Category: reviews

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: A Gentleman’s Offer – Emma Orchard

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The gorgeous and spicy new romance from Emma Orchard, perfect for everyone waiting for their next Bridgerton fix!

June, 1817

Sir Dominic De Lacy – one of the season’s most eligible gentlemen – has recently proposed marriage… to a woman he scarcely knows. But his father’s choice for him, Miss Maria Nightingale, seems amiable, and at 29, Dominic cannot live the life of a bachelor forever. He hopes he can provide a happy future for her as they learn to care for each other.

Maria, however, has other ideas. Midway through their engagement celebrations, she confesses to Dominic that she is not Maria at all, but her identical twin sister, Margaret. Maria has disappeared, and Margaret’s been persuaded to take her place until she’s found – and for that she needs Dominic’s help. The pair quickly find they make a formidable team, but with just three weeks to avoid the biggest scandal of the season, time is against them.

But even if they find Maria, can they really hope the wedding will happen? Because, as they are starting to realise, chemistry can’t be arranged – and Sir Dominic might just be engaged to the wrong Miss Nightingale…

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Emma Orchard grew up in Salford and was given tickets to the grown-up library at the age of 11 because she’d read all the children’s books and the librarians were sick of the sight of her. She became obsessed with Georgette Heyer and hasn’t stopped reading her novels since. She studied English Literature at university and went on to work at Mills & Boon and behind the scenes in television and in publishing.

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Twitter: @EmmaOrchardB
Instagram: @emmaorchardbooks
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My thoughts: This was lots of fun, and as Francis (the twins’ brother) pointed out, has something of Twelth Night about it, what with twins swapping places, as well as misunderstandings, blackmail, potential scandals, a doddering buffoon, a fortune gone awry, and love finding a way. 

When Meg pretends to be her missing twins sister Maria, she finds that Sir Dominic de Lacy might just be rather the one for her, than for her sister. Who is fine, just didn’t quite get around to letting anyone know.

As Meg and Dominic untangle the web of lies, blackmail, misunderstandings and money their families are wrapped in, they discover that most of their relations are pretty good people and that they can resolve things so everyone gets what they need and want most. Including themselves.

Super enjoyable, funny, romantic and entertaining. What more could you want?

*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 Girl From Sicily – Siobhan Daiko

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Lucia loved her brother Dinu to the depths of her soul, but she also worried about him. He was intelligent yet ambitious, resilient yet hot-headed, and there was a dark side to him that could lead him into terrible trouble one day.

Sicily, 1943: Lucia and her twin brother Dinu have always been inseparable, but their bond is threatened when Gero, the son of close family friends in America, arrives in their village. Although she finds herself developing feelings for him, Lucia worries about Gero’s dangerous connections and their influence on her brother.
As the chaos of World War II closes in, Lucia must navigate love and loyalty to make a difficult choice.
Will she risk that the consequences of her decision could bring untold horrors and affect her family for decades to come?

2005: When Jess inherits a baglio, an ancient feudal farmhouse in Sicily, from the grandmother she never knew, she’s determined to uncover the truth about her family’s hidden past. Following the death of her parents and on the brink of divorce, Jess travels to the island alone. There, with the help of a charming Sicilian, she embarks on a quest to unearth a web of long-buried secrets.

But answers come at a price, and Jess must decide if she’s ready to confront a truth that could change everything…

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Siobhan Daiko is a British historical fiction author. A lover of all things Italian, she lives in the Veneto region of northern Italy with her husband, a Havanese dog and a Siberian cat. Siobhan was born of English parents in Hong Kong, attended boarding school in Australia, and then moved to the UK — where she taught modern foreign languages in a Welsh high school. She now spends her time writing page-turners and living the dolce vita sweet life near Venice. Her novels are compelling, poignant, and deeply moving, with strong characters and evocative settings, but always with romance at their heart.

Facebook: @SiobhanDaiko
Twitter: @siobhandaiko
Instagram: @siobhandaiko_books
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My thoughts: Sicily in the Second World War, at one point fighting alongside the Germans, then later, with the Allies. A Sicilian friend once told me Sicily is a bit like Italy, but better.

Lucia worries about her twin brother being drawn into the circle around the local Cosa Nostro don, but is powerless to stop it from happening, her family are poor and Dinu sees become one of the Mafia as an easy way to make money, not thinking of the violence and crime involved. As Lucia worries, she also falls for Gero, the son of old family friends.

Jess is getting to know the area of Sicily her grandmother came from, but she has so many questions. She knows nothing about her mother’s family, a rift before she was born means she is in the dark completely. Learning about Lucia and Gero, and about her great-uncle Dinu will draw her into a terrible tale of family division that lasted generations. She’s also distracted by a handsome Sicilian of her own, just as she’s ready to move on after her divorce.

As the two women’s stories slowly collide, bringing the past into the present, can Jess heal the wounds of the past and fulfil her grandmother’s wish that she find a home and happiness in Sicily?

Charming, romantic, and shocking too, this was a great read, and highly 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.

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Blog Tour: An Adventurer’s Contract – Penny Hampson

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A man on the hunt for a traitor. A woman in search of the truth.

Gabrielle Mercer is in trouble. Her cousin is missing, her father’s death looks like murder, and now there are rumours she is spying for the French. With no one to turn to, dare she accept help from a man she doesn’t like?

Jack Ashdown is on a mission to unmask a ruthless spy. Could it be the reclusive young Frenchwoman who has made no secret of her contempt for Englishmen like himself? Perhaps Gabrielle’s predicament will be the perfect opportunity to win her trust and do some spying of his own.

Getting close to one’s enemy is a dangerous option, but the stakes for Jack and Gabrielle are too high to ignore. Will their gamble to trust one another lead to disaster, or will they discover that neither of them is what they seem?

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Penny Hampson writes mysteries, and because she has a passion for history, you’ll find her stories also reflect that. A Gentleman’s Promise, a traditional Regency romance, was Penny’s debut novel and the first of her Gentlemen Series.
Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, swimming, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time).

For more on Penny’s writing, visit her blog
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Instagram: @pennyhampsonauthor
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Penny’s books are all available on Amazon

My thoughts: I really liked Gabrielle, not least because she shares a last name with my great-grandmother who was also French. She’s a survivor, and despite coming from an aristocratic background isn’t afraid to work hard and support herself and other refugees from Napoleon Bonaparte’s France.

When her cousin Michel disappears, leaving her sick uncle worried, she wants to find him, and her new friend recommends asking her dashing nephew Jack to help. Jack is however on the trail of a spy. Could it be Gabrielle?

As the duo (and Jack’s delightful aunt) head to Bath and then Cornwall on Michel’s trail, can they resist the connection between them and can Jack resist the urge to demand Gabrielle tells him where her allegiances truly lie?

A fun romp around the English countryside hunting spies, pretending to be a married couple and drinking the gross Bath waters, bickering all the way! A delight.

*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 Darkness All Around Us – Megan Boley

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A scientist on the run—accompanied by her quippy teenage sidekick and a punk rock Indiana Jones—fights for survival in a dark dystopian world while battling to destroy a nefarious company before it unleashes a nightmare army.

Perfect for fans of Resident Evil + Zombieland!

When Stella’s hideout is overrun by a horde of creatures straight out of a zombie movie, she must survive the surrounding war zone and outwit a murderous gang as she fights to rescue her kidnapped friend before he falls victim to the company’s deadly experiments.

But the evils of her past are hunting her down. And time is running out. She must decide how far she’s willing to go to save her friend and stop the company before it spreads its war to the rest of the world—even if it means teaming up with the very people who want her dead.
And time is running out. The company’s plans are nearly complete…

The first installment in a duology of science fiction thrillers, this gripping post-apocalyptic dystopian book is perfect for fans of The Walking Dead, Resident Evil, Zombieland, Aeon Flux, Mad Max, and The Last of Us.

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Megan Boley is a dystopian and urban fantasy author (and, alas, a former redhead). Her stories are full of ragtag teams, strong women, grumpy but lovable men, and some steamy romance to
keep things nice and interesting.

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My thoughts: Stella is just trying to survive the zombie apocalypse, that the company she used to work for started. When a teenage boy called Quentin crashes her hideout, and like a puppy, she feels the need to adopt him and try to keep him out of trouble. She’s not the only one!

