Friday, August 11, 2023

BLOG TOUR -The Mistake I Made


DESCRIPTION:

A man is dead. And only I know why.

As we sit drinking wine by the river and I gaze into his dark brown eyes, I know I have finally met the man of my dreams. I have been hurt before, but this time will be different.

He has a terrible past and everyone tells me he can’t be trusted, but they don’t know what I know. I know deep down that together we can overcome anything.

Because sure he has secrets, but who doesn’t?

But now a man is dead. And the police are knocking on my door.

Was trusting him the biggest mistake I could make…? I don’t know where to go or who to turn to. What if I am next?

This addictive and gripping psychological thriller is perfect for fans of The Housemaid, The Family Across the Street and The Family Upstairs.

 

BUY LINKS:

https://geni.us/B0C4Z69WWGsocial


MY THOUGHTS: 

Title:   The Mistake I Made
Author:  Sam Hepburn
Publisher:  Bookouture
Genre:   Psychological Thriller
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:  359
Date of Publication:   August 11, 2023
My Rating:   5 Stars

Perhaps Vanessa Dunn’s divorce might lead to a fresh start in life. However, her method for starting over proves to be rather suspect, if not completely creepy. With pacing that is intense from the start, as well as a couple of twists, really ratchets up the tension in Sam Hepburn’s latest book, which will no doubt keep the reader invested page after page. 

Becoming a volunteer at a halfway house gives her the idea to help a couple of them even more than they would expect. Meanwhile, her mother is in a nursing home due to Alzheimer’s and Vanessa seems to be quite the dutiful and faithful daughter by spending quality time with her. Her good deeds do not stop there. In fact, Vanessa agrees to help a woman in her search for her child that she gave up to adoption.

It may indeed seem that Vanessa is a kind and caring person. However, as the book progresses, we begin to see traits in Vanessa that aren’t so wonderful. Then, when you consider how this book is paced, it becomes more than a compelling read. The scenes where she spends time with her mother begin to show cracks in what just might seem an ordinary life for Vanessa.

If you want a shocking read that will catch you by surprise more than once, especially as you get to the very end, you cannot go wrong with The Mistake I Made.

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


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sam Hepburn read modern languages at Cambridge University and, after a brief spell in advertising, joined the BBC as a General Trainee. She worked as a documentary maker for twenty years and was one of the commissioners for the launch of BBC Four. Since then, she has written several books, including psychological thrillers Gone Before and Her Perfect Life, and novels for young adults and children. She won the 2017 CWA Margery Allingham Short Story award and has been nominated for several other prestigious prizes, including the CILIP Carnegie Medal for her YA thrillers.

Sam has worked and travelled widely in Africa and the Middle East, and is a trustee of the Kenyan’s children’s charity, I Afrika. She now lives in London with her husband and children.

Author Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sam_Osman_Books
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SamHepburnAuthor

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Tuesday, August 8, 2023

BLOG TOUR - The Inn on Bluebell Lane



DESCRIPTION:

As Ellie looked at the inn, with its white walls and purple flowers, she couldn’t believe this was her new home. It looked like an idyllic image from a postcard, but would her life here be as picture-perfect?

When Ellie and her family move to a tiny village in rural Wales, it’s meant to be a new beginning for all of them. They have decided to take over her husband’s family inn, leaving behind their old life and troubles in America.

But soon after they arrive, Ellie realizes everything is in a far worse state than she’d ever imagined. And as her husband, Matthew, begins to tackle the renovations, it’s clear that Matthew’s mother, Gwen, has very firm ideas about what can and cannot be changed. And although Ellie tries, she finds it’s not easy to form a closeness with her prickly mother-in-law, especially now they’re living under the same roof.

As the children struggle to settle into rural life, Ellie’s eldest child, Jessica, makes it clear her parents have made a terrible mistake, and Ellie soon wonders if she’s in over her head. Her reality feels a million miles away from the idyllic rural bliss she had hoped to create for her family.

When disaster strikes, Ellie is left wondering why she ever brought her family to this place. But even as things go from bad to worse, she feels sure that the Inn on Bluebell Lane needs her family to restore its fortunes, and that perhaps her family need this magical place to bring them all back together once more…

A gorgeous, escapist story that will leave you imagining the scent of bluebells on every page. Perfect for fans of heart-warming family dramas by Debbie Macomber and Erica James.

BUY LINK:


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

MY THOUGHTS:

Title: The Inn on Bluebell Lane
Author:  Kate Hewitt
Publisher:  Bookouture 
Genre:   Women’s Fiction 
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   365
Date of Publication:   August 4, 2023
My Rating:   4 Stars
 
Ellie and her husband Matthew, and their four children, have moved from the US to Wales, Matthew’s hometown. When Matthew lost his job due to redundancy, he lost his purpose. However, moving across the pond to help his mother Gwen with their family’s bed-and-breakfast would require big changes and huge sacrifices, but Ellie and Matt felt that it was the best decision for their family. 

Not only does Ellie have to acclimate to her new environment, one of their children, Jessica, misses her friend back in the States, and has trouble adjusting. Meanwhile, Matthew attempts to make repairs and update the bed-and-breakfast as they all try to make Wales their home. With tensions on the rise, this is something that is not easy. 

What a thoroughly enjoyable story. It was easy to imagine what it would be like to uproot one’s life to start all over in a new country, with a moderately large family. I loved the growth that this book displayed while this family grew to love their new home and country, much more than they ever expected to. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives. 


Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Kate Hewitt here: https://www.bookouture.com/kate-hewitt

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Sunday, August 6, 2023

BLOG TOUR - Murder at the Inn



DESCRIPTION:

Julia Bird loves the village pub quiz, but it seems one of her team won’t make it to the next round alive…

On the first Tuesday of each month, Julia Bird and her Agatha Quizteam teammates take part in Berrywick’s village pub quiz. They take it seriously – what’s the point of playing, after all, if you aren’t in it to win it? But it seems someone connected with the quiz night has taken the competition to a whole new level when Lilian, the local police constable and all-round general knowledge expert, is found fatally stabbed after the evening’s final round.

With local DI Hayley Gibson stuck home with a broken leg and an incompetent Superintendent brought in from the nearby town, it’s up to Julia to make sure the investigation stays focussed – whether they like it or not! While the police are convinced that the murderer is linked to Lilian’s professional life, Julia turns her amateur sleuthing eye to suspects much closer to home. Perhaps Lilian’s personal life could have something to do with the dreadful crime?

When another quiz team member is attacked, Julia is finally put on the right track. But what could possibly be important – or dangerous – enough for two attendees of the pub quiz night to meet such foul ends over? Could the culprit really be among them on that busy Tuesday night? As Julia’s race to identify the killer ramps up to desperate heights, she wonders, where will the murderous spree end?

Perfect for fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands, Murder at the Inn is a brilliantly compelling English cosy mystery.

BUY LINK:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0C1KPSVX2social

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

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

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:    Murder at the Inn
Author:  Katie Gayle
Series:   Julia Bird Mysteries #4
Publisher:  Bookouture
Genre:   Cozy Mystery
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   266
Date of Publication:   August 3, 2023
My Rating:   5 Stars

Julia Bird is ready for the next round of the village pub quiz. However, when one of the players, a local police constable, and one of Julia’s friends, is found murdered, it soon becomes apparent that someone is taking the quiz far too seriously. A well-practiced amateur sleuth, Julia decides that it is up to her to solve the murder. When another quiz player is hurt, Julia ramps up her efforts to discover what is going on.

What a delightful addition to an engaging cozy mystery series. Julia, accompanied by her adorable chocolate lab, does whatever she can to discover whoever it is that is going after the quiz team. While readers get to enjoy Julia’s exploits, the antics of her dog Jake are hilarious, especially when he and one of her chickens become best buddies. 

As Julia is a woman very close to my own age, she really made me smile as I read this book. Yes, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I do look forward to continuing the series. 

