Category: reviews

blog tour, books, reviews

Blogathon: Human Remains – Jo Callaghan

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DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock are back in a cutting-edge new thriller.

The truth will always come out, but at what cost? 

Fresh from successfully closing their first live case, the Future Policing Unit are called in to investigate when a headless, handless body is found on a Warwickshire farm. But as they work to identify the victim and their killer, the discovery of a second body begins to spark fears that The Aston Strangler is back. And as the stakes rise for the team, so do the tensions brewing within it.

When DCS Kat Frank is accused of putting the wrong man behind bars all those years ago, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – pursues the truth about what happened with relentless logic. But Kat is determined to keep the past buried, and when she becomes the target of a shadowy figure looking for revenge, Lock is torn between his evidence-based algorithms and the judgement of his partner, with explosive results.  

When everything hangs in the balance, it will all come down to just how much an AI machine can learn, and what happens when they do . . .

Jo Callaghan works full time as a senior strategist, carrying out research into the future impact of AI and genomics on the workforce. She was a student of the Writers’ Academy Course (Penguin Random House) and was longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Writing Competition and Bath Novel Competition. After losing her husband to cancer in 2019 when she was just forty-nine, she started writing In the Blink of an Eye, her debut crime novel, which explores learning to live with loss and what it means to be human. She lives with her two children in the Midlands, where she spends far too much time tweeting as @JoCallaghanKat and is currently working on further novels in the series.

My thoughts: This series just gets better and better with each book, giving both a cracking read and plenty to think about.

Kat’s in the spotlight as an anonymous podcaster is determined to prove the conviction of The Aston Strangler, a man Kat arrested, was wrong and that Kat make mistakes and manipulated evidence.

With the remains of a young woman found on a local farm, and Lock’s involvement in the autopsy being questioned, could Kat lose her job or will her accuser go too far in their desire for the truth?

The title and the plot ask timely questions about the role of AI, Lock cannot understand why humans behave the way they do, there’s often little or no logic to their actions, he doesn’t understand human emotions.

His actions are also being called into question, the fact he can only really follow instructions to their logical conclusion and can’t deviate or use his own intuition leads to devastating consequences for the team, but is it his fault?

Their victim only came to be on the farm in the first place, following clues to try to find out what happened to her grandfather, who was a POW there but never returned home. Actions have consequences, even decades later, which will destroy two families. Lock can’t really understand the whys of this either, he’s a bit like Spock from Star Trek in that sense, none of the things anyone in this does seem logical, because humans aren’t logical. We act on instinct, emotions, our gut, all sorts of things you can’t define to AI. Even the doctor who designed him is starting to question whether she’s right, and she used to be sure she was.

A truly thought provoking, intelligent read that throws up plenty to chew over once it’s finished.

*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: The Cornish Witch – Elena Collins

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Now: When Megan’s father gets a letter containing a secret from the past, he asks her to go to the Cornish village of St Mawgen Cove to get to the bottom of the mystery. Megan is happy to take a
holiday after a challenging year but as soon as she checks into The Ship Inn something feels amiss.
There are noises in the room above, the locals tell tales of smugglers and shipwrecks and she can’t escape the story of the witch who waits and watches, weeping on the top of the cliff.

1625: Susanna and her daughter Katel live a contented life, but without the protection of a husband and father, Susanna fears for Katel’s future as she blossoms into womanhood. The fishing community
of St Mawgen Cove is close knit but when misfortune arrives in the cove, it’s not long before villagers are looking for someone to blame. And when talk turns to witches, Susanna knows she and Katel are no longer safe.

Can Megan bring peace to St Mawgen and to two women who have been broken-hearted for centuries?

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Leigh writes dual timeline stories under the name of Elena Collins: the name is a tribute to her grandmother who was a teller of stories and fortunes, and she had healing hands.
These novels combine three of her passions: delving into rich historical tales, exploring stunning locations, and evoking the supernatural. They weave together stories of people’s lives both past and
present, with some spine-tingling moments along the way. She loves writing these novels and hopes readers enjoy them as much as she does. The characters and settings are particularly close to her
heart.
Writing under the name of Judy Leigh, she is also the author of uplifting novels that explore the lives of older women and the possibilities of second chances, change, and happiness. Under this name, she writes the Morwenna Mutton/Seal Bay cozy crime series, set in Cornwall, featuring a sixty-something sleuth who enjoys solving crimes and getting into mischief.
Outside of writing, Leigh enjoys traveling, reading, music, and theatre. She holds an MA in Professional Writing. When she’s not at her desk or spending time with her two black cats, she’s often researching her next novel in some of the country’s most beautiful locations and beyond.

Facebook: @judyleighuk
Twitter: @JudyLeighWriter
Instagram: @judyrleigh
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Bookbub profile: @elenacollins

My thoughts: The persecution of women seen as “witches” is a dark part of our national history, with people who had committed no crime tortured and executed on the say so of often bias and ignorant others.

Susanna is one of a long line of women who ministered to the sick, delivered babies and prepared the dead for burial. Her folk remedies and herbs probably saved some lives along the way, but all it takes is one tragic death after another for the villagers to start muttering and looking her way. Unmarried and with a daughter whose father she has never named, they’re instantly the suspects. What happens next will haunt the village for centuries, literally.

Megan runs a business selling herbal remedies and crystals, a sort of modern day version of Susanna. Drawn to St Magwen by a letter her father receives, she finds joy in the sea and the people she meets. She also finds relics of the darkest moments of its past, a weeping woman can be heard in one of the pub’s guest rooms, and a woman dressed in white haunts the clifftop. With the help of a few new friends, she decides to try to put the restless spirits to peace. She’s also looking for the half-sister she’s only just learnt about, a new relationship she’s keen to build.

Both women are unapologetically themselves, Susanna stands her ground until her world is shattered, and Megan’s open hearted, generous nature draws others to her, and helps her unlock the secrets of the past.

A really enjoyable and fascinating book with real heart and great characters. I was gripped from the start by the strong women in this book.

*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: Fantasie – Michael Smith

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Set during the uneasy shift from World War II to the Cold War, Fantaisie follows Jan Orlinski and Sophie Gordon as they fight for freedom, love, and truth across war-torn Europe. Jan’s mission as a pilot leads him into dangerous and murky territory, while Sophie is forced into a deadly game of espionage that lands her in a brutal Soviet prison.

Michael Kenneth Smith, best known for The Postwoman, continues his exploration of the personal cost of global conflict through historical fiction rooted in rich detail and emotional stakes.

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Extract

The black sedan was still following them as they neared the airport, albeit at a distance. Jan decided whoever it was wanted to keep an eye on them but wasn’t looking for a confrontation. He glanced back again as Brian made a quick turn and then another. After four years in Matadi, he knew the city’s streets well. Soon, they were headed back across the bridge into the heart of town, the sedan no longer visible behind them. The sun beat down as Brian guided the truck through Matadi’s bustling streets, which smelled of exhaust and overripe fruit from market stalls and street vendors. He turned down narrow alleys twice, the truck’s tires screeching in protest.

Five minutes later, they pulled up to a small, tidy house in an affluent neighborhood.

“Come on,” Brian said. “We need to talk.”

They entered the house, mostly empty and neglected in contrast to its well-maintained exterior. Dust motes danced in shafts of sunlight, revealing bare patches where furniture once stood. In the kitchen, a mountain of dirty dishes teetered in the sink. Brian gestured to one of two wooden chairs. “Water?”

“Yes, please,” Jan said, taking a seat and accepting the glass. The water tasted brackish; he grimaced.

“Matadi water,” Brian said, wiping sweat from his brow. “Safe, but an acquired taste.”

Jan’s eyes fell on a large black box next to the refrigerator. It hummed softly, its face a maze of dials, switches, and blinking lights. An antenna poked out from behind it, disappearing through a small hole in the wall. A large radio? He pushed the glass away and folded his arms as Brian sat.

“First of all,” he said, “my name isn’t Brian Rich. Until recently, I worked for the Office of Strategic Services, or OSS. It was established in 1942 by President Roosevelt as America’s first centralized intelligence agency, created to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines during World War II. Our work in the Congo was part of a larger operation called the Alsos Mission. Alsos is Greek for ‘grove,’ which was General Groves’s codename—he was the head of the Manhattan Project.”

“The people who created the atomic bomb,” Jan said.

“Exactly. And Shinkolobwe is where the uranium came from.”

