The Basel Killings by Hansjorg Schneider# Blog Tour#Swiss Noir @RandomThingsTours@AnneCater

ABOUT THE BOOK:

It is the end of October, the northern Swiss city of Basel is grey and wet. It could be December. It is just after midnight
when Hunkeler, on his way home and slightly worse for wear, spots old man Hardy sitting on a bench under a streetlight.
He wants to smoke a cigarette with him, but the usually very loquacious Hardy is silent—his throat a gaping wound. Turns
out he was first strangled, then his left earlobe slit, his diamond stud stolen. The media and the police come quickly to the
same conclusion: Hardy’s murder was the work of a gang of Albanian drug smugglers.
But for Hunkeler that seems too obvious. Hardy’s murder has much in common with the case of Barbara Amsler, a
prostitute also found killed with an ear slit, and her pearl stud missing. He follows his own intuition and the trail leads him
deep into a dark world of bars, bordellos and strip clubs, but also into the corrupt core of some of Basel’s political and
industrial elite. More ominously, he will soon discover the consequences of certain events in recent Swiss history that
those in power would prefer to keep far from the public eye

MY THOUGHTS:

This was a first for me. My first foray into , for want of better words, Swiss Noir. And this also the first in a new series. The Inspector Hunkeler Series. I have never read a crime novel set in Switzerland before. There is always a first for everything.

At first you may think you are in familiar territory,thinking Rebus, Mankell etc., flawed detectives with marital and drinking problems. But that is where the similarities end.

This book explores much more than just the flawed detective. It explores within the investigations into murders that are so similar that there must be a connection between them.

But this book also opens up the question on how we as a society treat immigrants and strangers on our shores. How our prejudices are formed not only by our own opinions but by the powers that be. Do they have something to hide? you will need to read to find out and you will enjoy finding out.

This book sees our hero trying to solve cases and being baulked at every turn, from petty office politics and governmental interference.

This is a slow burn of a book that takes the reader on a slow meandering trip through the dark part of Basel society. You will enjoy the ride.

The Basel Killings is a great read, especially for those that like their protagonists flawed and plausible, slightly eccentric, and their surrounds as gloomy and depressive as the crimes being investigated.

The Author and the Translator
Hansjörg Schneider, born in Aarau, Switzerland, in 1938, worked as a teacher, and journalist. He is one of the most
performed playwrights in the German language but is best known for his Inspector Hunkeler crime novels. Schneider has
received numerous awards, among them the prestigious Friedrich Glauser Prize for The Basel Killings. He lives and
writes in Basel.

Mike Mitchell lives in Scotland and has published over eighty translations from German and French, including all the
Friedrich Glauser Sergeant Studer novels and Gustav Meyrink’s five novels. His translation of Rosendorfer’s ‘Letters Back
to Ancient China’ won the 1998 Schlegel-Tieck Translation Prize.

The Beresford by Will Carver Blog Tour/ Standalone/Creepy @RandomThingsTours

ABOUT THE BOOK:

There’s a routine at The Beresford.
For Mrs May, every day’s the same: a cup of cold, black coffee
in the morning, pruning roses, checking on her tenants, wine,
prayer and an afternoon nap. She never leaves the building.
Abe Schwartz also lives at The Beresford. His housemate
Smythe no longer does. Because Abe just killed him. In exactly
sixty seconds, Blair Conroy will ring the doorbell to her new
home and Abe will answer the door. They will become friends.
Perhaps lovers.
And, when the time comes for one of them to die, as is always
the case at The Beresford, there will be sixty seconds to move
the body before the next unknowing soul arrives at the door.
Because nothing changes at The Beresford, until the doorbell
rings…

MY THOUGHTS:

This was my first read by Will Carver and what a bloody read it was! So exciting, creepy and disturbing! But I loved it!

Mrs.May runs an apartment block called The Beresford where the rents are cheap and everything is great. What can go wrong? Cheap lodgings, run by a sweet elderly lady. That is where you are wrong. All is well until the blasted doorbell rings. That is when you don’t have much time! Sixty seconds to be exact! That’s when then story really cranks up!

