The Howling by Michael J Malone

I am delighted to share my review of The Howling by Michael J Malone. This is the third in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series, after The Murmurs and The Torments. Big thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me and I read from my own bought paperback copy (sad that the spine graphics don't align with the previous two books, wanted the set to match on my shelf!)

The Blurb

Two men, centuries apart, dream of being a wolf.

One is burned at the stake.

Another is locked in a psychiatric hospital for most of his life.

And Annie Jackson is about to find out why…

Vowing once more to remove herself from society, Annie is living alone in her little cottage by the shores of a loch. But when an old enemy – now locked up in a high-security hospital – comes calling, begging her to find the son that she was forced to give up at the age of seventeen, Annie is tempted out of seclusion.

The missing boy holds the key to ending Annie's curse, and he may be the only chance that both she and Lewis have of real happiness.

Annie and Lewis begin an investigation that takes them back to the past, a time etched in Scottish folklore, a period of history that may just be repeating itself. And what they uncover could destroy not just some of the most powerful people in the country, who will stop at nothing to protect their wealth and their secrets, but also Annie's life, and everything she holds dear…

My Review

Annie is trying to live a quiet life, away from people, in her little cottage where the murmurs are quiet. But when a distant relation, someone for whom Annie holds no love, asks for Annie's help finding the son she was forced to give up years ago, Annie accepts, because finding him is finding a cure for her condition. Aided by Lewis, she begins an enquiry which leads them down a very dangerous path...

It's great to have Annie and Lewis back! I love their relationship and how fiercely protective they are of each other. They are both keen to end Annie's curse and are willing to do whatever they need to to do so. But alongside this, we have a second storyline set in 1707 where we meet Andra and his family. This book, as well as giving us an exciting contemporary mystery, also explores the witch trials and legends of otherworldly creatures. I love the gothic horror feel to this series - curses, poisons, witches, wolves. 

Andra's storyline is horrific but I loved learning a little bit about Scotland's witch trials. The modern day storyline is twisty and dark, and Annie and Lewis learn some powerful secrets about some powerful people. We also have an additional storyline about a young boy who dreams of wolves. Eventually these two story strands weave together reaching an explosive denouement full of risk and danger - I was holding my breath! 

The Howling is beautifully written, evocative, full of danger and darkness, with a real sense of otherness. Annie is such an intriguing and engaging main character. I think it might be my favourite Annie Jackson novel so far.

The Author

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines

throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish

Association of Writers. His dark psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and is currently in production for the screen, and five powerful standalone

thrillers followed suit. The Murmurs and The Torments, the earlier books in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series, were published to critical acclaim in 2023 and 2024. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr, where he also works as a hypnotherapist.

The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek (translated by Nick Caistor)

It was the incredible true story at the centre of this novel that drew me to it - a story of which I had been previously unaware. Welcome to my review of The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek and translated from French by Nick Caistor. My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb

"Olivier Norek’s astonishing novel on the Soviet invasion of Finland is gripping, horrifying, and surprisingly moving, not least for his portrait of ‘The White Death’, perhaps the greatest sniper that ever lived. Impeccably researched and beautifully written, The Winter Warriors is perfect for fans of Ben Macintyre and Robert Harris” Paula Hawkins

November, 1939. A conscription officer arrives in the peaceful farming village of Rautjärvi. The Soviet Union has invaded, and for the first time in its history as an independent country, Finland is at war.

Setting off into the depths of winter to face the Red Army, the small group of childhood friends recruited from Rautjärvi have no idea whether any of them will ever return home. But their unit has a secret weapon: the young sniper Simo Häyhä, whose lethal skill in the snow-bound forests of the front line will earn him the nickname “The White Death”.

Drawing on the real-life figures and battles of the Finnish-Soviet Winter War, this is a gripping, page-turning historical thriller from one of Europe’s most acclaimed storytellers. 

My Review

I was very ignorant of the Russian-Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940 - I am not generally a great consumer of history as I find it needs to be presented in the right way to grab my attention and avoid feeling dry. Firstly, the true story at the centre of this novel is anything but dry, and, secondly, having it presented like this enables the reader to feel like they are there in the frozen trenches, in the midst of battle, facing a foe ten times bigger than they are. 

The author has clearly done an astounding amount of research, including spending a cold winter in Finland. Many of the central characters were real people - there are photographs of some of them at the back of the book - and the places and battles are real also. The author has given the soldiers on the Finnish side, real or not, a real sense of humanity. We see the strong bonds that build between comrades and the heartbreak and grief when those bonds are broken. And for the small group of friends at the centre of the story these bonds are even stronger. And, of course, we see the damage that war causes these young men, and a few women, whether they are physically injured or not. The sheer horror of what they see, what they are asked to do. Whether it's this war or any other, I doubt there is a single soldier amongst those who have seen active service who comes back unchanged. 

