My Jewish-themed Reads Part 3 - #JBW2019

This year, I'm an official book blog partner of Jewish Book Week in London (2 to 10 March 2019). There are still tickets available for various events - but with only a few days left to go before Jewish Book Week begins, you’ll need to be quick! Visit the website - http://jewishbookweek.com - for more details.

If you follow me on Twitter or follow Off-the-Shelf Books, you'll know that I'm writing Jewish-themed crime fiction and I've made it my mission to read more Jewish-themed books this year. While I won't read all of the books on my list before next weekend(!), I will still be reading them throughout 2019. Here are three more Jewish-themed reads - more to come soon!

To Kill the Truth by Sam Bourne 
Published in hardback by Quercus on 21 February 2019

Jonathan Freedland (Sam Bourne) will be speaking at Jewish Book Week on 10 March 2019, at 5 pm at Kings Place, London.

Publisher's description

Someone is trying to destroy the evidence of history's greatest crimes.

Academics and Holocaust survivors dead in mysterious circumstances. Museums and libraries burning. Digital records and irreplaceable proofs, lost for ever.

Former White House operative Maggie Costello has sworn off politics. But when the Governor of Virginia seeks her help to stop the lethal spiral of killings, she knows that this is bigger than any political game. 

As Black Lives Matter protestors clash with slavery deniers, America is on a knife-edge and time is running out. This deadly conspiracy could ignite a new Civil War - but who stands to gain most from the chaos?

My verdict
To Kill the Truth is certainly a thriller of the modern world. With clear roots in the David Irving trial, the book is filled with twists and turns, politics, technological warfare, fake news, racism/antisemitism and holocaust denial. It's a follow up to last year's To Kill the President (which I admit I haven't read), with a focus on pace and thrills to provide a high-octane rollercoaster read.

To book a ticket for Jonathan Freedland (Sam Bourne)'s Jewish Book Week event, click here.



The Courier by Kjell Ola Dahl
Published in paperback by Orenda Books in March 2019 (ebook out now)

Publisher's description

In 1942, Jewish courier Ester is betrayed, narrowly avoiding arrest by the Gestapo. In a great haste, she escapes to Sweden, saving herself. Her family in Oslo, however, is deported to Auschwitz. In Stockholm, Ester meets the resistance hero, Gerhard Falkum, who has left his little daughter and fled both the Germans and allegations that he murdered his wife, Åse, who helped Ester get to Sweden. Their burgeoning relationship ends abruptly when Falkum dies in a fire.And yet, twenty-five years later, Falkum shows up in Oslo. He wants to reconnect with his daughter. But where has he been, and what is the real reason for his return? Ester stumbles across information that forces her to look closely at her past, and to revisit her war-time training to stay alive…

My verdict
The Courier is a literary spy thriller, perfect for John Le Carré fans, and a very welcome addition to the Nordic Noir genre ... So much tension bubbles away under the surface. But this is far more than just a thriller and a murder mystery. It's also a heartbreaking read, as Ester learns more about what happened to her family and her childhood friend. The ending brought tears to my eyes but also a strong sense of resolution. To read my full review, click here.


The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom by Beth Miller
Published by Bookouture in March 2019

Publisher's description: 

She followed her heart to change her life, but she didn’t realise how much she left behind…

Eliza Bloom has a list of rules: long, blue skirt on Thursdays, dinner with mother on Fridays, and never give your heart away to the wrong person. Nothing is out of place in her ordered life…

Then she met someone who she was never supposed to speak to. And he introduced her to a whole world of new lists:
New foods to try – oysters and sushi
Great movies to watch – Bambi and Some Like It Hot 
Things I love about Eliza Bloom

Eliza left everything she knew behind for him, but sometimes love just isn’t enough. Especially when he opens a hidden shoebox and starts asking a lot of questions about her past life. As the walls Eliza has carefully constructed threaten to come crashing down, will she find a way to keep hold of everyone she loves, and maybe, just maybe, bring the two sides of her heart together at last?

