Book Review: Poetic Justice Dan Antion & Willow Willers

Book Review

Synopsis

Trevor Barcroft enlists the help of crime and mystery writer Brody Thompson to help solve his father’s murder — a murder the police and the FBI have been ignoring for five years. Trevor is convinced he knows who killed his father. Brody doesn’t agree, but he becomes convinced that there is much more to the story than anyone is sharing. He takes a strong interest in the murder and a series of related crimes.Rascal Todd wants to help, but her editor keeps her away from the story. Why? What was Wilson Barcroft doing at Gateway Park the night he was killed? Who is the mysterious Poet? What do the odd bits of poetry he has spread around tell us? Is the Poet still alive? Will he survive? Will Brody and Trevor find the answers—will they survive?Join Rascal and her friends and coworkers as they try to help from the sidelines without becoming targets in an ever-growing list of deadly crimes. Real life turns out to be far more dangerous than any fiction Brody could create as the history of a war long over comes back to haunt the city of Pittsburgh.Consistent with previous books by this author, this is a character-driven story with an ensemble cast. Some characters will be familiar to readers of Antion’s other novels. Some are new faces that you might just come to love. The addition of poetry by Willow Willers provides an interesting mechanism driving this story forward, and driving Brody Thomson into dangerous territory.

Book Review

This was a different read from Dan Antion and Willow Willers which caught my attention due to the connections and references to Vietnam, and its veterans and drugs and homelessness.

My favourite characters are Brody, an author turned sleuth and The Poet who has been hiding in fear for years, ( the poetry penned by Willow Willers in this book is an added bonus, and works well.)

The plot idea is intriging: Brody sets out to find out out why was Trevor’s father (who served in Vietnam) killed? Was he silenced? And why did a murderer try to kill his son Trevor too?

And what is Trevor’s mum doing in a care home?

What’s going on?  Is it a hush up?  What’s really happening?

There are revelations, and threats too.

Brody’s quest to find the truth brings gritty real life drama with him in potential danger!

Things to note:
The violence and threats tend to be non-graphic in nature with the story being told as if through the eyes of a storyteller. So if you like blood and gore this is not for you. It’s what I’d call a thoughtful rather than a tense read.

A lot of the storytelling scenes occur in meetings in cafes with tempting food,  newspaper offices, or in the care home, all of which give clues to the investigation, as the plot progresses to its conclusion where all is revealed!

Recommended for readers who enjoy tales with a human interest/Vietnam mystery/sleuthing aspect.

Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Poetic-Justice-Mystery-Featuring-Thompson-ebook/dp/B0FBLH5YKB

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Book Review Richard Dee – Ripples #book #review

Book Review

What an engrossing tale from Richard Dee!

There’s mystery, intrigue, and murder, all set against a backdrop of well written sci-fi.

Carlos Dayne from Balash is down on his luck.

He discovers a body in a dumpster and, seeing an opportunity to reinvent himself, he takes over the identity of the wealthy deceased Playboy Dominik Lind.

He has to get to grips with a lot!

Including pretending to be the boyfriend of Dominik’s fiery girlfriend, Ms Tyleah Nash.

On the planet Jallico – known for its chauvinistic, outdated attitudes, – he becomes the ‘new,’ Dominik.

Soon it becomes apparent that there is much more to Dominik & the other players in this well-crafted and plotted sci-fi tale with its extraordinary flights into imaginative orbit.

Who has murderous intentions?

Can Carlos become Dominik and survive to walk away? And what dangers will he be vulnerable to by doing so?

Lots of twists and revelations along the way, up until the final unexpected scene.

Highly recommended.

