Derek Collett
@dmc1965.bsky.social
Editor, writer, book-lover, sports nut, culture vulture.
After 2 years of struggle, this novel I republished in 2023 has suddenly started to sell quite well. Find out what all the fuss is about by buying your own copy. Buy from Amazon, other online retailers or by ordering a copy from a UK bookshop and enjoy in time for Christmas!
December 7, 2025 at 12:58 PM
After 2 years of struggle, this novel I republished in 2023 has suddenly started to sell quite well. Find out what all the fuss is about by buying your own copy. Buy from Amazon, other online retailers or by ordering a copy from a UK bookshop and enjoy in time for Christmas!
Members of Australia's youthful, dynamic and vibrant bowling attack limber up ahead of tomorrow's First Ashes Test...
November 20, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Members of Australia's youthful, dynamic and vibrant bowling attack limber up ahead of tomorrow's First Ashes Test...
Jane Austen has never appealed to me at all but this performance of 'Emma' at Oxford Playhouse, which I saw yesterday, was superb. Fast-paced, very humorous, brilliantly acted and simply but very effectively staged. I warmly recommend it.
October 24, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Jane Austen has never appealed to me at all but this performance of 'Emma' at Oxford Playhouse, which I saw yesterday, was superb. Fast-paced, very humorous, brilliantly acted and simply but very effectively staged. I warmly recommend it.
OTD in 1945, Nigel Balchin’s Mine Own Executioner first appeared. A riveting thriller, it is also a highly readable account of 1940s psychiatric practice. Back in print for the first time in decades, click the link to discover how to buy this fine novel.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/mine-o...
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/mine-o...
September 26, 2025 at 9:25 AM
OTD in 1945, Nigel Balchin’s Mine Own Executioner first appeared. A riveting thriller, it is also a highly readable account of 1940s psychiatric practice. Back in print for the first time in decades, click the link to discover how to buy this fine novel.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/mine-o...
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/mine-o...
*Please RT and/or like this post*
It’s warm, it’s holiday time and these four Nigel Balchin novels make perfect holiday reading: entertaining and easy to read yet also intelligent and jam-packed with clear-minded insight into the human condition.
Buy online or order from UK bookshops.
It’s warm, it’s holiday time and these four Nigel Balchin novels make perfect holiday reading: entertaining and easy to read yet also intelligent and jam-packed with clear-minded insight into the human condition.
Buy online or order from UK bookshops.
August 21, 2025 at 9:56 AM
*Please RT and/or like this post*
It’s warm, it’s holiday time and these four Nigel Balchin novels make perfect holiday reading: entertaining and easy to read yet also intelligent and jam-packed with clear-minded insight into the human condition.
Buy online or order from UK bookshops.
It’s warm, it’s holiday time and these four Nigel Balchin novels make perfect holiday reading: entertaining and easy to read yet also intelligent and jam-packed with clear-minded insight into the human condition.
Buy online or order from UK bookshops.
Front cover of Nigel Balchin's 1962 novel Seen Dimly Before Dawn, which I erroneously omitted from my previous post.
August 4, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Front cover of Nigel Balchin's 1962 novel Seen Dimly Before Dawn, which I erroneously omitted from my previous post.
These two newly published books by gentlemen that I follow on social media have recently arrived from Amazon. I look forward to reading them both before the summer is over.
July 21, 2025 at 12:01 PM
These two newly published books by gentlemen that I follow on social media have recently arrived from Amazon. I look forward to reading them both before the summer is over.
This was terrific. I've read Baron's wartime trilogy as well but this is a class apart. An excellent character study, as well as a fine evocation of time and place. Highly recommended. A very nice new edition from Faber although a glossary of Jewish slang would have been a valuable addition!
July 11, 2025 at 10:53 AM
This was terrific. I've read Baron's wartime trilogy as well but this is a class apart. An excellent character study, as well as a fine evocation of time and place. Highly recommended. A very nice new edition from Faber although a glossary of Jewish slang would have been a valuable addition!
