Ruth Downie’s crime series set in Roman Britain is my current favourite comfort read. Gaius Petreius Ruso is a Roman … More
Category: Features
When a man behaves badly, should you blame his (TV) wife?
There’s been a lot of criticism on social media of Susanna Reid’s apparent complicity with Piers Morgan on Good Morning … More
Fifteen great novels about mothers
Of course, mothers are everywhere, in life and in fiction. There aren’t many novels that don’t have a mother in … More
Discovering great non-fiction — hear the podcast, read the book
I have a tendency to be over-ambitious when it comes to non-fiction. I’ll pick up a tome on a subject … More
A five-star dilemma — are star ratings for books changing how you read?
I get pop-ups and notifications all day asking for my views on websites, purchases, even deliveries. I try to ignore … More
Is an Audible subscription still worth it?
I wrote a couple of years ago about my conversion to audiobooks. At the time I was an enthusiastic subscriber … More
Why exactly do we read book reviews?
Bear with me. You might think the answer is bleedin’ obvious, but I’ve been considering how and why I … More
My books of the year –2020
I haven’t read as many new releases as usual this year. Partly, of course, because a lot of books have … More
Readers – have you ever fallen out of love with your favourite genre?
Ever fallen out of love? One minute you’re contemplating hours spent cuddled up on the sofa, you’re even coordinating your … More
Guest post by Sonia Ahmed: 9 Pakistani writers to keep on your radar in 2021
Now that it’s hard to travel, novels are more vital than ever in giving us an insight into other countries … More