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Morwenna Mutton has mixed emotions when a theatre company arrives in Seal Bay. Her granddaughter gets a role in the production which is exciting but the unpopular lead actor starts dating her mother. Then he dies on stage, apparently of natural causes, but Morwenna suspects one of his enemies of murder…

Bloodshed on the Boards is the second book to feature amateur sleuth Morwenna in Cornwall. I have previously read and reviewed the first book in the series, Foul Play at Seal Bay. There are mentions of events and outcomes from the first book but no major spoilers.

Morwenna adores her family so is thrilled when Elowen gets to perform on stage. She is less thrilled that Daniel Kitto is dating her mum Lamorna especially after he almost ran her over on their first meeting! She isn’t the only one who finds Daniel a bit jarring and after his death she believes that someone killed him.

There are a host of suspects and motives after Morwenna ‘borrows’ some evidence and discovers that Daniel was murdered. She can’t help launching into her own investigation: I think she enjoys the sense of purpose it gives her as well as the opportunity to find closure for her grieving mother.

I liked the family focus of the book and the strong relationships across the generations. Elowen’s obsession with getting a dog did start to irritate me a little but seemed an accurate depiction of a small child’s relentless nagging! Morwenna and her ex Ruan get along well to support the family dynamic but there are unresolved issues as both try to move on romantically.

Bloodshed on the Boards is an enjoyable cosy murder mystery. I have to mention the Cornish landscape and culture which thread through the plot, characters and dialogue, vividly bringing the book to life.

Bloodshed on the Boards

There is excitement in the air as the travelling theatre arrives in Seal Bay.

When The Spriggan Travelling Theatre Company arrives in Seal Bay to perform a Cornish version of King Arthur the locals flock to be entertained. But for Morwenna Mutton, sexagenarian librarian, wild swimming enthusiast and amateur sleuth, the theatre brings intrigue too. Actor and director Daniel Kitto is not the most popular member of the cast and unbeknownst to him, his role of Uther Pendragon on the opening night is to be his swansong.

In front of a horrified audience, he collapses during the dying moments of the performance in a pool of fake blood, and although the police are content that the causes of his death are natural, Morwenna isn’t so sure. And once it becomes clear that there are a number of people who stand to gain from Daniel’s death, Morwenna’s investigation takes a dangerous turn.

If you love Miss Marple and The Thursday Murder Club, then you’ll love The Morwenna Mutton mysteries.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/bloodshedboardssocial

Author Bio –

Judy Leigh is the USA Today bestselling author of The Old Girls’ Network and Five French Hens and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judyleighuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudyLeighWriter

Instagram: Judy Leigh (@judyrleigh) • Instagram photos and videos

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Bookbub profile: Judy Leigh Books – BookBub

June Bennett is a successful businesswoman. She is found dead by two of her employees, murdered by hanging and dressed in a 1930s costume. Drake and his team set to work but are interrupted by the discovery of another murder scene…

Looking Good Dead is the 12th book in the DI Drake series. I have read and reviewed books 10 and 11: Time To Die and Stone Cold Dead. Each book works as a standalone but personal and professional relationships have developed over the series.

June made enemies across her wide business interests as well as in her personal life. There are plenty of suspects for Drake and his team to investigate and pinning down motive is tricky. The killer uses the media to publicise his murders and directly targets Drake who fears for the safety of his family.

Most of the book is written to show the police investigation. There are some chapters written from the killer’s first person perspective and this adds to the tension as we witness his schemes and actions.

As I’ve said in my earlier reviews, I really like Drake and his stable family life. He has just got back from honeymoon and his new wife supports him completely rather than begrudging his dedication to his work. The Welsh landscape and culture underpins the plot and I felt immersed in the events and characters’ lives.

Looking Good Dead is an enjoyable police procedural with an easy-to-like lead detective.

Looking Good Dead (Inspector Drake Book 12)

 Can DI Drake uncover the mysterious connection between two unconnected victims dressed in 1930s attire before more deaths?

 Two startled shop assistants find the body of well-known businesswoman June Bennett hanging in a shop premises she owns. Drake and his team immediately suspect her death is linked to the parties she organised where revellers wore 1930s style clothes.

As suspicion falls upon her husband, the investigation takes an unexpected turn when the team uncovers ‘spin-off’ parties of a more scandalous nature. With the sudden death of an unrelated bank manager, Inspector Drake faces the formidable task of establishing a motive that links both victims.

Tension escalates as the killer taunts Drake with chilling photographs from the scene of the second murder, attracting a deluge of media attention. Yet, Drake is determined to stay resolute, drawing upon the echoes of his past battles?

Looking Good Dead is the twelfth book in the dynamic Inspector Drake crime series. If you like police procedurals, clever mysteries, and gripping page-turners, then you’ll love Stephen Puleston’s unnerving whodunit.