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


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Katie Gayle is the writing partnership of best-selling South African writers, Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. Kate and Gail have, between them, written over ten books of various genres, but with Katie Gayle, they both make their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg, with husbands, children, dogs and cats. Unlike their sleuth Epiphany Bloom, neither of them have ever stolen a cat from the vet.

https://www.facebook.com/KatieGayleWriter
https://twitter.com/KatieGayleBooks

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Katie Gayle here: https://www.bookouture.com/katie-gayle

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Friday, August 4, 2023

BLOG TOUR - Don’t Look Away


DESCRIPTION:

From the moment I open my eyes, I know. Her bed is made, the wardrobe empty.

There was something she wanted to tell me, but I didn't listen.
Now she's gone.

Eleven years ago my sister Lola vanished from my aunt's cottage in Cornwall. Now I'm back, and I'm no closer to understanding why she ran away. What secrets was she keeping?

Memories come to me in snippets, but something is still missing. Then a body is discovered in a cave below the cliffs. No one knows how long it's been there. Is it Lola?

The next night I wake, knowing someone is there, standing by my bed. I can hear them breathing. What do they want? Am I getting too close to the truth?

Did Lola ever leave?

BUY LINK:
https://geni.us/B0C45RT9JVsocial

MY THOUGHTS:
 
Title:   Don’t Look Away
Author:  Rachel Abbott
Series:  Stephanie King #3
Publisher:  Bookouture
Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   400
Date of Publication:   August 3, 2023
My Rating:   4 Stars

Visiting her aunt’s cottage in Cornwall when she was a teen was always something Nancy truly enjoyed. However, when her sister Lola disappeared one night, that joy turned to sorrow for Nancy. Nancy has now inherited the cottage and so she returns, despite the sadness that accompanies her. Nancy never knew what happened to her sister but she is now determined to find answers. 

On the beach near the cottage there is a cave and bones have been discovered   Could these bones be that of Nancy’s sister? DS Stephanie King steps in to investigate. The intrigue grows from here. In fact, there is a story that begins to unfold that not only brings further pain to Nancy, but clues Stephanie in to what proves to be a much bigger case than she could have imagined. 

This third book by Rachel Abbott had some surprising twists and this dark story kept me turning pages as I just had to know what would happen. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rachel Abbott was born just outside Manchester, England, and spent most of her working life as the Managing Director of an interactive media company. After her company was sold in 2000, she fulfilled a lifelong ambition of buying and restoring a property in Italy. She now splits her time between homes in Italy and Alderney, where she writes full time and has just completed her sixth novel.

 
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Thursday, August 3, 2023

BLOG TOUR - Chief Maggie Riley 1 and 2

  


 
Title:  The Girl Who Lied
Author:  Shannon Hollinger
Publisher:   Bookouture
Series:  Chief Maggie Riley #1
Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   302
Date of Publication:   August 2, 2023
My Rating:   4 Stars 

DESCRIPTION:

Rain hammers the earth and a vicious wind rattles the trees. Then lightning strikes, the flash illuminating a young girl staggering out of the woods, her brown eyes wide with fright, a silent scream on her lips…


There’s a storm approaching the tiny Maine town of Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley comes across the body of a man, blood seeping from stab wounds into the damp forest floor. As she desperately struggles to secure the evidence before the rain hits, Heather, a local teenage girl, emerges from the woods, shivering and unable to talk.

 

Maggie, once a high flying big-city detective, lost everything when her four-year-old brother went missing five years ago. Heart-broken, she’s never stopped searching for him: but now she is plunged back into the world she left behind.


The victim, Maggie discovers, knew secrets about everyone in isolated Coyote Cove. It seems there are more local suspects in this case than people she can rule out. And with Heather still traumatised, Maggie struggles to unravel her strange appearance at the crime scene. Until, following a faint, bloody trail deep into the forest, she’s horrified to unearth what the terrified girl’s been hiding…


But when Heather is kidnapped, the battle to identify the killer becomes a race to save an innocent girl’s life. And with the whole town terrified, Maggie is shocked to uncover that this twisted killer is much closer to home than she’d ever imagined. Battling her own demons and memories of her missing brother, how far will Maggie have to go to save Heather? Or will another innocent young life be lost forever...?


A totally addictive crime thriller packed with suspense. If you love Lisa Regan, Louise Penny and Melinda Leigh, you’ll love The Girl Who Lied.


