#BlogTour Murder on the Downs by Julie Wassmer

It’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Murder on the Downs by Julie Wassmer.

About the Author

Julie Wassmer was born in the East End of London, studied at Kingston University and had a variety of different jobs before she finally settled down to become a professional television drama writer.

She worked on several TV series, including ITV’s London’s Burning, C5’s Family Affairs and the popular BBC soap, EastEnders, which she wrote for almost 20 years.

In 2010, her autobiography More Than Just Coincidence was published by Harper Collins/True. The book entered the Sunday Times Best Selling Non Fiction Top Twenty and went on to become Mumsnet Book of the Year.

In 2015, Julie’s debut crime novel, The Whitstable Pearl Mystery, was published by award-winning publisher, Little, Brown Book Group. Six other books have since followed in the series with more on the way, and the television rights to the series have been optioned by the TV production company, Buccaneer, the makers of Marcella, starring Anna Friel.

Julie moved to Whitstable twenty years ago where she shares a home with her husband, Kas, and three cats, Charlie, Lily and Maisie. She also spends a great deal of time campaigning on environmental issues.

Murder on the Downs is the seventh book in the Whitstable Pearl Mystery series.

Follow @juliewassmer on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit juliewassmer.com, Buy Murder on the Downs

About the book

A controversial new property development is planned in Whitstable which will encroach upon the green open space of the downs, to the dismay of Whitstable residents who view this as the thin end of the wedge with regard to local wildlife conservation.

A campaign springs into life, spearheaded by a friend of Pearl’s family, Martha Laker. A committed environmentalist, Martha is no stranger to controversy herself. She has also managed to divide opinion across town, with the locals viewing her as their fearless champion while establishment figures seeing only an interfering agitator.

Tensions escalate between the developers and Whitstable residents, straining Pearl’s close relationship with London-born police officer, DCI Mike McGuire, who harbours concerns that the local campaign will spiral out of control. Pearl’s loyalties are torn, but the protest duly goes ahead – and newspaper headlines claim a moral victory for the residents in this David and Goliath battle.

But the victory is short lived when Pearl discovers a dead body on the downs…

Review

Pearl is thrown into the middle of a fight between a property developer and the locals in Whitstable. She doesn’t really want to take sides, especially because she is trying to focus on her budding relationship between herself and DCI Mike McGuire. Her hand is forced, although perhaps more due to nostalgia as opposed to admitting the practicality of more people needing affordable housing. That twinge of nostalgia places her firmly on one side. It’s all fun and games, and a bit of rebellion, until somebody turns up dead.

Wassmer captures the essence of rural and coastal smalltown mentality and definitely hits the nail on the head when it comes to the gentrification of areas perceived as perfect by those with second homes. If you happen to live in one of those areas it’s easier to understand the more negative implications for the locals. DfL’s (down-from-London) don’t help the local economy because their holiday homes are empty for the majority of the year. They tend to be key figures and string-pullers when it comes to environmental and conservation protests. It makes them look good. Yes, I am a wee bit cynical.

Wassmer knows exactly how things roll between locals and second home holiday dwellers. The plot is built around the same kind of tension, disgruntled opinions and energy the two sides tend to evoke. Combined with a cosy mystery crime vibe and a blossoming romance this is the kind of read you need when you want distraction and a bit of smalltown quirkiness.

Buy Murder on the Downs ( Whitstable Pearl Mysteries) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Constable; pub date 7 May 2020 – £8.99 Paperback/eBook. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Curator by M.W. Craven

It’s an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Curator by M.W. Craven.

About the Author

A brand-new voice in British crime fiction, M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle. He joined the army at sixteen, leaving a decade later to complete a social work degree and spent seventeen years as a probation officer in Cumbria, rising to the rank of assistant chief officer.

The first in the Washington Poe series, The Puppet Show, won the 2019 CWA Gold  Dagger, has sold in numerous foreign territories and has been optioned for TV by Studio Lambert. M. W. Craven has been shortlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and an Amazon Reader Award. He is also the author of the Avison Fluke novels, Born in a Burial Ground (shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger) and Body Breaker. The second in the Washington Poe series, Black Summer was published in June 2019.

Follow @MWCravenUK @LittleBrownUK on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Goodreads, Visit mwcraven.com, Buy The Curator

About the book

Called in to investigate, the National Crime Agency’s Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are faced with a case that makes no sense. Why were some victims anaesthetized, while others died in appalling agony?

Why is their only suspect denying what they can irrefutably prove but admitting to things they weren’t even aware of? And why did the victims all take the same two weeks off work three years earlier?

And when a disgraced FBI agent gets in touch things take an even darker turn. Because she doesn’t think Poe is dealing with a serial killer at all; she thinks he’s dealing with someone far, far worse – a man who calls himself the Curator.

Review 

The best Poe by Craven yet.

Fingers are turning up left right and centre. Fingers that were severed while the victims were still alive. Poe and Tilly are determined to find out who is committing these atrocities, finding the victims identities and putting this monster, who has no scruples whatsoever, behind bars.

I suppose I am lucky I read the ecopy version of this book, because I highlighted a lot as I was reading, which I only do when the author writes the kind of points or ideas I want to refer back to eventually. I particularly liked the way Craven researched the whole BWC and BSC elements of the read – the psychological impact and how the victims go from a to b and finally to a very drastic z.

After reading this book there is no doubt in my mind that Craven is set to stay a successful fixture in the crime fiction world – it just gets better with each story. I really enjoy the way this author combines the ruthlessness of violent crime with an element of mystery, however it’s the crime duo of Washington and Tilly that makes this read and series for that matter.

At this point Poe feels protective towards Tilly and is quick to defend when others are critical of her. Tilly is concerned for his health and overall well-being. The two are symbiotic, and perhaps in a way they have become family. Either way they are a crime solving duo to be reckoned with.

Kudos to Craven for the ending. Nice one. In equal measures also the well-plotted perpetrator of the story. It really is a fantastic read.

Buy The Curator at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Constable- Little Brown Books Uk, pub date 4 Jun. 2020 – Hardback (£16.99), Ebook (£9.99) and Audio. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my reviews of The Puppet Show and Black Summer by M.W. Craven.

#BlogTour Black Summer by M.W. Craven

Today it’s an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour for Black Summer by M.W. Craven. This is the second book in the Washington Poe series -it’s a cracking read.

About the Author

A brand new voice in British crime fiction, M.W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle. He joined the army at sixteen, leaving ten years later to complete a social work degree. Seventeen years after taking up a probation officer role in Cumbria, at the rank of assistant chief officer, he became a full-time author. the first in the Washington Poe series, the Puppet Show, won the 2019 CWA Gold Dagger, has sold numerous foreign territories and has been optioned for TV by Studio Lambert.

M.W. Craven has been shortlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award, an Amazon Reader Award and a Cumbria Life Award. He is also the author of the Avison Fluke novels, Born in a Burial Ground (shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger) and Body Breaker. Black Summer is the second novel in the Washington Poe series.

Follow @MWCravenUK @LittleBrownUK on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Goodreads, Visit mwcraven.com, Buy Black Summer

About the book

After the Puppet Show, a new storm is coming…

Jared Keaton, chef to the stars. Charming. Charismatic. Psychopath… He’s currently serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of his daughter, Elizabeth. Her body was never found and Keaton was convicted largely on the testimony of Detective Sergeant Washington Poe.

So when a young woman staggers into a remote police station with irrefutable evidence that she is Elizabeth Keaton, Poe finds himself on the wrong end of an investigation, one that could cost him much more than his career.

Helped by the only person he trusts, the brilliant but socially awkward Tilly Bradshaw, Poe races to answer the only question that matters: how can someone be both dead and alive at the same time?

And then Elizabeth goes missing again – and all paths of investigation lead back to Poe.

Review

The first chapter will remain with me for a long time. It takes an excellent author to write something that is simultaneously innocent and the most menacing thing I have read in a long time. I just can’t get the birds out of my head – the description of the scene and the sound I think it must have made.

I’m sending curses to Craven, because I just can’t lose the imagery.

Washington Poe is called in to confirm the details of a gruesome past case. A celebrity chef killed his own daughter, and despite there being no body, he was convicted of her murder. But Elizabeth is back and she is very much alive and kicking, which means Poe made the kind of mistake that ends careers. It also means a psychopath will soon be walking the streets again.

Poe goes over every single step, especially the blood evidence, to find some kind of loophole that will explain how this was able to happen. He, and others, question his investigation and whether he neglected the truth in favour of a fast solution. Then Elizabeth goes missing once again and the shadow of suspicion falls on Poe.

It’s a psychological thriller, a police procedural with the vibe of the macabre, which is drawn from a deep well of darkness. The Puppet Show was good, but this second book in the Washington Poe series is even better. Craven is cementing his mark in the world of crime writers.

I really enjoyed the read and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. Craven has this knack for creating memorable characters that readers connect with – Tilly for instance – and writing his crime with a hint of horror, a dollop of suspense and a spoonful of noir. It’s a dark, riveting read – what can I say it’s Cravenesque.

Buy Black Summer (Washington Poe #2) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Constable – Little Brown Books UK pub date Paperback 12 Dec. 2019 – £7.99. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of The Puppet Show by M.W. Craven

The Tenth Muse by Catherine Chung

Review

It takes a talented scribe to write about mathematics and keep non-maths enthusiasts captivated. Luckily Chung does so quite successfully by weaving the facts with the fiction and the complex theories of mathematics. Chung manages to take the world of numbers and meld it perfectly with history, and with the turmoil of emotions we humans bring to the table.

In essence this a story about a woman achieving recognition in a man’s world and simultaneously about Katherine discovering her true past and heritage. Even in the face of pure talent the majority of her peers and tutors refuse to acknowledge said talent, which leads to betrayal, disappointment and defines her path in life.

Without giving too much of the plot away, there is a moment in this story, which is filled with gender inequality, misogyny and oppression of intelligent women and women in general, when the betrayal comes from someone who knows firsthand how hard it is to succeed as a woman in a patriarchal society. I think this moment is one of the most poignant, because Katherine bows down and accepts the oppression out of a false sense of loyalty towards a fellow woman.

In a way the fate of her parents becomes like one of the unsolved mathematical problems. Riemann’s hypothesis becomes a metaphor for the unsolved mystery of Katherine’s parents.

It’s historical fiction, women’s fiction and a mystery to boot. Chung wades through oppression and ventures into empowerment, whilst weaving in and out of the secrets of the past.

Buy The Tenth Muse at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group – ebook pub date June 2019 – Hardback pub date 7 November 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

Follow @chung_catherine on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit catherinechung.com

#BlogTour A Place to Lie by Rebecca Griffiths

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour A Place to Lie by Rebecca Griffiths. It’s a dark psychological thriller with a strong emotional core.

About the Author

Rebecca Griffiths grew up in rural mid-Wales and went on to gain a first class honours degree in English Literature. After a successful business career in London, Dublin and Scotland, she returned to mid-Wales where she now lives with her husband, a prolific artist, their three vampiric cats as black as night, and pet sheep the size of sofas.

Follow @rebeccagriffit7 on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy A Place to Lie

About the book

In a dark, dark wood

In Summer 1990, Caroline and Joanna are sent to stay with their great aunt, Dora, to spend their holidays in a sunlit village near the Forest of Dean. The countryside is a welcome change from the trauma they know back home in the city; a chance to make the world a joyful playground again. But in the shadowy woods at the edge of the forest hide secrets that will bring their innocence to a distressing end and make this a summer they will never forget.

There was a dark, dark house

Years later, a shocking act of violence sends Joanna back to Witchwood. In her great aunt’s lonely and dilapidated cottage, she will attempt to unearth the secrets of that terrifying summer and come to terms with the haunting effects it has left on her life. But in her quest to find answers, who can she trust? And will she be able to survive the impending danger from those trying to bury the truth?

Review

Caroline and Joanna used to be as close as sisters can be until dark secrets create an insurmountable wall between them. The kind of wall that makes the two of them into complete strangers. It’s no surprise that Joanna hasn’t got an explanation for the bizarre behaviour Caroline exhibits just before her death.

There appears to be no reason for her erratic and violent actions that ultimately led to her sudden death. Unanswered questions leads Joanna on a search for the answers and the truth, even if that means discovering uncomfortable truths.

The truth seems to be connected to events going back to their childhood when the two of them were sent to stay with their aunt Dora. Carefree play with friends in the forest suddenly becomes sinister and dangerous when something terrible happens that changes their lives forever, but it doesn’t leave the same impression on both of them.

It’s a dark psychological thriller with a strong emotional core. Griffiths plays on the fact that we all experience events in a completely different way and our reactions are also individual and very personal. This thriller and the crime is viewed and projected through that kaleidoscope vision, which in turn shows the vulnerabilities and loopholes in relationships, even ones that are supposed to be really close.

I found the ending quite interesting, perhaps because Griffiths doesn’t pander to what readers may be expecting or think they need. You’ll have to read it to find out.

Buy A Place to Lie at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Published by Sphere | Paperback | £7.99 | 22nd August 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

How the Dead Speak by Val McDermid

This is book 11 in the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series, and after reading this one I absolutely will have to go back and re-read previous one. Tony is sat in jail for killing someone and Carol has retired from the police force. What the heck happened?

Breathing fresh air and new ideas into a long-term series isn’t easy when you have a huge solid fan-base. Readers don’t always like drastic changes. Kudos to McDermid for giving readers what they need without them being aware that they need it.

Putting Tony back to square one by destroying his reputation, his career and severing his important relationships is a gutsy move. It’s also one that allows the series to develop in multiple directions. Perhaps not in the way readers expect, but hey that is what makes McDermid such a popular writer.

As Tony resigns himself to life behind bars he also tries to spend it wisely and in a way that supports his fellow prisoners. Unfortunately his very academic and privileged way of thinking can come across as pompous, despite his good intentions.

Meanwhile on the outside members of the old team get a chance to prove themselves whilst out from under the large shadow of Hill and Jordan. Adjusting to a new boss and team isn’t as easy as it sounds. Jordan also has to try and come to terms with the repercussions of multiple traumatic events in order to move forward.

This time the author brings a more reflective read, as opposed to a crime and violence heavy read to the table. In a way McDermid is giving Hill and Jordan a moment to breathe in the chaos. A chance to re-evaluate their relationship and friendship. It will be interesting to see where the author takes the series and characters going forward.

Buy How the Dead Speak at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publication date in UK: 22 August 2019. Publisher: Little, Brown. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Little Brown.

Follow @valmcdermid on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit valmcdermid.com

Read my reviews of Out of Bounds and Insidious Intent by Val McDermid.

#BlogTour A Clean Canvas by Elizabeth Mundy

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour A Clean Canvas by Elizabeth Mundy. It’s a cosy crime mystery with a main character who has to navigate life as an immigrant.

About the Author

Elizabeth Mundy’s grandmother was a Hungarian immigrant to America who raised five children on a chicken farm in Indiana. An English Literature graduate from Edinburgh University, Elizabeth is a marketing director for an investment firm and lives in London with her messy husband and two young children. A Clean Canvas is the second book in the Lena Szarka mystery series about a Hungarian cleaner who turns detective.

Follow @ElizabethEMundy on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit elizabethmundy.com

Buy A Clean Canvas

About the book

Crime always leaves a stain…

Lena Szarka, a Hungarian cleaner, dusts off her detective skills when a masterpiece is stolen from a gallery she cleans with her cousin Sarika. When Sarika goes missing too, accusations start to fly.

Convinced her cousin is innocent, Lena sweeps her way through the secrets of the London art scene. But with the evidence against Sarika mounting and the police on her trail, Lena needs to track down the missing painting if she is to clear her cousin.

Embroiling herself in the sketchy world of thwarted talents, unpaid debts and elegant fraudsters, Lena finds that there’s more to this gallery than meets the eye.

Review

This is the second book in the Lena Szarka series and can be read as a standalone novel. There are a few references made to the first book, but nothing that disturbs the flow of this read.

Lena isn’t exactly your standard sleuth, in fact she sort of accidentally falls into the role of detective again to clear the name of Sarika. It is also of utmost importance to ensure the survival of her cleaning company. She doesn’t need a bad reputation, especially not the kind of reputation that comes with the disappearance of an expensive piece of art.

It’s a cosy crime mystery with a main character who has to navigate life as an immigrant. A stranger in a country where she is judged for her origins and accent. Given the side-eye when employers misplace valuable items and in general is an undervalued individual. At the same time Lena isn’t someone to be underestimated. She is nothing less than fierce when she is fighting for someone she cares about.

I thought the theft plot was a little on the weak side and not on par with the attention Mundy pays to the characters. Each one of them is far more developed than the whole painting goes missing scenario, then again that’s maybe because I do like a good dead body and was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick story. It’s a pleasant uncomplicated read with a feisty main character.

Buy A Clean Canvas (Lena Szarka Mystery #2) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Constable; pub date 3 Jan. 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Little Brown.

Buy the 2-book Lena Szarka Mystery series.

Enter the Giveaway to Win a Winsor & Newton pocket sized Watercolour set and a signed copy of A Clean Canvas. (UK Only)

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The Lost Man by Jane Harper

Harper is undeniably a master of her art. She is a highly skilled storyteller, and her stories are only getting better. I found myself transfixed by the description of the surroundings, the characters and the tale in general. It’s the kind of book that makes you skip sleep.

Kudos to Harper for the level of hands-on research it must have taken to be able to pull this story off with such an authentic feel to it. She captures the complete isolation of the surroundings and the strict rules each and every inhabitant of the land has to adhere to in order to survive.

That is the biggest question when the body of Cameron Bright is found in the outback of Queensland. Why didn’t he stick to the rules that have been rammed into him since he was a child? The obvious solution, and perhaps the most painful for the family, is that his death was a choice.

The author shines a light on the adverse psychological affect of solitude, loneliness and the almost impossible task of keeping a property or business afloat in these remote areas. The high rates of suicide in rural Australia are on an upwards trend, and men seem especially reluctant to seek help.

With the suspicion of suicide surrounding the death of their brother both Nathan and Bub have to take a closer look at their own mental health. This is particularly the case where Nathan is concerned, because he has been treated like a persona non grata since an unfortunate incident over a decade ago. Imagine being in a remote area and not seeing another person for months on end and then being treated like a pariah when you enter the only place that offers a break from the isolation.

Harper plots with the slow intensity of a predator stalking their prey, and yet she does so in such a warm and inviting way that the reader becomes so engrossed that they can’t see what’s coming or what is looking right at them.

I really enjoyed where the author took this plot. It was unexpected, but also absolutely necessary. The motive is universal, the repercussions of what proceeds the motive last a lifetime. It’s a beautiful slow-burner of a crime set within the outback, with strong characters and a fantastic plot.

Buy The Lost Man at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group; Hardcover pub date 7 Feb 2019, Kindle pub date 23 Oct 2018, Paperback release date 27 June 2019

Follow @janeharperautho @LittleBrownUK,Visit janeharper.com.au

Read my review of Force of Nature by Jane Harper

#BlogTour The Puppet Show by M. W. Craven

It’s my turn on the BlogTour The Puppet Show by M. W. Craven. Poe is a character I would always return to, and Craven as a writer of course, because of the perfect balance of crime, injustice and jovial interaction between the characters.

About the Author

A brand new voice in British crime fiction, M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle. He joined the army at sixteen, leaving ten years later to complete a social work degree. Seventeen years after taking up a probation officer role in Cumbria, at the rank of assistant chief officer, he became a full-time author. The Puppet Show has sold in numerous foreign territories and has been optioned for TV by Studio Lambert.

Follow @MWCravenUK  @LittleBrownUK on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit mwcraven.com

Buy The Puppet Show

About the book

He pulls their strings. He watches them burn. Welcome to the Puppet Show…

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless.

When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of.

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant but socially awkward civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he’s ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive…

Review

Washington Poe messed up big time on his last case. He made the kind of decision that cripples careers and brings them to a dead halt, much like his own at this point, and yet here is the force asking him to come right back into the fold. Apparently their latest psycho has made it a necessity for Poe to be on board.

The sideshow favourite has got to be Tilly Bradshaw, who needs her mother’s permission to stay away overnight or engage in anything dangerous, bearing in mind that she works as an analyst for the NCA. Her naivety and intelligence combined with Poe with his devil may care attitude put the funny in this brutal serial killer plot.

However not everything is as it seems in this story filled with hatred and violence. It almost seems ironic that in the end the motives of the killer aren’t dissimilar to something that might drive Poe to commit a crime.

Regardless of that, Craven keeps the ball rolling and the plot twists popping with this revenge driven crime story. The characters are strong and more importantly they are believable, especially Poe. He is the perfect example of the rule-bending, risk-taking and laughs in the face of authority kind of character readers warm to. You can always trust him to do the right thing. Not necessarily the legally right thing or the thing the upper echelon wants him to do, but always the morally right thing.

It’s crime with a funny bone, despite the vicious nature of the crimes, and indeed the horrifying reason for said crimes. Poe is a character I would always return to, and Craven as a writer of course, because of the perfect balance of crime, injustice and jovial interaction between the characters.

Buy The Puppet Show at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Constable – Little Brown Uk: pub date 24 Jan 2019

Days of Wonder by Keith Stuart

I absolutely adored A Boy Made of Blocks by Keith Stuart and I have recommended his work quite often, because it is a great read, but also for its emotional and educational value in regards to the topic of autism and a father seeking a connection to his son.

I was genuinely interested to see of he could bring the same kind of emotional inner turmoil and tug-of-war to the table with Days of Wonder.

The answer to that is yes, but in a completely different way. The focus in Days of Wonder is on the relationship between Tom and his daughter Hannah, however the difference is the connection between them is already there. Instead the author explores the difficulty between father and daughter as she comes of age, with the added tragic factor of a future she may never be part of.

The topic of a child with heart disease is one I found easy to relate to. Being told that your child has joined the inner sanctum and group of children suffering from or affected by a terribly frightening disease, especially when it comes out of the blue, is devastating and incredibly traumatic.

Luckily for my child, who was a guinea pig for a new procedure nearly 25 years ago, the medical world had a solution and she is now a healthy young woman. For Tom and Hannah the reality is a lot more dire. They both know that their time together is limited and on a timer.

Tom decided a long time ago to make every birthday Hannah manages to celebrate an event to remember, and there is no limit to his imagination. I loved the ideas he prepared for his child, especially the fairy parade. What a wonderful memory and experience to give to your child. This is the kind of parent Tom is, but he is also a typical father who has trouble letting his beautiful caged bird fly and experience the world for herself.

Days of Wonder is an ode to the relationships between fathers and daughters. The majority of stories focus on mother and daughter bonds or dysfunctional family relationships, which makes this a refreshing change of tempo and a smorgasbord of emotions.

Stuart manages to change a tragedy into a warm, heartfelt coming-of-age story. He portrays the father as a man willing to go to any length to ensure his daughter experiences each moment to the fullest, even when she decides it is time to cut the cord between them. Kudos to the author for giving Days of Wonder the ending it deserved, and not falling prey to the scenario some readers may want to see, as opposed to the brutal reality it needed.

Keith Stuart offers up his heart, mind and part of his soul, which is part of his style and it’s what makes his books so memorable. He invites the reader to sit down at the table with his characters and become part of the family. At the end of Days of Wonder you may just see the fairies dancing in your garden at night too, and that is the magic Stuart creates.

Buy Days of Wonder at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Published by Little Brown Books Uk 7th June 2018

Follow @keefstuart @LittleBrownUK

Follow boymadeofblocks.tumblr.com

Read A Boy Made Of Blocks