Teaming up with a few other survivors, she aims to find her friend Silas and then the way out of what used to be New York, and America, into Canada. But things don’t go quite to plan.

Stella’s smart, she knows her former employer’s systems, and now she’s helping to hack in and bring it down from the inside. Maybe even save some lives if the drug that turns people into cannibals is no longer available.

It took me a little while to get into this, but I loved Quentin, he’s like the naughty little brother I (thankfully) don’t have. The other characters all add something to the team, and they’re a quirky bunch.

Book two coming soon….

*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 Dinner Party – Nina Manning

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The perfect date…

To celebrate their wedding anniversary, Lily Leonard books a table at the exclusive restaurant of Hector Bolson-Woods renowned celebrity chef. It should be the perfect evening for Lily and husband,
Stig, but not even a perfect menu can heal the cracks in their marriage.
So when Hector invites them to dine with him privately, Lily is thrilled. Surely this will please Stig?

Hector is charming and attentive – everything Stig is not – and she finds herself more and more drawn to the enigmatic Hector.

A nightmare invitation…

After the dinner, Stig makes it clear the entire evening was a mistake, something he never wants to repeat again. Hurt and confused, Lily’s certain Stig is hiding something from her. Something linked to
Hector…she just doesn’t know what.
And then another dinner invitation from Hector arrives. This time with a proposal neither Lily or Stig can refuse…

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Nina Manning studied psychology and was a restaurant-owner and private chef (including to members of the royal family). She is the founder and host of Sniffing The Pages, a book review podcast.

The Daughter in Law is her debut psychological thriller and since then Nina has gone on to write 9 more books including: The Guilty Wife published in March 2020, The House Mate published
in October 2020.The Bridesmaid published May 2021 and Queen Bee in January 2022.

She has also written two ‘mum-lit’ fiction books: The 3 am shattered mums’ club and the 6 pm frazzled mums’ club. Her tenth book, Her Last Summer, another thriller, was published in May 2024.
In 2024 Nina signed with Hodder and Stoughton and her first destination thriller will be released in June 2025

Nina currently lives in The Highlands in Scotland with her family. When she is not writing she can be found romping in the forest with her dog and three children.

Facebook Twitter: @ninamanninguk
Instagram: ninamanningauthor
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My thoughts: Lily and Stig have been married for 5 years but she barely knows anything about him (hello, huge red flag, don’t marry someone like this!) and she can’t understand why he’s so angry about their anniversary dinner.

Cooked for by a celebrity chef at the chef’s table, what a dream. And then the chef invites them to a dinner party at his home. Lily is thrilled. He also donates a very generous amount of money to the charity she works for. Why can’t Stig just be happy for her?

But things start to get a bit strange. There’s a woman Lily has never heard of sending messages to her husband, Hector offers to set up a new charity for Lily to run, then invites her to his remote French chateau, where it appears to be just the two of them  and some terrified employees.

Stig is trying to keep his secrets, but the memories of his teenage years, the bullying he endured, and the messy relationship with his mother and step-father weigh on him. Can he tell Lily or will this just make things worse? He might lose her if he’s not careful.

Hector is not who he seems and he and Stig have a long and complicated history. Lily is in danger as Hector’s grip on his sanity starts to slip.

As with a lot of books with a central couple – Lily and Stig’s main issue is the lack of communication. Stig wants to start a family, Lily’s still on the Pill, because she doesn’t feel she really knows her husband. Stig needs to open up and be honest with her, a lot of what happens to them could easily be avoided. Thank goodness Lily’s best friend is a Google whizz and helps Lily out with some facts about Hector before Lily throws her life away. But honestly couples therapy should be their next stop!

*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 Covent Garden – Anita Davison

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Nobody should be in the market… for murder!

Even though its famous opera house has shuttered its doors for the war, Covent Garden remains one of the most exciting, bustling areas of London. It’s where Hannah Merrill and Aunt Violet have their
bookshop and, in spite of the recent spate of burglaries in the area, it’s generally thought to be a good neighbourhood.

So Hannah is surprised when she sees a fellow shopkeeper – a jeweller named Jacob Cornelis – having a heated argument with a stranger. Especially when the next day Cornelis is found dead in his shop, apparently the victim of another burglary.
But what shocks Hannah more is when she meets the policeman supposedly there to investigate the crime. Because he is none other than the man who Hannah saw arguing with Cornelis the day before.

