I’m delighted to welcome Gail Ward Olmsted and her new book, Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip, to the blog #HistoricalFiction #CivilWarNurses #BiographicalFiction #WomenInHistory #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Gail Ward Olmsted and her new book, Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip, to the blog with a snippet.

Snippet

Katharine’s (semi-solicited) advice to a troubled newlywed

I am probably the last person qualified to give relationship advice. But since you’re asking me, I’ll tell you what I think. Go home. Not to your parents’ but to the home you share with Charlie. Talk to your husband, but wait until he’s had a bath after work. And maybe serve him a special dinner too. It’s much easier to talk to someone who’s well-fed. I know what you’re thinking. You’ve got a little one to keep fed and clean and now you’ve got Charlie, too? Dear, I’m not saying you must run his bath or cook a three-course meal every night, but you both have a job to do. Currently, his is to go to work every day in a factory that I can only imagine is loud and dirty, get his weekly pay, put food on the table and keep a roof over your heads. Yours is equally important, but for the time being, lacks much in the way of tangible rewards. But it’s vital work. Caring for your son, tending to your home, loving your husband: it’s all very important. She seemed unconvinced, so I tried a different, more direct approach.

What I’m saying in a nutshell is, it’s time to grow up. You chose to get married, and that comes with responsibilities. You’re not playing house, my dear. Real life is hard and now you’ve got a third person added to the equation. One that relies on you for absolutely everything. You are his entire world. You must tell Charlie what you need from him and, at the same time, assure him you’re quite capable of running the house and caring for your son. Can you do that, Hannah?

Here’s the blurb

In the fall of 1907, Katharine decides to drive from Newport, Rhode Island, to her home in Jackson, New Hampshire. Despite the concerns of her family and friends, that at the age of 77 she lacks the stamina for the nearly 300-mile journey, Katharine sets out alone. Over the next six days, she receives a marriage proposal, pulls an all-nighter, saves a life or two, crashes a high-society event, meets a kindred spirit, faces a former rival, makes a new friend, takes a stroll with a future movie mogul, advises a troubled newlywed, and reflects upon a life well lived; her own!

Join her as she embarks upon her remarkable road trip.

Katharine Prescott Wormeley (1830-1908) was born into affluence in England and emigrated to the U. S. at the age of eighteen. Fiercely independent and never married, Kate volunteered as a nurse on a medical ship during the Civil War, before founding a vocational school for underprivileged girls. A lifelong friend and trusted confidante of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, she was a philanthropist, a hospital administrator, and the author of The Other Side of War: 1862, as well as the noted translator of dozens of novels written by French authors, including Moliere and Balzac. She is included in History’s Women: The Unsung Heroines; History of American Women: Civil War Women; Who’s Who in America 1908-09; Notable American Women, A Biographical Dictionary: 1607-1950and A Woman of the 19th Century: Leading American Women in All Walks of Life.

Buy Link

Universal Link:

This title will be available on #KindleUnlimited

Meet the author

Gail Ward Olmsted was a marketing executive and a college professor before she began writing fiction on a fulltime basis. A trip to Sedona, AZ inspired her first novel Jeep Tour. Three more novels followed before she began Landscape of a Marriage, a biographical work of fiction featuring landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, a distant cousin of her husband’s, and his wife Mary. After penning a pair of contemporary novels featuring a disgraced attorney seeking a career comeback (Miranda Writes, Miranda Nights) she is back to writing historical fiction featuring an incredible woman with an amazing story. Watch for Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip on June 13th.

For more information, please visit her on Facebook and at gwolmstedauthor.carrd.co

Connect with the author

Website: BookBub:

Follow Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

I’m delighted to welcome Richard Buxton and his trilogy, the Shire’s Union Trilogy, to the blog #ShiresUnion #AmericanCivilWar #Historical Fiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Richard Buxton and his trilogy, the Shire’s Union Trilogy, to the blog with a series trailer.

