#CrimeFest17 #Day2 19th May

Well I rather excelled myself today and managed to attend 5 panels, 1 author presentation and meet 2 authors for interviews. My head is so full of titles, names, characters and crime that I can barely string a sentence together - so this post will be interesting!

Day 2 of Crime Fest and it was another fabulous day mingling with authors, bloggers, writers, readers and anyone who likes crime fiction. Here's a run down of the panels I attended and some of the highlights of my day!

HOW MANY DEATHS? THE APPEAL OF THE SERIAL KILLER IN CRIME FICTION



Perhaps not the lightest of topics to kick off a Friday morning with but while in CrimeFest..... This panel started by talking about why there was such a fascination with serial killers. Leigh Russell thought it might be because in childhood we read fairy tales about monsters, in adulthood the serial killers in crime fiction become these monsters. Helen Fields commented that perhaps our fascination is because there is a tiny bit of a serial killer inside all of us - we all have a fascination with the darker side and novels give authors and readers a safe place to explore and experience this.

There was some interesting chat about the kind of duty an author has when writing about serial killers and crimes. Although the novel is fiction and needs to be engaging and exciting, it cannot be flippant. Real crimes happens, people do commit murder and the number of lives affected by a murder are very far reaching from the immediate family to the police officers and lawyers. Serial killers perhaps, are interesting because we are interested in the impact their crime has on people- not the body count.

Some of the authors on this panel have direct experience of working with murders through their 'day' jobs so there was some discussion about whether you can 'spot' a killer and some anecdotes about situations in which the writers had felt uneasy or on edge. When working with criminals you have to engage with them but can't be drawn into their world.

GENRE JUMPING: CROSSING BOUNDARIES 



As the title suggests, this panel was discussing how authors blend genres - the focus was mainly on horror and crime, or crime and supernatural, but there were lots of really interesting points raised. It started with a question about why we needed 'genre' - was it to help the reader, help the publisher or a marketing ploy? And does an author make a conscious decision to 'pick' a genre or do they just write a good story?

I found the question about what influence the homes and places where the authors write had on the genre they wrote in. For example Yrsa Siguaroardottir comes from Iceland where recently a road was moved to protect the elves and the children grow up being told not to throw stones as they don't want to hit the hidden people!

It was interesting to hear from four authors who were all generally writing using the same genre but mixing it and blending it to all produce books that are original and unlike each other. Each author had a different approach to writing, planning and word count but they did all agree on one thing and that was this - a great top tip for an aspiring writer!

"It's not write about what you know, but make sure you know what you write about."

And I'll leave you with their recommendations for books which they thing are perfect examples of authors who cross boundaries and jump genres!



YOU ARE NOT ALONE: GIVING YOUR PROTAGONIST FAMILY AND FRIENDS 



So, protagonists in crime fiction who have family and friends - oh no, sorry they don't. Why don't they? Does it remove all the extra baggage, character descriptions, mundanity of chores and details? Does a protagonist work better when they have hit rock bottom and are totally alone? Does it make for a more dramatic story? Or is it because ultimately we all fear being alone?

All of the above it would seem! That and a need to really challenge and push the main character so they are really tested. If they are isolated they are more alone, more challenged, everything is harder and the author can really explore the emotional strength of their character.

Why are families so dysfunctional in crime thrillers? Why is their such a fascination with 'toxic' siblings and parents? Again, is it because everyone has a family, every family has aspects of dysfunction with in it, and ultimately we are all intrigued by what has make these people or these relationships toxic. "Home is where the hurt is".

One of the questions from the floor was what is the best and the worst thing about being a writer. It seems the authors all suffer from anxiety and self doubt about their work and the best bits are the actual writing itself, the fun they can have playing with their characters and coming up with the initial idea. Cally Taylor also added that her best thing was when you get an email from someone who hasn't read for a long time - until they discover your book! Let's hope she also now thinks the best thing is when a starry eyed fan proclaims their love for her when she's signing books. Not that I did that. Obvs. (I know, I know, my suitcase is packed.....)

