Bloody Scotland 2023

Somehow it's four weeks since I got back from Bloody Scotland! Four weeks! How on earth did that happen? Well, I slept for the first week, as these things take it out of me. The other three, no idea where they went. There's been four book festivals in the UK, I think, since then and there are another two this forthcoming weekend. But I still wanted to share a bit about my Bloody Scotland weekend because it's one of the highlights of my year and one of my favourite festivals. Also, if you're thinking about coming next year, and I hope you are or that this piece will at least encourage you to think about it, you need to book accommodation sooner rather than later. There is somewhere to stay for every budget in Stirling but everywhere fills up really quickly for the festival weekend.

This year was the 11th Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival and my sixth, maybe seventh. It's a slick operation with a programme filled to bursting with fantastic events - there are four different ones for most time slots, so hard to choose! The programme is planned and overseen by Festival Director Bob McDevitt and the Bloody Scotland Board and runs with the help of techy people, booksellers and and a vast army of volunteers. The timings changed slightly this year with an earlier start on Friday afternoon and an earlier finish at Sunday lunchtime.

I have struggled quite badly with anxiety for the last three or four years, and even this festival, where I know so many people and places, now fills me with trepidation. For no reason, of course, but that's anxiety for you. So I was grateful to go with Lynsey Linn, who you can find over at Books by Bindu blog and also at the Murder at the Bookshop online shop, who has become a firm friend since we met at last year's festival. She was a most excellent wing woman and kept me calm. She also kept me right about what I was doing and where I was going!

I have learned from experience that I can't do too much and need to make sure I make time to eat and chill. So over the course of the weekend I attended seven events plus the opening celebrations and, of course, the Scotland vs England Crime Writers Football Match. I won't go into huge detail about all the panels I went to but they were all great. My phone camera isn't great so some of the panel pictures aren't that great, sorry!

Lynsey and I at the end of one of the panels

Friday was all about new books with firstly Alex Gray's New Crimes with Jo Callaghan, Martin Griffin, Fulton Ross and Alex Hay followed later on, after checking into our hotel, by the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize Shortlist featuring Fulton Ross again, Kate Foster, Callum McSorley and Heather Critchlow. Unfortunately, the fifth shortlisted author, Heather Darwent, couldn't be there.

I was struck by how different all the books were in both panels, showing just how wide the crime fiction genre is. Let me take Alex Gray's New Crimes selection as an example. Jo Callaghan's In The Blink of an Eye features a detective with an AI partner, The Second Stranger by Martin Griffin has two strangers claiming to be the same person but who is telling the truth? The Unforgiven Dead by Fulton Ross features a policeman with second sight and references highland myths and legends and Alex Hay's The Housekeepers is set in the early 1900s and the servants aren't happy... I really enjoyed this panel and all the books sound great. 

Alex Gray's New Crimes

With Fulton Ross

The Debut Shortlist Panel was absolutely packed and it was great to hear these new authors talking about their work. I had read three of the five on the list and loved them all so very glad I didn't have to decide the winner! Another highlight of this event was meeting long time online friend Steve Munoz from Los Angeles, so that was pretty special.

The Debut Shortlist 

Meeting Steve Munoz

From there I headed up to the Church of the Holy Rude where we were piped in for the Opening Reception. We heard from Bob McDevitt and a representative of Stirling council and partook of excellent Bloody Scotland cocktails courtesy of Stirling Gin. 

Photo by Steve Munoz

Bob McDevitt at the Opening Reception

From there it was up to Stirling Castle for the annual torchlit parade down through the town. The rain didn't dampen our spirits, although Lynsey wimped out because she didn't have a hood! 😂 I love this tradition and it's great to see folk coming out of the pubs to watch us. I was really disappointed, though, that a panel was scheduled against this, particularly as it was one I would've loved to attend. I think this is the first time a panel has been held in this timeslot. 

Photo by Steve Munoz

With Patricia Forsyth

Photo by Steve Munoz

The parade culminated at the Albert Halls for the prizegiving. Big congratulations to Kate Foster for winning the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year with The Maiden and to Callum McSorley for winning to the Bloody Scotland McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year, with his debut book, Squeaky Clean. Both prizewinners were interviewed by Janice Forsyth. 

