The Dark Room by Sam Blake

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The Dark Room by Sam Blake

Two young Irishwomen who have built stellar careers abroad are the protagonists of this fast-moving thriller. An inventive plot links New York and London with Hare’s Landing, a charming hotel in a tranquil corner of West Cork. Caroline, a New York journalist, is there to lick her wounds after being wrongly accused of phone tapping. Rachel, who works in the film industry, has returned to Ireland from London, in pursuit of the truth about a middle-aged homeless man who has died in suspicious circumstances, shortly after being featured in a documentary.

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There's Only One Danny Garvey by David F. Ross

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There's Only One Danny Garvey by David F. Ross

Former teenage football prodigy Danny Garvey returns to Barshaw Bridge FC as manager, after an injury ends his playing career. In spite of unreliable players and rutted turf, to its dedicated supporters BBFC is a field of dreams, where the spirit of Roy of the Rovers, incarnate as local boy Billy Gilmour, may score a magical goal to save the day.

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Body Language by A.K. Turner

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Body Language by A.K. Turner

Respect the newly dead, and they will share their stories. That’s the philosophy of twenty-five year old Cassie Raven, whose secret super-power is ‘hearing’ messages from those who have recently passed away. Her job as a mortuary technician gives full rein to her natural affinity with death, which is also expressed through her fascination with dead animals and her enrolment in an online course in taxidermy. As the plot of Body Language unfolds, Cassie is revealed as an empathic listener, equally open to the living and to those transitioning to the next world.

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Kololo Hill by Neema Shah

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Kololo Hill by Neema Shah

In Kololo Hill, Neema Shah has brilliantly explored the concept of home, what we mean when we talk about it, and what it takes to start over again. Her enthralling debut novel is based on a historical event which, although it took place well within living memory and had deep significance for the UK at the time, seems to have been almost forgotten, except by those directly affected. The author’s empathic writing style, supported by personal experience and detailed research, will raise awareness of the emotional trauma and economic disaster endured by many.

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The Lockdown Diary of Tom Cooper - Review and Q&A

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The Lockdown Diary of Tom Cooper - Review and Q&A

For loveable loser Tom, Lockdown is like being in a situation comedy with no script, and his attempts to ad-lib his way through it are hilarious. Trapped in a torture chamber of home-schooling, overwhelmed by his girlfriend’s knack for home-made soft porn, he rants about, amongst other things, online quizzes, schools, exercise gurus, Zoom and, notably, senior citizens. Elderly relatives, his own or other people’s, can really wind Tom up. However, when his cage is not being rattled, he is philosophical. At one point, he reflects on the nature of parenthood down the generations. ‘No parents, no children – just caretakers for….love….’

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Music to Eat Cake By by Lev Parikian

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Music to Eat Cake By by Lev Parikian

Victoria sponge should be scoffed to the accompaniment of music by Gilbert and Sullivan. This is one of many imaginative and entertaining opinions Lev Parikian puts forward in his latest book. Before I learned that he’s an orchestral conductor and author, I used to follow, on Twitter, Lev’s live birdsong broadcasts, for which he’s widely known and admired. He appears to be the kind of person who’s always up for a challenge, whether it’s patrolling the hedgerows while hoping the local chaffinches are in good voice, or writing a set of essays on random topics.

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The Coral Bride by Roxeanne Bouchard

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The Coral Bride by Roxeanne Bouchard

Roxanne Bouchard writes like a poet who has known back-breaking manual labour. Reeling in lobster nets was how she researched her critically acclaimed first novel, We Were The Salt of the Sea, which is currently top of my to-be-read list. David Warriner’s superb translation enhances the lyrical language of The Coral Bride. Sentences like ‘The sea is a liar and all men are traitors!’ can make a susceptible reader’s heart beat faster.

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The Creak on the Stairs by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir

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The Creak on the Stairs by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir

Winner of the Blackbird Award for new Icelandic fiction, Aegisdottir’s multi-layered tale of small-town life, with its threatening undertones of abuse and murder, shows all the signs of being the first in an addictive series. Faced with what appears to be a random, motiveless act of violence, a young female detective feels compelled to seek justice for the victim.

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From the Type Face #3

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From the Type Face #3

I’ve been and gone and done it, all by myself! My debut novella, ‘Up the Community Centre Book One: The Thank You Sweets’ is live on Amazon.

How did I achieve this amazing feat, with my limited, and mostly self-taught, tech skills? I’d already begun my career when the internet was created, so I had to pick up knowledge about information technology in random chunks. As a result, I missed out on many basics. I like to describe my relationship with technology by comparing myself to a driver who hates turning right across traffic, and therefore plans routes where they only have to take left turns. I get there in the end, but often it’s a slow journey. My path to KDP was snail paced, but at last, I’ve arrived.

