Archives for August 2025

A Matter Of Evidence by Rhys Dylan


A Matter Of Evidence by Rhys Dylan
Publisher: Wyrmwood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

One wrong does not justify another

In the desolate landscapes of SENTA, the Bannau Brycheiniog army training grounds, DCI Warlow and his seasoned investigators find themselves ensnared in a deadly game of shadows.

A man, recently released from prison after a 20-year wrongful conviction, is discovered dead, igniting a storm of doubt and suspicion. As long-buried secrets claw their way to the surface, the line between truth and deception blurs. With everyone involved in the original case now a potential suspect, they must tread carefully and confront the crimes of old as well as the present.

As the stakes escalate, can Warlow decipher the puzzle of the past before the present claims another victim?

DCI Warlow and his team are called in to investigate when a young man – who had only recently been released from prison after a wrong conviction overturned after nineteen years – has been murdered. As they look into the original crime and the resultant mess left behind the team discovered that more than a few people had reasons to keep this freed young man from telling the truth. Can they right these past grievous wrongs?

I have been really enjoying this slightly grittier Welsh based crime/mystery novels but have to admit we’re fast reaching the stage where there’s a number of plots arching across multiple novels and the team are getting more and more settled in together. While I do feel this book can be read by itself, there’s a few strong sub plots that have carried over from the previous few books. Additionally, I don’t feel this book ends quite on a cliffhanger, but it was very very clear to me what is about to happen almost immediately after this book has finished and I find myself really eager to carry on and not wait through a few other reads. So I was quite grateful that I already had the next book in the series waiting for me and I’ll be moving directly onto that next book. I have a strong feeling some other readers might feel the same as me and while this plot wraps up I’m very eager for the dangling thread left right there on the last few pages and so I’d strongly recommend readers consider having the next in the series on hand.

I really enjoyed this main plotline – how the team were determined to right the wrongs of the past police team who let this young man slide into the system and never tried to own their own errors. I also enjoyed how parts of the plot were quite convoluted and how I guessed some of it but also made inaccurate guesses in other places of the book. I thought a number of things wound together very well and while there wasn’t as much closure on some of the longer running plots that I’m eager to see wrapped up, there was some movement in them and that was good to read too.

Readers who enjoy a slightly more complicated British Police Procedural series should find this enjoyable. I admit it’s a little gritter and less “small town” or “comfort read” as many other British mysteries out there, but the plot is solidly written, and I find the series as a whole enjoyable.

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for August 13, 2025

Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.

What I Read When I’m Not Feeling Well

The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy


The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Fiction, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

In the summer of 1925, the winds of change are particularly chilling for a young woman whose life has suddenly become unbalanced.

Devastated by her mother’s death and a cruel, broken engagement, Sadie Halloran learns that her great-aunt Marguerite, a renowned artist now in the throes of dementia, needs a live-in companion. Grasping at newfound purpose, Sadie leaves her desolate Kansas City boardinghouse for Blackberry Grange, Marguerite’s once-grand mansion sitting precariously atop an Arkansas bluff. Though Marguerite is a fading shell of the vibrant woman Sadie remembers, Marguerite is feverishly compelled to paint eerie, hallucinatory portraits of old lovers—some cherished, some regretted, and some beastly. All of them haunting.

With each passing night, time itself seems to shift with the shadows at Blackberry Grange. As truth and delusion begin to blur, Sadie must uncover the secrets that hold Marguerite captive to her past before reality—and Marguerite’s life—slips away entirely.

The novel introduces us to Sadie Halloran, a young woman adrift after profound personal losses—her mother’s death and a sad broken engagement. Seeking a new purpose, she accepts the role of live-in companion for her great-aunt Marguerite, a celebrated artist now grappling with the disorienting grip of dementia, at the secluded, once-grand Blackberry Grange.

Kennedy excels at crafting layered characters. Sadie’s journey from desolation to determination is compelling, but it is Marguerite who truly captivates. Her fragmented memories and feverish compulsion to paint haunting portraits of her past lovers—some cherished, some monstrous—provide a fascinating and unsettling window into her fractured mind. This blurring of truth and delusion is exquisitely handled, making you question what is real alongside Sadie.

The decaying grandeur of Blackberry Grange itself acts as a character, with time seemingly shifting alongside the shadows. This creates a palpable sense of suspense that builds steadily as Sadie delves deeper into the estate’s — and Marguerite’s — dark secrets. The plot is cleverly constructed, unfolding with a careful pace that keeps the reader thoroughly engaged, hungry to uncover the mysteries that hold Marguerite captive to her past. It’s clear that Kennedy has written this novel with care, evident in the rich historical detail and the sensitive portrayal of dementia alongside the ghostly elements.

