Beadyjans bookshelf

The Greatcoat by Helen Dunmore

2012-02-24T11:08:00.003-08:00

The Greatcoat by Helen Dunmore

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Set in the 1950s in the years following the end of WW2 this novella is a poignant ghost story.

Newlyweds Isabel and her husband Philip a gp move into their first home together a rather grim little flat with an unfriendly landlady and Isabel struggles to adapt to married life, finding the constraints of the small apartment don't permit her to become the housewife she dreamt about, and her husbands long hours constantly on call out leave her felling isolated and unfulfilled.

Searching through the cupboards for extra blankets to dispel the shivers and chills she feels in bed she finds instead an ex-forces greatcoat, which she finds herself unable to resist cuddling into and nestling beneath in bed despite the strange and vivid dreams which follow.

Her waking hours seem to take on a dreamlike quality and she is startled yet unsurprised when a tap on her window late at nights reveals a young pilot calling her name. His she discovers is Alec and she is drawn to him, in ways she has been unable to bond with her new husband.

But all is not as it seems and her life begins to take on an increasingly surreal quality as past blends with present.

I've only read 2 books by Helen Dunmore before and wasn't impressed with either - as they had an unrelentingly bleak and grim quality to them. This short book has a similar bleakness yet that seems to enhance the ghostly nature of the story, I found it profoundly moving and sad and kept reading it late last night to find out what happened. It left me with a lump in my throat and tears on my pillow.

Not a terrifying horror ghost story but a compellingly eerie tale of loss and betrayal and a desire for redemption which transcends time.

I also feel there is something deliciously concise about a novella that keeps superfluous descriptions at bay and ensures the stark prose keeps to the point and every sentence counts.

The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb a novel by Melanie Benjamin

2012-02-22T00:35:00.000-08:00

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A big book about a small lady. A novel based loosely on facts this is the life story of a tiny woman - Lavinia Warren Bump or Vinnie, just 28" high and perfectly proportioned born to poor farmers in pre civil war America who decides early on in life not to let her lack of height define her but to use it to give her an exciting life which helps her escape the constraints of small town life, see the world and meet many people, although finding true love remains very elusive.

She succeeds by becoming a famous celebrity, marries another famous small person General Tom Thumb and travels the world. She is a feisty believeable character and the author has done well in both imagining the problems faced by adults of such small size, has researched the history of the era immaculately, especially entertainment and celebrity in the mid 1800s. There is a little bit of repetitiveness in parts and I think the book may have benefited from being about 30 pages shorter and thus a little tighter but all in all was a very engaging read.

Tinged with some real sadness I liked Vinnie and loved her courage and her story, even though most of it is imagined as so little was documented about her unusual life. I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoyed The Girls and who likes reading about the history of entertainment in USA.

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The sisters brothers - Patrick De Witt

2012-02-16T11:17:00.000-08:00

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I must admit a little disappointment that I only feel able to give this book 3 out of 5 - that doesn't mean I hated it - of course not, I liked it, it was an entertaining read, quite a page turner and undoubtedly well written - but it just didn't grab me quite the way I hoped it would.

The Sisters brothers is as far from my usual genre as a book can possibly be but having read rave reviews from several friends whose opinions I value and hearing the presenters on the channel4 TVbookclub waxing lyrical about it I felt intrigued enough to borrow a copy and see if it was as good as the hype. Sadly it wasn't.

The first 100 pages or so had me gripped - the two main characters brothers who work as hired assassins in a Western goldrush setting. The main narrator is the slightly less cruel and vicious Eli and it was with him that I had a bit of a problem - so many readers have praised him and said they adored his character and I just found him annoying, rather boorish and slightly pathetic.

After the great beginning the scenes become more disjointed and the story ceases to flow as well as it does at the start. There are several scenes I just couldn't work out why they were there and what the relevance was - the rather surreal little girl who enjoys administering poison for instance.

The dialogue is good but not oustanding, there are some blackly humorous parts and the storyline is interesting but not amazing.

An OK read that failed to blow me away.

2012-02-09T07:40:00.000-08:00

White lies - Jeremy Bates

2012-02-09T01:09:00.000-08:00

White Lies by Jeremy Bates

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A real page turner - one of those fast paced thrillers where you keep thinking "Nooo don't DO that" as the main character makes yet another bad decision you just know is going to impact by making things get worse - and worse.

I chose this from the books available to review at Netgalley and yet again was really pleased with my choice. I read this in just 2 days which is pretty good going for me - it doesn't mean it was a light, inconsequential read - just that I felt the need to keep reading ... just a few more pages .... and ended up reading into the early hours.

OK so about the storyline. It begins with our heroine Katrina driving to a rural village in America to begin a new post as English teacher at the local school. She's ready to begin a new life as she is finally picking up the pieces after a tragedy left her reeling. Her renewed confidence leads her to feel generous enough to stop for a young guy stranded at the rainy roadside but soon begins to regret her decision when she questions his sobriety and his motives. Panicked and keen to get him out of the car she lies about where shes headed for and breathes a sigh of relief as she manages to get him out of her car.

Her horror when she arrives at her new job to find the same guy is one of her new colleagues now bearing a grudge against her and to cover up her little white lie, she tells another and then it becomes almost too difficult to tell the truth and silly white lies become falsehoods that haunt her every move.

Meanwhile she meets another man to whom her reaction and instincts are completely different - she is bowled over by the enigmatic and charismatic Jack and responds to him by falling for him - big time!

But events are beginning to spiral out of control, like ripples in a lake her white lie leads her to become involved in covering up a brutal murder, no longer sure who to trust she must reply on her instincts - instincts we are beginning to realise are no more reliable than her ability to tell the truth.

A cracking good suspense novel, easy and undemanding but a jolly exciting read, to curl up on a cold winters day in front of the fire with.

A lady cyclist's guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson

2012-02-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar: A Novel by Suzanne Joinson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book courtesy of the kind folk at Netgalley and found it an enjoyable read.

Its a dual timeline story which is one of my favourite genres and it manages to be a little different to most the story is told from the perspective of two women seemingly unlinked.

