Wandering the world

At the time of writing this post, Jojo Moyes was a new author for me. Moyes is a former journalist with The Independent who became a full time novelist in 2001. I thought she was a romance writer, so I had not read any of her books before. I picked up Someone else's shoes at my local library and decided the premise was enough for me to give it a go. That, and my consistent need to find a new author whose catalogue I can make my way through 😉. Spoiler alert: I bloody loved So

I had read one novel by Shane (SA) Dunphy a few years ago, and while it was kind of weird, I rather liked it. I thought I would give his latest novel a go. The helpdesk drew me in because of the blurb and the promise of an intriguing story based on a help desk staffer who penetrates and ruins the life of a caller asking for tech help one evening. Below is that promise: James Fitzpatrick is a high-profile partner in one of London's most successful law firms. He's married to Be

Zero days is my second attempt to read a Ruth Ware novel. See also my review of The It girl . I have to be honest and say that neither book sparked my interest. I'm not sure whether I will seek out any further novels by Ware. I know she's extremely popular, but I don't really get her appeal. Zero days | Published June 2023 | Read January 2024 I loved the premise of Zero days and found the computer stuff super interesting. Jack and Gabe are at the centre of the story. They are

Lexie Elliott is another favourite British author of mine whose current complete catalogue I have now read. Her books are categorised as thrillers, mysteries or suspense novels, and they are all those things. The strength in Elliott’s writing, though, comes from her strong characterisation and the way she evokes a deep sense of place. These strengths make her books less like your standard thriller and more about people and their motivations, where the setting becomes another

Alice Feeney is a British writer and former BBC journalist. She has written six psychological thrillers to date, some of which have been optioned for screen adaptations, including Rock paper scissors, currently being made into a television series by the producer of The Crown. Feeney always manages to surprise me. I tend to go along for the ride when reading thriller novels, stopping myself from trying too hard to figure out what is going on. Feeney is the master of the twist,

I've now read all four books that Downton Abbey actor, Catherine Steadman, has written to date. This post reviews the first two books that Steadman published. See my reviews here of the two later outings, The family game and The disappearing act . I really want to love Steadman's books. She's a British writer so that earns a tick from me for a start. Steadman writes well and I'm drawn into her stories from the first page. They are atmospheric and enticing from the outset. I'

I discovered British author, Catherine Isaac, after picking up her latest novel, The world at my feet , at my local library. I absolutely loved it, as you'll see from my review. I went back to Isaac's first two novels to complete the trifecta. While The world at my feet remains my favourite, I enjoyed the earlier outings. See my reviews below. From the books' blurbs and their covers (and the annoying categorisation as chick lit!), Isaac's books seem light and romantic. Yes,

The disappearing act is the second novel I read by Downton Abbey actor, Catherine Steadman. Read my review of The family game here. You can also read about the other books by Steadman that I have read since making this post. The disappearing act | Published June 2021 | Read January 2024 I am persevering with Steadman's books, partly because I like discovering new authors, Steadman's a British writer, and I keep expecting the books to get better. Sadly, they are not! Like St

The home is another novel I picked up from my local library without any knowledge of the author. The blurb was enough to draw me in; that, and the writer being British. Looking Karen Osman up, I discovered that The home is the second in a three-book deal with a UK-based publisher after her first novel, The good mother, won an award at the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature in 2016. Osman also runs a successful niche communications company and has academic qualifications

Eva Verde is a British author of black and white heritage who writes about identity and class. Lives like mine is one of two novels she has published to date. I really enjoyed Lives like mine. It feels especially authentic given the author's background and I warmed to her thoughtful and believable portrayal of the characters in the novel. The themes of motherhood, marriage, family dysfunction, identity, and racism kept me interested throughout the book. Lives like mine | Publ

I wanted to like Common ground, the debut novel by British author, Naomi Ishiguro. She is the daughter of 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature recipient, Kazuo Ishiguro and Booker Prize winner for The remains of the day ( later turned into a successful film). Naomi Ishiguro has previously published an acclaimed collection of short stories (that I haven't read), Escape routes . Common ground | Published March 2021 | Read December 2023 Common ground has friendship, loyalty, exclusion

British author, Annie Taylor, is a freelance copywriter currently completing a doctorate in creative writing. She has previously published two crime novels under the name, AM Taylor, Forget me not and Innocent or guilty? A contemporary novel with its focus on social media, The truth about her is AM Taylor's first novel as Annie Taylor. The truth about her | Published July 2023 | Read December 2023 I enjoyed The truth about her, partly for the Whitstable setting. I'd been to t

Under the same stars is Alexandra Heminsley's first foray into fiction, after a successful career in Britain as a freelance journalist, broadcaster and editor. The author has previously written memoirs, including her journey from non-runner to marathon entrant, and the experience of her first husband's gender transition following the birth of their son. Under the same stars | Published July 2022 | Read December 2023 Heminsley's fiction debut is the story of Clara's journey to

The world at my feet is the third novel by Liverpool author, Catherine Isaac. The author has previously found success with a series of romantic comedy novels under the pseudonym, Jane Costello. Don't let the romance novelist background put you off. I absolutely loved The world at my feet ! Since writing this post I've read Isaac's other books published to date. You can read my reviews of those books here. The world at my feet | Published January 2021 | Read December 2023 I w

I picked up The family game at my local library not having heard of the author before. Catherine Steadman is a British writer and actor but I had to look her up to discover she's been in Downton Abbey, not a television show I have ever watched. I was intrigued by both the author's background and the premise of the book, plus of course that I will read anything by a British writer! Since writing this post I've read Steadman's other books published to date. They are just as bon

I enjoyed Welsh author Ruth Jones's first novel, Never greener . Jones's first foray into fiction was published in 2018 following a successful television career as the co-creator of British comedy, Gavin & Stacey. I was keen to complete the trifecta by reading the other two books that Jones has written to date. I vehemently dislike the 'women's fiction' or 'chick lit' labels. Ruth Jones's books seem to be tagged with these classifications. I don't think the labels are accurat

I'm a little ashamed to say that I am not a fan of stories set in Australia written by Australian writers. Australian fiction doesn't resonate with me, perhaps because I go for dark reads and that's not the Aussie vibe. I wonder, too, if there's a thread weaving through Australian stories that matches the lighter shade of the landscape. The only Australian writer who writes Australian stories whom I love is Christian White , and his works are unique and far from standard Aus

I'd been keen to give Ruth Ware's books a go for ages, and was excited to find her latest outing, The it girl, at my local library. British authors of dark tales are totally my jam, and I was intrigued by The it girl because of its academic setting. I've also read another of Ware's novels. My review is posted here. The It girl | Published July 2022 | Read November 2023 The 'it girl' of the title is April Coutts-Cliveden, a rich, posh, flamboyant student at a fictional Oxfo

I love that The Paris library showcases the bravery of the librarians at the American Library in Paris during the Nazi occupation of WW2. It is not often that lovers of books are portrayed with heroism! The book is based on true events and that made me love it even more. The Paris library | Published February 2021 | Read November 2023 The author, herself having spent time working in the American Library, weaves well-researched fact and fiction into a story of the librarians w

The brightest star in the sky is the first Marian Keyes novel I read outside of the Walsh sisters series. I have enjoyed that series and I have grown to love the quirky nature of Keyes's writing and the Irishness of her works. Keyes's books are often described as chick-lit/romance so not at all my usual fare, but I don't mind the break from the dark and disturbing novels I mostly read. I would say, too, that on top of the fluff and humour, Keyes does make me think - about lif