Category: Books

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Books Reviews

Queen of Grime

I’m delighted to take part in the blog tour for Queen of Grime by Helen Forbes. The tour is organised by Lynsey Adams of Reading Between the Lines.

About the Book

The Queen of Grime is about to pay. Big time. 

Erin Flett is used to clearing up the sad debris of forgotten lives and tragic deaths. A crime and trauma scene cleaner from a deprived Edinburgh housing estate, she’s made a good life for herself and her daughter. But a secret from the past is about to catch up with her.

Ten years ago, Erin told a desperate lie with serious consequences. Now, someone else knows, and they’re determined to make Erin and her loved ones pay.

Following a terrifying late-night attack, the tension mounts until Erin doesn’t know who she can trust. As she struggles to keep her family safe, little does she realise just how close the danger is…

Queen of Grime is the first in a new series introducing Erin Flett, crime and trauma scene cleaner, and a rich cast of characters, set against the backdrop of the city of Edinburgh. With an occasional undertone of dark humour, it is a tale of family lies and family ties, friendships, secrets and loss.

Links to buy: Paperback / Kindle

About the Author

Helen Forbes is an author of Scottish crime fiction. She lives in her home-town of Inverness, in the Scottish Highlands. Helen began by writing contemporary and historical fiction, with no intention of turning to crime. It was a chance remark at a writing group about one of her short stories that led to her debut police procedural novel, In the Shadow of the Hill, set in Inverness and South Harris, featuring Detective Sergeant Joe Galbraith. Madness Lies is book 2 in the DS Joe Galbraith series, set in Inverness and North Uist.

Helen Forbes is an author of Scottish crime fiction. She lives in her home-town of Inverness, in the Scottish Highlands. Helen began by writing contemporary and historical fiction, with no intention of turning to crime. It was a chance remark at a writing group about one of her short stories that led to her debut police procedural novel, In the Shadow of the Hill, set in Inverness and South Harris, featuring Detective Sergeant Joe Galbraith. Madness Lies is book 2 in the DS Joe Galbraith series, set in Inverness and North Uist.

Helen has had two standalone crime thrillers published by Scolpaig Press. Unravelling, set in Inverness, was published in July 2021. Deception, set in Edinburgh, was published in January 2022.

Spoils of the Dead, a novella, was published in November 2022, and Queen of Grime, the first in a new series, was released in December 2022.

Helen would be delighted to hear from readers. Please contact her and join her mailing list on her website to get her author news and a free copy of the novella, Spoils of the Dead.

Author links: Facebook / Website / Amazon Author Page

My Review

Family plays an important role in this novel. Even when family members have behaved badly or lied, even when relationships are kept secret and only revealed later in the story, loyalty takes precedence.

I learned plenty from this novel, especially about Erin’s job. I’d never considered that specialised cleaning could be necessary following a death. Queen of Grime is great name for it.

Danger builds gradually throughout the novel until the thrilling climax. I had to keep reading, hoping for a happy ending but worrying all was lost. Highly recommended.

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Books Interviews

A Fighting Chance

I’m thrilled to be part of the blog tour for the new book by friend and prolific author, Val Penny. I have an interview to share with you. But first, some information.

By the way, the blog tour is organised by Reading Between the Lines.

About the Author

Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store.

Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd.

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.

Links to Val Penny

About the Book

In the second Jane Renwick Thriller by Val Penny, drug cartels collide as crime boss Connor O’Grady returns to Scotland to protect his turf from rival Peggy Cheney, newly released from prison.

DS Jane Renwick and DC Brian Harris are sent to Stirling, where Jane discovers two tragic deaths—a young man and a girl—raising suspicions of a single killer.

O’Grady denies involvement, but can a drug lord be trusted?
Set in Stirling and Gartcosh, this tense police procedural thrusts Jane into the heart of a deadly turf war.

Links to Buy

Paperback | Ebook

An Interview with Val Penny

Welcome back to my blog, Val, and thank you for agreeing to answer my questions.

Firstly, congratulations on your latest release, A Fighting Chance. This is the second book in a series. As a writer, what would you say are the advantages of a series as opposed to a stand-alone novel? What are the disadvantages?

Thanks for hosting me Miriam. Yes, A Fighting Chance is the second book in my series of Jane Renwick Thrillers. I am excited to share it with readers.

I suppose the main advantage of writing a series is that I know my characters and know what to expect of them and how they will react in any given situation. The biggest disadvantage is probably the flip side of that; the characters become too predictable for my readers therefore it is my job as the author to invent new stories and circumstances that challenge the characters, the readers and me.

