📖 🎧 Book Review ~ A Far-Flung Life by M L Stedman

 

Transworld Digital 
Audible
March 2026

Own purchase

 

Western Australia, 1958. A truck rumbles along a lonely outback road. A moment’s inattention, and in a few muddled seconds the lives of the MacBride family are shattered.

Instead of leaving them to heal, fate comes back for them in a twist of consequences that will cause one of them to lose their life, and another to sacrifice theirs for the sake of an innocent child.

Set in the expanse of a vast and flat landscape, where the weather is a capricious god and a million-acre sheep station is barely a dot on the map, A Far-flung Life explores the hearts of a handful of isolated souls and the secrets they shield in order to survive.

📖  My Review..

I read this author’s debut novel way back in 2012 and remember being completely blown away by The Light Between Oceans so I was especially excited to learn of the publication of her much awaited second novel.

A Far-Flung Life is set in the author’s native Australia and follows the fortunes of the MacBride family on their remote sheep farm in Western Australia. In the aftermath of a devastating tragedy, Laura MacBride must continue to keep the farm functioning whilst at the same time keeping the shattered fragments of her family together. Spanning forty years and multiple generations this is an ambitious story which reveals much about life in Australia during the middle years of the twentieth century. There is the inevitable isolation from living, and tending, such a vast and often drought ridden landscape, all of which is dramatically set against a family who are burdened by secrets and scarred forever by overwhelming sadness which forms the very backbone of the story.

I made the decision to listen to the Audible version and I wasn’t disappointed. Expertly narrated by Lewis Fitz-Gerald the 13hrs and 40 minutes of the recording never felt burdensome as the narration, such an integral part of the story, flowed beautifully. There were moments of huge sadness, with a devastating family secret, which could have made the novel emotionally difficult but it was expertly navigated by an author who knows how to weave and twirl a story into something which becomes almost tragically beautiful.

A Far- Flung Life is an emotional read, with a gut-punch as big as the endless skies above the MacBride Homestead. It has been a long time in coming, but, my goodness, the wait was well worth it and I am sure this fully deserves its place on my Book of the Year List.

About the Author

M L Stedman was born and raised in Western Australia and now lives in London. Her first novel, The Light Between Oceans, was a Sunday Times, New York Times and international bestseller and won the Goodreads Choice Best Historical Novel Award and the HWA Goldsboro Crown Debut. It was also longlisted for the Women’s Prize and the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin literary award and shortlisted as an Amazon Rising Star. In Australia, it won the Indie Best Debut and the Indie Best Book awards and was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award and the Literary Society Gold Medal. The Light Between Oceans has been published in around forty-five languages and has sold nearly five million copies worldwide. It was made into a Dreamworks film starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, produced by Heyday Films. A Far-flung Life is M L Stedman’s second novel.

X @TransworldBook

#MLStedman  #AFarFlungLife

📖 Book Review ~ The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths

 

Quercus
2023

Ruth Galloway #15

The discovery of a missing woman's bones forces Ruth and Nelson to finally confront their feelings for each other as they desperately work to exonerate one of their own.

When builders discover a human skeleton while renovating a café, they call in archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway, who is preoccupied with the threatened closure of her department and by her ever-complicated relationship with DCI Nelson. The bones turn out to be modern--the remains of Emily Pickering, a young archaeology student who went missing in 2002. Suspicion soon falls on Emily's Cambridge tutor and also on another archeology enthusiast who was part of the group gathered the weekend before she disappeared--Ruth's friend Cathbad.

As they investigate, Nelson and his team uncover a tangled web of relationships within the archaeology group and look for a link between them and the café where Emily's bones were found. Then, just when the team seem to be making progress, Cathbad disappears. The trail leads Ruth a to the Neolithic flint mines in Grimes Graves. The race is on, first to find Cathbad and then to exonerate him, but will Ruth and Nelson uncover the truth in time to save their friend?

📖 My Review...

I've followed this excellent crime series since the beginning and so it was with some sadness that I started The Last Remains as I knew it was the last book and even though the plot is as tight and sharp as ever there is an inevitable sense of closure.  Ruth Galloway is called in to investigate human remains which have been found during renovations to a local cafe. This discovery inevitably involves the police and once again Ruth and DCI Harry Nelson must work closely together but when the clues to the perpetrator lead to someone they know their loyalties are stretched to the limit.

There has been so much to enjoy in this series, not just the archaeological and police mysteries which have been brought to life with so much attention to detail but it is also in the character progression where the emotional involvement in the story really works. I've loved every one of the characters particularly Ruth, Nelson and Cathbad so it was lovely to have this trio feature so strongly in the last book, almost like we have come full circle. The loose ends which were finally tied off felt absolutely right and I finished the book with a real sense of satisfaction of a good story, well told.

I chose to listen to The Last Remains which was excellently narrated by Jane McDowell who has been the narrator for most of the series. 

About the Author

Elly Griffiths is the bestselling author of the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries and the Brighton Mysteries. She has won the CWA Dagger in the Library, has been shortlisted five times for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for The Lantern Men. Her new series featuring Detective Harbinder Kaur began with The Stranger Diaries, which was a Richard and Judy book club pick and won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in the USA. It was followed by The Postscript Murders, shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and Bleeding Heart Yard. Elly has two grown-up children and lives near Brighton with her archaeologist husband.

