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Nora Tierney #4
The Golden Hour
From the award-winning author of the Nora Tierney Mysteries comes her most chilling novel to date, one author Elly Griffiths of the Ruth Galloway Mysteries notes: "Nora Tierney tackles her most complex and catpviating mystery yet." Nora Tierney can't shake the feeling she has a stalker. While she's house hunting in Oxord, her partner, DI Declan Barnes, untagles the murder of an art conservator. When these situations collide, Nora find herself fighting to save her child and the family she's trying to create.
Ausma Khan, author of Among the Ruins and The Unquiet Dead praises THE GOLDEN HOUR: "One of the best things about Marni Graff's latest Nora Tierney Mystery is sthe down-to-earth depiction of family life coupled with the tightly paced build of a twisty, time-honored puzzle. A meditation on love, loss and motherhood, THE GOLDEN HOUR blends touchingly real domesticity with tongue-in-cheek humor, as the backdrop to a tale of art theft, germ warfare, and international conspiracy. The reflections of a reprehensivle villain on the shortcomings of the British add just the right note of comedy to these otherwise weighty concerns. Added to this is a wonderful sense of place--Bath, Brighton, and Oxford are vividly rendered and charmingly true to life. Come for the crackling mystery, stay for the steady companionship of debonair detective Declan Barnes and feisty heroine, Nora Tierney, who offers warmth and smarts in equal measure."
Sarah Ward, author the DC Childs Mysteries, adds,"THE GOLDEN HOUR is a compulsive read with a narrative that both charms and surprises. I love Nora Tierney and can't wait to see what happens next."
Ausma Khan, author of Among the Ruins and The Unquiet Dead praises THE GOLDEN HOUR: "One of the best things about Marni Graff's latest Nora Tierney Mystery is sthe down-to-earth depiction of family life coupled with the tightly paced build of a twisty, time-honored puzzle. A meditation on love, loss and motherhood, THE GOLDEN HOUR blends touchingly real domesticity with tongue-in-cheek humor, as the backdrop to a tale of art theft, germ warfare, and international conspiracy. The reflections of a reprehensivle villain on the shortcomings of the British add just the right note of comedy to these otherwise weighty concerns. Added to this is a wonderful sense of place--Bath, Brighton, and Oxford are vividly rendered and charmingly true to life. Come for the crackling mystery, stay for the steady companionship of debonair detective Declan Barnes and feisty heroine, Nora Tierney, who offers warmth and smarts in equal measure."
Sarah Ward, author the DC Childs Mysteries, adds,"THE GOLDEN HOUR is a compulsive read with a narrative that both charms and surprises. I love Nora Tierney and can't wait to see what happens next."
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2017
3 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Graff
9 books121 followersMarni Graff is the author of The Nora Tierney English Mysteries, and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries, both published by Bridle Path Press (http://www.bridlepathpress.com). She writes the crime review blog Auntie M Writes Crime Review (www.auntiemwrites.com). blogs for Miss Demeanors (www.missdemeanors.com) and is a member of Sisters in Crime, the International Association of Crime Writers, and the NC Writers Network.
A former registered nurse who wrote "on the side," Graff has published articles, interviews, poetry and creative nonfiction. She wrote for seven years for "Mystery Review" magazine and is also the Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press.
Reviewing crime books, and participating in writing workshops fill out her days. She lives in rural coastal NC on a river and shares her home with her AussieDoodles, Fiona.
A former registered nurse who wrote "on the side," Graff has published articles, interviews, poetry and creative nonfiction. She wrote for seven years for "Mystery Review" magazine and is also the Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press.
Reviewing crime books, and participating in writing workshops fill out her days. She lives in rural coastal NC on a river and shares her home with her AussieDoodles, Fiona.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 2, 2018
I LOVED this book! I was a little bit hesitant by reading it because it was fourth in a series but this book can be easily read as a standalone and was highly enjoyable! I loved all the characters and enjoyed the twists! The plot flowed smoothly, descriptive yet fast paced. I loved the English setting and was captivated by the descriptions. This is the first book that I have read by this author but it surely won't be the last! I think many would enjoy this mystery! I know I gobbled it up within a few sittings!
October 9, 2017
This is 4th in a series that features Nora Tierney, an author of childrens' books and her boyfriend, DI Declan Barnes. Nora is also mother to a year old son, Sean. Nora and Declan are planning a life together, but his work seems to get in the way.
An art conservative dies of smallpox. How she got it, who or what she was exposed to is a big mystery. The entire British colony may be in danger if this is not a one off.
Meanwhile, Nora is being stalked. First comes the back-of-the-neck tingling, but try as she might, she doesn't see anyone looking at her. Then she finds a GPS device in her purse ... and then another one under her car. Someone is really tracking every movement she makes. But why?
It's when Declan's case and Nora's stalker collide that things get dangerous ... especially when Nora's son is kidnapped.
The book is well-paced, with the suspense starting at a low level and then rapidly picking up speed that keeps the reader riveted until the every last page.
The characters are unforgettable. Nora is a very strong woman. The father of her son was killed in an accident before he even knew she was pregnant. She's moved on and found Declan. Declan is a great guy .. not a lot of men would be willing to take on the whole package, but he loves Sean, as well as Nora. Declan is very lucky that Nora understands the time restraints when he's involved in a case. He's diligent and wants justice for the victims. He and Nora make a solid couple.
Although this one is okay as a stand alone, I would highly recommend starting at Book 1. There are many tidbits and nuances that have been included in previous books. I'd like to see how Nora started to get where she is now. And I really look forward to seeing her in further adventures.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of THE GOLDEN HOUR. Opinions expressed here are unsolicited, unbiased and entirely my own.
An art conservative dies of smallpox. How she got it, who or what she was exposed to is a big mystery. The entire British colony may be in danger if this is not a one off.
Meanwhile, Nora is being stalked. First comes the back-of-the-neck tingling, but try as she might, she doesn't see anyone looking at her. Then she finds a GPS device in her purse ... and then another one under her car. Someone is really tracking every movement she makes. But why?
It's when Declan's case and Nora's stalker collide that things get dangerous ... especially when Nora's son is kidnapped.
The book is well-paced, with the suspense starting at a low level and then rapidly picking up speed that keeps the reader riveted until the every last page.
The characters are unforgettable. Nora is a very strong woman. The father of her son was killed in an accident before he even knew she was pregnant. She's moved on and found Declan. Declan is a great guy .. not a lot of men would be willing to take on the whole package, but he loves Sean, as well as Nora. Declan is very lucky that Nora understands the time restraints when he's involved in a case. He's diligent and wants justice for the victims. He and Nora make a solid couple.
Although this one is okay as a stand alone, I would highly recommend starting at Book 1. There are many tidbits and nuances that have been included in previous books. I'd like to see how Nora started to get where she is now. And I really look forward to seeing her in further adventures.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of THE GOLDEN HOUR. Opinions expressed here are unsolicited, unbiased and entirely my own.
January 13, 2018
M. K. Graff is one of my favorite authors and I have been looking forward to this fourth book in the Nora Tierney series. Nora is a children's author from the U.S. and living in England. She has a network of good friends through out the books. The first three books I gave 5 stars. I liked this book but not as much as the first three books.
Nora is a single mother with a one year old son. She has been an amateur sleuth in the previous books but in this book works more with Declan to solve the mystery. She feels that she is being stalked as she has sightings of a tall man wearing various baseball caps who ducks into stores front and passes her by on the road. . A young art restorer dies from small pox that is suppose to have been contained many years ago. Nora's love interest is DI Declan Barnes and he is assigned to the small pox case. She is house hunting for a future home in Oxford for Declan and her son Sean. It all ties together by the end of the book. I am looking forward to the fifth book in the series.
Nora is a single mother with a one year old son. She has been an amateur sleuth in the previous books but in this book works more with Declan to solve the mystery. She feels that she is being stalked as she has sightings of a tall man wearing various baseball caps who ducks into stores front and passes her by on the road. . A young art restorer dies from small pox that is suppose to have been contained many years ago. Nora's love interest is DI Declan Barnes and he is assigned to the small pox case. She is house hunting for a future home in Oxford for Declan and her son Sean. It all ties together by the end of the book. I am looking forward to the fifth book in the series.
October 19, 2017
This is a British Based Suspense Mystery with very cozy parts to it. The series is about an American living in a cozy community in England. She is a writer and single mom and in this the fourth book in the series main character Nora is in for a very suspenseful and life changing ride! There are moments in this book that I think wow this would make an amazing movie. The mystery feels like it could be ripped from the headlines and I was shaking reading parts of it!
If you love mystery, with a touch of romance, a great setting and a cozy ending this is a book for you. Great setting, main character that feels like your best friend, a touch of romance, great mysteries to solve and such a cozy cover. You won't want to put it down!
If you love mystery, with a touch of romance, a great setting and a cozy ending this is a book for you. Great setting, main character that feels like your best friend, a touch of romance, great mysteries to solve and such a cozy cover. You won't want to put it down!
August 26, 2019
Although Marni Graff is an American, there's not much about Britain she doesn't know. Her hugely likable Nora Tierney series is set mostly in Oxford and the Lake District, but The Golden Hour takes us to Brighton and Bath, too. The writing style is charming, the setting(s) enchanting, and Nora is a rounded, sparky, intelligent protagonist. Crime fans will get a kick out of the inclusion of a real life British author in Nora's fictional life. The Golden Hour is a British cozy mystery with a dash of spy thriller (shaken, not stirred!) and Marni Graff does British cozy crime better than most Brits!
