The Taste of Summer by Kate Lord Brown Review by Frances Colville

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Financial problems with a rambling castle in south west Ireland, a busy hotel and restaurant, the filming of a favourite cookery competition for TV, a tangled web of relationships both current and in the past, mother and daughter issues, childhood memories, alcoholism, food-blogging, cake baking, house building, a disturbed and manipulative main character, kidnapping, sabotage, a fire and possible murder all vie for position in this new novel from Kate Lord Brown. A bit much?
Yes, probably. But I did keep turning the pages to see how it was all going to work out and although some parts of the ending were clearly signposted I didn’t get everything sorted in my head. Not sure it’s quite a relaxing beach read given that you need to concentrate. Perhaps despite the title, it’s better suited to a long winter’s evening when you’re feeling in need of that taste of summer.

The Taste of Summer by Kate Lord Brown is published by Orion on 28 July 2016 in paperback priced at £7.99.

The Santiago Sisters by Victoria Fox Book Review

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Margaret Graham

This is another glitzy extravaganza from Victoria Fox, just right for the summer.

Now, now, stop your fussing, we might just get one.

Not only is this a pacey and exciting read, but Fox’s writing romps away from the beginning. Let me quote:

She wondered, sometimes, if they had started off as one person. All things combined, until a silver blade entered their mother’s womb and curled them apart.

Isn’t that ‘curled’ sharp and well imagined. And so it goes on. Buy it, whether the sun is out or not.

So what is it about?

When Argentinian twin sisters Calida and Terisita Santiago are separated aged fifteen they think they will never see each other again. Wrenched from her poor but happy life on their family farm Terisita is adopted by world-famous British actress Simone Geddes, who plans to make her into a superstar actress and showers her with all that money can buy. Terisita, who has spent her childhood reading Mills & Boon novels, is in her element and on the road to becoming one of the world’s most loved movie stars.

Betrayed by her sister,, Calida vows that no matter how famous or successful her twin sister becomes, she will fight her way to the top and take on Terisita. So, have camera, will travel. And Calida does, through the ranks of the world of fashion photography.

The rest you will have to read for yourselves, but I reckon it could well be your cup of tea, or glass of champagne.

Harlequin Mira: July 28^th. Paperpack original £7.99

Tiny Prisoners by Maggie Hartley – Reviewed by Frances Colville

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Margaret Graham

I normally try to avoid books with this sort of strapline – Two siblings trapped in a world of abuse. One woman determined to free them – partly because the horrors unfolding make for very uncomfortable reading and partly because with the best will in the world there seems to be a tendency to veer towards sensationalism. With Tiny Prisoners by Maggie Hartley however, the latter is absolutely not the case. I think this is largely because the story is told from the point of view of Maggie herself, foster carer to Evie ( 2) and Elliot (3) who have witnessed extreme abuse and been neglected and isolated throughout their short lives. Maggie relates her story and theirs in a matter-of-fact and understated way which feels very honest and is therefore all the more compelling. So even if like me you wouldn’t usually pick up a book like this, I do recommend that you give it a go – you cannot fail to be moved, saddened, horrified and ultimately uplifted. And also like me, you won’t be able to help admiring Maggie hugely. What an incredible woman she must be.

Tiny Prisoners by Maggie Hartley is published by Trapeze on 28 July 2016 in paperback at £6.99 and eBook at £4.49

Learning to Speak American by Colette Dartford Reviewed by Frances Colville

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Learning to Speak American is Colette Dartford’s first novel and is based on her own experience of renovating and living in a derelict house in California’s Napa Valley.

Lola and Duncan Drummond are struggling to cope with life in their Somerset village home after the tragic death of their only child Clarissa. An attempt, initiated by Duncan, to improve the situation by taking a holiday in California results in a sudden decision to buy a holiday home there. The ramifications of this trip combined with the continued unraveling of their lives in the UK take them on an emotional and sometimes heartrending journey. But for the first time since Clarissa died, Lola feels able to let go off her depression and consider a future.

A moving story, sensitively handled, which draws you in and keeps you reading. It’s a little bit predictable, but sometimes you just want a book which doesn’t require too much thought or analysis, which you can enjoy for its engaging characters and beautiful setting. and which tells a story you can involve yourself in. This does the job well.

Learning to Speak American is published by Twenty7 – the new digital-first fiction imprint of Bonnier Publishing – and will be available as a Paperback Original, priced at £7.99, from July 14^th2016.

Chains of Sand by Jemma Wayne Reviewed by Frances Colville

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Chains of Sand by Jemma Wayne will haunt you long after you have reached the last page. It’s a wonderful story, which draws you in from the very beginning and grips you until the final reveal. And it’s well written too.

