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blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Daughter of Mercia – Julia Ibbotson

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Echoes of the past resonate across the centuries as Dr Anna Petersen, a medievalist and runologist, is struggling with past trauma and allowing herself to trust again.

When archaeologist Professor Matt Beacham unearths a 6th century seax with a mysterious runic inscription, and approaches Anna for help, a chain of events bring the past firmly back into her
present. And why does the burial site also contain two sets of bones, one 6th century and the other modern?

As the past and present intermingle alarmingly, Anna and Matt need to solve the mystery of the seax runes and the seemingly impossible burial, and to discover the truth about the past.

But how is 6th century Lady Mildryth of Mercia connected to Anna? Can they both be the Daughter of Mercia?

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Dr Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of resonances across time. She sees her author brand as a historical fiction writer of romantic mysteries that are
character-driven, well-paced, evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners.

Her current series focuses on early medieval dual-time/time-slip mysteries.
Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language/ literature/history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher.

Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s.

She has also indie-published three other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her latest, Daughter of Mercia, is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon dual time mystery/romances where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries.

Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘compelling character-driven novels’, ‘a skilled story-teller’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘incredible writing style’, ‘intricately written’,
‘absorbing and captivating’, and ‘an absolute gem of a trilogy’

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My thoughts: I enjoyed the previous books Julia wrote and I knew I would like this one. Mercia is one of the kingdoms England was once split into, ruled by Saxons, roughly where the Midlands are today.

Archaeologists do indeed sometimes find amazing Saxon items buried in the ground, and sometimes farmers turn up things too! This time it’s the professionals but the grave makes little sense. There’s a seax (a knife or short sword) with an inscription that suggests an important woman is buried there, but no other grave goods, and there’s also the skeleton of a man, but further examination shows he’s from the modern day. This makes no sense at all as he seems to have buried as long as the female remains. 

As Dr Anna Petersen and Professor Matt Beacham investigate the remains and the inscription on the seax, they uncover more of the mystery, could the modern bones belong to their missing, but not much missed, colleague? Has he somehow travelled back in time to the sixth century? Doubting anyone will believe their theory, they keep it to themselves, focusing on the female bones.

Meanwhile for us, a secondary plot unfolds back in the sixth century settlement ruled by the Lady Mildryth, whose father is the king of Mercia. She tries to govern the way she believes her father would want her to, but a newcomer to the village turns her head and causes her to take foolish risks. Who is the man she names Theowulf, and where did he come from?

As both stories start to provide more answers than questions, we can fill in the gaps and solve the mysteries that haunt the characters. And as Anna and Matt grow closer, finding plenty to bond over, could he be the one to mend Anna’s broken heart?

*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: One Snowy Day – Shari Low

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On a cold winter’s day, a storm is brewing in the village of Weirbridge…

Georgie Dern has the chance to swap her empty nest for the job of a lifetime in Los Angeles. Can she chase her dream if it means letting down the woman who has given her the world?

Jessie McLean should be counting down the hours until she jets off to spend her retirement years in the sun. But when a devastating betrayal resurfaces, she has to choose between a fresh start and staying behind to settle old scores.

Alyssa Canavan has spent years building the business she adores. Now a legal letter has threatened her home and livelihood, but how does she fight a family that doesn’t give a damn?

Lachlan Morden is forced to return to Scotland to face the people who almost destroyed him. Will coming home reopen old wounds, or will a memory from the past lead him to the perfect revenge?

One snowy day, four lives, but who will have a bright new future when the snow is gone?

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Shari Low is the multi-million copy bestselling author of over 30 novels, including the #1 bestsellers One Day with You, One Midnight with You and One Day and Forever.

Facebook: @sharilowbooks
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My thoughts: Those of you who read my reviews regularly will know I love Shari’s books, and this one, filled with some familiar faces, is another charming, hug in a book.

Jessie and her husband Stan are due to jet off to a retirement in the sun, or are they? It’s Jessie’s birthday and there’s a party to get ready for, but a few things need sorting out before the cast of characters can dance the night away. An unwelcome reminder of past indiscretions, a rubbish ex-husband, a job offer, an eviction and other distractions mean before Jessie, her pals Val and Cathy, and her family, can don their gladrags, there’s some tough conversations to have, some decisions to make and before midnight strikes, everyone’s lives might be a bit different.

Loved it, of course I did, there are some very naughty triplets, lots of snow, cake, cups of tea, glasses of wine, confessions, heart-to-hearts and hugs doled out by the various members of Jessie’s family and friends, some of it while Shania Twain is being given a remix on the dance floor!

Shari’s books always have lots of twists and turns, but there’s a HEA not far away, so you know you’re in safe hands, it might currently be August outside, but in here it’s December, the snow is falling, and we’re getting cosy.

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

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Blog Tour: The Fastest Girl on Earth – Lisa Brace

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1922, London. Evelyn Bloom lies dying in her Mayfair flat.

A decade earlier, she had the world at her feet – a dazzling celebrity who socialised with royalty, ignited scandalous love affairs, and filled headlines with her daring exploits.

Now, surrounded by the faded mementoes of a brilliant life cut short, Evelyn is left to
wonder: How did it all go so wrong?
And why, when she had everything, has she been left to die alone?

A breath-taking and unputdownable WWI historical novel, perfect for fans of Kate Quinn, Natasha Lester, and Mandy Robotham.

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Lisa Brace is an award-winning writer, who combines penning novels with running her own business in the beautiful surroundings of West Sussex.

Her third novel The Fastest Girl on Earth, is out now.
Her second book, SWIM, a historical fiction novel was finalist in Best Historical Fiction and Best General Fiction in the New Generation Indie Book Awards 2025 and runner up as Historical Novel of the Year 2024 (Eyelands Book Awards).
Her debut novel, The Fame Trap, a dark women’s fiction novel was published in March 2024.

Lisa runs writing retreats and workshops in West Sussex with fellow author and friend, Daisy White. In between running her PR company and thinking up ideas for historical novels she can be found wandering in the woods with her dog and baking elaborate cakes (though not at the
same time)

My thoughts: I thought this was great, inspired by the exploits of a couple of real life daredevil female drivers and pilots, the story of Evelyn Bloom, the fastest girl in the world, breaking records and winning races on land and sea, who takes up flying, becomes a spy during the First World War, and somehow loses everyone she loves, is smart, funny, surprising and bittersweet.

Evelyn thinks she’s been hired as a secretary, but instead becomes a race car driver, showing off the cars and boats her employer makes, before deciding to learn how to fly. Her terrible contract means she doesn’t get to keep the prize money, and her affair with the boss breaks her heart.

She’s co-opted into the spy trade by the man she eventually marries, and runs some risky missions, including flying into occupied France and having to escape from enemy soldiers. Her husband is reported missing and she spends the rest of her days (and money) trying to find him. Leaving her penniless and alone at forty.

Her exploits are a delight, she’s a darling of the pre-war years, but even her closest friends fall away. A bittersweet ending to an eventful, adventurous life.

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*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: Death of a Ghostwriter – Gaynor Torrance

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They say sharing is caring, but sharing a husband? That’s a grave mistake.

And Hell hath no fury like three widows with a murder to solve . . .

Albert Franklynn’s sudden and mysterious death leaves everyone in the pretty village of Monksworthy in shock — especially his wife Sylvie, who runs the local tearoom.

But the real surprise comes at the mortuary, where not one, but three grieving widows show up to identify his body.

It turns out that Albert wasn’t just a devoted husband to Sylvie . . . He had two other wives as well.

As everyone reels from the revelation of Albert’s double — or triple — life, three widows reluctantly team up to investigate a mystery more tangled than the village’s gaudy bunting: who killed Albert — and why.

It turns out Albert’s list of enemies is longer than the village bake sale sign-up sheet. Can these three unlikely sleuths resolve their differences to become partners in crime-solving . . . before
the killer writes them out of the story for good?

The start of an unmissable cosy crime series, this gripping mystery about murder, mayhem and marital mischief is perfect for fans of Faith Martin, the Reverend Richard Coles, Kristen Perrin,
Veronica Heley or Fiona Leitch.

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Gaynor Torrance lives near Cardiff with her husband and their rescue cat, Cleo. The area is the setting for her Detective Inspector Jemima Huxley Crime Thriller series of books. Like Gaynor, Jemima has a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Though, apart from them both having a keen
interest in human behaviour, that’s where any similarity ends. When she’s not writing or glued to her Kindle, Gaynor enjoys listening to music, playing the piano, walking, travelling, and eating far too much chocolate.

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My thoughts: This is a very funny and rather clever book. Albert has (at least) three wives – Sylvie and Harriet, and the mysterious Tess, who does a bunk after identifying his body.

But Sylvie and Harriet find common ground, not least because they have children (all grown up) to think about. Albert has a list of secrets as long as his arm, including what he actually did for a living, and the fact his mother and brother are very much alive.

As Sylvie and Harriet carry out their own investigation, along with Sylvie’s friend and business partner Liz, they think they may have found a black widow in the absent Tess, with multiple identities and presumably in search of a new victim. With a little help from pal Barney, they alert well to do men on their own to be wary of this woman and try to get the police to take them seriously.

I really enjoyed this book and if the trio are going to be having more adventures – then I’ll be there to read them!

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

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Blog Tour: The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook – Tessa Barrie

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The remote village of Didsbrook is thrown into turmoil after its best-known resident, the former actress turned best-selling novelist Jocelyn Robertshaw, is found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Villagers are appalled to learn that the charismatic Jocelyn died from Hemlock poisoning. Police claim she shot and ate a quail that had ingested hemlock. A theory disputed by all who knew her well. The
animal-loving Jocelyn would never kill anything, but due to the lack of forensic evidence, police rule death by misadventure.

Jocelyn’s young protégée, Lucy Fothergill, determined to discover the truth about what happened to her mentor, discovers a hidden stash of Jocelyn’s notebooks, revealing jaw-dropping secrets from
Jocelyn’s past. The impression Jocelyn gave the world that she lived a near-perfect life was an Academy Award-winning performance.

RBelieving the events from Jocelyn’s past may have led to her death forty-eight years later, Lucy begins to piece together the clues that lead to the truth.

The sleepy village of Didsbrook is about to wake up!

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Author Bio

Tessa Barrie was born in Harrogate, Yorkshire, and despite her parents uprooting her at the age of three and moving her down south, she is proud of her Yorkshire heritage.

Growing up, she recalls her family life being more Little House on the Prairie than The Waltons because her early years were fraught with drama. However, intermingled with all the emotional disruption, she remembers humour squeezing its way through the frayed feelings.

So, incorporating humour in her writing has become very important to her as she believes that, however dark a story gets, there should always be a subtle sprinkling of humour.

In June 2021, Tessa self-published her debut novel, Just Say It, a bittersweet family saga, and her second novel, The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook, a quirky murder mystery, is currently on
pre-order and is due for release on 1st July 2025. Her third novel, The Rebuilding of Freya Michaels, will be published in 2026.

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My thoughts: When former actress turned author Jocelyn Robertshaw is found dead at home one Sunday morning, the police suspect foul play as she was in good health and the autopsy reveals she was poisoned by hemlock. From this I learned that quail are one of the few species that can eat hemlock and not be affected by it, I have never eaten quail, and just to be on the safe side, I don’t think I ever will.

Her protégée Lucy inherits Jocelyn’s writing studio, Manderley (named after the house in Rebecca, which seems a bit ominous) and finds her mentor’s diaries, all of her past and her secrets laid bare. They give a member of the community, later seen trying to break into Manderley, a serious motive, and armed with the facts, Lucy confronts the suspect at the local writers’ group. Could she be right? Are the secrets Jocelyn kept in her notebooks the reason for her death all these years later?

With lots of twists and turns as we learn,  along with Lucy, the story of Jocelyn’s life and loves, the secrets she kept till the very end, have implications for many of the other villagers and her family. 

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

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Blog Tour: The Art Lovers – G.N. Lawson

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Frank Armstrong, a successful but self-important portrait painter, is horrified to discover that Martin, a former student, has painted them together in an exposing scene as past lovers.

