Book Synopsis:

When farmer Dan Maddicott is found shot dead in one of his fields, he leaves behind a young family and a farm deep in debt. Although the coroner records accidental death, village rumours suggest he has taken his own life so that the insurance payout can save his family from ruin. Dan’s wife, Kate, refuses to believe the gossip and is determined to prove to herself, and her children, that his death was an accident. But could it have been murder? Kate discovers a set of old diaries containing secrets that may reveal how Dan really died. Set against the backdrop of the farming crisis of the turn of the 21st century, Caroline Kington’s absorbing family drama also tells the secret history of another resident of the farm, decades before, whose tragic tale will come to have major repercussions in the present day.

A Long Shadow is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

A Long Shadow is a compelling and emotional family drama that I really enjoyed. The story follows Kate as she tries to uncover the mystery of her husband, Dan’s death. Was it suicide as the police think in order to cash in on a recent insurance policy that would help clear his debt or was it murder?

The setting of this book is beautiful and is so vividly described that the reader feels like they are there watching everything that’s going on. The mystery of what happened is very intriguing and I enjoyed watching everything unfold. The story is told from three different timelines all describing events leading up to Dan’s death. Through these the reader gradually starts to piece together an idea of what happened with the author dropping little hints that helps keep the reader firmly on their toes and ensuring that the book is hard to put down.

There are some great characters which are well drawn and developed throughout the book. I really felt for Kate and her family as it must be awful to lose a family member in that way particularly if they are the main bread winner too. The author does a great job of portraying the emotions of the characters which seemed very realistic and therefore makes for quite a heart breaking read at times.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

My professional life started when I went to drama school. I became a drama teacher to pay the rent, and in what spare time I had, I worked in Fringe theatre, writing, acting and directing bizarre, off-the-wall plays. I did a post-grad course at Bristol University in Radio, Film and Television and went to work in television where I became a documentary film-maker for BBC regional TV. Ten years later I went freelance and combined TV work with other fringe theatre work, writing and directing.
A Long Shadow was my first-born book and arose out of a documentary feature I made for C4 news about the increasing number of women in farming. It was a period in our recent history when the farming community were reeling under successive blows to their industry from BSE, foot-and-mouth, and unsympathetic government policy. 
This became the background for the story, which centres around the violent death of a young farmer. As his widow struggles to come to terms with his death, she decides to take on the farm. At the same time, she promises their young son that she will prove to him that his dad did not commit suicide. Two seemingly impossible tasks. Then a series of near fatal accidents occur and it would appear that her life, too, is threatened. 
The origins of the story stretch back to a seemingly totally unconnected event in the Second World War. It is told from viewpoints of the two principal characters and the reader is privy to other stories that go towards the final solution. 
The novel is quite complicated, I admit, with many different strands and I could never quite make it work satisfactorily, despite the loyal friends who read it and cheered it on. I was tempted to remove the sub-plot about domestic violence and destitution – again I had made a documentary on a refuge, but I really liked the point it was making – that nothing is what it seems – which added richness, I thought, to the one of the main themes of the whole book. 
So I put it on one side and started on the Summerstoke trilogy. Written as a complete antidote to A Long Shadow, they are light-hearted rural comedies, set in a village not unlike one I live near. 
During the writing of these, my beloved husband, Miles Kington, died. He was a humorous writer and broadcaster and had been writing a book about his cancer diagnosis when he died. It was incomplete, so I finished it for him and had “How Shall I Tell The Dog”, as it was called, published. I then edited a collection of his Franglais columns, “Le Bumper Book of Franglais” and then a selection of his other writing “The Best of Miles”. 
I finished the third book of the Summerstoke Trilogy “Spring Mischief” and fiddled a bit more with A Long Shadow. I still wasn’t happy with it and put it to one side again as I had promised Miles I would get a collection of his letters published. Not an easy task as he was a prolific writer, and there were over 20,000 to choose from. “My Mother, the Bearded Lady” finally comes out this autumn.
I went back to A Long Shadow, re-read it for the ‘nth time and eureka – worked out what I needed to do. So here it is. It’s an unusual book, I think, but life-affirming despite the sense of gloom around it and I really hope people read it and rate it.
And if you have not encountered the Summerstoke books before, I hope you will enjoy them.

Blog Tour:

The blog tour has now finished but do go and check out these fabulous bloggers reviews!

