How to Start a Riot in a Brothel in Thailand by Ordering a Beer and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips by Simon Yeats

Today I'm helping to close the blog tour for How to Start a Riot in a Brothel in Thailand by Ordering a Beer and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips by Simon Yeats, which is part memoir, part unorthodox travel guide! My thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me and to the author for my review copy.

There is also an opportunity to win a set of all three books in the series in the giveaway at at the bottom of the page. But be quick, it closes soon! 

The Blurb

Book 1 of a hilarious series of travel misadventures and dubious personal introspection by Australian author Simon Yeats, who from an early age learned that the best way to approach the misfortunes of this world is to laugh about them.

Simon shares his comedic insights into the unusual and uproarious elements of living life as an Aussie ex-pat and having a sense of Wanderlust as pervasive as the Spanish Flu in 1918.

From how to keep yourself entertained when unwittingly forced to watch 11 hours of live sumo wrestling in Japan, to surviving heartbreak in India at the hands of a French flight attendant, to 48 hours spent in Nepal that qualify as the funniest most gut wrenching travel experience since Captain Bligh was set adrift in the Pacific, to his unsuccessful attempts at avoiding going to a brothel in Thailand.

Simon Yeats has gone into the world and experienced all the out of the ordinary moments for you to sit back and enjoy the experience without the need to break a leg or rupture a pancreas.


Purchase Links

UK 
US 

My Review

I have to say I was drawn to this book just by the title. I mean, look at it! Figured I was in for something fun and I was right. And as someone who hasn't actually travelled much I was looking forward to reading about far going places. This first book in a series of three focuses on the author's travels in Asia, whilst the other two cover tales from Europe, the USA and South America. 

Despite my limited travel experience, I loved the part of Yeats's introduction where he shares (in full, because it's quite short) the speech he would give if invited back to his old high school (all boys) graduation ceremony which, summed up, would basically say 'Travel as much as you can. You will never regret travelling and discovering new things.' And it would seem that this is a mantra the author lives by, having travelled to far flung places all over the world. We get a small taste of some of these adventures here. 

There were a couple of things I didn't like so I'm just going to get those out of the way quickly.  There was the occasional off colour comment (in my opinion, of course, maybe not for others) and I felt there was too much signposting to the author's other books within the text. The book would definitely benefit from a tighter edit. But these are niggles - there is much to enjoy in this book. 

Each chapter is headed up with a joke which I thought was a novel idea. Some are groan worthy, though! 😂   Several trips/incidents are covered in the book and they are all entertaining. The incident mentioned in the title is funny, his exchange with an immigration officer on his return to the US from Japan had me giggling but, for me, the pièce de résistance is the story of his white water rafting trip in Nepal. The tears were running down my face reading that one and I'm smiling now just thinking about it. 

Yeats has an easy manner and a relaxed way of sharing his stories - it's easy to imagine he's actually telling you these tales over a beer one night! He's also quite funny, one of my favourite moments was when confronted by his brother-in-law's German Shepherd his 'testicles receded into the panic room of my stomach'. Yes, he has a humorous turn of phrase. 

How to Start a Riot... is full of funny, entertaining stories  and some dubious money saving tips. 😂 But what I really loved is that it's a celebration of travelling, exploring, taking risks, having adventures and embracing everything. Being rewarded with fabulous (and some not quite so fabulous, to be fair, but still valid) experiences. And I think that should be applauded and encouraged.

The Author

Simon Yeats has lived nine lives, and by all estimations, is fast running out of the number he has left. His life of globetrotting the globe was not the one he expected to lead. He grew up a quiet, shy boy teased by other kids on the playgrounds for his red hair. But he developed a keen wit and sense of humor to always see the funnier side of life.

With an overwhelming love of travel, a propensity to find trouble where there was none, and being a passionate advocate of mental health, Simon’s stories will leave a reader either rolling on the floor in tears of laughter, or breathing deeply that the adventures he has had were survived.

No author has laughed longer or cried with less restraint at the travails of life.

Author Social Media Links

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Giveaway to Win 1 set of all Three Books in Simon Yeats' Lesser Known travel tips series in paperback and 1 set in epub (Open to UK / US / Canada).

