A dog walker makes a grisly discovery on a beach: a decapitated man and a woman buried alive in the sand. DS Ashley Knight and her team are in charge of the case but there are soon more bodies…
Death on Cromer Beach is a police procedural and crime thriller set in Norfolk. It is the first book in a new series.
Ashley has a heap of personal problems and a new DC to introduce to the area and police routines. There are several mentions of her past so I initially thought this might be a second book in a series but she comes clean to her new DC Hector Fade. This brings us up to date and kickstarts a more respectful and warm relationship between the pair.
I liked the personal and professional dimensions to the police characters. They are sympathetic to the vulnerable yet have a job to do so persevere with their investigations despite their personal feelings. Between the police characters there is a gentle humour and teasing but also a genuine feeling of collaboration and support which extends to other police teams.
The discovery of the first bodies is quite horrific as the woman is still alive but unable to escape. The case seems to relate to an event in the past and there are a range of suspects who could be involved or responsible. There are plenty of twists and turns and I thought the pace was good. I felt that the balance was just right between the developing relationship of the main investigating pair and their investigation of the murders.
Death on Cromer Beach is a vivid and dramatic novel.
I have previously reviewed two books from Ross Greenwood’s DI Barton series: The Cold Killer and The Fire Killer.
Death on Cromer Beach
A brutal double murder on a Norfolk beach horrifies the town of Cromer. The way the victims died is chilling and so Norfolk’s Major Investigation Team task DS Ashley Knight to manage the case.
It soon becomes clear that the murders were carefully planned and the finger of suspicion points to an organised crime gang, but as the evidence mounts, a far more sinister theory emerges.
Ashley has been allocated a young but opinionated partner in Hector Fade, and sparks soon fly. Annoyingly for Ashley, Hector is no pushover and looks destined for great things. When the pair delve into the case, they struggle to understand who would inflict such suffering on their victims and hope the crime is a one off from a deranged and dangerous individual. But then another body is found.
There’s a killer on the loose who wants them to believe that the beach has a memory. They must be caught, or others will meet their end by the sea.
Author Bio –
Ross Greenwood is the author of crime thrillers. Before becoming a full-time writer he was most recently a prison officer and so worked everyday with murderers, rapists and thieves for four years. He lives in Peterborough.
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Izzy is at a hen night when one of the guests is killed in a bizarre incident involving concrete. She is convinced it is murder and together with her cousin Penny embarks upon an investigation into the death…
The Swan Dress Murders is the fourth book in the Cozy Crafts murder mystery series and I have recently reviewed the first three books in the series: The Wonderland Murders, The Painted Lobster Murders, and The Sequinned Cape Murders.
Izzy and Penny find themselves investigating another murder when one of Izzy’s old friends is killed during a hen party. There are several suspects and potential motives to explore. Meanwhile they are also trying to construct a guest’s dress based on Bjork’s infamous swan dress.
Penmy and Izzy and ably assisted in their murder investigation by Dr Denise and Aubrey so the murder side of the plot felt more prominent in this book than in the previous ones. The dress making still plays a key role and I enjoyed the backdrop of the wedding to underpin the plot. On the romantic side, Izzy is enjoying her new relationship whilst Penny is still torn between two men.
The Swan Dress Murders was another hugely enjoyable book in a fab series. The tone is wonderfully warm and quirky. Little instances of humour make this series such an enjoyable read. The fifth instament comes out next month and I will be first in the queue!
The Swan Dress Murders
Cozy Craft Mysteries can be read in any order. A funny whodunnit series, full of charming characters and mysteries that will keep you guessing to the very end.
A wedding is a cause for celebration. Not only do dressmakers Penny and Izzy get an invite to the big day but they have an unusual dress commission to complete for one of the guests.
It seems Penny’s only problem is deciding which potential boyfriend to take as her plus-one guest — practical handyman Aubrey or cultured fabric expert Oscar.
But bigger problems arise when the maker of the wedding cake is found dead in the grounds of the stately home where the wedding is to take place.
And when another key individual in the wedding plans is also murdered, it seems like someone has deadly plans to prevent this marriage.
Can Penny and Izzy unravel the mystery and solve this crime before the big day is fatally ruined?
If your ideal book features mystery, friendship, cute romance, crafting and a charming rural setting then this is the book for you.
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Giveaway Prize – The Wonderland Murders, a cross stitch book, a floral notepad, a note writing set and a grass bunny.
Author Bio – Millie Ravensworth writes the Cozy Craft Mystery series of books. Her love of murder mysteries and passion for dressmaking made her want to write books full of quirky characters and unbelievable murders. Millie lives in central England where children and pets are something of a distraction from the serious business of writing, although dog walking is always a good time to plot the next book.
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David is deported in a cattle truck. His only hope is the secret document he has entrusted to his sister Hannelore and thirteen year old daughter Clara. Can they reach safety or will the Nazis find them?
A Light to Guide Us Home is an historical novel set during WW2. It is the third book in a series but works as a stand alone novel. I have previously reviewed the first book in the series, The Watchmaker’s Daughter.
Clara is just 13 but has been given a hugely important task to complete. The danger and tension is present from the start as David is hauled away to a camp. All his hope for a better future and a chance of survival is in the successful transport of a document to Allied hands. Meanwhile he has given the other half of the document to his sister in the hope that at least one of them can get to safety.
The book is written from various points of view which allows us to better understand the characters, their feelings and actions. The author has clearly researched the era and geography of the locations so her descriptions bring the events to life.
The youth of Clara adds an extra dimension to the tension and my maternal instincts kicked in as I worried for her situation. Intense drama, fear and danger radiate through the book but this is balanced by the hope of a better future and the simple acts of humanity that make a difference during the darkest days.
A Light to Guide Us Home is an emotional and intense read about hope and danger in war-torn Europe.
A Light to Guide Us Home: An utterly heartbreaking and powerful WW2 historical novel (The Resistance Girl Book 3) by Dianne Haley
‘Please, you must get Clara out of France!’ cried the woman, her voice breaking in desperation. ‘She’s only thirteen and her parents have been taken to a death camp. Can you save her before it is too late?’
1943, Nazi-occupied France: Valérie Hallez clings to the hope that she will soon reunite with her beloved fiancé, Philippe, fighting the Nazis in Italy. Until that day comes, she risks her life helping Jewish children flee across the border with the resistance, but each tear-stained face breaks her heart a little more.
So, when she learns of little lost Clara, an orphan whose family has been torn apart by the German occupation, and is asked to rescue her, she jumps at the chance to save another innocent life. But she isn’t the only one searching for the young girl…
Because brave Clara is carrying a crucial Nazi document. And the secrets it holds could change the course of the war forever.
Frantically trying to stay one step ahead of the Gestapo, Valérie traces Clara to an isolated children’s home– but she is too late. German soldiers have already raided the building.
Her relief when she hears that Clara escaped is short lived, as there’s not a whisper of her whereabouts. And just when she’s about to start on her search, devastating news reaches her about Philippe.
Shattered by the thought that Philippe may never come home, Valérie tries to pull the pieces of her broken heart back together. She knows there’s a little girl lost out there who needs her. So, she must make the hardest choice of all. Even if she can’t save her dearest love, can she save poor Clara – and help her end this terrible war?
A totally unputdownable and heart-wrenching wartime story about love, bravery and sacrifice. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and The Alice Network.
A Light to Guide Us Home can be read as a standalone.
Author bio:
Originally from the north of Scotland, Dianne now lives with her husband in Edinburgh and has two grown-up children. After a thirty-year business career in London and Edinburgh when Dianne wrote between projects, she is now writing full-time.
Dianne and her family have been visiting the area round Lake Geneva since 1992 and love the Alps in all seasons. The inspiration for her series set in WW2 Switzerland came from a drive through Geneva’s old town on a rainy October evening, the cobbled lanes a perfect setting for secrets and hiding places.
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Adele is a marriage counselor with famous parents. Usually she helps other couples but now her own marriage is in trouble. Her husband Patrick disappears, he never told his work that Adele existed and he has apparently been on vacation for the past two weeks. Where and why has he gone?
The Marriage Counselor is a psychological thriller set in America.
Adele knows her own marriage isn’t perfect but nothing prepares her for the events that ensue when her husband goes missing. The police officer that comes to inform her of the disappearance is her first love but she isn’t sure if she can trust him. She secretly starts to investigate her husband and makes some shocking discoveries: did she know him at all?! Meanwhile the press gets hold of allegations against her celebrity therapist parents leading Adele to reflect on secrets from the past.
There are a lot of threads to unpick in this book with personal and professional angles for Adele, Patrick and her parents. Events move quite quickly as the truth for these various aspects start to be revealed. I wanted to know the truth almost as much as Adele!
