I’ve long been a fan of Emylia Hall’s writing and cannot believe how long it is since she featured here on Linda’s Book Bag. I was thrilled when Emylia arranged for me to receive an early copy of her new book, The Shell House Detectives and delighted subsequently to be offered a slot on the blog tour for the book. It’s my pleasure to share my review today.

Published by Thomas & Mercer on 1st July 2023, The Shell House Detectives is available for purchase here.

The Shell House Detectives

Welcome to the coastal paradise of Porthpella, where murder lurks among the dunes…

Late one night, a distraught young man knocks on the door of retired and recently widowed Ally Bright’s remote home on the Cornish coast. But before she can make sense of his confused words, he’s gone—not to be seen again until he’s found the next morning at the foot of the nearby cliffs.

In an instant, the peace of Ally’s beachcombing life is shattered. Feeling responsible for the young man’s fate, she wants to help find answers—as does ex-cop Jayden Weston, whom Ally meets at the scene. He shares her certainty that there’s more to the story than attempted suicide. When it emerges that the man is newly released ex-offender Lewis Pascoe, and that Helena, the wealthy new owner of his grandmother’s home, has subsequently disappeared, the tight-knit community of Porthpella is thrown into turmoil.

Driven by their need to know more, the duo decide to investigate the mystery together. Is there a connection between the Pascoe family’s tragic history and Helena’s disappearance? And if there is a killer stalking Porthpella, do Ally and Jayden have what it takes to catch them?

My Review of The Shell House Detectives

Ally’s peaceful life is about to get busy! 

Having unreservedly loved Emylia Hall’s commercial women’s fiction, I approached her departure into crime writing with The Shell House Detectives with very high expectations and not a little trepidation in case the new genre didn’t meet my hopes. It didn’t. It completely exceeded them in every respect, whilst retaining the magnificent story-telling I knew I’d find. The Shell House Detectives is an absolutely smashing read and I could not have enjoyed it more.

The Cornish setting is a triumph. The sense of community, the sea and the beach, the weather and small businesses all combine to add a touch of magic to the story which is enhanced by Jayden’s mixed race otherness, drawing in the reader to an enthralling story. I wanted to be in Porthpella. 

The plot is so brilliantly wrought because Emylia Hall weaves in her characters’ backstories with a precise balance of subtlety and clarity so that there’s a smooth depth that underpins an intelligent, entertaining and compelling narrative. I loved the fact that there’s murder and crime that feels so realistic, without recourse to shock tactics and visceral blood and gore. 

That said, whilst The Shell House Detectives might be billed as cosy crime and it does draw on some Golden Age crime characteristics, it also considers dark themes and social issues in a natural and mature manner so that this story feels like a read for grown ups. I thoroughly appreciated this aspect. I loved, too, the exploration of truth and right. Ally and Jayden don’t always employ conventionally acceptable means to support their highly morally motivated actions so that the story is thought provoking as well as diverting. Emylia Hall understands what causes people to behave as they do and weaves this understanding so sensitively into her narrative. She shows us how we all too often live for the approval of others, losing sight of who we are for ourselves. I found this such an affecting and uplifting theme.

Ally in particular is a triumph because she’s middle aged, unassuming and ostensibly a no-one following the death of her policeman husband, but her public persona belies an incisive mind, a compassionate nature and a tenacity and strength that bring her to life completely. However, what works so well here is that there is a wide enough cast for variety and reader interest, but, simultaneously, a narrow enough focus to afford development for characters like Tim Mullins with scope for the future. What Emylia Hall does so beautifully is to convey the thoughts and emotions of her characters and I admit to shedding a tear or two with them, both in joy and sadness. 

I loved The Shell House Detectives. It’s a fabulous read that sets the scene for what I hope will be many other adventures for the characters because I’m simply not prepared to let them go.

The Shell House Detectives is brilliant because it has heart and soul as well as entertainment, making it sensitive, gripping and compelling. Don’t miss it.

About Emylia Hall

Emylia Hall lives with her husband and son in Bristol, where she writes from a hut in the garden and dreams of the sea. The Shell House Detectives is her first crime novel and is inspired by her love of Cornwall’s wild landscape. Emylia has published four previous novels, including Richard and Judy Book Club pick The Book of Summers and The Thousand Lights Hotel. Her work has been translated into ten languages and broadcast on BBC Radio 6 Music. She is the founder of Mothership Writers and is a writing coach at The Novelry.

You can follow Emylia on Twitter @EmyliaHall and visit her website. You’ll also find her on Facebook. and Instagram.

