My Favourite Books of 2015

One benefit of not reading enough is that the good books I've read stand out that little bit more. Interesting thing? I read all of these in the first seven months of the year. You can find the complete list of books I've read this year here but these are my top five, in no particular order.

Dead to Me by Cath Staincliffe

The first book I read in 2015 is still one of my favourites. A prequel to the Scott & Bailey television series, this was an excellent read and the plan is still to read the next novel when I get a chance. My full review can be found here. 

Felix Holt, the Radical by George Eliot

It's taken quite a while for me to find an Eliot book that really got me but Felix Holt  turned out to be it. Almost a year later I'm still thinking about the evocative riot scenes and this is one of those rare novels I remember exactly where I was when I read it, down to the bumps on the track between Wakefield and Sheffield. My full review can be found here. 

Inseparable: Desire Between Women in Literature by Emma Donoghue

My favourite non-fiction book of the year, this is an excellent analysis of same-sex desire that has provided me with so much potential reading material that it's already paid for itself ten times over. My full review can be found here. 

Murder in the Afternoon by Frances Brody

My infatuation with Kate Shackleton doesn't seem to be easing but who cares? Out of the three Brody novels I reviewed in 2015, this one is my favourite thanks to the Wakefield setting. My full review can be found here. 

Here Be Dragons by Stella Gibbons

Here's another author who I could read forever. No matter what I think of a Gibbons plot, the settings are evocative and the characters memorable. Here Be Dragons is another excellent examination of post-war London and it struck a chord. My full review can be found here. 

Television Review: River

It's been a long time since I published a television review on the blog. In fact, checking back through the list, the last one was Happy Valley in June last year. I suppose it's only right that my review this time should be the outstanding hit of 2015, while Happy Valley was undoubtedly the 2014 equivalent.

River begins as a typical crime drama. There are two officers in a car, vastly different in personality but very at ease with each other. It turns into a chase with a suspect that results in the young man jumping from a balcony. Then, ten minutes in, the twist emerges and you realise this isn't your typical crime drama with a love story thrown in for good measure: it's so much better than that.

The twist is that DI River (Stellan Skarsgård) is talking to a manifestation of his dead partner DS 'Stevie' Stevenson (Nicola Walker) as he attempts to find the person who brutally gunned her down in the middle of the street. From childhood, River has struggled with these manifestations, a recurrent one being the nineteenth-century poisoner Thomas Cream (Eddie Marsan). River is quick to point out to his therapist Rosa Fallows (Georgina Rich) that these aren't ghosts he sees and this is evident in the narrative - Stevie never gives River fresh information that aids the case but we see her reacting to the secrets he uncovers about her life in a way that says more about him than her. It's exquisitely clever and, from the pen of Abi Morgan who also wrote The Hour, I expected nothing less. 

At the heart of River is an eccentric man trying desperately to solve the murder of one of the few people in the world who he ever allowed himself to be close to (though not close enough). It's a love story about closing the chapter with Stevie but it's also about him opening up to other people in his life such as Rosa, DCI Chrissie Read (Lesley Manville) and DS Ira King (Adeel Akhtar). While the twists and turns of the actual murder investigation held my interest, the focus on River himself was far more riveting and the entire cast is phenomenal.

Ultimately, while River startled and unsettled me at times, it also made me smile. The final minutes of the first and last episodes are stunning and I'm not ashamed to say I ended this one in tears. It was one heck of a rollercoaster ride over six weeks and I loved it. 

Book Review: The Dead Duke, His Secret Wife and the Missing Corpse by Piu Marie Eatwell

If the title of this book sounds baffling, it's nothing compared to the true story it relates. In 1897 a widow called Anna Maria Druce applied for permission to exhume her father-in-law's body. She claimed that Druce, a furniture dealer, had really been the alter-ego of the 5th Duke of Portland, an eccentric man who was reclusive in nature and delighted in tunnelling under his country estate. Mrs Druce claimed that the Duke had faked the death of Druce in 1864 and that the coffin would be found empty. This kicked off one of the most intriguing cases of the late Victorian era which captured the public's imagination and rivals the best tales contemporary novelists had to offer.

Although this is a riveting story to start with, it needs someone of Eatwell's talents to bring the disparate strands together. It may start with Anna Maria Druce but that's far from the end of the case and Eatwell does an excellent job of juggling the various aspects of it. The book is split into three 'acts' - 'Burial', 'Resurrection' and 'Revelation', a partitioning that works well for the most part. For me, the intrigue didn't disintegrate at all throughout the book - while one mystery might be 'solved' there were still things to be explored, creating layers of intrigue that lasted until the final pages.

Eatwell's research is exemplary and she's been fortunate enough to have been granted access to some very interesting things, which she relates towards the end of the book. Equally, her knowledge of the major and minor players in the tale is excellent and she shares just enough relevant information without the narrative becoming swamped. Her ability to recreate the atmosphere of late-Victorian London is also brilliant. This isn't a dry book that simply recounts facts but an engrossing one which attempts to put you in the shoes of the major players. When a writer does this successfully they can bring history to life and Eatwell is one such writer.

Ultimately, this is a thrilling non-fiction book which will appeal to fans of The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and other high-quality works of that type. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was sad that the rollercoaster ride of the 'Druce-Portland' case had to end, though not, I'm sure, as sad as some of the protagonists.

A review copy of this book was given to me in exchange for an impartial review.

Book Review: Dead To Me by Cath Staincliffe

A prequel novel to the television series Scott & Bailey, Dead To Me follows DC Rachel Bailey as she joins MIT and gets to grips with the case of a young woman found dead in her flat. Rachel clashes with her new team, especially DC Janet Scott who sees her as immature and impulsive but DCI Gill Murray believes she'll be a useful addition to the team. As the investigation wears on, spectres from both Rachel and Janet's pasts unsettle them but they gradually learn to work together.

With a book like this, there was the chance it would turn into a second-rate spin-off novel. However, written by someone with the talent and expertise of Staincliffe and deliberately filling in a gap in the series rather than recounting a tale we already know from the screen, I found it brilliant. Anyone familiar with the series will know that an integral aspect are the relationships between Rachel, Janet and Gill. Dead To Me sets all this up perfectly, showing the rocky start of what would become Rachel and Janet's friendship whilst staying completely true to the characters. It felt like I was watching it in my head and nothing really stuck out as 'wrong'. Even so, I believe even people unfamiliar with the television series would enjoy it - all the main characters are introduced and explored properly but generally - and this is important - in relations to the investigation.

I don't want to give too much of the crime plot away. All I'll say it that I had an inkling but I wasn't sure until the detectives were sure, just as it should be. Also, Staincliffe's immersion into the more prosaic elements of crime detection mimics the series, coming across as completely authentic without being too boring.

All in all, this was an excellent book. I felt like I'd spent time with three of my favourite television characters whilst still enjoying a twisting murder plot. Thoroughly recommended.

This book was read as part of the 'New Author' reading challenge, details here.

Classic Film Review: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty stars Danny Kaye as the titular character, a daydreamer who has always been pushed around but suddenly finds himself involved a real-life conspiracy where he is unfortunately himself and not one of the suave, muscular men he imagines himself to be in his daydreams. He crosses paths with Rosalind van Hoorn (Virginia Mayo) who is trying to keep a highly important book about hidden treasure from nefarious men trying to get their hands on it, including the exceedingly creepy Boris Karloff as Dr Hollingshead. Rounding out the cast is Fay Bainter as Mrs Mitty, Ann Rutherford as Walter's fiancée Gertrude Griswold and Florence Bates as Mrs Griswold.

This is a very vibrant film, making full use of colour and light, particularly in the dream sequences. However, what frustrated me about the dream sequences is that, while they were fun and useful towards the beginning demonstrating Walter's inner life in comparison to his real one, once the actual action had got going and he was in the middle of a real-life adventure, they were no longer necessary. After that they just seemed an excuse for fancy costumes and a few songs.

Danny Kaye was wonderful as Walter though. The put-upon, 'yes, Mother', forgetful character really flourished throughout and there are few actors who match Kaye for facial expressions and the ability to deliver hilarious one-liners. He's also a very good physical comic, as evidenced by the windowsill scenes amongst others. I can't think of another actor who could've done this role as much justice as Kaye did.

The rest of the cast was superb too. Virginia Mayo played the mysterious blonde to perfection, though I did want to know more about the character, and Ann Rutherford and Florence Bates created quite a little double act as their growing apprehension about Walter's impending marriage to Gertrude made itself known. There's a brilliant scene where Walter is trying to keep Rosalind's presence in the house unknown so it appears he's acting completely insane and Gertrude and Mrs Griswold's reactions to this are hilarious. Fay Bainter also works well as Walter's mother but, then, she is an excellent actress generally.

If the dream sequences had been pared back, I would have completely enjoyed this film. As it was, I was shaken from the action at unnecessary moments which irked a little. However, overall, this was a brilliant, colourful film that relied on the charisma and hilarity of its leading man to produce a vivid impression. Well worth a watch.

Classic Film Review: Charade (1963)

Charade stars Audrey Hepburn as Regina Lampert, a woman who returns to Paris from holiday to find that her husband sold all their possessions and was then murdered on a train. The police want to know what he did with the money, so does government official Hamilton Bartholemew (Walter Matthau) and three strangers who turn up at his funeral. Regina is supported at this difficult time by Peter Joshua (Cary Grant), someone she barely knows who seems to be hiding a few secrets of his own. As it transpires that her husband's murderer is out to get her, believing she has the money, it becomes a race against time to save her life. And where is the money?

I adored this film. Hepburn and Grant work brilliantly together, large age-gap or not. Sometimes with films you get the impression that the cast were having as fun a time putting it together as the audience subsequently gets in watching it and this is one of those films. The witty dialogue between Regina and Peter Joshua during their first meeting sets the tone for the rest of the film and it's downright fantastic. They bounce off each other so well and there's a warmth between them that's unmistakable.

