Book Description:

A message left in error on a young woman’s answerphone is the catalyst for uncovering some dark deeds.

Three young women are missing; luxury cars are being stolen; and just what did happen to two young schoolgirls, missing since the 1980’s?

DI Strong and journalist, Bob Souter are drawn into murky and dangerous worlds in this second book in the Wakefield Series.

The Wakefield Series:

#1 Trophies
#2 Torment
#3 Talisman
#4 Tainted – coming 2018

My Thoughts:

Torment is part two in the Wakefield Trinity series. I haven’t read Trophies which is the first one but will be doing so after reading Torment.

Torment actually works really well as a stand alone so don’t worry if like me you have’t read Trophies fist.

The Wakefield Trinity series follows DI Colin Strong and journalist Bob Souter.

I have to say I really love the combination of a detective and journalist working together to solve crimes. Both men respect each others position and even though it is quite risky for a detective to give information out to a journalist, Souter takes care to not let it get Strong into any trouble and uses any information given wisely. Also to be fair, Souter also helps Strong out with information.

The books are set in Yorkshire which I loved as a lot of the places mentioned in Wakefield and Leeds I could easily visualise with living in the area myself. It certainly made the whole story come alive in my head.

Souter isn’t your typical journalist. He maybe passionate about what he does as well as always on the look out for a new story, but he really cares. He comes across as being a very compassionate man who I know if real, I would certainly get on well with.

Strong is also very good at his job. To be fair at times I think he finds Souter a bit of a thorn in his side. Having someone in the know has Souter constantly ringing the detective in the hope of finding out new stories or leads and at times you can see Strong finds this frustrating.

Torment starts off with a disturbing message left on an answer phone which had me hooked straight from the start. It is packed full of criminal goings on that sees one investigation leading on to even more disturbing wrong doings. There is certainly no way you will ever get bored with this novel as it is jam packed full of gripping investigations that holds more than one or two surprises for the reader as well as Strong and Souter.

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

David Evans is a Scots-born writer who found his true love as well as his inspiration for his detective series, in Wakefield. Having written all his life, in 2012 he decided to go for it – successfully as the next year, in 2013, he was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger Award.

The Wakefield Series became an International Bestseller in June 2017 with success in Canada and Australia as well as the UK.

Early 2018 Disposal was published, the first book in the Tendring Series, a new detective series, set in north Essex in the 1970s.

Now, whilst awaiting the fourth book in the Wakefield Series (coming early 2019), the first three books in the Wakefield series have been republished by Orchard View Publications with brand new covers.

David Evans on Social Media

Author Website: http://www.davidevanswriter.co.uk/
Amazon Author Page: author.to/DavidEvans
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/davidevanswriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidEwriter

I am super excited today to be able to share with you all the fabulous cover for Poetic Justice by R.C. Bridgestock. I have been a huge fan of the DI Jack Dylan series so when I found out that the authors had written Poetic Justice which is the prequel to the brilliant crimes series, well I may just have done a little happy dance. 

The book will be published on the 28th of February 2019 of which there will be a blog tour kicking off on the same day. I am delighted to say I am an honorary member, check out my fabulous mug below!

So before we do the all important reveal, here’s a bit more about the book.

When Detective Jack Dylan heads home to his wife after a residential course, he has no idea that an extraordinary succession of events is about to turn his life upside down. A vicious, unprovoked personal attack is just the start. The discovery of his wife’s death in a road accident also reveals her affair, and his step-daughter is being expelled from university for drug use. Professionally, two teenagers have gone missing and one is soon found dead.
An ordinary man might break under the strain, but Dylan is no ordinary man. He knows that his survival depends on him carrying-on regardless, burying himself in his work, relieved by the distraction of newcomer to the admin department, Jennifer Jones. 
His determination to pursue the criminal elements behind the events – both personal and professional – is to be his salvation, and his relationship with Jen, his ‘Guardian Angel’, will turn out to be the mainstay of his future, both within the Force and at home.
Life may have changed, but nothing will stand in the way of Dylan’s determination to seek justice.

Well this has got me counting down the days until I can get hold of a copy and read it for myself. I cannot wait! Sounds like we are in for yet another gripping and thrilling read. 

Right yes, I know, you’ve only come to visit my blog to check out the all important cover. It’s not good to rush these things though so with out further ado, drum roll please!

 

 

TA DAH!!!

Love this cover and it goes perfectly with the blurb. Make sure to pre-order your copy so you don’t miss out by clicking here.

You can find out more about this fabulous writing duo below. Don’t forget to keep your eye out for the blog tour in February.

R.C. Bridgestock is the name that husband and wife co-authors Robert (Bob) and Carol Bridgestock write under. Between them they have nearly 50 years of police experience, offering an authentic edge to their stories. The writing duo created the character DI Jack Dylan, a down-to-earth detective, written with warmth and humour. The ninth book in the series will be published by The Dome Press in 2019, along with their backlist. A further crime series is presently being scripted by the pair, which has a strong
Yorkshire female character – Charley Mann – at the helm.

Bob was a highly commended career detective of 30 years, retiring at the rank of Detective Superintendent. During his last three years, he took charge of 26 murders, 23 major incidents, over 50 suspicious deaths and numerous sexual assaults. He was also a trained hostage negotiator with suicide interventions, kidnap, terrorism and extortion.
As a Detective Inspector he spent three years at the internationally acclaimed West Yorkshire Police Force Training School where he taught Detectives from all over the world in the whole spectrum of investigative skills and the law. On promotion to Detective Superintendent, Bob was seconded to a protracted enquiry investigating alleged police corruption in another force. He worked on the Yorkshire Ripper and Sarah
Harper murder, and received praise from Crown Court Judges and Chief Constables alike for outstanding work at all ranks, including winning the much-coveted Dennis Hoban Trophy.
As a police civilian supervisor, Carol also received a Chief Constable’s commendation for outstanding work.

The couple are the storyline consultants / police procedural on BAFTA-winning BBC1 police drama Happy Valley and series 3 of ITV’s Scott and Bailey, and are presently working with Scott Free Production scriptwriters on two commissioned TV drama series.
Carol started and chaired the Wight Fair Writers’ Circle in 2008, along with Bob, where she created an annual charitable community writing competition to inspire others of all ages. This event has raised over £10,000 for Island charities.
The couple pride themselves on being up-to-date on past and present day UK police procedures, and as a result, Bob is regularly sought by UK television, radio and national and local newspapers for comment on developing major crime incidents etc. They have also taken part in BBC Radio 4 (Steve) PUNT P.I.
Together they can regularly be seen as speakers at a variety of events in the literary world and work with colleges in schools in providing writing seminars and workshops, and they also work with International TV / Film make-up artist Pamela Clare, to help inspire her students at the White Rose Colleges.
Eight annual R.C. Bridgestock trophies are annually awarded to students.
Carol and Bob are also patrons and ambassadors for several charities.

Links:

Social Media
Twitter: @RCBridgestock
Website: http://www.rcbridgestock.com
Facebook: @rcbridgestockauthor

Book Description:

France 1944. An English Nurse. A German Soldier. A tragic love affair … 

English girl Sibyl Lake arrives in Colmar, a small French town, surrounded by vineyards and swarming with German soldiers. Trained as a nurse, Sibyl has been recruited as a British Agent to support the French Resistance. 

When Sibyl’s work leads her to her childhood sweetheart Jacques, she is overjoyed. But their happy reunion is shortlived as it is not just Jacques’ eye that Sibyl has caught …

Commander Wolfgang von Haagan is very taken with the attractive English stranger, and Sibyl realises that she can help her own country by listening to the secrets of this soldier’s heart. As she grows closer to Wolfgang she gets to know the man behind the uniform and despite her best intentions, soon she is caught in a terrible love triangle. 

And when Jacques finds that Sibyl is involved with the enemy, he is determined to prove himself to her with one last act of heroism. An act that will put all of their lives into terrible danger …. 

A gripping and heartbreaking story of love behind enemy lines and the overwhelming tragedy of war. Perfect for fans of The Letter by Kathryn Hughes, The Alice Network by Kate Quinn and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. 

 

My Thoughts:

We first meet Sibyl as a child when they go to France after the loss of a family member. It was good to see her as a care free child and how she excels in three different languages. Having always wanted to be able to speak a different language, I was quite envious of Sibyl in how fluently she spoke them.

When Sibyl is recruited to basically be a spy, well my heart jumped. As fabulous as it sounds to be a secret agent, it is very dangerous and especially at the time of the world war when so many horrible things were going on. My heart was literally in my mouth many a time when it looked like Sibyl’s identity might be discovered.

We’ve all heard the saying, sleeping with the enemy. Luckily in those days, a woman’s virtue was a must unless you were married of course. She does have to get close to the enemy though of which I didn’t envy her. Obviously getting close to some one, you can see Sibyl’s hardened exterior melting ever so slightly when the persistent Wolfgang seeks her attention.

The whole sense of the time and place really comes into affect with this story. The author transported me into a dark and scary world where at times there is little hope. It definitely makes for some sombre reading but is a must read into what so many people at that time did, risking their lives for the hope of freedom and a better world.

The Soldier’s Girl is a gripping and heart wrenching read that I couldn’t tear myself away from. In parts it makes for some emotional reading as it really hit home with me just what life was like for people experiencing the world war first hand. A moving and at times touching read that will stay with me for some time.

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 Soldier’s Girl is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an affiliate link).

Author Bio:

Sharon Maas was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1951, and spent many childhood hours either curled up behind a novel or writing her own adventure stories. Sometimes she had adventures of her own, and found fifteen minutes of Guyanese fame for salvaging an old horse-drawn coach from a funeral parlor, fixing it up, painting it bright blue, and tearing around Georgetown with all her teenage friends. The coach ended up in a ditch, but thankfully neither teens nor horse were injured.

Boarding school in England tamed her somewhat; but after a few years as a reporter with the Guyana Graphic in Georgetown she plunged off to discover South America by the seat of her pants. She ended up in a Colombian jail, and that’s a story for another day…

Sharon has lived in an Ashram in India and as a German Hausfrau–the latter giving her the time and the motivation to finally start writing seriously. Her first novel, Of Marriageable Age, was published by HarperCollins, London, in 1999 and reprinted as a digital edition in 2014. After working as a social worker in a German hospital she finally retired and now has time for her favourite pastimes: reading, writing, and travelling.

 

 

Author Social Media Links:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sharonmaasauthor/?notif_id=1507886997954009&notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharon_maas

Website: https://www.sharonmaas.com/

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