BLOG TOUR: The Family Tree - Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry

 

The DNA results are back. And there’s a serial killer in her family tree…

Liz Catalano is shocked when an ancestry kit reveals she’s adopted. But she could never have imagined connecting with her unknown family would plunge her into an FBI investigation of a notorious serial killer…

The Tri-State Killer has been abducting pairs of women for forty years, leaving no clues behind – only bodies.

Can Liz figure out who the killer in her new family is? And can she save his newest victims before it’s too late?

A gripping, original thriller for fans of My Lovely Wife, Netflix’s Making a Murderer, and anyone who’s ever wondered what their family tree might be hiding…

What did I think?

I don't think I have read a dual author crime fiction book before but the way that The Family Tree is written makes it quite easy to forget that it's the work of two authors; the writing is actually seamless considering there are two different writing styles in the book.  The format of the book took me a little while to get used to as I felt like I wanted to know more about the victims but the main focus of the story is the character of Liz Catalano whose DNA result proves very interesting to the FBI. 

The story of 27-year-old Liz's discovery that she is adopted is interspersed with stories of various women who have been abducted and killed by the Tri-State Killer, who mind-blowingly is someone in Liz's biological family.  I don't know how Liz kept her sanity after discovering she's not who she thought she was and then wanting to get to know her ancestors but at the same time possibly having dinner with a serial killer.  You wouldn't have seen me for dust!

Adoption is a tricky process and I can understand the adoptive parents struggling to find the best time to tell their child that they don't share their DNA.  Liz has been completely absorbed into the Catalano family and accepted as one of their own so as much as I thought Liz's parents were crazy to keep her in the dark about her birth, I could see that they loved her so fiercely that it was easy to forget that they didn't bring her into the world.  DNA kits sound like a great gift for that difficult to buy for person but for some people it's like being handed a live hand-grenade, shattering their world.

I really liked Liz, she is filled with such dogged determination but it sometimes results in her being very reckless with her own safety.  I read the whole book quite quickly but I could feel my reading pace pick up further towards the end as Liz took more and more risks without informing the FBI.  It certainly got my heart beating at a rate of knots!

Suspenseful and incredibly tense, The Family Tree is a fast-paced, heart-pounding thriller.  I really enjoyed it, it intrigued me from the start and held my interest throughout.   

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG BLITZ: Bloodline - Pamela Murray

When a young boy discovers a man’s body lying in a doorway, DI Burton and DS Fielding are called to the scene.

Believing the man was homeless, the police are shocked to discover the true identity of the victim; a Detective Constable from London who was working undercover.

But when the DNA from the victim is linked to a cold case Burton and Fielding find themselves looking into another unsolved murder.

And as the case unfolds, the detectives are faced with unpicking through a web of lies and deceit. But can they solve the murders before any more blood is spilt?  


What did I think?

I came across Pamela Murray as she is a local North East author and although I haven't yet read her debut, Murderland, I was eager to read the second book in the Burton and Fielding series, Bloodline.  So it is without any doubt that I can say that Bloodline can be read as a standalone as I found it gripping, intriguing and a mighty-fine page turner.  It has definitely made me want to read Murderland as soon as possible to get to know Burton and Fielding a little better; there's definitely a lot more to come from this pair.

The prologue is an amazing double ended hook, set in 1986 with a murder and present day with a man spying on his girlfriend as she meets with another man.  How these stories weave together and become clear later on is simply brilliant, but these threads are left tantalisingly dangling when the body of an undercover cop is discovered.  Then there's a double whammy of tasty storyline as the undercover case is picked up and the victim's DNA brings up a match in the database linking him to a cold case.

I loved the DNA storyline, both the links to the victims and the DNA kits that you see for sale these days.  I must admit, I am slightly sceptical as to what their purpose is as it seems an easy (and sneaky) way to collect and record DNA of unsuspecting people rather than just give them clues as to their ancestry.  I didn't realise that the DNA kits also match your results with others who have taken the test, although they do warn people in advance that they can discover illegitimacy, adoption or donor-conception.  It may seem like a bit of fun buying such a gift for the person who has everything but imagine the repercussions if they found out that their whole life was a lie.  I love books that have thought-provoking discussion points like this, so I have found myself thinking about this long after finishing Bloodline.

