is like to live as the carer of your husband; what it is like to try and make ends meet, juggle work and home and live with the constant worry of what your partner might end up doing next. Every single aspect of Molly's day and week is planned around Alex. It's exhausting. And heartbreaking.

"In the end, it's the little things that get to you.....It's our favourite joke in our favourite film, missed for the umpteenth time. It's being handed black tea with the tea bag still in...." 

I think this book is brave because there is nothing sentimental or sugar coated about Molly and Alex's situation. It's hard to feel sympathy for Alex as despite his terrible suffering since his accident, on a day to day level he is very difficult to deal with and has few redeeming characteristics. And then although Molly is clearly under enormous pressure - which has built up over a period of time - she is also fallible, flawed, short tempered and openly frustrated. It's honest and it's realistic. It's not happy reading.

The story flits between the present day and then back to when they met. We are introduced to chapters from Alex from before the accident. This helps to break the intensity of the present situation and also gives the reader a chance to get to know Alex  - the Alex Molly fell in love with. This also brings in a second plot line to the story. This narrative begins to expose the relationship between Alex and Graeme (Alex's twin brother who is very supportive and on hand to help Molly) and reveal more about their family life.

At this point the story becomes more multilayered as it becomes clear that there is some darker past hiding in Graeme and Alex's life and that Graeme may not be the person Molly thinks he is. And for those of us who love the dysfunctional relationships, we now become involved in the emotionally complex relationships between Alex, his brother and his parents.

The tale then moves rapidly along as the reader tries to piece together what actually happened on the night of Alex's accident. At the same time, the present day story line is also speeding along as Alex seems more and more out of control and their marriage more and more threatened. We are watching Molly tested to breaking point in the present day and Alex being tested to breaking point in the past. I enjoyed this second story line as it was gripping and compelling with all the twists and turns of a good family drama.

You'll have to read My Husband the Stranger yourself to see how the story lines collide and whether the characters can survive the challenges, obstacles and tests they face on their tough journeys - I'm not giving anything else away. I think some readers may find it a challenging read but this is not a morbid, vicarious novel looking for tears. It is an almost gritty read that is trying to convey the real emotional distress of 'in sickness and in health'. Ultimately this is also a book about love, commitment, decisions and families. Molly never loses sight of the man Alex used to be and neither should the reader.

My Husband the Stranger is published by Penguin on 6th April.

More on Rebecca Done 



@writerbex

Rebecca Done lives in Norwich. After studying Creative Writing at the Norwich School of Art & Design, she worked for several years as a magazine editor. Currently a copywriter, Rebecca is also a keen runner, fair-weather surfer and one-time marathon canoeist. 

For more recommendations and reviews you can follow me on Twitter @KatherineSunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) or check out my website www.bibliomaniacuk.co.uk

#Reservoir13 #JonMcGregor

Midwinter in the early years of this century. A teenage girl on holiday has gone missing in the hills at the heart of England. The villagers are called up to join the search, fanning out across the moors as the police set up roadblocks and a crowd of news reporters descends on their usually quiet home.

Meanwhile, there is work that must still be done: cows milked, fences repaired, stone cut, pints poured, beds made, sermons written, a pantomime rehearsed.

The search for the missing girl goes on, but so does everyday life. As it must.
As the seasons unfold there are those who leave the village and those who are pulled back; those who come together or break apart. There are births and deaths; secrets kept and exposed; livelihoods made and lost; small kindnesses and unanticipated betrayals.

I requested this book as soon as I saw it on NetGalley as I am a fan of Jon McGregor. There is something very entrancing about his prose. His novels are usually short but resonant and linger beyond the page. His sentences are unassuming yet haunting.

This novel is slightly longer than some of his previous titles at over 300 pages but honestly it is a read that flows like a mountain waterfall rather than the still, unmoving reservoirs it describes. You will be caught up in the rhythm of his words and you will move through the pages as gently and as fluently as the rhythm of the seasons he describes, losing track as the days merge into months then years.

Rebecca Shaw has gone missing.

"She was thirteen years old. When last seen she'd been wearing a white hooded top with a navy-blue body-warmer, black jeans, and canvas shoes. She was five feet tall with straight, dark-blonde, shoulder-length hair." 

The village lead a search, the police investigate and the public are urged to speak up if they see or hear anything that might help. But "doubts were beginning to emerge."

In terms of the search and the investigation, the reader is never given much more information than this. Unusually, the tragedy of the missing girl is the backdrop to the story rather than the main focus. This is not a typical crime novel, it is much more a piece of literary fiction, but it is full of atmosphere and tension. The opening pages capture the oppressive feel within the community as they try to make sense of what has happened and then the mood continues to become more eerie as McGregor writes:

"At night there were dreams about where she might have gone. Dreams about her walking down from the moor, her clothes soaked and her skin almost blue. Dreams about being the first to reach her with a blanket and bring her safely home." 

McGregor's uses repetition throughout the novel. Sometimes it is a repetition of the exact sentences, sometimes slight changes are used to mark the passage of time - for example when details are rereleased by the police it is written the same as the initial press release but they change the age, her length of her hair, the condition of her clothes. The dreams suffered by the villagers are also repeated, becoming more and more unsettling or ghostly. Set against this, is the repetition of the description of another fireworks display at New Year - a straight forward, informative sentence which shows how normal life resumes. McGregor's skill is always in this juxtaposition of the ordinary, mundane observations against the more insightful and emotive observations.

I thought the use of repetition was incredibly effective. It is used powerfully to track the passage of time, the inevitable rhythm of the seasons and individuals lives but also more poignantly, the fading hope, the growing desperation and inevitability of life moving on; the fading concern or care for the missing girl. It feels poetic and cyclical. It's clever but understated and without pretension. It's readable and engaging, compelling and sensitive.

McGregor is a great creator of characters. Each character appears to have small, bit part but they are memorable and all evoke sympathy or interest. The girl's mother is like a shadow, spotted around and about the town and the moors, "walking the same paths and tracks she'd always walked." A simple statement but weighted with meaning. One of my favourite characters was Su Cooper, her husband Austin and their twins. I liked the mixture of statements which show the reader how they are looking after their family - that are statements explaining the practicalities of their actions and preparations but over time the sentences reveal more about the tensions, pressures and complexities of family dynamics and marriage.

I liked the almost list like observations. I liked the clear setting of time, season, who was doing what and what was happening where. I liked the mundanity of the meetings people attended, the arrangements they made. Reservoir 13 is like a litany; a repetition of the things people do, the pattern of their lives, the order they think they have created, the inevitability they think their life is following.  Yet beneath this, Reservoir 13 is really telling us what is hidden underneath all this. It is an exploration of the human condition - of the little things in life that occur, build up, unfold and affect everyone. Reservoir 13 is poetic and mesmerising. Through it's simple prose it shows how everyday hurt and suffering cannot be hidden even against the distraction of a devastating crime.

McGregor writes in very long paragraphs, with long sentences and a lack of speech punctuation. Some readers may find this difficult to follow or at times overwhelming. I think it is another way of hiding the unusual and the poignant amongst the normal and everyday.

I did enjoy it a lot. I think McGregor is a talented writer. I think his style is unique and very distinctive. It is definitely worthy of re-reading, re-reading and probably re-reading again.

This novel reminded me of some of the aspects of "Happy Valley' and 'Broadchurch'. Reservoir 13 is a gripping character driven story where the police procedural element has been stripped away and made secondary. Although the TV shows are firmly about a police investigation they are also about communities under pressure and characters coping in with everyday life while trying to solve a crime. McGregor looks at the effects of a community during a long running missing persons investigation; what else happens to these people and their lives while the crime continues unsolved. He explores how the police investigation continues to infiltrate and haunt the town but no longer claims the front pages or headlines of their daily life. McGregor asks fascinating questions about human nature, about what is noticed or unnoticed and how the unremarkable is remarkable; how the ordinary can be extraordinary and as damaging and as full of impact as the sensationalist headlines that consume people.

