New neighbours from hell might not be the most original of ideas for a whodunit, but in those people, author Louise Candlish has skilfully produced a right page turner that will leave you fully satisfied.
The premise might not be that original, however what is fresh is how the chapters are constructed. Most of them open with a statement to the police by one of central characters.
This storytelling formula lends itself to making it feel like we the readers are also interviewing them. It feels like privileged access.
Lowland Way is where the action is set, an idyllic middle-class suburb of South London. As indicated, all is blissful and peaceful with life until number 1 has new inhabitants.
Darren Booth and his partner Jodie, are the extreme opposites to their established next-door neighbours. They are loud, brash, and totally inconsiderate. Loud music until 2am as well as loud drilling till all hours. They also operate a car business on the street which means alpha male Ralph Morgan, ends up with an orange old rusty campervan in his car parking space.
As the narrative unfolds at a good steady pace, we find out that all of Booth’s neighbours have an axe to grind with him. They all have a motive for wanting to see his demise. Even the award-winning Play Out Sunday (where kids can play on the road safely), gets knocked on the head due to his impatience with children.
There is great narrative tension that builds throughout. It is one that makes you want to keep on reading to find out what happens next. Narrative exhaustion does not exist at any point here. It keeps on giving to the reader with a series of wonderful twists.
One of the most significant parts of this novel, is that the plot is believable. It was never too far fetched or too fanciful. I believed it as a story and so my imagination was fully transported there.
If you love your whodunits, then put this novel down as one to try over the coming months. This is worthy of being made into a TV drama it is that polished. This is most definitely worthy of your attention! 4/5.
Here We Are, by the critically acclaimed author Graham Swift, is a typically understated delightful read that you cannot help but be enchanted by.
We first discover our three love triangle protagonists during the summer of 1959, in the holiday seaside resort of Brighton. Ronnie, known on stage as ‘Pablo’, is a young magician going places. His partner and able assistant is the young and beautiful Evie. The popular compere of their end of the pier show is a bit of a Jack-the-lad character, Jack Robinson.
This is a story told in both the past and present tense. Swift, artfully details significant aspects of their lives as the narrative moves forward. Reading this book was akin to peeling a red juicy apple, i.e. I wanted to keep on going. It was a nostalgic read, a wistful one, and a moving one at times too.
As with Swift’s brilliant novel Last Orders, the human condition and a character driven plot lie at the heart of Here We Are. Love, adultery, guilt, and grief, are all themes that are touched upon. These coupled with kindness and laughter along the way, all makes for a beautifully told emotive tale.
In a certain way, this novel felt a bit old fashioned. I mean this in a complimentary way though. In a fictional world now where some novels regrettably try to be too clever for their own good, this novel was refreshing because it was the exact antithesis to this.
A straightforward read that was captivating and moving throughout. 4/5.
Mayflies is a rather touching tale about the wonder of male friendship. Not perfect, but not rubbish by any means. If you are after a bit of 1980s Manchester and indie music nostalgia, then the first part of this book is for you.
The problem is though that the much darker second half is not as strong as the first. The debate about assisted dying is one worthy of exploration. However, I was never intensely moved like I had suspected I would be prior to reading.
Starting in a small Scottish town in the mid-to-late 1980s, we fondly get to know the lives of two best friends called Tully and James. In their late teenage years, these two boys share a love of indie music and movie line quotes. With respect to the latter passion, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, being a particular favourite of theirs.
The author clearly no fan of 80s Thatcherism, shows how the escapism of music was vital to the existence of so many young people back then in Britain. With a group of friends our two protagonists decide to go and have a weekend of indie music heaven in Manchester.
Their Manchester escapades did get a tad tedious in places though. It was too drawn out. Admittedly, bits were interesting and entertaining to read. Nevertheless, if one is honest, then other parts verged on the slightly corny.
The second part picks up the action again in the Autumn of 2017. One of the characters is dying and so the topic of euthanasia is what the entire narrative is then shaped around. It must be acknowledged as well as praised, that both viewpoints are covered i.e., for and against. However, by the end I think it is very easy to deduce what position author Andrew O’Hagan holds.
Having earlier criticised this second half for not being intense enough, undoubtedly though the friendship of Tully and James is a touching aspect throughout. It made me think for example, of the close male friendships that I have in my life.
Overall, this is a thought provoking read, without ever being an immensely captivating one. I thought by the time I turned the last page, then I would be a blubbering wreck. I was not though much to my surprise.
Brilliant 80s Manchester nostalgia, but this got diluted by it becoming a book essentially about assisted dying. A good read, without it ever being an amazing one. I wanted more emotion, I wanted more tears, and ultimately I wanted to care more about them by the end. 3/5.
Male, forty-three going on forty-four, OCD sufferer, who likes to put the bins out for the neighbours and who hates radio phone-in shows. No, this is not my profile from the Plenty of Fish dating website, but it could be.
Instead, this describes Micah Mortimer, the central character in Anne Tyler’s latest great novel, Redhead by the Side of the Road.
The similarities between Micah and me are that similar that it caused me to laugh out loud as I read them. Therefore, I instantly bonded with this very likeable character. A perfectionist who is a nice guy with a good set of morals, yet another three things that accurately describe us both.
Set-in present-day Baltimore in the United States, we first find Micah plodding on through life. His life is ordinary doing a computer maintenance job that he just about tolerates. He has a girlfriend called Cass, but nothing seems exceptional about their relationship either.
Micah then gets a surprising visitor one day at his front door. It is this visitor that then mainly shapes the rest of the narrative. Could Micah really be a father after all these years?
There are two ways you can look at this book though. You could argue it is boring because not much happens (even with this surprise visitor). Whereas I fall in the second category, that appreciates a beautifully written story about the mundanity of life.
Narrative tension builds through Micah’s depression growing deeper. Without giving away anything crucial, it ends on a rather poignant note.
A modern-day story that superbly depicts the alienation of modern-day life. 4/5.
A zest for life is how I would best sum-up how I am feeling right now. You see, I am still on a high from the events of yesterday. I did an CBT exposure that I swore to everybody that I would never do, I sat down in a chair at my doctors.
For those of you who do not know my backstory, I was diagnosed with severe contamination OCD around the age of 16-17 years old. It mainly revolved around a fear of me standing in dog poo. Then, I had a massive trigger some 11-12 years ago, when I unknowingly sat in vomit at my local doctors.
As a result of this incident at the doctors, my OCD well and truly exploded. I completely withdrew from life. I became a recluse and for a good number of years I was just existing rather than living. I thought all my home was contaminated with the smell of sick. I threw everything away that I could, e.g. clothes, computer, mobile phones etc, etc.
I finally admitted to myself that I desperately needed professional help again. I saw a new mental healthcare team who were wonderful with me. The meds helped me enough for me to want to actively engage with CBT this time. Baby step by baby step, I did some great exposures.
Fast-forward twenty-four months, and my OCD had been good up to lockdown. I was not cured, but things were tonnes better than they had been. Then, coronavirus happened and I was seemingly trapped at home again due to being a type one diabetic. I was worried my OCD would get worse.
In lockdown I have had the odd OCD flare-up, but I have coped mainly by studying and exercising. Nevertheless, I have been conscious that outside the house I have not been doing enough exposures, i.e. cos I have not been going out anywhere.
Yesterday, I had my annual health review at my new doctors (not the place where I sat in sick all those years ago). Since that horrific incident at my last doctors, I have made a point of not sitting down on a chair in the waiting or treatment rooms at the new place. I feel a bit bad doing this though because I know it is me giving in to my OCD, i.e. cos I fear I might sit in sick again.
Once in the doctors and speaking to the healthcare assistant, I sort of perched my bum onto one of those patient beds that they have in such places. Then came her wanting to look at my feet. How was I going to take my boots and socks off whilst perched high in the air I wondered? She told me it was up to me though whether she looked at my feet. I wanted to cooperate with her fully, I did not want my OCD stopping me.
Next thing I know, I uttered words and did an action that I could never have envisaged myself ever doing again. “Sod it, I’ll sit down on the chair to make it easier for you”, I said. Therefore, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A DECADE, I SAT DOWN ON A CHAIR IN A DOCTORS!!
As I was sat down on the chair, I guess my nerves and anxiety were why I then went into chatterbox and funny-man Andy mode. I never stopped talking to her as well as trying to make her laugh. It was just my way of coping I suppose.
I was truly touched when this lovely healthcare assistant said to me at the end of my appointment, “you know, this is the best (OCD wise) you’ve been seeing me”. I am not good at taking compliments, so just replied, “oh, thank you”. Really though, I wanted to get up and hug her due to my emotions running so high.
Straight after leaving the doctors, 90% of me was chuffed with what I had just done. 10% of me though was worrying slightly if I had done the right thing by sitting down. I would just have to live with the fear until I got home I told myself. I then told my dear mum on the phone what had just happened, and she told me how proud of me she was.
I got home and smelt my jeans to make sure I had not sat in sick again. The relief was immense when I discovered I had not. I know this was giving into my OCD a bit (the smelling my jeans bit), but it is all about taking baby steps forwards in my eyes. Furthermore, I had not smelt them straight afterwards which was good. I had lived with the fear of not knowing about the jeans whilst I walked home.
As the rest of the day went by, then the prouder I got at what I had just done by finally sitting down at my doctors. IT TOOK ME OVER A DECADE TO DO IT, BUT I DID IT!!! I wanted to appear on the six o’clock news to tell the whole wide world my news (instead I did it on my Facebook and Twitter).
Twenty-four hours on and I am still feeling just as elated as I was when I went to bed last night. The events of yesterday feels like such a breakthrough moment for me. The task now is sitting down again at my doctors the next time I go. Repetition, repetition, repetition, this must be my CBT mantra like it has been so much in the past.
This zest for life feels so good. You want to know why? It is because I finally did it my friends, I FINALLY SAT DOWN AT MY DOCTORS!!!!
I first fell in love with the city of Liverpool, back in 1998. Stunning beauty and a sense of humour to die for. After reading the following, I want you to fall in love with Liverpool too!
Music
Music is what makes Liverpool come alive. Walk down any city centre street during the summer, and I guarantee you will hear some busker strumming along on their guitar. The Beatles in the 1960s, firmly put Liverpool on the map with their 17 chart number ones. The city pays homage to them with a multitude of tours and museums to experience.
The city with two cathedrals
You will not see two finer pieces of architecture than the two cathedrals in the city of Liverpool.The unique style and design of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is simply breathtaking. The Anglican Cathedral boasts being Britain’s biggest cathedral as well as 5th largest in Europe. Graduate from there like I did, and this place will hold a special place in your heart forevermore.
Culture
Having been the European Capital of Culture in 2008, Liverpool is a city absolutely drenched in culture. Did you know that it has more museums and galleries than anywhere else outside of London? It also has 2,500 listed buildings and 250 public monuments. My personal recommendation is visiting the Royal Liver Building with its two iconic Liver Birds.
Sport
Come to Liverpool and you will discover a north-west city that has sport running through its veins. Liverpool Football Club together with Everton Football Club, are both famous throughout the world and have stadium tours to enjoy. The Grand National is the world’s most famous steeplechase. It is watched by a staggering 600 million people worldwide.
Humour
People from Liverpool are called “scousers” and their quirky, mickey-taking sense of humour is a thing of pure delight. The key thing about people from Liverpool is that they do not take themselves too seriously. Come to Liverpool and you are certain to enjoy scouse banter!
Education
With a multitude of universities right on its doorstep, Liverpool has a thriving student population that gives the city a cosmopolitan feel. With all its culture and stimulating history, it really is one of the great places to study in.
From The Beatles, to the football teams, to the jaw-dropping architecture, Liverpool has something to offer everybody. That was my love letter to Liverpool. I do hope to see you again soon my dear old friend!
A humorous whodunit that keeps you guessing right until the end. This is the verdict of Richard Osman’s, The Thursday Murder Club. As the novel states at the back this therefore is, ‘his first and, so far, best novel.’
How to write a murder mystery review without giving anything away of the vital plot?
Well, imagine a funnier version of Miss Marple, DCI Jane Tennison (out of Prime Suspect), Taggart, and Hercule Poirot, all working together to solve a murder, and that pretty much sums up our four main characters. Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron, and Ibrahim are their names, and this group of septuagenarians each bring something different to this original narrative.
Set for the large part in an idyllic Kent retirement village called Coopers Chase, we soon learn about our four cape crusaders via them being members of a local community group called The Thursday Murder Club. This is where our four amateur sleuths meet up once a week to try and crack unresolved historical murder cases.
Soon into the story the equilibrium is disrupted when a murder takes place within quiet Coopers Chase. This is the opportunity our four elderly investigators have been waiting for. What follows is a whole series of twists and turns as they try and get to the truth.
This is a wonderful very English whodunit, that keeps on giving to the reader as the narrative unfolds. It is funny throughout (I laughed out loud several times), poignant, and also thrilling.
It does verge on the very unbelievable at times though, but not enough to ruin the original creative landscape created by the author. If you commit yourself fully to the story, then you will be repaid fully and then some.
Yes, the plot does get a tad tricky to fully comprehend towards the end, however it certainly is not impossible to grasp. The short chapters featuring very accessible language, further enhance this being an enjoyable read.
If you love your murder mysteries, then you really enjoy this well-crafted debut by Osman. A great bit of escapism to enjoy during these harsh winter months. A right page-turner that will have you laughing as well as guessing out loud. 4/5.
We are once again invited into the magical world of the inhabitants of Ivy Hatch, in Elizabeth Holland’s brand-new offering, Christmas at The Vintage Bookshop of Memories.
Readable as a standalone book or as a follow-up to the excellent The Vintage Bookshop of Memories, this once again is another welcome addition to the romance fiction genre.
Nonetheless, the characterisation and plot to The Vintage Bookshop of Memories, were that good that it was always going to be a tricky task when writing this sequel. Christmas at The Vintage Bookshop of Memories does not trump its predecessor. Therein lies the main problem with this book, it suffers by this comparison.
Regarding the narrative, we pick up the action again twelve months on from the last novel. Katie Wooster’s life is in turmoil with no job or place to live, but in a matter of days she is going to be bridesmaid to her best friend Prue Clemonte.
This is a story about the wonder of female friendship. There is also the chance of a new romance for Katie. The question is whether she has healed up enough from her last relationship that was emotionally abusive.
The author needs congratulating for it being such an easy read once more. Reading all about Ivy Hatch again felt like I was putting on a comfy pair of slippers at times.
However, I wanted more from the plot. I missed the drama and conflict of the first instalment. Maybe it was because this second book is shorter, but I found myself not caring as much about Katie, as I did with Prue in the first one. Everything was just a bit too nice.
I also was not that moved reading Christmas at The Vintage Bookshop of Memories. This could be an unfair criticism though when you consider this is supposed to be a heart-warming Christmas novel after all.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I liked this book rather than absolutely loving it. As a forty-three-year-old male, it needs to be acknowledged that I am sure I am not in Elizabeth’s target audience.
Overall, the final verdict is that if you want a joyful, easy Christmas read then this could be the book for you. I just wanted a bit more from it though. I wanted a bit more than friends reunited! 3/5.
The Vintage Bookshop of Memories by budding author Elizabeth Holland, is an enchanting romantic novel, that is the perfect antidote for these austere times that we currently all find ourselves in.
The biggest compliment to give The Vintage Bookshop of Memories, is that this is a better read than J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy. This is high praise indeed when you consider J.K’s status in the writing world. Some will argue the latter novel deals with much darker themes, e.g. rape, drug taking and bullying. However, the similar idyllic village settings, class conflict, and communities at war, are what make this an inescapable comparison.
The main character in The Vintage Bookshop of Memories, is likeable twenty-something year-old Prue Clemonte. We first find Prue at her grandmother’s funeral. Prue inherits most of the property in Ivy Hatch, but she quickly learns that the sitting tenants despised her late landowning grandmother.
Prue is not welcomed in the village by the locals and so her refuge is an old shut-down bookshop that her late mother has left her. It is Prue’s wish to restore this shop to its former glory, to honour her mother’s name.
Encased inside The Vintage Bookshop of Memories, is a whole host of Ivy Hatch secrets that become unearthed as the narrative develops. Can Prue’s relationship with fellow outsider Elliott Harrington, survive in this village where everybody knows one another’s business?
This book is not as dark as The Casual Vacancy, but neither by the same token is it as flimsy as say a Mills and Boon. The narrative has a nice, stimulating pace to it. It is funny in places, romantic, dramatic, and yet also intensely moving.
This is the second book I have now read of Elizabeth Holland’s, the first being the much darker, The Balance Between Life and Death. In both, I must congratulate Elizabeth’s easy reading style prose. This coupled with her short chapters, make her books an absolute reading delight (with great content of course).
Given the great quality of this novel, then it is quite staggering to discover that this is a self-published title. The more this author writes, then I can only see her work improving further still.
Remember and marvel at the name Elizabeth Holland. This is because big things are coming for her, this was a pleasure to read! 4.5/5.
You know you have enjoyed reading a piece of literature when at the end it has moved you to tears. You know you have enjoyed reading a story when you have not wanted it to end. Finally, you also know you have enjoyed reading a book when you are still thinking about it six to seven hours after finishing it. This all happened to me with Elizabeth Holland’s outstanding novella, The Balance Between Life and Death.
Before continuing this review, I need to admit to you that I personally know Elizabeth. Over the last seven to eight weeks, we have developed a quite beautiful friendship via social media. You see, we are both passionate about writing, as well as both suffering from ill mental health. Nevertheless, I promised my new friend that this does not disqualify me from being able to write an objective account about her work.
I had a strong desire to read this short novel because of its mental health subject matter. There are not enough novels out there that explicitly deal with it. Perfect by Rachel Joyce, which superbly depicts a character’s debilitating battle with OCD, is the only other one that immediately springs to mind that I have read. The Balance Between Life and Death, promised me mental health with romance, so I was more than intrigued.
As my opening paragraph indicates, this is a novella that ticks a lot of the right boxes. In some ways though it does not do it justice, just to describe this as a mental health story mixed with a dollop of romance. It deals with anxiety, grieving, love, and most impressively of all perhaps, it deals head-on with the still taboo subject matter of suicide. Regarding the latter aspect, various viewpoints are revealed about it, which I personally found great storytelling.
Elizabeth needs greatly applauding here for tackling such serious subject matter so early on in her writing career. She has taken a gamble, which could have so easily backfired on her if they had been handled in a careless way. The running themes of loss and trust throughout the story, are very sensitively written about.
The main character in the story is a female called Ana Adams. Ana is half PA and half receptionist to her boss Nadine, who runs a publishing company. Alongside her in the office are her junior colleague Grace, together with handsome new employee Noah. Ana has lots of emotional baggage though. It is this latter aspect that shapes the whole thrust of the narrative.
For a short story, the pace of it is perfect. It is an emotive tale throughout, yet at the same time there is some humour and light. I am thinking here of Ana’s numerous amusing exchanges she has with her much beloved dog Storm.
It is impressive that despite it being emotive throughout, narrative tension also builds up. This comes from central character Ana, being very likeable. The more I read on, then the more I found myself caring about her. I love how Ana is a multifaceted character, despite all her emotional baggage. This authentic, well-rounded representation of a sufferer with mental health issues, is important for it helps to breakdown the stigma that still exists in society today.
Overall, I thought The Balance Between Life and Death was a gripping read from start-to-finish. The easy style of writing and the everyday language used, means that this novella deserves to be read from far and wide.
Andy 'Scarfman' Lloyd's Blog 