Helen
@shereadsnovels.bsky.social
š¤ 134
š„ 72
š 80
shereadsnovels.com Book blogger with a focus on historical fiction and classics.
A review for
#ReadIndies
- An Astronomer in Love by Antoine Laurain (translated by Louise Rogers Lalaurie and Megan Jones)
shereadsnovels.com/2026/02/06/a...
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An Astronomer in Love by Antoine Laurain ā #ReadIndies
Translated by Louise Rogers Lalaurie and Megan Jones Iāve been aware of Antoine Laurainās books for years but this is the first one Iāve read. It was originally published in Frencā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2026/02/06/an-astronomer-in-love-by-antoine-laurain-readindies/
24 days ago
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A new review on the blog today: The Inn Closes for Christmas and Other Dark Tales by Cledwyn Hughes
shereadsnovels.com/2025/12/16/t...
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The Inn Closes for Christmas & Other Dark Tales by Cledwyn Hughes
Cledwyn Hughes is a completely new author for me ā in fact, I had never heard of him until I spotted this new edition of his work on NetGalley recently. Hughes (not to be confused with the Labour pā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/12/16/the-inn-closes-for-christmas-other-dark-tales-by-cledwyn-hughes/
3 months ago
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My review of The Official Agatha Christie Puzzle Book:
shereadsnovels.com/2025/12/05/t...
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The Official Agatha Christie Puzzle Book
This is a book I received last Christmas (a present from my sister) and now that Iāve completed all of the puzzles in it, and with Christmas almost here again, I thought I would post a short reviewā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/12/05/the-official-agatha-christie-puzzle-book/
3 months ago
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Here's my review of Nicola Upson's new novel, The Christmas Clue, about the creators of the board game Cluedo:
shereadsnovels.com/2025/11/25/t...
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The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson ā #NovNov25
Iām sure most of us are familiar with the board game Cluedo (or Clue, if youāre in America), but do you know who invented it? I didnāt, but thanks to Nicola Upsonās new noveā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/11/25/the-christmas-clue-by-nicola-upson-novnov25/
3 months ago
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A classic crime review on the blog today: The Odd Flamingo by Nina Bawden (1954)
shereadsnovels.com/2025/11/06/t...
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The Odd Flamingo by Nina Bawden
Nina Bawden is someone Iāve always thought of as a childrenās author; I know Iāve read a few of her books, athough Carrieās War and The Finding are the only ones I can remember anā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/11/06/the-odd-flamingo-by-nina-bawden/
4 months ago
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I posted a review of a new poetry anthology on the blog today: White Teeth, Red Blood: Selected Vampiric Verses
shereadsnovels.com/2025/10/13/w...
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White Teeth, Red Blood: Selected Vampiric Verses
I donāt usually choose to read poetry anthologies but this vampire-themed collection sounded appealing, particularly with Halloween just a few weeks away. White Teeth, Red Blood contains the ā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/10/13/white-teeth-red-blood-selected-vampiric-verses/
5 months ago
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A new review on the blog today: A History of England in 25 Poems by Catherine Clarke I loved this one - such a fascinating way to approach history!
shereadsnovels.com/2025/09/25/a...
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A History of England in 25 Poems by Catherine Clarke
If you had to choose a selection of poems to represent your countryās past, which ones would you pick? What can poetry teach us about a nationās history, culture and identity? These areā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/09/25/a-history-of-england-in-25-poems-by-catherine-clarke/
5 months ago
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My choice for
#ReadChristie2025
this month is A Caribbean Mystery, a Miss Marple novel from 1964. Here's my review:
shereadsnovels.com/2025/06/26/a...
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A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie
This month for the Read Christie 2025 challenge, the theme is āamateursā and although Iāve read the suggested title, Crooked House, quite recently, there were some alternatives thā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/06/26/a-caribbean-mystery-by-agatha-christie/
8 months ago
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New book review on the blog today - Guy Gavriel Kay's beautiful Written on the Dark:
shereadsnovels.com/2025/05/30/w...
