After the bloody Battle of Jelling, Denmark’s throne lies empty and chaos reigns as Jarls jostle for power.
Sven survives the bloodshed only to return home to find Ribe sacked by those he trusted and Charles, a pawn in a much bigger political game, kidnapped.
Consumed by the loss of Charles, Sven is shocked by the arrival of the Abbess Hildegard, daughter of his nemesis King Louis of East Francia, who seeks the whereabouts of Charles, her son, and also the cross of Charlemagne.
But whilst others want revenge for the chaos Sven has caused, Denmark burns and Sven must stand in the shield wall one more time if he is to survive and rescue his grandson.
Outnumbered and outmaneuvered, Sven and Charles must put their fate in the hands of the gods if they ever want to see each other again.
Thor’s Revenge is the third book in the Charlemagne’s Cross series by Donovan Cook. I have read the previous two books.
Thor’s Revenge begins immediately after the previous book’s events, with Sven the Boar recovering from the events of the great battle. At the same time, conspiracy and secrets continue to swirl around him and his grandson, Charles.
In book 3, we learn more answers to the secrets and also meet a few new characters who have previously been alluded to but not ‘seen’ on stage, as it were.
The many threads take a while to get into, but when I did, I flew through the story, really enjoying how well they connect. I also greatly enjoy the ‘light’ touch adopted for the competing religions of paganism and Christianity. Questions are asked by those of both faiths, especially Sven and Charles, who can perhaps see that not everything is as black and white as might be believed. The conniving members of the royal family in East and West Frankia add a layer of ‘sophisticated’ conspiracy above that of the more ‘immediate’ concerns of Sven and Charles.
There are also several battles and fights, and I’m looking forward to Book 4, where I hope we may find some resolution for Sven and Charles.
It is a fine addition to the series that develops depth as the story progresses and has an ending, making me desperate to read more. So, get on with it Donovan:)
Fans of the genre will delight in the continuing tale of Sven the Boar and Charles.
Donovan Cook is the author of the well-received Ormstunga Saga series and the Charlemagne’s Cross series, both of which combine fast-paced narrative with meticulously researched history of the Viking world and are inspired by his interest in Norse Mythology. Donovan was born in South Africa but raised in England.
The thrilling new historical adventure from New York Times bestselling author Boyd Morrison and expert medievalist Beth Morrison. Fox and Willa find themselves on a dangerous quest for the treasure of the Templar Knights.
A Perilous Quest. A Deadly Legacy.
Italy, 1351. English companions, knight Gerard Fox and the resourceful Willa, have come through a death-defying journey across war-torn Europe. Now looking towards a future together, they must first find a way to reconcile with their difficult pasts.
In a small village between Florence and Siena, Fox and Willa are caught up in a deadly ambush. After rescuing Luciana, the target of the attack, they take refuge in her opulent villa and learn her heartbreaking story – a tale of loss, deception, and a burning desire for freedom.
Soon, Fox and Willa are involved in a perilous quest to save Luciana’s family legacy. To do so, they will have to solve a mystery that points the way to the fabled lost treasure of the Knights Templar.
‘Complete with mysteries, secrets, and adventure, rich in detail, delivering exactly what a reader craves. This writing duo knows all the right chords to touch.’ Steve Berry, #1 New York Times bestselling author ‘A mesmerizing sequel to the hugely entertaining The Lawless Land…. There is action galore. What a ride!’ Elizabeth George, #1 New York Times bestselling author ‘Any lover of historical mysteries or great tales of adventure will find much delight in this novel!’ James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestselling author ‘A triumphant follow-up to The Lawless Land, with a puzzle that will dazzle fans of The Da Vinci Code. There’s so much breathtaking excitement that the book should come with an oxygen tank.’ Lee Goldberg, #1 New York Times bestselling author
The Last True Templar is a thrilling journey through fourteenth-century Italy, taking our two heroes to Siena, Florence and Venice (and somewhere else, but spoilers) as they attempt to assist Luciana in her bid to finally solve the mystery of her father’s last letter, sent to her over forty years ago, and which it’s believed, will lead to the lost Templar treasure.
