The Fire Killer

 

The Fire Killer by Ross Greenwood-Crime 

DI Barton is investigating a fire where a skip has been set alight and a body was found within it. Years beforehand a young man wakes to smoke and pulls his mother downstairs. His abusive father is still asleep. What transpires is more than arson- or is it pyromania? The latter may well prove a  far more complex case to solve than arson where the person generally has something to gain from the fire. The leads take the team to drugs and a possible country lines trail but what has this to do with the death in the skip?

I really enjoyed this and quickly got between the pages. There is a very clever plot line with a few twists thrown in that I wasn't expecting. DI Barton and the team are very likeable with good camaraderies and some appropriate humour thrown in. A little backstory to me always helps shape characters and the dog rescue was wonderful. Love Gizmo! A wonderful read that enveloped me and I soon came to care for the characters. A brilliant, exciting read.

 For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

-----------------------------

The Fire Killer

When DI Barton is asked to investigate a seemingly innocuous fire that kills, he believes it's either children fooling around or a worrying racially motivated crime.

As he delves deeper into the case, he soon realises that there is a history of similar blazes spread out over many years, all within a close area. And after an idea is suggested by pathologist Mortis, Barton suspects he has the arsonist’s motives wrong. 

When a night worker comes forward with a tip, Barton narrows down the suspects. Yet all of them act suspiciously and he knows for sure that one or more of them are lying. And when a huge house blaze shocks everyone, Barton fears the killer has lost all control.

Who is The Fire Killer? What will be next to burn?

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3vzUaMh

Author Bio – 

Ross Greenwood is the bestselling author of ten crime thrillers. Before becoming a full-time writer he was most recently a prison officer and so worked everyday with murderers, rapists and thieves for four years. He lives in Peterborough.

Social Media Links 

Facebook https://facebook.com/facebook.com/rossgreenwoodauthor

Twitter https://twitter.com/greenwoodross

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rossg555/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/RossGreenwoodnews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ross-greenwood

A Long Way From Home

 

A Long Way from Home by Brian W. Caves

A book that grabbed me and took me back in time, it will enthral you

★★★★★

Outstanding! Caves has weaved a gripping story. I simply could not put it down

★★★★★

A powerful read

★★★★★

Thought-provoking and unmissable from the first page until the last

Here’s the blurb:

A sleepy town in 1960s South Georgia, where to some residents, segregation is more

important than catching a killer.

An ex-homicide detective from Chicago called to honour an old promise.

With a rising body count and a community guarding their secrets more fiercely than  their children, asking questions could prove deadly for the outsider…

About the Author

I started out as an engineer, then an estate agent, followed by senior management roles in cable TV and telecoms. Spent a few years as a management consultant and now work in the language translation industry.

I have played music all my life. Classically trained on the clarinet from the age of eight until fourteen when my world took a quantum leap forward after hearing Jimi Hendrix and Voodoo Child on the radio. I thought, wow, I gotta do that. I dumped the clarinet and I picked up the guitar and have never put it down. I have played alongside topflight musicians, both live and in studios.

From a young age I read books like Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, Black Beauty, Swallows and Amazons, then The Famous Five, Billy Bunter, Jennings and Derbyshire, Biggles, and Tarzan. Agatha Christie had a major impact as did Georges Simenon. I penned short stories at school – mostly adventure, but it wasn’t until I became hooked on American Crime Noir that my urge to write came crashing to the forefront of my mind. Reading Hammett, Chandler, Jim Thompson, Macdonald, and the master, James M. Cain had the same effect on my potential writing career as Hendrix had for my music.

Currently, having been further influenced by the greats of Southern literature, I write crime stories based in the Deep South as well as UK based dark noir crime set in the county of Northamptonshire where I reside. Throw into the pot crime and horror short stories and novellas and you’ll have some idea of what goes on in my head.

