☼Summer Reading ~ Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum

 

Destination ....Fire Island ☼

Michael Joseph
8 June 2023

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

You are cordially invited to summer on New York State's idyllic Fire Island.

Thirty miles of golden sand:

No traffic. No tourists. No trash.

The city elite gather here every year, trailing kids, their nannies, wine and seafood imported from Manhattan: hard workers need their playtime.

Take the Parkers and the Weinsteins. Lauren and Jen hold sway on the beach and the tennis court. Their husbands are childhood friends bearing grudges as deep as they are secret.

Their lone single friend, Rachel Woolf, is looking to meet her match, whether he's the new tennis pro - or someone else's husband. She's not picky.

And while this season starts out quietly as any other, it soon changes when beneath the boardwalk, a body is found.

☼My Review..

The rich people arrive at their summer residences in Salcombe on Fire Island every year. It is a place where old money mixes with new and where beach side properties have been held by generations of the same family. Into this potent mix comes several families whose annual tolerance of each other is about to be stretched to limit. Bored and dissatisfied with each other the husbands and wives all seem to have something to hide not just from each other but also from the gossipy nature of an island resort where everyone knows everyone else’s business.

The story opens with a discovery of body under the boardwalk an event which leaves Salcombe reeling as crime is rare but as we soon discover no-one is above suspicion. Bad Summer People, with its whip-smart observations about the minutiae of island life, is done so cleverly that it feels like you are waiting in the shadows as this plot takes it’s inevitable trajectory towards tragedy. It’s been a while since I read a story where all of the central characters are totally unlikable but all credit to the author for making each of them so compelling. They are all rich, bored, selfish and self-obsessed and yet so utterly fascinating I couldn’t stop reading and felt a real sense of satisfaction when all the myriad strands came together so cleverly.

Bad Summer People, filled with an abundance of secrets and lies, is a fabulous summer read.

About the Author

Emma Rosenblum is Chief Content Officer at Bustle Digital Group. Prior to BDG, Emma served as the executive editor of Elle, the editorial director of Bloomberg Pursuits, a senior editor at Bloomberg Businessweek, and a senior editor at Glamour. She began her career at New York Magazine. Bad Summer People is her first novel.

Twitter @EmmaRosenblum #BadSummerPeople

@MichaelJBooks

📖 Book Review ~ Just Another Missing Person by Gillian Mcallister

 

Michael Joseph
1 August 2023

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

OLIVIA. 22 years old.

Last seen on CCTV, entering a dead-end alley. And not coming back out again. Missing for one day and counting...

Julia is the detective heading up the case. She knows what to expect. A desperate family, a ticking clock, and long hours away from her husband and daughter. But Julia has no idea how close to home it's going to get.

Because there's a man out there. And his weapon isn't a gun, or a knife: it's a secret. Her worst one. He tells her that her family's safety depends on one thing: Julia must NOT find out what happened to Olivia - and must frame somebody else for her murder...

📖 My Review...

Julia is the lead detective in a bizarre disappearance case in which a young woman was seen to enter a dead end alley and not come out again. With very little clues, Julia and her team have an almost impossible task ahead that is until Julia is given an ultimatum that she has to agree to or else there will be dire consequences for her and her family.

The story is dark and complex and there was more than a hint of suspense to keep me turning the pages. I found the characters to be an interesting bunch and I enjoyed watching how the story unfolded particularly in light of Julia’s moral dilemma, which is done well. The author writes with great enthusiasm and certainly keeps a complicated plot ticking along without too many twists and turns which can sometimes muddy the waters too much.

Just Another Missing Person is a complex police procedural about the danger of hidden secrets and of the lengths that people will go to protect those they love. I look forward to reading more from this author.

About the Author

Gillian McAllister is the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of eight stand-alone novels. Her books have been selected for the Radio 2 Book Club, Reese's Book Club, the Richard & Judy Book Club, and is published in thirty-six languages.

Twitter @gillianmauthor

@MichaelJBooks

📖 Blog Tour ~ Betrayal by Lesley Pearse

 

Penguin Michael Joseph
6 July 2023

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

Lesley Pearse is a global No.1 bestseller with fans across the world and sales of over 10 million copies of her books to date. One of the nation’s best-loved storytellers (a Lesley Pearse book is sold every 4 minutes in the UK) Lesley is a master of the gripping story-line, always introducing her readers to characters that are impossible to forget. Although there is no set formula or easily defined genre for a Lesley Pearse novel, strong heroines and jeopardy are pervasive, and she always engages the reader completely. 

2023 marks Lesley’s 30th Anniversary as a published author.

