If you want to read something seasonally themed but not spooky, may I suggest Twig’s Travelling Tomes by Gryffin Murphy. Louella Twig is the only witch of her kind, lacking traditional witch skills but possessing an affinity with books. Her bookshop travels from town to town, by the use of a magical door-handle, where she always finds, not the book the customer wants, but the book the customer needs.

She is living a settled, cosy, life until a mysterious man turns up in the bookshop – handsome, charming, roguish and on the run. All she wants to do is ignore the unwelcome feelings he stirs in her and get him out the door. But when her old mentor turns up in need of help to rescue a precious manuscript, suddenly a handy thief is just what she requires. 

Before she knows it, Louella has gathered a gang of friends and sets off on an adventure, pursuing the lost book, and being pursued romantically by the bandit.

It’s a fun, whimsical read with a touch of romance perfect for a Sunday afternoon curled up in an armchair.

However, if something a bit more chilling is what you fancy, why not try Service by Lauren Mooney. 

After breaking up with a boyfriend, Danielle is homeless. Offered the chance to take care of an old ancestral home by her monstrous boss, she jumps at the opportunity. The house is isolated, the rooms are either shrouded in dustsheets or behind locked doors and she is terribly alone. 

Her only human contact is at the local pub but one night she arrives back to find a bowl of fresh peaches on the dining room table. She hears hobnail boots in the corridor, reaches for an apron she sees but isn’t there, and has vivid dreams of a 19th century housemaid, but are they dreams? 

When her boss and awful son unexpectedly turn up, Danielle finds herself relegated to the servants quarters and gradually finds the lines blurring between PA and maidservant. When the pub refuses to serve her because the ‘lady’ has forbidden it, Danielle decides she needs to get out, but is it too late?

This is a great modern gothic ghost story. It is a genuinely chilling book. Is the house haunted or is it Danielle? As she becomes more disorientated, how much can we believe her? 

But is also a telling tale of the modern loneliness of life, where a person with a job can still be homeless. Where it can be difficult to tell the difference between service and servant. Where if you are born in the wrong class, penury is always just around the corner. A clever, gripping, interesting read.

Twig’s Traveling Tomes by Gryffin Murphy Publisher: Bonnier Books Ltd

ISBN: 9781806171569 £16.99 hardback £9.99 paperback

Service by Lauren Mooney Pub. Manilla Press (an imprint of Bonnier Books)

£16.99 hardback ISBN: 9781786586285

In The Swords of Canterbury, set in 1546 after the shock of the Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries – we join the Llewelyn family as they journey in wagons to Canterbury, hoping to find work as stonemasons at the Cathedral. Work is so much scarcer than it was, though, as there were few monasteries left in existence, and therefore fewer places of work for such craftsmen.

Of course, school taught us the bare bones of the Reformation, but the resulting damage to various skilled artisans eluded me. It no longer does, thanks to The Company of Stonemasons series. The protagonist is the young stonemason Edward Llewelyn who has decided to leave his love behind until he can offer her a reliable life and now travels for work with his parents, siblings, uncle and a fellow workman, concentrating on the most reliable of employers – the Cathedrals. They finally smell Canterbury – yes really – and why would it be otherwise when sewage was an ongoing problem, – no flushing lavatories for them. They hot foot it to the Guildhall to make their mark in the Guild register hoping someone would need them.

How interesting is this Guildhall information?

And so the novel goes on, opening up our eyes to the era as we become engrossed in this warm-hearted family group and the twists and turns of the plot; their missing fellow worker, and the arrival of a homeless youth seemingly in need, but is he? A strange old hag with a jackdaw – is that a sinister event, is she even real? Will we learn more? Of course we will. Will there be a fascinating denouement? And what about the violent criminals…

Well I’m not going to tell you, but what I will hint at is that what begins as a possible source of work soon becomes a dangerous adventure with, ultimately, a surprising discovery for this family group. But will the discovery ever see the light of day? Ah, there’s the question. Nope, I will not tell you. Read it, you won’t regret it, this is a most fascinating novel.

The Swords of Canterbury by Graham Williams is in Kindle and paperback: The Swords of Canterbury

Catherine Yardley is the Author of Ember, Where The Light is Hottest, and, now,  The Mothers of SW19. She is a freelance journalist who has written for The Times and Sunday Times, Metro, Telegraph, Stylist, The Bookseller, Mslexia, Writers’ and Artists’, Newsweek, Writing Magazine and Huffpost.

