Caroline

I remember the first time I saw Kenny Everett on TV. I was around 11, maybe 12 years old, and The Kenny Everett Video Show was airing on RTE 2, Ireland's second TV station. Ireland of the late 1970's/early 80's, was very strait laced, so one can imagine the reaction of some viewers upon viewing Cuddly Ken. As for me, I loved him.

Hello Darlings was like a trip down memory lane. All those characters I'd laughed at, such as Captain Kremmen and Sid Snot. Freddie Mercury dressing up as Sid Snot for the Eurovision Violence Contest. Classic!

And I will be forever grateful that Kenny played Bohemian Rhapsody in its entirety on his radio show, as that was the start of my love for Queen. 🎙📻

Hello Darlings is one of the best biographies I have read in recent times. It has been wonderfully researched, and very well written. I learned a lot about Cuddly Ken, his early years in Liverpool, and his later struggles with his sexuality. I warmed to him even more, the more I read.

The final chapters were difficult to read and, yes, I cried at the poignancy of Kenny's final months, and the loss that was felt by those who knew and loved him. Despite the tears, I enjoyed this book immensely.

Looks like I found myself a new author to add to my list of favourites. Take a bow Stig Abell, and know that you are in good company on that list. 📜

When I requested The Burial Place, I didn't realise it was book 3 of a series. I carried on regardless, and do you know what? It was fine. While I didn't get the complete background of the central characters, I got enough to satisfy me for now.

As to the book itself, I enjoyed it immensely. So good were the descriptions of the locations, I felt as though I was actually there. That one of those locations was the site of an archaeological dig, added to what was already an atmospheric read. 💀

All of the characters were likeable, even the killer who, I might add, I failed to identify.

Would I recommend this book? I certainly would, but I would also recommend starting the series at the beginning. I plan to do that myself in the foreseeable future.

Thanks to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The amateur sleuths of Little Shaw, affectionately known as The Widows' Detective Club, are back and once again find themselves caught up in a murder mystery. ✂️

It all begins when newly appointed librarian, Ginny Cole, accompanies her friend Tuppence to Harlow's Haberdashery, where she inadvertently discovers the body of Timothy Harlow. ✂️

The story unfolds at a steady pace from there, but the plot is quite intricate, and the cast of characters is long. ✂️

The tone of The Widows' Guide to Backstabbing is a little more serious than its predecessor, though there is a little gentle humour there. ✂️

Once again the star of the show is Edgar the cat, who has embarked on a crime spree of his own. 🐱

I loved this book, I love this series, and I really hope there will be more mysteries for the widows to solve.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This title will be available on 10/03/2025.

The Widows' Guide to Murder is the epitome of cosy mystery, and a fun read to boot.

The widows of the title are Hen, Tuppence, JM, and newcomer Ginny. They live in the Lancashire village Little Shaw, and are amateur sleuths. They're not quite on a par with Miss Marple, but they do their best, bless them.

I love a cosy mystery, be it from the golden age of detective fiction, or something more contemporary. The Widows' Guide to Murder ticked all the boxes for me.

I loved the characters, although the star of the show was Edgar, the stray cat adopted by Ginny. 🐱

The story unfolded at a steady pace, with a perfect balance of humour and seriousness. There was also the usual fun of trying to solve the crime before the widows did. Alas, I failed miserably.

Suffice to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I look forward to catching up with the widows very soon.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This title will be available on 03/03/2025.

At 46 years old, some might argue that Luke Evans is too young to write his memoirs, because what could he possibly have to tell, right? Wrong! This Boy From the Valleys has quite a lot to tell about his unexpected but remarkable journey. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Luke doesn't rush straight in to tell us how he became famous, he doesn't even begin with his birth. Rather, he lays the foundation, by telling us how his parents became Jehovah's Witnesses.

What follows is an emotional account of a childhood lived as per the rules of this religion, the bullying he had to endure at school, and the anguish he felt when he realised he was gay and what this would mean for him and his family.

