Z takes us to

I can hardly believe that I managed to read my way around the world, stopping off at some amazing places thanks to some wonderful books - it's been an adventure. For our last stop, what better place to finish than in Zante (Zakinthos) with Isabelle Broom's 'My map of you.'

Holly Wright has had a difficult few years. After her mother's death, she's become expert at keeping people at a distance - including her boyfriend, Rupert.
But when Holly receives an unexpected letter explaining that an aunt she never met has left her a house on the Greek island of Zakynthos, the walls she has built begin to crumble. Arriving on the island, Holly meets the handsome Aidan and slowly begins to uncover the truth about the secret which tore her family apart.
But is the island where Holly really belongs? Or will her real life catch up with her first?

I was attracted to this book for two reasons, firstly it's set in my beloved Greece so immediately grabbed my attention and secondly the premise sounded good too. I wasn't disappointed on either count. This is a lovely read set on Zante ( Zakynthos) and if you haven't been there then this book will go a long way towards you choosing it as your next holiday destination. I loved the characters and the way in which the story developed. There was no sudden ending either but everything played out in its own time. I won't give any spoilers but it's more than just a chicklit book with a HEA - it's moving, sad in parts yet uplifting. A great holiday read at any time of year - don't save it for your holiday, read it now and escape the winter.

Many thanks if you're been following the blog. May you travel to some wonderful places in 2018.

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

Y is for

 Yorkshire, my homeland, is our next destination courtesy of Sara Alexi. We embark in a different direction to her habitual Greece as we follow up on Septic Cyril. I loved the story of Dawn and her relationship with her mother and sister in The other daughter, So much of this story resonated with me as I'm sure it will with other readers. With Sara's easy to read style, at first glance you might think this is just a simple story yet, as with all her books, there are so many issues that lie just below the surface such as how love and hate are just facets of the same coin. I felt drawn into Dawn's world, felt her frustration at the thought that her mother preferred her other sister to her and didn't support her, sympathised with her feelings that she hadn't accomplished much in her life and admired her love for her mother despite the difficulties. I'm sure that pretty soon we will have the Yorkshire village series and I loved catching up with Cyril and his neighbours as seen though Dawn's eyes.



More than a decade after leaving home Dawn finds herself stuck in a dead-end job, in a rundown flat, while her sister has it all - the husband, children and prestigious job in sunny Australia. Their mum’s favouritism is palpable, and even as she has a terrible fall leaving Dawn to pick up the pieces, nothing Dawn does can live up to her perfect, absent sister. 

But still Dawn persists with taking care of her aging and fragile mum, until one day it begins to feel like the only thing standing between Dawn and her happiness is her mother's continued, pitiful existence...

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

X is for Xamnesia

Okay - well there aren't many places in the world beginning with X so we're off to the fictional Xamnesia located somewhere  in Asia.



Welcome to Xamnesia... where you forget who you were when you landed.

At twenty-three, Lizzie leaves her native New Zealand to work for VIP billionaires in a remote Asian oasis. Legally forbidden to talk about her employers, she starts to call her new life Xamnesia. It's not all bad living in Xamnesia -- she gets a hug from Michael Jackson and diamond watches as tips. But the servitude and secrecy of her new life destroys her self-confidence. 

Even transferred to Paris, she depends on champagne, cigarettes, and hotel concierges on speed dial to help fulfill all VIP requests. Will smuggling a million dollars be what snaps her out of her fog? And can she forge a real life after so many years in 'Xamnesia'? 

An illuminating, no-holds-barred travel memoir about money, myopia and men.


This memoir of a time spent primarily in an Asian oasis that shall remain nameless is certainly different. I really grew to love the author's dysfunctional family though I can see how she might have wanted to escape at times. This gives us a glimpse into the lifestyle of the rich, the demands they make on their 'servants' and underlying it all, the threat of deportation if you do something wrong. In a rather Orwellian way, quite often it was difficult to know what misdemeanour had been committed but one day a colleague would no longer turn up for work having somehow transgressed the code, for example by mentioning that they felt tired. On the other hand, if your face fit then generosity knew no bounds and highly expensive presents could be yours. It certainly made for an interesting read as the author struggles to get her life in order.

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

W takes us to Wales

A cottage by the sea takes us to Pembrokeshire in Wales. Carole's style is easy to read and I found myself reading this in a day as I became engrossed in the lives of three friends. There are some lovely descriptions of the Welsh countryside and beaches yet it was the relationship between the friends that really sold the book to me. There are hints throughout as to what is really happening yet the ending was still a bit of a shocker even though the right people ended up together. A very enjoyable read that brought back happy memories of family holidays in the region.



