Month: Jun 2019

BLOG TOUR WRAP UP – The Country Inn Mystery (Jenny Starling #7) by Faith Martin #mystery #crimefiction @faith.martin_nov @joffebooks

Thank you very much to all the wonderful Bloggers who helped with the launch of THE COUNTRY INN MYSTERY.  Your help is very much appreciated.  Jill, Faith & Joffe Books x.

What the Bloggers thought:

Loopy Laura

The narrative is easy to read and without any graphic detail. The characters are well developed and Faith Martin has created an excellent lead in her main character of Jenny. Read more here

Linda Strong Book Reviews

It takes Jenny using her sharp mind and her keen observations to get to the bottom of this entertaining mystery. With a large number of suspects to investigate and question, the police certainly have their hands full.  Read more here

Nicki’s book blog

I love Jenny ( and I have to admit reading about all of her cooking not only makes me hungry but wanting to bake too!). There is a reassuring comfort with these books. Read more here

Robin Loves Reading

The Country Inn Mystery is the seventh book in the Jenny Starling series which could be read as standalone, as it is a new location and victim. However, the entire series is a delight, and if readers want to enjoy the over six foot voluptuous woman, with uncanny beauty and intelligence, then, by all means, be sure to get the previous titles in this series. This is a quick read that I was able to devour in one sitting. Read more here

The Word is Out

Jenny’s overwhelming mission in life is to feed people, in fact food comes above anything else in her eyes. Unfortunately in her travels as a cook-for-hire she has become embroiled in several murder investigations and her uncanny ability to read people has often helped her expose the killer.  Read more here

Joanna Larum’s Reviews

This is a gentle mystery story without any gruesome details. Perfect for a summer’s day’s reading. Told with Faith Martins’ usual skill which always manages to stop me from finding the perpetrator! Read more here

Ginger Book Geek

As with all of Faith’s books, ‘The Country Inn Mystery’ is well written.  She certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and she dangles enough bait in front of your nose to keep you interested in the story all the way through. Read more here

Black Books Blog

As with the other Starling books this one has lots of twists and turns, made all the more intriguing with the way the leading actress died. All of the little red herrings and twists made it an enjoyable book and the series is getting better the further on we go.  Read more here

THE COUNTRY INN MYSTERY by Faith Martin

Available from AMAZON UK US AU CA

Discover a new series of whodunits by million-selling author Faith Martin. These charming mysteries will have you scratching your head to work out who the murderer is.

Meet Jenny Starling: travelling cook and reluctant amateur detective.

THIS IS A BRAND NEW, NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED FAITH MARTIN BOOK.

Jenny Starling is working at The Spindlewood Inn for the weekend. It’s hosting a Regency Extravaganza, involving historical costume, amateur dramatics and food.

Leading actress of the amateur dramatic society and reputed man-eater Rachel Norman portrays a doomed noblewoman. But when she turns up actually drowned in the pond, there’s suddenly a murder to investigate.

There’s been plenty of trouble at the idyllic country inn. The performers weren’t a happy troupe, and Jenny discovers a simmering romantic tension.

Who wanted Rachel dead and why? Jenny Starling is going to need all her wits to crack this complex case.

This is the seventh in a series of enjoyable murder mysteries with a great cast of characters and baffling crimes which will keep you in suspense to the final page.
Perfect for fans of classic whodunits by authors like Agatha Christie, LJ Ross, TE Kinsey, and J.R. Ellis.

JENNY STARLING
In her late twenties, Jenny Starling is an impressive woman. Physically, she stands at 6ft 1inch, and has shoulder-length black hair and blue eyes. Curvaceous and sexy, she’s a modern single woman, living the lifestyle that suits her – that of a travelling cook. Her famous (and now very rich) father, is a ‘celebrity’ cook, divorced from Jenny’s mother. Jenny drives a disreputable cherry-red van, and is happy travelling the country catering events and cooking great food. She is on a one-woman crusade to bring back ‘real’ food. And definitely doesn’t like having to divert her attention from achieving the perfect Dundee cake or creating a new sauce recipe by having to solve a murder. She finds crime very distracting, especially when there is chocolate to temper or pike to poach. Nevertheless, she is very good at reading people, and with a quick and agile brain, becomes very good at unmasking killers. And her always-undaunted sense of humour goes a long way in keeping her sane when all around her people are dropping like flies.

THE AUTHOR
FAITH MARTIN is the best-selling author of the DETECTIVE HILLARY GREENE mysteries, which have sold over 1 million copies globally in just over a year.

JENNY STARLING MYSTERIES
Book 1: THE BIRTHDAY MYSTERY
Book 2: THE WINTER MYSTERY
Book 3: THE RIVERBOAT MYSTERY
Book 4: THE CASTLE MYSTERY
Book 5: THE OXFORD MYSTERY
Book 6: THE TEATIME MYSTERY
Book 7: THE COUNTRY INN MYSTERY

Author Bio

Faith Martin was born in Oxford, and has spent all her life within twenty miles of the university city, even working at Somerville College for five years before turning to writing full-time. The author of the popular DI Hillary Greene novels, she also writes more classic-style ‘whodunits’ under the pen name Joyce Cato, but began her writing career as Maxine Barry, winning an award for penning romance novels! A popular writer for over 25 years, she has had nearly 50 novels published so far. Her hobbies include walking her now ageing dog, wildlife-watching, reading and (reluctantly) gardening.

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BLOG TOUR WRAP UP – Dropzone (DS Smith & DC Taylor #2) by Stewart Giles #detective #crimefiction #TeamSJ @StewartGiles #Blogtour #bloggers

Once again Stewart and I would like to say a mahoosive THANK YOU  to all the awesome bloggers who helped with the Blog Tour for Dropzone.  You really are something! The book is doing brilliantly and that is thanks to you guys (and all the other readers and carer/sharers)  Thank you so very much.

