Miniskirts Are Murder (Porter & The Gliss 2) by Des Burkinshaw @rararesources @DesBurkinshaw #BookReview #BlogTour

I took a bit of time off due to a death in my family but now I’m back today with a review Miniskirts Are Murder by Des Burkinshaw but first a little about the book:

Title: Miniskirts Are Murder by Des Burkinshaw

Date Published: 7th March 2021

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Paranormal

Description:

Porter Norton, his friends and his sarcastic spirit guide, The Gliss, are on the trail of a young actress who went missing in Soho, London, in the Swinging Sixties. Still recovering from their last adventure in the battlefields of WW1, the gang are confronted by a transatlantic conspiracy.

You can buy your copy here:

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Miniskirts-are-Murder-investigation-Investigations-ebook/dp/B08THXTBGB   

US – https://www.amazon.com/Miniskirts-are-Murder-investigation-Investigations-ebook/dp/B08THXTBGB 

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 Miniskirts Are Murder in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second in the Porter and The Gliss series, I read and enjoyed the first back in 2019 and I was very much looking forward to the sequel! I will say you should read the first Dead and Talking as some of the story carries over into this one.

Miniskirts are murder is the same mix of historical, paranormal and mystery as the first but this time instead of being set in the trenches of WW1 we’re taken to the Swinging Sixties, travelling to both LA and Germany to investigate the disappearance of a young actress named Rose.

There’s so much packed into this novel. Ghostly visions, gangsters, racism, women’s rights, spies, the Cold War and of course murder.

I was so glad that the gang of Porter, Feng, Namita, Karin and of course the Gliss were back together for this story, albeit with a lot more scars than the first book. We got to know each character a little better, each getting their own minor storyline weaved into the main story.

The sixties are a bit of a fascination to me. It seemed like such an interesting time, especially in Britain, and I feel it’s much romanticised by film and TV shows. This book really shines a light on the seedier side of the time, especially when it came to filmmaking. 

At the forefront of this novel is women’s rights and racism, which at times made it a little intense to read, I had to put the book down for a bit to get my emotions under control! 

Miniskirts are murder is an original and thought provoking read with plenty of mystery and mayhem along the way. I’m looking forward to the next adventure featuring Porter and The Gliss.

About The Author:  

Des, 52, is a former Times journalist/BBC TV producer. Miniskirts are Murder is the second in the Porter and The Gliss Investigations series, following Dead & Talking in 2019.
Des likes to live out as much of the stories as possible and spent 3 months in the US researching this novel. He runs a film school in London and has just been commissioned to write a limited season TV series intended for Netflix. He is also a keen musician and through work has jammed with people like Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson and Jeff Lynne. He is married with 1 daughter.

Social Media Links – 

www.desburkinshaw.com   twitter.com/DesBurkinshaw, facebook as Des Burkinshaw  

Murder In The Belltower by Helena Dixon @bookouture @NellDixon #BooksOnTour #CozyMystery

Title: Murder In The Belltower by Helena Dixon

Date Published: 1st February 2021

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Description:

Kitty Underhay’s hymn book is open… at murder.

Winter, 1933. Kitty Underhay is enjoying a restorative break from sleuthing on a visit to her family at Enderley Hall. The only thing marring her peace – aside from the uncomfortable sensation she has of being watched – is the obvious history between her beau, ex-army captain Matthew Bryant and another guest, the beautiful Juliet Vanderstafen. So, when the parish clerk is found dead on her front doorstep, Kitty leaps at the chance of distraction.

The police are happy to conclude that Miss Plenderleith met her unfortunate end on a patch of ice, but Kitty isn’t convinced this was a case of bad weather and worse luck. And when the Reverend Crabtree fails to show for tea the next day, she heads to the church to speak to him. But she arrives to find the clergyman hanging from the bell rope, dead.

With Matt seemingly wrapped up with his alluring Austrian, Kitty must solve the case on her own. But as she snoops into parish affairs, she makes some less-than-saintly discoveries. Just who has broken the sixth commandment? Meanwhile the killer is preparing a churchyard grave for Kitty, and she’ll have to use all her wits to avoid falling in…

An addictive, absorbing and completely unputdownable Golden Age cozy murder mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.

You can buy your copy here: https://geni.us/B08LKT7HSRCover

Review: 

I want to thank Bookouture for providing me with a copy of Murder In The Bell Tower in exchange for an honest review.

