Soooo, I have a job interview in the morning. It has been four years since my last interview and if I’m entirely honest I don’t need the job so I’m not stressing too much. However, I am still preparing for it and thought I would share my top tips!
Think about your appearance. First impressions count, no matter whether it is a date or an interview. You only have a short time to impress them so make an effort. But stay true to yourself. I haven’t worn much make up in the last decade so I won’t be wearing any tomorrow unless a mega spot appears!
Do your research. Make sure you know what the job entails and how you would fit in with the company. Think about the job specification and highlight the areas that make you shine!
Be yourself. Even if you think you can fake it, these people will figure out quite quickly if you are putting on an act. Do you really want to spend the next 5 years pretending to be or know something you’re not?
Practice and plan. If you are nervous then ask a friend or family member to practice questions and answers with you. Even practice a handshake if it doesn’t come naturally to you. Plan the journey so you arrive on time.
Have some questions ready, remember you want to know the company and job are right for you too!
1876, Alfred Palmer travels to North Wales for an art and history exhibition. The previous curator died mysteriously of a snake bite and Palmer is struck by the feeling that something evil is at work…
Blood Among The Threads is an historical murder mystery set in the 1870s.
Alfred Palmer was a real person with connections to Wrexham but this whole situation has been imagined by the author. I was instantly transported back to Victorian times right from the start as he embarks on a steam train journey and repeatedly uses snuff. The history and geography of the setting are wonderfully evoked at all times.
The first death which occurs before Palmer’s arrival is very suspicious indeed. The curator died after a snake bite on her lip and neck and the adder’s poison soon did its worst. No one can understand why an adder would have been in the woman’s home and been able to injure her in such a way. A mystery indeed! More deaths follow and Palmer is underwhelmed by the police’s attention to the case so decides to investigate for himself.
One of the artefacts that was prepared for the exhibition also draws Palmer’s attention. A mysterious woman claims the tapestry has blood among the threads but could it be linked to the death? Class tensions and even a royal connection also impact on the development of the plot. The characters are richly described and I was immersed in the story. I liked the way that real people and events have been used to create an entertaining fictional story.
Blood Among The Threads is an enjoyable historical novel.
He only sought the truth. But some truths are best left buried.
Wrexham, 1876. Meet Alfred Neobard Palmer, an unlikely hero.
“It was a death which had brought him here. Death by snake venom, of all things.”
Palmer – and his more courageous sweetheart, young Ettie Francis.
A series of accidental deaths which increasingly seem – well, more than simply accidental.
Deaths luring Palmer and Ettie, slowly but surely, towards a terrifying climax through the treacherous waters of the North Wales coast.
But can those deaths truly be linked to the huge coverlet on display at Wrexham’s magnificent Art Treasures Exhibition?
A patchwork of images both Biblical and bewitching. And is there, literally, blood among the coverlet’s threads?
A glittering mystery by award-winning author David Ebsworth.
David’s Bio
DAVID EBSWORTH is the pen name of writer Dave McCall, a former negotiator and workers’ representative for Britain’s Transport & General Workers’ Union. He was born in Liverpool but has lived in Wrexham, North Wales, with his wife Ann since 1981.
Following his retirement, Dave began to write historical fiction in 2009 and has now subsequently published twelve novels: political thrillers set against the history of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War, the Battle of Waterloo, warlord rivalry in Sixth Century Britain, and the Spanish Civil War. His sixth book, Until the Curtain Falls returned to that same Spanish conflict, following the story of journalist Jack Telford, and is published in Spanish under the title Hasta Que Caiga el Telón. Jack Telford, as it happens, is also the main protagonist in a separate novella, The Lisbon Labyrinth. The third of his Jack Telford novels, A Betrayal of Heroes, takes Jack into the turmoil of the Second World War but through a series of real-life episodes, which are truly stranger than fiction.
Dave’s Yale Trilogy tells the story of intrigue and mayhem around nabob, philanthropist (and slave-trader) Elihu Yale – who gave his name to Yale University – but told through the eyes of his much-maligned and largely forgotten wife, Catherine.
The eleventh novel, The House on Hunter Street, is a mystery set during the political turmoil of Liverpool in 1911 and, more recently, Dave has published a non-fiction guidebook of Wrexham history, Wrexham Revealed. It was his research for the guidebook which inspired him to write this current and twelfth novel, Blood Among the Threads.
Each of Dave’s novels has been critically acclaimed by the Historical Novel Society and been awarded the coveted B.R.A.G. Medallion for independent authors.
Beth is delighted when her daughter returns home but she brings her new husband Luke. And Luke used to be married to Beth…
The Son-In-Law is a psychological thriller and family drama set in Wales.
OK so to clarify the family situation. Beth is 50 and her daughter is in her early 20s. Beth’s first husband and Cerys’ dad died a decade ago. Beth was briefly married to Luke who is her age but the marriage colapsed after he repeatedly cheated on her. Luke and Cerys never met as she was travelling abroad but I really struggled to believe that neither of them had ever seen photos of each other. Now Cerys and Luke are married and expecting a baby.
Although it isn’t incest, there is a decided ‘ick’ factor involved for me imagining this scenario. Luke is someone who I instantly loved to hate and the way he moved from mother to daughter was a bit gross. Besides this complicated threeway relationship, the opening chapter hints at other secrets that will be revealed.
The book is written from the alternating first person perspectives of both Beth and Cerys. Both women’s voices were clearly defined and it was easy to get into their heads to understand their thoughts and feelings. They are both determined and strong women which makes it even more surprising that either of them would have looked twice at Luke!
The situation is tense from the start and being thrown together on the remote Welsh farm isn’t enjoyable for any of the trio. Luke seems to thrive on pushing the boundaries at every turn while Beth and Cerys want to appease each other but still get their own way. I was gripped by the plot and characters and found myself reading faster and faster to see how events would play out.
The Son-In-Law is a tense and gripping psychological thriller.
I just met my new son-in-law . . . And he’s my ex-husband.
They’re here. I watch them arrive from the kitchen window. My pregnant daughter and her new husband. They’ve barely known each other six months.
I greet him with a tight smile that he recognizes as fake.
Luke is no good for my beautiful, fragile Cerys. He’ll break her heart. I know that because he broke mine — when he was married to me.
I don’t know what he wants. But I’m going to make it my business to find out.
I’ll do anything to keep my daughter safe. Don’t underestimate me.
Author Bio
Jane E. James is a bestselling author who likes to create chilling reads that appeal to fans of psychological suspense thrillers, mysteries, and dark fiction. Her novels are packed with plot twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. All of them are standalone novels.
Jane is an animal lover and lives with her cat, Hero, in a small country village near Stamford, Lincolnshire in the UK, which is known for its quirky tea shops and cobbled streets. Rebecca, Carrie, The Woman in Black and Wuthering Heights are among some of Jane’s favourite reads.
A serial killer is on the loose, taking teen girls and making them sew their own shrouds before killing them. He mutilates the body to avoid identification of his victims and the police are stumped. DCI Alice Rossi is called upon to breathe new life into the investigation but can she work quick enough to save the next victim?
The Ravenswood Murders is the second book in the detective and serial killer series featuring DCI Alice Rossi. I have previously read and reviewed the first book The Ash Lake Murders.
Alice is called in to support a team trying to catch a killer. She faces a little opposition but the team are desperate to solve the case. Four teens are dead and another is missing. She brings in officers from her last big case as she respects their input and needs their contribution. The descriptions of the bodies is quite graphic as they have had their hands removed and teeth smashed to avoid dental or fingerprint identification. Hauntingly, the most recent victim sewed her name into the shroud and this causes an emotional spike and additional determination for Alice.
I really love Alice’s character. She has issues from her past which came to the fore in the last book. Now she is trying to focus on the case, bringing a fresh pair of eyes to the situation. The author creates a fast pace through quite short chapters and the writing style was gripping as the plot develops. I kept thinking I had guessed how the events would play out but in fact I was skilfully misdirected.
The Ravenswood Murders was a compelling killer thriller and I can’t wait for the next book!
THE RAVENSWOOD MURDERS by Helen H. Durrant
MEET DETECTIVE ALICE ROSSI IN THIS BRILLIANT NEW BRITISH CRIME SERIES FULL OF STUNNING TWISTS.
A brand-new mystery from #1 bestselling author Helen H. Durrant that will have you gripped from start to explosive finish.
Day 1. A young woman’s body is found in a shallow grave in the woods, buried in a white shroud. She’s been dead for a week. Her teeth are smashed in, her lips stitched together. Her hands are missing.
She’s the fourth young woman found like this.
With no witnesses, no clues and no leads to follow, the investigation is going nowhere.
That’s when Detective Alice Rossi is called in.
Alice knows this case is a poisoned chalice. Not least because she has a new team to contend with — who don’t like being bossed around by a woman.
Day 2. Sixteen-year-old Maggie Hewson is reported missing. She never came home from school, and her father is beside himself.
Will she be the fifth girl to die?
Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel McLean, Joy Ellis, J.D. Kirk, Rachel Abbott, Elly Griffiths or J.M. Dalgliesh.
READERS LOVE THE DETECTIVE ALICE ROSSI BOOKS:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Full of suspense with a storyline that kept me guessing right up until the end.’ Annette T.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A really good read . . . the perfect balance of investigation versus personal drama for the lead.’ Linda B.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The start of a fabulous new series from Helen H. Durrant . . . Brilliant book — I loved it!’ Charlotte M.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A very enjoyable read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.’ Sandra G.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I absolutely love Alice Rossi . . . This is a gripping edge-of-your-seat thriller that will have you turning page after page all the way to the end. Absolutely brilliant, I can’t wait for book 2.’ Jill B.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The story line flows along nicely, making it an enjoyable read, with a nice twist, leaving you keen for the next instalment which will surely follow. Recommend.’ Iain McC.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another stunningly good police procedural from Helen H. Durrant. Fabulous plot and great characters, with everything I want from a whodunnit.’ Amanda P.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great start to a new series . . . I couldn’t put it down. Amazing storyline.’ Michelle G.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Thoroughly gripping and suspenseful with an astonishing surprise. Not one to be missed.’ Carol S.
THE DETECTIVE
DCI Alice Rossi of Greater Manchester’s Serious Crime Squad has served with the police for the past twenty-nine years. Since the death of her husband, Paul, six years ago, she has lived alone in a large, three-storey Edwardian terrace on the outskirts of Manchester. Her grown-up son lives in Edinburgh with his family. Alice is about to retire — but she’s not looking forward to it. Since her husband died, work has been her mainstay, not because she misses Paul — he was a bad man — but because it keeps her dark thoughts at bay.
HELEN H. DURRANT
OVER 1.5 MILLION BOOKS SOLD!
Helen is one of the ‘baby boomer’ generation and began writing when she retired from her job at a local college. Born in Edinburgh to an English father and Scottish mother the family settled in a Pennine village between the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is an environment which has shaped her stories. Writing is a second career and, despite having a bus pass, keeps her busy, and tuned in.
Helen’s children are all grown-up and she has five grandchildren.
The Dog and Partridge in Yateley holds some very special memories for me as I celebrated my 18th birthday here with friends. A few years ago Chris and I had a lovely lunch here and I was impressed by their gluten free options. This is the first time we have been back since I went vegan.
The pub itself is a gorgeous building and has a great atmosphere inside. We didn’t book but were lucky enough to get the last table available, phew!
The menu is clearly marked with gluten free and vegan options, and there is also a specials menu which was brought to the table.
I had already picked out my meal and knew I was going to have the chilli. I was tempted by the curry special but hadn’t had a chilli in a while so stuck to my initial plan. The pizzas looked amazing and I did ask if the gluten free base was vegan but unfortunately it was not.
The chilli has a wonderfully flavoured sauce which was spicy without being overwhelming. The veg was chunky and quite soft. However I think the dish would have benefitted from some beans or chickpeas as there wasn’t a protein component so I was hungry again by early afternoon. This would also have boosted the texture contrasts and made it more interesting to eat.
