Review: The Wolf Hunt by Tim Hodkinson

Synopsis: When you can't protect everyone, who will you save?

AD 935. Einar Unnsson is destined to be great. He has already defeated the men sent to kill him by his father, Jarl Thorfinn, the 'Skull Cleaver'. Einar has a gift that makes him lethal in battle, a gift he needs now more than ever.

Jarl Thorfinn is set on vengeance. Einar's mother, Unn, was once Thorfinn's favourite bedslave and when she escaped, it was a humiliation he never forgot. Whilst he attempts to supplant the Irish throne, Thorfinn sends his Galdr Man to Iceland on an assassination mission.

Unaware that his mother's life is on the line, Einar spends his exile with the Wolf Coats, a band of fearsome, bloodthirsty warriors. Convinced the fates have turned against them, the Wolf Coats embark on a wild journey, desperate to lift the curse. Yet no amount of Wolf Coats, curse remedies or even Einar's special gifts will help, if Einar can't use them to save Unn's life...

OMG!  "A fast-paced, action-packed historical fiction novel" is an under-statement!  This is yet another page-turning adventure featuring our rag-tag bunch of warriors as they constantly jump out of the frying pan and into the oven before making a final last stand worthy of "The Magnificent Seven" or "Zulu".

Úlfhéðnar

Author, Tim Hodkinson weaves his spell so intricately that you are drawn in before you know it - and pages and hours have passed in no time at all. The story is so compelling that the reader finds themselves as part of this warband as they traverse 10th century Norway on their quest for revenge and redemption. 

Norway is under the reign of Eirik Bloodaxe, whose brothers are intent on raising rebellion - it is a bloody power struggle where the prize is the throne. Add to this, the battle for religious supremacy between the prevailing pagansim of the Vikings and the new religion - Christianity.

This third chapter must be read following the other two - Odin's Game and The Raven Banner -in order - as many of the characters and events referenced will flow more easily for the reader. I do hope that Tim will continue this saga of his own as this is a series worth investing in!

I would suggest tacking down the existing Sagas - they make for fascinating reading! A good starting point is the Viking Society for Northern Research.

Review: The Cellars of Notre Dame by Barbara Frale

Synopsis: Paris, 1298. Disguised as an outlaw, a personage of the highest rank sneaks through the cellars of Notre Dame. The maze of secret tunnels hides a laboratory. Here, occult studies are conducted under the guidance of the renowned scientist, Arnaldo da Villanova. Studies which remain a secret.

Rome, 1301. Denounced for impiety by mysterious informers in Paris, Villanova seeks refuge in Italy and becomes Pope Boniface VIII's personal physician. Yet Villanova knows a secret, one capable of discrediting and overthrowing the French monarchy. He's not safe. It's clear someone wants to silence him forever.  Will he pay the price for the secret he keeps with his life?

Two things attracted me to this book - the subject matter and the author, whose book on the Templars I had read in the past.

Medieval politics is a difficult path to navigate at the best of times. Throw in some papal discord, political and religious machinations, mysterious cabals, superstition, rumour and inuendo, and two political giants in Philip the Fair of France and Pope Boniface VIII (described as two pillars holding up the world), and you have the makings of a very good historical fiction thriller. 

Barely four years into his papal reign, Boniface VIII often involved himself in the foreign affairs of many nations, including in France, Sicily, Italy and Scotland. These chronic and oft unwelcome interventions were the cause of many bitter quarrels. France, at this time, was a war with England over Gascony, and Philip was constantly putting his hands into the coffers to fund these military actions. It was Philip's taxing of the clergy that also brought him into conflict with the papacy.

Frale is a noted historian and paleographer at the Vatican Secret Archives, and her previous works have been in the non-fiction genre. This is her first novel as far as I am aware. The amount of research that has gone into this book is (at times, painfully) evident.

I would strongly suggest that having some interest in this particular period would be a good thing as there are a plethora of characters (real and fictional) that walk across the pages; some add to the story, others are not so critical, leaving me wondering if they were necessary in the first place (mayhap a short list of essential characters at the very start might have been an idea).

The character of Arnoldo de Villanova intrigued me greatly. Was he real or one of those fictional characters that are there to drive the storyline. But no,Arnoldo is real and his exile is documented. I was pleased to see another side to Philip's chief minister, Guillaume de Nogaret. There are many more real-life characters worthy of further research. Truly a cast that would make Cecil B deMille envious.

