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The Stranger Beside Me

Posted on 17th August 2023 By Nicola

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shortbookandscribes

UK book blogger (Sheffield), Bookstagrammer and lover of all things bookish.
Just one person trying to read all the books.
Physical books only.

New review: The Harbour Lights Mystery by @emyliah

New review: The Harbour Lights Mystery by @emyliahall_author. Published by Thomas & Mercer and out now.
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I read The Shell House Detectives a few months ago and had book two, The Harbour Lights Mystery on my TBR pile ready to read. When I saw a post on Instagram by the author, Emylia Hall, saying that it was set in December and featured the Christmas lights that go up annually in Mousehole, it seemed the perfect book to add to my Christmas reading pile.
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It really was ideal and I enjoyed it so much. The Shell House Detectives consist of Ally Bright, whose late and much missed husband Bill was the local sergeant, and Jayden Weston, an ex-constable from Leeds who now lives in Cornwall with his wife and baby daughter. After inadvertently becoming amateur detectives and solving their first case in book one, in this book they get involved in the case of the murder of a local chef, JP Sharpe, a man with a few foes and an unexpected link to one of their friends, local beach/surf cafe owner, Saffron.
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I loved how the story unfolded and it was as much about Saffron as about solving the murder. The case itself offers a twisty storyline but I think what stands out most for me are the regular characters and the Cornish settings. Both are so vividly drawn by Hall to the point that I felt a bit lost when I finished the book. It’s abundantly clear how much the author loves Cornwall and the way of life there of fishing, surfing and community.
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The Harbour Lights Mystery is a wonderful book and I was thoroughly engrossed in the story and the characters’ lives in Porthpella and Mousehole. I’ve now lined up book three, The Rockpool Murder, and I’m looking forward to another Cornish escapade.
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#TheHarbourLightsMystery #bookreview #crimeseries #cornwallfiction #shortbookandscribes

New review: Christmas at Flora's House by @freya_n

New review: Christmas at Flora's House by @freya_north_author. Independently published and out now.
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Christmas at Flora’s House is the first in four planned novellas from Freya North. If you’ve read Little Wing then some of the characters and settings will be familiar but if not then this works perfectly well as a standalone, although I highly recommend reading Little Wing too.
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Maggie Birch and her husband Roger will be spending Christmas at Flora’s House, a holiday rental on the Isle of Harris. It’s a big change for them as all their previous Christmases have been spent at home in Alderley Edge, but they’ve brought their own Christmas decorations with them to make them feel more comfortable. Maggie soon finds the community run shop and stocks up with all manner of gorgeous-sounding items but Roger is a bit more distant and keeps taking himself off for walks on his own.
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To say anymore about the story itself might mean spoilers but what I can say is that this is a beautifully written and poignant story of community spirit, especially at Christmas, and the power of love and healing. As with Little Wing, this is a love letter to Harris and its windswept and wild beauty and I now want to go and stay at Flora’s House and visit Shona at the shop to buy Scottish tablet and Talisker whiskey from across the water on Skye, both buildings feeling so real to me.
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Emotional yet hopeful, Christmas at Flora’s House is an absolute delight to read and I can’t wait for the next novella to see who the inhabitants spending Spring at Flora’s House will be.
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#bookreview #ChristmasAtFlorasHouse #festivereads #festivenovella #shortbookandscribes

