Wednesday 31 January 2024

The Girl She Left Behind by Jo Bartlett

 


The Girl She Left Behind by Jo Bartlett

*trigger warning- mentions of suicide 

This tells of two sisters with a self centred mother. One sister Lucy, who has a daughter, has gone missing, the other one Phoebe is left wondering if she has committed suicide due to the note she left and where her coat was found. She knew Lucy didn't want their mother to get her hands on her young daughter Darcy in the same way she had affected them all their lives. Phoebe returns from her life in London, she had tried to get away from the long claws of narcissism and now wonders if she is cut out to look after young Darcy, but soon finds a side of her she didn't know existed. Her mother however can't help but interfere which muddies the waters of the search and where on earth is Lucy?

For anyone who isn't aware of the effects a self centred mother can have, this brings it home as it's well researched and there are certain tells The little things such as not having any pictures of the children around the home and even the conversations about trying to find Lucy are centred around her mother- “ What will people think about me with her missing? It's a great premise and one dealt with very sympathetically on all counts. I admired Phoebe and how she dealt with Darcy and it made me reflect a little. It's traumatic in parts, but it's a real page turner. A clever, thought provoking read, one that kept me gripped to the very end.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads @nickisbookblog

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The Girl She Left Behind
Brand new from best-selling author Jo Bartlett, an emotional and uplifting read, guaranteed to break your heart and put it back together again.

A family in turmoil...
Phoebe Spencer left home a long time ago, desperate to get away from her mother's emotional manipulation. She knows her life is better away from her family, but she can’t help feeling she’s simply running away from her problems…
Then Phoebe hears that her younger sister Lucy has disappeared, leaving behind her four-year old daughter, Darcy. Phoebe's certain Lucy will be back soon - she'd never leave Darcy alone - and then Phoebe can get on with her life again.
But as the days pass there's still no sign of Lucy, and everyone begins to fear the worst. Phoebe has to consider the terrible truth that Lucy might never come home. And as their mother makes it clear she wants to take control of Darcy’s life, Phoebe must do all she can to protect the girl her sister left behind – no matter the cost to her.
A brand new emotional read from bestselling author Jo Bartlett.
Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/GirlBehindSocial 
Author Bio – 
Jo Bartlett is the bestselling author of over nineteen women’s fiction titles. She fits her writing in between her two day jobs as an educational consultant and university lecturer and lives with her family and three dogs on the Kent coast. Her first title for Boldwood is The Cornish Midwife – part of a twelve-book deal.
Social Media Links –  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoBartlettAuthor
Twitter https://twitter.com/J_B_Writer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jo_bartlett123/
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JoBartlettNews
Bookbub profile: Jo Bartlett Books - BookBub

Tuesday 30 January 2024

A Soul for a Soul by Carol Wyer

 

A Soul for a Soul by Carol Wyer -Crime 

DCI Kate Young book 5- stand alone (I hadn’t read the others- yet!)

Wow! One of the most cleverly constructed crime novels I have ever read. DCI Kate Young has a secret. Something happened a while ago and someone out there knows her secret. She is determined to try and unearth the mystery surrounding the death of the Superintendent. A police officer has been incarcerated for another death but contacts Kate as she is sure that she has been set up? Kate wonders if the syndicate she has been trying to find out more about are responsible for both acts. Meanwhile there is a body found on a building site, from the looks of things a wealthy young woman who is pregnant. Acting DI Emma Donaldson has this as her first major case and is instantly very much in at the deep end as there is little to go on. Two parallel crimes give the reader a stunning read, almost two books in one.

This is the first book by Carol that I've read- and it won’t be the last. Wow! The skill of both plots took my breath away, the brilliant expertise of planning must have taken ages and a truly clever perceptive mind. I liked Kate and her dedication and even the voices she was hearing (I won't give anything away) that gave either direction or perception to go forward. A very clever ending left me smiling. A thrill of a read and one that most certainly deserved five stars and a round of applause. Clever, brilliant, breathtaking. 

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Monday 29 January 2024

The Last Days of You and Me by Debbie Howells

 


The Last Days of You and Me by Debbie Howells- General Fiction/Women's fiction

Rae runs a bookshop which she really enjoys. Marnie is running her friend's hotel temporarily. She was living in Spain until she split with her boyfriend. She's a travel writer by trade and it isn't long before she sets off on a new trip, one about quiet places. She’s been getting headaches and is awaiting results of a blood test. She’s trying to put things off but knows she really shouldn’t. Forrest is a lawyer who has just lost his best friend in a car crash. Their lives intertwine in a story about the fragility of life and love.

