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A waiter’s job is to deceive you. They want you to believe in a luxurious calm because on the other side of that door . . . is hell. Edward Chisholm’s spellbinding memoir of his time as a Parisian waiter takes you beneath the surface of one of the most iconic cities in the world—and right into its glorious underbelly. He inhabits a world of inhuman hours, snatched sleep and dive bars; scraping by on coffee, bread and cigarettes, often under sadistic managers, with a wage so low you’re fighting your colleagues for tips. Your colleagues—including thieves, narcissists, ex-soldiers, immigrants, wannabe actors, and drug dealers—are the closest thing to family that you’ve got. It’s physically demanding, frequently humiliating and incredibly competitive. But it doesn’t matter because you’re in Paris, the center of the universe, and there’s nowhere else you’d rather be in the world.
Let’s start with a confession. Edward Chisholm’s A Waiter in Paris had been on my NetGalley TBR pile for so long that I couldn’t find it on my kindle. I’m a terrible bookblogger!
Then I was in Harrogate with my daughter for a day out recently and spotted it on the shelf so bought a copy. Amends would be made.
This is fascinating stuff. We follow Edward, known as l’Anglais by his coworkers, from his lowly start as a runner (lower than a waiter) in a Parisian bistro. The tales of scrounging coffees from the Tamils who run the pass – the interface between the kitchens (terrifying, you do not go there as a waiter, ever), run-ins with the director, badly fitting suits, scrounging euros from the actual waiters (usually with little to no success), living in cramped bedbug-ridden accomodation through to finally becoming accepted by his colleagues (mostly) are deftly told.
The writing is crisp, often amusing, and a love of Paris shines through.
I loved it.
A Waiter in Paris by Edward Chisholm is published by Monoray and is out in paperback now.
A road trip across America with her teenage daughter was meant to be much-needed bonding time for Simone before Lucy leaves home for university.
But on the first night of their stay, in a cabin deep in the Texan desert, Simone wakes to find Lucy missing and a mobile phone in her place. The phone rings and the voice on the other end issues instructions: Don’t tell the police. Come to this location. Be prepared to do a deal…
There is nothing Simone wouldn’t do to save her daughter. Hide the truth. Commit a terrible crime. Become a wanted woman.
But this is no ordinary kidnap and ransom. Getting Lucy back is just the beginning.
Blimey, what a premise! Your daughter goes missing, what will you do to get her back? Is there anything you wouldn’t do?
Superb, high-tension, fast-paced thriller with more twists and turns than a curly wurly (google it, kids). Everything you’d expect from a Gillian McAllister book, in short.
Loved it, and raced through the book almost as quickly as Simone raced to get her daughter back. Tense, gripping, and super atmospheric, you can almost feel the Texas heat and the dust getting under your fingernails.
Hard to say too much without spoilers. If you’ve read any of Gillian McAllister’s books before, this will be an auto-buy anyway. If you haven’t, you’re in for a treat. Just brace yourself…
Highly recommended.
Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister is published by Michael Joseph and is out now. Many thanks to the publisher for an advance ebook copy of the book for review. Opinions remain my own.
Three months ago, a bunch of twelve-year-olds saved the world.
Now they’re stuck investigating a talking hamster.
After everything they’ve been through, they expected grander mysteries, higher stakes, something legendary. Instead, they’re bored, restless and growing apart … until someone breaks into the British Museum.
An ancient artifact has been stolen, and they’re framed for the crime. With the police closing in, their only way out is to uncover the truth themselves.
But the more they dig, the stranger it gets.
They learn that the heist, the hamster and an old comic about a vanished group of adventurers are all connected. And the deeper they go, the more they realise this may be all their fault.
Recently I found myself wondering if there would be a follow-up to Barry Nugent’s excellent Trail of the Cursed Cobras. And lo! An email popped into my inbox asking if I’d like to read the sequel!
Of course I said yes, immediately. I absolutely loved the first book, which I described as “an absolute blast, and one of the most fun, enjoyable books I’ve read in a long time.”
Fear not, dear reader, book 2 is also fabulous! There’s still that feeling of a mixture of Grange Hill (showing my age there), the X-Files, and with a dash of Indiana Jones thrown into the pot. Along with the enigmatic shopkeeper Mr Carnaby who knows a little too much about magical shenanigans.
