The Whispering Dead by David Mark My rating: 5 of 5 stars Not sure when I first read this, plus it was a free upload of just a short introduction On reading the paperback, what followed seemed to me out of step and it took a while to readjust, but once I accepted the espionage element it was arresting. Only wish I'd also remembered to re-read 'The Burying Ground' first.re-read 2026, and because it is one of several on my bookshelves whose powerful opening chapter is capable of entering my mind and luring me to re-read, I did so again. And again forgot to begin with 'The Burying Ground' View all my reviews

First book read of 2026

New book and a new – and very welcome – experience for me:  a “How To” write book received as a birthday present which I found many times more compelling, educational; entertaining and personally useful than the many “How To” books on writing I own: a dozen on my bookshelves, and knowledge of one discarded as not even being worthy of its slender shelf room.) 

I admit the title  – “How to write like Tolstoy” - was a little daunting when the only time I tried reading him was when, having gone into labour four and a half weeks early, with my first born,  (and I novel-informed of hours of straining agony) I took ‘Anna Karenina’ into hospital with me. Don’t think I made it much past the fourth page, so any thought of attempting to emulate Tolstoy’s writing never happened) But Richard Cohen’s book grabbed my attention from the first, I found it  compelling, amusing – the chapter on writing sex scenes is titled ‘Just like Zorro ‘ – apt and educational and have inserted several Post-it notes for further action on my current wip from ideas gained from chapters on Points of view – a new approach to structure seems an idea worth trying – and Rhythm in prose writing  , and as 2026 is the sixth or maybe the twelfth year  ‘Finish ‘Snap’ – the fifth novel in my ‘Love triangles with murder’ series  – has been a resolution  I’d better get on with it.

No risk of getting jaded reading Jane Casey

There's not that many writers whose coming up to a dozen books you can binge read - some for the fifth  or sixth time (most at least four) - and not get even a tiny bit jaded, but Jane Casey has me waking in the night, trying to remember the exact wording of particularly memorable scenes between DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent. Glad to say there's plenty in this latest, to such an extent that having read it non-stop yesterday, I'm going to need to re-read 'The Secret Room' again today.

Lesley Glaister ' A particular Man'

As always,  Lesley Glaister plants the seeds of her characters from packets labelled 'Dishonesty' or 'Deception'  then allows us to observe their immaculately-timed flowerings, their not-always-willing intertwining, while wondering how each will thrive and who, and whether, will eventually survive. The result is a rich, tension-taut tale which  which reminds me I very soon need to re-read the others of hers I have on my shelves.

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illustrated stories. ('Snap so grave' and 'Mercy for a Friday child' as yet unfinished.)

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Louise Kennedy 'Trespasses'

Breath-taking, beguiling, throat-aching in the sadnesses and the ever-insidious tension. A love story indeed, the convolutions of pain and uncertainty balancing rewards in ways that left my heart aching. Truly a wonderful read, so much so I re-read it immediately to relish the nuances. 

Finders: Justice, Faith, and Identity in Irish Crime Fiction (Irish Studies) by Anjili Babbar

 I am very much more a 'casual fan' of Northern Irish crime fiction than I am a 'literary scholar' especially as I was initially drawn to reading it by the particular quality of Irish writing. To a small extent, I found the scholarliness of this impressive study a bit daunting, but having read, been impressed by and thoroughly enjoyed this study of many of my favourite Irish crime novelists I know it will enrich the experience of re-reading, which I most certainly intend to do.

 

'Super-Infiinite' by Katherine Rundell

 This a certain candidate for ‘most satisfying book of the year’. Bought to address my ignorance of John Donne’s poetry, and wishing to know more of his world, this looked promising but the extent to which Katherine Rundell had steeped herself in the subject, the compelling manner in which she shared her knowledge and her affection made this a total and fulfilling joy.

Five stars for Sarah Sultoon's 'DIRT'

Some time in my early teens I read Lynne Reid Banks' 'One more river' and remember being fascinated by its being set in a Israeli kibbutz. This is third of Sarah Sultoon's novels I have read and to me it felt like a change of gear had been made; it felt meatier in some way, even though I was made aware of my ignorance concerning everyday life in Israel.

