And another one’s gone … What is happening to time at the moment. It’s flying by at a far greater pace than I am liking – either that or I am spending far too much of it asleep, which is a distinct possibility right now as I am shattered. Didn’t do a fat lot all week aside from get fed up with Amazon and their ‘technical problems’. Worked, did a grocery shop, met a friend for coffee and catch up. That’s about it really. Lucky for you I still have loads of holiday photos to share … (depending on your definition of lucky …). Today it we have made it to Tuesday and our impromptu visit by boat to Holy Island. Beautiful weather, lovely birds and a stop off in Bamburgh before returning home too. Bliss.
Views from around Seahouses and Holy Island including Lindisfarne Castle
Scenes from Holy Island and birds on the Farne Islands
Scenes from Bamburgh
Bookishly, I don’t even know what kind of week I’ve had. Good? Bad? Who knows. Loads of orders placed but that is because I have had to reorder the majority of my preorders as Amazon closed them due to non payment. I should hope not – some of them aren’t due out until next year! Fluffing useless fluffing fluffers, I will reorder everything again, but no sense in telling you about them here. I don’t think I bought any physical books, but did receive my preordered copy of Fearless by MW Craven from Books Cumbria. I can’t find any evidence of any other pictures on my phone and that’s usually a good indicator so guessing that was it? Yes … it’s been one of those weeks.
Fearless by MW Craven
Ignoring all the reorders, I did buy a couple of books – preordered (twice …) Nobody’s Hero, the next Ben Koenig thriller from MW Craven (01 June 2024). No cover for that but it’s sure to be good (inside and out). Bought a kindle copy of The Last Dance by Mark Billingham. I also bought Kindle copies of The Heights and The Trenches by Parker Bilal.
The Last Dance; The Heights; The Trenches
And that, I think, is it. Who knows anymore?
Books I have read
Making of a Murderer by Michael Wood
A MISSING TEENAGER
When Sharon Mackintosh allows her teenage daughter to pick up a friend late one evening, she doesn’t expect to find the police on her doorstep the next morning. The body of a young woman has been found in the boot of a car and the police think it’s her daughter.
AN ABANDONED CAR
DCI Matilda Darke and her team are called in to investigate the murder. The body has been left in such a peaceful way, she could almost be sleeping, except for the trauma to the back of her head.
A CRIME OF PASSION
With the body of one teenager in the morgue and a second missing, Matilda’s on borrowed time. But when new information comes to light about the identity of the missing teenager, her investigation takes a dark turn back to the past…
The Associate by Victoria Goldman (25 July)
THE BODY COUNT IS RISING … AND GETTING FAR TOO CLOSE
A missing architect. An interfaith charity project. Vandalism and online threats. Can racist slogans lead to kidnap – or even murder?
When an architect vanishes in East London, her concerned fiancé asks journalist Shanna Regan to find her. The missing woman has been leading an interfaith Jewish-Muslim charity project that’s become the target of malicious damage and racist threats.
After Shanna witnesses a teenage girl fall to her death, she’s convinced the architect’s disappearance is also linked to a local youth outreach project. And then another woman is reported missing.
Amid rising local tensions, danger appears to be lurking around every corner. Even the safest sanctuaries seem to be hiding the darkest secrets. As Shanna uncovers a tangled web of lies, she puts her own life on the line. Will she find the missing architect before it’s too late?
Someone Like Her by Awais Khan (17 August)
A young Pakistani woman is the victim of an unthinkable act of vengeance, when she defies tradition … facing seemingly insurmountable challenges and danger when she attempts to rebuild her life.
Multan, Pakistan. A conservative city where an unmarried woman over the age of twenty-five is considered a curse by her family.
Ayesha is twenty-seven. Independent and happily single, she has evaded an arranged marriage because of her family’s reduced circumstances. When she catches the eye of powerful, wealthy Raza, it seems like the answer to her parents’ prayers. But Ayesha is in love with someone else, and when she refuses to give up on him, Raza resorts to unthinkable revenge…
Ayesha travels to London to rebuild her life and there she meets Kamil, an emotionally damaged man who has demons of his own. They embark on a friendship that could mean salvation for both of them, but danger stalks Ayesha in London, too. With her life thrown into turmoil, she is forced to make a decision that could change her and everyone she loves forever.
Exquisitely written, populated by unforgettable characters and rich with poignant, powerful themes, Someone Like Her is a story of love and family, of corruption and calamity, of courage and hope … and one woman’s determination to thwart convention and find peace, at whatever cost…
Two full length books and a novella. It’s not getting much better is it? I did start another book but, being really tired after work, I just didn’t find the pace of it right for my state of mind so it is still mid read. Nothing wrong with the book, just not quite keeping me focused so that, and complete and utter lethargy, cost me some time. Busy enough week on the blog – recap below:
#Review – Children of the Mist – Douglas Skelton #Review – The Blood of Others – Graham Hurley #Review – No Ordinary Day – Matt Johnson #Review – Voices of the Dead – Ambrose Parry #Review – Zero Kill – MK Hill #Review – Fear the Silence – Robert Bryndza
Three blog tours this week, and a few regular reviews. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on One by Eve Smith on Wednesday, resharing the love for The Bleeding by Johana Gustawsson on Thursday and Mandie will be taking part in the Books On Tour event for The Girl’s Last Cry by Alison Belsham on Friday. Busy Busy.
One; The Bleeding; The Girl’s Last Cry
And that is me, done dusted and ready to face another week. Sort of. London bound again mid week for the launch of One and You Can’t See Me so looking forward to that. It’s only a flying visit but I am not at work so it is all good!
Have a lovely bookish week all.
Jen x
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