BOOK REVIEW - MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER

Book Review

My Sister, the Serial Killer

Author Oyinkan Braithwaite

Atlantic Books - www.atlantic-books.co.uk

The cover grabs me. The woman on the cover with head scarf and dark glasses seems to issue a warning or maybe it's the title ‘My Sister, The Serial Killer’ that is more threatening. This is  another book that was on Theakestons Old Peculier Crime Writers Award List. Albeit, only on the long one and it did not make it into the final six. It was also long listed for The Booker Prize, 2019 and shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, also 2019. The rear cover is littered with superlatives and the feel of the book is great.

What about the story. It's both simple and complex. The simple bit is ‘the killing’ and the complex part is about a family and, more interestingly of the relationship between two sisters Ayoola and her older sibling Korede. To find out out what really goes on, you will have to read it.

I loved it. It's an ‘easy read’, the pages just fly by, but I don't mean that in any critical sense or any  derogatory sense. It was fun almost all the way through if you don't take into account the dead!

Relationships are sensitively dealt with and the issue of family life in Nigeria handled in the same way.

It was so different to many crime story reads and set in a different country too. Enjoyable and so pick it up, savour the texture of the cover, black and dark and read on.

CLOT DE GALVANY AND MORE

Thursday 25th June was forecast to be hot. An overnight low of around 20C and by 10.30 it had reached 30 degrees. Whatever birding we want to do had to be completed early. 

Clot de Galvany has much more of an expanse of water than I have seen before and with two new hides so that viewing can be done in comfort. The large tract of water with reedbeds in the distance is much better viewed through a scope. A member of Costa Blanca Bird Club had seen all nine of our herons and egrets, but we couldn't match that. Both Little Bitterns and Squacco were in good numbers and a Night Heron climbed in the reeds. There was a tremendous showing of Whiskered Terns who surely must be breeding close by. A male Great Crested Grebe with a juvenile swam in the open and Little Grebes were everywhere. Barn Swallows flew all around and close enough to see the white on the tail feathers. So good to see at close quarters.

We are lucky to have two special species and here White Headed Ducks with young were easily watched and also there were Marbled Duck.

At the old hide we had views of most of the usual birds and eventually we watched a Great Reed Warbler climb noisily up a stem. A great view of a bird not always seen. An Iberian Green Woodpecker flew and called.

I have not listed all the birds and only mentioned those of more interest.

Next up was the Carabassi Road in search of Rufous Bushchat where we were again unsuccessful. We then searched for Spotted Flycatchers and we watched one pair. This is a species that we spent time watching last year and photographed the two sub-species. The pair that we did see had clearly streaked chests. We will keep looking. Turtle Doves were fleetingly seen and heard. 

We always want to expand our knowledge and investigate locations that we don't normally visit. That was the case this morning when we travelled through El Altet to check Urbanova. The marsh lies between the coastal road and N332. The city of Alicante and the airport terminal are close by.

We turned into the unmade road that had marsh, scrub, with both dry and wet areas on either side. Lagoons had water being pumped into them. 

Birds were not numerous but we saw Crested Larks, Little Ringed Plovers, Black Winged Stilts, Grey Heron and on one lagoon seven Black Headed Gulls. Southern Grey Shrikes were on the wires. We did not know what to expect and we think that this site could be much better through autumn and into winter. We will go again.

There were many absentees and among them was only the occasional Bee-eater. Where have they gone? Turtle Doves were not that evident either!

Next week we will give it another go.

Photos from Tuesday´s Trip

Bryan has posted on his blog http://birdingcostablanca.blogspot.com about our day out on Tuesday and has included a photograph, taken through the fence, of Slender Billed Gulls and their chicks. An Interesting photograph.

Slender Billed Gull Juvenile, within a few meters of our feet at El Pinet.

Black Tailed Godwit also taken at El Pinet.

European Rollers and Bee-Eaters were seen inland and conveniently perched.

Yellow Wagtail.  My bird of the day!  Freshly washed and looking rough!

Black Headed Gulls and Glossy Ibis were seen in numbers.

All photographs were taken by Bryan Thomas.

ANOTHER BIRDING MORNING ON THE COSTA BLANCA

GRAN ALICANT TO  PARQUE NATURAL, EL FONDO

Unlike Thursday 11th when we headed for the mountains, on Tuesday 16th we stayed local, between Gran Alicant and El Fondo. The temperatures have risen and we knew that our best birding would be prior to mid-day and so it was.

Last year in the pines between the beach and the Carabassi Road we searched and found Spotted Flycatchers and decided that we had seen two subspecies and it was blogged. Today, apart from one brief glimpse, they were not on view and neither was a Bushchat. However, we were pleased to hear and see at least ten Long Tailed Tits. We heard one Turtle Dove call. Just off the rocks a Mediterranean Shag fished giving us close up views. 

We needed to get on and soon we were on the N332. Our first stop was in the pull-off spot by the Salt Tower. There was not a lot to see but on the opposite side of the road Little Terns were abundant and nesting in the dried up lagoon. One Collared Pratincole flew away over the reeds. The usual residents were there with Yellow Legged Gulls being noisy with a few Black Headed ones. Whiskered Terns flew over us.

Quickly moving on to El Pinet we found the parking area cordoned off. The effect was that the breeding gulls felt safer and were nearer to the fencing. On a bank there was a mass of adult Slender Bill Gulls and chicks and we have a photo to prove it. In the water very close by a recently fledged Slender Bill was photographed. Two Black Tailed Godwits in breeding plumage showed well.

At the beach, where the restaurant was preparing to open, there was a gathering of Common Terns out to sea and a Sandwich Tern perched on a buoy. There was not a lot else except House Sparrows.

Moving inland we expected to find both Rollers, (seven in total), and Bee-eaters and we did. They were not that plentiful but still seen with both species perched and flying. We lost count of the number of Little Owls. Southern Grey Shrikes were often around and it was not until later that we found two individual Woodchat Shrikes that are normally more abundant.

Okay we did have target birds, but what we wanted was a flooded field. The corn has been cut , the straw bailed and taken away. As we watched they began to flood the same field and on  our return the water was pouring in. Bodes well for the next few days. There was water in the ditches alongside the road and from one we flushed a Black Crowned Night Heron. In a gateway within feet of the road a Yellow Wagtail was drying itself in the sun and preening. The bird look rough, but that's the reality. One decent sized Lizard scuttled into the undergrowth, but no snakes and I was looking.

In a recently tilled dry field there was a large group of gulls which included Mediterranean ones that we constantly heard calling. With them were Glossy Ibis with many flying around and feeding.

We were heading to Santa Àgueda where we did find a field that had been flooded and on it were Mediterranean Gulls, of both sexes and with young too. Again there was Ibis. Two Grey Herons were in the distance and Cattle Egrets were aplenty.

The lagoon at Santa Águeda contained water and we flushed two Marbled Ducks and a Green Sandpiper. Both Reed and Great Reed Warblers called and remained hidden. Zitting Cisticolas were around us for most of the morning. A Squacco Heron flew out often reeds. 

Ariel combatants of Pallid Swift, House Martin, and both Barn and Red-rumpled Swallows were around but not in vast numbers. Almost home we saw a male Little Bittern.

In passing we saw Linnet, a male Greenfinch perched on a wire and singing, and Goldfinches often went by. We didn't expect to see many raptors and apart from two Kestrels that was it. Again another good day to be out and we did see plenty. But we are never satisfied and we intend to do the same thing again next week. Hopefully more butterflies too.

OUR VISIT TO MONTNEGRE & AND STRIKING IT LUCKY ON MAIGMO

The weather forecast for this current week had not been good. The predicted heavy rain, thunder storms with lightening did occur but many areas were spared some, if not all, of the worst. On Thursday 11th June we left San Miguel de Salinas at 6.15am with a temperature of seventeen degrees, arriving in Gran Alicant by 7am. The sky was clear and with only a light wind. 

We had agreed previously to head for the mountains just north of Alicante. Montnegre being our first objective and with Maigmo later in the morning. From previous visits we knew what either location could give to us. We have objectives in mind for most trips and we concentrate on species and good quality viewing. We always want to see as much as possible, but quantity is not our target. The journey up to the summit of 725 metres above Tibi yielded no surprises. 

Our spot for Trumpeter Finches was our-go-to-place and there within seconds was a superb male. We remained patient and had other sightings too. We observed them feeding, and, flying further up the mountain. They are lovely birds to watch and this is the only location that we have had continued success at. We are amazed that we have received no requests for information bearing in mind we know of ‘organised’ trips to Cabo de Gata! It is a rare bird. 

