Book Synopsis:

One dark January night a car drives at high speed towards PI Varg Veum, and comes very close to killing him. Veum is certain this is no accident, following so soon after the deaths of two jailed men who were convicted for their participation in a case of child pornography and sexual assault … crimes that Veum himself once stood wrongly accused of committing.

While the guilty men were apparently killed accidentally, Varg suspects that there is something more sinister at play … and that he’s on the death list of someone still at large.

Fearing for his life, Veum begins to investigate the old case, interviewing the victims of abuse and delving deeper into the brutal crimes, with shocking results. The wolves are no longer in the dark … they are at his door. And they want vengeance.

Wolves At The Door is published in ebook and paperback on the 13th June 2019. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

The Wolves At The Door is another fantastic, dark and gritty thriller from this talented author.

The thing I most like about this author is how he manages to combine an exciting thriller with an emotional story to great affect. The emotions of everyone involved from the criminals to the children’s families is included into the story which makes it seem very realistic. It also makes for quite heartbreaking and difficult reading at times as the reader feels so involved in the story. There is one quite emotional bit in the book which made me put the book down for a little bit as it was so intense.

The author does a great job of setting the scene in this book and the city of Benn is vividly described so that I could clearly envision it. It is obvious that the author loves his country and I had to smile at times as I felt I could almost hear his enthusiasm for it. It definitely sounds like a beautiful country and I’ve added it to my list of places I’d like to visit.

The book is quite fast paced and there is always lots going on to keep the reader interested. There is a feeling that anything might happen and a feeling of unease running through the book which kept me gripped and often sent a shiver down the spine. Unfortunately this type of crime seems to be on the rise and this helped make the story even more hard hitting as you realise the characters experience could have been experienced in real life.

This is the second book in the series and while it could be read as a standalone it’s probably best to read the books in order as you will understand Varg’s past more.

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

About The Author:

One of the fathers of Nordic Noir, Gunnar Staalesen was born in Bergen, Norway, in 1947. He made his debut at the age of twenty-two with Seasons of Innocence and in 1977 he published the first book in the Varg Veum series. He is the author of over twenty titles, which have been published in twenty-four countries and sold over four million copies. Twelve film adaptations of his Varg Veum crime novels have appeared since 2007, starring the popular Norwegian actor Trond Espen Seim. Staalesen has won three Golden Pistols (including the Prize of Honour) and Where Roses Never Die won the 2017 Petrona Award for crime fiction. He lives with his wife in Bergen.

Book Synopsis:

When Louise is dumped by Mike on their twentieth wedding anniversary, she faces the daunting task of picking up the pieces of her life. She can either choose to persevere in her adopted hometown of London, bolstered by dear friends and the fashion business she loves, or return to her native Sweden alone. Can she find happiness with an old flame in a city she avoided for two decades? Or will her ex’s violent, criminal past haunt her forever? As Mike become increasingly unhinged, the choices Louise makes could prove fatal. Will she ever be able to say goodbye to the past and start afresh?

We Never Said Goodbye is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only £1.99. You can purchase a copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

This was a compelling, emotional read which I found hard to put down. The author takes the reader on a drama filled journey with some interesting characters.

I really felt for poor Louise, I know from my mum (we lost my dad ten years ago) how hard it is to start over again so I sympathised with everything she was going through. It was heartwarming to see how her friends rallied round her and I enjoyed watching her journey from despair to hope. From the beginning I was completely on her side and I wanted to keep reading to make sure she was ok. In contrast Mike is a despicable character who I absolutely loathed. What an uncaring, callous, selfish man he was. How be could do that to the lovely Louise was beyond me and I read the story getting increasingly angry with him.

There is a great pace to this book and lots of drama to keep the reader firmly glued to the page. The author manages to combine a lot of different themes including love, abuse and violence to make a fantastic, thrilling story. The ending was very satisfying and I liked how everyone got the ending I felt they deserved!

Huge thanks to Sarah from Books On The Bright side publicity for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book which I received in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author:

Hélene Fermont writes character-driven psychological crime fiction with a Scandi Noir flavour. 

Known for her explosive, pacy narrative and storylines, she has published three novels – Because of You, We Never Said Goodbye and His Guilty Secret – and two short story collections – The Love of Her Life and Who’s Sorry Now? Her fourth novel is due for release in the summer of 2019. 

After 20 years in London, Hélene recently returned to her native Sweden where she finds the unspoiled scenery and tranquillity a therapeutic boost for creativity. 

Enjoying a successful career as a Psychologist, when she’s not working her ‘day job’, Hélene spends her time writing, with friends and family, or playing with her beloved cat, Teddy.

Book Synopsis:

All trees have a story.

Holly Worton has spent the last few years talking to trees – the birches, the oaks, the beeches and the sycamores.

You’re probably wondering:  How is it that trees can talk?  Is this for real?

Trees are living, breathing organisms which humans are able to connect and talk to on a deeper level through silent, telepathic communication.

Trees have a much broader perspective on life compared to humans.  Trees can live hundreds and even thousands of years.

This means Trees have thousands of years of wisdom that we’re able to tap into.  Talking to the trees can bring us back to our true selves and can reflect back to us the things we need to see in ourselves.  It can also be a space for deep healing.

Living in the technology age, however, we spend our lives connected to computers, mobile phones, and video games. Consequently, we’ve become increasingly disconnected from ourselves and from Nature.

This book is meant to gently encourage you to get back to Nature and turn to the magic and the wisdom of the trees. By reconnecting to Nature, you can improve your relationship with yourself, which will help you make better, more aligned choices in your life.

This book is for you if:

• You love Nature and the outdoors.
• You feel like there’s something more to life, but you don’t know what that is.
• You’re feeling disconnected from yourself, like your life has somehow gotten off track.
• You feel like you don’t really know who you are anymore… or maybe you’ve never truly known yourself at all.
• Life is going just fine, but you have the notion things could be much better.

Throughout this book, you’ll follow the author, Holly Worton on a journey of connecting on a deeper level with the wisdom of the trees. You’ll hear their stories, and you’ll be given a series of experiments to carry out, should you choose to do so. These will help you to connect with yourself through connecting with Nature, and they’ll open you up to the deep wisdom and healing that the trees can offer.

The trees will help you to get out of your head and into your body, so you can feel more deeply and truly experience all the JOY that life has to offer. They’ll add a new level of richness to your life that you have never thought possible.

If Trees Could Talk is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

I’ve always been intrigued by the concept of trees and what they could have seen or experienced so this book instantly appealed to me. If Trees Could Talk is a magical, fascinating look into what we could learn from trees.

I so enjoyed reading this book and felt my stress and worries leaving me the more I read. I felt I could picture the beautiful forests and woods that the author visits in my mind. I could see all the different shades of green, with perhaps the sun coming through the trees which made me feel very relaxed.

The book starts with an interesting introduction from the author which explains what she is hoping to get from the book which was very helpful. The rest of the book is divided into chapters which each focus on a different type of tree and a different life lesson that we could learn from these. I found these observations very insightful and they have given me food for thought for things that I could perhaps improve in my own life.

The author hopes to encourage people to spend more time out doors and this book has definitely reawakened my love for the outdoors. The focus on the healing properties that being out in the natural world could offer was very insightful and in this busy world easy to overlook. It’s something that I think more people should be made aware of and I’m excited to spend more time outside soon with the kids.

Huge thanks to Bookollective for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book which I received in exchange for an honest review. Feeling stressed or anxious? You need to read this book!

About The Author:

Holly Worton is a podcaster and author of nine books who helps people get to know themselves better through connecting with Nature, so they can feel happier and more fulfilled. Holly enjoys spending time outdoors, walking long-distance trails and exploring Britain’s sacred sites. She’s originally from California and now lives in the Surrey Hills, but has also lived in Spain, Costa Rica, Mexico, Chile, and Argentina. Holly is a member of the Druid order OBOD.

Holly ran her first business for ten years, building it up to become a multi-million-dollar enterprise. When she went into the coaching world she was confident that she had the business and marketing skills she needed to set up a new company. And she did – but she struggled to grow her new venture quickly because she encountered fears, blocks, and limiting beliefs that she didn’t even know she had. 

She discovered that pushing forward and taking action just wasn’t enough. She needed to transform her mindset and release her blocks, as this was the only way to take the right actions to move her new business forward. Thus began her journey of intense personal development through deep mindset work, which transformed her existing coaching business into a focus on helping people with their business mindset. 

Eventually, she realized that she wanted to devote her time to helping people through her writing, and she let go of her mindset business to focus on her books. Now, Holly continues to write about mindset, long-distance walking, and connecting to Nature.

Book Synopsis:

Walter, a child prodigy who now works on Wall Street, considers himself a father figure to Amanda, his daughter s best friend and only child of a neglectful single mother. But when he loses his job after the 2008 financial crisis and his materialistic wife leaves him, taking their daughter, his relationship with Amanda enters a precarious new stage.
Walter struggles to give her the affection and guidance she needs, without succumbing to her budding sexuality. In the year before she enters high school, these two lonely souls will transform each other as Walter breaks out of his emotional shell, and Amanda blossoms into adolescence.
In a world that has always failed to protect its most vulnerable, The Best of Crimes is a new narrative and an unconventional love story that will challenge your perception of right and wrong.

The Best Of Crimes is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy of this book using the link.

My Review:

The Best Of Crimes is a powerful, emotional book which tackles a very difficult subject. It’s taken me a while to write this review as I wasn’t completely sure how I felt about it.

The book is beautifully written and the story instantly draws the reader into the story. There are some great characters that I loved to hate, especially Walter who I was very confused by. He seems such a nice likeable guy who seems to realise that his infatuation with Amanda is wrong but can’t seem to stop feeling the way he does. I found myself almost feeling sorry for him at some points until I remembered what he was doing. The secondary characters of Walter’s ex wife and Amanda’s mum were just as interesting and helped to bring an interesting slant to the story as it became clear how easy it is for such a relationship to go unnoticed. I can’t believe the pairs casual attitude to Walter and Amanda’s relationship as if it was my daughter alarm bells would be ringing everywhere. The pair actually made me quite cross and I found them to be very frustrating. I wished I could go into the book to have a stern word with both of them.

The author manages to write about a difficult subject with great sensitivity and without trying to shock the reader which makes the story very realistic. Some of the parts of the book made for very uncomfortable reading and I did find myself skipping parts as I couldn’t read them. However at other times I found myself almost routing for the couple and wanting their relationship to succeed, before remembering what was happening. I went through a range of quite strong emotions whilst reading this which I think shows the quality of the writing as I think it takes a lot of skill to make a reader feel that way.

Huge thanks to Anna from Red Door Books for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book which I received in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author:

K.C. Maher grew up outside of Chicago and has been writing fiction all her adult life. Her writing has appeared in little magazines online and off. Mostly, though, her career has been a series of near misses. Now that her children are grown, she writes more than she sleeps. Only recently has she noticed that her imagination runs to, and cultivates, the exception to the rule. Her husband, however, has always known this, as have lawyers considering her for jury duty.

Book Synopsis:

Kingfisher Road – a leafy, peaceful street in the town of Vayhill. But there are whispers behind closed doors. Who is moving into Number 10?

Engaged to handsome, wealthy Justin Johnston, Danielle appears to her new neighbours to have the perfect, glossy life. But not everything is as it seems…

In fact, each of the other four women who live close by has a secret, and each is nursing their own private heartache.

But could a gift be waiting on their doorsteps? And, by opening their front doors, and their hearts, to each other, could the women of Kingfisher Road discover all the help they need?

The Gift Of Friends is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase a copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

I am a huge fan of this author so I was completely honoured and thrilled to be invited onto the blog tour for, sadly, this her last book. It’s a book I made sure I read in peace and quiet, savouring ever word .

The book is set in and around Kingfisher Close which is a wonderful sounding community that I’d love to be a part of. I so enjoyed reading about the lives the woman had, seeing how close they were and how they supported each other. The reader is given a fly on the wall glimpse into all the drama and action so I felt that I was actually there experiencing it first hand or as one of the dreaded curtain twitches the woman loathe!

The characters are all well written and developed with each one bringing something different to the group. Throughout the book we learn more about each if them and their histories which made me warm to them. I found I liked all of the characters equally but I maybe leaned more towards Maia as I sympathised with her having teenagers as the attitude I get from my six year old is more than enough! Seeing all the characters function so well as a group was really heartwarming and led to my favourite interactions in the book.

