Tag: Amazon

I do love a cover reveal, and what better than two from Louise Marley and her new copy crime series #AnEnglishVillageMurder #CoverReveal

Here’s the blurb

Murder at Raven’s Edge (An English Village Mystery Book 1)

When Milla Graham returns to her childhood home of Raven’s Edge after eighteen long years away, she finds the perfect English village looks much the same – all rose-covered cottages, nosy neighbours, and quaint teashops full of scones and gossip.

But her nostalgic visit takes a dark turn when the body of a local woman is discovered in an abandoned manor house on the edge of the forest. The murder scene is chillingly close to that of Milla’s own mother, whose death was never solved. As she begins to investigate the connection, Milla realises this adorable village is guarding some dark secrets.

Handsome, grumpy local police detective Ben Taylor doesn’t believe in coincidences, and he doesn’t think mysterious newcomer Milla Graham is as blameless as she seems. Why is she really here in Raven’s Edge, and how come she keeps turning up at his crime scenes, causing trouble? Can he solve this murder case without losing himself – or his heart – to the rather distracting Ms Graham?

When another body is found, everyone becomes a suspect – from the barmaid at the local pub to Milla Graham herself. It seems that in Raven’s Edge, not everybody is as friendly, or as innocent, as they first seem.

This picture-perfect English village is full of rumour, romance… and murder! A gripping, funny, absolutely unputdownable murder mystery, which is perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Fiona Leitch and M.C. Beaton.

Pre-order Links 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CV1CQ68Y

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CV1CQ68Y

Publication Date: 7th May 2024

Here’s the blurb for book 2

Murder at Ravenswood House (An English Village Mystery Book 2)

A gruesome murder in charming Raven’s Edge sends Milla Graham sleuthing to catch a killer, win back her detective ex, and dig up a decades-old secret along the way…

When a shocking murder rocks the picture-perfect English village of Raven’s Edge, erstwhile amateur detective Milla Graham finds herself right at the centre of the mystery. Still reeling from her recent breakup with local police officer Ben Taylor, Milla sets her sights on solving the case, hoping to win Ben back.

But when the evidence begins to point to Milla’s old friend and former paramour Lorcan Black, she must choose between her loyalties to the past and the possibilities of the future. Meanwhile, Ben is on a different trail – he’s begun to suspect that the murderer could be someone from his own family’s dark history.

Further complicating matters are Milla’s meddling grandmother, Ben’s no-nonsense police partner Harriet, and David the surprisingly young and sexy new vicar. With shocking twists around every cobblestone corner, the truth refuses to stay buried for long in this quaint village, whose picture-postcard façade hides decades of buried grudges, plots, and betrayal.

Will Milla solve the mystery in time to rescue her relationship with Ben? Can Ben face the skeletons in his family’s closet before one of his own relatives meets the same bloody end?

Brimming with drama, intrigue, romance and quirky characters, this addictive tale will have cosy mystery fans racing through the pages long into the night. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Fiona Leitch will love this book!

Pre-order Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CV249DZ1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CV249DZ1

Publication Date: 7th May 2024

Meet the author

Louise Marley writes murder mysteries and romantic comedies. She is lucky enough to live in a village where there is a famous library and TWO ruined castles. (Her husband still thinks they moved there by accident.)

Her first published novel was Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which was a finalist in Poolbeg’s ‘Write a Bestseller’ competition. She has also written articles for the Irish press and short stories for women’s magazines such as Take a Break and My Weekly. Previously, Louise worked as a civilian administrative officer for the police.

Connect with Louise

Website: https://www.louisemarley.co.uk/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/louisemarley

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisemarleywrites/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/louisemarley.bsky.social

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@louisemarleywrites

Blog: https://louisemarleywrites.blogspot.com/

My first gold-lettered spine:) The Royal Women Who Made England

Here she is, and what a thing of beauty.

https://amzn.to/49iWurx

And the epub version is now saying it’s available direct from Pen and Sword using this link if you don’t want to wait for a hardback to be delivered.

