Book Review: The Art of Breathing by Kate Evans

The Art of Breathing (Scarborough Mysteries #3) by Kate Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Art of Breathing by Kate Evans is a crime fiction novel and the third installment in the Scarborough Mysteries series. It follows the lives of Hannah Poole, Detective Sargent Theo Akande, and Aurora Harris as they navigate mental health and family issues, as well as investigate crimes in their small town. Because this is the third book in a series, I’ll keep some aspects of my review vague to avoid spoiling details from the first two novels. You can read my review of The Art of the Imperfect (Scarborough Mysteries #1) here.

When I read The Art of the Imperfect, I remember thinking that the novel read more like literary fiction (or even an extended prose poem) than a typical crime novel. While I enjoyed the gorgeous language, I found it difficult to keep track of the details at times. In The Art of Breathing, Evans has struck the perfect balance between poetic language and crime fiction. The novel includes the time-honored tropes of the crime genre, but the writing itself retains that beautiful, lilting character that sets Evans’s work apart. As someone who doesn’t always like the gritty/punchy feel of crime novels, Evans’ style is perfect for me.

Without spoiling anything, I’ll say that the plot is complete, intriguing, and comes with a few little twists (one of them is just … brilliant). However, even with a strong plot, I believe that the characters are the true jewel of The Art of Breathing. They are well-crafted and complex, and (as I’ll discuss below) serve as fantastic vehicles for Evans to explore important social themes. Where Evans’ character creation is particularly strong is their versatility – at times, they can be difficult to like (especially Hannah, with her self-destructive thoughts and behaviors), but they also elicit waves of empathy from the reader. A difficult task for a writer to accomplish.

In my own writing, I place a great deal of importance on examining social issues, so I really enjoy novels with strong thematic weight. The Art of Breathing, Evans manages to display both sides of several dark themes (sexual assault, adultery, murder, etc.) in a way that makes the reader question previously held assumptions. Her characters provide riveting case studies of mental health and social concerns (depression, PTSD, homophobia, racism, etc.), and after spending the novel with them, I truly felt like I came away with a better understanding of how people facing these issues live. That’s the power of great fiction – it deepens your perspective on reality and allows you to live other lives.

The Art of Breathing (and the rest of the Scarborough Mysteries series) isn’t your cookie-cutter crime fiction. It’s a study of human character, an examination of Western society, and a beautiful tribute to language … all wrapped up in a murder mystery. Strongly recommended for literary fiction readers who want a gentle entrance into crime fiction, and crime readers who are looking for a refreshing take on the genre.

Want to know more? Kate Evans was kind enough to drop by my website to describe how she uses her crime fiction to search for truth and delve into dark themes. You can read her insightful guest post here.

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If you are interested in reading The Art of Breathing and would like to help sponsor my writing and research, you can purchase it through my Amazon Associates Store. By doing this, you will not pay a cent extra, nor will the author receive a cent less, but I will receive a small commission on the sale. Simply click the book’s title or the book’s image.

The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Archives

First and foremost, I’d like to give a big thank you to all of the talented authors who signed up to be a part of the blog tour and gave thoughtful, inspiring interviews. This whole show was for you, and I hope you found a few new readers and author friends along the way.

Second, on behalf of all the authors, I’d like to express our gratitude to the readers who followed this tour. I hope you all enjoyed learning a bit more about your favorite books.

And last, I’d like to say a special thanks to my co-host, the ever-inspiring Kate Evans. Thank you for yet another successful blog tour. It’s always a joy to collaborate with you!

The following list contains the original blog tour interviews for all our authors and books. For ease of access, you can always view it on my Events page, under the Past Events section.

The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour

Monday, February 8 – The Earl and the Artificer by Kara Jorgensen

Tuesday, February 9 – The Curious Tale of Gabrielle by Zachary Paul Chopchinski

Wednesday, February 10 – Rise of the Storm by Christina Ochs

Thursday, February 11 – Oak and Mist by Helen Jones

Friday, February 12 – A Case of Deceit by J.L. Phillips

Monday, February 15 – The Fairy Wren by Ashley Capes

Tuesday, February 16 – The Cogsmith’s Daughter by Kate M. Colby

Wednesday, February 17 – Going Through the Change by Samantha Bryant

Thursday, February 18 – The Trouble with being a Movie Star’s Wife by Z.N. Willett

Friday, February 19 – The Dream World Collective by Ben Y. Faroe

Monday, February 22 – The Dagger and the Rose by Bill Hoard

Tuesday, February 23 – Wandering on the Treadmill by Wendy Ogilvie

Wednesday, February 24 – Lady, Thy Name is Trouble by Lori L. MacLaughlin

Thursday, February 25 – The Art of Survival by Kate Evans

The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Ashley Capes

We’re back for the second week of the 2016 2K Indie Book Tour! Head over to Kate Evans’s site to read all about Ashley Capes and his genre-defying novel, The Fairy Wren.

Source: Indie Author: Ashley Capes

Guest Post: Author Kate Evans on Writing Crime Fiction

I’m back from my traveling/holiday hiatus, and I’m thrilled to bring you a guest post from author Kate Evans. Kate E. writes crime fiction — a genre which I couldn’t write to save my life! — and she was kind enough to share what attracted her to crime fiction, some tips for researching for your crime novels, and the scoop on her newest book The Art of Survival (follow up to The Art of the Imperfect, which I reviewed here). Over to Kate E.!

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Why Crime?

A couple of years ago I embarked on a project to write/publish a crime series. I had already written five novels during the preceding thirty years, some of which I had tried to find an agent/publisher for. The last of these five was a long, rangy affair which lacked structure and clarity. I knew I wanted to re-tell this story and take it further, I also recognized I needed to find a shape for it, which would engage the reader. At some point in the middle of a deep sleep, my unconscious brain gave my conscious brain the solution; I woke up knowing I was going to write a crime series.

It was the obvious answer for me, for a number of reasons. Firstly, I read a lot of crime novels, so I was already aware of many of their characteristics. Secondly, I enjoy reading crime novels, which meant I was excited and motivated to get on with it. Thirdly, since I thought I would probably have to indie publish my novel, I wanted a clear genre to help with marketing and crime fiction is a popular genre certainly here in the UK. Finally, I agree with crime writer Val McDermid, when she says hers is the perfect genre for putting up a mirror to our society and asking questions about it. My novels explore ideas around what is good mental health and how the vulnerable and marginalised are treated.

In the UK there was an era of what was considered to be ‘cosy crime’ writing. It came after the First World War, and at first sight, it may seem odd that people would want to immerse themselves in more violence and death. However, it is often argued, these crime novels offered an antidote to the indiscriminate carnage of war, in that they gave a sanitised version of murder and there was always a tidy resolution.

I’m not entirely sure this was the case then, and I certainly don’t think it is now. I’m with writer Melanie McGrath when she suggests the attraction of crime fiction to both readers and writers is that it allows us to experience and explore emotions which would normally be unacceptable in polite society. She said, in The Guardian Books Blog June 30th 2014: ‘Crime fiction gives us permission to touch on our own indecorous feelings of rage, aggression and vengefulness, sentiments we’re encouraged to pack away somewhere… where they won’t offend.’ As a psychotherapeutic counsellor I would add it could also be healthy to do this safely through literature, rather than leaving our shadow side un-investigated, giving it the potential for erupting into our every day lives.

So that’s the why write crime, here’s a little bit about the research which I did to get me going. Initially, I read and re-read a variety of crime novels, this time really focusing on the plotting and structure. My novels are character-led, and I am not writing a police procedural, however, I do want the way the investigation unfolds to be believable. The sources of information I have used are: books, fiction and non-fiction, there are more and more handbooks for writers, including a recent one on forensics by Val McDermid; the court reports in the local paper especially as my novels are based in my home town; TV programmes, there’s been a recent fly-on-the-wall documentary about the police which proved invaluable; I have a couple of personal contacts within the police and legal profession; and the internet.

There’s more I’d like to do, for instance spending some time in the public gallery of a court, maybe having a tour of the local police station and asking a few questions. However, I remember seeing a more successful/famous crime writer than me at a literature festival and he said when he spoke to his law enforcement contacts he’s not interested in whether something has happened or is likely to, just whether it could possibly happen. I understand most police officers hate reading crime novels, so I don’t expect any will read mine, and what I have to do is make the story-telling authentic within the world of the characters I have created.

One of my main characters is a trainee and then qualified psychotherapeutic counsellor. This is a universe I am very familiar with. I enjoy depicting it honestly, and more accurately, than the vast majority of fictional versions I’ve come across to date.