The author’s easy style just draws the reader into the book and there is plenty happening to keep the reader thoroughly entertained. I grew very fond of the characters and wanted to simultaneously keep reading to find out what happens and slow down as I didn’t want it to end.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Headline for my copy of this book. If you haven’t read any of Emma’s books yet this is a great one to start with!

About The Author:

Emma Hannigan was the beloved and bestselling author of many novels and a memoir. Letters to my Daughters, her twelfth novel, spent five weeks at Number One in the Original Fiction bestseller chart in Ireland on publication in 2018. The Perfect Gift and The Wedding Promise were also Number One bestsellers in Ireland. The Secrets We Share won the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Epic Romantic Novel award. Emma won Woman of the Year in the literature category of the Irish Tatler Women of the Year awards and was shortlisted twice for an Irish Book award. Emma published her bestselling memoir Talk to the Headscarf in 2011, which was updated and extended in 2017 as All to Live For: Fighting Cancer. Finding Hope and was a top ten bestseller in Ireland.

In 2005, Emma discovered that she had the BRCA1 gene mutation which carries an 85 per cent risk of developing breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of developing ovarian cancer. In 2007 she was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time and her eleven-year battle with cancer began. As an ambassador for Breast Cancer Ireland Emma worked hard to dispel the fears around cancer and spread hope about new treatments. In February 2018 Emma shared with her readers that her dedicated team of doctors had exhausted all avenues in terms of her treatment. In Emma’s final days, she launched a social media campaign #HelpEmmaHelpOthers to raise €100,000 for Breast Cancer Ireland. Two weeks later, shortly before her death, Emma’s target had been reached. In the final months of her life, despite the limitations of her illness, Emma completed her thirteenth novel, The Gift of Friends, sending her acknowledgements to her editor just days before she passed away.

Book Synopsis:

Ethan Scofield returns to the place of his birth to bury his father. Hidden in one of the upstairs rooms of the old man’s house he finds a strange manuscript, a collection of stories that seems to cover the whole of his father’s turbulent life.

As his own life starts to unravel, Ethan works his way through the manuscript, trying to find answers to the mysteries that have plagued him since he was a child. What happened to his little brother? Why was his mother taken from him?

And why, in the end, when there was no one else left, did his own father push him away?

Swinging from the coral cays of the Caribbean to the dangerous deserts of Yemen and the wild rivers of Africa, Turbulent Wake is a bewitching, powerful and deeply moving story of love and loss … of the indelible damage we do to those closest to us and, ultimately, of the power of redemption in a time of change.

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

My Review:

Wow what an amazing change in pace for this talented author! The blurb says that it is a major change in direction but I didn’t think it would be such a dramatic or well worked one! Turbulent Wake is a beautifully written and atmospheric read that will stay with me for a long time. From the author’s blurb I think this was a personal book for him and I think this shows in the passion with which this book is written.

The story alternates between past and present revealing a complicated and emotional father-son relationship that Ethan had with his father, Warren. In the past chapters we learn more about Warren’s life and the experiences that shaped him. I liked the way that the author slowly allows the reader to get to know him and to form their own opinions about him. I especially liked the parts where Warren’s version of events contrast sharply with Ethan’s own memories of how they happened. I thought this was truly thought provoking and confirmed my belief that all parents are just human. Warren has definitely had some amazing experiences and it was great to see Ethan slowly gain understand and acceptance as to who his father was.

This book starts off slow but soon gathers pace as we start to learn more about the characters and about Warren’s experiences. The author’s vivid descriptions are wonderful and I felt like I had a fly on the wall view of everything that was happening. He writes with great passion and is able to convey the emotions his characters may be feeling beautifully so that they are almost palpable. His ability to switch from describing a love scene to a war scene showed great skill particularly as he managed to make both very realistic.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orenda books for my copy of this book. If you like emotional, atmospheric books that manages to cover lots of different genres then you’ll love this book!

About The Author:

Canadian by birth, Paul has spent 25 years working all over the world as an engineer, hydrologist and environmental scientist. He has rough-necked on oil rigs in Texas, explored for gold in the Arctic, and rehabilitated village water wells in the wilds of Africa. He survived a bomb blast in a café in Sana’a in 1993 and was one of the last westerners out of Yemen before the outbreak of the 1994 civil war. The Abrupt Physics of Dying, his first novel, received great critical acclaim, and was short-listed for the CWA Creasy New Blood Dagger award. The Evolution of Fear, his second novel, will be released early this year. Paul is a university professor and Director of Australia’s national water, land and ecosystems research program. He is a pilot, a sailor, a keen outdoorsman, and conservation volunteer. Paul lives in Western Australia.

