Tag Archive | Elaine Spires

A Body In The Banjo by Elaine Spires

Feb8

A Walk Down Memory Lane

A Body In The Banjo by Elaine Spires is a most entertaining retro crime saga that I thoroughly enjoyed and read in just one sitting.

The story is set in Dagenham in 1958 and is focused on the small group of houses in the banjo. The houses have inter-connecting alleyways – and not much happens that isn’t viewed by at least one nosey neighbour!

One quiet Sunday morning a body is found. The neighbourhood is then awash with police and their questions.

To complement the police, forty-eight-year-old Cissy starts her amateur sleuthing. She reminded me of Miss Marple but a younger version and one who informs the police of her findings and suspicions. She is relentless in her pursuit of answers.

A Body In The Banjo is written in a very personable style. Elaine Spires ‘shows’ us the scene with her descriptions. She has perfectly captured a bygone era where life was simple and neighbours were in and out of each other’s houses and lives. Neighbourhoods gelled together.

Continue reading →

Singles & Spice by Elaine Spires

Oct15

Vibrant, Colourful, Fun

Singles And Spice by Elaine Spires is a delightful contemporary novel. It is the second book in the Singles series but can be read as a stand-alone.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time as I joined the characters on a package tour to India. Elaine Spires writes with passion, knowledge and enthusiasm as the sights and sounds of India came to life. I could almost ‘see’ the vibrancy of the colours, ‘smell’ the spices and ‘feel’ the heat. My senses were assaulted in a good way.

All the characters were well drawn and realistic. They were an eclectic mix of various ages, mainly over the age of fifty, and varying personalities. There were both seasoned travelers and newbies.

We witness the patience needed to be a tour guide as well as the ability to deal with all sorts of problems.

Continue reading →