Shire’s Union Trilogy Series Trailer

Shire’s Union Trilogy Series Trailer

Tigers in Blue – Excerpt

Giles County, Tennessee – November 1864

Their train stopped again. The three of them disembarked and walked beyond the engine. It had pulled up a handful of crossties before a fire-blackened and wounded trestle bridge that spanned a deep and wide ravine. There must have been three hundred men or more working on the repairs. They swarmed over the bridge, a busy blue infestation, some out along the incomplete top span, others either end of a crane carried on a flatbed railcar, many more perilously among the posts and cross-struts. Men struggled to shout instructions over a chorus of hammer and saw. Way down in the ravine and across a swift creek stood a clump of engineer officers. One held a sheet of paper so big he looked in danger of being lifted into the air. Others pointed and gestured up at the bridge. As Shire watched, a steam winch puffed into action on the crane-car and a thick trestle rose and swayed up from below like a miracle, before being claimed by many hands and dragged into the great puzzle of wood. Despite their industry, the nearer half of the bridge was missing the top forty feet.

The engine driver came and stood beside them, wiping sooty hands on a dirty rag. Rice, greasy hair pushed back off his forehead, asked, ‘If you knew the bridge was broke, why did you set out? We’ll be stuck for days.’

The driver took his time surveying the works. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘you’re welcome to climb down and up the other side, but any trains that happen along from Nashville will only queue up to go south. Watch a while.’ He turned to walk back to his engine. ‘These people will have us over before nightfall.’

With nothing to do but wait, Shire and Tuck left Rice at the engine and worked their way along the top of the ravine to a spot where they could watch the repair. The ground fell steeply away before them. Predictably, Tuck dropped his pack, took up his fiddle and sat. He hadn’t said a word today. A stiff breeze struck up under a gray sky. At least they had the car to retreat to if it came on to rain. Shire got out his dog-eared map of Tennessee and Kentucky and unfolded it carefully so as not to bring on further dishevelment. He found Pulaski and traced the rail line to Nashville via Columbia. Short of Franklin he found Spring Hill. They would pass right by. Clara had been full of dubious enthusiasm for her move when he’d left her. What would have changed since? He wouldn’t need the train to stop again to be certain how he felt. That question had always been for her, though he wondered if she’d answered it quietly to herself a long time ago.

He folded his map away and got busy with a fire. In the army it paid to eat when the opportunity presented itself. ‘I’ll cook your pork. We ate mine yesterday,’ he said. They often shared rations. That way if one of them got a runt portion the hardship was shared too.

There was no response from Tuck. Sometimes it was like living with an elderly relative whose mind had been misplaced. In his own time, Tuck bowed into a slow waltz, utterly at odds with the exertions of the bridge builders. Evidently, it carried on the wind into the ravine and on to those high on the bridge, as not a few faces turned their way. There was a moment’s lull in the hammering before it stuttered up again. Two men on the flatbed end of the crane-car moved elegantly into closed hold and took a turn or two before their corporal beat them apart with his hat. Shire smiled but saw Tuck was too far inside his tune to take it in.

Once he had the fire going, he dug in Tuck’s pack for the salt belly-pork they’d been doled out back in Athens. It was a mess in there. An apple long past saving, percussion caps loose that should have been in a box, a lone dollar bill left to its own devices. The string hadn’t been tied properly on the pork paper. The exposed meat had picked up a covering of cotton threads and other miniature detritus. Shire reasoned it would cook off in his small skillet. Tuck’s ration was more than ample, so he cut off two-thirds and put it to cook slowly, not too close to the heat so that the fat would stay aboard. He wrapped the remains with care and was finding a safe corner back in Tuck’s pack when he happened on something round and hard. He drew out an enamel doorknob.

He recognized it. Tuck kept it as a grim reminder of his parents who were burned alive in their farmhouse, Tuck’s home. The enamel was scorched on one side, a smooth, mute witness to their murders. He’d been about to look for some wild onion or anything that might flavor the meat, but instead he took the doorknob and went to sit next to Tuck.

He didn’t expect to be acknowledged, but the lack irked Shire all the same. The waltz looped around and around. Shire could have sworn some of the hammering was striking out one, two, three… one, two, three. ‘I think you’re slowing down their industry,’ he said. Tuck played on. Shire felt a bubble of anger pop inside.

Blurb

Shire leaves his home and his life in Victorian England for the sake of a childhood promise, a promise that pulls him into the bleeding heart of the American Civil War. Lost in the bloody battlefields of the West, he discovers a second home for his loyalty.

