December books

Happy New Year! My favourite reads from December are:

Raynor Wynne - Landlines

This non-fiction title is the third book in Raynor Wynne's Salt Path series. I was totally gripped by the first book. It told how she and her husband, Moth, lost their home at the time he was diagnosed with a serious chronic illness, and the power of the outdoors to reverse his symptoms. I bought this memoir without realising it was book three - I'll need to read book two now! In Landlines, Ray and Moth are living on their Cornish farm, but his symptoms have begun to progress. To add to the problem, it's the end of Lockdown and everyone is living with the spectre of the Covid pandemic. Ray begins to wonder if another long trek could work its magic again on her ailing husband. Moth's hesitant and skeptical, suspecting he's on a downward spiral. But he can't resist the lure of the trail, and somehow they manage to organise a trip to the northern-most parts of Scotland, where they aim to walk from Caithness to Fort William. Trials and tribulations abound, people are wary of strangers because of the ongoing virus fears, and it doesn't quite pan out the way they intended. But they keep on walking... The couple's love of the outdoors and nature is inspiring, and Ray's thoughts on the loss of wild spaces and the effects of humans on the natural world are insightful and meaningful. Another inspiring and riveting read.

Suzanne Fortin - The Dance Teacher of Paris

A dual-time novel set in present day and during World War 2. In Paris in 1942, Adele and her father run a dance school, keeping alive her mother's memory. In the dark time of the Nazi occupation of the city, it's a welcome release for the children. To Adele's dismay, her sister Lucille has become involved with Peter, a Nazi officer. Lucille claims that he's going to leave his wife and marry her. As the occupying force tightens its grip and the deportation of Jewish families begins, Adele realises that she must fight the evil and protect the innocent, no matter what the danger to herself. The modern part of the story focuses on Fleur, orphaned young, and brought up by her French grandmother. Lydia is now in her eighties, and every year she visits Paris on her own to reminisce. But this year she aks Fleur to accompany her, to discover about her grandmother's past. When they arrive in the city, Lydia is upset when she finds an old ballet shoe attached to a railing. Attractive antiques dealer, Didier, offers to help them investigate the source of the shoe. But Fleur doesnt know whether she can trust him, as he believes that Lydia can lead him to a priceless missing painting. In different centuries, two women seek to protect the people they love, and to search for the future they desire. Excellent historical atmosphere, drama and romance all combine to make a thoroughly good read.

Jenny Colgan - Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop

Carmen works at McCredie's traditional bookshop in Edinburgh, part of a picturesque row of shops in a historic part of the city, just below the castle. But times are hard, and all the shops are feeling the pinch. Carmen is nursing a broken heart, as Oke, the love of her life, has returned to his native Brazil and is working somewhere deep in the rainforest, out of communication - or else he's ghosting her. Carmen is so hard up that she's staying with her sister Sofia, who's on maternity leave, but who wants Carmen's room to house a full-time nanny for her four children when she returns to her high-powered job. To make matters worse, local entrepreneur Jackson McClockerty is buying up many struggling businesses and turning them into tacky souvenir shops. He has his eye on the shop where Carmen works. As Christmas approaches she has to come to terms with new challenging living arrangements, and with the realisation that Oke's not coming back. Delving into the secrets of the old bookshop she aims to find a new way of keeping its wonderful atmosphere and keeping it a source of wonder and joy for different generations, including her nieces and nephews. The people she thought she knew reveal hidden depths as snow begins to fall on Scotland's capital. A colourful and imaginative read with enjoyable characters, this novel celebrates the love of tradition and the magic of books.

November books

These are my favourite reads from November:

Kirsty Greenwood - The Love of My Afterlife

Delphie has lived a reclusive existence, unusual for a twenty-seven-year old woman. Suddently she finds herself in an ante-room for the Afterlife, in the presence of a most unusual being in the shape of a woman called Merritt. But even as she realises that she's dead, she meets the most attractive man she's ever encountered - and he's looking at her with love. When he's sent back to his life (as he's only under anaesthetic) Delphie can't believe that she would meet the Love of Her Life at that inappropriate moment! Merritt devises a plan to send Delphie back to Earth - and if she can find Jonah and he kisses her (intentionally) within seven days, then Delphie can have her life back. Revived and reprieved, she begins a frantic search for the man about whom she knows the bare minimum. At least he lives in London, but as she begins to recruit the workmates and neighbours she's never engaged with previously, she finds that it's a virtually impossible task. Humorous, tender and even outrageous at times, I found this to be an entertaining read, but with an underlying message about not wasting your life. There are lots of red herrings, lessons learned and even an unexpected twist at the end. Does Delphie find Jonah in the end? You'll need to read it to find out!

Nicola Cornick - The Other Gwyn Girl

Another of this author's novels about forgotten women from history, this time the elder sister of Nell Gwyn (the famous mistress of King Charles II). Rose was known to be a thief and married to a highwayman. But Nicola Cornick has delved behind the little that's known of her, and fashioned a sensitive and touching history for Rose. In this time-slip novel, we discover a connection between Rose and Jess, a woman from our own time. Jess is also eclipsed by her younger sister, Tavy, who is a television presenter and influencer. Following the end of a disastrous relationship to a fraudster, Jess is grateful to be offered the chance to live as caretaker for a historic manor house, Paradise Hall, which her sister is supposed to be 'making over' for the television cameras. While her famous sister is sleeping at a fancy hotel and jetting off to social events, Jess lives at the hall and wonders why she keeps seeing glimpses of a past time. When a historic skeleton turns up by the lake, she and the former owner of the hall, Ethan, begin to connect over their love of history as they search for its past. Intriguing, historically vivid, captivating, this book also has glimpses of present day characters from other of the author's novels. Thoroughly enjoyable as always.

Jenny Colgan - The Christmas Book Hunt

This was described on Amazon as a short story, but I would say that rather it is a novella. I know I can go to this author when I want to read an uplifting romantic story. This festive tale is a must for those who love books, and who like a feel-good romance. As Mirren's great aunt Violet only has a short time to live, she wants to make the old lady's final days as kind as possible. All Aunt Isobel desires is to find a special book that she had as a child, that connects her to the father she lost when she was young. Mirren knows that time is limited, so at the darkest time of the year she begins to search second hand bookshops for the rare book - if it actually exists at all. One of her first stops is at Philip Palliser's rare bookshop in the West End of London, where the owner's acquisitory instincts are engaged. He sends his downtrodden nephew Theo to follow Mirren on her hunt. If she does find the book, Theo's instructions are to pay her off for a fraction of its possible value. As Mirren's search widens to all corners of the British Isles, Theo latches on to her and persuades her that it's a coincidence that they're both on a book hunt. Is he a friend or a foe, and if she finds the book, will Mirren be able to keep it from his clutches? Full of lovely book references, bringing up the joy experienced by hunting for delicious finds in second hand bookshops, spiced with all the Christmas spirit of snow and festive accoutrements. A sensitive and satisfying read.

October Books

My favourite reads from October are:

Pam Lecky - No Stone Unturned

This is the first in a series of novels about Lucy, a young Victorian woman who is an amateur sleuth. Lucy has been estranged from her wealthy family since eloping with her husband Charlie. But after several years she's disillusioned by his infidelities and his badly-judged schemes that have left them penniless. When his recklessness goes too far, she finds herself identifying his body in the mortuary. Here she meets insurance investigator, Phin, who is researching some priceless stolen gems and believes that they were in Charlie's possession. As a result, Lucy herself is under suspicion. But her family have relented and invite her to stay with them for a while. Having no other means of support, she goes back home to Yorkshire. However, not everyone welcomes her home, and it's not the haven she'd imagined. Help comes from an unexpected source, and she's startled to find her heart being unexpectedly captured. Courageous Lucy embarks on an adventure with only Mary, her loyal Irish maid, to accompany her. The heroine is engaging, feisty, and resourceful, and the novel is well-written and packed with content.

Evie Woods - The Lost Bookshop

An enchanting novel about the joy of books and how a special bookshop in Dublin provides a refuge for two women a century apart. In 1921, Opaline runs away from her English family to escape being married off as a chattel. She travels to Paris where she works in a bookshop with a wonderful mentor, and meets people who share her interests and stir her emotions. But she's forced to flee again, and ends up in Dublin, taking over an unusual bookshop. In present day, Matthew is searching in Dublin for a wonderful bookshop he saw momentarily, but for some odd reason, he can't find it again. He believes it will lead him to a lost manuscript that would be the crowning of his research. His quest leads him to Martha, who has escaped an abusive marriage. She's found a live-in job looking after the elderly and eccentric Madame Bowden. The situation is not ideal but is safe. Martha and Matthew feel a connection to each other, though they spar constantly. At the same time, unexplained phenomena begin to appear in Madame Bowden's house. As Matthew and Martha begin open up to a new future, the links to the past are reaching down the years to be revealed. 

T. J. Brearton - Her Husband's Lies

Callie's husband, Abel, has lying in a coma in hospital following a car crash six weeks previously. As far as the police could tell, he'd skidded on some ice and crashed into the lake. Luckily someone had found him before the car was submerged. He wasn't even supposed to be in that area, and the questions keep piling up. Callie's desperate for answers, for him to recover, especially for the sake of her son Cormac who's just started college. But when a young woman named Althea calls her, claiming that she's a psychic who taps into the memories of others, and tells her that someone ran Abel off the road, Callie doesn't really believe in psychics - yet some of the information Althea tells her turns out to be spookily accurate. As she begins her own investigation, she begins to uncover secrets that Abel was keeping from her. When the police turn up some new evidence connecting her husband to a serious crime, it feels to Callie as if her whole life has been a lie. Exciting, twisting, the plot weaves its way through the winter countryside as Callie tries to find out the truth. A gripping read.

September books

These are my favourite reads from September:

Marc Guggenheim - In Any Lifetime

This fast paced, inventive novel really captured me. Jonas Cullen is a scientist whose work proving the existence of mulitple universes has won him a Nobel prize. But at the culmination of his work, his own world falls apart when his wife and soul-mate, Amanda, dies in a car crash. He sets out on a daring mission to find a universe where she is alive. However, despite the differences between these universes, they tend to favour similar outcomes, and his chances are slim. In addition, his time will inevitably run out. Then there's Eva, a Swiss scientist who has also lost her life partner, and he connects with her in more than one reality. Settling with her could be a possibility if he can't find Amanda. As another angry scientist begins to stalk him through the universes, seeking revenge, it seems that the odds are against him. Edge-of-the-seat moments, joy, despair, excitement, tenderness - this novel has it all. 

Ann Cleeves - Raven Black (Shetland book 1)

I've enjoyed every series of this drama on television. However, up till now I haven't read any of the author's books before. I found this novel to be excellent, with plenty of pace, well-rounded characters with convincing back-stories, and a definite sense of place. Detective Jimmy Perez went to school in Shetland, being from the even remoter Fair Isle. When he returns to take up a police post, he's immediately thrown into solving the murder of sixteen-year-old incomer Catherine Ross. She's discovered by Fran Hunter, former wife of a prominent Shetland businessman, and mother to Cassie. The killing stirs up memories of the disappearance twenty years earlier of another young girl. Reclusive neighbour Magnus Tait was suspected at the time, but nothing could be proved. It's Perez' job to discover once and for all if the old man was guilty of the previous crime, while many of his colleagues think it's a done deal. But danger lurks in the dark nights, and tensions run high. The other-worldliness of the Shetland isles is depicted very well. As Ann Cleeves grew up in England, she's certainly done her homework in depth. From the bleak winter landscape, the isolation of some of the residents and the difficulties of moving to live there, to the spectacle of the 'Up Helly A' winter viking festival, it's a brilliantly drawn novel.  

Patrick Stewart - Making it So

Every now and again I add one of my non-fiction reads to my list. I have particularly enjoyed this autobiography of the Shakespearean actor who became 'Captain Jen-Luc Picard' in the Star Trek: Next Generation series and beyond (I'm a long-term fan of the series!). He describes his impoverished background in Yorkshire, leaving school aged fifteen with no qualifications, and being given openings to develop his talent by a dedicated teacher. Through sheer hard work and grit he made his way through drama school and finally achieved his dream of acting with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Eventually he found himself in Hollywood, becoming famous as a sci-fi actor, but he never lost his love of the stage. Honestly written, the book reveals his troubled relationship with his father, plus his own personal family difficulties. He's also worked many famous actors who became his friends. The reader can hear his voice in the writing, as if it was spoken. If you're not a fan of the theatre, some of the acting detail might become tedious, but I found it absolutely riveting and I was always keen to get back to reading the book. An excellent autobiography.

August books

My favourite books from the past month are:

Sue Monk Kidd - The Secret Life of Bees

In South Carolina, 1964, fourteen-year-old Lily has grown up believing she was responsible for her mother's death ten years earlier. Gradually she's become a slave to her unkind father, who she calls T. Ray. But when their black servant, Rosaleen, makes the decision to register to vote now that it's been passed by law, everything changes. After an altercation, Rosaleen ends up in prison, and Lily rescures her as she knows she's in danger. The two then set off on a voyage of discovery. Lily takes with her a treasured picture from her mother's few remaining belongings, depicting a black Madonna and marked with a place name. When Rosaleen and Lily eventually arrive there, they discover that the picture is a label from a honey farm. It's run by three black sisters, August, June and May, who open their home to the two strangers. There Lily learns about kindness, about bees and that the colour of your skin should never make anyone suffer or be despised. But can she tell the sisters who she really is, and can she eventually discover the truth about her mother and how she died? A fascinating and deep novel, but it's a compelling read.

Shaun Bythell - The Diary of a Bookseller

I finished reading this non-fiction book in July, but I'm including it in my August books. I've been dipping in and out of it over a couple of months since visiting south west Scotland in early May. On a very wet day we visited Wigtown, known as Scotland's book town, and spent a couple of hours looking round some of the many bookshops. There was so much to browse and enjoy in The Bookshop. Written by the shop's proprietor, this is an entertaining glimpse of life behind the counter. He started keeping a journal of the trials and tribulations of being a bookseller, from the strange customers to the vicissitudes of online selling through Amazon, the local weather, and the excitement of investigating a collection of books to see if there's anything thrilling to add to the stock. His observations are entertaining and often humorous, as he reveals his life as a traditional second-hand bookseller in a world which is rapidly transforming to digital, and where customers' expectations are also changing. For anyone who likes browsing bookshops, it's a must! And in hindsight I'm very glad that I did buy books when I was in the shop. We really need to keep these treasure troves on the streets of our towns.

Jenny Colgan - Five Hundred Miles from You

It wasn't until I finished this novel that I realised that it was the third in a trilogy - but each book can be read as a standalone. It was a perfect holiday read (especially when staying in Scotland for my summer holiday). London nurse Lissa witnesses a tragic event which severely affects her emotionally. To help her recover, she's seconded for three months to a remote Scottish village near Inverness, in an exchange with ex-army medic, Cormac, who will take over her job in London. Although they have never met, or even seen what the other looks like, the two keep in touch professionally so that they can troubleshoot any problems in their new jobs. Once living in his house, Lissa finds herself becoming more curious about the man himself, while in the London nurses' home, Lissa's outrageous friend Kim-Ange takes him under her wing. Both Lissa and Cormac begin to connect on a deeper level, unaware that they have another, more sensitive connection, through the circumstances that led to their exchange. But at the back of Lissa's mind is the dread of her upcoming court appearance in connection with the crime she witnessed. Will her time out in Scotland give her the courage to face this? A tenderly written and heartwarming story.

July books

My favourite reads from July are as follows:

Victoria Hislop - One August Night

This is the sequel to the author's debut novel, The Island. The story is based on the island of Spinalonga, off Crete, which had become a place of exile for Greeks diagnosed with leprosy. The previous novel explored the lives and loves of those living in the nearby Cretan town of Plaka, and how this feared disease affected one family in particular. Maria was exiled to Spinalonga when she developed the disease. The sequel, One August Night, begins in 1957, after the discovery of a cure, when the island is vacated and the healed patients can now return to their former homes. There is a big party to celebrate the return of the colonists to their families. Maria's beautiful sister, Anna, unaffected by the disease, has led a charmed life since her sister's exile. But on that August night, a tragic and violent event changes everything. The life to which Maria returns is not the one she had imagined. Instead she takes on new responsibilities and must open her heart to forgiveness. And Manolis, the fiance she left behind, has to find a new path and find a way to heal. The ripples from the events of that night spread wide, and all those who experience it have to come to terms with an altered future. The author's concise writing style creates an intense novel as the story carries us forward through secrets and revelations. 

Ola Awonubi - A Nurse's Tale

Nigerian public relations officer Yemi takes on a fascinating historical project, travelling back from her home in Lagos to England where she lived as a child. She's been given the remit to work on a presentation about One Hundred Women of Nigeria and their influence on their country and the world. At the top of her list is her great aunt, Adenrele, who was a princess of the Egba people in Nigeria. She had travelled to England in the 1930s to train as a nurse and midwife, to bring the knowledge back to her people as a contribution to their bid for independence. As Yemi embarks on her project armed with her great-aunt's diaries, she discovers Ade's staunch, courageous character. Her forbear worked through the darkness of the Blitz of World War II far from her home, experiencing distrust and discrimination for the sake of her country. The project also brings Yemi into the company of doctor Michael Benjamin, whose Caribbean great grandfather had flown planes for the RAF during World War II. They begin to develop romantic feelings, but Yemi is torn, as her desire is to return home to Lagos. A fascinating novel that reveals much about the experiences of black people in their interaction with Britain, and is also a window to modern day life in Nigeria.

Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter - Girl, Missing

Gem lives with the tragedy of her eight-year-old daughter's abduction, fifteen years earlier. She's turned around her life, dragged herself from the depths of drink and destitution, and now runs a successful chain of bike repair shops. Sarah-Jane and her friend Abby were abducted from near their school. Abby came home - but Sarah-Jane was never found. Now a macabre discovery at the school, and it brings Gem back into her old neighbourhood and stirs up the pain that she has been trying to overcome. Back in the company of former friends and neighbours, as well as old enemies, there are shocking truths that come to light. People are not whom they seem, friends have dark secrets. Gem has a hard road to tread as the case is re-opened and she strives to discover what really happened to Sarah-Jane. Often dark, this novel is full of unexpected twists and turns, but somehow compels the reader to keep going until the final twist.

June books

My favourite reads from June are:

Nita Prose - The Maid

Molly is proud of her position as a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. Putting a room back in order makes her feel good about herself. But she finds it hard reading people's actions and dealing with social situations, and others sometimes call her unkind names. It's been especially hard since her beloved Gran died a few months earlier. Gran brouught her up on her own, and instilled in her a code of old-fashioned values that Molly still strives to uphold. But her life turns upside down when she discovers Mr. Black, one of the rich guests, dead in his room. She has to answer police questions, and the attitudes of her associates in the hotel change too - except for those of fatherly doorman, Mr. Preston. When it becomes clear that Mr. Black didn't die of natural causes, and Molly herself falls under suspicion, that we begin to discover that there are hidden depths to this endearing young woman. Molly becomes aware that those she has trusted in the past may not have had her interests at heart. Expertly written from Molly's point of view, as the murder mystery that unfolds around her and the plot proceeds with pace towards its clever conclusion. 

Rachel Burton - The Last Party at Silverton Hall

In 2019, Isobel returns to Norfolk when her grandmother Vivien leaves her Little Clarion, the house they lived in when Isobel was growing up. Grief mixes with guilt that she hadn't visited more often, especially as her parents are living in the USA. Now she finds that the old house is in sad need of restoration - much like herself. Her life hasn't turned out the way she had dreamed. Her art talents have been abandoned, and her engagement turned out to be a disaster. Jobless and single, the only thing that is calling her is the house. When she turns for help to her grandmother's friend, Spencer, she's thrown into the presence of his grandson, Nick, with whom she has a distant history. Memories of a special kiss they shared when they were young haunt her. Gradually she finds herself involved with nearby Silverton Hall, the Jacobean house which is now a hotel, but has some hidden connection with her inheritance. A forgotten photograph discovered there stirs up secrets from the past. As Isobel realises that her grandmother's home is the place she wants to be, she begins to uncover shocking, long-hidden truths - not just about Vivien and her grandfather Max, but also Nick's secrets that he doesn't want to reveal. Slipping in time between 2019 and the 1950s, this novel draws us into a different time and place as Isobel learns the truth about those she loves.

Bonnie Garmus - Lessons in Chemistry

I've been seeing this book advertised frequently recently, especially as it's now a TV series. So I decided to delve in - and I wasn't disappointed. Refreshingly different, we meet American Elizabeth Zott in 1961 as she turns her back on a scientific career and begins presenting 'Supper at Six' on television. Elizabeth is clever, determined, and hurting badly. Life has been hard for her, but she's determined to keep going, especially for the sake of her talented child, Madeline. To the producer's eternal frustration, she turns a cooking show for housewives into a lesson in chemistry. She teaches them about the content of food, how heating affects the composition of the ingredients, and insists on calling salt 'sodium chloride'. She's standing up for all the women who, like herself, have been kept down and told they are only fit to stay at home and can't have jobs in science, like men. We learn own history, the struggles she's had throughout her life as an unconventional woman, and her unusual love story. Even her dog, Six-Thirty, is not everyone's idea of a usual dog. Little Madeline is also different, brought up so that her talents and intelligence shine. Told in the author's matter-of-fact style which complements the main character perfectly, it uncovers the shortcomings of women's treatment in US society at the time. It also celebrates women's courage and the men who have the perspicacity to realise that things need to change. Plus it's also about love, friendship and respect, and is a colourful snapshot of this era in history.