I’m sharing my review for A Body in the Banjo by Elaine Spires, a historical mystery set in Dagenham #blogtour #bookreview
I’m sharing my review for A Body in the Banjo by Elaine Spires, a historical mystery set in Dagenham
Here’s the blurb
It’s November 1958 and Dagenham is excitedly awaiting Bonfire Night. Cissie Partridge isn’t too keen on fireworks but she generously donates to the local children doing Penny for the guy. Cissie is content with her lot. She loves her husband Harold. She shops, she cooks, she reads at every opportunity and she volunteers at the Dockland Settlement. Observant and sharp, she gets on with all her neighbours. Then, one morning, she finds a body…
A Body in the Banjo is an historical mystery set in 1958, just before Bonfire Night.
It is a story of a small community and one woman in particualar, Cissie, who doesn’t so much laud anything over her neighbours, but is, perhaps, a little bit of a busy body, although not so much as one who spends all her time watching her neighbours. No, instead Cissie listens to their comings and goings through the open bedroom window each night.
This is a story very much following the minutae of Cissie’s day to day existence as a 1950s housewife, and while some of it feels a little repetitive, the finale does build to a fine mystery which makes absolute sense of all the noise’s Cissie hears on the fateful night.
A really solid mystery, with a normal woman as the main character, although there are also others who take the narrative from time to time. I’m sure fans of historical mysteries will enjoy the story.
Meet the author
Elaine Spires is a novelist, playwright and actress. Extensive travelling and a background in education and tourism perfected Elaine’s keen eye for the quirky characteristics of people, captivating the humorous observations she now affectionately shares with the readers of her novels. Elaine also writes plays and her short film Only the Lonely was made by Dan Films and won the Groucho Club Best Short Film Award 2019 and two Silver Awards at WOFFF 2019.
Today, I’m excited to share my review for Murder on the Cricket Green, the fourth book in Catherine Coles delightful 1940s cozy crime series #blogtour #MarthaMillerMystery
Here’s the blurb
Westleham Village, May 1948
The villagers of Westleham are excited for the first village cricket match since the end of the war. But Martha Miller has more pressing concerns – namely, the sudden reappearance of her husband, Stan, missing for two years and acting as though nothing has happened.
Martha doesn’t know what to feel, especially now that his return threatens her growing fondness for the kind-hearted village vicar, Luke. Yet she’s not the only one unsettled by Stan’s return…
As the match begins and the crowd cheers, Stan suddenly collapses – dead before he hits the ground. And all eyes turn to Martha.
To clear her name, she must uncover the truth about Stan’s missing years and his sudden reappearance. But in a village this small, everyone has something to hide. Will Martha’s amateur sleuthing find the real killer or will she pay the price for someone else’s deadly deed?
Let the investigation commence!
Find out if Martha and Luke can catch the killer in a brand new Martha Miller mystery from bestselling author Catherine Coles, perfect for fans of Lee Strauss and Beth Byers!
Murder on the Cricket Green is the fourth book in the Martha Miller historical cosy mystery series. I’ve read the previous books in this series, but I don’t hink it’s necessarily necessary for those looking for a lovely cosy mystery to read (there will be some elements that might not be understood, but they will be quickly picked up).
It’s always lovely to spend time with Martha and her allies (and enemies) in this quaint village. This latest book is a delightful, quick read, where we can all play ‘guess the murderer’ as there are any number of suspects.
Always a sure hit, this story is a light-hearted, fun, quick read. Let’s hope it’s not too long until we’re back with Martha.
Catherine Coles writes bestselling cosy mysteries set in the English countryside. Her extremely popular Tommy & Evelyn Christie series is based in North Yorkshire in the 1920’s and Catherine herself lives in Hull with her family and two spoiled dogs.
I’m reviewing the new book in the Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Italian Mysteries, Murder at the Duomo by TA Williams #BookReview #BlogTour #CosyCrime #ContemporaryCrime
Here’s the blurb
Even angels can have a dark side…
As the sticky heat of August settles over Florence, Dan Armstrong is ready for a well-earned break—sightseeing with fiancée Anna, daughter Tricia and her fiancé Shaun. But when a British man is found dead inside the city’s magnificent Duomo, Dan’s plans quickly change.
The victim, Tristan Angel, is a super-wealthy arms dealer with a saintly name and a devilish reputation. But what was he doing in the cathedral, and who decided to make it his final confession?
At Angel’s opulent villa in the hills of Fiesole, Dan and Commissario Virgilio encounter a colourful cast of suspects—each one hiding secrets and none too eager to talk. As tempers rise and the heat outside grows ever more intense, Dan and his four-legged sidekick, Oscar, must sniff out the truth before the killer strikes again.
Murder at the Duomo is somehow the 14th book in the Armstrong and Oscar mysteries, and I’ve read them all (apart from 1, which I seem to have missed).
This time, Dan and his friends in the Italian police force are faced with their most impossible case so far. Who killed Angel in the confessional at the Duomo, and how did they do it?
Often, these cases are very hard to solve until something becomes obvious to Dan or Oscar, and then they become quite clear-cut, but that’s not the case this time. It does make some aspects feel a little repetitive with such a small collection of suspects. However, when the solution finally becomes evident, the ending is quite exciting.
I do love these mysteries, even if they entirely put me off ever going to Tuscany, which is evidently too hot and too busy for my liking. I think I’ll let Dan and Oscar continue to enjoy it (or endure it) on my behalf.
Check out my reviews for earlier books in the series, and be sure to start at book 1, Murder in Tuscany.
Meet the author
T. A. Williams is the bestselling author of the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series. Trevor studied languages at University and lived and worked in Italy for eight years, returning to England with his wife in 1972. Trevor and his wife now live in Devon.
I’m delighted to share my review for Mrs Hudson and the Spirits’ Curse by Martin Davies, an intriguing Holmes-esque mystery #bookreview #mystery #HistoricalFiction
Here’s the blurb
An evil stalks London, blown in from the tropics. Stories of cursed giant rats and malign spirits haunt the garrets of the East London neighborhood of Limehouse. A group of merchants are dying one by one. The elementary choice to investigate these mysterious deaths is, of course, the team of Holmes and Dr. Watson. But the unique gifts of their housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson, and her orphaned assistant Flotsam, will also be needed to solve the case. Can she do it all under the nose of Sherlock himself?
Mrs Hudson and the Spirits’ Curse is an intriguing Holmes-esque tale where Sherlock Holmes is perhaps not the sharp observer of human nature we might expect, because that role goes to Mrs Hudson, his shadowy but exceedingly well-connected housekeeper. She has Flottie as her assistant, and Flottie has her own story running concurrently with the mystery brought to Holmes’ door.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It has a very Sherlock Holmes mystery to solve, and no end of obfuscation to contend with, while adding an ever greater element of grimy, Victorian London, and its denizens, to the mix through Mrs Hudson’s many connections with the mighty and the lowly..
That said, I did feel as though the resolution to all the mysteries were a little too elongated, although the final chapter, with Dr Watson bringing his accounting of the case to Mrs Hudson for her thoughts, did have me smiling once more.
A fine mystery, very Holmes-esque but with another side to it, that of Mrs Hudson.
Meet the author
Martin Davies is a writer and media consultant based in the UK.
He is the author of nine novels, including international bestseller ‘The Conjuror’s Bird’ which was a Richard and Judy Book Club selection, and which sold over 100,000 copies in the UK alone. ‘The Unicorn Road’ was chosen as one of The Times/WHSmith top paperbacks of the year, and ‘Havana Sleeping’ was shortlisted for an Historical Dagger award by the Crime Writers’ Association. Martin is also the author of a series of mystery stories about Sherlock Holmes’ housekeeper.
Martin Davies has travelled widely, including in the Middle East and India; substantial parts of ‘The Unicorn Road’ were written while travelling through Sicily, and his plan for ‘The Conjuror’s Bird’ was put together on a trekking holiday in Greenland.
When circumstances allow, he chooses to write in cafes or coffee shops, and often works in longhand on first drafts.
Martin Davies’ books have been translated into ten languages.
I’m delighted to share my review for Adam Lofthouse’s Wolf and The Crown, which is released today #historicalfiction #bookreview #RomanEra #WallOfHadrian
Here’s the blurb
Wall of Hadrian. Britannia, 382 AD. War is creeping back into the land. As silent as snowfall, as inevitable as winter. They’ve had sixteen years of peace, but all things must end.
Tribune Sixtus Victorinus has grown old, complacent. Blind to the truth that stares him in the face, he contents himself with what he has. He runs errands for the Dux Britanniarum Flavius Maximus and watches with joy as his boys grow to become men.
It is his friend, Prefect Gaius Felicius, who first spots the signs. Once more, the Caledonian tribes are rearing their heads in the north, but the greatest danger does not lie with them.
For there is a new pretender to the throne of the West. Another man who seeks to drape himself in purple. Caught up in a scheme they cannot comprehend, Victorinus and Felicius must navigate their way through both a war in the depths of winter, and a treasonous plot that will shake the Roman Empire to its core.
A new age dawns on the men of Britannia. For Victorinus, he must fight for the right to see the sun rise over it.
I’ve just been checking my review for book 1 in this series, and I see I also gave it five stars. Adam is a lucky author because I’m always told that I don’t often hand out a 5-star review. (Check out my review for Eagle and the Flame).
And he’ll be pleased to know he’s done it again with Wolf and the Crown.
I will say that this era – the coming end of Roman Britain fascinates me. Adam’s recreation of it speaks to me. We know what’s coming. The people in these books do not, although perhaps they suspect it.
Wolf and the Crown continues the story from Eagle and the Flame, but we move forward 16 years. Our two main characters remain Tribune Sixtus Victorinus and Felicius. Felicius is still a career Roman. Sixtus is not. They are both older, perhaps wiser, and contending with the results of their decisions as younger men.
Sixtus has finally given up the drink, but he is beset with heartache at the breakdown of his marriage and the long-ago death of his small son, which he missed because he was away fighting. Sixtus is a man trying to do his best in a world where the Roman influence of his younger days seems to have bled away. He’s still a friend and ally of Theodosius, the younger emperor, and indeed, they remain in contact via letter – a fabulous device ensuring the reader knows what’s happening beyond the shores of Britannia.
With all that said, this is an action-packed novel. There is barely a chapter that goes by without one fight or another. As we travel from Londinium to many locations on the Wall and even further north, Sixtus gets an absolute beating. Drost makes a welcome reappearance, and conspiracies abound. The set-up for book 3 in this trilogy is impeccably well-paced – I didn’t know how the book would end – although I had some suspicions. It didn’t do what I thought it would, and now I can’t wait for the concluding volume in the trilogy.
It is a fabulous Roman-era action and adventure story that rings with conviction and conspiracy, which readers of the genre will devour.
Meet the author
Adam has for many years held a passion for the ancient world. As a teenager he picked up Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden, and has been obsessed with all things Rome ever since.
After ten years of immersing himself in stories of the Roman world, he decided to have a go at writing one for himself, and hasn’t stopped since. Check out the books on the website, or follow Adam on Social Media for regular updates.
Follow Adam on Twitter: @AdamPLofthouse Find him on Facebook: facebook.com/AdamPLofthouse Instagram: adamplofthouse
Careful what you wish for. In Dark Chronicles, wishes have teeth.
Ten speculative tales brimming with twisted humour and delicious menace: a pepper that lets you in on other people’s thoughts, a radio show that predicts your fate, and a blood-thirsty ghost who refuses to let go.
Award-winning author Karmen Spiljak delivers a chilling and razor-sharp mix of twists and dark suspense, perfect for readers who like their stories to unsettle and linger.
Ten dark tales. Ten twisted fates. One thrilling collection.
Some of the Dark Chronicles are indeed Dark Chronicles, but I did know what I was letting myself in for, as I’ve read Karmen’s Pass the Cyanide short story collection too.
Each of these short stories offers something a little different, from the Smart House which might be more ghostly than Dana would like, to the joy of getting your heart’s desire (or not), these tales are intriguing and often thought-provoking as well.
I don’t often read short story collections, but when I do, I remember the joy of them. Grab this collection of dark tales and scare yourself, just a little bit.
Karmen Spiljak is Slovenian-Belgian author of suspense, horror and speculative fiction, a developmental editor and a book coach. Her short fiction has been awarded and anthologised. Her short story collection, Add Cyanide to Taste, won the 2022 IndieReader Discovery award for best short stories/Fiction and Pass the Cyanide won the 2023 Wishing Shelf Book Awards Bronze.
She lives in Belgrade with her husband, two mischievous cats and an undefined number of literary characters. Find out more about her writing on www.karmenspiljak.com .
I’m delighted to be reviewing The Locked Room by Holly Hepburn #histfic #cosycrime #1930s #bookreview #BakerStreet @rararesources #TheLockedRoom @theboldookclub #boldwoodbloggers @BoldwoodBooks @HollyH_Author
Here’s the blurb
The BRAND NEW instalment in Holly Hepburn’s Baker Street Mystery series – for fans of Sherlock Holmes! Join Harriet White in 1930’s London for another glorious Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery, for fans of Nita Prose and Janice Hallett.
After a very close call on the Cambridgeshire Fens, Harriet White is about ready to hang up her deerstalker and settle back into her normal life, working in a bank on Baker Street. Until she discovers a letter in The Times newspaper challenging Sherlock Holmes to prove his status as the world’s greatest detective, by solving an impossible mystery. The letter, signed Professor James Moriarty, advises Holmes that the crime will be committed within the following seven days. There will be no further clues – Holmes himself must deduce which crime is the correct one to investigate.
Dismissing the letter as a prank, Harry goes about her business until news breaks of the theft of valuable jewel collection from a safe in an apparently locked room in a Mayfair townhouse.
Intrigued in spite of her misgivings, Harry dons a disguise and investigates. But as she begins to unpick the puzzle, a body is found. And now, a stranger, and far more deadly mystery begins to unfold around her…
The Locked Room is the third book in the Baker Street Mysteries. I’ve read books 1 and 2. Check out the review for The Missing Maid and The Cursed Writer.
The Locked Room is the third book in the Baker Street Mysteries, and I’ve read them all. While it is not necessary to have read the previous two books in the series, there are some threads that readers might miss if they begin with book 3 (and, of course, they will be missing out on the fun of reading the series from the beginning).
Our main character, Harriet, has two mysteries to solve in this latest book: determining the identity of her younger brother’s intended future wife and the theft of a priceless gem from a safe in a locked room. The twin mysteries unfold side by side and lead Harriet to some interesting locations.
What I really adore about this series of books is just how ‘Sherlock Holmes’ like they are – even the mysteries ring with familiarity from the Holmes stories, and yet are firmly placed in the 1930s. Harriet also interacts with the other characters in a way that feels very true to the time period. As much as we might not like it, she does have to masquerade in men’s clothing, and she does need the help of her male friend to get into all the places she needs to visit. The Locked Room is also as twisty as the previous two books.
Another fab mystery, thoroughly enjoyable, ripe with the smell of 1930s London, and very Holmes-eque in its resolution as well as the mystery itself.
Meet the author
Holly Hepburn writes escapist, swoonsome fiction that sweeps her readers into idyllic locations, from her native Cornwall to the windswept beauty of Orkney. She has turned her hand to cosy crime inspired by Sherlock Holmes himself. Holly lives in leafy Hertfordshire with her adorable partner in crime, Luna the Labrador.
The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Orchid Hunting is a fabulous, extremely entertaining mystery, with a wealth of engaging, funny, and quite quirky main characters. This is the second book in the series. I have since gone back and read book one, where we first meet the characters. It is also very good, but I do think the characters are much more fully formed in this second book (which makes a lot of sense). That said, I would probably still advise you to start with book one, because if you read book two first, you’re going to know a lot about the first mystery they solve.
Dante, our retired assassin, is often unintentionally funny as he endeavours to live his life as ‘normal’ i.e. not as assassin’s do. I laughed out loud a few times. He is joined by Charlie, our gardener who also sees and can talk to ghosts (so the paranormal bit) and Eleanor a retired art thief, I think, she’s very mysterious.
And then on top of that we have our crime to be solved, all while the delightfully quirky orchid convention is taking place in the local town.
This mystery is a lot of fun, and very engaging. The storyline manages to do a great deal with our characters, with the beautiful New Zealand countryside, with quirky local town inhabitants, and all without ever feeling ‘overdone.’ If you love a quirky, funny mystery book, this is for you. If you love a small town mystery, this is for you. If you love a hint of the paranormal, then this is for you as well. I highly recommend it, but do yourself a favour, and read the first book first. It’s not quite as brilliant as this second offering, but it will certainly get you hooked on Dante, his cat, and his two friends, in this New Zealand setting.
Meet the author
Naomi is a writer living in New Zealand. When not busy writing or raising her twin son and daughter, she spends her free time (ha!) surfing, kitesurfing, and retrieving her shoes from Max the dog.
2025 has been a challenging reading year for me. I’ve failed to hit my reading target of 100 books (although I’m not worried about that because hey, it’s just a bit of fun to even set a target), and there have been a few months where I barely read anything at all because ‘life’ got in the way. I’ve also noticed this year that my reading preferences have changed, moving even more towards mysteries and away from my writing genre of action and adventure historical fiction. I have also, however, joined my local book club, and so I’m reading one book each month to discuss in the group, and this means I’m not necessarily always reading books I would usually choose. This has been a bit of an eye-opener. In our book club, we do read the books, and we do talk about them. If you can find a book club like that, then I highly recommend it. It’s a great experience.
Goodreads (and The Storygraph) tell me I’ve read 82 books this year (as a point of note, I don’t usually put my audiobooks on multiple times (I listen to the same few audiobooks at night to help me sleep and I am almost word perfect on some of them these days)). As last year, I’ve not included my own books in this, which get read repeatedly while writing and editing.
My most read category (a third of all books) has been historical mysteries – (some of these might also be classified as cosy). I’ve read anything from The Rush by Beth Lewis, about the dash to Dawson City to mine for gold at the end of the nineteenth century, to Desolation by Keith Moray (set in the 1300s) and Monstrous Murder by Elizabeth R Andersen (also set in the aftermath of the Black Death) to a huge collection of early twentieth century mysteries, including Michelle Salter’s new series, Murder in Trafalgar Square. I think my favourite (and most surprising read) was The Bookseller of Inverness by SG MacLean (our first book club read, and my recommendation (there were opinions about it – which was brilliant – and I would warn it certainly helps if you know something about the Battle of Culloden and its aftermath). Click on the images to visit the reviews (if I’ve reviewed on the blog).
Behind historical mysteries in my reading year are just plain old contemporary mysteries. Again, some of these are also cozy reads. I don’t like my murder mysteries to be too graphic (when I was much younger, I read all the Scarpetta and Jonathan Kellerman novels and freaked myself out), and I’ve discovered that my preference is for a style known as ‘police procedural’ even when there are no police involved. I started the year with Death on Ice, which was a slow build but delightfully engaging, and ended with the equally brilliant The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Orchid Hunting – a fabulous New Zealand-based mystery (I’m going to read book 1 now), and Simon Whaley’s Flaming Murder (reviews to follow for these two books in Jan 2026). I also discovered Antony Johnston’s lovely Dog Sitter Detectives Series. These are such great books – quick reads but with compelling mysteries.
You can also check out my three favourite reads of 2025 over on Shepherd.
I do want to give a huge shout out to Kalahari Passage (which I’m classifying as historical fiction as its set in the 1960s (I think). This is a beautiful story, if sometimes a hard read. Do check it out.
What I’m classifying as thrillers came next – from the new Harlan Coben to the rather brilliant Dolos by a debut author, LH Fox, which almost had me understanding how cryptocurrency works, and is also my most visited review on the blog.
Six titles were historical romance. Jane Dunn, Melissa Addey and Susanna Dunlap all kept me entertained with their Regency romances, while The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin could also be classified as a Regency romance, but I’ve popped it into the historical mystery category, as it certainly crosses over more into a mystery with the romance element in the background. (If you’ve not read Alison Goodman’s Dark Days Club books, then you’re missing a treat, my Regency fans – a hint of fantasy in the Regency era – what is not to love (still not convinced – I would compare it with Cassandra Claire’s Victorian trilogy).
I also read a couple of romance novels (one for Book Club) and certainly enjoyed some more than others:)
I didn’t read (or at least finish) many non-fiction titles in 2025 (I am still reading Max Adams’ Mercian Chronicles and I have his new title on Northumbria to read as well). My only complete historical non-fiction title for the year was that by Amy McElroy on Mary Tudor – a great depiction which I found very inspiring. Mary is so often overlooked.
The title I enjoyed the most out of the other non-fiction reads was You Know the Drill, an account of a dentist’s life. I made myself read it because I’m so terrified of the dentist. Has it helped? Maybe.
I also read a writing guide, which I enjoyed. It’s always intriguing to discover how other people write their stories. Check out Planning the Perfect Plot.
I’ve also half-read many other titles (apologies to those authors). Hopefully, I’ll get back to them when I have time in 2026. Every year I explain I’m a ‘mood’ reader, and if something isn’t working for me at that moment, it doesn’t mean I won’t come back to it when I fancy something different.
One genre I’ve really neglected is fantasy (aside from the Discworld audios), although I have managed a few short story collections (reviews to follow). I will need to get back to it. I have a few series I need to finish. Maybe the problem is, I don’t want to finish them. We shall see.
Our local book club started in August 2025, and so far we’ve read four very different titles. The Bookseller of Inverness was my choice, and I’m slowly gathering all of Shona’s other titles, including her new release for Feb 2026. Next, we tried Joanne Harris’ Five Quarters of the Orange (which I didn’t like for very different reasons to the ones I thought when I started reading). We then tried The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan, and most agreed the one element of the story was much better than the other. We ended the year with Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson – a novel that was incredibly slow, with something of a predicatable ending (and no, I hadn’t seen the movie). I’m excited to see what we read in 2026. And as you can see, there’s a great variety of titles there. When it’s my turn to pick again I will be championing some of my fellow indie/Boldwood authors.
Here’s to 2026 and all the reading I hope to enjoy.
I read a lot of books by my fellow Boldwood authors, and I’m also a host for a couple of blog tour organisers. This means I often get to read books before everyone else. Yay.
I’m welcoming The Falconer’s Lost Baron by Susanne Dunlap to the blog #blogtour #RegencyRomance #bookreview
Here’s the blurb
A sweeping Regency tale of identity, devotion, and unexpected romance.
Lady Antonella thought she knew who she was—until a shattering family secret strips her of her name, her place in society, and her future. Cast adrift in Cornwall, she finds an injured goshawk in a poacher’s net and begins to nurse it back to health. But the hawk belongs to the war-scarred Lord Atherleigh—a man haunted by loss, determined to dismantle his mews, and certainly not expecting a spirited young woman to upend his solitude.
In London, her twin sister Belinda—radiant, poised, and newly on the marriage market—has only one goal: to find a worthy match… for Antonella. But when Hector Gainesworth, a charming rogue with laughter in his eyes and secrets of his own, turns his attention to Belinda instead, her heart begins to spin in an altogether unexpected direction.
As the sisters navigate betrayal, desire, and the demands of their hearts, two men must decide whether to risk everything for love. And Antonella’s goshawk may be the wild, winged thread that binds their fates.
The Falconer’s Lost Baron is the third of Susanna Dunlap’s Regency romances I’ve read, and I’ve enjoyed all of them (see my reviews below for the previous two books). Every book offers something a little different, while still delivering on what we all expect from a Regency romance.
This new title will delight fans of the genre (there is no need to have read the previous two titles, although you will be missing a treat.)
Susanne Dunlap is the award-winning author of over a dozen historical novels, as well as an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach in fiction, nonfiction, and memoir. Her love of history began in academia with a PhD in music history from Yale. Her novel THE PORTRAITIST won first prize in its category in the 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, and was a finalist in the CIBA Goethe Awards and the Foreword Indies Awards. THE ADORED ONE: A NOVEL OF LILLIAN LORRAINE AND FLORENZ ZIEGFELD, won first place in its category in the 2023 CIBA Goethe Awards for Late Historical Fiction. Today, she lives, coaches, and writes in beautiful Biddeford, Maine.
MJ Porter 