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Royal-Women-Who-Made-England-ePub/p/50369

Reviews are starting to come in, and I’d like to thank all the reviewers for taking the time to have a look at The Royal Women Who Made England. You can check out the reviews over on the Pen and Sword website.

In the meantime, don’t forget to enter the combined competition between my two publishers for signed copies of The Royal Women and King of Kings (UK only. Closing date 6th Feb 2024). You can find the details here.

And, I have another little video to share with you below about one of the later Anglo-Norman sources I made use of while researching the book.

Today, I’m delighted to welcome Spellbound by Gretchen Rue to the blog, with a little bit of #witchy #cosycrime #blogtour #bookreview

Here’s the blurb

Since moving to Raven Creek, Phoebe Winchester has had a lot on her plate.

She’s renovating the Victorian manor she inherited from her Aunt Eudora, running a tea shop (and secret magical apothecary), and learning to be a witch. But when she discovers a dead body at an estate sale, and suspicion falls on her, even Phoebe wonders if this is simply too much.

Forced to take action to clear her name, Phoebe enlists Rich Lofting, handsome private detective and childhood friend, to assist with her investigation, all while sorting out her unresolved feelings for him.

Is there something more sinister lurking in the shadows of this small tight-knit town? And does Phoebe really want to find out?

Purchase Link

https://amzn.to/3veTT3

My Review

Spellbound is a cosy crime featuring our main character, Phoebe, who is a book-shop owner, bread-baker, owned by a cat, and a little bit of a modern-day witch. This isn’t spell-casting witchcraft, but rather a woman with some additional powers with which to imbue her teas and cakes.

When not baking, fixing up her house, being a general ‘good-egg’ and deciding whether or not to risk a romance with a new man, Phoebe manages to embroil herself in a crime, which somehow, finds her, and her cat implicated.

What ensues is a small-town, feel-good, crime busting episode, as Phoebe, determined to clear her name, gets into one or two scrapes before finally finding the true culprit.

This is an enjoyable, light-hearted read, with enough intrigue to keep the reader intrigued.

Meet the author

Gretchen Rue lives in the Canadian prairies, which affords her ample time to read during six months of winter. She plays cat mom to four mostly indifferent fur children, and plant mom to roughly 100 very demanding flora. When she isn’t sipping tea and working on her next novel, she enjoys swimming, hiking, and watching baseball.

Connect with the author

https://www.instagram.com/sierradeanauthor/

I’m delighted to share my review for Adam Lofthouse’s new Roman-era historical fiction novel, Usurper, which is released today

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.

Purchase Link

https://amzn.to/3OfYAAn

My Review

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 Valentia here).

And he’ll be pleased to know he’s done it again with Usurper.

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.

Usurper continues the story from Valentia, 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

https://www.adamlofthouse.com

Competition time, and an update on the ebook version of The Royal Women Who Made England

My fabulous publishers are working together and offering a hardback edition of King of Kings and The Royal Women Who Made England (UK only). To enter you will need to access one of the original posts from Boldwood on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. I will add links here. (Closing date 6th Feb 2024. T &Cs apply).

I can’t work out how to do the Facebook one:(

https://www.facebook.com/theboldbookclub You might have to hunt for it. Let me know if it’s a pain, or if you know how to do it!

I can also let you know that the ebook/kindle version is now available to preorder, and the US hardback release date is 30th March 2024.

https://books2read.com/TheRoyalWomenWhoMadeEngland

Or purchase directly from the publisher, Pen and Sword

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Royal-Women-Who-Made-England-Hardback/p/24395

Check out the Brunanburh Series page on my blog for my information about my fiction.

And, because I never tire of making a slight fool of myself, here’s me talking about some more of the research I undertook for the book and trying to explain the family tree of Otto I, King of the East Franks. Who knows how successful I’ve been.

