I’m
a committed Stephen King fan, not because of the genre (horror scares me too
much, so he’s the only author in this genre I read!) but because he is a
consummate storyteller and, in particular, because he does real people and
everyday life so well that by the time the horror kicks in it’s too late,
you’ve already followed the path he’s laid out for you.
Holly,
featuring one of his own favorite characters, Holly Gibney, is King at his
very best, with the everyday life of this private investigator slowly turning into
a horrifying scenario, but one which you saw coming all along, thanks to the
device of immediately telling you who the ‘bad guys’ are and then allowing you
to watch as Holly tries to find them for herself.
I really couldn’t put this
one down, and loved every page. A master on top form.
Holly Gibney, one of Stephen King’s most compelling and ingeniously resourceful characters, returns in this thrilling novel to solve the gruesome truth behind multiple disappearances in a midwestern town.
“Sometimes the universe throws you a rope.” —BILL HODGES
Stephen King’s Holly marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr. Mercedes to Bill Hodges’s partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King’s new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against…
This was part
of my research for a historical novel I am writing, and this book is a fascinating read.
From
items that sound rather nice (cold cream made with almond oil, jojoba oil, beeswax, and rose water) to the really quite disgusting (brushing your teeth
with a mix of castile soap and vodka, anyone?), this has recipes, anecdotes,
historical customs and brand names galore. Wonderful for research.
Ties in to a fantastic new four-part BBC series from the makers of the hit Victorian Farm
Shows how many products on sale in our high street chemists today can trace their origins back to nineteenth century formulations
Full of fascinating facts, remedies and recipes to try at home
Victorian Farm sold over 40,000 copies (Nielsen Bookscan figures)
This is the story of consumer medicine - how high street healthcare emerged in just 50 years and how we still rely on hundreds of formulations and products that can trace their origins back to the nineteenth century.
It is a novel about a foundling girl growing up in
Victorian London, scrabbling to make a living while under the gloom of a hidden
secret in her past that seems like it will snatch any happiness she finds away
at any moment.
I almost didn’t like it because it was so unrelentingly harsh,
but the historical accuracy and quality writing (and a tiny bit of hope
at the end) had me filing it away as a very memorable and well-written
historical novel.
From Sunday Times bestselling novelist Rose Tremain comes a gripping novel of murder and revenge set in Victorian England
Nobody knows yet that she is a murderer...
London, 1850. On a freezing winter's night, a baby is abandoned at the gates of a park only to be saved by a young policeman and taken to the Foundling Hospital.
After suffering years of brutal hardship at the Hospital, Lily is released into the world of Victorian London. But she is hiding a dreadful secret...
When Lily and the policeman meet again, Lily is convinced that he holds the key to her…
In the shadows of Rome’s greatest spectacle, a young woman discovers friendship, belonging, and the fragile beginnings of love. Rome, 80 AD. Althea has always lived unseen. A slave scribe, she records the words of powerful men while silencing her own.
But when she is sent to serve Marcus, the man charged with creating the Colosseum’s inaugural Games, her life begins to change. Haunted by the loss of his family in Pompeii, Marcus teeters on the edge of despair. To save him, Althea must step beyond obedience and into courage.
Amid the roar of the arena and the demands of an Emperor, Althea forms unexpected bonds: a sharp-tongued prostitute, a fallen Vestal Virgin, a runaway boy, and others cast aside by Rome. Together, they become more than survivors. They become family. And in Marcus’ sadness, Althea begins to glimpse the tender possibility of love.
From the Ashes is a sweeping story of resilience, found family, and one woman’s journey to claim her freedom in a world built on power. Both action-packed and heart-stirring, it brings to life the people behind the Colosseum and the quiet strength that can rise from ruins.
