Good morning everyone I’m on the blog tour for Haircuts, Hens and Homicide by Stephanie Dagg today and I have a great guest post to share with you.

Haircuts, Hens and Homicide is available in ebook now and you can purchase your copy here.

Before I share my guest post with you here is a little bit about the book.

Book Synopsis:

Megan finds mayhem when she arrives in France to bury her Gran and sort out her affairs. She expected difficult encounters with civil servants and red tape but not with wandering chickens, an imperious policeman and a dead body. Together with her unlikely new friend, the elderly and grumpy Alphonse and his canine equivalent, Monsieur Moustache, Megan becomes involved in investigating the fowl-related foul play that’s at work in this sleepy part of rural France.
She’s helped but mainly hindered by the people she comes across. These include the local mayor, who wants Megan to stay and set up a hair salon in his village to help keep it alive. There are the cousins Romain, the gendarme, and Nico, the clumsy but hunky farmer. They have always clashed, but do so constantly now that Megan is on the scene. Michelle, Romain’s terrifying ex who wants him back, appears along the way, as does Claudette, a wheelchair-bound old lady, and Kayla, Megan’s best friend, who is hugely pregnant but not above taking on the forces of French law and order when Megan finds herself the prime suspect after Alphonse is stabbed.
There’s excitement, humour and lots of ruffled feathers in this rom-com slash cosy mystery, the first in a projected series.

Guest Post:

I’m a bit of a crazy bird lady, as you might guess from my having written a book with ‘hens’ in the title. I have a lot of poultry, currently geese, ducks, quail, three different breeds of turkeys and, of course, chickens.
It’s fifteen years since I got my first chickens. We’d just moved to our new house in the wilds of County Cork in Ireland with a lovely big garden that would be perfect for hens to free-range in. But of course they’d need somewhere fox-resistant to sleep in. I did some research into chicken coops, which come in all different shapes and sizes and prices, and settled on a space-age Eglu from a company called Omlet. The Eglu consisted of a brightly coloured, tough plastic bunker with an adjoining run. It wasn’t too expensive, even with the cost of getting it sent over from England, and it’s proved to be a very sound investment. It’s still going strong, although it’s a little faded and dented, and over the intervening years it has housed not only hen and turkey chicks, but goslings and ducklings, guinea-pigs, rabbits and kittens. But I digress.
Our farmer neighbour gave me the address of her chicken supplier and so my youngest son and I, equipped with a cardboard box, headed off into the even wilder wilds of County Cork to find her. The lady in question led us out to a barn, opened the door and, in one swift movement, grabbed two of its occupants by the legs. These indignant, upside-down birds were now mine.
Back home, and the right way up, they soon settled in. We named them, rather wittily we thought, Lady Egg and Princess Layla. I’d hoped for eggs within a week or two but these two eager-to-please young chickens provided us with some during their inaugural night in the Eglu. We were thrilled.
We all became very fond of Lady and Princess. They roamed our garden by day and slept safely in the Eglu by night. When we went on holiday, they moved in with our neighbour’s chickens for the duration. We identified them with leg rings to be on the safe side, but I could have distinguished my girls even in a flock of a million brown chickens.
Shows are a big thing in rural Ireland. Many towns organise one each year where there are produce and craft stalls and competitions, show-jumping, cattle, pig and sheep judging, and various displays in the main ring. I always enthusiastically took part in the show, entering the cooking and knitting classes and the children entered the craft classes for their age group. There was a hen’s egg competition too. Over ten days I carefully collected my girls’ eggs. These were quite distinctive, Lady’s being smaller and rounder than those of Princess. Usually we’d eat them or cook with them immediately, but we restrained ourselves. I hadn’t realised before, but Princess’s eggs varied quite a lot in size and speckledness. They weren’t uniform at all. However, Lady’s were. I choose the six most identical, popped them in a decorated egg-box and delivered these to the wooden trestle table allocated to this class. There were many, many other entries but I was quietly optimistic. And that optimism was rewarded with first prize. I could hardly believe it. Our little brown chicken was now a prize-winner. It didn’t go to her head, although it definitely went to mine!
Three years after becoming chicken owners, circumstances took us to France to start new lives there. It would have meant complicated paperwork to bring the chickens with us, and heaven knows it was stressful enough just moving ourselves, plus a miserable journey there for them, so we reluctantly made the decision to rehome them with another kind neighbour. We were sad to part with our baptismal chickens, who were firm favourites with us all, but they were in good hands. Princess and Lady never looked back once as we released them into their new coop, where they immediately set up on the insect life with ruthless determination. Chickens are like that, I’m afraid.
Now that I’d had chickens, I couldn’t be without them again, so we very soon bought our first French chickens and then ducks, then turkeys, then geese, then quail… Princess Layla’s and Lady Egg’s legacy lives on to this day in my large feathery flock here in France.

