Huge congratulations to the authors nominated for the 2025 McIlvanney Prize- winner will be announced at Bloody Scotland in September In “some news” news - I have the honour of being a judge for this year’s competition…intense reading is underway as some of the nominated titles are by my side

23rd June only - if you’re an Audible (UK) member you can (AND SHOULD) get The Book of Doors for just £2.99 My top rated fantasy read from 2024

#IndieBookshopWeek a few tickets are still available for my CARNIVAL OF LIES next Wednesday, hosted by wonderful indie @serenitybookshop.bsky.social - get your ticket here: www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/sto... @panmacmillan.bsky.social @jennybrownagency.bsky.social @linanderson.bsky.social

Here’s my #currentlyreading Lone Wolf - Audio Paperboy - Digital Gone Tomorrow - Hardback

Nothing better for a reader to discover a “new” series to enjoy - on a total @stephmerritt.bsky.social binge through Audible 🤩

Update: Finished in the early hours of this morning and it was divine. Reminded me of both #ShadowOfTheWind and #TheInvisibleLifeOfAddieLarue with added magic! One of the most beautiful books I have read for a while...⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ @garethjohnbrown.bsky.social Thanks @grabthisbook.bsky.social 👏 💙📚

Another three #PetronaAward2025 entrants read, so time for a mini break. Saw the marvellous @grabthisbook.bsky.social sharing the love for this one, so thought it was about time to dive in... #TheBookOfDoors @garethjohnbrown.bsky.social @transworldbooks.bsky.social 💙📚

I’m a bit late to this party - started Final Girls last night and it’s sizzling along 🔥

I’m going in…

My January reading has been very much a revisit of #EveDallas and the brilliant In Death series by JD Robb

I can no longer say I’ve never heard a Taylor Swift song

Damn this is a cheap night out - the Malt Whisky is a 12yo Highland Park 🥰

Are you really at a proper party in Scotland if the DJ doesn’t play The Slosh?

Brighton folk! Come and see Chris Hammer and @ellygriffiths.bsky.social chatting to fellow author William Shaw @goldsborobooks.bsky.social on Weds 15th Jan! goldsborobooks.com/products/in-...

Look what I found today @russeldmclean.bsky.social and a little bit of @bloodyscotland.bsky.social history was tucked inside too

I’ve started my 2025 reading with a revisit to the excellent “in Death” series by JD Robb Five books inhaled already and I am loving dipping back to older stories about Eve Dallas, Roarke and friends

#BlogTour – #BookReview of #YourChildNext by M.J. Arlidge @mjarlidge and Andy Maslen @orionbooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n #CompulsiveReaders calturnerreviews.com/2025/01/09/b... @calturner.bsky.social

Reviews are happening - I am revisiting the early in Death books as I am a huge fan of JD Robb This is the second in the series and I can see why I became hooked grabthisbook.net?p=7881

Gig time

New CrimeTime FM BEST OF THE YEAR fr @NewcastleNoir pod.fo/e/29147a applec.co/3znb7b5 Podfollo bit.ly/402NUM1 @samhollandbooks.bsky.social @jofurniss.bsky.social @robparkerauthor.bsky.social Michael Wood @trevorwoodwrite.bsky.social @antonyjohnston.bsky.social @toonlibraries.bsky.social

Duran Duran have given us so many amazing songs, however, their very best is Ordinary World and I won’t be convinced otherwise

There’s a tree at the end of my road (it stands alone on the edge of a small wood). Every year someone adds a string of Christmas lights and they keep it lit for the festive period. We call it the “Festive Bush” and it brings such joy.

Clear head time - pup walk to ease into the day

It’s only a new review day 💜 Cut And Run by Alex Marsh is a murder mystery set in 1916 France during the Great War. Really enjoyed the writing on this and it is the first in a series grabthisbook.net?p=7873

Back home and this is a burger at West Brewery - it will be eaten with a knife and fork (as is correct)

Hey! Check out “White City“ I just gave it 5 stars 🌟✨ www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0D4BS5WG...

