Month: Jan 2019

BLOG TOUR WRAP UP: Next Victim (DCI Rachel King #1) by Helen H Durrant. #crimefiction #policeprocedural #detectivebook @joffebooks @hhdurrant #TeamJoffeBooks

Thank you very much to all the bloggers who helped with the Blog Tour for NEXT VICTIM by Helen H Durrant.  Your help is very much appreciated x Helen, Jill and Joffe Books.

What the Bloggers thought:

Black Books Blog 

I really enjoyed the book as I was left guessing all the way through, and knew there would be more than the one murder so was trying to work everything out with Rachel and her team.

Overall it is a brilliant book and I can’t wait to read more concerning Rachel and her team in the near future.  Read more here

Musings of a tired mummy

I really enjoyed this book and had no idea of the identitiy of the killer. The loose ends were tied up nicely and there is plenty of scope for developing the police characters and their relationships in later books (I’m hoping for sequels!)
The descriptions of the violence, murder ands and post mortems are not particularly graphic. There is a good balance between the viewpoint of the murderer and that of Rachel and her colleagues.
Rachel is a good lead character and her past mistakes and difficult present make her a more believeable and relatable person so she appeals to the reader.  Read more here

Linda Strong Book Reviews

I am a big fan of this author. Her crime fiction books are always well-written, action-packed, with characters that are unforgettable. I have never been disappointed in her story telling. I enjoy how Rachel’s personal life is intertwined with her professional life. Her team are memorable, as well, finely defined. It’s suspenseful that leads to a surprising ending.  Read more here

Life in rose tinted glasses 

I liked the twists in the book, and there were a few of them, including the compulsory red herring in a crime novel. However, I did figure out the identity of the killer about halfway through the novel, and the got frustrated that it seemed to take the police so long to figure it.

I would definitely recommend the book, and it looks like it’s part of a series. I would gladly read the ones that follow because there is so much scope for character development and I would love to see where the series takes them.  Read more here

Joanna Larum’s Reviews 

I couldn’t put this book down and the ending floored me because I certainly hadn’t thought of it. This is the first in a new series and I can’t wait to read the next one. I am already looking forward to learning more about all the characters in Rachel’s team as they had to take a back seat in this story so that Rachel’s character could be properly developed. A very strong 5 stars from me!  Read more here

Book Worm

Mystery Thriller Week 

This is just great crime fiction. The victim. The body. The killer. The ensuing investigation. The demonstration of his M.O. and motivation for his work. I always enjoy when there’s a formidable antagonist in the mix. I prefer stories when the killer’s point of view is used early on versus later in the book. That, with detective Rachel King’s life creates a more powerful story. In other words, Helen Durrant knows how to deliver! I’m definitely  recommending this series.  Read more

Turn The Page Blog

Akamatra 

I liked the plot of this book. The man responsible for the deaths of six people and the “reasons” behind it, it was interesting.  Read more here

Ginger Book Geek

On The Shelf Reviews 

I’d recommend Next Victim to anyone who loves a police procedural with a main character who’s personal life is almost as complicated as the cases she investigates.  Read more here

Books ‘n’ All

My Review

Daisy White’s Wicked Words

This is the first in a new series, and I was sucked right in from the start. There is definite room for some interesting character development, and this made an exciting start to a series. Tight, pacy writing and a good mix of sinister and dramatic. Looking forward to the next book!  Read more here

NEXT VICTIM (DCI Rachel King)

Available for just 99p/99c from Amazon

MEET DETECTIVE RACHEL KING IN THIS BRILLIANT NEW CRIME SERIES.

DISCOVER A BRAND NEW MYSTERY FROM #1 BEST-SELLING AUTHOR HELEN H. DURRANT THAT WILL HAVE YOU GRIPPED FROM START TO NERVE-SHREDDING FINISH.

A young man’s body is found burnt and tortured by a Manchester canal.

Detective Rachel King investigates. But she has a secret, the love of her life is a well-known villain. He has recently come back on the scene. But what does he really want?

A brutal serial killer with a taste for good-looking young blonde men.

A student who believes she has a lost brother. But even her own father doesn’t believe her. She was involved with the first victim.

As the murders continue, can Rachel keep her family together and stop the killer?

THE DETECTIVE
DCI Rachel King. Thirty-nine year-old mother of two teenage daughters. Divorced from Alan. She lives in the Cheshire village of Poynton – about ten miles from central Manchester. She is good at her job, gets results but does make mistakes. One of them was getting involved with a budding villain in her teens. No one, family, friends or colleagues know anything about this.

ALSO BY HELEN H. DURRANT
THE CALLADINE & BAYLISS MYSTERY SERIES
Book 1: DEAD WRONG
Book 2: DEAD SILENT
Book 3: DEAD LIST
Book 4: DEAD LOST
Book 5: DEAD & BURIED
Book 6: DEAD NASTY
Book 7: DEAD JEALOUS

THE DCI GRECO BOOKS 
Book 1: DARK MURDER – read more here
Book 2: DARK HOUSES – read more here
Book 3: DARK TRADE – read more here
Book 3: DARK ANGEL – read more here

ALSO AVAILABLE – The first 3 books in the Bayliss and Calladine series are now available as a Box Set for a bargain £3.99  from Amazon

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Blog Tour Wrap Up: Fat Chance by A.B. Morgan #crimefiction #fatchance @AliMorgan2304 @junctionpublish

Alison, Junction Publishing and I would like to say a very big THANK YOU to all the amazing Bloggers on the Blog Tour for FAT CHANCE. Your help in promoting this book is very much appreciated you guys are AWESOME x

What the bloggers thought:

Books are my Cwtches

Having read all the authors previous books I was excited to be asked to review Fat Chance.  What I really love is that with each book she publishes Alison Morgan’s writing goes from strength to strength and she has once again delivered a first class read.  Read more here

The Writing Garnett

I thought that ‘Fat Chance’ was a very, very different read which left me highly entertained in a weird and wonderful way. Even though I found the storyline intense at times, I didn’t think it had high levels of suspense. That said, it did grip me due to the eyebrow theme, and for entertainment value alone – I thought that AB Morgan did a sterling job.  Read more here

J BRONDER BOOK REVIEWS 

This is a wonderful story and one I recommend checking out. I loved it and can’t wait to read more about Ella Fitzwilliam or other books from AB Morgan.  Read more here

Books From Dusk Till Dawn 

I felt that the story was quite light-hearted to begin with but in the latter part of the book it does take a much deeper turn. An absolutely never would have guessed situation that sends the story in a totally different direction. I had become addicted to this story with its tasty delights of scrumptious desserts and mad cap characters that I loathed and loved. An unusual story with a delicious dark side, very different to the norm, in a brilliant way. I would love second helpings of this!  Read more here

Nicki’s book blog 

This is a lighthearted crime read
with a twist. One to make you smile along the way and not the ordinary crime read
in any manner of speaking as there is no detective as such.
An unusual read and an entertaining one.  Read more here

On The Shelf Reviews 

Fat Chance is quite a complex and interesting story with a real mix of colourful characters!

I found Ella to be very fascinating. Suffering from what seems to me like bipolar disorder, she’s flamboyant and cheerful but also very naive!  Read more here

Donna’s Book Blog 

No hesitation in giving this one 5 stars, can’t wait to see what she releases next, if this one is anything to go by, it will be a cracker, her writing is improving and growing book by book for me and this is hands down her best yet!! Very highly recommended!!  Read more here

Mystery Thriller Week 

I like A.B. Morgan’s writing style. Right away, she places you in the mindset of the character within the scene. Well established point of view characters make this an easy and entertaining read. Great suspense, mystery, intrigue, and well balanced writing.  Read more here

Turn The Page Blog 

Ginger Book Geek 

For me ‘Fat Chance’ is brilliantly written.  I particularly loved the way in which there’s a strong emphasis on the psychological aspect of crime and how that impacts on victims.  I am particularly interested in psychology.  The writing was made all the more authentic when I discovered that the author used to be a mental health nurse, which is a career I would’ve loved to have had but which is not an option for me unfortunately.  Read more here

Rachel Read It 

‘Fat Chance’ is fast, fresh and funny-it is dark, engaging and all too believable. More than a straighforward A-Z investigation, it touches on female friendships, societal double standards and mental health. Alison Morgan brings her experiences in mental health services to the fore in the book, and it is dealt with so well-the story ends sadly but ultimately there is hope for Ella’s future and I really, really,hope that there will be more from Ella and her circle of confidantes.  Read more here

Joanna Larum’s Reviews 

I found this an enjoyable read although slightly confusing at first when all of the characters are being introduced. It is well-worth reading on past that section because the story is then beautifully portrayed and the clues are very well hidden. By the time I reached the end of the book, I was cheering Ella on as well as feeling so sorry for the struggles that she has in her daily life. certainly a book to look out for.  Read more here

Books n All

My Review

Cheekypee reads and reviews 

If you like crime reads then you’ll love this. I love the light hearted aspect to it. It was one of those books that I enjoyed reading, the author kept me glued and I can’t wait to read more from her.   Read more here

Black Books Blog 

Throughout the book I was left guessing about what had happened and didn’t work it out until the reveal, which really added to the story line as I had to keep reading on to find out what was going to happen next.  Read more here

Fat Chance book description

Available from AMAZON

A missing barrister, a severed thumb and fat chance of finding out the truth.

Ella Fitzwilliam’s world is about to spiral out of control. She’s not cut out to be a private investigator. With little or no aptitude for the job, she’s been sent undercover to expose the hidden lives of two men who meet nearly every week at Buxham’s – a private members’ club where portions are large and secrets are held in strictest confidence.

One of those men is Harry Drysdale, a defence barrister, and the other is Marcus Carver, an eminent surgeon with a tarnished past and much to lose. Ella knows he has unhealthy appetites, she’s sure he’s feeding his perverted habits and putting his female patients at risk but she has to prove it.

When Harry Drysdale goes missing, Konrad Neale TV journalist tries to reveal the truth behind the lies, but some of the secrets start to reveal themselves… and they are big.

Author Bio

Alison Morgan lives in rural Bedfordshire, UK, with her engineer husband and bonkers dog. Life is never boring and they are usually planning the next adventure. Alison spent several decades working on the front line of mental health services as a specialist nurse and latterly as manager of an early intervention service for first episode psychosis. However, when a heart problem brought her career to a juddering halt, she had to find a way of managing her own sanity, so she sat down to write some useful clinical guidelines for student nurses. Instead, a story that had been lurking in her mind came spewing forth onto the pages of what became her first novel. Since then she has been unable to stem the flow of ideas and writes full-time from a luxurious shack at the top of the garden. Alison writes under the name A B Morgan and. within her storylines, she continues to make good use of her years of experience in mental health services, where the truth is often much stranger than fiction.

Twitter: @AliMorgan2304

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100016489783966

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BLOG TOUR WRAP UP – …To the moon and back by by Patricia Asedegbega Nieto #Drama

Patricia and I would like to say a big THANK YOU to the #bloggers who helped with the Blog Tour for …To the moon and back. Your help in promoting this book is very much appreciated x

What the bloggers thought

Books From Dusk Till Dawn

I really loved getting to know the characters in the story, especially Anne who had to overcome so many huge obstacles and prejudices in her life. There were some really unusual friendships formed, which at first I didn’t trust but there again Anne has a sparkle about her that when anyone really lets themselves get to know her realise they have a loyal friend.  Read more here

Black Books Blog 

Overall it was a really good read, which kept me guessing and made me feel sorry for people in Nigeria who are treated this way.  Read more here

Big Family Organised Chaos

It was a very different book to the ones I have been reading lately and it certainly makes you feel grateful for the ‘calm’ life that I have, I love to really get into a book and empathise with the characters, and this book certainly does that, although at times it was quite difficult to continue reading as I am quite an emotional person and get fully involved in the story, I guess when you are reading about losing loved ones and finding out you have something wrong too, the readers start to look closer at their own lives and imagine such tragedy themselves, which nobody wants to do, but somehow it had me gripped and wanting to find out more.  Read more here

Books n All 

My Review

Turn The Page Blog 

#Guestpost

…to the moon and back (Anne Book 1)

Available from AMAZON

Is there always a light at the end of every tunnel? 26 year old Anne is seriously beginning to question if she is ever going to find it. After a series of devastating blows, the young nurse finally catches a break; Ben, the love of her life asks her to marry him and it suddenly feels like she can start to smile again. But Anne has a secret that is threatening to destroy it all and this time, there is no easy way out. Will she be able to beat the odds and have the happy ending she has always longed for?

My Review

Anne has her life turned upside down.  Her mum loses a battle with cancer and Anne is working all the shifts she can to repay money borrowed to pay health care costs.  Then fate deals another blow as she is diagnosed with endometrial cancer.  She continues working to save for a life saving operation but when she collapses she realises time has run out.

In a life or death decision she breaks off her engagement to the love of her life and marries a rich surgeon.  After a hysterectomy and chemotherapy she arrives at her marital home to try to live a different life as a wife to a man she rarely knows her dreams of children with Ben dashed into the ground.

We follow Anne as she struggles with life work and relationships in her efforts to gain some sort of control over the pieces of her life she has left.  Is she strong enough for the massive task ahead?  Even her nursing career is in jeopardy as she finds working as a midwife is more painful than she ever thought possible.

Although this is not my usual genre I found it totally gripping and couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough.  An emotional roller coaster of a read but absolutely brilliant! 5 stars from me.

Author Bio

I live in sunny Spain and have been writing for about six years now. I started with a collection of cat stories to raise funds for a shelter and then moved on to my first suspense novel. I write both in Spanish and English and have series in both languages. Though I am a biologist, writing is my true passion. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do what I love.

Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patricia.asedegbega/about?lst=

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Out of the Silence by Owen Mullen #crimefiction #bookreview

Happy publication day to Owen Mullen. As today is the release day for OUT OF THE SILENCE I am thrilled to be sharing with you my 5 star review.

Out of the Silence by Owen Mullen

Available from Amazon

Star investigative reporter Ralph Buchanan’s glory days are behind him. His newspaper has banished him to Pakistan, not knowing the greatest moment of his long career is waiting for him there.

When Simone Jasnin asks him to help expose a grave injustice, he finds himself embroiled in a harrowng tale that began in a dusty settlement in rural Punjab, setting in motion a chain of events that will change the lives of everyone involved.

Seven years later in the city of Lahore, members of a prominent family are being brutally murdered, one by one. The only clue is a hand-carved wooden bangle left at the scene of each crime.

As the list of suspects grows and the tension mounts, Ralph realises the answers might be closer to home than he ever thought possible.
Solving the mystery will put him back on top but at what cost?
Only when the smoke clears will the killing stop and honour be satisfied…

My Review

Firstly I would like to thank the author: Owen Mullen, for the advance copy of this book. This is my unbiased review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have never been to Pakistan but I felt I could see in my mind the area and envisage the people thanks to the excellent descriptions which were cleverly interwoven through the story thereby avoiding big chunks of descriptive text and the characters were realistic and complex.

The story is set in Pakistan and examines the culture and treatment of women there, in particular honour killing. The story begins when a very badly injured woman is found near the hospital. She is barely alive and in tremendous pain but determined to tell her story and Simone is willing to write down every word.

Afra is living a simple life in a remote village. Her father is dead but they manage and she is very close to her younger sister and brother. Jameel is a local youth who is besotted with the pretty girl. However, Afra’s mother has big ideas for Afra that will make life easier for the family and those plans don’t include a village boy, oh no, she plans for Afra to marry someone with a lot more to offer.

So the rejected Jameel sets off for the city to find his Uncle and Afra to married life, from there the reader is taken on a journey through the culture of Pakistan.

Lies, jealousy, evilness and murder are all interlinked in an emotional fast paced thriller that will have the reader engrossed all the way through. Despite all the twists and turns the ending was totally unexpected. This was a jaw-droppingly fantastic story that will stay with me for a long time to come.

5 stars from me.

Author Bio

Owen Mullen is a McIlvanney Crime Book Of The Year long-listed novelist.
And So It Began earned a coveted Sunday Times Crime Club ⭐Star Pick.

Owen Mullen graduated from Strathclyde University, moved to London and worked as a rock musician, session singer and songwriter, and had a hit record in Japan with a band he refuses to name; Owen still loves to perform on occasion. His passion for travel has taken him on many adventures from the Amazon and Africa to the colourful continent of India and Nepal. A gregarious recluse, he and his wife, Christine, split their time between Glasgow, and their home away from home in the Greek Islands where the psychological thriller In Harm’s Way and both the Charlie Cameron and Delaney series’ were created.

You Tube – bit.ly/YouTube-OwenMullen
Twitter – https://bit.ly/Twitter-OwenMullen6

You might also like:

In Harm’s Way by Owen Mullen

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BLOG TOUR: Silent Murder (Detective Rebecca Everhart #2) by E.R. Fallon #crimefiction #detectivebook #silentmurder @MysteryCreator @joffebooks

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for SILENT MURDER by E.R. Fallon. This is my first book by this author and I found it a gripping read.

SILENT MURDER (Detective Rebecca Everhart #2)

Available from AMAZON

DISCOVER A FAST-PACED DETECTIVE THRILLER FULL OF TWISTS

A body dismembered with a chainsaw is found under an infamous Newark bridge. The victim has links to organized crime.

On her first day back at the job Detective Rebecca Everhart has a new partner to cope with as well as this baffling case. Rebecca has just come back from a homicide case that left her shaken.

Then another body turns up with the same gruesome wounds as the first. Has Rebecca got a serial killer on her hands or a mob war?

She must enter the tightly-knit Portuguese community to break the case.

This is second of a series of enthralling mysteries featuring Detective Rebecca Everhart. Perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Melinda Leigh, Robert Dugoni, and Patricia Gibney.

THE SETTING
Newark is the biggest city in the state of New Jersey, a gritty waterfront city with a large port. It’s a place that some call home but also somewhere many workers commute in to from the suburbs. It’s considered a dangerous city by some, but in recent years has been somewhat revitalized. One of the most diverse cities in the world, it’s a place full of life and great stories.

DETECTIVE REBECCA EVERHART SERIES
Book 1: BODY IN THE BOX
Book 2: SILENT MURDER

My Review

After a difficult case Detective Rebecca Everhart returns to work to find she has a new partner to work with and a dismembered body to investigate.  The situation gets worse as the pathologist informs them the victim was tortured and was alive when his limbs were cut off with a chainsaw.

The prime suspect is someone Rebecca has history with and also someone she is warned to stay away from.

A difficult case, no clues and a new partner leaves Rebecca struggling then another body turns up….

The story is told in the first person which made for unusual reading but that could be me.

It is book 2 and I think I would advise readers to read book 1 first as I felt I was missing some character background however it did work as stand alone.

The story moves along steadily as we learn about the characters and the area.  The clues are slowly uncovered but with the uncovering comes a total curve ball I certainly wasn’t expecting.

An interesting read.

E.R. Fallon

Having spent most of my life in and around NYC, I know well the gritty city streets I write about and have firsthand knowledge of the localized crime world through family. I will say no more. I studied criminology in college and was mentored by a leading advocate for the family members of homicide victims. I’ve published several stories with mystery and crime elements that received praise from bestselling international writers, and have previously worked as a business writer. I now live in the countryside and enjoy connecting with readers on and through my website at.

Links

Twitter: @MysteryCreator

Website:  https://erfallon.wordpress.com

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BLOG TOUR: Next Victim (DCI Rachel King #1) by Helen H Durrant. #crimefiction #policeprocedural #detectivebook @joffebooks @hhdurrant #TeamJoffeBooks

Today it is my stop on the Blog Tour for NEXT VICTIM the first book in a new detective series by the brilliant Helen H Durrant. I would like to share with you my #BookReview

NEXT VICTIM (DCI Rachel King)

Available for just 99p/99c from Amazon

MEET DETECTIVE RACHEL KING IN THIS BRILLIANT NEW CRIME SERIES.

DISCOVER A BRAND NEW MYSTERY FROM #1 BEST-SELLING AUTHOR HELEN H. DURRANT THAT WILL HAVE YOU GRIPPED FROM START TO NERVE-SHREDDING FINISH.

