Sunday lunch goes cold when a body is discovered in a charming Somerset mill… Julia Ford — part-time PI, full-time chaos magnet — and her terrier, Rumpkin, are in the picturesque village of Ablebridge for a family meal. But instead of enjoying roast pork, they find themselves staring down at a body, wedged awkwardly in the local heritage water mill.
The police soon write it off as an accident, leaving the mill at risk of closure. But Hannah, a local volunteer at the mill, is not convinced. With no faith in the local law enforcement, she and the mill trust committee hire Julia to uncover the truth. Soon, Julia and Hannah are knee-deep in village politics, cider scandals and bickering committee members. But with threats of more ‘accidents’ on the horizon, they must solve the mystery before another body turns up.
A charming, witty cozy mystery full of eccentric villagers, rural mischief and a dog with no boundaries.
Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Jeanne M. Dams and Faith Martin.
Jon Harris grew up in the West Country just outside Bristol before moving to Cardiff to study physics and then Durham where he studied for a PhD in astronomy. After spending a few years staring into space he returned to the West Country for work and took up writing. His first novel, Murder on a Country Lane, was published in 2023. He now lives in a village in North Somerset with his wife, son and pet tortoise. He’s happy to report that the village is far less murderous than its fictional counterpart.
My thoughts: The Water Mill of the title is used by a small collective of community businesses to sell their produce and by one to actually mill flour, unfortunately their handy man is found dead in the mill pond, meaning the police shut everything down.
So now, the sellers must find a new market, and the police, who don’t seem that interested in the case, are in control. Hiring a PI seems like a good idea, maybe Julia and her very nosy dog might get answers faster than the distracted detective supposedly on the case.
I enjoyed this crime caper, I liked Julia and Hannah very much, as they attempt to get to the bottom of who on earth might want to kill a genial carpenter and Hannah tries to decide whether she’s actually attracted to a rich celebrity farmer (read less annoying Clarkson) or just overwhelmed.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
Where books are borrowed, and friendships are forged…
When her beloved grandfather dies, Ana Meštrović buys a catamaran in his memory, which she names Dida Krila – Grandad’s Wings.
For the summer months, it will be transformed into a travelling library, delivering books to children living across the Croatian islands.
Joined by crew members Natali, a young mechanic afraid of her own shadow, and Lloyd, an older widower who needs a fresh start, the newly-formed trio all have their own reasons for needing the floating library to be a success.
Embarking on an adventure that will change them for good, they each discover that a new chapter is only a boat ride away…
Eva Glyn writes escapist relationship-driven fiction with a kernel of truth at its heart. She loves to travel and finds inspiration in beautiful places and the stories they hide.
Set mainly in Croatia, her contemporary stories are more about friendship than romance, the coming together of people through shared interests, and the opportunity to make fresh starts in their lives. A love of books is a common theme too, so her publisher, One More Chapter, has christened them the Bookish Escapes collection which currently includes The Dubrovnik Book Club, and The Santorini Writing Retreat, with The Croatian Island Library to be published in January 2026.
In addition Eva has written two Second World War dual timeline romances, An Island of Secrets and The Collaborator’s Daughter, and a new beginnings novel entitled The Olive Grove. All are set in Croatian, a country she loves.
Although she considers herself Welsh, Eva lives in Cornwall with the man she met and fell in love with more than thirty years ago. She also writes as Jane Cable.
My thoughts: I love this idea, a floating library that travels between islands across the summer so that children can borrow books during the holiday. And as it’s part of a push to improve language skills with books in English and German as well, it’s intended to help those same children in the future too, as sadly Croatian is only spoken in Croatia, so languages are needed to get ahead if they want to work abroad or in tourism.
The catamaran is crewed by her captain, Ana, who is at something of a crossroads in life and taking the summer to work out her options, and Natali (and the lovely pup Obi) a young woman who doesn’t know if she’ll have anywhere to live after the summer.
And finally, there’s Lloyd, their librarian. He’s a former teacher who lived in Croatia for a while as a young man, before the war. He’s recently widowed and still struggling with grief, having taken this job after his teaching career ended abruptly.
These three lost souls come together for a summer bringing literature to the young people of Croatia’s islands, and will also perhaps, find themselves and their futures along the way.