And they’re not alone, for as with all good thrillers, there is another side to this story, and someone else wants to get their hands on the Templar treasure just as much as they do: Luciana’s ruthless husband.
This is an Italy in recovery following the devastation of the Black Death, where few, it seems, have been left unscathed. Ironically, two Englishmen, Gerard and Armstrong, are most involved in the hustle and bustle of the quest, with the aid of some quick-witted and intelligent women.
This story is well-grounded in the historical architecture of the time, as our characters race to solve clues, riding from city to city, some loyal to Luciana’s husband and some to Luciana, all needing to look at or visit various important buildings – many of the well-known ones still being built, or heavily renovated. There is intrigue aplenty. Those characters trying to stop Gerard, Willa, and Luciana are ruthless and ambitious, and all this while Gerard and Willa are trying to determine their future.
This is book 2 in the series – I haven’t read book 1 – I don’t necessarily think you need to read the first book to enjoy this one, as we’re given snippets of what’s happened before, but this is very much an isolated ‘quest’. And I did enjoy it. The Last True Templar is very much in the mould of a Dan Brown thriller, only set in the distant past, with an eye to what the cityscapes would have looked like in 1351, and with three feisty women to ensure the narrative never gets bogged down in more purely violent bouts between our two sides.
A rollercoaster of a journey, it’s sure to appeal to fans of historical fiction, historical mysteries and old-fashioned action and adventure stories- (as well as to fans of The Curse of Oak Island:))
Meet the authors
Boyd Morrison is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twelve thrillers, including six with Clive Cussler. His first novel, The Ark, was an Indie Next Notable pick and was translated into over a dozen languages. He has a PhD in industrial engineering from Virginia Tech. Follow Boyd on: @BoydMorrison IG: @BoydMorrisonWriter http://www.facebook.com/BoydMorrisonWriter
Beth Morrison is Senior Curator of Manuscripts at the J. Paul Getty Museum. She has curated major exhibitions including ‘Imagining the Past in France, 1250-1500’, and ‘Book of Beasts: The Bestiary in the Medieval World’. She has a PhD in the History of Art from Cornell University. Follow Beth on: @BethMorrisonPhd IG: @BethMorrisonWriter http://www.facebook.com/BethMorrisonWriter
Helen Bygrove, manageress of the Beach Hotel since her bullying husband was conscripted, is called to the foyer on the arrival of Detective Inspector Toshack. There’s recently been some libellous letters sent, and accusations have been flying around as to who’s been sending them.
In the foyer, Helen was alarmed to see that Sergeant Gardener was with him. Standing behind him were WPC Amanda Lovelock, who used to be her bookkeeper, and Constable Twort, who’d retired originally a few years before the war. A feeling of dread crept up her body and she had a bitter taste in her mouth. Surely they hadn’t concluded that someone from the hotel had written the letters. Could it be one of the new chambermaids, as Edie had suggested? Did Miss Harvey know something, and that’s why she’d turned up at the carol concert?
‘Inspector,’ she greeted him. ‘How may I help you today?’
The inspector opened his mouth to respond but was cut short by both front doors being pushed open. Lady Blackmore was fussing as she entered, along with around a dozen people Helen recognised from the businesses in Beach Town. Cecelia was nowhere in sight. The looks on their faces suggested they weren’t here for pleasure.
Lady Blackmore opened with, ‘Well, that decides it. The hotel crest was on my latest letter. Now try and tell me the letters did not originate from this hotel.’
‘And on mine!’ cried Norah Johnson, who as Norah Daniels had once been a chambermaid at the hotel. Before the dairy farmer’s son had made her pregnant and they’d had to marry. ‘Just because I used to work ’ere and had to marry my Jim, don’t give you no permission to send me letters calling me names like trollop.’
