Veronika Jordan's Blog, page 10
March 27, 2025
All Our Yesterdays by Guy Hale Publication Day
Congratulations to Guy Hale! I’m on the readalong (more to come) and my review will follow on 29th April.
So here is the blurb:
Act I I Stratford-upon-Avon, spring 1932
Six years after a fire destroyed the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, a new troupe of actors is taking Stratford by storm. But offstage, Felix Richards suspects something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
Read Along: 28th March – 29th April
Genre: Crime Fiction
Publisher: The Bullington Press
Morris Oxford feels he needs no introduction, he’s the greatest actor of a generation. The theatre means everything to him but his talent is tainted by the depths of his ambition.
All Our Yesterdays takes us back to where it all began. The stage is set but uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.
About the Author
Guy Hale was born in Worcestershire, England. His first job was as a Professional Golfer. He also played Rugby and raced motorcycles until his mid-twenties. When this failed to kill him he started writing plays, mostly two handers which he performed in pubs and assorted venues with his mate, Andy.
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The Friday Friendship Club by Anne Brooke Release Celebration
The lives of prime-time friends Leonora, Selena and Dorothea are about to take a very interesting turn.
Leonora discovers her husband is having an affair and struggles to come to terms with this crushing blow. Selena is about to meet the love of her life but is utterly unprepared for the heartbreak it might bring.
Finally, Dorothea’s beloved career is under threat, but her job is the only way she can make sense of herself and she can’t see a future without it.
Can the three friends support each other through life’s challenges, and is there the slightest chance of a happy outcome for any of them?
Perfect for fans of Clare Pooley and Cathy Hopkins!
The book will be published on 27th March 2025. Review will follow as part of the blog tour in May.
Buy Link
www.amazon.co.uk
Goodreads
www.goodreads.com
About the Author
Anne Brooke is a multi-genre writer living in Surrey in the UK with a particular interest in gay and women’s fiction. Her fiction has been shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Prize (for novels set in London) and the Royal Literary Fund Scheme. She enjoys crosswords, gardening, swimming and the theatre, and would love to learn how to dance.
Her website can be found at: www.annebrooke.com. She can be found on social media as @annebrookebooks
Twitter: @hyggebooktours
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March 26, 2025
Kai and Toby’s Big Adventures by N D Thornton
Kai never imagined his quiet life would change with a single, magical encounter… but that’s exactly what happens when his best friend, Toby the pig, begins to talk.
It all starts when a mysterious bird drops a strange herb, transforming Toby into Kai’s new, unexpected companion.
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With his loyal, now-chatty pig by his side, Kai is pulled into a world filled with enchanted forests, ancient symbols, and a treasure trove of secrets waiting to be discovered.
From solving riddles to confronting strange beings, the duo must rely on their wits and their bond to navigate the perils ahead.
However, as the mysteries deepen, they soon realise that the wonders they’ve uncovered are only the beginning, and the true adventure lies in the strength of their friendship.
My Review
Slightly older primary school kids (8-11) are going to love this book. It’s perfect for fans of magic and fantasy. Especially when there’s a talking pig.
Toby is Kai’s best friend, but what a shame the pig can’t talk. He sleeps on Kai’s bed (thank goodness he’s not a Gloucester Old Spot) and goes everywhere with his mate. Then one night Toby eats a green herb and in the morning he can speak! Kai is delighted. What adventures they are going to have!
The following night they go out (parents beware if your son has a pet pig) and enter a magical forest where they meet a giant polar bear. He tells them that he is ‘a Keeper of the Forest’ and asks them what they are doing there. They tell him that they are there to ‘explore the forest and discover all its wonders’. And they certainly do.
They have lots of adventures that night, some dangerous and challenging, but my favourites involve riddles. My nine-year-old granddaughter loves riddles and we often do them together online. Kai and Toby earn various rewards including a ruby pendant, a sword and a shield.
As for being out all night, not to worry, they are told – they won’t be missed – because an hour in the forest is only a minute at home. Phew!