The central character in this series is Jane Renwick. What can you tell us about her?

Jane Renwick was originally a character in my series of DI Hunter Wilson Crime Thrillers, and I liked her so much that I gave her a series of books of her own. The big difference between the settings in the two series is that the Hunter stories are based in Edinburgh, however Jane has joined the Major Incident Team based in Gartcosh and her stories will take place all over Scotland. A Fighting Chance is set in and around Stirling in the Central belt of Scotland. (The narrow part of the country between Edinburgh and Glasgow.)

Stirling Castle

Jane likes to keep fit, running and jogging daily. In that she and I are nothing alike!

Although Jane grew up in care, she is now happily married to her wife, Rachael. Nevertheless, A Fighting Chance shows them having disagreements and some jealousy creeps in too. I like to show my readers rounded characters in my books.

In your other crime series, the main character is a man, Hunter Wilson. In what ways does Jane’s gender make a difference to the stories?

I don’t think Jane’s gender affects the type of cases I put to her because, like Hunter, she is a police detective. I also hope the stories are no less exciting for my readers. However, her gender can cause her problems when suspects choose to disrespect her. But her sharp tongue and physical fitness put an end to any misconceptions they may have about dealing with a woman.

However, it is not only Jane’s gender but also her sexuality which causes her issues in my books. And it is not just suspects and villains that give her grief, but some of her colleagues too. Although police forces tend to be male dominated and thus banter and misogyny can be apparent, Jane never tolerates this and deals with it swiftly both personally at the time and through the proper channels.

What’s your secret to being so prolific?

I enjoy telling stories. I always have and writing books and short stories is how I do that now.

What do you enjoy about marketing? What do you not enjoy about marketing?

Marketing is a continual duty. So many books are published every hour that if I do not tell readers about my books, how will they know they are there? So, I market daily through social media, blog tours and by appearing personally at author/reader events. I enjoy the interaction this brings.

Unfortunately, marketing takes up what could otherwise be writing time, and that is a source of irritation to me.

Lastly, which song or piece of music would you choose as the theme tune for the film of A Fighting Chance?

I would have to choose “All I Want Is A Fighting Chance” the song by Millie Jackson. After all, that’s what the victims in the book needed, A Fighting Chance.

The perfect choice.

Thank you for inviting me to your blog today and I do hope your readers enjoy my new book.

A pleasure, as always.

Categories
Books

Publication Day

Today is PUBLICATION DAY for Re-Connections: Thirty-seven stories of connecting, disconnecting and reconnecting.

Here’s the description:

Why are we attracted to certain individuals and repelled by others? Why do we fall out of contact with former friends, or fall out with them altogether? Why do we crave friendship?

The answers to these questions are many and varied, and some of them reveal themselves in the stories of this collection. Not all these connections desire to lead to friendship; some are business-related. Yet, even those connections work better with friendly comments and gestures. What happens to people who struggle with such social norms? Are they destined to remain friendless?

Without realising it, Miriam Drori has been interested in this topic for many years. That’s evident in the fact that these tales were written throughout her writing career. Some of them are completely or partly autobiographical, while others are purely fictional. Which ones are which is a question she declines to answer.

Below is a repost of today’s Substack post.

To celebrate, here is the beginning of each of the stories I’ve described in previous posts. (The titles link to the posts about the stories.)

Gruesome in Golders Green

Sarah doesn’t look like a heroine. You’d probably think of her as a typical middle-aged woman. Actually, you might not think that in summer, but now it’s January and she walks quickly along Rotherwick Road, Golders Green, her head bent against the biting evening wind. She’s glad to be wearing a thick brown winter coat, a woollen scarf and gloves, and fur-lined boots. Her tights don’t protect her quite so well, but her legs are used to that.

A Sticky Interview

“I can fit you in at ten thirty tomorrow. See you then. Goodbye.”

He has ended the meeting, Zoom tells me. He’s noted the appointment and moved on to other matters. He won’t spare me one more thought before that allotted time. I, on the other hand, am still staring at that damn screen.

How to Talk to a Dog

This is no ordinary stick-in-the-mud stuck-in-a-lift story. Because just before a lift door of my thoroughly modern block imprisons me inside, in ambles a dog. At this stage, a good writer would specify a breed for the creature, but really, dogs and I don’t mix, and anyway, my mind is fully occupied elsewhere.

Train Trouble

It’s hard when you arrive in a foreign country and have to plunge into a language you haven’t spoken, or even heard, for many years. You enter it with a splash and emerge dripping, drained and sagging from the effort. This is what I felt in October 1998 when I landed at Orly Airport, near Paris. In addition to needing to cope with nasal voices and half-remembered words, I had to look after my nine-year-old son, Sammy, who spent every spare moment on his Game Boy during this trip, his first to the French capital.

You can read these and thirty-three other stories in Re-Connections, available in ebook and paperback forms from Amazon and as a paperback from various other online stores.

Categories
Books Reviews

Finding the Source

Once again I struck lucky with a book I promised to read for a Reading Between the Lines blog tour.

No! What am I talking about? This was no luck. I knew exactly what sort of story and writing and characters I’d find in this novel. After all, I was lucky enough to be the editor for most of the series when it was published by Darkstroke.

Yes, I’m talking about the Isabel Long mystery series by Joan Livingston and the eighth and latest in the series called

Finding the Source

Here’s the Blurb

A homeless man. His murdered mother. A book could be the clue.

Isabel Long’s next case begins during a chance encounter with a homeless man, who says he was 12 when he found his mother murdered in their home.

Abby McKenzie was a well-liked seller of vintage books who owned a store in the hilltown of Dillard. That was 43 years ago and the case was never solved.One obstacle is that several of the suspects are dead, including an avid book collector, a former town official who stalked her, and the man who last saw her alive. Another is that, once again, Isabel must deal with Dillard’s police chief, who ran interference in her other cases.

But that doesn’t deter Isabel nor her mother Maria, her partner in solving crime. She just needs to find the source who will unlock this case.

Buy at Amazon US / Amazon UK.

About the Author

Joan Livingston is the author of novels for adult and young readers, including the Isabel Long Mystery Series, featuring a longtime journalist who becomes an amateur P.I. solving cold cases in rural New England. Finding the Source is the eighth book in the series.

Joan draws upon her own experience as a longtime journalist in Massachusetts and New Mexico to create Isabel Long, a sassy, savvy widow who uses the skills she acquired in the business to solve what appears to be impossible cases. She also relies on her deep knowledge of rural Western Massachusetts, where she lives, to create realistic characters and settings.

My Review

How likely is it that someone would approach a total stranger, not knowing she’s a private investigator, and tell her his mother was murdered 43 years earlier? Probably very likely if that event has driven everything he has done since. If he tells everyone he meets, then in 43 years one of those people will be someone who wants to investigate this unresolved murder.

I was delighted to be able to spend time with some familiar characters, not all of whom are friendly to Isabel, and also some great new characters.

As always, the story kept me gripped, the writing flowed and the climax was unexpected. What a shame it had to end!

Categories
Books short stories

Re-Connections

I’m delighted to announce the forthcoming publication of my first collection of short stories.

The collection, which will be published through Ocelot Press on 15th October 2025*, consists of thirty-seven stories of connecting, disconnecting and reconnecting.

Written over all the years of my writing career, they show how much this topic has interested me. I’ve often wondered how some people make friends easily while others struggle to find any, and why so many marriages and partnerships break up, often after many years. Even more surprising are relationships and friendships that resume after a breakup.

Some of the stories are wholly or partly biographical while others are totally fictional. Moods range from sad to uplifting to humorous. Story lengths also vary.

A few of the stories have been published in various anthologies and are republished here with permission.

During the coming weeks, I will feature a selection of the stories on this blog and also on Substack. You’re welcome to subscribe for free.

* Re-Connections launches on 15th October 2025 as an ebook and as a paperback. The ebook is available to pre-order now from Amazon at a specially reduced price. Here’s the link.

Categories
Books Reviews

An Imposter in Shetland

I’m delighted to be part of the blog tour, organised by Lynsey Adams of Reading Between the Lines, for An Imposter in Shetland, a mystery by Marsali Taylor.

About the Book

When an internet lifestyle influencer arrives on Shetland to document her ‘perfect’ holiday, the locals are somewhat sceptical.

Joining a boat trip to the remote islands of St Kilda with sailing sleuth Cass Lynch and her partner DI Gavin Macrae, the young woman seems more concerned with her phone than the scenery.

But when it’s time to leave, there’s no sign of her. Despite mounting a desperate search, she’s seemingly vanished without trace – from a small island in the middle of the sea.

As a puzzling investigation gathers pace, there are more questions than answers – and uncovering the truth will reveal dark and long-hidden secrets…

Amazon link

About the Author 

Marsali Taylor grew up near Edinburgh, and came to Shetland as a newly-qualified teacher. She is currently a part-time teacher on Shetland’s scenic west side, living with her husband and two Shetland ponies. Marsali is a qualified STGA tourist-guide who is fascinated by history, and has published plays in Shetland’s distinctive dialect, as well as a history of women’s suffrage in Shetland. She’s also a keen sailor who enjoys exploring in her own 8m yacht, and an active member of her local drama group.

My Review

I found this novel to be extremely well-written. In particular, I admire Marsali’s ability to include local vocabulary without in any way spoiling my enjoyment, even though I began reading with no prior knowledge. I was especially enamoured with the word sit-ootery.

In addition to a sample of the dialect, I learned about living in Shetland, the geography of the area, and sailing. I wasn’t surprised to read that Marsali is a keen sailor, as her descriptions radiate the joy of sailing as well as the details of keeping a yacht heading in the right direction.

How does a person simply disappear? Naturally, I can’t reveal the answer to that question, but I can reveal that the ending is exciting and believable. Highly recommended.

Do follow my substack posts. I’m currently writing about my upifting novel, Cultivating a Fuji and the issues it addresses.

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Books Reviews

The Ring

Hello. “Where have you been?” you might ask.

The answer is that I’ve been posting on Substack every week since 1st January. You’re welcome to subscribe to my free posts there.

Today I’m back on the blog to tell you about a brand new anthology called The Ring. Each of the ten short stories meets up with an ancient ring at some point on its journey from 44 BCE to the present day.

This post is part of the blog tour organised by the lovely Lynsey Adams of Reading Between the Lines.

Blurb

Forged over 2000 years ago, when Rome was still a republic, a simple gold ring was inscribed with the name and symbol of Fortuna, capricious goddess of fate. From the seven hills of Ancient Rome, to the streets of modern day New York, the ring passes from hand to hand, through the centuries, shaping destinies and unveiling secrets.

A Roman patrician gambles his future on its luck. A crusading knight takes it from the finger of a slain foe. A child is gifted it by a soldier in the Thirty Years War and trusts it to keep her father safe. A jeweller takes it to America in the Gilded Age seeking a new life. Each tale is a moment in time, a new wearer, and a twist of fate—sometimes fortune smiles, but all too often the ring brings ill luck.

In these stories, history seems driven by the will of chance. Those who possess the ring seek to shape their own destinies, but it is always Fortuna herself who has the final say.

With contributions from Alistair Forrest, Fiona Forsyth, Jacquie Rogers, Alistair Tosh, Graham Brack, Eleanor Swift-Hook, Mark Turnbull, Maggie Richell-Davies, Robert Bordas and Val Penny this is a spellbinding anthology of interconnected short stories, where luck is never what it seems.

My Review

I don’t have much to add. I enjoyed all ten stories, which are well-written and gripping. I liked the way they’re all bound together by a ring inscribed with the name Fortuna, a ring that seems to bring good or bad luck. I highly recommend this anthology.

I received a free copy of this book for the Reading Between the Lines blog tour in return for a blog post and an honest review.

The Book and its Authors

The Ring
Alistair Forrest
Fiona Forsyth
Jacquie Rogers
Alistair Tosh
Graham Brack
Eleanor Swift-Hook
Mark Turnbull
Maggie Richell-Davies
Robert Bordas
Val Penny

Proceeds for the anthology go to:

The Reading Agency

At The Reading Agency, we believe in the proven power of reading to deliver social and personal change. Yet we know that too many adults and children struggle to develop reading habits. With national data showing a decline in reading engagement, too many people are missing out on the transformative benefits of reading to improve our happiness, our health, and to thrive. This is where our work begins.

For over 20 years, we have partnered with public libraries to run initiatives like the Summer Reading Challenge for children and Reading Ahead for adults. These programmes encourage reading for pleasure, helping to build confidence, develop literacy skills, and foster lifelong reading habits. Research shows that those who participate read more frequently, gain confidence, and feel more positive about books. By expanding access to reading beyond the classroom or workplace, we help people unlock new opportunities and experiences through books.

Our partnership with public libraries is at the heart of our mission. Through our collaboration with them, we increase access to books and literacy support, ensuring that reading is a source of enjoyment, not frustration. As democratic access points to reading and knowledge, our work with libraries not only helps bridge educational gaps for children but also supports adults in developing their literacy skills, boosting employability, and enhancing mental well-being.

