📖 Book of My Month ~ The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

 

Mantle Books
10 July 2025

Thanks to the publisher for the invitation to read this book

Following the murder of her husband in what looks like a violent street robbery, Hannah Cole is struggling to keep her head above water. Her confectionary shop on Piccadilly is barely turning a profit, her suppliers conspiring to put her out of business because they don’t like women in trade. Henry Fielding, the famous author-turned-magistrate, is threatening to confiscate the money in her husband’s bank account because he believes it might have been illicitly acquired. And even those who claim to be Hannah’s friends have darker intent.

Only William Devereux seems different. A friend of her late husband, Devereux helps Hannah unravel some of the mysteries surrounding his death. He also tells her about an Italian delicacy called iced cream, an innovation she is convinced will transform the fortunes of her shop. But their friendship opens Hannah to speculation and gossip and draws Henry Fielding’s attention her way, locking her into a battle of wits more devastating than anything she can imagine.

📖 My Review..

Struggling to keep her luxury confectionery business viable after the untimely death of her husband, Hannah Cole welcomes the arrival of William Devereux, a lively and generous friend of her late husband’s. Hannah soon comes to rely on Devereux’s charm and expertise but more especially his idea of producing iced cream which brings in customers to the Punchbowl and Pineapple many of whom are excited to try this new delicacy, a delight which intrigues Georgian London. 

However, there is more to this clever tale than the manufacture of iced cream, although Hannah’s ingenious method of production and subsequent flavours were tantalising, the tangled web of deceit which the author weaves together so skilfully is where the real crux of the story lies.  Who do we believe in this twisted tale of greed and corruption, the grieving widow charmed by a handsome face, or a handsome charlatan with an eye for the main chance.

Gloriously written with all the skill which this talented author brings to her stories, Georgian London with all its idiosyncrasies comes to life. From the undeniable greed of the gambling hells, to clever little secrets which, if left unchecked, will fester and gain momentum, especially when Henry Fielding, Westminster’s chief magistrate, starts to investigate Hannah’s husband’s suspicious death, with dramatic consequences.

There’s so much I loved about this fascinating story which fired my imagination from the start, I loved the small details of everyday life, the suppliers who kept Hannah’s confectionery business afloat, the hackney carriages which scurried about the city and the swarming underbelly of crooks and villains. Teeming with life, rich in history, and alive with deceit and corruption The Art of a Lie is another master class in historical crime writing from an author who makes the history of ordinary people seem vivid and vital.

Pure delight from start to finish, I have no hesitation in making The Art of a Lie the Book of My Month for July.

**To be published on the 10th July by Mantle Books**

About the Author

Laura Shepherd-Robinson was born in Bristol in 1976. She has a BSc in Politics from the University of Bristol and an MSc in Political Theory from the London School of Economics. Laura worked in politics for nearly twenty years before re-entering normal life to complete an MA in Creative Writing at City University. She lives in London with her husband.

X @LauraSRobinson#TheArtOfALie

X@MantleBooks@panmacmillan

📖 Book Review~ Ostler by Susan Grossey

21 August 2023

Cambridge Hardiman Mysteries #1

My thanks to the author for my copy of this book

After the horrors of war against the forces of Napoleon and the hardships of guarding convicts in Australia, ex-soldier Gregory Hardiman is enjoying the quiet life of an ostler at a Cambridge coaching inn, with only the occasional nightmare to disturb his sleep, and memory of lost loves to disturb his waking hours. But when the inn’s cook is found drowned in the river in the spring of 1825 and his distraught widow pleads for help, Gregory finds himself caught up in the unexpectedly murky world of college life in the town. As fine wines and precious artworks disappear from St Clement’s College, he navigates uneasily between the public world of the coaching inn and the hidden life behind the high walls of the college. And when a new law requires the university to create a cadre of constables, will Gregory take on the challenge?

📖 My Review..

I’ve just spent an enjoyable few days in nineteenth century Cambridge in company with Gregory Hardiman as he goes about his work as the ostler at the Sun Hotel. This is a responsible position, tending to the horses and ensuring that coaches bound for London, and beyond, leave for their journeys on time. Ex-soldier, Hardiman is a conscientious man, consistent in his work and generous with his time and always with an obligation towards those less fortunate than himself. When the body of George Ryder, the Sun Hotel’s cook, is found in the river, Hardiman senses foul play and is determined to find out more. This investigation takes Hardiman deep into the heart of the Cambridge Colleges and to a complex mystery involving, theft, deception and murder.

Beautifully written by an author whose knowledge of Cambridge, and impeccable research, brings this nineteenth century world alive in such a way that place and people bound into life. The story wraps around you with ease and at each step of the mystery a little bit more is revealed, not just about Hardiman, who I am sure we will discover more about as the series progresses, but also about the intricacies of nineteenth century life in a bustling collegiate town. Mysteries and complexities abound, and throughout, stalwart and steadfast, Hardiman goes quietly about his business, methodical in his manner and naturally trustworthy. His easy affability draws people to him and yet there are complexities within him and secrets we have yet to discover.

