Speaking of Jennings

25th July 2026

It's the usual chaos at Linbury Court as Jennings and his somewhat unwilling accomplice Darbishire set of on an adventure inspired by a fishing rod.

If you've read any Jennings novels before then this is more of the same - things that seem entirely reasonable to schoolboys become perplexing to their teachers, and the reverse.

There was one moment which, reading again now I'm older, made me properly cringe - which isn't a reaction I think I've had to these books before.

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Guns in the Gallery

Simon Brett

25th July 2026

Another great Fethering mystery, in which we rejoin Carole and Jude to attend a "private view" of unsuitable art at the local gallery.

The characters remain comically opposed in their approach to things, and are just a pleasant break between books that take themselves more seriously.

There is a lot going on though, and following all the different threads to conclusion takes a little mental effort - but it's the journey that's important.

Just what I was looking for.

Havoc

Rebecca Wait

25th July 2026

I ordered this book many months ago and so by the time it arrived I'd entirely forgotten what it was that attracted me to it in the first place. My immediate reaction was surprise that it's not science fiction. I've no idea what had given me that impression... perhaps the cover from a distance looks like a spacecraft travelling through the void? But up close it's clearly a school child with interesting lighting.

Anyway, it's not that.

This is a 1980s boarding school story, and the tale of a new student who has arrived for the sixth form, a teacher who has been there for many years, and a frustrated doctor. There's also a feature of faxes, which helps with immersion into the 1980s.

What I also didn't expect is the humour. Although it's also a serious story with a lot of bad things happening, it's presented with humour, both in the characters and the narration. This stood out immediately with a really great section in chapter two which perfectly set my expectations for what was to come.

I enjoyed spending time with these characters, and gradually learning more about them and their backgrounds. Everything's presented very naturally, and the narrative flows perfectly. Just the right amount of revealed at each stage to tease the reader without having to spell every single thing out, and there's plenty to digest once it's all over.

Very happy to have found this.

Dragons at Crumbling Castle

Terry Pratchett

18th July 2026

A delightful collection of early Pratchett short stories, aimed at kids but perfectly accessible and entertaining for older readers too.

It's almost Pratchett Light. There's less complexity and less subtlety than in his later works, but you can still see the beginnings of what would later emerge.

There's a lot of humour, but also a lot of morals - not heavily, but there just to guide the story and guide the reader.

Many of the stories share a common setting, in a parody of the real world, and that's quite fun to visit multiple times and see how he's used the slight fantasy version to poke fun at society.

A good set of fun tales.

The Burial Witch

Cari Thomas

11th July 2026

The second novella in the Threadneedle universe, this one appears to be a standalone not directly related to the other books.

We meet Miranda, a misunderstood teenager who struggles with relationships, obsesses over rules and perception, and is frustrated by how she's treated. She finds a mystery box in the attic, which starts to upset the delicate balance of her existence in magical ways.

I found it quite an emotional novella to read, with a lot going on, and with a lot of sympathy for the character, despite her also having shortcomings that I can imagine frustrating those around her. There's a lot going on in her head and for a short book it can be quite overwhelming to experience.

A really interesting story, and I enjoyed spending time with it.

The Death of Shame

Ambrose Parry

11th July 2026

Raven and Fisher return... surprisingly younger than I thought they were... for another series of unfortunate incidents as someone close to them suffers an untimely death that's in need of delicate investigation.

As always with this series, some of the subject matter is pretty bleak. It's historically accurate and dives into some of the darkest aspects of 18th century society, and doesn't always make for the most pleasant of reading experiences.

Despite that, the plot is captivating, and as a reader I constantly wanted to continue and find out more about what was going on. The characters also continue to be compelling, and it's been fascinating to see them and their relationships grow and change over the series - although as I said, I'm shocked to find their entire adventures have happened over just 7 years of story.

I don't know that I feel comfortable recommending the book, because there are elements that are difficult to read, but it is a good book and highlights aspects of the past that would be easier to forget, and probably shouldn't be, because they do still reflect on things in current society.