Seamus Monaghan is still haunted by the unexplained fire that killed his vibrant but troubled wife, Carole, three years ago. Why was she taken from him in such a horrific way?
Dominic has protected his brother, Seamus, since they were orphaned as young boys. But is that bond strong enough to survive the fallout from the fire?
Andrea loves her fiancé Seamus, but will the fire’s aftermath destroy their future together?
Time moves on, but can the embers of the past ever be truly extinguished?
Paul Gitsham started his career as a biologist, working in such exotic locales as Manchester and Toronto. After stints as the world’s most over-qualified receptionist and a spell making sure that international terrorists and other ne’er do wells hadn’t opened a Junior Savings Account at a major UK bank (a job even less exciting than being a receptionist) he retrained as a Science Teacher. He now spends his time passing on his bad habits and sloppy lab-skills to the next generation of enquiring minds.
Paul has always wanted to be a writer and his final report on leaving primary school predicted he’d be the next Roald Dahl! For the sake of balance it should be pointed out that it also said “he’ll never get anywhere in life if his handwriting doesn’t improve”. Twenty five years later and his handwriting is worse than ever but millions of children around the world love him.* *This is a lie, just ask any of the pupils he has taught.
My thoughts: This was an intense, complex thriller, with twists left, right, and centre. Family is everything to Seamus and his brother Dominic – mostly as it’s just the two of them. Seamus met his wife Carole at college and her death in a fire at their home was a terrible tragedy.
Three years on Seamus and Andrea are expecting their first baby, but Andrea is worried that something’s not right. Did Seamus have something to do with Carole’s death?
Paul Gitsham always crafts such clever and gripping reads, and this is no different. I was hooked from the off, and all the twists. The cops and I were looking in the wrong direction a lot of the time!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
A city on the brink of apocalypse. Only one man can save it.
Antonovka-15 is a Russian nuclear weapons storage facility 15 miles from the Ukraine border. When an Alt-Right Ukrainian Special Forces unit – the Vampir Brigade – breaks in and steals an H-Bomb, Breed is tasked with finding it before it can be detonated.
Breed and the CIA’s Anya Stein follow the bomb on a journey through war-torn Ukraine and on to Brussels. Are the Vampirs planning to destroy NATO HQ and the European Commission?
Negative on that – their real plan is even more horrifying.
After surviving multiple attacks by the Vampirs, Breed and Stein find the bomb has been shipped to New York. The Vampirs threaten to incinerate the city if the United States does not commit ground troops to fight Russia.
With the help of Ellie, a young homeless girl, Breed and Stein fight the Vampirs through black 19th century tunnels 30 stories below the streets of modern Manhattan. Ellie leads Breed to the bomb – and a terrifying climax with the lives of eight million innocents hanging in the balance.
Cameron Curtis has spent thirty years on trade floors as a trader and risk manager.
He was on the trade floor when Saddam’s tanks rolled into Kuwait, when the air wars opened over Baghdad and Belgrade, and when the financial crisis swallowed the world.
Having written fiction as a child, he is the author of the Breed action thriller series.
My thoughts: This is an action packed, thrill ride which if it all goes wrong has huge implications on global political scale. Breed and Stein track a Russian made bomb from war torn Ukraine to Brussels and then to busy New York and with the help of one of America’s many forgotten human beings, race against time to prevent a catastrophe.
A rogue group of Ukrainian backed soldiers have stolen an immensely dangerous weapon. At first it appears they plan to bomb a UN summit in the EU capital, one the Ukrainian president is intended to be at, proving they have no official support. Then when Breed prevents that incident, they somehow smuggle their weapon across the Atlantic, evading all potential stops and get it into the Statue of Liberty.
Underneath New York is a huge system of tunnels, along with the subway, there are vast unknown and long forgotten routes, occupied by the many homeless and runaways, some known as moles, who prefer to be underground. The soldiers have been using some of these buried sites, and it is only with the mysterious Ellie that Breed is able to track them beneath the city.
I want a whole series about Ellie, she’s so intriguing, I hope she features at the very least in another Breed book. I have recommended this series to my dad, who is very particular about his reading material, but I think this is right up his street.
It’s very cinematic like a Jason Bourne or Jack Reacher thriller. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day it hits a streaming service, it definitely has that action thriller vibe that seems to be a big hit with lots of viewers.
