📖 Favourite Read of the Month ~ The Sea Stone Sisters by Eleanor Buchanan

Headline 
12 March 2026

My thanks to the publisher for the copy of the book 

 

Four great stones once stood on a remote Scottish headland - the Sisters of Skara.

Legend has it they were raised by a grieving father, to guide his abducted daughters home.

A curse was placed on anyone who laid the stones low:

their family, too, would be scattered to the winds, never to find their way home.

1931. When Iris Blackmore's father knocks down the Sisters of Skara standing stones, a dark shadow falls on the Blackmore family. With his fortune lost and wife dead, his four daughters are forced to leave their home, taking only the rings they inherited from their beloved mother.

Iris is the first to depart, travelling east in search of an uncle who might be able to help the family.

Present day. Roz Chatton moves to London from Australia, bringing very little with her other than her mother's old ring. Grieving and adrift, she stumbles on a painting of four ancient standing stones which ignites an uncanny connection to the ring on her finger.

Determined to learn more about the origin of the painting, Roz unearths the full story of Iris Blackmore, unravelling a family history she could never have imagined.

Four lost sisters. A family scattered. An epic journey home. Will you follow?

📖 My Review..

In the 1930s the four Blackmore sisters live with their parents in a remote part of Scotland near to the site of the ancient Sisters of Skara stones. When their father deliberately knocks down the stones an ancient curse is released and the Blackmore family start to suffer the consequences of this rash action. 

Following the story of the eldest of the sisters, we leave Skara with Iris as she sets out a difficult journey to find an uncle, in Ceylon, who might be able to help restore the family fortune. Moving seamlessly between two times frames we not only follow Iris as she sets out on this hazardous journey of a lifetime but we also meet Roz Chatton, in the present day, who, having moved from Australia to London is inexplicably drawn towards a painting of the Sisters of Skara that she finds in a London art shop.

This multi-layered, multi-generational, story takes us on a sweeping journey between 1930s Ceylon and Australia, to modern day Scotland. We learn about the secrets of Skara and discover more about the journey Iris undertook and the people she met along the way. Both timeframes are spelling binding, I particularly loved Iris, her 1930s story really captured my imagination and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her and see her develop as character. The modern day element is also beautifully described, and Roz’s journey of discovery is just as beguiling as she starts to uncover some of the secrets of the Blackmore family which have been hidden for far too long.

Alive with mystery and filled with intrigue, The Sea Stone Sisters is a beautifully written dual time, family drama which lingers in the imagination long after the last page is read. For that reason I am delighted to make The Sea Stone Sisters my Favourite Read of the Month for March.

About the Author

After many years of travelling the world, Eleanor Buchanan has turned her hand to a brand-new series of enthralling stories that combine her passion for travel, her belief in the power of evocative love stories and her enduring fascination with the relationship between the past and the present. Now based in York, she still searches for wide horizons whenever she can.

@headlinepg #TheSeaStoneSisters #EleanorBuchanan

📖 BookReview ~ Ten Poems about Owls from Candlestick Press

Candlestick Press
February 2026

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this poetry pamphlet 

Owls are birds that fascinate us, seeming to exist at the shadowy margins of our human lives. More often heard than seen, their nocturnal cries can be both haunting and exhilarating.

These ten poems celebrate the elusiveness of owls, as well as the thrill of a rare sighting; when a little owl is spotted on the branch of an olive tree in Greece, it looks more like a “small clay jar” than a bird. In another poem, the near-silent flight of a barn owl offers a moment of spellbound intimacy:

“If breath was any animal, it’s this.
Glide and hush-sweep
across the close-by fields of grain.”

from ‘Barn Owl on Newburgh Road’ by Niall Campbell

The poems remind us that an encounter with any wild creature is a gift – and that meeting an owl in a poem can be every bit as magical as meeting one in the woods.