Book Synopsis:

Children are dying on London’s streets. Frankie Reece, stabbed through the heart, outside a corner shop. Others recruited from care homes, picked up and exploited; passed like gifts between gangs. They are London’s lost. 
Then Raphaela Belsham is killed. She’s thirteen years old, her father is a man of influence, from a smart part of town. And she’s white. Suddenly, the establishment is taking notice.
DS Noah Jake is determined to handle Raphaela’s case and Frankie’s too. But he’s facing his own turmoil, and it’s becoming an obsession. DI Marnie Rome is worried, and she needs Noah on side. Because more children are disappearing, more are being killed by the day and the swelling tide of violence needs to be stemmed before it’s too late.

NEVER BE BROKEN is a stunning, intelligent and gripping novel which explores how the act of witness alters us, and reveals what lies beneath the veneer of a glittering city.

Never Be Broken is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

Never Be Broken is another fantastic book from one of my favourite authors. The thing that I always like about this author is her ability to combine a gripping crime story with an emotional subject to great effect. This book is no different with the author choosing the modern problem of gang violence, a lot of which is plaguing London at the moment, as part of the storyline.

DI Rome is as usual fantastic though she seemed to take more of a back seat in this book with the spotlight more on Noah as he returns to work still grieving for his brother. Noah has always been one of my favourite characters so I liked that the focus was more on him though it was hard to see him struggling so much.

The author paints a very dark, gritty picture of London’s criminal underbelly which made for difficult reading at times particularly with regard to their treatment of the children. I often found myself tearing up whilst reading these parts, hoping that this didn’t really happen though knowing it does. The author also includes some of the theory behind gang culture which made for very interesting reading. All of this combined makes this a very powerful book which definitely gives the reader food for though. For this reason I think it would be a great book club read as there is lots to discuss.

I’m a huge fan of this series which in my opinion keeps getting better and better. Just when I think the author can’t possibly outdo her last gripping, original thriller she manages to come up with another fantastic story. I can’t wait for the next book!

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Jenni Leech from Headline for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Sarah Hilary’s debut novel, SOMEONE ELSE’S SKIN, won Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year and was a World Book Night selection. The Observer’s Book of the Month (“superbly disturbing”) and a Richard & Judy Book Club bestseller, it has been published worldwide. NO OTHER DARKNESS, the second in the series was shortlisted for a Barry Award in the US. Her DI Marnie Rome series continues with TASTES LIKE FEAR (2016) QUIETER THAN KILLING (2017) COME AND FIND ME (2018) and NEVER BE BROKEN (2019).

Follow Sarah on Twitter at @Sarah_Hilary

Book Synopsis:

Daisy Clayton’s killer was never caught. In over ten years, there has been no breakthrough in her murder case.

Detective Renée Ballard has faced everything the LAPD’s notorious dusk-till-dawn graveyard shift has thrown at her. But, until tonight, she’d never met Harry Bosch – an ex-homicide detective consumed by this case.

Soon, she too will become obsessed by the murder of Daisy Clayton.

Because Ballard and Bosch both know: every murder tells a story. And Daisy’s case file reads like the first chapter in an untold tragedy that is still being written – one that could end with Ballard herself, if she cannot bring the truth to light…

Dark Sacred Night is available in all formats now! You can purchase your copy by clicking on the link below.

My Review:

I haven’t read anything from Michael Connelly for a while so it was great to read something by him again and to see that he’s still going strong!

This is the first book that features the fantastic new detective team of Ballard and Bosch who seem very well suited for each other. Each brings different things to the story with Ballard being very a strong and capable detective while Bosch is too tired to play by the rules which makes for interesting reading. I found I liked them instantly and enjoyed following them as they tried to solve the investigation.

I always like a crime thriller involving a cold case as I think it means the author, and detectives, have to be more clever in trying to solve the case. This book was no exception and it was fascinating to see how the police managed to work everything out. The author’s background in the police gives the reader more of an understanding about what police work involves. It was good to read a book that shows the grunt work involved in detective work and the many cases they have to juggle at once. Although this means there are slightly slower bits of the book it does help the reader to understand the characters a bit more.

I thought this book was well plotted and I enjoyed the secondary stories the author has managed to weave together to go alongside the main one. It slowly picks up pace and I thought it was a very entertaining read. The ending was surprising but I felt tied things together in a satisfactory way.

