BLOG TOUR - The Forgotten Italian Restaurant

DESCRIPTION:

Italy, 1943. The girl rushes down the winding streets, tucking the handwritten menu into the wicker basket and thinking only of the code hidden on the delicate paper. Will anyone forgive her for what she’s about to do to save the man she loves?

Present day. Arriving in sun-drenched Caccipulia, Callie grips the faded restaurant menu in trembling hands. Found hidden in her family home, she is certain it will lead her to the truth about her grandmother’s life in Italy during World War Two. Why did her Nonna run away from this beautiful small town, never to return? Lost and alone in the world, could it help Callie understand who she is?

Local café owner Oliver’s dark brown eyes light up when he sees the menu. During the war, one brave family secretly fed desperate Jewish families hidden in safe houses through the village. Callie’s heart soars at the thought that her own dear grandmother was involved.

Diving into the town’s history during long walks down cobbled streets, Callie begins to feel at home under Oliver’s soft gaze. She wonders if she could build a life here with him. Until they push aside magenta flowers on a monument at the heart of the village, and uncover a secret that changes everything…

A grave mistake was made one dark night as the Nazis stalked the village, putting the whole town in terrible danger. When Callie finds out what her grandmother did, will it change the way Oliver feels about her? Will she stay and right the wrongs of the past, or be forced to leave Italy too, just like her Nonna?

A heartbreaking love story that will sweep you away to sun-drenched Italian vineyards to watch hope and bravery prevail in the darkest days of war. For fans of Kristin Hannah, Victoria Hislop and Fiona Valpy.

BUY LINK:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0D42CZBV7social

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Title:  The Forgotten Italian Restaurant

Author:  Barbara Josselsohn

Series:   Sisters of War #3

Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Women’s Fiction; Historical Fiction 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   268

Date of Publication:   August 21, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars 

MY THOUGHTS:

This emotional story flawlessly drifts between WWII in 1943 and present day. In the first two books of this Sisters of War series, both Mia’s and Giulia’s stories were told. This third book is Callie’s present day story. While visiting Caccipulia, she discovers an old restaurant menu, she soon hopes that it will in some way shine a light on her grandmother’s life during the Second World War.

Callie meets a local café owner named Oliver, and Callie gladly learns that his knowledge about the past just might lead her to the answers she desperately seeks. One thing that Callie learns is that her Nonna had very good reason for ending up in Caccipulia. The fact that her Nonna lived during the Invasion and what role it was that she played proved great significance. 

While unraveling clues about her Nonna, Callie finds herself quite drawn to Oliver. As this was already quite an emotional read, the budding romance between Callie and Oliver, especially as their homes and lives were thousands of miles apart, added an extra layer to such a well-written story. The emotional connections between all of the characters have been felt throughout this touching series, As always, Barbara Josselsohn has woven an engaging and compassionate story. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Barbara Josselsohn is a best-selling novelist and journalist who loves crafting stories about strong protagonists facing a fork in the road. The Forgotten Italian Restaurant is the third and concluding novel in her Sisters of War series, about three sisters separated during the darkest days of World War 2. Earlier books in the series include Secrets of the Italian Island and The Lost Gift to the Italian Island. Her previous books are The Lilac House, The Bluebell Girls, The Lily Garden, The Cranberry Inn, and The Last Dreamer. Barbara has also written hundreds of articles and essays in major and regional publications about family, home and relationships. She lives just north of New York City and enjoys escaping to the beach whenever she can. Other than writing, her biggest passion is her family: her husband, her three kids, and her rescue pup, a mini-schnauzer named Albie. She is currently at work on her eighth novel, due out in 2025.

https://barbarajosselsohn.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraJosselsohnAuthorhttps://www.instagram.com/barbara_josselsohn_author/ 

https://twitter.com/BarbaraJoss 

https://tiktok.com/Barbara_Josselsohn_Books

BLOG TOUR - Not a Good Enough Mother

Title:   Not a Good Enough Mother

Author:  Nicole Trope

Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Psychological Thriller

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   285

Date of Publication:  August 12, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Have you ever looked at those mothers who seem to be perfect – with sweet little children, a full-time job, a beautiful home – and thought: am I not good enough? Ava has. She’s desperate to become just like them. That’s exactly why I’m here…

‘Don’t worry, I’m here to help!’ I say with a big smile. I can see the relief in Ava Green’s face. She has two beautiful children, a charming husband and a high-flying job. But there is so much stress in the lines around her eyes. She worries she isn’t good enough. I understand.

Before she knows it, I’ve cleaned the kitchen and offered to babysit her two little girls. It’s not why she hired me, but I like to go above and beyond. I’m just glad she didn’t check my application too carefully. Because even before we met, I made sure I knew everything about Ava and her lovely little family…

Her husband never helps out. He takes phone calls at strange times. He’s hiding something – and Ava is close to breaking point. Those poor children.

But everything will be okay. I have plans for Ava. She just has to trust me…

This book was previously published as The Assistant.

A completely addictive psychological thriller that will have you gasping at the final twist. Fans of Shari Lapena, Lisa Jewell and The Perfect Marriage will be reading late into the night.

BUY LINK:

 https://amzn.to/4d1zhLY

MY THOUGHTS:

Grace has maneuvered things exactly as she had planned. By setting things in place, Grace is now the personal assistant to Ava Green. Ava is quite successful in her career and is even up for promotion. She has a husband and two daughters, and does her best to support her husband’s dreams. This is no easy task for Ava, as her levels of stress continue to rise, especially at the office.

The question that begs to be answered is why did Grace find any way possible to become Ava’s assistant. In fact, any invested reader will no doubt wonder early on as to what the driving force is behind Grace and her determination. As things work out, Grace and Ava work quite well together, with Grace stepping in at any moment wherever Ava might need help. And, as this book is a psychological thriller by the brilliant Nicole Trope, no doubt there is something hiding beneath the surface.

I loved reading this book. When you look at the book cover and see the window, it was kind of like a metaphor to me looking in on this story. It was great fun watching the drama between Grace and Ava, getting their perspectives and looking for that expected twist that would bring everything together. And, read until the very end, because Grace’s story jut might not be finished.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because-as her professor pointed out- 'It's not meant to be a story.' She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters' degree in Children's Literature.

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story. She went on to publish a further five novels in Australia before joining Bookouture in 2019. She is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.

 

Author social media:

Facebook: @NicoleTrope

Twitter: @nicoletrope

Author email sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/nicole-trope

 

BLOG BLITZ - Buried Too Deep

Title:  Buried Too Deep

Author:  Karen Rose

Series:  New Orleans #3
Publisher:  Berkley Books

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC 

No. of Pages:   528

Date of Publication:   August 15, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Karen Rose comes another explosive novel in the New Orleans series, where some secrets are worth dying for—or killing to keep.

Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.

Employed as the nighttime security guard of Broussard Private Investigations, Phineas Bishop has been working through overwhelming PTSD episodes from his Army service while still utilizing his military skills. But when a violent break-in occurs at the office, the accusatory eyes of the NOPD glance to Phin, and he resolves to track down the intruder and clear his name.

Phin’s only lead and witness is Cora Winslow, a spirited librarian who also needs answers. Her father’s body has been discovered under a recently demolished building, murdered twenty-three years ago. So, who has been sending her the handwritten letters—written and signed by him—every year since she was five? Someone wants to keep Cora in the dark. And now, they’re coming for her.

As Cora’s bodyguard, Phin is surprised by his fondness for the woman’s fierce determination and research prowess. But New Orleans’s Garden District holds secrets as old as the streets themselves. With help from the entire Broussard P.I. team, Phin and Cora enter a labyrinth of fraud and homicide that threatens to bury them all.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Sometimes there is just an author, series, or even a title that draws me to a book, and reading the blurb is unnecessary. So, right when I was ready to write this book review, I noticed how many times I highlighted this phrase on my Kindle device - Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead. As it turns out, this phrase is the most appropriate tagline for this third book in Karen Rose's New Orleans series.

Broussard Private Investigations is an elite personal security firm, and the firm's bodyguards offer the best of protection. For Phineas Bishop, his story is a bit different. Suffering greatly from PTSD, the Broussard team really looks out for Phin. When an office break-in occurs and Phineas becomes the NOPD's prime suspect. Not only does Phin want to clear his name, but he also is determined to find the perpetrator. This is what leads to Phin's meeting and helping to protect Cora Winslow, a town librarian.

As it turns out, Phin is not the only one in need for answers. In fact, Cora's father went missing over two decades ago, and it is only when his body is discovered, that it is more than apparent that it was a case of murder. This shocks Cora to her core because she had been receiving yearly handwritten letters from her father ever since his disappearance. Yet the body that was found is indeed that of Cora's father. So, who had written her all of those letters. And why has the discovery of her father's body placed Cora's very life in danger? Despite his PTSD, Phin is one of the bodyguards set in place to keep Cora safe.

Buried Too Deep just might have been my favorite of the Karen Rose books I have read so far. Although reading about PTSD is never easy, Phin and his relationship with his relatively new service dog SodaPop was utterly heartwarming. Any time I read a book when an officer has a K-9 partner or as in this case, a service dog, I am drawn much more deeply into the story. But of course the relationship between Phin and SodaPop is not the only relationship in this book. There is the growing attraction between Phin and Cora that really completed the story, especially when her compassion and empathy came into play.

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

Please enjoy the following excerpt:

BURIED TOO DEEP by Karen Rose Berkley Hardcover | On sale August 13, 2024 Excerpt Phin Bishop stumbled to a stop, staring up at the building that was as close to a home as he'd known in a long time. It wasn't the building itself, of course, although it was beautiful with its cast iron balconies and its shutters thrown wide in welcome. Even to me. He hoped. Because the magic of the building wasn't in its bricks or balconies. It was in the people who worked within its walls. Burke Broussard and his people had become Phin's family. But I deserted them. I ran. No. He could hear the voice of his therapist in his mind. You didn't "run." You have PTSD. You left to get better. But was he better? Am I ready to be back? A hand closed over his shoulder, warm and reassuring. "Phin?" Stone O'Bannion murmured. "We can come back tomorrow. Or we can get SodaPop. This is exactly what she's trained for. Helping you through situations just like this." Swallowing hard, Phin turned to meet his best friend's eyes and saw understanding and compassion that Phin didn't think he deserved. Stone was right. Phin should have brought his new service dog. But he hadn't, wanting to stand on his own two feet. Which had been wrong thinking. He knew that. Knew that there was no shame in needing a service dog. No shame in having PTSD. He'd accepted that. Accepted that he'd have episodes. That he'd sometimes relapse. SodaPop made it easier to stave off his episodes. Helped him recover faster when he did relapse. And you deserve that help. Those words were again in his therapist's voice. Phin could accept that there was no shame in needing his dog. But he hadn't been able to accept that he deserved the assistance. And that was the real reason he'd left SodaPop behind this morning. "That we could come back tomorrow is what you said yesterday," Phin said. And yesterday, he'd jumped at the chance to turn tail and run. He'd been running most of his life. "And I'll say it tomorrow and the next day." Stone gave his shoulder a squeeze. Anchoring him. "What are you afraid of? Be honest with me." Phin forced the words out. "That they won't want me back." "If they don't, it'll hurt," Stone acknowledged, and Phin was grateful that Stone hadn't brushed his concerns away. "But I read their texts." Phin had given Stone permission to read all the communication from his New Orleans friends. "These people care about you. They will want you back." "What if I flake again?" He hated losing control of his own mind, hated the spiral that tugged him under. Stone shrugged. "Then you leave, you heal, and you try again." Phin's chest hurt. "I'm so tired of leaving." "Then stay. Take a step. Right now. There you go. Now another. That's the way." Phin forced his feet to move closer to the building that housed Broussard Investigations. "I should have stopped for beignets." Stone chuckled, clearly not fooled by the lame procrastination attempt. "I'll get some for you. Once you're inside and talking to your friends." The building grew closer and Phin's chest grew tighter. "Why are you still here? Babysitting me?" He was grateful. He was. But he didn't entirely understand why Stone put up with him. "You have better things to do." "No, I don't. Right now, I'm exactly where I need to be, doing what I need to do. Because you need me. And because I've been where you are. Someone stuck by my side until I could walk alone." Phin knew Stone's story. His friend had been an addict, sober for years now. "So I'm paying it forward, doing it for you. Keep walking, Phin." They were nearly at the front door. Just another fifteen feet. Then the door burst open, banging into the wall behind it. Startled at the sound, Phin lurched back, once again grateful for Stone's steadying hand. When he'd righted himself, he got a glimpse of the woman who'd thrown the door open. She wore a gray hooded cloak that hid her face, but a wisp of black hair escaped the hood to whip in the wind. For a moment, Phin stood stock-still, staring as she rushed away, heading toward the center of the Quarter. The only part of her body that was visible was her legs. They were very nice legs. Her calves were perfectly defined, thanks to the three-inch heels she wore. How she was able to walk in heels that high-much less run-was a mystery. She took an abrupt left at the next intersection and disappeared from view. "Who was that?" Stone asked. "I don't know." He'd never seen her before. He'd remember legs like that. Importantly, her appearance had stopped the mental spiral of his anxiety. Sometimes a distraction was exactly what he needed to get his head on straight. That's what SodaPop's supposed to do, you idiot. Fine. Next time he'd bring her along. "Did she come from your office?" Stone pressed. "From Broussard Investigations?" Phin stilled. She hadn't been a woman with nice legs. She'd been a fleeing woman with nice legs. "Shit." The sound of two gunshots, one right after the other, shoved his body into motion, and he started to run. "Joy." She'll be alone. Because she was always the first in the office. "Joy's the office manager?" Stone asked, running beside him. "The lady who uses a wheelchair?" "Yes." Phin bypassed the ancient elevator and took the stairs. He'd told Stone about everyone in Burke's office. He cared about them all, but Joy was special. She'd accepted him from the beginning. Taken him under her wing. Mothered him. Trusted him. "Ex-cop. Got shot on the job. Paralyzed from the waist down. Tougher than she looks." She'd be okay. Joy could take care of herself, he told himself, propelling himself up the last few stairs in a single leap. They rushed from the stairwell into Burke's lobby. It was an open space with large windows along one wall that faced the street below. Joy's desk would be in the dead center of the room and she'd be sitting behind her computer, doing whatever it was she did every morning. She'd give him a look that was both chiding and welcoming. Just like all the other times he'd returned from having run. Except . . . she wasn't behind her desk. "Oh no." Phin's heart went from a gallop to a dead stop. Because Joy lay on the floor next to her desk, her wheelchair on its side. Her white blouse was rapidly becoming red with blood and she wasn't moving. Excerpted from Buried Too Deep by Karen Rose Copyright © 2024 by Karen Rose. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Internationally bestselling author Karen Rose was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. She met her husband, Martin, on a blind date when they were seventeen and after they both graduated from the University of Maryland, (Karen with a degree in Chemical Engineering) they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Karen worked as an engineer for a large consumer goods company, earning two patents, but as Karen says, “scenes were roiling in my head and I couldn't concentrate on my job so I started writing them down. I started out writing for fun, and soon found I was hooked.”