Throughout this memoir, Luke remains humble. He may have found success in Hollywood very quickly, but he hasn't forgotten his roots and his humble beginnings. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Boy From the Valleys is a wonderful book, very informative and interesting. This is one autobiography that is well worth a read. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Until the opportunity to review this book came up, I didn't know that Jeremy Vine wrote books. After reading the synopsis I was eager to read more.

It will come as no surprise to learn that the backdrop for Murder On Line One is a radio station, and the central character, Edward Temmis, is the former host of a late night talk show. 🎙📞

The story is a bit of a slow burn at first, but when the pace picks up, that's when the fun really begins. With a series of elaborate online scams designed to part elderly ladies from their money, a murder and a disfigurement, not to mention the hit and run in which Edward lost his son, there's quite a lot going on in the little town of Sidmouth.

There's quite the cast of characters too, and all are likeable, especially Edward.

Despite the heavy themes, there is some gentle humour throughout, and it is this that made it such an enjoyable read for me.

Thanks to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

Blood Ties takes us back to Os, and the world of brothers Roy and Carl Opgard. It is now eight years since the events that unfolded in The Kingdom. Carl is building a new wing on his hotel, Os Spa, and his house, nicknamed The Palace, is under construction.

Roy, meanwhile, has his petro station, his bar and other properties, and he and Carl sponsor the local football team. Roy has done bad things in the past, but he can live with them.

It's not long before trouble rears its head though, and Roy soon finds he has a whole new set of problems.

Blood Ties is so twisty and suspenseful it will have you on the edge of your seat. The characters were likeable, especially Roy who, despite everything he did, I couldn't help rooting for.

A very satisfying read.

Boring Things Dad Says is far from boring. It's a little book of silliness that will give you a giggle, and maybe bring back fond memories of your Dad, as it did for me.

Much has been written about the notorious Whitechapel murderer known as Jack the Ripper, from the Penny Dreadfuls of that time, to various books down through the years positing theories as to his identity. For almost 140 years, the world has been fascinated by Jack the Ripper, how he evaded capture, and who he might be.

But what of his victims? In the shadow of the Ripper's notoriety, these women were barely given a second thought. The world forgot that they were someone's daughter, sister, wife, mother. No one told their story. That all changed thanks to Hallie Rubenhold.

The Five is, as it's cover states, the untold story of the five victims of Jack the Ripper. It's not an easy read, but theirs were not easy lives, living as they did in poverty, in the slums of the Eastend of London.

The Five is a book that was crying out to be written, and it is a book that should be read, just as all those books about Jack have been read. It should be read so that we may understand something of the lives of these women that time forgot. Their names were:

Polly Nichols

Annie Chapman

Elizabeth Stride

Catherine Eddowes

Mary Jane Kelly

They deserve to be remembered.

Meet Florence Grimes, thirtysomething ex-singer from girl band Girl's Night, sister of Brooke, mother to 10 year old Dylan, and chaos personified. Disaster, thy name is Florence.

A couple of chapters in, it was plain to see why all the other mother's hated her. I wasn't feeling too enamored myself.

For all her faults, and there are many, Florence does love her son, although her parenting skills leave much to be desired. When she suspects that Dylan may know more about the disappearance of one of his classmates than he's let on, Florence decides to investigate, with the help of new friend Jenny.

This was quite a fun read. Yes, I know there's a missing child and other criminal activities, but it's hard not to laugh at some of Florence's hare brained schemes, and the situations she finds herself in.

FYI: By the end of the book I was starting to like Florence. 🐢

Thanks to 4th Estate Books and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

I'm quite enjoying this quirky series of Victorian sleuthing. Once again Gyles Brandreth manages to seamlessly blend fiction with real life events and historical figures. It is clear that a lot of painstaking research has gone into these books, and I love that I am learning a little piece of history as the story unfolds.

The Dead Man's Smile takes us back to the early 1880's, and finds Oscar Wilde touring America. He then travels to Paris in 1883, where he meets Robert Sherard for the first time. There the two are witnesses to several tragedies. Were they accidents, or was something more sinister at play? Well, you'll just have to read it to find out.