It’s a really lovely book, and brought some sunshine to my dreary January. I loved the three members of the floating library, and their little canine mascot. I hope you will too.
*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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Join Harriet White in 1930’s London for another glorious Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery, for fans of Nita Prose and Janice Hallett.
After a very close call on the Norfolk Fens, Harriet White is about ready to hang up her deerstalker and settle back into her normal life, working in a bank on Baker Street. Until she discovers a letter in The Times newspaper challenging Sherlock Holmes to prove his status as the world’s greatest detective, by solving an impossible mystery.
The letter, signed Professor James Moriarty, advises Holmes that the crime will be committed within the following seven days. There will be no further clues – Holmes himself must deduce which crime is the correct one to investigate. Dismissing the letter as a prank, Harry goes about her business until news breaks of the theft of valuable jewel collection from a safe in an apparently locked room in a Mayfair townhouse.
Intrigued in spite of her misgivings, Harry dons a disguise and investigates. But as she begins to unpick the puzzle, a body is found. And now, a stranger, and far more deadly mystery begins to unfold around her…
Holly Hepburn writes escapist, swoonsome fiction that sweeps her readers into idyllic locations, from her native Cornwall to the windswept beauty of Orkney. She has turned her hand to cosy crime inspired by Sherlock Holmes himself. Holly lives in leafy Hertfordshire with her adorable partner in crime, Luna the Labrador.
My thoughts: I was very excited to read this and not remotely disappointed. Harry is an excellent detective and has a nose for crime. With the aid of her lawyer friend Oliver and former housemaid Beth she’s in and out of disguises and solving mysteries.
The theft of an extravagant diamond from the safe, supposedly the best place for it, comes with a bitter twist when the body of a missing girl is found in a secret room. Now it’s a theft and a murder.
Harry’s youngest brother is also in need of help (although he doesn’t know it), he’s got entangled with a nightclub dancer with a dubious history who’s been telling people she’s coming into some money soon. Not if Harry and her older brother Seb can help it. There will be no dashing off to Gretna Green here, no way.
Between her cases, she still has time to write to the other requests for aid as Holmes’ secretary. Unfortunately the great detective has retired to keep bees. Even if Moriarty is back. He’ll just have to make do with Holmes’ assistant. Tremendous fun.
*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 deadly pattern: Jenny Flynn, Chelsea Hobbs, Sophie Miller. All three children were snatched from the streets of Lincoln, England years apart. All stolen in the bitter chill of winter. All on their way home from school. Then Sophie Miller is found. She’s not speaking, but she may hold a clue to the whereabouts of the missing girls, if someone can get her to open up.
Somewhat reluctantly, Detective Swann calls in his not-quite ex-wife, the perfect woman for the job: Finnish Crime Inspector Elea Baker. No one knows the cases of the Ice Angels better than Elea, and no one is more invested in solving them. Ten years ago, Elea’s daughter Liisa was taken under similar circumstances, from Helsinki, and Elea has never believed her daughter is dead.
Alternating between Elea and Liisa’s perspectives, The Ice Angels is a propulsive and twisty crime novel of spine-chilling quality, exploring the darkest and most twisted of minds. The isolation and cold of the English and Finnish landscapes permeate the book, immersing the reader in Elea’s world as she desperately searches for the connection between the missing girls, clinging to the hope she can bring her own home.
Caroline Mitchell is a New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and international #1ebookbestselling author. A former police detective, she originates from Ireland and now lives in a woodland village outside the city of Lincoln, England. Her backlist has been translated into fourteen languages.
My thoughts: I really liked this, it was intelligent and gripping. Moving between the two cases, the first in Finland, then the current English one. We also see it through the perspective of one of the missing girls in Finland, which was horrifying, so creepy.
As the detectives in England search for Chelsea, with the limited help of Sophie – who is still traumatised and unable to tell them much, Elea is still determined that her daughter, Liisa, the last missing Finnish girl, is alive and out there somewhere. It affects her judgement and behaviour, putting her participation in the case at risk, and causes further issues in her relationship with Swann – in charge of the case, and her ex-husband.
