L. Salt's Blog, page 3

[Book Blitz]: Conquist by Dirk Strasser

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Date Published: 1st September 2024

Publisher: Roundfire Books

Capitán Cristóbal de Varga’s drive for glory and gold in 1538 Peru leads him and his army of conquistadors into a New World that refuses to be conquered. He is a man torn by life-long obsessions and knows this is his last campaign. What he doesn’t know is that his Incan allies led by the princess Sarpay have their own furtive plans to make sure he never finds the golden city of Vilcabamba.

He also doesn’t know that Héctor Valiente, the freed African slave he appointed as his lieutenant, has found a portal that will lead them all into a world that will challenge his deepest beliefs. And what he can’t possibly know is that this world will trap him in a war between two eternal enemies, leading him to question everything he has devoted his life to – his command, his Incan princess, his honor, his God.

In the end, he faces the ultimate dilemma: how is it possible to battle your own obsessions . . . to conquer yourself?

About the Author

Dirk Strasser’s epic fantasy trilogy The Books of Ascension—Zenith, Equinox and Eclipse—was published in German and English, and his short stories have been translated into several languages. “The Doppelgänger Effect” appeared in the World Fantasy Award-winning anthology Dreaming Down Under.
His historical fantasy novel Conquist was published in 2024. The serialized version of Conquist was a finalist in the Aurealis Awards Best Fantasy Novel category.
Dirk’s screenplay version of Conquist won the Wildsound Fantasy/Sci-Fi Festival Best Scene Reading Award and was a featured finalist in the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival and the Creative World Awards. He is the co-editor of Australia’s premier science fiction and fantasy magazine, Aurealis, and was a judge on the 2024 Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival Screenplay Awards.
Dirk has been a high school teacher, a writer of best-selling textbooks, an educational software developer, a publishing manager, and a soccer club president.

Contact Links

Website: https://www.dirkstrasser.com/conquist-mdash-the-novel.html

X: https://x.com/DirkStrasser

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054955883297

Purchase Links

Universal purchase link:

https://books2read.com/Conquist

Roundfire Books:

https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/roundfire-books/our-books/conquist-novel

Giveaway

$5 Amazon Gift Card + eBook Copy

[Book Review]: The Great Orme by Paul D Coombs

About the Book

Genre: Phycological thriller, Murder mystery

Publisher: Northodox Press

Release Date: 17th October 2024

Zachary Llewellyn and his six best friends hide a terrible secret – they’re all killers. As teenagers, he led them to mete out justice in the wilds of North-Wales under the watch of the Great Orme. Years later, their grizzly brand of retribution has followed them into their new lives away from the Great Orme.

But the dead urge Zac to confess their crimes and the Great Orme wills it. And so, he summons the six back to the Great Orme, to persuade them to give up everything.

When one of the six starts killing again, they won’t stop until Zac backs down. Zac must find out who the killer is and stop them if they are all to escape from the guilt and ghosts of their past.

About the Author

Paul D Coombs is an author of stories mired in either one or all of the strange, the Gothic, the dark, and the beautifully tragic. He lives on a rock, floating in space where he inhabits a small clutch of islands known as the United Kingdom. Born in Cardiff, Wales, he now lives in the splendid and sepulchral North West of England.

His stories have appeared in anthologies and magazines, many of which can be found in his collection of short stories – For Strangers Only.
His novel, The Great Orme – is his dark, gothic psychological thriller – a tale of betrayal and paranoia as a group of friends confront violent secrets from their past, was released in October 2024 by Northodox Press.

Twitter: https://x.com/Coombsy101010

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauldcoombs/

Website: http://www.pauldcoombs.com

My review

4,5* stars

I’ve read the author’s works before (a short fiction collection For Strangers Only. Read my full review here), so I was intrigued when a new title came out. The Great Orme isD Coombs’ debut novel, a dark, twisted philological thriller/murder mystery, set in a coastal Welsh town of Llandudno.

The story is told in the first person by Zachary Llewellyn, a young police officer who, together with his six best friends, committed a terrible murder. Many years have passed since, but Zac is still haunted by the ghosts of his past. His mental health deteriorates rapidly, consumed by the dreams and visions of the victims who urge him to confess. Zac is eager to do so and persuade his friends, including his wife, Orla. He gathers all of them in his old house, but none of them are ready to give up their lives for justice. To make matters worse, one of the six starts to kill again to stop Zac from confessing.

