It’s a growing trend to write fiction about the women behind famous men, and a brilliant idea to extend this to write about the women behind fictional characters too; in this case the women connected to Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. The House at Baker Street by Michelle Birkby puts together the scraps of information we learn about these ‘background’ women in the Arthur Conan Doyle stories and gives them a detective adventure of their own.
Both Martha Hudson and Mary Watson are believable characters and the plot is a good one, though not perhaps quite of the standard of an original Conan Doyle. The book doesn’t have the same period feel as the Conan Doyle stories either, but then why should it? It was written a hundred years later and doesn’t make any pretentions to be the same as the originals.
As far as I can tell, without extensive knowledge of the Sherlock Holmes books, it fits in well and I didn’t come across any annoying anomalies. In short, it could have happened! I enjoyed it very much and I particularly liked the way the scene is now set for further adventures by the same pair of intrepid female detectives.
The House at Baker Street by Michelle Birkby is published by Pan Macmillan and will be available in paperback from 25 February 2016
had arrived at the top of my pile. In fact the book is more about family life and relationships than about travelling, but is none the worse for that. It tells the story of his journey around France in a Passat, which smells strongly of French cheese, with his wife and two young children and is by turns funny, poignant and insightful. A good follow-up to his earlier book Are We Nearly There Yet? – surely a question that every parent has heard far too often.
a thriller set in the immediate aftermath of the First World War, and the first part of a trilogy. I always enjoy his books and I think I’ve read most, if not all, of them. I’d be hard put to it though to distinguish one from the other in retrospect, and I’m fairly sure I’ll have to re-read this one in a year’s time before moving on to the second in the series. But I’d still rate it as an interesting and well-put-together book. And if you haven’t discovered Robert Goddard before, this is a good place to start.
has left me feeling confused. It’s most certainly a very original and well written debut novel, but I find myself at the end with a vague suspicion that it doesn’t work quite as well as it should. I wonder whether others have the same reservations as I do, and whether this dystopian tale of a totalitarian bee-hive really works on levels other than a fairy tale. But highly recommended if you want something different. Good books are supposed to leave you wondering, aren’t they?
. Another debut novel, this is a fascinating mix of history (17th century Amsterdam), intrigue and a coming of age story. A real page-turner. I couldn’t put it down. But yet again I was left feeling dissatisfied. I don’t think all the questions posed were fully answered, and I don’t think the plot quite held together. But perhaps I read it too quickly and missed vital information. I’d better go back for another look. I’ll enjoy doing that!
and no hesitation at all in recommending it. Yet again a debut novel, this one taps into a situation with which more and more of us are becoming familiar – how living with dementia feels, or how you cope with having a relative with dementia. The central character Maud is totally believable and the struggles she faces daily are sympathetically portrayed. And there is an intriguing storyline in here too. Ultimately, despite what you might expect, this is an uplifting and positive book. I loved it.
is a cookery book with a difference. It’s the inspirational story of how one young woman changed her way of eating to enable her to cope with massive health issues, devising a gluten and dairy free plant based diet. It’s a fascinating read from beginning to end – and the recipes I’ve tried so far work well too.
is a deeply romantic and escapist read. It is well-researched and is a book which gives hours of enjoyment.
is a brilliant all-round book which is easy to read and is based on hard evidence and the latest research. It offers a fresh perspective and practical tools. It is a brilliant parenting book which is easy to digest. A good, pragmatic and fun read.
is an escapist, interesting and different read. Engaging and enjoyable. This is the 
is compelling and unforgettable. There are some comparisons with TV serial killer Dexter in this book of a ‘normal’ and likeable serial killer. The book is good and is engaging enough to be read in one sitting. Different and well-written.