The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I have had a few people tell me that I need to pick this book up, including Mr Bookwormandtheatremouse, and I have finally listened and made the decision that it would be the last book of February for me. Just like ‘Curtain Call’ by Julian Clary, there is no mistaking who wrote this book as you read it, the voice of Bob Mortimer jumps out from the page the minute you start reading – and I am OK with that.

‘The Satsuma Complex’ is a crime novel, but it is often classed as contemporary fiction, and alongside that it is full of humour and warmth as you would expect from the pen of Bob Mortimer. I enjoyed this book, and being inside the head of our main character, Gary, is quite an experience, especially when he likes a chat with the local squirrel (as I write that it sounds so strange, but honestly it all works). Gary is a legal assistant in a firm in London; he feels very anonymous in a large world and seems to live a fairly mundane life. Until one evening, he is having a drink with an acquantice in a local pub and meets the mysterious Emily, who happens to be reading ‘The Satsuma Complex’. From that moment onwards, his life takes quite a different direction – and maybe life is not as mundane as he thought.

As usual that is all you are going to get from me on plot, as I do not share spoilers, especially for something that has some mystery amongst its pages. However, I will say that I adored the characters in this book; they had so much humour to them, even if they did turn out to be a villain. It may not be the most complex plot to a book, but it is one that does make you feel joy as you read it and probably hear it as Bob Mortimer in your head. This is like a film noir in a book and it is great fun. I think the chats with the squirrel are some of my favourite moments, and I think, if we are all honest, we have all probably had imaginary conversations in our head.

So, if you want to read a story that will leave you with a feeling of joy and that will help you escape the real world, this is definitely a book that is worth picking up, and I will definitely be reading ‘The Avocado Hotel’ to find out what happens to Gary next.

Then She Vanishes by Claire Douglas

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I love it when I spot a bargain for the Kindle, and I spotted an absolute bargain when I saw that ‘Then She Vanishes’ was on offer for a steal. I was (like so many of my go-to authors) introduced to the books of Claire Douglas by The Book Taster and it is another introduction I am glad was made.

‘Then She Vanishes’ is from Claire’s backlist, first published in 2019 (another thing I love about being introduced to new authors, you often have a backlist to look up to), and I am glad that it is a book that made it onto my tbr list as it was an absolute treat to read. I picked this after a rather delayed flight situation and knew I needed something that would grab my attention, and that is something that I can rely on the books of Claire Douglas to do. This is an author who always offers a guranteed page-turner and this one was no different – in fact, that may have been my favourite so far and that is quite a statement as I have enjoyed each and every one of the books that I have read.

I think the reason why I may have liked this one just a little bit more is that there were a number of mysteries that needed unravelling – there were just so many secrets amongst its pages, that you really were not sure who you should trust or what was really the truth.

There appears to be no reason for Heather to have taken a gun and shot a mother and son who are new in town, and then turn the gun on herself. When her old friend Jess hears about this chain of events, she takes a professional interest as a local journalist, but is soon drawn further into these events than she intends. But, along the way, the dark secrets of the past are brought to the fore – and there has always been the mystery of the disappearance of Heather’s sister Flora; could that have triggered what has recently taken place?

Spoiler-free means all I can say is that you will have to read it to find out how all this comes together in a conclusion; I just cannot possibly say if that conclusion is tidy or not. But, I can say that this is a very well-constructed story told with the odd first-person chapter, and events from both the past and present that keep you even more invested in the story.

So, all in all, this is a great thriller and means I am just going to have find more of Claire Douglas’ backlist to read; in fact, I think there may be one on my tbr pile as we speak…

Hope Street by Mike Gayle

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

One of my most anticipated books of my year landed on my doorstep thanks to the wonderful independent bookshop ‘The Heath Bookshop‘ and it immediately made its way to the top of the tbr pile, which I think might explain why the tbr pile never seems to shrink. However, nothing can stand in the way of letting me start the new Mike Gayle, as it is always going to be an absolute treat, and ‘Hope Street’ was an absolute treat and just the book I needed at the right time.

I am not sure how Mike Gayle does it, but, as always, this book was full of fantastic characters and a heart-warming storyline that, of course, led to some tears.

We meet Connor, who is the final resident of Hope Street, who is waiting for his mum to return but she has been gone for quite some time. We meet Lila, a journalist, who is sent to meet Connor, the young man who won’t leave Hope Street despite the fact that the street is no longer the home of anyone else, but she finds a whole other story when she meets him and realises that he just wants to make sure he is there when his mum returns – and maybe Lila can help him ensure that his mum does return. This creates a story of friendship, love and a reminder that we should always be kind – and never lose hope.

