Sleep No More by P.D. James - blog tour

I am delighted to be today's stop on the blog tour for Sleep No More, a collection of six short stories by P.D. James. Sleep No More is published by Faber & Faber today, 3 October 2017.


Sleep No More
By P.D. James
Published by Faber & Faber (3 October 2017)

Publisher's description

As the six murderous tales unfold, the dark motive of revenge is revealed at the heart of each. Bullying schoolmasters receive their comeuppance, unhappy marriages and childhoods are avenged, a murder in the small hours of Christmas Day puts an end to the vicious new lord of the manor, and, from the safety of his nursing home, an octogenarian exerts exquisite retribution.

The punishments inflicted on the guilty are fittingly severe, but here they are meted out by the unseen forces of natural justice rather than the institutions of the law. Once again, P. D. James shows her expert control of the short-story form, conjuring motives and scenarios with complete conviction, and each with a satisfying twist in the tail.

My verdict
Sleep No More contains six short stories filled with murder and intrigue. All are very twisty tales, featuring varied voices, settings and characters, proving P.D. James' versatility as a writer. This book offers a masterclass in the planning, plotting and execution of short stories that not only entertain and thrill but also explore the dark nature of humanity.

P.D. James has given 'Golden Age of Crime'-style stories an emotional and psychological feel, fitting in well with current trends of psychological thrillers and domestic noir. These are all tales of revenge and justice, filled with dark humour and highly atmospheric writing.

Which was my favourite? I'm torn between three of the stories: The Yo-Yo (very disturbing school boy memories), The Victim (very much in the vein of today's psychological thrillers) and Mr Millcroft's Birthday (which made me laugh).

Sleep No More packs a powerful punch. This is a perfect Christmas stocking filler for a crime fiction addict.

Follow the Blog Tour

Killer Women: Crime Club Anthology #1

Killer Women: Crime Club Anthology #
By various female crime fiction authors
Published by Killer Women Ltd (6 September 2016)
ISBN: 978-1527200715

Publisher's description

Blade-sharp and pared to the bone, these original stories by bestselling, award-winning female crime writers will lure you to the dark side. Fifteen perfectly twisted tales with a measure of evil, a dash of horror, and a dose of humour. Expect the unexpected…

Fifteen original stories by Jane Casey, Tammy Cohen, Sarah Hilary, Alison Joseph, Erin Kelly, Alex Marwood, Kate Medina, Colette McBeth, Melanie McGrath, D. E. Meredith, Louise Millar, Kate Rhodes, Helen Smith, Louise Voss and Laura Wilson, with a foreword by Val McDermid.

My verdict
I began reading this Killer Women: Crime Club Anthology #1 a while back. The fact that it's taken so long for me to get through it is certainly no reflection on the quality of the writing or my enjoyment of the stories. Sadly life (and other books) just kept getting in the way.

I admit that I'm not usually one for short story collections. I tend to read full length novels, not even novellas. But having entered a reading slump recently, I realised it was time to get stuck into this anthology again. And this was the best thing I could have done. It was so easy to dip into whenever there was a spare moment and I could read a whole story at a time, feeling a sense of completion at the end.

The Killer Women are an incredibly talented bunch of women. The stories in their collection are all very different, providing something for everyone. These twisted tales are full of shocks, surprises and dark humour. Some are chilling, some are creepy, some are stomach churning and some are totally offbeat and 'laugh out loud' reads.

The Killer Women: Crime Club Anthology #1 is a fantastic introduction to 15 amazing authors and offers the reader great value for money. I'm assuming (and hoping) that there are more collections to come.

Do I have a favourite story? Maybe. But my lips are sealed. Buy the book and work out which one is your favourite. I have no doubt that everyone will find their own.

I received an Advance Reader Copy (but actually bought the e-book too).

Killer Women Crime Writing Festival 2016

The website is now up and running!

It's the first ever Killer Women Crime Writing Festival on Saturday 15th October 2016 (9 am to 8.30 pm) at Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT.

Now the Killer Women Crime Writing Festival website is up and running, so you can find out more about the events and participating authors and also book your tickets (just £75 for a whole day of your favourite genre).

Killer Women Week on Off-the-shelf Book Reviews
In July, I devoted a whole week to Killer Women on my blog. Click below for the links.

Day ONE - a guest post by DE Meredith

Day TWO - a guest post by Tammy Cohen

Day THREE - a guest post by Erin Kelly

Day FOUR - a guest post by Sarah Hilary

Day FIVE  - find out about the festival.

A Few Highlights

• How to Pitch a Novel workshop with commissioning editor Sam Eades and literary agent Nelle Andrews
• Martina Cole chats to Melanie McGrath
• History and Mystery: Writing Murder in the Past
• How to Write a Successful Book Blog
• Fresh Blood - Sarah Hilary talks to four debut authors
• Building Suspense workshop with Erin Kelly
• 8 Ways to Get Published workshop with Louise Millar
• Inside the Killer's Head - the psychology of fiction killers
• Writing a Psychological Thriller (with Tammy Cohen and Amanda Jennings)
• Introduction to Crime Writing Workshop
• Interactive Murder Mystery with Helen Smith and Louise Voss
• Killer Women Cocktails and Book Signings

To visit the Killer Women Crime Writing Festival website for more information, including the full programme, participating author bios and to book tickets, click here.

And don't forget you can also pre-order the Killer Women: Crime Club Anthology #1 (published on 15 September 2016) on Amazon UK NOW by clicking here. Authors of the short stories are Louise Voss, Helen Smith, Jane Casey, Erin Kelly, Louise Millar, Alex Marwood, Tammy Cohen, Melanie McGrath & Colette McBeth and there's a Foreword by Val McDermid.