Historical Novel Review: “The Titans of the Pacific” by Robert Gammon

The Titans of the Pacific

tells of the political and economical tribulations in Peru during the early 1930s. Historians will love this feast of details and the well researched account of Peruvian power struggles, while fiction fans get their fill via two love affairs caught in the middle of the wider political events.

I personally struggled in the beginning with the level of details and the set up of the rather complex political and personal backgrounds but then vastly enjoyed the book as all comes perfectly together.

With plenty of suspense and tension this is a

great effort that should appeal to readers who look to learn more about less watched countries.

Reviewed for the Historical Novel Society

THE TITANS OF THE PACIFIC

A HISTORICAL THRILLER

by Robert Gammon

In 1930, the world was hurtling towards one of the most terrifying periods in human history. The Titans of the Pacific tells incredible, but real, historical events.

John travels to South America as a member of an American economic mission advising the Peruvian government. He finds Peru in chaos, with an authoritarian regime supported by the country’s elite and foreign big business. He is drawn to the mysterious Yolanda and witnesses the start of a civil war and the local impact of the extreme political movements that tore the world apart leading up to World War II.

When The Washington Post co-opts John as an investigative journalist, he uncovers a sinister plot with worldwide ramifications. He must decide whether to risk his life in Peru struggling to foil the plot, and challenge The Titans of the Pacific – who will do anything to hold on to power – or return to a safer life in the USA.

Sam Jordison (author, books columnist at The Guardian newspaper and co-founder of Galley Beggar Press):

“The historical events are full of action: there’s no shortage of conspiracies, real drama or human interest. A really interesting world, full of glamour and intrigue, but the down to earth central character with his financial problems, confusion in his love life and street-life background provides a really effective entry into the high politics and intrigue. One of the things I like about this book is the way it demonstrates politics has always been dirty. Robert really enjoyed writing this and that pleasure is certainly conveyed to the reader”

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Llandeilo Lit Fest Review: “Death Knell” by Sally Spedding

Sally Spedding is an old favourite of this block, a dear friend of mine and an incredibly talented author. She recently landed a seven book deal and the Lit Fest is privileged to feature her in conversation with Allan Martin when both will talk about historical fiction.

Hankering After History: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hankering-after-history-tickets-57211305555

I picked Sally’s latest book, “Death Knell” and I agree with the critics, it’s a brilliant book.

DI John Lyon Thriller – Book 3- The blurb:

Norfolk, November 1988.

After two life-changing investigations in France, former Detective Inspector John Lyon has moved south from Nottingham to Colchester with plans to enjoy his retirement.
But a phone call from Professor Stephen Vickers, a former student friend, now Dean of History at a university near Diss, disturbs his rest.
Vickers senses he is in danger, having unearthed evidence of a gruesome tragedy in 1920.
The murder of an innocent family is a secret someone still wants keep buried, yet the professor is determined to uncover the truth.
But at what cost?

Death Knell is a visceral, chilling novel with twists and turns, which will keep the reader gripped from the first page to the last

My review:
This really is quite an accomplished novel that tells the story of a gruesome crime in 1920, the nature and motive for which aren’t as clear cut as one might come to expect. Chapters alternate between characters in the distant past of 1920 and the less distant past of 1988.
While the 1920 chapters keep us on the toes with spellbinding descriptions and gripping suspense, two old friends reunite in 1988 as one of them thinks he’s not only on the trail of a big story via two discovery of two letters but he also senses the very investigation of the past murder is bringing him and his loved ones into harm’s way.

Spedding makes you always feel close to the events, dragging you into the plot as if it were happening to you. All starts with the sale of a wild horse in 1920 which for some obscure reason brings an entire family into danger. As the family try to figure out the whole story and save themselves the reader can sense the ineitability of looming disaster. Language and dialect are autenthic, well researched and add a great deal to the realism.
The plot is twisted and never straight forward, the characters are so well drawn with distinctive narrative voices that you can always recognise who’s telling the story.

Chilling, spell binding and excellently written this is superb, both as crime fiction and as historical fiction. Reading it out of the series sequence, as I did, made no difference to my enjoyment. I’ve downloaded the rest of the series now and can’t wait to see Sally talk about her book at the Lit Fest.