In additional, there are also a number of themes running through the narrative - some evident; others not so; and these are not cleared up until towards the end. At times, the reader could be left wondering which narrative it is that they should be following and what should be discarded. Much of what is covered off here sets the scene of some more well known historical events that were to tragically play out in the years to come.

" ... you cannot escape the past .... 

 the past always returns and sets before us 

the mistakes we have made ..."

Despite this being an area of interest for me (ie: medieval history and politics), the dearth of information provided sometimes felt oppressive - at page 50 I felt like I was at page 500! So I will stress that this undertaking is not for the faint-hearted.

However, once you get past all of this, the story itself posits a rather  interesting premise, which will have some rushing to their history books or google in search of answers. I will most likely be reading this again.

Review: One Strange Accident by Kay Wyont

Synopsis: Homicide detective Randy Monroe has plenty of work to do without looking for more cases. But when he gets wind of a rash of strange accidents, his gut says there’s more to it. At first, there seems to be nothing connecting the incidents, but when he and his partner, Danny Beckman, dig deeper, they find something beyond their expectations. Now, it’s up to Randy and Danny to track down the evil Svengali behind the attacks before more innocent people die.

This one follows on from One Inner Voice - and the case in the first book is referenced a couple of times in this second book.

This time our detective duo of Danny and Randy are looking into a series of strange accidents " ... another incident of a normal person doing something abnormal ...". What - and more importantly - who - is behind these accidents. Once the reader gets an inkling of where they are headed, things more along at a brisk pace, the tension palpable, as we are propelled ever forward towards the gripping conclusion.

Enjoying the verbal interplay between the detectives - Danny and Randy, and welcome the introduction of a new character. But will the team reach their conclusions before more lives are lost?

This is a great little series set in San Antonio, Texas. Looking forward to more from Kay! 

Slavery in Early Mediaeval England from the Reign of Alfred until the Twelfth Century by David A.E. Pelteret

This important study seeks to assemble the evidence, drawn from a variety of sources in Old English and Latin, to convey a picture of slaves and slavery in England, viewed against the background of English society as a whole.

Slaves were part of the fabric of English society throughout the Anglo-Saxon era and the twelfth century, but as the base of the social pyramid, they have left no known written records; there are, however, extensive references to them throughout the documents and writings of the period. 

This important study seeks to assemble the evidence, drawn from a variety of sources in Old English and Latin, to convey a picture of slaves and slavery in England, viewed against the background of English society as a whole. An extensive appendix on the vernacular terminology of slavery reveals the concepts of enslavement to be embedded in the religious imagery of the period.

Dutch Revolt and Catholic Exile in Reformation Europe by Geert H. Janssen

The Dutch Revolt of the sixteenth century sparked one of the largest refugee crises of Reformation Europe. This book explores the flight, exile and eventual return of Catholic men and women during the war. By mapping the Catholic diaspora across Europe, Geert H. Janssen explains how exile worked as a catalyst of religious radicalisation and transformed the world views, networks and identities of the refugees. 

Like their Protestant counterparts, the displaced Catholic communities became the mobilising forces behind a militant International Catholicism. The Catholic exile experience thus facilitated the permanent separation of the northern and southern Netherlands. Drawing on diaries, letters and evidence from material culture, this book offers a penetrating picture of the lives of early modern refugees and their agency in the Counter-Reformation.

>>> Winner of the 2015 Gerald Strauss Prize, Sixteenth Century Society and Conference

Hakluyt’s Promise by Peter C. Mancall

The most comprehensive portrait yet of Richard Hakluyt, indefatigable promoter of English colonization in America

Richard Hakluyt the younger, a contemporary of William Shakespeare, advocated the creation of English colonies in the New World at a time when the advantages of this idea were far from self-evident. This book describes in detail the life and times of Hakluyt, a trained minister who became an editor of travel accounts. Hakluyt’s Promise demonstrates his prominent role in the establishment of English America as well as his interests in English opportunities in the East Indies. The volume presents nearly 50 illustrations—many unpublished since the sixteenth century—and offers a fresh view of Hakluyt’s milieu and the central concerns of the Elizabethan age.

Though he never traveled farther than Paris, young Hakluyt spent much of the 1580s recording information about the western hemisphere and became an international authority on overseas exploration. The book traces his rise to prominence as a source of information and inspiration for England’s policy makers, including the queen, and his advocacy for colonies in Roanoke and Jamestown. Hakluyt’s thought was shaped by debates that stretched across Europe, and his interests ranged just as widely, encompassing such topics as peaceful coexistence with Native Americans, the New World as a Protestant Holy Land, and in, his later life, trade with the Spice Islands.

Lost Colony of Roanoke: Researchers say the 'mystery is over'

From The Virginian-Pilot:

The English colonists who settled the so-called Lost Colony before disappearing from history simply went to live with their native friends — the Croatoans of Hatteras, according to a new book.

“They were never lost,” said Scott Dawson, who has researched records and dug up artifacts where the colonists lived with the Indians in the 16th century. “It was made up. The mystery is over.”

Dawson has written a book, published in June, that details his research. It is called “The Lost Colony and Hatteras Island,” and echos many of the sentiments he has voiced for years.

A team of archaeologists, historians, botanists, geologists and others have conducted digs on small plots in Buxton and Frisco for 11 years.

Dawson’s book draws from research into original writings of John White, Thomas Harriot and others. Most of their writings were compiled at the time by English historian Richard Hakluyt.

read more here @ The Virginian-Pilot

Bloomsbury wins auction for 'landmark' work on Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn

From The Bookseller:

Associate publisher Alexis Kirschbaum and Jasmine Horsey, editor for non-fiction, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Hunting the Falcon: King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn by John Guy and Julia Fox, at auction from Natasha Fairweather at Rogers, Coleridge & White.

Kirschbaum and Horsey said: "From the moment of submission, we knew that Hunting the Falcon was a very special book indeed: a landmark work of non-fiction, told with the page-turning addictiveness of a novel. John Guy and Julia Fox animate this defining moment of English nationhood in a new way, through the portrait of a marriage.

"The result is an astonishing blend of the romantic and the political, told against an ambitious international canvas. It is storytelling and scholarship at their best, and we could not be more excited to publish it."

read more here @ The Bookseller

Review: English Collusion & the Norman Conquest by Arthur C Wright

Synopsis: The reality of war, in any period, is its totality. Warfare affects everyone in a society. Here, for the first time, is a comprehensive analysis of eleventh century warfare as exposed in the record of the Norman Conquest of England. King William I experienced a lifetime of conflict on and off so many battlefields.

In English Collusion and the Norman Conquest, Arthur Wright's second book on the Norman Conquest, he argues that this monarch has received an undeserved reputation bestowed on him by clerics ignorant alike of warfare, politics, economics and of the secular world, men writing half a century after events reported to them by doubtful sources. How much of this popular legend was actually created by an avaricious Church?

Was he just a lucky, brutal soldier, or was he instead a gifted English King who could meld cultures and talents? This is a tale of blood, deceit, ambition and power politics which pieces together the self-interested distortion of events, brutalizing conflict and superb strategic acumen by using and analyzing contemporary evidence the like of which is not to be found elsewhere in Europe.

By 1072 King William should have been secure upon the English throne, so what went wrong? How did a Norman Duke and a few thousand mercenaries take and hold such a wealthy and populous Kingdom? Even in the 'Harrowing of the North', which probably saw the death of tens of thousands, who was really to blame and why did it happen? 

Definition of collusion: the secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy in order to deceive others.

I chose this book for two reasons: one being that I have a huge interest in this period and as such I am more than familiar with the events (before, during and after), the main players and the various pro and anti sentiments; and secondly, I had read the author's previous work - Decoding the Bayeux Tapestry.

To say that I was a little baffled would be an under-statement. What I thought I would be getting was an in-depth study on the type of aid William received from the English Anglo-Saxons or anyone else in his efforts to mount and maintain what is known today as the Norman Conquest. 

What I feel I actually got was something quite different. This is essentially a work on the feudalism and nationhood and its varying interpretations and applications; a commentary on the character of William (including his military acumen); and  detailed account of the invasion and the economy.  It was - for me - also accompanied by a headache! 

As someone who has read extensively on this subject, and considers herself to have a rather developed vocabulary, I found myself confused as to the points being made and constantly reaching for the dictionary or google word search to understand what was actually being said. In the past, based on sentence structure alone, I could usually work out what an unfamiliar word or phrase meant. In addition, I felt the tone to be rather condescending; the commentary often rambling, confusing and glib, peppered with conjecture and speculation; and a prevalent disdain for any previous research conducted by past historians. 

