Category: reviews

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Within the Island’s Hold – Glennis Goodwin

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On the Island of Philae in the upper reaches of the Nile Valley, Nofret, the new priestess to the Temple of Hathor, has left Dendera in the north where she received her training. She now has her own temple to govern.

The hierarchy makes her welcome, but as she settles into life on the island, she slowly realises that her predecessor’s death may not have been straightforward.
Hearing different versions of the event, she takes it upon herself to find out what really happened to the Priestess Safiya and finds that the island holds its own secrets, which lie beneath the temple buildings.

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Glennis Goodwin is a British author who has long held an interest in the myths and culture of the Ancient Egyptians. Along with that, the people of southern Africa have also been of interest and in the early 1980s, she was fortunate to live and work in Zambia.
In her working life, she has gone from Nursing to Retail and from Academic Publishing to PA, but during that time she never lost the feeling that Africa gave her, and, in those years, had holidays in Egypt and Kenya.
In 2004, she aimed to return to her nursing career and enrolled in New Zealand on a refresher course. Settling into life on the other side of the world, she continued to further her career, met her husband and made her home there.
Sadly, a brain haemorrhage and slight stroke ended her study, but after her recovery, she found herself wanting to write, something she had longed to do but never seemed to have the time for. Returning to the UK in 2017, she settled down at her computer, and over the following months, the tales of the Eight Deities of the Primordial Chaos came to life in the story of Malian, the altar tender. Her first book, The Eighth Deity, then came into being and The Gods of Chaos, a fantasy adventure series, was born.
Now living in a Nottinghamshire village, she has since written Brotherhood of Apep, In the Footsteps of Ra, and The Papyrus of Ma’at, her second, third and fourth books. Her fifth, and final title of the series, The Bow of Horus, is published here. Currently, she is looking to expand
her writing while using the knowledge gained from her trips to Egypt and is working on an Ancient Egyptian murder mystery set on the banks of the Nile.

My thoughts: a young priestess is given her own temple of Hathor to lead, but her predecessor’s death was far from a straightforward accident. There is something rotten at the heart of the temple complex of Philae and Nofret must tread carefully, unsure who to trust, as she investigates.

Underneath the complex lies a labyrinth of tunnels and tombs. Someone has been stealing and selling the grave goods of the priests and priestesses resting there, it must be someone working with the temples, assisted by an outsider, but as a newcomer Nofret doesn’t know the island’s secrets. 

She puts her life at risk to get answers, both to the thefts and the murders. A special ceremony offers the opportunity to expose the criminals but the answers she uncovers are not as expected. Can she still stop the perpetrators?

Nofret is an intelligent and educated woman, sent to serve her goddess as a child, she’s risen far in the hierarchy of Hathor’s followers. The high priest has somehow missed all the intrigue and crime going on beneath his nose, but as someone with an outsider’s perspective, Nofret can see more clearly.

It’s a clever and intricate plot, replete with secret passages and high risks, not least the crocodiles and hippos along the island’s edge, Nofret has no real allies except a little cat that has adopted her, and possibly the local governor, whom she confides in. Despite its ancient setting, this could easily be a modern-day mystery, people after all, have always been people.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Waterfall – Gareth Rubin

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A story about stories within stories as four interconnected mysteries take the reader through the ages, from Shakespeare’s day to a 19th century Gothic former Priory, to 1920s Venice, and finally to 1940s California, from the internationally bestselling author of The Turnglass.

We begin with the last testament of William Shakespeare as he investigates the real-life murder mystery of his friend, playwright Christopher Marlowe.

The second story is a 19th Century Gothic tale about the discovery of Shakespeare’s manuscript, set in an isolated former priory, turned into a clinic for those who cannot sleep.

The third is a lighter Golden Age detective tale set in Venice, where private investigator Honora Feldman looks into a baffling case of theft and murder in the British expat community, with the Gothic story at its heart.

And finally, a 1940s American Noir as Ken Kourian finds a serial killer is recreating all the murders in The Waterfall, the companion book to his friend Oliver Tooke’s The Turnglass.

The Waterfall is a beguiling and intricate mystery that cements Gareth Rubin’s position as one of the most original authors writing today.

GARETH RUBIN is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Turnglass, which was also a top 10 bestseller in Italy. His other books include Holmes and Moriarty, Liberation Square and The Winter Agent. He lives in London and writes about social affairs, travel and the arts for British newspapers.

My thoughts: I really liked this, it’s a very playful but dark book. There are 4 narratives nestled inside each other like Matryoshka dolls, a technique known as mise en abyme (in the midst of the abyss) where each builds up the overarcing narrative. 

If you’ve read The Turnglass, you’ll be familiar with the author’s love of playing with narratives and text. You’ll also recognise some of the characters from the final story in The Waterfall.

But we begin with William Shakespeare trying to solve the murder of Christopher Marlowe, stabbed to death in a Deptford bar, possibly for being either a spy, a Catholic or gay. A mystery still unsolved all these years later. Will gives it a good go, but discovers something far stranger than expected, the secrets of a man best known as Rabbi Loew of Prague. And possibly the early notes of Romeo & Juliet, as written by Kit, which he takes and improves…

Suddenly we jump forward from the 16th to the 19th Century, to probably the weirdest story in the book. Which is saying something. Set in an isolated former Priory, where a peculiar man conducts research into sleep disorders and rules his family with an iron fist. Or so it first appears. Strange incidents occur but we are left without answers as the next story begins.

In 1930s Venice, a detective and her assistant are on holiday, but the Golden Age of crime fiction means that there are crimes to be solved, a fire, a theft, murders. And a curious book called The Waterfall at the heart of it.

And finally another decade and in sunny California strange occurrences again. Here we are reunited with a few of the characters from The Turnglass, more jaded than in that novel, as a world-weary Ken Kourian is reunited with Coraline Tooke, and someone appears to be recreating the deaths in a strange book called The Waterfall….

I love a metatextual, story within a story, littered with familiar tropes, characters and even some I’ve read about before (not to mention real-life people like Shakespeare and Marlowe), there’s something really fun and enjoyable about these literary games authors play and this is a great example of that. Defying genre by mashing several different ones together in one book but separate, the narratives like little boxes folded inside one another. It’s a delight for literature nerds like me. 

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Queen’s Necklace – Adrienne Chinn

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The most famous necklace in the world has finally been found…

Bryher Finch’s life isn’t just a disaster, it’s a catastrophe, until a chance invitation to chart her family tree changes everything. As Bryher uncovers the ancestry she never knew about, she stumbles on the find of the century – Anne Boleyn’s ‘B’ necklace, as enigmatic as Henry VIII’s most notorious Queen herself.
But Bryher isn’t the only one who wants the necklace…

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Adrienne Chinn was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, grew up in Quebec, and eventually made her way to London, England after a career as a journalist. In England she worked as a TV and film
researcher before embarking on a career as an interior designer, lecturer, and writer. When not up a ladder or at the computer writing, she often can be found rummaging through flea markets or
haggling in the Marrakech souk.

Her debut novel, The Lost Letter, was published in 2019. Her second novel, the international bestseller, The English Wife, was published in 2020. Her third novel, Love in a Time of War, the first in a series of four books in The Three Fry Sisters series, was published in 2022.
The second book in the series, The Paris Sister, was published in 2023, and the third book, In the Shadow of War, was published in March 2024.

Her next book, a historical timeslip novel, The Queen’s Necklace, will be published in September 2025, followed by the fourth book in The Three Fry Sisters series, set during WWII, in 2026.

