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A murder during a WI event at the village hall unleashes a torrent of village gossip and suspicion. Kate Palmer, a nurse newly arrived in the village, finds herself in the midst of the action as well as being attracted to the lead detective DI Forrest. Kate can’t help investigating but could she be the next victim…?

A Body in the Village Hall opens with the murder so we are straight into the plot. We only ever see the victim Fenella through the opinion and gossip of others in the village. Old grievances and personality clashes are at the fore as Kate decides to use her position as a nurse to speak to the suspects.

The gentle romance between Kate and Woody Forrest is a lovely touch and adds a lightness which contrasts with Kate’s unhappiness at her sister’s alcoholism. Kate is definitely a character that the reader will be rooting for within just a few chapters. She is pleasant and hard working as well as curious.

There are plenty of suspects and I was kept guessing until the very end. It is cosy in so far as you can imagine it as a Sunday night drama. There is some violence in the murders but it is not graphic.

A Body in the Village Hall has the traditional feel of an Agatha Christie novel, thanks to its traditional Enlgish village setting. It feels familiar and almost welcoming whilst also being an interesting mystery.

I believe that this will be the first in the series and I would like to catch up with Kate and Woody again. I have previously enjoyed and reviewed other books by Dee MacDonald: The Golden Oldies Guesthouse and The Silver Ladies of Penny Lane.

A Body in the Village Hall book description:

Kate Palmer is more than ready for the quiet life in Lower Tinworthy, Cornwall. But within weeks of her arrival, a woman is found dead in the village hall, stabbed to death with her own kitchen knife…

The victim is Fenella Barker-Jones: chairwoman of the Women’s Institute, doyenne of the amateur dramatic society, and reigning champion of the WI cake-baking contest. But whilst she may have been at the centre of village life, there were plenty who had reason to dislike her – as Kate is about to find out.

As a practice nurse and one of the first on the scene, Kate can’t help but get drawn into the investigation. Her patients are only too eager to tell her about the victim’s extra-curricular activities and, the more Kate hears about Fenella, the more the list of suspects grows: it seems half the village wanted her dead.

Kate’s sister Angie tells her to leave it alone, but Kate can’t resist piecing together the clues. Especially not if brings her closer to the handsome Detective Inspector ‘Woody’ Forrest, who is near to retiring himself and determined to crack his last case.

But when someone breaks into Kate’s home and leaves a warning note on her pillow, it becomes clear the murderer is prepared to do anything to keep their identity hidden… Will Kate and Woody work out who’s responsible, before she becomes the next victim?

If you love murder mysteries by Agatha Christie, Faith Martin or Joy Ellis, then this page-turning novel will have you reading late into the night!

Author Bio:

Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.

She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!

Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

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Jackman and Evans are still haunted by the murderer that got away, Alistair Ashcroft. Now he is back, taunting them again while they investigate a series of seemingly unrelated burglaries and a murder.

This is the 6th book in the Jackman and Evan series and the second that I have read (the first being book 5 The Stolen Boys). The Patient Man in the title describes Alistair as well as Jackman: both of them have waitied patiently for the conclusion of their battle of brains and strength of personality.

The police team are all brilliantly written, each with a personal life that feels believable so they appear to have greater depth than many book characters. Ashcroft’s determination to damage the team and his cruel distruction of Kevin Stoner is brutally good as the plot unfolds. Once again, pathologist Rory steals every scene he is in and the humour of his discussion about the perfect murder lends a moment of lightness to the book in contrast to the fast paced action that preceeds and follows it. The peripheral characters are also written to be realistic with human complexities.

I would love to see this series made for TV and Joy Ellis’ writing has the comfortable and confident style that would make it perfect for a Sunday night murder series. I don’t know about the origins of Ashcroft’s enmity with Jackman and Evans but it really doesn’t matter because The Patient Man works well as a stand alone novel despite the obvious continuation of the plotline (book 5 had a smattering of references to previous events too) but the focus is firmly on the current case and Ashcroft’s involvement.

Overall, The Patient Man was a great read and I would recommend all of Joy’s books as I love her Nikki Galena series too!

THE PATIENT MAN a gripping crime thriller full of stunning twists (JACKMAN & EVANS Book 6)

From #1 best-selling author Joy Ellis, a totally absorbing mystery full of stunning twists and turns. Discover the author who’s sold over two million books globally.

A MYSTERY WHICH WILL CAPTIVATE YOU FROM START TILL THE DRAMATIC ENDING

JACKMAN AND EVANS’ MOST DANGEROUS ENEMY IS BACK TO FINISH THINGS OFF
The domestic bliss of Detective Inspector Rowan Jackman of Fenland Constabulary doesn’t last long. His nemesis, serial killer Alistair Ashcroft, is back in town and ready to tidy up unfinished business.

Ashcroft sends a sinister text to DS Marie Evans. His opening move in what will prove to be a lethal game of cat-and-mouse. Yet for all his taunts, where is he? In a county crawling with police on the lookout for him, Ashcroft is nowhere to be found.

EVERYONE JACKMAN CARES ABOUT IS IN DANGER
Alongside the hunt for Ashcroft, normal police work must continue. The separate thefts of guns, six pigs, a thoroughbred stallion and some oil lead Jackman’s crew to the notorious Lorimer family, ruled over on their farm by the fearsome matriarch Rachel.

Meanwhile, a seemingly routine break-in at the home of gun-club owner Kenneth Harcourt quickly becomes more complicated when the man long held responsible for having killed Harcourt’s young daughter in a hit-and-run is shot dead in a carpark — by a sniper.

A killer is on the loose in the quiet streets of Saltern-le-Fen and he isn’t going to stop at claiming one life. But why is he focusing on young Kevin, so close to promotion to detective?

A LETHAL GAME WITH A VERY PATIENT MAN

And the sniper, like Ashcroft, takes to taunting the police: they’ll never catch him, they need to respect him, they shouldn’t be side-tracked looking for their old adversary.

In a stunning conclusion, Jackman and Evans race against time to catch the sniper and track down their deadly adversary.

Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the shocking ending. Set in the atmospheric Lincolnshire Fens whose towns and isolated villages hide many dark secrets.

CAN THEY FINALLY STOP ALISTAIR ASHCROFT?

What readers are saying about Joy Ellis

“Another breathtaking thriller from Joy.” Carole

“Great read from start to finish.” Nerys

“Just a wonderful enjoyable read.” Nicki

“A hugely compelling police procedural, with twists and turns that raise tension and suspense.” Paromjit

“All the twists and turns kept me reading.” Viv

“Another great book from Ms Ellis.” Barbara

Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Sarah A. Denzil, Robert Bryndza, Mel Sherratt, Angela Marsons, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell.

THE DETECTIVES
DI Jackman leads the investigation. He is extremely smart and has a knack for bringing out the best in his diverse team. DS Marie Evans is haunted by the loss of her husband in a motorbike accident. She is fiercely loyal to her friends and colleagues.

JOY ELLIS

UK #1 BEST SELLER WITH THEIR LOST DAUGHTERS, DARKNESS ON THE FENS, THE FOURTH FRIEND, BEWARE THE PAST, FIRE ON THE FENS, AND THE GUILTY ONES

OVER 2 MILLION BOOKS SOLD!

“I was born in Kent but spent most of my working life in London and Surrey. I was an apprentice florist to Constance Spry Ltd, a prestigious Mayfair shop that throughout the sixties and seventies teemed with both royalty and ‘real’ celebrities. What an eye-opener for a working-class kid from the Garden of England! I swore then, probably whilst I was scrubbing the floor or making the tea, that I would have a shop of my own one day. It took until the early eighties, but I did it. Sadly the recession wiped us out, and I embarked on a series of weird and wonderful jobs; the last one being a bookshop manager. Surrounded by books all day, getting to order whatever you liked, and being paid for it! Oh bliss!

And now I live in a village in the Lincolnshire Fens with my partner, Jacqueline, a highly decorated retired police officer, and our four barking mad Springer spaniels. If I do get any spare time, which is rare these days, my one relaxation is painting, especially using soft pastels. We have been here for twenty years now and although I’ll never be a true ‘Yeller Belly’, a native born to this county, I have adopted it as my own. I love the mists, the big skies and the endless waterways. All my books are set here on the Fens, and why not? The location is perfect for murder!”

BOOKS BY JOY ELLIS

DI NIKKI GALENA SERIES:

CRIME ON THE FENS

SHADOW OVER THE FENS

HUNTED ON THE FENS

KILLER ON THE FENS

STALKER ON THE FENS

CAPTIVE ON THE FENS

BURIED ON THE FENS

THIEVES ON THE FENS

FIRE ON THE FENS

DARKNESS ON THE FENS

HIDDEN ON THE FENS

NIKKI GALENA BOX SET, BOOKS 1-3

NIKKI GALENA BOX SET, BOOKS 4-6

NIKKI GALENA BOX SET, BOOKS 7-9

JACKMAN & EVANS SERIES:

THE MURDERER’S SON

THEIR LOST DAUGHTERS

FOURTH FRIEND

THE GUILTY ONES

THE STOLEN BOYS

THE PATIENT MAN

MATT BALLARD SERIES:

BEWARE THE PAST

FIVE BLOODY HEARTS

STANDALONE NOVELS:

GUIDE STAR

FIND JOY ON

AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
GOODREADS

I am a big fan of Addison Cole’s Sweet with Heat books but I have not tried one of her books when she writes as Melissa Foster before. Yikes, these are hot!

I do have to start this review with a TRIGGER WARNING: this book deals with suicide, assault and animal cruelty.

Justin Wicked looks like a bad boy biker but he has an emotional depth that Chloe Mallery needs to discover so she can trust him. She needs to put her bad experiences with men behind her and forget about her lost childhood. Justin has his own family tragedies to overcome including the suicide of his mother. He was adopted by a loving new family and is now a Dark Knight, part of a community of bikers that protect the vulnerable.

There is passion in abundance as Justin and Chloe come together (suggestive pun intended…). The writing and plot are definitely adult only and I would also advise not reading in the same room as kids as I’m sure my cheeks were blushing! The use of swear words was also a bit of a shock for me but I soon got used to it as it suited the characters 🙂

Apart from the sex, there is a huge plotline of love and loss which gives this book an emotional depth which is not suggested by the front cover (a great reason to follow the proverb and not judge a book by its cover).

There are a LOT of characters and I did feel a little overwhelmed to start with. I did enjoy catching up with some of the characters that have been central to the Sweet with Heat books that I have read (they are also in the hotter versions too which I haven’t read).

Overall, A Little Bit Wicked is quite a bit wicked and will leave you feeling hot and bothered as well as with a smile at the heartwarming love story.

A captivatingly funny and deeply emotional new standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. When the Dark Knights at Bayside and the cast of Bayside Summers collide, sparks fly, and trouble—or maybe love—is not far behind.


Set on the sandy shores of Cape Cod, the Wickeds feature fiercely protective heroes, strong heroines, and unbreakable family bonds. If you think bikers are all the same, you haven’t met the Dark Knights. The Dark Knights are a motorcycle club, not a gang. Their members stick together like family and will stop at nothing to keep their communities safe. Their stories are told in the same loving, passionate voice readers have come to adore from Melissa. Some of the Wickeds’ love stories will be hilariously fun, others will tear at your heartstrings with injections of humor, but they will all leave you wishing you could climb between the pages and join them!


In A LITTLE BIT WICKED… 
What do a cocky biker and a businesswoman who has sworn off dating bad boys have in common? According to Chloe Mallery, not much.

Justin came into the Wicked family after a harsh upbringing by a thieving father. He’s gone through a lot to become a true Wicked, and he’s made them proud. Now he’s ready to show the woman he loves exactly what type of man he is. But Chloe Mallery has worked hard to move past her difficult upbringing, and she’s wary of getting involved with a man who looks like he’s walked right out of it. When tragedy strikes, will their trying pasts draw them together, or will Justin’s protective nature be too much for Chloe’s independent heart to accept?

**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+**

MORE WICKED LOVE STORIES COMING SOON!
Crazy, Wicked Love
The Wicked Aftermath
Wicked Lucky
Wicked Temptations

Available to buy from …

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble    KOBO    Apple   GPlay   Paperback

“Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!” – NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely 

 

“You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that’s fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won’t want to stop reading. Every book’s a winner!” – NYT Bestseller Brenda Novak 

 

“Melissa Foster writes worlds that draw you in, with strong heroes and brave heroines surrounded by a community that makes you want to crawl right on through the page and live there.” – NYT bestseller Julia Kent

 

MEET THE WHISKEYS (cousins of the Wickeds)! Available for your binge-reading pleasure!

TRU BLUE

TRULY MADLY WHISKEY

DRIVING WHISKEY WILD

WICKED WHISKEY LOVE

MAD ABOUT MOON

TAMING MY WHISKEY

THE GRITTY TRUTH (Releasing October 14th)

And don’t miss RIVER OF LOVE, the first story in which the Whiskeys were introduced!

About the author

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented, the perfect beach reads for contemporary romance and women’s fiction lovers who enjoy reading about loyal, wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines with complex relatable issues.Melissa also writes sweet romance under the pen name Addison Cole.

Melissa enjoys chatting with readers and book clubs. Send her an email invitation to your next event!

Never miss a brand new release, special promotions or inside gossip again by simply signing up to receive your newsletter from Melissa.

Find Melissa on the following sites….

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   Pinterest   YouTube   Goodreads   Bookbub   Amazon Author Page

 

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Teacher Della Mayfair is trying to forget about her past and her brother who is a convicted killer. But when a new student arrives in her class, Della is convinced that the new girl exhibits the same dangerous tendencies that her brother displayed.

Zoey is well liked by the other staff and students so Della becomes frustrated that she is the only person to recognise the risk. Can she make others believe her about Zoey’s true nature or is Della’s own past skewing her viewpoint…?

What I Know is a dark psychological thriller. There is little violence or graphic description so the actions are left up to the readers’ imaginations. My heart sank with fear when young Della was given a dog but thankfully my imagination was worse than what was described.

Della’s perspective is told through a dual timeline narrative, both in the first person. We see her present day experiences with Zoey and flashbacks to her childhood with brother Brian. I felt frustrated and even angry as Della was constantly disbelieved by her parents in the past and her colleagues in the present.

The focus is very much on how Brian and Zoey’s insidious behaviours impact on Della. I found Brian much more interesting as the danger felt more real and direct. There was little motive to Zoey’s actions as well as scant evidence that Della can use so she feels undermined by her colleagues but she never loses her conviction that she is right.

I felt that the ending was a tad abrupt and would have liked more insight into Zoey as well as the aftermath of the final climactic event, but overall What I Know was an enjoyable thriller.

I have previously reviewed Some Days Are Dark, also by author Miranda Smith.

What I Know book description:

My brother was thirteen the first time he tried to kill me.

These days, Della is a loving wife, a dedicated teacher, a woman trying to do her best. She has put her past far behind her. But she hasn’t forgotten the lessons she learned.

It’s just a regular morning when Della welcomes Zoey to her English class. She treats her like any other new student: assigns her a desk, hands out the work. But then she meets Zoey’s cold, calculating eyes and freezes as terrifying memories threaten to overwhelm her.

Della knows what evil looks like when it hides behind a confident smile. Her own brother, the town’s darling, couldn’t keep his true nature hidden for ever. Della has been watching out for people like him ever since, determined to stop them before it’s too late.

When a student is viciously attacked and Della is sent a detailed account of the crime, she’s more convinced than ever that Zoey has darkness inside her.

But to make people believe her, she needs proof. Will she risk everything to get it? And without it, can she be sure she’s right?

Prepare to be hooked by this dark, gripping crime thriller, perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter, Gillian Flynn and Rachel Caine.

Author Bio:

Miranda Smith writes psychological and domestic suspense. She is drawn to stories about ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Before completing her first novel, she worked as a newspaper staff writer and a secondary English teacher. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and three young children.

 https://mirandasmithwriter.com/

https://www.facebook.com/MirandaSmithAuthor/

 https://www.instagram.com/mirandasmithwriter/

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Nell is shocked to discover that her mother Sarah has only recently died while she had been told by her grandmother Lilian that both her parents died when she was a baby. She travels down to the family home to find her grandmother is ill and moved into a care home while her house is renovated by Nell’s cousin. But does Adam have a sinister reason for wanting to be in the house: is he hoping to inherit?

I Know You Lied was an absolutely gripping read. The psychological drama and the family tensions were so captivating. It was quite a quick read and I couldn’t put it down!

The secrets, mystery and lies that are revealed over the course of the book are fascinatingly awful. Lilian is cruel and manipulative yet she has a very human reason for her behaviour: love. The full story of the three generations develops gradually so the reader has the opportunity to guess about the next twist on its way.

Most of the plot is delivered through Nell in third person. There are flashbacks to Sarah’s life, again told through third person as well as via a journal which Nell finds. Letters from Lilian are also provided to give us an insight into Lilian’s character and motives. I was desperate for both Sarah and Nell to show some backbone and stand up for themselves, whilst also understanding their vulnerability and fears.

Family is the central theme to this book but the psychological thriller element is present in the campaign to drive Nell from the house and therefore the truth.

I Know You Lied is a fitting title for the book and especially relates to the conclusion when we find out who ‘I’ is…

I have previously reviewed The Leaving Party, also by Lesley Sanderson

Media Pack Info Sheet

Author:     LESLEY SANDERSON

Book:                   I KNOW YOU LIED

Publication Day:  JUNE 23rd 2020

Buy LINKS

Amazon: https://geni.us/B086C6BF22Social

Apple: https://apple.co/2JgedGb

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3aj5IWE

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Description:

The news of her mother’s death hits Nell as if she’s been shot. The letter must be some kind of prank, but who could be so cruel? Because Nell’s mother died nearly thirty years ago.

When Nell was just a tiny baby, her parents died in a car crash, leaving her to be raised by her devoted grandmother, Lilian. So when the lawyer’s letter arrives, informing her of her mother Sarah’s very recent death, it destroys everything Nell thought she knew. Her grandmother loved her, so why did she lie? And why did her mother abandon her?

Nell knows she can never recapture the years with her mother that were taken from her, and fears this will haunt her forever. Now she won’t rest until she finds out why she was so cruelly deceived. But her family’s past has been kept secret for a reason, and someone is desperate for it to stay that way. How much danger will Nell risk for the truth?

If you loved The Silent Patient, The Secret Mother, and The Wife Between Us, then this addictive thriller about dark family secrets and obsession will have you on the edge of your seat.

Author Bio:

Lesley attended the Curtis Brown Creative 6 month novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 The Orchid Girls (then On The Edge) was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.

Lesley is the author of psychological thrillers and spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and works as a librarian. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has been hooked on psychological thrillers ever since.

Author Social Media Links

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/lsandersonbooks/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LSandersonbooks