Mike is the uninvited guest at Floyd’s tennis party; a spectral goth, in long flowing coat and taciturn demeanour, whose existence appears to be both real and unsettling. Yet Mike is a subconscious projection of Floyd’s hidden fears and unsaid truths; a figment of his imagination until this familiar face becomes more prophetic than make … Continue reading “Mike by Andrew Norriss”
Category: Oxford Link
Book reviews connected to Oxford
Broadcast by Liam Brown
1984 is fast forwarded into the televisual age as the sci-fi technology of the 21st century segues with the publicity hungry You Tube demographic to transform our private thoughts and dreams into public property. Winston Smith’s disguise has slipped to reveal David Callow, a willing victim of an experiment dreamt up by Xan Brinkley, a … Continue reading “Broadcast by Liam Brown”
Wildest of All by P K Lynch
Religion, broken relationships and untimely death provide the emotional speed bumps as Sissy careers seemingly out of control along the rocky road from innocent childhood to nascent maturity. Sitting in the passenger seat is Jude the tragically distant mother unable to put the brakes on her daughter’s descent into darkness, as she in turn struggles … Continue reading “Wildest of All by P K Lynch”
Skylarking by Kate Mildenhall
The lighthouse is a beacon of hope and source of protection for ships navigating the treacherous Cape waters but for Kate and Harriet this desolate outpost is a dreamy idyll where their youthful friendship is allowed to blossom untainted by the dangers and temptations of city life. In nineteenth century Australia the infrequent visits of … Continue reading “Skylarking by Kate Mildenhall”
Timed Out by Barbara Lorna Hudson
Retirement prompts Jane to realise that she has sailed largely unaffected through life’s emotionally rocky waters and unless she starts to embrace living the tides of time are likely to wash her away unnoticed. The mental stimulus of a career in the social services has left her feeling empty and her antidote is to embark … Continue reading “Timed Out by Barbara Lorna Hudson”
Sleeping Dogs by Thomas Mogford
Spike Sanguinetti’s name suggests a prickly optimist yet with the swagger of a handsome athlete his real character somehow transcends this superficial clash of appearance and personality. This disconnect in personal characteristics complements the plot’s diverse settings in which the soporific idyll of Corfu, synonymous with the inoffensive olive, locks horns with the apparently lawless … Continue reading “Sleeping Dogs by Thomas Mogford”
The Artificial Anatomy of Parks by Kat Gordon
An enigmatic title potentially lending itself to an obscure dissertation on the declining importance of greenspaces in modern day leisure does in fact subtly convey the emotional dissection of the Parks family seen through the eyes of Tallie, the daughter of a seemingly happy couple whose unquestioning love is replaced by only unanswered questions following a … Continue reading “The Artificial Anatomy of Parks by Kat Gordon”
The Sword of Moses by Dominic Selwood
The race for the Ark of the Covenant may seem a well worn fictional path but the prospect of stifling a yawn is initially rendered highly unlikely by a lead character whose occasionally comic book escapades would surely lend themselves to a more memorable soubriquet if this this story were ever transferred to the silver … Continue reading “The Sword of Moses by Dominic Selwood”
Office Politics by Oliver James
James Bond is unlikely to swap his gun for a word processor yet if , like him, you are able to squeeze the most out of your working environment by being ruthlessly self serving then you should be able to push aside any latter day Goldfingers to reach the top of the office pile. Oliver … Continue reading “Office Politics by Oliver James”
The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham
Fiona Griffiths possesses a razor sharp intellect professionally but can only display emotional detachment in her personal life. It is these character traits which both drive and constrain her in a quest to understand where she came from and the challenges she confronts in her police career. The author’s clear and methodical narrative mirror the … Continue reading “The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham”