Coffin Road by Peter May

Reviewer: Gillian Hamer, author of The Charter, Closure, Complicit, Crimson Shore & False Lights. (www.gillianhamer.com)

What we thought: I admit to being a huge fan of Peter May’s writing, his style very much like my own, takes a location and makes it into a character in its own right. Here he comes home ... back to Scotland ... and achieves some of his best descriptive writing in his latest novel, Coffin Road, where we visit some of Scotland’s most stunning landscapes mixed with his usual blend of gritty and intelligent crime fiction.

When a man is washed up on a remote Hebridean beach, suffering from amnesia, and scared of all of the things he may have done that he can’t remember, then you know you’re in for an interesting ride. If Neal Maclane isn’t actually Neal Maclane … who on earth is he?

Peter May uses a very clever blend of POV to keep the reader on the edge of their seats. If the central character doesn’t know who to trust, it makes it even more entertaining for the reader trying to work out who are the bad guys in the plot.

I also like the way the author brings in real issues to balance out the fictional crime story. In previous books of his we have touched on toxins and world starvation, and here the plight of the bumble bee and pesticide's possible side-effects on the bee population, lead to a huge cover up that ends in murder. The ending is a high tension rollercoaster that will keep every crime fiction fan grinning from ear to ear. Crime writing doesn't get much better than this in my opinion!

As ever in May’s writing, the pace is relentless, the location spine-tingling, the characters as real as you and I, and the dialogue perfection. This time I listened to the audio version, and have to say that Peter Forbes is fast becoming one of my favourite narrators.

Whatever your literary tastes, this is an author you must add to your reading list – trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

You’ll enjoy this if you like: Ann Cleeves, Peter James, Ian Rankin.

Avoid if you don’t like: Remote Scottish islands and bees.

Ideal accompaniments: Haggis and peas with a single malt.

Genre: Crime thriller.

Available from Amazon

The Bees by Laline Paull

Reviewer: Catriona Troth

What We Thought:

“The cell squeezed her and the air was hot and fetid. All the joints of her body burned from the frantic twisting against the walls, her head was pressed into her chest and her legs shot with cramp, but her struggles had worked – one wall felt weaker.”

Thus opens Laline Paull’s remarkable novel, The Bees, which follows a year in the life of beehive in an English orchard threatened with redevelopment.

Through the eyes of one bee – Flora 717, a sanitation worker who rises above her lowly status – we go from the uncertain bounty of summer, through the privations of autumn, to the cold of winter, when the surviving bees huddle together in the Cluster – and on into spring, which brings both terrifying threat and new promise to the colony.

Laline Paull's interest in bees began following the death of a much-loved friend who happened to be a bee-keeper. As she says on her website:

“I knew I had a book when I found out about the laying worker, that one in ten thousand sterile female bees, who suddenly, and for no known reason, start forming eggs in their bodies and become fertile – the sole role of the queen of the colony.”

Flora 717 is an anomaly from the start, “obscenely large,” and “excessively ugly,” she narrowly avoids being culled at birth for excessive variation. Time and time again her bravery and quick wit prove invaluable to the hive, yet she may also carry within her its greatest threat to its society.

Some degree of anthropomorphism is inevitable, in order to make a bridge between our human brains and the bees, and in order to make this a page-turning narrative, not a biology textbook. But don’t expect the inhabitants of the hive to resemble the ants in Disney’s A Bug’s Life. This world is based on painstaking, meticulous and (as far as I can tell from my limited knowledge) reasonably accurate observation of bee behaviour.

Paull then takes that leap that allows us to imagine what it is like to live under a ruthless yet essentially benign dictatorship, to share a consciousness, in part, with thousands of sisters, to communicate stories through smell and information through vibration and movement.

“Finding a space by Flora, she began to dance. Slow and clear she stamped out a simple phrase, over and over until the bees understood it and the rhythm caught [...] Go South! sang the bee’s steps. For this long!”

We experience the relationship between the bees and the precious flowers they feed on, feel the devastating effects of chemical insecticides, and the threat posed by predators like wasps and mice.

We also experience a love unlike any human love. The centre of the bees’ world, round which everything else orbits, is the Queen, the Holy Mother, “magnificently large, with long, shapely legs and a tapering abdomen, full and buoyant under the golden tracery of her folded wings.” Her scent entrances her daughters with the sense of being loved and induces instant and profound devotion.

Only just below the Queen in status are the Drones, lazy, gluttonous, priapic, and seemingly the hive’s comic turn – until winter comes.

Margaret Atwood described Paull’s language as ‘Keatsian.’ Indeed, every page is a rich appeal to the senses – especially those of scent and taste and touch, which we often neglect in favour of sight and sound.

There are occasional phrases she uses which, if taken too literally, can make this world seem, briefly, too ‘cute’ and humanised, such as when writes of bees opening 'doors' in the hive, or making 'patisserie.' This is not, I think, Paull’s intention. The trick is to accept them as attempts to express in human language what we have no words for.