Prize includes copies of:
- How to Start a Riot in a Brothel in Thailand by Ordering a Beer and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips
- How to Avoid Getting Mugged in Rio de Janeiro by Singing Songs by The Police and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips
- How to Survive Making Yourself Look Silly While Dancing with the German Mafia at a Bavarian Nightclub and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips

2 winners – first winner will win the paperbacks, second winner will win the epubs .

*Terms and Conditions –UK / US / Canada entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Enter here: 

Giveaway

I will be reviewing Simon's memoir, My Second Life (not part of this series) on 4th May so do look out for that. 

The Translator by Harriet Crawley

Edited to add: Posted a day late due to illness. Sincere apologies to all concerned.  

Today is my my stop on the blog tour for The Translator by Harriet Crawley, a love story set against the politics of Moscow and a threat to the UK. My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for my invitation and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb

A passionate love story, centred on a devastating Russian plot to sabotage the undersea communication cables linking the US to the UK. Clive Franklin, a Russian language expert in the Foreign Office, is summoned unexpectedly to Moscow to act as translator for the British Prime Minister. His life is upended when he discovers that his former lover, Marina Volina, is the interpreter to the Russian President. Together they will try to stop the attack that could paralyse communications and collapse the Western economy.

The Translator is published by Bitter Lemon Press and came out on 21st March 2024.

 

My Review

My Review

I don't normally read a lot of romance novels but this one involved a bit of espionage so how could I say no? Also, a story set in a country we only see in the headlines on the news - in recent years anyway. And something told me that, in this one, love wasn't necessarily going to run smoothly!

It's 2017. Clive Franklin, a Russian interpreter, or translator, as he appears to be known, for the British Foreign Office, is in Scotland when he receives a phone call advising him he has been seconded at short notice to the Prime Minister's office and will leaving immediately for Moscow. After the Prime Minister's meeting with the Russian president has finished, Clive is to remain in Moscow to translate at some trade talks, whilst trying to find information on suspicious Russian activity in the seas off Britain's South West coast. Intelligence gathering is not currently in Clive's skill set but he hadn't reckoned on the Russian president's interpreter being a face from his past...

Clive comes across as a nice chap, intelligent, polite, well mannered - perfect for his role in Moscow. Well, dual roles, I should say, although he is understandably hesitant about the whole intelligence gathering thing. However, needs must, and he soon receives an offer of help from  unexpected quarters. 

Marina is a Russian interpreter, favoured by the Russian president. Again, she knows exactly how to behave, with higher stakes for her as punishment could be harsh. She comes across as quite a lonely woman who carries a lot of sadness, but there are hints that this was not always the case. I worried that she didn't seem to have any friends other than Lev, the president's private secretary, who rebellious streak I adored. One person I certainly didn't adore but who was, for me, one of the most beautifully drawn characters was General Grigory Varlamov, the deputy director of the FSB. The vice president is also colourfully described. 

I loved the plot. I enjoyed the formalities of the hierarchical society. I loved all the intrigue, secrets, coded messages, hushed conversations and dangerous risks. It's a race against time but there's a lot going on with meetings, business trips and conversations, some engineered, some not, so it's quite wordy.  Which, for me, gave it a really interesting feel of being both fast and slow. It's hard to explain. It's obviously very tense but I felt that occasionally that was lost a little. Overall, The Translator is an intelligent novel, obviously political, very interesting and ended in a way I hadn't anticipated. I really enjoyed it. 

The Author

A fluent Russian speaker and former journalist, Harriet Crawley lived and worked in Russia for twenty years. She sent her son to state school in Moscow which, until 2016, was her second home.


Do remember to check out the other stops on the tour!

Crow Moon by Suzy Aspley

I'm always excited to read debut novels. Particularly crime ones. And particularly ones set in Scotland. And as the author has the same name as me (my Sunday version, anyway) and is also an English woman who now calls Scotland her home, like me, how could I resist? Welcome to my blog tour stop for Crow Moon by Suzy Aspley. Many thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me to take part and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb

When the crow moon rises, the darkness is unleashed…

Martha Strangeways is struggling to find purpose in her life, after giving up her career as an investigative reporter when her young twins died in a house fire.

Overwhelmed by guilt and grief, her life changes when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager – a tragedy that turns even more sinister when a poem about crows is discovered inked onto his back… When another teenager goes missing in the remote landscape, Martha is drawn into the investigation, teaming up with DI Derek Summers, as malevolent rumours begin to spread and paranoia grows.