STEPHEN PULESTON

Stephen Puleston was born in Holyhead/Caergybi, Ynys Môn, in Wales. After leaving university he trained and practised as a lawyer.

He is now a full time author presently writing two crime series. Both are based in Wales, a country rich in history and spectacular scenery.

The Inspector Ian Drake books involve a detective inspector based in North Wales, the area where he was born and raised, who faces his own demons while solving gruesome murders.

The Inspector John Marco series follows the adventures of John Marco an inspector based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales. He’s from a Welsh-Italian family catching the killers at large in the bustling city of Cardiff.

All the novels in the Inspector Drake and Marco series are available as audiobooks. All are narrated by experienced professional actors.

Stephen lives with his family in Ynys Môn/Anglesey.

Jen and Rob seem to have the perfect marriage. But he has been cheating and lying in both his personal and professional lives. What will Jen do to protect her family?

My Husband’s Affair is a psychological thriller about secrets being revealed.

People think Jen has a charmed life. A devoted husband, three beautiful children, a luxury penthouse apartment, no work as she is fully supported by her husband. Behind the scenes, Jen feels uneasy and trapped. Her past has made her vulnerable but also given her the determination to protect her children at any cost.

The early part of the book shows us Jen’s life and contrasts this with chapters showing Rob’s affair in the preceding months. This means we know he is a cheat before Jen does and raises the anticipation as we wait for her to find out. I thought I was so clever working out who Rob was having an affair with: I was wrong! Halfway through the book we know who he has been seeing and what dodgy dealings he has been involved with.

Secrets and lies unravel and the characters adapt to their new circumstances. I didn’t find the characters’ actions particularly credible but was fascinated by the plot twists. Plans begin to spiral out of control for Jen and Rob, and I was gripped as I couldn’t wait to see how events would unfold.

My Husband’s Affair was an entertaining and dramatic psychological thriller.

My Husband’s Affair: A totally addictive and heart-pounding psychological thriller

 We promised forever. But only one of us will leave this marriage alive…

I thought I had the perfect marriage. But as our beautiful children sleep soundly in the next room, I stare at the messages between my husband Rob and another woman, their promises to run away together bringing tears to my eyes. My heart stops when I see the latest one: ‘Leave my wife to me. I’ll get rid of her.’

My blood runs cold. I know this woman. I’ve let her into my home, where she’s bounced my rosy-cheeked baby on her knee. She could ruin my life in moments – she knows things about me even Rob doesn’t…

They think they can get rid of me so easily. They think they can just tear apart the perfect life we’ve built. But they’ve made a mistake underestimating me. He doesn’t know I’ve uncovered his secrets. And now I know just enough to destroy him.

I can play the perfect wife for just a little longer. I’ll do anything to protect my children and my life. And he has no idea just how far I’ll go…

A completely gripping psychological thriller about unthinkable betrayal by those you love the most, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Claire McGowan and The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose.

https://geni.us/B0CV5MBHNPsocial

Author Bio:

Ruth Heald is the bestselling author of psychological thrillers THE WEDDING, I KNOW YOUR SECRET, THE MOTHER’S MISTAKE and THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS, and the relationship drama 27: SIX FRIENDS, ONE YEAR.

Ruth studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.

Twitter: @RJ_Heald

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rjhealdauthor/

Instagram: @ruthheald

Website: https://ruthheald.com/

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London 1922. Mabel Canning belongs to the Useful Women Company and also runs the amateur sleuth section. She is hired to act as a companion to a young woman from America, escorting her to the sights of town. But on a night out at the Palais dance hall, Mabel and her charge are implicated in the death of a man…

A Body at the Dance Hall is the third book in the London Ladies’ Murder Club series centred on Mabel Canning. I have read and reviewed the first book in the series, A Body on the Doorstep, but need to catch up on the second. There are no spoilers about events in previous book although relationships between characters have developed over the earlier books.

Mabel accepts the role of companion to 18 year old Roxanne. But on their first night out to a dance hall, Mabel is locked up by a man who claims he is also there to keep an eye on Roxy. When she escapes the lcoked room, the man is dead and Roxy is covered in blood. Mabel sets to work to discover more about the victim so that she can find his killer.

Mabel is supported by her friends and neighbours, including Gladys the dog, but I felt this book didn’t quite have the spark of the first book. Park continues to make her heart flutter as well as helping with the case due to his police knowledge and contacts. The tone of the writing is light hearted despite the murderous content.`I enjoyed the historical detail that brings the 1920s to life. Attitudes to women and class are explored over the course of the book and Mabel is quite modern in outlook.

A Body at the Dance Hall is an enjoyable cosy historical murder mystery.