 Betrayal is her 31st novel

Eve should never have married Don Hathaway. Young and lovestruck, he’d given her two precious children - Olly and Tabitha – but he’s a bully. Worse than that, he is abusive. But, after one drunken rage too many, she realises if she doesn’t leave, she will die. With no money, or family to run to, she bravely summons the courage to escape and is helped by a network of women who give her sanctuary.

 The path is not easy but driven by the need to give her children a future, she starts to rebuild her life. Don, however, is bitter. And getting away entirely proves impossible. Until the day Eve tries to teach him a lesson - and it all goes horribly wrong. Now, shouldering a terrible burden that she dares not share, Eve sets up a business in her newly adopted town of Sidmouth, and her fortunes go from strength to strength. 

New business, new home, new love. But how long before the past catches up with her? And how will she reconcile the fact that in relentlessly pursuing a better life, she may have betrayed not only her own, but her children's future happiness.

📖 My Review..

Eve Hathaway has no option but to leave her violent husband but as with all bullies Don Hathaway refuses to admit that he has a problem and can't let Eve and his children have the peaceful life they crave. Setting up a new life for herself and her children isn't easy for Eve but with sheer grit and determination she takes them out of poverty and into a more settled existence except that Eve is burdened by a dreadful secret which overshadows her future happiness. 

Betrayal looks at the worst kind of domestic violence and does so with a sharp eye for detail and a sympathetic way of recounting a story which is all too familiar namely that of women who are scared of the consequences of leaving a violent partner. In Eve Hathaway the author has created a feisty and determined woman, who once away from her violent husband, has the ability to make a new life for herself and her children and yet with the shadow of uncertainty hanging above her the author shows just how fragile this new life can be and learning to trust isn't easy as Eve discovers to her cost and that of her family's safety.

Beautifully written from start to finish and never one to shy away from uneasy topics, Betrayal covers some difficult subjects with this author's trademark skill of empathy, sensitivity and cracking good story telling.

Betrayal
Out in paperback 28 February 2024

About the Author

© Charlotte Murphy 2014

Lesley Pearse is a global No.1 bestseller with fans across the world and sales of over 10 million copies of her books to date; this year she celebrates the publication of her highly anticipated 30th novel. One of the nation’s best-loved storytellers – a Lesley Pearse book is sold every 4 minutes in the UK – Lesley is a master of the gripping storyline, always introducing her readers to characters that are impossible to forget. Although there is no set formula or easily defined genre for a Lesley Pearse novel, strong heroines and jeopardy are pervasive, and she always engages the reader completely. 

Twitter @LesleyPearse #LoveLesley30 #Betrayal

@michaeljbooks @ed_pr

📖 Featured Book of the Month~ A Sliver of Darkness by C J Tudor

Michael Joseph
29 September 2022

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

The debut short story collection from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man, featuring ten bone-chilling and mind-bending tales

Timeslips. Doomsday scenarios. Killer butterflies. C. J. Tudor's novels are widely acclaimed for their dark, twisty suspense plots, but with A Sliver of Darkness, she pulls us even further into her dizzying imagination.

In Final Course, the world has descended into darkness, but a group of old friends make time for one last dinner party. In Runaway Blues, thwarted love, revenge, and something very nasty stowed in a hat box converge. In Gloria, a strange girl at a service station endears herself to a cold-hearted killer, but can a leopard really change its spots? And in I'm Not Ted, a case of mistaken identity has unforeseen, fatal consequences.

Riveting and explosively original, A Sliver of Darkness is C. J. Tudor at her most wicked and uninhibited.

📖 My Review

Eleven twisted tales seems like the perfect idea for a book which is due to hit the book shops in the month of Halloween when our minds inadvertently turn to the lure of the macabre. It has to be said that I enjoy this author’s work immensely and to have set of short stories, something she hasn’t released before, is an extra special delight.

Beautifully imaginative, each of the tales are perfectly proportioned to read in one sitting and the opening story, End of the Liner certainly gets the collection of to a cracking good start in a cleverly contrived little story about a cruise ship where none of the passengers can ever leave. The other ten dark tales are just as fascinating and I also found the introduction to each of the tales just as thought provoking as the author shares her thoughts on what inspired her to write the story to come.

Written during the pandemic which, as the author explains her introduction, was a particularly difficult time for her, the collection allows us a tantalising taster of her work before her next novel is published in 2023. A Sliver of Darkness is everything I wanted from this talented author, mysterious, macabre, spooky and deliciously dark it kept me entertained from start to finish and that is why I have no hesitation in making it my Featured Book of the Month for October.

📖 Best Read with… cereal, toast and seasonal fruit 

Twitter @cjtudor #ASliverOfDarkness

@MichaelJBooks

📖 Featured Book of the Month ~ The Hollow Sea by Annie Kirby

 

Michael Joseph
18 August 2022

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of the book

The story goes that, many years ago, the remote North Atlantic archipelago of St Hia was home to a monster.