Finally here are some of the books that influenced these authors:



OBSESSION: PASSION, MANIA, OR SIMPLE ENTHUSIASM



Ok so this panel was all about obsession and stalking. (No wise cracks please, I will always plea I'm "simply enthusiastic"...!!) The discussion on this panel raised a lot of interesting questions as the authors talked about whether stalking was ever alright, what causes people to do it - whether it is just an obsession out of control or something more pathological, why do stalkers think they have that sense of entitlement and whether it is triggered by some trauma in their youth.

The authors talked about what inspired them to write about stalkers and if this was the intention when they began writing. Kendal's first book (The Book of You) is written in the 2nd person which creates more intensity for a story already focusing on someone's intense obsession. The authors also talked about how many of us enjoy a little bit of (innocent) stalking - watching out the window and making up narratives about our neighbours, following the same routes on our daily walks, lurking on line to look up ex boyfriends...... And if it is this reason that makes us want to read about them.

There was a question about the impact of social media and how this might affect novels about stalking. Most of the authors have not included social media in their novels due to setting, time or the age of the characters - and they did feel that obsessive fixations with people usually required something more present and close which you couldn't get online or virtually.

Here are there favourite 'stalking' novels:




And Finally - PARENTING 101: WHEN YOUR PROTAGONIST HAS COMMITMENTS



What happens when your protagonist has a child? What happens when they lose that child or have to take that child with them on a journey that's not safe or when they have to compromise their children's safety? All of these authors have chosen to write about parents and children in different ways and for different reasons. Most of them felt that by giving their protagonist a child, it made them more real, more empathetic, less of a lone wolf.

There were some interesting discussion points raised about the difference between parenting in the US and the UK, whether you needed to be a parent to write about being a parent, how you found your way into the head of the young child you were writing about and how much of yourself and your own family you put into your novel.

Again, as with the other panels today, there was a diverse range of authors, all with different kinds of stories, settings, locations and protagonists and all with different approaches to giving their main character commitments. It was a very interesting chat with which to end the day!

Thanks so much to all the panelists for such a fascinating day. I have loved every minute of listening to all they've shared and really enjoyed hearing more about their thought processes, writing lives and the wider issues that are explored through crime fiction. 

And once more, a further handful of books to add to my TBR pile!!

#CRIMEFEST2017 Thursday 19th May

Oh yes, I am here! I am at my first Crime Fest ever, in Bristol, all weekend!

I have only been here a few hours but already I have a tote goody bag full of books, listened to three fascinating panels, interviewed an author - rather badly as I was so star struck - and generally enjoyed mingling with all the bibliomaniacs ..... I wonder is what the collective noun for bibliomaniacs?

So here is a little run down of my highlights from Day 1 of CrimeFest! 

KEEPING SECRETS & TELLING LIES 



This panel opened with us being told four truths - or where they lies? and then having to guess which author had done - or claimed to do - which thing! A brilliant introduction to a panel discussing truth and lies!

Several of the authors have protagonists who are seeking a truth yet hiding one of their own as well. Although it was tricky for the authors to talk about their books without revealing any secrets, there was an interesting conversation about how people control their own truths. Characters also control what they tell us, or what part of their life they will share with us.

There was some chat about how families create their own myths, the lengths people go to to fabricate their truths, everyone interprets situations differently which can result in multiple 'truths' and then no one ever really knows what is going on 'behind closed doors'. Is there such a thing as an objective truth?!

Here are the author's recommendations for the best examples of an unreliable narrator:



The session ended with some great rhetorical questions - for example, do we ever want to really know the whole truth about someone? Do we ever want anyone to ever really know the whole truth about us? But beware, sometimes people know more about us than we care to realise!

This was a fun panel and the authors were very honest and open about how they kept secrets and told lies with their characters and plots - without telling any lies or giving away any secrets about their novels!

WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?



This panel was talking about the darker side of human nature and why people do the terrible things they do. And these authors also had some of the most fascinating jobs before becoming full time writers - a nuclear physicist, a police officer, a trilingual author and a former UN peacekeeper and humanitarian aid worker. ....

A recurring theme in this discussion was chaos. The authors are fascinated by what happens in chaos (like during war, after a war or when a characters life has disintegrated away from them)- how chaos can allow people to behave in a way that is never usually acceptable. I think the most memorable quote from this panel would be Doug Johnstone's, "We're only one rizla paper away from chaos."

Luke McCallin talked about how his experience as an 'occupier' rather than an 'occupied' person inspired his writing and how he's used his stories to try and make sense of the things he saw as part of his job. Jorn Lier Horst talked about how as a police officer, he often had to deal with the families affected through crime which made him really think about why people do things. The most common motives for crime are greed, lust and jealousy - things we all feel, but what pushes some people to take it that much further?

Johana Gustawsson talked a lot about the concept of evil. Her novel, Block 46, is based on a concentration camp in WW2. She talked about how in her novel, she explored the idea that it wasn't just one person, one sociopath, but a massive movement made up or thousands of people and every single one of them was evil. This led to a discussion about crowd behaviour, the psychology of crowds and the effect of power within a group.

I thought this panel actually grappled with some fascinating questions that were incredibly thought provoking and their comments touched on some complicated philosophical and ethical issues. It reinforced how important fiction can be in helping us to understand history and humanity. I was impressed with how these authors are able to write compelling and engaging novels as well as simultaneously exploring such deep themes about human nature and what happens to people under extreme pressure.

TWISTS AND TURNS: WHO CAN YOU TRUST?



Another fascinating panel which was fifty minutes of great conversation about twists, revelations, unreliable narrators and how to mislead your author!

How did these authors define a good twist? Their answers were all the same: something that makes you say, "OMG, I've got to rethink everything!" A book where the 'plumbing' always stacks up - crime readers will go back through with forensic detail to make sure the seeds were sown. Catherine Ryan Howard said a good twist is like being punched in the chest - the evidence has always been there but you just didn't see it. Good examples of killer twists? They recommended:



The authors revealed how they mislead their readers or how they plot their novels to ensure the twists are effective, jaw dropping but all the evidence is planted at the right time and place. They talked about withholding information, unreliable narrators and memories -memories which we chose whether to remember or not and how accurately we might remember them.

It was interesting to hear how differently the authors planned and wrote; how much of their plot they know before they begin writing and how much evolves organically. But for all of them it seems that their protagonist always ends up giving them some surprises a long the way! I'm a bit fan of twists, unreliable narrators and being mislead so I will be adding the books from this panel that I haven't yet read to my TBR pile!

It was a great first day and really lovely to be immersed in the world of crime fiction. It is exciting to see authors sitting in the audience listening to the panels and to see them mingling at the bar and around the water cooler! I'm really looking forward to day 2! 

I just hope I don't have too many nightmares tonight! 

Sweet dreams......!

#AuthorInterview #JohanaGustawsson #Block46 #OrendaBooks

I was absolutely thrilled to get the opportunity to interview Johana at CrimeFest on the 18th May. I listened to Johana speaking on a panel earlier in the day where she and three other writers had been discussing the dark side of human nature.

Listening to Johana talking about the concept of evil, the motivation of people and the crimes against humanity that are explored in her novel during this panel was very interesting. She is incredibly articulate and clearly feels very passionately about the holocaust and the horrific, evil behaviour of not just one person, not just one sociopath, but of hundreds of people.

So let me share with you our conversation - I've edited out my initial incoherence, not only was I totally star struck but Johana is also so fascinating, intelligent and incredibly eloquent that I got so caught up listening to her, I forgot I was supposed to be posing questions...... Luckily she's also incredibly friendly, smily and kind!



Johana, Block 46 is obviously a story close to your heart and based on your grandfather. Was it a story you always wanted to tell?

No! It came about because in 2009 my father had a heart attack and I had to fly back to the south of France from London to see him. It was the day before Valentines Day and I needed an immediate flight so I ended up only being able to get one that flew via Amsterdam. I had a lot of time on the plane to think and I wondered, what is the one thing I want to ask my dad when I see him? 

Thankfully, when I got to him he was well and recovered so I forgot my question for a little while. Then I told him, if I'd only had time to say one thing to him it would have been to ask him about my grandfather. I knew that my father had not had a good relationship with his father - his father, my grandfather, had not been loving. He was a hero, but he was not loving. 

