Author: bookafterbook

Publication: 24th April 2025 – Simon & Schuster UK

The brilliantly escapist and gloriously romantic new summer read from million-copy Sunday Times bestselling author Heidi Swain!

Summer is in full swing when Daisy drives back into Wynmouth in her almost-clapped-out car, having left both her most recent job and the man her parents thought she was going to marry. Coming home could be just what she needs to move her life on.  

At Wynbrook Manor, things are in disarray. Owner Algy isn’t getting any younger, and Daisy’s mum Janet, housekeeper at the manor, spends her days running around after him, while Daisy’s dad Robin, the gardener, has been let down by the person he had lined up to take care of the new cut-flower garden.

As Daisy tries to find her place at Wynbrook and in the village, she’s drawn to summer visitor Josh. But when he turns out to be not the person he appears to be, will the spark between them fizzle out? And with it, the chances of this turning into the best summer ever?

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I read Best Summer Ever back in January and it made me dream of the sea, summer, fantastic friendships, and wonderful romance. Also, experience has taught me that if you are looking for uplifting and immersive stories you can’t ever go wrong with a Heidi Swain’s novel.

The protagonist of the novel is Daisy who is returning home to Wynmouth after quitting the job she didn’t like and leaving the cheating boyfriend who was trying to turn her into the perfect girlfriend. Daisy doesn’t know what to do with her life yet and she has never been good at sticking to jobs or boyfriends, something that caused a kind of rift with her parents, so she is not expecting a warm welcome from them. After an unexpected encounter with a handsome and charming and yet annoying American backpacker who keeps turning up wherever she goes, Daisy settles down back at home and even though her relationship with her parents is strained, she can count on her two best friends, Penny and Nick, and Algy, the owner of Wynbrooke Manor. 

Best Summer Ever is a charming, escapist, and entertaining story of self-discovery. Daisy’s return to Wynmouth leads her to reconnect with her friends, embark on a new romance, trying to solve her differences with her parents, and maybe finally finding her dream job. I loved the setting of Wynmouth, with its beautiful scenery and picturesque locations, and the cast of characters is relatable and likable. I can’t recommend it enough! Best Summer Ever is a heartwarming story that will take you right into the summer!

A huge thank you to SJV and Simon & Schuster UK for a proof of this delightful novel.

Heidi Swain is a Sunday Times Top Ten best-selling author who writes feel good fiction for Simon & Schuster. She releases two books a year (early summer and winter) and the stories all have a strong sense of community, family and friendship. She is currently writing books set in three locations – the Fenland town of Wynbridge, Nightingale Square in Norwich and Wynmouth on the Norfolk coast, as well as summer standalone titles. Heidi lives in beautiful west Norfolk. She is passionate about gardening, the countryside, collecting vintage paraphernalia and reading. Her tbr pile is always out of control! Heidi loves to chat with her readers and you can get in touch via her website or on social media.

Publication: 27th March 2025 – Raven Books

The Maid meets Only Murders in the Building in this twist-packed cosy mystery set in the smallest residential square in London.

Marchfield Square was meant to be a haven from the outside world. A place for those who need somewhere safe from their pasts, or who could otherwise not afford to stay in the city they call home. That was Celeste Van Duren’s plan. One of her tenants being murdered in his own kitchen, and the police trying to pin it on his long-suffering wife, was not.

So Celeste does what anyone with a lot of money, a strong sense of justice and a bad hip would do: she recruits some help to track down the real murderer. Her cleaner, Audrey, knows everyone in the square and is liked by all, while failed crime writer, Lewis, is known by no one. He hates his job, hates his life, and he’s not that fond of Audrey either, but Celeste is persuasive. In theory his knowledge of police procedure and her way with people should help them find the killer – if they don’t kill each other first…

Despite their differences the two soon discover the victim’s dodgy art deals may hold the key to the mystery – but have they missed something closer to home? After all, how well do you really know your neighbours?

