Susie Nott-Bower’s debut novel, The Making of Her, is a meditation on contemporary media perceptions of ageing, menopause and celebrity. It sets out to question how television reflects the values of a globalised consumer culture and how, in its turn, influences attitudes concerning body-image, gendered identities and aesthetic perceptions. These issues are mediated through the Read More
Being more partial to a good thriller or murder mystery, I was prepared to dislike Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes on sight. And I did. The cover is a soppy, girly pink, more suited to a birthday card for a maiden aunt than a novel. The first few pages are given over to Read More
Lynn Michell’s novel White Lies explores the issues of truth and memory against the backdrop of Kenyan political history, whilst also more broadly exploring the place of the individual in pivotal historical moments. Michell’s story revolves around Eve, a middle aged woman caring for her aged and difficult father, David. In an attempt to make their time Read More
Edgar Allan Poe, the celebrated short fiction enthusiast, is often attributed the quote: “A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it.” David Constantine, for one, seems to have taken this to heart. In his fourth collection of stories, Tea at the Midland, Constantine has created an outstanding work in Read More
Martha Lea’s The Specimen is set around the mid 1800’s, a time when there was increasing tension between religion and science. This friction and unease plays a significant role in the narrative, having a notable effect on the characters, in particular, Gwen Carrick and her relationship with her sister, Euphemia. Gwen is inspired by the works of Read More
“Schizoid” might be the right word for Douglas Thompson’s novel Mechagnosis; it is brim-full of metaphysical leaps, time travel, esoteric references and apocalyptic imagery, and while these elements certainly test the reader, they produce an extremely enjoyable whole. Scott Malthrop is the character at the centre of the storm. Part engineering prodigy, part lost child, part Read More
In the Mirror, a Monster, Marten Weber’s fifth novel, is primarily concerned with sexual identity and labels. It aims to show how society’s obsession with labels has a limiting power. Tim and his partner run a gay B & B in Edinburgh. Their clients are a colourful group of people who could be described as Read More
The Studio Game by Peter Burnett, follows a young couple trying to ‘make it big’ in the contemporary art world. However, Liska and Guy Poynti ng believe the only way that this can be achieved is through their own death. Having completed their final collection, the couple plan to jump hand in hand from a Read More
Jon Grahame (pseudonym of journalist Denis Kilcommons), winner of the John Creasey Award from the Crime Writers’ Association of Great Britain for his first book, The Dark Apostle, offers Reaper, the first of his new trilogy of the same name. Reaper is a post-apocalyptic revenge tale-turned vigilante plot, full of action and violence…and not much Read More