Murder on the Cornish Cliffs by Verity Bright Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 1 December 2023
Publisher: Bookouture
Format: Print, e-book and audio
Series: A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #16
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cosy Mystery

Synopsis

A festive invitation from an old family friend, the promise of gingerbread at the village inn, snowy walks on the Cornish coast with Gladstone the bulldog… But wait, is that a body on the beach?

Winter, 1923. It’s nearly Christmas and Lady Eleanor Swift has received a rather strange letter from an old friend of her uncle. Mr Godfrey Cunliffe has asked her to stay in Cornwall for the holidays – but only because he believes his gardener is trying to poison

London Tales by Tim Walker Read an Excerpt

Publication Date: 8th November 2023
Publisher: Independently published
Series: Short Stories, Book Two
Page Length: 203
Genres: short stories; historical fiction; contemporary fiction; dystopian

Synopsis

This collection of eleven tales offers dramatic pinpricks in the rich tapestry of London’s timeline, a city with two thousand years of history. They are glimpses of imagined lives at key moments, starting with a prologue in verse from the point of view of a native Briton tribeswoman absorbing the shock of Roman invasion. The first story is a tense historical adventure set in Roman Londinium in 60 CE from the perspective of terrified legionaries and townsfolk facing the vengeful Iceni

Historical Stories of Exile by Various Historial Fiction Authors Launch Party

OFFICIAL LAUNCH PARTY Date: 16th November 2023
Publisher: Taw River Press
Page Length: 323
Genre: Historical Fiction / Short Story Anthology

Contributing Authors: Cryssa Bazos, Anna Belfrage, Elizabeth Chadwick, Cathie Dunn, J G Harlond, Helen Hollick, Loretta Livingstone, Amy Maroney Alison Morton, Charlene Newcomb, Elizabeth St.John, Marian L. Thorpe, Annie Whitehead.
With an introduction by Deborah Swift.

Synopsis

Exile: a risky defiance, a perilous journey, a family’s tragic choice – or an individual’s final gamble to live. Exile: voluntary or enforced, a

Twelve Nights by Penny Ingham Read a Snippet

Publisher: Nerthus
Publication Date: April 2022
Page Length: 360
Series: The Heavenly Charmers
Genre: historical fiction/historical mystery

Synopsis

1592. The Theatre, London.

When a player is murdered, suspicion falls on the wardrobe mistress, Magdalen Bisset, because everyone knows poison is a woman’s weapon. The coroner is convinced of her guilt. The scandal-pamphlets demonize her.

Magdalen is innocent, although few are willing to help her prove it. Only handsome Matthew Hilliard offers his assistance, but dare she trust him when nothing about him rings true?

The Warmth of Snow by Heidi Eljarbo Read a Snippet

Publication Date: 24th October 2023
Publisher: self-published
Page Length: 212
Series: Heartwarming Christmas
Genre: Sweet Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Scandinavian Literature

Synopsis

There must be a way to thaw a heart long frozen. Can she help him, or does he have other plans?

Sweden 1810.
August Brandell, the count of Linborg, has returned home after four years of war against the French Empire under the direction of Napoléon Bonaparte. Wounded and downtrodden, he is a meager shadow of the man he used to be. One day, a lovely young

Bone Rites by Natalie Bayley Book Review

Publication Date: 31st October, 2023
Publisher: Aurora Metro Books
Format: Paperback
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis

"I collected the first bone when I was twelve. This fact was not mentioned in court... Such a tiny little bone, more like a tooth. I only kept it to keep him safe."

Kathryn Darkling, imprisoned in Holloway, is facing death by hanging for her vengeance killing. Haunted by a spirit, she still hopes to perform the ancient black magic that will free her soul, or her struggle to punish the mighty will have been in vain. Will the love of her life

Jane and the Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron Blog Tour - Book Review

Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Publisher: Soho Crime
Series: Being a Jane Austen Mystery (Book 15)
Length: (312) pages
Format: Hardcover, eBook, & audiobook
ISBN: 978-1641295055
Genre: Historical Mystery, Austenesque Fiction

Synopsis

The final volume of the critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Jane Austen as amateur sleuth

March 1817: As winter turns to spring, Jane Austen’s health is in slow decline, and threatens to cease progress on her latest manuscript. But when her nephew Edward

War Sonnets by Susannah Willey Read an Excerpt

Publication Date: 5 July 2023
Publisher: Utter Loonacy Press
Page Length: 364
Genre: Historical Fiction / World War II

Synopsis

1942: In the war-torn jungles of Luzon, two soldiers scout the landscape. Under ordinary circumstances they might be friends, but in the hostile environment of World War II, they are mortal enemies.

Leo Baldwin, a US Army sergeant, writes sonnets. His sights are set on serving his country honorably and returning home in one piece. But the enemy is not always Japanese…Dooley wants Leo’s job, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get it…Leo finds himself fighting for his reputation and freedom.

Lieutenant Tadashi Abukara prefers haiku. He has vowed to serve his emperor honorably, but finds himself fighting a losing battle. Through combat, starvation, and the threat

Guest Post from Natalie Bayley, Author of Bone Rites

I'm pleased to be part of an October blog tour for Bone Rites, Natalie Bayley's historical fiction novel.

My participation is twofold: hosting a guest post today and providing a review closer to publication day.

Bone Rites is described as a dark, literary tale of love, loss and one woman’s obsessive fight for justice and redemption within a ruthless world and will be released on October 31st, 2023.

Natalie has written the following about some of the weird and wonderful facts she has uncovered while researching. Like me, I'm sure you will find it interesting. Thank you, Natalie.

Burning Secret by R J Lloyd Read An Excerpt

Publication Date: 24 May 2022
Publisher: Matador
Page Length: 384
Genre: Historical Fiction


Synopsis

Inspired by actual events, Burning Secret is a dramatic and compelling tale of ambition, lies and betrayal.

Born in the slums of Bristol in 1844, Enoch Price seems destined for a life of poverty and hardship-but he’s determined not to accept his lot.

Enoch becomes a bare-knuckle fighter in London’s criminal underworld. But in a city

Murder by Invitation by Verity Bright Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 27 September 2023
Publisher: Bookouture
Format: Print, e-book and audio
Series: A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #15
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cosy Mystery

Synopsis

Lady Swift has been cordially invited to a huge royal celebration in Little Buckford to toast the King’s birthday… but wait, is that a body in the village hall?

Lady Eleanor Swift and her loyal butler Clifford are busy lending a hand with preparations for the big day. The grand dining room at Henley Hall is overflowing with home-sewn flags, paint and royal rosettes. Even Gladstone the bulldog and his new friend Tomkins the ginger cat are invited!

Harlem After Midnight by Louise Hare Book Review

Publication Date: August 29, 2023
Publisher: Berkley Trade Paperback
Series: The Canary Club Mystery #2
Genre: Historical Mystery

Synopsis

As Mixed-race jazz singer Lena Aldridge arrives in New York she thought she left the seedy underworld of jazz clubs behind in London, but secrets and murder seem to have followed her across the Atlantic. After a chaotic journey at sea aboard the Queen Mary, Lena is happy to be back on dry land and eager to spend some time in the city with Will, her new flame, before returning to London.

But the prospect of love isn’t the only reason Lena decides to stay in New York—revelations from her time aboard the Queen Mary imbue

Buccaneer: The Early Life and Crimes of Philip Rake by Chris Thorndycroft Release Day Spotlight

Publication Date: August 1st, 2023
Publisher: Chris Thorndycroft
Series: The Molucca Star Quartet
Page Length: 232
Genre: Historical action and adventure

Synopsis

Bristol, 1713. When Philip Rake, pickpocket, smuggler and scoundrel is arrested and thrown in jail, he assumes he has a short walk to the gallows. But his father, a wealthy merchant who has remained a figure of mystery throughout his life, throws him a lifeline; become an indentured man on an expedition to the East Indies led by his friend, Woodes Rogers.

Woodes Rogers is looking for Libertatia - the fabled pirate kingdom of the legendary buccaneer Henry Avery - and the hoard of

Six in Six - 2023 Edition

Another July has come around which means it's time for this fun meme hosted by Jo @ The Book Jotter, now in its eleventh year.

The aim of Six in Six is to share what we've read in the first six months of the year by choosing six of the categories given and listing six books under each category. More information and the list of categories can be found here.

This meme is a great way to look back on what you've read so far in the year and to see any emerging trends. Looking at what I've read over the past six months,

Mystery in the Highlands by Lydia Travers Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: July 26, 2023
Publisher: Bookouture
Series: The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency #3
Format: Paperback, ebook and audio
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cosy

Synopsis

When members of a choir start dropping dead in the Highlands, Maud McIntyre and her lady’s maid Daisy go undercover to discover the inharmonious culprit. But will they uncover the killer before another murder takes place?