The opening chapter really sucked me in and the short chapters mean you can pick it up when you have a spare minute or two. Having said that I read this book in a few days.

Though this book is really creepy it has moments of dry and sick humour. The dark wit arrives in the form of the bizarre predicaments that seemingly ordinary characters find themselves embroiled in. I also chuckled at the stabs at both organized religion and social media and its effect on modern life.

The characterization , is quirky in the best possible way. Superb writing and a dark and claustrophobic read makes for a superb read. If you are a lover of Rosemary’s Baby and The Ammityville Horror the this book will appeal to you. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will pick up more of Will’s books in the future. Enjoyed and recommended. Go on and give yourself a treat!

THE AUTHOR:

Will Carver is the international bestselling author of the January David series.
He spent his early years in Germany, but returned to the UK at age eleven, when
his sporting career took off. He turned down a professional rugby contract to
study theatre and television at King Alfred’s, Winchester, where he set up a
successful theatre company. He currently runs his own fitness and nutrition
company, and lives in Reading with his two children. Will’s latest title published
by Orenda Books, Hinton Hollow Death Trip was longlisted for the Not the
Booker Prize, while Nothing Important Happened Today was longlisted for the
Theakston’s Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year and for the Goldsboro Books
Glass Bell. Good Samaritans was a book of the year in Guardian, Telegraph and
Daily Express, and hit number one on the eBook charts.

THE PUBLISHERS:

Orenda Books is a small independent publishing company specialising in literary fiction with a heavy
emphasis on crime/thrillers, and approximately half the list in translation. Orenda Books was voted
WINNER of the CWA Dagger for Best Crime and Mystery Publisher of the Year in 2020. They’ve been
twice shortlisted for the Nick Robinson Best Newcomer Award at the IPG awards, and publisher and
owner Karen Sullivan was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2016. In 2018, they were awarded a prestigious
Creative Europe grant for their translated books programme.
Three authors, including Agnes Ravatn, Matt Wesolowski and Amanda Jennings have been WHSmith
Fresh Talent picks, and Ravatn’s The Bird Tribunal was shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award, won
an English PEN Translation Award, and adapted for BBC Radio Four ’s Book at Bedtime. Ten titles have
been short- or longlisted for the CWA Daggers; Doug Johnstone has been shortlisted (twice) for the
McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year and Helen FitzGerald, Matt Wesolowski and Will
Carver have been long /shortlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year.
Launched in 2014 with a mission to bring more international literature to the UK market, Orenda
Books publishes a host of debuts, many of which have gone on to sell millions worldwide, and looks for
fresh, exciting new voices that push the genre in new directions. Bestselling authors include Ragnar
Jonasson, Antti Tuomainen, Gunnar Staalesen, Michael J. Malone, Kjell Ola Dahl, Louise Beech, Johana
Gustawsson, Lilja Sigurðardóttir, Helen FitzGerald, Doug Johnstone and Will Carver.
http://www.orendabooks.co.uk
@OrendaBooks

The Queen of the Cicadas by V. Castro#Blog Tour# Urban Legends Superstitions#Hate Crimes @RandomThingsTours

ABOUT THE BOOK:

2018 – Belinda Alvarez has returned to Texas for the wedding of her best
friend Veronica. The farm is the site of the urban legend,La Reina de Las
Chicharras – The Queen of The Cicadas.
In 1950s south Texas a farmworker- Milagros from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, is
murdered. Her death is ignored by the town, but not the Aztec goddess of
death, Mictecacíhuatl. The goddess hears the dying cries of Milagros and
creates a plan for both to be physically reborn by feeding on vengeance and
worship.
Belindaand the new owner of the farmhouse – Hector, find themselves
immersed in the legend and realize it is part of their fate as well.

