Like many, I adored DuMaurier’s Rebecca and have read it more than once. After reading Rebecca for the first time, I read other DuMaurier titles including My Cousin Rachel, Frenchman’s Creek and Jamaica Inn. I’ve also seen some of the movies and streaming adaptations of this author’s titles.
All that said, I had never read any of DuMaurier’s short stories. This collection is a great place to start or expand one’s knowledge of this author’s eerie talent. I was quite struck by The Blue Lenses. Anyone who has had eye surgery will surely have something to think about here.
Some of these stories are really quite creepy. If that appeals, this book is for you! I know that many will enjoy it. I was quite struck by the blue lenses. Anyone who has had eye surgery will surely have something to think about here.
Note that there is an introduction by Stephen King. It is well worth reading.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for this title. All opinions are my own.
This book was published in September 2025
What it’s about:
from the publisher
From Daphne du Maurier, “a writer of fearless originality” (The Guardian), comes a collection of her thirteen most mesmerizing tales—including iconic stories such as “The Birds” and “Don’t Look Now”—with an introduction by Stephen King.
Daphne du Maurier is best known for Rebecca, “one of the most influential novels of the 20th century” (Sarah Waters) and basis for Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic film adaptation. More than thirty-five years after her death, du Maurier is celebrated for her gothic genius and stunning psychological insight by authors such as Ottessa Moshfegh, Maggie O’Farrell, Lucy Foley, Gillian Flynn, Jennifer Egan, and countless others, including Stephen King and Joe Hill.
After Midnight brings together some of du Maurier’s darkest, most haunting stories, ranging from sophisticated literary thriller to twisted love story. Alongside classics such as “The Birds” and “Don’t Look Now,”—both of which inspired unforgettable films—are gems such as “Monte Verità,” a masterpiece about obsession, mysticism, and tragic love, and “The Alibi,” a chilling tale of an ordinary man’s descent into lies, manipulation, and sinister fantasies that edge dangerously close to reality. In “The Blue Lenses,” a woman recovering from eye surgery finds she now perceives those around her as having animal heads corresponding to their true natures. “Not After Midnight” follows a schoolteacher on holiday in Crete who finds a foreboding message from the chalet’s previous occupant who drowned while swimming at night. In “The Breakthrough,” a scientist conducts experiments to harness the power of death, blurring the line between genius and madness.
Each story in this collection exemplifies du Maurier’s exquisite writing and singular insight into human frailty, jealousy, and the macabre. She “makes worlds in which people and even houses are mysterious and mutable; haunted rooms in which disembodied spirits dance at absolute liberty” (Olivia Laing, author of Crudo). Daphne du Maurier is mistress of the sleight of hand and slow-burning menace, often imitated and rarely surpassed.
“Taken together, the 13 tales in After Midnight offer every shade of eerie. Du Maurier’s best stories here also affirm that art remains one of the few reliable forms of immortality.” —Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air
“Du Maurier is an expert invoker of atmosphere and environment… spellbinding… These stories are the work of a protean, restless, and rather dangerous spirit with a decidedly pagan bent and a craving for solitude. The stories in After Midnight are wild at heart, like the woman who made them.” —Laura Miller, Slate
“A delicious title. An iconic writer. A compendium of her finest gothic tales. After Midnight brings together some of du Maurier’s most celebrated shorter works of psychological terror.” —LitHub
“Du Maurier’s stories have aged extraordinarily well and can still fill modern readers with dreadful unease.” —Library Journal, starred review
This book is one that an adult and child can (and should) share. It could lead to helpful discussion. In this short title, the author invites children to be curious about their emotions and to learn how to identify them.
She encourages children to name emotions and to think of when they may have felt them. She also suggests keeping a “detective” notebook in which to keep track.
Recognizing, as the child does here, what boredom looks like, they become more able to think of how to respond. Several different emotions are depicted in these pages including curious, excited, confused and more. I like that the author observes that emotions change over the course of the day.
Learning to recognize and regulate emotions is a helpful skill that will last a lifetime. Through this cheerfully illustrated title, children will be encouraged to do this.
The book also comes with a helpful note to the adult in a child’s life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Free Spirit Publishing for this title. All thoughts are my own.
Pub date: 09 December 2025
About the book:
From the publisher
Teach children to recognize curiosity, boredom, and confusion
In I Know Curious, a young feelings detective looks for clues to identify curiosity, boredom, and confusion in himself and others. The boy feels bored sitting in a theater and waiting for a movie to start. He feels confused when the show starts because it isn’t a movie like he expected—it’s a magic show! He feels curious watching the magician perform amazing tricks. By noticing the clues in his own body—bouncy legs, a fast heartbeat, raised eyebrows—the feelings detective can also recognize when his family members feel the same way.
Sometimes feelings can overwhelm us. I Know Curious helps readers develop skills they can use in these moments to feel better. To cope with boredom, the characters play games and even put on their own magic show. I Know Curious:
Teaches children to recognize curiosity, boredom, and confusion from clues in their bodies
Introduces the concept of a feelings detective notebook to help build emotional awareness, intelligence, and skills
Gives child-friendly ideas for coping with overwhelming emotions
Offers strategies for caregivers on helping children identify and manage big feelings
The six books in the We Find Feelings Clues series help children learn how to use their bodies’ clues and their past experiences to identify and name their feelings and those of others. Clues are found in facial expressions and body language, sensations within the body, and knowledge of past experiences. After identifying an emotion, children also learn how they can feel better when their emotions are overwhelming. Each book follows a child using a feelings detective notebook to record feelings through drawings and words, as well as information on recognizing and dealing with the book’s featured feelings. The books can stand alone or be used together as a classroom companion to Lindsay N. Giroux’s professional resource, Create an Emotion-Rich Classroom.
It is hard to believe that this is Kristen Perrin’s first novel. She writes with an assured hand and keeps readers turning the pages in her take on a traditional mystery.
The story-Frances Adams was a teen growing up in the sixties when she went to see a fortune teller. She was given a very detailed and particular warning of things to watch out for. Much of her subsequent life was spent trying to evade her own death by nefarious means. On this night, Frances was with her friends Emily and Rose. They have roles to play in the story.
Frances had a niece and grandniece who are living an eccentric London life as the story opens. When Annie is summoned to meet with Frances’s lawyer in the small town where Frances has an estate, off she goes. There she meets Walt, the attorney and his relative, Oliver. She also encounters the annoying Elva and her family.
Not a spoiler because this happens early in the story, Frances is found dead. Who will inherit her money? Who killed her? Find out in this very enjoyable novel.
It is easy to recommend this title. Hopefully, Ms. Perrin will keep writing twisty, fun mysteries.
Many thanks to Penguin Group-Dutton for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 26 March 2024
From the Publisher
A Jimmy Fallon’s Book Club Finalist for 2024
AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
A GMA Buzz Pick!
One of Amazon’s Top 10 Best Books of April, One of Jimmy Fallon’s favorite books for Spring 2024, The Top LibraryReads pick for March 2024, A Publishers Marketplace 2024 BuzzBook
Named most anticipated by: Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, BookRiot, BookBub, The Nerd Daily, Shelf Reflection, Novel Suspects, Borrow Read Repeat, The Everygirl, The Scout Guide, The Real Book SpyA
“The pace is quick, the red herrings are plentiful, and Annie’s growth from timid wannabe writer to confident sleuth is beautifully rendered. Combining elements of Agatha Christie, Anthony Horowitz, and Midsomer Murders, this is a richly entertaining whodunit from a promising new talent.”—Publishers Weekly
“Perrin juggles characters and clues with aplomb, sketching in the past via teen Frances’ journals and immersing readers in the present through Annie’s determined, good-hearted point of view. Readers will root for her as she gains hard-won confidence in this entertaining exploration of family secrets.”—BookPage
The NYT published a booklist not long ago and this title was on it. Encouraged by someone I know, I finally read this long and immersive novel.
A simple description of the plot-a boy and hismother are at The Met when there is an explosion. Theo’s mother is killed. Theo, without fully meaning to, finds himself in possession of the famous Goldfinch painting. The book is about what happens from that point on.
The novel is rich with characters. To name a few, start with Boris. He is a schemer and survivor who becomes Theo’s friend. There are the females in nTheo’s life, especially Pippa (whom he adores) and upper class Kitsey, sister of close friend Andy. Also important is father figure Hobie. All this just scratches the surface in a book with many people.
There are also many places including. New York, Las Vegas and Amsterdam. All are important to Theo, the painting and the plot.
This is a modern Dickensian novel. I am still thinking about how it ended.
Blog readers, what was your opinion on this one? I would love to know.
Before picking this book up, I did not know that there was such a thing as “culinary therapy.” I can see now how it makes sense as one tool for self-help. In these pages the author hopes to help lessen the anxiety level of those who pick up this interactive title.
This book is written by a social worker who is passionate about her subject. Ohana offers an eight week plan in which she connects cooking, self-reflection and mindfulness in interesting ways.
To give a sense of what is inside. A couple of chapter headings are week four’s Marinate on Mindfulness and week seven’s Self-Esteem, Julia Child Here I Come.
While this book most definitely has recipes, they are in the service of the goal of lessening anxiety and being happier. There is much more written than the recipes in these pages. There are also many journal pages for self-reflection.
I recommend this book more to those who are looking for a way to cope than to those who are looking for a straight recipe book. It may be of service to those who are willing to take the eight weeks and then see how they feel and what good things they have eaten.
Many thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press US-Sheldon Press for this title. All thoughts are my own.
Pub date: 20 November 2025
My thoughts:
About the book:
From the publisher
Many of us are consumed each and every day with stress and the daily struggles of life. How do I take care of myself, make time for friends, and still prioritize my health and wellbeing? How do I get all my daily tasks done without feeling like a stressed-out lunatic?
The good news is the answer is already within reach. Take a moment to consider the last time you rolled up your sleeves in the kitchen and finally took the first bite of the food you’ve been craving. Do you remember the satisfaction, the feeling of accomplishment? This is exactly what can lead to lower anxiety. And we have a wealth of opportunities each and every day to try it out.
Cooking Your Way to a Calm Mind is an empowering guide to cook your way to less anxiety, more confidence, and a happier life-whether you are comfortable in the kitchen or a nervous newbie-from a licensed social worker and expert in culinary therapy. Each week, we’ll focus on developing a specific life skill linked to reducing anxiety and tackle a recipe designed to help you learn and master this skill. You’ll find the kitchen is the perfect setting to practice:
Mindfulness Problem-solving Communication Time management and stress management And more!
Advance Praise
“As you read, learn, and cook your way to calm—I promise you’re in the best hands.
This cookbook will help you recognize the value in spending time in the kitchen. Whenever I have a stressful day at work or I’m feeling anxious, making dinner at the end of a long day is my time to unwind, relax, slow down, and reconnect with myself and my family. As soon as I begin, my two-year-old son scoots his toddler tower up to the counter to watch what “Mama” is doing.
As Julie so importantly emphasizes, cooking is an incredible way to express your inner creativity. Personally, I don’t measure anything when I cook. Just like a dancer improvising a routine, I freestyle my way through every meal I make. With practice, you too, will learn that cooking can be one of the most calming and creatively fulfilling experiences in your day—and with Julie as your guide, you will become a master.” – Danielle Brown (Founder of HealthyGirl Kitchen and two-time The New York Times bestselling author)
From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Julie has been cooking all her life. A passion of hers since childhood, it started while baking family recipes with her grandmother. Later, Julie discovered a second love- helping people through therapy. She went on to get her in BA in Counseling from SUNY Empire State College and earned her MSW from Yeshiva University.
A recognized expert in culinary art therapy, Julie has been featured in media outlets all over the world including The Huffington Post, Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health Magazine, CNN, The Washington Post, and the TV show The Doctors.
Currently, Julie lives in Michigan with her husband (who also happens to be an outstanding cook) and two sweet children.
From the award-winning author of Herc, an enrapturing feminist tale that brilliantly reimagines the story of Aphrodite and how she transformed herself, from a lowly outsider to the darling goddess of love, for readers of Madeline Miller and Jennifer Saint.
Aphrodite saw the gods on Mount Olympus and decided she wanted a piece of what they had. Only problem is, she’s not a goddess, just a lowly being supposed to remain in a distant cave, keeping the threads of Fate woven neatly. But Aphrodite’s never let anyone tell her what to do…
Weaving herself a web of lies and careful deceptions, she convinces everyone she’s the goddess of love whose rightful place is among the Olympians, who lord it over everyone else at the top of the world, but under the stifling rule of Zeus. For the first time she has the best of everything, and friends, peers, even loved ones. Only being a goddess isn’t quite like she thought. Those who oppose Zeus tend to disappear, or worse. And one day, Aphrodite decides she’s had enough…
Start reading:
Aphrodite I
I’m a liar, to begin with.
Well, if I’m being exceedingly honest with you – and I am trying – I was nothing at all, to begin with. Then I was my father’s testicles. Then the weaver of Fate itself, which is when the lying started. After that, it all got a bit complicated.
