In Praise of Backstories

IN PRAISE OF BACKSTORIES

‘Ingenious idea, brilliantly executed.’  (Daily Mirror)

'Unique, astonishing and magical, Backstories is the most entertaining book I have ever read.' (The Book Magnet)

‘Truly unique.  When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it.’ (Echoes in an Empty Room)

'Absorbing and thought-provoking, Backstories called out irresistibly to my competitive spirit.'  (The Book's Whiskers)

‘Uniquely complex, short, smart, stimulus for the mind!’  (Brewtiful Fiction) 

'I felt like I was playing a delightful game of charades with the author.'  (B for Book Review)

‘A creative, thought-provoking read.’ (Featz Reviews)

‘Elegant and frequently raw, Backstories thrums with life and meaning.’ (Linda’s Book Bag)

‘Brilliant…felt like I was taking part in a detective game.'  (Helen Kilgannon) 

‘Van Der Velde masterfully explores the unfamiliar pasts of familiar figures.’ (Notable Novels)

'An engaging, compelling, and completely unusual book...The mysteriousness captivated me.' (Whispering Stories)

‘An intimate look…into snapshots of people's lives.’  (Bookmarks and Stages)

‘Chock-full of raw emotion and visceral pain’ (PuzzlePaws Reviews)

‘Accessible, poetic, mysterious and brave’ (Book & Awe)

‘You will want to re-read every story several times, I guarantee it!’ (Sheila Bugler)

‘Places the reader in the detective's chair' (Rebecca Kelly)

‘A social commentary and conscience that stopped me in my tracks’ (Reflections of a Reader) 

‘An intimate look…into snapshots of people's lives’ (Bookmarks and Stages)

‘Engaging and intriguing this book offers something a little extra’ (Grumpy Old Books)

‘A fun book that I really enjoyed’ (IHeartBooks)

‘An unusual and very satisfying read’ (Bionic Sarah)

‘As if we had hopped on the TARDIS but without Doctor Who to guide us’ (Karen K)

‘Addictive…and so well written’ (Confessions of a Bookworm)

‘Each story…builds a picture of the famous and infamous for you to guess.  A stroke of genius!’ (Books from Dusk till Dawn)

‘Backstories is accessible, poetic, mysterious, brave, and totally unlike anything I’ve read’ (Book & Awe)

‘Backstories is a completely genius idea, and I fell in love with the it after the very first story’ (Dawn’s Book Reviews)

‘A triumphant, unique collection of puzzling short stories, and a book with a heart’ (The Book’s Whiskers)

‘An extraordinarily unique and captivating book’ (The Very Bookish)

‘I loved this brilliant, fun, tragic and horrific, (in a good way) collection of idols’ (Zoe’s Book Nook)

‘Vivid in detail and full of delicious little clues’ (One Page at a Turn)

‘Backstories is so much more than a collection of short stories‘ (Book Mad Jo)

‘A wonderful, intriguing collection and such a refreshing read!’ (Jera’s Jamboree)

‘A very good read which gets you thinking.’ (N.S. Ford)

‘Shocking, powerful and hard hitting’ (Locky Loves Books)

‘A unique and special book’ (Zoebeesbooks19)

‘Backstories is a delight’ (Steph’s Book Blog)

‘I've been absolutely blown away by how addictive I've found the brilliant Backstories’ (Books, Writing and Life)

‘Backstories is funny, sad, poignant and thought-provoking’ (Over40andaMumtoOne)

‘You just don’t realize what those people went through before they were either loved or hated by millions’ (B for Bookreview)

‘Well-written, intelligent, varied short stories that stand up to repeated reading even once the jig is up…a fantastic mixture of voices and styles, and it is impressive how well the author manages to convey different places and eras so effectively across a short span of pages. The stories are punchy, powerful, with beautifully written dialogue and a strongly visual quality’ (Elspells)

'Backstories is a thrilling and at times shocking read that bravely addresses the fundamental questions of human identity.'  (Dr Sara Northey, Director Forensic Psychology, Sussex)

‘Humanity shimmers at the heart of every tale…and it is this that resonates, long after each mystery has been solved.’  (Caroline Ward Vine, winner of the Costa Prize)

‘Tightly written, technically accomplished, light-footed, wryly ironic and genuinely affecting. Excellent stuff.’ (Professor Graham Mort, Director of The Centre for Transcultural Writing and Research)

‘Some surprising and thought-provoking takes on…the early lives of the famous and notorious.’ (Kathleen Kenny, author of The Satellites of Jupiter)

‘Backstories is the thinking woman’s masked singer.  Sitting scribbling notes and shouting out names to myself, thinking I’m Jessica Fletcher.’  (Sarah Faichney)

‘This is such a unique book. I'm not a huge fan of short stories. They always leave me wanting. But this, holy crap, this, will fulfil you completely’ (Mrs Loves to Read)

‘Each new chapter is like a clean canvas that builds a picture of the famous and infamous for you to guess. It is a stroke of genius!’ (Books from Dusk till Dawn)

‘Backstories is a stonking debut. The premise is unique, and has the potential to change how book clubs operate.’ (Sarah Faichney Reviews)

‘Backstories is a fascinating collection…that I'll read again as knowing who each story is about will make me read with deeper understanding.’ (Portobello Book Blog)

‘Backstories is smart and enigmatic…adding a level of realism to what have always been unreachable, exaggeratedly famous (or infamous) characters’ (The Witty and Sarcastic Book Club)

‘I was so invested in figuring out who each person was that I completely abandoned everything I was supposed to be doing’ (My Fictional Oasis)

'Whilst Backstories in no way seeks to forgive the notorious for their actions, it does offer an insight into why they took the route they did. It humanises them, and that made my mind tick.' (Books, Writing and Life)