Ad/PR product. New review: The Christmas Clue by @

Ad/PR product. New review: The Christmas Clue by @nicolaupson. Published by @faberbooks and out now.
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The Christmas Clue takes the real life inventors of Cluedo, Anthony and Elva Pratt, and places them in their own whodunnit. It’s Christmas 1943 and the Pratts return to the hotel where Anthony played the piano pre-war. They’ve been asked to run a murder mystery game for the guests but from the moment they arrive in the village they are thrust into their own murder mystery when they discover the body of the owner of the local sweet shop. Can the Pratts find out who did it and why?
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I think Nicola Upson has hit upon a genius idea with this book. I’ve never given any thought to the inventors of Cluedo, despite playing it many times over the years. This story blends real life and fiction really well and it’s interesting to think about how the inspiration for the game may have come about. I’m not sure the Pratts were involved in any real life sleuthing but certainly the first subtitle of the game was Murder at Tudor Close, being the hotel the couple had visited before the war and the hotel they visit in the book.
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The Christmas Clue will appeal to all fans of classic crime. It’s a well-written crime mystery and I was fascinated by the hints as to what would one day make up one of the best-known board games of all time (did you know one of the original weapons was to be a syringe?).
🔍
Thank you to the publishers who kindly sent me a proof copy as part of a Harrogate at Home goodie box.
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#bookreview #TheChristmasClue #festivenovella #festivereads #murdermystery #crimenovella #crimefiction #fortheloveofbooks #christmasbooks #ilovereading #bookish #reader #reviewer #reviewbooks #bookblogger #booksread #shortbookandscribes

New review: New Beginnings for Christmas by @bysal

New review: New Beginnings for Christmas by @bysallypage. Published by Harper Collins and out now.
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The Book of Beginnings is my favourite of Sally Page’s books and so I was really looking forward to reading this festive sequel novella. Whilst the first book was Jo’s story as she met new friends, Rev Ruth and Malcolm, this second story focuses much more on Malcolm and Ruth with Jo taking more of a supporting role.
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Malcolm really wants to treat Ruth to Christmas dinner, just the two of them, as a thank you for her friendship and to help her wind down. What he perhaps failed to realise was that a vicar’s busiest time is over Christmas and that Ruth actually enjoys all the carolling, the Christingle, the special services and the bonhomie that comes with the festive season. Malcolm finds himself railroaded into something more of a community get-together than the quiet meal he had anticipated but maybe, if he could let himself enjoy being with others, he will find it’s actually just what he needed after all.
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New Beginnings for Christmas is a gorgeous festive read. It’s contemplative with lots of meaning behind everything that happens. There’s a kind of magical feel to it all and I loved the way Ruth quietly and surreptitiously steered Malcolm into the meal, helping him whilst letting him believe he was helping her. This book is all about Christmas spirit and festive cheer, it’s poignant and hopeful, and it has a lovely nod to the Twelve Days of Christmas that I thought was achieved with aplomb by Sally Page. Highly recommended for a touching Christmas read whether you have read The Book of Beginnings or not.
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#bookreview #NewBeginningsForChristmas #festivenovella #christmasbooks #festivereads #fortheloveofbooks #reader #reviewer #booksread #bookblogger #ilovebooks📚 #bookish #booklover #readersofinstagram #shortbookandscribes

New review: Christmas at Hollybush Farm by @jothom

New review: Christmas at Hollybush Farm by @jothomasauthor. Published by Transworld and out now.
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I don’t need to know what a Jo Thomas book is about, I just know I will want to read it. She’s taken me around the world to beautiful destinations and treated me to descriptions of mouthwatering foods. So reading Christmas at Hollybush Farm this festive season was an absolute no-brainer and what a beautiful and utterly satisfying book it truly is.
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It begins with Jem and her boyfriend Matthew driving to see her father at his farm in Wales. Jem is high up in the hotel industry and so she’s grabbing a little time before Christmas to go back home. Lucky she does really as her father is unwell and the farm is failing. Matthew is pretty scathing about the farm but Jem realises that no matter how hard she has striven to reach her place at the hotel chain, it’s here on the farm that she truly belongs.
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This revelation leads to new friends, new ventures, and maybe new love. What jumps out most in this book is the community spirit, the way that people who were feeling dispirited because of the decline of farms and the small towns and villages that relied on them, with a little enterprise and the power of social media could try to turn things around. It’s never that easy but pulling together and solidarity helps enormously.
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I found Christmas at Hollybush Farm such a joy to read (I would expect nothing less from Jo Thomas). She transported me so effectively that I felt I was there in Wales on the farm for Christmas with Jem, Llew, Mae et al, and I felt excited for all of the ideas that could save the farm and the wider community from ruin. I also loved the little cameo from Beca from Summer at the Ice Cream Café and it warmed my cockles to think of her and Jem going on to do more together, along with the folk who supply jacket potatoes, knitted dog scarves and so much more. It’s an absolutely lovely story and it’s always a pleasure to have a Jo Thomas book in my festive reading pile.
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#bookreview #ChristmasAtHollybushFarm #festivereads #feelgoodfiction #christmasbooks #fortheloveofbooks #ilovereading #booklover #reader #reviewer #booksread #shortbookandscribes