MY THOUGHTS:

If you are looking for the type of horror that has the bogeymen jump out wielding axes or fingers of talons etc. then this is not the book for you. But if you like books steeped in folklore, superstition and where the bogeyman is just over your shoulder then grab a copy!

Death is not the end for Milagros, a murdered migrant laborer turned urban legend, in V. Castro’s The Queen of the Cicadas. Tortured to death in the late 1950s on the farmstead where she briefly lived and worked, her spirit now haunts the refurbished farm-turned-hotel. Belinda learns of Milagros while staying at the hotel for a friend’s wedding and becomes obsessed with the dead woman’s story and the myths surrounding her, particularly that of La Reina de las Chicharras, the Queen of the Cicadas.

Making use of two timelines for much of the book allows Castro to explore Milagros’s history through Belinda, who talks with and befriends hotel owner Hector, as well as the aged local priest who served the town back in the 50s. Castro spares no expense detailing Milagros’s murder and the fates of her attackers in the aftermath of the woman’s death as La Reina de las Chicarras delivers justice. The Queen of the Cicadas is a sort-of Candyman or Bloody Mary figure, updated here with a nifty Latin twist.

The writing and well drawn characters will draw the reader into a slow read where the tension builds to a satisfying ending. If you like folklore horror then I can recommend this to you.

THE AUTHOR

Violet Castro is a Mexican American writer originally from
Texas now residing in the UK with her family. When not
caring for her three children, she dedicates her time to
writing.

The Storm is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything by Mike Rothschild#Blog Tour. @RandomThingsTours#Anne Cater

ABOUT THE BOOK:

An urgent, serious journalistic investigation into the bizarre cult that is taking
over American politics and the world.
‘An ideal tour guide for your journey into the depths of the rabbit hole that is
QAnon, and even shows you a glimmer of light at the exit.’ – Cullen Hoback,
director of HBO’s Q: Into the Storm
On 5th October 2017, President Trump made a cryptic off-the-cuff remark in the State
Dining Room. He called this gathering of top-ranking military officials ‘the calm before the
storm’ and refused to elaborate as journalist and politicos inquired further. But on the
online message boards of 4chan, elaboration began all on its own. In the days that followed,
an anonymous poster spun a yarn inspired by Trump’s remarks satisfied the deepest
desires of MAGA-America.
Did any of it come to pass? No. Did that stop people from clinging to every word they were
reading, expanding its mythology and promoting the theory for years? No.
The first in-depth book on the QAnon phenomenon, The Storm is Upon Us is a guided
tour through the conspiracies and cults that first fed the flowering of Q; its embrace by
right-wing media and a complex of grifters, gurus, and eventually, former President Donald
Trump; the rending of families whose loved ones became swept away by Q’s increasingly
violent rhetoric; and ultimately, the storming of the Capitol on January 6, which revealed
the full power of the venomous movement for all to see as it unfolded live on national
television

MY THOUGHTS:

I put in for this tour because I wanted to add more non-fiction to my reading diet. So I went into this book not knowing what I was letting myself in for.

Like most of you I had seen the storming of the capitol building and like most people, including the mainstream media, thought it was disgruntled Trump supporters. But this book tells you it was much more than that. At first Trump denied QAnon and then when it became clear that he had lost the election they became his friends{sic}.

This book tells the reader that Orwell’s 1984 has come to the mainstream and double speak has become a reality. It doesn’t matter what we say, we will deny it, change the goalposts and delete anything that says different!.My friend becomes your enemy, until I decide to change the sand my house is built upon.

I cannot say I enjoyed this book, but to a certainly found it interesting. I think it would appeal more to the hard and fast non-fiction reader who has an interest in politics and/ or conspiracy theories.

AUTHOR BIO
Mike Rothschild is a journalist, author, and the foremost expert in this ever-changing
QAnon conspiracy theory. He is a contributing writer for the Daily Dot, where he explores
the intersections between internet culture and politics through the lens of conspiracy
theories. As a subject matter expert in the field of fringe beliefs, Mike has been interviewed
by the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN and Yahoo – among many others. He is
also a frequent speaker, and podcast and radio guest on the topic of conspiracy theories,
including NPR’s weekly show “On the Media” and a Vice documentary. Rothschild has been
studying the QAnon phenomenon since early 2018, and was one of the first journalists not
only to reveal its connections to past conspiracy theories and scams, but also to openly
address its danger to the American public—and beyond

Getaway by Rod Humphris/Blog Tour/Simon Ellice#5/Novella RandomThingsTours@AnneCater

ABOUT THE BOOK:

“First you save my life, then you bring me here…”
Suzana Chesterfield, recently rescued from a gang of slave-traders by Simon Ellice,
has come sailing with him to try to work out what to do with her life. They drop
anchor in a perfect bay of pink granite rocks, glittering sand and azure water on the
island of Cavello, in the Lavezzi Archipelago between Corsica and Sardinia, and are
welcomed into to the warm southern hospitality of Andria Acquaviv and his family,
who have the villa in the next bay.
Susie’s heart is touched by Lesia, the little girl who plays with her dog in the sand
and Lucia, her unhappy, widowed mother, who without a husband or a son, is
reduced to serving the family. She wants to help them break free from family bonds
and find independence. Can she? Dare she interfere? And if she does, will Simon
Ellice back her?
Meanwhile, no one else sees what Si sees – death is coming as swiftly and surely as
the sun nears the sea

MY THOUGHTS:

This is billed a book five in the Simon Ellice series but is technically a novella just like the first in the series but could be read as a standalone.

It could be a doorway into this series and you will love how Simon Ellice bundles through life and if not actively seeking trouble always seem to attract it!

It begins very quietly and in an unassuming way. As I read I was thinking, hmm this isn’t Simon’s type of scene. I shouldn’t have worried…the trouble starts and ends in murder.  

This is a book you should be able to read in one sitting and like me you should love it. As a character I have liked him from book one and ‘Getaway’ just shows that Simon really can’t go anywhere…I am sure he could find trouble in a church that one! I really do hope Rod Humphris has a full size novel coming soon, I think Simon’s story needs to carry on!!

Great writing and a humorous slant that will have all readers laughing, groaning in turns and looking forward to indulging in more of Simon’s adventures.

AUTHOR
Rod Humphris is the author of a number of acclaimed thrillers. He is the happiest
and most productive when travelling about in his battered old truck with a canoe in
top and a dog in the back. He currently lives in Bath.
Rod Humphris is the winner of N. N. Light Best Fiction Award 2016

SERIES
Charismatic, bold and a ruthless, Simon Ellice slinks through the world like a shark in
a limpid pool. Known simply as Si to friends and enemies, he doesn’t dwell on past
traumas, passing through life with a dry sense of humour and a death wish.
“A bit of a psychopath, he lives by his own moral compass” Amazon UK

The Mash House by Alan Gillespie Blog Tour/ Tartan Noir/ Crime Debut Novel/RandomThingsTours

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Cullrothes, in the Scottish Highlands, where Innes hides a terrible secret from
his girlfriend Alice, a gorgeous, cheating, lying schoolteacher. In the same
village, Donald is the aggressive distillery owner, who floods the country with
narcotics alongside his single malt; when his son goes missing, he becomes
haunted by an anonymous American investor intent on purchasing the
Cullrothes Distillery by any means necessary. Schoolgirl Jessie is trying to get
the grades to escape to the mainland, while Grandpa counts the days left in his
life.
This is a place where mountains are immense and the loch freezes in winter. A
place with only one road in and out. With long storms and furious midges and a
terrible phone signal. The police are compromised the journalists are scum, and
the innocent folk of Cullrothes tangle themselves in a fermenting barrel of
suspicion, malice and lies…

MY THOUGHTS:

OMG hard to believe this is a debut novel and what a great debut it is. I read this book in two days, such was the quality of the story and once gripped it would not let me go. This book had everything you want in a good crime novel and more.

