A Spirited Girl on Cornish Shores

(A Little Hotel in Cornwall Book 2)

by Laura Briggs

It looks like a perfect Cornish autumn, with aspiring novelist Maisie Clark still finding inspiration as a maid at the historic Penmarrow Hotel. Between the staff of quirky co-workers, glamorous and unusual guests, and her growing friendship with the charming but mysterious Sidney Daniels, Maisie is living out adventures instead of just penning them in the pages of her would-be novel’s growing number of chapters.

And then there’s the slight problem of keeping the balance between friendship and ‘something more’ with Sidney, who’s helping introduce her to the village’s version of a Cornish Halloween, and has recently taken an interest in Maisie’s secret that may change things between them. But even Maisie’s imagination can’t conjure the unusual event this Halloween brings to the Penmarrow. An eccentric earl has chosen this site to host his lavish birthday celebration that includes a pretty (and perceptive) young psychic whose predictions seem to have everyone on edge — and, to Maisie’s delight, the elusive novelist Alistair Davies is rumored to be part of the guest list! But with the earl’s bickering relatives and illustrious friends on hand— and more than one ghost of the past waiting to be revealed — it’s anyone’s guess what the festivities will bring before the party is over.

Will the psychic foretell doom for the earl’s gathering—and is her ‘gift’ as genuine as it seems? Will Maisie finally meet her favorite author face to face? And, more importantly, what about the romantic sparks that fly between Maisie and Sidney?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

He’s got a bit of crazy in his eyes, like all the ex-officers with one too many parades in their past. Guess being rich wasn’t exciting enough, so he went off to war a few times. Probably to cool his homicidal tendencies.

But it’s his smile that possesses the magic, not his sense of fashion. Sidney Daniels has an irresistible smile, and he bestowed it on me today as we met. Those hazel brown eyes with sparks of green and gold were alight with unquestionable good humor and playfulness … maybe a little mystery also, if you looked closely…

I was going to grow hot, and flustered, and desperately happy if I wasn’t very careful.

 My Review:

Maisie’s story is advancing ever so slowly while she is living and working under an alias as her duplicity has yet to be revealed to all, although she is constantly concerned with exposure. Her friendships seem to be progressing with her co-workers while her relationship with Sidney appears to be growing more dear and sweet. Riley’s flirting has landed him in a prickly mess with possible dire consequences from a trigger-happy and eccentric village resident.

An interesting and well-heeled family booked the entire hotel for an elaborate one-hundredth-year-birthday celebration of an ancient earl who brought his own medium along as part of his entourage. The wealthy old man’s toady family members appear to be a useless pack of jackals who are as worthless and corrupt as they are skeptical. However, a few revelations left them shaken, was it real or a parlor trick? Everyone has secrets to sweat, lazy sycophants most of all.

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.

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.

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.

 I Will Follow Him

by Holly Tierney-Bedord

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.