Pam Lecky's Blog, page 5
August 16, 2024
Return to the Eyrie by Katerina Dunne: The Coffee Pot Book Blog Tour
Today, I’m delighted to host Katerina Dunne for the spotlight tour for Return to the Eyrie.
You can follow the full tour here:
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/07/blog-tour-return-to-the-eyrie-by-katerina-dunne.html
Return to the Eyrie by Katerina DunneHonour, revenge, and the quest for justice.
Belgrade, Kingdom of Hungary, 1470:
Raised in exile, adolescent noblewoman Margit Szilágyi dreams of returning to her homeland of Transylvania to avenge her father’s murder and reclaim her stolen legacy. To achieve this, she must break the constraints of her gender and social status and secretly train in combat.
When the king offers her a chance at justice, she seizes it—even if it means disguising herself as a man to infiltrate the vultures’ nest that now occupies her ancestral ‘eyrie’.
Plagued by childhood trauma and torn between two passionate loves, Margit faces brutal battles, her murderous kin’s traps and inner demons on her quest for vengeance. Only by confronting the past can she reclaim her honour—if she can survive long enough to see it through.
Return to the Eyrie is an epic coming-of-age tale of a young woman’s unwavering pursuit of justice and destiny in 15th century Hungary.
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/bz8gJL
Author Bio:Katerina Dunne is the pen-name of Katerina Vavoulidou. Originally from Athens, Greece, Katerina has been living in Ireland since 1999. She has a degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Athens, an MA in Film Studies from University College Dublin and an MPhil in Medieval History from Trinity College Dublin.
Katerina DunneKaterina is passionate about history, especially medieval history, and her main area of interest is 13th to 15th century Hungary. Although the main characters of her stories are fictional, Katerina uses real events and personalities as part of her narrative in order to bring to life the fascinating history of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, a location and time period not so well-known to English-speaking readers.
Return to the Eyrie (published April 2024) is the second book in the Medieval Hungary series, a sequel to Lord of the Eyrie (published in February 2022).
Author Links:Website (publisher): https://www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/hp-authors/katerina-dunne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076818802721
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katerina-vavoulidou-07962a85/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Katerina-Dunne/author/B09R4P733K
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22196953.Katerina_Dunne
August 15, 2024
The Witch of the Breton Woods by Jennifer Ivy Walker: The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
Today, I am delighted to host Jennifer Ivy Walker for the blog tour for The Witch of the Breton Woods. Jennifer has kindly provided an excerpt (please see below).
You can follow the full tour here:
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/07/blog-tour-the-witch-of-the-breton-woods-by-jennifer-ivy-walker.html
Trailer link: https://youtu.be/6A-VLgO7Aww?si=z6Mx_Mvncgfz2voP
The Witch of the Breton Woods by Jennifer Ivy WalkerTraumatized by horrors witnessed during the Nazi invasion of France, a young woman retreats to the dense Breton woods where she becomes a member of the clandestine French Resistance. When she finds a critically injured American paratrooper whose plane was shot down, she shelters the wounded soldier in her secluded cottage, determined to heal him despite the enormous risk.
Ostracized by villagers who have labeled her a witch, she is betrayed by an informant who reports to the Butcher—the monstrous leader of the local paramilitary organization that collaborates with the Germans. As the enemy closes in, she must elude the Gestapo while helping the Resistance reunite the American with his regiment and join the Allied Forces in the Battle of Brittany.
Can true love triumph against all odds under the oppressive Third Reich?
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdAzww
The Witch of the Breton Woods (Excerpt)The Wounded Soldier
Low, agonized moaning interrupted Yvette’s nightmarish reverie.
That’s a man’s voice. And it’s coming from over there.
She followed the deep groans through a copse of trees to find an American soldier impossibly tangled in a nylon parachute. Suspended from a high branch of a massive oak tree, he was dangling upside down, hanging by an obviously broken leg. A sharp bone protruded from the torn, blood-soaked pants of his khaki uniform, and dried blood—which must have leaked from under his helmet– covered half of his contorted face. His pitiful wails pierced her heart.
I can’t lower him to the ground by myself. He’s twice my weight. And if I cut the ropes, he’ll plummet headfirst. He already has a head injury, judging from the gore all over his forehead. Please, God, let him hang on until I get back.
