#ShadowsofHell by Duncan Thompson @dthompsonauthor @PantherPubs @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

Title: Shadows of Hell by Duncan Thompson

Publisher: Panther Publishing

Date Published: 1st April 2021

Genre: Horror

Description:

When a man of heavenly worth sins in Hell, darkness shall reign upon the earth

A message from the other side – an omen of the impending apocalypse. A message intended for one man, the only man who can prevent Armageddon, saving the soul of every man, woman and child on Earth. That man is Joe Costello.

But, not only is Joe trapped in the underworld, he is also the same man who has the power to unleash the shadows of hell upon the world.

Inspired by Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy, Joe must battle his way through the nine circles of Hell – his escape being the key to salvation. Not only will he face all manner of Hell’s demons, he’ll also face his own.

However, Joe is not alone on his journey, as he is guided through each level of Hell by medium and psychic, Layla Thorne. Shadows of Hell is the epic follow-up to Shadows of the Woods.

‘Shadows of Hell thunders along at a breakneck pace, not giving the reader chance to draw breath.’ – Lee Mountford, author of The Demonic

You can buy your copy here:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/3cz9xtm 

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3bTg1DW

Review:

I want to thank Emma at Damppebbles blog tours for my invite and Panther Publishing for providing me with a copy of Shadows of Hell in exchange for an honest review.

Having read Shadows of the woods last year and enjoyed it, I was interested to see how the story would carry on in Shadows of Hell. I would recommend that you read Shadows of the woods first as the storyline intertwines with Shadows of Hell.

Much like the first book, Shadows of Hell is a short, action packed horror with plenty of monsters, magic and mayhem along the way.

This story felt a little different to the first, grounded more in classic legends, with references to The Divine Comedy by Dante. I haven’t read the poem, but I’ve heard little bits about it over the years and enjoyed the author’s spin on the nine circles of Hell.

There was a new cast of characters, along with some guest stars from the previous book. There’s a psychic called Layla who also has a side gig being a fake medium and Chris and Alexis, a pair of paranormal investigators.I feel like there was a lot more to these characters and I hope to see more of them in future novels.

The writing is very visceral and I will warn those who are not that big a fan of gore or ghastly scenes that this might not be the novel for you.

Although I wasn’t entirely sold on the slightly religious undertone of the story, the ending leaves it open for another book which I will definitely be interested to read.

Shadows of Hell is a vivid and well-written horror which will take you on one Hell of a journey!

About the Author:

Duncan has spent most of his life in a small market town in West Yorkshire — the same town in which most of his stories are set under the guise of Ravenfield. Duncan has been writing works of fiction since the age of seven. In those early days, his stories often involved himself and his friends being transported to fantasy worlds. However, as a teenager, Duncan fell in love with horror movies and his writing took a whole new direction.

Duncan still lives in West Yorkshire with his partner and their two young children. He also has slight obsession with Spider-Man and the actor Bruce Campbell, as well as having an addiction to vinyl records, coffee and Lego.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dthompsonauthor 

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

Website: https://www.dthompsonauthor.com/ 

#AbbertonHouse by Debbie Ioanna @Debbie_Cleo @PantherPubs @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours #BookReview

Title: Abberton House by Debbie Ioanna

Publisher: Panther Publishing

Date Published: 1st September 2020

Genre: Horror/Ghost Story

Description:

Two families. 100 years apart. A sinister haunting…

It was supposed to be the dream house for Adam, Catherine, and their daughter, Bella. But dream houses can hold secrets. Settling into their new home, the family realise they are not the only inhabitants of Abberton House.

A dark past continues to haunt the idyllic Yorkshire home, and those who remain want Adam and Catherine to know the truth. Frightened, Adam and Catherine begin to piece together what really happened at this once perfect abode.

A missing family, an elderly man searching for the truth, and secrets waiting to be revealed, moving into Abberton House could be the worst decision the family made.

You can buy your copy here:

Panther Publishing: http://bit.ly/38Ho0C3 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3tqULeY 

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3rU3vKe 

Review:

I want to thank Emma at Damppebbles blog tours for inviting me on this tour and Panther Publishing for providing me with a copy of Abberton House in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good ghost story, so I was eager to read Abberton House and see what spin the author gave to the classic haunted house trope.

