#HollySeddon #DontCloseYourEyes #BibliomaniacsBookClub

Bibliomaniac's Book Club: Bonus Edition!

Don't Close Your Eyes

by Holly Seddon 

What is Don't Close Your Eyes about? 

Twin sisters Robin and Sarah haven’t spoken in years.

Robin can’t leave her house. A complete shut-in, she spends her days spying on her neighbors, subtly meddling in their lives. But she can’t keep her demons out forever. Someone from her past has returned, and is desperate to get inside.

Sarah can’t go home. Her husband has kicked her out, forcibly denying her access to their toddler. Sarah will do anything to get her daughter back, but she’s unraveling under the mounting pressure of concealing the dark secrets of her past. And her lies are catching up to her.

Read my 5* review here

I am delighted to welcome Holly Seddon to my blog today as I absolutely love Don't Close Your Eyes, published by Corvus on 6th July 2017, and I think it makes a great book for a book club discussion.  I am even more thrilled that Holly agreed to answer a few questions about her novel and about her own reading first before we get on to the Book Club questions!

Q&A WITH HOLLY SEDDON

Don’t Close Your Eyes has two main characters, Sarah and Robin, who each take turns in telling their story, one in first person and one in third. There is also a dual timeline between 1989 and the present day. What techniques did you use to help you plan the structure and writing of this story?

I used writing program Scrivener and got a lot of headaches. In all seriousness, this was the most complicated structure I’ve ever written (including my third book, which I’ve just finished editing) and I had to plan it very carefully, chapter by chapter, to make sure that it was seamless for the reader. It was actually even more complex at one point because there were extra points of view but thankfully they didn’t make it past the first draft!

The story is also about twins. Why did you decide to make the sisters twins? Which sister came first when you were creating the story or did they both “arrive” at the same time?

I knew the story would be about siblings and blended families, of sorts, but the character who came to me first was Robin. She basically arrived fully formed, with an attitude, style, history, interests and looks already in place. It was almost eerie!

Growing up I had friends who were non-identical twins and always found that very interesting. There are so many expectations with twins, not least that they’ll be identical in looks and character, so I wanted to show some more shades of grey.

There is a lot about mental health in this novel. What effect did that have on you when writing and how did you ensure that your portrayal was not only so convincing and authentic but also so thoughtful and respectful?

Frankly, it’s hard and nerve-wracking writing about experiences that you know some – maybe many - readers will recognise in themselves or those they love. Experiences that people I care about may have experienced in some form. So I take it very, very seriously. I read a lot and also listen to the experiences of others.

I try to be respectful, to err on the side of showing less, not more. I don’t want to be flippant and I do want it to feel authentic or I shouldn’t cover those topics. Do it right, or don’t do it. And I hope upon hope that I’ve done it right.

(I absolutely think you have done it very well - such a tricky one to get right, but I thought it was very well handled indeed. Hopefully other readers agree!) 

What are your top tips for creating tension and effective plot twists in fiction?

Less is more. So often it’s in the not showing, rather than the showing. The hints and the shadows are where the creepiness lies, I think.

Oh and watch as much Alfred Hitchcock as you can get your hands on! Rear Window was an influence on Don’t Close Your Eyes (which is probably obvious to those who have read it) but as well as the films, my middle son and I got really obsessed with the old 1950s/60s series Alfred Hitchcock Presents, which consists of 25 minute episodes of crime, mystery, thriller stories.

Oohh, I did think of Rear Window when I read this, but love the idea of watching the Alfred Hitchcock Presents series! Great tip!

Thank you so much Holly for your fab answers! Now on to a few quick fire questions about your reading! 

If you are or if you were in a book club which book are you reading / would like to read?

I am in a book club and I love it. It forces me to read outside of my genre and, many times, outside of my own interests so I’m exposed to fresh ideas and styles. Last month we read The Power by Naomi Alderman and I had such a book hangover when it finished. God it’s good. I bought a copy for my teenage daughter when I was only a third of the way through because I wanted to discuss it with her too! This month we’re reading The Sellout by Paul Beattie, I’ve not read much yet but it’s made me hoot and howl in despair already.

Great recommendations - I have bought The Power as the lovely Steph at Harpenden Books raved about it so much I couldn't leave without buying a copy! 

If you could ask a book club one question about your book what would it be?

Did you guess the twist? (So far, no one has.)

If you could invite any author / fictional character to a book club, who would it be and why?