@ellygriffiths #TheLastRemains

@QuercusBooks

🎧 Featured Book of the Month ~ The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer

Phoenix
6 July 2023

Audible 9 hrs and 36 minutes

East Anglia, 1645. Martha Hallybread, a midwife, healer and servant, has lived peacefully for more than four decades in her beloved village of Cleftwater. She has not spoken a word in years.

One bright morning, Martha becomes a silent witness to a witch hunt, led by sinister new arrival Silas Makepeace. As a trusted member of the community, she is enlisted to search the bodies of the accused women for evidence. But whilst she wants to help her friends, she also harbours a dark secret that must never be revealed.

In desperation, Martha revives a poppet, a wax witching doll that she inherited from her mother, in the hope that it will bring protection. But the poppet's true powers are unknowable, the tide is turning, and time is running out.

🎧 My Review...

The seventeenth century was a dangerous time to be a woman, especially if you were poor and without a voice to stand up for yourself. Into the melting pot of witch frenzy the fictional East Anglian village of Cleftwater is plunged into disarray when the witch-finder Silas Makepeace comes a-calling. Determined to clear this once peaceful backwater of a coven of witches, Silas enlists the help of Martha Hallybread, a local woman who the village rely upon as their nurse, midwife and healer. Martha, terrified for the women who have been wrongly accused, is determined to use the skills she has inherited to help those who are unable to help themselves, however, fate has a nasty way of intervening.

Based around the true story of the East Anglian witch trials, which took place between 1645-47, this story emphasises the way in which local communities were left both divided and shattered, not only by the thought of having so many witches in one place, but also in families who were ripped apart by bigotry and hatred. As this wonderfully detailed story shows no-one was immune, particularly those innocent women who were held responsible for all the wrongdoings that befell a village, be it flood, famine, pestilence or death, witches were seen to be responsible and had to be eliminated.

I listened to the Audible version of this book and the narrator, Amanda Raison, did an excellent job of bringing all the characters to life, especially Martha whose silent voice is strong and vibrant and  also the creeping menace of the witch finders whose hateful bigotry made my blood boil. Fear and superstition is cleverly controlled and the hateful and fervent righteousness of the male villagers shows just how vulnerable were the accused women who had no means of defence.

I have long held a fascination for stories of those women who were so wrongly persecuted during the dangerous witch trials of the seventeenth century and The Witching Tide certainly didn't disappoint. It is beautifully written, mesmerising in detail and with a poetic lyricism which never detracts from the absolute power of the story and so, for that reason, I have no hesitation in making The Witching Tide my Featured Book of the Month for August.

About the Author

Margaret Meyer was born in Canada, grew up in New Zealand and now lives in Norwich, England. She was a publisher and literature developer before retraining as a mental health therapist, working in schools, prisons and addiction recovery centres as well as in private practice. Her writing includes essays, flash fiction and short stories, and in 2020 she completed an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. The Witching Tide, her first novel, was inspired by the events of the East Anglian witch hunt of 1645-7 and is dedicated to the more than 100 innocent women who lost their lives.

Twitter @Margaret_Meyer #TheWitchingTide

@Phoenix_Bks @orionbooks

📖 Book Review ~ Lady MacBethad by Isabelle Schuler

Bloomsbury
2 March 2023

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

Power. History. Love. Hate. Vengeance. She will be Queen. Whatever it takes...

Daughter of an ousted king, descendant of ancient druids, as a child it is prophesied that one day Gruoch will be queen of Alba.

When she is betrothed to Duncan, heir elect, this appears to confirm the prophecy. She leaves behind her home, her family and her close friend MacBethad, and travels to the royal seat at Scone to embrace her new position.

But nothing is as Gruoch anticipates. Duncan's court is filled with sly words and unfriendly faces, women desperate to usurp her position, and others whose motives are shrouded in mystery. As her coronation approaches, a deadly turn of events forces Gruoch to flee Duncan and the capital, finding herself alone, vulnerable and at the mercy of an old enemy. Her hope of becoming Queen all but lost, Gruoch does what she must to survive, vowing that one day she will fulfill her destiny and take up the future owed to her. Whatever it may take.

📖 My Review...

Gruoch, daughter of Boite mac Cináeda, was born around 1015, and her early life is beautifully reimagined in this story which looks at the myths and legends which surrounds the story of Shakespeare's Lady MacBeth. Over the course of the story we get to know Gruoch as a troubled child, forced to flee her homeland, and obsessed with her grandmother's prophecy that one day she would be a great queen, and we watch in anticipation as she sets off on the road to her destiny.

There is much to enjoy in this imagined story about the early life of one of the most controversial figures in English literature and yet historically very little is actually known about the woman who would, one day, become Lady Macbeth. However, the author has done her research well, the ancient way of life is so beautifully described that I could clearly imagine Gruoch growing from rebellious child, to her more fraught teenage years as she struggles with marriage to Duncan, and her obsession that one day she would be Queen of Alba.  

This is definitely not Shakespeare's Macbeth reimagined, it so much more than that, and works beautifully as imaginative historical fiction which leads us back in time to the life of a proud and forceful young woman who believed in her destiny and who made her own distinct mark on the history of Scotland. 

I have both read, and listened, to my copy of Lady MacBethad and have enjoyed both experiences. The audio version is beautifully narrated by Sara Vickers ,whose authentic Scottish accent brought the story vividly alive, and yet I also became immersed in reading the book for myself.

You can read an interview with the author on her publisher's website by clicking here

About the Author

Isabelle Schuler is a Swiss-American actress, writer, and former bookseller. Lady MacBethad is her debut novel.

Twitter@belleschuler #LadyMacbethad

@bloomsburybooks

Blog Tour ~ 20/20 by Carl Goodman (Narrated by Louise Brealey)

Delighted to be part of this exciting Blog Tour

Audible Original
4 June 2020

My thanks to Midas PR for the opportunity to listen to this audio book
and to be part of this blog tour

A vicious killer and a traitor on the team – can DI Harris see the truth before it’s too late?

On the first day of her new job, rookie cop DI Eva Harris is called to a chilling crime scene – a body drained of blood, with the eyes removed. It’s only the first of several similar murders, reminiscent of a series of bloody killings several years ago. Is the same killer back, or is a new threat menacing the area? As the bodies mount up, Harris must uncover the truth. But, the threat doesn’t only come from outside. Within her own team, there is a traitor at work… 

What did I think about it..

DI Eva Harris's first introduction to her new investigation team is not without its share of trauma as the discovery of a mutilated body seems to point towards a serial killer who was never found, and yet, despite the similarities to the past case, there is something about this new chilling, modus operandi, which causes Eva Harris to question what has gone before.

What then follows is a menacing crime thriller which has more than enough intrigue, spills and thrills, to keep you guessing from the start, and as the tension starts to rack up to high there is always something new and exciting to discover. The story has several sub plots, some related to the investigation, whilst others take an altogether different turn and look into the possibility of police corruption at a high level. It's obvious from the start that there is rather more to DI Harris than first appears, she's an enigmatic character, and comes with some interesting issues in her past which threaten her current situation in more ways than one.

I enjoyed listening to the story and the 13 hours and 4 minutes of the audio book passed by very quickly. Overall the narration is good and Louise Brealey's voice reminded me of how I imagine DI Harris would speak which gave an altogether more intimate feel to the story as if Eva was speaking directly to me.

20/20 is a fast paced crime thriller which kept my attention from beginning to end.

About the Author

Carl Goodman is a designer and media consultant who has worked with everything from hot-metal type to computer animation and virtual reality. His interactive projects have twice won BAFTA awards. He has worked with companies and universities across Europe and the US on government-funded R&D programmes, and with major international brands on new product development, but he absolutely draws the line at commuting. He loves writing, both crime and science fiction, and enjoys stories that have both a technological edge and a dark, visceral theme. He enjoys research, although sometimes the material he unearths worries the living daylights out of him. Carl lives in Surrey with his wife and has an adult son. 

About the Narrator

Louise Brealey is an English stage and screen actress and writer. She is best known for playing Molly Hooper in the BBC's Sherlock. Her other television work includes Clique (BBC/Amazon), A Discovery of Witches (SKY), David Mitchell and Robert Webb’s sitcom Back (Big Talk/Channel Four) and Gomorrah (SKY Atlantic).

Twitter @Carl201010 #TWENTYTWENTY  

@AudibleUK     @midaspr

Audible UK

Blog Tour ~ Red Desert by Paddy Magrane

Jaffareadstoo is excited to take part in this 
Audible Original Blog Tour

Audible Original
7 May 2020

My thanks to Audible and Midas PR for my Audible Original copy of Red Desert

Audible, the world’s leading provider of spoken-word entertainment, has secured worldwide English language audio rights to RED DESERT by Amazon Kindle #1 Bestselling author Paddy Magrane.

Released exclusively in audio on 7th May 2020, Red Desert is a white-knuckle suspense thriller set between London, Berlin and Iraq. Perfect listening for fans of Homeland, The Hurt Locker and American Sniper, Red Desert is available to here. Red Desert will be available for 1 credit to Audible members or priced at £14.99 for non-members

What's it all about..

Desperate to escape the past, Tom swaps a safe life in London for a spell in the desert of Iraq, providing therapy to the staff of an isolated oil concession. But his new job quickly becomes dangerous, especially when he starts to ask too many questions about a series of deaths. A lethal attack on the camp sends him back to the UK, but he’s determined to keep investigating. Iraq is coming home with him, in more ways than one.

What did I think about it..

Arriving at the isolated oil field in Iraq should have provided psychotherapist, Tom with  a more settled haven than the life he has left behind in London, but as Tom finds to his cost that not everyone at the oil camp wants him there. Drawing on his professional background doesn't really help Tom when a series of mysterious and unexplained deaths on the camp seem to escalate, with disastrous consequences for Tom and those around him. 

Inexorably Tom gets drawn further and further into a dark and deadly mystery will will see him in danger of his life on more than one occasion, and as a consequence, in the pursuit of justice, Tom will be forced to make some very tough decisions.

