Tag: book review

And read about warfare in the Saxon period on

https://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/pagan-warrior/

For March 28th, check out a fabulous review on

A guest post about Mercia in the later eighth century on the Historical Fiction Blog.

https://historicalfictionblog.com/pagan-warrior-guest-post/

And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.

For March 21st check out a post about two of the royal residences of Bernicia at the time, Bamburgh and Ad Gefrin (Yeavering). (There are lots of photos, thank you to Helen Hollick for uploading them all).

And a review from

From March 14th, check out my author interview over on Archaeolibrarian.

I’m sharing an excerpt over on The Historical Fiction Company.

I’ve written a piece about the historical background on Pam Lecky’s official blog.

https://kingsumo.com/g/h1kxu9/prize-for-cozy-mysteries-blog-tour

Today, I’m delighted to be reviewing The Wonderland Murders by Millie Ravensworth #BlogTour #CozyCrime

Here’s the blurb

A quirky and funny series for fans of a good mystery and compelling characters. Can you solve the crime before our dressmaking duo?

After losing her job at an exclusive London hotel, Penny Slipper is only too happy to help when her grandma asks her to take charge at the Cozy Craft sewing shop in charming rural Suffolk.

With cousin Izzy on hand as the expert dressmaker and Penny’s head for business, what can possibly go wrong?

But Penny’s in town for less than a day when the local librarian is poisoned and Penny fears she might even be accidentally responsible. Penny and Izzy are forced to turn detectives to uncover the true cause of death, while finishing a costume commission for their first customer.

Matters take a further deadly turn when a second body is discovered.

Can Penny and Izzy unpick the mysteries of the past and sew the pieces of this puzzle together before it’s too late?

If you enjoy fast-paced mysteries, charming country towns and characters who you want to spend hours with then you’re going to love the Cozy Craft Mystery series.

Start your next murder mystery adventure today!

Purchase Links

Amazon UK Amazon US

Review

The Wonderland Murders is a delightful and very well-plotted contemporary cozy mystery set in Framingham, the UK.

Penny and Izzy are cousins thrown together by the illness of their mutual grandmother, who normally runs a crafting shop. Izzy is somewhat scatty and filled with new ideas. Penny is more down to earth and determined to make a profit from the shop. But no sooner has Penny arrived than a murder takes place in the local library. While they’re not obsessive about who is responsible, they do begin to consider who might have been to blame as they work on an Alice in Wonderland costume for the upcoming World books day for one of the librarians.

What ensues is so well-plotted and delightful that I genuinely didn’t guess the ending. These stories have a lovely lightness of touch, genuine warmth and humour throughout, and Izzy and Penny really complement each other as main characters.

I loved this first book so much that I’m busy devouring the rest of the series, and the series is consistently as enjoyable and delightful. I’m so glad I took a chance on The Wonderland Murders, and if you love a cozy crime, you won’t be disappointed, either.

Giveaway Prize – The Wonderland Murders, a cross stitch book, a floral notepad, a note writing set and a grass bunny.

Meet the Author

Millie Ravensworth writes the Cozy Craft Mystery series of books. Her love of murder mysteries and passion for dressmaking made her want to write books full of quirky characters and unbelievable murders. Millie lives in central England where children and pets are something of a distraction from the serious business of writing, although dog walking is always a good time to plot the next book.

Connect with Millie

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Pagan Warrior is on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club #blogtour – check out the posts for day 6

I’m really excited to share the details of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club.

You can follow the blog tour, and I’ll be sharing posts here as well. A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising.

For April 18th, I answered Paul Walker’s questions on his blog

Paul Walker’s Official Blog

There’s an except over on Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog featuring King Edwin

Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog

And a fabulous review on Ruins and Readings

Ruins and Readings

For April 11th, read a guest post about how we know, what we know, about the seventh century.

Deborah Swift’s Official Blog

And a fabulous author interview over on

The Writing Desk

For April 4th, read an excerpt on

And read about warfare in the Saxon period on

https://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/pagan-warrior/

For March 28th, check out a fabulous review on

A guest post about Mercia in the later eighth century on the Historical Fiction Blog.

https://historicalfictionblog.com/pagan-warrior-guest-post/

And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.

And a review from

From March 14th, check out my author interview over on Archaeolibrarian.

I’m sharing an excerpt over on The Historical Fiction Company.

I’ve written a piece about the historical background on Pam Lecky’s official blog.

Deborah Swift’s Official Blog

It’s my turn on the new release blog tour for Donovan Cook’s new Norse-inspired novel, Odin’s Betrayal. #BlogTour #HistoricalFiction

Here’s the blurb

Two kingdoms destined for war, one boy caught in the eye of the storm…

Francia AD853

After a failed Viking raid on the Frankish coast over 20-years-ago, Jarl Sven the Boar is forced to leave his only son, Torkel, as a hostage and warned never to raid Francia again or his son will die.

In Hügelburg, a small town in East Francia, Torkel and his 9-year-old son Charles are ambushed at home.

Before dying, Torkel thrusts a package into young Charles’s hands and tells him to flee Francia for Denmark in search of his grandfather Sven the Boar’s protection.

But the man Charles eventually finds is not who he expects, and Charles must put his fate in the hands of a man betrayed by Odin.

Together they must uncover the significance of the package and why the Kings of Francia want Charles dead.

Purchase Link

https://amzn.to/3k4cGsh

My Review

Odin’s Betrayal by Donovan Cook is a fabulous Norse tale of family, betrayal and the conflict between Christianity and the Norse Gods, played out between our two main characters, young Charles, born in Francia, and his grandfather, the disgraced Jarl Sven the Boar of Denmark.

The two characters of Charles and Sven are well portrayed – Charles, young and fearful; his grandfather, old and twisted by his failures and betrayals, with Thora acting as a sort of emissary between the pair of them who are from such different cultures. I thoroughly enjoyed the interplay between the two religions – something that often frustrates me – but which the author handles magnificently. And between the two generations. Charles and Sven, are both unable to truly understand the other. Charles is young and firm in his Christianity. Sven is old and believes he’s been tricked by his Norse Gods.

The secret Charles carries, and his father entrusted to him on his death is intriguing. We get little hints, and yes, we might work out what it all means, but that doesn’t matter because our characters don’t know, and their journey to discovery is well constructed.

There’s plenty of hand-to-hand fighting in this novel and no end of betrayals right up until the last page, as the ‘big reveals’ occur, and it makes for a thoroughly enjoyable, well-crafted Norse tale. I loved it:) I can’t wait for book 2.

Meet the Author

Donovan Cook is the author of the well-received Ormstunga Saga series which combines fast-paced narrative with meticulously researched history of the Viking world, and is inspired by his interest in Norse Mythology.  He lives in Lancashire and his first title in a new series for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2023.

Connect with Donovan

Facebook Twitter

Bookbub profile

Check out my previous posts with Donovan Cook.

Son of Anger (review)

Son of Anger (blog tour)

Pagan Warrior is on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club #blogtour – check out the posts for day 5

I’m really excited to share the details of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club.

You can follow the blog tour, and I’ll be sharing posts here as well. A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising.

For April 11th, read a guest post about how we know, what we know, about the seventh century.

And a fabulous author interview over on

The Writing Desk

For April 4th, read an excerpt on

And read about warfare in the Saxon period on

https://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/pagan-warrior/

For March 28th, check out a fabulous review on

A guest post about Mercia in the later eighth century on the Historical Fiction Blog.

https://historicalfictionblog.com/pagan-warrior-guest-post/

And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.

And a review from

From March 14th, check out my author interview over on Archaeolibrarian.

I’m sharing an excerpt over on The Historical Fiction Company.

I’ve written a piece about the historical background on Pam Lecky’s official blog.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09TRT7NXL

Today, I’m featuring For My Sins by S C Cunningham on the blog #blogtour #thriller

Here’s the blurb

An addictive mix of ‘Lock Stock’, ‘RocknRolla’, ‘Killing Eve’, and ‘Line of Duty’.

Knowing his days are numbered, a seasoned criminal finds his life calling, to expose and cull the sordid underbelly of the world’s elite. Delicious, charming, cunning, avenging, David Howard escapes prison and agrees to an MI6 deal, to close down a high-profile trafficking ring in exchange for his freedom – setting a thief to catch a thief.

With a target on his back, he’s helped by a rogue police unit, working behind the scenes to right cases that fall through the courts’ fingers. In an unlikely coupling, they share a goal… and will risk everything to attain it.

A page-turning, cheeky, thought-provoking, at times laugh-out-loud, contemporary psycho-thriller, that comes with a warning.

CAUTION
Adult language, sex, violence, triggers.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09TRT7NXL

My Review

For My Sins is book 3 in the David Trilogy, and no, I’ve not read books 1 and 2, but it was not really a hindrance, other than I think I’ve probably missed a huge number of antics, which if not enjoyable, as the subject matter is quite distressing, would have been thrilling.

The opening scene of For My Sins plunges the reader into the world of David, and what a sick and twisted world it is. David has been badly used in his life, and he is determined on revenge.

There is a fine dose of humour running through this story, despite the subject matter, and very coarse language, which is only to be expected in a book of this nature. I soon found myself entirely enthralled as the tale unfolds.

This is a fine psycho-thriller, certainly not my usual read, but fabulously engaging. I too am a huge Guy Ritchie fan, and yes, his movie The Gentleman did inspire my ‘take’ on Coelwulf and so, I felt right at home with For My Sins for all it is not my usual read. I would warn that there is a lot of violence, foul language and references to child sexual abuse. It is a finely poised line, but one I feel the author walks well.

I will certainly be checking out more of S C Cunningham’s books.

Meet the Author

Having worked in the worlds of sport, music, celebrity management, and law enforcement (CID Crime Investigator, Major Crime Team Intel Analyst, Wanted & Absconder Unit), Cunningham creates psychological thrillers with a skilled mix of fuelled tension, dark humor, and pulsating passion, offering a fresh level of sincerity and authority, rare in fiction.

THE DAVID TRILOGY
The Penance List
Unfinished Business
For My Sins

Connect with S C Cunningham

https://linktr.ee/AuthorSCCunningham

Trailer

Happy publication day to Murder in Florence by TA Williams #cozymystery #NewRelease

Here’s the blurb

A brand-new cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany…It’s murder in paradise!

A glamorous film star…

Life as a private investigator in the suburbs of Florence isn’t always as glamorous as Dan Armstrong imagined it to be, until he is asked to investigate a recent spate of violent attacks on a Hollywood movie set in Florence. The star of the show, movie-star royalty Selena Gardner, fears her life is in imminent danger…

Foul play on set…

As Dan investigates, he discovers secrets and scandals are rife within the cast and crew. But with no actual murder, Dan believes these attacks could simply be warnings to someone…until the first body is found.

A dangerous killer on the loose.

Now Dan and his trusty sidekick Oscar are in a race against time to catch the murderer. But the more Dan uncovers, the more the killer strikes and Dan finds himself caught in the line of fire too! Is this one case Dan and Oscar will regret?

Purchase Link

https://amzn.to/416oD14

My Review

Murder in Florence is the third book in the Armstrong and Oscar series of cosy crime set in Italy, and book 3 is just as enthralling as the first two books in the series.

This time, Dan somehow finds himself forced to wear tights to blend into the film set he works on, where crossbows have been shot at those on set. It is all very perplexing. I loved the use of the movie to enrich the story with historical details of Florence. Always a history buff, it was great to see it put to good use while keeping me entertained.

As with the first two books in the series, there is a twisty plot where Dan gets to venture to many local beauty spots before getting even the sniff at a breakthrough on the case, and of course, none of it would happen without the aid of the always hungry, and always a bit ‘farty’ Oscar the labrador pooch.

A thoroughly entertaining tale.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

Check out my review for book 1, Murder in Tuscany, and book 2, Murder in Chianti.

Meet the author

T A Williams is the author of over twenty bestselling romances for HQ and Canelo and is now turning his hand to cosy crime, set in his beloved Italy, for Boldwood. The series will introduce us to retired DCI Armstrong and his labrador Oscar and the first book, entitled Murder in Tuscany, will be published in October 2022. Trevor lives in Devon with his Italian wife.

Connect with T A Williams

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TAWilliamsBooks

(This post contains an Amazon affiliate link)

Pagan Warrior is on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club #blogtour – check out the posts for day 4

I’m really excited to share the details of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club.

And, if you read on Nook, I’ve created a special discount code just for Nook readers. Using code BNPPAGAN at checkout will get you 50% off all three titles, for a limited time.

You can follow the blog tour, and I’ll be sharing posts here as well. A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising.

For April 4th, read an excerpt on

And read about warfare in the Saxon period on

https://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/pagan-warrior/

For March 28th, check out a fabulous review on

A guest post about Mercia in the later eighth century on the Historical Fiction Blog.

https://historicalfictionblog.com/pagan-warrior-guest-post/

And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.

And a review from

From March 14th, check out my author interview over on Archaeolibrarian.

I’m sharing an excerpt over on The Historical Fiction Company.

I’ve written a piece about the historical background on Pam Lecky’s official blog.

https://books2read.com/Warrior-King-Britain-The-Seventh-Century

Pagan Warrior is on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club #blogtour – check out the posts for day 3

I’m really excited to share the details of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club.

I might have written this book many years ago, but it’s had a refresh, and is now available in audio, narrated by the fabulous, Matt Coles, as is the second book, Pagan King. Warrior King will be coming later this year in audio. For this third week, 27th March-2nd April, the ebook of Warrior King (book 3) is reduced globally to 99p/99c and equivalent. Follow the link below.

And, if you read on Nook, I’ve created a special discount code just for Nook readers. Using code BNPPAGAN at checkout will get you 50% off all three titles, for a limited time.

You can follow the blog tour, and I’ll be sharing posts here as well. A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising.

For today, March 28th, check out a fabulous review on

https://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/pagan-warrior/

A guest post about Mercia in the later eighth century on the Historical Fiction Blog.

https://historicalfictionblog.com/pagan-warrior-guest-post/

And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.

And a review from

From March 14th, check out my author interview over on Archaeolibrarian.

I’m sharing an excerpt over on The Historical Fiction Company.

I’ve written a piece about the historical background on Pam Lecky’s official blog.