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Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay
It seems to me that most moments in a life can be called interludes: following something, preceding something. Carrying us forward, with our needs and nature and desires, as we move through our timā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/05/30/written-on-the-dark-by-guy-gavriel-kay/
9 months ago
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My latest Historical Musings post: Reading the French Revolution!
shereadsnovels.com/2025/05/18/h...
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Historical Musings #90 ā Reading the French Revolution
You may have seen my recent review of The Woman in the Wallpaper by Lora Jones, set during the French Revolution. It has inspired the theme of this monthās Musings post as I take a look at otā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/05/18/historical-musings-90-reading-the-french-revolution/
10 months ago
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True crime set in 1920s Provence: That Dark Spring by Susannah Stapleton
shereadsnovels.com/2025/05/12/t...
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That Dark Spring by Susannah Stapleton
One of my resolutions for 2025 was to read more non-fiction books, so Iām ashamed to say this is only my second one this year. Oh, well ā I still have more than seven months to add a feā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/05/12/that-dark-spring-by-susannah-stapleton/
10 months ago
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My review of A Daughter's a Daughter by Agatha Christie (writing as Mary Westmacott). I loved this one!
shereadsnovels.com/2025/05/08/a...
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A Daughterās a Daughter by Mary Westmacott
I havenāt taken part in the Read Christie challenge for the last two months and wanted to join in with the May read. The book of the month, Cards on the Table, is one that Iāve read quite recently,ā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/05/08/a-daughters-a-daughter-by-mary-westmacott/
10 months ago
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My review of Aunt Clara by Noel Streatfeild for
#1952Club
shereadsnovels.com/2025/04/27/a...
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Aunt Clara by Noel Streatfeild ā #1952Club
My final book for the 1952 Club being hosted this week by Simon and Karen is one of Noel Streatfeildās adult novels. I loved Streatfeild as a child but came to her books for adults just a few yearsā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/04/27/aunt-clara-by-noel-streatfeild-1952club/
10 months ago
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My first review for this week's
#1952Club
- Linden Rise by Richmal Crompton
shereadsnovels.com/2025/04/21/l...
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Linden Rise by Richmal Crompton ā #1952Club
My first book for this weekās 1952 Club (hosted by Karen of Kaggsyās Bookish Ramblings and Simon of Stuck in a Book) is Richmal Cromptonās Linden Rise. Crompton is much better knoā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/04/21/linden-rise-by-richmal-crompton-1952club/
11 months ago
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My review of Marble Hall Murders, the third book in the Susan Ryeland/Atticus Pünd series by Anthony Horowitz:
shereadsnovels.com/2025/04/11/m...
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Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz
Iāve been waiting for this book for five years and here it is at last: the third (and it seems, final) book in Anthony Horowitzās Susan Ryeland series. Apparently we have the actress Lesley Manvillā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/04/11/marble-hall-murders-by-anthony-horowitz/
11 months ago
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New review on the blog today: Ice by Anna Kavan
shereadsnovels.com/2025/04/01/i...
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Ice by Anna Kavan
This is a strange book and Iām not sure Iāll be able to describe it adequately! Itās probably not something I would normally have chosen to read, but this new edition from Pushkin Press caught my eā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/04/01/ice-by-anna-kavan/
11 months ago
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My second review for
#ReadingIrelandMonth25
The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry:
shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/26/t...
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The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry ā #ReadingIrelandMonth25
When I first heard about The Heart in Winter last year, despite seeing some very positive reviews I decided I wasnāt interested in reading it as it didnāt sound like my sort of book. After it was lā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/26/the-heart-in-winter-by-kevin-barry-readingirelandmonth25/
11 months ago
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My review of the classic children's adventure novel, Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner:
shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/24/m...
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Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner
I added Moonfleet to my Classics Club list after seeing some very positive reviews from other bloggers and thinking it sounded like something I might enjoy. Itās an adventure story and was apā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/24/moonfleet-by-john-meade-falkner/
11 months ago
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A review for
#ReadingWales25
- Clear by Carys Davies
shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/19/c...