Despite his efforts, he is unsuccessful in persuading Martin not to exhibit the painting named ‘The Art Lovers.’ The matter escalates further when Martin has an accident and ends up in hospital in a coma, and the police investigate Frank as a suspect.

Once free from the police and their questioning, Frank is commissioned to paint a series of murals for the nuclear industry and rents a flat in Cumbria. But he soon finds himself amidst protesters and living in an environment very different to the one he grew up in as a child in Kendal.

Things are spiralling out of control when the building to house the murals he painted is burnt to the ground. However, thanks to his resourceful wife, Louise, and the efforts of two crafty art dealers, Frank muddles his way through the setbacks and is surprised to realise a newfound fame which leads to an unexpected reconciliation with Martin.

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Apart from three years studying History of Art and Philosophy at University College London, I have lived my entire life in the North West – born in Warrington, lived and worked in Manchester, and fourteen years ago moved to north Cumbria.

After several years of freelance arts journalism, I ran a NW-based public relations agency called Lawson Leah in the 1990s, then worked for various organisations in the construction
industry, as CEO of Construction for Merseyside Ltd and then Director of the Civil Engineering Contractors’ Association. I have been a guest lecturer on urban regeneration and chaired a housing association for three years, and now work part-time as a consultant.

I have had articles on a range of topics, including the arts, construction, engineering, housing and economic development published in numerous magazines, as well as poetry and a
guidebook to waterway walks in the NW.

My approach to writing tends to involve identifying a problematic situation and then finding a means of resolving it. I derive particular pleasure from finding the right words to achieve that.

I was first inspired to write, as a teenager, after reading The Catcher in the Rye, and latterly find inspiration in the daunting novels of Bellow, Nabokov and Pynchon.

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My thoughts: A group of grumpy old artists are stirred up when one of their former students paints a portrait implying that he, Martin, and his former tutor, Frank, had a relationship back when they were younger. Frank is horrified by this and confronts Martin, but his wife Louise is unbothered. When Martin suffers an accident and ends up in hospital in a coma, the police think Frank is involved, but thankfully the evidence points elsewhere. Another member of their group decides to put the cat among the pigeons and then mysteriously disappears.

Meanwhile Frank is commissioned to paint a series of landscapes, despite normally being a portrait artist, to encourage people to think positively about nuclear power. He is required to return to Cumbria, where he grew up, but finds a very different place to the one he knew. Then the building planned to house his work is burnt down and stuck with a series of paintings he doesn’t want, his agent conspires to include him in an art exhibition of queer artists, despite Frank not being one – because of the slightly infamous “Art Lovers”.

Filled with dry humour, grumpy old men and their much smarter wives and daughters, this was an interesting read, all about complex relationships.

*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: Murder on an Italian Island – T.A. Williams

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A holiday island…

When private investigator, Dan Armstrong, and his girlfriend, Anna, are invited to the gorgeous island of Elba for a much-needed break, he jumps at the chance. The thought of sun-drenched shores makes Dan promise Anna he won’t “play detective” for a whole week…

A luxury hotel…

Their luxurious hotel, with its wonderful food and picturesque seaside views, seems the perfect escape, especially with Dan’s best friend Virgilio and his wife joining them. But the calm shatters with a sinister encounter and a sudden, suspicious death..

A decades old case…

Virgilio’s past connection to the victim casts a long shadow, pulling Dan into a decades-old case. But beneath Elba’s beauty lie secrets and resentments – the victim was universally hated – but was his
death the result of foul play or just a tragic accident?

With his faithful canine companion, Oscar, Dan must unravel the island’s mysteries, a task that soon takes a decidedly personal and unsettling turn.

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T. A. Williams is the bestselling author of the Armstrong and Oscar cosy mystery series. Trevor studied languages at University and lived and worked in Italy for eight years, returning to England
with his wife in 1972. Trevor and his wife now live in Devon.

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Bookbub profile: @trevorwilliams3

My thoughts: Dan, Anna and Oscar are on holiday with Virgilio and Lina, on the island of Elba (the one Napoleon infamously escaped from). They’re all hoping to get a break from murder for a while, but crime seems to follow them around. Although it might be an accident, a man seems to have fallen from the cliff. Until his brother turns up dead a night later, not a coincidence surely?

Obviously Dan can’t resist digging, especially as Virgilio has history with the first man, many years ago he arrested this person for a horrific crime. Now he’s on Elba at the same time – the police can’t believe that’s a coincidence either.

Do the brothers’ deaths have to do with the second one’s dodgy business dealings? The concigliere is interested in the smuggling of ancient Etruscan artefacts, and he might be using his campsite as a front for the removal of these priceless pre-Roman antiquities. As Dan and Virgilio assist the local police, Anna gets injured, and Dan makes a huge decision.

Oscar finds clues, suspects and saves a life because he is a hero dog. He is rewarded with lovely steak and fusses from the many admiring fans. As he should.

Another excellent crime caper in beautiful Italian sunshine.

*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: Nightshade – Briar Black

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Nightshade (The Cheshire Set #2)

Release Date: June 21, 2025

Genre: Small-town Romance

Forbidden Love 💔
Age Gap 🕰️
Slow Burn 🔥
Small Town Romance 🏡
Grumpy x Sunshine 🌦️
Morally Grey Hero ⚖️
Healing Romance 🩹
Dark Cottagecore 🍄

When eco-warrior and budding bee expert Suzie returns to Ashfordby, she expects a peaceful summer solving the mystery of Hugh Delaware’s dying bees and spending time with her best friend.

After a recent run-in with The One That Got Away (and made her swear off relationships for life), she needs the break. Peace, quiet, and a chance to focus on what she loves sounds perfect—until she stumbles into a tangled web of sabotage, murder, and secrets threatening to destroy the estate Hugh has dedicated his life to saving.

As Suzie and Hugh join forces to unravel the mystery, a shocking discovery leaves the estate reeling and the pair questioning everyone around them—except each other. But with a struggling marriage and the weight of the estate on his shoulders, Hugh’s world is a far cry from Suzie’s council-house upbringing. Any connection between them feels impossible—and forbidden. She would never entertain an affair, yet the more she tries to stay away, the more she’s drawn back in.

Caught between her growing feelings for Hugh, the painful wounds of her past, and a sinister plot targeting the estate, Suzie must summon the courage to expose the truth—and keep her heart out of the crossfire—before more lives are lost.

With its blend of romantic tension, murder, and environmental intrigue, Nightshade is a gripping tale of love, loyalty, and uncovering beauty in the most unexpected places. Perfect for fans of romantic suspense and age-gap romance.

My thoughts: This was really good, it works as a standalone, so if you haven’t read Bane (about Michael and Aimee) that’s ok.

Suzie returns to her hated hometown to help out some bees who are dying, the owner of the tea farm that needs the bees to do their pollinating thing is worried that without them, his business is over and he’ll have to sell his family’s ancestral home to developers.

She’s not keen as her awful ex lives in the area and she’s not especially close to her parents, but her best friend Aimee and her boyfriend Michael also live there. She moves into the spare room at Aimee’s and starts investigating the bees’ deaths.

The book is both a romance and an eco-murder mystery – the victims might be bees, but their deaths lead to other shocking actions as someone is trying to sabotage the tea farm and the estate.

Suzie’s investigation has ramifications for all of the residents and staff, especially Hugh, who runs it and will eventually inherit it. His whole life revolves around the estate and even though he and Suzie have an instant attraction – he’s married to Victoria, a not entirely happy woman. He’s also a lot older than Suzie.

The story gets more intriguing as Suzie discovers what’s been going on and who has been killing the bees. She also meets the resident witch, her crow and badger (totally normal), and has an eventful run in with her scummy ex (urgh).

Will love flourish? Will Hugh leave his wife and will they solve the mystery of who is trying to bring the estate down? Well, you’ll have to read it!

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

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Blog Tour: The Manuscript – Steven L. Wright

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A newly married couple from Harrogate purchased a manuscript from an antiquarian bookseller titled, The Universal Language Isn’t Love or Music but Loneliness. Completed in 1940 by unknown author, William Travers, it was one of several items offered at the estate
auction of a local family. Reading and discussing the work changed their lives … and their marriage.

Waking in hospital Lieutenant William Travers learns the war’s over. The Armistice has been signed.
Physically wounded and emotionally crippled, Travers shuns convention and, armed with an alto saxophone, turns his back on America to remain in Paris. He’s a jazzman at heart, so a jazzman he’ll remain. Throughout the Roaring ‘20s and Lean ‘30s, he encounters a bevy of
characters: the artists of Montparnasse; the ladies at the Paris brothel; the curator at the Musee du Luxembourg; fellow band members in Paris; the stiff-collared Edwardians and the Bright Young Things who dance at London’s Savoy Hotel; the fiery Yorkshire sheep farmer who is half-American; the hard-bitten landlady in London; and, the owner of a Soho night club – the epicentre of everything considered illegal. On the eve of the Blitz in September 1940, he decided to perform one more gig.

A parallel narrative where the three protagonists, although separated by eighty years, confront the existential meaning of life.

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Steve earned a BA and MA in history from the University of Cincinnati. After serving five years as a captain/attack helicopter pilot in the US Army’s 9th Infantry Division (1980-1985), he worked as a professional archivist and historian for twenty-five years. He has published several articles in peer-reviewed history journals in addition to three works of scholarly non-fiction including, Britain’s Battle to Go Modern: Confronting Architectural Modernisms, 1900-1925 published in 2018.

After relocating from London to the Yorkshire Dales National Park in 2014, he set himself a challenge: to write a work of fiction. His first attempt, Grey, Red, Blue … Gone was published in 2021. Steve enjoyed the process so he set his sights on a work of historical fiction hoping to incorporate his passion for history. The Manuscript is the culmination of years of research and
writing concerning the period in Paris and London known as the Jazz Age. An era when syncopated music nursed by cocktails comforted the bored and disillusioned and propelled the Bright Young Things toward an uninhibited lifestyle unknown to earlier generations.

Since his early days in secondary school, Steve has been interested in the lives and published works of several notable writers of the 1920s to the early 1940s, from F. Scott Fitzgerald and Richard Aldington to Ernest Hemingway and W. Somerset Maugham. He believes their work helped define those unique and troubling decades.

He still lives in the Yorkshire Dales National Park with his wife, Suzanne, a studio potter, whom he met twenty years ago at a Chicago jazz club, and a three-year-old rescue cat named Vesper.

My thoughts: The framing device of couple Fiona and Peter who have bought this mysterious manuscript allows the reader to feel as though they too are embarking on uncovering the mysteries about the document that forms the main body of this book.

Starting in the years after the First World War, the Manuscript is a memoir and philosophical meditation on life, love and loss. It’s author, William Travers, is the only survivor of his cohort of American airmen. Injured and alone, he has nothing to return to his hometown of Cincinnati for. Finding himself in Paris with his alto sax in hand, he sets himself up as a jazzman for hire.

Finding a small flat, a few paying gigs and eventually a lover, Veronique, he makes himself at home amongst the Roaring Twenties, the artists, musicians and other characters of the Left Bank. These are happy years, he joins a jazz band of fellow American ex-pats, serenades the ladies of a high class brothel, and befriends a British bartender who supplies him with free whisky.

When tragedy hits, he abandons this life for the Savoy in London and the turbulent years of the 1930s. The Bright Young Things, disaffected and outrageous, the Edwardians (my own great-grandparents are products of that time, my Grandad was born in 1930).

William meets the delightful Helena, only remaining child of her family’s sprawling farm in the Yorkshire Dales. She farms the sheep and contends with her broken hearted mother. Their romance brings a sparkle back to his life, but sadly it doesn’t last and here he starts to develop the philosophy that will rule the rest of his life and provide his memoir it’s title – The Universal Language isn’t Love or Music – it’s Loneliness. But then in 1940 as the Blitz begins, William disappears.

Peter becomes obsessed with finding out what became of William and how his memoir ended up in an estate sale in Harrogate. It begins to affect his marriage, as obsession can, and while he will find some answers, he might just lose his wife.

I found William’s story both moving and compelling, the interwar years are complicated and unlike any other time before or since. Huge loss of life brackets those years, and many of the people who lived then were profoundly affected by the social, political and financial shifts that took place. I studied the period in both Britain and German history, contrasting the two countries as they recovered from one devastating war and into the next.

William’s wartime experiences are never far from his mind, he struggles with survivors’ guilt and probably has PTSD, as well as his physical injury from being shot down in his plane. It colours everything he does and experiences, his relationships with women and friendships with other men. There were actually a couple of moments so gut-wrenchingly sad I actually teared up.

The writing is compelling and gripping, you are right there with William as he sees the newly built Cenotaph and rages at the loss of life, the pointless futility of war. It reminded me so much of the poetry of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, furious at the way so many were betrayed into giving their lives, and for what?

*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: One More to Die – Joy Ellis

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Detective Kate Carter is called out to a fatal car accident on a remote fen lane.
At first glance it looks like a drunk driver simply lost control and crashed headlong into a ditch.

But nothing about the scene adds up. The number plate is fake. The driver’s licence doesn’t belong to the dead man in the car. One tyre doesn’t match the other three. And what is a vinyl 1960s pop record doing in the glove box?

A neat puncture wound to the driver’s neck reveals this was no accident.
The following day, the body of a young woman is found in an old barn out on the fens. She’s been dead at least two years. Placed on the body is another vintage pop record.

And then the nightmare becomes personal. A mysterious package arrives at the station addressed to Kate: a 45-rpm record, and a chilling note scrawled in block capitals: ONE MORE TO GO.

It’s just the start. Sinister phone calls, creepy notes left on her car, unwanted gifts on her doorstep: Kate can no longer deny that she’s being pursued by an obsessive stalker . . .
Is she next in the killer’s sights?

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I was born in Kent but spent most of my working life in London and Surrey. I was an apprentice florist to Constance Spry Ltd, a prestigious Mayfair shop that throughout the Sixties and Seventies teemed with both royalty and ‘real’ celebrities. What an eye-opener for a working-class kid from the Garden of England! I swore then, probably whilst I was scrubbing the floor or making the tea, that I would have a shop of my own one day. It took until the early Eighties, but I did it. Sadly the recession wiped us out, and I embarked on a series of weird and wonderful jobs; the last one being a bookshop manager. Surrounded by books all day, getting to order whatever you liked, and being paid for it! Oh bliss!

And now I live in a village in the Lincolnshire Fens with my partner, Jacqueline, and three Springer spaniels and four little rescue, Breton spaniels. I had been writing mysteries for years but never had the time to take it seriously. Now I write full-time, and as my partner is a highly decorated retired police officer; my choice of genre is a no-brainer! I have an on-tap police and judicial consultant, who makes exceedingly good tea!

I have set my crime thrillers here in the misty fens because I sincerely love the remoteness and airy beauty of the marshlands. This area is steeped in superstitions and lends itself so well to
murder!

I am lucky enough to be one of the amazing Joffe Books team of authors and am really enjoying being able to spend time doing what I love… writing!

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My thoughts: This was really good, I have enjoyed every one of Joy’s books I’ve read, she’s very good at hooking you with a mystery, in this case the 1960s records, and what a clever case too, the police are stumped when it comes to the old vinyl, but the slightly odd pathologist has an idea, his uncle is a bit of an expert and might be able to help them.

Then the case gets a bit too personal as it becomes clear the killer is stalking Kate, and with her as SIO, it might be best to keep a low profile until they get closer. After sending her kids and animals to friends and family to keep them safe, although her husband won’t go and gets parked at an empty desk in the station (which made me laugh) for his own safety, she keeps working the case. 

As this case seems to hark back to unsolved one in the cold case archives, the team start looking into that one, which might just slot a few more things into place…

Absolutely cracking stuff, could not put it down, fiendish and clever, with plenty at stake as the team race to find the killer before anything happens to their boss. So good. 

Side note: Joy, please write a memoir, you seem to have led a really interesting life. 

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