Tag: Headline Publishing

The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons – A moving novel of lives, books and reading in a challenging time

May 27, 2024

The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons

It is not often that I found myself so deeply moved by a novel, but this well written book evoked that sort of response. It takes as its theme that reading and books, if possible in the company of others, can improve and even change lives, and in the context of this book it is vital. The book opens in 1938 and proceeds through a war that separates families and friends and causes danger and death. The air raids of the title are the London Blitz which means for the first-time fighting is brought home to people on the Home Front. The main character, Gertie Bingham, is still trying to come to terms with the death of her beloved husband Harry some two years before, but as much as Lyons describes her devastation, the book is not a wallow in her sadness. Her ownership of a bookshop and the support of a very special teenager and friends means that Binghams’ bookshop will play a part in a very tough time and be the focus for many people. While this is the aspect of the book that first attracted me, I found the descriptions of Gertie and her progress the most effective. This is a book about the power of books to draw people together when they become the focus of joint reading and discussion, a way of escaping difficult circumstances. It is also an honest account of the difficulties of a refugee girl and how she longs for her family, as well as an encouraging story of how almost a new family gathers around her in the most extreme of circumstances.

At the start of the novel in London, 1938, Gertie is still felling the sadness of losing Harry, and is struggling to maintain interest in her successful bookshop. She is assisted by the invaluable young Betty, but other people who help with the shop and the attached Book Club are proving more difficult. She is also still missing her parents and beloved brother Jack, who was killed in the First World War. She still has her redoubtable Uncle Thomas, a renowned and kindly, if slightly eccentric bookseller, who supports her. Her friend Charlie, a loyal friend of Harry, still appears in her life, and it is through his charitable work that she is persuaded to accept a Jewish child who is already at risk in Germany from the growing Nazi persecution. As she is sad that she was not able to have a child herself during her marriage, she is torn, especially when she discovers that Hedy is fifteen and deeply troubled, and it is not easy to establish a relationship despite her best efforts. As War comes closer, Gertie, Hedy, Betty and others discover that this is going to be a very different conflict from the all too recent previous War, and that while men will still be called away, there will be danger in London itself.

An element of this book that I particularly enjoyed is the book titles that are being sought out and relished in such difficult circumstances. While “Gone with the Wind” is perhaps better known as a film today, the book then was a particular favourite. P.G Wodehouse’s humour and subtle political parodies are popular, as well as Du Maurier’s “Rebecca” as distractions from the challenges of daily life.

Lyons has brought to life people in fascinating time in the twentieth century, and laced the effective story with honesty and real feeling. I found this book an excellent read and recommend it to book lovers as well as those who enjoy a well written wartime story.

Mary I – Queen of Sorrows by Alison Weir – a powerful new view of the first Tudor Queen to reign in her own right

May 13, 2024

Mary I – Queen of Sorrows by Alison Weir

I have been an avid reader of Alison Weir’s fictionalised biographies of the Tudors for many years, – and this latest monumental book about the first woman to reign in England and Wales in her own right feels somehow a climax. Mary I is not an easy person to write about, as her life and reign is often cast into the shadow of her half sister’s triumphant time on the throne. Indeed, my own early reading of novels about Elizabeth I viewed Mary’s brief and difficult reign as a hurdle to get over before the glory of her successor began. This book tries to give a view of Mary in her own right, the product of a traumatised life after the advent of the hated Anne Boleyn, the danger of her teenage years, the difficulties of coping with changes in her once loved siblings, and a Queen who saw her destiny as the destruction of heretics. Her naivety in some respects contrasts sharply with her absolute determination to recover her country for the true faith, as she longs for a husband who has other priorities and fails to appreciate her as a Queen and a woman.

 This is a vivid novel of the behind-the-scenes life of a woman having to meet challenges in a world that would frequently disregard her, and Mary herself is a revealed as a vulnerable woman who struggles to take a stand in her own right. This is a powerful novel of real insight into a figure long condemned for her cruelty, but also a portrait of a real woman with many doubts. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this very special novel.   