Grace has been best friends with Ella and Flick since university. The late-night chats, shared heartaches and good times have created a bond that has stood the test of time. Now in their thirties, Grace is always a bit disappointed about how little time they get to spend together, so when Ella invites them all to stay for a week in her cottage in South Wales, Grace jumps at the chance to see her old friends. She also hopes that the change in pace will help her reconnect with her husband, Harry. Unfortunately for her, Harry isn't as enamoured with Cwtch Cottage as she is. Then Flick arrives; loveable, bubbly Flick, accompanied by the handsome and charming Noah, and suddenly the week ahead looks as though it may be even more confusing for all the residents of Cwtch Cottage.

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

V is for Venice

The Haunted Hotel by Wilkie Collins has been on my shelf for a while so I thought it was time to dust it off and give it a read. It is a typical Victorian mystery and needs to be read in context. Perhaps to modern tastes it may be a bit stilted and to my mind the middle part is over long and adds little to the story. On the other hand, if you can persevere, the story itself is good and the ending makes up for some of its shortfalls. It isn't Collins' best work, The Woman in White I feel is a much better book, yet it does deal with many of the themes of today's mysteries; jealousy, madness, and is very atmospheric in the final chapters as you can feel the evil almost seep in from the canals of Venice.



Is there no explanation of the mystery of The Haunted Hotel? Is The Haunted Hotel the tale of a haunting -- or the tale of a crime? The ghost of Lord Montberry haunts the Palace Hotel in Venice --- or does it? Montberry's beautiful-yet-terrifying wife, the Countess Narona, and her erstwhile brother are the center of the terror that fills the Palace Hotel. Are their malefactions at the root of the haunting -- or is there something darker, something much more unknowable at work? 

A close friend of Charles Dickens from their meeting in March 1851 until Dickens' death in June 1870, William Wilkie Collins was one of the best known, best loved, and, for a time, best paid of Victorian fiction writers. But after his death, his reputation declined as Dickens' bloomed. 

Now, Collins is being given more critical and popular attention than he has received for 50 years. Most of his books are in print, and all are now in e-text. He is studied widely; new film, television, and radio versions of some of his books have been made; and all of his letters have been published. However, there is still much to be discovered about this superstar of Victorian fiction.

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

U takes us to

We're off to The USA -  Key West to be precise. At First Light is beautifully written and I love the way it links the two time periods. It is very evocative, not just of the time but also the place and the contrast with Cuba of 1919 is very atmospheric. Based on real events, the book highlights the beginning of segregation and the arrival of the Ku Klux Klan. Sadly not much has changed in the last century regarding the rise of racism. It was interesting to follow Dwayne's character as he struggles to do the right thing. Very moving book.

1993, Key West, Florida. When a Ku Klux Klan official is shot in broad daylight, all eyes turn to the person holding the gun: a 96-year-old Cuban woman who will say nothing except to admit her guilt.

1919. Mixed-race Alicia Cortez arrives in Key West exiled in disgrace from her family in Havana. At the same time, damaged war hero John Morales returns home on the last US troop ship from Europe. As love draws them closer in this time of racial segregation, people are watching, including Dwayne Campbell, poised on the brink of manhood and struggling to do what's right. And then the Ku Klux Klan comes to town...

Inspired by real events, At First Light weaves together a decades-old grievance and the consequences of a promise made as the sun rose on a dark day in American history.

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

T is for ...Thailand

and Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Australia, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia as the author recounts his exploits teaching and travelling around the world. I particularly enjoyed the section in Thailand as I also taught in Bangkok albeit ten years earlier. If you want a lightning tour with valuable insight into different cultures as well as a bit of light relief then this is the book for you. It is divided into countries so you can just dip in but as it's so easy to read you may as well read the whole book. Brought back a lot of memories.



Follow Barry around the world as he tells the story of how teaching English as a foreign language changes his life. After doing a TEFL course in London, he flies to South America alone. He has no job to go to but hopes that teaching English will fund his travels – ultimately, it opens up opportunities all over the world.

During Barry's two-year TEFL adventure he has several nervy encounters with local louts in Ecuador and Brazil, collapses after a trip to Machu Picchu, gets stuck next to ecstasy raving loonies and a transvestite on a Greyhound Bus across America, struggles to settle Down Under, finds himself working for strict Catholic nuns in Bangkok, and meets some sex mad Babushkas on the Trans-Mongolian railway.

This book is essential for anyone who wants to see how rewarding it can be to teach English in a foreign land.

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

S takes us to Spalding

We're back in the UK for this leg of our bookish journey, more specifically in the Lincolnshire fens around Spalding.

