The Moorings

Author – David Blake.

David is a full-time author living in North London. To date he has written fifteen books along with a collection of short stories. He’s currently working on his sixteenth, Moorings, which is the next in his series of crime fiction thrillers, after Broadland and St. Benet’s.

When not writing, David likes to spend his time mucking about in boats, often in the Norfolk Broads, where his crime fiction books are based.

David Blake

Social Media Links –

Website: www.david-blake.com

Amazon Profile: viewAuthor.at/DavidBlake

Facebook Readers’ Group: www.facebook.com/groups/DavidBlakeAuthor

Facebook Site: www.facebook.com/DavidBlakeAuthor

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/15104629.David_Blake

Publisher – Black oak Publishing

Pages – 341

The Blurb –

THE DEBUT CRIME THRILLER SERIES OF THE YEAR!

A war veteran murdered in his home, a property developer with links to organised crime, and an old family secret that seems unwilling to stay dead.

When Harry Falcon, a wealthy boatyard owner and highly decorated World War Two veteran, is found drowned in his bath, DI John Tanner and DC Jenny Evans start by questioning his two sons, each with a motive for wanting him dead.

But when the elder son is found with his head smashed in under a toppled yacht, and the younger son has been talking to a local property developer, one who’d spent months trying to buy the yard from his father, the investigation soon leads them towards a dark and dangerous secret, one which nobody can quite believe.

Set within the mysterious beauty of the Norfolk Broads, this fast-paced British detective series is a dark cozy murder mystery with a slice of humour and a touch of romance, one that will have you guessing until the very end, when the last shocking twist is finally revealed.

Moorings is a totally addictive gripping crime thriller, the third in a chilling series of serial killer books, ones which will rapidly convert followers of L J Ross, Faith Martin, Joy Ellis, Damien Boyd and Helen H. Durrant into David Blake devotees.

Today is my stop on The Moorings blog tour.  Many thanks to Sarah Hardy BOTBS Publicity for the chance to read and review.

My thoughts – What a brilliant read, I haven’t read the others in the series but this works really well as a standalone.

When a 94 year old is found dead in his bath, the initial reaction is that he has died of natural causes.  However it soon becomes apparent that his death is far from natural.

John Tanner and Jenny Evans are assigned the case and soon uncover lots of secrets within the victim’s family, and when another body is found, the case gets darker.  The book moves at pace and I didn’t guess the ending.

An excellent read and I shall be definitely be reading the others in the series.

Purchase Links – Moorings

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Barnabus Tew and The Case of the Enlightened Cow

Author – Columbkill Noonan.

Columbkill Noonan is the author of the bestselling “Barnabas Tew” series, which features the bumbling-yet-lovable Victorian detective Barnabas and his trusty sidekick, Wilfred. Columbkill combines her love of mythology and her affinity for period fiction to craft unique cozy mysteries that will leave you guessing (and chuckling!) till the very end.

Columbkill Noonan

Social Media Links –

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ColumbkillNoonan

Twitter – https://twitter.com/columbkillnoon1

Publisher – Darkstroke Books

Pages – 205

The Blurb –

Rama, the Hindu god who maintains dharma, or the balance of all things, is in terrible trouble, and only Barnabas and Wilfred can save him!

Private detectives to the gods, Barnabas Tew and Wilfred Colby, believed they’d discovered the secret to taking charge of their destinies. Unfortunately, they’re about to be taught a hard lesson: nothing is as it seems and taking control is easier said than done.

Fresh off their most challenging case to date, the two detectives step into a cenote: an otherworldly portal that connects worlds and can take them anywhere if they how to use it.  Each is hoping to be reunited with someone he left behind, but they soon realize that something has gone terribly, disastrously wrong. Instead of being reunited with their lady-loves, they find themselves in a Hindu temple, together with Kamadeva, the Hindu god of desire.

Kamadeva asks them to save his friend Rama, who is in grave danger. It seems an innocent enough request, but Barnabas and Wilfred have learned that not everything is at it seems, and the right thing to do is not always so obvious. It doesn’t take long to discover that not all the gods want Rama saved, leaving the two detectives to make a terrible choice.

The detectives have faced dangerous deities before, but the Hindu gods are different. Otherworldly, wise, and full of shadowy motivations, they all seek to manipulate the hapless detectives to suit their purposes.

Can Barnabas and Wilfred see through the illusions and the lies to uncover the truth of the matter? Or will they fail, and choose the wrong side?

Today is my stop on the Barnabus Tew and The Case of the Enlightened Cow.  Many thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the chance to read and review.

My thoughts – Read my reviews of other Barnabus Tew books Barnabus Tew And The Case Of The Missing Scarab Barnabus Tew and the Case of the Cursed Serpent.

This book is another delightful addition to the Barnabus Tew series of which I am a huge fan, this book does not disappoint.

Unable to agree upon on where they should be going the cenote delivers them to somewhere completely different, to where either wants to be.

They find themselves in India, tasked with trying to save a cow.  As usual Barnabus is his petulant self and the pair find themselves turned into fish.

The comedy between the pair make you laugh out loud as they stumble through the mystery of Rama, and who may not want him rescued.

Purchase Links –

US – https://www.amazon.com/Barnabas-Tew-Case-Enlightened-Cow-ebook/dp/B07VN5MT8C

UK  – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barnabas-Tew-Case-Enlightened-Cow-ebook/dp/B07VN5MT8C

 

Palm Trees in the Pyrenees

Author – Elly Grant.

Hi, my name is Elly Grant and I like to kill people. I use a variety of methods. Some I drop from a great height, others I drown, but I’ve nothing against suffocation, poisoning or simply battering a person to death. As long as it grabs my reader’s attention, I’m satisfied.

I’ve written several novels and short stories. My first novel, ‘Palm Trees in the Pyrenees’ is set in a small town in France. It is the first book of my ‘Death in the Pyrenees series and they are all published by Creativia. The others in the series are, ‘Grass Grows in the Pyrenees’, ’Red Light in the Pyrenees’, ’Dead End in the Pyrenees’, ‘Deadly Degrees in the Pyrenees’ and ‘Hanging Around in the Pyrenees’. Creativia has also published my grittier crime novels set in Glasgow, ‘The Unravelling of Thomas Malone’ and ‘The Coming of the Lord’ as well as my thriller, ‘Death at Presley Park’.  Also published are my Romance ‘Never Ever Leave Me, as well as a collaboration on the quirky black comedy ‘But Billy Can’t Fly’ and short stories called ‘Twists and Turns’.

As I live much of the year in a small French town in the Eastern Pyrenees, I get inspiration from the way of life and the colourful characters I come across. I don’t have to search very hard to find things to write about and living in the most prolific wine producing region in France makes the task so much more delightful.

When I first arrived in this region I was lulled by the gentle pace of life, the friendliness of the people and the simple charm of the place. But dig below the surface and, like people and places the world over, the truth begins to emerge. Petty squabbles, prejudice, jealousy and greed are all there waiting to be discovered. Oh, and what joy in that discovery. So, as I sit in a café, or stroll by the riverside, or walk high into the mountains in the sunshine, I greet everyone I meet with a smile and a ‘Bonjour’ and, being a friendly place, they return the greeting. I people-watch as I sip my wine or when I go to buy my baguette. I discover quirkiness and quaintness around every corner. I try to imagine whether the subjects of my scrutiny are nice or nasty and, once I’ve decided, some of those unsuspecting people, a very select few, I kill.

Perhaps you will visit my town one day. Perhaps you will sit near me in a café or return my smile as I walk past you in the street. Perhaps you will hold my interest for a while, and maybe, just maybe, you will be my next victim. But don’t concern yourself too much, because, at least for the time being, I always manage to confine my murderous ways to paper.

Read books from the ‘Death in the Pyrenees’ series, enter my small French town and meet some of the people who live there —– and die there.

Alternatively read about life on some of the hardened streets of Glasgow or for something different try my other books and short stories.

