Christmas at Hope Hall - Pam Rhodes

Pam Rhodes’ ‘Hope Hall’ trilogy has been a joy to read from the start, and Christmas at Hope Hall doesn’t disappoint.  (OK, just to reassure you, it’s not strictly a Christmas story, despite the title, but as well as a good read at any time, it’ll make a nice Christmas present.) 

It’s been lovely to follow the characters who visit Hope Hall and to pick up their stories.  Ray begins to come to terms with his grief with a little help from a small dog which unexpectedly bounces into his home, and there are life-changing moments for several of the characters we’ve come to know through the series, including wedding bells!  We also find out that the slightly scary Ida may not be as formidable as she has appeared previously. 

Harvest Festival sees tensions between traditional and new ways, and the forthcoming panto introduces even more stresses. In between there’s a quiz at which Percy, the man everyone thinks Ida loathes, has an accident and Ida’s reaction leaves her friends with more questions than answers!

In my view Hope Hall is one of Pam’s best series yet.  I was so desperate to keep reading that I even read this book while walking on the treadmill! My only complaint is that this is the last. I would really love to read more about the people of Hope Hall – I’m especially curious about Brenda. Pam and Lion – any chance this could become a four book series?

9781782642893, Lion Fiction, out now, £8.99

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

The Crystal Crypt - Fiona Veitch Smith

The Crystal Crypt is the sixth book in the well-established Poppy Denby Investigates series from Lion Fiction.  Although a series, each book is a stand-alone story. 

In this volume, professional reporter and amateur sleuth Poppy Denby is asked to find out what really happened to Dr June Leighton, a female scientist who is far from welcomed by the men she works alongside in an Oxford laboratory.  Her death has been recorded as an accident, but her lab assistant is unconvinced.  As Poppy begins to investigate, under the guise of writing an article about June, it’s not long before an ‘accident’ on her bike shows that someone is not happy about her enquiries.  

 

Fiona Veitch Smith’s craft as a mystery novelist is well honed. This is an excellent novel with lots of action and twists and turns in the tale.  Poppy is, as always, an engaging heroine and the Oxford of the story will ring true to anyone who knows the city.  As it happens, I also know Somerville, as a family member used to work in the Porter’s Lodge there!  The story is set in the 1920s, and much of the book addresses the gender inequality of the time, as well as references to other prejudices of the time period.

 

An excellent historical mystery, with plenty of pace and interest, and wonderful characters (hello, Rollo!). Perfect for whiling away a few hours in a comfy chair. And then going to look for the others in the series…

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

Pelagia - Steve Holloway

Do you ever start reading a book which looks intriguing, find it surprisingly hard work at first, and then get completely drawn in?  That’s exactly what happened to me with Pelagia.  

I used to read a lot of science fiction and this book reminds me why, with its oceanic world which is so expansively and compellingly described.  For me, the ocean region of Pelagia and the nomadic vessel Osse and the family it carries are the real stars and points of difference of this book. 

 

Steve Holloway has created a book which is as much a thriller as it is science fiction.  Set in the near future, we meet Ben Holden, ex Special Forces, who is the key to unlocking information needed by the deadly New Caliphate who will stop at nothing to find him.  Ben’s past has been traumatic, and as he begins to recover he will need to learn who he can trust.  And perhaps even love.

 

This is a book which really feels like something different: fresh, beautifully written and immersive both in subject and engagement.  It portrays good and evil very clearly, and the people within its covers are interesting and believable, with faith elements which are also interesting and believable.  This is certainly not a cosy mystery.  The thriller elements aren’t watered down. A genuine page-turner, it is well worth persevering with if you too find the beginning a bit hard going.  I would love to read another novel set in Pelagia.

9781782643395, Lion Fiction, Jun21

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

Mosaic - Chris Aslan

“When a pot breaks, it’s useless; at best there might be a shard that you can use to scoop grain.  But what about a broken life? What about me? I feel so fragmented. Can I be repaired somehow? How do I live with the hate I fell towards those I'm supposed to be closest to? My life is in pieces and I don't know what to do..."

Tabita is growing up in a mountain village in the Middle East.  When a tragic accident results in the death of her closest friend Sholem and the paralysis of her brother Phanuel, Tabi’s life is shattered.  When word comes of a miracle-working teacher it’s not only Phan who needs healing. 

 

The author’s childhood in Turkey and Lebanon is reflected in his immersive descriptions of the people and landscape.  Although I found the early chapters a bit hard going, before long I was captivated.  When Tabi and the four friends who with Phan make up ‘The Hand’ take him to the Teacher, it’s far from being the end of the story.   Influence for The Hand comes from Luke 12:52 and the overall story arc includes events from Mark and Acts which are woven in very well.  I like ‘biblical novels’ which don’t follow key characters, they give their authors scope for wider turns in the storytelling.

 

Mosaic gives the reader an insight into what life may well have been like for many in Jesus’ time.  It clearly describes the rift between those who followed The Way and the Jewish leaders, while making people on both sides of that rift ‘real’.  When reading the Bible we often go quickly through its stories.  Here, we’re aware of how tensions would be building over time, and the struggle of knowing what was right not just in the bigger things, but in individual lives where many broken pieces can be restored and create a beautiful mosaic.

9781782643388, Lion Fiction, £9.99, pb, Apr21

The Abbey Mystery: Jane Austen Investigates - Julia Golding

‘It had to be acknowledged that the life of a clergyman’s daughter in deepest rural Hampshire was disappointingly full of duties. There were few things for an adventurous girl to do. That was why Jane always considered it fortunate to be in the carriage accident. Without that disaster, she would never have met the Abbey ghost.’

It’s 1789, and 13-year-old Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra are involved in an accident which results in Jane being sent in her sister’s place as companion to the wealthy Lady Cromwell while the household at Southmoor Abbey prepares for the elder son’s coming of age party.  She’s sent with a challenge from her brother Henry – to prove that the rumoured ghost which is said to haunt the ruins on the estate doesn't exist. But what initially seems to be an easily dismissed nonsense soon turns into a dangerous investigation with a lot more at stake than winning her brother's half a crown wager.  

 

There’s a lot of fun to be had in this novel, which – aside from the carriage accident in the first few pages – starts a little slowly but ramps up the pace and action briskly as the story progresses.  Jane is well aware that she is seen as the ‘lesser Austen sister’, but she is sharp, intelligent, and quick to pick up on things.  This lands her in trouble more than once but she is not easily dissuaded from the tasks she sets herself to, and along with her friends Luke the stable boy and Indian girl Deepti she sets out to find out the truth about more than one mystery, and save the life of an innocent man.  

 

I finished reading this at 1.30 am, which is a big ‘thumbs up’ to what a great read it is.  I couldn’t put it down!  Jane is an interestingly written and complex character and her relationship with her sister through Jane’s letters is lovely to read.  Her little comments such as her ‘(un)invitation’ to the coming of age ball make for some amusing interjections here and there.  Luke the stable boy and Deepti and her father are characters with their own passions and pains, and Grandison the dog is wonderful! 

 

A highly enjoyable story with an excellent plot, wonderful cast of well-described characters, plenty of action, a good dose of mystery and some satisfying plot twists.  I'm glad to see we won’t have to wait too long for young Jane’s next mystery.

9781782643340, Lion Fiction, Ages 9+, UK publication April 21

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

Springtime at Hope Hall - Pam Rhodes

In mid-winter, especially this year(!), we could all do with a bit of light relief and this is a perfect book for escaping the winter and the pandemic...  In Springtime at Hope Hall, the latest of Pam Rhodes’ novels, her ability to capture people and their quirks is perfectly demonstrated.  We meet Ray and his terminally ill wife Sara, the irrepressible Shirley, the ladies from the Grown-up’s lunch club who include the formidable and cantankerous Ida and the members of the Can’t Sing Singers, a group thrown out of St Mark’s choir by the new musical director as not being good enough!  We learn about Kath, the manager of Hope Hall and Maggie, the catering manager whose soon to be ex-husband is the villain of the story. 

Throughout, the characterisation is brilliant. I think any reader would recognise some of the folk portrayed in this enchanting novel.  There were a number of moments where I laughed out loud, and some which made me angry!  Then there was the tension of what would happen with Claire and Gary.  

 

An easy and highly enjoyable read which nonetheless has depth and meaning.  I’m already looking forward to the next book about Hope Hall.

 

Map of the Sky - Claire Wong

Pulled out of school a week before the end of term, and abruptly arriving at the remote B&B Askfeld with his highly stressed mother Catherine and his sister Juliet who is five years Kit’s elder, Kit struggles to settle into his new surroundings.  A fan of superheroes and adventures, he sets out to find a quest to follow and discovers it in the map being created by B&B owner Beth for her unborn child.  

Beth is co-owner of the B&B, chronically ill, and Kit is confused by her illness and worried by snatches of overheard conversation.  Often finding himself told to stay put while his mother works he also befriends elderly ornithologist Bert, and meets the mysterious and unpredictably angry Maddie.  With his mother and sister keeping secrets about the move and why his dad had stayed behind, Kit has lots of time to draw his own conclusions…

 

This is a wonderful story, suitable for readers from ‘youth’ readers upwards.  The comments or questions at the start of each chapter work really well, and Claire’s writing is beautiful.  As Kit finds a lookout spot over the sea, she writes: ‘He turned his back on the sea, pivoting on the ball of one foot in a perfect spin. But the ground between the grasses was softer than it looked, and betrayed him.’

Kit’s thoughts and emotions are very well outlined, the ‘supporting cast’ are all wonderfully written in their own right and the story is engrossing from cover to cover.  It wraps up with a very satisfying (and surprisingly emotional, for this reader at least) ending.  This is another fabulous novel from Claire, whose debut novel The Runaway I've also reviewed, and I look forward to more books from her.

The Runaway - Claire Wong

I'm catching up on posting some reviews for books published in the last couple of years, and this one is a corker!

Rhiannon lives in a Welsh village with her aunt, who is the backbone of the village but the bane of Rhiannon’s life.   After yet another row Rhiannon runs away. 

This isn’t a well planned departure.  As she says in the story: “I didn’t technically plan or pack for this outcome. As I left, I grabbed the bag on the landing because I figured that if you storm out without taking anything with you, you’re just an angry person going for a walk; but if you’re carrying some kind of luggage, then you’re someone who is leaving for good.”  However Rhiannon is a stubborn and capable young woman who manages to hide away in a derelict house in the nearby Dyrys Wood.  

The story is told from her perspective and those from the village, where her disappearance is causing cracks to appear in the day to day lives of the locals. Cracks which are put under more strain than ever when two strangers arrive and uncomfortable truths from the past begin to emerge. 

This is a beautifully created and written story.  It’s one of those books where the pleasure is in the actual writing as much as in the story.  I love mysteries and ancient stories, and both are woven seamlessly into this wonderful debut novel.  

Murder, Forgotten - Deb Richardson-Moore

Catalogue Copy: Julianna Burke, bestselling mystery novelist, has a secret that those closest to her are hiding from the world. Julianna is losing her memory, and with it her powerful gift for storytelling that propelled her to fame. 

A further devastating blow comes when Connor, Julianna’s beloved husband, is murdered. Even this is not something Julianna’s mind can hold on to, and every day her assistant has to break the heart-wrenching news all over again. 

Julianna is desperate to know what happened to her husband. As she battles her failing mind to investigate, a detail of the murder surfaces that makes Julianna question everything she’s ever known. Somehow she must fight to find the truth, even though her grip on reality is fading…

* * * * 

I was completely hooked by the premise of this book before I’d even opened it.  Julianne Burke is an internationally successful mystery novelist in the twilight of her career.  Struggling with her failing memory, her life is further devastated by the murder of her husband Connor.  The ebbs and flows of her memory mean that she often wakes up not realising he’s dead, and has to be told again, with all the accompanying distress the news brings.  Juliana is desperate to find out what has happened, and so is her daughter Logan.  But finding out the truth when you can’t trust what you remember is going to be tough.

 

When I started reading, I wasn’t disappointed.  Once started, you won’t want to be interrupted!  There are lots of twists and turns, right from the beginning when Julianna has travelled to Scotland.  There were some elements which I guessed long before the end, but the clever storytelling means that most readers will find plenty of ‘gasp’ moments to enjoy.  The mystery isn’t only confined to Julianna and Connor, either.  There are multiple uncertainties and secrets.  And under it all runs the theme of loss and grieving but without it becoming a depressing read.  Highly recommended.

9781782643111, Lion Fiction, Published September 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

The Easter Sepulchre - Mel Starr

Catalogue Copy: Keeping watch over the Easter Sepulchre, where the Host and crucifix are stored between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, is considered a privilege. So, it is shocking when it is discovered that Odo, the priest's clerk, has abandoned his post. But as the hours pass and Odo is not found, Hugh de Singleton is called upon.

It is Hugh that finds the dried blood before the alter, and fear grows for the missing man... Will Hugh be called up on to investigate another murder, or will the man be found hale and hearty? But if so, where has the blood come from?

* * * * 

The Easter Sepulchre is the latest in the highly successful The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon series.  It’s quite a feat to establish a lengthy series these days, but Mel Starr has a loyal following and it’s easy to see why.  Each book in the series is the kind you might want to read snuggled into a cosy chair with a ‘do not disturb’ sign!  The place and period is excellently written and researched and although the characters have grown and changed over the years, each book can still be read as a stand-alone novel.  Keen historical mystery readers finding this one are very likely to seek out other books in the series.

The Easter Sepulchre begins with the disappearance of the priest’s clerk, Odo.  When he is found on Easter Sunday, dead, Hugh must set out once again to find a killer.  Before long, a suspect is apprehended but despite the evidence against him Hugh is far from convinced of his guilt.  

If you enjoy a good mystery, with enough dry wit here and there to amuse and a satisfyingly twisting road to the conclusion, look no further.

9781782643067, Lion Fiction, Published September 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

The Widow's Secret (Tales from Goswell) - Katharine Swartz

Katharine Swartz’s The Widow’s Secret is the latest in her Tales from Goswell series. Abigail Fenton’s husband James is a ship owner in the 1760s, and they live a comfortable life until the tobacco which is a mainstay of James’ business is all sold to larger companies than his.  Looking for other cargo he makes a fateful decision – to transport slaves.  Abigail is uncomfortable about this, and her life becomes more complicated when James gives her an African child as a present.  A child he expects to be treated as lower than a servant but whom childless Abigail comes to love as a daughter to the consternation and horror of her household staff, family and peers.  Then James sets off on a year-long voyage – and doesn’t come home.  

In 2020, when marine archaeologist Rachel Gardener is summoned to Cumbria to investigate a wreck, a find from the ship makes her suspect the wreck was a slave ship. But why would it be there?  As she investigates, and tries to ignore her crumbling marriage, unfolding events mean she can no longer ignore her estranged mother.  And she must face the secret her mother has been keeping for 30 years.

Katherine Swartz writes engaging stories with characters you really connect with and with plenty of twists and turns. I was intrigued all the way through both timelines by what would happen next.  I’m not sure I’m quite convinced by the way things play out with both Rachel’s marriage and her mother, but both elements worked well for the book.  That said, the links with Abigail and Adelaide are wonderfully told and the Wesley elements work really well.  The descriptions of the slave trade are horrifying and both Abigail and James’ struggles with their involvement are well written and believable.  I highly recommend this book. 

9781782642817, Lion Fiction, Published June 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I was sent the manuscript of this book for review, but I was not required to write a favourable review. All views herein are my own.

The Healing Knife - S L Russell

I was interested in Sue Russell’s The Healing Knife as soon as I saw the synopsis, so I was very happy to read a review copy and find that the book lived up to all my hopes.

Rachel Keyte’s whole world is focussed on her career as a surgeon.  When a colleague has an accident Rachel is called on to perform one of his scheduled operations, on twelve year old Craig.  She’s not very keen, but it’s a routine procedure and all goes well.  But within days her patient suddenly dies, and his mother Eve is out for revenge. The events which follow quickly result in Rachel’s life being shattered.

This is a very well written and fast paced novel, perfect for anyone who likes a strong contemporary read.  The faith elements are woven in believably and are not overpowering.  Rachel is an intriguing character and the story elements around her struggles with her mental health as part of her recovery are particularly well written.  Although the ‘difficult youth’ card is played it doesn’t feel formulaic. I would definitely recommend this book as one which would be a good novel to encourage an active fiction reader to try Christian fiction.  

9781782643036, Lion Fiction, Published March 2020