Killer's Forest by Ellington Norris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While there was a lot to commend in this psychological thriller, set in the 18th century, there were also several points that prevented me from rating it very highly. I liked the basic premise behind the main character, Al, becoming obsessed by death and dying after he had watched a public hanging, having been encouraged by his father who was a prominent citizen of a colonial town in Pennsylvania. The way that Al’s character continues to become more and more warped is quite well done and intriguing to the reader. However, I found much of the writing simplistic and quite pedantic, lacking flair and description for both the settings and the other main characters: Will, Johnny and Mary-Sue. There was not enough to make me feel that I was in the supposed, historical, place and time the action was meant to be taking place. For me, there was too much “telling” and not enough “showing” of places, people and events.

Too much of the plot had me asking “how?” and did not make sense: for example how do you “lure” two large and fierce predators to a chosen place in the forest? It lacked necessary detail to make it believable. At the same time as much of the narrative was too mechanical and lacking emotion, like a shopping list, there were quite a few confusing uses of descriptive words that did not make logical sense: e.g. “transitioned” (electron transfer between atomic shells!) where changed or moved would have done? The manuscript could also bear some attention from an editor because there were several typos; some confusion of past and present tense, within the same paragraph or page. There was even on one page, a reference to the same horse as a “call” (calm?) mare at the top of the page, but which had become a stallion, by the time you read to the bottom of the page!

Notwithstanding my previous criticisms there is an exciting, intriguing and suitably disturbing psychological thriller within these pages, but it just requires some close editorial attention before publication.


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Let Me Be Frank by Frank Bruno
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I began reading this book I had no idea what to expect since I could recall mostly being disappointed at the negative publicity Frank Bruno received during the days when he fell from grace, and admittedly, feeling very little sympathy for this ‘National Treasure’ who seemed to have the world at his feet but apparently blew it. However, after reading just a few pages of his honest revelations and quite upsetting treatment, both during his bipolar bouts and when being sectioned, I very quickly had to agree with his deliberately ambiguous book title! What a great line – “Let Me Be Frank”. There are many points in the book when you can see which way things are going to go for Frank if he continues to take the attitude and course of action that he intended. I had to exclaim, “No!” a couple of times and had so much sympathy for his family and close friends who seemed to Frank to be ganging up against him. But his openness, when explaining where he was coming from at the time, was just so understandable, and it made me angry with the various authorities who lacked empathy and the correct procedures needed when dealing with individuals suffering from mental illness.

The strength of character, kindness, affection and genuine respect that Frank Bruno feels for all others on this planet are inspirational. He goes out of his way not to name people with whom he has a justifiable grievance, but instead consults many others, knowledgeable in the field of such illness, in order to support and create organisations that can help fellow sufferers. You feel as though you have accompanied this remarkable man from beginning to end on his remarkable journey. Surely, there can be no better person to front the current, necessary, changes in the treatment of mental health. This is a highly recommended, inspirational, read.


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Silentis by M. Susanne Wiggins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I started reading this book I had all of the wrong ideas about it. From rapid-reading the blurb I thought that it was a YA thriller about a suicidal student on a high school romp with his classmates in a spooky Victorian graveyard. I assumed that it would probably all turn out well in the end. There were elements of the tale that I dislike in a book and that often make me hate what I am reading from beginning to end, but being a stubborn and determined ‘avid old(er) reader’ then I will usually persist reading most books until the denouement – particularly thrillers. The contemporary story is related in the first person (dislike) by Payton Raynor and it is a gothic style (dislike) tale with many supernatural (dislike) occurrences that are essential to the telling.

However, when an intriguing novel is told with such skill and talent, as well demonstrated by new author M. Susanne Wiggins, then I am hooked! The characters and conversations are completely believable and so accurately written, that this very spooky and disturbing story is one that will stay in the mind long afterwards. It has plenty of surprising, even shocking, twists and turns; as well as the half-expected, occasional, touches of teenage randiness between Payton and Ava. This burgeoning relationship serves to cast doubts in his mind about carrying out his plans, revenge-killing plans that, unfortunately, we all too often hear about in today’s media. Silentis is a compelling but disturbing novel, with a totally unexpected ending that will challenge a reader’s logic and emotions.


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The Last Saturday Of October: The Declassified Secrets of Black Saturday by Douglas Charles Gilbert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Who would have thought that the world nearly came to an end at the start of the swinging sixties? The story that Douglas Gilbert tells in this fascinating novel is full of underwater drama that impacts personally upon all the submariners aboard the B-59 submarine, as well as focussing upon the factually true, potentially nuclear, incident that took place in the water off Cuba in 1962. The clear narrative used by the author somehow conveys to the reader a taste of the repetitive monotony of the necessary duties regularly required from the crew, with an incredible amount of technical detail; while at the same time allowing an uncomfortable, sweaty, even claustrophobically candid, glimpse at the conditions experienced by the Russian sailors. Violent Atlantic storms and interpersonal disputes and differences of opinion among officers all add to the tension aboard the sub at different times. You are meant to recall that these events were very likely to have occurred during the Cuban Missile Crisis and, regardless of what generation the reader is, there is a certain amount of spine-tingling horror, of what might have been, that lingers in the memory after completing the book.