Hope is such an important message all the way through this book, and it is a lovely reminder for the reader, as we read the story that hope can get us a long way – and maybe we should all be a little more Connor. It was also wonderful to have someone at the centre of the story who was neurodivergent, but that this was his superpower, not something that anyone should ever be ashamed of. I love the strength of community in the book, and all the ways that so many people work together to help each other live their best lives and feel love, hope and acceptance.

I honestly do not know how Mike Gayle does it every time, but he really seems to understand people and their character. Every book I have read by Mike Gayle brings some of those people who may sometimes be on the edge of society to the centre, teaches us that we can learn so much from those who are around us, and shows that we should all be more kind and accepting. It really shows what a talented author he is and means that, yet again, I am going to be telling everyone to pick this book up and spend some time in the company of Connor and his friends, because I think everyone could learn a little about themselves and others from reading this book.

And I confess that this may be another book that I will need in both hardback and paperback – because it is another story that I am going to treasure, and which deserves some representation on my bookshelves.

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

‘Notes on an Execution’ seems to have been a book that I have seen around for a while and I always thought that it was a book I should try. So, when I was looking for something to start on my Kindle, I picked this, especially as a bookish buddy had been shouting about it on her socials for quite some time.

I am not sure I really know how to categorise this. It is a well-written piece of contemporary fiction, with a study of human nature, and nurture versus nature. But there are also some elements of a crime and thriller story along the way too. Essentially, this is a cross-genre book which is really quite thought-provoking and will stay with you even after you have long finished the final page.

We meet Ansel Packer as he is awaiting his execution. And, as the hours count down to the time of his execution, we find out what has led to that moment and who Ansel Packer really is, from the moment of his birth to the present. However, only the day of the execution is told from the point of view of Ansel, his actions that day and the emotions he has as the clock ticks by. The past is told by the women he had known, including his mother and the sister of his ex-wife. As this story unfolds, there are quite some twists along the way, and you wonder if the truth had been revealed sooner, in more than one sense, then the present may be very different.

I really enjoyed this slow burn of a novel; I enjoyed its study of character and how we found more and more about Ansel Packer, and what may have got him into the situation he is now in. I really enjoy a book that makes you think, as well as being a real page-turner. But I think what is best about this book is that you really find yourself considering human nature, and what really leads someone to become a serial killer.

I will certainly be recommending this book, especially to people who are fans of the books of Chris Whitaker, because there is a similar style to this book as there is to ‘We Begin at the End’ and ‘All the Colours of the Dark’. (Although I am not sure there are quite so many characters who you will feel some affection for – there is a slightly darker tone to this story.)

So, if you have let this book pass you by, or it is lurking on a shelf somewhere, then please pick it up and see what you think, because I certainly think it will start some conversations.

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

It is John Marrs month for The Book Taster Book Club (and in my case for Book and Pudding Club too), and I am here for it. I have only ever read one John Marrs book before and I was a fan, so it is nice to have a chance to read an author’s backlist, especially when so many of my bookish buddies are also fans.

So, a wonderful bookish buddy and I embarked on a buddy read of ‘What Lies Between Us’ on Saturday and, by the end of Monday, we had both finished the book. In fact, I think it is safe to say that we had raced through it. We were both finding it incredibly difficult to put down what we were reading – in fact, I snuck off for a bath after work on Monday, just so I had an excuse to read the book because I just had to know what was going to happen. And my fellow bookworm and I were constantly messaging each other with theories and ideas about where the book was going, and at the odd OMG moment. All of this together is the sign of a good book, if you ask me – and this is definitely a great book.

As this is a no-spoiler post, as always, I really can not say too much about this book as I am so worried that I might give something away. However, I will say that I have rarely read a book with so many moments of misdirection that manage to send you off down a possible wrong path as you attempt to play ‘armchair detective’ to the plot. It is so cleverly plotted that you find yourself being thrown from one idea to another at various points in the story, and by the end there are still things that you do not expect – well, I did not expect them all, anyway.

This is a story about Maggie and Nina, mother and daughter living together in a rather unconventional way, it is soon revealed. We are told what has led to the present through events from different parts of the past. But is what we are reading always the truth, or are some memories misremembered, distorting the narrative of the characters’ past? And, sometimes, do we judge too quickly, especially when it involves someone we love? What really triggers any human to carry out the most extreme actions any human can?