Friday means Folk and Country tunes from my teenager on Strathclyde Uni Radio - have at it for your mellow hour www.strathfusionradio.com

The Broken River is a fantastic story, full of twists and side roads that all lead back to a gold mine. A brilliant, immersive read.

My lunch in Paris has split the jury on acceptable pizza toppings. For what it’s worth, I really enjoyed this

When in France, onion soup is a must!

Pre-flight drinks - I never do “airport pints”…especially at 9am

Classic seat booking at the cinema in Coatbridge: Yes, we are happy to sit in a room with strangers to watch a movie - but we will actively avoid sitting beside anyone else unless it’s unavoidable

www.strathfusionradio.com The eldest is back on with his Country and Folk music show - live 12:00 to 13:00 (ish) UK time

I’m fascinated by the potential of devices like this, so this video is going on my watch list.

I love @simonmayo.bsky.social Book of the Year podcast with @mattmwilliams.bsky.social and this episode with @matthaig.bsky.social is excellent - not least because they talk about #BlueSky! Do you listen to any bookish podcasts? podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s...

Good evening #Booksky Today I’m delighted to welcome @davegoodman.bsky.social to #Decades For new visitors to the Library: Dave is a guest curator he has been asked to nominate five unmissable books, published over five consecutive decades, to add to my Decades Library 📚 grabthisbook.net?p=7856

Fellow book lovers. If you’re looking for an EXCEPTIONAL psychological thriller (and you don’t mind a wait), get a copy of The Good Father in your shopping basket. Trust me, you will LOVE It! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Booksky

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #Books #BookSky 💙📚 #BookChallenge Day 15

A deep rummage in the shelves for @grabthisbook.bsky.social's Decades project. Five authors crucial to me as a reader and a writer - Alexander Baron, Bette Howland, Raymond Carver, Denis Johnson, and the wonderful but woefully underread Mark Costello. Read me evangelize here: grabthisbook.net?p=7840

An eclectic mix of books on the go at the mo. Every mood covered! 😂 #JohnConnolly #TheReapers #ConnollyReadathon Angel & Louis under pressure! #NishaJTuli #TaleOfTheHeartQueen Last of the series -book 3 ended on such a cliffhanger. #AsakoYuzuki #Butter Been on TBR for ages 💙📚

It’s a new #Decades day. I am thrilled to welcome @davegoodman.bsky.social to the Decades Library Dave has selected five unmissable books, published over five consecutive decades, which I will add to my Decades Library. Brace that TBR pile, these are great selections. grabthisbook.net?p=7856

Tomorrow is going to be a new #Decades day If you’re new to Decades this will be the 98th guest I have invited to my Decades Library and I will explain all in the post (along with details of how to catch up on the 97 previous guests) It’s all about #booklove

📣 Any UK reviewers out there who are fans of historical romance ⬇️

My second novel, The Flight, is currently only 99p on Amazon! One Journey. Two Families. A Killer on Board. tinyurl.com/m2m23b27

I’ve seen a few posts recently arguing whether audiobooks count as reading. For me, the important thing is people are able to access books in the way that best suits them, be it ebooks, audiobooks or physical books. Some people don’t get that access at all and we that do are the lucky ones.

What a great review of #BlackStorms, especially loved this: Barcelona is a living, breathing entity that shapes the story. The juxtaposition of the city’s beauty with its historical pain mirrors the central tension between the past and the present in the story.

Twice a year we make catalogues to share our upcoming books with booksellers and journalists and all kinds of interested (hopefully interested!) folk. In recent years we’ve been commissioning illustrators for the covers: it’s become a real highlight for me to see what they come up with.

Logged onto the day job and (as I do every day) I popped on the radio for some background music Ghostbusters 🥰 Monday starting strong

I looked up the description. Ooh it does sound good. My kind of book.