This is a book about identity, about what it means to be Jewish in London and in Israel, about what life is like for Israeli citizens, and for Palestinians living in Gaza. It explores religious beliefs, racism and anti-semitism, and looks at the strength of family ties and the power of relationships. There is also a strong thread of feminism, cleverly worked into the story given that the two main characters (both of whom we can empathise wholeheartedly with) are male.

And for me, showing us more than one side of the debate is perhaps the main strength of this book; as we follow the lives of the two men, one of whom is desperate to leave Israel and the other to move there permanently, and also dip into the lives of several other characters, both male and female, we are made aware that of course there is no easy answer to any of the huge questions which the author raises.

But above all, this is a book about people, not facts or philosophies or doctrines. And those people have lodged themselves firmly in my head.

Chains of Sand by Jemma Wayne is published by Legend Press and available as a Paperback Original priced £9.99 from 7 July 2016.

All is not Forgotten by Wendy Walker Book Review

Posted on July 14, 2016 by Margaret Graham

All is not Forgotten landed on my desk along with others. Flipping through the pile this debut psychological thriller intrigued me. It’s not usually a book I would read. I can’t bear violence towards children, for Jenny is one, though I suppose in fact she is a youth. She is 15, so a youth, but really as are they all, a vulnerable child.

I couldn’t put it down.

Wendy Walker has created a fascinating concept that explores memory and what you would be willing to do to protect your child.

Jenny is attacked, raped, horribly. Her parents agree to an experimental treatment that wipes the mind, enabling her to move on with her life. But does she? Can this really work?

She has a scar on her back, and instead of being haunted by the memory of an event, she is instead tormented by an unknown fear.

This is perhaps why it intrigued me. One of my own children had to undergo massive painful surgery at the age of one. The consultant said that because of his age my son had no understanding of the pain and distress of the event, and would forget the actual incident. But for many years, his dominant emotion to any situation would be an intense fear. And so it was. It breaks my heart even now to think of it.

The unknown for Jenny is worsened by the knowledge of a violation. But what?

And where is justice? Her father is obsessed with finding her attacker and her mother is in denial.

The decision is made to take Jenny back into her memories. But even if it can be done, will pulling at the threads of her suppressed experience reveal more than intended. Where is the healing then?

Well written, thought provoking at a profound level. A triumph, but it won’t be a novel that you can forget, so be prepared. And to try and decide what decision you would make.

The only problem for Wendy Walker is what to write now.

Let me know your thoughts on the book at frost@margaret-graham.com

Film rights have been pre-empted by Warner Bros, with Reese Witherspoon set to produce.

Published by Harlequin on 14th July. £12.99

The Salt Marsh by Clare Marsh

Posted on July 4, 2016 by Margaret Graham

As a bestselling author I am increasingly impressed by the standard of novels being published by Head of Zeus. I have not read one I have disliked or thought lacking in expertise or originality.

The Salt Marsh is another of this ilk . It is a ‘haunting thriller’, so says the blurb, set in the windswept marshes of Kent and Norfolk.

I can assure you that it is indeed haunting, it is also well written and evocative with a great sense tension and of place. Clare Carson has bags of empathy, and the characters live. There is pace and rhythm. So what more can I say?

The Salt Marsh tells of Sam, who can’t lay her father’s ghost to rest. Jim was an undercover agent living a double life, and Sam has left university to find out the truth about his work.

The story moves from the nightclubs of 80s Soho to the salt marshes and shingle spits of Norfolk and Kent. I remember both – the cigarette heavy gloom of the nightclubs, and the salt laden winds of the east coast. I can also remember the smugglers’ huts but never found any buried bones. It is here, in these two arenas that Jim’s secret past beckons her. So, will Sam walk away and pick up her own life? Or become an undercover operative herself and continue her father’s work in the shadows?

Read it and find out. Let me know your thoughts. frost@margaret-graham.com

The Salt Marsh, Head of Zeus, HB £18.99

How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry Review by Frances Colville

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Veronica Henry’s new novel How to Find Love in a Bookshop is a feel-good, happy-ever-after story, perfect for reading if you’re in need of a bit of escapism or light relief. It’s a quick, undemanding and engaging read and thoroughly enjoyable.

The central character Emilia Nightingale inherits a book shop in the idyllic Cotswold town of Peasebrook and initially struggles both emotionally and financially with the idea of keeping it going. But the local community rallies round, there are plenty of lovely characters ready to pitch in and help out and of course lots of budding relationships and love stories. All centred on a wonderfully atmospheric bookshop and interwoven with lists of book titles relevant to the content of the chapters. Having worked in a small independent bookstore myself, I was hooked the moment I read the title – and I wasn’t disappointed.

But I would like to know more about what happened to everyone. Is there going to be a sequel? I hope so.

How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry is published by Orion Books and available in hardback priced £12.99 from 16^th June 2016. Also available in ebook and audio.

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