A journal of crime fiction and occasional reviews.

And that is another one down. One step closer to a nice long weekend for me, although sadly, after some emergency surgery on the car - which has responded well and is feeling (sounding) much better, thank you - unless something changes drastically by Thursday, not to be spent at Bloody Scotland for the first time in what feels like forever. Looks like it will be a good one too. I think, mental health wise, I just need some down time without long travel, late nights and feeling like I have to perform to a certain standard of happiness and enthusiasm too, so there is that.

What a week. I mean, I only had to work for three day so that is a bonus. But what was just a trip to the theatre and a couple of days at home took an unexpected turn when Mandie and I decided to pull our planned weekend away forward. Next Monday is a Bank Holiday in the UK so the place we wanted to go was guaranteed to be busy. Plus the weather forecasts couldn't make their mind up so we decided that, whilst the weather was still in our favour, we would head out Friday instead.

Now that is what I call a week! I mean, most weeks are, obviously, weeks, but that one was pretty special. Firstly - only three days in work. Bonus. They were long days, admittedly, but worth it, for the freedom and laughter the end of the week brought. Because the weather was moderately kind, I even managed a few walks before work too, and it was lovely to see that the Swan's eggs finally hatched with the little fuzzies cygnets putting in a brief appearance or two. Not so much that I managed to get any decent pics - they were still all in the nest - but hope to remedy that in the week ahead…

You can often tell when a crime-fiction author has read Jordan Harper’s She Rides Shotgun, which won the Edgar Award for Best Debut Novel in 2017. Mention the title, and chances are good they’ll st…