Friday, 31 January 2014
Books Read: Melissa Foster - Sea of Love (Love in Bloom: The Bradens, book 4)
Lacy Snow wasn't looking for love when she met strikingly handsome and seductive Dane Braden. But how could she ignore the six-foot-three darkly handsome god who tagged and researched sharks for a living--and made every nerve in her body tangle into an overly sensitive knot? Even her fear of sharks could not suppress their intense attraction. As founder of the Brave Foundation, Dane Braden travels from port to port, educating and advocating on behalf of the mammals he adores--and spends his nights finding solace in the arms of strangers. The last thing Dane was looking for when he met Lacy Snow was a relationship, and the last thing he expected was to fall in love. Fifteen months--and hundreds of flirty emails, steamy phone calls, and sensual video chats--later, they reunite and take passion to a whole new level. But as Lacy's phobia meets Dane's past love life, their steamy romance is upended, and when tragedy strikes, Dane and Lacy are forced to face their deepest fears head-on as they try to navigate their own sea of love.
Thursday, 30 January 2014
Books Read: Jill Mansell - The Unpredictable Consequences of Love
In the idyllic seaside town of St Carys, Sophie is putting the past firmly behind her.
When Josh Strachan arrives in St Carys to run the family hotel, he can't understand why Sophie has zero interest in letting any man into her life. He also can't understand how he's been duped into employing Sophie's impulsive friend Tula, whose crush on him is decidedly unrequited.
St Carys has more than its fair share of characters, including the charming but utterly feckless surfer Riley Bryant, who has a massive crush on Tula. Riley's aunt is superstar author Marguerite Marshall. And Marguerite has designs on Josh's grandfather... who in turn still adores his glamorous ex-wife Dot...
Just how many secrets can one seaside town hold? Love has the ability to change people, sometimes for ever. And the consequences are impossible to predict...
When Josh Strachan arrives in St Carys to run the family hotel, he can't understand why Sophie has zero interest in letting any man into her life. He also can't understand how he's been duped into employing Sophie's impulsive friend Tula, whose crush on him is decidedly unrequited.
St Carys has more than its fair share of characters, including the charming but utterly feckless surfer Riley Bryant, who has a massive crush on Tula. Riley's aunt is superstar author Marguerite Marshall. And Marguerite has designs on Josh's grandfather... who in turn still adores his glamorous ex-wife Dot...
Just how many secrets can one seaside town hold? Love has the ability to change people, sometimes for ever. And the consequences are impossible to predict...
Wednesday, 29 January 2014
Reader Spotlight: Erin McEwan
My reader spotlight guest today is the lovely Erin McEwan who reviews at Erin's Choice.
Hello, I'm Erin :) I'm 23 and I'm a self confessed book addict. I can't actually stop buying them, even thought I have hundreds to read alreay! My TBR is growing and growing and I especially love getting book post from all of the lovely publicists!
I've been blogging since June 2013, which I finally bit the bullet and just went for it and I can't believe how successful it's been! I've also been welcomed into the book blogger community where there are so many other wonderful bloggers, including Sharon!
Have you always been a bookworm?
Yes. Quite frankly. I love it. I can remember at primary school I would read the older kids reading books just so I could read more. I remember I used to love Roald Dahl and the first book that I read quietly to myself, instead of aloud, was Charlie and the Chocolate factory.
Blog Blitz & Giveaway: Lynda Renham
Today I'm taking part in a blog blitz promoting Lynda Renham's books as organised by Fiction Addiction Book Tours which includes a giveaway which can be found at the bottom of this post.
The Dog’s Bollocks
On arriving home after a friend’s posh wedding, launderette worker Harriet finds her life irrevocably changed as she discovers her flat ransacked and her boyfriend missing. In a matter of hours she is harassed by East End gangsters and upper crust aristocrats. Accepting an offer she can’t refuse, Harriet, against her better judgement becomes the fiancée of the wealthy Hamilton Lancaster, with dire consequences. What she had not bargained on was meeting Doctor Brice Edmunds. The Dog’s Bollocks is Lynda Renham’s funniest novel so far. A cocktail of misunderstandings, three unlikely gangsters, a monkey and a demented cat make this novel a hysterical read. Follow Harriet’s adventure where every attempt to get out of trouble puts her deeper in it.
| Amazon UK | Amazon US |
| Amazon UK | Amazon US |
Tuesday, 28 January 2014
Books Read: Nicci French - Waiting for Wednesday
Ruth Lennox, beloved mother of three, is found by her daughter in a pool of her own blood. Who would want to murder an ordinary housewife? And why?
Psychotherapist Frieda Klein finds she has an unusually personal connection with DCI Karlsson's latest case. She is no longer working with him in an official capacity, but when her niece befriends Ruth Lennox's son, Ted, she finds herself in the awkward position of confidante to both Karlsson and Ted.
When it emerges that Ruth was leading a secret life, her family closes ranks and Karlsson finds he needs Frieda's help more than ever before.
But Frieda is distracted. Having survived an attack on her life, she is struggling to stay in control and when a patient's chance remark rings an alarm bell, she finds herself chasing down a path that seems to lead to a serial killer who has long escaped detection. Or is it merely a symptom of her own increasingly fragile mind?
Because, as Frieda knows, every step closer to a killer is one more step into a darkness from which there may be no return...
Psychotherapist Frieda Klein finds she has an unusually personal connection with DCI Karlsson's latest case. She is no longer working with him in an official capacity, but when her niece befriends Ruth Lennox's son, Ted, she finds herself in the awkward position of confidante to both Karlsson and Ted.
When it emerges that Ruth was leading a secret life, her family closes ranks and Karlsson finds he needs Frieda's help more than ever before.
But Frieda is distracted. Having survived an attack on her life, she is struggling to stay in control and when a patient's chance remark rings an alarm bell, she finds herself chasing down a path that seems to lead to a serial killer who has long escaped detection. Or is it merely a symptom of her own increasingly fragile mind?
Because, as Frieda knows, every step closer to a killer is one more step into a darkness from which there may be no return...
Monday, 27 January 2014
Cover Reveal: Holly Martin - The Guestbook
A few months ago I did a debut spotlight feature for Holly Martin as she was just about to self publish her debut book The Sentinel, which has had amazing reviews, and since then she has earned herself a well-deserved publishing deal with Carina UK.
Today I'm happy to be joining in with other bloggers and doing a cover reveal for her new book The Guestbook which is being published on Valentine's Day.
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Today I'm happy to be joining in with other bloggers and doing a cover reveal for her new book The Guestbook which is being published on Valentine's Day.
Welcome to Willow Cottage – throw open the shutters, let in the sea breeze and make yourself completely at home. Oh, and please do leave a comment in the Guestbook!
As landlady of Willow Cottage, the young widow Annie Butterworth is always on hand with tea, sympathy or strong Norfolk cider - whatever her colourful array of guests require. A flick through the messages in the leather-bound cottage guestbook gives a tantalizing glimpse into the lives of everyone who passes through her doors.
This includes Annie herself - especially now celebrity crime writer Oliver Black, is back in town. He might grace the covers of gossip magazines with a different glamorous supermodel draped on his arm every week, but to Annie, he’s always just been Olly, the man who Annie shared her first kiss with.
Books Read: Melissa Foster - Friendship on Fire (Love in Bloom: The Bradens, book 3)
Small-town overachiever Riley Banks has finally scored her big break--working in Manhattan as a fashion design assistant for her childhood crush, Josh Braden. She enters her new job hoping to make a name for herself and--just maybe--explore the romance that slipped through her fingers way back when.
Josh Braden has models at his beck and call, a staff that never says never, and an elegant clothing line for the holiday season. When he hires Riley Banks, he expects her to learn the business from the ground up. But the girl next door turns out to be much more than he remembered.