It’s so fun to be back with Kitty and Matthew! I absolutely love this series and I can’t believe we’re already on book five! It can be read as a standalone but I would recommend at least reading the previous book in the series, Murder On The Dance Floor first as there’s a little of the storyline that runs over.

It’s Christmas and Kitty has decided to spend it with her cousin Lucy and the rest of her family at Enderley hall, along with of course Captain Matthew Bryant as they are now officially ‘walking out together’. She’s hoping for a nice relaxing but unfortunately for her things don’t quite go to plan as Juliet Vanderstafen, a mysterious woman from Matthew’s past, is also a guest at Enderley hall. Things get worse, Miss Plenderleith, the local Parish clerk is found dead and Kitty gets herself wrapped up in the mystery.

Murder In The Belltower is such an additive read, I always get caught up in the story, feeling like I’ve actually been taken back in time to the 1930s.

What I always love about these stories is the attention to detail that Helena Dixon always puts into them. From the fashions, to the language, to the Christmas traditions and even there’s even a mention of tensions within Europe with a bit of foreshadowing for the Second World War.

I will say it took a bit longer than I remember from the previous books for someone to actually show up dead but I didn’t mind too much as I loved watching Matthew and Kitty navigating their new relationship whilst being surrounded by the tension in the air of Enderley hall.

Murder In The Belltower is a great addition to this wonderful series and I for one can’t wait for more!

About The Author:

Nell Dixon was born and continues to live in the Black Country. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, a crazy cockapoo and a tank of tropical fish. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and housework. Her addictions of choice are coffee and reality TV. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 with her book Marrying Max, and winner of Love Story of the Year 2010 with her book, Animal Instincts. She also writes historical 1930’s set cozy crime as Helena Dixon.

Author Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.nelldixon.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/nell.dixon

Twitter:      https://twitter.com/NellDixon

#BookReview Murder On The Dance Floor (Kitty Underhay 4) by Helena Dixon #CozyMystery

Title: Murder On The Dance Floor (Kitty Underhay 4) by Helena Dixon

Publisher: Bookouture

Date Published: 28th October 2020

Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery

Description:

Kitty Underhay’s dance card is full… of death.

November 1933. Amateur sleuth-cum-dutiful granddaughter Kitty Underhay stifles a sigh of boredom as she attends the annual Hotelier’s Association Dinner and Dance on behalf of her grandmother, the proprietress of the Dolphin Hotel. She hopes the company of ex-army captain Matthew Bryant will enliven the otherwise dull evening. That is, until bullish and overbearing local councillor Harold Everton drops dead into his bowl of consommé.

While the local police are still scrambling for their whistles, Kitty and Matt waste no time leaping into action. Soon they find themselves caught up a dangerous search to uncover who amongst the distinguished guests used cyanide for seasoning? 

When their digging throws light on a corruption scandal brewing in the local council involving Everton’s assistant Thomas King, they are sure they’ve cracked the case. But before he can be questioned further, King’s body is found in a smouldering car wreck. Meanwhile, the murderer has made a sinister plan to avoid detection or punishment, and it will lead Kitty and Matt into a dangerous dance with death… 

A fast, fun and utterly unputdownable Golden Age cozy murder mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T E Kinsey and Lee Strauss. 

Review:

I missed this book back in October and as I know the next in the series is coming out soon, so I thought I’d better catch up!

Murder On The Dance Floor is a well written cozy mystery that just pulled me in from the very beginning.

This series is just so good, every book has a strong story line and that classic mystery feel. It’s just crying out for a TV adaptation!  

I would recommend starting at the beginning of this series rather than diving straight into this one as there is a secondary storyline, to do with Kitty’s missing mother, that runs over each of the books and is particularly important as you read this book. 

Kitty and Matthew are in fine form in this story, I’m glad they’re working together a bit more rather than Matthew trying to shield Kitty too much. Their relationship moves to the next stage through the novel, which I’m so happy for!

I felt that I forgot about the main mystery, a little distracted by Kitty’s breakthroughs when it came to her missing mother, but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment that much.

I’m so happy I don’t have to wait too long for the next in the series, Murder at the Belltower, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Kitty and Matthew.

About The Author:

Nell Dixon was born and continues to live in the Black Country. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, a crazy cockapoo and a tank of tropical fish. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and housework. Her addictions of choice are coffee and reality TV. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 with her book Marrying Max, and winner of Love Story of the Year 2010 with her book, Animal Instincts. She also writes historical 1930’s set cozy crime as Helena Dixon.