With strands of intrigue woven through the storyline like a double helix, Bloodline is a fast-paced gritty and compelling thriller.   You can't fail to be hooked by the amazing prologue and it's impossible to put the book down after that.  A highly recommended read from an outstanding local talent.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Pamela Murray is from the North East of England, and has spent most of her life living in Boldon. She began writing at an early age when she and her school friend used to write stories for one another. The writing continued on and off over the years, but was only recently reignited when the same school friend introduced her to the local writers group she was in.

Pamela had intended to enter Journalism after leaving school but found herself going to work in a Public Library instead, and has always had more than a passing interest in books and literature.

When not writing, Pamela is passionate about Cinema and her three grandchildren. She has also appeared as a Supporting Artiste in two episodes of the hit TV crime series "Vera".

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BLOG TOUR: A Perfect Mother - Katri Skala

During a visit to Trieste in Northern Italy to research his long lost great-grandfather, Jacob meets Charlotte and Jane, and the three are forced to confront their individual and shared histories. Their sense of themselves is challenged and they must piece together a future none of them saw coming. 

A Perfect Mother asks big questions: What do we inherit from the broken histories of our parents and our grandparents and how does this shape our own sense of identity? Can we ever escape the past? Are stories, the ones we are told and the ones we tell, integral to how we know each other and how we love? What does it mean to be a good parent, let alone the perfect mother? 

A bracing, hypnotic story of mid-life crisis about the complexities of love, relationship and legacy.

What did I think?

I thought that A Perfect Mother was going to be quite heavy going, but I was pleasantly surprised as it is perfectly paced with interesting characters and an intriguing storyline.  It definitely has the feel of a modern classic and Katri Skala has created such depth of character that made me really care about Charlotte, Jane and Jacob.

It feels very much like a slow-burner with Jacob bumping into Jane and then meeting Charlotte in his quest to interrogate his family tree, but the tangled web that Jacob weaves really picks up the pace of the story.  What I thought was going to be an intriguing glimpse into Jacob's family's wartime past became an even more intriguing examination of a fated relationship and the secrets that sculpted it.

To be honest, I didn't really warm to Jacob; he seems to be floating through life, leaving his family behind as he researches his book.  His research brings him to Trieste in Northern Italy where he meets Jane; now Jane may be married, but not happily, which makes her very honourably put the brakes on anything that may have happened between her and Jacob.  Jane is such a complex character who has such strength in her convictions that I would welcome her being on my side in an argument.  Jane's friend, Charlotte, conversely, is like a fragile butterfly who Jacob somehow seems to ensnare in his net.  I never really feared that Jacob would hurt Charlotte, as he always came across as so indifferent and I could never really tell what he was feeling.  I always had the feeling that that someone was about to get hurt, though...but who?

For me, the story was all about Charlotte and Jane: they met under such difficult circumstances that forged an unbreakable friendship.  Jane was kind of like a mother figure to Charlotte so I thought she was the perfect mother in the story until Charlotte proves how far she is willing to go to protect her child.  Such is the depth of emotion in the story, that I have a lump in my throat just thinking about it.

A Perfect Mother certainly tugged at my heartstrings as it both shocked and surprised me.  I really felt as if I had read a proper grown up novel, such is the standard of Katri Skala's writing.  I have to say that I am completely astounded that this is the author's first novel; there is not a single word out of place and it certainly has the feel of a literary classic.  If you're looking for something a little deeper and yet slightly dark, look no further than A Perfect Mother.

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

My rating:

Buy it direct from Hikari Press




About the author:

Born in France of an American mother and a Viennese father, Katri Skala has lived in the United States and across Europe. 

She has worked as a senior arts administrator, script editor, and literary editor in the field of new writing in Britain and the US for a range of organisations that include Channel Four, BBC, the Manhattan Theatre Club, the Arvon Foundation, the University of East Anglia, and the Writers Centre Norwich. 

She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in literature and journalism from Vassar (in the US), Cardiff and the University of East Anglia. 

She has had published short stories and magazine features. A Perfect Mother is her first novel. An extract was recently published in INK Anthology, a showcase of new writing produced for agents and publishers. 

She works as a mentor to writers in all genres and at all stages of their writing life.

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BLOG TOUR: The Generation Game - Sophie Duffy

Philippa Smith is in her forties and has a beautiful newborn baby girl. She also has no husband, and nowhere to turn. So she turns to the only place she knows: the beginning.

Retracing her life, she confronts the daily obstacles that shaped her very existence. From the tragic events of her childhood abandonment, to the astonishing accomplishments of those close to her, Philippa learns of the sacrifices others chose to make, and the outcome of buried secrets.

Philippa discovers a celebration of life, love, and the Golden era of television. A reflection of everyday people, in not so everyday situations.

What did I think?

I didn't really know what to expect from The Generation Game and I think, because I had no preconceptions, that it turned out to be a wonderful trip down memory lane and a heart-wrenching story to boot.

Philippa Smith reminisces about her life as she welcomes her new baby into the world in 2006.  Philippa is an older mother and refuses to see her husband in the hospital, so I was immediately intrigued.  With no other visitors coming to see her, we look back over Philippa's very colourful life with amazing references to tv game shows, both in the chapter titles and hidden within the prose.

You can't help but feel sorry for young Philippa as she is dragged from pillar to post with her mum, Helena.  Helena isn't very maternal and is happy to leave Philippa with sweet shop owner, Bob, when she has the opportunity to move to Canada with her new man.  As Bob becomes both mother and father to Philippa, he is helped by hilarious neighbour, Wink, who is addicted to game shows in particular The Generation Game.  Bob and Wink become more of a family to Philippa than Helena has ever been.

Funny, sad and unbelievably nostalgic, The Generation Game is a love letter to the 1980's; beautifully written, if I wasn't smiling I was struggling to hold back tears whilst reading it.  It reminded me that appearances can be deceptive and there is often a reason for people behaving the way they do.  Nobody knows what private anguish is going on behind a person's public facade and there are always two sides to every story.  You can read Philippa's full story in The Generation Game whilst reminiscing about some of the key moments from the past 40 years.

The Generation Game is like a little British history lesson in a nutshell, with the bonus of also being a superb examination of how complicated family life can sometimes be.  A beautifully simple but tremendously clever debut from Sophie Duffy.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Sophie currently lives in Teignmouth, Devon with her husband and three children. The Generation Game was inspired by her childhood growing up in a sweet shop in Torquay. 

Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophiestenduffy

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BLOG TOUR: Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves - Rachel Malik

When Rene Hargreaves is billeted to Starlight Farm as a Land Girl, far from the city where she grew up, she finds farmer Elsie Boston and her country ways strange at first. Yet over the days and months Rene and Elsie come to understand and depend on each other. Soon they can no longer imagine a life apart.

But a visitor from Rene's past threatens the life they have built together, a life that has always kept others at a careful distance. Soon they are involved in a war of their own that endangers everything and will finally expose them to the nation's press and the full force of the law.

What did I think?

Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves is a beautiful, gentle story with characters who were real people, in fact Miss Hargreaves is the author's maternal grandmother.  I love stories that have a nugget of truth in them, however small the nugget may be.  Rachel Malik came up with the idea for the book when she decided to find out more information about the elusive Miss Hargreaves, and what a beautiful story she has created from so very little information.  Aside from the few facts stated in the Historical Note, we are reminded that Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves is ultimately a work of fiction.

I found it a refreshing change to have a book set during World War II which shows us the war from the perspective of the farmers and the countryside.  There are no bombs and air raid shelters, although they might see a passing aircraft that has veered off course.  With the men away to war, help on the land arrived in the form of land girls.  Rene Hargreaves is allocated to Starlight Farm, owned by Elsie Boston.  The pair get on so well that they naturally become good friends, but Rene is weighed down by secrets that threaten her new life in the countryside.  We all know that secrets don't stay hidden for long in books, and Rene is about to see some devastating consequences when her past and present collide.

Like life in the country, the pacing is quite slow so it did take me a while to get into the book.  I think it really livened up when Ernest came to live with the ladies, although he was like a naughty child leaving his sticky fingerprints everywhere.  It did make me chuckle imagining him eating and drinking Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves out of house and home.

The whole story becomes more poignant when you read the Historical Note at the end as Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves evolve from 'characters' to 'people'.  I didn't know until I read this that it was based on real people and it certainly made me pause for thought at the turn of events in the book.  I think this would make a great book to ponder over with friends at book club; the quality of Rachel Malik's writing is very impressive, she has such an amazing attention to detail that enables her to draw beautiful pictures with her words.  Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves is a  beautiful, moving and impeccable debut.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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The Island - Victoria Hislop

The acclaimed million-copy number one bestseller and winner of Richard & Judy's Summer Read 2006 from Victoria Hislop is a dramatic tale of four generations, rent by war, illicit love, violence and leprosy, from the thirties, through the war, to the present day.

On the brink of a life-changing decision, Alexis Fielding longs to find out about her mother's past. But Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before moving to London. When Alexis decides to visit Crete, however, Sofia gives her daughter a letter to take to an old friend, and promises that through her she will learn more.

Arriving in Plaka, Alexis is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throw from the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga - Greece's former leper colony. Then she finds Fotini, and at last hears the story that Sofia has buried all her life: the tale of her great-grandmother Eleni and her daughters and a family rent by tragedy, war and passion. She discovers how intimately she is connected with the island, and how secrecy holds them all in its powerful grip...

What did I think?

When I read my first Victoria Hislop book, The Sunrise, I just knew that I had to read all of her other books, so I was delighted when my fairy godsister offered to loan me her copy of The Island which was Victoria Hislop's first novel.  What an amazing debut, it's absolutely breathtaking and it affected me so much that I found myself getting quite emotional quite a few times.

I have never been to Crete but my parents have been and I heard all about their trip to Spinalonga - the famous Greek leper colony.  What Victoria Hislop does so cleverly is that she breathes new life into history by creating characters you take to your heart so that you walk every step and feel every emotion with them.

The story starts in 2001 with Alexis Fielding visiting the small fishing village of Plaka to find out about her family history, it's a bit of an excuse to get away from her boyfriend for a few days on their holiday to Crete.  Alexis carries a letter from her mother, Sofia, to her old friend Fotini which asks Fotini to tell Alexis the story that Sofia can't bring herself to tell her daughter.  So the story rolls back to 1939 beginning with Sofia's grandparents, Georgis and Eleni, and their two daughters Anna and Maria.  The family are heartbroken when leprosy curses their house and a life on Spinalonga beckons for Eleni, but this isn't the only secret that Sofia has kept hidden from Alexis.

The story of Spinalonga is absolutely fascinating and I could imagine people's fear of leprosy before it was fully understood.  It's so sad to think that people could have been going about their everyday lives then noticing an odd patch of skin and before they know it they are ripped from their family and sent to live on the island.  It must have been soul destroying to be so close to mainland Crete but hopefully the residents made the best of it, as they did in this book.  This multi-coloured, hopeful and beautiful story is the history of Spinalonga that I want to remember and The Island is not a book I will ever forget.

A beautiful, breathtaking debut that breathes new life into this mysterious island and reveals its colourful history so vividly through Victoria Hislop's descriptive and emotional prose.  A definite recommended read and one that I will read again.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Heart of Stone - John Jackson

I had the pleasure of meeting John Jackson recently and, as a fan of histfic, my ears pricked up when he told me he had written an historical novel.  As I was remaining in Newcastle from afternoon to evening, I had a self-imposed book buying ban but luckily there was an upcoming blog tour that I could join, so I am thrilled to release my review for the tour.

Genre: Historic Fiction

Release Date: 24^th October 2017

Publisher: Crooked Cat Books

Dublin, 1730

When young and beautiful Mary Molesworth is forced to marry Robert Rochfort, widowed heir to the earldom of Belfield, she finds that her idea of love is not returned. Jealous, cruel and manipulative, Robert ignores her after she has provided him with a male heir, preferring to spend his nights with his mistress. Power-hungry, Robert builds up a reputation that sees him reach for the highest positions in Ireland. 

Caught in an unhappy marriage, Mary begins to grow closer to Robert’s younger brother, Arthur. Acknowledging their love for each other, they will risk everything to be together. But Robert’s revenge threatens their lives and tears them apart. 

Will Mary and Arthur find a way to escape Robert’s clutches? 

Based on real events, Heart of Stone is a tale of power, jealousy, imprisonment, and love, set in 1740s Ireland.

What did I think?

John Jackson has based his debut novel on his real ancestors and states that, as a work of fiction, this is the story that he thinks they should have had.  The real Robert Rochfort can even be seen on the cover of the book, and I think perhaps that John has put him on there so that many readers can stick pins in him!  Robert Rochfort is an odious, officious man!  He did anything he wanted and treated people like dirt, simply because he could.  His answer whenever challenged was: 'because I can.'  As the first born son, he lorded over and envied his brothers: Arthur and George.

