It’s Time Travel Thursday! This is where I take a look back at what I was reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and compare it to what I am reading now.
Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He’s made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.
As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn’t that be a bonus?
But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?”
A Death In Custody by T.S.Clayton
Book Synopsis from Waterstones:
Brixton in the late 1990s. Delroy Brown, a young black man being held in police custody, dies in a confrontation in his cell with a police officer.
The officer claims to have acted in self-defence but fails to give a satisfactory explanation for being in the dead man’s cell.
Chief Inspector Elliott conducts an investigation into Delroy’s death, but his enquiries are obstructed by a lack of co-operation from police officers, the activities of a corrupt private investigator – and the legal system itself.
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
Book Description From Waterstones:
When newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband’s crumbling country estate, The Bridge, what greets her is far from the life of wealth and privilege she was expecting . . .
When Elsie married handsome young heir Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her husband’s awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. Inside her new home lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figure —a silent companion —-that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of The Bridge are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug this off as simple superstition–that is, until she notices the figure’s eyes following her.
A Victorian ghost story that evokes a most unsettling kind of fear, this is a tale that creeps its way through the consciousness in ways you least expect–much like the silent companions themselves.
As you can see I have finally got round to reading the second Richard Osman. It is strange that I was reading the first one at the same time last year, how time flies! You can also see that I wasn’t reading quite as much last year as I was only just getting back in to reading after many years – one book at a time was quite enough for me!
What were you reading this time last year or the year before (or the year before!)?
I was tagged in a challenge on Instagram to find two books with similar covers. I have to admit that this was a lot harder than I thought it would be and to be honest those that I did find weren’t as close as I would have liked!
📚The Perfect Couple by Jackie Kabler
📚Cauliflowers through the Catflap by Cassandra Campbell-Kemp
📚The High Lord by Trudi Canavan
📚 Chasing the darkness by Cassie Sanchez
📚Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
📚 Beauty and the Book Collector by Bethany Windfall
📚 Jane Austen in one sitting
📚 Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
“book”, “read”, “book blog”, “easy read”, “don’t miss out”, “fiction”, “entertaining”, “chick lit”, “romance”, “popular book”, “what should I read next”, “what book do you recommend”, “library”
When Adrian Harcourt, a politician and captain in the army believed dead with his company on the battlefield of Flanders, is sighted looking like he’s been living rough, Harry Lark, a war veteran and journalist, is enlisted by his friend and benefactor Lady Carlise to investigate.
As he becomes drawn further into the case and the deaths mount up, he can see that things don’t add up. Where has Adrian been for so many years? Why can’t he remember parts of his past?
Looking further into Adrian’s previous life, even as his own dark past and addiction to laudanum threatens to overwhelm him, Harry begins to fall for Lady Carlise’s beautiful daughter Freddy, who was also Adrian’s fiancé.
Chasing the leads as they continue to unravel, can Harry solve the mystery behind what really happened to Adrian before it’s too late?”
This is a Blog Tour book. I am on the tour for this book on 11 February, so keep your eyes peeled for my review on here, Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!
It’s First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday! Hosted by Socrates Book Reviews this is where you share the first paragraph of one of the books that you are currently reading so:
“The new doctor took her by surprise. Not that there was anything unusual in his arrival – doctors came and went often enough. But this one was young. New to the profession, as well as the place. There was a brightness to him that made her eyes ache.”
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
Book Description From Goodreads:
“Inspired by the work of Shirley Jackson and Susan Hill and set in a crumbling country mansion, The Silent Companions is an unsettling gothic ghost story to send a shiver down the spine…
Newly married, newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband’s crumbling country estate, The Bridge. With her new servants resentful and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie only has her husband’s awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. But inside her new home lies a locked room, and beyond that door lies a two-hundred-year-old diary and a deeply unsettling painted wooden figure – a Silent Companion – that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself…”
I have just started reading this book and have reached chapter 2. So far so good! I chose this specific book because I was looking for a Gothic Fiction book to read this month. Whether I will be able to finish it this month is another matter, but I will try!
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, this week’s Top 10 is New To Me Authors I Discovered in 2021. I read so many great books from new to me authors in 2021 that this is quite a hard one for me to choose just 10! Here is the list that I have come up with:
“A milk churn had been placed upright by the side of the road”
Genre:Thriller
Number of Pages: 320
Date of Publication:30 September 2021
Publisher:Andy Greenaway (USA)
Rated: 5/5
My Review Summary:A fast paced, gripping tale.
📖PLOT SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS📖
“”The Bomb Man” is an enthralling, fast-paced novel based on real events. Beyond that, it serves as a tribute to a rare breed of men who were thrust into a conflict they were not prepared for in Northern Ireland. The year is 1973. Catholics and Protestants are at war. IRA terrorists have unleashed a bloody bombing campaign, indiscriminately killing women and children, policemen and soldiers. Bomb disposal expert Dave Thomson has been sent to Londonderry by the British army. His job is to dismantle the countless explosive devices that are planted across the city every day. When he captures an IRA bomb-maker in the act of planting a device, Thomson crosses the line. He forces the terrorist to defuse his own bomb. A provocative act that ignites the fury of the IRA. The terrorist organization puts a price on his head. With 30 days until his tour of duty ends, there’s only one question on Thomson’s mind. Will he make it home alive to his wife and children? Or in a body bag?
A book set in the period of The Troubles is bound to stir controversy. Even though the events in this novel occurred almost fifty years ago, they still touch a raw nerve among the many whose lives were touched abhorrently and indelibly by the conflict.
This book offers insight into the circumstances that led to The Troubles. It touches on the blatant social injustice and religious discrimination that was endemic in Northern Ireland. The author also opens a window into the deadly excesses of the British Army, who exacerbated the problem and contributed to the rise of the IRA.
But this is not a book about the rights and wrongs of the conflict. It’s a novel. A story which has been inspired by the author’s father – a bomb disposal man who was posted to Northern Ireland in 1973, at the height of the bombings. Readers will see through the eyes of a British soldier and the perspective is candidly one-sided. That is not to say there aren’t other valid perspectives of what happened. As they say, there’s always two sides to a story.
That said, this book is authentic. It offers readers an accurate view of the practices and protocols followed by the British Army, a sense of how the IRA operated, and a feeling of the deep distrust between Catholics and Protestants.
💭THOUGHTS💭
I love Thrillers and when this one came up on Random Things Tours I was excited to see that it had a different setting to something that I would normally read. It was based in Northern Ireland and focussed on The Troubles. I know of the Troubles, but I have never read about them. It was an excellent read and one which has made me broaden my horizons when choosing books to read.
The story was well written and grabbed me from the beginning. It opened with a note saying that it was based on true events and people, which piqued my interest. I like to read things that are based on true stories as I feel like I have learnt something new whilst being entertained.
The chapters were simply numbered and fairly short. They each took tiny parts of the story, which together, built up the whole picture. This gave the story a fast pace, whilst at the same time giving you important little details that gave the story life. Whilst it was fast paced the story didn’t feel rushed, for example you had time to see what the characters were eating, drinking and playing whilst waiting for things to happen. It actually added to the suspense because these details were so mundane that you were expecting something awful to happen next. I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen and who was going to survive!
The characters, as mentioned above, were based on real people and you could tell by the way that it was written that there was real passion and emotion behind these characters. I was kept engaged by the mere personalities of some of these characters and was kept guessing as to what was going to happen next.
I enjoyed reading about all of the characters and the way that you could see where they were coming from, from both sides, even if their actions were sometimes a step too far. I really felt for some of them and became quite emotionally invested in the story! I enjoyed reading about what happened next to the characters at the end of the story. It gave closure to the book.
Lastly I will mention the settings. They were lightly described and they really didn’t need any more than that. It was a character based story and the fact that it was set at the time of The Troubles meant that you didn’t need to spend time reading about where all the characters were. It was what they were up to that was the focus and this was balanced well against the light description of the background.
I really enjoyed reading this book and felt that I have learnt something new. It was an emotional and fast paced read and I would definitely recommend it to Thriller fans and anybody with an interest in The Troubles. As it says in the Authors notes, the focus of the story was on a lesser know part of the Army and it was nice to read about those that are largely overlooked, yet were clearly a big part of the ‘war’. A 5 star rating from me!
⭐Rated 5/5⭐
About the Authorand Book
The Bomb Man by Andy Greenaway
· ASIN : B09HFSD93P
· Publisher : Independently published (28 Sept. 2021)
Northern Ireland, 1973. Catholics and Protestants are at war. IRA terrorists have unleashed a bloody bombing campaign, indiscriminately killing women and children, policemen and soldiers. Bomb disposal expert Dave Thomson has been sent to Londonderry by the British army. His job is to dismantle the countless explosive devices that are planted across the city every day. When he captures a bomb-maker in the act of planting a device, Thomson crosses the line. He forces the terrorist to defuse his own bomb. A provocative act that ignites the fury of the IRA. The terrorist organisation puts a price on his head. With 30 days until his tour of duty ends, there’s only one question on Thomson’s mind. Will he make it home to his wife and children alive? Or in a body bag?
NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR
Even though the events in this novel occurred almost fifty years ago, they still touch a raw nerve among many whose lives were touched abhorrently and indelibly by the conflict.
To this day, The Troubles give rise to deep passions. The perspectives of the people embroiled in the conflict, as you might expect, differ greatly. Acute bias exists depending on which side people were on.
In writing this book, I have tried to give an insight into the circumstances that led to The Troubles. I touch on the blatant social injustice and religious discrimination that was endemic in Northern Ireland. I open a window into the deadly excesses of the British Army, who exacerbated the problem and contributed to the rise of the IRA.
But this is not a book about the rights and wrongs of the conflict. It’s a novel. A story which has been inspired by my father. A bomb disposal man who was posted to Northern Ireland in 1973, at the height of the bombings. It is through the eyes of a British soldier that we view the events that unfold. I’ll be honest. It is one-sided. That is not to say there aren’t other valid perspectives of what happened. As they say, there’s always two sides to a story.
That said, I have endeavoured to write a book that is authentic. A book that gives people an accurate view of the practices and protocols followed by the British Army. A sense of how the IRA operated. A feeling of the deep distrust between Catholics and Protestants.
In the story, there are many firsts. The wheelbarrow, the bomb suit and electronic countermeasures were introduced during my father’s tour of duty.
No one has ever written a novel about the brave men from 321 EOD before. Many action writers like to put the more glamorous SAS at the heart of their stories.
But ‘The Bomb Man’ is more than just a story. It is a tribute to a rare breed of men who were thrust into a conflict they were not prepared for.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy is a writer who has spent the last 30 years in Asia. Singapore is the place he has chosen to call home.
The Bomb Man is his first novel. A story that was inspired by his Father, a bomb disposal expert who served in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
Andy’s Father was sent to Northern Ireland twice. The first time was during the height of the bombings in 1973. It was a gruelling tour and Andy’s Father came close to death on several occasions.
Andy convinced his Father to write his stories down on paper. They were too important, he told his Father.
The Bomb Man is the result. It’s a unique and gripping thriller that gives the reader an inside look into the machinations of a bomb squad, as well as a feel for the dirty tactics used by the IRA. Andy spent five years writing the book, ensuring its authenticity and operational accuracy.
The senior Greenaway appeared in many documentaries about The Troubles before he passed away.
EARLY YEARS
From the time Andy Greenaway was born, he grew up knowing nothing else but life in the British Army.
His Father was an Ammunition Technician and bomb disposal expert. Andy travelled with his military parents and lived on bases in Cyprus, Bahrain, Germany, Canada, and every part of England.
As a young boy, he would go out onto the ranges with his Father, who would pick up unexploded mortars and other types of dysfunctional ammunition. When the bomb disposal robot was invented (the wheelbarrow), Andy was one of the first to give it a test drive in a workshop at Kineton, the army’s Central Ammunition Depot.
“book”, “read”, “book review”, “book blog”,”recommended”, “easy read”, “don’t miss out”, “thriller”, “reading slump”, “what should I read next”, “what book do you recommend”, “random things tours”
Welcome to the new home of Goodreads Monday! I have taken over the role of host from Lauren’s Page Turners who no longer blogs about books.
Goodreads Monday allows you to post about what books are on your “to read” lists, the progress you have made on your current books and reading challenge, and any other Goodreads news!
✨Feel free to add your link in the comments section so that we can all see each other’s posts!✨
The book that I have chosen from my Goodreads list this week is:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Book Description From Goodreads:
“Willy Wonka’s famous chocolate factory is opening at last!
But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!”
I have had this book for many years and never got round to reading it. I love the original film (the updated version not so much) and so I would love to see what the film was based on!
Currently Reading Progress
A Death In Custody by T S Clayton 30% read
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman 33% read
Progress on my Reading Challenge
I have read 6/97 books!
What book is on your list? How is your reading progress and challenge going?
Feel free to add your link in the comments so that we can all see each others posts!
Happy Sunday! Welcome back to my Sunday post hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer. It has been another busy week with me being on a Blog Tour, signing up for other Tours for next month and March (March?!?!) and generally reading!
It’s Six For Sunday! Hosted by A Little But A Lot, this week’s prompt is favourite opening chapters. This required a bit of research as it’s not something that I can instantly recall!
Budget Tales Book Blog 