Oh, and there’s a talking hamster, who might just be rather more than it seems.
Ada, Bobby, DJ, Nikki and Tony are back in action after saving the day in book 1. They’re older. A little. Wiser? Maybe. Ready for action? Absolutely!
Another grand adventure kicks off with a visit to the British Museum, where an ancient artefact is stolen and naturally, they get the blame. Throw in a bit of inter-school conflict (didn’t everyone’s high school have an enemy school? I know mine did!), some missing adventurers and we’re in for a rollicking good time.
The book is aimed at a middle-grade audience, with our heroes being about 12. However, I am very much not twelve (sense of humour notwithstanding), but as a fifty-something bookblogger (my blog is older than the gang!) I absolutely loved it.
Better characters and plot than some ‘grown-up’ books, for sure, and they’re a great, diverse bunch of kids, with real issues and problems which aren’t always neatly solved (just like in real life). There’s also a real sense of peril and some proper character growth.
Superb. As you can probably tell, I properly loved this one. Book 3 cannot come quickly enough. We want more!
Huge thanks to Barry for sending me an ebook copy of Mystery of the Midnight Cartographers for review!
@PeelhousePress is a brand new hybrid fantasy publisher, and the launch title is The Path and The Way – Book 1 in the #Ringlander series. It’s planned as a trilogy (with accompanying novellas) by Michael S. Jackson with @thebrokennbinding, production by @blackcrow_pr
Artwork by @rickyhoconcepts @tallshepherd @jadillustrated Jonathan McEnroe @jennyhunterarts
ABOUT THE BOOK
Set in an original universe, The Path and The Way kicks off the series with a fast-paced journey of games, grit and magic set in a world of tearing realities that evokes the dark, atmospheric tension of The Witcher, and blends the visceral grit of John Gwynne with the lyrical world-building of Patrick Rothfuss. It follows one woman’s struggle to choose between her blood and her destiny, and explores common themes found in the genre such as the search for self, found family, and the exploration of power and magic, with mythical creatures aplenty.
Hello my little book loving chums! We’ve made it to April (well done) so it’s time to look back over the books of March.
Not as many books read as in previous months, but it’s quality over quantity, innit?
Kicking things off with an advance copy of David Goodman’s Solitary Agents, which I reviewed here.
It’s really really good. Properly tense, fantastic characters, some absolutely superb action and a growing sense of dread that Jamie (who we met in book 1, A Reluctant Spy), whilst now trained up, is rapidly heading out of his depth, and the sharks are sensing blood and starting to circle.
I loved the first book a lot. And the second is even better. If you like spy thrillers, or just thrillers, or just damn good adventure stories, David Goodman needs to be firmly on your lists. This one is out in June from Headline – thanks to the publisher for an advance ebook copy!
A bit of a change of pace (hah!) for book two of the month. Jamie Doward’s And So I Run (from the lovely folk at Vertebrate Publishing).
I really enjoyed this. It’s about Jamie and how he uses running to get away from things. It’s in part funny, wise, moving, though with some very dark chapters.
I loved this line:
I was trashing my thirties with the demented determination of a bus shelter vandal.
Great book, highly recommended.
Sticking with the non-fiction theme, Edward Chisholm’s A Waiter in Paris had been on my NetGalley TBR pile for so long that I couldn’t find it on my kindle. I was in Harrogate with my daughter for a day out and spotted it on the shelf so bought a copy.
This is the story of how the author finds himself in Paris, left by his girlfriend and seeking a job. He finds employment at a restaurant as a runner, lower on the scale than a waiter, the job to which he aspires.
This is fascinating stuff – from his lowly start, scrounging coffees from the Tamils, run-ins with the director, badly fitting suits, cramped bedbug ridden accomodation through to becoming accepted by his colleagues (mostly). I loved it.
Last book of the month was a proof I’d picked up in Harrogate last year: A Murder At World’s End, by Ross Montgomery.
Unforgiveably, it had been sat in a pile on a table by the sofa for a while. I picked it up one Sunday and thought I’d read a bit. And a bit I did read. All of it, in fact. Gloriously entertaining, it’s like Downton Abbey crossed with Christie. A stately house cut off from the mainland by a storm. A young man turns up to be one of the staff. A devious locked-room impossible murder. And imagine Violet Crawley but with a LOT more swearing.