Clara believes she has escaped from a predictable future of obligation and privilege, but her new life in the Appalachian Hills of Tennessee is decaying around her. In the mansion of Comrie, long hidden secrets are being slowly exhumed by a war that creeps ever closer.

The Shire’s Union trilogy is at once an outsider’s odyssey through the battle for Tennessee, a touching story of impossible love, and a portrait of America at war with itself. Self-interest and conflict, betrayal and passion, all fuse into a fateful climax.

Written by award winning author Richard Buxton, the Shire’s Union trilogy begins with Whirligig, is continued in The Copper Road, and concludes with Tigers in Blue.

Trilogy Buy Links:

US: UK:

Meet the Author

Richard lives with his family in the South Downs, Sussex, England. He completed an MA in Creative Writing at Chichester University in 2014. He has an abiding relationship with America, having studied at Syracuse University, New York State, in the late eighties. He travels extensively for research, especially in Tennessee, Georgia and Ohio, and is rarely happier than when setting off from a motel to spend the day wandering a battlefield or imagining the past close beside the churning wheel of a paddle steamer.

Richard’s short stories have won the Exeter Story Prize, the Bedford International Writing Competition and the Nivalis Short Story Award. His first novel, Whirligig (2017) was shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award. It was followed by The Copper Road (2020) and the Shire’s Union trilogy was completed by Tigers in Blue (2023). To learn more about Richard’s writing visit www.richardbuxton.net.

Connect with the Author

Website: BookBub:

Follow the Shire’s Union Trilogy with The Coffee Pot Book Club

I’m delighted to welcome Nancy Jardine and her new book, Novice Threads, to the blog #VictorianSaga #HistoricalFiction #Scotland #WomensFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Nancy Jardine and her new book, Novice Threads from the Silver Sampler Series, to the blog with Growing Up Brings More Questions Than Answers.

Growing Up Brings More Questions Than Answers

September 1850

“What do you need help with, Father?” Margaret asked on her return from assisting Granny Maggie to bake a batch of fruit pies, the apple harvest having been plentiful as had the plums in the little strip of garden behind her granny’s house.

“I’m not sure you’ll be so keen in a minute, lass.” Her father’s expression was a little bit whimsical and lit up his unusually bright grey eyes. It was a sight to see replacing the usual serious and sombre. “However, you can help me tidy some shelves later on.”

She had been expecting to spend the rest of the day doing shop chores, since it was still September and her new school session was not due to restart before mid-October. She’d attended a smattering of classes during July and August, though the bulk of of Mister Anderson’s summer teaching time was being spent with his most senior pupils who were learning Latin and Greek.

The smile she sent her father’s way was a puzzled one.

“I’m not sure I understand you.”

William leant closer, still teasing her with a whisper. “You have another letter.”

She flew along the passage and opened the kitchen door so quickly it startled her mother who was placing a pot of soup to heat on the range.

“I’ve another letter from Jessie?”

“That you have. It’s here on the table.”

Snatching it into her eager fingers, Margaret first savoured the writing on the front.

“Look, at how carefully she’s written my name,” she cried.

Her mother glanced at the letter. “She’s still making mistakes, though. Our shop name has been written twice.”

Margaret was undaunted. “I couldn’t have written an address if I had never had writing lessons from Mister Anderson. Would you have had the courage to try if you were in Jessie’s shoes?”

To her relief, Peggy didn’t take offence. “No, I suppose not. Your father needed me to compose and address our shop correspondence so I learned quickly to produce a good standard.”

Opening the seal, Margaret wandered around the room as she read.

“Jessie’s handwriting is much less scratchy, this time. I can read it more easily.”

“That’s good,” Peggy said. “I wonder how she’s managing to practise?”

Margaret agreed that was a very good question. It looked as though someone might be helping Jessie.

“Oh, my!” she declared, her tone making her mother lay down her sharp knife.

“What’s wrong?”

“Not wrong exactly. Jessie says the family she’s been sent to are related to the minister of the Free Kirk here in Milnathort.”

“That’s interesting,” Peggy declared, something odd lighting up her expression.