Her debut suspense novel, DON'T TELL, was released in July, 2003. Since then, she has published more than fifteen novels and two novellas. Her twenty-sixth novel, QUARTER TO MIDNIGHT, will be released in 2022.

Karen's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, London's Sunday Times, and Germany's der Spiegel (#1), and the Irish Times, as well as lists in South Africa(#1) and Australia! To date, her books have been translated into more than twenty languages.

A former high school teacher of chemistry and physics, Karen lives in Florida with her husband of more than thirty years. 

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Review - The Backup Bride Proposal

Title:  The Backup Bride Proposal
Author:  Jaci Burton

Series:   Boos and Bouquets #4

Genre:   Romance

Publisher:  Berkley

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   320

Date of Publication:   April 23, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

The next installment in the bestselling Boots and Bouquets series from New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton

Bellini Weddings has agreed to allow a production company to film a movie at Red Moss Vineyards. It will be great PR for both the vineyard and the wine and wedding businesses. Mae Wallace, who works for the Bellini family, is thrilled with the possibility of new business. What she isn’t thrilled with is actor Kane August, who she finds crashing one of the weddings. He tells her it’s research for the movie, but she finds him overconfident and annoying.

Kane August is rarely surprised by anything—until he meets Mae Wallace. She’s sharp, just a bit on the snarky side, and the most refreshing woman he’s had the pleasure of meeting. She constantly challenges him, and he can’t remember having this much fun on a movie set. He takes every opportunity to spend time with her, peeling back layers until he gets to the heart of who this amazing person really is. And, unexpectedly, he realizes that he’s letting her in, too, something he hasn’t done with anyone before. However, they live very different lives and he’ll need to be careful around Mae, because she’s someone he could see a future with. But can she see the same thing?

