Jem Jago is relaxing on board her boat with her best friends when the need for the toilet leads them to head to shore. They arrive at Candlewick Castle and discover a dead body. The victim is a dodgy businessman Herman Castleberry and he has upset quite a few people. This includes Jem’s first love Rhys who is quickly identified as the prime suspect by her new romantic interest Detective Sergeant Hack…
A Death at Candlewick Castle is the second novel by Emma Jameson to feature librarian and amateur sleuth Jemima Jago. I have previously reviewed A Death at Seascape House but there are no major plot spoilers about events in the last book.
I found Jem to be much more likeable in this book as she is less haunted by her past. Her personality seems to have softened and she has firm friendships to support her. There is also the romantic tension with Rhys and Hack which adds a human and emotional side to her character.
The setting of the Isles of Scilly is wonderfully brought to life and now I want to visit! The description of the body at the beginning is a little unpleasant but the focus is on Jem being an intrepid investigator. I enjoyed the gentle humour of the book (the recurrent need for the toilet for example!) and Jem seems much more relaxed in the location and in her own skin.
A Death at Candlewick Castle is an enjoyable murder mystery and I look forward to the next book in the series.
MEDIA PACK
Book: A Death at Candlewick Castle
Author: Emma Jameson
Pub Day: August 20th 2021
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About the Book:
Librarian Jemima Jago is enjoying a peaceful summer in the Isles of Scilly – until a puzzling crime comes in with the tide…
Between her work in Cornwall’s oldest library and catching up with old friends over tea and chocolate biscuits, Jemima Jago is spending the season the only way she knows how: sunbathing, swimming and sailing. But her postcard-perfect summer is turned upside down when the body of well-to-do businessman Hermie Castleberry is found on the sweeping white sands at the foot of Candlewick Castle.
Jem doesn’t mean to get involved, but when her old flame Rhys Tremayne is arrested for murder, she springs into action to prove his innocence. With her gift for uncovering hard-to-find information, Jem discovers Hermie had been keeping secrets and ruffling a few feathers in the ordinarily tranquil islands. Did the quiet wife, the belittled business partner or the slimy salesman want Hermie out of the way?
The discovery of a pair of silver gloves by little dog Buck could be just the clue Jem needs to crack the case. But can she catch the real culprit, and keep her heart in check, before the killer sends her down to Davy Jones’ locker too?
A totally charming cozy mystery from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Emma Jameson. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Agatha Christie will adore A Death at Candlewick Castle.
Author Bio
Emma Jameson writes mysteries that readers call witty, romantic, and full of surprises. An aspiring novelist since age seven, she took a long, twisty route to the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. After years of working at a major medical center, her first novel, cobbled together on nights and weekends, became a runaway e-book bestseller. Now she writes full-time and has sold over half a million books. A compulsive reader and information hoarder, Emma is always searching for that fascinating nugget or startling fact that will spark another novel. A lifelong Anglophile, she resides in the United States, where she enjoys swimming, yoga, and serving the needs of not one, not two, not three, but four cats.
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Liv, Grace and Sophie were inseparable as teens. But a tragic train crash killed one and the other two rejected each other in their grief. Now Liv is on holiday in Mexico when she spots a familiar tattoo…
The Woman on the Beach has drama, mystery and a whole heap of emotional upheaval.
The pace of the book moves quite quickly and developments occur thick and fast. There is plenty of mystery as we unpick the plot strands. The book is written in a non linear way at first to show the past interspersed with present events. There are some big emotional issues involved in the plot including miscarriage and grief. Mental health and domestic abuse also form part of the narrative.
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot but the book is written from the first person narrative perspective of two of the friends in the present day and in the past. This allows us to see both viewpoints and understand their emotions and actions. We are misdirected by the characters due to their own skewed opinions.
The Woman on the Beach is an entertaining and emotional book about friendship, love and grief. I have previously reviewed My Mother’s Secret, Little Girl Missing, What He Did, and Why She Died by Julia Roberts.
The Woman on the Beach book description:
I was so sure I saw Sophie on the beach that day. But it couldn’t be her. Sophie’s dead…
Ever since we swore to be best friends at school, Sophie was there for me. When she married my brother, she became family. We shared everything.
At least I thought we did.
After she died, I was devastated. Everyone else has moved on, but I can’t. She was so quiet, those last few months. I’m sure there is something I don’t know…
Now I’m standing on the beach we visited when we were younger, and there’s a woman with long blond hair a few metres away, playing with a dog in the sunshine. She turns, and I see Sophie.
Heart racing, I run after her, but before I can reach her she’s vanished, leaving only footprints in the sand.
It can’t be Sophie… Can it? And do I want to know, if the answer will destroy everything?
A gripping emotional page-turner about the ways we lie to ourselves and how love and hope can heal us. Fans of Amanda Prowse, Liane Moriarty and Susan Lewis will absolutely love The Woman on the Beach.
Author Bio:
Julia was born in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, and began her career as a professional singer/dancer. This enabled her to travel the world in her late teens storing up experiences she has since included in her writing.
