📖 Blog Tour ~ The White Hare by Jane Johnson

 

Head of Zeus
23 June 2022

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

The White Hare is a novel about Edens lost, found and remade; about displaced souls, betrayal and secrets; for those who seek a little magic in their lives. 

In the far west of Cornwall lies a valley that cuts deeply through bluebell woods down to the sea at White Cove. The house above the beach has lain neglected since the war. It comes with a reputation and a strange atmosphere, which is why Magdalena and Mila manage to acquire it so cheaply in the fateful summer of 1954. Magda has grand plans for the place: to restore it to its former glory as the venue for glittering parties, where the rich and celebrated gathered for cocktails and for bracing walks along the coast. Her daughter Mila just wants to escape the scandal in her past and make a safe and happy home for her little girl, Janey, a solitary, precocious child blessed with a vivid imagination, much of which she pours into her plush toy, Rabbit. 

The White Valley comes with a long, eventful and often bloody history, laced with tall tales and local legends. Locals say that a white hare may be seen running through the woods there. Some say it is a phantasm, or superstitious nonsense; others say the hare is as real as you or me. It may be a sign of ill omen; or a blessing. Feeling fragile and broken-hearted, cast out of her old life, Mila is in great need of a new start and all the luck she can get.

📖 My review..

Mila arrives in Cornwall, at the house at White Cove, where together with her mother, Magdalena, and little daughter Janey she hopes to make a new start. The house has been empty for some years and there is an element, not just of neglect but also a sense that the house is guarding its secrets close. This is made all the more apparent by the mysterious atmosphere which surrounds the house and grounds.

Perfectly describing the way of life in the mid-nineteen fifties both Magda and Mila seem to be escaping their past and with a brooding sense of waiting for something to happen the story starts to explore the history of the house and the lure of local folklore which is so very important in this isolated Cornish valley.

I read The White Hare over the space of a couple of afternoons as I really couldn't put the book down as I wanted to know more about the mysterious house at White Cove, who is very much a character in its own right. There is definitely a sinister atmosphere to the story which is maintained by ghostly visions of a mysterious white hare which seems to portent some sense of doom, but there is also a cast of quirky characters who each bring their own very distinct personalities into the story. I really enjoyed how local history, folklore and legend was woven into the story and whilst there is a distinctly gothic edge there is also a really wonderful historical twist and like a cleverly woven tapestry all the pieces of this complex puzzle start to pull together.

The White Hare had everything I love in an historical novel - an intriguing plot and wonderful characters who took me by the hand into their hidden corner of Cornwall. Redolent with the pungent scents of bluebells and wild garlic I entered into a story which is rich with a powerful mix of folklore, superstition, fantasy and magic. 

🍷Best Read with... a couple of Bella's scones, oozing with jam and cream

About the Author

Jane Johnson is a British novelist and publisher. She is the UK editor for George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb and Dean Koontz and was for many years publisher of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Married to a Berber chef she met while researching The Tenth Gift, she lives in Mousehole, Cornwall, and Morocco.

Twitter @JaneJohnsonBaKr #TheWhiteHare

@HoZ_Books

@RandomTTours

📖 Blog Tour ~ The Hidden Child by Louise Fein

 

Head of Zeus

My thanks to the publisher for the invitation to this blog tour

Londoners Eleanor and Edward Hamilton have wealth, status, and a happy marriage—but the 1929 financial crash is looming, and they’re harboring a terrible, shameful secret. How far are they willing to go to protect their charmed life—even if it means abandoning their child to a horrific fate?

Eleanor Hamilton is happily married and mother to a beautiful four-year-old girl, Mabel. Her wealthy husband, Edward, a celebrated war hero, is a leading light in the burgeoning Eugenics movement—the very ideas that will soon be embraced by Hitler—and is increasingly important in designing education policy for Great Britain.

But when Edward and Eleanor’s otherwise perfectly healthy daughter develops debilitating epileptic seizures, their world fractures. Mabel’s shameful illness must be hidden or Edward’s life’s work will be in jeopardy and the family’s honor will be shattered.

When Eleanor discovers Edward has been keeping secrets, she calls into question everything she believed about genetic inferiority, and her previous unshakeable faith in her husband disintegrates. Alarmed, distressed, and no longer able to bear the family’s burden, she takes matters into her own hands.

On Today's Blog Tour Stop I am delighted to have an exclusive guest post from the author

Here are Louise's writing tips

It is very easy when writing a first draft to feel what you are putting on the page is never in a million years going to match up to the books you read, admire, and aspire to write. Try to remember that all those beautiful books were once rough first drafts that possibly bore little resemblance to the finished product. Every book goes through multiple drafts, and has input from many people, from beta-readers to agents and editors. It really does take a small village to produce a book!

Related to that, I would also say, don’t try to fix everything in the first draft, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes and experiment. Subsequent drafts are for layering, improving, adding and deleting. Even if you are a planner, when writing the book it is fine to go ‘off plan’. Sometimes this can lead to great things! When writing The Hidden Child, I never planned to include epilepsy itself as a character. One day I just had the feeling this could work, and I decided to write a section as ‘him’. That character has indeed remained a part of the book. Sometimes it doesn’t work. I tried originally to write from a very young child’s point of view but getting into the head of a four-year-old simply wasn’t working, and all that ended up being scrapped. Never be afraid to throw words away – cutting things out can improve the book as much, if not more so, than adding to it.

