The Blurb

It’s 1986. Fred Sadler has just died of old age. Seventy years after he marched off to WWI. As his ghost hovers near the ceiling of the nursing home where he’s died, Fred listens in dismay as the arrangement of his funeral falls to his loathed sister-in-law, Viola. Fred’s ghost follows his family, eavesdropping on his own funeral, and agonizing over his inability to set the record straight. Did old Uncle Fred really suffer from shell shock? Why did his family lock him away in the Whitby Hospital for the Insane? Couldn’t they have done more for him? Fred remembers his life as a child, his family’s hotel, the War, and the mental hospital. But his memories clash with Viola’s version as the family gathers one rainy October night to pay their respects.

My Thoughts

Fred’s Funeral by Sandy Day is a moving novella based on letters written by her great uncle Fred who served in the World War One. This is not, however, a story about one man’s experiences in the trenches but rather the story of what happened to him afterwards partly as a result of this.

Told in third person narrative, it starts, as the title suggests, following Fred Sadler’s funeral. Unusually, we see events from the perspective of the deceased Fred as he sits in on his family’s discussion on him. Fred was the black sheep of the family before he went to war and the impact of what he saw and experienced while fighting compounds this further on his return. Fred’s Funeral is delicately told and Day gently draws you in to this moving story which, for me, is a tale about the far-reaching consequences of war, mental health and the lack of understanding that surrounds it.

As his behaviour on his return becomes erratic, his family place him in the care of a psychiatric hospital. Misdiagnosed with schizophrenia rather than ‘shell shock’, Day writes about the lack of understanding around what would now clearly be post-traumatic stress disorder. At times Fred’s Funeral is a difficult read as Day’s descriptions of his experiences in the psychiatric hospital are upsetting but necessary to the book as it represents the period of time. I love how Day also portrays Fred’s views of his own mental health by having him as a ghost looking on. As he finally discovers what his family members really thought of him we are privy to his feelings and thoughts about what he was experiencing at the time. Again, this touched me as we never really know what other people think of us.

I found his family’s lack of understanding and also their lack of appreciation of Fred upsetting. Day has perfectly captured the attitudes of the time and how they change and evolve with each generation as awareness and understanding grow – and thank God that is the case! As we discover, however, the road to understanding and awareness is paved with horrors for those suffering.

Fred’s Funeral is a great piece of historical fiction based partly on fact and influenced by a real person which makes it all the more likeable. The fact that it documents and explores the impact of World War One on the individual immediately after its conclusion makes it an interesting and a timely read. While small in size, this beautifully crafted novella packs a big punch and I recommend it.

Published on 28 November 2017, you can get your copy of Fred’s Funeral HERE.

The Blurb

A young boy goes missing during a workers’ strike in 1980s Communist Poland, unravelling a chain of events which will touch people across decades and continents. Joanna, a young journalist in Warsaw, is still looking for her brother, who’s now been missing for over twenty years. Matt, a high-flying London city financier is struggling with relationship problems and unexplained panic attacks. And in Chicago, Tom, an old man, is slowly dying in a nursing home, losing his battle with cancer. What connects them? As the mystery begins to unravel, the worlds of the three protagonists are turned upside down. But can they find each other before time runs out?

My Thoughts

I was delighted to be able to read and review Ewa Dodd’s debut novel The Walls Came Down as it had so many elements that I love in a book. A triple timeline, three different countries (including one in Eastern Europe, which I love) and a mystery, The Walls Came Down sounded right up my street. And, I’m so pleased to say, that it was.

The Walls Came Down starts in 1980s Communist Poland when a young child, Adam, goes missing. We are then brought forward to 2010 and introduced to Matty in London, Joanna in Warsaw and Tom in Chicago. As each character tells their story via alternating chapters, we are left to wonder about the links between the three and where it will lead to.

Multiple points of view and threads can be a difficult thing to pull off, but Dodd does it with ease and all three work together really well, coming together beautifully at the end. Dodd has ensured that all three voices are distinct and I became fully invested in each. I have to admit, though, to having a special soft spot for Tom and his situation. Full of regret and guilt as he looks back over his life, Tom firmly wormed his way into my heart. Don’t read this book if you are feeling fragile as it is an emotional read and will result in the use of tissues!

I have a special affection for Eastern Europe, and I was delighted that part of the book was set in Warsaw, a city I hope to visit at some point in my life. While I didn’t get a true sense of place as The Walls Came Down is largely a character-based book, it didn’t really matter as I was so invested in each of the storylines and the glimpses I did get into Warsaw, I enjoyed. It does, however, provide an interesting glimpse into Warsaw’s tumultuous political history and I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.

