Book Synopsis:

This is going to be the longest week of Washington Poe’s life…

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. And he’d still have his thumb left. There’s the guilelessly innocent civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw of course. Insanely brilliant, she’s a bit of a social hand grenade. He’s known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn for years as he has his nearest neighbour, full-time shepherd/part-time dog sitter, Victoria.

And then there’s Estelle Doyle. Dark and dangerous and sexy as hell. It’s true the caustic pathologist has never walked down the sunny side of the street, but has she gone too far this time? Shot twice in the head, her father’s murder appears to be an open and shut case. Estelle has firearms discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh snow, hers are the only footprints. Since her arrest she’s only said three words: ‘Tell Washington Poe.’

Meanwhile, a poisoner called the Botanist is sending the nation’s most reviled people poems and pressed flowers. Twisted and ingenious, he seems to be able to walk through walls and, despite the advance notice given to his victims, and regardless of the security measures taken, he is able to kill with impunity.

Poe hates locked room mysteries and now he has two to solve. To unravel them he’s going to have to draw on every resource he has: Tilly Bradshaw, an organised crime boss, even an alcoholic ex-journalist. Because if he doesn’t, the bodies are going to keep piling up . . .

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this author so I pre-ordered this book as soon as I knew about it. Once again the author has written a gripping, twisty book that was hard to put down.

It was great being back with Tilly and Poe following them as they tried to catch another murderer. The Botanist has to be one of the worse villains I’ve come across in a book. Not because he was particularly cruel or violent but because of how cold and calculated he was. He seemed to have absolutely no regard for people he considered below him (most people as it turned out) and this sent a shiver down my spine as I read. He seemed impossible to catch which I found very interesting and I enjoyed following Tilly and Poe as they investigated.

As always the fab police team was very entertaining to follow throughout the book. I loved the easy banter and in jokes that exist between them which helps break up some of the darker moments in the book. I felt like I was part of the team at times which I really enjoyed, especially as I recognised some of the in jokes that are mentioned from previous books.

This story drew me in from the start and I quickly found that I couldn’t put the book down. There was always something happening to keep my attention either from the case or from the teams antics. There were lots of twists and red herrings that kept me guessing and I honestly couldn’t figure out how the botanist was doing it until the characters figured it out in the book. It was nice to see a different side of Poe too and for him to get a win in his personal life for once. The double twist ending was brilliant, and unexpected as I thought the story was winding down. Highly recommended from me!

About The Author:

Multi-award winning author M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle. He joined the army at sixteen, leaving ten years later to complete a social work degree. Seventeen years after taking up a probation officer role in Cumbria, at the rank of assistant chief officer, he became a full-time author. The Puppet Show, the first book in his Cumbria-set Washington Poe series, was published by Little, Brown in 2018 and went on to win the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger in 2019. It has now been translated into twenty-one languages. Black Summer, the second in the series, was longlisted for the 2020 Gold Dagger as was book three, The Curator. The fourth in the series, Dead Ground, was published last June and became an instant Sunday Times bestseller.Website: mwcraven.comTwitter: @MWCravenUK

Book Synopsis:

When journalist Jessie Daly loses everything she holds dear, she travels home to Ireland’s west coast, and helps an old friend researching life during the famine. Jessie becomes drawn into the heartbreaking story of a brave young mother, Bridget Moloney, and her daughter, Norah.

On the other side of the ocean, in Boston, Kaitlin Wilson is researching her family tree. She unearths a fascinating story, but her research forces her to confront uncomfortable truths about the past, as she uncovers an unexpected connection to Ireland in famine times.

Generations before, in the small town of Boherbreen, a young mother faced a heart-wrenching choice: to watch her baby girl perish with hunger, or to start out for a new life in America, alone, in order to protect the one she loves most…

My Review:

The Letter Home is a powerful dual timeline novel that will stay with me for a long time.

Firstly I knew a little about the Irish Potato Famine but I hadn’t realised how long it lasted and therefore hadn’t realised it’s true impact. It was heartbreaking to see all the families struggling and the awful circumstances they had to live through. It was an absolutely gut wrenching to read about at times, particularly as you know it actually happened. The author has clearly done her research and I often felt that I was actually there experiencing everything alongside them.

Both timelines were beautifully written and I found myself enjoying both of them equally. The wonderful storytelling kept me captivated by what was happening and the many twists ensured I couldn’t put the book down. I found myself lost in the story for hours at a time and has to force myself back into the present. The plot was fantastic and I really liked how the two timelines unravelled and came together at the end.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Headline for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Rachael English is a bestselling novelist and presenter on Ireland’s most popular radio show, Morning Ireland. During more than twenty years as a journalist, she has worked on most of RTE Radio’s leading current affairs programmes, covering a huge range of national and international stories. The American Girl, The Night of the Party and The Paper Bracelet were all top 5 Irish bestsellers.