Rating 5 stars

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ripples-Everythings-Connected-Richard-Dee/dp/B0FTZGF662

Richard Dee

Richard Dee is from Brixham in Devon. Leaving school at 16 he briefly worked in a supermarket, then he went to sea and travelled the world in the Merchant Navy, qualifying as a Master Mariner in 1986.
He has also worked as an Insurance Surveyor, Lockmaster, Harbourmaster and Ship’s Pilot, taking over 3,500 vessels up and down the Thames, passing through the estuary, the Thames Barrier and Tower Bridge.
Since the publication of his first Science Fiction novel, Freefall, in 2013, Richard has written another twenty-seven novels, a textbook and a selection of short stories. He has been featured in several anthologies, including 1066 Turned Upside Down, Connections, Light and Tales from Deepest Darkest Devon.
In addition to his psychological thrillers, he writes Science Fiction and Steampunk adventures. He also chronicles the exploits of reluctant amateur detective Andorra Pett. 
Richard is married with three adult children and five grandchildren.

He can be found at https://richarddeescifi.co.uk 
and contacted at richarddeescifi@gmail.com

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Interview With Author M J Mallon at Kathryn Rossati’s Tree Shallow Musings Blog

Thank you so much to fellow Next Chapter Author Kathryn Rossati for this interview on her blog:

An interview with author M J Mallon

Here’s a short snippet of the content…

Hi everyone, please welcome to the blog M J Mallon, a fellow Next Chapter novelist and poet.

M J Mallon is the author of YA sword and sorcery series, Curse of Time, of which book one, Bloodstone, and book two, Golden Healer, have been published. She has also penned several poetry collections. To find out more about M J Mallon and her work, head to her website: https://mjmallon.com

Alternatively, you can check out her Linktree here: https://linktr.ee/mjmallonauthor

When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?

About ten years ago when I started blogging at my eclectic blog home: https://mjmallon.com. At the time, I was living in Cambridge, England, and had close connections to Edinburgh, Scotland.

For my debut novel, Bloodstone, I developed a fascinating idea for a trilogy, which became The Curse of Time series. It was inspired by two sculptural artworks, the Chronophage clocks designed by esteemed inventor, Dr John C Taylor, OBE, and Jupiter Artland’s crystal grotto, designed by Anya Gallaccio – The Light Pours out of Me – exhibited during August 12 to December 2, 2012. (Jupiter Artland is located in Wilkieston, near Edinburgh, Scotland.)

What’s your latest project about?

I’m currently working on the third book in the Curse of Time series. It’s a young adult fantasy sword and sorcery novel, with the original cast of characters plus a few more. The Dragon Chronophage escarpment – the third of the sculptural clock creatures – comes alive in this trilogy, along with strange beings such as Eruterac’s living dead army, the return of the Grasshopper, the Mythological Fly, (sometimes known as the Midsummer fly) and the creepy coffin fairies.  The story partially takes place in the Land of Shadows, and the battle scenes occur in Edinburgh. It’s at about 40,000 words now, still in the development stage.

To read the full interview head over to Kathryn’s blog or read on Substack:

https://substack.com/home/post/p-177203263

Book Review: The Booklet on First Hand Reads by Dan Costinas

Book Overview

Exactly what is the big deal with book reviews?Currently, the reader’s attention is constantly being competed with via a wide range of printed or electronic format works. In this vast context, there may be no way to overstate how powerful, effective, and essential book reviews are – for both the reader and the author. Through these assessments, the readers are given a flavour of the narrative in front of them, additionally serving as gateways to the world of good books. On the other hand, the writers regard reviews as crucial for discoverability, marketing, and boosting their book sales.This little book of personal thoughts is more of a guide than a forensic approach.

My Review

Find Your Next Best Read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 January 2025

The Booklet of First Hand Reads by Dan Costinas.

It’s somewhat unusual reviewing a book of book recommendations but that’s what I’ll try to do!

Dan loves reading. That’s obvious and his favourite reads are eclectic in taste ranging from:

1. The Bard William Shakespeare himself.

2. Poetry

3. Gothic literary masterpieces & Bestsellers

4. Engaging Travel & Expatriate tales

5. Crime & Thrillers, Psychological Fiction, Murder Mystery Puzzle Book

6. YA fantasy

7. Books About Independent Bookshops

8. Allegorical Novels8. Controversial & Banned Books

9. Science fiction

10. Cosy Mystery

11.WW1 & WW2

12. Political, Actor & Royal Memoir, Personal Memoir

13. Historical Fiction, Biographical/Medieval, Time Travel, Natural World

14. Nonsensical absurd humour & satire

15. Stories about the human condition, love, hope, heartwarming/sad tales

16. Books For Fans of Sherlock Holmes

17. Steamy books!

Some of his favourite reads are mine too! Such as Delia Owen’s Where The Crawdads Sing & Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles.

