Tag: crime fiction

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Getaway – Ross Armstrong

ramblingmads

One private island. Seven guests. One killer…

The perfect holiday. The perfect murder. The perfect beach read…

Get away from your problems.
Multimillionaire Robert Rathwell and his entourage arrive at their private Greek island. White sand, turquoise water, the perfect place to relax. But this is no ordinary family, and this holiday will be their last.

Get away from your life.
The next morning, a scream shatters their peaceful world. Someone has been murdered, his body arranged to make it look like suicide. Everyone has a motive and, under the burning sun, secrets quickly simmer to the surface.

Get away with murder.
Soon the guests see a darker, more violent side to paradise. Because the Rathwells don’t just own the island; they own the people on it. And they can do whatever they like – maybe even commit murder…

My thoughts: a reclusive millionaire, his family and a few staff on a disconnected private island. What could go wrong? With a few uninvited guests (or are they?), the patriarch in poor health, secrets and assumed identities abound.

Everyone is hiding something – but are they the killer? Between them they intend to find out and get off the island once the weather clears. But who can they trust?

With multiple narrators, all with their own agendas, it’s hard to decide who to believe, although some of the things they’re hiding aren’t as bad as murder. There’s plenty of motivation to do away with a few people. And even when it’s supposedly resolved, there’s a few lingering questions. The ending gives a sudden whole new slant on everything too. Very cleverly done.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Truly, Darkly, Deeply – Victoria Selman

ramblingmads

Twelve-year-old Sophie and her mother, Amelia-Rose, move to London from Massachusetts where they meet the charismatic Matty Melgren, who quickly becomes an intrinsic part of their lives. But as the relationship between the two adults fractures, a serial killer begins targeting young women with a striking resemblance to Amelia-Rose.

When Matty is eventually sent down for multiple murder, questions remain as to his guilt — questions which ultimately destroy both women. Nearly twenty years later, Sophie receives a letter from Battlemouth Prison informing her Matty is dying and wants to meet. It looks like Sophie might finally get the answers she craves. But will the truth set her free — or bury her deeper?

My thoughts: this is a clever, complex and interesting book with a fascinating concept – Sophie’s father figure turned out to be a serial killer, she’s spent her whole life trying to understand why he did it. She talks to her mother but gets no answers there, would finally confronting the dying Matty resolve things?

I really enjoyed the author’s Ziba Mackenzie books, and I was excited to read this, her writing is accessible and the book’s premise unfolds nicely. Sophie is an intriguing protagonist – guilty by association, even though she was a child and had no idea what was going on. She’s piecing the clues together though, fragmented memories and newspaper inches. An intelligent and engaging read.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Binding Room – Nadine Matheson

ramblingmads

Detective Anjelica Henley confronts a series of ritualistic murders in this heart-pounding thriller about race, power and the corrupt institutions that threaten us

When Detective Anjelica Henley is called to investigate the murder of a popular preacher in his own church, she discovers a second victim, tortured and tied to a bed in an upstairs room. He is alive, but barely, and his body shows signs of a dark religious ritual.

With a revolving list of suspects and the media spotlight firmly on her, Henley is left with more questions than answers as she attempts to untangle both crimes. But when another body appears, the case takes on a new urgency. Unless she can apprehend the killer, the next victim may just be Henley herself.

Both fans of The Jigsaw Man and readers coming to Matheson’s work for the first time will get swept away in this heart-pounding thriller. Drawing on her experiences as a criminal attorney, Nadine Matheson deftly explores issues of race, class and justice through an action-packed story that will hold you captive until the last terrifying page.

Listen to an extract here

My thoughts: this book goes to some dark places – it seems to be Henley’s lot in life. Extreme religious beliefs, secrets, embezzlement, lies and murders. Vulnerable people, often with mental health issues are disappearing and later turning up dead, looking like they’ve been tortured. What is the connection to the dead preacher? And can Henley and team stop it before anyone else loses their life?

I really liked the previous book in this series – The Jigsaw Man, and I think Henley is a really interesting protagonist. She’s clever and good at what she does but keeps a lot of things close to her chest, and isn’t always as open, even with her closest colleagues, as she could be. These crimes are in her community, and she wants to keep people safe but when all she gets is lies and obfuscation from those involved, it’s not easy.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Bee Movie – Wendy W. Webb

ramblingmads

BeeMovie copy

Welcome to the book tour for cozy mystery, Bee Movie by Wendy W. Webb. Read on for more!

BeeMovieCover

Bee Movie (The Beluga Stein Mysteries Book 1)

Publication Date: March 30th, 2022

Genre: Cozy Mystery/ Suspense/ Paranormal

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Beluga Stein is here, with her signature loud muumuus, pastel cigarettes, and hit-or-miss psychic ability. She and her feline familiar, Planchette, are ready for their closeups. Or are they?

Beluga is called to investigate paranormal activity and other strange events on the set of a low budget horror movie. But after a mysterious fire, an actor dressed in a bee costume is found hoisted high in the air by a crane. Is the set haunted? Or are the supernatural stirrings and death the result of special effects?

From the dark screening room to the madcap SFX warehouse and scary set itself, Beluga and Planchette are there as reluctant cast members. But even a bit part in this film could be murder.

Add to Goodreads

Production Manager’s Notes

Shooting on set of Bee Mine delayed yet another day due to unforeseen circumstances of boom falling on antenna of actor playing part of giant bee. Actor sustained minor injury (covered by insurance), antenna sent to SFX department for surgical repair (not covered by insurance), boom operator yet to be found after his exit from soundstage, screaming, “It’s a ghost. It’s a ghost.”

Budget overrun in Craft Services department. Snack Head places blame on Beluga Stein.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

image

Wendy Webb (aka Wendy W Webb) has published dark fantasy short stories and supernatural-humor murder mystery novels over many years. After a hiatus for far too long as a professor of emergency management and as a disaster responder, she welcomes the return to fiction writing. She adores her husband; two dogs, one of which turns on iTunes whenever Wendy leaves her office; dry red wine; theatre; and travel as long as she doesn’t see anymore ghosts.

My thoughts: this was a strange story, a bit confusing and completely mad. There’s odd events on a low budget film set, including the death of the Bee Man (not the actor hired to wear the suit but someone wearing it nonetheless). Hired by the producer to find out what’s going on and who is trying to destroy the movie, biology professor, PI and psychic Beluga Stein, her feline sidekick Planchette, friend Tanya and eventually her daughter Olivia, is on the case.

As more strange things occur, the brightly dressed sleuth starts to narrow down her suspects, but has she overlooked the real killer?

Funny, weird and entertaining.

Book Tour Schedule

July 4th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

@amber.bunch_author (Review) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

@gryffindorbookishnerd (Review) https://www.instagram.com/gryffindorbookishnerd/

Lisa Every Day Reads (Spotlight) https://lisaevrydayread.wordpress.com/

July 5th

Riss Reviews (Review) https://rissreviewsx.wixsite.com/website

@dee.saychay (Review) https://www.instagram.com/dee.saychay/

@love_coffee_n_books (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/love_coffee_n_books/

Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

FUONLYKNEW (Spotlight) http://fuonlyknew.com/

I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/

July 6th

@itsabookthing2021 (Review) http://www.instagram.com/itsabookthing2021

Rambling Mads (Review) http://ramblingmads.com

Timeless Romance Blog (Spotlight) https://aubreywynne.com/

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Spotlight) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

July 7th

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

@jacleomik33 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/jacleomik33

@wellread81 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/wellread81/

July 8th

@my_books_and_coffee (Review) https://www.instagram.com/my_books_and_coffee/

Bunny Reviews (Review) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/

@gin_books_crochethooks (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/gin_books_crochethooks/

B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

@bookishkelly2020 (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/BookishKelly2020/

Cocktails & Fairytales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales

Book Tour Organized By:

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blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Dead Drift – Kelly Romo

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Two teenage girls on the run with fake IDs and a beater car…what could go wrong?
Emmy has always been impulsive. She is no longer a minor and has aged out of foster care. When her best friend, Amber, is the target of a perverted uncle who lives in the basement of her group home, they plan her escape.
They head for Canada, where Amber will be safe, and the foster care system can no longer control their lives. When they come across a whitewater rafting brochure, they decide to take a detour for one last adventure before leaving the country. Emmy and Amber have no idea it will be a decision that will forever change their fates.
The rafting town is so far in the middle of nowhere that Emmy’s car radio catches nothing but static.
They consider turning around until a truck pulls up, loaded with hot whitewater rafting guides and rubber rafts–just the fun they were looking for. Ignoring every instinct, they turn off the pavement
and follow the truck down an isolated dirt road. They end up in Lodell, the town where a girl went missing the previous summer…and she will not be the last.

Amazon UK
Amazon US


Kelly Romo grew up in California but has lived in Oregon for over twenty-five years. She teaches writing, literature, and social studies. She is the mother of three grown children: Brittany, Brennan, and Ryan. She is an avid outdoorswoman who loves to kayak, hike, and fish. DEAD DRIFT is Kelly’s third novel. She also has two historical fiction novels; WHISTLING WOMEN (2015) and WHEN SORROW TAKES WING (2021).

Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Blog

My thoughts: this was a clever, dark, twisted thriller. Set in a small town where tourists come to ride the rapids every summer and girls seem to go missing every year too. When Emmy and Amber, heading to Canada, stop by to explore the river, they find more than they bargained for. Amber goes missing and Emmy can only vaguely remember the night before – did the girls really hurl their new shoes into the tree? And why would Amber, afraid of the water, risk the river?

As a year goes by, Emmy’s memories remain fuzzy but a new summer brings more tourists and more girls go missing. Can Emmy solve the terrible mysteries and save another girl from Amber’s fate? Can she stop a killer?I didn’t see the killer at all, all the hints pointed in several directions and the sunny, tourist friendly nature hid a really disturbing dark side – one that needed Emmy’s outsider perspective to finally be revealed and stopped. Very enjoyable.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Other Guest – Helen Cooper

ramblingmads

One year ago, Leah’s twenty-one-year-old niece, Amy, mysteriously drowned near her family-owned luxury resort on the shores of Lake Garda.

Now, returning to Italy for the first time since Amy’s death, Leah is shocked to find her family seem to have erased all reminders of Amy. Despite the murky circumstances, they insist her death was an accident but Leah knows she must look deeper if she is to uncover the truth.

Meanwhile, in Derby, university counsellor Joanna is recovering from a surprising break-up when she is swept off her feet by a handsome bartender. But after she invites him into her home, Joanna is forced to accept that she doesn’t know him as well as she thought.

What follows is a propulsive game of cat-and mouse as both women begin to realise that appearances can be deceptive – and that the darkest secrets often lie closest to home.

My thoughts: there are a lot of red herrings and murder suspects to sort through, I really thought Amy’s dad, Gordon, was involved, he acted in an incredibly controlling manner and was hiding all sorts of things. Though towards the end his reasons are revealed and it makes some sense.

I felt for Leah, she so desperately wants to understand what happened to the niece she loved, but even her own sister was being really secretive and the whole “always seem perfect” attitude the family had about their hotel was incredibly weird. They must have stood out a lot amongst the locals. Leah just wanted answers, instead she’s spied on, intimidated, and her family are locking her out of everything. Luckily she’s stubborn and determined to get the truth.

Similarly I felt for Joanna, who really has no real connection to the events of the previous September, is swept into this awful mess by a handsome bartender, and wants to resolve things, even though she didn’t know Amy, she just wants some justice. Especially as she feels she let a suicidal student down at the uni where she works.

Between these two complete strangers, in different countries, both feeling a bit freaked out by things, answers are slowly revealed. Maybe justice for Amy isn’t impossible.

Compelling, shocking and incredibly readable, this is a clever, twisting thriller that takes in a lot of big current themes (powerful men, image being everything, #MeToo, among others) and creates a smart modern murder mystery.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Dead Drift – Kelly Romo

ramblingmads

DeadDrift copy

Welcome to the book tour for Dead Drift by Kelly Romo! The perfect vacation read! Grab yourself a copy and make sure to enter the giveaway at the end!

Dead Drift Cover

Dead Drift (Whitewater Thriller #1)

Publication Date: May 15, 2022

Genre: Thriller/ Serial Killer

Two teenage girls on the run with fake IDs and a beater car…what could go wrong?

Emmy has always been impulsive. She is no longer a minor and has aged out of foster care. When her best friend, Amber, is the target of a perverted uncle who lives in the basement of her group home, they plan her escape.

They head for Canada, where Amber will be safe, and the foster care system can no longer control their lives. When they come across a whitewater rafting brochure, they decide to take a detour for one last adventure before leaving the country. Emmy and Amber have no idea it will be a decision that will forever change their fates.

The rafting town is so far in the middle of nowhere that Emmy’s car radio catches nothing but static. They consider turning around until a truck pulls up, loaded with hot whitewater rafting guides and rubber rafts–just the fun they were looking for. Ignoring every instinct, they turn off the pavement and follow the truck down an isolated dirt road. They end up in Lodell, the town where a girl went missing the previous summer…and she will not be the last.

Add to Goodreads

HIM

There are five stages of drowning: surprise, involuntary breath-holding, unconsciousness, hypoxic convulsions, and finally, death.

Shawna’s hair spreads out in a halo of jet-black strands lit by the moon and rippling in the current. There is no fear or panic in her. I spared her of that. Her death is beautiful and silent as I hold her in my arms and cradle her beneath the surface. I put my lips to hers and inhale her very last breath before she gasps and draws my water into her lungs. She becomes heavy then seizes like a fish. My blood surges and thunders inside me. I have never felt so alive. Shawna finally relaxes, surrenders, and becomes mine forever. I hold and comfort her through it all. Binding her to me was easier than I thought. I should have done this years ago.

I raise Shawna up. Her nose, lips, and tits break the surface, all slick and shiny in the moonlight. I give her one last kiss, then take her nipple between my lips and flick it with my tongue. I wish I could keep her longer, but she is losing her warmth. I take a clump of her jet-black hair and wind it tight around my finger until the tip of it goes numb. I yank it from her head. It is surprising how easily it comes out and hangs from my hand, as black and shiny as tar. It will be perfect.

Shawna is mine forever, for I am the river, and the river is me. It is the fluid, and I am the flesh.

Available on Amazon

Giveaway: Click the link below to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Dead Drift and something creepy and unique from the “killer’s” Etsy shop! Good luck!

*US only

I am the River Shop 👀

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Kelly Romo Author Photo

Kelly Romo grew up in California but has lived in Oregon for over twenty-five years. She teaches writing, literature, and social studies. She is the mother of three grown children: Brittany, Brennan, and Ryan. She is an avid outdoorswoman who loves to kayak, hike, and fish.

Kelly has a Master of Fine Arts in Writing (Fiction) and a Master of Arts in Teaching, both from Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon USA.

For more information, please visit Kelly’s website at http://www.kellyromo.com

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Readers Club

My thoughts: this was a clever, dark, twisted thriller. Set in a small town where tourists come to ride the rapids every summer and girls seem to go missing every year too. When Emmy and Amber, heading to Canada, stop by to explore the river, they find more than they bargained for. Amber goes missing and Emmy can only vaguely remember the night before – did the girls really hurl their new shoes into the tree? And why would Amber, afraid of the water, risk the river?

As a year goes by, Emmy’s memories remain fuzzy but a new summer brings more tourists and more girls go missing. Can Emmy solve the terrible mysteries and save another girl from Amber’s fate? Can she stop a killer?

I didn’t see the killer at all, all the hints pointed in several directions and the sunny, tourist friendly nature hid a really disturbing dark side – one that needed Emmy’s outsider perspective to finally be revealed and stopped. Very enjoyable.

Book Tour Schedule

June 27th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

@aliciareviewsbook (Review) https://www.instagram.com/Aliciareviewsbooks/

@over.on.my.bookshelf (Review) https://www.instagram.com/over.on.my.bookshelf/?hl=en

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.com/

Books + Coffee = Happiness (Review) https://bookscoffeehappiness.com/

@itsabookthing2021 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/itsabookthing2021/

Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

June 28th

@read_betweenthecovers (Review) https://www.instagram.com/read_betweenthecovers/

@biblio.jojo (Review) https://www.instagram.com/biblio.jojo/

@junk.journal.librarian@mels_booksandhooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mels_booksandhooks/

B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com

June 29th

Riss Reviews (Review) https://rissreviewsx.wixsite.com/website

Latisha’s Lowkey Life (Review) https://latishaslowkeylife.com/

@gryffindorbookishnerd (Review) https://www.instagram.com/gryffindorbookishnerd/

Rambling Mads (Review) http://ramblingmads.com

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

June 30th

@my_books_and_coffee (Review) https://www.instagram.com/my_books_and_coffee

@amber.bunch_author (Review) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

@jacleomik33 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/jacleomik33/

@ofmoviesandbooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/ofmoviesandbooks/

Misty’s Book Space (Review) http://mistysbookspace.wordpress.com

@mysticforestcrafts (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mysticforestcrafts/

July 1st

Dash Fan Book Reviews (Review) https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/

@2manybooks2littletime (Review) https://www.instagram.com/2manybooks2littletime/

@what.kerry.reads (Review) https://www.instagram.com/what.kerry.reads/

@kyliesbooks_ (Review) https://www.instagram.com/kyliesbooks_/

@addictedtobooks86 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/addictedtobooks86/

Book Tour Organized By:

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R&R Book Tours

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

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Blog Tour: The Apartment Upstairs – Lesley Kara

ramblingmads

Scarlett’s aunt lived – and was brutally murdered – in the apartment upstairs. But Scarlett is determined that life should return to some kind of normal, even if that means living with just a ceiling between her and the scene of such a devastating crime. 

After all, this is her home. She’s safe here. Isn’t she?

Dee is busy balancing her job as a funeral director with organising an event to mark the disappearance of her best friend, ten years ago. She’s got enough on her plate without worrying about the threatening messages that are appearing on her company’s Facebook page.

When Scarlett approaches Dee about planning her aunt’s funeral, an unexpected link emerges between them. Together, the two women could uncover secrets that have long been buried. Even while someone wants to stop them digging . . . 

LESLEY KARA is the author of Sunday Times bestsellers The Rumour and Who Did You Tell? Her debut, The Rumour, was also a Kindle No.1 bestseller. She is an alumna of the Faber Academy ‘Writing a Novel’ course. She lives on the North Essex coast. You can follow Lesley on Twitter @LesleyKara or visit her website at www.lesleykara.com

My thoughts: this was a clever, gripping story that twisted and turned, leading you on a strange journey into the case of a missing woman and a murder-suicide that might not be so clear cut.

Scarlett’s aunt Rebecca was murdered by her partner, who then killed himself, and Scarlett has returned to her flat in the house the two women shared. Her aunt lived upstairs and to allow Scarlett to better manage her ME, she lived downstairs. But a chance discovery of a card from a missing woman – Gina, sparks an investigation that could have dire consequences.

Dee runs an ethical funeral business with her best friend Lindsay, their other best friend was Gina. When Scarlett hires them to bury her aunt, they don’t realise the connection. Once they do, questions arise.

At times I couldn’t figure out where this was all going – was Scarlett’s brother Ollie responsible for Gina’s disappearance? Why was he so agitated about the summer house? Would Scarlett be ok? What about Dee? But as the answers were revealed and the truth brought to light, the cleverness of the plotting was also laid out.

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

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Blog Tour: The Watchers – John Reid

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TheWatchers copy

Welcome to the book tour for John Reid’s latest mystery, The Watchers! Read on for more info!

59762605._SY475_

The Watchers

Publication Date: January 27, 2022

Genre: Mystery/ Suspense/ Crime Fiction/ Police Procedural

Sometimes it isn’t just good police work that catches criminals. Sometimes you just have to watch them. This is the strategy DCI Steve Burt uses when presented with two different and equally baffling cases.

The DCI takes on a case unofficially as a favour to an ex-colleague that involves the disappearance of an official of the Bank of England and the theft of gold bullion from the bank. The other is a baffling case involving multiple murders at the country home of a peer of the realm.

Steve and his team must navigate a trail of misleading clues and blind alleys involving suspected terrorism, kidnapping, conspiracy and international intrigue, as they strive to solve both cases. His boss becomes increasingly annoyed with Steve’s unconventional approach to police work, but the DCI knows he has to put his career on the line in order to solve these two very different and difficult cases.

Add to Goodreads

Available on Amazon

About the Author

JRreading

John Reid is the creator of the DCI Steve Burt series of thriller and suspense crime fiction at its very best.

Retirement has given John the time to fulfil his passion for writing, creating the mystery series through his unique creative process. Each main character is fully developed at the beginning of the writing process, with the part they play in each journey evolving organically within the confines of the underlying plot line. This freedom and flexibility creates inventive and compelling story telling that keeps the reader intrigued throughout.

John was born in Scotland and, after serving in the Army, embarked on a career in industry. He has worked in several different sectors in senior roles and was latterly CEO of a large international data capture company. He retired for the first time in 1995 to take on a consultancy designed to help new businesses become established. In 2018 he finally retired from business life to become a full-time author. John lives in Scotland and Portugal with his wife, and they have two grown-up sons.

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My thoughts: taking on a missing person’s case for an old colleague leads in unexpected directions for DCI Burt and his team. The missing man works for the Bank of England and a huge shipment of gold bullion is due to be sent at the end of the week.

Complicating matters is the murder of a government minister and his wife at a country house. The murderer has to be one of the guests or the hosts, but why would someone kill them?

Torn between the two cases, trying to keep his superiors off his back and somehow get some sleep, Burt and his tiny team pull in all the additional resources they can, sending officers off to be the watchers of the title – keeping all the suspects under constant surveillance as the DCI tries to work out the plan and the motives of both crimes. Time is of the essence.

Rattling along at a pace, the plot is clever and the characters interesting, although I really wasn’t interested in the murderer’s incredibly overinflated sense of his own importance and intelligence. I know some incredibly bright people who can’t always remember to put socks on in the morning, being a member of Mensa doesn’t actually mean you’re any more intelligent than anyone else. So he was very annoying.

Especially as Burt was a lot smarter and cleverly worked out both the bullion heist and the murders with the evidence available to him and the assistance of his colleagues. All he really needed was some confessions and then it’s the lawyers’ problem!

Book Tour Schedule

June 27th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

@sleeping.bookish (Review) https://www.instagram.com/sleeping.bookish/

Rambling Mads (Review) http://ramblingmads.com

Latisha’s Low-Key Life (Spotlight) https://latishaslowkeylife.com/

June 28th

@its_b.e.l.l.e (Review) https://www.instagram.com/its_b.e.l.l.e/

@jypsylynn (Review) https://www.instagram.com/jypsylynn

Misty’s Book Space (Review) http://mistysbookspace.wordpress.com

Liliyana Shadowlin (Spotlight) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

The Faerie Review (Spotlight) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

June 29th

FUONYKNEW Blog (Spotlight) http://fuonlyknew.com/

@amber.bunch_author (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

@2manybooks2littletime (Review) https://www.instagram.com/2manybooks2littletime/

The Magic of Wor(l)ds (Review) http://themagicofworlds.wordpress.com

Scarlett Readz & Runz (Spotlight) https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/

June 30th

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.com/

@gryffindorbookishnerd (Review) https://www.instagram.com/gryffindorbookishnerd/

Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com

July 1st

Cheryl’s Book Nook (Review) https://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com/

@itsabookthing2021 (Review) http://www.instagram.com/itsabookthing2021

@thrillersandcoffee (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/thrillersandcoffee/

Bunny’s Reviews (Spotlight) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/

Cocktails & Fairytales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales

Book Tour Organized By:

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R&R Book Tours

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Bad For Good – Graham Bartlett

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How far would you go?

The murder of a promising footballer, son of Brighton’s highest-ranking police officer, means Detective Superintendent Jo Howe has a complicated and sensitive case on her hands. The situation becomes yet more desperate following devastating blackmail threats.

Howe can trust no one as she tracks the brutal killer in a city balanced on a knife edge of vigilante action and a police force riven with corruption.

GRAHAM BARTLETT was a police officer for thirty years and is now a bestselling writer. He rose to become chief superintendent of the Brighton and Hove force as well as its police commander. He entered the Sunday Times Top Ten with
his first non-fiction book, Death Comes Knocking – Policing Roy Grace’s Brighton in 2016. He followed that up in 2020 with
another non-fiction book, Babes in the Wood, the harrowing 32-year fight to bring a double child killer to justice. Both these
books he co-wrote with international best seller, Peter James.
As well as writing, Bartlett is a police procedural and crime advisor helping scores of authors and TV writers (including Peter James, Mark Billingham, Elly Griffiths, Anthony Horowitz, Ruth Ware, Claire McGowan and Dorothy Koomson) achieve authenticity in their drama.

My thoughts: this was a really interesting police procedural written by a former cop turned advisor to writers of crime fiction. So he knows what he’s talking about.

Politics, budgeting and police cuts all play into the chaos of Sussex’s force trying to solve murders, prevent further deaths, deal with a rise in vigilantes and try to find out why so many missing persons are suspects in various crimes around Brighton and Hove.

Jo Howe is left trying to keep things together and stay on top of this extra crime wave, with about four officers to handle everything, and even then some of them can’t be trusted. Her former lover, and boss, Phil, quits after his son is murdered, making Jo’s life just that bit more complicated.

Then there’s this odd civilian security force that seems to have come from nowhere, getting awarded a huge contract to “help” the police, but are they connected to the vigilante behaviour?

This is a really clever, twisting book, just when you think you’ve got things figured out, there’s another twist or red herring in the way. The plot unfolds at near breakneck speed, speeding up as events start to collide and spin out of control. As characters start to crack under pressure and shocking new information comes to light, Jo and Phil head into a final confrontation with long reaching repercussions. Highly enjoyable.

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