Broken Souls

Author – Patricia Gibney.

Patricia is the million-copy bestselling author of the DI Lottie Parker series.  She yearned to be a writer after reading Enid Blyton and Carolyn Keene and even wanted to be Nancy Drew when she grew up.  She has now grown up (she thinks) but the closest she’s come to Nancy Drew is writing crime!  In 2009, after her husband died, she retired from her job and started writing seriously.  Fascinated by people and their quirky characteristics, she always carries a notebook to scribble down observations.  Patricia loves to paint in watercolour and lives in the Irish midlands with her children. 

Patricia Gibney

Social Media Links –

Website – http://patriciagibney.com/

Twitter – @trisha460

Publisher – Bookouture

Pages – 446

The Blurb –

‘She shivered, though the kitchen was warm. Icicles of foreboding trickled down her spine. With trembling hands she whipped back her hair at the nape of her neck. As she turned away from the window, she missed the shadow passing by.’

One dark winter’s morning, bride-to-be Cara Dunne is found hanging in her home, dressed in her wedding dress, with a lock of hair removed. Detective Lottie Parker is first on the scene. Looking at Cara’s bruised and battered body, she wonders who could have hated her enough to kill her at the happiest time of her life.

The case takes a darker turn that afternoon with another shocking discovery – the broken body of a second young woman, pushed from the roof of the hospital where she worked. Fiona Heffernan was also due to be married, and her body is clad in a wedding dress, a lock of her hair cut off.

The killings seem so personal that Lottie is convinced the girls have been killed by someone they knew. When she goes to break the news to Fiona’s family, she’s on the alert for anything suspicious. But then she makes a discovery that causes her blood to run cold – Fiona’s eight-year-old daughter Lily didn’t return home from her dance recital that afternoon. Terrified that Lily will be the next victim of a twisted and dangerous individual, Lottie takes the case into her own hands, risking her life when she comes face-to-face with the killer…

If you love Karin Slaughter, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine, you’ll be hooked by this heart-stopping thriller from Patricia Gibney. Broken Souls will keep you guessing until the very last page!

Today is my stop on the Broken Souls blog tour.  Many thanks to Sarah Hardy Bookouture for the chance to read and review.

My thoughts – This is the first book in the DI Lottie Parker series that I have read. It was easy to get into and can easily be read as a standalone.

The book starts as a woman is hanging in a bathroom, dressed in a wedding dress, it is initially believed to be a suicide but Lottie has other ideas.   When another woman turns up, also in a wedding dress, Lottie knows that something more sinister is going on.

Once cause of death is established, the team have a bigger worry when a relative of one of the woman appears to be missing.

This is a brilliant read and I enjoyed getting to know Lottie and her team.  Lottie certainly has a lot on her plate as she tries to balance her home life and her job.

I look forward to reading the others in the series.

Purchase Links – Broken Souls

 

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Geraldine

Author – John Mead.

John was born in the mid-fifties in East London, on part of the largest council estate ever built, and was the first pupil from his local secondary modern school to attend university. He has now taken early retirement to write, having spent the first part of his life working in education and the public sector. He was the director of a college, a senior school inspector for a local authority, and was head of a unit for young people with physical and mental health needs.

He has travelled extensively, from America to Tibet, and he enjoys visiting the theatre, reading and going to the pub. It is, perhaps, no surprise that he is an avid ‘people watcher’ and loves to find out about people, their lives, culture and history. When he is not travelling, going to the theatre or the pub; he writes.

Many of the occurrences recounted and the characters found in his novels are based on real incidents and people he has come across. Although he has allowed himself a wide degree of poetic licence in writing about the main characters, their motivations and the killings that are depicted.

John is currently working on a series of novels set in modern day London. These police procedurals examine the darker side of modern life in the East End of the city.

John Mead

 

Social Media Links –

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnMeadAuthor

Amazon author profile: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B07B8SQ2ZH

Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17891273.John_Mead

Publisher – The Book Guild

Pages – 206

The Blurb –

Hatred is such a nasty thing – we all deplore it in others but do not necessarily recognise it in ourselves. At what point does resentment, jealousy, betrayal or humiliation turn into anger and then grow to an all consuming hatred? Hatred can be slow, taking years to fester, or can explode in seconds – it can linger for a lifetime or wither in seconds of its conception.

Inspector Matthew Merry and Sergeant Julie Lukula have to deal with the consequences of violence and murder on a daily basis and in the case of Gerry Driver they both see that hatred is the prime motive. But is it, as Julie thinks, one of a series of hate crimes that has led to this killing? Or, is Matthew right in saying, ‘Driver’s death is undoubtedly a hate filled crime but I’m just not convinced that there are sufficient links to suggest it is part of a pattern of hate crimes.’

