Veronika Jordan's Blog, page 20

The Skeleton Army Oxford Mysteries #2 by Alis Hawkins

Why should the devil have all the best tunes?

The Salvation Army has come prancing and singing from the slums of London to the poorest quarters of Oxford, but along with its red hot gospel preaching and music hall songs it brings a prohibition message which sparks immediate opposition and violence.

An Army soldier – an ex-drunk – is brutally killed and a note suggests that the Salvation Army’s shadowy enemy, the Skeleton Army, is responsible.

With the police unwilling to come between the two forces, Non Vaughan, aspiring journalist and great hope of the Oxford women’s college movement, and Basil Rice, Jesus College fellow and union-sanctioned guardian of the dead man’s family, are compelled to investigate.

But as the threats from both sides escalate, resulting in a second death, Non and Basil realise that they must stop the fighting before it results in an outright war. For with the University’s annual commemoration week fast approaching, the entire city could be engulfed in fire and blood…

My Review

I was so conflicted reading this that I really had to get my thoughts together before writing my review. I am an admirer of the work that the Salvation Army do, even today. They are the best at finding people, and at marching bands, but it’s all too wrapped up in religion for me. And in the late 19th century, it was all about temperance, finding Jesus, confessing your sins and ‘glory fits’. This is where people were so overcome with the Holy Spirit that they fainted clean away and had to be taken into another room to recover. Excuse my cynicism, but it’s also a form of mass hypnosis and probably too tight corsets.

The Skeleton Army was a real thing in the 1880s. Starting in Weston-super-Mare, or maybe Exeter, it became prevalent around the South of England mainly, and spread to Whitechapel and Oxford (in the book). Members were mostly working class – Tomrags – and resented the Salvationists telling them to drink milk instead of beer. Well, you would, wouldn’t you. They also resented the university people thinking they were superior. Unfortunately, even though I understand their sentiments, the talk of real Englishmen etc smacks too much of the EDL, and confrontations accompanied by rent-a-mob, looking for a punch up.

But this book is really about Non, who we met in A Bitter Remedy. Non is a feminist of her day. She believes in education for women, but wants them to be fully accepted into university and take the same exams as men, with the same degree at the end. But as well as a career in academia, she wants to be a journalist. Does she want a husband and family? The jury is still out.

We also met Basil, who is unmarried, but not because he hasn’t yet met the right woman, or because he is married to his ‘job’ at the university, but because his ‘proclivities’ would see him arrested (right up to 1967, unbelievably). He was in love with Teddy and distraught when Teddy went to London and married so he could appear ‘normal’. Teddy says Basil is a f***ing coward.

I’ve adored the first two books in the series, and I get the feeling that this is not the last we are going to see of Non and Basil.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, the author, and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read.

About the Author

Alis Hawkins grew up on a dairy farm in Cardiganshire. Her inner introvert thought it would be a good idea to become a shepherd and, frankly, if she had, she might have been published sooner. As it was, three years reading English at Corpus Christi College, Oxford revealed an extrovert streak and a social conscience which saw her train as a Speech and Language Therapist. She has spent the subsequent three decades variously bringing up two sons, working with children and young people on the autism spectrum and writing fiction, non-fiction and plays. She writes the kind of books she likes to read: character-driven historical crime and mystery fiction with what might be called literary production values.

Copyright 2010 by Rick PetersenA

My Top 10 Books of 2024 – Part Three

Here are my favourite ten books of 2024 Part Three, not counting audiobooks. Quite a disparate selection for a change. Audiobooks to follow.

Gallows Wood by Louisa Scarr

I read this in ten staves with the Pigeonhole online book club. It was almost unbearable waiting for the next instalment. The book was so exciting, the suspense nail-biting.

While this is the first in a new series ‘starring’ PC Lucy Halliday, we really have two other main protagonists. The first is her new boss DI Jack Ellis, brought in from the met, but maybe the real star is DPC Moss aka Doggy PC Moss, the ‘cadaver’ dog. Moss is trained to find dead bodies, so when a hand turns up in Gallows Wood, Moss and Lucy are first on the scene to find the rest of the body.

For my full review click here

The Little Clothes by Deborah Callaghan

I’m still a bit in shock after reading this. I was a bit nervous when I started, probably because of a review that gave it one star and said it was too disturbing. Isn’t that the whole point? I hope that same person doesn’t read Strange Sally Diamond – I found some parallels in the way the story starts out quite humorous, and then becomes very dark indeed. Yes it was hard to read at times, but life isn’t all Mills & Boon and Barbara Cartland. I actually read it in two sittings in the end.

Anyway, as I was saying, there is a lot of humour to start with. Audrey can be very sarcastic and inappropriate. ‘You’re so funny Audrey,’ everyone tells her, even if she doesn’t mean to be. But she’s not a team player they tell her.

For my full review click here

Zero Risk by Simon Hayes

If you woke up one morning to find an extra nought at the end of your bank balance, you’d be delighted, right? Wrong! You can’t spend it, it’s not your money. It’s some kind of computer blip, except it’s not. It’s the work of the most sophisticated hacker or hackers the world has even seen And it could happen here, or anywhere, at any time.

The results would be devastating – that’s millions of accounts having an extra zero, then another and another, busting the banks, the world of finance, and the government, having to bail everyone out. It all looks like a joke to start with – an early Christmas present – but people must not go out and spend, spend, spend. There will be civil unrest and panic buying. Shelves stripped of flour and toilet paper. Soon we’ll be making banana bread out of spelt.

For my full review click here

Sipsworth by Simon Van Van Booy

I’m totally in love with this book. If I had a banner I would wave it from the rooftops. I LOVE SIPSWORTH! It’s not just because I became very fond of Helen or that I rather like mice. It’s the way something so small could change the life of one person in such dramatic ways.

Mouse traps, for instance. Such cruel contraptions. You think they kill instantly, but they don’t. Personally, we have only ever used the humane ones. And then there’s Helen’s musings, ‘if mice are capable of giving and receiving love,’ she reasons, ‘are not pigs, cows and chickens of equal intelligence?’ She immediately buries her ‘meat products’ in the garden and becomes a vegetarian.

For my full review click here

The Guests by Charlotte Stevenson

If I said I found the ending hilarious, you’d think I was really weird. I actually told my son about it and he laughed and said ‘I get it.’ However, the opening chapter with the baby crying at the end of the bed was heartbreaking and not one bit funny.

The book was nothing like I expected. The ‘Guests’ are not real in the sense that they are actual living flesh and blood. They haunt Tamsin, but they are not ghosts either. There are three of them and she knows they want something from her, but she has no idea what it is. She knows who they are, but not why they won’t leave her alone. Her answer is to drink every night and get totally smashed.

For my full review click here

I Died At Fallow Hall by Bonnie Burke-Patel

I didn’t really know what to expect from this book apart from the fact that it’s set in Gloucestershire where I live, and Cirencester is about 15 miles down the road. Detective Inspector Hitesh Mistry has left London to take up a post there. I’m pretty sure that Upper Magna is fictitious, though there is one in Shropshire, while Chew Magna is a village in Somerset. From the Latin, ‘Magna’ just means big or great in village terms.

Anna Deerin moved to Upper Magna about 18 months previously, to become a gardener and live her life off-grid. She doesn’t even have a phone. With it comes a remote, rent-free, one-bed cottage, but she has to grow her own food, which she sells at the local market. It takes self-sufficiency to a whole new level.

For my full review click here

Deadly Protocol by Roger Corke

This book moves at such a cracking pace that I read it in two sittings. Not a word, sentence or paragraph is wasted. No extra padding, no stretching it out, it just rockets to a satisfying finish.

I often say that a lot of novels are too long and could easily be cut to shed the ‘dead wood’ or too much description. They sometimes refer to it as ‘murdering your darlings’. With Deadly Protocol there is no dead wood, though plenty of murdering, literally! What we do have is politics, intrigue, medicine and the elusive cure for cancer. It’s fast, intelligent and exciting. What more could you want from a thriller?

For my full review click here

One Night Only by G.P. Ritchie

I’m still reeling from reading this book. It’s unlike anything else I’ve ever read. Yes it’s a crime thriller, but add in a deranged, mad scientist, and a medium who knows where the bodies are buried, and you have a match made in heaven. Or is it hell?

Our main protagonist is Edinburgh detective Andy Lorimar. Older and wiser than most of his colleagues, his past comes back to haunt him when he becomes part of an investigation into the horrific murder of a local councillor. And it seems that her past is also mysterious.

For my full review click here

Missy by Raghav Rao

What a wonderful book. It’s not only a tale of courage and resilience, it’s also a love story, an insight into India’s culture, and a philosophical tome. The poverty in India is extreme – poor people age faster than in the West – and the servants are often treated worse than the animals. But Savi, later known in America as Missy, is different, and her journey is miraculous.

