Book Recommendations with Fictionophile – Part 1

recommended

 

 

 

“My brain is proudly powered by books.”

 

 

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Lynne (a.k.a. Fictionophile) shares with us some great book recommendations. So, who is she?

Fictionophile – noun – a lover of fiction; one who loves to read, discuss, and collect novels. 

 

Here are some stunning facts about our friend Fictionophile.

 

  • Book blogger
  • Top 1% of reviewers on Goodreads
  • Former fiction cataloguer
  • Edelweiss reviewer
  • NetGalley Member & Professional reviewer
  • NetGalley 200+ reviews
  • Rated #1 top 50 Fiction blogs
  • Best book blog of 2017

 

 

 

The Craftsman by Sharon J. Bolton US image

 

0ct. 16, 2018 Pre-order now

 

Sharon Bolton returns with her creepiest standalone yet, following a young cop trying to trace the disappearances of a small town’s teenagers.

Florence Lovelady’s career was made when she convicted coffin-maker Larry Grassbrook of a series of child murders 30 years ago in a small village in Lancashire. Like something out of a nightmare, the victims were buried alive Florence was able to solve the mystery and get a confession out of Larry before more children were murdered.

But now, decades later, he’s dead, and events from the past start to repeat themselves. Is someone copying the original murders? Or did she get it wrong all those years ago? When her own son goes missing under similar circumstances, the case not only gets reopened… it gets personal.

In master of suspense Sharon Bolton’s latest thriller, readers will find a page-turner to confirm their deepest fears and the only protagonist who can face them.

 

 

 

Then She was Gone by Lisa Jewell

 

April 17, 2018 Pre-order now

 

THEN
She was fifteen, her mother’s
golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her.
And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

NOW
It’s been ten years since Ellie
disappeared, but Laurel has never given up
hope of finding her daughter.
And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet.
Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter.
Poppy is precocious and pretty – and meeting her completely takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age.
And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?
Who still has secrets to hide?

 

 

 

This is how it ends by Eva dolan

 

Amazon

 

There’s plenty of intrigue, sex, and drugs in this fast-paced mystery, set against a backdrop of gentrifying London.

Ella Riordan is a community activist who became famous when she was beaten by police during a social protest. Now Ella is a squatter in a building where the owners are evicting tenants so they can convert it into luxury condos, and she’s determined to stay and defend the few holdout tenants, despite death threats.

One night after a rooftop party with her fellow holdouts, Ella finds a horrible scene awaiting her in her apartment. In a panic, she calls her neighbor Molly, who convinces her that the police won’t believe she’s innocent. Together the two women concoct a gruesome plan to hide the body down the building’s elevator shaft.

But the secret won’t stay buried for long. As truth hangs in the balance, a neighbor tells Molly he had heard Ella arguing with a man in the hallway and mistrust grows between Ella and Molly, as repercussions of that night threaten to change both women’s lives forever.

 

 

 

The Dark Lake by Sarah Bailey

 

Amazon

 

In a suspense thriller to rival Paula Hawkins and Tana French, a detective with secrets of her own hunts the killer of a woman who was the glamorous star of their high school.

Rose was lit by the sun, her beautiful face giving nothing away. Even back then, she was a mystery that I wanted to solve.

The lead homicide investigator in a rural town, Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock is deeply unnerved when a high school classmate is found strangled, her body floating in a lake. And not just any classmate, but Rosalind Ryan, whose beauty and inscrutability exerted a magnetic pull on Smithson High School, first during Rosalind’s student years and then again when she returned to teach drama.

As much as Rosalind’s life was a mystery to Gemma when they were students together, her death presents even more of a puzzle. What made Rosalind quit her teaching job in Sydney and return to her hometown? Why did she live in a small, run-down apartment when her father was one of the town’s richest men? And despite her many admirers, did anyone in the town truly know her?

Rosalind’s enigmas frustrate and obsess Gemma, who has her own dangerous secrets—an affair with her colleague and past tragedies that may not stay in the past.

 

 

 

My Little Eye by Stephanie Marland

 

Amazon currently 0.99 cents!! 

 

A rocket-paced thriller for fans of Mark Billingham and Luther. Can a group of true crime addicts take on a struggling police force to catch a serial killer?
The thriller with the twists you’ll never see coming! Perfect for fans of The Girl in the Ice and The Missing Ones. Can a group of true crime addicts take on the police to catch a serial killer?

KISS THE GIRLS
A young woman is found dead in her bedroom surrounded by rose petals – the latest victim of ‘The Lover’. Struggling under the weight of an internal investigation, DI Dominic Bell is no closer to discovering the identity of the killer and time is running out.

AND MAKE THEM DIE…
As the murders escalate, Clementine Starke joins an online true crime group determined to take justice in their own hands – to catch the killer before the police. Hiding a dark secret, she takes greater risks to find new evidence and infiltrate the group.

As Starke and Bell get closer to cracking the case neither of them realise they’re being watched. The killer is closer to them than they think, and he has his next victim – Clementine – firmly in his sights.

 

 

 

 

The Death of Mrs. Westaway

 

May 29, 2018  Pre-order now

 

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, and The Lying Game comes Ruth Ware’s highly anticipated fourth novel.

On a day that begins like any other, Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. She realizes very quickly that the letter was sent to the wrong person—but also that the cold-reading skills she’s honed as a tarot card reader might help her claim the money.

Soon, Hal finds herself at the funeral of the deceased…where it dawns on her that there is something very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the center of it.

Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ruth Ware’s signature suspenseful style, this is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.

 

 

Stay tuned for more recommendations….

 

 

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Q&A with Mystery Author Daniella Bernett

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Daniella Bernett is a member of the Mystery Writers of America NY Chapter. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Journalism from St. John’s University. Lead Me Into Danger, Deadly Legacy and From Beyond The Grave are the first three books in the Emmeline Kirby-Gregory Longdon mystery series. She also is the author of two poetry collections, Timeless Allure and Silken Reflections. In her professional life, she is the research manager for a nationally prominent engineering, architectural and construction management firm. Daniella is currently working on Emmeline and Gregory’s next adventure.

 

 

 

Daniella Bernett Author Photo

 

 

 

Q&A with Mystery Author Daniella Bernett 

 

*What was it about creative writing that sparked an interest in you?

It began with my love affair with the written word and a deep appreciation of books. The idea that I could allow my imagination to roam freely and string words together like a strand of pearls to tell my own tale was (and still is) absolutely enchanting.

 

 

*Was there anyone early in life that shaped your love of reading?

My parents. Since my sister and I were mere toddlers, they were always reading to us and exposing us to books. I cannot thank my parents enough for giving us such a gift. I cannot imagine a day without a book. Reading nourishes my soul. It also has allowed me to develop a broad vocabulary and made my mind curious about many things. Books make the reader think.

 

 

 

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*What do you appreciate about Agatha Christie?

There are so many things I appreciate about the grande dame of mystery. She was truly a genius at her craft. What I love the most is how Christie wove an intriguing puzzle that appeals to the reader’s intellect and the desire to know why the crime was committed. Then, it becomes a game of cat-and- mouse, a race almost, to collect all the clues and disregard the red herrings to unmask the murderer before the sleuth. It’s delightful. Jealousy, love, greed are the primary motives for murder. Christie took these motives threw them into a pot, swirled them about, and in each book conceived a new way to explore these emotions. Her stories endure to this day because of her astute insight into human nature.

 

 

*Has she affected how you write today?

Agatha Christie has influenced my writing because I, too, enjoy conjuring up a tale with twists and turns to keep my readers breathless and slightly off guard. It’s a bit naughty, I know, but I like to lead them in one direction and then suddenly pivot down another alley that they may never have even contemplated. I like to leave my readers wanting more.

 

 

*If you had to write a short poem to Agatha Christie what would it say?

This is really not fair. No one can do her justice. But here is my humble attempt.

 

With stealth and cunning,
Her nimble narrative
Draws the unsuspecting reader
Into a silken web of deception and murder.
Don’t be led astray
By red herrings and half-truths,
The solution to the mystery lies
Just beyond the gauzy curtain of misdirection,                                       Where she awaits you with a wry smile.

 

 

 

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*What was it like writing your first book?

 
When everything finally clicked and I sat down to write LEAD ME INTO DANGER, Book 1 in my Emmeline Kirby-Gregory Longdon mystery series, it was like I had been floating just below the waterline and I finally broke the surface. I had been going over the story in my head for so long, it was time for Emmeline and Gregory to come to life (at least on paper).

 

 

*How does writing affect you personally?

Writing is like breathing. I simply must do it. It can be frustrating at times when the words refuse to come and doubts bring my story spluttering to a halt. However, those instances are to be expected. Nothing can take away the sheer joy and sense of accomplishment in the creative process.

 

 

 

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*Imagine you’re at a fireside chat with some friends. Someone asks, who is Emmeline Kirby? And who is Gregory Longdon?