I was fascinated by this discrepancy. My grandfather had liberated a concentration camp. He was a local hero and celebrated by the townsfolk. But he could not show love to his family. I told my father I wanted to write my grandfather's story. He replied that he would like that.

But I didn't just want to write a story about a concentration camp, so my publisher asked me what other kind of stories did I like reading? I love Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot is my literary fantasy! I love serial killers and whodunits, so she said, write one of those then! And there you go, the idea of doing both a story about a concentration camp and a serial killer came about! 

How did you - and your father - find the whole process of writing about your grandfather, particularly as it had been a strained relationship?

It was very cathartic for both of us. It was a way for us to understand why he could not give us the love and care we needed.

Block 46 is a harrowing read. How did you cope or protect yourself from some of the brutality you write about?

I did a lot of research and it was the research that was the really draining and upsetting part of the process. When I was researching I only took about 10% of what I found as otherwise it would have been far too much for anyone to read about. I needed enough - I struggle to use the word anecdotes as that makes light of it - these stories I suppose, to give readers enough of an idea of the absolutely barbaric and brutality of the camps without it becoming overwhelming. It was the research that I found heavy going. By the time I started writing the novel I had processed and digested the information and I was ready to do justice to those who had died. I had a "duty of remembrance" to them.

What is the one thing you would like readers to take away from your novel?

In Dachau Concentration Camp the words NEVER AGAIN have been inscribed in several languages. Never Again. That is what I want readers to take away with them. 

We have a duty to tell our children what really happened. As the Second World War becomes further and further away in our history, we need to make sure we tell them what really happened. Some of the things they see about the concentration camps does not even touch on what really happened. We have a responsibility and a duty to tell them and to remember all those who died. 

We need to keep reading about the Holocaust. Recent political events and every day news shows us just how important it is to keep the Holocaust in our minds and to make sure it really is Never Again. 

Are you working on a second novel?

Yes, it will follow on from Block 46 and feature Emily Roy and Alexis Castells. Again it is quite a complex novel with many threads. It starts with a dead woman in London who has been killed in a very similar manner to a murder 10 years ago - but the murderer for that crime has been in Broadmoor all this time, although always protesting his innocence. Then there is a second storyline of a Swedish immigrant arriving in London in 1888, at the time of Jack the Ripper. There is also a third storyline about the disappearance of a famous actress. 

Ah, three story lines - like in Block 46! Is there a reason for three story lines - and the dual timeline which you also use in Block 46? 

I'm not sure! I like complicated! And I just love history. I love writing about the past and I love to look at how the past links to what we are experiencing now. By writing about history I get to study history and I love to make readers travel historically and geographically through my stories. 

I'm fascinated about the origin of evil and how one boy or girl can grow up to become a man or woman who will do horrible things. Sometimes to see how evil is born, you have to go back two or three generations and I love the opportunity to study and trace things through time. 

With three separate story lines and a dual timeline, which all converge, you must have a pretty tight method for planning your novels! Can you tell me a bit about your writing process?

I plan. A lot! I have to! 

I start with an idea - maybe as much as a synopsis, but the basic idea. Then I spend about 4-6 months researching my novel. Next I write a skeleton draft which is more like the scenes one after the other. I write a skeleton for each of the story lines - current and past. Then I mix them together and make sure that I have included all the hints, information, details and so on that I need in the right place and at the right time. 

I'm in the planning stages of book 3 at the moment but I'm missing Emily and Alexis so much that I just want to get back to writing all about them! It's so funny how they are so much part of my life! We had a family party a while ago - everybody from both sides of our family was there, there were lots of us and it was amazing to me with my extended family. Then at the end of the day I panicked - someone had been missing - I had forgotten to invite someone from my family..... And then I realised.......but before I could cover up my mistake, my husband said, "I hope you weren't about to tell me that we forgot to invite a character from your book to our family party?"

I just love Emily - and I love that she's back in Book 2 and Book 3. I'm so excited about building her into a stronger character and more interesting character!

Just before we finish, as we are at Crime Fest, are there any further panels that you are speaking on or any panels that you are looking forward to listening to?

