We have reached the end of August. Thank fluffy ducks for that. This week has been just awful The loss of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry. The devastation in Nepal. The first two are extremely sad, no question. Loss of two absolute icons on the very same day. But what has happened in Nepal ... Nature can be a cruel beast, and what we have witnessed this week is exceedingly brutal. That just makes me appreciate how lucky I am and my how my very first world problems are just minor niggles that I just need to get over and get on with.

And there we have it. Another month gone. July is here and we begin the slow count down to Christmas and the New Year. Don’t groan. They are closer now than they have ever been and the speed of time in directly impacted by how little you want it to pass, so if you embrace the holiday season the longer you have to get ready for it. Don’t blame me. It’s just physics (or something…). I haven't done a lot this week other than attended work, a management meeting and shopping, so here are some ducks etc from my morning walkies.

What a way to end a week. Just back from Capital Crime and it was an absolute blast. Some brilliant panels featuring fabulous authors, talking about their even more fabulous books. We started off in style with an afternoon tea on the Thursday, took in a couple of shows while in the city - The Devil Wears Prada and Titanique, both highly recommended - and may have returned home with a couple of extra books, and it was only a couple. I do have a lot more on the wish list now though so watch this space over the coming weeks I guess.

What a week. In a good way. Spent the first half of it on a much needed mini break to Copenhagen. My first time but feel I may well venture back sometime to explore a little more. We fit plenty in - walked over 52 miles and more than 133,000 steps over the four days - but lots we just didn’t have chance to see too.

Source: Review copyPublication: 13 March 2025 from Harvill SeckerPP: 384ISBN-13: 978-1787304031 My grateful thanks to Harvill Secker for an advance copy for review A RITUAL KILLING. AN ANCIENT CURS…

Here we are. March. Who'd a thunk it? Definitely feel like the year is passing too quickly, but not a bad thing as it means I also move closer to my holiday. Bring it on. Weird old week too. After my update last week about starting my new job, my old Manager asked me if I wanted my old job back.

That is another week over, and it's possibly the first time in a long time that I feel able to breathe. Having been informed about ten days before Christmas that I was due to be made redundant, I have just been offered a new role, again about ten days before I was due to finish the old one. A relief - yes.

Can you believe we are in the second half of January already? I have many reasons for wanting to see the back of this month, and a rather big one for wanting it to last as long as possible. But time never stands still and onward we march towards the month they call February. Can't even say that there is much to enjoy there to be honest as Easter is really late this year so even Pancake Day doesn't put in appearance until March!