Recommend.

Reservoir 13 is published by Fourth Estate on 6th April 2017.



Jon McGregor is a British author who has written three novels. His first novel, If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things was nominated for the 2002 Booker Prize, and was the winner of both the Betty Trask Prize and the Somerset Maugham Award in 2003. So Many Ways to Begin was published in 2006 and was on the Booker prize long list. Even the Dogs was published in 2010 and his newest work, Reservoir 13 is due in April, 2017.
www.jonmcgregor.com
@jon_mcgregor

For more recommendations and reviews you can follow me on Twitter @KatherineSunde3

#Review #TheOtherHalfofHappiness #SofiaKhan #AyishaMalik

Sofia Khan is just married. But no-one told her life was going to be this way . . .

Her living situation is in dire straits, her husband Conall is distant, and his annoyingly attractive colleague is ringing all sorts of alarm bells.

When her mother forces them into a belated wedding ceremony (elopement: you can run, but you can't hide), Sofia wonders if it might be a chance to bring them together. But when it forces Conall to confess his darkest secret, it might just tear them apart.

A book to make you smile, laugh and cry, this is the story of a mixed-race marriage and a mixed-up family, for anyone who's ever struggled to balance their pride with their principles, or stuck around to try to mend a broken heart. 

I was absolutely thrilled to receive a review copy of this novel as I have been eagerly anticipating it's arrival since finishing the last page of Ayisha Malik's first book a year ago. This novel is a continuation of Sofia's story. It is possible to enjoy as a stand alone, but probably makes more sense to read Sofia Khan is not Obliged first as this story continues to share with us the ups and downs and ins and outs of the relationship between Sofia and Conall who are now married.

I'm also absolutely thrilled that Malik decided to continue Sofia's story. Sofia is a great character and I really wanted to find out what would happen to her now she was married to her (hot) Irish next door neighbour! She is a lively, witty character and it was lovely to be back in her company, even if she still isn't sharing those chocolate digestives and KitKats. No doubt Malik felt under pressure to deliver an equally entertaining, light-hearted-yet-not-without-serious-issues novel, but deliver it she did. There is absolutely nothing disappointing about this book. I loved it.

In fact, as the character Sakib says, "I think it's better than the dating book.....It's more insightful - [there's] more depth." I totally agree. I think Malik is a great writer because her book feels like a conversation with a friend; it is honest, down to earth, sometimes raw, sometimes emotional and always humorous. But on top of that, her real skill is that although this is relatively lighthearted novel about marriage, families and relationships, it is actually layered with insightful, intelligent observations about people and society. Don't underestimate Malik. She is obviously fiercely intelligent and a great people watcher.

The Other Half of Happiness is over 430 pages long and I was very grateful for this. I would have read on. I was in no hurry to leave. I am invested in Sofia and her family however dysfunctional they may be and however claustrophobic it sometimes feels to Sofia, I relished the fact it was quite a long novel. Malik's writing is so accessible, fluent and funny that you really have no idea how many pages or how long you have been reading for.

The book is written as Sofia's diary; clearly organised into 12 months following her as she researches her "Muslim Marriage Book" and lives through the 12 months of her marriage with Conall. This in itself makes it a very immediate and informal story. It is also very easy for the reader to form a relationship with Sofia. Alongside that we have text messages, emails and "notes for book" which often come as a kind of postscript. Even though they are in italics, they are never to be skimmed over or their poignancy underestimated. All these techniques make it a very contemporary novel and a hugely engaging read.

So The Other Half Of Happiness is 'part 2' of Sofia's relationship guide - the marriage bit. She's been commissioned by her boss to tell all about 'Muslim Marriages'. This should be the happy ever after bit. It should be the easy bit. But it isn't that straight forward. For Conall and Sofia, marriage seems to have forgotten its promise of a happy ending and in fact brought along a whole host of issues that neither of them had thought they would be facing.