Callum McSorley, Janice Forsyth & Kate Foster

With Callum McSorley

After that if was off for food and a drink or two. For mixing with other festival goers, the bar at the Golden Lion Hotel is the place to be. It is small and gets very busy and very hot but you can spill out into the lobby. Had lovely chats with lots of people including a long one with author Marion Todd. A lovely wee night and we were back in our hotel room before 11.30pm - I'm old! 😂 This meant I didn't have enough stamina for the Darkest Web panel, another scheduling thing I didn't like because it sounded like a really interesting event. 

A big breakfast and a late start on Saturday as our first panel wasn't until noon. Hot Blood, Cold Blood with Anita Agnithotri, Abir Mukherjee and Doug Johnstone celebrating Scottish and Bengali writing was really interesting. Unfortunately the collection of short stories doesn't have a UK publisher yet but I could've listened to these three for hours.  

Hot Blood, Cold Blood

With Doug Johnstone

I stayed on in the same venue for the next panel whilst Lynsey went to do her own thing for a while - honestly, it's a miracle I survived those few hours! That was mainly because other people kept me right - I definitely need a responsible adult with me at all times! 😂 Travellers with William Hussey, Graham Bartlett and Tina Baker was terrific and possibly my favourite panel of the weekend (although there was stiff competition) because it's a community I know nothing about). William and Tina both grew up in travelling fairground communities and William has gone back to his roots with Killing Jericho which features a traveller detective. Make Me Clean, Tina's book, has a cleaner of gypsy origin who tidies all her client's problems. Graham was Police Commander of Brighton, where there is a permanent traveller site, for four years and drew on that experience in Force of Hate. A fascinating discussion around otherness and prejudice, both towards and within communities. 

Travellers. Photo by Mandie Griffiths

The sun shone for the football match at Kings Park which was excellent. A great match, made even better by the company of good friends and the presence of a Stirling Gin pop up bar, so more cocktails for me. Final score was Scotland 12, England 3, with Fulton Ross winning Man of the Match. A bite to eat and a quick drink and then off to see Mark Billingham and Antti Tuomainen at the Albert Halls. What a laugh that was. Two naturally funny men chatting away. I haven't read Mark's new one yet but have only heard good things. I love The Rabbit Factor trilogy from Antti Tuomainen and just reviewed the final book, The Beaver Theory, on here earlier in the month. 

Craig Sisterton interviewing Mark Billingham & Antti Tuomainen 

Mark Billingham

Antti Tuomainen

Catching up with Thomas Enger, whose panel I unfortunately missed due to the torchlit parade

Lynsey went back to the hotel so I headed off to rendezvous with Steve Munoz at Everybody Needs Good Neighbours featuring Louise Candlish, Sarah Hilary and Kia Abdullah chaired by Douglas Skelton. Another interesting panel and I particularly liked the sound of Sarah's book, Black Thorn, featuring an autistic character. 

Everybody Needs Good Neighbours

Then a quick drink with lovely friends including  Jonathan Whitelaw, (the only one I remembered to get a picture with! D'oh!) before heading to bed.

With Jonathan Whitelaw

A lovely chat over Sunday breakfast with author Fiona Erskine then coffee and goodbyes (until next time) with Steve. 

My final panel of the weekend was Ripped From The Headlines, a lively and engaging conversation with TV newshounds Martin Patience and Sarah Sultoon (BBC and CNN respectively) and climate scientist Paul Hardisty, chaired by Bryan Burnett. All had turned to fiction as they felt it can get a message across in a way news headlines or written reports just can't. I think Paul felt it the most keenly as he is confronted daily by people who continue to deny the climate crisis even when confronted by evidence it exists. The hour went far too quickly. 

Ripped from the Headlines

My weekend was finished off by a lovely lunch with relatives before the return home and to my bed. 

Books may have been bought... 
(Three came with me from home for signing) 

So there you have it, my potted experience at Bloody Scotland 2023 - thank you if you're still here. There was so much more, of course, but only so much I could do and only so much I can share here before you all get bored! I'm sorry, too, that it took me a month to get this on here - absolutely shocking effort! I can't recommend this weekend enough - it's a really open, welcoming and accommodating festival full of lovely people. Don't worry if you're thinking of coming on your own - you will have found new friends by the time you leave. Stirling itself has embraced the festival too and you'll often find yourself chatting away in shops and cafes. Next year's dates have been announced and they are - drum roll, please - 13th to 15th September. Get checking out that accommodation now, you won't regret it! 

White as Snow by Lilja Sigurðadóttir (translated by Quentin Bates)

Having already visited Finland and Norway this month, I'm off to Iceland today for my stop on the blog tour for White as Snow, the third book in the An Árora Investigation series, by Lilja Sigurðardóttir and translated into English by Quentin Bates. I loved the first two in this series so was delighted to have the chance to review this one. My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb

The atmospheric, twisty, breathtakingly tense An Áróra Investigation series continues, as crimes committed far beyond Iceland’s shores come home…

On a snowy winter morning, an abandoned shipping container is discovered near Reykjavík. Inside are the bodies of five young women – one of them barely alive.

As Icelandic Police detective Daníel struggles to investigate the most brutal crime of his career, Áróra looks into the background of a suspicious man, who turns out to be engaged to Daníel's former wife, and the connections don’t stop there…

Daníel and Áróra’s cases pit them both against ruthless criminals with horrifying agendas, while Áróra persists with her search for her missing sister, Ísafold, whose devastating disappearance continues to haunt her.

As the temperature drops and the 24-hour darkness and freezing snow hamper their efforts, their investigations become increasingly dangerous … for everyone.

White as Snow is published by Orenda Books and came out last Thursday.

 

My Review

This is the third book in the An Árora Investigation series, following Cold as Hell and Red as Blood. Having initially come to Iceland reluctantly, Árora is now much more settled, has bought a flat and has income from the financial fraud cases she takes on. And her search for Ísafold continues. Here she takes a case for policeman Daníel's ex wife where she comes across a face from the past and she also finds connections with the truly awful case that Danel is working on. An abandoned shipping container containing four read women and a fifth who is barely alive has been discovered.  And Árora and Daníel continue to dance around their feelings. 

I really like Árora. She's confident and forthright, except around Daníel, and dogged in her determination to find her sister but also to do a thorough job in her financial investigations. Elín is madly in love with a younger man who wants to marry her but she just isn't sure she can trust him, which is where Árora comes in. I really felt for Elín. She so wants to believe everything will be alright, that her doubts about her lover will prove unfoumded. Her emotions were all over the place, understandably, and I just wanted to give her a big hug! I'm not going to say too much about Bisi except that she had been through the emotional wringer and she put me through one too. There is an exquisitely written scene in the mortuary which is both touching and heartbreaking. 

And Daníel. Poor Daníel. He is haunted by the sight of the inside of the shipping container and we see him struggling with his emotions around it whilst working on the case. And juggling childcare as the kids are with him for a visit. To be fair most of the childcare is handled by his neighbour and tenant, drag queen Lady Gúgúlú. I absolutely adore her. She's kind, colourful, loving and ever so slightly bonkers. I'm sure she must be a lot of fun to write. 

The story is told from several viewpoints as the police case and Árora's investigation come together amid mounting tension, and fear some cases. The storyline is awful, horrifying and desperately sad but I know that similar happens in the real world. That makes this even more poignant. 

White is Snow is a well written tale of trafficking, deceit and betrayal, but there are also moments of acceptance, friendship and love amongst the horror. Beautifully developed characters and a real sense of injustice and anger go towards making this a cracking read. Looking forward to the next instalment already! 

The Author

Bestselling crime-writer Lilja Sigurðardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written ten crime novels, including Snare, Trap and Cage, making up the Reykjavík Noir trilogy, and her standalone thriller Betrayal, all of which have hit bestseller lists worldwide and been long- and shortlisted for multiple awards. The film rights for the Reykjavík Noir trilogy have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California. Cold as Hell, the first book in the An Áróra Investigation series, was published in the UK in 2021 and reprinted twice, and was followed by Red as Blood, a number-one digital bestseller. Lilja lives outside of Reykjavík with her partner and a brood of chickens.

Stigma by Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger (translated by Megan E Turney)

Today's blog tour stop is for Stigma, the fourth book in the Blix and Ramm series, by Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger and translated into English by Megan E Turney. Thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the invitation and to the publishers for my review copy.

 

The Blurb

Alexander Blix is a broken man. Convicted for avenging his daughter’s death, he is now being held in one of Norway’s high-security prisons. Inside, the other prisoners take every opportunity to challenge and humiliate the former police investigator.

On the outside, Blix’s former colleagues have begun the hunt for a terrifying killer. Walter Kroos has escaped from prison in Germany and is making his way north. The only lead established by the police is that Kroos has a friend in Blix’s prison ward. And now they need Blix’s help.

Journalist Emma Ramm is one of Blix’s few visitors, and she becomes his ally as he struggles to connect the link between past and present, between the world inside and outside the prison walls. And as he begins to piece things together, he identifies a woodland community in Norway where deeply scarred inhabitants foster deadly secrets … secrets that may be the unravelling of everyone involved.

Stigma is published by Orenda Books and comes out this Thursday.

 

My Review

Stigma is the fourth in the series featuring policeman Alexander Blix and journalist Emma Ramm following Death Deserved, Smoke Screen and Unhinged. I've read all the books in the series (you can see my reviews by clicking on the titles) and enjoyed them all.

After the events at the end of the last book, Blix is in prison awaiting his appeal. Being a policeman behind bars is not ideal, and although Blix tries to keep himself to himself, trouble still seems to find him. He's not a man with many friends at the best of times. In fact, his only regular visitor is young journalist Emma Ramm. So Blix is surprised when his boss comes to see him... to ask for his help. A dangerous criminal has escaped from custody in Germany who seems to be heading to Norway. And he has links with a prisoner in Blix's corridor. Naturally, he asks Emma to look into both men, and this sets them both on an unexpected path. 

So this is a change of background scenery from previous novels, given that Blix is in prison. And we're shown how tough it is for him to be a policeman behind bars, how isolating. Being asked to work on a case helps him I think, gives home something to focus on. Of course, there's only so much he can do behind bars but he is tasked with trying to get information about the plans of Walter Kroos from someone in the prison they believe might have that information. Trouble is, it's someone that Blix has already locked horns with. 

The main storyline is told in a dual timeline between Walter Kroos's teenage years and his movements in the present day, alongside the investigations of Emma and Blix. I really liked how we move backwards and forwards between people, places and across time, until everything dovetails together. The scene setting is excellent too - the isolation of life in prison and the very different isolation in the cabins of the holiday park which features heavily in the story. 

I've always loved the relationship between Alexander Blix and Emma Ramm because it's a dynamic you don't see very often. Him, a world weary, brow beaten policeman getting on a bit and her, a twenty something journalist just starting to make her mark on the world. But these two have found each other, in fact, their connection goes back a long way, and formed a solid friendship, perhaps, for both of them, something akin to a father daughter relationship. And that relationship is solid, they are there for each other and have been through adventures and tragedies, it's a joy to read.

The storyline cuts deep as the authors peel back the details. Tragic events and abused of trust with long-lasting consequences resurface and we meet some truly damaged individuals, all of whom are well drawn. Samantha was a standout character for me. There is serious danger for Emma, and concern for Blix.  Stigma is a tale of violence, damage and hate, but also one of love and friendship. I don't know if there will be more Blix and Ramm, as things look set to change for our pair, but I hope so. I've really enjoyed this series. 

The Authors

Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger are both internationally bestselling Norwegian authors. Jørn Lier Horst first rose to literary fame with his no. 1 bestselling William Wisting series. A former investigator in the Norwegian police, Horst imbues all his works with an unparalleled realism and suspense. Thomas Enger is the journalist-turned-author behind the internationally acclaimed Henning Juul series. Enger’s trademark is his dark, gritty voice paired with key social messages and tight plotting. Besides writing fiction for both adults and young adults, Enger also works as a music composer. Death Deserved, the first book in the bestselling Blix and Ramm series, was Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger’s first co-written thriller and was followed by Smoke Screen and Unhinged.

The Beaver Theory by Antti Tuomainen (translated by David Hackston)

I am delighted to share my blog tour review of The Beaver Theory by Antti Tuomainen today. But I'm also feeling a little bereft as this is the final book in The Rabbit Factor Trilogy and I have LOVED this wee series. Big thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me on to the tour and to the publisher for my review copy. I've since purchased my own hardback copy to complete the set.

