Forgetting things is all part of the process of getting older. That’s my excuse for forgetting ‘Dry January’ (again). Anyway, this time of year is cold and miserable enough without denying yourself the odd glass of wine. I’ve been thinking about age a lot, having just celebrated another trip around the sun. I’m told I’m …
I’m writing this while a spectacular sunset is trying to distract me. Then again, I’m easily distracted. Not sure what caused it last month, but I just noticed a draft of the November newsletter tapping its fingers on the desk and wondering when I would get around to sending it. Not to worry. To show …
My love affair with Leeds United began in the late 60s. I was the proud owner of a ‘Typhoo tea’ produced picture of Johnny Giles and a secondhand shirt with an owl badge. By 1970, nine-year-old me devoured every minute of the tv coverage of the cup final clashes with Chelsea. My first visit …
Review: And It Was Beautiful: Marcelo Bielsa And The Rebirth Of Leeds United by Phil Hay Read More »
At twenty, Peter is almost ready to leave the safety of his foster home. When his foster mother is terminally ill, Peter is determined to keep the family together. Together, they arrange for Peter to take over responsibility for Hayley (who is almost the same age) and 13-year-old Danny. Together, they move to an apartment, …
Review: Run Away Home: Tempered by Catherine Manett Read More »
The premise is simple — can you stop a murder after it’s already happened? Like many parents, Jen stays up late to await the safe return of her 18-year-old after a night out. She’s horrified to witness her son stab a total stranger on the street. With the boy detained by the police, Jen falls …
Review: Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister Read More »
I have never previously read any of Maggie O’Farrell’s books, but now I realise what I’ve been missing. When I was paying, the person taking my money said he could read her shopping list and be entertained. The enthusiasm was infectious. I loved this book. To say it is a book about grief risks …
I admit to being drawn to this book from the author’s Twitter bio. “If following sweary authors who talk about writing more than doing any actual writing is your thing, then saddle up.” I was glad I did. Although not a genre I often read, it rewarded me with a story with skilfully …
A young woman is the latest person to go missing from a hiking trail. Faith Black, an FBI agent, teams up with the local sheriff to search over eighty miles of dense forest. Will they find the woman? Will they survive the dangers ahead? Establishing new characters in a novella can be tricky, but …
Theo Harvey, a successful thriller writer, is dead. His widow approaches the biographer, Rona Parish, to write his life story. Armed with detailed diaries, Rona soon uncovers secrets. The first in a long-running series, so more to immerse yourself in if you like this. A well plotted and thoroughly entertaining cosy mystery. It even had …
5/5 This was my first exposure to SA Cosby. I needn’t have worried. This book delivers on many levels. Titus Crowne is a former FBI agent, now back home in rural Virginia. A black sheriff in a small town revolving around religion and racism. A town where everybody knows everybody’s business — or do …