As for the story, it kept me hooked. I was a few steps ahead of the narrative but, really, I just enjoyed the ride. It was very well-written with numerous twists and turns and some clever digs at the thriller genre. We've got a rooftop fight, a dead man in a bath, concealed identities and a tense stand-off in a deserted theatre. It cranks up the atmosphere whilst still remaining amusing. Almost inevitably, my favourite scenes are Grant/Hepburn ones: the early scene already mentioned, the scene in the club where they're roped in as volunteers and the brilliant shower scene that had me in fits of laughter. My favourite moment is probably when Regina asks Peter how he shaves inside that famous Cary Grant dimple.

Charade rocketed onto the list of my favourite films, joining the likes of Bringing Up Baby, The African Queen and Rebecca. That company should indicate quite how wonderful this film is. Completely recommended.

Book Review: The Wisdom of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton

Coincidentally, I reviewed the first collection of Father Brown stories in June 2013 - obviously I like reading Chesterton's short mysteries in the summer! The thing I enjoyed most about this collection was the eclecticism: Father Brown flits around all over the place, sometimes with his companion Flambeau and sometimes alone. It means that no one story is similar to the one preceding it, something which I greatly appreciated.

The first story is 'The Absence of Mr Glass' which ridicules a doctor's deductions and is quite hilarious. It's brilliant in its simplicity, as is the second story, 'The Paradise of Thieves', which, despite being fairly confident about what was going on, entertained me nonetheless. The fourth story in the collection, 'The Man in the Passage' is both ingenious and a little heartbreaking. It tells of an actress with several suitors in her dressing room and who is mysteriously struck down by a suspect who is described differently by every witness. Father Brown's cross-examination here in this story is downright wonderful.

Story number seven, 'The Purple Wig', is enjoyable for its variation in narrative style as well as the substance of the mystery while 'The Perishing of the Pendragons' is notable for its description of the environment as well as the mystery. Similarly, in the ninth story, 'The God of the Gongs', the desolate descriptions of a seaside town out of season are very evocative.

All of the stories in this collection have something to recommend them but my favourites are probably the last two, 'The Strange Crime of John Boulnois' and 'The Fairy Tale of Father Brown'. The former's characterisation is wonderful and, again, it toys with narrative style at the beginning. It tells of a philosopher accused of murdering his love rival but this philosopher is far too disinterested to lift a finger - he just wants to be left alone with his book. 'The Fairy Tale of Father Brown' is an exploration of a past event by Father Brown and Flambeau. I always love these two together and the tale of a prince who was shot when guns were banned from his kingdom is a wonderful little teaser to conclude on.

I suppose that by this point I'm more adept at spotting where Chesterton is going with his mysteries. However, much to my delight, he still manages to surprise me on occasion and, regardless, his stories are both evocative and clever. However, I do think I should put off reading the next collection for a few months - delay the pleasure!

Television Review: Happy Valley

I wanted to write this as soon as I'd seen the finale but time didn't permit. In hindsight, I'm glad I let my thoughts percolate for a little while - I've realised that the series as a whole was better than I thought a week ago. For those unfamiliar with the show, here's the gist. Happy Valley stars Sarah Lancashire as Sgt Catherine Cawood, a woman juggling her job with her dysfunctional home life. Her ex-heroin addict sister Clare (Siobhan Finneran) lives with her, as does grandson Ryan (Rhys Connah). He was the product of rape and his mother killed herself soon after his birth. Catherine's decision to look after Ryan led to the breakdown of her marriage and her relationship with her son. The other story in this is Kevin Weatherill's (Steve Pemberton). Having asked his boss, Nevison Gallagher (George Costigan) for a raise and been rejected, he makes the mistake of suggesting to a drug dealer than they should kidnap Gallagher's daughter and demand a ransom. This all starts to go pear-shaped rather quickly, especially when one of the men involved in the abduction turns out to be Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton), the man who raped Catherine's daughter...

It's difficult to articulate how superb a series this was. Any programme that makes you simultaneously long for the next episode and dread it in equal measure has to be doing something right. Sally Wainwright created a little simmering cauldron through a perfect script, brilliant casting and plain old twists and turns. It proved to be compelling viewing, especially from episode three onwards. The satirical title may have masked the viciousness of what was to come but you weren't in the dark for long.

Sarah Lancashire, rather predictably, was absolutely amazing. I saw plenty of comments surprised at that fact but, really, although the role is drastically different to her portrayal of Caroline in Last Tango in Halifax, that's the place to look for proof of her ability. Equally, the rest of the cast was excellent, even those who only appeared in a few episodes (see Karl Davies's performance in the final episode as Catherine's son for evidence there). For me, though, one of the best performances came from Siobhan Finneran as Clare. Steadfast with an air of fragility, I was getting really concerned about her towards the end of the series, having so much thrown at her.