Selected and introduced by Niki Bowers

Poems by Nial Campbell, Daniel Webster Davis, Emily Dickinson, Victoria Gatehouse, Ian Humphreys, Gregory Leadbetter, Rob Miles, Angela Readman, AE Stallings and Edward Thomas.

Donation to The Owls Trust

📖 My Review..

Always just on the edge of shadow, owls move silently through the dusk of evening, mysterious creatures who have featured strongly in our culture for centuries. The collective name for a group of owls is a wisdom and these ancient creatures form a backdrop to myths and legends and are strongly associated with the otherworld. Seen as spiritual messengers, the owl’s eerie cry is often interpreted as a portent of ill luck or even a harbinger of death however, there is no doubt that each sighting in the wild should be regarded as a special moment. 

“Then at the inn I had food, fire, and rest,

Knowing how hungry, cold and tired was I.

All,of the night quite barred out except

An owl’s cry, a most melancholy cry”

From The Owl by Edward Thomas 

Years ago I spent a glorious time on the Greek island of Spetses and even though I wasn’t lucky enough to spot a little owl this lovely poem brought back happy memories of a beautiful island and the rough beauty of its olive trees :

‘We strolled along the sea road

And spied a little owl

Less a bird

Than a small clay jar

Balanced implausibly on an olive branch “

From Little Owl by AE Stallings

 

It’s been a real pleasure to read this beautiful mini-anthology which shines a much needed spotlight on this most ethereal of creatures. Each one of the ten sensitively selected poems allows us a glimpse into the life of this special bird, it would make the perfect gift instead of a card for anyone who has a special interest in nature or for those who simply love the natural world and more especially these enigmatic creatures who glide like shadows through the night.

About the Publisher 

Candlestick Press is a small, independent press publishing sumptuously produced poetry pamphlets that serve as a wonderful alternative to a greetings card, with matching envelopes and bookmarks left blank for your message. Their subjects include Mountains, Clouds, Walking, Birds, Wine and Happiness. Candlestick Press pamphlets are stocked by chain and independent bookshops, galleries and garden centres nationwide and available to order online.

Twitter/X @poetrycandle 

Blue Sky @candlestickpress.bsky.social

Website

📖 Book Review ~ A Mother Always Knows by Diane Jeffrey

HQ Digital
12 March 2026
My thanks to the publisher for the copy of the book

When a young man is found murdered in a quiet rural village, it sends shock waves through the close-knit local community.

But Carla is more concerned for her teenage daughter, Iris. When Joshua was alive, he humiliated Iris in the worst possible way, and now she’ll be the main suspect in his murder.

As the police investigate every lead, Carla must navigate the murky waters of guilt and betrayal as well as her growing suspicions of what her own daughter might be capable of.

When a shocking revelation threatens to tear her family apart, Carla is forced to ask herself how far she’ll go to protect her loved ones. In a world of secrets and deception, can a mother truly know what lies beneath the surface.

📖 MyReview..

When the body of a young man is discovered in a local woodland the tight knit rural community is shocked that such a violent crime has taken place and none more so than Carla and her family who are well acquainted with the young man and who, it seems, have valid reasons to wish him harm. With the finger of suspicion pointing at Carla’s daughter, Iris, who was once in a toxic relationship with the young man, it opens up a whole set of circumstances which threatens to change Carla’s family dynamic forever.

What then follows is a cleverly controlled thriller which gives varying viewpoints not just from Iris and Carla’s perspective but also the point of view of the SIO in charge of the murder investigation who also happens to be a family friend. There is much to consider within the narrative especially about the problems young people face navigating the dangerous online world, the effects of toxic and coercive control and the increasing problem of revenge porn. It’s quite an emotional read as it uncovers family secrets with Carla doing all she can to protect her family from what seems like an inevitable fallout. It opens up the question of how far will a mother go to protect her children. 

A Mother Always Knows is a well written and complex thriller which kept my attention from start to finish. 

 About the Author

Diane Jeffrey is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She grew up in North Devon and Northern Ireland. She now lives in Lyon, France, with her husband and their three children, Labrador and cat. Diane has written six psychological thrillers, all published by HQ / HarperCollins.