Josh and Riley's friendship heats up. Every steamy kiss and every erotic caress stirs a love they cannot deny. But when Riley designs a wedding gown that would cause even the most jaded fashion editors to swoon, Riley's mentor accuses her of stealing the design.
Facing indisputable proof and the mistrust of her lover, Riley is not sure she can take the heat of life in the fast lane of the fashion industry--and Josh is forced to choose between the woman he loves and the career he adores.
Josh Braden has models at his beck and call, a staff that never says never, and an elegant clothing line for the holiday season. When he hires Riley Banks, he expects her to learn the business from the ground up. But the girl next door turns out to be much more than he remembered.
Josh and Riley's friendship heats up. Every steamy kiss and every erotic caress stirs a love they cannot deny. But when Riley designs a wedding gown that would cause even the most jaded fashion editors to swoon, Riley's mentor accuses her of stealing the design.
Facing indisputable proof and the mistrust of her lover, Riley is not sure she can take the heat of life in the fast lane of the fashion industry--and Josh is forced to choose between the woman he loves and the career he adores.
Sunday, 26 January 2014
Books Read: Joyce Maynard - Labor Day
The dog days of August... All summer long, thirteen-year-old Henry kept hoping that something different would happen, but it never did. Then, just as the Labor Day weekend gets under way, in the Pricemart where Henrys mother, Adele, on one of her rare forays out of the house and into the wider world has taken him to buy trousers for school, a bleeding man approaches Henry and asks for help. Frank is a man with a secret, and a man on the run. Adele is a wounded soul whose dreams of family life and romantic dancing died years ago, even before her husband left her and their son. And Henry is a loser and a loner, a boy on the cusp of manhood who, over the next five days, will learn some of lifes most valuable lessons: how to throw a baseball, the secret to perfect peach pie, and the importance of placing others especially those you love above yourself.
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Amazon links: Paperback
Reader Spotlight: Stephanie Rothwell
I had such an amazing response to my blog post yesterday looking for bookworms to take part in my new Reader Spotlight feature that I'm already in a position to bring you the first one, meet the lovely Stephanie Rothwell.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I'm 45 years old and have been married for nearly seven years. Work as a supervisor in the printed circuit board industry. Not my ideal job but I can eat and buy books. I use goodreads and book likes to publish reviews and have started receiving arc copies through netgalley.
Have you always been a bookworm?
Always, my Mum reminded me last week that I used to read everywhere. Including when I was fastening my shoes for school. I read daily, can finish a book in a day if I'm on holiday. Usual is 2 a week.
Always, my Mum reminded me last week that I used to read everywhere. Including when I was fastening my shoes for school. I read daily, can finish a book in a day if I'm on holiday. Usual is 2 a week.
Saturday, 25 January 2014
Reader Spotlight: I need YOU
Today I've been thinking at what new features I'd like to introduce on my blog over this coming year but the one that's been top of my list for a while now is doing a Reader Spotlight, and for that I need you fellow bookworms.
It's not going to be anything too in depth or time-consuming, well I hope not unless you have a lot to talk about, it's simply going to be a Q&A about all things books. So if you'd like to be featured, I'd love to welcome you to my blog. Email me at shazsbookblog@gmail.com
Friday, 24 January 2014
Cover Reveal: Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn by Tilly Tennant
Today I'm taking part in the cover reveal for Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn by Tilly Tennant which is being published on 31st January which has been organised by the lovely Gosling Girls.
Blurb:
'There’s only one man for Bonnie, and that’s Holden Finn.
The problem is that Holden Finn is a twenty-three-year-old pop megastar with his boy band, Every Which Way, and has no idea she exists. Not only that, but half the women in the world want to be Mrs Finn, including Bonnie’s teenage daughter, Paige. The real men in Bonnie’s life do nothing but let her down, but a man you can’t possibly have can never do that… right? She’s safe inside her fantasy bubble.
