loopyloulaura

After an eventful sailing, including murder and a marriage proposal, Lady Eleanor Swift is safely in New York. Her fiance heads home but she witnesses a hit and run after a society party. Can she convince the police that the death was deliberate?

Murder in Manhattan is the 14th book to feature Lady Eleanor Swift and her glorious butler Clifford. The plot follows on directly from the previous book, Death On Deck, but there are no spoilers about the crime only the personal and relationships developments.

Ellie is causing the usual stir in society and despair to the loyal yet exasperated Clifford. She is ably (or not!) accompanied by Gladstone the bulldog adding to the light humour. The police are contemptuous about her suspicions and so she embarks on her own investigation to seek justice for the victim. She is her usual determined self, looking danger in the eye but always protected by Clifford.

American society does not seem very pleasant and this definitely do not improve after the murder. Ellie has plenty of avenues to explore while she searches for motive and possible suspects. I enjoyed the contrast with the usual setting of England. The geographical, cultural and social differences all feed into the plot and character dynamics.

Murder in Manhattan is an enjoyable cosy murder mystery.

Book Description:

Glitzy parties, sightseeing at the Statue of Liberty and strolls through Central Park with Gladstone the bulldog… Lady Eleanor Swift is loving her first trip to the city that never sleeps, until she witnesses a murder!

After crossing from England on the SS Celestiana, Lady Eleanor Swift sets up her home-away-from-home in a lavish apartment in New York City. She is soon the toast of the town, with no high-class soirée complete without her presence. Of course, she drags her butler Clifford and Gladstone the bulldog along to every party too.

But when she witnesses the charming doorman of her building, Marty, knocked down and killed in a hit-and-run, she finds fashionable society suddenly closes rank. The only local detective interested in helping her find the culprit is street-smart beat cop, Officer Balowski.

Resolved to get justice for Marty and his family, Eleanor searches Marty’s tiny apartment and is shocked to find five rolls of banknotes tucked under the floorboards. Money talks, but Marty was struggling to make ends meet, so where did the cash come from?

The next day, wealthy entrepreneur and flashy philanderer Ogden P. Dellaney – a man Marty used to work for – is found dead downtown, miles away from his swanky Upper East Side mansion. Eleanor and Balowski are sure the deaths are connected, but not even Dellaney’s wife is willing to answer their questions.

Then Eleanor is served with an eviction notice and Balowski is fired from the NYPD. It becomes clear that something is rotten in the Big Apple and Eleanor is determined to get to the core of the mystery before the murderer strikes again…

Murder in Manhattan is a fun, fast-paced and twisty Golden Age cozy mystery set in New York. Fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss will be glued to the pages.

Author Bio:

Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Verity Bright here: https://www.bookouture.com/verity-bright

Buy Link:

Amazon:  https://geni.us/B0BXLMZ5JVsocial

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

Twenty five years ago three girls went into the forest for a midnight party. Only two returned. In the present day, Mel moves back to Laurel Street with her husband and new baby but is confronted by the past. What really happened to Erin that night and will she ever be found?

The Party on Laurel Street is a psychological thriller set in the UK.

Mel’s life was turned upside down when one of her best friends went missing twenty five years ago. Now she is back living in the same street and her missing friend’s mum decides to host a party. Her remaining childhood friend disappears and the main suspect from before is hanging around.

The prologue which depicts the night 25 year ago is written in the first person as someone watching the girls. This felt very sinister. The book is then written in the third person to show Mel’s increasing unease at her return to Laurel Street.

The style of writing is easy to read and Mel’s mixed emotions are understandable. The scenes in the woods add to the sense of foreboding. There is huge tension and suspense as we wonder what happened in the past, what is happening now, if the same person could be responsible and whether Mel is in danger.

The Party on Laurel Street is full of mystery and drama whilst also dealing with big emotions.

Media Pack

The Party on Laurel Street: A completely addictive psychological thriller with jaw-dropping twists

Only she knows what really happened that night…

It was meant to be a time of celebration, of neighbours chatting over sparkling glasses of wine, enjoying the decadent surroundings of the huge mansion house which overlooked all the houses on Laurel Street. But then my troubled friend Gabbie has a heated argument with her husband. She leaves the party and disappears without a trace.

Gabbie’s neighbours rally round, painfully aware that Laurel Street has already had its share of tragedy. Years ago, when we were children, my best friend Erin vanished, never to be seen again, after having a secret party in the woods with me and Gabbie as our families celebrated the new year.

I want Gabbie to be found safe. I need her to come home. Because if she doesn’t, I know that all eyes will be on me as they were years ago.

But then I discover that my husband Luke was the last person to see Gabbie alive and I’m reminded of all the times I saw them getting close. As much as I pushed it to the back of my mind, I have to ask, can I really trust them? And worse, is someone about to make me pay for the secret I’ve been keeping for so long?

A totally unputdownable and gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist for fans of Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and Louise Candlish.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://ow.ly/OYjW50OJ4us

Apple:  https://ow.ly/fkfE50OJ4ut

Kobo: https://ow.ly/UCia50OJ4uu

Google: https://ow.ly/lgjJ50OJ4uv

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.

You can connect with Ruth on Twitter @RJ_Heald, or Facebook /RJHealdauthor

Author social media:

 Twitter: @RJ_Heald

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

Instagram: @ruthheald

Website: https://ruthheald.com/

Author newsletter sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/ruth-heald

Carrie is devastated and guilt-ridden by the death of her sister. She escapes to a holiday home in Scotland, close to where she spent her childhood. Can the welcoming community help to heal her heart?

The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch is a warm and emotional book about moving on from grief. It is the third book to feature the loch community but the first I have read so works perfectly well as a stand alone book.

Carrie blames herself for the car accident that killed her sister. She has already lost her mother whilst her dad is practically a stranger. She has no-one and nothing. But arriving in Loch Cameron, the locals take her under their wing and she is given her great aunt’s diary which contains huge family secrets.

There is also a romantic dimension to the plot as Carrie meets Rory. Their friendship doesn’t have the best of starts but there is a spark. He is also dealing with issues from his past and both need to move forwards and think of the future in order to heal. The writing is warm and has a hopeful tone despite the huge emotional issues the characters have to deal with.

The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch is a wonderfully uplifting book about second chances and facing the future.

MEDIA PACK

Book: The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch

Author: Kennedy Kerr

Pub Day:  June 28th 2023

Buy Link(s):

https://geni.us/B0C4FLSCYTsocial

About the Book: 

Sitting in the purple heather, Carrie carefully opens the tattered cover of the journal, the gold-edged pages catching the sunlight shimmering off the surface of the loch. The handwriting is unmistakable. The words inside will shatter everything she thought she knew about her family…

Carrie Anderson searches under the flowerpot by the bright blue door and finds the keys to the little whitewashed cottage. Still recovering from the heart-wrenching loss of her beautiful sister, Carrie hopes that staying on the edge of the glittering loch, where the siblings used to spend summers with their great-aunt Maud, will help her heal from her grief.

On a trip to the tiny village store, Carrie literally bumps into ex-Navy officer turned chef Rory McRae. Tall and broad shouldered, at first Rory is infuriatingly distant, but his enthusiasm for his farm-to-table restaurant lights up his rich brown eyes. When he tells Carrie that he’s understaffed, she is quick to offer help. She soon finds Rory’s warm smile and playful jokes are a balm to her heart. Suddenly, Carrie begins to feel less alone.

But then she discovers a diary her aunt Maud kept as a young woman after World War Two. The faded sepia photograph of a baby boy tucked into the back reveals a heartbreaking secret about her family she can scarcely believe. Opening up to Rory, could the discovery of a long-lost relative finally heal the loneliness that has been plaguing Carrie’s heart? Or will the secrets the diary unravels destroy her hope for a new future in Loch Cameron?

Get ready to fall in love with the Scottish Highlands in this stunning, heartbreaking and uplifting read by USA Today bestselling author Kennedy Kerr. For fans of Susanne O’Leary, Debbie Macomber and Pamela Kelley.

Author Bio

Social Media

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KennedyKerr5

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/kennedykerrauthor/

Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/kennedy-kerr

Daisy and James have their whole married life ahead of them and she has just discovered she is pregnant. But then she finds herself in prison for his murder and her daughter may be taken away fromher at birth. Could she be innocent and prove it in order to keep her daughter?

The Bride is a tense and emotional psychological thriller.

Daisy is facing life in prison for the murder of her husband. She reflects on their relationship from the start as teens in Wales, through to their return from honeymoon with a baby on the way. They stopped off at a petrol station but James vanished while she was inside. Now she is accused of his murder and wants to explain events to her child.

The book is written from Daisy’s first person perspective as she recalls her life and love with James before moving onto more recent events. Her confusion and emotion as well as her determination to set the record straight for her unborn daughter, are powerfully depicted.

The pace of the plot developments speeds up as we move from the past to the present. There are lots of twists and secrets which are hinted at in the first half of the book to build the tension and anticipation.

The Bride has plenty of mystery and cleverly builds the tension.

The Bride

She’s on trial for murder… Now it’s her turn to tell her story…

# The truth is that I loved James with my whole heart. We were soulmates: meant to be together forever. On the morning of our wedding, I had just found out I was carrying his child.

But it’s time to tell my side of the story. It’s time everyone knew what happened on that wedding day, on our honeymoon, and on that fateful last drive together. It’s time everyone found out about the secrets and about the threat that loomed over our marriage. It’s time everyone found out who really killed James.

And I need everyone to believe me. To believe I’m not a killer. Because if they don’t, then my baby won’t just have no father… she’ll have no mother.

https://mybook.to/thebridesocial

Author Bio –

John Nicholl is the bestselling author of numerous psychological thrillers and detective series, previously published by Bloodhound, and inspired by his real-life experience as an ex-police officer and child protection social worker. Boldwood will be publishing the next title in his Galbraith series and a new psychological thriller in autumn 2022, and will be reissuing his bestselling backlist from May 2022.

Social Media Links –

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/nicholl06

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/johnnichollauthor/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JohnNichollNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/john-nicholl

Francesca’s personal life and career are disasterous so she jumps at the chance to travel to Italy to purchase some rare books. She has a competitor who also wants to secure the deal but they must work togther to find the hidden books.

The Bookseller’s Daughter is a dual timeline novel set in the present day and the 1930s-40s. I have previously reviewed The Lost Village by Daniela Sacerdoti.

Francesca has been dumped by her fiance but is still living with him (mostly sleeping on the couch and hoping for their love to reignite). Her career is in tatters due to unpleasant associations with fraud that she was innocent of. Both situations had me gnashing my teeth in rage at the unfairness! She has a chance to prove herself in Italy but finds herself on a quest rather than a simple transaction.

Helena has written a diary in 1944 to chart her experiences of being orphaned but also joining a convent. She has been through a lot of pain and grief due to the deaths of her family when she was younger before subverting the power of the Nazis.

The strength of women is a recurring theme in this book. There are also ghosts to add an extra dimension to the plot. I enjoyed the historical detail included in the book as well as the emotional and supernatural aspects. The writing style brings both timelines to life and the setting is described vividly to underpin the plot and characters.

The Bookseller’s Daughter is an engaging and often emotional book.

Book Description:

‘As the soldiers arrived on our sandy beaches, a brave young girl hid beautiful leather-bound books. She risked her life to protect the secrets of this island and save the man she loved. I want you to find the books, dear Francesca. Her diary holds the first clue, take it, and uncover her incredible story…’

As golden sunlight shimmers across the crystal-clear water, Francesca arrives on the tranquil Italian island of Santa Caterina in search of precious rare books. She quickly discovers she was invited by the island’s mysterious owner, alongside handsome local book collector Thiago, to unlock a secret spanning generations. Together, they learn the books were hidden during the Second World War by Helèna, the daughter of a bookseller, who sacrificed everything to save the island’s treasures from the Nazis.

With only Helèna’s diary to guide them, Francesca finds herself growing closer to Thiago, with his deep blue eyes and sun-kissed curls. As they curl up under the stars, piecing together clues in the gentle, rose-scented breeze and retracing Helèna’s steps on the quaint cobbled streets, Francesca begins to wonder if she can finally open her heart to a new beginning…

But when an unbelievable act of courage and a heart-breaking secret in the final pages of the diary shatters everything she and Thiago thought they knew about Helèna, Francesca realises the remarkable wartime story of love and sacrifice has the power to change both of their lives forever.

An unforgettable and emotional story of bravery, love and secrets from the author of Amazon No.1 bestseller The Italian Villa and million-copy bestseller, Watch Over Me. Perfect for fans of Fiona Valpy, Victoria Hislop, and The Letter by Kathryn Hughes, readers will be absolutely hooked on The Bookseller’s Daughter.

Author Bio:

Buy Link:

Amazon:  https://geni.us/B0BZSXFFZ7social

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