Showing posts with label Mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mystery. Show all posts
CAN'T-WAIT WEDNESDAY: I Can't Wait for The Darker Arts by Oscar de Muriel
BOOK REVIEW/BLOG TOUR: An Abiding Fire by M.J. Logue
Publisher: Sapere Books
ebook and paperback
Genre:Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Synopsis
How do you solve a murder when you are one of the suspects?
1664, London. Life should be good for Major Thankful Russell and his new bride, Thomazine. Russell, middle-aged and battle-scarred, isn’t everyone’s idea of the perfect husband for an eligible young woman but the moment Thomazine set eyes
BOOK REVIEW/BLOG TOUR: The Price of Compassion by A.B. Michaels
Red Trumpet Press
eBook; 296 Pages
Series: Golden City, Book #4
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery
Synopsis
April 18, 1906. San Francisco has just been shattered by a massive earthquake and is in the throes of an even more deadly fire.
During the chaos, gifted surgeon Tom Justice makes a life-changing decision that wreaks havoc on his body,
BOOK REVIEW/BLOG TOUR: A Duel for Christmas by Rosanne E. Lortz
Madison Street Publishing
Paperback & eBook; 383 Pages
Series: Pevensey Mysteries, #3
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Regency
Synopsis
After seven long years in Devon, Lady Maud Worlington returns to London to reclaim life on her own terms, but a nefarious shadow and the prospect of financial ruin dog her steps. An impulsive and unforgettable kiss under the mistletoe creates a connection with Geoffrey, the handsome, young Duke
BOOK REVIEW/BLOG TOUR: Tiffany Blues by M.J. Rose
Atria Books
Hardcover & eBook; 336 Pages
ISBN: 978-1501173592
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis
New York, 1924. Twenty‑four‑year‑old Jenny Bell is one of a dozen burgeoning artists invited to Louis Comfort Tiffany’s prestigious artists’ colony. Gifted and determined, Jenny vows to avoid distractions and romantic entanglements and take full advantage of the many wonders to be found at Laurelton Hall.
Blog Tour/Book Review: The Gilded Shroud by Elizabeth Bailey
Elizabeth Bailey is a popular author of Georgian romances. The Gilded Shroud is the first book in her Lady Fan Mystery series also set in the Georgian era.
Publication Date: June 21, 2018
Publisher: Sapere Books
ebook
Genre:Historical Fiction, Mystery, romance
Synopsis
1789, London
When Emily Fanshawe, Marchioness of Polbrook, is found strangled in her bedchamber, suspicion immediately falls on those residing in the grand house in Hanover Square.
Emily’s husband - Randal Fanshawe, Lord Polbrook
Publisher: Sapere Books
ebook
Genre:Historical Fiction, Mystery, romance
Synopsis
1789, London
When Emily Fanshawe, Marchioness of Polbrook, is found strangled in her bedchamber, suspicion immediately falls on those residing in the grand house in Hanover Square.
Emily’s husband - Randal Fanshawe, Lord Polbrook
Book Review: The Power Game by Meg and Tom Keneally
Synopsis
When a boatman is murdered on a remote island off Van Dieman’s Land, the authorities want to blame a famous, and very inconvenient, political prisoner. But the victim’s history of blackmail prompts Monsarrat to look further afield – and not everyone is happy . . .
In this, the third in the Monsarrat series, Hugh Llewelyn Monsarrat and his trusty housekeeper, Mrs
Blog Tour and Book Review: An Unquiet Ghost by Linda Stratmann
Welcome to the next stop on the blog tour for Linda Stratmann's latest Mina Scarletti novel, An Unquiet Ghost.
Synopsis
Brighton, 1871
Mina Scarletti, writer of horror stories but supernatural sceptic at heart, is becoming well known for unmasking those who fraudulently claim to be able to communicate with the dead. So it is no surprise to her when a young couple write to her seeking her advice.
They are George Fernwood and Mary Clifton, betrothed distant cousins with a family secret that is preventing them from getting married. Twenty years ago their alcoholic grandfather died in his bed.
Brighton, 1871
Mina Scarletti, writer of horror stories but supernatural sceptic at heart, is becoming well known for unmasking those who fraudulently claim to be able to communicate with the dead. So it is no surprise to her when a young couple write to her seeking her advice.
They are George Fernwood and Mary Clifton, betrothed distant cousins with a family secret that is preventing them from getting married. Twenty years ago their alcoholic grandfather died in his bed.
Blog Tour and Book Review: Illusion by Stephanie Elmas
I'm pleased to welcome you to today's stop on the blog tour for Stephanie Elmas' wonderful book, Illusion, published by Endeavour Press and available for purchase from Amazon.
Synopsis
London, 1873. Returning home from his travels with a stowaway named Kayan, Walter Balanchine is noted for the charms, potions and locket hanging from his neck. Finding his friend Tom Winter’s mother unwell, he gives her a potion he learned to brew in the Far East. Lucid and free from pain, the old woman remembers something about Walter’s mother. Walter is intrigued, for he has never known his family or even his own name – he christened himself upon leaving the workhouse.
Living in a cemetery with his pet panther Sinbad to keep the body snatchers away, word soon spreads of
London, 1873. Returning home from his travels with a stowaway named Kayan, Walter Balanchine is noted for the charms, potions and locket hanging from his neck. Finding his friend Tom Winter’s mother unwell, he gives her a potion he learned to brew in the Far East. Lucid and free from pain, the old woman remembers something about Walter’s mother. Walter is intrigued, for he has never known his family or even his own name – he christened himself upon leaving the workhouse.
Living in a cemetery with his pet panther Sinbad to keep the body snatchers away, word soon spreads of
Book Review: The Unmourned by Meg and Tom Keneally
I enjoyed their first collaboration, The Soldier’s Curse, which takes place in Port Macquarie, a penal settlement for reoffenders, and introduced Mrs. Mulrooney, an Irish housekeeper, and Hugh Monsarrat, an English gentleman convict.
In The Unmourned, Monsarrat, with his ticket of leave regained, is in Parramatta, with Mrs. Mulrooney, now employed as his housekeeper and unofficial assistant.
Book Review: The Bishop's Girl by Rebecca Burns
Bishop Anthony Shacklock was killed in France during World War I and buried in the graveyard of a church near the field hospital where he ministered to the injured and dying soldiers. At the end of 1919 when the Bishop’s body is exhumed for re-burial in England, a skeleton wrapped in a canvas bag is found on top of the coffin. The bones are that of a female and DNA tests on a finger bone reveal a familial link to the Bishop. Other than that there are no other clues as to who she was or how she came to be buried in the same grave.
Book Review: The King's Shadow by Cheryl Sawyer
The King's Shadow is the final book of Cheryl Sawyer's English Civil War trilogy. I've not read the previous two novels (The Winter Prince and Farewell, Cavaliers) and was hoping this wasn't an oversight on my part when I accepted an ARC from the author. My concerns were unfounded for The King's Shadow is a great read on its own.On New Year's Day 1660, an army sets out from Coldstream in the Scottish Borders for London under the command of General Monck. His intentions are unclear, causing unrest amongst the various factions on both sides.
The Parliamentary army is no longer a unified force and many of its high ranking officers are disillusioned at what the army has become. Colonel Mark Denton is assigned by Monck to seek out and ascertain the feelings of these men and determine if they pose a threat to Monck's plan to march south. Denton, too, is uncertain about Monck's intentions, but vows to be there when the General enters London, whether it is to support the return of the King or plunge the country into another civil war.
Lucinda Selby, from a dispossessed Royalist family, has every reason to detest Colonel Denton. Not only is he a Parliamentarian and opposes everything she stands for, he also holds her family's estate. Her one hope for the future is the elusive King's Shadow to whom she owes a debt of gratitude for saving her brother's life. Committed to the Royalist cause, she embarks on a dangerous mission on behalf of the King.
Cheryl Sawyer's excellent research skills, combined with her interpretation of the political situation of the day and her ability to write a good story, brings to life a very interesting period in history. Simply told, it is informative as well as entertaining. Her easy to read style moves the plot along at a smart pace. The dialogue flows naturally and the characters, whether historical or fictional, are well developed.
I liked Colonel Mark Denton from the start though his reputation as a passionate Parliamentarian, estranged from his family because of it, and despised and feared by the Royalists, conjured up visions of a hard hearted individual. At first he seemed reticent and taciturn, but as the story unfolds his true nature is revealed and I liked him even more. He is disturbed by the antipathy Lucinda feels for him and is resigned to the fact that she will never look upon him favourably, which makes everything he does on her behalf all the more sweeter. While Lucinda Selby has all the attributes of a thoroughly believable and lovable heroine, it is Colonel Mark Denton that stands out above the crowd and makes this story a memorable read.
The mysterious King's Shadow adds further excitement to the story. It was easy to figure out his identity from the clues dropped along the way. While this may be construed as a disappointment I found it had the opposite effect. Knowing a detail that the characters are yet to discover creates a sense of anticipation and it is amusing how they finally make the connection, but apt given the expertise of the character who interprets the final clue.
A nice bonus is the author's historical note at the end and shows how well Cheryl Sawyer knows her readers. To avoid spoilers, resist the temptation to take a peek. Read the story first before indulging in this little tidbit.
I thoroughly enjoyed The King's Shadow and recommend it to those who have an interest in this period in history, love a great adventure story and are not adverse to a heart warming romance.
The Warning Bell by Tom Macaulay
Book Review
A son seeks to uncover the secrets of his father's wartime past, but the truth is more dangerous than he can imagine...
Iain Madoc should be a happy man. Having successfully sold his business, he can look forward to an exciting new chapter in his life with his beautiful wife and teenage daughter. But his father shunned him as he was growing up, and the old man's coldness still causes deep pain.
His father spent the war ferrying SOE agents across the channel into occupied France, and Iain knows that his change in personality dated from a mission in 1944 that ended in
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