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#TeamScilly Blog Tour: Hangman Island – Kate Rhodes

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ON A REMOTE ISLAND

When Jez Cardew’s boat is found drifting empty on the Atlantic Ocean, DI Ben Kitto and his fellow lifeboat crew members immediately fear the worst. After an extensive search yields no results, the team are forced to retreat to dry land as darkness sets in.

THE OCEAN IS MERCILESS

But Kitto can’t let it go. Why would Jez – an experienced sailor – get into difficulty when the sea has been calm for weeks? Unless his disappearance was no accident.

BUT SO ARE THE PEOPLE . . .

The gruesome discovery of a hand washed ashore on the beach confirms his hunch. Because a medal is attached to the index finger, and it can only have been placed there by the killer.

This strange clue is the only lead to an agenda as cold as the ocean itself. Kitto must work fast, before the small, isolated community closes ranks. And it’s only a matter of time before the murderer among them strikes again . . .

Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley, Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths, this gripping new locked-island mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat until the bitter end.

My thoughts: a lot of the places in the Scillies have dark names and dark pasts, as in the titles of this series, and indeed this book. As Ben Kitto prepares for his wedding to Nina, the lifeboat crew is under threat.

The RNLI volunteers do an incredible job, and are true heroes, living on the edge of the Atlantic, the Scillies need them a lot, the main mode of travel is by boat after all. But someone has a problem with heroes, Jez, is found with a lifesaving medal attached by wire to his hand, drowned; possibly keel hauled, a truly terrible way to die. Can Kitto and his team find the killer before anyone else is killed?

The tension is this series in great, small isolated community, everyone knows everyone (or so it seems), there’s suspicion and whispers in the air. Kitto has to figure it out fast, he’s on a deadline after all. Can’t get married with a murderer on the loose.

My beloved Shadow, Kitto’s right hand hound is back to full health and finding clues again, because he’s the best detective around. There’s a personal angle as Eddie, Kitto’s DS is related to the first victim and taking it hard.

I don’t know how many more stories of murder and tragedy Kate Rhodes can find in the small collection of islands that make up the Scillies, but I hope there are more to come.

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Blog Tour: The Girl in Seat 2A – Diana Wilkinson

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Funny how one lie can spiral…


One thing about me: I HATE flying. It’s my worst nightmare.
That’s why I book seat 2A every time I fly. Since my big win, I’ve been booking seats 2B and 2C as well. They’re my comfort seats, they cushion the claustrophobia, and at last I can afford them.
I am now determined to live the life of luxury. I deserve it, after all.
How to Live Like a Millionaire is the book I’m reading on this flight. When it lands on the floor, a handsome guy hands it back to me. I know he clocks the title, because he’s totally charming and talks to me as if I’m one of the Marbella Millionaire set.
When I land in sunny Spain, I’ll be acting like a millionairess, that’s for sure – even if it’s stretching the truth, just a bit. We all know that money talks, and I intend to talk my way into a better life.
Who knows… maybe this guy, the one who had the cheek to sit down in seat 2C, might be someone special. He has an air of danger, but who cares?

Purchase


Diana Wilkinson writes bestselling psychological thrillers, including her debut novel 4 Riverside Close published by Bloodhound. Formerly an international professional tennis player, she hails from
Belfast, but now lives in Hertfordshire.

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My thoughts: Jade has had some good fortune, just not as much as she’s letting people think on her live like a millionaire holiday in Marbella. When she meets Isaac on the plane, she decides a holiday fling with a real millionaire could be fun. Only Isaac is more terrifying and dangerous then she could imagine.

She’s also scared of his sullen and moody housekeeper, but maybe she shouldn’t be. She’s not sure who to trust, far from home, among strangers. But as things get worse, you start to wonder who is playing who.