Hannah knows it’s up to her and Violet to investigate. But they don’t know they’re about to uncover a secret underworld of theft, murder and blackmail. And they must act fast, before the Covent Garden Killer strikes again…

A gripping and unputdownable Golden Age cozy crime mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Helena Dixon and Verity Bright.

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Anita was brought up in London, a city with a history that has always fascinated her and influenced her first attempts at writing. Her first three novels featured a 17th Century West Country family on
the losing side of the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685. Other previous work includes an Edwardian Cosy Mystery series featuring amateur sleuth, Flora Maguire set in early 20th Century London and Cheltenham. Anita’s most recent work is the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries set in WWI from Boldwood Books.

Twitter: @AnitaSDavison
Instagram: @anitadavison3740

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My thoughts: Aunt Violet is a little preoccupied as her one great love is in town, and there’s also Aiden to think about, so Hannah involves Archie and Penny, the bookshop’s staff, in this caper.

Determined to solve both the spate of burglaries and the murder of the jeweller Mr Cornelis, she goes undercover to try to find out who is selling on stolen goods, and almost meets her maker in an upmarket Gentleman’s club that hides plenty of secrets.

It’s another fun WW1 set adventure as a senior police officer is implemented and Aiden has set his own traps to catch the crooks. Hannah wants to help the Cornelis family, but discovers more than she bargained for and the spectre of the war looms closer when Aiden’s newest DC is conscripted and sent to the front.

Hannah’s relationship with Darius comes under strain as she feels he will want her to give up investigating when they’re married and her mother is driving her a little mad with wedding planning as though nothing has changed.

*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 Crime Writer – Diane Jeffrey

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2019. Leona Walsh, a 34-year-old wife and mother vanishes on a bitterly cold afternoon while out jogging on the edge of Exmoor. It’s a mystery which captures public interest and ignites wild
speculation. The police have a prime suspect: Leona’s husband, Matthew, a renowned crime writer.
He can plot the perfect crime. But is he capable of committing the perfect murder?
Despite extensive searches, the police find no trace of Leona and her disappearance remains shrouded in mystery. As public interest dwindles, Matthew returns to raising their two daughters, aware the cloud of suspicion is never far away.

2024. Some human bones are discovered in a garden. Could they be Leona’s remains? And if so, is there enough evidence to find out what really happened five years ago?
Journalist Gabriela Conti covered the news story back in 2019. The police may have stopped watching Matthew, but Gabriella hasn’t forgotten him. And she is determined this case will define her career… even if that means getting close to a murderer.

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Diane Jeffrey is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author.
She grew up in North Devon and Northern Ireland. She now lives in Lyon, France, with her husband and their three children, Labrador and cat.
Diane has written six psychological thrillers, all published by HQ /HarperCollins.
THE GUILTY MOTHER, Diane’s third book, was a USA Today bestseller and her fourth novel, THE SILENT FRIEND, was a Karin Slaughter Killer Reads pick for ASDA. Her fifth psychological thriller, THE COUPLE AT CAUSEWAY COTTAGE, won the 2023 International Thriller Writers award for the best ebook original novel.
THE OBVIOUS SUSPECT is Diane’s seventh psychological thriller.
Diane is an English teacher. When she’s not working or writing, she likes swimming, running and reading. She loves chocolate, beer and holidays.
Above all, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Author website: http://www.dianejeffrey.com
Readers can also follow Diane on Instagram and
Twitter @dianefjeffrey

or on Facebook.com/dianejeffreyauthor

Giveaway to Win your choice of Diane Jeffery’s previous paperback releases (Open INT)
Prize choice is between The Other Couple, The Couple at Causeway Cottage, The Silent Friend, The Guilty Mother, He Will Find You or Those Who Lie.

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My thoughts: Talk about a book full of twists and turns. A woman disappears while out jogging, did she drown in the reservoir as her dropped bag is found there? What about the single trainer found quite some distance away?

The police are baffled, her husband seems to be in the clear, although as a cop turned crime writer he knows all about crime scenes and how to make a body disappear. But he was at home with their children when she vanished. Wasn’t he?

A few years later a body is found buried in the garden of the mother-in-law’s old house. Now the spotlight turns back to the family and the husband has some questions to answer.

Gabi is the journalist who has followed this story from the start, and she’s determined that she’s going to crack the case. Matthew must be involved, there’s no way a stranger buried his wife in his mother’s garden, that’s too weird. But if he buried her, did he kill her too?

The twists keep coming, and keep you guessing, like Gabi, I was suspicious of everything, but Matthew seems so earnest and truthful. Could he really have killed his wife and staged the scene so perfectly?

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

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box
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Book Blitz: You Know the Drill – Dr. Bill

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Welcome to my life. The life of a reluctant dentist. This book charts the course of a nervous student dealing with people from all walks of life, from exploding angry abscesses to exploding angry people, both in and out of the chair.

When I was a wet-behind-the-ears school sixth former, it seemed like a really good idea to go to university and study the teeth, gums and mouth. I’m still trying to work out why I thought that was a good idea.

The definition of a dentist mentions competencies in biomedical knowledge, surgical dexterity, and critical thinking. What it fails to include is being an unpaid therapist, getting splattered in pus,
coaxing nutters out from under the dental chair, having the police storm your surgery, and dealing with patients who think a crown is something you put on your head, then try and sue you when you
say otherwise.

Written as a form of therapy – to offload on paper – this book gives a frank account of life both in and out of the surgery. So, take a seat in the waiting room and I’ll see you shortly in Chapter One…

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Dr Bill is a reluctant dentist who lives with his kind partner and a neurotic cat. This is his first book.
There may be another. This depends on whether Dr Bill’s patients are gracious sweethearts who give him nothing to write about, or cantankerous bastards who provide the fodder for written revenge!

My thoughts: I am not entirely fond of going to the dentist, I’ve got a very nice dentist and my teeth are in good condition so I don’t need any fillings or telling off, but something about that chair sets me on edge!

This is a very funny collection of Dr Bill’s experiences as both a dental student and in practice. His patients are a mix of complete and utter lunatics, at least the ones he’s shared here, I imagine the more normal ones aren’t interesting enough. They flirt, scream, threaten, storm out, almost get arrested and generally cause havoc, all while the dentist and his nurse attempt to provide at least the very basics of dental care to these charming individuals.

After a career in the trenches of the NHS, Dr Bill has a go at teaching new dentists and then moves to private patients, as the NHS system is a total joke, and dentists just don’t make enough to live on.

Luckily there are also even more insane, entitled patients there too, and plenty to keep us readers entertained. Expect to see copies in waiting rooms everywhere!

*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 Merivale Manor – Ella Strike

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A cosy dinner party, a playful game… and a very real murder.

London, 1923

Kitty Goring seems to have it all—lavish nights at London’s finest clubs, elegant soirées, and a parade of charming bachelors vying for her hand. But despite the glamour, Kitty longs for something a little more… thrilling.

In a bid for excitement (and to avoid her mother’s constant reminders that she really ought to be searching for a husband), Kitty dreams up the perfect diversion. A playful mock robbery at her
family’s grand estate, Merivale Manor. It’s all meant to be fun—until one of the guests turns up very much dead.

With a real killer on the loose in quaint little Hampstead Village, Kitty’s keen instincts kick in. Forget matchmaking—Kitty’s determined to unmask the culprit before anyone else falls victim. With a sharp wit and a flair for mischief, she dives headfirst into the investigation. But getting to the truth won’t be easy, especially with the brooding Detective Inspector Henry Burton underestimating her at every turn.

Murder, mystery, and a dash of romance—Kitty’s got her hands full in this charming whodunit!

Murder at Merivale Manor is the delightful first book in the Kitty Goring Investigates historical cosy mystery series.

Author’s note:
London in the 1920s is a glamorous and exciting city, but danger and death are never too far behind.
Join Kitty Goring and her group of Bright Young Things in the adventure of a lifetime, as they race to catch a killer who lurks amongst them.
Each book in this series is a cosy period mystery that features our plucky heroine, aided in her investigations by a gang of eccentric and lovable characters.

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Ella Strike, cat lover and author of historical cosy mysteries, lives in London with her husband and twins. When she’s not penning murder mysteries or drinking copious amounts of Earl Grey, you can
find her with her nose buried in a book or listening to true crime podcasts as she cooks.
Her stories are a mix of history, a dash of intrigue, and a whole lot of cosy, old-world charm.

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My thoughts: Yay! Another historical crime series with a smart and intrepid female lead, I love these.

I really liked Kitty. She’s got great instincts for crime solving, although the game of “burglary” was a bit silly. I know it’s the sort of thing the 20s Bright Young Things did, as well as drinking an absurd amount, but surely she should have guessed it wouldn’t end well!

Not only does she find the killer, the jewellery thief and a couple of car thieves, she thoroughly annoys the Scotland Yard detective sent to investigate, thereby guaranteeing they’ll be bickering over crime scenes forever more. She also rescues an abandoned pup, her new sidekick, Scottie.

With her playboy brother and neurotic mother, Kitty’s got plenty of reasons to take up crime solving as a hobby, hopefully it’ll stop her mum from trying to marry her off every five minutes!

*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 Shadow on the Bridge – Clare Marchant

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‘You must forever watch your back,’ I spoke the words clearly, though he could not hear me. ‘Come what may, I shall avenge my brother’s death.’’

Now: When Sarah’s summoned by her godmother to remote Norfolk, she doesn’t want to go.
Crossing the bridges where the two rivers meet, said to be haunted by the ghost of a little boy, a large Tudor house looms in front of her. And Sarah’s instantly reminded her of the summer when she
last visited. The summer she would like to forget. Which left her unable to ever move forward… Can a person ever recover from the loss of a sibling?

1571: Anne Howard, newly-made countess of Arundel, has also lost a sibling. And been dragged from the relative safety of her home in remote Norfolk to London, by her overbearing, manipulative, new
father-in-law Thomas Howard; the very person she suspects of killing her beloved only brother. The Howards have greater secrets than this though. Secrets that will lead Anne to a tragedy that will echo
down the ages…

When Sarah finds a mysterious book of poems in a hidden chamber of her godmother’s house, she is drawn into Anne’s story. Perhaps the mystery will take her mind off her own loss? But – as the flood waters begin to rise under the bridges – is Sarah laying ghosts to rest, or bringing truths to the surface that should stay beneath?

A completely haunting, gripping historical novel, perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir, and Diane Setterfield’s Once Upon a River.

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Growing up in Surrey, Clare always dreamed of being a writer. Instead, after gaining a degree in history and an MA in women’s studies she accidentally fell into a career in IT. After spending many years as a project manager in London, she moved to Norfolk for a quieter life and trained as a  professional jeweller. Now, finally writing full-time, she lives with her husband and the youngest two of her six children.

Facebook: @claremarchantauthor
Twitter: @claremarchant1
Instagram: @claremarchantauthor
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My thoughts: The Howards were an incredibly well connected Tudor court family, through the Boleyns they were cousins to Elizabeth I, through the Seymours, linked to her brother Edward VI, three of the cousins had been married to Henry VIII. But they never seemed to be happy with their lot. The Duke of Norfolk, this particular Howard, schemed to take the throne, marry his other cousin Mary Queen of Scots and crown himself king. Not that it worked out.

In this dual narrative story, that’s because of his furious daughter-in-law, who had also been his stepdaughter for a while (honestly, this probably caused some consternation but was pretty typical of the Howard/Seymour/Boleyns) who blames him entirely for the death of her younger brother, in an attempt to seize the family estate. So she spies on him, uncovers his plot and gives cleverly concealed proof to Elizabeth I’s spymaster, Walsingham.

In the present Sarah is cleaning out her godmother’s sprawling Norfolk home and finds a mysterious book of poetry, the poems seem to carry secret messages. When she finds the remains of a rocking horse hidden in the attic, she pieces together the story of George and Anne’s revenge for his tragic murder.

At the same time she must come to terms with her own long held grief and confront the accident that happened the last time she visited her godmother’s home. Unfortunately her ghastly parents pop by for a visit, opening old wounds, but perhaps it’s time to let go of that resentment and pain…

Cleverly written, weaving the lives of the two women around each other, the grief and pain that both Sarah and Anne carry driving them to see their lives in new light and honour their siblings in very different ways.

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