Which is not to say I didn't find it as impactful, enjoyable and impressive as her previous books, because I did. Intricate and convoluted; characters multi-layered and all with secrets. I look forward to re-reading in the not too distant future (as I also will 'One more river')

'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.

'Tomorrow' - Graham Swift

Not sure when I first read this, but this second read an impressive, immersive, total delight. Told by a mother lying awake in bed, beside her sleeping husband, contemplating the information they have decided now is the time to pass to their twins, just past their sixteenth birthday. Much of the basic facts are guessable, but it is the intricacies and warmth of relationships, the diversions and the myriad possibilities of the consequences that adds quality and kept me reading. Truly a masterclass of novel writing.

Gallowstree Lane - Kate London

'Authentic' is a word that keeps recurring with Kate London's novels. It can be measured in the way nothing is easy, straightforward and how uncomfortable it all is, living. Every decision, every trying to do what is the best comes with the potential for damage and for getting it wrong. It is this dilemma that so convincingly provides the tension, the absorption, the insistence of the progression of this third in the series tale. And leaves the reader near tears. A second read, after an interval long enough for me to forget how things turned out, just as affecting. When is the next one due?'

'When is the next one due?' 

Unfortunately there's seems to be no answer to that. At the end of this third re-read - and once again my poor memory allowed me to do so as if for the first time - I was near flattened by the weight of inevitability as to how things could not help but go bad; of how choices were forced upon, and then reduced for each of the strongly-evoked characters. All I've said above still applies. In spades. 

 

Another five star read, in anticipation of which I binge-read the previous four, luxuriating in the quality of the writing of them. The craft with which this was constructed, from Prologue to finale was truly amazing; the scene with the crane, breath-taking. Main problem, as ever, is it has left me desperate for the next book in the series, to continue reading about the relationship between Lacey and Mark Joesbury. Once again, thank you Sharon Bolton.

Five star review for latest of David Mark's Aector MacAvoy series, bought at a Book Flood event held at Moorforge Viking Settlement in Cumbria, appropriately enough against a background of wind and rain and thunder. 'Thunder", as following multiple flashes of lightning is how this book reads. I'd binge-read the entire series in anticipation of this, teased by the many hints of shady back story about the circumstances of McAvoy and Roisin's coming together. The gradual reveals - and there were several of them - piled tension high enough to turn knuckles white, thanks to the stuttering uncertainties as to whether - <i>this</i> time ... it might come good. As ever, the prose was similarly breath-taking.

Goodreads recommendations going barmy!!

 Because you are currently reading The Crime Writer's Guide to Police Practice and Procedure:

The Wind in the Willows

by Kenneth Grahame

Blurb says "No more ebook"

 Starting mid-July 2022, Blurb will no longer support the creation and publishing of ebooks. Much as I personally dislike the format, and prefer print, it is hard to justify their purchase when a P&P of £6,99 is added to the £9.99 cost of a paperback. A sensibly-priced alternative is to order a £4.99 PDF version.

As for progress re the 'Love triangles with murder' series, 'Snap is not a children's game' awaits my final re-read before passing it to a beta reader; 'Mercy for a Friday child' has reached ~60K words but is still in search of a convincing murder plot.

Jane Jesmond - On the Edge

As it says on the cover, Jen Shaw loves danger. Even so, hanging off a lighthouse, held only by a fraying rope does sound less than delightful, but to say that she survived beyond chapter two doesn't count as a spoiler because there's plenty more dodgy situations to overcome, not least her embroilment in her eccentric family's problems and the man who rescues her from the rain. But there's another plus, because while racing through to find out whether, and how, she'll escape, I was also aware of how much I savoured the skill of the writing. Enough for me to know I'll be re-reading this again shortly, and more slowly, to properly appreciate.

I promised myself a re-read, and spent all day yesterday doing just that; unable (thanks to my inability to remember how it ended) to put it down, and held by the many tensions on the way to the finale). Now left satisfied, but craving more.