Veronika Jordan's Blog, page 50
October 15, 2023
Rabbit Heart: Book 1 of the Terrafolk Trilogy by Francesca Crispo Cover Reveal
Quirky and adventurous Mycel had ventured away from her home in the mystical forest realm of Yannaya to immerse herself in the eccentricities of human society.
While creating a new life in the city of Seattle – complete with a job and human roommate – she meets Earwyn, a charming but mysterious ocean conservationist. As their relationship heats up and their bond deepens, Mycel finds her magick fading fast. Her unassuming, quiet lifestyle takes a dangerous turn and she is forced to face truths she thought she had left behind. To save herself and those she loves, she must search for answers between the human world, her homeland and her own past.
Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Instagram
@francesca.crispo.author
@lovebookstours
#LBTCrew #Bookstagram #RabbitHeart #TerrafolkTrilogy
TikTok
@lovebookstours
October 14, 2023
The Mark Of The Salamander by Justin Newland Guest Post
1575: Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder.
Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.
#TheMarkOfTheSalamander #JustinNewland #TheIslandOfAngels @Zooloo’s Book Tours @zooloo2008 #ZooloosBookTours #blogtour

Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hoards of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.
The Mark of the Salamander is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

Guest Post
“Now let the story begin.
And it has been said Ex Insula Angelorum
Out of the Island of Angels.
For always was it so and always thus to be.“
“Something passed, a sound, a leaf falling. A glimpse, a deer passing.
“We were there at the birth, when, long ago, the land was pristine, latent, swathed in forests of silver birch, and golden oak. We looked around with the eyes of youth, and were alone. But without people, we couldn’t grow, and the land was empty of people. Together, we sought out those of kin to abide with us, to join our combined destiny. We called out to them and so the Mighty crossed the land bridge and settled amongst our rolling hills and gentle dales.
“Then, when the waters encroached, and made our land an Island, the first ones, the Mighty, dwelt with us amidst the meadows and the combes. They built altars where their white-robed priests laid the dead in burrows and tombs. We needed more people, and sent out another call, a subtle whisper summoning them to attend us.
“From across the waters came the warriors dressed in red, brandishing their eagles, to plant their terrible seed in our womb. They built roads that followed our sacred lines of power. Then they departed, leaving the awful trace of their crimson ways.
“More heard our siren call, and came to join the other rough-hewn folk already here, creating a family of blue and green eyed, red and golden haired. Hearing our summons, they left their homes and sailed across the northern seas in their long boats and their short swords. They were the true people, the Angles to our Angels.
“Like any child, we wanted to grow, imagine our possibility, and discover our divinely-given destiny. Alas, the family of peoples who had settled on our Island was unable to meet our vision of the future.
“As we grew into maturity, we changed, developed, and reformed ourselves again.
The prominent families fought for the right to be the rulers of our land, to represent our new, emerging will, our supreme purpose. It was war. As the petals of their red and white dog roses fell to the ground and withered, there came to the throne a queen of a thousand days, who gave birth to a chosen one. Wearing pearls, the chosen one abided with us, and together we served the people.
“During her reign, we made ourselves anew, and moulded our peoples to face and join the mystery of the onsetting future. The renewal had begun. But from across the seas, a great threat cast a dark shadow across the Island. Its gold constriction could and would never set foot on our silver land.”
“Make beacons.
Send fire ships.
Pray deacons.
Purse lips.“
“We will be known to the world.
Every one of you knows of us.
Many speak our tongue.
For we are near among.
We are you, and you are us and
We are the Angels of the Island of England.“
Many thanks to @zooloo2008 for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the Author
JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. His stories explore the themes of war and religion, and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe.
Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies. The historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall. The Coronation (Matador, 2019) was another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution. The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.
The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it’s an epic tale of England’s coming of age. His WIP is the second in the series, The Midnight of Eights, the charting of the uncanny coincidences that led to the repulse of the Spanish Armada. Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, gives talks to historical associations and libraries and enjoys giving radio interviews and making podcasts. Born three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

Justin’s Links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjustinnewland/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/justin.newland.author/
Website : https://justinnewland.com/
Book Links
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199139776-the-mark-of-the-
salamander
Buy Links – https://mybook.to/marksalamander-zbt