Hankering After History: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hankering-after-history-tickets-57211305555

PRAISE FOR SALLY SPEDDING:

‘Sally Spedding has been credited with being a latter-day Du Maurier.’ Crime Squad

‘Sally Spedding is a font of creepy stories, the kind of tales which wheedle their way into your mind days and weeks later.’ Western Mail

‘Sally Spedding has unquestionably got what it takes.’ Crime Time

‘No-one does evil like Sally Spedding.’ Thorne Moore

CUT TO THE BONE

‘Chilling. Seriously chilling. Fully 3D landscapes, full of menace in themselves, peopled by desperate characters… A very compelling read, hard to put down.’ Thorne Moore

MALEDICTION

‘An intense, intelligent, visceral thriller from the get-go. If you thought Dan Brown was the last word in clerical depravity, think again.’ Peter Guttridge – Reviewer and Crime/thriller writer

COLD REMAINS

‘This is a horror story and a mystery. If you like well-written, creepy thrillers, this is one to remember.’ Geoff Jones – Eurocrime

A NIGHT WITH NO STARS

An alarming story of surprises and shocks.’ Gerald Kaufman – The Scotsman

PREY SILENCE

‘Sally Spedding has written an excellent, creepy chiller of what can happen to ex-pats who fall foul of their new neighbours. The perfect gift for those who boast about their French idyll they’re about to live.’ Carla McKay – Daily Mail

WRINGLAND

‘A tale of chilling menace and powerful atmosphere in haunted fen country. A ghost story handled with real assurance.’
Barry Foreshaw

WELSH-BORN, AWARD-WINNING SALLY SPEDDING’S DARK CRIME/THRILLERS, SHORT STORIES AND POETRY ARE INSPIRED BY WALES AND FRANCE WHERE SHE LIVES. http://www.sallyspedding.com

Review: “The Daughter’s Story” by Murielle Cyr

Very excited to share my review of Murielle Cyr’s latest book. Murielle has been a friend and an author I admire for many years now but she really surprised me with her latest novel, a move into my favourite genre: Historical fiction.

“The Daughter’s Story” is a powerful story of female oppression in the 20^th century.
In French speaking Canada of 1970 a young woman called Lisette is trying to find her biological mother. She’s pregnant by a terrorist and only seeks her mother to take advantage of her, not to find a happily ever after she doesn’t believe in.

Lisette is damaged, but as we get to know her mother’s story and family background – why had she given up the daughter for adoption in the first place – we peel an onion of family secrets and lies, spiced with (to this reader) a much lesser known historical background about the conflicts in Canada at that particular time.

As some of the family background goes way back to 1918 we get glimpses of other parts of Canadian history and how it affected said family.
This is a gripping and deep story about the far-reaching and life-altering consequences of selfish or even seemingly selfless decisions, brought dominantly on women by men. Cyr shows a multitude of female perspectives and engaging characters which culminates in an unexpected coming of age.

Those characters dug their way into my heart fast, I was moved and heartbroken, felt for the damage done and the opportunities lost, but also rejoiced at some of the strength and power the characters showed.
Knowing Cyr as writer in other genres I was amazed at her versatility (shocked to see her use some authentic foul language) and ability to address such harsh issues as if she had done so all of her life. I must say she did the topic great justice.
A voice to remember.

It should be released May 1st, but it’s available for pre-orders which will arrive at the end of March.

https://www.barakabooks.com/catalogue/the-daughters-story

#Quebec fiction  #Canadian fiction #modern historical fiction #Family saga #womens fiction #adoption #WW1  #WW2 #October Crisis #Amazon #Indigo #Barnes & Noble

https://muriellerites.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/Muriellerites-461746363874482/

Writer, organic gardener, soapmaker, apprentice cook, listener. #ASMSG

Biography

Author of CULLOO, a YA novel.
Short stories and poetry published in several literary magazines.

 

 

Heart-breaking, compassionate tragedy

A book recommendation from fellow blogger Marjoriesworldofbooks

Marjorie's World of Books

The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted by Robert Hillman

Book Review:  5 out of 5 star rating

Hannah has come to town and wants to open a bookshop though no one believes it will succeed.  She hires Tom Hope to help her build some shelves.  Tom recognizes a heart-broken person in Hannah as Tom is one himself.  His wife Trudy left him and took her son, Peter, with her.  Tom loved Peter like a son and he misses him dreadfully.  Hannah, well, Hannah has met with more grief than most when she was taken to Auschwitz.  Both of these broken-hearted souls will learn whether they can be healed or be haunted by their losses forever.