Published on this day in 1966: Nigel Balchin's very fine thriller In the Absence of Mrs Petersen. Read all about this book and find out how to buy a new edition of it by following the link below. Ideal summer holiday reading!
Please RT! Thanks.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/in-the...
Please RT! Thanks.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/in-the...
June 27, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Published on this day in 1966: Nigel Balchin's very fine thriller In the Absence of Mrs Petersen. Read all about this book and find out how to buy a new edition of it by following the link below. Ideal summer holiday reading!
Please RT! Thanks.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/in-the...
Please RT! Thanks.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/in-the...
This may well be the best American-authored novel I've ever read: quite superb. Nothing tricksy or difficult about it, just excellent storytelling allied to great characterization, memorable set-pieces and an obvious insider's knowledge of the US Navy in WWII. Hard to believe it's now out of print!
June 20, 2025 at 11:34 AM
This may well be the best American-authored novel I've ever read: quite superb. Nothing tricksy or difficult about it, just excellent storytelling allied to great characterization, memorable set-pieces and an obvious insider's knowledge of the US Navy in WWII. Hard to believe it's now out of print!
Am pleased to have got my hands on a copy of this and look forward to reading it in the near future. Thanks to @john-self.bsky.social for tipping me off about this very welcome reissue.
June 20, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Am pleased to have got my hands on a copy of this and look forward to reading it in the near future. Thanks to @john-self.bsky.social for tipping me off about this very welcome reissue.
Any love out there for this album? Been playing it again for the first time for many years - had forgotten just how good it is. It's probably better than 'Peloton' although that earlier record will always occupy a special place in my heart.
#TheDelgados
#TheDelgados
May 17, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Any love out there for this album? Been playing it again for the first time for many years - had forgotten just how good it is. It's probably better than 'Peloton' although that earlier record will always occupy a special place in my heart.
#TheDelgados
#TheDelgados
Read this recently. A highly enjoyable account of Quayle's own experiences in Albania during WWII as a member of SOE although, as it's clearly only lightly fictionalized, it perhaps only just qualifies as a novel. Like 'Homage to Catalonia', it's very good on the futility of war.
May 17, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Read this recently. A highly enjoyable account of Quayle's own experiences in Albania during WWII as a member of SOE although, as it's clearly only lightly fictionalized, it perhaps only just qualifies as a novel. Like 'Homage to Catalonia', it's very good on the futility of war.
As always, today I shall be remembering the life and works of British novelist Nigel Balchin, who died on this day in 1970.
May 17, 2025 at 12:09 PM
As always, today I shall be remembering the life and works of British novelist Nigel Balchin, who died on this day in 1970.
I've been banging on about Nigel Balchin's Sundry Creditors this week, which I think is a fabulous novel. But I'm not the only one who likes the book: read what the editor of The Bookseller's 'Paperback Preview' section had to say about it in 2023.
May 8, 2025 at 9:40 AM
I've been banging on about Nigel Balchin's Sundry Creditors this week, which I think is a fabulous novel. But I'm not the only one who likes the book: read what the editor of The Bookseller's 'Paperback Preview' section had to say about it in 2023.
This probably got lost over the BH weekend so here it is again.
4 May 1953 saw publication of Nigel Balchin’s Sundry Creditors, one of his very best novels. A new edition of the book was published in 2023 and is still available to buy:
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
4 May 1953 saw publication of Nigel Balchin’s Sundry Creditors, one of his very best novels. A new edition of the book was published in 2023 and is still available to buy:
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
May 8, 2025 at 9:21 AM
This probably got lost over the BH weekend so here it is again.
4 May 1953 saw publication of Nigel Balchin’s Sundry Creditors, one of his very best novels. A new edition of the book was published in 2023 and is still available to buy:
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
4 May 1953 saw publication of Nigel Balchin’s Sundry Creditors, one of his very best novels. A new edition of the book was published in 2023 and is still available to buy:
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
Finish reading this yesterday. Not one of Gissing's finest but still very enjoyable, with good characters and interesting ideas. Six down, 17 to go...