August 13, 2017
I don't usually take the time to review a book, but having met Ms. Graff at a book event and corresponding occasionally, I got the pleasure of an early copy of "The Golden Hour." I must state up front that my wife and I are committed series readers, and we have enjoyed Nora Tierney books #1 through #3 ("The Blue Virgin," "The Green Remains" and "The Scarlet Wench"). And though it certainly is not required, I highly recommend reading #1 through #3 before diving in to "The Golden Hour." Particularly if you like a "cozy" mystery set in English locations, you will have a good time with them while preparing yourself for #4 -- and believe me, the background on the characters and their previous experiences is useful.
I will offer no spoilers here, but Ms. Graff has clearly hit her stride in this series with "The Golden Hour." It ranges through multiple locations and crossing circumstances (and she has maintained her record of pleasingly using locations that, by sheer coincidence, are places I have also visited), and the story itself is gripping, relevant to current times, and -- unlike the pleasing but more quiet crimes of #1 to #3 -- also teeters on the brink of becoming a thriller more than once.
And yet, Ms. Graff's solid research and telling details of small, human moments make the surprising turns in the second half of the book all the more affecting. Nora, her young son, her friends and the others in her life have that sense of truth about them that make their trials and travails closer to the reader. You will root for these people to win against a formidable antagonist.
I will offer no spoilers here, but Ms. Graff has clearly hit her stride in this series with "The Golden Hour." It ranges through multiple locations and crossing circumstances (and she has maintained her record of pleasingly using locations that, by sheer coincidence, are places I have also visited), and the story itself is gripping, relevant to current times, and -- unlike the pleasing but more quiet crimes of #1 to #3 -- also teeters on the brink of becoming a thriller more than once.
And yet, Ms. Graff's solid research and telling details of small, human moments make the surprising turns in the second half of the book all the more affecting. Nora, her young son, her friends and the others in her life have that sense of truth about them that make their trials and travails closer to the reader. You will root for these people to win against a formidable antagonist.
August 26, 2017
Three Point Five Stars
The Golden Hour is book #4 in the Nora Tierney English mysteries.
Surrounded by a large cast of characters, Nora and her boyfriend Detective Inspector Declan Barnes are entangled in a complex plot involving Russian art and a deadly virus, all set in some of England’s finest tourist landscapes.
A mother and a children’s author, Nora currently lives in the Lake District, but has plans to move to Oxfordshire. This book continues with Nora as an amateur sleuth alongside the English police force as they expose the criminals in a series of deadly crimes.
I would describe this as old fashioned style of crime writing, with a slower pace, for those who want a cosy fireside read. As I said earlier, there is a large cast of characters, but a handy list naming them can be found at the front of the book, along with a map showing the main locations in the story.
Although the writing style is relaxed, I did find the plot was further slowed by determinedly nostalgic motifs, eg: fish and chips, the traditional English pub and a stereotypical view of the landed gentry. I felt the author wanted the reader to see England through rose-tinted glasses, which is fair enough, but it was a bit too unrealistic and bore little resemblance to how England really is today. However, I do give a nod to the author for choosing this style; it could be seen as an homage to crime writers like Agatha Christie, and in some ways it was a welcome change from the violent dark crime currently flooding today’s bookshelves.
Recommended for those who enjoy a dose of nostalgia with their crime solving.
The Golden Hour is book #4 in the Nora Tierney English mysteries.
Surrounded by a large cast of characters, Nora and her boyfriend Detective Inspector Declan Barnes are entangled in a complex plot involving Russian art and a deadly virus, all set in some of England’s finest tourist landscapes.
A mother and a children’s author, Nora currently lives in the Lake District, but has plans to move to Oxfordshire. This book continues with Nora as an amateur sleuth alongside the English police force as they expose the criminals in a series of deadly crimes.
I would describe this as old fashioned style of crime writing, with a slower pace, for those who want a cosy fireside read. As I said earlier, there is a large cast of characters, but a handy list naming them can be found at the front of the book, along with a map showing the main locations in the story.
Although the writing style is relaxed, I did find the plot was further slowed by determinedly nostalgic motifs, eg: fish and chips, the traditional English pub and a stereotypical view of the landed gentry. I felt the author wanted the reader to see England through rose-tinted glasses, which is fair enough, but it was a bit too unrealistic and bore little resemblance to how England really is today. However, I do give a nod to the author for choosing this style; it could be seen as an homage to crime writers like Agatha Christie, and in some ways it was a welcome change from the violent dark crime currently flooding today’s bookshelves.
Recommended for those who enjoy a dose of nostalgia with their crime solving.
September 28, 2017
"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."
I liked this book a lot. The characters were well-developed. The interactions between the characters seemed so real -- the way that friends talk to each other about relationships, the insecurities that are present in romantic relationships. The prose painted wonderful mental images of the English towns in which the story played out (even though I have never been to England). The story also gave some very real insights about the struggles of single-motherhood, work-life balance, and dating when children are in the picture.
