#TheUnquietDead #AusmaZehanatKhan #Review #BlogTour

*My thanks to the publisher from whom I received this book in return for an unbiased and honest review*

A compelling and provocative mystery exploring the complexities of identity, loss and redemption. 

The Unquiet Dead is a contemporary mystery based on actual events that occurred during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. It is impeccably researched and includes actual passages based on the testimonies of witnesses of the massacre of Srebrenica. 

Christopher Drayton's body is found at the foot of the Scarborough Bluffs and Detective Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty are called to investigate. But this is a very complex case as once the investigation begins, secrets of Drayton's role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre surface. It's difficult to remain objective and in a community so haunted by war, anyone could be a suspect. And also, as this victim is a man with so many deaths to his name, could it be that justice has at long last been served? 

The blurb reflects the intensity and complexity of this book's themes and setting but Khan's skilful writing ensures that The Unquiet Dead is an accessible and highly readable novel. Although there are a lot of distressing passages, it is an important story and one that is well worth making the time to read. 

I think one thing that creates an impact from the very beginning is the line of italics that starts each chapter. These are lines taken from witness statements and testaments from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as well as other legal documents and historical records (all listed at the back of the book). 

"Whoever was on the list to be killed would be killed."

Her inclusion of these lines is purposeful and effective. Not only does this show the depth and detail of Khan's research and her passion for wanting to tell this story accurately even though she has weaved it into a fictionalised story, but it also adds a chill to the pages. Khan's balance between using real events, telling a devastating story but also writing a modern mystery thriller which grips the reader is perfect. This is an author with a great skill for language, structure and story telling. This is a striking novel and The Unquiet Dead will leave its mark on any reader. 

Khan's main characters are engaging, very well developed and crafted. I liked Rachel a lot, she had her own personal issues to deal with, a colleague to learn to work alongside effectively with and also her own personal emotions connected to the crime. She's thoughtful, calm, intelligent and focussed. I liked the way Khan revealed her ability and skill, the dynamics between herself and Khattak which were not always easy and her approach to solving the mystery of the dead body.

"She would tell him, she decided. This mucking about in the dark was pointless. It was getting them nowhere." 

Her relationship with her brother is very well crafted and explored. Khan expands this exploration of family dynamics with the introduction of a few different families and quite a large cast of characters. There are conversations and observations about siblings, motherhood and parenting. This helps not to only to add more layers to the novel but also make it more universal. 

Although predominately told from Rachel's point of view, there are also some short chapters written in italics. These sections increase towards the end of the novel but are well timed and well balanced. I actually found them incredibly moving but also fascinating as they evoked the emotion, horror and atmosphere of the events so vividly. 

"Noise. Chaos. Terror. Misery. Four words that now made up his world."

I have read painfully evocative novels set in WW2 which have never left my memory and for me, these passages from The Unquiet Dead will join them. Perhaps there is something a little more terrifying here because I was less familiar with the events on which they were based and it was harder to process that this massacre actually happened. The themes of hatred, fear, redemption and justice are universal themes that repeat themselves throughout history and throughout the history of literature and Khan shows herself to be able to write as beautifully, as poignantly and as confidently as any other novelist tackling controversial and complex topics. 

I think the other thing I really found fascinating in the novel was the role of Christopher Drayton and his duplicity and outward presentation of the person he wanted everyone to believe he was while duping everyone and disguising his past. This was really intriguing and I was captivated by the unravelling of his public persona as the truth was gradually uncovered. In terms of mystery and suspense, this was highly effective. 

"People were full of contradictions, bewildering even unto themselves." 

"We owe the living the truth. It's the only coin of justice left to offer."

The Unquiet Dead is powerful and unforgettable. It is a book to be devoured in the same way we devour other contemporary authors who produce thought provoking novels. 

I highly recommend The Unquiet Dead which is published on 27th July by No Exit Press. 

My thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy in return for an honest review and for the stunning PR campaign of mysterious postcards that arrived before the copy of the book! 

DON"T MISS THE BLOG TOUR FOR THE UNQUIET DEAD! HERE ARE ALL THE OTHER STOPS SO DO TAKE A LOOK!!! 

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

#SummerReading #Recommendations

Summer Reading Suggestions

So what books are you taking away with you this summer? Which books will you indulge in and enjoy while relaxing at the beach? Here's a few that I would recommend! 

Click on the links to see my reviews! 

A Room with a View: Beautiful Books

The Summer of Impossible Things
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
The Expatriates
The Night Rainbow
The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde





Time Out: Stories you will not be able to put down until you've finished them!

Last Seen Alive
Don't Close Your Eyes
The Roanoke Girls
The Girls
Sometimes I Lie



Early Bird Bonus: A few more suggestions .....
Exquisite
Fierce Kingdom
A dangerous crossing
Seal Skin
Unravelling Oliver



Luggage Allowance: What will I be reading on my holiday?



Look forward to hearing all about your summer reading! Wishing you all a very lovely summer break and fingers crossed you're all able to enjoy a book or two along the way!



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

#TheSummerofImpossibleThings #RowanColeman #Review

*My thanks to the publisher from whom I received this book in return for an unbiased and honest review*

"The only thing that is impossible is the thing that no one imagines." Einstein

If you could change the past, would you?

Thirty years ago, something terrible happened to Luna’s mother. Now, on a trip back to Brooklyn to settle her mother's affairs following her death, Luna realises she has the chance to change things and save her mother's life. 

But just how much will she have to sacrifice in order to change the course of time? 

This book has the most stunning cover I have seen in a long time and if it doesn't beg to be picked up and read with love, care and attention then just what kind of reader are you?!! 

And not only does it have the most stunning cover, it has the most stunning story recounted throughout it's pages. Coleman's writing is beautiful, It is pretty, dreamlike, poetic, simple and poignant. This is a book to be revelled in. The reader needs to savour the clever combination of themes of imagination, belief and love with rational explanation and science. Together Coleman weaves all of this into a tale that is not only magical but also feels real and not beyond the realms of possibility. 

This book, as the title suggests, is about embracing the impossible, putting your rational scientific thoughts to the side and prioritising love, happiness and family. But it is not a light, fluffy, romanticised, unrealistic novel that requires you to suspend belief and relish in a sentimental ending - no, this book tackles rape, abuse, dysfunctional families and unhappiness. The story is not just about saving what you love but also about justice for those who have suffered and punishment for those who hurt, abuse and take advantage of others. 

In some ways this story is also about solving a mystery. Luna and her sister return to their mother's house to discover a past they never knew of and one that changes all that Luna knew about her life. Interestingly the key facts about the past and what has happened are shared very early on so the reader is not so much trying to solve the clues and watch for the hints but there is still a level of tension and there are still missing pieces to the jigsaw which are not revealed until the end through some very well executed twists. 

I loved the writing and I loved the inclusion of quotes from scientists, authors and philosophers. I noted down lots of aspirational lines about the impossible, the importance of imagination, belief and hope. I loved the contrast of this more lyrical writing with the scientific language and the inclusion of physics. Luna regularly uses her scientific background to try and grapple with what is happening to her as she seems to be able to slip forward and back through time and appears to be able to change the course of her mother's life. This works really well because it illustrates the real dilemma that Luna faces about having the chance to change something and the disbelief that what is happening to her is impossible and yet possible at the same time. By incorporating discussion of physics and neuroscience, Coleman gets her readers on board and makes them more than willing to accept Luna's unique situation. 

"That's not possible. And yet it's true all the same." 

The book is divided up into "days" running from the 7th July to the 13th July which I found effective  - particularly in a novel where the concept of time is shown to be less linear and more fluid, something we force ourselves to conform to without really considering other possibilities about how our histories, stories, moments and memories echo and overlap each other. Each section has a quote which reflect the deeper messages and ideas that Coleman has subtly woven into her book. It also reminds the reader that this novel has a darker aspect to it, which again is physically reflected in the blackout that envelops Brooklyn. The blackout is used by Coleman to emphasise a sense of threat, trouble and danger which is also chasing the key characters. She also uses it to create an almost unearthly atmosphere of stillness, a sense of losing our bearings and losing sight of the things which root us, guide us and centre us - a fascinating idea in a novel exploring time travel! 

I thoroughly enjoyed the ending. I may have dabbed away a tear or two. Without giving any spoilers away, The Summer of Impossible Things is a story of fate, alignment, bravery, courage and something everyone wishes they had - the chance to fight for extra time with those we love. For me, The Summer of Impossible Things has a unique mix of cliffhangers, moments of drama, tension, passion and real imagination and creativity. Just remember:

"Impossible things happen all the time." 

The Summer of Impossible Things published on June 29th by Ebury Press. 

I was lucky enough to meet Rowan at Harpenden Books and hear her chat about the inspiration behind this book - including the role of disco and Saturday Night Fever which I have managed to completely leave out of review somehow!! I could have listened to her chat all night, it was so interesting to hear about Brooklyn in 1977 and then more about Rowan's writing life and her passion for the Brontes. I loved this book but to be honest, I am hugely excited by the novel she is currently writing! In my humble opinion, The Summer of Impossible Things shows us that Coleman is a hugely talented writer whose novels reflect not only her impressive command of language and imagery, but also of complex plots and fascinating characters. I cannot wait. 

Oh, and while your here, what about buying a ticket for this!! Yes, Rowan will be back in Harpenden in September for this absolutely dream author panel! Come along and hear these fab ladies talking about their books. 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/back-to-the-books-tickets-35451725064

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

#TheUpstairsRoom #KateMurrayBrowne #Review #BlogTour

*My thanks to the publisher from whom I received this book via NetGalley in return for an unbiased and honest review*

Eleanor, Richard and their two young daughters recently stretched themselves to the limit to buy their dream home, a four-bedroom Victorian townhouse in East London. But the cracks are already starting to show - not in the walls of the house but between Richard and Eleanor....

As they attempt to settle into their new home, Eleanor becomes ill and convinces herself it is the house that is making her suffer so violently with progressively crippling headaches and sickness. 

But Richard is dismissive, wrapped up in budgets, building plans and the 27 year old female lodger renting their basement rooms. 

Determined to prove to Richard that the house has a dark past, Eleanor investigates the previous owners and tries to find out just who Emily was and why her name is written hundreds of times on the walls of the upstairs room. ......

Yes, this is one creeptastic read. If you are faint hearted, susceptible to tension headaches and easily frightened when you have to go upstairs to bed at night, then beware of this book! And if you have just moved house....double beware!!! 

But whatever your disposition, I still recommend you read it! There are so many ideas and themes in this novel that although it is dominated by the eerie atmosphere of the house, it is also a novel that examines marriage, parenting, mental health and relationships. There is an intriguing cast of characters - not always likeable and most definitely fallible - and all with issues to confront, decisions to make and behaviour to consider. But before I talk about the actual characters, I want to talk about the real central character in this novel - the house. 

I love gothic novels and I love novels about houses. Nothing captures my imagination more than a hidden room, a mysterious piece of furniture left behind by a previous owner or the ghostly presence of something haunting in the hallways. The Upstairs Room has all of this. It also has echoes of The Woman in Black, The Others, The Birds and The Omen. I think it is fair to say that perhaps the premise of the novel is not completely original but what is impressive is the creation of main character Eleanor, and then a plot that uses such compelling language and so well executed that it feels fresh and new. And I must say that if this book becomes a film (yes it should and I'm sure it will!!) like some of the other titles I just mentioned, I don't think I would be able to watch it simply because the novel was so unsettling and so frightening I don't think my nerves could stand it!

