Good afternoon and welcome to only the second update of 2022! "But how, why?" I hear you ask; "What good is a blog, if it's not updated regularly?" Well, where to start...?
The March update was so late in coming, because work had been quite full on and there simply wasn't time to write here, much to my chagrin.
From mid-March until this weekend, I've been even busier, working on a variety of projects and I've often wondered
(panicked!), as to how everything would fit in to the amount of
available time I had; it did all fit, but only just.
To give you an idea of what I've been up to, since March 13th, I've prepped and recorded five audiobooks, a stand-alone short novel, ten short stories, (as part of an anthology), an audio drama, two animated trailers and a voice over - my brain is full - but who's complaining!
Some of the things I've been working on are now, or soon to be, available, so here, in reverse order, are the latest releases since March:
The Botanist: Washington Poe Book 5
I swear I'm one bad mood away from calling it black magic and going home....
Detective
Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he
has. And he'd still have his thumb left. There's the insanely brilliant,
guilelessly innocent civilian analyst Tilly Bradshaw, of course. He's
known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn, for
years, as he has his nearest neighbour, full-time shepherd/part-time dog
sitter Victoria.
And then there's Estelle Doyle. It's true the
caustic pathologist has never walked down the sunny side of the street,
but this time has she gone too far? Shot twice in the head, her father's
murder appears to be an open-and-shut case. Estelle has firearms
discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh
snow, hers are the only footprints going in. Since her arrest she's only
said three words: 'Tell Washington Poe.'
Meanwhile, a poisoner
the press have dubbed the Botanist is sending high-profile celebrities
poems and pressed flowers. The killer seems to be able to walk through
walls and, despite the advance notice he gives his victims, and
regardless of the security measures the police take, he seems to be able
to kill with impunity.
For a man who hates locked room mysteries, this is going to be the longest week of Washington Poe's life....
Written by M.W. Craven, Produced by Neil Gardner & Performed by John Banks
Length:
11 hrs and 18 mins
©2022 M. W. Craven (P)2022 Hachette Audio UK
I have thoroughly enjoyed recording this series of beautifully crafted stories from M.W. Craven and feel priveliged to have been given the opportunity to perform them. In yesterday's edition of The Times, I was pleased indeed, that The Botanist has been chosen as Audiobook of The Week and here's the review:
THE TIMES AUDIOBOOK OF THE WEEK
The
Botanist by MW Craven audiobook review — a killer instalment in the
Washington Poe series. This hunt for an ingenious serial killer is full
of biting observations and makes excellent listening, writes Christina
Hardyment.
Mike Craven’s Washington Poe series goes from strength
to strength. His Cumbrian DS has an unconventional approach to suspects
and superiors, and an irrepressible and unusual sidekick. Introduced
in The Puppet Show, the first book in the series, Tilly Bradshaw is at
the brilliant end of the spectrum, innocent of tact and insistent on
fact. Once an agoraphobic mouse, in Poe’s fifth outing she is
venturesome, quick to find oddities in the behaviour of a serial killer
who specialises in poisoning thoroughly reprehensible people as he
pursues notoriety.
Slowing Poe and Bradshaw’s hunt for the
ingenious killer is the distraction of the star pathologist Estelle
Doyle being arrested for the murder of her father in a house surrounded
by snow, with only her footsteps leading to it, a locked room mystery.
The firearm residue on her hands is an added complication. Meanwhile,
the equally impossible serial murders continue . . .
Born in
Carlisle, where he now lives, Craven left the army to take a degree in
social work and was a probation officer for 17 years before becoming a
full-time writer. His experience richly informs his books, which are
satisfyingly full of biting observations on modern times, and are made
excellent listening by John Banks’s urgent, involved delivery.
The Botanist by M.W. Craven, read by John Banks, Hachette, 11hr 18min
At The Botanist launch event
London May 26th
JB with M.W. Craven
...partners in crime?
I rarely post reviews, though it's such a great thrill to have praise from The Times, I thought I'd make an exception. I'm about to make another, this time, a personal comment from Publishing Assistant Danielle Louis, via Twitter:
"I forgot that there was only one person narrating #TheBotanist, narrators like John make readers / listeners like me love and enjoy #Audiobooks!"
I have thanked Danielle for her very kind words and reading them again now, I'm still overwhelmed by such a generous comment; it's always reassuring to know that I'm not just mumbling into the void! So, 'thank you' again Danielle.
* * * * *
Sherlock Holmes: The Fiends of New York City
Summer, 1901. For days, heat has been rising. London swelters; a long-expected storm promises to break.
In Baker Street, Sherlock Holmes is visited by a peculiar American
who arrives with a warning about a strange new kind of murderer. In the
West End, Dr John Watson is watching his wife, the actress, Genevieve,
prepare for her greatest role to date - only for her to be confronted by
a terrible ghost from the past.