This book received a fair amount of attention early in 2015 (when it was shortlisted for the Bailey’s Prize) but it has been forgotten far too quickly. Comparisons have been made with The Handmaid’s Tale, Watership Down and The Hunger Games. Some reviewers have scratched around, trying to decide what comment Paull is making on human society. But I suspect its message is simpler than that. This is about opening our eyes to the astonishing complexity of what bees do for us, to our dependence on them, and to their vulnerability to our heedless actions.

For those (usually bored white middle aged men) who say that there are no new stories left, all I can say is – perhaps you are looking in the wrong places.

You’ll Enjoy This If You Loved: Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis; The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber.

Avoid If You Dislike: Anthropomorphism, however meticulously and scientifically based;

Perfect Accompaniment: Toast with honey and a cup of Oolong tea

Genre: Literary Fiction

Available from Amazon

Song at Dawn by Jean Gill

Reviewer: Liza Perrat, author of Spirit of Lost Angels, Wolfsangel and Blood Rose Angel

What we thought: Song at Dawn, first and  FREE book of 'The Troubadours Quartet' is set in 1150 in Provence, France. It is the “troubadour era”, and the period following the Second Crusade, and follows the adventures of the young Estela de Matin.

Fleeing abuse, Estela is found in a ditch by Aliénor of Aquitaine (Queen of France at the time), who, impressed with Estela’s beautiful singing voice and lute skills, welcomes the girl into her court. Aliénor takes Estela to Ermengarde, Viscomtesse of Narbonne’s court, where the girl’s musical talent is nurtured by Dragonetz, the Queen’s best troubadour and Commander of the Guard.

A Crusader with no wish to return to the Holy Land, where he learned about paper, Dragonetz dreams that everyone should have access to paper and thus remove the control of literacy from the Church. His building of a paper mill evokes the Church’s wrath and, through the many plot turns and twists, medieval Narbonne becomes a stage for the cultural, religious and political intrigue of the 12th century.

I was especially interested in the historical aspects of this story, learning a lot about the era –– of Ermengarde and Aliénor, two of the most powerful women in European history. Reading such accurate and memorable stories from the past is one of the reasons I enjoy such well-written historical fiction.

I would recommend this entertaining romance of Estela and Dragonetz, woven into a spell-binding thriller that brilliantly evokes medieval France, to all lovers of historical fiction.

You’ll enjoy this if you like: medieval historical thrillers featuring real-life characters and historical fact.

Avoid if you dislike: Strong female characters and romance.

Ideal accompaniments: “hen in winter” with a parsley, sage, pepper, garlic and mustard sauce. Background Troubadour chansons such as troubador, Jaufre Rudel’s L'amor de lonh.

Genre: Historical Romantic Thriller

Available from Amazon

The Absolution of Otto Finkel by John R Mackay

Reviewer: Gillian Hamer, author of The Charter, Closure, Complicit, Crimson Shore & False Lights (www.gillianhamer.com)

What we thought: A new name in historical fiction for me, and not my usual first choice of genre, but something about the title and the book blurb took my attention when this book was submitted to Bookmuse for review. And I have to say I’m very glad I decided to read the novel.

The Absolution of Otto Finkel is a page-turner. Opening during a family holiday in St Malo between the first and second world wars, we are introduced to English brothers, Jack and Toby Graham, who become friends with an assortment of children from across Europe also staying at the same hotel. When the boys are involved in a tragic accident, they are all removed from the scene, destined to never see or speak to each other again.

But …. But … Fate plays a hand.

We follow throughout the book the differing adult stories of each of the boys involved in the original accident, and how their paths cross and re-cross through the second world war journey they each take. Each story holds its own surprises, emotions, tragedies and keeps the reader turning the page, knowing there has be a satisfactory conclusion, that human compassion and strength must win in the end. And without spoiling the reader for anyone, I was not disappointed by the way the story ended. Although at times, the jumps back and forth between years did catch me by surprise, the story was very well plotted and each character drove their own story.

This was also an informative read, with some scenes loosely based around true-life events, presenting a different side to some of the cliched WWII stories I’ve read in the past. The author carried each story with a competence, and his language and characterisation skills should be particularly pointed out for merit. If I had any negative it might be that the length and pacing was a little slow at times, and with a good edit, some areas of the writing could have flowed more. But in general, I very much enjoyed the style and passion in the author’s writing.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in wartime novels.  

You’ll enjoy this if you like: Jeffrey Archer, Amanda Hodgkinson, Sarah Waters.

Avoid if you don’t like: WWII, Nazis, human cruelty and human redemption.

Ideal accompaniments: Rations of bread, cheese, olives and a fruity Shiraz.

Genre: Historical Fiction.

Available from Amazon

Take Your Shot by Daniel Pieracci

Reviewer: JJ Marsh

What we thought: A terrific debut novel of family, organised crime, fashion, morality and fruit juice. Set in LA, this is a sharply observed take on ambition and playing the game with moments which make you wince, think and laugh. Two families find their paths crossing in ways they’d never imagined.

The Carcettis are the most powerful crime family in the southwestern US. Papa’s into yoga and freshly squeezed juice, prostitution and drug trafficking. He and Frank, his right-hand man and chief juicer, are looking for new blood.

FBI agent Mario Perez is desperate to climb the career ladder and when handed the Carcetti case, sees his chance for glory. It will involve sacrifice, but he’s ready for that. His wife, Rosalita, is much more interested in the whereabouts of their second son. Chico’s run off and got in with a bad crowd, while Mario, their first born, is pretty, content and sleeping his way through all the beautiful people in LA.

When the two families' destinies cross, it’s only going to work out for one of them.

The dialogue is whipsmart, the setting subtly evoked and the characterisation is created in bold strokes. One of my favourites is Gladys, a minor personage in the scheme of things, but with a superb line in verbal abuse.

There’s violence and injustice, loyalties and betrayals, alongside love and principles, and in all the broad strokes and bright colours of Roy Liechtenstein. As the plot grows tauter and more complex, the reader finds herself sympathising with both sides of the legal divide and wishing everyone could get what they want.

Not a book to begin if you need to get anything else done that day.

You’ll enjoy this if you liked: The Wire, almost everything by the Coen brothers, and Pulp Fiction

Avoid if you don’t like: Black humour, violence, organised crime

Ideal accompaniments: Empanadas, raspberry-orange-pineapple juice and Heartattack and Vine by Tom Waits

Genre: Contemporary, crime fiction

Available from Amazon

Toby’s Tails - Saying Goodbye to Lucky by Susan Keefe

Reviewer: Liza Perrat, author of Spirit of Lost Angels, Wolfsangel and Blood Rose Angel

What we thought: Children’s author, Susan Keefe was devastated when she lost her beloved Golden Retriever, Lucky, a key character in her series of ‘Toby’s Tails’ books.

As Toby’s mentor, his owner felt Lucky’s passing couldn’t go unmarked. Thus, this delightful story (Fantasy Farm Tales Book 6) is dedicated to Lucky’s final days, told from the point of view of Toby, the border collie.

Losing a family pet can be a terrible experience for children and the author has skillfully penned this story with the aim of gently explaining the process so they may be able to come to terms with their loss.

As I did, I’m certain young readers will be comforted by Lucky’s story, and view it as a celebration of his “lucky” and beloved life, rather than some painful account of his death.

I particularly loved the author’s note about the southern African Zulu and Ndebele people, who believe that the stars are their dead ancestors watching over them. And how, each time she looks up to the night sky, she remembers Lucky.

An endearing and heart-warming addition to Susan Keefe’s ‘Fantasy Farm Series’ which narrates the lives of her pets in their French home. Beautiful, heart-warming photos of her animals are included.

You’ll enjoy this if you like: stories about much-loved animals.


Avoid if you dislike: children’s tales about losing beloved pets.


Ideal accompaniments: a furry (live) companion curled up in your lap.

Genre: Children’s.

Available from Amazon

Unforgettable by Charlie Maclean

Reviewer: JJ Marsh

What we thought: A romantic comedy from the male perspective is less common but not unheard of. Previous experiences have been a pleasant surprise, so I began Charlie Maclean’s Unforgettable with some optimism.

I devoured this book in a couple of days and when finished, I felt I’d seen the whole thing, observing from the sidelines. Not surprisingly, as the novel is perfect for the screen. The premise is similar to Sliding Doors, where a character misses/catches a moment and the narrative follows both alternative lives in parallel. Alex meets Julia at a bus stop. Does he follow her and get her number or go on to his job interview and forget her? It’s a life-changing decision. Either way, she’s unforgettable.

The effect of this meeting on him and his resulting actions are likeable, funny, sad, occasionally dark and often thought-provoking. Alex’s personality takes off in two different trajectories, both wholly believable, and the supporting cast of friends and relatives and locals of The Crown are consistent in either version. My particular favourite was young Billy, who turns out to be more mentor than mentee.

Shakespearean references, London landmarks, witty dialogue and a fallible hero makes this book an easy, satisfying read with considerable depth on the subject of human relationships and those you love. Perfect for a winter's night curled up by the fire.

You’ll enjoy this if you liked: Scratch by Danny Gillan, High Fidelity by Nick Hornby or One Day by David Nicholls

Avoid if you don’t like: Dual narratives, London, love stories

Ideal accompaniments: Dry cider, roasted peanuts and Sandie Shaw singing Always Something There To Remind Me

Genre: General fiction

Available on Amazon