Huge fun, highly recommended. Don’t leave it as long as I did! Very much hoping for a sequel.
Currently reading
As it was a short month for reading, I thought I’d tell you what I’m currently working my way through.
Starting with RJ Barker’s Mortedant’s Peril (out in May from Tor, thanks for the ebook review copy!)
RJ writes some delightfully odd books, and this one is no exception.
admit it. And not that anyone actually likes the Mortedants, or Irody in particular. Nonetheless, Elbay is a city of tradition, and tradition calls for Mortedants to attend a death.
But when Irody reads the corpse of a low-level record-keeper, he’s dragged into a conspiracy that will see someone close to him murdered and Irody framed for the crime, the eyes of the city’s guilds, nobles and villains all fixed on him. With only days to prove his innocence before he is executed, Irody is forced to work with unlikely and unwanted allies: a street urchin and a hulking, inhuman mercenary from the sea people’s city of Oknusoka.
With danger and death lurking around every corner, and trust a luxury, Irody is running out of time. He must save himself and his friends, as well as Elbay – the magnificent, terrifying, complicated city that he loves. Or darkness will fall on them all.
Also reading and loving The Bone Door by Frances White (also out in May, thanks to Michael Joseph for the ebook review copy)
Hop peered into the darkness, and it peered back
I love this book so much already!
What lies beyond The Bone Door?
When Hop awakens in an ancient labyrinth, he has no memory of his life before, or how he got here. He does not recognise the mysterious girl trapped with him.
And he certainly cannot identify the shadowy figure stalking him, whispering terrible things . . .
But there is one thing he is certain of.
He must escape.
The only way out of the labyrinth is through The Bone Door. But it lies behind a series of other locked doors hidden across an array of strange realms. To open the way, Hop must complete impossible tasks before his time runs out.
As Hop travels deeper, he discovers that he and his companions may be more connected to the place and its horrors than he could ever imagine.
Unless Hop is able to unravel the true mystery of the labyrinth, including his own role within it, the Bone Door and any hope of escape will be lost forever.
Finally (for now), I picked up a copy of Run Forever, by Damian Hall (also from the lovely folk at Vertebrate). As an ‘older’ runner (hmm), it looks really interesting.
‘We don’t stop running because we get old. We get old because we stop running.’
Is it inevitable that our running performance slides as we get into our forties and beyond? Or are there things we can do to slow or even pause the decline, master our midlife and use experience as a superpower and become an ageless ace?
In Run Forever, record-breaking GB ultrarunner Damian Hall, fifty, examines the reasons why our strength and speed might deteriorate, yet how it isn’t certain if we choose to do something about it. In running, like other sports, there have been phenomenal performances from masters athletes, and while ageing is unavoidable, how we age isn’t. Becoming an ageless ace has potentially extraordinary healthspan and longevity benefits away from running.
Featuring chapters on speed, strength, mindset, sleep and nutrition, Hall draws on the knowledge of experts and shares the stories of other runners – including five-time Olympian and European 10,000 metres champion Jo Pavey, and record-breaking ultrarunner Nicky Spinks – to provide advice for how we can keep running strong and enjoying it for as long as possible. World-renowned sports dietician, author and ultrarunner Renee McGregor explains how ageing affects female runners, especially around perimenopause and menopause, and leading strength and conditioning coach Pete Stables provides knowledge and exercises for the masters athlete.
Right, that’s my recap of March! Have you read any of these? Any catch your eye?
As ever, I’d love to know what you’ve been reading lately.
In a brand new country, ruled by the most famous of its citizens, visibility is all that matters. But if Tamsin doesn’t act quickly, neither she nor her best friend Charlotte will ever be seen again.
Tamsin, a reclusive engineer, is the only viewer who can see where Charlotte’s ‘hot new reality show’ is heading – the finale will be the end of her.
To get near the film set, Tamsin’s only option is to put her shyness aside and build herself a sensational backstory, a springboard of lies that will propel her all the way to the infamous People’s Republic of Love.
But she does not understand how this country works, with its intoxicating blend of power and popularity. The Republic will give you everything you’ve ever wanted… if you hand over your whole self in return.
