Reviewed by Gail McDonald The author of Crows Nest, Nikki Mottram, studied psychology at the University of Queensland and worked in London and Australia in positions protecting and promoting the welfare of children at risk of harm. In this, her debut novel, she draws on her knowledge and experience in child protection to promote a
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve This thrillingly plausible novel offers a scenario set in the near future which presents a frightening portrayal of life in Britain. It gives a chillingly convincing description of a government intruding in citizens’ lives, a shocking impact of social media, and is made more gripping by a psychopath’s steady progress, who,
Reviewed by Gerard Healy This unusual but interesting story is set in Antarctica, with most of the main events happening many years from now. There are elements of science-fiction (alien invasion & extreme genetic engineering) mixed with a love story or two. Tom Rob Smith, the book’s author, is probably best known for Child 44,
Reviewed by E. B. Heath The world lives in small rooms. Salom p.365 More than once during the first seventy odd pages I wondered if I cared enough to continue. But then … characters gained traction, subject matter became both real and interesting, the narrative and dialogue authentic, empathy was building and I started to
Reviewed by Clare Brook Anyone who loves reading, or writing, will really appreciate this little book of essays from a selection of authors discussing their most memorable book. It provides a double pleasure: readers get an inner glimpse into the minds and lives of successful authors, why they loved a book so much, how it
Reviewed by Ian Lipke Simon Smith’s interest lies in human beings and what causes them to carry out actions that, at first sight, seem bizarre. Why would a well-setup Irishman determine to attack the British Royal family at a time when his victims were perceived to be worthy and respectable citizens? One might well ask
Reviewed by Ian Lipke Alison Ferguson must have had a lot of fun writing Grey Nomad. Obviously, no reader is supposed to take seriously the story of a seventy-year-old woman mixing on equal terms with an intergalactic crew who have problems of their own. The story is meant to ‘take the mickey’ out of us
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke According to the author of this book, the writer and reader go on a journey together where the writer plants the clues, and the reader finds them. Maybe they’ll guess the answer then a later clue will leave them doubting that guess, often several times over. It’s the twists that matter.
Reviewed by E. B. Heath Animals aren’t commodities; they are the sole mechanism that delivers human life support. Conservation can’t succeed until we’ve had this conversation, until everyone learns this. In The Foreword to Wildlife in the Balance, Ian Redmond OBE, Ambassador to the UN Convention on Conservation, writes: Wildlife in the Balance is perhaps
Reviewed by Ian Lipke Fitzhugh is dead, poisoned. The Hollywood socialite who, with his wife Eliza Lane, has been hosting a party in Uptown Hollywood. They were true A-listers, the most glamorous of society’s darlings. The crowd had gathered to hear Eliza sing, Brant had proposed a toast to his wife, and dropped in his
Reviewed by Rod McLary The title and cover of this second book by Dinuka McKenzie provides a strong clue to its story – the book’s title is superimposed on an image of a cot empty apart from an abandoned toy bear. What else can be meant but a stolen baby. However, this is not just
Reviewd by Norrie Sanders When a titanic chunk of land the size of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh ploughs into the planet’s largest continent, something has to give. The result is a crash site that rises 8km above the earth’s surface. The word Himālaya conjures images of improbably high peaks, huge glaciated valleys and deep river
Reviewed by Ian Lipke The year 1685 is not a happy time in England. Disputes within families vie with enmities likely to lead to civil war. Sir James Avery tolerates the almost sisterly relationship that exists between his wife and the queen. However, he trusts neither of them. There is palace intrigue, political upheaval, and
Reviewed by Richard Tutin The lure of owning and reading books is still alive and well despite the growth of eBooks and their accompanying readers and apps. The desire to hold and physically look through a volume, no matter the size, is as strong as it has ever been if the number of book shops,
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This book is the first to be published by Ana Reyes and has developed from the thesis for her M.F.A. program at Louisiana State University. The book became Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club January 2023 choice. An industry review says that this book is ‘powerfully eerie and atmospheric. A compelling mix of