A double murder takes place in Spalding. The victims are Tina Brackenbury and her baby daughter, but Tina’s ten-year-old foster daughter, Grace Winter, manages to escape the killer. Then enquiries by the police and social services reveal a startling coincidence - four years previously Grace was the sole survivor of the horrific massacre of her mother, grandparents and sister on a farm in North Lincolnshire, a crime for which her uncle is currently serving a whole-life tariff.

Why did Amy Winter, Grace's adoptive mother, send her to live with a foster parent? Is it a coincidence that both of Grace's families have now been brutally killed? And is it possible that Grace's uncle, a notorious con-man, has found a way to contact her from his maximum security cell?  DI Tim Yates and his team face a series of apparently impenetrable conundrums.

A gripping story that had me wanting to find out what happened. The story has one or two surprises and some amazing characters. I love the setting round Spalding, although more could have been made of the unique Lincolnshire scenery, which in itself can be very atmospheric. At first I thought that it would be a story involving the female bookseller and the male prisoner. Nothing so contrived here! This story was soon put more or less on the back burner as the rest of the story unfolded with its shocking ending. A good read!

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

R takes us to Rome

Rome is our destination this week and what better to whet our travel tastebuds than "From Rome with love' by Jules Wake.

Rome is the city of love and seduction, right? Not if you find yourself staying in a beautiful apartment with your childhood-friend-turned-arch-enemy, Will Ryan…no matter how hot he is!

Romance is the last thing on Lisa’s mind. She’s got more important things to focus on, like hunting down her estranged father. Except when her search falls at the first hurdle, Will doesn’t just help her get back on track, he also shares the romantic sights – and exquisite tastes – of the Eternal City, and Lisa starts to wonder if it’s not just Rome seducing her.

Only, as Lisa and Will dig into the past, neither of them is prepared for the long-buried secrets they reveal. Secrets that will turn both their world’s upside down …

Jules Wake manages to convey the atmosphere of actually being in Rome even if you've never visited. Add some super characters, a romance with a conflict ( and boy what a conflict when the twist appears) and you have a wonderful read. My favourite kind of book combines a good story with escapism preferably set in a foreign location and "From Rome with love' has this in bucketfuls. It also gives a few cultural tips should you actually be able to visit for real. Very enjoyable and after being immersed for a couple of hours was a tad surprised when I surfaced to find myself still in the UK!

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

Q is for Quebec

Clara Morrow's husband is missing. When he fails to come home on the first anniversary of their separation, as promised, Clara asks the only person she trusts to try and find him: former Chief Inspector of Homicide, Armand Gamache. 

As Gamache journeys further into the case, he is drawn deeper into the tortured mind of Peter Morrow, a man so desperate to recapture his fame as an artist that he would sell his soul. As Gamache gets closer to the truth, he uncovers a deadly trail of jealousy and deceit. Can Gamache bring Peter, and himself, home safely? Or in searching for answers, has he placed himself, and those closest to him, in terrible danger?

I've had Canada on my 'must visit' list for quite a while now after recommendations from several friends. After reading this book, it sounds as if the scenery alone is to die for - pun intended! So with my love of all things french, I think Quebec must be a wonderful place to visit. For now sadly it will only be through the medium of this book.

In 'The long way home' Louise Penny skilfully draws us into quebecois life yet this book is so much more. On one level it's about a missing person yet it soon becomes clear that Art, the meaning of life, success,power, guilt are all subplots that add to the whole. A fascinating book, the tenth in the series, yet easily read as a standalone - although now I desperately want to read the others to find out exactly what brought Armand Gamache to the place he is in at the start of the book. Very cleverly written.

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

P takes us to the fictional village of Pendruggan

We're off to a fictional village on our world tour this week; the village of Pendruggan in Cornwall in Fern Britton's 'A Cornish gift'.

Christmas comes to the little village of Pendruggan and Cornwall’s very own Mr Rochester, Piran Ambrose, discovers the true meaning of the festive season when even he can’t resist the village celebrations. Meanwhile, best friends Penny and Helen are embarking on a stolen weekend of blissful indulgence but best laid plans often go awry and the ladies are in for a big surprise. In an idyllic cottage on the Cornish cliffs, the Appleby family and their bearded collie, Molly, are having a holiday to remember. It’s time for a little Cornish escape for all.

This is a lovely collection of stories all centred around the fictional village of Pendruggan in Cornwall. There is quite a bit of back story included so even if you haven't read any of the other books, you can still follow the stories. I loved finding out more about some of the characters from 'The Postcard' as well as some of Penny's colleagues. Piran as a modern day Scrooge is also a great twist. This book is great to dip in and out of yet together provides a satisfying completeness as you realise they are not just random stories but add to the Cornish flavour of the last book.

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

O is for ...