Happy Valley was said to be too violent and it's certainly not easy viewing. Two episodes in particular will have you closing your eyes. However, it's something to be said that it doesn't trivialise violence. It shows it in all its horrible detail, finally dispelling the myth that people who are beaten badly get straight back up and bounce back. If anything is damaging to society, it's the view that violence doesn't leave physical or emotional scars. I think Happy Valley altered that with some haunting scenes that left me sleepless for nights afterwards.

Best series of the year? Definitely. Good luck to everyone trying to top this.

Classic Film Review: Lady on a Train (1945)

Lady on a Train tells the story of Nikki Collins (Deanna Durbin), a woman travelling to New York to spend Christmas with her aunt who witnesses a murder in a property just before the train gets into Grand Central. When she goes to the police they think she's wasting their time so she tries to enlist the help of her favourite mystery writer, Wayne Morgan (David Bruce). However, he's perturbed by the attention so she has to set about investigating the matter herself. By accident, she ends up masquerading as the dead man's nightclub-singer lover which brings her into contact with the household and, in particular, his nephews Jonathan (Ralph Bellamy) and Arnold (Dan Duryea). Has she put herself in danger? Rounding out the cast is the excellent Edward Everett Horton as Nikki's chaperone in New York.

This is an absolutely brilliant film. I saw it described in another review as 'screwball noir' and that certainly fits. It doesn't take itself too seriously, there's always something going wrong for Nikki's investigation but there are some real moments of tension and suspense. I'm not sure how it manages to mix the two up so superbly but it does.

Deanna Durbin evidently relished the part. She brings warmth and energy to the role and bounces off everyone in sight. Her interactions with David Bruce as Wayne when she follows him into a movie theatre to try and get his help are nothing short of hilarious. There are plenty of little moments throughout where she makes her mark and, of course, there are the requisite songs, including a beautiful version of 'Silent Night'. However, the scene that had me in stitches was the 'shush, I'm a chair' scene. Pure gold. The rest of the cast is great too, though special mention goes out to Edward Everett Horton for being the loser in every scene he's in.

The identity of the murderer was neatly obscured by the conspiracy around it. I didn't try too hard to work it out though - I was enjoying the ride too much. Definitely recommended and Deanna Durbin has been added to my list of favourites, rather belatedly, I know.

Book Review: Restless by William Boyd

In 1976 single-mother Ruth is startled to find out that her mother was a British spy during WWII. Eva Delectorskaya tells her daughter the truth about her recruitment and involvement with Lucas Romer, her handler, with the intention of drawing her daughter into the one final assignment she needs to complete. The story is a dual time frame one with Eva's story being written as a manuscript.

I tried hard to enjoy this one but I'm afraid, for the most part, I couldn't. What threw me on every single point of view switch was the skewed way the story was told. If you're dealing with a written manuscript given by a mother to her daughter to read, you'd expect it to be in first-person, wouldn't you? No, it's in third so that Ruth's front-story can be in third person when, really, I don't see any real reason it needs to be. This jarred throughout. Equally, Ruth's own story is rather pointless. Her numerous interactions with people, her pupils etc, are redundant and offer nothing to the plot. The only interactions that are useful are those with her supervisor and colleague that end up aiding the 'real' plot. To be honest, this could easily have been a frame story with Eva's story taking up the bulk of the middle section and Ruth's experiences being condensed into the conclusion where the spy strand is finally wrapped up. As a dual time-frame story, it doesn't work and Ruth is a flat, boring character but perhaps this is just in comparison to her mother.

Eva's story, with the exception of the third-person mess, is much more successful. It simmers, exploding at several points, and it was intriguing to witness the spy tricks she put into practice. My complaint about this is that the preparation takes a long time from recruitment to actual danger but, again, this was an overall structural problem. The tension in the last quarter of the spy narrative made up for the glacial speed of the rest. It was only when I hit this point that I stopped thinking about the niggles I had in terms of structure and began enjoying the anxiety of the plot.

I fully concede this was probably a matter of personal preference. I prefer more characterisation - even in thrillers - and once I'd realised how irritating the viewpoint problem was to me it was difficult to shake it off. I do wonder if there's something profound I'm missing, having looked at all the glowing reviews, but I'll just chalk it up to bad experience and say this was a book I didn't get on with.

Book Review: The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet by Burton E. Stevenson

Although one in a series about a New York lawyer, The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet can stand alone. I haven't read the earlier stories yet the characterisation was fine and any references to other mysteries were brief and not crucial to the plot. Lester, the lawyer, is visiting the home of his client and friend, Philip Vantine, discussing the new cabinet Vantine has just bought but which has been accidentally switched for another one. The cabinet that has been delivered is worth much more and has a rich history. However, a visitor arrives and, after waiting in the room containing the cabinet, is struck down dead. An investigation starts up but then Philip Vantine himself becomes the next victim. Both seemed to have been killed by poison administered via two marks on the hand but it would be a very deadly poison. Who has killed the men and what role does the cabinet have in the case? The police try to investigate but it is Lester's friend, Godfrey, who is more open-minded and willing to put himself at risk to unearth the mystery.

As I said, this book can easily stand alone, though the references to earlier book made me want to read them. The friendship between Lester and Godfrey is a pleasant one, contributing to the case but also adding a focal point that I suspect runs through the books. As for the mystery itself, there are plenty of twists and turns and a few red herrings that make it interesting enough to hold attention. Perhaps the final twist was one too far but it did lead naturally from the rest of the book so I suppose it's difficult to complain on that point. There were a few twists that I saw coming but sometimes that's part of the fun of reading mystery stories.

However, for all the intricacies of the plot, The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet is laxly written in parts. There are careless repetitions which draw attention from the central mystery, at least for somebody paying as close attention as I was. Still, they don't impede the book as a whole, just create a little irritation. The mystery is enjoyable and the characterisation of Godfrey is a delight. I'll read the other books in this series, I'm sure.

Book Review: Yorkshire Villans: Rogues, Rascals and Reprobates by Margaret Drinkall

This slim volume (141 pages) discusses crimes of various natures committed within the three 'Riding' areas that made up Yorkshire in the nineteenth century. As a consequence, you occasionally get references to places, like Middlesbrough, which were considered part of Yorkshire then but are no longer. The book is split into thirteen crime sections: Highway Robbery, Riots and Treason, Forgery and Counterfeiting, Stealing, Arson and Explosions, Child Murder, Manslaughter, Poaching, Burglary, Breach of Promise, Bigamy, Poisoning and Murder. Of course, there are crossovers between chapters but, on the whole, this categorisation works.

Drinkall covers dozens of crimes, from the routine to the odd and suspicious. Naturally, it's the latter that kept my interest, especially the stupidity of some people sticking close to the area of their crime or even, in the case of one poisoner, seemingly striking again. The wealth of little human stories in these pages obviously only give the information that can be found in official records. It makes for a tantalising read.

Some of my 'favourite' cases, if you can call them that, are: the explosion of a package thrown through the window of a house in Sheffield in 1861, the death of a Jane Gowland's illegitimate baby near York in 1839 and its subsequent discovery and the bizarre dismissal of charges against a servant accused of murdering her elderly Wakefield employer in 1860 in a case involving forged wills and exhumation. I think the saddest case in these pages, though, is to be found in the case of a mouse that finally roared. Joseph Dobson had endured years of hardship thanks to his father, still handing over money from his wages after he was married. In 1843 his father threatened to kill his wife for complaining about this deduction and Dobson took it a serious threat - shooting his father and going to the gallows for it. Of all the cases found within these pages, that may be the one that lingers with me.

Overall, this is a very interesting book for anyone interested in Yorkshire crime of the nineteenth century and the little eccentricities of the law which occasionally occurred. There is much in these pages to dispel the idea that sensation fiction was not, at least sometimes, drawn from life. For reference, see the chapters on bigamy and murder!

Classic Film Review: To Catch a Thief (1955)

To Catch a Thief stars Cary Grant as ex-cat burglar John Robie. When a new spate of burglaries occur on the Riviera, Robie is instantly suspected and, mindful that the police won't give him a fair hearing, he escapes from them and sets about proving his own innocence with the help of insurance agent H.H Hughson (John Williams). He identifies mother and daughter Jessie (Jessie Royce Landis) and Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly) as potential victims and latches on to them but Frances is wise to his deception and doesn't trust him an inch.

I'm afraid that the editing and dubbing on this film was one of the worst I've seen, especially in such an otherwise excellent film. It really put me off, particularly the use of a non-English speaking actor, Charles Vanel, as important character Bertani. Rather than getting immersed in the story I found myself thinking how bad the dubbing was and that's not to mention the pasting together of shots, most noticeably during the rooftop chase, that pulled me back from the story.

The actual plot is excellent and Cary Grant is at his best as the reformed cat-burglar. He and Grace Kelly work well together as friendly adversaries, though I have to say that my favourite scenes came with Grant interacting with Jessie Royce Landis as Jessie Stevens. The characters interacted so beautifully, particularly in the bedroom scene where she lets him escape. Equally, John Williams as the upright insurance agent is a pleasure to watch.

The scenery in this film is amazing and it's worth watching for that alone. Awe-inspiring and utilised as a good backdrop to the main story, it's stunningly shot. Also, the costume ball section of the film is luscious, filled with vibrant costumes and wonderfully directed by Hitchcock.

All in all, this would have been an incredible film, if not for the atrocious dubbing and occasionally off-putting editing. Nevertheless, it remains an excellent one with Grant at his charming and debonair best.

Television Review: The Fall

I knew we were in for trouble when I heard that The Fall had been recommissioned for a second series. My fervent hope was that the first series would at least tie up its loose ends and a second series would focus on another case. No such luck. I was left feeling cheated by an ending designed to thwart the audience which also had the misfortune of making one of the protagonists seem the slightest bit dim. Not really appropriate for a character who has gracefully pursued the serial killer up until this point. But let's start with the positive aspects.