The chapter "Overview" pretty much summed up the tome - but I was at a loss as to why it was marked as chapter 10 (at page 140) - this should have been at the front and could easily have replaced all the previous chapters.

Let me save you all the time and provide you with a summary:

.... the Normans are not super-heroes; English resistance to William was a fantasy; all rebellion boils down to money; no-one at this time swore an oath of loyalty to a King but only to his immediate lord; the was no such thing as feudalism or nationhood; and unity came down to taxation ...

What was very disappointing was that there was no real discussion as to the exact nature of this "collusion" by the local populace to the invasion, nor were there any real examples given in support. I mean, this is why I requested the title in the first place - I have enough background to want to narrow down and explore specific and diverse subject matters that tie in with the main theme.  I wanted to know who did the colluding, how they did it, what was their motivation for doing so, and what were the results and consequences, not only for themselves but for the country as a whole. 

Wright states that much of his conclusions are based upon his own research which is set apart from the "speculated history in the accepted history books". In fact, from what I can ascertain in the notes section, a great deal of the sources quoted are the author's own. I am all for looking at different angles and proposing contradictory opinions on subject matters, but it does need to not only be well-argued but well-sourced. Convince me, present me with a plausable alternative, plant a seed that will lead me off to explore and research further!

I am not sure who the target audience is for this particular book, but it is certainly not for those just dipping their toes into this specific period and set of events, or even someone with a modicum of knowledge.  In fact, I would be very interested in the opinions of others with regards to this work.

Review: The Mystery of Henri Pick by David Foenkinos

Synopsis: In the small town of Crozon in Brittany, a library houses manuscripts that were rejected for publication: the faded dreams of aspiring writers. Visiting while on holiday, young editor Delphine Despero is thrilled to discover a novel so powerful that she feels compelled to bring it back to Paris to publish it. The book is a sensation, prompting fevered interest in the identity of its author - apparently one Henri Pick, a now-deceased pizza chef from Crozon. Sceptics cry that the whole thing is a hoax: how could this man have written such a masterpiece? An obstinate journalist, Jean-Michel Rouche, heads to Brittany to investigate.

By turns farcical and moving, The Mystery of Henri Pick is a fast-paced comic mystery enriched by a deep love of books - and of the authors who write them. 

Thoroughly enjoyable novel about the mystery surrounding the author of a book found in  regional library housing an area for rejected manuscripts, which when published, becomes a sensation. It is a story of how this fame has affected not only those directly associated with the book, but also the town in which the book was discovered. It is also the story of a washed-up critic and his journey for a final piece of redemption by discovering the truth behind the facade.

Translated from the original French by Sam Taylor, this story flows across the pages, separated by neat little chapters and some highly amusing footnotes from the author. Well worth discovering and reading for your selves!

Review: The Borgia's Spy by Andrea Frediani

Synopsis: 1497. Pope Alexander VI Borgia is perfecting his plans for the control of Italy when a heinous crime deprives him of one of the people dearest to him. All of Rome is mobilised to discover the perpetrator but a strange series of coincidences means famous court painter Pinturicchio finds himself on the front line.

To shed light on a murder that has cut the papacy to the quick, Pinturicchio is assisted by the city's most established artists, from Michelangelo Buonarroti and Filippino Lippi to Piermatteo d'Amelia and Perugino. The Borgias have so many enemies that the list of suspects grows by the day, but a masked man may be the key witness to the crime – or even its perpetrator...

Andrea Frediani brings one of the most famous cold cases in history to life in this thrilling tale of intrigue and deceit set in Renaissance Rome.

I love both fiction and non-fiction books featuring the Borgias - so I was looking forward to this story set around the time of the murder of Giovanni (Juan) Borgia.

It was a fascinating take on the mysterious and unsolved murder of Giovanni - there will be no spoilers here. Creative use of the artists of the day to contribute to the narrative for the search of those responsible. This also provided the reader with a glimpse at the intrigue and corruption that was prevalent at the Papal Court (and not just under the Borgias).

The thing that irritated me the most was that my edition needed serious editing / formatting - you finish one sentence in one place only to start the next sentence somewhere else with an entirely different character - it was very annoying and required the need to re-read paragraphs to ensure you knew where you were in the storyline. My edition also had some passages highlighted.

If these formatting issues are dealt with, this will make for a very good read. There is also an authors's note at the end that will be of interest to readers.