“I think Jessie means that it’s the Reverend Leslie Duncan’s brother, a man named Stewart, that she’s working for?” She handed the letter over to Peggy to help her understand it.

“Yes, that seems to be what she’s writing. And that it’s a very big house.” Peggy looked as puzzled as Margaret felt. “Now, I wonder why Jessie was sent there?”

Her grin was an excited one. “Isn’t she lucky to have got the work there?”

Peggy lifted the bread knife to slice a fresh loaf for their mid-day meal. “Well, until Jessie is able to tell you more, you’ll just have to assume that she’s found her feet.”

“What?” She questioned the now doubtful look on her mother’s face.

“Jessie doesn’t yet say if there are a lot of servants. If it’s a very big house then I hope she’s one of many servants, and not being expected to do too much on her own.”

“Oh!” Margaret hadn’t thought of that, just imagining that it must be fun to work in the big city of Edinburgh. She’d been thinking that it was a privilege for Jessie to work there, in the same way that it had been a privilege for Jessie to get some basic schooling in Milnathort paid for by her mystery benefactor – though now she wasn’t so sure. It was a pity to be so undecided, because having a benefactor had sounded special.

“Have you ever heard of the Reverend Duncan organising anything like this for other girls in Milnathort?” she asked Peggy.

Her mother shook her head. “Not until now, but who knows what that man’s likely to do?”

“What do you mean?” Margaret was puzzled.

“Never you mind. There’s always gossip enough in Milnathort, and I for one will not be adding to it. You just be careful who you tell about Jessie’s good fortune.”

Margaret realised her mother had grown quite serious, though she was happy to keep her knowledge of Jessie’s plight a secret. Apart from herself, Jessie hadn’t made other proper friends in Milnathort.

“And if Mistress Byers asks if you’ve heard anything from Jessie, you just tell her that all you know is that she arrived safely and is working. Nothing about where her job is. Mind my words! Since your father moved us all to the United Presbyterian Church, I never hear anything about the Free Kirk anyway, and that’s how I want it to stay!”

Margaret knew there was never a time to share any of her memories of Mistress Morison’s gripes. She could almost hear the old woman mouthing the words ‘That Free Kirk Reverend ought to have known better. The man should have left Ruth’s skirts well alone. That one mistake was bad enough but more were unforgiveable.’ Margaret couldn’t stop those memories from surfacing every now and then, but she’d vowed to keep them secret forever– for Jessie’s sake.

Now that she was older, she’d a better inkling of what Mistress Morison’s grumbles might have meant. Men chasing skirts she now knew often led to surprise babies being born, but exactly how they were produced was for her to learn another day.

It was confusing. Many of her conclusions were very disheartening.

Blurb

A thirst for education. Shattered dreams. Fragile relations.

1840s Scotland

Being sent to school is the most exhilarating thing that’s ever happened to young Margaret Law. She sharpens her newly-acquired education on her best friend, Jessie Morison, till Jessie is spirited away to become a scullery maid. But how can Margaret fulfil her visions of becoming a schoolteacher when her parents’ tailoring and drapery business suddenly collapses and she must find a job?

Salvation from domestic drudgery – or never-ending seamstress work – comes via Jessie whose employer seeks a tutor for his daughter. Free time exploring Edinburgh with Jessie is great fun, but increasing tension in the household claws at Margaret’s nerves.

Margaret also worries about her parents’ estrangement, and the mystery of Jessie’s unknown father.

When tragedy befalls the household in Edinburgh, Margaret must forge a new pathway for the future – though where will that be?

Buy Link

Universal Link:

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Meet the Author

Nancy writes historical and contemporary fiction. 1^st Century Roman Britain is the setting of her Celtic Fervour Series. Victorian and Edwardian history has sneaked into two of her ancestry-based contemporary mysteries, and her current Silver Sampler Series is set in Victorian Scotland.

Her novels have achieved Finalist status in UK book competitions (People’s Book Prize; Scottish Association of Writers) and have received prestigious Online Book Awards.

Published with Ocelot Press, writing memberships include – Historical Novel Society; Romantic Novelists Association; Scottish Association of Writers; Federation of Writers Scotland; Alliance of Independent Authors.