The Fall tells the story of a serial killer in Northern Ireland. Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) has been brought over from the MET to investigate one death but she quickly links another to it and soon another body turns up. Unlike most serial killer dramas, though, the audience knows that Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan) is the killer and we follow him as he stalks his victims whilst still maintaining his job as a bereavement counsellor and being a good husband and father. 

I had no issues with the slow, almost torturous, pace of the main plot. It felt realistic and toyed with the emotions of the audience, particularly in the first episode when we get very involved in the life of lawyer Sarah Kay (Laura Donnelly). Showing Paul's relationship with his wife, Sally Ann (Bronagh Waugh), and his daughter, Olivia (Sarah Beattie), infiltrated us into the life of this serial killer remarkably well. There were many excellent scenes, even a few amusing ones, strange as that sounds. The dialogue was also wonderfully written for the most part, slow and thought-provoking. Up until the final few minutes of the final episode I was content with the way the plot had progressed. 

Something I wasn't as happy with were the superfluous subplots. I realise they were trying to establish a team environment, and throw in some typically Irish problems too, but it detracted rather than added to the overall effect. I honestly didn't care who shot the policeman and why there were foreign prostitutes being beaten up or the fact that another police officer blew his brains out - it had absolutely nothing to do with the main story, which was the reason I was watching, and those loose ends weren't tied up either. Fair enough if they planned another series (though I'm not sure if 'planned' is the correct word given how they almost tied up the main plot then unravelled it rapidly) but, still, they needed to give me a reason to care. Ultimately, there were too many characters floating around in a five-hour drama for me to care about. The core of Gibson, Jim Burns (John Lynch), Danielle Ferrington (Niamh McGrady), Spector and his family and the family of Sarah Kay was enough to keep the viewer's attention. More than that was pushing it and I think it showed. 

However, I thoroughly enjoyed The Fall for the main story and, yes, I probably will watch the second series, even if I'm disappointed with how slow they had to make Gibson in the final minutes to facilitate one. 

Television Review: Life of Crime

Life of Crime is a three-part drama with the action taking place over three time periods - 1985, when Denise Woods (Hayley Atwell) first joins the force and investigates the death of a teenager; 1997, when the conviction of her killer is thrown into doubt and the present day, when the investigation is finally concluded. I wasn't overawed by this one, though I very much wanted to like it.

For a start, I thought it latched itself unnecessarily onto 'events', namely the Brixton riot of 1985 and the death of Princess Diana. It added artificiality to the plot for me, when showing the passage of time could simply be done via the medium of Denise's family. In addition, I found the direction lacking. It was too slow with far too many extended scenes that simply weren't necessary. I thought that it could've been easily transferred into a two hour drama special instead of being spread over three weeks but, I suppose, that would've toyed with the format they'd set their hearts on. What happened was that the action became diluted and the mix of the family troubles Denise experiences as a result of her headstrong nature failed to capture my attention as they should have.

I have another construction criticism which, again, could have been remedied by it being a more compact drama. By the time the 'reveal' came around I honestly couldn't recall who the killer was for a good few minutes. This was partly caused by a lack of signposts and partly by the fact the third episode recap was fundamentally useless. Finally, I felt let down in the final episode by the fact that Denise spoke to the first victim's mother in quite a touching scene and then there was no more from her - that was one aspect that deserved more exploration and it didn't get it.

I thought that Life of Crime was an interesting concept but, ultimately, it just moved too slow for me to enjoy it and by the time the third episode came around I was ambivalent about the killer. In addition, Denise isn't an easy character to like or even respect. You don't have to like a protagonist in a drama like this but you do at least have to be concerned about what happens to them and, really, I wasn't. A bit of a let-down but, as ever, this was only my opinion. I'm sure other people enjoyed it.

Television Review: Scott & Bailey S3

The third series of the crime drama focused once more on the friendship between DC Rachel Bailey (Suranne Jones) and DC Janet Scott (Lesley Sharp). Amelia Bullmore is back as no-nonsense DCI Gill Murray, we get liberal sprinklings of Pippa Haywood as DSI Julie Dodson while Danny Miller joins the cast as DS Rob Waddington. However, the stand-out addition to the cast is guest star Nicola Walker. She's a recurring theme within this series and, unfortunately, that caused some chronology problems, despite how fantastic the storyline was.

The first episode opens with DCI Murray being strangled from behind in her car and threatened with a knife. Then we flash back to eight months earlier. The first case that the team deal with involve the corpse of Eunice Bevan whose decapitated body was found on the staircase of her home while her bedridden husband awaits rescue upstairs. The couple's daughter Helen Bartlett (Walker) is immediately a suspect and those viewers paying attention recognise her voice as the one who took Gill hostage, setting up the season-long strand. Fair enough.