As darkness descends on the village of Strathbran, it soon becomes clear that no one is safe, including Martha…

Crow Moon is published by Orenda Books and came out on 14th March 2024. 

My Review

Well, what a debut! Sinister and creepy throughout, The tension is ratcheted right up! Crime and witchery all in one place. 

Martha and her teenage son Dougie live in the village of Strathbran with ex partner Jamie close by. The family have been rocked by tragedy following a house fire a couple of years earlier that injured Jamie and killed their two young boys. Martha is just about keeping it together, and staying strong for Dougie. When the body of a close friend of Dougie's is found in local woods with a strange poem inked on his back, Martha's journalistic instincts begin to twitch but, also, she wants to make sure her son is protected and safe. She begins to conduct her own investigation, eventually teaming up with DI Derek Summers. But the discovery of Fraser's body is just the beginning of a spell of fear and darkness for Martha, Dougie and the people of Strathbran...

Oh, my heart ached for Martha! She carried so much grief, sadness and guilt, it's almost too much to bear. For this reader at least. And, oh goodness, the matchbox! (That last comment will make sense when you read the book, I promise.) So, despite the gruesome nature of her  investigation, I was glad she had something to sink her teeth into, to take maybe her mind off things a little bit. I felt for Dougie too. On the cusp of adulthood, he's already dealing with the loss of his brothers, then his best friend goes missing and ends up dead - it's a lot to deal with. He has his own grief and guilt to deal with. 

I loved the injection of folklore, local legends and witchcraft into the story. The crows, not so much! Whilst most of the story is told from Martha's point of view, we also hear from the perpetrator, and an unknown woman, whose identity becomes clear towards the end of the book. I did work out some of what was going on but not all of it, nor why it was all happening. It's certainly a dark story, and with much of it taking place in the woods near Strathbran, which at night feel dark and threatening, it's quite claustrophobic. The scene setting is great. And the tension never lets up from when Fraser goes missing to the frantic denouement. 

Crow Moon is a dark, tense story of love, grief, guilt, legend,  witchcraft and madness. A relatable protagonist, brilliant setting, genuine threat and a high level of tension. A very assured debut that I very much enjoyed. I'll probably look at crows differently now though! 

The Author

Originally from the north-east of England, former journalist Suzy Aspley has lived in Scotland for almost thirty years. She writes crime and short stories, often inspired by the
strange things she sees in the landscape around her. She won Bloody Scotland’s Pitch Perfect in 2019 with the original idea for her debut novel and was shortlisted for the Capital Crime New Voices Award. In 2020, she was mentored by Jo Dickinson as part of the Hachette future bookshelf initiative. Crow Moon was also longlisted for the Caledonia Novel Award. She’s currently working on the second book in the series, and when she’s not writing, she’s either got her nose buried in a book, or is outside with her dogs , dreaming up more dark stories. She lives in Stirlingshire with her family.

Be sure to check out the other stops on the blog tour!

 

Save Me From The Waves by Jessica Hepburn

This was such an interesting read for me and I loved it. Wasn't sure I would, if I'm honest, but happily I did! Big thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me and to the publisher for my paperback review copy. Welcome to my blog tour stop for autobiography Save Me From The Waves by Jessica Hepburn.

The Blurb

An adventure story – with a difference

Jessica Hepburn is an unlikely athlete – she was labelled the ‘arty’ not the ‘sporty’ one in school. She hates exercise and believes the only reason to do it is for food, booze and box-sets on the sofa. However, in her forties, following a succession of hard and sad life experiences she started to try and exercise her way out of heartbreak. She has now become one of the world’s most extraordinary endurance athletes. The first and only woman (currently) on the planet to have completed the ‘Sea, Street, Summit Challenge’ – which is to swim the English Channel, run the London Marathon and climb Mount Everest (which she calls Chomolungma – the mountain’s original Sherpa name). And possibly the only woman (although this can’t be officially certified) to have listened to eighty years and over 3,000 episodes of her favourite radio programme - Desert Island Discs.