The young man at the centre of this story is fascinating. Simo Häyhä has grown up in the forest, is a fantastic shot but has a deep respect for his surroundings, only ever killing what he needs. He already has a reputation in his area due to his success at the Rifling Championship, despite his young age and small stature. He is ready to fight, to defend his country, but doesn't see himself as special. Others disagree. His slightly unhinged, alcoholic senior officer recognises Simo's skills and puts him to good use, but at what toll? The portrayal of Simo, his skill, his dedication, his loyalty, his pain and his anger is very detailed, upsetting in places and helps to put flesh on his bones.  

The Finnish countryside and weather play such a huge role in this book. During much of the war the temperature is below -35°C and lower, which is just incomprehensible to me, snow covers the ground and water is frozen. The descriptions of the forest are beautiful, as are the reactions of the conditions and battles, horrific though they are. But that weather, perilous and deadly as it is to the Finns it is so much worse for the Russians. And the descriptions of those left out in the cold are heartbreaking but beautiful in their own way. Particularly the description of one ill advised assault across water. 

The Winter Warriors is a lengthy novel but I read it in two days. I found it interesting, educational, horrifying and compulsive. And very well written. I recommend you read the author notes at the back of the book which explain about some of his research, which was varied and in depth. The only thing that didn't work so well in the e-book where the numbered references in the text which are all explained at the end - I would have preferred them as footnotes as it's not easy to go back and forth in an e-copy. But that was a teeny niggly thing. This is a book very well worth checking out - a great account of an important moment of history. 

The Author

After 18 years in the French police force, Olivier Norek turned to crime writing. Between Two Worlds was the Times and Sunday Times Crime Novel of the Year 2024.

While researching for this novel, Norek spent three months (the duration of the war itself) in Finland, experiencing the -35°C conditions in which the war was fought and in which more than 130,000 Russian soldiers died before the Soviet Union signed a peace treaty in March 1940.

The Dying Light by Daniel Aubrey

I loved the first book in this series by Daniel Aubrey, Dark Island, although I am yet to review it (hangs head in shame!) so I was super excited to read this new one. Big thanks to Kelly Lacey at Love Books Tours for inviting me on the tour and to the publisher for my review e-copy of the book. I will be buying my own paperback copy at Bloody Scotland on Friday - more on that below or on last Saturday's post. 

 

The Blurb

The longest day. The deadliest sins.

The residents of Orkney can’t sleep.

Through 18-hour summer days, the islands are drenched in unrelenting sunshine.

But a killer with a shadowy past is living undetected on the archipelago.

As the heat rises, reporter Freya will not rest until she’s brought the truth to light. Can she stop the murderer before they strike again?

My Review

The Dying Light sees the return of young journalist Freya Sinclair, now settled back on Orkney after years away, and working for newspaper, The Orcadian. Freya has a number of stories to focus on when a body is discovered in a tomb cave. The investigation is being overseen by DI Fergus Muir, with whom Freya has a great relationship. But rather than focusing on any of these stories, Freya is carrying out her own investigation into the death of her father years previously. We see the progress of the police investigation into the death on the rocks, and of her own investigation, which takes her somewhere she never wanted to go... 

I am thrilled to see Freya back. She is a bright, refreshing and determined young woman who doesn't always see the world as others do. Freya is neurodivergent, albeit without a formal diagnosis, and as such, approaches situations differently. It can often be a strength, such as hyperfocusing on a research topic but, equally, that hyperfocus can be detrimental if said focus could lead to jeopardy or danger as Freya can't always follow the most suitable of routes. If she starts something, she has to see it through, come hell or high water. She struggles in some social situations and can often feel overwhelmed by people of noise, etc. I love that Daniel not only shows the strengths of her neurodivergence but also the negatives - he doesn't make out like it's a superpower (because that's not helpful to anyone). This is an author who understands what it's like to be neurodivergent. 

From the rest of the cast, I love Tom, Freya's husband and rock, the one person who truly 'gets' her. And I really enjoyed the back and forth between DI Muir and recent recruit DS Jennie Murray. Also, I can't go without mentioning Orkney itself, with both its beauty and bleakness and it's wild, ever changing weather. It's somewhere I would love to visit. 