Her name was Thordis, and she had been adored. But when she was unable to provide her husband with a child, he sought one elsewhere - and Thordis was driven to a terrible act, before disappearing from her home.

Today, lashed by storms and far from the mainland, the islands are dangerous. Many have been lost to a wild stretch of water known as the Hollow Sea.

But to one visitor, it feels like a haven.

After several years trying to become a mother, Scottie has made the heart-breaking decision to leave her home and her husband in search of a fresh start. Upon her arrival on St Hia, the islanders warn her against asking questions about Thordis - but Scottie can't resist the mystery of what happened to the woman whose story became legend.

After years of secrecy, can Scottie unravel Thordis's story? And how will doing so change her own..?

📖 My Review..

Scottie and her husband are desperate to start a family but the emotional effects of failed IVF attempts have left Scottie exhausted and in need of a new beginning. Leaving her bewildered husband behind, Scottie travels to the remote island of St Hia to take part in the annual seal count and it is in this isolated place where Scottie starts to learn more about herself and the secrets of her past.

Running alongside Scottie's story, we go back in time to meet Thordis, who left her Norwegian home to marry a fisherman and live with him on the remote island of Bride. Thordis also yearns for a child and it is this parallel which pulls all the shapes of this fascinating story together.

Mesmerising, lyrical and utterly enchanting The Hollow Sea pulled me in as tenderly as the tides which crash around these isolated islands. Sensitively described with a wonderfully creative edginess both Scottie and Thordis have their flaws but it is these very differences which binds their stories together and the result is something quite, quite special. 

The myths and legends of our islands are passed down the generations and become entrenched in the very fabric of our lives and in the ebb and flo of the tides which dominate our coastline. And in quietly exploring what it means to be as one with this atmospheric landscape, Scottie and Thordis, each have their own deep connection to the wild beauty of the place they need to call home but which, for many reasons, they flounder, and are lost and alone with their thoughts.

The Hollow Sea is a special story which will stay with me for a long time. It's a perfect autumnal afternoon sort of read and I am delighted to make it my Featured Book of the Month for September.

🎂Best read with.. cake with buttercream and candles

About the Author

Annie Kirby lives on the south coast of England where she works part-time as a university researcher. She has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and a PhD in American Studies. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and broadcast on national radio and she is a winner of the Asham Award for short fiction. Annie is a graduate of the Penguin WriteNow programme.

Twitter @DoctorKirbs

@MichaelJBooks

📖 Featured Book of the Month ~ The Birdcage by Eve Chase

Michael Joseph
28 April 2022

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

Lauren, Kat and Flora are half-sisters who share a famous artist father - and a terrible secret. Over the years they've grown into wildly different lives. But an invitation to Rock Point, the Cornish cliff house where they once sat for their father's most celebrated painting, Girls and Birdcage, reunites them.

Rock Point is a beautiful, windswept place, thick with secrets, electrically charged with the events of the summer - twenty years before - that the family daren't discuss. And there is someone in the shadows watching their every move. Someone who remembers the girls in the painting - and what they did.

An emotional mystery full of dark secrets and twists, transporting the reader to the rugged remote landscape of north Cornwall.

📖 My review..

North Cornwall with its rugged landscape and shadowy coves come to life in this intriguing family drama which introduces us to half sisters Kat, Flora and Lauren. The women all have the same enigmatic father but very different mothers which has made life complicated for each of them.

As children, the girls met at Rock Point, their father's family home perched high above the Cornish cliffs, and in 1999, when the solar eclipse overshadowed the world, the girls sat for a painting which their artist father called Girls and Birdcage. This time of dramatic family secrets comes to life when twenty years later the half siblings meet up once again to spend time at Rock Point with their father.

There's a strong sense of unease which permeates right from the start and with a distinctly gothic edge Rock Point becomes a character in its own right however, it is the sisters themselves where the real strength of the story lies. They all have their faults and failings, one is rather more fragile than the other two but collectively they all keep their secrets about what happened during the summer of 1999 extremely close.

The story flows well and is beautifully reminiscent of this author's unique ability to convey time and place so accurately you feel as if you are staying at Rock Point with them. The languorous nature of the summer of 1999 is juxtaposed against the modern day setting when the Cornish coast is battered by storms and the family secrets which have been hidden away for far too long. 

The Birdcage is a beautifully written family drama which moves effortlessly between past and present and which captures the essence of sibling rivalry alongside their deeply buried secret which if not confronted will continue to overshadow all their futures. This is such a strong story that I have no hesitation in making The Birdcage my Featured Book of the Month for May.

Best Read with .. a Cornish cream tea

About the Author

Eve Chase is the author of Black Rabbit Hall and The Wildling Sisters, and the pseudonym of journalist and novelist Polly Williams. She lives in Oxford, England with her husband and three children.

Website

Twitter @EvePollyChase #TheBirdcage

@MichaelJBooks @PenguinBooksUK

Amazon UK

📖 Blog Tour ~ Suspects by Lesley Pearse

 

Thrilled to host today's stop on this blog tour

Michael Joseph
24 June 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and to  ed public relations for the invitation to the blog tour

As young couple Nina and Conrad move into their first house together in Willow Close, they see horrified neighbours gather by a police cordon in the street – one of the residents has been attacked and brutally killed in the woods. As the police carry out interviews with each resident, it becomes clear that every neighbour has a secret to hide and some will go to extreme lengths to prevent exposure. As the image of a ‘perfect place to raise a family’ starts to tarnish, Nina and Conrad’s life plans start to unravel. They thought they had found their dream home. But have they moved into a nightmare?

📖 My thoughts..

Nina and Conrad move into what they think is their forever home on the day a body is discovered in the woods at the bottom of their garden and the other inhabitants of Willow Close are perplexed as to who, among them, could be responsible for this terrible crime. Over the course of the story we are introduced to all those fascinating characters who call Willow Close home and discover just what secrets they are all hiding. Suspects goes on to show just how little we know our neighbours and as the tangled web between them pulls ever tighter so we see the best and the worst of their very different personalities start to emerge.

There are many secrets hiding in Willow Court and the author brings everything together in a tightly woven canvas, never sensationalising the original murder, nor hampering the story with too much police procedural information but rather bringing into sharp focus all the closeness of a small neighbourhood community completely overwhelmed by what is going on in their midst, and as their personalities start crumble so a story emerges of sadness, anger and rejection.

As always the story is beautifully written by an author who knows instinctively how to give her readers everything they have come to expect, a strong storyline, fascinating characters, a plot which is filled with both humour and sadness, and a satisfactory ending, with no stone left unturned and no lingering loose ends to ponder over.

I've been reading Lesley Pearse novels for well over twenty years and she never fails to disappoint, Suspects is up there with my favourites.

SUSPECTS by Lesley Pearse is published 24th June 2021, published by Michael Joseph price £20.00 in hardback.

About the Author

© Charlotte Murphy

Lesley Pearse was told as a child that she had too much imagination for her own good. She left home at 15 and headed to London where she worked her way through many jobs – from corsetry sales, to musician’s muse, to nanny; from gift shop owner to dressmaker – finally finding her true vocation when she became a published author age 49. The 1970s were a pivotal decade in Lesley’s life. She lived in London with her second husband John, a musician managed by Don Arden. A talented trumpeter, John had played with Dusty Springfield, Lulu and David Bowie, and the start of the decade saw the birth of their beloved daughter, Lucy and a record deal for John with his band, Sansom. The future looked bright but then the house they lived in was sold – ironically to become a homeless shelter – and the family found themselves homeless. John lost his record deal and his mental health began to suffer. Their luck seemed to change when they found a small general store in Borough Green, Kent with a cheap lease that Lesley, ever resourceful, transformed into a gift shop but on the night before opening, the snow came and no one visited the shop. Times were desperate and John became increasingly unwell, until Lesley had no choice but to have him sectioned. They eventually parted and Lesley found herself alone with Lucy. It was while hitchhiking to a job interview that she was to meet her third husband, Nigel, and find the love and security that would enable her to start writing. Lesley is now a global bestselling author, with over 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide. A natural storyteller, Lesley has lived an eventful life but is also inspired by others’ stories of courage and adversity, often giving voice to women lost in history and people damaged by their childhood experiences. She is passionate about her research and her stories have taken her far and wide: from Alaska to the Crimea. Lesley now lives in Torquay in Devon where she loves to spend time with her grandchildren.

Twitter @LeselyPearse #Suspects

@MichaelJBooks

@ed_pr

📖 Hist Fic Saturday ~ Dangerous Women by Hope Adams

On Hist Fic Saturday

Let's go back to 1841..

📖 

Michael Joseph
4 March 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

London, 1841.

The Rajah sails for Australia.

On board are 180 women convicted of petty crimes, sentenced to start a new life half way across the world.

Daughters, sisters, mothers - they'll never see home or family again. Despised and damned, all they have now is each other.

Until the murder.

As the fearful hunt for a killer begins, everyone on board is a suspect.

The investigation risks tearing their friendships apart . . .

But if the killer isn't found, could it cost them their last chance of freedom?

Based on a real-life voyage, Dangerous Women is a sweeping tale of confinement, hope and the terrible things we do to survive.

📖 My thoughts..