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Clear by Carys Davies ā #ReadingWales25
Clear is a book I hadnāt really considered reading until it appeared on the Walter Scott Prize longlist in February and I was pleased that I was still able to get a copy through NetGalley. Carys Daā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/19/clear-by-carys-davies-readingwales25/
12 months ago
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New review on the blog today: The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn. I loved it!
shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/13/t...
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The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn
Frances Quinnās That Bonesetter Woman was one of my books of the year in 2022 and I didnāt really expect her new one, The Lost Passenger, to live up to it. Well, Iām pleased to saā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/13/the-lost-passenger-by-frances-quinn/
12 months ago
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I had fun reading A.A. Milne's adult novel, Four Days' Wonder. Here's my review:
shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/07/f...
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Four Daysā Wonder by A.A. Milne
A.A. Milne is, of course, best known for his Winnie the Pooh stories, but he also wrote a wide variety of works aimed at adults, ranging from novels and plays to essays and poetry. I read and lovedā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/07/four-days-wonder-by-a-a-milne/
12 months ago
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A review for
#ReadingIrelandMonth25
The Morrigan by Kim Curran:
shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/05/t...
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The Morrigan by Kim Curran ā #ReadingIrelandMonth25
Trying to tell my story is like trying to hold the smoke of a forest fire in your hands or force an ocean into a cup. I resist. I re-form. How could they succeed when even I didnāt know who I was fā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/03/05/the-morrigan-by-kim-curran-readingirelandmonth25/
12 months ago
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New review today: The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer - a fascinating novel about the illegal trade in birds' eggs.
shereadsnovels.com/2025/02/27/t...
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The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer
I loved this! I remember enjoying Belinda Bauerās first two books, Blacklands and Darkside, around the time they were published in 2009 and 2011 respectively, but I seemed to lose track of heā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/02/27/the-impossible-thing-by-belinda-bauer/
about 1 year ago
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New book review for
#ReadIndies
on the blog today: Woman in Blue by Douglas Bruton
shereadsnovels.com/2025/02/20/w...
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Woman in Blue by Douglas Bruton ā #ReadIndies
Thereās clearly something about the paintings of Johannes Vermeer that inspires novelists; first, Tracy Chevalierās Girl With a Pearl Earring and now Douglas Brutonās excellent Woā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/02/20/woman-in-blue-by-douglas-bruton-readindies/
about 1 year ago
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New review on the blog today: The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap, an atmospheric novel set in 19th century Edinburgh.
shereadsnovels.com/2025/02/10/t...
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The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap
Itās 1828 and James Willoughby has just arrived in Edinburgh to begin his medical studies at the university. Having found himself completely unsuited to the career in the church that his parents haā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/02/10/the-resurrectionist-by-a-rae-dunlap/
about 1 year ago
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New book review today: This Sweet Sickness by Patricia Highsmith
shereadsnovels.com/2025/02/05/t...
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This Sweet Sickness by Patricia Highsmith
Virago have just reissued ten of the books from their Modern Classics range with new green cover designs, including Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/02/05/this-sweet-sickness-by-patricia-highsmith/
about 1 year ago
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New review today: The Ghosts of Rome, the second book in Joseph O'Connor's Rome Escape Line Trilogy
shereadsnovels.com/2025/01/30/t...
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The Ghosts of Rome by Joseph OāConnor
The story of our Roman Escape Line has been characterised as a tale of courage. But it was always a story of friendship, first and last. The friends we knew and those we did not, some fleetingly enā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/01/30/the-ghosts-of-rome-by-joseph-oconnor/
about 1 year ago
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A review for
#JanuaryinJapan
today: The Little Sparrow Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
shereadsnovels.com/2025/01/23/t...
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The Little Sparrow Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
Translated by Bryan Karetnyk Iāve read all five of Seishi Yokomizoās Kosuke Kindaichi mysteries that have previously been published by Pushkin Press in new English translations. This is the sixth, ā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/01/23/the-little-sparrow-murders-by-seishi-yokomizo/
about 1 year ago
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New book review on the blog today: Absolutely and Forever by Rose Tremain
shereadsnovels.com/2025/01/16/a...