So let’s get to it; the nitty gritty.

Were you an actor first or a writer? Which grew out of which? And have you always wanted to be both?

I would say I was a writer first. Or, more accurately, a reader. It took a lot of time to find the courage to be both. I never thought I would have the talent. I started writing when I was in a band when I was around ten. I would write songs which I later turned into poems. Acting was a dream, but it took going to drama school to build up my confidence. They are more similar than people realise. It’s all about telling a story, one with words, the other with your whole self. 

Do you find yourself observing everything and everyone noting the subtext? So often conversations you overhear and more interesting that the one you are actually having. I would imagine that observation is as essential for an actor, as it is for a writer.

It definitely is. I’m an avid people watcher. I take endless notes. Sometimes nothing is truer than fiction. You’re taking in everything around you all of the time, as well as the news and other books, films, and television shows. 

Have you ever been the victim of the school gate situation?

That would be telling! My oldest is 11 so it’s fair to say that not every single one of the hundreds of parents I have met have liked me. A lot of real life stuff went into the book, but it wasn’t necessarily my own experience. Or is a variation of something. 

Tell us what you actually strove to achieve. We all read books and create our own themes, from our own experiences. It would be fascinating to know your intent, as the layers are revealed.

I really wanted to capture the politics of the school gate. There are so many stories there. All of these people thrown together because they had children around the same time. Then there are those alpha mums. They don’t seem to get that not everyone needs to live the same way. You get that mean girl energy in a grown woman, it’s just unhinged. Mothers need their story told in all it’s messy glory. 

How on earth do you juggle work and 4 kids – tell us a bit about your working day.

I get up at 7am and do the school run. Then it’s just me and the baby. I take him to groups and then when he naps I write and send off pitches. When I have a baby I work around the patch work of their little lives. Sometimes I work evenings or weekends if needed. My life is run from my iPhone. I also have a husband. Once when I had a book deadline I worked until 1am and then got up at 6am. I’m also breastfeeding and I work while I do that. It all adds up to a lot. Mothers are ruthlessly efficient. 

Do you have ambitions to write for theatre or film? Perhaps SW19 would work. I could be granny???

Definitely! I would love that. I already have some interest for The Mothers of SW19. Fingers crossed! I’m open to offers. You would be perfect for the role of the granny! 

What else is in the pipeline? And which has been your most memorable novel to write. I know I enjoyed some more than others.

Lots. My career has never been better. My journalism is going well. I am writing more than ever. There are more books coming. 

The Mothers of SW19 was definitely cathartic. I think every book helps me get an obsession out of my head. I love it. 

What is your advice to any emerging writer?

Be persistent. Read lots and write lots. Join some writing groups. Even if only online. 

And anything else you might which to discuss.

I have a lot of exciting news I can’t share yet. Watch this space! 

We have to leave it there. As always, Catherine is the master of suspense.

Website www.catherinebalavageyardley.com 

The Mothers of SW19 by Catherine Yardley is available here

What a book. I found myself fascinated by these metropolitan SW19 women, who I seem never to have met, or been aware of. Was it simply a book about bullying, or perhaps belonging? I thought not as we went into the point of view of Emma and Annabel and the tensions of their private lives. It was something more – was it also loneliness, of unsatisfactory lives buckling under the weight of parenthood, and perceived lack of support by husbands?

Did it escalate out of fear of it becoming clear to all that all the balls could not be kept in the air, all the time and weakness would be perceived? Was it also that the myth of being able to have it all was rent asunder?

Fascinating and clever.

Either way, as the situation escalated so did the consequences. There seemed no-one at the school gate to say – hang on, this doesn’t have to happen. Or time for either protagonists to think: enough. this is too much on top of everything. I think what I ended up feeling was that it was almost a lost generation and it was a huge relief to find they had both reached a way to the shore after what was a catastrophe for Annabel, and so too for Emma really, in ways that would resonate for both.

A sort of coming of age. Very very clever.