This is a great way to discover new books to read and to celebrate one’s we have enjoyed before!

It’s an honour to have your books and poetry mentioned amongst other well known classics, poets, award winning and bestselling authors. Imagine.

Dan is one of the most generous individuals I have come across in the writing/reading community with his time, effort and encouragement.

I also enjoyed Dan’s Dear Diary interludes when he writes about all manner of personal things including this dear planet we call home.

Give the book a go, you might just find your next best read!

Buy Link:

To find out more about Dan Costinas read my Interview:

Interview with Dan Costinas, alias Dan Quijote #Shakespeare #reading #reviewing The Last Folio

The French Winemaker’s Daughter Tour @DIY_Author @lellsworth #historicalfiction #WW2

Day 3 of The French Winemaker’s Daughter Tour via Kaye Lynn Booth https://writingtoberead.com/

Introduction

About The French Winemaker’s Daughter

Set during World War II, an unforgettable historical novel about love, war, family, and loyalty told in in the voices of two women, generations apart, who find themselves connected by a mysterious and valuable bottle of wine stolen by the Nazis.

1942. Seven-year-old Martine hides in an armoire when the Nazis come to take her father away. Pinned to her dress is a note with her aunt’s address in Paris, and in her arms, a bottle of wine she has been instructed to look after if something happened to her papa. When they are finally gone, the terrified young girl drops the bottle and runs to a neighbor, who puts her on a train to Paris.

But when Martine arrives in the city, her aunt is nowhere to be found. Without a place to go, the girl wanders the streets and eventually falls asleep on the doorstep of Hotel Drouot, where Sister Ada finds her and takes her to the abbey, and watches over her.

1990. Charlotte, a commercial airline pilot, attends an auction with her boyfriend Henri at Hotel Drouot, now the oldest auction house in Paris. Successfully bidding on a box of wine saved from the German occupation during the Second World War, Henri gives Charlotte a seemingly inferior bottle he finds inside the box. Cleaning the label, Charlotte makes a shocking discovery that sends her on a quest to find the origins of this unusual—and very valuable—bottle of wine, a quest that will take her back fifty years into the past. . . .

A powerful tale of love, war, and family, The French Winemaker’s Daughter is an emotionally resonant tale of two women whose fates are intertwined across time. Loretta Ellsworth’s evocative and poignant page-turner will linger in the heart, and make you think about luck, connection, and the meaning of loyalty.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/French-Winemakers-Daughter-Novel-ebook/dp/B0D3CJYP5Y

About Loretta Ellsworth

Loretta earned a master’s degree in Writing for Children from Hamline University. She’s the author of four young adult novels: THE SHROUDING WOMAN, a Rebecca Caudill nominee; IN SEARCH OF MOCKINGBIRD, which won the Midwest Bookseller’s Choice Honor Award, was a Teen’s Top Ten finalist, an IRA Notable, and was named to the New York Library’s List of Books for the Teen Age; IN A HEARTBEAT, which was named a spring Midwest Connection’s Pick and an ALA Notable; and UNFORGETTABLE, which was a Kirkus Pick of the Month. Her debut adult novel STARS OVER CLEAR LAKE, was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2017. Her debut picture book, Tangle-Knot, will be published by Page Street Kids in 2023.

A former Spanish teacher, she lives with her family in Minnesota.

Visit her website at: www.lorettaellsworth.com and follow her on twitter @lellsworth.

Writing Behind Your Back

By Loretta Ellsworth

I was raised on writing rough drafts and making sense of them later. This was taught to me by Jane Resh-Thomas in small classes in her Minneapolis living room, where she dispensed her wisdom to all of us who eagerly made copious notes. One thing she taught us was the concept of ‘writing behind your own back’. It’s the meat of the story, underneath the plot and characters. During the process of writing, things come to you without you knowing what they mean, or why they’re part of the story. But that’s often the important part. It’s what the story has to do with you, and every story has something to do with you as the writer, even when you don’t see it at first.

And we don’t see it. Not at first. When Kate DiCamillo wrote her book The Tiger Rising, one of the characters has a terrible rash on his legs. She said, “I wrote that book and re-wrote and re-wrote it and Rob’s rash was always present, front and center. And it wasn’t until after the book was done, that I remembered my own eczema, how it bedeviled me as a kid (not that I had forgotten the eczema, only that I hadn’t connected it with Rob’s eczema). I didn’t know what I was writing about, but I was writing about my heart.”

During the revision process, it’s important to ask ourselves why we’re writing a particular story, to recognize what we’re really writing about even when we think it’s something else. When writing The French Winemaker’s Daughter, I concentrated at first on the mystery of a rare and valuable wine bottle, one that spurs pilot Charlotte to search for the owner fifty years later. It wasn’t until after several revisions that I started to see a connection to my own life. My father spent time in Japan during WWII, and amid some of the things he brought back was a small delicate handkerchief decorated with a picture of a red sun and Japanese writing. I found out after his death that it was called a Good Luck Flag, filled with messages of love and support from the family of a soldier going into battle. I wondered what happened to the soldier who’d carried this, the story behind the flag we had owned all these years, and if his family could be located. Although I found out it might be almost impossible to find the family now (he had a common last name), it was suggested that the flag belonged in a museum. It made me wonder what we owe others, especially those who have lost so much during the war? And I realized that my book was searching for a way to bring restitution for my family for owning what we’d assumed was a common handkerchief all those years, but may have been an important piece of someone else’s life.

When examining your story, look for how it’s connected to you, the writer, and don’t be surprised that it’s something you tried to keep secret and buried. But it will reveal itself, and in doing so, will help us as writers to write our truths and reveal the themes of our books.

Tour Schedule

Mon. 12-16: Writing to be Read – Opening day – Interview

Tues. 12-17: Carla Reads – Guest Post

Wed. 12-18: Kyrosmagica – Guest Post

Thurs. 12-19: Book Places – Guest Post

Fri. 12-20: Writing to be Read – Closing day – Book Review

Book Review: In God’s Hands @ritubhathal #bookreview #rishtayseries

Book overview

They kept hearing, “When will we celebrate your good news?”

The perfect partner, the perfect job, mostly perfect in-laws.

Bali and Kiran had it all.
Except for that baby.

After a few years of marriage, the natural step of starting a family beckoned, but nothing was simple or natural.

Constant whispers, superstitions, and rumours cause havoc in what was a solid relationship, and Kiran struggles to face the possibility that her dream may not come true.

Pregnancies and babies all around her. Why not hers?
All she can say is, “It’s in God’s Hands.”

Book ReviewIn God’s Hands

This is book 3 in the Rishtay series. I’ve read Marriage Unarranged and Straight As A Jalebi and can highly recommend all three books.

I enjoyed reconnecting with the characters again. The third book in the series is an emotional read focusing on childless couples struggling to conceive and to carry a baby to term.

In God’s Hands is written in a moving and knowledgeable way from the author’s own experiences.

With mentions of cultural aspects and the pressure (especially from mother-in-law’s and ‘aunties,’) for married couples to produce a child.

One can’t help but root for Kiran and Bali!

In this human interest and family centred novel relationships between husband and wife, friends, family, and the wider community are explored.

I was a little surprised at the emotional distance between Kiran and her mother. I didn’t find her character was mentioned much. Instead, Kiran’s relationship with her father-in-law, Daddy-Ji, is the one that shone throughout. He is level-headed, sensible and kind. I really liked his character! Such a sweet man. Her mother-in-law, Mummy-Ji, is intolerable at the beginning and then suppressed revelations are shared which make a difference.