The only quibble I have with the book is that the motivation for why the bad guy does what he does is not quite believable. However, if you can suspend your disbelief by just saying in your mind "this guy is mentally unhinged," it will be fine.
I have not read the other books in this series (which I hate!), but the author gave enough background information about the other stories that I was not completely lost. (But I still want more! I will have to read the other three books in this series.)
Since I listened to this as an audiobook, I need to comment on that aspect. The narration was, overall, well-done. The only thing I can point to that was not spot-on was the narrator's Connecticut accent for the main character. It kind of sounded like a British person doing a Maine accent. But, really, I can't complain too much, since her voice overall was so delightful.
I liked this book a lot. The characters were well-developed. The interactions between the characters seemed so real -- the way that friends talk to each other about relationships, the insecurities that are present in romantic relationships. The prose painted wonderful mental images of the English towns in which the story played out (even though I have never been to England). The story also gave some very real insights about the struggles of single-motherhood, work-life balance, and dating when children are in the picture.
The only quibble I have with the book is that the motivation for why the bad guy does what he does is not quite believable. However, if you can suspend your disbelief by just saying in your mind "this guy is mentally unhinged," it will be fine.
I have not read the other books in this series (which I hate!), but the author gave enough background information about the other stories that I was not completely lost. (But I still want more! I will have to read the other three books in this series.)
Since I listened to this as an audiobook, I need to comment on that aspect. The narration was, overall, well-done. The only thing I can point to that was not spot-on was the narrator's Connecticut accent for the main character. It kind of sounded like a British person doing a Maine accent. But, really, I can't complain too much, since her voice overall was so delightful.
December 10, 2017
The Golden Hour is about an American in Oxford. It’s part of the wonderful Nora Tierney mystery series. Trouble seems to follow Nora Tierney at an uncomfortably close distance. In this case trouble comes in the guise of a stalker who is keeping a close watch on Nora’s every action, including with her baby son. He’s also stalking when she’s with her DCI boyfriend. He’s also watching when she’s alone.
While Nora has her hands full with concerns about this watcher, her boyfriend Declan is called into an all-consuming investigation into the discovery of a very curious smallpox death. The victim is a museum employee who was restoring a Picasso painting when her body was found. This case is strange and frightening as clues are uncovered.
This intriguing mystery features fascinating characters, all in what appears to be a serene setting, vividly described so that the reader is transported there. What’s unique about this mystery is the extraordinary mix of Cozy, Traditional, Suspense, and at the core even Thriller elements - all that in one book. Blending the complementary ingredients from each of these types, this author has served up a story that has a homey stock, filled with savory veggies, spicy meats, and haunted by a single flavor that you just can’t identify, until you suddenly do.
Author Marni Graff spent 7 years interviewing and learning from many of her favorite mystery authors including Val McDermid, Deborah Crombie, Ian Rankin, and her mentor and friend for many years P D James. She’s the multi award-winning author of The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries based on her own real-life work as a medical consultant for a New York movie studio. Her Nora Tierney English Mysteries has 4 books in the series, winning Chanticleer Reviews’ Mystery and Mayhem prize for Best British Cozy.
And if you want to hear more from the author, tune into Kendall & Cooper Talk Mysteries with Marni Graff on YouTube. This episode includes surprise guest Kay Vreeland with a priceless anecdote about P D James. Also Alex Riggs, role playing game company owner at www.necromancers-online.com joins in with a recommendation on a role playing mystery game published by Chaosium where you, your family, and your friends find the clues and solve the mystery from the comfort of your living room.
While Nora has her hands full with concerns about this watcher, her boyfriend Declan is called into an all-consuming investigation into the discovery of a very curious smallpox death. The victim is a museum employee who was restoring a Picasso painting when her body was found. This case is strange and frightening as clues are uncovered.
This intriguing mystery features fascinating characters, all in what appears to be a serene setting, vividly described so that the reader is transported there. What’s unique about this mystery is the extraordinary mix of Cozy, Traditional, Suspense, and at the core even Thriller elements - all that in one book. Blending the complementary ingredients from each of these types, this author has served up a story that has a homey stock, filled with savory veggies, spicy meats, and haunted by a single flavor that you just can’t identify, until you suddenly do.
Author Marni Graff spent 7 years interviewing and learning from many of her favorite mystery authors including Val McDermid, Deborah Crombie, Ian Rankin, and her mentor and friend for many years P D James. She’s the multi award-winning author of The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries based on her own real-life work as a medical consultant for a New York movie studio. Her Nora Tierney English Mysteries has 4 books in the series, winning Chanticleer Reviews’ Mystery and Mayhem prize for Best British Cozy.