What the bloggers thought:

Black Books Blog

As with all of Stewart’s books there are some nice little red herrings and more dead people along the way as we try and work out what happened.  Read more

By the Letter Book Reviews

Guest Post 

The Haphazardous Hippo

Guest Post 

Ginger Book Geek

Review to follow

Herding Cats

Guest Post

Jessica Belmont

I highly recommend Dropzone. It will have your eyes glued to the pages and your heart thumping out of your chest. Read more here

Sharon Rimmelzwaan

This book has made me want to read every single book Stewart has written about Smith and Taylor, so much I have got every book on my kindle!   Read more here

Joanna Larum’s Reviews

Stewart Giles mixes an absorbing tale with patches of dark human behaviour and patches of humour which all make a great balance. Once again, as with all his books, it is impossible to second-guess who is behind the murders although I try every time.  Read more here

Emma The Little Bookworm

On The Shelf Reviews

If you’re looking for a novel with plenty of fast paced action and heart in your mouth moments, I think Dropzone is the book for you.  Read more here

Book Worm

Review to follow

The Word is Out

A terrific murder mystery, well written with plenty of twists and very engaging characters (including a repulsive pug!) which will keep the reader engrossed right up to the last page. Highly recommended, as are all the books by this author. 5* Read more here

Linda Strong Book Reviews

DROPZONE is well written, the suspense starts with the flight of Brandon Stone and doesn’t let up until the very last page. Read more here

Turn The Page Blog

Another fantastic installment from my favourite crime fighting, murders solving duo! Another twisting plot to keep you hooked. I don’t want to say too much sort from make sure you buy it!! Read more here

Sassy Redhead Book Reviews

I really liked the twists and turns in this book. The characters are entertaining, interesting, and full of life. The suspense of who could have pulled this off will pull you in from the beginning and won’t let you go until the end of the book.  Read more here

Akamatra

Do you really need to ask? I loved it! So much so that I asked Stewart for an interview and I am going live with it in a few days.  Read more here

Debbie Hipster

Once again it’s full of red herrings, keeping you guessing, and pondering on how did 2 chutes fail. Who is the murderer? It’s a good gripping pace, and highly enjoyed.   Read more here

Donna’s Book Blog

It is five stars from me again, this is possibly my favourite DS Smith book so far and can’t wait for his next release!! Read more here

Dropzone (DS Jason Smith & DC Harriet Taylor #2)

Available from Amazon   UK   US    AU    CA

Goodreads link to Dropzone

From #1 best-selling author: Stewart Giles comes book 2 in the very popular DS Jason Smith and DC Harriet Taylor series.
Brandon Stone is doing his first Accelerated Free Fall Skydive. He has done the training and his instructors are with him so nothing can go wrong…. Can it? A double malfunction and Brandon is staring death in the face. A very rare accident. Or is it?

Jason is returning to work after 3 months recovering from injuries at the hands of Boronov. Light duties? Not if Jason can help it.

DC Harriet Taylor is taking a well deserved holiday with Jon Finch that includes tandem skydiving. Out of all the planes in the country they were on the same one as Brandon.

With a detective as a witness this should be an easy case to solve. Wrong! Jason and the team need all the help they can get to unravel the lies and find the clues before more bodies turn up.

This is a gripping story with twists, turns and intrigue all the way through. A fast moving page-turner you will not be able to put down.

THE DETECTIVES

DC Harriet Taylor had only been married for 2 years when her philandering husband was killed in a car crash. It is common knowledge around the station that the woman who died next to him was his latest lover. Harriet transferred to Trotterdown to escape the gossip and sympathetic looks. She is now finding her way around Cornwall and getting to know the other members of the team.

DS Jason Smith is an Australian who was sent to York to live with his Grandmother when his sister disappeared from a beach. He has suffered many losses in his life and is now a dedicated detective. He is a bit of a loose cannon – he has his own way of doing things and that doesn’t always mean following orders and procedures.

What readers are saying about Dropzone:
As always, great plot with plenty of suspense and twists to keep you guessing until the end. – Kirsty Nimmo

“I loved this book. I think this maybe my very favourite Stewart Giles. It kept me on the edge to the end.” – Alison Gitelson

“I was quickly drawn into a world of air adventure and read it in two sittings. It’s an engaging, fast paced murder/mystery with believable characters, plot and background on their private lives.” – Carol Stone

It starts with an adrenaline pumping chapter and then delves into the investigation with a sprinkling of dead ends and jaw dropping twists and turns. – Books ‘n’ All

My Review

This is book 2 in the DS Jason Smith and DC Harriet Taylor series.  These have each made their mark in their respective ‘solo’ series’ but together they make for an interesting, effective partnership that make for a fast paced entertaining read while still maintaining a strong detective story.

Stewart Giles has a unique talent that I love.  Part of that talent is the ability to write an addition to a series that works perfectly as stand-alone without writing in a lot of history that could bore readers who have read the back lists.  Another part is to build a little humour into the stories to offset the darkness.  This serves to make the well developed characters very realistic.

I can honestly say I have never read a skydiving thriller before and I love the author’s passion for the sport which comes through in the story.  It starts with an adrenaline pumping chapter and then delves into the investigation with a sprinkling of dead ends and jaw dropping twists and turns.  Several times over the course of the story I had worked out who was responsible.  But in true Stewart Giles style I found out I was wrong – every time.  I think I went through every member of the Skydiving Club at one point or another but the actual ending was still a shock.

I found a teaser hidden within the story which I am certain is going to be fleshed out in a future book and I am looking forward to reading whatever else Stewart has to offer to feed my passion for Crime Fiction.