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I really enjoyed 10 Marchfield Square, truly an excellent debut! Well-written, clever, and entertaining, I was hooked from the first to the last page. I loved the wonderful cast of characters, the intriguing mystery, and the setting of the gated community was well-thought.

The story is told from the perspective of three characters. First of all, 82-year-old Celeste Van Duren, the formidable owner of Marchfield Square who, from her window, watches over all her tenants. Then there is Audrey, smart and with a bit of a mysterious past, the friendly neighbour everyone likes, who cleans Celeste’s house every Friday. And finally, Lewis, the crime writer with a bestseller novel under his belt and two unsuccessful sequels that forced him to accept a job he hates while he spends all his free time trying to write a new book. He is the antisocial guy in flat 5 who’s been living there for years, but no one knows. Until, one day, a scream is heard in front of flat 10 where the body of its tenant, Richard Glead, is found shot in the chest. Everyone (except Lewis with his noise-cancelling headphones) knew that Richard was a bad man who used to beat up his wife Linda, so no one is sorry for his death, but when the police starts to look to Linda as his killer, Celeste asks Audrey and Lewis to investigate for her and find out who killed Richard. Celeste may have ulterior motives to team up Audrey and Lewis, but as the two dig deeper into the lives not only of the Gleads, but also the other tenants, they discover that they may not truly know their neighbours.

I found 10 Marchfield Square a fun and refreshing read. The story is full of twists, I was completely immersed in the mystery, and Audrey and Lewis make a fantastic duo of sleuths. I loved the ending and it gave me hope for more Audrey and Lewis’s investigations.

A huge thank you to Raven Books and NetGalley for a proof of this gripping novel.

After studying Drama at university, Nicola Whyte worked as a bookseller for several years before going on to work in the digital department at Waterstones. She now runs a small digital agency in the West Country. She was shortlisted for the 2023 Comedy Women in Print Prize and her work has also been listed in the Cheshire Novel Prize (twice), the BPA First Novel Award, and Mslexia, while 10 Marchfield Square was named as first runner up in the 2023 Daily Mail First Novel Award. Nicola lives near Stonehenge with her family.

Publication: 27th March 2025 – MichaelJoseph

‘Who are you, Miss Austen, but a young lady of little experience and no consequence?’

Welcome to Godmersham Park, 1797.

Following many years apart, Jane Austen is set to spend the summer with her estranged brother, Neddy.

As heir to wealthy widow Mrs Knight’s fortune, it is imperative that Neddy stays in his benefactor’s good graces.

But upon arrival in Kent, Jane quickly realises Neddy is in dire need of her help.

For a mysterious young woman named Eleanor currently resides with Mrs Knight – a stranger who threatens to swindle the inheritance for herself.

Jane must uncover who Mrs Knight’s guest really is, to protect the fate of her entire family. When she discovers a series of threatening letters meant for Eleanor, her investigation takes an unexpected turn.

Because the dangers aren’t just within the walls of Godmersham Park. Jane knows someone else is out there watching, waiting – but for what?

Is this curious Eleanor friend, or foe? And can Jane solve the mystery, before danger comes for them all?

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I have been waiting to read this second book in the Miss Austen Investigates series since last year when, at the end of the first novel, I read its first chapter promising more intriguing adventures for my favourite author and I wasn’t disappointed.

A Fortune Most Fatal starts with the young author on her way to visit her brother Edward “Neddy” Knight Austen. Jane’s brother, Edward, had attracted the affection of the family’s wealthy relatives, the Knights, who, being childless, adopted him when he was about sixteen years old, making him the sole heir of their estate. In A Fortune Most Fatal, Jane is going to stay with her brother to help his wife before the birth of their fourth child. Usually, it’s her sister Cassandra who is called in these times of need, but she is grieving the death of her fiancé so the responsibility has fallen on Jane. And, it’s not that everyone would have preferred Cassandra that bothers Jane or that her sister-in-law, Elizabeth, is determined to find her a husband (if only Jane would behave in the proper manner of a lady), but it’s the presence of a mysterious young woman that may threaten Neddy’s inheritance from the Knights that keeps Jane’s mind occupied. 

A young woman has been found on the beach near Godmersham Park. She claims to be a Spanish princess who’s been kidnapped and the recently widowed Mrs. Knights has taken her under her protection, preventing anyone from getting close to her, including her own son. Jane is determined to find out the truth, but as her investigation uncovers dark secrets, she wonders not only if the young woman is a fraud or if she is a victim, but who, among those close to her, she can trust.

I loved this second book even more than the first one. Set in 1797, Jane is working on her latest manuscript, The Sisters, which will later become her first published novel, Sense & Sensibility. She is worried about her sister Cassandra who she left in deep grief over the death of her fiancé, while Jane herself is still thinking about Tom Lefroy, the man she loves, but that she can’t marry. Jane is smart, witty, and quite curious, always full of questions and opinions that sometimes annoy those around her, but won’t stop her from getting to the truth.

Brilliantly-written, entertaining, and immersive, A Fortune Most Fatal has a cast of wonderful characters and a mystery that is darker than I expected, but that left me glued to the pages and looking forward to another Jane Austen’s investigation.

A huge thank you to MichaelJoseph and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel in exchange of my honest opinion.

Jessica Bull grew up in South East London, where she still lives with her husband, two daughters, and far too many pets. She’s addicted to stories and studied English Literature at Bristol University, and Information Science at City University, London. She began work as a librarian (under the false impression she could sit and read all day), before becoming a communications consultant.

Her debut novel, Miss Austen Investigates, has sold in eighteen territories and counting. A Fortune Most Fatal is the highly-anticipated second book in the series.

Publication: 13th February 2025 – Usborne Publishing Ltd

From the bestselling author of This Book Kills comes a deadly new YA thriller of murder, mystery and mind-blowing twists. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus.

Seventeen-year-old Kay left her sleepy hometown after the devastating death of her friend, Ivy. But when Kay is forced to come back, she receives an anonymous letter that turns her life upside down.

The letter tells her that there will be a thrill on Tuesday, a wreckage on Wednesday, treachery on Thursday, a fire on Friday, sabotage on Saturday, a stabbing on Sunday – and her murder on Monday.

And if Kay can’t figure out who is behind the threats, the worst day of the week is about to get deadly…

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This was an intriguing and clever read. There are threatening letters from a mysterious “Monday”, a death that may not have been accidental, and a young woman determined to find out the truth.

Seventeen-year-old Kay is back in the small village of Longrove a year after she left it with her family. First the death of her friend Ivy in what was considered an accident and then the death from cancer of her aunt Sandra, who always treated her more like a daughter than her own mother did, led her family to move to London. Longrove is a sleepy town run by the sinister town Committee and now Kay is back to stay with her uncle and her cousin Nikki while her parents are enjoying a week away to celebrate their anniversary. However, on her first day back there, Kay finds a message on her bed in which someone, who signs themselves as “Monday”, describes a series of threats for her that will end with her death the following Monday. And as each threat takes place, Kay needs to figure out who is behind it with the help of her aunt’s notebooks and murder boards. From her cousin Nikki to her former best friends Mickey and Sophie, Kay’s list of suspects includes everyone in town and, as the threats become more dangerous and people start dying, Kay needs to figure out who “Monday” is and if their plan is connected to the death of her friend Ivy a year earlier.

I must admit that I had a bit of a slow-start in reading Mondays Are Murder, but as the pace picked up and the characters became more vivid and the story more suspenseful, I found myself completely immersed in the plot, the interesting characters, and the surprising twists. I liked being drawn into the mystery and trying to solve it together with Kay and her friends. Mondays Are Murder is the second book I’ve read by Ravena Guron, I like her writing and I am looking forward to her next story!