 
Emmeline Kirby is a British journalist, who is driven by her desire to uncover the truth and see that justice is served. She’s fiercely loyal to those she cares about, but like all of us she has her faults. Emmeline has a short temper and she’s impatient. Her stubborn streak makes her a good
journalist. It’s also her Achilles heel because she sometimes becomes reckless and finds herself in dangerous situations.

Ah, Gregory Longdon. He’s the flip side of the coin. He’s a handsome and dashing British jewel thief. An enigma. His past is riddled with secrets. And yet, he has a code of honor. Like Emmeline, murder is a line that can never be crossed.

Emmeline and Gregory are former lovers who haven’t seen one another in two years, but she literally runs into him again in LEAD ME INTO DANGER and things take off from there. Murder, suspense and a good dose of romantic tension.

 

 

 

Lead me into Danger

 

 

Deadly Legacy

 

 

From beyond the grave

 

 

 

 

*If you could pick anyone to investigate a heinous crime who would you pick? Name your top three. 

 
• Viscount Devlin, Sebastian St. Cyr (C.S. Harris’s dark, captivating mystery series about Regency England)

 
• Gabriel Allon (Daniel Silva’s spy series about a Mossad agent who is an art restorer)

 
• Cyrus Barker (Will Thomas’s Barker & Llewelyn mystery series set in Victorian London)

 

 

 

Daniella Bernett Author Photo

 

 

 

Daniella Bernett is a member of the Mystery Writers of America NY Chapter. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Journalism from St. John’s University. Lead Me Into Danger, Deadly Legacy and From Beyond The Grave are the first three books in the Emmeline Kirby-Gregory Longdon mystery series. She also is the author of two poetry collections, Timeless Allure and Silken Reflections. In her professional life, she is the research manager for a nationally prominent engineering, architectural and construction management firm. Daniella is currently working on Emmeline and Gregory’s next adventure.

 

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

Blog Tour: Black Soul

Black Soul 2

 

 

 

BLACK SOUL by T.J. BREARTON
A gripping and dark international thriller that you won’t want to put down.

A seventeen year-old girl is missing in Honduras.

Free-spirited Rene Sterling vanished ten days ago. Her father fears she’s been sold into sex slavery. Investigators William Chase and Hanna Beckett are his last hope to find her.

The island paradise she was exploring conceals dark crimes, corruption and real danger.

Hanna and William’s mission is to disrupt human-trafficking gangs across the world. But this investigation will push their relationship to breaking point and put their lives at risk.

In a thrilling conclusion, they face a choice between real justice and obeying the law.

Perfect for fans of Stieg Larsson, Jo Nesbo, or Dennis Lehane novels.

This is the fourth book in the best-selling Titan Series, though it can be read as a standalone.

TITAN SERIES:
HABIT, SURVIVORS, DAYBREAK, BLACK SOUL

 

 

Reading on the beach

 

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I find myself really cheering for William and Hanna in this one. The crimes are hideous and outrageous. They embark on a wild journey to save these children from horrible lives in human trafficking. T.J. Brearton does a wonderful job crafting the perpatrators and the William and Hanna. I’ve been seeing more novels about solving these type of crimes and I’m putting the Titan series on my TBR list! Great job.

 

 

 

 

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BIO
T. J. Brearton is a bestselling author and screenwriter. His books have been on the top 100 list for Amazon Kindle in the US, UK, and Canada. He has written more than a dozen novels from his home in the Adirondacks where he also enjoys competing with his three children for his wife’s attention.

 

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

 

 

 

Blog Tour: Murder by Fire by Faith Martin

Murder by Fire Faith Martin

 

 

 

MURDER BY FIRE by Faith Martin.

Looking for a brilliant best-selling murder mystery with a feisty female detective?

Meet DI HILLARY GREENE, a policewoman struggling to save her career and catch criminals.

David Merchant’s body is found in a bonfire in his back garden. David was a publisher and devout Christian. Who would want to kill this seemingly very decent man?

DI Hillary Greene faces one of her most puzzling cases as she struggles to find anyone with a strong motive to kill the pious publisher.

Them, as Hillary unearths greedy business partners and an estranged son, her focus is diverted when a new team member is targeted by a vicious gang.

Hillary’s under massive pressure and will she finally crack? And if she does, where will she go from here?

This is a crime mystery full of well-observed characters, which will have you gripped from start to the absolutely heart-stopping conclusion.

MURDER BY FIRE is the tenth in a series of page-turning crime thrillers set in Oxfordshire.