In modern day London Frieda a young career woman whose work has taken her abroad to some unusual places struggling to maintain her relationship with her inconsiderate married lover. Her very unconventional upbringing has left her without strong family ties and a Yemeni refugee she discovers sleeping outside her apartment becomes an unlikely friend who helps her when she makes an unexpected inheritance with some unusual heirlooms.

Meanwhile we are transported back to the 1920s where we travel to Kashgar a remote province of China where 3 young women go under the guise of becoming missionaries. However all is not as straightforward as it seems. Eva the eponymous narrator of this part of the story is more interested in escaping her mundane life in England and seeking adventure, travelling and exploring on her beloved bicycle which she takes with her across continents and her journal becomes a book she longs to have published. Her sister Lizzie has been heavily influenced by her missionary friend Millicent who's zeal seems somewhat misplaced and Eva wonders about her possible ulterior motives.

At the beginning of the book we are witness to a dreadful event - the 3 English women come across a native Chinese girl about to give birth and their desire to help just makes matters worse and leaves them in deep trouble, mistrusted by the locals and with a new born child to care for.

There are a lot of seemingly irrelevancies yet most become apparent by the end and the storyline is pretty complex - loads going on and you'll not be bored. Both the contemporary timeline and the historical narratives are richly detailed and quirky.

In some ways it reminded me of
The Sandalwood Tree and if you enjoyed it I think you'll like this one too. An accomplished and fascinating novel for lovers of dual time fiction and historical fiction.

win books

2012-01-28T07:07:00.000-08:00

A great prize of 3 books on my friend Treez's blog and they're signed by the author

The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran

2012-01-28T06:09:00.000-08:00

The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a thoroughly engrossing read this novel based on a factual event is.

I love a book where the characters feel so real to me that I "miss" them when I've finished reading, which is exactly how I felt when I put this book down yesterday.

When 19th century couple Margaret and Henry Oades set sail for New Zealand so he can take up his promoted position in accountancy even setting foot on board the ship seems like a huge adventure.

Adapting to life overseas isn't always easy but the resilient wife and mother Margaret makes the best of things, encouraging her loving husband and devoted father of their children Henry, to settle in a rural spot where the isolation is relived somewhat as Margaret makes friends with a neighbouring wife.

Whilst the women are enjoying a visit with each other the unthinkable happens and the women and children are targetted by a Maori tribe, their home torched and Margaret and her family taken hostage.

Now, like many others this is the point I'd have loved to have read a lot more detail, but to the authors credit the story continues to flow beautifully as we follow Henrys dreadful discovery of a womans charred remains, amidst his destroyed home. Children missing and wife presumed dead we suffer with him as he fights to keep his sanity.

As time passes the opportunity to leave New Zealand arises and Henry sets off for America, a broken man, ending up running a sheep farm. Gradually his life begins to take shape and he marries a young widow with child who can't replace his lost wife and family but begin to fill the gaping hole left by them.

When Margaret and children, having eventually escaped from their captors, finally track down their long lost husband and father, the loving reunion of which she has dreamt for so long in captivity is not to be and the actions and reactions of all concerned when Margaret comes face to face with Henry ... and his new wife are surprising, poignant and not without some blackly humorous moments.

The author has created believable characters and set them in an almost beyond belief scenario. Although I warmed most towards Margaret all 3 main protagonists are likeable and cope well with their enforced situation and the resulting ostracism and scorn, with which their attempts to deal equably with a tense and difficult situtation create.

Thought provoking, unusual and imaginative - a delightful debut from a very promising new author.

A Place of secrets - Rachel Hore

2012-01-21T09:42:00.000-08:00

A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think there are a lot of great ideas in this story and I like the idea of several timelines running alongside each other. Rather than a dual time romance it is more a quad time romance.

The women involved include Jude, a modern career woman working for an art auctioneers, her sister Claire, single Mum of 9 year old Summer, then there's their Mother and their Grandmother then the story of Esther Whickham an 18th century orphan adopted by an astrologer which comes to light when her journals turn up, several gypsy woman are also involved in the story at various points in the past yet its pretty easy to follow. All their pasts entwine and get tangled up around Starbrough Hall in Norfolk and a series of dreams, past events, diaries and heirlooms have you wondering just how many more twists and turns can possibly be fitted in to one story. There is romance of course with the dark and hunky (yet kind to animals) hero Euan.

However there are almost too many coincidences which stretch my tolerance for writers license a teensy bit too far it was only the authors consummate skill as a writer which saved it.
Well written characters tons of secrets and twists and lots of nice information about star gazing combine to make this a "curl up on the sofa with a bag of Maltesers", enjoyable romantic read.

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Into the darkest corner - by Elizabeth Haynes

2012-01-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Having been recommended this book by a number of friends I wondered whether it would live up to the praise which had been lavished on it ...

It didn't disappoint!

As a debut novel it is very accomplished with a confident writing style and a storyline that grabs your attention and immerses you in the horribly chilling events which unfold within the pages.

A stylish and contemporary story it introduces us to Catherine, a young woman who in 2003 lives the single life to the full, with a busy career and a liking for booze, nightclubs fun and sex she burns the candle at both ends and parties hard. Long term relationships are something for the distant future until she meets the handsome and enigmatic Lee and finds herself falling for him hard.

Surprisingly we meet her again just 4 short years later and find she is a very changed woman, nervous, reclusive and with OCD its hard to reconcile the lively young part animal with the person who checks the front door repeatedly for hours on end, on arriving home then checks the windows just as thoroughly.

What happened to her? We are about to find out. The tension builds relentlessly and insidiously until you want to scream - NOOO don't!

If you enjoyed Before I Go to Sleep or Still Missing you'll love this one. Read it and shudder.

Scapegallows by Carol Birch

2012-01-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

Scapegallows by Carol Birch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this fact based fictional account of the life of a woman called Margaret Catchpole who works as a maid and has a boyfriend who is a smuggler, events conspire to eventually get her transported to Australia after narrowly escaping being hanged for her foolhardiness rather than criminality. She's quite a feckless heroine and quite a flawed character with a temper and poor decision making skills but this makes her all the more real.

The book begins in Australia where she has obviously been living for some time and the main story is her reminiscences of her youth back in England and how she came to fall off the straight and narrow to be transported.

