Escape From Shangri-La is a heartfelt war story from Britain’s best-loved children’s author, Michael Morpurgo. It explores the legacy of strife and loss in World War Two. I have read a few of the author’s novels and they always pull at your heartstrings. Cessie has never seen her grandfather, not even in photos, until the day he turned up on the ...
Read More »Monthly Archives: May 2022
A Judgement In Stone By Ruth Rendell
A Judgement in Stone by Ruth Rendell is widely considered to be one of her greatest works. There are no shocks or surprise twists. And yet it is utterly compelling. A Judgement In Stone opens with this first sentence: ‘Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write.’ The brief first chapter then goes on to tell us the ...
Read More »Deep River By Shusaku Endo
I have been reading one thriller after another for quite a while so I decided to try something very different for a change. Looking through my vast book collection, I finally chose Deep River by Shusaku Endo. Deep River (深い河, Fukai kawa) is a novel by Shusaku Endo published in 1993. When he died in 1996, only two novels were chosen to be placed ...
Read More »Authors Who Overcame Rejections
A lot of people aspire to be authors but the sad truth is that very few authors actually make a living from writing. Most authors begin by writing only on the side while working at a full time job and most totally give up on their dreams after awhile. It is very tough to remain positive while facing rejections after rejections. The hugely ...
Read More »My Little Happiness Boosts
These are my little happiness boosts Watching birds returning to their evening roosts Start my day with a good dose of gratitude Fill myself with an positive attitude Approach every day with optimism Conquer negative thinking and pessimism Eating almond chocolate Weekend sleeping late A colourful butterfly perched on a flower Instances of people power Going on holiday Celebrating a ...
Read More »Her Name Is Kayla
A little angel has captured my heart Right from the very start She dazzles me with her smile For her I will go that extra mile. She is the apple of my eyes At only one year old she seems so wise Sometimes she sheds some tears I know she is overcome by fears. She is a cute little lass ...
Read More »The Drowning Man by Michael Robotham
As The Drowning Man by Michael Robotham opens, DI Vincent Ruiz is clinging to a buoy in the River Thames with gunshot wounds. He has no recollection of the shooting or how he ended up in the river. Many of his colleagues believe he is faking amnesia to cover for being a bent cop. Ruiz has to retrace his steps to find out ...
Read More »Harbour Street By Ann Cleeves
Detective Joe Ashworth is on his way home with his daughter Jess when, due to very heavy snowfall, the Metro they are travelling on stops at Mardle, outside of Newcastle. The passengers are asked to disembark and catch a bus. As the other passengers fade into the swirling snow, Jessie notices that an elderly woman hasn’t left the train. Thinking that the woman has fallen asleep, ...
Read More »The Night Stalker By Robert Bryndza
ROBERT BRYNDZA deserves to join the heavy hitters of the thriller genre. I have just finished reading his DCI Erika Foster book #2, The Night Stalker. I really enjoyed it as it is a very fast-paced thriller. I have not read The Girl In The Ice, the first book in the series. I hope I can find the first book and the other books ...
Read More »Don’t Make A Sound By David Jackson
Don’t Make a Sound by David Jackson truly held me in its grip from the opening pages and I finished it in a single day, staying up till midnight to finish it. The author sends his readers running for cover in this extraordinarily creepy, disturbing and tense outing. The Benson’s seem to be a normal happy little family. There’s mum Harriet, Dad Malcolm and 10 year old Daisy. ...
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