A brilliant read.  I really loved every single page.  5 Golden stars from me 🙂

ALSO BY STEWART GILES

DS JASON SMITH SERIES
Book 0.5-Phobia
Book 1-Smith
Book 2-Boomerang
Book 3-Ladybird
Book 4-Occam’s Razor
Book 5-Harlequin
Book 6-Selene
Book 7-Horsemen
Book 8-Unworthy

DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1-The Beekeeper
Book 2-The Perfect Murder
Book 3-The Backpacker
Trotterdown – A Box Set of books 1-3

DS JASON SMITH &DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1-The Enigma
Book 2-Dropzone

Stand Alone Thrillers
Miranda – A psychological thriller

Stewart Giles – Author Bio

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live. After Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later. 3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor Cornwall series. The Beekeeper hit the shelves and hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well. The third in the series, The Backpacker I have self-published and there are plenty more to come. Unworthy, the ninth Smith instalment was followed by a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers. Entitled The Enigma, it brings together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor. Miranda is something totally different. A stand-alone psychological thriller, it is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before. Dropzone, book 2 in the  Smith/Harriet series is now available and the 10th Smith instalment will be released later in the year.

Links

Website: www.stewartgiles.com

Twitter: @stewartgiles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

You can join the Stewart Giles reader club by completing this form  https://mailchi.mp/a64f6de4c541/sgreadersclub

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BlogTour – I WILL MAKE YOU PAY by Caroline Bale #AuthorInterview #Crimefiction #debut #netgalley #newrelease @joffebooks

Today I am absolutely thrilled to not only be kicking off the Blog Tour for this brilliant debut thriller but also to welcome CAROLINE BALE to JOFFE BOOKS.  We are always very excited to be able to introduce a new author and we hope to be seeing a lot more from Caroline in the future.  Now I am sure you all want to get to know Caroline, I am therefore kicking off with an author interview which I hope will answer some of your questions.  If you have any more why not pop along to the Facebook Launch Party and chat with her?  Just click on the picture.

Author Interview with Caroline Bale

Hello Caroline, thank you for joining me today. Welcome to Joffe Books and the wonderful world of Crime Fiction. I am sure everyone is keen to know more about you and your writing so hopefully we will be able to answer some of their questions.

 

I Will Make You Pay is your debut thriller. What made you want to write?

Like so many people I have always been drawn to the idea of writing a book. I grew up on Agatha Christie and Enid Blyton and lost myself for endless hours in those stories. I love the idea that someone might get happily absorbed in a plot I’ve written or might find an escape imagining the characters in a world created by me. That gives me great satisfaction. There is also something so interesting in developing the characters in a novel. I get to inhabit the mind of each of my characters, even the psychopaths and I find that quite thrilling.

 

Although this is your first published book have you written anything before?

About ten years ago I wrote 30,000 words of a historical fiction novel set in Victorian London. I am a research junkie and I must have spent a thousand contented hours googling Victorian social history for that book. Ultimately I gave up but I learned a lot about writing and about the dangers of spending too much time researching! I really have to watch my tendency to disappear into google. About three years ago I took up writing again. I joined a writing class with a great teacher. Out of this a group of us formed a writer’s collective. Last year we self published a number of short stories with a crime theme – we called the book “Sins”.

 

How long did it take you to write this book?

Honestly, I was writing and re-writing the first few chapters, about 10,000, for about two years. I spent a lot of time indulging in my research addiction and not enough time in writing. Someone in the writing group suggested we all enter the Irish Writer’s Centre Novel Fair competition and in a spirit of camaraderie I sent off the 10,000 words I had written and re-written over the previous two years. Incredibly two of us were selected as finalists but in order to qualify for the prize of meeting tons of agents and publishers, we had to supply a novel of 50,000 words within nine days. My friend Martin had already completed his novel but I had 40,000 words to write. I took a week off work, wrote day and night without editing and got to the magic 50,000. The experience nearly killed me but I learned so much which can be summed up by – “For God’s sake stop editing the same thirty pages and just write the rest of the novel.”. After the Novel Fair I spent a few months editing and sent it off to a number of publishers. I got lots of rejections and two offers. I went with the wonderful Jasper Joffe and am delighted I did.

 

I know this is set in York, what made you choose that setting?

My partner was going back and forth on business from Dublin, where we live, to York and I would travel with him when family and work allowed. I fell in love with the city, the sense of history at every turn, the sheer beauty and magnificence of it. I thought it the perfect place to set a crime novel. The surrounding countryside is beautiful but also wild and brooding. I was taken with the character of the people. Yorkshire people can be refreshingly direct and opinionated. The place is full of strong willed and sometimes stubborn characters – manna from heaven for a crime writer.

 

Where did you get the idea and information for I Will Make You Pay?

I am a psychotherapist by day and in my work I have the privilege of exploring with my clients the sometimes extraordinary events in their histories or present lives. Nothing in the plot is directly taken from my clients’ stories, I would never do that. However, often what I hear in my work prompts me to imagine what would happen if that situation was taken to a further extreme? As human beings we probably all have events in our lives which provoke feelings of wanting revenge, if only briefly. In “I will make you pay” I got into the head of a person who decides to act out that urge to make someone pay.

 

What do you plan to write next? Will we meet Ellen McClure in future books?

I am working on Book 2 in the Ellen McClure series and I have plans for more books in the series in the future.

 

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I sit for hours in my job as a psychotherapist and I sit for hours when writing so I like to counter that by being physically active for a few hours a day. I can’t stand the gym and I have never been sporty. But I do like to get out with my partner and my dogs, go up onto Killiney Hill or for a walk on the beach. We are so lucky where we live in Dublin that we have both on the doorstep. We always end up having a coffee (and a cake) and a chat with other dog owners. Apart from that I most enjoy spending time with my adult kids and a few friends. It’s important to me to keep my life balanced. I have to remind myself that when I’m on my death bed I won’t be thinking “I should have spent more time writing”. Oh, and I also enjoy a few beers with our wonderful friends in Finnegans, my local pub in Dalkey.