The story is blend of classical “locked-room mystery” a-la Agatha Christie with physiological horror. Sensitive readers should be aware of a few graphic scenes.

Zac is not a reliable narrator. Struggling with depression and still suffering from break-up with Orla, he’s clearly not fit for the job. He can’t even distinguish a dead body from a very much alive person.

Manipulative and prudent, Zac used to be a leader of the group. His friends were easily led by him, committing crimes without questioning his authority. Zac didn’t get his hands dirty even once. However now, he feels fully responsible for every single victim.

Slowly, he realises he lost his influence, and his friends are more concerned about saving their own skin rather than following their former leader and accepting punishment.

The plot is full of turns, revealing how low a human being can fall, how quickly wrong can be twisted into right, the moral lines are blurred, and each murder has its justification. The pace slows down in places, but it fits the narrative perfectly.

The friends are gradually sliding into insanity too, turning on each other. The premises – the old house, the Great Orme, a Sea Serpent in ancient Norse, a limestone cliff above the sea, the storm, lashing the small town – even the surroundings act like characters in this drama. Zac’s supernatural experience, his addiction to the Great Orme, adds to the atmosphere of insanity and danger.

I give this novel 4,5 stars because of the side characters’ back story. They also appeared to be murderers. Taking into consideration the size of Llandudno, there should be more unconvinced murderers than anywhere else in the country.

I recommend this read to everyone who enjoys dark thrillers, slow-paced thrillers and physiological horror with folklore elements. The book can be read as a standalone, although the author left some room for a sequel.

Purchase Links:

Northodox Press:

https://www.northodox.co.uk/product-page/the-great-orme-paperback-pre-order

https://www.northodox.co.uk/product-page/the-great-orme-ebook-pre-order

[Release Blitz]: Unexpected Detour by Lynn Marie Jackson

Courage and intrigue in wartime San Francisco

Genre: Historical Fiction

Date Published: 10th December 2024

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

When bombs fall on Pearl Harbor, the trajectory of Faye Baxter’s midwestern life takes an unexpected detour. Her fiancé Steve Connor enlists in the Army, and Faye follows him to California for a spur-of-the-moment wedding just days before he ships out.  

Eager to contribute to the war effort, Faye joins the workforce in San Francisco, a city awash with jobs, handsome soldiers, cheap cocktails, and nefarious secrets. When she is recruited to serve as a courier for a government intelligence agency, the assignment leads her into a web of misogyny, deception, and espionage.  

Will she learn to trust her instincts, value her own opinions, and raise her voice against injustice? Or are the risks too great?

About the Author

Lynn Marie Jackson has spent many years engaged in the creative process working as a marketing strategist, copywriter, podcast producer, blogger, and novelist. Raised in California and Washington, DC, she is a long-time San Francisco Bay Area resident.

When not writing, she’s on the hunt for inspiration; she can be found visiting museums, hiking new trails, or exploring any place well outside her comfort zone.

Contact Links

Website: lynnmariejackson.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/lmjauthor/

Purchase Links

B & N: 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unexpected-detour-lynn-marie-jackson/1146341572?ean=2940180431769

D2D: 

https://books2read.com/u/3yXQne

Giveaway

4 Amazon e-gift cards $25 each

[Book Review]: A Cat Lover’s Guide to Murder by Catherine Wimpeney

About the Book

Genre: Cosy Crime, Drama

Publisher: Northodox Press

Release Date: 6th June 2024

YOUNG LOVE USUALLY HAS A BEGINNING AND AN END

For Anabelle, it began when she met Graham at high school. And never ended. Years later, Bella lives next door to Graham, who doesn’t acknowledge their past. Still, she cleans his house, cooks the occasional meal, and sometimes, when he’s away on business, sleeps in his bed. Bella is content with the arrangement and fawns over her cat, Sir Trevor, like the replacement child she never had…

When divorcee, Angela Maynard, moves to the street and sets up a psychotherapy practice from home, she grows close with Graham and Bella’s cosy routine is threatened. One morning a woman accidentally arrives at Bella’s door for her rst therapy session with Angela. Which is when the seed of an idea implants itself. A er all, Angela has taken so much from her and how hard can therapy be?

Posing as Angela, Bella starts to deliver her own style of therapy.

About the Author

Catherine Wimpeney was born and raised in Manchester. Her Sister’s Shadow is her debut novel. After leaving Marple High School Catherine worked as a mental health nurse. In 1991 she completed a degree in Psychology and subsequently qualified as a Psychotherapist. She has now retired from therapy and currently works in the family business of Lightning Protection.

Her writing keeps her connected to the field of mental health and Catherine is drawn to reading and writing in the moody psychological suspense genre.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CWimpeney

My review

4* Stars

A Cat Lover’s Guide to Murder, a cosy crime novel I couldn’t miss. Not only because I wanted to take a short break from hard-boiled thrillers and historical fiction and read something slow-burning and cosy at this time of the year, but also because one of the main characters is… a cat.

Set in Stockport’s (Greater Manchester) quiet neighbourhood, the story is told through the eyes of Anabelle (Bella) Pearson, a forty-something-year-old single lady who leaves alone with her British Blue, Sir Trevor, and is madly in love with her next door neighbour, Graham. She looks after Graham’s house when he’s away, occasionally cleans and cooks for him, and… even sleeps in his bed, still half-dreaming, half-reminiscing about their past relationship which Graham doesn’t acknowledge. With no family, no friends, and no job, Bella spends her time gardening, nurturing her “baby” Sir Trevor, and longing for Graham’s attention.

When an attractive psychologist, Angela Maynard, moves next door to Graham, Bella feels like her cosy environment is threatened. To make matters worse, Angela hates cats. She has almost run over Sir Trevor – a thing that Bella can’t forgive.

An opportunity for revenge presents itself, and Bella, hesitating at first, starts to deliver therapy sessions, posing as Angela.

Although this book falls into the cosy genre, it’s not an easy, superficial read. It deals with such deeply emotional topics like love, grief, loss, PTSD, and animal’s death.

Delivering sessions for her “clients”, Bella delves deeper and deeper into her own physiological issues: her difficult relationship with her mother, death of her parents, acceptance of her body, Graham’s betrayal, etc. Listening to her “patients” problems brings back half-forgotten, painful memories of the car accident which left scars not only on Bella’s face and body, but on her soul, too. It seems like delivering the sessions for the others, Bella not only helping them, but also herself, eventually making friends with some of her “patients” and becoming more open to the world.

It was hard to read about Sir Trevor’s illness and Bella’s grief over him. As a cat lady myself, I totally understand Bella’s motifs.

The author gives readers a thorough exploration of human emotions in all their complexity, asking difficult questions. Is love for our pets worth more than compassion to people? Do animals deserve more love and respect than some humans?

In Graham’s case, even Sir Trevor has more charisma and character than he does. Graham seems weak and cowardly. He takes Bella’s help for granted, allowing Angela to make cruel jokes about her, he moves from one love interest to another easily, forgetting Angela as quickly as he’s once forgotten Bella. Reading the book, I wondered how Bella could fall in love with him at all.

I give the book 4* stars because of its pace at the end. The scenes at the court are too long and repetitive, revealing a reader again and again the information they already know. I find it strange that Bella doesn’t work. She doesn’t charge her “clients” for the sessions either. I wish the author made it a bit clearer how she manages without a source of income.

I recommend this novel to everyone who likes heart-warming, cosy reads with an element of mystery and, of course, who loves cats.

Purchase Links:

Northodox Press:

https://www.northodox.co.uk/product-page/cat-lover-s-guide-to-murder-ebook

Amazon:

[Book Blitz]: The Pope’s Jew by Eva Mekler

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: MidStir Media

Release Date: 31st October 2024

Paris 1980

Who is Luc Kasten? A wealthy French industrialist? A wanted man? A Jew from Avignon who has led a forged life? Or is he all three? Now, 35 years after the end of World War II, he is ready to unburden himself and hires a veteran journalist, Diane Jameson, to write his memoir. But years of hiding his identity make him hesitate to share his grim secret. A chance encounter with a past enemy spurs him to violence, and Diane, who finds herself falling in love with him, joins Kasten in his struggle to outwit the man who can expose him. What ensues is a cat-and-mouse thriller and a love story set against the sombre background of France during and after World War II. 

