Good morning everyone I’m a proud mum today as I’m posting my son’s first review. Douglas is 8 and a very keen reader, particularly when the books are about magic. He decided to sit down and write a review himself for this book as he really enjoyed it.
Book Synopsis:
Best friends Dave and Albrecht are going undercover. They must disguise themselves as wizards to enter the notoriously secretive Wizarding Guild, in order to free their friends and stop the most evil wizard of them all – Terrence. Luckily, they have the perfect book to help them on their quest, the amazing, the brilliant, Wizarding for Beginners!
Wizarding For Beginners is out now in paperback. Purchase your copy using the links below.
The story was about a talking goat and a small dragon called Dave and they snuck into a wizard’s castle to find out what Terrence was doing, maybe something mischievous?
I like magic books because I find them interesting as magic is amazing! My biggest dream is that I can do magic in real life and really impress people. For me it was an adventure book but you might look at it differently. It was like an action-packed book with lots of funny parts.
My favourite character was the talking goat who saved everyone’s life. I liked reading about him as I found him very funny, exotic and a bit embarrassing. The dragon and the goat were great friends because they used great teamwork and had excellent confidence together as well. I related most to the dragon as I love books, plus if I was magic this would be a good book to have as I could look up ways to help my friends.
It was an amazing book to read. The title when I started reading was really exciting and the book was actually really cool and exciting, an adventure for me. I hope you enjoy it too.
About The Author:
Elys Dolan is an author and illustrator currently living and working in Cambridge. She works predominantly with ink, newfangled digital witchcraft and coloured pencils (of which she is the proud owner of 178, but can never seem to find a sharpener). When not doing pictures and making things up Elys enjoys growing cacti, collecting pocket watches and eating excessive amounts of fondant fancies.
In recent times Elys has been shortlisted for the AOI Awards, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Branford Boase Award and the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. She won the 2018 Laugh Out Loud Picture Book Award with Mr Bunny’s Chocolate Factory.
Good morning everyone and welcome to another addition of Music Monday. Today I’m featuring Light Pollution by the fantastic Plastic Sun. I first heard about this song through Joshua Woo’s twitch stream, where it has quickly become one of my favourite songs to request.
Light Pollution is the seventh single from Plastic Sun and was created through an improvised jam session in the rehearsal studio. It’s a song about city life, specifically London, and has a deeper meaning about escaping the franticness of a busy lifestyle and finding comfort in the ones you love . (Taken from the press release).
To try and recreate the feeling of the improved jam session the track was performed live in the studio and has overdubs on the top. Light Pollution is being released with an additional track: Strange Parade.
You can follow Plastic Sun on social media or you can watch Josh on twitch by clicking on the links below.
Plastic Sun’s Music is available to listen to on all the major streaming platforms or you can buy a copy via Bandcamp. Below I’ve linked the official lyric video for Light Pollution and a video of Josh performing the song. Check out their YouTube channel for more great videos!
Could one rare plant hold the key to a thousand riches?
It’s the summer of 1822 and Edinburgh is abuzz with rumours of King George IV’s impending visit. In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower – an event that only occurs once every few decades.
When newly widowed Elizabeth arrives in Edinburgh to live with her late husband’s aunt Clementina, she’s determined to put her unhappy past in London behind her. As she settles into her new home, she becomes fascinated by the beautiful Botanic Garden which borders the grand house and offers her services as an artist to record the rare plant’s impending bloom. In this pursuit, she meets Belle Brodie, a vivacious young woman with a passion for botany and the lucrative, dark art of perfume creation.
Belle is determined to keep both her real identity and the reason for her interest the Garden secret from her new friend. But as Elizabeth and Belle are about to discover, secrets don’t last long in this Enlightenment city . . .
And when they are revealed, they can carry the greatest of consequences.
The Fair Botanist is published in ebook and hardback on the 5th August 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the links below.
Ooh i really enjoyed this book. Every now and again a book comes along that you know instantly that you’ll enjoy and this allows you to just relax into the book to go wherever it takes you This book was one of those books as I thought this was a truly wonderful read. It was thoroughly absorbing and almost magical at times which I enjoyed tremendously.
Firstly I loved the two main characters, who I enjoyed spending time with throughout the book. Bella was my definite favourite though. I absolutely loved her attitude to life and her independent, firey personality especially during a time when women weren’t expected to behave like that. She’s someone I think I’d like to have known in real life as I think she’d be great fun to hang out with. Elizabeth is a very different character, especially at the beginning, she’s more demure then Bella and less worldly but it was so nice to watch their friendship develop.
The author has included some real life historical figures into the story which I thought was very clever. It was interesting to learn more about them, especially as I didn’t know much about some of them. It gave me a little thrill to see how they were woven into the story. The historical details in this book were superb too and I found it fascinating to see how different things were in Scotland, with woman enjoying more freedom then woman in England which I hadn’t realised before.
Overall I loved this book and was sad when it ended which is always a sign of a great read. The mystery side of the book was well done and helped make sure I kept turning the pages, while the wonderful characters made the story very memorable. I have kept thinking about this story long after I’ve finished reading it and will definitely be recommending it to others.
Huge thanks to Stevie Cooper for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book which I’ll be putting on my keep forever shelf.
About The Author:
Sara Sheridan is an Edinburgh-based writer of over 20 books including cosy crime noir mysteries set in 1950s Britain and historical novels based on the real-life stories of late Georgian and early Victorian explorers. She has also written non-fiction, as well as books for children.
Sara has been named one of the Saltire Society’s 365 most influential Scottish women, past and present.
Every year across the UK local libraries, in association with The Reading Agency, do a reading challenge to encourage children to keep reading over the summer. This is because children’s reading levels can drop dramatically over the summer holidays which makes it harder for them when they go back to school.
Children can choose their own books from a wide variety of different genres (including audiobook) and can set how many books they’d like to read. 6 is the recommended amount but it can be higher or lower depending on age and ability. Local libraries but on a lot of activities during this time to try and encourage the children and to help make library visits more fun.
If they complete the challenge the children will get a wrist band for their efforts and are also rewarded at school too.
Ethan’s selection:
Twirly Woos: Up
In The Castle by Anna Milbourne
Peppa Pig: Night Creatures
My First Busy Jobs
Busy Day: Astronaut by Dan Green
Play Hide & Seek with Frog
Making Tracks: Park
Ethan is only three so can’t read on his own yet but he can still earn himself a wristband by reading books with mum and telling the librarian all about them.
Lydia’s Selection:
Read it Yourself: Thumbelina
Bertie and the Big Balloon by Sue Graves & Helen Jackson
The Messy Cake by Sue Graves
Josie the Jewellery-Making Fairy by Daisy Meadow
Violet the Painting Fairy by Daisy Meadow
Martha the Doctor Fairy by Daisy Meadow
Charlotte the Sunflower Fairy by Daisy Meadow
Kitty the Tiger Fairy by Daisy Meadow
Lydia is five and has just starting learning to read at school. She has chosen a few books that she can read herself and a few of her favourite fairy books that she can read at bedtime with me. She has done simple reviews at school and, like her brother, is keen to do some reviews too.
Douglas’s Selection:
Dogs and Doctors by Elen Caldecott
The Rats of Meadowsweet Farm by Dick King-Smith
Harry’s Mad by Dick King-Smith
MegaStar: The Incredible Diary of Fin Spencer by Ciaran Murtagh
Best Babysitters Ever by Caroline Cala
Alien In My Bellybutton by Jimmy Mars
Super Stan: Trash, Bang, Wallop by Elaine Wickson
Super Hero School: Alien Attack by Alan MacDonald
Wild Friends: Elephants Never Forget
Douglas is eight so is able to read on his own. He’s always been an enthusiastic reader and really enjoying visiting the library to make his choices, which he did completely on his own. He has said that he’d like to try to write some reviews for them so hopefully I’ll have some to share soon.
What did you think of our selection? Is anyone else doing the reading challenge? Let me know in the comments below!