‘That’s what I was about to tell you,’ Toshack told Helen. ‘More letters have been received, but this time on hotel notepaper.’
‘And what have I ever done to you?’ said Mrs Riddles, the postmistress from Norfolk Road. ‘Calling me a stinking cow of a liar, just because I took my last letter to the police station.’ She pointed towards Helen.
‘I’ve never done any such thing,’ said Helen, feeling a weight in her chest. ‘And why on earth would I send anonymous letters on hotel paper.’
‘But they’re not anonymous,’ said the landlord of the New Inn, also on Norfolk Road. ‘They’re signed H.B. That’s you innit?’
‘That’s even less likely then,’ said Edie, coming forward.
‘No, it’s to double bluff people, Miss Harvey here reckons,’ said Norah Johnson. ‘And it makes sense. It’d be the best defence in a courtroom.’
‘That’s enough of that now,’ said Inspector Toshack. ‘If you’d all kindly leave me to carry out my job – ’
‘We want to make sure you do carry out your job,’ said Miss Harvey. ‘Not like last time.’
‘I used to think you were a decent sort,’ said Norah, ‘when I worked for you. Thought it was ya ’usband what was the silly bugger. I guess now ’e’s gone away you’ve taken over his meanness too.’
‘That’s enough of that, young woman,’ Sergeant Gardner warned.
‘And this accusation about her ladyship,’ said the landlord. ‘What proof have you got that her companion is her daughter.’
‘We don’t need to mention the details,’ Lady Blackmore whimpered, her hands covering her cheeks.
‘Mine had that ridiculous claim too,’ said Mrs Riddles. ‘I can quote it exactly, I can. ‘Lady Millicent Blackmore can’t keep her vile secret any more, it said. We can all see the likeness between her and Cecelia, and we know that she’s really her bastard child, born out of wedlock.’
Lady Blackmore let out a strangled cry of anguish. ‘Of course that’s not true! I am only ten years older than Cecelia. How could she be my daughter? Whoever heard of anything so absurd?’
‘I agree,’ said Helen. ‘And I would never say such a thing.’
‘Not to our faces,’ said Norah. ‘Makes me wonder what you said be’ind our backs when I was working ’ere.’
‘I’m warning you,’ said the sergeant.
‘What, only me?’ said Norah. ‘What, ’cause I’m the trollop ’ere, eh?
It seemed to Helen that the scene before her was diminishing, and the sound fading. She had an acid taste at the back of her throat. Was she still in bed, dreaming?
The gathering mob started to talk over each other, provoking both Sergeant Gardner and Inspector Toshack to censure them. The sergeant went with, ‘Quiet now!’ while the inspector went with the more polite, ‘Would you all calm down now.’
The double instruction had the desired effect and the incensed chatter ceased immediately.
‘Now, unless you want to be arrested for disturbance of the peace, I suggest you all vacate the hotel,’ said the inspector, stretching up to his full height. ‘And if I receive any reports that you’ve returned to cause trouble, I will spare no time in sending one of my officers to your abodes. Is that clear?’
There were several mumbles of assent, before each of them turned to exit. Lady Blackmore charged out of the door first, almost knocking Norah Johnson over. The rest followed on, subdued, apart from Miss Harvey. She stood, defiant, for several seconds, glaring at Helen. She was the last of them to leave.
Helen was grateful that nobody had emerged from either dining room during this scene, though she had no doubt that the throng that had gathered today would soon pass around news of the latest letters.
‘Mrs Bygrove,’ said Toshack. ‘Mrs Bygrove?’
‘Hm?’ She came to. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’
‘I said, could we go somewhere more private.’
‘Of… of course. Edie, I’m leaving you in charge.’
‘Yes, madam.’
Helen took a deep breath, determined to pull herself together. But she was badly shaken. ‘Come this way.’ She led the four police officers to the staff area, stopping in the corridor. ‘We’ll go to my office.’
