Book Review, Giveaway: Smile of the Stowaway by Tony Bassett

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Smile of the Stowaway

by Tony Bassett

 

Amazon US / UK AU / CA B&N

 

A married couple, a stranger from far away and a murder that rocks their lives. Desperate to reach England, a bedraggled immigrant clings precariously beneath a couple’s motor home as they cross the Channel. Once holidaymakers Bob and Anne overcome their shock at his discovery and their initial reservations, they welcome the friendly stranger into their home in defiance of the law.

But their trust is stretched to the limit when the police accuse the smiling twenty-three-year-old of a gruesome murder. Could this man from six thousand miles away be guilty? Or is the real killer still out there?

Former national newspaper journalist Tony Bassett tells how Anne turns detective, battling against a mountain of circumstantial evidence and police bungling to discover the truth.

This gripping first novel concerning a death in a remote Kentish country cottage is packed with mystery, suspense and occasional touches of humor.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Gossip travels through a school faster than a toupee flying off in a hurricane.

 

She’s known to the guys in Kent CID as “Jangling Janice.” DI Woods can’t stand her. He always says: “We don’t want that bloody Carslake woman here, jangling her bloody necklace and bracelets and cavorting round the court.”

 

Friends would have described Jennifer Campbell as a keen conversationalist; others might have used less kind words such as ‘gossipmonger’ or ‘blabbermouth.’

 

He gave us a smile that reminded me of his first smile when he emerged from beneath our motor-home. It began with a sparkle in his eyes, a wrinkling of his nose and then it spread across his face, ending with a widening of the mouth.

 

My Review:

 

I enjoyed the creative ingenuity of Mr. Bassett’s plot and storylines, the slowly unwinding nature of his tale kept me guessing while my fingers were tightly crossed that the gentle and hard-working underdog would be found truly innocent and wrongly accused. This debut author cleverly played upon the common tendencies of xenophobic society, racial profiling, basic Caucasian arrogance, and suspicion of the unfamiliar. This was an unusual read for me, I couldn’t seem to fit it into a single genre as it had a bit of everything including mystery, crime, infidelity, murder, human trafficking, the mono-focus of police investigations, poor prison conditions, immigration issues, clandestine military operations, dry humor, and amateur sleuthing. My main takeaways were to never underestimate or provoke an unemployed librarian.

I hit the mother lode for new additions to my Brit Word List with milometer – odometer; potholing – exploring caves; victuallers – licensed to sell alcohol; push bike – bicycle; tittle-tattle – gossip; squaddie – low ranking soldier in British army; keep cavey – be lookout; nous – common sense; and a dog’s breakfast – an untidy mess.

About the Author

Tony Bassett, who was born in West Kent, grew up wanting to be a writer from the age of nine when he edited a school magazine. After attending Hull University where he won a `Time-Life’ magazine student journalism award, he spent six years working as a journalist in Sidcup, Worcester, and Cardiff before moving to Fleet Street. Tony spent 37 years working for the national press, mainly for the `Sunday People’ where he worked both for the newsdesk and the investigations department. He helped cover the Jeremy Thorpe trial for the `Evening Standard’, broke the news in the `Sun’ of Bill Wyman’s plans to marry Mandy Smith and found evidence for the `Sunday People’ of Rod Stewart’s secret love child. On one occasion, while working for `The People’, he took an escaped gangster back to prison. His first book, `Smile Of The Stowaway’, is one of four crime novels Tony has written over the past three years. He has five grown-up children and eleven grandchildren. He lives in South East London with his partner, Lin.

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/tonybassettauthor/

Twitter: @tonybassett1

Tony’s author website

www.tonybassettauthor.com

Giveaway

 Win 6 x PB copies of Smile of the Stowaway

(Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –  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 I reserve 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 be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review, Giveaway: Secret Wishes and Summer Kisses on Lily Pond Lane by Emily Harvale

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Secret Wishes and Summer Kisses on Lily Pond Lane

by Emily Harvale

Amazon  US / UK / AU / CA

Everyone’s got a secret wish in Little Pondale this summer.

Mia’s been exceptionally lucky since moving to Lily Pond Lane. But even on her honeymoon with the man of her dreams, she still has one remaining wish.

Ella wishes Gill would propose. But since Mia’s wedding something’s changed in their relationship. Now he’s spending time with newcomer, Tabbie Talbaine, Ella wishes Tabbie will leave as quickly as she arrived.

Tabbie wishes she hadn’t driven her car into a pond. But it could be the best thing that’s ever happened to her. When she discovers Hollywood heartthrob, Justin Lake’s staying in the village, getting an interview for her popular blog isn’t her only wish.

Bree was told she couldn’t have a baby. Now she’s expecting twins and is simply wishing it all goes well.

And as for Hettie … she wishes she could get her hands on an old map of the village. Because there’s something hidden in Little Pondale that Hettie Turner really wants to find.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

… my father embezzled several million and ran off with the nanny… some say he ran off with her and some say he murdered her and disposed of the body. Neither he nor my nanny has ever been found. Or the money. But like the Lochness Monster, sightings of him are reported from time to time. He seems to pop up all over the globe, but he’s never popped up to visit me.

 

Tabbie sounded more like a constipated opera singer than a woman in real pain.

 

Children are like buses. We wait and wait and suddenly they all come along, one after another.

 

My Review:

 

While it is sad to bid adieu to the oddly beguiling and quirky residents inhabiting Ms. Harvale’s village of Little Pondale, she has sent them off in style by providing them all with the perfect love match, solving a mystery, ending a long-held grudge, and working a bit of magic to make everyone’s dreams come true. Sigh, if only real-life were as amusing, pleasantly entertaining, and easy to resolve.

 

Interactive Map of Little Pondale – https://www.emilyharvale.com/map/little-pondale.html

About The Author

Having lived and worked in London for several years, Emily returned to her home town of Hastings where she now spends her days writing… and chatting on social media. Emily is a Member of the SoA, a PAN member of the RWA and a Pro Member of ALLi. She’s an Amazon bestseller and a Kindle All Star. Emily loves writing and her stories are sure to bring a smile to your face and a warmth to your heart.

Emily says, “I write about friendship, family and falling in love. I believe in happing endings.” When she isn’t writing, she can be found enjoying the stunning East Sussex coast and countryside, or in a wine bar with friends, discussing life, love and the latest TV shows. Chocolate cake is often eaten. She dislikes housework almost as much as she dislikes anchovies – and will do anything to avoid both.

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/emilyharvalewriter

https://www.twitter.com/emilyharvale

https://www.instagram.com/emilyharvale

 

GIVEAWAY

Win a signed copy of Secret Wishes and Summer Kisses on Lily Pond Lane, a pen, novelty sticky notes, and a bookmark
(Open INT)
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*Terms and Conditions

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 I reserve 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 be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

 

Book Review, Giveaway: Dead and Talking by Des Burkinshaw

Dead and Talking

by Des Burkinshaw

 

.Amazon  US / UK / AU / CA

 

If a ghost appeared from nowhere, rescued you from suicide and then ordered you to start solving crimes to help dead people, what would you do?

When it happens to Porter Norton, he just wants to put his head in his hands and have nothing to do with it.

But now he has to atone for the family curse that has seen all the men die at their own hands for five generations.

The Gliss, the sarcastic spirit that rescues him, says he can now and see and hear the Dead – if he’s close to their remains. Porter has to use his unwelcome gift to clear up past injustices. Or else. Forced to investigate the murder of a WW1 British Tommy executed for spying in 1917, he begins to suspect the case has links to his own family history.

Along the way, Porter enlists the help of a bickering group of misfits, who struggle to stay involved – because only fools believe in the supernatural, don’t they?

Full of pop culture references, banter, and twists, the story takes us from present-day London and Flanders to scenes from World War 1.

As Porter, The Gliss, and friends, get deeper into the explosive case, they discover their own lives and sanity are at stake. An evil from WW1 pursues them all.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Poor Cherry. As much comfort as a pair of nettle knickers.

 

You’re about as much use as a sniper with Parkinson’s…

 

Porter sipped the coffee. After the drink and drugs, it was like getting a snog from Aphrodite.

 

Get me some water. I’m drier than an Arab’s roof. Has someone been stuffing my gob full of crackers?

 

“There’s one room here, the Oubliette, where a ghost strokes you in the night. Not in a nice way either.” “Is there a nice way to be stroked by a ghost in the night?” “Probably not, but then I’ve been single for a while,” said Feng.

 

Feng expected to find a doddery old man, wrapped in blankets, dribbling. He was met, instead, by a chipper bald-headed man, with monstrous tentacles of nasal hair… His white eyebrows were the size of slippers. More hair than Barry Gibb in his prime –none of it on top.

 

They’re not Bond villains with a masterplan. They’re the spiritual equivalent of a plague… There are nuclear and chemical weapons now. If yours gets to its full power… It would take seconds for it to realise it should go after the man with the nuclear football. Look who’s holding that. He’s barely got a mind to control, but I’m guessing, what there is of it, would be easy prey.

 

He pressed the Facetime button. Zouche appeared, picking his nose, with the gusto of the Seven Dwarves digging for diamonds.

 

Awkwardness patrolled their corridor like a Pac-Man.

 

 My Review:

 

Admittedly, anything paranormal is not my usual read but there is nothing about this cunningly crafted, highly amusing and vastly imaginative tale that could be considered as usual.   The original storylines were exceptionally creative and bristled robustly with intriguing conundrums and life-threatening events that kept the initially skeptical characters scurrying and adapting on the fly. Mr. Burkinshaw’s tantalizing and engaging writing style quickly lured me into his characters’ rather odd vortex, while his clever humor and sneaky strokes of levity had me occasionally barking aloud, as well as smirking and giggle-snorting throughout.

 

His deftly penned descriptions evoked sharp visuals, which were often outrageously comical, although a few gave my delicate intestines a queasy churn. This deviously clever scribe cast his tale with an unending group of peculiar characters who were each perceptively drawn with their own quirky traits and unique histories, while also realistically delineated with recognizable and mind-tickling human foibles which often led to humorous encounters, and delightfully amusing observations and inner musings. I had four pages of favorite quotes and notes highlighted and have gleefully added his name to my list of talents to watch and hope I am paying attention when his next missive is given wings.

 

I’ve gained three new words and phrases for my ever-expanding Brit Word List with struck off – which is officially being barred from working in one’s profession or field; bonce – head; and screaming abdabs – extreme nervousness.

About the Author

Born in the middle of the Summer of Love on a pre-fab council estate in Luton, teenage bitterness and a chance viewing of the Watergate movie, All the President’s Men, made him vow to become a journalist and bring down the government. 

First, he had to pay for his journalism course, so he became a civil servant. Literally, the day he had enough for his fees, he packed it in.
Twelve years on from watching the film, he was a journalist at The Times and had a big hand in bringing down John Major’s government. News ambitions sated, he packed that in too. 

Several years of working for Channel 4, ITV and the BBC as a senior producer saw him working across the world, but he eventually got fed up with asking bands how the new album was coming along and packed it in. 

He set up his own production company magnificent! in 2002 and simultaneously worked on the BBC Live Events team for another 10 years. But then six years of work on the Olympics came along, so he packed the BBC in. Again. 

Des has jammed with many of his heroes from Paul McCartney to Brian Wilson, Queen to Nancy Sinatra. He has interviewed many A-listers, including David Bowie, Michael Caine, John Cleese, and even Noam Chomsky. 

He has directed/produced a fairly long list of people – Muse, Coldplay, Michael Jackson, Jay-Z, produced BBC3’s Glastonbury coverage for a couple of years, made films about leprosy in India, comedy shorts with Miranda Hart and Lenny Henry and played guitar for Chas and Dave at the Hackney Empire. 

He has made 300+ short films for the Queen, MI5, the BBC, Sky, Discovery, EMI, the British Academy and dozens of authorities, charities and private sector firms. His most recent publication was a series of interviews with leading academics like Mary Beard on the state of the humanities which was published as a standalone magazine by the British Academy.

Fed up with traveling and determined to be a half-decent dad, he now works in London as often as he can. He runs the Young Directors Film School making movies with young people and is about to head up the Digital Film and Video MA at Tileyard. An avid musician and producer, he releases his third album as Romano Chorizo (he plays drums, bass, piano, guitar, and really bad sax). 

He hates to be pigeon-holed, thinks creativity is a learned state of mind and wishes they would teach people memory and learning techniques at school. 

Dead & Talking is his first novel, the first in a series of Porter & The Gliss investigations.

Social Media Links 

www.desburkinshaw.com

twitter.com/DesBurkinshaw,

facebook as Des Burkinshaw

 

Giveaway

 Win 3 x Signed Copies of Dead & Talking

(Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –  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 I reserve 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 be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review, Giveaway: I Will Follow Him by Holly Tierney-Bedord

 I Will Follow Him

by Holly Tierney-Bedord

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

 

A bachelor party on a cruise ship. What could go wrong?

When private detective Francie is hired to spy on a groom-to-be as he and his bachelor party set sail for the Caribbean, she thinks she’s landed herself a week of paid vacation. Between lounging in the sun and sipping margaritas, she just needs to–best-case scenario–report back that he’s on the up and up, or–the unfortunate, more likely scenario–snap a few photos of her target in compromising positions, buy a box of sympathy chocolates for her client, and then collect her pay along with a nice golden suntan.

Blame it on the island breezes or the alcohol, but within hours of setting sail, Francie’s leisurely vacation gets complicated when she starts making careless mistakes. Like accidentally becoming friends with the groom and falling for his best man.

Can she get herself and her mission back on track, or has she blown her cover and possibly even her career?

 

Oceanic Dreams Series

Set sail for love and laughs aboard the Oceanic Aphrodite.

This series of stand-alone romantic comedy novellas releases throughout the summer of 2019.

To learn about the contributing authors and each book, watch our trailer, here: https://oceanicdreamsbooks.com/series-trailer/ and visit our website, here: https://oceanicdreamsbooks.com/

The Oceanic Dreams series is a collection of romantic comedy novellas by eight award-

winning, bestselling, and critically acclaimed authors from around the globe.

Meet Holly Kerr, author of I Saw Him Standing There.

Meet Laura Heffernan, author of Time of My Life.

Meet Tracy Krimmer, author of Circle in the Sand.

Meet Kirsty McManus, author of I Thought it was You.

Meet Holly TierneyBedord, author of I Will Follow Him.

Meet Delancey Stewart, author of Take a Chance on Me.

Meet Monique McDonell, author of Shut Up and Dance with Me.

Meet SophieLeigh Robbins, author of The Best of You.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Even though I’m in my thirties, I still look exactly like I looked when I was sixteen. My hair is blonde and my eyes are bluish and, for some annoying reason, people often ask me why I look so confused. You’ve heard of resting bitch face? I guess I’ve got resting ditz face.

 

He’s not all that attractive, but like my mom always told me, “Francie, it’s not about the packaging. It’s about the gift inside.” Then she’d add, “With that being said, it wouldn’t kill you to go to aerobics class with me.” The ironic part is, aerobics is what killed her. It turns out she had a blocked artery and too many jumping jacks did her in. Since then, I’ve tried to move as little as possible. I haven’t broken a sweat since 1999. I call it ‘playing it safe.’

 

For the past five years, ever since my dad passed away and I figured it would be easier to take over his shop than clean it out, I’ve been a private detective.

 

 My Review:

 

I gleefully giggle-snorted my way through this wittily written and highly amusing tale. I knew before finishing the first page I was in for a treat.   Francie put the F in the F.N. Meddling Detective and Private Investigation Agency ~ snort! Let me mention Ms. Tierney-Bedord’s clever deployment of levity – it was there in spades, diamonds, clubs, and hearts. I wore a mirthful smile throughout and haven’t had this much fun in ages.

About the Author

Holly Tierney-Bedord is the author of over twenty books including Kindle Unlimited All-Star winner Sweet Hollow Women.

Links:

FB  https://www.facebook.com/HollyRecommends/

Twitter    https://twitter.com/HollyTierney

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

Bookbub   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/holly-tierney-bedord

Goodreads   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6433388.Holly_Tierney_Bedord

Website   www.hollytierneybedord.com

Follow on Amazon   https://www.amazon.com/Holly-Tierney-Bedord/e/B00M3C9W3E

Giveaway

Giveaway to Win a $10 Starbucks card

(Open to US Only)

*Terms and Conditions –  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 I reserve 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 be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review, Giveaway: The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows by Jenni Keer

The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows

by Jenni Keer

Amazon US / UK / AU

B&N / GP / iBooks / Kobo

When Maisie Meadows finds herself single and jobless on New Year’s Day, she resolves that this will be the year she focuses on bringing her scattered family back together. Romance is all very well, but it’s the people you grew up with that matter the most.

But a new job working at an auction house puts her in the path of Theo, a gorgeous but unattainable man who she can’t help but be distracted by. As their bond begins to grow, Maisie finds herself struggling to fulfil the promise she made to herself – but the universe has other ideas, and it’s not long before the Meadows family are thrown back together in the most unlikely of circumstances…

Can dealing with other people’s treasures help Maisie to let go of the past, and teach her who she ought to treasure the most?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

He was not only showing the new girl from HR around the archives but also giving her a guided tour of his tonsils.

Being single was all very well until your ovaries started idly flicking through pension options – not that she was anywhere near that stage, but sand still trickled relentlessly into the bottom chamber of her hourglass.

Theo’s jeans weren’t distressed, they were positively traumatised.

Honestly, you’re so tightly coiled that if anyone springs your release catch you’re going to ping over the moon.

… her house was sterile, her desk at work was sterile, bloody hell – after six months without a boyfriend, she was sterile.

He doesn’t give up. All the time he’s in my peripheral vision, lurking like an unidentifiable odour.

My Review:

Jenni Keer is found treasure. This cleverly written and highly amusing book had more sparkles than a glitter bomb and was an utter delight to read. I adored every quirky character and savored each brilliantly chosen word. I fell right into this craftily paced and witty tale, which caused frequent eruptions of giggle-snorts and kept a well-earned smirk on my face throughout perusal. I was also quite resentful of any interruption to my reading and may have actually hissed at the ringing phone. Ms. Keer’s writing was deliciously clever, emotive, crisp, and extraordinarily engaging. She definitely has a gift for effortless levity and absorbing storytelling and I deeply suspect ownership of a magical pen or bewitched software, as she is an absolute powerhouse of a wordsmith.

And in addition to being totally besotted with Ms. Keer, I scored three new additions to my Brit Word List with claggy – which is Brit informal for thick and sticky; banjaxed – which is slang for destroyed or ruined; and G Plan – which is an iconic British brand of furniture.

About the Author

Jenni Keer is a history graduate who embarked on a career in contract flooring before settling in the middle of the Suffolk countryside with her antique furniture restorer husband. She has valiantly attempted to master the ancient art of housework but with four teenage boys in the house, it remains a mystery. Instead, she spends her time at the keyboard writing women’s fiction to combat the testosterone-fuelled atmosphere with her number one fan #Blindcat by her side. Much younger in her head than she is on paper, she adores any excuse for fancy-dress and is part of a disco formation dance team.

The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker was published in January 2019.

The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows is out in July 2019.

Social Media Links

FB Jenni Keer Writer

Twitter @JenniKeer

Instagram jennikeer

Website – https://jennikeer.co.uk/

Giveaway

Win a signed copy of The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker, pack of Scratbag notelets, pretty purple pen and a Maisie bookmark

(Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions – 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 I reserve 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 be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review, Giveaway: The Body in Belair Park (The London Murder Mysteries #6) by Alice Castle

The Body in Belair Park

(The London Murder Mysteries #6)

by Alice Castle

 

Amazon 

 

Beth Haldane is on the verge of having everything she’s ever wanted. Her son is starting secondary school, her personal life seems to have settled down – even her pets are getting on. But then the phone rings.

It’s Beth’s high maintenance mother, Wendy, with terrible news. Her bridge partner, Alfie Pole, has died suddenly. While Beth, and most of Dulwich, is convinced that Alfie has pegged out from exhaustion, thanks to playing with Wendy for years, Beth’s mother is certain that there is foul play afoot.

Before she knows it, Beth is plunged into her most complicated mystery yet, involving the Dulwich Bridge Club, allotment holders, the Dulwich Open Garden set and, of course, her long-suffering boyfriend, Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Harry York. The case stirs up old wounds which are much closer to home than Beth would like. Can she come up trumps in time to stop the culprit striking again – or does the murderer hold the winning hand this time?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

But the trouble with having lifelong ambitions was that when they were finally realised, you were left treading air like a cartoon cat shooting off a cliff.

 

‘Beth, and you know I don’t like to boast.’ Wendy lowered her eyes modestly for a moment, then ruined the effect by going on to blow her own trumpet in a lengthy solo.

 

Beth remembered neither of them had ever been Scouts. Or Brownies, come to that, though Beth had tried to make up for that by eating her weight in them many times over.

 

Was it Beth’s imagination, or did Katie sound a bit, well, reluctant? ‘You do still want to help out, don’t you, Cagney? Or are you Lacey? You’re the carefree blonde, obviously. I’m the brunette with the bad flick hairdo and the fat arse.’

 

Wendy well enough to realise that she would have been so hands-off as a mother to qualify as an honorary amputee.

 

Beth had thought bridge was just longwinded whist. But no. In Dulwich at least, it seemed as riven with rivalry and toxicity as the set of Who Killed Baby Jane?

 

Mrs Prendergast’s partner was a big man, his pale blue shirt at least a size smaller than its owner. Beth wouldn’t like to be around when his buttons finally decided they’d had enough of this arrangement. Tall and over-spilling the spindly chair in all directions, he was frowning over his cards like a hippo scrutinising a matchbox.

 

All this would be complex enough, without the added burden that her mother would be playing the recent poisoning victim like Meryl Streep on steroids, to get Josh’s full attention.

  

My Review:

 

I have savored each delightful tale in this cleverly written series.   As with the previous installments, The Body in Belair Park was a highly pleasurable read featuring a seemingly confounding and unsolvable mystery with witty comedic accents, cunning humor, and colorful character descriptions that evoked keen and smirk-worthy visuals.   The series revolves around Beth, a quirky pixie of a woman with a questionable work ethic, tight budget, narcissistic mother, tween son, indulged pets, and lax domestic efforts. In addition to being disorganized and easily distracted, she apparently tends to be a trouble magnet. I adore her and want to be her friend.

 

Ms. Castle writing style is refreshingly crisp and breezy yet cunningly insightful and deliciously entertaining. I treasure and covet her agile word skills and sublimely captivating storytelling and greatly enjoy her penchant for unusual fatalities. I fervently hope she continues to unearth them in every suburb across England.

About the Author

Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a UK newspaper journalist for The Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Her first book, Hot Chocolate, set in Brussels and London, was a European hit and sold out in two weeks.

Death in Dulwich was published in September 2017 and has been a number one best-seller in the UK, US, France, Spain and Germany. A sequel, The Girl in the Gallery was published in December 2017 to critical acclaim and also hit the number one spot. Calamity in Camberwell, the third book in the London Murder Mystery series, was published in August 2018, with Homicide in Herne Hill following in October 2018. Revenge on the Rye came out in December 2018. The Body in Belair Park will be published on 25th June 2019. Alice is currently working on the seventh London Murder Mystery adventure, The Slayings in Sydenham. Once again, it will feature Beth Haldane and DI Harry York.

Alice is also a mummy blogger and book reviewer via her website: https://www.alicecastleauthor.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DDsDiary?lang=en

Links to buy her books

http://MyBook.to/GirlintheGallery

http://myBook.to/1DeathinDulwich

http://myBook.to/CiC

http://myBook.to/homicideinhernehill

http://myBook.to/revengeontherye

Death in Dulwich is now also out as an audiobook: https://www.audible.com/pd/B07N1VNMLT/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-140657&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_140657_rh_us

Alice lives in south London and is married with two children, two step-children and two cats.

Giveaway

Win a signed copy of The Body in Belair

(Open to UK and US Only)

*Terms and Conditions –  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 I reserve 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 be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Book Review, Giveaway: Am I Guilty? by Jackie Kabler

 Am I Guilty?

by Jackie Kabler

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA B&N

 

A mother’s job is to protect her child…but everyone makes mistakes.

I never thought it would happen to me…

One moment I had it all – a gorgeous husband, a beautiful home, a fulfilling career and two adorable children. The next, everything came crashing down around me.

They said it was my fault. They said I’m the worst mother in the world. And even though I can’t remember what happened that day, they wouldn’t lie to me. These are my friends, my family, people I trust.

But then why do I have this creeping sensation that something is wrong? Why do I feel like people are keeping secrets? Am I really as guilty as they say? And if I’m not, what will happen when the truth comes out…?

Is your book part of a series / standalone? Standalone.

Are there any possible trigger warnings that bloggers/readers need to be aware of?

The book is about a murdered child.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

… it happened again. A weird, crawling sensation, like a bony hand running up my spine… A strange, shivery feeling, that had nothing to do with being cold. A feeling of unease, so intense that it was almost a physical sensation. This morning it had come and gone in a flash, and I’d put it down to being in that odd, semi-awake state but now, as I leaned against the kitchen counter, it stayed, first that shiver up my back, then a sense that something was trying to wriggle its way into my consciousness, a voice far, far too tiny for me to hear trying to make itself audible. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, trying to listen, but just as quickly as it had arrived, the feeling was fading again, and then it was gone.

 

He’s just an idiot boy, Mum. Sienna can be a bit bratty but he’s so horrible to her. Can’t you send him away to boarding school or something? You know, like those old-fashioned ones in films where the teachers will hit him with sticks and make him eat slugs for dinner?

 

I didn’t realize I was probably a psychopath until I went to university. I’d always known I was a little bit different to other kids I knew, never really had close friends growing up. But I didn’t realize I was that different until I started at Northampton Uni, doing my English and Psychology degree, and there it suddenly was one day, on the big screen in front of me in a crowded lecture theatre –a checklist of psychopathic personality traits. A checklist of my personality traits. … not a sociopath – they were messier creatures, emotionally unstable, impulsive, lacking in patience. Psychopaths make fewer mistakes. I looked down on sociopaths, and even as I realized this I was amused by it. It was a bit like an alcoholic looking down on a drug addict, wasn’t it?

 

 My Review:

 

This was a book of multiples – multiple POVs, multiple suspects, multiple twists and misdirections, multiple liars committing multiple selfish and consciously deceitful acts. Any tale involving the death of a child will undoubtedly be a heart squeezer whether the fatality was accidental or something more heinous, and I was back and forth in my theories of which type of act resulted in the death of eight-month-old Zander.

 

So many secrets were swirling and compounding the issues.   The characters were first presented in a singular dimension with all fingers pointing toward the mother, whose shock and overindulgence of alcohol had blanked her memories of the day.   But as the trial date approached, odd pricklings of recall were itching at her brain, were they real or wishful thinking? And the myriad other characters were not at all trustworthy and were all rather vile creatures.

 

The premise was heartbreaking while the characters were all deeply flawed and tainted with duplicity yet oddly compelling and continually pricking at my curiosity. The storylines were slowly paced and tense in tone, full of angst, despair, regret, guilt, anger, and anxiety while compelling and craftily hinting at undercurrents of subterfuge and deception. I was taut with tension and biting my cuticles as my hypotheses bounced among the various suspects, and while I was partly correct I would never have put it all together or as cleverly as this cringe-worthy conclusion.   This was my first experience reading the well-crafted words of Jackie Kabler and I am kicking myself for not noticing her prior works, she’s got mad word skillz!

About the Author

Jackie Kabler was born in Coventry but spent much of her childhood in Ireland. She worked as a newspaper reporter and then a television news correspondent for twenty years, spending nearly a decade on GMTV followed by stints with ITN and BBC News. During that time, she covered major stories around the world including the Kosovo crisis, the impeachment of President Clinton, the Asian tsunami, famine in Ethiopia, the Soham murders and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Jackie now divides her time between crime writing and her job as a presenter on shopping channel QVC. She has a degree in zoology, runs long distances for fun and lives in Gloucestershire with her husband.

Social Media Links –

Twitter @jackiekabler

Instagram @officialjackiekabler

Facebook jackiekablerauthor

 

Giveaway

Win a Signed Copy of Am I Guilty?

(Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –  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 I reserve 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 be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review, Giveaway: 10-Code by Freya Barker

Title: 10- Code (Rock Point #4)
Author: Freya Barker
Genre: Romantic suspense

Release Date: June 17, 2019
Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

As a forty-one-year-old mother of three boys, working two jobs, Marya Berger doesn’t have the time or energy to consider a relationship. Especially after a lifetime of poor choices in the romance department. But when the disappearance of a young boy strikes a little too close to home, and a younger man she’s tried to ignore offers his help, she doesn’t stand in the way.

Single father, Dylan Barnes, the junior member of the La Plata County FBI team at thirty-three, has his focus firmly on his job and his son, Max. He’s certainly not looking to complicate his life, when he finds himself at his son’s soccer game, sitting beside the spirited brunette he can’t get out of his mind. Fate, however, appears to have different plans.

When an unspeakable crime draws the attention of the FBI, Dylan finds himself torn between his job and his instinctive need to protect Marya and her boys.

Available in Kindle Unlimited

AMAZON

 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I don’t have a thing for older women… I have a thing for you. You happen to be older, that’s all.

 

Okay, you need to stop being perfect. My heart can’t handle it.

  

My Review:

 

I have stated this numerous times but it is worth repeating, I adore Freya Baker. I’m sad to see this series come to an end as I enjoyed these admirable, hard-working, and uniquely compelling men and women of La Plata County. The intriguing books of this series were all standalone yet seamlessly interconnected. Each was tautly written with topical issues, realistic suspense, and real-world concerns while cast with relatable yet imperfect characters who were doing their best to survive and rise above their untenable situations. The storylines were well-constructed, smartly paced, and cleverly nuanced, and although the subject matter may give some pause, the crimes were not graphically depicted although the plotted heinous behavior toward children in 10-Code was distressing to even contemplate, yet unfortunately occurs all too often.

 

Freya Barker inspires with her stories about ‘real’ people, perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.

She is the author of the Cedar Tree and Portland, ME Series, the Northern Lights Collection and the Rock Point Series. She is also co-author of the SnapShot Series.

To see Freya’s complete backlist, or to find out what is coming down the pipe, visit freyabarker.com.

All Available in Kindle Unlimited

AMAZON

AMAZON

AMAZON

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Book Review, Giveaway: To the Stars and Back by Camilla Isley

 

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To the Stars and Back

by Camilla Isley

Amazon  / B&N

When Hollywood’s sexiest bachelor meets the girl next door their relationship doesn’t follow the script…

On-screen, Christian Slade is America’s favorite heartthrob. Off-screen, letting romance into his life isn’t as easy. The women he dates all seem to want a piece of his glamorous life rather than his heart, and trust doesn’t come easy for him.

