blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Strays & Fetch – Janeen Leese-Taylor

A murder without evidence, a secret that could topple society and a cop with a bit of a coffee habit!

Three things were certain in the mind of Officer Theodore Night.

There’s a serial killer loose in Portstewart

His new friend is a werewolf

He’s in way over his head

When bloody paw prints at a crime scene leads Officer Night to consider the impossible, he must rely not only on his years of investigative experience, but on the local werewolf pack, for help.

An unlikely friendship gives Night the edge he needs to prevent an all-out war. Has Blair, the mysterious barista from Bean and Gone, caused him to bite off more than he can chew?

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Denma Aeoir.

The Devil’s Breath.

The thing that goes bump in the night.

It’s not just a story.

Not anymore.

When modern blades break the God’s seal, it is up to Detective Theodore Night and his werewolf partner, Blair Blackwolfe, to save the North Coast from devastation.

Or die trying.

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Janeen is an Irish author born and raised on the scenic Causeway Coast. Curious, and with a great love for adventure, Jan spent her childhood climbing trees and talking to her imaginary friends, many of whom have now found a home in her writing.

She has a bachelor’s degree in advertising and works for gaming companies around the world. She is a lover of all things fantasy and aims to bring some magic to the places that she visits in her writing. Portstewart, Dublin and Chester City each feature prominently in both her travels and her writing, and her stories often draw from real life places that have captured her heart.

As an ultramarathon runner, Jan often writes on the go, using her trusty phone and stylus to craft scenes that come to her after hours on her feet. 

She lives with her husband, Liam, their Border Collie-Cross, Zarya, and their Guinea Pig, (Peek-A) Boo, who they all fear will one day take over the world!

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My thoughts: Turns out I’d read and earlier version of Strays before, and so I was really pleased to read it again and to read Fetch, the sequel, for the first time.

In Strays we meet PSNI Officer Theodore Night, who has 7 dogs and is always half asleep due to nightmares that stop him getting a good night’s rest. A strange murder scene, covered in giant pawprints, has him, as the animal expert, called out. But he’s at a loss until he rescues barista Blair Blackwolfe, who is having some sort of medical episode, and learns a huge secret, known to no-one in Blair’s life – he’s a werewolf, from a long line of them and they mostly live in a vast cavern network under the city. 

And one of them is killing people. 

Blair agrees to help Theo solve the case and stop the horrific murders, especially after meeting the young boy intentionally left alive to report a “really big dog” killed his family. Heartbreaking.

The duo have to involve the local packs, but things get a bit hairy and the case is way more complicated than a lone wolf.

In Fetch, still dealing with the repercussions of Strays, our detective duo are involved in another case with otherworldly connections. Someone, or something, is abducting children for a terrible reason. And it’s up to Blair and Theo to stop it. This time they need help from a few of their friends and colleagues (and Blair’s matchmaking sister Alice) to get to grips with the monstrous kidnapper.

Filled with references to Irish folklore and fantasy tropes (and with a very nice queer will they/won’t they – Blair’s gay but Theo?) this is a series which I really enjoyed and hope there’s more to come from it. 

*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

Blogathon: Judas Horse – Lynda La Plante

‘Do you know what a Judas Horse is? When the wild mustangs are running free, you corral one and train it. When he’s ready, you release him and he’ll bring his team back into the corral – like Judas betraying them…’

Violent burglars have been terrorising residents across the English countryside. But when a mutilated body is discovered in a Cotswolds house, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary group of opportunist thieves.

As Detective Jack Warr investigates, he discovers locals with dark secrets, unearths hidden crimes – and hits countless dead ends. With few leads and the violent attacks escalating, he will have to act as audaciously as the criminals if he hopes to stop them.

When Warr meets Charlotte Miles, a terrified woman with links to the group, he must use her to lure the unsuspecting killers into one last job, and into his trap. But with the law already stretched to breaking point, any failure will be on Warr’s head – and any more blood spilled, on his hands…

My thoughts: So, so good, another excellent outing for DI Jack Warr. This time he’s on loan to the police force in the Cotswolds, helping to investigate a string of burglaries that have escalated to violence, and butting heads with the Oxford murder squad.

He suspects someone local is giving the gang insider information on the homes that have been targeted and that this person may now be at risk themselves as the gang turn nasty and assault an autistic man in his home. They’ve also committed at least one murder. He goes undercover to find out a bit more about them.

On the home front, his partner Maggie is pregnant and her colleague is as well. With his mum Penny living with them, Maggie is happy for him to be off chasing the criminals. He’s anxious about becoming a dad, but knows solving cases like this make his future child’s world safer.

Gripping and clever, Jack is a brilliant protagonist in a case that sees him pit his wits against a mastermind and his gang of thugs.

*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 Paris Bookshop for the Broken Hearted – Rebecca Raisin


Can you ever swear off love, in the city of love?

Coco is having a hell of a month. She’s lost her boyfriend and her business, been forced to uproot her daughter to move back in with her parents in Paris, and now an infuriatingly handsome stranger is
yelling at her for acting like a tourist… Right underneath the Eiffel Tower.

Storming away from him – and swearing off men for life – she decides she’s going to take the first job that comes her way.
Then, as if fate hears her, later that day she stumbles into a little bookshop – but not any old bookshop. This one comes complete with a café, cocktail bar, reading room and secret tunnel of books, and just a little hint of magic in the air. So when Coco’s offered a job selling books there, it
feels like the perfect fit.

There’s only one problem… propping up the bar in the bookshop is none other than the grumpy, gorgeous stranger she’d met earlier that day…

A totally romantic, bookish and gorgeously escapist romantic novel, set in Paris in Springtime.

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Sarah Morgan.

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Rebecca Raisin writes heartwarming romance from her home in sunny Perth, Australia. Her heroines tend to be on the quirky side and her books are usually set in exotic locations so her readers can
armchair travel any day of the week. The only downfall about writing about gorgeous heroes who have brains as well as brawn, is falling in love with them–just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims
to write characters you can see yourself being friends with.People with big hearts who care about relationships and believe in true, once-in-a-life time love.

Facebook: @RebeccaRaisinAuthor
Twitter: @jaxandwillsmum
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My thoughts: Be right back, just moving to Paris to find a bookshop to fall in love with (and hopefully meet the love of my life, one that isn’t a cat!)

Loved this, it’s a sweet, charming, witty romance set in Paris in a book shop. What more could a book loving Francophile want? I really must look into that French passport (my great-grandmother’s family were French, hope that’s enough) so I can hop across there more often. Maybe my dream date is twiddling their thumbs in one of the many bookshops there.

Coco’s life is falling apart, her business (and romantic) partner has turned out to be thief, a liar and a cheat, her business has collapsed and she’s fled to her parents’ tiny apartment in Paris to lick her wounds and try to start again, with her furious teenage daughter in tow.

Finding a job at the titular bookshop, a group of friends in the book club and perhaps a hint of romance with grumpy journalist Henri, things might just be getting better, but sometimes life loves an obstacle!

Rebecca Raisin writes such delightful stories and I think this might be my favourite so far.

*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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Cover Reveal: Shadow of the Yew Tree – Kate Gateley

We’re thrilled to present the cover for the first book in a new duology by Kate Gateley, called Shadow of the Yew Tree!

Shadow of the Yew Tree (The Mythic Bones #1)

Expected Publication Date: Spring 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy Romance

  • Dual POV
  • Grumpy/sunshine
  • Men in therapy
  • Open door romance
  • Canadian PNW backdrop
  • ADHD rep
  • Mentor/mentee
  • Unique magic system
  • One bed / forced proximity
  • Slow Burn
  • Druids & Science
  • FMCs who are 30+ (and MMCs who are 40+ 😉)

Who is patient number eighty-seven?

Shadow of the Yew Tree by Kate Gateley is the first novel in a contemporary fantasy and romance duology featuring an angsty Druid doctor and a sassy, enigmatic journalist who find themselves in an unexpected partnership. Secrets vine dangerously between them as they race to counter the rapidly growing threat to their hidden magical world …

The Mythic Bones Duology is a standalone series set in Gateley’s beloved “Lost Wells” world. It is perfect for A Discovery of Witches and Outlander fans with a modern Canadian twist.

COMING SOON

COVER REVEAL ORGANIZED BY:

R&R BOOK TOURS

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: In Judgement of Others – Eleanor Anstruther

The Midhurst Amateur Dramatic Society are putting on a production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit, and Tessa has agreed to play a part. But when she suffers a psychotic episode, Ros, a C-list celebrity and new to the community, takes her place.

In this darkly comic tale of psychosis in the Home Counties, the stage is set for a blistering examination of mental illness, how we treat it and why we don’t. While Tessa is sectioned in a secure psychiatric hospital, the relationships in the community unravel, and by the time she’s released, all that we thought we knew, and all of our judgements, are thrown into question.

Dim the lights, turn off your phones, settle in as the curtain rises…

My thoughts: This was really interesting, mental illness is still so misunderstood, and Ros failed to understand that you can love someone even though their illness makes it very hard to live with them at times, and get frustrated by this but not give up on them. Tessa is ill, she’s not doing this on purpose. Many mental health conditions cause people to stop taking their meds, because the illness lies to you. Tessa felt better, so she stopped taking her pills, then she got worse. So she needs the time as an inpatient to get back to herself.

Ros seemed to think that Tessa was gone for good, stepping into her role in Blithe Spirit, and attempting to step into Tessa’s life too. But as Tessa recovered, and even in her worries, her family and community were still with her.

An interesting study of how mental illness can affect people and how a little knowledge might be useful. Sometimes you hear the phrase “everyone has mental health” which is true but not everyone is genuinely mentally ill, although sometimes it feels as if you’re the only sane one, and everyone else could do with a stay in the psych ward. 

*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 Seventh Floor – David McCloskey

Six CIA officers. Dear friends and cherished enemies. For a quarter century they have stolen other people’s secrets. Now they must steal each other’s.

A Russian arrives in Singapore with a secret to sell. When the Russian is killed and Sam Joseph, the CIA officer dispatched for the meet, goes missing, operational chief Artemis Procter is made a scapegoat for the disaster and run out of the service. Months later, Sam appears at Procter’s doorstep with an explosive secret: there is a Russian mole burrowed deep within the highest ranks of the CIA.

As Procter and Sam investigate, they arrive at a shortlist of suspects made up of both Procter’s closest friends and fiercest enemies. The hunt requires Procter to dredge up her checkered past in the service of the CIA, placing the pair in the sights of a savvy Russian spymaster who will protect Moscow’s mole in Langley at all costs. What happens when friendships forged by sweat and blood—from the Farm to Afghanistan and the executive “Seventh Floor” of CIA’s Langley headquarters—are put to the ultimate test? What can we truly know about the people we love the most?

Taking readers from Langley to Moscow to Paris and beyond, The Seventh Floor explores the nature of friendship in a faithless business, and what it means to love a place that does not love you back.

My thoughts: Artemis Aphrodite Procter is not someone you cross lightly. Even after getting fired from the CIA and going down to Florida to wrestle alligators (apparently that’s a real thing) she still has the skills, knowledge and connections to investigate her former employer and locate a mole right at the heart of the agency.

I was absolutely hooked, I like Procter from the previous books but this was entirely her story, her rivalry with Debbie Sweet, her close friendships with the men in her life, one of whom might be the mole, her intense focus and ability to get shit done. I love it.

The story was clever and gripping, the Russians weren’t cartoon villains, they had their own motives and ambitions, just like the Americans, Sam and Artemis made a great team, as they borrowed the files from the CIA and dove deep looking for clues, looking for the gaps and mistakes in people’s stories, digging slowly but surely.

*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: Frog, Fish and Worm – Christina B Bianco

Get ready to giggle with ‘Frog, Fish, and Worm’! 

This toe-tapping, fish-flapping, and worm-squirming adventure will have kids aged 2-8 in stitches. 

Watch as these three tiny titans team up against the fisherman, Stan. 

But guess who joins the underwater shenanigans? 

A toothless Crocodile! With their hilarious hijinks and a pinch of teamwork, they give Stan the fright of his fishing life. 

It’s a rip-roaring rhyme-time, proving that even the littlest critters can outsmart the biggest bullies. So dive into this gigglesome, fin-tastic tale, and let the underwater fun begin!

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Christina has had a successful career in the Art, Design and TV Industry before owning her very own Art Gallery.

Inspired by her love of reading and doodling, Christina decided to put pen to paper and create ‘Dorothy Dustbucket.’

Splitting time between Europe and the UK, she lives in the beautiful county of Cheshire, along with her husband and two children, who provided much of the inspiration for the children’s books.

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blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Murder in the Tuscan Hills – T.A. Williams


It’s murder in paradise!

A picturesque scene…

As grape harvest season rolls around, retired DCI Dan Armstrong and his beloved canine companion, Oscar, are looking forward to a nice quiet September. But when Dan is contacted about a mysterious death out in the Tuscan Hills, it seems that work must come before pleasure.

A suspicious find…

At first it appears that the body found lying outside a prestigious winery has been the result of a tragic hit and run. But then the police discover that this is a cover up for murder…but who would kill
in such an idyllic spot and why?

A face from the past?

As Dan investigates, he meets famous ex rock star, Digger, owner of the winery and prestigious Podere Dei Santi hotel. Digger’s guests include wealthy businessmen, tourists, and, among them, suspected mafia hitmen. But more significant for Dan is a face he knows only too well from his own past and he soon finds that wine isn’t the only thing fermenting around him.

Could this murder be the start of a gangland war, or do the killer’s motives lie much closer to home?

Will complications from Dan’s past return to trouble his future? Either way, Dan and Oscar must work around the clock to solve another mystery.

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T A Williams is the author of over twenty bestselling romances for HQ and Canelo and is now turning his hand to cosy crime, set in his beloved Italy, for Boldwood. The series will introduce us to retired DCI Armstrong and his labrador Oscar and the first book, entitled Murder in Tuscany, will be published in October 2022. Trevor lives in Devon with his Italian wife.

Facebook: @TrevorWilliamsBooks
Twitter: @TAWilliamsBooks
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Bookbub profile: @trevorwilliams3

My thoughts: It’s another case for Detective Dan and Officer Oscar in beautiful Tuscany. This time there’s multiple murders to solve and potentially a dangerous mafiosa type is the killer. 

Dan’s asked to help out with the translation work at a glamorous hotel and winery, owned by a retired rock star. Among the guests are a suspicious trio of “businessmen” and Dan’s ex-wife, awkward.

Luckily she’s seen and heard pretty much nothing, although her companion, a dodgy Anglo-Italian restaurant owner is a bit suspect, although he hasn’t done anything criminal here (hedgehog salami? No thank you)

It’s also Anna’s, Dan’s girlfriend, birthday, and she’s very understanding about him helping on the case, less so about the presence of his ex, who just seems to be hanging around like a bad smell, worse than wet Labrador (sorry Oscar).

Obviously, my favourite character, the always excellent Oscar, finds several clues and saves Dan (again), whatever would they do without him?

Another excellent, highly enjoyable, fiendish and clever case for the dynamic duo.

*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 House of Echoes – Alexandra Walsh


‘The Brandon blood is dark with lies and treachery and as it flows through my heart, my vow is this: they will all pay.’

Hampton Court Palace 1530s

Anne Brandon has always understood the power of a king’s patronage and, though the court of Henry VIII is a dangerous place for women, as the daughter of the king’s best friend, Anne feels safer than most. But Anne’s husband Lord Powis is tiring of her childlessness and when Henry VIII begins plotting to rid himself of a queen in his quest for an heir, suddenly Anne’s life is in danger. And as whispers of the name of her friend Anne Boleyn get ever louder, there is peril in every loose word, every forbidden conversation.

Pembrokshire Present Day

Caroline Harvey has spent years helping her grandfather, the reclusive bestselling novelist Dexter Blake, hide from his legions of fans in his home on the Pembrokshire coast. After his death, the
vultures begin to circle Dexter’s fortune. When Caroline’s ownership of the house she has inherited is called into question, her research into its history reveals it was once owned by Anne Brandon who had sought refuge there. Intrigued, Caroline is determined to discover why Anne fled the court of Henry VIII.

Two women divided by centuries but joined by secrets and courage. And when a twist in their histories threatens them both with the same fate – losing the man they love – their revenge will be the same too. Because there’s no one mightier than a woman underestimated or more powerful
than the need to save those they love.

Bestseller Alexandra Walsh is back with a compelling, captivating insight into the Tudor court through the eyes of a woman who had only her guile to keep her alive. Perfect for all fans of Barbara Erskine, Philippa Gregory, Anne O’Brien and Elena Collins.

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Alexandra Walsh is the bestselling author of dual timeline historical mysteries, previously published by Sapere. Her books range from the fifteenth century to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. Formerly a journalist, writing for national newspapers, magazines and TV, her first book for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2023.

Facebook: @themarquesshousetrilogy
Twitter: @purplemermaid25
Instagram: @purplemermaid25

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My thoughts: I really like these dual narrative stories, especially when they bring a forgotten woman in history back to life. Anne Brandon was the daughter of Henry VIII’s best friend and stepdaughter to his sister, the Dowager Queen of France, she lived a life of privilege but in a time where daughters were traded in marriage to ensure fortunes and land, favours and heirs.

Married to a cold hearted man, who cares only about his legacy, unable to give him children, she is in love with another, and considering the emphasis placed on marriage, is somehow able to live with her lover, far from court, while her estranged husband openly takes his mistress with him.

She was also a contemporary and possibly a friend of Anne Boleyn – Henry’s ill-fated second wife, so would have seen the huge upheaval and turmoil during her life.

What links her story to our modern day heroine is a plot of woodland on the Pembrokshire coast. Here reclusive writer Dexter Blake created his incredible sci-fi series that became a worldwide sensation, and here his granddaughter Caroline has made her home. She has a lot of secrets, and with Blake’s death, she’s finally coming clean, at least to her oldest friends, Ben and Gideon.

As she researches the land her home stands on, she learns about Anne Brandon and her bravery in defying the norm and living with the man she loved, rather than the husband she had been made to marry. In finding her own safe and beloved home, she lived a quiet but safe life. Aunt to the tragic Lady Jane Grey, she could have been right at the heart of Tudor court life, and had been as a younger woman, but in choosing her own path, she is instead an inspiration and one who should not have been forgotten.

Caroline’s story weaves around Anne’s and as her secrets come to light, can she find a way back to her true love, just as Anne did?

Clever, enjoyable, moving and enthralling.

*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

Blogathon: Buried – Lynda La Plante

DC Jack Warr and his girlfriend Maggie have just moved to London to start a new life together. Though charming, Jack can’t seem to find his place in the world – until he’s drawn into an investigation that turns his life upside down.

In the aftermath of a fire at an isolated cottage, a badly charred body is discovered, along with the burnt remains of millions of stolen, untraceable bank notes.

Jack’s search leads him deep into a murky criminal underworld – a world he finds himself surprisingly good at navigating. But as the line of the law becomes blurred, how far will Jack go to find the answers – and what will it cost him?

In BURIED, it’s time to meet DC Jack Warr as he digs up the deadly secrets of the past . . .

My thoughts: Obviously, Lynda La Plante is one of the best crime writers out there, and her quality never lets up.

This series is so, so good. I have raved about it in person already to several friends, in the best way. Now it’s your turn faithful blog readers.

Jack Warr has recently joined the Met from Devon, and is plunged into a complicated case involving murder, robbery and conspiracy going back decades.

The story is so clever and I really love the gang of female crooks he uncovers, who wanted to do something really good with their ill gotten gains, but couldn’t, because the police were already suspicious of them. They’ve waited years, lost several of their original group and now, just as it seems they’ve been forgotten, a dead body and a burnt out cottage might spoil everything. Unless Jack looks the other way.

He’s also dealing with complicated personal issues – his beloved adoptive dad Charlie has terminal cancer and his parents are planning to take an around the world cruise for his final few months. He doesn’t want treatment, and he doesn’t want Jack to be upset.

This triggers a desire to find out more about his biological parents, especially his father. Even though his partner, Maggie, thinks this might not be for the best.

As he investigates his origins, it crosses paths with some of the names in his new case, will learning who his father was lead Jack down a dangerous path?

This is addictive writing, as soon as I finished this book, I was straight into book two, which I will tell you all about very soon.

If you love well written, gripping, intelligent crime writing, get reading!

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