This anthology resonates with our mission. Just as the gold ring in these stories is passed down and shared through generations, so too should the joy of reading. The support of all the authors who have contributed to this helps us to reach and connect with even more people across our communities.

From all of us at The Reading Agency – to all of you reading these stories – thank you for being part of this important effort. Together, we can make reading a lifelong habit for all with libraries at the heart.

Categories
Books Reviews

A Right Cozy Christmas Crime Blog Tour

I was a little wary of being part of a tour for Christmas stories, but I needn’t have been. See my review below.

But first, what’s in the book?

Blurb

Step into a world where twinkling lights and holiday cheer are accompanied by Christmas puddings and a dash of intrigue. A Right Cozy Christmas Crime brings together thirteen festive mysteries where annual traditions are intertwined with shadowy secrets. From a historic Scottish Castle hiding a chilling truth, to the bustling streets of Lagos filled with more than just Christmas shoppers, each tale sparkles with holiday warmth while unravelling a deliciously puzzling mystery. It’s time to put your feet up, sip hot cocoa and join our detectives as they ensure justice is served. Perfect for lovers of cozy mysteries with a holiday twist.

This anthology, which has been compiled by Wendy H. Jones, can be bought here.

A Right Cozy Christmas Crime features 13 short stories written by:

Wendy H. Jones
Linda Mather
Sue Cook
Melicity Pope
Marti M. Mcnair
Sheena MacLeod
Pauline Tait
Gulia Fancelli Clifford
Dianne Ascroft
Gillian Duff
Stella Oni
Alex Greyson
Sophy Smythe

My Review

I’ve never reviewed a Christmas book before. I also haven’t read many. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrice Potter come to mind. But still I worried there might be things I didn’t understand.

I needn’t have worried. The stories were mostly about the run-up to Christmas, about getting the crime wrapped up and put away before the festivities were due to begin.

The book contains plenty of variety in various aspects: location, timeline, characters and plot. I enjoyed all the stories, some more than others.

#ARIGHTCOZYCHRISTMASCRIME

Categories
Books Reviews

The Queen of Cups Murders by GB Williams

I’m delighted to be part of the blog tour for The Queen of Cups Murders by GB Williams. But…

I began to read this book and decided I didn’t want to read any more of it, and I want to stress that my decision to stop reading had nothing to do with the quality of the book, which is well-written, well-researched and has an interesting plot.

And yet the more I read the less I wanted to read it. It’s simply too much like the true horrific stories that I’ve heard and read over the past thirteen-and-a-half months since 7th October 2023. I only need to turn on the TV or radio to hear more stories from that dreadful day, or from the time since then, and I don’t want to add to those when reading fiction.

Unlike my latest novels, which fit into the cosy crime genre, this novel includes all the gory details. I have read and enjoyed similar stories in the past, but this is not the right time for me.

So instead of a review, there’s an excerpt for you to read, after this:

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY 

GB Williams specialises in complex, fast-paced crime novels. Her works include the recently expanded Locked Trilogy, The Elaine Blake Novels and the stand alone, The Chair. GB was shortlisted for the 2014 CWA Margery Allingham Short Story Competition with the story Last Shakes, now available in Last Cut Casebook. GB is a member of the Crime Writers Association, Crime Cymru, and part of the organising team for Gŵyl CRIME CYMRU Festival, as well as working as a writer and freelance structural editor. 

BLURB

He’s determined to draw a better future. But his morning reading didn’t warn him about the muddy ditch of corpses…

South Wales. Detective Sergeant Madoc Palmer struggles to fit in. Committed to his job, the tarot reader hopes his transfer away from a sabotaging superior is a fresh start. Though he downplays his psychic ability as good instincts, the ploy is tested when two murders trigger strange visions.

As his abilities take an inexplicable leap forward, Palmer navigates the tricky task of guiding the sharp-eyed, evidence-following Detective Inspector Ruth Atkins to the identity of the decayed remains. With his suspicious new DI watching every move, the newcomer fears any slip of the tongue could get him laughed off the force.

Can he reveal his truth without destroying his life or letting a killer slip from their grasp?

Excerpt

From chapter 2, introducing Ruth Atkins and some of her situation.

“Ruth!”

Ruth Atkins had barely stepped through the door, her jacket only half off, and DCI Geraint Evans was already bellowing at her. Mind, being a big man, bellowing was his default. She just didn’t know why he was bellowing at her this time.

