BLOG TOUR: Whispers in the Dark (DI Erika Piper #2) - Chris McDonald

 

Who will heed the call when Death comes whispering? 

Small time drug dealer, Marcus Stone and DCI Clive Burston had never met until one night in August. By the end of that night, both had been shot dead in a small bedroom in the heart of gang territory. DI Erika Piper is called to the scene but is at a loss to explain what's happened. How did these two even meet, let alone end up dead in what appears to be a strange murder-suicide? 

As Erika leads the investigation, another two bodies are found, killed in a similar fashion. One murder, one suicide. But who is controlling this macabre puppet show? As Erika delves deeper into the lives of the dead, the pieces begin to fit together and a number of nefarious characters crawl out of the woodwork - one of whom is almost certainly pulling the strings. 

A catastrophic event and a personal miracle threaten to derail the investigation. Erika must find the strength to continue, before the whispers catch up with her too...

What did I think?

Whispers in the Dark is the second book in the DI Erika Piper series and what an absolutely cracking follow up to A Wash of Black, Chris McDonald's outstanding debut.  Chris McDonald has such an extraordinary, albeit dark, imagination to be able to create such exceptional plots for his intensely gripping novels.  Be warned: once you pick up Whispers in the Dark, you will not be able to put it down.

You can of course read Whispers in the Dark as a standalone novel and find it completely brilliant, but it's even better when you already know the characters.  I loved reconnecting with Erika and her team as they investigate a series of murder-suicides.  As the body count rises the team face a race against time to find the link between the deaths and to find the person responsible for orchestrating this macabre theatre.  Chris McDonald sent my amateur sleuthing skills on the roundabout with this one: thinking a particular person was responsible, then thinking they weren't, then they were, then they weren't...

Although suicide is a very difficult subject Chris McDonald handles it sensitively, showing how hard it is for people to find the courage to reach out for help yet they can find the courage to end their life.  Tackling such a huge subject shows the confidence that Chris is gaining in his writing, which is going from strength to strength; I didn't think A Wash of Black could be bettered but he only went and did it with Whispers in the Dark.

I felt quite emotional when reading Whispers in the Dark as several things happen to the characters that had me close to tears; tears of both sadness and joy.  It just shows how well developed the characters are to evoke such emotions in the reader.  I gasped with shock at the 'catastrophic event' mentioned in the blurb and it takes a confident author to do what Chris McDonald did.  It's devastating but brilliant.

With a completely gripping, razor sharp plot, Whispers in the Dark is simply outstanding.  It's impossible to put down once you pick it up and is well-deserving of a full five star rating.  Just brilliant, Whispers in the Dark shows that Chris McDonald is one to watch and I'm eagerly awaiting his new series that will be published next year.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Red Dog Press

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime. A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. He came up with the initial idea whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content. He is a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. Whispers in the Dark is the second installment in the DI Erika Piper series, and Chris is currently working on his latest series, The Stonebridge Mysteries, to be published by Red Dog Press in 2021.

Social Media:

Twitter: @cmacwritescrime

Instagram: @cmacwritescrime

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BLOG TOUR: A Little Christmas Hope - Kathryn Freeman

I am delighted to be taking part in the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour for A Little Christmas Hope by Kathryn Freeman.  I love Kathryn Freeman's books so I wouldn't miss this for the world.  I am releasing my review for my stop on the tour and you can scroll down to find out more about the book.

 

Newly promoted head teacher Anna Dalton needs a Christmas miracle – and fast! After years of sitting through excruciatingly dull Christmas productions, complete with crying children and sleeping parents, she’s determined Riddlescomb Primary School will put on a Nativity to remember. 

Enter bad boy actor Dan Ramsey, recently axed from the lead role in a TV drama and in desperate need of cleaning up his image or he’ll never work again. 

Dan can flash those heart-stopping dimples all he likes, Anna tells herself she isn’t going to fall for them. She knows why he’s decided to volunteer at the school, and it’s for the good of his career…not his soul. 

But as Anna and Dan are forced to work together for the sake of a truly magical Christmas for the children, sparks fly and they can’t help but wonder what will happen once the festive season is over…

What did I think?

What can I say about Kathryn Freeman that I haven't said before?  Her books are like your favourite pair of slippers: so warm, cozy and you never want to part with them.  A Little Christmas Hope is no different, it may be a winter story but it surrounds you in a warm glow and leaves you with a smile on your face.  Job done, Kathryn!