I'm part of the "Proving Yourself: When Your Protagonist Goes That Extra Mile" panel on Friday at 4pm and yes, there are lots of panels I want to get to- I will be doing my best to watch as many of my fellow Team Orenda authors as I can! 

Thank you so much Johana for chatting to me. I have loved listening to you talk more about Block 46 and I am deeply intrigued by Book 2 and Book 3 - I cannot wait! Good luck with your panel tomorrow - not that you need it! And I hope you enjoy the rest of Crime Fest!

What a fantastic end to my first day at Crime Fest!

Block 46 is published by Orenda Books.



In Falkenberg, Sweden, the mutilated body of talented young jewelry designer Linnea Blix is found in a snow-swept marina. In Hampstead Heath, London, the body of a young boy is discovered with similar wounds to Linnea's. Buchenwald Concentration Camp, 1944. In the midst of the hell of the Holocaust, Erich Hebner will do anything to see himself as a human again. Are the two murders the work of a serial killer, and how are they connected to shocking events at Buchenwald? Emily Roy, a profiler on loan to Scotland Yard from the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, joins up with Linnea's friend, French true-crime writer Alexis Castells, to investigate the puzzling case. They travel between Sweden and London, and then deep into the past, as a startling and terrifying connection comes to light.

For more information you can follow Johana on Twitter @JoGustawsson via her website johanagustawsson.com or via @OrendaBooks

There is a fantastic blog tour currently running for Block 46 and the reviews are incredible. Do check out what other bloggers are saying. 
In particular I want to draw your attention to Jen Lucas and  Mairead at SwirlandThread but there are many more fabulous posts here too.

You can follow me on Twitter @KatherineSunde3 or via my website bibliomaniacuk.co.uk

#JustForTheHolidays #SueMoorcroft #Review

Well this book certainly is a fun read to enjoy over the summer holidays! Just as the cover promises, it is full of sunshine, mirth, drama and romance! The writing is as cheerful as the colours on the front and it's certainly a story that will help you while away some lazy afternoons by the pool - or perhaps just brighten up your reading time in your living room during these gloomy wet days we seem to be having at the moment! Wherever you are, whenever you are, if you are looking for something well paced, engaging and with some colourful characters then I recommend this book!

Just for the Holidays is about Leah Beaumont who accompanies her sister, Michele, to France to enjoy a lovely, relaxing, summer basking in the sunshine and lazing around. Well, maybe not so much of the lazing. Or the relaxing. There are three teenagers there too. And Michele's husband - who she is divorcing. Oh, and Michele is pregnant. A surprise pregnancy which she hasn't yet told her children about. Hhmm. Yes, not quite what Leah signed up for.

Not only did she not sign up for it, she didn't expect that she would end up trying to hold it all together and stop everything from totally falling apart. But, hang on, that next door neighbour - yes, the pilot....a very handsome pilot.....well, might he help distract Leah from the drama of her family and allow her a little bit of fun?

This is the first Sue Moorcroft book I have read but I can definitely see why they are so popular and why she has such a loyal fan base. I was struck by the energy of the storyline. The balance between character development, action and plot is well judged so it is well paced and speeds along but, unlike Leah's driving, there is enough time to take in the scenery around you and build definite pictures of all the characters who fall and crash through the pages.

Leah is our protagonist and she is very likeable. We empathise with her and admire her tolerance, patience and persistence with her sister and her nephews and nieces. I think a lot of readers will relate to her and she offers a more grounded perspective against her sister's antics. Well, most of the time. When she's not speeding or the few other things she does that reveal a slightly more unexpected side of her character!

Michele made me smile. She occasionally veered towards becoming a little irritating but Moorcroft steers her back quickly so actually she is just rather selfish and short sighted rather than unpleasant or too caricatured. I found her very easy to visual and thought the dynamics between the sisters was interesting and perhaps a little more complicated that the reader first assumes.

It's a fun read but it does touch on a lot of issues that are important, emotive and serious. There are some more poignant moments and like all good books, there's enough ups and downs, twists and turns that you won't notice when the sun is beginning to set and your champagne needs refilling (oh, ok, you might notice that but you'll probably take the book with you while you wander to the fridge so you don't have to leave the family alone for too long!).

So this book really has everything you would want from a holiday read. There is sun, there is chocolate - not sure how practical this is in the hot sunshine but oh my gosh you will be rummaging in the kitchen cupboards afterwards to make a cake after reading about Leah's bake offs! There are cocktails, laughter, heartache, tears, drama and love. There's a good cast of characters and I was also impressed with Moorcroft's dialogue and authentic portrayal of the voices of the teenagers as well as the parents. It's a quick read. It's an easy story. It does the trick. Add it to your suitcase and make sure it's there just for the holiday!

Just for the Holidays is out on 18th May 2017 and is published by Avon.




You can follow Sue on Twitter @suemoorcroft or visit her website for more information about her books www.suemoorcroft.com/

Sue is also coming along to my Summer Scorchers event on the 14th June so tune in to my blog then to hear more about her books, writing and life as an author.

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

#EleanorOliphantIsCompletelyFine #GailHoneyman #Review

Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend.

Eleanor Oliphant is fine. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except sometimes, everything.

No-one’s ever told Eleanor life should be better than fine. But with a simple act of kindness she’s about to realise exactly how much better than fine life can be.

Aahh. I'll just have another little moment to smile to myself and, well, ahhhhh a bit more.

Eleanor Oliphant, what a great story. Eleanor Oliphant  - she's more than completely fine, she's completely bloody awesome.

This is a beautiful book.

It surprised me, amused me and touched me. It is unique, quirky, bold and clever. I am so impressed with the concept, the storyline, but most importantly the character. Honeyman is a gifted writer.

Eleanor is unusual. She doesn't quite fit in. She doesn't quite understand the world around her. She has a routine - one that never changes. She sees things for what they are. She's troubled. She has a past. There are explanations and revelations as the novel unfolds and we learn why Eleanor has become the way she is or why she behaves or reacts the way she does, but these answers come slowly, steadily, shockingly; managed with taut control and precise timing. There is a huge sadness, a harrowing tragedy to Eleanor - she tells us so often she is fine that we quickly realise she doesn't even fool herself - but despite this heartbreaking past, the book remains uplifting and powerful.

Eleanor is not after our pity and although we realise there is something about her that concerns and unsettles us, she is happy in her world. Her comments, observations and insights are so bold, hilarious and rude that we know Eleanor is fine. For now. And that helps keep the atmosphere of the book relatively humorous. The blunt language of Eleanor, her compelling narrative and her inability to recognise nuance and subtleties help us to cope with the conflict that lurks within her character. Alongside this narrative of her ordinary, mundane life we see also the fact that she is not fine; she is broken, she is lonely, she does not know love, affection or family. And her mother, well, she's a monster.

Honeyman's writing is actually quite astounding. She writes in Eleanor's voice consistently and never once in the novel did I feel the voice lost it's authenticity, originality and individuality. It never became too much, it never overplayed itself, it never relied on cliches or stereotypes, sensationalism or sentimentalism. I think this is one of the best examples of a well crafted character I have seen in a long while and it reminded me of The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir by Lesley Allen, The Finding of Martha Lost and Carys Bray's novels. It also has a flavour of Graeme Simpson.

I loved the way Eleanor talked about herself so derogatorily without realising:

"Maybe he sensed back then, that I would never aspire to anything more than a poorly paid office job, that I would be content to stay with the company and save him the bother of ever having to recruit a replacement. Perhaps he could also tell that I'd never need to take time off to go on honeymoon, or request maternity leave. I don't know."

So many times I had to reread a phrase or pause because although Eleanor is often flippant - or perhaps realistic and practical, her comments are actually painfully sad. And despite her social awkwardness and her emotionally stunted behaviour, she is exceptionally shrewd and can sometimes see things for what they are in more clarity that the most educated professors in the world!

"The back office staff get paid a pittance, and so we can't afford much in the way of sharp haircuts and nerdy glasses. Clothes, music, gadgets - although the designers are desperate to be seen as freethinkers with unique ideas, they all adhere to a strict uniform. "

And does she realise when she's being funny? Her response to the cold caller was inspired and hilarious -

"I've been mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance. I whisper I know where you live to them, and hang up the phone very, very gently." 

