Mourning the death of her police inspector husband, Margot Renard moves to a small seaside town in the south of France. But when the body of a small boy washes up on a beach, Margot is drawn into a dangerous world of drug smugglers and people trafficking, and forced to cross paths with two feuding gangsters.
Rachel Green is the pen name of a writer from the UK. Rachel has twice been longlisted for both the Bath Novel Award and the BPA First Novel Award, as well as being on the shortlist for the Capital Crime New Voices Award. Rachel lives in a tiny village in England, but travels frequently to the south of France where the stories from the Madame Renard Investigates series are set. TwitterFacebook
My thoughts: this was interesting, I liked Margot a lot – her determination to solve the deaths of two immigrants, and get justice for them was heartening but the plot was a bit slow at times. I just wanted more to happen – I have no chill!
I felt a bit sorry for the friends who tried to help her, or stop her, she wasn’t going to let anything – not even death threats – stop her. I’m going to look out for the second book as I want to see where things go for Margot. I imagine she’ll get into a lot more scrapes but solve a lot more crimes the police seem unbothered by. I did enjoy this book, the second half was definitely faster moving and more engaging, once Margot got into her stride hunting down the perpetrators and refusing to be cowed, she’s a force to be reckoned with.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Read my review of Into the Void, the author’s first novel.
A young woman has been murdered on Ripton Beach. DSS ‘Archie’ Baldrick and DC Ben Travers eventually identify the body as that of Lucy Martin, who has been renting a bach in the area. Her husband, Oliver, seems to know very little about his wife or her background. What was Lucy hiding? Why has she no family or friends? As the number of suspects mounts up, Archie begins to conclude that the real answer lies in Lucy’s dark and mysterious past, and that the murderer may be just a little too close for comfort …
Christina is a writer and professional proofreader living in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Four of her short stories have been published, one in a magazine and the others in anthologies produced by Page and Blackmore, Rangitawa Publishing and most recently in Fresh Ink: Voices from Aotearoa, produced by Cloud Ink Press. As well as being a finalist in the 2020 Ngaio Marsh Awards, Christina’s first crime novel Into the Void was longlisted for the 2019 Michael Gifkins Memorial Prize for an unpublished novel. Facebook
My thoughts: this was a clever and gripping thriller with plenty of red herrings and lots of mystery. Who is Lucy? Why would someone want to kill this former school teacher? There’s little to go on – she seems to have no past and no one really knew her, even her husband.
But slowly the case unrolls, and it spans three continents and thirty odd years. Proof you can never truly outrun your past.
The team of detectives are interesting and Archie is a bit distracted by his personal life to begin with, but is able to set things aside and hunt for the killer. His team might be small but they’re determined and hard working, even when the evidence seems sparse and the motive obscure. They felt quite realistic and Travers has a dry sense of humour, referring to his boss as “Turnip” but never to his face.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
This gripping thriller is set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and chronicles the dramatic events when a former detective, Joseph Carter, sets out to gain redemption from the consequences of an old case that cost him everything.
Carter is still haunted by the murders of his niece and brother-in-law at the hands of a serial killer he was trying to track down. One year on, the killer has returned and Carter, now a disgraced detective gone private, launches a personal vendetta to catch him this time around.
Northern Irish novelist, Paul McCracken was born 16th January 1991 in the Ulster hospital, Dundonald, just outside of Belfast. He grew up in the Castlereagh area of east Belfast where he also went to school.
Ever since he could hold a pencil, he wanted to be an artist and no-one, not even the school career advisor could tell him otherwise. He left education with only three GCSE’s and an Art diploma. He tried to make it as a fine artist whilst also trying to find any work to support himself financially. However, the more he learned about the commercial art world, the more he wanted no part in it.
In spring 2011, he enrolled in a five day film making course through the Prince’s Trust charity. He always had a passion for storytelling. During the course, he impressed the owner of the studio at which the course was being held, through the raw creativity he displayed. The studio owner was the first to encourage Paul to write his own material, that material being screenplays. After leaving the course with new found confidence and ambition, Paul started to learn the craft of screenwriting and got to work writing his very first feature film.