Dan needs to spruce up his image pretty sharpish if he wants another acting job.  After being killed off on a TV soap he went a bit wild and the press had a field day, so he decides to go back to his roots for some positive PR and see if he can help in his old primary school.  Headteacher Anna has just the job for Dan so she enlists him to help with the school nativity play, much to the chagrin of Sid who is usually solely in charge of the school play.  Can Dan turn on the charm and save his career?  

Kathryn Freeman creates such wonderful characters that you really get to know them throughout the story and you can't help but care for them.  I loved every single character in A Little Christmas Hope and as this is part of the Christmas Wishes series, I am hoping we'll catch a brief glimpse of Anna and Dan in next year's Christmas story.

A Little Christmas Hope is a beautiful story of second chances as romance blossoms and bridges are built.  I was a little disappointed that I didn't get much of a festive vibe, although maybe that was just me being a bit of a grinch.  It's so beautifully written that I was completely swept along with Anna and Dan's story and loved every second of it.

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for sending me a digital copy of the book to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero. 

I’ve two sons and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), so any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links – 

Website:  http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kathrynfreeman

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

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BLOG TOUR: The Hidden Hours - Sara Foster

Arabella Lane is found dead in the Thames on a frosty winter's morning after the office Christmas party. No one is sure whether she jumped or was pushed. The one person who may know the truth is the office temp, Eleanor.

Having travelled to London to escape the repercussions of her traumatic childhood in Australia, tragedy seems to follow Eleanor wherever she goes. To her horror, she has no memory of the crucial hours leading up to Arabella's death - memory that will either incriminate or absolve her.

Caught in a crossfire of accusations, Eleanor fears she can't even trust herself, let alone the people around her. And soon, she'll find herself in a race against time to find out just what happened that night - and discover just how deadly some secrets can be.

 

What did I think?

Once I picked up The Hidden Hours I couldn't put it down; it is filled to the brim with suspense and intrigue.  With a dual timeline that gives the reader a glimpse into a past tragedy in Eleanor's life, I positively raced through the pages to uncover all of its secrets.

Eleanor has to be the most unreliable narrator I have ever come across.  Not only is she burying her memories from her past in Australia, but Eleanor may be the key to finding out what happened to Arabella Lane, if only she could remember.  It's an interesting thought: to be unable to remember something you desperately want to remember compared with being unable to forget something painful that you don't want to remember.  

Having recently travelled from her home in Australia, Eleanor is new to London so she doesn't know who she can trust and Sara Foster has surrounded Eleanor with a right bunch of characters to make the reader question everybody's motives.  Uncle Ian who is completely under the thumb of his frosty wife Susan and Eleanor's colleague Will who seems to be a bit too friendly.  I had everyone under suspicion at one time or another, including Eleanor, so I wasn't terribly surprised when I found out what had happened to Arabella as any one of them could have done something, if anything was done to Arabella at all.  Sara Foster has woven so much intrigue and mystery into her story that anyone could have done something and anything could have happened.

The format of the book is excellent and adds to the suspense, not just the dual timeline but a little paragraph at the start of many of the chapters that give a wider view of what is going on after Arabella's death.  I really liked this touch as it kept Arabella at the forefront of my mind as unravelling her life would be the key to solving the mystery of her death.

Rather strangely for a page-turner, I found the pacing quite slow but at the same time it really did help to build up the tension.  Eleanor's lack of memory added an extra dimension to the story as she really had no idea what had happened and she even doubts herself.  I couldn't help but feel sorry for her as it seems like death follows her around so I'm surprised she wasn't a gibbering wreck.

The Hidden Hours is such an addictive read, filled with tension, suspense and intrigue.  It so very well written and I will definitely be looking out for more books by Sara Foster.

Thank you to Legend Press for my review copy; all opinions are my own. 

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

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BLOG TOUR: The Running Wolf - Helen Steadman

When a Prussian smuggler is imprisoned in Morpeth Gaol in the winter of 1703, why does Queen Anne's powerful right-hand man, The Earl of Nottingham, take such a keen interest?

At the end of the turbulent 17th century, the ties that bind men are fraying, turning neighbour against neighbour, friend against friend and brother against brother. Beneath a seething layer of religious intolerance, community suspicion and political intrigue, The Running Wolf takes us deep into the heart of rebel country in the run-up to the 1715 Jacobite uprising.

Hermann Mohll is a master sword maker from Solingen in Prussia who risks his life by breaking his guild oaths and settling in England. While trying to save his family and neighbours from poverty, he is caught smuggling swords and finds himself in Morpeth Gaol facing charges of High Treason.

Determined to hold his tongue and his nerve, Mohll finds himself at the mercy of the corrupt keeper, Robert Tipstaff. The keeper fancies he can persuade the truth out of Mohll and make him face the ultimate justice: hanging, drawing and quartering. But in this tangled web of secrets and lies, just who is telling the truth?

What did I think?

After her amazing novels inspired by the Newcastle witch trials, Helen Steadman looks at the 17th century through a new pair of eyes in her latest novel, The Running Wolf.  Helen is not only an outstanding author, she is a meticulous researcher and she even forged her own sword as part of her research for The Running Wolf.   I mean, how awesome is that?!

I have to say, I was slightly nervous that a novel about a master sword maker wouldn't spark my imagination (sorry, I couldn't resist) and hold my attention, but I needn't have worried as Helen Steadman has proven yet again that she is a master wordsmith.  The very first sentence gave me goosebumps; it is just so perfect and, coupled with the sentences that followed, I felt like I should have stood up to give Helen Steadman a round of applause.  So cover me in Velcro and call me gripped.

The story spans 19 years as we follow Hermann Mohll's journey from his home in Solingen, Prussia to Shotley Bridge, North East England via a brief stay in Morpeth Gaol.  Hermann uproots his whole family as he and a team of sword makers set sail for England to make swords for the English, who do indeed like fighting each other.  I absolutely adored Hermann's family; his wife Katrin who misses her old life terribly, his spirited daughter Liesl, his mother whose tongue is as sharp as Hermann's swords and Griselda their one-eared dog.  It must have been so hard for these families to build a new life in England, only to be treated with suspicion and contempt.  The family unit is so strong and Helen Steadman's writing is so warm and descriptive that the characters are very three dimensional, virtually leaping from the page.  

The story itself is compelling and intriguing as time flicks back and forth from Hermann in Gaol to his new home in Shotley Bridge.  You can't help but wonder why he has been imprisoned and the more I got to know him the more furious I felt that he was suffering such indignity.  I find it remarkable that Helen Steadman can write so much history into her novels so that you learn something new whilst reading a fictional story.  Aside from the real sword makers of Shotley Bridge being the inspiration for the story, I was delighted to see the salt pans of South Shields getting a mention as I actually only found out about them recently when reading an information board in the town.  Helen Steadman really does bring history to life through her wonderful fact-based storytelling.

The Running Wolf is simply stunning; it's so beautifully written, with a riveting plot and enthralling characters that could have leapt out from the page along with the sparks from the forge.  This is one not to be missed and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Thank you to Love Books Tours for sending me a digital copy to read and review for the tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

About the author:

Helen Steadman lives in the foothills of the North Pennines, and she particularly enjoys researching and writing about the history of the north east of England. Following her MA in creative writing at Manchester Met, Helen is now completing a PhD in English at the University of Aberdeen to determine whether a writer can use psycho-physical techniques to create authentic fictional characters.   

Find Helen on Social Media:

Website: helensteadman.com

Twitter: @hsteadman1650

Instagram: @helensteadman1650

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BLOG TOUR: The Chalet - Catherine Cooper

 

Four friends. One luxury getaway. The perfect murder.

French Alps, 1998

Two young men ski into a blizzard… but only one returns.

20 years later

Four people connected to the missing man find themselves in that same resort. Each has a secret. Two may have blood on their hands. One is a killer-in-waiting.

Someone knows what really happened that day.

And somebody will pay.

What did I think?

I saw a lot of excitement on Twitter about Catherine Cooper's thriller debut, The Chalet, and having read it at breakneck speed I can confirm that the hype was right.  Set in a ski resort in the French Alps with a dual timeline, I was as riveted by the story of the skiing accident in 1998 as I was by the relationships of the two couples inhabiting a luxury chalet 20 years later.  

With more hooks than a fisherman's tackle box, The Chalet grabbed me in its chilly vice-like grip from the very start and I simply couldn't put it down, devouring every single word over a period of 24 hours.  There are so many secrets to be revealed in this brilliant thriller and Catherine Cooper's suspenseful writing allows the reader to gradually peel back the layers of every single character until only their true self is displayed.

