BLOG TOUR: Catherine - Essie Fox

With a nature as wild as the moors she loves to roam, Catherine Earnshaw grows up alongside Heathcliff, a foundling her father rescued from the streets of Liverpool. Their fierce, untamed bond deepens as they grow – until Mr Earnshaw’s death leaves Hindley, Catherine’s brutal brother, in control and Heathcliff reduced to servitude.

Desperate to protect him, Catherine turns to Edgar Linton, the handsome heir to Thrushcross Grange. She believes his wealth might free Heathcliff from cruelty – but her choice is fatally misunderstood, and their lives spiral into a storm of passion, jealousy and revenge.

Now, eighteen years later, Catherine rises from her grave to tell her story – and to seek redemption.

Essie Fox’s Catherine reimagines Wuthering Heights with beauty and intensity – a haunting, atmospheric retelling that brings new life to a timeless classic and lays bare the dark heart of an immortal love.

 

What did I think?

It's been a number of years since I last read Wuthering Heights and I want to read it again after reading Catherine by Essie Fox, although I'm worried that the original won't be as good as this fantastic retelling.  Yes, it's THAT good.

This is Catherine and Heathcliff's story like you've never read it before.  Essie Fox has taken Emily Brontë's original story and somehow made it more authentic, emotional and memorable, whilst remaining true to the original.  I love how references to some of the most well-known lines are included too without them being a word for word regurgitation.

I think it's very brave of Essie Fox to write a retelling of such a classic novel but her beautiful writing and powerful storytelling do more than justice to the original.  I have wanted to read an Essie Fox book for a while and now that I have read Catherine I want to read everything else that she has written both past and future.

Bold, impressive and breathtakingly exquisite, Catherine is one of the best retellings I have ever read.  Five stars are not enough to indicate the sheer brilliance of this book; it's completely unmissable and very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

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Orenda Books

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About the author:

Essie Fox is the Sunday Times bestselling author of seven historical novels, including The Somnambulist, shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and The Fascination, an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Her work has twice been selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month, most recently for her gothic mystery Dangerous. She appears regularly at literary festivals and cultural institutions and is the host of the podcast Talking the Gothic. She lives in Windsor.

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BLOG TOUR: Let the Bells Ring Out - Milly Johnson

Seven people, four days and a snowy Christmas on board a luxury sleeper train. This festive season getting away from it all takes on a new meaning…

The Yorkshire Belle is a glamorous steam train all decked out for an escapist festive getaway. It is not supposed to be where a group of people, all trying to get to their destinations for the holidays, will spend their Christmas. 

Seven people, each with their own hopes and dreams, secrets and sorrows, board the train as strangers, but as the snow keeps falling and they realise they are going nowhere fast, they are forced to slow down and embrace the present.

This Christmas on board the Yorkshire Belle, will the friendships they make change their lives forever?

 

What did I think?

I need to apologise to Milly Johnson as I simply cannot write a review that will do justice to this fabulous book, but I'll give it a try.  Also, I need to say sorry (not sorry) to my other Milly Johnson books as Let the Bells Ring Out is my new favourite.

Milly Johnson is one of my favourite authors and her new book is always guaranteed to be a five star read before I've even read the first word.  This might sound blasé but believe me she earns every single star and MORE!

If you could imagine your favourite Christmas movie, your favourite festive read and your favourite Yuletide treat all wrapped up in beautiful paper with a huge bow and lots of love from Milly Johnson then you are close to the feeling I got when I read Let the Bells Ring Out.  I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it now.

Beautifully written, heartwarming and fabulously festive, Let the Bells Ring Out is a truly wonderful novel that is filled with Christmas spirit and bursting with the magic of Christmas.  I intend to read it again over the upcoming festive season and for many years to come.   Five stars just aren't enough for this magnificent book - a very highly recommended read.

I received a beautiful signed hardback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: See the Stars - Eleanor Ray

Do you ever feel that life isn't going to plan?

