amothersmusings1's reviews
1939 reviews

I always enjoy historical fiction when it’s written well and has a premise that instantly catches your attention. Susan C Wilson’s “Clytemnestra’s Bind” is a superb example of how engaging a book can be, especially when an obvious amount of intense research has been carried out. Together with excellent writing skills and a passion for Ancient Greece, this book with its exploration into what makes us human and a woman’s impenetrable bond with her children, made for an incredible debut read.  This book is the first in the “House of Atreus” trilogy series and we hear Clytemnestra narrate her story from the beginning, with the brutal murder of her husband and baby son. I really liked her and my heart truly bled for the pain she suffered so many times. Strong, determined and a woman who deserves happiness, it was quite emotional to hear her most private thoughts and share the most indescribable moments a mother could endure. 

As with all Greek mythology, it can be barbaric, coarse and viciously cruel and this re-telling is no exception. Parts really did hurt, as the descriptive writing sadly left nothing to the imagination but hearing about Helen and Paris of Troy, Achilles and the likes, kept me enthralled and I cant wait for the second book to be published.

#ClytemnestrasBind - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Every now and again a book comes along that totally blows you away and ‘Between the Lies’ literally blew my emotional well being out of the park. Louise Tickle is a superb writer and has obviously used a huge amount of her own knowledge to create a realistic and compelling story. 

 

There are three threads to this intense novel. Cherry’s witness of her mother and brother’s murder when she was young. Her father, currently in prison charged with their deaths, has made contact with Cherry for the first time and as a journalist, Cherry becomes embroiled in reporting on a custody battle, that leads to a personal and perilous involvement. 

 

The author is highlighting domestic abuse, leading to family breakdown and the consequences of court hearings regarding child custody. In this particular story, you have no idea who is the reliable witness between the parents, Kathie is too emotionally involved and Ed is the breadwinner and quite dominant, who has professional integrity in his favour. With a judge that has a reputation for not being the best, we witness exceedingly acrimonious court scenes. A lot of the storyline could be triggers for some people, including self harm, domestic abuse and child death. 

 

I truly loved this book even given its emotional content, I was utterly gripped and learned just how realistic court cases like Kathy’s can spiral out of control, when emotions run high. 

 

“Between the Lies” by Louise Tickle comes highly recommended and for me a new author I have every intention of pursuing. 

 

#BetweenTheLies - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

 

 I really enjoyed “The Fatal Formula” by Malcolm Havard. Set in Manchester, this crime thriller is tense, gritty and very entertaining. I thought the storyline was an intriguing one and a definite dilemma for those involved. I was rooting for the good guys to expose the gangsters and with some comical scenes involving some of the ‘bad guys’ this lightened the dark ambience, with a ‘doctor’ that instilled fear right into the heart of me. 

 

“The Fatal Formula” is the second in the Aidan Hughes series and we now see Aidan return from hiding in Ireland after being accused of murder.  When his reporter friend Suzie’s close friend is poisoned in front of her, he agrees to help uncover why and this leads to an exciting cat and mouse chase. I haven’t read the previous book but everything that the reader needs to know, is recapped and therefore is easily read as a stand-alone.  

 

This is quite a tense read with a steady pace and has quite a few twists and turns. I liked Aidan, he’s a determined chap and once he gets the bit between his teeth, he has to carry through with his investigating at all costs. 

 

The resulting denouement was an interesting one and was a satisfying conclusion to a first rate thriller. I’d happily continue to read more by this author and if you like English crime thrillers set in the murky world of Manchester gangsters, then this book will certainly appeal. 

 

#TheFatalFormula -  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

 

“Gallows Drop” is the sixth book in Mari Hannah’s ‘DCI Kate Daniel’s’ series and yet again is another cracking crime thriller. Mari’s opening chapters always create a stir in adrenaline and this book was no exception. 

 

The author admits herself her characters have become her friends and her family and this is obvious from the passion she writes about them. As a regular reader of this series, I too feel like I know them personally and always look forward to seeing what case tests their detecting skills this time. 

 

I was particularly interested in the premise in this book, the ghoulish murder with a possible historical connection to the hanging gibbet in Northumberland, that does actually exist. 

 

This was a special book for me as we saw Kate open her heart a couple of times and seemed her most personal book to date. In one scene we see Kate in a heated argument with another DCI, nicknamed the ‘Angry Man’ who she has history with and I was cheering her on for her strength and resilience in the face of this man. In another we hear Kate reveal some innermost secrets and see a touching scene with her father. 

