Audio Book Review “One of the Girls” by Lucy Clarke

BOOK REVIEW NO : 134

Thriller

Standalone

Audio length 10 Hrs 1 minute

Publisher : Harper Collins

Narrator : Natalie Simpson and  Sophia Zervudachi

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB

One of the girls synopsis

The scorching new thriller from the Sunday Times best-selling author of The Castaways           

ONE IS A LIAR.
ONE IS A STRANGER.
ONE IS A CHEATER.
WHO IS A KILLER?

We were dying for a holiday….

The six of us arrived on that beautiful Greek island dreaming of sun-drenched beaches and blood orange sunsets, ready to lose ourselves in the wild freedom of a weekend away with friends.

On the first night we swam under a blanket of stars.

On the second night the games began on our clifftop terrace.

On the third night the idyll cracked, secrets and lies whispering on the breeze.

And by the final night there was a body on the rocks below….

Who would kill for it? 

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

What a truly suspenseful thriller One of the Girls is. It is set on a beautiful Geek Island, the perfect spot for a Hen weekend for 6 six friends. Mind you at times they do not seem like friends at all. They bicker and push each other. They argue, they make up, they argue again. There is love, life stories shared and oh so many secrets.

I really liked the way each chapter was set as each different woman retelling their side of what is going on. It really lends itself to a unique style of plot that slowly slowly unravels to an unbelievably brilliant and shocking end. It picks up the pace towards the final chapters and lies are revealed that leave the women reeling. The characterisation is expertly done and each of the woman had their really great sides but then they all had some down right nasty sides to. I would love to see this book on the TV. It would make a brilliant Drama series.

The rounding off of the story is wonderful. We get to find out what happens to everyone after they return from their dramatic Hen weekend. Can their friendships be sustained? Will the lies and deceit ever be forgiven?

I would highly recommend this great read for anyone who loves a well told, strong story with fabulous characters and a few thrills and spills along the way.

As far as the narration goes, it was brilliantly done. I often find a narrator can make or break an audio book. Thankfully One of the Girls is narrated with a great sense of understanding. The story is told clearly and you really get a great sense of how each character really ticks. The perfect combination or a great writer and a great narrator. An audio book not to be missed.

AUTHOR BIO

Sunday Times bestseller, Lucy Clarke, writes from a beach hut, using the inspiration from the wild south coast to craft her stories. Her debut novel, THE SEA SISTERS, was a Richard & Judy Book Club pick, and she has since published A SINGLE BREATH, THE BLUE/NO ESCAPE, LAST SEEN, YOU LET ME IN, and THE CASTAWAYS, which was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month. Lucy’s seventh novel, ONE OF THE GIRLS, is ‘an electric, sun-soaked thriller’, released in May 2022. Her books are published in twenty territories. THE BLUE, is currently being filmed for a major international TV series for Paramount+ and will be on screens in 2023.

Lucy is a passionate traveller and fresh air enthusiast. She’s married to a professional windsurfer and, together with their two children, they spend their winters travelling and their summers at home by the sea.

Say hello:

http://www.lucy-clarke.com

Instagram @lucyclarke_author

http://www.facebook.com/lucyclarkeauthor

With thanks for the Advance Audio Copy to…..

Harper Collins https://harpercollins.co.uk/

Lucy Clarke http://www.lucy-clarke.com

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Book review “Escape” by Jude Mclean

BOOK REVIEW NO : 133

Mystery, Romance Thriller

Book 1 of the O’Brien Trilogy

Pages ; 248

Published Independently

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB

She dreams of breaking free.

Desperate to start over, Darcie Hartwell is drawn to Ireland, unwittingly compelled by the mystical power of fate and the ghost of an ancestor. She’s not looking for adventure, love, or friendship. She only yearns for a peaceful life, free from the memories that plague her nightmares.

He dreams of her.

Connor O’Brian is a hard-working Irishman who wants nothing to do with women or romance—burnt once, twice shy. Except for the one he sees in his dreams. For years, he has dreamt of only her. Nameless, voiceless, he doesn’t know if she’s real. But he knows that if he ever finds her, he will stop at nothing to keep her.

But fate has its own plans.