Although I'd have greatly liked to have read much more about how she settled once in Australia rather than the sketchy account of that yet an in depth background, I found it very readable and enjoyable and it reminded me somewhat of Slammerkin and Remember Me and having recently read Jamrach's Menagerie: A Novel I think this would appeal to anyone who enjoyed any of these novels.

Before I go to sleep SJ Watson

2011-11-28T05:53:00.000-08:00

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Christine wakes up in a strange bed next to a man she can't remember seeing before, as she's only a young woman she thinks she must have had a skinful and ended up so drunk she's ended up in bed with a stranger and is having a blackout. Until she gets up, makes her way to the bathroom and sees a middle aged woman in the mirror instead of the 20 something face she is expecting ...

Welcome to the twilight world of amnesiac Christine to whom every day, waking up brings shocks and confusion. Almost 20 years of her life have been wiped from her memory following a traumatic event she can't even recall - and to make things worse, she's unable to retain any new memories, as what happens to her every new day is completely blotted out as soon as she goes to sleep and on awakening the mystery and puzzlement begin all over again.

This was a very unique and gripping thriller, the author has put a lot of thought into it and managed to keep introducing twists and raising unexpected gasps from me.

I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys psychological chillers that keep you guessing.

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Black Swan rising - Lee Carroll

2011-10-05T00:47:00.000-07:00

Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the Transworld book club reading challenge 2011.

I picked this title even though its not normally a genre I'd choose, as I thought it would be more of a challenge than reading 4 books I'd have chosen anyway. Hmm maybe that was a big mistake.

I guess this is what you'd call "urban fantasy" Its about a young woman who lives in New York, designs and makes jewellery for a living (I thought that might give me some common ground as I make jewellery) Her mother died when she was young and her elderly father has got them into debt with some unwise art dealing. She comes across a strange shop where the owner knows of her work and asks her to help open a jewellery box which has been sealed shut.

She later returns home to discover her father has been shot during a robbery. Then weird things begin to happen beginning with her being attacked by a Manticore and rescued by a vampire ....

It goes rapidly downhill from here stretching even my vivid imagination way too far. I found the characters 2 dimensional the dialogue wooden, the coincidences beyond belief and the supernatural element - just plain bonkers as though the authors sole intent was to cram as many mythical creatures in together without any real thought for a credible storyline.

I'm not anti fairy tales - Stardust was one of my favourite reads of all time and young adult fantasy is great when its well done, The Hunger Games and Lirael are amazing books which I adored.

But I'm afraid I fail to see any merit in this turgid, banal story with a heroine who made me want to slap her.

Sorry Transworld that I can't put a more positive spin on this book as I loved the first 2 I read for this challenge, I'm sure there are hundreds of urban fantasy fans who will relish this, its just a challenge too far for me though.

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The Hangman in the mirror by Kate Cayley

2011-10-02T07:54:00.001-07:00

The Hangman in the Mirror by Kate Cayley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this book courtesy of Netgalley. I found it an enjoyable and fast paced read, nice and atmospheric and all the more enjoyable for being based on true facts. However it has some flaws too.

It would probably appeal to young adult readers as our heroine is feisty 15 year old Francoise, who lives in poverty in the mid 18th century in Montreal where French settlers struggle to make an honest living.

Francoise in the only surviving child of feckless parents, her ex-soldier father with a love for gambling (but little talent for winning) and her slatternly laundress mother with a fondness for a drop too much alcohol.

The young woman is keen to better herself but unprepared by her parents sees little opportunity to make something of herself, until tragedy strikes and leaves her orphaned and penniless. Deciding to use her wits and her love of words and stories to escape drudgery she manages to become a ladies maid but things still don't go smoothly and she ends up in a worse pickle than she starts in.

This is a nicely written tale but my main gripe is that the main description given by the publishers virtually tell the whole story, as does the title, the part where she has to try and marry the hangman is practically at the end of the book and knowing about it in advance kind of spoilt the story for me. It left little to discover and no mystery. I would have preferred to have been given less information beforehand.

It is extremely predictable too and the only thing which is built up as a kind of mystery is the identity of the would be hangman which is so obvious its almost laughable.

Nevertheless its a nice enough read and pretty well written, reminiscent of books by Mary Hooper, Melanie Gifford and perhaps Libba Bray.

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Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch

2011-09-20T08:33:00.001-07:00

Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Jaffy's adventures. At the beginning of this book I felt it was possibly going to be more of a young adult novel but as it progresses it most definitely isn't. I was a tad disappointed that the story doesn't concentrate more on the animals than it does and was hoping for a water for elephants Water for Elephants kind of feel but was very wrong.

Its a very atmospheric historical story about a young lad living in poverty in the London slums of the mid 19th century who comes across a tiger escaped from a local menagerie, which leads to his gaining employment with the animal keepre and meeting a whole new set of friends which set his life on a different course.

Together with his best friend Tim he sets off to sea on a whaling ship with hopes of capturing a fabled dragon creature from a south sea island. The main essence of the story centres around events at sea and the affect it has on his life. Gory and gritty many shocks are contained in this part, yet what could be a boring tale is kept vibrant and exciting by the superb writing and I was captivated from start to finish.

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Teacher, teacher by Jack Sheffield

2011-09-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

Teacher, Teacher! by Jack Sheffield

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the Transworld book group reading challenge 2011. Whildt the first 2 books I read for this challenge justified a full 5 stars and I completely loved them this one failed to impress quite as much and didn't entertain or amuse me as much as I'd anticipated.

It's the memoirs of a newly appointed head teacher in the 1970s in rural North Yorkshire, a place not far from where I hail and with which I am familiar and set in an era which I recall well.

Written in similar vein to the books by James Herriot with nuances of the vicar of Dibley. It's really just a series of short stories strung together and I was quite disappointed in the way he concentrates on the parents and staff more than the pupils and found he seems quite condescending to the locals, tarring them all with a country yokel brush. I didn't really warm to him and even found it pretty annoying the way he'd be telling a story and suddenly mention what was playing on the radio or news so as to give a sense of the period which seemed very contrived.