We had been greeted with Nightingales singing in the ravine below and with both Black Wheatears and Blue Rock Thrushes calling, flying and perched. The Rock Thrushes were more distant with Wheatears much more obliging. There is not a tremendous amount of activity up here, but we heard and saw Serin, Goldfinch and House Sparrows. Sardinian Warblers were busy flying in and out of scrub. On cables a male Greenfinch trilled away. A lone Kestrel perched in the distance. While watching from the roadside Crag Martins flew within a few metres of our heads and Red-rumped Swallows showed well. Further away two large birds appeared over a ridge which were possibly Griffin Vultures. 

On reaching the high spot there was little to see except for Vultures circling and bearing in mind the time in the year we quickly descended through Tibi and across the valley towards Maigmo. Below Tibi near to the river we paused and observed two Spotted Flycatchers, a Cettis called from the river’s vegetation and that was that. Going up to Maigmo we encountered woodland-birds. Coal Tit, luckily Long-tailed and we had great views of a Tree Creeper. They are always good to see here and it is a spot worth remembering. A Chaffinch called and we had a clear view of a male a little later. Crossbills were overhead in the pines. We could have spent more time amongst the trees, but we wanted to get to the summit to see if the Alpine Swifts were on show. They were not although we had Pallid ones flying high. 

At the summit it was windy and it was butterfly time. We just struck it lucky. All three of us became absorbed with something that we had not seen before and in chasing this species down we saw the following: Clouded Yellow Banded Grayling Small White Marbled White Gate Keeper Swallow Tail 

Now to our new-to-us species. The photographers got really busy and viewed two species. The first, LIBELLIODES COCCAJUS or in lay man’s terms ‘the owly sulphur’.  They are of the family ASACALAPHIDEA and sub-family ASCALAPHINAE.  These OWLFLIES mainly inhabit areas of tall grass and sunny rocky slopes up to 1500 metres. This was the right location for them on this Limestone ridge. They are rare and can be seen in France, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Spain and Switzerland.

DESCRIPTION

 

The adults reach 25 millimetres (0.98 in) of length, with a wingspan of 45–55 millimetres (1.8–2.2 in). [3] The body is black and quite hairy. The eyes are large and bulging; the antennae are long and clubbed. The wings do not have scales and are partly transparent, with bright yellow areas in the first third, dark brown on the external side. An elongated black area is present towards the end of the posterior edge of the wing. The venation is black. The wings are held spread at rest, as in dragonflies. This species is rather similar to Libelloides lacteus. [3] 

The second species that were flying around in the same space and at the same time were THREADED LACE WING (Nemoptera sinuata). 

Great stuff and two for the price of one! We had arrived at the right time because they were flying everywhere with the genders seemingly behaving differently. Some were flying higher with others flying in and around vegetation and settling on a thin stem. This maybe accounted for, as the female, lays eggs on similar vegetable matter. 

Thanks to Bryan for his photos, enquiring mind and research and to the Internet to allow us the information to increase our knowledge. 

It's truly great out there and being able to do this after being incapacitated and locked in with ‘lock-down’. Terrific stuff with a new species and in good company too. Here's to the next time and thank you to the mountains for allowing these species to live.

SPRINGWATCH CHAMPIONS NATURE

In response to comments on tonight's SPRINGWATCH PROGRAMME and I quote say 'NO TO THE MO' and 'LOVE YIUR SCRUB' I had already penned this a few days ago.

MIND CHANGING.

It's like lager or beer really.

REALLY, do you mean, it's taste?

NO, STUPID it's about perception
or habit or learnt behaviour even.
Drink lager? Unless stone cold,It's vile!


I have no idea what you are REALLY
trying to tell me. Surely it's REALLY
a simple matter of choice. Is it not?

Hmmm. I thought this would be EASY,
simple and straightforward, but I will
try and make it easier for YOU.

Your lawn, your grass is neat, lush
and gets a number one cut every
five days. A dose of chemicals
to make it verdant green; to kill the
worms off and, of course, we don't,
do we, like casts and mole hills ‘cos
they are so ugly and, well, earthy!


Why? Well I will tell you why

you MORON, because you like to KILL.

You cut, you kill, you cut, you kill.
You are all ignoramuses blinded
by tradition, culture, habit and the
inability to enjoy the buzz of life
in uncut grass. Go on flog your
mower on EBay and give nature
a chance. You could, couldn't you?

