Book After Book

Publication: 6th September 2018 – Langton & Wood

While staying in a Dorset cottage, Hugh Mullion finds a mysterious key down the side of an antique chair. No one can say how long the key has been there or what it opens. Hugh’s search for answers will unlock the secrets of the troubled life of a talented artist, destined to be hailed a neglected genius fifty years too late. And no secret is darker than that of The Amber Maze, from whose malign influence he never escaped. The trail takes Hugh from Edwardian Oxfordshire to 1960s Camden Town, where the ghosts of the past are finally laid to rest. Delicately crafted noir fiction at its best.

 

**********

It’s my pleasure to welcome you all on my stop of the blog tour for THE AMBER MAZE, the new fantastic novel by Christopher Bowen. A huge thank you to Anne Cater for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of the book.

Hugh Mullion is on holiday in a cottage. He is alone and bored, waiting for his wife to arrive, but the discovery of a mysterious key inside a chair that appeared out of nowhere leads Hugh in a entertaining and intriguing adventure to discover the secrets of a troubled artist. Meeting a cast of likable and colorful characters, Hugh finds himself trying to put together the pieces of a puzzle that take him back in England 1960 to solve a mystery that quickly becomes a true obsession for him.

THE AMBER MAZE is a quick and thrilling read. The novel is only 160 pages long, but a lot happens in these few pages. I found myself immersed and curious to see where Hugh’s investigation would lead him and it was fascinating reading about the world of art in 1960 London.

The narrative flows easily, the descriptions made the story feel real, and the characters are likable and interesting. The mystery of the key and all the secrets that follow create a story that is unique and captivating so that I found myself spending an afternoon pleasantly immersed in THE AMBER MAZE.

Christopher Bowden lives in south London.  He is the author of six novels, each with a colour theme.  The Amber Maze, published in September 2018, is the latest.  His previous books have been praised variously by Andrew Marr, Julian Fellowes, Sir Derek Jacobi, and Shena Mackay. Of his third novel, The Red House, Sir Derek said, “Very entertaining, cleverly constructed and expertly paced.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Website:

www.christopherbowden.com

Publication: 13th June 2019 – HarperFiction

It begins with an abduction. The routine of a family shopping trip is shattered when Michelle Spivey is snatched as she leaves the mall with her young daughter. The police search for her, her partner pleads for her release, but in the end…they find nothing. It’s as if she disappeared into thin air.

A month later, on a sleepy Sunday afternoon, medical examiner Sara Linton is at lunch with her boyfriend Will Trent, an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. But the serenity of the summer’s day is broken by the wail of sirens.

Sara and Will are trained to help in an emergency. Their jobs – their vocations – mean that they run towards a crisis, not away from it. But on this one terrible day that instinct betrays them both. Within hours the situation has spiralled out of control; Sara is taken prisoner; Will is forced undercover. And the fallout will lead them into the Appalachian mountains, to the terrible truth about what really happened to Michelle, and to a remote compound where a radical group has murder in mind…

**********

Not only Karin Slaughter is back, but Will Trent is back!!! My favourite special agent has to save the world and the woman he loves in a new fast-paced and engrossing novel that I couldn’t put down.

What was supposed to be a family Sunday lunch for Will and his girlfriend, medical examiner Sara Linton, turns into bombs exploding, kidnappings, murder, and a race against time to stop a group of white supremacy terrorists from going through with their deadly plans.

In this new novel, Karin Slaughter takes us right into a far-right cult made of white men who want to control women, who want to cleanse the world of people of different race and religion and who make my blood boils in rage with every word they utter. I wish that the world Karin Slaughter created was pure fiction, but it felt so frighteningly real and menacing that I was on the edge of my seat with every page I read.

