Book Synopsis:

We only learned about our father’s girlfriend after he became deathly ill and lay in a coma 120 miles from our home.

Overhearing the nurse tell Linda—since I was nine I had called my mom by her first name—about the girlfriend who came in almost every day to visit him when we weren’t there confirmed that the last moment of normal had passed us by without our realizing it. Up to then our family had unhappily coexisted with Dad flying jumbo jets to Asia while we lived in Montana. We finally came together to see Dad through his illness, but he was once again absent from a major family event—unable to join us from his comatose state. This is the moment when our normal existence tilted.

Dad recovered, but the marriage ailed, as did Linda, with cancer. Our family began to move down an entirely different path with silver linings we wouldn’t see for many years.

In this candid and compassionate memoir Nicole Harkin describes with an Impressionist’s fine eye the evolution of a family that is quirky, independent, uniquely supportive, peculiarly loving and, most of all, marvelously human.

Tilting is available now in ebook and paperback now, the ebook is currently only £2.21, you can buy a copy of both Here.

My Review:

Tilting is a beautiful, emotional but uplifting memoir that I really enjoyed reading.  The book is told from two timelines, one following Nicole’s dad from the time of his illness and the other looking back at some of the happy memories the family have shared over the years.

Firstly I loved Nicole’s lively, fun family.  They reminded me so much of my family on holiday where maybe everything isn’t always perfect but we all muddle through and enjoy it anyway.  You can well imagine some of the events becoming those stories that continue to be told through the ages.  Nicole’s relationship with her father and the obvious bond they share is beautiful to read about, though maybe quite poignant considering what comes next.

The book is really well written and quite easy to read as it is written in a conversational tone so that the reader feels like the author is talking directly to them.  The fly on the wall descriptions make the book seem very intimate so that the reader feels very involved in the book and means that you care much more about what is going to happen.  I spent a considerable time during the book biting my lip hoping that the situation wouldn’t cause Nicole’s lovely family to separate.

I really related to this book as not only did some of the family holidays remind me of ones I’d taken as a kid but also because we only found out about my grandfather’s girlfriend when he was ill too.  Therefore I can well imagine the horror of that discovery and the emotions that follows, which the author does a great job of describing.  She never over dramatises what happens but instead sticks to what obviously did occur which makes the scenes maintain their authenticity.  I though this was incredibly well done by the author and this is part of what made this book such a great read for me.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.  If you like authentic, original memoirs that are beautifully written you’ll love this book.

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:

Nicole Harkin, an award winning writer and natural-light photographer based in Washington, DC, spent years working on government oversight. Tilting, A Memoir is her first book. She grew up in Montana and Georgia with parents who were steeped in the airline industry. She was recently featured on the Cool Tools podcast talking about her favorite uncommonly good tools and her writing. After college at Purdue University where she studied Political Science, German, and Geology, she worked in government oversight. Subsequently, she attended law school at Pace University. As a Fulbright Scholar during law school, Nicole lived in Berlin, Germany where she studied German environmentalism. She spent an additional year in Berlin as a Bosch Fellow researching German’s Freedom of Information Act. Her writing can be found in Thought Collection, you are here: The Journal of Creative Geography, and other local DC blogs. Her current work in progress, Death in Berlin, is a murder mystery set in Berlin.

I’m thrilled to be on the blog tour for Hidden Bones by Nicola Ford today and I have a great extract to share with you.  Huge thanks to Ailsa for letting me change to sharing an extract when two ill children meant I didn’t have much time to read.

Hidden Bones is available in ebook and hardback now, 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:

Following the recent death of her husband, Clare Hills is listless and unsure of her place in the world. When her former university friend Dr David Barbrook asks her to help him sift through the effects of deceased archaeologist Gerald Hart, she sees this as a useful distraction from her grief. During her search, Clare stumbles across the unpublished journals detailing Gerald’s most glittering dig. Hidden from view for decades and supposedly destroyed in an arson attack, she cannot believe her luck. Finding the Hungerbourne Barrows archive is every archaeologist’s dream. Determined to document Gerald’s career-defining find for the public, Clare and David delve into his meticulously kept records of the excavation. But the dream suddenly becomes a nightmare as the pair unearth a disturbing discovery, putting them at the centre of a murder inquiry and in the path of a dangerous killer determined to bury the truth for ever.

