BLOG TOUR: Year Zero - Rob Gittins

The worst atrocities in battle... begin when war is won

Berlin. May 1945. A city without institutions in a continent that has become a wasteland.

Thousands of former Nazis have been killed in Allied purges, many more incarcerated in the very concentration camps they themselves established.

But the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, has a problem. One of those former Nazis is actually a British spy, Edward Kayne, who has intercepted a top-secret document that Churchill insists is vital to settling the peace.

Martin Geller is selected to journey into the heart of darkness and extract Kayne, but a carrot is dangled before him. His daughter, Zaya, had been abducted two years before as part of the Lebensborn programme – the kidnapping of children deemed to be ripe for ‘Germanisation’. Zaya is now in the same camp.

Geller sets off on a two-pronged mission – to extract Kayne and rescue Zaya. But Geller will discover that far from settling the peace, the document that Kayne has intercepted threatens the opposite.

Can Geller save his daughter from the gates of hell? And how does Geller reconcile the rescue of Kayne with his knowledge that he may be condemning the world to a new Armageddon?

What did I think?

Year Zero gripped me from the start with a shocking prologue that haunted me throughout the novel.  Why are people willing to kill anyone in their path to discover the whereabouts of an old lady?  Why is Zaya so important?  Well, I couldn't even begin to imagine the answer to this question and even more shockingly is that it has a basis in fact.

It took me a little while to get into the rhythm of the book as it flicks back and forth between several locations from London to Tibet and several places in between, but each location is stated at the start of the chapter.  Once I got a handle on all of the characters though, I was totally riveted by this breathtaking historical thriller.

Rob Gittins has a real talent for bringing his books to life and oh my word, I really felt as if I was there with the characters struggling to survive in the concentration camps.  The more I read, the more I wondered how much was actually based on facts.  I don't know a lot about the Nazi party, other than their horrific practice of genocide, and I have found myself researching some of their (bonkers) theories after reading Year Zero.  

Haunting, vivid and riveting, Year Zero is a stunning historical thriller.  It is quite intricately plotted so you need to keep your wits about you while reading and it is well worth a read.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Hobeck Books

Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: A Death in Berlin (Berlin Wartime Thrillers Book 3) - Simon Scarrow

BERLIN. MAY 1940. AS HITLER PREPARES TO INVADE WESTERN EUROPE, THERE IS BLOODSHED CLOSER TO HOME

'Scarrow's Berlin is sharply drawn with closely observed detail, a place that reeks of threat and fear - and not just from the Gestapo' Financial Times

CI Horst Schenke is an investigator with the Kripo unit. Powerless against the consequences of the war, he fights to keep criminals off his patch. But with doubts growing about his loyalty to the Nazi regime, he is walking a tightrope. If his relationship with a Jewish woman is exposed, a dreadful fate awaits.

Berlin's gangsters run their crime rings with impunity. Decadent senior Nazis protect them. Schenke is different. He won't turn a blind eye when innocents are caught in the crossfire between warring gangs. But dangerous enemies know everything about him. They will do whatever it takes to bend him to their will . . .

From the seedy wartime nightlife scene to aristocratic homes frequented by the Führer, as the distant war spirals ever closer, A Death in Berlin conveys the horror and banality of evil - and the terrible danger for those who dare stand against it.

The stunning new Berlin wartime thriller from the author of Blackout and Dead of Night.

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, I could not put this fantastic book down!  A Death in Berlin is the third novel featuring CI Horst Schenke but it is the first one that I have read and I absolutely loved it.  You can definitely read it as a standalone and it has certainly made me eager to read the first two books.

This period of history is often a depressing subject to read but it's important that we never forget these awful events.  Simon Scarrow brings wartime Berlin to life in this outstanding novel as rival criminal gangs fight to be top dog.  Corruption is rife and the gangs are protected by members of the Nazi party so the police have quite a task on their hands when they investigate ration fraud and a murder.