Book Synopsis:

The incredible untold story of how Ann Lowe, a Black woman and granddaughter of slaves, rose above personal struggles and racial prejudice to design and create one of America’s most famous wedding dresses of all time for Jackie Kennedy.

1953, New York City

Less than a week before the society wedding of the year where Jacqueline Bouvier will marry John F. Kennedy, a pipe bursts at Ann Lowe’s dress shop and ruins eleven dresses, including the expensive wedding dress, a dress that will be judged by thousands. A Black designer who has fought every step of the way, Ann knows this is only one struggle after a lifetime of them. She and her seamstresses will find the way to re-create the dresses. It may take all day and all night for the next week to accomplish the task, but they will do it.

1918, Tampa

Raised in Jim Crow Alabama, Ann learned the art of sewing from her mother and her grandmother, a former slave, who are the most talented seamstresses in the state. After Ann elopes at twelve with an older man who soon proves himself to be an abusive alcoholic, her dreams of becoming a celebrated designer seem to be put on hold. But then a wealthy Tampa socialite sees Ann’s talent and offers her an amazing opportunity—the chance to sew and design clothing for Florida’s society elite. Taking her young son in the middle of the night, Ann escapes her husband and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.

Based on the true story of one of the most famous designers of the twenties through the sixties who has since been unjustly forgotten, By Her Own Design is an unforgettable novel of determination despite countless obstacles and a triumph celebrated by the world.

My Review:

This was a captivating, powerful and emotional story that was very inspirational.

Firstly I hadn’t heard of Ann Lowe before reading this book, which is perhaps unsurprising as she wasn’t always credited for her work. The author does a great job bringing her to life. We get to know Ann from her childhood so I felt I really got to know her and understood what made her tick. I also enjoyed researching her while I was reading and looking up some of her amazing designs.

The story is beautifully told with a great balance between sad moments and the joyful ones. It was so inspiring to see her succeed despite the odds stacked against her. I found myself getting quite angry at times that she was denied the recognition she deserved just because she was black.

Overall I loved this book and will definitely be recommending it to fellow historical fiction lovers. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m excited to read more from her in the future. Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Piper Huguley is the author of the Home to Milford College and the Migrations of the Heart series. She is a multiple-time Golden Heart finalist. Piper blogs about the history behind her novels on her website. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and son.

Good morning everyone this week on JoJo Recommends I’m featuring Peter Pan by Charlotte Campbell.

Charlotte is a singer songwriter and full time busker from London. She’s also a twitch streamer and I always enjoy her relaxing streams. Charlotte is always very welcoming on her stream and has a fabulous collection of cute headbands that she loves to wear.

If you’d like to follow Charlotte on twitch or social media please click the buttons below.

How To Listen:

Peter Pan is a song Charlotte wrote about her big brother who has special needs and has stayed the childhood pal Charlotte knew as a little girl. Her brother is the boy who never grew up. The song has some beautiful, heartwarming lyrics to them and is quite an emotional song to listen to. Charlotte’s music is available on all the normal streaming platforms or you can buy it on Bandcamp.

JoJo Recommends on Island Vibing Presents:

Jo Jo Recommends is now on Island Vibing Presents twitch stream which is live every Thursday at 10pm EST, 7pm PST or Friday at 3am BST. There is a special EU friendly stream the first Saturday of each month at 8pm BST, 5pm EST or 2pm PST

If you missed the show and would like to watch it you can do so by clicking on the link below.

JoJo Recommends Playlist:

You can now listen to Charlotte and all previously featured artists on a special playlist I’ve created on Spotify.

Thanks for reading and happy listening.

Book Synopsis:

Remember Me? is a memoir about caring for a parent with dementia and the memories that resurface in the process.

In her first book, Shobna Gulati sets out to reclaim her mother’s past after her death, and in turn, discovers a huge amount about herself and their relationship.

Remember Me? captures the powerful emotions that these memories hold to both Shobna and her mother; secrets they had collectively buried and also the concealment of her mother’s condition. What ensues is a story of cultural assimilation, identity and familial shame.

My Review:

This was a wonderfully written, powerful book that reads as beautiful love story to the author’s mother.

Firstly Dementia is something that I’m quite scared of developing when I get older so I always take the opportunity to learn more about it when I can. It was very emotional following Shobna as she deals with her mum’s gradual decline and the affects it has on the family. I did enjoy getting to know the author’s family throughout the book and learning more about her mother as she delves into her mother’s past and her memories. I think it’s so important to try and capture memories before they are lost for ever.

