'Twist of Fate' by D. L. Mark (aka David Mark) - my five star review

 The story, as David Mark himself said, certainly has its "bonkers" moments, but the writing of it, the descriptions of the characters, their actions and involvements, is so mouth-wateringly delicious, that I just kept on reading, reminding myself to take a breath now and then. Certainly merits Sharon Bolton's "Staggeringly good".

Louise Welsh 'The Second Cut'

A five star rating

Wonderful to spend time again with Rilke, and Rose and Anderson, along with cast of friends both queer and colourful and enemies of ill-intent. Plus there is an auction, and a lot of chasing around the murkier bits of Glasgow. Wonderfully inspirational writing too. 

Jane Jesmond's fast-paced thriller 'Cut adrift'

 If ever I'd thought "Follow THAT!' on finishing 'On the Edge' (despite a sigh of satisfaction most definitely tinged with admiration and, yes, a twinge of envy as I suspect I might've done) Jane Jesmond has proved herself eminently capable of doing just that. So many of the characters first met in that debut reappear in this: Jen, as brave as ever and maybe more more sensitive; her mother, Morwenna), assuredly more sensible, and Nick Crawford a LOT more enigmatic, as they hurtle towards trying to make safer a wicked and dangerous embroilment of people-smuggling. Thoroughly deserving of its Sunday Times nomination of 'Thriller of the month' I know it is one I'll return to more than once for the sheer pleasure of re-reading.

Graham Bartlett's debut novel 'Bad for good'

 This was, without doubt, a unsettling read. Not least because of the plot, which was tense and throat-achingly painful, but also because the whole way through I kept remembering that 'Write what you know' mantra. The knowledge that, as a police officer serving for more than thirty years, Graham Bartlett, had more than likely come across examples of all the horrendous behaviours (not all involving physical damage) his several compelling and well-drawn characters either suffer from or display, fails to match my impression of a thoroughly decent and apparently undamaged man that comes over in his excellent (and invaluable) crime writing workshops, as well as in the one-to-one conversations I've had, when asking for help with my writing. And write he certainly can. 'Force of hate' already on my wishlist.