‘No, this will suffice,’ said the inspector. ‘WPC Lovelock, you know the building. Show Sergeant Gardner the way.’
‘Yes sir,’ she said with little enthusiasm. She opened the door to the stairs, that led to the staff living quarters.
‘What are they doing?’ said Helen.
‘Carrying out a search.’
Here’s the blurb
Can Helen save the hotel… and her reputation?
Helen Bygrove is managing the hotel, now that her husband has been conscripted. Against all expectations, Helen and her team are doing marvellously, despite the shortages brought by war. Even the exacting Lady Blackmore agrees. But then the calm is shattered when poison pen letters are sent to prominent townsfolk and Helen finds herself the target of a police investigation. Is someone trying to ruin Helen, and the Beach Hotel? And can she rely on the handsome but taciturn Inspector Toshack to help her? When her husband, Douglas, is invalided out of the war he is determined to take back control of the hotel and things go from bad to worse.
How can she ever escape his bullying? Is she a fool to hope that she may have a second chance at love?
Francesca has enjoyed writing since she was a child, largely influenced by a Welsh mother who was good at improvised story telling.
Writing under both her maiden name, Francesca Capaldi, and her married name, Francesca Burgess, she is the author of historical novels, short stories and several pocket novels. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists.
The first novel in the Wartime in the Valleys series, Heartbreak in the Valleys, was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Historical Award 2021. Both the Valleys series and the Beach Hotel series are published by Hera Books.
Francesca was born and brought up on the Sussex coast, but currently lives in Kent with her family and a cat called Lando Calrission.
Thank you so very much for celebrating the release of, The King She Shouldn’t Crave, with me, on your lovely blog! ❤️
Introduction: In this scene, Natalia finds an inner strength to confront the king. Her husband. It was a pleasure to watch this scene unfold, and to watch Natalia finally demand to be seen, and heard.
Extract:
Angelo’s pen halted mid-swipe, held between long fingers, balanced by a thick wrist cuffed in black. His eyes rose from the paper in front of him.
Lashes, full and long, captured a sunset of liquid gold.
A hypnotising swirl of heat locked on to her. A warmth spread through her fingers, through her arms, her chest, to pump into her stomach. Lower.
Everything stopped—including time.
He stared at her.
She swallowed.
Natalia didn’t want to recognise him as a man. With this heat in her gut. Because whatever this womanly response was, she didn’t like it. It had no purpose here. In this room. With him.
‘I need to speak with you,’ she said huskily, before her training could stop her. Before it demanded she stand silent and continue to live her life like a puppet. Her strings pulled by men. By tradition. By the rules that only served the King. Not the people. Not her.
Angelo lowered his gaze. ‘Then make an appointment.’ His olive fingers flicked over the white paper. Dismissing her.
‘Your Majesty…’ The aide she’d forgotten swept into the room. ‘I apologise—’
‘Leave us,’ he said, his eyes settling back on Natalia, and his look was as blatant as his actions since their wedding. He didn’t want her here.
The door closed. Leaving them alone for the very first time.
‘Why are you here, Principessa?’ Honey-brown eyes latched on to hers. Her breath hitched. The words—all the words she’d held back—swarmed and clumped in her throat.
She’d demanded his attention and here he was, giving it to her.
He was waiting for her to respond.
What was she waiting for?
Her training told her she shouldn’t say a word. Should apologise for interrupting him and leave. Speak only when spoken to. But her obedience had been a facade. The long game. A cover-up.
Uninvited, she reached for the chair opposite him and sat down. Placed her hands in her lap and straightened her back.
Her fingers curled into her palms, her nails biting into her skin. This was the moment. Her moment. And it would hurt to let her underbelly show. To loosen her armour. But what choice did she have other than to tell the truth? To make this an unguarded moment of honesty?
She couldn’t do this alone. The gates were still locked against her, and the shackles of tradition were too tight for her to free them by herself.