May 5, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Finish reading this yesterday. Not one of Gissing's finest but still very enjoyable, with good characters and interesting ideas. Six down, 17 to go...
It breaks my heart to think that this wonderful novel, one of Nigel Balchin's finest, has sold a grand total of 37 copies since I republished it over 2 years ago. Please help by buying a copy! Click the link below for full details. Thanks.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
May 5, 2025 at 10:33 AM
It breaks my heart to think that this wonderful novel, one of Nigel Balchin's finest, has sold a grand total of 37 copies since I republished it over 2 years ago. Please help by buying a copy! Click the link below for full details. Thanks.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
This day in 1953 saw the publication of Nigel Balchin’s Sundry Creditors, one of his very best novels. A brand-new feature-laden edition of the book was published in 2023 and is still available to buy. Click the link for details and please RT.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
May 4, 2025 at 9:27 AM
This day in 1953 saw the publication of Nigel Balchin’s Sundry Creditors, one of his very best novels. A brand-new feature-laden edition of the book was published in 2023 and is still available to buy. Click the link for details and please RT.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/sundry...
Happy Birthday to Nigel Balchin's novel Simple Life, 90 years young yesterday!
For full details of the book, and to find out how you can obtain a sparkling new edition packed with additional features, click on the link below.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/simple...
For full details of the book, and to find out how you can obtain a sparkling new edition packed with additional features, click on the link below.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/simple...
April 30, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Happy Birthday to Nigel Balchin's novel Simple Life, 90 years young yesterday!
For full details of the book, and to find out how you can obtain a sparkling new edition packed with additional features, click on the link below.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/simple...
For full details of the book, and to find out how you can obtain a sparkling new edition packed with additional features, click on the link below.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/simple...
On this day in 1935, young Wiltshireman Nigel Balchin released his second novel, Simple Life, a comic romp that soon turns darker and more philosophic. For details of how to buy a new edition of this book, click the link below. Please RT. Thanks.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/simple...
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/simple...
April 29, 2025 at 11:28 AM
On this day in 1935, young Wiltshireman Nigel Balchin released his second novel, Simple Life, a comic romp that soon turns darker and more philosophic. For details of how to buy a new edition of this book, click the link below. Please RT. Thanks.
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/simple...
www.nigelmarlinbalchin.co.uk/books/simple...
Read this for the third time last week and remembered how much I like it. Good characters, beguiling storytelling, excellent structure and it has a haunting 'what if' quality to it that means I can't stop myself from musing on what I would do if I was ever in that situation. Very frightening.
April 16, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Read this for the third time last week and remembered how much I like it. Good characters, beguiling storytelling, excellent structure and it has a haunting 'what if' quality to it that means I can't stop myself from musing on what I would do if I was ever in that situation. Very frightening.
Simon Armitage speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival this afternoon: interesting, amusing, instructive and very entertaining. Professionally and sensitively interviewed by Rebecca Jones. A good job all round.
April 5, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Simon Armitage speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival this afternoon: interesting, amusing, instructive and very entertaining. Professionally and sensitively interviewed by Rebecca Jones. A good job all round.
Waiting for Simon Armitage at the Oxford Literary Festival...
April 5, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Waiting for Simon Armitage at the Oxford Literary Festival...
Further to yesterday's post, you can find most of these books (not Simple Life) on eBay, Abebooks or in charity or secondhand bookshops but will they contain comprehensive notes, detailed introductions and other useful and interesting features? No, they won't. Mine do. Caveat emptor.
April 2, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Further to yesterday's post, you can find most of these books (not Simple Life) on eBay, Abebooks or in charity or secondhand bookshops but will they contain comprehensive notes, detailed introductions and other useful and interesting features? No, they won't. Mine do. Caveat emptor.