Some #SmallPressBigStories TBR

I was planning to write a small blog post about A Good Year by Polis Loizou to celebrate #SmallPressBigStories (created and celebrated by Runalong The Shelves), but the story didn't hit me in a way that I felt like I could blog about it (it was ok, but it wasn't for me). 

Oh, #SmallPressBigStories is a way to celebrates stories and authors published by smaller, independent publishers (aka not the big 5/6 publishers - Penguin Random House, Simon and Schuster, HarperCollins, Bonnier, Hachette Book Group and PanMacmillan). So, in theory, I can include Walker Books, Head of Zeus, Oneworld Publication, Bloomsbury, etc. Plus, if you look hard enough, there are small indie press everywhere - Firefly Press, Nosy Crow, The O'Brien Press, Hera, Black and White Publishing, 404 Press, Knights Of, and so many more that I can't remember at time of writing. 

But what I thought would be fun is to show some that are on my radar and explain why they're on my radar. Am not going to show you all, as am a bit of a magpie reader (though I do read fantasy and crime reader of all age ranges) and I want to give these books some love as I haven't heard much about these titles, but I think you should.

I have a few classic crimes from the British Library on my TBR and on my "I shall buy you one day soon!" radar. But the one that I am leaning towards reading in the coming few weeks is Murder After Christmas by Rupert Latimer. First published in 1944 (and fell out of the publishing circle in the UK after the Golden Age of Crime), we follow good old Uncle Willie - rich, a beast of a man and seeming still alive out of spite and fierce willpower alone - as he goes to spend Christmas with the Redpaths. But when his body is discover in the Boxing Day snow, him still dressed as Father Christmas and seemingly poisoned, the Police turn their attention onto the family, friends and former lovers in this "lively riot". So, I'm expecting this to be fun...

Sticking with crime, am flying to the other side of the world with The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji (Puskin Press). This is huge in Japan, but not very well known here in the UK. The mysterious, rocky island of Tsunojima is known for the string of unsolved murders - perfect for the K-University Murder Club's annual trip. But when one of their member dies unexpectedly, the members realise that they need to use every detective skill they know to survive as it looks like the Club's members are being picked off one by one... 

Let's get out of the crime genre and show off something that feels like a delicious guilty pleasure (no such thing here!) with Bollywood Wives by Alex Khan (Hera Books). Zara Das is the newest host Bollywood property. Watched by the media and with a string of highly successful movies behind her, Zara has the world at her feet. So when superstar director Raj Dillon decides he wants to do a lavish retelling of Pride and Prejudice, Zara knows this is the movie. But when a body is discovered in her hotel room, Zara realises someone is out to get her and they will not stop till every dark secret is revealed...

Wow, this post is very crime/murder. Not gonna stop now! Two more, I think. Let's start with The Cuckoo Wood by M. Sean Coleman (Red Dog Press). The first in the series follows Dr Alex Ripley (or as the media dub her, the Miracle Detective) ash the Police bring her into the rural community of Kirkdale where a spare of teen suicides have taken place. All the victims claimed to have seen an angel before their deaths - is this a collective hallucination or is something more sinister at play? And why is everyone in Kirkdale closing rank? What are they hiding?

Last crimey indie read then will end the post. Anyway, let's end with A Dash of Black by Chris McDonald. DI Erika Piper, having only just returned to the Force after a near fatal attack, finds herself front and centre when she is called an ice rink in Manchester. The body of a famous actress is found in the centre of the rink, looking eerily like a scene from one of her movies. But when another body is found and Erika receives a personal threat, it's a race for her to catch the "Blood Ice Killer" before it's too later... 

What do you think? Is there any crime/thriller novels or novellas that you think I need to have on my radar? Let me know as love to discover new authors and, if I feel like I have some energy, I might consider writing another about some teen and fantasy on my To Be Read from indie publishers...