Gilbert uses his own knowledge and training as a submariner, and much historical detail with great skill. The characterisation and dialogue are clear and credible throughout the novel. When a touch of cynical, personal opinion creeps in about politicians, of whatever persuasion, together with their decisions and their foibles, it comes across as understandable and no surprise. This is an amazing story told with amazing clarity and verve. My only criticism would be that earlier, when there was such a lot of specialist navy detail to take in, long passages of technical description slowed down the story and delayed the tension still to come. This could be true for those readers with no military experience or without a particular interest in them. Nevertheless highly recommended.


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Waverley by Walter Scott
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I had previously read and enjoyed Rob Roy and the Ivanhoe novels by Sir Walter Scott. This was, I suspect, because I could generally follow the plot and the dialogue was interesting if quite archaic throughout the books. However, I had a lot of problems understanding the motives of young Edward Waverley and the frequent use of the Scottish accent and dialect by the Highlanders he later meets. A large amount of the story takes place amongst the Jacobite rebels of 1745 so there are many conversations that require the reader to constantly seek translation from the additional notes at the back of the book, which I was fortunate to have in the edition I read. That and the irritating Baron Bradwardine’s penchant for quoting Latin and French sayings made this novel almost unenjoyable for me. The plot took a long while to become clear, probably about a third of the book, and, even right up until the end of the novel, Edward’s reasons for fighting for the opposite side as a commissioned English officer did not make sense.

Scott attempts to introduce rather thin, romantic and noble notions that float through Waverley’s brain and he is meant to fall for Flora MacIvor who rejects him. But then Edward (too?) quickly shifts his ardour towards an English rose of a previous encounter. I was determined to read Waverley to the end as it is thought to represent the original example of an historical romantic novel. Still, I could not accept in the final few chapters why this example of a fine officer and gentleman was not court martialled for treason. Scott seems to be implying that his behaviour was acceptable purely because of his attitude towards another English officer (his enemy on the battle field!) and this gave him enough status for him to be excused betraying his King and country. It could well be that Scott was attempting to convey the prevailing contemporary attitude of the aristocratic “club” towards their inferiors. I found the conversations with the Young Pretender, the Bonny Prince, much more believable and encouraging of my sympathy for the Stuart cause. Of course all’s well that ends well – at least for the hero of the book. If this had been my first book by Scott it would have put me off reading any more of his novels. It is definitely one for the academics of literature and history.


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The Bastard Boys of Montezuma by Jaromy Henry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Set in 1896 this western has an interesting theme with the two main characters as the mature progeny of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp. They have a detective agency in a tough town with the story being told by Cash Holliday who is equally proficient with a six gun as his father was reputed to be. The main characters are quite well drawn and so are some of the less desirable individuals they meet along the way in their adventurous quest. At the start of the story and at later points I found some of the language and terms used to be a bit too contemporary, even tame at times. I felt sure that more vernacular, maybe bad, language would have been common in those times and settings. Admittedly the heroes seem to be a lot more articulate in their speech and often eager to express themselves as lucid and educated but it felt at odds with their situation. The author may have intended it that way in the plot, or the targeted readers maybe include young readers as well as adults. For me the story could have been more “gritty” in its dialogue. However, it has to be acknowledged that this is a very exciting story with plenty of the expected gunfights. Cash and Marshall Earp (yes, that is his name in the novel) encounter a few people from history that the reader would probably have heard about, even in the UK; such as the Pinkerton Detective Agency and Butch Cassidy along with his expected sidekick. There were the occasional slow sections in the tale when Cash became quite eloquent in his long discourse, either to the reader, or another character, to explain events. But then fighting outlaws or the attempts to save a threatened female character provided a required balance of sorts. Overall, if you like novels in the western genre, then this book is certainly worth a look. I’m not sure if it is quite up to Zane Grey’s “Riders of the Purple Sage” but it certainly qualifies for action, intriguing characters and plot.

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Playing Dead by Bronson Palmer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

When I started reading this book my first impression was that it was a teenager’s fantasy story – lots of fighting with zombies everywhere – and definitely not a genre that I would choose to read. However, I ploughed on to find it was actually a contemporary tale about high school bullies with a young teenage girl, Jenaiya, as the main character. So I was partially correct as it was definitely aimed at very young adults/teens. This meant that I had to rapid read through very many passages about the computer game that Jenaiya was obsessed with, and I found very tedious. This is probably understandable as I am well past pensionable age. But at the same time I think reading such long descriptions about a video game would not be of much interest to, and far less exciting for, youngsters than actually playing a game – even this one. This observation is based upon my own experience as a father, grandfather and high school teacher over 3 decades. At the same time there was no mention in the book of contemporary products like eBooks, tablets or smartphones, which may not appeal to modern YA or teen readers. The book was well written but did contain a few typos throughout it.