Praise for The Polish Woman:

“A meticulous .. raw study of the relationship between Catholic and Jewish Poles…”  ~  The New York Times

“Vividly drawn characters … compelling, combining romance and mystery and reminding us of the difficulty of unearthing personal truths when one of history’s great cataclysms has buried them.”  ~  The Wall Street Journal

“A haunting portrait… Strongly evoked … The understated and moving story of a woman whose memories open so many old wounds.”  ~  Philadelphia Inquirer

Praise for Sunrise Shows Late:

“A deftly written story, full of danger, intrigue, suspense and passion …”  ~  Christian Science Monitor

“An austerely beautiful novel … love blossoms amid the chaos, rubble and danger in a tale narrated with a calm restraint that adds to the passion. ” ~ Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Eva Mekler was born in Poland after World War II and lived in a​ displaced persons camp in German until she was four years​ old. Ms. Mekler worked as a psychologist and is a former​ actor. In addition to fiction, she is the author of eight books​ on psychology and theatre. She lives in New York City.

Purchase Links:

[Book Review]: Recursion by Blake Crouch

About the book

Genre: Sci-Fi, Techno-Thriller

Publisher: PAN Macmillan

Release Date: 9th January 2020

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER – From the bestselling author of Dark Matter and the Wayward Pines trilogy comes a relentless thriller about time, identity, and memory–his most mind-boggling, irresistible work to date, and the inspiration for Shondaland’s upcoming Netflix film.

“Gloriously twisting . . . a heady campfire tale of a novel.”– The New York Times Book Review

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY  Time  – NPR –  BookRiot

Reality is broken.

At first, it looks like a disease. An epidemic that spreads through no known means, driving its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived. But the force that’s sweeping the world is no pathogen. It’s just the first shock wave, unleashed by a stunning discovery–and what’s in jeopardy is not our minds but the very fabric of time itself.

In New York City, Detective Barry Sutton is closing in on the truth–and in a remote laboratory, neuroscientist Helena Smith is unaware that she alone holds the key to this mystery . . .and the tools for fighting back.

Together, Barry and Helena will have to confront their enemy–before they, and the world, are trapped in a loop of ever-growing chaos.

About the Author

Blake Crouch is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. His novels include the New York Times bestseller Dark Matter, and the internationally bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, which was adapted into a television series for FOX. Crouch also created the TNT show Good Behavior, based on his Letty Dobesh novellas. His latest book is Recursion, a sci-fi thriller about memory, and was first published in June 2019. He lives in Colorado.

Media Links:

Website: www.blakecrouch.com

 Twitter : @blakecrouch1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blakecrouchauthor

My review

4,5* stars

Recursion, a high-octane, fast-paced techno-thriller by Blake Crouch, was an absolutely mind-blowing read, making a reader challenge everything, even the reality itself.

A neuroscientist Helena Smith is on the brink of a groundbreaking discovery, able to save humanity from the Alzheimer’s and a long-term memory loss. In a clandestine laboratory owned by an extravagant tech tycoon Marcus Slade, she’s building a memory chair, a device which is able to record and rejuvenate memories. Helena pours her heart and soul into the research, trying to save her mother and millions of others from the terrible disease. However, Slade has his own vision of the chair’s main purpose.

In New York, Detective Barry Sutton is investigating a mysterious death, closely linked to the so-called FMS, the False Memory Syndrome. The disease is spreading like a wild fire, driving its victims to insanity and suicide with the memories of many lives they’ve never lived.

When the full potential of Helena’s memory chair is unleashed, it becomes not a cure, but the most powerful weapon, able to rewrite memories and shift reality.

The book is cleverly written and full of twists, turns, and suspense. Crouch’s theories about how memories work and interact with time and space are believable and mind-blowing at the same time. Despite its fast pace, the novel is also lyrical, philosophical, and deeply emotional. It reflects on love, loss, grief, freedom of choice,  and the second chance.

In the very centre of its plot isn’t a memory chair, but Helena’s love to her mother which keeps her research going regardless of many years of failures. Barry’s love for Helena pushes him to live many lives and die many deaths together with her.

The book tries to answer many existential questions, too. Is humanity ready for such a powerful technology? Will it ever be? What is our past, if not just a set of memories which can be rewritten by the chair?

