Synopsis A KILLER IS WAITING ON CORNWALL’S DARKEST SHORE… When DI Ben Kitto sees a baby thrown into Penzance Harbour, he prays it’s a trick of the light. But the threat is real. The child survives …

When Ben Kitto discovers the body of a young woman, buried near the ruins of an old isolation hospital on the island of St Helen's, he is ...

After last week’s epic book journey, it is almost inevitable that this week would be quieter. A lot quieter. I had some time off work in addition to the Bank Holiday - bonus - so I was able to read, but as for physical or digital books, a lot less of those. I fed the ducks and swans, I ate far too much food.

And another week is done. I am quite happy about that for many reasons, but also a little worried. How are we beyond the halfway point of the seventh month of the year? I am the only one who feels like things are just getting away from them? I feel behind on reading (not that reading is a race or a burden, but it still feels like I'm doing it wrong), behind on reviews, behind on life and it's probably hormonal (I'm of that age) but everything just feels kind of, well, gah right now.

Orenda Books 23 September 2025 The Isles of Scilly Mysteries #8 My thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book and Random Things Tours f...

A pilgrimage to a holy place leads to a shocking revelation

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.

Today I'm sharing my thoughts on Hangman Island, book seven in the Isles of Scilly series by Kate Rhodes. I love these books but have to admit I've been more of a dipper in and outer of it than strictly reading in order. As book eight is set to be published later this month, I figured I needed to catch back up.

Well that is it, I guess. We may as well kiss September goodbye. It's near as not over and done with, and as I am on a training course for the next three days (lucky me) I will do nothing of particular note in the coming days. I still have time to complete another book though, so I'm not writing off my reading month just yet, but definitely nowhere near 20 books this time around.

Not going to beat around the bush this week. Been busy at work all week, barely felt like picking up a book in the evening (not the book's fault, it was fascinating - all me). Not been anyway, weather ropey so I haven't had much time for walking and it really has just been one of those weeks when I have no idea what I am doing or how it is 1/4 of the way into September already.

And just like that, August is no more. Christmas chocolates are in the stores (did I blink and miss Halloween?), and I can no longer avoid doing a thing I don’t really want to do. On the plus side, Christmas chocolates are in the stores (I love Puds) and last week’s Bank Holiday was, against all the odds, hot and sunny so I went to the zoo.

OKay. That week disappeared far too quickly. I mean, I enjoyed my time off work. Plenty of walking, went to the Exotic Zoo and when to see Six: The Musical at the cinema again, but still. What the heck and how the heck are we back at Monday?

And another week has ended, flying by in what has been, quite frankly, a bit of a blur. Work is a little odd at the moment, for a variety of reasons. Not bad odd, but busy and potentially taking unexpected turns. Makes the days pass quickly though, I guess. I have a run of half days and days off the next few weeks, aided by the Bank Holiday at the end of the month too, so looking forward to them.

And just like that August is here. Hello August. Weird start to the month, mostly because of work, but that's another story entirely and nothing to do with books, so we shall move on. Didn't do much due to a full on week in the office. Did manage to submit my training draft portfolio off on time and had pretty positive feedback from my Coach so I'll take that.

DI BEN KITTO RETURNS… A SACRED ISLAND Winter storms lash the Isles of Scilly, when DI Ben Kitto ferries the islands’ priest to St Helen’s. Father Michael intends to live as a pilgrim in the ruins of an ancient church on the uninhabited island, but an ugly secret is buried among the rocks. Digging frantically in the sand, Ben’s dog, Shadow, unearths the emaciated remains of a young woman.