Inspired by Algeria, the place where Albert Camus was born, today we're visiting Oran courtesy of 'The Outsider'. I first studied this book for 'A' Level French and decided it was about time I reread it - almost forty years later. I was surprised that although I remembered the main themes and events, I had very little recollection of the build up to the murder. Surprising how selective our memory can be? It is still thought provoking and the mastery of language is wonderful; the descriptions of the hot sun, the beach, the feeling of isolation as Meursault is condemned essentially for not showing emotion. if anything I think the passage of time has made me appreciate the book even more.

                                             

Meursault will not pretend. After the death of his mother, everyone is shocked when he shows no sadness. And when he commits a random act of violence in Algiers, society is baffled. Why would this seemingly law-abiding bachelor do such a thing? And why does he show no remorse even when it could save his life? His refusal to satisfy the feelings of others only increases his guilt in the eyes of the law. Soon Meursault discovers that he is being tried not simply for his crime, but for his lack of emotion - a reaction that condemns him for being an outsider. For Meursault, this is an insult to his reason and a betrayal of his hopes; for Camus it encapsulates the absurdity of life.

If you are interested in 'The Outsider' then 'The Meursault Investigation'  might also be of interest. It tells the story of the dead Arab's brother and the repercussions of his murder.

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

N takes us to Notting Hill

If it's October then it must be time for the first of our Christmas reads. This one by Mandy Baggot takes us to Notting Hill.

Imagine the perfect Christmas Kiss…

His strong arms around her waist, her hands on his face, the snow slowly starts to fall…

It’s enough to make Isla Winters cringe! While her sister can’t get enough of this – increasingly common – sight on the streets of London, Isla’s too busy trying to stop Hannah’s wheelchair from slipping on the ice, and making sure she’s not too late to her dream job at Breekers International. 

But everything changes with the arrival of Chase Bryan, fresh from the New York office. He’s eager to learn everything about Isla’s beloved Notting Hill, but as the nights get colder, will cosying up to him come at a price?

A lovely book to get you in the mood for Christmas. Loved the theme of Hannah seeking her Christmas kiss in Notting Hill and Raj is a brilliant creation. To be honest I found the subplot of their romance more interesting than that of Isla and Chase, which seemed a bit contrived at times. Nevertheless the book will leave you with a nice warm feeling inside even when it's freezing outside. The London Eye ( i-circle) scene is memorable and Chase's two daughters will ring true for anyone with teenagers. Well worth a read.

Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

M is for the Mediterranean

I can't resist books set in the Mediterranean so this book was an easy choice being set in Paris and of course the South of France.

May 1968 and Paris is hot with rebellion, passion and hope, as protestors clash with the riot police. Brilliant art student Laure stands boldly on the barricades, heady with her new-found defiance, and is swept into romance with Lolo, the fascinating student leader. But youthful rebellion comes at a cost.


Set against the student uprising in Paris in the 1960s this book immerses the reader in another world. No sooner are we immersed n this world than we are transported to a rural idyll in the South of France; an escape from the frenzy of the capital. There are a few surprises on the way but I enjoyed this intelligent summer read. The descriptions of both locations are exquisite and it is easy to empathise with the protagonist.Some nice little touches too such as the father's bakery and the background of the main character's childhood friend.


Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34

L takes us to ...?

On our bookish journey round the world. we're staying close to home this week. "Hope to die', a crime thriller is set in Liverpool with a serial murderer on the loose in the grounds of the cathedral. This is the first book by David Jackson that I've read and I found myself gripped by tension as the body count mounted. I read a lot of crime thrillers though and I'm pleased that even for an avid fan there were still a few surprises.I worked out the red herring but still didn't spot the killer so well done for that. I did find myself wishing I had read the first in the series as there were a lot of references to a previous case which has had repercussions for Cody and affects his relationship with his colleague, an aspect of the book that I particularly enjoyed. Although the ending of the book is neatly resolved regarding the killers, Cody's personal and mental issues are not so it looks like I'm going to have to read the rest in the series to find out what is behind his nightmares. All in all a read that will keep you turning the page, full of emotional suspense, clever without being contrived.

About David Jackson

 

I am the author of a series of crime thrillers featuring Irish-American NYPD Detective Callum Doyle. The first in the series, Pariah, was Highly Commended in the Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Awards. It is published by Pan Macmillan. The follow-ups are The Helper and Marked, and I am hard at work on the fourth in the series. My writing influences include Ed McBain, Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos, Robert Crais, Michael Connelly and Harlan Coben, amongst many others. My favourite quote about my work is one from the Guardian, now carried on the front of my novels: 'Recalls Harlan Coben - though for my money Jackson is the better writer.'

Website

http://www.davidjacksonbooks.com

Twitter

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Julie Ryan is the author of the Greek Island mystery series, Jenna's Journey, Sophia's Secret and Pandora's Prophecy. You can find out more about her here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00F0VYX34