The Mermaids Singing / The Wire in the Blood - Val McDermid
Taken a long time to get round to reading a couple of her books but well worth the wait.
Found all the 'Tony Hill' novels rivetting. Also really enjoyed the 'Karen Pirie' stories, starting with The Distant Echo. A couple of her standalone novels were really good too, but I have forgotten the titles! Avoid 'Kate Brannigan' and 'Lindsay Gordon' like the plague (IMO)
Re Denzil Meyrick, I have only read the first one -Whisky in small glasses. His books are set around Campbeltown and the Mull of Kintyre, a peaceful and remote area where I spend a lot of time. Found it a bit difficult to cope with descriptions of machine gun shootouts by the harbour front! Though it was good fun working out which real local people he'd based various characters on....
The Mermaids Singing / The Wire in the Blood - Val McDermid
Taken a long time to get round to reading a couple of her books but well worth the wait.
Found all the 'Tony Hill' novels rivetting. Also really enjoyed the 'Karen Pirie' stories, starting with The Distant Echo. A couple of her standalone novels were really good too, but I have forgotten the titles! Avoid 'Kate Brannigan' and 'Lindsay Gordon' like the plague (IMO)
Skeleton Road one of the Val McDermid ones by any chance?
The Mermaids Singing / The Wire in the Blood - Val McDermid
Taken a long time to get round to reading a couple of her books but well worth the wait.
Found all the 'Tony Hill' novels rivetting. Also really enjoyed the 'Karen Pirie' stories, starting with The Distant Echo. A couple of her standalone novels were really good too, but I have forgotten the titles! Avoid 'Kate Brannigan' and 'Lindsay Gordon' like the plague (IMO)
Skeleton Road one of the Val McDermid ones by any chance?
Yes, it's one of the novels that features the character Karen Pirie
Honourable, Edwardian cabinet minister has the world at his feet. Suddenly, mysteriously, all is lost - including his career and the great love of his life. 67 years later the truth begins to emerge - but at a huge cost.
An absolutely intriguing story. A cracking read (imo).
Honourable, Edwardian cabinet minister has the world at his feet. Suddenly, mysteriously, all is lost - including his career and the great love of his life. 67 years later the truth begins to emerge - but at a huge cost.
An absolutely intriguing story. A cracking read (imo).
Goddard deserves more attention .. he's been writing great mystery stories for years
Honourable, Edwardian cabinet minister has the world at his feet. Suddenly, mysteriously, all is lost - including his career and the great love of his life. 67 years later the truth begins to emerge - but at a huge cost.
An absolutely intriguing story. A cracking read (imo).
Reading a book about the making of Aretha Franklin's first Atlantic Album, I Never Loved A Man They Way I Love You. The title track was cut in Muscle Shoals at Rick Hall's FAME studio with his all-white house band, featuring the likes of the great Roger Hawkins on drums and Spooner Oldham, and with Jerry Wexler co-producing with Hall.
But then came 'The Incident', over which people are deliberately sketchy. What we do know is that a trumpeter (let's call him, oh, I don't know, Ken Laxton) made a drunken pass at Aretha (some say, he grabbed her arse), to which her husband, Ted White, took great exception and, after an altercation where he demands that Laxton is sacked, storms off back to his hotel followed, eventually, by Aretha after she started work on Dan Penn's Do Right Woman. Anyway, cut to later, Rick Hall's started on the vodka and contrary to Jerry Wexler's instructions goes to the the hotel to smooth things over. Before you know it, Hall and Ted White are trying to wrestle each other off the balcony. And the session's blown. White and Aretha fly home separately, Wexler tells Hall he's finished, Aretha goes missing for two weeks, then Wexler has to come up with a ruse to get the Muscle Shoals musicians to the Atlantic studios in New York, but without Rick Hall. The ruse is they're working on a King Curtis album, 'but while you're here guys, let's finish the Aretha album.'
There you go, I've read it so you don't have to.
I think it's worth mentioning that if you don't own that album, you don't qualify as human
Honourable, Edwardian cabinet minister has the world at his feet. Suddenly, mysteriously, all is lost - including his career and the great love of his life. 67 years later the truth begins to emerge - but at a huge cost.
An absolutely intriguing story. A cracking read (imo).
'Last Orders' is one of my favourite novels and, having really enjoyed Graham Swift's recent novella, 'Mothering Sunday', I thought I'd have a read of his short stories. I was not disappointed and found this be be an extremely enjoyable and engaging collection. There are about 25 stories, all about 8-10 pages long, and most of them have a contemporary setting. They are mostly snapshots of people's lives, often with a twist in the storyline. Graham Swift has an economical and restrained style, which I think makes his writing more powerful.
'The Good Soldier' by Ford Madox Ford (1915)
Two couples meet and form a friendship at a German spa town in 1913 but the apparent perfection of these two marriages rapidly disintegrates. A story of betrayal, infidelity and extreme naivety is told in a non-linear and very random way by the rather dim, cuckolded husband. Nothing is quite what it seems.
An interesting read and the novel is widely regarded as a modernist masterpiece. However, I can't say that I particularly enjoyed reading it.
Born in Berlin in 1920, two boys brought together at birth due to the most extenuating circumstances and raised in a Jewish family. The story follows the family as German society gradually changes under Hitler’s dark shadow and graphically describes the plight of the family - with the added complication - that the adopted boy proves to be an Aryan.
I read this following Brexit and the US elections. It served to remind me of the dangers about arguments based on race and how quickly the tide can turn once momentum is gathered.
Shake Off - Mischa Hiller Palestinian spy thriller
The Loney - A M Hurley Adult recounts childhood trip from London to remote Lancashire. The author gradually builds up the tension making the reader imagine an increasingly dark end.
The Glorious Heresies - Lisa McInerney Life on the edge of Irish society. Will appeal perhaps to fans of John Niven (got a feeling @stonemuse or @Carter recommended Niven, so returning the favour).
All that man is - David Szalay Nine men at different stages of life.
Shake Off - Mischa Hiller Palestinian spy thriller
The Loney - A M Hurley Adult recounts childhood trip from London to remote Lancashire. The author gradually builds up the tension making the reader imagine an increasingly dark end.
The Glorious Heresies - Lisa McInerney Life on the edge of Irish society. Will appeal perhaps to fans of John Niven (got a feeling @stonemuse or @Carter recommended Niven, so returning the favour).
All that man is - David Szalay Nine men at different stages of life.
Would recommend all the above.
Cheers for recommendation @SheffieldRed I think it was @Carter that first mentioned him but I do agree.
Conclave .. by Robert Harris .. in the very near future, the politics and machinations in electing a new Pope .. sounds dull but is a very good, intelligent and informative read
One poignant point .. a small(ish) part of the plot involves Islamic attacks on Roman Catholic congregations .. I read this part in bed last night .. I stopped for a break driving home on the M62 this morning, bought the 'Times' .. front page news was of an Islamic attack on the cathedral congregation of one of the World's oldest Christian sects, the Egyptian Coptics .. I emphasis however that the book is NOT anti muslim ...
Conclave .. by Robert Harris .. in the very near future, the politics and machinations in electing a new Pope .. sounds dull but is a very good, intelligent and informative read
One poignant point .. a small(ish) part of the plot involves Islamic attacks on Roman Catholic congregations .. I read this part in bed last night .. I stopped for a break driving home on the M62 this morning, bought the 'Times' .. front page news was of an Islamic attack on the cathedral congregation of one of the World's oldest Christian sects, the Egyptian Coptics .. I emphasis however that the book is NOT anti muslim ...
Conclave .. by Robert Harris .. in the very near future, the politics and machinations in electing a new Pope .. sounds dull but is a very good, intelligent and informative read
One poignant point .. a small(ish) part of the plot involves Islamic attacks on Roman Catholic congregations .. I read this part in bed last night .. I stopped for a break driving home on the M62 this morning, bought the 'Times' .. front page news was of an Islamic attack on the cathedral congregation of one of the World's oldest Christian sects, the Egyptian Coptics .. I emphasis however that the book is NOT anti muslim ...
Have this on my xmas list.
you will thoroughly enjoy it .. Harris is a VERY good author
Shake Off - Mischa Hiller Palestinian spy thriller
The Loney - A M Hurley Adult recounts childhood trip from London to remote Lancashire. The author gradually builds up the tension making the reader imagine an increasingly dark end.
The Glorious Heresies - Lisa McInerney Life on the edge of Irish society. Will appeal perhaps to fans of John Niven (got a feeling @stonemuse or @Carter recommended Niven, so returning the favour).
All that man is - David Szalay Nine men at different stages of life.
Would recommend all the above.
Cheers for the recommendation I've downloaded it and will report back
Bruce Springsteen's autobiography. I would never have purchased this; however, my wife bought it for me and I am glad she did.An intelligent, thought provoking and humorous book. His take on what was served up as entertainment in the late fifties/early sixties is spot on. Superb.
Comments
perceptive, humane and clever
Also really enjoyed the 'Karen Pirie' stories, starting with The Distant Echo.
A couple of her standalone novels were really good too, but I have forgotten the titles!
Avoid 'Kate Brannigan' and 'Lindsay Gordon' like the plague (IMO)
Honourable, Edwardian cabinet minister has the world at his feet. Suddenly, mysteriously, all is lost - including his career and the great love of his life. 67 years later the truth begins to emerge - but at a huge cost.
An absolutely intriguing story. A cracking read (imo).
and buy a book.
Unbroken-Laura Hillenbrand , excellent true story of 2nd ww vet
'Last Orders' is one of my favourite novels and, having really enjoyed Graham Swift's recent novella, 'Mothering Sunday', I thought I'd have a read of his short stories. I was not disappointed and found this be be an extremely enjoyable and engaging collection. There are about 25 stories, all about 8-10 pages long, and most of them have a contemporary setting. They are mostly snapshots of people's lives, often with a twist in the storyline. Graham Swift has an economical and restrained style, which I think makes his writing more powerful.
'The Good Soldier' by Ford Madox Ford (1915)
Two couples meet and form a friendship at a German spa town in 1913 but the apparent perfection of these two marriages rapidly disintegrates. A story of betrayal, infidelity and extreme naivety is told in a non-linear and very random way by the rather dim, cuckolded husband. Nothing is quite what it seems.
An interesting read and the novel is widely regarded as a modernist masterpiece. However, I can't say that I particularly enjoyed reading it.
Born in Berlin in 1920, two boys brought together at birth due to the most extenuating circumstances and raised in a Jewish family. The story follows the family as German society gradually changes under Hitler’s dark shadow and graphically describes the plight of the family - with the added complication - that the adopted boy proves to be an Aryan.
I read this following Brexit and the US elections. It served to remind me of the dangers about arguments based on race and how quickly the tide can turn once momentum is gathered.
for all those who suffer with a mental health illness, as I do.
can't exactly vouch for it, as I'm not half way through yet.
too depressed<(;-)>
Shake Off - Mischa Hiller
Palestinian spy thriller
The Loney - A M Hurley
Adult recounts childhood trip from London to remote Lancashire. The author gradually builds up the tension making the reader imagine an increasingly dark end.
The Glorious Heresies - Lisa McInerney
Life on the edge of Irish society. Will appeal perhaps to fans of John Niven (got a feeling @stonemuse or @Carter recommended Niven, so returning the favour).
All that man is - David Szalay
Nine men at different stages of life.
Would recommend all the above.
Not your conventional thriller, full of commentary on life but a slightly unsatisfactory ending.
Also agree that The Loney is a good book.
One poignant point .. a small(ish) part of the plot involves Islamic attacks on Roman Catholic congregations .. I read this part in bed last night ..
I stopped for a break driving home on the M62 this morning, bought the 'Times' .. front page news was of an Islamic attack on the cathedral congregation of one of the World's oldest Christian sects, the Egyptian Coptics .. I emphasis however that the book is NOT anti muslim ...
His take on what was served up as entertainment in the late fifties/early sixties is spot on. Superb.