The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams
A young British woman working in a book bindery gets a chance to pursue knowledge and love when World War I upends her life in this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese’s Book Club pick The Dictionary of Lost Words.
It is 1914, and as the war draws the young men of Britain away to fight, women must keep the nation running. Two of those women are Peggy and Maude, twin sisters who live on a narrow boat in Oxford and work in the bindery at the university press.
Ambitious, intelligent Peggy has been told for most of her life that her job is to bind the books, not read them—but as she folds and gathers pages, her mind wanders to the opposite side of Walton Street, where the female students of Oxford’s Somerville College have a whole library at their fingertips. Maude, meanwhile, wants nothing more than what she has: to spend her days folding the pages of books in the company of the other bindery girls. She is extraordinary but vulnerable, and Peggy feels compelled to watch over her.
Then refugees arrive from the war-torn cities of Belgium, sending ripples through the Oxford community and the sisters’ lives. Peggy begins to see the possibility of another future where she can educate herself and use her intellect, not just her hands. But as war and illness reshape her world, her love for a Belgian soldier—and the responsibility that comes with it—threaten to hold her back.
The Bookbinder is a story about knowledge—who creates it, who can access it, and what truths get lost in the process. Much as she did in the international bestseller The Dictionary of Lost Words, Pip Williams thoughtfully explores another rarely seen slice of history through women’s eyes.

My Review
The Dictionary of Lost Words is one of my favourite books this year. I never believed another book could match it, but it did. The Bookbinder of Jericho is set in the same location – Oxford – and the main characters, twin sisters Peggy and Maude Jones are the next generation. It’s 1914 and the girls work in the book bindery, folding and stitching. The work is repetitive, but what keeps Peggy going is having a peak at what she is binding, ‘bind the books, don’t read them,’ she is told. Every now and again the folding or stitching are not up to par and Peggy can take the pages home with her. She wants more.
Maude looks exactly like Peggy, but she is different, people would have said ‘simple’ in those days. We wouldn’t say that today. Maybe she is autistic, but they wouldn’t have recognised any kind of neurodivergence in 1914. She loves to fold and repeat what people say, except she only repeats part of the sentence, the most important part.
When the Belgian refugees arrive, Maude takes librarian Lotte under her wing (or is it the other way round?) and Peggy is slightly jealous. After their mum died aged 36, Peggy sees herself as Maude’s carer, and Maude ‘is extraordinary but vulnerable’.
As more injured soldiers arrive and are housed in makeshift wards in the university, Peggy volunteers to sit with them, read to them and write letters, if their injuries prevent them from doing so. It is here she meets Gwen, wealthy, from London and studying at Somerville College, where they have a whole library at their disposal. ‘Town and Gown’, the residents of Oxford call them. The ordinary people and the privileged students. It’s what Peggy really wants, to study literature. Her mother said she has the brains, but who will look after Maude?
As an ordinary girl from Jericho, Peggy should not be sitting with officers, but she is allowed to go with Gwen, and that’s when she meets Bastian. I listened to this on Audible so apologies if I spelt his name wrong. His injuries are so severe, she can only see one side of his face, he is swathed in bandages from head to foot and cannot walk. Their friendship deepens and turns into love.
The Bookbinder of Jericho is not just a love story. It is set against the background of the 1st World War, but also women’s battle for the vote, which is getting closer. Women will need to be thirty though, and have ‘means’. For Gwen, yes therefore eventually, but not for Peggy, never for the likes of Peggy.
While not a sequel to The Dictionary of Lost Words, The Bookbinder references characters such as Esme and Gareth, and actress Tilda features highly in the book. I think the war changes her more than it does anyone else.
I must mention that Peggy and Maude live on a houseboat called Calliope, and it makes the book somehow even more special, maybe because I love the idea, and we get an inroad into their life on board as well as their neighbours, Rosie, Oberon and Jack, and how they help each other out when needed.
It’s such a fabulous book, I don’t know what else to say. It’s perfect.
About the Author
Pip was born in London, grew up in Sydney and now calls the Adelaide Hills home. She is co-author of the book Time Bomb: Work Rest and Play in Australia Today (New South Press, 2012) and in 2017 she wrote One Italian Summer, a memoir of her family’s travels in search of the good life, which was published with Affirm Press to wide acclaim. Pip has also published travel articles, book reviews, flash fiction and poetry.