Told from several perspectives and moving back and forth on the timeline, the truth about casa de Astrid is revealed and all becomes clear. A clever and gripping thriller set in the Spanish sunshine. Holidays have never been so dangerous.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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Blog Tour: Who To Believe – Edwin Hill

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WhoToBelieve copy

Welcome to the ARC tour for Edwin Hill’s upcoming thriller Who to Believe. Read on for more details!

Who To Believe - Hill - FINAL

Who to Believe: A Twisty Domestic Thriler

Expected Publication Date: January 23, 2024

Genre: Thriller/ Domestic Thriller/ Serial Killers

In a twisty, claustrophobic suburban suspense novel for fans of Ruth Ware and Liane Moriarty, the aftermath of a murder in a quiet coastal New England town reveals a web of dark secrets among friends . . .

Monreith, Massachusetts, was once a small community of whalers and farmers. These days it’s a well-to-do town filled with commuters drawn to its rugged coastline and country roads. A peaceful, predictable place—until popular restaurateur Laurel Thibodeau is found brutally murdered in her own home. Suspicion naturally falls on Laurel’s husband, Simon, who had gambling debts that only her life insurance policy could fix. But there are other rumors too . . .

Among the group of six friends gathered for Alice Stone’s fortieth birthday, theories abound concerning Laurel’s death. Max Barbosa, police chief, has heard plenty of them, as has his longtime friend, Unitarian minister Georgia Fitzhugh. Local psychiatrist Farley Drake is privy to even more, gleaning snippets of gossip and information from his patients while closely guarding his own past.

But maybe everyone in Monreith has something to hide. Because before this late-summer evening has come to a close, one of these six will be dead. And as jealousy, revenge, adultery, and greed converge, the question becomes not who among these friends might be capable of such a thing, but—who isn’t?

This is an adult suspense thriller by Edwin Hill, very LGBTQ+ inclusive. Publisher is Kensington. Coming out January 2024.

“Confounding twists and seismic reveals stud Edgar nominee Hill’s meticulously crafted, diabolically plotted mystery. Structured to maximize suspense, the tale unfolds in seven parts, each with its own nuanced first-person-present narrator and unique voice. Every new section delivers a kaleidoscopic turn, reframing all that came before and keeping readers perennially off-kilter. A devilishly clever delight.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

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About the Author

Edwin Hill is a suspense writer and author of the critically acclaimed domestic suspense novels including Who to Believe, The Secrets We Share, and the Hester Thursby Mysteries. A two-time Agatha Award finalist and a Sue Grafton Memorial Award finalist, his novels have received starred reviews from Library Journal, Booklist, and Publishers Weekly, and been selections of the Mysterious Press First Mystery Club, Publishers Marketplace Buzz Books selection. Formerly the vice president and editorial director for Bedford/St. Martin’s (Macmillan), he now teaches at Emerson College and has written for the LA Review of Books, The Life Sentence, Publishers Weekly, and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. He lives in Roslindale, Massachusetts with his partner Michael and their Labrador, Edith Ann. Visit Edwin Hill online at http://www.Edwin-Hill.com.

My thoughts: this was a clever and entertaining thriller, you get several different versions of the same events, and each person might be a murderer. The small town setting gives it that claustrophobic edge, everyone knows each other, their lives are intertwined, maybe a little too much.

When a local woman is killed, suspicion naturally falls on the husband, but there’s a few other people with reasons to kill her. Is it one of the guests at Alice’s birthday? Their stories show them to be not a particularly pleasant group. All bitterness, jealousy and resentment.

Then one of them is killed after the party, who did it? The sheriff has to recuse himself, he was there. But if everyone has a motive, will finding the killer be possible?

The final section (narrated by a dog!) ties everything up, and reminds us that your pets see everything you do, even if they don’t really understand.

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*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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Blog Tour: Dissonance – Sarah Emmer

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Dissonance

Welcome to the book tour for Sarah Emmer’s time travel fantasy, Dissonance. Read on for more details!

ebook (1)

Dissonance (The Timekeepers of Laeviin Book 2)

Publication Date: December 2023

Genre: Romantic Fantasy/ Time Travel

End the Dissonance. Restart the Timeline.

