Category: reviews

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: One Long Weekend – Shari Low

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When all seems lost, hope remains…

Val Murray has mislaid her most precious mementoes of the people she’s loved and lost. Can her family, the wonders of technology and a little divine intervention somehow mend her shattered heart?

Sophie Smith had to take a rain check on a marriage proposal. Will her bid to turn back the clock lead her to her greatest love or yet another heartbreak?

Alice McLenn stood by her husband, Larry when a scandal cost them everything. When he hits the headlines again, Alice has an opportunity to leave – but can she find the strength to finally walk away?

Rory Brookes was forced to turn his back on his parents to save his career and marriage. Now, he’s lost his job and wife on the same day. Is it too late to make amends with the one person who never
let him down?

Three days. Four broken hearts. Just one weekend to make them whole again.

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In January 2021, Shari Low celebrated 20 years as a best selling novelist. In that time, she has published over 25 books, including A Life Without You, The Story Of Our Life, Temptation Street, My One Month Marriage, One Day In Summer and her non-fiction collection of parenthood memories, Because Mummy Said So.
In late 2020, her first novel, What If? (originally published in 2001) was updated and re-released and became a best seller. In January 2021, the sequel, What Now? was released and joined What If? on
the best-seller charts.

In real life, once upon a time she met a guy, got engaged after a week, and twenty-something years later lives near Glasgow with her husband and a labradoodle. Her two teenagers have now left home, so she spends an inordinate amount of time on video calls checking if they’re eating well and keeping up to date with their laundry.

For all the latest news, visit Shari on Facebook, twitter, instagram or at http://www.sharilow.com

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My thoughts: we’re back with Val, Cathy and Carol – characters who pop up in several of Shari’s other books, and who always put a smile on my face.

Sadly Val’s lovely husband Don has passed away and she’s off to London to stay with her beloved nieces. But as she’s rushing out the door, she panics and adds her most precious possessions to her handbag.

The four rings – her ring from Don, his wedding ring, her late daughter’s and her best friend Josie’s – more like tiny pieces of them than jewellery. Losing them somewhere between Glasgow and London is heartbreaking and Carol and Cathy decide to harness their Instagram fame and find them for her.

Meanwhile Sophie Smith is headed in the opposite direction. After turning down a proposal to take care of her dying mother, she’s hoping lightning strikes twice and she can find her ex.

Then there’s Alice, married to a really horrible man, and her son Rory, who I rooted for as they dealt with the worst week of their lives and decided to just be happy, and meet the rest of the gang for a fancy hotel lunch. Nice.

I love the way Val becomes more and more a matriarch of an extended family of unrelated but equally beloved people in these books, she has so many people she sees as family, that despite how utterly sad she’s been, she’s surrounded by so much love and joy, it helps her carry on.

Once again, a lovely, magical story from Shari, a hug in a book basically. I read these lovely stories when I need a shot of comfort, laughter and they never fail to make me smile – even the sad bits are OK.

And Val’s story is inspired by Shari’s own – one she brackets the action with. Which, despite not being as happy an ending as Val’s, is a rather sweet snapshot of the life of the author.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Musician and the Monster – Megan Van Dyke

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If you’re looking for a gothic romantasy that’s a fairy tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast, this book is for you! Pre-order The Musician and the Monster today!

The Musician and the Monster: A Gothic Beauty and the Beast Retelling (The Castamar Duology Book 1)

Expected Publication Date: May 7, 2024

Genre: Gothic Romantic Fantasy

 Forbidden love
☑️ Morally grey MMC
⚔️ Determined heroine
 Music is powerful
 Slow burn to steamy
❄️ Wintertime
鹿 Gothic vibes
❤️‍啕 Hurt/comfort
️ Touch her and 
✨ Magic
 Masquerade

Music says things words never can. I love you. I miss you. I’m sorry I killed you.

Every night, Ceridwen Kinsley plays music on her rooftop for the spirit of her dead mother. A peaceful if odd ritual, until she witnesses a murder by something not quite human. The monstrous encounter earns her notoriety within the city and a visit from the reclusive Lord Protector Drystan Winterbourne.

Charged with protecting the backwater city of Teneboure by the king, Drystan is failing at his task, and he can’t afford another slip up. But when fate and the very monster he means to conquer bring Ceridwen to his notice, he seizes the opportunity and presents her with an offer: play music for him at his manor in exchange for the money her impoverished family desperately needs. Music eases the strain of his magic, and who better to hire than the woman whose tunes he secretly listens to at night?