 

There’s a fantastic, tense chase scene in the denouement, when its impossible to stop reading and with a final sentence that really is jaw dropping, I cant wait to read the next book ‘Without A Trace’. Thank you Mari for another fabulous read! 

 

#GallowsDrop - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

I read this superb Gothic novella “The Haunting Scent of Poppies” in one sitting, it was easy to read, very addictive and does leave you pondering on the horrors of war and how awful the use of mustard gas must have been in the trenches.  

 

Charlie the main protagonist is a really greedy and selfish man that the reader is supposed to dislike and the consequences of theft and greed came across strongly in this story, using a haunted book to highlight these sins. 

 

I wasn’t just haunted by the scent of poppies but by the haunting scenes of war during the Great War. Truly upsetting and shows just how brave the soldiers were. Captured concisely and without preamble the scenes were realistic and saddening. 

 

It’s often known that short stories don’t always work due to needing to cover so much in such a short period but this really worked for me and packed a punch in its beautifully designed size.  

 

The author has a deep interest in history and archaeology which shows in abundance in all her novels. Combining her love of exploring the past with her fascination with supernatural tales makes her well placed to write this absorbing ghostly gothic tale and having read a few of Victoria Williamson’s short stories before, I will continue to follow this author and I am happy to recommend. 

 

#TheHauntingScentOfPoppies - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

 

“Jasper’s Brood” is not your typical crime thriller and gave me sinister chills from the very first page. The feeling of not knowing what was coming next was a constant reminder of dread and twisted anticipation and it was this, that kept me addicted to the book and unable to put it down. 

Told from the view point of ‘Jasper’ and written as a letter journal to one of his missing brood ‘Gulliver’, he recounts his time since his own parents were killed and he became an ‘apprentice’ himself to a hired hitman. Jasper knows no life other than the one he’s been forced to live and considering his murderous occupation, he really shows deep care and empathy for his brood of saved children. 

I liked that the author based the story in North East England and the particular nod to my local beach Seaburn, which he named Jasper’s cat. It’s always nice to know a story is set locally even though I’m not sure the thought of Jasper and his brood, possibly being round the corner to me, would have me sleeping well at night!

This book will appeal to many and is possibly aimed at the more discerning crime reader with a deep physiological interest. There are some quite graphic scenes and a couple that could be upsetting to some readers. The style of writing is unique and quite rare but still easy to read with addictive and concise chapters. 

Each character was well developed with a back history and completely different backgrounds and personalities, all playing their particular roles for Jasper perfectly. I was intrigued by Martha and I’m still not quite sure if I completely got a handle on her existence on a whole but she was an interesting person and confidante to Jasper. 

The popular and well respected author Luca Veste has created “The Black Spring Crime Series” and is proud to introduce the author JK Nottingham as a ‘new and unique voice to the amazing crime genre’. Congratulations Luca on a fabulous choice and to the author for a thoroughly absorbing read. 

I believe there’s enough scope following the ending for another book, which I’d definitely want to read if there was and I have no qualms in recommending this book if you enjoy twisted, dark and unusual crime/psychological thrillers. 

#JaspersBrood - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Killing for Keeps” is Book 5 in Mari Hannah’s #DCIKateDaniels series and sees the detective and her team solve two hideous and brutal killings that takes them from the streets of Newcastle to the sunny climes of Spain. The entire murder investigation team are horrified by what appears to be torture killings and they really do make you squirm reading the graphic details. Even though the victims are gangster related, Daniels will stop at nothing to find their killer. She cares deeply about all people, showing more compassion than most, whilst staying hard and unaffected on the outside - until this case comes along. 

 

However, her dedication and empathy comes at price. Under so much pressure to perform, she starts to feel like she can’t breathe.  Everyone in the office is relying on her to put the cases to bed but by needing to break down an impenetrable wall of hostile silence and with witnesses terrified to speak out in fear of retribution, she really does have her work cut out and struggles to keep within police rules. This is the first time we’ve seen Kate vulnerable and as a ‘real’ person other than a detective and it was totally understandable how the case got under her skin. 

 

I personally enjoyed this book better than the others in the series, though it’s getting harder to choose a favourite, much like picking a favourite child but because of the continued development and seeing a fragile side of Daniels that shows her emotions exposed, made me feel a real affinity with her that most readers will feel too. 

 

“Killing for Keeps” is yet again another fabulous addition to the DCI Kate Daniels series, which can easily be read as a standalone due to Mari Hannah’s clever back history inclusions and I will continue to recommend this author and her books for many more moons to come. 

 

#KillingForKeeps - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

 

I’ve been following Patricia Cornwall since the late 1990’s and I consider her to be up there with the best (eg. James Patterson, Karin Slaughter etc) and although I may not had read all twenty seven books in her ‘Scarpetta’ series, I have read a lot and probably own the rest. 

Everything this author writes about has been meticulously researched to within an inch of its life. The depth of writing with which everything is explained, is literally out of this world. Her own private visits to the likes of the US Secret Service, Interpol and even NASA and with interests ranging from post mortem to artificial intelligence, have given her the comprehension to mix this research with a bountiful imagination and a fabulous writing ability, to create stories that are too impressive for words.  Lucy’s state of the art helicopter - the ‘Doomsday Bird’, her computer lensed glasses, the REMOTE autopsy suite and many other James Bond-esque gadgets shows just how far technology/spyware can be developed. The Iron Man style exoskeleton (which the Russians are already establishing) brings nightmares into reality and really did cause me some anxiety, reading about just how ‘Predator’ like they can appear. 

I was most surprised by the main villain reveal in the story, which for obvious spoiler alerts I can’t discuss, but my word I was caught totally off guard. 

Kay Scarpetta is a superbly developed character with an endearing personality and a genuine sympathy for the victims. The banter between Kay and Marino, her chief investigator, is just brilliant to read and he himself is a loveable character with his Sasquatch obsession. 

Having recently attended a re-enactment of a realistic postmortem myself, I was able to relate to some of the procedures carried out and this made those scenes logical and more engaging for me. 

As a former chief medical examiner for Richmond, Virginia, the author is more than best placed to base her entertaining novels on accurate and realistic themes. For a twenty seventh book, that keeps going from strength to strength, it goes without saying that this series is hugely popular and I hope has still many more instalments to come!

#UnnaturalDeath - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Murder Mile” is the fourth in Lynda La Plante’s ‘Jane Tennison’ series, as we continue to see her in the early stages of her career before the popular ‘Prime Suspect’ series of late. 

Set in London 1979 during the ‘winter of discontent’, which I myself remember well, sets the scene for a city littered with uncollected refuse waste and as a consequence, an increase in rat population. Jane has now been promoted to Detective Sergeant and not before time but she’s still fighting male chauvinism within the police force, although as her career has progressed, she is being more respected among those she directly works with. 

Being grittier, darker and more graphic, the murders were right up my street and I was very invested in the storyline and to how Jane and her colleagues were to apprehend the culprit. Progressing nicely as a DS, Jane continues to use her intuition and gut feelings, often getting her into official trouble but she has a dogged determination and will stop at nothing to bring justice for the victims. 

Lynda’s books just go from strength to strength, if that’s even possible. “Murder Mile” is my favourite in the series so far, although I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all the books, they are ridiculously addictive and written in such a way you can’t help but endear to the characters instantly. If you’re a regular Tennison fan you’re gonna love this book and if you’re not, what are you waiting for? Get started! You won’t be disappointed.  

#MurderMile - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beautifully written, perfectly narrated and tremendously executed, “Blood Among the Threads” was a first class read for me. Written by David Ebsworth, this book was intricately researched and then conveyed into an entertaining read that historical fiction readers will also adore. 

Based on a real life character Alfred Neobard Palmer, who was an analytical chemist and local historian, we see him take on the position of museum curator, much to the chagrin of his beloved sweetheart. Palmer is so intrigued by the death of the previous occupier of the position - who died of a suspiciously sounding snake bite - he becomes embroiled in a situation he would have done best to stay out of. When it is brought to his attention that a ‘coverlet’ might be to blame with its biblical and bewitching depictions, he starts to suspect something is definitely amiss. When his girlfriend Ettie joins him in Wrexham, they end up in a perilous situation and it is then that the story becomes even more tense and intriguing. There’s some fabulous characters that the author has created in the story, with some superb back stories that I found quite interesting. 

The amount of research this book must have had is considerable and the author should be commended on this. The Wrexham quilt (which is the basis for the books premise, the workhouses, the boats/steamers and their builds and mechanical operations, the history and landscape of Wrexham, the politics and monarchy of the era, even the fashions are all meticulously written and accurately portrayed. 

By the authors own admission the Exhibition and the 1876 National Eisteddfod (festival) are the authors own small tribute to these events, as well as to Palmer himself, by writing this fabulous story. Certainly a job well done and together with a beautifully designed book cover, “Blood Among the Threads” is a brilliant book I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.