Book Synopsis:

England, 1673. Still a world of witches, witch trials and witchfinders.

When a new vicar arrives to take over the parish of Mutton Clog, the village finds itself in the grip of puritan fever, and suspicious eyes are turned on Rose Driver.

Rose’s mother, brother and grandmother were all put to death by the fanatical witchfinder, John Sharpe.

Almost quarter of a century after the Newcastle witch trials, Sharpe is no longer a threat. Rose should be safe in her quiet village, but is history about to repeat itself?

Find out in Solstice, the powerful conclusion to The Widdershins Trilogy, which tells the story of one woman’s struggle for survival in a hostile and superstitious world.

The Widdershins Trilogy was inspired by the little-known Newcastle witch trials, where fifteen women and one man were hanged for witchcraft on a single day in August 1650.

My Review:

Solstice is a dark, emotional and gripping read which is a fitting ending to this fabulous trilogy.

Firstly I absolutely loved the main character Rose and enjoyed following her throughout the book. She was such a kind, lovely lady that I instantly felt sorry for and often wished I could climb into the book and protect her myself. Patience on the other hand was just pure evil and a character I loved to hate. She’s a very devout Christian almost obsessively so and I hated the way she treated poor Rose. I found that I had to keep reading to see if she got the ending I felt she deserved.

The author does a great job of setting the scene so that I felt like I was actually there experiencing everything alongside the characters. It was an incredibly sad time in our history and it made me so angry that people actually thought like this. The fear that Rose experiences is almost palpable at times and it made me feel physically sick to realise that the events depicted in this book had actually happened.

I thought this book has a great pace to it and I soon found myself absorbed into the story. I felt very protective of Rose and had to keep reading to find out what happened to her. The ending was beautiful and it made me smile. I’m very sad this fantastic series has ended but I look forward to reading more from this author in future.

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

About The Author:

Helen Steadman’s first novel, Widdershins and its sequel, Sunwise were inspired by the 1650 Newcastle witch trials. Her third novel, The Running Wolf is about a group of master swordmakers who defected from Germany to England in 1687. Helen’s fourth novel, God of Fire, is a Greek myth retelling as seen through the eyes of Hephaestus, perhaps the least well known of all the Olympians. God of Fire is published on 13 September 2022.

Helen is particularly interested in revealing hidden histories and she is a thorough researcher who goes to great lengths in pursuit of historical accuracy. To get under the skin of the cunning women in Widdershins and Sunwise, Helen trained in herbalism and learned how to identify, grow and harvest plants and then made herbal medicines from bark, seeds, flowers and berries.

The Running Wolf is the story of a group of master swordmakers who left Solingen, Germany and moved to Shotley Bridge, England in 1687. As well as carrying out in-depth archive research and visiting forges in Solingen to bring her story to life, Helen also undertook blacksmith training, which culminated in making her own sword.

Book Synopsis:

A couple disappear in a region of the outback known for its gold mining. Some three years on, there is still no trace of them.

Detective Veronika Pope is handed the cold case. It’s cold only in name. When she turns up to the godforsaken town where the couple were last seen, the heat is sweltering; suspicion simmering.

The detectives stay in the same seedy hotel as the couple did. The townsfolk aren’t welcoming. Nobody wants the cops probing into their affairs.

From what Pope can gather, the missing duo were the perfect couple. Loving. Happy together. The picture of marital bliss.

Assuming a murder but missing a motive, the detectives do make progress. They might even find the bodies, as the trail is hot. Almost too hot to touch.

My Review:

The Ideal Couple is a dark, atmospheric crime thriller from a new author for me.

Firstly I’ve always loved books set in Australia so this book instantly appealed. The small town setting was very intriguing with the author’s vivid descriptions helping to bring it to life so that I felt like I could feel the intense heat and feel the dust in my eyes. There is a creepy , small time atmosphere surrounding the town which had me instantly on edge especially as the story continues and it becomes apparent that everything is not as it seems.

I thought the book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. There were lots of twists that kept me guessing, including one big twist that made me actually gasp out loud (much to my kids amusement). I really enjoyed following the detectives as they tried to solve the case, often feeling like I was actually there helping them which I always love.

The ending was brilliant and I was unable to guess what had happened which is unusual for me as I can normally work it out. This is actually the fourth book in the series and while it could be read as a standalone I think it’s probably best to read the books in order as otherwise I think you miss out on a bit of back story.

Huge thanks to the publisher for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you’re looking for a great new crime series I highly recommend this one.

About The Author:

Anna Willett is the author of fifteen novels including Amazon bestselling thrillers, Unwelcome Guests, Small Town Nightmare and Savage Bay Nightmare. She is also the author of Amazon bestselling horror novel, Pest, the Amazon #1 New Release, Dear Neighbour and now the gripping new thriller, Lost to the Lake.

Book Synopsis:

The 22nd Eagles of the Empire novel.

AD 60. Britannia is in turmoil. The rebel leader Boudica has tasted victory, against a force of tough veterans in Camulodunum.

Alerted to the rapidly spreading uprising, Governor Suetonius leads his army towards endangered Londinium with a mounted escort, led by Prefect Cato. Soon it’s terrifyingly clear that Britannia is slipping into chaos and panic, with ever more tribal warriors swelling Boudica’s ranks. And Cato and Suetonius are grimly aware that little preparation has been made to withstand a full-scale rebellion.

In Londinium there is devastating news. Centurion Macro is amongst those unaccounted for after the massacre at Camulodunum. Has Cato’s comrade and friend made his last stand?

Facing disaster, Cato prepares his next move. Dare he hope that Macro – battle-scarred and fearless – has escaped the bloodthirsty rebels? For there is only one man Cato trusts by his side as he faces the military campaign of his life. And the future of the Empire in Britannia hangs in the balance.

My Review:

Rebellion is another gripping , action packed read in this fantastic series.

The book follows two characters Cato who’s the leader of the Roman army and his friend Macro who is trying to retire from the army. I warmed to them both instantly and enjoyed following them throughout the book as they try to stop Queen Boudica’s growing rebellion. I found myself constantly worrying about their fate as I read. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen to them.

I thought this book was very fast paced with almost continuously action which made it very hard to put down. I loved learning a bit more about the Roman army and how they operated. The descriptions of some of their battle techniques was especially fascinating. The description of the battles were really vivid and made me feel like I was actually there watching everything unfold. I felt at times like I could actually smell the blood and hear the clanging of swords in battle. It is a bit gruesome at times which won’t be to everyone’s taste but is in keeping with the series.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more in the future. If you are a fan of gripping historical fiction then I highly recommend this book – more please!

About The Author:

Simon Scarrow is a Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling author. After a childhood spent travelling the world, he pursued his great love of history as a teacher, before becoming a full-time writer. His Roman soldier heroes Cato and Macro made their debut in 2000 in UNDER THE EAGLE, and have subsequently appeared in many bestsellers in the Eagles of the Empire series, including CENTURION, INVICTUS and DAY OF THE CAESARS.

Simon Scarrow is also the author of a quartet of novels about the lives of the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte, YOUNG BLOODS, THE GENERALS, FIRE AND SWORD and THE FIELDS OF DEATH; a novel about the 1565 Siege of Malta, SWORD & SCIMITAR; HEARTS OF STONE, set in Greece during the Second World War; and PLAYING WITH DEATH, a contemporary thriller written with Lee Francis. He also wrote the novels ARENA and INVADER with T. J. Andrews.

For exciting news, extracts and exclusive content from Simon visit http://www.simonscarrow.co.uk, follow him on Twitter @SimonScarrow or like his author page on Facebook/OfficialSimonScarrow.

Good morning everyone I was tagged by the lovely @mel.on.books to show you my Roman Empire.  Your Roman Empire are the books that you’ve not been able to stop thinking about since you finished reading them.

❤️My (Extra) Ordinary Life
🧡The Perfect Golden Circle
💛 Before We Say Goodbye
💚 Icebreaker
💙I May Be Wrong
🩵 Maurice And Maralyn
💜In Memoriam
🩷 Isaac And The Egg*
🤎The Last Summer
🖤 Fourth Wing

* I couldn’t find my copy of The Last Summer by Karen Swan or Isaac And The Egg by Bobby Palmer so I’ve substituted them with the author’s next books.  I also can’t find The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper or Go As A River by Shelley Read….I have a feeling I lent them to someone but can’t remember who.

I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to join in but, as always, no pressure.

Would you include any of these in your Roman Empire?

Book Synopsis:

Could she be the secret daughter of the Prince of Wales? In this dazzling novel by the author of Sisters of the Resistance, a young woman seeks to discover the truth about her mysterious past. Perfect for readers of Shana Abe, Bryn Turnbull, and Marie Benedict. 

Cleo Davenport has heard the whispers: the murmured conversations that end abruptly the second she walks into a room. Told she was an orphan, she knows the rumor—that her father is none other than the Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne. And at her childhood home at Cairo’s Shepheard’s Hotel, where royals, rulers, and the wealthy live, they even called her “The Princess.”

But her life is turned upside down when she turns seventeen. Sent to London under the chaperonage of her very proper aunt, she’s told it’s time to learn manners and make her debut. But Cleo’s life can’t be confined to a ballroom. She longs for independence and a career as a jewelry designer for Cartier, but she cannot move forward until she finds out about her past.

