Welcome to the Christmas Book Fair where I will be sharing books by my recommended authors that I believe would make great gifts. If you are gifting someone a Kindle this year it would be a great idea to stock it up with some great books to be enjoyed.
Short stories are becoming increasingly more popular. I know that with a busy lifestyle I am drawn to both collections of stories and also poetry and this last few years I have enjoyed many of these featured books by their talented authors..
The first book today is the magical collection of poetry and prose, Mr. Sagittarius by M.J. Mallon
About the collection
Twin brothers Harold and William love the magic of the natural world.
When Harold dies he leaves a simple memorial request.
Will his brother William and his sister Annette honour it?
Or, will the garden work its magic to ensure that they do.
A magical story expressed via an original compilation of poetry and prose with photographic images.
One of the reviews for the collection
If you are familiar with Mrs Mallon’s books, this one will pleasantly surprise you, being nothing but a wee treasury of kind thoughts, short prose, and even shorter poems, inspiredly designed and cleverly illustrated with photos taken in the fantastic botanical gardens of Cambridge.
I don’t know if our author has ever read Roald Dahl’s The Minpins, with its famous last line ‘Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it,’ but what I know for sure is that MJ Mallon strongly believes in magic. Read the book, and you will have the same sensation when meeting the real protagonists: a dragonfly, a robin, a golden weeping willow tree, and a couple of spirits. The human appearances are only secondary characters, to certify the link between mystic and real patterns: magic versus twins and sibling relationships, the unconditional beauty of nature, and the seasons of the year, to name just a few.
If this book were a fable, the moral would be:
Love is the best teacher, and it helps human beings sail through challenges they might face in life – believing in themselves and others.
Read the reviews and buy the collection: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US
Also by M.J. Mallon
Read the reviews, buy the books and find out more about M.J. Mallon : Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Website:M.J. Mallon – Goodreads:Goodreads – Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon
The next author today is Jane Risdon with her short story collection Undercover Crime Shorts that makes for an interesting read and I enjoyed very much.
About the collection
Under one cover for the first time a collection of Crime Shorts from Jane Risdon featuring previously unpublished stories which will have you on the edge of your seat. There is an extract from Jane’s forthcoming novel (series) Ms Birdsong Investigates Murder at Ampney Parva: Operation Matryoshka – with the title of Undercover – for those who’ve been awaiting this series about a former MI5 Intelligence Office, Lavinia Birdsong. There’s something for everyone who enjoys a good yarn and more twists and turns than Spaghetti Junction.
One of the reviews for Undercover Crime Shorts
This slim volume collects together six of author Jane Risdon’s crime short stories plus a brief extract of her first novel concerning Ms Lavinia Birdsong, a former MI5 officer.
‘Sweet Sable – the Red Siren’ is an enjoyable caper set in 1930s Hollywood, and Jane has captured the period and the jargon. Sable is a chanteuse some of the time – when she’s not seducing and then fleecing rich marks. She’s a fascinating character, yet 25 pages do not do her justice. Really, she has the potential to fill a book-length novel or novella. Certainly worth getting to know her – but hold onto your billfold!
‘Apartment 206c’ is also set in the States. China shares an apartment with Louise. While Louise goes out to work, China is a writer, usually draped over her laptop. This begins with a tense situation with noisy neighbours that then turns unpleasant. Before I got to the end, I did wonder if it was a variant on Rosemary’s Baby – but it wasn’t.
The best in the collection is ‘Murder by Christmas’. Deceased Tiffany Blunt has left an intriguing will. ‘Those who’d hoped to inherit didn’t, and those who had been invited to attend without knowing why were suddenly beneficiaries. It was all a bit odd, really.’ (p45) This certainly had the flavour of a Ruth Rendell suspense tale with a set of dysfunctional and amoral characters. Again, these 21 pages, while satisfying, promised the potential of a longer work. With the right director, the story could be a successful TV one-off.
‘The Watchers’ was a clever story, with several watchers involved. Candice, having recently broken off with her boyfriend Ollie suspects she is being watched. She’s of a nervous disposition which doesn’t help. Or is she being paranoid? There was more than one twist to this tale. Let us just say, it doesn’t end well…
‘The Honey Trap’ concerns an unnamed Second Secretary to the British Embassy. He appears to be propositioned at the Majestic Hotel and is only too willing to retire to the attractive woman’s room. Naturally, telegraphed by the title, he is suspicious about her motives. This is a dark piece, but not too graphic, and the conclusion is open to interpretation. Again, I felt that giving this tale added depth of character would have made it especially chilling; if someone is going to be murdered, perhaps the reader needs to know more about them, to empathise. Still, overall, unnerving.
‘The Look’ is playful and deadly. An unnamed woman responds to a dating website and meets the unnamed man for a drink and a chat and shared enthusiasm over photography. They both have ‘the look’. That’s the playful part. Then, slowly, irrevocably, it gets dark, very dark. Murder will out – and there is a reason for it. Oh, and it paid well – very well. It would be a shame to say more as that would spoil the story. Yes, this too could make a suspenseful longer tale, whether novella or novel. A neat amusing ending which echoes the story’s title.
Ms Birdsong Investigates Murder in Ampney Parva is an all-too-brief extract from a novel; there are at least two sequels in the works. Lavinia has ‘buried her real self, taking on the mantle of a hardened Madam – trafficker of girls.’ (p91) She is in a particularly disagreeable place, mixing with hard-hearted Eastern Europeans. The sample ends when she finds herself in a compromising situation that does not bode well for her future… Yes, we want to read on!
On the whole, there’s a wide variety of crime and murder offered within 92 pages which the reader feels impelled to keep turning.
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US
Also by Jane Risdon
Discover more about Jane Risdon and buy the books: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US– Blog:Jane Risdon WordPress – Goodreads:Jane Risdon Goodread – Twitter: @Jane_Risdon – Facebook: Jane Risdon – Bookbub: Jane Risdon – WNB Network: Channel 6
The final book today is one I much enjoyed and is an intriguing collection of short stories Strange Hwy by Beem Weeks...
![Strange Hwy: Short Stories by [Beem Weeks]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51MSYNziuKL.jpg)
About the collection
If you ever find yourself on the Strange Hwy—don’t turn around. Don’t panic. Just. Keep. Going. You never know what you’ll find.
You’ll see magic at the fingertips of an autistic young man,
•A teen girl’s afternoon, lifetime of loss.
•A winged man, an angel? Demon—?
•Mother’s recognition, peace to daughter.
•Danny’s death, stifled secrets.
•Black man’s music, guitar transforms boy.
•Dead brother, open confession.
•First love, supernatural?—family becomes whole!
You can exit the Strange Hwy, and come back any time you want.
See, now you know the way in, don’t be a stranger.
One of the reviews for the collection
This is a fantastic collection of short stories, many of which have a coming-of-age theme. The author has a talent for capturing young voices and setting mood, especially in earlier decades. Many of the stories carry the flavor of the 1950s and 1960s, breathing vivid life into the past. Weeks offers us a slice of Americana in each story. The voices are authentic, descriptions vivid, and the writing polished. Each and every one is a gem, but there are several I must call special attention to.
“Sweetie Girl”—poignant, raw, and sad—addresses the pain of Alzheimer’s; “Memory of a Robot” is filled with the magic of what makes a spring afternoon special; “Overcome (Holy Water”), takes a look at a flood in the Jim Crow south and the change in brings in people (it gave me goose bumps of the good variety!), “Wordless” is about a man learning to read, and his daughter setting a path in life. Finally, “Looking for Lucy” the story which closes the book addresses separation and forgiveness with a unique and brilliant twist.
This is the second collection of short stories I’ve read by Mr. Weeks. He truly has a talent for this form. Highly recommended!
Read the reviews and buy the collection: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
Also by Beem Weeks
Read the reviews, buy the books and find out more about Beem Weeks: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Follow Beem Weeks: Goodreads – Website/Blog: Beem Weeks – Twitter: @BeemWeeks
Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will be leaving with some books.. Sally.
Smorgasbord Blog Magazine 