The case is complex, not least because of its geographic shift, but also in the relationships between the detectives, and whether or not Elea is helping or hindering, she’s so close to it and possibly too much so. Victims’ parents aren’t usually allowed so much access. But her commitment might also help solve this case at last.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
When a mutilated body rises from the icy waters off the jetty in Kjerringøy, it shocks the quiet coastal village – and stirs something darker beneath. Not long after, a young woman is found dead in a drab apartment. Suicide, perhaps. Or something far more sinister. Detective Jakob Weber and former national investigator Noora Yun Sande are drawn into both cases.
Then a hiker has a terrifying encounter in the nearby wilderness: a solitary cabin … and a man without a face. As the investigation deepens, the clues grow more disturbing – and the wild, wintry landscape closes in. Kjerringøy’s beautiful wilderness conceals a heart of darkness, and Jakob is certain of only one thing: if they don’t find the killer soon, he’ll strike again.…
Ørjan Karlsson (b. 1970) grew up in Bodø, in the far north of Norway. A sociologist by education, he received officer training in the army and has taken part in many missions overseas. He has worked at the Ministry of Defence and is now head of department in the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection. He has written a wide range of thrillers, sci-fi novels and crime fiction, and been shortlisted for or won numerous awards, with a number of his books currently in production for the screen. He lives in Nordland, where the Jakob Weber crime series is set.
My thoughts: This starts with two shocking deaths – a body dumped in a bay, its eyes missing, and a young woman, whose apparent suicide seems suspicious to the crime scene tech processing it. Was it the scumbag boyfriend or someone else?
The body turns out to be an artist, missing for a while, whose girlfriend thought he’d just left her. The connection with a mysterious rehab unit nearby makes the detectives suspicious, the place only has three clients and the owner’s methods are suspect too. How is it keeping afloat and why does it seem to have no staff?
As the investigation intensifies, and a witness is also killed, the focus on the rehab centre grows, there’s not much else around and there appears to be a connection between it and the supposed suicide too.
Twists, turns, and sinister things on the mountain, this is dark and powerful, it kept me up all night.
*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’s a package on the porch,’ my husband calls as he leaves for work. I rip open the brown paper and find three books inside. I didn’t order them.
A week ago, my new neighbor was murdered in exactly the way described in the first book. Her name was Naomi Sheller. I’ll never forget the first time I saw her — frozen in the middle of the grocery store, eyes wide with terror. Days later, she’s found dead in the woods. Her husband, Eric, is led away in handcuffs.
The second book has another murder in it. And the victim sounds exactly like me. We moved here from New York City to raise our daughters somewhere safe. But now I think I made a terrible mistake.
The police don’t believe me. My husband thinks I’m paranoid. But I’m not. Because whoever sent these books . . . knows exactly where I live.
T.J. Brearton is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. He is the author of the novels Gone and Dead Gone, both of which have ranked among Amazon Kindle’s top 100. His Titan trilogy has been an international best-seller. With Ted Magee, Brearton wrote Bare Knuckle, a martial arts film, and wrote and directed Breathe, about amateur MMA fighter Lane Buzzell on an undefeated streak. He has written more than a dozen novels, mostly crime thrillers, including one paranormal mystery, and published short fiction in numerous literary journals. He lives in the Adirondack Mountains of New York with his wife and three children where he writes full time, takes out the trash, and competes with his kids for his wife’s attention.
My thoughts: Lainey’s new neighbours seem a bit odd, the husband is really friendly but the wife is incredibly withdrawn and quiet.
Next thing she knows, her new neighbour is dead, and her husband is suspect number one. Then a box of books is delivered, and each one is a crime, the first one has a murdered neighbour. Life imitating art? Who sent them? Could it be the killer?
As Lainey carries out her own investigation, hoping to stop another one of these books coming to life, she might be putting herself into danger.
Full of twists and turns, this is a shocking small town thriller with an intelligent protagonist and a killer you won’t suspect.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
He once destroyed everything she loved. Now, only he can save her from ruin. Can she forgive, and even love, her enemy?
In this dark, immersive tale, the author of STRANGE EDEN returns to colonial Nassau to continue the story of Eliza Sharpe’s volatile marriage to Charles Sharpe.
1792: In the aftermath of her lover Jean’s death, Eliza harbors a secret that threatens to make her fraught situation even worse. She is carrying his child. But when the clairvoyant slave Cleo comes to her aid, the solution holds devastating consequences.
