It’s not often I come across a novel so strong that it reaches out into my thoughts and life while I’m reading it so that I can’t wait to get back to it. Sarah Waters, however, is one novelist who does indeed write stories like this. In The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, the centralContinue reading “Book Review: ‘The Little Stranger’ by Sarah Waters”
Category Archives: Authors I love
How I Came to Write ‘Paranormal Warwickshire’
I have often been asked how I came to write Paranormal Warwickshire. It began soon after my arrival in Warwickshire twenty eight years ago, through the experience of visiting many of Warwickshire’s iconic locations. A fellow writer, Sue Vincent, a great traveller throughout our country and its historic, sacred and mysterious sites, who has nowContinue reading “How I Came to Write ‘Paranormal Warwickshire’”
Book Review: ‘Murder Before Evensong’ by Revd. Richard Coles
I knew I had to read this novel as I have so enjoyed listening to The Reverend Richard Coles on the BBC Radio 4 programme Saturday Live and seeing him on his many TV appearances. I also follow him on Twitter and find his tweets very amusing. So I was expecting great things of this,Continue reading “Book Review: ‘Murder Before Evensong’ by Revd. Richard Coles”
Book Reviews: ‘Brother Cyril’s Book’ by Penelope Wilcock and ‘Winter People’ by Grainne Murphy
Today I’m pleased to bring you two reviews: one, a historical novel set in a medieval English monastery and the other, contemporary fiction set on the Irish coastline. Both books – Brother Cyril’s Book by Penelope Wilcock (published Feb 2023 by Humilis, Hastings) and Winter People by Grainne Murphy (published Oct 2022 by Legend Press)Continue reading “Book Reviews: ‘Brother Cyril’s Book’ by Penelope Wilcock and ‘Winter People’ by Grainne Murphy”
Strange Tales from Paranormal Warwickshire Part 3: Shakespeare’s Ghosts and Spirits
When it comes to William Shakespeare‘s own beliefs about ghosts and spirits, scholars and actors hold divergent views. ‘Did Shakespeare believe in ghosts and spirits?” said the actor who led the Stratford-upon-Avon town ghost tour. “One hundred per cent! Of course he did!” And the unspoken corollary to that was, of course, so do allContinue reading “Strange Tales from Paranormal Warwickshire Part 3: Shakespeare’s Ghosts and Spirits”
Book Review: ‘The Spirit Engineer’ by AJ West
The Spirit Engineer by AJ West: This fictionalisation of a true story was probably one of the creepiest tales I’ve ever read. The Spirit Engineer by AJ West was published in July 2022. Its creepiness does not come from the purported spirits conjured up by the deceptive Goligher family in 1920s Belfast, but much moreContinue reading “Book Review: ‘The Spirit Engineer’ by AJ West”
Book Review: ‘Down Under: Travels from a Sunburned Country’ by Bill Bryson
Today I’m pleased to share with you my review of one of my Christmas present books. Having visited several of the Australian locations in this book – Sydney, Canberra, Alice Springs, Uluru, Darwin, and the Great Barrier Reef, among several others – I loved reading about Bill Bryson’s experiences there in his brilliant piece ofContinue reading “Book Review: ‘Down Under: Travels from a Sunburned Country’ by Bill Bryson”
Book Reviews: The Poppy Denby Murder Mystery Series by Fiona Veitch Smith
Today, I’m delighted to bring you my reviews of a six book series I highly recommend, having just thoroughly enjoyed reading book six. The Poppy Denby series is widely available online and through bookshops. I’ve enjpyed meeting and chatting to the author Fiona Veitch Smith at writing events, and have followed her writing and publishingContinue reading “Book Reviews: The Poppy Denby Murder Mystery Series by Fiona Veitch Smith”
Book Review: ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ by Liane Moriarty
Today I’m pleased to share with you my review of a book I greatly enjoyed. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty is set in the idyllic landscape of New South Wales, Australia. The TV adaptation appeared on our screens in 2021 as a TV mini series starring Nicole Kidman and shifted the action to theContinue reading “Book Review: ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ by Liane Moriarty”
Book Review: ‘Cuckoo in the Nest’ by Fran Hill
Today I’m delighted to be sharing my review of an ARC of this debut novel by my friend and very funny fellow-author Fran Hill, ‘Cuckoo in the Nest’, to be published by Legend Press on 26 April 2023. BLURB It’s the heatwave summer of 1976 and 14-year-old would-be poet Jackie Chadwick is newly fostered byContinue reading “Book Review: ‘Cuckoo in the Nest’ by Fran Hill”
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