In the beginning Weir shows Mary as a happy girl, the focus of her parents’ attention and love, blossoming as a scholar and musician. The only shadow is her charismatic father’s interest in a fascinating lady in waiting, Anne Boleyn, newly arrived from France and seemingly determined to become more than a mistress. Mary is now refers to her as the Witch, as her malign influence seems behind Henry’s determination to exile Katherine and break with Rome. Denied her mother’s comfort, Mary turns to the consolation of her Catholic faith, which makes her relationship with her father even more difficult. She is eventually forced into denying her parents’ marriage and is ill-treated by the first of her stepmothers. As Jane Seymour succeeds her, a calmer period ensues, and a precious son is born, but Jane’s death leads to a succession of stepmothers who the lonely Mary tries to make a relationship. When her brother Edward succeeds to the throne if not real power, Mary’s life is again in peril, but she survives to become Queen. Her determination to reunite her country with Rome and her desperation to have a Catholic heir leads her to personally condemn hundreds to death, as part of her desperation to reclaim the glorious certainties of her childhood.

Weir’s skilful creation and development of Mary’s character is central to this moving and intense novel. Although she has flashes of determination and even courage, she is worn down by events and ill health into a woman who frequently seeks solitude and excessive religious observance. It is difficult to reconcile her own physical frailty with her determination to condemn others to death, but Weir does succeed in conveying Mary’s absolute convictions into explaining her actions. Mary uses her clothes and jewels as symbols of her position and attempts to communicate her feelings to others, but she often sees herself as drab and unimpressive alongside her stylish younger sister. This is a novel of great depth and immaculate research, but Weir never allows her discoveries to slow her narrative of a famous woman often reduced to desperation by circumstances beyond her control. I recommend this novel as a powerful insight into a woman’s difficult life and times, and a suitable third book in a trilogy featuring three generations of the Tudor dynasty.     

In the Shadow of Queens – Tales from the Tudor Court by Alison Weir – Thirteen tales from the Six Tudor Queens and those who knew them

April 16, 2024

In the Shadow of Queens by Alison Weir

This book is the companion to a majestic (in every sense of the word) series of six novels by that great historical novelist, Alison Weir. “The Six Tudor Queens Series” is a brilliant series of novels which revolve around the six women who became Queen during the reign of Henry VIII. Their relationship to the King is not always the dominant theme of the novel; as a historian Weir has rooted many details about the lives of the women before their marriages to Henry, and in some cases afterwards. Some novels contain a wealth of story as the woman involved had relatively long lives and had even in one case been widowed twice before, others, such as Katheryn Howard, being very young when she was killed had a brief biography. Each of the novels are totally absorbing in their own right as the stories of women with fascinating lives. I have reviewed five of them, as well as two of Weir’s other novels on the Tudors. (Search under Alison Weir in the column to the right)

This book is subtitled “Tales From the Tudor Court”, being thirteen short stories from the edge of each of the main six novels. Originally produced as ebooks alongside the publication of the main novel, each Queen is represented by two stories, often featuring members of the Court or as in  the case of Katherine of Aragon, the story of Arthur, Henry’s elder brother and her youthful if already ill first husband. Some stories are the length of novellas, others shorter, but all add greatly to the story of these much-discussed women. As Weir says in the Introduction, she chose the people who would feature in each story of the queens who had “a rich supporting cast of characters”. Each section has a Timeline which gives the important dates for each woman, which if nothing else brings home how short some of the lives were. Some of those who are the focus of the stories were devoted to servants of the queens, others were relatives in complicated ways – given that Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard were related, and one of the people who was involved in both of their downfalls was Anne’s sister in law, she was an obvious choice to focus on. Most of the characters are women, who were called on to be ladies in waiting or nurses to babies, some for dynastic reasons, others because they were seen to be trustworthy to be in important roles. Some stories are complex, others straightforward. Nearly all are set very firmly in the Tudor period, even if the story may cover a wider time than Henry’s life. There are exceptions, including a story of a twenty first century re-enactor and the story of a Sepulchre over several generations.