Ohhhhh, that’s such a hard one! I went to Harrogate Crime Writing Festival recently and had such a great time. I’ve never met so many authors en masse and I even managed to meet Lee Child, very briefly and awkwardly, so that scratched a lot of ‘must meets’ off the list.  I’m not sure if this is allowed, but can I go for a deceased author? I’d love to meet Agatha Christie. I’d love to know how she was so prolific, I’d love to know if she knew what she was doing when she ran away and I’d love to pick her brains on what makes the perfect mystery set-up.

(That is a great answer!!!! Totally agree with your choice!!) 

What books have influenced your writing? Or which book do you wish you’d written?

Hmm. I’m not very good at saying who has influenced my writing because so much of it is unconscious. I’m quite a visual writer and I think television drama and crime series have had quite an impact on me, not just the new Scandi crop but older shows like Cracker.

Growing up I loved ghost stories (like The Ghost of Thomas Kempe) and adventure yarns (especially Famous Five), the creepier and eerier the better.

I don’t think anyone would liken me to this lot, but as a teenager and young adult I loved Charles Bukowski, Peter Carey, Douglas Coupland and Martin Amis. Yeah, no one is ever going to compare me to them!

I love writers who are crisp and sparing, and I think I’m always trying to get my sentences as simple and clean as possible. Unlike my answers to these questions, sorry!

Do you have one book you are desperate to read this year?

I’m very excited to read I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes of Death by Maggie O’Farrell.  

Thanks so much Holly, these are fabulous answers, some great suggestions and recommendations! I really enjoyed hearing your answers and thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to answer them! 

So now, here are some questions to accompany Don't Close Your Eyes if you choose it as your Book Club read! 

QUESTIONS FOR BOOK CLUB:

The novel is told with a dual timeline and from two different points of view. How challenging, if at all, did you find this as a reader? Did you find this an effective way of revealing the story and the characters?

How authentic did you find the relationship between the sisters? Which sister were you more drawn to and why?

Robin watches another family from her window and makes her own assumptions about what she is seeing. Why do you think the author decided to include this storyline? What point might the author being trying to raise? Does it remind you of any other books or films?

There is a lot about parenting in this novel. What key issues do you think the author is trying to make in this novel regarding parenting and motherhood?

How well do you think this book would transfer to the big screen?  What might be the pros and cons of an adaption? Who might you cast as the key characters?

And, as Holly asked, did you guess the twist?!!


IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY HOLLY SEDDON'S FIRST NOVEL "TRY NOT TO BREATH" 

Amy Stevenson was the biggest news story of 1995. Only fifteen years old, Amy disappeared walking home from school one day and was found in a coma three days later. Her attacker was never identified and her angelic face was plastered across every paper and nightly news segment.

Fifteen years later, Amy lies in the hospital, surrounded by 90’s Britpop posters, forgotten by the world until reporter Alex Dale stumbles across her while researching a routine story on vegetative patients.

Remembering Amy’s story like it was yesterday, she feels compelled to solve the long-cold case.

The only problem is, Alex is just as lost as Amy—her alcoholism has cost her everything including her marriage and her professional reputation.

In the hopes that finding Amy’s attacker will be her own salvation as well, Alex embarks on a dangerous investigation, suspecting someone close to Amy.

Told in the present by an increasingly fragile Alex and in dream-like flashbacks by Amy as she floats in a fog of memories, dreams, and music from 1995, Try Not to Breatheunfolds layer by layer to a breathtaking conclusion.

HAVE A LISTEN TO HOLLY SEDDON ON HONEST AUTHORS PODCAST WHICH SHE CO HOSTS WITH THE FABULOUS GILLIAN MCALLISTER AUTHOR OF EVERYTHING BUT THE TRUTH 

@HonestAuthors

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOLLY SEDDON 

Holly Seddon is a full time writer, living slap bang in the middle of Amsterdam with her husband James and a house full of children and pets. 

Holly has written for newspapers, websites and magazines since her early 20s after growing up in the English countryside, obsessed with music and books. 

Her first novel, TRY NOT TO BREATHE, was published worldwide in 2016 and became a bestseller in several countries. DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES is her second novel.

www.hollyseddon.com

Holly Seddon on Goodreads

Holly Seddon on Facebook

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

#TheMusicShop #RachelJoyce #Review

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

The Music Shop is a story about good, ordinary people who take on forces too big for them. It's about falling in love and how hard it can be. And it's about music - how it can bring us together when we are divided and save us when all seems lost.

Meet Frank. It's 1988 and the CD has arrived but Frank only deals in vinyl. And he has a gift.

"If you told Frank the kind of thing you wanted, or simply how you felt that day, he had the right track in minutes. It was a knack he had. A gift. He knew what people needed even whey they didn't know it themselves."