A convict ship heading for Van Diemen's Land is the setting for this atmospheric page turner which has as its focus the mystery surrounding a brutal attack on one of the convicts on board the Rajah. This group of 180 women, and 10 children, from all walks of life, are thrown together in the claustrophobic atmosphere of a prison ship. Some are being transported for minor misdemeanors, whilst others have been found guilty of more serious crimes, however, none of them are alleged to be murderers.

Kezia Heyter is the young woman who has been appointed Matron, and as such is in charge of the welfare of this bunch of miscreants. Kezia's idea of encouraging the woman to learn a new skill is the focus for a good part of the story as she chooses a group of some eighteen women with a modicum of needle working skill to help her make patchwork quilt. This mishmash group of women are also the focus when a brutal attack leaves one of the women fighting for her life.

There's a lot of moving about in time but it's interesting to get the stories about some of the convicts and the reasons why they find themselves being transported to the other side of the world. There's a definite divide between the prisoners, the sailors and those who are 'in charge', with the convicts coming pretty low in the pecking order. Kezia Heyter falls between the two as she is in close contact with the women and gets to know their personalities and cares about their well being, but she is also invited to dine with Charles Ferguson, the ship's captain, the ship's doctor, James Donovan and the Reverend Roland Davies, a clergyman who is returning to his congregation. I think what comes across is the latent volatility of the women, their petty squabbles and the indifference which  threatens to boil over and when the attack on one of the convicts happens, it truly could be any one of them who has spilled over into violence.

Mixing together both fact and fiction, a fascinating story starts to emerge. The claustrophobic atmosphere on board the cramped and crowded ship is captured well and throughout the story there is a real sense of ennui as the convicts struggle with the boredom  of days, and days, of endless sea. Beautifully written and impeccably researched, Dangerous Women is based on the true story of the Rajah's voyage to Van Diemen's Land in 1841. The  group of women convicts did make a beautiful quilt as a testament to their hope and persistence which was presented by Kezia Hayter to Jane Franklin, the Governor's wife. It is now held by the National Gallery of Australia. 

Twitter @adelegeras #HopeAdams #DangerousWomen

@MichaelJBooks

 

📖 Paperback Publication Day ~ Liar by Lesley Pearse

Penguin
Micheal Joseph

4 March 2021

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

Amelia White dreamed of being a reporter, but the closest she'd come was selling advertising in the local paper. Until the fateful day she stumbles on a truly shocking scoop.

A murder victim, round the corner from her home.

When the police and reporters descend, Amelia is horrified at the assumptions made and lies soon to be spread about this poor young woman. Convincing her local paper to let her take up the story herself, Amelia is determined to protect the victim from these smears. But when another body is found, the police investigation stalls. Now, Amelia's own unfolding investigation may be the only chance of uncovering the truth, and stopping more killings.

If only she can work out who the liar is...

📖 My thoughts..

I love the anticipation of a new Lesley Pearse novel and Liar, her 28th novel, is every bit as good as I hoped it would be.

Amelia White works on the local paper and whilst she has ambitions to be a reporter her days are largely spent in selling advertising space to local businesses. That is until she discovers the body of a dead girl in a pile of rubbish and with an exclusive scoop on her hands, Amelia is encouraged, by her boss, to delve a little deeper. 

What then follows is a convoluted and complex murder/mystery which has more than enough twists and turns to keep the action exciting. And yet, the story is about so much more than a murder mystery, it’s also a close examination of what makes people act in the way that they do. Nature versus nurture, that's for us to discover in this intricate story of murder, mayhem and despair. Whilst I had very sympathy for Amelia and her search for truth and justice, it is the other fascinating characters who flit into and out of Amelia’s life which add interesting light and shade into what is a rather dark and dangerous story.

I’ve never yet read a Lesley Pearse novel that I didn’t enjoy. She has such an easy style of writing and delivers romance, crime and historical fiction with fine attention to detail, and with impeccable accuracy she always gets right into the very heart and soul of her lead characters.

Liar is this author writing at her most skillful, she brings the rather dreary 1970s to life in a thought provoking murder/ mystery which flits and flutters through some difficult scenes but which never fails to entertain on every level.

About the Author

©Charlotte Murphy

Lesley Pearse is a global No.1 bestseller with fans across the world and sales of over 10 million copies of her books to date. One of the nation’s best-loved storytellers, Lesley is a master of the gripping story line, always introducing her readers to characters that are impossible not to care about or forget. With a ‘Lesley Pearse’ book purchased every 4 minutes in the UK, there is no formula to her books or easily defined genre and, whether historical drama like her No.1 bestselling Belle trilogy or the emotionally powerful Trust Me based on the true-life scandal of British child migrants sent to Australia in the post-war period, she always engages the reader completely.You’ll Never See Me Again is Lesley’s 27th novel.

Lesley Pearse was told as a child that she had too much imagination for her own good. She left home at 15 and headed to London where she worked her way through many jobs – from corsetry sales in Cooks of St. Pauls (featured in Dead to Me), to musician’s muse (her second husband was a musician managed by Don Arden) to bunny girl to nanny; from gift shop owner to dressmaker – finally finding her true vocation when she became a published author age 49. Since then Lesley has become an internationally bestselling author, with over 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide. 

A true storyteller and a master of gripping storylines, there is no set formula for a Lesley Pearse novel although strong heroines and difficult circumstances are pervasive. Whether historical adventures such as Gypsy or Never Look Back or the passionately emotive Trust Me, Lesley is inspired by stories of courage and adversity and often gives voice to women lost in history and people damaged by their childhood experiences. She is passionate about her research and her stories have taken her far and wide; from Alaska to the Crimea. Lesley now lives in Torquay in Devon where she loves to spend time walking on the beach with her grandchildren and dogs. A fantastic speaker and committed and passionate fundraiser for the NSPCC, Lesley is a much sought-after guest at literary lunches, library events and festivals up and down the country.

Twitter @LesleyPearse #LoveLesley

@MichaelJBooks

@ed_pr

📖 Book Review ~ The Burning Girls by C J Tudor

 

Michael Joseph
21 January 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

500 years ago: eight martyrs were burnt to death

30 years ago: two teenagers vanished without trace

Two months ago: the vicar committed suicide

Welcome to Chapel Croft.

For Rev Jack Brooks and teenage daughter Flo it's supposed to be a fresh start. New job, new home. But, as Jack knows, the past isn't easily forgotten.

And in a close-knit community where the residents seem as proud as they are haunted by Chapel Croft's history, Jack must tread carefully. Ancient superstitions as well as a mistrust of outsiders will be hard to overcome.

Yet right away Jack has more frightening concerns.

Why is Flo plagued by visions of burning girls?

Who's sending them sinister, threatening messages?

And why did no one mention that the last vicar killed himself?

Chapel Croft's secrets lie deep and dark as the tomb. Jack wouldn't touch them if not for Flo - anything to protect Flo.

But the past is catching up with Chapel Croft - and with Jack. For old ghosts with scores to settle will never rest...

📖 My Thoughts..

I always have a real sense of excitement when there is a new book out by this author as I know, from past experience, that she will never let me down and the story will be every bit as good as I want it to be. The Burning Girls is a story which is so fraught with danger and menace that just after reading a few pages I was already frightened of my own shadow!

Reverend Jack Brooks and teenage daughter Flo are sent to the tiny village of Chapel Croft to replace the last vicar who has died in tragic circumstances. Their arrival in the village is met with a great deal of mistrust and from the start it is obvious that the villagers are not going to give up their secrets easily. A series of events threaten not just Jack and Flo's safety but also their peace of mind and as tensions start to run high so danger is never far away.

This is one of those clever stories which is all to easy to spoil by giving away even a little snippet of something which later bears relevance so I won't do the author a disservice by recounting her clever plot. What I will say is that after reading all this author's books, and there are four, this one is my favourite, but then I've said that after each book, and that's just how good this writer is that after finishing you are always eager for more. 

The Burning Girls is not for the faint hearted and won't be everyone's choice but if you enjoy a deeply suspenseful novel with lots of genuinely creepy moments which make you jump at shadows and which give you a burning desire to sleep with the light on, then do give it a try. It's perfect escapism.

Note to self - don't go walking in the woods when you've just read a chapter of The Burning Girls..👻

About the Author

C. J. Tudor lives in Nottingham, England with her partner and three-year-old daughter.

Over the years she has worked as a copywriter, television presenter, voice over and dog-walker. She is now thrilled to be able to write full-time, and doesn’t miss chasing wet dogs through muddy fields all that much.

Twitter @cjtudor #TheBurningGirls

@MichaelJBooks

📖 Published in hardback 21 January 2020 📖

Amazon UK

🎄Blog Tour ~ Featured Book of the Month ~The Flip Side by James Bailey

 

🎄Happy December 🎄

It’s a real pleasure to join in with the blog tour today

And to make The Flip Side my featured book of the month

Michael Joseph
26 November 2020

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

It's New Year's Eve and Josh has a high-flying proposal planned. An exclusive pod on the London Eye, with champagne, truffles and the ring. It's perfect.

Until she says no. And they have to spend the next 29 excruciating minutes alone together.

By the time Josh is back on the ground, his whole life is up in the air. He's managed to lose his girlfriend, his job and his flat.

Realising he can't trust his own judgement, Josh puts his faith in fate. From now on he will make every choice by flipping a coin. It's reckless and scary, but Josh has tried the right way and look where he ended up.

And what if the girl of his dreams is just one flip of a coin away?

🎄What did I think about it..