We first meet Savi when she and her mother have been abandoned by Savi’s father, and then walk miles in bare feet to find a better life. But Savi’s mother dies and the orphaned Savi is taken into St Ursula’s convent. It is obvious she is clever and good at languages, so the nuns secure for her a position with the wealthy Nandiyar family at their country estate. She will be governess to their young son Aditya.

For my full review click here

The Torments by Michael J Malone (Annie Jackson Mysteries #2)

I read and reviewed The Murmurs, the first of the Annie Jackson Mysteries, this time last year. The Torments continues in the same vein, with Annie as the hero who can look at someone and know they are going to die imminently, and how. It’s very upsetting for her. Even more so because if she tries to warn them, they treat her like a nutter, but if she doesn’t, their family blame her for not warning them. She can’t win.

We are now a year later and Annie is living in a tiny cottage, away from everyone and the voices – the murmurs – are quiet here. She even has a job in a cafe. But she has just been the subject of abuse because she didn’t warn someone of a car accident. Her cottage is targeted, so her twin brother Lewis comes up to stay with her.

For my full review click here

Kloe’s New Start by K.M. Selvidge

Kloe can’t wait to get started at her new school… but when her brother Wreny starts acting out, will she end up stuck in his shadow?

Genre: Children’s Fiction 
Age: 8-12

Or will she be able to make her own way and make others see her for who she truly is?

My Review

It’s the start of Kloe’s new school term and she is nervous. Her friends try to make her feel better, but she is worried that her brother Wreny is going to spoil everything for her. He’s always disruptive and has had to stay down a year to catch up on everything he missed.

But the most important thing for Kloe is that she wants to join the cheerleader team, and while she knows she is good enough, she is afraid that Wreny will mess it up for her. At the moment hardly anyone knows she is Wreny’s sister, but when they find out – which they inevitably will – will they judge her.

In this story, Kloe learns about true friendship, finding yourself and confidence in your abilities. It’s a life lesson for all children and Kloe must learn to believe in herself and find her own way.

Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of the #KloesNewStart blog tour.

About the Author

“For 30 years I’ve wanted to write children’s books – stories based on my first-hand experience of growing up as the sibling of a mentally ill older brother.

“This is the beginning of a series of semi-autobiographical stories relating some of the struggles children may face and how the tone of one’s life does not have to be set by complex family dynamics.

“The stories are told using animal characters who are brought to life with charming, vivid illustrations.

“Through my stories, I want others in similar situations to know that they are not alone, that it is possible to find resilience and strength within themselves.”

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The Two Masks of Vendetta by Tony Lee Moral – Extract

Caught between love, lies, and the Italian mafia – Catriona Benedict’s life is about to take a deadly turn.

Catriona, a struggling actress in New York City, finds herself trapped in a dangerous web of secrets. Approached by the wealthy and charismatic Miles Kingston, she’s offered an incredible sum of money to pose as his wife – an arrangement that will help Miles secure his enormous inheritance. Eager to escape her financial woes, and her boyfriend’s debts to a violent loan shark, Catriona reluctantly agrees.

But as they toast to their union, there is a shocking murder, and a slew of suspects. The glamorous world of the Kingston family soon reveals its darker side. Now Catriona must race against time to clear her name and outwit a killer before she becomes the next target.

A stylish murder mystery filled with unexpected twists and unforgettable characters, this is a thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Extract

Catriona noticed the man the moment she walked up onto the stage that rainy New York evening. He was sitting in the front row of the almost empty theatre, incongruously dressed in a Bergdorf Goodman dark navy suit and wearing the satisfied smile of a man who was accustomed to getting what he wanted. All through the performance his dark eyes watched her with a thoughtful intensity that made her very uncomfortable. She was anxious for the curtain to fall so that she could escape his impenetrable gaze.

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” Catriona said. With tremendous relief, she eventually reached the end of her performance with a two-page monologue.

When the curtain fell, Catriona took a bow and glanced over to the man in the front row who was applauding with a smug smile on his face. For a brief moment, she caught his eye and suddenly felt very naked and bare, as if he had exposed her very soul.

She rushed off the stage, breathless, to where her manager, Lowry, was waiting to greet her. He was a short, fat, balding man, who resembled a hard-boiled egg with beads of perspiration on his round face. Oval spectacles, a bow tie, and a brown pinstriped wool flannel suit completed his costume.

“Bravo, a great performance,” said Lowry. “I think I counted two more in the audience tonight.”

“Who’s that man sitting in the front row?” Catriona immediately whispered, nodding her head towards the audience.

Lowry peered through the black curtain. “What man?”

When Catriona looked again, the row was empty. Strange. She glanced down the aisle but could see no sign of him. She shrugged. Oh well, maybe just some curious fan. New York was full of lonely people. Many came to the tiny theatre off Broadway to escape their troubles or even just to get out of the rain and the biting wind.

“Well, I’m afraid that’s it,” Lowry said. “We’re not opening next week.”

Catriona wanted to argue, but didn’t have the heart to do so, even though she desperately depended on the small wage the role afforded her. She nodded with resigned acceptance. Lowry had taken a considerable financial risk to run the play and it hadn’t worked out. They had gambled and lost.

“Well, let’s at least have a drink to cheer us up,” she said.

In the dressing room, Lowry poured a generous measure of bourbon for Catriona and then one for himself into two glass tumblers. The year was almost coming to an end, and it hadn’t been a very good year for either of them.

“What will you do?” he asked.

Catriona shrugged. “Look in the trades and try to find a job. Maybe some temporary work. How about you Lowry, any plans?”

“I’d like to start a drama school for aspiring board walkers,” said Lowry. “I’ve been giving it thought for some time and that’s what I want to do with the rest of my life.”

“Here’s to that,” said Catriona and they toasted.

After the drink she bade Lowry goodnight and started to walkthe twenty blocks home. Her thoughts were with Mario. She wondered what they would do to pay the rent. There was no option; she would have to go back to being a waitress or a secretary, which she hated doing. She really wanted to stay in the theatre.

So preoccupied was Catriona, that she failed to notice the black town car that was following her until it had pulled up directly alongside. The back seat window wound down and a voice called out.

“Ms. Benedict do you have a minute?” The voice was thick and luxuriant. It was the man in the audience who had been staring at her. Catriona was on her guard instantly.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

“I have a business proposition I’d like to make to you.”

Catriona sighed. She thought so, a pickup.

“Sorry I’m not interested,” she said and started to walk faster in the direction of Waverly. The car followed her slowly.

“Ms. Benedict,” the man called again.

“Hey, you’ve got the wrong gal. If you and your driver don’t beat it, I’m calling the cops.”

“Without hearing what I have to say? I know a public place not far from here. Will you join me for one drink? I’m quite safe, honest. My driver will vouch for me.”

His voice was matter of fact and well spoken. Catriona hesitated again and then she nodded out of curiosity more than anything.

“OK, one drink. Who are you?”

“Miles Kingston,” came the reply.

Many thanks to the author for a gifted copy. Review to follow soon.

About the Author

Tony Lee Moral is a mystery and suspense writer who has previously published three novels, and four non-fiction books about the works of Alfred Hitchcock in both the UK and US. Find out more via his website: www.tonyleemoralbooks.com

Tony explains: “Alfred Hitchcock always wanted to begin the opening of a thriller in an Opera House and a murder takes place when the Soprano hits the high C. I start my novel with exactly that and the story is very much a homage to Hitchcock’s films with classic use of suspense, characters and Macguffins.”

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https://www.ghostmaven.com
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Ghost Story by Elisa Lodato

She came to write, but the island has its own story . . .

Off the windswept coast of Scotland lies Finish Island, rugged and remote. Once a home, it now stands abandoned, a place of dark history and deep memory, a place that holds its stories close. Unable to write since her daughter’s death, it’s here that Seren comes to work, hoping that the solitude and silence will inspire her next novel.

#GhostStory X/Twitter @bonnierbooks_uk @Tr4cyF3nt0n 
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But the island holds memories of its own, restless and unwilling to stay buried. As unsettling occurrences become even more bizarre and frightening, Seren starts seeing uncanny resonances between her past and the island’s history. There is something on this island, something ancient and unforgiving. Will Seren discover its secrets, before it’s too late?

My Review

I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did to be honest. But I just loved it.

Seren was once a successful, published author. Her first book was such a success, that the publishers wanted a sequel. But it flopped. It wasn’t very good – Seren knows that.

She hasn’t written anything since. The most unimaginable tragedy befell her family and now she is divorced, alone, and still struggling with her grief six years later. I am not one bit surprised. I’m not sure how you ever get over it.

But now her publishers want her to write a ghost story. She decides to go to Finish Island where she spent holidays when she was young. It’s deserted – the inhabitants all left in 1912. It’s also the site of a terrible act of revenge in the 17th century and many believe that the island is haunted by the spirits of those who died. It sounds perfect for the inspiration she needs.

While researching the island’s history, she meets Alex in the library in Edinburgh. He’s a PHD student, many years her junior, working there while studying. They hit it off but she has now moved on. On the way to Finish she stays in a guest house where she meets Kathleen, who has dementia, but came from the Island originally. Her nephew Daley takes tourists across in his boat.

Sounds like a simple story, but it soon turns into something dark and sinister and I found it scarier than most scary books I have read recently. The myths and superstitions get inside Seren’s head – and mine – until she is not sure what is real and what is not. There are some pretty horrific descriptions of events, so be warned, but nothing is ever gratuitous, it’s always essential to the plot. A fantastic read that will stay with me for a long time to come.

Many thanks to @Tr4cyF3nt0n for inviting me to be part of the #CompulsiveReaders #blogtour and to NetGalley for an ARC.

About the Author

Elisa Lodato grew up in London and read English at Cambridge. Her debut novel, An Unremarkable Body, was longlisted for the 2016 Bath Novel Award and shortlisted for the 2018 Costa First Novel Award. Her second novel is The Necessary Marriage and Ghost Story is her latest novel. Elisa lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and two children.

The Passion of the Cross by Tony Lee Moral

When famed curator Giovanni Montefiore’s is shockingly murdered at the Italian Opera in Rome following his bold proclamation regarding the authenticity of the True Cross, there are many suspects, but suspicion falls heavily upon his nephew, Mario Montefiore.

With his American girlfriend, actress Catriona Benedict, by his side, they embark on a perilous quest for truth and to uncover the real killer, leading them through some of Italy’s most iconic and glamorous cities.

But as the body count rises and the relentless pursuit of both law enforcement and paparazzi intensifies, they find themselves fleeing to Florence in search of the True Cross ,which they hope holds the answers they need. Amidst the ancient streets of Florence, Catriona assumes a daring new identity, delving into a world of shadows and deception.

Will they uncover the secrets surrounding the True Cross before it’s too late?

My Review

This was like a cross between Indiana Jones and a Dan Brown novel. Our intrepid heroes, actress Catriona Benedict and boyfriend Mario Montefiore are seeking important historical artefacts around Rome, The Vatican and Florence, while being chased by ruthless killers and religious fanatics.

Famed curator Giovanni Montefiore was shot to death during an opera in Rome after revealing what he believed to be the authenticity of The True Cross. He was Mario’s uncle, and they had been overheard arguing over the reward money for finding a missing Caravaggio in the previous book. Giovanni wouldn’t give them the $10,000 reward and it all turned a bit nasty. After all, blood is thicker than water and there will be lots more of it to come as the body count rises and the plot thickens.

It’s all very exciting and the pace never lets up. The ‘accidents’ that almost kill them are very inventive and entertaining. At one point Catriona must use her skills as an actress to pull off a daring disguise, while Mario just gets hot under the collar and shows his jealousy of Catriona’s friend Freddie, an American journalist, who happens to be in Italy at the same time and ends up helping them out. OK, I admit I wasn’t a fan of Mario, but I do like Freddie.

Altogether a furious and enjoyable romp which I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope there will be more to come and that Catriona decides….better not say any more.

Many thanks to the author for a gifted copy.

About the Author

Tony Lee Moral is a mystery and suspense writer who has previously published three novels, and four non-fiction books about the works of Alfred Hitchcock in both the UK and US. Find out more via his website: www.tonyleemoralbooks.com

Tony explains: “Alfred Hitchcock always wanted to begin the opening of a thriller in an Opera House and a murder takes place when the Soprano hits the high C. I start my novel with exactly that and the story is very much a homage to Hitchcock’s films with classic use of suspense, characters and Macguffins.”

Death Rites by Sarah Ward

Professor Carla James is an archaeologist with an interest in more than just bones and stones. She wants to understand the emotions behind the sites she investigates.

Desperate for a change of scene following the death of her husband, Carla takes a job at Jericho, an elite New England college. On her first day, Carla is asked to represent the department at an unusual murder site. Although she initially believes there is nothing interesting about the debris that surrounds the body, there is more to the site than meets the eye.

