I don’t know about you but I love cooking with wine as it feels very grown up! The combination of wine, cream and oil makes a deliciously golden sauce for pasta (or rice if you want).
This creamy vegan mushroom pasta was one of my favourite pasta sauce recipes before I went vegan so I am pleased that the range of vegan products now makes it suitable for my dietary needs.
Ingredients
splash of oil
25g plant based spread
200g chopped mushrooms
1 clove garlic or teaspoon garlic paste (optional)
75ml white wine
50ml plant based double cream (could substitute for plant based soft cheese or coconut cream)
Heat the oil in a pan and melt the spread.
Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until golden
Add the wine and increase the heat so it boils vigorously for 5-10 minutes until reduced.
Stir in the cream.
Serve with pasta.
This creamy vegan mushroom pasta sauce makes enough for 2-3 servings but will also keep in the fridge for a day or two on its own or mixed with the pasta.
A tragic love story set in Auschwitz between an SS officer and a Jewish woman he saved from the gas chambers. Based on a true story, Franz and Helena fall in love under the most unlikely circumstances, both risking death for this illicit love…
The Girl in the Striped Dress is the third book I have read from accomplished author Ellie Midwood. She manages to bring the horror and brutality of Auschwitz to life but never loses the human element to the stories she shares.
In this book the research is once again impeccable as the author tells a love story fraught with risks. In 1947 Franz Dahler faces a Denazification Trial and the key witness for his defence in his wife Helena. She was a Jewish inmate in Auschwitz but has she been coerced into marrying and supporting him?
Three perspectives are used to convey the plot: Helena and Franz in the first person during their time in the camp, and the third person at the trial with a focus on the psychiatrist. Through Helena’s eyes, we see her struggle with her emotions as she struggles to survive both physically and mentally with her circumstances. We do not see Franz’s viewpoint until the final part of the book and it shows how he was affected by the things he saw in the camp.
This book pulls no punches. The brutality and barbaric behaviour is descibed in detail and I had to put the book down several times to step away from the atrocities described within the pages. The characters are oh so human and this makes their choices more heart wrenching. I am haunted by the fact that Helena’s sister was saved at her request but her nephews went to their deaths alone.
The Girl in the Striped Dress is wonderfully terrible. The human tragedy is never shied away from and the book is both beautiful and terrifying. I have previously reviewed The Violinist of Auschwitz and The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz by Ellie Midwood.
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Book: The Girl in the Striped Dress
Author: Ellie Midwood
Pub Day: August 9th 2021
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About the Book:
Auschwitz, 1942: This unforgettable novel, based on a true story, brings to life history’s most powerful tale of forbidden love. Set within the barbed wire of Auschwitz, a man and a woman fall in love against unimaginable odds. What happens next will restore your faith in humanity, and make you believe in hope even where hope should not exist.
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispered, pressing a note into her hand. Her entire body trembled when she read it: I am in love with you.
Helena steps off the cattle train onto the frozen grounds of Auschwitz. She has twenty-four hours to live. Scheduled to be killed tomorrow, she is not even tattooed with a prison number. As the snow falls around her, she shivers, knowing that she has been sentenced to death for a crime she didn’t commit.
When a gray-clad officer marches towards Helena and pulls her away, she fears the worst. Instead, he tells her that it’s one of the guard’s birthdays and orders her to serenade him.
Inside the SS barracks the air is warm, thick with cigarette smoke and boisterous conversation. After she sings to the guard, Franz, he presses a piece of cake into her hands––the first thing she has eaten in days. On the spot, he orders her life to be saved, forever changing the course of her fate.
What follows is a love story that was forbidden, that should have been impossible, and yet saved both of their lives––and hundreds of others––in more ways than one.
Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Choice, and The Orphan Train will be utterly entranced by this unputdownable page-turner. This completely heartbreaking yet beautifully hopeful novel shows that love can survive anything and grow anywhere.
*Previously titled: Auschwitz Syndrome
Author Bio
Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author. She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl. Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it. After obtaining her BA in Linguistics, Ellie decided to make writing her full-time career and began working on her first full-length historical novel, The Girl from Berlin.’ Ellie is continuously enriching her library with new research material and feeds her passion for WWII and Holocaust history by collecting rare memorabilia and documents.
In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her fiancé and their Chihuahua named Shark Bait.
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Jo Hughes is teaching astrology at Alcott College in the Cotswolds. But her idyllic life is interrupted when she discovers the body of a colleague. It appears that Seb killed himself but Jo isn’t convinced. Then a second colleague goes missing. She contacts her old friend and colleague private investigator David Macy to help look into the death and find her friend…
The Hanged Man is the fourth book in the Jo Hughes series by Linda Mather. It is the first book by this author that I have read. Jo’s life has taken a different direction since she left the private investigation work. There are no references to events or cases in previous books although Jo and David obviously have history.
