My Week in Books – 5th July 2026

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On the blog last week

Monday – I shared my review of pacy spy thriller Throw Away the Key by Jason M. Hough, due to be published on 14th July by Crooked Lane Books.

Tuesday – This week’s Top Ten Tuesday top was Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026. I also shared my review of historical novel Daughters of Naples by Diana Giovinazzo, published to be published on 21st July by Crooked Lane Books.

Wednesday – As always WWW Wednesday is a weekly opportunity to share what I’ve just read, what I’m currently reading and what I plan to read next… and to take a peek at what others are reading.

Thursday – I shared my June 2026 Wrap-Up.

Saturday – I took part in the #6Degrees of Separation meme forging a book chain from book of the moment Yesteryear to The Psychology of Time Travel. I also joined other gardeners for #SixonSaturday sharing six things from my garden this week.

New on my shelves

Two book club picks…

Fair Play by Louise Hegarty (Picador)

THE HEART IS A LOCKED ROOM

Abigail’s brother Benjamin is dead, and her world has literally been split in two. In one reality Abigail finds herself back at work, navigating the frustrations of well-wishers and busybodies, desperately wondering why her brother has gone. In the other an eminent detective arrives determined to find Benjamin’s killer among his circle of close friends.

Is this a murder mystery or something more? What secrets do Benjamin’s friends hold? And can Abigail, immersed in her grief, find out the truth of her beloved brother’s life?

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Penguin)

Sybil Van Antwerp is seventy-three, slowly losing her sight and always writing letters . . .

To her children. Her favourite authors. Her ex-sister-in-law. The journalist poking into her past. Her doctor. Suitors. Kindly neighbours. The infuriating gardening club.

All receive Sybil’s witty, wise correspondence, rich with everyday concerns.

But there is one letter that she has never sent. It concerns the darkest period of her life. To post it, Sybil must find forgiveness within herself.

What I’m currently reading

I’m reading Where are the Kings by Donal Ryan from my NetGalley shelf, an ARC of The Millionaire Waltz by Anthony Quinn and I’m listening to the audiobook of The Draw of the Sea by Wyl Menmuir.

Look out for…

  • Book Review: A Fatal Love by Louisa Treger
  • Book Review: Country People by Daniel Mason
  • Book Review: Land by Maggie O’Farrell

#SixOnSaturday – Six things happening in my garden this week

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Six on Saturday is a weekly meme originally hosted by The Propagator but now in the tender care of Jim at Garden Ruminations.

Another heatwave on the way. This is now getting boring as well as frustrating. On the bright side a few of the things I featured last week have moved on significantly. Plus I had my first ever sighting of a hummingbird hawk-moth. It was visting the verbena bonariensis in the front garden but I wasn’t quick enough to grab a picture.

One – The first rings of flowers have appeared on the teasels. This is the first time I’ve grown them and what strange beasts they are turning out to be.

Two – The first crop of Charlotte potatoes grown in a bag planted up on 30th March. Hardly any blemishes, thin skins and delicious taste. Admittedly, it’s not the most cost-effective way of growing potatoes.

Three – Continuing the theme, we harvested the first climbing French beans (the variety is ‘Cobra’) and a couple of admittedly very small ‘Romanesco’ courgettes. Not a great haul but enough to accompany supper.

Four – The borage seems to be loving the weather. It was only sown a couple of months ago and is already flowering.

Five – Not far away the fennel has also started to flower.

Six – Strangely enough, although our pond has almost dried up because of the lack of rain, the plants in there don’t seem to mind. Here’s pickerel weed enjoying what is now more like a bog garden than a pond.

Do check out the posts of other participants by following the links in the comments section of Jim’s post. If you fancy taking part yourself but don’t know where to start, here’s the participant’s guide.