Book Tour: One More Lie by Sheryl Browne, pub. Bookouture

 

Book Description:

On the last day of school, my friends and I gather on the beach to celebrate the long summer ahead. Sipping cans of warm cider and watching campfire embers dance into the inky sky, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. Until a scream pierces the night. The next morning, we find shy newcomer Pippa on the beach, sandflies gathering on her lifeless body…

I told the police I didn’t see anything that night. I was young, scared, and full of guilt. I heard my friends telling the same story. It’s a lie that has haunted me ever since.

Now, twenty years later, on the anniversary of Pippa’s death, another one of our group is found dead. As we gather once again to say goodbye, I know it can’t be a coincidence. I look around at the tear-stained faces of my old school friends – people I thought I could trust – a protective hand on my growing belly. The police are asking questions again, and I have an impossible decision to make.

Do I tell one more lie, or confront my worst nightmare; that one of us is a killer, and one of us is next…

Fans of The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and The Girl on the Train will absolutely devour this page-turning psychological thriller. Prepare to be hooked from the very first page!

What I thought:

A  compulsive, twisty read in which the past seems to be repeating itself as one of Becky's friends is found dead in suspicious circumstances.  It is difficult to know who can be trusted and, as the peril grows, suspicion shifts focus.  Is Becky's marriage as happy as she thought?  Is she being gaslit by one of her friends, or the father of her unborn child?  Is she really in danger?  Is the caring counsellor as professional as he should be? Just when you think you have worked out the answers, the next chapter has you guessing again.  A very cleverly constructed tale and an enjoyable book to devour.

Author Bio:

Bestselling Author, Sheryl Browne, writes taut, twisty psychological thriller. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies where she completed her MA in Creative Writing. Sheryl has also obtained a Certificate of Achievement in Forensic Science and – according to readers – she makes an excellent psychopath. Sheryl’s latest psychological thriller HER HUSBAND’S HOUSE comes to you from BOOKOUTURE. Her previous works include the DI Matthew Adams Crime Thriller series, along with contemporary fiction novels, The Rest of My Life and Learning to Love.

To find out more about Sheryl. go to www.sherylbrowne.com

If you would like to join her Bookouture Mailing List you can grab her short story 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗬 #FREE! https://t.co/bIigwwALCs

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Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0DJ25ZTS6social

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Book tour: Murder on the Nile, by Verity Bright

Book Description:-

A cruise down the Nile, a camel ride around the pyramids, lunch in the shadow of the Sphinx… And a very dead body! 1924. Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler Clifford are touring the great, ancient sights of Egypt on a much-anticipated extended vacation. But when the pair arrive at the docks in Cairo expecting to board the luxurious paddle steamer advertised in their brochure, they are baffled by the crumbling old cruiser waiting for them. And things only go from bad to worse as death stalks the decks of the SS Cleopatra… Two days into the trip one of their fellow passengers, Lieutenant Baxter, is found shot dead in his locked cabin. Immediately suspicious and desperate to see justice done, Eleanor discovers a half-finished note addressed to her hidden in Baxter’s travelling trunk. In it he asks her to deliver a vitally important letter to the authorities at their next stop down river: a priceless treasure worthy of a king has been stolen and an innocent man’s life hangs in the balance. But before the sands of time wipe away all evidence on board, Eleanor must uncover who among the other travellers wanted Baxter dead. Was it the anxious archaeologist who doesn’t have an alibi, the reptile expert with a passion for the murderous Nile crocodile or the art dealer with a devious secret? With the killer readying to strike again much closer to home, can Eleanor dig up the truth before she’s trapped in a tomb under the pyramids forever? A gripping and twisty 1920s murder mystery set in Egypt, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss!

The Author:-

Author Bio:-

Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

https://twitter.com/BrightVerity

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Verity Bright here: https://www.bookouture.com/verity-bright

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CYQBKJLNsocial

What I thought:- 

Cruises on the Nile are having a bit of a moment: my sister took one last year with her husband, and my daughter's friend is on one right now.  However, it was, it seems, also possible a century ago, and Verity Bright's book has allowed me to enjoy one from the comfort of my magic armchair.  This is an enjoyable journey through the land of the pyramids and the temptations posed by archaeology, plus the excitement of experiencing a different culture.  A murder on board the river cruiser means that Lady Eleanor and Clifford are in their element, helping to solve this crime.  The new chief of police is also, conveniently, travelling on board to his new posting and at first is reluctant to accept their assistance.  Eventually the intrepid pair win him over and are kept very busy trying to get to the bottom of what is going on.  This is an entertaining tale set in an exotic location, great for escaping from the current stormy weather.

