Yay. I did something. Finally! First time in ages, but I have been out, seen stuff, bought stuff and generally been the opposite of a couch potato. I even made my daily steps a few days running. Been a while. This past weekend, Mandie and I have been in Newcastle for the Newcastle Noir Crime Literature Festival. Always a pleasure to join Dr Noir and co, and nice to see the festival back to a full weekend again. It was also nice to be back in the city (or the Toon, I should say), looking wonderful despite the cold.
Now, obviously, a literature festival is nothing without panels, and we may have attended one or two … First up was a panel with Sarah Hilary, Gytha Lodge and Chris Merritt, chaired by Jacky Collins. This was followed by a run of panels on the Saturday, featuring Amen Alonge, Ewan Gault, Johana Gustawsson, Alan Parks, Mari Hannah, Tim Sullivan, Simon McCleave, Harriet Tyce, A.A. Chaudhuri, Chris Brookmyre, Fiona Cummins. Susi Holliday and Mark Edwards. We were only able to stay until just after lunchtime on Sunday, but snuck in the New Crime Panel, plus panels with James Oswald, Oskar Gudmundsson, Simon Toyne, Eve Smith, David Beckler and Louise Mumford. Quite the weekend and, I won’t lie, might have bought a few books both in person and in e-book.
Books bought this week (at festival and not) include: A Good Day To Die by Amen Alonge; The Commandments by Oskar Gudmundsson; The Sound of Sirens by Ewan Gault; It Ends At Midnight by Harriet Tyce; The Blue Bar by Damyanti Biswas; Murder Before Evensong by Richard Coles; Snowflakes Over Muddleford Cove by Kim Nash; Gone Crime Anthology; The Raven’s Mark by Christie J. Newport; The Fix by M.A. Russo; and Open Your Eyes by Heather Fitt.
One Netgalley download – Killing Jericho by Willian Hussey (27 April 23).
Some lovely #bookpost over the week – four brand new Orenda Books titles which are out next year: Expectant by Vanda Symon (16 February 23); The Forcing by Paul E. Hardisty (16 February 23); Beautiful Shining People by Michael Grothaus (16 March 23) and The Space Between Us by Doug Johnstone (16 March 23). Sooooo pretty. 😍
Because I have been busy doing a ‘thing’ my reading has been less than impressive, given I’ve had time off work as well …
Books I have read
Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood
It’s been an enjoyable and murder-free time for Judith, Suzie and Becks – AKA the Marlow Murder Club – since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the river Thames the day before the wedding, and Judith and Co. are looking forward to a bit of free champagne.
But during the soiree, there’s a crash from inside the house, and when the Marlow Murder Club rush to investigate, they are shocked to find the groom-to-be crushed to death in his study.
The study was locked from the inside, so the police don’t consider the death suspicious. But Judith disagrees. As far as she’s concerned, Peter was murdered! And it’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find the killer before he or she strikes again…
Some secrets should stay buried for ever…
Two months since ex-Police Negotiator Laura Hart was forced back into action after her son’s kidnap, she has re-joined the force as a DI. On her first day, an anonymous tip-off leads to the discovery of a skeleton in a crumbling castle ruin near the seaside town of Beaumaris, Anglesey.
Laura can’t wait to prove herself by solving the case and when the investigation leads her to MI5 and the Real IRA, she knows she’s on the trail of something truly explosive.
But some people will do anything to stop their secrets coming out – as the rising body count shows. With the threat drawing in and her family yet again in danger, this time, is Laura in too deep?
Two books. Better than no books, but only just … Busy enough week on the blog thanks to #bookvent – recap below:
#The Bookvent Calendar – Day Five – All That Lives – James Oswald
#Review – Behind Closed Doors – Carol Wyer
#The Bookvent Calendar – Day Six – One For Sorrow – Helen Fields
#Review – A Deadly Covenant – Michael Stanley
#The Bookvent Calendar – Day Seven – The Clockwork Girl – Anna Mazzola
#Review – Case Files Short Crime Stories – Rachel Amphlett
#The Bookvent Calendar – Day Eight – Faceless – Vanda Symon
#Review – Death at Beresford Hall – Emma Davies
#The Bookvent Calendar – Day Nine – Quicksand of Memory – Michael J Malone
#The Bookvent Calendar – Day Ten – Little Sister – Gytha Lodge
#The Bookvent Calendar – Day Eleven – The Death of Remembrance – Denzil Meyrick
Three tours this week (so much for being quiet this month …) Today Mandie reviews The Girl In The River by Rita Herron, then we have Dashboard Elvis Is Dead by David F. Ross and Death On The Rhine by Heather Peck.
And that’s my lot. Not too bad a week and ended on a high (bonus trip to Penshaw Farm Shop on the way home – winning).
Have a lovely week all.
Jen x
Jen Med's Book Reviews 