When Kane takes her to his family’s ranch in Texas, Mae discovers a whole new side to him, learning about the heart and soul of a kind and gentle man. And as they grow closer, her guard goes up. Once burned, she has no intention of falling in love ever again, despite this very hot and sexy guy who’s trying his best to turn her world upside down and work his way through the steely wall she’s built. Kane is determined to show her he’s the one man she can trust with her heart. If only Mae will allow herself to fall.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

The Bellini family’s Red Moss Vineyard is an exclusive location where  Hollywood has descended upon them and a romcom film is being produced. Mae Wallace has quickly been requested to act as stand-in for the lead role, as the actress has been delayed. Although put on the spot, Mae agrees. The male lead is being played by Kane August and sparks begin to fly immediately. 

Along with the stress of filming at the winery, Kane and Mae bring some baggage into their quickly growing relationship. Whether they can go the distance remains to be seen. This is especially the case as the vineyard has hosted many weddings, with Mae playing a key role. Interestingly, she has never been able to picture herself as a bride. 

The Backup Bride Proposal is a sweet romance in the Boots and Bouquet series. I have only read the second book in this series, The Engagement Arrangement, and I found that this fourth book does well as a standalone novel. However, I so enjoy Jaci Burton’s writing that I will make time to read the entire series. In fact, if the series continues, I definitely won’t miss any of the upcoming books. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I'd like to say I always wanted to be a writer, but that's not the case. First I wanted to be a teacher. When I was a kid I used to play school in my friend's basement. She had actual school desks—and index cards. I'm a list maker, so those index cards rocked my world. Then later on, I wanted to be a nurse. My other friend had a stethoscope and a medical book. I had a thing for props, okay?

But during my early teen years my cousin and I—back in the day before the internet—would exchange scripts we'd written of a popular TV show. No, I won't tell you which TV show because then you'd know how old I really am. But it was a western with two gorgeous cowboy heroes and we were each in love with one of the main characters. I'd say that was my first foray into writing, and it got me hooked.

As an adult, marriage, work and raising two sons took priority. And while I fell madly in love with reading romance, there wasn't much time to write it. It's amazing how much corporate life, soccer games, high school musicals, dinner and laundry can suck out of the average day. But I would occasionally dabble in writing, then put it aside when I got busy. Unfortunately, I was always busy.

Eventually my kids grew up and I was on my second marriage when Biker Dude (what I call my husband because of his love for his Harley Davidson) found out I used to dabble in writing and encouraged me to try again. So I did.

I sat down and wrote a romance novel, start to finish. I was so proud of it, but I didn't sell that romance. Not right away, anyway. I didn't sell the one after that, either. Or the one after that. Suffice it to say I wasn't an overnight success. But eventually I did sell a book, then another, and then another. I have an exceptionally smart agent and write for amazing editors. I'm a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author, and I have you wonderful readers to thank for that.

This has been a dream come true for me, one I wanted for so many years. Writing is my full time career and something I love so much. I can't imagine a day that isn't filled with hot, sexy heroes who save the day, strong, capable heroines who don't need a man to save them, and the happily ever afters in every book.

Sometimes I even write about teachers and nurses. And hot cowboys.

I live in northeast Oklahoma with Biker Dude and our wonderful, crazy dogs. Between us we have three kids who are all grown up and living out in the wild. When I'm not writing I can usually be found in the garden, coaxing the tomatoes to grow, heading out to our local casino trying to become a millionaire (so far, no luck there), or riding on the back of Biker Dude's Harley. And when I want to relax I read other authors' masterpieces or I'm parked in front of the television watching sports, reality TV or crime shows. And maybe a drama or a comedy. Okay, I really watch way too much television.

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Review - Cold Case Tracker

Title:  Cold Case Tracker

Author:  Maggie K. Black

Series:   Unsolved Case Files, 1

Publisher:  Love Inspired Suspense                              

Genre:   Romantic Suspense

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   272

Date of Publication:   April 23, 2024

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

A missing sibling. A targeted witness.