If you like historical crime fiction, this might be the series for you.

I love heartwarming stories, especially if those stories feature dogs. Thus it was a given that I would read Max: The Miracle Dog.

The first few chapters of the book are far from heartwarming. More like heartbreaking, dealing as they do, with Kerry's childhood, followed by a car accident in adulthood which led to depression and suicidal thoughts.

Then Kerry met Max, and a bond was formed and the lives of man and dog changed for the better. Man and dog went on to inspire, and change the lives of others.

As a dog lover this book resonated with me, because growing up there were always Springer Spaniels around, thanks to my Dad. I also believe that life really is better with a dog. 🐕

I love a good small town mystery, with twists aplenty, and the odd red herring. I also love an injection of humour. Everyone In The Group Chat Dies provided both. 📱

I'm going to assume that you have read the blurb, so I'm not going to rehash it. The story is told from the POV of Claire 'Kirby' Cornell, and is told across two timelines; present day, and twelve months ago.

It's fast paced, and an oh so entertaining, quick read.

All of the characters are likeable, even the bad guy. When the big reveal came, let me just say, I did not see that coming! 😮

I loved this book. I devoured this book. Would I recommend it to everyone? You bet I would.

Thanks to Aries Fiction, Head of Zeus and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's always nice to stumble upon an author I haven't previously read. Satu Rämö is one such example, and I'm glad I decided to satisfy my curiosity.

The Clues In The Fjord is a straightforward slice of Icelandic noir. There are no complex plot twists or pointless red herrings. Despite this I still failed to work out the who and the why until the detectives did.

This is a slow paced story, but it's worth sticking with.

The location in the Westfjords, coupled with the snow and frost lend an air of bleakness to this atmospheric thriller.

As a dog lover, this book was a must read for me. I was well aware of Finn, and the campaign to bring in Finn's Law, as I've been following Fabulous Finn on social media. I wanted to know more though.

I knew this was going to be an emotional read, but I didn't expect to be crying into my coffee straight away. 😥

Fabulous Finn is an informative insight into the life of a Police Dog and its handler, and the bravery of each and every one of them. The fact that the deliberate injury to one of these dogs was once considered criminal damage, is certainly food for thought. 🐕

Despite the many times I cried while reading this book, there were a few light hearted moments. Some of Finn's antics reminded me of my own dogs, past and present. 🐕

Dog lovers, if you haven't read Fabulous Finn, you should, but have the tissues at the ready. 😥🐕

My first book choice for 2025 certainly had an interesting premise. Imagine having a chip implanted in your head that enabled you to hear your partner's thoughts, and further imagine that your partner also had a chip implanted so that they could hear yours. It would feel kind of intrusive, wouldn't it? Especially if you've been keeping secrets from your partner.

Such is the premise of Always On My Mind. I've shared as much of the plot as I'm willing to. Suffice to say this is quite a chilling, psychological thriller. The male protagonist, Elijah, gives off stalker vibes from the very first chapter.

He loves his technology, and the house he and Anna live in has all the latest gadgets, giving the story a sci-fi feel. Anna however, has an almost luddite attitude towards the tech.

Sadly, none of the characters are likeable. I struggled to find a single redeeming feature in any of them. That said, I enjoyed Always On My Mind. It made for a good start to the year.

Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Wisting series is Nordic Noir at its best, and never disappoints. The Traitor is the latest book in the series, and once again Jørn Lier Horst delivers a well paced, action packed thriller that hits the ground running.
The book begins with a landslide which causes the destruction of several houses, and we are privy to the heroic efforts of Wisting to save a young girl trapped in the rubble of her home.
The discovery of a body in yet more rubble the next day, causes confusion amongst the police, as all residents had been accounted for.
What follows is a gripping read that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat.

Having read, and enjoyed, the other books in this series of short crime fiction, I looked forward to Murder at Christmas. Sadly, it was a bit of a let down.

