Tensions are high at the Three Counties Show when accusations of cheating add fuel to a longstanding feud. For Jude Gray, whose only hope was to not make a fool of herself showing her Kerry Hill sheep, farming life has never been so dramatic.
When a body is found, belonging to one of the competitors, there is no shortage of suspects. Every sheep farmer in this close-knit community has a motive and beneath their show-ready smiles, they all have something to hide.
Experience has taught Jude that when there’s a murderer at large, nobody is truly safe. And with secrets simmering beneath the surface, this may be her most challenging investigation yet. Can she unearth the truth before it’s too late?
A gripping new instalment in the Malvern Farm Mystery series, perfect for fans of Frances Evesham, Merryn Allingham, and Faith Martin.
Killer at the County Show by Kate Wells is the fifth book in the Malvern Farm Mystery series and I’ve read four of them (see my reviews below).
It’s a delight to return to Jude and her farm and family, and hasn’t she just got involved in yet another murder mystery, all while attending the County Show to exhibit her sheep.
This is another welcome addition to the series. I always enjoy the fact that I never quite manage to guess who the murderer was in every book, and the plot is twisty enough to keep me reading. I will certainly be reading book 6.
Kate Wells is the author of a number of well-reviewed books for children, and is now writing a new cosy crime series set in the Malvern hills, inspired by the farm where she grew up.
A gripping saga of courage, resilience and fractured dreams, set in Victorian London.
Life on the river has never been easy for Tilly and Sam, but through hard work and determination, they’ve built a home filled with love. Joey, Tilly’s eldest son, has lived between two worlds—cherished as her child but granted privileges, denied to her other children, through his wealthy birth father’s family. It’s a fine balance that has always held… until an incident at a glittering Celebration Ball shatters the fragile harmony.
Tilly fears the consequences, especially when her spirited, headstrong daughter Martha is involved. Martha has ideas of her own. How will she fare when she faces Joey’s entitled friends and their easy lives?
Disaster strikes Sam’s business, shaking the family’s foundation. Tilly’s worst fears come to life when Joey’s affluent relatives start making plans to reclaim him. Tilly is torn between fighting for her son and respecting his dreams.
As old wounds reopen and new temptations arise, Tilly must summon all her strength to keep her family together. But will love and loyalty be enough, or will the promise of wealth and comfort lure her children away forever?
A Powerful follow-up to The Water Gypsy. Perfect for fans of Anna Jacobs and Dilly Court
Kay Seeley is a talented storyteller and bestselling author. Her short stories have been published in women’s magazines and short-listed in competitions. Her novels had been finalists in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. She lives in London and loves its history. Her stories are well researched and beautifully written with compelling characters where love triumphs over adversity. Kay writes stories that will capture your heart and leave you wanting more. Often heart-wrenching but always satisfyingly uplifting, her books are perfect for fans of Anna Jacobs, Lesley Pearse and Josephine Cox.
Kay is a Member of The Alliance of Indie Authors and The Society of Women Writers and Journalists.
All her novels are available for Kindle, in paperback, audio and in Large Print
Giveaway to Win 3 x paperback copies of Troubled Times for Tilly by Kay Seeley (Open to UK only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
1346. France. King Edward III is restless. Despite earlier victories the French crown remains intact. Determined to bring France under his own rule, Edward has devised a new plan of attack – one which he believes will finally bring the French army to its knees: a final, cataclysmic battle …
Berenger Fripper, Vintener of a pox-ridden mob of sixteen who make up the Vintaine of Sir John de Sully, storms the beaches of Normandy to bring victory to their king. But the French are nowhere to be seen…
And so Berenger leads his Vintaine through France and onward to battle – the Battle of Crécy – one which will both bond and break his men and be a decisive turning point in the Hundred Years’ War.
Fields of Glory by Michael Jecks is a novel about the Hundred Years’ War in all its bloody glory. Featuring an ensemble cast of characters, every person has their own story to tell, hidden behind the veneer of bloody war, and the demands of an intolerant king, who appears to preach reconciliation with the French but finds every excuse to change his mind.
I can’t say any of this ragtag collection of men is particularly endearing. Sir John cares more for his horse than his men, while King Edward and the Prince of Wales are just as thoughtless regarding the lives they’re destroying. This makes it a very realistic portrayal, if not for the faint-hearted. Indeed, if seeking some semblance of empathy between the characters, we must look to the men of the Vintaine, and not those who command them.
A blood-drenched traipse through France will bring our characters the opportunity to earn battle booty, if only they can live through it. Fields of Glory is a must-read for fans of the genre and those interested in the Hundred Years’ War.
Meet the author
Studied actuarial science, then became a computer salesman for 13 years- after the 13th company folded, he turned to writing.
He’s the author of 50 novels, 6 novellas, 4 collaborative books and short stories. His tales are inspired by history and legends, but are all grounded in real life and real people, what motivates them, and why they turn to violence.