Author Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.nelldixon.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/nell.dixon

Twitter:      https://twitter.com/NellDixon

#BlogTour #Review Death Remembered by K.E. Coburn @rararesources @KeCoburn #CozyMystery

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Title: Death Remembered (A Sleuthing Club Mystery: Book 1) by K.E. Coburn

Date Published: 16th July 2020

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Description:

Summer 1952. 

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, but Charity Nicholls is bored of her quiet life in a tiny English village where nothing ever happens. Other than her nagging, marriage-obsessed mother, all she has to fill the time are her dreams of becoming a writer, and the Sleuthing Club – the mystery-reading book club she attends every week. 

But everything changes the day her father receives a poison pen letter. 

With the help of the Sleuthing Club, particularly handsome Henry Taylor, Charity is determined to find the culprit. But when people start dying and the police arrive, led by the infuriating Inspector James Lawrence, her little village becomes a hotbed of crime. 

Can Charity find the murderer before anyone else dies?

Perfect for fans of Helena Dixon and T E Kinsey.

Purchase Links

UK –https://amzn.to/2LnXba7  

US – https://www.amazon.com/Death-Remembered-Sleuthing-Club-Mystery-ebook/dp/B088FR2J99/

• 

Review:

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

When Charity Nicholls’ vicar father receives a poison pen letter, accusing him of stealing, she thinks it’s her chance to get her teeth into a real mystery.  Unfortunately, her only experience of investigation is through reading mysteries. When the first murder comes along, she quickly finds out investigating crimes aren’t as simple as they seem in books… 

Death Remember is a gentle historical mystery, with plenty of red herrings, an idyllic setting and memorable characters. 

I loved the character of Charity. She’s clever, if a little stubborn, and wants more than anything to become a writer and move away from Harrington Without. Thing is she’s also a little naive, having been coddled most of her life by her parents, especially when it comes to a certain handsome Henry Taylor.

There’s also some great reference to classic mysteries, from the golden age of crime fiction, like Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, Dorothy L Sayers and those are just the ones I can remember!

It does take a little longer than usual to get into the murder aspect, focusing on the poison pen letters, getting to know the characters and the village but this is the first in the series so I expected a bit of build up before getting into the nitty gritty of the case. 

Death Remembered is a great start to the series and I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author!

About The Author: 

K E Coburn lives by the seaside in Kent, England, and spends her time plotting murders and mayhem for her imaginary friends in the Sleuthing Club!

As well as having a master’s degree in history, she’s a huge fan of everything vintage, especially the 1950s, and loves researching this interesting period. Nothing makes her happier than looking at old photographs, drinking old-fashioned cocktails, and doing as little work as possible. 

Her debut novel Death Remembered: A Sleuthing Club Mystery (Book 1) will be published in July 2020.

If you fancy keeping up to date with her murderous plots you can find her on Twitter at @KeCoburn or at her website: www.kecoburn.com and on Facebook at: https://bit.ly/2SYgQSo 

or at her website: www.kecoburn.com and on Facebook at: https://bit.ly/2SYgQSo 

#BooksOnTour #Review Murder At Enderley Hall by Helena Dixon @NellDixon @bookouture #cozymystery

Title: Murder At Enderley Hall by Helena Dixon

Publisher: Bookouture

Date Published: 19th March 2020

Genre: Historical Cosy Mystery

Description:

An escape to the country… ends in death.

Summer 1933. Fresh from the discovery that she has family living nearby, Kitty Underhay has packed her carpet bag, commandeered a chambermaid and set off on a visit to stately Enderley Hall. She’s looking forward to getting to know her relatives, as well as the assembled group of house guests. But when elderly Nanny Thoms is found dead at the bottom of the stairs after papers of national importance are stolen, Kitty quickly learns that Muffy the dog’s muddy paws on her hemline are the least of her problems.

Calling on ex-army captain Matthew Bryant for assistance, Kitty begins to puzzle out the mystery. And when more shocking murders follow, the stakes are raised for the daring duo as never before. Which of the guests stand to gain from the theft of the documents? And which, as the week progresses, stand to lose their lives?

A charming cozy historical murder mystery that fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss won’t be able to put down!

Buy Links: https://geni.us/B0825Z6KBRSocial 

Review:

I want to thank Noelle Holten from Bookouture for inviting me on this tour and providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This second ripping roaring adventure with Kitty Underhay but don’t worry if you haven’t read the first, this can easily be read as a standalone.

Kitty is invited to Enderley hall by her Aunt Hortense and cousin Lucy, it’s not long before she’s drawn into a case involving the theft of some important documents from her uncle’s study. If that wasn’t enough Nanny Thoms is found dead.

Suspicions grow and Kitty invites her friend Matthew Bryant to help. Will they stop the murderer before they strike again?

Murder At Enderley Hall is a well written and utterly thrilling historical mystery!

I liked the character of Kitty even more in this book. She’s still her stubborn self, no matter how much Matthew tries to get her to stay out of danger she won’t, with her thirst for adventure and determination to find the truth.

There’s plenty of red herrings glore, intrigue and a little bit of will they, won’t they between Matthew and Kitty. Honestly, there’s never a dull moment in Murder at Enderley Hall!

In these uncertain times, Murder at Enderley hall is a great escape from reality for a few hours.

I cannot recommend this series highly enough. I can’t wait to read more adventures featuring Kitty and Matthew!

About the Author:

Nell Dixon was born and continues to live in the Black Country. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, a crazy cockapoo and a tank of tropical fish. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and housework. Her addictions of choice are coffee and reality TV. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 with her book Marrying Max, and winner of Love Story of the Year 2010 with her book, Animal Instincts. She also writes historical 1930’s set cozy crime as Helena Dixon.

Author Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.nelldixon.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/nell.dixon

Twitter:      https://twitter.com/NellDixon

#BookReview Murder At The Dolphin Hotel by Helena Dixon @NellDixon @bookouture #BooksOnTour

Title: Murder At The Dolphin Hotel by Helena Dixon

Publisher: Bookouture

Date Published: 11th December 2019

Genre: Cosy Mystery

Description:

A room with a view… to murder

June 1933. Independent young Kitty Underhay has been left in charge of her family’s hotel, The Dolphin, on the tranquil English coast. She’s expecting her days at the bustling resort to be filled with comfortable chatter with chambermaids as they polish the mahogany desk and glittering candelabras of the elegant foyer. Everything must be perfect for the arrival of a glamourous jazz singer from Chicago and a masked ball that will be the cultural highlight of the season.

But when several rooms are broken into and searched, including Kitty’s own, she quickly realises that something out of the ordinary is afoot at the hotel. Soon rumours are flying in the cozy town that someone is on the hunt for a stolen ruby. A ruby that Kitty’s mother may well have possessed when she herself went missing during the Great War. And when the break-ins are followed by a series of attacks and murders, including of the town’s former mayoress, it seems the perpetrator will stop at nothing to find it.

Aided by ex-army captain Matthew Bryant, the Dolphin’s new security officer, Kitty is determined to decipher this mystery and preserve not only the reputation of her hotel, but also the lives of her guests. Is there a cold-blooded killer under her own roof? And what connects the missing jewel to the mystery from Kitty’s own past?

A classic page-turning murder mystery! Fans of Agatha Christie, Elizabeth Edmondson and T.E. Kinsey will love this unputdownable whodunnit.

You can buy your copy here: https://geni.us/B07XLM3SM6Social

Review:

I want to thank Noelle Holten at Bookouture for inviting me on this blog tour and providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say I do love a historical novel set in the interwar years, the 1930’s have long held a fascination for me. I always gravitate towards this type of novel, especially when they’re in my favourite mystery/thriller genre!

Murder At The Dolphin Hotel is a cosy historical whodunnit which is a subtle nod to classic crime fiction while still seeming fresh and new. 

Our main characters, Kitty and Matthew were likeable and realistic. Matthew is a first world war veteran who is still suffering from the aftermath of the war and the loss of someone close to him. Kitty on the other hand has her own issues, her mother vanished when she was just a child and she’s never known her father. They come together nicely, with a hint of romance there but it’s not over done.

Now usually find with this type of novel, there’s one, maybe two murders but my goodness there was so much murder and mayhem (not graphic though so if that’s not your thing you don’t need to worry) which I found thoroughly enjoyable. 

I did feel the ending was a little drawn out, I felt I was kept waiting a little too long for the killer reveal but of course that’s just my opinion.

Murder At The Dolphin Hotel is a little gem of a cosy novel and I can’t wait to read more adventures featuring Kitty and Matthew!

