Bellman & Black - Diane Setterfield

It's been a long time coming, but certainly doesn't disappoint. Bellman & Black, Diane Setterfield's soon to be released second novel, has that same wonderful feel as the Thirteenth Tale; an atmosphere of unease, that all isn't quite as it seems; the apprehension that the story will suddenly tilt on its axis. 

We are introduced to Will at the age of ten, playing with his friends in the fields near their home, where a childish bet culminates in the unnecessary death of a rook. Will repents his action as soon as the stone has left his catapult and secretly hoped the rook would take flight before it was hit. His friends are stunned by his incredible skill, but he desperately regrets what he has done. It disturbs him to such an extent that he puts the event out of his mind and hopes to never think on it again.

He grows up to become a hard working, meticulous, liked and respected businessman which starts with the opportunity at his family's mill and leads to a very successful career.

But an encounter with a stranger - Mr Black - changes his direction in business. But who is he? Does he even exist? Has anyone else seen him? On what basis does their relationship rest? Is it a projection of himself - a figment of imagination perhaps, from a mind that has seemed so well balanced and logical? 

Set in the Victorian era with a dark, gothic feel embracing the attitudes towards death and the lengthy  mourning period that must ensue, the life and ambitions of William Bell are told.  The book is full of beautifully illustrative imagery that conjure up some startling and unsettling scenes making this a perfect Halloween read, for instance:

"At the graveside, fingers of lucid September sun pointed at the coffin and at the pit". 

The recurring theme of the rooks, their nature and mythology is a great device that keeps the tension building. The reader is introduced to a multitude of terms used to describe a group of rooks. After finishing this novel I'd be inclined to say that this group of rooks is a masterpiece of storytelling. 

It's out this October and is one of my favourite reads this year. 

Joyland – Stephen King

King is a superb storyteller and the first 75 pages hooked me in. The beach, the rides and fairground culture, the shies and the shooting range. He is great at setting the scene, directly addressing the reader and pulling you into his characters world. But it then fell quite flat and the high expectations I had initially built weren't fulfilled. The last 80 pages picked up a little as the story headed towards its conclusion but I felt very disappointed once I'd reached the end.

The front cover suggests a much more dramatic tale than actually unfolds. It is a mystery more than anything with a supernatural touch – only really just a touch – but definitely not what I would class as a horror. On re-reading the description on the back cover I would say the story of first love and growing up is probably a closer match to what this book is really about. And maybe that was my misinterpretation.  

I like to be frightened. I want to jump when I hear a sound outside of the little bubble I always inhabit when I open up a Stephen King novel. I want to be spooked and left questioning and doubting the actions or motives of the shifty, suspicious characters I always encounter in his stories. And none of that happened for me.

This felt like it might be better suited to a short story rather than a novel, although it only actually took a couple of days to read so no time lost!

I am ashamed to say I have never read The Shining, but am getting caught up in the hype for the sequel coming out very soon (Doctor Sleep) so might have to read that in the very near future so I am ready for his next release. 

The Poisoned Island – Lloyd Shepherd

Another superb tale of mystery, myth and crime unfolds in Shepherd's latest novel. Following on from the English Monster, which introduced us to the wonderful sleuthing duo of Harriott and Horton  and their quest to introduce detective work into the role of the police, we find them undertaking an equally tangled and seemingly inexplicable case. 

It involves a number of sailors meeting a grisly disturbing end following  a voyage of discovery to Otaheite (Tahiti today). The shipmates and their captain all have something to hide from their journey to collect exotic botanical examples to fill Kew Gardens. The story travels back and forth so that the present day case unfolds alongside the background context filling in the details behind the  characters, motives and actions.

Once again we have some true historical details which the story is framed around so you really get a feel for the period, along with the keen desire for knowledge that was prevalent during this time.

I think I enjoyed this one even more than The English Monster, which I would urge readers to go for first. Not simply because it's a great story (up for the HWA this year no less!) but also because I think Harriott and Horton's characters and relationship are worth following right from the beginning. They'll quickly become an endearing pair you'll look forward to following in this gripping series.

Kiss Me First – Lottie Moggach

How much can you infer from studying someone's email correspondence? From the varied ways they choose to greet and sign off their communication to others? Or the version of the persona they choose to present? How easy is it to assume that persona, creating the illusion that they still exist, when they may not? What bits matter? How meaningful are those 'in-jokes' and how important are they to people and their relationships?

