Willow Greyson has rebuilt her legal career after the devastating murder of her boyfriend in the courtroom where they were on opposing sides of the case. She has high status in her legal practice and a loving fiance Hunter, another lawyer in the firm.
A shocking discovery puts Willow’s career, relationship and even her life in danger…
Plotwise, For The Love Of The Law is fast paced and engaging. The twists are unexpected and raise questions about how YOU would react in the same position. There is also an emotional side and psychological perspective due to the turbulence of Willow’s situation and reactions.
We see events in flashback chapters which are written in the first person, unlike the rest of the book which is third person and therefore more neutral. The flashbacks help us to understand the emotional background to the character’s behaviour so that we can relate to them in the present day sections.
There is a LOT of sex in this book so be warned if you blush easily… đ
At around 170 pages, this is a reasonably quick but definitely enjoyable read with plenty of drama (and sex!)
I am very impressed that Deborah is able to write books belonging to such diverse genres with success each time! Read my reviews of Deborah’s other books: The Asylum Tour and Lacey Patrick and the Wizard of Darkness.
Book blurb:
Running from her scarred past, Willow Greyson thought she would never practice the law again, and she was certain she would never allow herself to love again. She was getting by, content with her life if not completely happy, but all of that changed when she met Hunter Graham. Willow slowly begins to open herself up to the idea of love once more after she finds herself working alongside Hunter at a law firm.
Hunter Graham is determined to do whatever it takes to make Willow his, even if that means being vulnerable around her. But when a shadowy figure from Willowâs past makes an appearance, it becomes clear to Hunter that keeping the love of his life might not be so easy. Hunter must decide whether to fight for Willow, or whether to be the man who loves her enough to let her go.
Will Willowâs past destroy her relationship with Hunter, or is he truly her soul mate? Find out in For the Love of the Law, the new legal romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat to the very last page.
I was absolutely thrilled to be offered the chance to review Anton du Beke’s new novel Moonlight Over Mayfair. I admit to reading the first chapter in Anton’s voice but soon got over my adoration and enjoyed the book for its own merits.
Set in the magnificent Buckingham Hotel in the 1930s, it is full of diverse characters and plotlines. Nancy Nettleton is anxiously awaitng the return of her love Raymond who is visiting his mentor in Hollywood. Meanwhile, she finds herself embroiled in upper class Vivienne Edgerton’s scheme to help the less fortunate of society.
Helene Marchmont is struggling to deal with widowhood and the support of her mixed race daughter. At the same time she develops a relationship with Irish businessman Arthur Regan who is challenging the anti-Irish sentiment prevalent at the time. Du Beke is not afraid to discuss the racial inequalities and political situations that existed in the 1930s and beyond.
As an historian, I loved the insight into the 1930s London in the period of the coronation of King George VI and the lead up to the Second World War. The book evokes the same nostalgia as Downton Abbey and Gosford Park, and I could easily imagine this to be made into a Sunday night series.
Dance obviously features heavily and in this book, Raymond brings new trends from America such as the jitterbug whilst also enjoying the traditional dances of the ballroom. This emphasises the period of change that Moonlight Over Mayfair encompasses.
There is a real mix of characters and personal situations. Class differences, nationality clashes, love and loss, career aspirations and family all feature in the character development. Continuity and change are key themes throughout the book and I felt that Anton du Beke treats these subjects sensitively.
There are some references to events in the recent past and it was only midway through that I discovered through Google that Moonlight Over Mayfair is actually a sequel; it therefore works perfectly well as a stand alone novel.
About Moonlight Over Mayfair:
London, 1937.
With a new king in place, tensions are rising in London and across Europe. Shaken by the Great Depression and with talk of another war coming, the Buckingham Hotel is trying to regain some stability.
Upstairs, Vivienne Edgerton is desperate to do something worthwhile with her time and her stepfather’s money, rather than spending it on frivolity and debauchery – but will this land her in even more trouble?
And downstairs, chambermaid Nancy Nettleton is finally starting to feel more settled at the Buckingham, and hopes her brother will soon call London home, too. But she misses the man she loves, demonstration dancer Raymond de Guise, who is noticeably absent from the Grand Ballroom dance floor.
The staff and guests of the Buckingham soon discover that in a hotel full of secrets, there’s always someone listening . . .
Although a huge fan of Faith Martin, this is the first of her Hillary Greene series that I have read and it’s book number 18!
I, therefore, came fresh to the book as she changes direction and we are introduced to a new team with a new recruit ex army Gareth who is adjusting to civilian life and learning to deal with his physical injuries. Hillary leads the cold case team, investigating old crimes where an investigation didn’t lead to a ocnviction.
Their latest case is the murder of a drug dealer Andrew Feeley from a single stab wound. There are plenty of suspects for Hillary and her team to interview but little evidence so she is forced to rely on her meticulous notes and police instinct.
The police characters are down to earth and easy to relate to. There is no graphic forensic detail or violence, and the whole focus is on interview technique combined with careful sifting of facts so that we can join in with the process of eliminating suspects.