About The Author:

Nell Dixon was born and continues to live in the Black Country. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, a crazy cockapoo and a tank of tropical fish. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and housework. Her addictions of choice are coffee and reality TV. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 with her book Marrying Max, and winner of Love Story of the Year 2010 with her book, Animal Instincts. She also writes historical 1930’s set cozy crime as Helena Dixon.

Author Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.nelldixon.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/nell.dixon

Twitter:      https://twitter.com/NellDixon

#BlogTour #Review The Case Of The Missing Bride by Carmen Radtke @carmenradtke1 @Books_n_all

Hi lovelies, today I’m celebrating the re-publication of the fabulous novel The case of the missing bride and resharing my review but first a little about the book:

Title: The Case Of The Missing Bride by Carmen Radtke

Date Re-published: 1st December 2019

Genre: Historical Mystery

Description:

It was supposed to be the start of a happy, new life …

1862 – a group of young Australian women set sail for matrimony in Canada. Their presence is withheld from the male passengers and all but a select few members of the crew. But their worlds collide when one of the gentlemen stumbles over the women. 

When one of the intended brides goes missing, only Alyssa Chalmers, the one educated, wealthy woman in the group, is convinced the disappearance is no accident. She sets out to find out what happened. 

Has there been a murder? 

Alyssa is willing to move heaven and earth to find out the truth. She is about to discover that there is more to her voyage into the unknown than she bargained for …

Review:

This book is set in the late nineteenth century when girls, especially orphaned, ones had little or no prospects in Australia. They’re only choice was to set sail to Canada in hopes of finding a husband.

Alyssa Chambers is not like the other girls. She was raised in relative luxury, until her father, a high ranking official, spoke out against the treatment of prisoners in Port Philips prison and then her mother died leaving her alone. Boarding the ship she hopes to get to Canada then back to England to find her long lost relatives.

She is put in charge of a small group of girls whom she grows fond of then one the girls, goes missing.

With the help of Dr Bryson and first mate Mr Kendrick she must find the killer before he strikes again.

I loved this Agatha Christie style mystery. There wasn’t a lot of action but it didn’t need it, the mystery kept me interested all the way through. The setting on the boat helped a lot, the author really got that feeling of isolation across and terror of being trapped in the middle of nowhere with a murderer.

Alyssa was a fantastic character too, with a tendency to speak her mind and defend herself, which was not a good trait in a woman back in those days.

There was also a little bit of a love triangle going between Alyssa, Dr Bryson and Mr Kendrick which I enjoyed immensely.

My only complaint was that it was quite a short book and I wanted to read more!

I’m very much looking forward to the next book in this series, Glittering Death out the beginning of 2020!

About The Author:

Carmen Radtke has spent most of her life with ink on her fingers and a dangerously high pile of books and newspapers by her side.

She has worked as a newspaper reporter on two continents and always dreamt of becoming a novelist and screenwriter.

When she found herself crouched under her dining table, typing away on a novel between two earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, she realised she was hooked for life.

“The Case of the Missing Bride” is a former Malice Domestic finalist, inspired by a true event. Its heroine Alyssa Chalmers will soon return in “Glittering Death”.

When Carmen is not writing, reading or dreaming of travel, she is busy acting as resident cat servant.

She’s currently working on her first contemporary crime novel.

Follow Carmen on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/carmen-radtke

Or on Twitter: @carmenradtke1

Her website (very much a work in progress) is carmenradtke.com

 

#BlogTour #Review Blood Song by Johana Gustawsson @JoGustawsson @OrendaBooks

Title: Blood Song by Johana Gustawsson (translated by David Warriner)

Date Published: 19^th September 2019

Publisher: Orenda Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Description:

The third book in the award-winning, critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series, featuring true-crime writer Alexis Castells and profiler Emily Roy. Previous titles in the series, Block 46 and Keeper, have won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards and sold in 19 countries. A French, Swedish and English TV series is in production, adapted by and starring award-winning French actress Alexandra Lamy.

Spain, 1938 The country is wracked by civil war, and as Valencia falls to Franco’s brutal dictatorship, Republican Teresa witnesses the murders of her family. Captured and sent to the notorious Las Ventas women’s prison, Teresa gives birth to a daughter who is forcibly taken from her.

Falkenberg, Sweden, 2016 A wealthy family is found savagely murdered in their luxurious home. Discovering that her parents have been slaughtered, Aliénor Lindbergh, a new recruit to the UK’s Scotland Yard, rushes back to Sweden and finds her hometown rocked by the massacre.

Profiler Emily Roy joins forces with Aliénor and her colleague, true-crime writer Alexis Castells, and they soon find themselves on the trail of a monstrous and prolific killer, in an investigation that takes them from the Swedish fertility clinics of the present day back to the terror of Franco’s rule, and the horrifying events that took place in Spanish orphanages under its rule…

Review:

I want to thank Anne Cater for inviting me on this tour and Orenda Books for providing me with a copy of Blood Song in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third in the Roy & Castells series but it can easily be read as a standalone.

So I really enjoyed Keeper by Jo Gustawsson, so I jumped at the chance to read Blood Song and I can say I wasn’t disappointed!

Blood Song is a dark and intense yet utterly compelling novel!

If you don’t know this series, it’s part police procedural, part historical novel, the two are expertly interwoven throughout the novel. The modern day investigation follows Emily Roy, a criminal profiler, and Alexia Castells, a true crime author, and their team, as they hunt for the brutal killer of a wealthy family in their own home.

The historical part of the novel focuses on the Franco regime in Spain. I have to confess I don’t know much about this era in Spain’s history but it was absolutely brutal and heartbreaking! They didn’t seem to distinguish between men and women, if you were seen as the enemy, you were tortured then killed no matter what. What was especially interesting was the fact this novel followed the children of these ‘traitors’ and their lives in the orphanages.

There are some really powerful themes running through the novel, like infertility and child abuse that may make it a little tough for some readers.

My only slight quibble was I felt the modern day investigation wasn’t quite as strong story wise, with a coincidence or two but that of course is just my opinion.

Blood Song is masterful piece of storytelling that will stick in my mind for a long time after I’ve read it. I can’t wait for more from Johana Gustawsson.

About The Author:

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in nineteen countries. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband and their three sons. She drew on her own experience of fertility clinics and IVF to write Blood Song and is happy to speak and write pieces about this.

#BlogTour #Review Death Will Find Me by Vanessa Robertson @Ness_Robertson #LoveBooksGroupTours

Title: Death Will Find Me by Vanessa Robertson

Date Published: 20^th February 2019

Genre: Historical Mystery

Description:

Scotland, 1920.
Meet Tessa Kilpatrick; heiress and war-time covert operations agent.

Finding her husband – the feckless James – with another woman at a 1920s country house party, she demands a divorce. But when his body is discovered in a lonely stone bothy the next morning, Inspector Hamish Rasmussen sees Tessa as his only suspect.

Back in Edinburgh, links to another murder convince Rasmussen of her innocence. He enlists her help and together they set off on a pursuit that will bring Tessa once again face to face with the brutality of war as well as revealing to her the lengths that desperate people will go to in order to protect those they love.

Will Tessa be able to prevent a final murder or will she become the killer’s latest victim?

This book will be perfect for anyone who’s enjoyed the work of Catriona McPherson, Sara Sheridan and Jessica Fellowes.

You Can Buy Your Copy here:

https://amzn.to/2T79REr

Book Funnell:

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/nkzqkoy5in?fbclid=IwAR3qIZZZqnHDKMWd3u50Jvp2rDFdcRKof80PnmIMMeBK5QaqvkIVfkk9Xow 

Review:

Death will find me is the first in the Tessa Kilpatrick series, set in 1920’s Scotland, mixing mystery, historical events and a bit of romance.

Tessa is a one of those strong female characters that you can’t help rooting for. During the first world war, she drove ambulances and took on top secret missions, almost dying in the process. Coming back to her home, she’s battle scarred and trapped in loveless marriage with James Kilpatrick.

After finding James with another woman, she decides on a divorce but James is found dead, apparently from suicide but it quickly turns out to be murder. Tessa is the main suspect even though the police don’t think so, gossip still persists. To clear her name she enlists her close friend, Major Bill Henderson.

The interwar years have always held a fascination to me, probably because I’ve read a number of novels either written or set around that time. This novel felt really well researched, focusing on the upper classes of Scottish society, their struggles after the war to find purpose and trying to break out of the rigid social etiquettes of the time.

I have to be honest the mystery aspect of the storyline felt a little weak in the overall story as I got a bit distracted by Tessa’s introspection at times. I would have liked the action and intrigue to have been spread across the story more evenly but of course that’s just my opinion.

Death will find me is a fast paced historical novel with a good dash of intrigue and romance with a strong female lead that you can’t help but like.