The story is told from three different points of views, Sara, Will and his partner Faith. I loved how the author structured the narrative and she rewrote some of the same scenes from different perspectives so that we see how all the characters feel and react to the same hard situation. Some of the descriptions were very disturbing and violent as Karin Slaughter addresses themes of rape, paedophilia, torture, and child murders making for a chilling and thought-provoking read, which is not new with this author.

I loved how we got a closer and deeper look inside Will and Sara’s relationship. I do adore these two characters and I love seeing them together. They are very different and they come from a different background but they fit so well together (I am a hopeless romantic!). In THE LAST WIDOW we see them not only fight to save each other, but also get a more profound understanding of each other that makes me just want to read more about them.

THE LAST WIDOW is the latest and ninth instalment of the Will Trent series. Like the other novels in this fantastic series, it is addictive, highly suspenseful, and thrilling and I am already looking forward to the next book!!!

Publication: 10th June 2019 (eBook); 22nd August 2019 – HQ

Did she really say ‘I do’?!

Holly is happily single with two gorgeous kids but when she finds out her ex is moving on she jumps at the chance of attending her friend Emma’s wedding in Vegas – it’s the perfect distraction…

Kim used to be the life and soul of the party, but now there’s nothing she loves more than a quiet night at home with the family. But in Vegas her past quickly catches up with her – in a way that could make or break her marriage!

Emma is getting married! She knows it should be the happiest time of her life, but she can’t help feeling she’s marrying the wrong man. So when she wakes up on her wedding day with a ring already on her finger, she panics – who did she marry last night?

**********

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE MORNING AFTER THE WEDDING BEFORE, the entertaining new novel by Laura Ziepe. A big thank you to HQ for inviting me to join the blog tour and for providing me with a copy of the novel.

THE MORNING AFTER THE WEDDING BEFORE is the story of three friends. Kim never thought that her life would revolve around children, but, after an unexpected pregnancy and a premature childbirth, she focuses every waking hour around her two young children neglecting her husband and her friends. Holly is recently divorced and while her ex-husband has moved on, she is still single and busy with their children, trying to find time to dedicate to herself. Emma is an Instagram influencer.  While her life appears perfect on social media, the truth is very different, but Emma is too afraid to let everyone down to change things. Now the three friends are together in Las Vegas to celebrate Emma’s wedding and they have to face their choices because not all that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…

I enjoyed THE MORNING AFTER THE WEDDING BEFORE. It is an entertaining and refreshing romantic comedy that I read in two days. Emma, Holly, and Kim are likable and realistic. Although the novel focuses on their individual lives, it’s also a story about a close friendship that is still strong even when marriage, children, and work make it difficult to spend time together. With many engaging characters, a few detestable bad guys, and addressing themes of parenting and controlling relationships, THE MORNING AFTER THE WEDDING BEFORE is a real page-turner!

Publication: 1st March 2019 – Panther Publishing

When PI Jordan Jenner returns to work following the death of his mother, his first case involves a murdered writer…

James Fairview has been killed. As a member of a prestigious writing group hosted by bestselling author Joseph Gordon in the heart of Cardiff, Jordan not only has to cope with solving the mystery, but also deal with press attention. 

As Jordan investigates, he discovers his mother’s death may not have been so simple. And when another writer is murdered, Jordan realises the killer could strike again… 

A murdered writer, a mysterious death, and a group with jealousy at its heart, this is Jenner’s toughest case yet.

A cosy murder mystery with a gay male detective, Murder on the Rocks is the first in the Jordan Jenner Mysteries series. If you’re a fan of classic whodunits you will love this! 

A perfect read for those looking for Welsh crime fiction. 

**********

Happy Monday, happy new week. I am delighted to kick off the blog tour for MURDER ON THE ROCKS by J. S. Strange, the first thrilling novel in the Jordan Jenner Mysteries. I’d like to thank Emma for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of the novel.