The Blurb

Warmly funny, quirky, touching, and a nail-biting TRIUMPH of a thriller, The Beaver Theory is the final instalment in the award-winning, international bestselling Rabbit Factor Trilogy.

Henri Koskinen, intrepid insurance mathematician and adventure-park entrepreneur, firmly believes in the power of common sense and order. That is until he moves in with painter Laura Helanto and her daughter…

As Henri realises he has inadvertently become part of a group of local dads, a competing adventure park is seeking to expand their operations, not always sticking to the law in the process…

Is it possible to combine the increasingly dangerous world of the adventure-park business with the unpredictability of life in a blended family? At first glance, the two appear to have only one thing in common: neither deals particularly well with a mounting body count.

In order to solve this seemingly impossible conundrum, Henri is forced to step far beyond the mathematical precision of his comfort zone … and the stakes have never been higher…

The Beaver Theory is published by Orenda Books and comes out on 12th October 2023. 

My Review

Oh, I LOVE these books! If you've been here a while you may remember that The Rabbit Factor was one of my favourite books of 2021, and the second book in the trilogy, The Moose Paradox, was brilliant too. I've been a fan of Antti's work for a wee while and his  was one of the events I was looking forward to at Bloody Scotland. I still haven't written my review of the weekend (yes, I know it was over two weeks ago but it took me one of those weeks to recover!) but I can assure you that his event with Mark Billingham was lots of fun and a highlight of my festival experience. 

Henri and his team suddenly find that after running successfully for a while, YouMeFun adventure park sudden!y has no customers. None at all. And the reason seems to be rival adventure park Somersault City which is offering free entry and free hot dogs for everyone. Henri sets out to find out more and discoverability are a lot more sinister than at first glance but he knows that for YouMeFun to survive he must take action. At the same time as all this he is settling in to family life with artist Laura Helanto and her daughter Tuuli and embracing all that has to offer by getting involved in school fundraising with a bunch of very enthusiastic dads. But trying to keep everything together takes its toll on Henri as he tries to fix everything in the same way as always. With maths. 

I absolutely adore Henri, have done since the beginning of his journey. My favourite protagonist for a good while. He's an actuary, for a start. How many those do you see at the centre of a crime novel? There's a strong possibility he's on the autistic spectrum, I think, but I have watched him grow over the three books, seen him discover new things about himself, develop skills for mixing with people to a point where he enjoys it, develop an appreciation of art, fall in love and find a family. All while still having a deep faith in mathematics which often comes out in the way he speaks meaning he's often funny without realising it. He has grown into himself and it's been such a joy to see that. But there are still problems to solve and nasty folk to confront - can maths be the answer this time? 

Some of the bigger changes in Henri are down to artist and former YouMeFun employee, Laura Helanto, who fell in love with Henri and all his quirks and brought out in him  feelings he'd never experienced before. Things beyond maths. And I can tell how comfortable he is with her as he actually refers to her sometimes in this book without using her surname too - it has always been 'Laura Helanto' until now, but sometimes she's simply 'Laura' here. It shows the depth of Henry's feelings in his usual understated way. I loved the group of dads he accidentally falls in with, especially Taneli when he was talking about the planned school trip to Paris and 'how important it was for children to experience all of the above and how at a young age such experiences have an effect comparable to that of compound interest'. He and Henri were destined to become friends! I can't go without mentioning the park employees. They're all quirky and wonderful but my favourite is Head of Security Esa who takes his job very seriously but is quite possibly as mad as a box of frogs. Love him and 'his organic-toxicological challenges'.

Of course, the bad guys are just as colourful as the good guys and there is some very real peril for Henri in this book and one very memorable scene that had me wincing and laughing at the same time! There is a lot going on for Henri, he's juggling all sorts of balls and trying not 'to dwell on the fact that it is hard to remember a time when my problems were of a purely mathematical nature and weren't to do with finding a balance between family life and solving homicides'. It's a challenge for him and one he is determined to rise to. 