Diane is an English teacher. When she's not working or writing, she likes swimming, running and reading. She loves chocolate, beer and holidays.

Author website: www.dianejeffrey.com

Readers can also follow Diane on Instagram and

Twitter @dianefjeffrey

or on Facebook.com/dianejeffreyauthor

📖 Book review ~ The Shark by Emma Styles

Sphere
12 March 2026

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

Every monster has a weakness.

At the height of Australian summer, a serial killer known as The Shark stalks a coastal suburb, hunting young female swimmers.

Afraid and furious at the failure of the police to protect them, two women fight back. Raych is grieving someone she'd have died to save, while Carmen hides her own disturbing connection to the murders.

In desperation, they form an uneasy alliance. And when another girl vanishes, they take matters into their own hands - by kidnapping the prime suspect. But as their interrogation spirals, horrifying truths surface on both sides of the table.

The clock is ticking to save the missing girl. And in their quest for justice, Raych and Carmen must face the darkest question of all: have they caught a monster - or become one?

📖 My Review..

On the western coast of Australia, in the Cottesloe area of Perth, young female swimmers are being targeted by a serial killer who becomes known as The Shark. With the murders made to appear like a shark attack it soon becomes apparent that there is someone out there who is prepared to do harm. Raych is a woman on a mission and is determined to find the perpetrator and seek revenge. In doing so she meets Carmen another damaged young woman who has her own reasons for wanting to catch the killer.

The story is slow in places, especially at the beginning, which I think is quite deliberate, however, because of this it took me a while to gel with the characters especially as both the female leads weren’t always particularly likeable but I sort of understood why this had to be as both are extremely damaged and vulnerable. Their complicated and flawed relationship is explored in detail and as we start to understand them so the story becomes clearer. The author controls the plot with good attention to detail, bringing the place and the people alive in the imagination.

Overall this an interesting crime thriller which looks at revenge and retribution and does so in a complex story which kept my interest until the whole thing came together.

About the Author

Emma Styles writes contemporary Australian noir about young women taking on the patriarchy. She grew up on Whadjuk Noongar country in Perth,Western Australia and now lives in London. Emma has an MA in crime fictionfrom the University of East Anglia. Her debut novel, No Country for Girls, won the Little, Brown UEA Crime Fiction Award pre-publication and the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize post publication. It was also shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger Award, the Davitt Award for Best Adult Crime Novel and the ACWA Ned Kelly Award for Best Debut Crime Fiction.

📖 Book Review ~ Ten Poems about Daffodils from Candlestick Press

Candlestick Press
February 2026

My thanks to the publisher for the copy of this pamphlet 

  

The most famous flowers in poetry must surely be William Wordsworth’s Daffodils , expressing the surprise and delight of stumbling upon unexpected beauty.

And being beautiful is something that daffodils just can’t help… In this mini anthology we encounter a whole host of varieties, from “dainty white dancers” to “saffron flouncers”. Over and again the poems celebrate the flower’s gloriously jaunty yellow-ness, which seems to spell hope at a time when spring has barely got going – sometimes even in mid-winter 

“They wait for me

holding out the sun like a gold watch

against the shortest day…”

from ‘Winter Daffodils’ by Phoebe Hesketh

The poems are guaranteed to gladden the heart, encouraging us to pay attention to the everyday splendour of this much-loved herald of spring.

Selected and introduced by Di Slaney

Poems by Jason Allen-Paisant, Moyà Cannon, Gillian Clarke, Isobel Dixon, UA Fanthorpe, Phoebe Hesketh, Clinton Scollard, Favid Scott, Dorothy Wordsworth and William Wordsworth.

Cover Illustration by Jane Burn

📖 My Review

My heart gladdens in late winter/early spring when the daffodils start to appear. It is my favourite flower and whilst the season is in full bloom, I fill my house with vases of them. This delightful collection of ten daffodil inspired poems brings with it a hint of promise and a glimpse into the magical world of this most beautiful of flowers.