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My thoughts: Bryher is a bit of a miserable cow at the beginning, she’s clearly been set up but acts enough like a spoilt brat that it’s hard to empathise with her, at first. As she adjusts to her new reality in a version of the UK that seems to be a blend of actual modern Britain and the 1950s (especially when it comes to cousin Betty, who hasn’t joined the 21st century) and the role as Anne Boleyn in a new mini series, she stops being quite so stroppy and brattish. Thankfully.

The dual timeline narrative where sisters Anne and Mary Boleyn live is interesting although they seem very cruel to each other, especially Anne to Mary, which might have been how they were, considering their father constantly compared them to one another (he was such a great dad).

The link is the infamous Boleyn B necklace, worn in several portraits of Anne, lost somewhere in time (probably dismantled and fashioned into other jewellery) and somehow amongst the gems and trinkets hidden in cousin Betty’s mother’s jewellery box.

Betty and Bryher are distant cousins, both descendants of Mary Boleyn’s line (Anne has no direct descendants of course, her daughter Elizabeth I famously the Virgin Queen), whose children had lots of children themselves and whose eldest daughter might have been Henry VIII’s.

But the necklace is desired both in Tudor times and in Bryher’s. Anne takes it from Mary before eventually giving it to her niece, Catherine shortly before her execution (in this story) and Bryher tries to stop two rather unscrupulous men taking it, although she trusts the wrong one. Thank heavens for cousin Betty.

Speaking of cousin Betty, her constant refrain about being family shifts Bryher’s view of her own past, the difficult relationships she had with her mother and sister, the hardships and struggles they had. It softens her as a person and makes her less heartless, more sympathetic, her life has been mostly struggle and just as she thought things were getting better, it’s all been ripped away. I liked her more by this point.

It’s an interesting take on the Boleyn narrative, Anne’s family was pretty awful, her father always scheming to get wealth and power, using his children as pawns. Which ended with two of them executed and the surviving one estranged. The name of Boleyn besmirched for centuries.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Under a Spanish Sky – T.A. Williams

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Out of darkness, light will shine…

Amy Hardy once lived a life full of colour, but a tragic accident has turned her world to shadows.
Determined to embrace her new life, Amy sets off on the famous Compostela pilgrimage, hoping to find light in the darkness and a new path.

Accompanying her on her journey is Luke Patterson a man whose own troubled past casts dark shadows over his life. He’s hoping that guiding Amy will be a distraction from his own troubles.

But as Luke and Amy travel through the stunning scenery of Northern Spain, following in footsteps of those travellers before them, they feel a connection to each other. And as their bond grows, a love
story from the distant past emerges before them, forcing them to confront their own secrets, pain and feelings for each other.
Can a story of courage and bravery help them both to emerge from the shadows into the light once more?

Under A Spanish Sky is an enchanting novel about the search for happiness, fulfilment…and above all love.

Please Note: This book was previously published as Chasing Shadows

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T. A. Williams is the bestselling author of the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series. Trevor studied languages at University and lived and worked in Italy for eight years, returning to England
with his wife in 1972. Trevor and his wife now live in Devon.

Facebook: @TrevorWilliamsBooks
Twitter: @TAWilliamsBooks
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My thoughts: Amy and Luke are both historians, specialising in the Middle Ages, following in the footsteps of generations of pilgrims on the Santiago Compostela into Spain.

As they travel, with Luke acting as Amy’s eyes, they build a story of previous pilgrims – Luc and Aimee, who were in a hurry to reach the end of the pilgrims’ route and avoid the church’s soldiers, carrying something precious.

The two narratives weave together as the modern day duo traverse the mountains and snow in a way that would seem impossible for the Middle Ages pilgrims who travelled on foot and if they were rich, on horse back.

Amy and Luke have been paired up by a mutual friend who thinks they would be good for each other. Both have been through terrible things and carry a lot of pain. As they get to know each other, they share details of their lives and begin to fall for one another.

I really liked Amy and Luke, and their Middle Ages alternates  – Luc and Aimee, the Santiago Compostela is something I find fascinating – it is still walked by modern day pilgrims – not all of them religious, and it was a huge undertaking before modern day travel options.

I’m a big fan of T.A. Williams’ crime books and his romance novels too. The stories, like this one, are clever, moving and enjoyable. It was a really great book to cosy up with one windy evening and transport myself to a wintry Spanish adventure.

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

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Blog Tour: In Her Shadow – Theo Baxter

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Every room has a secret. Every secret has a price.

Rachel thought marrying Lucas Price would be the beginning of her happily ever after.

Instead, moving into Crestwood, his sprawling seaside estate, feels more like stepping into a nightmare.
The shadow of his first wife, Eliza—who died in a tragic fall from the cliffs—haunts every corner of their new home. When ghostly apparitions begin appearing and mysterious messages warn Rachel to leave, she questions her own sanity.

Lucas dismisses her fears and refuses to discuss what happened to Eliza, leaving Rachel isolated and paranoid. Desperate to get to the truth, she starts to investigate Eliza’s death.
In a house where nothing is as it seems and everyone has something to hide, Rachel must confront not only the ghosts of the past but the buried trauma of her own dark memories.

And when she finally gets closer to Crestwood’s horrifying secret, she realizes she’s in danger of losing everything she cares about. Including her life.

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Theo Baxter loves writing psychological suspense thrillers. It’s all about that last reveal that he loves shocking readers with.
He grew up in New York, where there was crime all around. He decided to turn that into something positive with his fiction.
His stories will have you reading through the night—they are very addictive!

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My thoughts: Rachel clearly never read Rebecca or Bluebeard – if you’re the second wife, be prepared to be haunted by either the dead wife or the husband’s terrible secrets behind locked doors. She’s dealing with both.

Moving into Crestwood, the house her husband and his late wife Eliza designed and built is where her nightmares begin. She thinks there might be a ghost, even if everyone around her insists that’s not possible. Her husband is keeping secrets and has locked the bedroom next to theirs, and won’t discuss it.

But then things start happening even after her therapist switches up her meds to help her sleep. Someone blocks the doors to the room Rachel is working in, someone who can move through the house unseen. 

Lucas needs to start talking – the secrets he’s keeping might hold the answers or at least reassure Rachel that he isn’t involved. 

There’s a shocking twist and once Rachel starts to get to the truth, she’s not crazy, Lucas has kept a lot from her, and their lives could be the cost. 

Clever, full of twists and with a protagonist  I really felt sorry for, put in a terrifying situation that’s not her fault. 

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

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Blog Tour: Murder at Trafalgar Square – Michelle Salter

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A murdered suffragette. A missing politician. A stolen artwork.

London, 1910

Coral Fairbanks is a contradiction. As well as a suffragette, she’s a bit-part actress and nude model, earning her the disapproval of her fellow suffragettes.
Guy Flynn is an artist. He’s also a detective inspector at Scotland Yard, who doesn’t always see eye to eye with fellow officers in the Metropolitan Police.

When Home Secretary Winston Churchill orders the police to terrorise the suffragettes during an afternoon of violence that becomes known as Black Friday, the battlelines are drawn – and Coral Fairbanks and Guy Flynn are on different sides.

But when a young suffragette is found murdered in the National Portrait Gallery and one of their paintings is stolen – Fairbanks and Flynn must put their differences aside and combine their
knowledge to track down the killer.

Introducing an iconic detective duo in Fairbanks and Flynn, this is an exciting and gripping historical mystery, which will delight fans of Agatha Christie, Benedict Brown and T. E. Kinsey

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Michelle Salter writes historical cosy crime set in Hampshire, where she lives, and inspired by real-life events in 1920s Britain. Her Iris Woodmore series draws on an interest in the aftermath of the Great War and the suffragette movement.

Facebook: @MichelleSalterWriter
Instagram: michellesalter_writer
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Bookbub profile: @MichelleSalter

My thoughts: The first in a new series featuring suffragette, actress and artist’s model Coral Fairbanks who teams up with Met detective and painter Guy Flynn to solve the murder of her fellow suffragette, Marian, in the National Portrait Gallery during a suffrage stunt.

The gallery was mostly empty when Marian was killed, so the suspect pool is small – staff of the gallery, her fellow suffragettes, an MP, his aide, and curiously another MP’s wife, who happened to be there at the same time. A painting was also stolen at the same time.

There’s also a missing Secretary of State, whose wife hasn’t a clue where he’s got to, nor do his colleagues. His house was firebombed roughly the same time and he seems rather connected to the actions the suffragettes have been carrying out.

Coral wants to protect her fellow suffragettes, she can’t imagine any of them are killers, but Flynn knows anyone can snap and do something terrible. Is that what happened here?

I really liked Coral and Flynn, I think they’re going to be an interesting pairing. Flynn empathises with the battle for suffrage, if not with the way the women are going about it. He’s drawn to Coral, they’re both widowed, and Flynn is raising a teenage daughter, who could do with more women around her. Coral is trying to work out what she wants to do with her life now, without her husband, and her acting career on the wane. She’s got good instincts and while she can’t officially be a detective she could be an asset to Flynn.

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

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Blog Tour: Murder in the Winter Woods – Katie Gayle

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Julia Bird adores a walk on a winter’s day. The crunch of fresh show under your feet and the promise of hot cocoa by a roaring fire afterwards… But she’s not expecting to find a body in the woods!

It’s Christmas in Berrywick, the busiest time of year for dashing taxi driver Lewis. But when he’s killed in a road accident, the entire village is shaken. Julia Bird, recently appointed to the Road Safety Committee, visits the site so that no other villager suffers the same fate. But when she spies a pendant left in the bushes, she feels certain Lewis’s death was no accident…

As the festive lights twinkle in the village square, Julia vows to uncover the truth. She soon learns not everyone found Lewis’s charm appealing. Sweetshop owner Dora says he had an eye for the ladies, much to his wife’s frustration. Lewis recently gave his life savings to a mysterious businessman who proves difficult to track down. But could these be reasons enough to want him dead?

Then, local beekeeper Matthew is struck by a car near the Christmas market. Julia believes the two deaths must be linked, but contrary to Lewis, Matthew was as sweet as the honey he sold. Who could possibly want to hurt Berrywick’s kindest man?

With no obvious leads, Julia stumbles upon an old picture that finally links Lewis and Matthew. Many years ago they were in a band poised for stardom, but when the bubble burst, their chance at fame vanished quicker than a glass of festive eggnog. Could someone be targeting the band members one by one? And can Julia track them down before the killer strikes again?

An utterly gripping and totally charming cozy mystery set in the English countryside. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands will love the Julia Bird Mysteries!

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Katie Gayle is the writing partnership of best-selling South African writers, Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. Kate and Gail have, between them, written over ten books of various genres, but with Katie Gayle, they both made their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg, with husbands, children, dogs and cats. 

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My thoughts: I love this series, Julia has really grown on me, this time she finds a body in the woods during a winter walk. It’s local taxi driver Lewis, victim of a hit and run.

It looks to have been a terrible accident, until someone also hits local beekeeper Matthew in the market place car park. There’s a connection between the two men – they both used to be in a band many years ago and someone has had a grudge against them.

While the police follow their leads, Julia does some investigating of her own. She’s friendly with the widows of both men and thinks she can get some more information informally than Hayley can as an official.

Julia’s also getting ready for Christmas with Sean, buying dog sweaters (lucky Jake) and putting up the decorations. Hopefully, they can solve the case before it’s time to open presents.

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

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Blog Tour: Must Love Moss & Moonshine – Maisy Magill

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Guess what? The Moonshine Hollow series is now available to read on Kindle Unlimited!

Must Love Moss and Moonshine (Moonshine Hollow Series)

Genre: Cozy Fantasy Romance

Tropes: 

  • Grumpy/sunshine romance
  • Super cozy cottagecore & forestcore vibes
  • Spice
  • One bed
  • Touch-starved hero
  • Forced proximity
  • Magical creatures
  • Small-town vibes
  • HEA guaranteed

One lonely dryad in denial.

One Sylvan elf with amnesia.

And one sentient forest that absolutely ships them.
Desperate to quit the vagabond life, traveling enchanted jewelry artisan Tansy Foxglove is determined to get to the autumn market in the village of Moonshine Hollow. Nothing will stand in her way… except an ancient forest that has its own plans.

When Tansy sets off for the village, she definitely doesn’t mean to get lost in an enchanted wood. She certainly does not intend to lose her memory. And she wasn’t planning to be irresistibly drawn to the ancient glade’s dryad caretaker.

Kellen’s life is one of solitude. He has no interest in interacting with the outside world. He’s perfectly happy with his solitary life. Right? When a beautiful Sylvan elf who has lost her memory appears in his forest, he has no choice but to take care of her. But when taking care turns to simmering attraction, will this loner change his ways? What happens when her memories return? Will their magical connection survive?

Amazon & KU

My thoughts: When Sylvan Tansy Foxglove gets lost in an enchanted forest, hits her head and develops amnesia, she’s lucky that the forest’s guardian, dryad Kellen finds her and nurses her back to health. The pair find themselves falling in love, but Tansy still needs to make her way to the market in Moonshine Hollow once she starts to remember who she is and reunite with the closest thing she has to family.

Can their bond endure if Tansy returns to her life or will Kellen remain alone?

A sweet romance full of magic and some spice.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Deceiver on the Levels – David Hodges

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MEET DETECTIVE KATE HAMBLIN IN THIS BESTSELLING SERIES FROM A
FORMER POLICE OFFICER.

A missing schoolgirl. A body in the woods. A killer who’s only just begun.

Newly promoted to Detective Inspector, Kate is back on her old patch at Highbridge CID.
But there’s no time to settle in. Early Monday morning, Kate gets a call. Fourteen-year-old schoolgirl Tammy Robinson is missing. She hasn’t been seen since Friday afternoon when she told her mother she was going to her best friend’s to revise. She never made it.

Kate discovers that Tammy wasn’t going to her friend’s house at all. She was planning to meet a mysterious boyfriend she called Gerry. She’d met him in an online chatroom — who is he really?

The following day, a body is discovered in the woods. It’s not Tammy.
Kate is in a race against time to unmask the most dangerous killer she’s encountered yet.
Before more young women die.

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A former superintendent with Thames Valley Police, with thirty years experience in the force, David Hodges is a prolific crime writer and author of eighteen crime novels plus an autobiography on his life in the police service.

His debut crime novel received critical media acclaim and a welcome accolade from Inspector Morse’s creator, the late great Colin Dexter, and since then he has become the author of several successful stand-alone thrillers, including FLASHPOINT (now out of print) BURNOUT, SLICE, BLAST and TARGET.

In particular, his Somerset murder novel series, published by Joffe Books, which is set on the mist-shrouded Somerset Levels in England and features the exploits of feisty detective, Kate, and her easy-going partner, Hayden, has gone from strength to strength. It has attracted keen interest in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia as well as in Britain. The first six previously published thrillers in the series are also available on Audible for sight challenged readers and those who prefer the spoken word, though all Joffe Books are available on amazon in paperback
and Kindle format.

David’s last novel in the Somerset Murder Series, DIAMONDS ON THE LEVELS, (Book 13) was published by Joffe Books on 21 March 2024.
This has just been followed with the re-publication by Joffe of the first 8 novels in the series, produced as a box set in November 2024 and available only on Kindle, providing Kindle readers with the opportunity to read all the earlier novels in sequence. David’s next new novel in the series is anticipated for early 2025 (Further information will follow in due course)

David has two married daughters and four grandchildren and lives in the UK with his wife,
Elizabeth, where he continues to indulge his passion for thriller writing and to pursue his keen interest in wild life and the countryside.
He is a member of the Society of Authors, the Crime Writers and Crime Readers Associations and International Thriller Writers Inc.

My thoughts: This was very good, chilling and disturbing as well as compelling and gripping. DI Kate Hamblin has just started her first day in a new post, and she has to drive straight into a missing child case. A fifteen-year-old girl left her house on a Friday evening and it’s now a Monday morning and she hasn’t come home.

Her parents aren’t the most attentive and it isn’t a happy home, but Tammy has never stayed away this long. Then a call comes in, there’s a body, but it isn’t Tammy. So who is and where is she?

This is a twisted case, with a twisted killer, and a terrified victim. The police are determined to find the perpetrator before any more teenage girls are hurt, and a flasher in the park might actually be able to help give them a lead.

Written by a former police Superintendent, this was a great read with an interesting protagonist and a shocking plot.

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

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Blog Tour: My Lie Your Lie – Paul Clayton

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He thought heartbreak was the worst part.
Then came the need for revenge.

Patrick Tyrrell’s perfect marriage shatters the day his husband, Barney, leaves him—for a woman.

Marcella. Beautiful. Alluring. Dangerous.

Patrick can’t let it go. Why her? Why now? The questions consume him — until obsession turns to something far darker.

As unsettling events unfold and violence creeps closer, Patrick faces the one
temptation more powerful than love or jealousy: Revenge.

But revenge has its own price. And once it begins, there may be no way back.

A taut, unsettling psychological thriller about betrayal, obsession, and whether vengeance ever truly
heals the wound — or only feeds it.

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Paul Clayton is a familiar face on screen, best known for his roles as Sophie’s dad in
the BAFTA-winning Peep Show and Graham in the acclaimed Him & Her.

Currently, he appears as Drew Peacock in EastEnders, Dennis in Disney’s sequel to The Full Monty and has featured in Brian
and Margaret, Wolf Hall, House of the Dragon, and over 300 stage and screen roles. He’ll be seen in the new ITV thriller Secret Service, and in Season 3 of House of the Dragon

Beyond acting, Paul is an internationally recognised creative event director and sought-after presentation coach. His previous thrillers, The Punishment and The Hoax, have gripped readers, while
his books for actors—So You Want to Be a Corporate Actor? and The Working Actor (both published by Nick Hern Books)—offer invaluable industry insight.
He lives in London with his partner.


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Giveaway to Win a Signed Copy of My Lie Your Lie (Open to UK only)

Win a Signed Copy of My Lie Your Lie (Open to UK only)

My thoughts: This gets pretty dark, Patrick and Barney have some nasty secrets and the things that start happening to Marcella after Barney tells Patrick about her are nasty too. Although no one can prove Patrick’s behind them.

The end of a relationship can be messy – you tend to know more about the other person than anyone else and it can quickly get very personal, with every slight, mistake and row revisited and rehashed. Barney and Patrick aren’t perfect, they haven’t always been honest with each other and the resentments start to surface as they painfully begin to untangle their life together.

They seem to bring out the worst in each other, and their happy marriage is really anything but. But that’s before a Russian with a gun and a grudge shows up, and then things start getting even worse. Only one of them will survive the break-up from Hell. But who?

Darkly comic, verging on the absurd, full of vengeance and bitterness, you can’t really like either of them but Patrick is particularly monstrous and I loved him, he absolutely does not care about anything else except revenge, is completely unhinged, and self-centered. I’d probably loathe him if he were real but he’s so awful I couldn’t help but secretly root for him, even if that makes me a terrible person too.

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fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not
responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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