Jo’s interest in astrology threads through the book especially as there are tarot cards left as clues. I liked this element of the book as it felt quite unique and gave Jo’s character an authenticity due to her human interest in the unknown.
The start of the book is quite slow in pace and it took me a little while to get into the plot as not much happens while the characters develop. The death of Seb and disappearance of Nathan happen early on and Jo tries to investigate alone with little success before finally calling in Peter Macy.
The almost uncomfortable friendship between Jo and David hints at earlier events and I felt there were unresolved issues between them. Meanwhile in terms of the main plot focus, professional relationships seem to have simmered with resentment. Money appears to have been an issue for the college and forms the basis for Jo’s investigation.
The Hanged Man carefully builds up the mystery and suspense of the case and has likeable lead characters.
THE HANGED MAN by Linda Mather
MEET YOUR NEW FAVOURITE PRIVATE DETECTIVE AND ASTROLOGER, JO HUGHES.
Perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Frances Lloyd, LJ Ross, Kristin Wright, or Richard Osman.
Jo Hughes is living a peaceful existence in the gorgeous Cotswolds countryside. She’s looking forward to her weekly glass of wine and catch-up with Aoife, her boss at Alcott College.
But the women find more than they bargained for at their cosy treehouse spot.
Swinging gently in the warm summer breeze is a man hanging from a branch.
It’s Seb, the college financial director. What could have driven him to this?
Jo discovers that the financial situation at the college is dire. But she’s not convinced that Seb killed himself. The question is, though, if he didn’t — who did?
She calls up David Macy, her old private investigator colleague, and the two get to work on the case.
But things go from bad to worse when Jo realises her partner Teddy may also be implicated in the going-on.
Can she read the signs and uncover the truth?
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT LINDA MATHER:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This series is getting better as it goes. Book 3 kept me up all night and I find Jo a very relatable, sympathetic and realistic character. Please keep them coming!” Laura
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The suspense builds up really well and I enjoyed the astrological slant to the story. Jo is a very real and relatable character and I absolutely love her will-they-won’t-they relationship with Macy. More please!!” A. Francis
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Fantastic read. Very well written. Great believable plot. Can’t wait for next book.” Julie
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Always interested in a good mystery. Love the subject matter.” M. Palmer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I found this book an easygoing read. Having said that I was unable to stop reading. Looking forward to the next book.” A. N. Davey
“There are twists and turns in this mystery . . . the characters are interesting.” A reader in the US
“Interesting, fun characters . . . fun to read.” Big Fan
ALSO BY LINDA MATHER
THE ZODIAC MYSTERIES SERIES
Book 1: FORECAST MURDER
Book 2: A SIGN FOR MURDER
Book 3: MURDER AS PREDICTED
Book 4: THE HANGED MAN
Detective Katie Scott is called upon to investigate a series of cold case murders that have been occurring once a year. Time is up and another murder takes place before the team can get very far looking at the old cases. The murders take on a personal note for Katie when she realises there is a link with the dog handling division of the military: could she be in danger?
Pretty Broken Dolls is the 6th book to feature ex military K9 handler Katie Scott and her dog Cisco as well as her partner McGaven and uncle Wayne who is the sheriff.
Katie is suspicious of Special Agent Dane Campbell who hands over the case but seems to be holding back information and possibly even leading her into danger. There is a very uncomfortable atmosphere to the book as Katie’s life is put in jeopardy a couple of times and she doesn’t trust the agents in charge of the original case.
Katie is also out of sorts as her fiance has left town to follow his dream career, leaving her to wonder about their relationship. Her PTSD seems to be at risk of taking over and she feels overwhelmed several times. Cisco appears early on in the book but I was missing him in the second half!
The murders are grisly and the detail of the grotesque make up and staging of the victims is unpleasant, especially for the chapters that describe the discovery of the bodies which share the emotional response of the person who finds them. The book does include forensic details about the crime scenes and victims but these are portrayed objectively as clues.
Pretty Broken Dolls book description:
In the thin light of the moon, the woman’s limp body hangs from the iron fence amongst the redwoods. Looped over the railings is the little gold locket her mother gave her when she turned sixteen. The picture of the girl inside smiles out at a future she’ll never see…
As day breaks over the fairground, Detective Katie Scott forces herself to take in another disturbing scene in front of her. A woman, the same age as her, found slumped in the carriage of the Ferris wheel, red lipstick dragged across her lips, her throat cut.
Katie doesn’t want to believe that the serial killer picking off women across the state has found their way to the small town of Pine Valley, California, but when her team finds a gold engagement ring hanging nearby, it’s a terrifying, but undeniable fact.
With a twisted killer on her doorstep, Katie knows if she doesn’t act fast, she’ll find more women left out in the cold like broken dolls. Her team hit dead end after dead end, but only she can see the vital link between the victims: a connection with Katie herself.
