Book After Book

Publication: 14th September 2023 – Penguin Books UK

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, level-headed assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things in General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage’s employment status isn’t just important, it’s vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer-naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain-and his entire nefarious empire-out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work… and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find…

AMAZON

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Assistant to the Villain is one of the most entertaining, immersive, and intriguing novels I have read this year. I had so much fun reading it and I already can’t wait for its sequel to come out. It features a wonderful heroine, a morally grey hero, grumpy vs sunshine romance, witty banter, magic powers and animals, including an adorable king frog who communicates with signs.

The heroine is Evangelina “Evie” Sage who has been taking care of her family since her father’s illness. She is looking for a new job when she stumbles into the man that everyone calls The Villain who, according to rumours, is a dark unknown figure who steals victims to torture in his manor hidden in the forest. While he’s being chased from the king’s guards, The Villain offers Evie a job as his personal assistant and, desperate for money, she accepts. Of course, this is not a normal job, and while Evie is trying to figure out who is the spy betraying her new boss, she also starts to have romantic feelings for him. And The Villain, who’s always kept his distance from emotions of any kind, certainly didn’t expect to return those feelings. 

I adored Evie and The Villain. She is loyal, honest, fun, loud, bold and brave, and she’s always happy to help others. On the other hand, The Villain is broody and temperamental. He likes to hang the heads of his enemies from the ceiling and he’s holding a ten-year-long revenge against the king that includes stealing from each other, secret houses, and spies. He’s always kept everyone at a distance, his family included, but Evie seems to get through his wall. Their slow-burn romance kept me completely addicted, but, like all romances, there are challenges to face. 

I highly recommend Assistant to the Vilain: a swoony romance, a cast of lovable and engaging characters, an intriguing, refreshing, and riveting story with a terrific final cliff-hanger that left me wanting for more!

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

Hannah Nicole Maehrer, or as TikTok Knows her, @hannahnicolemae. is a fantasy romance author and BookToker with a propensity for villains. When she’s not creating bookish comedy skits about Villains and Assistants, she’s writing to Taylor Swift songs. Her biggest passions in life include romance, magic, laughter, and finding ways to include them all in everything she creates. Most days you can find her with her head in the clouds and a pen in her hand.

Publication: 3rd August 2023 (eBook); 12th October 2023 (paperback) – Aria

A laugh-out-loud rom-com about learning to embrace living outside your comfort zone.

As a shy school librarian, Alexis Stone is comfortable keeping out of the spotlight. But when she’s dumped for being too meek-in bed!-she decides she needs to change. And what better way to kick-start her new more adventurous life than with her first one-night stand?

Enter Logan, the gorgeous, foul-mouthed stranger she meets at a hotel bar. Audacious and filterless, Logan is Alexis’s opposite-and boy, do opposites attract! Just as she’s about to fulfill her hookup wish, the hotel catches fire in a freak lightning storm. In their rush to escape, Logan is discovered carrying her into the street, where people are waiting with cameras. Cameras Logan promptly-and shockingly-flees.

Alexis is bewildered until suddenly pictures of her and Logan escaping the fire are all over the internet. Turns out Logan is none other than Logan Arthur, the hotshot candidate challenging the Texas governor’s seat. The salacious scandal is poised to sink his career-and jeopardize Alexis’s job-until a solution is proposed: he and Alexis could pretend to be in a relationship until election day.in two months. What could possibly go wrong?

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I adored The Boyfriend Candidate. It’s well-written and with such fantastic characters that I am still thinking about it many days later. I loved the swoony slow-burn romance and the chemistry between the protagonists, the friendships and family ties and there are also a few adorable kittens!!!

The protagonist is Alexis Stone who is on a mission: have her very first one-night-stand. So, she goes to a bar, she meets a handsome stranger, they hit it off right away, and they get a room in a hotel to spend the night together. Everything is going better than she could have hoped until the fire alarm goes off and they have to leave the hotel, half-naked. Their escape from the hotel is caught on camera and when the handsome stranger, better known as Logan Arthur, turns out to be a candidate on the run as the next governor of Texas, Alexis finds herself thrown into the world of politics and elections in her role as Logan’s fake girlfriend.

I really liked the character of Alexis. An introverted school librarian and relatable book nerd who’s always lived in the shadow of her successful and fearless sister and is still struggling with issues from her parents’ divorce. Even though she doesn’t like being the center of attention and public speaking, being Logan’s fake girlfriend gives Alexis the chance to grow and come out of the shadows to fight for what she believes in. 

The romance is very well-developed. Opposites attract and fake dating go along perfectly with witty banter and flirting that kept me completely immersed in the story. I loved every single page of this beautiful, entertaining, and sexy story and I can’t wait to read more by this author.

A huge thank you to Aria and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this entertaining novel.

Ashley Winstead is an academic turned novelist with a Ph.D. in contemporary American literature. She lives in Houston with her husband, two cats, and beloved wine fridge. You can find her at www.ashleywinstead.com

Publication: 31st August 2023 – Zaffre Books

A father is murdered in the dead of night in his London home, his head wrapped tightly in tape, a crude sad face penned over his facial features. But the victim’s only child is left alive and unharmed at the scene.

Met Police detectives Grace Archer and Harry Quinn have more immediate concerns. Notorious gangster Frankie White has placed a target on Archer’s back, and there’s no one he won’t harm to get to her.

Then a second family is murdered, leaving young Uma Whitmore as the only survivor. Once again the victim’s face is found wrapped and inked.

With a serial killer at large, DI Archer and DS Quinn must stay alive long enough to find the connection between these seemingly random victims. Can they do it before another child is made an orphan?

AMAZON

WATERSTONES

Happy Sunday everyone! Today, it’s my turn on the blog tour for The Silent Man, the thrilling and compelling new novel by David Fennell.

It seems there is a killer on the loose in London. They enter a family home in the middle of the night and, while the child sleeps, they suffocate the father and wrap duct tape all over his face, drawing a face on it. The police team, led by DI Grace Archer and her partner DS Harry Quinn, are investigating the murders in a race against time before the killer strikes again, but the victims don’t seem to be connected and the killer leaves no trace behind. In the meantime, Grace has other things on her mind. Not only her grandfather’s health is quickly declining, but there is a price on her head from a gangster who is determined to eliminate her entire family, no matter the cost. 

I haven’t read the previous books in the DI Grace Archer and DS Harry Quinn series, but the backstory is simple to follow and the characters easy to familiarize with, so it can be read as a standalone.

The characters are complex and well-developed and I especially liked DI Grace Archer, clever, confident, and strong and I enjoyed her close and easy relationship with her partner DS Harry Quinn. 

There is so much going on in this book. A serial killer targeting families, gangsters at war with each other, a detective in danger, corrupt police officers, secrets and betrayals, and much more. It is dark, chilling, and immersive, and the twists just keep coming until the last page. The pace is fast, the suspense is high, and emotions are strong. And I loved every page of it!

A huge thank you to Tracy for inviting me to join the blog tour and to Zaffre and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this novel.

I was born and raised in Belfast before leaving for London at the age of eighteen with £50 in one pocket and a dog-eared copy of Stephen King’s The Stand in the other. I jobbed as a chef, waiter and bartender for several years before starting a career in writing for the software industry. I’ve been working in Cyber Security for fifteen years and am a fierce advocate for information privacy.

Publication: 6th July 2023 – Transworld

Welcome to Stanhope – a safe neighbourhood. A place for families.

William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he’s been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter Avery unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper.

Hours later, Avery’s family declares her missing.

Suddenly Stanhope doesn’t feel so safe. And William isn’t the only one on his street who’s hiding a lie. As witnesses come forward with information that may or may not be true, Avery’s neighbours become increasingly unhinged.