The book is written in a very engaging way that draws the reader into the book from the start. I liked how realistic it is and that the author didn’t over dramatise the story. The author is very frank with her experience too and I appreciated that as I thought it will be much more informative for people wanted to know more about Dementia.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Octopus books for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Shobna became a household name for her role as Anita in Victoria Wood’s Dinnerladies and as Sunita, in Coronation Street. She also appeared as a presenter on Loose Women (ITV), and most starred in Series 1 of the BBC One television show River Walks. On radio, Shobna hosted her own late night show on BBC Radio Manchester, and has appeared in many plays for BBC Radio 4, most recently in the sitcom ‘The Break’.She trained at Manchester University, Trinity Laban Conservatorie of Music and Dance, Goldsmith’s College, London, Darpana Academy for Performing Arts, India, and has also completed a post graduate diploma in teaching dance from Middlesex University.Shobna has just finished filming the role of Ray in the upcoming feature film Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

Book Synopsis:

Jess, Priyanka and Stephanie are all happily married to men they think they know inside out.

Then each woman receives a letter accusing her husband of involvement in a sexual assault that took place 20 years ago.

Who do they believe, what should they do and can they come together as their lives are upended?

A compelling, beautifully crafted thriller about consent, friendship and prejudice which asks – would you sacrifice your family life in support of another woman?

My Review:

Good Husbands is a gripping, compelling and thought provoking read. The story follows three wives who get a letter from someone named Holly with some serious accusations about their husbands.

Firstly I thought it was interesting to see how differently the three reacted to the news. Jess, the self appointed leader of the group, automatically believed the letter whereas the other two were more reluctant to believe the letter despite all the evidence. It made me wonder how I do react if I received such a letter and what I’d do.

Following the dramatic opening the story flashes back letting the reader have a glimpse into each characters past and an insight into why the women’s reactions were so different to each other. The women each decide to get revenge on their husbands in different, eye-opening (and perhaps a little hypercritical) ways which was interesting to watch unfold.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author in future. The author has taken an difficult subject and handled it in a sensitive and thought provoking way. The plot was very gripping and I enjoyed watching everything unfold.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Octopus for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Cate Ray writes suspense novels with compelling moral dilemmas, shining a light on the issues affecting women today. Her stories are created for readers to treasure and share with booklovers everywhere. She is the author of four previous novels of suspense published under the name Cath Weeks. She was named an ‘Author to Watch’ by ELLE. Cate lives in Bath with her family.

Book Synopsis:

For most of her life, Chrysta Bilton was one member of a small, if dysfunctional, family of four. There was her sister, Kaitlyn, her hedonistic, glamorous, gay mum Debra, and Jeffrey, who Debra hand-picked, in an LA hairdressers, to be the father of her children. During Chrysta’s unstable childhood, Debra struggled to keep the family afloat and Jeffrey wandered in and out of their lives.

Then, in her twenties, Chrysta discovered that her father had secretly donated his sperm over 500 times – and that she had at least 35 other siblings.

A Normal Family is a captivating coming-of-age memoir about Chrysta’s reckoning with the secrets both parents had carefully kept from her. Heartfelt, warm and funny, it’s a story of embracing the family we have, in all the forms we find it.

My Review:

This was a well written, captivating memoir which is hard to believe is a true story.

Chrysta and her family are very intriguing characters who I enjoyed following throughout their story. They had more then their fair share of problems which was fascinating to read about and definitely helped keep my interest. We follow the family through a whole range of issues from substance abuse to eating disorders which were quite poignant to witness at times.

I found it very interesting to learn more about sperm donating in the states and found it hard to to believe that someone would donate without consulting their spouse or thinking of the consequences. I found myself wondering how I’d react if I found out I had loads of half siblings.

Overall I really enjoyed this book which took me through all the emotions as I read. There were times of laughter with the family but also some quite sad moments that made me tear up. The book is well written with lots of twists that helped ensure I kept reading until the end.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Book Synopsis:

Expectation meets Julie and Julia, The Yellow Kitchen is a brilliant exploration of food, belonging and friendship.

London E17, 2019. A yellow kitchen stands as a metaphor for the lifelong friendship between three women: Claude, the baker, goal-orientated Sophie and political Giulia. They have the best kind of friendship, chasing life and careers; dating, dreaming and consuming but always returning to be reunited in the yellow kitchen.

That is, until a trip to Lisbon unravels unexplored desires between Claude and Sophie. Having sex is one thing, waking up the day after is the beginning of something new.

Exploring the complexities of female friendship, The Yellow Kitchen is a hymn to the last year of London as we knew it and a celebration of the culture, the food and the rhythms we live by.

My Review:

The Yellow Kitchen is an interesting, thought provoking read about love, food and friendship.

Firstly I loved the three main characters in this book and enjoyed following their friendship. It’s the kind of friendship I think most people dream about and I liked the way the author writes the book so that the reader feels part of their group. It was interesting to follow the three of them as they try and navigate life whilst maintaining their friendship throughout whatever life throws at them. The reader sees them grow as the story progresses and I felt at times like I was reading a coming of age story as the characters learn more about themselves.

The plot was interesting and very character driven which I thought interesting. It seemed very real especially some of the conversations the three have when together as I’m sure I’ve had similar conversations myself. There are some thought provoking subjects that made me think and would make the book a great book club read as I feel there would be lots to discuss. There’s also some fantastic descriptions of food which has me reaching for the cookery books and planning my own meet up with friends.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Margaux Vialleron is a French-born, London-based writer, self-taught cook and co-host of the The Salmon Pink Kitchen book club, culinary community and podcast. The Yellow Kitchen is her first novel. Find out more at her website http://margauxvialleron.com/ or connect with her on Twitter and Instagram @margauxvlln

Book Synopsis:

Paris, 1878. Ballet dancer Marie van Goethem is chosen by the unknown artist Edgar Degas to model for his new sculpture: Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen Years.But Marie is much more than she seems. By day she’s a ‘little rat’ of the opera, contorting her starving body to entertain the bourgeoisie. By night, she’s plotting to overthrow the government and reinstate the Paris Commune, to keep a promise she made to her father, a leading communard who died in the street massacres of 1871.As Marie watches the troubling sculpture of herself come to life in Degas’ hands, she falls further into the intoxicating world of bohemian, Impressionist Paris, a world at odds with the socialist principles she has vowed to uphold.With the fifth Impressionist Exhibition looming, a devastating family secret is uncovered which changes everything for both Marie and Degas. As Degas struggles to finish his sculpture and the police close in on Marie, she must decide where her loyalties lie and act to save herself, her family and the Little Dancer.

My Review:

Little Dancer is an absorbing, atmospheric read which perfectly blends real historical events with fiction.

Firstly I absolutely loved the main character Marie and enjoyed following her throughout the book. She is a very determined, strong little girl who is frustrated with how things are for the poorer citizens of Paris and wants to make a difference. I really felt for her when she’s cowed by her position in life and forced to do things she knows is wrong to get by. The characters are all based on real historical figures and I loved learning more about them by researching on Google.

The author has clearly done her research and I could really envision Paris in my mind. This was a new era of history for me so I enjoyed learning more about the Paris Commune and the Communard’s battle to get better rights for the poor. The huge divide between rich and poor was quite striking and it was tough to see what they needed to do to raise money to live. It was the beginning of the revolutionary movement that sparked the fight for other causes including woman’s suffrage.

Overall, as you can probably tell, I loved this book and will definitely be recommending it to other historical fiction fans. The dramatic opening helped draw me into the book and set the scene for what Paris was like at the time. There was always something happening to keep my interest and I soon found myself wanting to learn more. The ending was brilliant and I didn’t see the twist coming at the end either.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater and Unbound for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Melanie Leschallas holds MAs in Creative Writing from Sussex and in Drama and Movement Therapy from Central School in London as well as a BA(Hons) in French and Italian from Bristol University. She was trained as a dancer and worked at the Moulin Rouge in Paris during her twenties. Mel is also a jazz singer and loves to sing Jacques Brel songs at the Savoy Hotel in London. She runs http://www.lunarlemonproductions.com with her husband, Craig, teaches yoga in Brighton and leads wellness and writing retreats at her home in the Malaga mountains.

Good afternoon everyone this week on JoJo Recommends I’m featuring Gemini which is the new album from Dead Shoto.

Dead Shoto (aka Henry) is from the Bronx in New York. He is a twitch streamer but streams mainly games at the moment although I believe he is looking at getting the equipment to stream music too. It’s worth following him as his streams are always hilarious and he often does listening parties for any new music he’s putting out.

If you would like to follow Dead Shoto on twitch or on social media you can do by following the links below.

How To Listen:

Henry’s music is mainly rap or hip hop and he has a lot of originals available on all the streaming platforms. His lyrics can be quite adult at times and contain swearing so if you’re easily offended he might not be the artist for you. I’ve included the video for Cigarette Breath below as it’s my favourite in his album and has a bit of an old school hip hop vibe which I love.

JoJo Recommends On Twitch:

Jojo Recommends is back on Island Vibing Presents twitch stream after a brief hiatus due to illness. I’m absolutely loving filming my features am really grateful for all the great friends I’ve made.

If you would like to watch the most recent feature or follow Island Vibing Presents you can do so by clicking the link below.

JoJo Recommends Playlist:

You can now listen to Dead Shoto and all previously featured artists on a special playlist I’ve created on Spotify.

Thanks for reading and happy listening!