That is all I can really say about the plot of the novel, as I absolutely can not give anything away, but this is a book that I really recommend if you are a fan of a pacy read, with an element of mystery and thriller along the way. This is a book that would make a brilliant book club read, because it was an excellent buddy read – so if you are looking for either of these things, maybe add this book to the list.

So, that has been a success of two out of two for my reading experience of John Marrs books, so I am off to find another to read, in the hope that the third choice will be just as brilliant as choices one and two.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

This is a book that I was so excited to read, it had been on my list of the most anticipated reads of the year and it was no kind of disappoint. This was a brilliant book, and just the page-turner you need in these winter months.

As Cam wonders why her husband is not answering his messages and realises his phone appears to be off – he is in a hostage situation. Not as a captive, but as the perpetrator… This spins Cam’s life out of control and the life that she embarks on with her young daughter is not the life she thought she would be living. Now, none of this a spoiler, as you are told this in the blurb, but that is going to be where my discussion of the plot will end, as this is a spoiler-free zone. Other than, as previously mentioned, I really enjoyed this book – I am just disappointed that work gets in the way of reading.

I really enjoyed that we were at the moment of the hostage situation and we are then thrown seven years on to find out how Cam is now living her life – and if she has been able to rebuild and ever really forget what her husband Luke has done. But, alongside this, we also follow Niall, the hostage negotiator who has always had a feeling that maybe the events seven years before were not quite as they seemed. And so the story is told from the point of view of these two characters.

Gillian McAllister always creates fantastic plots with brilliant characters – the two marry together perfectly to create a thrilling reading experience, something that becomes a real page-turner. I worked out one little plot twist, although I am not sure it was one that was fully hidden from the reader, if you were reading carefully. However, it was a brilliant idea and it did not remove from the enjoyment of the book because, to be honest, when you feel like you can be an armchair detective, you know you are exercising (in the words of everyone’s favourite – Hercule Poirot) those ‘little grey cells’. I really hope that we are going to have another book from Gillian very soon, as I am certainly in my thriller era and I am always looking for the next thrilling fix.

The Silence In Between by Josie Ferguson

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I think it is safe to say that ‘The Silence In Between’ was my read of the month for January. This is a book (no surprise) that had been sitting on my shelf for far too long, but I was inspired to pick it up thanks to a lovely bunch of bookworms who set up a buddy read.

I found this book a truly brilliant and thought-provoking read. As someone who teaches both the eras in this book, it was so fascinating to reflect on the lives of the people of East Berlin, first under the Nazi Regime, and their supposed liberation thanks to the Soviet troops. It was truly harrowing to really think about how their lives, actually, faced very little change, just changing a regime from one end of the political spectrum with another – with an even bigger divide created between the people with the structure of the Berlin Wall.

And, amongst all this, we meet Lisette and her family; their lives are turned upside down when Lisette’s baby is in hospital in Berlin as the Berlin Wall is built, but he is on the wrong side of the wall. We follow Lisette’s daughter as she attempts to save her brother and gain the love of her mother, which has always been a little too far out of reach. And, parallel to this, we follow Lisette as a young woman and, as her history unfolds, we learn about the woman and mother that she has become.

Throughout all this, there is a theme of music running all the way through the story, and the importance and comfort that it has brought at different times to Lisette and then her daughter. But, also, how silence comes to have a number of different meanings – especially silence that allows people to hide, silence that allows people to be protected, and how silence can come between people. And that it is time for the barrier of silence to removed, just as Berlin’s divide needs to be removed.

I read this book in one weekend, as I could not put it down. I had to know what was happening to Lisette and her family. I felt thrown into the world of Berlin, as World War Two came and went, and the Cold War intensified. My heart broke for the family and the world that they were living in. And it clearly reminded us all that the many can not be blamed for the actions of the few, and that sometimes the real human cost is not considered throughout history. Especially as conflict is not just about the military, but it is also about the civilians.

This is a book that I will be recommending to many of my bookish friends, especially if they are fans of historical fiction. And this is not a book that I will be forgetting for quite some time. In fact, it is the sort of book that I wish I could read for the first time again.

Curtain Call to Murder by Julian Clary

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

My first read from my sale haul was ‘Curtain Call to Murder’ by Julian Clary. This was on the wishlist simply because I am a Julian Clary fan. I know there is some controversy around celebrities becoming authors, but I have always thought Julian Clary is a very clever comedian, so I thought I would give it a go. And I was not disappointed – if you are a fan of Julian and his sense of humour, you will be a fan of his cosy crime fiction.

This is a rather entertaining crime novel, which takes us backstage in the theatre and in amongst the drama that follows a new play, and its cast, fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe. This story is told in three acts with chapters broken down into fun little chunks, such as diary entries, police interviews and fun facts (amongst other things), all of which keeps you reading. The first act sets the scene for the murder, the second act brings us to the murder of one of the cast, and the final act leads us to the solution. It is such a fun read; not a totally serious crime story, but one that is really rather entertaining as you get drawn into the drama of a touring theatre company.

I really enjoyed that the lead character was, in fact, Jane: a dresser from the theatre company. Someone who may usually be overlooked but actually observes everything, which puts her in the perfect place to be the one who may be able to solve the crime. With a little help from her friends, of course… And we all know that I enjoy a book with a strong female lead character, which is exactly what Jane is – despite what those around her may think.

I also rather like the observations made by Julian Clary of those that inhabit the showbiz world. I can imagine that many of these colourful characters are a combination of some of the people he has encountered during his career. As a reader, you can certainly imagine some of these figures inhabiting the world of the rich and famous – or maybe not so famous.

This a light-hearted take on cosy crime, but certainly an enjoyable one, and I found myself imaging Julian Clary reading it and bringing it all to life – which just made it even more fun to read.

The Humans by Matt Haig

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

As I have mentioned several times, so probably to repeat myself rather, I do not read the blurb on books. So, ‘The Humans’ has been on my shelf because I am a fan of Matt Haig’s books – so I was just as surprised as Mr Bookwormandtheatremouse when it turned out that I was reading a science fiction book by official genre. However, I like to think of it as contemporary science fiction – it was nothing too intense, there just happened to be an alien race as a central character.

However, I really enjoyed this book. This was less to do with science fiction than it was a study of humans – what makes us tick, how our relationships are formed, and what it really means to be human. It was a strangely page-turning read as you follow Professor Andrew Martin, or so you think, from the moment he is found naked wandering the streets of Cambridge to living his normal everyday life – or so those around him think. However, Professor Andrew Martin, that we know, is the form taken by a visiting alien who is trying to supress the knowledge that has been gained by the real Professor Andrew Martin. Yet, he becomes easily distracted as he studies what it is to be human and begins to develop empathy and possibly even love for those around him.

I hope I have not given too much away about this book, because it is one that I hope many people will read, even if science fiction is not their usual taste, because I found this a brilliant read. It did exactly what I admire about Matt Haig’s work: it creates fascinating characters and closely examines human nature. I found it a rather thought-provoking read, thinking about if I really understand those around me or if sometimes we just carry on with our lives without giving those around us a second thought – a rather selfish attitude that the modern world may have instilled in us, whether we realise it or not.

If you are a fan of Matt Haig, then you will be a fan of this book and his creative imagination. And something I really like about Matt Haig’s fiction is the creativity in the stories; although sometimes those who feel isolated are often the central characters, the creative situations he puts them in makes each reading experience a unique and enjoyable one.

Shy Creatures by Clare Chambers

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I have had my eye on ‘Shy Creatures’ by Clare Chambers for quite some time, mainly because it had one of the most beautiful covers I had seen in 2024. As well as the fact that I had loved ‘Small Pleasures‘ when I had read it for book club.

‘Shy Creatures’ did not disappoint. I love that Clare Chambers finds a story from the past that intrigues her and she uses that to inspire her to write her beautiful stories. And this is a beautiful story, taking us back to the 1960s. We meet Helen, who is an art therapist at Westbury Park, a psychiatric hospital, who hopes that her art will help those who have to spend time in the institution. However, Helen has her own secret: that she is having an affair with the charismatic Gill, one of the doctors who works there. She thinks that this is all she wants but, as she encounters a new patient, William, his hidden past forces her to reflect on her life and her relationships – and, as William goes on a journey to heal, Helen finds herself on a similar journey. Are they both ready for a fresh start and to embark on the new life they deserve, and remove the barriers that have held them back?

I absolutely adored this book from the moment that I started reading. Helen is a wonderfully strong female lead character, and a woman ahead of her time in 1960s Croydon. It tackles ideas about the role of women, mental health and relationships of all kinds. William is a man that needs someone to understand, to see how what he has experienced has made him the man that he is – and maybe that those who thought that they were keeping him safe, stifled him instead.

I loved how the title of this book had so many different meanings: who really are the shy creatures in this book? The badgers that William and his childhood friend Francis spot one wonderful summer, or the boys themselves away at their boarding school, or the characters we meet in the book who have never quite shown all they are to the world?

This will be a book that I will be recommending to anyone who will listen – especially if they like a thoughtful, emotional and powerful read with characters that come to life from the page, right from the very first word.