While the narrative is largely gripping, there were occasional moments where the exploration of Marguerite’s disjointed memories felt a touch repetitive. However, this minor point does little to detract from the overall immersive experience.

Ultimately, The Artist of Blackberry Grange is a well-crafted tale of family secrets, sacrifice, and the enduring power of love and loss. It’s a novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy atmospheric historical fiction with a ghostly twist, well-developed characters, and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. Paulette Kennedy delivers another compelling story that resonates long after the final page.

Father of One by Jani Anttola – Q&A and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What perspectives or beliefs have you challenged with this work?

Let’s be clear, the genocide in Srebrenica was a monstrous, evil undertaking. The same goes for any of the bloody rampages in our collective history, whether it’s Bucha, My Lai, Rwanda, you name it. But while those who carry out or enable such atrocities should be held responsible, we sometimes forget that there are always perfectly rational and humane individuals within any national or ethnic group, too. It wasn’t explicitly my intention, but I hope Father of One evokes the idea that demonizing and stereotyping people based on their culture, religion or identity isn’t very constructive.

Did you include any hidden messages or Easter eggs in this book?

If I did, I wouldn’t advertise them. I don’t want to lead my readers by the hand, so it’s best they interpret everything through their own lens.

Do you work with editors? If so, what has your experience been with them?

When my first books got published in Finland, I was fortunate I could work with two very good editors. It was a major publisher and back then they had their own editors. A good one does far more than just fix grammar and typos, so it was like having someone in the literary trenches with me. My latest novel is through an indie publisher in the UK. This time I didn’t have the luxury of collaborating with a personal editor, but I commissioned a structural edit. It was also very helpful. Whether it’s been a full content edit or a light evaluation, every time working with an editor I’ve learned something, and I’ve come to enjoy the re-writing process. This is important for indie-published authors who, at the end of the day, must do most of the editing themselves.

What is your favorite television show?

I don’t have a TV or Netflix or such, so I wouldn’t know about any shows. I travel a lot, so I sometimes watch movies on airplanes. I usually go for anything that was filmed before the 2000s. I find the new CGI-riddled slop insufferable. It boils down to the same fundamentals as good literature: storytelling, dialogue and substance often suffer when a work relies too much on gimmicks meant to impress you.

Quote somebody from the top of your head.

“Don’t believe in anything they say – the day after yesterday is all it takes.” Buddha said so – take it from me.

Maka, a young Bosnian soldier, has survived three years under siege. When the enemy forces launch their final attack on his hometown, he must escape to the hills. But traversing the vast woods is a task against all odds: to stay alive, and to find his infant son and his wife, he is soon forced to make a desperate move.

Set against the harrowing background of raging guerrilla warfare and the genocide in Srebrenica, Father of One is, at heart, a story of deep humanity, compassion and love. It is the account of one man’s desire to reunite his family, separated by war, and of bonds unbroken by trauma, sustained by loyalty and tenacity. Writing in a voice that rings with clarity and authenticity, Jani Anttola lays open a dark moment in Europe’s recent history.

Enjoy an excerpt:


They walked up to the plaza where narrow streets led from the ancient town gate towards the centre of the promontory and the Saint George’s church and its cemetery gardens that overlooked the old fishing town. Most of the shops lining the plaza were shuttered. Turning up towards the rectory, they came to the café bar. A young, lean man in a dress shirt and round eyeglasses was sitting by the window with an espresso and listening to the radio that the waiter had placed on the counter. A newscast was on and a woman newsreader was talking in rapid, tense sentences about something.

“Good morning,” said the waiter. “Lovers up so early?” He was an acquaintance of the hotel owner, a smooth-mannered boy who came from the lavender country in Istria. The old man had recommended the place for their shop-roasted coffee.

“Good morning,” Maka said. Amelia dismissed the innuendo with a little laugh. “How are you?”

“I’m good as always.”

Maka, leaning to the counter and taking off his sun hat, looked at the radio. “What’s the news?”

“Their Teritorijalna Odbrana got the orders to start a counteroffensive.”

“No,” Amelia said, looking at the grave-faced waiter.

“When was that?” Maka asked.

“Last night. There’s armoured columns advancing towards Ljubljana. Six JNA brigades.”

“It’s happening too fast. They declared independence only three days ago.”

“Well, it’s happening, all right,” the waiter said. “Yesterday they shot down two helicopters. Now there’s fighting on the Italian border. The Slovenians have bogged the tanks down and are busting them.”

“But it’s insane,” Amelia said. “Everybody’s lost their mind.”

“The generals seem to think it makes perfect sense,” said the bespectacled man by the window. He lit a cigarette and blew smoke towards the ceiling, his head leaning back, then stared out to the street, where a group of loud young men was passing, waving Croatian flags.

Jani Anttola is a Finnish novelist and a medical doctor. In the 1990s he served in Rwanda with the French military and fought in Bosnia as a soldier of the Bosnian army. His works have been published in the UK and Finland. He has spent most of his adult life abroad, working in Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific.

Website

Buy the book at Amazon UK, Amazon, or Book Guild.

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Lifeless by Mark Billingham


Lifeless by Mark Billingham
Publisher: Sphere
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Tom Thorne’s career is on the skids. Having seriously crossed the line on his last case and depressed over the recent suspicious death of his father, the once ambitious police detective has been reduced to pushing papers . . . and is being encouraged to take a prolonged leave of duty.

But someone is stalking the city’s most destitute citizens. Three homeless men have recently been kicked to death, each brutalized corpse discovered with a banknote pinned to its chest. With nothing to lose, Thorne volunteers to try to find the killer—taking to the streets he knows so well from his days as beat policeman and as a homicide detective, but this time joining the squalid ranks of life’s rejects. In this harsh and harrowing netherworld, with its own rules and moral codes, a shocking link between the brutal crimes and a fifteen-year-old atrocity could end up costing Thorne what little life he has left.

Three men (all homeless and sleeping rough on London’s streets) have all been brutally murdered; kicked to death and found with a twenty-pound note pinned to their jackets. The murders each appear random, but – even still grieving and newly shuffled out of the murder team – DI Tom Thorne can tell there has to be more to this series of killings than is readily apparent. Convincing his boss that going undercover and living rough with these people, Tom is determined to navigate this disturbing underworld. Can Tom uncover what’s happening before he, as well, is lost amongst the masses?

I have been really enjoying this gritty and well written British Police Procedural series. I’ve remarked a few times in the previous reviews for earlier books that this series can be quite harsh and difficult at times to read and this story was absolutely up there with the best of them. The entire premise of the plot is a difficult subject – the vulnerable homeless which every large city has, so I feel everyone can relate on some level to this group. While I was pleased the author didn’t go overboard with the harshness and tragedy of this subject, neither does he gloss over anything.

I found myself really impressed with the depth and balance to which the author – through Tom – filled out this book. I thought the balance was just right, with plenty of description and showing much of this underbelly through Tom living 100% rough on the streets full time with this community (and all those associated taboos) but not making this aspect more important than the other humans there or the plot of unearthing a killer.

Like most of the previous books in this series, I strongly suspect this will not be every reader’s style or favoured plotline. I feel this is meant to be an uncomfortable book and meant to make you think and push your boundaries and I found that here in spades. I equally found myself enjoying Tom’s character – and his boss and Holland’s to a lesser extent – and hoping each of them could grow and expand through this experience.

I admit the murder mystery – while always present – definitely took a secondary seat at times to the life experience Tom was getting on the streets. I was quite happy with this, but I do feel readers interested more purely in the mystery and not as engrossed in the rest of the story might find the spotlight should have been more firmly on the mystery and less on the homeless world and streets that were the atmospheric backdrop to this story.

Readers looking for a different, grittier and at times harder storyline should absolutely give this series – and this book in particular – a crack. While it might not resonate with everyone, I am really finding myself darkly addicted to this series and am happy there’s a number more to come before I’m caught up.

Movie Review: Murderbot


Murderbot
From AppleTV+
Writers: Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz
Directors: Paul Weitz, Chris Weitz, Andrew Milano, David S. Goyer, and Keith Levine
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tamara Podemski, and Tattiawna Jones
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ
Rating: 5 Stars (10 Stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by Astilbe

A security android struggles with emotions and free will while balancing dangerous missions and desire for isolation, evading detection of its self-hacking as it finds its place.

Safety is no laughing matter…but just about everything else is!

As someone who has yet to read “All Systems Red,” the book by Martha Wells that this series is based upon, I started watching with only the vaguest notion that the plot had something to do with a robot. Immediately, I felt empathy for Security Unit 238776431, or SecUnit as he preferred to be called. This was a show that doesn’t require any previous knowledge of the characters or plot to be funny, relatable, or surprising, although I’d love to hear from viewers who did know what to expect in advance to see what they thought of the small screen adaptation of it.

SecUnit’s understanding of human culture kept me guessing from the first episode of season one to the last one. He was grossed out by simple things like hugging or kissing but generally unmoved by violence unless one of his clients was in immediate danger. These contractions only made him more interesting to me as I never quite knew how he was going to react to any given situation. He didn’t have a human mind, and it showed in all sorts of surprising ways.

I loved the offbeat humor in this series. Not only did it highlight the many differences between humans and sentient robots, it also provided relief from the dramatic scenes. It’s not always easy to balance the two, especially with shows that include as many gun battles and other dangerous moments as this one does, but when it’s done right it’s a great way to draw in a wide variety of audiences and give everyone something to enjoy.

Murderbot made me want to dive even more deeply into this universe.

The Christmathon by Valerie J. Patterson


The Christmathon by Valerie J. Patterson
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Romance, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Sophia Brady, mayor of Noelville, has only one wish for Christmas: to put an end to the Christmathon. To end the rivalry between her town and Garland Falls. What’s stopping her other than 75 years of tradition? The new mayor of Garland Falls. He likes the snow games, the reindeer cup, and healthy competition. He’s just as unyielding in his stance that they continue. When Sophie meets a handsome stranger at her favorite restaurant, will romance be enough to take her mind off the Christmathon?

Competition comes in many forms.

Since the holidays are a time for relishing all sorts of rich dishes, it made perfect sense to describe the food and alcohol the characters consumed in vivid detail. I must admit to needing to grab a few snacks while reading because of how hungry those passages made me. The narrator made every meal and bottle of wine sound amazing, including the ones that I’ve never actually eaten or drunk in real life.

This story would have benefited from another round of editing. Along with the multiple punctuation and other errors I noticed, Sophia’s name was regularly written as Sophie without any explanations as to why that change had occurred. This happened so frequently that I’m not actually sure which one was correct, and it distracted me from the plot itself even though I was originally quite interested in checking it out.

The chemistry between the two main characters was incredibly strong, and this is something I’m saying as a reader who generally prefers a slower burn in the romances I read. Ms. Patterson did a great job of showing why her characters were such a compatible match for each other within just a few pages. There was an electric connection between them that made me excited to see what would happen next. That is not easy to do, so kudos to her for pulling it off. It was exactly what this tale needed to gel together.

The Christmathon made me yearn for romance, wine, and Christmas lights.

The Song of Achilles By Madeline Miller


The Song of Achilles By Madeline Miller
Publisher: Ecco
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes.

Oh my, what a story. A story I did not think I would enjoy. It sure turned out very different than I thought. This book, The Story of Achilles, is a sort of adaptation of the Iliad/Odyssey. A Homeresque story made, well, readable in my mind.

This story shares some of the same characters as The Iliad, but I never once felt like I was wading or struggling through the heavy language of Homer’s book. This was so flowing, such a strong story and vivid too. There is a bit of everything in Madeline Miller’s book. The tale is filled with Greek mythology, the lives of the wealthy and the gluttonous, as well as the tender lives of those struggling to care about one another in a world of war and death.

We’re discussing a book with over a million ratings on Goodreads. An author with many other best sellers. If this all sounds dramatic, I meant for it to have that effect. This is a five-star read that made me cry and yet set my heart on fire all in the same 300+ pages.

The Room of Lost Steps by Simon Tolkien


The Room of Lost Steps by Simon Tolkien
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Barcelona 1936. Theo helps the Anarchist workers defeat the army that is trying to overthrow the democratically elected government, and he is reunited with his true love, Maria. But all too soon, his joy turns to terror as the Anarchists turn on him, led by a rival for Maria’s affection.

Lucky to escape with his life, Theo returns to England to study at Oxford. But his heart is in Spain, now torn apart by a bloody civil war, and he is quick to abandon his new life when his old schoolmate Esmond offers him the chance to fight the Fascists. He is unprepared for the nightmare of war that crushes his spirit and his hope until, back in Barcelona, Theo is confronted with a final terrible choice that will define his life forever.

As Theo’s tumultuous coming-of-age journey reaches its end, can his dream to change the world—so far from home—still hold true?

“The Room of Lost Steps” by Simon Tolkien, the second installment in the Theo Sterling series, is an engaging historical coming-of-age epic that plunges readers into the turbulent Spanish Civil War. Following an exciting start where Theo Sterling, an American boy with big dreams, finds himself in Barcelona in 1936, the novel immerses you in the chaos and uncertainty of the era.

The narrative picks up from its antecedent, “The Palace at the End of the Sea,” and continues Theo’s notable journey. We witness him aiding the Anarchist workers in their fight against the invading military forces. The reunion with his true love, Maria, adds a layer of personal stake and emotional depth to the unfolding political drama. However, Tolkien doesn’t shy away from the brutal realities of conflict, and Theo’s joy is quickly replaced by dread as internal strife within the Anarchist movement, fueled by a rival for Maria’s affection, forces him into a desperate escape.

This sets Theo on a path back to England, where he attempts to find relief and a new life at Oxford. Yet, his heart remains connected to Spain. The appeal of fighting against fascism, presented by his old schoolmate Esmond, proves too strong to resist. This decision leads to an upsetting descent into the grim realities of war, which, as the synopsis hints, crushes Theo’s spirit and hopes. The story highlights the profound impact of these experiences on the young protagonist.

The novel excels in its portrayal of a protagonist navigating an “epic expanse” of setting and “struggles of different types.” Theo’s resilience and his internal battles are central to the storytelling, making it intriguing to see how Theo handles things. Tolkien masterfully injects tension to keep things rolling, ensuring that the reader remains invested in Theo’s fate.

As Theo confronts a terrible choice back in Barcelona, the novel questions whether his youthful dream of changing the world, far from home and battered by war, can truly last. “The Room of Lost Steps” is a story that will resonate with readers who appreciate historical fiction and coming-of-age narratives.

The Spirit of Vanderlaan by Susan Harris Howell

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Susan Harris Howell will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When beloved professor, Samantha Hayes, learns that her favorite four students live in as many of her old dorm rooms, she wonders how it happened and for what purpose. As she and her student entourage explore the possibilities, they uncover a death years ago and what appears to be the ghost of the dearly departed. All of this stirs up Samantha’s long-held fear that she was responsible for that death, challenging all she thought she knew about herself and the work she holds dear. They must figure out what happened before Samantha gets fired for “dabbling in the paranormal.”

Enjoy an Excerpt

As she walked to her first class of the day, Samantha congratulated herself that for the first time this semester she would arrive at her own class on time. A glance at her watch revealed she even had five minutes to spare. With Douglas Hall in sight and her classroom on its main floor, she was sure to make it on time—

“Samantha!”

Grrr! So close. Although showing up late for class frustrated her, she was mostly annoyed by the person who was about to detain her. If I ignore him, maybe he’ll go away.

“Samantha!” This time he was more insistent.

Samantha released a breath of resignation. She should have known better. He wasn’t the kind to be ignored. Samantha turned to face him as she reached the door of the building. She hadn’t been at Vanderlaan long enough to flout someone who carried the weight around here that he did. “What can I do for you, Len?”

Dr. Len Titus stood before her, dressed as always, in a suit with a starched white shirt and tie which he would loosen by afternoon. His graying hair with a precise part on the side had become his hallmark, along with his hands-on-hips pose and gravelly voice. Levi’s imitation of each was spot on, although professional decorum required that Samantha refrain from the encouragement her laughter would ensure. Since Len Titus was of slight frame, someone unfamiliar with this man might assume passivity or weakness. Not Samantha.

“I see we’re both teaching in Douglas Hall this semester,” he said. “Hope I won’t be in your way.” He peered over his wire-rimmed glasses. “Or you in mine.”

Samantha took a breath, gritted her teeth, and walked through the door. She would use the back entrance next time.

About the AuthorI am a psychologist, speaker, and author of The Spirit of Vanderlaan, my debut novel released in December of 2024. This book is a fun, cozy, ghost story featuring a professor, Samantha Hayes, and her lively band of students who get caught up in solving a campus mystery. This book draws on my teaching career of over thirty years to capture the camaraderie and warmth between a professor and the assortment of personalities which inhabit her office.

I have also published extensively on equality between women and men. My first book, Buried Talents, explores the subtle ways women are discouraged from entering male-dominated occupations. Buried Talents was named a winner in InterVarsity Press’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards.

My husband and I have two grown children, a daughter-in-law, one adorable grandson, and an incorrigible beagle named Doc. While Doc doesn’t understand a word I say, he fully supports my books and their content.

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Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

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