Private detective Jordan Jenner is back at work after the death of his mother and his first case is helping the Cardiff police solving the murder of James Fairview, an aspiring author poisoned during a writing retreat. It seems that everyone in the writing group hated James, but who hated him enough to kill him? And as the case becomes more personal for Jordan, another member of the group disappears…

MURDER ON THE ROCKS is a fantastic first book to a new gripping series. Jordan Jenner is an interesting character. The author made him very realistic, but also complex, with his own problems, troubles, and a complicated and unresolved relationship with his mother. He is smart, funny, and very good at his job, even when his personal and professional life unexpectedly blend.

I liked the author’s writing style. J. S. Strange knows how to keep the reader’s attention and to build up the tension high with a dark atmosphere and twists that took me always by surprise. Everyone in the writing retreat is a potential suspect, everyone has a motive, and I didn’t figure out who the killer was until it was revealed in the end. The novel ends with a fantastic revelation and a little anticipation to the second novel which I am really looking forward to reading!

J.S. Strange is an author from Wales, United Kingdom. He writes crime, mystery and horror. His first novels, published in 2016 and 2017, were set in an apocalyptic London. Murder on the Rocks, is the first in a cozy crime mystery series, featuring a leading gay male detective.

Murder on the Rocks was written by Strange for many reasons. One of those reasons was a lack of representation within the crime genre, particularly with detectives and sleuths. Strange created Jordan Jenner, a private investigator, who lives and works in Cardiff. Murder on the Rocks was written with the intention of shining light on Cardiff, and bringing Cardiff, and furthermore, Wales, into the crime genre.

Strange’s previous works, such as ‘Winter Smith: London Burning’, also explored LGBT themes, and featured socialite Winter Smith escaping a zombie apocalypse. ‘London’s Burning’ became an Amazon best-seller in LGBT fiction.

When Strange doesn’t write, he works in television. He also presents a radio show all about the paranormal. He has an enthusiasm for Britney Spears and cats.

Jack can be reached on Twitter: @JackSamStrange

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackSamStrange @JackSamStrange

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JackSamuelStrange/

Website: https://jacksamstrange.com/?fbclid=IwAR1DGDgRPWre63XkLzW8kkcnBy2BBZ2g9TFTNU71K8vnJUDDapY_6igh4nA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jsstrange/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B01AUNFQ78?_encoding=UTF8&redirectedFromKindleDbs=true&ref_=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1&rfkd=1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Rocks-Mystery-Jordan-Mysteries/dp/1527235521/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Rocks-Mystery-Jordan-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07L2FRDB8/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=murder+on+the+rocks&qid=1557827818&s=gateway&sr=8-2

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/murder-on-the-rocks/j-s-strange/9781527235526

 

Publication: 13th April 2019 (eBook); 13th June 2019 (paperback) – Orenda Books

One dark January night a car drives at high speed towards PI Varg Veum, and comes very close to killing him. Veum is certain this is no accident, following so soon after the deaths of two jailed men who were convicted for their
participation in a case of child pornography and sexual assault … crimes that Veum himself once stood wrongly accused of committing.

While the guilty men were apparently killed accidentally, Varg suspects that there is something more sinister at play … and that he’s on the death list of someone still at large.

Fearing for his life, Veum begins to investigate the old case, interviewing the victims of abuse and delving deeper into the brutal crimes, with shocking results. The wolves are no longer in the dark … they are at his door. And they want vengeance.

**********

Happy Saturday, everyone! Today, I am so happy to kick off the blog tour for WOLVES AT THE DOOR, the new suspenseful novel by Gunnar Staalesen. A big thank you to Anne Cater and Orenda Books for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of the novel.

I discovered Gunnar Staalesen’s novels and its protagonist, private detective Varg Veum, exactly a year ago when I read Big Sister. It kept me glued to the pages and I was happy to go back to the dark and atmospheric Norwegian setting and immerse myself in this new captivating novel.

After being wrongly accused of child pornography, Varg Veum is investigating the sudden death of two men. Nobody hired him and the police doesn’t think their deaths are suspicious, so why is he so interested? Because the two men were accused of abuse and child pornography at the same time he was, and now it seems that someone is after him as well. Varg Veum questions their families and discover a past that it’s darker and more disturbing than he thought.

I am so happy Varg Veum is back. He is a fantastic and well-developed character. He feels real and likable. His calm and composed demeanour leads people to talk to him and reveal secrets they haven’t revealed before.

The author addresses the theme of child abuse and I found some of the scenes described in the novel very disturbing, especially when the abuse was inside a family. If you can’t trust your own parents, who can you trust? The way the author describes the effects of the abuse on the victims, how it affected their lives even years and years later created a few emotional moments.

WOLVES AT THE DOOR is dark, slow-paced, and suspenseful, another irresistible read from one of my favourite Nordic authors.

Follow the rest of the blog tour:

One of the fathers of the Nordic Noir genre, Gunnar Staalesen was born in Bergen, Norway in 1947. He made his debut at the age of twenty-two with Seasons of Innocence and in 1977 he published the first book in the Varg Veum series. He is the author of over twenty-three titles, which have been published in twenty-six countries and sold over five million copies. Twelve film adaptations of his Varg Veum crime novels have appeared since 2007, starring the popular Norwegian actor Trond Epsen Seim, and a further series is currently being filmed. Staalesen, who has won three Golden Pistols (including the Prize of Honour) and the Petrona Award, and been shortlisted for the CWA Dagger, lives in Bergen with his wife.

 

Publication: 6th June 2019 – Corvus Books

She thought she would never go back…

Ailsa Calder has inherited half of a house. The other half belongs to a man who disappeared without a trace twenty-seven years ago. Her father.

Leaving London behind to settle her mother’s estate, Ailsa returns to her childhood home nestled amongst the craggy peaks of the Scottish Highlands, accompanied by the half-sister she’s never taken the time to get to know.

With the past threatening to swallow her whole, she can’t escape the claustrophobic feeling that the house itself is watching her. And when Ailsa confronts the first nighttime intruder, she sees that the manor’s careless rugged beauty could cost her everything…

**********

The French Girl, Lexie Elliott’s gripping debut, was one of my favourite novel last year so I was really excited to get my hands on her second novel, THE MISSING YEARS, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The author takes us in a small village in the Scottish Highlands where everyone knows the protagonist, Ailsa Calder, even though she hasn’t lived in there for almost thirty years. After Ailsa’s father suddenly disappeared when she was seven years old, her mother packed their things and left. Now her mother is dead and Ailsa’s is back for the first time to claim The Manse, the family’s manor she’s inherited. For Ailsa is time to figure out what really happened to her father, but it seems that a few people don’t want Ailsa there.

Once again Lexie Elliott managed to keep me glued to the pages. There are mysteries to solve, loyalties to prove, and an element of supernatural that fits perfectly with the story. The Manse, the manor belonging to the Calder family, has a life of its own. The house is surrounded by legends and a dark and haunted atmosphere that keeps the animals away. How much of the legend is true? Is the house really trying to say something to Ailsa or is someone entering the house uninvited?

For me, THE MISSING YEARS is a must-read. I liked the characters who are so well-crafted and intriguing that until the end I couldn’t figure out who to trust. The plot is engrossing and thrilling, the tension slowly rises, and the creepy and evocative atmosphere gave me the chills. Highly recommended!!!

Many thanks to Corvus and NetGalley for an early copy of the book.

Publication: 16th April 2019 – Quercus

Tiffy and Leon share a flat
Tiffy and Leon share a bed
Tiffy and Leon have never met…

Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.

But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window…

**********

If I had to describe THE FLATSHARE in three words, I would call it addictive, superb, a must-read. I adored the plot and the characters and the author’s beautiful and clear writing style made it very difficult to put it down.

THE FLATSHARE is the beautiful and thought-provoking story of Tiffy and Leon. They have never met, but they share a house and the same bed. For months they communicate through entertaining and funny notes that they leave for each other, but with him working during the night and her working during the day, they manage to never set eyes on each other and yet grow a close friendship.

Many, many people know that flat-hunting around London is quite an exhausting and frustrating experience. As someone who spent years looking for a place in London that could be both affordable and cosy, or at least clean, I definitely related to Tiffy. Personally, I would never have chosen to share a bed with a stranger, even if I would never meet him, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

I loved the characters of this novel. Tiffy and Leon are adorable and likable, but completely different characters. She is full of life, quirky, easy going, and warm, while Leon is more introvert and quiet, always worried about his family, but they fit very well together. Their stories, their problems, a troubled past made these characters more realistic and down-to-earth. Tiffy and Leon are not the only characters of the story that I fell in love with. There is Ritchie, Leon’s brother, who is fun and engaging; there are Gerty and Rachel who are badass, fierce, and also a bit scary; then there is Mo, quiet and always right; and I loved when sweet Mr. Pryor and young smart Holly, two patients at the hospital where Leon works as a nurse, made their appearance. I also liked Katherine who always made me laugh.

The author craftily manages to blend fun, heart-warming, and humorous moments with more serious and dark tones that create a few emotional scenes. THE FLATSHARE is memorable and captivating and it goes at the top of my list of books I definitely recommend everyone should read!

A huge thanks to Quercus and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the book.

 

 

Publication: 16th May 2019 – HQ

The highly anticipated new novel from the international bestselling author of Sometimes I Lie, Alice Feeney’s new novel is her most twisted and nerve-wracking thriller yet.

Aimee Sinclair: the actress everyone thinks they know but can’t remember where from. But I know exactly who you are. I know what you’ve done. And I am watching you.

When Aimee comes home and discovers her husband is missing, she doesn’t seem to know what to do or how to act. The police think she’s hiding something and they’re right, she is – but perhaps not what they thought. Aimee has a secret she’s never shared, and yet, she suspects that someone knows. As she struggles to keep her career and sanity intact, her past comes back to haunt her in ways more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.

I Know Who You Are will leave your heart pounding and your pulse racing. This is the most twisted thriller you’ll read all year.

**********

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. I am super delighted to share my review of the twisty and engrossing new novel by Alice Feeney and I’d like to thank Lily and HQ for inviting me take part and providing me with a copy of the novel.

I am new to Alice Feeney’s novels. For some unexplained reason, I didn’t read her debut novel, Sometimes I Lie, but it’s definitely high on my TBR list, because I loved I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, a sure success that kept me completely hooked and I read in two days. I KNOW WHO YOU ARE is dark, addictive, and twisty and it addresses some disturbing themes that are not for the light-hearted.

The protagonist of this twisty novel is Aimee Sinclair, an actress in her thirties, a rising star who has found fame and recognition only in the last couple of years. Aimee doesn’t like the limelight and leads a quiet normal life, but when her husband goes missing, her secrets and her pasts risk to come to light.

The characters are not very likable, but they keep the reader glued to the page. Why they do what they do? What are they hiding? They keep you guessing and on your toes until the very end, especially Aimee. The author created a well-crafted and complex protagonist. Aimee is an excellent actress. She doesn’t just act for her work, but also in real life. She is such an unreliable character that she herself doubts her own words. Sometimes, her dark side surfaces and, together with secrets that are slowly revealed, I often questioned her innocence.

There are two different timelines that alternate and keep the tension always high. On one side, there is an adult Aimee, full of secrets and in search of the truth, and, on the other side, there is a six-year-old girl, Ciara, who narrates a childhood that it’s emotional, intense, and far from innocent. There are so many twists and, as I turned each page, I never knew what expect. If this is not enough to make you interested in this gripping story, there is a jaw-dropping and chilling ending that will take you completely by surprise.

Alice Feeney is an amazing writer who knows how to keep the reader glued to the pages and, while I wait for her next novel, I am going back to the origins with Sometimes I Lie.

Publication: 2nd May 2019 – Corvus Books

‘If you’re reading this, I’m dead.’

Rejected by her family and plagued by insomnia, Rose Shaw is on the brink . But one dark evening she collides with a man running through the streets, who quickly vanishes. The only sign he ever existed – a journal dropped at Rose’s feet.

She begins to obsessively dedicate her sleepless nights to discovering what happened to Finn Matthews, the mysterious author of the journal. Why was he convinced someone wanted to kill him? And why, in the midst of a string of murders, won’t the police investigate his disappearance?

Rose is determined to uncover the truth. But she has no idea what the truth will cost her…

**********

NIGHT BY NIGHT kept me completely captivated from the first to the last page. It’s both emotional and suspenseful, full of twists and surprises that made it difficult to put it down.

The protagonist is Rose Shaw. She suffers from insomnia which leaves her exhausted and tired all the time. A tragic accident leaves her a stranger in her own house, alienated by her own daughter and her husband. The collision with a man and the discovery of a disturbing journal leads Rose to uncover a corrupted police department and a town full of prejudices that put her and her family in danger.

Told from different perspectives and timelines, NIGHT BY NIGHT is a brilliant page-turner. The author takes the reader right into Rose’s grief and guilt. Her story is heart-breaking and I really felt for her as she tries to win back her family. The discovery of the diary gives her something to obsess over and, while her family thinks she is crazy and the police tries to stop her, Rose is ready to do anything to discover the truth.

Fast-paced, gripping, and well-written, the author masterfully mixes suspense and emotional psychological depth. NIGHT BY NIGHT is a story about mental health, injustice, homophobia, and prejudice, it’s a story of redemption and forgiveness that will keep you on the edge of your seat and reach for a tissue at the same time and that it establishes Jack Jordan as an amazing author.

 

 

 

Today, I am delighted to take part in a beautiful cover reveal and I’d like to thanks Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to take part. SINGLES, SET & MATCH is the new novel by Elaine Spires and it’s published on July 1st, 2019.

The fifth and final book in the Singles’ Series takes us to the Mediterranean island of Ibiza then back to the Caribbean island of Antigua, where it all began. 

After making a hard decision two years earlier Eve Mitchell has moved on with the hand that life has dealt her and she finds herself on the White Island working a tennis holiday.  While it isn’t a job she would have chosen, in her typical pragmatic way Eve gets on with it, working hard to ensure that her diverse group of singles, with their hopes, expectations character flaws and baggage, have the best time possible.  And as she binds together tennis sessions, social gatherings, meals and trips Eve hears some tragic personal news that brings her to another crossroads in her life.  Will she and the love of her life Melv finally make a life together and live happily ever after?

 

Author Bio 

Elaine Spires is a novelist, playwright, screenwriter and actress. Extensive travelling and a background in education and tourism perfected Elaine’s keen eye for the quirky characteristics of people, captivating the humorous observations she now affectionately shares with the readers of her novels. Elaine has written two books of short stories, two novellas and seven novels, four of which form the Singles Series – Singles’ Holiday, Singles and Spice, Single All The Way and Singles At Sea.  Her latest book, Singles, Set and Match is the fifth and final book in the series.  Her play Stanley Grimshaw Has Left The Building is being staged at the Bridewell Theatre, London in May 2019.  Her short film Only the Lonely, co-written with Veronique Christie and featuring Anna Calder Marshall is currently being in shown in film festivals worldwide and she is currently working on a full length feature film script. Only the Lonely won the Groucho Club Short Film Festival 2019!  Elaine recently returned to UK after living in Antigua W.I. She lives in East London.

Facebook: Elaine Spires Author

Twitter: @ElaineSWriter

Instagram: elainespiresauthor