Villians, rogues, pugilists and academics vie for attention as we are drawn deeper into a complicated crime mystery and a story which entertained from first page to last. I’m already looking forward to spending more time with Gregory Hardiman in future historical crime mysteries.

About the Author

Susan Grossey is the author of the successful Constable Sam Plank series of historical novels set in the early part of the nineteenth century. Ostler is the first novel in the Cambridge Hardiman Mysteries, set in Cambridge in the 1820s and narrated by a university constable called Gregory Hardiman.

Website

📖 Book Review ~ Mr Stoker and the Vampires of the Museum by Matthew Gibson

 

Book Guild
2023

Thanks to Cameron Marketing and Publicity for my copy of the book

London, September 1888. Jack the Ripper roams the streets. A scream rings out from beneath the stage of the Lyceum Theatre…

A young ‘actress’ has been attacked, suffering peculiar bite wounds to her neck; an event that announces a series of strange, vampiric happenings, and thrusts an unwitting Bram Stoker – acting manager of the Lyceum and aspiring author – into the limelight, and the action.

Increasingly perplexed by the unsettling behaviour of his 'Guv’nor’, the brilliant but mercurial actor, Henry Irving, and Irving’s acclaimed leading lady, Ellen Terry, Stoker soon starts suspecting the worst. And then, another attack reveals a vicious Prussian baron, returned to London as a vampire seeking revenge...

📖 My Review..

There's nothing more gothic than the myths and legends which surround Jack the Ripper and Vampires and the author combines both in this imaginative story of Mr Stoker and the Vampires of the Lyceum. When a young actress is found in mysterious circumstances and with bite marks on her neck it heralds the start of some unusual happenings at the Lyceum Theatre, in London, where Bram Stoker is the acting manager.

Moving between locations and with a skilful eye for details Mr Stoker and the Vampires of the Lyceum is an interesting character driven novel which brings to life the theatrical aspects of the story along with a deepening mystery which surrounds Jack the Ripper and the gothic nature of the Victorian era's  fascination for all things macabre.

Mr Stoker and the Vampires of the Lyceum is an intricately written and atmospheric story and whilst it is undoubtedly fiction, the author has used his considerable knowledge of Bram Stoker to bring this fascinating era to life along with the intrigue of a complex historical mystery in an entertaining story filled with intrigue and danger.

About the Author

Matthew Gibson is one of the world's leading scholars on Bram Stoker- the author of Dracula- and the Gothic. Born and educated in the UK, he is now Professor of English Literature at the University of Macau. Prior to this he worked in a number of universities in the UK, including the Universities of Surrey and Hull, as well as the university of Lódź in Poland and the American University in Bulgaria, Matthew is a former visiting fellow at Clare Hall, Cambridge. Currently responsible for curating and annotating material on Stoker for cutting-edge online research resource, Oxford Bibliographies, Matthew is the author of Dracula and the Eastern Question, co-editor of Bram Stoker and the Late Victorian World, and a contributor to The Cambridge Companion to Dracula. Mr Stoker is his first work of fiction. 

Twitter @mattgibsonyeats

@camerontweets

Book Review ~ Poisoned at the Priory by Antony M Brown

Mirror Books
23 January 2020

Cold Case Jury #4

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

Balham, 1876. When the newly-wed barrister Charles Bravo ingests a rare poison, all evidence suggests suicide. But in one of the most infamous inquests of all time, a coroner finds it to be an unlawful murder. So what really happened that day? 

With dramatic reconstructions of four main theories on how Bravo may have died, this fourth book in the popular 'Cold Case Jury' series picks apart the notorious case that gripped Victorian Britain - and continues to spark debate to this day.

Why did Bravo refuse any help, even when going through agonising pain? Was his wife, with her scandalous past, to blame? Or perhaps it was her ex-lover, jealous of her newfound happiness… or another sinister hand, moving silently?

What did I think about it..

I think what's so intriguing about this cold case crime is that since the unsolved death of newly wed barrister Charles Bravo in 1876 so many people have tried to figure out just whether a murder had indeed been committed, or whether the victim was,an alleged suicide.

In Poisoned at the Priory there's a comprehensive breakdown of the alleged crime, along with transcripts from witnesses and descriptions of exhibits used in the subsequent inquests, all of which add up to a meticulous examination of the clues and facts as they were presented to the Victorian jury. Also at the time of the inquest into Charles Bravo's death there was an unprecedented interest with all the popular newspapers carrying items of scurrilous gossip and dubious facts. The author puts forward a very comprehensive case, explaining the situation in intricate detail so that the lives of Charles Bravo, and his new wife, Florence, are opened up to scrutiny, and the scattered clues which ooze piece by piece help to bring their individual stories to life. So many times I thought I had the perpetrator, if there was one, into the frame, only for another theory to be put forward so that by the end of the story, there are still at least four possible solutions. However, I have come to my decision...and when you come to your decision head over to Cold Case Jury and leave your verdict!

Poisoned at the Priory is the fourth book in this Cold Case Jury series and whilst I haven't read the previous three books, something I plan to rectify as soon as possible, each of the books are complete standalone and describe, in great detail, a different unsolved crime in each book. 

Recommended : Yes, if you enjoy reading True Crime and following clues to make up your own mind ✔

Cold Case Jury Collection:

The Green Bicycle Mystery: The curious death of Bella Wright

Death of an Actress: A true story of sex, lies and murder on the high seas

Move to Murder

About the Author

Antony M. Brown's books are perfect for the armchair detective. He takes a cold case crime from British history, paints an intricate picture of the main characters while weaving in social history, and presents the reader with different scenarios leading up to the murder. He displays the evidence - both original and anything that has since come to light - and ends with his personal opinion of the likely outcome. The reader is then invited to give their own verdict via his website and become a member of the Cold Case Jury.

Antony's previous titles Move To Murder, Death of an Actress and The Green Bicycle Mystery are all standalone cases of unsolved British murders.

Website

Twitter @TheMirrorBooks

MirrorBooks

☆Author Spotlight ~ Susan Grossey☆

It gives me great pleasure to welcome Susan Grossey back to the blog. 
Susan is the author of the wonderful Sam Plank series of historical financial crime novels.

Hi and welcome, Susan. This is now the sixth book in the Sam Plank series of historical crime novels - will you tell us where you got the inspiration for Sam and is he based on anyone you know?

I was doing some research for a client into the history of their bank and I came across the story of a corrupt London banker in 1824. As I was reading his story, I found that he was arrested by something called a “magistrates’ constable”, which piqued my interest (as I am a magistrate myself and had never heard of such a thing). It turns out that magistrates’ constables existed only for a couple of decades, chronologically between the Bow Street Runners and the Metropolitan Police, and their duty was to execute warrants issued by magistrates. They had no investigative powers and detection had yet to be invented, and yet they had a great impact on reducing levels of crime in the capital. I turned to one of the greatest resources for a writer of historical crime fiction – the transcripts of trials at the Old Bailey, which have been digitised – and found that magistrates’ constables were often called to testify. And in my browsing through these transcripts, I came across a fellow (not a constable, just a layperson witness) called Sam Plank – and I thought it was just the perfect name for a solid, dependable, honest Englishman. So Sam is an amalgamation of all the magistrates’ constables and his name is pilfered from someone else!

With each successive book does the series become easier, or harder, to write and at the start of the series did you have a plan on how Sam’s character would evolve?

When I wrote “Fatal Forgery” – the first Sam Plank story – I had no idea it would lead to a series. In fact, “Fatal Forgery” was first written from the point of view of the banker, not the constable, and then I completely re-wrote it when I realised that the constable was the more interesting character. And by the end of that book I had fallen in love with Sam. I couldn’t face life without him and decided that he could have some more adventures – one per year from 1824 to 1829, when his role was swept away by the creation of the Metropolitan Police. As for the evolution of his character, I have let Sam take the lead. In each book I try to reveal something significant about him – why he became a constable, for instance, or how he met his wife Martha, or how they feel about having no children, and (in this latest outing, “Heir Apparent”) how he copes with the imminent disappearance of his job.

When combining historical fact with fiction it must be quite a challenge to get the balance right. How do you manage this without compromising on authenticity?

I have a very clear policy that I follow: if something is known to be true (e.g. John Conant was the Chief Magistrate at Great Marlborough Street and had a home in Portland Place) then I have to stick to that truth, but if something is uncertain (e.g. how many children the banker in “Fatal Forgery” had) then I am allowed to speculate and fill in the gaps, as long as it fits in with what we do know. London is a joy of a location for the historical fiction writer, as – if you look above shopfront level – so much of it is still in evidence. Mind you, I do have to be careful about street names, as these change; I always refer to the 1827 map of London that was created by the great mapmaker John Greenwood (and is searchable online via the library at Harvard in America – the wonders of modern technology!).

Talk us through your experiences as a self-published author. Why did you go down this route?

When I finished “Fatal Forgery” I did try the “traditional” publishing route – I sent the book to nine agents and publishers. And they all replied with the same answer: it’s a good story, well-written, but we won’t be able to sell it because no-one is interested in financial crime. I thought that was rubbish, because I work every day with people who are fascinated by financial crime, and the self-publishing industry was just taking off. So I decided to go it alone, and it has been an absolute blast – I have loved every minute of indie publishing. You can pick and choose which bits of the process you want to do yourself (I’m very happy with formatting the inside of the book, using a template that I have bought) and which bits you want to farm out (I have no artistic eye and so I use the marvellous team at Design for Writers to create my covers), and you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have created something from scratch.

I know that you fit in writing your novels around your ‘day job’ – how easy is it to combine the two and do they ever overlap?

My day job is as an anti-money laundering consultant – I advise businesses on how to avoid criminal money. So the overlap is a complete obsession with financial crime – the awful things that people do for money, and why they do those awful things simply for money. We think that we modern folk have invented financial crime but all that has changed is the technology: there have been corrupt bankers since banks were invented, forgers and thieves since money was invented, and fraudsters and victims since investment was invented. And I enjoy spending my work life looking at the modern versions and my writing life looking at the historical ones. People have always been greedy, amoral, sneaky, naïve and desperate – and financial crime is the result.

When I read the stories I have a definite image of Sam in my head. If the Sam Plank series were optioned for a TV drama, and I really think it should be - who would you choose to play Sam?