Review: Sherlock Holmes & the Ripper of Whitechapel by M.K. Wiseman

Synopsis: I am afraid that I, Sherlock Holmes, must act as my own chronicler in this singular case, that of the Whitechapel murders of 1888. For the way in which the affair was dropped upon my doorstep left me with little choice as to the contrary. Not twelve months prior, the siren’s call of quiet domesticity and married life had robbed me of Watson’s assistance as both partner and recorder of my cases. Thus, when detective inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard required a lead—any lead—I found myself forced to pursue Jack the Ripper alone and without the aid of my faithful friend. 

And all for the most damnedable of reasons: early on in my investigations, Dr. John H. Watson, formerly of 221b Baker Street, emerged as my prime suspect.

This is another very Conan Doyle-like story of Holmes - in this instance, we have the added mystery of the notorious Whitechapel murders of Jack the Ripper.

Wiseman plots and paces his story in a manner that you might be forgiven for thinking this was a lost Conan Doyle manuscript. His take on Holmes is uncannily like the original manuscripts.

However, in this instance, the story is narrated by Holmes whilst Watson becomes one of the secondary characters in this outing. Holmes notes that this is not his usual type of case and is more or less "lured into" the case by not only Inspector Lestrade but Commissioner Warren. The story follows the Ripper murders fairly closely with Homes concluding that there was a "... compendium of errors which had plagued the case ..." which (no spoiler) remains an enigmatic mystery still today.

Definitely one for fans of Holmes and Watson - hope there are more tales on the horizon! 

Review: The Wolves of Venice by Alex Connor

Synopsis: Venice, 16th century. The staggering wealth of Venice contrasts the brutal lives of those in the ghetto. Opportunistic merchants arrive to make their fortune. Deception, malice and perversion thrive, leading to the emergence of a dark society: The Wolves of Venice.

Drawn into the Wolves' plots are the innocents – including Marco Gianetti, assistant to Tintoretto; Ira Tabat, a Jewish merchant; Giorgio Gabal, an artist's apprentice; and Giovanni Spoletto, the doomed castrato – all manipulated by the likes of Pietro Aretino, the courtesan Tita Boldini and the spy Adamo Baptista.

The lives of these characters criss-cross one another. Their destinies intermingle in a Venice corrupted by spies lingering in the shadows, working for paymasters that change allegiance with the wind. As the betrayals, murders and tragedies continue, will anyone be able to bring the Wolves of Venice to justice?

Unfortunately, whilst I did eventually finish this and I have a number of Alex Connor's other books, I was not a fan of this particular book.

The story / plot takes much too long to get going, and the characters that walk across our pages too numerous that one wonders where they fit in - if at all. I found no empathy at all with any of the characters and the action taking place ignited no spark within me and I was left feeling unfulfilled. Upon reaching the end, finally, only to discover that this was not a stand alone book but one in a series.

I will not be pursuing any more in the series.

Review: Sherlock Holmes & the Beast of the Stapletons by James Lovegrove

Synopsis: 1894. The monstrous Hound of the Baskervilles has been dead for five years, along with its no less monstrous owner, the naturalist Jack Stapleton. Sir Henry Baskerville is living contentedly at Baskerville Hall with his new wife Audrey and their three-year-old son Harry.

Until, that is, Audrey’s lifeless body is found on the moors, drained of blood. It would appear some fiendish creature is once more at large on Dartmoor and has, like its predecessor, targeted the unfortunate Baskerville family.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are summoned to Sir Henry’s aid, and our heroes must face a marauding beast that is the very stuff of nightmares. It seems that Stapleton may not have perished in the Great Grimpen Mire after all, as Holmes believed, and is hell-bent on revenge…

This very Conan Doyle-like story of Holmes follows on from his return after Holmes' supposed death at Reichenbach Falls (The Final Problem) and five years after the events of "The Hound of the Baskervilles".

Lovegrove plots and paces his story in a manner that you might be forgiven for thinking this was a lost Conan Doyle manuscript. His take on Holmes and Watson is uncannily like the originals - and old characters from "The Hound" resurface.

The story is narrated by Watson of course - though Holmes himself does recount events which he classifies as "... a web of murder and deceit ...riddled with misgiving ..." when he sallied forth to Dartmoor in the company of one Corporal Grier to discover just what new beast was terrorising the Baskervilles. Just when you think all is solved, we the reader find ourselves only halfway there.

Definitely one for fans of Holmes and Watson - hope there are more tales on the horizon!

Review: Winston's Spy by Robert Webber

Synopsis: 1939. The storm clouds of war are gathering over Europe and the conundrum faced is whether the Soviet Union will reach a peace concord with Nazi Germany. How can Britain plan for war with Germany without knowing Stalin’s intentions?

The Baltic states hold the key and in particular Russia’s old Grand Duchy, Finland. One man can make a difference and Alex Carlton is recruited by MI2 (the division of Military Intelligence that deals with Russia and Scandinavia) to go undercover in Finland to gain insight into Finnish intentions; but will Alex’s past be a help or hindrance?

As he progresses through training and prepares for his mission, Alex’s life becomes complicated by love and intrigue that nearly derails his assignment… and that would upset Winston Churchill himself! 

This is the story of Aleksander Nikolayevich Karlov whose family fled Russia in the face of the Bolsheviks and who grew up in Finland and Sweden before finally coming to Britain in the 1930s. Alex, on the eve of World War II, finds himself approached to do some secretive work on behalf of the British Government - his ancestry will come in very handy indeed.

This easy to read first chapter (ie: book) deals with all the preliminary work needed to get Alex on his way, whist at the same time navigating a new romance, finishing off his required training, and adjusting to the potential declaration of war whereupon he could be called up at a moments' notice..

If you were expecting things to kick off straight away you will be a little disappointed - there were times when I found myself wondering if Alex was ever going to start his mission. However, I did persevere and am looking forward to the next installment. 

The Pearl by Douglas Smith

The unforgettable story of the serf who became one of Russia’s greatest opera singers and her noble master, a man who defied all tradition to marry her.

Filled with a remarkable cast of characters and set against the backdrop of imperial Russia, this tale of forbidden romance could be the stuff of a great historical novel. But in fact The Pearl tells a true tale, reconstructed in part from archival documents that have lain untouched for centuries. Douglas Smith presents the most complete and accurate account ever written of the illicit love between Count Nicholas Sheremetev (1751-1809), Russia’s richest aristocrat, and Praskovia Kovalyova (1768-1803), his serf and the greatest opera diva of her time.

Blessed with a beautiful voice, Praskovia began her training in Nicholas’s operatic company as a young girl. Like all the members of Nicholas’s troupe, Praskovia was one of his own serfs. But unlike the others, she utterly captured her master’s heart. 

The book reconstructs Praskovia’s stage career as “The Pearl” and the heartbreaking details of her romance with Nicholas—years of torment before their secret marriage, the outrage of the aristocracy when news of the marriage emerged, Praskovia’s death only days after delivering a son, and the unyielding despair that followed Nicholas to the end of his life. 

Written with grace and style, The Pearl sheds light on the world of the Russian aristocracy, music history, and Russian attitudes toward serfdom. But above all, the book tells a haunting story of love against all odds. 

Lincolnshire Police officer writes first book in Stamford after becoming hooked on fantasy novels while recovering from stroke

From Rutland & Stamford Mercury:

A Lincolnshire Police officer who started reading fantasy novels while recovering from a stroke has now written his own.

James Horton, 36, was working for the Metropolitan Police in London when he began losing feeling down his left side after finishing a late shift nine years ago.

The father-of-three ended up in hospital on a critical stroke ward but luckily went on to recover.

He now only rarely experiences left-side tingling and slurred speech when he’s exhausted, although the fear of having another stroke has never left him.

While recuperating, he started listening to audiobooks of Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin as well as The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell.

Ideas for his own novel began forming in his head and around three years ago, while living and working in Stamford, he began putting pen to paper.

The outcome is Blue Swords, the first book in a series called ‘The Crimes and Crests Saga’, and it is already proving a hit.

read more here @ Rutland & Stamford Mercury

Obituary: Professor Mark Ormrod

Professor Mark Ormrod passed away on 2 August 2020, in St Leonard’s Hospice, after a long illness which had caused him to retire early from the University in 2017 but did not impede his research and publication.

Mark was a leading historian of the later Middle Ages in Britain. He completed his doctorate in 1984 at the University of Oxford and then held a number of positions at the Universities of Sheffield, Evansville (British Campus), Queens University Belfast and Cambridge. In 1990 he moved to a lectureship at the University of York and was promoted to Professor in 1995. 

Mark was Director of the Centre for Medieval Studies from 1998 to 2001 and 2002 to 2003, and Head of the Department of History in 2001 and from 2003 to 2007. He also struck up a very close working relationship with the Borthwick Institute for Archives. He was a natural choice as the first Dean of the newly created Faculty of Arts and Humanities at York in 2009, a position that he held until his retirement in 2017.

read more here @ The University of York

Review: Dark Archives by Megan Rosenbloom

Synopsis: On bookshelves around the world, surrounded by ordinary books bound in paper and leather, rest other volumes of a distinctly strange and grisly sort: those bound in human skin. Would you know one if you held it in your hand?

In Dark Archives, Megan Rosenbloom seeks out the historic and scientific truths behind anthropodermic bibliopegy—the practice of binding books in this most intimate covering. Dozens of such books live on in the world’s most famous libraries and museums. Dark Archives exhumes their origins and brings to life the doctors, murderers, innocents, and indigents whose lives are sewn together in this disquieting collection. Along the way, Rosenbloom tells the story of how her team of scientists, curators, and librarians test rumored anthropodermic books, untangling the myths around their creation and reckoning with the ethics of their custodianship.

A librarian and journalist, Rosenbloom is a member of The Order of the Good Death and a cofounder of their Death Salon, a community that encourages conversations, scholarship, and art about mortality and mourning. In Dark Archives—captivating and macabre in all the right ways—she has crafted a narrative that is equal parts detective work, academic intrigue, history, and medical curiosity: a book as rare and thrilling as its subject.

For those with a macabre interest in death and dissection, this will provide you with a suitable overview. For those, like myself, who were wanting a bit more, then you will go away slightly less fulfilled.

My interest in anthropodermic bibliopegy dates, back to 2011, I was looking into a series of sensational murder cases dating back to the 1800s and what was the ultimate fate of those arrested. My interest was so sparked that I was compelled to write a blog post on it entitled Cadaver Books which touched on a number of books created from those executed. 

My little blog post was by no means in in-depth study which led me to request a copy of Dark Archives as a means to further enhance my knowledge on those books not created from criminals executed where " ... a dead person's skin had become a byproduct of the dissection process ... ' - dissection being a part of the sentence and a form of public humiliation (a fate intended to deter criminal activity). 

To be honest, I personally, was left a little flat. Whilst I appreciated that the author traveled throughout the USA to the libraries and universities that held these treasures, I was looking for a more broader study. The majority of tomes covered are American based, with some case studies are from the UK (ie: Burke & Hare, Red Barn Mystery) and France. 

" ... each old book is like a mystery quietly awaiting its detective ... "

I also appreciated the author's intent on seeking out those said to be cadaver books and having them tested, which often put paid to their origins when results came back in the negative. 

As I mentioned, those with a passing interest will find this a fascinating book which often looks at the mythology behind the antecedents of each tome; age-old myths surrounding the production of such tomes during both the French Revolution and Nazi Germany are debunked; and the science and methodology behind the production is discussed. Unfortunately I found more than one chapter waffling on before finally getting to the point in the last few paragraphs which resulted in my interest waning.

The author finishes on the matter of skin art and choice wherein today's generation with their beautifully crafted tattoos are looking at a means of preserving these post mortem, and also the current regulation surrounding the possession and display of human remains, and usage of donation to medical science. At the end there is a list of where 17 confirmed books are located.

This is a short book - barely 180 pages, with the rest made up of extensive notes. An entry level read into the subject of anthropodermic bibliopegy.

Review: The Career Killer by Ali Gunn

Synopsis: When a serial killer poses a woman wearing a wedding dress in one of London’s most beautiful gardens without being seen, all eyes fall on newly-promoted DCI Elsie Mabey’s team of misfits as they investigate their first case together.  Nobody else wants the case and nobody wants the team she’s forced to work with. Her subordinates are the opposite of the Met’s finest; they’re the “not quite fired” of London policing.  Can this ragtag band pull together to catch a killer or will their failure be a self-fulfilling prophecy?

When I first read the synopsis with the line "they’re the “not quite fired” of London policing", I thought, this sounds a bit like the TV series "Old Tricks" - which I love - so thought I would give it a go.

What I found was a story line featuring a a newly promoted DCI Elise Mabey and her team of three: the experienced DS Patricia Knox, the naive DS Georgia Matthews, and the newly transferred DI Sebastian Stryker - not quite "Old Tricks" but possibly those no others wanted on their teams (for whatever reasons).