She swallowed, pushing down the instinct not to speak. Not to tell him the truth. But she had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
‘I need your help.’
Her armour cracked. And it hurt. The confession in her mouth was heavy, but she made herself push it out. Set it free.
Natalia reached into her pocket and withdrew her coronation speech. She unfolded it with careful precision, leaned forward and placed it before him.
‘And I’m not leaving until I get it.’
Curious? Here are all the details.
Here’s the blurb
Will the king finally surrender to their tantalizing chemistry? Find out in the latest royalty romance by Lela May Wight!
Their royal marriage: Separate beds but shared temptation…
Two months have passed since the world watched Natalia La Morte marry King Angelo Dizieno. But Natalia hasn’t seen or heard from him since their startlingly scorching kiss at the altar…
Promoted from spare to heir after tragedy struck, Angelo can’t be distracted from his duty. Being within touching distance of the woman he has always craved—his brother’s intended queen—has him on the precipice of self-destruction. The last thing he needs is for Natalia to recognize their dangerous attraction. If she does, there’s nothing to stop it from becoming all-consuming…
From Harlequin Presents: Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds.
Lela May Wight grew up with seven brothers and sisters. Yes, it was noisy, and she often found escape in romance books. She still does, but now she gets to write them too! She hopes to offer readers the same escapism when the world is a little too loud.
Lela May lives in the UK with her sons and her very own hero, who never complains about her book addiction – he buys her more books! Check out what she’s up to at lelamaywight.com.
Mia Flanagan has never been told who her father is and, aged ten, stopped asking. Now she keeps her own secrets. But when the movie she’s working on ends in disaster, she flies home to discover her fiancé has a secret too; leaving her dreams crushed.
Broken-hearted, a lonely summer in London looms. Until family friend, Archie Fitzgerald, invites her to stay at his fading mansion on Ireland’s ancient east coast.
For Archie also has a secret, and the longer Mia stays, the more she wonders if Archie really is her father after all.
Summer of Secrets is a tale of how the ghost of love can blight many lives. And how Mia, realising the past cannot hurt her, must make way for new love and the promise of happiness waiting in the wings.
Her Heartfelt Series − The Hollow Heart, A Change of Heart and Secrets of the Heart – is set on an island off Ireland’s west coast andfeatures a feisty investigative journalist, and her irresistible West Highland terrier. Adrienne studied at the Dublin College of Journalism and loves animals, especially dogs.
Her collection of short stories and poetry, Fur Coat & No Knickers was shortlisted for the Irish Carousel Prize for Anthology and her WWII short story, Dodo’s Portrait, was shortlisted for the Colm Toíbín International Short Story Award at the Wexford Literary Festival.
Summer of Secrets is the first in a series of sweeping family dramas, each with a touch of Irish magic.
All her books are heart-warming, uplifting reads, featuring her trademark gripping style, and laugh out loud moments.
Adrienne, husband Jonathan, and two cocker spaniels divide their time between rural Leicestershire, the Wicklow mountains, and coastal South Devon. Agatha Christie – the cat – takes care of things while they are away.
PS: Adrienne’s keeping everything crossed there’s still time to realise her ambition to be a Bond girl.
‘Angelica had always known her lack of high birth, fortune or influence debarred her from being presented as an eligible young woman worthy of marriage. To cap it all, being an actress assured she was utterly beyond the pale of respectability.’
Nightly at the Covent Garden Theatre in London, an enchanting actress is wowing the crowds with her affecting portrayal of Ophelia. Preyed on by rakes and opportunistic young bucks, feted by dukes and earls, even the Prince Regent himself, Angelica Leigh is a sensation.
But in Regency England, beauty and talent are not enough to be considered marriage material, so when the eminently eligible Lord Charles Latimer sets his heart on Angelica, his uncle is sent to intervene.
As a highly respected, hard-working and wealthy lawmaker, The Honourable Ivor Asprey, is himself seen as desirable husband material, but widowed with an eleven-year-old daughter Elinor, he has forsaken all thoughts of romance. Lord Latimer’s mother, the Duchess of Arlington, despairs of her son, despite being reassured by Ivor that his infatuation with the actress will pass. But there is something about Angelica Leigh that demands attention, and even the austere and upstanding Mr Asprey isn’t immune to her charms.
Sunday Times bestselling author Jane Dunn brings the Regency period irresistibly to life. Perfect for fans of Jane Austen. Janice Hadlow, Gill Hornby, and anyone with a Bridgerton-shaped hole in their lives.
A Scandalous Match returns us to Jane Dunn’s wonderful reimagining of Regency England. Our heroine this time is Angelica, our hero Ivor. Both of them are very different characters. The chemistry between them takes some time to develop, but when it does, it is quite explosive.
A Scandalous Match contains all the elements of a Regency romance we would expect, including the stubborn heroine and equally stubborn hero, their failure to speak plainly, and the reach of society that endeavours to keep them apart. But, as with Jane’s previous books, there is the fascinating element of ‘other’ in there as well. The servants aren’t faceless and nameless. The conventions of the times are laid bare, and the peripheral characters also ‘buck’ against the trends we might expect. It all adds a delicious quantity to the books, which I adore, from the ‘cant’ of the servants to the slightly risqué relationship of Angelica’s mother and her ‘keeper.’ I also adore how the obsession with horses is constantly explored, just as in today’s day and age, we might brag about our high-end cars.
Another thrilling and enthralling read. Readers of Regency Romance, and romance in general, will delight in travelling to Jane’s Regency England.
Jane Dunn is an historian and biographer and the author of seven acclaimed biographies, including Daphne du Maurier and her Sisters and the Sunday Times and NYT bestseller, Elizabeth & Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens. She comes to Boldwood with her first fiction outing – a trilogy of novels set in the Regency period, the first of which is to be published in January 2023. She lives in Berkshire with her husband, the linguist Nicholas Ostler.
‘Runs at breakneck speed through a dark and dangerous universe populated with characters who are never what they seem’ KATHLEEN KENT, author of Black Wolf ‘A perfect thriller – page-turning excitement, expert plotting, a good dose of wit, and above all a fierce heroine you can’t get enough of.’ ASIA MACKAY, author of Killing It
Meet Elsa Zero: Bad neighbour. Single mother. Ex-deep cover agent. And right now, the most dangerous person on Earth.
When Elsa’s dull but dedicated boyfriend proposes in a packed restaurant, she doesn’t think her evening can get any worse. But as the clock strikes midnight, her world is turned upside down.
Suddenly Elsa is running for her life, trying to keep her children safe, and desperate to discover what the hell is going on.
Every intelligence agency in the world wants her dead because she’s in possession of a deadly secret – she just has to stay alive long enough to figure out what it is.
But this is Elsa Zero we’re talking about. And it’s a very bad idea to get on her wrong side.
Bursting with tension, twists and humour, this is a brilliantly unique action-thriller perfect for fans of Killing Eve, Lee Child and people who loved watching Nobody and Hunted.
Zero Kill has a fabulous premise, dropping the reader immediately into a scene filled with unexpected violence. It’s not often a character spirals from a proposal to flinging a hot frying pan at the head of her fiancé.
The story gets a little crazy from there. Our main character, Elsa, has no idea why she’s being targeted. Admittedly, we quickly learn she’s a former deepcover agent, but retired for 9 years, why is she suddenly a person of interest once more?
The story fluctuates between two timelines, and also between a few other characters, but Elsa remains the focus as she tries to gather enough intelligence to determine what’s happening and why she should trust anyone apart from her old pal, now a drunk and a bit of a mess.
Zero Kill builds well to its conclusion, and if it doesn’t quite match the rather brilliant premise (I’m not entirely sure how it could), it’s still a really fun read and sure to appeal to fans of Mission Impossible and Jack Reacher.