Book Description:

Author Bio:

Marty Wingate is a USA Today best-selling author of both mysteries and historical fiction. Marty enjoys weaving humor into her books and creating characters—from quirky and loveable to sinister and duplicitous—that leap off the page. Before embarking on her series about the London Ladies Murder Club with Bookouture, Marty published three contemporary cozy mystery series (the Potting Shed, Birds of a Feather, and First Edition Library books). She has also published two standalone books of historical fiction and found stories of the past to be compelling. She’s delighted to combine her penchant for both mysteries and histories to bring her readers more satisfying stories. Marty currently resides near Seattle, Washington.

https://martywingate.com/

https://www.facebook.com/martywingateauthor/

https://twitter.com/martywingate/

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CQ3ZXYGKsocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Jane Bell is hoping for a quiet Halloween as she patrols the streets. But a call out concerning a Dracula brandishing a knife leads to a chase that is halted when her partner collapses and almost dies. The next morning Jane is devastated to be informed that the escaped Dracula went on to stab two women…

Murder on a Country Walk is the 4th police procedural book to feature Special Constable Jane Bell and her colleague DI Steph Warwick.

It’s a dramatic start to the book as Jane and her partner race after Dracula. The likelihood is that the knife is fake but they have to pursue the suspect. Jane is horrified as her partner crumples to the floor with a heart attack and the chase is abandoned. Shortly afterwards two women are attacked on the street and one is repeatedly stabbed to death in front of her daughter. Jane feels guilty that she couldn’t catch the killer and resolves to investigate by staying with her partner in the village where the two women lived. She uncovers a host of secrets and motives, and more death follows…

I felt a little lost at the start of the book as we are introduced to a range of characters and the connections and relevance isn’t immediately clear. The murder case then begins and Jane starts to gather background information about the victim. The plot shifts focus when another character, seemingly unconnected, disappears from the village and Jane wonders if there is a link between the cases.

Jane and Steph continue to have an uneasy working relationship. Both are utterly committed to their police work but the difference in rank and responsibility leads to tension. Jane is a bit nosy and oversteps her role, treading on Steph’s toes. But Steph needs Jane’s insight and easy going manner which helps others confide in her.

Murder on a Country Walk is an enjoyable police procedural with strong lead characters.

MURDER ON A COUNTRY WALK by Janice Frost

A TOTALLY GRIPPING BRITISH CRIME MYSTERY FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR JANICE FROST.

It begins as a Halloween prank. It ends in cold-blooded murder.

Halloween. One of the busiest nights of the year for Lincolnshire police. Special Constable Jane Bell is called out to reports of someone in a Dracula mask terrorising the residents of a nearby estate with a replica knife. She races to the scene — but the man in the mask flees into the night.

The next morning, Detective Steph Warwick turns up on Jane’s doorstep. There’s been a murder. Dracula went on to attack two women, retired schoolteacher Susan Gedney and her daughter Gina. Susan died at the scene, Gina survived. The knife turned out to be all too real.

Then another young woman disappears from the picturesque village where Susan and Gina lived. She was last seen out on a country walk — but she never returned.

Three woman targeted from the same small village. This is no coincidence.

Detectives Steph and Jane are faced with the most baffling case of their careers.

This unputdownable mystery full of twists is the perfect read for fans of Angela Marsons, Helen H. Durrant, Rachel McLean and Michael Hambling.

READERS LOVE THE WARWICK & BELL SERIES:

‘I love this series . . . Gripping from start to finish.’ Booklover Bev

‘Filled with twists and turns aplenty.’ Valleri M.

‘Read it in one sitting. Loved it.’ Aileen G.

‘An unputdownable mystery full of twists . . . Had me gasping out loud.’ Paula H.

‘An excellent thriller that keeps the reader enthralled until the final pages.’ Rita H.

‘This book had everything! It has suspense, intrigue . . . and so many crazy twists and turns. Well worth reading!’ Debbie B.

MEET THE DETECTIVES
SPC Jane Bell is in her mid-forties, a widow of three years following the premature death of her husband, Sam. She has two grown-up children, Patrick and Norah, who are pursuing careers in London. After Sam’s death, Jane makes some changes to her life. She downsizes from their large family home in the country to a cottage in Lincoln.

DI Stephanie Warwick is in her mid-thirties. She left school at eighteen and worked in a bank before joining the police force. She is haunted by her ex-boyfriend, Cal. He attempted to kill her twelve years ago, and murdered her best friend.

ALSO BY JANICE FROST
WARWICK & BELL SERIES

1: MURDER AMONG FRIENDS
2: MURDER ACROSS THE LINES
3: MURDER AGAINST THE ODDS
4: MURDER ON A COUNTRY WALK

THE COMPLETE MERRY & NEAL MYSTERIES
1: DEAD SECRET
2: DARK SECRET
3: HER HUSBAND’S SECRET
4: THEIR FATAL SECRETS
5: DIRTY SECRETS
6: MURDEROUS SECRETS

STANDALONE NOVELS
THE WOMAN ON THE CLIFF