I would also advise not being in too much of a hurry. I think this is a mistake many new writers make, including me! I finished the first draft of my debut novel, which truthfully took several years to write, and was so keen to send it off to agents that I did so much too early. Of course, rejections followed. It took another two years of getting a professional editor’s report, an extensive rewrite and several more edits before I sent it out again. Only then was I successful in obtaining my agent. Never be afraid to get other opinions on your work before trying to submit it. If you can afford a professional editor to look at it that is one option, but not a necessity. An avid reading friend or two who you trust to be entirely honest is also just as valuable. Be prepared to listen to advice or thoughts about your work. It can always be improved, but not every opinion from others may be correct. You should trust your own judgement as to whether you think they have a point or not.

Finally, do remember to be proud of all your achievements along the way, however small and insignificant they may seem. Our brains are programmed to keep moving the goalposts and what once would have seemed an impossible dream can, once it’s been achieved, feel suddenly like not an achievement at all.

Remind yourself of where you were, and where you are now, and be sure to celebrate all the steps in between.

About the Author

Louise writes twentieth century historical fiction, based around unheard voices, or from unusual perspectives.Louise lives in Surrey with her husband, children, two naughty cats and small dog Bonnie, who is the best writing companion she could ask for. Always at her side when she writes and listens most patiently when Louise needs to talk through a tricky plot problem. She is currently working on her third novel.

Twitter @FeinLouise #TheHiddenChild

@HOZ_Books

@gray_books

📖 Blog Tour ~ The Patient by Tim Sullivan

Head of Zeus
Aries Fiction
3 March 2022

DS Cross Mysteries #3

My thanks to the publishers and Midas PR for my copy of this book
and the invitation to the blog tour

DS George Cross can be rude, difficult, and awkward with people. But his unfailing logic and dogged pursuit of the truth means his conviction rate is the best on the force. An outsider himself, having been diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder, DS Cross is especially drawn to cases concerning the voiceless and the dispossessed.

Now, Cross is untangling the truth about a young woman who died three days ago. With no fingerprints, no weapon and no witnesses, the Bristol Crime Unit are ready to close the case. The coroner rules suicide: the woman had a long history of drug abuse. But her mother is convinced it was murder: her daughter has been clean and sober for over two years.

DS Cross is determined to defy his bosses and re-open the case, even if it costs him his career. Soon he is mired in a labyrinth of potential suspects – but can he solve the case before his superiors shut it down for good?

📖 My Review...

The Patient is the third book in the DS Cross series of thrillers and whilst I hadn't read the two previous books in the series I found this current story easy to pick up and soon became immersed in the world where Bristol Detective DS George Cross operates with such good intent. To say that he is something of  a maverick is what makes his character so compelling and in this shady crime world rather more believable.

The story starts with the investigation into the death of a young woman who seems to have taken her own life and yet her mother is convinced that there is more to her daughter's death and is determined to seek the truth. DS Cross is also doggedly determined to uncover the truth and, in his own inimitable style, he leaves no clue unchallenged in his quest for justice.

The story moves along at a quick pace, I enjoyed the short snappy chapters and the way that alongside DS Cross we become caught up in this complex investigation. The author has created a fine detective in DS Cross, I loved George's character from the beginning and whilst his awkwardness is endearing and made me smile, it also brings into focus the sharpness of his intellect and his determined ability to sift through the hidden aspects of this case with a fine eye for even the smallest detail. 

Whilst at the start I mentioned that I enjoyed the book without prior knowledge of the previous two stories, it is now my intention to go back to book one to watch the build up of DS Cross' character and the  fascinating way in which the author brings him to life.

📖 Best read with...cups of tea and sweet cake

About the author

Tim Sullivan is an critically acclaimed TV and film screenwriter whose credits include Jack and Sarah, My Little Pony: A New Generation, Letters to Juliet and Cold Feet, masterfully writes his characters’ idiosyncrasies and keeps readers guessing with this addictive new crime thriller. Tim Sullivan is a self-publishing phenomenon whose bestselling titles The Dentist and The Cyclist were downloaded over 200,000 times before moving to Head of Zeus.

Perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Colin Dexter and Andrea Camilleri, The Patient is the third instalment in the DS Cross series.

Twitter @TimJRSullivan #ThePatient

Website

@AriesFiction

@midaspr

Blog Tour ~ Sapphire by Heather Burnside

 

Head of Zeus
6 January 2022

Thanks to Head of Zeus for my copy of the book
and the invitation to the blog tour

Two sisters alone

Sophie and Kelsey have always had each other. When their mum is diagnosed with cancer and their dad fails to step up, they're forced to move into the care system. But Sophie knows they'll be okay as long as she's there to protect her sister.

One final chance

But when Kelsey is found a foster family and Sophie can't join her, Sophie's left in an unsafe situation in the home, forced to do things against her will. Finding her own foster family feels like a relief, but it's short lived when her trust in her new foster parents is betrayed.