The writing didn't flow very well and I won't be reading any more by this author, however there are a few redeeming moments which had me smiling.

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The Secrets Between us - Louise Douglas

2011-09-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

The Secrets Between Us by Louise Douglas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was overjoyed to receive this book to review as part of the Transworld book group reading challenge, as I loved the authors previous book The Love of My Life

This one didn't disappoint even though its quite different to the other one by her I've read, although both are undeniably romantic "The secrets between us" is more of a psychological thriller with a little shiver of spookiness.

Sarah heads off to Sicily to lick her wounds after her partners infidelity brings a long term relationship to a bitter end whilst she is still grieving over the death of her baby through a painful stillbirth.

Recent events having left her vulnerable and uncertain about her future, it seems like a dream come true to be almost swept off her feet by debonair Alexander and his adorable little boy Jamie. They seem to be in a similar situation, Alex's wife Genevieve having recently left them and in the balmy Sicilian sun it doesn't seem unreasonable to Sarah to be asked to move in with hunky Alex, albeit as his housekeeper.

Friends and family think she's crazy to accept and soon Sarah begins to wonder whether they might be right, things in the rambling old house in a rural village are far from what this city girl is used to and not quite as she hoped. There is an air of brooding menace which languidly taunts the reader and makes this a real page turner.

Sensationally well written although it seems to proceed at a gentle pace, each twist and turn are unexpected and the menace builds to a great ending.

Louise Douglas is definitely a name to watch out for and I think would be enjoyed by lovers of authors such as Diane Chamberlain and Rosamund Lupton

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Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton

2011-08-24T00:21:00.000-07:00

Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The author took a big risk with the concept of this book - a novel narrated by the spirit of a woman in a coma, whose astral body wanders at will around the hospital in which she lies accompanied by the spirit if her daughter with whom she can converse. I had a few niggling doubts right at the start as to whether it would work - however it did and in style, the authors skilled accomplished writing saw to that.

Grace is Mum to teenage Jenny and 8 year old Addie. At the beginning of the book Grace and Jenny both lie in deep unconsciousness in hospital following a harrowing experience in a fire at the school Addie attends, where 16 year old Jenny is a trainee teaching assistant.

When Grace becomes aware that she is experiencing an out of body experience in the hospital, she starts to examine events surrounding the fire which has left her in a coma and Jenny badly injured and soon comes to the conclusion that it was arson. Who started it? This is the question Grace is desperate to find the answer to for whoever started this terrible fire may also have wanted Jenny dead.

We are introduced to some very real characters and as Grace follows investigations, coming to her own conclusions and speaking throughout, unheard to her husband we are taken on a real switchback ride, until we no longer know who can be trusted and suspect the likely and far less likely culprits in turn.

I found the story a touch confusing especially when Grace keeps addressing her thoughts to her husband and I had to suspend disbelief in the slightly supernatural element, the whys and wherefores of which are glossed over and you just have to accept that its the way things happen in this book. However the unputdownableness of this page turner and its many red herrings which are gradually revealed like layers of an onion being peeled make it a hugely enjoyable and worthwhile read.

Its a hugely emotional novel, focussing strongly on the depth of love surviving beyond consciousness and I can guarantee if you don't shed a tear by the end you have a heart of stone.

I'd highly recommend it to anyone who liked books like The Lovely Bones

and Her Fearful Symmetryand of course Rosamund Luptons previous, debut novel the excellent Sister.

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The Sandalwood tree - Elle Newmark

2011-08-15T00:53:00.001-07:00

The Sandalwood Tree: A Novel by Elle Newmark

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm reviewing this book as part of the Transworld reading challenge 2011.

I'm so glad I signed up for this reading group challenge as this is a book I might have missed otherwise and what a shame that would have been. I often shy away from historical fiction set in India as its not a period I'm familiar with or particularly drawn to, however this book is so well written and accesible it feeds you a little of the history and feel of India in two periods in the past, the mid 1900s and the mid 1800s.

Beginning in 1947 when British colonization is coming to a tense end and the days of the Raj are crumbling, the story is narrated by Evie who is travelling hopefully from America to India with her husband Martin and their small boy Billy. Whilst she settles into their new home and tries to adapt to a new way of life, resisting becoming an Ex-pat Memsahib, Martin becomes increasing more remote as he becomes absorbed in his research work into Indian politics. Recently returned from active service in WW2 he seems changed and troubled but will not share his concerns with Evie.

In their rented bungalow in the foothills of the Himalayas Evie discovers some letters from almost a century earlier and becomes immersed in her own research, trying to find out what happened to the unconventional characters mentioned in the letters.

All around her whirls the vibrant life of colonial India at a time of huge unrest and the descriptions are detailed and tangible, her marriage is unfurling and she struggles to find a niche in society for herself whilst loving the beauty of India and being terrified by its poverty and troubles. The book is compelling, informative, interesting and a joy to read.

It is made event more poignant by the discovery that the talented writer of this book, Elle Newmark passed away recently and this delightful book is both her swansong and tribute to a personal family member.

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Transworld Book group reading challenge

2011-08-08T11:01:00.000-07:00

The other day a forum friend on Read it swap it told me about the Transworld reading group book challenge.

It's the chance for book reviewers and bloggers to receive their choice of 4 lovely new titles, in exchnage for reviewing them and displaying the Transworld logo. It sounds great fun and I received my first book today - the Sandalwood tree by Elle Newman. Watch this space for my forthcoming review as soon as I've read it and if you'd like to take part too you can read more about it by clicking on the logo.

Last letter from your lover

2011-08-08T06:54:00.000-07:00

Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another cracking read courtesy of the kind folk at Netgalley.

Possibly my ebook is a slightly different version than that I've seen reviewed on Goodreads as other readers mention it beginning with the modern day story of Ellie, whereas my copy began in the 1960s with Jennifer coming round in hospital and suffering memory loss. I didn't meet Ellie until I'd read a good two thirds of the book.

Nevertheless this was a poignant and compelling love story mainly set as mentioned in the early 1960s when the main heroine Jennifer is recovering from a perturbing car crash which has left her with amnesia. Returning from hospital to her marital home complete with rather cold husband and thrown into a bewildering social whirl with a group of friends she can't recall. Discovering a series of letters addressed to her helps her begin to remember events before the accident and the mystery whilst unravelling, deepens, creating more puzzles for her to solve.

Much later in the book these same letters come to light in the present day where a young newspaper reporter is trying to hold on to a flagging career and rather one sided relationship. Can these letters help her make sense of issues in her own life?

An unashamedly romantic book, with quite a few twists and turns to keep you intrigued - but be warned a large box of hankies is the pre-requisite accessory to this novel.

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Hotel on the corner of Bitter and sweet

2011-08-08T05:56:00.000-07:00

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a truly delightful read this book is. I was blown away by its charm and depth.

Here's a description from Amazon:

1986, The Panama Hotel The old Seattle landmark has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made a startling discovery in the basement: personal belongings stored away by Japanese families sent to interment camps during the Second World War. Among the fascinated crowd gathering outside the hotel, stands Henry Lee, and, as the owner unfurls a distinctive parasol, he is flooded by memories of his childhood. He wonders if by some miracle, in amongst the boxes of dusty treasures, lies a link to the Okabe family, and the girl he lost his young heart to, so many years ago. With over a million copies sold worldwide, this captivating debut is a story of the sacrifices one boy makes for love and for his country.

My thoughts ... This is a dual time novel set in 1986 and also in 1940s America during are days of prohibition, mistrust and racial tension. The narrator is elderly Henry, looking back on his youth during the second world war. Born of Chinese parents and aged 13 Henry struggles to maintain his racial identity. His best friend is a black sax player until he meets Keiko, but she is Japanese, part of race being persecuted relentlessly by the Americans.

This is a truly sensational historical statement and a beautiful love story peopled by the most well rounded believeable characters - even the secondary characters will stay with me for a long time. There is so much crammed into this lovely book you'd think it would be complicated but its a real page turner and so easy to love I can't recommend it highly enough.

Slightly surprised to discover that the author Jamie Ford is a "Dude" as he calls himself.

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Accidents of Providence by Stacia M Brown

2011-06-29T00:44:00.000-07:00

Accidents of Providence by Stacia M. Brown

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I was kindly supplied with this book by Netgalley to review, I've had some great reads through there and discovered some super new authors. What attracted me to read this one was the description which likened it to Fingersmith and The Dress Lodger both books I really loved. The cover looks enticing and the basic principal of the storyline sounds interesting.

I wanted to love this too, I really did - but sadly it missed the mark completely. Its a historical account of an investigation into a dead baby found buried in the 17th century when concealing the death of an illegitimate child was classed as murder.

I failed to engage with the heroine Rachel Lockyear, in fact all the characters were 2 dimensional, the story line is disjointed and dull and the writing style is turgid and difficult to get into. There are a few bald Americanisms thrown into this story supposedly set in 1600s London, and I got absolutely no sense of place or time both of which could have been painted so descriptively.

It was pretty darned awful in every way and the nauseatingly sentimental and lengthy scenes of alleged romance and love failed to stir my passion, leaving me yawning and longing for a mug of cocoa.

I fail to see how anyone could even loosely mention it in the same breath as the 2 aforementioned books to which its compared as there truly is NO comparison.

By the way if you did enjoy Fingersmith and the Dress lodger - and want a good recommendation of something similar let me urge you to try

Slammerkin

I'm so disappointed not to be able to give this a great review and feel sure it will appeal to some readers - just not readers who will be expecting something on the lines of Fingersmith as I was.

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The Gallows girl by Melanie Gifford

2011-06-28T00:42:00.000-07:00

The Gallows Girl by Melanie Gifford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this so much more than The Spaniard's Daughter which I felt was a light and fluffy regency romance.

This book however is a much darker and deeper tale of revenge, gripping and quite tense, apart from the fact that you have to suspend disbelief in quite a few places as a few of the things she does would have been difficult if not impossible.

Its the story of a young woman, Rachel who has been brought up with her parents and sister in an 18th century coaching inn, and when a new turnpike road is planned which will bypass the Inn and ruin their business a horrific and far reaching chain of events is set in motion which change the course of Rachels life forever.

I felt the descriptions and feel for the era, what it would be like to try and run a coaching inn in those days were evocative and real, the heroine is feisty and flawed and not always likeable.

For me the book bore similarities to Slammerkin and The Book of Fires and although its far from perfect it was a jolly good read for anyone who liked these books.

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The Gallows Curse by Karen Maitland

2011-05-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

The Gallows Curse by Karen Maitland

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness - Wow isn't nearly a good enough superlative for what this author does.

Having LOVED her first 2 books I was a touch nervous starting The Gallows curse in case it didn't live up to my very high expectations ...

But it exceeded them. I just cannot fault this lady's writing, she brings the dark ages to life in the most believeable ways, her use of modern language in conversation heavily peppered with atmospheric curses, makes it even more accessible and easy to read yet the meticulous research and vast amount of facts and folklore she manages to cram in, make you feel you've experienced her stories not just read them.

We follow the story of Elena, a Villein, plucked from village life and called to the manor to perform a simple task which has horrific repercussions in her life and those whose lives touch hers.

Tricked by Raffaele, the main male character, returned from the crusades, bearing guilt and a desire for revenge which taint his life.

In part the story is narrated by a mandrake and is steeped in witchcraft, myth, magic and superstition. To say much more might spoil the spell which will be cast over you when you journey back to the early 13th century and wallow around the marshes of Norfolk.

Fantastic, enjoyable, atmospheric writing. I really battled between picking the book up and cracking on with it as I was desperate to know what happened next and leaving it a while as I so dreaded it coming to an end. Well all good things must come to an end.

If you haven't read anything by Karen Maitland yet please do give her books a try, she is rapidly rising to the very top of my favourite authors list.

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Don't Breathe a word by Jennifer McMahon

2011-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's a sheer pleasure to review this exciting new book kindly provided by Netgalley

QUOTE: From Goodreads;

On a soft summer night in Vermont, twelve-year-old Lisa went into the woods behind her house and never came out again. Before she disappeared, she told her little brother, Sam, about a door that led to a magical place where she would meet the King of the Fairies and become his queen.

Fifteen years later, Phoebe is in love with Sam, a practical, sensible man who doesn’t fear the dark and doesn’t have bad dreams—who, in fact, helps Phoebe ignore her own. But suddenly the couple is faced with a series of eerie, unexplained occurrences that challenge Sam’s hardheaded, realistic view of the world. As they question their reality, a terrible promise Sam made years ago is revealed—a promise that could destroy them all.

Reading the publishers blurb might lull you into thinking this is a teen fantasy fairy romance - well think again, this is no cozy bedtime tale.

What it is however, is a thrilling, tense, psychological chiller abounding with rollercoaster twists and turns. It grips you by the throat with sharp pointy little teeth and shakes you until you want to scream!

The storyline zips back and forth between the present day where Pheobe and her husband Sam are settling nicely into middle aged married life together and events in their childhoods 15 years earlier where dreadful catastrophes affected them and their families.

Dark family tragedies happened in Sams childhood and in Pheobes too, hardly surprising then, that Sams young sister Lisa wants to believe in the fairies who live at the bottom of the woods.

Then Lisa disappears without trace and the youngsters memories of events are intertwined with fairy stories and a dark mysterious shadow man calling himself Teilo king of the fairies.

However when childhood events begin to have repercussions in the present day the adult Sam and Pheobe are forced to consider whether dark folk tales and the land of fairie might hold the answers, or whether someone wishes them ill and wonder who they can trust.

With multiple twists and turns, lies and promises and secrets reappearing to haunt the couple, never knowing who to trust, sometimes wondering if the Grimmest of fairy tales can come true.

You will begin to wonder if the slight movement you sometimes catch in the corner of your eye is an evil fairy creature and whether childhood nightmares about the bogeyman under the bed aren't so childish after all.

I think this book should appeal to anyone who can suspend a little supernatural disbelief and who enjoys psychological thrillers like

These Things Hidden
or
Sister
I'll certainly be searching out the authors backlist to read.

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Belle by Lesley Pearse

2011-04-17T23:52:00.000-07:00

Belle by Lesley Pearse My rating: 4 of 5 stars Theres something very intriguing about the seedier side of Victorian London. Belle is set in a brothel in a rat infested court in Seven dials, London. She is a remarkably innocent young woman considering her upbringing, having been shielded from the activities in the cat house, owned by her mother, where she works below stairs, cared for and protected by Mog, maid of all work. Lifes looking pretty good when Belle meets a new friend, street wise young Johnny, but things are about to take a downwards spiral when she witnesses the brutal murder of one of the prostitutes in the brothel, together with a rude awakeing as to what the trade really involves which has been going on above her head, day and night. All too soon Belle is to experience the degradations of enforced prostitution herself, when she is kidnapped by the murderer and shipped to France to begin a horrific ordeal of captivity and rape. We follow her journey from France to New Orleans and meet the namy characters who shape her life, many cruel and unpleasant, most fascinating and a few kind. This is the first part of a soon to be published trilogy and (as another reader has pinted out, it ends rather abruptly) The author has left the story open enough for us to want to continue reading about Belles life, yet concludes this chaper satisfactorily. A jolly good yarn, with some gritty, quite explicit scenes, I'm delighted to say Ms Pearse is back on form with Belle after having disappointed this reader somewhat with her last offering Stolen View all my reviews

The Runaway wife by Susy McPhee

2011-04-15T01:17:00.000-07:00

The Runaway Wife by Susy McPhee My rating: 4 of 5 stars The cover suggests this is light and frothy chick-lit but what you find inside the covers is some really deep and unthinkable subject matter, treated with wry humour. Following a period in Marions life where the worst that can possibly happen has - she has buried her beloved only daughter killed at just 9 years old by a hit and run driver. Marion wants to die too, her life is no longer worth living and we begin the book as she prepares for her suicide attempt. But things go from bad to worse, when on her way to the chemist to collect her prescription for the anti depressants which are her way out of this life and offer a freedom from the pain of loss, a mugger attacks her with a knife offering her an alternative way of dying ... This misfires and we see Marion thwarted in her suicide bid lurch from crisis to crisis, trying to come to terms with her loss, apportioning blame to others and herself until it seems as though there will never be any light at the end of her tunnel and she is on a course to self destruct regardless. This book is about finding the strength to cope and getting through the worst times in your life, and there is a thread of humour which runs through it in some of the things which happen, and things our heroine says and thinks which will have you laughing into the already soggy tissues. I enjoyed this book enormously its very compassionately written and extremely real. I love that its set in Yorkshire - mostly Harrogate, which I am familiar with. I think it will appeal to anyone who enjoyed One Moment, One Morning View all my reviews

The Midwifes confession by Diane Chamberlain

2011-03-22T02:54:00.000-07:00

The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was fortunate to receive a pre publication copy of this wonderful book to review from Netgalley

In this page turner of a book we are drawn into the lives of three friends, Noelle the Midwife of the title, Tara recently widowed and battling to gain a closeness with her Teenage daughter Grace, and Emerson, mother of Graces closest friend Jennifer.

The three women have been devoted friends since college and secrets gradually being revealed threaten to blow apart their friendship and loyalty. Its a powerful look at womens friendship, relationships and secrtes and the dangers of keeping things hidden.

There are quite a lot of characters to get to grips with but they are all beautifully constructed and the book jumps about in time back and forth from the present day to the womens past, however the author does this so seamlessly the story flows deliciously and makes you want to keep on reading.

It leaves you wondering how an author can convey such strong emotions with mere words, and create so many twists and turns throughout the book that the storyline never ceases to surprise.

This is just the second book I've read by this author but it won't be the last I will be working my way through her back catalogue and awaiting more titles.

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The Tapestry of love by Rosy Thornton

2010-11-30T07:45:00.000-08:00

The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Quote from Goodreads:

A warm and uplifting story of how a woman falls in love with a place and its people: a landscape, a community and a fragile way of life.

A rural idyll: that's what Catherine is seeking when she sells her house in England and moves to a tiny hamlet in the Cévennes mountains. With her divorce in the past and her children grown, she is free to make a new start, and her dream is to set up in business as a seamstress. But this is a harsh and lonely place when you're no longer just here on holiday. There is French bureaucracy to contend with, not to mention the mountain weather, and the reserve of her neighbours, including the intriguing Patrick Castagnol. And that's before the arrival of Catherine's sister, Bryony...

I enjoyed my "visit" to the Cevennes mountains in France with Catherine the 49 year old heroine of this book, despite never having been there, the authors genuine love for and in depth knowledge of this region is very apparent throughout the book, as is her knowledge of needlecraft when she describes Catherine establishing herself as a seamstress and tapestry stitcher.

It takes a wry and nostalgic look at how a middle aged divorcee, fresh from city life in Britain battles to adapt to life in rural France, running her own business, and struggling to come to terms with her ageing Mothers decline into Alzheimers, back at home in the UK.

We meet her new neighbours, including the enigmatic Patrick and share her frustration at the red tape of French rural beaurocracy.

Its a very easy read if in some parts a little gloomy, lightened by unexpcted touches of humour. I laughed aloud at the string of jobs for diverse and unlikely publications her journalist daughter ricochets between.

Characters who jump off the page and shake hands with you and a setting you can see and smell combine to make this a lovely cozy read to take you away from wintry Britain.

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The Owl killers by Karen Maitland

2010-11-28T05:56:00.000-08:00

The Owl Killers by Karen Maitland

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm so pleased I enjoyed this book as I was really looking forward to reading it. Enjoyed her first novel "company of liars" so much I thought it might be a hard act to follow.

Well, Ms Maitland does herself proud with this big, detailed epic which takes on the huge subject of superstition and legend wrapped in with religion.

Its set in a village in England in the early 1300s when a group of women living in a Beguinage arrive, not quite Nuns they nevertheless live in a women only, cloistered existence which causes a lot of prejudice and superstition amongst the superstitious villagers and the church.

It paints a vivid picture of life in the dark ages where poverty and superstition ruled peoples lives, the author must have done some very interesting and detailed reasearch to come up with so many ideas and legends which are based on real medieval myths.

The characters which have been created for this book are all fascinating and very well created.

You'd think a 550 page book where about half the main characters are called Martha would be difficult to follow but its not, each character is etched clearly and has their own unique personality and flaws.

Loved it.

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These things hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

2010-11-25T03:45:00.000-08:00

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was fortunate enough to receive a pre publication copy of this book to review via NetGalley from whom I am giving the following quote ...

Quote: from the publishers "Allison Glenn tried to hide what happened that night...and failed.

The consequence? Five years in prison. Now she’s free. But secrets have a way of keeping you imprisoned.

When Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls’s golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult in her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces the whispered rumors every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It’s Brynn—shy, quiet Brynn—who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her.

But then Allison is released to a halfway house, and is more determined than ever to speak with her sister.

Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

Heather Gudenkauf is the critically acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller The Weight of Silence. These Things Hidden is her second novel."

What a brilliant novel Heather Gudenkauf has written, even better than her great debut The Weight of Silence This book would fit the same title but the stories are very different.

These things hidden is the story of 4 women, Allison who at the beginning of the book is being released from prison to a halfway house, her sister Brynn, less confident as a youngster and having lived in Allisons shadow through their childhood, spends her time looking after abandoned animals.

These sisters relied heavily on one another throughout an upbringing with rather cold and harsh parents but are now estranged, though Allison is desperate to contact her sister now she has been freed from jail.

We also meet Claire, owner of a Bookstore and adoptive mother to 5 year old Joshua and Charm, training as a nurse and caring for her terminally ill stepfather.

The 4 womens' lives are intertwined by events in their pasts, things hidden and an innocent little boy. Events and coincidences conspire to force these women to examine the events in their pasts and culminate in a dreadful revelation.

The book is told by the 4 women and sometimes they are talking about the past and sometimes the present but its not difficult to follow and the beautifully written dialogue moves seamlessly from one viewpoint to another.

I found the story intense and gripping and I'd describe it as an emotional suspense story. I found myself muttering "Oh Nooo" in parts and shed more than a few tears too.

I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoyed The Ice Cream Girls or Sister but you'll have to hold your breath until February when it will be available in the shops.

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Sister by Rosamund Lupton

2010-11-20T01:05:00.001-08:00

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked the story of this tense thriller and the characters were very well created.

Beatrice is living in the USA planning to marry her boyfriend and life is going well for her, when she recieves a phone call to tell her her younger sister Tess has gone missing.

Immersed into Tess's art student life, she moves into her rather seedy flat and begins her own investigations as to what might have happened to her beloved little sis.

But things have a way of sucking you in and she soon becomes embroiled in Tess's life suspecting various people of having been involved in her disappearance and as she discovers more, things take a nasty and more sinister turn.

I found parts of the story very harrowing and upsetting and it was a generally quite depressing and sad book.

My main gripe may not be a general one - my copy was very badly edited and there were lots of glaring grammatical errors which really didn't make for easy reading.

I liked it and it kept my interest going and there are a few real unpredictable twists.

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The Wilding - Maria McCann

2010-11-17T01:41:00.000-08:00

Quote ..... 'An absorbing drama of revenge, inheritance and danger...packed with intrigue and historical detail.' --Kate Saunders, The Times

Based on my Amazon Review .....

What a lovely easy read and very well written.

The Wilding is written in the first person by a young man called Johnathan who resides in 17th century England and earns his living as a cider presser, travelling around hiring his services with his unique portable cider press lovingly made and given to him by his father.

When his fathers brother Robin dies Johnathan senses there is a mystery surrounding the circumstances of his death which is father is unwilling to discuss, so decides to visit his widowed Aunt the wealthy and nasty Harriet to try and unravel what has been going on.

This is where he meets the enigmatic Tamar, working as a servant for his aunt and abruptly dismissed, he is strangely drawn to her and she evoked sympathy in him when he finds her living with her infirm mother in a hovel of cave behind his Aunts house.

Circumstances carry Johnathan into events outside his normal sheltered existence and a story of betrayal, revenge and hatred is revealed.

Its a story of fairly ordinary folk with a family secret which swept me along and I found it a very satisfying read.

Cloven - Sally Spedding

2010-11-16T02:02:00.000-08:00

From my review on Amazon

This is a dual time book with lots going on, its part historical drama, part ghost story and part modern day crime mystery and a bit of romance too and they all merge in together very well.

In the present day Ivan buys a rural cottage to live the dream of escaping city life and bad memories of a fatal accident in which he was involved, to launch his range of handmade pottery and teach evening classes in the same subject.

Back in 1830 young Sian, injured by trampling cattle and disabled as result sets off from Wales on horseback with her despicable brother who is a drover. He has been commanded to take her to London to seek treatment for her badly maimed leg and injuries which have left her mute, able only to communicate in whispers - whispers which travel across time and begin to haunt Ivan.

Ivan inadvertently gets on the wrong side of some local gangs, whole families who seem to rule the area involved in crime, mayhem and bloody murder. He becomes obsessed with the beautiful Jo but mystery surrounds her and Valerie the terse doctors wife with her tragic past seems to be the only person who sympathises with his increasing plight.

Meanwhile the story of Sians vile treatment at the hands of her brother and other evil characters goes from bad to worse I found I liked this part of the story set in the past best and became really immersed in the historical part of the book.

I found it pretty complicated as there are so many different storylines going on and lots of characters, especially in the present, several of whom by half way through I had no idea who they were or how they connected to the events.

Some of Ivans motives seem rather strange and there is a real undercurrent of evil nastiness that at times I found a little distasteful. Yet the book compelled me to keep reading and it was fast paced, spooky and scary.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

2010-11-16T01:48:00.001-08:00

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW, what can I say I loved this book once I got into it.

I must admit it took me 3 tries as I found the first few pages rather slow and a bit disjointed so I started it and put it down a couple of times but as so many people I know have waxed lyrical about this book I decided to stick with it.

I'm SO glad I persevered as when I eventually got into the writing style and connected with the characters the story began to flow deliciously and got better and better all the way through!

It begins with 93 year old Jacob (or am I 90?) sitting in an old peoples home reminiscing about his youth when he joined a travelling "train" circus.

Getting grumpier and more irascible as the frustrations of being stuck in an ageing body, cared for by strangers.

The book is a dual time period book (of which I have read so many recently, and enjoy) and the tales of circus life are well researched, frequently horrific, often amusing, never dull.

I fell totally in love with Rosie, the elephant and one or two of the human characters too, although there are more who are absolutely hateful.

By the time I finished the book all I could say was WOW, it sucks you in slowly and then tears along like a train with you clinging to the roof breathless and desperate to hang on and read just a few more pages.

If you've got this but not read it yet do give it a try I can heartily recommend it.

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The 199 steps by Michel Faber

2010-11-16T01:46:00.001-08:00

The 199 Steps by Michel Faber

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This super little novella is a great read.

Sian is a young woman with wounds to heal, taking time out in the historic Northern seaside town of Whitby, famous as the place where Dracula was created.

Short, fast and easy, yet it has many layers. Set in beautiful Whitby theres a hint of romance, a touch of spookiness and a gorgeous dog!

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The girl with glass feet by Ali Shaw

2010-11-16T01:32:00.001-08:00

The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found this book haunting, unique and almost unbearably bleak.

It was less of a fairy story/fantasy than I expected, set almost in our world but where inexplicable and fantastic things happen for which there are no real explanation.

As unbelievable most of the creatures and things happening to characters are, I found it extremely easy to want to hold a tiny moth winged cow on my shoulder and shuddered at the thought of no longer feeling my feet if they turned to glass.

Special and thought provoking but with few explanations - I did expect more of a revelation at the end but perhaps some things are best left unsaid.

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The Outlander by Gil Adamson

2010-11-15T09:22:00.001-08:00

The Outlander by Gil Adamson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved, loved, LOVED this book - Best book I've read in a while without a doubt.

Strongly character driven novel, nevertheless descriptive and beautifully written, every single word counted and the story flowed like good wine I just wanted to keep on reading.

The story of a young woman widowed by her own hand fleeing from retribution after killing her husband. She sets off into the mountainous wilderness of Canada and comes across so many unusual, mostly likeable, all beleiveable characters.

She's a thief as well as a murderer and treats some of the people who help her pretty badly really but she's very human and theres just something about the book that really keeps you interested and fascinated.

Inevitable comparisons with The tenderness of wolves which I also loved prompted me to read this, however I'd compare the writing style to Water with Elephants, a sheer joy to read from start to conclusion.

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Crossed Bones - Jane Johnson

2010-11-15T02:39:00.000-08:00

Heres the first of my book reviews I want to share - Originally written by me and posted on Goodreads.

I loved this book. Even better than I expected.

It has also been published under the title "The Tenth gift" so you may have read it as that.

Its basically a dual time romance (one of my favourite genres) but is so much more than a romance and in actual fact there's very little soppiness and no bodice ripping at all.

Julia Lovatt is in her 30s and begins the book by getting dumped by her lover, who also happened to be her best friends husband. So she's not perfect by any means. He gives her an antique embroidery book, not such a strange parting gift given that Julia makes a living doing fine hand embroidery.

As she begins to read the book she finds handwritten notes in the margins by the books original owner Catherine, working as a servant in Cornwall in 1625 and given the book as a gift from her cousin Rob to whom she becomes reluctantly betrothed.

Catherines love of and talent for embroidery gives her ideas above her station and she dreams of the impossible, travel, escape from her humdrum life and to become a master embroiderer (unheard of for a woman)

As Julias is drawn to Cornwall to visit a cousin, she continues to read Catherines story which becomes so unbelievable she at first thinks she has got her hands on a rare early work of fiction writing.

As she reads about the kidnap from a church of a large number of Cornish folk, including Catherine, by Barbary pirates she realises it is the truth and as her ex begins to hound her to return the book, she sets of on her own journey of discovery travelling to Morocco to see where Catherine ended up being transported to by slave ship and sold.

It's fast paced and exciting all the way through and I couldn't put it down. The descriptions of Cornwall, London and Morocco read more like good travel journalism than fiction. The Subjects of Piracy and white slavery were different and gripping combined with the detail about embroidery which is also an interest of mine.

All in all it was a sheer pleasure to read and I'd love to read some more by this author.