The story goes back and forth between 1997 and present day, with different storylines all  coming together culminating in one explosive denouement. It's a satisfying, well written tale with moments of humour but, for me, the main strength of The Dying Light is in its characterisation, and in putting somebody centre stage who is differently abled. That shouldn't be something that needs to be celebrated but I think there is still so much misunderstanding around neurodiversity, and other conditions, of course, that anything that brings the discussion into the mainstream is a very positive thing. But it certainly helps that it's a great book! Highly recommend. 


The Author

Daniel Aubrey is a former journalist whose previous jobs included writing for a local paper in Spain and working as a sub-editor at an international press agency in Hong Kong. Now living in Scotland, his debut novel, Dark Island, is a crime thriller about neurodivergent reporter, Freya Sinclair, who uncovers a disturbing conspiracy following the discovery of human remains on Orkney’s wild Atlantic coast. The Dying Light is his second novel.


Bloody Scotland Panel

Daniel will be appearing at Bloody Scotland this coming weekend. You can book your tickets here. This panel is one of my two highlighted choices in last Saturday's post. 

Celebrating Neurodiversity: Daniel Aubrey, Sean Watkin, Trevor Wood
Friday 12th September, 7.00-8.00pm, Holy Trinity Church, tickets £9.00/8.00

Meet three authors of intriguing and powerful novels whose neurodivergent protagonists excel despite – and sometimes because of – their brains working differently from what is considered “typical”. Freya Sinclair, Daniel Aubrey’s autistic and fearless journalist, returns in The Dying Light, set against the unrelenting sunshine of an Orkney summer. DCI Win de Silva is suffering from PTSD but must catch the killer of teenage girls in Liverpool in Sean Watkin’s compelling Black Water Rising. Trevor Wood’s sensitive portrayal of Early Onset Dementia sufferer DCI Jack Parker gets a reprise in the enthralling new thriller The Inside Man.

I Am Death by Chris Carter #blogathon

It's the Chris Carter Blogathon Day! For this month anyway, there will be a whole new one next month. My review of I Am Death can be found below and, as expected, it's another shocker. My thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for inviting me to participate. I read from my own bought copy. 

The Blurb

Seven days after being abducted, the body of a twenty-year-old woman is found on a green patch of grass by the Los Angeles International Airport. She has been left with her limbs stretched out and spread apart, placing her in a five-point human star.

The autopsy reveals that she had been murdered in a most terrible way. But the surprises don't end there.

Detective Robert Hunter, who leads LAPD's Special Section, Ultra Violent Unit, is assigned the case. But almost immediately a second body turns up. Hunter knows he has to be quick.

Surrounded by new challenges as every day passes, Detective Hunter finds himself chasing a monster. A predator whose past hides a terrible secret, whose desire to hurt people and thirst for murder can never be quenched - for he is DEATH.

My Review

We're back on our huge Chris Carter blogathon, and I can't believe we're already up to number seven! I Am Death is as creepy and frightening as the books that have come before and the crimes are just as inventive. It works well as a standalone, as there is a potted history of Robert Hunter's background. But I find with series, where possible, it's better to start at the beginning and go in order to get a richer reading experience. But for this series, you will need a strong stomach. A very strong one! I like my (fictional!) crime dark, but I must admit there was the odd occasion in this book when I skipped a paragraph or two because the details were just too graphic for me. 

After the body of a young woman is found, the pathologist discovers that she had been tortured prior to death. And The killer has left his calling card. Soon after another body is found, completely different MO, same calling card. The crimes are horrific, the killer careful. There is not a lot for Hunter and his partner Garcia to go on. There is a second  storyline featuring 11 year old Ricky, which starts when a kind man helps him after his  bike is damaged by some bullying kids. 

I'm always fascinated by the science and behavioural stuff in Carter's novels, whether presented by Robert Hunter himself - he reads a lot - the pathologist or another specialist, there is a lot of interesting stuff there, and it never really feels clunky. I know the author has a background in psychology but he's clearly also done a lot of research. Of course, Hunter is a fascinating character, and it's always good to see him work. I was glad to see Garcia back in this one too. And there were a fair few characters I felt sorry for in this book - if you read it you'll see why. 

The story, as always, is satisfyingly complex, with sad undertones. The violence used is described in VERY graphic detail - this will not be a book for everyone. It certainly touches the horror genre for me and it is now customary that if I'm reading a Chris Carter alone in the house late in the evening, at least one light will be staying on all night! I didn't guess the antagonist, nor their back story, and thus was suitably shocked. It was certainly a 'gulp' moment for me. I Am Death is another solid and (mostly) enjoyable entry into this collection, although perhaps the most violent. Although, as the crimes are so varied in the books, they're all pretty dark!  As always when looking forward to the next book, I wonder where Chris Carter will take us next - part of me dreads to think! Watch this space. 