Determined to unlock the truth, Cleo travels from London, back to Cairo, and then Paris, where her investigations take a shocking turn into the world of the Parisian demi-monde, and a high-class courtesan whose scandalous affair with the young Prince of Wales threatened to bring down the British monarchy long before anyone had heard of Wallis Simpson. 

My Review:

The Royal Windsor Secret is an absorbing, intrigued read that I absolutely loved.

The story follows Cleo from 1935 and through the second world war as they negotiate their new lives away from their childhood in Cairo. I really liked the two main characters Cleo and Brodie and enjoyed following them throughout the book. They are both some warm, realistic characters that I was immediately on their side and wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to them.

The author does a great job of describing the various settings in the book so that I felt like I was actually there experiencing them all for myself. I especially loved the scenes set in Cairo as the colourful sunsets sound really beautiful. I would definitely like to visit there as soon as possible. I wish I could go back in time and experience Paris too as it was then as the shopping and social life sounds really fun.

I thought the book had a lovely pace to it and I loved being absorbed into Cleo’s life, following her through the many different things she experiences. The time the book is set in means the reader, with the benefit of hindsight, knows that war is imminent and I was intrigued to see how they would negotiate that. It was lovely to see Cleo and Brodie grow closer and found I was routing for the pair of them the whole book, getting very frustrated when things stood in their way.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book. If you’re a fan of historical fiction then you need to read this book.

About The Author:

Christine Wells writes historical fiction featuring strong, fascinating women. From early childhood, she drank in her father’s tales of kings and queens and epic struggles for power across the globe, and has been a keen student of history ever since. She began her first novel while working as a corporate lawyer, and has gone on to write about periods ranging from Georgian England to World War II France. She loves dogs, the beach and antiquing on Instagram and lives with her family in Brisbane, Australia.

Good morning everyone today on Two For Tuesday I thought I’d feature the two books I’m planning on reading next. I’m a huge fan of both these authors so I’m very excited to read these soon. I think I’ll start The Fake Wife today as I’m hoping to be able to review it for its publication day Thursday.

I’m working this morning and I’m very excited as Iron And Flame is being published today. I’m really hoping the copies come into the shop today as I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Huge thanks to my lovely friend @sue.spencer16 for making my lovely mushrooms for me. They’re absolutely perfect and I can’t wait to use them in more photos.

Will you be picking up a copy of Iron And Flame?

The Fake Wife by Sharon Bolton

Olive Anderson is dining alone at a hotel when a glamourous stranger joins her table, pretending to be her wife. What starts as a thrilling game quickly turns into something dangerous. But as much as the fake wife has her secrets, Olive just might have more . . .

The Fake Wife is an unputdownable thriller that will shock and surprise you like the best television boxsets. If you enjoyed Netflix shows like Behind Her Eyes, The Stranger and Obsession you will love The Fake Wife.

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Nobody in Eden remembers when Starling House was built. But the town agrees it’s best to let this ill-omened mansion – and its last lonely heir – go to hell. Stories of the house’s bad luck, like good china, have been passed down the generations.

Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses, or brooding men. But when an opportunity to work there arises, the money might get her brother out of Eden. Starling House is uncanny and full of secrets – just like Arthur, its heir. It also feels strangely, dangerously, like something she’s never had: a home. Yet Opal isn’t the only one interested in the horrors and the wonders that lie buried beneath it.

Sinister forces converge on Eden – and Opal realizes that if she wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it. Even if it involves digging up her family’s ugly past to achieve a better future. She’ll have to go down, deep down beneath Starling House, to claw her way back to the light . . .

This is a romantic and spellbinding Gothic fairytale from Hugo, Nebula and Locus Award-shortlisted Alix E. Harrow.

Book Synopsis:

He had her, he lost her . . . and he’ll do anything to win her back.

Powerful, brilliant, and ambitious, Dominic Davenport clawed his way up from nothing to become the King of Wall Street.

He has everything – a beautiful home, a beautiful wife and more money than he could spend in a lifetime. But no matter how much he accumulates, he’s never satisfied.

In his endless quest for more, he drives away the only person who saw him as enough.

It isn’t until she’s gone that he realizes there may be more to life than riches and glory . . . but by then, it may be too late.

***

Kind, intelligent, and thoughtful, Alessandra Davenport has played the role of trophy wife for years.

She stood by her husband while he built an empire, but now that they’ve reached the top, she realizes he’s no longer the man she fell for.

When it becomes clear that she’ll always come second to his work, she finally takes charge of her life and puts herself first – even if it means leaving the only man she’s ever loved.

But what she didn’t count on was his refusal to let her go . . . or for him to fight for their marriage, no matter what it takes.

King of Greed is a steamy marriage in trouble billionaire romance. It includes explicit content and profanity. Recommended for mature readers only.

My Review:

King Of Greed is a spicy, gripping romance read that I flew through in a couple of days which is not an easy feat when your three kids are on half term.

Firstly I absolutely loved the characters in this book and enjoyed getting to know them throughout the book. They made a wonderful couple so it was nice to see them try to mend their issues and grow closer again. As the story continues we learn more about how they met and key moments in their relationship. I did find them frustrating at times as I just wanted them to get back together but I was completely behind the two of them and had to keep reading to find out what happened next.

I thought the book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. I especially liked that it wasn’t just a romance book and there were other storylines going on at the same time. I think these were cleverly developed and helped to let the reader get to know more about the characters. There are some spicy scenes which won’t be to everyone’s taste but anyone familiar with this author’s work would know that’s the type of book she writes.

This is actually the third book in the series which I didn’t realise when I started but it can easily be read as a standalone, like I did, as anything you need to know is explained. I have already ordered the first two books though as I want to spend more time with the fabulous characters.

Huge thanks to Tandem Collective and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book.

About The Author:

Ana Huang is a New York Times, USA Today, international, and #1 Amazon bestselling author. Best known for her Twisted series, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance with deliciously alpha heroes, strong heroines, and plenty of steam, angst, and swoon sprinkled in.

Her books have been sold to over two dozen foreign publishers for translation and featured in outlets such as NPR, Cosmopolitan, Financial Times, and Glamour UK.

A self-professed travel enthusiast, she loves incorporating beautiful destinations into her stories and will never say no to a good chai latte.

When she’s not reading or writing, Ana is busy daydreaming and scouring Yelp for her next favorite restaurant.

Good morning everyone and happy Sunday. Here are some of the fantastic books I’ve added to my tbr recently:

🚢Death On The Lusitania by R.L Graham *
👒The Scandalous Life Of Ruby Devereaux by M. J Robotham
❄️That Festive Feeling by Heidi Swain
🌲After The Forest by Kell Woods
⛓️A Death In Custody by T.S. Clayton
🎬The Actor by Chris MacDonald
📖 Bookshops And Bonedust by Travis Baldree
🇯🇵 Abroad In Japan by Chris Broad
🔫Shot With Crimson by Nicola Upson
💍The Fake Wife by Sharon Bolton*
🔪Alex Cross Must Die by James Patterson *
♀️The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok
🔱 Rebellion by Simon Scarrow*

So as you can see a bit of an eclectic mix but I’m honestly looking forward to reading all of them. The books with stars next to them were kindly sent to me by the tagged publishers.

I’m working today which I’m looking forward to as I’ve not been there for two days so I’m intrigued by what new books have come in.

What was the last book you added to your tbr pile?

Book Synopsis:

When Lady Anderson invites five guests to her apartment in Bruton Square, Mayfair, none of the guests know why they have been summoned. And it isn’t long before dinner turns DEADLY.

From the author of Twelve Motives for Murder comes another brilliant immersive murder mystery.

Supper for Six . . . but murder is on the menu

The mystery of Bruton Square has never been solved. On that infamous night in 1977, six strangers were invited for dinner at Lady Sybil Anderson’s Mayfair apartment. Only five made it out alive.

Welcome to Supper for Six, the true crime podcast. I’m your host, Felix.

Together, we’ll uncover what really happened that night . . . Let’s dig in.

A murderous Abigail’s Party – Fiona Sherlock’s Supper for Six is immersive and incredibly entertaining. Join Elizabeth Chalice and Felix Caerphilly on their quest to get to the bottom of this rather deadly dinner party . . .

My Review:

Supper For Six is a dark, clever story that reads like a true crime story.

The story revolves around a ‘surprise’ dinner part for six people. As the story progresses it quickly becomes apparent that everything is not as it seems with a few incidents setting the guests on edge. The reader is drawn into the scene so I felt like I was actually there, with the tension almost palpable at times. There is a locked room quality to the story that helped increase the tension in the book and make things feel very claustrophobic at times.

None of the characters in this book were not particularly likeable and I must admit to not warming to any of them. I did feel a degree of sympathy with them and the situation they find themselves in though as parts of the book were quite uncomfortable. The author does a great job of letting each character’s true colours show and I enjoyed learning more about them throughout the book. It was very interesting finding out the characters connections to each other and the secrets they were hiding.

I thought the book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. The unusual format of the podcast took a little while to get used to but I think added to the tension in the book as the secrets are slowly revealed. There were lots of twists to keep me on my toes and while I did guess the ending, I had to keep reading to find out if I was right.

This was the first book I’d read by this author and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

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

About The Author:

Fiona Sherlock is a crime writer from Bective, in Ireland. Her murder mystery games are played across the world. She also writes poetry and prose but cannot stay away from a good murder. After spending a decade in Dublin working in public relations and journalism, she moved to the country for midday fires and elderflower champagne.

Play one of her immersive games at BespokeMurderMystery.com