“I’ll go get help. I promise to come back soon.” She called up to him, hopeful that he could hear her.
And that he understood French.
Author Bio:
Jennifer Ivy Walker has an MA in French literature and is a former high school teacher and professor of French at a state college in Florida. Her novels encompass a love for French language, literature, history, and culture, incorporating her lifelong study, summers abroad, and many trips to France.
The Witch of the Breton Woods is heart-pounding suspense set during WWII in Nazi-occupied France, where a young woman in the French Resistance shelters and heals a wounded American soldier, hiding him from the Gestapo and the monstrous Butcher who are relentlessly hunting him.
Author Links:
Website: https://jenniferivywalker.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bohemienneivy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-ivy-walker-685b58248/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bohemienneivy/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-witch-of-the-breton-woods-by-jennifer-ivy-walker
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jennifer-Ivy-Walker/author/B0B91R2MJZ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22671046.Jennifer_Ivy_Walker
August 13, 2024
A Conversation with Author Juliane Weber
Today, I’m delighted to host Juliane Weber in the library for a chat. You are very welcome, Juliane, please tell us a little about yourself.
Thank you for having me on your blog today, Pam. I’m a scientist turned historical fiction writer, and author of the Irish Fortune Series. My stories take readers on action-packed romantic adventures amid the captivating scenery and folklore of 19th century Ireland.
I was born in Germany but spent most of my life in South Africa. I now live with my husband and two sons in Hamelin, Germany, the town made famous by the story of the Pied Piper.
Which genre do you write in and what draws you to it?
I write historical fiction set in 19th century Ireland. Although I really disliked history at school (!) I now love learning about the past in historical fiction books, imagining how people might have lived in days gone by. It’s this fascination that drew me to writing historical fiction myself.
Are you an avid reader? Do you prefer books in your own genre or are you happy to explore others?
Yes, I love reading and am rarely found without a book in hand in my spare time. As mentioned, I love reading historical fiction but I do also read lots of crime thrillers and am happy to explore books in other genres if they sound interesting.
Are you a self-published/traditional or hybrid author?
I am a self-published author. While it was a difficult route to take at the beginning of my author journey I now enjoy the freedom self-publishing gives me. I like being in complete control of my work, from the content of the books themselves and the design of the covers to the way the series is marketed.
Who has been the biggest influence on your writing?
The biggest influence on my writing has been Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series of books. As a fan of her work I found myself googling her some years ago, only to find out that she was a scientist turned novelist. Having been an avid reader all my life and being in the middle of my science degree at the time I thought: wouldn’t it be great if I could also be a scientist turned novelist one day? Although it took some years before I actually started writing anything, it was her story that inspired me to try it in the first place.
Has your country of origin/culture influenced your writing?
Yes, I believe it has. Although I was born in Germany I moved to South Africa with my family when I was four years old and lived there for most of my life. South Africa is a land of contrasts, with extreme poverty and extreme wealth existing side by side, a situation that is similar to the conditions that prevailed in Ireland in the 19th century. I believe that having grown up in South Africa, and travelled elsewhere in Africa, has given me a better understanding of such contrasts than I might otherwise have had and allowed me to describe the extraordinary situation in 19th century Ireland in what I hope is a sensitive fashion.
What was the best piece of writing advice you received when starting out?
Something I read some time ago and has resonated with me ever since is advice given by my favourite author, Diana Gabaldon. When asked how one goes about writing a book she said to do whatever gets words on the page (or something to that effect). I think this summarises perfectly that not all techniques work for all writers and that there isn’t a single way to write a good book. For example, there are those who insist an outline is essential before writing a single word but this approach doesn’t work for everybody as some authors come up with the story while they’re writing it (including me). So I would say, the best advice I’ve received is to find out what works for me and to simply do that.
Do you have a favourite time of day to write?
I don’t really have a favourite time of day to write as such. When I started out I wrote whenever I had a free moment, including late at night, but now I do most of my writing in the mornings when the kids are at school.
If you weren’t an author, what would you be up to?
If I weren’t an author of historical novels I would probably still be working as a medical writer, which is what I was doing before. I realised during my studies that I preferred writing about scientific research to doing the research myself, and ended up falling into a medical writing career. Although I’m now writing novels, not scientific articles, in some ways I am still carrying on in this vein, as I enjoy including scientific titbits in my books.
Please tell us about your latest published work.
My new book will be published later in the year. It’s called Amid the Oncoming Storm and is the third book in the Irish Fortune Series. It continues the story of Irishwoman Alannah O’Neill and Englishman Quinton Williams as they try to make a life for themselves in 19th century Ireland, a land plagued with injustices and hardships. Trying to help those in need, they’re unaware that an unimaginable disaster looms—the Great Famine that would forever change the course of Irish history.
Thank you so much for chatting to us today, Juliane.
If you’d like to know more about Juliane and her work please check out her social media links below.
Website: www.julianeweber.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JulianeWeberAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliane._.weber/
August 10, 2024
August 1, 2024
Fortune’s Wheel by Carolyn Hughes: The Coffee Pot Book Club Audio Tour
Today, I am delighted to have Carolyn Hughes back on my blog for the audio book tour for Fortune’s Wheel, the first book in the Meonbridge Chronicle series. Carolyn has provided a short listening sample – please see below.
You can follow the full tour here:
Fortune’s Wheel, The First Meonbridge Chronicle, By Carolyn Hughes; Audiobook Narrator: Alex Lee @alexleeaudioHow do you recover from the havoc wrought by history’s cruellest plague?
It’s June 1349. In Meonbridge, a Hampshire manor, many have lost their lives to the Black Death, among them Alice atte Wode’s beloved husband and Eleanor Titherige’s widowed father. Even the family of the manor’s lord and his wife, Margaret de Bohun, has not entirely escaped.
But, now the plague has passed, the people of Meonbridge must work together to rebuild their lives. However, tensions mount between the de Bohuns and their tenants, as the workers realise their new scarceness means they can demand higher wages and dictate their own lives.
When the tensions deepen into violence and disorder, and the men – lord and villagers alike – seem unable to find any resolution, the women – Alice, Eleanor and Margaret – must step forward to find a way out of the conflict that is tearing Meonbridge apart.
Buy Links:
This title / series is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3LL1d1
Audible Links:
UK : https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Fortunes-Wheel-Livre-Audio/B0D2FKPQN4
US : https://www.audible.com/pd/Fortunes-Wheel-Audiobook/B0D2FMT3QG
Audio Sample:Author Bio:
Carolyn Hughes has lived much of her life in Hampshire. With a first degree in Classics and English, she started working life as a computer programmer, then a very new profession. But it was technical authoring that later proved her vocation, word-smithing for many different clients, including banks, an international hotel group and medical instruments manufacturers.
Although she wrote creatively on and off for most of her adult life, it was not until her children flew the nest that writing historical fiction took centre stage. But why historical fiction? Serendipity!
Seeking inspiration for what to write for her Creative Writing Masters, she discovered the handwritten draft, begun in her twenties, of a novel, set in 14th century rural England… Intrigued by the period and setting, she realised that, by writing a novel set in the period, she could learn more about the medieval past and interpret it, which seemed like a thrilling thing to do. A few days later, the first Meonbridge Chronicle, Fortune’s Wheel, was under way.
Six published books later (with more to come), Carolyn does now think of herself as an Historical Novelist. And she wouldn’t have it any other way…
Author Links:
Website: https://carolynhughesauthor.com
Twitter: www.x.com/writingcalliope
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarolynHughesAuthor
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/carolynhughes.bsky.social
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carolyn-hughes
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Carolyn-Hughes/author/B01MG5TWH1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16048212.Carolyn_Hughes
July 22, 2024
Lucy Lawrence and the Blue Velvet Sapphires of Kashmir
No Stone Unturned, is the first in my Victorian mystery series featuring Lucy Lawrence. As I began my research, I stumbled across the story of the famous Kashmiri sapphires. I could not believe my luck. It is a fascinating story and got me thinking: what would a scurrilous Victorian rascal do if he got his hands on some of these previous stones…
Kashmir Landscape: Photo Credit Nick Kent-BashamTreasure in the Hills: A mountainous region of Kashmir, known as Padar, held a fabulous secret. It is a remote region high in the Himalayas, well off the beaten track. Various stories abound as to how it finally revealed its treasure-trove; some say a landslide, others that hunters or travellers came across the first stones lying on the ground. Not knowing what they were, the gems were traded for salt and other supplies in Delhi. Eventually, they were sold on to someone who recognised they were rough sapphires. Many transactions followed until they eventually turned up in Calcutta.