Now I’ve been a fan of Heather Child’s books for a long time. I loved Everything About You, and The Undoing of Arlo Knott. So it was with no small amount of excitement that I saw that she had a new book coming out, and having squeaked excitedly about it, was offered an ebook to review by the publisher.
Naturally I jumped at the chance to get my grubby bookblogger paws on a copy of the intriguingly-titled The People’s Republic of Love.
In this hyper-connected world of ‘influencers’ (gah, I hate that term), what would happen if they all took off and set up their own country on a tropical island (where else?), where entry requirements included follower count or reach?
Charlotte is invited to take part in a reality show – think of a combination of Big Brother, with devious tasks thrown in. People play to win, but the challenges are getting oddly personal to Charlotte, and old fears seem to play an increasingly large part. Charlotte’s friend Tamsin is watching, but can see that her friend is struggling, so has to engineer a way into The People’s Republic of Love to try and save her. Who is tormenting Charlotte, and why? And what can Tamsin do about it?
It’s a chilling view into a world that’s all too close to what we see now, where influencers vie for views, and some will do anything to get them. It’s also an indictment of greed and a cracking page-turner of a thriller. Loved it.
The People’s Republic of Love by Heather Child is published by SRL Publishing in March 2026. Many thanks to the publisher for the ebook copy for review.
Jamie Tulloch and Sam Li never intended to be spies. Jamie, a former exec at a tech company, found himself caught up in a mission and discovered a taste for the secret world while Sam, a burnt-out corporate lawyer, was unexpectedly talent spotted by MI5. When both are plunged into covert training, they find themselves pitted against each other for their final evaluation – Exercise Red Poacher.
Every year, MI6 trainees must evade capture, infiltrate sensitive sites and report back with the right intel, while their peers at MI5 try to stop them. But things take a sinister turn when they witness the apparent murder of one of their fellow recruits. Is it all part of the exercise? Or is someone trying to weaponise this game of spies into something far more deadly?
I absolutely loved David Goodman’s first book, the superb A Reluctant Spy (one of my books of the year for 2024 and winner of the Old Peculier McDermid Debut Award and the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize), about which I said:
Properly good spy novel to keep you up at night reading just one more chapter. Edge-of-your-seat action, and a cracking plot. Goodman is one to watch.
Well friends, watch him I did (and met him at Harrogate last summer, and at Stockport Noir in January), and he’s back with the sequel, Solitary Agents, a short review of which, might read something like
Another properly good spy novel to keep you up at night reading just one more chapter. Edge-of-your-seat action, and a cracking plot. Goodman is still one to watch.
OK, fine.
Following on from the (mis)adventures of everyone’s favourite not-quite spy Jamie Tulloch, we find him here having signed up to do the job properly. Naturally, things start going awry fairly quickly, and Jamie finds himself on the run from MI5. What follows is a properly good spy novel…
Look, it is! It’s really really good. Properly tense, fantastic characters, some absolutely superb action and a growing sense of dread that Jamie, whilst now trained up, is rapidly heading out of his depth, and the sharks are sensing blood and starting to circle.
I loved the first book a lot. And the second is even better. If you like spy thrillers, or just thrillers, or just damn good adventure stories, David Goodman needs to be firmly on your lists.
Highly recommended. Get yourself a copy of The Reluctant Spy now (out in paperback from your friendly local indie bookshop, bookshop.org) and catch up with Jamie’s adventures before Solitary Agents hits the shelves in June.
Thank me later.
Solitary Agents by David Goodman is published by Headline in June 2026. Many thanks to the publisher for the advance copy of David Goodman’s book for review.
Hello my little book loving chums! We made it through February and onto some hopefully warmer and sunnier days.
Eight books read this month, which is pretty good by my standards. However, we mustn’t get held up about numbers – any books read is a good amount!
Ready? Let’s go.
I started the month with The Death of Us by Abigail Dean, who I saw at the fabulous Stockport Noir in January. There was one copy left at the on-site bookshop, so I snapped it up and got it signed.
I’d heard a lot of good things about this book from Adam Simcox and Louise Beech, amongst others. They were not wrong. It’s a tough read and doesn’t really hold back at all. It’s the story of Edward and Isabel, and how their world changed when a serial killer entered their home. The aftermath is just crushing. Beautifully written, this will live with you for a long, long time.
Speaking of Louise Beech, she was kind enough to send me an advance ebook of Wonderful, which is out in June.
