There are times when a book has you from the first sentence or paragraph, and “Souvenir” by Michael Bracewell did just that. I’d never heard of book or author until lovely Jacqui …

Finally it's time to stop looking at 2025 (as fun as I hope that is's been) and to start focusing on 2026. Last year was a disaster for my plans and goals...both those stated and unstated. That only b...

There are several professions that we might look down on, or not consider ‘respectable,’ whatever that means. And yet, people turn to members of those professions when they’re needed. It’s an odd b…

Dive into 'Only Way Out' by Tod Goldberg, a gripping tale of crime, twisted loyalties, and dark humor that will keep you guessing till the end.

Robert Green and Penny Green, brother and sister. He's a run of the mill Harvard guy, she's quite the genius. The Baer & Harris legal firm where Robert works has client safety deposit boxes, and he knows the contents of every one of them. A successful heist is pulled off, but an icy, fatal crash means Robert never meets-up with Penny at the beach town of Granite Shores.

As this is posted, it would have been Stephen Hawking’s 83rd birthday. As you’ll know, he was a theoretical physicist and cosmologist. Whatever you may think of his theories, it’s hard to deny his …

Jake Powell is a successful casino manager in London, but fifteen years ago he was part of Manchester’s 1980s gay scene – a vibrant world of clubs and discos, while rent-boys and hustlers plied the…

Parties are a big part of the holiday season. But this year, I’d decided to try to get some writing done (it’s been THAT sort of year). Besides, I’m an introvert and not much good at parties. So, w…

Heidelberg's compact Old Town fills in the land between its castle on a hill and the Neckar River. Unlike Frankfurt, almost every building in the centre is authentically historic because the city escaped damage during WWII. This detail endows the vibrant university town with a timeless charm, making it a joy to visit. Join us as we step back in time and explore the many things to see in Heidelberg’s enchanting Old Town.

My reading slowed down in the second half of this year, as I got busy with selling and buying houses, clearing out clutter and then planning and executing an actual move abroad. My brain often felt…

Parties are a big part of the holiday season. But this year, I’d decided to try to get some writing done (it’s been THAT sort of year). Besides, I’m an introvert and not much good at parties. So, w…

A Surprise for Christmas was the fourth anthology of festive short stories published by the British Library. Like its predecessor volumes, this attempts to show different writing styles and approac…

I love both reading and writing noir crime fiction. When it comes to modern day noir authorts, it’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Sean Cosby’s work.  Cosby is a superb stylist, …

Martha Pym wants two things at Christmas – the plate that’s missing from her prized Crown Derby dinner service, and to see a ghost. When she visits the solitary recluse who occupies &#8…

‘Establishes firmly her claim to the throne of detection. The plot is as ingenious as ever… the dialogue both wise and witty; while the suspense is maintained very skilfully until the final revelat…