The author writes very well and brings a strong authentic feel to the story, particularly in the description of life in the Iraqi desert, the stultifying heat, the general air of mistrust between those who live on the camp, and the inherent and creeping sense of danger which seems to seep into the heat and dust of this arid landscape. There's plenty of excitement throughout, in fact, the tension is racked up to high for most of the novel, with some genuine thrilling moments, which had me literally unable to break away for fear of missing something vitally important to the outcome of the story. I enjoyed the different scenarios and moving between Iraq, London and Berlin guaranteed that there was always something different to absorb and consider.

I've listened to several Audible Originals and I am always drawn by the high standard of story telling, not just from the book itself, and it must be said that Red Desert had me on the edge of my seat on more than one occasion, but also by the high standard of narration, something which is so vitally important  in audio books. Many times I have given up on an audio book because the narration was a hindrance rather than a help, however, not so with Red Desert which is expertly narrated by Joe Jameson whose command of the story is exemplary. he brings each of the characters to life in a very special way.

Red Desert is a fast action, high octane suspense thriller which grabbed my attention from beginning to end.

About the Author

Paddy Magrane is a Psychotherapist, journalist and the Kindle #1 ranked thriller writer of The Sam Keddie thrillers. Born in the Middle East, Paddy then grew up on army bases in Germany, Northern Ireland and England. Paddy was an artist for ten years in the UK before working as a journalist for The Guardian, The Observer and The Telegraph. Paddy has travelled extensively, having visited Syria before the civil war and recently worked in Israel and the West Bank. In 2006, Paddy retrained as a psychotherapist and practices at home in rural Devon where he lives with his wife and two daughters.

Hist Fic Revisited ~ Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

On the last Saturday of the month I have decided to feature the historical fiction I have enjoyed over the last forty or so years. 

Starting with a classic from 1992.

Let's do a bit of time travelling..

New English Library
1992

For Kivrin, preparing an on-site study of one of the deadliest eras in humanity's history was as simple as receiving inoculations against the diseases of the fourteenth century and inventing an alibi for a woman traveling alone. For her instructors in the twenty-first century, it meant painstaking calculations and careful monitoring of the rendezvous location where Kivrin would be received.

But a crisis strangely linking past and future strands Kivrin in a bygone age as her fellows try desperately to rescue her. In a time of superstition and fear, Kivrin -- barely of age herself -- finds she has become an unlikely angel of hope during one of history's darkest hours.

What did I think about it..

I have enjoyed some great historical fiction over the last forty or so years of my adult reading. I first came across Doomsday Book in 1992 and it has remained one of my favourite time travel stories.

During this difficult time in which we find ourselves in I thought that Doomsday Book would be a good place to start this series of Hist Fic Revisited. This time around I have listened to the Audible version expertly narrated by English actress, Jenny Sterlin. Listening to someone read the story has given everything a new dimension and brought the story to life in quite a different way. 

As I have mentioned, Doomsday Book is a very timely read as it uses as it's focus the effect of an epidemic caused by an unknown virus which hits the town of Oxford in 2054, a town which, despite being placed under strict quarantine, suffers catastrophic losses from this new and deadly virus which has no known vaccine. At the same time as the fight against the epidemic, there is also a race against time as an Oxford tutor strives to bring back his student who is lost in fourteenth century Oxford.

The medieval strand of the story looks at the journey made by Kivrin, a history student at Oxford University, who despite the misgivings of her tutor, Mr Dunworthy, travels back in time to Oxfordshire in 1320. There she hopes to undertake a study of ordinary medieval life before making the journey back to her own time. However, all does not bode well for Kivrin, as when she arrives in the past it's not quite what she imagined and her time there is fraught with danger, disease and despair. 

Is the story as good as I remember? 

There's a certain amount of repetition which I don't remember, particularly in 2054 Oxford which seems, as we are now nearer to 2054 than we were in 1992, more than a little dated.  And the story meanders rather more than I recall with most of the action happening during the last third of the novel but that part is just as tense as I remember, particularly for Kivrin. The medieval part of the story remains the stronger of the two strands and it is the part of the story which I find the most interesting.

It's a bit of a marmite book, love it or loathe it it remains one of my all time historical favourites 😊

The audio narration has been available since 2008 and is quite an investment with a listening time over 26 hours, but it's been an enjoyable way to while away the hours of this lock down period.

About the Author

Constance Elaine Trimmer Willis is an American science fiction writer. She is one of the most honored science fiction writers of the 1980s and 1990s.

Summer Read ~ The Strawberry Thief by Joanne Harris

Orion
4 April 2019
Chocolat #4

Vianne Rocher has settled down. Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, the place that once rejected her, has finally become her home. With Rosette, her 'special' child, she runs her chocolate shop in the square, talks to her friends on the river, is part of the community. Even Reynaud, the priest, has become a friend.

But when old Narcisse, the florist, dies, leaving a parcel of land to Rosette and a written confession to Reynaud, the life of the sleepy village is once more thrown into disarray. The arrival of Narcisse's relatives, the departure of an old friend and the opening of a mysterious new shop in the place of the florist's across the square - one that mirrors the chocolaterie, and has a strange appeal of its own - all seem to herald some kind of change: a confrontation, a turbulence - even, perhaps, a murder.

