Tag: review

Book review: Sarie Sarie leaves an indelibly refreshing mark on the South African literary landscape. I met author, Heinrich Böhmke, a while back to discuss his novel I find it fascinating how an idea for a story develops in a writer’s mind. In the case of Heinrich Böhmke’s Sarie, I was even more intrigued. With its short chapters and many, multi-faceted characters, I was often left breathless – jumping from plot to plot, searching for an answer or at least a hint of closure. Closure does arrive eventually but certainly not in the way I expected. (more…)

There are only 10 lines on the last page of this book. But it is in those last 10 lines that the final shock is dealt. It comes unexpectedly and it pulls you almost violently out of a sense of complacency. Anne and Marco Conti are the dream couple – wealthy, perfect home, fulfilling jobs and a beautiful 6-month-old baby Cora that they dote on. But then they are invited to a dinner party next door and the babysitter cancels at the last minute. Marco convinces Anne they can still go and leave Cora alone at home. Anne, who is struggling with post-natal depression doesn’t want to be at the party. It feels wrong to have left Cora alone even though they have the baby monitor with them and they…

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (Headline) There is a world under the streets of London that no one knows of. Richard Mayhew is dragged into this world when he comes to the aid of a mysterious girl named Door. The bleeding girl is on the run from assassins and she comes from London Below. This bizarre, but strangely familiar story takes Richard into a world below inhabited by monsters and angels, a Beast and and Earl who holds court in a Tube train. First Response by Stephen Leather (Hodder UK) Nine men in suicide vests hold hostages in nine locations around London. Their demand: the release of jihadist prisoners from Belmarsh Prison. But the bombers have no links to known terror groups and are not on any anti-terror watch list. So,…