Colin Marks's Blog

Ashley Audrain is definitely going to be a very successful writer if her debut novel, The Push, is anything to go by. The film rights have been snapped up even before the novel’s release. Not many authors get that confirmation of their ability so early in their career. The Push is a tight, doom-laden telling […]

I do like the premise of this book – habits can be formed through the repetition of small routines. You don’t have to think big – think small. Completing a marathon starts with putting your running shoes on every day. The book dissects how to create lasting habits, by finding and nurturing behaviours that are […]

My review for an earlier novel of Helen’s, “Dear Amy”, is very similar to my review for this book, “Night Falls, Still Missing”. The novel is generally well paced, a decent thriller with a decent cast, but I did find it was longer than it needed to be and the closing chapters were heavily skimmed. […]

Imagine Sixth Sense, Downton Abbey and Agatha Christie moshed up, and you’ll have a good idea of what to expect with Anita Frank’s debut novel. It’s a good read, especially for a first book – solid characters, good build up and avoidance of the standard tropes and cliches – but the writing was a tad […]

Crime fiction, especially cosy mysteries, aren’t my thing, but I read this one because it was written by Richard Osman. Whatever he’s on, he comes across as a genuinely caring, intelligent and funny chap, and these attributes made it onto the pages too – the writing is flowing, witty and often contains charming turns of […]

Most environmental books make for a bleak read – they tend to focus on the failure of previous governments to engage, and due to the ignorant deniers and the political lobbying they prophesize doom and gloom and the end of civilisation. Hope in Hell isn’t immune to this, but it presents a far more balanced […]

Remote, by Jason Fried and DHH (the founders of 37signals/Basecamp), justifies the benefits of home working and offers some sensible procedures and techniques to ensure you and your team remain integrated and productive. The book is written as a series of short essays, all raising issues and skimming over solutions. There’s little depth – if […]

Interestingly, after completing Metropolis, I picked up Remote by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, which talks-up home/remote working. Early on in that book, they predicted the working from home movement (greatly accelerated by Covid19) would result in the decline of cities – people would choose to live in cheaper, larger properties out of the […]

This is the first book by Nicole Krauss I’ve read, but it certainly won’t be the last. This collection of short stories have mostly been printed elsewhere, so fans of her writing may have read them before. The stories, Jewish influenced, explore relationships – the coming together and drifting apart. They’re quirky but intelligent, the […]

One of the most silliest, most oddest, most charming books you’ll read. When, in the opening pages, I was given detailed instructions on how to make a cup of tea, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. By the end, I got it. Not one to read cover to cover in one sitting, just pick […]