The Pinocchio Brief Abi Silver

THE PINOCCHIO BRIEF BY ABI SILVER

Paperback published by Lightning Books 23rd July 2017

ISBN : 9781785630446

Pages 284

A 15-year-old schoolboy is accused of the murder of one of his teachers. His lawyers, the guarded veteran, Judith, and the energetic young solicitor, Constance, begin a desperate pursuit of the truth, revealing uncomfortable secrets about the teacher and the school. But Judith has her own secrets which she risks exposing when it is announced that a new lie-detecting device, nicknamed Pinocchio, will be used during the trial. And is the accused, a troubled boy who loves challenges, trying to help them or not?

I reviewed The Pinocchio Brief when it was first released. I reviewed it on a website that I used to have, then changed my website name to book read 2 day.

I really can’t sing loud enough about The Pinocchio Brief. If you love thrillers like I do then The Pinocchio Brief should be your next big read.

The Pinocchio Brief is so good that it should be snapped up by a film company.

I was honestly absolutely glued this gripping courtroom thriller. I really found the whole story utterly convincing, with characters that Abi Silver spins to make very believable.

This story really brought it home to me some of the things that have happened in real-life in the past and will most very sadly go on happening in the future as I know that sometimes we may of heard very sad news about or a pupil that gets stabbed in a school, in and rare cases a teacher.

So What’s The Story About?

Young Raymond Maynard has a very high IQ in science and Maths, who is accused of stabbing his teacher to death at his all boys boarding school.

Lawyers believe that Raymond didn’t kill his teacher. His lawyer and teachers will try to piece together how the teacher was stabbed to death and most importantly why?

When Raymond goes to court to give evidence of his side of the events of his teacher being stabbed to death is recorded by Pinocchio the lie detector. And this is how the book got its title The Pinocchio Brief.

I give my full praise to Abi Silver for taking such a troubled story with adding twists and turns making it addictive from beginning to the very end.

I highly recommend The Pinocchio Brief, as it kept me guessing the whole way through did Ray with a very high IQ kill his teacher or did someone else?

ABOUT AUTHOR ABI SILVER

I cannot remember a time when I was not writing stories. Growing up with a house full of books (my parents were teachers), I was inspired from an early age to believe I could join the ranks of my heroes.  
I grew up in Leeds and studied in Cambridge before settling down to a legal career in London. I travelled extensively through Asia, South America and Australia and lived in Israel. Being an ‘outsider’ (as you frequently are when you travel or live overseas) makes you a wonderful people-watcher and it certainly informed my writing. I now live in Hertfordshire with my husband and three sons. 

https://www.abisilver.co.uk

Twitter https://twitter.com/@abisilver16

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/abisilver2016

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/abisilver

Summer’s out at Hope Hall Pam Rhodes blog tour

Summer’s out at Hope Hall by Pam Rhodes

Paperback published by Lion Fiction 23rd April 2021

Hope Hall thrums with activity under the summer sun. Sea cadets march in the yard and happy chatter issues from English as a Foreign Language classes while the weekly Food Bank reaches out to those in need.

Kath is determined to honour the origins of Hope Hall, which was founded in memory of those lost during the two world wars. It’s all hands on deck as the centenary celebrations continue, but Kath’s effort set her on a collision course with Celia Ainsworth , a descendant of the family that donated the land.

Added to this, a mysterious homeless man proves tricky for Sheelagh to identify, and a handsome stranger looks set to lead Kath a merry dance.

Summer’s Out at Hope Hall is fun and deeply moving story that celebrates the power of hope.

MY REVIEW

It’s been quite a while since I have managed to busy myself into a trilogy, that’s stole my time away. Pam Rhodes just does just that with her beautiful tale she spins through chapter after chapter. All the characters have now become like real in my home after reading her trilogy and getting to know the characters more each time a new trilogy comes along. Pam Rhodes has now become one of my favourite authors, I just simply can’t get enough of the beauty of the trilogy. Roll on September when the next trilogy is published. Pam Rhodes certainly is a huge credit to Lion Press.

I’m so excited that Pam Rhodes has published her second novel Summer’s out at Hope Hall, in this delightful relaxing trilogy. I enjoyed so much Pam Rhodes first book, Springtime at Hope Hall, that I was bursting to read the second book. I now can’t wait to read the third book in the trilogy Christmas at Hope Hall, that is coming out in September 2022.

Summer’s out at Hope Hall was commissioned before Covid-19. So here’s the good news fortunately character Kath Sutton’s community and its environs have been fortunate enough to escape any traces of the virus. You won’t find any masks, vaccines or hand sanitizer. This sounded good to me as we all want to escape to a dream world of a well written trilogy and further more it’s bliss to take us all back to where we were before this dreadful pandemic ever began.

In this delightful trilogy Kath Sutton and the strong strength of characters all are involved in different ways of helping the community hall she runs. It clearly puts a stamp on how community’s within this story come together in need of help.

Some of the story made happy for certain characters or pleased for them while other scenes made me cry.

The character I most engaged with is 47 year old Maggie, who finial gets her Decree Absolute from her husband, now she is a free woman, and about to move in her new home.

Hope Hall are having a Centenary Celebration Day, in memory of two world wars where Kath Sutton is chairman, administrator of Hope Hall. The Reverend James Bernard is the vicar of St Mark’s, leading the Centenary church.

Centenary Day inside St Mark’s Church brought tears to my eyes where during the First World War many young men lost their lives. Tears were in my eyes as letters were read out in the church, about a son that was in the army in 1916, with letters addressed to his sweetheart who he married. I won’t say what was in the letters as I don’t want to spoil it for you lovely readers. What I can tell you it all though near the ending made tears in my eyes there is a perfect ending, until the next book Christmas at Hope Hall, where we can happily meet all the characters again. I do wonder what Pam Rhodes has in store next time. I hope you all enjoy Summer’s out at Hope Hall as much as what I did.

ABOUT PAM RHODES

Pam Rhodes has presented the BBC’s Songs of Praise for many years. She has written several popular novels, and Summer’s out at Hope Hall is the second book in her delightful trilogy.

You can find Pam Rhodes on Twitter @PamRhodesTV

Albert UpsideDown Ian Brown

Albert Upside Down by Ian Brown, illustrations by Eoin Clarke

paperback published by Graffeg 27th April 2021

Albert the pet tortoise has a problem. Trying to reach a tasty treat, he has ended up on his shell, upside down and stuck! Can the other gardener creatures overcome their rivalry, team up and help him get back on his feet? Packed with comical, charming illustrations, this timeless adventure shows the power of working together, thinking creatively and how even the smallest amount of assistance can make a very big difference.

Also included are fascinating facts about the real tortoise called Albert, who inspired this story, a modern-day-dinosaur living life on the veg!

MY REVIEW

The author Ian Brown of Albert Upside Down is naturally gifted to write for children. This beautiful paperback with bright colourful illustrations may be for age 3+ but I thoroughly enjoyed it laughing all the way through. It’s a fascinating story how a charming tortoise disastrously, tumbles ending upside down and needs animal friends to help him get up the right way. The story is a very clever one, it shows children deep down how to be kind and help their friends. I’m all for getting young children to read more as by reading they are learning and your child will be further educated by reading all about tortoises and their history at the back of the book, I too found lots of things out about tortoises that I didn’t know. So I have been educated further myself. The author Ian Brown has a real tortoise named Albert that gave him the inspiration to write this children’s book about a tortoise called Albert. Ian Brown and illustrator Eoin Clarke, are both obviously very gifted in writing and illustrations. I do urge parents to buy this book and parents and children will adore it all.

I would like to very kindly thank http://www.Graffeg.com for sending me a printed paperback to read and review.