Katie has spent years pushing traumatic memories of her years in the military far out of reach, but she must confront them now or more innocent women will die. But as the killer circles closer and closer to Katie, what if the only answer is to give him what he wants? There must be another way…
Warning – This absolutely unputdownable thriller will keep you up all night! Fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh better hold on tight for a nail-biting rollercoaster ride!
Author Bio:
Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells.
In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.
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A barmaid is found dead, her jewellery stolen. An abused wife with mental health issues goes missing, leaving behind only a pool of blood. DS Helen Carter, a tenacious cop in an era when women were treated as inferior, is determined to find the missing woman and solve the murder.
The Evidence is the second book by Jodie Lawrance to feature Helen Carter (I have reviewed The Uniform previously). There are some mentions of events in the previous book as well as character relationship developments.
Helen remains a determined cop despite the continued misogyny amongst her colleagues. Again I was strongly reminded of Life on Mars TV series due to the attitudes of the police and public towards female officers.
In her personal life, Helen’s ex Ted is still on the scene hoping for a reconciliation whilst her colleague Terry also seems interested but his ex keeps turning up. Helen doens’t really want either of them! Her superior officer Jack Craven has a personal health issue as well as angst with his ex wife.
The murder investigation plays second fiddle to the missing woman case as they fear for her safety and have more clues to work on. There were plenty of suspects acting suspiciously including one connected to Craven which further exacerbates his personal situation.
Once again Edinburgh and the 1970s were brought to life through the writing style. The use of accents in the dialogue brought the characters to life and the setting gave the novel a realism that readers can relate to.
The Evidence is an enjoyable police and crime drama novel.
THE EVIDENCE (Detective Helen Carter #2) by Jodie Lawrance
SHE’S OUT OF UNIFORM BUT SHE’S STILL IN THE LINE OF FIRE.
Introducing the stunning follow-up in a thrilling new Scottish crime series starring Detective Helen Carter.
A young barmaid is found dead. She was murdered on her way home from work to look after her sick son.
Then another woman, Moira McKenzie, goes missing. All that’s left behind is a pool of blood and shattered glass.
Someone is terrorizing the women of Edinburgh and Detective Helen Carter means to stop them.
Helen is certain that Moira’s library records hold the key to her disappearance. But now she must convince her boss, Detective Inspector Jack Craven. And he doesn’t listen to her at the best of times . . .
Then another woman who suffered a similar attack to the murdered barmaid comes forward.
Helen knows the race is on to find Moira alive.
Fans of Ashes to Ashes, Caro Ramsay, Helen H. Durrant, J.D. Kirk, Angela Marsons, Rachel McLean, Val McDermid and Alex Gray will love this retro Scottish crime series set in the 1970s.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT JODIE LAWRANCE’S DEBUT NOVEL, THE UNIFORM:
“[Jodie Lawrance] is a writer to take note of right now. In terms of style and content it will appeal to fans of Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Christopher Brookmyre, but there is something else going on. With the action starting at a rapid pace from the off, and not letting up till the last page, you could read it as a straightforward crime novel and you will not be disappointed.” Scots Wae Hae magazine
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Such a great debut story. I loved it and can’t wait till the next one . . . Recommended for anyone who wants a new detective story to get into.” Michelle
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A promising start from an exciting new author. It’s a police procedural based in Scotland, set in the 1970s. Featuring newly promoted Detective Helen Carter, it’s well researched into attitudes towards women at that time. An addictive read, cleverly plotted. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.” Carol
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Wow! I devoured this book in literally one sitting. This was a fast-paced thriller. With amazing characters. I’m so excited to have another book to look forward to reading! I’m hoping it’s released sooner than later! Can’t wait!” Rubie
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This is a good start to a new series and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.” Barbara
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I thoroughly enjoyed The Uniform, which is a good start to a new series.” Elaine
MEET THE DETECTIVE
Detective Sergeant Helen Carter is used to getting a rough time of it at work. As one of the few women officers around, she has heard it all before: she’s only there as a box-ticking exercise, or she only got the job because of her father, who was a detective inspector. But she can handle it. She knows she can hold her own against any man on the force. The only thing she can’t handle, however, are the constant fights with her fiancé, Ted.
THE SETTING
Edinburgh CID in the 1970s is on the third-floor of the ugly, modern concrete lump that is the police station. On a sunny day, you can look right out to Arthur’s Seat. And on any day, you can see spotty-faced, bored teenagers coming and going from the local high school across the road. With its historic cobbled streets and fair share of deprivation, Edinburgh police are up against every type of criminal imaginable.
JODIE LAWRANCE
Jodie graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2018 with an MA in Creative Writing. When not writing, she is also an actress and has appeared in a variety of television, stage and film.
She’s also a contributor for BBC The Social.
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