However, to complicate the series chronology, episode two is rightly an episode that belonged either at the end of series two or right at the beginning of series three. Rachel is experiencing difficulties in her new marriage so we go back a few more months to see the circumstances surrounding their wedding and the accusation that Rachel incited her brother to murder. It was a storyline that needed this conclusion, yes, but not at that point. I completely understand why the decisions for the series chronology were made: they wanted a hook for the series, they wanted to establish Helen Bartlett's character as a recurring and important one. They actually trailed the series with Helen being delivered up to Gill by Rachel and Janet. It was the right decision for the storyline but possibly not for the series.

Now - episode content. I actually really enjoyed every individual episode, even though I did have issues with the overall structure. Nicola Walker's outstanding first outing as Helen Bartlett prompted a rather gushy adoration post from me but she kept up that momentum in the four episodes she appeared in, especially as things became more grisly. Another episode that was particularly affecting was episode six which focused on abuse and murder in a care home.

The relationship between Rachel and Janet fractures this series when Rachel goes into self-destruct mode once too often. This provided a nice backdrop to the final episodes. One thing I also appreciated was the remembrance of little details that are brought up throughout the series, both related to personal and professional lives. It was rewarding for long-term fans and added authenticity to the series.

Finally, some of the guest stars were fantastic. Pippa Haywood's returning character, DSI Dodson, was both intimidating and funny. There's a wonderful moment between her and Amelia Bullmore in the middle of a very gruesome crime scene that made me laugh out loud. In addition, Tracie Bennett (who I saw a few years ago in End of the Rainbow) arrives as Rachel's mother, not a character you can like but one who certainly makes your skin crawl. I'm not sure of the point of Danny Miller's arrival as the new DS. For such a good actor the part seems too small but, then again, this is a show centred on the women. Maybe he'll evolve if a fourth series is commissioned.

The niggles I have about chronology didn't detract from my enjoyment of this series. It remained the programme I looked forward to week after week and I'll keep my fingers crossed that the ratings were high enough to secure a renewal. Oh, and ITV? Don't use the ratings for the last episode to judge - that was on a Thursday instead of a Wednesday and you didn't trail it enough to be irritated by any loss in ratings.

Television Review: Murder on the Home Front

Murder on the Home Front follows Molly Cooper (Tamzin Merchant) as she joins pathologist Dr Lennox Collins (Patrick Kennedy) in his investigation of a serial killer in war-torn London. The police think they've got their man but Collins is determined to use forensics to prove them wrong but the chase for the killer soon becomes dangerous for Molly. The cast also includes Emerald Fennell as photographer Issy Quennell, James Fleet as Professor Stephens and Richard Bremmer as mortuary assistant Charlie Maxton.

This is based loosely on the memoirs of Molly Lefebure, which explains where the rather odd concept came from. Molly Cooper is headstrong, amusing and a little bit stubborn but there still seems to be something lacking about the character. Stepping into a real person's shoes has that effect on some actors in this kind of role. I liked Molly but I didn't love her. Dr Collins, however, is likely to become a favourite character of mine. His approach to pathology is very modern in a time that wasn't really ready for it and his clashes with Professor Stephens are a good demonstration of that. I also adore Issy, who seems like much more of a real person than Molly does.

The plot of this was reasonably good and I certainly didn't work out the truth before the protagonists. However, my enjoyment was tempered by the unnecessary CGI and gore that looked frankly juvenile. There was no need to have ridiculous bomb effects in the background every time Collins stood in his flat with his curtains open. They looked unreal and added nothing to the overall story. If they'd spent more time making the close-up shots of bomb effects and damage appear realistic, I would've been a lot happier. Instead of focusing on character and plot, they decided to make it 'look spectacular' and, when you try that hard, you invariably fail. I personally got fair more pleasure from Charlie's occasional comments than the London aerial views that were supposed to make me gape. Equally, the excessive comic-book type gore that was used in certain scenes was irritating. I got the feeling that the series didn't quite know what it wanted to be and who its audience was.

All that said, I think this series has potential. The central characters have a good rapport and the concept is a good one. If they cut out the unnecessary CGI and focus on characters and plot then they could have a hit on their hands. I will certainly watch if they make more episodes.

Book Review: The Maul and the Pear Tree by P.D. James and T.A. Critchley

This book, originally published in 1971, chronicles the real-life case of the Ratcliffe Murders of 1811 where two families were barbarously murdered in London's East End. The bare facts of the case were already familiar to me: seven victims brutally killed, a nationwide panic followed by the arrest of a sailor, John Williams, who later killed himself.  One of the most grisly parts of the famous murder case occurred afterwards, though, as Williams's corpse was paraded through the streets of London along with the murder weapons.

The central hypothesis of this book is that Williams was wrongly accused. To get to that point we're treated to a step-by-step account of the murders and investigation, pieced together as well as it can be by two writers looking at the case after a 160 year gap. The first necessity of this book is to create early nineteenth-century London in the mind of the reader and this is accomplished very well in the opening chapters, though the murders are kept in sight at all times. James and Critchley give enough information for the location to be vivid but without detracting from the case at hand. Their conversational yet analytic style makes this an easy book to read, even though it becomes extremely gruesome in parts. The macabre fascination with the brutality of these killings has lingered on through the decades, making it as compelling a mystery now as it was in 1811.

With the distance of time, however, the case can be looked at objectively. The police investigation is critiqued, along with the actions of individuals, building up as complete a body of evidence as possible for the authors to analyse. This, of course, takes much of the book. I have to admit that I was eager to get to the arguments in favour of Williams's innocence but you have to read the book carefully for the conclusions to make sense. However, they do make sense, with James and Critchley giving a plausible hypothesis for what really happened in 1811.

This is an extremely readable book which steers away from too many passages of dry, contemporary evidence in favour of a prose style which informs the reader of the evidence without boring them. When newspaper reports, letters and Hansard transcripts are used they are valuable to the book as a whole. This prevents it from becoming a stale list of he said/she said and gives James and Critchley more freedom to present the work in an accessible style. A thoroughly compelling, if grisly, account of a fascinating murder investigation.

Television Review: The Bletchley Circle

I was drawn to this series initially by the calibre of the cast. It stars Anna Maxwell Martin (who I adored in South Riding and The Night Watch), Rachael Stirling (Tipping the Velvet, enough said) and Julie Graham alongside a relative newcomer, Sophie Rundle. The four play women who worked at Bletchley Park during WWII but by 1952 they are leading mundane lives. That is until Susan (Martin) begins tracking the progress of a serial killer working his way around London (she has a collection of newspaper clippings tacked to the back of her bedroom mirror so that her husband doesn't find out). She spots a pattern in the killings and takes it to the police but, of course, they laugh her off. She feels she has no option to recruit the other girls for their various skills - Millie (Stirling), Jean (Graham) and Lucy (Rundle).

There are numerous twists in this one. Although we do catch sight of the killer 'at work', these moments mainly serve to heighten concern for the protagonists. They are four very clever women but they keep finding themselves stonewalled. When they finally do get the police to listen to them it becomes apparent that this may be bigger than any of them imagined.

The cast really were superb, though they were assisted by exceptional writing and wonderful period detail. The subject dictates that the drama should be dark and atmospheric and it succeeds. It offers a fresh twist on the period murder mysteries by introducing these four amateurs, all with different personalities and experiences since the end of the war. Intermingled with the suspense are snapshots of their lives - Millie quits her job in order to focus on the investigation while Lucy battles with her abusive husband. Susan, meanwhile, is pushing her own husband to his limits by refusing to tell him what's going on.

The Bletchley Circle succeeds on several levels, providing a tightly-plotted and compelling mystery drama that isn't a carbon copy of other programmes. I think it has potential to be a real hit and I hope that ITV have the courage to recommission it.

Television Review: A Mother's Son

Starring Hermione Norris, Martin Clunes and Paul McGann, A Mother's Son tells the story of Rosie (Norris), a woman who has to confront the horrible truth that her son may have murdered someone. She lives with her new husband Ben (Clunes) along with her two teenagers and his two teenagers but there are already tensions in the family about how best to deal with their essentially separate parenting lives. On the outskirts of the family is Rosie's ex-husband David (McGann), father to her two children. Rosie turns to him when their son's behaviour becomes worrying.

If this sounds complex, it's because it is. In that, I suppose, it reflects modern family life with its divisions and difficulties. The real difficulty comes in Rosie's reluctance to follow her instincts about Jamie (Alexander Arnold) and her attempts to cover up any involvement he may have had in the death of a schoolgirl after finding his trainers covered in blood. It certainly strikes a chord on a parental level but, I must admit, I wanted to throttle Rosie for wringing her hands at confirming the substance was blood on the trainers for starters. From the clock on the wall behind her it seemed she'd been sat there for six hours staring at them and sighing. I understand her reticence but it was a lengthy scene which could've been trimmed.

There were a couple of aspects to the piece as a whole which didn't quite work for me. Firstly, the demonstration of the dead girl's mother's grief wasn't necessary for the plot to work. Although the performance of Annabelle Apsion as the grieving Kay was flawless, the scenes felt out of place in a story which was essentially about the family of the potential murderer. This can also be said of the police scenes. I understand that the intention was to keep the audience in the loop and ramp up the tension a bit but it only served to distract from the main thrust of the piece. All the information that was conveyed via the police scenes could've been dribbled through to the family in a less heavy-handed fashion. This drama wasn't supposed to be about the dead girl or the police really, and I think the producers lost sight of that at times.

On a more positive note, the three leads were well cast, as were the four teenagers. The family set-up and its problems are probably more important than the did-he-didn't-he murder aspect and I certainly enjoyed them more. The dialogue in places flagged a little, becoming a little over-indulgent towards the end but I empathised with many of the characters. Not a fantastic drama but an intricate one that made a valid point underneath the murder.