When Alice Thorington collapses in the street after a particularly hellish day at work, she must finally admit to herself that her outwardly happy life - steady relationship, well-paid job, beautiful flat in the city - isn't everything she'd hoped it would be. Burnt out by long hours and living a life that doesn't fulfil her dreams, Alice returns home to Yorkshire.

Her childhood home brings complicated family dynamics, a rediscovery of her passion for stargazing and two new friends: Berti, a boy who finds it easier to count the stars than interact with people, and Matt, her brother's best friend and Alice's teenage crush. With each of them facing their own struggles, can the stars that meant so much to Alice in her past help them to find their way in the present?

Filled with heart and warmth, this uplifting novel reminds us all that we need the darkness if we want to see the stars.

 

What did I think?

If you haven't read any of Eleanor Ray's books yet then you are missing a real treat.  I loved Everything is Beautiful and adored The Art of Belonging so I couldn't wait to read her third novel, See the Stars and it is simply breathtaking.  Eleanor Ray will be seeing a lot of stars as the reviews start rolling in.

I loved Alice from the start, although her place in my affections was seriously challenged by young Berti who she befriends at the library.  Alice returns to her childhood home in Yorkshire to convalesce after a heart episode.  Yorkshire holds so many memories for her, both good and bad, and Alice has regrets about the last words she spoke to her Grandad before he died.

It was Alice's Grandad who taught her about the night sky and he kept detailed notes about his search for an undiscovered comet.  Along with Berti, Alice is determined to continue her Grandad's search and she must revisit some parts of her past she would rather keep buried.

There is so much I could say about this book but you really must discover it for yourself and I don't want to spoil it.  The writing is sublime and the plot is both engaging and surprising, making it difficult to put down and I read it faster than I expected.  I definitely want to read it again as I'm already missing the characters and if I had the time, I would have turned back to the first page as soon as I had read the final word.

Incredibly poignant and wonderfully uplifting, See the Stars is a beautiful book and worth so much more than five stars; if I could award more stars, I would.  

I chose to read a digital ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase link: https://geni.us/SeetheStars

About the author

Eleanor Ray is the author of the highly acclaimed novels Everything is Beautiful and The Art of Belonging. She has an MA in English Literature from Edinburgh University and had a career in financial marketing before turning to writing. She lives in London with her husband and three young children.

See the Stars, her new novel, is about reclaiming our dreams and was inspired by her own career change. Her son’s passion for space fuelled her research, and together they visited science museums, planetariums and observatories around the world. She is currently writing her next novel.

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The Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead - Antony Johnston

Gwinny Tuffel is on location in the misty Yorkshire Dales filming a small part in Draculania, a genderswapped remake of Bram Stoker's classic tale, when life begins to imitate art a little too closely. One of the cast members is found dead inside a locked trailer, with a stake through their heart.

With a prima donna in the starring role, filming is already facing delays, while Gwinny is being run ragged by Lily, the Jack Russell terrier she's looking after for a friend in hospital. Against the backdrop of Hendale Hall with its own vampire legend, a flesh-and-blood killer has struck. Will Gwinny be able to find the murderer before the production or any further victims are cut?

 

What did I think?

The Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead is book three in the Dog Sitter Detective series but it is the first one I have read and I absolutely loved it.

It's such a refreshing change to have an older protagonist and I loved Gwinny from the start, as well as Lily the Jack Russell who she is looking after for a friend.  Gwinny has returned to work as an actor to make ends meet after taking time out to look after her father but the filming of Draculania is brought to a standstill when one of the actors is murdered in a trailer with a door locked from the inside.

With all of the actors pointing their fingers at each other, the police have quite a job on their hands to find out what happened.  It was really funny to see them all blaming each other and of course the leading lady has to make it all about her.  Luckily, Gwinny has a bit of experience as an amateur detective but the leading lady thinks she can identify the murderer before Gwinny (and the police).

This was such a fun, easy read that I read in two sittings as I couldn't put it down.  I found it really easy to warm to the characters, despite not having read the earlier books.  I really loved how Antony Johnston captured the essence of a little Jack Russell and created the larger than life character of Lily.  If Gwinny hadn't been such a strong, loveable character I think Lily may have stolen the show for me.

The Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead is a cracking locked room mystery and an absolute must-read for cosy mystery fans.  I don't know how this series had slipped under my radar but it's definitely got a new fan now.

Many thanks to Allison & Busby for sending me a gifted hardback to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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My Brother's Keeper (DCI Rohan Roy Crime Thriller Book 1) - M.L. Rose

A missing child.

A killer on the loose.

A Detective with a deadly secret.

Detective Chief Inspector Rohan Roy is close to burning out. He works night and day in London to bring a human trafficking gang to justice, but when he unleashes his own particular brand of the law, his superiors take notice. He is ordered to take a sabbatical. To his horror, he is dispatched to Sheffield, a place he knows only vaguely. But this isn't any ordinary sabbatical. A child has gone missing in Sheffield, and the kidnapper has left a ransom note with a white Lily attached...

It seems the dreaded Lily Man is back, the brutal killer who took children, and sent white lilies to the parents. The Lily Man was never caught, and his victims were discovered dead.

But one victim, a seven year old boy called Robin Roy was never found. He was DCI Rohan Roy's brother. No one knows what happened to Robin. The guilt sticks to Roy like a second skin.

After twenty seven years, has the Lily Man returned?

Over the years, Roy has made a name for himself, tracking down child abductors. It's the only way he knows to atone for his guilt. Now, he must seize the chance for a final retribution. But nothing turns out to plan. Despite Roy and his new team's best efforts, there is no sign of the missing boy. Frictions spark up in the local community, and nothing is what it seems behind closed doors.

As the days slip by, Roy begins to fear the worst. Then another little boys disappears. Once again, a note and a white lily is left for the parents. The Lily Man strikes again, taunting Roy and his team.

Roy's sense of reality begins to unravel as the stress worsens. Will he catch the Lily Man before the town loses another child?

My Brother's Keeper is the riveting first book in the Rohan Roy Series. Written by the author of the Arla Baker Series, this gripping tale will keep you turning the pages late into the night. If you like deep secrets of the past, white knuckle plot twists with a sprinkling of humour and romance, you've come to the right place.

 

What did I think?

My Brother's Keeper is a very intriguing start to an exciting crime thriller series and it's a great contender for the Kindle Storyteller Award 2023.  I have to get one small niggle out of the way first though.  Whilst I really enjoyed the storyline and the tantalising thread that runs throughout that makes you want to read more of the series, it could do with a proofread as the errors were rather distracting.

I do love a flawed main character with secrets and DCI Rohan Roy certainly fits the bill.  Rohan blames himself for his brother Robin's disappearance 27 years ago when he was just a teenager.  It inspired him to join the force but the guilt and not knowing what happened to Robin have given him anger issues and he is sent to Sheffield to investigate a young boy's disappearance that bears a striking resemblance to his brother's cold case.  

I thought that I had worked out what was going on quite early on, but I am delighted to say that I was completely wrong.  I really like Rohan Roy, although I certainly wouldn't like to cross him, and I am keen to continue the series, especially the way that the book ends.  The ending is nicely done; it's not a massive cliffhanger that leaves you feeling unsatisfied as M.L. Rose finishes the main story nicely but leaves you wanting to know what happens next.   

Incredibly gripping, disturbing and fast paced, My Brother's Keeper is a riveting read and a tantalising start to an intriguing new series.

I received a copy to read and review for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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A Dark Inheritance - H. F. Askwith

Once I had four brothers. Three of them are dead. I am next.

Felix Ashe is sure of only one thing. In thirty days, on his eighteenth birthday, he will die. He might be the only one convinced of this, but the gruesome deaths of his three brothers before him seem to point to only one thing: a curse, one doomed to stop anyone inheriting his family's incredible fortune.

Felix doesn't care about money, or himself, particularly. It's hard to have a stake in the future when you know you haven't got one. But he does care about his little brother Nick, very much. And when an opportunity to break the curse appears to present itself, it's impossible not to heed its dark call.