This house, with it's strange, unnervingly preserved upstairs room, is so well evoked that it is quite claustrophobic and intense at times. The suggestion of malevolence in the building is overwhelmingly well handled and well crafted. The writing on the wall is especially terrifying:

"......the scrawls were like vermin: Eleanor became alert, vigilant, every smug leaping out at her. When she saw the familiar faded pencil, it made her jump, even though she had been looking for it. Soon, they were swarming at her and she couldn't understand how she hadn't seen them before."

I loved Eleanor's "compulsion to leave the house" as if the home were a real live thing with a real live intention to harm - which it certainly appears to be. The description of Eleanor's dizziness, sickness and sluggishness is evoked so intensely that I myself shared her feelings nausea and also felt like I needed to run outside and get some fresh air. It is hard to maintain prolonged tension with one character and one location and to write so repetitively about illness but in this book, Browne achieves this; she maintains the intensity, stress, oppressiveness and accumulating sense of threat and dread. 

Eleanor is a very well crafted character. She is thoughtful, sensitive, intuitive and despite a tendency to over analyse, the reader is on board and also convinced she is not wrong to have these fears and anxieties. I felt her frustration as she was repetitively judged and her illness dismissed as tiredness or an inability to cope with the demands of parenting. The repetition of the phrase "You just need to rest" becomes grating and starts to symbolise more about the crumbing relationship between Richard and Eleanor than a well meaning platitude. 

An equally fascinating character is Zoe, the young lodger. Her observations and insight about the couple's life and family provides a bit of objectivity. She has a very different world view, she has her own complicated secrets and own issues with relationships to work through. It's an interesting dynamic to introduce into the novel and the pressure that Eleanor and Richard are under is further exacerbated by the physical presence of Zoe who is part of their house yet not part of their house.  Zoe's reaction to the strange happenings also helps to compound the tension and show the reader that what is going on is not an invention of Eleanor's tired and confused mind. 

Initially I did find the final section of the novel a little overlong but it wasn't until the last few paragraphs that I realised that it was in fact necessary and valid. There is a certain satisfaction in having all the strands pulled together and although at first I thought everything was too neatly sown up or too much exposition, I was rewarded with a delicious hint of ambiguity at the end which meant I ended the book with a little gasp and wry smile. Good work! 

This is a good read. There are complex characters to grapple with and back stories which not only give you a break from the intensity of the scenes inside the house but also add depth and further layers to the book. This books is a great example of well written description and how to present passages describing inner turmoil and inexplicable illness. Recommend! 

The Upstairs Room is published on July 27th by Picador.

Don't miss out on the Blog Tour and all the other reviews and posts about this chilling novel.



BIBLIOMANIAC'S BOOK CLUB: BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS

How did you respond to the author's presentation of the work of the spiritualist?

Which character did you feel most empathy for and why?

Which character did you feel least empathy for and why?

Do you think things would have been different for Eleanor, Richard and Zoe had they lived somewhere else and not bought this victorian house in London?

Can you give a rational explanation for what is going on in the house? What is your explanation of what happened?

Can the lives of previous owners live on in a house long after they have moved out?

How did you respond to the ending? Was it satisfying? How else could the novel have ended?

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

#BibliomaniacsBookShelf 10-14th July

Bibliomaniac's Book Shelf: 

A Round Up of the Books I've Reviewed This Week!

It's been a busy week this week with some outstanding novels hitting my shelves! The real challenge has been to try to find new ways to say "gripping" and "outstanding" as I have been thoroughly spoilt with some exceptionally chilling and beautifully written reads! It has genuinely been an amazing week of 5* books!

MY BOOK OF THE WEEK:

Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas 

I am a huge Claire Douglas fan and was thrilled to be offered an advance copy of her third novel. In my opinion this is her best book yet and really proves how talented she is as an author as Douglas weaves a complex tale of friendship, identity and past secrets. Douglas's execution of such a well crafted novel is impressive and the number of jaw dropping, chilling and rug pulling moments is just brilliant. This is a book that is full of twists and revelations but more importantly, it is a great story that will have you gripped until the very last page. It is about friendship, betrayal, love, revenge, anxiety and paranoia. An absolute must read this summer and an absolutely stunning psychological thriller.

Full Review of Last Seen Alive

Other books to add to your shelves......

The Good Girl was one of my favourite Book Club reads and so I was very excited about Neill's new novel, The Betrayals. Once more Neill has created a story that is multilayered and full of complex characters and interesting dilemmas. It's ambitiously told from four different narrative viewpoints but not once do you lose your grip on what is happening. It is a very cleverly managed jigsaw where the pieces don't always end up fitting where you think! I really enjoyed the discussions about the mind, rational explanations and the irrational realities, memories and relationships. Clever, entertaining and thought provoking. 

Full Review of The Betrayals

This novel has a dual narrative which slips between the past (1950s) and the present. Both storylines are compelling and linked with the mysterious, unsolved disappearance of Audrey Wilde. Both story lines are about women, families, mothers and daughters. Both story lines use the beautiful and evocative setting of the rambling Applecote House - once a place of happiness, then tragedy and now it the present day, a place where a new family try to leave their past behind and build a new life together. The writing is bewitching, lyrical and chilling and the characters are well crafted. A great read with two plots that gradually collide and intertwine in a very satisfying ending. 

Full Review of The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde

This novel is a perfect summer read - relatively short and set in Italy in a heatwave. It tells the story of a sixteen year boy on the cusp of adulthood as he gradually confronts some difficult truths about his father. This novel is set in a small, isolated village community and focuses on the impact of a missing child on this community. The language is beautiful, the setting is stunning and the story is gently compelling and full of great observations about people under pressure. Recommend! 

Full Review of Can You Hear Me

If you are a fan of historical fiction or travel fiction then this will be the read for you this summer! McVeigh has written a novel that is fluent, well paced, interesting and thoroughly researched with a good cast of strong characters. There are some harrowing scenes and some difficult sections to read due to the historical time the novel recounts but well worth adding to that reading pile.

Full Review of Leopard at the Door

BLOG TOURS

Death Plays a Part by Vivian Conroy

I was on the Blog Tour for Vivian Conroy's new cosy crime series set in Cornwall. You can read my full post here and don't forget to check out some of the other stops with the other bloggers too!

Blog Tour Post

Author Events 

Bibliomaniac's Book Club: Real Life, Real Books

On Wednesday 5th July I was lucky enough to host an author panel event with Jennie Ensor (Blind Side), Kerensa Jennings (Seas of Snow) and Jessica Duchen (Ghost Variations) at The Harpenden Arms with the support of Harpenden Books. It was a great evening and a fascinating discussion of the whole process of getting an idea, researching an idea, writing and then getting published. There was also a lot of discussion about handling taboo subjects and tricky issues and themes in novels. Read my reviews of all three books via the link below. 

Review of Real Life Real Books

Rowan Coleman: The Summer of Impossible Things

Harpenden Bookshop 13th July

On Thursday I got to meet the lovely Rowan Coleman who came to Harpenden Books to launch her latest novel The Summer of Impossible Things. Rowan read us an extract which was tantalising and then chatted a little bit about the inspiration for this novel and her research in America for the setting and events the book revolves around. She also answered questions from the audience about where she found inspiration for her other books, her writing life and her love for the Brontes. It was a relaxing, enjoyable and interesting evening and such an honour to meet such a lovely, humorous lady whose personality was a bright and captivating as her latest book cover.

 

Rowan Coleman will be appearing at my author event in September and after this week, I cannot wait to meet her again! If you live near Harpenden (very accessible from St Albans or North London) then why not book a ticket and come along! 

Click here to buy tickets: Bibliomaniac Author Event: September 20th 2017

Phew! What a week!! Hope you all have a fantastic weekend and find a good book to spend it with! 

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