I loved the character of CI Horst Schenke; he doesn't buy into the Nazi ideology that has caused him to hide his relationship with Ruth, a Jewish woman.  It does mean that he has a secret that can be used to blackmail him, despite the imaginitive precautions he believes he has been taking to communicate with Ruth.

Filled with danger and suspense, A Death in Berlin had me on the edge of my seat as I raced through the pages as fast as I possibly could.  I was gripped from start to finish and I am well and truly hooked on this magnificent series after just one book.  Very highly recommended and unmissable for fans of historical fiction.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Follow the tour:

Nineteen Steps - Millie Bobby Brown

The debut novel from global star Millie Bobby Brown

Love blooms in the darkest days…

London, 1942.

Despite the raging war, spirited 18-year-old Nellie Morris lives a quiet life in the tight-knit East End community of Bethnal Green. Her family and friends all tease that she will marry air raid warden Billy, the boy next door who’s always been sweet on her.

The arrival of Ray, a handsome American airman stationed nearby, causes Nellie to question everything she thought she knew about her future.

Nellie’s newfound happiness is short-lived when a tragic accident occurs during an air raid. Even the closest family can’t escape the devastation of war, and as the secrets and truth about that fateful night become clear, they threaten to tear Nellie – and those dearest to her – apart.

Inspired by the true events of her family history, Millie Bobby Brown’s dazzling debut novel is a moving tale of longing, loss and secrets, and the lengths that we will go to fight for love.

 

What did I think?

Millie Bobby Brown's debut novel has been written with Kathleen McGurl and it's based around an absolutely tragic event that I had never even heard of, although similar horrific events have happened over the years.  

When I first started reading, I thought it would be a traditional wartime love story with boy meets girl and boy goes to war but Nineteen Steps is so much more than that.  It absolutely devastated me and as hard as it was to read about the horrific tragedy, it's a story that really needed to be told.  I'm not going to reveal what the tragedy was as it would spoil it for other readers but I applaud Millie Bobby Brown for bringing it to light, especially when it is very personal to her.

I absolutely loved Nellie and her whole family.  I feel very fortunate to have never experienced a war on home soil as it must have been so frightening.  Parents, often women on their own as their husband was fighting in the war, had such difficult decisions to make to protect their family, not least whether they should evacuate their children.  

Everyone thinks Nellie will end up marrying Billy the boy next door but fate has other plans for her and American airman Ray is thrust into her life.  It wasn't exactly love at first sight but I loved how their relationship grew, almost cruelly right in front of Billy's eyes.

Haunting, devastating and poignant, Nineteen Steps is a heartachingly beautiful story that will stay with me long after turning the final page.  I was close to tears on several occasions and I had a lump in my throat at the end.  It's well-written, very easy to read and should come with a warning that it may cause tears.  A solid 4.5 stars from me.

I received an ARC for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Last Lifeboat - Hazel Gaynor

September 1940. 

In the immediate aftermath of a U-boat attack on an evacuee ship, one lifeboat of terrified  survivors endures a fierce storm in the Atlantic. 

May 1940. 

Four months earlier, two very different women – Alice King, a teacher, and Lily Nicholls, a young  widow- confront life-changing choices as Britain prepares for German invasion and the  devastating Blitz bombing raids begin. 

In Kent, Alice sees a chance to play a part in the war and volunteers as an escort on the ‘seavac’  ships; in London Lily faces the agonizing decision of whether to keep her children with her as  the Blitz begins, or send them to safety in Canada. 

The dramatic events of one fateful night in the mid-Atlantic, and the eight unimaginable days  that follow, bind the two women together in the most devastating way…

 

What did I think?

The Last Lifeboat should be printed with reinforced waterproof pages as I wasn't just virtually gripped, I was physically gripping the pages as I willed the survivors to hang on.  I was completely moved throughout and I was completely overcome with emotion as I turned the final page and audibly exclaimed: 'That was fantastic'.

This heartbreaking historical fiction novel is based on a true story and, although I had heard of children being evacuated to the countryside during World War II, I don't recall hearing about them being shipped to Canada, America and Australia.  Even more shocking then, is never learning about the sinking of the SS City of Benares by a German torpedo in the Atlantic.  Hazel Gaynor puts that right by bringing this haunting story to light.

I lived and breathed every second of this book and I felt a complete wealth of emotions as I experienced the war from various perspectives.  From the difficult decisions made by parents to send their children so far away to the fear of the nightly bombing and hoping that their children were safe.  It must have been so difficult for all concerned and it completely broke me as I experienced every emotion with them.

Devastatingly breathtaking, incredibly poignant and completely stunning, The Last Lifeboat is a beautiful written haunting novel that will stay with you long after you have turned the final page and dried your tears.  I will certainly never forget it and I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes one of my most recommended books; I simply cannot recommend it highly enough.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, and Irish Times bestselling author of historical fiction, including her debut The Girl Who Came Home, for which she received the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year award. The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter was shortlisted for the 2019 HWA Gold Crown award, and The Bird in the Bamboo Cage was shortlisted for the 2020 Irish Book Awards. She is published in twenty languages and twenty-seven countries. Hazel lives in Kildare with her family.

Follow the tour:

The King's Spy (The Rebellion Series Book 1) - Mark Turnbull

Northamptonshire.

14th June 1645.

The Battle of Naseby is set to decide the outcome of the civil war in England.

The armies of King Charles I face those of Parliament and its untested New Model Army. Yet amidst the carnage, an intensely personal battle takes place between two men.

Captain Maxwell Walker is a royalist cavalry officer, widower and father. Loyal and brave, but haunted by his grief, Maxwell thirsts for revenge. His life has never been the same since his encounter with the parliamentarian Gervase Harper, a man whose ruthless streak sees him prosecute the war with vigour. Harper cuts down anyone who gets in his way. Maxwell’s wife was no exception.

The outcome of Naseby causes Maxwell to be tasked with a royal rescue mission. The King’s most personal possession must be retrieved. His cypher would allow Parliament to decode captured royal correspondence and that would deal a major blow in the propaganda war.

The soldier must play the spy.

His actions, however, earn him the enmity of both sides. The hunter becomes the hunted.

Facing a murder charge, as well as a great siege, Maxwell makes a discovery that might just save himself and the King’s remaining cavalry.

However, all of this rests upon his next encounter with Gervase Harper.

 

What did I think?

I love historical fiction and I have been choosing to read more books set during the English Civil War so I was eager to read The King's Spy and I was not disappointed.  It's a period of history I used to know very little about, but my knowledge is gradually increasing thanks to wonderful authors such as Mark Turnbull bringing the period to life.

The King's Spy is a 125 page novella but there is so much going on that it reads like a full length novel.  There's not just war on the battlefield, there's a personal battle for the main character as he comes back into contact with the man who killed his family.

The writing is so vivid that it drew me into the story and I experienced all of the sights and sounds of the Civil War.  I loved the revenge story that adds depth to the characters and made me want to read more.  I often feel unfulfilled by novellas but Mark Turnbull has got the balance right between writing a satisfying conclusion and leaving the reader thirsty for more.

Filled with adventure and danger, The King's Spy is an incredibly entertaining and impressive novella.  It's a wonderful start to an exciting new historical fiction series and one I'd definitely recommend.

Many thanks to the author for sending me a digital ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Bones of Barry Knight - Emma Musty

A child with a love of wizards and an ageing rock star share their fate with a disparate collection of visitors when their paths collide in a remote refugee camp.

Years later they find a way to tell their stories.

A tale of grief and resilience against the odds, The Bones of Barry Knight asks how we can better care for one another on a global scale.

 

What did I think?

When I got goosebumps reading the prologue of The Bones of Barry Knight, I knew that this was going to be a special book...and I was not wrong.  Part of the book is set in a refugee camp in an unknown location, so it feels even more poignant as we see people fleeing their homes in Ukraine.

Told from several different perspectives, it took me a little while to get to know the characters but once I did, I will never forget them.  The innocence of Saleema and the pain of Sol's grief ensured that they worked their way into my heart, and headliner Barry felt larger than life as he was brought to life through Emma Musty's beautiful writing.

The way that the stories interweave is sublime; I started off reading individual stories but with every chapter the edges became more and more blurred as everything was brought together at the end.  And, what an ending!  I really should have seen it coming but I was so invested in the story that I was completely shocked and surprised.

I can't review this book without mentioning the wonderful (and not so wonderful) displays of humanity.  It's so moving to read about people starving in a refugee camp but they'd give their last grain of rice to another person in need.  Contrast that with the unscrupulous people skulking in the background trying to profit off other people's misfortune.  It's heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure but so distressing to read about people trying to survive in such situations.

Poignant, devastating and honest, The Bones of Barry Knight is a completely breathtaking novel and I'll not forget it in a hurry.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Forbidden Promise - Lorna Cook

Can one promise change the fate of two women decades apart?

Scotland, 1940

War rages across Europe, but Invermoray House is at peace – until the night of Constance’s 21st birthday, when she’s the only person to see a Spitfire crash into the loch. Rescuing the pilot and vowing to keep him hidden, Constance finds herself torn between duty to her family and keeping a promise that could cost her everything.

2020

Kate arrives in the Highlands to turn Invermoray into a luxury B&B, only to find that the estate is more troubled than she’d imagined. But when Kate discovers the house has a dark history, with Constance’s name struck from its records, she knows she can’t leave until the mystery is solved . . .

A sweeping tale of love and secrets, perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Lucinda Riley.

What did I think?

With an amazing dual storyline, set 80 years apart, The Forbidden Promise is like two fabulous books in one.  Usually when I read a dual storyline book one story becomes more preferable to the other, but in the case of The Forbidden Promise they are both so compelling that I couldn't choose between them.

As we swap between 1940 and 2020 the stories intertwine as they are both set in and around Invermoray House.  In 1940 the house belonged to the McLay family and should have been passed down through the generations but for a shocking secret that saw the McLay children being disinherited.  Now in the hands of the Langley branch of the family, 2020 sees them reaching out to Kate, a PR executive, to help them save the house from its rapid decline.

Kate stumbles across an intriguing mystery around Constance McLay who was disinherited in 1940.  What could Constance have done to result in her name being scratched out of the family bible and her portrait desecrated?  While Kate helps to renovate the house she also does some research into the local history and thanks to the dual timeline, Lorna Cook takes us back to 1940 to relive Constance's story.

The Forbidden Promise is doubly compelling with its contemporary storyline set in 2020 and its historical story in 1940.  I loved how the two stories repeatedly flowed towards and away from each other, like the gently lapping water of Invermoray Loch, until the threads all came together at the end.  With a huge jaw-dropping secret to be revealed along the way, the pages of this breathtaking novel can't be turned fast enough.  Highly recommended, especially to fans of historical fiction. 

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Traumata - Douglas Renwick

In Khuh Tabar, in foothills of the Hindu Kush, a young Englishwoman witnesses a war crime in which her loved-ones die. In 2020, she returns to England, bereaved and broken. When she discovers the identity of the man who murdered them, her grief turns to anger.

She seeks solace from an on-line bereavement support group. One of them advises her to kill the man. Should she honour the ancient code of the Pashtuns and avenge their deaths, risking a life sentence for murder, or abide by the laws of her homeland and live with her anger forever?

When the killer is found dead, the police question her. She turns to her father for help.

What did I think?

I was completely intrigued when I read the synopsis of Traumata; I expected an angry revenge killing thriller but I was completely wrong as Traumata is so much more involved than that.  I experienced a wealth of emotions, both with Melanie and her father, as the story past and present is revealed.

Dr Melanie Green is serving her country in Afghanistan when she finds herself stranded in a Pashtun village in the mountains.  When she is 'rescued' in a dramatic and devastating way, she returns to England, grieving and alone.  Seeing her 'rescuer', Mr Nasty, climbing the ranks of British politics, her anger intensifies and she turns to an online support group where she meets an American named Rand.  In a series of email exchanges (which are included in the book), Rand and Melanie explore ways to kill Mr Nasty.  When Mr Nasty is found dead in suspicious circumstances, just days after Melanie reports his war crimes, the police turn their attention to Melanie.

Melanie's father, Michael, is a doctor in Spain and he returns home to help Melanie when her case goes to court and her mental health comes under scrutiny.  This is the part I really enjoyed and loved the way it was written to include courtroom scenes, conversations with legal counsel and the hunt for evidence to help Melanie.  The legal system really is like a game; bluff as much as you can and don't reveal all your cards until you have to.  I found the whole case gripping and intense, which kept the pages turning effortlessly.

The feeling I got throughout the whole book is a father's love for his daughter.  Michael never once lost faith in Melanie and was prepared to go to the ends of the earth to help her case.  I think being a doctor conflicted a little with his role as a father as he did question Melanie's mental health on occasion, but he never failed to do his best for her.

Traumata turned out to be completely different to what I imagined, in a very good way.  Aside from the very emotional and devastating story of Melanie's past, I loved the email transcripts and the legal element of the story.  The courtroom scenes were so vivid, I could have been sat in the public gallery myself.  The strapline 'Dramatic, Different, Exciting and Sensitive' is absolutely perfect for Traumata; a legal thriller that has its roots in the British Army in Afghanistan.  

Traumata is explosive, intense, emotional and very compelling; I got so embroiled in the story I didn't even ask myself the most important question: did she do it?  For the answer to that, you'll just have to read it to find out!

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

According to his British passport, Douglas Renwick's occupation for many years was 'Government Service'. This included spells in Libya, Malta, Cyprus, Ireland and Germany. He also worked at the Ministry of Defence in London, the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Powers in Europe in Belgium, the Pentagon in Washington DC, and White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

He has spent time in East Berlin, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Argentina, Egypt, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. He has jumped out of planes, swum across Valetta harbour, skied across the Alps and the Rockies, and been transferred by breeches buoy from one Royal Navy ship to another, at sea and under full steam. He has been down a coal-mine in Yorkshire, a salt-mine in Poland and a nuclear bunker in Essex.

Now a grandfather, retired and living in Kent, time allows him to commit some of his experiences to paper. He prefers writing fiction on the grounds that it is safer.

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Name Beneath The Stone - Robert Newcome

Three generations, one family, connected by an historic secret. 

1917 - Private Daniel Dawkins fights at Messines Ridge and Passchendaele. He writes home to his true-love Joyce, but reveals little of his extreme bravery, his kindness, his loyalty to his comrades and the horrors they experience on the Western Front. 

1920 - Captain Peter Harding is tasked with a secret mission to assist in the selection of a body dug up from the battlefields of Flanders to be buried in Westminster Abbey as the 'Unknown Warrior'. Events take place on that expedition that come to haunt him for the rest of his life. 

2011-Sarah Harding discovers Daniel s letters and Peter s diaries. Together with historian James Marchant she pieces together the hidden truth behind the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and must decide what to do with it. Values are challenged and characters are tested in this gripping novel which asks what if the identity of the Unknown Soldier was discovered - and should that secret ever be revealed?

What did I think?

Oh my word, I am speechless.  What can I say about this outstanding book that would do it justice?  My paltry words will never be able to describe how simply breathtaking this book is.  Well as Yoda said, "Do or do not, there is not try" so here goes!

I knew of the Tomb of The Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, but knew nothing of the story as to how it came to be.  The inspiration behind the idea and the inconceivable task of having to locate an unidentifiable body from the Western Front are explored in The Name Beneath The Stone.  As this is a fictional story based on fact, Robert Newcome adds an emotional story of the young men who were sent to war in 1914, many never to return.

The mystery of The Unknown Soldier caught the hearts of the nation in 1920 when an unidentified body was brought from France and laid to rest in Westminster Abbey.  Many grieving families imagined it was their son being laid to rest and in this way the soldier belonged to the whole country,  The tomb is so revered that it is the only floor tomb in Westminster Abbey to have never been stepped upon and in an act of deference royal brides follow the Queen Mother's tradition of having their bridal bouquets placed on the tomb.

Now imagine if the identity of The Unknown Soldier was revealed; the mystery would be obliterated and the whole point of the interment ruined.  The establishment will do anything to keep this secret hidden if anyone ever does provide proof of the soldier's identity.  It is on her father's deathbed that Sarah Harding hears the words 'Unknown Soldier' whispered and, with the help of an historian, begins to unravel the mystery of her ancestors.

The story of Daniel Dawkins and his sweetheart Joyce is heart-wrenching.  More so because it is a story that would have been replicated thousands of times over during the course of the First World War.  The casualties from going over the top in an attempt to push the Germans back were enormous.  Whole platoons were wiped out in seconds and I struggled to contain my emotions thinking about this devastating loss caused by war.

I had goosebumps from the end of Chapter One right the way through the book as Robert Newcome brings to life all of the known and unknown soldiers who died during the Great War.  The story is moving and poignant, never more so than when I was reading it on Remembrance Sunday.  

This breathtaking book is an absolute must read, I really can't recommend The Name Beneath The Stone highly enough; I'd give it 888,246 stars if I could, one for every military fatality of World War I.  Every once in a while a book comes along that renders me speechless and The Name Beneath The Stone did just that.  Stunning and imaginative, it took my breath away.  Absolutely outstanding and perfect in every way; this is a book I will be recommending for many years to come.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Damned (The Darkest Hand Trilogy Book 1) - Tarn Richardson

I'm thrilled to be opening the RedDoor Press blog tour today for The Damned by Tarn Richardson.  The Damned is book 1 in The Darkest Hand Trilogy and you can read my review below.

1914. The Outbreak of War

In the French City of Arras, Father Andreas is brutally murdered and the Catholic Inquisition sends its most determined and unhinged inquisitor to investigate. Poldek Tacit's mission is to protect the Church from those who seek to undermine it. At any cost.

As Tacit arrives, British and German soldiers confront each other across the horror that is No Man's Land and a beautiful French woman warns Lieutenant Henry Frost that there is a dark and unnatural foe lurking underground more awful than even Tacit can comprehend.

What did I think?

Firstly, I have to say that I think the publishers have done an amazing job with the covers of the books in this trilogy.  I know we readers never judge a book by its cover but we still appreciate a thing of beauty and there's something so very eye-catching yet ominous about the beautiful cover of The Damned.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction and I do like a bit of supernatural now and again so The Damned ticked both of these boxes for me.  Set during the start of World War I, with flashbacks to the late 19th Century, the main character is a dark, brooding and mysterious Inquisitor named Poldek Tacit.  Tacit is sent to Arras to investigate the mysterious death of a priest who is brutally murdered inside his church.  Sister Isabella is simultaneously sent to Arras seemingly to assist Tacit, but with the real task of assessing his faith.  I loved the pairing of these two characters, they work so well together with Isabella's feminine wiles and Tacit's quick-wittedness.

Tacit is used to dealing with the supernatural so there isn't much that will shock or concern him, but what he encounters in Arras and Fampoux is certainly more than he bargained for.  Not only does he have to deal with a huge pack of damned souls, but there is a greater conspiracy afoot; one that plans to undermine the church on the world stage as the cathedral of Notre Dame prepares to host A Mass for Peace.  The clock is ticking and time is running out for Tacit and Isabella to prevent what is sure to be irreparable damage to the church.

With the church wielding so much power and conspiracies aplenty, I can see why The Damned would appeal to fans of Dan Brown, but the supernatural element adds something that Stephen King would wish he'd written.  It doesn't stray too much into the fantasy genre, merely dipping a toe (or a claw) into the supernatural, but it adds such an imaginative layer to the story that even purists could start to believe in the impossible.

One thing that I did struggle with slightly was the flicking back and forth through time periods over very short chapters.  One minute I was reading the story in 1914 and literally one or two minutes later I was back again in 1914 after a brief sojourn to the 1890's.  Once I got into the rhythm of the book, it didn't bother me so much but it did take a bit of getting used to and the flashbacks are imperative to understand how and why Tacit got to where he is now.

The Damned is an amazing start to The Darkest Hand Trilogy; although a very satisfyingly fully wrapped up story in its own right, it certainly left me wanting more.  Dan Brown meets Stephen King in this gripping and downright scary historical fantasy fiction novel.  It's a recommended read from me but if you're not sure whether it's your cup of tea, download the free prequel from Amazon here.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Tarn Richardson is the author of The Darkest Hand trilogy, published by RedDoor Publishing.

Consisting of THE HUNTED (free prequel novella), THE DAMNED, THE FALLEN and THE RISEN, The Darkest Hand trilogy unleashes the flawed but brilliant Inquisitor Poldek Tacit upon a Europe engulfed by the First World War.

Having grown up in Somerset, he now lives in Salisbury with his wife, the portraiture artist Caroline Richardson.

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Toymakers - Robert Dinsdale

I am delighted to be the final stop on The Toymakers blog tour and I am re-posting my review of this imaginative and enchanting book.

Do you remember when you believed in magic?

It is 1917, and while war wages across Europe, in the heart of London, there is a place of hope and enchantment.

The Emporium sells toys that capture the imagination of children and adults alike: patchwork dogs that seem alive, toy boxes that are bigger on the inside, soldiers that can fight battles of their own. Into this family business comes young Cathy Wray, running away from a shameful past. The Emporium takes her in, makes her one of its own.

But Cathy is about to discover that the Emporium has secrets of its own…

What did I think?

I was immediately drawn to the striking cover of The Toymakers and decided to read this on the run up to Christmas to inject a little magic into my life.  I didn't expect to feel so emotional at the end but the power of Robert Dinsdale's writing clearly worked its way into my heart like a toy soldier scaling a battlement.  Don't be mistaken: this is not solely a magical feel-good story, it is mainly set during World War I so be prepared for loss and devastation but you can forget about it for a while when you enter Papa Jack's Emporium.

The Emporium is hidden away down a side street in London and you could easily walk past it, if you didn't know it was there.  This magical toy shop opens at first frost and closes as the first snowdrop flowers but in the short time it is open you can find every toy imaginable in its four walls, but even more toys that you could never have imagined.  Papa Jack and his sons, Kaspar and Emil, create all the toys themselves and there's quite a rivalry between the boys as to whose toys are the best.  

Cathy Wray is drawn to the Emporium after she sees an advert in the newspaper, just when she thought she could not escape her predicament.  So she runs away from home and starts a job in the Emporium, but when the first snowdrop flowers she has nowhere to go and hides in the wendy house in the Emporium.  Both brothers find her at different times and keep it a secret from each other as their rivalry extends to who will win Cathy's heart.  After the war, this intense rivalry threatens to be the downfall of the Emporium when Kaspar meddles with Emil's precious toy soldiers...the toy soldiers don't want to fight anymore and seem to have minds of their own.  Can the Emporium ever survive when Kaspar, Emil and thousands of toy soldiers are at loggerheads and Hitler's bombs are flying overhead? 

Let your imagination run wild and expect the unexpected in The Toymakers.  My imagination went into overdrive and I thought of those horrific Chucky movies as the toy soldiers were scuttling about all over the place.  I found it terribly heartbreaking as the horrors of the First World War were touched on and hoped the soldiers had somebody like Kaspar in the trenches with them to give them some comfort.

The Toymakers is so magical but slightly scary that I think of it as a fairytale for adults.  The Emporium is painted in such glorious colour through the magical prose that I felt as if I was visiting it myself.  I think The Toymakers is a little like the Emporium itself, it's only going to be enjoyable to those who believe in magic but know that the big bad world is right outside the door.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



Follow the tour: