Catholic priest Marco Venetti finds himself trying to save the Pope and Vatican from nuclear attack. But once again his faith is tested to the utmost as well as his humanity…
The Vatican Secret is the sequel to The Vatican Conspiracy and is the second book to feature Marco Venetti. There are some references to events in the first book so I would advise reading them in order or reading this as a stand alone. The relationships between Marco and some of the other characters also relate to developments in the previous book.
This book’s premise is that the radical Pope wishes to unite Eastern and Western Catholicism but a Russian crime boss wants to prevent this from happening. Meanwhile there is a traitor within the Vatican working against the Pope. Can Marco trust those who feed him information or even those he fights beside?
Marco has problematic and mistrustful relationships with Elena and Sarah. He relies on them to save him but his emotions are in turmoil due to physical attraction and personal history. His emotions make him a more realistic and believable character, but his faith and priesthood force him to deny his feelings.
There is plenty of drama and action as Marco races against the Pope’s enemies. His life is frequently in danger so the tension is high. There is also the mystery about who the traitor is and what motivates them. The settings range across the globe as political, criminal and personal actions impact on the plot.
The Vatican Secret was a fast paced and action driven novel with an engaging lead character.
PETER HOGENKAMP Media Kit:
Title: The Vatican Secret
Author: Peter Hogenkamp
PUBLICATION DAY: April 15th 2021
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Description:
There is a nuclear weapon in the hands of the Vatican City’s deadliest enemy. And time is running out to stop an attack…
Marco Venetti, the only man the pope trusts, has tracked down the traitor who nearly succeeded in his mission to kill the pope. But the traitor holds a crucial piece of information: the name of the Russian mafioso in possession of a nuclear bomb.
Forced to work with a man he despises to prevent a deadly explosion, Marco sets a trap for the Russians. Inside the stone walls of an ancient castle in Portugal, surrounded by high mountains, he waits to ambush his target. But a double-cross ruins everything and he must flee, alone and without backup, leaving a trail of death and destruction behind.
All Marco knows is that the attack is imminent. And that to prevent it, he must enter a deadly game of cat-and-mouse that will take him across the continent, on land and by sea. With time running out, he will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. Because the secrets inside the Vatican may be the deadliest threat of all…
The Vatican Secret is an explosive thriller full of treachery, international conspiracy and non-stop action. Fans of Joel C. Rosenberg, Tom Clancy and Steven Konkoly will be completely gripped.
Author Bio:
Peter Hogenkamp was born in upstate New York and attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. (Go Crusaders!) He graduated in 1986 and was exiled to Europe for three years by his premedical adviser, for which he will be grateful the rest of his days. Spending the next three years – supposedly – teaching chemistry and algebra in Salzburg, Austria, he traveled extensively, drank a lot of beer and made many a lifelong friend. In his travels, he found dozens of great places for scenes in a thriller: castles perched on cliffs; monasteries tucked away in alpine valleys; villages built above rocky coastlines; cities soaked in history. When he isn’t writing or hiking with his strong-willed Cairn Terrier, Hermione, Peter practices medicine with his lovely wife, Lisa (who does most of the heavy lifting), hosts Your Health Matters, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast, and tends to the needs of his four children.
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Obituary writer and amateur sleuth Eve Mallow wins a raffle prize for a hotel stay at the exclusive Abbey Hotel. Tensions and relationships between the staff, owner and guests are fraught and a murder ensues. Eve is called upon to write the obituary, but will she also catch the killer?
Mystery at the Abbey Hotel is the fifth book to feature Eve Mallow. It works as a stand alone novel as there are no spoilers about the murders in previous books. Her relationships with other village characters are easy to understand. However, if you like to trace character development then I would suggest reading the books in order.
The Abbey Hotel is an exclusive hospitality venue and Eve is lucky enough to win a half price visit. This presents her with a wealth of new characters to interact with and later suspect as potential killers. Motives are crucial to the unravelling of the murder. Eve needs to investigate personal and business reasons that may have contributed to the crime.
There are no forensic details or graphic descriptions and this set of books fall firmly in the cosy murder mystery category. The style of writing is quite natural and easy to read.
Eve needs to use her inquisitive nature and journalistic skills to find the killer. She is ably assisted by her dachshund Gus and has made firm friendships in the vilage. Her simmering romance with ex police officer Robin develops over the course of the book which gives a warm happy feeling by the final chapter.