And if you want to hear more from the author, tune into Kendall & Cooper Talk Mysteries with Marni Graff on YouTube. This episode includes surprise guest Kay Vreeland with a priceless anecdote about P D James. Also Alex Riggs, role playing game company owner at www.necromancers-online.com joins in with a recommendation on a role playing mystery game published by Chaosium where you, your family, and your friends find the clues and solve the mystery from the comfort of your living room.
June 2, 2018
The Golden Hour by M.K. Graff is a novel written in the third person belonging to the genre of fiction mystery/thriller. Others might call it a cosy mystery, but so are the vagaries of the book classification system. It is set in current times in England, the UK, although the main protagonist, Nora Tierny is American – a writer by profession, and the heroine of a series of novels that is entitled the ‘Nora Tierney English Mysteries’, of which there are now four.
When the story opens, we meet Nora walking her infant son, Sean. She has the strange feeling that she is being followed, but she cannot think of a single reason why that should be so. The mystery deepens as we meet her friends and lover in different locations around the UK – places that really do exist for anybody who wants to follow her journeys on a map.
When the restorer of a famous painting dies of a dangerous disease that was thought to have been eradicated decades before – especially in Europe – Nora’s boyfriend, Declan, a Detective Inspector in the Criminal Investigation Department of the British police force, becomes involved.
Other events take place around Nora and Declan, but they seem to be unrelated, although they all serve to deepen the mystery and increase the suspense.
The Golden Hour has twists and surprises aplenty – enough to keep any armchair sleuth guessing right to the end!
The Golden Hour has been extremely well edited, and I found the title to be intriguing when I picked up the book, but it is relevant to the story and Miss Graff explains why during the tale. I thoroughly enjoyed The Golden Hour by M.K. Graff and will read other novels in the series, since it seems to me that the novels in the series are stand-alone stories.
I give The Golden Hour five out of five stars – well done Ms. Graff!
When the story opens, we meet Nora walking her infant son, Sean. She has the strange feeling that she is being followed, but she cannot think of a single reason why that should be so. The mystery deepens as we meet her friends and lover in different locations around the UK – places that really do exist for anybody who wants to follow her journeys on a map.
When the restorer of a famous painting dies of a dangerous disease that was thought to have been eradicated decades before – especially in Europe – Nora’s boyfriend, Declan, a Detective Inspector in the Criminal Investigation Department of the British police force, becomes involved.
Other events take place around Nora and Declan, but they seem to be unrelated, although they all serve to deepen the mystery and increase the suspense.
The Golden Hour has twists and surprises aplenty – enough to keep any armchair sleuth guessing right to the end!
The Golden Hour has been extremely well edited, and I found the title to be intriguing when I picked up the book, but it is relevant to the story and Miss Graff explains why during the tale. I thoroughly enjoyed The Golden Hour by M.K. Graff and will read other novels in the series, since it seems to me that the novels in the series are stand-alone stories.
I give The Golden Hour five out of five stars – well done Ms. Graff!
September 10, 2017
What a delight to dive into the Nora Tierney English Mystery series by Marni K. Graff. The Golden Hour is book four in the series. Take a look below at the first three. For The Golden Hour, do not expect a fast-paced novel with lots of twists and turns. This is a lovely stroll through characters and setting, ambience and Englishness, and a high-stakes plot that takes it sweet time to ease you into the events until you are comfy and settled. Then it rears its dastardly head and will not let you put the book down until the last page. Yes it's a slower-paced novel than your familiar and expected mystery. Whether it's the intentional sentence length and structure or attention to innocuous and mundane activities (which I love and gives me a rich sense of place), the author presents a carefully written and solid plot with a good payoff at the end. I recommend starting at book one so you can get the full background of Nora and then prepare for the surprises that this book four has to offer. Graff always brings me a delightful time in England. Enjoy your visit!
July 9, 2018
The problem with this book was that it is the last (so far I pray, ) in the series. I found myself entranced with the story plot immediately. I've already told everyone I know how I love the characters, their locations, and then to have a spy thriller thrown into the mix? I was in heaven.
Someone, for some reason, is following our Nora Tierney and son, Sean. Soon wire taps are found and Nora 'knows' someone is watching them. As she phones Declan, her partner and a homicide detective to give her some sense of security, Declan is dealing with a British National emergency.
Two entirely different story lines, until, through the cleverness of author, Marni Graff, they merge. Every character is fully formed and you keep them in your mind.
The action, the drama, the romance, and the community that is shared within the pages of this novel, truly give the reader several 'Golden Hours.' Bravo!
Someone, for some reason, is following our Nora Tierney and son, Sean. Soon wire taps are found and Nora 'knows' someone is watching them. As she phones Declan, her partner and a homicide detective to give her some sense of security, Declan is dealing with a British National emergency.
Two entirely different story lines, until, through the cleverness of author, Marni Graff, they merge. Every character is fully formed and you keep them in your mind.
The action, the drama, the romance, and the community that is shared within the pages of this novel, truly give the reader several 'Golden Hours.' Bravo!
December 2, 2019
Great mystery set against the English backdrop.
Characters are all finely thought out. The mystery is two fold a murder in Oxford. A stalker following Nora Tierney. The two cases become drawn together.
Characters are all finely thought out. The mystery is two fold a murder in Oxford. A stalker following Nora Tierney. The two cases become drawn together.
November 5, 2017
I just finished The Golden Hour, the fourth in the Nora Tierney series by M.K. Graff. I have enjoyed the progression of the main characters: Nora Tierney and Detective Inspector Declan Barnes, from antagonists to partners. The Golden Hour is a little darker than the first books in this series. It deals with the very real threat of biological terrorism but the true theme of this story is creating your own family from the people who love you. Nora’s British family, the good friends who have been there for her during her darkest days and sweetest memories, her dear friends Kate, Simon and Val, as well as the newest additions to her circle, Paul’s parents, make up the people she has chosen to care about and call family. Their loyalty to each other is tested and proved.
When Declan’s case and Nora’s stalker bleed over into each other, Declan is faced with the very real possibility of losing Nora and Sean forever. When he realizes how much they both mean to him, it is a beautiful and heart rending moment of clarity and self-doubt. It is in that moment the reader can truly feel who the man Declan is, not just the detective, but the vulnerable person who loves Nora and her child. As he rushes to save his family he is torn between duty to his country and the well-being of his family. A true hero does what is right even at the risk of losing it all.
Adversity changes a person. When faced with the threat of losing everything that makes life worth living, Declan and Nora show their true characters. Like all of us, they are weak but their innate goodness, strength and love pull them through the abyss and they will be better because of it.
This story made me angry, made me laugh and it made me cry but in the end, the tears were those of joy. This was one of the best books I’ve read, it captured the heart and gave a little squeeze. I can hardly wait to read the next book and see what new adventures await Nora, Declan and Sean.
--
Sherri Lupton Hollister
Southern Romantic Comedy & Suspense
http://sherrilhollister.wordpress.com
sherrilhollister@gmail.com
Merged review:
The Audiobook: The Golden Hour by MK Graff and narrated by Nano Nagle
Why did I listen to the audiobook after reading The Golden Hour? I’ve said quite often that I’m addicted to audiobooks. For me listening to the book is a different experience than reading the book. It is like watching a movie but with an unabridged version, it isn’t as frustrating as seeing what they do to your favorite books in film.
As the narrator breathes life into the story, acting out scenes and putting emotion into the dialogue and thoughts of the character, I am surrounded by the story in a way that is somehow different from when I am reading the story. As I read the story I put my own inflections into the dialogue, interpret the prose and thoughts colored by my own experiences. When I listen to the story, I become a participant, acting and reacting to how the narrator interprets the emotions and events. Nano Nagle has narrated all of the Nora Tierney stories. She has become as much a part of Nora as the writer, MK Graff.
I love the Nora Tierney series. Nora is fallible yet likeable. She is real. The Scarlet Wench gave us the love story of Nora and Declan. The Golden Hour shows us the love story of a family. While these are sold as cozy mysteries, the Nora Tierney stories have become so much more. Each story has given us a glimpse of England from an American’s perspective. They have showed friendship and family, and even shown us that family isn’t always those who are related to us by blood.
In The Golden Hour Nora becomes a victim and for the first time, she has to sit and wait, something she is not good at doing. As this story unfolds, listening to the audio, I discovered or remembered things that didn’t appear important to me as I read the same words. Again, Nano’s inflection gave importance to things I’d previously overlooked.
If you are a mystery buff or you hope to become a writer, I suggest listening to audiobooks as well as reading the books. It opens your senses to more of the story and helps you see more of the pattern and design of the books. With The Golden Heart I believe I have a better understanding of the first book, The Blue Virgin.
For a little darker, more thrilling Nora Tierney story, read or listen to The Golden Heart. But don’t think Nora will sit on the sidelines, behaving for long. In true Nora fashion, she has to be involved in the solving of the mystery.
I highly recommend this series, each one is better than the last although, it’s a tie between The Scarlet Wench and The Golden Hour which one like best.
When Declan’s case and Nora’s stalker bleed over into each other, Declan is faced with the very real possibility of losing Nora and Sean forever. When he realizes how much they both mean to him, it is a beautiful and heart rending moment of clarity and self-doubt. It is in that moment the reader can truly feel who the man Declan is, not just the detective, but the vulnerable person who loves Nora and her child. As he rushes to save his family he is torn between duty to his country and the well-being of his family. A true hero does what is right even at the risk of losing it all.
Adversity changes a person. When faced with the threat of losing everything that makes life worth living, Declan and Nora show their true characters. Like all of us, they are weak but their innate goodness, strength and love pull them through the abyss and they will be better because of it.