October 12, 2023
So Now Go Tell by Susan Sachon
After reaching a crisis point at 40, Jenny Watson is offered her dream job running a Shakespeare festival at a Tudor pub. She can hardly believe her luck at this brilliant new start, and chance to escape her unhappy past.
The job isn’t all it seems, however. The pub is remote and her mysterious boss is permanently absent; there’s a 400 year old skull residing in the cellar; and the local actors are less than enthusiastic over her boss’s choice of play. Then there’s the growing conviction that someone’s watching her.
#SoNowGoTell @SusanSachon #RandomThingsTours @annecater @RandomTTours #BlogTour

Strange messages, withheld calls and shadows on the windows spike temporary attacks of stress-related blindness as she clings to her last chance to live her dream. But as the dark play she’s directing starts to unravel the secrets she’d sworn never to tell, Jenny realises she’s not at the pub by chance . . . and soon she finds herself the leading lady in a nightmare replay of her past.
“A page-turning thriller with elements of cosy crime but with darker undertones… Highly recommended, an established debut with the feeling that the story is not yet over – more to come from this fabulous author.” Review by Debz Hobbs-Wyatt, author, editor, publisher.
Susan says “I love theatre directing as well as writing, and have found working with Shakespeare’s writing cathartic and inspiring. In my working life, especially teaching adults, I have encountered many women with similar confidence problems, and the book grew out of that experience. It also carries the message that we should never give up on our dreams, no matter what age we are, where we come from, or whoever tells us we are bound to fail.”

My Review
This started out as one thing and then became another. Poor Jenny is at a loss, divorced, and now made redundant. Then she collapses, and when she wakes up she can’t see. It used to be called ‘hysterical blindness’ I think, which sounds like the kind of nervous disorder that got women locked up in an asylum 100 years ago. It’s now referred to as a ‘conversion disorder’. Yes I googled it.
Surprisingly, she’s soon offered a job managing an old Tudor pub in the middle of nowhere, but it comes with other responsibilities. The pub used to put on plays as part of its Shakespeare Festival every summer. Now I am a massive Shakespeare fan, ever since I was taken by my primary school to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performed by the Oxford University Players in the grounds of Alveston Manor, Stratford-Upon-Avon, when I was about eight years old. I was mesmerised.
Anyway, moving on. Jenny moves into the pub (against the advice of her best friend Mags, who thinks it’s all a bit suspicious). The pub is dark and spooky, needs massive renovation, and then there’s Henry. But undeterred, Jenny decides to hold auditions for Hamlet and quite a few people are interested. Unfortunately, her new boss and owner of the pub insists on Titus Andronicus and interest wanes.
But I will say one thing. My son has been involved with a professional touring company for over ten years. I once asked them if they ever put on Hamlet. They said no-one would come. Their audiences only want to see the comedies like Dream, As You Like It, Twelfth Night etc. Titus is a no-goer obviously. Especially when you are eating your picnic on the grass. Ox tongue sandwich anyone?
Part way through the book, when Jenny joins a self-help group called Speak Out, we begin to learn about her past. And it’s harrowing. If I’d been writing this review on paper, the ink would be smudged with shed tears.
What a fabulous book. I adored it. Jenny is such a sympathetic character. She doesn’t believe in herself, but others do and so do we. Bravo Jenny. You have friends and I wish I knew you personally. And don’t be put off by the Shakespeare stuff. You don’t have to love that bard to appreciate the book, whatever some reviewers may say.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours

About the Author
Susan has loved writing, books and theatre since childhood, and now loves sharing stories with her small granddaughter. Apart from enjoying time with her family, she has also worked in business, run a theatre arts school for kids and somehow found time to gain a degree in Literature/Creative Writing, and a PhD in Shakespeare! She now writes fiction full-time, runs Shakespeare workshops and directs plays locally.

Buy Links:
https://www.troubador.co.uk/search/
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51PwvsuzKxL.jpg
October 11, 2023
Savage Ridge by Morgan Greene Cover Reveal
Small town justice comes with a price.
Ten years ago, in the pine-shaded town of Savage Ridge, Nick, Emmy, and Pete murder their high school classmate, Sammy Saint John.
His body is never found, and no arrests are made. The three friends make a pact to leave Savage Ridge and never return…
Now, each is drawn home, seemingly by chance or fate. But it’s neither: Private Investigator Sloane Yo has brought them back to finally answer for their crime.
The noose begins to tighten. But with each stone turned over in pursuit of justice, the long-buried secrets of Savage Ridge, and Sloane’s employers – the ruthless Saint John family – start to come to light.
What aren’t they telling Sloane? Is Sammy Saint John the only victim? And when the truth is finally revealed, whose side will she choose?
For fans of Chris Whitaker’s We Begin at the End, Savage Ridge is a shattering, propulsive why-dunnit crime thriller set deep in the pines of the American Pacific Northwest.