Meet the author
M.K. Hill worked as a journalist and an award-winning music radio producer before becoming a full-time writer. He’s written the Sasha Dawson series, Ray Drake series and the highly-acclaimed psychological thriller One Bad Thing. He lives in London. Visit him at http://www.mkhill.uk or find him on Twitter @markhillwriter
On the night that Trudy Asp discovers her ex is engaged to the same dental hygienist who’s been picking at her teeth for ten years, her daughter, Madison, suddenly announces that she too is getting married, in Europe.
Frumpy, floundering, and forced to live with her martini-swilling mother, Trudy is swamped by these revelations. And on top of it all, she’ll be wearing the second most scrutinized gown at the wedding.
Having packed on the pounds during the demise of her marriage, the idea of being eyeballed by her ex and his scrawny fiancée Zelda, is truly horrifying. To make matters worse, there’s the paralyzing fear of a transatlantic flight — something Trudy has avoided for decades.
When Zelda offers to stand in for her, Trudy is forced to confront the forces that stole her marriage and threaten to steal her daughter’s wedding too. With three months until the ceremony, Trudy must get to Europe, squeeze herself into a gown, and claim the role she wants more than anything: Mother-of-the-Bride.
Will this Odd Mom Out sink or swim? Or will she drown in a sea of humiliation?
Odd Mom Out is not my usual read, but wow, I’m so glad I picked it up and gave it a go.
Our main character, Trudy, is quite frankly a mess. Recently divorced, massively unhappy, all but estranged from her daughter and forced to live with an overbearing mother, she’s also deeply unhappy with her weight and general well-being, not helped by the fact she runs and bakes for the local bakery. Our first meeting with her reveals a woman often angry with every one else, but not necessarily herself. To be honest, I didn’t really connect with her to begin with, but she certainly grows and develops into a very likeable character.
Determined to do something different when she hears her ex-husband is about to get remarried, while her daughter is also about to marry, Trudy eventually decides to turn her life around. It takes a while. For about 30% of the book, she isn’t prepared to face her demons, and she doesn’t want to do anything about it.
But from 30% in, Trudy is a woman transformed, all be it, one who still struggles. Her battles are very relatable, and while the reader might be a little frustrated with the lack of information concerning her daughter’s upcoming wedding, Trudy presses on with her plans to be the best Mother of the Bride she can be. Along the way, she makes some new friends, and reconnects with some old ones, and even her relationship with her mother improves, as does her business. She comes to terms with her husband’s decision to divorce her, and reconnect with her daughter, eventually.
The story has some unexpected twists and turns, which all build into it being a relatable story, and I powered through the last 50%, keen to know how everything would work for our main character.
A really engaging story. It will certainly appeal to fans of the genre, and those who wouldn’t usually read something like this, like me:)
Meet the author
Sandy Day is a recovering chatterbox and writer of riveting slice-of-life poetry, memoir, and fiction. She has authored five books to date, with two in the works. A graduate of Glendon College, she studied creative writing under Michael Ondaatje and bp nichol. A lover of cheese, coffee shops, and illustrations, she lives on the shore of Lake Simcoe in Georgina, Ontario, Canada. You can find and follow her on Substack and sandyday.ca – it rhymes!
Saddle up for this first class historical mystery, perfect for fans of Helena Dixon and Verity Bright.
London, 1918
Fiona Figg finds herself back in Old Blighty saddled with shuffling papers for the war office. Then a mysterious card arrives, inviting her to a fancy house party at Mentmore Castle. This year’s Ascot-themed do will play host to a stable of animal defense advocates, and Fiona is tasked with infiltrating the activists and uncovering possible anti-war activity.
Disguised as the Lady Tabitha Kenworthy, Fiona is more than ready for the “mane” event, but the odds are against her when both her arch nemesis, dark-horse Fredrick Fredricks, and would-be fiancé Lieutenant Archie Somersby arrive unexpectedly and “stirrup” her plans. And when a horse doctor thuds to the floor in the next guest room, Fiona finds herself investigating a mysterious poisoning with some very hairy clues.
