A work of originality and brilliance

When I first heard that John Connolly had written a fictional account of the life of Stan Laurel, based on the latter's  correspondence, I was very intrigued to acquire and read the book. I have the greatest admiration for JC but am more familiar with his creation the anti hero and very troubled detective Charlie Parker the series now having reached book No. 15, each one written with a flair and brilliance that has seen Connolly acclaimed both in Europe and the US, and rightly so. "He" a book giving the reader a glimpse into the amazing and often troubled life of a man who achieved fame and adulation in the early days of the "talkies" ...Stan Laurel. The he in the book is of course "him", the author never uses his stage name simply because Stan Laurel did not really exist and the true essence of the man is somewhere between Arthur Jefferson, his birth name, and his stage name. In order to construct and present Stan Laurel's story Connolly has utilized the massive correspondence that Laurel wrote in his lifetime, a correspondence that although give little if any insight into the true mind and workings of this comic genius, nevertheless presented the author with a blueprint for him to construct, mould and shape the life of Laurel and his undoubted love and respect for his comic partner Oliver "babe" Hardy.

This is a wonderful story a warm and affectionate analysis of a man whose existence was never dull, often sad (his son Stan Robert Laurel died at only 9 days old) his liberal attitude to alcohol and his many affairs including in total 4 wives. His only daughter Lois, a product of his first marriage, was born in 1927 and who recently died in July 2017. Reading "He" was akin to a walk through the old Hollywood from the popular birth of silent movies to the often painful upheaval that became the world of the talkies. Laurel and Hardy not only accepted this change but so much of their success happened after the talkie transition including such memorable classics as Way out West, and A chump at Oxford all under the guidance of renowned American Film Producer Hal Roach. "He" is centred around the Oceana apts  in Santa Monica California where Laurel lived until his death, with his fourth wife Ida, and from this base SL reminisces on the events good and bad that shaped his life.

From reading the press release before the actual book launch John Connolly states that the idea behind this novel was born in 1999.( In the meantime we the reader have been enthralled by the adventures of former policeman Charlie Parker seeking some form of redemption following the murder of his wife and daughter). It is to the author's credit that "he" has been nurtured, developed, researched and planned as the final product is a work of such originality and imagination. It made me feel that I was eavesdropping into a time and place no longer with us and a world where I became privy to the conversations, the genius, the intellect, and the brilliance of the great Stan Laurel. Many thanks to the publisher Hodder and Stoughton for a gratis copy in return for an honest review and that is what I have written.

Karin Slaughter brilliant as always

Yet another wonderful, well crafted, and presented story from Karin Slaughter which sees her departing from her regular Atlanta duo Well Trent (Georgia Bureau of Investigation special agent) and Dr Sarah Linton. In this one off novel we are introduced to the Quinns; Rusty, Gamma, and their two daughters Sam and Charlotte (Charlie) The story is told over two timelines, one set 28 years before the other. One afternoon Zack Culpepper and an accomplish invade the Quinn home where a violent and outrageous event occurs, an event that will have long lasting and damaging repercussions. Moving forward in time to the present somewhat unbelievably another brutal killing occurs, at the local school where Charlie Quinn has attended visiting her lover Mason Huckabee a regrettable one night stand.

What the author excels at his her deep understanding and betrayal of a family in crisis and their attempt to survive. Sam, although badly damaged from the Culpepper attack has managed to map out a career as a patent lawyer in New York but immediately comes to the aid of her younger sister following the school shootings. Dad Rusty is adored by them both even though his chosen occupation as a defence attorney often sees him defending the most abhorrent members of society and indeed the historical Culpeper incident was a direct result of his chosen career.

This is a novel full of mystery, ambition and emotion. It is not so much the storyline that is of importance but rather the depiction of deeply flawed and traumatized characters. At its heart is the love and need of friendship and family and how against all the evil that is present today it is possible not only to survive but to accept the unfolding of life's events however good or bad they may be. Many thanks to the publisher HarperCollins for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.