 

What advice do you have for any of our readers who are thinking about writing a novel?

I was at a great talk in the Dalkey Book Festival and David Putnam the film producer was talking about creativity. In his opinion, creativity for most of us is more about resilience than talent or knowledge. That resonated hugely with my experience. There is a wealth of knowledge available on the internet about how to write a novel and I learned so much from that. I learned a lot too from my writing class. But ultimately you have to start putting it all together and you may find that it doesn’t work out as you want it to. That’s when resilience comes in. So I would say, keep going and decide to learn something from every failure.

Also, writing can be a lonely pursuit. What helped me with that was joining a writing class and out of that a number of us formed a writer’s group which meets every few weeks. We called ourselves the three percenters because only three per cent of people who start writing a novel ever finish it. We were determined as a group to help each member reach their goal and most of us have gotten there, the others are well on their way. A group can foster resilience in the face of failure, can keep you writing when you feel like giving up. There’s a sense of common understanding, we all share the agonies and we also share the joys. Most of all, we have fun.

I WILL MAKE YOU PAY by Caroline Bale

Available from AMAZON

DISCOVER THE MOST ADDICTIVE NEW CRIME FICTION WRITER THIS YEAR

Meet Detective Ellen McClure as she takes on a vicious killer who loves playing games.

He is watching Connie Taylor in the café. He has befriended the waitress over the previous months and gained her confidence. Her coarseness disgusts him and he muses to himself about pouring acid on her face. He is going to torture Connie that evening to get the final information he needs and then he will kill her.

Connie Taylor’s head is found on the doorstep of a house in upmarket Heworth Green in York.

DI Ellen McClure finds herself embroiled in a complicated murder investigation that pits her against colleagues and family. Her boss thinks that ex-prostitute Connie was killed by one of her former clients, but Ellen thinks there is more to it.

Vicky is on the run with her five-year-old daughter, Kallie. Her life is in danger.

ELLEN MUST FIND HER BEFORE HE DOES.

Desperate to save Vicky, Ellen drags her own young daughter Zoe into the path of a deadly psychopath who will stop at nothing on his murderous rampage.

A RACE AGAINST TIME TO STOP A PSYCHOPATH ON A MISSION

An absolutely gripping mystery with a massive twist. Perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Damien Boyd, Rachel Abbott, Patricia Gibney or Mark Billingham.

THE DETECTIVE
DI Ellen McClure is a 38-year-old detective with an outstanding record who will stop at nothing to protect the innocent. She has recently left her cheating husband, Anthony, and is making a new start for her and her 13 year old daughter Zoe in York, the city she grew up in. She is arriving at her new posting on the North Yorkshire Serious Crimes Team under a cloud having given evidence against a superior in her previous posting. Her tenacious approach and confrontational style often work against her, pitting her against colleagues and family. In contrast, her DC, Sarika Kaur is an empathic, thoughtful officer, who tries, often without success, to be the voice of reason.

THE SETTING
York has been occupied by everyone from the Romans to the Vikings which shows in the city’s cobblestone streets, half timbered houses and 18th-century flat-fronted townhouses. Diagon Alley where Harry Potter buys his wand was inspired by the Shambles, a medieval butcher’s street visited by the film’s set designers and which is now thronged with tourists. Six hundred years ago, bloody hunks of meat hung on shopfronts, dripping into the gutter that still runs along the middle of the lane. Then, of course, there is the magnificent York Minster, Europe’s largest gothic cathedral which looms over a warren of streets running down to the River Ouse with its many colourful barges and tour boats. The river cuts the city in two and flows eastwards into majestic countryside and onwards towards the North Sea.

The Author
Caroline Bale is a practicing psychotherapist who draws on her work to create believable plots and complex characters. She believes the draw in books like hers is that they allow us to address our worst fears from the safety of our own bedrooms. The heart-pounding terror of walking down a deserted street alone at night or the inability to go to sleep until a beloved teenager has finally arrived home. She is interested in what motivates a person to torture or kill another human being, what psychotherapists call the shadow side of human nature. Her books are full of complex, often charming characters with personality disorders and disturbed histories. The psychopaths amongst us with the killer smiles.

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#BookReview GIRL WATCHING YOU by J. A. Schneider #psychologicalthriller #newrelease #bookstagram #crimefiction @JoyceSchneider1

Happy Publication day to Joyce Schneider.  To celebrate I would like to share with you my review of GIRL WATCHING YOU. This is new release in the Psychological Thriller genre and is an intriguing read that doesnt disappoint.

GIRL WATCHING YOUGIRL WATCHING YOU by J.A. Schneider

Available from AMAZON

A young woman, obsessed by a man she considers a predator, climbs a fire escape and thinks she sees a murder.

Out of work actress Ava Beck, reduced to working in a West Village flower shop, starts to watch womanizing hedge funder Peter Greer, who lives near. He likes to romance his girlfriends with flowers.

Ava notices bruises on his troubled-looking date named Chloe. Concerned, she follows them after work to Chloe’s studio, second floor in the rear of a brownstone. She hears them arguing, climbs up the fire escape just as Greer angrily sees her…and plunges into a world of stunning twists, murder and madness worse than any she could have imagined…

My Review

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a big fan of Joyce Schneider so was very pleased to read this new stand-alone thriller.

Ava, an out of work actress, is in a bad place.  She has split up with her lawyer husband, Alex and is in the middle of a divorce.  Her sister recently died and Ava suspects she was murdered by her actor boyfriend.  When Ava makes her suspicions known Moore retaliates by using his power, money and contacts to make Ava an outcast in the acting world.  Forced to find work where she can Ava is currently working in a flower shop where the owner has romantic inclinations towards her which are not reciprocated.

Suffering from depression and insomnia Ava spends the evenings climbing fire escapes and spying on women she believes are being abused.  She manages to save one woman from her abusive landlord but isn’t so lucky with Chloe.  Afraid she has been seen Ava slinks off home and Chloe’s murdered body is discovered the following morning.  Adding guilt that she could have saved Chloe to her other issues and Ava is spiralling down into the darkness of despair.

Although this book is fairly slow moving during the first half as we get to know the characters it does pick up as the reader becomes engrossed in the tangled web of people, red herrings and clues.  There are several characters in this story and the author builds them all very well so they become complex individuals each with their own history and unique personalities.

The story itself, although predominantly crime, has a little romance built in and several more aspects that make it a little different and a lot more intriguing.  The suspects are many and my mind was changed many times as we followed the twists and turns of this case even when nearly at the end there was still the choice between a happy ending or more tragedy to keep the adrenaline pumping.

Another winner from the brilliant J.A Schneider.

Thank you to the author for the digital ARC of this book.  These are my own, unbiased thoughts and opinions.

View all my reviews

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ICYMI – Their Last Words (Ray Paterson #1) by Steve Parker #detective #crimefiction #TeamJoffeBooks @joffebooks @mrparkerspen

THEIR LAST WORDS.jpgTHEIR LAST WORDS (Ray Paterson #1) 

Available from   AMAZON

Discover a crime thriller full of shocking twists by one of the most exciting new authors you’ll read this year.

A VICTIM. A MUTILATED BODY. A SINGLE WORD.

A young woman is found dead on the streets of London. Her throat slashed, her body mutilated, and one word carved into her flesh: “DON’T.”

Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson is assigned to the case. Young, handsome, and from a well-off background, he’s tipped for the top. He joins a team based out of Bermondsey, South London. It’s meant to be a stepping stone to his next promotion, but this case will threaten to bring down his career and everything he thought he knew about policing.

Paterson is put in charge of the dead girl’s investigation and quickly discovers he must rely on his friend and mentor, Detective Sergeant Dave Jordan to guide him through.

THEN ANOTHER BODY IS DISCOVERED. ANOTHER WORD CUT INTO THE VICTIM’S CHEST.

The police realise they may have a depraved serial killer on their hands. The murderer is trying to send them a message carved in his victims’ bodies. But who’s the message for?

How many more must die? Detective Paterson may be the only man who can stop this vile killer . . . if he can survive long enough.

This is the first in a series of action-packed, edge-of-your-seat crime thrillers, with an ending that will have your heart in your mouth.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A HEAVILY REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “THE SKY IS CRYING.”

My Review

I am a big fan of Joffe Books.  Their books are usually fast paced with a minimum of padding and that suits me perfectly.  I was very excited to hear Steve Parker was joining their talented team and was looking forward to reading this new release.

I wasn’t disappointed the book starts with a gruesome murder and zooms along at a very fast pace with plenty of action and insight into the characters along the way.  Very human characters and Steve has skillfully managed to build curve balls into the characters as well as the story.  The end result is an adrenaline pumping page-turner that I couldn’t put down.

As far as tick lists go this ticked every one of my requirements and some I didn’t know I had.  Ray Paterson is a rich ladies man who is fast tracking up the career ladder.  His life is a car crash.  They say money can’t buy you happiness, well it seems to be buying Ray a whole lot of trouble and heartache. Some members of the team doubt his ability to be SIO of such a sadistic murder case which adds a new dimension to the story.

The team is made up of some very unique characters some I like and some I don’t but what I do like is the way the author has developed the characters so that they grow on the reader.  I particularly like Clocks behind the clown exterior lies a very perceptive detective and this comes across perfectly.  Jordan is the loveable one.  The team comprises a very healthy mix of different personalities that MAKE the story.

I read a lot of crime fiction but I have never read one where you get about half way and wonder what is in the second half of the book only to find that it ain’t over yet the twists and turns and shocks continue right to the very end which is an edge of the seat breath-taking ending – WOW

An absolutely stunning read and I am really looking forward to the next book.

What the bloggers thought:

On the Shelf Reviews

This also has a little twist on the usual crime books, as the superintendent is one of the main characters investigating the murder. I can honestly say I haven’t seen before, usually they’re in the background making it harder for people to do their jobs. Also Ray Paterson is a bit flash, driving round in an Aston Martin wearing Gucci shoes and posh suits, coming from money he doesn’t really have to work either unlike your usual copper.  Read more here

Linda Strong Book Reviews

This is the first in a series of action-packed, edge-of-your-seat crime thrillers, with an ending that will have your heart in your mouth.  Read more here

Joanna Larum’s Reviews

If you like crime novels, if you enjoy a good story, if you want a novel which will grab you and hold you until the end and then leave you fizzing for more, then this is the book for you. I cannot wait for the next one!  Read more here

Ginger Book Geek

Blimey oh riley, this was one hell of an unpredictable and scary rollercoaster ride of a read.  The story hit the ground running and maintained the pace throughout.  As soon as I read the first sentence I just knew that I was going to become addicted to reading this book and so it proved.  For me ‘Their Last Words’ really is a ‘CPID’ (can’t put it down) book.   Read more here

The Bookworm Drinketh

I loved getting to know the characters and Steve Parker did a great job at really getting you to feel the weight that the work puts on these officers and how they deal with it. Will they shut down? Will they deal with it with dark humour? Will they take to the drink? From the very beginning you wondered how these officers could go out there and do their jobs, seeing what they see.  Read more here

Donna’s Book Blog

I really, really enjoyed this book – it was well written and it completely captivated me.  I am a massive crime fiction fan and I love reading book from new authors to me and this one was a complete delight for me.  Read more here

Robin Loves Reading

The first half of the book was a bit difficult for me as I am rather sensitive. But, once they had a bead on the killer, it then became a matter of locating him before he could continue to murder people. This fast-paced book truly became a page turner from this point on. I had a surprisingly emotional reaction to the shocking conclusion. Haven’t not read much crime fiction before, I was impressed.  Read more here

Turn the Page Blog

My turn to tell you how brilliant this book is! I must admit it’s a bit got in places compared to some books I have read, but i think that’s what makes it interesting.  Read more here

Orchard Book Club

A gruesome body on the first page and I was hooked. This book never takes its foot off the gas, as bodies turn up left right and centre Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson and his team have their work cut out for them.  Read more here

Black Books Blog

I really got into this story very quickly with the murders as they were done in such a way that you would assume it was personal, or the killer is some deranged character who will kill more and lead the police on a merry chase, so I knew I was going to be in for a good ride with Paterson as he and his little team investigate everything.  Read more here

Beth in a Box: Guest Review by Margaret Russell

You need your wits about you with this book. It is fast paced and the author has developed a strong cast of characters and a good plot, all dealing with a particularly gruesome crime that develops into a series of crimes. They are all committed by the same pertpetrator who leaves no forensic clues behind to help the Police out.  Read more here

THE DETECTIVES

Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson, is a young and (thanks to family money) wealthy womaniser, separated from his model wife and tipped to be the youngest ever commissioner of police. He knows he’s weak when it comes to practical policing and struggles to find a place among his peers, desperate to be a good policeman and not just a ‘climber’.

Detective Sergeant Johnny Clocks is a foul-mouthed, working-class officer. He grew up surrounded by rogues and villains to become a first-class thief taker with the Met police. However, his childish attitude has short-circuited his career and he spends his days antagonising as many people as he can.

Detective Sergeant Dave Jordan is an old-school copper who trusts his instincts but relies on evidence. He is typical in that his marriage has broken down and he’s been unable to form a relationship since.

THE AUTHOR
Steve Parker is a retired police officer who served for 20 years in numerous high-profiles squads.

THE SETTING
Bermondsey is an area of London nestled on the banks of the River Thames. It once had a reputation for housing more armed robbers, murderers and career criminals than anywhere else in the country. Now one of the most upmarket places to live and work in London, it has all but severed itself from its working-class roots. Home to the iconic Tower Bridge and crammed with expensive apartments, art galleries, fancy restaurants and famous residents. But for the police, those who truly know, Bermondsey never lost its roots . . . or its reputation.

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#NewRelease THE COUNTRY INN MYSTERY (Jenny Starling #7) by Faith Martin #Crimefiction #mystery @joffebooks @faith.martin_nov

Happy Publication day to Faith Martin.  Today is the day THE COUNTRY INN MYSTERY by Faith Martin is released.  This is the 7th Jenny Starling mystery and I know readers have devoured every single book.  Unlike the previous books in this series this is a completely new (previously unpublished book)  However, it is with a sad heart that I have to let you know this is the final Jenny Starling book.  BUT dont be too downhearted as I think Joffe Books and Faith have more books hiding away so watch this space.

THE COUNTRY INN MYSTERY by Faith Martin

Available from AMAZON at a bargain price for launch:

Amazon UK £1.99
Amazon USA $2.99
Amazon AUSTRALIA $3.99
Amazon CANADA $2.99

Discover a new series of whodunits by million-selling author Faith Martin. These charming mysteries will have you scratching your head to work out who the murderer is.

Meet Jenny Starling: travelling cook and reluctant amateur detective.

THIS IS A BRAND NEW, NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED FAITH MARTIN BOOK.

Jenny Starling is working at The Spindlewood Inn for the weekend. It’s hosting a Regency Extravaganza, involving historical costume, amateur dramatics and food.

Leading actress of the amateur dramatic society and reputed man-eater Rachel Norman portrays a doomed noblewoman. But when she turns up actually drowned in the pond, there’s suddenly a murder to investigate.

There’s been plenty of trouble at the idyllic country inn. The performers weren’t a happy troupe, and Jenny discovers a simmering romantic tension.

Who wanted Rachel dead and why? Jenny Starling is going to need all her wits to crack this complex case.

This is the seventh in a series of enjoyable murder mysteries with a great cast of characters and baffling crimes which will keep you in suspense to the final page.
Perfect for fans of classic whodunits by authors like Agatha Christie, LJ Ross, TE Kinsey, and J.R. Ellis.

JENNY STARLING
In her late twenties, Jenny Starling is an impressive woman. Physically, she stands at 6ft 1inch, and has shoulder-length black hair and blue eyes. Curvaceous and sexy, she’s a modern single woman, living the lifestyle that suits her – that of a travelling cook. Her famous (and now very rich) father, is a ‘celebrity’ cook, divorced from Jenny’s mother. Jenny drives a disreputable cherry-red van, and is happy travelling the country catering events and cooking great food. She is on a one-woman crusade to bring back ‘real’ food. And definitely doesn’t like having to divert her attention from achieving the perfect Dundee cake or creating a new sauce recipe by having to solve a murder. She finds crime very distracting, especially when there is chocolate to temper or pike to poach. Nevertheless, she is very good at reading people, and with a quick and agile brain, becomes very good at unmasking killers. And her always-undaunted sense of humour goes a long way in keeping her sane when all around her people are dropping like flies.

THE AUTHOR
FAITH MARTIN is the best-selling author of the DETECTIVE HILLARY GREENE mysteries, which have sold over 1 million copies globally in just over a year.

JENNY STARLING MYSTERIES
Book 1: THE BIRTHDAY MYSTERY – Blog Tour
Book 2: THE WINTER MYSTERY – Blog Tour
Book 3: THE RIVERBOAT MYSTERY – Blog Tour
Book 4: THE CASTLE MYSTERY – Blog Tour
Book 5: THE OXFORD MYSTERY – Blog Tour
Book 6: THE TEATIME MYSTERY – Blog Tour
Book 7: THE COUNTRY INN MYSTERY

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BLOG TOUR WRAP UP – The Woman on the Cliff by Janice Frost #crimefiction #teamjoffebooks @Janice579021 #netgalley #thewomanonthecliff #bookreview @joffebooks

Thank you very much to all the wonderful bloggers who helped with the Blog Tour for THE WOMAN ON THE CLIFF your help is very much appreciated xx

What the Bloggers thought:

Linda Strong Book Reviews

This is a solidly written mystery with characters that stand out. Plenty of action and twists and turns keep the reader glued to the pages. Read more here

Herding Cats

Guestpost: Series or Standalone? 