There are surprising connections between these events, a web of
apparent coincidence which soon draws in others: Colonel Sebastian
Moran, Mycroft Holmes, a dangerously ambitious young politician and -
waiting patiently for the moment to finally make her move - the
mysterious organising power at the head of the underworld, the
Seamstress of Peckham Rye.
Written by Jonathan Barnes, Directed by Ken Bentley and Performed by:
Nicholas Briggs - Sherlock Holmes
Richard Earl - Dr. John Watson
Juliet Aubrey - The Seamstress
John Banks - Inspector Lestrade / Colonel Sebastian Moran
Timothy Bentinck - Mycroft Holmes
Lucy Briggs-Owen - Genevieve Dumont-Watson
Jemma Churchill - Molly Black
Tim Faulkner - Jacob Black
James Joyce - Inspector Silas Fisher
James MacCallum - Jasper Cranfield / Jackson
Glen McCready - Doorman / Actor-Manager / Speaker of The House
Duration: 215 minutes
* * * * *
The Bone Wolf King
The Doan Series: Book 1
Cam didn’t free the terrifying Bone Wolf King from its prison, but everyone blames him anyway.
Now,
he’s on the run with the mysterious Elenna Whitewinter, a girl from a
race of shapeshifting deceivers. Elenna knows how to defeat the monsters
slaughtering the people of High Home, but no one trusts her…except Cam.
Hunted
and alone, Cam and Elenna set out to kill a creature—that no one has
seen in two hundred years—in order to save the people who want them
dead. But for Cam, what Elenna tells him about his identity is the
hardest truth to accept, a truth that will change his life forever...
Written by Brian K. Fuller, Produced by Mitch Raynes and Performed by John Banks
Length:
10 hrs and 11 mins
©2022 Brian K. Fuller (P)2022 Podium Audio
* * * * *
Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures: Back to Earth
Time and again, the Doctor finds himself returning to his favourite
planet. Dropping in on history or the present-day, whether it’s kings,
commuters or ordinary people, he’s never met anyone who wasn't
important...
1.1 Station to Station by Robert Valentine
A deserted railway platform can be the loneliest place on Earth. But
when Saffron is stranded at Underbridge station, she meets echoes of the
past - and a fellow lost traveller. And the Doctor knows that something
is hunting them...
1.2 The False Dimitry by Sarah Grochala
Moscow, 1605: the old Tsar is dead - but some blame unnatural forces. Perhaps the mysterious Doctor in the palace can help?
A successor advances on the Kremlin with an army, preparing the country for war. But Tsarevich Dimitry is not what he seems...
1.3 Auld Lang Syne by Tim Foley
Every December, Mandy Litherland gathers the family at Foulds House to
see in the New Year. Not everyone appreciates her efforts. At least the
caretaker seems friendly - if a little weird.
Mandy hopes she’ll see him again next year - but perhaps she already has...
Directed by Helen Goldwyn and Performed by:
Christopher Eccleston (The Doctor)
Alexander Arnold (Dimitry Ivanovich)
Sean Baker (Witherow)
John Banks (Tsar Boris Fyodorovich Godunov / Captain Mikhail Mikhailovich Zubov)
Ian Bartholomew (The Grimminy-Grue / Gordon)
Katy Brittain (Oksana Vladimirovna Kuznetsova / Robot)
Leah Brotherhead (Mandy Litherland)
Wendy Craig (Great Aunt Bette)
Patricia England (Mrs Hodkin)
Indigo Griffiths (Saffron Windrose)
Greig Johnson (Frank)
Jack Myers (Aleksander (Sasha) Petrovich Kuznetsov)
Shazia Nicholls (Cate / Erin)
Hayley Tamaddon (Auntie Sue)
Duration: 225 minutes
* * * * *
Throne of Light
Dawn of Fire: Warhammer 40,000 Book 4
Roboute Guilliman has broken the orkish
advance that threatened Fenris, but an ancient foe has returned to
threaten the very heart of humanity—the Segmentum Solar.
Guy
Haley continues the riveting story of the Indomitus Crusade as it
sweeps across the galaxy, still reeling from the opening of the Great
Rift.
The Indomitus Crusade continues its war
across the stars. The primarch Roboute Guilliman has finally broken
through the orkish threat bedevilling the sectors near Fenris, and makes
ready to push on his bid to stabilise the Imperium Sanctus—but old and
bitter foes stand in his way.
Kor Phaeron, the Dark Cardinal,
threatens the previously stable core of the Segmentum Solar. Waves of
rebellion instigated by his infiltrating priests suggest an imminent,
large-scale invasion by the Word Bearers Legion. Worse yet, the Dark
Cardinal's warriors are targeting the Black Ships, threatening to starve
Terra of the pyskers the Emperor needs to survive.