The Walls Came Down is a book about loss, regret, self-discovery and how one action can have repercussions across decades and countries. I really enjoyed this emotional tale and look forward to reading more from Ewa Dodd in the future.

A huge thank you to Ewa for my copy of The Walls Came Down in exchange for my unbiased review.

You can get your copy HERE.

The Blurb

What would it take to make you intervene?

When Ella Longfield overhears two attractive young men flirting with teenage girls on a train, she thinks nothing of it—until she realises they are fresh out of prison and her maternal instinct is put on high alert. But just as she’s decided to call for help, something stops her. The next day, she wakes up to the news that one of the girls—beautiful, green-eyed Anna Ballard—has disappeared.

A year later, Anna is still missing. Ella is wracked with guilt over what she failed to do, and she’s not the only one who can’t forget. Someone is sending her threatening letters—letters that make her fear for her life.

Then an anniversary appeal reveals that Anna’s friends and family might have something to hide. Anna’s best friend, Sarah, hasn’t been telling the whole truth about what really happened that night—and her parents have been keeping secrets of their own.

Someone knows where Anna is—and they’re not telling. But they are watching Ella.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed Last Kiss Goodnight by Teresa Driscoll which comes under the genre of ‘women’s fiction’ and I was interested to see her take a different direction with I Am Watching You, her first psychological thriller.

I Am Watching You has an interesting premise in that it follows the people involved with a teenage girl, Anna, a year after she has disappeared. Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different person, in this case the witness, the father, the friend and the private investigator. A further voice punctuates the book at intervals and is headed ‘Watching’. I loved the way the first chapter is told from Ella the witnesses point of view in second person narrative as this serves to immediately draw the reader in and make them feel involved in the book and the life of Ella.

It becomes clear immediately that I Am Watching You is not simply a thriller but also an examination of the ripple effect of a crime on those directly and those inadvertently involved. While the characters berate themselves about what they could possibly have done differently and examine their actions leading up to the moment that Anna disappeared, I found myself asking myself how I would have reacted in Ella’s position.

As the investigation into Anna’s disappearance unfurls hidden family secrets amongst those closest to her, we clearly see how the events of the previous year have highlighted the weaknesses in the relationships of those closest to Anna. This aspect of the knock-on effect was my favourite part of the book and Driscoll has done a great job of exploring this.

Inevitably, I spent time trying to figure out ‘whodunnit’ and was satisfyingly wrong! The ending came as a total surprise but I am not sure how I felt about it. It felt kind of random and maybe hearing more from the protagonist and about Anna’s life pre-disappearance could have helped it work a little more for me. However, Driscoll has done a great job with her first psychological thriller and I look forward to reading more by her in this genre.

An interesting concept that gets you considering the wider implications of a crime, I Am Watching You is a good first psychological thriller by Driscoll.

I Am Watching You was published on 1 October 2017 by Thomas & Mercer.

A huge thank you to Teresa Drsicoll, Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for my copy in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

The Blurb

The third volume of the bestselling Hampstead Murders sees the team become involved with a suspicious death at a crime writers’ convention. Is this the result of a bitterly contested election for the Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association or are even darker forces at work? Peter Collins, who is attending the convention as the author of a new book on poisoning in Golden Age fiction, worries that the key clue to unlock this puzzle may be buried within his own memories. A character called Miss Marple offers her advice, but how should the police receive this? Meanwhile an act of sudden, shocking violence and a dramatic revelation threaten tragic consequences…

My Thoughts

I am a big fan of Fraser-Sampson’s Hampstead Murders and always look forward to the next instalment. A Whiff of Cyanide is a fantastic addition to the series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Originally, I believe this was going to be a trilogy and I was thrilled to recently learn that there will be more books in the series.

Settling into A Whiff of Cyanide felt very much like meeting up with a group of old friends that you are completely comfortable with. I adore the characters and was pleased to be spending time with Bob Metcalfe, Karen Willis, Peter Collins and Simon Collison again.

A Whiff of Cyanide begins with a re-introduction to the characters and along with setting the scene it works perfectly as a refresher covering the salient points of the last two novels without going over old ground. This works perfectly as a reminder about where we had left the characters in the previous two books and also as an introduction to those who may be reading this as their first in the series. A Whiff of Cyanide does work as a standalone, however, you really are missing out if you don’t read Death in Profile and Miss Christie Regrets first.

An author dies during a crime writer’s convention that Peter is attending. Unsure as to whether her death is suicide or murder, the team have to investigate to get to the bottom of her death. What I love about these books is the use of old-fashioned detective work rather than reliance on modern-day forensic science and A Whiff of Cyanide is no different. Full of twists and turns that I never saw coming, I was hooked from the start and relished every surprise and revelation. I am so pleased this is not the last in the series.

The tongue-in-cheek humour throughout A Whiff of Cyanide makes this book all the more enjoyable. There is a character called Miss Marple and the setting of a writer’s convention gives Fraser-Sampson the opportunity to poke fun at his profession but, I hasten to add, not in a derogatory way. It adds another layer to the book. The references amongst the characters as to what would happen in a Golden Age crime novel which then go on to occur within the book is genius.

A great addition to the Hampstead Murders series, A Whiff of Cyanide lived up to my expectations and, dare I say, may be my favourite in the series so far. It has all of the charm and manners you would expect alongside a meticulous plot and twists that ensure you can’t wait for the next instalment. Fantastic and highly recommended. A Whiff of Cyanide is a welcome antidote to the current crime novels on the market.

Published on 2 June 2017 by Urbane Publications.

A huge thank you to Guy Fraser-Sampson and Urbane for my copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Check out my reviews of Death in Profile and Miss Christie Regrets.

The Blurb

The year is 1853, and a young Japanese girl’s world is about to be turned upside down.

When black ships carrying barbarians arrive on the shores of Japan, the Satsuma clan’s way of life is threatened. But it’s not just the samurai who must come together to fight: the beautiful, headstrong Okatsu is also given a new destiny by her feudal lord – to save the realm.

Armed only with a new name, Princess Atsu, as she is now known, journeys to the women’s palace of Edo Castle, a place so secret it cannot be marked on any map. Behind the palace’s immaculate façade, amid rumours of murder and whispers of ghosts, Atsu must uncover the secret of the man whose fate, it seems, is irrevocably linked to hers – the shogun himself – if she is to rescue her people . . .

My Thoughts

I’ve been intrigued by Geisha’s and Japanese culture for a while – I loved Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha and adore Madame Butterfly – but my knowledge of Japan’s history is extremely limited. When I was asked if I would like to read and review Lesley Downer’s The Shogun’s Queen I didn’t hesitate to agree. It has taken me a while to get around to reading it and now I have I will definitely be reading Downer’s other books in The Shogun Quartet of which this is the first. Downer has opened up my curiosity about Japanese culture and I want to know more, always a good sign in historical fiction.

Based on historical fact, The Shogun’s Queen is set in Japan in 1853 and follows the life of Okatsu from the Satsuma clan. A turbulent time in the country’s existence, Japan finds itself being opened up to the Western world when ships begin to appear from America, Britain and Russia. Okatsu finds herself thrust into a position in which her influence can directly impact and influence Japan’s ability to maintain its tradition and culture and whether or not the country becomes embroiled in war.

Okatsu is incredibly well portrayed and she is immensely likeable. This courageous, selfless young woman who gives up everything for her country is an amazing character and is made even more amazing as she actually existed. As pointed out in the Afterword, Downer advises that the women of Japanese history are largely ignored and yet Okatsu was an integral part of that history.

Downer has written a captivating account of an elusive and secretive world. Her prose is such that she fully draws you into this society and every part of The Shogun’s Queen is meticulously portrayed. From the thoughts and feelings unique to their culture to the descriptions of the surroundings, you are completely immersed in the book. It had me considering viewpoints that I wouldn’t have thought about without reading it. It is sumptuous and beautiful and yet also captures the underlying disadvantages of those women living in, what is essentially, a luxurious prison.

Downer clearly knows a lot about Japanese culture and history and her careful and considered research comes through to create an accessible, fascinating, insightful book. As I stated earlier, The Shogun’s Queen has whet my appetite to find out more about this era in Japan.

The intrigue had me completely gripped and enthralled. Okatsu has an impossible task and I was desperately hoping that she would be successful in her task. I didn’t want The Shogun’s Queen to end and when it did I was left feeling bereft. It is one of those books that leaves an indelible mark on you and has you thinking about it for days afterwards.

A wonderfully written, fascinating, all absorbing account of a critical turning point in Japanese history. Full of political intrigue and yet emotionally charged, The Shogun’s Queen is an epic tale that I have no doubt those who enjoy historical fiction will love as much as I did.

Published in ebook on 3 November 2016 by Transworld Digital and paperback on 27 July 2017 by Corgi.

A huge thank you to Lesley Downer and Transworld (Bantam Press) for my copy in exchange for my review.