John Edwards (C) 22nd May 2020

THEAKESTON OLD PECULIER CRIME WRITERS AWARD

The full shortlist for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2020 is:

My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (Atlantic Books)
Worst Case Scenario by Helen Fitzgerald (Orenda Books)
The Lost Man by Jane Harper (Little, Brown Book Group, Little, Brown)
Joe Country by Mick Herron (John Murray Press)
The Chain by Adrian McKinty (Orion Publishing Group, Orion Fiction)
Smoke and Ashes by Abir Mukherjee (VINTAGE, Harvill Secker)

The shortlist was selected by an academy of crime writing authors, agents, editors, reviewers, members of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival Programming Committee, representatives from T&R Theakston Ltd, the Express, and WHSmith, alongside a public vote.
The public vote for the winner is now open on  www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com, with the champion set to be revealed in a virtual awards ceremony on Thursday 23 July marking what would have been the opening evening of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.
The event – which formed part of Harrogate International Festival Summer Season - was cancelled due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 
The winner will receive £3,000 and an engraved oak beer cask, hand-carved by one of Britain’s last coopers from Theakstons Brewery.

How can I argue with this selection of books and authors that are now short listed for this award? From the long list I have read six and started on a seventh book. That one is ‘Nothing Important Happened Today’ by Will Carver. The cover proclaims “Nine suicides. One cult. No leader” and the comment from the Independent “Arguably the most original crime novel published this year”. I am struggling to read it and may even give up on it, but the title, the perceived subject matter and my stubbornness may see it through to the end. However, it is not a ‘must’ read and it has not made it into the final six.

Only two, Jane Harper with ‘The Lost Man’ set in Australia and Abir Mukherjee with ‘Smoke and Ashes’ describing his detective abilities during the British dominance of India. I have read and I enjoyed both immensely and I would recommend them to crime novel enthusiasts. However of the books that I have read recently two stand out high above the other stories.

Eva Dolan and her gripping tale entitled ‘Between Two Evils’ (not even in the long list) and Alex North with ‘The Whisper Man’. The latter, I predicted would be this year's winner. How wrong I was and how could they possibly leave it out of the short list? Perhaps if I read the other four in that list I may change my mind, but I doubt it.

The question for me is how can I vote for anyone else when my ‘winner’ is not there?
.

LONDON & BRISTOL PUBLIC OUTCRY

After the weekend of 6/7th June 2020

BRISTOL
Only a statue
damaged along with Colston’s
old reputation

In the ‘dock’ at last
‘trader man’ swims with dead slaves
no crime in ‘them days’!

Twenty or so years
to discuss sagely, just one
day to tear it down

LONDON
Over-weight, white man
speaks posh against statue dis-
mantlers. It's too late

HAIKU TO ECHO PUBLIC FEELING FOR GEORGE FLOYD

Hereford FC players in isolation
kneel in support of peoples’
anger.

Bent knees in harmony
my home town football club says
‘Black lives do matter

A swell of emotion with anger and
frustration seem to have compelled
to take to the streets and show
their feelings and support

Internal anger
rises, floods the streets in protest
London not alone

A Small Tribute to Springwatch and the BBC

RESET
listen now to the silence
to the gaps in the birdsong
listen to the beautiful silence

then hear the birdsong-mixed-
melodies that not
many would know-about
or until now could care-about

lock-down locked-in
and some knocked-down
for ever with the echo of
grief re-peating itself
like a broken record

devastating for many
as they will re-flect on
their life and sit in
judgment of themselves
and everyone else

the earth has had a boost
with no interference
and nature reverberates
unhindered. Go on walk
on the wild side

re-furbish yourself

re-tune

re-wild

re-set

to see what you've still got

John Edwards (C) 27th May 2020


RE-FRAME.- this could be another approach.

BLACK,LIVES MATTER EVERY DAY

I wrote this a few years ago
and it is as relevant this evening
as any other day. They say
‘Black lives matter’ and so
does every life and I make that
point with no intention of taking
anything away from the murder
of another black American.


Prejudice

Prejudice I hate you
subliminally or overtly

you subvert the reality
inventing the non-truth

cosseting it in your mind
nurturing it until it grows
into a monster

until it blows
all reason aside

you’re a head case
a slathering beast
emitting combinations
so debase
of opaque hatred
without cease

traipsing out of that
blinkered hole
of deceit

there is nothing recent
in your venom or decent

a descent into that blackness
where two worlds collide
you could hide
but there is
the hideousness

of anger exploding
telling a story
of misrepresentations of hate

a view of inner fury
where there can be no debate

Prejudice: fuels hate

AMERICAN ANGER

Everyone should have a voice.

JE
African tribes snatch
to supply the whiteman's trade
America burns 04/06/20

This relates to the image of Alok Sharma,
Secretary of State for Business,
Energy and Industry perspiring in Parliament
and diagnosed with the virus. 03/06/20

It's the presence that
exposes, controls and reduces
all to same level.

A man sweats in view
exposed, just doing his job
alone now, he waits.

Book Review - Sugar & Blood

Book Review

Blood & Sugar

Laura Shepherd-Robinson

Pan Books

It should not matter what period a crime novel is set in. This one goes all the way back to 1781 and the filth of Deptford. A developing port, but a poor relation to London and Greenwich. The words on the striking front cover are ‘Magnificent’, ‘Powerful’, ‘Astonishing’, and ‘Enthralling’ and, C.J. Sansom adds, ‘A page turner of a crime thriller’

The details are amazing for we are told, in very clear terms what Deptford was like. Where they got drunk, the cost of a prostitute, how they dressed and what they ate. That’s in depth research at its best. I checked out one location and it was there and operating as depicted in July, 1781.

But what is it about? Well, I can start with a comment on today's news from America. White on Black yet again and the legacy of the slave trade. Deptford was a slaving port with most events based there although the devious corridors of Whitehall come into play too.

It's complex and the story evolves with many turns and twists. I loved it, but the book deserves more. The characters; some have class and position, others power, others have greed and control over fellow humans - both black and white. They have slaves as servants, for playthings and to do the master’s bidding. There is one more point in the book that brings in a totally different aspect and one that is current still. It is beautifully woven into the story.

It's also about a voyage and what happened in an Atlantic crossing to the Caribbean. The cast of characters and the Prologue feed us straight into the story and the cruelty. And that is in abundance!

I was delighted to find a different author, and another location to go along with Jane Harper and The Dry set in Australia, Will Dean’s novels from a Swedish swamp and Abir Muhkerjee’s during the time of The Raj. This story beats them all for its many moving parts.

I hope it gets into the last six for the final vote for Theakestons Old Peculier Crime Writers Award. I voted for it. It’s mutilating excellent.

POEM - GUTTER PRESS (and my dislike of 'door-stepping)

GUTTER PRESS
Like rats scurrying to a corpse,
scenting one thing or the other
to chew on. The hacks of the
media world are no respecters
of anyone's feelings.

They don't care.

They don't give a shit about hurting.

It’s what happens when a
scrummage of bodies block
the footway allowing no egress
for the target to pass unfettered
by their questions.

Are you going to resign?

They are no respecters of people
these hacks of the media world.

They don't care.

They don't give a shit about hurting.

Harassment it is, but the world
seemingly doesn't care;
It’s news that pays mortgages.

Perhaps I'll recruit a lynch mob
for the pavement blockers
and check their morals out
maybe even find a pulse!

John Edwards (C) 25th May 2020

A QUICK CHECK FOR EAGLE OWLS

June 1st and it is the first day of summer although our temperatures in San Miguel de Salinas have been easily in the high twenties. Although today, there is high cloud with a hazy light. Now we are in stage two we can go to, in and around Alicante, and this will be our destination with Bryan as extra ballast on Friday.

This evening I headed towards Torremendo and then towards Estación to check on the pine ridge that has provided a nesting site for the Eagle Owls - Búho Real -and to see what else was on view.
I expected it to be quiet and it was. Almost a total absence of small birds, but with a Blackbird continually calling. Amongst the pines Turtle Doves called from several locations and one flew in clear view. A Common Cuckoo called three times and that was it.

The verges on the sides of the road was been strimmed to nothing and so no wild flowers to admire. A couple of Swifts provided a fly past as I descended back into Torremendo. On passing Embalse de Pedrera i noticed that the water level was high and that could prove advantageous when I next visit. I know that Glossy Ibis have been seen in the area.

I drove into San Miguel via the canal which is my first trip along it since the series of heavy rains in the autumn and this spring. There had been damage, some had been repaired and the roadway still needed attention. Two Little Grebes were the only birds seen. Maybe the other normal residents had been washed away!

So good to be out and only my second trip of 2020