Blog

Welcome to House With No Name. I write about everything from books and films to education, family and France.

Book review: Last Seen by Lucy Clarke

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Tuesday 4th July 2017

Lucy Clarke is fast becoming a writer to watch. Last Seen, her fourth novel, is set on a remote coastline dotted with beach huts so I was entranced by the location before I even got into the story. Clarke writes brilliantly about the sea – hardly surprising since she spent her childhood holidays living in a beach hut, is married to a professional windsurfer and now lives on the south coast ...keep reading

Book review: At Long Last Love

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Monday 3rd July 2017

If you have a penchant for wartime sagas you’ll enjoy At Long Last Love, Milly Adams’s latest novel. Adams excels at creating characters you really care about and Kate Watson is no exception. The novel starts in July 1942, when feisty nightclub singer Kate is scratching a living in bomb-blitzed London. I was enthralled by the juxtaposition of Kate’s rackety London life and her demanding work as an air raid ...keep reading

Book review: Amanda Craig’s new novel

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Thursday 8th June 2017

The Lie of the Land, Amanda Craig’s seventh novel, doesn’t fit a particular genre. A mix of black comedy, whip-smart social satire and psychological suspense, this tale of a highly dysfunctional family is enthralling, insightful and immensely readable. Quentin and Lottie Bredin are in an all too familiar bind. They’ve both lost their jobs, their marriage is in tatters and they can’t afford to divorce. They can’t sell their north London house either, which ...keep reading

My new book for journalism students

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Friday 19th May 2017

This is an exciting week for me because my first non-fiction book, Interviewing for Journalists, is out. It’s aimed at journalism students and trainees but journalists of all ages and anyone who has to conduct interviews will be interested in it. My husband runs a technology business and he’s picked up loads of tips from the book about how to interview customers, suppliers and prospective employees. He now refers to ...keep reading

The Cool Dorset Guide: A night at The Pig

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Friday 17th March 2017

My room at The Pig on the Beach had everything a hotel guest could wish for. Stunning décor, a view across the sea towards Old Harry Rocks and a rolltop bath strategically placed by the window to enjoy the amazing vista. I was so determined to make the most of my one-night stay that I even set my alarm for an hour earlier than usual. When it went off at 6 am ...keep reading

Book review: Trisha Ashley’s new novel

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Thursday 16th March 2017

Fans of Trisha Ashley wax lyrical about her storytelling, elegant writing style and original plots. Katie Fforde calls her “one of the best writers around” while Sophie Kinsella praises her “down-to-earth humour”. All of these qualities and more feature in Trisha’s latest novel, The Little Teashop of Lost and Found, which is touching and funny and in parts, very sad. Best of all, it features three stories in one, all ...keep reading

Jeffrey Archer at the BBC’s World Book Club

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Sunday 12th March 2017

Jeffrey Archer is a writing dynamo. His books have sold a mind-blowing 300 million copies in 35 different languages and at 76 he’s still at the top of his game. I’ve just read all seven of his Clifton Chronicles series and was so gripped that the moment I finished one I immediately downloaded the next. The man is a storytelling maestro so when I heard that he was going to ...keep reading

Book review: Katie Fforde’s new book

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Tuesday 7th March 2017

This is the perfect time of year to curl up with a Katie Fforde novel. The temperature is hovering around six degrees (brrrr… I’m still wearing my coat and fingerless gloves inside the house) but I’m sure that spring can’t be far off. The days are longer, the first daffodils have appeared and Katie Fforde’s latest book has hit the bookshops. A Secret Garden, Katie’s 23rd novel, is as fresh as ...keep reading

Book review: Ambulance Girls

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Saturday 25th February 2017

“As war rages, can love and friendship survive?” That’s the compelling tagline on the cover of Ambulance Girls, a new historical saga by Australian writer Deborah Burrows. Having read the book, the tagline delivers what it promises – and a whole lot more besides. Ambulance Girls is the story of Lily Brennan, a young ambulance driver in London during the Second World War. What makes the novel different is that ...keep reading

Book review: Marie Curie

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Friday 24th February 2017

I love the idea behind the Little People, Big Dreams series for children. Aimed at five to eight-year-olds, this collection tells the stories of famous women who achieved remarkable things. The title stems from the fact that women like Amelia Earhart, Maya Angelou, Coco Chanel and Frida Kahlo began life as small children with big dreams – which they all went on to fulfil. The books are stunning and I was thrilled to discover that ...keep reading

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