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orion for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

A former police reporter for the Los Angeles Times, Michael Connelly is the internationally bestselling author of the Harry Bosch series, and several other bestsellers including the highly acclaimed legal thriller, The Lincoln Lawyer. The TV series – Bosch – is one of the most watched original series on Amazon Prime and is now in its third season. He has been President of the Mystery Writers of America, and his books have been translated into thirty-nine languages and have won awards all over the world, including the Edgar and Anthony Awards. He spends his time in California and Florida.

To find out more, visit Michael’s website or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.

http://www.michaelconnelly.com

@Connellybooks

f/MichaelConnellyBooks

Book Synopsis:

The whispered voices and unsettling dreams were puzzling enough, but when the visions began, disquiet crept into Sarah Richards’ heart.

Living a joyless and unfulfilled existence, Sarah’s life, however, is ordered and routine. But one autumn morning she sees a figure waving to her, the figure of a man more ghostly than real.

Several times he appears, but is the spectre harmless, or are his intentions malevolent?

Disturbed and intrigued, Sarah endeavours to understand the mystery, to identify her unknown stalker. 

But with each visitation, she becomes ever more bewildered, and as her ordered life begins to unravel, she questions the reality of all that she knows, and with mounting horror, even her own sanity.

Song Of The Robin is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only£1.90. You can purchase a copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

Wow this is a stunning, twisty book which is hard to believe is a debut novel!

I’m a firm believer in the idea that when a robin crosses your path it’s someone in heaven trying to say hello, especially as I’ve continually seen robins since I lost my son Christopher. This book therefore affected me on a personal note and I found the book very compelling as a result.

Song Of The Robin is an intriguing and mysterious book that manages to be a twisty thriller and a family drama that explores some fascinating subjects within its pages. The story is well developed and well paced with the reader slowly learning more about Sarah’s past. I felt drawn into the story straight away and felt involved in what was happening which meant I felt every twist the author threw at me.

The story is told in both the past and the present which makes for a fascinating read. I loved the way the author slowly drip feeds the reader little clues or bits of information that allows them to draw their own conclusions about what’s happening. This definitely kept me on my toes and kept me guessing until the end which is always a sign of a great read.

This is the author’s debut novel and the first in a fabulous new series and I’ve already purchased a copy of the sequel.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

R V Biggs lives in a small ex-mining village near Wolverhampton, England, with his wife Julie, and Mags the black lab. He has four grown up children and six grandchildren.
Walking with the dog is a favourite pastime and much of the story line for his first novel was developed during these lengthy outings.

Robert worked for 35 years in telecommunications but changed career paths to a managerial supporting role within a local Mental Health NHS trust. It was during the period between these roles that the concept for Song of the Robin was born.

Robert is a firm believer that destiny and co-incidence exist hand in hand and this conviction extends to his writing. He has a passion for holistic well-being and after first-hand experience of the potential healing powers of Reiki, a form of energy therapy, took a Reiki level 1 training course to heighten his spiritual awareness. Robert’s experiences in these areas helped conceive the ideas that led to Song of the Robin and its sequel Reunion, novels with central themes of fate, love and the strength of family. His writing however is not fantasy but is set in modern times involving real people living real lives.

Book Synopsis:

I’ll murder three people. And you’ll know it was me . . .

Summer 1997. When Will jokes about becoming a serial killer, his friends just laugh it off. But Adeline can’t help but feel there’s something darker lurking behind his words.

Winter 2015: Years later, Adeline returns to Blythe for a reunion of the old gang – except Will doesn’t show up. Reminiscing about old times, they look up the details of his supposed murder spree. But the mood soon changes when they discover two recent deaths that match.

As the group attempts to track Will down, they realise that he is playing a sinister game that harks back to one they used to play as kids. Only this time there are lives at stake . . .

The Killer You Know is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only £2.99. You can purchase a copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

The Killer You Know is an original atmospheric book that manages to be both a gripping thriller and a coming of age story which combined made a very entertaining read.

The story alternates between the present day and the 90s when I was actually a teenager myself. Indeed this book gave me lots of nostalgic memories of the lazy summer days of my teenage years just hanging out with friends. Some of the culture references in this book were spot on and the films were ones I remember hearing about or watching when I was younger.