Many thanks to @ZooloosBT for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the Author in his own words
“I am a new author who, despite facing the challenges of dyslexia and ADHD, has found the determination and inspiration to finally complete a story. As I approach my 40th birthday, I have become increasingly aware of my own mortality, which has ignited a newfound drive to bring to life the stories that have lingered in my mind for years. Now, I am more motivated than ever to share them.
“My children are my greatest inspiration and the driving force behind my work. I am a single father to two incredible children who mean the world to me. Their curiosity, imagination, and enthusiasm have encouraged me to craft stories that not only entertain but also instil important values.
“By day, I work for an autism and ADHD support service, a role I am deeply passionate about. However, like many, I have felt the strain of the cost-of-living crisis, and this has only fuelled my determination to transform my passion for storytelling into something tangible. Completing and sharing these stories is not just a personal goal; it’s a testament to my children that, despite challenges like ADHD and dyslexia, one can still achieve something truly special.
“Ever since I was a young child, I’ve been captivated by books and stories, particularly those set in the realm of fantasy. Despite the challenges dyslexia posed, my love for reading and storytelling only grew stronger. I persisted, finding joy in the magic that stories could bring to life. Now, as a writer, I have the incredible privilege of creating my own worlds, ones filled with enchantment, adventure, and a touch of wonder.
“My greatest wish is for my stories to be out in the world, offering readers a glimpse of magic and wonder, just as books did for me when I was young.
N D’s Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573196033674
Book Links
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222707472-kai-and-toby-s-big-adventures
Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/kaiandtoby-zbt
March 22, 2025
The Return of Frankie Whittle by Caroline England
Once you enter the gates, will they ever let you leave?
Frankie Whittle has it all: a career in the City, a gorgeous husband and a baby on the way. It’s the perfect life, but it’s built on sand. In one terrifying night, everything she has worked so hard for unravels. She needs a fresh start.
When she discovers the very place she was born has been converted into a beautiful gated community, it feels like serendipity. After all she’s been through, has she found her dream home? They say you should never go back, that the past is a foreign country, filled with devastating secrets. How far will those around her go to keep their secrets safe?
My Review
First of all let me just say that I cannot even begin to imagine why Frankie would want to live in a gated community, where everyone knows everyone’s business and they all go for cosy walks together on a Sunday. I’m not one of those people who doesn’t want to know the neighbours and couldn’t even tell you the names of the families on either side, but there is a limit.
The Return of Frankie Whittle starts off as a fairly slow burn, nothing much happening initially, apart from her sh*t of a husband Toby (can you tell I didn’t like him) spending most of his time working away or spending time with his mother. A woman with a stick so far up her own a*se, I’m surprised she can bend in the middle. I’m definitely going to have to create a separate review for Amazon.
But about half way through, things start to ramp up. Frankie’s life changes following a terrifying incident with knock on results, and after spending some time living with her mother, she moves into her new home before the sale goes through. She actually fell out with her mother – just send her a text and make up – you know what they say about pride. The previous owner has moved out so she can rent for a time till contracts are exchanged etc. Toby comes home at weekends but spends more time with his new best friend Jerome than with Frankie.
The plot becomes more and more sinister with every chapter and I couldn’t wait to read on. OK so at times it was a bit far fetched (I hope), slowly moving from a romance to a thriller, with a bit of Dan Brown thrown in. I really enjoyed it.
Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of the #FrankieWhittle readalong. It’s been great fun.
About the Author
Caroline is the CWA Dagger shortlisted author of psychological thrillers Beneath The Skin, My Husband’s Lies, Betray Her, Truth Games, The Sinner, The Stranger Beside Me. She also writes Gothic-tinged psychological thrillers as CE Rose – The House of Hidden Secrets, The House on the Water’s Edge, The Shadows of Rutherford House, The Attic at Wilton Place.
Caroline writes multi-layered, dark and edgy ‘domestic suspense’ stories that delve into complicated relationships, secrets and the moral grey area.Drawing on her days as a divorce and professional indemnity lawyer, she loves to create ordinary, relatable characters who get caught up in extraordinary situations, pressures, dilemmas or crime. She admits to a slight obsession with the human psyche, what goes on behind closed doors and beneath people’s façades. She also enjoys performing a literary sleight of hand in her novels and hopefully surprising her readers!
Watching Horsepats Feed the Roses and Hanged by the Neck are her dark, twisty short story collections.
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March 19, 2025
The Old Scarecrow by Tabatha Jean D’Agata
When a hungry flock of crows start eating all the corn crops, Farmer Fred must decide if it’s time to replace Tom, the cherished old scarecrow.
Genre: Children’s Fiction 3-9 years
Publisher: HB Publishing House
Pages: 40
Will Goose, Pig, Cow, and Sheep, who is desperately in need of a shave, save Tom – or, will an eight-legged friend come to his rescue? A heart-warming story of friendship and the lesson that you are never too old.
My Review
What a gorgeous book this is. The illustrations are fabulous. They really make it special. And it’s about crows and I do love a Corvid (as anyone who has read my reviews will know, though usually in a different context).
Tom the Scarecrow has lived on the farm for many years. But now he is getting so old and tired that the crows just keep pulling out his stuffing. They are no longer scared of him. The animals on the farm want to help, but they are a bit useless to be honest. They try to re-stuff him but cow just eats the straw, pig messes about, and sheep’s woolly coat is so long he can’t see through it. And goose can’t do much on his own.
Then Tom finds he has a different kind of friend, an eight-legged buddy who weaves his magic and saves the old scarecrow from being put out to grass (hopefully not literally). It’s such an enchanting story of friendship and love. It sends out the message that you are never too old to do what you love. A wonderful book for children of all ages.
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Many thanks to Hygge Book Tours for inviting me to be part of #TheOldScarecrow #blogtour
March 18, 2025
The Night Ship by Jess Kidd
Based on a true story, an epic historical novel from the award-winning author of Things in Jars that illuminates the lives of two characters: a girl shipwrecked on an island off Western Australia and, three hundred years later, a boy finding a home with his grandfather on the very same island.
1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia , one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious and mischievous, Mayken spends the long journey going on misadventures above and below the deck, searching for a mythical monster. But the true monsters might be closer than she thinks.
1989: A lonely boy named Gil is sent to live off the coast of Western Australia among the seasonal fishing community where his late mother once resided. There, on the tiny reef-shrouded island, he discovers the story of an infamous shipwreck…
With her trademark “thrilling, mysterious, twisted, but more than anything, beautifully written” (Graham Norton, New York Times bestselling author) storytelling, Jess Kidd weaves “a true work of magic” (V.E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue ) about friendship, sacrifice, brutality, and forgiveness.
My Review
I’ve now listened to all four of Jess Kidd’s original novels (this time on Borrowbox), and while Things In Jars will probably always be my favourite, The Night Ship comes a close second. It’s written in two timelines – a young Dutch girl called Mayken in 1629 aboard the Batavia with her nursemaid, and Gil, 360 years later in 1989. Both have lost their mothers, one from the ‘flux’, the other from a drug overdose, but while Mayken is going to live with the father she doesn’t know, Gil has been sent to live with his grandfather on the same remote island off the coast of Western Australia where Mayken was shipwrecked.
It’s not typical of Kidd’s novels – there are no spirits of saints that only certain people can see, or nuns, or dead boxers, and it lacks the ‘Irishness’ of the other three books (though Dutch in 1989 is actually Irish – don’t ask). However, it has its own brand of magic, particularly Mayken’s story, which was my favourite of the two timelines, but only by a whisker. I know nothing of this period of history, especially as the characters are Dutch, so I know even less. There are plenty of superstitions and myths though to get your teeth into, if they don’t get their teeth into you first.
Gil is a strange boy, living in a world where men were men, and dressing up in his grandmother’s clothes was not advisable unless you wanted to get beaten up. He keeps a tortoise called Enkidu as a pet. I’m not saying that’s strange – I had a tortoise called Ermintrude when I was a child. But he has no friends and doesn’t go to school.