My verdict
The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom is a story of identity, love, choice and family. Eliza (or Aliza) Bloom runs away from her religious Jewish life to marry Alex, a non-Jewish man. Years later, her teenage daughter unlocks family secrets to reveal that moving on (and leaving the past behind) wasn't so straightforward after all. Eliza breaks the taboos and traditions of her religion to try new foods and new experiences, determined to please her new husband (who wants to introduce her to the 'wonders' of the 'real world'). This provides a good introduction to Orthodox Judaism (especially the more religious communities) for those who know little about it. It isn't always easy reading though, as Eliza struggles with her new identity and is torn between her old life (love for Judaism and her family, especially her grandfather, Zaida) and her new life (love for Alex and the excitement he provides). Some of her 'new experiences' did make me cringe, having been brought up with many of the Jewish traditions myself. This is an easy read, with a well-rounded mix of laughs, sensitivity and sadness. The book also raises interesting questions though, such as 'Is the grass always greener?' and 'Is it wise to make spur-of-the-moment life-changing decisions without knowing the full facts?'


So that's it for now! But I have many more Jewish-themed books on my list and will reading (and reviewing) them over the coming months. So do pop back to Off-the-Shelf Books for more updates!

MY PUBLISHING LIFE with Keshini Naidoo

Welcome to my latest MY PUBLISHING LIFE feature, an interview with a literary agent, publisher, publicist or editor about their publishing career to date. Some serious questions, and some just for fun!

Today I'm delighted to welcome 

KESHINI NAIDOO

Associate Publisher

at
Bookouture

What and when was your first job in publishing?

My first job in publishing was actually on the retail side. Once I had completed my degree, I first worked at Waterstones in Leeds, then moved to London in the early 2000s to work at BCA, the mail order book club, as a buying assistant. I quickly moved to be the buyer for crime and thriller as well as literary fiction (and erotica!) and running The Mystery and Thriller Guild. 

How long have you been working in your current job/role?

I have been working at Bookouture since 2014. 

Which books have you worked on recently/are you working on?

Recently, I have been working on Angela Marsons’ latest instalment in the bestselling D.I. Kim Stone series, Broken Bones, as well as complex, gripping and page-turning psychological thrillers from Barbara Copperthwaite (Her Last Secret), Kathryn Croft (Silent Lies) and Sarah Wray (Her Best Friend). I’m very excited to be publishing Helen Phifer’s authentic, terrifying, police procedural, Dying Breath. It’s been a busy autumn…! 

Which qualifications/life skills/experience have helped you get to where you are today?

It’s somewhat of a cliché for people in publishing, but being a heavy book junkie since childhood has really helped my career. I’m glad that all the time I spent reading instead of climbing trees paid off! I always cite my time as a bookseller as shaping my knowledge of what real people actually choose to pick up – which is often quite at odds with what is given newspaper coverage. 

How do you relax after a busy working day?

I’m a horror movie addict, so I spend my downtime watching scary films and reading horror movie blogs! I love seeing live music and have been lucky enough to see Steely Dan and Robert Glasper (a jazz musician) recently. I also have two children and two kittens, so they definitely keep me busy when I’m not working… 

What was the last book you read for pleasure?

It’s not the last book I read, but I absolutely loved You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott. Her characterisation is just outstanding and always sucks me in wholly. 

Describe your job in 15 words or less...

I help authors get their books out to as wide a readership as possible. 

What have been the highlights of your publishing life so far

I’ve been fortunate enough to work at two publishing juggernauts in their early days – I started at Avon (HarperCollins) before it launched in 2007, which gave me a huge grounding in what it takes to launch a successful commercial book and Bookouture, which has grown into the leader in digital publishing in the last three years. I love the challenges of growing a company and the satisfaction of seeing its successes.

I’d also have to say that seeing Angela Marsons’ D.I. Kim Stone series go on to sell millions of copies has been another huge highlight of my career. And I was delighted to be named on the Bookseller Rising Star list in 2017 (I feel a bit old to still be ‘rising’, but I’ll take that accolade!). 

If you could try out any other job for one day (with no limits on money, travel etc.), what would you choose?

Anyone who has seen me at karaoke will know this, but I’d love to be a rapper for a day! Although I’m not sure my Northern tones would really be suited to it… sadly! 

If your publishing life was a book, what would the title be?

