Alan Lea – Q&A

Alan Lea’s novel Hermetica was published by Detritus Books on 1 October 2021. Alan kindly answered a few of my questions. 1. Tell us a little about Hermetica. Hermetica starts off with Dase finding a piece of newspaper that shouldn’t be there. Dase is a passenger on a generation ship that’s going to take a…

Coffee and Crime Book Advent Calendar – Review

Advent calendars have come a long way from a pretty picture behind a door. There’s the chocolate ones, of course, and the pretty picture ones but now you can get anything from cheese to stationary, gin to beauty products (and some make your eyes sparkle just at the price!). What I really wanted was a…

Lauren Brown – Q&A

Lauren Brown’s book, Hands: An Anxious Mind Unpicked is published by Harper North on 20 January 2022. Lauren kindly answered a few of my questions. 1. Tell us a little about Hands: An Anxious Mind Unpicked. So my memoir hands started as an attempt to get to the bottom of my anxiety and the way…

High Pressure by Sam Blake – extract

Sam Blake’s novels include Little Bones, Remember My Name, The Dark Room and In Deep Water. Her latest novel, High Pressure, was published by Corvus on 22 September 2021. Today I have an extract to share. The bus lurched again and Brioni steadied herself, checking the time on her phone. Her shift started at two….

Lorraine Johnston – Q&A

Lorraine Johnston is the author of MacMoley Moves Home. Lorraine kindly answered a few of my questions. 1. Tell us a little about MacMoley Moves Home. MacMoley Moves Home is an earthy tale about a mole who has too much stuff. I think we can all relate to him. He interrupts other underground critters during…

Toppling the TBR Pile – Penguin Michael Joseph – January to June 2022

It’s getting to that time of year again. Publishers are starting to release their 2022 catalogues which means only one thing. Getting the metaphorical red pen out and circling everything you want like a child does with the Argos Catalogue. I’ve had a look at the bookish equivalents of the Christmas Radio Times to see…

Should I Tell You? by Jill Mansell – review

Published by Headline Publication date – 20 January 2022 Source – review copy Amber, Lachlan and Raffaele met as teenagers in the seaside home of kind-hearted foster parents. Arriving in glorious Cornwall was the best thing that ever happened to them – and now, as adults, their bond is stronger than ever. But Amber has…

Marguerite Poland – Q&A

A Sin of Omission by Marguerite Poland was published by Envelope Books on 18 November 2021. Marguerite kindly answered a few of my questions. 1. Tell us a little about A Sin of Omission. In the Eastern Cape of South Africa, Stephen (Malusi) Mzamane, a young African Anglican priest, must journey to his mother’s rural…

The Addiction Manifesto by J R Weaver – extract

The Addiction Manifesto by J R Weaver was published by Palmetto Publishing on 6 July 2021. Today I have a short extract to share with you. My story is filled with ugly memories of times when I tried to fight back but ended up in the same place. Addiction knows that all it had to…

Aline Templeton – Q&A

Aline Templeton’s books include Human Face, Carrion Comfort, Devil’s Garden and Cold in the Earth. Her latest novel, Old Sins, is published by Allison & Busby on 18 November. Aline kindly answered a few of my questions. 1. Tell us a little about Old Sins. In Old Sins, DCI Kelso Strang is taking his first…