We’ve had quite a few new books in this month, and several more about to arrive, including new offerings from Heather Peck and Chris Crowther. Let’s take a look at them – scroll to the bottom for full details and order links for the books.
Shop on Wheels
This is a slim volume, but entertaining and an interesting insight into second world war life in Suffolk. Janet Becker lived in Blythburgh, Suffolk and in 1943 started providing a delivery service to the men stationed at the nearby searchlight station, using a trailer on the back of her bicycle. This is an edited version of her diary of the times – and it has a brilliant cover design by the artist who designed the cover of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.
Weavers' Way
Not to be confused with the David Blake book of the same name, this is another of Joe Jackson’s excellent walking guides. This time he takes us on the route that runs from Cromer through to Great Yarmouth, taking in the National Trust properties of Felbrigg and Blickling, a section of the old M&GN railway line between Aylsham, North Walsham and Stalham, and then through the Broads alongside Hickling and Breydon to finally reach Great Yarmouth.
In addition to the long distance path, Joe identifies 15 circular day walks that take in sections of the path. It is well illustrated with Joe’s excellent photographs and has detailed maps of each section.
The Railways of Norfolk
Michael Swift’s new book looks at the changes in Norfolk’s railways during the postwar period from 1945 to 1960. Not only were these the last days of steam but also a period when many lines were closed. First came the closure of the Midland and Great Northern lines, then the Beeching cuts, leaving just the lines we have today. This book documents the changes and includes many photographs from the time.
Herring: A History of the Silver Darlings
The history of our coastal towns, and especialy Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, are closely tied to the herring fisheries. Mike Smylie’s book takes a wider look at the history of herring fishing and how it affected the lives of the people of the East Coast of Britain, with the fishing fleets and the herring girls following the shoals of ‘silver darlings’ as they migrated south.
It also includes some mouth-watering recipes to try.
DCI Greg Geldard in Beyond Closed Doors
Heather Peck’s Norfolk detective, DCI Greg Geldard, is back for this sixth episode in the series set around the Norfolk Broads. Unusually for crime fiction, Geldard is not an alcoholic and does his best to follow the rules, although his close relationship with his sergeant may not be quite to the book! As always, as leader of a team of detectives, he has several cases to manage at any time and this always feels slightly more realistic than some other fiction. I certainly enjoy these books with their attention to detail and accuracy and I am looking forward to reading this one.
Also from Heather is another of her children’s books, this time a sequel to Tails of Two Spaniels, The Animals of White Cows Farm, a chapter book for early readers.
Coming Soon - Jack Fellows in Backwaters
And coming very soon, Jack Fellows is back in a new Chris Crowther Norfolk Broads mystery. Available to pre-order now for delivery in the next couple of weeks.
Full Details
A Bicycle, Trailer and Searchlight Battery: A Wartime Diary, Suffolk 1942-44
| Author | Alan Mackley, M. Janet Becker |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Dimensions: | 21cm x 14.8cm |
| Pages: | 40 |
| Publisher: | Blythburgh Books |
| ISBN: | 9781912427239 |
| Year: | 2024 |
| RRP: | £6.99 |
62 miles from Cromer to Great Yarmouth
| Author | Joe Jackson |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Dimensions: | 21cm x 14.8cm |
| Pages: | 103 |
| Publisher: | Walking in the Wild |
| ISBN: | 9781739345884 |
| Year: | 2024 |
| RRP: | £9.99 |
The Postwar Years
| Author | Michael Swift |
| Format: | Softback |
| Dimensions: | 1.98cm x 20.8cm |
| Pages: | 96 |
| Publisher: | Crecy Publishing |
| ISBN: | 9781913555160 |
| Year: | 2024 |
| RRP: | £11.99 |
A History of the Silver Darlings
| Author | Mike Smylie |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Dimensions: | 19.8cm x 12.9cm |
| Pages: | |
| Publisher: | History Press |
| ISBN: | 9781803996936 |
| Year: | 2024 |
| RRP: | £15.99 |
Book 6 in the DCI Greg Geldard series
| Author | Heather Peck |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Dimensions: | 20.3cm x 13.3cm |
| Pages: | |
| Publisher: | Ormesby |
| ISBN: | 9781915769220 |
| Year: | 2024 |
| RRP: | £9.99 |
A sequel to Tails of Two Spaniels
| Author | Heather Peck |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Dimensions: | 19.8cm x 12.9cm |
| Pages: | 84 |
| Publisher: | Ormesby |
| ISBN: | 9781915769244 |
| Year: | 2024 |
| RRP: | £5.99 |
Number 8 in the popular Jack Fellows Norfolk Broads series
| Author | Chris Crowther |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Dimensions: | 21cm x 14.9cm |
| Pages: | |
| Publisher: | Taleweaver |
| ISBN: | 9781999811167 |
| Year: | 2024 |
| RRP: | £8.95 |