Media Kit:
Title: Mystery at the Abbey Hotel
Author: Clare Chase
Publication Day: April 12th 2021
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Description:
Eve Mallow’s stay at the luxurious Abbey Hotel takes a turn for the suspicious when the owner is murdered – leaving Eve surrounded by suspects!Saxford St Peter is Eve Mallow’s beloved home, but she can’t resist the chance to spend a weekend in the nearby Abbey Hotel, famed for its glamorous owner Debra Moran and an array of celebrity guests. For a confirmed people-watcher like Eve, it’s perfect: she can observe the rich and famous while sipping tea in the gardens, her faithful dachshund Gus by her side.But her relaxing break takes a shocking turn when Debra is found lying dead in the shadowy woods around the hotel. One of Eve’s fellow guests didn’t come to the Abbey for fine food and delightful décor – but to kill.When the investigation gets underway, Eve finds herself trapped with a wide range of suspects. Could it be Debra’s new friend Harper, who inherits everything? Her ex-husband Chester, still seething over their messy divorce? Or her estranged sister Amelia, who came hoping for reconciliation, only for Debra to shut the door in her face?As Eve roams the hotel, searching for clues and hunting down alibis, she uncovers a whole host of secrets. But can she find the truth before the killer brings her holiday to a deadly end?A completely unputdownable page-turner, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Agatha Christie and Joy Ellis.
Author Bio:
Clare Chase writes classic mysteries. Her aim is to take readers away from it all via some armchair sleuthing in atmospheric locations.Her debut novel was shortlisted for Novelicious’s Undiscovered Award, as well as an EPIC award post-publication, and was chosen as a Debut of the Month by LoveReading. Murder on the Marshes (Tara Thorpe 1) was shortlisted for an International Thriller Writers award.Like her heroines, Clare is fascinated by people and what makes them tick. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked in settings as diverse as Littlehey Prison and the University of Cambridge, in her home city. She’s lived everywhere from the house of a lord to a slug-infested flat and finds the mid-terrace she currently occupies a good happy medium.As well as writing, Clare loves family time, art and architecture, cooking, and of course, reading other people’s books.
You can find Clare’s website and blog at www.clarechase.com
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Elly Ruskin and her husband Fergus are living in post war Japan. They are trying to adopt a child but Elly is worried that Fergus may not be faithful. The woman she suspects is the mysterious Vida, a poet with a political past. Meanwhile young Kamiya Jun is recruited by military officers and forced to follow Vida and note all her actions, reporting all to his spy masters.
The Lantern Boats is an historical novel set in 1951. The book begins with a body floating along the river with the little lantern boats that have been released to honour the recent war dead. We are then taken back 5 months to see young Jun working on a smuggling boat when he is caught and fearing for his life, agrees to spy on a woman with potential criminal intent.
I am a little unclear about the political situation in Japan in the 1940s and 50s but it seems that the country was occupied by Americans who were fearful about political stances during the war as well as postwar communism due to the proximity of China and Korea.
It took me a little while to get into this book but by halfway I felt that I cared about the characters. Would Elly get the child she has been hoping for? Has Fergus been having an affair with Vida? Whose is the body with the lantern boats? Will Jun discover something vital about Vida?
The themes of passion and duty, family and betrayal resonate through the pages. Elly, Fergus, Jun and Vida are all likeable characters but there is tension and danger threatening each of them. The domestic life of Elly and Fergus and their longing for a child is heartbreaking, while Vida and Jun’s activities could have major public repercussions.
The Lantern Boats had an interesting mix of history, personal and international politics, emotion and action.
THE LANTERN BOATS by Tessa Morris-Suzuki
A WEB OF ESPIONAGE AND BETRAYAL IN OCCUPIED JAPAN DRAWS IN TIGHT.
Tokyo, 1951.
Elly Ruskin is still struggling to settle. Half-Japanese by heritage, Elly was repatriated to Japan after the war, but Tokyo is a city she barely knows. And now she’s certain her new husband is having an affair with the enigmatic Japanese poet known as Vida Vidanto.
Yet Elly is not the only one suspicious of Vida.
The occupying American forces have their eye on her too. Kamiya Jun has been recruited to spy on the poet and find out why Vida spent her war years in China. He is perfect for the part. A war orphan, he has honed the art of becoming invisible in order to survive. But following Vida leads Jun to the Ruskins. And he soon finds himself delving into their private lives as well.
Then Vida Vidanto is found murdered in her apartment. Is it a case of mere jealousy or has there been a betrayal of a more dangerous kind?
Because Vida had more than one secret worth killing for.
A powerful, absorbing mystery that will be consumed by fans of Victoria Hislop, Dinah Jefferies, Fiona Valpy, Robert Goddard, Kate Morton and Louise Douglas.
TESSA MORRIS-SUZUKI (T.J. ALEXANDER)
Tessa Morris-Suzuki was born in England and grew up there and in the Netherlands. She later lived for a couple of years in Japan and travelled widely in Asia, but has spent most of her adult life in Australia, where she works as a historian and writer. She currently divides her time between a small village on the south coast of New South Wales and Canberra, where she is Emeritus Professor of Japanese History at the Australian National University. She has published one historical crime novel – The Searcher – set in 19th century London (published by Joffe Books, under the pen-name T. J. Alexander).
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A series of burglaries among rich countryside occupants leads the local force to request external help. Detective Jack Warr is dispatched to the Cotswolds to aid the investigation. However, his methods lead to conflict within the team. Can Jack unite the police to capture the burglar before they escalate to violence and even murder…?
Judas Horse is the second book by Lynda La Plante to feature Jack Warr, a detective whose moral sense of justice sometimes sees him flouting the law. It isn’t necessary to have read the first book as there are no spoilers but Buried was great so I would recommend reading it!
Jack Warr’s character is hugely likeable and entertaining. Personally, he has a newborn baby and is adapting to life without his biological and adopted fathers. Professionally, he is trustworthy but an irritant to his fellow officers, playing witnesses, manipulating and disregarding protocol. He was instrumental in solving a complicated crime within his own locality so he is transferred to the countryside when they struggle to deal with a spate of burglaries which are escalating.
The case itself becomes more intricate than it initially appears. The burglaries are getting more violent and Warr urgently needs to find out how the burglars are accessing information. He needs a Judas Horse (see book blurb for a definition!) Jack soon has suspects in mind but needs to go undercover to find the truth and cach the ringleaders.
The relationships between Jack and the other characters underpin the whole book and make it very enjoyable. He is a master at reading people, recognising their strengths and weaknesses. He then uses this for his own ends and I think the police should be grateful he is on their side!
Judas Horse is an engaging and action filled police thriller from a confident author.
Book blurb:
Judas Horse – Lynda La Plante
The brand new Detective Jack Warr thriller from the Queen of Crime Drama, Lynda La Plante – now available to pre-order in hardback, eBook and audiobook.
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‘Do you know what a Judas Horse is? When the wild mustangs are running free, you corral one and train it. When he’s ready, you release him and he’ll bring his team back into the corral – like Judas betraying them…’
Violent burglars have been terrorising residents across the English countryside. But when a mutilated body is discovered in a Cotswolds house, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary group of opportunist thieves.
As Detective Jack Warr investigates, he discovers locals with dark secrets, unearths hidden crimes – and hits countless dead ends. With few leads and the violent attacks escalating, he will have to act as audaciously as the criminals if he hopes to stop them.
When Warr meets Charlotte Miles, a terrified woman with links to the group, he must use her to lure the unsuspecting killers into one last job, and into his trap. But with the law already stretched to breaking point, any failure will be on Warr’s head – and any more blood spilled, on his hands…
A woman is found by the side of a road. Her injuries are consistent with jumping or being thrown from a car. She has amnesia but adopts the name Sophie and hides away at a remote house being renovated. Can she find out the truth about her identity and is she in danger?
The Silent Girl is an atmospheric psychological thriller. We as readers do not know any more than Sophie so the gradually developing plot brings us along with the main character. The narrative is written in the first person so we are witness to Sophie’s gradual remembering of her past.
Sophie learns to trust again through a developing friendship and then romance with Nathaniel, caretaker of Dovemorn House. The gentle love was the highlight of the book for me, obviously restricted by Sophie’s lack of knowledge of herself and her circumstances. Their relationship is further complicated by Nathaniel’s son and ex wife which gave a realism and personal touch to the story.
The descriptions of the setting are particularly good and add to the sinister feeling to the book. There is the added mystery of the disappearance of the previous owner of Dovemorn House a century ago and I wish this had been developed further.
The Silent Girl has plenty of mystery and is driven by the main character’s desire to find the truth about her past. I have previously reviewed The Fortune Teller’s Promise and The Girl I Thought I Knew by Kelly Heard.
Kelly Heard’s Media Kit:
Title: The Silent Girl
Publication Day: April 9th 2021
Author: Kelly Heard
Buy Links:
Description:
Sophie wakes in a cold hospital bed with no memory of her life before. She isn’t even sure if Sophie is her real name…
The police tell Sophie she was found alone, unconscious and surrounded by blood-red flower petals, on a remote stretch of highway. She had no I.D., no phone, and no one had reported her missing. But while Sophie’s identity is a mystery, one thing is clear: someone tried to kill her and they almost succeeded.
While she’s recovering, Sophie can’t shake the feeling someone is watching her. When a bouquet of red roses is sent to her room without a note, she is convinced they’re from the same people who left her for dead with crimson flowers woven through her hair…
With no one to turn to, Sophie takes a job working high in the mountains, miles from the nearest town, where she feels she might finally be safe. Until more red flowers begin appearing on the front step of her secluded cottage.
Every cell in Sophie’s body is telling her to run. But she is also desperate to know the truth about who she is. If she lets these people catch up with her, she could finally uncover her past… Or once again place her life in terrible danger…
A totally gripping psychological suspense novel that you won’t be able to put down and will keep you turning the pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, The Woman in the Window and The Silent Patient.
Author Bio:
Kelly Heard is a novelist from Afton, Virginia. She published poetry in literary magazines before signing her debut novel, Before You Go, with Bookouture.
Kelly prefers writing to most other pastimes, but you’ll occasionally find her in the garden, hiking, or exploring antique shops.
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