2014 Books

2014 Books page will start to be populated very soon! 

Nearing the end of 'Charles Dickens – A Life' by Claire Tomalin, which is a fascinating read so I'll be writing about that shortly. Next book on the agenda will be 'The Wind Is Not A River' by Brian Payton after reading some fantastic reviews recently and picking up my signed copy from Goldsboro Books last week.

Looking forwards to reading new books due out this year from some of my favourite authors and excited to discover some new ones too!

Mr Brigg's Hat – Kate Colquhoun

Author Kate Colquhoun very kindly sent me a US paperback copy of her last book – Mr Brigg's Hat (or Murder in the First Class Carriage as it is known across the pond). It was an incredibly exciting read and one I can't stop recommending. 

The book tells the extraordinary tale of a crime, the pursuit of a suspect and the ensuing path through the justice system. 

The particularly violent crime takes place in a railway carriage (for the first time in this country) and it shakes the middle classes, who realise their vulnerability in travelling in this way. The trains may be fast and convenient, but there is no way of alerting the driver should they find themselves in difficulty. The carriages at this time were all separate so the only way in or out was through the doors on either side when they were unlocked during station stops. So when an empty blood-soaked carriage is discovered the puzzle begins. 

Whilst highlighting the changes that have taken effect since the crime took place, it also makes plain the things that really haven't changed – the fervour of the press, the public's appetite for details and the urgency for a perpetrator to be found. It also reveals the early changes in attitude that were starting to emerge regarding public hanging and capital punishment. 

I really don't want to give away the conclusion and spoil the journey that this book takes you on. The insights you get into Victorian society really are fascinating; attitudes to crime and punishment; the excitement of the press; our keen interest in murder and the great leaps in progress that took place during this period are enthralling. 

After reading books like this it always gets me thinking about how many more incredible stories are lurking in the archives of our history waiting for someone to unearth. Let's hope great writers like Kate keep digging for them.

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!