Charles, meanwhile, is engaged in his own secret dealings. When he reveals his plans to Eliza, she is forced to do the unthinkable: to reframe the man she’s viewed for so long as an enemy, into an ally, perhaps even a friend. Perhaps more.
Events directed by Lord Dunmore’s insatiable greed threaten to destroy their shaky reconciliation. Clandestine political meetings emerge as the other colonists seek an end to the corruption on the island, and they turn to Charles for leadership. But the governor of the Bahamas wants him dead, and he’s hired the perfect man for the deed.
Can Eliza forgive the man she once viewed as a monster? Or has the desperation and darkness that lurks within the walls of Pleasant Hall finally driven her to madness?
Gina Giordano always had an insatiable curiosity and a penchant for history. Born in New York City, she is a writer, artist, and a conjurer of the past. She holds a BA in history and a master’s degree in historical fiction from New York University, and has traveled to over sixty-five countries across the globe. When she is not climbing ancient ruins or exploring forgotten palaces, she enjoys swimming with sharks in remote pristine waters. Her debut novel, Strange Eden, was longlisted for the 2023 Bath Novel Award.
My thoughts: The second book in the trilogy opens with Eliza hiding a secret, one that could have serious consequences for her and her marriage.
But the dangerous and volatile governor of the island still has her in his sights, as well as Charles, who is fast becoming a thorn in Dunmore’s side. The decisions made push Charles further into making serious changes and supporting the pushback against the way the governor rules over The Bahamas.
All of the tumult pushes Eliza and Charles into a new understanding and begins to heal some of the trauma of the past.
Eliza’s growing powers show her more glimpses of the past and the deep pain at the island’s heart and in Charles’ own past.
The book ends on a shocking cliff hanger, book three hopefully will deliver the answers.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own
The brand-new gripping crime thriller in the popular Detectives Roy and Roscoe series.
A murdered beauty influencer. A buried secret waiting to surface. A killer who’s already one step ahead.
In the picturesque Warwickshire town of Queensbridge, a retired nurse escapes to her hotel room looking for peace from the chaos of her great-nephew’s rowdy thirtieth birthday party. But to her horror she witnesses a brutal crime from her balcony — a young woman strangled in the room opposite.
Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy — staying at the same hotel after attending a nearby wedding — is first on the scene, and quickly realises this isn’t a random attack. The victim, glamorous beauty influencer Candy Goodhope, was living a double life — and everyone close to her has something to hide.
Roy’s boss, DCI Gavin Roscoe, takes charge of the investigation, and as the pair follow the trail, another brutal killing tears through the town. Roy is sure there’s a link between both murders, but Roscoe isn’t convinced.
But as Roy digs deeper, she closes in on a secret so dangerous someone will kill to protect it.
Because in this town, the past never stays buried — and even the dead still have a voice.
Tony Bassett is a former journalist who worked on regional and national newspapers in Britain for more than 40 years. He mainly reported on crime, show business, human interest and consumer topics. Now retired, he writes crime fiction.
Tony is best known for his series of novels set in the West Midlands featuring Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe, an experienced detective and family man, and his sergeant, law graduate and resourceful problem-solver Sunita Roy.
His latest novel, VOICES FROM THE DEAD (Book 8) begins in the picturesque Warwickshire town of Queensbridge where a retired nurse escapes to her hotel room from a rowdy birthday party, looking for peace. But to her horror, through a window, she witnesses a brutal crime — a young woman being strangled in the new wing of the building.
Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy —attending a wedding in the same hotel — is first on the scene, and quickly realises this isn’t a random attack. The victim, glamorous beauty influencer Candy Goodhope, was living a double life — and everyone close to her has something to hide.
The fifth book in the series, HEIR TO MURDER, was judged first in the Mystery and Suspense (Police Procedurals) category in the American Fiction Awards in June 2024. Other books in the series (in order) are: MURDER ON OXFORD LANE; THE CROSSBOW STALKER; MURDER OF A DOCTOR; OUT FOR REVENGE; and IT NEVER RAINS.
A collection of the first three books was published in May 2024 under the title THE MIDLANDS MURDERS: Detectives Roy & Roscoe box set (Books 1 – 3). The whole series has been released by London publishers The Book Folks, part of Joffe Books.
Tony has also written a stand-alone thriller, SEAT 97, about a man shot dead at a London concert hall (published by The Book Folks) while two further works (the crime novel Smile Of The Stowaway and the spy novel The Lazarus Charter) were published by The Conrad Press.
Tony first developed a love of writing at the age of nine when he produced a junior school magazine. A few years later, his local vicar in Tunbridge Wells staged his play about Naboth’s Vineyard. At Hull University, Tony was judged Time-Life Magazine student journalist of the year in 1971.
Tony, who has five grown-up children, is a Life Member of the National Union of Journalists. He lives in South-East London with his partner Lin.
My thoughts: Witnessing a murder through her hotel window is a shock, but the witness, a retired nurse, has the presence of mind to call for help. Luckily DS Roy, Sunita, is at a wedding in the same hotel and is first on the scene. A young woman has been strangled.
She’s a local hairdresser and influencer, last seen very drunk in the hotel bar earlier that day. The police find DNA linked to a supposedly dead man at the scene, which sends them in the wrong direction, but they quickly get back on track.
Why would anyone want to kill Candy? She might not have appealed to everyone, but she wasn’t a terrible person. Her two friends/employees are at a loss. Her husband and her boyfriend have alibis, and her husband would more likely do away with his rival than his wife.
It must be someone in her circle. Could it date back all the way to her school days?
When a retired teacher from the same school is found murdered in her home with a nail gun, the police wonder if there is a link between the two killings. It seems slim, but as they dig into the past, certain things come to light that suggest someone with plenty to hide.
A satisfying ending, with twists and turns along the way for the team of detectives. The motives are dark and the means rather ad hoc but they get their man in the end. Very enjoyable.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
All Dante wants is to be left alone in the small New Zealand town no one’s heard of. No drama. No bodies. No questions. But then, of course, the orchid convention comes to town, and Dante is knee deep in suspects, intrigue, and red herrings.
On top of all this, Dante must navigate a mysterious woman from his past, cat issues, and the terrifying prospect of a first date. And he has to do it while fighting his instinct to solve problems the old-fashioned way: permanently.
The ‘Retired Assassin’s Guide to Orchid Hunting’ is a cosy paranormal mystery with found family, ghosts, a grumpy assassin and a sunshine gardener.
Come for the murder, stay for the cat, the gardens, and the New Zealand country charm.
Author Bio – Naomi is a writer living in New Zealand. When not busy writing or raising her twin son and daughter, she spends her free time (ha!) surfing, kitesurfing, and retrieving her shoes from Max the dog.
My thoughts: I loved this, I hadn’t read the previous book (now corrected) and hadn’t seen this one advertised, so was very happy to read it and share it all with you!
Funny, darkly so, with at least one murder, a cranky retired assassin, a maybe retired jewel thief who likes investigating, a detective who isn’t sure he should be so charmed by criminals, a gardener who sees ghosts, a hot date, a fat cat. A mystery.
It has it all, I thought it was terrific, I am very excited for more of this series. Just tremendous fun.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
The guest list for Brit and Joe’s joint bachelor-bachelorette weekend is small and exclusive: the bride, the groom, the best man, a work friend . . . and me, the maid of honor. I’ve planned every detail to make this a celebration none of us will ever forget.
Expect daytime drinking, poolside lounging — and a White Lie Party designed to help us share all our little secrets. After all, confession is good for the soul . . . and one of us is hiding something truly killer.
Don’t forget to save the date!
Love, The Maid of Honor x
A tense and breathless psychological thriller with a mind-blowing twist you won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, Freida McFadden, Shari Lapena, Riley Sager – and anyone who’s ever wondered what secrets their friends are really keeping.
D. L. Fisher is the bestselling Amazon and Audible author of domestic thrillers. She resides in North Carolina with her husband, five children, and adorably naughty beagle. When not plotting her next big twist, DL enjoys diving into thrillers and immersing herself in true-crime podcasts.
My thoughts: It’s a rather small joint bachelor/ette party for Brit and Joe, just them, his best man, her maid of honour and one work friend. They’re booked into a stunning house in the middle of nowhere on a Caribbean island, with a hurricane imminent, oops.
As the weirdest party starts to fall apart and secrets force themselves to the surface, it becomes apparent that someone else is there, someone with a grudge and no qualms about killing. Can the truth truly set you free or will the body count rise?
Dark, twisted and shocking, this is one weekend no one will forget in a hurry.
*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 