BUY LINKS:
MY THOUGHTS: 

Becoming the chief of police in a small town certainly presents its challenges for Maggie Riley. Her recent discovery of the body of a dead man is her newest case. Shockingly, when a young girl named Heather suddenly appears, Maggie cannot help but wonder if this girl has anything to do with the dead body. 

What makes this book, and Maggie’s case, so interesting are the multiple points of view, including that of Maggie and the girl Heather. This increased the tension in this excellent start to a new series. 

I loved how this book explored Maggie’s past. Never forgetting a past tragedy in her personal life, as well as to why she left a successful job as a detective in a big city. This rounded out a new character, with enough intrigue and drama to keep my attention. I was fully immersed in the story, and in fact, went right on to reading books two and three in the series, Their Angel’s Cry and The Shadow Girl.

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

- - -

Title:  Their Angel’s Cry
Author:  Shannon Hollinger
Publisher:   Bookouture
Series:  Chief Maggie Riley #2
Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   334
Date of Publication:   August 2, 2023
My Rating:   4 Stars 

DESCRIPTION:

The little dog trembles and whimpers, but refuses to move. Maggie reaches further into the undergrowth, trying to tempt it out. But as she moves closer, she sees something that stops her heart—a tiny, shivering baby, wrapped in a thin, pink blanket, saved only by its loyal protector.


There’s a ferocious storm heading toward the isolated town of Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley gets the call every cop dreads. Three bodies have been found on Rattlesnake Mountain, half a day’s hike from civilization. And when Maggie finally reaches the site, exhausted and freezing, she discovers something even more terrifying—a tiny baby girl, kept alive only by the warmth of a small dog who refuses to leave her side.


As Maggie races the baby to safety, she wonders, why on earth the family risked hiking the mountain in this weather? Who were they and who could possibly have killed them?


A former detective, Maggie may be an experienced investigator, but she’s still an unwelcome newcomer. Battling town prejudice, her fears for the orphaned baby, and the increasingly dangerous weather, Maggie soon discovers the case is far more complicated than she could have imagined. The family is not who they seemed. The mother has never had a baby, there’s no link between them at all. So whose baby is it, and where are they now?


With Coyote Cove cut off by the storm, Maggie knows that wherever the killer is, they won’t be able to leave. Stuck in town with a murderer on the loose, Maggie must race to find them before anyone else gets hurt. But she hasn’t counted on the killer taking matters into their own hands, and going after Maggie first…


An utterly compelling and addictive crime thriller, perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, D.K. Hood and Lisa Regan.


BUY LINKS:
MY THOUGHTS:

As if the discovery of three dead bodies isn’t shocking enough, a tiny baby and a little dog are found as well. Desperate to get the baby to warmth and safety, Chief Maggie Riley certainly has her hands full. Why were they all in the mountains in such inclement weather? Even more, how did the baby survive?

Maggie struggles to find the identity of the dead bodies, all while remaining concerned for the welfare of the young baby. As the weather turns worse, Maggie finds herself in a race against time. 

What an excellent second book in a thrilling new series by Shannon Hollinger. Thankfully I was able to binge the first book and also the third book, The Shadow Girl. Maggie is quite an interesting character, and her back story caught my attention, as well as the small town politics she is living with now. Also, the unraveling of Maggie’s past as well as her fiancé Steve’s secrets added an additional layer to this second book. I loved the twists in this story and this is one series I am eager to follow. 

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


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

With degrees in Crime Scene Technology & Physical Anthropology, Florida author Shannon Hollinger hasn't just seen the dark side of humanity - she's been elbow deep inside of it! She finds writing to be a much cleaner way to spend her time than the autopsy suite. Most days it smells better, too.

Her debut novel, the psychological thriller Best Friends Forever, is the first of a five-book deal with publisher Bookouture.

Her short fiction has appeared in Suspense Magazine, Mystery Weekly, and The Saturday Evening Post, among a number of other magazines and anthologies, and her story Lady Killer was a finalist for the 2021 Al Blanchard Award sponsored by the New England Crime Bake.

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