Oh boy! It's poignant, it's raw, it's blooming emotional. Tissues at the ready. Of one life, live it and making the most of every day, we don't know what may be around the corner. Appreciate the moments big and small. Have we lived before? Who knows? A stunning read, one that took my breath away. Very highly recommended. 

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads @nickisbookblog

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The Last Days of You and Me They didn’t know – when Winter gave way to Spring that year – that their lives were all about to change… Marnie didn’t realise – when she stormed into a bookshop one day, demanding a self-help book – that she was about to make a new best friend. Bookshop-owner Rae didn’t know she had been living like a shadow since her parents died. But then Marnie exploded into her life. And suddenly she realised things had to change… more so when she meets handsome nurse, Jack. And when Forrest’s life is turned upside down by a fatal car crash, he knew he was being given a second chance, but didn’t know why. He thinks Marnie might just be the woman he’s destined to be with. But – as she discovers that she has an illness she may never recover from – what if it’s too late for them? Can it ever be too late though? To make friendships that change everything. To grow, to change, to start again. Even – for two unlikely new best friends to find love at last…? The Last Days of You and Me is a heartbreaking, uplifting, magical story about friendship, love and above all what it means to truly live. Perfect for fans of Me Before You, Love Actually and One Day. Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/LastDaysYouMe

Author Bio – Debbie Howells’s first novel, a psychological thriller, The Bones of You, was a Sunday Times bestseller for Macmillan. Four more bestsellers followed, including most recently The Vow, published by Avon. Fulfilling her dream of writing women’s fiction, she has found a home with Boldwood and her first title with them, The Life You Left Behind was published in February 2022. Social Media Links – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.howells.37 Twitter: https://twitter.com/debbie__howells Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_debbiehowells/ Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/DebbieHowellsnews Bookbub profile: Debbie Howells Books - BookBub




Saturday 27 January 2024

Driven to Murder by Debbie Young

 


Driven To Murder by Debbie Young- cozy crime

This is part of a series but happily stands alone (I hadn't read any of the others). Sophie works in a bookshop and cafe with her boyfriend Hector whom she is about to go into partnership with. Hector thinks Sophie should learn to drive especially as it appears that the local bus service is being axed and there are no alternative means of transport in the area. Sophie has passed her theory but is terrified of taking to the open road and does her level best to dissuade him. There are protests and meetings about the proposed cancellation but when a body is found on the bus, things have perhaps gone a step too far. Who would do this and why?

This is a wonderful easy read with a smile along the way. I liked Sophie and her interactions with the other characters which came across very well. It's a relaxing read and one I looked forward to diving into, the time slipped away as I did so. A well thought out plot and a delightful one.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads @nickisbookblog

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Driven To Murder
A perfect cosy crime for fans of M C Beaton's Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth series.
Change is coming to Wendlebury Barrow – and not everyone is happy about it…
When the local bus company announces it will be stopping its route through their quaint Cotswold village, the people of Wendlebury Barrow are up in arms. Not least Sophie Sayers, whose driving lessons with her boyfriend Hector get off to a bumpy start.
But the locals’ peaceful protests against the decision turn deadly when a body is discovered on the Number 27. No one can work out how Janice Boggins met her demise, let alone how the driver didn’t notice. While the police wait for the post mortem results, Sophie immediately suspects foul play, and launches her own investigation.
Can she solve the murder before another passenger is hurt?
Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/drivenmurdersocial

Author Bio –
Debbie Young is the much-loved author of the Sophie Sayers and St Brides cosy crime mysteries. She lives in a Cotswold village where she runs the local literary festival, and has worked at Westonbirt School, both of which provide inspiration for her writing. She is bringing both her series to Boldwood in a 13-book contract. They will be publishing several new titles in each series and republishing the backlist, starting in September 2022.
Social Media Links –
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youngbyname
Twitter https://twitter.com/DebbieYoungBN
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/debbieyoungauthor/
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/DebbieYoungNews
Bookbub profile: Debbie Young Books - BookBub




Saturday 20 January 2024

An Aura of Mystery by Joy Ellis

 



An Aura of Mystery by Joy Ellis- Crime

Ellie is driving home when suddenly a young man appears on her windscreen. She inevitably crashes and is badly injured. Whilst the doctors can heal the broken bits what no one anticipated was that Ellie was given a gift from her brain injury. Her close friend Carole knows all about this and looks after Ellie when she is both in hospital and discharged and nurtures and hones her new found skill. When there is a third murder where the police have little to go on, through a chance prior encounter, DCI Bob Foreman calls on Ellie for help. 

Oh wow! This is a very different read for anyone who is a fan of Joy’s books- but in a very good way. There is the usual cracking plot and very likeable characters but this time there’s a pinch and a twist of other genres thrown in, very skilfully done. This was written around twenty years ago (and hidden away) and reflects the era when things were less techy which is a wonderful change making for a more relaxed atmosphere and down to brass tacks in detecting.  An enthralling unusual mystery I found myself loving.


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The newly-discovered novel from multi-million-selling author Joy Ellis. Never before published!

Flower shop owner Ellie McEwan is driving home late one frosty November night when a shadowy figure leaps into the road out of nowhere. Ellie swerves to avoid him — and slams head-on into the crash barrier. Days later, Ellie wakes up in hospital — and notices there’s something different. Everyone she looks at — the doctor, the nurse, her friend Carole — is surrounded by a coloured aura. Her near-death experience seems to have given her a new ability. And now Ellie must use her new-found gift to catch a killer. The battered body of a young woman is found in the grounds of a local hotel. She’s the third woman to be murdered in this sleepy Surrey village, her hands crushed and mutilated. Just like the other two. Each of the women was a skilled professional — a musician, a doctor and an artist. Apart from that, they appear to have nothing in common. And now the police’s one lead — a key witness — is missing. Although sceptical, a desperate DCI Bob Foreman calls on Ellie for help. But Ellie’s involvement in the investigation will throw her into the path of a brutal killer . . .

DISCOVER A TOTALLY ENTHRALLING MYSTERY.

This utterly gripping crime thriller is perfect for fans of L.J. Ross, J.D. Kirk, Elly Griffiths, Susan Hill, Kate Ellis or Ann Cleeves.

READERS LOVE JOY ELLIS:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great read.’ Terri H.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Simply the best.’ Booklover Bev

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow! Joy Ellis supreme storyteller at her best!’ Carol S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A strong mystery.’ Louise G.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Suspense, intrigue, action, and great detective work!’ Debbie B.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A nail-biting and exciting novel.’ Paromjit

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Highly addictive and couldn’t wait to finish it’ Jane


JOY ELLIS

UK #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE JACKMAN & EVANS AND DI NIKKI GALENA SERIES; SHORTLISTED FOR BOOK OF THE YEAR FICTION: CRIME & THRILLER AT THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS 2021

OVER 3 MILLION BOOKS SOLD!

Joy grew up and lived in Kent, trained in floristry in Mayfair and ran her own highly successful floristry business in Weybridge for many years. In the mid-1990s, she followed her lifelong love of books, first as the manager of an independent bookshop in Leatherhead, Surrey, then as a writer. When she retired, Joy and her partner Jacqueline and their two spaniels settled in a village just outside Boston, captivated by the Lincolnshire Fens.

Joy’s happy home life is far removed from her storylines, however, and while she loves living in the misty Fens, the area provides a remote and eerie backdrop to her novels. Joy is also able to add the authenticity vital to any crime thriller by drawing on Jacqueline’s inside knowledge, to confirm procedures and the reality of tackling brutal crime and criminals in a modern police force.

BOOKS BY JOY ELLIS

DI NIKKI GALENA SERIES:

CRIME ON THE FENS

SHADOW OVER THE FENS

HUNTED ON THE FENS

KILLER ON THE FENS

STALKER ON THE FENS

CAPTIVE ON THE FENS

BURIED ON THE FENS

THIEVES ON THE FENS

FIRE ON THE FENS

DARKNESS ON THE FENS

HIDDEN ON THE FENS

SECRETS ON THE FENS

FEAR ON THE FENS

GRAVES ON THE FENS

DETECTIVE NIKKI GALENA BOOKS 1-5 BOX SET

DETECTIVE NIKKI GALENA BOOKS 1-3 BOX SET

DETECTIVE NIKKI GALENA BOOKS 4-6 BOX SET

DETECTIVE NIKKI GALENA BOOKS 7-9 BOX SET

JACKMAN & EVANS SERIES:

THE MURDERER’S SON

THEIR LOST DAUGHTERS

THE FOURTH FRIEND

THE GUILTY ONES

THE STOLEN BOYS

THE PATIENT MAN

THEY DISAPPEARED

THE NIGHT THIEF

SOLACE HOUSE

THE RIVER’S EDGE

DETECTIVES JACKMAN & EVANS BOOKS 1-3 BOX SET

MATT BALLARD SERIES:

BEWARE THE PAST

FIVE BLOODY HEARTS

THE DYING LIGHT

MARSHLIGHT

TRICK OF THE NIGHT

STANDALONE NOVELS:

GUIDE STAR

SHORT STORIES:

JOFFE BOOKS MURDER MYSTERY & SUSPENSE SHORT STORY COLLECTION

FOLLOW JOY ON

AUTHOR WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

GOODREADS



Thursday 18 January 2024

The Last Resort



 The Last Resort by Heidi Perks-crime thriller  

Erin has been hit by a car and is in the hospital. Six months earlier, she and her husband are going through counselling as there is something not quite right in their marriage and relationship. It began the day their dog disappeared although Erin feels it was when Will was putting a necklace around her neck, for some reason she flinched and didn't quite know why. Maggie, their therapist, finds that she has one playing against the other, almost a game of “ he said, she said” and is not sure which one is telling the truth. Speaking of truth, Maggie has her own demons- her sister was murdered and the man jailed for it, who admitted his guilt, has asked to see her. She feels his reason for this is that his parole is coming up but she herself has her own secrets about what really happened that night. Who was really responsible and has Erin been deliberately hit - why was she near the woods so late at night? 

A book that grabbed me from the start and didn't let go. You know the writing and plot are brilliant when you can't help but read that one more chapter and one more…… The writing style is calm and easy but with enough hidden tension to encourage the reader to try and learn what is happening. There are twists and red herrings and in some ways it is written like a domestic drama- especially in the counselling sessions when new information is found out about Erin and Wills relationship. Chapters are told in the different timelines and headed with one of the three main characters to give an all round point of view, very cleverly done. It's engrossing, it's gripping and it's one I wasn't quite sure how it was going to end. A twist and then a  twist on a twist if that makes sense. A gripping thriller I thoroughly enjoyed.

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For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads  @nickisbookblog


Wednesday 17 January 2024

The Teacher by Tim Sullivan

 


The Teacher by Tim Sullivan ( extract review) - crime

DS Cross is back and no one is more pleased than me! If you've not met him before (this is the sixth in the series but does stand alone) he’s a rather clever, very different detective. His social skills leave something to be desired and he is usually catered for by his faithful friend only for this case she is off having moved house and there is a new DI with him, someone who has been warned but really doesn't get Cross’s manner at all. George Cross has autism spectrum disorder which he says himself isn't a disadvantage.  In this case a man has been found murdered, a man who apparently caused mayhem in the village in which he lived, complaining to all and sundry. His neighbours who only arrive at the weekend, it being their second home, have tried to take him to court but twice lost through their own stupidity. Could they have finally had enough?

I loved having this, and will be buying the whole book to find out the rest. There’s something so special about George that I can't help but love. It's so very cleverly and skilfully written and draws the reader in beautifully. A cracking read I can't wait to get my hands on.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads  @nickisbookblog

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Monday 15 January 2024

My Lying Husband by E.V Seymour

 


My Lying Husband by E.V Seymour-psychological thriller           

Lance confesses to his family that all is not well financially after two of their cars had been taken away and his step son was hit as the lenders were not what you would consider legit. He bans the family from going to the police as this could only make things a whole lot worse. Susannah, his wife, is thinking of everything she can to try and repay the loan until he tells her just how much it is and gaining speed. Susannah herself has a secret but finds more and more lies that her husband has told. Amy lives with Rollo who had promised to buy her a house, rather than rent as they currently do. He is making every excuse not to do so and switches from telling her he is rolling in cash to being awkward. What is he hiding?  Each chapter tells the story from a different character's perspective (putting this as a heading on each one would have been beneficial). Can the family find a way out of this terrible predicament before someone gets really hurt or worse?

This is an enticing read, I found myself turning and turning as the deceits were unfurled. It's a clever premise well executed and apart from the lack of chapter headings I can't fault anything. I felt for Susannah and the tangle that had woven itself around her in every aspect of her life. A well thought out, captivating read with a clever twist or two that kept me engrossed.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads @nickisbookblog

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MY LYING HUSBAND by E. V. Seymour I’ve struggled to build a good life for me and my son. But one moment will destroy everything. I hear my son cry out. I rush, half-dressed, to the window and see two men marching up my driveway. They knock my son to the ground. They want the keys to my car. I phone my husband. ‘Susannah,’ Lance says in a voice I don’t recognise. ‘Hand them the keys. Do not call the police.’ It brings back the wild panic I experienced all those years ago when I discovered I was pregnant after an intense holiday romance. I couldn’t tell the father. And I struggled as a single mother. But when Lance suggested we move in with him and I could finally give my son a proper loving home it was the happiest day of my life. But our life was built on lies. Not just about money. Everything. AN EXHILARATING BLEND OF DOMESTIC SUSPENSE AND NAIL-BITING TENSION WITH A SHATTERING FINAL TWIST. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, Valerie Keogh, Patricia MacDonald, T.M. Logan and Clare Mackintosh.

E.V. SEYMOUR Born in West Bromwich and with her family roots deep in the Black Country, Eve has spent much of her life 'on the run'; she has probably lived in more houses in various parts of the country than most people eat dinners. Currently settled in Herefordshire with her husband, she often has a houseful of offspring, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, partners and a growing tribe of little ones. When not writing she can be found playing the piano, enjoying a glass of wine and/or reading, and has a particularly soft spot for historical and spy fiction. BOOKS BY E.V.SEYMOUR: KIM SLADE THRILLERS: THE PATIENT THE HOUSEKEEPER’S SECRETS STANDALONES MY DAUGHTER’S SECRETS FOLLOW E.V. ON: AUTHOR WEBSITE TWITTER FACEBOOK






Sunday 14 January 2024

One Year After You by Shari Low

 

One Year After You by Shari Low- Women’s Fiction

A year ago a man died in a car crash leaving his wife and best friend bereft. What they also found out that day as the woman was giving birth was that her husband and his wife had been having a long term affair. Noah and Tress had always been friends with their respective partners and now they lean on each other to get through this, but strictly as friends, nothing more. Anya, Noah’s wife, moved away as they divorced, unable to face the consequences of what she had done but now she is back wanting to talk to Noah. Meanwhile Odette is facing her last scene in a soap, unceremoniously sacked after forty years playing the same part, a part that she got through subterfuge and hasn't told a soul. Noah’s sister Keli, has been ghosted by her boyfriend. A text from an unknown number soon shows her why but she has other issues involved. Can all of these people sort things out in twenty four hours or will some secrets have to remain buried?

Wow! This is rather a different read in many ways. There are numerous intertwined people and one (Odette) on a limb to begin with. I won’t spoil anything, but I quickly found myself immersed in each of the lives and wanted to know more and more. Chapters are told from different character perspectives and there are sections to divide the timeline. There is a heck of a lot of drama going on which thankfully makes our own lives seem quiet in comparison (just how I personally like it).

 I liked Noah and felt for his predicament of losing his best friend and finding out not only his wife had betrayed him but the best friend as well. It's a very compelling read and one I found myself reading that “ one more chapter”, it's so cleverly thought out and brilliantly written. From potential romance to scandal and more this book has it all. A sagacious, thoroughly entertaining read I highly recommend.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads  @nickisbookblog

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One Year After You For forty years the fabulous Odette Devine has been a beloved matriarchal actress on Scotland’s longest-running TV show. Today she is broken, betrayed, and desperate to find out if this is her payback for a lie she told forty years ago. A year ago today, Tress Walker’s husband was killed in a car accident, on the same day she gave birth to their baby. Reeling from the discovery that he was with his mistress, Tress has to choose whether to protect her fragile heart or open it to love again. Noah Clark was devastated to discover his wife and his best friend were having an affair. Now the love of his life is asking for another chance to make their marriage work. But can there ever be a way back, once the trust is broken? Noah’s sister Keli Clark has recently been ghosted by the man she loves. When a shocking message from a complete stranger reveals the reason why, Keli will have to decide whether to forgive, forget, or to make sure he pays. Twenty-four hours. Four shocking secrets. One tumultuous tale of love, loss and second chances. Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/oneyearafteryousocial

Author Bio – Shari Low is the #1 bestselling author of over 30 novels, including My One Month Marriage and One Summer Sunrise and a collection of parenthood memories called Because Mummy Said So. She lives near Glasgow. Social Media Links – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shari.low Twitter https://twitter.com/sharilow Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharilowbooks/ Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/ShariLownews Bookbub profile: Shari Low Books - BookBub






Friday 12 January 2024

More Life as a Dog by L.A Davenport

 


More Life as a Dog by LA Davenport- memoirs/humour

This is the second in the series (both happily stand alone) about Kevin the dachshund, the “meat seeking missile” and his adventures with his human. Human has a new girlfriend and it’s a nervous time when Kevin is taken to be introduced to her dog. Will he behave or let them both down? This is written in the first person from the humans point of view and tells of outings they have such as a trip back to London after a day out,  but turned into an adventure due to running out of petrol. From meeting Amy Winehouse to poor Kevin being kicked there are the highs and lows of their lives.

This is a fun,  light hearted read especially for any dog lover.  Although told from the human perspective, it's told with Kevin at the heart of things. It's heart-warming, it's very touching and also that for some of us, we have overcome much due to having that canine companion at our side. A short, beautiful read. One for over a coffee or two with your favourite canine companion.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads  @nickisbookblog

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BLURB:

How do we keep getting into these scrapes?

The adventures of one man and his black and tan dachshund continue in the second volume of tales where the boundary between dog and owner are as blurred as ever. From nearly losing Kevin in the back gardens of suburban London to facing accusations of being highway robbers, from accidentally gate crashing a birthday party to meeting Amy Winehouse in the months before her untimely death, the funny, heart warming and moving moments keep on coming. The only question is: Will this earnest yet playful, boisterous yet lazy, demanding yet caring dachshund ever get the quiet life he seeks?

More Life as a Dog is the eagerly awaited follow-up to the “adorable” My Life as a Dog.

L. A. Davenport is an Anglo-Irish author and journalist.
Sometimes he lives in the countryside, far away from urban distraction, but mostly he lives in the city. He enjoys long walks, typewriters and strong black coffee. L. A. Davenport (Andrew) first met Kevin in 2001, when someone put an advert in a listing newspaper in London saying they wanted get rid of their black and tan, pure-bred dachshund. They explained that he had become a burden on the household and he didn’t get on with their two other dogs. But it was obvious that Kevin, who was the runt of a show-dog litter, had been badly treated and they simply wanted to discard him.
Kevin was traumatised by his experiences and was difficult to handle at the beginning, but it was clear that he was an unusually sensitive and intelligent dog. As time went on, Kevin overcame his traumas and he and Andrew become closer. Over the fourteen years they spent together, they went through many ups and downs, navigating failed relationships, house moves, the vagaries of the freelancer life and the 2008 financial crash, as well as a string of health issues for Kevin. Yet every challenge seemed to bring them closer together, and they developed an instinctive understanding for each other.


My Life as a Dog is the story of their relationship. Told over two days and a weekend drawn from their many years together, it explores how Kevin overcame his cruel upbringing to flower into a self-confident dog that left everyone he met spellbound. And as they grew together, Andrew learned to live in the present and navigate the difficult times they faced together. L. A. Davenport is author of the novel Escape and the short story collections No Way Home and Dear Lucifer and Other Stories, as well as the upcoming novel The Nucleus of Reality, or The Recollections of Thomas P—.

My Life as a Dog: https://pushingthewave.co.uk/books/my-life-as-a-dog/
The Nucleus of Reality: https://pushingthewave.co.uk/books/the-nucleus-of-reality/
Escape: https://pushingthewave.co.uk/books/escape/
No Way Home: https://pushingthewave.co.uk/books/no-way-home/Dear Lucifer and Other Stories: https://pushingthewave.co.uk/books/dear-lucifer-and-otherstories



The Note

The Note- Andrew Barrett- 5* A short story written in the first person by CSI Eddie Collins. Eddie is the sort of bloke who calls a s...