In this cramped, music shop rammed full of vinyl, there's Frank, Father Anthony, Maud and Kit; waiting for new customers, watching Frank work his magic - whether it is catching the teenager who steals a Genesis record only to tell him to keep it but please come back to the shop and listen to their early stuff as it as much better, or finding the right piece of piano music that "will arrive like a little raft and carry [this customer] safely home".

And it wasn't long before I pulled up a stool next to them, entranced and entertained by this quirky bunch of characters, the friendship and loyalty that exists between them and Frank's delightful love for music and mending people with the right song. I'm a big fan of bibliotherapy and novels like "The Little Paris Cafe" and this felt similar yet with music - which I think can be more evocative, more powerful and more unifying.

The tone of voice in the novel is perfect, striking a perfect balance between humour, candid observation and beautiful imagery and description. In Frank, Joyce has crafted a character who will stay with the reader long after the book is finished in the same way a beautiful tune echoes through your mind days after you heard it somewhere.

I loved the detail and lengths Joyce went to in talking about music and why vinyl was so much more superior to a CD. When the reps tell him, yet again, to stock CDs because the sound is clean, Frank replies to himself with "What's music got to do with clean? Where is the humanity in clean? Life has surface noise! Do you want to listen to furniture polish?"

Where is the humanity in clean indeed. Perhaps this captures the essence of the novel. It is about humanity. It is about the bits of dirt that snag, that catch us, the stain we can't wash out, the moment or the fear that stops us from saying what we want to say or doing what we want to do. This is a novel about Frank and Ilse Brauchmann - the women who wanders into his shop by accident one day - and it is about the things which make us human; love, grief, fear and hope.

"The gaps and the cracks. Because that was where life really happened, when you were brave enough to free-fall."

As well as the present day story line of Ilse and Frank, we also have flashbacks of Frank and his mother which helps us understand his response to Ilse but also shows us how his passion for music developed. This book is full of educative and informative things about composers and their music and the author must have done a huge amount of research for this novel, but I loved the way this knowledge was conveyed.

"Before the Messiah things were a bit shit for Handel."

This is the way you would want to be taught about music! There are constant references to songs, lyrics and composers in each chapter title and section heading. This is a fully immersive experience and the depth to which the author has used music in her writing is incredible. Joyce can write beautifully and with her own mesmerising lyricism but she is also clearly a sharp, intelligent and observant author.

As the book continues it moves through stages of heartbreak and sadness, bleakness and loss then uplifting passages of love, hope and the power of people to come together and help the one character who is so good at finding the answers for everyone else, find the answers for himself. Even when there are sections that are serious, sad and heavy going there is always a touch of humour, wit and it's impossible not to have a smile or smirk on your face for most of the time you are reading. Again, it's a great balance between being sensitive and moving but never over bearing or dark.

This is a story of characters for whom life doesn't go according to plan. There are people who are imprisoned, scared, trapped in their past but somehow, through music, they're able to come to terms with their failings and begin to find their hopes, dreams and new starts.

The final section of the book - I can't give too many details away as it will totally spoil everything - but oh my goodness, I was wiping away my tears. The description of the scenes were so powerful, so heartfelt, so emotional and so moving that I was utterly engrossed. Joyce does a magnificent job of encapsulating not only all the characters and various plot threads but also more universal themes of music, therapy, community and acts of kindness.

This is an incredibly uplifting book. It illustrates how music can be used as a way to understand yourself, the world around you and a way in which to bring people together. It is a special novel; seemingly simple but actually with a tremendous amount to say.

I loved it. I have been touched by it and by the characters. And I desperately want to hold a vinyl record in my hands! Highly recommend.

The Music Shop is published by DoubleDay on 13th July 2013.

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

#TheyAllFallDown #TammyCohen #Review

She knows there’s a killer on the loose.
But no-one believes her.
Will she be next?

Hannah had a normal life – a loving husband, a good job. Until she did something shocking. Now she’s in a psychiatric clinic. It should be a safe place. But patients keep dying.

The doctors say it’s suicide. Hannah knows they’re lying. Can she make anyone believe her before the killer strikes again?

Gosh. I don't know where to begin. This book is incredible.

Tammy Cohen has a significant back catalogue and has also written a fantastic cozy crime novel under the name of Rachel Rhys but I have to say, this novel felt so accomplished, so polished, so confident and so fluent that I was absolutely blown away by it. The writing was faultless and I was utterly swept up in the narrative and carried along right until the very last word. This has to be her best novel yet. And she had set the bar pretty high already.

