Tag: historical fiction

Sticks, stones and MURDER…

Gossip is nothing new in Hollywood but when a new column takes the town by storm, rumours are rife. The mystery writer holds no punches, knows all secrets and seems dead set on taking people down.

The studio system will stop at nothing to protect the reputation of its stars, but this is out of control. Careers hang in the balance.

When a beloved star is found dead in a pool, Tinsel Town is shocked. Was it an accident? A letter was sent a week before he died warning of misfortune but who sent it? And could it be connected to the mystery gossip column?

Lily will do everything in her power to uncover the truth, even if it means risking her own death. But can she unmask the poison pen author?

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Lisa Hall is the bestselling author of six psychological thrillers and the Hotel Hollywood time-slip murder mystery series. Her debut novel Between You and Me was a Kindle UK number one bestseller, sitting in the top spot for over four weeks. Lisa has a First Class Honours degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. She lives in Kent with her husband and their three children.

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My thoughts: Lily is still in 1950s Hollywood and working at a film studio, when an actor drowns in a hotel pool, Lily suspects foul play, especially as Tilda received an anonymous note warning that there was a death coming.

When a new gossip column starts publishing blind items, everyone in town is trying to guess who the pieces are about, the producer of Lily’s current assignment bans the paper from set as it’s distracting his actors.

Lily, Tilda and Louis discover a link between the gossip items, a blackmailer and death when a young actress falls to her death from the Hollywood sign. Fearing someone on her set is either a killer or the next victim, Lily and her friends start their own investigation, the police have dismissed the deaths so far as accidents.

As things get a bit scary and Lily’s ultimate boss becomes the next victim, can the intrepid duo stop the gossip killer from taking another life? And is Lily next on their hit list? 

Another fantastic outing for time traveller Lily and her pals. Her dream job gets her up close and personal with Hollywood’s stars, and they trust her with their secrets, and also their lives, considering she’s saved a few of them now from a terrible end.

She can’t remember reading about these deaths back in the 21st Century, but Lily is still smart and understands human behaviour pretty well. Tilda and Louis are always a little more reluctant to turn sleuth, even though they’ve been pretty successful to date. But Lily comes close to getting herself killed this time, and wonders whether it’s possible to die before you’ve even been born …

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

Introducing Twenty-one-year-old Amy Rowlings, a vivacious, quick-witted collector of imported American music, a movie buff and an avid reader of crime fiction.

January 1939 and the residents of the snow-covered streets of a small Kentish town awake to horrific news.

When young Amy Rowlings meets Detective Sergeant Bodkin at the scene of a robbery on the way to work at The Mill, one snowy, January morning, she is blissfully unaware of how much her life is about to change.
She is drawn into the murky world of murder when the body of Edward Handsley is found lying on the floor of the clothing factory. Edward, a libertine, philanderer, the son of George, the factory owner, a young man with many enemies, many of them female.

Bodkin is new to the area and accepts Amy’s offer to provide local knowledge but she soon becomes an invaluable source of information. When Adam Smethwick is arrested for the murder, Amy, a family friend, is convinced of his innocence and sets out to prove that the detective has arrested the wrong man.

Amy befriends Justine, the young, French fiancé of the elderly George, and soon discovers that it was not all sweetness and light in the Handsley family home. Meanwhile, back at the factory, Amy is sure that the foreman, Mr Pilling, has something to hide.

As the investigation proceeds, Amy finds that her burgeoning relationship with Bodkin is pushed to the limits as the detective becomes even more convinced that he has arrested the right man and while Bodkin relies heavily on the facts as they are presented, Amy has a more nuanced approach to solving the crime, born out of her beloved Agatha Christie books.

Murder at the Mill is the first book in a gorgeous 1930’s cosy crime series.

T. A. Belshaw is a British author best known for the Amy Rowlings Mystery series, a collection of character‑driven cosy crime novels set in 1930s Kent. Blending gentle humour, classic whodunit plotting, and rich period detail, his books follow the adventures of Amy Rowlings — a sharp‑witted, film‑loving amateur sleuth with a knack for uncovering secrets in the most unexpected places.

A lifelong fan of Golden Age detective fiction, Belshaw draws inspiration from the works of Agatha Christie and other classic mystery writers, while bringing his own warmth and modern storytelling style to the genre. His stories are filled with village and small town intrigue, colourful characters, and the charm of pre‑war Britain, offering readers a nostalgic escape into a world of clues, gossip, and slow‑burn suspense.

When he isn’t writing, Belshaw enjoys researching 1930s life, especially in his home town of Ilkeston in Derbyshire, where he lives with his chatty rescue cat, Mia, and connecting with readers who share his love of traditional cosy mysteries. His work continues to grow a loyal following among fans of light‑hearted whodunits, historical crime fiction, and strong female sleuths

My thoughts: I really liked this, I am a big fan of historical crime fiction and Amy is an excellent protagonist, along with the slightly mysterious Detective Sergeant Bodkin (currently we don’t know his first name).

When the handsy Edward Handsley is found murdered in the factory where Amy works, she turns detective, helping her new friend Bodkin solve the case. The problem is Edward wasn’t a particularly well liked person, he didn’t get on with his father, was having several secret liaisons around the village and there are plenty of suspects.

The duo start whittling down the list of possible murders, and then another person connected to the factory is killed. Relying on her brain, trained on a diet of Agatha Christie novels and Saturday nights at the cinema, Amy works through all the evidence and pieces together the answers.

This is the first book in the series and I cannot wait for the next one.

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

The Fitzglens are London’s most celebrated theatrical family. They are also its most successful thieves. Their current target is a legend nobody believes in. The Tapestry of Silence.

It’s said that the tapestry was woven from the blood and guilt of murderers. That the scene stitched into it is not decoration . . . but evidence. And that it was hidden away because of what it proves.

There’s no other option. The lease for the family’s theatre is about to expire, and the freeholders are the Fitzglens’ greatest enemies. If they can’t raise the sum needed in time, they’ll lose everything. But as they follow the tapestry’s trail, it soon becomes clear that someone is willing to do whatever it takes to keep its terrifying secrets buried forever.

The Fitzglens have robbed museums and mansions and walked away laughing. This time, one of them may not walk away at all.

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Sarah Rayne is the author of a number of acclaimed psychological thrillers, haunted house books, and historical mysteries. For many years she was active in amateur theatre, and lists among her interests theatre, history, music, and old houses. She has a considerable weakness for properties with an eerie past.

She began writing in her teens, and after a Convent education – which included writing plays for the Lower Third to perform – embarked on a variety of jobs, but never lost her love of writing fiction. Her first novel was published in 1982, and since then she has written over 40 books.

These include eight psychological thrillers – with Tower of Silence long-listed for the prestigious Theakstone’s Crime Novel of the Year; the widely-read haunted house series, featuring the Oxford don, Michael Flint; and the popular series with the music researcher, Phineas Fox. The much-loved Wolfking fantasy books, written during the 1990s, were recently re-issued in ebook format.

In 2023 she launched the ‘Theatre of Thieves” series, which introduced the Fitzglens, who are very proud of their reputation as one of Edwardian London’s leading theatrical families – but who also pursue, very discreetly, another profession. When not on stage they are extremely successful thieves. The first in this series is Chalice of Darkness. It was followed by The Murderer Inside the Mirror, and The Face Stealer. Book 4 in the series – published in August 2026 – is The Haunted Tapestry.

As well as being published in America and Australia, Sarah’s novels have been translated into German, Dutch, and Russian.

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My thoughts: This was an interesting blend of mystery and historical fiction. The Fitzglens own a theatre where they stage plays, the whole family is the cast. Unfortunately it looks like they might lose their home to their greatest rivals. The family are also highly successful thieves, so they decide to steal a secret treasure – a mythical tapestry –  surely they can ransom it for enough to save their home?

Through diary entries and chapters from a hundred years previously we learn about the tapestry and about how the theatre came to be in the hands of a Gilfillen in the first place. While the Fitzglens plan and mount a heist, the story of this strange tapestry unfolds.

I hadn’t read the previous books and I don’t think it’s essential to have done so to enjoy this one, it’s a fun caper and a sinister history blended together, entertaining and enjoyable.

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