Only time and their investigation, which takes as many twists and turns as the Thames does along it course through London and past Wapping Old Stairs, will tell.

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

Extract –

‘She was obviously attractive when alive,’ Matthew noted out loud. Her shoulder length, light brown hair was still wet and clung to the woman’s face, exaggerating the finely drawn cheeks and chin. Her thin lips were pulled back slightly, showing a glint of evenly spaced teeth in the residual of a smile. Not a beautiful face, he thought, but a pleasant one denoting a strong character. The body was slim, narrow hips, with long legs. Her breasts where fulsome and still filled her bodice making him wonder if they had been cosmetically enlarged, as the silicon would preserve their shape even while she was supine. Only her feet were overly large for her size and, without shoes, looked out of place. Her whole, otherwise elegant, appearance in a smart blue, knee length dress was marred by bruising around her neck, the signs of strangulation in her face and the greyish blue colouring of her glistening, wet skin.

***

 The inspector recalled studying Geraldine’s face at close quarters and, even after she’d been dead a few hours, there had been no sign of Gerry to give the game away. Such was the persuasiveness of Gerry’s impersonation that he had tricked death into accepting him as Geraldine.

My thoughts –

I was really eager to read this after reviewing The Fourth Victim the author’s previous book.  I was not disappointed, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The follows familiar characters if you have read the first book, and it was good to catch up and continue with their stories.

When body is found in the Thames, Matthew Merry and Julie Lukala find themselves embroiled in another gritty case.  To find their killer, they must visit the clubs of London and immerse themselves in the world of cabaret.  They discover the hate that some performers have to deal with and start to wonder whether their victim is the result of  hate crime.

A well written book that draws you into Merry’s and Lukala’s world.  The author succeeds in creating memorable characters that stay with you.  Highly recommended.

 

Author Giveaway –

Giveaway to Win 3 x Paperback copies of Geraldine by John Mead (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

To enter click – here

Purchase Links –

 

 

50 Dinosaur Tales

Author – Sabrina Ricci.  Sabrina is a writer and podcaster. She loves nerdy things, like technical specs and dinosaurs, especially sauropods. When she’s not writing, she’s podcasting with her husband at I Know Dino (iknowdino.com), a weekly show about dinosaurs.

Sabrina Ricci

Social Media Links –

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/iknowdino

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/iknowdino/

Tumblr: https://iknowdino.tumblr.com/

Website:  https://iknowdino.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/iknowdino

Publisher – I Know Dino

Pages – 319

The Blurb –

50 Dinosaur Tales: And 108 More Discoveries From the Golden Age of Dinos

“Gualicho takes a bite out of the ornithopod’s back as it runs away from her, causing it to stumble and fall. She jumps on top of the body and rips open its neck with her teeth. The ornithopod becomes still and limp.

Satisfied, Gualicho begins to feast. But, after only two bites, she senses something is wrong. She lifts her head and sees a Mapusaurus making its way toward her.”

About 50 Dinosaur Tales

Blending fiction with fact, 50 Dinosaur Tales imagines the way 50 newly described dinosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous lived in their natural habitats.

Also included is a list of fun facts for each dinosaur story, and facts about 108 additional dinosaurs.

If you want to hear more about new dinosaurs as soon as they are discovered, listen to the weekly podcast I Know Dino.

Today is my stop on the 50 Dinosaur Tales blog tour.  Many thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the chance to read and review.

My thoughts – My son is huge dinosaur fan so we couldn’t resist reviewing this book.  It is a fantastic read as well as a great learning resource.

The author has used her extensive knowledge of dinosaurs to create scenarios of their daily lives,millions of years ago.  This combined with the facts in the book makes it a great read.  You aren’t just presented with a lot of facts, the author makes the dinosaurs come to live in their habitats.  Although they are stories it helps to painter a broader picture of them rather than what we usually see in dinosaur books.

There are lots of dinosaur fact books but this is a fresh approach to the subject and we both thoroughly enjoyed the book.  My son now uses it on his own to read up on the dinosaurs to expand his knowledge.

Purchase Links –

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SSKV7XM

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07SSKV7XM

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/50-dinosaur-tales/id1467467642?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/50-dinosaur-tales-sabrina-ricci/1131982405

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/50-dinosaur-tales

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=GgecDwAAQBAJ

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/943200

The Birthday House

Author – Jill Treseder.

I started writing in a red shiny exercise book when I was seven years old. But in that time and place it was an ‘invalid’ activity, was overlooked, but never went away. It was many years before I felt able to call myself ‘writer’.