The premise - a killer in a psychiatric clinic - is in itself such an enormous hook and immediately throws the reader into an atmosphere of tension, suspense and intrigue but what really captivated me was the prose. Cohen is so eloquent and her writing is so striking that the reader cannot help but be consumed by the storyline and it's hard not to become fuelled with compassion for the characters. Her writing can not but provoke an emotive response from the reader.

This is a very different kind of setting from the previous novels I have read by this author and I was fascinated by her decision to set the story in a psychiatric ward. What is so delicious and compelling about this setting is that the protagonist and the characters on which you are relying to tell you the 'facts' are all "mad". Who can you trust? Who could possibly be reliable? Who is not going to be confusing reality with their delusions? As Hannah says,

"You don't have to be mad to live here but...oh, hang on, yes, you do."

But aside from testing the reader with unreliable narrators, if there is a killer on the loose, who is going to believe these girls? Who is going to protect them? Again, in Hannah's words: "people die all the time here....That's what makes it so easy for a killer to hide here, in plain sight."

Deeply gripping. Deeply troubling. Deeply unnerving. Cohen has really nailed it.

I think it was a very brave and bold decision to set the novel in this kind of location and to focus on characters who are suffering from complicated mental illness and seriously chronic conditions. But my admiration is not just because it is brave and bold but because it is brilliantly handled.

"Suffering from mental illness is like suddenly becoming a foreigner in your own country. Close friends and relatives start talking very loudly and very slowly in the belief that you might understand them better. They don't realise it's not the understanding that's the problem, it's the application. When everything that made you you has disintegrated, it's possible to make abstract sense of things without having the first clue how they might be relevant to you." 

Cohen has not used this location for shock, for sensationalism or to steal the next number one slot as a shocking thriller, she has set her book here because it is completely relevant and necessary for the story she wants to tell and the themes she wants to write about. It is appropriate for the characters and as a place in which she can explore their issues, backstories and secrets.

It is a dark and intense read - of course it is, it is about psychiatric patients, but Cohen is an intelligent and thoughtful writer and she has struck a balance of weaving a great tale that explores families, relationships, heartbreak and guilt alongside more deeper psychiatric issues. She pushes the story to a higher level by exploring issues of boundaries, delusion, desire and self deception.

There is a good range of characters created in the novel too - not just in personality, role and purpose but also in terms of their illness and state of mind. Yet some of the most 'damaged' appear to be so observant and perceptive they often point out the obvious more ably that the doctors - and in a tone or style that is so caustic and so brutal it is quite exquisite to watch. There are some great suggestions about who or what madness and rationality look like should you wish to delve deeper or analyse further! In Hannah she has created a character who is sharp, intelligent, witty, sarcastic, someone we root for and yet someone riddled with complications. She fiercely delusional and even though I wondered if I shouldn't like her - and at times you don't - I really did like her a lot.

In the last third of the book, Tammy Cohen excels herself. The depth, the layers, the knitting up of all the unravelling madness into a cohesive conclusion is flawless. It simply blew my mind. This is an impressive book. It has all the elements of a perfect suspense novel and yet Cohen has taken this psychological thriller to the next level. She has achieved much more than just scaring us, teasing us with twists and turns and chilling us to the bone. This is a psychological thriller with huge integrity.

Yes reader, I did like it. A lot. I think this novel is perceptive; it shows a sound and respectful awareness and understanding of mental health, its traps, its destructive and malignant power and Cohen choses not to trivialise anything for a shocking twist or unreliable narrator. But it is also a right good read full of chilling characters, threatening twists, interwoven plot lines and intense moments of suspense and tension. As I said before, incredible.

They All Fall Down is published by Transworld on the 13th July 2017.

If you liked this then why not try:



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

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

Bibliomaniac's #SummerReading #MiniRoundUp

So it's the summer holidays and having the children at home all day is ruining my reading time and blogging schedule!! How very dare they get between a bibliomaniac and her books! And then actual holidays - well, apparently it would be nice to go sightseeing rather than just bury yourself in a book for days on end.... I know, I don't understand it either, but hey ho, there we go! Therefore, over July and August I am going to do a few mini review / round up blog posts just while my bibliomaniac life is on pause...... Thank you for your understanding!!

The Favourite by SV Berlin is published Myriad on 3rd August 2017. My thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This is a tome of a book at a delicious 520 pages and I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in it. It's a character driven story which really explores the ins and outs of families, sibling relationships, partnership, marriage, parenting and grief. There are three main characters, Isobel, her brother Edward and his girlfriend Julie and all of them have secrets, dubious motivations and feel aggrieved from misunderstandings which they have let grow into something more threatening and dangerous. They all need these 520 pages to work through these issues - whether they are wholly redeemed or 'fixed' by the end is up to the reader to judge but there is a great mix of emotional growth, changes in character and the exploration of trying to mend dysfunctional relationships to keep the reader entertained, engaged and involved.

Despite the book feeling quiet epic, all the events take place over a relatively short space of time following the death of Isobel and Edward's mother and Isobel's sudden return to England for the funeral. Herself and Edward have been estranged for years and Edward carries a huge amount of resentment towards Isobel which immediately sets up a tense atmosphere. Although he is largely a very unlikeable character with few redeeming features, filled with jealousy, petulance and selfishness I did actually enjoy him the most. He often deliberately says something to "light a grenade" and spark further tension between family members and his thoughts about his girlfriend's sister were very entertaining despite their sarcasm and derision.

Edward's girlfriend Julie is an interesting character. She starts of as "plain, little, timid and watchful but without the underlying spirit of Jane Eyre" but over the course of the novel she grows in strength and confidence. I think her journey was the most unexpected and I did have a lot of sympathy for her throughout the novel as she is the most put upon and most manipulated. And I think the author cleverly leaves the ending for Julie quite ambiguous and deliberately not too neatly resolved which I liked.

Isobel appears to be the main character although takes a little bit of a back seat in the second half of the novel. She is also very well crafted, very easy to relate to and understand and also very easy to feel empathy for as she uncovers the reality of what has been happening at home while she lived in America. There is a sense of suspense and tension surrounding her storyline as well as her need to reevaluate her life, her priorities and her understanding of her family.

This is a book about how toxic families can be but how there is always the potential to save and fix them. Edward and Isobel need to accept, apologise and compromise. Each of them has something they refuse to let go of but the death of their mother has brought them together and is forcing them to confront all their issues with each other and with themselves. I enjoyed the use of memory, different points of view and the way the author played with interpretation. A very worthwhile read and a great book to take away this summer and lose yourself within.

Dying to Live by Michael Stanley is published by Orenda on 30th July 2017. 

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

This was an intriguing novel - the first #sunshinenoir novel I have ever read! It is set in Botswana and as my only experience of crime fiction set in this part of the world is "The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency" I was in for a bit of a shock! This is not cozy crime - it most definitely is noir fiction and it is gritty, dangerous, fascinating and full of threatening situations and characters. I was gripped by the opening when a body of a bushman is discovered - the body of an old man who seems to have very young organs. The autopsy reveals an old bullet is lodged in the man's body which immediately throws up a whole host of other issues, questions and intrigue. I was gripped as the plot continued to unfold and introduce a missing local witch doctor. The inclusion of this character really fascinated me and I enjoyed the time spent by the characters chatting about this part of the culture and heritage. It's all necessary for driving the action forward but also appealed to my imagination. 

I enjoyed this book and I liked the characters. I felt it was well crafted, well written, easy to follow and that the complex storyline was well managed. 

It was great to read a new detective series set in a part of the world I knew nothing about. It captures the sense of location, time and place so effectively while simultaneously creating a storyline that adheres to all the rules and conventions of noir fiction. I think it works well as a stand alone and there is a glossary of characters and a map at the beginning of the book which is always appreciated. There is a glossary with a few translations of words at the end but honestly this didn't bother me when I was reading. I think the growth of European and International noir has meant that we are often reading books with unfamiliar names and actually it is perfectly possible to keep track of everyone and everything when you have a book that is well written and well structured. 

This would be a good holiday read for those who enjoy travel and enjoy reading stories set in exotic locations but also for anyone who enjoys a fast paced, action packed, crime novel with a fair level of darkness and threat! 

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

The Susan Effect is published by Random House on the 3rd August 2017.

I requested this book as I still remember the impact of Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow and how that was one of the most talked about books when it was published in 1996. I think this book will do as well and Hoeg's style remains distinctive and intelligent. 

This story is about Susan Svendsen who has a special power - people confide in her. They will confess their inner most thoughts without her having to really coax them and then she chooses how to use this information. Now she finds herself with a prison sentence hanging over her head unless she can employ her special talent one more time and aid the Government with their investigation into the Future Committee. 

The novel is narrated by Susan and I really engaged with her voice and her character. She has quite a unique voice and is clearly intelligent and driven. There are many profound statements and observations which I enjoyed. Some of her comments about family life reveal a softer, maternal side to Susan but mostly she has a more scientific and rational attitude to the world. There is a lot of jargon within the novel and a lot of discussion about government issues and the Future Committee so I did find that this novel felt quite complex, sophisticated and for me, required quite a lot of attention and focus. 

The book is propelled forward with a lot of dialogue which makes it very readable and means the characters come to life very quickly. There is a sense of intensity and this is heightened by the impending threat of a prison sentence. The complexity of the investigation that Susan embarks upon also heightens this sense of intensity. Because of the nature of her quest, the book immediately becomes a sophisticated and complex narrative which places the reader in quite a scientific world. 

I was quite caught up with the characters and the dysfunctional relationship between the family members. The characters are all well written and convincing and Susan herself is a good female lead who has a great balance of intelligence, quirkiness, independence and self confidence to make her interesting and fascinating to the reader. I think the pressure and nature of the plot mean that at times there is a feeling of claustrophobia for the reader.

I am glad I read this novel and I did enjoy aspects of it but it was a very complex novel. Hoeg is a sophisticated writer who has a highly accomplished writing style and I'm sure this will be a literary hit this year. 

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

#BehindHerBack #JaneLythell #Review #Q&A #BlogTour

Well what an incredible honour to kick start the blog tour for the lovely Jane Lythell and her new book Behind Her Back! I'm so excited to share with you both my review and my interview with Jane! Thanks so much to Head of Zeus and Jane for an advance copy of the book in return for an honest review and for allowing me to post a review and q&a! Fangirl moment!!

StoryWorld is the nation's favourite morning show, and producer Liz Lyon wants to keep it that way. Her job is to turn real-life stories into thrilling TV – and keep a lid on the cauldron of conflicts and resentments that constantly simmers off-stage.

In this gripping novel of power, rivalry and betrayal, Jane Lythell draws on her experiences of working in the heated world of live TV. Liz Lyon must balance the monster egos at work with the demands of her teenage daughter – and the man she's just started dating – at home. It's all in a day's work.

I really enjoyed this second instalment which follows the life of Liz Lyon and continues on from the first book Woman of the Hour.  Once again, Lythell presents a good piece of fiction that feels like a very realistic portrayal of the real world of working in TV. The story is entertaining, amusing and dramatic but also has that sense that Liz is real and that this is a true insight into the world of television production. To me this novel feels akin to Bridget Jones - albeit a more of a serious Bridget Jones who has a teenage daughter and doesn't calorie count- although the cigarette breaks are still there! There is humour in the novel and there are characters who leap off the page but this is more a story of drama, tension, suspense and complex dynamics and relationships.

When we join Liz at the beginning of this novel, there is a new member of the team - Lori Kerwell - who is discussed with "the verbal equivalent of rolling eyes". Lythell also introduces a sub plot surrounding another colleague, Fizzy, and her maternity leave. Lythell is very much concerned with the role of working women and here she has created a story which realistically portrays the juggle between family and work and the demands of women at work. She isn't shy of raising a discussion on maternity leave and the pressure on women to return to work quickly to keep their jobs safe and to keep the same role with the same responsibilities as they had before they were pregnant. This is a novel that tries to capture the issues, dilemmas, dramas and successes of modern women.

The novel is heavily based on dialogue which feels like a script or TV show or a diary. It keeps the plot and action moving along with the pace and vitality which reflects the frenetic working environment at the TV studio. And the frenetic pace of Liz's life and personal issues. It also allows Lythell to create her characters through their words and interaction with others.

Liz Lyon's working environment is hectic, pressurised, relentless and full of office politics, expectation, hidden agendas and dubious motivations. It is fascinating to watch and although it is not an industry I know anything about, every reader can identify with aspects of the story or characters; everyone has experienced office politics or being placed in a tricky situation with clients or colleagues. There is enough exaggeration to make things humorous and funny so that we don't become stressed out by Liz's life but I do think Lythell's talent is for successfully evoking an atmosphere of frenetic pace, pressure, the continuous juggling, rushing around, fixing, antagonising and placating of everyone around you. She also makes StoryWorld somewhere the reader feels able to relate to and respond to.

But Behind Her Back also has sub plots about revenge, about the darker motivations of some characters and then the continuing tension between Liz and her daughter. There are questions about social media, dating, career over family, what it means to be 'driven' and a fantastic (fictional) interview with a (fictional) author who "dismissed the summer blockbuster as plot driven books that were more concerned with delivering a twist at the end than creating believable characters."

Lythell is an intelligent writer who has produced a book that taps into the issues that affect society, the home and the work place. It is about characters trying to negotiate their way through life, sometimes unchartered waters, sometimes waters that are full of unseen currents. It is well observed, well written, engaging and with a good balance of humour, sadness, tension and resolution to entertain and satisfy any reader.

I recommend Behind Her Back which is published on the 10th August 2017 by Head of Zeus.

Read my review for Woman of the Hour here which was published in July 2016.

AND NOW..... AN INTERVIEW WITH JANE LYTHELL!! 

Thanks so much Jane for popping along for a chat about Behind Her Back!! 

This follows on from Woman of the Hour.  Did you always intend to write a sequel? 

As I was writing Woman of the Hour I felt there was more potential for development in both the characters and the storylines. I was also fond of my cast of characters and wanted to spend more time with them so yes from early on I knew I would write a follow up.

What challenges did you find writing book 2 in this series?

The main challenge is thinking about each of the main characters and charting where they might be going in their heads and in their careers. Harriet and Ziggy, for instance, are relatively minor characters but are still of interest. I wanted to build on Ziggy’s storyline as a vulnerable intern and on Harriet as someone who is attracted to the glitz and glamour of TV and is not entirely trustworthy! 

It's refreshing to read a book where the female protagonist is intelligent, successful and a professional working woman. Why is it so important to you that your character was all these things?

Yes it was. I set out to write a strong and talented female character who also suffers from vulnerabilities and moments of crushing self-doubt. In the workplace these qualities are tested or brought to the fore. I wanted to reveal how Liz reacted under pressure because that is when a sense of a character emerges strongly. 

What do you think are the main challenges about writing a novel set in the workplace and featuring a single mum? Were there any clichés you particularly wanted to avoid or any aspects that you found difficult when balancing the line between entertaining fiction and an authentic presentation of character? 

I think it is surprising how few novels are set in the workplace when so many of us have to balance work and family lives. That was my lived experience so I didn’t find that aspect difficult to describe. The workplace is full of dramatic potential. It can throw up ethical dilemmas, competitive behaviour, secrets and betrayals. I wanted Liz’s home life with her daughter Florence to be a strong contrast. Work Liz is calm, capable, in control and home Liz is far more emotional. I was keen to show both sides to make Liz an authentic character.

Which three words would you use to describe your character Liz?

Honourable, Loving, Conflicted.

There are several egotistical and colourful characters in the novel. Who did you like writing about the most and why?

I loved writing about Fizzy Wentworth the star of StoryWorld. She is so self-absorbed, is contrary in her behaviour and yet also a memorable character I think. She is used to being in the limelight and this has accentuated her egotistical traits. She thinks the royal photographer should take shots of her baby son! I could see Fizzy’s house, her clothing, her taste in food and drink clearly and it was a pleasure to write her.

The novel talks about the pressure on one of the characters to come back to work after a very short maternity leave. This is quite a controversial and emotive subject. Why did you decide you wanted to include it in your novel?

It is Fizzy who insists on coming back to work after only three and a half months of maternity leave.  Here she shows her insecurity because she is afraid that if she stays away longer she will lose her position on the StoryWorld TV sofa! I think people in the public eye do feel this pressure and I wanted to highlight it.

Liz talks about the importance of having a cheerleader and confidant. Who is your cheerleader?

I have several: my wonderful agent Gaia Banks; my partner Barry Purchese who is a TV script writer and my sister Caroline. They pick me up when I am down.

I think you had a little bit of fun with bits of the book. I did enjoy the bit with the interview with the author on one of the shows and their comments about popular psychological thrillers! Is this based on a real author or overheard interview?!! 

Well spotted. I invented that quote and I wanted to poke fun at writers who take themselves too seriously.  As one viewer tweets in to the TV show:

What a snob! You write stories. You don’t do brain surgery. #StoryWorld #author

Do you think the pressure on women in the workplace is getting worse? Are there any changes you would like to see? Or do you have any advice for women who are working and bringing up a family?

I get the impression that everyone now working is expected to do more and more. With smart phones we cannot escape work when we get home. So I think it is tough to be a parent and in full time work. Certainly television is a difficult industry for a lone parent.  Advice: put your family first, always.

What next? Will there be another instalment in Liz Lyon's life to look forward to? Or are you working on something different?

I don’t know yet if there will be a third Liz Lyon book.  I can imagine more storylines about Liz, Julius, Fizzy and Ledley unfolding into the future.  At the moment a different idea for a book is grabbing my imagination and I may have to think about that next.

Thanks so much Jane for your fantastic answers and for taking the time to answer my questions! I wish you lots of luck with the publication of Behind Her Back and I will also be following the rest of the Blog Tour!

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

#BibliomaniacsBookClub #August #TheSummerofImpossibleThings

August's Bibliomania is for 

The Summer of Impossible Things 

by Rowan Coleman

The Summer of Impossible Things is published by Ebury Press on June 29th 2017

What is it all about?