I give it 4,5 stars, because it becomes a bit repetitive closer to the end. To me, Barry and Helena don’t need so many attempts to fix the “curse” of the chair. The novel ends on a cliff-hanger, but I love cliff-hangers, and this one is brilliantly executed.

I thoroughly enjoyed Recursion and recommend it to the fans of Michael Crichton and Philip K Dick.

Purchase Links:

[Book Review]: The Wicked of the Earth by A. D. Bergin

About the Book

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery

Publisher: Northodox Press

Release Date: 21st November 2024

October 1650

Traumatised Parliamentarian spy James Archer returns north seeking his sister Meg, missing in the aftermath of Newcastle’s recent witch trials.

Aloof, enigmatic Elizabeth Thompson draws him to investigate the ongoing killing of women who had worked to free the accused.

But when Elizabeth herself becomes hunted, the only chance of escape lies in Archer setting himself as bait.

Set against the backdrop of the greed and brutality of Interregnum England, The Wicked of the Earth is an historical thriller perfect for readers of Andrew Taylor, S J Parris, or C J Sansom.

About the Author

A. D. Bergin was born in Northumberland and raised on Tyneside. He graduated from Cambridge University with a first class degree in History, since when he has worked as an archaeologist, historian, researcher, postman, roofer, builder and barman. The Wicked of the Earth is his first published work of fiction.
​

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/adberginwriter

My review

4,5 stars

Although I love historical fiction, it seems like the English Civil War and the Commonwealth eras have escaped my attention. I didn’t read much about these dramatic periods of British history. So when I knew that The Wicked of the Earth needed more reviewers, I dived into the book straight away. The fact that the novel is set in Newcastle during the witch trial drew up my attention to it even more.

Ensign James Archer, is a veteran of the Civil War who fought for the Parliament and Oliver Cromwell all around the country, is sent to his hometown, he had escaped to join the parliamentarians, to investigate the murder of the women during the shady witch trial, initiated by the town’s officials. Archer has his own agenda, though. He’s in search of his sister Meg who, it turns out, is amongst the trialled. When the dead bodies start to pile up around Archer and his own life is in danger, he teams up with Elizabeth Thompson, one of the women who help the accused.

The author poured his heart in soul into research, and it shows. Newcastle of the mid 17th century is brought back to life in all its misery and glory. The description of the city is so vivid and rich that it takes me there, to its narrow and filthy “chares” (streets) and wide Tyne’s embankments, to its cold and damp houses and claustrophobic yards.

As the story unfolds, Archer slides deeper and deeper into the dark underbelly of the city where the war between several powerful factions is in full swing. The witch trial is turning into a power struggle between several families, whose main objective is to keep their business, the coal trade, going at any cost.

The novel is slow-burning, especially at the beginning, but the lack of action is well rewarded as the story progresses.

Although the book is about the witch trial, there’s no magic in it, but plenty of intrigues and conspiracies. There’s some graphic violence that some readers may find disturbing.

What I really enjoyed about the book is the ending. There’s no (and can’t be) a “happily ever after”. The ending is rather philosophical and satisfying. Archer finds out the truth, but it’s bitter.

There’s no romantic subplot in the story. The author shows that a good story doesn’t need one.

I gave this book 4,5 stars because of the language. The author aims for authenticity and historical accuracy, I appreciate that. However, it slowed down the pace, and I found it difficult to follow the plot, needing to re-read some scenes to fully comprehend them.

I highly recommend this book to all history lovers and fans of cleverly written mysteries.

Purchase Links:

Northodox Press: https://www.northodox.co.uk/product-page/the-wicked-of-the-earth-a-d-bergin

[Book Spotlight]: The Sea’s Edge by Garth Pettersen

The Atheling Chronicles , Book 4

Genre: Historical Fiction

Date Published: 11th December 2023

Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing

In 1030 C.E., Cnute, king of England, Denmark, and Norway, sends Harald, his middle son, to the Kingdom of Dublin to meet with his Norse-Irish allies. Harald’s mission is to coordinate an invasion of the northern Welsh kingdom of Gwynedd, to replace King Rhydderch who is growing too powerful on England’s borders. Harald is reluctant to be involved in affairs of state, but agrees to go even though his beloved wife, Selia, is unwell. Harald tells Selia he will not have to take part in the fighting.