No going back

With nowhere to turn, Sophie finds herself homeless. But when she finds her new street family, Sophie joins the working girls and her new identity as Sapphire is complete. It's a hard life working the streets, especially when those around her look to take advantage, but can the dream of one day finding Kelsey keep her going?

My Review ..

Sophie and her younger sister, Kelsey, are placed in care following the untimely death of their mother. Life in this Manchester children's home is far from easy and unfortunately it's made more unbearable when Kelsey is soon placed with a foster family, and Sophie is not. Staying on in the children's home opens Sophie's life up to even more betrayal which doesn't ease even when she is placed with a foster family of her own. 

This is now the fifth book in the Working Girls series of urban crime novels which are set in the mean and moody streets of Manchester and as such follows a similar northern theme. The author writes with such conviction that the area, and it's people, the good, the very bad and the seemingly indifferent, soon start to bounce into life. The inherent hardship, and danger, of living life on the streets is convincingly described, and there's a gritty authenticity to the writing which doesn't pull any punches, describing, with harrowing efficiency, the dangers of life for those who find themselves homeless and alone.

All through reading Sapphire I felt that the system failed Sophie, her life was blighted by a downward spiral into drugs, prostitution and violent abuse. The story doesn't always make for easy reading but throughout the adversity Sophie, or Sapphire, as she becomes known as a working girl, shows a tenacity and strength of will even when everything transpires against her.

Whilst Sapphire can be read, and enjoyed, as a standalone story, it does sort of make more sense to read the series from the beginning as that way you will become accustomed to the characters and the way the author, herself a Mancunian, brings the city, with all its many undercurrents, sharply into focus.

About the Author

Heather Burnside spent her teenage years on one of the toughest estates in Manchester and she draws heavily on this background as the setting for many of her novels. After taking a career break to raise two children Heather enrolled on a creative writing course. Heather now works full-time on her novels from her home in Manchester, which she shares with her two grown-up children.

Twitter @heatherbwriter #Sapphire

@AriesFiction

Facebook

Website

Buy Link

📖 Blog Tour ~ The Man on Hackpen Hill by J S Monroe

Delighted to host a stop on today's Blog Tour stop

Head of Zeus
2 September 2021

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

It isn't unusual for crop circles to appear overnight on Hackpen Hill. In this part of Wiltshire, where golden wheat fields stretch for miles, the locals have got used to discovering strange mathematical patterns stamped into the earth. But this time, it's different. Not only because this particular design of dramatic spiralling hexagons has never been seen before. But because of the dead body positioned precisely in the centre of the circle. DI Silas Hart of Swindon Police, is at a loss. Only Jim, a scientist at secretive government laboratory Porton Down, knows the chilling truth about the man on Hackpen Hill. And he wants Bella, a trainee journalist on her first ever story, to tell the world. But Silas has other ideas – and a boss intent on a cover up.

As Bella and Jim race against time, dark forces conspire against them, leading them to confront the reality of their own past and a world in which nothing is as it seems. An original, intelligent and twisty thriller set in rural Wiltshire. Can DI Silas Hart uncover the chilling truth before it's too late?

📖 My Thoughts..

Crop circles are in themselves a conundrum but when dead bodies start appearing in the centre of some remarkably complex circles, the search is on, not just to find out who is behind these heinous acts of violence but also to discover the meaning behind the intricate crop designs. DI Silas Hart of the Swindon police force is as perplexed by the crop circle designs as he is by the modus operandi of the perpetrator but he and his investigative team are determined to uncover the truth, even if means disturbing some of the more secretive activity which is going at at the government research facility at nearby Porton Down.

The story is understandably complex with some fascinating theories behind the manipulation of crop circles by those who want to leave specific messages, I found I had to concentrate on getting this information clear in my head before I could go onto the next part of the story. Running alongside the murder instigation is the added benefit of meeting Bella, a young Oxford graduate who is currently on her first assignment as a junior reporter, she desperately wants to make her mark on the world of investigative journalism but as the story progresses we realise that there is far more to Bella's fragile state of mind than we first expected.

Multi-layered and deeply complex, The Man on Hackpen Hill is a crime thriller which feels entirely original, and whilst rather dark in places, it definitely kept my attention, from the impact of its disturbing opening chapter, through to the final denouement, which was every bit as complex as the mystery at its core.

About the Author

J.S. Monroe read English at Cambridge, worked as a foreign correspondent in Delhi, and was Weekend editor of the Daily Telegraph in London before becoming a full-time writer. His psychological thriller Find Me became a bestseller in 2017, and, under the name Jon Stock, he is also the author of five spy thrillers. He lives in Wiltshire, with his wife and children.

Twitter @JSThrillers #TheManOnHackpenHill

Website

@HoZ_Books

 

📖 Book Review ~ The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

Head of Zeus
May 2021

The Wolf Den Trilogy #1

Sold by her mother. Enslaved in Pompeii's brothel. Determined to survive. Her name is Amara.

 Welcome to the Wolf Den...

Amara was once a beloved daughter, until her father's death plunged her family into penury. Now she is a slave in Pompeii's infamous brothel, owned by a man she despises. Sharp, clever and resourceful, Amara is forced to hide her talents. For as a she-wolf, her only value lies in the desire she can stir in others.

But Amara's spirit is far from broken.

By day, she walks the streets with her fellow she-wolves, finding comfort in the laughter and dreams they share. For the streets of Pompeii are alive with opportunity. Out here, even the lowest slave can secure a reversal in fortune. Amara has learnt that everything in this city has its price. But how much is her freedom going to cost her?

Set in Pompeii's lupanar, The Wolf Den re-imagines the lives of women who have long been overlooked.

📖 My Thoughts..

Any story which brings to attention the lives of the forgotten women of history is to be applauded and The Wolf Den shines a much deserved light on the lives of the prostitutes who were used, and so often abused, in the wolf dens of the ancient world. Set in Pompeii, five years before its  destruction by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, The Wolf Den takes us deep into the heart of the lupanar and into the re-imagined lives of the she-wolves who once lived there.

When her family fall on hard times, Amara is sold into slavery but rather than become just another victim, Amara is determined to gain her freedom even though life with an avaricious brothel keeper in Pompeii's notorious lupanar is both difficult and fraught with danger. Women employed as prostitutes have no say in what happens to them, nor do they have the luxury of turning down custom so, for them, freedom seems an impossible dream. However, rising above the harsh reality of their lives, is a group of strong and determined women who form a bond of sisterhood, which is, in itself, empowering. There's humour in the novel and also the usual bitchiness which can invariably happen when a group of women live together but there's also a feeling of camaraderie and a sense of belonging even when their lives are shown in emotional detail.

Combining historical fact with fiction, the story brings alive the casual violence of this ancient world. The dark and gloomy atmosphere of the lupanar, from the spluttering lights of smelly candles, the individual rooms which offered no privacy, to the pornographic graffiti on the walls and the erotic paintings which advertise their trade all highlight the harsh reality of the life of a she-wolf in the wolf dens of AD74 Pompeii.

The Wolf Den is a well written, fascinating and finely detailed, character driven novel, which certainly gets the trilogy off to a really good start. 

About the Author

Elodie Harper is a journalist and prize winning short story writer. Her story 'Wild Swimming' won the 2016 Bazaar of Bad Dreams short story competition, run by The Guardian and Hodder & Stoughton and judged by Stephen King.

The House with the Golden Door, Book #2 in The Wolf Den trilogy is due to be published in 2022.

Twitter @ElodieITV

@HoZ_Books

📖 Paperback Publication Day ~ Ruthless Women by Melanie Blake

Happy Paperback Publication Day

Head of Zeus
8 July 2021

My thanks to the publishers and Midas PR for my copy of this book

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER OVER 100,OOO COPIES SOLD THE SURPRISE COMMERCIAL HIT OF 2021 PERFECT FOR SUMMER READING

Inspired by 20 years’ experience representing the best of Britain’s female TV stars, Melanie Blake’s Sunday Times Bestseller Ruthless Women takes readers on a wild ride behind the scenes of beloved TV drama Falcon Bay, beamed globally to millions three days a week from its picturesque location in the Channel Islands. But even in this beautiful coastal spot, tensions swirl. 

Once one of the world's most popular soap operas, but now with ratings and syndication at an all-time low, the production has been sold to an American businesswoman, beautiful and malevolent Madeline Kane, the new network owner who arrives on the tiny island just off Jersey, determined to do whatever it takes to get the show back to number one. Writer Farrah, star Catherine and producer Amanda are the driven, ambitious women who keep the show on the road. But Farrah is losing episodes to the network's lead male rival, Catherine is terrified of the public falling out of love with her and Amanda's evil husband Jake, vice president of the network, is plotting to get his own wife kicked off the show. 

As the dawn of a new era begins, cast and crew turn against each other with loyalty, decency, and trust, replaced by scandal, betrayal, and an outrageous ambition to survive. In a true battle of the sexes, these women will do anything to stay on top. But can they team up to bring down their male rivals? Or will jealousy, betrayal and revenge tear their long-held friendships apart? One thing Is for certain, only the most ruthless woman will survive... 

📖 My thoughts..

I reviewed this book last year and absolutely loved it! I'm pleased to repost my review on Paperback Publication Day - have you got your copy yet?

Serial drama, Falcon Bay was once riding high in the TV ratings with its main stars regularly receiving prestigious awards but times have changed and a succession of new owners have seen the show plunge dramatically in the global ratings. With a new network owner, Falcon Bay, is once again the centre of controversy, and with a special anniversary looming the hunt is on for an explosive story line which will fire the imagination of the viewing public.

The cut-throat world of television is laid bare to scrutiny, and as we hover like flies on the wall we are privy to all the back room shenanigans in which careers are made and broken. However, we know that difficult times call for difficult measures and only the tough and ruthless are going to survive, and for writer and director, Farrah Adams, soap star, Catherine Belle, executive producer, Amanda King and Head of Casting, Helen Gold, life is about to get very complicated indeed. 

Ruthless Women is a sexy and sassy romp through the vagaries of TV production. All those added extra little titbits, which the author shares with such glee, are what make this such an entertaining read. I read the book in one sitting on a cold and grey day and was instantly transported to the beautiful Channel Island setting of Falcon Bay and became lost in the ruthless TV world which has been so passionately recreated. 

Ruthless Women made me laugh out loud in places, whilst at other times I was amazed by all the bitchiness that went on behind closed doors. The level of bed hopping reminded me of those glorious bonkbusters I devoured in the 1980s but in Ruthless Women this has all been brought marvellously up to date by an author who knows this industry like the back of her well manicured hand. The final denouement, when it comes, is every bit as good as I wanted it to be, deliciously different, and genuinely edge of seat stuff. I can’t wait to see what this talented writer will give us next time.

About the Author

At 15 Melanie Blake dreamed of being a writer, but was told by her English teacher that the only thing she’d ever write were labels for factory boxes. Severely dyslexic, and desperate to escape a childhood of poverty and religious extremism in Stockport, she left school with no qualifications and ran away from home. Against all odds, Melanie managed to blag her way onto the lowest rung of the showbiz ladders, working as an extra on Emmerdale, Coronation Street and Eastenders and a camera assistant on Top Of The Pops. It was during this time that she got her first big break aged 21, when soap icon Claire King chose Melanie to be her agent. Her agency was an immediate success, and she would go on to represent the likes of Patsy Kensit, Michelle Collins, Stephanie Beacham, Emily Lloyd, Denise Welch, Jennie McAlpine, Laila Morse, Daniella Westbrook, Amanda Barrie, Gillian Taylforth and Nadia Sawalha; earning herself the tag ‘Queen of Soaps’. 

Melanie wrote her first book The Thunder Girls when she was working in the music industry as a young woman. She was told no one wanted to read a book about middle aged female singers on a comeback tour and so it wasn’t until 2019, twenty years after she first put pen to paper, that The Thunder Girls was finally published by Pan Macmillan, becoming an Amazon number one bestseller. She adapted it for the stage herself and it went on to break box office records for a new work at the prestigious Lowry Theatre. Her second novel, Ruthless Women has been an even bigger success, going straight into the Sunday Times hardback fiction chart at number four, staying in the top ten for a month, and also charting in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as foreign language translation rights being picked up by Russia, Romania and Hungary; meaning Melanie Blake is going global. 

Ruthless Women is inspired by Melanie’s behind-the-scenes knowledge of British soap operas. In the UK alone, over 25 million people a week currently tune in to watch the very stars Melanie represents in their globally syndicated shows. They say write about what you know, and in Ruthless Women, Melanie certainly has. Melanie still represents a high-profile stable of some of the best-known faces on British television but is also now enjoying success in her own right as a columnist, producer, author and playwright. 

Website

Twitter @MelanieBlakeUK #RuthlessWomen

@HoZ_Books

@midaspr

 

📖 Blog Tour ~ Ruthless Women by Melanie Blake

 

📖  Delighted to host today's blog tour stop 📖

Head of Zeus
18 February 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my ecopy of this book
and the invitation to the blog tour

Ruthless Women takes readers on a wild ride behind the scenes of beloved TV drama Falcon Bay, beamed globally to millions three days a week from its picturesque location in the Channel Islands. But even in this beautiful coastal spot, tensions swirl. Once one of the world's most popular soap operas, but now with ratings and syndication at an all-time low, the production has been sold to an American business woman, beautiful and malevolent Madeline Kane, the new network owner who arrives on the tiny island just off Jersey, determined to do whatever it takes to get the show back to number one.

Writer Farrah, star Catherine and producer Amanda are the driven, ambitious women who keep the show on the road. But Farrah is losing episodes to the network's lead male rival, Catherine is terrified of the public falling out of love with her and Amanda's evil husband Jake, vice president of the network, is plotting to get his own wife kicked off the show.

As the dawn of a new era begins, cast and crew turn against each other with loyalty, decency, and trust, replaced by scandal, betrayal, and an outrageous ambition to survive.

In a true battle of the sexes, these women will do anything to stay on top. But can they team up to bring down their male rivals? Or will jealousy, betrayal and revenge tear their long held friendships apart?

As the story reaches a climax so shocking readers will be talking about it for decades, one thing is certain: only the most ruthless woman will survive...

 📖 My thoughts..

Serial drama, Falcon Bay was once riding high in the TV ratings with its main stars regularly receiving prestigious awards but times have changed and a succession of new owners have seen the show plunge dramatically in the global ratings. With a new network owner, Falcon Bay, is once again the centre of controversy, and with a special anniversary looming the hunt is on for an explosive story line which will fire the imagination of the viewing public.

The cut-throat world of television is laid bare to scrutiny, and as we hover like flies on the wall we are privy to all the back room shenanigans in which careers are made and broken. However, we know that difficult times call for difficult measures and only the tough and ruthless are going to survive, and for writer and director, Farrah Adams, soap star, Catherine Belle, executive producer, Amanda King and Head of Casting, Helen Gold, life is about to get very complicated indeed. 

Ruthless Women is a sexy and sassy romp through the vagaries of TV production. All those added extra little titbits, which the author shares with such glee, are what make this such an entertaining read. I read the book in one sitting on a cold and grey day and was instantly transported to the beautiful Channel Island setting of Falcon Bay and became lost in the ruthless TV world which has been so passionately recreated. 