©️Jaffareadstoo

No anthology about daffodils would be complete without the most famous of poems ‘Daffodils’ by William Wordsworth and yet it was also rather special to see his sister Dorothy featured in her lovely poem

I Never Saw Daffodils so Beautiful 

“ I never saw daffodils so beautiful

They grew among the mossy stones -

About and about them..”

There is so much to enjoy in the simple beauty of a vase of golden yellow daffodils and this delightful poem by Isobel Dixon captured the essence so beautifully:

March

“ is the month of

daffodils

in jam jars 

on windowsills

slim shafts 

of home-sap

greening

our sight lines”

This mini anthology of Ten Poems about Daffodils is the perfect choice as we come out of the dark days of winter and inch our way towards spring. It would be a perfect gift instead of a card to anyone who has a spring birthday or just for the simple pleasure of reading some beautiful poems about daffodils in all their golden glory.

About the Publisher 

Candlestick Press is a small, independent press publishing sumptuously produced poetry pamphlets that serve as a wonderful alternative to a greetings card, with matching envelopes and bookmarks left blank for your message. Their subjects include Mountains, Clouds, Walking, Birds, Wine and Happiness. Candlestick Press pamphlets are stocked by chain and independent bookshops, galleries and garden centres nationwide and available to order online.

Twitter/X @poetrycandle 

Blue Sky @candlestickpress.bsky.social

Website

📖 Book Review ~ The Boleyn Curse by Alexandra Walsh

Boldwood Books
15 March 2026

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

The court of young King Henry VIII seethes with secrets and scandals, but every ambition has its price. Elizabeth Boleyn, loyal wife to Thomas Boleyn  and devoted mother to Anne, Mary and George, believes she can navigate the shifting tides of court life. But when she catches the eye of the lascivious king, Elizabeth is drawn into a perilous game and the cost of her defiance will echo through the generations.

In present day Hampshire, Tabitha Mundy has found a haven in Cerensthorpe Abbey. Since the death of her husband, her work as archivist for the abbey’s owner, Edith Swanne, has been her refuge. When her research uncovers hidden clues rumoured to lead to a lost manuscript of The Canterbury Tales and a connection to the Boleyn family, Edith is eager to investigate. With the help of Gulliver, Edith’s enigmatic nephew, Tabitha begins to decipher the riddles and before long a mystical thread binds Elizabeth and Tabitha across the ages – two women destined to protect the truth.

As Henry’s vengeance consumes Elizabeth, she sets his treachery down in writing, determined her voice will not be silenced. But another man’s secrets mean that Elizabeth’s tale has been hidden. Can Tabitha finally unlock the mysteries of the past or will the Boleyn Curse haunt Cerensthorpe Abbey.

📖 My Review..

In the present day, Tabitha Mundy takes up the role of archivist at the beautiful Cerensthorpe Abbey where together with members of the family she attempts to piece together intricate, and at times macabre, clues which will hopefully lead to the discovery of a long lost manuscript. However, the search is complicated and throws up more questions than it does answers. 

Back in Tudor Times the Abbey once belonged to Elizabeth Boleyn, wife to Henry VIII’s trusted ambassador, Thomas Boleyn, and mother of Mary, Anne and George. It details Elizabeth’s complicated relationship with King Henry VIII and poses the question whether Elizabeth and Henry were ever intimately acquainted. The Tudor element is particularly well done and offers an imagined glimpse into what life could have been like with an irascible King, who hated being thwarted, and of a beautiful woman who wanted her family’s story to be told.

It has been a real pleasure to read this rather unusual slant on the usual Boleyn story. The clever time slip element allows a strong sense of history and combining it with a modern day mystery about the search for a lost copy of The Canterbury Tales gives the author room to manoeuvre through time with seamless effect.

🍷Best read with..a glass of good red wine

About the Author

Alexandra Walsh is the bestselling author of dual timeline historical mysteries, previously published by Sapere. Her books range from the fifteenth century to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. Formerly a journalist, writing for national newspapers, magazines and TV, her first book for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2023.

Twitter: @purplemermaid25 #TheBoleynCurse

Instagram: @purplemermaid25

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/AlexandraWalshNews

📖 Publication Day Book Review ~ The Truth about Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent

Penguin
12 March 2026

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

 

If my sister hadn’t been beautiful, none of it would have happened.

Ruby Cooper and her sister, Erin, live an idyllic life in their close-knit church community in Boston. But when Ruby is sixteen, she is involved in an incident that causes her family’s world to implode.

Across decades, the fallout leaves a wake of destruction behind Ruby in Dublin and Erin in Boston.

Not that Ruby wants to think about the past.

But it can’t stay a secret forever.

📖 My Review.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave comes to mind when reading this complex story of toxic jealousy and the hopeless ruination of multiple lives. 

Ruby Cooper is just sixteen when an incident ruins her life and that of her family. What then follows are years of recrimination with Ruby at the centre of everything that goes wrong for the Cooper family. Moving seamlessly between life in Boston and Ireland and with vignettes from Ruby and her older sister Erin we start to get drawn into a tragic family drama which has so many twists, turns and elements of self destructive behaviour that it soon becomes difficult to reconcile just how toxic life can become when you lose hope and sanity. Cleverly written, as all this author’s novels undoubtedly are, this story has something of a different approach which is no less powerful than her previous stories.

The Truth about Ruby Cooper is an emotional, multilayered story with a depth of feeling which kept my attention throughout. There were times when I couldn’t believe that someone could act in such a destructive manner so as to cause immense psychological pain but such is the strength of the writing that I even started to feel moments of empathy with a character I came to loathe. Beautifully written from start to finish, I hung onto every word and closed the book with the satisfaction that comes from reading a good story, well told.

🫖 Best read with…a restorative cup of tea 

About the Author

Before becoming a full-time writer, Liz Nugent worked in film, theatre and television. Her four novels - Unravelling Oliver, Lying in Wait, Skin Deep and Our Little Cruelties have each been Number One bestsellers and she has won four Irish Book Awards, as well as the James Joyce Medal for Literature. She lives in Dublin.

Twitter #LizNugent #TheTruthAboutRubyCooper

Website

@PenguinUKBooks

📖 Book Review ~ The Wives of Henry VIII by Jessica Carey - Bunning

Pen and Sword
30 January 2026
My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

The Wives of Henry VIII:Rethinking the Stories behind the Symbols examines some of the small details about the six wives of Henry VIII that are often overlooked. This book is a revisionist close study that moves beyond the traditional narratives to present fresh, more nuanced perspectives. Focusing on significant moments and aspects that inform and showcase who these women were. Throughout these chapters, new research, fresh analysis, and remarkable discoveries come together to offer a deeper understanding of the women we know as the Six Wives of Henry VIII.

We begin with a re-evaluation of Catherine of Aragon’s name through the lens of her family history and how it shaped her life, followed by an analysis of Catherine’s financial situation after the annulment. 

Anne Boleyn is considered in relation to her role in the Chateau Vert pageant, followed by an analysis of her use of French and English gable hoods, which includes a discussion of an incredible, newly discovered contemporary image of Anne. 

Jane Seymour’s religion and unpopularity are each examined in turn to uncover fresh perspectives on Henry’s third queen. 

Anna of Cleves adaption to life in England is discussed, followed by her life and status under Edward VI and Mary I.

Katherine Howard’s performance of queenship is re-evaluated, as well as the connections between herself and her cousin, Anne Boleyn. 

Finally, apocryphal tales of Kateryn Parr’s rise to the throne are reassessed, followed by an examination of how close she came to arrest and execution.

📖 My Review..

