My second novel, The River Brings The Sea was published in December 2025. My debut, One Scheme of Happiness was published in 2020 by Retreat West Books. In August that year it was longlisted for Not The Booker Prize. I also write poetry and short stories.
All the good things by Clare Sita Fisher published by: Viking (Penguin UK) on 1 June 2017 What is the truth hiding behind her crime? Does anyone – even a 100% bad person – deserve a chance to be good? My review: ‘Of all the good things that have ever been in me, the first … More Review: All the Good Things
Ghachar Ghochar ***** by Vivek Shanbhag Pub Date 27 Apr 2017 Translated from the Kannada language, Vivek Shanbhag’s short novel is a fascinating but disquieting tale of family rivalry and marital upheaval set against the background of a successful business exporting spices. It is a darkly compelling read and … More Three book reviews
A wonderfully funny novel about one of the darkest periods of history when the former USSR was under the ruthless control of the ‘man of iron’ Josef Stalin. This biting satire is narrated by Yuri, an engagingly innocent twelve year old, who lives in the staff apartment of the Kapital Zoo where his father … More The Zoo
This is a subtle but supple retelling of the most famous Greek tragedy. The ‘house of names’ is the palace where the drama unfolds: names are whispered, deaths are plotted and revenge exacted. This is no stagy drama. In spare but sinewy prose Colm Toibin gives us a beautifully balanced and gripping psychological portrait of … More House of Names
by Brian van Reet published by Vintage, 27 April, 2017 Spring 2003, coalition forces are advancing on Iraq. Images of a giant statue of Saddam Hussein crashing to the ground in Baghdad are being beamed to news channels around the world. Nineteen-year-old Specialist Cassandra Wigheard, on her first deployment since joining the US army two … More Spoils
Originally posted on Clare Fisher :
There are 52 bloggers taking part in the All the Good Things Blog Tour. 52. Starting May 6th and ending June 28th, it’s going to be epic! Thank you so much to all the bloggers who are taking part.
by Polly Clark published by: riverrun, an imprint of Quercus editions, March 2017 Polly Clark is a poet and this is evident in her lyrical and haunting first novel, Larchfield, a story of two lonely social outcasts who meet across time finding friendship and strength. The novel alternates between Dora and Wystan’s … More Larchfield
by Ivan Vladislavich published by: Archipelago Books, March 2017 (first published by Random House, 2004) My review: Ivan Vladislavic is largely unknown outside his native South Africa, but if The Exploded View is representative of his work, it’s amazing that he isn’t an international name read as widely as Raymond Carver or Alice Munro. Originally … More The Exploded View
by Mohsin Hamid published by: Hamish Hamilton (a Penguin imprint), March 2017 My review: ‘We are drawn like lovers to the unreachable past, to imagined memories, to nostalgia.’ In the Guardian (Saturday 25 Feb, 2017) Mohsin Hamid argues that in uncertain times, with technology advancing inexorably, we look back to a golden past … More Exit West
Ali Thurm 