COVER REVEAL: Love Always Lindisfarne - Kimberley Adams

I absolutely love Kimberley Adams' Lindisfarne books so I'm delighted to be taking part in the Rachel's Random Resources cover reveal for Love Always Lindisfarne by Kimberley Adams  Scroll down to have a look at the cover and to find out more about the book.

Here's a little bit about the book:

Return to Northumberland where happy ever afters await…

Take a magical trip to stunning Northumberland via the pages of this feel-good romantic comedy by award winning writer Kimberley Adams. Full of warmth and joy, it will leave you with a wide smile and a yearning to visit this iconic location in person.

When the almost unbelievable truth about Kittiwake Penaluna’s heritage comes to light, the residents are shocked, but in true island fashion they rally together to protect their fledgling chick as she faces life-changing revelations.

Meanwhile, the island mourns the loss of its beloved village butcher, and the closure of the shop on Main Street leaves a hole at the heart of the community. Then, when other businesses unexpectedly close, rumours begin to circulate about who might be behind the unsettling changes.

As familiar faces depart, new ones arrive, but not everything is as it seems. And when a despised figure from the past returns, old tensions resurface and the island is thrown into further turmoil.

Amid the chaos, Ellie and Zen finally begin preparing for their long-awaited wedding, but as always on the island, nothing goes quite according to plan. With difficult decisions to make and obstacles to overcome, they soon discover that they can weather any storm, because love always endures on Lindisfarne…

Publishing 21st May 2026

Pre-order links:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Kim was born in Corbridge in Northumberland and still lives in this gorgeous corner of the world. Passionate about the area, Kim tends to set her work in the northeast, and why not considering the wealth of stunning scenery and the warm-hearted locals, both of which constantly give her ideas for future writing endeavours.

Kim’s debut Love Lindisfarne was released October 2023 and from its first cover release on social media gained momentum, taking Kim totally by surprise. Kim had never envisaged writing more than one book, but here we now are at number four, three Lindisfarne book and a Christmas novella called the Christmas Angel of the North which is about a nana and her granddaughter and set in Newcastle.

Kim finds most of her inspiration mooching around cafes across the Northeast where she ‘overhears’ some of the funniest and warmest things that are stored away for future use (anonymously of course!) If you see her, buy her some cake, then she promises never to write about you – unless you want her to of course!

Kim is very proud of her ratings on Amazon and if you want to read reviews for her previous books just pop on and you will be able to see just why Kim gets quite emotional over some of the lovely things that have been said about the books! If you do enjoy the books, please try and leave a rating or review, you don’t even have to have bought the book from Amazon, but each rating helps towards getting the system to recognise Kim and her books.

Social Media Links – 

X Twitter - @kim_adamsWriter

Facebook – Kimberley Adams-Writer

FB Page – Love Lindisfarne

Instagram – love_lindisfarne

Or follow her on Amazon.

BLOG TOUR: Love Forever Lindisfarne - Kimberley Adams

Take a summer break to stunning Northumberland via the pages of this feel-good romantic comedy by award winning writer Kimberley Adams. Full of love and laughter, it will leave you yearning to visit this iconic location in person!

When a stranger appears in the middle of a very important celebration, no one can foresee the island connections that will later come to light. Kittiwake Penaluna is drawn to the island at a sad time in her life; she’s broken, but it doesn’t take long for the islanders to rally round and take her under their wing.

Ellie and Zen are busier than they’ve ever been, jumping from task to task with little time for themselves. Will they ever find a moment together away from all the drama that constantly follows them around the island?

The forthcoming arrival of nine new mini animals puts even more pressure on the islanders, but Bert is resolute, and it’s all hands to the pump to prepare for their arrival. The Mini-Fest fundraiser gets off to a great start, until a despised face from the past appears and throws everything into chaos.

Full of heart, Love Forever Lindisfarne is a story steeped in love and community. You'll reunite with beloved characters who feel like old friends and meet a few lively newcomers with big personalities! Each page will pull you deeper into island life and leave you with a wide smile and a warm glow!

 

What did I think?

I love Kimberley Adams' Lindisfarne books and couldn't wait for the tide to go out so I could cross over to my favourite island once again.  Love Forever Lindisfarne is my third virtual visit to Lindisfarne (although I am lucky enough to have previously visited it in real life) and whilst it can be read as a standalone, the whole series is brilliant and it brings so much more to this book when you have read the others.

It's like catching up with old friends when I opened the first page of Love Forever Lindisfarne and how I loved to read about Ellie and Zen, Bert and Meg and the menagerie of animals that is about to grow a lot bigger.  Those 'little hairy coos' on the front cover melted my heart before I even read about them in the book.  I've also got to take a moment to draw your attention to the stunning cover created by Sarah Farooqi and the Northumberland flag on Zen's top is a lovely touch.

Community spirit plays a huge part in the Love Lindisfarne books but it is even stronger and more evident in Love Forever Lindisfarne.  Not only does the community come together to rescue some new animals, but they also open their hearts to a visitor who is feeling very lost and lonely.  Awww man, I just loved Kittiwake and how the villagers all rally round to make her feel welcome and loved.

Love Forever Lindisfarne is the loveliest and most heartfelt love letter to Northumberland you will ever read.  There's lots of love and laughter sprinkled throughout this cracking book like magical Northumberland fairy dust.  I think everyone will want to visit Holy Island after reading these books and I can honestly say that it is as breathtaking as Kimberley Adams paints it with her beautiful words (just watch out for the tides).  Very highly recommended; unforgettable and unmissable!

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Kim writes heartwarming romantic comedies which are set in glorious Northumberland on the iconic Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Kim is an award-winning writer and her books are amongst the highest rated romcoms on Amazon. Kim’s beautiful book covers are bespoke artwork by a Northumbrian artist and a representation of a scene within the book!

FACEBOOK Kimberley Adams-Writer or Love Lindisfarne
X kim_adamsWriter
INSTAGRAM love_lindisfarne

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COVER REVEAL: Love Forever Lindisfarne - Kimberley Adams

I'm delighted to be helping with the cover reveal for Kimberley Adams' new novel, Love Forever Lindisfarne, publishing next month on 26th June 2025.  The covers of these Lindisfarne novels are like works of art so let's take a look at the new one... 

Isn't it stunning?  It looks so warm and inviting and I can't wait to visit Lindisfarne once again.

Here's a little bit about the book:

Take a summer break to stunning Northumberland via the pages of this feel-good romantic comedy by award winning writer Kimberley Adams. Full of love and laughter, it will leave you yearning to visit this iconic location in person!

When a stranger appears in the middle of a very important celebration, no one can foresee the island connections that will later come to light. Kittiwake Penaluna is drawn to the island at a sad time in her life; she’s broken, but it doesn’t take long for the islanders to rally round and take her under their wing.

Ellie and Zen are busier than they’ve ever been, jumping from task to task with little time for themselves. Will they ever find a moment together away from all the drama that constantly follows them around the island?

The forthcoming arrival of nine new mini animals puts even more pressure on the islanders, but Bert is resolute, and it’s all hands to the pump to prepare for their arrival. The Mini-Fest fundraiser gets off to a great start, until a despised face from the past appears and throws everything into chaos.

Full of heart, Love Forever Lindisfarne is a story steeped in love and community. You'll reunite with beloved characters who feel like old friends and meet a few lively newcomers with big personalities! Each page will pull you deeper into island life and leave you with a wide smile and a warm glow!

Preorder links:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Kim writes heartwarming romantic comedies which are set in glorious Northumberland on the iconic Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Kim is an award-winning writer and her books are amongst the highest rated romcoms on Amazon. Kim’s beautiful book covers are bespoke artwork by a Northumbrian artist and a representation of a scene within the book!

Social media links: 

Facebook: Kimberley Adams-Writer or Love Lindisfarne

X: kim_adamsWriter

Instagram: love_lindisfarne

BLOG TOUR: Love Beyond Lindisfarne - Kimberley Adams

Take a spring to summer trip to magical Northumberland and find love and laughter in this feel-good novel, which will transport you to the iconic island of Lindisfarne and beyond…

Ellie, and Zen with the coffee-bean eyes, met at Christmas when she came to Northumberland to look after rescue animals. They are taking their first tentative steps into a love-at-first-sight relationship and all in their spring garden should be wonderful.

When Lady Grace becomes ill, life at the castle changes overnight, and not for the better. The new custodian and his fiancée have plans, and the islanders are far from happy. When the filming of a reality show means the animals must move out of their yard due to the Queen of the Castle production company taking over, it’s the final straw.

Amongst all the drama, Love Beyond Lindisfarne is a story of love, intergenerational friendships, camaraderie, and oodles of the warmth and humour found in this very special corner of the world.

 

What did I think?

I am absolutely delighted that Kimberley Adams decided to write a sequel to her amazing debut novel, Love Lindisfarne, and Love Beyond Lindisfarne is just as funny and entertaining as its predecessor.  You can of course read Love Beyond Lindisfarne as a standalone but you will definitely want to read Love Lindisfarne afterwards if it's your first virtual visit to the picturesque Northumberland island of Lindisfarne.

It was so wonderful to revisit Holy Island (known outside the region as Lindisfarne) and pick up where we left off.  I didn't realise how much I had missed the characters and I felt as if I was meeting up with old friends (and enemies).  I loved that Ellie's friends from London decided to pay a visit to Northumberland and a lot of the amazing tourist attractions are painted so vividly that I can imagine more visitors will be descending on Northumberland after reading this fabulous book.

Ellie needs all the support from friends she can get when Poison Isla returns to the island and she's worse than ever now that she is in a position to make sweeping changes that affect the whole village.  It's so heartwarming to see the way the villagers all club together and help each other as they unite against their common enemy.

Filled with Northumberland's warm and welcoming community spirit, I absolutely adored Love Beyond Lindisfarne and I didn't want the book to end so I hope that Kimberley Adams writes more books featuring these fabulous characters.  Love Beyond Lindisfarne is a fabulous and completely unforgettable book - I really can't recommend it highly enough.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Kimberley Adams released her debut novel, Love Lindisfarne in Autumn of last year. The book, a romantic comedy, is set in her beloved Northumberland and is a heartwarming tale of love and friendship on the small tidal island of Holy Island. Kim was stunned by the way the book took off in the busy Christmas book market and it became one of the highest rated of its genre on Amazon and gained Kim a lot of new friends! Kim hadn’t thought about writing a sequel but demand was there and so Love Beyond Lindisfarne was born. The book features all the favourite characters but can be read as a standalone. Kim’s Lindisfarne books share a special feature as Kim engages with a local artist and between them, they create the covers to match a scene within the book.  Kim is also to be published traditionally by Farrago in April 24 in The Book of Witty Women. This was as a result of her being a finalist in the Comedy Women in Print Prize and her story, Go Your Own Way, is a comedy set on urban Tyneside and introduces two of her favourite characters, Donna and her nana Mary!

Social Media Links 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/kim_adamsWriter 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/love_lindisfarne/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095324844031 

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BLOG TOUR: Love Lindisfarne - Kimberley Adams

LOVE LINDISFARNE…Take a Christmas trip to magical Northumberland and find love amongst the stars in this feel-good novel, which will transport you to iconic Holy Island where dreams really can come true!

Dumped at the office Christmas party, Ellie is about to vent her spleen on social media when a photo of a cute little dog advertising a charity catches her eye. Her world suddenly changes dramatically when she is offered a month’s stay in Northumberland to help look after rescue animals.

Ellie isn’t too sure where Northumberland is, but accepts, eager to start a new life away from London. Her destination is Lindisfarne, and her arrival on the small island in the North Sea is terrifying, fearing for her life on the causeway as the tide comes crashing in.

Ellie finds herself living in a hilltop castle, and far from the cats and dogs she expected she would be looking after, she is faced with all kinds of furry and feathery animals - and she doesn’t have a clue about any of them!

Welcomed to island life by the warm-hearted residents, she quickly embraces living in this special place, and from the moment she spots the mesmerising Zen with the gorgeous coffee bean eyes, her plans to stay single and mingle begin to fade fast.

Thanks to a severe storm, Lindisfarne is cut off from the mainland, and the islanders work together to salvage the planned Christmas events. Ellie is kept so busy that she hasn’t much time to think about her future when her time on the island ends.

Will the universe give Ellie its blessing? Will she find her happy ever after on the enchanting island of Lindisfarne? If it’s in the stars, then it’s in the stars…

 

What did I think?

Love Lindisfarne is an absolute joy to read; it's like a romcom coupled with a visitors' guide to Holy Island and I loved every second of my virtual visit to Northumberland.  Although Northumberland is actually on my doorstep so I could just as easily go there in real life too and Holy Island certainly beckons after reading this fabulous book.

Ellie is very brave to up sticks from her life (and her amazing friends) in London and venture north to Lindisfarne to help look after a collection of hilariously named animals.  The names of the animals still have me giggling but I'm not going to share them as they're best discovered for yourself.  I'm surprised my kindle wasn't feeling hot with the amount of welcoming warmth and community spirit that's woven into the story.

Of course Ellie didn't plan to fall in love but Zen is her knight in a campervan who rescues her from the incoming tide on the causeway.  Silly Ellie didn't realise Lindisfarne was an island that's cut off twice a day at high tide.  Both Ellie and Zen have been hurt in the past so it was lovely to see their relationship develop from a firm foundation of friendship.

Funny, festive and romantic, Love Lindisfarne is as warm as it is witty and I feel rather bereft now that I have left the characters behind on the island.  There's only one thing for it...I'll just have to read the book again soon.  It's a hugely entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable read that I really can't recommend highly enough.  I loved it so much that I've already bought a paperback to place on my favourites shelf.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase links:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Kim might be new on the writing block, but she was first published as a teenager writing happy ever after stories for other teens! She progressed to women's magazines before life and work got in the way. Kim began writing again seriously a few years ago and during that relatively short time has won and been placed in several well-known writing competitions. Love Lindisfarne started off life being shortlisted by Penguin Michael Joseph which gave Kim the impetus to finish it, and Kim turned down the opportunity of traditional publishing because she wanted to keep the cover and content she had dreamed of since the book's concept!  

Like buses that take forever then two come along at once, Kim will also be traditionally published this year too, with just one month between the books. Kim was a finalist in this year's Comedy Women in Print competition, and her prize was to see her work (this time based in Newcastle) in the Book of Witty Women to be published by Farrago in September.

Social Media links:

Twitter:  @kim_adamsWriter 

Instagram: @love_lindisfarne 

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BLOG TOUR: The Rising Tide (Vera Stanhope Book 10) - Ann Cleeves

Fifty years ago, a group of teenagers spent a weekend on Holy Island, forging a bond that has lasted a lifetime. Now, they still return every five years to celebrate their friendship, and remember the friend they lost to the rising waters of the causeway at the first reunion.

Now, when one of them is found hanged, Vera is called in. Learning that the dead man had recently been fired after misconduct allegations, Vera knows she must discover what the friends are hiding, and whether the events of many years before could have led to murder then, and now . . .

But with the tide rising, secrets long-hidden are finding their way to the surface, and Vera and the team may find themselves in more danger than they could have believed possible . . . 

 

What did I think?

The Rising Tide is the tenth book in the Vera Stanhope series but it's my first one and I LOVED IT!!!  I don't know how I've never read any of the Vera series before as I love books based in my native North East so I'm glad that I've finally got round to discovering it.  So, The Rising Tide can definitely be read as a standalone novel and it's got me hooked - I want more Vera!

The setting for this instalment is Holy Island (or Lindisfarne for people out of the area as it's pointed out in the book) and the remote Northumbrian island is described beautifully.  I've only been there twice but I could totally picture the causeway, castle and village from Ann Cleeves' vivid descriptions.

I've never watched Vera on TV but I'm aware of the character played by Brenda Blethyn so it was Brenda's Vera that I imagined.  However, even if I hadn't been aware of the show I would still have been able to imagine Vera as she virtually leaps out of the page with her scruffy clothes and battered old Land Rover.  All of the characters are portrayed vividly and I particularly liked the competition in Vera's team between Holly and Vera's clear favourite Joe.

The murder plot is stunning and completely unpredictable as everyone is a suspect.  I loved the reunion story about the group of school friends who visit Holy Island every five years, although their numbers are depleting.  Is there a killer in their midst?  Vera will find out, don't you worry about that.

I don't think I can even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed The Rising Tide.  It's certainly made me want to read all of the Vera books and to encourage a reader to discover an already well-established series is no mean feat.  There's not many books that make me gasp out loud these days, but Ann Cleeves managed to shock me into an audible gasp in The Rising Tide.  

Gripping, entertaining and atmospheric, The Rising Tide is sublimely plotted and flawlessly written.  Eh pet, it's great!  Divvent miss it like!

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

ANN CLEEVES is the author of more than thirty-five critically acclaimed novels, and in 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television in ITV’s Vera, BBC One’s Shetland and ITV's The Long Call respectively. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide. 2022 marks 30 years of publishing with Pan Macmillan.

Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of ‘Murder Squad’, working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann also spends her time advocating for reading to improve health and wellbeing and supporting access to books. In 2021 her Reading for Wellbeing project launched with local authorities across the North East. She lives in Northumberland where the Vera books are set. You can find Ann on Twitter and Facebook @AnnCleeves.

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BLOG TOUR: The Genesis Inquiry - Olly Jarvis

Is there one last undiscovered, great truth?

A moment zero, a place in time that links all cultures and creeds?

A revelation that will unite us all and change the way we see history forever?

Brilliant but burnt-out barrister Ella Blake accepts an apparently simple brief: investigate the mysterious disappearance of an African American polymath from his rooms at Cambridge University. The Inquiry quickly becomes the greatest challenge of her life – solving the mystery of Genesis.

Facing danger at every turn, can Ella find the answers to the riddles and clues left by the missing genius?

Reunited with her estranged daughter, the Inquiry sends them on a quest across the world and through ancient texts.

What is the secret that binds us all?

Who is behind the dark forces that will stop at nothing to prevent the world from knowing the truth?

The Genesis Inquiry is an epic and gripping thriller by the brilliant Olly Jarvis which asks a key question – what can our shared past tell us about humanity’s future?

What did I think?

I can think of any number of words to describe this book: stunning, outstanding, brilliant, breathtaking, exceptional...just think of any positive adjective and it will most certainly apply to The Genesis Inquiry.  It's a legal thriller with a difference; just imagine if John Grisham and Dan Brown collaborated on a book, it might be half as good as this one.

I was gripped from the very first page as we meet our protagonist Ella Blake in her campervan on the island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland.  What a lovely surprise this was as I love reading novels set in the North East of England, albeit briefly set there as Ella then returns to Cambridge to investigate the disappearance of academic Matthew Shepherd.  

Ella is such an intriguing character with a tragic backstory that left her estranged from her daughter Lizzie.  Lizzie is also in Cambridge so not only does Ella have a case to investigate, she also has to work at her mother/daughter relationship if she wants to rebuild bridges with Lizzie.  Although she's clearly a brilliant barrister, seeing Ella as less than perfect in her personal life really endeared her to me.  I can't wait to read more Ella Blake thrillers.

Olly Jarvis' writing is so vivid and immersive that I felt as if I was part of the story and my heart was pounding as the danger levels ramped up.  There's an element of 'who can you trust?' which had me on the edge of my seat and pretty much suspecting everyone apart from Ella as having an ulterior motive.

The plot is breathtaking, it leaves the reader with food for thought and I scampered off to google one of the real places mentioned in the book.  I had never even heard of it and you have to wonder why that is.  It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it and I'm captivated by what I have read online so far, so thank you Olly Jarvis for highlighting this fascinating place.  I'm being purposefully vague about this to ensure that I don't spoil the plot for others.

Take my word for it, The Genesis Inquiry is not to be missed; it's simply stunning!  I have found a new favourite author in Olly Jarvis and I really can't recommend The Genesis Inquiry highly enough.  An easy 5 stars awarded for this outstanding legal thriller.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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The Mirror World of Melody Black - Gavin Extence

It all starts, as these things sometimes do, with a dead man.

He was a neighbour, not someone Abby knew well, but still, finding a body when you only came over to borrow a tin of tomatoes, that comes as a bit of a shock.

At least, it should.

And now she can't shake the feeling that if she hadn't gone into Simon's flat, if she'd had her normal Wednesday night instead, then none of what happened next would have happened.

And she would never have met Melody Black . . .

Wild and witty, searing and true, THE MIRROR WORLD OF MELODY BLACK is about the fine line that separates normal from not - and how life can spin, very swiftly, out of control.

What did I think?

I absolutely loved this book; the author completely laid himself bare and gave us a warts and all glimpse into the life of a manic depressive.  Sometimes scary and constantly emotional, I feel like Gavin Extence has bared his soul to each and every person who picks up this book.  Abby's illness must have been so difficult to put into words but Gavin Extence does this flawlessly.

Abby calls round to her neighbour's flat one day and finds his dead body.  This would be a shock for most people but Abby isn't most people, so she deals with Simon's death in almost a clinical and factual way.  It was then that I realised things weren't quite right with Abby and, as she heads into a manic episode, I braced myself for the impending train crash.  The description of her manic episode is so honest and raw that I couldn't help but be moved to tears.

Despite being in the title of the book, Melody Black only plays a small, but very significant part, in the book.  I loved the way she talked about a mirror world; you can be going along minding your own business then, suddenly without realising, step through the mirror into a completely different world.  As you swap places with your reflection, which 'you' is the real you?  I found this really sad; it made me think of people who say that they feel like a shadow of themselves.  Perhaps they have unknowingly stepped through a portal and swapped places with their real self, leaving their reflection to cope with the trials of daily life.

It was a really nice surprise to find Abby taking a trip to Lindisfarne.  This is in my neck of the woods and Lindisfarne is an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful island, with more than its fair share of history and legend.  Gavin Extence perfectly described how the island is cut off by the tides.  Abby decides to leave the island on foot via the Pilgrims' Way but stops for a rest, which she purposely extends until the tide comes in, leaving her stranded in the middle of the sea; I had goosebumps reading about her sleeping alone in the stilted refuge hut, completely cut off and surrounded by the chilly and tempestuous North Sea, underneath a magical twinkling blanket of stars.  

Compelling and emotional, The Mirror World of Melody Black is impossible to put down.  It's an honest and thoughtful account of a little-understood depressive illness with just the right amount of wit to lighten the mood.  Gavin Extence is the author of The Universe Versus Alex Woods, which I haven't read but certainly want to now.

I received this book from the publisher, Hodder, via Bookbridgr in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Holy Island - LJ Ross

Detective Chief Inspector Ryan retreats to Holy Island seeking sanctuary when he is forced to take sabbatical leave from his duties as a homicide detective. A few days before Christmas, his peace is shattered and he is thrust back into the murky world of murder when a young woman is found dead amongst the ancient ruins of the nearby Priory. 

When former local girl Dr Anna Taylor arrives back on the island as a police consultant, old memories swim to the surface making her confront her difficult past. She and Ryan struggle to work together to hunt a killer who hides in plain sight, while pagan ritual and small-town politics muddy the waters of their investigation. 

Murder and mystery are peppered with a sprinkling of romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set on the spectacular Northumbrian island of Lindisfarne, cut off from the English mainland by a tidal causeway. 

What did I think?

There was no leading in gently or scene setting in this book, it just launched straight into the murder scene and I wondered if such a fast pace could be maintained.  The answer: oh yes the fast pace can be maintained and unbelievably increased.  I felt like my eyes were competing for an olympic sport as they raced across the pages and the hours ticked by on the clock with my brain crying for just one more chapter!

The book starts with the murder of Lucy Mathieson and the discovery of her body at the Lindisfarne Priory.  We are then introduced to DCI Ryan who is recuperating on Holy Island following a traumatic case, which we hear more of at the end.  He takes on Lucy's murder case with the help of pagan expert Anna Taylor, who grew up on Holy Island.  Anna's relationship with her sister was a great story in itself - the air practically fizzed and crackled when they were in the same room together and I wondered what had passed between them.  All is revealed in its own time - don't think for a moment it is dragged out, there is so much going on in this book that Anna and Megan's story is a nice thread to keep hold of and to keep going back to when the other murders are discovered.  Yes - there are more murders and my suspicious mind was in its element as I found myself questioning every one of the villagers.

Rather predictably, Ryan and Anna start a relationship but don't despair as this is the only predictable element in the book.  I was even a little bit in love with Ryan myself - he's rugged, strong, sensitive and a typical knight in shining armour - what's not to love?  Anna's a really interesting character too, she has started a new life in Durham and found it hard to return to Holy Island but saw it as an opportunity to make amends with her sister, Megan.  It doesn't quite go as well as Anna hoped with Megan - there's a lot of deep rooted jealousy in their relationship and to find out what happens between them, you will just have to read the book!

There are some amazing twists in this book and I absolutely loved how it all came together at the end.  Things that I didn't even think were related were explained as everything slotted into place like a 1000 piece jigsaw.  Be aware that once you get to about two thirds into this book, you will not be able to put it down!

I am lucky to live near Holy Island so I know the area quite well but for those readers unfamiliar with the region it was described with such beauty that I felt immeasurably proud to be a resident of the area.  Sometimes we are guilty of not appreciating what is on our own doorstep, so thank you to the author for reminding me of this.

This was an absolutely astounding debut.  The writing was sublime, the characters so vivid and the beautiful Northumbrian coast described with a passion that only a true Northerner can conjure.  I can't wait to read the next instalment from DCI Ryan located at my all-time favourite North East place, Sycamore Gap at Hadrian's Wall.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon