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Once Upon a Thyme by Jane Lovering #Review

  It is a pleasure to feature Jane Lovering's  Once Upon a Thyme which was published by Boldwood Books on June 24th.   All her life, Natalie Fisher has been taught not to ask questions. Why risk uncovering uncomfortable truths, when you can stay in the safety of blissful denial? Since taking over the family herb farm, Natalie has stuck with what she knows, rarely venturing much further than the nearby village where her invalid mother now lives. But then, one day, everything changes with the arrival of unexpected visitors. First comes Zeb, employed by Natalie’s mother to help with the business but soon hinting at other motives. Then comes Simon with the famous band he manages, wanting to film in Natalie’s beautiful garden. The band causes chaos and the attitude of one particular member throws Natalie’s ordered life into confusion. Over one magical summer of revelations and of uncovering secrets, Natalie starts to blossom and by the time autumn arrives she knows n...

Hands Up by Stephen Clark #Review

Following on from the recent Meet the Author post featuring Stephen Clark, I am delighted to be reviewing his recently published novel, Hands UpHands Up was published  on September 28th 2019 by WiDo Publishing.

Hands Up follows three protagonists from different worlds who are on a collision course after a deadly police shooting spins their lives into chaos. 

Officer Ryan Quinn, a rookie raised in a family of cops, is on the fast track to detective until he fatally shoots an unarmed black teen. Now, with his career, reputation and freedom on the line, he embarks on a quest for redemption that forces him to confront his fears and biases, and choose between conscience or silence.

Jake Wakefield, an emotionally damaged college student who lives in one of the city's worst neighborhoods, knows the chances of getting an indictment against the cop who killed her brother are slim. But when she learns there's more to the story than the official police account, she grows determined, even desperate, to find out what really happened and get revenge by any means necessary.

Kelly Randolph, who returns to his hometown broke and broken after abandoning his family 10 years earlier, seeks forgiveness while mourning the death of his son. But after he's thrust into the spotlight as the face of the protest movement, his disavowed criminal past resurfaces and threatens to derail the family's pursuit of justice.  

My Thoughts

The most striking part of this crime thriller is its structure. It alternates between the different protagonists but only one is told through the first person. Ryan, the rookie policeman who is accused of shooting an unarmed, black teenager who has been pulled over for a traffic offence, is at the centre of a complicated web of relationships. You realise early on, that he has unresolved issues from his past which he has to face up to. Racial stereotyping, racism, police corruption, gang culture are all in the mix, as are more personal feelings around abandonment, grief and loss. Social issues and self harm are also highlighted. 

    You are introduced to life in Philadelphia which seems to divide down racial lines. Deprivation and loss characterise some people's lives. As the characters' stories become linked, you are not quite sure who is going to emerge from the investigations unscathed. Of course, the answer is most probably no one! Written in a clear style, the characters are well drawn and credible. 

In short: different worlds collide 


About the Author

Stephen Clark is a former award-winning journalist who served as a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times and as a politics editor for the Washington, D.C. bureau of FoxNews.com. Stephen grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and now lives in North Jersey with his wife and two kids.

You can follow Stephen here:  Twitter  |  Website  |  Facebook 

Book links: Amazon UK   |  Amazon US |  Goodreads

Thanks to Stephen for a copy of the book.


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