This victim is just the latest in a series of unsolved deaths in Jericho. Although the deaths appear unlinked, Carla is convinced: there is a methodical and calculated killer operating under the cover of darkness. Can she uncover the truth before she becomes the next victim?

My Review

I’m going to rave about this because I loved everything about it. I read it in nine staves with my book club The Pigeonhole, and couldn’t wait for the next one to be delivered. Death Rites has everything I love – murder, intrigue, witchy elements, strong female protagonists – what more could I ask for.

The book opens with the murder of a retired school teacher who was killed in her own home. The police are baffled. Why would anyone want to kill this seemingly harmless, elderly lady.

Professor Carla James has been widowed for three years and decides to leave the UK to start a new life in New England, USA, lecturing on the ‘archaeology of emotion’ at Jericho College. In her first week, two things happen. First she discovers that her office is still full of the things belonging to her predecessor Lauren, who took her own life. It’s all a bit unsettling. Secondly, she is asked to take a look at the site of a gruesome murder and see if anything strange stands out for her. Unfortunately, the ‘burnt’ body is still in situ. She meets pathologist Erin and they soon become friends.

This murder bears no resemblance to the previous one. There are no links, the victims didn’t know each other, there is no apparent motive, and the MOs are totally different. But Carla had spotted some random objects placed around the ‘burnt woman’ and wants to know if this has happened before.

And this is where it gets really interesting. Because she believes the objects are not random and have a meaning related to witch bottles, hexafoils and superstition. So she starts looking at other murders in Jericho, which has the police rattled as her suggestions start making them look incompetent.

I admit I did guess one possible link pointing to the killer, but not why, or who else might be involved, and there were so many red herrings that I kept questioning whether I was finding links that didn’t exist. A bit like Carla really.

I just adored this book, and the ending makes me think it’s not the last we are going to see of Carla and Erin. PLEASE make this a series. I can’t wait.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, the author, and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read.

About the Author

Sarah Ward is a critically acclaimed crime and gothic thriller writer. Her book, A Patient Fury, was an Observer book of the month and The Quickening, written as Rhiannon Ward, was a Radio Times book of the year. Sarah is a former Vice-Chair of the Crime Writers Association, Trustee ofGwyl Crime Cymru Festival and an RLF Fellow at Sheffield University.

Mitchie the Service Dog Gets A Job by Diane Petrozzo

Mitchie is a young, black Labrador Retriever training to become a service dog. 

Everyone says he will become very successful, but Mitchie doesn’t believe them.  Will he actually be good enough to assist someone?

Genre: Children’s Book
Ages: 3-9

Eventually, Mitchie is matched with an elderly gentleman named Mel who is visually impaired.  How is Mitchie going to help Mel live a fulfilling life.

This is a story about service, friendship, and love regardless of age and circumstances.

My Review

Mitchie, the black labrador, is training to be a service dog. In the UK he would be training with Guide Dogs for the Blind (I am currently sponsoring two puppies like Mitchie and have even visited the training centre and head office). Not all dogs ‘qualify’ to be guide dogs, they have to be really special. Mitchie doesn’t believe he has what it takes, but it’s all a matter of training and confidence.

In another state, Mel is an elderly gentleman who is losing his eyesight. He doesn’t have any family to help him, and he doesn’t know how he will get out, meet friends or go to the gym. When he is told about Mitchie and how a service dog can help him, he is sceptical at first. He has to go to New York to meet Mitchie and spend time training with him. By the end they are both sure it’s going to work. I love that he takes Mitchie in the cabin on the plane. We are not allowed to do that in the UK.

They soon settle in together and Mitchie saves Mel from an accident and also alerts him to a fire. He certainly is an incredible dog!

A lovely book which shows the bond between human and animal, and the importance of friendship, companionship and love.

Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of #Mitchie blog tour.

About the Author

Diane Petrozzo is a retired Human Resources professional and teacher who has dedicated her life to rescuing dogs, in particular seniors. Her love for dogs began at the age of six, when a stray followed Diane’s brothers home and was immediately adopted by her family. Diane was a board member and co-foster coordinator at the Retriever Rescue of Colorado, where she continues to volunteer today. Her mission is to highlight the value of senior dogs and to promote their adoption. Diane is an outdoor enthusiast and can always be seen walking her rescue dog, Remy, to the local coffee shop for a pup cup. For more, visit www.FourWornPaws.com.

About the Illustrator

Lauren Zurcher is an award-winning children’s book illustrator from Colorado. She began her journey as an artist when drawing about family vacations across the world. The geography, peoples, fauna, and culture are the source of her inspiration. Lauren lives in New York and loves bringing stories to life with colorful and playful visuals. For more, visit www.ByLaurenZurcher.com.

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The House on Devil’s Lane by Sandra Ireland

THE HOUSE ON DEVIL’S LANE is a chilling tale of psychological terror and things that go bump in the night…

What if the home of your dreams turns into your worst nightmare?

Young mum Kat Riley has reasons for wanting to escape her family. When taxi driver Steve Burns comes into her life in the most unusual of circumstances, she sees a way out. With her baby Matthew, she leaves behind a chaotic existence and all that is familiar to make a new life in the Durham countryside.

When Kat first sets eyes on 11 Derville’s Lane, she falls in love with its quaint charm. The interior, however, tells a different story. Recently vacated by Steve’s father, Tommy, there remains a lingering presence and the sense of secrets waiting to be revealed. Soon Kat is struggling to cope with the house’s troubled past and her own dark secrets, while her fledgling career as a blogger soon plunges her into a world of paranormal podcasts, wild conspiracy theories and internet trolls who threaten her safety and her sanity.

Is the house on Devil’s Lane really haunted, or are the ghouls closer to home?

My Review

This was great fun! Ok, I hear you say, hardly fun. But it was in a strange kind of way. Horror? Not in a Freddie Kruger or Drag Me To Hell way. Supernatural, creepy, scary at times, I really enjoyed it.

Kat Riley lives at home with her mum and sister. She is pregnant, but no-one knows who the father is (except Kat of course). When she is in labour, Steve Burns is the taxi driver who takes her to hospital and they become friends. Now I have to admit that I did not like Steve all that much. By the end I still wasn’t keen, but we’ll leave it at that.

Eventually, Kat, Steve and baby Matthew move to Steve’s house at 11 Derville’s Lane in the Durham countryside. Steve’s father Tommy is in a nursing home, so the house is empty. And though from the outside it looks quaint and charming, picket fence, roses round the door etc (not literally), inside it’s a tip. Kat refuses to stay there with Matthew, so she spends the first night in a B&B run by an older woman called Rowena.

It’s at this point that things turn really weird. Rowena claims to know nothing about the house, but it soon becomes clear that she has history, as does Tommy, and the whole town knows about it. Is the house haunted, or is that just a conspiracy theory or a wicked rumour? Tommy became quite the local celebrity on the back of it, but was he just cashing in on the house’s reputation for things that went bump in the night.

Poor Kat. She has her own issues to deal with, but she is going to make the best of it. She sets up a social media profile with pictures of herself and Matthew in the house they are renovating. Steve does not approve – well he wouldn’t would he. Then she gets trolled and threatened, but she should have guessed that would happen. And it all starts to get very dark.

The podcast about the house is all very Battersea Poltergeist and I can just see the house being featured on Uncanny. But is any of it real? Well we’ll have to read the book to find out. Best read under the covers, in the dark, with just a torch for company.

Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of #TheHouseOnDevilsLane blog tour.

About the Author

“For many years, I thought I’d been born ON Doncaster Racecourse. This was not the case, but the result of classic parental misdirection. “You were born there, Sandra!” Ma and Pa would cry, waving at the TV screen whenever the St Leger was on. I was nine before I realised they meant the town, not the racecourse. I do love horses though.

“Growing up, we moved to North Yorkshire (a garden with fruit trees and room for the pony I never got), to Sheffield (a newbuild beside a Gothic Rectory) and Northumberland (old castles, stepping stones in the river).

“After dropping out of uni at 18, I ran off to Éire to live The Good Life (goats, pigs, chickens) before returning to Scotland with two children and a pile of skulls skills I’ll probably never use again. A stint as an heraldic artist and a café owner followed, before the writing bug bit deep.

“It was always my mother’s wish that I go back to education, and I eventually did, at a time when most folks are calculating their pensions. I’m a great believer in following your heart. Age shouldn’t get in the way of being creative or achieving your dreams. I began writing fiction after my Mum died as a way of coping with grief, and that led to me enrolling at the University of Dundee as a mature student. Studying wasn’t easy, and I did an early morning cleaning job before lectures in order to make ends meet. I graduated in 2013 with a First Class Honours degree in English and Creative Writing, and went on the study for the Mlitt in Writing Practice and Study with the help of Carnegie- Cameron Scholarship.

“Just a few months after graduating in 2014, I took part in a Book Week Scotland Pitch Session and caught the attention of top literary agent Jenny Brown. A publishing deal with Polygon followed, and Beneath the Skin hit the shelves in September 2016. My second novel Bone Deep will hit the shelves in July, and the rights have already been sold in Germany, India and the U.S.

“So, keep reading, folks! I don’t want to have to go back to my old cleaning job, but if all else fails, I can fall back on those skills I thought I’d never use again. If you want a cow milked, a rabbit skinned or your coat-of-arms painted, call me.

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The Torments by Michael J Malone (Annie Jackson Mysteries #2)

Hiding from the world in her little white cottage on the shores of a loch, Annie Jackson is fighting to come to terms with the world of the murmurs, a curse that has haunted female members of her family for centuries.

While she is within the ancient, heavy stone of the old dwelling, the voices merely buzz, but the moment she steps outside the door they clamour to torment her all over again, bringing with them shocking visions of imminent deaths.

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Into this oasis comes her adoptive mother, Mandy McEvoy, begging for Annie’s help. Mandy’s nephew Damien has gone missing, after dropping off his four-year old son at his mother’s home.

Unable to refuse, but terrified to leave her sanctuary, Annie, with the help of her brother Lewis, is drawn in to a secretive, seductive world that will have her question everything she holds dear, while Lewis’ life may be changed forever…

My Review

I read and reviewed The Murmurs, the first of the Annie Jackson Mysteries, this time last year. The Torments continues in the same vein, with Annie as the hero who can look at someone and know they are going to die imminently, and how. It’s very upsetting for her. Even more so because if she tries to warn them, they treat her like a nutter, but if she doesn’t, their family blame her for not warning them. She can’t win.

We are now a year later and Annie is living in a tiny cottage, away from everyone and the voices – the murmurs – are quiet here. She even has a job in a cafe. But she has just been the subject of abuse because she didn’t warn someone of a car accident. Her cottage is targeted, so her twin brother Lewis comes up to stay with her.

In what appears to be a totally unrelated story, Ben and Sylvia are pupils at a private school, where they fall under the influence of one of the teachers. Phineas Dance, who is involved with the Occult, persuades them to ‘join’ him. They don’t need much persuading.

But there’s more to come, because Annie and Lewis’s adoptive mum’s sister (phew!) asks for Annie’s help. Her son Damien has gone missing and while he has had a chequered past, including a spell in prison, he adores his young son Bodie and she is convinced he wouldn’t just walk away. Annie, however, isn’t the kind of medium who can find people if given something belonging to them. That’s not how it works.

We do move around through various timelines – Annie now, Ben and Sylvia at school, and we also follow Sylvia as she matures and becomes more and more obsessive.

This is a brilliant book, just as good as book one, though maybe a tiny bit more involved, but that may just be me forgetting the details of the original.

Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours

About the Author

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. His dark psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and is currently in production for the screen, and five powerful standalone thrillers followed suit. The Murmurs, first in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series, was published to critical acclaim in 2023. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as a hypnotherapist.

Orenda Books is a small independent publishing company specialising in literary fiction with a heavy emphasis on crime/thrillers, and approximately half the list in translation. They’ve been twice shortlisted for the Nick Robinson Best Newcomer Award at the IPG awards, and publisher and owner Karen Sullivan was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2016. In 2018, they were awarded a prestigious Creative Europe grant for their translated books programme. Three authors, including Agnes Ravatn, Matt Wesolowski and Amanda Jennings have been WHSmith Fresh Talent picks, and Ravatn’s The Bird Tribunal was shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award, won an English PEN Translation Award, and adapted for BBC Radio Four ’s Book at Bedtime. Six titles have been short- or long-listed for the CWA Daggers. Launched in 2014 with a mission to bring more international literature to the UK market, Orenda Books publishes a host of debuts, many of which have gone on to sell millions worldwide, and looks for fresh, exciting new voices that push the genre in new directions. Bestselling authors include Ragnar Jonasson, Antti Tuomainen, Gunnar Staalesen, Michael J. Malone, Kjell Ola Dahl, Louise Beech, Johana Gustawsson, Lilja Sigurðardóttir and Sarah Stovell.