After securing full time work later that year, he found a renewed inspiration to write again and wrote a full length film script in the space of a week. Paul kept on writing other projects as well as continually editing the first script, but he kept the fact he was writing close to himself as he didn’t want to face any negativity if he were to tell anyone. The script would go on to score highly in an international screenplay competition, based out of Los Angeles. It would then place in the quarter-finals of the same competition for the next two years in a row, accompanied by another screenplay that Paul wrote next.
Years later, after entering competitions, pitching, submitting and doing some occasional freelance scriptwriting, Paul wanted to find a way to get his work into the public eye. Writing a novel was a challenge that seemed daunting but also exciting. Having first thought of converting his best script into a novel, he decided to come up with a completely original story. In 2018, he self published his debut novel, Layla’s Song. In 2020 he secured two book deals with two different English publishers. The Conrad Press and PM Books (Imprint of Holland House Books). The first of these books was Where Crows Land, a detective thriller set in Belfast and published by The Conrad Press. His other novel, The Last Rains Of Winter is due out early 2021 with PM Books.
My thoughts: this was a dark and gripping thriller exploring revenge, greed and corruption.
After his niece is kidnapped and killed, and he botches her rescue, Carter is sacked from the police and becomes a PI. A year later he’s still haunted by the case and it seems the killer has returned.
It was refreshing to read a crime story set in Northern Ireland that wasn’t related to the Troubles. I can understand why so many writers are drawn to those terrible years and events but obviously crime doesn’t begin and end there. The killings in this book are something completely separate and recent.
Carter is an interesting character, a man full of anger and self recrimination. His sister wants nothing to do with him, the police have abandoned him, he has few friends and manages to anger them too. But he’s also dogged and determined, he will get to the bottom of this case, whatever it costs him.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
A MISSING GIRL. A RACE AGAINST TIME. Ten-year-old Elodie Fry vanishes overnight, along with a rucksack filled with her meagre belongings. Acting DI Gaby Darin and her team are fighting the clock to reunite Elodie with her distraught mother – but was Elodie kidnapped or did she run? Later that day, a local undertaker uncovers a nasty surprise: the remains of an unidentified second adult among a late pensioner’s ashes. Torn between the two investigations, Gaby decides the gruesome discovery at the crematorium must wait – the team are desperate to find Elodie before they lose her trail. But as she follows the evidence, Gaby realises the two cases have a sinister connection… and there’s a killer on the loose. Can Gaby find the missing girl alive… or is she already too late Buy
Born in Dublin, Jenny O’Brien moved to Wales and then Guernsey, where she tries to find time to write in between working as a nurse and ferrying around 3 teenagers. In her spare time she can be found frowning at her wonky cakes and even wonkier breads. You’ll be pleased to note she won’t be entering Bake-Off. She’s also an all-year-round sea swimmer. Readers can find out more about Jenny and her books on her blog and she can also be found on Twitter and Instagram Facebook
My thoughts: this was an enjoyable, solid police procedural. With several crimes being investigated, the team are flat out but slowly the connections are being made and there seems to be a link between some of the events.
It’s a race against time to find missing Ellie Fry, but there’s also a missing woman, a spare hip replacement (surely no one has 3 hips!) and Gaby still needs to send in her DI application form, if she ever finds time to fill it in.
Well written, with a strong narrative, interesting characters and lovely scenic Wales in the background, as murder and missing children take the detectives’ time and attention.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Welsh detective Winter Meadows takes on a new murder case. There were a lot of things you could call Stacey Evans. And many of them would be true. And unprintable. But did she deserve to be murdered? DI Winter Meadows has no doubt of the answer when he takes on the case.
The crime was violent. The victim helpless. But the motives are many, and the only clue is a strange word left on Stacey’s body. DI Meadows struggles to pierce the secrecy surrounding the teenager’s busy love life. Was the killer one of her pursuers acting out of jealousy? Maybe someone’s wife seeking revenge?
But as each suspect is excluded from the enquiry, and other markings turn up, Meadows is convinced that something more sinister is afoot. When another body is found, a veil of silence descends like a fog upon Gaer Fawr. What more will it take for the village to give up its secrets?
A KNOT OF SPARROWS is the fourth standalone title in a series of murder mysteries by best-selling author Cheryl Rees-Price. It will appeal to fans of David Pearson, L J Ross, John Dean, Joy Ellis, and Pippa McCathie.
The full list of books is as follows:
THE SILENT QUARRY
FROZEN MINDS
SUFFER THE CHILDREN
A KNOT OF SPARROWS Cheryl Rees-Price is also the author of the standalone thriller BLUE HOLLOW. All of these books are FREE with Kindle Unlimited and available in paperback from Amazon.
Cheryl Rees-Price was born in Cardiff and moved as a young child to a small ex-mining village on the edge of the Black Mountain range, South Wales, where she still lives with her husband, daughters and cats. After leaving school she worked as a legal clerk for several years before leaving to raise her two daughters. Cheryl returned to education, studying philosophy, sociology, and accountancy whilst working as a part time book keeper. She now works as a finance director for a company that delivers project management and accounting services. In her spare time Cheryl indulges in her passion for writing, the success of writing plays for local performances gave her the confidence to write her first novel. Her other hobbies include walking and gardening which free her mind to develop plots and create colourful characters.
My thoughts: this was a solid police procedural crime thriller. The detectives were personable and easy to like as characters, none of them were a sort of Gene Hunt type, so I enjoyed following them as they solved the crimes and investigated the series of suspicious deaths in a village in Wales.
I did sort of guess the ending but it was very nicely done and the fact that they had so many suspects in some cases but virtually none in others made it interesting to see how a resolution could be reached and justice served.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
A stalker. A popstar’s family murdered. A terrified photographer.
It’s thirty years since Becky White joined the police. Now, six months after leaving the force, she is suffering from PTSD, when an old friend turns up with a tempting offer. Following the creation of The White Knight Detective Agency, their first client is a press photographer – a member of the Paparazzi – a young woman with a mysterious and troublesome stalker. But as the case develops, Becky and Joanna find themselves embroiled in murder. When they are unable to prevent further deaths, their investigation takes them down an unexpected path. But can they trust their instinct? And will they identify the killer in time to save a child’s life? Paparazzi, the second instalment in the bestselling Becky White Thriller series. takes you on a journey into the deceptive world of superstars – and those who follow them!
Jo Fenton grew up in Hertfordshire, UK. She devoured books from an early age, particularly enjoying adventure books, school stories and fantasy. She wanted to be a scientist from aged six after being given a wonderful book titled “Science Can Be Fun”. At eleven, she discovered Agatha Christie and Georgette Heyer, and now has an eclectic and much loved book collection cluttering her home office. Jo combines an exciting career in Clinical Research with an equally exciting but very different career as a writer of psychological thrillers. When not working, she runs (very slowly), and chats to lots of people. She lives in Manchester with her husband, two sons, a Corgi and a tankful of tropical fish. She is an active and enthusiastic member of two writing groups and a reading group. WebsiteFacebookTwitterPinterest
Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Revelation by Jo Fenton (Open INT)
My thoughts: this was an interesting crime novel, and I couldn’t guess the killer, which is always a good thing. As ex-copper turned PI, Becky is a fascinating character, she no longer has the powers to arrest she once had or the resources, but she’s still clever and has a nose for detection. Her colleagues Joanna and Will are able to assist and are as brave as she is, which comes in handy when confronting a murderer.
The only thing that jarred a bit for me was the inclusion of either MI5 or 6, looking to recruit Becky, they got in the way a bit and it wasn’t fully explained as to what they wanted, I found Roger a bit too pompous and oblique. Hopefully in the next book this plot line is expanded upon and makes a bit more sense as I got a bit fed up every time the investigation got a bit sidetracked.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
**Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and wil lnot be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
The longlist for the Theakstone Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year has just been announced. There’s some fantastic books on the list and I’ve already read some of them, the rest need to be added to my tbr ASAP!
The longlist is: (I’ve starred the ones I’ve read!)
– Cry Baby by Mark Billingham (Little, Brown Book Group, Sphere)
– The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish (Simon & Schuster)⭐
– The Cutting Place by Jane Casey (HarperCollins, HarperFiction)⭐
– Fifty Fiftyby Steve Cavanagh (The Orion Publishing Group, Orion Fiction)⭐
– Black River by Will Dean (Oneworld Publications, Point Blank)⭐
– Between Two Evils by Eva Dolan (Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books)
– The Guest List by Lucy Foley (HarperCollins, HarperFiction)⭐
– The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths (Quercus, Quercus Fiction)⭐
– The Big Chill by Doug Johnstone (Orenda Books)⭐
– Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton (Penguin Random House UK, Viking)⭐
– Still Life by Val McDermid (Little, Brown Book Group, Sphere)⭐
– The Last Crossing by Brian McGilloway (Little, Brown Book Group, Constable)
– Death in the East by Abir Mukherjee (VINTAGE, Harvill Secker)
– Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent (Penguin, Sandycove)
– A Song For The Dark Times by Ian Rankin (Orion, Orion Fiction)
– Remain Silent by Susie Steiner (HarperCollins Publishers, The Borough Press)⭐
– We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker (Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre)⭐
– The Man on the Street by Trevor Wood (Quercus, Quercus Fiction)
Executive director of T&R Theakston, Simon Theakston, said: “The way the global obsession with the crime genre continues to grow year on year is simply astonishing and this year’s longlist proves the remarkable talent on offer in crime writing– from legends of the craft to eager-eyed newcomers. The shortlist is already too close to call so we encourage all to get voting! A hearty toast of Old Peculier to all longlisted authors for this coveted award – and we look forward to what we know will be a fiercely fought competition!”
Run by Harrogate International Festivals, the shortlist will be announced in June and the winner on 22 July, at the opening evening of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival – with the public able to vote for the winner on harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com.
The award is run by Harrogate International Festivals sponsored by T&R Theakston Ltd, in partnership with WHSmith and the Express, and is open to full length crime novels published in paperback 1 May 2020 to 30 April 2021 by UK and Irish authors.
The longlist was selected by an academy of crime writing authors, agents, editors, reviewers, members of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival Programming Committee, and representatives from T&R Theakston Ltd, the Express, and WHSmith.
The public are now invited to vote for a shortlist of six titles on www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com, which will be announced inJune. The winner will be revealed on the opening night of Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, Thursday 22 July, and will receive £3,000, and a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by Theakston Old Peculiar.
Have you read any of these books? Do you have a favourite? Let me know in the comments!
Fiona keeps herself to herself – it is safer that way. She allows few people to get close, having learned the hard way that most have their own agendas.
Lowering her barriers and trusting her husband Rob, is a decision she has reason to regret. His indiscretions were coming to light even before the news of his hit and run killing one summer afternoon.
In the aftermath, blame and hostility is shown to her by many. The relationship with her mother is unravelling and she has shut herself away from any friends she once had. Who can she turn to? Who will believe her? Other than her son Jack and her father, there is nobody she can count on.
Can Fiona stay away from her oldest and most faithful friend, the bottle? Or is her life as over as her husband’s?
Only the truth of Rob’s untimely death can decide that.
Maria Frankland’s life began at 40 when she escaped an unhappy marriage and began making a living from her own writing and becoming a teacher of creative writing.
The rich tapestry of life with all its turbulent times has enabled her to pour experience, angst and lessons learned into the writing of her novels and poetry.
She recognises that the darkest places can exist within family relationships and this is reflected in the domestic thrillers she writes.
She is a ‘born ‘n’ bred’ Yorkshirewoman, a mother of two and has recently found her own ‘happy ever after’ after marrying again.
Still in her forties, she is now going to dedicate the rest of her working life to writing books and inspiring other writers to also achieve their dreams too!
As is probably obvious from the fact that this is the fifth title I’ve reviewed, I really enjoy Maria Frankland’s dark, clever thrillers, featuring ordinary people whose lives get completely turned inside out.
In this case it’s Fiona, a wife and mother, recovering alcoholic and daughter of warring parents herself, whose life is suddenly flipped upside down after her husband Rob is killed in a hit and run.
As the police investigate, Fiona finds herself the number one suspect, but Rob had a lot of secrets and she’s sure one of those will eventually lead to his real killer. Meanwhile she’s trying to hold it all together for her young son, and resist the urge to throw away her sobriety.
Fiona is a likeable protagonist, naive and perhaps a little overly trusting, but her love for her family is genuine and her determination to find out what Rob was keeping from her is a powerful motivator to keep going.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Lady Annabelle Trask is missing. Unfortunately, MI6 doesn’t know if they’re looking for a woman, a cow, or something in between!
Is it real or is it fantasy? That’s the question MI6 Agent Mathilda Honoria Spencer struggles with on her latest assignment. Tasked with discovering the whereabouts of Lady Annabelle Trask, Tillie is thrust into the world of Hucows and other human animals. It’s a world that raises serious questions about sexual fetishes, intentional physical enhancements, and even pornography, but in the end, Tillie has only one mission—to rescue and return Lady Annabelle to the Queen. However, as she and her partner, Agent Abdul Ali, attempt to find Lady Annabelle and keep her out of the clutches of terrorists bent on destroying the monarchy, they must also wrestle with their feelings for each other. Can they draw the line between their duty to the Crown and their relationship with one another? Or must they embark on separate paths to continue to serve the Queen?
Award-winning author Seelie Kay writes about lawyers in love, sometimes with a dash of kink.
Writing under a nom de plume, the former lawyer and journalist draws her stories from more than 30 years in the legal world. Seelie’s wicked pen has resulted in nineteen works of fiction, including the new paranormal romance series Donovan Trait, as well the erotic romance Kinky Briefs series and The Feisty Lawyers romantic suspense series. She also authored The Last Christmas, The Garage Dweller, A Touchdown to Remember, The President’s Wife, The President’s Daughter, Seizing Hope, The White House Wedding, and participated in the romance anthology Pieces of Us.
When not spinning romantic tales, Seelie ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. Currently, she resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, WI, where she enjoys opera, the Green Bay Packers, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine.
Seelie is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS: Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you! Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram * Author’s Amazon Page
Read an Excerpt from Bovine Tricks
Harun stood and hugged his brother. Then he turned to Tillie. His gaze was steady, but his eyes were cold. “Forgive me if I cannot give you a similarly warm welcome, but my wife and I have not yet recovered from the brutal attack on our daughter.”
“Harun.” Marianne Benson spoke softly, but her gaze was fierce. “I believe Hope and the Agency have settled the matter. You don’t need to pursue it further.” She turned to Abdul and smiled. “I am pleased to see you, Abdul.” She cocked an eyebrow. “Though for a while there, the rumor was that you had gone rogue and were dancing with the devil.”
Abdul laughed. “I may dance with the devil occasionally, but that does not mean he owns my soul. I am still slaving away for the Queen.” He smiled at Mari. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”
“Well, it’s hard to ignore a summons from the Queen, and when your husband has a plane, it is much easier to respond quickly.” Mari motioned to the chairs at the table. “Please sit. Let’s get down to business. It was made clear that time was of the essence.”
Everyone sat, and Mari walked over to a control panel set into a console. She pushed a button, and a whiteboard lit up. “As you know, after we rescued the people off Flight Eight Seven Zero and The Mars were prosecuted, Dianna and Anders interviewed them extensively at Guantanamo Bay. We were able to collect a considerable amount of information on the organization, its members, and its financing.”
Twelve photos appeared on the screen. “These are the current members of Marwolaeth I’r Frenhines. Six are incarcerated at Guantanamo, three have been released, and three are recruits.”
Tillie leaned forward and studied the faces. It always amazed her how normal terrorists appeared. There was nothing in their faces to indicate that they were evil. Most were smiling in their photos. However, the tell was in the eyes. They were stone cold.
Mari pointed at the photos of those recently released. “These three have been fairly quiet. We could not detect any significant communication or contact between them and the new members, which makes me think this may be a new group that merely adopted the name.” She brought up a few more photos. “These gentlemen are believed to be the financiers of the new order.”
Tillie studied the group and gasped. “But that’s a former member of Parliament.”
Harun nodded. “And someone who wishes to dissolve the Monarchy. Apparently, he has put his money where his mouth is.” Another screen popped up. A bank statement.
Abdul cleared his throat. “Fifty million pounds? That’s pretty significant. Has this been verified?”
Harun gazed at Abdul. “I’m afraid so. We have transfers to the account, bank acknowledgments, and proof the newest members of The Mars have been drawing on these funds.”
Mari pulled up another screen. “Though we were a little puzzled by their purchases until now. We thought they had gone into farming.” She pointed at an invoice. “Everything you need to raise a cow, or in this case, a human cow.”
Tillie hugged herself and shuddered. “Lady Annabelle is most certainly in their sights.”
Mari gazed at her husband and nodded. Harun opened a file he had set in front of him. “Apparently, it is much worse. There were also several purchases for the care of an infant. Either Lady Annabelle is pregnant, or they intend to impregnate her.”
Abdul slammed his fist on the table. “Bloody hell. A royal baby? The Queen would move heaven and earth to protect her own blood. What a crafty way to manipulate her for their own purposes. She would be damned no matter how she responded. That could end the monarchy.”
Tillie stood. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
Giveaway: – 2 eBook Copies of Martimus (Feisty Lawyers Book 5)- eBook Copy of Bovine Tricks (Royals Gone Rogue #1)
My thoughts: this was a bit strange, the human cows aka hucows thing was creepy and weird but if you can think of it, there’s probably somebody who’s into it I suppose!
Apart from that it was quite a fun read, the agents of MI6 are determined to crack the case, even if they have to work with the Americans. Was Lady Annabelle really kidnapped or did she voluntarily get involved with the disturbing world of animal human hybrids? I liked Tillie and her utter eye rolling disbelief at how some people get their kicks and especially the super rich.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
With the murder of last year’s fête judge now but a hazy memory, the village of Elmesbury has retired to its former tranquil existence.
That is, until a mysterious newcomer sets in motion a series of events that will see members of the W.I. crossing wooden spoons at dawn. In the midst of preparing for her long-awaited engagement party, redoubtable village busybodyBeattie Bramshaw not only finds herself embroiled in a one-woman campaign to save the elm tree from which the village gets its name, but having to contend with an outbreak of unrest within her beloved W.I. group. Rivalry to win favour with the judge of this year’s fête has fuelled dissent within the ranks and, when two members are found dead in mysterious circumstances, suspicions run rife.
Confident the devil is not only in the cake but in the detail, Beattie determines to uncover the clues that will ultimately lead to the killer’s conviction. But can she solve the mystery before another member of the W.I. is picked off? Banana Devil Cake is a comedy crime caper in the spirit of Agatha Raisin and one that is guaranteed to lift your spirits.
Prepare yourself for a tale of tea, cake and riotous goings-on from the author of Marrow Jam.
Susan A. King lives with her husband in a quiet suburb in Hampshire. Between them they have four grown-up sons. The inspiration for her Beattie Bramshaw novels comes from her long experience and observation of competitors at the local Romsey Show, where she regularly aspires to win Best in Show with her floral arrangements. TwitterInsta
My thoughts:
This was a fun, and slightly silly, cake based cosy crime romp. Who knew the perfect sponge could cause so much trouble?
As members of the WI had murdered in the run up to the annual village fete, Beattie puts her thinking cap on and tries to solve it. But her first suspect, the slightly oily Leo, an incomer, seems a bit obvious. Or is he?
This was an enjoyable and entertaining read, complete with absent minded vicar, a historic tree in peril, a court case and some award winning vegetables.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 