Jessie a teenage girl, whose parents are divorced, is looking after her grandfather who is dying of throat cancer.

Donald who runs the family distillery, a front for drug running, is a mean gangster who stops at nothing and married to Morag who is equally ruthless.

Alice a teacher at the local school borders on the edge of being a psychopath and her husband Innes, manager of the local hotel has a dark past.

Valentine a journalist who will do anything for a story, including seduction. Add into the mix police corruption and other people looking to cash into the drug market you have what you would call a potboiler.

You would think with all this and more going on you would the author and/or the reader would lose the plot and and up confused. But no the quality of Alan’s writing , the concise plotting and the short chapters make for a satisfying read that draws to a great finale.

I’m glad this book landed in my hands and I would recommend this book and author to anyone who loves great crime writing. All the stars from me and I look forward to reading more by Alan.

Thanks to Alan for the story

Unbound for the ARC

Anne Cater for the tour invite.

THE AUTHOR:

Alan Gillespie is a writer and teacher from Fife, Scotland. He has studied at the
Universities of Stirling, Glasgow and Strathclyde. His articles and stories have
appeared in the New York Times, the Guardian, the Herald, Northwords Now, New
Writing Scotland, and elsewhere. In 2011 he was awarded the Scottish Emerging
Writer’s residency at Cove Park. The Mash House is his first novel.
@afjgillespie

Gender Euphoria by Laura Kate Dale/ Blog Tour/Transgender Voices @RandomThingsTours

ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Gender Euphoria really up-ends the baked-in narrative about pain and unhappiness.
Instead, these young writers look at life through the other end of the telescope and, whilst
acknowledging the obstacles thrown in their path, find the things to rejoice about being set
free of the shackles of gender conformity… This book will inspire you’
Christine Burns
GENDER EUPHORIA
Stories of joy from trans, non-binary and intersex writers
Edited by Laura Kate Dale
‘Every page is a little present! A timely reminder of the value of trans lives and the urgent
need to improve the conditions in which we are made to live them’ Abigail Thorn
● This groundbreaking anthology brings together an eclectic cohort of trans, nonbinary, agender, gender-fluid and intersex contributors to share their
experiences of “gender euphoria” – bringing stories of joy, belonging and
positivity to the conversation around transition
● Moments of gender euphoria include an agender dominatrix being called
‘Daddy’, an Arab trans man getting his first tattoos, and a trans woman
embracing her inner fighter
● Gender Euphoria reached its funding target in less than a week, and has over
1,000 backers
So often, the stories shared by trans people about their transition centre on gender dysphoria:
a feeling of deep discomfort with their birth-assigned gender, and a powerful catalyst for
coming out or transitioning. But for many non-cisgender people, it’s gender euphoria which
pushes forward their transition: the joy the first time a parent calls them by their new chosen
name, the first time they have the confidence to cut their hair short, the first time they truly
embrace themself.
Gender Euphoria seeks to show the world the sheer variety of ways that being non cisgender
can be a beautiful, joyful experience. What each of the book’s essayists have in common are
their feelings of elation, pride, confidence, freedom and ecstasy as a direct result of coming
out as non-cisgender, and how coming to terms with their gender brought unimaginable joy
into their lives.

MY THOUGHTS:

Well this was a book I would never pick up in a book shop. The main reason being where it would probably be shelved. So when the chance to go on this tour curiosity got the better of me. One main reason was because I know the author Roz White who is a trans woman; and apart knowing her as a person I know nothing of transgender people.

So I opened this book with some trepidation, not knowing what to expect and would I have some hidden prejudices. But I was presently surprised by what I read. The fight they face to identify with the gender they feel comfortable with and not what they were assigned at birth.

They face the fear of coming out to family and friends and how these may react to the news. Also they face prejudice from work colleagues and religious leaders. For many transgender or non-binary people the path is easier than others; eg. the so called liberal west. In many places and counties the way of life and religion make the journey harder to navigate’

Many feel euphoria when they make the change to the gender they feel comfortable with and when they are addressed by parents and friends by their new name and chosen sex.