I have to mention David Hackston who has done a fabulous job at translating these books. I am so thankful for skilled translators who enable us to read fantastic foreign fiction - they are stars. Also in this book I loved the cheeky wee shout out for a previous novel - '...is like some kind of little...Siberia...'.

The Beaver Theory has a bit of everything - laughter (for the reader, not Henri), family, love, friendship, personal growth, murder, peril and threat. And maths, of course. And a giant beaver. Tuomainen is a skilled writer who has created a fabulous protagonist who is easy to love, and given us another crime story full of warmth and humour. It's much more gentle than the crime I usually read (can crime be gentle?) but just as good. This is a brilliant ending to a trilogy which I have loved but I am so sad it's finished, I will miss Henri. But I very much look forward to whatever comes next from Antti Tuomainen. 

The Author

 

Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. In 2011, his third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for Best Finnish Crime Novel and shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime-genre formula, and his poignant, dark and hilarious The Man Who Died became an international bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh Awards and now a Finnish TV series. Palm Beach, Finland (2018) and Little Siberia (2019) were 

shortlisted for the Capital Crime/Amazon Publishing Readers Awards, the Last Laugh Award and the CWA International Dagger, and won the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel. The Rabbit Factor, the first book in the trilogy will soon be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell for Amazon Studios, and the first two books were international bestsellers. Antti lives in Helsinki with his wife.

The Opposite of Lonely by Doug Johnstone

A body lost at sea, arson, murder, astronauts, wind phones, communal funerals and conspiracy theories … This can ONLY mean one thing! The Skelfs are back, and things are as tense, unnerving and warmly funny as ever…

The Opposite of Lonely is the hugely anticipated fifth instalment in the unforgettable, critically acclaimed Skelfs series, featuring three generations of women in the Skelf family: funeral directors and part-time private investigators…

I'm delighted to welcome you to my review of The Opposite of Lonely by Doug Johnstone as part of the blog tour. Huge thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part and to the publisher for my review copy. I have since bought my own paperback copy to complete the set (so far).

The Blurb

EVEN DEATH NEEDS COMPANY…

The Skelf women are recovering from the cataclysmic events that nearly claimed their lives. Their funeral-director and private investigation businesses are back on track, and their cases are as perplexing as ever.

Matriarch Dorothy looks into a suspicious fire at a travellers’ site, and takes a grieving, homeless man under her wing. Daughter Jenny is searching for her missing sister-in-law, who disappeared in tragic circumstances, while grand-daughter Hannah is asked to investigate increasingly dangerous conspiracy theorists, who are targeting a retired female astronaut … putting her own life at risk.

With a body lost at sea, funerals for those with no one to mourn them, reports of strange happenings in outer space, a funeral crasher with a painful secret, and a violent attack on one of the family, the Skelfs face their most personal – and perilous – cases yet. Doing things their way may cost them everything.

The Opposite of Lonely is published by Orenda Books and came out on 14th September 2023.

My Review

I LOVE this series! I had got a little behind so read the fourth book, Black Hearts, just before starting this one so that I was up to date. Each of the books can be read as a standalone but, as with any series, I feel you'll get a richer reading experience of you read from the beginning and in order. 

For anyone unfamiliar with the series, the Skelf women comprise of matriarch Dorothy, daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah. Together they run a funeral directing business alongside a private investigating one, following the death of Dorothy's husband Jim. Black Hearts saw the women go through some terrible ordeals but things are more settled at the beginning of this book. Jenny, particularly, is noticeably calmer and happier.  But, of course, things don't stay like that for long. A funeral for a member of the traveller community goes awry, Jenny has to revisit a difficult time and Hannah gets to meet a really inspiring woman, and subsequently takes on a case for her. In all of this, they are supported by their close network - Archie and Indy, Hannah's wife, who both work on the funeral side of things, policeman Thomas, Dorothy's partner, and new in this book, Brodie. And all are involved in a terrifying denouement...

I love Dorothy! She is the funkiest septuagenarian you could meet, playing drums as she does with The Multiverse, a multi-generational, multicultural band. They cover tracks by bands I've never heard of because I'm not hip and Dorothy is. As is author Doug Johnstone. And she has a lover fifteen years her junior! Go Dorothy! But more than that, she is the heart of this family and the heart of their story. Mainly involved in the funeral side of the business, she is full of compassion and understanding. It's evident with everyone she meets, every conversation she has. A good example is Brodie, who Hannah meets at a funeral. He's a wee bit lost and living out of his car, but Dorothy sees potential in him and helps him start to turn things around. 