Edinburgh, 1911: When Maud and Daisy receive a letter from Daisy’s cousin, Clara, sharing her fears that two sudden deaths in her local choir weren’t accidental, at first Daisy thinks her cousin is overreacting. But Maud’s

Murder in Manhattan by Verity Bright Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 29 June 2023
Publisher: Bookouture
Format: Print, e-book and audio
Series: A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #14
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cosy Mystery

Synopsis

Glitzy parties, sightseeing at the Statue of Liberty and strolls through Central Park with Gladstone the bulldog… Lady Eleanor Swift is loving her first trip to the city that never sleeps, until she witnesses a murder!

After crossing from England on the SS Celestiana, Lady Eleanor Swift sets up her home-away-from-home in a lavish apartment in New York City. She is soon the toast of the town, with no high-class soirée complete without her presence. Of course, she drags

Murder on Oak Street by I. M. Foster Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: November 4, 2022
Publisher: independent
Page Length: 503
Series: A South Shore Mystery
Genre: Historical Mystery

Synopsis

New York, 1904. After two years as a coroner’s physician for the city of New York, Daniel O'Halleran is more frustrated than ever. What’s the point when the authorities consistently brush aside his findings for the sake of expediency? So when his fiancée leaves him standing at the altar on their wedding day, he takes it as a sign that it's time to move on and eagerly accepts an offer

The Douglas Bastard by J R Tomlin Read an Excerpt - Blog Tour

Publication Date: April 26, 2022
Series: Archibald the Grim Series
Page Length: 185
Genre: Historical Fiction, Scottish Historical Fiction

Synopsis

Young Archibald, the Black Douglas's bastard son, returns from exile to a Scotland ravaged by war.

The war-hardened Knight of Liddesdale will teach him what he must learn. And with danger on every side, he must learn to sleep with one eye open and a claymore in his hand because even their closest ally may betray them...

The Roads of War by John Cameron Book Review

Synopsis

During the Civil War, Lewis McCormack has to return to his regiment’s training camp, leaving his wife Eliza to tend to their homestead. Rearing children, surviving a declining economy, and paying the family debts leads to intolerable hurdles and even more difficult decisions. Amid the chaos of war, Lewis just wants to stay alive—to make it back to his family.

Meanwhile, Private Davey Morris is detailed as courier and travels through war-torn Pennsylvania to complete his mission, while Private Tandy Strider uses his thirty-day wounded furlough to search for the young prostitute that he has deemed his soulmate.

As the war progresses, Lewis realizes that his

Cold Blows the Wind by Catherine Meyrick Read an Excerpt - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 28 April 2022
Publisher: Courante Publishing
Page Length: 425
Genre: Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Australian Fiction

Synopsis

Hobart Town 1878 – a vibrant town drawing people from every corner of the earth where, with confidence and a flair for storytelling, a person can be whoever he or she wants. Almost.

Ellen Thompson is young, vivacious and unmarried, with a six-month-old baby. Despite her fierce attachment to her family, boisterous and unashamed of their convict origins, Ellen dreams of marriage and disappearing into the ranks of the respectable. Then she meets

Murder in the Scottish Hills by Lydia Travers Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: May 25,2023
Publisher: Bookouture
Series: The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency #2
Format: Paperback, ebook and audio
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cosy

Synopsis

When Maud McIntyre and her lady’s maid Daisy travel into the Scottish Highlands, the last thing they expect to find is a body on the train… Will these keen amateur sleuths stop a murderer in his tracks?

Edinburgh, 1911: When Maud McIntyre receives a letter from a maid called Rose, sharing her suspicions that something strange is happening in the house where she works, she and her assistant Daisy immediately travel

Muskets and Masquerades by Lindsey S. Fera Read an Excerpt

Publication Date: 18th April 2023
Publisher: Pompkin Press
Series: Muskets Trilogy
Page Length: 500
Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Romance

Synopsis

Jack and Annalisa are married only five months when, enroute to France, a shipwreck separates them. On different shores, each believes the other dead. But when Annalisa learns Jack is alive, she returns to America and discovers much has changed. After a betrayal, she flees town as her alter ego, Benjamin Cavendish, and joins the Continental Army. Unbeknownst to Annalisa, Jack has also joined the Continentals, harboring shameful secrets from his days in mourning. Against the backdrop of war with Britain, façades mount

The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency by Lydia Travers Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: April 27,2023
Publisher: Bookouture
Series: The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency #1
Format: Paperback, ebook and audio
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cosy

Synopsis

When Maud McIntyre sets up her own private detective agency, she never imagines her first case will involve murder… A mystery in the Highlands? The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency is on the case!

Edinburgh, 1911: When Maud McIntyre and her lady’s maid, Daisy, form a detective agency, they never dream their first case will take place at a glamorous house in the Scottish Highlands. But when the Duchess of

A Matter of Faith by Judith Arnopp Spotlight

Publication Date: March 20th, 2023
Publisher: self-published
Series: The Henrician Chronicle
Page Length: 209
Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis

Finally free of Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII, is now married to Anne Boleyn and eagerly awaiting the birth of his son. In a court still reeling from the royal divorce and growing public resentment against church reform, Henry must negotiate widespread resentment toward Anne. He places all his hopes in a son to cement his Tudor blood line, but his dreams are shattered when Anne is delivered of a daughter.

Burying his disappointment, Henry focuses on getting her with child again, but their marriage is

The Kingmaking by Helen Hollick Special 30th Publication and 70th Birthday Celebration!

Publication Date: March 2023 (new editions, excl. US/CA)
Publisher: Taw River Press
Series: The Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy (Book #1)
Page Length: 570
Genre: Historical Fiction / Arthurian Fiction

Synopsis

The Boy Who became a Man:
Who became a King:
Who became a Legend... KING ARTHUR

There is no Merlin, no sword in the stone, and no Lancelot.
Instead, the man who became our most enduring hero.

Death on Deck by Verity Bright Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 13 March, 2023
Publisher: Bookouture
Series: A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #13
Format: ebook, print and audio
Genre: Historical Fiction/Cosy Mystery

Synopsis

When Lady Swift embarks upon her first luxury cruise she imagines a gilded ballroom, afternoons on deck taking tea and all the delectable food she can eat. But she can’t seem to escape from murder…

Lady Eleanor Swift is all set to spend her birthday with her beau, dashing Detective Hugh Seldon, until he calls to cancel on her again at the last minute. What’s a girl to do? Pack up her staff and her faithful old bulldog, Gladstone, and head off on a cruise to New

The Burning Bride by Trish MacEnulty Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 21/10/22
Publisher: Prism Light Press
Page Length: 396
Series: Delafield & Malloy Investigations #2
Genre: Historical Mystery, Women’s Fiction

Synopsis

A bullet barely misses Manhattan society writer Louisa Delafield, and her publisher insists she leave the city for what seems like an easy assignment in Florida until a wedding guest winds up dead with a stolen diamond in his hand.

Louisa investigates the mysterious death, but finds the answers hard to come by when a mesmerizing French man distracts her from her duties.

In New York, Louisa’s assistant, Ellen Malloy, infiltrates an anarchists’ enclave to discover who shot at Louisa and risks losing the woman of her dreams in her pursuit.

The Whispering Women by Trish MacEnulty Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 09/06/22
Publisher: Prism Light Press
Page Length: 387
Series: Delafield & Malloy Investigations #1
Genre: Historical Mystery, Women’s Fiction

Synopsis

Louisa Delafield and Ellen Malloy didn’t ask to be thrown together to bring the truth to light. But after Ellen witnesses the death of a fellow servant during an illegal abortion, Louisa, a society columnist, vows to help her find the truth and turn her journalistic talent to a greater purpose.

Together, these unlikely allies battle to get the truth out, and to avenge the wrongful death of a friend.

What will our heroes do when their closest allies

The Black Madonna by Stella Riley Read an Excerpt

Publication Date: 31st May 2013
Publisher: Stella Riley
Series: Roundheads & Cavaliers (Book 1 of 4)
Page Length: 622
Audio Book Narrated By: Alex Wyndham
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

Synopsis

As England slides into Civil War, master-goldsmith and money-lender, Luciano Falcieri del Santi embarks on his own hidden agenda. A chance meeting one dark night results in an unlikely friendship with Member of Parliament, Richard Maxwell. Richard’s daughter, Kate – a spirited girl who vows to hold their home against both Cavalier and Roundhead – soon finds herself fighting an involuntary attraction to the clever, magnetic and diabolically beautiful Italian.

The Drums of War by Michael Ward Book Review

Synopsis

London 1642.

The King has fled London with the drums of war ringing in his ears. Across the country, lines are being drawn and armies raised.

Influential royalist Lady Carlisle switches sides and presses spice trader Thomas Tallant and his partner Elizabeth Seymour into Parliament's service.

Soon Thomas faces double-dealing in his hunt for a lethal hoard of gunpowder hidden on the river, while Elizabeth engages in a race against time to locate a hidden sniper picking off Parliamentary officers at will in the city.