Thanks to Laura for editing this book and to all the contributors for their stories.

I feel this book was humorous, tragic and life affirming in turns. But above all it is Educational. Another reason I wanted to read this book is because I have a nephew who is transitioning and I feel that this will be good resource for him

About the Editor
Laura Kate Dale is a full-time video game critic, video creator, podcaster and author. Her first
book was Uncomfortable Labels, a memoir about growing up at the intersection of being a
member of the LGBT community and living with autism, and she writes regularly on the theme
of transgender rights and experience. She can be found tweeting at @LaurakBuzz, where
she has over 53k followers.

The Cursed Girls by Caro Ramsey Blog Tour Dysfunctional Family Dark Secrets, Suicide, Murder? RandomThingsTours/ Anne Cater

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Megan Melvick has returned home after a three-year absence to visit her dying sister, Melissa, for the last time. As she approaches the grand Scottish country estate where she grew up, the memories come flooding back. Just what did happen on the night of Melissa’s wedding five years before? Where has Megan and Melissa’s mother disappeared to? And why does Melissa whisper that solitary word before she finally slips away: Sorry.

In order to overcome her demons, Megan must confront her painful recollections of that terrible night, the night of Melissa’s wedding. The night somebody died. But can she really trust her memories? And who is so determined that she should forget?

MY THOUGHTS:

Apart from the Prologue which is a shock to the system this is not a fast paced book, but it is a wild ride on the dark side of family relationships. This is told through multiple perspectives mostly Megan and Carla; who tells her story through absentia, being dead. But how did she dire? Was murder involved and if so who was responsible?

Firstly we have Megan returning to her family home to say her last goodbyes to her dying sister who is suffering from severe anorexia. Megan finds many memories crowding in on her, not least her Grandfather’s suicide and the way she has treated her sister in the past. Not kindly, but her sister’s last words to her is Sorry, when Megan is the one who should be the one apologizing.

Caro weaves a tale of deceit, treachery and betrayal. With superb writing and consummate story telling with not a wasted word or misplaced character.

A slow burn of a read but what a superb read and being a stand alone makes a change from her series. Grab a copy and dive in!

THE AUTHOR:

Caro Ramsay was born and educated in Glasgow. She has been writing stories since she was five years old, developing a keen interest in crime fiction and a passion for the genre that lead her to write Absolution, her first novel.

Stephen From the Inside Out/ Susie Stead/Blog Tour/ Mental Health Stephen’s Story/Lonely Voice @RandomThingsTours

ABOUT THE BOOK:

This is the raw, unconventional true story of how one woman, while trying to ‘do good’ to a local
man with complex psychological needs, ends up in an unorthodox friendship and finds herself
charting his life. Part biography, part social history, part memoir, Stephen, From the Inside
Out follows the journey of a man named Stephen and his connection to Susie, who became his
friend and wanted his story to be heard. ‘Stephen told me his life was a complete waste of time – yet
he changed mine,’ said Susie. ‘I want people to catch sight of the warmth, beauty and complexity
that was hidden behind his protective façade.’
‘The story of Stephen and Susie was a fabulous winner of our 2019 Impress Prize,’ said Jeffrey
Collyer, CEO of Impress Books. ‘This is a story that is incredibly important for our world and I feel
privileged to have worked with Susie on it.’
Frank, tragic, yet at times hilarious – this book not only tells a compelling and important story but
will be vital reading for anyone who cares about mental health in our contemporary world.
‘Susie weaves Stephen’s life story with that of changing attitudes to mental health in the UK. As you
read it is impossible not to feel anger, compassion, and rage at the way people like Stephen have
been treated […] It takes you into a world few of us know much about and you will emerge, as I did,
far richer for the experience.’ – Dr Michael Mosley, science presenter, journalist, and author
Stephen, From the Inside Out will be published 2nd April 2021. It is available for pre-order and will be
available from all major booksellers, as well as independent bookshops. For more information, please
email Jeffrey Collyer at jeff@impress-books.co.uk

MY THOUGHTS:

This was an outstanding read and approached a difficult subject, mental health from a different perspective. Most books on this subject are looking in and in some cases looking down on.
Susie has approached this subject in a different way. She introduces Stephen and in meeting him learns a lot about him and his life. How he views his world and how it views him.
People who suffer from mental health problems see the world differently from so called normal people. Is that because they’re many different types of mental health and many people suffer from a combination of more than one, eg. Autism and Schizophrenia; and are also misdiagnosed.
What is different about Stephen’s story it is told from his perspective, looking out and trying to make sense of a world at times seems confusing and cruel and frightening.
This book will give an insight into the world of mental health and the frustrations it causes so called normal people. Susie teaches us as she learns to traverse the minefield that is mental health.
Susie has written a book that in someway lets have an insight into a difficult world. But more importantly gives Stephen a voice as he looks out from the inside. She wraps up this book in such a way that has you angry, frustrated and happy all in the space of a few words. Though at times a very sad book it also gives glimpses of humour along the way. Stephen lives in a black and white world with no understanding of the grey areas most of us inhabit. Bur this can be crossed by a, to Stephen’s mind, with a logical answer. When he tells a nurse he would like to stab her she counters that if he did who would feed him. In Stephen’s words “Fair point”
A beautiful book that the reader will love, highly recommended and thankyou Susie for telling Stephen’s story.

THE AUTHOR:

Susie Stead is an award-winning writer with an MA in Dramatic Writing and twenty years’ experience
writing and producing drama and short films, including collaborations with people with lived
experience of mental illness. She is also a freelance accredited mindfulness teacher. Stephen from
the Inside Out is her first book.

Into the Mouth of the Lion by A.B. Kyazze/ Blog Tour/ Angola/ Civil War/ @RandomThings Tours

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Angola, 2002. In the last days of a vicious civil war, it is a dangerous landscape
rife with rebel soldiers, land mines, corruption and deception. A suspicious
explosion kills a beloved nurse, while another humanitarian worker goes
missing.
Lena Rodrigues, a young photographer, flies out to Angola’s highlands to piece
together the reasons behind her sister’s disappearance. But will she have the
strength to bear witness to the truth, before she gets entangled in the
country’s conflict for minerals and power?

MY THOUGHTS:

This was an outstanding read. A book that raises more questions than are answered. The main question is what would you do? Suppose you had a sister you were estranged from, who you hadn’t spoken to in more than a decade. A sister who walked out on her own mother’s funeral. You know, the last you heard she was working with refugees in war torn Angola. A civil war that has been raging for over two decades and at the time of the story is nearing its end. A sister who has ignored her nearest and dearest, Who left all behind to pursue her own dreams and to hell with everyone else. What would you do if you heard she was involved in an accident and was missing. Would you wait for news and whatever it may be and face the consequences. Or would you do what Lena does an go to Angola to search her sister? This is a book that raises the questions of greed, selfishness but also the fact, that no matter what blood is thicker than water and you must do what the heart tells you and over ruling the head. A book of love, loss, greed and the spectre of white privilege. A masterful story wrapped up in beautiful prose that tugs at the heartstrings and totally involves the reader. You will be invested in the story of Lena and her sister DJ. A book I heartily recommend to every lover of a good story.

THE AUTHOR:

AUTHOR DETAILS
A.B. Kyazze is a British-American writer and photographer. She spent more
than 18 years writing and taking photographs in humanitarian crises across the
globe in Africa, Asia and the Balkans. Into the Mouth of the Lion is her debut
novel. She recently published short stories in The Great Lakes Review, Byte the
Book and The National Anthology of Flash Fiction 2019 (UK). She also writes book
reviews and articles, and teaches creative writing classes for children.
@abkwriting