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My enormous thanks to Alice Fowler for arranging to have her short story collection, The Truth Has Arms And Legs sent to me, and to Isabelle at Fly on the Wall for making sure it arrived. It’s my absolute pleasure to share my review today.

Published by Fly on the Wall Press on July 14th, The Truth Has Arms and Legs is available for pr-order here.

The Truth Has Arms And Legs

Delve into a world of change and reinvention.

Where relationships are as delicate as turtle eggs, and just as easily smashed.

This poignant short story collection explores the pivotal moments that transform our lives. Jenny, whose life is defined by small disasters, discovers a bigger, more generous version of herself. A traveller girl might just win her race and alter her life’s course. A widow, cut off in a riverside backwater, opens her heart to a stranger.

In this captivating collection by award-winning writer, Alice Fowler, readers will be moved by the raw vulnerability of human connection, and the resilience that allows us to grow and thrive in the face of hardship. In change, Fowler’s characters find the ability to be truly free.

My Review of The Truth Has Arms And Legs

Fourteen short stories.

Oh. The Truth Has Arms And Legs is glorious. These stories are steeped in emotion and so beautifully written that they pulsate from the page with vivid attraction. I loved each and every one of them.  

I confess that, as this is a slim volume, I thought I’d slip in reading the collection in between other books as a quick read. A light weight palette cleanser if you will. What an error of judgement. The Truth Has Arms And Legs deserves every moment spent reading it, savouring the incredibly humanity Alice Fowler displays in her writing, her complete understanding of the human condition and her luminous brilliance in writing. There’s not an extraneous syllable or a word out of place here. The Truth Had Arms And Legs is an absolute masterclass of perfection.

Themes are wide ranging and impactful, from racism to infertility, marital control to war and dementia, illegitimacy to belonging, so that the stories eddy with meaning and relatability. There truly is something here for any and every reader. And the manner of writing by Alice Fowler creates an emotional connection in the reader that is irresistible. To remain unaffected by this writing would be to have no humanity, no soul. Descriptions are vivid and affecting, direct speech is natural and convincing, characters leap from the page as real people and each story is a sparkling jewel of literary brilliance with surprising depth to plot even when the stories are, like Jack’s Hedge, only a couple of pages long.

The Truth Has Arms And Legs is a wonderful, flawless and fantastic collection. I’m not sure defining the collection as short stories is fair, but it’s certainly snappier than ‘short pieces of writing looking into the very heart and soul of humanity and the one book you MUST buy this year if you want to read a masterclass of affecting writing’. The Truth Has Arms And Legs is, quite simply, exquisite and my life has been enhanced by the opportunity to read these stories. This collection by Alice Fowler has gone straight onto my list of favourite reads this year and I pity anyone who doesn’t get the chance to read it.

About Alice Fowler

Alice Fowler is an award-winning writer of short stories and longer fiction. She writes about love, loss, reinvention, motherhood and the complex relations between parents and their children. Her collection explores resilience, and our ability as humans to grow and change.

Alice won the Historical Writers’ Association short story competition in 2020 and the Wells Festival of Literature short story competition in 2021. Other stories have been short- and long-listed in prizes and printed in anthologies. Her historical novel was long-listed for the 2021 Stylist Feminist Fiction Prize.

Alice has a degree in Human Sciences from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, and worked as a print journalist until 2006.

She lives in Surrey, England, with her husband and teenage sons, and love theatre, tennis, books and walking in the Surrey Hills.

For more information, visit Alice’s website, follow her on Twitter @AliceFwrites, or find Alice on Instagram.

It’s a little over a year since I reviewed Jack Jordan’s Do No Harm for My Weekly magazine in a post you’ll find here. Having loved that book I was delighted to be asked onto the blog tour for Jack’s latest thriller Conviction and would like to thank Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to participate. It’s a real pleasure to share my review today.

Way back in 2015 I reviewed Jack’s Anything for Her in a post you’ll find here. I also reviewed My Girl here and helped to reveal Jack’s Before Her Eyes here.

Published by Simon and Schuster on 22nd June 2023, Conviction is available for purchase through the links here.

Conviction

TO STEAL A MAN’S FREEDOM ALL IT TAKES IS . . . CONVICTION

Wade Darling stands accused of killing his wife and teenage children as they slept before burning the family home to the ground.

When the case lands on barrister Neve Harper’s desk, she knows it could be the career making case she’s been waiting for. But only if she can prove Wade’s innocence.

A matter of days before the case, as Neve is travelling home for the night, she is approached by a man. He tells her she must lose this case or the secret about her own husband’s disappearance will be revealed.

Failing that, he will kill everyone she cares about until she follows orders.

Neve must make a choice – betray every principle she has ever had by putting a potentially innocent man in prison, or risk putting those she loves in mortal danger.

For fans of Steve Cavanagh, Linwood Barclay and Gillian McAllister, introducing the latest novel from the master of the moral dilemma, Jack Jordan.

My Review of Conviction

Neve Harper has a new court case to defend. 

Used to fast paced, heart thumping reads from Jack Jordan, I had expected a pacy thriller in Conviction. What I got was an adrenaline rush of a read that held me completely gripped until I had devoured every word. 

The plot simply zips along, aided by the division into trial days and the short chapters. I thought the premise of the story, based around morality in all its forms was stunning. Certainly there are those who are pure evil in this narrative, but what Jack Jordan does so brilliantly is to cause the reader to adjust their own moral compass, and to consider what they would do in similar circumstances to Neve. This is a book that is thought provoking and unsettling as well as gripping and exciting to read.

I loved the authentic insight into a court case and the legal system. This aspect of Conviction feels so well researched and convincing. And I loved too, the way the title encompasses the courage of conviction as well as the potential for criminal and legal conviction. With themes of manipulation, corruption, honesty, family, betrayal and relationships Conviction has an aspect that appeals to, or resonates with, every reader, making it absolutely engrossing and causing the reader to experience a range of emotions from fear through contempt to pleasure and hope in response to what is happening.

Whilst those like the Messenger are identifiably and unquestionably unpleasant, corrupt and threatening, Neve is so nuanced and layered that it’s mind blowing to read about her. Her moral dilemma, her reasons for acting as she does, and the things she has done in her past, give her depth and make her completely fascinating. I thought she was wonderfully balanced as a character. 

Conviction holds everything a reader wants in a thrilling read. I devoured it and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. I thought it was excellent and even better than I’d hoped.

About Jack Jordan

Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019).

His thriller, Do No Harm, was an instant Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Most Recommended Book in the DeadGood Reader Awards. Coined the thriller of the summer for 2022, it was described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse.

To find out more about Jack, enter numerous annual giveaways to win signed copies of his books, and be the first to hear of new book releases and news, you can follow him on Instagram, Twitter @JackJordanBooks and Facebook.

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My enormous thanks to Caitlin Raynor at Headline for sending me a surprise copy of The Housekeepers by Alex Hay. I’m delighted to share my review of The Housekeepers today.

Published by Headline Review on 6th July 2023, The Housekeepers is available for purchase through the links here.

The Housekeepers

UPSTAIRS, MADAM IS PLANNING THE PARTY OF THE SEASON.

DOWNSTAIRS, THE SERVANTS ARE PLOTTING THE HEIST OF THE CENTURY.

When Mrs King, housekeeper to the most illustrious home in Mayfair, is suddenly dismissed after years of loyal service, she knows just who to recruit to help her take revenge.

A black-market queen out to settle her scores. An actress desperate for a magnificent part. A seamstress dreaming of a better life. And Mrs King’s predecessor, who has been keeping the dark secrets of Park Lane far too long.

Mrs King has an audacious plan in mind, one that will reunite her women in the depths of the house on the night of a magnificent ball – and play out right under the noses of her former employers…

THEY COME FROM NOTHING. BUT THEY’LL LEAVE WITH EVERYTHING.

My Review of The Housekeepers

What a delicious read. I absolutely loved this witty, brilliantly crafted story.

The Housekeepers romps along at a cracking pace assisted by the countdown to the ball taking place on 26th June. I found the dated and timed chapter headings heightened my anticipation and although I was reading about a group of felons, I was absolutely desperate for their audacious plan to succeed. My heart rate ramped up as the plot progressed. 

The setting and era are perfectly portrayed and Alex Hay’s writing appeals to the senses through beautiful use of language so that The Housekeepers is completely immersive as well as enormously entertaining. I adored the author’s style. I also loved the wit and humour that comes through, particularly through the direct speech. Indeed, I read The Housekeepers with an expression of complete pleasure throughout and every time I think back to reading it, it brings a smile to my face.

Alex Hay has created the most wonderful set of characters. Through The Housekeepers he shows just how appearances and supposed social status can be deceiving. Hepzibah’s actress profession highlighted this theme so well, but it is those like Mrs Bone who are complete characterisation triumphs. To say too much is to spoil the read as the reasons for the plot are very much tied up in character, but I thought the links were perfectly drawn in a kind of poetic orrery as the two aspects danced through the story. The Housekeepers are exactly that. They are the cogs that keep the house running, but they are the keepers of truth and justice too so that the book thrums with life, intrigue and engagement.

Alongside all of this are some darker themes too so that The Housekeepers presents depth and contrast to the reader. Control of many kinds, status, identity, feminism, crime, poverty, ambition, revenge and so on, become a richly satisfying undercurrent that make The Housekeepers simply wonderful. 

Visual, entertaining, beautifully crafted and plotted, if The Housekeepers isn’t snapped up for television immediately, there’s no justice in the world. I thought it was brilliant and loved it.

About Alex Hay

Alex Hay grew up in Cambridge and Cardiff and has been writing as long as he can remember. He studied History at the University of York, and wrote his dissertation on female power at royal courts, combing the archives for every scrap of drama and skulduggery he could find. He has worked in magazine publishing and the charity sector, and is a graduate of the Curtis Brown Write Your Novel course. The Housekeepers is his debut novel and won the Caledonia Novel Award 2022. Alex lives with his husband in South East London.

For further information, follow Alex on Twitter @AlexHayBooks and Instagram or visit Alex’s website.

It’s far too long since I featured Gail Aldwin here on Linda’s Book Bag when I reviewed her novel The String Games. I’m delighted to rectify that by reviewing Gail’s latest book The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell.

The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is published today by Bloodhound Books and is available for purchase here.

The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell

A true-crime podcaster investigates a decades-old suspected abduction, in this powerful psychological suspense novel.

1979
Sixteen-year-old Carolyn Russell grows increasingly infatuated with her school mathematics teacher who is also giving her private lessons. Then she disappears.

2014
Struggling journalist Stephanie Brett creates a true-crime podcast focused on the disappearance of Carolyn Russell. By digging deep into this mysterious cold case, her confidence and flagging career are boosted. But after she confronts the suspects—and talks to a potential witness—the leads dry up. However, Stephanie refuses to let the story rest . . .

Can a small-time journalist with a shoestring podcast really hope to reconstruct the ultimate fate of Carolyn Russell after all these years, or are some secrets best left buried?

My Review of The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell

What really happened to Carolyn Russell?

The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is a layered read that needs to come with a warning – there are a lot of references to food and I found it made me ravenous as I read!

The plot is carefully crafted and ends leaving the reader pondering many aspects of morality and truth. What The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell does is to open up a world where mis-interpretation, half truths and obfuscation impact lives far beyond any initial intention. I found reading the narrative made me think long and hard about what appears in our various media because of the mature observation I found here.  

As well as a mystery to enjoy, The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is a sensitive insight into burgeoning womanhood, complex feelings and relationships with an exploration into how our upbringing can impact our behaviour.

I especially enjoyed two time frames as Gail Aldwin conveys the eras really well, particularly through cultural and societal references so that the reader gains a good understanding of the way Carolyn and Stephanie are living; particularly through Carolyn’s first person account that reveals her friendships and her innermost feelings. This element of the narrative enhances the reader’s enjoyment as it feels as if Carolyn is addressing the reader directly, drawing them into the story. 

Interestingly, although I was totally invested in finding out what had happened to Carolyn and she gained my sympathy, I didn’t like her, as she is frequently immature and selfish – exactly as a teenager should be! I think this illustrates skilled writing because the balance of uncovering what kind of person she is as a flawed, layered and true to life character in the mind of the reader is so carefully done by Gail Aldwin. There is also real trauma in Carolyn’s life that influences both her behaviour and the reader’s response.

Whilst discovering what caused Carolyn’s disappearance is entertaining in its own right as Stephanie conducts her investigations and carries out interviews for her podcast, The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell includes important themes too, from racism to suburban living, poverty to bullying, echoes of #MeToo, sexism and education for example, so that the story holds concepts to ponder after the book is read. Indeed, I think The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is one of those books that deserves rereading so that all the nuances can be fully appreciated. 

The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is both entertaining and thought provoking, lingering in the mind long after it’s read and I enjoyed it very much. 

About Gail Aldwin

Novelist, poet and scriptwriter, Gail Aldwin has been writing for over a decade. Her first two coming-of-age novels were runners-up in the Dorchester Literary Festival Writing Prize 2020 and 2022. Gail was awarded a creative writing PhD in 2018 and still laughs whenever she’s called Doctor. She has appeared at Bridport Literary Festival, Stockholm Writers Festival and the Mani Lit Fest in Greece. Her psychological suspense mystery The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is published by Bloodhound Books. Gail splits her time between a tiny flat in South West London and a home overlooking water meadows in Dorset.

You can follow Gail on Twitter @gailaldwin, visit her blog and find her on Instagram and Facebook.

I’m very partial to historical fiction and am delighted to help close the blog tour for The Fascination by Essie Fox. My enormous thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to participate. I’m delighted to share my review today.

Published by Orenda on 22nd June 2023 The Fascination is available for purchase here.

The Fascination

Victorian England. A world of rural fairgrounds and glamorous London theatres. A world of dark secrets and deadly obsessions…

Twin sisters Keziah and Tilly Lovell are identical in every way, except that Tilly hasn’t grown a single inch since she was five. Coerced into promoting their father’s quack elixir as they tour the country fairgrounds, at the age of fifteen the girls are sold to a mysterious Italian known as ‘Captain’.

Theo is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, Lord Seabrook, a man who has a dark interest in anatomical freaks and other curiosities … particularly the human kind. Resenting his grandson for his mother’s death in childbirth, when Seabrook remarries and a new heir is produced, Theo is forced to leave home without a penny to his name.

Theo finds employment in Dr Summerwell’s Museum of Anatomy in London, and here he meets Captain and his theatrical ‘family’ of performers, freaks and outcasts.

But it is Theo’s fascination with Tilly and Keziah that will lead all of them into a web of deceits, exposing the darkest secrets and threatening everything they know…

Exploring universal themes of love and loss, the power of redemption and what it means to be unique, The Fascination is an evocative, glittering and bewitching gothic novel that brings alive Victorian London – and darkness and deception that lies beneath…

My Review of The Fascination

The fairground is coming.

Oh my goodness I enjoyed The Fascination. Rarely has a book been more aptly named. Essie Fox delves into the world of ‘fascinations’ and does so with such dexterity and beauty in her writing that the reader is held spell-bound. 

The plotting here is so skilful because the different threads, the small seemingly incidental moments, and much bigger themes, are deftly woven into a truly mesmerising narrative and it’s not until the final word is read that the reader can fully appreciate how wonderful the plotting is. The attention to detail, wonderful descriptions, the appeal to the senses, and the absolutely authentic historical accuracy of the era make The Fascination so immersive and spell-binding. It’s one of those stories where I found I thoroughly resented real life getting in the way of my reading. 

I adored meeting the characters whom I completely forgot were artistic creations. They all felt so vivid and real. I thought giving Keziah a first person voice in contrast to the other elements of the narrative was inspired because she is the most ‘normal’ or conventional of the characters and yet is the one who most often feels on the periphery of the action. She is a kind of Shakespearean Touchstone, shining a light on the qualities and flaws of others in the story. And what others they are. The cast here is diverse, complex, believable, interesting and captivating. It’s difficult to be too precise here for fear of spoiling the story for other readers because plot and character are so exquisitely interwoven.

Whilst there’s an element of unworldliness and ethereal fragility in the story, with the fairytale of Snow White and Rose Red creating a magical aspect, Essie Fox does not shy away from aspects that transport The Fascination from simple (if pretty well perfect) entertainment into a narrative that swirls through the reader’s mind, drawing them in to a world of difference, sexuality, depravity, betrayal, family and abuse, counterbalanced by community, understanding, support, kindness, truth and, above all else, love. These aspects create a story that is both entertaining, but also incredibly affecting. I have a feeling The Fascination will resonate with me for a very long time.

The Fascination is a beautiful and tender homage to those who find themselves on the outskirts of so-called normality, and that renders them as wonderful as any other being. I thought The Fascination was simply astounding. It’s magical, moving and magnificent. I adored it.

About Essie Fox

Essie Fox was born and raised in rural Herefordshire, which inspires much of her writing.

After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London where she worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, then the book publishers George Allen & Unwin – before becoming self-employed in the world of art and design.

Always an avid reader, Essie now spends her time writing historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, set in the early years of silent film, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. Her latest novel, The Fascination is based in Victorian country fairgrounds, the glamour of the London theatres, and an Oxford Street museum full of morbid curiosities.

Essie is also the creator of the popular blog: The Virtual Victorian. She has lectured on this era at the V&A, and the National Gallery in London.

For further information, find Essie on Instagram and Facebook or visit her website and follow her on Twitter @essiefox.

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My grateful thanks to Amita Murray for sending me a copy of Unladylike Lessons in Love in return for an honest review. It’s a pleasure to share that review today.

I previously reviewed Amita’s The Trouble With Rose in a post you’ll find here.

Published on 20th July 2023 by Harper Collins, Unladylike Lessons in Love is available for pre-order through the links here.

Unladylike Lessons in Love

Not every Regency lady is looking for a husband…

As the daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress, impulsive Lila Marleigh has already broken the rules of society into tiny pieces.

When a face she never thought she would see again appears and begs for help, Lila must court notoriety once more and pit her wits against the annoyingly handsome aristocrat, Ivor Tristram. But does she risk opening her heart to the one person who can break it…?

My Review of Unladylike Lessons in Love

Lila Marleigh holds high society evenings.

I confess that Unladylike Lessons in Love is not my usual choice of genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Regency England with Amita Murray, because the tone of Unladylike Lessons in Love fits the era perfectly. Amita Murray conveys the niceties of society, the formality of language and the patterns of speech so authentically that they place the reader at the heart of the era. She also uncovers the real world beneath these social conventions brilliantly.

Indeed, there’s a real concept of the Regency period, and I loved the exploration of society. What we have here is an insight into class, education, propriety, race and gender. Patriarchal dominance, the concept of women as second class and as diversions or belongings ripple through the story. However, they are balanced to perfection by the feisty, intelligent and strong willed Lila. 

Lila is a triumph because her mixed race heritage and her gender should leave her far outside polite society and yet she wears her so-called defects with pride, turning them to her advantage so that it is impossible not to find her irresistible as a heroine. I adored her stormy, passionate and complicated relationship with Ivor Tristram. Equally, he is everything a reader desires in a strong hero and their relationship positively sizzles with sexual tension and desire, making for a surprisingly sexual read. 

Add in the plot concerning Maisie and Sunil and not only does the reader glimpse a convincing hierarchical society, underpinning a turbulent love story, but they are treated to a fast-paced and compelling thriller too. All life is between the pages of Unladylike Lessons in Love, providing something for every reader.

If Amita Murray’s Unladylike Lessons in Love is an example of the Regency romance and mystery genre, then I’m delighted this is just the first book in the Marleigh Sisters series. Roll on the next book! I thoroughly enjoyed Unladylike Lessons in Love.

About Amita Murray

My enormous thanks to Amanda James for arranging to have a copy of her latest book, Wish Upon a Cornish Moon, sent to me in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share that review today.

I cannot believe how long it is since I stayed in here with Amanda to celebrate her book The Cornish Retribution and even longer since I interviewed her about Summer in Tintagel here.

Wish Upon a Cornish Moon was published by Harper Collins imprint One More Chapter on 11th May 2023 and is available for purchase through the links here.

Wish Upon a Cornish Moon

‘I can see you don’t believe me, girl, but I’m telling you that there’s magic in the moon and that big sea out there.’

1938
One midnight in June, 15-year-old Lamorna Williams throws a message in a bottle into the Atlantic at Magic Cove, hoping to meet her one true love – and someone writes back.

1997
On the other side of the world, Lamorna tells her story to her 16-year-old great nephew Ethan inspiring him to do the same. But this time, his message isn’t found for over twenty years…

Present day
Single mum, Merrin Pascoe, is told of the legend of Magic Cove. In a moment of madness, Merrin wishes on the moon, and next day she finds a bottle in the sea. Will the cove cast its spell once again…

My Review of Wish Upon a Cornish Moon

Magic Cove has secrets to share.

What a lovely, escapist read Wish Upon a Cornish Moon is. Initially I had to make a conscious effort willingly to suspend my disbelief and to accept the coincidences and slightly supernatural aspects of the story, but it wasn’t long before I was completely absorbed. I thought the sweeping multi-generational story was exactly the kind of narrative we need in today’s negative world because it made me feel positive and open to possibilities that perhaps previously I would have dismissed. 

The plot of Wish Upon a Cornish Moon is just lovely. There’s very much a feeling that true love is fraught with challenge and that when obstacles are overcome it is all the sweeter. I thought the concept of coup de foudre was brilliantly handled because Amanda James dealt with it realistically so that the relationships here feel genuine and believable. I also thought that, although the story revolves very much around Lamorna and Merrin, there’s a really good balance from the male perspective too through Harry and Ethan.

I especially enjoyed meeting Merrin and Morwen, but what works so well is how minor characters are distinct and credible so that Jodie and Faye, for example, feel like people you might meet in ordinary life. These are the kinds of characters you think about when you’re not actually reading the book because they have vitality and life beyond the page.

Underpinning the magic and romance of Wish Upon a Cornish Moon are themes that add gravitas to the story too. Obviously love, romance and relationships feature, but so do family, jealousy, betrayal, hurt, feminism, parenthood, society, loneliness and poverty, all creating a rich and rewarding tapestry to read about and adding texture to the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed Wish Upon a Cornish Moon and found it emotional and magical. So, as I write this review it’s June and if anyone wants me later, they might just find me on the beach at midnight… but you need to read Wish Upon a Cornish Moon for yourself to discover why –  and I really recommend you do! 

About Amanda James

Amanda James has written since she was a child, and as an eight-year-old, she asked her parents for a typewriter for Christmas. She never imagined her words would ever be published. Then in 2010, after many twists and turns, the dream of becoming a writer came true when she had her first short story published. She left teaching in 2013 to pursue her dream full-time.

Originally from Sheffield, Amanda now lives in Cornwall and is inspired every day by the wild and beautiful coastline near her home. She has many suspense novels set there, but her last few books have been uplifting in nature with a twist of magic. She loves writing feel-good reads and has decided the world needs more joy in it right now, and her plan is to write many more novels in that genre.  Amanda can usually be found playing on the beach with her family, or walking the cliff paths planning her next book.

For more about Amanda, follow her on Twitter @amandajames61 and find her on Facebook and Instagram.

I was fortunate to review Liz Hyder’s novel The Gifts here for My Weekly so when I was sent an early copy of her latest book, The Illusions, I was thrilled. I’m delighted to share my review of The Illusions today.

The Illusions is published by Bonnier imprint Manilla on 22nd June, and is available for purchase through the links here.

The Illusions

At a time of extraordinary change, two women must harness their talents to take control of their own destiny…

Bristol, 1896. Used to scraping a living as the young assistant to an ageing con artist, Cecily Marsden’s life is turned upside down when her master suddenly dies. Believing herself to blame, could young Cec somehow have powers she little understands?

Meanwhile Eadie Carleton, a pioneering early film-maker, struggles for her talent to be taken seriously in a male-dominated world, and a brilliant young magician, George Perris, begins to see the potential in moving pictures. George believes that if he can harness this new technology, it will revolutionise the world of magic forever — but in order to achieve his dreams, he must first win over Miss Carleton…

As a group of illusionists prepare for a grand spectacle, Cec, Eadie and George’s worlds collide. But as Cec falls in love with the bustling realm of theatre and magic, she faces the fight of her life to save the performance from sabotage and harness the element of real magic held deep within her.

The Illusions is the captivating new novel from the much-lauded author of The Gifts. Inspired by real-life illusionists and early film pioneers, this astonishing story of women and talent, magic and power, sweeps you into a world where anything is possible and nothing is quite as it seems…

My Review of The Illusions

Cec’s circumstances are about to change.

What an absolute delight The Illusions is. I thought the Bristol setting was inspired. There’s a real sense of historical place and it’s such a pleasure to be out of London for historical fiction of this kind. If, indeed, The Illusions can be called simply historical fiction. You see, it has its own unique blend; of mystery, fantasy, spiritualism, history, theatre, technology, science, romance and magic that makes it such a fascinating and captivating story. Liz Hyder weaves a magical tale that draws in the reader and holds them spellbound.

As well as the sense of place and history, the cast list (and given the strong theme of theatre, cast is exactly the right term to use) is equally riveting. Skarratt is a delicious villain. His malevolence adds drama and tension that is enhanced by his indignant sense of righteousness. He believes fully that he is wronged. I loved the way he and Cec are drawn together in the narrative. Their interaction is pivotal and compelling. All the characters here are so well drawn. Even the more minor ones like Lewis underpin important concepts like mental and emotional well being and the need to make difficult choices for the greater good. The Illusions is a book that uncovers not just the conjuring tricks of the Professor or George Perris, but it reveals the illusions we tell ourselves to justify or obscure our actions in a humane and sensitive understanding of human nature. 

The plot is a cracker. It romps along with skulduggery and betrayal, love and support, crime and retribution so that there’s something for every reader to find absorbing and entertaining. I was never quite sure what might happen next and found the story hooked me entirely.

The Illusions is indeed a really compelling and engrossing story, but what makes it so very special is the mesmerising blending of themes. I loved the layers of feminism as both Eadie and Ces fight to make their mark in a world entirely dominated by men. There’s grief and betrayal, love and friendship, family and professional rivalry, corruption, charade, mystery and honesty all swirling through the story that is historically fascinating and realistic with a credible touch of the mystical that tantalises and engages the reader completely.

Reading The Illusions is to accept the impossible as if you’ve just glimpsed something from the corner of your eye. There’s magic in The Illusions, but the greatest magic of all is Liz Hyder’s ability to show the crucial importance of friendship, of belonging and of kindness. These features make The Illusions something very special indeed and I absolutely loved it.

About Liz Hyder

Liz is a writer, creative workshop leader and freelance arts PR consultant. In early 2018, she won The Bridge Award/Moniack Mhor’s Emerging Writer Award. Bearmouth, her debut novel for young adults, was published by Pushkin Press and won the Branford Boase Award and the Waterstones Children’s Book Award for Older Readers. It is also published in America, France, Norway, Italy and the Czech Republic as well as the UK and Commonwealth. The Gifts was her debut adult novel.

Originally from North-East London, she has lived in South Shropshire for over a decade.

For further information about Liz, visit her website or follow her on Twitter @LondonBessie and Instagram.

I’ll let you into a secret. I’ve been hankering after reading Colin Garrow’s writing for a while now and so, even though I’m trying not to take on too much new material for the blog whilst life is busy, I couldn’t resist signing up to this blog tour organised by Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources and I’d like to thank Rachel for inviting me to participate.

Today Colin has agreed to stay in with me to chat about one of his books.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Colin Garrow

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Colin and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought along the first book in my Relic Black Thriller series, Terminal Black, which came out in June 2020. (I’ve just finished Deadly Black, book 3 in the series.)

What can we expect from an evening in with Terminal Black?

I wanted to write something that would entertain readers as well as give them a different type of hero. Most of my books are about amateurs who solve murders – i.e. good guys, so with this series I decided to turn things upside down and make the hero a villain. I wasn’t sure if this would work or if readers would think I’d somehow glorified crime, so the writing presented a few challenges. The story is set in Inverness, Scotland, and revolves around Relic Black, a petty thief who gets himself into bother when he accidentally kills a hitman and then tries to put things right.

How did this change affect your writing?

There’s a lot of strong language and more violence in this book than with anything else I’ve written, but I’ve tempered this with humour, so it doesn’t get too heavy handed. Another new feature of this series is the way it’s written. I abandoned the usual chapter-type format and instead split the book into days and locations, with scenes of different lengths – some are very short, while others go on for several pages.

In some of my books – such as the Terry Bell Mysteries series, the main character is a Geordie (north of England), so has a Geordie accent. With Terminal Black, some characters, naturally, are Scottish, so some of the dialogue may be difficult to grasp for non-British readers. (I included a glossary at the end of the book which helps with phrases like Help ma boab, and words like Teuchers.)

Did this affect the time you spent?

The writing process proved challenging, too – although the second book in the series (Crucial Black) only took me a month to write, Terminal Black took seven years. About halfway through the writing process, I realised I’d written an ensemble piece, with each character allotted a similar amount of ‘screen’ time. This can confuse readers, as we jump around a lot from place to place, following each different character. These include Relic, the hitman, his bosses (Chrissy and Magnus), hospital workers Fat Frank and Mandy, private investigator Jim Morrison, a bent cop (DI McKenzie), and her nemesis (DI Swinney), as well as their boss, DCI Dirty Barry Callaghan.

You’ve made Terminal Black sound very intriguing!

What else have you brought along and why?

I’ve invited the city of Inverness, in Scotland, as this is the setting for most of the story (although we also visit Aberdeen and Nairn and a few locations on the outskirts of Inverness).

Crikey – a whole city is going to take some space!

Each section of the book takes place in a particular location, so readers can follow the action around the city. In books 2 and 3, I’ve added in a time slot for each scene, too. While some of the buildings/addresses in the book are fictional, they’re all situated in real locations. This meant that most of my research for the book involved spending time on Google Maps, although I also had to look up details of Glock 19 9mm Lugers, GPS trackers, seismic buffers on the Kessock Bridge, and the technical specifications of the Audi 8.

I bet your internet history would make for interesting viewing Colin! Thanks so much for chatting with me about Terminal Black. I’ll just give readers a few more details:

Terminal Black

A stolen identity. A hitman. A bent cop.

Relic Black takes things that don’t belong to him—credit cards, golf clubs, toothbrushes. But when a hitman mistakes him for someone else, Relic lands himself in a difficult situation. With a dead man on his hands and a guilty conscience, he sets off to save the life of the man whose identity he has stolen. And that’s when the real trouble starts…

Terminal Black is available for purchase here.

About Colin Garrow

Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland. He has worked in a plethora of professions including: taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. All Colin’s books are available as eBooks and paperback.

His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, Word Bohemia, Every Day Fiction, The Grind, A3 Review, 1,000 Words, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. He currently lives in a humble cottage in North East Scotland where he writes novels, stories, poems and the occasional song.

He also makes rather nice cakes.

For more information, visit Colin’s website, follow him on Twitter @colingarrow, or find Colin on Facebook.

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