About The Author:

I grew up in the Midlands where my main interests were horses and drama. Being a writer was a dream from childhood but I gave up on the idea of writing when I was a teenager, not long after I abandoned other childhood ambitions of being a trapeze artiste or a spy. After acquiring a couple of degrees and trying various ‘proper jobs’, I realised that I am fundamentally unsuited to office politics, bad coffee, and wearing tights.

My husband and I founded The Edinburgh Bookshop, winner of many awards. Bookselling is a wonderful profession and a good bookshop is a source of pure joy to me. I love independent bookshops and the amazing job they do in championing reading, supporting authors, and building communities. But, after a few years, it was time for a change and we sold the bookshop to make way for other projects.

I took the opportunity to start writing again and was a winner at Bloody Scotland’s Pitch Perfect event for unpublished authors in 2015. It was a fantastic opportunity and getting such positive feedback about my ideas gave me the push I needed to take my writing seriously.

I live in Edinburgh with my husband, our teenage son and an unfeasibly large Leonberger dog. I can usually be found walking on windy Scottish beaches, browsing in bookshops, or tapping away on my laptop in one of the scores of cafes near my home.

#BlogTour #Review Winterman by Alex Walters @Bloodhoundbook @mikewalters60

Title: Winterman by Alex Walters

Publisher: Bloodhound Books

Date Published: 26^th February 2019

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Historical

Description:

DI Ivan Winterman is a man with a troubled past. The Blitz has left his young son dead and his wife seriously injured. He has made enemies in high places and, with his career going nowhere, he returns to his home town in East Anglia, seeking to rebuild his life in a country gripped by post-war austerity and the coldest winter on record.

As the first snow begins to fall, a drunken ex-clergyman stumbles on the semi-mummified body of a small child concealed in a ruined cottage. Days later, a second similar child’s body is found in a Fenland dyke. Both bodies have been dead for several years, preserved in the Fens, the cause of death unknown.

Winterman, supported by a small team of assorted misfits, finds himself leading the investigation, uncovering a web of connections and secrets in the small rural community.  When a further murder victim is discovered, Winterman discovers that the secrets are darker and the threat far more immediate than he’d ever envisaged.

And, as the snow finally begins to thaw over the Fens, Winterman realises that his worst nightmares are about to come true…

Review:

The shadow of war is still looming over Britain, people are trying to get their lives together and grieve for their dead. When ex clergyman Reverend Fisher stumbles across the mummified body of a small child, long buried secrets emerge with deadly consequences…

So I’ve read a couple of Alex Walters police procedurals now, so I was intrigued when I read the blurb and found out that this one while still a police procedural, it’s set back in the 1940’s.

Winterman is an interesting character. He tried to do the right thing but ended getting sent to a small police station to keep him out of trouble. He’s tortured by dreams of his son who died and is not sure who in the police force he can trust.

I also liked Mary, she’s such a strong character. She works for the police part time to trying to support her mother and twins after her husband died in a training accident during the war.

In school I wasn’t really taught a lot about post World War Two Britain, about how rationing was still going on, food was scarce, the country was practically bankrupt…how imagine we’re going to be after Brexit. Alex Walters really manages to convey what it must have felt like at the time, while people were free of the oppression of war, they were still scarred from it.

My only issue was the pace at times was little slow and the use of the Americanism slacks instead of trousers got on my nerves a bit but of course that’s just my opinion.

Overall Winterman is an engaging and interesting historical mystery that conveys the sense of time and place and you can really lose yourself in.

About The Author:

Winterman is Alex Walters’s first historical crime novel. He is the author of Candles and Roses,

Death Parts Us and Their Final Act, all featuring DI Alec McKay and set in and around the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands. He has also written five books set in and around Manchester – Trust No-One and Nowhere to Hide featuring the undercover officer, Marie Donovan, and Late Checkout, Dark Corners and Snow Fallen, featuring DCI Kenny Murrain – and three crime novels set in modern-day Mongolia, The Shadow Walker, The Adversary and The Outcast.  Alex has previously worked in the oil industry, broadcasting and banking and as a consultant working mainly in the criminal justice sector. He now runs the Solus Or Writing Retreat in the Black Isle with his wife, occasional sons and some cats.

Website – www.alexwaltersauthor.com

Facebook – www.facebook.com/alexwaltersauthor/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/MikeWalters60 @mikewalters60