Emma's Review: The Daughters of Red Hill Hall by Kathleen McGurl

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

When Gemma discovers a pair of ancient duelling pistols encrusted with rubies in the basement of the local museum, she is immediately intrigued…

On a fateful night in 1838 two sisters were found shot in the cellars of Red Hill Hall. And when Gemma begins to delve deeper into their history she begins to realise that the secrets of that night are darker than anyone had ever imagined.

As the shocking events of the past begin to unravel, Gemma’s own life starts to fall apart. Loyalties are tested and suddenly it seems as if history is repeating itself, as Gemma learns that female friendships can be deadly…

Amazon link: Kindle

Guest Book Review: Kathleen McGurl - The Pearl Locket

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

We’ll Meet Again…

When Ali inherits her great-aunt’s house she immediately moves her whole family in, despite the warnings that there is something strange about the place. Unfazed Ali begins redecorating, going through the rooms, making each one her own with the help of her daughter, Kelly. But when under the wallpaper in Kelly’s new room they discover a scrawled message from 1944 Ali begins to question the history of the house as she knows it. 

Her family has always seemed so picture perfect, not a blemish or a secret to be found. Yet, this discovery throws her into confusion and Ali begins to question exactly what she knows about her family and the mysteries they have kept hidden…

Amazon link: Kindle

Guest Post: Kathleen McGurl talks about Finding the Perfect Title

Today it's publication day for Kathleen McGurl's latest novel The Emerald Comb and I'm delighted to welcome Kathleen to the blog to talk about finding the perfect title.

Do you know what the worst part about writing is for me? I’ll tell you. It’s finding a suitable title. While I have no problem stringing words together reasonably coherently to tell a story, develop a character or describe a scene, I am completely at a loss when it comes to finding a great title. I don’t know why that is.

I know writers who can’t start writing until they know what the title will be. Thankfully I am not one of them or I would never start anything. The Emerald Comb spent several of its gestational months in a computer folder called simply ‘TNN’ which stood for The Next Novel.

I began my writing career with short stories, many of which I sold to women’s magazines. One magazine fiction department was known for always changing the title of any story they bought. That suited me down to the ground – I would send in stories with any old title and let them come up with a better one. Once, and only once, they kept the title I’d given the story. That was also the only occasion I knew I had the perfect title – but it wasn’t my own,  a friend had come up with it for me!