BLOG TOUR: The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague - M K Hill

There's something wrong with Haddon Hall...

In 1876, Eleanor Teague lives in a lonely house far from the glamorous London Society she once knew. Confined to Haddon Hall by agoraphobia, bedevilled by nightmares of the death of her daughter, and haunted by the guilt of a terrible crime she committed, Eleanor depends on the household servants and on her husband Ezra, who is kind, patient… and controlling.

But when an apparition appears at her bedside, and mysterious voices urge her to find the 'Shadow House', she’s convinced an uncanny presence dwells within the walls of Haddon Hall, and that the staff are lying to her – they, in turn, fear she’s descending into madness.

As Eleanor’s world starts to fracture, the very foundations of Haddon Hall seem to shake. Why is the attic room locked? What is the Shadow House? Who is the strange woman in the woods?

The shocking truth will shatter everything Eleanor thought she knew about her life.

A haunting, high-concept thriller with a jaw-dropping twist, The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague will enthral readers of John Marrs, Gillian McAllister and Stuart Turton. 

What did I think?

Wow!  What an absolute corker of a book!  It's not a spoiler to mention the jaw-dropping twist as it's stated in the blurb but it is MINDBLOWING!  

The main character of Eleanor Teague is complex and I really felt for her.  Not only is she grieving for her young daughter but she is filled with guilt over her death.  It's no wonder that she's frightened to leave the house.  Luckily for Eleanor, she lives in a large house with servants and her doting husband Ezra so she is well looked after...or so it would appear.

Mental health wasn't even considered in Victorian times so Eleanor is just seen as a weak and hysterical woman.  Haddon Hall is both her sanctuary and her prison and now it looks like it's haunted too.  Eleanor doesn't know what to believe or who to trust and the suspense and tension ramps up with every turn of the page.

Mind-bending, addictive and highly original, The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague is completely unpredictable and incredibly suspenseful.  I was already hooked on the book when M K Hill delivered an ingenious twist that really pulled the rug out from beneath me and I take my hat off to you, sir!  The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague is unmissable and 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:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

About the author:

M.K. Hill was a journalist and an award-winning music radio producer before becoming a full-time writer. He's written the Sasha Dawson series - The Bad Place, The Woman In The Wood - and the Ray Drake series - The Two O'Clock Boy and It Was Her - as well as acclaimed psychological thriller One Bad Thing, and the espionage thriller Zero Kill. He lives in London.

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BLOG TOUR: The General's Wife - Suzanne Dana

 

Some secrets don't stay buried, even beneath military honors

Margaret Stone appears to be the perfect military spouse—supportive, resilient, and respected as the wife of Brigadier General George "Rocky" Stone. But beneath her carefully composed exterior lies a past shadowed by tragedy and one fateful night that could destroy everything she's built.

When a blackmail letter signed "Swimbuddy1980" arrives, Margaret is forced to confront the truth about what really happened during a late-night swim at Coronado Beach nearly thirty years ago. As the threats escalate and her husband faces a career-defining deployment to Afghanistan, Margaret must navigate the complex loyalties of military life while fighting to protect the life she's crafted from the ashes of her troubled youth.

From a San Diego tattoo parlor to the formality of Marine Corps ceremonies, Margaret's journey reveals the resilience of the human spirit and the unique bonds forged through shared sacrifice in the military community.

In this compelling narrative of love, betrayal, and redemption, one woman discovers that while the past shapes us, it need not define us—and that true strength comes from facing the most painful truths of all.

What did I think?

The General's Wife is a wonderful debut novel that gives the reader a glance into US military life from a side you don't often see: that of the wives and partners.  The armed forces have such an important and difficult job but so do those they leave behind when they're deployed.

With reference to a secret in chapter one, I was immediately drawn into the story and just had to find out what was haunting Maggie from her past.  Maggie is a Brigadier General's wife and any scandal would be a detriment to his career progression.  That's why Maggie agrees to pay a blackmailer to keep her secret hidden but this means that she is hiding something else from her husband.

The secret is revealed to the reader through flashbacks to Maggie's youth and it broke my heart to see Maggie carrying this burden for so many years.  Secrets can fester if you try to bury them and it's true what they say about a problem shared but Maggie is terrified of the consequences and she doesn't know who she can trust.

I love secrets in a novel so I was hooked from the start and as much as I wanted to know what the secret was I was enjoying the whole story of Maggie's life, both past and present, just as much.  Maggie is such a strong character that I really came to care about her and she would definitely give us Brits a run for our money in the stiff upper lip stakes.

Completely captivating and incredibly intriguing, The General's Wife is filled with love, honour and respect.  It's a riveting story and it's so beautifully written that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

I received a gifted paperback for the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Suzanne Dana is both a general’s daughter and a general’s wife. She graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in journalism and a secondary education credential in English. As a general’s wife, she moved nineteen times and supported her husband through eight deployments, including those to Iraq and Afghanistan. She currently sits on the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation board as an Adjunct Director. She enjoys photography, travel, water sports, and volunteering at a local women’s shelter. She resides in Arizona with her husband. 

The General’s Wife is her debut novel.

Social Media Links – 

Website: http://suzannemdana.com/

Facebook: suzannemdana

Instagram: @authorsuzannedana

Giveaway:

Giveaway to Win 10 x signed copies of The General’s Wife (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Gleam box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Win 10 x signed copies of The General’s Wife (Open INT)

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The Perfect Lie - A. Barker

For years, Anna chased hope, desperate to outrun the lies she'd told herself.

Convinced her future can only be found in the past, she returns back to Brighton, where it all began.

She's older. Wiser. More determined.

Then she meets Patrick.

The man she should never have met.

The son of the only man she ever loved.

The son of the man she murdered over twenty years ago.

This fast-paced, twisted psychological novel will keep you hooked until the final, jaw-dropping twist.

Be prepared for a thrilling descent into the dark side of love with a story so unbelievable you will think it's actually true.

Perfect for fans of books by Freida McFadden, Claire Douglas and Lisa Jewell.

 

What did I think?

Well this book certainly kept me on my toes and on the edge of my seat!  The Perfect Lie is filled with so many lies and twists that I really didn't know what was going to happen next.

Anna is a character I loved to hate; she is completely deluded and she literally got away with murder.  When Anna returns to the scene of the crime many years later, she meets Patrick, the son of the man she killed, and it's not long before he is drawn into her dangerous web.  Is history about to repeat itself?

Eeeeeek!  I couldn't read this book fast enough to discover all of the secrets and lies buried within.  I'm keeping my review brief as I don't want to inadvertently release any spoilers but I will say that the plot is super-sharp and the pacing is blisteringly fast.

Impossible to put down and even more difficult to predict, The Perfect Lie is perhaps one of the most twisty books I have read for quite some time.  A very highly recommended and completely thrilling read. 

I received a digital ARC from the author and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon

Behind Her Smile - Caroline England

 

Buried secrets are dangerous.

Unearthing them might be deadly ...

Laurie Dunn has returned to her childhood attic bedroom and her old nightmares have come rushing back. Terrorised by a client-related mugging, her job as a criminal solicitor causes more problems than solutions.

Finn Ballentine yearns for a fresh start, but even the glossy façade of his new law firm can't protect him from the past he's running from.

After a disturbing remark by her confused father, Laurie joins forces with Finn to uncover dark truths. But the long-buried secrets they unearth are laced with danger for them both.

What did I think?

I love Caroline England books as you never know what to expect but you're definitely guaranteed a good read.  The creepy doll on the cover gives you some idea of how dark Behind Her Smile is and I absolutely loved it.

Laurie has been brought up by her father and sister after her mother died in childbirth.  The subject of memories is explored as Laurie thinks about her childhood and whether what she can remember is real or false.  You also wonder whether her family are protecting her or hiding something from her.  Needless to say, every guess I had was wrong!

I really liked Laurie and it was lovely to see her reviving her relationship with Finn but there are so many obstacles in their way.  Caroline England just kept reeling me in with the ups and downs of Laurie's life until hitting me with the big reveal.  Absolutely brilliant!

Dark, disturbing and completely addictive, Behind Her Smile is an unpredictable and unsettling read that gripped me from start to finish.  A highly recommended read.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: A Cold Whisper - Casey Dunn

 

Catch your breath. It might be your last . . . A bone-chilling, terrifying story about two sisters and secrets hiding beneath the snow.

A raging blizzard isn’t enough to keep fourteen-year-old Rose and seven-year-old Lily in their abusive home for another night. But their escape plan goes wrong when Rose disappears and Lily wakes up in the snow-covered woods, terrified and alone. She never sees her sister again.

Twenty-five years later, Lily is a social worker with a skill for finding missing children – and a deep fear of the cold. When a foster child she works with is found frozen to death in the snow, Lily is forced to confront her past trauma. What happened to Rose, and why did she abandon her sister in the snow? As terrible secrets are finally dug up, the truth takes a bone-chillingly dark turn.