Abberton House follows a dual timeline. First in 1916 we follow the story of Elizabeth, a young mother of three children whose doctor husband Henry has been called up to the war. The second timeline is set one hundred years later when Adam, Catherine, and their daughter, Bella, move into their new house to find something sinister lurking.

I really enjoyed the bit of mystery peppered throughout the story that really kept me hooked. I kept wondering what happened to Elizabeth and her family. Did she run off like everyone said or did something more disturbing happen? 

I would definitely recommend this story to people who enjoy a bit of a spooky horror story without too much blood or violence. It’s also quite a short book, but it still had a gentle pace and didn’t seem too rushed.

I wished the author would have amped up the creep factor a little more, as at times the ghosts felt like rather annoying houseguests rather than anything otherworldly. And there were a few aspects of the story that could have been explored further, certain minor characters that I would have liked to have seen more of.

Abberton House is a quick, spooky read with a hint of mystery that kept me entertained and intrigued throughout.

About the author:

Debbie is a multi-genre indie author and blogger who was born in Bradford and lives there with her husband, two-year-old daughter and anti-social cat Cleo. When she isn’t busy being a Mum, working for her local council or studying towards her Open University degree, she is busy focusing on her writing career.

Debbie doesn’t write to just one genre as she likes to write about anything. She is currently working on a romantic-comedy series but who knows what she will be working on in the future. As well as writing novels, short stories and blogs for her website, she is also reviewing other works by indie authors. She is passionate about helping other indie authors as she knows it is a hard world to master and getting reviews is a challenge on its own.

Debbie has been a regular attending author at the UK Indie Lit Fest in Bradford for the last few years and will be returning in 2020, as well as attending events in Shipley and Liverpool for the first time.

Debbie began studying with the Open University in 2015, aiming towards a BA Honours in Humanities, focusing on History and Creative Writing which are her two greatest passions. It is a part-time course, due to end in 2021 which Debbie is hoping means she will have more time to write.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Debbie_Cleo

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

Website: https://debbie-ioanna-author.blog/

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

Stolen Daughters (Detective Amanda Steele 2) by Carolyn Arnold @bookouture #BookReview #PublicationDay #BooksOnTour

Happy publication day to Carolyn Arnold for the second in the Detective Amanda Steele series Stolen Daughters! I’m going to sharing my review today but first a bit about the book:

Title: Stolen Daughters (Detective Amanda Steele 2) by Carolyn Arnold

Date Published: 6th April 2021

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Police Procedural

Description:

The girl looked so peaceful, she could have been asleep. Except her eyes were open, blankly reflecting the flickering flames spreading towards her…

When firefighters discover the body of a teenage girl at an abandoned house, Detective Amanda Steele hurries to the scene. Dumfries, Virginia is a small town, yet no one seems to have any idea who the dead girl is until Amanda finds a dragonfly pin with the name Crystal engraved on it.

Working tirelessly, Amanda traces the pin to Crystal Foster, a thirteen-year-old who disappeared three years ago from her wealthy parents’ home. Breaking the news to the distraught parents won’t be easy, but the loss of her own daughter still haunts Amanda, and she knows this will bring them closure. But when Amanda goes to see the Fosters, they do not recognize the girl. She isn’t Crystal.

Before Amanda can react to this new development, she gets an urgent call. A fire has consumed another vacant house, and the remains of two more girls have been found. Who are these girls, and why are they being picked off? Amanda must stop this killer before the pattern continues, and the death toll climbs.

When Amanda receives a taunting note from the killer, she realizes that she holds the missing piece of this puzzle. The victims are connected to Amanda’s past, to a case she can never forget, and which almost claimed her life. As she follows the clues to their deadly conclusion, can she save more innocent lives… even if it risks her own?

An unputdownable, pulse-pounding mystery. Fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and Robert Dugoni will be gripped.

You can buy your copy here:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08WPSQM28social

Apple: http://ow.ly/eEQV50DDq10

Kobo: http://ow.ly/KR1V50DDpYb

Google: http://ow.ly/gEqy50DDq3Z

Review:

I want to thank Bookouture for providing me with a copy of Stolen Daughters in exchange for an honest review.

So this is my first Carolyn Arnold book but the second in the Amanda Steele series, but it’s easily read as a standalone. I would probably recommend going back to the first and starting there, just to get a bit more history of the characters.

The story opens with a young woman being found dead in an abandoned house after a fire was started deliberately. She’s got no ID and they do not know who the young girl is. Amanda Steele is assigned to the case with her partner Trent. Dealing with the aftermath of her last case, she has a higher up officer gunning for her badge. As the body count rises, the case takes a personal turn. Can Amanda deal with it all and solve the case?

Stolen Daughters is an American police procedural that leans more towards the procedural aspects with a bit of psychology thrown in there for good measure.

I usually read British police procedurals, but it made a nice change to read one set in a small town in America. I enjoyed seeing the differences and similarities between policing methods, although one thing they certainly have in common is all police officers seem to run on caffeine and junk food!

I do so love to get inside the mind of a killer, and it intrigued me to see little peeks into this killer’s twisted mind throughout the book.

I struggled a bit to warm up to Amanda at first. She’s a good cop but seems to rub a lot of people up the wrong way. She was also a bit standoffish, refusing to cross the boundaries between professional and perhaps friendship with her partner Trent. In future books I’d love to see a bit more of Trent, I feel there’s a lot of potential with his character.

I felt the pace was a little slow to start off with but it builds nicely to an action paced ending that leaves it open for the next in the series. 

Stolen Daughters is a realistic and gritty read with an ending that leaves you wanting more. 

About The Author:

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has nearly thirty published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

Author Social Media Links:

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold

Uncork My Love by Rich Amooi @RichAmooi @rararesources #BlogTour #BookReview

Hello lovelies and happy Easter to those who celebrate! Today I have a review of Uncork My Love by Rich Amooi as part of the blog tour organised by Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources but that’s not all; there’s a giveaway to win an Amazon gift card and it’s open internationally! (See bottom of the post)

Title: Uncork My Love by Rich Amooi

Date Published: 25th March 2021

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Description:

A sweet romantic comedy set in beautiful Napa Valley!

Ivy needs a miracle and a drink—not necessarily in that order. With a struggling winery, the only hope of keeping her dream alive is snagging a gold medal at the annual wine competition. She’s determined to win, but she can do it without the help of Ted Jacobs, aka Mr. Know-it-All.

Ted wants to catch lightning in a bottle and create the world’s greatest wine, but he’s smart enough to know he can’t do it alone. When he heads to Napa to keep his grandma from ending up in jail (don’t ask), he meets Ivy. She’s as complex and intoxicating as his award-winning cabernet, but as stubborn as the mule next door when she stomps on his offer to collaborate.

Ted knows it’s risky to mix business with pleasure, but if Ivy would only listen, they might just be the toast of the town.

Purchase Links 

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncork-My-Love-Rich-Amooi-ebook/dp/B08WRGDY48

US  – https://www.amazon.com/Uncork-My-Love-Rich-Amooi-ebook/dp/B08WRGDY48

Review:

I want to thank Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me on this tour and the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Whenever I hear Rich Amooi has a new book coming out, I know it’s going be a must read.  I’m so glad I read this when I did as March was a particularly hard month for me and Uncork My Love helped to take my mind off things.

Rich Amooi takes the trope of rivals to romance and makes it his own with his trademark humour and sweet romance.

Ted and Ivy are such delightful characters. Ivy is fierce and independent, not willing to take help from anybody, especially Ted. Then there’s too honest for his own good Ted, who seems to keep rubbing Ivy up the wrong way. I absolutely loved the verbal sparring between Ivy and Ted, which was so much fun to read.

A special shout out goes to meddling grandmothers Loretta and Sherry who may be in their seventies but it doesn’t stop them getting up to mischief, especially when it comes to their grandchildren!

There was some excellent research about wine making which shines through but also doesn’t get too info dumpy or technical. It even made me interested in wine and I don’t even drink the stuff!

Uncork my love is a pitch perfect romcom that will make you a little love drunk after reading it! (Had to get some sort of drinking pun in there!)

About The Author: 

Rich Amooi is a Taleflick Discovery Winner, Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Recipient, Holt Medallion Finalist, and the Amazon Bestselling author of 16 romantic comedies, including It’s Not PMS, It’s You, Dying to Meet You, There’s Something About a Cowboy, and Madam Love, Actually.

A former radio personality and wedding DJ, Rich now writes romantic comedies full-time in San Diego, California, and is happily married to a kiss monster imported from Spain. Rich believes in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

Social Media Links – 

Author website: www.richamooi.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.richamooi 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richamooi.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichAmooi

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/richamooi

Giveaway to Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide 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 despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494414/?

#CoverReveal Technopaladin by Elizabeth Corrigan @ERCorrigan @RRBookTours1 #Technopaladin #RRBookTours

Hello lovelies! Today I have a fabulous cover reveal for Technopaladin by Elizabeth Corrigan organised by R&R Book Tours. First a little about the book:

Expected Publication Date: May 2021

Genre: YA Sci-Fi/ Fantasy

Description:

Clarity’s paladin order forbids her from entering the Azure District, the one location in her high tech city that refuses paladin rule and technology. When she receives an illicit invitation to violate the prohibition, spurred on by rumors of suffering in the district, she passes through the crumbling brick entryway into no-man’s land. Within, she finds the residents lack not only the ocular implants and three dimensional computers she takes for granted, but also medicine to fight a disease infecting the children.

Clarity knows her order isn’t perfect—after all, they stole her from her parents when she was a small child to raise her with their values—but she cannot believe they know what’s going on in the Azure District. When she confronts the head of the order, he refuses to aid people who have rejected his help in the past, even the children. Unwilling to take no for an answer, Clarity enlists the help of the leader’s son Cass and takes matters into her own hands.

Desperate both to cure the children and keep her place in the order that is her only home, Clarity engages in increasingly questionable behavior—deleting official records, lying to her friends, and manipulating people who can help her. As the nefarious nature of her actions tarnishes the purity of her cause, she must determine what it truly means to be a paladin, in both name and action.

Now here’s what you’ve been waiting for, the gorgeous cover:

About the Author:

Elizabeth Corrigan has degrees in English and psychology and has spent several years working as a data analyst in various branches of the healthcare industry. When she’s not hard at work on her next novel, Elizabeth enjoys playing tabletop role-playing games and cooperative card games. She refuses to watch most internet videos and is pathologically afraid of bees. She lives in Maryland with two cats and a very active iphone.

Elizabeth Corrigan | Twitter | Facebook

Cover Reveal Organised By: 

R&R Book Tours

#BookReview You Let Me In by Lucy Clark

Title: You Let Me In by Lucy Clark

Date Published: 18th August 2018

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre:Psychological Thriller

Description:

Nothing has felt right since Elle rented out her house . . .

I’M IN YOUR HOUSE

There’s a new coldness. A shift in the atmosphere. The prickling feeling that someone is watching her every move from the shadows.

I’M IN YOUR HEAD

Maybe it’s all in Elle’s mind? She’s a writer – her imagination, after all, is her strength. And yet every threat seems personal. As if someone has discovered the secrets that keep her awake at night.

AND NOW I KNOW YOUR SECRET

As fear and paranoia close in, Elle’s own home becomes a prison. Someone is unlocking her past – and she’s given them the key…

Review:

Finally, I’ve managed to review the first of the books that have been gathering dust on my NetGalley shelf for the past three years. It’s only taken me until the end of March!

I’ve heard several bloggers saying good things about this novel, so I thought I’d bump it up on my list.

You Let Me In follows Elle is a writer struggling with writer’s block after the international success of her first book. She’s just arrived back from France after a writer’s retreat, having rented out her new house. Something’s not right. The person who rented her house seems to have been inside rooms, which Elle locked up. As her deadline approaches, there are minor incidents that seem innocuous and messages appear around the house. Is it all in her head or is something more going on? 

This is a dual narrative book, switching between current Elle and events that happened around the age of eighteen that transformed her life.

This is definitely a slow burner of a novel but the tension builds nicely, we see Elle’s mental health decline rapidly where she’s not even sure if things happening around her are real.

Elle is one of those characters I’m not entirely sure I like. A struggling writer, tortured by events in her past and the breakdown of her marriage, I had sympathy for her, but she seemed quite self-involved and a little selfish at times.

There were some good shocks and surprises along the way, but there are still parts of the book that are bothering me as I’m writing this review. I can’t really go into detail as it could be classed as spoilers, but the overall story didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

You Let Me In was a solid psychological thriller and definitely worth a read if you love the genre.

About The Author:

Lucy Clarke is the bestselling author of six psychological thrillers – THE SEA SISTERS, A SINGLE BREATH, THE BLUE/NO ESCAPE, LAST SEEN, YOU LET ME IN and THE CASTAWAYS. Her debut novel was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick, and her books have been sold in over 20 territories.

Lucy is a passionate traveller, beach hut dweller, and fresh air enthusiast. She’s married to a professional windsurfer and, together with their two young children, they spend their winters travelling and their summers at home on the south coast of England. Lucy writes from a beach hut, using the inspiration from the wild south coast to craft her stories.

Say hello:

Instagram @lucyclarke_author

Facebook: lucyclarkeauthor

#DeadInTheWater #StonebridgeMysteries @cmacwritescrime @RedDogTweets

Title: Dead In The Water by Chris McDonald

Publisher: Red Dog Press

Date Published: 27th March 2021

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Description:

The Stonebridge Regatta is looming. The town’s annual face-off against neighbouring Meadowfield is usually a weekend filled with sunshine, laughter and camaraderie. 

This year is different.

A week before the race, the body of Stonebridge team captain Matthew Henderson is found dead in the water. The police file his passing as a tragic accident however, his grieving widow disagrees and suspects foul play is involved. She enlists the help of Adam and Colin, the town’s amateur (self-proclaimed) private detectives to unearth the truth.

Did Matthew simply slip and fall into the water, or is there more to his death below the surface?

You can buy your copy here:

Amazon: mybook.to/DITW

The Red Dog Shop: https://www.reddogpress.co.uk/product-page/dead-in-the-water

Review:

I want to thank Red Dog Press for providing me with a copy of Dead In The Water in exchange for an honest review.

I’m so glad to be back with Adam and Colin for the second in the Stonebridge mysteries. If you haven’t read the first, The Curious Case of Daniel Costello, Dead In The Water can be read as a standalone, but I would personally recommend reading the first as it’s such a good novella!

If you don’t know this series, they are cozy mysteries set in the small Irish town of Stonebridge following two amateur sleuths and best friends Adam and Colin.

A grieving widow comes to Adam, convinced that her husband didn’t drown by accident. Adam is busy with his new gardening business but the lure of a mystery is too much for him to turn down, even roping poor put upon Colin to help.

As I said in my previous review, both Adam and Colin are very likeable sleuths and I enjoyed the fact Colin got a more central role in this book rather than just being a sidekick type character.

This story has a snappy pace and even though it’s only a short book, there’s still plenty of suspects, clues and red herrings to keep you guessing.

I felt the actual mystery wasn’t quite as funny as the first, but of course that’s just my opinion.

Dead in the water is a well-written whodunnit with likeable sleuths underpinned with some subtle humour. I’m looking forward to more Stonebridge mysteries in the future!

About the Author:

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime. A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. He came up with the initial idea whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content. He is a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. Whispers in the Dark is the second installment in the DI Erika Piper series, and Chris is currently working on his latest series, The Stonebridge Mysteries, published by Red Dog Press in 2021. 

Q&A A Chance Encounter by Rae Shaw @RaeShawauthor @rararesources #BlogTour

Hello lovelies! Today I have a fantastic Q&A with Rae Shaw, aka Rachel Walkley, as part of the blog tour organised by Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources but first a little about the book:

Title: A Chance Encounter by Rae Shaw

Date Published: 24th March 2021

Genre: Thriller

Description:

Julianna Baptiste, a feisty bodyguard, finds her new job tedious, that is until her boss, the evasive Jackson Haynes, spikes her curiosity. Who is behind the vicious threats to his beautiful wife and why is he interested in two estranged siblings?

Mark works for Haynes’s vast company. He’s hiding from ruthless money launderers.

His teenage sister Ellen has an online friend whom she has never met. Ellen guards a terrible secret.

For eight years their duplicitous father has languished in prison, claiming he is innocent of murder. The evidence against him is overwhelming, so why does Mark persist with an appeal?

Keen to prove her potential as an investigator, Julianna forces Mark to confront his mistakes. The consequences will put all their lives in danger.

You can buy your copy here:

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08X1PN4VH

US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X1PN4VH

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57237006-a-chance-encounter

Trailer – https://youtu.be/g2U11opEcqs

Q&A with Rae Shaw:

Can you tell me a little bit about your book? 