At first, Ceridwen is put off by Drystan’s unkempt appearance and harsh demeanor, not to mention the odd ailment that plagues him. But as he embraces her passion for music and she draws the recluse out of his lonely tower, the two develop an unlikely attachment. Class lines begin to blur as fearful indifference shifts to unexpected desire, and Ceridwen yearns to help Drystan subdue the monster as well as provide for her family. However, the monster prowling the night isn’t their only enemy, and as terrible secrets come to light, protecting those they love may risk their lives and their hearts.

This retelling of Beauty and the Beast incorporates themes and motifs from Phantom of the Opera, and is set in a gaslamp fantasy world with strong gothic vibes. It should appeal to fans of romantic and atmospheric retellings and fairy tales by authors such as Hannah Whitten, Tessonja Odette, and Stephanie Garber.

 

Goodreads

 

Preorder Here  Amazon 

 

About the Author

Megan Van Dyke is an award-winning fantasy romance author with a love for all things magical and romantic, especially fairytales and anything with a happily ever after. Many of her stories include themes of family (whether born into or found) and a sense of home and belonging, which are important aspects of her life as well. When not writing, Megan loves to cook, play video games, explore the great outdoors, and spend time with her family. Megan currently lives with her family in Florida.

Megan Van Dyke

My thoughts: this was a really enjoyable re-working of Beauty & the Beast, yes he does still have a fabulous library, don’t worry.

Ceridwen (there’s quite a few Welsh names here) is a flautist and nightly plays the flute into the air – to her dead mother’s spirit. Overheard by Lord Winterbourne, he becomes captivated by the music.

After she’s attacked by the terrifying creature haunting the town, his Lordship visits her family and offers her a job playing for him, only she can’t leave his home, not even to visit her family. She agrees, his fee will help her sick father and allow her sister Bronwyn to stop worrying so much.

You all know how it goes, there’s a few added twists to the tale, which make it more interesting a read, and a chance for Drystan to make amends and save the kingdom.

It’s a really clever, inventive re-imagining, as the author does so well, and I really enjoyed it. 

 

Tour Organizer: @rrbooktours

 

 X: @AuthorMeganVD @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours

IG: @authormeganvandyke @rrbooktours

TIKTOK: @MeganVanDyke @shannon_of_rrbooktours

Tags:

#rrbooktours #rrbtthemusicianandthemonster #TheMusicianAndTheMonster #romantasy #fairytaleretelling #beautyandthebeast #beautyandthebeastretelling #forbiddenlove #gothicromance #meganvandyke #gaslampfantasy #morallygrey #gothicfantasy

*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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Book Review: Will I Ever Have Sex Again? – Sofie Hagen

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Comedian Sofie Hagen has not had sex in 3,000 days (and counting). And it turns out, she’s not the only one . . .

In an attempt to find out why we’re not having the sex we want, Sofie asks the questions: can we blame a lacking sex education? Is it all just sexual trauma? Where’s the radical sexual liberation we were promised? What are we going to do about this? Should she have slept with that guy in that bush that one time? How do you overcome being a 35-year-old virgin (when it comes to queer sex, that is)? How do the socially awkward and the neurodiverse have sex?

In Will I Ever Have Sex Again?, Sofie Hagen explores the quirks and difficulties of being an ‘involuntary celibate’ (but one of the feminist, progressive ones). With a blend of memoir and conversations with experts, therapists, sex workers, porn stars, comedians and public figures, this is a humorous and bold undertaking to gain a better understanding of how we can think, talk and feel about sex.

My thoughts: this was a really interesting read, bits of it were very funny, because Sofie Hagen is a funny person, and bits of I were very insightful too.

I found Sofie’s exploration of sex, sexuality, gender identity, and the body intelligent and thought provoking. At no point was any of the discussion gratuitous or rude, and the range of people quoted, from academics to porn performers and drag kings, added to the discussion in new and interesting ways.

While exploring their own gender and sexuality, Sofie also shared a sample of different stories, some anonymously from the 1,800 responses to their survey and others from friends and experts. I liked the differing experiences and perspectives on the questions being raised. It felt like a collaborative exploration of the themes and showed that we all experience sex, love, sexuality and gender differently. I actually filled out the questionnaire, which was very insightful and made me think a lot about my own experiences and feelings. 

Despite Sofie’s stated plan to end with an orgy, there isn’t really an overarching narrative, it’s more a collection of thoughts and experiences as Sofie gets to know themselves better and understand how others see the same things with their own perspective. We are all a collection of our thoughts, feelings and experiences after all.

The book felt like a great jumping off point to asking yourself about how you truly feel about sex, relationships, sexuality, gender identity and your own past, present and future, whether you’re currently having sex with another person or not. It has certainly raised questions in my mind that I need to work through.

I’ve seen Sofie perform before and am planning to go and see them again later this year, while this book didn’t make me more or less interested in them, I did think they gave a large insight into themselves, and opening yourself up to scrutiny like this is incredibly powerful. I know there will be negative responses, but I personally feel more positively towards Sofie, like I know them better and understand them more.

Because of the feelings the book might raise, I wouldn’t say it’s the easiest of reading and it may well ring bells within you, especially in the chapter about sexual assault and rape. So save this for when you feel safe and able to evaluate yourself. I wouldn’t say it’s one for reading on the bus to work for example, definitely more for at home on your own. But it is definitely worth reading.

*I was kindly gifted an advanced copy of this book, which will be published in May, but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Alliance – Matt Brolly

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Four cities, four killers, four murders. The Alliance is just getting started.

When four unconnected serial killers simultaneously commit identical murders across four different US cities, FBI Special Agent Shannon Wallace faces an unprecedented threat—a cooperative of killers working in unison. Each homicide is witnessed by a survivor, and now these lucky ones need to decide how to tell their stories to the world.

Their posts about the horrific murders create a media storm and a new term is soon coined for the killers: The Alliance. As they recruit new killers into their ranks and more innocent people linked to the initial murders are killed it becomes clear that Wallace is dealing with an unprecedented threat—a deadly alliance formed to terrorize the nation with coordinated strikes.

With the killers always one step ahead, the very fabric of society threatens to unravel and Wallace battles to decipher The Alliance’s endgame before they dismantle civilization city by city. In a desperate race against time, can Wallace uncover the members and motives of the Alliance and end their reign of terror before more victims wind up dead.

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Matt Brolly is the Amazon number one, and Wall Street Journal, bestselling author of the DI Blackwell novels set in Weston-super-Mare, as well as the DCI Lambert crime novels, the acclaimed near future crime novel, Zero, and the US thrillers, The Controller, The Railroad, and The Running Girls. His books have sold over one million copies in 16 countries.

 Matt lives in London with his wife, their two children, a dog called Herbie, and a cat called W.G Snuffy Walden.

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My thoughts: this was a really clever, twisted thriller, with a complex and disturbing premise.

At exactly the same time in four different cities, four 911 calls come through about four murders. As the police arrive at each scene they find two people tied to chairs, one alive, one dead. 

The FBI get involved with this deeply unusual case, finding a similar series of killings in 1996. But there seems to be no explanation. Then all the survivors disappear. 

It’s a really rather brilliant, if quite disturbing concept, I was totally hooked and wanted to find out what was going on and why all these things were happening.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Death in the Crypt – Fliss Chester

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The Honourable Cressida Fawcett is expecting the cathedral crypt to be full of dry old bones. But when she finds a body murdered just moments before, she’ll need divine inspiration to solve her most mysterious case yet…

Winchester, 1925. When heiress and amateur sleuth Cressida Fawcett is invited to her aunt’s mansion on Cloister Close, she is looking forward to a quiet stay in the historic town. The views of the cathedral are heavenly – and her aunt’s maid, Nancy, makes devilishly good ginger biscuits! But it seems Cressy and her pug Ruby won’t be allowed to rest in peace… On a tour of the crypt, they are shocked to stumble across the body of Anthony, the gentle, devoted verger. And a wild-eyed Nancy is standing over him, bloodied candlestick in hand…

Since Nancy was caught red-handed and the only other suspect is the Silent Friar, the legendary local ghost, Detective Andrews of Scotland Yard thinks the case is closed. But Nancy swears she would never have killed Anthony; they were in love. And while Cressy may not believe in ghosts, she does believe Nancy. So, whose soul is full of murder most foul? And will they strike again?

As she digs through parishioner gossip, Cressy discovers that for a man of the cloth, the verger had a surprising number of enemies. Was a local antiques dealer driven to murder over an illegal trade in holy relics? Would the head bellringer kill to achieve his musical ambitions? Or is the saintly Dean, whose black-cloaked figure resembles the Silent Friar and whose wife recently drowned, hiding a deadly sin?

The cathedral conceals many secrets, and it seems Cressy will need a miracle to uncover the truth. But then Cressy finds a hidden passageway to the crypt. Is this how the murderer escaped? The sceptical police lack faith in her theories, but can she catch the killer and save Nancy from the hangman’s noose? Or will she be too late to prevent another funeral march?

A totally gripping and deliciously witty historical murder mystery with a gasp-out-loud reveal, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.

Amazon

Fliss Chester lives in Surrey with her husband and writes historical cozy crime. When she is not killing people off in her 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband, who is a wine merchant, run their business. Never far from a decent glass of something, Fliss also loves cooking (and writing up her favourite recipes on her blog), enjoying the beautiful Surrey and West Sussex countryside and having a good natter.

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My thoughts: after all the murders and other crimes Cressida has dealt with, she’s looking for a quiet break at her aunt’s in Winchester, in the shadow of the cathedral. Accompanied by her loyal pug Ruby, and joined by Dotty and Alfred, it should be a lovely break. 

Unfortunately Cressida’s luck doesn’t hold and she and Aunt Mary stumble across the body of the cathedral’s verger, Anthony, with Nancy, her aunt’s maid standing over him, holding the murder weapon.

Cressida calls in DCI Andrews to help the local police, who are baffled, as Nancy swears blind she didn’t kill anyone.

Obviously Cressida can’t help but investigate, and after spotting some family silver in a local pawn shop, she starts putting the pieces together. She just needs a few more.

Uncovering a conspiracy involving the bones of former Bishop, St Swithun, and with Ruby literally sniffing out some clues, it’s another compelling case for Cressida and Co.

*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 Love Algorithm – Camilla Isley

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At 28, with a Ph.D under her belt and a meteoric rise to head of Research and Development at Mercer Robotics, Reese feels her decision to put her career first has worked out pretty well for her.
Sure, she doesn’t have many personal relationships to speak of, but she does love her team and they like her too.

So when she’s called to the Big Boss’s office and told she will be looking after his son while he does a rotation in her lab, she’s not thrilled that her hard work and achievements have boiled down to
being a glorified babysitter – especially to a billionaire playboy with zero experience of mechanical engineering.

But then tall, blond Thomas walks into her office, and Reese realizes this assignment is going to be even harder than she thought. Because the CEO’s son is not only extraordinarily gorgeous, chiseled, and charming… he’s also on course to become her new boss one day, and so extraordinarily out of bounds. As the pair get to know each other, can Reese hold her nerve and her beliefs, or will she fall victim to the billionaire charm?

A gorgeously funny enemies-to-lovers, work-place rom com, perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Lynn Painter and Jo Watson.

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Camilla Isley is an engineer who left science behind to write bestselling contemporary rom-coms set all around the world. She lives in Italy and her first title for Boldwood, The Love Theorem, a
Hollywood-meets-STEM romance was in June 2023.

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My thoughts: Reese is the youngest head of R&D at Mercer Robotics and she’s worked really hard to get there and doesn’t want to risk her job by falling for her boss’ son when he’s assigned to her department to learn the ropes before becoming her new boss.

Thomas Mercer knows basically nothing about robotics, but he wants to do a good job for his dad, and even though he doesn’t want the job running the department.

Meeting Reese (in a very awkward moment) and then getting to know each other, sparks a connection that not only goes against company policy but Reese’s own one.

Along with a cute little droid Reese built in her own time, with a sarcasm program it seems, and an overly flirty colleague (Maria, who scares Thomas), the Robotics lab turns out to be the perfect place to fall in love. Throw in a trip to Rome for a conference, with a “there’s only one bed” moment, and it almost guarantees a sizzling story. 

In typical Camilla Isley style, it’s lots of fun, very funny and the characters are entertaining and personable. Another great addition to the series.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Girls Next Door – Anita Waller

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They keep each other’s secrets. They hide each other’s lies.

They were destined to be best friends. The four girls – all born that same hot summer. There was even a newspaper article after they were born. They said there must be something in the water on Larkspur Close. They predicted a safe and happy life for them all…

More than thirty years later, it’s more than an unbreakable friendship – it’s more like a sisterhood.
It’s the girls who Jess reaches out to because she’s worried about her grandparents who’ve raised her since her mother disappeared, who Erin tells about her new business idea, who Melissa calls to say she’s desperate to escape her toxic job.
But then Chantelle messages saying she’s discovered her husband is having an affair. And everything changes.
Because then her husband is found dead… And only a few people knew about his secret.
Is it just a terrible accident? Or will someone stop at nothing to keep the girls of Larkspur Close safe and happy?

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Anita Waller is the author of many bestselling psychological thrillers and the Kat and Mouse crime series. She lives in Sheffield, which continues to be the setting of many of her thrillers, and was first
published by Bloodhound at the age of sixty-nine. Her first book for Boldwood was published in August 2022.

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My thoughts: four women who grew up as close as sisters, four families bound together. When life starts to get a bit rubbish – one of the women discovers her husband is cheating on her. There’s worse to come, but as tragedy piles on tragedy, is there are a guardian angel watching over them or an avenging one?

The four, Jess, Chantelle, Mel and Erin seem like nice people, it’s just rubbish things all seem to happen at once. Though there are some good events to balance it out. I liked all of them, and even more so Jess’ Nan, Nora. I enjoyed their story, the way they leaned on each other and knew that whatever happened, they’d have one another.

There are some shocking twists in store too – I honestly thought it was all coincidence, right up until the end, and was really stunned when all was revealed. And then that little final sting in the tail (tale?) too? Nicely done.

*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: Time Marked Warlock – Shami Stovall

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Adair Finch is the most powerful warlock in the world, and one of the best
private investigators for hire. He has dealt with corporate vampires, murderous werewolves, and even fae royalty. Everything was perfect until he lost one case—the case where he also lost his brother.

So Finch retired. From magic. From PI work. From everything.

Bree Blackstone, a twelve-year-old witch, doesn’t know or care about any of that except Finch’s reputation. In the middle of the night, she bangs on Finch’s door. Her mother has been murdered, and now the assassin is after Bree as well.
Reluctantly, Finch agrees to help, only to discover something sinister has been brewing in town while he ignored the world… He’ll need to dust off all his old skills and magic before it’s too late.

Goodreads

Shami Stovall is a multi-award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction. Before that, she taught history and criminal law at the college level, and loved every second. When she’s not reading fascinating articles and books about ancient China or the Byzantine Empire, Stovall can be found  playing way too many video games, especially RPGs and tactics simulators.

If you want to contact her, you can do so at the following locations:
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Email: s.adelle.s@gmail.com

My thoughts: with a mix of The Dresden Files, Bane from the Shadowhunter books and a sarcastic sidekick in the form of a shape shifting mischief spirit (maybe Calcifer from the Studio Ghibli version of Howl’s Moving Castle, the closest I can think of), this was a fun, entertaining and funny crime busting adventure.

Adair Finch can manipulate time, which comes in very handy when investigating a murder, a kidnapping, police corruption and a witch coven war. Which is what he finds himself doing after a child appears on his doorstep and shakes him out of his grief malaise.

With her help, and that of the aforementioned mischief spirit, Finch digs into the case of Bree’s parents’. Her mother was a witch and her dad is a minor  warlock. Bree is the only witness – she saw someone kill her mother and abduct her father. But her mum knew Finch, and told her daughter if anything ever happened to find him.

What Finch and Bree find is so much bigger than it seems – and with his ability to manipulate time he can relive the same time over and over again, changing things in order to solve the crimes, and rescue a dog, unlock a door and other very important things.

It’s a really fun adventure and I loved the characters, Finch is so grumpy and can’t deal with Bree’s irrepressible nature and endless questions, especially when they’ve actually been solving the crime for multiple iterations of the same day. Hopefully this unstoppable team will be back with more adventures.

*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 Jagged Scar – Nick Rippington

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The Jagged Scar is a spin-off from Nick Rippington’s much-acclaimed Boxer Boys series. 

Troubled schoolgirl Red and her best friend Marc visit London for a Valentine’s party but they get separated and she ends up in a police cell.

While behind bars the teenager befriends mysterious glamour girl Kat who negotiates her release and invites her to a 70s Soho awash with strip clubs, porn shops, shady characters and bent cops.

Unhappy with her home life back in Wales, she opts to stay and lands a job in the nightclub empire of former stripper Blaize and her porn king husband Jack.

Before long she has made friends, settled into the lifestyle and forgotten all about the problems at home.

That is until her world is turned upside down by a sequence of tragic events. It leads her to question those around her and brings her to the notice of some leading players in London’s dark underbelly who will stop at nothing to keep their unlawful activities under wraps.

And as she closes in on the truth, Red is about to make the shocking discovery that her new life is inextricably linked with the past she’s so desperate to leave behind.

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Nick Rippington would like it to be known that although he once worked for the News of the World he has never hacked a mobile phone. For that matter, most of the time he can’t even remember his own passcode.

 A national sports journalist with a wealth of experience, Nick took the plunge and began writing crime thrillers when Rupert Murdoch shut down Europe’s biggest-selling Sunday newspaper in 2011 as a result of the phone hacking scandal.

 His debut novel Crossing The Whitewash came out in 2015, receiving an honourable mention in the Writers’ Digest Self-publishing eBook awards.

 That launched the Boxer Boys series, which has found a niche in the growing UK gangland market. To date, there are four books in the series – Crossing The Whitewash, Spark Out, Dying Seconds and Bare Lies.

 Nick’s creation of the notorious Dolan family, their associates and enemies has been greeted with acclaim by some of the country’s most prestigious book bloggers.

 Meanwhile, his standalone psychological thriller Rabette Run has been described as ‘Alice in Wonderland… with tanks and guns’ with a twist you didn’t see coming. Rabette Run (published by Red Dragon) and Crossing the Whitewash are both available as audio books while the first three novels in the Boxer Boys series are available in digital format with Amazon as a box set.

 The Jagged Scar, Nick’s 6th novel, is a spin-off of the Boxer Boys which can be read as a standalone, as can all his books. It is based in 1970s Soho, London, and you may notice a few characters that appear much later in the saga.

 Nick has now moved out of East London to the wilds of Suffolk with wife Liz and daughter Livvy.

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My thoughts: two teenagers run away from a small Welsh village to London in the 70s. Separated they follow their own paths – Red finds work in a Soho club as the assistant to the owner, Blaize. She’s naive and doesn’t really understand what business her new friends are in.

Things take dark turns and her naivety is soon worn away, and after a friend is killed in police custody, she vows revenge.

Meanwhile, the siblings the friends left behind in Wales start looking for them, following tiny clues to track down their beloved sister and brother.

This was a really fascinating and gripping look at the dark side of 70s London life through the lens of several young and innocent souls. There’s a lot that happens to them and some shocking, terrible things come to light. Red in particular goes through an enormous amount and Marc’s story was heartbreaking.

*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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#TeamLyons Blog Tour: Last Witness – Lucie Whitehouse

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One murder, three families destroyed
And a detective guilty of a crime of her own

When 18-year-old Ben Renshaw is found dead in city woodland, DCI Robin Lyons is plunged into one of Birmingham’s most controversial cases.

Months earlier, Ben and his best friend gave testimony that sent a former classmate, Alistair Heywood, to prison for a vicious sexual assault. Before the trial, the boys and their families endured months of brutal witness intimidation, for which the Heywoods, a privileged and influential local family, faced no legal repercussions. Instead, they vowed revenge.

Is Ben’s murder the fulfilment of that vow, the beginning of a bloody new chapter that will go on claim lives on all sides? Or is the truth – as the Heywoods claim – something entirely different?

To solve the case, Robin has to negotiate the city’s networks of power while walking a dangerous line: her own daughter, Lennie, has a secret that could threaten her liberty – and, if it comes out, Robin’s, too. Before long, Robin comes to question whether she knows what justice is at all.

About the Author

Lucie Whitehouse grew up in Warwickshire. After studying Classics at Oxford, she moved to London where she worked briefly in journalism before finding her niche in publishing. She writes full time and has contributed features to the Times, the Sunday Times, the Independent, Elle and Red Magazine. Lucie now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.

My thoughts: While the Lyons family wait for her brother’s trial, Robin has a complicated and heartbreaking case to deal with. Ben Renshaw, 18, an A Level student who set up a website for victims of rape and sexual assault after his friend was raped, was found murdered in the woods. 

During the trial against his friend’s rapist, he, and another friend, Theo, were targeted, supposedly by the perpetrator’s family. But as Robin and her team dig into the case, and following another murder, it seems much more complicated than it appears and dates back to a previous generation whose pain and guilt have carried through.

This is probably the most complicated and upsetting case for Robin and her team, involving as it does teenagers only a few years older than Lennie, and the sins of the father. And with Luke’s case hanging over her, Robin is tense.

But she never takes her eye off the ball and while justice is hard and the truth brutal, destroying several families, the team do find it, even with the hours and hours of CCTV they had to trawl through. 

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