BLOG TOUR - Murder in a Country Village

DESCRIPTION:

England, 1941. With World War Two shaking the nation, rookie reporter Edie York wants to write the front-page news. But she ends up as the headlines when she stumbles over a body on the moors…

Eager to follow Churchill’s order to keep calm and carry on, Edie York has left the bombed-out streets of Manchester behind for a stroll in the countryside. But her rationed picnic lunch turns to ashes in her mouth when she discovers Joyce Reid, a well-known anti-war activist, lifeless at the bottom of a cliff.

Despite infuriatingly handsome DCI Louis Brennan’s less-than-amused warnings ringing in her ears, Edie is unable to leave the conscripted local bobby to do his work. Heading off to investigate, she immediately uncovers potential suspects galore. From alleged black-marketeers to the local land girl, a shell-shocked artist to Joyce’s on-off lover, Edie is sure the murderer is right under her nose.

Then Edie makes another gruesome discovery, and realises she needs long-suffering Louis on the scene to officially investigate. Can they uncover the killer hiding in plain sight, before it’s too late? Or will Edie’s own obituary end up featured on the front pages she’s coveted for so long…?

A fantastically gripping historical cozy mystery perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Agatha Christie. This is the second book in the Edie York Mystery series.

BUY LINK:

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MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   Murder in a Country Village 

Author:  F.L. Everett

Series:  Edie York Mystery #2
Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Cozy Mystery

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   325

Date of Publication:   November 23, 2023

My Rating:   4 Stars

Edie York is angling for a bigger role as a reporter. Writing obituaries has become boring to her. Although still new on the job, she is determined to write front-page news. Things take a different turn, however, when she discovers a dead body. 

Finding the body along with her best friend Ethel gives Edie the chance to become an amateur sleuth once again. This is not the only mystery at hand for Edie. There is also a missing teen, and Edie is determined to solve that case as well. 

Meanwhile, with the setting during the World War II era, mention of blackouts, curfews and carrying gas masks levels a serious nature as to the time period in which Edie lived. Then there were the food rations to consider, especially when Edie helps out an old friend. An excellent setting, to be sure, all while Edie goes beyond the desire to make a name for herself. 

This second book in the Edie York series was a delightful read, with interesting characters, intriguing mysteries and some surprising twists. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with great atmosphere, a touch of humor, along with a dose of compassion, then this book is for you. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Flic Everett is a Mancunian writer who now lives in a cottage in the beautiful West Highlands with her patient husband and two deranged cocker spaniels. She still misses Manchester, and returns like a homing pigeon every month to see family and friends. She spends a lot of time writing on trains.

Flic has owned an award-winning vintage shop, guest-presented Woman’s Hour and was once a part-time tarot reader. She has a grown up son who makes her laugh more than anyone on earth, and she likes reading, painting, cooking, clothes, animals, Art Deco and rummaging in charity shops for bargains. Her greatest fear is being stranded without a book. She has spent many years as a freelance journalist and editor for national newspapers and magazines and can’t believe she’s finally allowed to make up stories from the comfort of her own home.

 

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BLOG TOUR - Bad Blood

  

DESCRIPTION:

The victim is lying under the trees, arms lifted above his head, unnaturally still. His muscles are slack. His eyes are empty. There are no signs of life. But he is not quite dead…

When Detective Kim Stone races to the crime scene, there is no body waiting for her: the paramedics are desperately trying to save the victim’s life. But there is something very strange about the way the man was found, his arms raised above his head, his legs spread apart. When he dies on the way to the hospital, Kim is certain she’s on the hunt for a killer… but all evidence at the scene has been destroyed.

The dead man, Eric Gould, seems ordinary, until the team dig into his past. As a teenager, he was locked away for attacking his girlfriend, and Kim suspects he was hurting his fiancé now. Was someone trying to stop history repeating?

Then another man is found on the verge of death, his bones broken to force him into an unnatural shape. The team realise the killer is sending a message – the victims’ bodies are spelling out their sins. As boys, they were both part of a group of six who bragged about their terrible crimes. But they were children then, and when she sees the grief on the faces of their loved ones now, Kim swears to find answers.

Is someone finally getting revenge… or do they think these men are still dangerous? The killer is threatening to strike again, and the only way Kim can crack the case is by tracking down the rest of the six first.

But then a revelation about what one of her team is suffering makes Kim understand why people take the law into their own hands. Do these victims deserve what’s coming to them? Or is there even more to fear from their brutal killer?

Unputdownable from start to finish, Bad Blood is a brilliantly gripping crime thriller with a reveal you’ll never see coming. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Robert Dugoni and Val McDermid will love the latest compulsive read from multi-million-copy bestseller Angela Marsons. 

BUY LINKS:

AMZ: https://geni.us/B0CFK57VD9social

Apple: https://ow.ly/iQUQ50Q6JbI

Kobo: https://ow.ly/yIkI50Q6JbQ

Google: https://ow.ly/CBLS50Q6Jc0

Title:   Bad Blood

Author:  Angela Marsons

Series:  D. I. Kim Stone Book #19
Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:  415

Date of Publication:   November 15, 2023

My Rating:   5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS:

As D. I. Kim Stone begins her newest investigation, the victim is near death, and Kim races along with the paramedics with hopes that he will survive. Sadly, he does not make it. Before he was moved, Kim could not help but to notice the positioning of his body. When a second murder victim is soon discovered, his bones were broken in such a way as to pose his body. In fact, this second victim’s body was such as the first, which to Kim, is indicative of a pattern. 

It does not take Kim long at all to find out the manner behind the murders as well as to the most likely motive. Some killers hide in the shadows. Not so in this case. In fact, the killer begins using social media to highlight his crimes and to also throw in as much confusion as possible. Quite naturally, Kim is determined to flush the killer out before yet another murder can take place. 

Then there is the story with Stacey and the trauma she is experiencing. The continuation of her story from book 18, Deadly Fate, has far-reaching effects. This, quite naturally, hits close to home for Kim. Nonetheless, Kim’s primary focus is on her current case and she never misses a beat. 

Bad Blood is the impressive and captivating 19th book in the addictive and successful D. I. Kim Stone series. I love how Angela Marsons writes these books. As one who thoroughly enjoys continuity I am glad to see that Marsons does not disappoint. Think about it for a moment, if you will. Not only is every book above par, but the cases as well as the side stories never cease be intriguing, just showing how impressive this series is. Kim Stone has become real to me and I often find myself thinking about her various cases and Kim herself, especially when aspects of her life reflect her work. These books are ingenious and Marsons’ inventive nature shines through time and again. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angela Marsons is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of the DI Kim Stone series and her books have sold more than 5 million in 7 years.

She lives in Worcestershire with her partner and their 2 cheeky Golden Retrievers.

She first discovered her love of writing at Junior School when actual lessons came second to watching other people and quietly making up her own stories about them. Her report card invariably read "Angela would do well if she minded her own business as well as she minds other people's".

After years of writing relationship based stories (The Forgotten Woman and Dear Mother) Angela turned to Crime, fictionally speaking of course, and developed a character that refused to go away.

She is signed to Bookouture.com for a total of 28 books in the Kim Stone series and her books have been translated into more than 27 languages.

Many of her books, including Blood Lines, Dead Souls, Broken Bones, Fatal Promise and Dead Memories reached the #1 spot on Amazon on pre-orders alone and the translation of Dead Souls, La Verita Sepolte, recently won the prestigious Primo Bancarella award.

Sign up to Angie's newsletter to receive a download of ONE HOUR - a FREE and exclusive short story about a life-changing moment for a young Kim Stone.  https://www.bookouture.com/angela-marsons

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BLOG TOUR - Murder at the Highland Castle

DESCRIPTION:  

A majestic castle by a Scottish loch, a glass of whisky by a roaring fire, stockings hung by the chimney… and a body? It’s a midwinter murder for Kitty Underhay!

Winter, 1935. Lightly dusted with snow and nestled on the edge of a sweeping Scottish loch, Finnglach Castle looks positively magical. Kitty Underhay, her husband Matt and their beloved dog Bertie are delighted to be celebrating the new year with a Hogmanay party, but just after midnight, a shot rings out across the grounds…

Their host, Lord Barlas, is dead, murdered in the snow. The killer’s footprints have vanished and the gun is missing. With the snow-covered castle completely cut off, and a killer in their midst, Kitty and Matt need to work fast to find the culprit before someone else ends up dead.

As the weather worsens, the guests begin discussing dark Highland stories about evil spirits. But with an anxious daughter, a new wife set to inherit a fortune and a suspicious spiritual adviser, Kitty is sure the killer is close at hand. Can she, Matt and Bertie sniff out the treacherous culprit in time for haggis and whisky or will they find themselves skating on dangerously thin ice?

Don’t miss this incredibly charming cozy page-turner! If you love TE Kinsey, Agatha Christie or Lee Strauss, you’ll fall head over heels for this totally unputdownable historical mystery.