The Six Wives of Henry VIII continue to be endlessly fascinating and even though we sometimes look at these marriages through the rosy glow of five hundred years we occasionally need to stop and consider the women behind the marriages and the legacy they each left behind. Whilst each of their turbulent marriages to this infamous King are well documented, this new accounts offers a different look at each of the wives and what defined them and highlights how they fit into history.

The wives are mentioned in chronological order with Catherine of Aragon coming first and finishing with that of Kateryn Parr’s story at the end of Henry’s lifetime. Each of the Queens are written about with a fine eye for detail and there is a strong sense the book has been well written and researched. The author writes well, describing the Tudor court and customs in enough detail to make the book readable without being too complicated. I love the colour of the book’s cover, the Tudor green, so associated with Henry’s court, along with the red and white roses, gives an authentic feel. The vibrancy of the cover would certainly make me pick the book up in a bookshop to have a closer look. Overall,  I found this to be an informative read with snippets of information I had forgotten or not known.

I am sure that The Wives of Henry VIII will appeal to anyone who enjoys Tudor history and who is interested in a different view on the lives of these six extraordinary women who played such an important role in Henry’s life and of the tragic consequences of their relationships with this irascible King of England.

🍷 Best read with…a goblet of strong red wine

About the Author 

Jessica Carey-Bunning is a Tudor historian and PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide. She fell in love with history after seeing a copy of the Magna Carta on a trip with her parents when she was five years old. Jessica began the Tudor Treasures website and Facebook page in 2022. She lives in Sydney with her husband, son, and cat. This book is the culmination of decades of passion and research.

📖 Blog Tour ~ Catherine : A Retelling of Wuthering Heights by Essie Fox

Orenda Books
12 February 2026

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book
and to Random Things Tours for the invitation to the blog tour

The greatest tragic love story ever told – but this time, Catherine tells it herself. In Catherine, Essie Fox breathes new life into Wuthering Heights, transforming a gothic masterpiece into a haunting confession of obsession, madness and love that even death cannot end.

With a nature as wild as the moors she loves to roam, Catherine Earnshaw grows up alongside Heathcliff, a foundling her father rescued from the streets of Liverpool. Their fierce, untamed bond deepens as they grow – until Mr Earnshaw’s death leaves Hindley, Catherine’s brutal brother, in control and Heathcliff reduced to servitude.

Desperate to protect him, Catherine turns to Edgar Linton, the handsome heir to Thrushcross Grange. She believes his wealth might free Heathcliff from cruelty – but her choice is fatally misunderstood, and their lives spiral into a storm of passion, jealousy and revenge.

Now, eighteen years later, Catherine rises from her grave to tell her story – and seek redemption.

📖 My Review..

Catherine is told from Catherine Earnshaw’s point of view, firstly as a child, then a young teenager on the cusp of womanhood and finally as a ghost following her untimely death.  Both Heathcliff and Catherine come forcefully to life and as we experience the intensity of their ill-fated relationship so we gain an insight into the unpredictable nature of their characters and the cause and effect of their upbringing at Wuthering Heights. 

By no stretch of the imagination is this a comfortable tale and there’s certainly no guarantee of a happy ever after ending but the sheer lyricism of the writing brings the whole of this tragic story to life. It compares really well with Emily Brontë’s original and offers a different perspective and one which is no less powerful than the 1847 classic. This retelling encapsulates the very essence of Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw’s fateful relationship, a relationship which was tormented and filled with passionate intensity which spiralled into a dark and dangerous world of sadness, grief and desperate obsession.

There’s a certain amount of trepidation in reading a retelling of a much loved classic however, if anyone can retell Cathy and Heathcliff’s story, and do the book justice, it is Essie Fox whose work I love to read. As I settled down on a rather grey, wintery afternoon, so the stark beauty of this timeless story began to take shape and I was back on the high moors with Cathy and Heathcliff as they whisper together in the shadow of Penistone Crags, leaving their tokens in the Fairy Cave and dreaming of an uncertain future.

🍳 Best read with…Nelly Dean’s buttered eggs..