Julianna has quit a good job as a government agent to work as a chauffeur and bodyguard. She’s lost her way but not her curiosity. So when she suspects her boss’s wife is having an affair, she can’t stop herself from spying. What starts out as a personal mission ends up being a far greater threat to her life.

Where did the inspiration for your book come from? 

The idea for a bodyguard who doesn’t play by the rules was the catalyst and from there, Julianna developed into a kind of PI who sometimes takes investigations too far.

If you could describe your book in one sentence what would it be? 

Murder takes seconds, revenge takes years.

What is a typical writing day like for you? 

I used to write full-time. These days I grab a few hours when I can at the weekend.

If you could recommend just one book to read what would it be and why? 

The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett. They have everything you could want in a story.

Who are your favourite authors? 

I have reliable favourites – Isabel Allende and Robert Goddard are both brilliant storytellers. I have a fondness for procedural police novels and especially American writer Ed McBain. Although he passed away some years ago, I read his books over a span of thirty years, from when I was eleven until his last book in the late 1990s.

Is writing your only job? If not, what is your other job? 

I work as an information scientist and I spend my weekdays analysing scientific texts rather than writing.

Tell me something interesting about yourself (that’s not in your author bio!) 

I’m a biologist.

What are you currently working on? 

I’m working on the third book of the Julianna Baptiste series, the second is written and ready to be published. I’m also editing another book which will be published in a different genre using my real name – Rachel Walkley.

About The Author –  

Rae Shaw is a pen name for the author Rachel Walkley.

Rachel is based in the North West of England. She read her first grown-up detective novel at the age of eleven, which proved to be a catalyst for filling many shelves with crime books, which still occupy her home and grow in number whenever she visits a book shop.

As well as crime, Rachel likes to unplug from the real world and writes mysteries that have a touch of magic woven into family secrets.

Social Media Links – 

https://raeshawauthor.com/

Tweets by RaeShawauthor

Rae Shaw Facebook page

Rachel Walkley

#BlogTour #BookReview Trust Me by T.M. Logan @TMLoganAuthor @ZaffreBooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n

Title: Trust Me by T.M. Logan

Date Published: 18th March 2021

Publisher: Zaffre Books

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Description:

Two strangers, a child, and a split second choice that will change everything . . .

Ellen was just trying to help a stranger. That was how it started: giving a few minutes respite to a flustered young mother sitting opposite her on the train. A few minutes holding her baby while the mother makes an urgent call. The weight of the child in her arms making Ellen’s heart ache for what she can never have.

Five minutes pass.

Ten.

The train pulls into a station and Ellen is stunned to see the mother hurrying away down the platform, without looking back. Leaving her baby behind. Ellen is about to raise the alarm when she discovers a note in the baby’s bag, three desperate lines scrawled hastily on a piece of paper:

Please protect Mia

Don’t trust the police

Don’t trust anyone

Why would a mother abandon her child to a stranger? Ellen is about to discover that the baby in her arms might hold the key to an unspeakable crime. And doing the right thing might just cost her everything . . . 

Review:

I want to thank Tracy Fenton for inviting me on this tour and Zaffre books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my third T.M.Logan book and having enjoyed those novels I was very excited to see what this one had to offer.

Trust Me may be just over four hundred pages long, but with its quick pace and short chapters it didn’t feel that long at all. 

The story follows Ellen, a woman in her forties who’s just received the diagnosis that she won’t be able to have children. On the train home she’s asked to look after baby Mia while her mum makes an urgent call. Time passes, but her mum doesn’t come back. Looking for clues to the woman’s disappearance it leads Ellen down a dangerous path but she knows one thing, she must protect Mia at all costs.

Ellen was an excellent character with hidden depths. At first you think she’s just an average person who I felt more than a bit sorry for, but it turns out she’s a bit of a badass. Her determination and stubbornness to let things go really drew me on through the novel.  

There’s a good deal of intrigue and tension running through the story, and you’re really not sure who to trust. Unfortunately, the author tried so hard to deceive that I felt it made the real bad guy a bit obvious.

Trust Me is a quick and addictive read, perfect to lose yourself in for a few hours. 

About The Author:

Tim’s thrillers have sold more than one million copies in the UK and are published in 19 countries around the world including the USA, South Korea, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Poland, Hungary, Serbia, Greece, Romania and the Netherlands.

