Moroccan Traffic by Dorothy Dunnett- Book review and blog tour

I’m pleased to be part of the blog tour for Moroccan Traffic Dorothy Dunnett

Upwardly mobile and smart Wendy Helmann, Executive Secretary, is in Marrakesh with her mother while her boss, Chairman of Kingsley Conglomerates, conducts very delicate if slightly dubious takeover negotiations.

Morocco is a romantic place, but Wendy finds herself side-tracked from its attractions by the antics of Rita Geddes and a few peripheral problems such as kidnapping, explosions, industrial espionage, murder and car chases across the High Atlas mountains . . . Enter Johnson Johnson and his yacht, Dolly.

Thank you, Random Things Tour and Farrago, for my copy of the book.

Review

I have conflicting feelings about Moroccan Traffic by Dorothy Dunnett, a action packed thriller- I loved this instalment in The Dolly Mysteries but I am sad this is the last book in this series featuring the Spy who also happens to be a famous portrait painter.

Read more: Moroccan Traffic by Dorothy Dunnett- Book review and blog tour

I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion.

The Dolly Mysteries featuring Johnson Johnson, portrait painter and spy have been rereleased under different names and in chronological order rather than its original publication date. Interestingly the books are told from the point of view of several strong women characters and our view of Johnston is formed through their eyes.

Moroccan Traffic was published in 1992 under the aptly named Send a Fax to the Kasbah and is the last book in the series chronologically and the last book to be published. Moroccan traffic definitely sheds more light on Johnson’s past, and we finally get to see him make peace (of sorts) with his life.

Wendy, the main character, and first-person narrator is the sensible, boring but ambitious executive assistant who wants to climb up the corporate ladder with the help of her larger-than-life mother (who deserves a book in her own right). As with the other heroines of the Dolly mysteries, she becomes embroiled in international and corporate espionage the minute she meets Johnson.

The book has an explosive start and an equally explosive finish with plenty of action scenes in exotic locales, twists and fights in crazy environments- this time there is an impressive action scene featuring monkeys, and boars!

But the best bit of this book is the appearance of my favourite Dolly heroine – Rita Geddes who ten years after Tropical Issue ( review here) is just as amazing and now the CEO of her own company. We also hear about Joanna from Split Code ( review here) as well as her father and a sense of her role in Johnson’s future.

Moroccan Traffic can be read as a standalone, but this is much more enjoyable and satisfying if you have read the other books in the series.

Perfect for Fans of

The Dolly mysteries. Hilarious, action-packed thrillers.

Author biography
Dorothy Dunnett (1923-2001) gained an international reputation as a writer of
historical fiction. She later turned to crime writing with the acclaimed Dolly books, aka
the Johnson Johnson series. She was a trustee of the National Library of Scotland, and
a board member of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. In 1992 she was
awarded an OBE for her services to literature. A leading light in the Scottish arts world
and a renaissance woman, Dunnett was also a professional portrait painter and
exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy on many occasions.

Solstice by Helen Steadman- Book review and Blog Tour

Here is my review of Solstice by Helen Steadman, Book Three of The Widdershins Trilogy.

England, 1673. Still a world of witches, witchfinders and witch trials?
Rose Driver’s mother, brother and grandmother were all put to death by the fanatical witchfinder, John Sharpe.
Almost quarter of a century after the Newcastle witch trials, Sharpe is no longer a threat and Rose should be safe in her quiet village. But is history about to repeat itself?
When a new vicar arrives to take over the parish of Mutton Clog, the village finds itself in the grip of Puritan fever, and suspicious eyes are turned on Rose. But this time, the witch hunter is not a man…
Inspired by the curious Riding Mill witch trials of 1673 where a young girl accused thirteen local men and women of witchcraft.

Thank you, Random Book Tours and Bell Jar Books, for a copy of my book.

Review

I enjoyed Solstice by Helen Steadman, the Third Book on the historical fiction series The Widdershins, this time the book focusses on the harrowing Riding Mill witch trials of 1673.

Read more: Solstice by Helen Steadman- Book review and Blog Tour

I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion.

The follows the story of the misunderstood Driver women, this time it’s the beautiful and independent Rose Driver, granddaughter of the so called witch from Widdershins (review here) and daughter of Jane from Sunwise ( review here).

1673, is slightly more enlightened, as a judge states in the book, the courts no longer use pins to test for witches. But it is still dangerous to be a woman who is slightly different. Rose is content with her life as a shepherdess, unaware of the tragedy in her early life until the Patience and Earnest the children of a puritan vicar moves to Mutton Clegg and tear her life apart.

Patience is the other POV character, and the author does an amazing job making the reader sympathise with her despite her spite and intolerance and I wondered how much of her drive was driven by her own spartan upbringing.

The author’s writing brings to life the hard life of the Mutton Clogg’s residents and the bleak, cold weather of the North-East. As transplanted outsider to the North-East the bitter cold of April never ceases to take me by surprise, so the Leatons’ reaction made me smile.

The sense of impending doom, seeps through the book and it was almost a relief when Patience made her move. As with the other books in the trilogy I loved the sense of community coming together to protect Rose, no matter the cost.

I enjoyed reading the author’s note about the actual witch trials of Riding Mills which inspired this tale.

Content Warning

References to domestic violence,

Perfect for fans of

This book will appeal to any reader of historical fiction, historical fiction of North- East, or anyone who would like to learn more about the witch trials of England.

About The Author

Helen Steadman’s first novel, Widdershins and its sequel, Sunwise were inspired by the 1650
Newcastle witch trials. Her third novel, The Running Wolf is about a group of master
swordmakers who defected from Germany to England in 1687. Helen’s fourth novel, God of Fire,
is a Greek myth retelling as seen through the eyes of Hephaestus, perhaps the least well known
of all the Olympians. Helen is particularly interested in revealing hidden histories and she is a
thorough researcher who goes to great lengths in pursuit of historical accuracy. To get under the
skin of the cunning women in Widdershins and Sunwise, Helen trained in herbalism and learned
how to identify, grow and harvest plants and then made herbal medicines from bark, seeds,
flowers and berries.The Running Wolf is the story of a group of master swordmakers who left
Solingen, Germany and moved to Shotley Bridge, England in 1687. As well as carrying out in-
depth archive research and visiting forges in Solingen to bring her story to life, Helen also
undertook blacksmith training, which culminated in making her own sword.

Unruly, A History of England’s Kings and Queens by David Mitchell- book review

David Mitchell explores how early England’s monarchs, while acting as feared rulers firmly guiding their subjects’ destinies, were in reality a bunch of lucky bastards who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear to us today in their portraits.
Taking us right back to King Arthur ( he didn’t exist), Mitchell tells the founding story of post-Roman England right up to the reign of Elizabeth I ( she dies), as the monarchy began to lose its power. It’s a tale of bizarre and curious ascensions, inadequate self-control, and at least one total Cnut, as the English evolved from having their crops stolen by the thug with the largest armed gang to bowing and paying taxes to a divinely anointed King.
How this happened, who it happened to, and why the hell it matters are all questions Mitchell answers with brilliance, wit, and the full erudition of a man who once studied history—and is damned if he’ll let it off the hook for the mess it’s made of everything. 
A funny book that takes history seriously, Unruly is for anyone who has ever wondered how the monarchy came to be—and who is to blame.

Review

I enjoyed Unruly by David Mitchell -a hilarious history lesson on the Kings and Queen of England.

David Mitchell(from Peep Show and other hilarious TV programmes) brings his unique voice to this trip through history. He describes how the Monarchy came into existence just after post Roman times till the death of Elizabeth the First, the last Monarch of England.

There are many history books which may well go over the same history in much more detail, but David Mitchell does it so well. He brings to life some of the terrible decisions made by Kings and how this relates to some of the sociopolitical issues we see today in England. He also adds his own acerbic views on the political issues today which are just as funny and insightful.

This is a must for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and would like to know more about these interesting and flawed people. This was just as exciting as any fiction book and even though I did know what was going to happen to some of Kings ( and Queens), I couldn’t put the book down.

Split Code by Dorothy Dunnett- Blog tour and Book review

Here is my review of Split Code by Dorothy Dunnett, A Dolly Mystery.

To all appearances Joanna Emerson is a fully qualified, gold-medalled graduate of the world’s finest college of Nursery Nurses…Engaged as a nanny to Benedict, newly born heir to a vast cosmetic fortune, she becomes caught up in a complex kidnap plot. But the enigmatic portrait painter, yachtsman and former spy, Johnson Johnson is never far away – and he knows the dangerous game she’s playing.

Before long, bullets are flying, and most of them in Joanna’s direction.

Review

Here is my review of Split Code by Dorothy Dunnett, A Dolly mystery featuring Johnson Johnson, spy and portrait painter.I was hooked from the first page where each line seemed more hilarious than the previous one

I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion.

The Dolly Mysteries featuring Johnson Johnson, portrait painter and spy have been rereleased under different names and in chronological order rather than its original publication date. Interestingly the books are told from the point of view of several strong women characters and our view of Johnston is formed through their eyes.Split code can be read as a standalone without having read the others.

Split Code was previously published as Dolly and the Nanny Bird in 1974 and Joanna, is the main point of view character- a formidable nursery nurse and accidental code maker. Unlike Dolly’s previous heroines, she knows she is going to be embroiled in spy shannnigans.

Split code is definitely more a spy thriller than the other books and we learn in the book that Johnson is MI5, this has been hinted at before but this book makes this overt and also who he works for.

The plot and action is a complex and zany as you would expect for Dorothy Dunnett, involved yachts, smallpox outbreaks, castles and talking toy teddy bears.  Ad with all the other Dolly books the action takes place all over the world including Dubrovnik, New York and Winnipeg.

This book was written in 1974 and is a book of its time- some of the descriptions of how the babies and children are treated would raise a few eyebrows today and given Joanna’s considerable skills in all areas, she would be a spy in her own right.

Content warning

Description of child neglect

Perfect for Fans ( click on title for review)

Dororthy Dunnett, Rum Affair, Tropical Issue, Operation Nassau, Roman Nights ,Ibiza Surprise.

The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart- Book review

The final book in The Drowning Empire Trilogy was just as amazing as I thought it would be. Here is my review of The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart.

Lin Sukai has won her first victory as Emperor, but the future of the Phoenix Empire hangs in the balance – and Lin is dangerously short of allies. 
As her own governors plot treason, the Shardless Few renew hostilities. Worse still, Lin discovers her old nemesis Nisong has joined forces with the rogue Alanga, Ragan. Both seek her death.  
Yet hopes lies in history. Legend tells of seven mythic swords, forged in centuries past. If Lin can find them before her enemies, she may yet be able to turn the tide.   
If she fails, the Sukai dynasty – and the entire empire – will fall.  

 Review

I was not a hero, but maybe- I could still do heroic things.

 If there was a single sentence that captures the essence of the conclusion of the epic fantasy, The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart, this is it.

My Brother’s Keeper by Tim Powers- Book review

Here is my review of My Brother’s Keeper by Tim Powers- Gothic fantasy.

When young Emily Brontë helps a wounded man she finds at the foot of an ancient pagan shrine in the remote Yorkshire moors, her life becomes contentiously entwined with his. He is Alcuin Curzon, embittered member of a sect working to eradicate the resurgent plague of lycanthropy in Europe and northern England.
But Emily’s father, curate of the Haworth village church, is responsible for having unwittingly brought a demonic werewolf god to Yorkshire forty years ago—and it is taking possession of Emily’s beloved but foolish and dissolute brother. Curzon must regard Emily’s family as a dire threat.
In spite of being at deadly odds, Emily and Curzon find themselves thrown together in fighting werewolves, confronting pagan gods, even saving each other from the lures of moorland demons. And in a final battle that sweeps from the haunted village of Haworth to a monstrous shrine far out on the moors, the two of them must be reluctant allies against an ancient power that seems likely to take their souls as well as their lives.

Review

I’m a big fan of Emily Bronte and Wuthering Heights, so I jumped at the chance to read My Brother’s Keeper by Tim Powers- a gothic ghost story with cults, sacrifice, possession and magical dogs.

My Brother’s Keeper captures the atmosphere of the North York Moors and echoes the feel of Wuthering Heights. The village of Howarth, the vicarage, moors and caves play a vital part and I can’t imagine this book without them.

Read more: My Brother’s Keeper by Tim Powers- Book review

I received a copy this book for a free and unbiased opinion.

The author has created a perfectly tragic, flawed, sympathetic yet annoying character in Branwell Bronte- the brother who never lived up to his potential unlike his sisters. His resentment, despair and love come through so clearly. But it is Emily who is steals the show as the charismatic, bold and wild heroine capable of writing a book like Wuthering Heights.

The book at its heart is a ghost story who follows the doomed Bronte family from Ireland to Yorkshire. There is plenty of action in the book with guns being shot in old English pubs to mysterious ongoings on the Moors.

I did feel the book was a little too long with some parts being a bit repetitive towards the end, but these didn’t stop me from enjoying the book.

Perfect for Fans

Gothic ghost stories, the Brontes.

Belle Nash and the Bath Circus by William Keeling- book review

Here is my review of the second book in the Gay Street Chronicles- Belle Nash and the Bath Circus by William Keeling.

In 1835, when gay hero Bellerophon “Belle” Nash returns to Bath, in the west of England, after four years of forced exile in the Caribbean, he is a much changed man. Responsible for freeing the slaves on his aunt’s former estate in Grenada, Beau Nash’s grandson has seen the worst indignities that can be inflicted on fellow human beings and now finds himself, in Bath, at odds with one of slavery’s worst offenders. He has left behind a new love, too, and wants to believe that a semblance of that love can be recreated in England. For a while, a surrogate love affair with a would-be circus entrepreneur from Norfolk seems to satisfy him. But conflicts of interest reveal hard truths that cannot be wished away. Others may also prove better placed to right the wrongs that most trouble him. Can Belle survive the challenge.

Thank you, Alan Jepson and Envelope book, for my copy of this book.

Review

Here is my review of Belle Nash and the Bath Circus by William Keeling, the second book of the Gay Street Chronicles- hilarious historical fiction.

I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion.

Even though this is the second book in the Gay Street Chronicles, you don’t need to have read the first book, Belle Nash and the Bath Souffle (review here) to follow the story, but it will enhance your enjoyment of this book.

The story picks off, four years after Belle’s banishment to Grenada and he returns a different man- a man who has witnessed the horrors of slavery and experienced a passionate and doomed love with a Pablo. So, when he returns to London and meets William from Norfolk who only wants his circus to succeed but is the spitting image of Pablo- Belle takes up his cause to an almost creepy degree.

The book deals with difficult issues of the times (and to a degree issues we still deal with) such as misogyny, racism, slavery and homophobia. But the humour from the first book is still evident especially when the formidable and yet demure Mrs Lady Passmore enters the scene. The story moves quickly interspersed with court scenes, black cake, circuses, and poor Mr Lush dressing up as a woman.

While Belle is the hero of the book, it is the group of strong and determined women such as Gaia, Mrs Prim and Lady Passmore who make this book so interesting.

Content Warning

References to rape, racism, and slavery

Perfect for Fans for

Historical fiction, Belle Nash and the Bath Souffle.

Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone by Suk Pannu- book review and blog review

I’m pleased to be part of the Blog Tour for Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone by Suk Pannu.

Mrs. Sidhu – unofficial Aunty to everyone, caterer, and amateur sleuth from Slough – spices up the lives of Berkshire’s elite with both her mouth-watering dishes and her sharp detective skills. But when she stirs up trouble among the rich and ruthless, she finds herself an outsider in her own community. Banished to the kitchen by her boss and sentenced to an endless loop of aubergine bhajis, Mrs. Sidhu seizes the opportunity to whip up a new recipe for success – getting a job as a private chef at an exclusive celebrity rehab retreat. But when a therapist is found dead in the quiet village, Mrs Sidhu’s appetite for mystery is rekindled. As the plot thickens, it becomes clear that the killer is picking victims through a twisted raffle at the village fete. Is a vengeful spirit returning to exact a horrifying revenge, or is there an impostor among the residents hiding a deadly secret?

Thank you, Random Things Book Tours and Harper Collins, for a copy of this book

Review

I’m pleased to be part of the blog tour for Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone by Suk Pannu- cosy crime.

I received a proof copy for a free and unbiased opinion.

I hadn’t heard of Mrs Sidhu before , but Suk Pannu’s Radio 4 show featuring Mrs Sidhu has been around a few years .So, some people may already be aware of her and her past mysteries. But despite this, I had no problem jumping into the Mrs Sidhu complicated and sometimes grandiose inner world.

The book ticks all the boxes for any fan of cosy crime- a non-gory death, picturesque location, a huge cast of interesting and some strange suspects, plenty of motives and of course a Detective with their own quirks!

Mrs Sidhu is sentenced to making vats of aubergine bhaji after a disastrous catering fiasco and hates it. So, she barges into a murder investigation, she stumbles across when enquiring about another catering job.

Mrs Sidhu, herself, is an interesting character. Still grieving for her husband, she appears to understand human nature but lacks people skills, which leads to a number of humorous encounters. But although she can connect to people when she wants them to answer question, she is unable to connect to her family until it is too late. Mrs Sidhu numerous ways to avoid spending time with her sister-in-law were hilarious. I think we all know an Indian Auntie like Mrs Sindhu- well, meaning but slightly annoying.

There are good range of interesting supporting characters from her son, Daljeet the Dalik and the poor Detective Burton,all with their own quirks.

The murder itself was suitably complex and even though I guessed who did it by the end , I enjoyed the journey.

I’ve now downloaded Mrs Sidhu Invesigates

to listen to and look forward to watching the TV show with Meera Syal but I hope there are more books featuring Mrs Sidhu.

Perfect for fans of

Cosy crime, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.

Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution-by Cat Bohannon

Here is my review of Eve by Cat Bohannon- non fiction

Cat Bohannon covers the past 200 million years to explain the specific science behind the development of the female sex: “We need a kind of user’s manual for the female mammal. A no-nonsense, hard-hitting, seriously researched (but readable) account of what we are. How female bodies evolved, how they work, what it really means to biologically be a woman. Something that would rewrite the story of womanhood. This book is that story. We have to put the female body in the picture. If we don’t, it’s not just feminism that’s compromised. Modern medicine, neurobiology, paleoanthropology, even evolutionary biology all take a hit when we ignore the fact that half of us have breasts. So it’s time we talk about breasts. Breasts, and blood, and fat, and vaginas, and wombs—all of it. How they came to be and how we live with them now, no matter how weird or hilarious the truth is.”

Thank you Net Galley and Random House for my ecopy

Publication date :12 October 2023

Review

I really enjoyed this feminist romp through evolution and here is my review of Eve by Cat Bohannon.

I received a copy of the book for a free and unbiased opinions.

Some scientific non- fiction books can be dry and boring, but Eve is not one of those books. The author presents her evidence of how the female body has driven evolution in a fun, humorous and non-lecturing manner which was a joy to read.

The author has meticulously researched her topic and the book is full of extraordinary and interesting detail. I learnt so much from reading this book and it has helped me understand why it feels the world has been built to make things harder for women- men have been the primary designers and have never considered there are differences between the male and female bodies.

The books discussed the differences in biology, physiology, and psychology between female and male bodies and how human society has changed as a result. The differences not just includes reproductive organs but also how female bodies perceive sounds, their vision, mobility and brains.

The author adds her own personal experiences which provides a human element to the facts and data.

Content Warning

References to rape although this is in relation to other species!

So Now Go Tell-by Susan Sachon – Book review and Blog Tour

I’m so pleased to be part of the Blog tour for So Now Go Tell by Susan Sachon

After reaching a crisis point at 40, Jenny Watson is offered her dream job running a Shakespeare festival at a Tudor pub. She can hardly believe her luck at this brilliant new start, and chance to escape her unhappy past. The job isn’t all it seems, however. The pub is remote and her mysterious boss is permanently absent; there’s a 400 year old skull residing in the cellar; and the local actors are less than enthusiastic over her boss’s choice of play. Then there’s the growing conviction that someone’s watching her. Strange messages, withheld calls and shadows on the windows spike temporary attacks of stress-related blindness as she clings to her last chance to live her dream.
But as the dark play she’s directing starts to unravel the secrets she’d sworn never to tell, Jenny realises she’s not at the pub by chance… and soon she finds herself the leading lady in a nightmare replay of her past.

Thank you @Random Things Tour and Troubadour books for a copy of my book

Review

I’m pleased to be part of the Blog Tour for So Now Go Tell by Susan Sachon- a thriller and a love letter to Shakespeare.

I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion.

So Now Go Tell will appeal to anyone who loves creepy thrillers, but fans of Shakespeare will especially enjoy the many references to his work. The book has an almost gothic feel as Jenny is invited to work in a deserted pub by a mysterious stranger. The Pub, The Old Bell, is as much a character and a suspect, a house with hidden secrets and danger.

Jenny’s overall arc is study in how people’s life can be affected by childhood trauma, and it was good to see Jenny begin to embrace life towards the end of the book. There are many suspects to keep as guessing and all loose ends are tied up by the end of the book.

The mystery of the skull found in the cellar forms an interesting subplot.

There is a lot of Shakespeare and references to Shakespeare, so this book will appeal to everyone who likes his work.

Content warning

Childhood abuse, references to rape