Sad and difficult to read

This is an extremely sad and difficult book to read and even though some 15 years have passed since the brutal and callous murder of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman the events still remain fresh in my mind. Who can ever forget that last picture of the two little girls wearing their Manchester United tops the clock behind them showing the time at 17.04. How could loving parents ever guess that within a matter of hours their two beautiful daughters would have their lives taken from them by the evil monster Ian Huntley. Kevin and Nicola were exemplary parents and had instilled in Holly the need to be always vigilant and aware when out on her own. No one could have anticipated that someone employed as a school caretaker and who together with his girlfriend, and teaching assistant, Maxine Carr, could oh so callously murder two such innocents. The sad fact is that it took such an evil event to happen before the laws concerning the vetting of individuals (especially those employed in the company of children) would be drastically overhauled. If the background of Huntley had been known and in particular his history of sexual relationships with minors he would never have found himself in the trusted position of school caretaker and so it follows that the lives of Holly and Jessica would have been spared and their date with destiny avoided on that warm summer evening in 2002.

The safeguarding vulnerable groups act 2004 was introduced following the Bichard inquiry into the Soham murders The Act introduced a ‘Vetting and Barring” scheme for people working with children, whereby a new independent safeguarding authority (‘ISA’) must maintain lists of people who are barred from certain kinds of work with children and adults. That list includes those who are convicted of, or admit to, certain specified criminal offences, including various sexual offences, and those involving violence or the mistreatment of children. Once barred, the restrictions on work last from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 10 years.  One of the greatest failings of the police was their inability to retain, store and pass information to neighbouring forces and colleagues throughout the UK. If only the residents of Soham had been aware that Huntley had in the past been accused of rape and sexual assault ( a charge that was later dropped due to lack of evidence) then the events that unfolded in Soham need never have occurred and the families of Jessica and Holly would not have had their lives altered in such a sad and callous way.

Keystone Cops meets Twin Peaks!

This is an enjoyable, light, frivolous summer read, somewhere between the Keystone Cops and Twin Peaks. David Harwood is back in Promise Falls, a quirky little small town on the east coast of America somewhere south of Boston. There are some very odd inhabitants in PF as David encounters when he visits his cousin Marla. She is overjoyed to see him and takes great pleasure in introducing him to her new baby, little Mathew. Is Mathew really the child of a somewhat disturbed Marla? Is there a connection between her baby and the murder of Rosemary Gaynor together with the disappearance of Rosemary's  newborn child? This is all the reader really needs to know as the absurd story develops he will be introduced to a bizarre and motley crew of local residents each with their own hidden agenda.

Linwood Barclay writes books of great enjoyment and he is loved and read worldwide. Most of his output is idle entertainment and instantly forgettable and having said that I expected no more or less from "Broken Promise" and I was certainly not disappointed. The chapters in the book are short (thankfully!) very easy to read the 484 page count easily consumed in two sittings. There is the odd quirky throw away phrase...."Sturgess looked at the high-tech chair in its elevated position. On the small table next to it, a remote, a book of crossword puzzles, an open box of chocolates, a Denielle Steel novel. That was her whole world there, a command center, sitting in front of the television."... There are two further books in the Promise Falls trilogy and followers of this internationally renowned author will devour with elation, I shall not be amongst them as one visit to this odd little township is possibly one visit too many.

Disappointing

Ally Cornwall sits at home in New York wondering why her husband Patrick has failed to keep in contact with her. He is an investigative journalist and his passion for his work, in particular those who are exploited, sees him travelling to distant and far places. A worried Ally decides to board a transatlantic flight, heading for Paris where she hopes to find answers as to the plight of her beloved Patrick.

Tove Alsterdal, is a Swedish author, who in The Forgotten Dead has written a novel preferring to rely on American lead characters. This does not work for me and I found the whole experience somewhat disappointing with a plot more akin to a B movie or a made for television series. I find it difficult to comprehend that within a very short time of arriving in Paris, she was able to establish the work that her husband was involved in before he disappeared. Equally preposterous was the speed at which she easily identified and interviewed those bad men involved in the notorious imprisonment and exploitation of illegal immigrants. It's not a badly written story and to its credit it tackles and confronts some very unsettling social issues that affect us all. Of course you the reader really want to know what befell Patrick and I certainly will not disclose that to you, suffice to say this was neatly accomplished making me feel that the reading of this novel had not been a waste of my valuable reading time. I received a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have

written

Beautiful and brutal in equal measures

A profoundly disturbing story of young Turtle (Julia) who dwells in Mendocino an America's west coast an area of outstanding natural beauty with dense forests and a rugged coastline. In deep contrast to this utopian scene Turtle lives alone with her father Martin who, although he expresses his undying love for her, feels the need to rape her in a never ending cycle of loathsome self pity. This is her guardian, the one entrusted to care for her, and because of these despicable acts Turtle cannot comprehend her feelings towards him, she both loves and loathes him in equal measures. The controlling influence of the father creates some frightening and upsetting scenes to read: The child is forced to complete a number of pull-ups from a rafter and when she lowers her body Martin holds a knife beneath her..."Then he raised the knife and lays the blade up between her legs."....."The knife bites into the blue denim of her jeans and Turtle feels the cold steel through her panties."

Turtle meets and befriends a boy called Jacob and she begins to understand that kindness and friendship can exist even in a world where despicable acts are performed on a daily basis. As she returns home one evening she notices that her home has a new lodger a young child Cayenne and realizes now as she is almost a teenager, Martin has acquired a new defenceless child, to fulfil his sickening sexual desires. Can Turtle escape the claws of this evil monster? Can she rescue Cayenne before it is too late? This is at times a very difficult story to read as the author paints a picture of an unsettling family life against a picturesque and idyllic backdrop. I was captivated by both the innocence and evil and found myself reading this story in a very short time. Many thanks to the good people at netgalley for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.

A literary tour de force

This book is really something special and reading it has proved total addiction as the author plays expertly with my emotions often leading me down the path of utter shock. What at first glance might seem a pleasant tale about the inhabitants of Rathlin island welcoming Mr Marconi and is magical wireless telegraphy soon turns into an altogether sinister affair.

Nuala Byrne living alone on the island (having been deserted by her family when they moved to Newfoundland) is content to wed Ned McQuaid, the Tailor even though he is 30 years her senior. She is however attracted to the fact that he is a man of some means and living in a well built house. When Gabriele Donati arrives on Rathlin to help oversee and utilise this new technology Nuala finds herself strangely attracted to him and now has time to reflect that maybe her marriage to the Tailor was a mistake. To say much more about the plot would spoil the hidden surprises, and the decisions that Nuala Byrne is about to make will alter her life and have a lasting impact on many of the inhabitants.

After a truly exceptional opening prologue the first part of the book shows an island slowing acknowledging and accepting the genius that is Marconi. This idyll is soon to be shattered by an evil act and the unravelling of the mind of a pretty young girl. Bernie McGill has the ability to retain a strong hold on the reader and there is no doubt that she is in total control, at times offering false security only to have this eroded by the evil that men do. There is some wonderful prose...."I was to lie quietly in the dark on my wedding night, it advised, and await my husband's arrival. I was to desist from moving around too much until the act of consummation was complete."...."It'll double as a christening robe when the time comes, she said winking at me. That's if the Tailor has any juice left in him."....."The tremble that grows and passes between us is like the first test notes of the fiddle, the song warming in the singer's throat, the drumming on the skin of the bodhran, till we find a rhythm that suits us both"......"He looks like a painted wooden puppet whose strings have all been cut. He looks like all the movement have left him."

Many thanks to good people of netgalley for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written. Highly recommended.