Nirel and Jase escape, but arrive in the past injured and far from their destination. A new mission emerges: rescue the prince from the assassination that began the war.

However, the Goddess of Time is silent, leaving them without guidance when they need it the most.

In the present, Corvin fears the worst when he cannot locate Nirel, not even with the assistance of forbidden magic. This new power urges him to take innocent lives, and his spiral threatens destruction for the entire kingdom.

If those in the past can’t save the present, the future will cease to exist at all.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Sarah Emmer, Romantic Fantasy Author

Sarah is a romantic fantasy and contemporary romance author and audiobook narrator. She loves to weave reality within imagined worlds and explore the depths of human emotion in her characters. Sarah has two very special sons that inspire her stories every day.

Sarah Emmer

Book Tour Schedule

January 15th

http://rrbooktours.com Landing Page

https://instagram.com/the_bookish_cave_of_wonders?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA== – Review

https://www.instagram.com/lit.and.Elle/ – Review

https://lshadowlynauthor.com/ – Feature

https://www.instagram.com/authormariereed/ – Feature

January 16th

https://rissreviewsx.wixsite.com/website – Review

https://www.instagram.com/book.aholic003/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D – Review

https://www.instagram.com/emerald.moon.reads/ – Feature

https://www.instagram.com/samanthainfantasyworld/ – Feature

January 17th

https://www.instagram.com/squeakeysundergroundlibrary/ – Review

https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com – Feature

https://www.instagram.com/ilovebooksandstuffblog/

https://darkfantasyreviews.wordpress.com – Feature

January 18th

https://www.instagram.com/littleredpandareader/ – Review

https://www.instagram.com/booked_by_megs/  – Review

https://www.instagram.com/bookish_lady_night/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D – Feature

https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/ – Feature

January 19th

https://www.instagram.com/bookgrlobsessed/ – Review

https://www.instagram.com/shandyreadsromantasy/?igshid=MjEwN2IyYWYwYw%3D%3D – Review

http://ramblingmads.com – Feature

https://www.instagram.com/dragonmoshpit.reads/?hl=en – Feature

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Cover Reveal: Boys Who Hurt – Eva Björg Ægisdottir

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Boys Who Hurt – Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, translated by Victoria Cribb out 18th July Link

Fresh from maternity leave, Detective Elma finds herself confronted with a complex case, when a man is found murdered in a holiday cottage in the depths of the Icelandic countryside – the victim of a frenzied knife attack, with a shocking message scrawled on the wall above him.

 At home with their baby daughter, Sævar is finding it hard to let go of work, until the chance discovery in a discarded box provides him with a distraction. Could the diary of a young boy, detailing the events of a long-ago summer have a bearing on Elma’s case?

 Once again, the team at West Iceland CID have to contend with local secrets in the small town of Akranes, where someone has a vested interest in preventing the truth from coming to light. And Sævar has secrets of his own that threaten to destroy his and Elma’s newfound happiness.

Tense, twisty and shocking, Boys Who Hurt is the next, addictive instalment in the award-winning Forbidden Iceland series, as dark events from the past endanger everything…

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Book Blitz: Beauty & the Blade and Little Red Shadow – S.C. Grayson

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Bridgerton Meets Peaky Blinders

We are thrilled announce that both Beauty and the Blade and Little Red Shadow by S.C. Grayson are now available!

Beauty & the Blade Front Cover

Beauty and the Blade (The Talented Fairy Tales Book 1)

Publication Date: January 5, 2024

Genre: Gaslamp Fantasy/ Fairy Tale Fantasy

Most London socialites dream of marrying for love or status, but Contessa’s wedding is about justice—and revenge.

Nathanial Woodrow is known on the streets of London as the Beast, leader of the fearsome Lion gang who mark their victims with three slashes on their face. Since her mother was found dead with the signature slashes years ago, Contessa has wanted nothing more than to see her murderer brought to justice. However, the Beast has been impeccable at maintaining his façade as the high society Mr. Nathanial Woodrow, and nobody has been able to gather enough evidence to convict him. When the Beast unexpectedly asks Contessa’s father, the Chief of the Royal Police, for her hand in marriage, Contessa and her father hatch a plan to bring him down from the inside.

As Contessa enters the lion’s den in search of evidence to convict the Beast, she finds that not everything is as she once thought. Her father’s work, hunting down Talented that use their magic to rule the criminal underworld, is thrown into question with each glimpse of the kind-hearted man beneath the mask of a hardened gang leader. As Contessa navigates her search for justice, she finds herself questioning what side she’s really on, and why she finds herself drawn to a man she’s supposed to hate.

Amazon

Little Red DIGITAL (1)

Little Red Shadow (The Talented Fairy Tales Book 2)

Publication Date:  January 5, 2024

Genre:  Fairy Tale Fantasy Romance/ Gaslamp

The Wolves are out for blood, but Scarlett doesn’t intend to let them catch their prey.

When Scarlett’s friend Georgette starts receiving death threats from the Wolves, a powerful street gang, she sets out uncover why they want a prominent socialite dead. As a Talented gangster herself, Scarlett goes undercover. Instead of a hardened murderer, she discovers the charming younger son of a Duke, Benedict Pearce, is the would-be assassin. Clearly not a killer at heart, Scarlett decides to trust the handsome rogue, and they join forces to put a stop to the Wolves mysterious machinations and save her friend.

As the pair begin their investigations, as well as a fictitious courtship to throw the Wolves off their trail, Scarlett must reckon with a past she prefers to keep hidden. Benedict, constantly jovial and flirtatious, slowly chips away at the shadows Scarlett has built around her heart.

Still, as the search uncovers deeper levels of deception, their ruse becomes increasingly dangerous. When facing down the Wolves, Scarlett is forced to confront how far into the shadows she is willing to go to protect the ones who have her heart.

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Blog Tour: The Trauma Effect – Zetta Thomelin

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The Trauma Effect reveals a family secret, a trauma, a tragedy that felled a family, the book exposes uncomfortable truths and follows the journey of recovery.

Families have secrets, hidden traumas, the skeleton in the closet. We can inherit the effects of these events without even realising it, absorbing it unconsciously, like a sponge absorbs water.

My family has such a secret. I tell you my story in this book, my story as I thought it, and then the truth of my story to help you to heal yours.

I explore how such events can affect us, both psychologically and physically and take you on the journey of recovery, how to bring a full stop to that inheritance of shame, blame and guilt, so the next generation does not have to carry the burden of it too.

We need to do something about it, shine a light on it, take the skeleton out of the closet, dust it down and bury it once and for all.

Zetta Thomelin is a therapist in private practice, involved in the governance of complementary medicine as Chair of BAThH, as Vice-Chair of UKCHO and as a Trustee of Research Council for Complementary Medicine

Prior to her career in therapy, she worked in the media at News International and Chronos Group Publishing and later in the Third Sector as CEO of Children with AIDS Charity and Vice Chair of Mama Biashara.

She is the author of two other books, The Healing Metaphor and Self-Help? Self-Hypnosis!

For further information go to http://www.zettathomelin.com email info@zettathomelin.com

My thoughts: this was a really interesting and informative read, using her own family as a case study, therapist Zetta explores how trauma can echo through the generations in a family and have an impact even if you don’t experience it firsthand.

Her grandparents and father were the ones directly affected by her aunt’s terrible death, but she was impacted by it too, through them. She looks at the different psychological theories and treatments that can be used to help someone experiencing generational trauma and what she has used in her own practice.