A young man’s body is found burnt and tortured by a Manchester canal.

Detective Rachel King investigates. But she has a secret, the love of her life is a well-known villain. He has recently come back on the scene. But what does he really want?

A brutal serial killer with a taste for good-looking young blonde men.

A student who believes she has a lost brother. But even her own father doesn’t believe her. She was involved with the first victim.

As the murders continue, can Rachel keep her family together and stop the killer?

My Review

This is the first in a new series by Helen Durrant and I was very excited to read it.

The main character is DCI Rachel King. Mother of 2, with her ex husband living next door and an on off relationship with one of the bad guys this is a real roller coaster of a read with a lot of focus on Rachel’s personal life which makes it different in a very good way.

Helen has expertly managed to develop a character via a case. As work becomes entangled with her family and emotions we learn a lot about Rachel, the person at the same time as following a case (or cases) with more twists, turns and false leads than a game of snakes and ladders.

A young man is murdered after being tortured for some time. There is no motive, no clues and no evidence. The team is struggling to find a way forward. The only small lead they have is to Jed, a man with fingers in the dark world of crime but for whom Rachel has very deep feelings.

As we join the team on a rocky journey through evilness and secrets we learn a little about the team Rachel manages. A mixed bag of detectives some loyal some not so it is a very realistic team who work well together despite the differences.

A brilliant book I couldn’t put it down and I am looking forward to many more in this series.

5 golden stars from me

THE DETECTIVE
DCI Rachel King. Thirty-nine year-old mother of two teenage daughters. Divorced from Alan. She lives in the Cheshire village of Poynton – about ten miles from central Manchester. She is good at her job, gets results but does make mistakes. One of them was getting involved with a budding villain in her teens. No one, family, friends or colleagues know anything about this.

ALSO BY HELEN H. DURRANT
THE CALLADINE & BAYLISS MYSTERY SERIES
Book 1: DEAD WRONG
Book 2: DEAD SILENT
Book 3: DEAD LIST
Book 4: DEAD LOST
Book 5: DEAD & BURIED
Book 6: DEAD NASTY
Book 7: DEAD JEALOUS

THE DCI GRECO BOOKS 
Book 1: DARK MURDER – read more here
Book 2: DARK HOUSES – read more here
Book 3: DARK TRADE – read more here
Book 3: DARK ANGEL – read more here

ALSO AVAILABLE – The first 3 books in the Bayliss and Calladine series are now available as a Box Set for a bargain £3.99  from Amazon

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Blog Tour: Fat Chance by A.B. Morgan #crimefiction #fatchance @AliMorgan2304 @junctionpublish

Today it is my stop on the Blog Tour for this fantastic new release by the Brilliant A. B. Morgan. This is a must read for all lovers of Crime Fiction.

Fat Chance book description

Available from AMAZON

A missing barrister, a severed thumb and fat chance of finding out the truth.

Ella Fitzwilliam’s world is about to spiral out of control. She’s not cut out to be a private investigator. With little or no aptitude for the job, she’s been sent undercover to expose the hidden lives of two men who meet nearly every week at Buxham’s – a private members’ club where portions are large and secrets are held in strictest confidence.

One of those men is Harry Drysdale, a defence barrister, and the other is Marcus Carver, an eminent surgeon with a tarnished past and much to lose. Ella knows he has unhealthy appetites, she’s sure he’s feeding his perverted habits and putting his female patients at risk but she has to prove it.

When Harry Drysdale goes missing, Konrad Neale TV journalist tries to reveal the truth behind the lies, but some of the secrets start to reveal themselves… and they are big.

My Review

This is a stand-alone book in the Crime Fiction genre. If you have never read anything by AB Morgan you don’t know what you are missing. Her books always have a humorous element somewhere that has you laughing while still not detracting from the main theme of crime.

Ella is always up for a laugh even a mundane task like bingo calling has everyone laughing but the manager is not impressed and so endeth another job. However, among the audience is someone from her past and with her another opportunity presents itself.

Tasked with going under cover as an investigator is bound to be unusual given what we already know about the hillarious Ella and I was not disappointed.

This is a brilliant read. You need to think outside the box but the characters are unusual but realistic as we join Ella and Val on her journey to reveal a perverted man who has a reputation as a Bariatric Surgeon but is using his position to satisfy his urges.

Fun and seriousness take their turns on this roller coaster ride of a read with many twists and turns all the way to the end.

Brilliant!

Author Bio

Alison Morgan lives in rural Bedfordshire, UK, with her engineer husband and bonkers dog. Life is never boring and they are usually planning the next adventure. Alison spent several decades working on the front line of mental health services as a specialist nurse and latterly as manager of an early intervention service for first episode psychosis. However, when a heart problem brought her career to a juddering halt, she had to find a way of managing her own sanity, so she sat down to write some useful clinical guidelines for student nurses. Instead, a story that had been lurking in her mind came spewing forth onto the pages of what became her first novel. Since then she has been unable to stem the flow of ideas and writes full-time from a luxurious shack at the top of the garden. Alison writes under the name A B Morgan and. within her storylines, she continues to make good use of her years of experience in mental health services, where the truth is often much stranger than fiction.

Twitter: @AliMorgan2304

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100016489783966

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BRASS IN POCKET (Inspector Drake #1) by Stephen Puleston #FreeBook #BargainBook #CrimeFiction #Detective #Mystery @Inspector_Drake

Do you like FREE BOOKS? Do you like Detective Stories? If so I have good news. BRASS IN POCKET book 1 in the brilliant Inspector Drake series is FREE until Monday 28th January.

Brass in Pocket coverBrass in Pocket (Inspector Drake #1) by Stephen Puleston

Available from AMAZON

It is the middle of the night …The road is deserted …A killer is waiting …

Two traffic officers are killed on an isolated mountain pass in North Wales. Inspector Drake is called to the scene and quickly discovers a message left by the killer – traffic cones in the shape of a No 4.

The killer starts sending the Wales Police Service lyrics from famous rock songs. Are they messages or is there some hidden meaning in them?

Does it all mean more killings are likely? When a politician is killed Drake has his answer. And then the killer sends more song lyrics. Now Drake has to face the possibility of more deaths but with numbers dominating the case Drake has to face his own rituals and obsessions.

Finally, when the killer threatens Drake and his family he faces his greatest challenge in finding the killer before he strikes again.

Inspector Drake

Detective Ian Drake is an inspector in the Wales Police Service and is based in the northern division headquarters near Colwyn Bay on the coast. North Wales is a large area that stretches from the coast to the border with England. It is an area rich in history and great scenery.

Book 0.5: The Devils Kitchen (a prequel novella)

Book 1: Brass in Pocket

Book 2: Worse than Dead

Book 3: Against the Tide

Book 4: Dead on your Feet

Book 5: A Time to Kill

Book 6 – Written in Blood

What the bloggers thought:

Ginger Book Geek

Every so often I come across a series of books, where I read one and think ‘how the heck have I not read this series before?’  Well the Inspector Drake series is one such series.  Read more here

Turn the Page Blog

Fantastic read. I’ve come to prefer the UK based books as they’re easier to relate to… This is no exception. This was a relaunch and I have been so honoured to be part of the tour.  Read more here

The Quiet Geordie

I enjoyed the storyline and was kept gripped by what was coming next. There were plenty of cliffhangers that meant “Just one more chapter”! I also particularly enjoyed the chapters with Drake’s family members.  Read more here

Ali the Dragon Slayer

Hooray, I’m in at the start of a series, book one in the Detective Ian Drake series. If you want a quick taster there is a prequel novella The Devils Kitchen which is currently free on Amazon (download).  Read more here

A Bookish Human

The novel kept me intrigued throughout and maintains a steady pace. It is also filled with cliffhangers at the end of chapters which keeps the reader wanting more.  Read more here

On the Shelf Reviews

The book opens with the death of two dodgy policemen on an isolated road. The killer leaves a number four at the crime scene then sends a message to the baffled police in the form of song lyrics. A second murder occurs with the same M.O. and it’s up to Inspector Drake and his team to stop the killer before they strike again.  Read more here

Mystery Thriller Week

I know good crime fiction when I see it and Brass in Pocket certainly is. Stephen Puleston’s writing has a certain realism that can only be explained by experience. After reading so many books you begin to recognize the author’s craft and things that make them unique.  Read more here

Linda Strong Book Reviews

Drake and his team have no clues, no motive. They suspect more murders in the near future.  Read more here

My Review

This is book 1 in the Inspector Drake series although there is a prequel novella, The Devil’s Kitchen that is available free on Amazon.

The story begins with the murder of 2 traffic policemen.  Inspector Ian Drake is called to the scene and so begins a race to unravel the cryptic clues before more people die.

As the book progresses we learn a lot about Ian and his struggle with OCD.  It brings a human perspective to the book as his issues with cleanliness cause him problems with other members of his team.

The story moves along at a decent pace as the reader becomes more intrigued as the case develops and more people die.  What is the link and who is the murderer is something that is a closely guarded secret until we are almost at the end of the book.  I was as flumoxed as the team trying to work out the who and why and then WOW I didn’t see THAT coming.

This is a well written, gripping book that will have the reader turning page after page.  I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Definitely worth the 5 stars.

Author photoAUTHOR BIO:

I write mysteries and thrillers.

I have published the first novel in a series featuring Inspector Drake based in North Wales and also the first in a series with Inspector John Marco based in Cardiff. The first Drake mystery is called BRASS IN POCKET and the second WORSE THAN DEAD. The third, AGAINST THE TIDE and the fourth, DEAD ON YOUR FEET.

Before turning to crime fiction I had written three other unpublished novels and you can read about my writing and about Wales, one of the most beautiful countries in the world, on my website http://www.stephenpuleston.co.uk/

I was brought up on the Isle of Anglesey, off the North Wales coast and went to school in Holyhead. After a degree in Theology from London University I decided to train as a lawyer and returned to work in the practice run by my father on Anglesey. For many years I worked as a lawyer in a small practice representing clients in the criminal courts and doing divorce work all of which has given me valuable raw material for my novels.

I still live and work in North Wales where the Inspector Drake novels are set.

LINKS

Website: http://www.stephenpuleston.co.uk/

twitter @stephenpuleston
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephenpulestoncrimewriter/

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BLOG TOUR: To the moon and back… by Patricia Asedegbega Nieto #Drama

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for To the moon and back… This is not my usual read  but it is a book I really enjoyed.  So if you are looking for something a bit different this is a book I can’t recommend highly enough.

…to the moon and back (Anne Book 1)

Available from AMAZON

Is there always a light at the end of every tunnel? 26 year old Anne is seriously beginning to question if she is ever going to find it. After a series of devastating blows, the young nurse finally catches a break; Ben, the love of her life asks her to marry him and it suddenly feels like she can start to smile again. But Anne has a secret that is threatening to destroy it all and this time, there is no easy way out. Will she be able to beat the odds and have the happy ending she has always longed for?

My Review

Anne has her life turned upside down.  Her mum loses a battle with cancer and Anne is working all the shifts she can to repay money borrowed to pay health care costs.  Then fate deals another blow as she is diagnosed with endometrial cancer.  She continues working to save for a life saving operation but when she collapses she realises time has run out.

In a life or death decision she breaks off her engagement to the love of her life and marries a rich surgeon.  After a hysterectomy and chemotherapy she arrives at her marital home to try to live a different life as a wife to a man she rarely knows her dreams of children with Ben dashed into the ground.

We follow Anne as she struggles with life work and relationships in her efforts to gain some sort of control over the pieces of her life she has left.  Is she strong enough for the massive task ahead?  Even her nursing career is in jeopardy as she finds working as a midwife is more painful than she ever thought possible.

Although this is not my usual genre I found it totally gripping and couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough.  An emotional roller coaster of a read but absolutely brilliant! 5 stars from me.

Author Bio

I live in sunny Spain and have been writing for about six years now. I started with a collection of cat stories to raise funds for a shelter and then moved on to my first suspense novel. I write both in Spanish and English and have series in both languages. Though I am a biologist, writing is my true passion. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do what I love.

Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patricia.asedegbega/about?lst=100014613847452%3A761829352%3A1531939992

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