Five books I RAVED about as proofs .... which are now published (and available to buy!)
1: ML Stedman's utterly brilliant A Far-flung Life, which is about family secrets, and set on a remote sheep station in WA. An instant ST bestseller and an instant Jo's favourite bookshelf. I cannot explain how much I love this story. It will stay with me forever and if I was allowed to march people to the cash register with it, I would be doing so right now. I don't say this often, but you absolutely need to read this.
2: Will Dean's 'Adrift', about a fragile family living on a narrowboat, is not just a masterpiece in thriller writing, it's a haunting exploration of control, gaslighting and fear. It also involves a little boy who is desperately trying to hold his family together. Both beautifully written and utterly chilling. Superb.
3: Anyone who knows me will know I adore Jane Harper's novels, and Last One Out is no exception. A son who seemingly vanished into nowhere, and a fractured community where someone is hiding the truth. Atmospheric doesn't even come close, Jane Harper is a writing genius and I adore her.
4: Christie Watson's Killing Me Softly manages to be incredibly funny, deeply disturbing, and utterly compelling *all at the same time*. The story of an Emergency Department where a few too many patients are dying, and where some of the nurses aren't quite what they seem ... exceptionally timely, and an absolute corker of a thriller. You will not be able to put this down.
5: Finally, Patrick Gale's Love Lane, which continues the story of the magnificent A Place Called Winter. We follow Canadian wheat-farmer Harry Cane as he travels back to England, an England changed forever by two world wars, to be reunited with the family he abandoned many decades earlier. This is exquisitely written, utterly heartbreaking and yet filled with so much hope. I strongly believe Patrick is one of our greatest storytellers (and I am thrilled to be doing an event with him at Derby Book Festival in a couple of months, so do look out for that!)
Let me know if you've read/ or are planning to read any of these. I'd love to hear what you think!
Only just started it but this book is fantastic: great story, compelling, funny, heart-rending. The incarnation of the phrase "Never judge a book by its cover." #book@BexBookaholic@TheBookshopMan
As always schools for #worldbookday please encourage pyjamas and bringing favourite books. Costumes are expensive and often end up in landfill.
The stats on how many children don’t have books in their homes are rather sad. Let’s not have parents waste money.
#booksnotcostumes
A tribute to punk ladies feat:
Jordan, Siouxsie Sioux, Chrissie Hynde, Poly Styrene, Soo Catwoman, Ari Up, Viv Albertine, Tessa Pollitt, The Raincoats, Gaye Advert, Vivienne Westwood, Nina Hagen, Debbie Juvenile & Wendy O Williams.
Audio is a Peel Sessions of The Slits
#womenofpunk#punkrockhistory