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Ten Heads for Tanuj by Priya Narayanan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story is about Tanuj, a boy, who falls asleep one night and wakes up with ten heads just like Ravana, a great Indian Lord whose tales Tanuj enjoys so much. The tale continues to explore the kind of problems he would encounter, such as combing his hair and brushing his teeth while in a hurry to get to school. His parents are eager to help because of a bet his mother had with the parent of another child. It was about Tanuj winning the school’s top attendance award. But of course this is not the only problem a boy with ten heads has. He finds one or two small advantages in having this many heads but, after a visit from the mischievous Lord Ravana, he is told of the sacrifices he must make in order to return to normal. One of the things he has to do involves not doing so well in school and when he has a surprising discussion about this with the school’s Principal, Mr Khanna, Tanuj’s problems begin to get worse.

The book is aimed at children around 7 or 9 years of age and I am sure the fantasy of having so many heads would not be lost on them. Some of the drawbacks described by the author might be lost on youngsters, such as unwelcome publicity. However, that may well be counter balanced by Tanuj’ s list of silly conditions that he presents to Mr Khanna. It is often a puzzle to adults about the sources of humour that cause a smile on the face of a little one - or even a giggle from a seven year-old! The book includes some amusing illustrations and there is a simple lesson to be learnt about putting wrong things right, although I still feel there are some things in the story that might be over the heads of a child.


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Acquainted With Butterflies: A Collection of Short Stories, Personal Essays & Poetry by J.C. Wing
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read collections of short stories and collections of poetry before and usually enjoyed them, since they more often contain works by well-known and favourite writers of mine. Admittedly they were less likely to be contemporary writers of my own and more recent generations but the main attraction for me was being able to dip in and out, looking for, and often finding, snippets of experiences and emotions with which I could identify. So when I came to read J.C. Wing’s book it was with a mixture of pleasure and trepidation. I have read and enjoyed everything that I have read from this gifted author who conveys things so clearly; events, characters and their innermost feelings and fears. But the problem for me was that “Butterflies” also contained autobiographical and personal recollections from J.C. and I’m not all that keen on that kind of writing any more. This was mainly because so often the reader usually discovers in a biography, or even a memoir type of book, that your idol had feet of clay and you wind up not liking them very much. I feared that might happen here.

As usual with a J.C. Wing book I came to the end of it thinking, “Well that was well worth the time spent reading it!” In fact there were many stories and poems that I will go back to and read again. In particular I liked: the surprise twist in Cold Feet and in The Old Switcheroo; the humour of Letters to the Couch; and the poems, Reflections and I Know, which were full of pathos and sharp observation. However, much to my surprise, I found three of J.C.’s essays about her relationship with her father incredibly moving because of her bravery and candour. Some Things Just Are; The Gift of Music; and My Dad and Elvis Presley felt somehow polemical to me, which reminded me of one of my most favourite of authors, George Orwell in how he writes in The Road to Wigan Pier and Burmese Days for example. His writing is so clear and, at first sight, coldly clinical but then the underlying passion comes through as one ponders his words later. That same sense of awareness comes through with Wing’s intimate recollections.

J.C. Wing is a most talented writer and must carry on writing so that the rest of the world may eventually discover her. I would love to see her apply her talent to some of the big issues in the world, such as climate change, population growth, pollution of the Earth and misguided politics for a start. This is a most thought provoking collection and I shall return to it again and again, I’ve no doubt; highly recommended.

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Shadows of Darkness by David S. Fisher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For me this was a “cosy murder mystery” but set in Italy instead of an English village. It had a reasonably intriguing beginning, which, fairly obviously after a few pages, sets up lawyer Nico Moretti as being falsely implicated in a murder. The plot wends its way rather laboriously through its many twists and turns, and credit where it’s due, with lots of surprising conversations that give the main characters credible identities. I enjoyed the conversations between Nico and Mario or Olivera which were believable and exciting. Situations and scenarios, such as driving at speeds through the busy roads of Italian towns, are well described and added to the tension.

Unfortunately, the tale is told in the first person right up until the epilogue and the finale. They are narrated in the third person, when the author adopts a more documentary type of style for the finale, but the epilogue felt like a quite different book. Although I do not like novels in the first person it generally worked quite well here, adding well to the intriguing confusion of the plot. However, the last two chapters (epilogue and finale) felt rushed and trite in an attempt to explain the brilliantly surprising denouement, which spoilt the book for me. There were so many editing errors throughout the book that I was tempted to stop counting because it took my attention away from the unfolding mystery. There is a definite winning thriller here when the errors are removed and the ending is tightened up – at least for this fan of the genre.

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