A lovely cultural personal and touching read. ❤️

My rating 4 stars

About the author

Ritu Bhathal was born in Birmingham in the mid-1970s to migrant parents, hailing from Kenya but with Indian origin. This colourful background has been a constant source of inspiration to her.

From childhood, she always enjoyed reading. This love of books is credited to her mother. The joy of reading spurred her on to become creative in her writing, from fiction to poetry. Winning little writing competitions at school and locally encouraged her to continue writing.

As a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and teacher, she has drawn on inspiration from many avenues to create the poems that she writes.A qualified teacher, having studied at Kingston University, she now deals with classes of children as a sideline to her writing!

Ritu also writes a blog, http://www.butismileanyway.com, a mixture of life and creativity, thoughts and opinions, which was awarded first place in the Best Overall Blog category at the 2017 Annual Bloggers Bash Awards, and Best Book Blog in 2019.

Ritu is happily married and living in Kent, with her Hubby Dearest, and two children, not forgetting the fur baby Sonu Singh.

Book Review Sounds In The Silence – @dlfinnauthor #bookreview #murder #mystery #ghost #dualtimeline #bookstoread

Congratulations to author D. L. Finn on her latest release, Sounds In The Silence. I really enjoyed!

Book Overview

A dual timeline where murder has consequences forty years later for the living—and the deceased.Maria and Logan Davis stumbled upon the perfect old house by a secluded lake—a prime candidate for their dream inn. They knew a renovation was involved but didn’t expect a persistent ghost that pleaded to be found. Determined, Maria delved into the mystery, only to uncover a haunting love story and murder from the Roaring Twenties. Yet, the young couple’s curiosity shifts to fear when they realize someone is taking a dangerous interest in their barn. With time ticking away, they must unravel the secrets of their home’s past before it’s too late.

My Review

This is such a heart warming mysterious story with romantic, and ghostly elements.

A trapped ghost Helen is unable to get her message about her husband Charles across to the new owners of the inn, Logan and Maria. Terrible past events happened. She fears for Logan and Maria’s safety and wants justice to prevail so she can find happiness in the afterlife.

I really enjoyed this tale. The premise for the story is fantastic. It is told in a dual time style between the 1920’s, (mention of bible bashing and condemnation of drinking during prohibition,) and the 1960’s. The characters both human and furry… (there are two dogs and two cats too,) are well drawn out and the good guys are ones you can root for and sympathise with.

The initial ghost discovery wasn’t as eerie as I expected but the ghost is a friendly one.

It is quite exciting in parts with grim discoveries, a mysterious letter and gun shots firing!

Highly recommended for readers of mysteries, ghost tales with a romantic element running throughout the narrative.

Rating 4.5 stars

To like my review on Goodreads follow the link:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6614919788/

To like my review on my Instagram follow my link:

Author Bio

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

D.L. Finn’s Books (Children and Adults)

Where’s Lizzie by Richard Dee #review @RichardDockett #release #thriller #mystery #readers

FANTASTIC NEWS!
It is release day for Richard Dee’s Where’s Lizzie….

Blurb

𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫.A missing child, a family full of secrets. Douglas was only gone for an hour. He left his wife and baby daughter in their broken-down car while he went for help. After all, they were safely parked in a layby. When he returned, his car had vanished. He found it, crashed into a tree, further down the road. wife was now in the passenger seat. She’d hit her head in the accident and lost her memory. Worse than that, his daughter was missing from the back seat. Who has her? Why do they want her? Will he ever see her again? Someone knows the truth, but is anyone ready for the truth to come out? 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧… 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬.

Book review

Fabulous new book from Richard Dee! He really is such a prolific and versatile author who is able to deliver imaginative and engaging stories in many genres including scifi, fantasy and now thriller.

A well plotted and intriguing story about a father’s quest to find his missing one year old daughter, Lizzie, and his hopes to rekindle the love of his wife after her memory is lost following on from a mysterious road accident. Absolutely loved the ending and the little alternating chapters which filled in the details about the love and family life of the two main characters, Douglas and Rom. And the twin sister dynamic of Rom and Bec and details of their overbearing, dominant father Archie and his charity work added extra mystery and unexpected twists and turns to this story.

I really enjoyed reading.

Highly recommended for thriller, mystery readers with a well devised human interest aspect and plot.

My rating 5 stars.

Release date 1st June, 2024.

About the author

I’m Richard Dee and I’m from Brixham in Devon.

I write all kinds of speculative fiction, from Science Fiction and Steampunk to sci-fi crime and psychological thrillers.

Forty years at sea gave me the ideas, I just changed the names and set them in the future or in an alternative now.

All my work is fuelled by black coffee and homemade digestive biscuits.

You can keep up with me at https://richarddeescifi.co.uk/ where you’ll find free short stories, regular features on writing, book reviews and guest appearances from other great authors.

I can also be contacted at richarddeescifi@gmail.com

The Disappearance of Peter Markham by Donna Morfett @lilmissmorfett #blogtour #review

Blurb

If Martina Cole is the Queen of crime, Donna must be a Princess…

Do you believe in Karma? Peter Markham should have. The past has come tapping him on his shoulder with an appointment for a reckoning. There will be no tomorrow. The killer did everything to cover their tracks, but is that possible? Who is this mystery person to bear such a grudge, but more importantly, why? Is it possible to forgive the past?

DI Cora Snitton is new to the station and wants to make an impression. The pressure is on her to find Peter Markham and put the world back together again, at least for his wife. If Peter has a history, so have others. Secrets breed secrets while tragedy is only around the corner. It’s up to Cora and the officers on her team like rookie DC’s Darcey and Luke to solve the crime and deliver justice.

REVIEW

What a page turner! Secrets, secrets, secrets! The mounting tension towards the end culminated in an ending which wasn’t quite what I expected. But, given the underlying sense of the destruction, (and revenge killing,) it seemed in keeping with the tale to end the book in this way.

I believe this is a series, so there will be more to come. So much to say about this book. It would make a great film, or detective drama! The beginning made me ugh, wince a lot! It’s hard hitting. Though, the violence that occurs isn’t gratuitous, it has meaning in this book (there is a valid reason it is there and the author does a great job in building up the character of the murderer.) And this is also true regarding the characterisation of the coppers in the story, particularly Cora and Darcy. I liked how Donna Morfatt showed the other side to Cora, revealing her comedic interest which gave the story a rounded, lighter touch. I thoroughly enjoyed the sections about foster kids and the way this was so well plotted within the context of the murder story. Harrison, you must read about him, so sad.

Overall, this is a fabulous debut. 👌 Really impressed with Donna’s storytelling abilities. Highly recommended for those who like a well plotted, crime/detective series procedural but readers should be aware that there are triggers: violence, torture, rape.

My rating: 5 stars

Bio

Born and raised in a small Town in Bedfordshire.

Has loved reading as long as she was able to understand the words written on the page, and the love has remained. Now a way to help cope with mental health.

As with many people across the world, the pandemic left us with lots of time, and twiddling thumbs. As well as trying to complete a degree in Forensic Science at the time, Donna thought she’d try and write a book.

That book, although story wise is ok, needs a lot of work, and is yet to see the light of day. She likes the story and hopes to go back to it one day.

Donna then took part in NaNoWriMo, in November 2021, and wrote her first full length novel. Then there is Cassie, which came joint second in a recent short story competition. When entered, they were given covers and proper editing, so Donna thought, why not release it, and raise some money for charity. So thats how Cassie came to be.

Debut novel The Disappearance of Peter Markham is being released by Rampart books on May 23rd 2024.

If you’d like to get in touch or follow me on social media, then please do so here

FACEBOOK Donnas Interviews Reviews and Giveaways

X @lilmissmorfett

THREADS/INSTA @donnasbookreviewsandinterviews

TikTok @donnamorfett

Buy Link UK  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D1CQ81BL

USA: https://www.amazon.com/Disappearance-Peter-Markham-procedural-detective-ebook/dp/B0D1CQ81BL/

Congratulations to Donna, wishing her much success!

Book Review: Summer Season At Sandy Coves, Book 1, Michelle E. Northwood #bookreview #cosymystery #summer #read @northwood_e

Blurb

Welcome to Sandy Coves Holiday Centre, where nothing is quite what it seems, and almost nobody can be trusted.
When Julia takes a job as a waitress to forget her cheating ex-boyfriend and cure her broken heart, she soon discovers she’s jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

Juan, the camp’s Spanish gigolo, is determined to entice her into his bachelor lair, but Francis, the shy sous chef, is resolute Julia will be his.

Worst of all, a thief is stealing from the kitchen, and Julia becomes linked to the crime.

The poor waitress can’t even find solace in her lodgings. She shares with Heaven, the potty chalet maid; a true ‘peace and light’ hippy who dabbles in white witchcraft. Julia soon finds herself dancing under the full moon and joining Heaven’s low-key coven. (The other members call them ‘girly nights’, where candles, wine, nibbles and forming strong friendships are the main priorities.)

Can Julia clear her name by teaming up with Francis to find the thief? Or will she lose her job?

This comical cosy mystery series isn’t just focused on the crimes. We learn about the characters, their lives, their hopes and dreams, failures and disappointments. Is everyone hiding a dark secret, while they plaster on a smile so the holidaymakers will have an unforgettable vacation?

Come to Sandy Coves Holiday Centre and see for yourself.

Review

Undoubtedly Michelle E. Northwood is a talented and interesting author who can turn her hand to any genre.

Michelle E. Northwood’s latest offering is Summer Season at Sandy Coves book 1.

This is book 1 in a lighthearted, fun story, a study of the vagaries of people in the working environment of a holiday camp. There’s never a dull moment from affairs between staff and holidaymakers, a serial philanderer, a thief, a peeping tom like character, lazy, immature, twin girls, and confusing relationship miscommunications. The characters are well drawn and entertaining. I really couldn’t stand Juan, who everyone seems to fall in lust with! And Julia’s room mate Heaven is a funny subsidiary character with her hippy tendencies and coven.

Julia’s back and forwarding was at times a little frustrating… I wanted to shake her shoulders and convince her to pick the right guy. But that is the charm of the story and life is a little like that. We often are unsure… and are prone to making bad choices.

What Julia decides and what happens… plus revelations, well, read the book to find out! It will have you giggling goggle eyed, I promise!

My recommendation – a comical cosy mystery summer read, or for anytime when you need an engaging fun story to lift your mood.

My rating 5 stars

About the author

Michele has a First Class Honours Degree in Modern languages, (English and Spanish) and also studied for a Master’s in Highschool Education. She currently lives in Spain, where she runs an English Teaching Academy. Michele shares her home with her Spanish husband, her dog, two cats and two terrapins. (Yes, she’s slowly building an ark!)

In her past life …. (okay, when she was a young woman,) she worked as a professional dancer, magician and fire-eater who toured the world for over twenty years in theatre, musicals and circus. During that time, she was in the Guinness Book of Records for being part of the world´s largest Human mobile, and worked as a contortionist with the Circus of Horrors as their first “Girl inside a bottle”. She has rubbed shoulders with Sting, Chris de Burg, David Copperfield, Claudia Schiffer and Maurice Gibb from the Bee Gees. She has also worked as a knife throwers assistant, assisted a midget in his balancing act, and took part in the finale of a Scorpions concert.

The author’s debut novel, ‘Fishnets in the Far East: A Dancer’s Diary in Korea’ has won two literary competitions. The sequel: “Fishnets and Fire-eating” has just been released, and the third book in the Fishnet series is due out soon.

Michele is concerned about climate change, the abundance of plastic pollution, and hates the way man-unkind treats the other species that inhabit this beautiful planet we are slowly destroying. Michele loves living in the countryside with views of the sea and likes nothing better than to sit on the terrace at the end of the day, look up at the stars and contemplate.

If you would like to contact Michele, she can be found at:

Twitter: @northwood_e

Facebook: Michele E. Northwood Author

And if you would like to be informed of future releases, giveaways, competitions and free books send her an email to antologiadeaguilas@gmail.com