Elly Grant

Social Media Links –

Facebook – www.facebook.com/elly.grant.92

Publisher – Creativia

Pages – 195

The Blurb –

A rookie cop, a dash of mysterious death, and a heap of suspicion – as the heat rises, lethal tensions boil over in the Pyrenees.

Unappreciated, unnoticed, and passed over for promotion, thirty-year-old Danielle’s fledgling career in law enforcement is going nowhere – until the unexpected death of a hated Englishman turns her small town upside down.

Set in the idyllic south of France, Palm Trees in the Pyrenees is the first whodunit novel in Elly Grant’s thrilling murder mystery series. Against a background of prejudice, jealousy, and greed, Danielle pieces together the sparse clues of a fractured homicide. But will she find enough evidence to solve the case – and get the recognition she deserves?

To find out, get your copy of ‘Palm Trees in the Pyrenees’ – right now.

Today is my stop on the Palm Trees in the Pyrenees blog tour.  Many thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the chance to read and review.

My thoughts – The book is told by Danielle, who is in her thirties and single.  She is stagnating in her role as a police officer in her town.  She is overlooked by her colleagues and almost ignored by the town people.

However when an Englishman is found dead, she seizes the chance to prove herself and solve the demise of the unpopular man.

The description of the scenery in this book, is just beautiful and transports you straight over to France.

Purchase Links –

http://mybook.to/palmtrees

Palm Trees in the Pyreness will be FREE on  16^th – 20^th Sept 2019

https://www.creativia.org/palm-trees-in-the-pyrenees.html

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ITJ51MA/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01ITJ51MA/

The Merchant of Menace

Author – Richard T Ryan.

A lifelong Sherlockian, Richard Ryan is the author of “The Official Sherlock Holmes Trivia Book” as well as a book on Agatha Christie trivia, and his series, the Sherlock Holmes Adventures, now consisting of four books, all available from MX Publishing, London.

Richard Ryan obtained his master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he majored in medieval literature; he is a die-hard fan of the Fighting Irish — it doesn’t matter what sport. He has been happily married for 40 years and is the proud father of two children.

Richard T Ryan

Social Media Links –

Twitter: @RicRyan52
Amazon:  author.to/RichardTRyan
GoodReads: http://bit.ly/RichardTRyan-GR

Publisher – MX Publishing

Pages – 260

The Blurb –

Reluctantly, Sherlock Holmes agrees to assist Inspector Lestrade who is being hounded by an obnoxious nobleman whose jewel-encrusted dagger has gone missing. However, what Holmes initially believes to be a simple theft turns out instead to be his first encounter with a master criminal, who is as ruthless as he is brilliant, and whom Watson dubs “The Merchant of Menace.”

Soon Holmes finds himself matching wits with a man who will steal anything – if the price is right. Moreover, this thief will go to any lengths, including blackmail and murder, to achieve his desired goal.

As Holmes comes to understand his adversary, he also begins to realize he can only react to the Merchant because he has no idea where this criminal mastermind will strike next. All Holmes knows for certain is the Merchant seems to specialize in priceless, one-of-a-kind articles. Will that be enough information for the Great Detective to outwit his foe?

From the British Museum to the Louvre to Blenheim Palace, Holmes finds himself in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Set against the backdrop of early Edwardian England, the Great Detective and his Boswell encounter an array of luminaries from the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough to a young Winston Churchill.

For fans of Conan Doyle’s immortal detective, the game is always afoot. However, this time around Holmes must try to bring to justice a villain who might well be the next Napoleon of Crime.

Richard T. Ryan’s Sherlock Holmes Adventures Series:

#1 The Vatican Cameos                bit.ly/VaticanCameos-RTR
#2 The Stone of Destiny               bit.ly/StoneofDestiny
#3 The Druid of Death                  bit.ly/DruidofDeath
#4 The Merchant of Menace      bit.ly/MerchantofMenace

Today is my stop on The Merchant of Menace blog tour.  Many thanks to Caroline Vincent for the chance to read and review.

My thoughts – As a huge Sherlock Holmes fan I am always intrigued to read other author’s interpretations of my beloved character.

I really enjoyed this outing for this character, Holmes faces out against a worthy adversary,and the game that is played out between them in this book, really does keep you turning the pages.

The author succeeds in building the suspense as the story continues and at times you really wonder whether Sherlock will figure it all out.

An excellent read, highly recommended.

Purchase Links – The Merchant of Menace

The Purrfect Alibi

Author – Leighann Dobbs.

USA Today bestselling author, Leighann Dobbs, discovered her passion for writing after a twenty year career as a software engineer. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband Bruce, their trusty Chihuahua mix Mojo and beautiful rescue cat, Kitty. Her book “Dead Wrong” won the “Best Mystery Romance” award at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention. Her book “Ghostly Paws” was the 2015 Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem First Place category winner in the Animal Mystery category.

Leighann Dobbs

Social Media Links –

Website – http://www.leighanndobbs.com/

Twitter – @leighanndobbs

Publisher – Bookouture

Pages – 228

The Blurb –

Fortune tellers and mediums have descended on the Oyster Cove Guesthouse, determined to finally solve the mystery of local seafarer Jedediah Biddeford’s murder 300 years ago. New owner Josie Waters has suddenly got bigger problems than burning the breakfasts: she’s up to her elbows in tarot cards and tea leaves…

When one of the mediums is found dead with an ominous note nearby, everything points to Jedediah’s ghost being the culprit. Suddenly, Josie finds that the fate of her guesthouse depends on not one murder but two, and she’s not going to rely on a crystal ball for answers. Despite the fact that cookbooks and candlesticks keep mysteriously falling off tables, Josie is sure there’s no such thing as ghosts. But guesthouse cats Nero and Marlowe know better…

Aided by her mom and eccentric family friend Millie, Josie sets out to prove the identity of the killer without summoning any spirits. Luckily Nero and Marlowe know the truth about ghosts, ghouls and things that go bump in the night and they are on the case! Can they make Josie realize she is scratching up the wrong tree before the killer strikes again?

From the bestselling author of the USA Today bestselling Mystic Notch series, purrfect for fans of Adele Abbott, cat lovers and anybody who loves to curl up with a page-turning cozy mystery.

Today is my stop on the A Purrfect Alibi blog tour.  My thanks to Sarah Hardy BOTBS Publicity Bookouture for the chance to read and review.

My thoughts – Another excellent book in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse series.  A purrfect read for those who love cosy mysteries and for cat lovers, and I am both.

I have also reviewed A Whisker in the Dark, in this series.

This book sees Nero and Marlowe, helping out in another mystery at the guesthouse.  Thrilled by the murder of a previous owner, Jedediah Biddeford three hundred years ago, the guesthouse is booked out by a group of psychics, hoping to communicate with him.

However as tensions and spirits rise, a real life dead body is found. As always it is left to Nero and Marlowe to point the hopeless humans in the right direction.

An excellent book in the series.

 

Purchase Links –

Chase Book Fest 21st September 2019

Authors Phillipa Ashley and Kim Nash have joined forces with the Museum of Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, to create a book festival where book lovers are invited to meet some of the UK’s most popular authors.

The Chase BookFest will be held at the Museum of Cannock Chase, Valley Road, Hednesford on Saturday 21 September 2019.

The event is Cannock Chase’s first book festival devoted to women’s popular fiction and thrillers. It has attracted a host of star names including Milly Johnson, Cathy Bramley, Miranda Dickinson, Iona Grey, Nicola May, Mark Edwards and many more best-selling and award-winning popular novelists.

Readers will be able to enjoy author readings and join in question and answer sessions and discussions with favourite writers from the local area and further afield.

They can even have tea with an author by booking onto ‘Tea and Conversation’ audiences with Sunday Times best sellers Milly Johnson in conversation with Cathy Bramley, Romantic Novel Awards winner Iona Grey, best-selling crime thriller writer

K.L. Slater and number one best-selling novelist Mark Edwards.

A pop-up Waterstones book shop will be on site for the day along with a variety of book and craft stalls and a unique book-themed ‘Yarnbombing’ display outside.

Bestselling author Phillipa Ashley said: “The support for previous events shows how much popular fiction is loved by readers.  We’re thrilled that the Museum has been so supportive of this event and of fiction in general.”

Phillipa Ashley

Author and Head of Publicity at publisher Bookouture, Kim Nash said: “We’ve been so lucky to get so many amazing authors on board and would love to thank them all for being so enthusiastic about the festival.’

Kim Nash

Lee Bellingham, Museum Services Manager for Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles, said: “The museum has been hosting very popular ‘Meet the Author’ events for some time now, and along with local authors Phillipa Ashley, Kim Nash and the book loving members of staff, we thought it would be lovely to have a book festival here. We are thrilled to be the venue for the first ever Chase BookFest.

Events like this showcase the museum not just as a home for local history, but as a community venue for arts and cultural activities. We look forward to welcoming authors from around the country to Cannock Chase for the day.”

The day runs 10am until 4pm with tickets available for £3 by calling the museum on 01543 877 666. Tea and Conversation with an author costs £5 and includes tea or coffee and cake, and Q&A Panels cost £3.  Don’t miss the chance to meet your favourite author, book in advance to avoid disappointment.   Please see the museum Facebook page and website, museumofcannockchase.org, for timetables and start planning your BookFest!

 

 

The Introvert

Author –

I am an American-Canadian citizen, a criminal prosecutor, and author of BILLY TABBS (& THE GLORIOUS DARROW) (bitingduckpress) and THE INTROVERT series (Black Opal Books). I have a B.A. in English from McMaster University, an Honors B.A. in Political Science (summa cum laude) from McMaster University, a J.D. from The University of Western Ontario (with an international exchange completed at Washington & Lee). I have won awards for both my community service and my work as a criminal prosecutor. I am a member of Crime Writers of Canada and International Thriller Writers. I also strive to maintain a strong social media author presence, including at facebook.com/michaelpaulmichaud, and have made regular appearances on SiriusXM’s Canada Talks. I am an unabashed and unapologetic zealot of Twin Peaks. Literary influences are primarily Orwell, Dickens, Vonnegut, Dostoevsky.

I was inspired to write The Introvert after reading Crime and Punishment (Dostoevsky) and The Stranger (Camus). It has been likened to Dexter and American Psycho meeting Office Space and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. I also consider it the most unorthodox of animals rights books. Every dog lover should read them.

Michael Paul Michaud

Social Media Links –

Facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/MichaelPaulMichaud/
The Introvert Book Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheIntrovertBook/
The Introvert Confounds Innocence Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheIntrovertBook2
Twitter: MichaelPMichaud
Instagram: MichaelPMichaud
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-michaud-04439311/
Goodreads page for The Introvert:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32808811-the-introvert
Goodreads page for The Introvert Confounds Innocence: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44490433-the-introvert-confounds-innocence

Publisher – Black Opal Books

Pages – 180

The Blurb –

A vacuum salesman by day, the introvert lives a quiet life alone with his dog until a work relationship and a dark secret from his past team up to create an uncomfortable imbalance in his otherwise ordered life, one that soon finds him squarely at the center of a murder investigation. With his thoughts continually urging him to make people “red and open” and to “achieve it” with his girlfriend Donna, what follows is a sometimes brutal, oftentimes hilarious, and absurdist account of the life of one very anti-social and unexpected anti-hero.

Today is my stop on The Introvert blog tour.  Many thanks to Sarah Hardy BOTBS for the chance to read and review.

My thoughts –  This is a brilliant read, due to the fact that it is very different.  The story revolves around a character, that we never learn the name of.  We are given an insight into his mind as he goes about his job as a vacuum cleaner salesmen.

His life is very limited, his work, his apartment and the occasional visit to the pub when he feels pressured to socialise with his work colleagues, especially a girl called Donna.

This is such an unique read, I urge you to try it.

Purchase Links – The Introvert