The Author

Born in Brazil of Italian origin, Chris Carter studied psychology and criminal behaviour in the USA. As a member of the District Attorney's Criminal Psychology team, and working together with the Police Department in numerous cases, he interviewed and studied many criminals, including serial and multiple homicide offenders with life imprisonment convictions. He now lives in London, UK.

Bloody Scotland Influencers Tour

It's the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in Stirling next week end! Woohoo! This is always a highlight in my calendar but it seems to have come around so quickly this year! Family circumstances meant I was unable to attend the Bloody Scotland press launch in June, and I only managed to get a print copy of the programme earlier this week - it's easier to plan the weekend on paper because there is so much to see! I'm thrilled to be on this tour again so huge thanks to Bloody Scotland for inviting me. But they've asked me to pick two sessions I'm looking forward to this year. Just two! There are loads of sessions I want to attend, and some big names coming this year, so picking just two is a big ask! You can see my picks below and I urge you to check out the other posts from this tour to get a wide range of recommendations.

 

Actually, when it came down to it, picking just two I was really excited about wasn't that hard and both my choices are on the opening day of the festival, Friday 12th September. 

I might have squealed a little bit when I saw this first event was happening. I am a big fan of both Thomas Enger and Johana Gustawsson - loved their individual work and they're both lovely people too. So I was super excited when they joined forces to write a new series, starting with Son. I loved it, you can see my review here, and I'm really looking forward to hearing them talking about working together. Need to buy a copy too to get signed! I don't know Karin Smirnoff's work although I do know of the series - mainly because I've seen the film of the first book - so excited to her from her. 

Nordic Chills and Thrills: Karin Smirnoff, Thomas Enger & Johana Gustawsson

Friday 12th September, 3:30pm, The Albert Halls
Tickets: £11 - £12

The chilling allure of Scandinavian crime fiction remains undiminished, a glittering dark star in the noir sky. Three of its finest proponents come together to discuss their new books and the genre’s continuing appeal.

The Girl with Ice in her Veins is the latest in the multi-million selling Millenium series featuring Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomquist and penned by Swedish author Karin Smirnoff. Norway’s Thomas Enger and French-born Swedish resident Johana Gustawsson have achieved notable individual success and have now combined brilliantly on Son, the first in a spectacular new series featuring police psychologist Kari Voss.

This event will feature a Crime in the Spotlight reading from Becky Brynolf (I Found a Body)."

Tickets for this event can be found here

I knew I would be coming to this second event as soon as I knew it was happening. Crime fiction is the perfect genre for reflecting and highlighting social issues, and it is encouraging to see more protagonists coming to the fore who are differently abled, disabled, from the LGBTQ+ community or from a minority group. This session focuses on the first of these, with authors who have given their main characters a mental health issue or mind condition (not the right wording but I am loathed to say 'disability'). I've read both of Daniel Aubrey's novels to date - sorry I have I'd reviewed them yet but the review for The Dying Light (second book) will be up next week). I was particularly interested in these books as I have experience of autism in the family and I am currently on a very long waiting list to discuss an ADHD diagnosis for myself, but I don't see these conditions as entirely bad, there is much that is positive in them. I don't know the books of the other two authors but am so interested to hear what they have to say and how they've dealt with the portrayal of the conditions they feature. I'm always interested in how mental illness is shown in literature and, unfortunately, also have experience in the family of dementia. I think this is going to be a fascinating session and I'm really pleased it's been included in the programme. 

Always on my Mind: Daniel Aubrey, Sean Watkin, Trevor Wood

Friday 12th September, 7:00pm, The Holy Trinity Church,
Tickets: £8 - £9

Meet three authors of intriguing and powerful novels whose protagonists excel despite – and sometimes because of – their brains working differently from what is considered “typical”.

Freya Sinclair, Daniel Aubrey’s autistic and fearless journalist, returns in The Dying Light, set against the unrelenting sunshine of an Orkney summer. DCI Win de Silva is suffering from PTSD but must catch the killer of teenage girls in Liverpool in Sean Watkin’s compelling Black Water Rising. Trevor Wood’s sensitive portrayal of early onset dementia sufferer DCI Jack Parker gets a reprise in the enthralling new thriller The Inside Man.

Tickets for this session can be found here

But these are just two from a huge, wide ranging programme, with three different sessions happening in most of the time slots. You can view the whole programme here and I would urge you to have a look, and also read the recommendations of others on this tour.  I do hope you can come along - come say hi if you do! 

To The Shades Descend by Allan Gaw

Today we have the last, for now, of our Allan Gaw books featuring pathologist Dr Jack Cuthbert, To The Shades Descend. Many thanks to Kelly Lacey at Love Books Tours for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy. See below for my review and also for details of Allan's appearance at the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival next weekend. 

