My recent reads - 2

I am currently trying to catch up on reviews featuring books I've read over the last few months.

A Deathly Silence by Jane Isaac

(Review copy]
While I have read several of Jane Isaac's books, but this was my first introduction to the DCI Helen Lavery series. A Deathly Silence is a gripping police procedural, with a chilling mystery at its heart. I was drawn into the story (and characters) straight away, proving that this book can easily be read as a standalone. I love Jane Isaac's writing - it is so vivid that her descriptions leap out from the page - and her characters always seem very real, with their emotions becoming as important to the plot as the investigations themselves.


A Bit of a Stretch: The Diaries of a Prisoner by Chris Atkins

[Review copy]
This was a fascinating yet shocking first-hand account of an insider's guide to the prison system. Chris Atkins, a documentary maker, was sentenced to five years after becoming involved in an illegal tax scheme - he spent the first nine months imprisoned at HMP Wandsworth. The book was a real eye-opener into some of the horrors of prison life, from the dilapidated buildings and endless bureaucracy to the mental health issues and addictions affecting prisoners today. I found it heartbreaking yet also entertaining at times, sad yet also enlightening. The book highlights the urgent need for prison reform.


Holdout by Graham Moore

[Review copy]
The Holdout had me hooked from the start. A clever premise underlies this legal thriller and whodunnit - definitely one for the big screen.  The book features a diverse cast of characters, including a strong female protagonist, all centred around a jury on a murder trial. The main narrative follows present-day events, as a 10-year-old murder case is revisited, with new questions about whether the original suspect was guilty or not guilty. Then there are flashbacks that flesh out the jury characters and explore the decisions they made ten years ago, and why. Lots of twists, turns, shocks and surprises expose the complexities (and pitfalls) of the American legal system.


The Warehouse by Rob Hart

[Bought]
I bought this from Goldsboro Books on the recommendation of a friend who said it was definitely worth reading. At times, this near-future thriller felt a bit too real in the current no-high-street or limited-high-street situation and the reliance on online sales. It focuses on 'Cloud' - an online store that is determined to make the world a better place in a harsh political and economic environment ravaged by climate change. It's a satirical, but also worrying, exploration of the rise of consumerism. I was left with a few unanswered questions, but the world building was thorough and believable. Pure escapism - though maybe a little too close for comfort right now!

That's all for now! 

Back soon with some more recommended reads. 

Keep safe and well everyone!

The Priest and the Lily - a guest post by Sanjida O'Connell

Today, I am delighted to welcome Sanjida O'Connell to Off-the-Shelf Books to talk about the background to her novel, The Priest and the Lily.

The Priest and the Lily
By Sanjida O'Connell

Many of our most common and beautiful garden plants have come from far-flung locations throughout the world, brought to us by intrepid explorers who have literally risked life and limb in their search for the rare and exotic. Our gladioli originally came from South Africa, rhododendrons from the Himalayas, the monkey puzzle tree is indigenous to Chile, the regal lily was discovered in China and many of our most exquisite orchids originate in the Amazon. The stories of some of these men - for they were mostly men - who travelled the world in search of flowers, and got themselves into scrapes - attacked by bandits, gored by a bull, capsized from a canoe, fell off a cliff - inspired my story, The Priest and the Lily.

Set in 1865, just after Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, on his radical theory of evolution, The Priest and the Lily is about a Jesuit priest, Joseph Jacobs, who sets sail from Bristol for Outer Mongolia. Joseph, passionate, idealistic and driven, wants to discover rare plants and animals and make a name for himself in scientific circles back in Britain. The young priest is accompanied by a Buddhist monk and a horseman; as they travel across the steppes, he hears stories of an astonishingly beautiful white lily. Finding this lily becomes his dream. But to discover where it grows, he will encounter many dangers, for he will have to face the savagery of the White Warlord, a Chinese General intent on seizing power in Mongolia, as well as the far more powerful Yolros lama, the living incarnation of the Buddha. And in his quest for the lily, Joseph will meet a woman who will show him something far more precious than a flower. 

I spent years researching my story - and travelled to Outer Mongolia, where I had my own mini adventure. We were due to spend three weeks travelling by jeep and horseback in order to meet the tribe I was going to write about in my novel. Unfortunately, my luggage ended up in Russia, and I had to set off in just the clothes I was wearing! Thankfully I was wearing my walking boots!

Mongolia is stunning: it is a country of seemingly endless skies and steppes, with incredibly hospitable people. At the time of writing this blog, we’re in the grip of COVID-19, and everyone in the UK as well as many other countries, is currently in lockdown at home. I hope that my novel can, in some small way, help take our minds off this situation, transporting us to a country and a time far from our own immediate experience, and perhaps, too, allow us to appreciate what Joseph comes to realise - that it is love, which is more important than anything else on this earth. 

            

About Sanjida O'Connell

Sanjida O’Connell is a novelist. She writes psychological thrillers under the pseudonym, Sanjida Kay.

Find Sanjida on her website and on Twitter - @SanjidaKay

About The Priest and the Lily

The Priest and the Lily

By Sanjida O'Connell

Description

In 1865, Joseph, a young Jesuit priest and plant-hunter, sets out on a dangerous journey through Outer Mongolia, a land virtually unknown to the Western world. Charles Darwin’s radical theory of evolution has just been published, and Joseph is driven by his passion for science and his love of God. As he crosses the Mongolia Steppes with a Buddhist monk and a local horseman, he hears rumours of a rare and beautiful white lily. He believes that if he finds this flower, his fame and fortune will be assured. 
But then Joseph meets Namuunaa, a shaman and the chief of her tribe. 

And it is Namuunaa who will teach him the true meaning of his desire… 

'You will journey far beyond the boundaries of your imagination. You will meet and seize your heart’s desire.

It will be the death of your soul.'

An epic journey, a story of East meeting West, and of a love that transcends culture, faith and ultimately tragedy.

The Priest and the Lily is available to buy from Amazon here

BEST OF CRIME with Bevan Frank

Welcome to my latest BEST OF CRIME feature, looking at crime writers' top picks, from their favourite author and fictional detective to their best writing tip. 

Today I'm delighted to welcome 

BEVAN FRANK

to share his BEST OF CRIME ...

... AUTHORS

There are several authors competing for my top spot but I would say it has to go to Dan Brown, who was catapulted to fame with The Da Vinci Code. All of his books are gripping and draw the reader inward. Brown’s ability to create suspense and cleverly merge the boundaries between fiction and reality is inspirational. 

... FILMS/MOVIES

Martin Scorsese’s The Departed – I am drawn to it and find myself watching it again and again. It has an excellent script and a great cast. 

... TV DRAMAS

If I look back on my early (earlier) years, Magnum P.I. with Tom Selleck was brilliant. Even today I still enjoy watching episodes again of Magnum and his friends solving crimes, so much so that I’ve always wanted to name my house ‘Robin’s Nest’ after the Hawaiian estate where Magnum lived, but my wife won’t hear of it. (As she constantly points out, my name is not Robin!)

If I am to consider ‘modern times’, then the best crime drama is a tie between The Sopranos and Money Heist (narrowly edging out Better Call Saul). They are all nothing short of brilliant, with characters and plots that linger long after I’ve switched off the remote control. 

... FICTIONAL KILLERS

Keyser Söze from Christopher McQuarrie’s The Usual Suspects. It’s a well-crafted story and I love the fact that the killer could be just another regular guy in the room with us. Someone you least suspect but someone who is calling the shots, someone with a brilliant mind able to hide himself from scrutiny while terrorising all who cross his path. Keyser Sözeis the perfect villain.

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES 

While not a formal detective, Robert Langdon from Dan Brown’s books is a super-sleuth of note, trying to make sense of whatever is thrown his way as he gets to the bottom of deciphering clues, solving problems and saving the day.

... MURDER WEAPONS

What still stands out for me is Michael Crichton’s Prey, where the villain creates nanobots (made of nanoparticles) which evolve into clouds of autonomous intelligent swarms and become a lethal killing machine.

... DEATH SCENES

Without wanting to give anything away, a major death scene in Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo springs to mind. Here the person is fleeing in a car and crashes into a fuel tanker. After being stuck underneath it, the tanker then explodes. It took me by surprise!

... BLOGS/WEBSITES

I don’t have a specific website for writing or research. I do, however, recommend the book Immediate Fiction by Jerry Cleaver. It gives great tips on setting scenes, creating memorable characters and writing books generally. It also gives ways to overcome writer’s block (or ‘writer’s stuckness’ as I was once told to rather call it!) The book was an invaluable resource which helped me get to the finish line when writing my thriller.

... WRITING TIPS

Write for 10 minutes every day, even if you’re just writing rubbish! The premise is that this eventually becomes an ingrained habit. Everyone has 10 minutes in their day to follow their dreams. I used the ‘10 minutes a day’ concept to write The Mind of God. Some days if I was in the flow the 10 minutes became 20 minutes or 30 minutes etc. After one year I had a substantial nucleus on which to build. You’ll be surprised at how much you can do in these little gaps. 

... WRITING SNACKS

Before my stroke, tea. Since my stroke, coffee. And always salted caramel ice-cream and lots of chocolate. And a bottle of whiskey on stand-by!

About BEVAN FRANK

Bevan Frank has a BA degree in English and Political Studies as well as a postgraduate LLB law degree, both from the University of Cape Town. 

After qualifying as an attorney Bevan decided to follow his passion and opted down the path of writing and editing. He has worked as a business magazine editor, journalist, writer, plain language practitioner and communications consultant. His articles have been published in numerous publications locally and globally. 

Bevan lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and children. The Mind of God is his award-winning debut novel. He is currently recovering from a stroke and hopes to get going with his second thriller once he emerges from the haze. 

Find Bevan Frank on his website and on Twitter - @justcallmebevan

About THE MIND OF GOD

Publisher's description

A black box. A race against time. No turning back. When Liz Greene discovers that her father is missing, she is unwittingly drawn into a plot that could change the world forever. Before he went missing, Professor Harry Greene had been working on the black box global consciousness project. Now, Liz needs to find both her father, and his groundbreaking research before it's too late. On the same day, President of the United States Daniel Rafferty is in Cape Town to give an address at the Convention Centre. Is it a coincidence that the black box was stolen while Rafferty is in the same city, or is there an even more sinister terrorist plot at play? Follow Liz, as she and her friend, Tim Fletcher, decode one clue after another in a deadly hunt around Cape Town, all the while being pursued by an assassin and a CIA agent.

The Mind of God is available to buy from Amazon here.

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

Click here to read more BEST OF CRIME features.