Lucky Girl. I feel really privileged every day to work at a job I love, with dynamic, creative, colleagues and fantastically inventive (and lovely!) authors. I get to discover new voices, and bring them to the reading public. And I get to read books! As part of my job! If you had told 8-year-old me that one day I would be involved in actually creating books, I don’t think I would have believed you…

Thanks so much for taking part, Keshini!

Look out for more MY PUBLISHING LIFE features coming soon.

Click here to read more MY PUBLISHING LIFE features.

If any literary agents, publishers, publicists or editors would like to take part, please contact me through my blog or Twitter for the full list of questions.

BEST OF CRIME with Barbara Copperthwaite

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 

BARBARA COPPERTHWAITE

to share her BEST OF CRIME ... 

... AUTHORS
Elizabeth Haynes. Each of her novels is so different from one another, which is a real skill. So many people rave about Into The Darkest Corner – and I’m one of them.

... FILMS/MOVIES
Twelve Angry Men. The idea is brilliantly simple, with jurors discussing a case that seems open and shut – until one juror starts asking questions that may turn everything on its head. The film’s claustrophobic setting in one room helps to build the tension, as twelve ordinary people, who are strangers to one another, are forced to reveal their prejudices as they discuss the case.

... TV DRAMAS
I am currently obsessed with Line of Duty.

... FICTIONAL KILLERS
Tom Ripley. Patricia Highsmith managed to create a killer who somehow became a sort of anti-hero that readers loved so much that she wrote five books featuring him. She was an author way ahead of her time. 

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES
I didn’t used to read detective novels until I came across Detective Sergeant Logan McRae, Stuart MacBride’s creation. The crimes he investigates are gritty and gory, but the banter between him and his colleagues is so deliciously dark and realistic that it always makes me laugh. Thanks to him, I started to read other detective series and crime authors, then psychological thrillers…and look at me now, writing my own! So DS Logan McRae will always have a special place in my heart.

... MURDER WEAPONS
I don’t want to say specifically, and give the game away, but for sheer ingenuity I have to make special mention of Ragdoll, by Daniel Cole. Every murder committed in that book is bizarre, unique, and ingenious.

    

... DEATH SCENES
It’s not crime, but my favourite death scene has to be Emma’s in Madame Bovary. She is a character who in many ways is modern – she wants to be adored, ideally she’d like to be a heroine in a novel. I’ve always thought that if she were around today, she’d apply to be on all manner of reality television shows. So when she decides to commit suicide by swallowing arsenic, she thinks it will a beautiful thing where she drifts to sleep looking gorgeous, just like in the romance books she has read. But her death is all too horrifyingly real, complete with agony, blood, and vomiting. The dark tragi-comedy of it is superbly handled.

... BLOGS/WEBSITES
I don’t have one blog or website I visit more than any other. Although I’m quite partial to FBI reports, which I frequently Google to gain insight into the criminal mind.

... WRITING TIPS
Sometimes it’s easy to miss mistakes because our eyes skim over them; we’re too close to our work. Reading aloud highlights any problems with the rhythm of a sentence, or clunky dialogue.

... WRITING SNACKS
My writing is almost exclusively powered by chocolate and cake.

About BARBARA COPPERTHWAITE

Barbara is the bestselling author of psychological thrillers INVISIBLE, FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD, and THE DARKEST LIES. Much of her success is thanks to her twenty-odd years' experience as a national newspaper and magazine journalist. She's interviewed the real victims of crime - and also those who have carried those crimes out. Thanks to people sharing their stories with her, she knows the emotional impact of violence and wrong-doing. That's why her novels are dark, realistic and tackle not just the crime but its repercussions. When not writing feverishly, she is often found hiding behind a camera, taking wildlife photographs.     

Find Barbara Copperthwaite on her website, FB page and on Twitter - @BCopperthwait

About THE DARKEST LIES

Publisher's description

A mother desperate for the truth. A daughter hiding a terrible secret.

Melanie Oak appeared to have the perfect life. Married to her childhood sweetheart, Jacob, the couple live with their beautiful, loving, teenage daughter, Beth, in a pretty village.

Nothing can shake her happiness - until the day that Beth goes missing and is discovered beaten almost to the point of death, her broken body lying in a freezing creek on the marshes near their home.

Consumed with grief, Melanie is determined to find her daughter’s attacker. Someone in the village must have seen something. Why won’t they talk? 

As Melanie tries to piece together what happened to Beth, she discovers that her innocent teenager has been harbouring some dark secrets of her own. The truth may lie closer to home and put Melanie’s life in terrible danger…

The Darkest Lies was published by Bookouture on 12 May 2017.

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

Click here to read more BEST OF CRIME features.

BEST OF CRIME with Angela Marsons

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 

ANGELA MARSONS

to share her BEST OF CRIME ... 

... AUTHORS

My favourite crime author would have to be Val McDermid, especially the Tony Hill series of books. I could read them over and over again. I love main characters who are just a bit ‘off’ and strange. I enjoy the different threads and storylines running throughout her books/ 

... FILMS/MOVIES

My favourite film is A Few Good Men – may be a bit dated now but the tension throughout that film gets me every time. I find it a good lesson in taut writing. Not one scene in that film is wasted and is used to move the story forward. I also like that the Aaron Sorkin resisted the temptation to include a romance for the sake of it. The film didn’t need it. 

... TV DRAMAS
My favourite TV drama would be Rebus. I absolutely love the stories and the drama and the character of Rebus himself. Can I also shout out to Vera as well. She reminds me of Kim Stone in twenty years time.

... FICTIONAL KILLERS
My all time favourite would be Hannibal Lecter. Too scary! His complete lack of conscience is fascinating and repulsive at the same time.

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES
Kathy Mallory from the Carol O’Connell novels.  Like Tony Hill she is a bit off. She is borderline sociopath which makes for compelling reading as you never quite understand her or know her as well as you would like to.

... MURDER WEAPONS
Teeth. Hannibal Lecter. A true lesson in how just one part of your body should not be underestimated.

    

... DEATH SCENES
Definitely the scene in Silence of the Lambs where Hannibal Lecter has escaped from his cage and has taken out his guards. The vicious ruthlessness of the attack shocks me every single time.

  

... BLOGS/WEBSITES
It has to be Wikipedia. I spend hours on that site. I begin with researching one particular subject and then see something else that intrigues me and before I know it the morning has gone.

... WRITING TIPS
Don’t show anyone your first draft. Gives you the freedom to write whatever you want without inhibitions as you know you can take it out before anyone else gets to see it. I always view the first draft as my sandpit and my time to bond with the story and the characters.

... WRITING SNACKS
Crisps, crisps and a few more crisps.

About ANGELA MARSONS

Angela Marsons is the author of the Amazon Bestselling DI Kim Stone series - Silent Scream, Evil Games, Lost Girls, Play Dead, Blood Lines and Dead Souls and her books have sold more than 2 million in 2 years.

She lives in the Black Country with her partner, their cheeky Golden Retriever and a swearing parrot.

She first discovered her love of writing at Junior School when actual lessons came second to watching other people and quietly making up her own stories about them. Her report card invariably read "Angela would do well if she minded her own business as well as she minds other people's".

After years of writing relationship based stories (The Forgotten Woman and Dear Mother) Angela turned to Crime, fictionally speaking of course, and developed a character that refused to go away.

She is signed to Bookouture.com for a total of 16 books in the Kim Stone series and her books have been translated into more than 20 languages.

Her last two books - Blood Lines and Dead Souls - reached the #1 spot on Amazon on pre-orders alone.

Find Angela Marsons on her website, FB page and on Twitter - @WriteAngie

About DEAD SOULS

Publisher's description

When a collection of human bones is unearthed during a routine archaeological dig, a Black Country field suddenly becomes a complex crime scene for Detective Kim Stone.

As the bones are sorted, it becomes clear that the grave contains more than one victim. The bodies hint at unimaginable horror, bearing the markings of bullet holes and animal traps.

Forced to work alongside Detective Travis, with whom she shares a troubled past, Kim begins to uncover a dark secretive relationship between the families who own the land in which the bodies were found. 

But while Kim is immersed in one of the most complicated investigations she’s ever led, her team are caught up in a spate of sickening hate crimes. Kim is close to revealing the truth behind the murders, yet soon finds one of her own is in jeopardy - and the clock is ticking. Can she solve the case and save them from grave danger – before it’s too late?

Dead Souls was published by Bookouture on 28 April 2017.

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

Click here to read more BEST OF CRIME features.