The Mothers of SW19 by Catherine Yardley Available in Paperback and Kindle from Amazon.co.uk

As to be expected from Tracklements, they’ve already started work on imaginative Christmas flavours, and let’s just say that you won’t be disappointed. Here at Frost we absolutely adore Tracklements – a Wiltshire-based family company who are simply a beacon for good food. I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating – they create quality food, by hand in small batches, using natural ingredients, mainly sourced from English farms and small businesses, and they’re tirelessly thinking outside the box, creating new, innovative recipes, to highlight the amazing potential of proper honest food.

If you’re looking for a present that will definitely be appreciated, check out their new Christmas Gift Packs. I love their Jolliest Festive Favourites with three mini jars, including:

Christmas Spice Chutney (90g jar): with Bramley Apples and Cranberries making up 40%, plus Ginger, Allspice, Nutmeg, Cinnamon to create that quintessential Christmas flavour, this will lift your cheese board to a new level.

Cranberry, Port & Orange Sauce (110g jar): made with whole cranberries, lemon and orange juices plus orange zest, not to mention cider vinegar and of course port, this really does that turkey justice. It will spoil you for any other cranberry sauce.

And finally:

Sticky Fig Relish (110g jar) – my favourite. Made by soaking plump figs in spiced vinegar before gently cooking them with rich, dark sugar – I can vouch that it is delicious. It’s recommended to accompany soft cheeses – I totally agree (although a generous teaspoon straight out of the jar has been known – just saying).

NEW Tracklements Jolliest Festive Favourites – RRP £11.40, Vegan & Gluten Free, is available from fine food delis and farm shops nationwide, in selected Fenwick and Waitrose stores, and online at www.tracklements.co.uk

Grab them quickly – these will fly off the shelves and your friends deserve such a great gift (in fact, so do you).

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Before the Killing – an absolutely nail-biting mystery thriller (The Killing Hour Book 1) by the fabulous  Margie Benedict, and it’s FREE at the moment.

The past won’t stay buried but lurks in wait for Cassie to return to her coastal Massachusetts hometown … which she does, in 1973, and almost immediately there is a brutal killing – with someone she knows well accused of the crime. The investigation roars through the community, leaving behind guilt, suspicion, and secrets Cassie can’t forget.

Seven years later, Cassie’s life is still defined by that night when an unexpected and inexplicable event gives her a chance to finally uncover the truth. But as she retraces the days leading up to the murder, she begins to realize the story she remembers is not the whole one … Read it, it’s FREE @ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0G24SFSGB/

Before She Was Taken – also by Margie Benedict – is Book 2 of The Killing Hour and it’s a real nail biter, as was Book 1. It’s on offer too @ £0.99 instead of £2.99 and is irresistible.

Rebecca travels back in time to learn who kidnapped her sister—only to be taken in her place …

So, what did happen to Sadie? This question has plagued 25-year-old Rebecca Danser for 19 years. Imagine that if you are six and had ditched your four-year-old sister to go and play with your friend … and then never saw Sadie again.

In the intervening years, now living in Silicon Valley, Rebecca has, perhaps understandably, made a mess of her life. She hates her job, has no career prospects, and has never had a successful relationship unless you count sex with a relative stranger during her time jumps into the past. But at last she realizes this strange ability she recently gained, allowing her to cast her consciousness back into a younger version of herself, is a gift that can be used to discover who took Sadie that fateful day… https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GC76BGQN/ @ £0.99 instead of £2.99.

Treasure of the Serpent God: A steampunk alternative history novel (The Charlemagne Griffon Chronicles Book 2 of 4) by Christopher C. Tubbs.

Charlie and Etherton are introduced to Lord Kingsborough, a scholar who believes the Mayans descended from a lost tribe of Israel. He reveals an unpublished volume of Mayan writings that hint at the location of artefacts to support his theory. Seamus Quinlan, a notorious London gang leader and family acquaintance, tasks the duo with finding the treasure and bringing it to England. Their adventure leads them through the Yucatan in search of lost Mayan ruins, where they must battle bandits and outwit Freddy, Lord Kingsborough’s cunning cousin, who wants the treasure for himself. @ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DLJ8LNXZ/ For £0.99 instead of £2.99.

Crikey, so many unputdownable kindles. Do read them.

Milly Adams is the author of The Waterway Girls trilogy https://www.amazon.co.uk//dp/B0FRN1JWMF/ @ £5.97 for all 3 kindles