This story made me angry, made me laugh and it made me cry but in the end, the tears were those of joy. This was one of the best books I’ve read, it captured the heart and gave a little squeeze. I can hardly wait to read the next book and see what new adventures await Nora, Declan and Sean.
--
Sherri Lupton Hollister
Southern Romantic Comedy & Suspense
http://sherrilhollister.wordpress.com
sherrilhollister@gmail.com
Merged review:
The Audiobook: The Golden Hour by MK Graff and narrated by Nano Nagle
Why did I listen to the audiobook after reading The Golden Hour? I’ve said quite often that I’m addicted to audiobooks. For me listening to the book is a different experience than reading the book. It is like watching a movie but with an unabridged version, it isn’t as frustrating as seeing what they do to your favorite books in film.
As the narrator breathes life into the story, acting out scenes and putting emotion into the dialogue and thoughts of the character, I am surrounded by the story in a way that is somehow different from when I am reading the story. As I read the story I put my own inflections into the dialogue, interpret the prose and thoughts colored by my own experiences. When I listen to the story, I become a participant, acting and reacting to how the narrator interprets the emotions and events. Nano Nagle has narrated all of the Nora Tierney stories. She has become as much a part of Nora as the writer, MK Graff.
I love the Nora Tierney series. Nora is fallible yet likeable. She is real. The Scarlet Wench gave us the love story of Nora and Declan. The Golden Hour shows us the love story of a family. While these are sold as cozy mysteries, the Nora Tierney stories have become so much more. Each story has given us a glimpse of England from an American’s perspective. They have showed friendship and family, and even shown us that family isn’t always those who are related to us by blood.
In The Golden Hour Nora becomes a victim and for the first time, she has to sit and wait, something she is not good at doing. As this story unfolds, listening to the audio, I discovered or remembered things that didn’t appear important to me as I read the same words. Again, Nano’s inflection gave importance to things I’d previously overlooked.
If you are a mystery buff or you hope to become a writer, I suggest listening to audiobooks as well as reading the books. It opens your senses to more of the story and helps you see more of the pattern and design of the books. With The Golden Heart I believe I have a better understanding of the first book, The Blue Virgin.
For a little darker, more thrilling Nora Tierney story, read or listen to The Golden Heart. But don’t think Nora will sit on the sidelines, behaving for long. In true Nora fashion, she has to be involved in the solving of the mystery.
I highly recommend this series, each one is better than the last although, it’s a tie between The Scarlet Wench and The Golden Hour which one like best.
October 4, 2017
( Format : Audiobook )
"Everyone is entitled to a few secrets."
A very English detective mystery read by a very English narrator.
The pace of this intriguing story is detailed and slow, allowing for careful coverage of the surroundings and consideration of relationships as Nora Tierney now with her ten month old son, is in the process of house hunting in Oxford to be closer, perhaps even living with, her new boyfriend, Declan, a detective inspector in the police force there. Having lived in Oxford for over three decades, this reader enjoyed the accurate travel routes and descriptions (for example eating at Browns Cafe in the old Covered Market) and the very realistic, if often mundane, conversations between friends. The character building was excellent, taking the reader right inside the, often confused, emotional head and heart of the main protagonist. One thing did confuse me, however in the midst of all of the verisimilitude, when was the story set? It seems to be modern times, yet a reference to small pox inoculation suggests that some youngsters had not received it. True, but this would include 'youngsters' of well over half a century. The practice ended before the birth of my approaching 60 years old daughter (and I didn't receive one, either!)
As well as emotional angst over her future with DI Barnes, Nora has another problem: she thinks she is being followed. And she is. But why? The narrator, Ms.Nagle has the crystal clear voice of the classic English reader, with perfect enunciation and intonation. Each character is given a distinctive voice which often reflects a class bias in the accent, sometimes probably inappropriately; this individuality is not always sustained throughout the speech, however. Ms.Nagle is most animated when reading about mother and child and other such domestic details, obviously happier in this area than attempting male voices. It would have been a far better narration with dual readers, Ms.Nagle and a companion male.
Told in the classic detective style, moving between different protagonists and scenarios to give different sides of the story, it gathers momentum as the tale progresses. I received a complementary copy of The Golden Hour from the rights holder, via Audiobook Boom, at my request. My thanks for that. My feelings about it are very mixed. Whilst I enjoyed the domestic aspects and the guided tours of Oxford, the actual mystery solving itself I felt to be too little too late and rather rushed. Perhaps reading a print copy would be preferable.
"Everyone is entitled to a few secrets."
A very English detective mystery read by a very English narrator.
The pace of this intriguing story is detailed and slow, allowing for careful coverage of the surroundings and consideration of relationships as Nora Tierney now with her ten month old son, is in the process of house hunting in Oxford to be closer, perhaps even living with, her new boyfriend, Declan, a detective inspector in the police force there. Having lived in Oxford for over three decades, this reader enjoyed the accurate travel routes and descriptions (for example eating at Browns Cafe in the old Covered Market) and the very realistic, if often mundane, conversations between friends. The character building was excellent, taking the reader right inside the, often confused, emotional head and heart of the main protagonist. One thing did confuse me, however in the midst of all of the verisimilitude, when was the story set? It seems to be modern times, yet a reference to small pox inoculation suggests that some youngsters had not received it. True, but this would include 'youngsters' of well over half a century. The practice ended before the birth of my approaching 60 years old daughter (and I didn't receive one, either!)
As well as emotional angst over her future with DI Barnes, Nora has another problem: she thinks she is being followed. And she is. But why? The narrator, Ms.Nagle has the crystal clear voice of the classic English reader, with perfect enunciation and intonation. Each character is given a distinctive voice which often reflects a class bias in the accent, sometimes probably inappropriately; this individuality is not always sustained throughout the speech, however. Ms.Nagle is most animated when reading about mother and child and other such domestic details, obviously happier in this area than attempting male voices. It would have been a far better narration with dual readers, Ms.Nagle and a companion male.
Told in the classic detective style, moving between different protagonists and scenarios to give different sides of the story, it gathers momentum as the tale progresses. I received a complementary copy of The Golden Hour from the rights holder, via Audiobook Boom, at my request. My thanks for that. My feelings about it are very mixed. Whilst I enjoyed the domestic aspects and the guided tours of Oxford, the actual mystery solving itself I felt to be too little too late and rather rushed. Perhaps reading a print copy would be preferable.
November 25, 2017
A review of THE GOLDEN HOUR a Nora Tierney English Mystery by M. K. Graff.
When I first started this book I wasn't to impressed especially when I got characters confused but I need to say that the author did us all a favor and listed the characters in the beginning of the book. That was a huge plus for me and after I figured out the major characters it became a very soothing read.
I fell in love with baby Sean, Nora and Declan. She weaved a wonderful mystery that was believable, so like any reader I kept getting pulled in, even though I knew what was coming next. I was entertained and got to escape to England. M. K. Graff knows how to write a puzzle with all the edges connected and then fill in the rest with demographics and graphics that keep you on point and wanting to finish the read. Great entertaining book.
When I first started this book I wasn't to impressed especially when I got characters confused but I need to say that the author did us all a favor and listed the characters in the beginning of the book. That was a huge plus for me and after I figured out the major characters it became a very soothing read.
I fell in love with baby Sean, Nora and Declan. She weaved a wonderful mystery that was believable, so like any reader I kept getting pulled in, even though I knew what was coming next. I was entertained and got to escape to England. M. K. Graff knows how to write a puzzle with all the edges connected and then fill in the rest with demographics and graphics that keep you on point and wanting to finish the read. Great entertaining book.
October 10, 2017
The suspense gathers momentum as the drama unfolds, and the plot is very well crafted, with characters who are engaging and very realistic. The relationship between the protagonist and her law enforcement officer seems to provide a constant as the unexpected difficulties unfold. The publisher's blurb gives hints and clues, and there is no need for spoilers. I couldn't put it down, but that is less of a problem with audio.
Nano Nagle performed beautifully as narrator.
I requested and received a free review copy via AudioBookBOOM.
Nano Nagle performed beautifully as narrator.
I requested and received a free review copy via AudioBookBOOM.
January 9, 2018
Audible:I enjoyed this book.Nano Nagle does a good job with narration,though the baby squeals could have been removed.Nora is being followed,or is she?No one is sure until the worst happens.Her boyfriend DeClan is a cop,he is on a weird case and can not always be there.It was fast paced and interesting.I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”
October 23, 2018
Another absolutely delightful cozy by MK Graff--Settling into these books is wonderful, the setting comes to life and Nora Tierney is a modern-day Nancy Drew--only she solves crime with a baby slung on her hip! This installment takes a dark turn with a truly deranged madman on the loose--and Nora's being stalked.
December 2, 2019
Nora Tierney is involved in a series of events including a stalker a book sighing. There is a murder in Oxford at an art gallery. There is political things happening as well.
Read
December 5, 2017How have I not discovered author Marni (M.K.) Graff's Nora Tierney before now? Clearly this can be read as a standalone as I did and was enthralled. Any past history relevant to the instant story is quietly and comprehensively colored in, providing a rich background and full context to the goings on; characters develop beautifully as the intricate plot unfolds. Some things I figured out early, others were an utter surprise as new clues popped up from the fertile soil of Ms. Graff's imagination. I was held spellbound listening to narrator (AUDIO) Nano Nagle's excellent diction and vocal characterizations (although she didn't quite manage a solid American accent for our heroine--more of a transatlantic flattened sound); I am looking forward to more!
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