Buy Link:

https://geni.us/B0CDHGNWHYsocial

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MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   Murder at the Highland Castle

Author:  Helena Dixon

Series:  Miss Underhay #14
Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Cozy Mystery

Format:  Kindle ARC 

No. of Pages:   293

Date of Publication:   November 17, 2023

My Rating:   4 Stars 

No longer working at her grandmother’s hotel, Kitty Underhay and her new husband Matt are working together as private investigators. They have been invited to a huge castle in Scotland. In an incognito fashion, Kitty, Matt and their ever faithful dog Bertie are ready for yet another adventure. 

When their host is found murdered, and with the weather being inclement, their suspect pool is rather small. The weather proves effective at hiding the evidence, and the killer was just as effective at hiding the gun used in the murder. Even though there is a guest who seems to be in the know ahead of things, Kitty and Matt’s job at discovering the killer hasn’t been made any easier. With each guest proving to be likely suspects, Kitty and Matt must try and find out the truth, all while hiding the true reason for their presence. 

This fourteenth book in the Miss Underhay series is yet another intriguing book in a delightful cozy mystery series. Kitty and Matt are the perfect protagonists for this series, just having been married a year. They work well together, and there is enough of the back story included to see how they are as people. I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series as it will no doubt be as enjoyable as this one. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Helena Dixon splits her time between the Black Country and Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. 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 and Love Story of the Year 2010 as Nell Dixon. She now writes historical 1930's set cozy crime. Nell enjoys hearing from readers and you can read her news and contact her via her website at http://www.nelldixon.com

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BLOG TOUR - The Altar Girls

DESCRIPTION:

The little girl looked like an angel in her thin white robe, her long black hair spread around her head like a dark halo on the snow. Her hands rested on her chest, fingers interlaced as if she had fallen asleep while praying. But she would never wake up again…

When Detective Lottie Parker receives news that a child’s body has been found in the frozen grounds of the cathedral, a shiver runs down her spine. She’s terrified it will be eight-year-old Willow Devine, reported missing that morning.

But when she arrives at the cathedral, holding a photo of Willow with her blonde ponytail and gap-toothed smile, she gets a terrible shock. The body is a young girl, wrapped in a white shroud, a rosary clutched in her frozen fingers. But her hair is dark, not fair. This girl isn’t Willow but another eight-year-old, Naomi.

Desperate to find a connection between the two girls and to find Willow before it is too late, Lottie speaks to the girls’ families and discovers that both girls were altar servers at the cathedral. The charismatic priest Father Maguire has a watertight alibi for the time the girls went missing, but Lottie suspects the confused old lady traumatised by the discovery of Naomi’s body is hiding something…

A day later, Willow’s little body is found wrapped in a white robe in the snowy grounds of a church across town. Lottie is devastated, convinced now that she can’t trust anyone, least of all the girls’ parents. Why did Willow’s mother claim the girls didn’t know each other? And why are there no photos of Naomi in her mother’s shabby house?

But when a little boy from the choir goes missing too, Lottie realises she must spread her net wider. Can she stop this twisted killer before another precious life is stolen?

A completely compelling page-turner from bestselling author Patricia Gibney. If you like Rachel Caine, Kendra Elliott and Robert Dugoni, The Altar Girls will have you hooked.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CDC4V8W7social

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MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   The Altar Girls

Author:  Patricia Gibney 

Series:  DI Lottie Parker Book 13
Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers 

Format:  Audiobook 

No. of Pages:   504

Date of Publication:   November 9, 2023

My Rating:   5 Stars

Not just one missing girl, but two. Tragically, both are found dead within a span of two days. What monster took the lives of these precious little girls? That is what Detective Lottie Parker is desperate to uncover. Lottie is beside herself right from the start in her latest investigation. When she visits the home of one of the girls that was missing, eight-year-old Naomi, things just did not seem right in that home. In fact, Naomi apparently headed to choir practice alone in inclement weather, and was gone for several hours without her mother reporting her missing. This definitely raises red flags with Lottie.  

There is a lot going on in this very intense book. Quite naturally, it is heartbreaking that the murder of two little girls is what makes the story, but then there are many questions asked about the safety of children who were in the company of those who should have their very best interests at heart. Definitely something to make any mother think. 

One intriguing aspect of this book is that most of the people in the path of these delicate children are rather unlikeable in on way or another. Meanwhile, there is other drama in this book involving Lottie’s home life and relationship and also that of the goings on with members of her team. 

When I was preparing the review, I realized that the book was 507 pages. That is rather surprising to me, because this was a book that I could not put down and could not tap my Kindle quick enough as I was so thoroughly engrossed in this story. Patricia Gibney is quite talented at her craft and she makes it easy to connect with Lottie and her team. Also, it was heartbreaking to see Lottie’s partner Boyd (in work and personally) in his desperate attempt to locate his son Sergio, taken by his ex-wife. 

This well-rounded story was an stellar read, made truly exceptional due to the excellent writing style as well as a compelling story. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Patricia is the million-copy bestselling author of the DI Lottie Parker series. She yearned to be a writer after reading Enid Blyton and Carolyn Keene and even wanted to be Nancy Drew when she grew up. She has now grown up (she thinks) but the closest she’s come to Nancy Drew is writing crime!

In 2009, after her husband died, she retired from her job and started writing seriously. Fascinated by people and their quirky characteristics, she always carries a notebook to scribble down observations.

Patricia also loves to paint in watercolour and lives in the Irish midlands with her children.

https://patriciagibney.com/

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BLOG TOUR - Mystery at Saltwater Cottages

 

DESCRIPTION:

Saltwater Cottages, Saxford’s new arts and crafts centre, is as pretty as a picture. But when murder makes a blot on the landscape, Eve Mallow must draw on all her detective skills to solve the case!

When beautiful Saltwater Cottages opens, offering art courses in charming surroundings, Eve Mallow and best friend Viv sign up straight away. Viv’s brother Simon is in charge, and they all want him to succeed.

But from the start, Eve finds herself in a sticky situation. Famous guest artist Nena Field is a complete nightmare, painting everyone in a bad light. So when Eve finds her body in Blind-Eye Wood, there’s no shortage of suspects. But who could have hated her enough to take her life? Was it the curiously over-qualified cook, the secretive manager, or the chatty receptionist, mysteriously missing at the time of the murder?

Determined to find the killer and save Simon’s business, Eve sets to work sketching out a theory of the crime. Nena was working on a secret painting when she died, which has now vanished without a trace, and Eve is convinced it holds the answers she needs. But when all her best suspects seem to have alibis, Eve is forced back to the drawing board.

Then Eve has her own brush with death, and realises she must be on the right track. But what did she see or hear at Saltwater Cottages, and can she find the killer before they paint her out of the picture?

An utterly delightful and page-turning English cozy mystery, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, J.R. Ellis, and Agatha Christie.

BUY LINK:

https://geni.us/B0C49XRKDXsocial

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Title:   Mystery at Saltwater Cottages 

Author:  Clare Chase

Series:  Eve Mallow #11

Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Cozy Mystery 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:  296

Date of Publication:  November 6, 2023

My Rating:   5 Stars 

Artist Nena Field has been found dead at Saltwater Cottages and Eve Mallow is determined to find her killer. Eve is with friends Viv and Viv’s brother Simon. Can Eve question the various guests who were prepared to attend art courses in order to find the guilty party?

Eve’s queries are especially important as Simon was starting a new business and a murder on the grounds simply does not look good. Although a rather adept amateur sleuth, Eve certainly has her work cut out for her because Nena was not well liked and thus there are no shortage of suspects. Not only is Eve looking for Nena’s killer, but the work of art Nena was painting has disappeared, thus increasing the challenge of Eve’s investigation. 

This thoroughly engaging story is the eleventh book in the very entertaining cozy mystery series by Clare Chase. Eve is an enjoyable character and her side story with her friendships as well as her growing relationship with her beau Robin add flavor to the mystery at hand. I would be remiss if I do not mention Eve’s adorable, dachshund, Gus. I love him in these books. This one-sitting read grabbed me from the beginning and I can’t wait for Eve’s next adventure. In fact, the next book, Mystery on Meadowsweet Grove has already be slated for May 2004 and I am eager to read it. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Clare Chase writes classic mysteries. Her aim is to take readers away from it all via some armchair sleuthing in atmospheric locations.

Her debut novel was shortlisted for Novelicious’s Undiscovered Award, as well as an EPIC award post-publication, and was chosen as a Debut of the Month by LoveReading. Murder on the Marshes (Tara Thorpe 1) was shortlisted for an International Thriller Writers award.

Like her heroines, Clare is fascinated by people and what makes them tick. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked in settings as diverse as Littlehey Prison and the University of Cambridge, in her home city. She’s lived everywhere from the house of a lord to a slug-infested flat and finds the mid-terrace she currently occupies a good happy medium.

As well as writing, Clare loves family time, art and architecture, cooking, and of course, reading other people’s books.

You can find Clare's website and blog at www.clarechase.com

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