About The Author:

I’m an English expat living in France, having moved here with my family in 2006 after fourteen years as an expat in Ireland. I now consider myself a European rather than ‘belonging’ to any particular country. The last ten years have been interesting, to put it mildly. Taking on seventy-five acres with three lakes, two hovels and one cathedral-sized barn, not to mention an ever increasing menagerie, makes for exciting times.
The current array of animals includes alpacas, llamas, huarizos (alpaca-llama crossbreds, unintended in our case and all of them thanks to one very determined alpaca male), sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys, not forgetting our pets of dogs, cats, zebra finches, budgies , canaries, lovebirds and Chinese quail. Before we came to France all we had was a dog and two chickens, so it’s been a steep learning curve. I recount these experiences in my book Heads Above Water: Staying Afloat in France and the sequel to that, Total Immersion: Ten Years in France. I also blog regularly at http://www.bloginfrance.com.

I’m married to Chris and we have three bilingual TCKs (third culture kids) who are resilient and resourceful and generally wonderful.

I’m a traditionally-published author of many children’s books, and am now self-publishing too. I have worked part-time as a freelance editor for thirty years after starting out as a desk editor for Hodder & Stoughton. Find me at http://www.editing.zone. The rest of the time I’m running carp fishing lakes with Chris and inevitably cleaning up some or other animal’s poop.

Social Media Links –

Twitter: @llamamum

Facebook: www.facebook.com/StephanieDaggBooks/

Website: www.bloginfrance.com

Good morning everyone I was meant to be on the cover reveal yesterday for The Perfect Betrayal by Lauren North but was unable to share yesterday as my little girl was poorly.  Apologies to Lauren and the publisher for the delay.

The Perfect Betrayal will be published in ebook on the 14th March 2019 but you can pre-order your copy here.

Before I share the amazing cover with you here is a little bit about the book.

Book Synopsis:

I thought she was our friend. I thought she was trying to help us.’

After the sudden death of her husband, Tess Clarke is drowning in grief. All she has left is her son, Jamie, and she’ll do anything to protect him – but she’s struggling to cope.

When grief counsellor Shelley knocks on their door, everything changes. Shelley is beautiful, confident and takes control when Tess can’t bear to face the outside world.

But when questions arise over her husband’s death and strange things start to happen, Tess begins to suspect that Shelley may have an ulterior motive. Tess knows she must do everything she can to keep Jamie safe – but who can she trust?

Cover Reveal:

So without any further ado here is the fantastic cover!

Isn’t it fabulous? I love the blue and I think the broken door is very intriguing, I wonder what it means? Eek so excited for this one!

About The Author:

Lauren writes psychological suspense novels that delve into the darker side of relationships and families. She has a lifelong passion for writing, reading, and all things books. Lauren’s love of psychological suspense has grown since childhood and her dark imagination of always wondering what’s the worst thing that could happen in every situation.

Lauren studied psychology before moving to London where she lived and worked for many years. She now lives with her family in the Suffolk countryside. Readers can follow Lauren on Twitter @Lauren_C_North and Facebook @LaurenNorthAuthor

Great morning everyone I’m on the blog tour for The Thirty-Five Timely & Untimely Deaths Of Cumberland County by Mason Ball today and I have a great extract to share with you.

This book is available in ebook and paperback now, the ebook is currently only £1.49.  You can purchase a copy of both here.

Before I share my extract with you here is a little bit about the book.

Book Synopsis:

The dying years of the great depression; John Bischoffberger is a Pennsylvanian doctor adrift in Naples, Maine, struggling with his loss of religious faith and retreating from painful memories of The Great War. As Medical Examiner John must document deaths that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances. Yet as he goes about his work, he begins to suspect that the deaths he is called upon to deal with are in fact far from routine. He becomes convinced that three itinerants are going about the county, killing. An old woman, a little girl, and a thin man are fulfilling some strange and unspoken duty, brutally murdering men, women and children; and the deaths seem to be drawing closer to John: others who may suspect foul play, then acquaintances of his, then perhaps friends, even family members. As the storm clouds of a new world war gather in Europe, and John’s rationality slowly unravels, he must find a way to disprove what he has reluctantly come to believe, or to confirm his worst fears and take steps to end the killing spree of the three in the woods, whatever the cost.

