1942 Kasia rescues a mute Polish girl from a ghetto and escapes to France with her. They stay with winemaker Hugo but Kasia has a secret role to send radio messages to the Allies which puts them all in danger…
All the Courage We Have Found is an historical novel set during the Nazi occupation of France in the Second World War.
The main three characters are thrown together unexpectedly. They need to negotiate their relationships as well as contend with their own painful memories of the past. Hope for the future is tempered by the fear of the present and sorrow from the past.
A palpable tension exists from the start of the book and danger is never far away from any of the characters. Kasia has a mission to code and transmit messages, actively defying the Nazis by being part of the resistance. Hugo has attempted to outwardly conform but now his guests put him at risk.
There is a lot of emotion in the book which the characters try to block out in order to function and survive. We are shown Kasia, Hugo and the girl’s perspectives and I found the latter utterly heartbreaking due to the childlike quality the author adopts. The presence of the girl allows Hugo to confront his past and show Kasia his vulnerable side.
All the Courage We Have Found is a tense and emotional historical novel.
All the Courage We Have Found: An utterly heartbreaking and beautiful World War 2 historical novel by Carly Schabowski
About the book
France, 1942: An unforgettable, heart-wrenching and utterly unputdownable World War Two novel about one woman’s bravery in the face of darkness, and her heartbreaking decision to risk everything to do the right thing…
As Kasia creeps out of the farmhouse in the dead of night to transmit an urgent message, her heart pounds in her chest. Gripping her radio tightly in her hand, she feels a terrible sense of dread. She knows that this message could be the one that finally leads the Nazis to her…
Crouching in the shadows, with trembling fingers she turns the dial on her radio and hears the familiar crackle of static. Shaking, she quickly taps out her message and, holding her breath, she waits in the darkness.
Suddenly, she sees a quick flash of light out at sea. Her message has been received by the Allied boats; now they know it’s not safe to come ashore tonight.
As she looks back towards the little farmhouse, her heart catches in her throat. Inside, the two people she loves most in this world are sleeping soundly. Because while Kasia knows her messages might save thousands of soldiers, she also knows that her radio signal could bring the Germans terrifyingly close, perhaps even straight to Hugo and Elodie…
Author bio
Carly Schabowski worked as a journalist in both North Cyprus and Australia before returning to Oxford, where she studied for an MA and then a PhD in creative writing at Oxford Brookes University. Carly now teaches at Oxford Brookes University as an associate lecturer in Creative Writing for first and second-year English literature students.
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Instagram: @carlyschabowskiauthor
Lady Beatrice’s sleuthing skills are required again when a family friend receives dead animals alongside threatening notes to cancel their high profile wedding. The situation escalates when the personal chef is found dead too…
For Richer, For Deader is the second book to feature Lady Beatrice. I have previously reviewed the first book Spruced Up For Murder.
It was lovely to be reuinted with Lady Beatrice and her business partner Perry Juke. They are in the process of refurbishing a property for a family friend in the lead up to a big society wedding. But someone wants to stop the wedding from going ahead and leaves dead animals with threatening notes. Bea’s nemesis DCI Fitzwilliam is called upon to rule out any threat to the Royal Family and they clash horns once more.
The first human murder (after at least 4 deceased animals) happens about a quarter of the way through. The victim is the personal chef of the groom’s family. I was surprised and intrigued as I expected the death to be someone from the family. This spurred my interest as I tried to work out the motive and culprit along with Bea and Perry.
The writing style is warm and easy to read. I was once again immersed in the fictional royals’ lives and the murder investigation. There were plenty of suspects and clues for me to follow alongside the sleuthing pair. The antagonism between Bea and Fitzwilliam contrasts wonderfully with her friendship with Perry.
For Richer, For Deader is a warm and enjoyable cosy murder mystery. I love this series and can’t wait for the next book next month!
For Richer, For Deader
Is the Wedding Between Sir Hewitt Willoughby-Franklin’s Step-Daughter and Billionaire’s Son Off?
Rumours are that the recent death of Kelley Lindsell (29), the personal chef of tycoon Rudy (68) and Sheri Trotman (65) at Sir Hewitt’s Fawstead Manor country estate in Fenshire, has spooked Sybil Bransgrove (36) so badly she’s considering cancelling her nuptials.
Meanwhile the bride and her mother, Lady Grace (61), are being supported by family friend Lady Beatrice (36), the Countess of Rossex, who, alongside her business partner Perry Juke, is currently managing the project to refurbish the Manor House and Lodge on the estate.