Who took Avery Wooler?

Nothing will prepare you for the truth.

AMAZON

WATERSTONES

I love Shari Lapena’s novels because nothing is ever what it seems, the suspense is always high, the pace is perfect, and the twists just keep taking you by surprise. Everyone Here Is Lying sees the small community of Stanhope shocked by the disappearance of a young girl. The lives of the upstanding and respected residents are suddenly under the microscope of the police and the media and their well-kept secrets risk to come to life. No one seemed to like Avery, but will they risk her life to keep their secrets?

As the title implies, there are lies, lies, and lies, but the question remains: who took 9-year-old Avery? Was it her father who could be the last person to have seen her right before her disappearance? Or maybe her mother, who couldn’t deal anymore with her behavioural disorder? Was it the 18-year-old neighbour who already has a drug conviction? Or the 15-year-old boy who, a few weeks earlier, had been found alone with Avery in a tree house? Or was the husband whose wife was having an affair with Avery’s father? So many suspects and so many motives, but the truth is actually much darker and more disturbing than I could expect.

I can’t say I liked any of the characters. I mostly found them irritating and annoying, but with all their faults and flaws they also felt real and I caught myself invested in their lives, and sometimes sympathizing with them. The author’s writing style is as addictive and engaging as ever and I was completely immersed in the story. Everyone Here Is Lying is gripping, thrilling, and full of unexpected and shocking surprises and with an ending that was explosive and amazing. Highly recommended!

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

Shari Lapena is the internationally bestselling author of the thrillers The Couple Next Door,
A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest, Someone We Know, The End of Her and Not a Happy Family, which have all been Sunday Times and New York Times bestsellers. Her books have been sold in forty territories around the world. She lives in Toronto.

Facebook: ShariLapena
Twitter: @sharilapena
Instagram: sharilapena

Publication: 16th June 2023 – HarperCollins UK

It’s a truth often acknowledged that when a journalist and Jane Austen fan girl ends up living next door to a cynical but handsome crime writer, romantic sparks will fly!

When Maddy Shaw is told her Dear Jane column has been cancelled she has no choice but to look outside of London’s rental market. That is until she’s left an idyllic country home by the black sheep of the family, long-not-so-lost Cousin Nigel.

But of course, there’s a stipulation… and not only is Maddy made chair of the committee for the annual village literary festival, she also has to put up with bestselling crime author –and romance sceptic – Cameron Massey as her new neighbor.

When Maddy challenges Cameron to write romantic fiction, which he claims is so easy to do, sparks fly both on and off the page…

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

HARPERCOLLINS

GOODREADS

BOOKBUB

Happy Sunday everyone! Today, it’s my turn on the blog tour for What Would Jane Austen Do?, the fantastic latest novel by Linda Corbett.

I must admit that I was first drawn to this novel because I am a huge Jane Austen fan, having read all her novels many many times and also owning multiple editions of her books. And I really enjoyed What Would Jane Austen Do?, an engaging and immersive story with a wonderful heroine who often channels her inner Elizabeth Bennett or Emma Woodhouse to solve situations and a grumpy hero who perfectly reminds of Mr. Darcy. I loved the many Jane Austen references and how each chapter starts with a quote from one of her novels. I also enjoyed the slow-burn romance adorned with witty verbal sparring and an only-one-bed situation, the mysteries to solve, and the fantastic supporting cast of villagers that make things quite entertaining.

The story starts on Valentine’s Day, which wouldn’t be so bad for single Madeleine “Maddy” Shaw if she hadn’t first been fired from her job as agony aunt “Dear Jane” at UpClose magazine and then she spent the afternoon arguing live on radio with the handsome but arrogant crime writer Cameron Massey about the importance of romance in novels and Jane Austen. However, things take a turn for the better when she discovers she’s inherited a house from long-lost cousin Nigel, who she never met and considered the black sheep of the family. The only problem is that to claim total ownership of the house she must live in it for the next twelve months, so Maddy packs her things and leaves London to move to the countryside. Maddy is quickly welcomed in the small community of Cotlington with its own newsletter of gossip and its own literary festival of which she is the new chair, having inherited the title from Nigel. Busy as she is ghost hunting in her new huge house, organizing the Cotlington Literary Festival, and finding out more about cousin Nigel’s past, Maddy has certainly no time for romance, except that her new neighbor is none other than the crime writer who doesn’t believe in romance Cameron Massey and their chemistry is undeniable. 

What Would Jane Austen Do? is an heart-warming, witty, and well-written novel, perfect for all those who love romance, Jane Austen, enemies-to-lovers and grumpy vs sunshine tropes, and, if that’s not enough, there is an adorable dog called Buster that will keep you quite entertained!

A huge thank you to Laurel Ann at Austenprose for inviting me to join the blog tour and to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel.

Linda Corbett lives in Surrey with her husband Andrew and three permanently hungry guinea pigs. As well as being an author, Linda is treasurer and fundraiser for Shine Surrey – a volunteer-led charity that supports individuals and families living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. For many years she also wrote a regular column for Link, a disability magazine, illustrating the humorous aspects of life with a complex disability and she is a passionate advocate of disability representation in fiction. Love You From A-Z is her first published novel.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

PRAISE FOR WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?

• “Witty, sharp and beautifully observed – I feel sure Jane would approve.”— Julie Caplin, author of The French Chateau

• “Sparkling romance, secrets from the past…Witty and romantic, I couldn’t stop myself from turning the pages.”— Alison Sherlock, bestselling author of The Village of Lost and Found

• “…sheer fun from beginning to end, beautifully written, and with a real touch of originality.”— Anne Williams, Being Anne

• “What a lovely book! It also fills my need to see British colloquialisms on occasion. Yes! I highly recommend this book!”— Michelle, Tales Untangled

The readalong of the DI Ben Kitto continues. Pulpit Rock is the fourth book in the series and it sees DI Kitto investigating a killer hunting women. I read Pulpit Rock when it came out and I am delighted to share again my review…

Publication: 15th October 2020 – Simon & Schuster UK

WITH A KILLER ON THE LOOSE
As the scorching summer sun beats down on St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, DI Ben Kitto and his team are training for the annual Swimathon, until they discover a body hanging from Pulpit Rock, dressed in a bridal gown.

ON A TINY ISLAND
An obsessive killer is hunting for female victims. Kitto has no choice but to stop anyone leaving St Mary’s, but soon another woman is attacked.

EVERYONE IS A SUSPECT
The killer must be a trusted member of the community. Kitto’s investigation is being watched closely, the killer always one step ahead, as the next victim is chosen . . .

NO ONE IS SAFE

AMAZON

WATERSTONES

Pulpit Rock is the fourth novel by Kate Rhodes featuring DI Benesek ‘Ben’ Kitto. After years working in the murder squad in London, Ben had had enough and decided to move back to the small Scilly island of Bryher where he was born. In Pulpit Rock, Ben is training for a swimathon when he sees a body hanging from the local landmark of Pulpit Rock. The victim is a woman and she is found wearing a wedding a dress. For Ben it becomes clear that it is murder and, after another woman is attacked, that a serial killer is on the island. Since no one is allowed to enter or leave the island, everyone becomes a suspect, including people who Ben knows very well.

I really enjoy this series. I love the setting of the Scilly Islands, so atmospheric and beautiful, often remote and cut off from the mainland, a place that it is described in vivid details by the author and that it has a very central part in the story.

I like the protagonist DI Ben Kitto. I find him smart, decisive, intrepid and I enjoy reading about his interesting love life. On the job, he is really good and, in this new novel, he finds himself in the difficult position to suspect and interview close friends, people he grew up with, and even his own colleagues. I love his dog Shadow and their entertaining relationship was one of my favorite part of the story.