ABOUT AUTHOR IAN BROWN

Author Ian Brown is a former journalist turned television writer and producer. After a spell on local and national newspapers, a 30 year career in television has included news, documentaries, commercials, comedy and entertainment shows. He has written or produced for a host of household names, picking up several awards along the way. He’s also often heard on radio talking about television. Writing for children has been a long-held dream. Ian shares his home with, among others, while wife Milly, two cats and a tortoise called Albert.

You can find author Ian Brown on Twitter @IanBrownTV

You can find Graffeg books on Twitter @graffeg_books

ABOUT ILLUSTRATOR EOIN CLARKE

Eoin qualified with a BA in Graphic Design from Middlesex University and an MA in Animation from the Royal College of Art. He has worked for 30 years in the animation industry as a director, animator, designer and storyboard artists. Eoin has directed films, commercials, documentaries and title sequences and picked up 30 awards as a director, working on projects for among others, the BBC, Channel 4 and the British Film Institute. Helping bring Albert to life has been a joy.

ALBERT

Albert, who inspired these adventure, was rescued more than 50 years ago by Ian’s wife and her family. He has lived happily with the same family ever since. You can get to know the real Albert better on Facebook, @AlbertTheTortoise, and on Twitter @AlbertTortoise.

Winning Streak Tales and Trivia of the 40 Most Popular Board Games John-Michael Gariepy

Winning Streak Takes and Trivia of the 40 Most Popular Board Games by John- Michael Gariepy 

Did you ever wonder:

♞ What makes Clue the best movie based on a game franchise?
♝ What does the doubling cube in backgammon do?
♜ How trains are even supposed to operate in Ticket to Ride: Antarctica?
♛ How the designer of the board game Pandemic feels now that he’s lived through an actual global pandemic?
♚ Whatever happened to the Monopoly game show from the 90s?

Based on Ranker’s poll of almost 400,000 votes, these games define us. From multiple-award winning masterpieces of the past decade, to indestructible classics still going strong after 5,000 years of play, these are the games you must play before you die. Well, except for Sorry!. That game is a blight upon this list and mankind as a whole. 

Excuse me. What I’m trying to say is that I wrote this book about games, and I thought you might like it. 

MY REVIEW

I curtsy to author John-Michael Gariepy, he has done a splendid book bringing delightful memories of board games with some I used to play, and with lots of new ones I haven’t come across before.

Everyone loves some kind of board game. Our house plays a lot of board games and quizzes. We have a cupboard full of all sorts of board games.

This page-turning book Winning Streak is the most fun book I have ever read. I don’t think there is any other book out there that gives us lots of fun and on an educational level about board games.

Although there are some board games featuring in this book that I haven’t heard of before, but they do look so much fun to have, and to play.

Some of the board games have a similar name to our UK versions, but some of the have a different name and a totally different theme to them. Here is just one example. We all remember our childhood game snakes and ladders, well in my opinion in this book it’s called Candy Land with a better theme to it than our UK snakes and ladders.

Author John-Michael Gariepy has played some of the games that he has added in his book. I couldn’t help myself from laughing at him as he explains his own experiences playing to win of course, like we all do play to win. While other topics that John writes about is what companies made what game, and some of the rules that apply within a game. Also there are certain games that John played on his phone.

Although there are a number of images of board game logos and box art, as well as images of book jackets and screen shots from very popular movies or television shows it’s a well put together book.

I really enjoyed reading about all the different kinds of games there actually are.

Now do I hear Games of Thrones fans? Well did you know that there is a fabulous Games of Thrones board game? This is one game that I would love to set-up play with my family.

If you are looking for a good new light fun time reading something very different for a change, that can specially bring back your memories of your childhood or your teenage years board games, look no further. Winning Streak is it. And remember what ever board game you play we are all in it to win.

You can find author John-Michael Gariepy on www.winningstreakbook.com.

Also John-Michael Gariepy’s book is on Go check out Popcorn Roulette!

A Room of One’s Own Virginia Woolf

A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN BY VIRGINIA WOOLF

PAPERBACK PUBLISHED BY RENARD PRESS

In October 1928 Virginia Woolf was asked to deliver speeches at Newnham and Girton Colleges on the subject of women and fiction, she spoke about her conviction that a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction. The following year, the two speeches were published as A Room of One’s Own, and became one of the most foremost feminists texts.

Knitted into a polished argument are several threads of great importance women and learning, writing and poverty which help to establish much of feminist thought on the importance of education and money for women’s independence. In the same breath, Woolf brushes aside critics and sends out a call for solidarity and independence a call which sent ripples well into the next century.

MY REVIEW

As this book is about women only, I absolutely agree with Virginia Woolf, a woman that wants to write fiction must have a room of her own, and earn her own money. Believe me I have tried writing in my lounge myself, and find it totally impossible with family around chattering, and talking to me plus with the TV on( that I rarely watch as I’d rather read ) . Too many distractions in my house. My bedroom is too small for a desk and chair and my conservatory is cold winter times there for I don’t have a room of my own to sit and write.

Doing reviews on books I can do but still my daughter occasionally comes down from her bedroom to tell me something, I now just raise my hand and say wait a minute I nearly finished my review. Or my partner will talk to me I just say hmm yeah with not really listening that much. I like to do a review straight away while everything is still fresh in my mind. So I see exactly where Virginia Woolf is on this matter of a woman needs a room of one’s own.

My favourite part in this book A Room of One’s Own, is where Virginia talks about one of my authors Jane Austen and Emily Bronte. There are lots of authors that openly talked about like Flaubert who wrote, one of the most famous books Madam Bovary and Keats. There are many more authors that Virginia shares with us. This book would be an amazing book to read in an open discussion for book club. And of course all Virginia Woolf fans, this is another side of what Virginia Woolf thinks and some explanation about our favourite authors.

I would like to thank Renard Press so much for sending me this printed paperback book.

ABOUT AUTHOR VIRGINIA WOOLF

Website

http://www.virginiawoolfsociety.co.uk/

(Adeline) Virginia Woolf was an English novelist and essayist regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century.

During the interwar period, Woolf was a significant figure in London literary society and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Her most famous works include the novels Mrs. Dalloway (1925), To the Lighthouse (1927), and Orlando (1928), and the book-length essay A Room of One’s Own (1929) with its famous dictum, “a woman must have money and a room of her

Tarzan Economics Eight Principles for Pivoting through Disruption Will Page

TARZAN ECONOMICS Eight Principles for Pivoting through Disruption

BY WILL PAGE

Hardback Published by Simon & Schuster on the 1st April 2021

In established markets we may think we know a lot, but the reality is that we actually know very little. Peter Drucker put it well. The customer rarely buys what the company thinks it is selling. That’s why you need this book it makes you look afresh at what you think you know.

As we emerge from the unprecedented disruption of a global pandemic, Tarzan Economics shows all of us individuals, organisations and institutions that if the vine we are holding onto is withering, we should have the confidence to reach out for a new one and embrace future opportunities.

Will Page had a front row seat as the music industry struggled to cope with the threat to its old ways of doing things caused by online privacy. For years it fought against the inevitable tide, but business finally embraced digital streaming, it opened up new avenues for growth and recovery. These hard earned experiences have never been more relevant for us all as we come to terms with the massive disruption of recent events, and Page brilliantly reveals how we can apply the lessons to our own lives and careers.

Tarzan Economics takes us through a jungle of challenges, as we find out how Tupperware, Starbucks, Tower Records and Marx ( Grouch, not Karl ) all reveal important points along the way. Page assesses the new dynamics of the long tail, identifies friends and foes in the battle for attention, highlights the fundamental flaws in our focus on GDP, and provides a practical tool for discovering the right role for each of us to succeed in this new modern world.

Inside Tarzan Economics Includes

A crash course in the transferable Rockonomics that allowed music to recover.

New rules for drawing a crowd, stemming from Starbucks, Tower Records and Tupperware.

What Radiohead’s famous In Rainbows release teaches us about make or buy decisions.

How to apply pivotal thinking when the opposite of a good idea can also be a good idea.

MY REVIEW

I was amazed at how Will Page’s father was a math teacher, but not only did the young Will learn the fundamentals of economics from the age of 11, but he amazingly learnt how to teach it too.

As we emerge from the unprecedented disruption of Brexit and the global pandemic. Will Page informs us music matters got there first. In its first decade of disruption it spent millions and lost billions fighting piracy. Expect the unexpected inside this interesting book. It’s packed with new ideas that will make you see the world with fresh eyes.

Tarzan Economics is an essential guide to thriving in the digital era. This is the pages that interested me the most was about our music. Yes Music got there first. Music was the first to suffer, and the first to recover.

In June 2000, The Economists published an article titled Napster wake call with the subheading its time for the record labels to embrace the internet wholeheartedly. The article concluded that the success of illegal piracy sites like Napster was in response to and indictment of the industry hesitations about pivoting to a digital future.

There’s a whole lot more brilliant information about our music industry to read plus much more.

I would like to thank Ed public relations for sending me a printed hardback copy to read any review.

Will Page is the former Chief Economist of Spotify and PRS for Music where he pioneered Rockonomics. At PRS he published work on Radiohead’s In Rainbows and helped save BBC 6Music.

At Spotify he helped redefine catalogue and articulated the global value of music copyright. Will is now working on his first book, ‘Tarzan Economics: Eight Principles in Pivoting through Disruption’, A passionate communicator, Will’s work is regularly featured in Billboard, The Economist and the Financial Times. His most recent publication examined COVID-19’s Impact on Britain’s Live and Recorded Music Industries. Will is a Visiting Fellow of the London School of Economics and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Tarzan Economics is Will Page’s first book.

The Donor Clare Mackintosh

THE DONOR QUICK READS BY CLARE MACKINTOSH

PAPERBACK PUBLISHED BY LITTLE BROWN 2OTH FEBRUARY 2020 PRICE £1

She gave you everything.

But what does she want in return?

When Lizzie’s daughter eg is given a life-saving heart transplant, Lizzie feels hugely grateful to the nameless donor. Then she receives a letter from the donors mother, Karen, asking to meet, and it seems like the least she can do.

But as soon as Karen is welcomed into their lives, Lizzie feels something isn’t right. And before long, she can’t help but worry that by inviting Karen in, she might have put Meg in danger.

CHAPTER 1

PAGE 1

The Newspaper Article

The reporter is young, with too much gel in his hair, and a habit of saying wow, yeah, right, after everything Meg says. She doesn’t seem to notice, and has been happily chatting to him for half an hour.

I had cancer when I was a toddler, she tells him. I got better, but the treatment left me with a heart problem. She shrugs, as if it was nothing,instead of an illness that has taken over our lives for the last twelve years. She is on the sofa in our living room, the reporter opposite her, on the armchair Steve sits on to watch the footy. I’m next to Meg, trying not to answer questions for her.

Wow, yeah, right, says the reporter, scribbling in his notebook. He’s wearing a suit that looks as if he borrowed it from his dad, and I wonder if he’s on work experience. I look at my amazing daughter and like I do every single day count my blessings. We have almost lost her so many times.

ABOUT AUTHOR CLARE MACKINTOSH

Website

http://www.claremackintosh.com

Twitter

claremackint0sh

Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of New York Times bestseller I LET YOU GO, and Sunday Times bestsellers I SEE YOU, LET ME LIE and AFTER THE END. Translated into forty languages, her books have sold more than two million copies worldwide, and have spent a combined total of 50 weeks in the Sunday Times bestseller chart. 

Her new thriller, HOSTAGE, comes out in June 2021.

Clare is the patron of the Silver Star Society, an Oxford-based charity which supports the work carried out in the John Radcliffe Hospital’s Silver Star unit, providing special care for mothers with medical complications during pregnancy. Clare lives in North Wales with her husband and their three children. 

Names in books I have read. Here are my my favourite

DAISY BY J P HENDERSON
Written in his own words, and guided by a man who collects glasses in a local pub, this is the story of Herod “Rod” Pinkney’s search for Daisy Lamprich, a young woman he first sees on a decade-old episode of the Judge Judy Show, and who he now intends to marry. When Daisy is located in the coastal city of Huntington Beach, California, he travels there with his good friend and next-door neighbor, Donald, a man who once fought in the tunnels of Cu Chi during the Vietnam War and who now spends most of his time in Herod’s basement. Herod is confident that the outcome will be favorable, but there’s a problem. Will the course of true love ever run smoothly for this unlikely hero?

LIFE IN THE CHASITIY ZONE BY HOLLY BRANDON

Thirty-year-old Chastity (Chase) Morgan has always dreamed of her fairytale life—the perfect career, wedding, marriage, family, and on and on. A structural engineer, Chase is brilliant in her line of work, but keeping to her moniker, she is as chaste as they come. Although she doesn’t know the first thing about love and dating, everything changes when she meets Grant Stevens. Wedding bells appear to be right around the corner until he unceremoniously abandons her for another. Derailed but determined, Chase has to find a way to move on. Little does she know that sinister plans are at work to squash her hopes and dreams. While a psychic medium comes to her aide, it’s uncertain whether or not Chastity will follow the clairvoyant’s advice. Only time will tell if she’ll choose between throwing away her virginity and diving full force into the dating world, or clinging to her fairytale life plan.

THE BRIDGE OF LITTLE JEREMY BY INDRAJIT GARAI

NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

Jeremy’s mother is about to go to prison for their debt to the State. He is trying everything within his means to save her, but his options are running out fast. 

Then Jeremy discovers a treasure under Paris. 

This discovery may save his mother, but it doesn’t come for free. And he has to ride over several obstacles for his plan to work. 

Meanwhile, something else is limiting his time.

ANNA BY LAURA GUTHRIE

Every cloud has a silver lining. Doesn’t it?

Anna is thirteen years old, lives in London with her father, and has Asperger’s syndrome. When her father dies she travels up to the Scottish Central Belt to live with her estranged, reclusive mother. With little support to help her fit in, she must use everything her father taught her – especially her ‘Happy Game’ – to integrate into her new community, connect with her mother, discover her past, and cope with the challenges along the way.

BELLA BY R M FRANCIS

Everyone has a theory, no one has an answer.The woods that frame the housing estate uncover a series of heinous acts, drawing onlookers in to a space of clandestine, queer sexuality: a liminal space of abject and uncanny experience.

A question echoes in the odd borderlands of being, of fear-fascination, attraction-repulsion, of sex and death…

Who put Bella down the Wych-Elm? 

LEO AND THE LIGHTNING DRAGONS BY GILL WHITE

Everybody in the kingdom is supporting the brave knight Leo in his battle against his fearsome dragons. They try lots of different things to help him defeat them but eventually Leo realises that the most important thing to do is to believe in himself.

This beautifully illustrated book with a poignant and uplifting rhyming story encourages children to persevere and find strength in the face of adversity, even when it seems that nothing is working.

Written by Gill White for her son Leo who suffers from Ohtahara Syndrome, an extremely rare form of epilepsy, and beautifully illustrated by Fife artist Gilli B, this story has been positively received by parents of children with complex needs, by care workers and medical staff and by parents of healthy young children who love the book simply as an adventure story.

All royalties from the sale of this book will go to CHAS (Children’s Hospices Across Scotland).

Blue in the title of books I have read

DARLING BLUE TRACY REES

Blue lives a charmed life. From her family’s townhouse in Richmond, she lives the life of luxury and couldn’t want for anything – well, on the surface at least. 