My own family has some experience of generational trauma and so I was interested to understand the effects of this and how it might manifest. A thoroughly intelligent and well written exploration of this condition and its impact.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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Book Release Blitz: Zero Kill – M.K. Hill

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A TIMES BEST NEW THRILLER PICK

‘Runs at breakneck speed through a dark and dangerous universe populated with characters who are never what they seem’ KATHLEEN KENT, author of Black Wolf

‘A perfect thriller – page-turning excitement, expert plotting, a good dose of wit, and above all a fierce heroine you can’t get enough of.’ ASIA MACKAY, author of Killing It

Meet Elsa Zero: Bad neighbour. Single mother. Ex-deep cover agent.
And right now, the most dangerous person on Earth.
When Elsa’s dull but dedicated boyfriend proposes in a packed restaurant, she doesn’t think her evening can get any worse. But as the clock strikes midnight, her world is turned upside down.
Suddenly Elsa is running for her life, trying to keep her children safe, and desperate to discover what the hell is going on.
Every intelligence agency in the world wants her dead because she’s in possession of a deadly secret
– she just has to stay alive long enough to figure out what it is.
But this is Elsa Zero we’re talking about. And it’s a very bad idea to get on her wrong side.

Bursting with tension, twists and humour, this is a brilliantly unique action-thriller perfect for fans of Killing Eve, Lee Child and people who loved watching Nobody and Hunted.


Purchase Link


M.K. Hill worked as a journalist and an award-winning music radio producer before becoming a full-time writer. He’s written the Sasha Dawson series, Ray Drake series and the highly-acclaimed psychological thriller One Bad Thing. He lives in London. Visit him at http://www.mkhill.uk or find him on Twitter
@markhillwriter

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Blog Tour: The Cupcake Standard – Maren Jenner

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Banner

Welcome to the book tour for Maren Jenner’s Sweet Nothing’s romance, The Cupcake Standard!

Cover

The Cupcake Standard (Sweet Nothings Series #1)

Publication Date: August 15, 2023

Genre: Romance/ NA Billionaire Romance/ Fake Dating

Avery doesn’ t believe in true love, so fake dating the man of her dreams should be a piece of cake.

Avery Milbourne will do anything to get out of dinner with her famous, overbearing mother. Even kiss a stranger. It doesn’ t hurt that he’ s tall, dark, handsome, and wearing a very grabbable tie.

Gearing up to finish college, along with everything else happening in her life, Avery has no time for a relationship. But when the stranger turns out to be wealthy billionaire Derek Elgin, she thinks twice. Accepting Derek’ s offer to enter into a fake relationship and move in with him seems to solve all her problems. She doesn’ t expect to fall for him, but within Derek’ s quiet steadiness, Avery finds a retreat she is loath to give up.

But true love is a myth, and Avery’ s relationship with Derek isn’ t real, so where does that leave her?

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Maren Jenner lives in Michigan with her supportive husband and spunky daughter. She loves writing, and, when she’s not working on her next book, she’s got her nose in a different one. Her summers are spent on any lake she can visit, but the beaches of Lake Michigan are her favorite.
The Cupcake Standard is her debut novel, though she’s been writing for as long as she can remember. It’s always been a dream to become a full-time author. Her dreams wouldn’t be possible without the love and support of her family and friends.

Maren Jenner

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Cover Reveal: One Grand Summer – Ewald Arenz

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One Grand Summer – Ewald Arenz, translated by Rachel Ward out 4th July Link

Sixteen-year-old Frieder’s plans for the summer are shattered when he fails two subjects. To be able to move up to the next year in the Autumn, he needs to resit his exams. So instead of going on holiday with his family, he now faces the daunting and boring prospect of staying at his grandparents’ house, studying with his strict and formal step-grandfather.

 On the bright side, he’ll spend time with his grandmother Nana, his sister Alma and his best friend Johann. And he meets Beate, the girl in the beautiful green swimsuit…

 The next few weeks will bring friendship, fear and first love – one grand summer that will change and shape his entire life.

 A number-one bestseller in Germany and winner of the German Booksellers Prize, One Grand Summer is a moving, beautiful and profound novel about relationships and respect that captures those exquisite and painful moments that make us who we are…