Can Fiona overcome the hurdles and solve both cases, or will she be pipped to the post and put out to pasture by the killer?
This is the fourth book in the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery Books I’ve read. I confess, what I really enjoyed about book 3, Mayhem in the Mountains, was Fiona’s lack of dressing up in costume and, therefore, no mention of her favourite fake moustache. So I was somewhat alarmed when, only a few chapters in, Fiona was once more masquerading in one of her many costumes. However, I needn’t have feared. Kitty has not forgotten about her costumes, and she certainly puts them to good use in Arsenic at Ascot, but much of the time, Fiona is either herself or Lady Tabitha. Not that I object to her masquerading, but I’d much rather hear about her favourite wig than her suitcase full of fake moustaches and beards.
Fiona has been grounded in Arsenic at Ascot. Somewhat depressed and out of sorts at finding herself once more a ‘mere’ file clerk, all is doom and gloom and complaints about washing up after the codebreakers when she’s summoned by none other than her boss and told to don one of her many costumes. What ensues is a, at times, somewhat uncomfortable look at the world of vivisectionists and antivivisectionists and the use animals were put to during the war. As Fiona has no clear idea about what she thinks about either side of the argument, the exploration into what we now think of as animal cruelty is somewhat distressing, although it’s never laboured. And readers will be quite astounded at some of the experiments, which, according to the end notes, are based on natural experiments of the time.
While all this is happening, Fiona is once more caught in the love triangle between Archie and Frederick Fredericks and has a hole to climb out of with Archie, thanks to Kitty Lane. It will not stop her from solving who killed the latest body she’s found at a country estate.
As with the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane books, the mysteries and conspiracies are well thought out, and the conclusion is satisfying. I also enjoy knowing this is not the last of the series, as book 5 gets a great set-up in the final chapters.
If you enjoy historical mysteries with a dash of humour and a little frisson of romance, then the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane books are sure to appeal to you, with their knowledge of the ‘of their time’ investigative techniques, all combined with the intrigue of our spies, Archie and Fredericks and dotted with either real historical characters or creations based on them—a delightful mystery.
Kelly Oliver is the award-winning, bestselling author of three mysteries series: The Jessica James Mysteries, The Pet Detective Mysteries, and the historical cozies The Fiona Figg Mysteries, set in WW1. She is also the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University and lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
Green thumbs beware. Plants are beautiful, peaceful, abundant, and life-sustaining. But what if something sinister took root in the soil, awakening to unleash slashing thorns, squeezing vines, or haunting greenery that lured you in? Perhaps blooms on distant planets could claim your heart, hitch a ride to Earth on a meteor, or simply poison you with their essence. Imagine a world where scientists produced our own demise in a lab, set spores free to infect, even bred ferns to be our friends only to witness the privilege perverted. When faced with botanical terror, will humanity fight to survive, or will they curl and wither like leaves in the fall? Read ten speculative tales ripe with dangerous flora to find out.
Spread is a collection of short stories all with a theme of deadly fauna. If this doesn’t sound like your sort of thing, then rest assured, it’s not really mine either, but these tales are all really good reads – I thoroughly enjoyed all of them even if some of them made me feel a bit itchy.
The tales are so well constructed, drawing you into a whole new world quickly, and packing a great deal of punch. Some of them are quite eerie. Some of them will have you shouting, ‘No, don’t do it,’ and others slowly reveal themselves and become creepy unexpectedly. They range from tales set on different planets to those set on an Earth slowly being consumed by deadly fauna, or being set upon by alien fauna, but not all of them can be quite so easily categorised. All of the tales are well worth reading.
In future, I will be eyeing up the plants around my house with a wary glance. Genuinely, it is an excellent collection of short stories, I’m so pleased I decided to read them.
MJ Porter 