New review: A Twelfth Night Miracle by @callielang

New review: A Twelfth Night Miracle by @callielangridge. Published by @stormbooks_co and out now.
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A few years ago I read Callie Langridge’s first Mandeville book, A Time to Change. I loved it and whilst, despite my good intentions, I haven’t managed to read the other books in the series yet, I have now read the novella, A Twelfth Night Miracle, which also takes us back to the Mandeville seat, Hill House.
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Freya is grief-stricken after the loss of her beloved grandmother. They ran a baking business together but Freya’s diary is now empty. When she is called upon to step into the breach and bake themed pastries and cakes for the Twelfth Night ball at Hill House she gets more than she bargained for: she meets Callum, the estate manager who she realises she is becoming attracted to and Hill House works its magic on her when she slips back in time to the past and another Twelfth Night ball.
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This is a lovely read, just long enough to give the story plenty of substance but ideal to fit in during those busy days in the run up to Christmas. I can never resist a timeslip/time travel story and it was wonderful to return to the magical joys of Hill House again. I loved the descriptions of the food and the meaning of the items that Freya made, the chemistry between her and Callum made my heart sing and overall this is a heartwarming and enjoyable tale.
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#bookreview #ATwelfthNightMiracle #novella
#festivereads #festivenovella #fortheloveofbooks #reader #reviewer #bookblogger #booksread #ilovebooks📚 #bookish #booksofinstagram📚 #shortbookandscribes

New review: A Baby for the Home Front Girls by Sus

New review: A Baby for the Home Front Girls by Susanna Bavin. Published by @bookouture and out now.
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A Baby for the Home Front Girls is the fifth and final instalment in the Home Front Girls series which follows the lives of three girls, Sally, Betty and Lorna, as they do important work at the salvage depot, repurposing items to help the war effort in many unexpected ways.
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The girls are moving on with their lives, with all three of them now married and the natural next step is children. When Betty finds a newborn baby abandoned at the depot she and her husband Samuel decide they want to care for her. With this baby and Sally’s new pregnancy, babies are very much at the forefront of this book. Of course, nothing runs totally smoothly but the series ends with, if not quite happy ever afters given that the war is still raging, at least with happiness for each of the main characters.
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I’m going to miss them all, including other standout characters such as Mrs Beaumont, the Star House landlady, and Deborah, Sally’s childhood friend whose own story is only just beginning. I don’t really want to let them all go but I must and I’m very happy to have had the pleasure of reading five absolutely lovely books featuring them and their wartime heroics, both when quietly going about their day to day salvage work and when called upon to help in other ways, such as assisting with rescue attempts.
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Susanna Bavin writes sagas beautifully and emotively, with all the joys and sadness that life during wartime brings. I particularly liked the tiny nods to characters and locations in her other books (as Maisie Thomas) and got quite excited when Dunbars Hotel was mentioned. A Baby for the Home Front Girls is a delightful and uplifting book and I recommend it and the series as a whole to anyone who loves reading about life on the home front.
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#bookreview #ABabyForTheHomeFrontGirls #sagabooks
#historicalfiction #warfiction #wartimebooks #fortheloveofbooks #booksread #bookblogger #reviewer #reader #ilovereading #ilovebooks📚 #booklover #shortbookandscribes

November Reads 📖 #TheChristmasMagpie by Mark Edwa

November Reads

📖 #TheChristmasMagpie by Mark Edwards
An easy to read Christmas thriller about a couple who move into a new neighbourhood and are terrorised by the strange things that start to happen.

📖 #SmallActsOfResistance by Anita Frank
A heartbreaking and memorable story of a French family who shelter a British officer during WWI which is brave enough in itself, but then two German officers are billeted with them and things become very tense.

📖 #MrsMiniver by Jan Struther
This is a collection of the columns that appeared in The Times in the late 1930s, telling of the life of a middle-class lady from Chelsea and her family.

📖 #TheShameGame by L.D Smithson
Four friends, each with a secret. To keep their own secrets they must betray another. Quite a complex story but one which is well-plotted.

📖 #TheAbyss and #TheHiddenShore by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Book 17 of the Morland Dynasty focuses solely on brothers Nicholas and Benedict Morland. I enjoyed it but I was glad to meet up with the rest of the family again in book 18, especially the hidden heiress, Charlotte.

📖 #ABabyForTheHomeFrontGirls by Susanna Bavin
This is the fifth and final book in the series set around a salvage depot in WWII and I’ve loved reading each one. Babies are the natural next step for the married girls but they have a rocky road ahead of them to get to their happy ever afters.

November's book post and stats are on my blog (link in bio).
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#NovemberReads #November2025Reads #NovemberReads2025 #monthlyroundup
#monthlywrapup #booksread #reviewbooks #reviewer #bookblogger #reader #fortheloveofbooks #historicalfiction #sagabooks #thrillerfiction #shortbookandscribes

Ad/PR product. New review: Small Acts of Resistanc

Ad/PR product. New review: Small Acts of Resistance by @anitafrankauthor. To be published on 20th November by @hqstories.
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Small Acts of Resistance is set in 1915 in a small village in France. Henry Farrier is in the Royal Flying Corps when his plane goes down in occupied territory. In trying to maintain his freedom he comes across Claudette and her granddaughters, Marie and Élodie, who make the brave decision to shelter Henry in their home. Without this he would surely be taken prisoner or shot. Further peril comes to the household when two German officers are sent to stay with them.
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I was expecting disaster at every turn of the page. How could Henry possibly survive? What if he sneezed or coughed and he was heard? I was on tenterhooks so I cannot imagine how the characters must have felt. I have no doubt that this kind of bravery actually happened during World War One and I don’t think I could have dealt with it as well as Claudette, Marie and Élodie.
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Anita Frank really brought the occupation of the village to life for me and the hardships that the Germans imposed on the French villagers. This is a beautifully written story, one that is of a slower pace and in which each scene can be savoured. I was wondering how the characters’ stories would be wrapped up and believe me, it’s not the most obvious one. I loved the epilogue and the questions it answered.
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Small Acts of Resistance is a tale of loyalty, bravery, solidarity and love in a time of danger and conflict. I thought it was a heartbreaking and memorable read.
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#bookreview #SmallActsOfResistance #warfiction #firstworldwar #fortheloveofbooks #ilovereading #booklover #historicalfiction #reader #reviewbooks #reviewer #booksread #bookblogger #shortbookandscribes

Ad/PR product. New review: The Christmas Magpie by

Ad/PR product. New review: The Christmas Magpie by Mark Edwards. Published by @michaeljbooks today!
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Noel and Dani have just moved into their new home and are looking forward to the upcoming festive season. Until, that is, odd things start to happen such as strange parcels left on their doorstep and a peculiar sense that something just isn’t right. Is one of their new neighbours watching them and leaving the parcels? Who can they trust? Alongside their story is that of a notorious serial killer who is incarcarated in the local prison.
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Not having read any of Mark Edwards’ other ‘Magpie’ books, I came to this one without any knowledge of who the serial killer is, which actually didn’t matter in the slightest although I think fans of the series might get a bit more from this novella. I enjoyed it for what it was and found it a nice, easy thriller to read.
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If you eschew the cosy Christmas vibe and prefer a festive chiller then The Christmas Magpie might be one for you.
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Thank you to the publishers for the proof copy.
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#bookreview #TheChristmasMagpie #festivenovella #novella #festivereads #fortheloveofbooks #bookish #ilovethrillers #thrillerfiction #shortbooks #reader #reviewer #reviewbooks #booksofinstagram📚 #bookblogger #booksread #shortbookandscribes

💚The Barbecue at No. 9 by @jennie.godfrey💚 Look a

💚The Barbecue at No. 9 by @jennie.godfrey💚

Look at this amazing box of goodies that @hutchheinemann have sent to me. A cap, an apron, a playlist, bookmarks and postcards, sweets, door hanger, magpie pins and of course a fabulous copy of the book. What a fantastic treat - thank you so much!

Synopsis:
It's the summer of 1985 and the residents of Delmont Close are preparing a neighbourhood barbecue to watch the biggest music event in history: Live Aid. A day like no other that will end having reached millions and changed the lives of all who attend.

House-proud Lydia Gordon, whose idols are Princess Di and Delia Smith, is determined to put on a show that will impress everyone - with her posh garden and state-of-the-art television, and her sweet husband and two children, Hanna and David.

But as the guests flood into number nine, so do all of the secrets that have been kept in the close.

Rita, a new neighbour from Australia, is hoping for a fresh start but harbours a shocking event in her past; Steve, a young Falklands veteran, battles his own demons; and Mr Wilson is surely too good-looking to ever be trusted.

But as the hours count down to the last performance of the night, it's Lydia who faces the heart-breaking truth that her immaculate home and flawless family might not be so perfect after all.

And if each of their neighbours is guilty of hiding something, so are the Gordons at number nine ...

#TheBarbecueAtNo9

Ad/PR product. New review: The Toll House by Carly

Ad/PR product. New review: The Toll House by Carly Reagon. Published by Sphere and out now.
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Kelda moves into the Toll House with her son, Dylan. It’s a fresh start for them in an unusual historic property in a fairly remote setting, but it isn’t long before things start to happen in the house that make them both feel very uncomfortable. Kelda finds a death mask hidden behind a wall and strange sights and smells start to occur. Alongside the modern day storyline is that of the last toll keeper in the mid 1800s and the two narratives start to converge until the reasons for the peculiar happenings become clear.
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I don’t consider myself to be susceptible to ghost stories and tales of supernatural episodes at all but I have to say that I found this book to be thoroughly creepy and some bits sent a chill down my spine. It felt as realistically possible as any ghost story can be and the historical aspects really added to the chill factor. From the descriptions of the toll house I was able to conjure up an image in my mind of the property with the sign on the wall and the carts and carriages that passed by for which a toll had to be paid. It all felt very eerie.
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The Toll House is well-written and I found it to be atmospheric and authentic. There was a nice little twist towards the end too which, whilst not necessary for the momentum of the story, was a clever addition. I really enjoyed this book and will look out for Carly Reagon’s other books, especially at this time of year.
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Thank you to the publishers who sent me a copy of the book on publication.
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#bookreview #TheTollHouse #ghoststories #supernaturalstories #fortheloveofbooks #eeriereads #ilovereading #booklover #reader #reviewer #reviewbooks #booksread #bookblogger #shortbookandscribes

October Reads and Book Post 📖 I had a good month’s

October Reads and Book Post
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I had a good month’s reading in October with 9 books finished (as it was my 9 year blogging anniversary on the 25th the number nicely matches my blog years!). Here they are:

We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough
A couple move into a new home in the country but straightaway there is something off about the house. This is a really clever supernatural story but for some reason it didn’t really grab me.

#AWeddingForTheHomeFrontGirls by Susanna Bavin
This is book 4 in the series and it was my favourite so far as the girls from the salvage yard continue to navigate the war years.

#WomenOfWar by Louise Morrish
A fascinating story based on fact about a young suffragette who pretends to be a man and joins the army in WWI and the female doctors who treat her when she gets injured in France.

#TheMurderAtWorldsEnd by Ross Montgomery
A fun locked room mystery with unlikely crime-solving duo Stephen Pike and Miss Decima Stockingham trying to work out who killed the Viscount of Tithe Hall.

#TheTollHouse by Carly Reagon
A house with history and a death mask hidden behind a wall made this a genuinely spine-chilling ghost story.

#HoldtheDream by Barbara Taylor Bradford
The follow-up to A Woman of Substance and another re-read for me. The focus in this book is Paula, Emma Harte’s favourite granddaughter who she charged to ‘hold her dream’.

#TheReckoning by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
#TheDevilsHorse by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
#ThePoisonTree by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
The Morland Dynasty series can literally do no wrong for me. Napoleon is finally defeated, there is happiness and tragedy for the family, the age of steam brings a rise for the railways and cholera lurks.
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Swipe to see:
Review books received in October
Books I bought in October including some with very pretty sprayed edges.
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What was your favourite October read?
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#OctoberReads #October2025Reads #OctoberReads2025 #monthlyroundup #monthlywrapup #historicalfiction #bookseries #ghoststories #sagabooks #crimefiction #bookblogger #reader #reviewer #booksread #reviewbooks #fortheloveofbooks #ilovereading #booklover #bookish #shortbookandscribes

Ad/PR product. New review: Murder at World's End b

Ad/PR product. New review: Murder at World's End by @mossmontmomery. To be published by @vikingbooksuk on 30th October.
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Murder at World’s End is the first book in a new series to feature Stephen Pike and Miss Decima Stockingham. Stephen goes to Tithe Hall on a tidal island in Cornwall in 1910, as a new member of staff, just at the point when Halley’s Comet is due to pass Earth. There was a public panic and many believed the comet would destroy the earth so as Stephen arrives he finds the Viscount frantically making some rather irrational preparations. When the Viscount is found murdered Stephen teams up with Miss Decima, the Viscount’s elderly aunt, to try and solve the locked room mystery.
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As settings go, this was a perfect one for a locked room mystery. Not only is it a tidal island but everything was to be sealed and everybody was to be enclosed in their rooms until morning, so how the Viscount met his death is a true conundrum. I liked the two main protagonists and can see how they will work well together in a series. Stephen is a bit hapless at times but a kind and thoughtful person. Miss Decima is foul-mouthed and sharp as a tack. As a crime-solving duo they fit perfectly.
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I didn’t see the denouement coming at all so that was a clever bit of plotting, Murder at World’s End is witty and incisive and good fun for those who enjoy a historical crime caper.
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Thank you to the publishers for the proof package.
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#bookreview #MurderAtWorldsEnd #historicalfiction #historicalcrimefiction #crimeseries #cornwall #fortheloveofbooks #bookblogger #reader #reviewbooks #reviewer #booksread #shortbookandscribes

Book Review: Women of War by @louisemorrish_books.

Book Review: Women of War by @louisemorrish_books. Published by @michaeljbooks and out now.
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Women of War tells the story of two remarkable women and their experiences in WWI. Edie Lawrence is a young suffragette and when war breaks out and she finds herself left with nothing, she decides to pursue her dream of being a journalist by dressing as a man and joining up as a soldier. When she is injured she is sent to a hospital set up by Dr Lucinda Garland who is in charge of a mostly female team. After her plans to set up a hospital in London were rejected by men who couldn’t countenance the idea of a female doctor, she works with the Red Cross in France to offer her invaluable services there instead.
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From beginning to end this is a story of plucky women metaphorically sticking two fingers up to anyone (any man) that says they can’t do something. The action all takes place over a few short months between August and December 1914 and portrays in all its horrors the hell of the First World War. Edie’s war is devastating - as soldiers returning from the front say to her, it’s basically a massacre. Lucinda and her colleagues deal with the fallout and the shocking injuries which are like nothing they have seen before.
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The leading female characters are based on real women and their courageous feats. Louise Morrish brings them to life in Women of War in alternating chapters from both Edie and Lucinda’s points of view. I found this to be an extremely engaging, heart-rending work of historical fiction, impeccably researched and so well-written.
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#bookreview #WomenOfWar #warfiction #firstworldwar #fortheloveofbooks #ilovereading #booklover #reader #reviewer #booksread #bookblogger #historicalfiction #histfic #shortbookandscribes