I was completely mesmerized by this beautifully written book.  I can see why this was compared to “The Light Between Oceans” because it had that same tragic, soul-wrenching quality to it.  This book just wouldn’t…

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Llandeilo Lit Fest Review: “The Peat Dead” by Allan Martin

Today I’m reviewing another book featured in the forthcoming Llandeilo Lit Fest.

Five corpses are dug up by a peat-cutter in Islay. All of them have been shot in the back of the head, execution style.

Inspector Angus Blue and his team slowly piece together the little evidence they have, and discover the men were killed on a wartime base, over 70 years ago.

But there is a secret to be protected, even if it means killing again.

Allan Martin will be talking about his book in the Lit Fest session with Sally Spedding.

Hankering After History: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hankering-after-history-tickets-57211305555

The novel unfolds slowly as we follow what appears to be a harmless historic find of dead bodies. Characters in the investigative team become familiar to us readers while we are in an early and almost unsuspicious stage of the investigation. The interplay of the present day detectives and their chemistry with each other were my favourite part and I hope this may turn into a series.

When the find of the dead bodies arouses unexpected interest and some suspicious events hint at something bigger being hidden the tension heats up dramatically and this turns into a gripping thriller.

Interspersed with the present day investigation is a separate narrative strand from the perspective of what we assume is one of the five victims. I found this very intriguing.

Well written and with a great dramatic curve this novel flows nicely and never drops your attention. In my copy of the book were no historical notes to explain how much of the plot were fiction or fact, so I assume this is more of a crime fiction with a historical twist rather than serious WWII theory.

This will please crime fiction readers more than historians but there is something winning in the formula of solving crimes from the past. Very enjoyable.

Allan Martin will be talking about his book in the Lit Fest session

Hankering After History: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hankering-after-history-tickets-57211305555

Review: “The Gospel according to Lazarus” by Richard Zimler

I’m delighted to present my review of Richard Zimler’s latest book today and share a little insight from a conversation with him about the book. The book is already on pre-order on Amazon and a great accomplishment.

“The Gospel According to Lazarus” is an accomplished and ambitious novel. In this re-telling of Jesus’s last week from the perspective of a child hood friend whom Jesus resurrected from the dead, we’re looking at Jesus, faith, religion and history with new and challenging eyes. Whatever religion – if any – you follow there will be something in the teachings of Jesus that can touch your heart. While I personally would not describe him as the son of god, a lot of what he said was an important message and I’m glad it found itself into humanity.
It’s a credit to Zimler’s writing that I devoured a book about a biblical theme (as I feel that I have been exposed to too much of it in my youth).

Historically and biblically well researched this novel is based on the traditional gospel while braving to deal with some missing gaps, logical questions arising from the story and the much appreciated human factor that religion all too easy denies those idols it intends to praise. 
Why was Lazarus resurrected – how did people respond to him and Jesus because of it and what is the point of this in the context of the bible? While we all believe different things about the afterlife, why was Lazarus not given a chance to tell us about that?

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOYNlELfq2g

Seeing what has become a Christian story from a more contemporary Jewish angle helps us understand events in a way that cannot be achieved when reading scriptures exposed to millennia of intended and unintended bias. To me, what Zimler has written makes the people and miracles far more believable than the way they have found themselves into the Bible.

I remember a hugely inspiring and thought-provoking conversation I once had about Jesus as a Jewish rebel rather than a virgin-born King and this book makes many similar cases, without being as controversial or provocative as my review may make it sound.
To me, the point being made here is not to discredit religion but to see the actual story and person of Jesus with some of the gold and glitter removed; and  to see the beautiful message from Jesus, untarnished from the dos and don’ts of the preachers. 

“The idea for the novel came Richard after a repetitive dream in which his brother – who died of Aids in 1989 – came back to life but was greatly diminished and profoundly mournful.  This dream reminded him of the story of Lazarus from the Gospel of John.  After he re-read the Gospels, he started researching daily life in the Holy Land at the time of the New Testament and paid special attention to the tradition of Jewish mysticism that Jesus would have likely followed.  He became fascinated with the idea of writing the book from the point of view of Lazarus himself and of characterizing Jesus as a Jewish mystic (of giving him back his Judaism, so to speak).  To try to free readers from their previous assumptions about these two important men – and to free them from Christian iconography – he uses their Hebrew names in the novel: Eliezer ben Natan and Yeshua ben Yosef”.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gospel-According-Lazarus-Richard-Zimler/dp/0720620627

Llandeilo Lit Fest Review: “The Plankton Collector” by Cath Barton

Cath Barton approached us with a pitch for the Llandeilo LitFest and her collection of accolades speaks for itself.
Her novella “the Plankton Collector” won the New Welsh Writing Award.

It is a cleverly plotted and  well written novella, a short read that is compelling as it is intelligent, using exquisite prose and imagery.

Jumping somewhat between her characters, all of which at some stage meet the ominous Plankton Collector and benefit from their encounters with him, this somehow never gets confusing or feels hard work.

The flow is natural and smooth, the writing style engaging and I am excited to see Cath at the lineup of our festival.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cath-barton-tickets-57329083833

Date And Time
Sat, April 27, 2019 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM BST

Location
Angel Inn, 62 Rhosmaen St, Llandeilo SA19 6EN

Here is some more about the story and the praise for her book from https://www.newwelshreview.com/article.php?id=2172

Take a seashore, let us say one on the leeward coast of an island, where the twice-daily coming in and going out of the sea is, in the main, a calming. There are cliffs of old rock, gneisses and schists, born of a time of greater drama. On the tops is a green sward, pockmarked by holes where rabbits burrow. They emerge at dawn and dusk and nibble the grass back into tidiness. On the cliffs is a congregation of gannets, kittiwakes and puffins. They sing songs from the hymnal of the birds. They are raucous and out of time with one another. On the shoreline a few of them land and strut about, self-important but awkward because they are out of their element.

Here the morning light is pearlescent. There is a shimmer to it. Water laps gently around rocks tumbled long ago on the shore, making the little curtains of green algae move back and forth as if they were opening and closing on the scenes of a play. Which indeed they are. It is the daily play of the creatures of the rocky shore, the sand bubbler crabs which emerge from their sandy nests and scuttle in sideways motion, the cushion stars which scavenge on them after death, and the pink polyps of hydroids which feed on plankton. Much of this, and especially the plankton, is invisible to the man we see who passes by and remarks on his disappointment that the rocky pools are not as they were in his childhood. He is thinking about those long-ago summers of (we remember erroneously) unremitting sunshine when boys wearing long shorts or short longs lifted strands of jellified seaweeds aloft triumphantly, for Mother to take a picture with the Box Brownie. That picture which will be amongst the snaps which she keeps all her life in the old chocolate box, the captured iconic moments of seaside holidays, made happy by a trick of memory.

Cath Barton was born in the English Midlands and now lives in Abergavenny. Her short stories have been published in anthologies in Australia, the USA and the UK, while her flash fiction has appeared online in Fictive Dream, Firefly and Long Exposure, amongst other places. Cath was literature editor of California-based Celtic Family Magazine (2013–2016). ‘The Plankton Collector’, from which this is an extract, won the New Welsh Writing Awards 2017: AmeriCymru Prize for the Novella this summer, and will be published in full on our New Welsh Rarebyte imprint during 2018. Our animated trailer for the novella, made by Emily Roberts, can be viewed here Author website: cathbarton.com

From https://www.newwelshreview.com/rarebyte.php:

“This powerful, thought-provoking debut explores the author’s experiences of her eating disorder in a narrative that is emotionally and intellectually complex yet unflinchingly accessible. Her honest, crafted words are alive with meaning both in what they say and in the spaces they create for the reader’s imagination.”
Frank Egerton, author of The Lock and Invisible

“Catherine has written a precise and gripping memoir that illuminates anorexia in a way I have never encountered. Eloquent and thoughtful, there is so much here for anybody who has wrestled with themselves.”
Bridie Jabour, author of The Way Things Should Be

“Searingly honest, sparing, taut, tightly controlled, provocative in the best way, considered and beautifully written.”
Cathryn Summerhayes, literary agent at Curtis Brown.

Circumstantial Enemy by John Bell

“Circumstantial Enemy” is a classic war drama of the “caught-between-the-devil-and-the-blue-sea”-type: Political convictions, ideology, love and loyalty bringing heartache and forcing inner turmoil.
20-year old Tony Babic already has two years’ experience as pilot under his belt. After previously fighting the Nazi’s under Serbian command, in 1941 Croatia becomes an independent state under Germany’s influence and Tony’s being interviewed to join the Croatian air force and fight against the Communist thread.
His training takes place in Germany, subsequent hospitalisation in Italy and eventual imprisonment in Illinois. All the while he corresponds with the woman who owns his heart: Katarina, whose political convictions are strongly against the Nazis.
The book offers plenty of perspective and reflection on choices, options and the course of history. Knowing that this is based on true events makes the story more poignant. An interesting insight into lesser known parts of WW2 history and a very enjoyable read.

Before becoming an author of business books and historical fiction, John Bell was a CEO, global strategy consultant, and a director of several private, public, and not-for-profit organizations. A prolific blogger, John’s musings on strategy, leadership, and branding have appeared in various journals such as Fortune, Forbes and ceoafterlife.com.

John’s novel, ‘The Circumstantial Enemy’ chronicles the trials and capers of Tony Babic, a young pilot who finds himself forcibly aligned with Hitler’s Luftwaffe in 1941. Unbeknownst to Tony, his sweetheart Katarina and best friend Goran have taken the side of the opposing communist partisans. The threesome soon discover that love and friendship can not circumvent this ideals of this war. Like many of the adventure novels of Wilbur Smith and Bryce Courtenay, ‘The Circumstantial Enemy’ is an energetic journey to freedom through minefields of hatred, betrayal, lust, and revenge. Rich in incident and rollicking humor, it’s a story about the strength of the human spirit, and the power of friendship, love, and forgiveness.

John’s business book, ‘Do Less Better – The Power of Strategic Sacrifice in a Complex World’, was released by Palgrave Macmillan USA in 2015. This book helps leaders recognize the complexity within their businesses and suggests how they can simplify and streamline through specialization and sacrifice. For leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs who need help embracing the practices that foster agility, foresight, and resilience, ‘Do Less Better’ provides a tool-kit of road-tested strategies.

Review / New Release: “The Summer of 1974” by Yael Politis

I’m delighted to welcome back another much respected writing colleague of mine:  Yael Politis.
I had the pleasure of reading her latest book in advance and here’s my review:

“The Summer of 1974” is a rich and rewarding read, the beginning of a new series by one of my favourite authors, Yel Politis. The novel is on the surface the attempt by a young Jewish woman to discover the identity of her father. Her mother only knew him briefly, died in child birth and left no name. Gavrielle’s search for her roots in a country younger than her often is poignant and stirs the emotions. But there is much more to this: while this search demands reflection and bravery proceedings get complicated by her romantic involvements as much as by the military conflicts of the time.
So in a way this is also the story of Israel and the six day war as experienced by our heroine Gavrielle, her friends and family.
Due to the fact that Gabrielle works for the Israeli Intelligence Service we find a lot of fascinating information and lesser known facts about the complexities and the historical and political background of the military conflicts with many minor and major details I never had.
I look forward to the sequel and the next chapter in Gavrielle’s story. An insightful and very enjoyable read.

Here you can read Chapter one on Yael’s website:

http://www.yaelpolitis.com/

https://www.yaelpolitis.com/books/the-summer-of-1974-chapter-one/

Or get the book on Amazon

I grew up in Dearborn, Michigan and attended the Universities of Michigan and Wisconsin. (Back then I was Janet Lewis.) When I was a student I spent two summers in Israel and ended up coming back after I graduated. I still spend a lot of time in Michigan, but have lived all my adult life in Israel. I have worked as an agricultural worker, waitress, secretary, librarian, kitchen worker, Administrative Systems Analyst, English teacher, Hebrew–English translator, English editor, and Technical/Marketing Writer. My last (and longest-held) job was as a Proposal Writer for Israel Aerospace Industries.

Decades ago I began writing on my old Smith-Corona typewriter, but, fantasies aside, I considered it no more than a hobby. Until the day I received an email from Holland Park Press of London. “We want to publish your book,” it said. I had been participating in a writers’ workshop run by the London Arts Council where they spotted The Lonely Tree. So that’s how I came to have a debut novel. By the time I retired from IAI, self-publishing was really taking off and I decided to have a go at it for the three books of The Olivia Series.

Things I Can