Falling into the waiting arms of the handsome Irishman was never Darcie’s intention, but in that one moment, everything changed. Now, Darcie must decide if she is willing to confront the past that haunts her and face who she is to fight for the love she never knew awaited her.

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 4 STARS

Escape is one of those books that once you begin you will just keep going until you’ve finished. It has the beautiful backdrop of Ireland which lends itself to this novel perfectly. The Romance, the escape, the sheer beauty is all there.

It did take me several chapters to really get into the book but then it was just glorious. This is definitely not just a romance story. There are twists and some very dark situations that just kept me engrossed in the whole story.

I was drawn in completely by the wonderful writing style of Jude Mclean. She truly brings Ireland and the characters to life. Darcie is certainly not your typical “I’m looking for love” character, she just wants more from her life. She needs something, anything so she finally follows her heart to Ireland in search of herself, along the way she finds Connor and sparks fly from the first meeting. Is everything going to be smooth sailing now she has met him? Definingly not. Will there be a happy ending for Darcie and Connor? umm maybe, maybe not. Never one to give things away.

Escape is a great, well escape and will take you on a journey of love, memories, past events coming back to haunt you. All in all an ideal read for a summers evening, or any other evening to be honest. Basically just give it a go.

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AUTHOR BIO

http://www.judemclean.com

I was a wife and writer at home when the Coronavirus hit. My husband was suddenly working from home, and I couldn’t get a minute’s peace while I wrote. I was going crazy and contemplated homicide. So I took a job as a contact tracer. The work took me away from Darcie and Connor, but at least it kept me out of prison. The job led me to write Have You Got A Kitchen Table? The Musings and Melancholy of a COVID-19 Contact Tracer. If you need a laugh pick up the audiobook!

Darcie’s story, Escape, was always playing on a constant loop in my head. Every day all day. I could hear her fear and Connor’s worry. And my personal favorite is Nan’s sarcasm. I can’t wait to finish her book, United. But Sondra, a loveable firecracker, and Simon, a lady killer who loves to not be in love, have impatiently waited their turn. Break Free is coming soon!

I am of Irish descent and hold a deep-rooted affinity to Ireland. So it was only natural that it be the setting of my first trilogy. Ireland has tattooed itself on my soul. It’s my second home. I can’t be there as much as I would like. This way, I can be there as often as I wish and bring my readers along for the ride.

​I write the stories that come to me as best I can so others hear the characters, feel their emotions, and see their lives the way I do. In short, I let it rip and love every moment of it! I hope you do too.

Visit my website to sign up for my newsletter and be the first to know everything about The O’Brians Trilogy.

With Thanks for the Advance copy to ….

Love Book Tours lovebookstours@gmail.com

Jude Mclean http://www.judemclean.com

Book Review “A Harvest Murder” by Frances Evesham

BOOK REVIEW NO: 132

Cosy Murder Mystery

The Ham Hill Murder Mystery Book 3

Pages : 254

Publisher : Boldwood Books

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB

A Harvest Murder

One unexplained disappearance is strange, but two are sinister.

In Lower Hembrow, an idyllic village nestled beneath Ham Hill in Somerset, the villagers are preparing to enjoy the autumn traditions of the rural English countryside until Joe Trevillion, a curmudgeonly local farmer and the father of six children, vanishes.

When Adam Hennessy, the ex-detective proprietor of The Plough, the village’s popular Inn, investigates, he finds ominous undercurrents beneath apparently harmless rumour and gossip.

Meanwhile, a vicious campaign of vindictiveness forces Adam and his three amateur sleuth friends to dig deep into the secret lives of their neighbours to expose the source of a cruel vendetta and prevent another death.

As they uncover the disturbing truth, the friends learn they must also lay their own past lives to rest before they can hope to make their dreams for the future come true.

Purchase Link  – https://amzn.to/3tNDDDd

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

A Harvest Murder is one of those books that the minute you begin reading you just know you’re in for a great read. I really enjoy a well written cosy mystery, you really get involved with the relationships. This little band of sleuthing villagers are just wonderful people. There’s Friendship, love, not love, a bit of jealously and a bit of superb country life thrown in. It has it all and the perfect murder included, what could go wrong? Well seemingly quite a lot.