I believe my strengths in writing are in creating believable layered characters and a strong sense of place through sensual descriptions. Up to now, I have, perhaps, been less skilled at structuring and pace. The crime novel with its moments of tension, red herrings and movement towards a resolution offers a solid format, not to be followed blindly, but to be played with and subverted. It has been invigorating to discover how it can be tailored to the stories I want to tell.

New novel launched

The Art of Survival asks: What will fear push ordinary people to do?  What happens when little girls get lost? DS Theo Akande is investigating the disappearance of eight year old Victoria Everidge. Her mother, Yvonne, is a desperate woman. What is she capable of? Eminent journalist and newspaperman, Stan Poole, dies leaving a filing cabinet full of secrets. As these leak out, his daughter, Hannah, begins to question her own girlhood. She is losing her way. Her best friend, Lawrence, newly an item with Theo, finds it hard to remain supportive. Instead Hannah clings to her work as a trainee counsellor and to her client Julia. Julia is apparently no little girl lost, but appearances can be deceptive. Then a body is found.

About the author

This is the second novel by Kate Evans. Her first, The Art of the Imperfect, was long-listed for the Crime Writers Association debut dagger in 2015. Kate Evans is a writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Her book, Pathways Through Writing Blocks in the Academic Environment, was published by Sense Publishers in 2013. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Sussex University and teaches on the Degree in Creative Writing at the University of Hull, Scarborough campus. She is trained as a psychotherapeutic counsellor. She loves walking by the sea and afternoon tea, and has an inexplicable drive to bring a new generation to the poetry of Edith Sitwell. For further information, see: www.writingourselveswell.co.uk

Praise for The Art of the Imperfect

‘The first thing to mention is the writing style is incredibly strong. … The description through this book is brilliantly constructed so that I really felt completely immersed.’ Lizzy, My Little Book Blog

‘The book … retains its readability on a second or third reading and beyond. It is written by an unobtrusively gifted creative talent, whose gifts will assuredly go on expanding and enlarge their range … The novel is convincing enough to haunt us, and graze us into deeper thought.’ Dr Heward Wilkinson, UKCP Fellow, UKCP Registered, Integrative Psychotherapist.

Indie Book Review: Crossings by Ashley Capes

Crossings by Ashley Capes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I have read by Ashley Capes (the first was The Fairy Wren, which I gave 5 stars), and it was every bit as fantastic. Capes’s books straddle the line between genres – they are a unique blend of supernatural and thriller, with a dash of crime mystery. Point blank: readers who enjoy any one of those genres should be reading Ashley’s books.

Crossings follows Lisa, a volunteer wildlife ranger, as she investigates a local farmer’s claim that he saw a giant white kangaroo. As the novel unfolds, the mystery of the white roo grows increasingly more complex and is complicated by other troubling occurrences in Lisa’s life. Mainly, her abusive ex-boyfriend comes back into town, right about the same time as mutilated animal corpses begin showing up outside her house. Lisa must get to the bottom of these brutalities as well as the mystery of the white roo, all while dealing with the declining health of her elderly father.

As I raved in my other book review, Capes has a phenomenal ability to craft realistic, flawed characters. Lisa is not perfect – she sometimes lets her emotions get the best of her, but she has strong redeeming qualities (such as her compassion for animals), too. Likewise, the side characters are well-developed and complex, and they have established, significant relationships with Lisa and each other. One of my favorite qualities in a novel is when characters feel like real people, flaws and all, and Ashley Capes delivers.

I cannot say much more about the plot without revealing spoilers. However, for those plot-oriented readers, I will say this. The plot contains a few twists and turns – nothing comes out of no where, but the journey is still fun and you will be guessing several times. While the ending is satisfying, it does leave some questions unanswered. For me, this isn’t a bad thing, and I’m happy to come to my own conclusions. However, I imagine some readers will find this frustrating and feel a small lack of closure.

Overall, Crossings is a gripping cross-genre novel with the perfect blend of supernatural elements and thriller style. Once again, Capes has crafted realistic, flawed characters that lead the reader through a story with just the right amount of twists and turns. If you love supernatural, thriller, crime, or mystery and you haven’t read Capes’s work yet, you’re missing out.

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If you are interested in reading Crossings and would like to help sponsor my writing and research, you can purchase it through my Amazon Associates Store. By doing this, you will not pay a cent extra, nor will the author receive a cent less, but I will receive a small commission on the sale. Simply click the book’s title or the book’s image.