The book is written from Adele’s first person perspective which allows us to understand her confusion and gradual realisation of the truth about her husband and relationship. Adele seems to be very much a victim at first as Patrick is portrayed as an awful man and she is blamed for her parents’ actions. There are lotsof twists even on the final page…
The Marriage Counselor is an intriguing thriller about love and lies.
The Marriage Counselor: A totally pulse-pounding psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist by Dea Poirier
“Adele, we believe your husband is missing.” As everything around me starts to blur, I go over the words once more: “your husband is missing.” Four simple words with the power to shatter my whole world in an instant.
Working as a marriage counselor I’m used to the tragedies that come out of nowhere. People trust me to help them through life’s big moments. The things that leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about the person you love the most.
But I never thought trouble would land on my own doorstep.
As I start to piece together our last conversation desperate for any clues I can find, the cop standing in front of me reveals that my husband never told his co-workers he was married. He was seemingly living a double life right in front of me.
Days later, as I search through our home, I discover a hidden box of baby clothes that suggest my husband was starting to build the perfect life without me.
My entire career has been built on separating the truth from the lies. My husband may think he has pulled off the greatest lie of all but he is not the only one keeping a secret in this marriage.
All I know for certain is that when the truth comes out, only one of us will make it out alive.
A totally addictive and unputdownable psychological thriller about deadly obsession and twisted lies perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Perfect Marriage, The Wife Before Me and anything by Freida McFadden.
About the author
Dea (D.H) Poirier is the author of NEXT GIRL TO DIE, which hit #1 in the Amazon charts and the bestselling thriller FIND ME IN THE DARK. She was raised in Edmond, Oklahoma, where she got her start writing in creative writing courses. She attended The University of Central Oklahoma for Computer Science. Later, she spent time living on both coasts, and traveling the United States, before finally putting down roots in Central Florida. She now resides somewhere between Disney and the swamp.
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1917, Fiona and Kitty head to Egypt to search for the spy Fredricks who hinted at a German plot which could be important to the war effort. They meet famous archaeologists Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon before finding a freshly dead body in an ancient tomb…
Covert in Cairo is the second book to feature Fiona and Kitty as they try to work undercover to help win the First World War. I have previously reviewed the first book in the series, Chaos at Carnegie Hall.
Despite her mistrust of Fredricks, Fiona follows his advice and heads to Cairo alongside Kitty and Clifford in the hope of uncovering a German plot. Soon after their arrival a body is found, then they discover two injured men in a tomb. One dies and the other is Fredricks who quickly disappears again. There are plenty of red herrings, suspicious behaviour, lies about alibis, and a host of suspects for Fiona to investigate.
The book is written from Fiona’s first person perspective and this adds a personal and chatty tone to the narrative. There is humour as the women get into scrapes trying to follow clues and find the killer, as well as Fiona’s scorn towards Poppy the dog. The author has researched the 1910s and the social conventions of the time that governed the attitudes of the characters. I liked the inclusion of real characters from the era and location.
Covert in Cairo is an enjoyable cosy murder mystery mixed with history and espionage.
Covert in Cairo
Cairo. December 1917.
Following a tip-off from notorious spy Fredrick Fredricks, Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane of British Intelligence find themselves in the hustle and bustle of Egypt. But ancient mummies aren’t the only bodies buried in the tombs of Cairo.
When a young French archeologist is found dead in a tomb in the desert with his head bashed in, and an undercover British agent goes missing, the threat moves closer to home.
As they dig deeper, soon Fiona and Kitty uncover a treasure trove of suspects, including competing excavators, jealous husbands, secret lovers, and belligerent spies! Fiona wonders if the notorious Fredrick Fredricks could be behind the murders? Or is the plot even more sinister?
One thing is clear – If Fiona and Kitty can’t catch the killer, they might end up sharing a sarcophagus with Nefertiti.
With humor as dry as the Arabian desert, and pacing as fast as a spitting camel, Fiona and Kitty are back in another sparkling adventure, this time in WW1 Egypt.
Author Bio –
Kelly Oliver is the award-winning, bestselling author of three mysteries series: The Jessica James Mysteries, The Pet Detective Mysteries, and the historical cozies The Fiona Figg Mysteries, set in WW1. She is also the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University and lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She is bringing new titles in the Fiona Figg series to Boldwood, the first of which, Chaos in Carnegie Hall, will be published in November 2022.
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