I’m a bit nervous about this, if you have your own image of Sam, but I have always thought that Brendan Coyle and Claudie Blakley would make the perfect Sam and Martha – they were married in “Lark Rise to Candleford”, so I know they can do it! And as for a Sunday evening drama, wouldn’t that be perfect?

The latest book, #6 in the series 

Heir Apparent was published 13 October 2019

A young man returns to London from the family plantation in the Caribbean after an absence of six years to be at his father’s deathbed – and to inherit his estate. But is the new arrival who he says he is, or an impostor? Anyone who doubts his identity seems to meet an untimely end, but his sister swears that he is her beloved brother.With their investigations leading them into the complicated world of inheritance law and due process after death, Constable Sam Plank and his loyal lieutenant William Wilson come face to face with the death trade and those who profit from it – legally or otherwise. Among them is an old enemy who has used his cunning and ruthlessness to rise through the ranks of London’s criminal world. And, in this sixth novel in the series, it’s now 1829: as plans progress for a new police force for the metropolis, Sam and his wife Martha look to the future.

Discover more about Susan's writing and the world of Sam Plank

Website

Twitter @ConstablePlank

☆Huge thanks to Susan ( and Sam) for being the author in the spotlight today ☆

Blog Tour ~ The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be part of the Blog Tour for The Devil Aspect

Constable
Little Brown Books
7 March 2019

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

How do you find a killer when you're surrounded by madness? 

1935. As Europe prepares itself for a calamitous war, six homicidal lunatics – the so-called ‘Devil's Six’ – are confined in a remote castle asylum in rural Czechoslovakia. Each patient has their own dark story to tell and Dr Viktor Kosárek, a young psychiatrist using revolutionary techniques, is tasked with unlocking their murderous secrets. 

At the same time, a terrifying killer known as ‘Leather Apron’ is butchering victims across Prague. Successfully eluding capture, it would seem his depraved crimes are committed by the Devil himself. What links him with the insane inmates of the Castle of the Eagles? 

Only the Devil knows. And it is up to Viktor to find out.

My thoughts..

In 1935, something quite evil lurks within the confines of Hrad Orluͦ a mental asylum deep in the heart of a Czechoslovakian forest, a place known locally as Castle of the Eagles.

Incarcerated within the walls of the castle are the Devil’s Six, a group of patients who are so inherently evil they need to be kept in total isolation. Viktor Kosárek is a newly appointed clinical psychiatrist who has a specific interest in finding out just what secrets make the Devil's Six so very evil.

Miles away in Prague, detective Lucás֒ Smolák leads an investigation into the hunt for a serial killer, known as Leather Apron, who seems to be targeting women, and whose macabre modus operandi is reminiscent of the Victorian serial killer known as Jack the Ripper.

Both these very different worlds collide in a disturbing way way and the author certainly cranks up the tension in a story which isn’t afraid to shock. The general unease of living in Europe on the cusp of war is perfectly highlighted but it is in the details of the hunt for the murderer and the horrifying events which happen in the mental asylum where the story becomes compelling reading.

The short and snappy chapters, and the way the story alternated between the events unfurling in the castle and the horrific murder details in the city of Prague, kept me on my toes and I enjoyed trying to keep one step ahead of the action. However, both elements are equally dramatic and to be fair, not for the faint hearted. 

The Devil’s Aspect is a difficult book to enjoy as it covers some pretty horrific subjects, which won’t appeal to everyone, but if you like well researched historical mysteries with a really dark edge then this book is certainly one to hold your attention.

About the Author

Craig Russell’s novels have been published in twenty-five languages, four have been made into major films in Germany, in one of which he has a cameo role as a detective. He has won the CWA Dagger in the Library and the McIlvanney Prize, for which he has been shortlisted another twice, and has previously been shortlisted for the CWA Golden Dagger, the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger, and the SNCF Prix Polar in France. A former police officer, Craig Russell is the only non-German to have been awarded the Polizeistern – the Hamburg Police’s Police Star.

Website

Twitter @TheCraigRussell #TheDevilAspect

@LittleBrownUK

@TheCrimeVault

Blog Tour - The Hidden Bones by Nicola Ford

Jaffareadstoo is thrilled to be part of the blog tour for The Hidden Bones

Allison&Busby
21st June 2018
Clare Hills #1

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

What's it all about..

Following the recent death of her husband, Clare Hills is listless and unsure of her place in the world. When her former university friend Dr David Barbrook asks her to help him sift through the effects of deceased archaeologist Gerald Hart, she sees this as a useful distraction from her grief. During her search, Clare stumbles across the unpublished journals detailing Gerald’s most glittering dig. Hidden from view for decades and supposedly destroyed in an arson attack, she cannot believe her luck. Finding the Hungerbourne Barrows archive is every archaeologist’s dream. Determined to document Gerald’s career-defining find for the public, Clare and David delve into his meticulously kept records of the excavation. 

But the dream suddenly becomes a nightmare as the pair unearth a disturbing discovery, putting them at the centre of a murder inquiry and in the path of a dangerous killer determined to bury the truth for ever.

What did I think about it..

The Hidden Bones is a new series of novels which feature archaeologist, Clare Hills. Putting her expert knowledge of archaeology and ancient archaeological site sites to good use the author has written a fascinating multi-layered story about what happens when the past comes back to haunt those who were once involved in the controversial Hungerbourne Barrows archaeological dig. Even decades later the lure of this ancient site continues to intrigue and when missing archive material is found the past is, once again, opened up to question.

The story starts off slowly and then, with careful consideration, each of the layers are stripped away to reveal a dark mystery which, whilst caught up in the here and now, is also hauntingly linked to the long buried secrets of the ancient landscape. However, the shadows of past are not going to lie quietly, and Clare and the rest of the archaeology team soon discover that someone, or something, is hell bent on trying to prevent them from getting any closer to the truth. As with all new series there is a certain amount of getting to know the characters involved and I especially enjoyed the interaction between the lead archaeologist, Dr David Barbrook and Clare, who have a certain amount of personal history between them, and quirky, osteo-archaeologist, Jo Granski, who added a real sense of vibrancy and enthusiasm to the team.

As the first book in a series, The Hidden Bones works well and the author’s knowledge of the subject gives the story such an authentic feel that I was soon involved in trying to piece together all the clues. There are some clever twists and turns which I didn’t see coming and the complex nature of the mystery at the heart of the novel is both entertaining and intriguing.

There is certainly huge potential for this series and I look forward to seeing where the archaeologists will go in future stories.

About the Author

Nicola Ford is the pen name for rcheologist Dr Nick Snashall, National Trust Archaeologist for  the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage site. Through her day-job and now her writing, she's spent more time than most people thinking about the dead.

Website

Twitter @nic_ford #TheHiddenBones

@AllisonandBusby

Blog Tour ~ The Poison Bed by E C Fremantle

On Hist Fic Saturday 

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be hosting today's stop on the The Poison Bed

 Blog Tour

Michael Joseph
14 June 2018

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

What's it all about..

Autumn 1615. Celebrated couple Robert and Frances Carr are imprisoned in London on suspicion of murder.

SHE has been rescued from an abusive marriage by Robert, and is determined to make a new life for herself. Whatever the price …

HE has risen from nothing to become one of the country’s most powerful men. But to get to the top you cannot help making enemies …

Now a man is dead. And someone must pay with their life

Frances knows the truth can kill. Robert knows a lie can set you free. Neither understands their marriage is a poisoned bed …

What did I think about it..

Intrigue and treachery at the court of James I is rife, as it's a community built on lies and subterfuge, particularly amongst those who the King calls his 'favourites'. Robert Carr is one such favourite who holds a special place in the King's affection, that is, until Robert becomes besotted by the wily, and very beautiful, Frances Howard. Throughout the sixteenth century, the Howard family have never been far from scandal and controversy, and at the beginning of James I's reign, in the early seventeenth century, they are, once again, firmly ensconced at the very heart of court politics.

What then follows is the fictional account of the infamous scandal in which both Robert Carr and, by now, his wife, Frances Howard are implicated in the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury, a contemporary of Carr's, and a man with whom he shares many deadly secrets. The background to the events, which begin in 1615, with Carr and Howard’s imprisonment in the Tower of London, is told in their two very distinct voices, in which we get a fascinating interpretation, not just of the events which have led to the death of Thomas Overbury, but also of Frances’ early, and scandalous, marriage to Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex. 

Walking in the footsteps of this infamous couple takes us into a deadly world of poisoners and their poisons, to shadowy places where dark spells and enchantments prosper, and to those hidden corners where unscrupulous people scheme and plot until get what they want. 

Beautifully written and meticulously researched The Poison Bed is a fascinating story of murder, passion and politics at the very heart of the Jacobean court of King James I.

About the Author

Elizabeth Fremantle is the critically acclaimed author of Queen's Gambit, Sisters of Treason, Watch the Lady and The Girl in the Glass Tower. She holds a First for her BA in English and an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck. She lives in London.

Twitter @LizFreemantle #ThePoisonBed

@MichaelJBooks

Hist Fic Saturday ~ Offstage in Nuala by Harriet Steel

On Hist Fic Saturday

Let's go back to ... Ceylon, 1936

Stane Street Press
2017

My thanks to the author for my copy of this book

Offstage in Nuala is the third book in the Inspector de Silva mysteries which takes us back to the 1930s, and to the days of Colonial Ceylon. 

A travelling theatre company has arrived in Nuala and there is great excitement when their production of Hamlet opens to a packed audience. The great and the good of the community are gathered there, including Inspector de Silva and his lovely wife, Jane. 

Just a few nights later, the Inspector receives a telephone call, informing him of an incident which has occurred at the theatre where, to his consternation, he discovers that the company's actor manager has been murdered. Fraught with complications from the very start of the investigation, the inspector finds that he has several possible leads to consider however, tracking down the perpetrator of this heinous crime is never going to be easy, especially when de Silva seems to be thwarted at every turn by his superior, Assistant Government Agent, Archie Clutterbuck. 

What I love about this series is the absolute authenticity of the historical detail. From de Silva's leisurely drive to work in his stately Morris, to relaxing on the veranda in the cool of the evening, the Ceylonese way of life comes to life. The colonial splendour of the Residence, Clutterback's palatial home, is often the scene of some delicious humour and de Silva's obvious discomfort at visiting his boss there always leaves me with a smile on my face, 

The mystery at the heart of the story is well contrived and I enjoyed trying to figure out the clues alongside the Inspector, who, as always, has great support from Jane, who continues to be his sounding block and that still small voice of calm when all seems to be going awry. That the investigation has its complexities is what gives the book its characteristic sharpness and it is in the small details where the author really excels. 

The writing is as crisp as ever and just as sharply observed with some very fine attention to detail, particularly about what happens backstage in a provincial theatre. I enjoyed exploring the nooks and crannies of Nuala's Gaiety Theatre with its crumbly corridors and dodgy stage trap.
The Inspector de Silva mysteries are beautifully written historical crime stories with more than a hint of humour and quite enough mystery to keep you guessing from start to finish.

About the Author

You can find out more about the author on her blog

Follow on Twitter @harrietsteel1

Amazon UK

Hist Fic Saturday ~ The War Widow by Lorna Gray

On Hist Fic Saturday

Let's Go back to...1947

Harper Impulse
22 March 2018
(ebook out now)

My thanks to the author and publisher for my copy of this book

The story opens in November 1947 as we meet the eponymous War Widow of the story. Kate Ward, a troubled young woman, is staying at a genteel hotel in the small Welsh town of Aberystwyth, where she hopes to discover more about the mysterious disappearance of her ex-husband, Rhys. However, circumstances are against her, and from the very start of the novel, Kate suspects that there are some sinister people shadowing her, who seem determined to prevent her discovering more about what has happened to Rhys.

What then follows is a suspenseful story about Kate’s determination to discover the truth, whilst at the same time trying to keep herself safe from harm. However, it soon becomes apparent that anything to do with her ex-husband has been buried so deep that it takes a great deal of tenacity on Kate’s part to get to the bottom of this dark mystery.

It is this complex mystery which is at the heart of the novel and the many twists and turns in the plot are certainly designed to keep you on the edge of your seat. The overall pace of the story is fast, and there is so much going on within the story that you really do need to concentrate on what’s unfolding. I enjoyed trying to fit all the numerous pieces of the puzzle together.

I definitely had the feeling of this being in a post war setting, the way the places were described added an authentic and believable edge to the story, and I especially liked the references to newsreel information about Princess Elizabeth‘s wedding to Philip Mountbatten which again helped to put this story into its historical context.

There is no doubt that author has, with great enthusiasm, brought this spirited War Widow to life in an suspenseful story which thrives on excitement.

More about the author can be found on her website

Follow on Twitter @MsLornaGray

Facebook

Amazon UK

Read an Interview with Lorna here

Review ~ The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths

Quercus
8 February 2018

In this, the tenth, book in the Ruth Galloway series of mysteries, The Dark Angel, sees Ruth away from her beloved Norfolk. On the invitation of an old flame she is is invited to act as a consultant on an archaeological discovery in the pretty Italian town of Castelli degi Angeli, which is about an hour's drive from Rome. Ruth's fleeting romantic association with archaeologist, Angelo Morrelli, was over twelve years ago, so when she gets his phone call asking for her advice on a difficult case, she is at first reluctant to get involved. However, the idea of getting away from Norfolk is an attractive proposition, and using this consultancy work as an excuse for a holiday, Ruth travels with her daughter, Kate, and her friend Shona, with her little boy, Louis.

From the start all is not as it seems at Castelli degi Angeli and as Ruth gets drawn further and further into the mystery surrounding the archaeological discovery, so she realises that there is far more to this investigation than Angelo Morrelli is admitting.

It was interesting in this tenth anniversary story to take Ruth out of her comfort zone and place her in an environment which allowed her to work without the usual background of a wild and windswept Norfolk. However, Ruth's natural ability to get things moving is just as creative in Italy, as it is back at home, and I didn't feel that the story lost anything by taking it to a different location.

I read through The Dark Angel at top speed, always eager to see where the story will lead and it's not always the crime aspect of the investigation which grabs my attention, often, it's more the interaction between the other characters which I enjoy the most, especially around Ruth's complicated relationship with DCI Harry Nelson. So, even though Ruth may be away from Norfolk, there is still quite a bit of complicated stuff happening back at home, which undoubtedly adds a different dimension to the story. There's a bit of a surprise in this book which I didn't see coming, and which shakes things up a lot ,and whilst I can't give the game away, it did sort of startle me a little, as I hoped that this particular aspect of the story would gather momentum.

The writing is, as always,  sharp and beautifully observed, and the complex relationship which has been created between these well loved characters continues to be the absolute strength of the series. I have grown really fond of everyone, and hope to see Ruth Galloway and her mysteries continue for another ten ...or more years.

Of course, it must be said that if you are new to the series, and if so, wherever have you been for the last ten years.....you really should start these books from the very beginning. You won't be disappointed.

About the Author

Elly Griffiths was born in London. She worked in publishing for many years. Her bestselling series of Dr Ruth Galloway novels, featuring a forensic archaeologist are set in Norfolk.The series has won the CWA Dagger in the library, and has been shortlisted three times for the Theakston's Old Peculiar Crime Novel of theYear. Her Stephens and Mephisto series is based in 1950s Brighton. She lives near Brighton with her husband and their two children.

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Review ~ Rocco and the Nightingale by Adrian Magson

The Dome press
9 November 2017

My thanks to FMcM Associates for my copy of this book

Inspector Lucas Rocco returns in the fifth chapter of this author's popular detective mysteries which are set in 1960s Picardy. Inspector Rocco has been sent from his home patch in Paris to the small village of Poissons-Les-Marais, as part of a nation wide initiative to broaden police operations. But whilst his new patch may be rural, its certainly not uneventful. As Rocco discovers , violence is the same anywhere whether on the elegant streets of the French capital or the murky backwaters and deadly marshes of the Somme valley.

What did I think..

Whilst this is the fifth book in the Inspector Rocco Mysteries, it is the first to be published by The Dome Press. This is also my first meeting with Lucas Rocco, and to be honest, I feel like I have stumbled across a series which I wished I had started earlier. The Rocco Mysteries are set in the 1960s, in rural France, around Picardy, and Inspector Rocco appears to be that still small voice of calm in a police department which, at times, seems to be at odds with itself.

When the body of a man is found at the edge of a remote road, near the sleepy village of Poissons-les Marais, Rocco is called into investigate, little realising that the man, a Parisian street criminal, was actually on his way to warn Rocco about something which could have devastating consequences. What then follows is a convoluted crime thriller, which will see Rocco and his investigative team having to race against time as they try to thwart the actions of a group of unscrupulous individuals.

The mystery at the heart of the novel is well explored and I especially liked the way that Inspector Rocco went about his investigative enquiries. That he commands the respect of his fellow officers is obvious in the way that his contemporaries react to him and I think that the author has done a great job of allowing Rocco enough confidence to get on with the business at hand. As a new reader there was enough background information for me to get to know Rocco although I suspect that readers from book one will understand him an awful lot more.

It was really refreshing to have a mystery which was set comfortably in the pre-digital age, so no mobile phones, no computer wizardry, just good old fashioned police work and detailed sleuthing. I had to smile when Rocco, at the height of all the action, had to pull up at a road side bar-tabac to use the public telephone.

This has been an enjoyable first visit to the world of Lucas Rocco and such is the charm and charisma of the man that I am sure I will be catching up again with his adventures before too long.

About the author

Adrian Magson is a master of the detective thriller , with more than twenty crime and spy thrillers to his name. He has also written short stories, a YA ghost story and a writers' help book, entitled, Write On! He spent much of his childhood in France, which inspired the Rocco series, and now lives in the Forest of Dean.

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Amazon UK

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Hist Fic Saturday ~ The Butcher's Block by Lucienne Boyce

On Hist Fic Saturday

Let's go back to ...18th Century, London 

SilverWood Books
August 2017


My thanks to the author for my review copy of this book

I first met Bow Street Runner Dan Foster in Bloodie Bones which is the book which starts this excellent historical fiction series, and where I was transported to the dark and dangerous world of Georgian crime. In this second book, Dan is again caught up in a distinctly murky underworld, this time with body-snatchers who are visibly connected with the grisly discovery of some rather interesting human remains. Arresting the culprits is only the first step in a long process which will take Dan into some dark and dangerous places, and which will put him and others in grave danger.

The Butcher's Block is a really exciting continuation of the series, rather darker in content than the first book, but no less compelling and just as intricately plotted. Eighteenth century London, with its dark and shadowy corners, and mean and moody criminal fraternity, really sparkles with intent. And Dan finds to his cost that investigating the activities of the aptly named resurrection men will lead him right into the heart of some dangerous hidden societies who are hell bent on causing insurrection and rebellion.

Discovering the multi-layers and the hidden depths of the story is one of the absolute joys of reading this author's very cleverly controlled novels. Throughout The Butchers Block there is much to take in, not just in terms of plot and malice, but also in the wonderful array of new characters who arrive in the story fully fleshed and with enough deadly intent to keep the story rollicking along at a fast pace.

In this story, it is also interesting to discover a little more about Dan Foster. We see him very much on his own turf, and walking out with him in the areas of London he calls home, makes both the place and the people come vividly to life. In the treacherous undercurrent of Georgian London, Dan Foster strides out with all the gusto of a super hero and I can't wait to see where his adventures will take him next.

 

About the Author 

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Hist Fic Saturday ~ Dark Clouds Over Nuala by Harriet Steel

On Hist Fic Saturday 

Let's go back to... 1930s Ceylon

Stane Street Press
2017
My thanks to the author for  my copy of this book

Returning to 1930 Ceylon in the company of Inspector Shanti de Silva and his delightful wife, Jane, is rather like becoming reacquainted with old friends, in whose convivial company you enjoy a pleasant afternoon in a delightful setting.

It also sees a welcome return of all the lovely characters we met in the first book and it's a real pleasure to see how they are all progressing, especially, Constable Nadar as he struggles with the pitfalls of new parenthood, and Sergeant Prasanna's rather dangerous entanglement with a young lady from a neighbouring village gives us a rather shadowy side to the story.

The mystery at the heart of the novel is perhaps a little more complex in this second book and I enjoyed watching how all the clues pieced together. As always, Inspector de Silva is a shrewd operator, keeping everything perfectly in control and never giving too much away until all the pieces of the puzzle fit comfortably together.

The author writes well, both in terms of keeping a complicated plot ticking along nicely but also in the way the people and place come vividly to life so that it becomes very easy to imagine the genteel brightness of 1930s Ceylon. The whirl of social activities and the well mannered behaviour of the colonials is in direct contrast with the sinister activities in which Silva finds himself immersed in, especially when his investigation into an alleged suicide turns into something far more complicated.

There is no need to have read the first book in the series to enjoy this second Inspector de Silva mystery however, Trouble in Nuala is such a lovely start to the series that, for greater enjoyment, you would do well to follow the series from the beginning.

You can find out more about the author on her blog

Follow on Twitter @harrietsteel1

Amazon UK

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Blog Tour ~ The Body in the Ice by A J Mackenzie

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be hosting a stop on 

The Body In The Ice Blog Tour

I am delighted to be able to share this tantalising extract from

The Body in the Ice 

by 

A J Mackenzie

Centuries before, Hope had been a thriving Marsh village and All Saint’s Church had been the bustling heart of a community. Plague and fever had killed its people or driven them away, and now all that remained was the ruin of the church, its roof long since fallen in, its floor a bed of grass and moss. Lantern-light flickered around the nave, casting wavering shadows on stone walls, windows like eyeless sockets giving onto the night beyond.

Joseph Parker lay sprawled on his side, one hand flung out where he had clutched at the turf in a final spasm before he died. He had been struck a massive blow to the back of the head, shattering his skull. The lanterns showed a dark shadowy stain where his blood had poured out and soaked into the grass. The light showed also the jewelled buttons on his waistcoat and the glittering gem on his watch fob. The cameo rings were still on his fingers.

The rector knelt over the body, studying it. Unless I stop you, there will be yet more killing, he had said to Parker. And more killing there had been. But Hardcastle had not expected him to be the next victim.

‘Has Dr Mackay been sent for?’

Stemp nodded. ‘I sent the lad to fetch him.’ 

The corpse had been found by a boy from Old Romney, coming back from an evening’s fishing. That was the story, at least; it might be true, but Hope Church was also a favourite rendezvous point for smugglers. Foucarmont knows this too, the rector thought. Parker was killed and left his body here to ensure he would be found

‘One thing’s for certain, reverend,’ said Stemp. ‘This was no robbery.’

‘No,’ said the rector. ‘This was a calculated killing.’

Foucarmont was back on the Marsh. And Clavertye was still hunting him far away among the downs of Sussex, looking in the wrong place.

Parker had been dead for hours; Foucarmont and his men could be miles away by now. They would have to start a new search for them, and of course Lord Clavertye would have to be informed. That last cheered the rector a little, for he quite enjoyed the sight of Lord Clavertye in the wrong. But the cheerful thought did not last long, for another, deeply unhappy task lay ahead of him. He began to walk back to St Mary in the Marsh, leaving Hope Church with its flickering ghostly lanterns behind, rehearsing in his mind the words of consolation he would use and the questions he would have to ask.

Tendrils of fog snaked over the marsh, blown on a faint fluttering breeze. Apart from this little wind the night was utterly silent and still. He had just crossed the bridge over the New Sewer, St Mary in the Marsh about three-quarters of a mile away, when he stopped dead in his tracks. Booming in his ears, muffled and yet magnified by the fog, came the sound of a gunshot, followed swiftly by another...

Christmas Day, Kent, 1796

On the frozen fields of Romney Marsh stands New Hall; silent, lifeless, deserted. In its grounds lies an unexpected Christmas offering: a corpse, frozen into the ice of a horse pond.

It falls to the Reverend Hardcastle, justice of the peace at St Mary in the Marsh, to investigate. But with the victim's identity unknown, no murder weapon and no known motive, it seems like an impossible task. Working along with his trusted friend, Amelia Chaytor, and new arrival Captain Edward Austen, Hardcastle soon discovers there is more to the mystery than there first appeared. 

With the arrival of an American family torn apart by war and desperate to reclaim their ancestral home, a French spy returning to the scene of his crimes, ancient loyalties and new vengeance combine to make Hardcastle and Mrs Chaytor's attempts to discover the secret of New Hall all the more dangerous.

About the Authors

A.J. MacKenzie is the pseudonym of Marilyn Livingstone and Morgen Witzel, a collaborative Anglo-Canadian husband-and-wife duo. Between them they have written more than twenty non-fiction and academic titles, with specialisms including management, medieval economic history and medieval warfare.

The original idea for The Body…series came when the authors were living in Kent, when they often went down to Romney Marsh to enjoy the unique landscape and the beautiful old churches. The authors now live in Devon.

Follow on Twitter @AJMackNovels

My thanks to Imogen at Bonnier Zaffre for the invitation to be part of this blog tour and for the kind permission to feature this extract from The Body in the Ice.

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