new arrivals

MyWeekinBooks

Cultivating a Fuji by Miriam Drori (ebook, courtesy of Rachel’s Random Resources)

Convinced that his imperfect, solitary existence is the best it will ever be, Martin unexpectedly finds himself being sent to represent his company in Japan. His colleagues think it’s a joke; his bosses are certain he will fail. What does Martin think? He simply does what he’s told. That’s how he’s survived up to now – by hiding his feelings.

Amazingly, in the land of strange rituals, sweet and juicy apples, and too much saké, Martin flourishes and achieves the impossible. But that’s only the beginning. Keeping up the momentum for change proves futile. So, too, is a return to what he had before. Is there a way forward, or should he put an end to the search now?

Gradually, as you’ll see when Martin looks back from near the end of his journey, life improves. There’s even a woman, Fiona, who brings her own baggage to the relationship, but brightens Martin’s days. And just when you think there can be no more surprises, another one pops up.

Pre-order Cultivating a Fuji from Amazon (link provided for convenience not as part of an affiliate programme)

Motive X by Stefan Ahnhem (hardcover, advance review copy courtesy of Head of Zeus)

He strikes at random. His motive unknown. No one is safe…

Helsingborg police must solve the unsolvable. A wave of apparently random homicides is sweeping through their idyllic seaside town. The murders have no pattern, no order, no reason. The perpetrator is immune to psychological profiling; forensically untraceable; utterly invulnerable to modern police techniques.

The body count is growing. But lead investigator Fabian Risk is distracted by his mission to expose a corrupt colleague, and his boss Astrid is spiralling back into addiction. As the hunt for the solution becoming ever more desperate, their tight-knit team begins to unravel…

Motive X is both an explosive, multi-layered thriller and a fearless exploration of the darkest side of human nature. To enter Stefan Ahnhem’s world, with its interwoven plotlines and sprawling cast of characters, is to put yourself in the hands of a master storyteller.

Pre-order Motive X from Amazon (link provided for convenience not as part of an affiliate programme)

On What Cathy Read Next last week

Blog posts

Monday – I shared an update on progress with one of my reading challenges for 2019, What’s In A Name?

Tuesday –This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic was Rainy Day Reads and I chose to highlight some hidden gems that could do with more book love whatever the weather.

Wednesday – WWW Wednesday is the opportunity to share what I’ve just read, what I’m currently reading and what I plan to read next…and have a good nose around to see what other bloggers are reading. I also joined the blog tour for Pilgrim by Louise Hall, sharing my review.

Thursday – I published my review of Beyond the Thirty-Nine Steps: A Life of John Buchan by Ursula Buchan, a new biography of the author by his granddaughter.

Friday – I shared my review of action-packed historical fiction novel The New Achilles by Christian Cameron as part of the blog tour. I also published my list for the next Classics Club Spin.

Saturday – I published my introduction to this month’s Buchan of the Month, Midwinter by John Buchan.

As always, thanks to everyone who has liked, commented on or shared my blog posts on social media this week.

On What Cathy Read Next this week

Currently reading

Planned posts

Event Review: Henley Literary Festival Pop-Up Event with Antony Beevor
Blog Tour/Book Review: Dark Sky Island by Lara Dearman
Blog Tour/Book Review: A Clean Canvas by Elizabeth Mundy
Top Ten Tuesday: (First Ten) Books I Reviewed
Waiting on Wednesday
Blog Tour/Book Review: Call Me Star Girl by Louise Beech
Book Review: Where the Hornbeam Grows by Beth Lynch

MyWeekinBooks

New arrivals

Mrs. Whistler by Matthew Pamplin (ebook, courtesy of The Borough Press and NetGalley)

‘Maud could tell the whole story, but she will not.‘

1876. On the wet cobbled streets of Chelsea, London harassed artist Jimmy Whistler argues with his client. The argument: that Mr Whistler’s two peacocks that now adorn Mr Leyland’s dining room, are to one man a disgrace and to the other, a masterpiece. Stuck in the middle is the one person who knows the artist, his creative vision and his soul more than any other, his model, his lover, Miss Maud Franklin.

We follow Maud, a young artist herself who must play the part of wife in the life of a painter crippled by rumours and debts. But it’s only a part, no muse ever had the rights of a wife…

A beautiful and compelling blend of naivety and strength, Maud is an irresistible character spinning through a world of beauty and sacrifice, art and ambition.

A Devil Comes To Town by Paolo Maurensig (paperback, advance review copy courtesy of World Editions)

A small village full of aspiring writers + The devil in the form of a hot-shot publisher = A refined and engaging literary fable on narcissism, vainglory and human weakness

Wild rabies runs rampant through the woods. The foxes are gaining ground, boldly making their way into the village. In Dichtersruhe, an insular yet charming haven stifled by the Swiss mountains, these omens go unnoticed by all but the new parish priest. The residents have other things on their mind: Literature. Everyone’s a writer – the nights are alive with reworked manuscripts. So when the devil turns up in a black car claiming to be a hot-shot publisher, unsatisfied authorial desires are unleashed and the village’s former harmony is shattered.

Taut with foreboding and Gothic suspense, Paolo Maurensig gives us a refined and engaging literary parable on narcissism, vainglory, and our inextinguishable thirst for stories.

The Lost Shrine (Hills & Barbrook #2) by Nicola Ford (hardcover, advance review copy courtesy of Allison & Busby)

Clare Hills, archaeologist and sometime sleuth, is struggling to finance her recently established university research institute along with her long-time friend, Dr David Barbrook. When Professor Margaret Bockford finds the Hart Unit commercial work with a housing developer on a site in the Cotswolds, the pair are hardly in a position to refuse. There is just one slight catch: the previous site director, Beth Kinsella, was found hanged in a copse on-site, surrounded by mutilated wildlife.

Despite initial misgivings, Clare leads a team to continue work on the dig, but with rumours about Beth’s mental state and her claims that the site was historically significant refusing to be laid to rest, and lingering disquiet between local residents and the developers, progress is impeded at every turn. When one of the workers finds something unsettling, Clare suspects there may be more to Beth’s claims than first thought. But can she uncover the truth before it is hidden for ever?