This is an utterly engrossing read with plenty of mystery and strange goings on. A village full of people who know everything about everyone until there’s death and strange disappearances. Then no one has a clue yet they all have an opinion. Adam and his friends need to get to the bottom of everything, if only to stop the rumour mill spinning out of control. What they unearth is quite something, but oh no I’m not falling into that trap of telling you what. This is where you get a copy and do some digging for yourself.

Frances Evesham is great at evoking a sense of place and the people with it that place. Everything is written with a gentle quality that draws you right in. This book is a case of not only wanting to find out why a death occurred but also about the fabulous characters within this beautiful Somerset countryside. I loved it. Every single brilliantly written page. Epic!

Author Bio –

Frances Evesham is the bestselling author of the hugely successful Exham-on-Sea murder mysteries set in her home county of Somerset, and the Ham-Hill cosy crime series set in South Somerset.

Social Media Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/frances.evesham.writer/

Twitter https://twitter.com/francesevesham

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

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

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/frances-evesham

With Thanks for The Advance copy to ……

Rachel Gilby https://www.rachelsrandomresources.com/home

Frances Evesham https://bit.ly/FrancesEveshamNews

Boldwood Books https://www.boldwoodbooks.com/

Book Review “A Wedding in Tuscany” by Sandy Barker

BOOK REVIEW NO: 131

Romance

The Holiday Romance, Book 5

Pages 366

Publisher, One More Chapter

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB

A Wedding in Tuscany

The Parsons sisters are all loved up.

Sarah is living in Sydney with Josh and their cat, Domino, but is anxious about her fast-approaching fortieth birthday.

And Cat is still living in London with her flatmate, Jane, but is in a long-distance relationship with Jean-Luc, her childhood sweetheart and recently re-discovered love.

One of the sisters receives a surprise wedding proposal – it’s a yes! – and everyone heads off to Tuscany for a destination wedding.

Reunite with favourite characters from the Holiday Romance series in one of the most beautiful locations yet for love, laughter, wedding vows, and just a smidge of sisterly mayhem

Purchase Links –

Amazon

• UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wedding-Tuscany-perfect-available-pre-order-ebook/dp/B09PFJXRCW/
• AU https://www.amazon.com.au/Wedding-Tuscany-perfect-available-pre-order-ebook/dp/B09PFJXRCW/
• US  https://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Tuscany-perfect-available-pre-order-ebook/dp/B09PFJXRCW/
• CA  https://www.amazon.ca/Wedding-Tuscany-perfect-available-pre-order-ebook/dp/B09PFJXRCW/

Waterstones:  https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-wedding-in-tuscany/sandy-barker/9780008536787

Foyles: https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/fiction-poetry/a-wedding-in-tuscany-(the-holiday-romanc,sandy-barker-9780008536787

Google play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sandy_Barker_A_Wedding_in_Tuscany_The_Holiday_Roma?id=1hlXEAAAQBAJ

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-wedding-in-tuscany/id1608505780

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

The setting for this book is just idyllic and is written with beautiful detail that just draws you in completely. I have not read any of the series until now but it worked well and I thoroughly enjoyed every word. This is just a great read full of love and romance. A bit of pure escapism that takes you off to sunny climbs and beautiful people.

An unexpected proposal sends Cat into a spin of not only joy but panic over where on earth will they live, who will have to give up their home? A duel celebration of a wedding and 40th birthday celebration for Sarah set in a gorgeous Tuscan Castle brings old characters back to the fore. There are dilemmas a plenty and getting to know Sarah and Cat’s parents was a joy. I adored this book completely. Full of great and loving characters that just make you smile. What’s wrong with a bit of fabulous romance and fabulous castles? Nothing at all, that’s what I say. Bring it on. I urge anyone who just needs a pure treat of a book that lifts your heart to get themselves a copy of Sandy Baker’s book and indulge in a few hours of pure joy.

Author Bio – Sandy Barker

Sandy is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list, and many of her travel adventures have found homes in her novels. She’s also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover and a coffee snob.

Sandy lives in Melbourne Australia with her partner, Ben, who she met while travelling in Greece. Their real-life love story inspired Sandy’s debut novel One Summer in Santorini, the first in the Holiday Romance series with One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins.

The series continues in That Night in Paris and A Sunset in Sydney and there are two more to come in 2022. Her standalone novel The Christmas Swap celebrates her favourite time of the year, and next up is The Dating Game, a laugh-out-loud romcom set in the world of Reality TV.

Follow Sandy:

https://www.facebook.com/sandybarkerauthor

https://sandybarker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sandybarkerauthor/

With Thanks for the Advance Copy to ….

Rachel Gilbey https://www.rachelsrandomresources.com/home

Sandy Barker https://sandybarker.com/

One More Chapter https://www.onemorechapter.com/

Book Review “Little Sister” by Patricia MacDonald

BOOK REVIEW NO: 130

Psychological Thriller

Stand Alone

Pages: 332

Publisher JOFFE BOOKS

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB

Two estranged sisters.
One obsessive boyfriend.
A dark secret that could destroy them all.

Beth has the perfect life. She’s the one who escaped her bleak hometown and now she’s got a successful business, a devoted boyfriend, and her dream home.

Then one phone call changes everything . . .

Her father is dead. And Beth must go home to Maine to take care of her fourteen-year-old little sister who she hasn’t seen in eight years.

Her little sister is dating a dangerous man. He’s too old for her. Obsessive and controlling.

And he’ll do anything to keep Beth’s little sister to himself.

An electrifying blend of high domestic suspense, heart-stopping tension — with a shattering final twist.

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS (PLUS)

Little Sister is an intensely nerve jangling read. It begins relatively harmlessly with Beth having to return to her unhappy childhood home for her Father’s funeral. A father she didn’t have any feelings for and a little sister she hadn’t seen for 8 Years. what could go wrong? Well a fair bit actually!

Beth is rich and seemingly living the life. A good job, boyfriend, home with everything just so. Francie, her little sister is the polar opposite, living in a place that is only just catching up with the modern world. Francie is a bit of rebel and does as she pleases. Something will have to give? who or what will it be?

I was engrossed in this book from the off. It begins slowly and we learn a lot about two main characters. really getting into their psyche. Learning what makes them tick. Watching their relationship grow is fascinating. They crash about from misunderstanding to lies and deceit but never apparently getting to know each or even trying to get to know each other. Then throw in one lying, much older boyfriend , Andrew and disaster resonates throughout their relationship.

I was happily going along with getting to know Beth and Francie when all of a sudden things change and not for the better, although Beth and Francie are beginning to get to know each other there is something lurking in the background that is creepy and dangerous.

The last few chapters will have you page turning at a pace. It is thrilling and fast and you really find yourself truly involved in the unfolding events. I was scared and my heart rate increased so much I could feel it beating. The ending is utterly enthralling. I gave this book 5 stars (plus) as 5 stars just wasn’t enough. Grab yourself a copy and prepare for a great thrilling read.

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With Thanks for The Advance Copy to ….

JOFFE BOOKS https://www.joffebooks.com/

Patricia MacDonald

Book Review “Attracting Garden Pollinators” by Jean Vernon

BOOK REVIEW NO: 129

SYNOPSIS/BOOKBLURB

Attracting Garden Pollinators is a friendly, accessible, information packed guide to gardening for and with pollinators. Pollinators are in trouble, but our gardens can help. Gardens represent a vast, varied ‘nature reserve’ packed with plants rich in nectar and pollen to sustain these delicate creatures. This book explores the role that pollinators play and how gardeners and people with gardens can do something to help attract and support them. From butterflies (and their caterpillars – with host plant information) to surprising pollinators (moths, wasps, beetles flies and hornets) and of course including honeybees, hoverflies and bumblebees, this book will offer an insight into their fragile existence, lifecycles and their vital role in the food chain and the natural cycle. Jean Vernon is the Best-Selling author of The Secret Lives of Garden Bees.

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

What an absolutely beautiful book and one that is so very important for the times we live in. In my other life I am a Garden writer and love love gardening, it is my sanctuary, where I need to go to wind down and just reset. This book is great to not only encourage the bees and other pollinators but also us, as gardeners. We do need to learn to share our space and not be quite so prim and proper about our gardens. I am proud to say that I have a wildlife friendly garden with a small pond, full of frogs and newts. Bees, butterflies, dragonflies and so many more are all welcome here. This book shows how we can all achieve this, even in a small space, a few plants in pots will soon be buzzing with pollinators.

Attracting Garden pollinators is a wonderful book to dip in and out of. The photographs are stunning and really draw you in. I love the way it is written, in an encouraging style without being patronising or demanding. I have shared this book with my 8 year old budding gardener Granddaughter. She is the proud owner of her first sunflower, grown from seed and her first strawberries. She absolutely loves this book. She found it very interesting and engaging and even took it into school to talk about and to show all her friends how to be pollinator attractors. These are the gardeners of tomorrow and this book really hit the spot for them.

The perfect book to get you started, with plant suggestions, bug habitats and houses you can put in your garden to encourage more pollinators. Stunning photos and just al round brilliant information.

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AUTHOR BIO

Jean Vernon is an award-winning nature writer and the author of the best-selling – The Secret Lives of Garden Bees.

She writes about wildlife for the RHS Journal – The Garden. She is a contributor to the gardening section of The Daily Telegraph and has written many articles on bees, pollinators and the needs of garden bees. Fascinated by bees and the environment since a youngster, she is a tree and bee guardian and passionate about championing bees and pollinators and wildlife of all sorts. It is her mission to unravel, demystify and explain the intricate balance of nature in your garden and to introduce you to the familiar and unfamiliar bees and pollinators that live, breed and breathe within the garden habitat.

She writes in a friendly, accessible style to make facts interesting and understandable, bringing the fascinating complexities of insects and nature within reach of every reader, regardless of their age, level of interest and knowledge.

Jean studied botany at Nottingham University and has had a long and varied career writing about plants, gardens, pollinators and wildlife in the garden

With Thanks for the Advance copy to …

Pen and Sword

White Owl Books

Jean Vernon

Book review “Finding Ruby” by J A Higgins

BOOK REVIEW NO: 128

A Nell Montague Mystery

Pages 254

Publisher Silverwood Books

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB

Finding Ruby: A Nell Montague Mystery

On Halloween night thirteen year old Ruby disappears in the company of a masked figure. She is never seen again. The only witness is Nell Montague who is just seven years old.

Twenty three years later, Nell is trapped in an abusive relationship and still suffering from vivid nightmares of what she saw. When tragedy strikes she escapes and attempts to put her past behind her. Then thirteen year old Emily disappears.

Haunted by increasingly disturbing visions and helped by a reluctant psychic, Nell must unravel the mystery of what really happened that night because to save Emily she must first find Ruby.  But to do so she will question everything she thought she knew about her own childhood and soon discovers that nightmares don’t always end when you wake up.

Purchase Links

http://mybook.to/FINDINGRUBY

www.silverwoodbooks.co.uk/product/9781781328767/finding-ruby

www.amazon.co.uk/Finding-Ruby-Nell-Montague-Mystery/dp/1781328765

UK only:  JAHigginsAuthor.Etsy.com

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

Gripping and pretty scary at times is the perfect opener for this review! What an absolutely wonderfully entertaining and engaging read. The plot is just awesome and thankfully the characters are entirely believe able and likeable. The whole story is packed full of intrigue and the pace is set at a good level, it keeps your interest throughout. I enjoyed the concept and as a reader you are definitely kept wondering what will happen in the next chapter. My only criticism is that is was over to quickly, I really was loving every page. I, for one will be looking out for the next instalment. There really isn’t much more for me to say, other than why are you still sitting there reading my review, get going and grab your copy. It is truly an accomplished read and the author writing is pure genius. Fabulous!

Author Bio –

Born and raised at Porton Down in Wiltshire, and currently working for the NHS in Salisbury, J A Higgins has always been fascinated by crime, history and the unexplained.  Finding Ruby is a Page Turner Awards 2021 winner, and the first in the Nell Montague mystery series which will examine how horrors from the past are still very relevant today.

Social Media Links –

Twitter – JAHiggins-Author

Instagram – higgins_author

With thanks for the Advance copy to….