About the Author

Essie Fox is the Sunday Times bestselling author of seven historical novels, including The Somnambulist, shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and The Fascination, an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Her work has twice been selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month, most recently for her gothic mystery Dangerous. She appears regularly at literary festivals and cultural institutions and is the host of the podcast Talking the Gothic. She lives in Windsor.

X@essiefox #Catherine

X@ OrendaBooks

X@RandomTTours

📖 Book Review ~ The New Neighbour by Valerie Keogh

Boldwood Books
2 March 2026

My thanks to the publisher for the copy of the book 

 

A quiet street holds deadly secrets...

Chloe Tomson wants a quiet life. A new home, a new street, and no more drama - she’s had more than her share. But the moment she steps in to help her elderly neighbour during a violent altercation, the peace she craves begins to crumble.

The street seems friendly at first. Until the questions start. Who exactly is Chloe? Why did she move here? And what really happened in the house she lives in before she arrived?

As some neighbours become friends and others become enemies, it isn’t always certain which is which. Because Chloe isn’t the only neighbour keeping secrets…and someone knows the truth about her past. Someone who wants her gone.

But as whispers turn to threats, Chloe realises she’s been here before. And last time, not everyone made it out alive…

📖 My Review..

Chloe Tomson is newly moved into the area and has good reasons for keeping a low profile. She has little enthusiasm for making friends with her new neighbours however, when Tilly, her elderly neighbour, is caught up in a violent argument, Chloe steps forward to help, with devastating consequences. What should have been a quiet place to live soon becomes riddled with problems and as Chloe’s story is revealed so we start to understand why she acts in the way that does. Always distrustful, always wary, always convinced that someone wishes her harm, Chloe soon get under your skin and even though there were times when I almost disliked her, such is the power of the writing that I really wanted her to get her life back in track.

The New Neighbour is another cracking good read from this talented author who knows how to keep the momentum of the story alive whilst at the same time keeping control of a narrative which twists and turns and throws up so many surprises I am constantly on the edge of my seat wondering whatever is going to happen next. As always, I race through these books in one sitting. Each one reads as a complete standalone and every one of her novels, so far, have taken me by surprise and leave me, at the end of the story, already looking forward to the next one.

Valerie Keogh is the internationally bestselling author of several psychological thrillers and crime series, most recently published by Bloodhound. She originally comes from Dublin but now lives in Wiltshire and worked as a nurse for many years. Her first thriller for Boldwood was published in August 2022.

​

Twitter @ValerieKeogh1 #The New Neighbour

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Newsletter sign up

@BoldwoodBooks 

📖 Blog Tour ~ The Three Witches by Elena Collins

Boldwood
2 March 2026

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book
and to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour

Now: When Ruthie gets the part of one of Macbeth’s famous three witches she can’t wait to get started. Inspired by the beauty of the film’s Scottish locations and the camaraderie of the cast and crew, she can leave behind the expectations of her family and her lacklustre love life, at least for now. But as echoes from the past begin whispering in Ruthie’s ear and a restless spirit draws her further into its centuries-old secrets, it soon becomes clear that only she can uncover the truth of a terrible injustice.

1050 Scotland: Isobel and her two sisters have learnt about healing from their loving mother Sidheag, and she in turn has kept them safe. But without the protection of their late father, Sidheag knows that her daughters must find husbands or their futures are at risk.

Isobel believes in love over duty and when she catches sight of King Macbeth’s stepson Lulach she can picture a happiness she had hardly dare imagine. But as heir to a Scottish throne that is drenched in blood, Lulach’s destiny is to be a warrior. When Isobel’s actions leave her and her sisters vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft there may be nothing that can keep the three women safe, not even the great Macbeth himself.

As the calls from the past grow ever louder, Ruthie has no choice. Macbeth’s witches have a story that needs to be told and the truth can no longer stay hidden…

📖 My Review..

