They’ve changed. He hasn’t. And that’s the problem.
Alan Hope has spent his entire working life as a reporter for the local newspaper. Now in his early sixties, he’s the newsroom dinosaur, firmly out of touch with the TikTok generation. So when his editor insists he starts an online blog, Alan treats it like free therapy. It’s not like anyone is actually going to read it… right?
Wrong! Because the more Alan’s life unravels – both personally and professionally – the more his brutally honest posts explode in popularity. Suddenly, the tight-knit town of Bashford is reading Alan’s innermost thoughts…
His wife announces she no longer wants to grow old with him. His two grown children are more like strangers. His colleagues are mortified at the oversharing. Then he’s forced to work with fellow reporter Lisa – young, ambitious and the epitomise of modern life. Everything Alan is not.
But can someone from a completely different generation help Alan reconnect with his own family?
And can Alan – a newspaper relic who now actually hates newspapers – help Lisa uncover the truth about her father?
Don’t Shoot The Messenger by Rob Harris is published byBloodhound Books on 2 April 2026 and you can find out more about the book on Amazon, Goodreads and Storygraph
I am sharing my review today as part of the Virtual Book Tour hosted by Zooloo’s Book Tours which takes place 13 -19 April 2026. Check the Book Tour Schedule and follow along to discover what other readers have to say about this new release.
Thank you to the author Rob Harris, publisher Bloodhound Books and, of course the lovely Zoé at Zooloo’s Book Tours for having me on this book tour and for providing a digital edition to read and review.
Rob harris
Rob Harris grew up in the Forest of Dean but now lives in Oxfordshire with his wife and daughter. For more than 15 years he worked on regional newspapers as a journalist, sports editor and sub-editor and he is a former editor of The Forester newspaper. He’s also been named Gloucestershire Media Sports Writer of the Year.
Rob’s first novel, The Absurd Life of Barry White, was published July 2024 by Bloodhound Books. The sequel, Barry White is Still Absurd, came out in June 2025.
Rob previously wrote a memoir about the rare highs and frequent lows of being a committed but ultimately frustrated village cricketer – called Won’t You Dance for Virat Kohli?, which was published in 2021 by Pitch.
He still knocks around on village cricket grounds, allegedly ‘for fun.’
🔗 Website
My Review
A Breath of Fresh Air with Heart, Humour, and a Hugely Relatable Hero
If you’re looking for a book that feels like a breather from real life – with plenty of humour, heart, and a character you can’t help but root for – Don’t Shoot the Messenger absolutely delivers.
At its heart, we have Alan – firmly set in his ways and slightly out of step with the modern world – who finds himself unexpectedly sharing far more of his life than he ever intended. What unfolds is funny, chaotic, and at times quietly emotional, as things begin to unravel both personally and professionally.
I absolutely loved how real Alan felt. He’s not always easy to like – he can be stubborn, awkward, and unintentionally frustrating – but that’s what made him so compelling. I found myself laughing at him one minute and rooting for him the next.
The humour is spot on, especially in those moments where Alan’s honesty runs away with him. But what really stayed with me was the heart behind it all. Beneath the lighter tone, there’s a real sense of loneliness, change, and trying to find your place when the world has moved on without you – and that hit more than I expected.
I also really enjoyed the relationships, particularly the contrast between Alan and Lisa. It never felt overdone, just a natural, gradual shift that added warmth and a bit of hope to the story.
This is one of those reads that lets you properly switch off for a while. It’s warm, witty, and full of personality, with just enough emotional depth to make it linger after you’ve finished.
A genuinely uplifting, entertaining read – and one I’d happily recommend if you’re looking to escape into something relatable, heartfelt, and quietly reassuring.
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See About My Reviews and Review FAQ for full star rating explanations and review guidelines. This review may also appear on my social media channels and selected book platforms. All links were correct at the time of publication. DISCLOSURE: I received a review copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours. As always, my thoughts are honest and my own. This review is original content. Please credit and link back if you wish to quote.
© [2026] [MoMoBookDiary]
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