Not again! Now that Lady Grace has asked Lady Beatrice to liaise with the police during the investigation into Kelley’s death, she’ll have to cooperate with boorish Detective Chief Inspector Richard Fitzwilliam whether she likes it or not. Her only relief will be solving the murder with the help of her friends Perry and Simon and her dog Daisy to get rid of him faster. But with so many wedding party guests staying on-site, any one of them could be the killer. Can they find out who it is before Sybil calls off the wedding…
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Author Bio –
Hello. I’m Helen Golden. I write British contemporary cozy whodunnits with a hint of humour. I live in small village in Lincolnshire in the UK with my husband, my step-daughter, her two cats, our two dogs, sometimes my step-son, and our tortoise.
After my recent job came to a natural end I had the opportunity to follow my dreams and start writing. It’s very early in my life as an author, but so far I’m loving it.
It’s crazy busy at our house, so when I’m writing I retreat to our caravan (an impulsive lockdown purchase) which is mostly parked on our drive. When I really need total peace and quiet, I take it to a lovely site about 15 minutes away and hide there until my family runs out of food or clean clothes
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1917. British intelligence agent Fiona Figg travels to America for a meeting with a notorious spy and to act as chaperone to her boss’s niece. She becomes embroiled in a murder investigation with possible links to the war…
Chaos at Carnegie Hall is an historical spy and murder mystery novel set during the First World War. It is the first book in a new series to feature the author’s already established character, however it is not necessary to have read the earlier books.
Fiona suspects a murder has taken place on board the ship but no one is missing so her fears are dismissed. A night at the opera halfway through the book hosts the first official murder of the book and her nemesis Fredrick Fredricks is caught holding a smoking gun. Surprisingly, Fiona is convinced of his innocence and investigates in order to free him.
The book is written from Fiona’s first person perspective. The tone is light hearted and almost chatty. I loved the personal reflections on the man she loves, the man she despises and the situation of women in 1917.
There is a lot of historical detail so the author has clearly done a huge amount of research. I enjoyed the mix of real and fictional characters and the author’s note at the end unpicks the fact and fiction.
Chaos at Carnegie Hall is a warm and cosy murder mystery and historical spy novel with a wonderful narrative style and lead character.
Chaos at Carnegie Hall
Agatha Christie meets Downton Abbey in the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery series opener.
Can Fiona catch a killer and find a decent cup of tea before her mustache wax melts?
1917 New York.
Notorious spy, Fredrick Fredricks, has invited Fiona to Carnegie Hall to hear a famous soprano. It’s an opportunity the War Office can’t turn down. Fiona and Clifford are soon on their way, but not before Fiona is saddled with chaperon duties for Captain Hall’s niece. Is Fiona a spy or a glorified babysitter?
From the minute Fiona meets the soprano aboard the RMS Adriatic it’s treble on the high C’s. Fiona sees something—or someone—thrown overboard, and then she overhears a chemist plotting in German with one of her own countrymen!
And the trouble doesn’t stop when they disembark. Soon Fiona is doing time with a group of suffragettes and investigating America’s most impressive inventor Thomas Edison.
When her number one suspect turns up dead at the opera and Fredrick Fredricks is caught red-handed, it looks like it’s finally curtains for the notorious spy.
But all the evidence points to his innocence. Will Fiona change her tune and clear her nemesis’ name? Or will she do her duty? And just what is she going to do with the pesky Kitty Lane? Not to mention swoon-worthy Archie Somersby . . .
If Fiona’s going to come out on top, she’s going to have to make the most difficult decision of her life: the choice between her head and her heart.
Author Bio –
Kelly Oliver is the award-winning, bestselling author of three mysteries series: The Jessica James Mysteries, The Pet Detective Mysteries, and the historical cozies The Fiona Figg Mysteries, set in WW1. She is also the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University and lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She is bringing new titles in the Fiona Figg series to Boldwood, the first of which, Chaos in Carnegie Hall, will be published in November 2022.
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An assistant district attorney is shot at point blank range while doing yoga. Then a judge is bludgeoned to death in a park. Detective Fournier suspects that the killer is someone with a grudge against the justice system but can she stop them before they strike again?
What They Saw is the 6th police procedural and crime thriller book to feature Detective Jo Fournier and her team.
Members of the justice system are being killed and it seems that there are more targets. Jo and her team need to frantically uncover potential suspects and their motives in order to catch the killer. The book is written most from Jo’s perspective but we contrast this with the killer’s viewpoint which ramps up the tension as we see their plans and actions.
The death scenes are vivid but not particularly graphic. There is some forensic detail although it is delivered in an objective way. There are plenty of suspects to investigate and all have motive, opportunity or both. Jo begins to fear for members of her own team as she anticipates the next death. The action is quite fast paced as the investigation speeds along and the tension builds.
What They Saw is a great addition to the series and I enjoyed the tense investigation.