“Hold on,” Jan said, feeling numb. “Are you saying—”

Brian nodded. “That’s not cobalt ore you’ve been hauling. It’s uranium. We kept it from the Germans, though truthfully, they never seemed that interested. Our Alsos teams discovered their program was years behind ours. But the Russians, on the other hand…”

Jan drank more water, taste be damned. “The Russians? Is that why—”

“Why did they steal your cargo? Most likely. They want the bomb, Jan. They want to be a superpower. And now that Alsos has been disbanded and the OSS is being dissolved, replaced by something called the Central Intelligence Group, there’s a vacuum. The Soviets are rushing to fill it.”

“But wait,” Jan said. “What about Gerston? If he’s supplying the Russians, why would they need to steal my cargo?”

“That’s the question,” Brian said. “Maybe multiple entities are competing to be Russia’s supplier. Or maybe this Gerston is trying to keep the uranium out of Russian hands. Or maybe he’s working for another country that wants the bomb. We just don’t know.”

“Okay, so what now?” Jan asked, his voice hoarse.

Brian stood, pacing the small kitchen. “I’m sending an encrypted message to Washington. We should hear back by tomorrow. Until then, let’s get you back to the airport.”

Brian took an entirely different route this time, but no one seemed to be following them. As they pulled up to the C-47, he turned to Jan. “I’ll be back in the morning after I get word from Washington.”

As Brian’s truck disappeared into the distance, Jan slumped against the side of the C-47, its metal skin still hot from the day’s sun. He hoped Burundi had found a mechanic and would be back soon. He wanted to get home. He was done working for Gerston, that much he knew. In fact, he would have abandoned the man’s plane, but Jan had no other way home.

The African sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant hues of orange and purple. Jan climbed into the plane for the night. With his cargo stolen, nothing was left to guard, and there was no reason to sleep outside again under the plane’s wing. He supposed that was a silver lining. He was about to close the rear door when something across the tarmac caught his eye. He squinted into the gathering darkness and saw the black sedan, parked almost out of sight behind a dilapidated hangar. He pulled the door shut, locked it, and lay down with the revolver at his side.

My thoughts: This was a really interesting book, set during the Cold War, where Sophie, exiled from the UK after her father was exposed as a Nazi spy in WW2, is offered the chance for redemption if she works for MI6, then a fledgling agency, in Paris. Unfortunately she’s being watched by the Soviets, who are keen to also recruit her.

Meanwhile her boyfriend, and father to her daughter, Jan, a Polish pilot, has signed on to fly a mysterious cargo from the Congo to Paris, he’s told it’s cobalt from the mines, but there are several interested parties including the Americans and Soviets, that suggest it’s something else…

An intriguing and engaging book, with a fantastic hero in Jan, and a brave heroine in Sophie, as their lives diverge and Sophie becomes a prisoner, while Jan is stranded in the desert, returning to find her missing and launches an audacious plan to rescue her.

*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: The Marriage Vendetta – Caroline Madden

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A darkly funny feminist debut about a resentful stay-at-home wife and her vindictive marriage therapist

Revenge is in session.

Eliza Sheridan is at her wits’ end with her husband, Richard. Not only did he uproot her and their daughter Mara’s lives for his career, but he also hasn’t honored the one thing he promised before moving to Dublin: that he’d make more time for his wife and daughter.

So when Eliza receives an anonymous photo of Richard with another woman, she’s just about ready to file for divorce. As a last resort, she pays a visit to a marriage therapist, Ms. Early, who Eliza quickly learns is a bit…alternative in her approach. As their sessions unfold, Ms. Early spurs her on to commit a series of vengeful acts against Richard—each more bizarre than the last—all in the name of “re-training” her husband. But when therapy takes a risky turn, suspicions grow and alliances shift… How far is Eliza willing to go to save her marriage?

My thoughts: This was very funny, in a very dark way. Eliza carries out the strange Ms Early’s “therapy” techniques, while also getting sucked into the world of the “Chickadees” as she calls the group of mothers at her daughter’s school.

Her husband Richard is a bit odd, remote and distant, controlling but in a way that she hasn’t even really noticed until someone points it out. She’s obsessed with her daughter’s safety, to a slightly ridiculous degree – literally spending her days in a cafe across from the school playground just in case.

As things progress, instead of growing closer, she and Richard appear to be growing apart, she’s received an anonymous photo of him with another woman and has taken to spying on him, trying to catch him out. Who is Lady Languish in his diary?

