Author Archives: Tom

Books: Small Lives, Big World: A Collection of Short Stories From Near and Far 

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R.M. Green’s Small Lives, Big World is an exquisite collection of short stories that masterfully weaves ordinary and extraordinary aspects of human experience together. The book captivated me with its skilfully crafted characters, richly detailed, vivid settings, and thought-provoking plots.

Small Lives, Big World: A Collection of Short Stories From Near and Far by R. M. Green

Green has a strong talent for bringing everyday moments to life while imbuing them with intrigue and poignancy that stay with you long after you’ve turned the page.

The characters in this collection are as diverse as the settings they inhabit—an Ottawa suburban housewife, a Chinese shopkeeper, a private in the trenches of World War I, and a six-year-old train traveler, to name just a few. Each of them feels authentic and fully realized, their emotions and struggles palpable. Green’s ability to create characters who are simultaneously specific and relatable is quite remarkable. You don’t just read about their little lives; you step into them.

Equally vivid are the settings, which range from the bustling Parisian streets to tranquil yet enigmatic corners of Central America. The book’s descriptive prose breathes life into each location, steeping the reader in the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of these places. Whether it’s the tropical backwaters or the claustrophobic office of a factory, the settings feel essential to the stories they frame.

What truly places this collection on the top shelf, however, is the storytelling. Each story is intriguing and often takes unexpected, twisty turns that kept me thoroughly engaged. Humor and tragedy, despair and hope, are balanced to create a tapestry of human experience that is both entertaining and deeply moving – and real. Themes of love, fear, dreams, and resilience thread through the stories, uniting the characters and settings seamlessly.

Small Lives, Big World is a book that invites you to journey alongside its characters, sharing their lives, joys, and struggles – but only for a little while and with each story, I was left wanting more. For well-traveled readers and those with an interest in exploring the richness of human experience across the globe, this collection is a must-read. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

A later edit… I wanted to add to my review… this book is a perfect example of one of those wonderfully crafted books that is a totally satisfying read that for some random reason is not on best-seller lists, but jolly well should be because it’s a WAAAAY better read than most of the mediocre-to-rubbish stuff that the big publishing houses push onto consumers in the big book stores.

Books: When the Germans come

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I loved reading When the Germans Come by David Hewson.

When the Germans Come by David Hewson

It is an outstanding mix of historical fiction and compelling murder mystery/suspense. Set in 1940 with the threat of Nazi invasion in the air, the story paints an authentic-feeling picture of wartime Britain. The characters are cleverly crafted—Louis Renard, a wounded ex-detective, is both compelling and flawed as all book-heroes should be, while Jessica Marshall, the determined, naive Canadian journalist, adds an engaging and fem-fatale perspective as she chases down a story with life-threatening stakes that the Army simply does not want told

The setting and atmosphere feel completely authentic, capturing the fear, uncertainty, and resilience of a small town on the brink of invasion. The murder mystery at the heart of the story is both sensible and believable, weaving seamlessly into the larger context of war and espionage. Hewson’s ability to balance historical detail with a tight, suspenseful plot is evident, keeping the reader engaged until the big reveal. The story’s atmosphere of danger and intrigue is palpable, and the exploration of moral dilemmas in wartime adds another thoughtful layer. This is a book where everything works well—the characters, the plot, and the richly created setting combine to make it a thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking read.

Books: Boney Creek

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Boney Creek by Paula Gleeson is a very good read that kept me hooked from the start to finish.

Boney Creek by Paula Gleeson

The small-town setting is vividly described – it feels like an additional character, soaked in secrets and a strong sense of uh, oh, what’s about to happen? Gleeson’s writing is gentle and atmospheric and captures the slightly sinister quiet of a dying town. The pacing is spot-on, a slow burn that builds suspense before delivering several shocking revelations. The characters feel authentic, particularly Addie, whose determination and vulnerability make her a protagonist I can easily cheer on. The story weaves Addie’s and her husband Toby’s personal tragedies with a larger, chilling mystery, creating a layered and emotional story. I found myself intrigued by the web of connections between the town’s ‘accidents’ and was as eager as Addie to get to the bottom of it all. I especially wanted to know what happened to Kip. Gleeson’s ability to blend character-driven storytelling with a strong, compelling plot is impressive. If you enjoy a good thriller with a real sense of place and authentic-feeling characters, Boney Creek is your next read.

Books: Black Sun

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Black Sun by Owen Matthews is a gripping thriller that held my attention from the first page. Set in 1961 in the ultra-secret Soviet city of Arzamas-16, the story is set against a high-stakes project to build the world’s most powerful nuclear bomb. A young physicist dies under suspicious circumstances and KGB Major Alexander Vasin is sent to investigate, only to discover an elite city of scientists working in secret.

Black Sun by Owen Matthews

Black Sun is very well paced. The author crafts an easy-to-follow plot that pulled me along at just the right speed, building anticipation with each chapter. The plot alone made the book hard to put down and despite the inevitable Physics of nuclear bomb construction was never overwhelming or confusing. The characters are also impressively constructed. The author gives them just enough backstory to make them feel real and relatable without slowing the story. I found myself invested in each character’s motivations, which added an emotional depth to the story that’s rare in thrillers.

The book is based on a real event and the story, setting and characters feel authentic, capturing the atmosphere of paranoia and ambition that defined that era and culture.

Matthews has created a compelling, thoughtful novel, easily as good as and possibly better than Tom Rob Smith’s USSR-era books such as Agent 6. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Owen Matthews’ Black Sun and am excited to know that it is the first in a three-book series.

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Books: The ends of things

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The ends of things by Sandra Chwialkowska is a first-class read and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fast, easy read with easy-to-like characters, a charmingly unobtrusive setting and a twisty plot and excellent writing.

The ends of things by  Sandra Chwialkowska

I really enjoyed Laura as the main character (perhaps there’s a little of Laura in most of us) and found myself cheering her on from the beginning. Her desire to explore the world, but not having the courage to go alone felt relatable, so when she jumps at the chance to go on a romantic trip with her new-ish boyfriend (colleague – which must mean trouble, doesn’t Laura know the oldest rule?) Dave, I was rooting for Laura. And sure enough, Dave turns out to be a creep. I wasn’t at all keen on him, especially as the story progressed, and honestly, I was pretty disappointed he got away with all his shady behavior without any real consequences. There was definitely a moment where I thought he might’ve even been responsible for Diana’s disappearance. Diana was a single guest at the couples resort that Dave and Laura had come to for a few days of vacation.

Diana and Laura go hiking while Dave does work with the hotel owner/manager. Diana goes missing, there are creepy characters who make excellent suspects, the police are involved, Laura loses her job for contacting the police and initiating bad PR for the hotel which is a client of her and Dave’s law firm… Things aren’t looking good when Dave flies home without Laura, Luara is ‘requested’ by the police to stay on the island and seems to have made herself a suspect in Diana’s disappearance. Let’s leave the plot there in case I reveal too much.

Speaking of Diana, she remains a total enigma to me, but strangely, I’m okay with that. The mystery surrounding her really added to the story’s tension. Even though I was left with questions, her presence (and eventual absence) kept me hooked. Laura’s obsession with uncovering what happened to Diana felt so real and intense, and I loved how the seemingly perfect vacation turned into a nightmare where nothing was as it seemed.