Note for book: Whatever you do- if writing a guide to marriage, don't end up penning your very own marital misery memoir. 

Conall and Sofia's relationship is complex. At first what seems a bit of miscommunication, a slight drifting, a misconception that both are happy with their career choices - and a bit of jealousy - becomes something more tangled. The small cracks get bigger and then there are some revelations which threaten to destroy everything for them. I think it's a brave story and a brave angle for Malik to take; a newly wed couple who are clearly very fond of each other but run into difficulties very early on in their relationship. Sofia may appear a little chaotic at times but she is also strong and committed to her beliefs and values. She is a refreshing voice and quite a unique one. I liked this story because it is realistic, honest and at times very sad.

I was also pleased to rejoin Sofia's mother. She is a great creation. She is so easy to visualise and it is so easy to hear her voice. Any scenes with her guarantee a raised eyebrow or smile from the reader - although again, not a character to underestimate either. Malik evokes the mother / daughter relationship effortlessly and is able to convey the religious and cultural setting with a deft hand. Although many of the references and conversations will not be unfamiliar to any daughter!

"'We can only ask our children to give us happiness,' [mum] said, ' We can't expect it.'
Mum the martyr was so much worse than mum the despot." 

Ayisha Malik is a Muslim and Sofia Khan is a Muslim. This book is about young Muslim women. As with Sofia Khan is not Obliged, The Other Half of Happiness gently challenges a few assumptions, it draws attention to a few generalisations but it is all done with a gentle touch. It is not educative or moralising, it's observational and authentic. And Kelly Bright's interview is so cleverly reported that despite the issues underlying the questions she asks, the focus remains the focus of the book - love and happiness. The Other Half of Happiness is a romantic comedy at heart (excuse the pun!). It's a book about realistic expectations, confronting truths and then finding happiness through coming to terms with what happiness means to you.

"Don't think about what you've lost. Think of the things you still have. And what, if you look for it, you might find." 

Malik's first novel was compared to Bridget Jones and I'm sure this second novel will be too. There is same feel, tone of voice and similarity in dynamics between parents, friends and partners that we see in Bridget Jones. There are similarities in the style of the novel and the structure of the chapters. Perhaps there is a similarity in the protagonists' journeys. Whatever it is, I don't think this comparison is a bad thing for Malik at all - I think it shows that she has written a book that is going to be universally relevant and universally loved.

So boil the kettle, shut the door, curl up on the bed and break open that packed of chocolate digestives. Treat yourself to The Other Half of Happiness. You'll love it.

Oh, and if you are in still in any doubt of Sofia's wisdom, how's this........

"Count every lucky star you have- they will come in the shape of the friends you love." 

If you like commercial women's fiction, if you like fiction about families, relationships and marriage you will enjoy this book. If you like a book which makes you laugh, cry and gain you unwanted attention on the train when you find yourself snorting into your coffee and spitting your biscuit on a fellow commuter, then you must read this book.

If you like a book which is very well written, well structured, well paced and actually digs a bit deeper - a book which makes you think about religion, women and society a bit more, then this is definitely a must read. Ayisha Malik is a funny, intelligent and insightful writer. I really hope that even if this is the end of Sofia Khan's adventure into writing books, it is by no means Malik's.

The Other Half of Happiness is published by Bonnier Zaffre on April 6th 2017.

To read my review of Sofia Khan is not Obliged click here

To read Bibliomaniac's Book Club guide to Sofia Khan is not Obliged click here

AYISHA MALIK 



@Ayisha_Malik

Ayisha is a British Muslim, lifelong Londoner, and lover of books. She read English Literature and went on to complete an MA in Creative Writing (though told most of her family it was an MA in English Literature – Creative Writing is not a subject, after all.) She has spent various spells teaching, photocopying, volunteering and being a publicist. Now, when she isn’t searching for a jar of Nutella in her cupboards, she divides her time between writing and being managing editor at Cornerstones Literary Consultancy. 

Ayisha is one of WH Smith's Fresh Talent picks, Winter 2016.

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat you can follow me on Twitter @KatherineSunde3 or check out my website www.bibliomaniacuk.co.uk

#AuthorInterview @LeighRussell #BestsellingAuthor

I am delighted to welcome Leigh Russell to my blog once again! This time she has some very exciting news - Leigh has sold over 1 million copies of her detective fiction books! Whooo Hooo!! Now that is worth celebrating - and what better way than with a Q&A on my blog!!!

So, I'm handing straight over to Leigh to hear all about this fantastic achievement!

Congratulations on selling 1 million books!! After momentous historical moments, people always ask "where were you and what were you doing when you found out about......" So where were you, what were you doing and how did you find out you had sold such a phenomenal total?!

I was at home, writing, when I saw the banner my publisher had put on my website: OVER A MILLION BOOKS SOLD! It was a lovely surprise. We had been close the million milestone but I didn't know we had passed it.

What have you done to celebrate this incredible success?

Nothing yet, because my next book was due to be sent off for editing when the news arrived, so I was busy working on that. But I will celebrate when I get round to it - probably with a bottle of bubbly!

Which celebrity or famous person would you have liked to have bought the book which made your 1 millionth sale?

That's a tricky question but Andrew Scott, the brilliant Moriarty in Sherlock, would be a front runner for me. But I'd prefer it to have been one of my loyal fans as that would be more meaningful. Of course we'll never know.

How will having sold 1 million copies affect you as an author now in the world of publishing? Does it change things?

To be honest I've no idea how this will change things, if at all, as it's a new experience for me. I've never sold a million books before, and never considered myself 'a success' until now. The news of the million sales is taking a while to sink in. Hopefully my fans will carry on enjoying my books, and the second million will be at least as easy to achieve as the first, but you never know.

And on a personal level, or in terms of when you sit down to write, how will having sold 1 million books affect you?

Any success helps my confidence as a writer, so with any luck I'll feel less nervous about sending my next manuscript off to my editor. But every book is a new challenge and I always worry about whether readers will like what I've written. Just because a million of my books have been sold is no guarantee that my next book will be well received and in some ways success increases the pressure as there are a lot of readers' expectations to satisfy. I'm not complaining about my success though, and I wouldn't change a thing!

You have written over 16 crime novels - I think! Are there any that have sold noticeably more than other titles? Does there seem to be a favourite?

I think it's now 16, of which 14 are published. The Wrong Suspect is out in June 2017 and the 10th Geraldine Steel in December 2017, so there will be 16 published by the end of the year. I've also written a different trilogy which my agent is pitching at the moment, so that makes it 19 books written. With different series, it does get complicated and I forget how many books there are, and have to stop and work it out!

First published in 2009, my debut, Cut Short, still often makes bestseller lists. Other than that, my most recent title, Deadly Alibi, has been doing well as it's still fairly new out. But all the Geraldine Steel novels seem to be consistently popular.

In terms of my other series, the Ian Peterson books have a very loyal following, and my Lucy Hall mysteries is beginning to gain momentum. That series only started last year, so Lucy Hall is still fairly new on the scene.

Geraldine Steel is the main protagonist in the series for which you have currently written ten books. How do you think she might celebrate the news of her success?!

That's easy. She would curl up on her sofa with a bottle of Montepulciano, which is her favourite wine, and try not to think about her current murder investigation. She is always working on a case!

Have you plans to continue the Geraldine Steel series to generate your next million book sales or will you celebrate with a new character and a new series?

I'm contracted to write at least another three books in the series, so Geraldine will be around for a while. The series may run to 20 books, but we'll have to see how it goes. How long we continue depends on whether people carry on reading them. But right now I can't think further than the plot for the next book.

How do you think you have changed either as a person or as a writer between selling your first book to selling your millionth book?

On a personal note, life experience has changed me more than writing. Obviously I'm older than when I started writing 8 years ago, I've been fortunate enough to be able to give up my day job to write full time, last year I became a grandmother for the first time, and this year we lost my mother.