My thoughts..

Once again Vianne Rocher plays a pivotal role in the story, however, in The Strawberry Thief we start to learn much more about her 'special' child, Rosette, who is now sixteen. With the woodlands and fields around Lansquenet-sous-Tannes her playground, Rosette develops a rapport with Narcisse, the taciturn florist, who facing the end of his life has secrets he needs to reveal.

Those who are familiar with this series will take great delight in seeing the return of old friends, particularly, Francis Reynaud, the priest, who continues his watchful eye over the villagers, and the enticing smell of rich dark chocolat infuses the village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes with its own special blend of magic. There's always a sense of mystery not just from the characters who each have their own little moments but also in the way their stories weave and flutter, revealing secrets and creating a story which lingers even as the wind threatens to blow it all away.

Throughout the story I had a sense of the author, maybe, tying up a few loose ends and I was a little afraid that perhaps this would be the last of the chocolat stories but there's a lovely ending to the novel which could blend very nicely into a continuation - I really hope so, as I would miss this little corner of rural France and the characters who, over twenty years, have had such a special place in my heart.

Returning to the sleepy village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes is a long awaited treat and having been a huge fan of this series and of this author's writing, I knew from the very start of The Strawberry Thief that I wasn't going to be let down. It's pure chocolat infused magic from start to finish.

I listened to The Strawberry Thief as an Audible recording, which was beautifully narrated by the author, Joanne Harris, over 10 hours and 23 minutes. I loved listening to the author's interpretation of her words which gave the book a really personal feel as I felt that she was reading, and occasionally singing, just for me 😊

About the Author

JOANNE HARRIS is an Anglo-French author, whose books include fourteen novels, two cookbooks and many short stories. Her work is extremely diverse, covering aspects of magic realism, suspense, historical fiction, mythology and fantasy. In 2000, her 1999 novel CHOCOLAT was adapted to the screen, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. She is an honorary Fellow of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, and in 2013 was awarded an MBE by the Queen.

Twitter @joannechoclat #TheStrawberyThief

@orionbooks

Hist Fic Saturday ~ The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar

On Hist Fic Saturday


Lets go back to Georgian England...1785

Vintage
January 2019

One September evening in 1785, the merchant Jonah Hancock hears urgent knocking on his front door. One of his captains is waiting eagerly on the step. He has sold Jonah’s ship for what appears to be a mermaid.

As gossip spreads through the docks, coffee shops, parlours and brothels, everyone wants to see Mr Hancock’s marvel. Its arrival spins him out of his ordinary existence and through the doors of high society. At an opulent party, he makes the acquaintance of Angelica Neal, the most desirable woman he has ever laid eyes on… and a courtesan of great accomplishment. This chance meeting will steer both their lives onto a dangerous new course, a journey on which they will learn that priceless things come at the greatest cost…

What will be the cost of their ambitions? And will they be able to escape the destructive power mermaids are said to possess?

My thoughts...

Middle aged widower, Jonah Hancock is awakened early one morning to the news that one of his merchant ships has been lost at sea and in place of his livelihood the captain of his fleet has returned with, of all things, a mermaid. Jonah is both dismayed and intrigued by this turn of events and more than a little alarmed at being the owner of such an unusual curiosity.

With the need to recoup his losses, Jonah allows the public a tantalising glimpse of this creature and his mermaid exhibition causes a furore in London, with the great, and the not so good, queuing to see it. Against his better judgement Jonah comes into contact with Mrs Chappell, a notorious brothel keeper, who has her own more risqué ideas on how to enhance the mermaid’s effect. However, Jonah’s uneasy association with the brothel keeper brings him into contact with Angelica Neal, a famed courtesan, who is the most beautiful woman Jonah Hancock has ever seen.

This is a really intriguing story about love, greed and obsession and is a real journey through Georgian London, with its fascination for curiosities and its ambiguous morality. The characters are a fascinating bunch, from the rather staid atmosphere of Jonah Hancock’s merchant’s house, to the bawdy illumination of Mrs Chappell’s establishment, there is never a moment when the story doesn’t draw you in. Angelica Neal takes some getting used to, she’s brash and lively, petulant and greedy and yet, by the end of the story I really liked her spirit and determination.

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock, is really a story of two definite halves; with, I think, the second half of the story being stronger than the first, but throughout it all is a real sense of time and place, and Georgian London with all its pettiness, squabbles and obsession with society is brought to life in quite a vivid way.

I listened to The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock as an Audible recording, which was beautifully narrated by Juliet Stevenson. ( 17 hours and 19 minutes)

About the Author

Imogen Hermes Gowar studied Archaeology, Anthropology and Art History before going on to work in museums. She began to write fiction inspired by the artefacts she worked with, and in 2013 won the Malcolm Bradbury Memorial Scholarship to study for an MA in Creative Writing at UEA. The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock was a finalist in the MsLexia First Novel Competition and shortlisted for the inaugural Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers’ Award.

Audible Review ~ The Monster Collection

My thanks to Midas and Audible.co.uk for my listening copy of The Monster Collection

Written by: Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Robert Louis Stevenson, Maria Mellins, Peter Howell

Narrated by: Richard Armitage, Dan Stevens, Greg Wise, Rachel Atkins

Length: 30 hrs and 24 mins 

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:24/10/2017

Publisher: Audible Studios

These stories need no introduction as I am sure that everyone is aware of the continuing and timeless fascination for this trio of classic stories.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is narrated by Richard Armitage

Frankenstein is narrated by Dan Stevens 

Dracula is narrated by Greg Wise

All the narrators have their own unique way of telling the story and I found, in listening, whole new aspects of the stories which I had previously not registered or had forgotten entirely. That the stories remain spookily credible in today's modern world is testament to the absolute strength of the original, which never need any embellishment to make them as fresh and as compelling as the day on which they were written.

The length of the audible narration, over 30 hours, needs a level of commitment, but I also think that these are amongst the best sort of stories for listening to in snippets rather than in whole great chunks as that way the individuality of the stories can be savoured and enjoyed rather like vintage wine,

My favourite has always been Dracula and Greg Wise does a superb job of bringing this fascinating story to life. There's a subtle blend of suspense mingled with the classic story telling tradition of dark tales told around a flickering fireside, and as always, Bram Stoker's classic really comes alive in the imagination. 

The Gothic elements of all three novels are timeless and sit within the imagination really well and if you haven't time to read all three novels then listening to The Monster Collection would make an ideal accompaniment to a long journey. 

You can find the Audible edition of The Monster Collection by clicking here 

~****~

Review ~ Holding by Graham Norton (Audio)

Hodder&Stoughton
2016

A bit about the book..

The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama; and yet its inhabitants are troubled. Sergeant PJ Collins hasn't always been this overweight; mother of­ two Brid Riordan hasn't always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn't always felt that her life was a total waste.

So when human remains are discovered on an old farm, suspected to be that of Tommy Burke - a former­ love of both Brid and Evelyn - the village's dark past begins to unravel. As the frustrated PJ struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life, he unearths a community's worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regret.

My thoughts..

When offered the opportunity to listen to Graham Norton's debut novel, Holding which is narrated by the man himself, well, as a huge fan, I couldn't resist spending 7 or so hours in his congenial company.

The small Irish town of town of Duneen is, on the surface, rather a gentle place, and for the local police officer , PJ Collins,  the only excitement is perhaps where his next bite of breakfast is going to be coming from. However, as with all small towns what you see on the surface is not necessarily what you get, and when human bones are discovered on the edge of an old farm, well, the anticipation generated is beyond anything that PJ has ever experienced.

There is a very good mystery at the heart of the novel which is explored in sympathetic detail. And as the story progresses, and despite gentle hints of humour, there is genuine pathos and more than a hint towards a darker time in the town's history. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, particularly Brid and Evelyn, but I also had a whole bucket load of sympathy for the enigmatic Mrs Meany and longed to be sitting in the Garda House with PJ tucking into one of her sturdy Irish breakfasts.

What I loved about this story, and yes, I did love every word, was the subtle way the author teased the reader with sly innuendo and tantalising little snippets of gossip so that it became like sitting down in a cosy chair, with a plate piled high with scones and biscuits, and having a good old natter with your best friend.

Graham Norton narrates Holding with his inimitable charm and flair. It’s beautifully written, splendidly narrated and a real joy to listen to from start to finish and every minute of the 7 hours and 20 minutes of the audio file was, for me, time well spent. 


Without doubt, this is a commendable debut novel which I hope is the start of many more by this talented author.

Best read with....a hearty breakfast and maybe a glass or two of strong Irish stout but not necessarily at the same time..

About the Author

Graham Norton is one of the UK's best loved broadcasters. He presents The Graham Norton Show on BBC1, has a weekly show on BBC Radio 2, and writes a column for the Telegraph. He is the winner of eight BAFTA awards. Born in Dublin and raised in West Cork, Norton now lives in London. Holding is his first novel.

Website

Twitter @grahnort

My thanks to  Audible.co.uk for the opportunity to listen to Holding and also to Francesca at Midas PR for the invitation to review the book.

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A special feature available today from Audible ~ "Send This Book "

Scientists, authors, artists and athletes launch ‘Send This Book’ for Audible

Audible, the world’s largest retailer and producer of audiobooks and other spoken-word entertainment, today announces the UK debut of ‘Send This Book’. The feature allows listeners to give any audiobook they own in their ‘My Library’ to others instantly via e-mail, text, Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, using their iOS, Android or Windows 10 device. 

Each recipient gets their first title for free to download and keep forever, whether they’re an Audible member or not.

To mark the occasion, some of Britain’s best-loved scientists, authors, artists and athletes are giving away the audiobooks they consider essential listening. 

On Friday 18th November Jon Ronson, Gemma Cairney, Mary Beard, Robert Winston, Karren Brady, Jude Kelly, Matt Dawson and Noma Dumezweni will each be sharing a link to their chosen audiobook on Twitter, inviting members of the public to download the title for free. Featuring a mix of side-splitting comedies, iconic classics and fascinating biographies their must-listen recommendations include: 

Jon Ronson, Author of ‘The Psychopath Test’ and ‘The Men Who Stare At Goats’

A Very English Scandal: Sex, Lies and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment

Written by John Preston, narrated by Daniel Weyman

“This is a brilliant, funny, sad, startling nonfiction novel about the Jeremy Thorpe murder-plot scandal. I barely remember it from my childhood – just some hazy memories about a liberal MP and a dog and a field and a gun and my parents being furious that the Westminster elite got away with it like they always do. The details, it turns out, are astounding. But unlike less ambitious nonfiction writers, John Preston is not content to just tell a great story. He’s told it in a great way. It is as funny and dark as anything by Evelyn Waugh or Jonathan Coe. And in these post Cyril Smith/Jimmy Saville days, it’s so timely and relevant.”

Gemma Cairney, BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ

Just Kids

Written by Patti Smith, narrated by Patti Smith

“When this book came out a few years ago, a friend of mine took me to see Patti Smith in the intimate and enchanting setting of the Union Chapel in Islington to watch Patti read extracts and perform. It was a beguiling and extraordinary experience, watching her, was like watching no one I'd ever seen before. Listening to audio version of this book, takes me right back to that night. One never to be forgotten.”

Mary Beard OBE, Professor of Classics at Cambridge

The Odyssey

Written by Homer, narrated by Anton Lesser

“The Odyssey takes us back to the very origins of Western literature. If you think ‘origins’ are likely to be crude and roughly formed, you're in for a shock. This is a marvellously sophisticated tale of homecoming, temptation, adventure and the contested boundary between civilisation and barbarity. There's no better book to listen to, because it was first composed not to be read, but heard in oral recitation: the original talking book.”

Robert Winston, Professor of Science and Society at Imperial College

The Pigeon Tunnel: Stories From My Life

Written by John le Carré, narrated by John le Carré

“One of the most unusual autobiographies I have ever read. It gives a background to the content and style of one of our greatest fiction writers and what it really means to be a spy.”

Karren Brady CBE, Businesswoman and Baroness of Knightsbridge

The Kept Woman

Written by Karin Slaughter, narrated by Jennifer Woodward

“Pacier than a runaway train and more twists and turns than a roller-coaster. A blockbuster of a crime, thriller suspense. In short the body of a drug dealer and an ex-cop turn up in a warehouse owned by a famous basketball player resulting in murder, espionage, betrayal, secrets, relationship emotions – this book just about has it all! At the heart of it all is a love story, but it’s dark and twisted – it’s one hell of a good book!”

Jude Kelly CBE, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre

To Kill A Mocking Bird

Written by Harper Lee, narrated by Sissy Spacek

“A young white girl scrutinises her community as its racism is revealed and then silently champions her father as he battles for legal justice for his wrongly accused black client. It's a 1960s novel with a frighteningly contemporary relevance and such a powerful read.”

Matt Dawson MBE, Presenter and former England Rugby Scrum-half

Room On The Broom

Written by Julia Donaldson, narrated by Josie Lawrence

“This timeless bed time soother entertains me most evenings. Oh yes.... the boys love it too. When Alex and Sami join in with 'Whoosh it was gone' there's a smile on all three of our faces because we believe it. Scaring Dragons, making potions and simply cruising on a broom with a shower, what better thought to have in your mind before a snooze.”

Noma Dumezweni, Actor, Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

The Alchemist

Written by Paulo Coelho, narrated by Jeremy Irons

“The best kind of storytelling – The Alchemist seems simple enough, the journey, the obstacles and the transformation... but the depth of feeling one has if open to it is why it's brilliantly received. Such a pleasure.”

All of the above can be downloaded now  click here 

All the audiobooks featured are available to download free for today only (between 09:00 Friday 18th November and 09:00 Saturday 19th November).

To use the feature, customers simply hit the share icon when listening to an audiobook, then tap ‘Send This Book’, select their preferred sharing method (email, text, Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp) and enter the recipient’s contact information. Users can send each audiobook to up to 10 people.  If it is a recipient’s first time accepting an audiobook via this feature the recipient does not need to sign up for a free trial or use a credit card to download the title.

Tracey Markham, UK Country Manager at Audible, said: “Our members know how irresistible a good audiobook can be. Now, for the first time, listeners can share their enjoyment by sending complete titles to anyone in the UK for them to download and keep forever without having to pay a penny. Whether you’re a book club member who wants to share an audiobook with the entire group, a teacher recommending a title to your class, or an enthusiastic listener giving to a friend, Send This Book lets you share the audiobooks you love with those you care about most.”

About Audible

Audible, an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading provider of premium digital spoken audio information and entertainment, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible was created to unleash the emotive music in language and the habituating power and utility of verbal expression. Audible content includes more than 200,000 audio programs from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers. Audible is also the preeminent provider of spoken-word audio products for Apple’s iTunes Store.

Thanks to Audible and Francesca at Midas Public Relations for permission to share this information with my blog readers.

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Review ~ Monster 1983 written by Ivar Leon Menger (Audio)

New from Audible

October 2016

Callum Blue (Dead Like Me), Anastasia Griffith (Damages) and Marc Warren (Hustle) star in new audio-drama from Germany's master of thriller.

