The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory (Review)

The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory

Blurb

Two women competing for a man’s heart. Two queens fighting to the death for dominance. The untold story of Mary Queen of Scots.

Fleeing rebels in Scotland on Queen Elizabeth’s false promise of sanctuary, Mary Queen of Scots finds herself imprisoned as the “guest” of George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick. Soon the newly married couple’s home becomes the centre of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, and their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question. If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman. Using new research and her passion for historical accuracy, Gregory places the doomed queen into a completely new tale of suspense, passion, and political intrigue.

Review

I have always been a massive fan of Philippa Gregory’s books although I will be honest I find them a bit more gossipy if that is the correct word than say an historical fiction book by Alison Weir. I started this book before Christmas but because of how busy I was and one thing and another I took a break from reading it and then picked it back up last week.

I will be honest this book was a hard slog for me and I mean a hard slog. I just could not gel with the format. The book is told from the perspectives of Mary Queen of Scots, Bess of Hardwick and George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury. Each chapter is told from one of their opinions but the chapters are extremely short and so I could never seem to get fully into each chapter.

We will never know what these three characters were truly like as all that is left is historical evidence but I found Gregory’s interpretation an interesting one, especially of Bess. One of my favourite houses to visit is Hardwick and I admire Bess. She was a powerful woman who in this day and age would have been a successful business woman who people would hopefully respect and admire. However, in Tudor times Bess is hampered by being a woman, by marrying George she signs over everything she owns to him and this leaves her in constant danger of losing it all. However, Gregory portrays her as money obsessed and almost a bean counter but I really don’t think that is what she was like. She was a strong woman who wanted her independence and the right to be a successful land and property owner without being judged by the men in the world. I couldn’t help but feel devastated for her as events unfurled.

George was exactly as I always imagined him whether that is a fair assessment or not I can’t say but Gregory in my opinion got him down perfectly. I’ve read so many differing opinions of Mary Queen of Scots and I can see the side Gregory decided to portray but I must admit she was annoying. I’ve never come across a character who kept contradicting herself so much.

Overall, this book was like ploughing through treacle and not like Gregory’s other books I have read. I just did not like the format and could never seem to get into the book. I give this book 3 out of 5 Dragons.

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About the author

Philippa Gregory is one of the world’s foremost historical novelists. She wrote her first ever novel, Wideacre, when she was completing her PhD in eighteenth-century literature and it sold worldwide, heralding a new era for historical fiction.

Her flair for blending history and imagination developed into a signature style and Philippa went on to write many bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen.

Now a recognised authority on women’s history, Philippa graduated from the University of Sussex and received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where she is a Regent and was made Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds honorary degrees from Teesside University and the University of Sussex. She is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff and an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck University of London.

Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Nielsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output.

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The Cicero Trilogy by Robert Harris (Review)

The Cicero Trilogy by Robert Harris

Blurb

Cicero one of the great epics of political and historical fiction, The Cicero Trilogy charts the career of the Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero from his mid-twenties as an ambitious young lawyer to his dramatic death more than thirty years later, pursued by an assassination squad on a cliff-top path.The extraordinary life that unfolds between these two episodes is recounted by Cicero’s private secretary, the law cases and the speeches that made his master’s name; the elections and conspiracies he fought; the rivals who contended for power around him – Pompey, Crassus, Cato, Clodius, Catalina, and, most menacingly, Caesar; and, at the heart of it all, the complex personality of Cicero himself – brilliant, cunning, duplicitous, anxious, brave, and always intensely humane.More than ten years in the writing, and now published in a single volume for the first time, The Cicero Trilogy brings the world of the Roman republic vividly to life. Here is its grandeur, ambition and corruption; and here is its tumultuous collapse into dictatorship and anarchy – a story of the fragility of democratic institutions that holds a warning for our own time.

Review

This was a long read for me, a very long read and I will be honest I did have some breaks from it but the time and effort were definitely worth it. I think I would have preferred to have read the book as the original three separate books rather than one epic book as at times it felt like I was treading water and not making any progress with the book.

This book is so much more than just the life of Cicero, it is the story of Rome and how it went from being run by the Republic to having an emperor. The story is told by Tiro who is Cicero’s slave and serves primarily as his secretary but he is also Cicero’s friend. Tiro does not hold anything back when telling us about the life of Cicero and we see all of Cicero’s highs and lows.

The first book of the trilogy tells us about Cicero’s rise to political power and becoming Consul of Rome. This book also starts to give us a glimpse of how vain Cicero can be at times. The middle book is dominated by Cicero’s consulship and the Catiline conspiracy in 63BC which shows Cicero desperately fighting to remain as consul. The third book takes a turn for the worse where Cicero finds himself in exile and fighting to save the Republic.

Through this trilogy we see so many great names from history that we know so well, Caesar, Crassus, Pompey and Cato to name a few. However, it is not all a political book. Harris also shows a private side to Cicero and his family life.

The thing I love about this book is just how incredibly well researched it is. Yes, it is historical fiction but the history facts are bang on. This is an epic trilogy and I can understand why it took quite a few years for Harris to finish the trilogy but it was worth it. I loved this book and it was definitely one of my top reads for 2023. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | WH Smith

About the author

Robert Harris is the author of nine best-selling novels: Fatherland, Enigma, Archangel, Pompeii, Imperium, The Ghost Writer, Conspirata, The Fear Index, and An Officer and a Spy. Several of his books have been adapted to film, most recently The Ghost Writer, directed by Roman Polanski. His work has been translated into thirty-seven languages. He lives in the village of Kintbury, England, with his wife, Gill Hornby.

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The Earl and the Pharaoh by The Countess of Carnarvon (Review)

The Earl and the Pharaoh by The Countess of Carnarvon

Blurb

Bestselling author Lady Fiona Carnarvon tells the thrilling behind-the-scenes story of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun on its centennial, and explores the unparalleled life of family ancestor George Herbert–the famed Egyptologist, world-traveler, and 5th Earl of Carnarvon behind it–whose country house, Highclere Castle, is the setting of the beloved series Downton Abbey.

In November 1922, the world was mesmerised by news of an astonishing historical find in Egypt’s legendary Valley of Kings: the discovery of the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun. George Herbert, himself a famed amateur Egyptologist and noted antiquities collector, financed the expedition and excavation headed by lead archaeologist Howard Carter, and accompanied him inside this sacred space that had remained untouched for centuries.

Inside the tomb, the explorers found King Tut’s sarcophagus and a treasure trove of astonishing artefacts: chariots and model boats, board games and paintings, a coffin made of pure gold. But these objects were more than just beautifully crafted works of art; they shed new light on Tutankhamun world and this fabled period of history, and changed our understanding of how the ancient Egyptians had lived–transforming overnight what had been formed through centuries of history and myth.

Drawing on Highclere Castle’s archives, Lady Fiona Carnarvon pays homage to her ancestor on the 100th anniversary of this extraordinary event. In vivid and dramatic detail, she brings into focus the larger-than-life characters and lustrous settings–as well as those twists of luck and tragedies that shaped Herbert’s life. Across the early 1900s, Highclere saw no less drama than the fictional Downton Abbey, with early tragedies for the Earl and love affairs, as well highs of exorbitant wealth and trials of punishing debt. But above all there was adventure. While Herbert first went to Egypt for his health, this mysterious, romantic land would become a second home; the beloved place where he funnelled his attentions over a period of decades, never quite realising how great the fruits of his labours would prove.

Review

I was so excited to get this book and I literally started reading it as soon as I received it for Christmas. I was not disappointed. It was so good to be back reading a book by The Countess of Carnarvon, she just has a way with words and telling family history.

This book is a comprehensive history of the life of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon including of course his great discovery with Howard Carter of Tutankhamun. The book also offered so much more history which I found really interesting.

One of the sections I thoroughly enjoyed was the section during the First World War. I learnt so much from these chapters. The plight of the wounded soldiers in the war and what they had to go through was harrowing but what was most shocking was how unprepared the British government was for the amount of wounded. Learning about what Almina did during the war was also really interesting.

It was also really interesting to see how the super rich lived in Lord Carnarvon’s time, even though quite often Carnarvon couldn’t really afford these extravagances. His obsession with cars and his motoring offences were highly amusing as was his interest in planes.

Carnarvon was an interesting character who had a passion for history but wasn’t just some treasure hunter. He wanted his finds recorded and treasured for posterity. He also wanted everyone to get along and was a perfect diplomat with everyone, always calming the arguments and trying to find solutions.

I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read more books by The Countess of Carnarvon. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons. A perfect first read for 2024!

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Harper Collins | Waterstones | WH Smith

About the author

A former auditor for Coopers & Lybrand, Lady Carnarvon is the wife of George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon. Today, she manages affairs at Highclere Castle, home of the worldwide television drama Downton Abbey, including overseeing its grounds and gardens and many special events such as the Egyptian Exhibition in the cellars of the Castle.

Fascinated by Highclere’s history, Lady Carnarvon has written four books. The first two are about the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who discovered King Tutankhamun’s tomb with Howard Carter in 1922. Her latest are New York Times Bestseller Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere, and Lady Catherine and the Real Downton Abbey.

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Diddly Squat: Pigs Might Fly by Jeremy Clarkson (Review)

Diddly Squat: Pigs Might Fly by Jeremy Clarkson

Blurb

Another year on the Diddly Squat Farm and Jeremy is still knee-deep in mud and endless challenges.

Welcome back to Clarkson’s Farm. Since taking the wheel three years ago Jeremy’s had his work cut out. And it’s now clear from hard-won experience that, when it comes to farming, there’s only one golden rule:

Whatever you hope will happen, won’t.

Enthusiastic schemes to diversify have met with stubborn opposition from the red trouser brigade, defeat at the hands of Council Planning department, and predictable derision from Kaleb – although, to be fair, even Lisa had doubts about Jeremy’s brilliant plan to build a business empire founded on rewilding and nettle soup. And only Cheerful Charlie is still smiling about the stifling amount of red tape that’s incoming . . . But he charges by the hour.

Then there are the animals: the sheep are gone; the cows have been joined by a rented bull called Break-Heart Maestro;. the pigs are making piglets; and the goats have turned out to be psychopaths.

But despite the naysayers and (sometimes self-inflicted) setbacks, Jeremy remains irrepressibly optimistic about life at Diddly Squat. Because It’s hard not to be when you get to harvest blackberries with a vacuum cleaner.

And, after all, it shouldn’t just be Break-heart Maestro who gets to enjoy a happy ending . . .

Review

I have loved all the Diddly Squat books so far so when I saw this one was out I put it on my wish list and my lovely husband bought it for me for Christmas. I read it almost immediately and basically read it in one sitting.

Again, this book has the same beautiful illustrations separating the chapters as the previous books and the book is in the same format as the previous books.

As much as I loved this book I did miss Lisa, Kaleb and Charlie. In ‘Diddly Squat: ’Til the Cows Come Home’ Lisa, Kaleb and Charlie featured a lot more which I really enjoyed so I missed them this time. Although the story of Lisa with the pigs was hilarious.

I liked this book because it is year three of Clarkson as a farmer and you can see he is getting into the swing of things. He is also still trying his hardest to highlight the plight of the poor farmers and what they have to go through to try and make a living.

There were some deeply poignant moments in this book which really showed a different side to Clarkson and a side we don’t often see on TV. I loved his story about Pooh Sticks and what that story means to him and what Winnie-the-Pooh means to him.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but it was too short! When I reached the end I found myself wanting more so I hope the next one might be longer but I know it all depends on his newspaper column. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | WH Smith

About the author

Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson (born April 11, 1960) is an English broadcaster and writer who specialises in motoring.

He writes weekly columns for The Sunday Times and The Sun, but is better known for his role on the BBC television programme Top Gear.

From a career as a local journalist in the north of England, he rose to public prominence as a presenter of the original format of Top Gear in 1988. Since the mid-1990s Clarkson has become a recognised public personality, regularly appearing on British television presenting his own shows and appearing as a guest on other shows. As well as motoring, Clarkson has produced programmes and books on subjects such as history and engineering. From 1998 to 2000 he also hosted his own chat show, Clarkson.

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The Winter Spirits: Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights by various authors (Review #57)

The Winter Spirits: Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights by various authors

Blurb

The tradition of a haunted tale at Christmas has flourished across the centuries. These twelve stories, authored by some of today’s most loved and lauded writers of historical and gothic fiction, are all centred on Christmas or Advent, boldly and playfully re-imagining a beloved tradition for a modern audience. Taking you from a haunted Tuscan villa to a remote Scottish island with a dark secret, these stories are your ultimate companion for frosty nights.

Featuring new and original stories from Bridget Collins, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Andrew Michael Hurley, Jess Kidd, Natasha Pulley, Elizabeth Macneal, Laura Purcell, Susan Stokes Chapman, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Stuart Turton, and Catriona Ward.

Review

I spotted this book by the checkout when I went to buy a pile of books from the bookshop and thought that looks intriguing. I’m so pleased I decided to buy it because once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down.

Some of these stories really creeped me out but there wasn’t one story that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. The one which really got to me was The Gargoyle by Bridget Collins, I will be honest I wasn’t keen on switching my lights off at night after reading this story. I was convinced I would see something moving in the moonlight or hear something moving. I did feel disappointed with this story because I felt like it finished just as it was getting interesting. I wanted to know more!

I find it far too hard to choose a favourite story from this book but I think the ones I enjoyed the most were Inferno by Laura Shepherd-Robinson, The Salt Miracles by Natasha Pulley and Widow’s Walk by Susan Stokes-Chapman. Widow’s Walk was predictable but very cleverly done, nothing was quite said out loud so it made your imagination run wild. The Salt Miracles was excellent and a really good story I would have loved more of, in fact I would happily have read a full book about this storyline.

Quite a few of these stories were along the lines of if you are bad you get punished which could be a little repetitive but because the stories were so varied I didn’t mind this at all. Some of these stories were new authors for me but I will definitely be exploring more of their work especially Natasha Pulley whose writing style I absolutely loved. Her use of description painted the scene perfectly and I loved her characters.

I really loved this book and as all the stories were set either in Advent or Christmas it was the perfect read for December. I think I will read The Haunting Season next year during spooky season. I give this book a big 5 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | WH Smith

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Classic Victorian and Edwardian Ghost Stories edited by Rex Collings (Review #56)

Classic Victorian and Edwardian Ghost Stories edited by Rex Collins

Blurb

This is a book to be read by a blazing fire on a winter’s night, with the curtains drawn close and the doors securely locked. The unquiet souls of the dead, both as fictional creations and as ‘real’ apparitions, roam the pages of this haunting new selection of ghost stories by Rex Collings.

Review

I chose this book as one of my October spooky reads but I must admit I didn’t read it until after Halloween. I always love a good Victorian ghost story so I was really excited to read this book. Thankfully, it did not disappoint.

I’m not entirely sure about the first few stories of this book because they didn’t really feature any ghosts and hardly felt like ghost stories to me. In fact I’m still trying to understand why The Story of Mary Ancel by Thackeray was even included in the book because it didn’t include a ghost and couldn’t even be considered as eerie in my opinion.

This book contains one of my all time favourite little ghost stories and that is The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde. I’ve read this short story many times but I was quite happy to read it again in this book. My other favourites were the stories by Charles Dickens who never disappoints. The Haunted Doll’s House by Montague Rhodes I found rather creepy and I’m not sure I will ever look at my doll’s house in the same way again. The Tapestried Chamber was also rather creepy and I’m not sure I ever want to sleep in a room with tapestries on the walls after reading this short story.

I really found this book to be quite a mixed bag of stories but all of them I either liked or thoroughly enjoyed. I’m not a huge fan of horror so this was the perfect book for me. Give me a good classic ghost story and I am happy and this book had loads. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and give it 4 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

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Hauntings by Neil Oliver (Review #55)

Hauntings: A Book of Ghosts and Where to Find Them Across 25 Eerie British Locations by Neil Oliver

Blurb

For longer than recorded history there have been tales of spirits and of places where our hackles rise and our skin turns cold.Bestselling historian Neil Oliver travels the British Isles on a deliciously spine-chilling tour that spans several centuries and explores more than 20 sites – castles, vicarages and towers, lonely shorelines and forgotten battlefields – to unpick their stories..Oliver invokes his family’s history alongside that of kings and queens past as he probes why our emotions and senses are heightened in certain locations where the separation between dimensions seems gossamer thin. Our landscape is riven with these places, creaking from the weight of the secrets they hold, the echoes of tragedy and dark deeds . From Inverness to Devon, Co Dublin to Norfolk, Hauntings casts an enjoyably eerie glow with stories that, told generation after generation, are inextricable from place – and considers why they matter.

Review

I was quite excited about this book but wow what a surprise I had when I read it. This sadly is my most disappointing book of the year and I’m quite surprised I actually finished it because quite frankly the man is an over opinionated bottom and that is the polite version.

My first problem with this book is the fact that it has very little ghosts in it. Each chapter briefly mentions a haunting and by briefly I mean maybe a paragraph or two, the rest of the chapter is history and Oliver’s opinions or about how he is grieving for his dad. The best chapter and most informative about the hauntings was the one on Glamis castle. I really enjoyed that chapter and it made me do further research into the castle and its hauntings.

The second problem I had was Oliver’s opinions that personally he should have kept to himself. His opinions on people who use antidepressants were definitely uncalled for and the fact he didn’t mention it just once but kept bringing it up was even worse. I really didn’t feel like it was his place to judge. I can understand how he was trying to explain certain feelings and possible sightings of ghosts by environment and the individual people but it was not a balanced argument and overly critical.

My final issue was the fact that Oliver clearly has some guilt regarding his father and is not grieving well so he used the book to help. When deciding to read a book about haunted places in the British Isles I was really not expecting to have this thrown at me every chapter and really didn’t see the link. Overall, I was not happy with this book and think it is wrongly titled, I give this book 2 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | WH Smith

About the author

Neil Oliver is a Scottish archaeologist, historian, broadcaster and writer who has become widely known as the presenter of BBC television’s series A History of Scotland and Coast.

His first fiction novel, Master of Shadows, is published by Orion in September 2015.

He lives in Stirling with his wife and three children.

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Murder at Holly House by Denzil Meyrick (Review #54)

Murder at Holly House by Denzil Meyrick

Blurb

A village of secrets

It’s December 1952, and a dead stranger has been found lodged up the chimney of Holly House in the remote town of Elderby. Is he a simple thief, or a would-be killer? Either way, he wasn’t on anyone’s Christmas wish list.

A mystery that can’t be solved

Inspector Frank Grasby is ordered to investigate. The victim of some unfortunate misunderstandings, he hopes this case will help clear his name. But as is often the way for Grasby, things most certainly don’t go according to plan.

A Christmas to remember

Soon blizzards hit the North York Moors, cutting off the village from help, and the local doctor’s husband is found murdered. Grasby begins to realise that everyone in Elderby is hiding something – and if he can’t uncover the truth soon, the whole country will pay a dreadful price…

Review

This is my first Denzil Meyrick book and I must admit it was the cover that first attracted me to this book. This is my first festive read of the season and I was not disappointed. There wasn’t as much Christmas as I was expecting in this book but that didn’t detract from the story.

The thing I loved about this book was the hilarious characters that were in it. Inspector Frank Grasby was a laugh a minute. He definitely has a bit of a chip on his shoulder and he can be quite a prat at times but his heart is in the right place. He has also had quite a few disasters in his career and his latest one has landed him in some hot water that has left him investigating farm thefts in Elderby. However, things soon start to get interesting when people start getting murdered.

The story was a little bit predictable but still highly enjoyable. The setting in a sleepy village in the 1950’s with rationing still in place was perfect and of course once everyone was snowed in it really added to the atmosphere. Grasby soon begins to realise that everyone is Elderby has a secret they want to keep hidden.

I loved how this book is written as Grasby’s memoirs because it makes you as the reader privy to all his internal musings and thoughts even the ridiculous ones. I really enjoyed the humour in this book and it made the book a light and fast paced murder mystery. I will definitely read more books by Meyrick soon. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | WH Smith

About the author

Denzil Meyrick was educated in Argyll, then after studying politics, joined Strathclyde Police, serving in Glasgow. After being injured and developing back problems, he entered the business world, and has operated in many diverse roles, including director of a large engineering company and distillery manager, as well as owning a number of his own companies, such as a public bar and sales and marketing company. D.A. Meyrick has also worked as a freelance journalist in both print and on radio. His first novel, Whisky from Small Glasses, was published by Ringwood in 2012.

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Hetty Dorval by Ethel Wilson (Review #53)

Hetty Dorval by Ethel Wilson

Blurb

This first novel, written in 1947 by one of Canada’s most distinguished novelists, is a quiet, subtle, morally complex book about a young girl’s growth from innocence to maturity. Hetty Dorval seems to have behaved unconventionally, indeed immorally (‘a very ugly story has followed her from Shanghai to Vancouver’). But is Frankie’s adult perception of Hetty to be preferred to that of her childish innocence when she first met her?

Review

For such a short book there was a lot of detail packed into this book and I am not talking about the characters. This is Wilson’s first novella and for me you can see this in the characters but not in the setting.

Although the book is named Hetty Dorval the main character is Frankie Burnaby who we first meet as a twelve year old girl living in the village Lytton in Canada. The book is told from Frankie’s point of view and we get a blend of her childhood perceptions and her adult thoughts. However, instead of Frankie telling us her life history we actually get only her encounters with Hetty.

Hetty is a complex character who has led a far from blameless life and is very selfish. However, when Frankie meets Hetty as a child she sees only a wonderful woman who enchants her but as she gets older her perceptions of Hetty change and we see this change happening through the book.

This book is definitely a coming of age story but for me the biggest star is the descriptions. The descriptions of where Frankie lives in Lytton and her weekly ride from her lodging to her parents’ farm at the weekend is picturesque and the detail is amazing. You can imagine you are on that ride with Frankie. In fact the descriptions all the way through this book are amazing and make the book a joy to read. For me the characters were a bit thin and lacked substance and I really didn’t like Hetty but the scenery saved this book for me and so I give it 3 out of 5 Dragons.

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Purchase Links

Foyles | Waterstones

About the author

Ethel Davis Wilson was a Canadian writer of short stories and novels.

Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, she moved to England in 1890 following the death of her mother. In 1898, after the death of her father, she was taken to live with her maternal grandmother in Vancouver, British Columbia. She received her teacher’s certificate in 1907, and for thirteen years taught in Vancouver elementary schools.

In 1921 she married Wallace Wilson, President of the Canadian Medical Association and professor of medical ethics at the University of British Columbia.

Wilson is well known as one of the first Canadian writers to truly capture the beauty of British Colombia. She wrote often of places in BC that were important to her and was able to detail the ruggedness and magic of the landscape.

The Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, British Columbia’s top fiction award, was created in 1985, commemorating Wilson’s achievements.

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The Outcast Dead by Elly Griffiths (Review #52)

The Outcast Dead by Elly Griffiths

Blurb

Forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway uncovers the bones of a Victorian murderess while a baby snatcher threatens modern-day Norfolk in this exciting new entry in a beloved series.

Every year a ceremony is held in Norwich for the bodies in the paupers’ graves: the Service for the Outcast Dead. Ruth has a particular interest in this year’s proceedings. Her recent dig at Norwich Castle turned up the body of the notorious Mother Hook, who was hanged in 1867 for the murder of five children. Now Ruth is the reluctant star of the TV series Women Who Kill, working alongside the program’s alluring history expert, Professor Frank Barker.

DCI Harry Nelson is immersed in the case of three children found dead in their home. He is sure that the mother is responsible. Then another child is abducted and a kidnapper dubbed the Childminder claims responsibility. Are there two murderers afoot, or is the Childminder behind all the deaths? The team must race to find out-and the stakes couldn’t be any higher when another child goes missing.

Review

It was so good to be reading a Ruth Galloway book again. These books are definitely my comfort reads and during the busy month of December it was the perfect read for me.

Every book in this series I just think the books get better and better but one thing lets this book down for me and that was the lack of my favourite character, Cathbad. Yes he was there on the phone and then there in person about half way through the book but he just wasn’t there enough like he usually is. However, I did love Thing his dog appearing more in this book. I think Cathbad is wonderful, he is eccentric, kind, other worldly and above all an old soul who loves everyone. The book just didn’t feel complete without his presence and of course his purple cloak.

Ruth is her usual chaotic self in this book, trying to juggle work and be a good mom to Kate. Being a single mom is hard but Ruth manages so well and I think Griffiths portrays the struggle of a working single mom brilliantly with Ruth. I also loved seeing Kate’s character starting to appear in this book. She is no longer a baby but a toddler who is starting to know her own mind. I am also with Ruth, why can’t people call Kate by her name and not change it to another form of Kate.

There were some difficult storylines in this book but I thought the parallel of finding the remains of Mother Hook a woman dating from the Victorian times and the present day child abductor worked brilliantly. I also enjoyed Ruth’s involvement with both cases.

I really enjoyed this book and it nearly got a full 5 dragons but I missed Cathbad too much! This book gets a big 4 dragons out of 5.

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | WHSmith

About the author

Elly Griffiths was born in London and began her career in publishing, she then turned to writing full time. In 2016 she won the CWA Dagger in the Library for her work. Griffiths lives in Brighton with her family.