Twitter: @brian_caves

Red Dragon Publishing:

Twitter:

@RedDragonbooks / @ConradJones / @emmamitchellfpr

Instagram:

@conradjones3 / @emitch101

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Reddragonpublishing.info

https://www.facebook.com/EDMCreatingPerfection

https://www.facebook.com/conradjonesauthorpage

Good Neighbours

 

Good Neighbours by Mary Grand-psychological thriller

Nia is staying at her aunt's to house sit and have a break from her life for a while. Her aunt lives on the Isle of Wight in a small close where everyone knows and looks out for each other so she is soon swept into the group who each have their own issues.  Nia is not sure if her husband has been having an affair- she has followed and asked him but he says she is getting confused about things and denies any more than a professional relationship with the other woman. Nia is sure of what she thinks but has no way of proving it as things changed in her house. On the Island she meets a young woman Ruby who is rather suspicious of the others in the group as she has received a voodoo doll and is sure it is from one of them. When Nia then finds a body on the beach things take a turn for the worse. Has Ruby killed herself and what are the secrets everyone appears to be hiding?

This is skillfully written and quickly drew me in. There is a good tension of something not quite right which keeps the pages easily turning. I liked Nia even though she was perhaps a little naive in some of her actions- but we all  live and learn. I hadn't worked out who the perpetrator was and enjoyed the lead up and surprise. A book to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. 

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

_____________

Good Neighbours It was meant to be a safe place to start again...  In need of an escape from her failing marriage, Nia agrees to house-sit her aunt’s cottage on the Isle of Wight. She feels sure the cosy close in a quaint harbour town will be a safe place to hide and figure out what to do next.  But things are not all as they seem in the close, and the neighbours who welcome her with open arms, are keeping secrets. When Nia finds the body of one of her new friends lying on the beach, she feels sickeningly sure that the killer is dangerously near to home. Who killed her friend and why did she have to die? And if Nia discovers the answers she’s looking for, is she next on their hit list? Good neighbours may become good friends, but they can also make deadly enemies…  Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3pyRFpO

Author Bio – Mary Grand is the author of five novels and writes gripping, page-turning suspense, with a dark and often murderous underside. She grew up in Wales, was for many years a teacher of deaf children and now lives on the Isle of Wight where her novel, The House Party, which was published by Boldwood in July 2020, is set. Social Media Links – Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authormarygrand Twitter https://twitter.com/authormaryg Instagram https://www.instagram.com/marygrandwriter/ Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/MaryGrandNews

The Memory Keeper of Kyiv

 

The Memory Keeper of Kyiv- Erin Litteken- historical fiction/dual timeline  

A share of proceeds will be donated to DEC's Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. The author began this story after the Russian invasion of Crimes in 2014 and today it is even more poignant.

Set in two timelines this alternates between 1930’s Ukraine and early 2000’s in Wisconsin USA. In modern day  a little girl,Birdie lives with her mother and hasn't spoken in over 14 months. 18 months ago she lost her father in an accident when she was in the car with him. They have moved in with Birdie's grandmother Bobby, who is getting rather forgetful- but remembering things from her past that no one knows about. In the 1930’s, Stalin is trying to make all the farmers pool their resources- together they would be better- an early stance for communism and the villagers are understandably not happy about this. Anyone defying the rules is likely to be shot- people are disappearing in the middle of the night, no one knowing where they are taken to or even if alive.  Alina and Katya are sisters and are due to be married to brothers whom they have known since they were very small. Everyone is short of food as more and more things are belonging to the state and many are dying of starvation. There are spies everywhere. some having joined the ranks out of fear for their lives so stealing even potato peelings is risking life. Look up the Holomdor- I wasn't aware of it prior to this book and it's something many more should be aware of in my eyes.

Oh wow. I quickly found myself immersed in this and couldn't help but feel for how the innocent were being treated through a system of communism, fear and dictatorship. Of how they could see piles of rotting potatoes guarded whilst all around there were people dying of starvation. As the author herself says “Ukrainians today are fighting for their country with a strength and tenacity that has captivated the world, but it is impossible to deny that history is repeating itself. It’s horrifying, and we must do better.” Kudos to Erin for writing this. A incredible (but very credible) debut read of history, determination and a little romance and more. Brave, emotional, honest- stunning.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

Kiss of Death

 

Kiss of Death- Adam Croft- Crime           

We are back in Rutland  and DI Caroline Hills is happy to be having a quieter time of things. Not too far away a woman feels ill whilst in church and collapses and dies. When there is another apparently unconnected but unexplained death, things don’t quite add up. 

This is the fourth in the Rutland crime series but happily stands alone. I love this series- they are an easy, page turning read that quickly enveloped me into the pages. The characters come across brilliantly and are well rounded having that extra backstory enhancing their police persona. Anyone knowing the Rutland area will quickly envisage some of the place names and perhaps smile at the misdemeanours- as Adam says we really don’t know who we are standing next to at the supermarket- a thief, a burglar or worse- they still go about most of their everyday lives just like anyone else and Rutland is no different albeit a scenic rurality.

A wonderful, highly entertaining read with an excellent plot that kept me turning the pages rapidly.

 For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

---------------------

Thrown

 

Thrown- Sara Cox- Women's fiction

Oh I loved this- a wonderful smile from the very beginning. This tells of a group of people who get to know each other through a pottery class. Each of the group has their own issues- Becky lives with her son, her ex husband being in prison. Jameela has had a string of miscarriages and her husband has up sticks and left. Sheila is retired and would love to move to Spain only her husband isn't that keen. Louise and Danny are a couple, Louise being a little fed up with Danny's “happy to settle, not push for things” in life.

I had a good feeling with this book very early on when I read ( she) “ squeezed the extra bit of fat that had taken up residence over Christmas and had made itself so at home that it seemed set to stay through spring”. This to me gave a hint as to not only the humour which is nicely woven throughout the book, but also that life experience which you can't buy. The one that enables us to perhaps laugh at ourselves when sometimes we are doing anything but still manage to make someone smile- which can be worth its weight in gold and in turn makes us feel that little bit better ourselves. Sara of course hosted “ the Great Pottery throw down” and her experience in this shines through in discussing the pottery classes. A book to enjoy and perhaps reflect on life a little albeit in a light hearted way. Of friends and relationships that can ease our way through the storms life sometimes throws at us. A wonderful, entertaining read.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

The Gathering Storm

 The Gathering Storm- Alan Jones- (The Sturmtaucher Trilogy #1) pre/WW2 historical fiction-

This is set in the early 1930s (and onwards) when Hitler had just come to power. Germany has been suffering high unemployment and poor housing and many see him as a possible saviour to improve Germany once and for all. The Kastners are a prominent military family and have the Nausbamms working for them as they have for many years. The men even went to school together. Whilst the Nausbamms have always suffered the occasional taunt from being Jewish, things are now beginning to heat up and it appears that this is fuelled by Hitlers National socialist party. I found it interesting to read that Hitler was tried and found guilty (in 1923) for treason but was so successful at his trial that he pretty much came out of it unscathed. He dictated Mein Kampf whilst in prison and was already the leader of the National German socialist workers party. This is the story of the two families living and working side by side in extremely trying times in the lead up to the war and just into the early part.

I found this an interesting and fascinating read- a wonderful way to learn about social and political history. I've learnt much about WW2 from novels and this one gave so much more as it gives the lead up to the war and what was happening in Germany. An incredibly well researched novel with a wonderful story woven in which must have taken hours, scrap that, months of research. A good length read so incredibly good value  (£1.77 on kindle at time of writing) which drew me in and kept the pages turning. There's a little light heartedness which comes across well and lightens being in the face of adversity from both families and how friends can get you through. 

A stunning, compelling, really interesting read- wow. The very best way (for me) to learn so much and have a story woven around the facts of war which at the time of writing are rather poignant. A highly recommended read and I very much look forward to the next instalments.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

------------------

Watch a trailer here! https://youtu.be/5TbC7eiFfRM

I'll Be Home For Christmas

 

I'll be home for Christmas- M Arnold- (broken wings bk3). Historical mystery

We are back with the ladies of the ATA and another mystery has landed at their feet. Betty has a mysterious key which she believes belonged to her deceased sister. Unravelling the mystery has caused some unwanted attention and resulted in the women being followed. Penny has her own issues of a more personal nature and of course the planes still have to be delivered- there is a war going on after all.

I love this series. This is the third one and for the ladies' pasts and relevance to the war effort to make sense the others in the series should be read first (both 5* from me- bk 1- A Wing and a Prayer, bk 2- Wild Blue Yonder). There are clearly hours, make that days or weeks of research gone into these books which shines through the pages to make it a very realistic read. There is really a little of everything in there- mystery, drama, saga, romance- all the things that take us through life very well portrayed which keeps the pages turning very easily. Im feeling Im getting to know the ladies now and really enjoy their company. I think there may be a book 4 on its way which I look forward to reading- so enjoyable and easy reading. 

  Although Christmas is in the title- this can be read any time of year ( I'm sitting here on a beautiful sunny spring day) as the main part of the story is mystery and wartime rather than seasonal.

A wonderful, highly  entertaining read with an excellent plot, magnificent characters and a smile along the way. A highly recommended read. 

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

_____________

The Secret Voices

 

The Secret Voices by MJ White (Cora Lael#1) - Crime           

A young girl has gone missing in the town where not so long ago, a young boy went missing and then his body was found. The Police really don’t want the same thing to happen. Acting DS Rob Minshull has his hands full- his first major case in the role. Alternate chapters tell us of Hannah and “ the small space”- somewhere she is stuck and really wants to go home. Cora works at the university- where a close friend is studying her emotional synesthesia as part of a study. (she can sense emotions from objects). She is getting bored of the repetitive experiments and would relish something different. When her boss suggests that she could use her gift to help the police, she gets more than the challenge that she was after.

I quickly got into this and enjoyed it being a different crime read. Emotional synesthesia isn't apparently a real thing, despite being a small number of studies on this, colour synesthesia is the real one. I liked Minshull and Cora and how they worked together and the pressure from above kept things on the move. A storyline that keeps twisting with well written tension to keep the pages easily turning.

This is MJ White’s first venture into crime  (better known As Miranda Dickinson) and what a stunner this is! A wonderful, entertaining read. A change in genre (not always easy) has proved to be an excellent move and I look forward to more in the series. 

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

_____________

The Secret Voices They said they’d keep me safe. They said, ‘It’s okay, Hannah. You know you can trust me.’ They lied. When eight-year-old Hannah Perry goes missing in the small Suffolk village of St Just, the community is rocked. Heading up the investigation is Acting DS Rob Minshull, but he’s out of his depth in a case that seems to mirror the disappearance of a young boy, seven years ago. That search ended in unimaginable tragedy…and Minshull is praying that history won’t be repeated. But with an investigation full of dead ends, and a kidnapper taunting the police with sinister deliveries of Hannah’s belongings and cryptic notes, the young girl’s life hangs perilously in danger. Until Dr Cora Lael enters the picture. A psychologist with a unique ability, Cora’s rare gift allows her to sense emotions attached to discarded objects. When she is shown the first of Hannah’s belongings, she hears the child’s piercing scream. With few leads on the case, could Cora prove Hannah’s only hope? And as time runs out, can they find Hannah before history repeats itself...? A twisty, original and utterly gripping detective thriller that fans of James Oswald and LJ Ross will love. Don't miss the crime thriller debut from the bestselling women's fiction author, Miranda Dickinson.

Purchase Links AMZ: https://amzn.to/3IdYXpJ Kobo: https://bit.ly/3fxbUia Apple: https://apple.co/3IwAZGz

Author Bio – MJ White is the crime pen name of the internationally bestselling author Miranda Dickinson. To date she has sold over one million books worldwide and has been translated into sixteen languages. Miranda has always been a huge fan of crime fiction and The Secret Voices marks the start of a new and exciting departure for her writing. https://twitter.com/MJWhite13

The Guests

 Guests- Stewart Giles- Crime/psychological thriller

Wow! One compelling read. Henry and Rebecca Green have always dreamt of living by the sea. The time has come now they are in their sixties to sell their outer London home and make the move. Henry is a little suspicious of the estate agent who is rather keen to sign them up. Rebecca has seen a house she loves, one that is almost too good to be true so wants to get moving (literally!). When they discover that next door is a rental for holidays at first they aren't too worried. When it turns out to be a weekend party house things take a turn for the worse. Fortunately Rebecca has a trick up her sleeve from her past occupation which quietens things down for a while. When the noise is ramped up again her daughter intervenes with eerie good intention. When the police arrive due to three deaths, who is to blame? 

OMG! I couldn't put this down, it's so well written I wanted to find out more and more which kept the pages flying by. You can't help but feel for the Greens predicament albeit that they were rather quick to sign- there are rules about noise etc but enforcing them is another matter completely. There are several twists and turns and a few red herrings which made this really interesting- almost a psychological thriller type read. One stunning read- a big 5* from me

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

-------------------------------

The Guests : They weren't invited, and now they have to pay How far would you go to keep a dream alive? Henry and Rebecca Green worked their whole lives dreaming about a house by the sea. They thought the move to the idyllic town of Frisk would be the perfect retirement. The sea views and clement weather were exactly what they'd been looking forward to their whole lives. But Mr and Mrs Green soon realise life in paradise isn't as rosy as they thought. There are others who want what they have. They soon find out that all of the neighbouring houses are HomeFromHome weekend rentals and very soon the ideal retirement takes a turn for the worse when reality hits. Against her husband's advice, Rebecca Green hatches a plan to get even. It's a plan so obscure and so out of the box, Henry doubts his wife's sanity at first. And the detectives who are brought in to investigate the series of murders at various HomeFromHome rentals are equally baffled.

Stewart Giles – Author Bio After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live. In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later. 3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series - the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series. The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well. I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018. After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brought together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor. The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before. The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow with book 17 now available. In addition, I have a new series featuring an Irish detective who relocated to Guernsey. The first 5 books in the Detective Liam O’Reilly series are now available. There are also 3 stand alone novels. Website: www.stewartgiles.com Twitter: @stewartgiles Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

Queen of Themiscyra

 

Queens of Themiscyra By Hannah Lynn

Press Release New book, ‘Queens of Themiscyra’ , brings mythological legends to life. 

Released May 1st, 2022 With her latest book in the Grecian Women series, Queens of Themiscyra: The enthralling rise and fall of the Amazons most fearsome daughters, author Hannah Lynn delves deep into the past and pulls forth a remarkably relatable tale of sisterly loyalty and family duty. Many of us are familiar with Wonder Woman and all the other references to this legendary race of women scattered liberally through pop culture and popular literature - but this book delves so much deeper. Queens of Themiscyra brings context to this extraordinary group of women, arising from Ares, God of War, himself. Yet, it is the complexity of characters themselves and their interpersonal relationships that hold the reader, and although men of fame and renown play significant roles, throughout the text it is the women - and more importantly the Amazon women - who carry the story and ensure that it is a memorable one. “I tried to draw from as many original mythological stories as possible for this novel,” Lynn said. “But the warrior women are not merely myths, and it was important for me to incorporate the lives, loves and losses of such outstanding women into the book.” 

Queens of Themiscyra is 450 pages and available in ebook and print versions at Amazon, and hardcover at WHSmith’s, Waterstones, Barnes&Noble and all good bookshops. 

About the Author: Hannah Lynn is the winner of the 2018 Kindle Storyteller Award. Her first historical fiction novel, Athena’s Child, was a gold medallist at the Independent Publishers Awards, while her follow up, A Spartan’s Sorrow, has attracted interest from the film producer behind the 300 series and Se7en. After graduating from university, she spent 15 years as a teacher of physics, first in the UK and then Thailand, Malaysia, Austria and Jordan. It was during this time, inspired by the imaginations of the young people she taught, she began writing short stories for children, and later adult fiction. Now living in Essex, UK with her husband, daughter and horde of cats, she spends her days writing Historical fiction and romantic comedy novels.