The capital also witnesses a vicious gang of

Dead Heat to Destiny by J.B. Rivard Read an Excerpt

Publisher: Impressit Press
Publication date: February 7, 2023
Format: Ebook and paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction - Adventure, World War I

Synopsis

Destined for success in the booming world of high fashion, young Adrienne Boch deflects the romantic pursuit of Will Marra, an American student in Paris. Her cousin, Gregor Steiner, completes his training as an officer in the Imperial German Navy. They, like the entire world, are unprepared when World War I begins. As the invading German army threatens Paris, Gregor advances to captain a U-boat, Will becomes a pilot in the U.S. Army, and Adrienne’s family flees an overrun Belgium. In Central America, a spy is

The Flame Tree by Siobhan Daiko New Release Book Blast

Publication Date: January 19th, 2023
Publisher: Asolando Books
Series: The Hong Kong Collection
Page Length: 300
Genre: Asian Historical Fiction

Synopsis

In the spring of 1939, dashing young William Burton and the beautiful Constance Han set sail from London on the same ocean liner to Hong Kong.

Romance blossoms while they enjoy games of deck quoits and spend sultry tropical evenings dancing under the stars. Connie is intrigued by Will’s talent for writing poetry, and she offers to give him Cantonese lessons to help him with his new job— a

Caledon by Virginia Crow Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 22nd January 2019
Publisher: Crowvus
Page Length: 180 (A4 size) – the book is approx. 80,000 words
Series: Caledon (Book One)
Genre: Historical Fantasy

Synopsis

"Go out and tell all those you meet, Caledon has risen. Caledon will be protected and defended. And to you who would cause her harm, be prepared. A new fight has come."

After the destruction of the Jacobite forces at Culloden, Scotland is divided, vulnerable and leaderless, with survivors from both sides seeking to make sense of the battles they have fought against their fellow Scots.

New Release Challenge 2023 - My Sign Up Post

Hosted by: Brandee and Lexie at (un)Conventional Bookworms
Challenge period: 1st January to 31st December, 2023
Sign Up: By 1st September, 2023
Aim: To read and review books released in 2023.
Twitter Hashtag: #2023NewReleaseChallenge

All the information can be found here on the sign-up page.

HIstorical Fiction Reading Challenge 2023 - My Sign Up Post

Hosted by: Marg @ The Intrepid Reader
Challenge period: 1st January to 31st December, 2023
Sign up: anytime during the year
Challenge hashtag: #histficreadingchallenge

All the details are available on the sign-up page.

There are six different reading

European Reading Challenge 2023 - My Sign Up Post

Hosted by: Gilion @ Rose City Reader

Challenge period: 1st January to 31st December, 2023, with until 31st January, 2024, to finish reviews and write a wrap-up post.

Aim: To read books set in European countries or books by European authors, any genre – fiction, nonfiction, novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, etc. No two books

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2023 - My Sign Up Post

Hosted by: Carol @ Carol's Notebook
Challenge period: 1st January to 31st December, 2023
Sign Up: Ends March 15, 2023
Aim: To read any book that is from the mystery/suspense/thriller/crime genres. Any sub-genres are welcome as long as they incorporate one of these genres and books need to be at least 100 pages long.
Challenge Hashtag: #CloakDaggerChal

2022 Reading Challenges - Wrap Up

This is my wrap-up post for the various challenges I participated in during 2022. I failed most of them. In hindsight I probably set my goals too high (I based them on my 2021 results).

Sisters of Castle Leod by Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: January 19, 2023
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Page Length: 293
Genre: Historical Fiction, Biographical Historical Fiction
Cover Art: oil on glass painting, © Alison Hale, https://alisonhale.co.nz/ 

Synopsis

**Finalist in the 2022 American Writing Awards**

Millions are fans of Diana Gabaldon’s popular Outlander books and television series, but few know that Gabaldon’s fictional Castle Leoch was inspired by a real Scottish castle, Castle Leod. The two sisters who lived there at the turn of the twentieth century were among the most fascinating and talked-about

The Case of the Disappearing Beaune: A Sherlock Holmes Christmas Mystery by J. Lawrence Matthews A Short Book Review

It's Christmas morning, 1902, and Dr Watson calls on Sherlock Holmes to invite him and his brother, Mycroft, for Christmas dinner. Holmes refuses the invitation, as Watson new he would and remains steadfast despite Watson's cajoling.

When sand is found substituted for the wine in a bottle of Beaune, a Christmas gift from Holmes to Watson, Holmes fears that the new king's (Edward VII) life is in danger. What follows is a madcap dash around London, with Holmes and Watson one step behind those they are pursuing, ending with a delightful twist, making this a very heartwarming novella.

While not the mystery I anticipated, it was very entertaining and shows that the great detective could be outwitted. A great Christmas read!

Thanks to Ellen Whitfield of Books Forward for a review copy.

The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: January 3, 2023
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Co
Length: (416) pages
Format: Hardcover, Trade paperback & eBook 
Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Inspirational Fiction

Synopsis

In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.