Dear friends. If you're looking for some holiday reading I've got you covered. There's a gentle and lyrical 5 star read about a shy boy who loses his only friend, a couple of excellent crime thrillers and an empathetic new read from Amanda Prowse.
Non-fiction features a delightful book about penguins, and some delicious recipes and facts about adding fibre to our diets.
All books were provided free as digital advance copies via NetGalley and the publishers, in return for an honest review, except those marked * which I bought myself.
BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Ballad of Ronan McCoy by Colin Morgan, 5 out of 5 stars
General Fiction, Literary Fiction
Quite simply, a remarkable book that breaks the heart.
In this tender, gentle story 16 year old Brendan and outgoing, popular Ronan are best friends, although they don't see each during school holidays. Brendan is quiet and occasionally has dark feelings. Ronan is able to bring back laughter. But then something happens which changes their lives.
It's ultimately uplifting but you'll need a hanky.
Fresh, powerful writing from Colin Morgan.
The Fallen Angel by Andy Maslen, 4 out of 5 stars
General Fiction, Mystery and Thrillers
This police procedural series gets better and better. This time DS Kat Ballantyne is dealing with a murder in a cathedral that appears to be the work of a religious fanatic. That's the belief of the Bishop and "The Undertaker", the police superintendent whose nickname refers to how many bodies of colleagues he has metaphorically buried.
The cathedral is gearing up for a big anniversary and the very pushy bishop, Elaine, wants Kat and her team off the site, even though the artist in residence has been brutally murdered.
Kat's family life and colleagues are always a key part of the story. She's joined by an intriguing new character, Dr Hannah "Wix" Fellowes, an outstanding addition as a forensic specialist who's neuro diverse.
Satisfying red herrings and gripping police interviews. Another winner from Andy Maslen, with a few loose ends that will be hopefully carried forward to the next instalment.
Family Friends by Chloë Ashby, 3.5 out of 5
General Fiction (Adult)
Languid and fizzing with tension, the story is focused on the annual holiday of two couples who have been sharing one of their family's homes in France for 20 years.
This year tensions are running high. The teenage daughter of Roland's first wife has joined the group; Roland, who hardly knows her, is grieving for his daughter's mother but feeling guilty about it. There's a potential financial scandal in the offing, and Will, husband of Maggie, has been keeping a big secret. He is also closer to Roland's wife Lydia than Maggie realises. Illicit romances flourish during the fortnight.
It was riveting in terms of observing marital relationships which seem fine on the surface but are innately dysfunctional.
I felt sorry for the children. The parents selfishly agonised over their woes and scarcely seemed to prioritise the kids' holiday. It was a little slow but I persevered to the end. There's a cliff hanger ending. If I was Maggie I would run for the hills, but I imagine she'd be up for couple counselling and a fresh start.
The Way Home by Amanda Prowse, 4 out of 5 stars
General Fiction (Adult) | Women's Fiction
A touching and uplifting novel about the importance of community and coming to terms with situations that have caused us sadness.
Lilly-Bob has lived in her flat, with a spectacular view of the Thames, all her life. She is upset when a developer starts pressuring her to read the letters she's ignored, telling her that her 1950s block is to be demolished.
She has reasons for not wanting to move. She has built a relationship with a a young woman and her little boy, and she is still trying to paint the perfect picture of her beloved river.
Lilly-Bob is 70 but doesn't want to appear old, and she doesn't. She is a vibrant and interesting woman with sadness in her past that occasionally overwhelms her.
Amanda Prowse writes with her usual emotional intelligence and perception to create a wonderful set of characters and a believable storyline. I wondered afterwards about all the parents (and step parents) who are shunned by their children over the years, purely because adults didn't explain things to them with the right context.
The High Island Lin Anderson (4.5 out of 5 stars)
Of course I was sold on this the moment I saw the word "Orkney".
A gripping crime thriller about a family at war amidst unexplained deaths and drug dealing on Orkney. The "high island" of the title is the Viking name for the second largest island in the archipelago, Hoy.
DI Erling Flett, who has returned to his homeland, has more to worry about than the complex web of the Mowat family. He's worried that his partner, professional diver Rory, will get fed up with him working all hours. He also discovers that his dependable and straight talking detective sergeant, Jo, has lied when she said she didn't know the colleague who's joined the team temporarily.
Flett seems a sober and cerebral character. He quite often refers to his team by their rank: it will take time before there's a lot of bonhomie. But he's a decent man who does the right thing.
The story stretches over several generations of Mowats, and news travels at lightning speed on Orkney where everyone seems to know each other.
It was an exciting and multi layered thriller. My first Lin Anderson. I can't wait to read her other "tartan noir" novels.
When You Looked Away by S.M. Govett, 3.5 out of 5 stars
General Fiction (Adult), Mystery/Thrillers
A workmanlike thriller which narrowly missed the mark in terms of being a gripping page turner. I wasn't very interested in Detective Inspector Stratton, who comes across as brittle and cold without the balance needed to make her relatable. I wanted to shake the mother whose child has disappeared. Her writing is important, but social services surely need to be involved if a mother neglects a child of this age for several hours, even if she does have a special gift. The reveal was very different, with its mystical hook. 3.5 stars.
The Depths by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, 4 out of 5 stars
General Fiction (Adult), Mystery/Thrillers
Bones are found in a municipal tip. Warring neighbours attract police attention. A woman is desperate to become a permanent cook on a fishing vessel, following in her late father's footsteps. A number of fascinating storylines come together to create a stellar thriller with outcomes that were impossible to predict. I am late to the Sigurdardottir party, but plan to make up for lost time!
Night and Silence by Aline Templeton, 4 out of 5 stars*
General Fiction, Mystery and Thrillers
Templeton creates an outstanding sense of doom and tension in an isolated Welsh community where police inspector's wife Tessa is being ostracised by the locals, and tormented by a local man. Her husband meanwhile is investigating the death of a nurse whose body was found surrounded by flowers. The ending chapters are a real tour de force as two storylines collide and it's a race against time to join the dots and rescue Tess.
NON-FICTION
Fibre Power: 60 recipes to supercharge your health, transform your energy, and feel amazing by Dr Emily Leeming, 4.5 out of 5 *
Non-Fiction, Nutrition
Fibre has come a long way since the days of "The F Plan Diet," which some of you might remember.
We were encouraged to add a revolting dry mixture of bran to our breakfasts (cereals like All Bran) and to get fibre from products like tinned pease pudding, dry bread and something called a Granny Anne biscuit.
Leeming explains how significant fibre has become in helping our gut biome to reach its best. Nowadays we don't aim to eat fibre on its own but as an accompaniment to our normal meals. Increasing the amount of fibre eaten has many benefits including improved energy, optimal digestion and better long-term health.
I love Leeming's common sense approach. She warns us against NOT trying to ingest too many fibre-heavy rich foods because it will upset our stomachs if we're not used to it. Fibre comes in many different forms, including seeds. There are some very delicious sounding recipes, none with frightening ingredients that we don't generally have.
The Penguin Book of Penguins: An Expert’s Guide to the World’s Most Beloved Bird by Peter Fretwell, Lisa Fretwell (5 out of 5) *
It had to be done: the Penguin book about penguins. Peter Fretwell, lead scientist at the British Antarctic Survey, writes factually and humorously about the different species of penguin, from Kings to Emperors and Gentoos to Macaroons. There are officially 18 species of penguin, but that in itself is fairly controversial to some experts.
Fretwell deftly mixes natural history and human history to explain both their enduring appeal and the many challenges they face.
Like me you probably assumed penguins are all black and white. Not so. The black and white serves as a form of camouflage when they are swimming, but they also have varying amounts of blue and some species have grey, yellow, orange and pink. Crested penguins have punk hairstyles of different colours, from the northern rockhopper, which has the longest crest, to the untidy eyebrows of the royal penguin, "which looks a little bit like a bad comb-over."
Another interesting fact is that all penguins seem to ingest stones, even the ones that don't make nests out of stones.
The book is full of charm and fascination, with delightful illustrations by Fretwell's artist and teacher wife Lisa.
I hope you enjoyed this month's selection. Are there any books you'd like to read? Do tell in the comments.
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