But there came a day when the phrase ‘I am a writer’ no longer sounded pretentious, but legitimate, and even necessary. Was it because I had a writing room instead of the corner of a landing? Or because I spent more time writing? Or because I’d got better at it? Or because I get miserable and bad-tempered if I don’t write? Probably a combination of all of the above.

Writing is my third career. The first was as a social worker with children and families, a job I loved, but left because I could no longer cope with the system.

This led to a freelance career as an independent management consultant, helping people to handle emotions in the work context. I worked in the IT industry, in companies large and small, as well as public organisations. Later I became involved in research projects concerned with the multi-disciplinary approach to social problems such as child abuse. So, in a sense, I had come full-circle.

All these experiences feed into the process of writing fiction, while my non-fiction book ‘The Wise Woman Within’ resulted indirectly from the consultancy work and my subsequent PhD thesis,‘Bridging Incommensurable Paradigms’, which is available from the School of Management at the University of Bath.

I live in Devon and visit Cornwall frequently and these land and seascapes are powerful influences which demand a presence in my writing.

Writers’ groups and workshops are a further invaluable source of inspiration and support and I attend various groups locally and sign up for creative courses in stunning locations whenever I can. I try doing writing practice at home but there is no substitute for the focus and discipline achieved among others in a group.

I have written some short stories and recently signed up for a short story writing course to explore this genre in more depth.

I live with my husband in South Devon and enjoy being involved in a lively local community.

Jill Treseder

Social Media Links –

Twitter – @Jill_Treseder

Publisher – Silverwood Books

Pages – 150

The Blurb –

The year is 1955, the location picturesque Devon.

In a house by the River Dart, schoolgirl Josephine Kennedy posts invitations to her twelfth birthday party – a party that never takes place.

Horrific violence is committed that night in the family home, leaving all of its occupants dead.

Based on a disturbing real-life crime, this compelling story explores Josephine’s fate through the prism of friends and family – the victims and survivors who unwittingly influenced the events that led up to the tragedy.

Josephine’s best friend, Susan, is haunted by the secrets of the birthday house. Can she ever find a way of making peace with the past?

Today is my stop on The Birthday House blog tour.  Many thanks to Anne Cater for the chance to read and review.

My thoughts – This is an exceptional piece of writing. The story concentrates on the real life murders perpetrated by Howard Koppenhagen in the 1950’s.  Why would make a family man kill his entire household?

The event is life changing for all those involved and the author shows what could have happened in the run up to the tragedy and tells the story from various different perspectives.

Such an interesting insight and narrative on human behaviour and how events like this continue to impact on those involved years later. Highly recommended.

Purchase Links –

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birthday-House-Jill-Treseder/dp/178132879X

 

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The Christmas Countdown

Author – Donna Ashcroft.

Donna Ashcroft was born in London and grew up in Buckinghamshire. She went to university in Lancashire and, among other things, worked as a copywriter, buyer, waitress, secretary and marketing manager.

Donna wrote novels for over ten years before being published. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and was a joint recipient of the Katie Fforde Bursary in 2017. She has had three books published with Bookouture and has another coming out in October 2019.

Donna loves a happy ending and is never happier than when she’s escaping into a romance novel or movie. When she’s not reading or writing she’ll probably be found hoovering … or negotiating with her teenagers about who is doing the washing up.

Donna Ashcroft

Social Media Links –

Twitter – @Donnashc

Website – www.donna-writes.co.uk www.donna-writes.co.uk

Publisher – Bookouture

Pages – 284

The Blurb –

It’s that time of year again, snowflakes are fluttering and the countdown to Christmas has begun! Holly Devine is returning to the only place that feels like home, hoping that some festive magic will help to turn her life around…

Twenty-seven-year-old Holly Devine has just had her heart well and truly broken. Hurt by the two people she loves the most, she flees to her eccentric Aunt Clara’s cosy cottage to hide away over the winter season. But kind, impulsive Aunt Clara has other ideas… She’s not about to see her favourite niece wallowing in sadness during the most wonderful time of the year. So, with the help of her close circle of friends and plenty of gin, she creates a handmade advent calendar for Holly.

Every day in December, Holly opens a new door and has a different task to complete. She soon finds herself asking out a complete stranger – gorgeous, cheeky pub landlord, Finn Jackson. But as handsome Finn gets involved in her festive challenges, Holly’s determination to avoid romance is put to the test. Still, Finn’s far too carefree and single for true love, isn’t he?