Handles/Tags
X (Twitter)
@CaneloCrime
@MrMorganGreene
@KellyALacey
@lovebookstours
#LBTCrew #BookTwitter
Instagram
@morgangreeneauthor
@canelo_co
@lovebookstours
#LBTCrew #Bookstagram
Pre-order links
www.amazon.co.uk
www.amazon.com
October 10, 2023
Fatal Tribute by PJ Skinner (Seacastle Mysteries Book 3) Cover Reveal
How do you find the murderer, when every act is convincing?
Tanya Bowe, an ex-investigative journalist, agrees to interview the contestants of the National Talent Competition for the local newspaper, but finds herself up to her neck in secrets, sabotage and simmering resentment. The tensions increase when her condescending sister comes to stay next door for the duration of the contest. Several rising stars on the circuit hope to win the competition, but old stager, Lance Emerald, is not going down without a fight. When Lance is found dead in his dressing room, Tanya is determined to find the murderer but complex dynamics between the contestants and fraught family relationships make the mystery harder to solve.

Can Tanya uncover the truth before another murder takes centre stage?
In this enthralling English, small-town, cosy mystery, Tanya finds herself out of her depth in the cut-throat world of Talent competitions. If you love a cosy whodunnit set at the seaside, with a cast of recurring characters, this is the series for you.
Instagram
@PJSkinnerAuthor
@lovebookstours
#LBTCrew #Bookstagram #SeacastleMysteries
Pre-order links:
www.amazon.co.uk
www.Amazon.com
Check out the video clip below:
Lost Girls of Kato by Quinn Avery
Fans of Hidden Pictures and The Lovely Bones will enjoy this unconventional love story with a harrowing mystery and a bond that transcends time…
In the year 1986, 12-year-old Jackie Tanner leads a desolate existence alongside a flighty older sister and an absent mother. It isn’t until Jackie meets an older boy on the banks of the river that she understands the value of love and the bonds of friendship. But J.R. is only in southern Minnesota because his father, a detective with the FBI, is aiding local authorities in the search for missing girls. After the community goes into lockdown to protect their children, Jackie and J.R. navigate through the highs and lows of their complicated lives as close confidants.
Twitter #LostGirlsOfKato #QuinnAvery @naumannbooks @KellyALacey @lovebookstours #LostGirlsOfKatoTour #Ad #LBTCrew #BookTwitter Instagram @authorquinnavery

In the year 2018, 32-year-old Sterling Pruitt is inexplicably lured from Los Angeles to a small Midwestern city where her lifelong dreams involving a little girl become even more vivid…tangible, even. When Sterling learns of the city’s haunting secrets, she confides in Theo, the handsome yet sullen carpenter hired to renovate her new home. Together, Sterling and Theo will question both their destinies and their grips on reality.
Once Sterling begins to understand the gravity of her dreams, she’ll do everything in her power to unlock the mystery behind the abductions in 1986. This enchanting, heartfelt, and often agonizing tale of friendship and tragedy reminds us the bonds of true love can etch a permanent place into our hearts.

My Review
I really enjoyed listening to this. I’ve never been that big a fan of audio books, but this was great. For me the pace is usually too slow and I get frustrated, but this was perfect. The narrator’s voice is soothing and easy to listen to.
The story is told from two points of view – Jackie Tanner in 1986, when the girls go missing – presumably abducted – and 2018 when 32 year old Sterling Pruitt finds herself inexplicably lured to Mankato, a small town in Minnesota, to start a new job. But it’s her vivid dreams about a young girl that have really drawn her to this location, dreams she doesn’t understand. She has bought a house that needs a huge amount of renovation, but she can afford it. Her mother is a famous Hollywood actor, but Sterling prefers to keep quiet about that part. She’s not a fan of the ‘celebrity’ lifestyle. She hires a local handyman, Theo Davies, to work on her house and finds herself attracted to him immediately.
Jackie is 12 years old in 1986. She lives with her older sister and her mum in Mankato. Her mum is rarely there and the girls more or less fend for themselves. Jackie doesn’t have many friends until she meets JR, who is two years older than her and already in high school. In the UK so would Jackie be at 12, but it must be different in the US.
Girls have gone missing and JR’s father, a detective with the FBI, has been relocated to southern Minnesota to investigate the disappearance of the girls. A curfew has been imposed to protect the young women of the community. Jackie regularly steals out of the house though to meet JR and they become firm friends.
What starts off as a typical case of kidnapped girls, turns into something quite different. Do Sterling’s dreams have anything to do with the abductions? And how does she know how much about what happened? Why is everyone in Mankato so secretive about the circumstances surrounding the disappearances in 1986, almost as if the past is being buried?
This was a very exciting read, with plenty of twists and surprises, made even more so by the use of audio
This was a very exciting read, with plenty of twists and surprises, made even more so by the use of audio – I never thought I would hear myself say that. It works so well because of the great narrator, who helps build up the suspense when it’s needed. I’d love to read more by this author in the future.
Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of #LostGirlsOfKatoTour
About the Author
Quinn Avery, a lifelong Minnesota resident, writes romantic suspense thrillers, some of which are set in her favorite haunts (ie Mankato and Lake Shetek). An avid fan of the beach, a good book, and Dave Grohl, she enjoys spending her free time traveling with her favourite people and biggest fans – her husband and children. Quinn also writes romantic suspense as Jennifer Ann.

Handles/Tags
X (Twitter)
@naumannbooks
@KellyALacey
@lovebookstours
#Ad #LBTCrew #Freereview
Instagram
@authorquinnavery
@lovebookstours
#Ad #LBTCrew #Bookstagram #Freereview
Threads
@lovebookstours
Facebook
@lovebookstours
TikTok
@lovebookstours
October 9, 2023
The Figurine by Victoria Hislop
In her irresistible new novel, Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author Victoria Hislop shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price people – and countries – will pay to cling on to them.
Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors – and looters – alike.
#TheFigurine @VicHislop @headlinepg #RandomThingsTours @annecater @RandomTTours #BlogTour

When Helena inherits her grandparents’ apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship.
Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime’s generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them?
Helena’s desire to find answers about her heritage dovetails with a growing curiosity for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered from the baked earth – and to understand the origins of her grandfather’s collection.
Helena’s attempt to make amends for some of her grandfather’s actions sees her wrestle with the meaning of ‘home’, both in relation to looted objects of antiquity … and herself.

My Review
I’ve been a fan of Victoria’s books for many years now – my first being The Island about the leper colony at the island of Spinalonga, off the coast of Crete.
In The Figurine, we are back in Greece, though this time it’s mainland Athens, plus a few smaller Greek Islands I’d never heard of, and London. Helena is a child at the beginning, and at aged 12, she goes to Athens to stay with her Greek grandparents. She goes alone, even though she has never met them. Her mother left Greece 25 years ago and has never returned.
Her grandfather is a stern, formidable man, with a cruel streak that she recognises even at such a young age. He was a general in the junta when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship and anyone who didn’t agree could be made to disappear. Her grandmother, however is kind and generous, but she never defies or criticizes her husband.
Helena returns every year and we follow her life from the premature death of her mother, her time reading chemistry at Oxford, her relationship with the charismatic Nick, and her budding interest in archaeology.
But I don’t want to retell the story. You can read it for yourselves. I want to draw attention to what this book is really about. It’s partly about Helena’s attempts to right the wrongs perpetrated by her grandfather, but it’s mainly about the relics that have been looted from Greece – and other countries – the most famous being the Elgin Marbles, removed from the Parthenon, and now in the British Museum. They are said to ‘represent perhaps the most disputed pieces of cultural heritage’ ever. Many artefacts were also sold overseas for vast sums of money to private collectors. This book discusses the rights and wrongs, with the addition of fictitious heroine Helena to add interest and romance to the story. I really loved it.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours, to NetGalley for an ARC, and to The Pigeonhole, the author and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read.

About the Author
Her books have been translated into forty languages and Victoria was executive producer on the adaptations of three of her novels for Greek television. Victoria divides her time between England and Greece and in 2020, was granted honorary citizenship by the President of Greece. She was recently appointed patron of Knossos 2025, which is raising funds for a new research centre at one of Greece’s most significant archaeological sites. She is also on the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.

Victoria was recently granted an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Sheffield.

October 5, 2023
Eyes of Glass by Gemma Metcalfe & Joe Cawley
Who will read my words?
Who will know my truth?
When Lyra Thomas finds a bottle on a Galway beach containing a poem from America, she’s elated. As an author living by the sea, she always dreamt of finding a message from a distant prince or a swashbuckling saviour.
But this is NO fairy tale.
#EyesOfGlass @gemmakmetcalfe @theWorldofJoe @SpellBoundBks @Tr4cyF3nt0n #CompulsiveReaders #blogtour

Lyra learns in a phone call that the sender, Dee Warren, a wife and mother, committed suicide one week after the bottle set sail.
After losing her own mother to suicide, Lyra quickly bonds with Dee’s teenage daughter, Chloe, and is invited to America to meet her.
At the Warren’s beachfront mansion, it soon becomes apparent that beneath the glossy surface of success and local standing, there’s more to this welcoming family than meets the eye…
My Review
Blimey! What the hell did I just read? This was something else!
If I was Lyra (I probably wouldn’t have gone in the first place), but I definitely would have kept my suitcase packed. Two months with the crazies in a country where you know no-one – one night would have been enough for me.
Lyra is an author, who has published one book – Mother – but is struggling to start her second novel. Then she literally finds a message in a bottle and decides to pursue it. She contacts Chloe, the teenage daughter of the sender, and having been invited, travels to Chappaquiddick in Massachusetts to stay for a couple of months, write her elusive novel, and get to the bottom of the poetic message.
Little did she know she was walking onto the set of a Stephen King or a Hitchcock film (metaphorically speaking), though this lot make Norman Bates look normal. Unfortunately for Lyra, she doesn’t know who to trust and who is batshit crazy. And it’s not everyone – but easy to make assumptions at the beginning. You will probably be totally wrong.
I really enjoyed this, though I kept thinking – just get out of there! The characters were really well written – I particularly loved the housekeeper, Maria. Lrya too is likeable, but naive. I’m not sure I would risk my life (sanity) to stay and help total strangers hellbent on destruction.
Many thanks to @Tr4cyF3nt0n for inviting me to be part of the #CompulsiveReaders #blogtour
About the Authors
𝗚𝗲𝗺𝗺𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲. 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻, 𝘀𝗵𝗲’𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀, 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱, 𝗝𝗼𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘄𝗹𝗲𝘆. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝗴𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀.
𝗚𝗲𝗺𝗺𝗮 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀.
𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗿, ‘𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗿’, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗕 𝗔 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿, ‘𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘂𝘁’.

𝗝𝗼𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘄𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱-𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗛𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.
𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗞, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁, 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗶 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿.
𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗶𝗿𝘀, 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗮, 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 ‘𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲’ 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗲𝘀.

Silent Death by Mariëtte Whitcomb Cover Reveal
Two years ago, five women went missing. Last year, ten disappeared. Both times, it happened in December.
Now it’s December again, and five more have vanished. To social worker, Madison Taylor, the women are not only her clients. They are her friends. Despite the recent discovery of the remains of five females, the police continue to be unhelpful because of the lifestyle the missing women lead.
Even after Madison is attacked and threatened, she stays determined to uncover the truth. How does her attacker know about the monster from her past? Madison’s identity was never made public.
Is this the work of a serial killer or something even more horrific?
Title: Silent Death
Series: Death Trilogy Book 2
Author: Mariëtte Whitcomb
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Cover Design: Jabber Media
Release Date: November 15, 2023

#SilentDeath #MarietteWhitcomb #CoverReveal #PsychologicalThriller
Here is the cover of this fantastic new psychological thriller by one of my favourite authors Mariëtte Whitcomb:

About the Author
Mariëtte Whitcomb studied Criminology and Psychology at the University of Pretoria. An avid reader of psychological thrillers and true crime books, writing allows her to pursue her childhood dream to hunt criminals, albeit fictional and born in the darkest corners of her imagination. When Mariëtte isn’t writing, she reads or spends time with her family, friends, and her two miniature schnauzers.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197771959-silent-death
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/silent-death-by-mariette-whitcomb
PreOrder Links:
Universal: https://books2read.com/silentdeath
Amazon: https://amzn.to/45hfxjH
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3Q17ulB
B&N: https://bit.ly/3LMVh2B
Kobo: https://bit.ly/44mXKqV
In The Series:
Death Isn’t Enough (Death Trilogy Book 1)
Universal: https://books2read.com/deathisntenough
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QxC8VA
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3QvdBjK
B&N: https://bit.ly/3qhX4Fk
Kobo: https://bit.ly/444JTVX
Social Media Links:
Website/Newsletter: https://mariettewhitcomb.com
Email: mariette@mariettewhitcomb.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariettewhitcombauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariettewhitcomb/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariettewhitcomb
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/mariettewhitcomb
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/goodsreadscommariettewhitcomb
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mariette-whitcomb