The news of this transaction got back to the maharajah in Kashmir, who discovered the sapphires had originated in his area. Extremely annoyed, he went to Calcutta and demanded them back. Every single transaction in the long train had to be undone. Each man who had sold the sapphires gave back what he paid, and so it went through many towns, until at Delhi, a merchant received back a few bags of salt (not his lucky day!).
Still miffed, the Maharajah of Kashmir sent a regiment of sepoys to take control of the mines to ensure no more precious stones went astray. During the life of the mines, the yield was disappointingly low and commercial mining ceased early in the 20th century. Their rarity and the fact they are exceptionally beautiful, with a texture like velvet, has led them to be the most prized and expensive sapphires in the world.
Victorian 4.3 carrot Diamond and Kashmir Sapphire RingBuy Link: https://geni.us/715-al-aut-am
July 10, 2024
A Conversation with Andrew James Greig
My first published book, Whirligig, was written in 2019 and was a finalist for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime as well as being listed for the CWA New Blood Dagger Award. I’ve since written more books in the tartan noir category, with The Girl In The Loch just announced for the McIlvanney longlist for this year. I’ve also had a climate change fiction published – A Song of Winter – in which a young family face an ice age and have to survive against all the odds.
Prior to becoming a published writer I alternated between electronic and software engineering for major aerospace companies and providing the sound for acts as diverse as Ravi Shankar to The Fall.
Now living in Scotland, I spend my time writing and enjoying the wonderful mountains and islands of my home.
Which genre do you write in and what draws you to it?I mostly write tartan noir – fairly hard-hitting crime books set in Scotland, often with a hint of Celtic mythology woven through the storyline. Living in this wild and rugged landscape provides much of the inspiration for my stories and I can blame a literary agent at a book festival for encouraging me to write crime.
Are you an avid reader? Do you prefer books in your own genre or are you happy to explore others?I read like someone possessed from an early age, soon exhausting my local London library’s supply of junior Science fiction and I had to hit the harder stuff in the adult section. Only once did I suffer the indignity of the librarian censoring my pile and removing titles she considered too ‘mature’ for a sensitive young mind. Now I read across all genres although my read rate has dropped considerably since I’ve started writing myself.
Are you a self-published/traditional or hybrid author?Initially I self-published on the Amazon platform. When I’d completed my first attempt at writing in 2018 (One is One) I sent the MS to a batch of agents and waited patiently for a response. To be honest, it was probably overly ambitious to expect a story about 13th Century Thomas the Rhymer set in the modern day to be an instant best seller. Factor in that his mind is mostly gone and he could dance between dimensional worlds and I can see their reluctance. It did win a Silver Reader’s Award and when I have time I’ll edit it and write the next two in the series – whether the world’s ready for Fairy Tartan Noir or not!
Who has been the biggest influence on your writing?There are many authors who continue to inspire me. Classical writers such as Robert Louis Stevenson or Jane Austen; modern writers like Iain Banks and Margaret Atwood; more experimental authors such as Jess Kidd and Everett Percival. I’m always trying to improve my writing, hopeless though that task appears, but in the end I write for myself and try to create something of which I’m proud.
Has your country of origin/culture influenced your writing?Living in Scotland there is inspiration at every turn – from the gritty cities to the wild western islands. How can anyone not be inspired by such a beautiful landscape?
What part of the writing process do you find most difficult? How do you overcome it?I’m a pantser, I freely admit. More often than not I start writing with a mind as blank as the computer screen. Beginning is easy, the ending is tricky but manageable, the middle is hell. By the time I’m a third of the way in the doubts have started – is this absolute rubbish; how is this all meant to make sense; nobody will ever want to read this, will they? The struggle is real, each step is laborious, the slightest distraction is enough to encourage me away from the keyboard (social media a prime example)! It can only ever be overcome by forcing myself to write. When the words are on the page they can be dealt with – improved, re-written, deleted as needs be. If the words aren’t there, nothing can happen.
What was the best piece of writing advice you received when starting out?Write for yourself. Not for the critics, or to make money, or to appease reviewers. Write whatever makes you happy, words that mean something to you. You’ll never please everyone so please yourself.
Do you have a favourite time of day to write?Mornings are generally best. My mind has had a chance to dream up the next few chapters and I’m fresh enough to look at the previous chapters and edit as I go. There’s no hard and fast rule, sometimes I write at night – it’s a random process.
If you weren’t an author, what would you be up to?Travelling. I’ve worked hard my entire life and am fortunate not to need to work anymore. There’s a huge and wonderful world out there to explore – I’d love to see more of it before we destroy it altogether.
If a movie was made of one of your books, who would you like to play the lead roles?Any actors who can identify with the characters and portray them so they are believable.
If you could live the life of an historical figure for one day, who would you choose and what would you get up to?I’d like to live the life of a plains Indian before their way of life was destroyed forever. If I could see the herds of buffalo, the flowers and insects and be at one with nature instead of against it. Could I stay for some of the night as well? I can only imagine how the night sky would have appeared.
If you could travel back in time, what era would you go to? What draws you to this particular time?Sometime prior to the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs would be good – dangerous – but incredible to experience the world so long ago. It may be a short-lived trip but worth it.
You have been chosen as a member of the crew on the first one-way flight to Mars – you are allowed to bring 5 books with you. What would they be?This question is impossible to answer and I’d have already changed my mind 100 times since taking off. There’d definitely be at least one collection of poetry which would be essential when faced with such an arid and deadly planet.
Please tell us about your latest published work.
My latest book is Silent Ritual, released 28th June 2024.
An ear-shattering scream pierces the quiet Glasgow street as a mother stands frozen in her doorway, groceries strewn at her feet. Her son holds a bloodied knife while his father lies dead before him.
As Logan Martin begins his prison sentence for the brutal murder of his father, the eighteen-year-old’s aunt hires private investigator Teàrlach Paterson. She believes Logan is innocent and wants Teàrlach to uncover the truth.
Teàrlach’s visit to the Martin family home yields two disturbing discoveries: a pentagram etched under the carpet in Logan’s sister’s bedroom, and a link to the sinister deaths of their elderly neighbours—a journal with the same ominous symbol lies in the couple’s home.
While ritualistic murders plague the city, bodies placed precisely on an occult pentagram, bound in intricate knots, Teàrlach and his team unearth the sinister inspiration behind the killings in a mysterious ancient map.
Then, two young women are reported missing, and Teàrlach fears the worst. He’s inching closer to a killer who is weaving a complex web of murder rooted in Glasgow’s pagan past. But can Teàrlach stop the twisted soul from carrying out another cruel ritual? This time, one of his own is about to be in grave danger.
Buy Link: https://geni.us/488-po-fbo-am
If you’d like to know more about Andrew, check out his social media links below:
Andrew James Greig
CWA New Blood Dagger Longlist 2020
McIlvanney Best Scottish Crime Novel Finalist 2020
https://www.instagram.com/andrew_james_greig/
https://twitter.com/AndrewJamesGre3
https://andrewjgreig.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/
June 27, 2024
Under A Lightning Sky: The Inspiration
It was while researching the Sarah Gillespie espionage series, that I came across a fascinating book on crime in Britain during World War 2, The Secret History of the Blitz [Joshua Levine; ISBN: 978-1-4711-3102-8]. It’s a fascinating read, but one story in particular caught my eye: The Dobkin Murder.
The Dobkin marriage was a troubled one from the very beginning. Within days of their arranaged marriage, Rachel Dobkin threatened suicide. Harry Dobkin walked out and joined Cunard (the shipping company) as a steward, sailing off to New York. However, when he eventually returned, Rachel had given birth to a son. Harry was summoned for wife desertion and made to pay maintenance, but he scarpered back to sea within weeks. Rachel’s family even paid him money to return but he soon disappeared off again. This pattern continued throughout their marriage.
Then in April 1941, the couple met in London to ‘make peace’. Harry was now a firewatcher for a business in Kennington. According to Harry, Rachel left the cafe on Kingsland Road in Hackney after their chat and caught a bus home. However, Rachel never showed up and was reported missing by her sister soon after. The family told police that Rachel had gone to meet Harry, but they were concerned for her safety because of Harry’s past violence. When police checked their records, they found many instances of domestic assault.
Five days after Rachel’s disappearance there was a fire in the blitzed ruins of the Baptist church next to where Harry worked. Harry did not report the fire and when questioned he said, rather strangely, that he had not caused the fire. Some days later, he wrote to the police volunteering his movements after Rachel’s disappearance. This was also odd as he was denying guilt even before it had been suggested. However, without a body, the police case went cold and Rachel was deemed merely missing.
Rachel DobkinOver a year later, a demolition team cleared the debris from the site of the Baptist church. However, on lifting some paving stones, a worker found a decapitated body. The lower arms and legs were also missing, it was partly burned and there was no identifying facial tissue. Initially, it was assumed the body was a victim of the bombing.
The remains were taken to Southwark Mortuary, and then to the forensic lab at Guy’s Hospital where it was examined by the famous pathologist Dr Keith Simpson. He immediately spotted that the body was not a Blitz victim as he found evidence of strangulation. The remains were covered in lime, but the killer had used the wrong sort of lime, thinking it would speed up the decomposition of the body; in fact what he used had preserved it. Simpson was able to estimate that she had died twelve to eighteen months earlier. When police checked their records the description they had of the body (height, age, gender, and dental records) strongly matched the description they had of the missing Rachel Dobkin.
Harry was arrested and charged, and his trial at the Old Bailey was a sensation. Dobkin was considered a cruel and callous killer, attempting to conceal his crime amid the chaos of the Blitz. In the end, it only took twenty minutes for the jury to find Harry guilty. He was hanged at Wandsworth Prison in January 1943.
The use of the Blitz to cover a crime really intrigued me. Under A Lightning Sky is not a re-telling of the famous Dobkin case, but the murderer does use the German bombing of London to hide their actions. What is initially assumed to be an unfortunate woman, caught out in her kitchen during a bombing raid, is subsequently revealed to be a murder victim. Luckily, an eagle-eyed pathologist discovers the truth and soon DI Jamie Barton, New Scotland Yard, is on the case. With the help of his DS, Bill Lyle, and the victim’s sister, Penny, Barton does his best to solve the murder. But with few clues and a compromised crime scene, the odds are stacked against him.
Under A Lightning Sky will be published on July 4th by Avon Books UK, and will be available in ebook, paperback and audio in all good bookshops and online.
Buy Link: https://MyBook.to/UALSky
June 26, 2024
Novice Threads by Nancy Jardine: The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
Today on my blog, I’m delighted to welcome back Nancy Jardine for the book blog tour for Novice Threads, part of her Silver Sampler Series. Nancy has kindly provided an excerpt for you to enjoy (see below).
You can follow the full tour here:
https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/04/blog-tour-novice-threads-by-nancy-jardine.html
Novice Threads by Nancy JardineA thirst for education. Shattered dreams. Fragile relations.
1840s Scotland
Being sent to school is the most exhilarating thing that’s ever happened to young Margaret Law. She sharpens her newly-acquired education on her best friend, Jessie Morison, till Jessie is spirited away to become a scullery maid. But how can Margaret fulfil her visions of becoming a schoolteacher when her parents’ tailoring and drapery business suddenly collapses and she must find a job?
Salvation from domestic drudgery – or never-ending seamstress work – comes via Jessie whose employer seeks a tutor for his daughter. Free time exploring Edinburgh with Jessie is great fun, but increasing tension in the household claws at Margaret’s nerves.
Margaret also worries about her parents’ estrangement, and the mystery of Jessie’s unknown father.
When tragedy befalls the household in Edinburgh, Margaret must forge a new pathway for the future – though where will that be?
Buy Links:
This title is available to read on #Kindle Unlimited.
Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/NTsss
An Excerpt from Novice ThreadsTo The Asylum
“We needed to get her out of the house. Kate told me that Doctor Oliver and that other specialist doctor, the one who visited last Monday, are coming back around now with other reinforcements.”
Margaret stared at Jessie, suppressing both her horror and elation. “Reinforcements as in strong-armed helpers?”
Jessie nodded. “Helen Duncan is being removed this afternoon to a special hospital facility.”
“Oh, goodness!” Margaret was shocked but knew it had been long in coming.