Extract:

Wilfred York reaches out over the water, flame-haired and straining for the raft, only the thinnest branch anchoring him to the shore. The other boys watch as he stretches himself
above his own reflection, both Wilfreds biting their lower lips, no doubt damning their own meager twelve years and the stunted boyish limbs that refuse to do the job. His fingers brush lightly at the wooden planks but serve only to push the raft further out into the brook.
He curses loudly. The other boys giggle, one suggests the climbing of trees, another pooh sticks, a third that they should go throw stones at his sister and her friends. Wilfred throws the three his best glare. “But we can’t reach it,” says the tree climber.
“Can’t be nomoren up to my chest,” says Wilfred. The stone thrower whines that he’s hungry. While they squabble the raft continues to skate, slow and frictionless, across the brook’s surface and away from them.
Upstream a stretch, unseen among the trees, the old woman turns to the little girl, her face as stone, forefinger near jousting with the girl’s nose.
“Now you stay right here like we agreed and don’t you go messin around on me. Right
here, you hear?”
The girl smiles puckishly.
“Here hear,” she mimics, “herehearhere.”
The old woman slaps the girl hard across the face; the girl swallows a yelp, falling against a tree, holding her cheek. The old woman’s hand becomes a finger again.
“What did I say? What did I say? Don’t play your fool games with me. You think I’m afraid of you? I don’t care what your name is, you aint nearly too old for a whuppin. What did I say?” The girl’s eyes seethe, her swollen mouth all teeth and bitter spittle, all but snarling.
“I’ll kill you,” she says quietly.
“What do you want, little girl?”
A hardness settles on miniature features.
“To burn the world down,” she spits. There is a moment before she thaws, adding, “All I want is to watch. Herehear’s fine.”
The old woman holds the girl’s gaze a moment longer, as if to fasten her to the spot, then turns and makes for the brook.
Wilfred spits, steels himself, then marches in, shoes and all; the warm water soon swallows his knees, then his waist. The shock of the cold at the bottom, more biting the further in he wades, catches the breath in his throat. It seems impossible that the sun hasn’t
been able to reach that deep. Water creeps to his shoulders and he’s dancing tiptoe across the brook bed, ankles frozen where they leave his shoes. He is gripped with the sudden need to pee.
The stone thrower throws a stone that narrowly misses him, splashing his face. The boys try to hide their laughter. Wilfred pirouettes awkwardly, the brook lapping at his chin, his
voice strained through a tight jaw.
“Do— do that again an— an you’ll re—” a breath, “gret it.” A mouth of brook water makes him choke for a moment, cough.
Lifting up the skirt of her dress the old woman steps, with barely a ripple, into the water.
Each considered footstep sees her deeper and deeper until, shoulders submerged, face austere and resolute, she dips her head and is gone, now little more than a gray shape; the sun
reflecting off the surface, a trick of the light, perhaps the side of a striped bass. The little girl watches avidly from behind her tree, absentmindedly tonguing her bloodied lip.

The old woman’s thin arms propel her along the dimness of the brook bed, hands grasping at rocks, claws in the mud, her white hair alive. That torn, empty kettle sound; the swirl of sediment, the reaching weeds. Above her, two small shoes kicking at the nothing. Anchoring her bare feet among a tangle of roots, the old woman reaches up into the warmer water, takes a firm hold on the boy’s trouser cuffs and pulls. Wilfred stiffens, sliding down through the silvered surface, his neck arching to steal a last instant in the world before he goes under. His young face is screwed into a fist, nostrils spewing bubbles as they fill. His arms are paddling uselessly, hands spread, eyes shut tight. His legs kick out, shoes impacting on her shoulders, her cheek, her chin, and for a moment he breaks free, piercing the surface; she can hear his raw intake of breath, dulled by the weight of the water, his exclamation, his panic.

The other boys’ voices call out from another world. She takes hold anew and draws him under again. He kicks, but weaker now, robbed of something, diluted. The old woman grabs his waist and pulls him to her, down into the cold, like a mother quelling an unnecessary tantrum. He’s making a high, dulled screaming sound from deep inside his body. He tears uselessly at her grip, which only tightens. His fingers feel hers; a second of identification and
a kind of understanding. His eyes open and he and the old woman look at one another. The old woman does not smile. His mouth opens, a scream that doesn’t quite fulfill its own criteria, rendered almost comical because of this, and the remaining air tumbles out of him
towards the surface.  She feels his body lose buoyancy as his lungs fill, his features distorting with the pain of
it; a warm stream of urine dissipates against her thigh. The old woman embraces him, holding him tightly for as long as is necessary.

John looked down at the freckled boy; the freckled boy for his part seemed to look back, albeit without seeing. The brook whispered at the bank, slow moving, flashing in the sun, faceless, seeming to deny its complicity in the event. He crouched beside the body, making his notes. Behind a tree stood Will Walker, looking at his shoes, unable to stand still; it was clear that he wanted to be anywhere but where he stood.

“You okay, Will?”
“I’m fine, Bisch, I’m okay.” There was a weariness in his answer that John had heard before. Death did strange things, particularly when the young were concerned, bled something out of you that it took time to replace, or to ignore the loss of. It had been a
profound disappointment when, years ago, John had learned that far from being unswayed by such things, doctors merely learned how to swallow them, perhaps to mend a little quicker.
John didn’t recognize the boy, in all likelihood had never treated him, and for that at least he was grateful.
“You say you knew the boy?”
“I did. Known the Yorks some fifteen year. Terrible thing.” A breathlessness in him.
“You can wait up with the deputy you know, Will.”
“I know it. Just don’t seem right. Leavin him.”
“He’ll be fine with me, Will. Elmer’s gonna want to talk to you anyway.” Will took a
breath, narrowed his eyes. “Honest, Will, you go on. He’ll be fine. I promise.” Will gave a humourless smile of thanks.
“Well if you think I should, Bisch. I’ll be honest I don’t feel real good.”
Up through the trees by the road, three boys were staring through the deputy as he asked them questions; shivering, distracted and bloodshot, their attention instead focused on the slivers they could still see through the trees of the pale boy on the bank.

Alone again, John finished his notes and stood, kicking out his stiffened knees. He looked at the boy’s body one last time, lips pursed, nodding slowly, though for what purpose he couldn’t have said.
He thought back on his words to Cora Gottam: The earth does what it wants. He wasted a moment wondering on the truth of this.  Some two hundred or so yards away, through the trees on the opposite bank, a small figure moved and for a brief moment John imagined it to be the boy, Wilfred York, having become somehow separated from his body, now making his way back to tell the doctor he was sorry for the trouble but it was fine, he’d found his way and could be alive again; just slip back into
place and everything would go on as before. John blinked. It was a little girl, skipping, dirty and frayed looking, grimy legs, hair uncombed straw. Another figure. The old woman from
the Portland Road, walking beside the girl, both dissolving gradually into the woods. They made a strange family, he thought, perhaps forged merely of a
shared poverty, perhaps blood. Did the old woman glance back at him? He couldn’t be sure.
As the pair finally vanished, he caught a glimpse of the old woman taking the little girl’s hand, or perhaps vice versa. It was a gesture that should have been touching but for some reason he saw it as anything but.
He wondered if one were leading the other, or whether in fact they were merely holding hands so as not to be alone. Joined in this way, they disappeared between the trunks.
A breeze picked up over the brook, the sun slid behind a cloud, casting shapes onto the earth. Up by the road, one of the boys was crying. At John’s feet, Wilfred York was still as dead as anyone had ever been.

About The Author:

Book Synopsis:

Best-selling author, Rob Ashman, is back with a serial killer thriller you don’t want to miss.

Alex Jarrod is a war veteran. When a flesh-eating parasite destroys his face, he returns from Afghanistan with a head full of nightmares. His world crumbles around him until he realises there is work to be done. Another war to fight.

DI Rosalind Kray has her hopes pinned on becoming the new DCI after tracking down another serial killer, but those in charge have other ideas.

After a small-time crook is killed in a hit and run and a serial burglar is brutally murdered, Kray suspects a vigilante is at work. But her bosses disregard her theory – until they discover a third victim.

Once again Kray finds herself on the trail of a serial killer but this one is different. This one lives in his own private war zone.

With her bosses on her heels, Kray has her work cut out and the body count is rising.

But he’s not going to stop until the mission is complete … and Kray’s not going to stop until she finds him.

Suspended Retribution is available in ebook now for the bargain price of £1.99, purchase your copy here.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of Rob’s books so was very excited to read Suspended Retribution his latest book.  This book was quite a thought provoking one for me and the first time I’ve actually felt sympathy with one of Rob’s killers.

The story is told from the point of view of Jarrod and DI Kray as she tries to find out who’s responsible for the crimes.  Interspersed within the story are flashbacks of Jarrod’s time in Afghanistan and all that he experienced which makes it easier for the reader to sympathize with him.

Once again the story doesn’t just follow the crime story but also includes some of the personal lives of the detectives involved.  This gives the reader the chance to get to know the characters better and means that they care more about what happens to them in the book.  I was especially involved in DI Keats story as I’ve always liked her and wanted her to do well.  J could almost feel her frustration when her superiors wouldn’t listen to them and wished I was able to stand up for her.

This is a very fast paced, gripping book that is very hard to put down.  The plot unfolds quickly with something new always happenning or being discovered.  Jarrod’s army experience adds a different twist to the story which I found quite fascinating.

I have read all of Rob’s books and am pleased to say that, in my opinion, they just get better and better.  I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from him in future.

Huge thanks to Bloodhound books for my copy of this book and to Sarah Hardy for inviting me onto the blog tour.  If you like fast past, thrillers with an unusual twist then you’ll love this book.

About The Author:

Rob is married to Karen with two grown up daughters. He is originally from South Wales and after moving around with work settled in North Lincolnshire where he’s spent the last twenty-two years.
Like all good welsh valley boys Rob worked for the National Coal Board after leaving school at sixteen and went to University at the tender age of twenty-three when the pit closures began to bite. Since then he’s worked in a variety of manufacturing and consulting roles both in the UK and abroad.
It took Rob twenty-four years to write his first book. He only became serious about writing it when his dad got cancer. It was an aggressive illness and Rob gave up work for three months to look after him and his mum. Writing Those That Remain became his coping mechanism. After he wrote the book his family encouraged him to continue, so not being one for half measures, Rob got himself made redundant, went self-employed so he could devote more time to writing and four years later the Mechanic Trilogy is the result.
Rob has published Those That Remain, In Your Name and Pay the Penance with Bloodhound Books and has since written Faceless, This Little Piggy and Suspended Retribution which will also be published by Bloodhound.
When he is not writing, Rob is a frustrated chef with a liking for beer and prosecco, and is known for occasional outbreaks of dancing.

Book Synopsis:

While staying in a Dorset cottage, Hugh Mullion finds a mysterious key down the side of an antique chair. No one can say how long the key has been there or what it opens.
Hugh’s search for answers will unlock the secrets of the troubled life of a talented artist, destined to be hailed a neglected genius fifty years too late. And no secret is darker than that of The Amber Maze, from whose malign influence he never escaped.

The trail takes Hugh from Edwardian Oxfordshire to 1960s Camden Town, where the ghosts of the past are finally laid to rest.

Delicately crafted noir fiction at its best.

The Amber Maze is available in ebook and paperback now.  You can purchase a copy of both here.

My Review:

The Amber Maze is an unusual and intriguing thriller about hidden secrets.

I’ve always liked the idea of finding some historic item and trying to solve the mystery of it, so that side of the book really appealed to me.  The mystery side of the story is quite fast paced with lots of interesting clues found that kept me interested.  The discovery of the key leads Hugh on a fascinating journey into long held family secrets, some of which took me by surprise.  The discovery of new clues sometimes seemed a little convenient but this didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book at all.

Hugh was a very interesting main character whose determination to find out the mystery behind the key, borders on obsession at times.  I couldn’t quite understand his fascination with the key at times and wondered why he was so interested in it.

The maze part of the story was very interesting and I loved the descriptions of Hugh going through the clues and piecing together the information to solve the mystery.

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:

Christopher Bowden lives in south London. His five previous novels are The Red House, The Blue Book, The Yellow Room, The Green Door and The Purple Shadow.

Book Synopsis:

You need to know who your husband really was…

When Paula Gadd’s husband of almost thirty years dies, just days away from the seventh anniversary of their son, Christopher’s death, her world falls apart. Grieving and bereft, she is stunned when a young woman approaches her at the funeral service, and slips something into her pocket. A note suggesting that Paula’s husband was not all that he seemed…
When the two women eventually meet, a series of revelations challenges everything Paula thought they knew, and it becomes immediately clear that both women’s lives are in very real danger.
Both a dark, twisty slice of domestic noir and taut, explosive psychological thriller, After He Died is also a chilling reminder that the people we trust the most can harbour the deadliest secrets…

After He Dies is available in ebook now and paperback on the 20th September.  You can purchase or pre-order your copy here.

My Review:

After He Dies is a dark, atmospheric book that was just a fantastic read.

The author is very good at creating dark, unsettling stories that play on the readers mind.  I found the story very intriguing as I wondered how on earth Paula hadn’t known about her husband’s other life.  I was soon reading faster and faster as I was drawn into Thomas’s seedy world, wondering how the story would play out.  There were some parts of this world which were a bit unsettling and therefore might not be to everyone’s taste.

Paula was a very interesting character.  She seems very strong and determined sometimes but fragile the next.  I felt quite sorry for her finding out the truth about both her beloved husband and the death of her son but at the same time I was wondering if she was everything that she seemed? Surely she must have known about her husband and what he was up to?  Clara, on the other hand was a very firery, confident character who was absolutely determined to get justice for her brother.  I had to admire her determination but wondered again about her motives and if she was all that she seemed.  The unlikely friendship she forms with Paula shouldn’t have worked but it does and I was glad they had each other.

A special mention is needed for Thomas’s brother Joe who is a fantastic, warm, caring character that I really enjoyed reading about.  The relationship he has with Paula was lovely and led to some of the most heart warming bits of the book.

This isn’t a fast paced book, instead there is an underlying sense of unease and a feeling that something is going to happen.  The tension gradually increases as things become more and more complicated and the truth about Thomas is gradually revealed.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Karen from Orenda Books for my copy of this book.  If you like tension filled, unsettling domestic noir you’ll love this book.

About The Author:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country, in Ayr. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. His career as a poet has also included a (very) brief stint as the Poet-In-Residence for an adult gift shop. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize (judge: Alex Gray) from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie’s Call (a non-fiction work about successful modern-day Scots); A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rageand The Bad Samaritan. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number one bestseller on AU/UK ebook charts, and House of Spines soon followed suit. Michael is a regular reviewer for the hugely popular crime fiction website http://www.crimesquad.com. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller.
Follow Michael on Twitter @michaelJmalone1

Book Synopsis:

An explosive debut thriller about one woman’s search for revenge – and the dangerous chain of events she sets in motion…

‘Hugely engrossing – a dark delight.’ Catherine Ryan Howard

Caroline Atkinson is powerless and angry. She has lost more than most – her marriage, her reputation, even her children. Then one day, she receives an unusual delivery: lost luggage belonging to the very man who is responsible, her estranged husband Jack.

In a leather holdall, Caroline unearths a dark secret, one that finally confirms her worst suspicions. Jack has kept a detailed diary of all his affairs; every name, every meeting, every lie is recorded. He even marks the women out of ten.

Caroline decides it’s time to even the score. She will make this man pay, even if it means risking everything…

Perfect Ten is available to buy now in ebook and in paper on the 4th April 2019.  You can purchase or pre-order your copy here.

My Review:

Ooh I do love a good revenge story! I think it’s because I probably wouldn’t have the nerve to do anything in real life, so it’s great to be able to read about such scenarios instead.

Caroline was a very interesting character whose side I wasn’t sure I was on at times.  Yes I felt for her with all the things her husband had said about her and put her through.  However there were times when Caroline’s wild and erratic behaviour made me wonder if there wasn’t a grain of truth in what Jack said, though it was never enough to make me want to stray onto his side.  Caroline is definitely hell set on getting revenge and I was glued to the pages wondering what she would do next.  There were some moments when I wondered what she was thinking as I thought she’d gone too far but others where I was cheering her on.

The twist at the end was completely unexpected and brilliantly done.  It managed to change what I thought about everything in the book and had me scrambling back through the pages to try to figure out whether I should have realised earlier.

This is the first debut novel and I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from her.  If you like tension filled, gripping revenge stories then you’ll love this book.

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

About The Author:

Jacqueline Ward’s debut psychological thriller, Perfect Ten, will be published by Corvus Atlantic Books in September 2018. Jacqueline writes stories about strong women and their lives and loves, exploring the real life emotions of revenge, obsession, rage, trust, guilt and joy.
She is represented by Judith Murray at Green & Heaton. For more information about Jacqueline and her work go to http://www.jacquelineward.co.uk

Jacqueline is also the author of the DS Jan Pearce crime fiction series Random Acts of Unkindness, Playlist for a Paper Angel and What I Left Behind, and SmartYellowTM, in the pen name of J A Christy.

Book Synopsis:

The heart-breaking and unforgettable new novel from Nikola Scott about two women born decades apart caught up in dark secrets. Perfect for readers of Dinah Jefferies and Kate Morton.

August 1939

At peaceful Summerhill, orphaned Maddy hides from the world and the rumours of war. Then her adored sister Georgina returns from a long trip with a new friend, the handsome Victor. Maddy fears that Victor is not all he seems, but she has no idea just what kind of danger has come into their lives…

Today

Chloe is newly pregnant. This should be a joyful time, but she is fearful for the future, despite her husband’s devotion. When chance takes her to Summerhill, she’s drawn into the mystery of what happened there decades before. And the past reaches out to touch her in ways that could change everything…

The Summer Of Secrets is available in ebook and paperback now.  You can purchase a copy of bothhere.

My Review:

I absolutely loved Nikola’s first book so I’ve been waiting impatiently to read more from her and I was definitely not disappointed.

The author drew me in straight away with the beautiful description of Summerville and an idyllic summer spent there.  I found myself sighing in happiness at the thought of childhood summers spent the same way.  The two sisters were wonderful characters that I warmed to instantly, really enjoying the relationship they have with one another.  The staff at the house are a lovely caring bunch too and I liked how much they care for the sisters.

The present day story line revolves around Chloe and her budding relationship with Maddy.  Chloe wasn’t a character I liked straight away as I didn’t like how she let Alistair push her around like she did.  However as the book goes on and the story develops I grew quite fond of her.  It was lovely to see her come out of her shell and gain confidence.

This is the perfect book to lose yourself in for a few hours.  The story isn’t particularly fast paced but there is always something happening to keep the readers interest.  I soon found myself completely absorbed in the book and the lives of the sisters both past and present.  I found I couldn’t wait for the kids to go to bed so I could read a bit more of the book.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Becky Hunter from Headline for my copy of this book.  If you like dual timeline mysteries that you can get lost in then you’ll love this book.

About The Author:

Nikola Scott was born and raised in Germany and studied at university there. Having been obsessed with books from a young age, Nikola moved to New York City after her Master’s degree to begin her first job in book publishing, a career in which she could fully indulge her love of fiction!

She spent ten years working in publishing in New York and then in London, editing other people’s books, before she decided to take the leap into becoming a full-time writer herself.

She now lives in Frankfurt with her husband and two sons.

MY MOTHER’S SHADOW was published in 2017 to wonderful reviews. Her new novel SUMMER OF SECRETS is out now.

Please visit http://www.nikolascott.com for more information, or find Nikola on Instagram @nikolascottauthor, Twitter @nikola_scott and Facebook/NikolaScottAuthor.

Book Synopsis:

Hunter by name – Hunter by nature: DI Hunter Wilson will not rest until his friend’s death is avenged.

DI Hunter Wilson is called to the scene of a murder. He is shocked to find the victim is his friend and colleague, George Reinbold.

Who would want to harm the quiet, old man? Why was a book worth £23,000 delivered to him that morning? Why is the security in George’s home so intense?

Hunter must investigate his friend’s past as well as the present to identify George’s killer.

When a new supply of cocaine from Peru floods HMP Edinburgh and the city, the courier leads Hunter to a criminal gang, but Hunter requires the help of his nemesis, the former Chief Constable, Sir Peter Myerscough, and local gangster, Ian Thomson, to make his case.

Hunter’s perseverance and patience are put to the test time after time in this taut crime thriller.

Hunter’s Revenge is the second in Val Penny’s gripping crime series featuring DI Hunter Wilson.

Hunter’s Revenge is available to buy in ebook and paperback now.  You can purchase your copy of both here.

My Review:

Hunter’s Revenge is a gripping crime novel, from a great new author.  Although this is the second book in the series I felt that it could be read as stand alone as everything you need to know is explained.

Firstly I loved the close knit detective team.  The descriptions of their interactions together were lovely to read about and it was truly lovely to see how much they cared about each other.   They all have their own problems at home to deal with but come together so well to solve the case as a well oiled machine.

I did like the main character Hunter.  He seemed like a very competent detective who was willing to work with anyone, even his enemies, in order to solve the case.  He seemed a bit of a cop with a heart as his obvious emotions at finding out who the victim was were quite touching to read about and I liked how he seemed to respect his colleagues.

This was a tension and drama filled crime book that was a very intriguing read.  There were lots of twists and turns in the story that were quite surprising at times and left me wondering who the murder was, which definetly kept me on my toes.

This is the first book by this author I have read and I will definitely be going back and reading the first book in this series.

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

About The Author:

Val Penny is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and two cats. She has a Law degree from Edinburgh University and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, lawyer, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer. However she has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballet dancer or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories and novels. Her first crime novel, ‘Hunter’s Chase’ set in Edinburgh, Scotland was published by Crooked Cat Books on 02.02.2018. The sequel, ‘Hunter’s Revenge’ will be published on 09.09.2018.

Social Media Links – @valeriepenny
http://www.authorvalpenny.com
http://www.facebook.com/valerie.penny.739

Book Synopsis:

Be careful what you wish for…

Long ago, Andrew made a childhood wish, and kept it in a silver box. When it finally comes true, he wishes he hadn’t…
Long ago, Ben made a promise and he had a dream: to travel to Africa to volunteer at a lion reserve. When he finally makes it, it isn’t for the reasons he imagined…
Ben and Andrew keep meeting in unexpected places, and the intense relationship that develops seems to be guided by fate. Or is it?
What if the very thing that draws them together is tainted by past secrets that threaten everything?
A dark, consuming drama that shifts from Zimbabwe to England, and then back into the past, The Lion Tamer Who Lost is also a devastatingly beautiful love story, with a tragic heart…

The Lion Tamer Who Lost is available in ebook now and in paperback on the 20th September.  You can purchase or pre-order your copy here.

My Review:

Louise Beech is one of my favourite authors and I was so excited to read her latest book, though a little nervous.  Surely she couldn’t write another book as great as Maria In The Moon? Yes, yes she could!

The thing I love most about Louise’s stories is her ability to draw the reader into the story and make them care about the characters.  I really liked Ben and soon started feeling very protective of him, especially when I learnt more about his father and his history.  I wished I was able to stand up for him at times and help guide him through the problems he finds himself faced with.

The setting of Zimbabwe is beautifully described and I felt like I could really imagine it in my mind.  The descriptions of the animals and the beautiful sunrises have left a lasting impression on me and I would definitely like to go visit some day.  I’ve actually been lucky enough to visit a lion sanctuary in South Africa so the scenes describing Ben’s time there brought back some very happy memories and sent me digging through my photos.

The story is told from two points of view.  One thread tells of Ben’s life in the present day fulfilling a life long wish to work at a lion sanctuary.  The reader is aware quite early on that something bad happenned in Ben’s past and that he has come to work at the lion sanctuary in order to escape it.  The other thread goes back through Ben’s past and tells the story of Ben’s relationship with Andrew.  Slowly the story unravels and the reader becomes aware of what happened and  I defy anyone not to be deeply moved.

This is Louise’s fourth book and I can’t wait to read more from her.  If you like beautiful, emotional stories you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Karen from Orenda Publishers for my copy of the book.

About The Author:

Louise Beech knew from being small that she wanted to write, to create, to make magic. She remembers sitting in her father’s cross-legged lap while he tried to show her his guitar’s chords. His music sheets fascinated her – such strange language that translated into music. Her mother taught languages, French and English, so her fluency fired Louise’s passion for words.

Louise’s short stories have won the Glass Woman Prize, the Eric Hoffer Award for Prose, and the Aesthetica Creative Works competition, as well as shortlisting twice for the Bridport Prize and being published in a variety of UK magazines. Her first play, Afloat, was performed at Hull Truck Theatre in 2012. She also wrote a ten-year newspaper column for the Hull Daily Mail about being a parent. Her debut novel, How to be Brave, was a Guardian Readers’ pick for 2015. The Sunday Mirror called Maria in the Moon quirky, darkly comic, original and heartfelt.

When she was fifteen Louise bet her mother ten pounds she’d be published by the time she was thirty. She missed this deadline by two months. Her mother is still waiting for the money.

Link to her website – http://louisebeech.co.uk/