Following roles as a hostess on The Price is Right and a member of the Beadle’s About ‘hit squad’ in the 1980s, she became a TV Presenter and filmed features for Sky Sports before launching the QVC shopping channel in 1993 where she still presents today. Having always wanted to write, she penned her first book, a memoir sold on QVC, in 2013 and has since written seven full length novels, two novellas and several short stories.
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Newlywed and pregnant Livia moves to Paris with her husband Niccolo. She struggles to cope with the physical changes as the baby grows but also the adjustment to married life to a diplomat. She is befriended by a fellow Italian, the mistress of the Emperor, after saving her life. But is Elisabetta in further danger from a political enemy and can Livia find happiness with her situation…?
The Paris Wife is an historical novel set in 1856. It has a linear narrative except for a few flashbacks to Livia’s recent past which are crucial to the plot.
Livia is a doctor’s daughter who is suddenly thrust into the political scene of Paris as France and Italy attempt to influence each other’s states. Intrigue, assassination attempts and high society all threaten to overwhelm Livia as she struggles to adjust to married life and prepare for motherhood.
Livia and Niccolo do not have a particularly happy marriage at the beginning of the book and the tension betwen them informs us that there are unresolved issues. Livia is practical and knowledgeable which makes her seems quite a modern woman by the standards of the historical era.
The period of history is fraught with danger as political intrigues become personal. Livia’s friend Elisabetta uses her feminine wiles to influence the Emperor but is in turn being controlled by political figures from her own nation. The development of a couple adjusting to married life together contrasts with the national relationships being negotiated.
The Paris Wife is an interesting historical novel about a period of history that I know little about. I liked the way the female characters have power in a political world dominated by men.
The Paris Wife book description:
Paris, 1856. In a world ruled by men, one woman holds the fate of a nation in her hands.
When Livia leaves behind the bronzed hills of Italy for the rain-soaked streets of Paris, she feels lost and alone. Trapped in an icy marriage, she longs to return to her life as a doctor’s daughter. To a simpler time when she could use her healing skills to help people. But her husband’s diplomatic work launches her into French high society. And soon she befriends Elisabetta, Napoleon III’s clever and beautiful mistress.
Elisabetta may be the most glamorous woman in France, but she is isolated too. With jealousy and political conspiracies surrounding her, she is drawn to Livia’s honesty and intelligence. And when Livia saves Elisabetta’s life, the two women become inseparable.
Soon Livia’s life is an exciting whirlwind of masked balls, theatre and fashion, and at last she feels happy. She even finds the courage to open her heart, learning to love her new husband. But just as she begins to let her guard down, Livia discovers that her worst enemy has followed her all the way from Italy…
While danger lurks in the shadows, an assassination attempt is made on Napoleon. And Livia’s husband is wrongly accused of treason. The future of France is in peril, and Livia must work with Elisabetta to save the lives of those they love. With Livia’s keen knowledge of medicine and deadly poisons, and Elisabetta’s many connections, the women are a formidable partnership. But can they really trust each other? And how far are they prepared to go?
A totally gripping, richly imagined historical novel about the power held by women in a world run by men. Fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton and Marie Benedict will be absolutely hooked from the very first page until the final, breath-taking conclusion.
Author Bio:
Meghan Masterson graduated from the University of Calgary with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies, and has worked several unrelated jobs while writing on the side. When not writing, Meghan can often be found reading at all hours (even at breakfast), practicing archery and roaming through the woods with her dog.
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Chicago detective Victoria Wharton returns to her hometown, devastated by the murder of her twin sister. She is given permission to investigate the murder but this is emotionally fraught as she has significant history with the suspects and the other lead detective…
Her Sister’s Killer is a tense and dramatic police and crime thriller as well as being a debut novel.
Family dynamics are important for the plot and character arc of Victoria. She was abused by her father and her mother Vera blamed her for their divorce. Vera resents Victoria for leaving home but Rebecca also wanted to leave, instead giving up her dream of being a doctor to care for Vera.
Our sympathies are automatically alligned with Victoria in light of her upsetting family history. I felt so angry at her selfish mother stealing the dreams of one twin and constantly playing the martyr to get her own way.
The police have few clues to go on but the killer is worried about being caught so warns Victoria away. This only heightens her determination! There is little forensic detail and only a little violence in the book. The murder occurs before Victoria arrives and there are further incidents which put characters in danger but are not graphically described.
I had to suspend my disbelief that Victoria would be allowed to get involved with investigating her sister’s case. She manages to put her grief on hold to stay focussed on seeking justice, although this does make her appear a little coldhearted. I would have liked a slightly longer introduction to Victoria to see her success as a detective outside this case as I don’t feel she really got a chance to shine due to her personal involvement.
Her Sister’s Killer is a quick but enjoyable read and I look forward to reading what happens to Victoria next…
HER SISTER’S KILLER by Michelle S. Smith
A TOTALLY COMPELLING CRIME THRILLER THAT WILL HAVE YOU HOOKED UNTIL THE SHOCKING CONCLUSION.
She might be one of Chicago’s best homicide detectives, but can she hold up when she has to investigate her twin sister’s murder?