Ad/PR product. New review: A Wedding for the Home

Ad/PR product. New review: A Wedding for the Home Front Girls by Susanna Bavin. Published by @bookouture and out now.
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A Wedding for the Home Front Girls is the fourth book in this series and picks up where book three left off. Sally is about to wave goodbye to her husband Andrew as he goes off to join the war effort, Betty is newly and happily married to Samuel and Lorna is enjoying being back in a romance with George and taking it slowly after the problems they had the first time round. All three are still working at the salvage yard and it’s now 1941.
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I think this book is my favourite of the series so far. Perhaps it’s because I’m an old romantic and love a good wedding but I found it so lovely to see the girls come together and get stuck into helping to plan Lorna’s nuptials. As it’s wartime, nothing goes to plan and I found myself rooting for a happy ending for the handsome couple.
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There’s heartbreak too and I had to wipe a tear away but despite it all, there’s such hopefulness and camaraderie that I got to the end and closed the book with a satisfied sigh. I’m looking forward to book five but it will be bittersweet as it’s the final book in the series.
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A Wedding for the Home Front Girls is a delightful addition to the series and for any saga lovers the series as a whole is a must-read. I loved all the details of the wedding preparations and the dress, and it was a real pleasure to follow the girls as they went about their war work and their everyday lives.
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Thank you to the author for sending me a copy for review.
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#AWeddingForTheHomeFrontGirls #sagabooks #wartimebooks #fortheloveofbooks #reader #reviewbooks #bookblogger #reviewer #booksread #ilovereading #bookish #lovebooks #shortbookandscribes

#CoverReveal🥳🎉 #TheFamilyFriend by @clairedouglas

#CoverReveal🥳🎉

#TheFamilyFriend by @clairedouglasauthor sounds brilliant.

Preorder now ready for publication on 12th March 2026.

Synopsis:
When Imogen is told she’s inherited a country house near Bath, she thinks it must be a mistake. She last saw its owner, reclusive artist Dorothea Roe, sixteen years ago, during a tragic summer which changed her life for ever.
Now, with partner Josh in tow, it’s a chance for a fresh start.
But after discovering an old box with her name on it in Dorothea’s abandoned study, Imogen starts to believe the woman was trying to send her a secret message.
And when rumours begin to swirl that Dorothea was murdered, she starts to suspect that this gift might not be the life-line she thought it was.
Who would want to kill Dorothea?
Could it be tangled up in Imogen’s own dark family history?
And what if Imogen is now the one in danger?

@michaeljbooks

Ad/PR product. New review: Mix Tape by Jane Sander

Ad/PR product. New review: Mix Tape by Jane Sanderson. Published by Bantam and out now.
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Sheffield 1978 and Daniel and Alison are embarking on a teenage romance, boosted by their shared love of music. Daniel makes Alison a mix tape (remember those?!) and she’s never felt more loved than when she’s with Daniel, also finding a kind of safe haven with his family. Decades later, Alison has a very different life in Adelaide when a chance message from an old pal brings Daniel back into her life. They say you never forget your first love and although Daniel and Alison have made new lives, it takes no time at all until they’re settling back into rediscovering the invisible thread between them that has never been broken.
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Mix Tape is a lovely read, often one of emotional angst and very sad in places, but it’s ultimately uplifting too. Given that it’s about two people who are married to other people, the author hits just the right note to engender sympathy for Daniel and Alison from the reader which I don’t think is an easy thing to achieve with this kind of storyline. It’s nostalgic and I particularly loved being transported to late 70s Sheffield. The sense of place is strong and I felt glad that the author made my home city so recognisable whilst bringing the other locations of Edinburgh and Adelaide to life.
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Music is key to the story and so I enjoyed following the song choices throughout the book. It’s hard to long for an outcome that causes pain to some of the characters but I absolutely loved the ending, having a quiet little sob when I got there. I’ve been meaning to read this book since it was published. It’s taken me a while but I’m so glad I read Mix Tape. It’s a complex and moving story which is more than just a romance. I came for the love story and the Sheffield setting but stayed for the emotional and often messy journey the two main characters go on over such a long time. I thought it was a very enjoyable book.
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Thank you to the publishers for the proof copy which I've had for rather a long time 😳
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#bookreview #MixTape #lovestory #Sheffield #Sheffieldfiction #fortheloveofbooks #musicfiction #ilovereading #lovebooks #shortbookandscribes

September Reads #ANewHomeAtTheWartimeHotel by Ma

September Reads

#ANewHomeAtTheWartimeHotel by Maisie Thomas - the first in a new saga series. A lovely easy read and I’m looking forward to book two.

#59Minutes by Holly Seddon - a riveting story with an explosive premise which put me in the heart of a disaster scenario. What would you do if you only had 59 minutes until a nuclear missile hits?

#MemorialPark by Louisa Scarr - an excellent police procedural and second in the series to feature police dog handler P.C. Lucy Halliday. A current day missing child case combined with a cold case linked to DCI Jack Ellis.

#WhatTheWifeKnew by Lia Middleton - this book combines a legal thriller with a domestic drama going on behind the scenes. Very fast-paced and full of tension and mystery.

#MixTape by Jane Sanderson - I enjoyed this story of lost first love, particularly because part of it is set in Sheffield where Daniel and Alison first met.

#TheCampaigners by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles - book 14 follows on the depiction of the Napoleonic Wars up to the bloody battle of Waterloo and the defeat of Napoleon. Another fantastic instalment.

#AWomanOfSubstance by Barbara Taylor Bradford - I first read this epic tale of Emma Harte and her rise from a servant at Fairley Hall to one of the most powerful women of her time many years ago. I’ve always wanted to reread it but would it live up to my memories? Well yes, it did. I read it very slowly alongside other books because of its 800+ page length and I loved being back in Emma’s world.
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#SeptemberReads #September2025Reads #SeptemberReads2025 #monthlyroundup #monthlywrapup #fortheloveofbooks #ilovereading #historicalfiction #crimefiction #crimeseries #thrillerfiction #sagabooks #epicreads #reader #reviewer #reviewbooks #bookblogger #booksread #shortbookandscribes

Ad/PR product. New #publicationday review: What th

Ad/PR product. New #publicationday review: What the Wife Knew by @liamiddletonauthor. Published by today!
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I can never resist a legal thriller but What the Wife Knew combines the legal world and the buzz of a trial with a domestic drama going on behind the scenes. I felt this mixed it up quite nicely and offered a fresh addition to the psychological thriller genre.
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Francis Joseph is on trial for murdering his wife. His defence? She did it to herself. In a last minute change of representation, barrister Harry takes on the job of defending Frank at his trial. Waiting at home for Harry is Piera, his wife, a barrister herself but who is on maternity leave. What Harry doesn’t know is that Piera has a secret and it could ruin everything.
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I found this to be a very fast-paced read. The first section is all from Harry’s point of view as he undertakes to try and get Frank acquitted. I particularly enjoyed following the trial (written with great skill from an author who really knows what she is talking about), knowing that the outcome would shape the next section which is from Piera’s point of view and addresses what she’s hiding.
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It all unfolds in a quite exhilarating way and I flew through the pages. What the Wife Knew is easy to read yet full of tension and mystery until eventually I did indeed find out what the wife knew. I thought it was an excellent read.
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Thank you to the publishers for the proof copy and happy publication day Lia 🎉
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#bookreview #WhatTheWifeKnew #legalthriller #psychologicalthriller #grippingreads #fortheloveofbooks #ilovethrillers #booklover #bookish #shortbookandscribes

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