Have you ever heard of a dragon who refuses to fly? How about a duck who tried to breathe fire? Meet Bernadette and Clark, the dragon and the duck who show little ones that anything is possible with a tidbit of persistence and chunk of creativity. Clark learns that helping a friend isn’t always easy, especially when a bold duck tries to guide a timid dragon. Eventually, determination, practice and gentle patience pay off…and true friendship is the greatest reward.
Duck & Dragon is available to preorder from the author’s website via the link below.
I first approached Lisa about featuring her new book on my blog because I absolutely loved the idea of the book. Any children’s book that sparks their imaginations and helps them discover the love of reading is a win for me. When I discovered she was also mum with similar aged children I was even more excited to help.
Duck & Dragon is a truly heartwarming and uplifting story with a lovely meaning behind it which I think children will fall in love with. It has some beautiful, colourful illustrations to accompany it which my little girl said she’d love on her wall.
I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy and I think it would make a great gift for a child.
About The Author:
Since she was a child, Lisa E. Lindman has been reading non-stop and writing magical stories. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, sweet daughter and their French bulldog, Sebastian. She spends her days running a small business, writing, frolicking with her toddler and reading just one more chapter…well, five more chapters.
From one of the most imaginative writers of her generation comes an extraordinary vision of the future.
Ven was once a holy man, a keeper of ancient archives. It was his duty to interpret archaic texts, sorting useful knowledge from the heretical ideas of the Burning Age – a time of excess and climate disaster. For in Ven’s world, such material must be closely guarded, so that the ills that led to that cataclysmic era can never be repeated.
But when the revolutionary Brotherhood approaches Ven, pressuring him to translate stolen writings that threaten everything he once held dear, his life will be turned upside down. Torn between friendship and faith, Ven must decide how far he’s willing to go to save this new world, and how much he is willing to lose.
Notes from the Burning Age is the remarkable and captivating new novel from the award-winning Claire North that puts dystopian fiction in a whole new light.
Notes From A Burning Age is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
I’m a huge fan of this author, so a new book is always cause for great excitement. Once again the author has written a highly imaginative, compelling and thought provoking read which I really enjoyed.
Firstly the thing that always strikes me about this author is her amazing imagination. She just has this ability to create these fantastic worlds which are great fun to explore and spend time in. I found this world particularly fascinating as it seemed to be both post apocalyptic but also similar to the world we live in now. Whatever happened, the technological advances have been kept with things like text messages and Twitter mentioned in the book which I thought very interesting.
As always with this author there are some hidden meanings behind the story which I found very thought provoking and it was very enjoyable to unlock these from the narrative. This time it’s about caring about our environment which is obviously a very current issue. Throughout the book the author describes what might happen if we don’t start learning from our mistakes. I liked the way she did this, weaving it subtly into the story without seeming preachy.
This book was part thriller, part dystopian with a great pace to it which kept me turning the pages as I had to know what would happen next. There were lots of twists that kept me guessing and also a few funny moments that made me smile. The descriptions of the music concert with the Beatless and Beyondsee being a particular highlight. It did take me a little while to get used to the characters and the different organisations but once I had it sorted I was hooked! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers or dystopian fiction as I think they’d enjoy this book too.
Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orbit for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Claire North is a pseudonym for British author Catherine Webb. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August was her first novel published under the Claire North name, and was one of the fastest-selling new SFF titles of the last ten years. It was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club, the Radio 2 Book Club and the Waterstones Book Club promotions. Her next novel Touch was published in 2015 to widespread critical acclaim and was described by the Independent as ‘little short of a masterpiece’. Catherine currently works as a theatre lighting designer and is a fan of big cities, urban magic, Thai food and graffiti-spotting. She lives in London. Find her on Twitter as @ClaireNorth42.
Kieran Elliott’s life changed forever on a single day when a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences. The guilt that haunts him still resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal town he once called home.
Kieran’s parents are struggling in a community which is bound, for better or worse, to the sea that is both a lifeline and a threat. Between them all is his absent brother Finn.