So the each of the characters - lets start with DCI Elise Mabey. Newly promoted to DCI she is keen to step out of the shadows of her more famous policeman father and make a name for herself on her own terms - " ... she needed this case ... she needed the chance to prove, once and for all, that she earned her command ... ". Added to this is the added pressure of suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) - leaving her tired, irritable and not in the mood to suffer fools.

Elise is joined by the newly transferred DI Sebastian Stryker - in Yorkshire he was a big fish in a small pond, now in London, he finds that he really is a small fish and must prove himself deserving of his place. We often, however, find him at odds with his boss, much to her chargrin.

Our two Detective Sergeants could not be any more different - DS Patricia Knox is - quite frankly - ob-knox-ious! A veteran officer who was up for the position Elise secured, Knox makes no bones about her feelings - though a past indiscretion was the cause of her downfall. She is jealous, disruptive, and working to her own agenda. Then lastly we have DS Georgia Matthews - the youngest, most inexperienced, and easily led of the team. Knox has taken her under her wing - and begins to lead her astray.

Others who feature include the Crime Scene Manager, Annie Burke; Chief Pathologist, Valerie Spilsbury (named after legendary Sir Bernard Spilsbury, eminent British Pathologist I wonder); and DCI Fairbanks - Mabey's co-worker, rival, and the epitome of the lazy cop.

DCI Mabey soon finds herself in charge of a serial killer case and picks up an additional caseload from Fairbanks. Mabey laments that " ... she needed to pull this useless team of hers together to get justice ... " - but will this motley crew be able to solve this case before imploding.

I found the narrative intriguing and it held my attention. The procedural aspects were detailed as we move with the team as they discover and investigate, experiencing the highs and lows of the investigation. We also get a bit of the sense of the behind the scenes politiking within the police force, especially between Mabey and Fairbanks.

I did feel that a couple of aspects contained within the narrative to be rather questionable - particularly Knox going off to participate in another case - would this have happened in real life - I personally could not say, but as a reader I found it a little unbelievable. There were times when I found myself questioning the main characters and their actions as well - they were not only disfunctional but disobendient, doing as they pleased often ignoring Mabey's directives, which shows weakness on her part, leaving the reader to question whether she really is deserving of her promotion. At least the characters weren't portrayed as "peter perfects" but were flawed, human.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and I would be interested in reading more from this author and from this series. 

Ernest Hemingway's published works littered with errors, study claims

From The Guardian:

Ernest Hemingway’s published writings are riddled with hundreds of errors and little has been done to correct them, according to a forthcoming study of the legendary writer’s texts.

Robert W Trogdon, a leading scholar of 20th-century American literature, told the Guardian that Hemingway’s novels and short stories were crying out for editions that are “as accurate to what he wrote as possible” because the number of mistakes “ranges in the hundreds”. Although many are slight, he said, they were nevertheless mistakes, made primarily by editors and typesetters.

Trogdon argues that, with the exceptions of Under Kilimanjaro and A Moveable Feast: The Restored Edition, published in 2005 and 2009 respectively, no Hemingway book has been edited to preserve what he actually intended, unlike the writings of his contemporaries F Scott Fitzgerald and William Faulkner, which have been re-published in corrected versions.

read more here @ The Guardian

Review: One Inner Voice by Kay Wyont

Synopsis: Sometimes, the High and Mighty need to be taken down a peg or two. Everyone should have a purpose, and this is mine: to make a difference. One death at a time.

San Antonio Police Detectives Randy Monroe and Danny Beckman know two things: a serial killer is on the loose, and they don’t have enough clues to catch him. Surely the fact that the victims are murdered elsewhere and the bodies moved and dumped at churches means something, but what? With every new incident, Randy and Danny become more obsessed with unraveling the facts. But the closer they get to the truth, the more it looks like it might take a miracle to bring the killer to justice. 

A short yet compelling read as we follow two detectives trying to link and solve a series of mysterious deaths and unmask a serial killer with a religious bent . The investigation is labourious as all avenues are explored by the detectives, yet we must read on to the conclusion where we discover ......... really, plot spoiler? Not this reviewer.

I particularly liked how the author interspersed the main narrative with that of the first person narrative of the serial killer, who drops a subtle hint every now and again, and gives us a sneak peak into their possible motivation and struggles as they carry out their "mission".

This was my first book from this author and I am looking forward to more in this series.