As Holly begins to embrace each day – a complete makeover, building the biggest snowman she’s ever seen, singing in a karaoke contest – Finn is there adding fun and laughter to every moment. Holly starts to realise that she can become the person she’s always wanted to be…

But a secret from Finn’s past threatens to turn Holly’s Christmas upside down and makes her question everything she has experienced in the last few weeks. Will Finn open up to Holly in time to show her how he really feels? And will she complete the advent calendar challenges and fall in love this Christmas?

It’s time to curl up for a delicious Christmas romance about daring to take chances, opening yourself up to love, and being true to who you really are. Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Debbie Johnson and Debbie Macomber.

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

My thoughts – What a lovely Christmas read this is.  The book follows Holly as she is struggling with a life crisis.  Her twin Lucinda, is clever, beautiful and always in the spotlight and now she has moved on to Holly’s boyfriend. Feeling betrayed Holly flees to her aunts, to lick her wounds and find herself.

Finn runs a pub on an island, he is well known with the locals for his way with women.  He loves the attention but always keeps his admirers at arms length.  However Holly has arrived on his island and she is different to the locals.

The chapters alternate between Finn and Holly as they get to know each other.  Can Christmas bring a little magic into both of their lives?

Purchase Links – The Christmas Countdown

The Introvert Confounds Innocence

Author – Michael Paul Michaud

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.

Jean 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 – 246

The Blurb –

THE INTROVERT CONFOUNDS INNOCENCE continues the story of the eponymous anti-hero introduced in THE INTROVERT.

With his life disrupted by an unscrupulous work colleague and a bully at his son Toby’s school, things go from bad to worse when his neighbor’s abusive boyfriend goes missing, plunging the introvert into the center of a murder investigation.

Increasingly hounded by a meddlesome detective, and 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 Confounds Innocence blog tour.  Many thanks to Sarah Hardy BOTBS Publicity for the chance to read and review.

My thoughts – This book is the follow up to The Introvert which I reviewed last month The Introvert.

This book can be read as a stand alone, but I would recommend reading The Introvert first so you can get a sense of the character and how he thinks.

I really enjoyed the first book and this one did not disappoint.  This book sees our main character still in his relationship with Donna,and they have a son together.  It is not a light hearted read but is similar to Dexter as you read his thoughts.   Although dark it is very funny,and he finds himself with a lot of potential victims in this book as he discovers he is living next door to a domestic abuser, he is in competition with a new salesman at work and his son is being bullied at school.

An usual character but you do find yourself rooting for him.  Looking forward to the next one.

Purchase Links – The Introvert Confounds Innocence

After Jessica

Author – Morgen Bailey.

Based in Northamptonshire, England, Morgen Bailey lives and breathes writing. ‘Morgen with an E’  is an author, speaker, tutor, editor, and podcaster. As well as being a competition judge, she is a columnist for Writers’ Forum magazine. 

Morgen’s fiction books include crime and mystery novels, and short story collections. They are mostly set against a Northamptonshire background, whether there is crime involved, a dog-detective that can talk, or a serial dater on a mission! 

Her non-fiction works are aimed at all levels of writers whether beginners or those who want to refresh their skills – Morgen also tutors in person and has several online writing courses available. She runs her own mentor group on Facebook, very much a collaboration, and she invites all authors to join. Her Writer’s Block Workbooks are a go-to for every author. 

When Morgen is not editing, speaking, reading, or writing, she’s walking her dog, out with friends or at literary festivals. The only time she sits down and does nothing is at the cinema but even then she’s making mental notes! 

Social Media Links –

Morgen Bailey on Social Media:Author Website: www.morgenbailey.com
Twitter & Instagram: @morgenwriteruk
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/MorgenBaileyAuthor
GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/morgen_bailey
Amazon Author Page: https://author.to/MorgenBailey

Pages – 155

The Blurb –

Jessica is an ordinary girl who comes across extraordinary circumstances and pays for them with her life. As well as identifying her body, her brother Simon then has to wind up her affairs but gets more than he bargains for. Who is Alexis, and why are Veronica and Daniel searching for her? Why is there a roll of cash in Jessica’s house, and what’s the connection between his sister and Alexis?

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

My thoughts – This is a really good read, and at 155 pages long it is perfect for those coffee breaks.

The story follows the life story of Jessica who dies.  Her brother Simon is then left to sort out all her affairs, and he finds out his sister’s life is nothing as he imagined it to be.  The author builds the suspense well throughout the book and that definitely encourages the reader to keep turning those pages.

To read reviews of Morgen’s work just click the link –

One For The Road

Oh Henry

The 365 Day Writers’ Block Workbook

The Fifty 5pm Fictions Collection

A Story A Day May Collection

Purchase Links – After Jessica