Given the subject matter of the book, these are not cheerful stories as with much historical fiction, when we know what happened to many of the main characters. Having said that, this book is also a collection of stories of loyalty, love beyond romances, and the nature of women’s lives at the time. As someone who wrote nonfiction history books for many years, Weir has done so much intense research and given a great deal of thought to the subject matter in terms of answering many questions about these characters, so these stories are firmly authentic. Not that the narrative is ever not engaging; Weir is an experienced hand at weaving the facts into the stories. This book is a real treat for those who appreciate traditional historical fiction in a different format, and I recommend it to anyone whether they have read the Six Queen series or still have that pleasure to come.

Clairmont by Lesley McDowell – the story of Claire at Byron’s Geneva house party and beyond

March 11, 2024

Clairmont by Lesley McDowell

This is an immensely complex and thoughtful novel which kept me engaged throughout. It is based on a real person, and largely on what is known about her, providing real insights into why she made the choices she did, especially in the light of her well known companions. Her presence at Lord Byron’s famous house party at Lake Geneva in the face of the extreme weather conditions of 1816 is documented; what is less well understood is why and what she experienced there, especially in the light of her later life. This novel takes those events as a starting point for the life of an eighteen-year-old who will also be seen in Russia in 1825 and in Paris 1845. The format of the novel is complicated in that it is divided into five sections, and each section is further divided into three sections as Claire’s story progresses in each place and stage in her life. It is a very clever way of presenting a story of a woman who must meet challenges at each stage. It is not just done for effect as it is an engaging way of showing the depth of the characters.

At the heart of this book is Claire’s relationship with various people, especially her stepsister Mary Godwin and her husband, the poet Shelly. Byron, who is called Albe throughout the novel, is typically at the centre of the passages set in 1816, but his later actions have effects on Claire and others for many years. He is seen as a mesmerising, fearsome and passionate character who Claire has many strong feelings about from the beginning of the novel. Her relationship with Mary is also complex; there is jealousy, overwhelming love, exasperation, despair, and anger. Mary is often seen as the genius – the golden-haired writer, mother and magnetic woman. Claire wants to be a new type of woman who does not need marriage and the typical family structure, who can make her own way and maintain a form of independence for herself and a special child. Her vulnerability is obvious and at variance with her sometimes fierce thoughts and passions. She can be loving, even adoring, but also seeks her own role, to protect her own identity, to care for the children she feels so deeply about. Her treatment by Byron suggests that he fears her, fears her passion, and yet is physically attracted by her, nonetheless. Shelley has his own burdens, his own deep loves, and yet remains sympathetic to her. There are secrets and lies within the foursome which are mutually destructive, as if they all feel too deeply.

The second situation which begins from the start of the novel is typified by Claire’s frustration at the treatment of children in a country house community, her confused feelings for a suitor, and the effects of another woman who tries to manipulate her.  The rural setting is beautifully described, a meaningful background for the action among the people of the house. Mary is in the background, wanting Claire to return to England, desperate for attention. In the Paris narratives Mary is very present even when physically absent as demanding money, attention and even a version of love. The city setting is in great contrast to the other situations in the book, with the heat of a small apartment contributing to the pressure of emotions.

This is not a cheerful book in many ways, but I feel that it succeeds in conveying something of the passions and emotions felt by most of the characters, especially Claire who is at the centre of most of the action. It is beautifully written in terms of the settings, appearance of even the clothes of the characters. I found the structure impressively devised and handled, and in some senses this book is three novellas in one cover, all dealing with the central character who is always searching for answers, for love and an almost contradictory independence. It has much to say about motherhood in various forms. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this book and recommend it as an impressive fictional appreciation of a woman often written out of history.  

Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young and Celtic Cross by Sara Sheridan – two women solving mysteries in two fascinating series

March 5, 2024

Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young and Celtic Cross by Sara Sheridan

Two novels from two series featuring determined women who need to get to the truth – when murder happens in unexpected places..

Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young

This is the third book in a book set in contemporary Scarborough, as hotel owner Helen Dexter tries to keep her much loved hotel going in the face of new challenges. She is no stranger to tragedy, or recently unexplained death, but in this well written and engaging novel even she is struggling as one of her chief supporters and friends is behaving in a strange way. She is about to celebrate a big birthday, her small hotel has just been awarded four stars, but she is baffled and bewildered as another guest dies in public.  In this novel there is an unusual group of guests in the form of a highly regimented Crazy Golf team, and someone they seem to know well. Like the previous novels, Helen does not a simple life. Since the death of her husband, she has tried to hold onto the hotel with the help of some good friends, but a more recent romance is still only in the background.  

This book is labelled a Cosy Crime mystery, and it is not a brutal or dramatic narrative. I have found all three of these novels very engaging with some entertaining characters, especially Helen herself who has realistic concerns and guilt. There are some lighter moments which run throughout the novel, and each novel reflects a set of guests with unusual obsessions which reveal some interesting research. I also enjoy the setting – the beauties of Scarborough and the joys of living in a small town. This book is well written and maintained the suspense until the end, alongside some very normal concerns, such as mysterious party invitations and the true value of friendship. This is gentle series that I would recommend, with much to enjoy, and never gore and brutality.

Celtic Cross by Sara Sheridan

This is the ninth book in the Mirabelle Bevan series and features a departure from the streets of Brighton to the beauties of Edinburgh. It is June 1959 and Mirabelle is planning a big event which is very different from what she had imagined when she took over a small debt collection agency several years before and began her career as a sort of private detective. I can confirm that you do not have to have read all the previous novels to enjoy this book, but you will obviously come across spoilers for the previous stories.

In this story a complicated situation leads to Mirabelle visiting a nearby convent to request a favour. She is soon summoned back to investigate a suspicious death, which she agrees to do with help from the local police and a trusted associate willing to go undercover. It soon emerges that the body itself is at the heart of a bigger mystery which she must untangle to save both herself and someone she cares deeply about in many ways. Another tragedy gives urgency to the situation, and as Church and members of the local community become deeply involved it is apparent that far more is going on than first seems, and local history is vital.  

There is some violence in this book, and it is undoubtedly a historical mystery based on detailed research and with some unsettling themes. Not that the history is allowed to slow the action in any respect; there is lots of detailed description of Mirabelle’s clothing, the transport used and the general lifestyle of a fairly wealthy woman in the late 1950s. The setting is brilliantly described, from the peaceful setting of a cottage, the unique convent with its manufacturing set up, and the dark streets of Edinburgh.

I found this to be a very entertaining read even if there was an element of violence and a certain brutality. Sheridan has a lively and skilful style of writing, and she describes her characters well, with Mirabelle obviously the star though with an impressive supporting cast. The mystery is complex and works well in the setting alongside other events in Mirabelle’s life.  I read some of the early books several years ago, but I was quickly back into the rhythms of this well written book. I recommend this book and the series as demonstrating a sure and exciting narrative with some credible characters in a fascinating setting.   

Henry VIII – The Heart & the Crown by Alison Weir – a big historical novel of Henry’s life

August 5, 2023

Henry VIII – The Heart & The Crown by Alison Weir

A few years ago, I heard Alison Weir speak at Derby book Festival about one of her excellent series of novels featuring each one of the wives of Henry VIII, and my husband asked the question, “What about Henry’s side of the story?” and she promised that this book was in the works. It was worth waiting for! This is the story of a man of frequent obsessions, of deep loves and painfully aware of his need for a male heir.

This story is written from his point of view, full of the self -justification of a man who justifies his interest in women by his need for a male heir; one of the tragedies being that the daughter he nearly discarded, Elizabeth, proved to be a truly great ruler. The book is dominated by Henry’s reflections on his life, his image as a golden king, his position in Europe’s political hierarchy. It is also dominated by his relationship with his first queen, Katherine of Aragon, or Kate, with the novel reaching nearly halfway through before he spots Anne Boleyn. When we list the six wives it is easy to reel them off, forgetting that for most of his adult life he was married to Katherine. This is a book in which his wives, female conquests, and important advisors, especially Wolsey and Cromwell, pass in front of him, being of vital importance then rejected, often on the advice of the latest favourite. Weir has constructed a novel written totally from his point of view, his ego, his passions, ambitions, and problems. It seeks to evoke sympathy for a man who had a golden and indulged life, but also followed his whims and wishes above all else. He justifies some of his affairs with women by his need for a male heir, which was undoubtedly an obsession, but his self -justification always coincides with his attract to a particular woman.

Another way that Weir chooses to gain sympathy for Henry as a man is by opening with a Prologue in which he lies in his final illness, acknowledging that ambitious men are already circling to rule through his young son Edward. This first part of the book, “Spring”, begins in 1503 as the young Henry is informed of his beloved mother’s death. As the second son he had not been given his household like his older brother, Arthur, and consequently had spent much of his childhood with his mother. The early death of Arthur had moved Henry, or Harry into the spotlight as the heir to the throne, and left his young widow Katherine. Harry has become convinced that he will become a great king and marry Katherine, despite his increasingly difficult father’s vacillation on the point. Nevertheless, he comes to the throne and marries Katherine immediately, they are crowned together under the watchful eye of his grandmother, the redoubtable Margaret. Her death leaves Henry with no guidance and therefore subject to the influences of favourites. He is portrayed as having genuine passion for Katherine, aware of her desperate awareness of his need for a healthy son, choosing not to take a lover during her early frequent pregnancies. He always believes that it is his wife’s fault that he cannot father a surviving male heir; it seals his rejection of Katherine, it is part of his attraction to Anne Boleyn and his violent discarding of her when she has a miscarriage. Jane’s elevation to most loved wife is forever connected to her giving birth to Edward, even at the cost of her life. Anne Boleyn dies because he perceives that he has humiliated him. Anna from Cleves is discarded because she fails to fulfil his own fantasy. Katheryn Howard is a teenager pushed towards him by her ambitious family. When his “eye lighted on Lady Latimer”, he respects her for her virtue and her devotion as caring wife to her current husband. He has perhaps little consideration for her intellect and her own feelings for another; he is still the king, still able to demand exactly who he trusts, who he covets.

This is a big book which tackles head on the difficult questions surrounding Henry and his actions. I am not sure that I ended my reading of this novel more sympathetic to this notorious man, but I think Weir has achieved so much in making a fair assessment of how he was unpredictable and at times easily led, that his political ambitions to be perceived as a great king did affect his decisions and that he was genuinely concerned about the succession. His treatment of his wives and women in general was affected by his desires and the advice of others with their own agendas, which Weir does faithfully portray. This is a very great achievement as a book to sit alongside Weir’s six novels depicting each of his six wives, and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to read and review it.

Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young – the second enjoyable Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery set in Scarborough

July 5, 2023

Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young

This second Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery is an enjoyable read, introducing the world of actors behind the scenes in a murder mystery with lots of other action. As with the first absorbing book, Helen Dexter is now the sole owner of a small hotel in Scarborough with Jean producing memorable breakfasts and Sally working hard cleaning the rooms. It is a cosy mystery in that there is a lot of background to the unfortunate discovery of a body on the beach. The obvious theme is the cast of a new play which is due to reopen a local theatre and save it from demolition. The characters introduced via this means and the almost closed setting of the hotel are an excellent basis for a murder mystery. The return of a man that Helen had met and become close to also runs throughout the novel, as does the probable arrival of an undercover hotel inspector able to award a coveted fourth star to the ratings, add to the depth of the book. Helen’s trials and tribulations keep the narrative moving and kept me reading late into the night.

The book opens with the arrival of the cast of “Midnight with Maude”, a new play. As they appear in a minibus together, their entrance is well managed. The leader of Dawley’s Theatre group is Chester Ford, who deploys an empty cigarette holder like a conductor’s baton. The group includes Paul, a shy lighting technician, Audrey Monroe, an older theatrical star and her daughter, costume expert Liza. Kate Barnes is an enthusiastic young actor and seems to be tense in the presence of Lee who arrives later. The star of the show is Carmen Delray, ex lead of a classic television series, who immediately finds fault with Seaview and indeed everything around her. Despite the tensions that Carmen causes, Helen offers to honour the block booking of virtually the entire hotel for rehearsals and with Jean and Sally offer extra food and the bar for the cast. She is drawn into the tempestuous groups dynamics as she agrees to act as prompt. Meanwhile she is anticipating the return of Jimmy with some trepidation, unsure of her feelings for him. She is receiving unsettling phone calls from a mystery caller, and she is anxious to make a good impression on the hotel inspector.

