A Death in Venice by Verity Bright Book Review (Blog Tour)

Publication Date: 28 March 2024
Publisher: Bookouture
Format: Print, e-book and audio
Series: A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #17
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cosy Mystery

Synopsis

Stunning views across the Grand Canal and a hotel suite fit for royalty… Lady Eleanor Swift is having a jolly good time on her Italian vacation, until a gondola ride is cut murderously short!

1924. Lady Eleanor Swift has been on a grand tour around Italy for a month with her butler Clifford. Finally arriving in Venice, she’s thrilled to be attending the famous carnival: all that’s needed is the perfect bejewelled costume for her faithful bulldog, Gladstone. But on her first gondola ride to take in the sights, a passenger

The Shadow Network by Deborah Swift Book Review (Blog Tour)

Publication Date: 13th February 2024
Publisher: HQ Digital
Page Length: 376
Series: Secret Agent Series (but can be read as a stand-alone)
Genre: Historical Fiction / WW2

Synopsis

One woman must sacrifice everything to uncover the truth in this enthralling historical novel, inspired by the true World War Two campaign Radio Aspidistra…

England, 1942: Having fled Germany after her father was captured by the Nazis, Lilli Bergen is desperate to do something pro-active for the Allies. So when she’s approached by the Political Warfare Executive (PWE), Lilli jumps at the chance. She’s recruited as a

The Murder Game by Tom Hindle Book Review

Synopsis

One house. Nine guests. Endless motives for murder...

In the seaside town of Hamlet Wick, nine guests assemble for a New Year's Eve party to remember.

The owner of Hamlet Hall has organised a murder mystery evening with a 1920s twist, and everyone has their own part to play.

But the game has barely begun when one guest is found dead - killed by a fatal injury to the head.

With no phone signal and no way out of the house, the others are trapped with a killer in

The Christmas Cuckoo by Mary Jo Putney A Mini Audiobook Review

This is a lovely, heart-warming story. Just right for a quick, Christmas read!

Synopsis

Major Jack Howard, a weary veteran of the Peninsular Wars, has just returned to England and intends to return to an unwelcoming family home for Christmas. But when a pompous secretary gives him too many orders, Jack hops on the next stagecoach leaving

Spell the Month in Books: January

Spell the Month in Books is hosted by Jana @ Reviews from the Stacks.

The idea is simple: find a book title for each letter in the month's name, write a post and share the link on that month's link up page. There are optional challenges for each month. This month the theme is "new", to be interpereted anyway you want.

I'm going with titles added to my TBR and earmarked for

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2024

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. A topic is assigned to each Tuesday. For that topic you are encouraged to make a top ten list, putting your own spin on it, if needed. Upcoming topics and

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2024 - My Sign Up Post

Hosted by: Carol @ Carol's Notebook

Challenge period: 1st January to 31st December, 2024

Sign up: Ends March 15, 2024

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

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2024 - My Sign Up Post

Hosted by: Marg @ The Intrepid Reader
Challenge period: 1st January to 31st December, 2025
Sign up: anytime during the year
Challenge hashtag: #histficreadingchallenge

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

There are six different reading

2024 European Reading Challenge - My Sign Up Post

Hosted by: Gilion @ Rose City Reader

Challenge period: 1st January to 31st December, 2024, with until 31st January, 2025, 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

TBR 24 in '24 Challenge - My Sign Up Post

Hosted by: Gilion @ Rose City Reader

Challenge period: 1st January to 31st December, 2024. You can sign up any time before December 31, 2024.

Aim: To read books off our TBR shelves. This means books we own,

2023 Reading Challenges - Wrap Up

This is my wrap-up post for the various challenges I participated in during 2023.

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