 

Available on Amazon

 

 

 

Flames image Murder by fire

 

 

 

THE LOCATION
Kidlington itself, the home of Thames Valley Police HQ. Almost regarded as a suburb of Oxford, there is some debate in Kidlington whether it is a town or a village! If it’s a village, it’s a very large one, with supermarkets, garages, plenty of pubs and a small shopping centre. It sits on a plain that was once devoted to farming, with several small satellite villages around it, such as Hampton Poyle and Yarnton. It also has a small airport, once known as Oxford Airport, but recently renamed to include London in the title!

 

THE DETECTIVE
DI Hillary Greene
An attractive woman in her forties, Hillary Greene is a police officer of many years’ experience, and came up through the ranks. Consequently, she knows how the system works, and is fiercely loyal to the force without being blinkered to its faults. Popular with the rank and file for her no-nonsense attitude and competence.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “A NARROW POINT OF VIEW.”

 

 

 

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DI Hillary Greene series is like seeing old friends again. She’s back for another romp in Murder by Fire. Usually  a body sets off the beginning of each novel, but this one began while the victim was still alive, and even details the killing by a mysterious blonde woman. I thought this was a more powerful beginning for two reasons. One, we get to see what the victim was like prior to the murder. Two, the motivations of the antagonist are front and center. I guess another would be how the victim was killed too.

Faith martin also excels at portraying the drama within the team, politics, and the relationships of her characters. Lovely!

 

 

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DI HILLARY GREENE SERIES
BOOK 1: MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL
BOOK 2: MURDER AT THE UNIVERSITY
BOOK 3: MURDER OF THE BRIDE
BOOK 4: MURDER IN THE VILLAGE
BOOK 5: MURDER IN THE FAMILY
BOOK 6: MURDER AT HOME
BOOK 7: MURDER IN THE MEADOW
BOOK 8: MURDER IN THE MANSION
BOOK 9: MURDER IN THE GARDEN
BOOK 10: MURDER BY FIRE

Books 11-17 coming soon!

 

 

 

Blog Tour: Baby Lies by Chris Collett

 

Baby Lies Chris Collett

 

 

BABY LIES by CHRIS COLLETT

Do you love gripping mysteries with great characters?

Discover Detective Tom Mariner in this critically acclaimed series.

‘Collett is a wonderful writer, subtle, clever, strong on atmosphere and character.’ Yorkshire Post

 

 

BLOG TOUR BANNER - Baby Lies

 

 
Six-week-old baby Jessica is abducted from a local nursery. And Detective Tom Mariner realises he’s not going to get the time-off he was hoping for.

The police get a good description of the woman who took Jessica, but the appeal to the public doesn’t generate a single lead.

Then the kidnapper calls demanding money for Jessica’s safe return   . . . and a terrible discovery is made in the woods.

Can Mariner get to bottom of a complex case which involves much more than a child abduction?

Discover an absorbing crime mystery full of stunning twists and turns.

Perfect for fans of Peter James, Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson. This is the fourth book in the DI MARINER SERIES, more books coming soon!

 

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If you haven’t started the DI Mariner series yet, you’d better start.  Author Chris Collett expertly crafts a dazzling plot and delivers on every page. A new mum struggling to let her baby girl go to nursery the first time. A crime operation to bring down the rising tide of prostitution in the city. A complex crime to solve for Detective Tom Mariner no doubt. A juicy crime mystery awaits you!

 

 

 

 

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THE SETTING

 
Birmingham is a city of stark contrasts with a rich cultural and historical heritage. Playing a key role in the industrial revolution, it helped shape the nation’s manufacturing industry

But with its many green spaces, Birmingham also borders on the beautiful countryside of Worcestershire and Warwickshire, is just a few miles from Stratford on Avon and a short drive from the wild country of mid-Wales.

Birmingham’s population is large and ethnically diverse, and while urban regeneration has forged a modern and culturally vibrant city, the decaying remnants of the industrial past and 1960s concrete jungle give it a unique and gritty character; the dark underbelly policed by DI Tom Mariner and his team.
 

 

Departure for Birmingham, United Kingdom

 

THE DETECTIVE

 
Detective Inspector Tom Mariner is, on the surface, an average dedicated policeman, but his experiences as a younger man have given him an insight into life on the dark side, and a clear sense of right and wrong. Mariner has little interest in material things. He lives in a modest canal-side cottage, enjoys the occasional (real) beer and game of dominoes and drives an old car. He is most at home in the outdoors, with an OS map and a compass, and in times of crisis, will take off and walk for miles in any weather.

THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “BLOOD MONEY.”

 

 

 

Detective walking at night city lights.

 

DI MARINER SERIES

Book 1: Deadly Lies
Book 2: Innocent Lies
Book 3: Killer Lies
Book 4: Baby Lies
Books 5-7 coming soon

 

 

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CHRIS COLLETT – AUTHOR BIO

I was born and grew up in a Norfolk seaside town, almost as far east as it’s possible to go in England without falling into the North Sea. There I worked variously in a boarding house (now defunct) a local bakery (closed down) and a crisp factory (razed to the ground). I graduated in Liverpool, then for twenty-five years taught children and young people with learning disabilities, including autism, before going into higher education as a senior lecturer.

Mindful of its reputation, I moved somewhat reluctantly to Birmingham, where I met my husband, in 1981. But just a few years later DI Tom Mariner was created to police its mean streets, and these days I relish the vibrancy and rich social history of the city. After eight outings for Mariner, I still feel as if I’ve barely scratched the surface.

Recently retired from lecturing and I’m currently luxuriating in the time I now have to continue the Mariner series, alongside published short stories and academic works. In my spare time, among other things, I’m a manuscript assessor for the Crime Writers Association.

 

 

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

 

 

 

 

Blog Tour: A Time to Kill by Stephen Puleston

A time to kill

 

 

A missing person.

Investigating the disappearance of local antiques dealer, Harry Jones, is not high on DI Ian Drake’s priority list. He has more important things to spend his time on than looking for a man who has probably just walked out on his wife. Until they find Harry’s dead body…

Shot at close range and dumped like rubbish.

Drake knows they are dealing with a cold-bloodied killer. But the valleys of Snowdoniaare an unlikely place for a murderer to hide out, and Harry an unlikely victim. As the investigation unfolds, Drake discovers a web of intrigue surrounding Harry, and business links with the criminal underworld.

A killer hidden in plain sight.

When another murder takes place that strikes at the heart of the community Drake is convinced the killer lies closer to home. And when two key witnesses disappear, Drake faces a race against time to bring the killer to justice, before he strikes again…

 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads 

 

 

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BOOK REVIEW

 

 

 

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Author Stephen Puleston has a very smooth style of writing. He’s adept at bringing forth characters set in motion and solidifying the scenery. Even the murder scene was beautiful. Not too much, but just enough craft a good setting.  I enjoyed seeing Inspector Drake in action as he solves the crime. How we do things define us, and with him its no different. He’s meticulous with an energy that leaps off the page. You gotta love that about any character!

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Puleston Author image

 

 

 

I write crime fiction based in Wales and about Wales. The rural landscape of north Wales provides the backdrop to the Inspector Drake novels. And Cardiff the capital of Wales provides the setting for the Inspector Marco novels set in a modern urban environment.
I love the novels of Raymond Chandler, Ian Rankin, Mark Billingham, Henning Mankell, Val McDermid – the list could go on! And I enjoy watching detective series on the television the recent Hinterland series based near Aberystwyth in Wales was great. One of my favourites is the French series Spiral but The Bridge and Broadchurch and the Rebus series with Ken Stott and Kenneth Branagh in Wallander are great too.

 

I have been on writing courses at the Welsh Writers Centre in Llanystymdwy, North Wales tutored by Matt Whyman and Marcus Sedgwick as well as crime writing courses with Peter Robinson and Andrew Taylor at the Scottish Writers centre.

 

I was born in Anglesey an island off the north Wales coast and after leaving school in Holyhead I went to University in London before training as a solicitor/lawyer. I practised in a small family business doing criminal work in the magistrates and crown courts, divorce and family work. I still live on Anglesey, North Wales near the beach and the mountains of Snowdonia

Website | Twitter | Facebook | 

Blog Tour: Murder in the Mansion by Faith Martin

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Blog Tour BANNER - Murder in the Mansion

 

 

 

 

MURDER IN THE MANSION by Faith Martin

Looking for a brilliant best-selling murder mystery with a feisty female detective?

Meet DI HILLARY GREENE, a policewoman struggling to save her career and catch criminals.

Mattie Jones is found brutally stabbed to death in her palatial home. Hillary Greene is called in to investigate the murder of this wealthy woman.

Hillary discovers that Mattie’s snobby attitude had made her many enemies. Mattie was also going through a messy divorce and had a secret lover.

Meanwhile, in a terrifying turn of events, police officers are being gunned down outside their stations. A sniper is on the loose.

Can Hillary cope with the enemies within, a complex case, and the whole force under attack?

 

 

Police Faith Martin

 

 

 

BOOK REVIEW

 

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DI Hillary Greene is back in the saddle with the latest crime to solve in book 8, Murder in the Mansion. I love navigating crimes alongside Hillary, even as she deals with relationships in the department, including dumping one of her lovers! A well written story with a skilled plot woven with great characters.