The discovery of a body on the beach and its identification as the leading actress shakes everyone up, especially for Helen as she vividly recalls the disappearance of a guest during the previous season. The cast become mutually suspicious and the whole play is threatened, while the press interest traps everyone inside the hotel. With everything else to cope with, even Jimmy seems to be unreliable, and Suki the greyhound is deeply unhappy.

This is a book that offers great entertainment and an involving story. I enjoy the hotel element of the story, the hard work that goes on behind the scenes, and Helen’s concerns about the press coverage on bookings. The characters, including the temperamental actors, the ongoing friends, and difficult neighbours, are all recognisable and well written. Even Gav, the man of many businesses, is a side character who contributes to the whole. The location is vividly described, including the tourist attractions, and I feel that I could almost find the places that the author describes so well. The atmosphere is far from a brutal murder mystery, and I enjoy the people watching that this book is full of in so many ways. I have greatly enjoyed the first two books in the series and am looking forward to reading the third later this year. I recommend these books to those who enjoy their mystery novels with a large amount of background and other issues to divert them.

Murder at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young – the first Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery

June 16, 2023

Murder at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young

A cosy crime set in contemporary Scarborough seemed an excellent discovery in a bookshop recently, especially when I discovered that it was the beginning of a series. The first “Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery” is a well written story of a woman and her greyhound Suki who discover that life in a seaside town can be dangerous – as well as providing new hope. While some of the characters can be a little outrageous, including twelve Elvis impersonators calling themselves “Twelvis”, this is actually a well observed novel of people and a mystery that runs throughout the narrative. Helen is a well-drawn character of a recently widowed woman who is trying to decide what to do next when someone seems to be desperate to take over her business – a small hotel which she had run with her late husband and two staff. Her reaction to the recent tragedy, her sudden determination to carry on and the support she receives from others is so engaging that I read this book with great enjoyment.

At the beginning of the novel Helen is fully preoccupied with her situation and realising her only company is her much loved greyhound Suki which she had rescued with Tom. She suddenly receives a call from an estate agent with an unexpected and generous offer for the hotel, which is repeated in an almost threatening way though the day. It offers her a new way of life, but she is not convinced. Her hotel has been closed for several months, and so it is a complete surprise to receive a call from Jimmy or “Elvis One” who is desperately seeking accommodation for his singing group over the weekend as an Elvis convention is in town. As Tom was a huge fan of the performer, she accepts only to realise that she will need to find Jean, who cooks the breakfasts, and Sally, who cleans the rooms. Both women are pleased to return, even though Sally has been working for the hotel chain which has suddenly opened an establishment locally. When Jimmy and the others arrive, the hotel is ready to receive them, despite some low level interference from online reviews. All seems to be going well until a member of the group seems to be a little too desperate to get Helen’s attention, and the demands to sell the hotel seem to be getting more threatening. Meanwhile Helen reconnects with her friend Marie, who despite her somewhat brash exterior seems to be having a martial crisis with her husband. Another two friends, Bev and Sue, seem to be in trouble, and Helen has much to consider on her frequent walks with Suki.

This book flows smoothly and is a really well written mystery with so much else going on. Helen is a fascinating character who reacts in a realistic way to everything that is happening, with the everyday concerns of daily life in a small community being well described. There is a certain vein of humour which runs throughout the book, with Jean’s concerns about her mother’s legs and refusal to cook anything extra for breakfast and suspicion of a spurtle. Gav is a minor character who has a great future in these books, as well as other members of the community. This is a book in which the crime is not the only theme, but is well blended into the mix and sensitively handled. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series, as well as the forthcoming third book later in the year, and I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys novels with a mystery but also a realistic community setting.