Soon long-buried secrets will take Felix to the darkest underbelly of Jazz-Age New York, to the far-flung wilds of the Yorkshire moors and back again. And bound to everything is a deadly secret society who will either be Felix's downfall . . . or his one chance at redemption.

 

What did I think?

I enjoy reading YA books now and again and I couldn’t resist the striking Art Deco cover of A Dark Inheritance, the debut novel of H. F. Askwith.

This is the story of Felix Ashe who is cursed to die on his 18th birthday.  Felix knows what’s coming because his three older brothers died on their 18th birthdays, but he’s not going to sit around and wait for the curse to claim him…he’s going to try to break it.

I was drawn into the book immediately as the countdown to Felix’s death begins and it really is one heck of a race against time.  Death, grief and anxiety are subjects that are explored within the book but I didn’t find it overly dark as Felix’s attempt to break the curse turns into a good versus evil adventure.  

I could feel the intense love that Felix has for his family and his anxiety is completely understandable; he’s not just worried about his own death, he’s worried about the same fate happening to his little brother.  As a natural worrier, I know firsthand how crippling anxiety can be but there’s a wise and hopeful message in the book: life may be short but the future isn’t yet written.

Thought-provoking and powerful, A Dark Inheritance is a very accomplished debut from H. F. Askwith.  Don’t be put off by it being in the YA genre, as it’s a dark and entertaining read for adults too.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel (A Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery Book 3) - Glenda Young

In the charming Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough, a killer game is being played . . .

Helen Dexter is enjoying the new four-star status of the Seaview Hotel. But she begins to wonder if this accolade is cursed when a series of disasters strike.

It starts when a crazy golf team arrive to play in a Scarborough tournament. Their odd behaviour heightens when the rival team captain turns up. Yet, there's worse to come for Helen when one of the guests is murdered playing crazy golf.

Then the Seaview's prize-winning cook Jean quits, leaving Helen devastated. And so, as Helen's fiftieth birthday approaches, the last thing she's in the mood for is a celebration. However, mysterious invitations arrive to a party that Helen doesn't want.

Can Helen unmask the crazy golf killer, save the reputation of the Seaview, win Jean back and solve the mystery of the party invitations? With her rescue greyhound Suki by her side, Helen Dexter is on the case.

 

What did I think?

Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel is the third book in the Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery series and it's an absolute cracker.  This amazing series is going from strength to strength and I always love my virtual visit to Scarborough, even though it appears to be the murder capital of North Yorkshire (but that's just in Glenda's books, of course).  You can definitely read this book as a standalone but I highly recommend the whole series.

Helen Dexter is all set to welcome a new group of guests to her newly rated Four Star Seaview Hotel.  Her guests are a crazy golf team competing in a local tournament and it's clear that they take the game very seriously indeed.  Helen also finds herself with an unexpected guest: the team captain of a rival team and his arrival causes tension above and below stairs.  The days are numbered for one of the guests and they're about to find themselves checking out...

This is a brilliant 'whodunnit' - I suspected even the most unlikeliest candidate at one point or another.  I love how the story is self-contained so that readers new to the series can pick up  this book and enjoy it, but there's some wonderful character development to delight established series fans.

Although I haven't been to Scarborough for many years, Glenda paints such a vivid picture with her wonderful writing and her love for the seaside town shines through every word in the book.  It was also lovely to see local brewery Wold Top getting a mention in the book as I've tried a few of their beers and loved them.

Hugely entertaining and as drama-filled as your favourite soap opera, Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel is a fantastic cosy mystery.  Very clever misdirection and perfect plotting keep the reader on their toes from start to finish and I loved every second of it, so much so that I will definitely be reading it again.  It’s absolutely brilliant and 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:

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BLOG TOUR: Cut and Shut (Louise Miller Crime Series Book 3) - Jonathan Peace

 

June, 1989

Tensions are high - tempers short

Following a stupid, drunken car theft, the tragic deaths of three local lads uncovers a powder keg of racial intolerance and bigotry.

A vicious attack

When two Muslim brothers are violently attacked, Louise sees her hometown with jaded eyes, shocked that so many of her colleagues are reluctant to get involved or help in any way those they once called neighbours.

A terrible truth

As she investigates, Louise, accompanied by WDC Hines and psychologist Karla Hayes, discovers links between the car theft and the assault but worse; the racial tensions that now threaten to tear the community apart, have masked an even darker crime – one that has gone long undiscovered, but will have devastating consequences.

What did I think?

Cut and Shut is the third book in the Louise Miller crime series and I think that it is the best one yet.  I've loved the previous two books, but it really feels as if Jonathan Peace has upped the ante with his third book in the series.  Although you can read each novel as a standalone, I'm reading the series in order and it's very rewarding to see the character development.  

Racial tension is as taut as a bowstring in 1989 West Yorkshire and it's quite difficult to read about the misogynistic and racist mindset of the 1980s.  It's frightening that it doesn't feel like that long ago, although I feel old when I realise this book was actually set 33 years ago.

With car theft, hate crime and the discovery of some gruesome remains that even made the police vomit, there's a lot going on in this novel and I was riveted from start to finish.  There's also a little bit of crossover from the previous book which tidies up some loose ends, but it's written in such a way that any readers new to the series will not be disadvantaged.

Gripping, atmospheric and clever, Cut and Shut is a fantastic novel that brings the darkness of the 1980s back to life, as discomforting and difficult to read as it is.  Brilliantly written with a razor-sharp plot, Cut and Shut is outstanding crime fiction and a very highly recommended read.  I'm already excited to see what's in store for Louise Miller in book 4.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: From Sorrow's Hold (Louise Miller Crime Series Book 2) - Jonathan Peace

December, 1988

Christmas beckons

What should be a time of excitement and joy is forever tainted when a teenager's body is found in the graveyard of Ossett's Holy Trinity Church.

A suspected suicide

As they respond to the devastating event, WDCs Louise Miller and Elizabeth Hines, together with psychologist Karla Hayes, each use their own experiences of suicide to help the wider community as it struggles to understand the terrible choice that was made.

Another missing teenager

Louise starts to believe there is something even more sinister behind the events...

 

What did I think?

From Sorrow's Hold is the second book in the Louise Miller Crime Series but it can definitely be read as a standalone.  I really enjoyed the first book, Dirty Little Secret, and From Sorrow's Hold is even better so I'm very excited to see this series go from strength to strength.

Set in the 1980s, it's incredibly nostalgic but it's also shocking the way that women are treated, especially those in the police force.  Louise Miller and Elizabeth Hines are fantastic detectives but it feels like they constantly have to prove themselves to be worthy of working in a man's world.

Touching on themes of mental health and suicide, it is dark and difficult to read at times.  It is, however, important to keep reminding us of the pain that people can carry inside them and how they keep it hidden from the outside world.  I found this quite emotional to read but it is written very sensitively and respectfully.

I really enjoyed getting to know more about Louise in this book and her adopted cat provides some light entertainment to balance the dark storyline.  The plot is sharp and gripping and the writing is word perfect; I raced through it, devouring every single word and enjoying every second of it.

From Sorrow's Hold is an outstanding novel in a very exciting new series.  I'm delighted to hear that Jonathan Peace hopes to write 41 books in the Louise Miller series, covering the years 1987 to 2023, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where the series goes.  

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Parklife - Lucy Nichol

Dumped, drunk and desperate for oblivion…

It’s 1996. Emma’s been rejected by the man she loves and sacked from the job she hates. Feeling like she’s hit a new low, she finds herself serving ice-cream and phoney smiles at the park.

Best mate Dave’s loved up, and her dad’s finally emerging from years of unemployment. Everyone’s life is on the up while Emma’s plummeting towards rock bottom. 

Every day she gives a free ‘99 to the lonely old man who sits on the park bench and reminds herself that life could be much worse.

But soon, even sprinkles and monkey’s blood can’t hide the truth. She’s in deep trouble and losing sight of the edge. Who will help her up when she falls?

What did I think?

Sometimes you know you want to read a book without even reading the blurb and that was definitely the case for me with Parklife.  I mean, just that dropped ice cream on the cover sums up the feeling of the book as Emma is definitely down on her luck.

I was delighted to catch up with Emma again after reading and loving The Twenty Seven Club so it was heartbreaking to see her in such a bad place.  Emma is an addict, hooked on booze and pills, but she doesn't think she has a problem.  Her boyfriend John has broken up with her and even her whippet Trev would rather stay with Emma's best mate Dave.  When she loses her job too, she thinks she can't sink any lower...but unfortunately she can.

I love Lucy Nichol's writing; it's proper Yorkshire as she says it how it is.  I felt very emotional reading Emma's story as there are so many people like her in real life, many of whom won't be lucky enough to have a support network around them.  Although it's quite a dark storyline, it's lightened up with Emma's blossoming friendship with Les, who visits the park each day to feed the ducks, and some musical entertainment down The Angel.

Of course, I couldn't miss Trev out of my review and it always puts a smile on my face to read about my favourite whippet.  It's almost like you could feel how worried he is about Emma too.  Best mate Dave and landlady Dor are on fine form and their affection for Emma is heartwarming to see.  I absolutely loved reading this book and could write so much more about it but I urge you to experience it for yourself.

Raw, honest and hopeful, Parklife is a sensitive portrayal of addiction and how it can hurt those you love the most, but they never stop loving you.  It's so beautifully written and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About the author:

Lucy is a mental health campaigner and PR consultant, and a former columnist with Sarah Millican's Standard Issue magazine.  She has written for The Independent, The I Paper, NME, Red Magazine, Den of Geek, Men’s Fitness, Metro and Huff Post.  Lucy has worked with several mental health and recovery charities over the years including Recovery Connections, The Road to Recovery Trust, Mind, Time to Change and Action on Postpartum Psychosis.

You can also sign up to Lucy’s author newsletter.

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BLOG TOUR: Dirty Little Secret (Louise Miller Crime Series Book 1) - Jonathan Peace

March 1987

Ossett, West Yorkshire

A town of flower shows, Maypole parades and Sunday football games. Behind all the closed doors and drawn curtains live hidden truths and shameful lies.

A body is found

WDC Louise Miller’s first case as detective in her hometown is hampered by the sexism and misogyny of small-town policing. Her four years on the force in Manchester have prepared her for this. Along with ally WPC Elizabeth Hines, the pair work the case together.

What truths lie hidden?

As their inquiries deepen, the towns secrets reveal even darker truths that could lead to the identity of the killer. But when a second girl goes missing, Louise realises that some secrets should stay hidden.

What did I think?

Dirty Little Secret is the first book in a new police procedural series and what a brilliant start; thankfully, there's not a long wait for book two as I'm already looking forward to reading more.

Set in Yorkshire in 1987, when policing is still very much a man's job, WDC Louise Miller is first on the scene when the body of a young girl is found in a phone box.  Remember those red boxes?  Jonathan Peace has captured the era perfectly, not just in the setting but in the misogyny of the police force.  It's shocking to think that this wasn't that long ago but I love how Louise gives as good as she gets.

The characters are so well developed that I could easily picture them in my head and I was as hooked by the characters' interactions as I was by the plot.  Some of their interactions alternated between making me cringe and making me furious as it's quite unbelievable that people got away with saying such things in the not too distant past.  I mean, just that fact that they felt the need to identify a police officer as a woman is jawdropping, but we wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong with it in the 80s.  Thankfully, things have changed!

The police procedural element of the novel is brilliantly done and I really enjoyed seeing how the investigation progressed.  I had no idea what direction it would go in and the ending is fantastic - it has certainly made me even more keen to catch up with Louise and her sexist team again in the near future.

A great start to a new series, Dirty Little Secret perfectly encapsulates the area and the era whilst keeping the reader entertained and on the edge of their seat.  Recommended reading for fans of crime and police procedurals.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Red Monarch (The Brontë Mysteries Book 3) - Bella Ellis

The Brontë sisters' first poetry collection has just been published, potentially marking an end to their careers as amateur detectors, when Anne receives a letter from her former pupil Lydia Robinson.

Lydia has eloped with a young actor, Harry Roxby, and following her disinheritance, the couple been living in poverty in London. Harry has become embroiled with a criminal gang and is in terrible danger after allegedly losing something very valuable that he was meant to deliver to their leader. The desperate and heavily pregnant Lydia has a week to return what her husband supposedly stole, or he will be killed. She knows there are few people who she can turn to in this time of need, but the sisters agree to help Lydia, beginning a race against time to save Harry's life.

In doing so, our intrepid sisters come face to face with a terrifying adversary whom even the toughest of the slum-dwellers are afraid of . . . The Red Monarch.

 

What did I think?

I am completely addicted to The Brontë Mysteries series so I have been so looking forward to book 3, The Red Monarch, and it does not disappoint.  Bella Ellis has created such a wonderful portrayal of the Brontë sisters that it feels as if their very essence is woven into the pages.  It's just brilliant and I loved every single page.

With their brother Branwell suffering from a broken heart and the three sisters awaiting the first review of their poetry collection, a distraction is most welcome.  So when Anne receives a plea for help from a former pupil in London, the sisters put on their detector hats once more.  London is indeed a very different place to Yorkshire but the Brontës are fearless and always look out for each other, so I had no doubt that whatever was awaiting them in London would be no match for them.

Filled with danger and so very atmospheric, The Red Monarch isn't just a step back in time it's like stepping in the Brontë sisters' shoes. Bella Ellis' writing is sublime; it's so authentic that I often forgot I wasn't reading one of the Brontë sisters' classic works.  It's such a wonderful book in a wonderful series and I really can't recommend it highly enough.

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

My rating:

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Mrs England - Stacey Halls

 

Mrs England is a gripping feminist mystery where a nanny must travel to Yorkshire to a grand house filled with secrets. For there's no such thing as the perfect family...

'Something's not right here.'

I was aware of Mr Booth's eyes on me, and he seemed to hold his breath. 'What do you mean?'

'In the house. With the family.'

West Yorkshire, 1904. When newly graduated nurse Ruby May takes a position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs. But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear there's something not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs England.

Distant and withdrawn, Lilian shows little interest in her children or charming husband, and is far from the 'angel of the house' Ruby was expecting. As the warm, vivacious Charles welcomes Ruby into the family, a series of strange events forces her to question everything she thought she knew. Ostracised by the servants and feeling increasingly uneasy, Ruby must face her demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. After all, there's no such thing as the perfect family - and she should know.

Simmering with slow-burning menace, Mrs England is a portrait of an Edwardian marriage, weaving an enthralling story of men and women, power and control, courage, truth and the very darkest deception. Set against the atmospheric West Yorkshire landscape, Stacey Halls' third novel proves her one of the most exciting and compelling new storytellers of our times.

What did I think?

I've been a fan of Stacey Halls since reading her debut, The Familiars, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of her third novel, Mrs England.  As I've come to expect from Stacey Halls' novels, Mrs England is impeccably well-written and atmospheric although it's quite a slow-burner so it didn't grip me as much as her earlier novels.

Ruby May is a children's nurse and she's very unlucky in that she seems to gain position in households that end up moving overseas.  Ruby refuses to leave England so she finds a new position in West Yorkshire with the England family.  Both Ruby May and Mrs England are incredibly intriguing characters and they both have more layers (and secrets) than an onion.  I love that air of mystery surrounding a character and there's a real build up of suspense as the reader gradually peels back all the layers.

The whole novel feels dark and ominous with the tension gradually increasing as each page is turned.  I was completely transported to West Yorkshire through Stacey Halls' wonderfully vivid words and could easily visualise the factories, countryside and grand homes.  It's so cleverly written it feels as if layers of smoke have been woven into the prose, darkening scenery and distorting images so I was constantly wondering what was hiding beneath.

Beautifully written, incredibly atmospheric and surprisingly tense, Mrs England is an enthralling Edwardian mystery and another fabulous novel from Stacey Halls.

I chose to read a digital ARC received via NetGalley and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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