The characters were ones that I soon warmed to and I so enjoyed reading about the groups interactions with each other. They were all quite different and came from different backgrounds which made for interesting reading. I did have my favourites that I was routing for more than others, which made some parts of the book hard to read about.

This book was well written and very gripping making the book hard to put down. I kept promising myself I’d read only one more chapter but would look up a few hours later and realise I’d read a lot more. The story is hugely compelling and I found myself absorbed in the characters and everything that was happening. It reminded me at times of the film Stand By Me due to the nostalgic quality and the close group of friends so if you liked that film you’ll love this book!

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Millie from Little Brown for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

S R Masters grew up around Birmingham, and spent his teen years reading, playing in bands and wandering through fields with friends. After studying Philosophy at Cambridge, he worked in public health for the NHS, specialising in health behaviour. He currently lives in Oxford with his wife and son. 

His short fiction has featured internationally. He regularly contributes to UK short fiction anthology series The Fiction Desk, having won their Writer’s Award for his short story ‘Just Kids’. His story ‘Desert Walk’ was included in Penguin Random House USA’s ‘Press Start to Play’ collection.

‘The Killer You Know’ is his debut novel.

Book Synopsis:

March, 1942: new mother Alice Milwood is itching to return to her job as a shop assistant at Liberty’s.

Despite her husband still being missing in action, Alice is determined to give baby Arthur the best possible start. She soon settles back into the rhythm of life on the shop floor, and the Liberty Girls rally to help keep everything on an even keel.

But when the American GIs start swarming into London, there are more complications to come. And each of the Liberty Girls has their own impossible storm to weather.

As they each fight their battles on the home front, only their close friendship will give them the strength they need to carry on.

The Liberty Girls is published on the 16th May 2019 in ebook and paperback. You can pre-order your copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

I was a huge fan of Christmas At Liberty’s so was very excited to be invited onto the blog tour for The Liberty Girls the next book in the series.

It was like I’d never left as this story starts pretty much straight after the last one and I loved being thrown back into the wonderful world of Liberty’s. I found myself wishing that I was able to work there, particularly if it meant I could be friends with the fantastic ladies who also work there. Their close friendship and the way they support each other was brilliant to read about, particularly as they were all faced with some terrible situations.

This book follows new mother Alice as she tries to balance motherhood with returning to work. She wasn’t my favourite character in the first book so it was great to learn more about her history and discover the human side of her. I actually found myself warming to her as I discovered more about her history and what she had been through. She’s a tough, strong lady when she wants to be and I enjoyed reading about her journey through out the book.

The author does a fantastic job of setting the scene so that the reader really feels they are there in world war two experiencing everything alongside the characters. I loved the fabulous descriptions of the dances that were held, the way all the citizens of London banded together to learn simple skills to help in a crisis and the nerve wracking descriptions of the bombing raids that had me holding my breath as I hoped one of my favourites weren’t about to be killed. Although I knew about clothes being on the ration during the war I hadn’t heard anything about utility fabric before so found it quite fascinating to learn more about that and how shops used it to their best advantage. It lead to a few wasted hours on the internet looking up more about it!

This is the second book in the Liberty series but it can easily be read as a standalone as anything you need to know is explained. One of the things I like most about this series is that the author doesn’t do huge recaps at the beginning of the book which can be frustrating. Instead she only tells you the information when you need to know it which makes it seem much more natural. I’m really hoping this isn’t the last book about The Liberty Girls as I so love this series. It’s only 1942 in this book so I’ll keep my fingers firmly crossed!

Huge thanks to Rachel from Arrow publishing for inviting me onto the blog tour and my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

As a child, Fiona’s mother used to joke that wherever there was a book, Fiona wouldn’t be far behind. With a passion for reading from practically the moment she was born, it was inevitable Fiona would become a writer. Sure enough after studying English Literature at university, Fiona became a local and national journalist before making her move to books where she began ghost writing fiction for celebrities (too famous to name, of course). One day, some bright spark suggested she write her own stories rather than those of celebs and suddenly an idea was born.

Now, Fiona’s passion for writing currently sees her penning the World War 2 Liberty Girls series for Arrow. She also writes contemporary women’s fiction for Aria under the name Abby Williams. 

She lives in Berkshire with her husband, two cats and has an unhealthy attitude towards exercise and chocolate – believing one must surely cancel out the other. If you’d like to find out more about Fiona you can follow her on Twitter @fionajourno or visit her at facebook.com/fionafordauthor.

Book Synopsis:

Can you face the consequences of cheating the Fates?

Alexander the Great journeys to India, where he and Ashley are welcomed with feasts and treachery.

With their son, Paul, being worshiped as the Son of the Moon, and Alexander’s looming death, Ashley considers the unthinkable: how to save them and whether she dares to cheat Fate?

Son Of The Moon is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this series so I was very excited to be invited onto the blog tour for her latest book Son Of The Moon.

Once again the author has written an intriguing duel time line story based on real historical events. I’ve always been fascinated about Ancient Greece so I found the historical details in this book really interesting. This was especially so as the author focuses more on what life was like then and the different relationships people could have rather than the famous battles, although those do feature. I was surprised how relaxed everything was back then, especially when the author contrasted it to the present day.

I enjoyed revisiting all the characters I had grown fond of in the previous books and to learn more about them. Alexander and Ashley’s relationship has to evolve to fit into the new time they find themselves in and it was interesting to see how they managed to do this. They are a very believable couple whose love for each other is very obvious and I found myself hoping they would find a way to prevent Alexander’s death.

This was another great addition to a very strong, absorbing series and I’m excited to read more. This is the third book in the series and it is perhaps better to try and read them in order as the books follow on from one another.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

Giveaway:

Win a $10 Amazon voucher and one of the lovely mugs below, click on the rafflecopter link.

*Terms and Conditions – Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  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 I reserve 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 will not 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 I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

About The Author:

Jennifer Macaire lives in France with her husband, three children, & various dogs & horses. She loves cooking, eating French chocolate, growing herbs and flowering plants on her balcony, and playing golf. She grew up in upstate New York, Samoa, and the Virgin Islands. She graduated from St. Peter and Paul high school in St. Thomas and moved to NYC where she modeled for five years for Elite. She went to France and met her husband at the polo club. All that is true. But she mostly likes to make up stories.

Good morning everyone! Today I’m delighted to welcome back my fantastic guest reviewer Hannah for her turn on her first blog tour. Hannah is 9 years old and has been a huge bookworm since she was small. She’s actually been learning how to write reviews at school so she was very pleased to be asked to review this book.

Labyrinth Junction is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase a copy of both using the link below.

Before I share Hannah’s review with you, here is a little bit about the book.

Book Synopsis:

Little does Ben envisage this is what awaits him as he escapes the clutches of two bullies and climbs into the dark and gloomy cave. That’s when he discovers it, deep inside…Labyrinth Junction, a gateway to other worlds! Once he gets past the old witch standing guard, he’s led down a dark tunnel by a peculiar talking dog into the strange and magical land of Numblebrook and his adventures truly begin!

With his life in peril and trapped in Numblebrook, Ben befriends a pretty orphan girl called Amy and her pet dragon. Together, they and the strange Moonbeamer people set off on a series of dangerous missions in an effort to solve a riddle, free the land of the evil King and get Ben back home.

Labyrinth Junction is an exciting and fast moving fantasy story full of perilous adventures and heart warming friendships. It is a story about the sheer bravery and determination of a young boy who is prepared to risk his life if it means finding his way home. It will appeal to 8 – 12 year olds with a taste for adventure and excitement.

Hannah’s Review:

“Ben’s heart pounded in his chest as he ran, and he gasped for breath. Little did he realise, that within the next few minutes, his life would no longer resemble normality as he knew it.”

Labyrinth junction is a wonderous book, full of magic and adventure is definitely a book to add to your list. It’s an adventurous book that really transports you into a world of your own.
This is the first book Hayley Davenport-Smith has written, accompanied by Erin Melissa Davenport-Smith illustrating intricate and meaningful pictures.
This book’s style is similar to The Wishing Chair and The Magic Faraway Tree adventures, both by Enid Blyton, and I think would appeal to anyone aged 7-10 years old.
The adventure is set around rightfully returning the magical orbs powers to the Moonbeams and a riddle to solve throughout the book. Will you be able to do it?
The main characters are the Giddle, Ben an earthing child, Amy who is the fantastical child of Numblebrook and of course the rightful Moonbeamer Haligan Lexin. They each have bags of personality but my favourite character is Hal as he was kind, adventurous, fair and has two pet dragons called Sissy and Kamar.
The use of Hayley’s genius writing skills were so powerful, that in every scene she wrote about you felt like you were living out the same adventures the characters were.
Labyrinth Junction was so amazing I simply could not take my eyes off it and read it in 2 ½ days! Even though this book is brilliantly written sometimes when you had different characters doing different things it felt like the characters Hayley wasn’t focusing on as much almost got forgotten.

Overall, I loved this book and would give it a rightfully earned 5 stars.

Thank you, Hayley, for giving me the opportunity to read your book.

Hannah Savage, aged 9.

About The Author:

Hayley is originally from Stockport, Cheshire, but relocated to the coast of North Wales in 2010 and now enjoys living a few minutes walk from the Irish Sea. She graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with an honours degree in Accountancy, and later studied for a Post Graduate Certificate in Education in Manchester. Whilst teaching in Wales, she completed a ‘Post Graduate Certificate in Bilingualism in Education’.

Hayley is a qualified primary school teacher and mother of five children. She has spent many years watching youngsters become absorbed in fiction books. Inspired, she decided to write her own debut children’s fantasy novel.

This was a personal book for Hayley, not only because her twelve year old daughter illustrated it and designed the cover, but because of the young minds she hopes to capture: I wrote this book after being inspired by my own children and the children I have taught as a primary school teacher over the last fifteen years, explains Hayley. Being a teacher is rewarding, but often emotionally challenging and you meet children from all walks of life. Every child has their own individual strengths and weaknesses, but I find that all children have one thing in common … a love of fiction books. I wanted to create a story that would mesmerise children and carry them away into another exciting, fantasy world.

Labyrinth Junction is the first book in a planned series.

Hayley’s interests include spending time with her children, wildlife, walking her two collie dogs, learning Welsh and, of course, reading!

Book Synopsis:

A gripping historical crime debut from an exciting new voice.

‘It’s strange, the way fortune deals her hand.’

The year is 1759 and London is shrouded in a cloak of fear. With the constables at the mercy of highwaymen, it’s a perilous time to work the already dangerous streets of Soho. Lizzie Hardwicke makes her living as a prostitute, somewhat protected from the fray as one of Mrs Farley’s girls. But then one of her wealthy customers is found brutally murdered… and Lizzie was the last person to see him alive.

Constable William Davenport has no hard evidence against Lizzie but his presence and questions make life increasingly difficult. Desperate to be rid of him and prove her innocence Lizzie turns amateur detective, determined to find the true killer, whatever the cost.

Yet as the body count rises Lizzie realises that, just like her, everyone has a secret they will do almost anything to keep buried…

Death & The Harlot is available in ebook now for the fantastic price of £1.99. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Death And The Harlot is a hugely entertaining, atmospheric and gripping book that I thoroughly enjoyed!

The author does a great job of bringing the eighteenth century to life with all its seediness, rough justice and fear so that the reader feels like they are really there watching everything unfold. Its interesting to read about how people had to live in that era and what counted as justice which seemed to be quite skewed against the poor.

I absolutely loved the main character Lizzie. She’s rude, crude and some of her observations are utterly hilarious! The reader is given access to her inner most thoughts which allows us to understand her more. This also leads to some of the funniest parts in the book as you are able to learn what she really thinks. I warmed to her instantly and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to her.

The actual murder mystery is very interesting and takes the reader on a journey through eighteenth century London. Through this the reader learns more about what life was like at that time as the investigation takes Lizzie to some interesting places! There were lots of false leads which kept me on my toes and made it hard for me to guess who the murderer was which always adds to my enjoyment of the book.

This is the author’s debut novel and I’m very excited to read more from her. I hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Lizzie as I thought she was a fantastic character. This book reminded me a little bit of Crimson And The White not just because it’s about prostitutes but also because of the strong, funny main female character and the easy flow of the book. If you liked that book I think you’ll also enjoy this one.

Huge thanks to Ellie from Canelo publishing for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Georgina Clarke has a degree in theology and a PhD in history but has only recently started to combine her love of the past with a desire to write stories. Her Lizzie Hardwicke series is set in the mid-eighteenth century, an underrated and often neglected period, but one that is rich in possibility for a crime novelist.

She enjoys running along the banks of the River Severn and is sometimes to be found competing in half marathons. In quieter moments, she also enjoys dressmaking.

She lives in Worcester with her husband and son, and two extremely lively kittens.