Pam Lecky's Blog, page 7
October 17, 2023
New Release from Jenny O’Brien: The Puppet Maker
Congratulations to Jenny O’Brien – It’s Publication Day for The Puppet Maker, the first book in a brand new Irish crime series. It has popped up on my Kindle this morning and I’m really looking forward to diving in.
A little bit about the book …The scrap of paper looked as if it had been torn from a diary. The words written in faint pencil. The letters rounded, almost childlike. Please look after her. Her life and mine depend on you not trying to find me.
The Puppet Maker by Jenny O’BrienPublication date: 17th October 2023
When Detective Alana Mack arrives at Clonabee police station, in a small Irish seaside town on the outskirts of Dublin, she doesn’t expect to find a distressed two-year-old girl sobbing on the floor. Abandoned in a local supermarket, the child tells them her name is Casey. All Alana and her team have to go on is a crumpled note begging for someone to look after the little girl. This mother doesn’t want to be found.
Still recovering from a terrible accident that has left Alana navigating a new life as a wheelchair user, Alana finds herself suddenly responsible for Casey while trying to track down the missing mother and solve another missing person’s case… a retired newsagent who has seemingly vanished from his home.
Forced to ask her ex-husband and child psychiatrist Colm for help, through Forensic Art Therapy, Alana discovers that whatever darkness lies behind the black windows in Casey’s crayon drawing, the little girl was terrified of the house she lived in.
Then a bag of human remains is found in a bin, and a chilling link is made – the DNA matches Casey’s.
Alana and her team must find the body and make the connection with the missing newsagent fast if she is to prevent another life from being taken. But with someone in her department leaking confidential details of the investigation to the media, can Alana set aside her emotional involvement in this case and find Casey’s mother and the killer before it’s too late?
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C9JJ5XYB
A little bit about Jenny …Born in Dublin, Jenny O’Brien moved to Wales and then Guernsey, where she tries to find time to write in between working as a nurse and ferrying around 3 teenagers.
In her spare time she can be found frowning at her wonky cakes and even wonkier breads. You’ll be pleased to note she won’t be entering Bake-Off. She’s also an all-year-round sea swimmer.
Jenny is represented by Nicola Barr of The Bent Agency and published by Storm Publishing and HQ Digital (Harper Collins).
You can find out more about Jenny and her books on her blog:
October 10, 2023
Drumbeats by Julia Ibbotson: The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
Today, I am delighted to host Julia Ibbotson for the book spotlight tour for Drumbeats, Book 1 of The Drumbeats Trilogy Series.
You can follow the full tour here: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/08/blog-tour-drumbeats-by-julia-ibbotson.html
Drumbeats by Julia IbbotsonIt’s 1965, and 18 year old Jess escapes her stifling English home for a gap year in Ghana, West Africa. But it’s a time of political turbulence across the region. Fighting to keep her young love who waits back in England, she’s thrown into the physical and emotional dangers of civil war, tragedy and the conflict of a disturbing new relationship. And why do the drumbeats haunt her dreams?
This is a rite of passage story which takes the reader hand in hand with Jess on her journey towards the complexities and mysteries of a disconcerting adult world.
This is the first novel in the acclaimed Drumbeats trilogy: Drumbeats, Walking in the Rain, Finding Jess.
For fans of Dinah Jefferies, Kate Morton, Rachel Hore, Jenny Ashcroft
Buy Links:
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/Drumbeats1
Author Bio:
Award-winning author Julia Ibbotson herself spent an exciting time in Ghana, West Africa, teaching and nursing (like Jess in her books), and always vowed to write about the country and its past. And so, the Drumbeats Trilogy was born. She’s also fascinated by history, especially by the medieval world, and concepts of time travel, and has written haunting time-slips of romance and mystery partly set in the Anglo-Saxon period.
She studied English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language, literature and history, and has a PhD in linguistics. She wrote her first novel at age 10, but became a school teacher, then university lecturer and researcher. Her love of writing never left her and to date she’s written 9 books, with a 10th on the way.
Julia is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, Society of Authors and the Historical Novel Society.
Author Links:
Website: https://juliaibbotsonauthor.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuliaIbbotson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dr-julia-ibbotson-62a5401a
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia.ibbotson/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.co.uk/juliai1
Amazon Author Page: https://Author.to/JuliaIbbotsonauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/juliaibbotson
October 4, 2023
The Ghost of Greyson Hall by MK McClintock: The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
I am delighted today to host MK McClintock for the blog tour for The Ghost of Greyson Hall, book 4 in the British Agents Series. MK has kindly provided an excerpt to tempt you! Please see below.
You can follow the full tour here: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/08/blog-tour-the-ghost-of-greyson-hall.html
The Ghost of Greyson Hall, British Agents Series, Book #4, by MK McClintockOnce a year, an ancient secret walks the corridors of Greyson Hall, a place shrouded in mystery and whispered legend.
When Devon Clayton inherited the stately mansion in England’s wild north from his uncle, he never imagined what secrets lurked within its walls, hidden for centuries. When his friends and brothers join him for the holiday, the British Agents and their families discover that their most unusual case will bring new meaning to Christmas spirit.
They must now unravel a century-old mystery if they are to break the curse and save a love that transcends time.
A long novella set in Northumberland in December 1782 and 1892.
Also Available:
Note: The British Agent series books are written to be read as stand-alone novels. However, they each have cross-over characters, meaning characters from each book will appear in the others. The only reading order is chronological, but each title can still be read as stand-alone.
Praise for the British Agent Series:“Ms. McClintock succeeds in masterfully weaving both genres meticulously together until mystery lovers are sold on romance and romance lovers love the mystery!”
—InD’Tale Magazine on Alaina Claiborne
Buy Links:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/brBdME
The Ghost of Greyson Hall: ExcerptA duke, an earl, and a mere mister, each willing to sacrifice the dream of a family to serve their king and country. The three men had become allies by necessity, friends through trust, and brothers of the heart through loyalty and devotion. Of course, not one of them had anticipated meeting the brave and remarkable women whose love promised a life apart from cold beds, scar-ridden bodies, and more secrets than any one person should have to keep.
Love, unwavering and eternal, was the legacy they could now pass onto their sons and daughters. Devon planned to revive the talk of little ones with Anne at the first opportunity. For now, he continued down the landing to the east wing, where his younger brothers, Derek and Zachary, occupied rooms when they were in residence. They still served as trusted agents to the crown and rarely spent more than a week a month at Greyson Hall.
Devon stopped at the first bedroom, the original nursery, and opened the door. The draft Anne mentioned coursed over his face and bare hands before he even entered. “Of course, there’s a draft without heat.” He found the vent, knelt, and held a hand over it. The servants kept the coal furnace fueled most of the day, and though not an ideal system, it warmed the impressive house to a reasonable degree of comfort. Natural convection was indeed pushing some of the heat into the room.
He stood and examined each window. Each one was secure, and the cold glass panes did not explain the draft still flowing around him. Devon examined the padded bench at a corner dressing table, determined it would hold his weight, and moved it next to the wardrobe. He reached a hand along the edges of the ceiling, to no avail.
“You must find country life far more tedious than I do if you’ve resorted to dusting corners for cobwebs. It has only been three months since your retirement.”
Without looking at his friend, Devon stepped off the stool and asked Charles, “Do you feel a draft?”
“All these country houses have drafts. It’s a requirement. The attics at Blackwood Crossing have several, and no matter who looks at it or how often we have crevices filled or the roof repaired, the drafts remain.”
“You don’t feel it?”
Excerpt from The Ghost of Greyson Hall copyright © MK McClintock
Author Bio:MK McClintock is an award-winning author who writes historical romantic fiction about chivalrous men and strong women who appreciate chivalry. Her stories of romance, mystery, and adventure sweep across the American West to the Victorian British Isles with places and times between and beyond.
Her works include the following series: Montana Gallaghers, Crooked Creek, British Agents, Whitcomb Springs, and the stand-alone collection, A Home for Christmas. She is also the co-author of the McKenzie Sisters Mysteries.
MK enjoys a quiet life in the northern Rocky Mountains. Visit her online home at www.mkmcclintock.com, where you can learn more about her books, explore extras, and subscribe to receive news.
Author Links:
Website: www.mkmcclintock.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MKMcClintockBooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mkmcclintock/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mkmcclintock/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mk-mcclintock
Mailing List: https://www.mkmcclintock.com/subscribe
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/MK-McClintock/author/B006UV5PPI
August 29, 2023
The Husband Criteria by Catherine Kullmann: The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
Today, I am delighted to bring you an interview with Catherine Kullmann, a fellow Irish historical fiction author, whose novel, The Husband Criteria, is available now. (See link below)
You can follow the full tour here: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/07/blog-tour-husband-criteria-by-catherine-kullmann.html
The Husband Criteria by Catherine KullmannLondon 1817
The primary aim of every young lady embarking on the Spring frenzy that is the Season must be to make a good match. Or must it? And what is a good match? For cousins Cynthia, Chloe and Ann, well aware that the society preux chevalier may prove to be a domestic tyrant, these are vital questions. How can they discover their suitors’ true character when all their encounters must be confined to the highly ritualised round of balls, parties and drives in the park?