Josh had everything planned for an amazing New Year’s Eve marriage proposal to his girlfriend. Sadly, this doesn't play out the way Josh wants, which then leads him into a year of indecision which made all the more thought provoking when he decides that from now every decision he makes will be based on the flip of a fifty pence coin.

Flipping a coin gets Josh into a whole heap of trouble but it also makes him aware of who his true friends are as, over the space of an eventful year, we get to know every aspect of Josh’s life and realise the significance of what happens when you decide to allow fate to intervene in the pattern of your life.

The Flip Side is a real joy to read, beautifully written with a skilful eye for all those little subtle nuances which make the story so realistic and such fun to read. It’s witty and entertaining and yet at the same time it’s heartbreakingly poignant. There’s a real sense of ease within the story, nothing ever feels rushed or forced and the dialogue is genuinely funny that I found myself laughing out loud especially when Josh and his mates get together, it’s almost like you’ve known them for a lifetime. I raced through the story in one sitting as I really couldn’t put the book down until I found out whether Josh would face another New Years Eve alone or whether by flipping the all important coin he would find his heart’s desire.

The weather has been so gloomy over the past few days that I definitely needed something to cheer me up in these last few days of lockdown 2.0. Reading The Flip Side came to my rescue as it’s the absolute perfect read to brighten up even the gloomiest of days. I have no hesitation in making this lovely feel-good story my featured book of the month for December.

About the Author

Born in Bristol, James Bailey began to dream of a writing career following a top mark in a Year 8 English exam, and he soon pursued journalism, starting a student newspaper and a sports website, interviewing athletes including Usain Bolt and Rafa Nadal. This burgeoning career was halted however, when he was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a cardiac arrhythmia. Following two operations, James supported the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young, carrying the Olympic Torch, running the London Marathon, speaking in the House of Commons, and appearing in BBC1’s Lifeline appeal, alongside pop star Pixie Lott. 

Upon moving to London for university, during which time he avoided high rent by living in a Travelodge, James juggled studying Spanish with working as a red carpet reporter, interviewing stars such as George Clooney, Emma Stone and David Beckham.

Following his graduation, he travelled the world, journeying through twenty one countries looking for himself, and hopefully love. Having found neither, he returned home to Bristol, where he founded a walking tour company of the city and began working on his debut novel, having been selected for Curtis Brown Creative’s Six Month Novel Writing Course.

The Flip Side is his debut novel. 

 Twitter @JBaileyWrites #TheFlipSide

Instagram @JamesBaileyWrites

Website

@MichaelJbooks

@Midaspr

Blog Tour ~ The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually by Helen Cullen ☼

☼ Thrilled to host today's Blog Tour Stop ☼

Michael Joseph
20 August 2020

My thanks to the publishers for my e-copy of this book
and the invitation to the blog tour

On an island off the west coast of Ireland, the Moone family gather, only to be shattered by tragedy. Murtagh Moone met Maeve Morelli twenty-seven years ago outside Trinity College in Dublin, and the rest was history. Murtagh is a potter by trade and Maeve an actor from Williamsburg, whose days divide starkly into darkness and light. As they raise their four children in the tight-knit community on the island of Inis Og, her illness casts a long shadow over their happiness. Until Christmas Eve, 2005, when the darkest day comes. As the Moones piece themselves imperfectly back together, they begin to learn surprising truths about each other and about themselves – truths that only Maeve understood.

What did I think about it..

When ceramic artist, Murtgah Moone meets American actress, Maeve Morelli in 1978, outside Trinity College in Dublin, life for both of them is changed forever. Maeve, quirky and bold, and filled with a zest for life seems the perfect compliment to stoical and placid, Murtagh and yet, behind the facade, Maeve is battling her own dark demons. 

Fated to be together, Murtagh and Maeve settle into family life on the beautiful, but remote, Irish island of Inis Óg where Maeve raises their four children and Murtagh makes his living as a talented potter. Life seems perfect until one Christmas Eve in 2005, when life for the Moone family is changed forever.

The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually is one of those slow moving but beautifully succinct novels which takes you into the very fabric of family life, revealing cracks which even the Moone's didn't realise were appearing in Maeve's life. Such huge divisions will tear the family apart and make them question everything they thought they knew about Maeve, both as a lover and life companion to Murtagh, and devoted mother to Nollaig, Dillon,Tomás and Sive.

The author picks up the slow pace of island life quite perfectly, nothing much seems to happen and yet, the story is all the more mesmerising because of its slowness. It's beautifully introspective concentrating on thoughts and feelings whilst at the same time bringing snippets of everyday life into sharp focus and touching on mental health issues with compassion and sensitivity.

The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually is a thoughtful family drama which captures your heart and lingers in your mind long after the last page is turned.

About the Author

Helen Cullen is an Irish writer living in London. Helen’s debut novel The Lost Letters of William Woolf (2018) was shortlisted for Newcomer of the Year at the Irish Book Awards, and has been optioned for television. Helen freelances for the Sunday Times Magazine and is a regular features writer and book reviewer for the Irish Times.

Twitter @wordsofhelen

Website

Amazon UK

📖 Featured Book ~ Liar by Lesley Pearse

🌠🌠 It's the beginning of the month and time for my featured book 🌠🌠

Michael Joseph
25 June 2020

My thanks to the publishers and ed public relations for my copy of this book

Amelia White dreamed of being a reporter, but the closest she'd come was selling advertising in the local paper. Until the fateful day she stumbles on a truly shocking scoop.

A murder victim, round the corner from her home.

When the police and reporters descend, Amelia is horrified at the assumptions made and lies soon to be spread about this poor young woman. Convincing her local paper to let her take up the story herself, Amelia is determined to protect the victim from these smears. But when another body is found, the police investigation stalls. Now, Amelia's own unfolding investigation may be the only chance of uncovering the truth, and stopping more killings.

If only she can work out who the liar is...

What did I think about it..

I love the anticipation of a new Lesley Pearse novel and Liar, her 28th novel, is every bit as good as I hoped it would be.

Amelia White works on the local paper and whilst she has ambitions to be a reporter her days are largely spent in selling advertising space to local businesses. That is until she discovers the body of a dead girl in a pile of rubbish and with an exclusive scoop on her hands, Amelia is encouraged, by her boss, to delve a little deeper. 

What then follows is a convoluted and complex murder/mystery which has more than enough twists and turns to keep the action exciting. And yet, the story is about so much more than a murder mystery, it’s also a close examination of what makes people act in the way that they do. Nature versus nurture, that's for us to discover in this intricate story of murder, mayhem and despair. Whilst I had very sympathy for Amelia and her search for truth and justice, it is the other fascinating characters who flit into and out of Amelia’s life which add interesting light and shade into what is a rather dark and dangerous story.

I’ve never yet read a Lesley Pearse novel that I didn’t enjoy. She has such an easy style of writing and delivers romance, crime and historical fiction with fine attention to detail, and with impeccable accuracy she always gets right into the very heart and soul of her lead characters.

Liar is this author writing at her most skillful, she brings the rather dreary 1970s to life in a thought provoking murder/ mystery which flits and flutters through some difficult scenes but which never fails to entertain on every level.

I'm delighted to have chosen Liar as my featured book of the month. It's published in hardback and eBook by Michael Joseph and is out now. 

***Lesley's first virtual event is taking place this week with Woman and Home's Book Club. Lesley will be discussing her new novel Liar as well as six books that are special to her and how they have had an impact on her life. The event is free and will take place over Zoom today Thursday July 2nd at 7:30pm. To join, you just need to register here

About the Author

©Charlotte Murphy

Lesley Pearse is a global No.1 bestseller with fans across the world and sales of over 10 million copies of her books to date. One of the nation’s best-loved storytellers, Lesley is a master of the gripping story line, always introducing her readers to characters that are impossible not to care about or forget. With a ‘Lesley Pearse’ book purchased every 4 minutes in the UK, there is no formula to her books or easily defined genre and, whether historical drama like her No.1 bestselling Belle trilogy or the emotionally powerful Trust Me based on the true-life scandal of British child migrants sent to Australia in the post-war period, she always engages the reader completely.You’ll Never See Me Again is Lesley’s 27th novel.

Lesley Pearse was told as a child that she had too much imagination for her own good. She left home at 15 and headed to London where she worked her way through many jobs – from corsetry sales in Cooks of St. Pauls (featured in Dead to Me), to musician’s muse (her second husband was a musician managed by Don Arden) to bunny girl to nanny; from gift shop owner to dressmaker – finally finding her true vocation when she became a published author age 49. Since then Lesley has become an internationally bestselling author, with over 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide. 

A true storyteller and a master of gripping storylines, there is no set formula for a Lesley Pearse novel although strong heroines and difficult circumstances are pervasive. Whether historical adventures such as Gypsy or Never Look Back or the passionately emotive Trust Me, Lesley is inspired by stories of courage and adversity and often gives voice to women lost in history and people damaged by their childhood experiences. She is passionate about her research and her stories have taken her far and wide; from Alaska to the Crimea. Lesley now lives in Torquay in Devon where she loves to spend time walking on the beach with her grandchildren and dogs. A fantastic speaker and committed and passionate fundraiser for the NSPCC, Lesley is a much sought-after guest at literary lunches, library events and festivals up and down the country.

Twitter @LesleyPearse #LoveLesley

@MichaelJBooks

@ed_pr

Amazon UK