bytheletterbookreviews

Book Description:

Katerina Rowe, a Deacon at the church in the sleepy village of Eyam, has a fulfilled life. She is happily married to Leon and her work is rewarding. But everything changes when she discovers the body of a man and a badly beaten woman, Beth, in the alleyway behind her husband’s pharmacy.

Drawn to the young woman she saved, Kat finds herself embroiled in a baffling mystery.

When Beth’s house is set on fire, Kat offers the young woman sanctuary in her home and soon the pair begin investigating the murder, with some help from Beth’s feisty grandmother, Doris. But neither the police, nor Leon, nor the criminals want Kat and Beth looking into their affairs and the sleuths quickly find themselves out of their depth…

Can Kat and Beth solve the mystery and walk away unscathed?

My Thoughts:

This is the first book in a series to feature Kat and Beth (mainly known as Mouse). I love the concept behind Kat and Mouse. Such a great idea and I literally can not wait for more after reading this one.

It’s good to see more women in roles such as Deacon’s. Being one that is usually dominated by men, I enjoyed seeing a female in this role. Kat definitely has a way of putting people at ease and you can see how much she cares. I loved the relationship between her and Leon and everything is pretty much perfect in her life.

Beth, or Mouse as we soon get to know her as, is far from a Deacon. I won’t go into her line of work but it’s far from anything holy! Having come close to death’s door, there is no wonder why her and Kat hit it off as soon as they get to know each other. Doris, Mouse’s, grandmother was just the icing on the cake for me. Such a brilliant character and brings a bit of humour into the story. Bet everyone will be wishing they had a grandmother like this one after reading this book.

Murder Undeniable is a fabulous start to a new series. I know I say this a few times about certain crime series’ but this really is crying out to be made into a television series. It would be prime viewing that’s for sure. The author’s writing feels effortless and the story flows so well making it impossible to put down. Hooked from beginning to end, I truly loved this book. Got very high hopes for this series and have no doubts that it is going to be a huge hit with crime fans.

My thanks to Bloodhound Books for an advances readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

Murder Undeniable is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an affiliate link).

About Anita Waller:
Anita Waller was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire in 1946. She married Dave in 1967 and they have three adult children.

She began writing when she was around 8 years of age, writing ‘compositions’ at junior school that became books with chapters.

In 1995 she sent Beautiful to a publisher and as they reached the contract stage the publisher went into liquidation. As a result, the book was consigned to the attic in dejected disgust but in 2013 it was dragged out again for an enforced complete re-type. The original was written on an Amstrad 8256 and the only thing that remained was one hard copy.

Anita is not a typist and it was painfully reworked over two years, submitted to Bloodhound Books who, within three days of reading it, offered her a contract. 31 August 2015 saw its release into the wide world.

Following the outstanding success of Beautiful, she began a sequel on 27 December 2015, finishing it on 19 March 2016. The new novel, Angel, was launched on 7 May 2016.

34 Days followed, with its launch in October 2016. This was a huge success, particularly in the United States. While this, her third book in the psychological thriller genre, was flying out in all directions, she began work on her fourth book.

Winterscroft was a change in genre. It is a supernatural tale, set in Castleton, Derbyshire, and its release date was February 2017.

While she was writing Winterscroft, it became very clear from reading reviews that a sequel to 34 days was needed, and she began work on that. Bloodhound Books launched Strategy, on 10 August 2017.

Her next book, launched February 2018 and entitled Captor, is a psychological thriller, set exclusively in Sheffield. It was an instant success, both in the UK and the US.

Then along came Game Players… once more set in Sheffield, the story involves a group of six children who have each other’s backs to a remarkable extent. The darker, criminal side of Sheffield is explored, with the book launching 18 May 2018.

Malignant arrived in the world on 10 October 2018, her eighth book in three years.

And now Anita is working on her first series, the Kat and Mouse trilogy, set in the beautiful Derbyshire village of Eyam. The first in the series, Murder Undeniable, launches 10 December 2018.

In her life away from the computer in the corner of her kitchen, she is a Sheffield Wednesday supporter with blue blood in her veins! The club was particularly helpful during the writing of 34 Days, as a couple of matches feature in the novel, along with Ross Wallace. Information was needed, and they provided it.

Her genre is murder – necessary murder.

Anita’s Social Media Links & Books to Date:

Email: anitamayw@yahoo.co.uk

Website: www.anitamayw.wixsite.com/anitawaller

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/anitawaller2015/ @anitawaller2015

Amazon page: www.amazon.co.uk/Anita-Waller/e/B014RQFCRS/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitamayw @anitamayw

Books:

Beautiful, 2015

Angel, 2016

34 Days, 2016

Winterscroft, 2017

Strategy, 2017

Captor, 2018

Game Players, May 2018

Malignant, October 2018

Murder Undeniable, December 2018

Current WIP, Murder Unexpected, launches February 2018

Book Description:

The war is over, but there’s heartbreak ahead…

Liverpool, 1945. As the war draws to a close, Alice and Terry Lomax are building a new life with their young daughter Cathy. After years away fighting, Terry is a stranger to his daughter and must work hard to win her trust and love.

Alice and old friend Sadie work in the haberdashery of Lewis’s department store, where bomb damage scars the walls and rationing is still in force. Yet Lewis’s remains open, a sign of strength in the midst of Liverpool’s post-war ruins.

Though memories of those lost in the war are fresh, Alice and Sadie look forward to the future. But then a tragic accident leaves Alice a widow, and the father of Sadie’s child – a man she hoped never to see again – is back in Liverpool…

With Alice struggling to start again alone, and Sadie desperate to protect her son, can these two shop girls overcome their troubles and keep their hopes alive – even with all the odds against them?

The Shop Girls of Lark Lane is a heart-wrenching family saga about the strength of friendship and the costs of war. If you love Nadine Dorries, Diney Costeloe and Kitty Neale, you won’t want to miss Pam Howes!

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in the saga and would probably recommend reading the books in order, mainly just to get a bit of back ground to the characters and get to know them better. It isn’t imperative to do so though.

Thankfully the war is now over and things look like they are finally on the up for Alice and her little family with her husband Terry back at home. Sadly that happiness doesn’t last for long. You can’t help feel for Alice who has had it tough and now things are going to get even harder. 

What I love about this story is the bond of friendship and family. Alice is lucky to have some great friends as well as have her mother in law look out for her, of which she isn’t sadly always grateful for. Her younger brother is a massive help also with her daughter Cathy and I think it really makes you value the people you have round you. 

I don’t want to say to much about the story as there are some unexpected surprises, of which had my heart break for Alice. It really makes you question how well you know someone. I have no clue what is next for Alice but I am already counting down the days until the next book is out. 

The Shop Girls Of Lark Lane is another enthralling read in the saga. As usual with this authors books, from picking it up, I never want to put it down until I’ve reached the last page. Even then, the characters stay with me well after I’ve put the book down. Usually if it’s been a while since I read the last book, I sometimes need to look back at the previous blurb to remind myself of the story and characters but not with Pam Howes books,they stay with me regardless. An unforgettable and engrossing read. 

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway. 

The Shop Girls Of Lark lane is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an affiliate link). 

Book Description:

A casual comment.

There’s a killer among us.

That’s all it takes.

She stabbed little Robbie Harris.

To change a life –

She’s living under a new name.

For ever.

She’s reformed. So they say . . .

Joanna is going to regret the day she ever said a word.

My Thoughts:

Oh my! I can’t believe this is the authors debut. Such a great read.

This story just ticked so many boxes for me. There’s plenty to entice the reader. I mean who wouldn’t be fascinated of a story line to do with a child killer? The fact that there is one amongst the residents made it even more exciting as well as disturbing.

Like Joanna and the rest of her newly acquainted friends, I was desperate to know who it was. It does go to show sadly though how rumours can get out of hand. How things can spiral out of control very quickly.

The book is packed full of tension and suspense. I was literally on the edge of my seat waiting for the revelation as to just who the child killer was. I could hardly keep still at the twists and turns as they come and I was literally devouring the pages. It really makes for an adrenaline fuelled read.

The Rumour is a superb debut that guarantees to thrill and excite it’s readers. An absolute page turner of a read that will have you gasping for breath as you will be so wrapped up in the story that you will forget to breath. Honestly! It really is that good. Very excited to see what the author brings out next.

My thanks to Anne Cater and Transworld Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

The Rumour is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an affiliate link).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lesley Kara is an alumna of the Faber Academy ‘Writing a Novel’ course. She completed an English degree and PGCE at Greenwich University, having previously worked as a nurse and a secretary, and then became a lecturer and manager in Further Education. Lesley has relocated to a small town on the North Essex coast, where she is currently working on her second novel.

I am delighted today to be re-sharing with you all, my review for The Case Of The Missing Bride by Carmen Radtke as part of the Bloodhound Books Christmas Crackers Blog Tour. Enjoy!

Book Description:

When a girl goes missing on board of an ocean liner, only one person is convinced that the disappearance is no accident. Alyssa has found herself with a group of impoverished girls who are embarking from Australia to Canada in the hope of marriage. As the daughter of a senior official, Alyssa doesn’t share this goal. She hopes to return to England via Canada and sees the trip as her only way to secure any passage on a ship. But the girls all share one problem. Their presence on the ship is not known to many of its passengers but their worlds collide when one of the gentlemen discovers the girls. Then Emma, one of the intended brides, goes missing. Alyssa is convinced the disappearance is no accident, and she will risk her own life to search for the killer. What happened to Emma? Is there a murderer on board the ship? Alyssa is about to discover that there is more to her voyage into the unknown than she bargained for.

My Thoughts:

I have to admit this isn’t the usual sort of book that I would pick up. I tend not to be a big fan of books set in a different century, much preferring them to be set in the modern day instead. I have to say though the book description sounded to good for me to pass up on the chance of reading it, so I did, read it that is.

The whole story takes part on the ship on it’s voyage to Canada where most of the girls hope to be married off and make a new life for themselves. I did feel a bit sorry for them all. To spend time cooped up together for quite a considerable amount of time would have sent me stir crazy. Obviously this is also at a time when women were not seen to travel on their own and in this case they are all accompanied by a matron to watch over them and make sure there are no unsavoury advances from any men on board.

I liked how the girls or should I say young women, all have quite a personality. Alyssa certainly is quite outspoken which is something that would have been frowned upon then. The on board doctor though seems to take quite a shine to her often playfully winding her up much to Alyssa’s annoyance. I also enjoyed the matrons character, who I envisioned to be quite different to the stereo typical ones you would normally see on the telly.

I wouldn’t class this as a crime thriller as the story is told at a much slower pace of which I feel is needed for the setting and type of story it is. It is very much one of murder mystery and reminded me slightly of Agatha Christie’s, Death On The Nile with it being set on a ship which means the murderer is still on board and it’s down to the people on board to work out who the villain is.

The Case of the Missing Bride is a charming and intriguing read. For a slower paced read it still had me engrossed, so much so that I read it in two sittings. Definitely one of those sort of books that you will be glad you take a chance on if it’s not your usual kind of read.

My thanks to Bloodhound books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

The Case Of The Missing Bride is available to purchase from Amazon.

Author Bio:

Carmen has spent most of her life with ink on her fingers and a dangerously high pile of books and newspapers by her side.

She has worked as a newspaper reporter on two continents and always dreamt of becoming a novelist and screenwriter.

When she found herself crouched under her dining table, typing away on a novel between two earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, she realised she was hooked for life.

The shaken but stirring novel made it to the longlist of the Mslexia competition, and her next book and first mystery, The Case Of The Missing Bride, was a finalist in the Malice Domestic competition in a year without a winner.

Carmen was born in Hamburg, Germany, but had planned on emigrating since she was five years old. She first moved to New Zealand and now lives in York, UK, with her daughter, cat, and sometimes her seafaring husband comes home.

Links:https://scribbler25.wixsite.com/mysitewww.facebook.com/Carmen-Radtke-1958399947738868/Twitter:@CarmenRadtke1Carmenradtke01@gmail.com

Book Description:

Christmas is coming, but not everyone is looking forward to it. 
Rebecca has just been dumped and the prospect of spending the holiday period with her parents is less than appealing.
Eighty- two year old Stanley lost his beloved wife, Edie, to cancer. How will he cope with his first Christmas without her? 
Jacob’s university degree hasn’t helped him get a job, and it looks like he’ll still be signing on come New Year.
Workaholic Meredith would rather spend December 25th at home alone with a ready meal and a DVD box set. Can anything make her embrace the spirit of the season?
The enigmatic Natalie Hope takes over the reins at the Sugar and Spice bakery and café in an attempt to spread some festive cheer and restore Christmas spirit, but will she succeed?

My Thoughts:

Oh my goodness, this was such a fabulous read.

The story centres around the Sugar and Spice bakery and café where Natalie takes over while the owner has an operation and recuperates. I think it should be compulsive that all festive reads features cakes and lots of them. Probably not great for your diet but the fabulous sound of the cakes in this story will have you craving them in a big way!

Along with Natalie, we get to meet four other characters who all seem a bit down on their luck for various reasons. I loved getting to know them all better and couldn’t wait to see what the author had in store for them as well as the reader.

The characterisation was superb and you will really get emotionally attached to the characters in the story. So much so that I was very sad to get to the end as this is one of those stories you wish would go on forever.

The Christmas Spirit really is just that. It is way more than just a festive read though. It has everything you would expect from a story set around that special time of year but you also get the true meaning of Christmas as well. It really is a fabulously up lifting read. Loved it!

My thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

The Christmas Spirit is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an affiliate link).

Author Bio – Susan Buchanan lives in Scotland with her husband and their two children. She is the author of four novels: Return of the Christmas Spirit, The Christmas Spirit, The Dating Game, and Sign of the Times. She is currently working on books five and six: The Proposal and Just One Day.

Susan is also a proofreader, editor and translator, and when not working, writing, or caring for her two delightful cherubs, loves reading, the theatre, quiz shows and eating out – not necessarily in that order!

Social Media Links

Facebook – www.facebook.com/susan.buchanan.author

Twitter – susan_buchanan

Blog – Sooz’s journal – www.susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk