BLOG TOUR: Death at the Altar (Mary Shelley Investigations book 3) - Donna Gowland

The Shelleys are back with a new murder case! For fans of Mary Shelley, Daphne Du Maurier, Diane Setterfield and Laura Purcell.

With Percy under suspicion, can Mary find the real murderer in time…?

1815, London

When her infant daughter dies, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin is plunged into a deep depression.

And it doesn’t help that the father, and man who she loves, Percy Shelley, cannot commit to her as he already has an estranged wife.

When Mary receives an invitation to a wedding from a beloved school friend from her Dundee days, Percy thinks it would provide the perfect distraction.

But even away from London, they cannot escape people talking about their relationship.

And when the curate is shot dead at the end of the wedding, the locals turn on Percy.

Mary must find the true killer before their misguided suspicions become a witch hunt.

And as Mary has murder on the mind, her stepsister Claire sets her targets on someone else — Lord Byron…

DEATH AT THE ALTAR is the third book in the Mary Shelley Investigation series: thrilling Gothic murder mysteries with a tenacious literary heroine working as a female sleuth.

What did I think?

I am absolutely loving the Mary Shelley Investigations series, of which Death at the Altar is book three.  You can read each book as a standalone as there is a new mystery to solve but they are well worth reading in order to learn about Mary Shelley's life.

The mystery in this instalment is very intriguing and it becomes even more critical for Mary to solve the murder when Percy becomes one of the suspects.  As it says in the blurb, Mary is is devastated by the loss of her baby daughter and my heart really went out to her as Mary is still a teenager and Percy isn't much support with his flighty poetic nature.

There's quite a lot going on in the book to keep the reader entertained and I enjoyed the spotlight falling on Claire for a while.  I wasn't a big fan of Claire in the first two books as she seemed to set her sights on Percy but now she is obsessed with Lord Byron and she comes up with a cunning plan to capture the (already married) poet's heart.

Donna Gowland's writing is very evocative, atmospheric and immersive so I felt as if I was part of the story myself and the characters, being based on real people, are vividly brought to life.  I have really come to care about Mary Shelley (and Percy and Claire) and I have found myself reading more online about her life, although not too much as I don't want to spoil the story in any future books.

Entertaining, compelling and enlightening, Death at the Altar is both a gripping murder mystery and a fascinating glimpse into the life of Mary Shelley.  A highly recommended read in an extraordinary series.

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

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BLOG TOUR: The Lost Girls (Mary Shelley Investigations book 2) - Donna Gowland

Don’t miss this page-turning historical mystery! For fans of Mary Shelley, Daphne Du Maurier, Diane Setterfield and Laura Purcell.

Is someone snatching dead bodies…?

1814, London

After triumphantly solving a murder case in Paris, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin and Percy Shelley return to London penniless.

As Percy is still married to his estranged wife, he and Mary are shunned from polite society for living together out of wedlock.

Isolated and trapped in squalid lodgings, Mary finds herself alone while Percy escapes to the tavern. And one evening when she goes looking for him, a dead body is found.

But when Percy and Mary arrive at the scene the dead girl is gone…

When she receives a note from an old friend and discovers another girl is missing, Mary wonders if the crimes are connected.

What happened to the body? Was it taken by the murderer?

Can Mary and Percy come together to solve another tricky case…?

THE MARY SHELLEY INVESTIGATIONS SERIES:

Book One: The Missing Wife

Book Two: The Lost Girls

Book Three: Death at the Altar

What did I think?

I absolutely loved The Missing Wife, the first book in the Mary Shelley Investigations series, so I couldn't wait to read The Lost Girls and I was not disappointed.  You can definitely read it as a standalone if you have just discovered this fascinating series.

Mary and Percy have returned from their elopement to France but the scandal has followed them back to London.  Now Mary is pregnant, ignored by her family and living well below the standard to which she had become accustomed.  Whilst they have little money for food, Percy certainly seems to find money for drink.

I love the way that Donna Gowland brings these historical characters to life and weaves fact with fiction so that the reader learns about Mary and Percy Shelley in a very entertaining way.  I have new respect for Mary as Percy is so exasperating and I couldn't live with him.  Mary's stepsister Claire is a strange one; it's good that she provides support to Mary but she is clearly enamoured with Percy so I worry that Claire's motives are entirely selfish.

The missing girls storyline is incredibly intriguing and atmospheric as the dark underbelly of Georgian London is described.  I felt as if I was there following in their footsteps as Mary, Percy and Claire investigate this puzzling case.

Entertaining, captivating and authentic, The Lost Girls is a thrilling instalment in this completely unmissable series.  I can't wait to read more so look out for my review of book three, Death at the Altar, very soon.

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

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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:

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BLOG TOUR: The Nowhere Girls - Carmel Harrington

On a cold afternoon in December 1995, two young girls are found abandoned on a platform at Pearse Station in Dublin.

Thirty years later, investigative journalist Vega is determined to find out what happened to the so-called 'Nowhere Girls'. Where did their mother go? Why did no one come forward to claim them? And where are they now?

Searching for answers takes her on a journey with twists she never could have imagined. And one that could put everything else she knows at risk; including her new relationship, her career, and her life as she knows it.

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, I could not put this gripping and compelling book down!  It's definitely a 'just one more chapter' kind of a book and then 'whoops I've read it all in a day'.

It is such an intriguing storyline with two young girls being left at a railway station.  What made their mother leave them and why didn't she come back?  This is the story that journalist Vega wants to investigate despite being told to leave it alone by her boss.  Vega can't leave it alone though and she won't stop digging until she finds out the truth.

This is such an addictive book with twists and turns that shocked, surprised and delighted me.  I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and I would recommend setting aside a couple of hours when you pick up this book as you won't be able to put it down.

Unputdownable and completely engrossing, The Nowhere Girls is an unmissable book that kept me riveted from start to finish.  An easy five stars and a very highly recommended read.

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

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BLOG TOUR: The Missing Wife (Mary Shelley Investigations book 1) - Donna Gowland

A young aspiring writer finds romance and mystery in Paris! For fans of Mary Shelley, Daphne du Maurier, Diane Setterfield and Laura Purcell.

A daring adventure or a foolhardy affair…?

1814, London

It isn’t easy being the daughter of the great Mary Wollstonecraft, harder still to navigate life without her. Sixteen-year-old Mary Godwin is desperate for excitement and trapped in a family she feels stifled in, under the watchful, disapproving glare of her stepmother, she is constantly battling for her father’s attention and approval.

So when the young Romantic poet, Percy Shelley, comes blazing into her life, she falls quickly and deeply in love with him. But Percy has plenty of demons. He is already married with a second child on the way, and he turns up to the Godwin family home with a bottle of laudanum, declaring he will end his life if he cannot be with Mary.

William Godwin forbids contact between them, but Mary’s heart aches for the man she believes to be her soulmate. And so she agrees to elope to Paris.

The excitement of the journey soon wears off and they arrive in the city weary, travel-sick and penniless, though luck finally seems to be on their side when they meet a man who offers them money to find his missing wife.

But with Mary becoming increasingly homesick and concerned for her future, will her love affair with Percy be all she had hoped for? Could the search for the missing wife set her on a new course of self-discovery?

Or will her first daring adventure prove to be her downfall…?

THE MISSING WIFE is the first book in the Mary Shelley Investigation series: thrilling Gothic murder mysteries with a tenacious literary heroine working as a female sleuth.

THE MARY SHELLEY INVESTIGATIONS SERIES:

Book One: The Missing Wife

Book Two: The Lost Girls

Book Three: Death at the Altar

 

What did I think?

WOW!!!  Donna Gowland has completely taken my breath away with her stunning first novel in the Mary Shelley Investigation series, The Missing Wife.  This book is UNMISSABLE!!! 

I didn't know a lot about Mary Shelley, other than that she wrote Frankenstein and was married to Percy Bysshe Shelley so I loved this fabulous reimagining of her life that is based on actual events.  

Mary Godwin is a teenager when she meets and falls in love with poet Percy Shelley.  The pair elope to Paris with Mary's stepsister in tow, leaving a lot of scandal and Percy's pregnant wife and young daughter behind.  Percy is such a dreamer and Mary is besotted with him, so when his money runs out they agree to look for a missing woman.

The mystery of the missing wife Claudine Lamont is completely gripping and it is mesmerising to follow in Percy and Mary's virtual footsteps where you can almost see the inspiration for Frankenstein appearing before your eyes, 

Completely breathtaking and absolutely brilliant, The Missing Wife is an outstanding novel that will appeal to readers of all genres: mystery, history, literary and romance.  I loved the real life characters and can't wait to read more in the series.  A very highly recommended read and a well-deserved five stars.  C'est magnifique!

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Weave Your Magic (Molland Sisters Book 1) - Caroline Hogg

Temperance Molland doesn’t want much. Just true love. Fed up with rubbish first dates, she drunkenly dreams up the perfect love story – unaware that combining moonlight, expired rum and her witchy DNA will start all kinds of trouble…

The next day Temperance wakes up to a stinking hangover and a worse premonition: something dangerous is headed to their village. When she runs into Abel Gulliver, she can’t believe her eyes: her childhood best friend, her first love, the boy who broke her heart 12 years ago. Whatever curse she's triggered has dragged Abel back home against his will and she’s going to have to keep him there until she figures it all out.

And it’s not enough to be plagued by visions of purple lightning and burning wildflowers, now property developers are after their cosy corner of the South Coast. With her sister Suse using magic to see off the fat cats, it’s up to Temperance to keep Abel safe. If only she could work out what was so terrible about their first kiss, all those years ago, that means he can’t look her in the eye. To her, it was spellbinding…

A gorgeous and spicy romantic comedy with a witchy twist, perfect for fans of Uncharmed by Lucy Jane Wood, The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling and the movie Practical Magic.

 

What did I think?

It was an absolute pleasure to read Weave Your Magic and, as it's the first book in the series, I am delighted that it's not the last we will hear from the Molland sisters.

Temperence and Susie run a second-hand shop in Devon and they have a magical gift that enables them to read the memories attached to clothes.  This is such a lovely idea but it also has a dark side as not all memories are happy.  Temperence knows all about that because she picked up her best friend's hoodie after their teenage kiss and experienced Abel's hurtful feelings.

Abel is definitely the one that got away for Temperence and now he's back.  The sexual chemistry between them sizzles off the page but Temperence knows how Abel really feels and his actions confirm that.   It's a brilliant will they/won't they hook and there's certainly magic (and a dangerous curse) in the air.

I really loved this book; it's funny, magical and filled with danger.  My eyes were glued to the page from start to finish and I couldn't read fast enough to find out how it would all end but I also didn't want the book to finish as I was loving it so much.  What a great dilemma to have when reading!

Weave Your Magic is a fabulous magical romcom novel from Caroline Hogg.  I can't wait to read more and will definitely be adding Find Your Magic to my TBR. 

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

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Snow Love Lost (Marram Bay Book 2) - Portia MacIntosh

Ivy, the owner of a year-round festive store, loves Christmas. When her mother passed away, Ivy vowed to take over her mother’s store and keep the Christmas spirit alive in the idyllic seaside town of Marram Bay, and she’s been running the place single-handedly ever since.

The only thing missing in Ivy's life is a dash of romance – something her twin sister, Holly, will not let her forget.

As Christmas approaches, an enigmatic businessman moves to town, threatening to bulldoze her beloved shop to make way for a holiday complex. Ivy must fight to save the store. But could this intriguing newcomer be hiding a softer side, one that just might grant all her holiday wishes?

 

What did I think?

I don't know how I haven't discovered Portia MacIntosh until now but I'm so pleased that I have as I absolutely loved Snow Love Lost.  It's the republished second book in the Marram Bay series but it can definitely be read as a standalone, although (like me) you will be adding the other two books (and more of Portia's) to your wishlist. 

The prologue is set in 1998 and introduces us to fraternal twins Holly and Ivy who couldn't be more different; for one thing, Holly dislikes Christmas and Ivy loves it.  It's a bit difficult to escape the festive period as their mum owns a shop called Christmas Every Day in the picturesque seaside town of Marram Bay.

Fast forward to the present day and Ivy is running the shop after buying out Holly's share when their mum passed away.  It is clear that this is more than a shop to Ivy as it's almost as if it holds some of her mum's spirit so she is prepared to fight with all she has to save the shop, despite dwindling sales and the landlord selling the building.

There is an amazing enemies to lovers trope when Seb walks into the shop one day with no intention to buy anything festive, but rather the whole building.  Ivy could maybe handle a new landlord but Seb doesn't want the building, he wants the land and his bulldozers are revving their engines.  Ivy would hate him if only he wasn't so hot!

Enemies to lovers comes hand in hand with a 'will they/won't they' vibe and I adored every second of it.  I completely fell in love with the characters and I think I must've had something in my eye at the end as my eyes were a little moist to say the least.

Funny, flirty and incredibly heartwarming, Snow Love Lost is a lovely read filled with heart and a sprinkling of Christmas pixie dust.  You've got a new fan right here, Portia MacIntosh!

I received a gifted paperback from the publisher that I chose to read; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Love's a Witch (The Scottish Charms Series) - Tricia O'Malley

She’s hexed. He’s vexed. And for Scotland’s most magical small-town, their feud might just spell disaster.

Sloane MacGregor swore she’d never return to Briarhaven, but with her twenty-fifth birthday looming – the day witches come into their magic – her grandmother summons her and her sisters back for one tiny task: break the centuries-old curse haunting their bloodline.

Knox Douglas, Briarhaven’s grumpy mayor, has worked tirelessly to make his town a haven for magical folk. The last thing he needs is a cursed MacGregor wreaking havoc. It doesn’t matter he once crushed on her. For the sake of Briarhaven, Sloane has to go.

But magic has other plans – and in Briarhaven, love really is a witch.

What did I think?

Love's a Witch is the first book in an exciting new series and I already can't wait to read more after Sloane, Knox and Blue cast their spell on me.

The prologue is set in 1713 and sets the scene of the curse that has befallen the MacGregor family and caused them to be unwelcome in the quaint little Scottish town of Briarhaven.  Unfortunately for Briarhaven, the MacGregor witches are back in town and mayor Knox Douglas doesn't mince his words when he asks them to leave. 

Sloane MacGregor is no pushover and she also has a history with Knox, who was her teenage crush.  Prepare for some blushing and swooning as the sexual tension reaches fever pitch and I was furiously waving my virtual fan on occasion.  The romance is only part of the story though and there's lots of magic, an abundance of cuteness in the form of the various familiars, and a host of entertainment.

I absolutely loved how Briarhaven hides its magic in plain sight, although some of the mishaps caused by Sloane's new magic were a little harder to explain.  Blue the cheese-loving emberwolf really stole my heart and it's no surprise to learn that Tricia O'Malley based him on the memory of her own pet as his character traits are so amusing and a huge amount of love is woven within the beautiful prose.

Bewitching, magical and a bit steamy, Love's a Witch is an incredibly entertaining novel that's just crying out to be made into a TV show.  Please pick this one up, Netflix!  I can't wait to read more of The Scottish Charms books so please write quickly, Tricia!  An easy five stars - I absolutely loved it.

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

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BLOG TOUR: The Hottest Girl at Burn Camp - Krystal Evans

When Krystal Evans was 14, the house that she shared with her mother and little sister burned down. Narrowly escaping by breaking a window and jumping out head-first Krystal suffered burns, smoke inhalation, and the unimaginable tragedy of losing her sister. That Evans has written such a warm and disarmingly funny memoir about what led the family to that fatal night, and how they coped with its aftermath, is nothing less than astonishing.

This is a spellbinding story of growing up poor in America, living with a mentally ill mother, and having a wolf for a pet (really). From the indignities of being rejected from a summer camp for burn victims, to putting up with a succession of her mom's increasingly shady friends and partners, Krystal and Katie's childhoods were marked by adult chaos, inappropriate behaviour, and never knowing what the next day would bring.

But, writing with joy, skill and candour, we witness Krystal growing as a person from the ashes of disaster into the confident, funny, and (reasonably) well-hinged adult, mother and comedian that she is today.

At the same time, funny, tragic and inspiring, it is the story of a family dangerously close to the edge, and of a girl struggling to make her way into adulthood, once the smoke clears.

 

What did I think?

Krystal Evans is a stand-up comedian so it's comforting to know that it all turns out ok in the end for her as her memoir is completely heart wrenching.  I wanted to reach into the book and give young Krystal a big hug as her family suffered such a devastating tragedy.

When I was reading this true story, I really wished it had been fiction as it broke my heart when Krystal lost her little sister Katie in the fire that destroyed their home.  It must have been very cathartic for Krystal to write this book and I was in tears at the end as her story really got to me.  It will be heartening for Krystal to know that Katie's memory will live on in the hearts of every reader who picks up this book.

It's often difficult to read Krystal's story but she makes it as lighthearted as she possibly can with a sprinkling of humour here and there.  It's not a funny story by any means but it is written in such an entertaining way that it is very easy to read.

Heartbreaking and inspirational, The Hottest Girl at Burn Camp is an emotional and powerful true story that will stay with me long after I turned the final page. 

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

My rating:

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More Than Murder - Jayne Chard

TWO ESTRANGED SISTERS. ONE DISAPPEARING BODY.

A witty, cosy mystery packed with twists, turns and tea!

When her flamboyant and spirited half-sister, Frankie, returns to Little Clarsden to claim her share of Rose Cottage, left to them by their Aunt Lucy, she is met with a frosty reception from Julia, who still harbours an old grievance. In an attempt to mend their fractured relationship, the sisters attend a murder mystery weekend at the grand country house of the Medfield estate in the rolling hills of Somerset.

After the first evening’s supper, a “poisoned dart” “kills” one of the guests. In the classic whodunit style of a country house mystery, the game of tracking down the “killer” is afoot.

The playful intrigue takes a sinister turn when the sisters discover a real body hidden in a secret passage. When the body disappears before anyone else can see it, no one believes it ever existed.

As night falls, dark clouds are massing like a cloak of a thousand ravens. A fierce storm leaves the guests trapped in the mansion. With fallen trees and debris rendering the guest’s escape impossible, the killer strikes again.This time, everyone believes the sisters.

With the body count rising and two murders to solve, our sharp-witted, sleuthing sisters set aside their differences, determined to unravel the tangled clues of the murder mystery, track down the real killer, and uncover the truth.

Amid the glamour and intrigue of the other guests and the actors slipping in and out of character, it’s difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction. Nothing and no one is as they seem.

As the sisters get closer to the truth, someone wants them silenced—permanently. With laugh-out-loud banter, a hint of danger, and a twist even Agatha Christie would admire, can Julia and Frankie catch the culprit before the murder weekend becomes their last.

With witty and charming characters and a plot with more twists and turns than a country road, More Than Murder is a delightful blend of humour, mystery and the classic country house crime, perfect for fans of Richard Osman, M.C. Beaton and Benjamin Stevenson.

More Than Murder is the first book in this cosy crime series.

 

What did I think?

More Than Murder is a fun cosy mystery that I really enjoyed.  It is the first book in a new cosy crime series featuring two estranged sisters so I'm intrigued to see what Jayne Chard has in store for Julia and Frankie next.

Julia is hoping that her sister Frankie will never return to the quaint village of Little Clarsden so that she will inherit her aunt's cottage by default.  Unfortunately for Julia, Frankie turns up like the proverbial bad penny to claim her share of  Rose Cottage.  As the sisters attempt to get along as best they can, they are helped by Frankie winning a ticket for two to a murder mystery weekend.  Their relationship begins to repair ever so slowly when they have to work together to identify a killer who turns out to be more real than the murder mystery weekend organisers had planned. 

I loved the murder mystery weekend setting and with a lot of the characters being actors it's never been more true to say that some people aren't who they seem.  I enjoyed following the clues with Julia and Frankie and the competitiveness between them and the other participants was very amusing.

It remains to be seen whether the sisters can live together and share Rose Cottage so I am interested to see where the series is going next.  If I was one of the sisters, I would be worried that the next book was going to be called 'Murder in Rose Cottage'.

Witty, charming and twisty, More Than Murder is a great start to an intriguing new cosy mystery series and I can't wait to read more.

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

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BLOG TOUR: What You See - Hilly Barmby

Harriet (Haitch) Boswell’s career as an artist could be about to go stratospheric. She’s been nominated for a prestigious bursary that would change everything. To secure it, she needs to see off five other hopefuls and charm the man who holds the purse strings during a weekend at a stunning location in Spain.

But just before she’s due to leave, she falls ill. There’s no way she can attend the event. Perhaps there’s a solution… her twin sister, Tilda.

But Tilda’s life is in turmoil. Her husband Sam has left her, declaring his love for a mystery woman. Spending a weekend schmoozing with the cream of the creative world while pretending to be her sister, is the very last thing she wants to do. But the bonds of sisterhood are strong. Haitch begs her, and Tilda agrees.

What if she’s discovered as an imposter? There’s Haitch’s egotistical agent Damian to get past first. Then there’s the small matter of surviving the selection process – all five nominees are pitted against each other in an intellectual beauty contest.

And then when someone discovers a body the next day, no one is prepared for what comes next...

 

What did I think?

Oh this book was so good and I simply couldn't put it down.  There are so many layers of intrigue to hold the reader's interest and I was well and truly hooked.

Haitch and Tilda are identical twins but although they may look alike they are very different in nature.  Haitch is the outgoing one who says what she thinks and Tilda is the quiet nerdy one who thought she had found the perfect man with whom to spend the rest of her life...until he left her.  

Tilda is reeling from Sam's bombshell so a change of scenery could be just what she needs so she doesn't take much convincing to impersonate Haitch when Haitch falls ill and can't attend a prestigeous event in Spain.  It looks like the twins have got away with their ruse but complications arise when a dead body is discovered after the event.

Oh this is very intricately plotted and I loved every minute of it.  Hilly Barmby's vivid and captivating writing cleverly drew me in to an amazing web of deceit before going in for the kill with a superb twist.  What an absolute cracker!

Intriguing, gripping and twisty, What You See is an outstanding psychological thriller that hooked me from the start and didn't let go.  A very highly recommended read.

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

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BLOG TOUR: Small Fires - Ronnie Turner

Evil runs through this cursed island

And these wicked sisters are about to make it burn...

When sisters Lily and Della Pedley are persecuted for the shocking murder of their parents, they flee from their home in Cornwall to a remote and unnamed island in Scotland – an island known for its strange happenings, but far away from the whispers and prying eyes of strangers.

 

Lily is terrified of what her sister will might do next, and she soon realises that they have arrived at a place where nothing is as it seems. A bitterness runs through the land like poison, and the stories told by the islanders seem to be far more than folklore.

 

Della settles in too easily, the island folk drawn to her strangeness, but Lily is plagued by odd and unsettling dreams, and as an annual festival draws nigh, she discovers that she has far more to fear than she could ever have imagined. Or does she…?

 

Chilling, atmospheric and utterly hypnotic, Small Fires is a contemporary gothic novel that examines possession, generational trauma, female rage, and the perilous bonds of family – an unsettling reminder that the stories we tell can be deadly…

Midsommar meets Midnight Mass in a folk horror, modern gothic masterpiece.

 

What did I think?

Small Fires is the first book by Ronnie Turner that I have read so I didn't know what to expect but this disturbing gothic tale had me enthralled from the start.  It's like a Grimm's fairy tale for adults that is very dark but completely mesmerising.

The Pedley sisters were never proven to have killed their parents but there was something not quite right in that family.  The flashbacks to the girls' past are very unsettling with a definite undertone of evil.  When they move to Scotland, this evil follows them but the Scottish island has its own dark secrets so the girls may have met their match.

Oh my goodness this goosebump-inducing novel chilled me to the bone and it probably wasn't the best idea to read it in bed each night as I had some rather strange dreams after putting the book down.  Ronnie Turner's beautiful and hypnotic writing combines mystery, myth and folklore to give the novel the feel of an adult fairy tale with a hint of a gothic horror.

Clever, creepy and compelling, Small Fires is a haunting and atmospheric novel that sent shivers down my spine.  Highly recommended if you're looking for something unique and unusual to read.

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: Dark as Night (An Áróra Investigation Book 4) - Lilja Sigurðardóttir

When Áróra receives a call telling her that a child she’s never met is claiming to be her missing sister reincarnated, she is devastated … as ridiculous as the allegations might seem. For three years she has been searching for her sister without finding a single clue, and now this strange child seems to have new information.

On the same day, Icelandic detective Daníel returns home to find a note from his tenant, drag queen Lady Gúgúlú, giving notice on her flat and explaining that she has to leave the country. Daníel is immediately suspicious, and when three threatening men appear, looking for Lady, it’s clear to him that something is very wrong…

And as Iceland’s long dark nights continue into springtime, that is just the very beginning…

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness I couldn't read this brilliant book fast enough!  I was completely hooked from  the start, even though I've jumped straight into this already established series at book four.  I definitely want to read the earlier books now that I have read this one as I loved the characters of Áróra and Daníel.

The Icelandic setting is fantastic and I really felt as if I was there as the writing is so vivid that I could easily visualise the volcanic landscape.  There's a double mystery to solve with Áróra continuing her search for her missing sister and Daníel's tenant suddenly leaving under suspicious circumstances.

I really felt for Áróra when a child claims to be the reincarnation of her sister Ísafold.  To accept the child really is Ísafold is to accept that Ísafold is dead but her body has never been found so Áróra still has a tiny bit of hope left.  Surely Áróra is being conned, but for what purpose?  The reincarnation subject is handled very sensitively and, whether or not you believe in reincarnation, it's certainly very thought-provoking. 

Perfectly plotted and beautifully written, Dark as Night is my first Lilja Sigurðardóttir novel and it definitely won't be my last as I already have my eye on the earlier books in the series.  Lorenza Garcia's translation is so flawless that it feels as if the book was originally written in English.  Very highly recommended, even if you're new to the series.

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

My rating:

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About the author:

Bestselling crime-writer Lilja Sigurðardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written ten crime novels, including Snare, Trap and Cage, making up the Reykjavík Noir trilogy, and her standalone thriller Betrayal, all of which have hit bestseller lists worldwide and been long- and shortlisted for multiple awards. The film rights for the Reykjavík Noir trilogy have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California, and the An Áróra Investigation series is now in production for a major TV series. Cold as Hell was published in the UK in 2021 and reprinted twice, followed by Red as Blood and White as Snow, both number-one digital bestsellers. Lilja lives outside of Reykjavík with her partner and a brood of chickens. 

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