Book on Tour: Murder in the Countryside by Helena Dixon

 

Book Description:

A meandering drive on a beautiful day, a visit to a local apple orchard, a chance for Bertie the dog to stretch his legs but… has Kitty Underhay just found a dead farmer?

England, 1936. On a clear autumn day, Kitty and her mischievous spaniel Bertie take a drive to a nearby village. After a long walk in the rolling country hills and lunch in a pretty tearoom, what could be nicer than to buy a couple of bottles of local cider for her husband – and partner-in-crime solving – Matt? Instead, she finds a body in the orchard…

Kitty is shocked to discover Titus Blake dead, crushed by his own cider press. The new local detective arrives swiftly, making it clear he has no time for amateur sleuths, especially a woman. Hearing his words, Kitty and Matt are determined to get to the bottom of the mystery before the sour inspector. Titus’s estranged brother, reclusive housekeeper and even his long-suffering son soon make their suspect list.

But when the police get wind of Kitty and Matt’s snooping, the inspector firmly tells them to keep their noses out. Now in a race to find the killer, the inquisitive pair are stopped in their tracks when their chief suspect is also found dead in the barn. Can Kitty find the rotten apple before it’s too late, or will the killer feed her a poisoned fruit first?

If you love Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey or Lee Strauss, you will be utterly gripped by this totally charming cozy murder mystery!

What I thought: 

An enjoyable whodunnit mystery, set somewhere near my home in cider-making country (although at times it feels a sight more menacing).  There are plenty of suspects raising their heads as the story progresses, and the police are not doing very well at catching the killer, despite the apparent ambitions of the Inspector leading the investigation.  It is a very close-knit farming community, where everyone knows everyone else (even if they don't get on) and the neighbours are keen to see justice done and safety reinstated. They are only too pleased to enlist the help of temporary residents Kitty and Matt in discovering the truth, as they have past experience of investigation.  This story is well written and the characters interesting.  A lovely read, on holiday or at home.

Author Bio:

Helena Dixon is the author of the best-selling Miss Underhay murder mystery series and
lives in Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a
cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and
housework. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 and Love Story of the Year 2010
as Nell Dixon.

https://www.nelldixon.com/

https://www.facebook.com/nelldixonauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/helenadixonuk/

https://twitter.com/NellDixon

Buy Link: Amazon: https://geni.us/B0D49V3G2Vsocial

Oops, I did it again.  Travelling and touring can be very disorienting, and I am a day late - for which I can only apologise.  Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible, I promise.

Blog tour: Murder in the Scottish Highlands by Dee MacDonald

 

I am so relaxed on my holidays (and had a difficult internet connection at our last stop) that I have managed to miss my slot on the blog tour by a day.  My stop is coming to you from Seville rather than Jerez, and where it's considerably warmer than the Scottish Highlands! 

Book description:-

Majestic mountain views, whisky by the fire and… a murder to solve? Join Ally McKinley at her cosy little guesthouse in the Scottish Highlands as she tackles her first puzzling case!

For recently retired Ally McKinley, the tiny village of Locharran is the perfect place to open the guesthouse of her dreams in a lovingly restored old Scottish malthouse. Before long she is making friends with the locals, including Hamish Sinclair, the earl who owns the nearby castle. But things take an unexpected turn when her first paying guest, American tourist Wilbur Carrington, is found sprawled across her cobblestoned courtyard with a dagger in his back…

With the police baffled, Ally’s instincts get the better of her, and she can’t resist launching her own investigation. In no time at all she and her Labrador puppy Flora are on the case, making enquiries over tea and excellent shortbread. She finds that Wilbur, a keen amateur genealogist, was convinced that he was the rightful Earl of Locharran… Even worse, he had plans that would put many people out of their jobs and even their homes.

But which of the locals resorted to murder? The hotel owner furiously trying to save his business? Locharran Castle’s fiercely loyal housekeeper who’d do anything for the earl? Or the earl himself, whose entire way of life was threatened by what Wilbur knew?

Looking for clues, Ally finds a faded photograph in a hidden drawer in Wilbur’s room. Could this be the key to solving the mystery? But when one of her suspects dies in a suspicious accident, Ally realises that things are getting a wee bit too close for comfort… Can she uncover the truth or will a killer get off scot-free?

An utterly unputdownable new Scottish cosy mystery series from bestselling author Dee MacDonald. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Clare Chase.

What I thought:-

A very enjoyable story about a woman intending to make a new start by escaping life in the city and intending a quiet semi-retirement surrounded by the beauty of the Highlands of Scotland, funded by the opening of a Bed and Breakfast Guest House in her newly converted Malt House in a small village.  As she opens for business, she becomes embroiled in a murder investigation, and discovers an ability to discover and order information while the local police seem to be floundering.  Despite the drama of the murder, Ally finds her rooms are in demand and some rather odd guests arrive and all is not as it seems.  Romance also raises its head, but Ally manages to avoid unwanted distractions and all is well that ends well.   The characters are interesting, there is plenty of wry humour and it is a good, agreeable read.  I am looking forward to the next book in the series. 

Author Bio:

Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.

She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!

Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDeeMacDonald
https://twitter.com/dmacdonaldauth

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Dee MacDonald here: https://www.bookouture.com/dee-macdonald

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0D388V9HPsocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Murder in Mayfair by Verity Bright: Books on Tour

 So sorry to be a day late with my post for this book tour - I misread the schedule below when it was tiy on my phone screen, and was horrified when I pasted it in here in a larger format.

Book description:-

Tea and cake at The Ritz, a stolen pearl necklace and a missing dead body… Lady Swift is back on the case!

Lady Eleanor Swift has been eagerly awaiting her trip in a hot air balloon to take in London’s amazing sights. But what she witnesses instead is a murder! From way up high she sees a man in a dark coat shoot another man dead, but by the time she arrives back on the ground, Eleanor can find no trace of the body. Just the broken piece of a pearl necklace clasp, trodden into the dirt.

Back at The Ritz hotel, over afternoon tea, Eleanor’s old friend Lady Philomena Chadwick confides in her about a scandalous theft. Lady Chadwick is certain someone on her staff has stolen her priceless pink pearl necklace. Eleanor is immediately suspicious when the description matches the jewellery she spotted at the crime scene.

Much to her butler Clifford’s amusement, Eleanor goes undercover as a governess in the Chadwick’s sparkling Mayfair mansion. As she sets about questioning the disgruntled staff, she uncovers a treasure trove of gossip. But how do a secret love affair, a flirty footman with a fondness for spying, and a housemaid hiding a nightly visitor connect to the murder?

And when Eleanor’s beau, Detective Hugh Seldon, is brought in to investigate a string of further robberies in Park Lane, Eleanor is certain that Chadwick House is hiding the unlikeliest gang of jewel thieves below

 stairs…

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but will this necklace get Eleanor killed before she uncovers the hidden gem she needs to crack the case?

Murder in Mayfair is a totally gripping and twisty Golden Age whodunnit set in London, perfect for fans of T.E. Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Catherine Coles.

My thoughts:-

A wonderfully breezy read, great fun and with interesting characters.  It was also informative as I'd not previously heard of the British Empire Exhibition, which took place in 1924 in Wembley and bequeathed us Wembley Stadium.  It is at the exhibition that the story opens, a great extravaganza  celebrating the diversity of countries within the Empire.  Lady Eleanor Swyft, a thoroughly modern aristocrat, observes an apparent murder from the vantage point of a hot air balloon, and resolves to discover what happened.  It helps that her young man, DCI Seldon, is assigned to security at the exhibition, and also that her trusty valet is discreetly available to assist as necessary.  There are twists, misdirection and much subterfuge before truth and justice triumph, following a path that is very entertaining to follow.  A hundred years ago, women's position in the world was very different to today, but change was afoot and Lady Eleanor is certainly at its forefront.  an absolute, stylised, pleasure.

The author:

Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

https://twitter.com/BrightVerity

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Verity Bright here: https://www.bookouture.com/verity-bright

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CYHGFFYVsocial

The Home Front Girls by Susanna Bavin, published by Bookouture

The war is raging in Europe. These girls will do everything they can on the home front – but is a happy ever after possible in such dark and uncertain times?

Manchester, 1940: The minute war was declared, best friends Sally and Deborah volunteered for the home guard, willing to do anything to help their boys fighting overseas. An Auxiliary Fire Service girl by night, Sally ends up stationed at the salvage depot by day. Working amidst the scrap metal and waste paper, helping to make do and mend, isn’t quite the glamorous life in uniform she’d imagined! But she’s determined to do her best, and turn saucepans into Spitfires.

When Sally meets Andrew, a quiet carpenter with a heart-breaking smile who understands how important her work is, she finally feels as though her efforts to keep calm and carry on are making a difference. As love blossoms, Sally feels herself opening up to Andrew in a way she’d never imagined possible.

But then, just as Sally feels as hopeful as she can be in these times of war, a devastating air raid threatens everything she holds dear. As bombs rain down all over Manchester, deadly fires begin to destroy homes, and lives. With Andrew out rescuing families from the rubble, Sally rushes towards the plumes of smoke that fill the night sky. And is horrified to realise the very worst hit area has the salvage yard right at its heart.

