Nicki's book blog

  The Missing Piece-  Catherine Miller    Women's literary fiction A book to take to your heart <3 Keisha is a research student doing her Phd into Takotsubo cardiomyopathy - broken heart syndrome (a real illness where part of the heart inflates- thought to be due to stress). Her fifth subject has just been admitted to hospital where he has been diagnosed with this. Clive is a spritely 79 year old who got home after being at his allotment to find his back door open and his wife Nancy on the floor dead. The thing is that he was found near the allotment and as far as the police are aware he has never been married. No Nancy ,no wife, no record. Slowly he realises that some of his memories are not of Nancy but of himself doing things but he is very sure that she did exist. He talks to Keisha and they strike up a friendship. Keisha is online dating with the aid of her friend who runs the cafe where she meets the blind dates- who generally don’t last more than a few minutes before

  The Sisterhood- John Nichol-  Crime Oh what a wonderful read! In a small town in Wales there is a womens refuge for those who have managed to escape. Run by Ivy who has gone through her own trauma and hence understands both sides, she is respected by the police. DI Laura Kesey has her own issues not least of all forgetting her partner's birthday so is in the dog house when there is a hit and run that may well have more to it. The victim is a known abuser and whilst justice has to be done, anyone knowing his crimes wouldn't be saddened at the news. When another known abuser is killed, albeit in Cardiff Sergeant Lewis has more than a gut feeling. Laura meanwhile is suffering at the hands of the misogynistic DCI Halliday who looks to undermine her for every little thing, constantly telling her she is not up to the job. I loved this, it's a serious subject (or two) done in a very different way. The women have such wonderful camaraderie and you can see their point

The Boy Between by Amanda Prowse and Josh Hartley - non fiction /memoir A book that for me should be read by as many people as possible to find out and be more aware of mental health issues and how it can affect the best of us. I decided to read this as having found out recently that I have had the black dog by my side for most of my adult life to find out more about others in the same situation and how they have dealt with it. I couldn't believe the number of similarities to Josh other than he had the constant loving care of his mother. This is a warts-n-all story told by both Amanda and Josh in alternate chapters. Josh was set to have sparkling A level grades and then a short time before his exams it was as if his brain went totally blank which was the beginning of a very dark time. Mental health is now something that is slowly getting talked about more but we are far from, as Josh says, having that conversation over the water cooler like we would the flu-

  Unbound ties- Liz Mistry-Crime/Police procedural             DI Gus McGuire is back on the case… only this time he isn't, not really. There has been a murder where drawing amongst other things were found by the hanging body. A short while later he discovers his mother has been anonymously sent similar pictures and she thinks she knows whom they are from. When there are more murders and getting rather close to home, Gus is off the case and Alice is the new SIO. Chilling alternating chapters take us to Scotland where someone is incarcerated, someone who knows that bad things must be happening and who by. This is book seven in the DI Gus McGuire series but does happily stand alone. I like Gus, he’s one of those real characters and someone you would want on your side. A sense of humour and a realism that shows superb writing (as ever) by Liz. A brilliant plot line with turns along the way to keep the grey matter active and keep the pages turning ever faster. A surprise and a

  FIVE LITTLE WORDS by Jackie Walsh -psychological thriller Laura has just had a baby and lives with her husband in a village in Ireland where everyone knows everyone else. She is new to the area. Her husband has grown up there and is a major employer running the local brewery. On the night that Laura’s waters broke a woman in the village was murdered. Amongst the baby congratulations card is an anonymous one telling Laura that her husband was the murderer. She hasn't known Conor that long bu t knows that it couldn't have been him as he was with her all night. She confides in her sister Amanda, the only relative on her side she is in touch with as we know Laura had a past- something she thought she had put behind her and desperately wants to keep it that way. Who would have murdered Vicky and why involve Laura? I got into this very quickly- to me a sign of wonderful writing and characters that you take to. There are lots of twists and turns, curveballs along the way to

  Afternon tea moments for Breast cancer now- recipe book Afternoon Tea Moments is no ordinary recipe book. Put together by a breast cancer survivor – twice – and in memory of a close friend who sadly lost her battle, it is being sold to raise critical funds for Breast Cancer Now, a national charity with the sole aim of funding research to help stop any deaths due to breast cancer by 2050. Afternoon Tea moments has been created from ordinary people from across the globe for anyone to bake. Some new and unusual recipes including courgette cake as well as classics such as Victoria Sponge and Chocolate Brownies. Easy to follow, a beautiful book to adorn any bookcase or indeed an ideal gift for family, friends or other "bakers" in your life. Books cost £7 and are available from this link https://www.paypal.me/craigandjuliam , and making payment via PayPal, ensure address/contact details are correct too.