Connect with the Author

Website: BlueSky: BookBub:

Follow the Novice Threads blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

Today I’m reviewing Rogue Hero by Rob Sinclair #blogtour #thriller #newrelease

Here’s the blurb

When a mystery bystander stops an assassination attempt on a prominent politician, it sparks a national search that captivates the nation…

Curtis Delaney watches the footage play out on the news, and immediately recognises the unidentified hero. He hasn’t seen his brother Finn in six years. He doesn’t know where he’s been in that time, or what he’s been doing. But there’s one thing he does know: Finn is no hero.

Curtis is determined to find his brother, but equally, Curtis is no detective. A husband and lawyer (and not the ‘good’ kind), with a mortgage and responsibilities, Curtis isn’t cut out for delving into whatever seedy business Finn has gotten involved with. But when armed men turn up on his doorstep, claiming to be FBI, he quickly realises he’s been left with no choice.

The hunt for the truth will take them from the Capitol building in Washington, to the sun-kissed beaches of Mexico, and the cold streets of London, uncovering secrets of fraud, blackmail and murder. Can the brothers reunite before the real hero is discovered by the wrong people?

Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/rogueherosocial

My Review

Rogue Hero by Rob Sinclair is a standalone novel told from the viewpoint of two brothers, Finn and Curtis Delaney, with a timeline that eventually merges, although they are not concurrent. Mostly set in the US and Mexico, we do have side trips to Italy and the UK.

Our two main characters are far from likeable, and neither are the individuals they interact with. There’s a lot going on. Both brothers have complex backstories and there is a huge cast of characters, although in the end, it does come down to a few main players.

Complex plotting sees the reader switching between the two brothers’ point of views, and also two different time lines. With a collection of unsavoury characters, possible FBI intervention, a possibly dirty-politician and a web of financial chaos, the eventual ending is somewhat unexpected.

A complex thriller, sure to appeal to fans of the genre.

Meet the author

Rob Sinclair is the million copy bestseller of over twenty thrillers, including the James Ryker series. Most recently published by Bloodhound, Boldwood will publish his latest action thriller, Rogue Hero, in June 2024 and will be republishing all the James Ryker series over the coming months.

Connect with the author

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSinclairAuthor

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

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rob-sinclair

It’s cover reveal day for Kings of Conflict, the final book in the Brunanburh series

The final, thrilling instalment in MJ Porter’s The Brunanburh Series.

Can King Edmund of the English banish the Norse invaders from England one final time?

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In the wake of the agreement reached at Lincoln between Edmund and Anlaf Sihtricson of the Norse, Edmund returns to Wessex to reflect and rebuild, impatient to reverse his losses at Lincoln.

But this is the winter of discontent. In Jorvik and the kingdom of the Scots, those who’ve waited too long to become kings in their own right grow restless.

As the enemies of the English turn on themselves, Edmund senses the opportunity to reclaim all his brother, the victor of Brunanburh, managed to gain before his untimely death plunged England back into war with her many foes.

With his sights set firmly on York, can he recreate the England his brother built, or will the enemies of England realise the error of their ways and once more unite to drive Edmund back to Wessex, leaving York in the hands of the Norse.

books2read.com/KingsOfConflict10th

Check out the Brunanburh Series page.

Happy release day to Arthur by Giles Kristian, the last in the Arthurian Trilogy #histfic #newrelease

Here’s the blurb

Years have passed since the clash of shield-walls echoed across the land . . .

The Saxons are now the lords of Britain. And yet the bards still sing of Arthur – ‘In our darkest time, when we need him most, shall he come again.’

Ageing mercenary Beran has no love of bards’ songs. Nor of people. Unless they are paying him to steal or kill. Now he has been ordered to murder a boy. But this is no ordinary child. The son of King Constantine and the grandson of High King Ambrosius, this boy could be the saviour of Britain . . . if he lives.

Betraying his companions and returning to a world he believed he’d forsaken, Beran vows to take the boy to the one place that still holds out against the invader: Camelot.

Hunted by Saxons, Queen Morgana and those he deceived, he will seek the help of Guivret, called the Little King, and the Saracen, Palamedes who once rode beneath Arthur’s banner. They will meet the doomed lovers, Tristan and Isolde. And they will fight for their lives and for each other.

For if there’s to be any hope for Britain, Beran must deliver the boy to Camelot. And to do that, he must come to terms with his past . . .

Arthur is the breathtaking new novel from the author of the bestselling Lancelot, called ‘a masterpiece’ by Conn Iggulden . . .

Purchase Link

https://amzn.to/4aPRjzL

My Review

Arthur by Giles Kristian is the third and final book in his retelling of the Arthurian Legend, in sub-Roman, or Post-Roman, Britain. I’ve read all three books, although they have been spread over several years. I adored Lancelot and enjoyed Camelot, which takes us to Arthur.

Arthur has left me somewhat perplexed. I’ve not jumped right on here to write a review. I needed time to think about it. I’m unsure if this is because of the book or because of my mind putting some pieces together about the entire legend and asking even more questions about the legend rather than the book. However, there are a few authors whose work I really enjoy, but I seem to take away something different from others (Mark Lawrence being one of those authors), and this is also one of those books.

The world-building is both vast and intimate. The characters we meet, a young Arthur, Beran and Constantine’s grandson, are intriguing choices. True to the legend as we know it, Arthur falls prey to some ill-advised antics and seeks to distance himself from them and his father, although that’s never going to work. Beran is an old, tired man, aching and bedevilled by his past and the main driving force of the narrative. Constantine’s grandson embodies a young boy, entirely out of his element, believing his position is all he needs to ensure his survival in a world turned upside down. The twin storylines very much run independently of one another. Arthur, as a young man, never quite feels fully formed – the story depends very much on readers knowing the legends of Arthur. Beran feels more fully formed, and his decisions perhaps make more sense to a modern audience. The juxtaposition between Beran and Constantine’s grandson gains poignancy as the tale progresses.

Yet, as beautiful as some of the phrases are, some of them are not. The world-building is both well done and also somewhat laboured and repetitive. Huge elements of the storyline are only explained much later in the book, and for much of it, I was unsure why I persisted in reading. The title is particularly vexing. I fear readers will not persevere to understand its relevance. I’m glad that I did.

The poignancy of a world lost is perfectly evoked. The men and women living in it are almost ‘out of time,’ with events taking place around them. The book is tinged with sorrow.

I think that if I had read all three books together, the trilogy would work very well. Returning to the trilogy after so many years means I’ve lost the threads from Lancelot and Camelot, which both feature Arthur.

This is a bold end to a trilogy that has tried to be very different. I believe readers will love it or hate it. I can certainly appreciate the crafting of the story, even if I’m left perplexed by it. It is an absorbing tale, sucking me in and not letting me go. I read it in a few days. Perhaps, after all, it is as ephemeral as the legends themselves, and that is a testament to the author evoking such a response in me.

Check out my reviews for Lancelot and Camelot

If you read my reviews, you’ll know I don’t usually highlight elements of them, but for Arthur I want you as a perspective reader to understand that I feel much of my reaction was perhaps as personal as the writing of the novel was for the author.

It’s time for a new Bradecote and Catchpoll historical mystery. I’m reviewing Litany of Lies by Sarah Hawkswood #historicalmystery

Here’s the blurb

Midsummer, 1145. Walter, the steward of Evesham Abbey, is found dead at the bottom of a well pit. The Abbot, whose relationship with the lord Sheriff of Worcestershire is strained at best, dislikes needing to call in help. However, as the death appears to have not been an accident, he grudgingly receives Undersheriff Hugh Bradecote, Serjeant Catchpoll and Underserjeant Walkelin.

The trio know to step carefully with the contentious undercurrents at play. As the sheriff ‘s men investigate the steward’s death, they discover that truth is in short supply. With the tensions between the Abbey and the local castle guard reaching boiling point, another killing will force the investigation down a dangerous path.

Purchase Link

My Review

It’s a joy to be back with our ‘boys’, Bradecote, Catchpoll and Walkelin.

Another murder needs solving, and we know Bradecote, Catchpoll and Walkelin won’t rest until they find the culprit. This is a particularly twisty tale of long-standing grievances and newer ones as well. I didn’t guess the culprit, and I always appreciate a mystery where I can’t work out who ‘did it.’

I love this series. I came to it late, and I’ve now taken myself back to the first books, and they are also a true delight. If you’re looking for a new historical mystery series, I highly recommend this one set in the mid-twelfth century in England. I always appreciate the maps at the beginning of the books.

Check out previous reviews for the series.

Too Good To Hang

A Taste For Killing

Wolf At The Door

Posts

I’m welcoming a returning Rachel Brimble and her new book, Dressing the Countess, to the blog #historicalfiction #blogtour #newrelease

Here’s the blurb

Fans of Kristy Cambron, Stephanie Dray, and Julia Quinn will adore this Victorian romance from historical fiction dynamo, Rachel Brimble.

Seamstress Rose Watson cannot believe her good fortune when she’s plucked from obscurity to work for Lady Christina, the Countess of Bath. Despite her parents’ distrust that the position will come with conditions, Rose accepts the unexpected offer.

When she arrives at the royal residence of Henlow House, a strange sense of destiny whispers through her, and Rose cannot wait for this new adventure to begin. Although, she has Henry Ward to deal with, the handsome, risk-taking and—though she is loath to admit it—exciting royal saddler and horse trainer, who both fascinates and frustrates her in equal measure.

They could not be more different…with the exception of their hunger for more.

But as they begin to trust one another, and their bond flourishes, Rose’s connection with Henry could cause her to lose her position at Henlow House, which would destroy her. Will she be forced to choose between love and ambition? Either choice will change her life irrevocably.

A captivating escape that will touch your heart and keep you turning pages with impatient hope for Rose…

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dressing-Countess-Sweeping-Captivating-Victorian-ebook/dp/B0CW1HFHB2

https://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Countess-Sweeping-Captivating-Victorian-ebook/dp/B0CW1HFHB2

Meet the author

Rachel lives with her husband, two adult daughters and beloved Labrador in a small town near Bath, England. She is the author of 30 novels and has been published by Harlequin Mills & Boon, Kensington Books and others. Her latest series includes the Ladies of Carson Street trilogy and the Shop Girl series, both published with Aria Fiction. She also has several single titles with The Wild Rose Press. Her debut novel with Harpeth Road Press, Dressing The Countess, was released in May 2024.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Female Entrepreneur Association and has thousands of social media followers all over the world. She is also studying for a history degree with the Open University in her spare time…

Connect with Rachel

Website: https://bit.ly/3wH7HQs

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3AQvK0A

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3i49GZ3

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3lTQZbF

I’m reviewing the new Myron Bolitar book by Harlan Coben, Think Twice. It’s a goodie:) #bookreview

Here’s the blurb

How can a man who’s already dead be wanted for murder?

This is the question sports agent Myron Bolitar asks himself when two FBI agents visit him in New York.

The man they are looking for is Myron’s former client and rival, Greg Downing. Greg’s DNA has been found at the scene of a high profile double-murder, and he is now the FBI’s main suspect.

But Greg died three years previously, Myron says. He went to his funeral and gave the eulogy.

The FBI are disbelieving, and Myron knows he has to find some answers – and quickly.

Could Greg Downing still be alive?

The more Myron and his close friend Win dig into what really happened, the more dangerous their world becomes . . .

Secrets, lies and a murderous conspiracy that stretches back into the past lie at the heart of Harlan Coben’s blistering new thriller.

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1529906105

My Review

It’s been a while since I last read a Myron Bolitar book. In fact, it’s been far too long. Discounting Home and Win, the last Myron book was released in 2011. I probably read it that year, which means it’s been 13 years – 13 years since the last book featuring Myron and Win. I’ve growled every time a new release was announced from the author, wishing he’d not been ‘wasting’ his time (I know what he’s been doing), writing standalone novels, and generally having every one of his titles made into a TV series. But, I fear I may have to take all that back. 13 years is too long, but in the interim, Harlan Coben has upped his game with this book. If I have to wait another 13 years for the next book (please let there be one), I will grumble and complain, but I will devour it when I get it (please).