Mayken is travelling to the Dutch East Indies when they are shipwrecked. She resides on the upper decks with the better off travellers, but she likes to dress up as a boy and go below deck where the soldiers and the cows live. And of course the rats. There she meets a British soldier and a barber/surgeon who can take your leg off with a saw. She believes her nursemaid was bitten on the foot by an eel and that it has become infected.
It’s a wonderful book, switching from one timeline to another, and written with Kidd’s flair for language, and of course her vivid imagination. The only restriction is that the Batavia shipwreck is based on a true story, so while many of the characters have been embellished, the cruelty, murders and devastation have their roots in fact.
I forgot to mention the two brilliant narrators – Fleur De Wit for Mayken’s tale, and Adam Fitzgerald for Gil’s. They really made the story come to life.
Now on to Murder at Gulls Nest about an ex-nun turned Miss Marple. I bet it will be very different.
About the Author
Jess Kidd was brought up in London as part of a large family from county Mayo and has been praised for her unique fictional voice. Her debut, Himself, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards in 2016. She won the Costa Short Story Award the same year. Her second novel, The Hoarder, published as Mr. Flood’s Last Resort in the U.S. and Canada was shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2019. Both books were BBC Radio 2 Book Club Picks. Her latest book, the Victorian detective tale Things in Jars, has been released to critical acclaim. Jess’s work has been described as ‘Gabriel García Márquez meets The Pogues.’
March 17, 2025
The Versailles Formula by Nancy Bilyeau Cover Reveal
She craved purpose. She found danger. Now, there may be no turning back.
Genevieve Sturbridge was never meant for a quiet life in the English countryside. Once an artist in the heart of London, now she spends her days in restless solitude, longing for the passion and purpose she once knew. But when a familiar figure from her past arrives with an urgent request, she is thrust into a perilous world of spies and a formula that could shift the balance of power between France and England.
The thrill of the chase is intoxicating—the cryptic clues hidden in plain sight, the challenge of ferreting secrets from dangerous opponents, the undeniable rush of being needed again. But with every step deeper into the mystery, the danger grows. Someone is watching. Someone is hunting. And the more she uncovers, the more she wonders: has she walked willingly into a trap?
Torn between exhilaration and fear, Genevieve must decide—was this the life she was always meant for, or has she risked everything for a mission that will consume her completely?
Years ago, protecting this secret nearly cost Genevieve her life. Now someone could be willing to kill for it once more.
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And here is the fab cover! The book will be published by Joffe Books on the 17th April 2025.
Many thanks to @ZooloosBT for inviting me to be part of this cover reveal.
About the Author
If you tell Nancy Bilyeau that reading one of her historical novels of suspense is like strapping yourself into a time machine, you’ll make her day. She loves crafting immersive historical stories, whether it’s Jazz Age New York City in The Orchid Hour, the 18th-century European chateaus and porcelain workshops in The Versailles Formula, The Blue, and The Fugitive Colours, or Henry VIII’s tumultuous England in The Crown, The Chalice, and The Tapestry.
For her Genevieve Planche novels – The Versailles Formula, The Blue and The Fugitive Colours–she drew on her heritage to create a Huguenot heroine. Nancy is a direct descendant of Pierre Billiou, a French Huguenot who immigrated to what was then New Amsterdam (later New York City) in 1661. Nancy’s ancestor, Isaac, was born on the boat crossing the Atlantic. Pierre’s stone house is the third oldest house in New York State.
Nancy’s mind is always in past centuries but she currently lives with her husband and two children in upstate New York. Her quest to cook the perfectly flavored cassoulet is ongoing.
Author’s Social Media
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Website: https://nancybilyeau.com/
Book Links
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/70124097-the-versailles-formula
Busy This Evening by Chris Bastin
Yarns of a London Minicab Driver
A humorous fictionalised account based on the author, Chris Bastin’s many years as an unwitting therapist and witness to many colourful passengers.
“One thing that never ceases to astonish me, especially in this hypersensitive age of confidentiality and data protection in the workplace, is the things that people openly discuss in my presence the moment they get into the car…” – Taken from Busy This Evening?
Inspired by the author’s own work and personal experiences, Busy This Evening? presents a humorous and often tongue-in-cheek insight into the life of a London minicab driver, through the eyes of the sincere and endearing Thomas Buckley.
This dip-in style fictional book covers many aspects of the job, such as minicab etiquette and notable passenger encounters, but also shares Buck’s innermost thoughts and his amusing insights into situations, people and relationships as he goes about his daily business, and is complete with a smattering of his favourite jokes along the way.
Readers will find it easy to relate to a great deal of the subject matter in Busy This Evening? It is an amusing, uplifting and original read that will make them not only see minicab drivers in a whole new light – but life itself.
My Review
Busy This Evening is a short book which you can dip in and out of, or read in one or two sittings, as I did. It’s very funny. There are lots of ‘yarns’ which are often insightful, if occasionally a bit un-PC. The driver picks up anyone and everyone, including celebrities and a fair few ‘posh’ people – the latter being amongst my favourites.
He also tells us about his marriage to the lovely Helen, how they met, and how he caused her to miss an audition for a West End musical. She still married him!
One thing I must disagree with though is that giving human names like Martin or Claudia to pets shouldn’t be allowed, as per the ‘competition’ with a passenger called Isobella. We had a friend who called his Golden Retriever Elizabeth, and another whose cat was called Colin. I love this, though our new puppy is actually called Patch. It would have been Coco or Lulu, but neither suited her – if you saw her you’d understand.
But my absolute favourite story is the two business executives talking in ludicrous business jargon. It tickled me because I used to work for someone like that. Examples include ‘…get all your ducks in a row’, ‘idea shower’, ‘…you can do the heavy lifting’, ‘over-the-shoulder-time’ (what does that even mean?), ‘paddle on both sides’, ‘triangulate’ etc.
Many thanks to the author for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
About the Author
Chris Bastin has held a range of positions in construction, social care and theatre, and now works as a London minicab driver. He has a degree in Psychology, lives in Essex and is married with four children. Chris has a keen interest in comedy and has performed in several amateur comedy events over the years. Making people laugh is one of his greatest joys, and he sincerely hopes to achieve this with his first book, Busy This Evening?
Chris says, “A number of my passengers over the years have encouraged me to pen my experiences as a London minicab driver. So I finally took up the challenge, and look forward to surprising them with a copy on our next trip together.”
March 15, 2025
The Grapevine – Kate Kemp
A gripping and atmospheric debut novel about a mysterious murder that exposes the secrets behind closed doors in 1970’s suburban Australia.
It’s the height of summer in Australia, 1979, and on a quiet suburban cul-de-sac a housewife is scrubbing the yellow and white checkered tiles of the bathroom floor. But all is not as it seems.
For one thing, it’s 3am. For another, she is trying desperately to remove all traces of blood before they stain. Her husband seems remarkably calm, considering he has just murdered their neighbour.
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As the sun rises on Warrah Place, news of Antonio Marietti’s death spreads like wildfire, gossip is exchanged in whispers and suspicion mounts. Twelve-year-old Tammy launches her own investigation, determined to find out what happened, but she is not the only one whose well-meaning efforts uncover more mysteries than they solve. There are secrets behind every closed door in the neighbourhood – and the identity of the murderer is only one of them . . .
Richly atmospheric and simmering with tension, The Grapevine is an unforgettable debut novel about secrets, lies and suspicion, and how the ties that bind a community can also threaten to break it.
My Review
I’m not sure who I disliked more – Cecil – outwardly racist, misogynistic and homophobic. At least I could have a go at him if I wanted to. Or Helen – involved in the church, hypocritical, always involved with something. I felt for her husband, who we know will eventually snap. Tammy is Helen and Duncan’s twelve-year-old daughter, around whom the story revolves, more so than the murder, which at times is almost incidental.