A huge thank you to Usborne and NetGalley for a proof of this novel in exchange of my honest review.

Ravena Guron has fast cemented her position as the go-to bestselling, award-winning author of highly-original YA killer thrillers, which combine pacy, twist-packed plots with deeper themes, including race, privilege and class. This Book Kills was the bestselling YA debut thriller of 2023, and has now won and been shortlisted for over ten awards, including the British Book Awards’ Children’s Fiction book of the year 2024.

Publication: 14th March 2025 – Boldwood Books

Nobody should be in the market… for murder!

Even though its famous opera house has shuttered its doors for the war, Covent Garden remains one of the most exciting, bustling areas of London. It’s where Hannah Merrill and Aunt Violet have their bookshop and, in spite of the recent spate of burglaries in the area, it’s generally thought to be a good neighbourhood.

So Hannah is surprised when she sees a fellow shopkeeper – a jeweller named Jacob Cornelis – having a heated argument with a stranger. Especially when the next day Cornelis is found dead in his shop, apparently the victim of another burglary.

But what shocks Hannah more is when she meets the policeman supposedly there to investigate the crime. Because he is none other than the man who Hannah saw arguing with Cornelis the day before.

Hannah knows it’s up to her and Violet to investigate. But they don’t know they’re about to uncover a secret underworld of theft, murder and blackmail. And they must act fast, before the Covent Garden Killer strikes again…

A gripping and unputdownable Golden Age cozy crime mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Helena Dixon and Verity Bright.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/MurderCoventGarden

It’s my turn on the blog tour for Murder in Covent Garden, the new fantastic mystery by Anita Davison, out today!

The Miss Merril and Aunt Violet series is one of my favourite historical series. I enjoy the mysteries and the suspense and I like that the protagonists are two independent women, a young woman and her aunt who owns a bookshop in Covent Garden.

In Murder in Covent Garden, a series of burglaries have the police running around in search of the thieves, until one burglary ends in murder. Hannah and her aunt Violet knew the victim, the owner of a jewelry shop near them who frequently visited their bookshop, so, of course, they involve themselves in the investigation of his murder, especially since Hannah had seen him just a few hours before his death arguing with a man who turns out to be one of the detectives involved in the investigation. Was he just the victim of a burglary gone wrong or his murder had nothing to do with it?

There are also other things keeping Hannah busy: a nosy and ambitious journalist who keeps popping up; the return of a man from her aunt’s past that could maybe put in trouble her aunt’s relationship with detective Aidan and her aunt herself who seems to be keeping secrets from her; and then her fiancé Darius who was once very supportive, but, now that they are engaged, he doesn’t seem to approve of her independence or her interest in solving murders. 

Easily read as a stand-alone, Murder in Covent Garden is set in the summer of 1917. The war in Europe is in the backdrop, though very much present, with men being conscripted, war rationing, and even Hannah and Darius waiting for the end of the war to get married. While the mystery is intriguing and captivating, I also enjoyed all the personal drama in the protagonists’ lives. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series!

A huge thank you to Rachel and Boldwood Books for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.

Anita was brought up in London, a city with a history that has always fascinated her and influenced her first attempts at writing. Her first three novels featured a 17th Century West Country family on the losing side of the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685. Other previous work includes an Edwardian Cosy Mystery series featuring amateur sleuth, Flora Maguire set in early 20th Century London and Cheltenham. Anita’s most recent work is the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries set in WWI from Boldwood Books.

Twitter: @AnitaSDavison

Instagram: @anitadavison3740

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/AnitaDavisonNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anita-davison

Publication: 6th February 2025 – Corvus

Right girl. Wrong Earl.

Lydia Hope-Wallace’s secret life as the anonymous author of rebellious political pamphlets has led her into a correspondence with the charming Earl of Strathrannoch. When she learns he’s in dire financial straits, Lydia sets out for Scotland to offer him a marriage of convenience – to, erm, herself.

Arthur Baird, Earl of Strathrannoch is stunned when a bewitching stranger offers him her hand in marriage. But when he realizes that his traitorous brother has been writing to her under his name, he’s bloody furious.

Desperate to track down his estranged sibling, Arthur needs Lydia’s help. What he doesn’t need? The attraction that burns hotter each moment they spend together. As Lydia slips past his defences, Arthur will have to risk everything to keep her safe – even his heart…

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FOYLES

Earl Crush was such a fun and witty read. There is a socially anxious heroine who pukes in the plants when she has to attend a ball, but who writes strong political pamphlets that seem to have drawn the interest of an earl. There is also a big strong Scottish hero, a fake marriage, and a chase around the country in search of a possibly dangerous weapon. I couldn’t put it down!

The protagonist, Lydia, is an heiress, but her shyness has made for disastrous Seasons and she is still a wallflower. Her solution is to propose a marriage of convenience to the Earl of Strathrannoch, with whom she’s been corresponding about politics for the last three years and who is in financial trouble. However, when she reaches his Scottish castle, she finds out that not only it’s overrun by zebras, but also that the man she’s been corresponding with is not the earl, but his younger brother, who’s now run off with a deadly weapon. The real Earl of Strathrannoch, Arthur, had no idea that his brother has been using his name and now asks for Lydia’s help in finding him before he does something irreparable.

Earl Crush is my second novel by Alexandra Vasti and she’s quickly becoming a favourite. I enjoy her writing style and her characters are entertaining and interesting. Lydia is very introverted, but also smart and determined, not afraid to put herself in danger for the sake of others; Arthur is grumpy and gets easily annoyed, but he can also be caring and kind. I also liked the secondary characters, especially the interfering servants. There is swoony romance and also suspense with a few twists and I loved how each chapter starts with an extract from letters. Highly recommended!

A huge thank you to Rachel and Corvus Books for inviting me to join the blog tour in exchange for my honest opinion.

Alexandra Vasti loves coffee, beignets, and books, in no particular order. She is the author of Ne’er Duke Well and the Halifax Hellions series. In between writing swoony Regency romances with hijinks and heart, she teaches British and Caribbean literature in New Orleans.

Social Media Links – https://www.instagram.com/alexandravasti/ – @alexandravasti

Publication: 4th March 2025 – Headline

Finlay Donovan is no stranger to skeletons in the closet . . .
But this murder is too close to home.

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with their elderly neighbour, Mrs. Haggerty – the community busybody and president of the neighbourhood watch.

But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard and her house becomes an active crime scene, there’s nowhere for her to stay . . . except at Finlay’s, right across the street.

Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting mixed up in another murder case – or in sharing their beds with Mrs Haggerty. But when police suspicions land on Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, they’re left with no choice.

For everything to stay buried, they’ll need to get nosy about this neighbour and unearth her secrets. Before the police start digging up theirs.

From New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave – the hugely anticipated next instalment in her fan-favourite murder mystery romcom series.

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I am always delighted when a new Finlay Donovan book comes out because I already know that it will be fun, intriguing, and I won’t be able to put it down (I read Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave in one night!).

After hiding bodies and being blackmailed by the Russian mafia, things seem to have calmed down for single mother and bestselling author Finlay Donovan. And, even though her elderly busy body neighbour, Mrs. Haggerty, has been arrested after a body has been found buried in her backyard, Finlay is convinced that the matter doesn’t really concern her. Can she finally relax and enjoy her relationship with her charming hot cop boyfriend, Nick? Of course not, because first Mrs. Haggerty is left in her care after being released from prison and, then, her own ex-husband is arrested. Finlay and her partner-in-crime/live-in nanny/accountant Vero have no choice but to get involved in the case, by breaking into other people’s houses and following Mrs. Haggerty in the middle of the night as she leaves seemingly innocuous notes in the neighbours’ mailboxes, while also dealing with her five-year-old daughter being suspended from school, her toddler pot-training and running around all naked, and Mrs. Haggerty continuous demands. And, of course, there are also the secrets she keeps hiding from Nick. 

I love this series so much. It’s hilarious, smart, and full of chaos and banter. The characters are wonderful and the stories are all well-written and addictive with the right mix of mystery and drama, romance and comedy and a cliffhanger that makes you wish for the next book right away! Highly recommended! 

A huge thank you to Headline and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

ELLE COSIMANO is an award-winning author. Her YA debut, Nearly Gone, was an Edgar Award finalist and winner of the International Thriller Award. Her novel Holding Smoke was a finalist for the International Thriller Award and the Bram Stoker Award. Her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Time. Elle lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with her husband, two sons, and her dog. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is her adult debut.

Publication: 11th February 2025 – Orbit

The third instalment in the enchanting light academia Emily Wilde books, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves, from Sunday Times bestselling author Heather Fawcett.

Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project yet: studying the inner workings of a faerie realm-as its queen.

Along with her former academic rival-now fiancé-the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare, filled with scholarly treasures.

Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal world-how could an unassuming scholar like herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in-Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic-and Emily’s knowledge of stories-to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.

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Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is the third novel and the delightful ending to this amazing series by Heather Fawcett, although I am keeping all my fingers crossed for more Emily and Wendell’s adventures! 

I really enjoyed this series from the very first book. It’s an atmospheric cozy fantasy with magical folklore, intrigue, wit, and romance and a wonderful cast of characters, especially the protagonist, Emily Wilde, a highly esteemed professor of Folk studies and now their reluctant queen, and the always charming heir to the throne Wendell Bambleby. I have loved Emily and Wendell’s relationship from the very beginning, with their banter, her resolve and scholarly attitude against his easy and striking disposition and the way their rivalry turned into love. 

In this third book, Wendell and Emily are ready to take Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, but there are challenges and enemies to face and curses to break, everything faithfully narrated through Emily detailed journals, which also include Wendell adorable love letters to her. Old friends return to help them save the realm, as Emily delves into old stories to also save the man she loves.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is an enchanting, heartwarming, and thrilling story with an ending that both gave me a nice sense of closure, but also left me wishing there was still more to come!

A huge thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the proof of this fantastic novel in exchange of my honest opinion.

Heather Fawcett is the author of the middle grade novels Ember and the Ice Dragons and The Language of Ghosts, as well as the young adult series Even the Darkest Stars. She has a master’s degree in English literature and has worked as an archaeologist, photographer, technical writer, and backstage assistant for a Shakespearean theater festival. She lives on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Publication: 13th February 2025 – Bantam

Six thriller authors. One writing retreat.
You’d die to be on the guest list . . .

The Host
Legendary mystery author J. R. Alastor’s books are sold all over the world, but no one knows his real name. After years hiding in the shadows, he has sent out six invitations to an exclusive murder mystery retreat on his private island.

The Assistant
Mila del Angél has been hired to ensure the week runs smoothly. She has yearned for revenge on a ghost from her past for years – and this could be her chance to get it.

The Players
The six bestselling thriller writers accept their invitations without question – it’s an opportunity any author would kill for.

The Game
What should have been a week of trope-filled games takes a sinister turn when one guest is found dead, and the others find themselves in the midst of a nightmare drawn from Alastor’s dark imagination. They may have written thrillers – but now they and Mila must survive one…

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If you love locked-room mysteries full of puzzles to solve and twists then I can’t recommend this book enough. I was quickly caught in You Are Fatally Invited and I stayed up late at night to finish reading it. I am not sure what attracted me most, if the reclusive author no one has ever met, the remoteness of the setting, the riddles to solve and the secrets to unravel, or the tribute it pays to one of my favourite books ever, Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Probably, all these things together, and all I know is that I couldn’t put it down until I reached the end.

Told from different perspectives, the story revolves around J. R. Alastor, a legendary author whose identity no one seems to know. He has invited six authors to his remote manor off the coast of Maine for an exclusive writing retreat, but, when they arrive there, the big author is not there welcoming them as they expected, but there is Mila, an event planner hired for the occasion. There are games and riddles planned for the guests, but what they don’t know is that both Alastor and Mila have their own secret plans for the guests. For Mila is murdering one of the guests, but what is exactly Alastor’s agenda? As the guests start to disappear and are being murdered one by one, Mila discovers that she is trapped in a house with people full of secrets and crimes and that Alastor has every intention to reveal them. Who will survive? And who can she trust?

This is such a brilliant, suspenseful, and smart read. You never know what to expect next (although I managed to figure out a few things in advance), you don’t know who is telling the truth, you don’t know who will make it out alive. I loved it!

A huge thank you to Transworld and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel.

Ande Pliego began writing stories when she discovered she could actually wield her overactive imagination for good. A lover of stories with teeth, she writes books involving mind games, dark humour, general murder and mayhem, characters pushed to the edge of themselves, and most importantly, finding the hope in the dark.

When not reading or writing, she can usually be found dabbling in art, scheming up her next trip, or making constant expeditions to the library. Born in Florida, raised in France, and having left footprints all over the globe, Ande is settled in the Pacific Northwest, USA, with her craftsman husband and little son.

Publication: 13th February 2025 – Quercus

Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old, they’re frozen – or so their inside joke goes. Most people don’t know that they travel back in time to complete their research.

The latest assignment sees Ali venture back farther than they have dared before: to 1850s London in order to clear the name of Cain Templeton, the eccentric great-grandfather of MP Isaac Templeton. Rumour has it that Cain was part of a sinister group called The Collectors; to become a member, you had to kill a woman…

Fearing for her safety in the middle of a freezing Victorian winter, Ali finds herself stuck in time, unable to make her way back to her life, her beloved colleagues, and her son, Finn, who suddenly finds himself in legal trouble in the present day.

Could the two cases be connected?

Set your clocks to February 2025 and get ready for an original, transportive and characterful new crime novel from no. 1 bestselling author Elly Griffiths. Perfect for those missing the Dr Ruth Galloway series and for any crime and historical fiction fans.

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When I learned that The Frozen People was about a team who investigates cold cases by going back in time, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but years of reading the Ruth Galloway series have taught me that you can’t ever go wrong with a Elly Griffiths novel, so I was quite intrigued.

At the heart of the story there is a secret team of detectives, tech geniuses, and scientists, so secret that only a few people in the high places of the government know about it, and they can travel back in time to find evidence for their cases. The protagonist, Ali Dawson, has already travelled back in time a few times, but, on this occasion, she is asked to go all the way back to Victorian England in 1850. The mission is to find out more about a series of murders happening at the time that could be linked to a mysterious group called “The Collectors” and one of its members is an ancestor of an important MP. And while Ali is stuck in a freezing Victorian winter, in the present time, another murder puts her son in prison. Will Ali be able to return and prove his innocence?

The Frozen People is such a fantastic and engaging read. It’s atmospheric and sinister and I love the dual time perspective: when we were in the past I couldn’t wait to return to the present to see what was going on and vice versa. Ali is an amazing protagonist. Throughout the novel, we learn about her past, how she moved to London and raised a child on her own as a young single mother, while working and going to university, we learn about her three ex husbands and how she entered the police force. Ali is independent, brave, and sassy, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for her!

A huge thank you to Quercus and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel.

Elly Griffiths is the bestselling author of the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries and the Brighton Mysteries. She has won the CWA Dagger in the Library, has been shortlisted five times for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for The Lantern Men. Her new series featuring Detective Harbinder Kaur began with The Stranger Diaries, which was a Richard and Judy book club pick and won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in the USA. It was followed by The Postscript Murders, shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and Bleeding Heart Yard. Elly has two grown-up children and lives near Brighton with her archaeologist husband.