Billy Shakeshaft
@morgatronix.bsky.social
Classic (and not so classic) literature condensed to a sentence or two.
#Frankie by #GrahamNorton – Frankie is orphaned and goes to live with her aunt and minister uncle. She has a talent for cookery. She is married off to a widowed minister but they are not happy together. Then she discovers his secret. The one constant is her friend Norah.
January 23, 2026 at 9:43 AM
#Frankie by #GrahamNorton – Frankie is orphaned and goes to live with her aunt and minister uncle. She has a talent for cookery. She is married off to a widowed minister but they are not happy together. Then she discovers his secret. The one constant is her friend Norah.
The Bullet that Missed by #RichardOsman – the Club meet a TV presenter who mentions a colleague who died a decade ago; her car plunged off a cliff. She was working on a story. Elizabeth and Stephen are kidnapped. “The Viking” wants her to kill a Russian spy, or else…
January 8, 2026 at 9:11 AM
The Bullet that Missed by #RichardOsman – the Club meet a TV presenter who mentions a colleague who died a decade ago; her car plunged off a cliff. She was working on a story. Elizabeth and Stephen are kidnapped. “The Viking” wants her to kill a Russian spy, or else…
The Man I Think I Know by #MikeGayle – they met at boarding school. Danny won a scholarship then went to Cambridge but ended up on the dole. James’s family had money; he started a business, became an MP then suffered a terrible injury. They help turn each other’s lives around.
December 23, 2025 at 3:38 PM
The Man I Think I Know by #MikeGayle – they met at boarding school. Danny won a scholarship then went to Cambridge but ended up on the dole. James’s family had money; he started a business, became an MP then suffered a terrible injury. They help turn each other’s lives around.
Girl, Woman, Other by #BernardineEvaristo – the brief life stories of 12 women; mothers, daughters, young, old, a playwright, a banker, a teacher, a farmer’s wife, friends, rivals. Ending in the debut of a play about ancient women soldiers in Dahomey (Benin). Then ...
December 3, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Girl, Woman, Other by #BernardineEvaristo – the brief life stories of 12 women; mothers, daughters, young, old, a playwright, a banker, a teacher, a farmer’s wife, friends, rivals. Ending in the debut of a play about ancient women soldiers in Dahomey (Benin). Then ...
#TheRomantic by #WilliamBoyd – the fictional biography of Cashel Ross, an orphan in the 19th century. He is involved in major events such as the Battle of Waterloo, meets Lord Byron and Percy Shelley in Italy, becomes a successful author then is thrown into debtors prison.
November 9, 2025 at 10:29 PM
#TheRomantic by #WilliamBoyd – the fictional biography of Cashel Ross, an orphan in the 19th century. He is involved in major events such as the Battle of Waterloo, meets Lord Byron and Percy Shelley in Italy, becomes a successful author then is thrown into debtors prison.
#Piranesi by #SusannaClarke – Piranesi lives in the House, with many rooms, lined with statues. The lower levels are prone to flooding. He keeps a journal and records the water levels. The only other occupant is the Other, who Piranesi helps in his quest for Knowledge.
October 13, 2025 at 8:23 AM
#Piranesi by #SusannaClarke – Piranesi lives in the House, with many rooms, lined with statues. The lower levels are prone to flooding. He keeps a journal and records the water levels. The only other occupant is the Other, who Piranesi helps in his quest for Knowledge.
#LongIsland – #ColmToibin – 20 years on from #Brooklyn. Eilis’s family live on Long Island. A man tells her his wife had an affair with Tony and is pregnant; he will disown the baby. She says she won’t help raise the baby. She decides to return home for her mother’s birthday.
September 29, 2025 at 9:19 AM
#LongIsland – #ColmToibin – 20 years on from #Brooklyn. Eilis’s family live on Long Island. A man tells her his wife had an affair with Tony and is pregnant; he will disown the baby. She says she won’t help raise the baby. She decides to return home for her mother’s birthday.
#TheMinistryofTime by #KalianeBradley – an unnamed woman agrees to be the carer for Graham Gore, a time traveller (“expat”) from a disastrous expedition to find the Northwest Passage in 1847. Other expats come from different times, including the Great Plague in 1665 and the Somme in 1916.
September 15, 2025 at 9:10 AM
#TheMinistryofTime by #KalianeBradley – an unnamed woman agrees to be the carer for Graham Gore, a time traveller (“expat”) from a disastrous expedition to find the Northwest Passage in 1847. Other expats come from different times, including the Great Plague in 1665 and the Somme in 1916.
#LoveAfterLove by #IngridPersaud – Trinidad: Betty lives with her son Solo. Her drunken abusive husband had died. She offers a room to her colleague Mr Chetan, who becomes friends with Solo. Solo overhears something devastating and goes to stay with Uncle Hari in New York.
August 29, 2025 at 8:22 AM
#LoveAfterLove by #IngridPersaud – Trinidad: Betty lives with her son Solo. Her drunken abusive husband had died. She offers a room to her colleague Mr Chetan, who becomes friends with Solo. Solo overhears something devastating and goes to stay with Uncle Hari in New York.
And the #MountainsEchoed by #KhaledHosseini – a young girl is taken from a small village in Afghanistan to Kabul and adopted by a wealthy couple. Nine linked stories about Pari, her family, birth and adoptive, and the people who they influence, or who influence their lives.
August 7, 2025 at 8:32 AM
And the #MountainsEchoed by #KhaledHosseini – a young girl is taken from a small village in Afghanistan to Kabul and adopted by a wealthy couple. Nine linked stories about Pari, her family, birth and adoptive, and the people who they influence, or who influence their lives.
The #StrawberryThief by #JoanneHarris – Narcisse leaves a wood to Vianne’s young daughter Rosette and gives a written confession to Reynaud, the parish priest. Narcisse’s daughter fights the will. Vianne is unsettled when the mysterious Morgane opens a tattoo shop.
July 13, 2025 at 2:10 PM
The #StrawberryThief by #JoanneHarris – Narcisse leaves a wood to Vianne’s young daughter Rosette and gives a written confession to Reynaud, the parish priest. Narcisse’s daughter fights the will. Vianne is unsettled when the mysterious Morgane opens a tattoo shop.
#James by #PercivalEverett – the world of Huck Finn from the point of view of Jim, a slave. Jim is friendly with Huck but runs away when he finds out he is going to be sold. He has taught himself to write and reads avidly. Jim starts to write down his story.
June 16, 2025 at 9:01 AM
#James by #PercivalEverett – the world of Huck Finn from the point of view of Jim, a slave. Jim is friendly with Huck but runs away when he finds out he is going to be sold. He has taught himself to write and reads avidly. Jim starts to write down his story.
#QueenMacbeth by #ValMcDermid – a retelling of the story of #Macbeth, or rather his queen, #Gruoch. She was married to Gille, Earl of Moray, when she met and fell in love with handsome, ambitious Macbeth. Gille is said to have murdered Macbeth’s father. Brutal times.
June 2, 2025 at 11:05 AM
#QueenMacbeth by #ValMcDermid – a retelling of the story of #Macbeth, or rather his queen, #Gruoch. She was married to Gille, Earl of Moray, when she met and fell in love with handsome, ambitious Macbeth. Gille is said to have murdered Macbeth’s father. Brutal times.
#FoolsandMortals by #BernardCornwell – early Elizabethan London. Richard is an actor. His brother Will is a playwright and “Sharer”. Richard mainly plays women’s roles but he’s getting older and wants male parts. There is pressure on Will to write a “wedding” play.
May 25, 2025 at 9:45 AM
#FoolsandMortals by #BernardCornwell – early Elizabethan London. Richard is an actor. His brother Will is a playwright and “Sharer”. Richard mainly plays women’s roles but he’s getting older and wants male parts. There is pressure on Will to write a “wedding” play.
#Intermezzo by #SallyRooney – brothers Peter and Ivan are very different. Peter is older, confident, a lawyer with two lovers, Sylvia who was injured in a car accident, and Naomi, young and attractive. Ivan is a competitive chess player. He starts seeing the older Margaret.
May 5, 2025 at 12:03 PM
#Intermezzo by #SallyRooney – brothers Peter and Ivan are very different. Peter is older, confident, a lawyer with two lovers, Sylvia who was injured in a car accident, and Naomi, young and attractive. Ivan is a competitive chess player. He starts seeing the older Margaret.
The Fox by #FrederickForsyth – a family home is raided by the SAS. The US want to extradite a young British hacker but the UK comes up with a plan. A new Russian warship goes out of control. The Russians discover the location of the boy and mount a failed attempt to kill him.
May 1, 2025 at 4:18 PM
The Fox by #FrederickForsyth – a family home is raided by the SAS. The US want to extradite a young British hacker but the UK comes up with a plan. A new Russian warship goes out of control. The Russians discover the location of the boy and mount a failed attempt to kill him.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by #GabrielleZevin – Sam was injured as a child in a car accident. He met Sadie who’s sister had cancer. They both loved video games. Years later he sees her and they rekindle their friendship and start writing video games together.
April 6, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by #GabrielleZevin – Sam was injured as a child in a car accident. He met Sadie who’s sister had cancer. They both loved video games. Years later he sees her and they rekindle their friendship and start writing video games together.
The Ripping Tree by #NikkiGemmell – a woman tells her grandchildren a story. Thomasina, “Tom”, is sailing to Australia with her married brother. She is to wed a vicar she has never met. The ship is wrecked. Tom is saved and taken in by a family but hides her true identity.
March 6, 2025 at 8:51 AM
The Ripping Tree by #NikkiGemmell – a woman tells her grandchildren a story. Thomasina, “Tom”, is sailing to Australia with her married brother. She is to wed a vicar she has never met. The ship is wrecked. Tom is saved and taken in by a family but hides her true identity.
#SnowPatrol – #BPPulseArena, Birmingham – sold-out, featured heavily from 2006’s #EyesOpen and last year’s #TheForestIsthePath, with the audience taking over singing duties on many, including Run and Chasing Cars. Martha Wainwright appeared on video for Set the Fire to the Third Bar.
February 17, 2025 at 6:25 PM
#SnowPatrol – #BPPulseArena, Birmingham – sold-out, featured heavily from 2006’s #EyesOpen and last year’s #TheForestIsthePath, with the audience taking over singing duties on many, including Run and Chasing Cars. Martha Wainwright appeared on video for Set the Fire to the Third Bar.
What Are You Going Through by #SigridNunez – a woman visits a friend in hospital. The friend’s cancer treatment is unsuccessful and she decides to end her own life. She asks her friend for help, being with her when she dies. This triggers a series of memories for the woman.
February 17, 2025 at 9:42 AM
What Are You Going Through by #SigridNunez – a woman visits a friend in hospital. The friend’s cancer treatment is unsuccessful and she decides to end her own life. She asks her friend for help, being with her when she dies. This triggers a series of memories for the woman.
A Good Liar by #AmandaBrooke – journalist Leanne is investigating a fire at a theatre in which a number of people died, including her friend Lois. She thinks the developer and a contractor were responsible. She wants the people who saved or tended victims to be recognised.
February 6, 2025 at 9:22 AM
A Good Liar by #AmandaBrooke – journalist Leanne is investigating a fire at a theatre in which a number of people died, including her friend Lois. She thinks the developer and a contractor were responsible. She wants the people who saved or tended victims to be recognised.
#MurderBeforeEvensong by the Reverend #RichardColes – Canon Clement discovers a body in the church, stabbed with secateurs. The victim was Anthony Bowman, cousin of Bernard de Floures, head of the estate. Soon after Ned Thwaite, the former headmaster, is found drowned. Who killed them? Why?
January 20, 2025 at 3:38 PM
#MurderBeforeEvensong by the Reverend #RichardColes – Canon Clement discovers a body in the church, stabbed with secateurs. The victim was Anthony Bowman, cousin of Bernard de Floures, head of the estate. Soon after Ned Thwaite, the former headmaster, is found drowned. Who killed them? Why?
#AlltheLightWeCannotSee by #AnthonyDoerr – Marie-Laure is blind and lives in Paris with her father. Werner and his sister Jutta are orphans and live near Essen. World War 2 looms, Marie-Laure is taken to stay with family in St Malo and Werner enters a training school.
December 30, 2024 at 1:20 PM
#AlltheLightWeCannotSee by #AnthonyDoerr – Marie-Laure is blind and lives in Paris with her father. Werner and his sister Jutta are orphans and live near Essen. World War 2 looms, Marie-Laure is taken to stay with family in St Malo and Werner enters a training school.
The House of Eyes by #KateEllis – reformed criminal turned property developer Darren Hatman reports his daughter missing. Detective Wesley Peterson suspects she’s has gone to London looking for modelling work. Then Darren’s body is found at a barn conversion near a posh hotel.
December 4, 2024 at 2:10 PM
The House of Eyes by #KateEllis – reformed criminal turned property developer Darren Hatman reports his daughter missing. Detective Wesley Peterson suspects she’s has gone to London looking for modelling work. Then Darren’s body is found at a barn conversion near a posh hotel.
#Orbital by #SamanthaHarvey – a day in the life of six astronauts and cosmonauts, four men and two women, on the International Space Station. Sixteen 90-minute orbits of the Earth. Being on the ISS changes how the crew think about their planet and their own lives.
November 24, 2024 at 11:49 AM
#Orbital by #SamanthaHarvey – a day in the life of six astronauts and cosmonauts, four men and two women, on the International Space Station. Sixteen 90-minute orbits of the Earth. Being on the ISS changes how the crew think about their planet and their own lives.