“Your sister didn’t arrive at the hospital for work and they—”
“Becky’s missing?”
“Her body was found this morning by a jogger. It was murder.”
Victoria Wharton never wanted to return to her tiny New England hometown. She hasn’t spoken to her mother or sister since she left to follow her dreams. But now she’s back to get justice for her sister.
Will her feelings for her childhood friend and fellow detective, Steve McCade, get in the way?
Then the death threats start, and a local man is beaten half to death. The killer will do anything to keep his identity — and motives — a secret. And Victoria realizes she must look closer to home to find her sister’s killer.
FAMILY SECRETS WILL BE SPILLED IN THIS TAUT CRIME THRILLER.
Fans of Melinda Leigh, Mary Burton, Kendra Elliott, Nora Robert, Lisa Regan and Robert Roberts will adore this tense and twisted crime thriller.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT HER SISTER’S KILLER:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Well written and exciting murder mystery.” Aileen G.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This book hooks and intrigues you straightaway. It is about complexities of family relationships and for Victoria the main character having to face her demons to a home that she left for reasons none of us should have to suffer so that she can find who murdered her sister . . . I love a book that keeps you on your toes . . . the art of a great story-teller is not allowing the reader to guess why the murderer did what they did, I would have never guessed the reason.” Ali L.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “[Her Sister’s Killer] kept me guessing until the surprising end.” Barbara
MICHELLE S. SMITH
Michelle Smith is a budding writer of West Indian heritage, raised by a devout Christian grandmother in Spanish Town, Jamaica and now living in Connecticut. Writing came into her life by way of therapy and the exploration of healing. As a child, Michelle became a word-devourer; books were a form of escape from a troubled home. As an adult, it was natural Michelle began writing books of her own, as it takes her through a journey of healing and self-discovery. Her writing engages with themes of love, loss, healing, and depression with an emphasis on strength and resilience. She hopes her words are able to touch, empower and encourage women to begin their own journey.
BOOKS BY MICHELLE S. SMITH
HER SISTER’S KILLER
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Becky is a hard working business owner who is offered the opportunity to house sit her uncle’s Greek villa. She seizes the chance for a holiday with her friends. But an unhealthy relationship haunts her and the possibility of a holiday romance seems both exciting and dangerous…
Greece Actually is a warm novel about love and relationships. Greece seems to be an additional character in the plot as the country’s culture, food and atmosphere permeates through the plot: do not read on an empty stomach! 😀 The music of ABBA and the links to the musical Mamma Mia dot through the plot as the characters explore the local area.
Becky’s last relationship was controlling and reached a devastating conclusion. Now she is physically and emotional scared of letting another man get close but she can’t deny her emerging feelings for restauranteur Kyros. The romance is gentle and there are no sex scenes.
Becky is dealing with lots of guilt as well as her fear. Her parents have uprooted their lives to support her as she rebuilds her life. Meanwhile her two friends are both missing their families and feeling mum guilt about leaving their children at home. I felt that the emotional side of things made the characters feel more human and realistic. The book is written from Becky’s first person perspective so we better understand her thoughts and feelings.
Greece Actually is a light hearted and warm novel in a wonderful setting. A summer read to take to the beach! I have previously reviewed Going Greek, A Very French Affair and As Greek As It Gets by Sue Roberts.
Greece Actually book description:
Take one sea-view villa, add two dates with a Greek God, a few glasses of wine, a dash of accidental nudity, and a heavy dose of sunshine. Recipe for a perfect getaway… or an absolute disaster?
Small, shy, safe. That’s how Becky lives ever since her last romantic calamity landed her in hospital. Her comfort zone is as confining as her tiny bank balance, and fiercely guarded by her totally over-the-top mum. But the news that her ex is back sniffing round is the final straw. In a very un-Becky move, she packs her bags for the Greek island of Skiathos. Maybe the setting of her favourite ABBA movie will be just the break from reality Becky needs…
Stepping aboard the Mamma Mia! boat tour, Becky leaves her fear in the port as she sings… out loud… in public, and cries Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! to everything the Greek life has to offer. She befriends locals young, old, and absolutely perfect (hello, sizzling hot restaurant-owner Kyros!), dines on freshly baked bread drizzled in golden olive oil on a starlit date, and walks barefoot along silky sandy beaches.
When Kyros asks her to stay longer, Becky is stunned. Could she really create a new life for herself here, and trust her heart with this smooth-talking charmer? But just as she’s thinking about putting down roots, her troublesome ex makes a dramatic return, begging for her back. Will she go back to playing it safe, or will she take a chance on Greece and embrace her true dancing queen?
An absolutely laugh-out-loud summer rom-com guaranteed to give you THAT holiday feeling! Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella.
Author Bio:
Sue Roberts lives in Lancashire with her long term partner Derek and has had a lifelong love of writing, encouraged by winning a school writing competition at the age of 11.
She always assumed that ‘one day’ she would write a book, always having a busy household and a job, the idea remained firmly on the back burner but never forgotten.
The inspiration for her first novel came to her on a holiday to a Greek village. Her daughters had left home and suddenly the time had come to write that book!
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