Then Paige wins a radio competition to meet Holden and the band, and Bonnie’s carefully-constructed world starts to unravel. She is about to find out that you should be very, very careful what you wish for …'
Please check out the cover reveal video...
The problem is that Holden Finn is a twenty-three-year-old pop megastar with his boy band, Every Which Way, and has no idea she exists. Not only that, but half the women in the world want to be Mrs Finn, including Bonnie’s teenage daughter, Paige. The real men in Bonnie’s life do nothing but let her down, but a man you can’t possibly have can never do that… right? She’s safe inside her fantasy bubble.
Then Paige wins a radio competition to meet Holden and the band, and Bonnie’s carefully-constructed world starts to unravel. She is about to find out that you should be very, very careful what you wish for …'
Please check out the cover reveal video...
Thursday, 23 January 2014
Books Read: Melissa Foster - Where Petals Fall
On the surface Junie Olson’s life looks idyllic, from her handsome husband and beautiful daughter to her successful business, the bakery she always dreamed of opening. But in the past few months her world has slowly unraveled. Her precocious child is withdrawing, showing unexplainable signs of emotional regression, a condition that frays the bonds of Junie’s once impenetrable marriage. When her father dies suddenly of a heart attack, Junie packs up her daughter and goes home to help her mother. Her homecoming stirs up memories of the nightmare she thought she had put behind her, the disappearance of her childhood friend, Ellen. Haunted by recurring memories of what happened on that fateful day, Junie must gather the courage to revisit her past and untangle the secrets surrounding her missing friend, and the trauma that has caused her little girl to climb back into herself. As the pieces come together on the event that shook her small town, and at the risk of losing everyone she loves, Junie will question everything she thought she could rely on and everyone she thought she knew.
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
Debut Spotlight: Jennifer Joyce
Today I'm delighted to be doing a debut spotlight feature for fellow blogger Jennifer Joyce who has just published her debut book A Beginners Guide to Salad. It's also Jennifer's birthday today so I hope you'll join me in wishing her a happy birthday.
Jennifer Joyce is a writer of romantic comedies who lives in Manchester with her husband and their two daughters. When she isn’t disappearing into her own fictional worlds, she can be found waffling on her blog and reviewing books for Novelicious’ Alternative Thursday.
You can find out more about Jennifer and her books at jenniferjoycewrites.co.uk or follow her on twitter @Writer_Jenn
Ruth loves nothing more than curling up in front of the telly with a family-sized bar of chocolate. She doesn’t do diets and she certainly doesn’t do exercise. But all that changes when she’s invited to her school reunion.
Bullied at school for being overweight, Ruth’s first reaction is to rip the invitation into a millin pieces. But then Ruth hatches a plan. She’ll lose the weight and arrive at the reunion looking gorgeous and glamorous, leaving her old classmates in awe. Especially her former crush, Zack O’Connell.
With the help of her friends and a new, unbelievably hot colleague, Ruth begins her transformation. With six months until the reunion, losing weight will be a piece of cake, right?
Can you tell us a little bit about your debut book A Beginner’s Guide to Salad?
A Beginner’s Guide To Salad is about a woman’s weight-loss bid. Ruth has always been overweight and was bullied at school because of it, so she’s horrified when she receives an invitation to her high school reunion. To begin with, she’s reluctant to go until she devises a plan to lose weight and shock her old classmates with her transformation.
You can find out more about Jennifer and her books at jenniferjoycewrites.co.uk or follow her on twitter @Writer_Jenn
Bullied at school for being overweight, Ruth’s first reaction is to rip the invitation into a millin pieces. But then Ruth hatches a plan. She’ll lose the weight and arrive at the reunion looking gorgeous and glamorous, leaving her old classmates in awe. Especially her former crush, Zack O’Connell.
With the help of her friends and a new, unbelievably hot colleague, Ruth begins her transformation. With six months until the reunion, losing weight will be a piece of cake, right?
Can you tell us a little bit about your debut book A Beginner’s Guide to Salad?
A Beginner’s Guide To Salad is about a woman’s weight-loss bid. Ruth has always been overweight and was bullied at school because of it, so she’s horrified when she receives an invitation to her high school reunion. To begin with, she’s reluctant to go until she devises a plan to lose weight and shock her old classmates with her transformation.
Monday, 20 January 2014
Pre-loved books birthday giveaway
Eeek tomorrow is my birthday which means I'm another year nearer to the next milestone in my life but even though I'm no longer in my youth I still get totally spoilt by family and friends. So I've decided to share the love and run a pre-loved books giveaway for some of the books I've received... some brand new as duplicates of books I already had but most have been read at least once.
Sunday, 19 January 2014
Books Read: Louise Mensch - Beauty
Dream Big. No Limits. Be Bold. Manhattan is there for the taking .
Blend it. Sculpt it. Shape it. Use it...
There isn't a woman on earth who doesn't have her beauty secrets. But for Dina Kane, beauty is more than just business. It's power. And it is the secret. She's dragged herself up from poverty to Park Avenue. She's rolled with the punches. And she's learned how to win.
Now someone is out to destroy her, and all she's built. They've underestimated Dina Kane. She's staying at the top - and she's happy to wait for the perfect moment to exact her revenge...
There isn't a woman on earth who doesn't have her beauty secrets. But for Dina Kane, beauty is more than just business. It's power. And it is the secret. She's dragged herself up from poverty to Park Avenue. She's rolled with the punches. And she's learned how to win.
Now someone is out to destroy her, and all she's built. They've underestimated Dina Kane. She's staying at the top - and she's happy to wait for the perfect moment to exact her revenge...
Friday, 17 January 2014
Guest Book Review: Lisa Appignanesi - Paris Requiem
Reviewed by Janine Cobain
Paris 1899. The city is a glittering hub of fin-desiecle activity. Theatres and galleries are vibrant with artistic energy. The new metro is under construction, and so is the site for the centennial Universal Exhibition. But there is also violent political upheaval. The Dreyfus Affair has released a riotous surge of anti-semitism. Asylums and jails are overcrowded. Death and madness hover like a cloud over the city. Bostanian lawyer James Norton has been sent by his mother to bring back his Invalid sister Ellie and his younger brother Raf, a Journalist. But the violent deaths of the actress Olympe Fabre and then of her sister Judith in the asylum of Salpetriere, draw the siblings into a dark web of violence. Olympe is pregnant. Is her death a crime passionnel or part of a conspiracy of serial killings of Jewish women, disturbingly linked to medical research at Salpetriere? A gripping psychological period thriller.
Paris 1899. The city is a glittering hub of fin-desiecle activity. Theatres and galleries are vibrant with artistic energy. The new metro is under construction, and so is the site for the centennial Universal Exhibition. But there is also violent political upheaval. The Dreyfus Affair has released a riotous surge of anti-semitism. Asylums and jails are overcrowded. Death and madness hover like a cloud over the city. Bostanian lawyer James Norton has been sent by his mother to bring back his Invalid sister Ellie and his younger brother Raf, a Journalist. But the violent deaths of the actress Olympe Fabre and then of her sister Judith in the asylum of Salpetriere, draw the siblings into a dark web of violence. Olympe is pregnant. Is her death a crime passionnel or part of a conspiracy of serial killings of Jewish women, disturbingly linked to medical research at Salpetriere? A gripping psychological period thriller.
Author Interview: Laura Kemp
Today I'm delighted to welcome Laura Kemp to my blog to talk about her second book Mums on Strike which was published yesterday, so welcome Laura.
Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book Mums on Strike?
It's the story of a put-upon mum who goes on housework strike because she's sick of being the skivvy. It wasn't always like this - Lisa and her husband Adam used to share everything but when the kids came along, they slipped into traditional roles. But with the children in school and Lisa going back to work, she's ready to become her own person again. The problem is, Adam doesn't see it like that!
What inspired you to write Mums on Strike?
Definitely sharing Lisa's frustration at being the only one in the house who thinks to stack the dishwasher, put a wash on, plan meals, cook, clean and turn the lights off every night! I've felt 'on the edge' so many times when it's just me running the house so Mums on Strike is my version of the fantasy lots of women have when they're scrubbing the loo, yet again.
It's the story of a put-upon mum who goes on housework strike because she's sick of being the skivvy. It wasn't always like this - Lisa and her husband Adam used to share everything but when the kids came along, they slipped into traditional roles. But with the children in school and Lisa going back to work, she's ready to become her own person again. The problem is, Adam doesn't see it like that!
What inspired you to write Mums on Strike?
Definitely sharing Lisa's frustration at being the only one in the house who thinks to stack the dishwasher, put a wash on, plan meals, cook, clean and turn the lights off every night! I've felt 'on the edge' so many times when it's just me running the house so Mums on Strike is my version of the fantasy lots of women have when they're scrubbing the loo, yet again.
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Books Read: Lucie Whitehouse - before we met
A whirlwind romance. A perfect marriage.
Hannah Reilly has seized her chance at happiness.
Until the day her husband fails to come home . . .
The more questions Hannah asks, the fewer answers she finds. But are the secrets that Mark has been keeping designed to protect him or protect her?
And can you ever really know what happened before you met?
Hannah Reilly has seized her chance at happiness.
Until the day her husband fails to come home . . .
The more questions Hannah asks, the fewer answers she finds. But are the secrets that Mark has been keeping designed to protect him or protect her?
And can you ever really know what happened before you met?
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Books Read: Eva Dolan - Long Way Home
A man is burnt alive in a suburban garden shed.
DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are called in from the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit to investigate the murder. Their victim is quickly identified as a migrant worker and a man several people might have had good reason to see dead. A convicted arsonist and member of a far-right movement has just been released from prison while witnesses claim to have seen the dead man fighting with one of the town's most prominent slum landlords.
Zigic and Ferreira know all too well the problems that come with dealing with a community that has more reason than most not to trust the police, but when another migrant worker is attacked, tensions rapidly begin to rise as they search for their killer.
DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are called in from the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit to investigate the murder. Their victim is quickly identified as a migrant worker and a man several people might have had good reason to see dead. A convicted arsonist and member of a far-right movement has just been released from prison while witnesses claim to have seen the dead man fighting with one of the town's most prominent slum landlords.
Zigic and Ferreira know all too well the problems that come with dealing with a community that has more reason than most not to trust the police, but when another migrant worker is attacked, tensions rapidly begin to rise as they search for their killer.
Sunday, 12 January 2014
Books Read: Alex Marwood - The Killer Next Door
No. 23 has a secret. In this gloomy, bedsit-riddled South London wreck, lorded over by a lecherous landlord, a horrifying collection quietly waits to be discovered. Yet all six residents have something to hide.
Collette is on the run from her ex-boss; Cher is an underage children's home escapee; lonely Thomas tries to make friends with his neighbours; while a gorgeous Iranian asylum seeker and a 'quiet man' nobody sees try to keep themselves hidden. And there for them all is Vesta, a woman who knows everything that goes on in the house - or thought she did.
Then in the dead of night, a terrible accident pushes the six into an uneasy alliance. But one of them is a killer, expertly hiding their pastime, all the while closing in on their next victim...
Collette is on the run from her ex-boss; Cher is an underage children's home escapee; lonely Thomas tries to make friends with his neighbours; while a gorgeous Iranian asylum seeker and a 'quiet man' nobody sees try to keep themselves hidden. And there for them all is Vesta, a woman who knows everything that goes on in the house - or thought she did.
Then in the dead of night, a terrible accident pushes the six into an uneasy alliance. But one of them is a killer, expertly hiding their pastime, all the while closing in on their next victim...
Friday, 10 January 2014
Books Read: Melissa Foster - Destined for Love (Love in Bloom: The Bradens, book 2)
Rex Braden is wealthy, hard working, and fiercely loyal. Sweat at his brow, he works the family ranch by day, then kicks back at night with part time lovers who require nothing more than his physical presence a few times each week. But that was before. Before Jade Johnson, the daughter of the man his father has been feuding with for over forty years, moves back into town.
After ditching a horrific relationship--and her veterinary practice in the process--Jade Johnson returns to the safety of her small hometown and finally finds her footing. That is...until her horse is injured and Rex Braden comes to her rescue. The last thing she needs is a bull-headed, too-handsome-for-his-own-good Braden complicating her life.
Despite the angry family history, sparks fly between Rex and Jade, and attitudes follow. Fifteen years of stifled, forbidden love stirs a surge of passion too strong for either to deny--and the rebel in each of them rears its powerful head. Loyalties are tested, and relationships are strained. Rex and Jade are about to find out if true love really can conquer all.
After ditching a horrific relationship--and her veterinary practice in the process--Jade Johnson returns to the safety of her small hometown and finally finds her footing. That is...until her horse is injured and Rex Braden comes to her rescue. The last thing she needs is a bull-headed, too-handsome-for-his-own-good Braden complicating her life.
Despite the angry family history, sparks fly between Rex and Jade, and attitudes follow. Fifteen years of stifled, forbidden love stirs a surge of passion too strong for either to deny--and the rebel in each of them rears its powerful head. Loyalties are tested, and relationships are strained. Rex and Jade are about to find out if true love really can conquer all.
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
Books Read: Suzanne Rindell - The Other Typist
New York City, 1924: the height of Prohibition. In a police precinct on the lower East Side young typist Rose Baker coolly records the confessions of killers and gangsters. But when a new typist arrives - the captivating Odalie - Rose finds a true partner in crime. Flitting between sparkling speakeasies by night and their work at the precinct by day, the girls are drawn further into a dark, glamorous world. Soon Rose's fascination with Odalie and her glittering life turns to obsession. But does she know the real Odalie, and what will happen if she dares to find out?
Tuesday, 7 January 2014
Books Read: Matthew Costello & Neil Richards - Cherringham: Murder on Thames
Cherringham is a quiet and peaceful town in the Cotswolds. Time moves slowly here, and nothing out of the ordinary ever happens, until one morning a woman’s body is discovered in the river. Sarah Edwards has just returned to Cherringham with her two children following the breakdown of her marriage. Sarah had been friends with Sammi Jackson – the woman in the river –before they both moved to London and she’s certain there is more to her death than meets the eye. But juggling the school run and her job as a web designer doesn’t leave much time to solve murder mysteries.
After the death of his wife, former NYPD homicide detective Jack Brennan has retired to Cherringham hoping for a quiet life. He soon realises “peace and quiet” isn’t really him and, despite his misgivings, he’s persuaded by Sarah to help her look into Sammi’s death. It quickly becomes clear that the case isn’t as simple as the police hope. From her violent ex-boyfriend to her alcoholic father, it seems everyone has something to hide. Sarah and Jack will need to use all their wits to get to the bottom of this case.
After the death of his wife, former NYPD homicide detective Jack Brennan has retired to Cherringham hoping for a quiet life. He soon realises “peace and quiet” isn’t really him and, despite his misgivings, he’s persuaded by Sarah to help her look into Sammi’s death. It quickly becomes clear that the case isn’t as simple as the police hope. From her violent ex-boyfriend to her alcoholic father, it seems everyone has something to hide. Sarah and Jack will need to use all their wits to get to the bottom of this case.
Amazon link: Kindle
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Debut Spotlight: Eva Dolan
The first debut spotlight feature for 2014 features crime writer Eva Dolan whose debut book Long Way Home was published on Thursday. Eva Dolan is an Essex-based copywriter and intermittently successful poker player. Shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Dagger for unpublished authors when she was just a teenager, Long Way Home is her debut novel and the start of a major new crime series.
DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are called in from the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit to investigate the murder. Their victim is quickly identified as a migrant worker and a man several people might have had good reason to see dead. A convicted arsonist and member of a far-right movement has just been released from prison while witnesses claim to have seen the dead man fighting with one of the town's most prominent slum landlords.
Zigic and Ferreira know all too well the problems that come with dealing with a community that has more reason than most not to trust the police, but when another migrant worker is attacked, tensions rapidly begin to rise as they search for their killer.
Eva kindly agreed to answer a few questions so I'll hand you over to her...
Can you tell us a little bit about your debut book Long Way Home?
Long Way Home follows detectives Zigic and Ferreira of Peterborough Hate Crimes Department, as they investigate the murder of a homeless migrant worker who has been sleeping rough in a garden shed. Initially suspicion falls on the homeowners, but it soon emerges that the dead man has made many enemies during his short time in the city and the pursuit of his killer takes Zigic and Ferreira into a hidden world of illegal slums and brutal gangmasters, where human life is the cheapest commodity going.
Friday, 3 January 2014
Christmas Reading Challenge: Fiona Harper - Make My Wish Come True
The perfect Christmas swap?
All Juliet, frazzled single mum and Yuletide domestic goddess, wants for Christmas is a joyful family celebration (even if she does have to wrestle with last-minute angel costume making and mad shopping centre dashes). All her single sister Gemma, an assistant director, wants is a Christmas in the sizzling Caribbean sun, away from diva actors and Hollywood tantrums. Until a sisterly squabble prompts new plans: a Christmas swap. Gemma will spend a cosy, snowy Christmas with her nieces and nephews - not to mention Juliet's gorgeous neighbour Will - whilst Juliet takes Gemma's tropical holiday and unplanned adventures.
It's not the Christmas they expected, but it could be about to make all their wishes come true...
All Juliet, frazzled single mum and Yuletide domestic goddess, wants for Christmas is a joyful family celebration (even if she does have to wrestle with last-minute angel costume making and mad shopping centre dashes). All her single sister Gemma, an assistant director, wants is a Christmas in the sizzling Caribbean sun, away from diva actors and Hollywood tantrums. Until a sisterly squabble prompts new plans: a Christmas swap. Gemma will spend a cosy, snowy Christmas with her nieces and nephews - not to mention Juliet's gorgeous neighbour Will - whilst Juliet takes Gemma's tropical holiday and unplanned adventures.
It's not the Christmas they expected, but it could be about to make all their wishes come true...
Thursday, 2 January 2014
Guest Post & Giveaway: What if your crush crushed back? by Tilly Tennant
Today I'm joined by author Tilly Tennant to talk about crushes which is the topic of her latest book Hopelessy Devoted to Holden Finn which is due to be published on 30th January.
Like many teenage girls during the brief but brilliant chart reign of Norwegian popsters, A-ha, I wondered what it would be like to date lead singer, Morten Harket. Eyes like the crystal clear waters of the fjords, cheekbones cut from Nordic glaciers and hair that seemed to defy gravity, from the moment he reached out of that comic book during the video to Take on Me, I was lost. The first concert I ever went to see was A-ha at the BIC in Bournemouth. My dear old Granddad steadfastly waited outside in his car the whole time, refusing to leave the venue until he had got me safe back with him. I can still remember leaving at the end of the night, feeling like something very important had happened on that stage, and that I would never be the same girl again.
Like many teenage girls during the brief but brilliant chart reign of Norwegian popsters, A-ha, I wondered what it would be like to date lead singer, Morten Harket. Eyes like the crystal clear waters of the fjords, cheekbones cut from Nordic glaciers and hair that seemed to defy gravity, from the moment he reached out of that comic book during the video to Take on Me, I was lost. The first concert I ever went to see was A-ha at the BIC in Bournemouth. My dear old Granddad steadfastly waited outside in his car the whole time, refusing to leave the venue until he had got me safe back with him. I can still remember leaving at the end of the night, feeling like something very important had happened on that stage, and that I would never be the same girl again.
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