Eliza is deeply unhappy, she misses her concert pianist career, even if she’s reluctant to admit it, she’s still reeling from loss, estranged from her family. Ms Early exploits that, manipulating her, much as Richard does. I liked Eliza, she badly needed a good friend – not the yummy mummies at the school, but someone like George (another mum at the school), who despite complaining about her husband and kids, is actually very happy with her life and tells Eliza the truth. 

Richard is pretty awful, gaslighting and controlling Eliza since they met, he dictates where they live, what she does, the money she spends, belittling her in subtle ways, jealous of her talent and previous success.

This isn’t a happy book, it’s a marriage in free fall, and a woman on the edge after all, but it is compelling reading, a clever and enjoyable book. 

*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: The Versailles Formula – Nancy Bilyeau

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She craved purpose. She found danger. Now, there may be no turning back.

Genevieve Sturbridge was never meant for a quiet life in the English countryside. Once an artist in the heart of London, now she spends her days in restless solitude, longing for the passion and purpose she once knew. But when a familiar figure from her past arrives with an urgent request, she is thrust into a perilous world of spies and a formula that could shift the
balance of power between France and England.

The thrill of the chase is intoxicating—the cryptic clues hidden in plain sight, the challenge of ferreting secrets from dangerous opponents, the undeniable rush of being needed again. But with every step deeper into the mystery, the danger grows. Someone is watching. Someone ishunting. And the more she uncovers, the more she wonders: has she walked willingly into a
trap?

Torn between exhilaration and fear, Genevieve must decide—was this the life she was always  meant for, or has she risked everything for a mission that will consume her completely?

Years ago, protecting this secret nearly cost Genevieve her life.
Now someone could be willing to kill for it once more.


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If you tell Nancy Bilyeau that reading one of her historical novels of suspense is like strapping yourself into a time machine, you’ll make her day. She loves crafting immersive historical stories, whether it’s Jazz Age New York City in “The Orchid Hour,” the 18th-century European
chateaus and porcelain workshops in “The Versailles Formula,” “The Blue,” and “The Fugitive Colours,” or Henry VIII’s tumultuous England in “The Crown,” “The Chalice,” and “The Tapestry.”
For her Genevieve Planche novels–“The Versailles Formula,” The Blue” and “The Fugitive Colours”–she drew on her heritage to create a Huguenot heroine. Nancy is a direct descendant of Pierre Billiou, a French Huguenot who immigrated to what was then New Amsterdam (later New York City) in 1661. Nancy’s ancestor, Isaac, was born on the boat crossing the Atlantic.
Pierre’s stone house is the third oldest house in New York State.
Nancy’s mind is always in past centuries but she currently lives with her husband and two children in upstate New York. Her quest to cook the perfectly flavored cassoulet is ongoing.

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My thoughts: I hadn’t read the previous books in this series before I read this, and while it isn’t essential to do so, it might help to understand the back story.

Genevieve is bored of her quiet, provincial life in the English countryside, summoned to her friend’s home in Twickenham, and invited to Sir Horace Walpole’s rather peculiar home, Strawberry Hill, to help unravel a mystery, fills her with hope for adventure and intrigue. She gets both.

Dispatched to Paris as Lady Jane Howard, she’s attempting to find out if a treaty, the treaty she and her husband are implicated in keeping, has been broken on the French side. But there is danger, and her life could be at risk if she isn’t very careful.

Smart, resourceful, intelligent and brave, Genevieve must outwit those who mean her harm to get the answers she seeks and safely return to her husband and son, even if it means giving up the possibility of more with the dashing Captain Howard.

I went back and read the previous books, which filled in the story of how Genevieve came to be married to a schoolteacher and buried out in the country, having lived a rather eventful life. I actually think she should return to it. She has the head for adventure and teaching local gentry’s bored wives how to paint water colours of flowers must be tedious in the extreme.

Very enjoyable and entertaining, studded with real life figures and events, during a particularly tumultuous time for both England and France.

*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: Win or Die – Darren O’Sullivan

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One week. Nineteen thousand pounds. A dangerous game. Can she win or will she die?

Since their parents died, Cassie and Sam only have each other. And now Sam is in trouble.
Sam has got involved with the wrong guys and he owes them money. When he is found beaten and bloody, Cassie knows these people will stop at nothing.
Sam has one week to find nineteen thousand pounds.

There’s only one way to make that much money that fast: DareMe — a new social media craze that is sweeping the nation, where players film themselves completing reckless dares for money.
The only way Cassie can help Sam is to join the game.But the deeper Cassie gets into the dares, the more dangerous they become.
Soon, Cassie isn’t just playing for money, she’s playing for her life.

A breathless, nail-biting thriller, perfect for fans of John Marrs, Blake Crouch, Squid Game and Black Mirror

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Darren O’Sullivan is a bestselling author, screen writer and award-nominated theatre director.
His books have sold over 150,000 copies and been translated into German and Polish and sold into America, Canada and Australia. Two of his novels were selected for the prestigious Karin Slaughter Bookclub. Darren has also contributed a short story, The Big Burn Bookclub, to
EVERYDAY KINDNESS, a 2021 up-lit anthology with proceeds going to Shelter. Darren also writes under a pseudonym, B.B. Thomas. B.B’.s first book The Rain published in 2021 exclusively for Audible and was an editor’s choice.
His first novel, Our Little Secret, is optioned by Rollick Film, and he is credited as the writer/director of the feature film.

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My thoughts: While I don’t think I would have the guts to do what Cass does, risking everything undertaking dares on a social media app, even for my younger sister (sorry), you have to admire her determination and survival instincts, especially when things take a darker turn and her very life is at risk. All she wanted to do was get Sam out from under the terrible mistake he made, but now she’s being hunted across Peterborough and she has no real idea why.

Working out who to trust is impossible, even people who would otherwise never dream of harming another person could be willing for the life changing amount of money being offered. But what is it that the mystery man/woman behind this shocking dare really wants? Surely Cass’ death isn’t their end game.

Twisted, clever and with a protagonist I really rooted for, this will keep you hooked till the very last page.

*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: Seven Days in Tokyo – José Daniel Alvior

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Two strangers meet in Manhattan and spend a perfect night together. In Tokyo, they have seven days to see if that one night might mean something more.

Landon’s living alone in Tokyo as a British ‘expat’, Louie’s visiting while he anxiously waits for approval on his US visa. Against the backdrop of a misty Tokyo Spring, their precious time together is spent wandering into side streets and coffee shops, sharing unmade beds and plates of food. But as the days tick by, Louie’s expectations start to overtake reality and he falls too deeply for a life that’s not yet his.

Breathtakingly tender, Seven Days in Tokyo is an astonishing debut about the intricacies of desire and a search for belonging. It is a lyrical, immersive portrait of how some things, however beautiful and profound, are destined to be as short-lived as the cherry blossoms.

My thoughts: This is a lyrical, but rather melancholy book, Louie is in Tokyo for a brief few days, where he sees friends, the cherry blossom and tries to fathom out Landon, the Brit he met in New York, but who never really shares much of himself.

Louie doesn’t want to go back to the Philippines for good, but if his American visa doesn’t clear, he will have to, and his brief relationship with Landon, with its deadline of a week, both captures him and confuses him. Landon pushes him away, treats him so casually, but yet, sleeps soundly in his presence and cooks for him, sharing a single plate.

The relationship Louie has with Tokyo, how he falls for the neighbourhood he stays in, with the things he discovers and learns, the beauty of the place, feels much deeper and on leaving, more heartbreaking than leaving Landon. He might well return to Japan, but not to the man.

*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: Dangerous – Essie Fox

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Fiction can be fatal…

Living in exile in Venice, the disgraced Lord Byron revels in the freedoms of the city. But when he is associated with the deaths of local women, found with wounds to their throats, and then a novel called The Vampyre is published under his name, rumours begin to spread that Byron may be the murderer…

As events escalate and tensions rise – and his own life is endangered, as well as those he holds most dear – Byron is forced to play detective, to discover who is really behind these heinous crimes. Meanwhile, the scandals of his own infamous past come back to haunt him…

Rich in gothic atmosphere and drawing on real events and characters from Byron’s life, Dangerous is a riveting, dazzling historical thriller, as decadent, dark and seductive as the poet himself…

Essie Fox was born and raised in rural Herefordshire, which inspires much of her writing. After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London where she worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, and then book publishers George Allen & Unwin, before becoming self-employed in the world of art and design.

Essie now spends her time writing historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, set in the early years of silent film, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. Essie’s Victorian gothic novel, The Fascination, debuted at number 10 on the Sunday Times bestseller list, and was widely acclaimed.

Essie is also the creator of the popular blog: The Virtual Victorian. She has lectured on this era at the V&A, and the National Gallery in London. She lives in Windsor.

My thoughts: Growing up in Harrow, I developed a soft spot for Lord George Gordon Byron – who spent some of his happiest years at the eponymous school up on the Hill. His daughter, Allegra is buried there and there is a memorial plaque to him on the lookout point. He would have been buried there too, except the vicar at the time refused.

Essie Fox’s book explores some of his time in exile in Venice. Allegra was sent by her mother (Claire Claremont, Mary Shelley’s step-sister) to live with him, his servants and his collection of cantankerous pets (monkeys do not belong in palazzos). 

Byron is weary, jaded and working on Don Juan, which will only add to Lady Caroline Lamb’s (another former mistress) assessment of his as “mad, bad, and dangerous to know”. 

Dr John Polidori, once Byron’s personal physician, has resurfaced, and a lot of people mistake him for the English poet, despite the lack of a limp (Byron’s club foot was pretty noticeable). His book The Vampyre, inspired by a scrap Byron wrote on the infamous Lake Geneva trip with the Shelleys, is also being touted as Byron’s. Which sends him into a fury. How can anyone compare the two?

Then a young woman is found murdered outside a salon Byron attended, there are claims that he is a vampire, that Polidori’s book is Byron’s autobiography in disguise. Especially after another young prostitute is killed, while Byron sleeps beside her, in a brothel.

Byron knows he is no killer, but someone is out to frame him. He is arrested, thrown in gaol, unable to prove his innocence. Thankfully his good friend Hobhouse has come to visit, and with Polidori’s help, he escapes and begins to investigate these claims against him. They seem to centre on two women – a Countess and a courtesan turned brothel keeper. With the help of those loyal to him, gondolier Tita, an orphan he has taken in, and even a former mistress, he resolves to expose his enemies, clear his name and rescue Allegra who has fallen into the clutches of his nemesis.

This is a very clever, very enjoyable book, making much of a short episode in Byron’s not very long, but very eventful life. It is only a few years before he will die in Greece, pursuing another adventure. He comes across much more sympathetically than he is often characterised. His biographers aren’t very fond of him, admittedly he was a terrible cad. But the Byron here is a loving father, a kind man, fond of children and animals, hopeless with women, loyal to his friends. It’s an interesting version of the infamous Lord. 

*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: Maxwell’s Reality – M.J. Trow

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Meet Peter Maxwell: film buff, golden-hearted cynic, bow-tied eccentric teacher . . . and reluctant amateur sleuth.

A reality TV crew descends on Leighford High . . . and Head of Sixth Form Peter Maxwell braces for disaster — but not murder.
The cameras pry into every corner of the school, exposing secrets better left buried. But when a member of the TV crew is found stabbed to death in the headteacher’s office, it’s clear the
real drama has only just begun.

Then a second crew member is found sprawled in Maxwell’s office. Murdered with the same  knife.
As Maxwell unravels the truth he finds himself facing a chilling reality: the murderer is still  watching, still waiting, and ready to kill again.

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M J Trow (the ‘M’ as most people know by now stands for Meirion, a Welsh name few can manage, so he writes as M J, is known by all and sundry as Mei, rhyming with ‘my’) has been writing for many years, with his first book – The Adventures of Inspector Lestrade – being published in 1984 by Macmillan. More Lestrades followed and then some true crime and
somehow it all snowballed so now he has many historical biographies and three other crime series (Maxwell, Marlowe and Grand and Batchelor, the latter two written with his wife, writing as Maryanne Coleman, though her name is Carol, actually!) to his credit.

He claims to be retired, but that’s just from teaching. In fact he has never been busier and is a sought after ‘ghost’ these days as well as historian and novelist, with many different subjects’ stories having been told through him. He has recently started collaborating on fiction projects (with someone other than his wife, that is) and finds it a really exciting and pleasurable experience.To relax he … actually, that’s a bit tricky, as he doesn’t really ever relax.

He has been known to garden, he is a keen cook and artist and likes to travel. This is rather easier these days as he is a popular
speaker on cruise ships – in fact his profile picture was taken on a very gusty day in Cape Town, setting off on a long voyage home to Southampton through some of the scariest seas he and his wife have had the pleasure to meet! It really was the calm before the storm, despite being a
Force 9 just leaving the Bay.

My thoughts: I can’t imagine anything worse than a film crew following you about your day, especially in a school. Although I admit I have found the end results quite intriguing (the Educating… series was quite good).

But murder, that’s a whole different set of problems. And a member of the film crew murdered in the head teacher’s office, isn’t a great start to this filming malarkey. In fact, the police pull the plug, at least for a while, and the teachers heave a sigh of relief, getting dozens of teenagers to just learn something isn’t easy.

But Maxwell, head of Sixth Form, history teacher, married to a detective, doesn’t leave it there. He does a bit more digging, unearths a few other secrets (gambling ring in the building manager’s office for starters) and gets clonked over the head for his troubles.

Then another member of the film crew is killed, in his office, while he’s off sick. What on earth is going on? He’s pretty sure even the most insufferable student isn’t a killer, but is it someone on the crew or closer to home?

Funny, clever and full of twists, I really enjoyed this and would love to know more about the mysterious Mrs B, computer genius and school cleaner.

*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: The Hero Virus – Russell Dumper

ramblingmads


The Hero Virus tells the thrilling story of Chris Taylor, who is hanging on to life by a thread. Recently widowed, his only reason to carry on is his faithful Labrador, but even that doesn’t stop his willingness to gamble with death every day. When his companion suffers a violent demise, Taylor thinks he has nothing left to live for, until he discovers he has chanced upon a precious gift… when he gets very ill.

The sickness gives him powers and, fairly soon, the authorities are swooping on to the ever-increasing list of cases. The Hero Virus might be different to other illnesses, but it’s no less dangerous. The effect it has on the world, though, is wildly different to any other virus that has come before. The unique reaction of the human body to infection means that everyone wants it. And some will do anything to get it.

How do you stop a pandemic when there are people who will kill for the virus? How do you stop people getting infected when they’re willing to die for it? How do you stop the infected when they have abilities nobody has ever seen before?

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The Hero Virus is the second novel from Russell Dumper, after releasing Britannia Rises to widespread acclaim last year, winning him three categories in the 2024 Bookstagram Awards, for Debut Author, Thriller and Historical Fiction. He lives in the east of England with his family and still
has many more books in the pipeline. Next, he will be concentrating on The Britannia Series, more of which will be released in the near future.
Instagram handle – russ2000_uk

My thoughts: Chris has had a really terrible time, his wife and unborn baby were killed by a drunk driver, he’s struggling to find meaning in his life and then his beloved dog dies too. Falling ill is the last in a long line of bad things, and then he wakes up. Four days have passed and he’s bizarrely strong. Like super hero strong.

As more and more people become infected with this strange new virus – 50% develop powers, the other 50% tragically die, scientists are trying to solve it. A vaccine, a cure, anything, as it’s getting out of control. Some of the powers people develop are truly rubbish, others are extremely dangerous. And one man discovers he can absorb others’ new gifts. Could he be a cure? Or will he become a megalomaniac intent on world domination? Can Chris stop this from happening and will the scientists ever find a way to halt this virus and save lives? 

I liked Chris, he never loses his humanity, despite being patient zero and developing this new super strength. He just wants to live his life quietly and for as short a time as possible, considering his losses. Instead he’s being poked and prodded in the name of science, and then asked to basically save the world. Can a man be miserable in peace? 

The virus at first seems amazing, but people continue to be people, and are the worst. Trying to get infected in case you’re in the 50% who don’t die, and then your power is that you can make people piss themselves if you touch them? Sounds rubbish. (If you’ve seen the show Extraordinary you might see what I mean, some people’s powers are really crap).

And when they’re rounding up infected people and putting them into comas while the scientists try to unravel the virus? That’s not exactly better. I think I’d rather not bother.

This is an interesting exercise in what happens to people, some get greedy and one goes way, way too far, power corrupts and all that. But Chris remains a bastion of genuine niceness in all of this, yes being super strong is pretty cool, but it doesn’t make him an arrogant monster, and that’s really intriguing.

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