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Absolutely and Forever by Rose Tremain
Iāve had mixed experiences with Rose Tremainās books, enjoying some and struggling with others. Absolutely and Forever was shortlisted for last yearās Walter Scott Prize for Histoā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/01/16/absolutely-and-forever-by-rose-tremain/
about 1 year ago
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My review of What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley - a Flavia de Luce mystery.
shereadsnovels.com/2025/01/03/w...
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What Time the Sextonās Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley
After a five year gap, Flavia de Luce is back! It seemed that 2019ās The Golden Tresses of the Dead was going to be the last in the series, so I was pleased to see book eleven, What Time the Sextonā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2025/01/03/what-time-the-sextons-spade-doth-rust-by-alan-bradley/
about 1 year ago
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I read A House on the Rhine by Frances Faviell for
#DeanStreetDecember24
- an excellent, but surprisingly dark read. My review is here:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/12/19/a...
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A House on the Rhine by Frances Faviell ā #DeanStreetDecember24
My previous experience with Frances Faviell has been limited to her Second World War memoir, A Chelsea Concerto, so I was curious to see what her novels were like. There are several currently availā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/12/19/a-house-on-the-rhine-by-frances-faviell-deanstreetdecember24/
about 1 year ago
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New book review on the blog today: Mischief by Charlotte Armstrong (1950)
shereadsnovels.com/2024/12/17/m...
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Mischief by Charlotte Armstrong
I read this last month and it would have been perfect for Novellas in November, but Iāve been behind with my reviews. At 170 pages, this was a quick read but also quite an intense one. It was firstā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/12/17/mischief-by-charlotte-armstrong/
about 1 year ago
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I've put together a list of new historical fiction coming in 2025. Take a look and see if there's anything here to interest you:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/12/14/h...
about 1 year ago
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My first book for
#DeanStreetDecember24
is The Red Lacquer Case by Patricia Wentworth! Review on the blog today:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/12/05/t...
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The Red Lacquer Case by Patricia Wentworth ā #DeanStreetDecember24
This month, Liz at Adventures in Reading, Running and Working from Home is hosting another Dean Street Press December. I have several books published by DSP that I would like to read but I decided ā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/12/05/the-red-lacquer-case-by-patricia-wentworth-deanstreetdecember24/
about 1 year ago
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Some true crime today! My review of Kate Summerscale's latest book, The Peepshow: The Murders at 10 Rillington Place
shereadsnovels.com/2024/11/26/t...
#BookReview
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The Peepshow: The Murders at 10 Rillington Place by Kate Summerscale
When I first saw the title of Kate Summerscaleās new true crime book, I wondered if it dealt with the Thompson/Bywaters murder case, the subject of A Pin to See the Peepshow by F. Tennyson Jeā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/11/26/the-peepshow-the-murders-at-10-rillington-place-by-kate-summerscale/
over 1 year ago
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Some contemporary crime on the blog today: The Neighbour's Secret by Sharon Bolton
shereadsnovels.com/2024/11/21/t...
#BookReview
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The Neighbourās Secret by Sharon Bolton
The narrator of Sharon Boltonās new novel is the very definition of a nosy neighbour. Living in the middle of three adjoining cottages with very thin walls makes it easy to hear the people on eitheā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/11/21/the-neighbours-secret-by-sharon-bolton/
over 1 year ago
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New review on the blog today - Deadly Dolls: Midnight Tales of Uncanny Playthings
shereadsnovels.com/2024/11/19/d...
A wonderful collection including stories by Daphne du Maurier, Agatha Christie, Joan Aiken and Angela Carter.
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Deadly Dolls: Midnight Tales of Uncanny Playthings edited by Elizabeth Dearnley
Earlier this year I read Doomed Romances, a short story collection from the British Libraryās Tales of the Weird series. I found it very mixed in quality ā some great stories and some mā¦
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/11/19/deadly-dolls-midnight-tales-of-uncanny-playthings-edited-by-elizabeth-dearnley/
over 1 year ago
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My thoughts on Earth by John Boyne:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/22/e...
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Earth by John Boyne
Earth is the second in John Boyne's new quartet of novellas named after the four elements. I enjoyed the first book, Water, so I was looking forward to this one and it didn't disappoint. Although the ...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/22/earth-by-john-boyne/
almost 2 years ago
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My review of Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/17/l...
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Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie
This year's Read Christie challenge has a 'Through the Decades' theme and this quarter we're reading books from the 1930s. My choice for May is Christie's 1933 Poirot mystery Lord Edgware Dies (publis...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/17/lord-edgware-dies-by-agatha-christie/
almost 2 years ago
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My review of Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/17/l...
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Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie
This year's Read Christie challenge has a 'Through the Decades' theme and this quarter we're reading books from the 1930s. My choice for May is Christie's 1933 Poirot mystery Lord Edgware Dies (publis...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/17/lord-edgware-dies-by-agatha-christie/
almost 2 years ago
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My review of Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/09/c...
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Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz
At some point in our lives, many of us will have to deal with the problem of difficult neighbours. Loud music and late-night parties, badly-behaved children, disputes over parking and damage caused by...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/09/close-to-death-by-anthony-horowitz/
almost 2 years ago
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My review of Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/09/c...
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Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz
At some point in our lives, many of us will have to deal with the problem of difficult neighbours. Loud music and late-night parties, badly-behaved children, disputes over parking and damage caused by...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/09/close-to-death-by-anthony-horowitz/
almost 2 years ago
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My thoughts on the 2024 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/01/t...
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The Walter Scott Prize Shortlist 2024
The shortlist for the 2024 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction has been announced today! Thanks to this prize, I have discovered lots of great books and authors over the last few years and alway...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/01/the-walter-scott-prize-shortlist-2024/
almost 2 years ago
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My thoughts on the 2024 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/01/t...
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The Walter Scott Prize Shortlist 2024
The shortlist for the 2024 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction has been announced today! Thanks to this prize, I have discovered lots of great books and authors over the last few years and alway...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/05/01/the-walter-scott-prize-shortlist-2024/
almost 2 years ago
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My review of A Different Sound: Stories by Mid-Century Women Writers
shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/26/a...
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A Different Sound: Stories by Mid-Century Women Writers edited by Lucy Scholes
This is a fascinating collection of short stories, all written by women and originally published in the 1940s and 50s. When I saw the list of authors included in the book, there were several I'd alrea...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/26/a-different-sound-stories-by-mid-century-women-writers-edited-by-lucy-scholes/
almost 2 years ago
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My review of A Different Sound: Stories by Mid-Century Women Writers
shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/26/a...
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A Different Sound: Stories by Mid-Century Women Writers edited by Lucy Scholes
This is a fascinating collection of short stories, all written by women and originally published in the 1940s and 50s. When I saw the list of authors included in the book, there were several I'd alrea...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/26/a-different-sound-stories-by-mid-century-women-writers-edited-by-lucy-scholes/
almost 2 years ago
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Count Luna by Alexander Lernet-Holenia - unusual and fascinating!
shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/02/c...
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Count Luna by Alexander Lernet-Holenia
Translated by Jane B. Greene What a strange book this is! I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure I fully understood everything the author was trying to say. It's the first book I've read by Alexander Lernet-H...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/02/count-luna-by-alexander-lernet-holenia/
almost 2 years ago
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Count Luna by Alexander Lernet-Holenia - unusual and fascinating!
shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/02/c...
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Count Luna by Alexander Lernet-Holenia
Translated by Jane B. Greene What a strange book this is! I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure I fully understood everything the author was trying to say. It's the first book I've read by Alexander Lernet-H...
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/02/count-luna-by-alexander-lernet-holenia/
almost 2 years ago
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My review of Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/03/27/i...
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Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/03/27/impact-of-evidence-by-carol-carnac/
almost 2 years ago
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My review of Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac:
shereadsnovels.com/2024/03/27/i...
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Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/03/27/impact-of-evidence-by-carol-carnac/
almost 2 years ago
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