Save Me From The Waves is an inspirational story of physical and mental endurance which starts on the streets of London and culminates on top of the world, fuelled by
song. It explores the redemptive power of music and mountains. How family and friends can be lost and found in the most unusual places. And encourages everyone to live big and bravely when life doesn’t go to plan. Because sometimes we all need saving from the waves. And whether it’s high and far away or closer to home and in your head, an adventure will always change your life for the better.

My Review

I was staying with my parents when I read this which meant a couple of things. I don't get as much h time to read, otherwise I might have got through this in a day, and I watch TV programmes that I wouldn't normally watch. One such programme was extolling the virtues of Somerset and visited the city of Bath during it's annual Jane Austen Festival - bear with me here - and I was struck by the level of enthusiasm and commitment, geekiness if you will (and I say this with affection) of the people taking part, full of admiration for them. It's not my thing but it was theirs, and they had embraced it wholeheartedly! But it brought to mind Jessica Hepburn and her love for Desert Island Discs, and her enthusiasm and commitment with spreadsheets, thousands of notes and cross references dedicated to the show. And that's before we even mention her walking! Or Everest/Chomolungma!

Desert Island Discs is Jessica Hepburn's favourite radio show. Having read this book, I doubt she's got time for any other programmes! After trauma, heartache and heartbreak she started to listen to episodes of the show, and took to walking, initially around London, listening all the while on her headphones. And found that the two together helped her process her emotions. Somewhere along the line, she got the idea she would climb Everest, so the walls for longer and further afield and she had time to listen to more Desert Island Discs episodes. And she casually mentions  that she ran the London Marathon and swam the English Channel! It's all a bit bonkers - again said with affection - and I am here for that. 

For anyone not from the UK or unfamiliar with Desert Island Discs, it's a long running radio programme featuring renowned people from all walks of life - arts, science, industry, sport, social enterprise etc. The guest has to imagine being stranded on a desert island, and asked to pick eight pieces of music to take with them (which are played for the listeners), one book (in addition to the Bible and the complete works of William Shakespeare) and one luxury item, whilst talking to the host about their life and the reasons behind their choices. Then at the end of the show, the guest must pick just one piece of music to save from the waves. I must confess I have never listened to a full episode (this book has made me want to though!) But Jessica has listened to 3000+ episodes. That's a lot of guests and a lot of music - hence the spreadsheets! I loved how she describes listening, as if she was walking along with the interviewee, having a conversation with them.  For example, about Paul McCartney she writes:

'However, we were together (Paul and I) in Glencoe in Scotland...For more Munro-bagging...Which is why I took him there.'

And just a page or two later, about actor Penelope Wilton:

'...she shared with me a love of walking...And I knew we were going to get on well.'

Her castaway friends give her advice, pass on wisdom and  share experiences. The author has found comfort listening to other women talk about being unable to have a child, as she herself has been. And the castaways have reminded her of music she loved and introduced her to music she's come to love. But I also loved her descriptions of all the different places she walked, in London and beyond, and the wee pubs she visited.. Was happy to see the Malvern Hills get a mention as I grew up in nearby Worcester (where I was reading the book) and was pleased to see she loved her visits to Scotland as that's now where I'm based. 

The book is split into sections where the author chooses her eight songs for different situations - songs of childhood, sad and happy songs, songs for climbing mountains etc - and shares the details of the Desert Island Discs guest that chose them and why, and discusses the memories or emotions they invoke in her. It's fascinating reading. Jessica Hepburn is the same age as me and I am astounded by all that she has achieved, more so given all the endurance stuff has only happened in the last ten years. But I'm also saddened by the amount of heartbreak, grief and trauma she has had to deal with, much of which is discussed here but some I got the sense she is still processing. Her ascent of Chomolungma, Mother Goddess of the World, a mountain which clearly means so much to her, was such an incredible achievement but even that was marred by injury and trauma. But Jessica is still standing, to paraphrase Elton John, and I hope still smiling, because I think she's pretty incredible. 

Save Me From The Waves is a pretty unique book, I think. A memoir with a difference. Definitely an adventure story, although that comes later, but a kind of diary of a healing process. I loved all the music references and will be looking a few up to listen to, and maybe some other episodes of Desert Island Discs too! Whilst there are sad and poignant moments along the way, I think this is a tale of overcoming and healing. Maybe she still has a way to go but Jessica Hepburn has achieved so much. I loved the geeky aspect of her list making and spreadsheets and was well up for the endnotes - think I checked every one - which she apologises for at the beginning. I might not want to climb Everest after reading this book, but I do want to start a spreadsheet to note all the pieces of music I now want to check out, and that's because of this book. Highly recommend. 

The Author

Jessica Hepburn is an award-winning author, arts producer and adventure activist, and one of the UK’s leading voices on fertility, family and endurance sport. The Pursuit of Motherhood (2014) and 21 Miles (2018) are under option to Erebus Pictures, adapted by rising star and novelist Anoushka Warden, and being developed for the screen with funding from the British Film Institute.

Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood

I'm delighted to share my review of Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood today for my stop on the blog tour. Many thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb

Sophie King is missing.

Her parents, Harry and Zara, are distraught; for the last seventeen years, they've done everything for their beloved only daughter and now she's gone.

The police have no leads, and Harry and Zara are growing increasingly frantic, although they are both dealing with it in very different ways. Increasingly obsessed with their highly suspicious neighbour who won't open the door or answer any questions, they are both coming to the same conclusion. If they want answers, they're going to have to take the matter into their own hands.

But just how far are they both prepared to go for the love of their daughter?

My Review

Seventeen year old Sophie has been missing for seven weeks and her parents are distraught. According to their police liaison, everything possible is being done but they don't believe that's true. Zara is planning Sophie's birthday celebrations and taking too much diazepam. Harry is being as proactive as he can in looking for their day - quizzing the neighbours and beyond, leaving questionnaires when folk don't answer the door. But both are suspicious of the neighbour who never answers his door.  Very suspicious. As they become more distant from each other their fixation with the neighbour grows, leading to a drastic situation. 

I'm a parent. And if one of my kids went missing I'm pretty sure that I would do anything and everything I possibly could to try to find them. What would be the line I wouldn't cross? Well that's the million dollar question. Because I reckon logic and normal moral standards could easily go  out of the window if my kid was involved. So this was a super interesting premise for me and it's hard to imagine the agony Zara and Harry are going through in this book. 

I had every sympathy with both parents. As mentioned above I have no idea how I would react in that situation. I like to think I'd be proactive, like Harry, but as someone who has struggled with her mental health, I could just as easily be Zara. However, in both cases, some of their actions were dubious at best, risky at worst. But lots of empathy for them and I wanted them to find answers and see justice done. 

As the author is a barrister, I knew there would likely be a significant legal side to the story, and this part was just fascinating! It's hard to say too much without risking spoilers but I learned all about what would happen in a very particular set of circumstances - super interesting! It is all teased out very skilfully as we progress through the book. 

Finding Sophie is a well written, taut thriller with an intelligent plotline and two relatable main characters. It's full of surprises and has a brilliant legal angle. Hard to say any more without spoiling it for you but it's a very enjoyable,  meaty novel which I would happily recommend.

The Author

Imran Mahmood is a practising criminal barrister in England and Wales. His debut novel You Don’t Know Me was chosen by Simon Mayo as a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Choice for 2017 and longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year, the CWA Gold Dagger Award, and the Glass Bell Award and was made into a hugely successful BBC1 adaptation in association with Netflix, reaching no.3 in the World and in the UK received a BAFTA nomination for best actor. His second novel I Know What I Saw was chosen as a Sunday Times crime novel of the month and reached no. 2 on the Audible charts. It was also long-listed for both the CWA Gold Dagger Award and Theakstons Crime Novel of the year. His third novel All I Said Was True was also long-listed for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2023

His fourth novel Finding Sophie is to be released in the UK and in the USA in March 2024.

Imran was born and raised in Liverpool but now lives in London with his wife and 2 daughters.

The Collapsing Wave by Doug Johnstone

I'm always excited when a new Doug Johnstone book comes out because I've loved every one I've read so far. And I love that he seems to be able to turn his hand to anything. If anyone else had written this book, and The Space Between Us before it, I might not have picked them up - definitely not my usual reads. But I knew I was in safe hands. So welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Collapsing Wave by Doug Johnstone. Huge thanks to Anne Cater for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy. I will be buying my own paperback. 

The Blurb

Six months since the earth-shattering events of The Space Between Us, the revelatory hope of the aliens' visit has turned to dust and the creatures have disappeared into the water off Scotland's west coast.

Teenager Lennox and grieving mother Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base, the subject of experiments, alongside the Enceladons who have been captured by the authorities.

Ava, who has given birth, is awaiting the jury verdict at her trial for the murder of her husband. And MI7 agent Oscar Fellowes, who has been sidelined by the US military, is beginning to think he might be on the wrong side of history.

When alien Sandy makes contact, Lennox and Heather make a plan to escape with Ava. All three of them are heading for a profound confrontation between the worst of humanity and a possible brighter future, as the stakes get higher for the alien Enceladons and the entire human race…

My Review

I loved the first book in this series, The Space Between Us  (if you put Doug's name in the search box you can find my reviews of many of his other books) where Lennox, Ava and Heather first met Sandy (their name for him), a cephalopod alien who had been separated from others of their kind. In this book, the Enceladons (they come from  Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons that is covered by a giant ocean) are all together again having sought sanctuary on Earth. They are hive creatures, each separate but part of the whole, a connected collective. Unfortunately, the US military do not see them as refugees but as a threat, and take action accordingly, capturing Enceladons and experimenting on them. Lennox, Heather and Ava must do what they can. 

This is a tough one to review because the Enceladons are hard to describe! They are sea creatures although at least some can survive for a while on land, as we see with Sandy. They communicate with thoughts, nothing verbalised out loud, with each other and with some humans. It's clever stuff and I'm pretty sure I don't understand how it works. But that doesn't matter. Because, whilst this is a sci-fi book full of amazing aliens, it's just as much about humans, about how we treat others who are different from us. In this case, aliens, but we see it in real life with immigrants and refugees from war torn countries. To our shame, we don't always treat them well. 

There is a very definite good and bad in this book, and the US military don't come across well, but it could just as easily be soldiers from somewhere else, I think. It was brilliant to catch up with Lennox, Heather and Ava but, goodness, they got a lot going on. These are characters that I am very invested in. They are full of heart, kindness and a desire to do the right thing. Each of them has stuff to deal with and we feel their pain, feel their love. They are connected, to each other and the Enceladons. The supporting cast is big - Vonnie and Oscar were standouts for me. And for very different reasons Carson and Gibson. I love it when I'm fully invested in a baddie! That's down to great writing. 

The Collapsing Wave is a beautifully written, fast moving sci fi thriller with much to say about humanity. We see the best of it and the worst of it in this book. As I mentioned above, for me the Enceladons are like any other refugees (I mean, their not like them obviously because they are alien sea creatures, but you get what I'm trying to say!) seeking asylum and safety but hitting a brick wall. Or worse. This book might be about aliens but it's just as much about what it means to be human, to show kindness, to show friendship, to show love. And these are big, important things. I loved this book. And it made me cry. Actually, I think I've cried at all of Doug's books that I've read! This is a good thing. Anyway, I highly recommend The Collapsing Wave, there is much to enjoy here. 

The Author

Doug Johnstone is the author of fifteen novels, most recently The Opposite of Lonely (2023) and The Space Between Us (2023). Several of his books have been bestsellers, The Big Chill (2020) was longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year, while A Dark Matter (2020), Breakers (2019) and The Jump (2015) were all shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. He’s taught creative writing and been writer in residence at various institutions over the last decade and has been an arts journalist for over twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with six albums and three EPs released, and plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He’s also co-founder of the Scotland Writers Football Club and has a PhD in nuclear physics.


Do check out the rest of the blog tour!

Death Flight by Sarah Sultoon

Today I'm sharing my review for Death Flight, the second novel featuring reporter Jonny Murphy, by Sarah Sultoon for my stop on the blog tour. As with her previous books, it's a hard hitter. Big thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb

Cub reporter Jonny Murphy is in Buenos Aires interviewing families of victims of Argentina’s Dirty War, when a headless torso washes up on a city beach, thrusting him into a shocking investigation with harrowing echoes from the past…

Argentina. 1998. Human remains are found on a beach on the outskirts of Buenos Aires – a gruesome echo of when the tide brought home dozens of mutilated bodies thrown from planes during Argentina’s Dirty War. Flights of death, with passengers known as The Disappeared.

International Tribune reporter Jonny Murphy is in Buenos Aires interviewing families of the missing, desperate to keep their memory alive, when the body turns up. His investigations with his companion, freelance photographer Paloma Glenn, have barely started when Argentina's simmering financial crisis explodes around them.

As the fabric of society starts to disintegrate and Argentine cities burn around them, Jonny and Paloma are suddenly thrust centre stage, fighting to secure both their jobs and their livelihoods.

But Jonny is also fighting something else, an echo from his own past that he'll never shake, and as it catches up with him and Paloma, he must make choices that will endanger everything he knows…

Death Flight is published by Orenda Books and comes out on 29th February 2024.

My Review

I was completely wowed by The Shot by Sarah Sultoon - it made my top three books of 2022, so was really keen to read something else by her. I missed the blog tour for Dirt, the first book featuring Jonny Murphy so caught up with  that recently before starting this one. 

After being based in Israel for the International Tribune in the first book, in Death Flight we find Jonny now in Argentina, having spent a year living in Buenos Aires, although he hasn't learned much of the language. He is working alongside photographer Paloma who puts him to shame with her fluent Spanish. They are working on a story about Argentina's financial crisis but it's all quite dry stuff. So the news of a body found on the outskirts of the city has caught their interest. Especially as the condition of the corpse is reminiscent of the bodies dropped from the so called Death Flights, 'los Vuelos de Muerte' of Argentina's Dirty War, which ended 15 years previously. It's a story Jonny can't resist following, a decision he might come to regret, if he lives that long...

Jonny is easy to like. He's keen to make a name for himself at the International Tribune, eager to follow the story. He has a conscience though, a strong sense of right and wrong, and of what should and shouldn't be reported. But he carries a lot of sadness and grief, after things that happened in his childhood, and during the last book, all of which is recapped here, so don't worry if you haven't yet read Dirt. I say yet, because you should! Anyway, as a result of all that, there is pretty much only one person in the world he trusts, and it isn't Paloma. Their relationship is an interesting one. They need each other - her pictures could  raise a piece of journalism to a whole other level, whilst his ability to sell a story means she gets paid. They work well together and care about each other, but they don't feel like a team all the time, there is definitely tension under the surface, especially from Jonny towards Paloma. But I enjoyed getting to know her. 

I knew woefully little about Argentina's Dirty War and found this book, whilst a work of fiction, very enlightening. I knew from the previous books I was likely to be educated, and I'm so glad I was, although it was a terrible time with thousands of people of all ages disappearing, and there are  some truly heart breaking moments in the book that reflect this. I found Jonny and Paloma meeting with the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, the Mothers of the Disappeared, identified by their white headscarves, who met every single week in the square from which they take their name, very affecting, but loved that the strength of these women comes through the pages. There is also a relatively short scene where they come across an elderly man doing his best to care for countless young children whose parents had disappeared. He had very little but did what he could for these children. I found that particular scene very moving. 

The book is fast moving with a palpable sense of rising tension as it becomes clear that Jonny's choice to pursue the story of the headless corpse has not gone down well with someone, and he risks more than his reputation by pursuing it. But he is a dogged, determined young man and Paloma, along with the reader, gets swept along with him. And all of this is happening against the backdrop of the exploding, or perhaps imploding, financial crisis in the country. There were moments I found I was unconsciously holding my breath, it's certainly exciting. 

Death Flight is a brilliantly written, hard hitting and fast moving novel. Uncomfortable to read in places, but truly worth it - it's impactful, as well as educational. Please do check this one out. 

The Author

Sarah Sultoon is a journalist and writer, whose work as an international news executive at CNN has taken her all over the world, from the seats of power in both Westminster and Washington to the frontlines of Iraq and Afghanistan. She has extensive experience in conflict zones, winning three Peabody awards for her work on the war in Syria, an Emmy for her contribution to the coverage of Europe’s migrant crisis in 2015, and a number of Royal Television Society gongs. When not reading or writing she can usually be found somewhere outside, either running, swimming or throwing a ball for her three children and dog … Her debut thriller The Source is currently in production with Lime Pictures, and was a Capital Crime Book Club pick and a number one bestseller on Kindle. The Shot (2022) and Dirt (2023) followed, with multiple award longlistings, including the CWA Daggers. Sarah currently works for Channel 4 News and lives in London.