Ruthless Women made me laugh out loud in places, whilst at other times I was amazed by all the bitchiness that went on behind closed doors. The level of bed hopping reminded me of those glorious bonkbusters I devoured in the 1980s but in Ruthless Women this has all been brought marvellously up to date by an author who knows this industry like the back of her well manicured hand. The final denouement, when it comes, is every bit as good as I wanted it to be, deliciously different, and genuinely edge of seat stuff. I can’t wait to see what this talented writer will give us next time.

Ruthless Women is published by Head of Zeus on the 18 February and will available to buy from all good book retailers.

About the Author

As one as the UK’s most successful agents, managers and publicists for music stars and TV actresses, Melanie Blake has represented some of the most famous faces on British television and international screens.

Where her debut novel, the No. 1 bestseller The Thunder Girls, was inspired by the early years of her career spent working in the music industry, her follow up novel Ruthless Women is heavily influenced by the last 15 years Melanie has spent representing more female actresses than any other agent in her genre. Her clients have included Patsy Kensit, Beverley Callard, Michelle Collins, Stephanie Beacham, Emily Lloyd, Denise Welch, Jennie McAlpine, Claire King, Gaynor Faye, Laila Morse, Danniella Westbrook, Sherrie Hewson, Amanda Barrie, Gillian Taylforth and Nadia Sawalha, to name just a few. Nicknamed The Queen Of Soaps, there is no one better placed to write a novel based around a continuing drama and its leading ladies.

Website

Twitter @MelanieBlakeUK 

@HOZ_Books

Follow the blog tour #RuthlessWomen

📖 Book Review ~ Double Deceit by Julienne Brouwers

  

Aria/Head of Zeus
JB Publishing
23 November 2020

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

Jennifer Smits is a young mother, married to a hotshot lawyer and living in Amsterdam. Her world explodes when her husband is found dead at a holiday park during a weekend getaway. Convinced that the police have failed in their investigation, she embarks on a desperate quest for the truth - but the deeper she digs, the more she gets enmeshed in a tangled web of lies, spun by a ruthless law firm.

As Jennifer's search for answers intensifies, her grip on reality weakens. Barely able to manage her patients at the health clinic, or take care of her young son, Jennifer is at risk of losing it all – even her closest friends begin to desert her. And then a chance encounter with a charming stranger sparks a new chain of events that plunges her deeper into a world of threats and corruption. Soon, she begins to fear for her life - but who can she trust, and how far will she go in pursuit of the truth?

This is a gripping, addictive thriller that will make you question everything, including the flaws of forensics. Could we all be framed for a murder we didn’t commit?

📖 My thoughts..

Jennifer Smits and her husband have escaped from the stress of work for a family weekend however, this idyllic break is spoiled when the couple have a petty argument. When her husband doesn’t return from a walk, Jennifer begins to get alarmed and her fears come true when her husband’s body is found in suspicious circumstances. Struggling with grief, Jennifer is convinced that her husband’s death is no accident and with very little help from the police she sets out to discover for herself, more about her husband’s enemies, and why they might wish to do him harm.

The story moves along quickly and the author has done a great job of maintaining the tension whilst allowing the characters the liberty of acting in a fairly unconventional way. There were times when I had to suspend belief and wondered if Jennifer would really act in that way, but hey, this is fiction and within the context of the story it works well. I grew to like Jennifer’s tenaciousness, she is thwarted at every turn and yet is determined to get justice for her husband but at what cost to herself in the process.

Double Deceit is a well written and thought provoking murder/mystery which has enough elements of surprise to keep you guessing until the end of the story.

📖 About the Author 📖

Julienne Brouwers worked as a pharmaceutical scientist and medical physicist before becoming a writer. She lives in the Netherlands, with her husband and three children, where she has published two successful thrillers, and lived in the UK and US for a total of four years.

Twitter @JulienneAuthor #DoubleDeceit

@HOZ_Books @Aria_Fiction

His Fic Saturday Blog Tour ~ People of Abandoned Character by Clare Whitfield

 

On Hist Fic Saturday I am pleased to host today's final stop on this Blog Tour

Let's go back to...1888

Head of Zeus
1 October 2020

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and the invitation to be part of this blog tour

He is my husband.

To honour and obey.

Until murder do us part.

London, 1888: Susannah rushes into marriage to a young and wealthy surgeon. After a passionate honeymoon, she returns home with her new husband wrapped around her little finger. But then everything changes. His behaviour becomes increasingly volatile and violent. He stays out all night, returning home bloodied and full of secrets.

Lonely and frustrated, Susannah starts following the gruesome reports of a spate of murders in Whitechapel. But as the killings continue, her mind takes her down the darkest path imaginable. Every time her husband stays out late, another victim is found dead.

Is it coincidence? Or is he the man they call Jack the Ripper?

What did I think about it..

'Oh, what a tangled web we weave' springs to mind in this engrossing novel which opens up the dark and rather moody streets of Victorian London in a story which had me, quite literally, on the edge of my seat.

Susannah Chapman is a respected nurse at the London Hospital but seeking an escape she accepts a proposal of marriage from, Thomas Lancaster, a handsome surgeon, five years her junior. At first, the marriage is passionate but on their return from honeymoon, the relationship takes on a very sinister edge, and Susannah finds, to her cost, that the charismatic young doctor she married, is a very different character in his home surroundings.

Beautifully written with a genuine sense of being at one with the characters, I couldn't help but follow in Susannah's footsteps as she tried to discover what type of life her husband was leading and just what caused him to return home in the early hours of the morning covered in blood that, most certainly, wasn't always his own.

So many fictional stories have been based round the nightmare time of Jack the Ripper, when the Whitechapel district of Victorian London lived in terror, and this novel certainly depicts the fear and shadowy darkness which shrouded the area like a malevolent fog. Susannah's fears that her husband lives in a shadowy twilight world is expertly explored, as is the downward spiral into madness which is so beautifully descried that the airs stood up on the back of my neck, filled with trepidation of what was going to happen next.

People of Abandoned Character is an exciting debut novel that you simply can't put down. I wanted to read it at every opportunity even though I was apprehensive of what the plot would throw up next. I enjoyed piecing together all the pieces of the puzzle, never quite knowing where the story would go next or what secrets would be revealed in both Susannah and Doctor Lancaster's eventful life together.

About the Author

Clare Whitfield is a UK-based writer living in a suburb where the main cultural landmark is a home store/Starbucks combo. Clare nurtures an obsession with female characters that are as much villain as hero, and enjoys lurking in the blurry landscape between perception and reality. She is the wife of a tattoo artist, mother of a small benign dictator and relies on her dog for emotional stability. Previously Clare has been a dancer, copywriter, amateur fire breather, buyer and a mediocre weightlifter. People of Abandoned Character is her first novel. 

Twitter (@whitfield_riley)

Instagram (@clarerileywhitfield

@midaspr

@HeadofZeus

Blog Tour ~The Englishman by David Gilman ☼

Delighted to be part of this Blog Tour today 

and to be sharing a tantalising extract from the book 

Head of Zeus
9 July 2020
Raglan#1

My thanks to the publishers for permission to use this extract today
and Midas PR for the invitation to be part of the blog tour

Prologue

Russian Federation

October 2020

The road was long and straight, and the dark forest pressed on to the verge on both sides. Heaped snow, ploughed from the previous winter, was still frozen and had become an even higher bank from the fresh snowfall. He lengthened his stride and ran faster towards the rising sun.

He dared not stop.

The sun had reached the top of the trees either side of the chill, sunless gulley of a road. His laboured breathing muted the sound of the first vehicle. Instinct made him turn. Another vehicle was travelling behind that, its headlights weaving. There were probably twenty men in pursuit.

He leapt over the snow ledge on the side of the road and ducked beneath the overhanging branches. A slender track channelled between the accumulated snow and ice on the side of the road and where the tree trunks barred his way into the forest. He heard the engines change pitch.

They were slowing. He ran; branches caught his face and he raised an arm. A rattle of gunfire cut the air above his head.

He cursed his own stupidity. By brushing the branches away from his face he had disturbed the snow lying on them and the fine powder left low on the tree had been seen. He kept running, ducking lower, avoiding the branches. The thwack of bullets hit the trees where he had been moments before. They were shooting wildly. Ripping through the air. A storm of tree bark and snow.

His breath came hard. The cold air raw in his lungs And then he ran out of track. He plunged into the low branches. Felt them them whip his face. Searing pain scorched his thigh. He stumbled as another bullet tore into his side. Ignoring the pain he ran on. He was leaking blood. Leaving a trail. The distant sound of dogs echoing through the forest. His foot caught a root, tumbling him into deep snow. He slammed into a tree, the wind knocked out of him. He needed a moment to draw breath. He shook the pain and the sweat from his eyes. He could hear them now. Voices calling to each other. Fearful. Of him. He dared to close his eyes for a moment. More gunfire. And he remembered what had brought him here.

PA R T  O N E

WEST AFRICA

French Foreign Legion Operating Base

Republic of Mali

February 2013

The temperature was already nudging fifty degrees Celsius and as well as their combat gear and weapons each man carried in excess of thirty kilos of supplies and ammunition.

Their destination was the harsh mountainous terrain where Salafist Tuaregs and Al Qaeda ethnic militias had surged across the border from Algeria. These tribal fighting men knew their ground and it was up to the elite 2e Régiment étranger de parachutistes to dig them out and stop the Islamic militants’ advance.

United Nations Resolution 2085 had backed France’s military intervention in the French protectorate of the West African country of Mali, a landlocked area the size of Texas.The world had applauded when the French and Chadian army liberated Timbuktu, but more brutal fighting was soon to take place hundreds of miles away in the desolate Ametettaï valley, in the heart of the mountainous massif of Adrar des Ifoghas in northern Mali, on the border wit hAlgeria. It was an area controlled by criminals, terrorists and warlords, men who trafficked arms and drugs with brutal efficiency to fund anti-western organizations. The combined ground and air operation to clear the villages in the valley and the nearby caves already promised to be a tough fight. French Special Operations Forces had flown several hundred kilometres from their base in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and seized Kidal prior to the assault on the mountains. The President of France and his politicians wanted this fight, the boots on the ground were happy to oblige. France’s honour was at stake.