- but I never quite knew whether I should be laughing or whether I should be phoning social services. Who, by the way, are already there. But Eleanor, who is fine by the way, knows why they are there and helpfully informs them "I haven't become aware of any additional support needs, and I'm fully integrated into the community." I think this literalness and the way that Honeyman uses it so effectively, is why it never becomes forced or stylised. It always evokes more sympathy or poignancy from the reader which makes this book stand out as something special.

I mean, I could listen to Eleanor all day. Her observations about the "mating rituals" between the girl who "giggled like a simpleton" and the man, captured the exact gestures and sounds and movements that we have watched play out hundreds of times but never quite captured with the eloquence of Eleanor. I've taken out the other 5 quotes that really made me smile - you'll have to read the book yourself and find some that do the same for you. As Eleanor begins to learn a little bit more about the world around her, as people start to show her a kindness she never knew existed, Eleanor's candid comments become more and more poignant and weigh more heavily with something much deeper.

It's an amusing novel but it is also a very very sad one. The whole second section of the novel is called "Bad Days." Honeyman has not shied away from confronting the issues of mental health and abuse. She has not shied away from showing us that actually, Eleanor Oliphant is not completely fine.

"It often feels as if I'm not here, that I'm a figment of my own imagination."

I did sigh when I finished the book. I did want to reach out and give Eleanor a squeeze. I did want to pause a little and have a moment to absorb the novel. And when I read through my quotes again before writing this, I felt all those mix of emotions again. I would have quite happily read this book from cover to cover again.

It's hard to categorise this novel and it is hard to say what you might expect from it or whether it is a light read, an easy read, a hard read, a thought provoking read, a sad read. It is different. It is unique. Like it's main protagonist, this novel is distinctive and memorable. There is only one Eleanor Oliphant and she is completely fine. There is only one book by Honeyman (so far - no pressure, I'm waiting....) and it is completely fine. Read it.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is published on 18th May 2017.

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

#DaphneDuMaurier #BlogTour #Highlights

Last week I ran a blog tour for Daphne Du Maurier as it would have been her birthday on the 13th May. She is one of my all time favourite authors and seems to have had a huge impact on many authors whose work I also admire and enjoy. A new film version of My Cousin Rachel is coming out next month so all in all it seemed apt to dedicate a week to celebrating the original grip lit, psychological thriller writer!

There were a lot of posts to keep track of so here is a bit of summary in case you missed any or wanted to revisit any of them! Thanks so much to the hundreds of you who retweeted, shared, commented and tweeted me about your favourite titles. This has got to have been one of the most enjoyable weeks I've had on social media and was a really fun project. And an absolutely massive thank you to each of the authors who kindly gave me their time to answer some questions and help create some really fascinating guest posts!

DAY ONE: ANNA MAZZOLA
click here 













DAY TWO: EMILY ORGAN
click here




DAY THREE: SAM BLAKE
click here



DAY FOUR: ANNABEL ABBS
here

DAY FOUR: JULIE OWEN MOYLAN

click here

DAY FIVE: CASS GREEN

click here

DAY SIX: ELOISE BOOKS - HANDPICKED GIFT SUBSCRIPTION FOR DAPHNE'S BIRTHDAY! 

click here

BIBLIOMANIAC REVIEW & BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS ON MY COUSIN RACHEL

click here

And you may like to check out the fabulous Ronnie Turner who wrote a post all about her trip to the real Jamaica Inn! Click here for the blog post Jamaica Inn and click here to find out more about @Ronnie__Turner

Thank you so much again everyone and if there are any other authors you can think of that you would enjoy to see on a Blog Tour do let me know! Similarly, @Eloisebooks1would love to hear from you if you can think of any other authors who would like a 'fantasy' gift subscription for their 'birthday'! 

There's plenty more reviews, recommendations and book chat from me on Twitter @KatherineSunde3 or on  my website bibliomaniacuk.co.uk so do pop along and take a peek if you've a moment!