The Word is Out

What you think is clear cut at the start of the book becomes very murky as the story progresses and the reader learns some disturbing truths about relationships in that house before Moira’s death. This story is a great mystery story, with lots of twists but the big question is will the truth ever be revealed? A clever plot and highly recommended.  Read more here 

Joanna Larum’s Reviews

The characters were incredibly well-drawn (I have met many people who have displayed similar characteristics and failings) and I was hoping all the way through that Innes and Ros would hit it off. A wonderful story and so well-written. I am a huge fan!   Read more here

Jessica Belmont

Janice Frost knows how to keep her readers invested. The characters stand out as realistic and relatable. The plot is well-paced and the twists are really great. I was definitely surprised a few times. Read more here

Ginger Book Geek

Janice Frost is a superb writer and ‘The Woman On The Cliff’ is a superbly written book.  Janice knows how to draw you into the story from the first word and she keeps your attention all the way through the book with fresh shocks and surprises awaiting you over every page.  Read more here

Black Books Blog

The book has a lot of twists in it, both in the past and present day aspects, which kept me guessing throughout. I really liked the two main characters as they investigated what had happened and we got to know the back story in a very unique way throughout the book. Read more here

THE WOMAN ON THE CLIFF by Janice Frost

Available from AMAZON

DISCOVER THE NEW STANDALONE MYSTERY FROM BEST-SELLING AUTHOR JANICE FROST

SHE WILL RISK HER LIFE TO FIND THE TRUTH

1988. The body of Moira Mackie, a St Andrews University student, is found on a clifftop path. Her ex-boyfriend is found days later, hanged in his uncle’s garage with a suicide note confessing that he killed her. The case is abruptly closed.

Thirty years later, Ros Maitland has seemingly moved on from the horrific murder of her housemate Moira. Then her daughter takes up a place at the same university, and old demons reawaken.

Was Moira murdered in a lover’s quarrel? Or was her death part of something far larger, uglier and more calculated?

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED THAT TERRIBLE NIGHT?
Policeman, Innes Nevin, investigated Moira’s death and has been haunted by it ever since. It was his first murder case, and he knew it had been closed too soon.
Innes and Ros must delve back into the painful past to finally bring the truth to light.

THEN COMES A BRUTAL TURN OF EVENTS. SOMEONE WANTS THEIR INVESTIGATION STOPPED AT ALL COSTS.

In an electrifying standoff, Ros must risk everything she cares about.

CAN SHE FIND THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DEATH AND ESCAPE WITH HER LIFE?

A rising talent of crime fiction, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott, Ruth Rendell, Or Mark Billingham

PRAISE FOR JANICE FROST’S ‘DEAD SECRET’
“A brilliant new detective writer who will have you reading all night. ” Chris Child
“I couldn’t put this story down; the amount of intrigue was breathtaking.” Karen
“Excellent twists and turns plus a few moments where I was completely gobsmacked” Jaffa

ALSO BY JANICE FROST
DS MERRY & DI NEAL SERIES
Book 1: DEAD SECRET
Book 2: DARK SECRET
Book 3: HER HUSBAND’S SECRET
Book 4: THEIR FATAL SECRETS
Book 5: DIRTY SECRETS

My Review

Janice Frost Author Bio

I am the author of five crime/mystery books featuring Detectives Jim Neal and Ava Merry. My novels are set in the fictitious East Midlands cathedral city of Stromford.

Dead Secret sees Jim and Ava pairing up to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. It is their first major case together and the two soon discover that they have very different personalities. Neal is intellectual and considered, Ava clever and occasionally reckless. Both are passionate about the job they do but have to work hard at being an effective team.

Dead Secret reached #13 in the Amazon Kindle Store, and the first sequel, Dark Secret reached #10. Both books spent several weeks in the Top 100. Her Husband’s Secret was published in November 2016, and the fourth book in the series, Their Fatal Secrets, in November 2017. The fifth book was launched in June 2018 and reached #55 on the day of its release.

I am originally from West Lothian in Scotland but moved to London in my early twenties. I lived and worked in the East End for ten years before moving to Lincolnshire where I currently live with my husband and two grown-up sons. When not reading or writing, I enjoy walking in the hills absorbing the scenery.

I am delighted to be published by the wonderful Joffe Books.

Twitter:  @Janice579021

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009761614110

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BLOG TOUR WRAP UP : She Will Rescue You by Chris Clement-Green #crimefiction #TeamJoffeBook #netgalley #SheWillRescueYou

Chris, Joffe Books and I would like to say a very big THANK YOU to all the wonderful bloggers who helped with the launch of SHE WILL RESCUE YOU.  Your help in promoting this book is very much appreciated.  You are all awesome x.

What the bloggers thought:

Ginger Book Geek

‘She Will Rescue You’ is really well written with more than an air of authenticity to it. The author is a former police officer and she has drawn on her many years of experience to write a fantastically scary, realistic and downright thrilling read.  Read more here

Linda Strong Book Reviews

This is a well-written novel with credible characters. Ellie and Mia are on opposite poles .. but are they really all that different? It’s a fascinating read … and would make a great discussion for book clubs.  Read more here

Joanna Larum’s Reviews

This is a fast-moving story with plenty to keep the reader interested although it doesn’t overload the reader with horrendous detail. It kept me glued to the page. An author to look out for!   Read more here

Jessica Belmont

I enjoyed She Will Rescue You immensely! I highly recommend it and I’m really excited to read more from Chris Clement-Green.  Read more here

Loopy Laura

The author Chris Clement-Green has really spun a good tale. This book would be brilliant for a book club as the opposing viewpoints would provide an excellent debate. It is so thought provoking and relevant to today’s modern society as well as my own personal journey to be vegan and cruelty free.  Read more here

Book Worm
Sharon Rimmelzwaan

It is really fast paced and carried me all the way to the end in almost a whirl.  Read more here
The Word is Out A debut novel which certainly made an impact on me (I loved it!) and which has a very unique feel about it. The story revolves around two women, both sad and lonely in their own ways.  Read more here

Black Books Blog

Overall this is a brilliant book, which had me hooked throughout as it is such a different book to normal, and the characters are so well written that you have to feel for them all as the story progresses.  Read more here

SHE WILL RESCUE YOU by Chris Clement-Green

Available from AMAZON

TWO WOMEN ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE LAW WILL DO ALMOST ANYTHING FOR WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT

Dr Mia Langley is a criminal forensic psychologist working for the National Crime Agency. Elegant, intelligent, and ambitious but lonely. She works among society’s darkest minds in perpetrator profiling.

A man is murdered in a Norfolk turkey shed. Just another violent incident or something more?

Ellie Grant is a lonely young woman. She works for minimum wage at an animal shelter and nurses a simmering hatred for all those who abuse animals.

When she “finds” a winning lottery ticket, she face a terrible choice: use the money for what she believes in or give the ticket back to its rightful owner.

THE TWO WOMAN WILL BECOME LOCKED IN A BATTLE WHICH WILL TEST ALL THEIR BELIEFS. HOW FAR WILL EACH OF THEM GO?

And both women fall in love with the same man.

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?

Discover a race-against-time thriller which will have you gripped from the first page to the last.

THE AUTHOR
Chris(tine) Clement-Green retired from Thames Valley Police after sixteen years as a uniform sergeant followed by five as a civilian investigator on serious and organised crime teams in Humberside and Wiltshire – which included working on several murder incident rooms and national drug operations. She is the author of the memoir, “Into the Valley.”

My Review

Chris Clement-Green Author Bio

I retired from Thames Valley Police after sixteen years as a uniform sergeant followed by five as a civilian investigator on serious and organised crime teams in Humberside and Wiltshire – which included working on several murder incident rooms.

My serious writing started in 2007 when I entered the National Association of Writer’s Groups annual short story competition. It was my first competition so I was astonished to win with Pebbles. This win encouraged me to undertake the Open University Creative Writing and Advanced Creative Writing courses, which I completed with distinction. In 2013 I was accepted onto the prestigious Bath Spa University Creative Writing MA, where I completed a humorous but gritty life-writing manuscript Into the Valley which was subsequently published by Mirror Books in 2017.

I have had several articles and letters published in national UK magazines, most notably Writing Magazine, and in September 2016 I was published in The New Guard Volume V a literary journal based in New York. I have also been short listed in the Literature Works First Page Writing Prize and in several Writing Magazine competitions. In 2016 my fantasy short story, Layla, was published in Divinity Fantasia Magazine and I won the Oriel Davis Prose Competition with Cosmic Tiger and was also a finalist in the Women in Comedy Festival with my monologue Queenie. This year my article Food for Thought was runner up in the Scribble annual article completion, and I co-wrote a piece on the subject of Mentoring with James McCreet which was published on the 6th September 2018.

My recently completed debut novel She Will Rescue You is being published on the 30th May 2019 by Joffe Books and I am currently working on a new crime novel – Rage Hard which is another police procedural set in Oxford revolving around a white WPC and black criminal during the race riots of Thatcher’s Britain.

I also run tutored and untutored writing retreats from my home in mid Wales – thewelshwritingshed.co.uk

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#BookReview DECEPTION WEARS MANY FACES by Maggie James #Psychologicalthriller #crimefiction

Deception Wears Many FacesDeception Wears Many Faces by Maggie James

Available from Amazon

Lyddie Hunter is devastated when her beloved sister attempts suicide after falling victim to a professional con artist. Driven by her own history of failed relationships, Lyddie vows revenge on the man who broke Ellie’s heart.

Soon she assumes a false identity and begins her hunt for Steven Simmons, a man she knows to be cold, calculating and ruthless. Deception lurks everywhere, however, and Lyddie’s actions unleash a train of events that put her life, and Ellie’s, in grave danger.

A tense novel of psychological drama, Deception Wears Many Facesweaves lies with self-deceit and maybe even murder…

My Review

rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book has been on my ‘to read’ list for a while so I was very pleased to finally find time to read it.

Liddie is a successful person. She aced her exams and qualified as an accountant. Inheritance from her father and some successful investments mean she has managed to move to Spain and make a living from her love: painting.

Ellie by contrast has always struggled academically but helped by her older sister she struggled on until a tragic accident damaged her brain. Damage to her temporal lobe meant she would always struggle to make logical decisions and their father asked Liddie to look after her younger sister.

Add a controlling mother into the mix and we have 2 very different siblings one has everything and the younger living in her shadow. It is a recipe for sibling rivalry.

Liddie is happily living the dream in Spain when a phone call changes everything. Ellie has again tried to commit suicide and is asking for her sister. From there everything spirals downwards out of control. There is romance, fraud, lies and fragmented relationships all entangled in a twisty turny thriller.

This was a very good read, unfortunately, I worked out the fraudster early on in the book (although I did question myself once or twice) and that lost it a few points.

View all my reviews

You may also like:

THE SECOND CAPTIVE by Maggie James

SISTER PSYCHOPATH by Maggie James

AFTER SHE’S GONE by Maggie James

HIS KIDNAPPER’S SHOES by Maggie James

BLACKWATER LAKE by Maggie James

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