Leila is of the strong opinion that people have the right to choose their own future and the time upon which they want to end their life. She sets out to help Tess fulfil her human right and achieve it in the most humane and sensitive way. She assumes Tess's identity whilst she disappears abroad to take her own life after telling friends and family she wants to get away from it all and start afresh. Then Leila takes over all correspondence online – emails, facebook etc until Tess is expected to gradually fade out of everyone's lives. She'll be forgotten and people will lose touch. Job done.

But Leila starts to enjoy living Tess's virtual life. And suddenly the line blurs between the real world and her online world. Their characters that started out at polar opposites begin to meld. The 'best' of Tess merges with the 'best' of Leila – in her eyes at least.

This is an incredibly relevant novel to the world today and our obsession with our online presence. It explores the personas that we create and how far from the truth they can be. It looks at the Facebook generation and our interpretation of 'friends' on this platform. It takes you through the fantasy and the repercussions that occur when that fantasy comes crashing into real life.

I think this book is going to be huge. I read it over the last bank holiday weekend and could not put it down. It's bizarre and somewhat fantastic, yet so real and enthralling you really do need to keep going to find out just where it will all end. It mingles the discomfort you might have felt watching the film 'Single White Female', with the page turning quality of the likes of 'Gone Girl' or 'Before I Go To Sleep' and stays with you long after you've  finished it. This will be a great one to discuss at Book Clubs. I can't wait till it's release so I can start discussing it with others!

The Devil's Ribbon - D.E. Meredith

We're back in 19th century London in all its festering beauty and intrigue.A cholera epidemic is keeping Hatton and Roumande busy at the morgue, whilst a tale of Irish unrest in the heart of the capital fed by a history of inequality and betrayal unfolds.This is turning into quite an addictive crime series and I can't wait for the next instalment. The characters are totally endearing and feel like old friends now. Their crusade to develop forensic examination techniques, to ensure that criminals are identified and punished for their crimes, becomes even more relevant now that that they have to work alongside the rather flamboyant  Inspector Grey - who doesn't always care for little details like evidence that might stand in the way of closing a case. Devoured (see my earlier review last year) was superb and this follow up does not disappoint. Let's hope there's lots more to come!

Autobiography of Us - Aria Beth Sloss

In the opening chapter Rebecca refers to her friendship with Alex as ‘braided’ which is a great description of how their lives remained forever intertwined since that unlikely childhood friendship began.
Their friendship is a complex entanglement of trust, admiration, love and betrayal which is a consuming mass of emotions that sits at the heart of their very existence. It’s as fragile as it is deep, as spiteful as it is loving.This book explores two girls aspirations to become the individuals they aspired to be, to achieve more than their parents were able and the struggle they experienced to think and behave in new ways that would transform their lives in this era. 
Set in the early 1960s onwards attitudes towards education, affluence, sex, sexuality and race are all explored through Rebecca’s eyes illustrating the impact these all have on a generation of young women trying to strike out on their own and achieve their own versions of success. In the background to Rebecca’s story the effect of the last financial crash, the Vietnam war and race relations all simmer.
At the heart of this debut novel Sloss captures the female struggle through the enduring friendship and the different paths Rebecca and Alex pursue. The story was so fresh and engaging it really kept me speculating where it would eventually lead and ultimately who Rebecca was really addressing in her narration. I really couldn’t put it down until I had finished it. Rebecca's voice felt so genuine and natural as if she were directly opening up to me to reveal her incredible story. 

The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes

How well do we really remember events from times gone by? An action, tone of voice or glance that we interpret and store away. Do we sometimes choose a more favourable version of a memory that shows us in a better light, allowing us to live with ourselves a little more comfortably?

Tony has gone through life seemingly with little impact on those around him. He’s coasted through an average unassuming life - work, retirement, marriage and a thoroughly amicable divorce. He presents to us his recollection of his youth; the clique he belonged to; the ex girlfriend he never really understood and the tragedy of his closest friend Adrian that punctuates the end of his student life. All these memories are revisited and reevaluated when he finds out he has been left Adrian's diary in a will.

Barnes takes us through a fascinating, thought provoking exploration of Tony’s past at a pace that keeps you trying to figure out what has really happened. When the conclusion unfolded it struck with such effect that it stayed with me long after I finished reading it. The first time I read it I wanted to start it over again as soon as I had got to the end. I wanted to go back and see what I had missed and re-read it with the knowledge of the ending in mind. It’s one to keep on the shelf and revisit.