Chapter 3 extract:

CHAPTER THREE

‘God, that’s good.’ Clare watched David take a second large bite from his eclair and wash it down with a gulp of Darjeeling.
By the end of a week incarcerated in the archaeology department’s laying-out room, she’d had her fill of listing, counting and weighing artefacts from the Hungerbourne archive. So she’d been only too happy to accept David’s invitation to join him at the tea rooms next to St Thomas’ church.
She finished dividing her poppy-seed cake into bite-sized squares. ‘You always had a knack for knowing how to cheer me up.’
He licked the chocolate from the ends of his fingers and flushed. ‘There aren’t many situations that can’t be improved by a cuppa or a decent pint.’
She laid her knife down on the edge of her plate. ‘I do appreciate you letting me work on the Hungerbourne stuff, you know. It’s given me something to get my teeth into. There was so much to sort out right after the accident. But later . . .’
He stared down at the pristine white tablecloth, rubbing his fingertips distractedly over some imaginary speck on the linen. ‘You don’t need to explain.’
But she wanted him to understand. The first few weeks after her husband’s car crash had been hell, but she’d held it together. Stephen had been a successful solicitor and he’d ensured everything was taken care of even when it came to his own death, appointing a colleague from his practice as his executor. But that had seemed to make things worse. She’d spent all of her time consumed with worrying about the funeral arrangements, writing thank-you letters for the sympathy cards and then finally sorting through his possessions. It all seemed so pointless; everything done for show. She wasn’t allowed to do anything of substance that might make a difference.
Her words were spoken softly, but her tone was determined. ‘When I phoned the department, I had no idea you were working in Salisbury. I just needed to be somewhere familiar – to have something to focus on.’ He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. ‘I suppose I hoped to be allowed to do a bit of pot washing or some finds drawing. I didn’t expect to be indulged like this.’
He snapped his head upwards. ‘I wouldn’t have asked you if you weren’t up to it. You’re a bloody good archaeologist.’ His broad face eased into a smile. ‘When I used to take you for seminars, you knew as much as I did half the time.’
‘That was a long time ago.’
‘Doesn’t seem it.’ He swirled the dregs round in the bottom of his cup before repositioning it on its saucer. ‘So, are you going to tell me what’s in that archive or not?’
Clare brightened, grateful to be dragged back to the present. ‘Gerald seems to have run a pretty tight ship. His notebooks are in good shape, which should make it easier when you come to write up. You know the goldwork is in the British Museum.’ He nodded. ‘There’s a complete small finds catalogue cross-referenced to the site plans. So we’ll be able to work out where everything came from.’ She paused. ‘But what I’m really looking forward to is excavating the cremation in the Collared Urn.’
‘What?’
She’d known what it was as soon as she’d seen the pot’s heavy brown rim protruding out of the scrunched-up balls of time-cracked newspaper. What she hadn’t anticipated was what she’d find inside. ‘It’s still got the ashes in situ. I presume you’ll want to analyse it yourself.’
‘Not a chance. We need to get someone in – a specialist.’ He was staring out of the window towards the church.
‘Why do you think he left it like that? Do you suppose he wanted to leave something for posterity? . . . David!’
He was looking straight at her now. But he didn’t seem to have registered a word she’d said. ‘A human bone specialist. Someone with experience in prehistoric cremations. Lloyd or Granski, maybe.’
‘Fine.’ She couldn’t disguise her impatience. ‘But what do you think?’
‘About what?’
She’d forgotten he could be like this, entirely absorbed by the past. Sometimes he seemed to inhabit another world, a world that excluded everyone and everything around him. The world of the long dead.
She sighed. ‘Why do you think Gerald stopped?’
‘No idea.’
‘And why let everyone think it had all gone up in smoke like that?’
He shrugged.
‘His site diaries are so methodical. Everything recorded down to the last flint flake. But they just stop. No summary. No conclusions. It’s like he just gave up.’
David remained silent. She could see she wasn’t making any headway.
‘Then there’s this.’ She handed him a folded sheet of faded blue writing paper.
Painstakingly cut out from newsprint, the first two words were individually glued to the paper while the last two had been cut out in a block. The words BEWARE THE WOE WATERS obscured the Basildon Bond watermark.

About The Author:

Nicola Ford is the pen-name for archaeologist Dr Nick Snashall, National Trust Archaeologist for the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site. Through her day-job and now her writing, she’s spent more time than most people thinking about the dead.

Book Synopsis:

A beautiful and mysterious tale from the author of The Heirloom and The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris.
Thornwood Village, 1910. Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor, Harold Griffin-Krauss, translate ‘fairy stories’ from Irish to English.
But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens the future of her community and her very way of life…
Captivated by the land of myth, folklore and superstition, Sarah Harper finds herself walking in the footsteps of Harold and Anna one hundred years later, unearthing dark secrets that both enchant and unnerve.
The Story Collector treads the intriguing line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen. With a taste for the magical in everyday life, Evie Gaughan’s latest novel is full of ordinary characters with extraordinary tales to tell.

The Story Collector is available in ebook and paperback now.  The ebook is currently only 99p and you can purchase a copy of both here.

My Review:

The Story Collector is a beautiful, magical and enthralling book that I thoroughly enjoyed.  It’s one of those books that once I’d finished reading I immediately started recommending it to other people.

The story follows Anna in 1911 who starts work helping Harold an American, story collector who has come to Ireland to discover more about irish myths and folklore surrounding the fairies that live there.  She is a lovely girl who obviously has great respect for her family and love for her homeland which was lovely to read about.  She has a real sense of wanting to do the right thing, so when she discovers a mystery decides to try and solve it even though it might cause problems.  The other side of the story follows Sarah in 2010 who accidentally visits Ireland whilst running away from her failed marriage.  Once in Ireland she finds Anna’s old diary and set out to try and discover more about her and the fairy folk lore that surrounds the village.  I loved Sarah, she was a very real character who had a few real problems, which caused quite a few hilarious moments in the book.  I especially liked the descriptions of Sarah, a New York City girl, getting used to the Irish countryside.  Some of the descriptions of this made me laugh out loud and it really made warm to her as it’s something I think I would have done too!

The descriptions of the Irish countryside and the Irish people Anna and Sarah know were wonderful to read about.  I felt that I could picture the area, particularly the little cottage Sarah lived in.  Beautiful descriptions like saying the morning dew looked like fairy dust just sent a shiver of pleasure up my spine!

The mystery part of the book is very intriguing and it soon had me gripped with what had happened all those years ago.  The way Sarah finds the old diary is one of my fantasy’s as I’d love to discover an old diary that way.  The mystery unravels at a steady pace that never seems false and seems quite realistic, even when dealing with fairy folk lore and magic.

This is the first book by this author I have read and I will be be reading more from her in the future.  If you like beautifully magical, dual timeline for you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to Evie Gaughan and Urbane Publishers for my copy of the book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.

About The Author:

Evie Gaughan is the bestselling author of The Heirloom and The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris.

Living on the West Coast of Ireland, which is not renowned for its sunny climate, Evie escapes from the inclement weather into a converted attic to write stories and dream about underfloor heating. Growing up in a walled medieval city, she developed her love of storytelling and all things historical. Her books tread the intriguing line between the everyday and the otherworldly – but always with an Irish woman’s wit. With a taste for the magical in everyday life, her stories are full of ordinary characters with extraordinary tales to tell.

When not writing, she also works as an artist, creating stories on canvas. Evie is currently working on her third novel, The Story Collector, which will be published by Urbane in 2018.

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Book Synopsis:

Grace Macallan is at breaking point. All around her, events threaten to run out of control – and a new investigation is testing her to the limit.

An undercover officer is missing and a woman is washed up, traumatised and barely alive, on the shores of Berwickshire. She has witnessed horror on the dark waters of the North Sea, but survival turns her life from a bad dream into a nightmare.

As she untangles the woman’s story, Grace is drawn into a cold-blooded criminal world. At its head is Pete Handyside, a notorious gangland boss who will fight hard and dirty to control his brutal empire and keep the money flowing.

But a traitor in his midst is intent upon betrayal – a betrayal that triggers an uncontrollable wave of violence. As she hones in on crucial evidence, Grace knows that one wrong move could end in tragedy.

Shores of Death is available in ebook and paperback now, you can purchase a copy of both here.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this fantastic series so I was absolutely delighted when I was asked to be on the blog tour for the latest book, Shores of Death.  This is another brilliant addition to the series.  It’s raw, dark, gritty and utterly addictive.

The book opens on quite a harrowing scene involving human trafficking which gave me a bit of a lump in my throat.  The author doesn’t shy away from describing situations as they would probably unfold which makes the situation seem very real and makes for some difficult reading at times. The book is about gang activity, which I’ve always had a bit if a weird fascination with, but can probably give you a good idea of the level of violence involved.

I love Grace.  She’s such a strong, able woman that is great to read about.  Her struggle to try and find a balance between work and family was an interesting one and seemed quite realistic.  It did make me warm to her even more as she seemed really conflicted about what to do.  It was nice to read a book where an officer had a nice, stable relationship at home instead of the broken ones normally depicted.

This book is quite fast paced and very gripping.  I felt immediately drawn into the story and the case turning the pages faster and faster as I tried to work out what would happen, how it would be resolved.  There is some humour in the book which helps break up the grim case and gives the reader some light relief.  This is mainly from banter between Grace’s team and was very funny at times.

I liked that Peter has put alot of himself into this book.  Not only was he a police officer so his books are always very true to life but he was also a deep sea fisherman so that characters is also very realistically portrayed.

This is the third book in the series but could easily be read as a standalone as anything you need to know is explained.  You might get a better reading experience if you have read the other books in the series however as you will get to know more about the characters and their history.

Huge thanks to Lina from Black and White publishing for inviting me onto the blog tour.  If you like gritty, original and thrilling crime books you’ll love this book!

About The Author:

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I’m thrilled to be on the blog tour for The Warrior With The Pierced Heart by Chris Bishop today and to have a great extract to share.  Thanks so much to the lovely Kelly from Love Books Group for letting me change to an extract rather than a review when I couldn’t read the book in time due to the kids being ill.

The Warrior With The Pierced Heart is available to buy in paperback now and you can purchase your copy here.

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

Book Synopsis:

In the second book in the exciting and atmospheric Shadow of the Raven series we rejoin novice monk turned warrior, Matthew as he marches ahead of King Alfred, to Exeter to herald the King’s triumphant return to the city, marking his great victory at Edington.

It should have been a journey of just five or perhaps six days but, as Matthew is to find to his cost, in life the road you’re given to travel is seldom what you wish for and never what you expect.

In this much-anticipated sequel Chris Bishop again deposits the reader slap-bang into the middle of Saxon Britain, where battles rage and life is cheap. An early confrontation leaves Matthew wounded, but found and tended by a woodland-dwelling healer he survives, albeit with the warning that the damage to his heart will eventually take his life.

Matthew faces many challenges as he battles to make his way back to Chippenham to be reunited with King Alfred and also with the woman he wants to make his wife. This is an epic tale of triumph over adversity as we will the warrior with the pierced heart to make it back to those he loves, before it is too late.

Extract:

About The Author:

Chris Bishop is a retired chartered surveyor who has pursued his love of writing for as long as he can remember. He is an intrepid traveller and a retired Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He is married with two children and four granddaughters and lives in London

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I’m so excited to be on the blog blitz for This Little Piggy by the fabulous Rob Ashman. Due to ill kids and a teething baby I’ve sadly not had time to review but I can’t wait to read it at the earliest opportunity!

This Little Piggy is available to buy now in ebook and paperback.  The ebook is currently only £1.99 and 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:

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

Kevin Palmer is a regular sort of guy, or he was until his life fell apart. His wife, his money, his business and his reputation are all taken away from him. He tries to fight back and ends up in prison. 

There he concocts elaborate fantasies to wreak vengeance. He is sent to work in an abattoir and the final piece of the jigsaw falls into place with chilling consequences. Then a cruel twist of fate changes everything.

DI Rosalind Kray is battling her own demons having returned to work following a brutal attack. She finds herself on the trail of a sick and twisted killer and cracks the macabre pattern of murders. But her boss is unconvinced.

Kray has Palmer squarely in her sights. But he has other ideas …

Can Kray break him in time to save the final victim?

Time is running out.

Extract:

Preface

‘As you watch your life drain away, I want you to remember one thing … I never wanted any of this.

‘I was the man with a wife and kids, who lived in a house, went to work every morning and enjoyed the occasional holiday. But that was never enough. You made that clear.
‘You lined up for your pound of flesh and, one by one, tore apart the building blocks of my life. You took each piece, shredded the goodness from it, and handed it back. Then laughed in my face as I crumbled to dust.
‘Life is all about change, and things are about to get worse. Much worse.
‘You know who you are …
‘You all know who you are …
‘But what you don’t know is …
‘It’s time to make the piggies squeal.’

Chapter 1

‘Bloody hell, this is a s–’ He dances at the end of my arm as I jab the metal pins into his stomach, sending his central nervous system into meltdown. His face resembles a landed carp, mouth gaping open as his muscles go into spasm. He topples back into the hallway landing face up on the parquet floor.

His body jolts and convulses at my feet. I step across the welcome mat and into the house, closing the door behind me. I unzip my bag, rummage around and bring out a handful of thick black cable ties. I roll him onto his front, securing his wrists tight behind his back and bind his feet together at the ankles.
He continues to jerk and spasm as I straddle him. I reach forward and ram a tea-towel into his mouth, shoving it past his teeth with my thumb until his cheeks bulge. I tie it in place with a length of cord knotted behind his head. I step off him, pull a white coverall from the bag and slip it on, zipping the front right up to my neck. The hood covers my head and the drawstrings pull the material tight around my face.
Next, I don a pair of overshoes and gloves …

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.

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Book Synopsis:

It is the seventies and the colleges of Oxford are finally opening their doors to women. Sarah Addleshaw, young, spirited and keen to prove her worth, begins term as the first female academic at her college. She is in fact, her college’s only female ‘Fellow’

My Review:

The Reading Room is a very intriguing, lovely novel with a fantastic main character.

I found it very interesting to find out more about the famous Oxford University and about daily life there.  It seams to be a place full of traditions and some beautiful old buildings.  I found Fenella’s descriptions of the traditional university trying to accommodate Sarah, their first female teacher very humourous!  As Sarah herself says, they don’t seem quite sure what to do with her!

The Reading party is a fantastic idea and one that I wish had been available at my school as it’s a great way to get to know like minded people.  The descriptions of what happens on the trip and the lively conversations that the party have were lovely to read about.  It brought back memories of late night study sessions at university for me.

Sarah is a great main character.  She’s very strong and doesn’t let being a woman stand in her way.  I thought she was very brave being the first woman to work at the university and having to ‘set the standard’ for future females.  She doesn’t seem to take things too seriously and is happy to poke fun at herself making her very endearing.  I wanted her to do well and succeed so found my self frustrated and wanting to shout at her when I felt things were getting a little inappropriate with the student.

The author’s writing style just flows, drawing the reader into the story and the world of Oxford.  She manages to blend humour, history and 70’s nostalgia together perfectly for a fabulously original read.

The Reading Party is Fenella Gentleman’s debut book and I look forward to reading more from her in future.  If you like original, intriguing novels full of warmth and humour you will love this book.

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

About The Author:

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Book Synopsis:

Ruth’s tribe are her lively children and her filmmaker husband, Simon, who has Motor Neurone Disease and can only communicate with his eyes. Ruth’s other ‘tribe’ are the friends who gather at the cove in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, and regularly throw themselves into the freezing cold water, just for kicks.

‘The Tragic Wives’ Swimming Club’, as they jokingly call themselves, meet to cope with the extreme challenges life puts in their way, not to mention the monster waves rolling over the horizon.

An invocation to all of us to love as hard as we can, and live even harder, I Found My Tribe is an urgent and uplifting letter to a husband, family, friends, the natural world and the brightness of life.

I found My Tribe is available now in ebook and hardback.  It will also be available in paperback on the 28th June.  You can purchase or pre-order your copy here.

My Review:

I Found My Tribe is a beautiful, emotional and up lifting memoir that I thoroughly enjoyed.  Ruth’s writing is beautiful, touching and honest and her personality shines through even when talking about some very emotional subjects.

The descriptions of her life with a husband who has motor neurones disease is heartbreaking, particularly when you realise how much it has changed and what she has had to give up.  The fact that she misses kisses from her husband made me cry as it is such a simple thing that most of us take for granted. The impact of having lots of carers, ultimately strangers, in her house was very eye opening.  I’ve actually done care work in someone’s house and never really thought about the effect it must have on the others living in the house.

Ruth comes across as a very interesting, capable and strong women who is trying her best in a difficult situation.  I can only imagine what it must be like seeing someone you love deteriorate like that but Ruth seems to tackle it head on with lots of positivity, humour and some amazing strength which was wonderful to read about.  I loved the coping strategies she’s developed which made me smile at times, from the little things like drinking coffee while looking at a view to her love of the sea which she uses to draw strength from on bad days was great to read about.  It definitely puts into perspective the supposed ‘bad’ days I think I have.

This is definitely a book I think everyone should read as it really helped increase my knowledge and understanding of Motor Neurones Disease and what it’s like living with someone who has it.  My husband’s grannie suffered from it and said it was heartbreaking to see her decline.  Even if you don’t normally read memoirs please make this the exception.

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

About The Author:

Ruth Fitzmaurice was born in 1976 and grew up in Co. Louth, Ireland. She was a radio researcher and producer when she married film director and writer, Simon, in 2004 and had three children. In 2008, Simon was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and given three years to live. Simon went into respiratory failure in 2010 and was accidentally placed on a ventilator during an emergency procedure. He decided, against medical advice, to keep the ventilator; Ruth and Simon went on to have twins in 2012. In January 2016, Ruth wrote her first piece for the Irish Times about family life and a new passion, sea swimming. She lives in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, with her five children Jack, Raife, Arden, Sadie, Hunter, a dog and a cat. Simon passed away in October 2017.

Twitter @RuthONeillFitz

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I’m on the blog tour for Letterbox by P A Davies and to have an extract to share with you.  Huge thanks to Caroline for letting me change my stop from a review to an extract when two ill children meant I wasn’t able to read the book in time.

Letterbox is available in ebook and paperback now, you can purchase a copy of bothhere.

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

Book Synopsis:

An outstanding debut novel from English Author, P.A.Davies, that has all the ingredients of a good read … Gripping, thought provoking and a tad controversial from the off, this is a real page turner!

At approximately 09.00hrs on the 15th June 1996, an unassuming white lorry was parked on Corporation Street in the city centre of Manchester, England; it contained over 3000 pounds of high explosive.
At 11.15hrs the same day, Manchester witnessed the detonation of the largest device on the British mainland since the second World War … The Irish Republican Army claimed responsibility for the attack.

Based around actual events, LETTERBOX tells the story of Liam Connor, an ordinary boy brought up in Manchester by a seemingly ordinary family. He goes to the local school, loves football and has a best friend called Sean … an ordinary life!
Unbeknown to Liam, his father, Michael Connor, harbors a dark historic secret, following a life a lot less ordinary … as a furtive, yet high ranking soldier within the IRA.

As a result of extraordinary circumstances, Liam’s innocent and carefree world is shattered when he is exposed to the truth about his family’s heritage and then learns about the tragic death of his father at the hands of the SAS.

Consumed with both hate and the need to seek retribution, Liam is taken to Ireland where he is intensively trained to become a highly skilled and efficient soldier within the Irish Republican Army … He is 16 years old!
Some years later, following the drug-induced death of his beloved sister, Liam is given the opportunity to exact his revenge on those he believed should truly be blamed for the tragedies in his life … The British Government!
Thus, on the 15th June 1996, it was Liam’s responsibility to drive the bomb laden lorry into the unsuspecting city of Manchester and let the voice of the IRA be clearly heard … And listened to!!

Extract:

Letterbox – Chapter 1:

11.30hrs Saturday 15th June 1996

The first chilling images of devastation, beamed relentlessly across the airwaves onto millions of television screens throughout the nation. Radio broadcasts became dominated by the incredulous story that no one doubted, would change the face of history … not only in the United Kingdom, but throughout the entire world.

Many saw the terrorist attack on the City of Manchester, as nothing more than a cold and callous act of violence by a group of evil and cowardly thugs, whilst others, deemed it to be an unprecedented victory against a complacent and oppressive regime that hid behind the walls of Parliament under the guise of the British Government.

For one man, this was the day that had served to exorcise some personal demons yet paradoxically, had also rekindled a conscience that he believed to be long dead. For another, this was the day when the powerful voice of the Irish Republican Army had spoken … and been listened to.

###

The Commander sat behind his desk gently stroking his thick beard as he watched with interest, the unfolding stories coming through live from Manchester. There would be much celebration this evening he thought, but for now, he needed to remain focused and consider his next move. “Set up a meeting of the council for this afternoon,” he instructed, without taking his eyes off the television. A man stood by his side, nodded silently and began to leave the room. “And Marty,” he added sternly, before the man had reached the door. “Bring Joseph here as soon as he returns!”

Once the man had left the room, the Commander glanced down at the two phones on his desk and wondered which of the two would ring first. Would it be the one that brought a
tedious dialogue from the sycophantic lapdogs of the Prime Minister, decrying this outrageous act whilst issuing veiled threats on behalf of John Major and his countrymen?  Threats that they had neither the balls nor the power to carry out … ‘Small cogs in a big wheel!’ he pondered … Or would it be the anticipated call to his private and secure line? A call that would be the focal point of their meeting later that day and would undoubtedly result
in the extending of the proverbial olive branch. It was a call that would ensure a place for Sinn Fein at the negotiating table and take them one step closer to a free Ireland. But whichever one it was, it always amused this particular Leader, how the right hand of the British Government had no idea what the left hand was doing … or capable of.

He continued to watch the television, quietly musing how today had undoubtedly shown the free world the capabilities and commitment of his comrades, dedicated in the pursuit of their beliefs. It was also the day, he thought with some respect, that Liam Connor had finally become a man. When one of the phones began to ring, the Commander looked down at it and smiled.

About The Author:

P.A.Davies was born in Manchester, UK, a city he has lived in and around all his life. He loves Manchester and is proud to be part of the multi-cultural, modern city that houses two Premiership football teams and is the birthplace of many a famous band, such as Oasis, the Stone Roses, Take That and Simply Red.

For most of his life, he has dabbled with writing various pieces – from poems to short fictional stories – but this was always just for fun. However, following advice from a good friend he decided to have a go at writing a novel. Thus, his first novel ‘Letterbox’ was conceived, a fictional take on the infamous IRA bombing of Manchester in 1996. It took him over a year to complete but while doing so, he found it to be one of the most satisfying and interesting paths he had ever followed. It came as no surprise that the writing bug subsequently became firmly embedded within him.

P.A.Davies’ second book – George: A gentleman of the road – was published in May 2013 and is a true story about one of Manchester’s homeless. His third novel – The Good in Mister Philips – is an erotic novel (arguably set to rival Fifty Shades…!) and his fourth – Nobody Heard Me Cry (Dec. 2015) – is again a fact-based tale about Manchester’s darker side. The thriller ‘Absolution’ (Oct. 2017) is his fifth novel.

To label P.A.Davies’ writings would be difficult because his works range from thrillers to touching novels to true-to-life tales embedded in a captivating story, making P.A.Davies an imaginative and versatile storyteller.

P.A. Davies on Social Media:
Website: http://www.padavies.co.uk/
FB Author Page: bit.ly/padavies
Twitter: @padavies_

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I’m on the blog tour for The Heat Is on by Helen Bridgett today and have a great extract to share with you.  Huge thanks to Kelly for letting me change my post to an extract rather than a review when two sick children meant reafrea was impossible. It’s so appreciated Kelly!

The Heat Is On will be published in ebook on the 5th July and in paperback on the 2nd August.  The ebook is currently available to pre-order for £1.99 and you can pre-order a copy of both here.

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

Book Synopsis:

‘And have you booked in your vejazzler?’
‘My what?’
‘You can’t roll up with your grey wire wool when he’s expecting rhinestone!’

Angie Shepherd is back and this time she means business!

Life is perfect for Angie Shepherd. Her dreams of becoming an entrepreneur have come true, business is booming, and her best friend Patty is back in town. So when the opportunity of investing in a luxury hotel comes up, it seems like a no-brainer. It’s all going swimmingly until a rival travel agency opens up across the street. Before long, The Mercury Travel Club is undercut, double-crossed and in deep trouble. It’s time for Angie to up the stakes. But with costs mounting up, sales going down, and her personal life suddenly in freefall, can Angie and her friends weather the storm?

Witty and charming in equal measure, this feel-good novel shows that when the going gets tough, the tough definitely get going.

Extract:

About The Author:

Helen Bridgett was born in the North-East and now lives in Manchester having stopped off at a few places in between. Following a career in Marketing, Helen took an MA in TV and Radio Scriptwriting and created short films before writing her first novel. She loves nothing more than a glass of wine and witty banter with friends; her love of dialogue feeds into her work and has given her the perfect excuse to eavesdrop on conversations. Helen lives with her husband and their chocolate Labrador, Angus; all three can often be found wandering the Cumbrian hills or in country pubs.

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