“I’m not here for prestige. I’m here for revenge.”
When We Were Silent is an immersive, powerful and moving debut from Fiona McPhillips.
Lou Manson is a working-class girl given a swimming scholarship to the prestigious Highfield school. Despite her precarious position as an outsider, Lou – both as girl and woman – is challenged to expose the school’s systemic grooming and abuse of the teenage girls in its care.
The book draws attention to the prevalence of abuse in Irish swimming during the 1980s, and sheds light on the failure of authorities to protect vulnerable children from sexual predators.
This was a difficult read at times – the book aches with agonising injustices, with the joy and energy and potential snuffed out. With the frustration of being young and powerless.
The righteous anger leaps from the page – and you can’t help but be infected with it – but whilst it is harrowing at times, the writing is always authentic and sensitive, never prurient or exploitative.
The empowerment of older women to defend their younger selves – and their peers – particularly resonated with me. Me too, me too, me too…
This is the kind of book you’ll want to press into the hands of everyone you know.
Jo Callaghan’s debut novel, “In The Blink of an Eye,” plunges readers into a gripping narrative that skilfully navigates the intersection of human intuition and artificial logic, raising profound questions about what it truly means to be human.
DCS Kat Frank, a seasoned detective grieving the loss of her husband, is chosen to lead a groundbreaking pilot program, partnering her with an AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) named Lock. Their mission: to delve into cold cases involving missing persons: cases that will expose the contrast between Kat’s well-honed instincts and Lock’s unyielding logic.
When, this book ask, is it appropriate to follow your gut, and when does a hunch risk bias and clouded judgment?
Kat Frank is sharp and unapologetically resistant to her AI companion, at least to begin with. Her initial disdain for Lock sets the stage for a fascinating evolution of their relationship which steals the spotlight from the cases themselves as the story unfolds.
As a refreshingly original debut, it’s no surprise that “In The Blink of an Eye” earned a place on Val McDermid’s ‘New Blood’ panel at Harrogate. The novel offers a glimpse into a future where we have to navigate the sometimes uneasy alliance of human and artificial intelligence, to find the best of both worlds.
Did you know that February is National Library Lovers’ Month?
Visiting the library every weekend is one of my most vivid childhood memories.
I loved the whole deal – having my very own library card, choosing brand new stories, watching the librarian scan and stamp the books… You name it, I was hooked. I would trot home and start reading.
My mum always said it didn’t matter too much what we read. It was all about cultivating a love of books and giving us confidence in our reading abilities.
Libraries are for all of us
The library is one of the only public spaces we can occupy without an expectation that we’ll buy something, without a timer on our table.
Libraries bring people together and offer crucial resources on wellbeing, mental health and finance, to name but a few.
When I take my children to the library, something magical happens. They explore the type of books they might not pick up at home. They’re overjoyed to find new books in a beloved series or to revisit a forgotten favourite from when they were younger.
It’s incredible to watch them fall under the unique spell of books and to be lost in a good story without the distraction of screens or time pressures.
And when they see adults browsing and enjoying books too, it shows them that this is something worthwhile, worth emulating.
But with new books one click away online, it’s easy to fall out of the habit of using the library.
Here are 5 reasons to fall back in love with libraries
The free Libby app (UK) allows you to borrow ebooks, audiobooks and magazines from your library. You can stream titles or download them to read offline. All you need is your library card and an internet connection.
Many libraries have online collections, some of which are accessible from anywhere. You can find the British Library’s digital collections here.
Author events are a fantastic way to learn more about your favourite books and authors. We recently had Elly Griffiths, author of the Dr Ruth Galloway series, at a sell-out event.
Can’t find a new release? Many libraries will let you order newer titles online and then notify you when the book is ready for collection.
The Public Lending Right (PLR) remunerates authors for books borrowed from public libraries. In many cases, this is comparable to book sales from the larger distributors. And every author I knew grew up in a library(!) and is delighted that their book can be borrowed and enjoyed.
Do you love your library? Do you think it’s time to renew your library card and head back through the magical doors? Let me know! You can find me talking books on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Victoria Brown 