While she waits for Harald to return, Selia and her friend Gudrun befriend a young and attractive gleeman (poet-minstrel). When the gleeman is accused of a crime, Selia seeks witnesses in his defense.

Harald becomes involved in a conflict with Dublin’s neighbor, and to appease the king of Dublin, he commits to leading their combined forces in the attack on Wales. The plan is to replace King Rhydderch with Iago, the weaker King of Anglesey. The more Harald learns of these monarchs, the more his allegiance leans toward the man he has been sent to kill.

Will Harald unseat a strong and just ruler to carry out his father-king’s commands, or will he tread a more righteous road, which will destroy the life he and Selia have built in England?

About the Author

Garth Pettersen is an award-winning Canadian writer living in the Fraser Valley near Vancouver, BC, where he and his wife board horses. Pettersen has a BA in History from the University of Victoria and is a retired teacher.
His short stories have appeared in anthologies and in journals such as Blank Spaces, The Spadina Literary Review, and The Opening Line Literary ‘Zine. Garth Pettersen’s historical fiction series, The Atheling Chronicles, is published by Tirgearr Publishing and is available on most online outlets.

Contact Links

Website: http://www.garthpettersen.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/writeandride/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/garpet011

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199652360-the-sea-s-edge?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_28

Purchase Links

B&N: 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-seas-edge-garth-pettersen/1144218788?ean=2940166119223

Kobo: 

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-sea-s-edge

iBooks:  

https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-seas-edge/id6469359622

Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1465492

Giveaway

Amazon gift card $20

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/408264011903

For your chance to win, please also sign up for my newsletter https://www.garthpettersen.com/subscription

[Book Review]: The Last Line by Stephen Ronson (The John Cook Series Book 1)

About the Book

Genre: Historical Thriller, World War II Historical Noir

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton 

Release Date: 16th November 2023

May 1940.

With Nazi forces sweeping across France, invasion seems imminent. The English Channel has never felt so narrow.

In rural Sussex, war veteran John Cook has been tasked with preparing the resistance effort, should the worst happen.

But even as the foreign threat looms, it’s rumours of a missing child that are troubling Cook. A twelve-year-old girl was evacuated from London and never seen again, and she’s just the tip of the iceberg – countless evacuees haven’t made it to their host families.

As Cook investigates, he uncovers a dark conspiracy that reaches to the highest ranks of society. He will do whatever it takes to make the culprits pay. There are some lines you just don’t cross.

About the Author

Stephen Ronson grew up in Sussex, and spent a large part of his childhood exploring the woods and fields around Uckfield, many of which were still dotted with reminders of World War II – pill boxes, tank traps, Nissen huts, and graffiti left by soldiers awaiting D-Day.

He is a passionate student of local history, and when he learnt about Auxiliary Units – groups of men who were instructed to lay low during the predicted Nazi invasion and lead the fight back, he knew he had to write about a Sussex farmer, one with a love of the land, and a natural desire and ability to get the job done.

Website: https://stephenronson.com/

Twitter: @Stephen_Ronson

My review

4* stars

The first book in Stephen Ronson’s fast-paced, hard-boiled historical thriller series is set in the early days of World War II, bringing a reader to the small village of Uckfield in rural Sussex.

John Cook is a Great War veteran and a special forces soldier, who spent a few years after the war fighting in the farthest corners of the Empire – from Afghanistan to Hong Kong. Now, he lives a quiet life as a farmer. His mother, elderly uncle who both live with him on the farm, and his childhood friend Doc (Doctor Graham) are the only people close to Cook.   

When the Nazi occupy most of Europe and the full-scale invasion looms, Cook feels like it’s the right time to put his skills into action again, but his superiors and circumstances have different plans for him. Cook’s is tasked with preparing a resistance unit when England is invaded. However, he soon finds out that he’s the only suspect of the horrific murder. Now, Cook is on the mission to find the real culprit and clean his name. His investigation brings him into the dark underbelly of the criminal world where some faces looks painfully familiar…

This book kept me on the edge from the start to finish. There’re no end of twists, turns, fights, conspiracies involving high society, and tension in the plot. I’m a huge fan of World War II history, so I thoroughly enjoyed the rich worldbuilding and the historical facts which help the author to create the atmosphere of the time period, making it vivid and immersive. However, there’re a few scenes that feel too graphic, including violence, sex trafficking, child abuse.

The characters are engaging and believable, and the book’s language (although a bit choppy for my taste) suits them perfectly.

Many World War II novels are set in London during the Blitz, etc. So I was glad to read about a different, more rural setting where the danger is already on the horizon, but the horrors of the war haven’t reached it yet. It gives the book an electrifying, “the calm before the storm”-feeling.

I gave the book 4 stars because of a slightly slow start. Although the novel starts with a bang i.e. a killing of a German pilot, there’s not much of plot’s development going on in the next few chapters. The romantic subplot, on the other hand, feels too rushed, taking into consideration Lady Margaret’s (Cook’s sidekick) social status.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed The Last Line and learned a lot about this period in British history. I recommend this entertaining read for everybody who’s interested in World War II history and enjoys cleverly written, action-packed murder mysteries.    

Purchase Link:

[Book Review]: The Last Saxon King by Andrew Varga (A Jump in Time Novel, Book 1)

About the Book

Genre: Young Adult, Time-Travel Adventure

Publisher: Imbrifex Books

Release Date: 7th March 2023

Life is progressing normally for sixteen-year-old Dan Renfrew when he accidentally transports himself to England in the year 1066. He soon realizes that he’s trapped there, and that’s not his only astonishing discovery.

Dan learns that he’s descended from a long line of time jumpers–secret heroes who travel to the past and resolve glitches in the time stream that threaten to alter subsequent history. The only way Dan can return home is to set history back on its proper course in the Anglo-Saxon age. This is no easy task.

A Viking horde is ravaging England in the north while a Norman army threatens to invade from the south. In between and desperately struggling to hold on to his throne is Harold Godwinson, the newly-crowned English king. Dan is fighting to ensure that events play out correctly when he finds himself plunged into an even more lethal conflict.

To save history, Dan must battle a band of malevolent time jumpers whose lust for wealth and power threatens the entire future of the world.

About the Author

I am a YA historical fiction author who takes great pains to ensure historical accuracy in my books, while still ensuring that I tell a great story. Although I enjoy reading and writing about all history, I have a particular fondness for European history from Greco-Roman times until the crusades.

I hope you enjoy my stories.

Website: https://www.andrewvargaauthor.com/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/A_Varga_Author

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My review

4,5* stars

I don’t usually read young adult fiction, preferring more mature characters, but I’ve made an exemption for this one as it’s written by my fellow time-travel author. It didn’t disappoint me.

The story of Dan Renfrew, a sixteen-year-old home-schooled teenager who witnesses a brutal attack on his father and accidentally transports himself back in time, ending up in Anglo-Saxon England on the verge of the Norman conquest, was a bittersweet read, sending me back in time, too – in time of my teenage years when I read a ton of such kind of adventure books.

Dan is a newbie to time travel as his father, a university professor, never told him that Dan is, in fact, comes from a long line of time jumpers, whose job it is to fix glitches in time. So Dan makes many mistakes along the way, some of which may even cost him life, but he emerges from it a different person, transforming from a shy and indecisive history geek into a mature young man, able not only to stand for himself, but for his loved ones, too.

Like every good adventure novel, the book is full of twists and turns and keeps readers entertained from the beginning to the very end. The author doesn’t describe the mechanism of time travel, but it’s not necessary for the plot which is more focused on historical rather than technical details.

All characters are likable and well-presented. It also has a sweet romantic subplot. I enjoyed a few funny scenes where Dan gets into all sorts of medieval troubles, but also sad scenes –for example, Sam’s backstory which is full of tragic events.

The author has poured his heart and soul into research of the era. The world building is exceptional. The atmosphere of medieval England is captivating with many historical details. I think that the author has achieved a good balance between historical accuracy and entertainment. The description of the two major battles Dan witnesses—the Battle of Stamford Bridge and the Battle of Hastings — are well-written and detailed without being too gory.

The novel ends on a cliff-hanger, inviting a reader to follow Dan and his newly found girlfriend on his next time-travel journey. I know that some readers don’t like cliff-hangers, but trust me, this one is nicely wrapped up, leaving no questions unanswered.

I recommend this book to everybody who enjoys history, time travel, and alternative history with lots of adventure.

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