It’s the story about what might have happened if Marilyn Monroe didn’t die in August 1962. And how her story links to Flora, a working class woman from Hull, a million miles away from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. And how a visitor to both of them changed both their lives. Does exactly what it says on the tin – a wonderful story which might just have brought a tear to my eye. I’m denying everything.
Another book I picked up in Harrogate last summer is a proof copy of Ilona Bannister’s Five, which is out in May from Juniper.
Loved this one – In five minutes time, one of five people at a train station will die. But which of the five, and why? The book follows the lives of the five passengers in the runup to the 7:06 train to London Victoria.
It’s cleverly plotted and keeps you wondering who isn’t going to make it. Refreshingly different!
Next up is the audiobook of the second in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Carl’s Doomsday Scenario follows the ongoing adventures of everyone’s favourite boxer-short wearing dungeon crawler and the true star, Princess Donut.
This series is growing on me. The narrator is absolutely brilliant, and I’m intrigued to see what it would be like to read a physical copy, but I’m going to press on with the audio for now. It’s got past the huge amount of infodumping that took up a lot of the first half of book 1, and the story is definitely going places, but there’s still an awful lot to keep track of as Carl and Donut navigate the world dungeon.
Also on audio I finally finished Terry Pratchett’s Small Gods, narrated by the fabulous Andy Serkis.
I must admit that I’ve been listening to this on and off (mainly off due to the DCC series) for absolutely ages, so it’s been a bit tricky to keep track of what’s going on. Serkis is a brilliant narrator, and I might have enjoyed it more had I gone through it as the only thing I was listening to. Bits towards the end of the book don’t really track in audio – there’s a section where Om is talking to Brutha and in the book it’s split up in to numbered lines like in the bible, but in audio it’s just the narrator seemingly randomly throwing in numbers. Not one of my favourite Pratchetts.
I was VERY excited to get my hands on a copy of Tariq Ashkanani’s upcoming book The Hollow Boys. Out in May from Viper (thanks!).
I adored The Midnight King, and had heard many good things about this. Reader, I was not disappointed, and you will absolutely love it. Be warned though, it’s dark. SO dark. Danny and Will go missing. Then one day, months after they’re assumed drowned, Danny comes back. Except Danny insists that he’s not Danny, he’s Will…
Stunning. So good that I started my fledgling Instagram Reels career with an unboxing (un-enveloping?) and a short read.
Then I read Will Dean’s Adrift, which I’ve had my eye on for months. I’ve seen fellow bloggers with their proof copies and felt a pang of envy. Which is daft, as I’m fortunate enough to get other books! Anyway, I was at the fabulous Forum Books in Corbridge and bought myself a copy.
Regular readers of this blog will know that I’m a huge fan of Will Dean’s books. His Tuva Moodyson series is fantastic, and it’s interesting to see him branch out into standalones. The last one I read was The Chamber, which was a claustrophobic locked room mystery, and here it’s not quite a locked boat story, but it’s not far off. Peggy and her son Samson live with Drew, husband, father and one of the most awful, unlikeable characters I’ve read for a long time. This book is SO tense in places, with tiny chinks of light giving us glimpses of hope only for it to crash back into darkness. You absolutely ache for Peggy and Samson to get away, from Drew, from the boat, from the relentless gaslighting and abuse.
Will Dean on fine form, as always.
I thought that Adrift would mark the last book of February, but I found myself with some free time on Saturday 28th so I settled down with A Bad, Bad Place by Frances Crawford.
I read it in a couple of sittings, pausing only to top up my tea and get some more biscuits. It’s the story of twelve year-old Janey, a young girl who comes across a horrific murder scene while walking her dog (the fabulously-named Sid Vicious). It reminded me a lot of Jennie Godfrey’s The List of Suspicious Things (if you haven’t read that, then you absolutely must), but far, far darker. Set in Glasgow in 1979, it captures the era perfectly. I adored Janey and her nana Maggie, two brilliant characters. It’s hard to believe this is a debut, it’s so confident and bold, and despite what I said about TLOST, quite unique.
I absolutely loved it.
Well, February was a brilliant month for books! Any there catch your eye? Any going on your TBR pile, or list for when you go book shopping next? As ever, I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading.
Finally approaching the end of January, which feels like it’s been going on FOREVER. The plus side of which is that I’ve got a lot of reading done! Eleven books is a lot, even for me, though it was helped by being struck down with an awful cold and confined to bed for four days at the start of the month!
A kind reader commented that they ‘appreciate the brevity of your descriptions while still tempting the reader to partake.’ In that vein, let’s begin!
I started off the month with The Grapples of Wrath, by Alice Bell (netgalley ARC, thanks to Atlantic Books)
This is the third book in the series, but could probably be read as a standalone. Medium Claire and her dead-but-still-hanging-around and sarcastic BFF Sophie have to investigate a mysterious death at a local wrestling club. Hijinks ensue. Look, I love these books, they’re funny, great characters and just enormous fun. Highly recommended.
Speaking of highly recommended, I moved swiftly on to The Mysterious Double Death of Honey Black by Lisa Hall, pausing only to stock up on cold meds. Lisa was kind enough to send me a copy after I inadvertently bought book 3 by mistake. Ooops.
Absolutely loved it. Time jump shenanigans to the glitz of Hollywood in 1949 and Lily Jones has a murder to stop from happening by geting a job as a PA to the glamorous Honey Black. Time is running out…
Clever, stuff. Bit like Quantum Leap (remember that?) but with more sequins and murderous shenanigans. First book of three, and can’t wait to jump back with Lily to more adventures!
Next up was Beautiful Ugly, by Alice Feeney.
I’ve seen several of my bookblogger chums raving about Alice Feeney’s books and I’d been meaning to pick one up for ages. Absolute page turner, the story drew me in, and the writing and plot was great. Until it wasn’t. Unfortunately the twist didn’t land for me but I know tons of others absolutely loved it. I’ll be picking up some more of Alice’s books though. Solid 7/10
Remember Lisa Hall? Sure you do. Scroll up a bit. She recommneded The River is Waiting, by Wally Lamb to me and it turned up from my amazon wishlist for Christmas. I dived in.
Straight into the books of the year list, be very surprised if it’s not near the top come December. Utterly stunning, but it will absolutely shred your emotions and leave you wrecked at the end. Yes, it’s one of those books that you find pressing into a friend’s hands going ‘THIS BOOK RUINED ME, YOU HAVE TO READ IT’
It’s not a happy read, and the start is absolutely brutal. You have been warned.
Seeking something a little lighter in tone, I picked up The President’s Hat, by Antoine Laurain.
Utterly delightful. A man finds himself sat next to President Mitterand in a cafe, then realises that the President has left his hat behind. He puts it on and finds it changes his life. It’s just joyous and I loved it. I’ll be picking up more of Antoine Laurain’s books for sure. Hugely recommended.
Speaking of utterly delightful, and still looking for something light and fluffy after the emotional rollercoaster of Wally Lamb’s book, I stumbled across a snippet of the tv series of Leonard and Hungry Paul, by Rónán Hession. I’d started reading it years ago and gently bounced off it, so thought it was worth another go.
Proof that whilst I firmly believe that one should DNF a book you’re not enjoying, it might be that the book is just a ‘not now’ book rather than a ‘not me’ book. I adored this. It’s gentle and heartfelt and uplifting and I can now see why everyone was singing its praises when it came out. Lovely lovely book.
Speaking of books that people had loved that I had not read yet, The Midnight King, by Tariq Ashkanani appeared as a birthday present mid-January.
Most of the book bloggers and Instagram bookstagrammers I know had shouted about this book when it came out, and honestly I fully intended to get a copy last year, but there are a lot of books on my shelf. I read this in two sessions, only because I started it too late in the evening to finish it in one. Full review is here, but the short version is you should read this book. Do it now.
I’ve only listened to one audiobook this year so far and it’s The Dog Sitter Detective’s Christmas Tail, by Antony Johnston
Big fan of these books. Gwinny Tuffell and Birch find themselves trapped by a snowstorm at a remote house where she’s gone to find out some secrets about her father from his old colleagues. Then one of them turns up dead, but no-one can get in or out because of the snow, so whodunnit? Loved it, a nice gentle cosy crime for January.