It's great to see more of Archie in these more recent books, another waif that Dorothy took under her wing a long time back. He's always been there, stoic and dependable, but it's lovely to see his friendship with Jenny, and the happiness that brings each of them. Jenny has been the woman I've always struggled most to connect with, but found it easier in this book. To be fair she's been through some pretty awful stuff in previous books, and although she needs to confront at least the memories of it in this book, she is more comfortable with where she's at now, which helps her respond to things in a much more measured way. And it's  lovely to see a new character joining the fold in Brodie. Johnstone writes this grieving young man with such care and gentleness, it's beautiful. 

I must mention the wind phone because it's one of my favourite things in this story, and proves very popular with others too. Gifted by a grateful client in the previous book, it is a white telephone box, where the phone line is cut, and it is for people to talk to their loved ones who have passed on. It comes from Japanese culture but gets plenty of use in this wee corner of Edinburgh. Such a lovely idea. 

There is a LOT to unpack in this novel. Doug Johnstone is not a man to waste words and every single one here serves a purpose. As well as the body lost at sea, we have an arson attack and more, prejudice against the traveller community, Jenny coming full circle with her story arc whilst dealing with a missing person case, discussion of big themes for Hannah and her astronaut case, unhelpful policemen, green funerals and the future of the Skelfs's business, threats and violence. A big theme running through this for me was abuse - physical abuse, sexual abuse, abuse of trust and abuse of power and confronting all of that. It's powerful stuff. 

For all I've said above, and The Opposite of Lonely is about all of those things, at the heart of this book, and this whole series, is connection, family, community, respect, care and love. Yes, there is death and grief, danger and violence, but there is also beauty and joy, and it all comes back to these three women, their strength and bond, and to the family they have created around them. Connections, community and love. A beautiful book, absolutely loved it, so glad there will be more to come. 

The Author

Doug Johnstone is the author of sixteen novels, many of which have been bestsellers. The Space Between Us was chosen for BBC Two’s Between the Covers, while Black Hearts and The Big Chill were longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year. Three of his books – A Dark Matter, Breakers and The Jump – have been shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize. Doug has taught creative writing or been writer in residence at universities, schools, writing retreats, festivals, prisons and a funeral home. He’s also been an arts journalist for 25 years. He is a songwriter and musician with six albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. He’s also co-founder of the Scotland Writers Football Club and lives in Edinburgh with his family.

The Nigerian Mafia: Mumbai by Onyeka Nwelue

And now for something completely different! Today I'm closing the blog tour for The Nigerian Mafia: Mumbai by Onyeka Nwelue. This is the first book in a planned series of ten, based in some of the many places the author has visited. May thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy.

 

The Blurb

Nollywood actor, Uche Mbadiegwu leaves his Surulere neighborhood in Lagos, to Bandra in Mumbai to join Bollywood, so he could make it big, hoping to play exceptional roles. Like a flash, Periwinkle appears in his life and changes everything. Tired of living in a pigsty, Efemena wants to live a life in independence, but there is more to being a Nigerian in Mumbai – a constant escape from Indian police and narcotics agents. The Nigerian Mafia is a tale of violence, drugs, human trafficking, murder and sex.

The Nigerian Mafia: Mumbai is published by Enklima, an imprint of Abibiman Publishing, and came out on 4th April 2023.

 

My Review

Actor Uche has been successful in Nollywood, the Nigerian film business but he dreams of more. So he leaves his home and community in Lagos and moves to Mumbai, with hopes of making it big in Bollywood. But things don't quite work out like that and Uche ends up living a very different life from the one he'd imagined. 

This was a very different book for me but I was drawn to it to find out more about different countries and cultures. And The Nigerian Mafia: Mumbai certainly gave me a window to learn a little about Nigerian culture, and Indian also. When we meet Uche it is clear early that things have not turned out as he hoped they might. The book is written in the first person, feels like he is directly addressing the reader. It feels like a letter, or maybe a confession.   Parts of it are written in Pidgin English which was a surprise. I found some of it a little difficult to understand but loved seeing it there as it's a language I'm not familiar with at all. 