Inspired by the Scottish Play, this fascinating dual time / time slip novel takes us right back to the time of Macbeth’s three witches and gives us the tragic story of Isobel Druimeinach and her sisters, Ysenda and Merraid who lived in eleventh century Scotland and whose destiny was forged and immortalised in Shakespeare’s ill-fated play. Running alongside is the present day interpretation of a documentary being filmed in the beautiful Scottish landscape and of the actors who were charged with bringing history, and the witches, to life.

The story is so beautifully atmospheric that as I read about Isobel and her sisters, so the jealousy and superstition of the people started to swirl around me and I found that I was whisked back to a dark and dangerous time in Scottish history. Time became suspended and I was back in 11th century Moray watching as Isobel made her potions and danced with her sisters. Likewise the modern day story is equally fascinating and Ruthie’s involvement, as one of the witches, becomes all the more powerful as she becomes ever closer to discovering the truth about Isobel.

I’ve absolutely loved reading The Three Witches and flew through the story in a couple of days. Each of the time narratives is compelling, and with neither one trying to outshine the other, I was soon as comfortable in 1050 with Isobel as I was with Ruthie in the present day, both are strong female characters who deserve to have their stories heard. With each successive story this author seems to go from strength to strength with The Three Witches being the best yet.

🥣Best read with…freshly made brose and soft white bannocks

About the Author

Elena Collins is the pseudonym for Judy Leigh, the million-selling author of Five French Hens , The Old Girls' Network and The Silver Haired Sisterhood. Judy writes uplifting novels in the 'second chances' and ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. Elena Collins' novels are historical/ dual timelines. In 2025, her novel The Wicked Lady received the RNA award in this category. Judy has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset.

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Strawberry House by Rachel Burton

Boldwood
4 March 2026

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book
and Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour 

1938: For Camilla Kerrigan, life at her family's Oxford manor is a delicate balancing act – between duty to her family and a yearning for something more. When her brother Anthony returns for the summer, bringing with him a new friend, Camilla recognises a kindred spirit. Like her, Henry is thoughtful, restless and uncertain of his future.

But the arrival of four strangers – among them a gifted artist determined to paint Camilla’s sister Mabel – soon shatters the fragile peace of the manor. In the shimmering heat, desires are stirred and one impulsive act will set in motion a tragedy that echoes for decades.

1952: Haunted by war and the memory of that long-ago summer, the last thing Henry wants is to return to Montagu Manor. But when a photograph arrives, showing the painting he thought destroyed – the portrait that ruined so many lives – he is drawn back into the past.

Now, Henry and Camilla must face the secrets that shaped them, and the love that refuses to fade.

One unforgettable summer. One devastating secret. A love that time could not erase.

📖 My Review..

When a set of artists arrive at Montagu Manor in 1938 their presence not only disturbs the equilibrium of the house but they also become involved in a huge scandal which will reverberate down through the years. At the centre of the story is Camilla Kerrigan who lives, with her family, at Montagu Manor and whose history is entwined with the fabric of the house and its connection to the artist, William Morris. 

Beautifully written, with a compelling dual time narrative, the story starts just as the country is on the cusp of war which not only brings a time of great change but there are also some big decisions which have to be made. This is portrayed well in the indecisive nature of some of the central characters particularly in light of what happens once their all too brief sojourn at Montagu Manor is over. Divided into two distinct time frames, I found that I was equally at home in the 1930’s getting to know the characters as I was in 1952 when we are drawn back to Montagu Manor to discover more of its secrets.

As the history of The Strawberry House is gradually revealed so a story of family drama, long buried secrets and the hope of second chances is finally revealed.

🫖Best read with.. large pot of tea and slices of cake

About the Author

Rachel Burton is the bestselling author of historical timeslip novels and romantic comedies. Rachel was born in Cambridge and studied Classics and English Literature before starting a career in law. She lives in Yorkshire with her husband, a variety of cats and far too many books.

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Facebook: @RachelBurton74

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Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/RachelBurtonNews

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