“The Master was anticipating that Helen wouldn’t go quietly from their bedroom, so he wanted Rachel elsewhere for a while. It’s just as well the weather is in our favour this afternoon.”
After a few minutes of silence from all three of them, Margaret looked to Jessie. “Was the errand a little white lie?”
Jessie’s grin was a forced one. “I couldn’t bear to see that lunatic being carted out. I might have strangled her in the corridor before they even managed to get her downstairs.”
Rachel was still asleep when they returned almost an hour later.
“You go in the basement stairs, Margaret, and see what’s going on. I’ll take Rachel around to Tom’s and wait for news.”
Margaret wasn’t sure if it shouldn’t be the other way around, though she complied. At the kitchen door, she peeked in. Kate was at the table her head in her hands and she was sobbing her eyes out.
“Oh, Kate!” Margaret bent down and hugged the housemaid’s shoulders. “Was it so awful?”
Kate raised her head, nodded, and gulped down her tears. “You’ve never heard the likes of the wailing when they all but dragged her down the stairs. Mister Duncan didn’t quite make it out of the front door behind them all. He was sick on the doorstep. If Robert hadn’t been next to him, I swear he would have swooned and fallen down the steps. He was so torn up by the whole affair.”
Margaret squeezed Kate’s shoulder. “Is it safe to bring Rachel back inside?”
Kate jumped up, furiously wiping away her tears and back to her organised self. “I’ll help you and Jessie. Tom’s away, driving the carriage to take the Master and Robert to the Edinburgh Royal Asylum. We don’t have much time to get Rachel settled before the others come home from school.”
Margaret felt Kate clutch at her hands.
“Jessie and I have been asked not to tell them anything till the Master returns, but how we do that I don’t know!”
Author Bio:
Nancy writes historical and contemporary fiction. First Century Roman Britain is the setting for her Celtic Fervour Series. Victorian and Edwardian history has sneaked into two of her ancestry-based contemporary mysteries, and her current Silver Sampler Series is set in Victorian Scotland.
Her novels have achieved Finalist status in UK book competitions (People’s Book Prize; Scottish Association of Writers) and have received prestigious Online Book Awards.
Published with Ocelot Press, writing memberships include – Historical Novel Society; Romantic Novelists Association; Scottish Association of Writers; Federation of Writers Scotland; Alliance of Independent Authors.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.nancyjardine.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nansjar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJardinewrites/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-jardine-a919b03a/
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Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nancy-jardine
Amazon Author Page: viewauthor.at/findmybookshere
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5139590.Nancy_Jardine
June 25, 2024
A New Book and a New Look! The Lucy Lawrence Mystery Series
The Lucy Lawrence Mystery Series (Books 1-3)
Publisher: Storm Publishing (Previously Independently Published)
Publication Date: 25th July 2024
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The Lucy Lawrence Mystery SeriesWhen No Stone Unturned was published back in 2019, I couldn’t have predicted the series’ popularity. Now, so many years later, the series has found a new home with Storm Publishing and, hopefully, lots of new readers will discover Lucy and Phin’s adventures.
Initially, Lucy Lawrence was only supposed to be a supporting character in Phineas Stone’s world. But her voice grew in strength to the point I had to rewrite the entire book from her point of view… And the Lucy mysteries were born!
Depending on their class, women in the Victorian era faced strict rules and lived a highly restricted life. I wanted to explore how a young woman, with a strong personality and high intelligence (but poorly educated – parents bothered little if you weren’t the heir), would cope within the confines of a troubled marriage. Would she accept her lot or chafe at the bit? But in Lucy’s case, with no money and estranged from her family, she could not walk away. Doing so would result in social ruin. However, when circumstances finally release her (her husband’s sudden death), she struggles to find her way. Almost every man in her life so far has betrayed her on some level for their own ends. As a result, Lucy finds it difficult to trust her fate to any man.
There is a pivotal point in No Stone Unturned when Lucy realises she must take her destiny into her own hands and she sets out on a dangerous adventure in pursuit of the truth about her late husband and his less than legal activities.
Another theme, which emerged as I explored Lucy’s story, was the strong reliance on female friendship. I suspect this is what sustained many Victorian women, finding themselves in similar circumstances to Lucy. As the plot unfolds, Lucy comes to rely more and more on her maid, Mary, who also begins to shine with talents hitherto unknown, namely a penchant for spying and intrigue. And when trouble does strike, it is often her friends, Judith and Sarah, Lucy turns to.