Rachel Gilby https://www.rachelsrandomresources.com/home

J A Higgins http://JAHiggins-Author

Silverwood Books Publisher https://www.silverwoodbooks.co.uk/

Book Review “Red Flags” by Lisa Black

BOOK REVIEW NO: 127

A Locard Institute Thriller, Book 1

pages: 342

Publisher: Kensington Books

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB

When D.C. crime scene analyst Dr. Ellie Carr is called to investigate the heartrending case of a missing baby, she’s shocked to discover that the child’s mother is her own cousin. Close during their impoverished childhoods, Ellie and Rebecca eventually drifted apart. Rebecca is now half of a Washington power couple, and she and her wealthy lobbyist husband, Hunter, have been living a charmed life in an opulent mansion—until their infant son is taken.

“Every contact leaves a trace.” That’s the basic principle of forensic science followed by pathologist Dr. Rachael Davies. A reluctant Ellie is teamed with Rachael, employed by Hunter to help with the investigation. Rachael is assistant dean at the prestigious Locard Forensic Institute, named in honor of the French criminologist who inspired the profession. But in this case, discovering where those traces lead quickly becomes a dangerous journey through a web of greed and deadly ambition.

At first antagonists, then allies, Ellie and Rachael race to find the baby alive and bring the kidnappers to justice. What seemed like a simple ransom grab reveals links to a lobbying effort to loosen regulations on a billion-dollar gaming empire. Unless they can piece together the evidence before the Senate hearing, Rebecca’s son—and others like him—will face an unthinkable fate . . .

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

Red Flags is a true thriller that gives you plenty of clues but you still end up not guessing whodunit! I loved this book. The writing style is descriptive but without unnecessary waffle. The fact that it is written predominantly from the crime scene analyst Ellie Carr’s point of view makes for a brilliant change to the usual, suspect/police point of view. I was drawn into Ellie’s life completely, feeling for her as she is drawn into a case that involves her family. She hates the fact that she might be being used as a inside spy to see if she can dig the dirt on them and hopefully get to the bottom of the babies disappearance. She feels very uncomfortable about the entire situation but also her need to find the baby alive drives her onwards.

The story is utterly compelling and although gets a little complicated at times I was just engrossed. A book that makes me think along the way is a fine book in my opinion. It becomes clear that this book has a big message to deliver, one of online safety of our children. It is delivered in an expert style that keeps the pace moving and holds your interest completely. I almost felt like I needed a pen a paper to write the clues down and figure it all out. Red Flags is a book that I would highly recommend if you like a great read that actually makes you think, has plenty of twists and leaves you knowing you’ve just read a great thriller.

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AUTHOR BIO

Lisa Black’s books have reached the NYT bestsellers list, been translated into six languages and have been optioned for film. Perish was shortlisted for the inaugural Sue Grafton Memorial Award by Putnam and Mystery Writers of America. Lisa will be a Guest of Honor at 2021 Killer Nashville.

She is a certified crime scene analyst in Florida and a former forensic scientist for the Cleveland coroner’s office. She is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the International Association for Identification, and the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts, and has testified in more than fifty homicide trials.

She still aspires to drive Nancy Drew’s convertible and marry Ellery Queen.

With Thanks for The Advance Copy to..

Kensington Books https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/

Lisa Black

Book Review “Wolf of Mercia” by M J Porter

BOOK REVIEW NO: 126

Historical Thriller

Book 2 The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles

346 pages

Publisher: Boldwood

Wolf of Mercia

Author Bio –

As a lone wolf inside a Wessex stronghold, Icel must ensure his own and Mercia’s triumph.

Icel is becoming a warrior of Mercia, but King Ecgberht of Wessex still holds the Mercian settlement of Londonia and its valuable mint.

King Wiglaf of Mercia is determined that the last bulwark be reclaimed from his sworn enemy to complete his rehabilitation as Mercia’s rightful ruler.

In the heart of the shield wall, Icel suddenly finds himself on the wrong side of the battle and thrust into the retreating enemy stronghold where he must take on the pretence of a Wessex warrior to survive and exact a cunning plan to bring down the Wessex force cowering behind the ancient walls.

His allegiances are tested and the temptation to make new allies is overwhelming but Icel must succeed if he’s ever to see Tamworth again and bring about King Wiglaf’s victory, or will he be forced to join the enemy?

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3tNhWTG

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

I must admit that I am glad to be back in Mercia and the life of Icel. In book 2 we definitely get to know Icel in depth. He really would prefer to heal than fight, although he absolutely steps into his warrior shoes when he is called upon. Icel’s’ inner battle is huge. Can he honestly be a warrior and a healer at the same time?

Wolf of Mercia is full of dramatic events and the detail held within it’s pages is immense. I always feel that not only am I reading a superbly written book but i am learning along the way. An interesting read indeed. The story telling is truly compelling and you really get drawn into the lives of the characters.

To be honest there isn’t much more I can say as I really don’t want to give the game away and I never include spoilers. The synopsis is spot on with the story and it alone will make you feel like you need to get hold of a copy. I would however recommend you read the whole series. Although you can read Wolf of Mercia as a standalone it is much better if you learn about Icel from his childhood and his new battles and struggles as he enters manhood. There is plenty of action and the story flows well. A great read that deserves all the praise I am sure it will receive.

AUTHOR BIO

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. They were raised in the shadow of a building that they believed housed the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia – so their writing destiny was set. The first novel in their new Anglo-Saxon series for Boldwood Son of Mercia was published in February 2022.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MJPorterauthor

Twitter https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

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

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

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mj-porter

With Thanks for the Advance copy to ……

Rachel Gilby https://www.rachelsrandomresources.com/home

M J Porter https://bit.ly/MJPorterNews

Boldwood https://www.boldwoodbooks.com/

Book Review “The Murder List” by Jackie Kabler

BOOK REVIEW NO: 125

Psychological Domestic Thriller

Standalone

350 Pages

Publisher: One More Chapter

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB

The Murder List

When Mary receives a blank diary as a present, she thinks nothing of it. Until she opens the diary, and sees it’s not blank after all…

1st January MURDER LISA, OXFORD
1st February MURDER JANE, BIRMINGHAM
1st March MURDER DAVID, CARDIFF
1st April MURDER MARY, CHELTENHAM

Is this some kind of sick joke? But…it’s the end of January now. And a woman named Lisa was murderedin Oxford on 1st January.

Does that mean there really is a killer out there, planning to commit a new murder on the first of each month? And is the Mary due to be killed on 1st April her?

The clock is ticking for Mary to uncover the truth, before she becomes the next victim on the killer’s list…

Purchase Link

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-List-incredible-psychological-bestselling-ebook/dp/B09KZ9FR2T

US – https://www.amazon.com/Murder-List-incredible-psychological-bestselling-ebook/dp/B09KZ9FR2T

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

As Psychological thrillers are by far my favourite genre I really hoped that The Murder List would be right up there with my favourites. However it far far outstripped a lot of them! What an absolute corker of a book. This is one that really gets your grey matter working into overdrive. A proper edge of your seat page turner. I know I know those old clichés, said so many times in reviews but honestly they just sum up this beautifully crafted thriller to a tea.

There are a few red herrings thrown in to this uncommon take on police procedure. A case that sounds utterly impossible for them to crack. Only having the first name only to go by this really is a challenging case for the police. The case is very cleverly structured and the characters are certainly worth investing your reading time too. Your thought processes will go haywire trying to keep up with the twists and turns. It is totally compelling and you will find it hard (well I did) to put this one down. I loved it and I will be looking out for the Jackie Kabler, how have I not read her before? Totally engrossing and superbly written.

Author Bio –

Jackie Kabler is an internationally bestselling author of psychological thrillers including The Perfect Couple, Am I Guilty? and The Happy Family. She worked as a newspaper reporter and then in television news for twenty years, including nearly a decade on GMTV. She later appeared on BBC and ITV news, presented a property show for Sky, hosted sports shows on Setanta Sports News and worked as a media trainer for the Armed Forces. She now combines her crime writing with her job as a presenter on shopping channel QVC. Jackie lives in Gloucestershire with her husband.

Social Media Links –

Twitter @jackiekabler

Instagram @officialjackiekabler

With Thanks for the Advance copy to ….

Rachel Gilby https://www.rachelsrandomresources.com/home

Jackie Kabler http://jackiekabler

One More Chapter (Harper Collins UK) https://www.onemorechapter.com/