I was the daughter of Ouranos. The daughter of Zeus. The daughter of no one at all. A winner, a loser, though never much in between. The world standard of beauty and a crone, both. Olympus’ very own it-girl. Maybe the worst wife in all of history. A lover, a friend, a co-conspirator. A snitch. Selfless – once or twice. A bitch – more than twice. A monster, a villain, a victim – if you must. A good mother, a bad mother, a really bad mother. Lonely and famous and beloved and alone. Precious and worthless. A rival, a cheat. Afraid, often, and terrifying, also often. Oh, and I started a war. That’s very important.
The goddess Aphrodite. I was that too. I don’t think I am
anymore. Look, it’s all very knotted. Maybe I should start from the beginning.
First, there was Chaos, which meant something different then to what it does now. The time of Chaos was empty. It was a blank canvas for the optimists and an endless sinkhole for the pessimists. It was a time of absolutely nothing. I suppose I was nothing then, but we all were, so I won’t hold that against her.
Chaos was empty, until she met Nyx. I like to think that the two of them were in love, but I’ve never met my grandmothers, so I can’t say for certain. The two of them created the earth and the seas and the sky, and they had three children to gift them to.
Their daughters received the sea and the earth, and they were happy with them.
Their son wasn’t, as is the way of youngest children. He wanted to be the king of a world consisting of only five people, so they let him.
My father, given the world like a toy so he’d play nicely with his sisters. I suspect he was spoiled rotten, but then I quite like being spoiled, myself. And he did ask, before he took. He spoke with such conviction about the glittering future he would bring, the life he would spread across this world, that they believed him.
Ouranos became the first king of this world. He took his sister to be his wife and he made good on his promises. Together – let’s not give him all the credit; he didn’t carry their children – they filled the world with life. They brought forth the Titans, beings more powerful than even they were, who could control the elements around them more easily than breathing. And they brought forth the Cyclopes, and the Hecatonchires – the hundred-handed ones – who Gaia loved and who did not ask for power, only a life, which meant Ouranos did not respect them. He thought them irrelevant to the world, because they didn’t demand to own it. They lived between the oceans and created beautiful wonders with all the energy they saved from fighting.
I don’t know how many children they had together. It doesn’t matter. All that really matters is it was one child too many.
It’s always the youngest son who has the most to prove.
Their youngest was a Titan, Cronus. He wanted to be king too, only Ouranos wasn’t like his mothers. He didn’t want to give up what was his.
Cronus asked for power; his father said no. Cronus did not ask a second time.
So the world came to know a new word: war.
It didn’t last long, that first war. It couldn’t. All the Titans could be counted on fingers and toes.
Cronus armed himself. He went to the Cyclopes and asked for their support. He promised them positions in his new order, new lives beneath the sun instead of deep below the sea. He told them he would respect them as their father never did. And he let their conversation be heard just enough to build fear in his father.
It’s a bold strategy, to tell your enemy that you’re coming, but it works well with the men in my family. They’re so afraid of it, it eats away at them, into their very bones, and they forget that they’re anything other than the position they hold.
Ouranos ordered the Cyclopes sent to Tartarus, a prison in the underworld he’d had to create personally, because one had never been needed before.
(It’s a problem when you’re an immortal fighting other immortals. You have to be careful about who you piss off because there’s no getting rid of them. They’ll be there, hating you. Forever.)
How Cronus himself escaped being tied up in proto-damnation is beyond me, but he did. I suspect his mother helped. He promised her – how they promise! – he would free her sons, bring them to the power they deserved. When Cronus was king, everyone would live equally in a utopia, just below him.
He had his people behind him. He had his shining vision for the future. He had the weapons and the belief. It was only a matter of time.
He followed his father across the land, over the oceans, waited for the perfect storm to be whipping around them, for winds too loud for words – I know that for certain. I made my entrance soon enough.
I think it’s unlikely they’d have had much to chat about, anyway. When you get to weapons at dawn, what do you say?
I want power!
No, me!
No, me!
They were both armed, but Cronus’ reach was longer. That’s been true of every new generation I’ve seen, that they’re just a little bigger than their parents, trying to prove they’re better in the most
pointless of ways.
Cronus carried a sickle. I don’t know what my father’s weapon was. He lost.
There was no point in aiming to kill. There never has been, for us. Instead, Cronus thought of the worst shame he could possibly imagine, and he castrated his father.
Chopped his balls off.
De-testicled him.
I’ve heard every possible variation of the phrase, some with great solemnity and some with a snigger, and I’ve never been able to explain why I’m not laughing.
I can tell you now, though.
Those balls were me.
I grew from them. I was born from them. They were me and I am them and that will always be the truth. That is my beginning.
I made my debut at the end of the first great war, in a storm unlike any other, as the world turned itself upside down trying to find its way in the new order. All of this is true, yet my birth is reduced to a punchline.
I hid it for so long, not wanting my entire existence to be reduced to one man’s shame, but I’m over that now. I’m much more famous than him, after all.
I’ve always wondered how Cronus managed to castrate him so neatly. It was only my father’s testicles that made me – call my knowing that feminine intuition, if you want – but Cronus used a sickle.
How? Were they hanging so low? Was Ouranos’ stance so wide because he needed the world to see his mighty balls? What possible physical arrangement leads to one man being able to castrate another with a weapon made for cutting wheat?
Cronus would have had to practise, but he can’t have. Surely he had better things to do in the war, and I’ve met some of his generals. I can’t imagine them offering themselves up for the chop.
That one is a mystery for the ages, I’m afraid, but it doesn’t matter, because now I’m here. That’s it. All of the relevant history before I arrived. Done.
Cronus lifted his arms in mighty victory and bellowed so that all around him could cheer and crown him the new king of everything. Like his father, he went home and married his sister, ready to fill the world with people who looked just like him.
Ouranos, newly ball-less, gave an anguished cry.
‘You think yourself so smart, so powerful, but one day you will be just like me, dethroned by your own children.’
Cronus looked at his father’s crotch. ‘I will never be just like you, will I?’
He ordered Ouranos tied and bound in Tartarus, that prison of his own making, never to be seen again.1
So distracted were they by their respective shouting that the testicles fell into the ocean, instantly swallowed by the swells of the waves, pulled down into utter blackness, presumed lost.
Wrong.
1 For a certain value of never. We are immortals, after all. —A
Phoenicia Rogerson is the award-winning author of Herc, which won the 2024 Somerset Maugham Award for young writers and was chosen as one of Waterstones’ Best Books of the Year in 2023. Though she is altogether mortal with a rather less checkered past than Hercules, she’s had a lifelong infatuation with Greek mythology and is greatly enjoying being able to claim her book purchases are for work. She lives in London.
From the Publisher:
Note:
Many thanks to everyone at HTP for this blog tour invite. I look forward to continuing to read this title. It fits in beautifully with a class that I am taking on the Iliad and other ancient readings and interpretations.
by Marie O’Regan; Paul Kane; C.L. Taylor; J. T. Ellison; David Bell; Sarah Hilary; Claire McGowan; Fiona Cummins; Angela Clarke; Alexandra Benedict; Susi Holliday; Tina Baker; Sam Carrington; Liz Mistry; Tom Mead
Thinking about buying a Christmas themed mystery book for someone you know…or yourself? Look no further. This is a fun anthology with a holiday flair.
Inside are 18 stories by many authors whose books I have enjoyed. Just a few of these writers are Belinda Bauer, David Bell, J T Ellison, Clare McGowan, and Tom Mead.
Some times a short story is just the right thing. For anyone who enjoys a quick read, dip in anywhere in this title. There are some gems.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
I have loved Natasha Lester’s historical fiction starting when I read The Paris Secret. Since then, I have read every new book as it has been published and also look forward to a few earlier ones that I still need to catch up on.
Lester always tells a great story with a mix of fashion and history. This book is no exception although I think that it is the author’s most ambitious book yet.
Here readers meet three generations of strong women who are related and share a commitment to fashion. The oldest of these is Mizza Bricard. She was a real person and one who was described as a muse to Christian Dior. Living through several world wars was just one of her challenges.
Next is Mizza’s daughter Astrid. Why did Mizza not raise her? Astrid grows up in the seventies. She attends fashion/design school and meets the mesmerizing Hawk Jones. How will their relationship ebb and flow and how will their fashion stories and accomplishments continue to cross? And, importantly, how and why did Astrid disappear? What does/did Hawk know?
The daughter of Astrid and Hawk is Blythe. Blythe is also trying to establish her fashion line. She is divorced with two children. Does she want to try again with the (sometimes) charming Jake? Will her fashion business be successful?
This book has an excellent plot, good settings, interesting characters and a real eye on the fashion scene. In addition, I think that Lester wants to bring women out of the shadows and for them to be recognized for their accomplishments. Bravo for that.
I recommend this book very highly. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction, fashion and/or stories about women, family and career should give this title a look. I already can’t wait for Lester’s next novel.
Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this title. All opinions are my own.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 