I'm not sure how I feel about Uche. He tells us he will be totally honest with us, and maybe he is, but he feels like an unreliable narrator. I was never sure that I could trust him! He never really tries very hard to follow his dream but falls very easily into drug dealing. Interestingly, all the dealers we meet are Nigerians - clearly finding legitimate work in Mumbai is not easy for them. Uche fits in with them well, but would have us believe he is better than them somehow. He considers himself a good man in a tough situation but he thinks nothing of dealing drugs or trafficking women. The supporting cast is full of colourful characters - cafe owner Efemena, Periwinkle who is crucial to Uche's story, Priscilla and Nasir, who I had a soft spot for - he's a good friend to Uche. And the author himself makes a brief cameo appearance! 

The Nigerian Mafia: Mumbai feels like a real story, a little exaggerated, of course, of what could happen to a young person alone and adrift in a foreign country, where crime is rife. But I loved how much I learned in this book about two cultures I knew nothing about. There are details of the Nigerian class system and the different regional languages. And also about the city of Mumbai. A really interesting read. 

The Author

Onyeka Nwelue is a Nigerian filmmaker, talk-show host, bookseller and author whose book, Hip-Hop is Only for Children won the Creative Non-Fiction Book of the Year at the 2015 Nigerian Writers’ Awards. He adapted his novella, Island of Happiness into an Igbo language film, Agwaetiti Obiụtọ and won Best Feature Film by a Director at 2018 Newark International Film Festival, and went on to be nominated for Best First Feature Film by a Director and the Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language at the 2018 Africa Movie Academy Awards.

He is the director of the Oxford-based James Currey Society and founder of La Cave Musik, a record label, based in Paris.

The Trail by MA Hunter

The first of two blog tours up today. The blurb intrigued me for The Trail so was pleased to be able to review it. My thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb

Sometimes it's best to let the past stay buried...

Thirty years ago, Jess's mother, Nora, disappeared while on a charity hike in the US. The devastating loss has afflicted Jess well into her adult life and even inspired her decision to become an investigative journalist.

So when Jess receives an anonymous tip telling her that remains have been recovered in the spot her mother disappeared, she wastes no time in jumping on a plane.

They say the Appalachian Mountains have secrets, but as she begins to ask around, she learns that the locals do too. But no matter how much they lie, she is determined to find the truth - even if it will irrevocably change her future.

Someone wants to keep the past buried. And they will stop at nothing to keep Jess as quiet as the tranquil mountain trail itself...

The Trail is published by Boldwood Books and came out earlier this month.

Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/TheTrailSocial

My Review

Jess has always been plagued by her mother's disappearance thirty years previously. At the time, Nora was taking part in a charity hike, along with three others, doing a section of the Appalachian Mountains. They were raising money for medical treatment for Jess's now best friend, Ashley. Jess has always wanted to know what happened to her mum and when she hears a body has been found near the trail she catches a flight over to find out more.

The story is told in a dual timeline as we join Nora on her hike and Jess on her search for the truth and the chapters alternate between the two women, which I really liked as it kept things moving along nicely and helped make this a quick read. 

The Appalachian Trail is very much a character itself and the woods and rocky outcrops and so forth are very well described. I've no idea how accurate it is but it feels very real. And very creepy! I loved reading all the tales that folk told Nora As she meets them the way. Stories of mystery and magic, often scary. There is a sense of threat around More's story, and she feels it deeply. The towns dotted along the trail seem to put Nora at unease, as they do Jess thirty years later. They are not welcoming places for either woman. 

A constant in both stories is Bruce. He was one of Nora's companions on the trail and then became a friend and father figure to Jess. He was probably my favourite character and such a support for both women. And through him Jess is able to find out more about the final days before her mother's disappearance. And both women meet some interesting, colourful characters whilst on their journeys. Many of them speaking of the fabled Trail Magic. 

I am unsure how I feel about the ending but this was an easy, enjoyable read and I particularly enjoyed Nora's story, full of mystery and magic. 

The Author

MA Hunter is the alter ego of Stephen Edger, the bestselling author of psychological and crime thrillers, including the Kate Matthews series.


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