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This Green and Pleasant Land by Ayisha Malik

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This Green and Pleasant Land by Ayisha Malik

What I liked most about Malik’s entertaining third novel is the way she asks questions about significant issues, without demonising any of her engaging cast of characters. What is home? Does economic progress change who we are? When we speak or write about religion and culture, are we driven by underlying attitudes? How can we identify our unconscious biases?

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Longhand by Andy Hamilton

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Longhand by Andy Hamilton

Longhand is a hilarious venture into alternate mythology. To be its protagonist, Andy Hamilton has created Malcolm George Galbraith. Half a dozen pages into the book, I felt as if I’d known this large, clumsy Scotsman all my life, and in a way, I have. Malcolm’s explanation of why he writes in longhand is revealing. ‘I smashed up my laptop. I pounded it into wee tiny bits then threw the pieces into the river.’ Our hero has lived a long, tumultuous life, and his adventures are celebrated in popular culture, but when we encounter him, he is facing the loss of everything he holds dear.

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The Stray Cats of Homs by Eva Nour

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The Stray Cats of Homs by Eva Nour

Street cats, crying from hunger, instantly claim our attention, but to understand what a fellow human being has suffered, we have to walk a mile in their shoes. Before we can do this, we must get to know them. In the first few chapters of Nour’s bewitching book, we learn about Sami’s early life, when Syria was at peace: growing up in a close-knit family, keeping a pet turtle on the roof, winning calligraphy competitions, helping his mother feed stray cats, falling in love, setting up a small business. Then, a merciless civil war and enforced military service shattered his world.

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This Lovely City by Louise Hare

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This Lovely City by Louise Hare

From the very beginning of her engaging debut novel, Louise Hare shows the reader that the West Indian protagonist, jazz musician Laurie Matthews, is going to have a rough time, making a new life for himself in London. It’s 1950, London has begun the long process of recovering from the destruction wreaked by WW2, and times are hard. ‘Austerity they called it, as if giving it a name made it more acceptable to those struggling to make ends meet.’ Laurie and his compatriots have answered England’s call for help in rebuilding the economy.

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Note to Boy by Sue Clark

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Note to Boy by Sue Clark

In her beautifully written debut novel, Sue Clark tells a story that will make you laugh a lot and cry a little. She has created two convincing, realistic characters, each of whom is on the point of succumbing to an impossible situation. By introducing Eloise and Bradley, and making them bounce hilariously off each other, she not only saves them both, but also gives them hope for the future. I recommend Note to Boy to book clubs, not only because of its high entertainment value, but also because it bridges the generation gap and presents decades of social history, in a style as light and digestible as a macaroon; or, as Eloise would call it, a ‘Cameroon’.

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When's Daddy Coming Home by Peter Margetts with John Cookson

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When's Daddy Coming Home by Peter Margetts with John Cookson

‘When’s Daddy Coming Home’ is a heartbreaking real life story that demands to be told. Anyone who is thinking of starting a business, in a country where they do not understand the legal system, must read this book. Also, in our current situation of emerging from a pandemic, it is timely to remember the ripple effect of the international financial crisis of 2008. Margetts’ experiences are narrated in first person, expressing the genuine feelings and emotions of an ordinary parent in an unbearable situation. This is not an easy read, and some of the phrases he uses may offend.

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Blackwatertown by Paul Waters

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Blackwatertown by Paul Waters

If you like quirky crime novels, you’ll love Blackwatertown. I relished every page, because I was born in Northern Ireland, where my ancestors were farmers and police officers, and my grandfather marched with the Orange Order. Rural Ulster communities, like the 1950s townland sensitively described by Paul Waters, are part of my family history. When I read the account of Catholic Constable Macken’s enforced attendance at a social event in the Orange Hall, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I had many questions for Paul, and I’m delighted to present his thoughtful answers.

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From the Type Face #2

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From the Type Face #2

During my search for advice and ideas about self-publishing, I’ve interviewed two professional authors, Rose McClelland from Northern Ireland and Dave Sivers, whose books are set in Buckinghamshire’s Aylesbury Vale. At first sight, it appears that their novels have little in common, but they share a strong sense of place, and a sensitivity to issues of mental health. In ‘Under Your Skin’ Rose’s characters suffer psychological abuse, while Dave’s protagonist has trust issues. Both authors describe ordinary people struggling to maintain a sense of well-being under extreme stress.

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Murder on the Downs by Julie Wassmer

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Murder on the Downs by Julie Wassmer

‘A controversial new property development is planned in Whitstable, to the dismay of Whitstable residents who view it as a threat to local wildlife. A campaign is spearheaded by Martha Laker, a committed environmentalist and no stranger to controversy. The resulting tensions strain local restaurateur Pearl's close relationship with London-born police officer, DCI Mike McGuire. The protest goes ahead, and residents claim a moral victory. But the victory is short lived when Pearl discovers a dead body on the Downs.’

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