As they define and refine their Husband Criteria, Cynthia finds herself unwillingly attracted to aloof Rafe Marfield, heir to an earldom, while Chloe is pleased to find that Thomas Musgrave, the vicar’s son from home, is also in London. And Ann must decide what is more important to her, music or marriage.
And what of the gentlemen who consider the marriage mart to be their hunting grounds? How will they react if they realise how rigorously they are being assessed?
A light-hearted, entertaining look behind the scenes of a Season that takes a different course with unexpected consequences for all concerned.
Buy Links:
Universal Link: https://mybook.to/criteria
Interview with Catherine KullmannYou are very welcome, Catherine, please introduce yourself:
I was born and educated in Dublin. Following a three-year courtship conducted mostly by letter, I moved to Germany where I lived for twenty-five years before returning to Ireland. I have worked in the Irish and New Zealand public services and in the private sector. Widowed, I have three adult sons and two grandchildren.
I love writing and am particularly interested in what happens after the first happy end—how life goes on for the protagonists and sometimes catches up with them. My books are set against a background of the offstage, Napoleonic wars and consider in particular the situation of women trapped in a patriarchal society.
I also blog about historical facts and trivia related to this era. You can find out more about my books and read the blog (My Scrap Album) at my website. You can contact me via my Facebook page or on Twitter.
Which genre do you write in and what draws you to it?
I have always been interested in the extended Regency period, from, say, 1795—the year of the later Prince Regent’s marriage—to 1830, the year of his death as George IV, a time when the foundations of our modern world were laid. The events of this period include the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland of 1800, the Anglo-American war of 1812 and the twelve years of war that ended in the final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, all of which continue to shape our modern world.
At the same time, the ruling aristocracies were being challenged by those who saw the need for social and political reform, while the industrial revolution which led to the transfer of wealth to the manufacturing and merchant classes was underway. Powerful voices demanded the abolition of the slave trade. Women, who had few or no rights in a patriarchal society, had begun to raise their voices, demanding equality and emancipation. Still very much the age of sail, and of the horse, it was also the dawn of the age of steam. Within twenty years, railways would have begun to transform both the landscape and society.
I also love the music, literature, art and architecture of that time, the fashion—between hoops and crinolines—is still very wearable today, and indeed the Empire line is revived regularly.
Are you an avid reader? Do you prefer books in your own genre or are you happy to explore others?
Yes, a day without reading is a day lost. I read the Irish Times over breakfast and have various books on the go at all times. I love historical fiction, set from ancient Rome to the 1930s but no longer read novels set in the Regency unless they were written then. I read a lot of Regency related non-fiction as part of my research. I also enjoy urban paranormal novels. I do not read romance exclusively but like my novels to have a romantic subplot at least.
Are you a self-published/traditional or hybrid author?
I am self-published. The Husband Criteria is my eighth novel.
Who has been the biggest influence on your writing?
Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer
Has your country of origin/culture influenced your writing?
Yes. Ireland and Great Britain have 800 years of shared history. My native city, Dublin, is very much a Georgian city, and I am very familiar with Georgian architecture, inside and out. This 1826 view from Carlisle (now O’Connell) Bridge, Dublin, encapsulates the vibrancy of the Regency.
I also studied Georgian writers and essayists such as Hazlitt and Charles Lamb and I love the Romantic poets.
What part of the writing process do you find most difficult? How do you overcome it?
I am a hybrid plotter/pantser and every so often I find myself saying, ‘but what happens next?’ I frequently find inspiration in the public timeline of the year in which the book is set, for example, take my characters to a particular theatrical performance.
What was the best piece of writing advice you received when starting out?
Don’t confuse plot and narrative. Something must happen in each chapter.
Do you have a favourite time of day to write?
Mid-morning until lunch and then in the late afternoon.
If you weren’t an author, what would you be up to?
I started writing fiction after I took early retirement. I’ll go on writing until I drop.
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?
Persuasion by Jane Austen,—my favourite novel; The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien—the best quest/adventure ever; The Complete Works of William Shakespeare—all human life is there; The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss—a childhood favourite, The Translations of Seamus Heany, both for the variety and the beautiful language. All should be beautifully illustrated and printed leather-bound hardbacks.
Catherine, thanks so much for coming on the blog today. Wishing you every success with your new release. If you’d like to know more about Catherine and her work, check out her links below.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.catherinekullmann.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CKullmannAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherinekullmannauthor
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/catherine-kullmann
Amazon Author Page: http://viewauthor.at/ckullmannamazonpage
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15549457.Catherine_Kullmann
August 22, 2023
The Shadow Earl by Stella Riley: The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
Today, I am delighted to host Stella Riley on her tour for The Shadow Earl. Stella has kindly provided an excerpt – see below.
You can find the details of the full tour here: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/07/blog-tour-shadow-earl-by-stella-riley.html
The Shadow Earl by Stella RileyAudiobook narrated by Alex Wyndham
At the end of his Grand Tour, somewhere between Athens and Constantinople, Christian Selwyn, the young Earl of Hazelmere, vanished – seemingly without a trace.
Time passes. In London, his uncle and cousin move into his home … while his unofficial fiancée, Sophia, is left desolate and in limbo. Finally, his friends – loyal and close as brothers – set out to search in person.
Christian’s startling re-appearance at a grand ball takes society by storm and fuels endless speculation. Where has he been during these three missing years? What happened to him?
And more importantly, how did it happen?
Only one thing is clear. The earl who left England five years ago, has returned a changed man. A man with secrets.
Buy Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/meqpeZ
The Shadow Earl – ExcerptLondon 1780: the ball to celebrate Sophia’s unwilling betrothal to Basil.
The quadrille was half over when Sophia became aware of a change in the ballroom. Conversations stopped, dancers paused mid-figure and the orchestra dwindled to an untidy halt, leaving an airless silence.
Then people fell back opening a path to whatever or whoever was commanding their attention … and Sophia saw that three latecomers had entered the room.
Benedict Hawkridge, Anthony Wendover and Daniel Shelbourne.
They stood apart, silent and still, staring unsmilingly first at Eustace and then at Basil. And finally, still without speaking, Mr Shelbourne moved aside, allowing a fourth gentleman to step forward.
A tall gentleman in black … a gentleman with tawny-gold hair and eyes like frost.
Time stopped. The air in Sophia’s lungs evaporated and she froze, paralysed by shock. Then a spectral gasp broke the hush … someone said incredulously, ‘Good God! Hazelmere?’ … and joy exploded inside her. Kit.
‘Indeed.’ Christian awarded Eustace an ironic bow. ‘Good evening, Uncle. I could almost suppose you were expecting me … but of course you weren’t, were you?’
More silence. Avid eyes swivelled in Eustace’s direction. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. The same eyes looked for and found Basil. Like his father’s, his face was completely bloodless.
Sophia stood frozen, scarcely aware of Basil’s numbing grip on her fingers. Then she whispered, ‘Kit?’
He didn’t hear her. As yet, he hadn’t seen her either. She tried to drag her hand free, pushing at Basil without taking her eyes off Christian.
He saw her then. She watched it happen … watched something she couldn’t identify pass rapidly through those silver eyes … watched his face empty of all expression. Then, halting her with a bow before she could take more than two steps in his direction, he said politely, ‘My apologies, Sophie. I am somewhat tardy, am I not? Suffice it to say that the circumstances that delayed me were … beyond my control.’
She stared at him. Was that all he was going to say?
Meanwhile, approaching his nephew hand outstretched and with an attempt at heartiness, Eustace said, ‘You must forgive our shock. This – having you home again– is the miracle we’d no longer dared hope for. Where have you …? But no. The questions can wait.’
Christian made no move to take the offered hand. He stood perfectly still and let his gaze drift past his uncle to encompass his cousin; then he watched with gentle interest as Basil turned blotchily red.
Author Bio:Winner of four gold medals for historical romance (Readers’ Favourite in 2019, Book Excellence Awards in 2020, Global Book Awards in 2022 and Book Excellence Award in 2023) and fifteen B.R.A.G. Medallions, Stella Riley lives in the beautiful medieval town of Sandwich in Kent.
She is fascinated by the English Civil Wars and has written six books set in that period. These, like the 7 book Rockliffe series (recommended in The Times newspaper!) and the Brandon Brothers trilogy, are all available in audio, narrated by Alex Wyndham.
Stella enjoys travel, reading, theatre, Baroque music and playing the harpsichord. She also has a fondness for men with long hair – hence her 17th and 18th century heroes.
Social Media Links:
Website: https://stellarileybooks.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RileyStella
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stellariley.books
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellarileybooks/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/riley9631/stella-riley-books/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/search?search=Stella%20Riley
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stella-Riley/e/B0034PB7UU
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/171405852-the-shadow-earl
August 17, 2023
It’s Publication Day for The Last Letter from London
Starting out, I was unsure what I could bring to the WW2 genre that would be unique. But then I realized few had written about the war from a neutral Irish perspective. Luckily, all I had to do was delve into my family and local history for inspiration.
Essentially, the series is about spies and fifth columnists, a subject covered in depth both in print and on screen. This made research a lot easier than it often is for my Victorian murder mysteries, and soon I had the bones of a story, ideas for sub-plots, and an entire cast of characters dying to appear on the page.
How it all begins …
Eighty-two years ago, a German pilot dropped four bombs on neutral Dublin City. Ireland was still recovering from the War of Independence and the Civil War when WW2 broke out in Europe. The government at the time declared Ireland neutral, mainly because we had neither the manpower nor the resources to become involved in the conflict. Relations with Britain were already strained, and Ireland’s stance made Churchill furious. The complex relationship between the Irish and their ex-colonial masters interests me, and I explore it to some extent in all the novels.
The German attack on North Strand, which opens the first book, Her Secret War, happened only a few miles from where I grew up. As a young child, I passed the bombed-out sites regularly, but it wasn’t until my late teens I heard about the bombing and the relevant history. As I wanted to anchor the novels in Irish history, the story of what happened that night in North Strand, seemed an excellent starting point. My heroine, Sarah, is lucky enough to survive, but the incident changes her life, forcing her to make incredibly tough decisions. Like many Irish, she has family in Britain and when they hold out the offer of a new life and a job, Sarah leaves Ireland. Revenge for her sister’s death is key to that decision. Unfortunately, her new life slowly falls apart as her family history catches up with her, and she is drawn into the dark world of WW2 espionage. Needless to say, Sarah’s nationality leads to complications, and her loyalty is tested to the limit.
As Sarah’s story moves to the UK, I drew on my family history. My mother and her sisters left rural Ireland to work in Britain during WW2. One aunt followed her boyfriend, who had joined the RAF, and she worked in a munitions factory. Another aunt wanted to study nursing, and my mother was a ‘clippie’ (bus conductress) on the Birmingham buses. The novels are not their story, but there are glimpses of their experiences dotted throughout the fiction. The greatest challenge was getting up to speed on day-to-day life. I knew a lot about the overall timeline and events of the war, but it was the nitty-gritty details of life on the Homefront which would ground the stories in reality.
The second book, Her Last Betrayal, continues Sarah’s story. She is now employed by MI5 and must work with a new colleague, a US Naval Intelligence officer, who is hostile and suspicious of her motives. Their mission is to track down IRA members who are facilitating British fifth columnists and Abwehr agents entering and leaving the UK (something I discovered during research). Just as they appear to be making progress, one of the MI5 team is revealed to be a German mole. Their mission thrown into chaos, Sarah and Tony must learn to trust each other if they are to survive.
In the third and final novel in the series, The Last Letter from London, Sarah is now an experienced MI5 officer. However, she is about to face her most challenging assignment yet, for she becomes the handler for a mysterious French double agent (who was inspired by the real-life spy, Nathalie Lily Sergeuvei). Sarah must deal with the fallout from her agent’s extremely erratic behaviour. To say the women do not like or trust each other would be an understatement. I must admit it was great fun to write about the interaction between these two diametrically opposed characters, thrusting them together on a dangerous mission to Lisbon, which was the centre of European espionage.
All I had to do was sit back, watch them fight it out, and write up the field report!
The Sarah Gillespie series, published by Avon Book UK, is available in eBook, paperback and audiobook from all good bookstores and online retailers.
The Last Letter from London Buy Link: https://mybook.to/TheLastLetterFromL
August 1, 2023
Historical Fiction Author of the Month: Suzie Hull
Welcome to my Blog Series, Historical Fiction Author of the Month.
Each month, I will showcase a different historical fiction author. Their books will range from romance to mystery and adventure to crime, and will be from many different eras. I hope you discover a new author and their work to enjoy. Happy reading!
Suzie Hull
Award winning author Suzie Hull lives in Northern Ireland with her family and numerous rescue cats. She has two WW1 Historical Romance books published by Orion. In July 2022, her debut novel, In This Foreign Land, won the prestigious RNA Joan Hessayon Award 2022.
Her second book, Far Across the Ocean was released in November 2022.
After leaving school she trained as a Montessori Nursery teacher and has spent the last thirty years working with children in a variety of settings. Suzie has always had an enduring passion for reading and history, and enjoys researching each book.
What enticed you to write in this genre?I have always enjoyed learning about the past and was always drawn to historical books when I was a child. My maternal Granny had a wealth of little stories she would tell me and my sisters; these went back as far as the early 1920’s and particularly during WW2. They lived in Derby, and Grandad worked for Rolls Royce as an engineer developing the infamous Merlin engines for Spitfires and other planes. I had a vivid recollection of Granny holding me up at the window one night and telling me about the night Coventry burned, and that just stuck in my head.
On my paternal side, there is a huge Quaker family with a lot of records going back to the late 1600’s and I love delving in and researching my relatives. Being Quaker, we are related to one of the big Chocolate families and also Clarkes shoes, but it gives me a lot of inspiration for my novels. My second book, Far Across The Ocean, was inspired by a true story from relatives who had moved out to Madagascar during the late 1800’s.
Explore Suzie’s Books
In This Foreign Land: ‘I beg of you this one thing – that if I should perish here, in this foreign land, that you will look after her.’
March, 1914. When talented artist Isobel embarks on a journey to Egypt, it’s to reunite her best friend Alice with her husband, Wilfred – and to use the stunning sights of Cairo as inspiration for her own paintings.
A whirlwind romance was the last thing she expected, but when Isobel meets Wilfred’s handsome brother, Edward, neither can deny the strong connection between them – especially when unexpected tragedy strikes, leaving them all reeling.
Just as they get to grips with their grief, WW1 erupts, and the lovers are forced to separate. They promise to meet again in London. But when Edward is listed as ‘missing – presumed dead’ only weeks after landing in France, Isobel is devastated, unmarried and on the brink of ruin. She has only one way to save her honour… but it means betraying the love she holds so dear.
https://mybook.to/ThisForeignLand
Far Across The Ocean: The answers to her past and present lie far across the ocean…
December 1913. Clara Thornton won’t allow being jilted at the altar to squash her spirit. Against the wishes of her aunt and uncle, Clara decides to travel to Madagascar to learn more about the tragic shipwreck that took the lives of her missionary family, and marked her forever.
Clara is escorted abroad by Xavier Mourain, a handsome young merchant who works with her uncle. The two of them start off on the wrong foot, but Clara can’t help but be drawn to the mysterious Frenchman who helps her unravel the mystery that has always haunted her. But as their love blossoms, war begins. And the world will never be the same again.
For Clara, all the answers seem to lie far across the ocean. But some of them might be closer than she thinks…
https://mybook.to/FarAcrossOcean
You can find out more about Suzie and her work by checking out her social media links below:
July 31, 2023
Buccaneer: The Early Life and Crimes of Philip Rake – The Coffee Pot Book Blog Tour
Congratulations to Chris Thorndycroft on publication day for Buccaneer: The Early Life and Crimes of Philip Rake, part of the The Molucca Star Quartet Series.
You can follow the full tour here: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/06/blog-tour-buccaneer-early-life-and-crimes-of-philip-rake.html
Buccaneer: The Early Life and Crimes of Philip Rake By Chris ThorndycroftBristol, 1713. When Philip Rake, pickpocket, smuggler and scoundrel is arrested and thrown in jail, he assumes he has a short walk to the gallows. But his father, a wealthy merchant who has remained a figure of mystery throughout his life, throws him a lifeline; become an indentured man on an expedition to the East Indies led by his friend, Woodes Rogers.
Woodes Rogers is looking for Libertatia – the fabled pirate kingdom of the legendary buccaneer Henry Avery – and the hoard of treasure rumoured to be hidden there. But Philip wants his freedom and when he learns that there are men onboard who once sailed with Henry Avery and plan to take the treasure for themselves, he jumps ship and embarks upon a career of piracy.
Philip’s story takes him from the backstreets of Bristol to the sun-baked hills of Madagascar and on to the tropical islands of the Caribbean in a thrilling tale of adventure in which he rubs shoulders with some of the most notorious pirates of the age including Blackbeard, Charles Vane, Anne Bonny and Mary Read.
Buy Links:
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Link: https://mybook.to/Buccaneer
Author Bio:
Chris Thorndycroft’s writing career began with short horror stories which appeared in magazines and anthologies such as Dark Moon Digest and American Nightmare.
His first novel under his own name was A Brother’s Oath, book one in the Hengest and Horsa trilogy, which deals with the beginning of Anglo-Saxon England. He has always had a passion for historical fiction, kindled at the age of six when he first saw Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). His books are deeply grounded in real history but often reimagine legends such as King Arthur and Robin Hood, weaving them in with historical events.
He currently lives in Norway with his wife and two kids.
Social Media Links:
Website: https://christhorndycroft.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cthorndycroft
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisThorndycroftAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christhorndycroft/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christhorndycroft
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chris-Thorndycroft/e/B015EQARZM
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8130216.Chris_Thorndycroft
July 14, 2023
The Last Letter from London – Character Inspiration: A Female Spy of WW2
The current popularity of WW2 fiction has highlighted something long overdue – the recognition of the unsung heroines of wartime spying, and their contribution to winning the war. Having read Tim Tate’s fascinating book, Hitler’s British Traitors, and Max Hastings’ intriguing The Secret War, I wanted to learn more about the women who risked so much for the war effort. The stories of these women, particularly those who operated on the Home Front, inspired the Sarah Gillespie series of books.
Eileen Nearne c. 1940: Photo Credit NYTimes.comIt wasn’t long before the Allies realised the value of using women as spies. They tended to go unnoticed, were rarely stopped and questioned, and were therefore invaluable as couriers. Some played the fragile female card to get out of tricky situations, and who could blame them – it usually worked! In the field, these women were just as ingenious as their male counterparts in fooling the enemy. They were intelligent, brave, and cunning.
There is a long list of female spies, some you will have heard of, others whose names are lost to history. Many of the most famous worked for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in France behind enemy lines, such as Eileen Nearne and Odette Hallows. However, it was a double agent, whose work entailed deceiving the Germans about the location of the D-Day landings, whose story caught my eye.
Nathalie Lily Sergueiew (1912-1950)Nathalie was born in Russia, five years before the revolution. In the years leading up to WW2, she travelled extensively and studied in Paris, becoming proficient in French, German and English. In the mid-1930s, she worked as a journalist in Germany and was approached by German Intelligence, but she refused to work for them. But then things changed. As the temperature in Europe rose, Nathalie’s loyalty was firmly in the Allied camp, and she saw an opportunity to help. She joined the Abwehr (German Military Intelligence Service) with every intention of betraying them.
In Berlin, Nathalie was trained in spycraft, learnt to use secret ink and coded letters, and was trained to use a radio transmitter. Most importantly of all, she was schooled in identifying different Allied uniforms and equipment. The Abwehr plan was to send her to Britain to report on troop locations and movements.
Nathalie Lily Sergeuvei courtesy of MI5 at the National Archives UKHer German handler sent her to Spain, the plan being that she would continue on to England via Gibraltar, which she would eventually do. However, before her departure, Nathalie went to the US embassy in Madrid and volunteered to work for the Allies. From there she was sent to MI5’s Madrid Station, where she turned up with her pet dog Babs, demanding that her pet bypass quarantine laws and travel with her to England. Much to her displeasure, her request was refused, and she had to leave the dog in Gibraltar.
Nathalie arrived in England at the end of 1943 and within weeks of starting work as a double-agent, she was described as “exceptionally temperamental and troublesome”, leading to her being codenamed Agent Treasure! Despite her behaviour, MI5 put her to work, sending coded letters to her German handler (the code based on a particular French novel). Nathalie passed him a mix of true and false information made up by MI5 as part of a deception plan around D-Day. Agent Treasure reported that there were very few troops in Southwest England (it was teeming with them!) and that she had a boyfriend in the 14th Army from whom she received valuable intelligence (the boyfriend and the unit were nonexistent). Other double agents sent supporting information and all of this helped to deceive the Germans that the Allies would land at Calais and not Normandy on D-Day. This plan was codenamed Operation Fortitude.
But Nathalie couldn’t stay out of trouble. All hell broke loose when she subsequently admitted that she had revealed her true identity to a US Air Force officer during a love affair, giving MI5 nightmares that her identity and the whole double-cross system might implode. But worse was to come! Nathalie, still pining for Babs, her dog, threatened to go on strike due to the delay in their being reunited. Then, when the news that her dog had died came through, Nathalie believed the British had murdered her dog and she wanted revenge. With only weeks to go before D-Day, she told her handler that the Germans had given her a ‘control signal’ to show she was broadcasting under duress. She threatened to use it and to blow the entire double-cross system apart. A sticky twenty-four hours followed, but fortunately, Agent Treasure didn’t act on her threat, and after D-Day, she was hastily retired!
Nathalie was certainly a handful and keep her handler and MI5 on their toes. However, the letters and transmissions she sent contributed to the success of D-Day, and she deserves the credit for this.
Inspiration for Adeline Vernier {Agent Honey}As you can imagine, Nathalie’s story had my writer’s antennae twitching like mad! I just had to base a character on her in my next book, The Last Letter from London.
And so, Adeline Vernier, was born.
Adeline is as temperamental and manipulative as Nathalie was, but I substituted Babs the dog for a Russian boyfriend, trapped in occupied France and in hiding out with the French Resistance. Sarah Gillespie becomes Adeline’s handler and must deal with the fallout from her agent’s erratic behaviour. To say the women do not like or trust each other would be an understatement. I have to admit that it was great fun to write about the interaction between these two diametrically opposed characters, thrusting them together on a dangerous mission to Lisbon and then writing up the field report with glee!
Two women, one mission. But can they trust each other?
The Last Letter from London will be published on 17th August 2023
Book 3 in the Sarah Gillespie WW2 Series
eBook * Paperback * Audio
Buy Link: https://mybook.to/TheLastLetterFromL
July 6, 2023
Turning the World to Stone by Kelly Evans: The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
Today, I am hosting Kelly Evans for the blog tour for Turning the World to Stone – The Life of Caterina Sforza Part One 1472 to 1488. Kelly has kindly provided a snippet (please see below).
You can follow the full tour here: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/05/blog-tour-turning-world-to-stone.html
Turning the World to Stone – The Life of Caterina Sforza, Part One, 1472 to 1488Vilified by history, Caterina Sforza learned early that her life was not her own. Married at age ten, she was a pawn in the ever-changing political environment of Renaissance Italy.
Resigned to her life as a fifteenth-century wife, Caterina adapted to the role she was expected to play: raising and educating her children, helping the poor in her new home, and turning a blind eye to her husband’s increasingly shameful behaviour. But Fate had other plans for her, and soon Caterina’s path would be plagued by murder, betrayal, and heartbreak.
“Could I write all, the world would turn to stone.”
Buy Links:
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Link: https://mybook.to/Caterina
Turning the World to Stone Snippet
Caterina laughed and sent a passing page to inform the musicians. She received a pleased nod from the recorder player and stood facing Leone. His face lit up delightedly when the song started, and he proved himself a true match for Caterina’s dancing skills. There was no time to talk as they moved through the fast, hopping steps and as the music finally ended, it took them a few minutes to catch their breaths.
“Signor, I applaud your talent,” Caterina led them away from the other dancers to a table set off to the side of the room. She glanced over at Girolamo and found him engaged in a conversation with a rotund man who looked like his waistcoat had given up trying to encase him and hung open in resignation.
Caterina sat and waved her hand at the chair opposite. Cobelli sat quickly as if afraid the countess would change her mind. A maid brought them glasses of wine and a plate of vanilla wafers as they settled comfortably to watch the others.
Leone leaned forward. “That man your husband is speaking with? He doesn’t know it, but his wife is sleeping with his brother.”
Caterina’s eyes widened. No one had ever started a conversation with her in this way before. She glanced over at the well fed man again and giggled. “Is that true?”
He nodded vigorously. “It is, Madonna. I take my job as a chronicler seriously. I don’t deal in rumours or falsehoods.”
She looked at him critically. Was any man capable of such a feat? “We’ll see,” she replied.
Author Bio:
Born in Canada of Scottish extraction, Kelly Evans graduated in History and English then moved to England where she worked in the financial sector. While in London Kelly continued her studies in history, concentrating on Medieval History, and travelled extensively through Eastern and Western Europe.
Kelly is now back in Canada with her husband Max and a rescue cat. She writes full-time, focussing on illuminating little-known women in history with fascinating stories. When not working on her novels, Kelly writes Described Video scripts for visually impaired individuals, plays oboe, and enjoys old sci-fi movies.
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Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kelly-Evans/author/B0187JGTOQ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14335541.Kelly_Evans