The Blurb

The dead all have stories to tell.

Glasgow 1931

Visiting from London, Dr Jack Cuthbert unexpectedly finds himself at the centre of a horrifying crime. As an experienced pathologist, the local police call upon him to lead the forensic investigation and identify the victims of a bombing in the city. But this is no ordinary crime scene.

Cuthbert must navigate a political as well as a pathological minefield, with British fascists and the city's notorious razor gangs in the frame. To solve the case, Cuthbert needs to gather all the expertise he can from those around him. But, out of his usual surroundings and working with strangers, who can he trust?

My Review

It's great to read more on this series, I'm loving it. The characterisation, particularly of Jack Cuthbert, but throughout, is wonderful. So in depth, but without feeling heavy or clunky. The reader will crepe about these characters, feel their joy, feel their pain. And that's so important. 

In To The Shades Descend, Jack (an Edinburgh man but we'll forgive him) is visiting Glasgow, finding out about a possible career move. Whilst there he is called upon to work alongside the Glasgow police after a bomb explodes at a political event on Glasgow Green. It's a mess, with many dead, of all ages, and not all are intact. Jack has a huge job ahead of him, whilst working in unfamiliar surroundings with unfamiliar colleagues but he has to make it work...

Dr Jack Cuthbert is a tall, upright (in every sense) man, handsome and polite, charming when he needs to be. He's very efficient and thorough, and very, very good at his job. Most people like Jack but even those that don't, the majority respect him because he commands their respect. In Glasgow, he's astute enough to work out who the best people are to work with him on this case and sets up his own little team. That team features a woman police constable, working at a time when women weren't given much responsibility, so I loved that Cuthbert recognises her skills and gives her responsibility. But we also see the quieter, private side of Dr Jack Cuthbert, which is darker than his more public persona, haunted as he is by memories of the war and his own emotions and feelings. Ones he pushes down, tried not to acknowledge. 

This was difficult reading at times, the aftermath of the bombing was nasty and brutal and Cuthbert and his team have a lot to deal with. Identifying the victims is the most important thing, and one of those victims throws up an additional angle to the main investigation.  The inquiry itself is suitably twisty with lots of potential suspects, including members of a local gang, all leading to an unexpected denouement which Jack finds very difficult. 

To The Shades Descend is another great story, a satisfying mystery, and I enjoyed that it was in Glasgow, my adopted home. The author's pathology background and detailed research are evident through the detail. But for me, the most impressive part of this is the characterisation, particularly of Jack Cuthbert. Always the most important part of the story and it's bang on here. Loved it, looking forward to Jack's next outing. 


The Author

Allan Gaw is a Scot who lives and works near Glasgow. He studied medicine and is a pathologist by training but a writer by inclination. Having worked in the NHS and universities in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and the US, he now devotes his time to writing.

Most of his published work to date is non-fiction. These include textbooks and regular magazine articles on topics as diverse as the thalidomide story, the medical challenges of space travel and the medico-legal consequences of the Hillsborough disaster.

More recently, he has been writing short stories, novels and poetry. He has won the UK Classical Association Creative Writing Competition, the International Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize, the International Globe Soup 7-day Writing Challenge and was runner-up in the Glencairn Glass/Bloody Scotland Short Crime Fiction Competition. He has also had prose published in the literary journal, From Glasgow to Saturn and anthologies from the Edinburgh Literary Salon and Clan Destine Press in Australia. His poetry has been published by Dreich, Soor Ploom Press and Black Bough Poetry. His debut poetry collection, Love & Other Diseases, was published in 2023 by Seahorse Publications.

The Moon's More Feeble Fire is the second book in the Dr Jack Cuthbert Mystery series and has been longlisted for this year's McIlvanney Prize.

You can read more about him and his work at his website: https://researchet.wordpress.com/ .


Bloody Scotland Panel

Allan will be appearing at Bloody Scotland this year. You can book your tickets here.

We make a deep incision into the world of crime fiction and science fact as we talk forensics with three authors whose books deliver thrills, chills and blood-spattered spills.

A gangland slaying and a missing movie star are at the heart of Whispers of the Dead, the sensational new Rhona MacLeod thriller from Lin Anderson. Forensic criminologist Laughton Rees faces a race against time to stop a killer in Simon Toyne’s exhilarating new novel Dead Water. Allan Gaw’s pathologist Dr Jack Cuthbert runs the gauntlet between fascists and razor gangs in 1930s Glasgow in To the Shades Descend.

This event will be chaired by Professor James Grieve.