Caporal-chef Serge Sokol ushered his sniper platoon into the Puma helicopter’s oven-hot interior from where he and the other eleven men would fast rope down once they reached their landing zone. A month before, when they had parachuted into Timbuktu and secured it from the terrorists, they had had the upper hand, but the rough terrain of boulder-strewn ground here favoured the defenders. Limited access towards the caves funnelled troops into narrow choke points. Easy targets for ambush.

The snipers were going in by helicopter and would then slog across the broken ground and establish their own fire positions. Their long-range rifles would give the attacking legionnaires a better chance of advancing.

‘Bird!’ a voice hailed Sokol.

The Russian’s face, lined from twenty years’ service in every eye-squinting theatre of war that Africa could throw at the Legion, creased further into a grin. In the Slovak language, Sokol was a bird of prey – his new identity given to him by the recruiting captain at the barracks in Marseilles on the day he had joined. The immaculately dressed Foreign Legion officer told the gangly, unkempt and malnourished youth that it suited his hawk-nosed face. And that if he survived the weeks of training and made it through to the Legion’s parachute regiment the captain would pay for a falcon tattoo out of his own pocket. It wasthe first sign of comradeship the runaway youth had ever known and it spurred him on. And now there were so many falcon tattoos across his muscled torso his skin looked like a damned aviary.

Sokol’s close friend, Dan Raglan from the Legion’sparachute commando group, jogged towards him. Sokolcupped a hand to his ear against the Puma’s roar as Danshouted: ‘The target’s moved. He’s in another cave.’

The caves were refuge to Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, commander of Al Qaedain Mali and the 2nd Foreign Legion Parachute Regiment’s target. Their task: to capture Abou Zeid alive and retrieve terrorist intel hidden in the caves. Sokol grimaced. Last-minute changes could cost lives. The briefing had been precise. As the Legion’s paras fought forward the regiment’s commando unit would abseil down from the clifftops and strike into the caves that held the terrorists and their leader. ‘Moved where?’

The commando shoved a folded map into the Russian’s hand and traced a line across the contours on the map. ‘Here. Cave Thirteen.’ He grinned. ‘You think that’s unlucky?’

‘Only to idiots like you who expose their arses sliding down a cliff face on a rope. Who’s made the change?’

The younger man turned to face the cluster of officers standing in the background with two civilians. One civilian wore an eye patch that barely concealed the welt of a scar.

About the Author

David Gilman enjoyed many careers – including firefighter, paratrooper and photographer – before turning to writing full time. He is an award-winning author and screenwriter

Website

Twitter @davidgilmanuk #TheEnglishman

@HoZ_Books @midaspr 

Blog Tour ~ The Other You by J S Monroe

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be part of this blog tour

Head of Zeus
9 January 2020

My thanks to the publishers and Midas PR for my copy of this book
and the invitation to be part of the blog tour

Kate used to be good at recognising people. So good, she worked for the police as a Super Recogniser, identifying criminals in crowds of thousands. But six months ago, a devastating car accident led to a brain injury. Now the woman who never forgot a face can barely recognise herself in the mirror.

At least she has Rob. Kate met him just after her accident, and he nursed her back to health, in his high-tech, modernist house on the Cornish coast. When she’s with him, the nightmares of the accident fade, and she feels safe and loved.

Until, one day, Kate looks at Rob anew. And knows, with absolute certainty, that the man before her has been replaced by an impostor. A doppelgänger. Is she right? Have her old recognition skills returned? Or is it all in her damaged mind?

Gripping, emotive, original and complex, The Other You is a psychological thriller that explores memory and identity, paranoia and pretence – and asks whether we ever truly know the people we love.

What did I think about it..

After a devastating car accident, Kate struggles to put the pieces of her life back togther, but she does so safe in the knowledge that her boyfriend Rob is going to be there for her and has her best interests at heart. Living in Rob's beautiful hi-tech house on the Cornish coast gives Kate the opportunity to rebuild her life, however, all is not well in this Cornish paradise and when some odd things starts to happen, Kate starts to look again at her relationship with Rob.

What then follows is a clever psychological suspense story that looks at the issues of trust and deception and which follows the trajectory of Kate's life very closely especially as she tries to understand a series of bewildering turn of events which threaten her safety. The story moves along at a cracking pace and I was soon gripped by what was happening in Kate's life. Her unique skill as a Super Recogniser, which is the ability to recognise individual facial characteristics from hundreds of random faces, is an absolutely fascinating concept, and the author works this, very cleverly, into the narrative.

The Other You is a fast action and pacy psychological suspense story which had me on the edge of my seat. I had no idea where the story was heading which makes the final denouement, when it comes, all the more terrifying.

About the Author

J.S. Monroe read English at Cambridge, worked as a foreign correspondent in Delhi, and was Weekend editor of the Daily Telegraph in London before becoming a full-time writer. His psychological thriller Find Me became a bestseller in 2017, and, under the name Jon Stock, he is also the author of five spy thrillers. He lives in Wiltshire, with his wife and children.

Website

Twitter @JSThrillers #TheOtherYou

@HoZ_Books

@midaspr