Desperate to help in any way she can, Sally, with her fellow salvage girls by her side, sets to work. But what will they find when the smoke clears? Will Sally and Andrew get the happy ending they so deserve? Or will her one chance at true love be lost forever as the morning dawns…?

A completely gripping and heart-breaking romantic saga. Perfect for fans of Rosie Clarke, Nancy Revell and Lizzie Lane.

 

https://geni.us/B0CSG3WLMVsocial

A very enjoyable story with a different angle on life in WW2. We first meet Sally doing her bit for the war effort by working very happily in the local food office by day and fire watching by night.  She is in an awkward relationship with  Rod, the brother of her best friend, but she gradually realises that he is not the one for her,  This leads to  a major falling out with her friend and work-mate, Deborah, which causes repercussions in the workplace. Sally finds herself redeployed to the salvage depot, which initially she finds less satisfying, but a new friendship, a new love interest and a new home give her a different perspective.  This book is a lovely read and introduces characters I hope to meet again.  I missed Sally, Betty and Deborah, not to mention Andrew, once the book came to an end, and I felt I had enjoyably learned more about wartime Britain.

 

Susanna Bavin has written 4 standalone sagas and her new WW2 trilogy, The Home Front Girls, will be published by Bookouture in 2024. She also writes as Polly Heron (The Surplus Girls 1920s saga series) and Maisie Thomas (The Railway Girls WW2 saga series)

Susanna lives on the beautiful North Wales coast with her husband and their two rescue cats. She is originally from Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Manchester, where her family has lived for several generations and which provides the setting for her family sagas.

Author social media

 

Website: www.susannabavin.co.uk

 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MaisieThomasAuthor

 

Newsletter: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/susanna-bavin/

The Wartime Vet by Ellie Curzon, published by Bookouture

England, 1941. Dedicated local vet Laura cares for the farm animals of the little village of Bramble Heath. But falling bombs aren’t the only danger as the war hits close to home…

Despite everyone telling her it’s not a suitable career for a woman, Laura has worked hard to become a successful livestock vet. And she’s not afraid to serve her country in the village of Bramble Heath, where she and the land girls care for animals and protect the crops everyone relies on during the darkest days of the war. But, just when the country is most in need of food, the farms of the village come under attack…

Desperate to figure out who among the villagers could be doing such terrible things even while German bombs rain down, Laura is relieved when the Ministry respond to her requests for help. But the man they send isn’t what she expects. Commander Alastair Seaton is quiet, with a soft, kind smile. And she can’t help but be drawn to his shining brown eyes.

But as they start to open up to each other about past heartbreak, disaster strikes. A farm has been set alight. While Laura hurriedly gathers water to fight the flames, Alistair rushes into the burning barn to make sure no one is trapped inside. Will Alistair make it out alive? And can Laura figure out who is behind these attacks before they threaten the outcome of the war?

This story gives a fascinating perspective of life in England during the Second World War from the viewpoint of a working female vet. Women had only just started to be accepted into veterinary college in the decade before the War started, and it was a time when women would be expected to leave employment when they married.  However, wartime created a male labour shortage with military recruitment and conscription, and so employment opportunities for women became more numerous and, indeed, women were also expected to do their bit for the war effort.  This included farming and food production - keeping the nation's population fed and well-nourished so that they too could play their part.  Keeping livestock healthy was obviously an important contribution to this, so we meet Laura coming to work in a veterinary practice in the south of England, in a rural village where her Senior Partner is short-handed as his son has been called to act as a vet in the military.  She has to cope with his prejudice against a female in this role, as well as getting to know a whole new community.  She becomes concerned that some animals are being poisoned, although her boss dismisses this as the land-girls mixing the feed wrongly.  Despite his belief, she feels duty-bound to report her concerns to the Ministry of Agriculture, and this starts a chain of events which puts everyone in danger.  Just who can be trusted?  And how can the community be kept safe?

I really enjoyed this book, which seemed accurate for the period, and would certainly watch out for further books in the village at war series.

Buy link: https://geni.us/B0CLYN5DQXsocial

About the author

Ellie Curzon is the pen name of Catherine Curzon and Helen Barrell. Catherine and Helen began writing together in the spring of 2017 and swiftly discovered a shared love of the past and a uniquely British sort of story. They drink gallons of tea, spend hours discussing the importance of good tailoring and are never at a loss for a bit of derring-do.

Website: https://elliecurzon.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MadameGilflurt

Newsletter: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/ellie-curzon