Combining my two great loves – Victorian adventure with a feisty heroine and ancient Egypt – the second book in the series, Footprints in the Sand, will resonate with me the longest. My research included Amelia Edwards’ book, A Thousand Miles Up The Nile (1873). I cannot deny that the Egypt described presented countless possibilities for mischief to a mystery writer. Her descriptions of Cairo and the many sites she visited transported me back to Victorian Egypt like none of the other dry contemporary sources did. My heroine shared some of Miss Edwards’ qualities of curiosity and determination and so Footprints in the Sand quickly transformed from a vague plot idea into a novel.
In the third book of the series, The Art of Deception, Lucy is back in London. You might think she is about to settle down, but, of course, that would be no fun at all. And as Lucy admits to Phineas, trouble seems to follow her. However, when Lucy’s ‘help’ in an art theft case triggers a murder, and Phineas becomes the chief suspect, Lucy must use her wits to save him.
The fourth book in the series, A Pocketful of Diamonds, is a brand new murder mystery, set on beautiful Lake Como in Italy. It is slated for release by Storm Publishing in September 2024 and will be available for preorder very soon.
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No Stone Unturned (Book 1) London 1886: A suspicious death, stolen gems and an unclaimed reward: who will be the victor in a deadly game of cat and mouse?
Lucy Lawrence stared down at her husband, his once handsome face now a twisted mask of death. His life had held so many secrets, and now his sins were hers to bear…
In the flickering gaslights of Victorian London, 28-year-old Lucy Lawrence‘s future hangs in the balance. Her husband’s murder has left her reputation in tatters. But when the handsome investigator Phineas Stone enters her life, Lucy finds herself drawn into a web of deceit that leads right back to her marriage and a deadly conspiracy that could undo them all.
Beneath the polished veneer of London’s high society, danger is as common as in the city’s darkest alleys. As the stakes rise, Lucy discovers that the key to unravelling the mystery may lie in a cryptic note left behind by her late husband… a note that may either secure her innocence or seal her fate at the hands of a ruthless killer.
Pre-Order/Buy Link: https://geni.us/715-al-aut-am
Footprints in the Sand (Book 2) Cairo 1887: A melting pot of jealousy, lust and revenge. Who will pay the ultimate price?
After scandals in London, young widow Lucy Lawrence seeks a fresh start in Cairo, agreeing to fund an archaeological dig led by the charismatic Frenchman Armand Moreau. Enticed by Egypt’s ancient mysteries, Lucy dreams of making a spectacular discovery. But her hopes turn to dread when Moreau is found brutally murdered in the Great Pyramid. The only clue is the ceremonial dagger buried in his heart – a relic of Moreau’s own past.
As mysterious thefts plague the expedition, Lucy becomes ensnared in a plot reaching from lost desert tombs to Cairo’s stylish avenues. With Phineas Stone far away in London, Lucy must rely on her own wits to uncover the truth behind Moreau’s death. Pitted against corrupt officials, rival archaeologists, and a foe determined to silence her, can Lucy unmask the killer… or will she become the next unlucky victim herself?
Pre-order/Buy Link: https://geni.us/717-al-aut-am
The Art of Deception (Book 3)London 1888: Stolen art and a vicious murder. Can Lucy Lawrence save Phineas Stone from the gallows?
When a brutal murder occurs at her engagement party, Lucy Lawrence finds herself pulled into a new investigation. All evidence points to a mysterious syndicate of thieves known only by a cryptic calling card left at the scene of their crimes: Apollo. With the police eager to pin the murder on an easy target, Lucy and Phineas Stone must unravel a tangled web of lies and misdirection to uncover the truth before the case ruins them.
From glittering Mayfair ballrooms to the deadly rookeries of London’s East End to a remote Scottish island, they follow the trail of secrets and deception. As the danger mounts, Lucy realises the key to solving the case might lie in a simple painting.
A cunning adversary is intent on destroying all who learn their secrets… can Lucy save the man she loves, and expose a deadly killer before it’s too late?
Pre-order/Buy Link: https://geni.us/719-al-aut-am
