I've read more than I've reviewed in April so here's a quick update of three books I enjoyed, though none of them excessively. After my very good experience of Sadie Jones's most recent novel The Snakes I was greedy for more of her intelligent, perceptive writing, so I got an audiobook of Fa...

I haven't been very good about keeping updates on here about my reviews on Shiny New Books. This one came out recently and it's a terrific novel which I really hope will be recognised for its importance. Set in 1932, it's the story of Doris, a girl from an impoverished and dysfunctional home w...

For a long time now I've avoided reading challenges, mainly because I was finding I never completed them. But I've always made an exception in the case of Simon and Kaggsy's year Clubs and have managed to contribute to them all so far. This time round it's 1965, a year within my own living me...

For a long time now I've avoided reading challenges, mainly because I was finding I never completed them. But I've always made an exception in the case of Simon and Kaggsy's year Clubs and have managed to contribute to them all so far. This time round it's 1965, a year within my own living me...

For a long time now I've avoided reading challenges, mainly because I was finding I never completed them. But I've always made an exception in the case of Simon and Kaggsy's year Clubs and have managed to contribute to them all so far. This time round it's 1965, a year within my own living me...

For a long time now I've avoided reading challenges, mainly because I was finding I never completed them. But I've always made an exception in the case of Simon and Kaggsy's year Clubs and have managed to contribute to them all so far. This time round it's 1965, a year within my own living me...

For a long time now I've avoided reading challenges, mainly because I was finding I never completed them. But I've always made an exception in the case of Simon and Kaggsy's year Clubs and have managed to contribute to them all so far. This time round it's 1965, a year within my own living me...

For a long time now I've avoided reading challenges, mainly because I was finding I never completed them. But I've always made an exception in the case of Simon and Kaggsy's year Clubs and have managed to contribute to them all so far. This time round it's 1965, a year within my own living me...

Three Crime Classics arrived from the British Library a while back -- all three by Micheal Gilbert -- and like a lot of books that appear in the mailbox they went on the shelf to await their time. That time arrived a few days ago and I raced through Death Has Deep Roots with a great deal of p...

(Portrait of Sylvia Townsend Warner, undated, from here) In response to overwhelming popular demand (ahem!), I’d like to invite you to celebrate the life and works of Sylvia Townsend Warner with me this summer! As far as I know, there has been only one Sylvia Townsend Warner reading week, whi...

Back in 2009 I read The Outcast, Sadie Jones' Costa winning debut novel. I have only vague memories of the plot but I know I enjoyed it a great deal. I've missed her intervening three books but a review I read somewhere of this recently published one made me very curious to explore it. I've ju...

I was so delighted to have a chance to read this book, newly published by Dean Street Press. Don't worry if you've never heard of Moray Dalton; for a start this is a pseudonym, adopted by Katherine Mary Dalton Renoir (1882-1963). And in addition, though she wrote nearly 30 crime novels between...

I was so delighted to have a chance to read this book, newly published by Dean Street Press. Don't worry if you've never heard of Moray Dalton; for a start this is a pseudonym, adopted by Katherine Mary Dalton Renoir (1882-1963). And in addition, though she wrote nearly 30 crime novels between...

I was so delighted to have a chance to read this book, newly published by Dean Street Press. Don't worry if you've never heard of Moray Dalton; for a start this is a pseudonym, adopted by Katherine Mary Dalton Renoir (1882-1963). And in addition, though she wrote nearly 30 crime novels between...

I was so delighted to have a chance to read this book, newly published by Dean Street Press. Don't worry if you've never heard of Moray Dalton; for a start this is a pseudonym, adopted by Katherine Mary Dalton Renoir (1882-1963). And in addition, though she wrote nearly 30 crime novels between...

This is 'Juliet, daughter of Richard H. Fox of Surrey', by Alfred Lambart (1902-1970). Looks like she can't decide what she wants to read - or maybe she's looking for a quotation she wants to amaze the dinner guests with.

I first encountered Peter Swanson when I read his second novel, The Kind Worth Killing, back in 2015. I was hugely taken with it and wrote a rave review for Shiny which you can read here if you're interested. I subsequently read his first, The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, and indeed everythi...

As I'm sure you know, I've always got an audiobook on the go - I have a monthly subscription to Audible which allows me one book a month, so I'm always pleased to get something which is going to last me out the whole time. Trollope is your man if you want to be sure of that - some years ago n...

When [the door] opened, and Geertje Van Loon wide in bright silks stood there, with Flora and Anne crowding behind her to see, a myriad of little flames spangling the dark hall, it looked as if a treasure-house had opened, a winter cavern set with jewels, and an air laden with spices flowed out....

Hello and happy February! Sorry I haven’t posted for ages. January and February are my least favourite times of year, dreary and grey, all the fairy lights have been packed away and winter seems to stretch on for ever. I did write a few half-posts, on Brexit, on a couple of the books I’d read, b...

It’s Valentine’s Day, the sun is shining and our kitchen is fragrant with the scent of wet hen, since I spent a portion of this morning washing Daisy’s bottom and drying it with the hair-dryer. Meanwhile, my tiny study is fragrant with the scent of dusty lavender, after a book avalanche knocked ...

I've been lamentably silent since the before Christmas break apart from one review I'd scheduled for its publication date a few days ago. I've done a lot of reading since I went quiet so I thought I would do something I've seen on other blogs - 3 Ws. So here we go: What I've Read Tomb...

I've been lamentably silent since the before Christmas break apart from one review I'd scheduled for its publication date a few days ago. I've done a lot of reading since I went quiet so I thought I would do something I've seen on other blogs - 3 Ws. So here we go: What I've Read Tomb...

I've been lamentably silent since the before Christmas break apart from one review I'd scheduled for its publication date a few days ago. I've done a lot of reading since I went quiet so I thought I would do something I've seen on other blogs - 3 Ws. So here we go: What I've Read Tomb...

I've been lamentably silent since the before Christmas break apart from one review I'd scheduled for its publication date a few days ago. I've done a lot of reading since I went quiet so I thought I would do something I've seen on other blogs - 3 Ws. So here we go: What I've Read Tomb...