When Robert finds himself widowed and without an heir, he arranges to marry young and beautiful Mary Molesworth.  I thought of her a bit like Cinderella as her father clearly loves her but her (wicked) step-mother wants rid of her so she can concentrate on marrying off her own daughters.  Mary thought she was happy on her wedding day until she locks eyes with Robert's brother, Arthur.  In that one precious moment, she fell in love.  How cruel to fall in love on your wedding day, but not with your husband.  Mary is a respectable young woman, so she does her duty and, after bearing him a daughter, produces an heir for Robert.  Robert now has what he wants so drops Mary and spends all his time with his mistresses.  Trapped in a loveless marriage, Mary's eyes once again catch those of Arthur and she finds that her feelings are mirrored in his eyes.  They begin a very dangerous liaison, knowing that they will face the full force of Robert's fury should they ever be found out.

As this story is based around fact, it makes it so much more emotional.  The fate awaiting Arthur and Mary would melt even the coldest heart, although it didn't even chip Robert's Heart of Stone.  Robert is a cold and jealous man, who treats people like his property and has no concern for their feelings.  His jealousy for his brothers, especially George who inherited the family home, had me absolutely mesmerised and eventually in stitches.  You will not even believe the lengths Robert will go to in order to get one over on George and that part of the story is true!

The writing is impeccable; it is engrossing and authentic and the fact that it is based on real people makes it a superb read.  I do hope John Jackson has more stories up his sleeve as Heart of Stone was so hard to difficult to put down and I wouldn't hesitate to read more of John's books.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon UK

Buy it from Amazon US

About the author:

Following a lifetime at sea, John Jackson has now retired and lives in York and has now turned his hand to writing fiction.

An avid genealogist, he found a rich vein of ancestors. They included Irish peers, country parsons, and army and navy officers. They opened up Canada and Australia and fought at Waterloo.

John is a keen member of the Romantic Novelists Association and graduated through their New Writers Scheme. He is also a member of the Historic Novel Society and an enthusiastic conference-goer for both.

He describes himself as being "Brought up on Georgette Heyer from an early age, and, like many of my age devoured R L Stevenson, Jane Austen, Edgar Allen Poe and the like."

His modern favorite authors include Bernard Cornwell, Simon Scarrow, Lindsey Davis, Liz Fenwick and Kate Mosse.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=597036631

Twitter: @jjackson42

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17103004.John_Jackson?from_search=true

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john5642/

Blog: https://johnjacksonauthor.com/

Broken Branches - M. Jonathan Lee

Family curses don't exist.  Sure, some families seem to suffer more pain than others, but a curse?  An actual curse?  I don't think so.

A family tragedy was the catalyst for Ian Perkins to return to the isolated cottage with his wife and young son.  But now they are back, it seems yet more grief might befall the family.

There is still time to act, but that means Ian must face the uncomfortable truth about his past.  And in doing so, he must uncover the truth behind the supposed family curse.

What did I think?

Whoa!  What have I just read?  Part ghost story, part psychological thriller - it certainly kept me on my toes right to the very end.  Welcome to the Perkins family, who appear to have a curse hanging over them which takes their first born sons.  Only by investigating the family tree will Ian Perkins get to the root of the curse and save his family from certain doom.

Ian inherited Cobweb Cottage under unfortunate circumstances.  Being back at the cottage with his wife and young son brings back memories of his youth.  A youth where he had a brother and an uncle, both since erased from the family tree.  The only constant being the sycamore tree that looms menacingly on the front lawn, seeing everything but not revealing its secrets.  The tree plays such a pivotal role in the story that it's almost a character in its own right, and is it wrong of me to say that it was my favourite character?  Even thinking of it now gives me goosebumps!

Broken Branches really plays with your mind as you see the curse being played out in front of your eyes.  Ian is frantically researching the family tree to get to the root of the problem, but can he save his own son from the destiny that awaits him?  I called Ian's sanity into question many a time, as his wife has a lock on her bedroom door and he sees strange apparitions in the night.  How much is real and how much is insanity?  That's for the reader to decide, after you release the breath you didn't realise you had been holding throughout the last few paragraphs.  Broken Branches is one mighty fine book and I heartily recommend it, as I flick through M. Jonathan Lee's back-catalogue wondering what to read next.  This is Quality writing with a capital 'Q'!

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

My rating:

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