loopyloulaura

Adam Selby kills himself by throwing himself in front of a car on a motorway. He leaves behind Alice and Max, a grieving widow and son but also the devastated driver of the car, Ben.

Ben feels incredibly guilty even though he knows Adam’s act was deliberate. He seeks to make amends by helping Alice and Max to rebuild their lives. But it begins to be an obsession…

The Wreckage is cleverly written from Alice and Ben’s viewpoints, allowing us to see events in different ways which affects our perception of the situation and the characters involved.

Alice is obviously emotional and confused but turns to alcohol and often acts selfishly. Meanwhile, Ben’s behaviour becomes increasingly concerning and obsessive but he has Alice and Max’s best interests at heart. Both characters are likeable but flawed, and the main damage was caused by Adam’s decision to end his life in the way he did.

The developing relationship between Alice and Ben becomes uncomfortable as it becomes obvious that Ben’s feelings are much stronger. The different versions of their sexual encounter is particularly awkward to read as they perceive it so differently from each other.

There is a final twist which I was not expecting at all and it did make me rethink the entire book. The pace of developments is fast and engaging, maintaining and encouraging the reader’s attention and enjoyment.

The Wreckage blurb:

Things will never be the same again…

Ben is driving on the motorway, on his usual commute to the school where he works.

A day like any other, except for Adam, who in a last despairing act jumps in front of Ben’s car, and in killing himself, turns the teacher’s world upside down.

Wracked with guilt and desperate to clear his conscience, Ben develops a friendship with Alice, Adam’s widow, and her 7-year-old son Max.

But as he tries to escape the trauma of the wreckage, could Ben go too far in trying to make amends?

Gripping and sinister, The Wreckage is guaranteed to keep you up all night…

Tom Kilgannon hides a secret past. He is in witness protection after working undercover to ensure gangster Dean Foley ended up behind bars. Now his skills are required again and he is sent to prison to befriend a convicted child killer and find their graves.

Except the prison is the one where Dean is currently residing…

The tension and anticipation of whether Tom and Dean will confront each other is created really effectively. Tom begs for help from the officer running the operation but police corruption means he is stuck in prison at the mercy of the inmates and guards who are mostly on Foley’s payroll.

The Sinner was a deeply fascinating glimpse into prison life and the psychological strength needed to be an undercover cop. There was not a great deal of violence with the exception of one fight scene where Tom is attacked by two inmates. For the most part, the violence isn’t too graphic or occurs outside the scene which leaves it to the imagination of the reader instead.

There is an hilarious line on the first page about UKIP and I really enjoyed Martyn Waites’ tone and style of narrative. There are some parts set in the past to show the relationships between characters which affect action in the present.

Tom is an interesting character and has obviously made some difficult choices in life as part of his undercover role. He has an honesty and integrity that have resulted in him doing the wrong things but for the right reasons to catch criminals.

References are made to events in the past and after finishing The Sinner I discovered it was book 2 in the Tom Kilgannon series. However, this works perfectly well as a stand alone novel.

About The Sinner:

In prison not everyone is guilty . . .

Tom Killgannon, ex-undercover police officer and now in witness protection, is recalled to active service by a local police task force, headed by DS Sheridan.

His mission is to befriend notorious child killer Noel Cunningham and find out where he buried the bodies of his final two victims. The catch? Tom has to obtain that information from within Blackmoor prison itself. Undercover and with no back-up, Tom soon runs into danger. In the prison is convicted gangster Dean Foley. He used to run Manchester’s biggest gang, until Tom’s testimony put him away for life. He recognises Tom, and so begins a cat-and-mouse game as Tom fights for survival before Foley can get his revenge.

But why can’t Tom reach DS Sheridan and what is the real reason he has been sent to Blackmoor prison?

I am always on the look out for new children’s authors to inspire my children and I have found a new one!

Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets is fun and reminds me of the plucky children from Enid Blyton’s Five Find Outters that I read as a child. The book is aimed at children aged 9-12 and I think my 9 year old would enjoy the mystery, drama and facts.

In this book, four children investigate the disappearance of an Egyptian urn but a mysterious masked figure is determined it should remain hidden. They are also trying to restore the reputation of the person wrongfully accused of stealing the urn and this gives the case a personal feel.

The children are all likeable as characters and approaching the age when they are awkward around the opposite sex. There are comedic moments as well as dangerous incidents to keep the plot interesting and make children readers identify with the main child detectives.

There did seem to be previous cases that the children had investigated but I understand that this is the first book in the series. I found it slightly incredible as an adult reader that the children would have such fame and independence to investigate a case but I think children readers will be swept up in the plot.

I really liked the historical and zoological aspects of this book and did go away to check the facts: authior Sherrill Joseph has done her research! I hope children are also inspired or have their interest sparked so they go and look up details for themselves too. I also enjoyed being taught about the Hawaiian language right at the end of the book.

I’m so pleased to share this long-awaited release with all of you today! Nutmeg: Egyptian Secrets by Sherrill Joseph is the perfect MG mystery for readers! Read on for an exclusive excerpt and a chance to win the most amazing giveaway!

Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets (A Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries #1)

Publication Date: February 1st, 2020

Genre: MG/ Middle Grade/ Mystery (Ages 9 – 12)

World-famous Egyptologist Dr. Winston Thornsley died suddenly two months ago in disgrace. His widow, Ida Thornsley, remains convinced her husband was falsely accused of stealing an ancient burial urn he discovered in Egypt last summer, but local and federal law enforcement officers are stumped.

Mrs. Thornsley, desperate for answers, calls in her thirteen-year-old neighbors, the Botanic Hill Detectives—twins Lanny and Lexi Wyatt, Moki Kalani, and Rani Kumar. Their exciting mission? To find the urn and its real thief, bring the criminal to justice, and exonerate Dr. Thornsley so his spotless reputation can be restored.

A roomful of venomous snakes, the poisoned Egyptian pond, and Dragon Pit Man are just a few of the tests awaiting the four tech-savvy teenagers. As the detectives begin to unravel the sinister plot, the mystery takes a dangerous turn. Answers are at their fingertips—if they can only convince their parents to let them solve the case.

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Excerpt – Chapter 4

“Here we go again. An aftershock! I’ve been afraid this would happen,” said Dr. Kurtz. She rapidly surveyed the room full of terrariums. “And one of my assistants just called to say he’s found a somewhat hidden but large crack from this morning’s tremor on one of our venomous snake enclosure’s glass panes. It’s a major emergency. Come out with me quickly boys—now! I have to attend to this immediately,” she shouted behind her, as she grabbed her tool bag, yanked open the heavy door, and fled outside and down the breezeway to the enclosure.

Unfortunately, Moki and Lanny weren’t as fast as Dr. Kurtz. The door banged shut in their surprised faces and locked. They were trapped in a windowless room.

As if that weren’t bad enough, the power failed simultaneously, and the room went pitch black. Both boys froze, helplessly surrounded by three walls of venomous snakes they could still hear but no longer see.

Now Available

Amazon – Print | Kindle | Other Fine Retailers

About the Author

Sherrill Joseph’s debut novel, Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, had been inside her head for decades. The mystery genre took hold of her as a fifth grader when she discovered Nancy Drew and Phyllis A. Whitney mysteries. Years later, it still hasn’t let go.

After graduating Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a master’s in education, Sherrill spent the next thirty-five years as a K-12 literacy teacher. When she retired from teaching in 2013, the Botanic Hill Detectives and their mysteries finally sprang to life.

Forever inspired by her beautiful students in the San Diego public schools, the author has peopled and themed the Botanic Hill Detectives mysteries with children of various abilities, cultures, and interests. She strongly believes that embracing diversity is the key to a better world.

Sherrill is a native San Diegan where she lives in a ninety-year-old house in a historic neighborhood with her bichon frisé-poodle mix, Jimmy Lambchop. In addition to her dog, the city of San Diego, reading and writing, the author loves her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. She must also include dark chocolate, popcorn, old movies, staircases, the color purple, and daisies. She is a member of SCBWI and the Authors’ Guild and promises many more adventures with the squad to come.

Sherrill Joseph | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Giveaway Time!

US Only: One signed paperback copy of Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets

• One bookmark
• One sticker
• One refrigerator magnet
• Winner’s choice of either the standing Egyptian goddess Bastet statue or, the reclining Egyptian god Anubis statue

International Only: One eBook copy of Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets

Click the link below to enter and best of luck!

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