There are 10 stories, once again selected by Cecily Gayford. The majority were mediocre, with the merest nod at Christmas.

Of the 10 my favourite was Rumpole and the Spirit of Christmas by John Mortimer, closely followed by The Ascham by Michael Innes, and The Assassins Club by Nicholas Blake.

Murder at Christmas, while not the best collection of crime shorts I've ever read, did help to while away a few hours in that strange time that follows Christmas Day. 🗡🎄

Murder on Christmas Eve is another great anthology of short murder mysteries selected by Cecily Gayford.

Once again there is a good mix of golden age and contemporary crime shorts. My own personal favourite is The Trinity Cat, a tale about a cat who helps to apprehend an old lady's killer.

Perfect reading for Christmas Eve. 🗡🎄

I had such high hopes for this book. I liked the idea of an advent calendar in book form, reading one chapter a day for 25 days. That said, I didn't hear about the book until December 14th, so I had a bit of catching up to do. 🗡

It started out quite well. Indeed, I was enjoying it up to the point where I'd caught up, because that's when it started to get a bit ridiculous. I didn't have any trouble sticking to 1 chapter a day. I kept hoping that things would improve with each subsequent chapter. Alas, it wasn't to be. 🗡

The ending was unsatisfactory. WHO WAS THE BAD GUY? I hate unanswered questions. 🗡

What started out as a cracking good read ended up being a bit of a turkey. 🗡

2.5 ⭐ rounded up to 3 ⭐.

Murder Under the Mistletoe is a nice little festive read with a murder thrown in, almost as an afterthought, in the penultimate chapter.

It's a very entertaining read, with some laugh out loud moments. This is a novella that won't be to everyones taste, as there is more emphasis on the festive fun than the murder, but sometimes even murder needs to take a backseat. 🗡🎄

Christmas....it's the most wonderful time of the year. A time of celebration, a time of wonder. A time of goodwill to all.

Goodwill is in short supply in Murder Under the Christmas Tree. 'Tis the season for taking....taking a life.

This anthology contains a good mix of stories; from the golden age by authors such as Dorothy L Sayers and Edmund Crisp, and more contemporary stories by authors such as Ian Rankin and Val Mcdermid.

Murder Under the Christmas Tree is a perfect Christmas cracker of a read. 🗡🎄

Horror collections aren't just for Halloween, and KJK Publishing have proved that point with this, The Horror Collection: White Edition.
The collection contains a mix of short stories and poems, all with a festive, supernatural theme. My personal favourites are:
The Advent of Father Hirst by Lex H Jones
Santa's Gift by Mark Allan Gunnells
Santa's Elite by Mark Cassell.
Don't know what to buy the bookworm in your life? The Horror Collection: White Edition would make a sp

Midwinter Murder is the perfect anthology of stories by Agatha Christie for the run up to the Winter Solstice. One can perfectly picture the characters as they sit around roaring fires, or sit down to demolish a Christmas feast.

All of Christie's beloved characters are here; Hercule Poirot and his sidekick Hastings, Tommy and Tuppence, Miss Marple, Mr. Sattertwaithe and the enigmatic Mr. Quin, and Parker Pine.

I was going to treat this as an advent calendar, reading one story a day, but I gave up on that idea after the first story because I enjoyed it so much.

All in all this is the perfect book for lovers of cosy mysteries and reading by the fireside.

Ghost Island, the fourth book in the Jessica Niemi series, sees Jessica have to take an enforced leave. To get away from it all and clear her head, she travels to a secluded island where she has booked a room in its guest house. It's not long before she finds herself caught up in a murder investigation.
Anyone who has read the first three books will know that this is a dark series, with hints of the supernatural. Ghost Island, thanks to its atmospheric setting, is an eerie read. Niemi's ongoing struggle with her mental health, and the losses she has endured, lend an air of sadness to the story, as does the the history of the island she is staying on.
A twisty plot, and a dual timeline make Ghost Island compulsive reading.