Title: What They Saw
Publication Day: Nov 16th 2022
Author: M.M. Chouinard
Description:
Next to the lake’s dappled water, a woman lies on her yoga mat, her limbs twisted as if she is trying to crawl away. Her mug of tea steams into the cool air and her lips, still warm, are parted mid-sentence. But she will never speak or see again…
When Sandra Ashville is found murdered in a sleepy town near Oakhurst, Detective Jo Fournier is first at the scene. Jo is shaken by the similarities between herself and the dead assistant District Attorney, a dedicated woman with a heart for justice. And as she examines Sandra’s body, Jo discovers something that chills her to the bone: the bullet hole is covered by an intact blindfold. Why was Sandra only blindfolded after her death?
The very next morning Jo receives a shocking call. A judge has been brutally killed, before she too was blindfolded. Soon it becomes clear that the twisted serial killer is working with a deadly countdown: every morning, another body will be found. Working around the clock, Jo makes an important break-through: all the victims are connected to the same murder trial. And Jo’s dear friend and partner Bob Arnett could be next…
With the next morning rapidly approaching, Jo and her team pull out all the stops to catch the killer. But when she uncovers a stain of corruption that includes Bob, Jo faces an impossible choice. Can she trust her partner, when the evidence suggests he turned a blind eye to a grave miscarriage of justice? And as the body count rises, can Jo catch the killer before it is too late for her oldest friend?
From USA Today bestseller M.M. Chouinard, What They Saw is an utterly addictive serial killer thriller that will keep you reading into the early hours! Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Melinda Leigh and Gregg Olsen.
Author Bio:
M.M. Chouinard is the author of the Detective Jo Fournier mystery thrillers, and the standalone mystery thriller The Vacation. Her first fiction story was published in her local paper when she was eight, and she fell in love with Agatha Christie novels not long after. While pursuing a Ph.D in psychology and helping to found the first U.S. research university of the new millenium, the stories kept rattling around inside her skull, demanding to come out. For sanity’s sake, she released them.
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Aspiring actor Clooney Coyle befriends oddball Vonnie. When he promises they’ll be friends for life, she becomes obsessed leading to mayhem and murder…
Crazy For You is a wonderfully quirky crime thriller with a dark humour.
Clooney is a great character and so easy to like. He has a fab spark and really comes to life on the pages. Vonnie obviously has severe mental health issues and I felt a little uncomfortable when she was mocked. However her behaviour is extreme and from the beginning our sympathy is with others who suffer as a result of her selfishness and her eccentricity.
The style of writing is easy to read and the suspense grows as the two main characters become friends but we know how they each view the relationship. There is certainly a tension and sinister tone as we await Vonnie’s next escapade. She is ruthless and obsessed but also completely deluded which is very scary and Clooney doesn’t have a clue about the danger.
The main two are supported by a bright array of peripheral characters and I especially loved the loving relationship Clooney has with his parents. The dialogue is authentic and natural which brings the characters to life. I was swept away on Clooney and Vonnie’s turbulent journey but I wanted a little more from the ending.
Crazy For You is an enjoyable book with clever humour and wonderful lead characters.
I have previously reviewed Sister Agatha by Domhnall O’Donoghue (it was just brilliant!)
Crazy for You
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‘Genuinely hilarious, charmingly intelligent’ – The Irish Times
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‘Assured, astute and wickedly funny’ – Woman’s Way
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‘Witty and charming and very, very funny’ – The Irish Examiner
When Clooney Coyle promises Vonnie Gallagher they’ll be friends for life, he has no idea what he’s letting himself in for. The lonely and eccentric Vonnie quickly becomes obsessed with the kind-hearted but insecure actor, and her misguided crush soon develops into something much more sinister, which leaves Clooney’s career in tatters.
But when fate takes a strange turn and elevates the pair into an overnight celebrity couple, Clooney must decide whether to embrace the fame he has longed for since childhood or end the ridiculous charade before Vonnie’s jealous – and murderous – inclinations spiral out of control.
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Author Bio –
Hailing from Navan, Co. Meath, Domhnall is a graduate of the Bachelor in Acting Studies Programme, Trinity College Dublin, later completing a Master’s in Screenwriting at Dún Laoghaire IADT. He now works as a journalist, author and actor.
In 2016, Tirgearr Publishing released Domhnall’s first novel, Sister Agatha: The World’s Oldest Serial Killer (‘We loved it’ – Woman’s Way). Pink Spear, an American, Emmy-winning production company, holds the TV and film rights.
Mercier Press, Ireland’s oldest publishing house, released Domhnall’s second and third novels, Colin and the Concubine (‘Hilarious’ – RTE.ie) and Crazy for You (‘Genuinely hilarious, charmingly intelligent’ – The Irish Times).
For four years, Domhnall enjoyed the responsibility of being Assistant Editor at Irish Tatler Man. Thanks to this role, he interviewed high-profile names such as Tommy Hilfiger, Kevin Spacey and Chris Pine. He writes a monthly column for Woman’s Way and is a features writer for Ireland of the Welcomes, the world’s largest Irish-interest magazine.
As an actor, Domhnall appeared as Pádraig in TG4’s award-winning series Ros na Rún for nine seasons.
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