If you are a budding writer or a professional writer, this book is for you.
Before I share the reasons why, let me tell you about the author, Bill Birchard, first.
When you visit his website, the third line you’ll see is this…
“BILL BIRCHARD HELPS YOU WRITE”
Books can be many things.
They can be a source of information, entertainment, or education.
But one of the things I appreciate about books is they are a provider of comfort in times when we are less motivated or sad.
When I feel down, these are my go-to books to feel better.
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Novelist, poet and scriptwriter, Gail Aldwin has been writing for over a decade. Her first two coming-of-age novels were runners-up in the Dorchester Literary Festival Writing Prize 2020 and 2022. Gail was awarded a creative writing PhD in 2018 and still laughs whenever she’s called Doctor. She has appeared at Bridport Literary Festival, Stockholm Writers Festival and the Mani Lit Fest in Greece. Her psychological suspense mystery The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is published by Bloodhound Books. Gail splits her time between a tiny flat in South West London and a home overlooking water meadows in Dorset.
BLURB
A true-crime podcaster investigates a decades-old suspected abduction, in this powerful psychological suspense novel.
1979 Sixteen-year-old Carolyn Russell grows increasingly infatuated with her school mathematics teacher who is also giving her private lessons. Then she disappears.
2014 Struggling journalist Stephanie Brett creates a true-crime podcast focused on the disappearance of Carolyn Russell. By digging deep into this mysterious cold case, her confidence and flagging career are boosted. But after she confronts the suspects—and talks to a potential witness—the leads dry up. However, Stephanie refuses to let the story rest . . .
Can a small-time journalist with a shoestring podcast really hope to reconstruct the ultimate fate of Carolyn Russell after all these years, or are some secrets best left buried?
‘Takes hold of the head and the heart and simply does not let go’ Jacquelyn Mitchard, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Good Son
‘Captures the zeitgeist for each period with telling accuracy’ Suzanne Goldring, bestselling author of My Name is Eva
‘A rare and thrilling book that manages to be thoughtful and intelligent’ Joanna Barnard, author of Hush Little Baby
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
QUOTES
Facebook was the last place she should be spending time when feeling like this: inadequate. - on Stephanie
There was something enigmatic about Carolyn’s smile but Stephanie couldn’t put her finger on it.
Dangerous activity. You never know what you might unearth. - Doug
I loved every minute of being needed. - Carolyn
Like magic, the answer flew from my lips. By the time we reached ten times nine, I let my touch linger on his pinky. The closeness of the moment held me in a trance. - Carolyn
WHAT I LOVED THE MOST
WHAT I LOVED THE LEAST
SUMMING-UP
Have you ever made a mistake many years ago that you still felt guilty about? Sometimes it’s hard to move on because you keep playing the mistake in your mind over and over again. Guilt could make you critical of yourself but it could also drive you to take action to make amends for your mistakes.
In Gail Aldwin’s new novel, The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell, Stephanie Brett, a journalist who felt guilty about misreporting the disappearance of Carolyn Russell in 1979, decided to set things straight. When she got the chance, she reinvestigated the cold case through a podcast. Decades later, no body had been found and no perpetrator had been indicted. Could she get more leads and ultimately solve the case? Could she redeem herself?
One of the things that I love about The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is its well-developed characters and plot. It is told from the alternating perspectives of Stephanie Brett and Carolyn Russell which made the story more interesting and relatable. Carolyn’s teenage angst, lack of maternal love and attention, and her propensity to fulfill this lack in dangerous ways build up the tension, while Stephanie’s journalistic skills, keenness, and bravery raise the anticipation of the next events. For me, strong characterization is one of Gail Aldwin’s strengths as a writer. She’s also able to nurture curiosity and excitement by throwing intriguing clues at the right places and in between multifaceted themes, which include the vulnerability of teenagers, family dynamics, the power of media, friendship, and social issues.
The novel contains an element of timeliness as well. The use of a podcast in revisiting the unsolved case gives the story a fresh perspective. Podcasts are common these days and they range from comedy to true crime. Listeners can download and listen to them anytime, anywhere. The author was inspired to write the book after listening to true crime podcasts in 2020 when she was in Uganda where she volunteered at a refugee settlement. In her novel, she showed how a podcast came to being and how it added more depth to the story.
As for the thrill and suspense, the intensity is on the mellow side but I still enjoyed the story because it made me form my own predictions along the way; predictions that turned out to be all wrong. The twist at the end was the most shocking and definitely the best part of the book.
I highly recommend The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell. It is a well-written, suspense novel that rips your heart in the beginning, then blows your mind in the end.
Thank you, Gail Aldwin and Bloodhound Books for the opportunity to read your book and share my honest thoughts.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Book Information:
The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell by Gail Aldwin
Published on July 3, 2023, by Bloodhound Books - crime, thrillers, and mysteries (3 July 2023)
310 pages (eBook)
Find it here:
The brain is the most complex organ in the human body and understanding its complexity probably turns you off.
Terms like the cerebrum, cerebellum, frontal cortex, and synapses may sound nerdy and incomprehensible but there's one professor and author who believes it doesn't have to be a struggle to appreciate the brain.
In fact, learning its functions and its implications on our thinking and actions can bring a positive impact on our lives.
Marc Dingman is a neuroscientist, professor, and writer. While he teaches health courses at Pennsylvania State University, on the side, he writes and creates videos on his website and YouTube channel about neuroscience, brain mechanism, and their effects on human behavior.
Bizarre is his second book.
The success of entrepreneurs lies in having the right mindset and attitude with which they need to face challenges and achieve their goals.
Success coaches, Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy, had this in mind as they laid out all the knowledge and strategies essential to entrepreneurs in their book, The Gap and The Gain. Both have been successful in personality development and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Benjamin Hardy is an organizational psychologist who authored six books and co-authored three books that tackle personal development and psychological factors that contribute to success. He initially blogged on Medium with more than 10 million reads. His work focuses on self-transformation and self-growth.
Dan Sullivan is an entrepreneurial coach who founded The Strategic Coach which helps entrepreneurs reach their greatest potential. He also authored over 50 publications and trained 30,000 entrepreneurs.
Both of them collaborated and wrote three books including The Gap and The Gain.
Progress is measured in two ways: the gap and the gain. Imagine a glass that is filled with water halfway through. When in the gap, the glass is seen as half empty; when in the gain, the glass is half full.
INTRODUCTION
Jason Fink wants to be a force for good in the world. To fulfill this, he uses his knowledge and influence as a writer even though his attention deficit disorder (ADD) is holding him back. He prefers writing short stories as novels take time; he tends to jump from one project to the next. Under his belt are several books with short stories. One of his books, Selected Stories, contains stories from different genres from sci-fi to romance.
OVERVIEW
Learn how to compose captivating short stories quickly with this book as you are guided through the writing process.
You are also going to be equipped with the right skills in coming up with story ideas and improving your craft.
The guide gives practical and effective tips and tools.
It is for everyone, regardless of writing experience.
The bonus section at the end of this book is a must-read for writers who are struggling with ADHD.
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
A single TikTok video blasted off Stone Maidens from an unknown mystery-thriller novel to a bestselling book in February 2023. The video has 55.2 million views as of this writing.
Out of love and respect for his father's endeavor to write his debut novel for 14 years, Marguerite Richards created a 16-second video showing his father, Lloyd Devereux Richards, sitting at his writing table, going through some papers, the song "Beautiful Boy" is playing in the background, and text on the screen is displaying the number of years it took him to write his debut novel and its commercial failure after publication.
Support from people accelerated as they were in awe of Richards' dedication to his craft, pushing Stone Maidens to bestseller status.
Lloyd Devereux Richards is a father, an author, a lawyer, and a globetrotter. He was born in New York City but worked as a lawyer in Vermont where he also looked after his three children.
He gained experience in the legal field as a Senior Law Clerk for an Indiana Court of Appeals judge, where he researched and wrote drafts for dozens of published opinions, including the appeal of a serial killer who was sentenced to death and subsequently electrocuted.
Before practicing law, Richards had been to many places in Europe, Africa, and Central America, enjoying journal writing and bird watching. He enjoys hiking, writing poetry, and sketching pen and ink drawings.
Together with her daughter, he appeared in many shows talking about the viral Tiktok video, how this video made him a bestselling author, and how his life was changed.
OVERVIEW
