I’m delighted to welcome I.M. Foster and her new book, Murder on West Main, to the blog #MurderOnWestMain #IMFoster #HistoricalMystery #CozyMystery #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome I.M. Foster and her new book, Murder on West Main, to the blog with a snippet.

Snippet

A knot tightened in his stomach, for it wasn’t like her to seek him out in this manner.

Here’s the blurb

When Colin Brissedon arrives at work one summer morning to find his new boss murdered, all eyes turn to him. After all, the man had threatened to fire him just a few days before, and his colleagues are more than happy to tell the tale. Kathleen admits her brother is no angel, but she can’t believe he would sink this low. Fortunately for them, neither does Daniel O’Halleran, the village’s new coroner’s assistant. Of course, he needs more than his gut feeling to prove it.

But that’s not going to be an easy task, considering the victim does not appear to have been held in high regard. In fact, Daniel is hard-pressed to find anyone who did like him, though there are more than a few who had reason to wish the man dead. To make matters worse, Kathleen is intent on conducting her own investigation despite his wishes, and he fears the consequences could be deadly.

And yet, with the pieces of the puzzle laid before him, he can’t shake the feeling that something is missing, an integral clue that will tie everything else together. Will Daniel be able to find the elusive detail and discover the reason behind the gruesome murder of the prominent attorney? Or will the guilty party live to kill again?

Buy Link

Universal Link:

This title is available on #KindleUnlimited

Meet the Author

I. M. Foster is the pen name author Inez Foster uses to write her South Shore Mystery series, set on Edwardian Long Island. Inez also writes historical romances under the pseudonym Andrea Matthews, and has so far published two series in that genre: the Thunder on the Moor series, a time-travel romance set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Borders, and the Cross of Ciaran series, which follows the adventures of a fifth century Celt who finds himself in love with a twentieth century archaeologist.

Inez is a historian and librarian, who love to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogically speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. Inez is a member of the Long Island Romance Writers, and the Historical Novel Society.

Connect with the Author

Website: BookBub:

Follow the Murder On West Main blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

I’m delighted to welcome back David Fitz-Gerald and his new book, Rolling Home, to the blog #WesternFiction #WesternAdventure #AmericanWest #NewRelease #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome back David Fitz-Gerald and his new book, Rolling Home from the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series, to the blog with a series trailer.

Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail Series Trailer

Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail Series Trailer

Here’s the blurb

Climb aboard! Don’t miss the heart-pounding climax of the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series. Rolling Home is the final installment.

In the heart of the rolling village, dissent brews as the stubbornest naysayer refuses to continue the journey. With an ominous early snowfall and memories of the ill-fated Donner Party haunting the pioneers, Dorcas Moon faces a new wave of challenges. Just when she believes things can’t get worse, a disastrous river crossing claims their wagon and submerges their belongings.

As the rolling village approaches the final leg of the journey, the looming threat of outlaws intensifies. The notorious bandit known as The Viper and his ruthless brothers are determined to rob the greenhorns, sell their stock, and kill every last one of them. The pioneers had heard tales of their brutality, but now, with Dorcas’ daughter kidnapped and Dorcas captured, everyone is in danger.

What will become of Dorcas Moon, her family, and their friends? Will anyone survive the perilous journey?

Rejoin the expedition and witness the thrilling end to a gripping saga.

Buy Link

Universal Link:

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Meet the author

David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.

Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.

Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.

Connect with the author

Website: BookBub: LinkTree:

Follow the Rolling Home blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

I’m delighted to welcome back Simon Yeats with an extract from How to Avoid Getting Mugged in Rio de Janeiro by Singing Songs by The Police and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips #blogtour #travelmemoir

Here’s an excerpt from How to Avoid Getting Mugged in Rio de Janeiro by Singing Songs by The Police and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips

My friends wanted to go to Tijuana while they were visiting me in Los Angeles. Then things got out of control.

After crossing the walking bridge over the Tijuana River, which serves as both the city’s sewerage outlet and major water supply, a person enters Zona Centro. I count nine strip clubs on the first street. Ten, if I include Déjà Vu Showgirls back on the other side of the river. This is my favorite thing to do when traveling – count.

Within ten minutes of being in Tijuana, the three of us are bored. Any person who is not crazy about buying knickknacks with a Mexican flag on them would be bored. We could have stayed at the Outlet Mall and been as bored, while being closer to the car. I make a joke with Jim that it is a good thing we are not here to watch the mythical Tijuana woman and donkey show.

Jim and Sheilds’ ears prick up.

What is that about a grotesque sex show that allegedly exists somewhere along the pristine streets of Tijuana?

“Do you know where they have it?”

“I have no idea.”

“We have to see it.”

“No, we don’t.”

“Yes, we do. We are going.”

“We are not going to sit through a fucking matinee of a woman getting amorous with a donkey.”

“Yes, we are.”

“Explain to me again why we are mates, Sheilds?”

The mere idea of the existence of a woman and donkey show churns my stomach. This is Tijuana’s legend. A dirty, disgusting myth that should only arouse blind drunk sailors and animal activists. But Jim and Sheilds are all over it like white on rice. These two deviants were made for each other.

I try to explain to them that it is a fable. Like the lost gold city of El Dorado, the resting place of Noah’s Ark, or the now uninteresting Bermuda triangle. However, the genie is out of the bottle. They insist we are going to find it and watch.

For God’s sake, why?

An important tip to remember when traveling in a group that is looking to find a cheap thrill. Make sure the weird sexual proclivities of all members are closely aligned. Or, if a person is as boring as I am, only travel with people who have been desexed.

Sheilds and Jim do not seem to understand, or care. If this show really existed, its story would not be shrouded in a veil of mystery, now would it? It is certainly not marked on any of the maps of walking tours of Tijuana.

“We need to get out of the main tourist area, then.”

“Hell no,” I scream. “If I can’t be so close to the border that when I yell ‘help,’ a US marine is within earshot, we do not go a fucking step further.”

“Pussy.”

These two are paying no mind to the inherent dangers of being in the most dangerous city on earth. The town with the world’s highest murder rate per capita. They are adamant that no cost is too high to find the club that has the women and donkey show.

“We are on an adventure.”

Here’s the blurb

Australian author Simon Yeats, who from an early age learned that the best way to approach the misfortunes of this world is to laugh about it.

Simon shares his comedic insights into the unusual and uproarious elements of living life as an Aussie ex-pat and having a sense of Wanderlust as pervasive as the Bubonic Plague in the 1300s.

From what to do when several people converge to rob you after midnight on a deserted Copacabana Beach, to how to save the Sierra Mountain Range from a wildfire outbreak due to a lack of quality toilet paper, to where not to go in Tijuana when trying to locate the origins to stories of the city’s mythical adult entertainment, to how to save yourself from drowning when caught in a storm while sailing off the California coast.

Simon Yeats has gone into the world and experienced all the out of the ordinary moments for you to sit back and enjoy the experience without the need to lose an eye or damage your liver.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Mugged-Janeiro-Singing-Police-ebook/dp/B0CPCBMD1N/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Getting-Mugged-Janeiro-Singing-Police-ebook/dp/B0CPCBMD1N/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-avoid-getting-mugged-in-rio-de-janeiro-by-singing-songs-by-the-police-and-other-lesser-known-travel-tips-yeats/1144543933?ean=9798223326014

Meet the author

Simon Yeats has lived nine lives, and by all estimations, is fast running out of the number he has left. His life of globetrotting the globe was not the one he expected to lead. He grew up a quiet, shy boy teased by other kids on the playgrounds for his red hair. But he developed a keen wit and sense of humor to always see the funnier side of life.

With an overwhelming love of travel, a propensity to find trouble where there was none, and being a passionate advocate of mental health, Simon’s stories will leave a reader either rolling on the floor in tears of laughter, or breathing deeply that the adventures he has led were survived.

No author has laughed longer or cried with less restraint at the travails of life.

Connect with the author

TIK TOK – https://www.tiktok.com/@authoryeats

INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/authoryeats/?hl=en

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

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

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/?

I’m delighted to welcome Bonnie Suchman and her new book, Stumbling Stones, to the blog #HistoricalFiction #JewishHistory #FamilyHistory #WWII #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Bonnie Suchman and her new book, Stumbling Stones, to the blog with an excerpt.

Excerpt 2

The weekend following the incident at the Westend Synagogue was the opening weekend of the summer season for the Frankfurt bath resorts. Frankfurt had a number of public bath resorts along the Main River, but the Heppenheimer family had always gone to the Nierderrad Licht- und Luftbad (Light and Air Bath). Located on a peninsula in the Main River, the bath had a sand beach, a river pool, and a café. When Alice was a child, the facilities were rather primitive. But while she was living in Nuremberg, the city had added changing rooms and showers. And while the consumption of alcohol was forbidden through the 1920s, the café began serving wine and beer in 1933. After Alice returned to Frankfurt, one of her favorite activities in the summer was to spend an entire Sunday at the Nierderrad bath, swimming in the pool and enjoying the afternoon with family or friends.

Unfortunately for Frankfurt’s Jews, the enactment of the Nuremberg Laws impacted this coveted summer leisure activity. While Jews could frequent any of the public baths before those laws were passed, beginning in the summer of 1937, Jews in Frankfurt could only visit the Nierderrad Light and Air Bath. Asit turned out, this was one of the few new directives that did not affect Alice, since she had always gone to the Nierderrad Bath. And that was Alice’s plan for the first Sunday the bath was open.

Alice woke early that Sunday morning and was just too excited to remain in bed. She began packing the wicker basket with enough food for lunch and an afternoon snack, taking her time as she made the sandwiches. Alfred and Alice had planned to pick up Selma and Emma around 10 am, and the four of them would take the tram to the bath. Fortunately for Alice, Leo would not be joining them – he claimed it would be too hot for him. After she finished preparing all of the food for the day, Alice still had an hour before they needed to leave, and so sat down with a cup of coffee and read yesterday’s paper. Alice didn’t mind the wait — it was nice to just sit and not have to work.

Just before 10 am, Alice and Alfred left the apartment and walked to Selma’s apartment. Of course, when they arrived, Emma was not even close to being ready. But Alice expected that her mother would be late and joined her sister in the kitchen. Selma inspected the food basket, made a face at Alice, and then replaced much of what Alice had packed with food she had prepared. Alice laughed, but did not object. When Emma was finally ready, the four left the apartment and walked to the tram stop. As they boarded the tram, they could see others carrying baskets for a day at the bath. As they continued the ride, Alice could see the car filling with more and more Jews taking the tram to the Niederrad Bath. Alice thought to herself, regardless of all the other challenges in their lives, today, Frankfurt’s Jews were going to enjoy a day in the sun. That was certainly the case for Alice.

The tram stopped just outside the gates of the bath, and virtually everyone exited the tram. They all walked up to the ticket booth to pay the small admission fee. The Jewish community had been forced to lease the bath from the city for the 1937 summer season, and the fee was intended to cover the cost of the lease. After entering the facilities, the ladies went to the right and Alfred went to the left to change into their bathing suits. After they finished changing, Alfred rented four chairs and an umbrella and then the four found a place to settle for the day.

Alice and Selma had taken swimming lessons as children and both immediately went into the pool to swim. Emma did not like the water, but enjoyed watching her daughters swim. Alfred was afraid of the water, but was happy to sit in a chair and read his book. He also enjoyed talking to his mother-in-law. Emma had been raised by a religious scholar and Alfred had attended an orthodox yeshiva. Alfred was no longer religious, but Emma still attended services when she could and liked to discuss the week’s Torah portion with Alfred when they were together. Emma’s scholarly father believed it was important for all of his children to receive a Jewish education, and Emma was happy to share that knowledge in conversations with her son-in-law. At some point, Alice stopped swimming and looked over at her mother and Alfred. It was clear they were arguing over some point and having fun. Without having to worry about whether Alice or Selma would be bored by the conversation, the two could enjoy challenging each other with various arguments, which they were clearly doing. But it was always in good fun, and neither ever left the discussion with bruised egos, so Alice went back to her swim.

Around noon, Alice opened the food basket. Alfred had already walked to the café for cold drinks. The sun was strong, but the breeze from the river kept everyone comfortable as they ate their lunch. After lunch, Alice decided to take a nap, and was soon sound asleep. Deep into a dream, Alice could hear her name and woke with a start. She stared at Alfred.

“What’s wrong? What’s happened?”

Alfred smiled at her. “Nothing has happened. I am sorry I startled you. They are about to start the boat races and I thought you would want to watch.”

Alice took a deep breath to calm herself. “I was dreaming that you were being chased by Nazis and then I heard you call my name in the dream. I thought something bad had happened. But it was just a dream. Yes, let’s go watch the races. Where are Selma and Mama?”

“Your mom was getting a bit warm, so Selma took her to the café for a cold coffee.”

The Jewish sports club Schild was on the peninsula next to the Nierderrad bath and had built a boathouse in the 1920s. Following the restriction on Jewish participation in all sporting events, Schild invited other Jewish boat clubs to store their boats at the boathouse and then organized rowing races to run through the summer. The first rowing race was about to start when Alice and Alfred reached the shoreline. There were so many people there to watch the race that Alice and Alfred had trouble seeing the river. Six boats were in the water and then the gun went off to start the race. People started to cheer for their team and Alice and Alfred soon found themselves cheering for Schild. The race lasted about a minute and Schild was victorious. Alice and Alfred hugged each other and then hugged others who had been cheering for Schild.

There were several other boat races, but Alice and Alfred decided to take a walk instead along the path that followed the water. Others were also walking along the path, and Alice and Alfred stopped to chat with several people they knew. Alfred noticed someone selling ices and bought them both ices. They reached their chairs as they were finishing their ices. Selma was reading and Emma was napping.

“Welcome back. How were the races?”

“We only watched the first race. Schild won, which was pretty exciting. Then Alfred and I took a walk along the water. How is Mama doing?”

“I think Mama might be ready to leave.”

“I am also ready to leave. Let’s pack up everything and then we can wake Mama. We can all change in the changing rooms and then head home.”

By the time they left the bath, it was nearly 3 pm. The tram arrived almost immediately after they reached the stop, and it soon filled with other Jews, exhausted from their day at Niederrad Bath. Alfred found a seat for Emma and Selma, but he and Alice were forced to stand. That was okay, Alice thought. The ride would be relatively quick. As the tram started to empty of bathers, Alice could hear several teenage boys in the back bothering an elderly Jewish couple.

Alfred looked at Alice and shook his head. “Alice, say nothing. Just look to the front of the tram. Out stop is next.”

As soon as the tram stopped, Alice and Selma helped up their mother and the four quickly left the tram. I hope that couple is okay, Alice thought to herself. But she knew it would not have helped them if she had tried to intervene. What could she or Alfred have been able to do? They actually could have made things worse. She tried not to think about the couple as they walked her sister and mother home.

Alice was singing to herself as she prepared dinner that evening. Nothing fancy, just a cold soup and a cold chicken salad. She could hear Alfred enter the kitchen. Her hugged her from behind and kissed the back of her neck.

“Well, someone is in a particularly good mood.”

“I am. It was just a really nice day. The weather was perfect and it was nice not to have to worry about being hassled by people that hate you. The only bad thing that happened to me today was that my shoulders got a little too much sun. But being there today makes me think maybe we can wait out this craziness. Maybe if the Nazis gave us our own space to live, we could be okay.”

“I know what you mean about feeling safe in a place. It was really nice to be in a place where it was okay to be Jewish. But that was only because the Nazi won’t let Jews visit the other baths.

And we are not safe even in places that are just for Jews. Remember what happened last week at the concert in the synagogue? Today was just a respite from reality. We will never be truly safe as long as we are in Germany. And I believe it will only get worse. We need to leave as soon as we can.”

“I agree. Still, it was nice to feel totally safe, at least for a few hours. Hopefully, we will feel that all the time once we are in America.”

Heres the blurb

“Alice knew that Selma sometimes felt judged by their mother and didn’t always like it when Alice was praised and Selma was not. Alice glanced over at her sister, but Selma was smiling at Alice. In what Alice understood might be Selma’s last act of generosity towards her sister, Selma was going to let Alice bask in the glow of Emma’s pride toward her elder daughter. Then the three shared a hug, a hug that seemed to last forever.”

Alice Heppenheimer, born into a prosperous German Jewish family around the turn of the twentieth century, comes of age at a time of growing opportunities for women.

So, when she turns 21 years old, she convinces her strict family to allow her to attend art school, and then pursues a career in women’s fashion. Alice prospers in her career and settles into married life, but she could not anticipate a Nazi Germany, where simply being Jewish has become an existential threat. Stumbling Stones is a novel based on the true story of a woman driven to achieve at a time of persecution and hatred, and who is reluctant to leave the only home she has ever known.

But as strong and resilient as Alice is, she now faces the ultimate challenge – will she and her husband be able to escape Nazi Germany or have they waited too long to leave?

Buy Link

Universal Link:

Meet the Author

Bonnie Suchman is an attorney who has been practicing law for forty years. Using her legal skills, she researched her husband’s family’s 250-year history in Germany, and published a non-fiction book about the family, Broken Promises: The Story of a Jewish Family in Germany. Bonnie found one member of the family, Alice Heppenheimer, particularly compelling. Stumbling Stones tells Alice’s story. Bonnie has two adult children and lives in Maryland with her husband, Bruce.