This is Australia (and many other so-called civilised countries) at its worst. When the murder takes place, fingers immediately point at the Laus, Hong Kong Chinese with a secret. Or is it Joe and Zlata from Yugoslavia? The victim was Italian – does that make his family suspicious as well? I was a second generation Eastern European immigrant at my convent school ten years before The Grapevine, but while I was considered ‘other’, maybe a bit exotic (I wish), I never encountered this level of racism. Or if I did I wasn’t aware.
Tammy, helped by her cross-dressing, eight-year-old neighbour Colin, wants to solve the murder. She would then be a hero, brimming with injustice and self righteousness. But God sees deep down into your real motives according to her mother. Ever since her best friend moved away, she’s being bullied by the new girl, and finding the killer would make her cool and clever again.
The Grapevine is a thriller and a murder mystery, but in reality it’s a social commentary about life in suburbia in 1979 Australia. It took me a while to get my head around the characters – there are quite a few who live in Warrah Place – but I got there in the end. Cecil I already alluded to is probably the worst. His wife Maureen is cowed by him. Then Peggy, always with a cigarette in her mouth, is married to Leslie. Duncan and Helen are Tammy’s parents, while Colin is the son of Richard and Naomi. Sheree has three kids by three different dads, but even that isn’t as bad as being foreign or gay. Which brings me on to Ursula and Lydia, who have to live together as ‘sisters’. Ursula’s niece Debbie lives with them.
Poor Tammy. No child of her age should be asked to keep secrets. She feels so guilty when she lets something slip, but it’s not right to teach a child to lie. The only thing I didn’t warm to with Tammy is that she steals things to keep as mementos.
The Grapevine is a powerful debut novel that addresses so many issues of the time. I hope we have moved on since then. As well as the racism, misogyny and homophobia, there is also the teenage pregnancy, kids out of wedlock, abortion (briefly), feminism and gender fluidity. It would make a great book club read as there is so much to discuss. I really enjoyed it.
Many thanks to @Tr4cyF3nt0n for inviting me to be part of the #CompulsiveReaders #blogtour
About the Author
Kate Kemp is an Australian writer living in the UK. She trained as an occupational therapist and then as a systemic psychotherapist and has worked with families and individuals in mental health services in both Australia and the UK. In 2021, she won the Stylist Prize for Feminist Fiction and the Yeovil Literary Prize. The Grapevine is her first novel.
March 12, 2025
Murder in the Lakes (Melody Harper detective mysteries) by Rachel Amphlett promo tour
A wedding, a missing fiancée, and a murder – Melody Harper is about to discover just how dangerous “I do” can be…
Fledgling private detective Melody Harper is down on her luck and nursing a black eye when she’s approached by a new client who believes her daughter is in danger.
There’s a wedding next weekend, and the client’s daughter is the bride. Except Melody’s client hasn’t told her the whole truth – the groom’s last fiancée seems to have disappeared, and nobody has any answers.
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Now tasked with going undercover to protect the bride-to-be, Melody finds herself out of her comfort zone and on an outdoor adventure weekend in the Lake District with the hen party.
After narrowly escaping death in a climbing accident, Melody’s detective skills are tested to the limit when one of the bridesmaids is murdered – and time is running out.
This is her biggest investigation to date, but will Melody even survive long enough to unmask the killer and protect the bride?Murder in the Lakes is a page-turning murder mystery from USA Today bestselling author Rachel Amphlett and perfect for readers who love amateur sleuths and deadly crimes.
Here is an exclusive extract of the book. See below for links to buy:
Chapter One
It’s never a good start to the day when the daughter of one of your clients leans across your desk and slaps you in the face.
She had a mean left hook on her too, helped somewhat by the platinum engagement ring that she’d only thought to remove after she’d hit me, before throwing it onto the carpet on her way out.
It helped – a little – that my client managed to hold back her smug look of satisfaction until after her daughter had stormed out of the office, slamming the door in her wake.
‘I knew he was trouble, Melody,’ she said. ‘I told you.’
I stumbled around my desk, bent down to pick up the ring and handed it to Heather McAdams. ‘Perhaps hang on to this,’ I suggested. ‘I’m presuming he’ll want it back. Or you can sell it.’
I moved to the mini refrigerator under the window, cracked open the door and pulled out an ice pack.
I guess it shows how often this happens to me that I have one prepared.
I held the door to stop it swinging open. I didn’t need my client to see the case of beer that Charlie had left in there on his last visit.
I held the ice pack to my cheek as I made my way back to my chair and somehow managed to sit down and look my client in the eye without losing my composure. My eyes stung, and I was going to have a bruise, that much was for sure.
Mrs McAdams only realised now how hard her daughter had slugged me, and that maybe I wasn’t happy about it.
‘Are you all right?’ she said.
I glared at her. I had a sneaking suspicion her question was brought on by a sudden thought that her daughter might get sued for assault, rather than any concern for my welfare, and whether she should make a speedy phone call to the family solicitor.
‘I’m fine,’ I replied. ‘I’ll print out my invoice for you. I accept payment by card only.’
She looked taken aback for a moment, seemed to debate whether to ask if she could pay on account, and then thought better of it.
I ignored her and turned my attention to the computer screen instead. The system allowed me to automatically check off each service provided. I spitefully added an extra thirty pounds miscellaneous line item for the ice pack, hit the “print” button and then slid the still-warm invoice across the desk to Mrs McAdams.
‘Oh, my,’ she said, as she ran her manicured fingernail down the page. ‘This is rather more than I expected.’
‘A copy of my expenses is on the second page,’ I said, jutting out my chin. ‘I’m sure you’ll find everything is in order. You’ll appreciate that I do provide a rather exclusive service.’
She looked flustered. ‘I wasn’t implying—’
I raised an eyebrow.
She lowered her gaze in response and flicked over the page instead.
I drummed my fingers on the desk while she read through the numbers. Such a sign of impatience always annoyed the hell out of me when people did that anywhere within a mile radius of me, so I was banking on it getting on her nerves and that she’d hurry up and pay, then leave me in peace.
Sure enough, she flicked the page over with an exasperated sigh, then handed over her credit card.
It was from one of the larger banks, the word “platinum” embossed across the front of it with a sparkly finish that glinted in the sunlight streaming through the window.
A car horn honked somewhere beyond the double-glazed panes, followed in quick succession by a higher pitched beep and a stream of colourful swearing.
I swiped Heather McAdams’s credit card across the handheld reader and handed it back to her, then used a large rubber stamp to punch the word “Paid” across the top of the invoice.
And yes, I pretended I was stamping her daughter’s face with it before I released the spring mechanism.
‘Thank you,’ I said, and stood to show her the way out, dumping the ice pack on the desk. ‘If you know of anyone else that would be in need of my services, please give them this.’
I handed over a business card.
Heather McAdams took it between her forefinger and thumb as if it was infected with weaponised smallpox and wrinkled her nose. ‘I’d best go and find out where Charlotte is,’ she sniffed.
Many thanks to @ZooloosBT for inviting me to be part of this promo tour.
Buy Links
If you buy direct from Rachel’s website shop you’ll receive your eBook two days earlier than the retail publication date. That means you’ll get it on 7 June – the retail / real publication date will be 9 June.
Click to buy www.rachelamphlett.com
Available on Amazon on publication day 9th June
www.amazon.co.uk
Goodreads
www.goodreads.com
About the Author
Before turning to writing, USA Today bestselling crime author Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio, and worked in publishing as an editorial assistant. She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction with over 30 crime novels and short stories featuring spies, detectives, vigilantes, and assassins. A keen traveller and accidental private investigator, Rachel has both Australian and British citizenship.
You can find out more about Rachel and her books at www.rachelamphlett.com.
Rachel’s Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelamphlett.author
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelamphlett/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rachelamphlett.bsky.social
Website: https://www.rachelamphlett.com/