His brand new novel TRUST ME has been described as ‘Everything you want from a thriller, and more…’ TRUST ME is out now in hardback, e-book and audiobook.

His debut thriller LIES was one of Amazon’s biggest selling e-books of 2017 and was followed by 29 SECONDS in 2018. THE HOLIDAY was a Richard & Judy Book Club pick for summer 2019 and spent ten weeks in the Sunday Times paperback top ten.

THE CATCH is about a father who becomes convinced his daughter is about to marry a man with terrible secrets.

Tim was born in Berkshire and studied in London and Cardiff before becoming a national newspaper journalist. He lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife and two children, and writes in a cabin at the bottom of his garden.

For exclusive writing and new releases from TM Logan, sign up to the Readers’ Club: www.bit.ly/TMLogan.

Blood Stained by Rebecca Bradley @RebeccaJBradley @JoffeBooks #BlogTour #BookReview

Title: Blood Stained by Rebecca Bradley

Publisher: Joffe Books

Date Published: 25th March 2021

Genre: Police Procedural

Description:

Can’t find her.

Can’t catch him.

Can’t trust anyone.

The first in a gripping new Sheffield-set crime series starring Detective Claudia Nunn.

Detective Claudia Nunn’s colleague DS Dominic Harrison has been leading the case against a dangerous serial killer, who hunts his victims using a dating app. But now his own wife has gone missing.

Then a large pool of blood is discovered in their garage. And Dominic is the prime suspect.

Is Dominic being framed by a serial killer or will Claudia expose an even uglier truth?

Can’t tell a soul how it ends.

Blood Stained is a dark, twisty and utterly compulsive page-turner that will be devoured by fans of Helen H. Durrant, Rachel Abbott, Angela Marsons and L.J. Ross.

READERS CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF REBECCA BRADLEY:

“Tense, tightly written and I couldn’t put it down until I was done. A definite 5 stars.” Angela Marsons, author of Twisted Lies

“Honestly one of the most gripping – and thoroughly disturbing – things I’ve read in a while. It’s like watching a mind slowly unravel. Highly recommended.” Cass Green, author of The Killer Inside

“A clever and emotional read from an author who deserves to be more well known.” Steph’s Book Blog

“Rebecca Bradley has the knack of drawing you into a book and then you find it hard to put down.” Graham R.

“Terrifyingly authentic.” A Chapter in my Life

“Slick, absolutely fascinating.” Damppebbles

“Compelling, dark and absolutely a page-turner.” Crime Book Junkie

Review:

I want to thank Jill Burkinshaw for inviting me on this tour and Joffe Books for providing me with a copy of Blood Stained in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve previously read one of Rebecca Bradley’s DI Hannah Robbins series and enjoyed it so I was eager to see what this new series had to offer.

Claudia is tasked to investigate the disappearance of Ruth Harrison. The problem is their prime suspect is her husband Dominic, a police officer. He believes that it’s linked to a case he’s investigating, a serial killer called the Sheffield Strangler. The case is personal to Claudia as she knows both Ruth and Dominic, can she put her feelings aside and solve the case?  

Blood Stained is a police procedural that I felt was a lot heavier on the procedural aspect, focusing on evidence gathering and interviews, which I found fascinating. We go back and forth between Ruth missing and the current investigation and six months previously with the Sheffield Strangler case seeing both Claudia and Dominic in action.

I liked Claudia. She’s ambitious but also a rule follower, keen to solve the case even though this case was emotionally draining for her. There was some good sparring between her and Dominic through their interviews together and she’s not one to back down from a challenge.

I will say I figured out the who quite early on, even though there were a few good twists in there, but the why was what kept me turning those pages. Also, it is not the most action packed of stories but it had a steady pace throughout.

Blood stained is a gritty and realistic mystery which has left me wanting to see more of these characters.

About The Author:

Rebecca Bradley lives with her family in the UK, and two Cockapoos, Alfie and Lola, who keep her company while she writes. She drinks copious amounts of tea to function throughout the day and if she could, she would survive on a diet of tea and cake while committing murder on a regular basis. Rebecca served fifteen years in the police service and finished as a detective constable on a specialist unit.

BOOKS BY REBECCA BRADLEY

BLOOD STAINED

FOLLOW REBECCA ON

AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
GOODREADS