Through this
turbulent warzone, Inquisitor Rostov continues his search for the Hand
of Abaddon. Yet when strange, miraculous visions are traced back to the
astropathic relay on Srinagar, his quest is diverted—for the visions
foretell hope for the Imperium, a hope the fanatical worshippers of
Chaos will do anything to snuff out....
Written by Guy Haley, Produced by Kylia Whitehead and Performed by John Banks
Length:
13 hrs and 54 mins
©2022 Games Workshop Limited (P)2022 Games Workshop Limited
* * * * *
Frozen Origins
Path of The Ranger: Book 11
A mystery. A great threat. A frozen continent.
The
Panthers will have to face a mission they did not expect, one full of
dangers and mysteries in a place they do not want to go. There they will
discover a terrible threat and mysteries buried in the ice by the
passage of time.
Will the Snow Panthers survive this mission?
What mysteries will they discover buried in the ice? Will they learn
anything about its origins?
Find out while you listen to fascinating adventures with a group of unique characters that you will love.
Written by Pedro Urvi, Produced by Emily Derr and Performed by John Banks
Length:
14 hrs and 14 mins
©2022 Pedro Urvi (P)2022 Podium Audio
* * * * *
The Cutting Season
Poe's just hanging around on a Saturday afternoon....
Dangling
from a hook in a meat packing plant isn't how Detective Sergeant
Washington Poe wants to spend his weekend.
He's been punched and kicked
and threatened, and when a contract killer arrives, it seems things are
about to go from bad to worse. He goes by the name of the Pale Man, and
he and his straight-edged razor have been feared all over London for 20
years.
But Poe knows two things the Pale Man doesn't.
Although it
might seem like a hopeless situation, Poe has planned to be here all
along.
More importantly, a nerdy computer whizz-kid called Tilly
Bradshaw is watching his back. And now things are about to get
interesting....
Written by M.W. Craven, Produced by Neil Gardner and Performed by John Banks
Length:
2 hrs and 15 mins
©2022 M. W. Craven (P)2022 Hachette Audio UK
NB: This short story was written and recorded as part of the Quick Reads programme. For further details, follow this link: The Reading Agency
* * * * *
The Ashes of Prospero
Space Marine Conquests Warhammer 40,000 Book 2
A Space Marine Conquests audiobook:
Concerned
by his Chapter’s diminishing numbers, Logan Grimnar entrusts Njal
Stormcaller with finding a remedy for the Space Wolves' plight - a
remedy that may lie in the least likely of places, on the damned world
of Prospero.
Space Wolves and
Thousand Sons are eternal foes, and this audiobook explores events from
the Horus Heresy and the Space Wolves' circumstances in the 41st
millennium in interesting and exciting ways.
The
grand halls of Fenris grow ever quieter in the wake of the Space
Wolves' arduous campaigns. Concerned by his Chapter’s diminishing
numbers, the Great Wolf Logan Grimnar entrusts Njal Stormcaller with a
task - to find a remedy for their plight.
When a 10,000-year-old
enemy embeds itself in the Rune Priest’s mind, it claims that the
salvation he seeks lies where an ancient enmity began - on Prospero, the
ruined home world of the Thousand Sons Legion.
Alongside an eclectic
company of injured Space Wolves, thralls, and a trickster who is more
hindrance than help, the Stormcaller sets forth. But it soon becomes
apparent that greater mechanisms are at work.
It is no longer only the
fate of the Sons of Russ that is at stake, but that of the entire
Imperium.
Written by Gav Thorpe Produced by Kylia Whitehead
Performed by John Banks
Duration 9 hours 24 minutes
©2022 Games Workshop Limited (P)2022 Games Workshop Limited
* * * * *
The Great Council
Path of The Ranger: Book 10
The Dark Rangers threaten the survival of
Rangers and the kingdom. Will our friends be able to unmask their leader
and stop them before the conspiracy is completed?
An appeal
has been made to convene The Great Council. The Ranger leaders will meet
to study the threat of the dark secret faction and find a way to end
the threat. The Snow Panthers will be immersed in the conspiracy and
will play a critical role in its resolution. They will also continue
their investigations to discover who is trying to end the lives of
Lasgol and Egil, and the relationship between the attempts.
Will
they manage to catch the leader of the Dark Rangers? Will they stop the
conspiracy that threatens them and the throne? Will they find out who is
behind the attempts on their lives?
Find out while you live fascinating adventures with a group of unique characters that will make you fall in love with them.
Written by Pedro Urvi Produced by Emily Derr and Performed by John Banks
Length:
14 hrs and 29 mins
©2022 Pedro Urvi (P)2022 Podium Audio
* * * * *
And that I think, wraps things up for now. With any luck, my schedule should now be more manageable and I'll be able to return to these pages more regularly - fingers crossed. Thanks for stopping by!
Here's a little taster for one of next month's audiobook releases, The Crown of Fire and Fury, Book 2 of The Runewar Saga:
...all for now; more just as soon as it happens!