Breed himself is an intriguing character too, former special forces, works with the intelligence services but isn’t exactly one of them, Stein acts on his advice, even though she massively outranks him. There’s a definite vibe between them too, but way too much going on to save the world for them to act on it.
The plot is highly relevant and current, the Ukrainian fight against Putin’s insane attempt to rebuild the Soviet Union has been somewhat pushed off the front pages by more recent terrible events, but it’s still ongoing, incredibly brave people continue to risk their lives for their freedom and peace.
Highly recommend this as a great action thriller with clever twists and a glimpse at worlds right beneath our feet that we completely forget exist.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
We’re back in Achten Tan, but this time we are going back in time with new characters and a new adventure! Check out Tar & Bone by Debbie Iancu-Haddad!
Tar and Bone (The Sands of Achten Tan Book 1)
Publication Date: August 24, 2024
Genre YA Fantasy Adventure (Ages 12 to 18)
* Magic * Adventure * Disability & LGBTQ rep * Friendly Giant ants! * Non-European Setting * A weird Desert town in a ribcage. *No spice 🚫 🌶️🚫
Thirteen-year-old Kamal has been waiting his whole life to join the An’chers – the giant ant riders who protect the desert town of Achten Tan. Despite his disability, a crooked leg caused by a childhood injury, he’s determined to succeed in the try outs and become a cadet. To overcome the challenge, he strikes a bargain with an unexpected ally.
D’or is a half-elf with a dark secret. When the young giant Tar-tule rider agrees to help Kamal, his hazardous magic and the enemies it attracts put both boys in harm’s way.
Now they must evade the fanatic high elves who see D’or’s very existence as an abomination, and the dread sorcerer C’naga, whose interest in the boy threatens to lead them both down a dark path, from which there is no return.
Tar and Bone is a standalone prequel story to Speechless in Achten Tan. It includes themes of friendship, coming of age, and making tough choices. PG content is suitable for younger teen readers.
The stars speak in a language of secrets, yet their stories cannot remain hidden forever.
Billions of years ago, on one of the first-ever Earths, a boy named Skylar will walk away from his home for the last time. Beset by dreams where he flies through the early universe as a sentient starship, he will never be safe if his secret gets out. His only chance to stay alive is to fall in with the same knights who destroyed his peasant village and live under the shadow of the king who sent them to exterminate Skylar’s people.
But powerful dreams have a way of shaping reality, and with each midnight flight across the cosmos, Skylar finds his world—and himself—changing. Magic is another thing which should only exist in dreams, yet Skylar has it—one more secret that needs keeping.
Against a waking life full of monsters, warriors, swords, sorcery, treasure, and ancient mysteries, Skylar has only one key for putting all the pieces together: the Secret Sky that haunts his sleeping mind.
“Perfect for those who enjoy mystery, magic, and an engaging main character.”
– Always in the Middle
“Read this if you like a mixing of genres, children with hidden talents and want to dive into the characters of the story.”
– Log Cabin Library
“A zany, wholly absorbing start to an otherworldly, whimsical adventure worthy of multiple volumes.” – Kirkus Reviews
T. Alan Horne is a writer of science fiction, fantasy, and tales of high adventure. He specializes in taking familiar genres to new places and creating characters that readers get to keep forever as souvenirs to live in their imaginations.
His first book, Advent 9, garnered high praise, and was called “Absolutely Brilliant!” by bestselling author David Farland—the writing teacher and mentor of Brandon Sanderson, Brandon Mull, Stephenie Meyer, and James Dashner.
Mr. Horne spends most of his time writing but occasionally answers fan inquiries. Visit him at his
How the Cosmology of Secret Sky: The Young Universe Shapes the Book’s World and Story
The idea of “world building” comes up a lot in discussion of speculative fiction, though, for most of its existence the term had never been formalized. No one told L. Frank Baum he was engaged in world building when he wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, just as no one similarly informed C.S. Lewis when he produced The Chronicles of Narnia.
Only decades after one of fantasy fiction’s first landmarks—Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings—did anyone stop to think we should be codifying the quirky thing Mr. Tolkien did in giving a background and history to every aspect of his world. Today, you can’t breathe a word about epic fantasy without world building coming into play. It’s become one of the genre’s biggest selling points.
However, many people who read Secret Sky: The Young Universe are surprised to find a sophisticated amount of world building in what could otherwise be described as a book for children. As well as the degree of cosmology that was put into a work of fantasy.
The Oldest Story I Know
I wrote Secret Sky: The Young Universe with the intention of creating a story that was as believable as it was fantastic.
Yes, it is a story with magic and monsters, but the most dangerous things found in the book’s world are people and the power they wield over other people. To ground that story, I wanted to do something special with the world—something that would set it apart from other fantasy stories.
That’s why I set the story at the beginning of time.
Or, rather, very soon after the beginning of time. If not the dawn of time, then, like, the five-minutes after school starts…of time.
This book takes place less than two billion years after the Big Bang. And the Earthlike planet where the story happens is dominated by this fact. At this point in history, the universe is so small that you can see the whole of it from the surface of a single planet. The sky is lousy with galaxies, which are brighter than a full moon and can be seen night and day.
And, naturally, that changes how human society works.
The Stars Rule All
In a world where the stars are so close together that night becomes almost as bright as day, a number of changes are going to happen. The world has no electricity, yet people stay awake long after the sun sets. Naturally, star-worship is also the world’s dominant religion. Astrology applies not only to individuals but to businesses, noble families, and dynasties—each living under their own patron star signs.
Skylights are nearly as common as windows. People use the stars to bless, curse, and swear. But the most important change comes when the main character begins to understand that the stars are more than just pretty twinkling lights in the sky.
What’s going to happen to such a world after they discover gravity? Or relativity? Or the expansion of the universe? These are facts which Skylar, our hero, will have to wrestle once he begins to explore the Secret Sky.
And because the story is organized this way, the reader gets to make those discoveries with him, through his eyes.
Chapter 3: Dead Man’s Testament
You’ll notice I didn’t begin this story with “Once upon a time.”
I know how odd it seems, bringing that up three chapters in, but there’s an important lesson here. “Once upon a time” is a forecast for a bad story. It’s the storyteller’s way of announcing that he never learned how to write an opening, that he finds you unintelligent, and that he can’t be bothered to think of anything original.
Anyway, once upon a time there lived a king. But not like the kings you find in other stories. For one thing, he had never ruled a country. He wasn’t fond of countries, which explains why he’d outlawed them.
His Glorious Exaltedness, Herac the Second, lived a life most kings can only dream of. The name of his kingdom was “Everything,” and its people were known as “Everyone.” And though his capital lay many days away from Skylar’s mountain home, word of the man’s failing health had already reached the ends of his Earth.
It’s hard to appreciate, so long after the fact, just how big a deal the man’s death would become. To put things into perspective, everything in this story happened a bajillion years before the first dinosaur had been invented. You have no more business crying over King Herac than you do for Tyrannosaurus Rex.
But back then, absolutely everyone grieved at the idea of losing him. Without exception. Except the ones happy and excited to learn he was dying. Because let’s face it: why would you want a sickly old king when you have a shiny new one waiting to take his place? All eyes turned now to the heir—Herac’s only son—as the future of the kingdom and the world.
Coins bearing the boy’s face had already been struck. Officials made plans to rename cities and landmarks in his honor. And everyone started to ask, “What kind of person is this prince? What sorts of things does he like? And what could be done to make him happy?” In those questions there was money to be made. Or lost. The smart ones had already jockeyed into position, placing their bets on the biggest gamble in a generation.
They were all going to lose.
On writing:
How did you do research for your book?
The only research I needed to do was a little bit concerning the origins of the universe, which I, frankly, ignored. The narrator says the story is more than 20 billion years old, which would place it before the Big Bang as it is currently understood. I considered changing this, but after the James Webb Space Telescope failed to solve the Hubble Tension, it became obvious to me that scientists will eventually revise the age of the universe (probably many times) so there’s no point in conforming my stories to present models of the universe.
Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
All the characters in this book were easy to write. I’ve had trouble with other characters in other books, but since Secret Sky: The Young Universe is entirely filtered through the lens of a single character—the narrator—it means that all the characters are really extensions of him. As such, there’s only one character to write.
In your book you make a reference to the early universe, including the ideas of multiple Earths. How did you come up with this idea? What made you write a book about the young universe?
The narrator character—Mr. 80J—has been in my head for a long time. And though he lives on a present-day Earth, I always understood that the universe he lives in is filled with other Earthlike planets populated by humans, and that each planet has varying degrees of knowledge about the others. Naturally, in this situation there has to be a first Earth, as well as a second, third, etc. I wrote this book as a kind of prequel, taking place on an early Earth which Mr. 80J has knowledge of.
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
I don’t so much get inspiration as much as I make connections. I start with pieces of an idea, and, just by living life, more pieces come into the puzzle and hook up to what is already there. So long as I keep encountering new things, or think deeply about old things, the ideas will come.
There are many books out there about magical children. What makes yours different?
Now this is the best question you could ask me, because the major selling point of Secret Sky: The Young Universe is how different it is from other fantasy stories. In other books, the boy finds out he’s a wizard within the first few chapters. In Secret Sky, it is never spelled out what Skylar is or why he can do what he does. Hints are laid for clever readers to mull over, but one of the central conflicts of the story is that Skylar does not know what the magic even is, much less why he has it.
What advice would you give budding writers?
Be ruthless. Be the Simon Cowell and Chef Gordon Ramsay of your own work. That’s the only way to become a master. Because the world is full of liars and flatterers, and everyone else in your circle is going to tell you you’re amazing only because they want something from you. It’s up to you to discriminate between the good writing from the bad, so you had better know what each of those looks like.
If you could be a character in your book, who would you be?
Tristopher, naturally. Who wouldn’t want to be the handsomest man on the planet?
Do you have another profession besides writing?
I was a software engineer for a while. I still code projects for myself when I need to create something helpful for, say, managing social media. Computer programming comes in handy a lot.
How long have you been writing?
Since I was in high school. I won a writing contest as a sophomore and caught the bug in a big way. Of course, it was still many more years before I got good at it.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?
In my experience, writer’s block is usually just hunger. Eat something; it will go away.
What is your next project?
The sequel to Secret Sky: The Young Universe. And I ought to get back to writing it. It’s hard for me to write and publish at the same time.
What genre do you write and why?
After a lot of consideration, I’ve come to the conclusion that the genre I write is called Cosmic Fantasy. I can’t use that moniker yet because no one else knows what it is. But it’s been around for decades and is even a bestselling genre once you recognize it in the wild.
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
The best compliment I’ve gotten so far has been that the reader was expecting my work to suck, but then they were surprised. Maybe I’ll get something a little more glowing once I become famous. But for now, the thing people always say is that they are shocked at how good I am. And I suppose that’s a high compliment, in its own way.
How are you similar to or different from your lead character?
That depends on who you mean when you refer to the main character. Because I’m not at all like Skylar. I’m far too cynical and creative. But the narrator, Mr. 80J, is a bit closer to the mark. He’s not as smart as me, but I like to think that had my life turned out differently I could be as cool as he is.
What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?
The biggest rewards were having a finished book that everyone can appreciate. My previous publication, Advent 9, is an excellent book but a touch too dark for general audiences. Secret Sky: The Young Universe is a gift I can give without reservation. The biggest challenge, of course, is typing the words.
In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?
Like walking around with a gold bar in my hand and hoping someone will steal it, only to get disappointed time and again.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Learn how money works. The man who masters money can do whatever else he wants with his life—even authoring books.
Which authors inspired you to write?
I was mentored by David Farland, who was invaluable in my publishing journey not only as a mentor but as an editor. One thing he used to do at writers conferences, which other presenters still do not do, is that he would get up in front of an audience of hopefuls who have never published anything and say “You can make a living as a writer”. And he meant it.
What is something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?
The part where the narrator asks the reader to take over for him, and he sits in the back seat while the reader narrates the story. I wanted to believe I could make it work, but my editor made it clear that there just wasn’t a way. And, sadly, she was right.
On rituals:
Where do you write?
At my desk, in a comfy chair. And I believe that is key. If you want to be a professional writer, you must treat it as a profession. Meaning you must have a place set apart for doing your work.
Do you write every day?
Only when I’m a good boy. I advocate for writing every day. I believe in it. I just…fail to do it.
What is your writing schedule?
I’m a night writer. I can pick it up any time after dinner and go until midnight. That works out well for me.
Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time?
I remind myself that I’m the only one who’s going to write this story. It is not going to write itself, even though the thing I really want is for someone to just hand me the finished book. That never happens.
In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
No. And I advise writers not to. Computers may be a distraction, but they are also the greatest tool for writing ever conceived. Early writers struggling with pen and paper are looking down from Heaven and begging us to take advantage of what we have.
Fun stuff:
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
Back to 2009, to mine Bitcoin back when it was still cheap.
Favorite travel spot?
Ireland. Beautiful country and amazing history/artwork.
Favorite dessert?
Peach pie. And it pains me that peaches are only in season for a short while.
What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?
Quit my day job to become a writer. Of course, I did it with a safety net. There are writers much braver than I who quit their day job without anything else to support them. But then, they tend to fail.
Any hobbies? or Name a quirky thing you like to do.
Isn’t writing books quirky enough?
If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?
I want them to remember that reading my books instilled a strange sense in them—a sense they can’t give a name to, but which they can’t shake. I want them to remember there’s some secret thing hidden in my books which seems strangely important to their real lives. And then I want them to tell everyone else to read my books so they can all figure it out together.
Welcome to the book tour for Vicious Luna by C.J. Primer! Read on for more details!
Vicious Luna: An Enemies to Lovers Wolf Shifter Romance (Shadowed Heirs Book Four)
Publication Date: September 17, 2024
Genre: PNR/ Shifters
Fated Mates
PNR (Wolf Shifters)
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Hostage Situation
Strong FMC who takes no shit
Morally grey MMC
Primal play
Secrets & Lies
I usually dance on bars, not find myself waking up behind them.
I’m in a cell, captured by the enemy that has been hunting my kind for the past decade. They’re holding me hostage to use for leverage in their sick extermination effort, forcing me to live through my worst nightmare and subjecting me to unspeakable horrors. While a lesser woman would give up, I’ll stop at nothing to find a way to escape this place, even if it means crossing a few lines.
The guy who’s keeping me under lock and key is stone cold, but there’s no mistaking the way he looks at me. As much as he hates himself for it, he wants me, and that’s something I can work with.
Little by little, I’ll let him get closer. I’ll make him believe I’m playing his game while setting a honey trap he can’t help but get caught in. He’ll think he’s breaking me down, but I’ll just be biding my time, waiting for an opening to shove a knife in his back and set myself free.
There’s only one problem with my plan, though…
There’s a fine line between love and hate.
Vicious Luna is book four in the Shadowed Heirs series, a collection of paranormal romance novels centered around a group of aligned packs of wolf shifters. These books contain mature content (steamy scenes!), frequent use of profanity, and darker themes. While each book in the series concludes with a HEA for the main couple featured, there are some loose ends concerning the overarching storyline that runs throughout the entire five-book series. This book can be enjoyed as a standalone. The first three books in the series are available on KU.
This book contains darker themes that may be triggering for some readers. Possible triggers include, but are not limited to: bullying, kidnapping, hostage situation, emotional blackmail, manipulation, dubious consent, rough sex, primal play, graphic violence, blood, gore, use of firearms, death, threat of sexual assault (not between MCs), anxiety, depression, and thoughts of self-harm. I have tried to handle all of these with care, and this story WILL have a happy ending. It’s just a rough road to get there, but if anyone can go through hell and come out stronger on the other side, it’s Avery. I hope you enjoy her story.
We’re celebrating the beautiful and newly released book by River Ash, A Curse So Wicked!
A Curse so Wicked (Cursed Bloodline Book 1)
Publication Date: October 6, 2024
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Deadly Bites
Vampire/Witches
Curse Witch
Elemental Witch
Vampire MMC
Witch FMC
His Bites Can Restore Her Magic
She’s anxious for a cure. He has the answer. With mutual magical enemies, will their sizzling chemistry survive a dangerous betrayal?
New Orleans. Hailey Knox needs a miracle. Born to a long line of powerful witches, the fire-haired bartender has tried everything to break a curse that stifles her magic. So when a mysterious, sexy bloodsucker claims he can crack the spell, she throws caution to the wind for the sake of her deathly ill granny.
John is frantically pursuing a deeply personal agenda. So the vampire seizes the opportunity to further his desperate aims by offering the despairing green-eyed goddess a deal too sweet to be true. But despite his hunger for the lovely redhead, he refuses to be distracted as he vows to pursue his goal to the treacherous end.
THE DARKNESS FROM HIS PAST WILL FINALLY COME TO LIGHT
The death of DS Tyler’s father irrevocably changed his life. As a child, he believed Richard had killed himself but, as the years have passed, Tyler has grown convinced he was murdered.
When a cold case lands on Tyler’s desk, there’s nothing immediately notable about it, apart from the link it has to his father. Richard was investigating the same case shortly before he died.
Finally, Tyler has a tangible link to the past, one that could give him the answers he has been looking for. And while there are dangerous people who will do anything to keep him quiet, he knows he has to keep digging.
Because you’d risk anything for your family – even your life.
Russ Thomas grew up in the 80s reading anything he could get his hands on, writing stories, watching television, and playing videogames: in short, anything that avoided the Great Outdoors. After a few ‘proper’ jobs, he discovered the joys of bookselling, where he could talk to people about books all day. Now a full-time writer, he also teaches creative writing classes and mentors new authors.
My thoughts: Tyler is getting closer to answers about his father’s death and the seam of corruption running through the city. He’s getting info from crooks as well as his father’s former colleagues. He knows his father’s suicide wasn’t right and he’s sure he’ll prove it.
There’s a frozen body in the lake, frozen before it even hit the water, and a teenage girl to protect. So it’s business as usual in that regard. But Tyler is also looking for his missing boss/godmother, sure Stevens has done something terrible to her.
As some of the storylines running through the series finally come to a conclusion with answers that Tyler (and I) finally get as the evidence and events combine in shocking twists.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
DS Regan Carter never imagined she would end up in the Major Crime Unit, surrounded by the one thing she despises most: death. But when a young mother is brutally killed and her baby kidnapped, Regan is thrown into a terrifying battle with a local organized crime group. As she closes in on the gang-members, she must also face the horror of her own past. Regan struggles to keep her head above water.
But this is just the beginning. As the OCG begins to crumble and secrets are revealed, Regan finds herself facing a threat that hits dangerously close to home. With her job, her reputation, and her life on the line, she must use all her skills and ferocity to take down the criminals before they take her down first.
For fans of gripping police procedurals, and crime thrillers with strong female leads, A Random Kill is a must-read. Don’t miss out on this heart-pounding debut in the DS Regan Carter series.
Andrew Barrett has been a CSI since 1996, and one way or another, his life has revolved around crime ever since.
In 1997 he finished his first crime thriller, A Long Time Dead, and it’s still a readers’ favourite today, some 150,000 copies later, topping the Amazon charts several times. Two more books featuring SOCO Roger Conniston completed the trilogy.
Today, Andrew still produces authentic crime thrillers with a forensic flavour that attract attention from readers worldwide. He’s also attracted attention from the Yorkshire media, having been featured in the Yorkshire Post and interviewed on BBC Radio Leeds a couple of times.
He’s best known for his lead character, CSI Eddie Collins, and the acerbic way in which he roots out criminals, and administers justice. Eddie’s series is seven books and five novellas in length, and there’s still more to come.
There’s a new trilogy featuring feisty DS Regan Carter due out soon.
He’s a proud Yorkshireman and sets his novels there, using his home city of Leeds as another major, and complementary, character in each of the stories.
My thoughts: Regan Carter has been reassigned following her divorce (from her senior officer – oops) to the Major Crime Unit where she’ll have to deal with the one thing she hates – death and dead bodies.
Called out to the scene of a terrible incident – a murdered young woman and her baby missing, taken by the person who killed her, Regan has to prove herself to her new team and to her new bosses.
The case gets more and more complicated, as the detectives dig into it, nothing is as straightforward as it seems and there are more bodies to come, the gang at the centre of the case is unravelling, and someone in the police might be passing on info.
Smart and fast paced, this book cracks along, with twists and turns at every step.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour,but all opinions remain my own.
Bella is living her best life in Wynbridge, with her beloved Spaniel, Tink. She’s found a way to keep the house she inherited from her grandparents while expanding her dream business – Away With the Fairies – and she’s ecstatic that Christmas is on the horizon!
In fact, everything is perfect until family friend, Catherine Connelly asks Bella if she’d be willing to rent part of the house to freelance author, Jude who is researching the history of the Connelly Clan and Wynthorpe Hall ahead of turning his findings into a book. The plan had been for Jude to stay at the hall, but he can’t cope with the chaos and Bella reluctantly agrees to open her door to him.
Initially, the pair clash but then friendlier feelings begin to grow and Bella finds herself wondering if Jude could become more than just another guest before it’s time for him to leave. That is, until he announces he has no time for Christmas!
With her favourite time of the year suddenly in jeopardy, will Bella ever feel like she’s home for Christmas?
Heidi Swain is a Sunday Times Top Ten best-selling author who writes feel good fiction for Simon & Schuster. She releases two books a year (early summer and winter) and the stories all have a strong sense of community, family and friendship. She is currently writing books set in three locations – the Fenland town of Wynbridge, Nightingale Square in Norwich and Wynmouth on the Norfolk coast, as well as summer standalone titles.
Heidi lives in beautiful west Norfolk. She is passionate about gardening, the countryside, collecting vintage paraphernalia and reading. Her tbr pile is always out of control!
Heidi loves to chat with her readers and you can get in touch via her website or on social media.
My thoughts: I do enjoy a Heidi Swain Christmas book and this is really good, fun and charming, and it made me feel all cosy inside.
Bella makes fairies at her business Away With the Fairies, inspired by her love of Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies (my Nan gave me the whole series as a child, one book per birthday till I had them all) and other fairy related things. She’s good at it, and they sell well, especially in the run up to Christmas, so she’s going to be really busy.
And then she’s asked to take in a temporary guest – a writer called Jude, who’s been staying at the Hall but needs somewhere quiet to put together the history he’s writing. And she can’t really say no, as the Connollys have been so good to her over the years.
Cue chaos, Jude hates Christmas, Bella’s little flat is too small for all the fairy making paraphernalia and her dog, Tink, is disturbing him by barking.
But as the festive season intensifies, and the pair get to know each other better, there’s a distinct something in the air…
Filled with Heidi’s charming characters and festive fun, this is a terrific cosy, mug of hit chocolate wrapped in a blanket with your favourite festive film (Muppets’ Christmas Carol for me) on the TV read. So get comfy and enjoy!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
‘There are a lot of shadows at Ravenswood, so you will need to be strong…’
The year is 1885 and a young woman is on the run, knowing if she’s caught, she’ll be hanged for murder. Moments from a safe haven, she collides with a gruff stranger, falling and breaking her ankle.
To her surprise, the man – Marcus Greybourne – convinces the local constable that she is his reclusive wife of ten years, Luna. He carries her back to the neglected and crumbling Ravenswood Hall, promising if she agrees to maintain this charade, he will keep her safe until her injuries have healed.
But the house is haunted by shadows and secrets. What’s more, the real Luna Greybourne is missing, without trace. Scratches and marks made by her around the house suggest witchcraft; and indeed Luna is known locally as the Ravenswood Witch; her reputation in tatters, like the wallpapers of the padlocked rooms she’d destroyed.
As strange happenings in the house continue, outside the screech of a raven echoes across oppressive woods that seem alive with dark magic. And the woman who is now pretending to be Luna can’t help but fear she’s escaped the noose for a far more terrible fate…
A completely compelling and unforgettable historical bookclub read – fans of Jane Eyre, Weyward and The Binding will be utterly spellbound.
Jenni Keer is the well-reviewed author of historical romances, often with a mystery at their heart. Most recently published by Headline and shortlisted for the 2023 RNA Historical Romantic Novel of the Year.
My thoughts: I’m not sure pretending to be a complete stranger’s wife and then not just fleeing, but actually going on with the pretence is the best plan in the world, especially when you start to learn that his missing wife is seen as a witch and feared by the locals.
Set at a time when mental illness was even less well understood than it is now, Luna Greybourne is clearly a very unwell and unhappy woman. Her husband, Marcus, has tried to help her to no avail and things have gotten so bad most of the servants have fled and the local community regards him with distrust.
Posing as his wife might help this young woman hide from her current troubles but it could just as well backfire and see her arrested for something else. They may not be hanging witches anymore (England did not burn them at the stake, that was for heretics) but even in the 19th Century, there was superstition and plenty of asylums filled with “mad women”.
The house has seen some terrible things, the rooms need repairs and redecoration, the furniture is battered and the whole place is heavy with neglect. Marcus requests that “Luna” oversee the restoration of his home while she recuperates. The rather peculiar servants, a married couple who appear to hate each other, will assist.
I loved Luna’s little feathered friend, ravens are highly intelligent, as he demonstrates and remember their friends, use tools and can even learn to talk. But his presence adds to the rumours that she’s a witch and responsible for various things that happen. All of which means more scrutiny, not less. Especially when Marcus’ aunt comes for a visit.
Women had very few rights and there wasn’t much justice at this time – you could be locked away or even executed without much evidence, and I can sort of understand wanting to be someone else till the furore dies down, but “Luna” puts herself into more danger by having to trust others not to tell, and she can’t seem to follow a simple instruction – stay out of the woods and away from the healer man.
This gets quite dark and turns into something of a supernatural thriller as events build to a head, we learn about both the original Luna and her replacement, the fate of our heroine’s supposed victim and delve into the politics at play in this small place. Clever, gripping and fascinating.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 