Book Synopsis:

Autumn 1920. When Bernard Cavalier, a flamboyant London artist, marries Evie Brunton, a beautiful Devon post lady, everyone expects a happy ending. But Evie misses cycling down country lanes, delivering the mail, and is finding it hard to adapt to her new life among Mayfair’s high society. Meanwhile Bernard, now a well-known artist, is struggling to give up his bachelor ways.
The Wrong Direction is as light and witty as The Wrong Envelope, with racy characters and a fast-paced plot. Wild parties, flirtatious models, jealous friends – Bernard and Evie must negotiate many twists and turns if they are to hold on to each other…

The Wrong Envelope is available in ebook and paperback now. You can see a copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

I was a big fan of this author’s first book so I was incredibly excited to be invited onto the blog tour for the sequel. It was so nice to catch up with the fabulous Bernard and Evie again and to to see what happens next for them.

The story starts where The Wrong Envelope left of and we catch up with the couple as they are newly married but struggling with married life. I liked how realistic this bit was as I think it would have been easy for the author to write a happy ever after, sugar coated ending. Instead the characters struggle to fit into their new roles, lives and how to live together which is true with real life.

Once again my favourite character out of the two of them was Bernard who it’s hard not to love. I think I felt a lot of sympathy for him as he is accident probe like me and very good at putting his foot in it without meaning to, which I’m also good at. However he has a heart of gold and doesn’t mean any harm which made him easy to like.

The author’s easy style just drew me back into the story and the characters lives like I hadn’t left it. I felt at times like I was watching an old black and white movie as the story had a nostalgic feel to it. The 20s has always been one of my for favourite eras so I enjoyed the descriptions of life back then. I found myself fully absorbed in the book and want to keep reading to find out what happens to the couple. I really hope this isn’t the last we’ll see if Evie and Bernard.

Huge thanks to Kelly from Love Books Group for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Liz is a writer and an art photographer. She lives in the Highlands of Scotland beside the sea. Her love of images influences her writing. 

Her debut novel, ‘The Wrong Envelope’, is a romantic comedy, set in Devon, England, in 1920. It tells the story of Bernard, an impulsive artist and Evie, his determined post lady. Light and witty and full of twists and turns, ‘The Wrong Envelope’ captures the spirit of another age – when letters could change lives.

The sequel, ‘The Wrong Direction’, follows Evie and Bernard to London, and charts their further adventures in Mayfair’s high society. Wild parties, flirtatious models, jealous friends – Bernard and Evie must negotiate many twists and turns if they are to hold on to each other.

For more information visit: liztreacher.com
Follow on Twitter: @liztreacher
Facebook: @LizTreacherAuthor
Instagram: @liztreacher

Book Synopsis:

The gripping new novel by Sunday Times Number One bestseller Victoria Hislop is set against the backdrop of the German occupation of Greece, the subsequent civil war and a military dictatorship, all of which left deep scars.

Athens 1941. After decades of political uncertainty, Greece is polarised between Right- and Left-wing views when the Germans invade. 
Fifteen-year-old Themis comes from a family divided by these political differences. The Nazi occupation deepens the fault-lines between those she loves just as it reduces Greece to destitution. She watches friends die in the ensuing famine and is moved to commit acts of resistance.

In the civil war that follows the end of the occupation, Themis joins the Communist army, where she experiences the extremes of love and hatred and the paradoxes presented by a war in which Greek fights Greek.

Eventually imprisoned on the infamous islands of exile, Makronisos and then Trikeri, Themis encounters another prisoner whose life will entwine with her own in ways neither can foresee. And finds she must weigh her principles against her desire to escape and live.

As she looks back on her life, Themis realises how tightly the personal and political can become entangled. While some wounds heal, others deepen.

This powerful new novel from Number One bestseller Victoria Hislop sheds light on the complexity and trauma of Greece’s past and weaves it into the epic tale of an ordinary woman compelled to live an extraordinary life.

Those Who Are Loved is published today in ebook and hardback. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Those Who Are Loved is the latest book from the wonderful Victoria Hislop who is one of my all time favourite authors as I credit her book The Island as the book that got me out of a huge reading slump. Once again the author has written a fantastically gripping but highly emotional historical novel which will stay with me for a long time.

The occupation of Greece during WW2 is not a subject I knew anything about before reading this book so I found all the details about this utterly fascinating. The author has clearly done her research and manages to bring this period to life with the vivid descriptions of what life was like under the occupation. The fear and oppression that became the norm is almost palpable and I found myself on edge through parts of the book. It was great to read about the bravery of ordinary citizens whose exploits to fight the regime where very admirable. I’m not sure I would have the courage they did in the same situation.

The story follows Themis in two time periods, one as a fifteen year old during the war and the other as an old lady in 2016. Themis is a character that I loved instantly and someone I think I’d love to have as a grannie. She’s obviously seen and done a lot during her time but is aware that not everyone will think favourably about her actions. We learn about Greece’s history through her which makes what happens seem more personal and more horrific as it feels like it is happening to someone you know.

The story goes along at a good pace and I was soon absorbed into the story with the vivid descriptions of Greek culture and the beautiful sounding scenery. I was so fascinated by the story that wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen even though I wasn’t sure I would like it. It being war time there are some very harrowing and emotional parts to this book which had me in tears at times. My heart broke for Themis and all she goes through but it was more upsetting to realise that the events could actually have happened.

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

About The Author:

Inspired by a visit to Spinalonga, the abandoned Greek leprosy colony, Victoria Hislop wrote The Island in 2005. It became an international bestseller and a 26-part Greek TV series. She was named Newcomer of the Year at the British Book Awards and is now an ambassador for Lepra. The Island has sold over 1.2million copies in the UK and more than 5 million worldwide. 

Her affection for the Mediterranean then took her to Spain, which inspired her second bestseller The Return, and she returned to Greece to tell the turbulent tale of Thessaloniki in The Thread, shortlisted for a British Book Award and confirming her reputation as an inspirational storyteller. It was followed by her much-admired Greece-set short story collection, The Last Dance and Other Stories. The Sunrise, a Sunday Times Number One bestseller about the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, was published to widespread acclaim in 2014. Victoria’s most recent book, Cartes Postales from Greece was a Sunday Times Number One bestseller and one of the Top Ten biggest selling paperbacks of 2017. Her novels have sold 10 million copies worldwide.

Good morning everyone I’m on the blog tour for Children In Chains by Lorraine Mace today and I have a great Q and A with the author to share with you.

Children In Chains is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only 99p. You can purchase a copy of both using the link below.

Before I share my Q and A with you here is a little bit about the book.

Q And A:

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a fit and active mother and grandmother who runs 5km five times a week. My working life is entirely writing related – I am a creative writing tutor, editor and columnist. I live in a small Spanish village just a few kilometres inland and speak very bad Spanish.

What do you do when you are not writing?

Spend time with my family, walk, read – all the usual stuff.

Do you have a day job as well?

My day job involves lots of writing related activities which I carry out during normal office hours. Like most writers, I have to fit in my novel writing as and when I can.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I started writing short stories twenty years ago and finished my first novel in 2012. That was a book for children aged 8 – 12, which is a far cry from my crime series. I still like to write for children in between times, but my first love now is writing the D.I. Sterling series.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

I have always been an avid crime reader, so it was a natural progression to write in the genre.

Where do you get your ideas?

I think I just have a naturally sick mind. I always have evil crimes and perpetrators in my head that need an outlet.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Not as such, but when I’ve had a day dealing with the work of other writers it’s sometimes hard to switch off and get into my own characters’ heads.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I work to a mixture of both. I have a vague outline of how the book will go – I know who the criminal is and the crime. I know the general set up and how the solution will arrive, but when I’m writing other characters always turn up to change things. I am very flexible and would hate to have to stick to a rigid format.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

My first book, as mentioned above, was the children’s novel. I was lucky enough to attract the representation of one of the UK’s top children’s agents. She fell in love with Vlad the Inhaler and did all she could to find a publisher. Sadly, no one felt the same degree of love for the book that she did. After a year and half we parted company and I recently self-published Vlad rather than let him languish unloved on my hard drive – he now languishes unloved on Amazon instead.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

My crime novels are a mix of real life experiences and my extremely overactive imagination. I’ve been fortunate enough to live in several different countries and met some interesting (in the bad sense of the word) people from whom I’ve taken certain traits and created characters based on their worst aspects.

What was your hardest scene to write?

Those scenes where Pete (the evil pop star abuser) is anticipating the fun he’s going to have with children.

How did you come up with the title?

I felt that Children in Chains fitted the book’s content. The children are not actually in physical chains, but they might just as well be because they have no hope of breaking free.

What project are you working on now?

I’m in the final edits of book five in the series and about to start on book six.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

The toughest criticism came when I was first starting out and a writing tutor told me my ideas were tired and clichéd. She was right and I have since tried to make sure that whatever I write is fresh and original.

The best compliment is being told by readers that they are eagerly waiting for the next in the series.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Thank you for buying and reading my books. If you would like to know about future releases and giveaways, please visit my website and join the mailing list.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I wish you the best of luck with your book!

About The Author:

When not working on her D.I. STERLING crime novels, Lorraine Mace is engaged in many writing-related activities. She is a columnist for both Writing Magazine and Writers’ Forum and is head judge for Writers’ Forum monthly fiction competitions. A tutor for Writers Bureau, she also runs her own private critique and author mentoring service. 

She is co-author, with Maureen Vincent-Northam, of THE WRITER’S ABC CHECKLIST (Accent Press). Other books include children’s novel VLAD THE INHALER – HERO IN THE MAKING, and NOTES FROM THE MARGIN, a compilation of her Writing Magazine humour column.

Website: http://www.lorrainemace.com
Blog: http://thewritersabcchecklist.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lomace
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorraine.mace.52

Book Synopsis:

Roxy’s marriage has always been rock solid.

After twenty years, and with two carefree kids, she and Dave are still the perfect couple.

Until the day she comes home unexpectedly, and finds Dave in bed with their attractive, single neighbour.

Suddenly Roxy isn’t sure about anything – her past, the business she’s taken over from her dad, or what her family’s future might be. She’s spent so long caring about everyone else that she’s forgotten what she actually wants. But something has changed. And Roxy has a decision to make.

Whether it’s with Dave, or without him, it’s time for Roxy to start living for herself…

Her Husband’s Mistake is published in ebook and hardback on the 30th May 2019. You can pre-order your copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this author so I was hugely excited to be invited onto the blog tour for her latest book, Her Husband’s Mistake. The thing I always love about Sheila’s books is how absorbing they are but also how easy to read. For this reason they are normally my go to holiday read as they are perfect for relaxing with.

I liked the main character Roxy, although it did initially take me a while to warm to her. She seemed a very realistic character and I liked the way her indecision was described in the book and how the reader had access to all her reasoning about what she should do. She’s was definitely a fighter and didn’t immediate go running back to her husband which showed a strength that I thought very admirable. I enjoyed watching her develop throughout the book and come into her own. Her husband on the other hand had me seething regularly. He was an arrogant, sexist pig that I wished I could go into the book and give him a piece of my mind. The way he acts, despite being plainly in the wrong, made my blood boil and I hated how he twisted everything and tried to make Sheila doubt herself. He made me keep reading as I wanted to see what would happen in the end and hopefully see him get his just deserts!

As with most of Sheila’s books there is a serious theme running through the story and this time it is about the changing roles and attitudes towards women. This is starkly shown through the opportunity Roxy has to find out who she can be outside the family and her husband’s, mistaken belief that she should do what he says. I found it very interesting to watch the story play out because of this and found myself very grateful that such attitudes are slowly changing.

This was an absorbing read that I found I could sink into at the end of a long day. There was plenty of stuff happening to keep my interest and I enjoyed watching everything unfold. The author manages to fit in some fantastic descriptions of Dublin which has always been one of my favourite cities. It has definitely made me more determined to visit again.

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

About The Author:

Sheila O’Flanagan is the author of many bestselling novels including The Hideaway, What Happened That Night, The Missing Wife, My Mother’s Secret, If You Were Me, and All For You (winner of the Irish Independent Popular Fiction Book of the Year Award). She lives in Dublin with her husband.

http://www.sheilaoflanagan.com
Twitter @sheilaoflanagan 
Facebook.com/sheilabooks