If you could change the past, would you?

Thirty years ago, something terrible happened to Luna’s mother. Something she’s only prepared to reveal after her death. 

Now Luna and her sister have a chance to go back to their mother’s birthplace and settle her affairs. But in Brooklyn they find more questions than answers, until something impossible – magical – happens to Luna, and she meets her mother as a young woman back in the summer of 1977. 

At first Luna’s thinks she’s going crazy, but if she can truly travel back in time, she can change things. But in doing anything – everything – to save her mother’s life, will she have to sacrifice her own?

For Bibliomaniac's Review click here

Questions for a Book Club about The Summer of Impossible Things:

What did you make of the quotes that are used at the start of each section? Were there any that had a particular appeal or resonance for you?

How successfully does Coleman present the concept of time travel in this book? Were you able to believe in the impossible? How does her explanation compare to other novels about time travel?

The setting and location is very important in this novel. How effectively did you feel the author had rooted you in the time and place of the story? Why do you think the author chose this time and location for her story?

The story is also about two sisters. How authentic did you find their relationship? What does this relationship add to the novel?

What do you think this book says about sacrifice? What does it say about love?

How does the backdrop of the blackout help to emphasise the issues in the novel?

What do you think of the title? Could there be another title that would work as well?

If this book were to be made into a film, who would you cast in the lead roles?

If you were to put together a playlist for this novel, which songs would have to be included?

If you could go back and change one thing in your past, what might it be?


Quotes to help start a conversation about The Summer of Impossible Things:

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

"Love outlasts death. ....It is the one force of the universe that will never be captured by an equation or science."


What could you pop in your prop box to help start a conversation about this book?

A map
A poster of John Travolta
A record player and a disco ball
A periodic table
A physics text book
A crystal ball

If you liked this novel then why not try:





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

Bibliomaniac's Bookshelf Week Ending 28th July

Wow, what a week! This has been a booktastic week full of blog tours and fantastic reads! It's the first week of the Summer Holidays too and what a great way to spend it, completely buried in books! So here's a quick round up of the best novels that have been sitting on my shelf this week!

IF YOU ONLY HAVE TIME FOR ONE BOOK THIS MONTH, MAKE IT: 

I have always loved Sally Gardner's Children and Young Adult Fiction so I was thrilled to see she had written a novel for adults. And this is a truly great read. It's historical fiction, coming of age, a crime thriller and women's fiction. It's fresh, original, entertaining and honest. It has some exceptional characters and is full of vividly described people and events. Well worth a read and it should definitely make its way on to your TBR pile this year! I was lucky enough to be able to include an extract from Chapter One in my post so click below, see my full review and enjoy Chapter One!

My Review of An Almond for a Parrot & Extract from Chapter 1

OTHER BOOKS I HAVE READ & LOVED THIS WEEK:



Click on the links below for my full reviews!

Give Me the Child takes the psychological in psychological thriller to the next level. This is a gripping novel which asks the question "Do we get the children we deserve?" Multi-layered, thought provoking and an extremely captivating read. Similarly chilling is A Stranger in the House. Lapena has created some deeply unsettling characters in her second novel and enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages until you get to the very end. Unputdownable! Another two outstanding domestic noir novels to add to your TBR pile!

Broken Branches and Larry and the Dog People were great discoveries - both authors were new to me and I knew very little about the books but I found myself equally spellbound by them both. Broken Branches satisfied my love for all things ghostly and gothic and Larry and the Dog People was full of humour and a highly original protagonist. Both hugely enjoyable and I recommend them.

My Review of Give Me the Child

My Review of Larry and the Dog People

My Review of Broken Branches

My Review of A Stranger in the House


BLOG TOUR STOPS THIS WEEK:

You know what they say, you wait all day and then three come along at once! Well, these blog tours are well worth catching! Mike Thomas wrote me a very entertaining guest post for my stop on the Unforgivable tour which I would recommend you take a look at. I reviewed The Unquiet Dead which has been provoking very heartfelt reactions within the blogging community with some outstanding reviews. The Upstairs Room is also a book to watch out for in 2017 so make sure you read my review and then the other stops on the tour!

Blog Tour Review The Unquiet Dead

Blog Tour Review The Upstairs Room

Blog Tour Guest Post Unforgivable

Phew, after all that I need a lie down - with a good book obviously! But which one...... Well, you'll just have to tune in next week to see which books are currently sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be devoured!

Happy Reading!

My website is also now up to date with all my reviews, recent blog posts and author events so if you want to catch up with all my bibliomaniac news, do take a look! Link below: 

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