A K-9 on the case.

K-9 officer Jackson Locke’s sister has vanished—and the key to finding her lies with Amy Scout…his sister’s best friend and his old crush. But when Amy comes under attack, two things become clear. Jackson’s sister has been investigating cold cases and someone wants Amy dead. Now he must untangle the mystery between the cold cases and his sister’s disappearance while guarding Amy from an enemy willing to kill to hide the truth…

From Love Inspired Courage. Danger. Faith.

Unsolved Case Files

Book 1: Cold Case Tracker

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Jackson Locke is a K-9 officer and his sister Gemma has gone missing. He hopes that his old crush Amy Scout will be instrumental in Jackson finding Gemma. Gemma is not only Jackson’s sister, but she is Amy’s best friend. Both Jackson and Amy band together in their attempts to locate Gemma. However, danger is ever-present, especially as Amy had been lookin into cold cases. No doubt this plays into a good reason as to why Amy has disappeared.

Things are not looking good with hopes of Gemma being found alive, especially as more and more clues are revealed. Time is definitely of the essence, especially as Jackson’s boss has only given him a couple of days off of his regular job to locate her. Jackson doesn’t work alone. His K-9 partner Hudson is there for every second in this intriguing story.

What a great start to a new series. While the mystery is paramount, a romance is built into the story as well. Also factor in faith and belief in God in this story and you have a well-balanced book. I am eager to see what is next in store for this series, especially as some of the cases will no doubt focus on solving cold cases.

\Many thanks to Love Inspired Suspense and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

BLOG TOUR - The Antique Store Detective

DESCRIPTION:

Meet Bella Winter. She loves vintage clothes, antiques and… solving crimes?

Bella Winter moved to charming Hope Eaton for some peace and quiet after quitting her busy city job. She delights in spending time in her little antique store on top of the hill, hunting for bargains at auctions, and getting to know everybody – because if there’s one thing Bella’s good at, it’s solving other people’s problems.

But her peaceful life is overturned when she finds eccentric local historian Professor Oliver Barton dead in the ruins of Raven Hall, a trowel lying near his outstretched hand. At first, Bella is like everyone else: saddened by a tragic accident. But then her colleague John asks her to dig deeper. Because the dead man gave him an ancient coin he should never have had, and John thinks he was murdered.

It turns out the professor was hunting for buried treasure in the middle of the night. But who would have wanted him dead? And who are the four suspicious women he told John about, calling them the queens of hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades…?

As Bella delves into the case she uncovers a hoard of suspects: the lord of the manor, a secretive group of treasure hunters, the dead man’s desperate niece and her no-good son. And when another local historian takes a fatal tumble, she is certain that the answers lie in the antiques the professor stole. But can she solve the crime before someone tries to bury her?

A delightful cozy mystery introducing your new favourite amateur sleuth. Fans of Fiona Leitch, Faith Martin and Agatha Christie will love The Antique Store Detective!

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CT45DTC8social

Audible:

UK: https://ow.ly/kRbG50Szqro

US: https://ow.ly/gvY950Szqrl

Listen here: https://ow.ly/RXge50Szqrm

Title:   The Antique Store Detective

Author:  Clare Chase

Series:  Bella Winter Mystery #1

Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Cozy Mystery 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages: 373

Date of Publication:  August 7, 2024

My Rating:   4 Stars 

MY THOUGHTS:

Bella Winter is quite naturally stressed out after finding a dead body. As she is now the owner of an antique store, Bella is no stranger to mysteries. She revels in finding the best deals, talking to her customers, and even lending an ear when they want to share their issues with her. While Bella is fairly certain that the police will find the killer, after her coworker asks her to look into things, what else is she to do? The situation is especially significant for Bella as the victim recently had something of great importance in his possession shortly before his death.

All the while Bella cannot help but remember her father and how he was so successful with investigations. This makes her miss him madly. But when things begin to point to a mysterious connection to her father, Bella really digs deep for answers.

The Antique Store Detective is the first book in a new series, presenting Bella as a likable and competent character. I look forward to continuing this series and seeing Bella solving more crimes. Also, the setting of her owning an antique shop is quite clever. Having thoroughly loved Clare Chase’s Eve Mallow series, I know I am going to enjoy this new series just as much. 

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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