I thought that the way Faith Martin uses the new character of Gareth to introduce Hillary’s change of circumstances and role is really clever. It is a way to inform us of the processes involved in cold cases and the difference between this and usual police novels. It will suit previous fans of the series and also new ones like me đ
I think there is scope for many more novels with the new team, and long may Hillary reign!
Have a peek at stand alone spooky mystery The Lavender Lady that I reviewed last week đ
Hillaryâs Back (Detective Hillary Greene #18) by Faith Martin
ONE OF THE WORLDâS FAVOURITE DETECTIVES RETURNS.
A BRAND NEW MYSTERY IN THE MILLION-SELLING SERIES.
DETECTIVE HILLARY GREENE IS BACK!
Eighteen months after Hillary suffered a personal tragedy, she is throwing herself into her work to try to get over it.
Former soldier Gareth Proctor joins her team and finds himself quickly growing to enjoy his new environment.
The first cold case he works on is the murder of Andrew Feeley.
In 2012, this twenty-one-year-old was found dead in the woods near his home, killed by a single stab wound to the chest from his own knife.
Andrew was extremely unpopular. He was a drug dealer, pimp and bully. His stepdad was one of the main suspects, as they hated each other and often came to blows. Other suspects include Toby Truman and his mother Debbie. Andrew was responsible for getting Toby hooked on drugs.
Given Andrewâs criminal background, his murder is thought to be drug-related.
But Hillaryâs not buying it â she knows itâs personal. And a search of the Feeleysâ garden turns up some chilling evidence.
HILLARY GREENE RETURNS TO ONE OF HER TOUGHEST CASES YET.
This is a crime mystery full of well-observed characters, which will have you gripped from start to the absolutely thrilling conclusion.
THE DETECTIVE
DI Hillary Greene
An attractive, single woman just over fifty, Hillary Greene was a police officer of many yearsâ experience (earning the rank of DI) and came up through the ranks. Consequently, she knew how the system worked, and was always fiercely loyal to the force without being blinkered to its faults. Forced to retire early through no fault of her own, she has now returned to the force as a civilian consultant on cold cases.
DI HILLARY GREENE SERIES
BOOK 1: MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL
BOOK 2: MURDER AT THE UNIVERSITY
BOOK 3: MURDER OF THE BRIDE
BOOK 4: MURDER IN THE VILLAGE
BOOK 5: MURDER IN THE FAMILY
BOOK 6: MURDER AT HOME
BOOK 7: MURDER IN THE MEADOW
BOOK 8: MURDER IN THE MANSION
BOOK 9: MURDER IN THE GARDEN
BOOK 10: MURDER BY FIRE
BOOK 11: MURDER AT WORK
BOOK 12: MURDER NEVER RETIRES
BOOK 13: MURDER OF A LOVER
BOOK 14: MURDER NEVER MISSES
BOOK 15: MURDER AT MIDNIGHT
BOOK 16: MURDER IN MIND
BOOK 17: HILLARYâS FINAL CASE
Book 18: HILLARYâS BACK!
FAITH MARTIN is the two-million-selling author of the DETECTIVE HILLARY GREENE and JENNY STARLING mysteries, which have topped the global best-seller charts.
Faith Martin was born in Oxford, and has spent all her life within twenty miles of the university city, even working at Somerville College for five years before turning to writing full-time. The author of the popular DI Hillary Greene novels, she also writes more classic-style âwhodunitsâ under the pen name Joyce Cato, but began her writing career as Maxine Barry, winning an award for penning romance novels! A popular writer for over 25 years, she has had nearly 50 novels published so far. Her hobbies include walking her now ageing dog, wildlife-watching, reading and (reluctantly) gardening.
More FAITH MARTIN books coming soon. Join the Joffe Books mailing list to be the first to hear about the next in the series.
Manners can be a tricky thing for children to understand and learn. ‘Please’ and ‘thank you’ are major milestones when children can appreciate their meaning and use them appropriately. But now a new picture book series hopes to help parents everywhere to teach children these vital skills.
The first book in the series was published late last year and I was very happy to receive a copy for this review.
In the Impolite Imps, the house of Milo’s granny is taken over by some imps who are not well behaved and are certainly not polite or well mannered. Luckily Granny has some magic up her sleeve to put things right…
The text is rhyming and flows nicely. I find that rhyme are really fun and engaging for children. Anya enjoyed reding this to Zach although I think he would be capable of reading this himself as the language is suitable and easy to understand for preschoolers.
The illustrations are big and bold, full of colour and humour to replicate what is written on the page. The colour is a little muted which I find refreshing after so many books that have vivid bright colours that almost hurt the eyes.
Zach still needs to work on his please and thank yous so this will be regular reading for a few months so that he gets the hint!
Two further books are on their way, The Beastly Bogels and The Gobbling Goblins. Find out more at https://www.uhohmilo.com/
*We received this book for the purpose of this review
A new case for DI Nikki Galena as a series of strange ‘gifts’ to an academic results in the discovery of a body on the couple’s land in a hidden cottage. The body is missing teen Jennifer and finding it calls into question the convitcion of Patrick Shale for her murder 15 years ago. Meanwhile, another girl has gone missing and the police are frantic to locate her before she becomes the next victim. A seemingly separate case of sexual assault also is being investigated and proves to be linked.
The plot is very cleverly written to weave together the strands of the different cases. There are plenty of suspects and clues but the cases do not get fully solved until right at the end.
The relationships between the police characters are well established as you would expect from the 11th book in the series! There is the romantic hint between Nikki and Joseph but we see nothing of their personal or home life. Joseph’s daughter takes centre stage in this book which adds to the emotional drama. Scenes were stolen by the flamboyant pathologist Rory and he was kept busy by author Joy Ellis in this book!
Hidden on the Fens could easily be read as a stand alone novel. It is a hugely enjoyable police procedural story with a strong female lead. The intricate plot will keep readers guessing and there is a little forensic detail but no graphic violence or information.
Here is my review of book 10 in the Galena series: Darkness on the Fens. And my review of a Jackman and Evans book, The Stolen Boys.
Hidden on the Fens (Detective Nikki Galena #11)
FROM TWO-MILLION SELLING AUTHOR, JOY ELLIS, COMES ONE OF THE MOST EAGERLY AWAITED CRIME THRILLERS OF 2019.
A DERELICT COTTAGE HIDDEN IN A COPSE OF TREES.
A MISSING GIRL WHOSE BODY WAS NEVER FOUND.
HAS HER KILLER RETURNED?
Detective Joseph Easterâs daughter discovers a cottage hidden in some trees on a large fenland farm. Someone has been living there.
The farm-ownerâs wife has been receiving sinister pagan artefacts, including a witchâs knife. Are they some sort of warning or message?
Joseph and his daughter search the cottage and find an old satchel. Inside are photos of a beautiful girl, Jennifer Cowley. She went missing fifteen years ago. She had been stalked by a young man, who was convicted of her murder, even though her body was never found.
WHEN DI NIKKI GALENA EXAMINES THE COTTAGE, SHE FINDS SOMETHING FAR WORSE.
And in the satchel is a more recent photo of a girl who looks just like Jennifer.
The man who killed Jennifer is recently out of prison. Has he struck again?
At the same time, DC Cat Cullen and Dave Harris are trying to get evidence against a man who preys on widowed older women. Vernon Deacon is seemingly a pillar of society, with very influential friends. His victims are often not believed, so their job is not easy.
Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the heart-stopping ending.
This is book eleven of the international best-selling books featuring Nikki Galena.
Joy Ellis was nominated for audiobook of the year the British Book Awards 2018.
What readers are saying about JOY ELLIS
âJust wonderful to read.â Carole
âHolds the readerâs attention from the first word to the last.â Nicki Richards
âCompulsive reading, IÂ loved it.â Viv
âRiveting tale from start to finish.â Lynne
âAbsolutely engrossing.â Olga
âBrilliant book which kept me gripped from page 1.â Barbara
THE DETECTIVE
DI Nikki Galena: A police detective with nothing left to lose, sheâs seen a girl die in her arms and her own family destroyed. Sheâs tough on criminals but fiercely loyal to her team.
HER PARTNER
DS Joseph Easter is the squeaky-clean member of the team. But his nickname âHoly Joeâ belies his former life as a soldier. He has a daughter and an ex-wife who wants his attention.
THE SETTING
The Lincolnshire Fens: great open skies brood over marshes, farmland, and nature reserves. It is not easy terrain for the Fenland Constabulary to police, due to the distances between some of the remote fen villages, the dangerous and often misty lanes, and the poor telephone coverage. There are still villages where the oldest residents have never set foot outside their own farmland and a visit to the nearest town is a major event. But it has a strange airy beauty to it, and above it all are the biggest skies youâve ever seen.
DISCOVER YOUR NEXT FAVOURITE MYSTERY SERIES NOW
Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Robert Bryndza, Mel Sherratt, Angela Marsons, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell.
ALSO BY JOY ELLIS
THE NIKKI GALENA SERIES
Book 1: CRIME ON THE FENS
Book 2: SHADOW OVER THE FENS
Book 3: HUNTED ON THE FENS
Book 4: KILLER ON THE FENS
Book 5: STALKER ON THE FENS
Book 6: CAPTIVE ON THE FENS
Book 7: BURIED ON THE FENS
Book 8: THIEVES ON THE FENS
Book 9: FIRE ON THE FENS
Book 10: DARKNESS ON THE FENS
Book 11: HIDDEN ON THE FENS
Join the Joffe Books mailing list for updates on the next Joy Ellis mystery.
JOY ELLIS â Author Bio
UK #1 Best Seller with THEIR LOST DAUGHTERS and THE FOURTH FRIEND
Over 1 million books sold!
âI 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 ârealâ 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, and our four Springer spaniels. I had been writing mysteries for years but never had the time to take it seriously. Now I write full time, and as my partner is a highly decorated retired police officer; I find I have an in- house consultant on hand to make sure that the police and judicial procedure
is correct. She also makes very good tea! I have set my crime thrillers here in the misty fens because I sincerely love the remoteness and airy beauty of the marshlands. This area is steeped in superstitions and lends itself so well to murder!