I've never been skiing nor have I had any desire to, having fallen on ice and broken my coccyx when I was a teenager, but Catherine Cooper's beautiful words paint a picture of the ski resort that is positively breathtaking.  It sounds so picturesque that I found it easy to imagine and I marvelled at the way Catherine Cooper's vivid descriptions can make something as conventional as snow sound both serene and deadly.

I don't really want to talk about the characters for fear of inadvertently spoiling the story but they're all very intriguing and as the blurb says, each has a secret.  It's not just the snow that is chilling in The Chalet as somebody isn't who they seem and there is more about to surface than long buried secrets.

A fast-paced, intensely gripping and wonderfully chilling novel, The Chalet is absolutely brilliant and a definite must read this winter.  So wrap up warm, pour a glass (or cup) of your favourite tipple, and pick up a copy of The Chalet; you will not be disappointed.  A superb read and one I most definitely recommend.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

About the author:

I am a freelance journalist living in the South of France with my husband and two teenage children. We moved from London in 2009 so that the children could grow up bilingual and we could all ski more, and to enjoy a more relaxed pace of life.

I learned to ski on a school trip when I was 14 and have loved it ever since.

I'm an avid thriller reader and have been since I discovered Agatha Christie as a child.

The Chalet is my first published full-length novel, though I have also written several (unpublished) thrillers for teens and a (what used to be called) chick lit novel set in TV production.

Other than skiing and reading I love travel, rollercoaster, and I spend far too much time on social media. Some of my other favourite things include Alan Partridge, sparkly flip flops and salt and vinegar crisps.

You can follow me on Twitter @catherinecooper, Instagram @catherinecooperjournalist or Facebook @catherinecooperauthor

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BLOG TOUR: Fifty Words for Snow - Nancy Campbell

 

Fifty international words for snow, revealing a whole world of culture, myth and story – explored by an award-winning writer.

Every language and culture has its own word for the magical, mesmerising flakes that fall from the sky. From Iceland to Hawaii, frozen forest to mountain peak, school yard to park, snow may be welcomed, feared, played with or prized. In this lyrical, evocative book, Arctic traveller and award-winning writer, Nancy Campbell, digs deep into the meanings and etymologies, the histories and the futures of fifty words for snow from across the globe, using them as clues to the many ways in which we are all connected to one another and to our planet.

Fifty words… is a journey from the ornate ice houses on country estates to the artificial snow of the movies, the construction of iglu by Inuit, and jäätee, the ice roads across frozen lakes of Estonia. Exploring language in its broadest sense, Campbell includes American Sign Language for snowboard and shares how the Inuktitut oral language came to be transcribed.

At a time of great environmental change, it is a celebration of climate, and a warning of what may be lost. 

What did I think?

Everything single thing about Fifty Words for Snow is stunning: the mesmerising frosty cover, the continuation of the design on to the endpapers, a beautiful snowflake dividing each chapter and, last but not least, the interesting and informative words within.  

Although I read Fifty Words for Snow cover to cover for the purposes of review, it could also be a book to dip in which to dip in and out.  I think it would be a great winter activity to choose a word a day from this book and read the story behind the word.  The only difficult thing would be to close the book after reading just one chapter as I was so charmed and delighted by the stories that I couldn't wait to see what would come next.

As much as this is a book that celebrates climate, it is also a celebration of language.  Seeing words in languages I hadn't even heard of, such as Ojibwemowin and Tamazight, suggests that Nancy Campbell did indeed scour the globe for the fifty best words for snow.  The chapters are perfectly balanced with the stories behind each word appearing to be both detailed and concise.  

There's something for everyone in Fifty Words for Snow, whether you're interested in climate, language or just want to broaden your general knowledge.  I love reading about global myths and legends so I was fascinated by the beautiful Cherokee tale that explains why the pine tree is evergreen and the legend of the snow woman of Japan who disappears as fast as melting snow.  There are some amazing words to discover in this book and although I would find it very hard to name a favourite, I was rather ticked by the final word: suncups.  It's such a simple but perfectly descriptive word and was perfectly placed to end the book.

Fifty Words for Snow is a hugely entertaining and informative book, written in such a warm and engaging style that makes you read 'just one more chapter', which is rare to find in non-fiction.  It's the perfect gift for linguists, booklovers or that hard to buy for person.  I would highly recommend buying a physical copy as even though the words are beautiful whether you're reading on kindle or a physical copy, the hardback is seriously stunning.