Anastasia Griffith (Deputy Taylor Dunford)

Callum Blue (Sheriff Cody)

Marc Warren (Deputy Landers)

Drawing influences from Poltergeist, Stand By Me and E.T. and other Spielberg classics, the story unfolds in the small coastal town of Harmony Bay, Oregon. Still reeling from a sudden and profound family tragedy, Sheriff Cody uproots his elder son Michael, and younger daughter Amy, from the chaos of Orlando to begin a new, more relaxed life in the Beaver State. Soon after their arrival however, this new-found tranquillity is disturbed by a succession of brutal but mysterious deaths. As the plot twists and turns its way through small-town secrecy, psychiatry wards and the supernatural, Cody comes under increasing pressure to solve each new case whilst keeping his family safe from harm.

©2015 Ivar Leon Menger (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

My thoughts..


When I first opened the Audible file of Monster 1983 and saw that there were 190 chapters I must admit that my heart sank a little, but then I discovered that some of the chapters are very short and take only a few minutes. And to be honest, once the story begins, both the chapters and the hours fly by very quickly.

The story is creepy from the offset, the small coastal town of Harmony Bay comes alive with intrigue and as the new sheriff tries to investigate a series of macabre killings you can’t help but be drawn into the whole creepy scenario.

The fact that Monster 1983 is a dramatic production of several voices gives the story a noticeably theatrical feel and I found that each individual narrator brought something very different to the story. I really enjoyed the distinctive and individual nature of their interpretation.

In many ways Monster 1983 is a chilling but entirely plausible version of small town America. Harmony Bay is a place of secrets. It is a town where petty grievances are allowed to fester and where control and domination go hand in hand. The chilling nature of the supernatural content grows gradually but with real intent until the malice and mayhem which is evoked becomes frighteningly realistic.

Monster 1983 is definitely one of those productions that you want to listen to with all the lights on and, preferably, not too late at night!

Best Read With ...A caffeine laced-Americano and generous slices of freshly caught tuna..

Audio Download Details

Listening Length: 7 hours and 18 minutes

Program Type: Audiobook

Version: Original recording

Publisher: Audible Studios

Audible.co.uk Release Date: 12 Oct. 2016

My thanks to Audible and Leanne at Midas pr for the opportunity to listen to Monster 1983

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Review ~ Orphans of the Carnival by Carol Birch (Audio)

Canongate
September 2016

A bit of blurb..

Julia Pastrana is the singing and dancing marvel from Mexico, heralded on tours across nineteenth-century Europe as much for her talent as for her rather unusual appearance. Yet few can see past the thick hair that covers her: she is both the fascinating toast of a Governor's ball and the shunned, revolting, unnatural beast, to be hidden from children and pregnant women. 

But what is her wonderful and terrible link to Rose, collector of lost treasures in an attic room in modern-day south London? In this haunting tale of identity, love and independence, these two lives will connect in unforgettable ways.

My thoughts about the book..

Re-imagining the life of someone like Julia Pastrana, and for the author to do justice to this remarkable young woman, must have been filled with huge difficulties, as I can imagine that the story was as emotional to write, as it was to read.

Julia Pastrana was born in Mexico in the mid nineteenth century and had the misfortune to be born with a medical condition called hypertrichosis lanuginosa, which made her an object of curiosity all her life. Passed from one exploitative person to another, Julia finds that her only real place of safety is to be amongst those other sad individuals who make up the grotesque and imperfect who ply the circus and carnival routes of mid-nineteenth century America. And yet, as the story progresses and we get to know Julia, we find that she is so much more than her appearance suggests.. She is fluent in three languages, is a delightful singer and dancer and is also a warm and generous person. It is the world at large that is Julia’s enemy and her almost unbelievable struggle to succeed is what gives this story its distinct appeal.

Running alongside Julia’s extraordinary story is that of Rose, a modern day hoarder who lives in a flat in London surrounded by tat and with a life filled with regrets and indecision. No two women could be any more different and yet, as the story progresses, we see how their connection plays out within the wider context of the story.

I listened to this story over 14 hours, which is the length of the unabridged version on Audible, I agree that’s a remarkable length of time but, it must be said, I was never bored, and in fact, I eagerly looked forward to my listening periods, when in the company of narrator, Helen Johns, I entered Julia’s world. The narrator really gives this story an added dimension, her story telling skills are very good, and her ability to give each character their unique voice ensured that they all came truly alive. However, it was her interpretation of Julia which will stay with me for a very long time. She captured the horror and the degradation and the downright eccentricity of Julia’s world to perfection. I appreciate that the power of this remarkable story is largely down to the words that the author has so competently written, but for me, this narrator really gave the book its heart and soul.

Orphans of the Carnival is a remarkable novel and is definitely a story that will stay with me for a very long time.


Best Read with ... A cup of Julia's favourite hot chocolate..

Audible.co.uk



About the Author

Carol Birch is the author of ten previous novels, including Scapegallows (2008) and Turn Again Home (2003) which was long listed for the Man Booker Prize. She has also won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize and the David Higham Award for Best First Novel. Jamrach's Menagerie was longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2011 and the London Book Award.

My thanks to Audible.co.uk for the opportunity to listen to this book and also to Francesca at Midas for the invitation to listen to and review Orphans of the Carnival.




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