I was utterly delighted to discover that Heather Child had a new book on the way. The People’s Republic of Love is out in March (thanks to the publisher for the Netgalley proof)
It’s a chilling glance into a close future what-if society where social media is even more rampant than it is now. Influencers have their own island paradise, The People’s Republic of Love, where views and likes are the barrier to entry for normals. There’s a big brother gameshow with an escape room twist, where every game seems tailored to one particular contestant’s past and fears, and her friend needs to get there to help. Clever, twisty, thought-provoking.
Having read The Midnight King, I was delighted to discover that Tariq Ashkanani was appearing at Hull Noir, so I picked up a (free) ticket, headed through the rain towards the Yorkshire coast to hear him talk about it with my friend Nick Quantrill. I picked up a copy of his other recent book The Night Watcher while I was there.
Now this one I did read in one go. An Edinburgh-set crime novel? Don’t see many of those around. But this is one which firmly muscles in and takes its place at the table with the rest. Callie Munro is a private detective who is hunting a serial killer, and she might just be my new favourite PI. I loved this, very different in tone to The Midnight King, and I’m very happy to see there’s going to be a follow-up.
Last, but by no means least, I read Blood Over Bright Haven, by ML Wang
Completely different to everything else I’d read so far, Blood Over Bright Haven is a standalone dark academia fantasy which has magic controlled by a kind of steampunky machinery ruled by the mages of Tiran to protect themselves from the world outside and the ominous Blight. Sciona wants to be the first woman to become an Archmage of the Magistry, but faces misogyny and cruelty, and is lumbered with a janitor from the outside as an assistant. More to him than meets the eye, obvs. The worldbuilding is great, the ending is satisfying, really enjoyed this one.
Phew! As ever, let me know what you’ve been reading, and if you’ve read any of these. February awaits – I’m off to Stockport Noir tomorrow, so will undoubtably be picking up a new book (or three).
Also planning on catching up on my review backlog, so keep your eyes peeled for some slightly longer reviews coming up!
I started writing this list in mid-December, which turned into late December, which turned into well it’s nearly 2026 so I might as well finish up the year, which turned into early January, then I was poorly then I got distracted and now it’s approaching the end of January but hey, books are books.
Here are the books I really really enjoyed in 2025. Feels like so long ago, doesn’t it?
Right, let’s kick off with Vine Street by Dominic Nolan (review here)
My review: I read a six hundred page book in a day, pausing occasionally only to make a fresh cup of tea as the previous one had gone cold.
It’s phenomenally good. Like tell all your friends good. It oozes atmosphere, and you can almost feel the grit and grime of the streets coming off the page. Geats is an incredible character, but only one of a whole cast who are all brilliantly realised. They’re not all nice people, but they all feel so very much… alive. The story pans out over three timelines covering some 67 years, and it’s just glorious.
And there’s a cat.
How do you follow that? With The Rush by Beth Lewis, of course!
Regular readers will know how much I adore Beth’s books, and this one is utterly brilliant (as per usual). Three women’s lives in the gold rush collide. You emerge blinking into the sunlight almost feeling the grit under your fingernails from the harsh world Beth Lewis has created. Stunning. If you’ve not read any of Beth’s books yet, you should. Start here!
Speaking of books you should read, get yourself a copy of The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford. It’s got kickass heroines riding giant dragons. Need I say more?
*LunaCat not included
I’ve been following him since the very start (not in a stalkery way) and I think this is up there with his best work. And I loved his other books. But did they have a Brooklyn 99 AND a Skyrim reference in them? I very much think they did not. I ended up with two copies, that’s how good it is. I meant to do a giveaway of the paperback cos I got the beautiful special edition hardback. It’s got a gold embossed dragon on the cover. You can’t have it, it’s mine. Get your own.
Speaking of good, I must mention Little Secrets by Victoria Goldman. Another ‘must buy’ author for me!
Little Secrets is a locked room mystery, with strange murders, a spooky prison, and an absolutely cracking plot. What more could you want? Huge fan of Victoria’s work, and absolutely loved this one.
What you might want is a different kind of detective story. Can I introduce you to The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace by RWR McDonald?
A young girl’s teacher is found murdered, so it’s up to 11 year old Tippy Chan and her uncle Pike (and Pike’s boyfriend Devon) to solve the case, inspired by Pike’s old Nancy Drew books. It’s packed full of heart and adventure (along with the murder) and I absolutely raced through it. I can’t wait to see what The Nancys get up to next.
If you’re hankering for a bit of epic scifi space opera with a touch of Iain M. Banks, then Slow Gods by Claire North will be very much up your intergalactic space transport route.
It’s hard to avoid the Banks comparison, but Claire North has taken the epic, galaxy-spanning adventure and made it her own. It’s a huge book in terms of scope, but very much the story of one person’s experiences across a vast timeline. I adored it.
Looking for something a bit quirky with a delightful dash of dark Finnish humour? The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen is for you!
Look, it’s an Antti Tuomainen book so it was a virtual certainty to end up on the books of the year list. No-one does dry, dark humour quite like Antti and I flippin’ love it. Who could have thought that one man could have quite so many adventures transporting a piece of furniture across Finland? It’s like Fargo with sofas. If you’ve not read any of Antti’s books yet, start here. Glorious fun.
Fan of James Bond? Then Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan is the one for you.
Featuring everyone’s favourite Quartermaster, Quantum of Menace delves into what happens after Q is unceremoniously let go from MI6 and finds himself back in his small hometown of Wickstone-on-Water where his old friend Peter Napier turns up dead. Quantum computers, shady goings-on and a cameo from a certain super spy. I loved it.
Epic fantasy more your thing? Then let me introduce The Devils by Joe Abercrombie.
Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Holy City but his job ends up being not quite what he was expecting. It’s a jaunt to deliver a princess across Europe, with a necromancer, a viking werewolf, an elderly vampire and a knight in tow. Oh, and an elf who can turn invisible. Packed with Abercrombie’s signature wit and grit, it’s a chonk of a book but one which flew by. Great fun.
Some of Us Are Liars by Fiona Cummins
Another one of my ‘must buy’ authors, a new book by Fiona Cummins always ends up at the top of the tottering TBR pile, and Some Of Us Are Liars does not disappoint. Saul Anguish is back! It’s dark, it’s twisty, it’s beautifully written and will keep you up late, going oh just one more chapter. Just one more… then the rug gets pulled out from under you and suddenly it’s 3am and you’ve got work the following day. Curse you, Cummins. Curse you!
Speaking of books which keep you up entirely past your bedtime, 59 Minutes by Holly Seddon did exactly that.
A nuclear missile is heading to the UK. You’ve got 59 minutes. This is not a test. What do you do?
Oh my days, this book was tense. Three women all trying to get to their loved ones before the clock runs out. Terrifying, thought-provoking, the pages were turned so fast, yes they were. Highly recommended!
Audiobook
I absolutely adored The Smart Girl’s Guide to Revenge by Jessica May Harper (aka Steph Broadribb)
Jessica is a woman out for revenge (title kind of gives it away, huh?) after taking the fall for an insurance fraud scam. And boy, does she get revenge. It’s smart, it’s sharp, it’s brutal. It’s got hustles and scams and comeuppances galore. And it’s read by Kaya Scodelario, who is absolutely perfect for the book. Loved it.
Non Fiction
Maybe non-fiction is more your thing? Then please, step this way…
I loved Things Become Other Things by Craig Mod. He writes some amazing pop-up newsletters about walking in Japan (check out his website)
It’s a 300 mile walk across the ancient pilgrimage paths of Japan’s southern Kii Peninsula, in which the author muses on all kinds of subjects – his life growing up in America as an adoptee, his friend who recently passed away, conversations with fishermen, farmers, cafe owners, talking about tsunamis and floods, chatting with curious kids along the way. It’s a beautifully written book and one you can lose yourself in.
Last, but by no means least, I can highly recommend Overnight: Journeys, Conversations and Stories After Dark by Dan Richards
Overnight is “a celebration of all things nocturnal, a hymn to nighttime wildlife, travel, dreams and art.” It’s a fascinating book, digging into the lives of the people who spend their working and waking hours when the rest of us are in bed. Lifeboat crew, nurses, bakers, bat conservationists, it’s a lovely mix of different stories. I enjoyed it enormously, and it reminded me a little of Jarvis Cocker’s superb Wireless Nights
Phew. That was 2025. I read a load of other good books, but those were the ones which really really stood out for me. I’m going to try and catch up on the other reviews over the next couple of months, so keep your eyes peeled, and thanks for reading this far!
If you’ve made it this far, have you read any of the above? Any jump out at you that you’re going to add to your list? What’s your favourite book of 2025?
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