Thank you to Elliott and Thompson for sending me a beautiful hardback to review; all opinions are my own.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

About the author:

Nancy Campbell is an award-winning writer, described as ‘deft, dangerous and dazzling’ by the former Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy and whose writing has been inspired by the polar regions.

Her travels in the Arctic resulted in several projects responding to the environment; The Library of Ice: Readings in a Cold Climate was longlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize 2019; Disko Bay, shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection 2016 and How to Say ‘I Love You’ in Greenlandic received the Birgit Skiöld Award 2015. In 2020 she was the recipient of the Royal Geographical Society’s Ness Award for her published work on the polar regions. She is currently a Literature Fellow at Internationales Künstlerhaus Villa Concordia in Germany.

Website: www.nancycampbell.co.uk

Twitter: @nancycampbelle

Instagram: @nancycampbelle

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BLOG TOUR: Six Feet Under (The Terry Bell Mysteries Book 4) - Colin Garrow

I hadn't come across the Terry Bell Mysteries by Colin Garrow until I received the damppebbles blog tours invitation for Six Feet Under, the fourth book.  Colin Garrow very kindly offered to provide copies of the previous books to anyone signing up to the tour and I was delighted to accept.  You can read my reviews of Death on a Dirty Afternoon, A Long Cool Glass of Murder and The Jansson Tapes here on my blog (click the link in the book name or find them in the Index) and scroll down to read my review of Six Feet Under.

 

A murder victim, a deserted airfield, a sinister project. Can Terry untangle the mystery before someone else dies?

Asked to investigate the death of a building contractor, taxi-driver and amateur sleuth Terry Bell thinks the dead man’s widow may be wasting her money. But when the trail leads to an old airfield and a brace of brutal thugs, he begins to wonder what they’re trying to hide. Tracking down one of the builder’s former workmates, Terry finds him unwilling to answer questions. When the man is beaten up, the canny cabbie gets a visit from his favourite detective inspector. But DI Charis Brown and her latest sidekick seem determined not to get involved. Until the man is attacked again… 

In this murder/mystery series set on England's northeast coast, Six Feet Under is book #4 in the Terry Bell Mystery series.

What did I think?

Having binge-read the first 3 books in the fantastic Terry Bell Mystery series, I timed it perfectly for the release of book 4 so I could go straight onto Six Feet Under.  I've loved every single book in this outstanding series but in Six Feet Under it feels like the danger levels have been ramped up for Terry and his focus is fully on sleuthing rather than driving his taxi around Whitley Bay, which is supposed to be Terry's real job.

I love the chemistry between Terry and his girlfriend Carol, who tags along like Watson to Terry's Holmes.  Carol also works in the taxi office but more often than not she finds herself on the run from the bad guys when Terry's investigating stirs up trouble. Carol deserves a medal for not only tolerating but being part of Terry's escapades.  I love the way the banter bounces back and forth between them and some of Terry's witty retorts are comedy genius.  For any readers struggling with the Geordie words, Colin Garrow has included a little Geordie Glossary at the end of the book and I loved this added touch, even though I'm a North Easterner so Ah divvent need it like.

The storyline in Six Feet Under is absolutely superb and had me on the edge of my seat, racing through the pages as fast as I possibly could.  I really don't know how Colin Garrow packs so much into such a small number of pages; Six Feet Under comprises only 210 pages in the paperback, the shortest book of the series so far, but so much happens that you feel like you're reading a full length novel.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Colin Garrow is the master of quality over quantity, writing fantastic books without fluff.

The whole Terry Bell Mystery series is binge-worthy reading, with Six Feet Under being an absolute cracker of a mystery.  Although you could read Six Feet Under as a standalone, I wholeheartedly recommend reading the whole series to fully understand and appreciate the characters.  Six Feet Under is absolutely brilliant; it's Geordie mystery with mirth and very highly recommended.

Many thanks to the author and damppebbles blog tours for sending me an ebook to review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Smashwords

About the author:

True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. 

Colin has published three stage plays, six adventures for middle grade readers, two books of short stories, the Watson Letters series and the Terry Bell Mysteries. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Grind, A3 Review, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. 

These days he lives in a humble cottage in North East Scotland where he writes novels, stories. poems and the occasional song.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/colingarrow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colingarrowthewriter/

Website (adults): https://colingarrow.org/

Website (childrens): https://colingarrowbooks.com/

Website (The Watson Letters): https://thewatsonletters.com/

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

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/colingarrow

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B014Z5DZD4

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