Then along comes Lana. A beautiful rocket scientist who’s also sweet, smart, sexy, and has absolutely no idea who he is. But what will happen when she finds out?

Will their worlds prove too far apart or could love really be like in the movies?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“Two adults booking a room at the Peninsula? They’re not here to play Scrabble,” she hisses.

 

“I’m trying to find a silver lining,” Winter says. “If breaking up with Jonathan isn’t giving you the slightest chest pain, perhaps it isn’t all bad you broke up. I mean, he and my sister are two cockroaches who deserve to burn in hell forever, but maybe it was about time you took your relationship with John behind the barn and shot it.”

 

 My Review:

 

This was a fun and appealing read that was smartly written and I can boast it was also informative as well since the main character was a rocket scientist who taught me the little known fact that there is a scientific unit of measurement called a slug, which weighs 32.2 pounds.   And my mother always chided me for reading fiction – claiming it was a waste of time.

 

I adored these characters, they were easily accessible and highly likable and I wanted good things for them.   Penned in my favorite dual POV, the writing style was crisp and engaging, yet also perceptive and loaded with wry wit and clever touches such as naming identical twins Summer and Winter.   I easily fell into this tale from the very beginning and felt happily entertained and well pleased as I zipped through their star-crossed storylines.

About the Author

Camilla is an engineer turned writer after she quit her job to follow her husband on an adventure abroad.

She’s a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading—duh!—cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies—popcorn, please. She’s a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn’t want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.

Social Media Links –

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/camillaisley

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14135080.Camilla_Isley

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/camilla-isley

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

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

Giveaway

 Win a To The Stars and Back Tote Bag

(Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –  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 I reserve 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 be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review, Giveaway: Covering Ollie by Freya Barker

Title: Covering Ollie (On Call #2)
Author: Freya Barker
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: May 14, 2019
Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

Living in Durango, Colorado for the past eighteen years allowed Ollie Rizzo to build her own business and carve out a quiet existence for her and her teenage daughter. She’s used to going it alone. However, their new silver-haired neighbor might present a problem—not only is he handsome—he’s also Durango’s new chief of police; a complication she can’t afford.

For recently widowed Joe Benedetti, the job offer as Durango’s new chief of police came at the right time. With life, the new job, and his two young sons settling into a comfortable routine, he does his best to ignore the beautiful and intriguing woman across the street. Yet when he discovers she’s caught the attention of the FBI, there is no way he can stay away.

Their worlds collide with the appearance of FBI Special Agent Cruz Livingston. The agent has a warning to deliver, one that spins life in Durango out of control, giving Joe a crucial mission—keep Ollie alive.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Had I known law enforcement apparently comes with a prerequisite hot factor here in Durango, I might’ve gotten myself in trouble sooner. Holy Hannah, they have them in all shapes and colors here, but so far —without exception— all very handsome.

 

In my twenties I still had a firm body that could snap back into shape like that. At forty-three all the damn elastic is gone.

 

She’s been a burr up my butt since I knocked her off her damn throne last week. Spreading rumors that I’ve been sneaking into Mr. Costello’s room at night… He’s in 2D. Ninety-three years old and can barely lift his eyelids, let alone anything else. I swear that woman is killing my rep… That’s why I’m calling. I’m plotting revenge, but I can’t remember if it was the calla lily or the daffodil that can make you sick enough to shit your pants… Can’t take this lying down, Ollie. In just one week, any gains I’ve made in beating her ass at Bingo have gone down the toilet. Best payback to send her there as well.

 

…there’s no limit to the love we have to give. It’s not like shoes, where you can only wear one pair at a time.

 

 My Review:

 

I always enjoy Freya Barker’s hard-working heroes and romantic suspense tales full of sizzle, sass, and sexy and protective alpha lawmen.   Her characters tend to be admirable and inspirational survivors, endearingly tattered, and assisting others as best they can while also dealing with their own challenges and limitations.   Covering Ollie was classic Barker with generous slices of humor, sensuality, and intrigue while featuring single parents juggling jobs, parenting, work stress, and threats of a violent criminal element while navigating a new relationship minefield littered with snoopy family members and the unsolicited yet well-meaning opinions and advice of co-workers. The engaging storylines were easy to follow, held my attention, kept me guessing, and had several unexpected twists I never saw coming.

 

Freya Barker inspires with her stories about ‘real’ people, perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.

She is the author of the Cedar Tree and Portland, ME Series, the Northern Lights Collection and the Rock Point Series. She is also co-author of the SnapShot Series.

To see Freya’s complete backlist, or to find out what is coming down the pipe, visit freyabarker.com.

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