To return to Think Twice. This begins as very much a ‘typical’ (from my memory), Myron book. Myron’s past rears its head. The mystery is intriguing. We go to Vegas on Win’s private jet. Win is there to protect our favourite Sports/Entertainment rep. There is sass. There is violence. There is Myron thinking he’s doing the right thing. Win is not so sure. (We also see Big Cindi and Esperanza). Oh, and Myron’s mum and dad have discovered edibles in their 80s:)

But just as the reader is relaxing into this very familiar, very comforting scenario (revisiting much-loved literary characters is a real treat), last read 13 years ago, something happens. We hit 40% through the novel, and the storyline veers to something else. (I don’t want to give any spoilers here.) At 60%, we get another huge veer. At 80%, you can’t put the book down until you reach the end, which is breathless and filled with peril until the last moments.

Our two main characters have been given somewhat updated viewpoints—particularly in regard to the female characters. This is done really well and doesn’t rewrite what we’ve read before—it’s a nod to the sea changes since Me-Too. It is a refreshing approach, and indeed, there are many little nods to events that have happened in the ‘real world’ as opposed to in the fictional world of Myron and Win.

This is a fabulous and much-delayed return to the world of Myron. By the time you turn the last page—or rather, turn your Kindle off—it is easily a 5-star read.

We need more Myron. Please.

Think Twice is available now.

Check out my reviews for other thrillers using the side menu, and if you’re in the mood for something almost as sassy, then do check out my historical fiction series, The Last King, the story of Mercia‘s last king in Saxon England (violence and foul-language included, although you can also get the books without the foul-language).

The Ninth Century Mercian series covers for all 9 books

Happy publication day to A Farewell To Imperial İstanbul #blogtour #newrelease #competition #histfic

Here’s the blurb

Set against the majestic backdrop of Imperial Istanbul in the aftermath of the First World War, A Farewell To Imperial Istanbul is a captivating tale of family, duty and the resilience of the human spirit.

İstanbul, 1922: As the Ottoman Empire crumbles in the wake of the Great War, the fate of the Imperial capital and the House of Osman come under threat. Emboldened following their victory in the Turkish War of Independence, the Turkish Nationalist Government in Ankara abolishes the Ottoman Sultanate, marking the end of over six centuries of Ottoman rule. The Ottoman Caliphate endures for now, but Istanbul, stripped of its Imperial mantle, mourns its lost glory. Prince Nihadfears for the nation and the fate of the Imperial family, while his son, Prince Vâsıb, envisions a hopeful future defined by peace following the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne.

As the new Republic of Türkiye emerges from the ashes of the once-mighty Ottoman Empire, Istanbul and the Ottoman Dynasty confront the crossroads of history, their destinies entwined with the shifting tides of the Bosphorus. Yet, amidst these perilous currents that separate East and West, where the deep waters threaten to engulf the city’s Imperial past and sweep away its soul embodied by the Imperial family, the Ottoman Dynasty must navigate a new and uncertain course.

The history of the Turks and their vast and powerful Empire has been intertwined with the Ottoman Dynasty for over six hundred years. But can the Imperial family survive the tempest of change as the world enters a new era?

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CZJ7TYC3

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CZJ7TYC3

Meet the author

Ayşe Gülnev Osmanoğlu is a member of the Ottoman Imperial family, being descended from Sultan Murad V through her grandfather, and from Sultan Mehmed V (Mehmed Reşad) through her grandmother. After reading History and Politics at the University of Exeter, she obtained an M.A. in Turkish Studies from SOAS, University of London, where she specialised in Ottoman History. Her debut novel, The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus was published in 2020.

Ayşe Osmanoğlu lives between Türkiye, France and the United Kingdom with her husband, five children and two cats. Her research and literary works concentrate on the late Ottoman period, exploring narratives embedded in her imperial heritage.

Connect with the author

https://www.facebook.com/ayseosmanogluauthor

https://www.instagram.com/aysegulnevsultan/

https://twitter.com/AyseGulnev

Author Website: www.ayseosmanoglu.com

Giveaway To Win an A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul prize bundle… (Open to UK Only)

The list of prizes is below:

Paperback signed copy of A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul
Scented Candle from the Imperial İstanbul Collection – Scent: Harem Garden (Jasmine, Rose & Orange Blossom)
Black matchsticks
Traditional Rose Turkish Delight
A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul postcard
Set of four A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul bookmarks

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494590/?