The plot is well-structured and well-written. It is suspenseful, engrossing and thrilling. You never know when the killer might strike next and I didn’t figure out who the killer was until it was revealed.

The DI Ben Kitto series is one of my favorite crime series and I am already looking forward to the next book, in the meantime, I highly recommend Pulpit Rock!

A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster UK and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the novel.

Kate Rhodes is an acclaimed crime novelist and an award-winning poet. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, the writer and film-maker, Dave Pescod. She visited the Scilly Isles every year as a child which gave her the idea for this new series. She is one of the founders of the Killer Women writing group.

I am now on the third book of the readalong of the fantastic DI Ben Kitto series by Kate Rhodes so I am thrilled to share my review of Burnt Island!

Publication: 31st October 2019 – Simon & Schuster UK

INTRUDERS HERE ARE BOUND TO DIE . . .
 
As the sun sets on a cold November evening, the tiny community of St Agnes prepares for their annual Fifth-of-November festivities. Moments before the fireworks are scheduled to commence, an islander discovers a charred body left on the bonfire, and quickly it becomes clear that a killer is at large.
 
Ben Kitto is the Deputy Chief of Police for the Scilly Isles, and with a killer on the loose, he has no choice but to forbid all residents from leaving the island. With a population of just eighty people, everyone is a suspect and no one is safe.
 
When threats start appearing, written in the old Cornish language, Ben suspects that the killer’s motive is to rid the island of the newcomers who threaten their traditions. With time running out, Ben hurries to discover the secrets of the island’s peculiar residents, but he knows it’s only a matter of time before another fire is started . . .
 
No place to run.
No place to hide.

AMAZON

WATERSTONES

I’ve said it already and I will say it again: the DI Ben Kitto series is brilliant! It’s very well-written, the setting is atmospheric and suitable to the story, the protagonist Ben Kitto is complex and well-developed, and the plots are always gripping, addictive, and suspenseful until the very end.

Burnt Island is the third book in the series (but it can easily be read as a stand-alone) and Ben Kitto has now settled down back home, in the Isles of Scilly, after ten years of undercover work for the Met Police in London. It’s the night of November 5th and, while the island of St. Agnes is celebrating by burning straw men that will send the bad spirits away, Ben is horrified to find a body completely burned down. With travel banned from and to the island, the killer can be only one of the 80 islanders living in St. Agnes. Ben knows many of them, grew up with some of them, and it’s not easy to find the killer when many are keeping secrets. And when another islander disappears, Ben and his young sidekick Eddie, along with his loyal dog Shadow, need to find the killer before it’s too late.

Every time I read one of the books in this series, I think about planning a trip to the Isles of Scilly (which I seriously have to do at some point). The descriptions are detailed and evocative and the atmosphere and the sense of isolation fit perfectly with a murder story. The island of St. Agnes is described as “the wildest and most secretive place in all the Scillies”. It is small – “two miles long and half a mile wide” -, and, thanks to its hidden coves, it is the perfect place to hide bodies.  

The plot is intriguing, dark, and immersive. Ben has to find a sadistic killer while dealing not only with his demanding boss, but also with tradition and the reluctance of the islanders who don’t like people meddling and being questioned.

I can’t recommend this book and this series enough! If you are looking for a fast-paced and thrilling story then Burnt Island and the entire DI Ben Kitto series is what you are looking for!

A huge thank you to Tracy for inviting me to the readalong and providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel.

Kate Rhodes is an acclaimed crime novelist and an award-winning poet. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, the writer and film-maker, Dave Pescod. She visited the Scilly Isles every year as a child which gave her the idea for this new series. She is one of the founders of the Killer Women writing group.

Publication: 15th August 2023 – Mills & Boon

Bewitched, bothered…and betrothed?

Love is a hex of a thing, as childhood sweethearts fake a relationship in this charming, witchy, second-chance romcom.

Emma Bluewater is determined to put life as a witch behind her. She may have been born into witch society, but her days of trying to fit in are over – they ended years ago, when the man she hoped to marry left town without a word. She’s much happier now, living a delightfully mundane human life in Chicago, running her bar, Toil and Trouble. Emma has put her ex firmly in her past.

Until Bastian walks through the door and announces that he wants her back!

Bastian had his reasons for leaving Emma, reasons he can never tell her. But a curse on his family dictates he must fulfil their marriage contract or face darker consequences. Emma is even more spellbinding than Bastian remembers, but not easily won over. And time is ticking.

With secrets and curses swirling around them, Emma and Bastian must navigate dark magic and broken hearts. Magical contracts are not easily broken, and they become even more complicated when you fall in love…

Fans of The Ex Hex and The Dead Romantics will be ENCHANTED by this fake dating, enemies to lovers romance.

AMAZON

WATERSTONES

A fake relationship, an arranged wedding, a second chance to love, curses, spells, hexes, secrets, and a cast of wonderful characters: I loved The Witch Is Back!

Seven years ago, Emmaline “Emma” Bluewater was preparing for her wedding to her best friend, the Witch High Society golden boy Bastian Truenote, but then Bastian left without a word, just a note to his parents (so, at least, they knew he hadn’t been kidnapped or murdered!), and she hadn’t heard from him ever since. Her mother, and the entire Society thought that Bastian’s leaving was Emma’s fault, after all, why would he marry the gentle witch who can barely yield her own powers? So, humiliated and heart-broken, Emma packed her things and she moved to the human world (meaning Chicago) where she now runs her own cocktail bar with her two best friends and lives happily amongst the humans. And then, on her birthday, Bastian returns with barely a reason for leaving her and a request to resume their arranged engagement to break a curse and save his mother. Bastian had his own reasons to leave all those years ago, but now he doesn’t know if he can trust Emma who has her own secrets to protect.

The Witch Is Back is a fun and entertaining story which I read in one day. I loved that there is a dual POV, Emma and Bastian, as we see both characters develop throughout the story. They grew up together, best friends since they were children, he the extroverted sunshine boy everyone loved and she the shy introverted girl who is afraid to speak in public (or to her overbearing and bully mother) and everyone pitied. Their marriage was agreed by their parents with a witch contract when they were still too young to understand their feelings for each other. Now, they agree to help each other, but, as it always happens, old and new feelings start to surface and things get more complicated… and steamier!

Full of witty banter and romance, The Witch Is Back is a wonderful witchy read!

A huge thank you to Mills & Boon and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel!

Sophie H. Morgan is a romance author who loves humour and heart in equal measure. A fan of random situations, challenging odds and serious chemistry, she can be found either in the English rain running after her spaniel or curled up on the sofa with a romance (with said wet spaniel snoring next to her).

Today, I am thrilled to take part in a fantastic COVER REVEAL!!!

Cyanide and Sensibility is the third book in the Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery series by Katie Oliver and it will be published by Berkley on December 12th, 2023.

“A crackling good mystery: like a modern-day Agatha Christie bestowed with a hefty dollop of Jane Austen. It’s deliciously written, emotionally resonant, and delightfully engaging. Katie Oliver’s cinematic eye is spot on!”— Laura Childs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mystery series

If you love Jane Austen fiction, cozy culinary mysteries, and amateur sleuths, then this is the perfect book for you.

“a wonderfully fun and charming modern-day mystery…and packed with clever character references that Austen fans will find delightful.”— Marilyn Brant, bestselling author of Pride, Prejudice, and the Perfect Match

Murder is on the menu and Phaedra Brighton is called on to serve up justice in the latest Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery.

While Phaedra Brighton might not have a Mr. Darcy (yet), she’s quite content with her loving family and loyal cat. Phaedra’s sister Hannah is the Jane to her Elizabeth, and Phaedra is ecstatic that Hannah has decided to move home for her next adventure—opening a business. 

All of Laurel Springs is out in full force to celebrate the grand unveiling of Hannah’s new patisserie, Tout de Sweet, including local celebrity Rachel Brandon. Hannah is a master of her craft, with confections so divine, one bite will make you think you’ve died and gone to heaven.

Of course, you never want that to happen literally. 

When one of Hannah’s famous dark chocolate cupcakes sends Rachel’s assistant to the hospital with poisoning, Hannah begs for Phaedra’s help to save her reputation and budding business. But Phaedra has more questions than answers: Who was the cupcake actually meant for? And how far is the culprit willing to go to take their target off the menu—permanently?

“With the right balance of humor, charm, and intrigue, this contemporary whodunnit had me swiping, swiping, swiping through my kindle until the satisfying end.”— Christina Boyd, editor of Elizabeth, Obstinate Headstrong Girl

You can pre-order: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BERKLEY | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

Katie Oliver is known internationally as a writer of Jane Austen rom-coms with a hint of mystery. In the US and the UK, she is the bestselling author of the Dating Mr. Darcy and Marrying Mr. Darcy series.

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The readalong of the DI Ben Kitto series continues with the second book, Ruin Beach, which I read and enjoyed back in 2019, and today I am thrilled to share again my review.

Publication: 15th November 2018 – Simon and Schuster UK

THE ISLAND OF TRESCO HOLDS A DARK SECRET SOMEONE WILL KILL TO PROTECT.

Ben Kitto has become the Scilly Isles’ Deputy Chief of Police. As the island’s lazy summer takes hold, he finds himself missing the excitement of the murder squad in London. But when the body of professional diver Jude Trellon is discovered, anchored to the rocks of a nearby cave, his investigative skills are once again needed.

At first it appears that the young woman’s death was a tragic accident, but when evidence is found that suggests otherwise, the islanders close ranks. With even those closest to the victim refusing to talk, it seems that plenty of people might have had reason to harm her. As the islanders remain guarded, Ben Kitto suspects a killer is on the loose in Tresco.

Everyone is a suspect.
Nobody is safe.

AMAZON

WATERSTONES

We first meet DI Ben Kitto in Hell Bay. After the death of his partner, Ben took a break from solving murders in London and he moved back to the Scilly Islands to recover. The move was supposed to be temporary, just a few months, but he found himself investigating a murder on the island and, at the end of the novel, he decided to remain in the place where he spent his childhood.

In RUIN BEACH, we find Ben settled down and Deputy Chief of Scilly Island’s Police. He has to investigate the death of Jude Trellon. She was a professional diver and her body was found tied to the rocks by a cave in Piper’s Hole. She was hiding a secret and the people who knew her are not talking. For Ben, everyone on the island is a suspect, even the people he’s known his entire life.

Even though the novel is slow-paced, the author knows how to keep the suspense always high, by adding a second point-of-view alongside the protagonist’s. The story is told mostly in first person by Ben’s point-of-view, but we also read Tom’s story, a young man who knows why Jude was killed. Like Ben, I found myself suspecting of everyone involved in the story. You never know who is telling the truth, who is keeping secrets, who you can trust.

I really like the character of Ben Kitto. I enjoyed reading his interactions with his sidekick Eddie, an enthusiastic young officer, with his dog Shadow, and with his friend Zoe, for whom he has a huge crush. He is well-developed, vividly-drawn and likable and I look forward to read more about him.

What I really love about this novel is the setting. The Isles of Scilly are the real protagonists of the novel. They are just off the coast of Cornwall and they are beautiful and atmospheric and they come to life thanks to the author’s attention to details.

RUIN BEACH is evocative, chilling, and engrossing, an excellent second book in a brilliant series and I’d like to thank Simon and Schuster for providing me with a copy of the book.

Kate Rhodes is an acclaimed crime novelist and an award-winning poet. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, the writer and film-maker, Dave Pescod. She visited the Scilly Isles every year as a child which gave her the idea for this new series. She is one of the founders of the Killer Women writing group.