Told in alternating viewpoints of Lily and Rose, this chillingly atmospheric, dark novel of suspense with jaw-dropping twists is perfect for fans of Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong, The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld and The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf.

What did I think?

I was drawn to A Cold Whisper by the blurb and I'm so pleased that I picked it up as it's a fantastic read.

Told via multiple points of view we follow two sets of siblings: sisters Lily and Rose and brothers Daniel and Hunter.  Lily is a social worker and she has first hand experience of being abandoned as her sister Rose left her in the snow 25 years ago.  Daniel is the new cop in town and he's trying to live up to his brother Hunter.

I just loved the way the story unravelled piece by piece and the dual sibling characters was very unusual and worked really well.  It is so devastating to read about missing children and it definitely pulled at my heartstrings.  The pacing is fast and it doesn't let up until you turn the final page.

Gripping, haunting and chilling, A Cold Whisper is a fantastic psychological thriller that hooked me from the start and kept me riveted throughout.  A highly recommended read.

I received a gifted paperback for the Bookstagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Under Vixens Mere - Kit Fielding

After Harry Jones takes his life in the chilling waters of Vixens Mere, not one body is recovered, but two.

Vixens Mere marina hosts a ragtag houseboat community whose lives are as tangled as their mooring ropes, each trying to escape something.

A marriage damaged by PTSD, a guilty lover, aging hippies with a secret sadness, a newcomer escaping a toxic relationship, and a kindhearted misfit whose loyalty is tested to the limit.

Under Vixens Mere tells the story of these boondock boat dwellers as they unify against investigators, vindictive exes, and anyone else who messes with them.

Step aboard and lose yourself in the complex ties of this small community.

 

What did I think?

Under Vixens Mere is a real hidden gem of a novel as I almost didn't pick it up but I'm so glad that I did.  It is filled with drama and secrets as the reader peeks through the curtains of each houseboat in Vixens Mere marina.  There's a fabulous hand-drawn map in the front of the book too - yay!

The haunting prologue hit me like a sucker punch as Harry Jones steps foot in Vixens Mere to end his life.  Harry's story continues throughout the book and it is so incredibly poignant that it brings tears to my eyes just thinking of it now.  The police are puzzled when they recover Harry's body and find another body beneath him.  What a fabulous mystery!

I loved how each chapter starts with the name of the boat and the characters in the scene.  The houseboat community is very close-knit and they will do anything for each other.  This story sets out exactly what they will do for their friends and it's not just about hiding the bodies.

I was completely riveted from start to finish and once I picked up Under Vixens Mere I couldn't put it down, reading it in two sittings.  I adored the marina setting and the eclectic characters who I really came to care about.

Entertaining, compelling and poignant, Under Vixens Mere is a fabulous book that shocked, surprised and delighted me.  I loved it and think it's well worth a read.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

About the author:

Kit Fielding plans and writes his novels in a motorhome at various locations around the country. 

The feeling of impermanence is natural to him due to his mother’s traveller roots and a childhood succession of tied-cottages accommodation in different parts of England. 

Kit Fielding says that there was always a curiosity about what was waiting, or was lurking, just around the corner. This legacy has stayed with him to the present day and it feeds into his work.

Social Media Links:

Insta: @inkspotpub 

FB: Inkspotpublishing

Giveaway

Giveaway to Win 3 x Stacks of 5 Inkspot Publishing books (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Gleam box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Win 3 x Stacks of 5 Inkspot Publishing books (UK Only)

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BLOG TOUR: Just One Look At You - Jill Mansell

 

Venice. The perfect setting for romance, and for secrets to be shared.

Fen can't believe her luck. A luxury holiday with her beloved grandmother Disa - what could be more delightful? It doesn't cross her mind that she might fall in love. Or that love can bring complications . . .

Jamie can't help it that women always fall for him, rather than for his kind-hearted friend Leon. Nor that only one of them got the looks (that would be Jamie). But how will he feel if the girl he's drawn to only has eyes for Leon?

Disa has a secret. A few weeks ago, an old letter in a file revealed a shocking truth about her late husband. She's come to Venice to find out more.

There's news on the way that will reverberate through all their lives, as Jill Mansell's joyful, heartbreaking new novel takes readers on a roller coaster ride of emotion - and makes us believe in love again.

What did I think?

Just One Look At You is as beautiful inside as out.  I could lose myself in the gorgeous cover and I was completely mesmerised by the story inside.  I have never been to Venice but I felt as if I was there following in the characters' footsteps.

There are a number of characters and it took me a little while to get to know who was who but they really affected me.  I laughed (a lot) and cried (a little) as their lives played out in front of me.  I had a lump in my throat at the perfect ending and I didn't want to leave the characters behind when I turned the final page.  I'll just have to read it again, then!

I can't believe that this is the first Jill Mansell book I have read and I will certainly be looking out for more of her books.  It's so much more than a romance book with the addition of secrets, misunderstandings, secret admirers, heartbreak and laughter.  

So beautifully written, Just One Look At You is a poignant, heartbreaking and uplifting novel that swept me away to Venice on an emotional rollercoaster that broke my heart and pieced it back together again.  A highly recommended read that may require tissues.

I received a gifted hardback 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

About the author:

Jill Mansell started writing fiction while working in the NHS, after she read a magazine article that inspired her to join a local creative writing class. Since then she has written over twenty-five Sunday Times bestsellers. Her acclaimed novels include The Wedding of the Year, Promise Me, Should I Tell You?, And Now You’re Back, It Started with a Secret and You and Me, Always. Jill’s books have sold over 14.5 million copies worldwide.

Jill lives in Bristol and for many years worked in the field of clinical neurophysiology. You’d think inventing characters and stories would be easier, but she can assure you it isn’t.

Twitter @JillMansell

Facebook /OfficialJillMansell

Instagram @JillMansell

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BLOG TOUR: Hope on Hope (Blossoming of Truth book 2) - Susan Gray

Can hope become… a lifeline…a defining attitude…a powerful reality?

In WW2 as her homeland France is occupied by enemy forces, Chantal receives a letter with a missing page – what wartime secret did her beloved Sam want to divulge? She is drawn into the French Resistance network and when the war ends, she embarks on her quest to trace her lost love.

On the cusp of womanhood, Darcy is headstrong, impulsive and outspoken. It’s 1946 and reuniting with her aunt, Chantal, the two strong women form a tight bond. But soon conflicting opinions force a wedge in their relationship.

Can secrets from the past and life altering circumstances refine Darcy’s attitudes?

Sadness has blighted Henri’s young life, but a chance encounter heralds a brighter future. Moving to northeast England he begins a new career and finds romance – only for his hopes to be dashed with an unexpected discovery.

From war-torn France to post war northeast England, engage in this romantic drama as Chantal, Darcy and Henri discover how the presence of hope can transform their lives.

 

What did I think?

I picked up Hope on Hope as it is set in my native north-east England and I really enjoyed it.  It's a cross between a family saga, historical and romance novel so it's a multifaceted story that keeps the reader entertained.

There's a great hook with a missing page from a letter that Sam sends to Chantal before he goes missing during the war.  Chantal has never given up hope of Sam returning to her, despite what her family and her niece Darcy might think.  I loved Darcy though, she certainly doesn't hold back from giving her opinion and she has some challenges to overcome when she dabbles in the world of dating.

I actually didn't realise that Hope on Hope is a sequel to Blossoming of Truth, which is Darcy's parents' story, but it works perfectly well as a standalone.  The secrets kept me riveted and the romance warmed my heart as I turned the pages of this incredibly charming novel.

Uplifting, poignant and enchanting, Hope on Hope is a beautifully written novel with family and love at its heart.  It's well worth a read.

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:

Susan Gray writes uplifting character driven fiction, set in the twentieth century. She is intrigued by family secrets, mystery and romance so she endeavours to entwine these genres in her writing. Her books are set in northeast England, where she lives with her husband.

She enjoys travelling, reading, puzzling and people watching. Her plots are inspired by life issues and how her characters handle the twists and turns which ensue. Writing a novel was an unfulfilled dream, until celebrating a significant birthday five years ago.

To date she has penned eight books but only three are published. SPANISH HOUSE SECRETS was her debut novel and HOPE ON HOPE is the sequel to BLOSSOMING OF TRUTH.

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Scars of Silence - Johana Gustawsson, translated by David Warriner

When two teenagers are found brutally murdered on the island of Lidingö, dressed in white tunics and wearing crowns of candles, former French police officer Maïa Rehn joins local Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery with a shockingly dark heart. The highly anticipated sequel to the international bestselling gothic mystery, Yule Island.

___________

Twenty-three years ago, a young woman was murdered on the Swedish island of Lidingö.

The island has kept its silence.

Until now…

As autumn deepens into darkness in Lidingö, on the Stockholm archipelago, the island is plunged into chaos: in the space of a week, two teenaged boys are murdered. Their bodies are left deep in the forest, dressed in white tunics with crowns of candles on their heads, like offerings to Saint Lucia.

Maïa Rehn has fled Paris for Lidingö after a family tragedy. But when the murders shake the island community, the former police commissioner is drawn into the heart of the investigation, joining Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery as chilling as the Nordic winter.

As they dig deeper, it becomes clear that a wind of vengeance is blowing through the archipelago, unearthing secrets that are as scandalous as they are inhuman.

But what if the victims weren't who they seemed? What if those long silenced have finally found a way to strike back?

How far would they go to make their tormentors pay?

And you – how far would you go? 

What did I think?

Scars of Silence is the second book in the Lidingö Mysteries series, however, it can definitely be read as a standalone as I haven't read Yule Island but I was completely blown away by this breathtaking book.

What starts out as a murder mystery turns into something much darker and devastating.  I don't think I have made a note of so many quotes when reading a book.  Johana Gustawsson's eloquent words have been beautifully translated by David Warriner to stun and provoke the reader as the shocks and reveals just keep on coming.

I was completely mesmerised by the writing and hooked by the plot but I am pleased that I read Scars of Silence as part of a readalong as it gave me a chance to devour and digest the words I had read each day.  I even flicked back to revisit a few pages that were particularly affecting and memorable for me.  So, thank you to Orenda Books for inviting me to take part.

Both main characters have a lot going on in their personal life in addition to investigating a recent spate of murders that seem to be mirroring a convicted crime from the past.  My heart was breaking for Maïa as her tragic story was revealed and I didn't realise how much I had come to care about Aleksander until he experiences a devastating event in his own life.

Powerful, haunting and oh so very thought-provoking, Scars of Silence is an outstanding book that hooked me from the start and kept packing the punches in, leaving me completely devastated and stunned at the end.  I will definitely be adding Yule Island to my TBR and more than likely every other book that Johana Gustawsson has written.  

A very highly recommended read that is absolutely unmissable and completely unforgettable. 

I received a gifted paperback for the Orenda Books Readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Orenda Books

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: A Family Affair - Joy Wood

Odele Gardia . . . married to wealthy businessman Howard, is the hard-nosed matriarch of the family and will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. She’s ruthless in the boardroom and not afraid to lean on adversaries. 

Sebastian Gardia . . . Odele’s brother and business partner. His wife, Freya, reveals that she is pregnant with their first child.

Elliot . . . the prodigal son, is returning from America with his girlfriend, intending to propose to her.

Business is booming, her brother is going to become a father, and her son is coming home – it’s surely a time to celebrate. But Odele is hiding a huge secret and is constantly looking over her shoulder. If the secret came out, it would destroy the family.

Jimmy Alder . . . booted out of the police force, has been paid to spy on the family. The discovery he makes could have catastrophic consequences for them all.

A dysfunctional family, protectors of their power, wealth and each other, have no warning of the revelations about to erupt and the cost to their dynasty.

 

What did I think?

Oh my word, what an absolute belter of a book this is.  I couldn't put it down and loved every single minute of it.  The Gardia family make the Ewings look like a functional family and J.R. Ewing is a teddy bear compared to Odele Gardia.

Talk about a dysfunctional family - the Gardias are toxic.  Odele and Seb run a business together and whilst their business might be successful, their personal lives are about to implode.  I felt really sorry for their partners, especially Seb's wife Freya who should be on cloud nine after discovering that she is finally pregnant but her short-lived happiness is about to take a nosedive.

What a tangled web of secrets and lies Joy Wood has skilfully weaved for her readers.  There are so many secrets and reveals that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to discover them all.  A few I suspected but I was shocked and surprised by a lot of them.

Filled with secrets and lies, A Family Affair is a gripping, compelling and unputdownable novel.  It's the first book that I have read by Joy Wood and I will definitely be adding more of her books to my TBR based on the strength of A Family Affair.  Very highly recommended.

I received a gifted paperback from the author to read and review for the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Joy Wood has worked as a nurse most of her adult life and turned to writing to ‘see if she could.’ Her earlier work was adult romance and intrigue, but more recently she has switched genres to crime with a romance element which has paid off. In May of 2025, Joy was the fortunate recipient of the RNA award in the crime fiction category for her book Whatever It Takes. Joy lives in the small but charming seaside town of Cleethorpes in North East Lincolnshire and her writing ideas come from watching the tide turn daily, of course with the obligatory ice-cream – someone has to support the local economy!

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joywoodauthor

Website: www.joywoodauthor.wordpress.com

Email: joymarywood@yahoo.co.uk

X: @joywoodauthor

Instagram: @joywoodauthor

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BOOK BLITZ: The Bookseller of Kathmandu (Tales of Kathmandu) - Ann Bennett

A sweeping tale of secrets and survival set against the mystical backdrop of Nepal, and the tropical heat of 1940s Malaya.

In the heart of bustling Kathmandu, Chloe Rai's quaint bookshop is a sanctuary for those seeking solace within the pages of timeworn stories. But when she discovers a collection of letters hidden within the crumbling walls of a forgotten Rana palace, her world begins to intertwine with a narrative from a different time and place.

Penned in the 1940s by a woman named Alice Lacey, the letters tell the story of the Malayan Emergency, a time of turmoil and conflict. As Alice's life becomes intertwined with that of Anil, a Gurkha officer, their bond is tested by the chaos and violence surrounding them. Chloe's discoveries not only reveal family secrets, but also mirror her own struggles in the present. As she delves deeper into Alice's story, she begins to understand the power of the past in shaping the present.

With a rich cultural backdrop and a poignant exploration of friendship, resilience, and truth, 'The Bookseller of Kathmandu' is a beautifully woven tale that showcases the enduring power of storytelling. Join Chloe on a journey through time as she uncovers the truth and learns to navigate the complexities of her own life.

If you enjoy captivating storytelling, then you won't want to miss 'The Bookseller of Kathmandu.' And if you loved 'The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu,' then you will be enthralled by Chloe and Alice's intertwined stories... 

What did I think?

The Bookseller of Kathmandu is the second book in Tales of Kathmandu series but it can be read as a standalone.  I haven't read The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu (but I definitely want to now) to find out more about Chloe's story.  

It's a riveting dual timeline story that transports the reader to 1940s Malaya via letters discovered in a donation of books to Chloe's bookshop in present day Kathmandu.  There is a family link to the historic story as the books belonged to Chloe's husband's Uncle Anil and reading the letters helps Anil's son to make sense of his father's will.

I loved both storylines that had newlyweds in common.  Chloe and her husband Kiran are struggling to adjust to married life in 2018 and Alice has pretty much been sold off to Bruce in 1948 in payment of her father's debts.  I detested Bruce with a vengeance and really felt for Alice having to deal with his abuse on her own in a strange country.  It's no wonder that her head was turned by Anil's kindness.

The way the story unfolds through the old letters between Alice and Anil is completely mesmerising and I loved the settings of Paradise Books and Malaya.  Ann Bennett's beautiful writing transports the reader on a wonderfully atmospheric journey and I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Nepal and Malaya.

Poignant, atmospheric and mesmerising, The Bookseller of Kathmandu is a beautiful historical fiction novel and one I would highly recommend.

I received a gifted paperback to read for the Rachel's Random Resources book blitz and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase link: https://mybook.to/booksellerkathmandu

About the author:

Ann Bennett is a British author of historical fiction. Her first book, Bamboo Heart: A Daughter's Quest, was inspired by researching her father's experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway and by her own journey to uncover his story. It won the Asian Books Blog prize for fiction published in Asia in 2015, and was shortlisted for the best fiction title in the Singapore Book Awards 2016.

That initial inspiration led her to write more books about WWII in Southeast Asia - Bamboo Island: The Planter's Wife, A Daughter's Promise, Bamboo Road: The Homecoming, The Tea Planter's Club, The Amulet, and The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu. Along with The Lotus House, published in October 2024, they make up the Echoes of Empire Collection.

Ann is also the author of The Oriental Lake Collection - The Lake Pavilion and The Lake Palace, both set in British India during the 1930s and WWII, and The Lake Pagoda and The Lake Villa, set in French Indochina.

The Runaway Sisters, USA Today bestselling The Orphan House, The Child Without a Home and The Forgotten Children are set in Europe during the same era and are published by Bookouture. Her latest book, The Stolen Sisters, published on 29th November 2024 is the follow-up to The Orphan List (published by Bookouture in August this year) and is set in Poland and Germany during WWII.

A former lawyer, Ann is married with three grown up sons and a granddaughter and lives in Surrey, UK. For more details, please visit her website www.annbennettauthor.com

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Giveaway to Win a Paperback copy of Fortune Teller of Kathmandu (Open to UK and Europe only)

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Win a Paperback copy of Fortune Teller of Kathmandu (Open to UK and Europe only)

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