In terms of my writing, I hope my style has developed and become more confident. I like to think I'm improving, anyway.

As for the industry as a whole, the competition has become far fiercer over the period I've been writing. As long ago as 2014 it was widely reported that 20 books were being published every hour in the UK, and that figure excluded self published books. At the same time, it was estimated that the average person read between I and 5 books a year. Sadly not everyone is a bibliomaniac! Since then, the rate at which books are being published has increased massively, so the landscape of publishing has changed and it is up increasingly hard for new and unknown writers to gain any sort of recognition.

If you could buy a book and make the millionth sale for that author, which book would it be? Are there any novels or authors who you think have written a 'hidden gem' and you'd like to see them gain more attention?

This is an impossible question because there are so many talented writers who deserve more success than they can possibly achieve in the current overcrowded market. I recently read an advance copy of The Lighterman by Simon Michael, an author who I think deserves more attention. Simon Brett is a brilliant author who seems to have dwindled in popularity. As chair of the Debut Dagger judges for the Crime Writers Association I was thrilled when last year's winner, Mark Brandi, gained a publishing deal with Hachette, so his debut novel is another one that I'd love to see reaching a million sales.

If you had been able to giveaway the millionth copy of your book in a competition, what would the question have been?

What do you like about Geraldine Steel?

What now for Leigh Russell?!

I need to think of a title for Geraldine Steel number 10, and write Geraldine Steel number 11. I'm also hoping to come and share some of my tips for successful writing with your book group in Harpenden very soon!

Ah, thanks Leigh, I'm really looking forward to hearing your tips and getting a chance to spend an evening doing some writing with you! It will be such a privilege! If anyone else is interested in coming along then please click on this link to buy a ticket: 
Eventbrite: Write Away! or to find out more about the event click here

And obviously, I can't wait to read the next adventure with Geraldine Steel! Good luck thinking of a title! 

To read my review of Deadly Alibi click  here and my review of Murder Ring click here

Leigh Russell published by Harpenden Publisher No Exit Press (www.noexit.co.uk) and Deadly Alibi will be published on May 25th 2017. Murder Ring was published in 2016. 

LEIGH RUSSELL

You can find links to all of Leigh's books, as well as my facebook and twitter accounts on 

http://leighrussell.co.uk and can contact her directly there if you have any questions.

www.leighrussell.co.uk
@LeighRussell

For more recommendations, reviews and author interviews you can follow me on Twitter @KatherineSunde3 or check out my website www.bibliomaniacuk.co.uk

#HolidayReads #April #2017 #Bargains

Holiday Reading! 
Who's looking for some cheap books to load up with and enjoy over the break? 
Here's a few suggestions with links to my reviews. Hope you find something to grab you! 

Looking for a bit of a "lie" in?! Currently 99p on kindle.

bibliomaniacuk review: Lies T M Logan
bibliomaniacuk review: Sometimes I Lie Alice Feeney
bibliomaniacuk review: Those Who Lie Diane Jeffrey

Looking for something to take you back to a different time? All for 99p on kindle.

bibliomaniacuk review: the witch finder's sister
bibliomaniacuk review: the secret kathryn hughes
bibliomaniacuk review: the roanoke girls
bibliomaniacuk review: a proposal to die for

Looking for a bit of a cheap thrill? All at 99p!



bibliomaniacuk review: too-close-by-gayle-curtis
bibliomaniacuk review: perfect-remains-helen-fields
bibliomaniacuk review: her-husbands-lover-julia-crouch

Splash out-  £1.99 or a few pennies more but well worth the "investment"!!



bibliomaniacuk review: the-breakdown-by-ba-paris
bibliomaniacs-book-club-my-husbands-son
bibliomaniacuk review: my-husbands-son-deborah-oconnor
bibliomaniacuk review: saving-sophie-sam-carrington
bibliomaniacuk review: the-escape-by-c-l-taylor
bibliomaniacuk review: gone-without-trace-by-mary-torjussen

And if you fancy a real treat then these are worth every penny......



bibliomaniacuk review: sixstories-mattwesolowski
bibliomaniacuk review: sealskin-by-su-bristow
bibliomaniacuk review: behind-her-eyes-by-sarah-pinborough
bibliomaniacuk review: everything but the truth

And my holiday reads for Easter will be:



Let me know what you're reading over the Easter Weekend!

Happy Easter! Happy Reading!



Keep up with my reading, recommendations and reviews @KatherineSunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) and via my website www.bibliomaniacuk.co.uk

#BibliomaniacsBookClub #April #Paperlight #TheMuse #JessieBurton

April's Bibliomania is for 

Jessie Burton's The Muse

Published by Picador (2016)

What is it about?

On a hot July day in 1967, Odelle Bastien climbs the stone steps of the Skelton gallery in London, knowing that her life is about to change forever. Having struggled to find her place in the city since she arrived from Trinidad five years ago, she has been offered a job as a typist under the tutelage of the glamorous and enigmatic Marjorie Quick. But though Quick takes Odelle into her confidence, and unlocks a potential she didn't know she had, she remains a mystery - no more so than when a lost masterpiece with a secret history is delivered to the gallery.

The truth about the painting lies in 1936 and a large house in rural Spain, where Olive Schloss, the daughter of a renowned art dealer, is harbouring ambitions of her own. Into this fragile paradise come artist and revolutionary Isaac Robles and his half-sister Teresa, who immediately insinuate themselves into the Schloss family, with explosive and devastating consequences . . .

To read my review click here:
bibliomaniacuk review-the muse

The Muse Book Club Questions:

The front cover for this novel is very ornate and beautiful. Did you like it? What do you think the publishers and the author were trying to convey through this cover? 

What do you think of the title for this book? Who is the Muse? Is there more than one? Could the book have had another title?

What ideas about women and creativity is Burton exploring in this book? What other themes are in the book?

There are several significant relationships in the novel; family relationships, marriages, physical relationships, friendships and that of a mentor and an apprentice. Which relationship did you enjoy the most or do you think is most central to the plot? 

What is the significance of Odelle's Trinidadian heritage? 

The book moves between different countries and different decades. How well has Burton evoked the social and historical context as well as the physical descriptions of location? How convincing is her sense of place?

This story has a dual narrative and a dual timeline that are interlinked.  Did you find it easy to read and easy to keep track of the different characters and events? Did you have a storyline you enjoyed more? Do you think this structure works for this novel? 

Do you think the novel could have been enhanced if images of the paintings had been included or do you think this would spoil the reader's interpretation and imaginative response?

Which was your favourite character and why? 

Who would you cast as Odelle and Quick if you were adapting The Muse to the big screen?

Is there a painting you have always wanted to know where the real inspiration behind it came from? 

If you could ask one artist, musician or writer about their muse or inspiration, who would it be and why? 

Where could you hold your book group for The Muse:

• Art Gallery 
• Spain or Trinidad 
• A London cafe - in the rain 

What could you serve?

• Tea in china cups 
• Spanish Red wine 

What props could you use to start a conversation about The Muse?

• Type writer 
• paints and brushes
• olives (edible)
• notebooks  (expensive leather bound)
• postcards of London (the more touristy the better) 
• postcards of paintings 
• Spanish Civil War history book

Quotes to start a conversation with:

"I'd like to write a novel one day. I'm still waiting for a good story." "Don't wait too long." 

Kate Atkinson said, "I think all novels are not only fiction but they are about fiction too."

"Art is not useful"

If you liked this book and want to read similar novels try:




For more about The Muse you can find articles, podcasts and interviews by clicking on the following link:

Richard & Judy (WHSmith) Book Club: The Muse

Don't forget to check out Bibliomaniac's Book Club Paperweight choice for April here:
bibliomaniacsbookclub-april Paperweight

Follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) for more recommendations, reviews, book club questions and author events.