“Did I actually do it?” she asked.

Geraint frowned, his caterpillar eyebrows meeting in the middle. Those brows were her barometer to his mood.

“Do what?” he asked.

Good question. Oh, for heaven’s sake. I’m a Detective Inspector. Time to stop being a wuss and get a grip. “Whatever you’re shouting at me for, sir?” Her chin rose as she shrugged her leather jacket back on. He couldn’t know what was going on in her head.

“Sir?” The grey caterpillars stretched up towards Geraint’s thick thatch of salt-and-pepper hair, heavy on the salt. “Guilty conscience, Ruth?”

“No.” Maybe. “Sorry for being late?”

“It’s barely one-minute-past, even I’m not that tight.” His scrutiny sent a billion bugs squirming under her skin. The way he stepped closer could intimidate; his ex-prop-forward frame easily overshadowed her. Luckily, she’d known him long enough to be immune. Mostly. Though she’d known him so long the danger was he’d read her like a book. He thrust a buff file towards her. “Get up to the new housing development at Heolgerrig.”

Oh no. A new case was the last thing she needed today.

“Take Jackson,” he added.

“Sorry, Geraint, can’t.”

Geraint reared. His surprise surprised Ruth.

The door behind her opened but she wouldn’t let that, or her boss’s affront, stop her explanation. “Jackson’s due in court later,” she said. “Witness for the prosecution.”

Geraint grunted, then turned his attention to the new entrant as Ruth checked the scant detail in the file. A robbery. Pallets of valuable goods taken, easy-to-fence items. What had been left behind was a whole lot more worrying.

“Ah, good. You’re here at last,” Geraint said to the newcomer.

Ruth focused on the file.

“Everyone,” Geraint called. “This is Detective Sergeant Madoc Palmer. Madoc, this is everyone.” A murmur of welcome rumbled around the room. “Welcome to the Major Crime Investigation Team. Now go with DI Ruth Atkins, here.”

LINK TO BUY

WEBSITE

FREE STORY

GB WILLIAMS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook * Instagram * Threads * Blog 

#THEQUEENOFCUPSMURDERS

Categories
Books Everyday life Israel Reviews

The “Fictional” World of Loyalty and the Learner

How fictional is the world inhabited by Nathalie, Asaf and friends (and foes)?

On Day 2 of the blog tour for Loyalty and the Learner, I’m pondering this question. Here’s why:

Before I go any further, you can find links to all the tour posts so far in this post.

Yesterday, GB Williams posted this when writing about my book:

…I also know little of life in Israel, other than what we see on the news, which I have tried to forget as the real world is a different one to the world this story inhabits. That’s what fiction is for, taking us away from the real world.

I actually wrote this novel more than a year ago, its publication having been delayed for several reasons. But even before the seventh of October 2023, and going back long before independence in 1948, Israel has been plagued by conflict and wars, by enemies who will agree to nothing less than its complete destruction. It has always known terrorist attacks of various sorts.

By the way, despite all that, I believe Israeli cities are among the safest in the world, especially for women.

Not one of my novels set in Israel – Neither Here Nor There (not currently available), Style and the Solitary and Loyalty and the Learner – mention wars or attacks, other than Asaf saying of Israel’s problems in Loyalty and the Learner, “One of those is the security situation.”

Why?

There are plenty of novels set in Israel that highlight the security situation and explain it much better than I ever could. I wanted to portray ordinary life here, to show the beautiful and the not so beautiful but without the wars. Does that make the world of my novels fictional?

I don’t think so. The reality is that Israelis live in two parallel worlds simultaneously. We work in offices or building sites or fields. We go shopping in markets and supermarkets and smaller shops. We exercise in the gym or by walking, runnning, cycling, dancing. We love to spend time with our families.

The other world is more frightening. We hear about it on the news and hope it won’t come any closer to us, but of course it does, even if it’s only when we run for shelter. No, it’s never only that, because we all know people who’ve been affected much more, who’ve lost family members and had their worlds changed forever in a single moment.

In normal times, but not during the past year, it’s possible to spend whole days, maybe even a week or two, without thinking about wars or attacks. Unless, of course, you’re in the army, or have a child in the army, or find yourself under attack…

Really, it’s often possible to forget you’re in the Middle East for a while. And so, I suggest the world of my novels is not as fictional as you might think.

Loyalty and the Learner is published through Ocelot Press and can be purchased via Amazon and other online stores.