 

 

 

MURDER IN THE  MANSION is the eighth in a series of page-turning crime thrillers set in Oxfordshire. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell.

 

 

Mansion Faith Martin

 

THE LOCATION

Many villages on the borders of the Cotswolds have more than their fair share of large, impressive, Cotswold stone ‘mansions’ – homes in times past to the professional classes and farmers.  Large, mostly Georgian, with traditional kitchen gardens, orchards, and ornamental plantings, they are quintessentially English.

 

 

Mansion Location Faith Martin

 

 

THE DETECTIVES

DI Hillary Greene

An attractive woman in her forties, Hillary Greene is a police officer of many years’ experience, and came up through the ranks. Consequently, she knows how the system works, and is fiercely loyal to the force without being blinkered to its faults. She is a long-standing friend of her immediate superior officer, ‘Mellow’ Mallow and enjoys a rather enigmatic relationship with the steely Superintendent Marcus Donleavy. Popular with the rank and file for her no-nonsense attitude and competence.

DCI Philip ‘Mellow’ Mallow

Mel appreciates Hillary’s first-rate ability to solve her cases, and isn’t happy about her harassment by the officers from York. Known for his sartorial elegance and laid-back manners, he has a sharp mind, and an eye for the ladies. A good friend and ally for Hillary in her recent tribulations, he’s determined to keep his best investigator focused on the problems at hand.

 

 

 

 

Detective Faith Martin

 

 

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “DOWN A NARROW PATH.”

 

 

Dive into the action!

 

Diving Faith Martin

 

Amazon

DI HILLARY GREENE SERIES

BOOK 1: MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL
BOOK 2: MURDER AT THE UNIVERSITY
BOOK 3: MURDER OF THE BRIDE
BOOK 4: MURDER IN THE VILLAGE
BOOK 5: MURDER IN THE FAMILY
BOOK 6: MURDER AT HOME
BOOK 7: MURDER IN THE MEADOW
BOOK 8: MURDER IN THE MANSION
Books 9-11 coming soon!

 

 

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AUTHOR BIO

Faith Martin has been writing for over 25 years, in four genres and under four different pen names. She was born in Oxford and sets most of her crime novels within sight of the city of dreaming spires. A real nature lover and afficionado of the countryside, descriptions of wildlife and native flora often find their way into her manuscripts. Right now, JOFFE BOOKS are re-issuing the first eleven of the DI Hillary Greene novels in new updated editions! The first 8 books in the series are available now. Books 9-11 coming soon!

Her romance novels, written under the name of Maxine Barry, are now available from Corazon Books. IMPOSTERS In PARADISE, and HEART OF FIRE are both out, and others will very quickly become available in the future.

Her first foray into writing ‘spooky’ crime, (and written under the pen name of Jessie Daniels) comes out in November 2017. THE LAVENDER LADY CASEFILE is published by Robert Hale, an imprint of Crowood Press.

As Joyce Cato, she writes more classically-inspired ‘proper’ whodunits. So if you like an amateur sleuth, plenty of clues and red herrings, plus a baffling murder mystery to solve, these are the books for you.

Jill Burkinshaw

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jill@booksnall.blog

https://booksnall.blog

 

Blog Tour: Dark Angel by Helen H. Durrant

 

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DARK ANGEL by HELEN H. DURRANT

Love gripping crime fiction? Discover Detective Stephen Greco, a meticulous policeman with a messy personal life.

Two young men break into an expensive house in Cheshire. They take money and jewellery — and a large amount of heroin. Within twenty-four hours they are found brutally murdered.

The killings have the hallmarks of a local drug baron. The two victims were also “angels” helping in a community project which seems to have been lowering the crime rate in the area.

Meanwhile, Detective Stephen Greco’s colleague and on-off girlfriend Grace is pregnant. He isn’t sure how he feels, and they haven’t told the boss.

This gripping and fast-paced crime mystery ends with a series of shocking twists.

If you like Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott, Mel Sherratt, Ruth Rendell, or Mark Billingham you will enjoy this exciting new crime fiction writer.

 

 

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This was a stellar book! Crime fiction just how I like it. Interesting characters weaved into a fascinating plot and crime to solve. The perfect blend of narrative, dialogue, tension, conflict and mystery. I found it to be very engaging and compelling to read. Check it out!

 

THE DETECTIVES

DCI Stephen Greco is a meticulous policeman with a touch of O.C.D. Easy to admire, but difficult to like. He has created a new team after a personal tragedy threatened to end his career, and is struggling to care for his daughter.
DS Grace Harper is an ambitious young policewoman with excellent people skills. Like Greco, she is a single parent and tries to balance work and childcare.

 

 

 

Detective cartoon

 

THE SETTING

The Northern city of Manchester is a place of great diversity, from high-end restaurants and clubs for the moneyed classes to grim housing estates riven by crime and drugs.

DISCOVER YOUR NEXT FAVOURITE MYSTERY SERIES BY THE BEST-SELLING WRITER HELEN H. DURRANT

 

 

Satisfaction guaranteed

 

 

DCI GRECO
Book 1: DARK MURDER
Book 2: DARK HOUSES
Book 3: DARK TRADE
Book 4: DARK ANGEL

CALLADINE & BAYLISS 
Book 1: DEAD WRONG
Book 2: DEAD SILENT
Book 3: DEAD LIST
Book 4: DEAD LOST
Book 5: DEAD & BURIED
Book 6: DEAD NASTY
Book 7: DEAD JEALOUS

TALBOT DYSON
HIS THIRD VICTIM

 

 

Helen Durrant author pic

 

 

AUTHOR BIO

Helen sets her books in the area she has lived in for many years. The towns and villages that sit in the shelter of the Pennine hills. This is an area between two counties, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and between the city and the hills. It offers a rich mix of the industrial and the countryside and all the character therein.

Helen always planned to write crime novels. But until she retired from full-time work in a local further education college, it had to go on the back burner. Once she did retire – there was no excuse. She now writes full-time. Retirement proper will have to wait!

Currently there are seven books in the ‘Calladine & Bayliss’ series available – Dead Wrong, Dead Silent, Dead List, Dead Lost, Dead & Buried, Dead Nasty – and the latest – Dead Jealous.

Also available are three books in the new ‘DI Greco’ series – Dark Murder, Dark Houses, Dark Trade  and the latest – Dark Angel.

LINKS

Website: www.helenhdurrant.co.uk

Twitter: @hhdurrant

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helen.durrant.12

Jill Burkinshaw

Books n All Book Promotions

jill@booksnall.blog

https://booksnall.blog

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

Need to Know Karen Cleveland

 

 

In pursuit of a Russian sleeper cell on American soil, a CIA analyst uncovers a dangerous secret that will test her loyalty to the agency—and to her family.

What do you do when everything you trust might be a lie?

Vivian Miller is a dedicated CIA counterintelligence analyst assigned to uncover the leaders of Russian sleeper cells in the United States. On track for a much-needed promotion, she’s developed a system for identifying Russian agents, seemingly normal people living in plain sight.

After accessing the computer of a potential Russian operative, Vivian stumbles on a secret dossier of deep-cover agents within America’s borders. A few clicks later, everything that matters to her—her job, her husband, even her four children—are threatened.

Vivian has vowed to defend her country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. But now she’s facing impossible choices. Torn between loyalty and betrayal, allegiance and treason, love and suspicion, who can she trust?

 

Releases today! Need to Know is available now.

 

 

 

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I absolutely loved this book! Karen Cleveland comes out swinging in her debut novel with CIA counterintellligence analyst Vivian Miller. She discovers a secret so deep it rattles her to the core of every aspect of her life. She then struggles to solve a dilemma that seeks to rip her apart limb by limb. 

I really enjoyed the deep point of view for this type of thriller. I felt gripped by the protagonist’s anxiety, fear, love, vulnerability and moral dilemma. It made the story that much richer. 

 The tension is palpable with juicy conflict, and the suspense is off the charts.

Don’t miss it! It’ll be one of the best of 2018!

 

 

 

Karen Cleveland photo

 

Karen Cleveland spent eight years as a CIA analyst, the last six in counterterrorism. She has master’s degrees from Trinity College Dublin, where she studied as a Fulbright Scholar, and from Harvard University. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband and two young kids.

 

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Murder in the Meadow Blog Tour with Author Faith Martin

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Blog Tour BANNER - Murder in the Meadow

 

 

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

MURDER IN THE MEADOW by Faith Martin

Looking for a brilliant best-selling murder mystery  with a feisty female detective?

Meet DI HILLARY GREENE, a policewoman struggling to save her career and catch criminals.

Wayne Sutton is found dead by a stream in a beautiful meadow. His head has been bashed in and a red paper heart left on his body. The handsome young artist had a reputation as a ladies’ man.

DI Hillary Greene discovers that there were many wealthy married women buying his paintings and taking ‘private’ art lesson from him.  It appears that several of them might have wanted him dead.

Hillary also has a new detective sergeant, Gemma Fordham. Seemingly efficient and pleasant, she harbours a secret agenda.

Can Hillary get to the bottom of a complex case involving jealousy, love, and cold-blooded murder?

This is a crime mystery full of well-observed characters, which will have you gripped from start to finish.

MURDER IN THE MEADOW  is the seventh in a series of page-turning crime thrillers set in Oxfordshire.
Perfect for fans of  Agatha Christie, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell.

 

 

 

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If you haven’t started the DI Hillary Green series then you’re missing out. I always find it fascinating to peer into the point of view of protagonist Hillary. She investigates the mysterious death of a young Casanova who’s left by the river with red heart pinned to his chest. Who had the motivation to kill him? A former lover? A jealous one?

Faith Martin is having such great success by re-releasing this series with Joffe books. Her writing is really entertaining, witty, with great characters and well thought out plots. I recommend Murder in the Meadow and the rest of the series to anyone.

 

 

Review image Faith martin

 

 

THE LOCATION
The pretty iron stone village of Deddington.  Not far from the market town of Banbury (noted for its famous Banbury Cross of the nursery rhyme “Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross, to see a fine lady upon a white horse, with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, she shall have music wherever she goes.”)  It has an attractive and unusual church, antique shop and hotel, and several pubs known locally for their cuisine.  Although not a tourist spot as such, it is a picturesque spot.  Water meadows, such as the one where the body is found, are a feature of valleys in the area, and regularly flood in the winter time, adding  nutrients to the soil, making them especially lovely in the spring and summer, when they can flower quite spectacularly.

 

 

 

meadow faith martin

 

 

 

THE DETECTIVES

DI Hillary Greene
An attractive woman in her forties, Hillary Greene is a police officer of many years’ experience, and came up through the ranks. Consequently, she knows how the system works, and is fiercely loyal to the force without being blinkered to its faults. She is a long-standing friend of her immediate superior officer, ‘Mellow’ Mallow and enjoys a rather enigmatic relationship with the steely Superintendent Marcus Donleavy. Popular with the rank and file for her no-nonsense attitude and competence.

DCI Philip ‘Mellow’ Mallow
Mel appreciates Hillary’s first-rate ability to solve her cases, and isn’t happy about her harassment by the officers from York. Known for his sartorial elegance and laid-back manners, he has a sharp mind, and an eye for the ladies. A good friend and ally for Hillary in her recent tribulations, he’s determined to keep his best investigator focused on the problems at hand.

 

 

 

Investigation image faith martin

 

 

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “BESIDE A NARROW STREAM.”

DI HILLARY GREENE SERIES
BOOK 1: MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL
BOOK 2: MURDER AT THE UNIVERSITY
BOOK 3: MURDER OF THE BRIDE
BOOK 4: MURDER IN THE VILLAGE
BOOK 5: MURDER IN THE FAMILY
BOOK 6: MURDER AT HOME
BOOK 7: MURDER IN THE MEADOW
Books 8-11 coming soon!

 

Amazon | Goodreads

 

 

 

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AUTHOR BIO

Faith Martin has been writing for over 25 years, in four genres and under four different pen names. She was born in Oxford and sets most of her crime novels within sight of the city of dreaming spires. A real nature lover and afficionado of the countryside, descriptions of wildlife and native flora often find their way into her manuscripts. Right now, JOFFE BOOKS are re-issuing the first eleven of the DI Hillary Greene novels in new updated editions! And the first of these, MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL. MURDER AT THE UNIVERSITY, MURDER OF THE BRIDE, MURDER IN THE VILLAGE, MURDER IN THE FAMILY and MURDER AT HOME are available now. Books 8-11 coming soon!

Her romance novels, written under the name of Maxine Barry, are now available from Corazon Books. IMPOSTERS In PARADISE, and HEART OF FIRE are both out, and others will very quickly become available in the future.

Her first foray into writing ‘spooky’ crime, (and written under the pen name of Jessie Daniels) comes out in November 2017. THE LAVENDER LADY CASEFILE is published by Robert Hale, an imprint of Crowood Press.

As Joyce Cato, she writes more classically-inspired ‘proper’ whodunits. So if you like an amateur sleuth, plenty of clues and red herrings, plus a baffling murder mystery to solve, these are the books for you.

 

 

 

Check out Jill’s Books n All Book Promotions! Crime books, book reviews, blog tours and more. Booksnall.blog

 

Don’t miss Mystery Thriller Week 2018. The new dates for this year are April 12th-22nd. Don’t miss out!