Happy (UK) Release Day to The Royal Women Who Made England, my first non-fiction book #newrelease #non-fiction

It feels like I’ve been talking about this book forever, but the day is finally upon us. The Royal Women Who Made England is available in hardback in the UK from today. It will be released in the US in March.

If you’ve been hiding from me for the last few months, you might be wondering what this is all about. So here goes.

Throughout the tenth century, England, as it would be recognised today, formed. No longer many Saxon kingdoms, but rather, just England. Yet, this development masks much in the century in which the Viking raiders were seemingly driven from England’s shores by Alfred, his children and grandchildren, only to return during the reign of his great, great-grandson, the much-maligned Æthelred II.

Not one but two kings would be murdered, others would die at a young age, and a child would be named king on four occasions. Two kings would never marry, and a third would be forcefully divorced from his wife. Yet, the development towards ‘England’ did not stop. At no point did it truly fracture back into its constituent parts. Who then ensured this stability? To whom did the witan turn when kings died, and children were raised to the kingship?

The royal woman of the House of Wessex came into prominence during the century, perhaps the most well-known being Æthelflæd, daughter of King Alfred. Perhaps the most maligned being Ælfthryth (Elfrida), accused of murdering her stepson to clear the path to the kingdom for her son, Æthelred II, but there were many more women, rich and powerful in their own right, where their names and landholdings can be traced in the scant historical record.

Using contemporary source material, The Royal Women Who Made England can be plucked from the obscurity that has seen their names and deeds lost, even within a generation of their own lives.

https://amzn.to/3OlRydn

https://ww…ck/p/24395

So, who were these royal women? While some of us will know Æthelflæd, the Lady of Mercia, either because I think she is one of THE most famous Saxon women, or because of The Last Kingdom TV series and books, but she is merely one of many.

I’ve fictionalised Elfrida and her contemporaries, Eadgifu, the third wife of Edward the Elder and also some of his daughters, as well as Ælfwynn, the daughter of Æthelflæd. My first non-fiction title is me sharing my research that these stories are based upon.

I’ve also ‘found’ many other women of the period who have left some sort of physical reminder, mostly in charters or because their wills have survived.

In total, I discuss over twenty women directly involved with the royal family, either by birth or marriage, and also a further forty, who appear in the sources. I also take a good look at what these sources are and how they perhaps aren’t always as reliable as we might hope. I make an attempt to ‘place’ these women in the known historical events of the period. And draw some conclusions, which surprised even me.

You can find some of my blog posts about these women below.

Æthelflæd

Lady Eadgifu

Ælfwynn

The daughters of Edward the Elder.

The other daughters of Edward the Elder

A collection of research books I used while writing The Royal Women Who Made England

Listen to me talk about the Chronicon of Æthelweard (about 6 minutes).

The Royal Women Who Made England: The Tenth Century in Saxon England. But who were these royal women?

In the online resource, The Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England (PASE), a database of every known name from the Saxon period, 33,981 male names are listed. There are only 1,460 female names for the 600-year period of Saxon England. Only 4 per cent of entries are women (there are also many anonymous ones which may mask more women). Twenty-one (possibly twenty-two) of these belong to the royal women of the tenth century. So, who were they?

Lady Ealhswith, the wife of King Alfred.

Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, presumed to be the oldest of Ealhswith daughters, and her daughter, Ælfwynn.

Æthelgifu, Alfred and Ealhswith’s second daughter, the abbess of Shaftesbury.

Ælfthryth, the Countess of Flanders, their third daughter.

Ecgwynn (if that was her name), mother to King Athelstan, and his unnamed sister, given the name of Ecgwynn/Edith in later sources

Lady Ælfflæd the second wife of Edward the Elder. They had many children. Six of them were daughters, Æthelhild, Eadgifu, Eadflæd, Eadhild, Eadgyth and Ælfgifu.

Edward’s third wife, Lady Eadgifu, certainly had one daughter, Eadburh. (There is the possibility that she had two.)

Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury, whose mother Wynflæd is named, was the first wife of Edmund. Æthelflæd of Damerham was Edmund’s second wife.

Edmund’s oldest son, Eadwig, married another Lady Ælfgifu.

Edmund’s youngest son, Edgar, would marry, or have children with no fewer than three women, Æthelflæd, Wulfthryth and Elfrida/Ælfthryth. From these three unions, one daughter was born, Edith/Eadgyth.

Another Ælfgifu was the first wife of Æthelred II. His second wife was Lady Emma of Normandy. At least four daughters were born to Ælfgifu, a daughter (also called Ælfgifu), Eadgyth, Wulfhild and Ælfthryth, while Lady Emma was the mother to Gode.

You can read all about these women in my non-fiction book, and there are also some links to blog posts I’ve written, which may be of interest.

Purchase links (Hardback)

https://amzn.to/3vVNjiw

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Royal-Women-Who-Made-England-Hardback/p/24395

Below you can hear me try and explain the importance of the marriages of some of these women into the West Frankish dynasty. I also forget the title of my non-fiction title, and generally make a bit of a mess of it. Enjoy:)

The Family of Charles III, the king of the West Franks (in my own words)

What to read after The Brunanburh Series #hisffic #TheTenthCentury

I do appreciate that it’s not exactly a bad problem to have, but I am sometimes concerned that readers are not altogether sure where to go after finishing one of my series and hopefully, enjoying it. Never fear, for I have put together a handy little guide, hopefully picking out the elements that readers might have enjoyed in one particular series, and applying them to other ones.

So, for readers interested in what happened before King of Kings, The Lady of Mercia’s Daughter and its sequel, A Conspiracy of Kings, offer a retelling of the Lady Ælfwynn’s life. The books also feature a younger Athelstan, and there may be a few other figures from the Brunanburh series in there as well.

For those interested in England before it was England, or rather the idea of Five kingdoms, then the Gods and Kings trilogy, starting with Pagan Warrior, is really where you want to be. Step back to the seventh century, a time before Viking raiders, but with just as many ambition and brutal warrior kings.

And if it is the conflict and band of warriors that interests you, then the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles might well be where you could go next. Follow young Icel as he realises he must become a warrior, not a healer if he is to protect Mercia from her enemies beginning with Son of Mercia, set nearly a hundred years before the events of Brunanburh.

If you want books with a very healthy dose of violence, (and swearing), then The Mercian Ninth Century is the series for you, beginning with The Last King. Also set before the events of Brunanburh, (in the 870s) this series is all about warriors, violence, and overcoming (hopefully) all the odds.

(The series is also available without the stronger language. Follow this link as otherwise, it’s quite hard to find).

I hope you find something you like, and don’t forget, to sign up for my mailing list to keep up to date with all things Saxon England and to receive a free ebook download via Bookfunnel.

Posts

Listen to me on the A Slice of Medieval Podcast with Derek Birds and Sharon Bennett Connelly

I’m delighted to share details of the A Slice of Medieval Podcast I’m featured on this week. I hope you enjoy the discussion about Brunanburh, King Athelstan and not forgetting, Olaf Scabbyhead.

I’ve added the map below so you can see where I’m talking about during the podcast.

Today, I’m reviewing Zero Kill by MK Hill #thriller #ZeroKill #NewRelease

Here’s the blurb

A TIMES BEST NEW THRILLER PICK

‘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.

Purchase Link

https://geni.us/ZKPBRRR

My Review

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

Connect with the author

Twitter: @markhillwriter. Facebook: M.K. Hill Author. 

Website: https://www.mkhill.uk/

Aries/Head of Zeus

Twitter: @AriesFiction. Facebook: Aries Fiction

Instagram: @headofzeus. TikTok: @headofzeus

Website: http://www.headofzeus.com