Book #22 And Then She Vanishes

And Then She Vanishes by Claire Douglas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A breathtaking opening chapter with an equally shocking ending! And Then She Vanishes is a terrific thriller. Has it all. A claustrophobic, page turning, slow burner - when two bodies, thought to be local businessman Clive Wilson, 58, and his mother, Deirdre Wilson, 76, are found in a cottage in the seaside Somerset town of Tilby. They had been shot. A third person, Heather Underwood, was found unconscious at a caravan park less than half a mile away, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest... Heather, whose sister Flora disappeared in 1994, never to be seen again. Everything points to Heather being the murderer. But why?! There is no apparent motive, yet....

Jessica Fox is a journalist in Bristol where she lives with her boyfriend, Rory. Could Heather be the friend she fell out with back in 1994? She works with Jack, the photographer for the Bristol and Somerset Herald, a twice weekly publication. Looking for any kind of exclusive the layers are slowly peeled back. Jessica has a dark past that saw her leave The Tribune in London, for reasons she has never fully explained to Rory. And all the time, the question that pervades this whydunnit is: What really happened the night Flora disappeared?

I will not say any more about this thrilling story - don't want to spoil it for future readers. I can say that you will love it!

My thanks to Penguin UK-Michael Joseph, NetGalley and Claire Douglas for my ARC. Wonderful!

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Book #68 The Innocent Wife

The Innocent Wife by Amy Lloyd
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Samantha. Clingy, paranoid and possessive Words uses by Mark to describe Sam, the woman with whom he wanted a “no-strings” relationship. Sam knew how to sulk and her fighting destroyed their relationship, in Bristol.

Sam takes to her computer and comes across an online group campaigning for a case review for ‘the boy from Red River’, a prisoner on Death Row in the USA, found guilty of the horrific murder of a young girl some 20 years ago. Sam doesn’t just participate, she becomes involved. Why on earth would she do that? There are many persons in the USA who consider the verdict unsound. Dennis Danson is innocent…

Sam begins to correspond with Dennis - for months. Declares that she loves him. Naive and sentimental, stupid even. When he replies that he loves her too she decides to travel to Florida where Danson is incarcerated, to meet him. Meets his campaign team and… decides to marry him. A strange companionship develops between Sam and Dennis, either side of a visitor’s glass screen. And all the time I felt somewhat detached from the story line…

When the totally unexpected happens and another inmate confesses to the murder, Danson is pardoned and released from prison amidst mounting media hysteria. Sam is faced with the reality of a real husband/wife relationship.

Revelations emerge about other girls who went missing from Red River, so many years ago. Sam becomes indignant when locals voice their opinion that Danson was responsible. But as their relationship develops, doubt starts to fill Sam’s mind. Is there anything in these accusations? Does her paranoia emerge? Does she find evidence that she tries to conceal? Foolhardy?

There is much more to the plot that, to reveal, would spoil for others.

For me? It did not make my pulse race. It is well written, but I expected more.

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Book #76 Bath by Insight Guides

Bath by Insight Guides
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had read most of this guide before my wife and I enjoyed a long weekend in this beautiful city. We lived in Bristol when we were first married (more than 40 years ago) but never took the time then to explore Bath. This guide is an excellent companion for anyone considering a visit. It is well laid out, suggests and catalogues various tours to different parts of the city and provides practical information on how to get there, where to stay and where to eat and covers Bath's stunning architecture in considerable detail. It is well worth the cover price of £7.99 to help you enjoy one of Britain's most beautiful cities.

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8:59 to Bristol

No, it's not the title of an Agatha Christie mystery; that was '4:50 from Paddington' featuring Miss Jane Marple. The 8:59 to Bristol features my wife Rosalind, who is going to see her family and celebrate her niece's 40th birthday. She is on her way now travelling on First Great Western trains.

And I love train journeys. This one take 3 hours 45 minutes. Me? At home looking after 'the boys' - Oliver and Bertie. Keeping a mindful eye on Oliver who has not been well and is on a course of probiotics. So, it's a boys weekend for me and a fun weekend for Ros.

Do wish I was on the train though....

Invasion by Deadly Ticks

Sounds like something written by John Wyndham, but no, Britain is being infested by ticks that can spread potentially deadly diseases.

Richard Wall, professor of Zoology at Bristol University, found 300 of the blood-sucking parasites in just one square metre of a busy park. Their numbers have soared apparently following the winter's wet weather. Wall found this alarming number at the Ashton Court Estate, a popular site for dog walkers and hikers near Bristol.

Ticks can spread a terrifying array of illnesses including Lyme disease, which can be fatal to both humans and dogs.

If you go walking in green spaces you should check regularly for ticks, both yourself and your dog. If bitten remove any tick rapidly. There are a number of tick removal tools available on the market and it is worthwhile to carry some with you when out in the park or woodland. Take a look on eBay for example.

An arachnid tick

If you have to struggle to remove a tick from your dog you should take your pet to a vet right away.

The Wrinklies Club

We might be getting on a bit but we still know how to enjoy ourselves. Here we are, last Friday, having enjoyed a sumptuous dinner at The George Inn at Backwell near Bristol.

That's me, in the middle on the right and my wife Rosalind is sat in the middle on the left. The other members of the Wrinklies Club are my wife's sisters, Janet and Jean and brothers-in-law Mike and John.

The George serves up magnificent food and an excellent pint of Butcombe ale from the Somerset brewery http://www.butcombe.com/

Life is good.

Westward Ho

Ros and I will be travelling tomorrow to Portishead, to the west of Bristol. We are looking forward to spending some relaxing time with my wife's family over a long weekend. Although birdwatching is on the agenda I am aware that I will be located not so far away from the badger killing fields of Gloucestershire. I acknowledge and support the efforts of our cull protestors. If I can, I will join you for one night....

Autumn Wildlife to Watch Out For

I am already seeing an increase in the variety of wild birds visiting my garden as Autumn deepens and those foggy, damp days of November will soon be with us. The most numerous bird to the feeders is still the Goldfinch; the Dunnock is now back after several months' absence along with the Robin, several Starlings and Woodpigeons and an occasional pair of Collared Doves.

I am now anticipating the arrival of Blackcaps, those wintering warblers that are fans of high-energy fatballs and suet pellets. In winter, increasing numbers of blackcaps now make the journey here from Germany, while most of our breeding birds head off to Africa. I also love to see flocks of Long-tailed tits. These beautiful humbug-striped tits can often be seen clinging to hanging feeders as they forage in flocks of six or more. One winter I counted fifteen in my garden, albeit briefly.

Visits to deep freshwater sites around Sussex should result in sightings of the delightful Pochard, a duck that arrives here from eastern Europe. The flocks are mainly comprised of males because most females migrate to southern Europe.

Ros and I will be travelling down to Bristol soon for a long weekend and I hope to get some time birding on the Somerset Levels and, if time allows, along Severn Beach.

male Pochard