When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge in the murder investigation that follows. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away…
The Survivors is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
I’m a huge fan of this author and always get very excited when I hear she has a new book out, waiting until I have lots of free time so I can enjoy it properly. I was not disappointed as I thought this was another absorbing, atmospheric read which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The thing I alway love about this author is her ability to draw the reader into the story and the setting so that the reader feels they are actually there following the action alongside the characters. The descriptions of the town were very vivid and helped me to imagine it in my mind. It’s certainly a beautiful place and one that I think I’d love to visit. I was especially intrigued by the caves and would love to have explored them myself to see what’s down there. The sky in the story, with the storm that’s threatening helped to add to the atmosphere in the story I felt as there was always a sense something was going to happen.
The story starts at a steady pace but steadily increases as the story goes on. I really enjoyed the gradual unravelling of the story which helped keep me guessing as to what happened. Just when I thought I had figured it out something would happen to make doubt creep in and send the story in a different direction. I was absolutely convinced I had figured it out at one point but was proven wrong at the end.
I thought the ending was brilliant very emotional and quite poetic in a way. It definitely left it’s mark on me and I’ve continued thinking about it long after reading. This is the author’s fourth book and I can’t wait to read more in the future.
Huge thanks to Little Brown publishers for my copy of this book via netgalley.
About The Author:
Jane Harper is the author of the international bestsellers The Dry, Force of Nature and The Lost Man. Her books are published in more than forty territories worldwide, and The Dry has been released as a major film in Australia starring Eric Bana. Jane has won numerous top awards including the CWA Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel, the British Book Awards Crime and Thriller Book of the Year, the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year and the Australian Indie Awards Book of the Year. Jane worked as a print journalist for thirteen years both in Australia and the UK and now lives in Melbourne.
Good Morning everyone and welcome to another Music Monday. Today I’m featuring State Of The Art which is the debut single from Colinski.
Colinski is a singer songwriter from Switzerland who always entertains on twitch with his great song selection and funny stories. He’s also currently doing a degree in English Literature so of course I liked him instantly! I managed to work in a book question to my normal questions below too, as I was very interested to know the answer.
You can follow Collinski on social media or twitch by clicking on the links below.
State Of The Art is Collinski’s first single and hopefully the start of many more! It’s only available to listen to on Spotify and YouTube at the moment or you can buy it from Bandcamp.
I have included the audio video for State Of The Art below as well his cover of Skinny Love as it’s one of my favourites by him.
My name is Colinski, I’m a singer songwriter from Switzerland, and i currently am also finishing my bachelors degree in literary studies.
What first got you into music?
Growing up music was all around me, my mom and dad are both musicians and they encouraged me to take piano lessons quite early on, so i think its safe to say i was never not into music. I have early memories of rocking out to various CDs in our living room, pretending i was shredding air-guitar in front of imaginary crowds.
Who inspired you to make music?
It’s really funny looking back, originally i was quite sure that if i got into music, it would be as a rapper, i was very into Eminem and Linkin Park, and i think They really sparked my dream of pursuing music properly.
How would you describe the music you typically create?
I would describe my music as acoustic indie-folk/singer songwriter, but i’m planning on branching into more indie-rock/pop oriented sounds as i keep learning and creating.
Who would most like to collaborate with?
It’s really hard to chose a name, there are so many songwriters and producers out there who i look up to and respect, but if i had to give one name probably Mike Shinoda would be at the top of my list.
What is you creative process like?
My creative Process is really slow, most of the time, perhaps because i don’t force myself to write concrete songs enough even if they end up being terrible. I’ve sort of been riding on bursts of inspiration and doing as much as i can with them while they last, but i’m working on becoming more consistently creative.
What is the most useless talent you have?
I can curl my tongue into that weird flower shape, not sure if that makes sense but its definitely pretty useless aside from being able to make unique selfies.
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
If i sing in the shower its usually songs that are really uncomfortable for my vocal capabilities, something about the acoustics in the shower make almost anything sound better(but that still doesn’t mean its good haha).
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
If i wasn’t working on Music i’d probably be focusing more on academics. If i’m interested in a topic i tend to rabbit hole myself, so i could really see myself diving into academic research. alternatively i might have invested more time in acting, although its also a performing art its a different focus than music, but it’s also something I’ve always been interested in to an extent.
I know you’re a fellow book lover so, what are you top 5 books of all time?
The Lord of the Rings The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy The Wise Mans Fear (Kingkiller Chronicle) The Great Gatsby To Kill A Mockingbird
Thanks for answering my questions Collinski, good luck with State Of The Art!
Music Monday Playlist:
You can now listen to Collinski and all other previous featured Music Monday artists on a special playlist I’ve created on Spotify.
THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2021 WITH ‘WE BEGIN AT THE END’
Harrogate, Thursday 22 July, 9.15pm: Chris Whitaker’s We Begin at the End has been crowned Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2021 at the opening night ceremony for Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival – presented by Harrogate International Festivals at the Old Swan Hotel.
A powerful story of crime, punishment, love and redemption set in coastal California, We Begin at The End is credited by Whitaker as saving his life after being brutally mugged and stabbed as a teenager.
Whitaker has clinched the title on his very first nomination after being chosen by a public vote, the prize Academy and a panel of expert judges, receiving £3,000 and an engraved oak beer cask, hand-carved by one of Britain’s last coopers from Theakstons Brewery.
An unprecedented decision has been taken to recognise Northern Irish author Brian McGilloway’s exceptional political thriller The Last Crossingas Highly Commended. McGilloway will also receive a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by Theakston Old Peculier for his novel which explores The Troubles from the perspective of former operatives who like to think they have moved on.
Executive director of T&R Theakston, Simon Theakston, said: “The contest for this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award has been fiercely fought – a reflection of the outstanding quality of all the longlisted and shortlisted crime fiction published within the last year. I offer Chris Whitaker my hearty congratulations for clinching the title on his first ever nomination for his powerful and insightful We Begin at the End.”
Gary Jones, Express Editor-in-Chief, said: “It’s a great pleasure to be associated with the world’s most famous celebration of crime writing and we’re thrilled the Theakston Old Peculier Festival is back this year in the flesh and better than ever. Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors for crime book of the year and especially to winner Chris Whitaker.”
Special presentations were also made to Ian Rankin OBE and Mark Billingham, the winners of the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award for 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Simon Theakston added:“It was an absolute pleasure to award crime fiction legends Ian Rankin and Mark Billingham with the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award 2021 and 2020 respectively. They are two titans of crime fiction and richly deserving of this latest recognition of their mastery of the genre.”
Ian Rankin OBE, recipient of Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award 2021, said: “It’s such a privilege and an honour to receive this award, and especially to be in Harrogate to receive it in person. I’ve been a published writer for over thirty years but this past year has been uniquely challenging – for writers, readers and booksellers. It’s heartening to see the Theakston Festival rise like a phoenix. Books continue to provide us with that wonderful mix of food for thought and escapism. I couldn’t be prouder to be a crime writer.”
Mark Billingham, recipient of Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award 2020, said: “It goes without saying that – presuming it’s not some sort of administrative error – this is an enormous honour. I’m as gobsmacked as I am grateful to be joining a list containing the likes of Ruth Rendell, PD James and Lee Child and while there are many individuals to whom I’m hugely indebted, first and foremost I want to say ‘thank you’ to the readers. Without them, there’s no point to any of it.”
This year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival continues until Sunday at the Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate. Special Guests this year include Mark Billingham, Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths, Mick Herron, Clare Mackintosh, Val Mcdermid and Richard Osman, curated by Festival Programming Chair Ian Rankin OBE.
The award is run by Harrogate International Festivals sponsored by T&R Theakston Ltd, in partnership with WHSmith and the Express, and is open to full length crime novels published in paperback 1 May 2020 to 30 April 2021 by UK and Irish authors. The longlist was selected by an academy of crime writing authors, agents, editors, reviewers, members of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival Programming Committee, and representatives from T&R Theakston Ltd, the Express, and WHSmith.
The Books:
We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker
For fans of Jane Harper’s The Dry comes a powerful novel about the lengths we will go to keep our family safe. This is a story about good and evil and how life is lived somewhere in between.
Thirty years ago, Vincent King became a killer.
Now, he’s been released from prison and is back in his hometown of Cape Haven, California. Not everyone is pleased to see him. Like Star Radley, his ex-girlfriend, and sister of the girl he killed.
Duchess Radley, Star’s thirteen-year-old daughter, is part-carer, part-protector to her younger brother, Robin – and to her deeply troubled mother. But in trying to protect Star, Duchess inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will have tragic consequences not only for her family, but also the whole town.
Murder, revenge, retribution.
How far can we run from the past, when the past seems doomed to repeat itself?
About The Author:
Chris Whitaker lives in the United Kingdom with his wife and three young children. When not writing he works part-time at a local library, where he gets to surround himself with books. His own authored books include Tall Oaks and All the Wicked Girls.
The Last Crossing by Brian McGilloway
Tony, Hugh and Karen thought they’d seen the last of each other thirty years ago. Half a lifetime has passed and memories have been buried. But when they are asked to reunite – to lay ghosts to rest for the good of the future – they all have their own reasons to agree. As they take the ferry from Northern Ireland to Scotland the past is brought into terrible focus – some things are impossible to leave behind.
In The Last Crossing memory is unreliable, truth shifts and slips and the lingering legacy of the Troubles threatens the present once again.
About The Author:
Brian McGilloway is the New York Times Bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Inspector Benedict Devlin and DS Lucy Black series. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland in 1974. After studying English at Queen’s University, Belfast, he took up a teaching position in St Columb’s College in Derry, where he was Head of English until 2013. He currently teaches in Holy Cross College, Strabane. His first novel, Borderlands, published by Macmillan New Writing, was shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger 2007 and was hailed by The Times as “one of (2007’s) most impressive debuts”. In 2014, Brian won BBC NI’s Tony Doyle Award for his screenplay Little Emperors, an award which saw him become Writer In Residence with BBC NI. Little Emperors is currently in development with Two Cities Television and BBC NI. Brian lives near the Irish borderlands with his wife, daughter and three sons.
At first, Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan believes the murder mystery game sent to her office is a birthday gift from one of her colleagues. But when Frankie studies the game’s contents, she notices a striking resemblance between the ‘murder victim’ and missing twenty-two-year-old Lydia Callin.
As Frankie and her team investigate, a series of grisly crimes connected to the game are discovered across Dublin city and Lydia’s involvement with a shadowy network of murder mystery players becomes clear.
On the hunt for Lydia’s murderer, Frankie is drawn more deeply into the game. Every successful move brings her closer to the killer. But the real question is not what happens should she lose — but what happens if she wins.
The Murder Box is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
The Murder Box is another thrilling, addictive and original thriller from one of my favourite crime writers.
Firstly I thought the concept of the murder box was very clever and I was instantly intrigued. Having read a few crime books I was very keen to find out what the true meaning behind the box was. I didn’t have long to wait as the case soon kicks off at a great pace which made it hard to stop reading at times. I kept promising myself just one more chapter but then started another and then another as I had to find out what happens next.
It was great fun to be back with Frankie and her team. One of the things I most like about this author is her ability to take the reader along for the journey so that you feel you are really there solving the case alongside them. The reader is taken on every part of the investigation, every false lead and every breakthrough which was fantastic to follow.
Overall I absolutely loved this book which helped distract me from the heatwave in the UK at the moment. The investigation flows at a great pace and I liked how realistic it was with no great leaps or tenuous links. It was very fast paced with lots of twist which kept me guessing until the end. There are some dark moments which might not be to everyone’s taste but I felt these weren’t overdone. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author.
Huge thanks to Milly Reid from Quercus for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Quercus for my copy of this book via netgalley. If you are a crime fiction fan you need to read this book, definitely her best so far!
About The Author:
Olivia Kiernan is an Irish writer living in the UK. She was born and raised in County Meath, near the famed heritage town of Kells and holds an MA in Creative Writing awarded by the University of Sussex. The Murder Box is the fourth book in the acclaimed Frankie Sheehan series.
Over The Rainbow Blog 