Then on the night of her twenty-first birthday her father makes a startling toast: he will give his daughter’s hand to whichever man can capture her heart best in the form of a love letter. But Blue has other ideas and, unwilling to play at her father’s bewildering games, she sets out on her own path to find her own destiny…

DEAR EMMIE BLUE LIA LOUIS

When 16-year-old Emmie releases a balloon with her biggest secret hidden inside, she doesn’t expect anyone to find it. When, a few weeks later, Lucas Moreau does just that, the two teens develop an instant rapport, going from trading emails to a deep and enduring friendship. Fourteen years later, Lucas asks Emmie to be his “best woman” at his upcoming wedding. Emmie accepts the honor, but must face the fact that her long-simmering romantic feelings for Lucas can never be revealed.

DEEP BLUE TROUBLE STEPH BROADRIBB

Single-mother Florida bounty hunter Lori Anderson’s got an ocean of trouble on her hands. Her daughter Dakota is safe, but her cancer is threatening a comeback, and Lori needs JT—Dakota’s daddy and the man who taught Lori everything—alive and kicking. Problem is, he’s behind bars, and heading for death row. Desperate to save him, Lori does a deal, taking on off-the-books job from shady FBI agent Alex Monroe. Bring back on-the-run felon, Gibson “The Fish” Fletcher, and JT walks free. Following Fletcher from Florida to California, Lori teams up with local bounty hunter Dez McGregor and his team. But Dez works very differently to Lori, and the tension between them threatens to put the whole job in danger. With Monroe pressuring Lori for results, the clock ticking on JT’s life, and nothing about the Fletcher case adding up, Lori’s hitting walls at every turn. But this is one job she’s got to get right, or she’ll lose everything.  

MUMMY WEARS BLUE SHOES SCOTT FURLONG

Emily is five-years-old. She wears pink ballerina shoes and wants to be a ballerina when she grows up.

Emily’s mummy and daddy are both special police officers called detectives. Lately, Emily has noticed that her mummy hasn’t been spending time with her. She has stopped taking her to dancing lessons and her older brother, Jackson, to his rugby lessons. One night, Emily sees her mummy crying on the sofa being comforted by her daddy. At a family meeting Emily learns that her mummy is poorly with something that the doctor calls Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

Mummy Wears Blue Shoes is a heart-warming story about a family who are living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is a story written about a family, for families by a family, by author Scott Furlong with illustrated by his cousin Emma Cahill. 

The House Swap Rebecca Fleet

THE HOUSE SWAP BY REBECCA FLEET

PAPERBACK PUBLISHED BY PENGUIN 29TH NOVEMBER 2018

THE HOUSE SWAP Be careful who you let in.

No one lives this way unless they want to hide something

When Caroline and Frances receive an offer of a house swap, they jump at the chance to have a week away from home. After the difficulties of the past few years, they’ve worked hard to rebuild their marriage for their son’s sake, now they want to reconnect as a couple.

On arrival, they find a house that is stark and sinister in its emptiness. Then, gradually Caroline begins to uncover some signs of life signs of her life. The flowers in the bathroom and the music in the CD player might seem innocent to her husband, but to her they are anything but. It seems the person they have swapped with is someone she used to know, someone she’s desperate to leave in her past.

But that person is now in her home and wants to make sure she’ll never forget.

PART OF PAGE 32

Lost in thought, I find that I’m already at the front door and that I have pushed the key into the lock with as much familiarity as if this really were my house. As soon as I open the door I realize that something is wrong a flash of instinctive recoil even before I have heard the first note. Music is drifting down the staircase. It takes a few beats to recognise the strong body knows it before I do. My heart is thudding and my limbs feel weak and liquid, suddenly awakened. I haven’t listened to this song since the last time I saw you. But I remember the crowded bar where I first heard it with you.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT The House Swap.

An engrossing tale of sexual obsession, secrets and lies : Author Shari

Dark, smart, sexy : Author Erin Kelly

A heart thumping, read in one sitting : Heat

Sinister and compelling : Woman & Home

Dead on domestic noir : Author Lee Child

ABOUT AUTHOR REBECCA FLEET

Rebecca Fleet lives in London and works in Windsor. Her debut thriller, The House Swap, was published in 2018 to great acclaim. The Second Wife is her eagerly anticipated second thriller.