Founder of Medieval Murderers, he has served on the committees of: Historical Writers’ Association, CWA and Detection Club. He has judged the Debut Dagger, Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and other prizes, as well as serving as Dagger liaison officer and CWA Chair. He has taught writing at Swanwick and Evesham, and tutored for the Royal Literary Fund. He now runs South West Writers in Devon.
His work has been celebrated by Visconti and Conway Stewart pens; 2014 he was International Guest of Honour at the Bloody Words festival in Toronto, and Grand Master of the first parade in the New Orleans Mardi Gras.
If you’ve been with Coelwulf, Rudolf, Icel, Edmund and Pybba since the beginning, then you’re probably with me in trying to work out how five years have gone by since the first book’s release. There are now ten books in all, as well as a short story collection, Coelwulf’s Company, and the prequel series featuring a young Icel, the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles (check out the stories featuring a young Icel – if you know, you know, and if you don’t yet know, you’re going to want to find out.)
If you’ve not yet discovered The Mercian Kingdom: The Ninth Century series, then you’re in for a treat, as long as you’re not easily offended by foul language and violence – although if you are, there are Cleaner versions available without quite so much swearing. Follow this link, as they can be a bit tricky to find on Amazon.
The Last King books are available in ebook, paperback and hardback, and The Last King (book 1 ) is also available in audio.
Competition Time
I’ve gained some of the best fans ever by running competitions to win signed copies of my books, and this year is no different, although the prize keeps getting BIGGER.
To enter the competition to win all 10 books signed by me, complete this Google form. (Competition is open until 30th April 2025).
Entries are open to UK-based people only (because postage is very expensive elsewhere), but people outside the UK can still submit their details and receive a FREE copy of a short story collection featuring stories set in The Last King’s world (and check out another fabulous deal below).
You can also grab the first 3 books in the series for 99p/99c and equivalent worldwide for a very limited time
These are the less sweary-versions (I am having a bit of moment with hyphenated words so I am going with it for this).
The Hero Virus tells the thrilling story of Chris Taylor, who is hanging on to life by a thread. Recently widowed, his only reason to carry on is his faithful Labrador, but even that doesn’t stop his willingness to gamble with death every day. When his companion suffers a violent demise, Taylor thinks he has nothing left to live for, until he discovers he has chanced upon a precious gift… when he gets very ill.
The sickness gives him powers and, fairly soon, the authorities are swooping on to the ever-increasing list of cases. The Hero Virus might be different to other illnesses, but it’s no less dangerous. The effect it has on the world, though, is wildly different to any other virus that has come before. The unique reaction of the human body to infection means that everyone wants it. And some will do anything to get it.
How do you stop a pandemic when there are people who will kill for the virus? How do you stop people getting infected when they’re willing to die for it? How do you stop the infected when they have abilities nobody has ever seen before?
The Hero Virus by Russell Dumper is an intriguing novel. Our main character is miserable and alone, aside from his faithful Labrador, but alas, our poor grief-stricken main character is soon to be bereaved again (and slight trigger warning, because the scene is not an easy read), but days later, he wakes very changed.
What follows is an action-packed tale sure to appeal to fans of the genre and with a very interesting premise. The pacing is great and I thoroughly enjoyed the novel.
Meet the author
The Hero Virus is the second novel from Russell Dumper, after releasing Britannia Rises to widespread acclaim last year, winning him three categories in the 2024 Bookstagram Awards, for Debut Author, Thriller and Historical Fiction. He lives in the east of England with his family and still has many more books in the pipeline. Next, he will be concentrating on The Britannia Series, more of which will be released in the near future.
Back in 2020, I finally wrote a book I’d wanted to write for a long time – the story of Mercia’s last king, Coelwulf II (although, I think I should have spelt his name as Ceolwulf but hey ho). The book I eventually wrote has spawned my most successful series to date and has also given readers The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles, featuring a younger version of Coelwulf’s very outspoken fellow warrior Icel.
The book I wrote was also very different to how I thought it would be. Indeed, it’s not one book, but a series 10 books long, and featuring a cast of lovable, foul-mouthed rogues who are as loyal to one another as they are to the horses they ride. I’ve spoken before about why the characters are so sweary, and I know not everyone enjoys that element of the books, but hey, these men are who they are. But, thank goodness for Coelwulf’s aunt, who keeps a wary eye on them all and can occasionally make them a little more polite.
The Last King/The Mercian Ninth Century
I’ve long wanted to celebrate the occasion of five years since releasing the book, and I’ve had many thoughts about it over the last few years, but when it finally happened, it was very unexpected, and the cover design came from someone I’d asked to work on some sprayed edges to jazz the cover up a little. It is very understated, but I think that makes it all the more special. BookVault can incorporate sprayed edges, a design on the endpapers, super high-quality white printing paper, as well as a ribbon to keep track of your reading. There are also new chapter headings, but at heart, this is The Last King, as it was released on 23rd April 2020, at a time when we were all looking for the means to distract ourselves from the horrors of the Pandemic and distract us we all did, even me. I find writing Coelwulf and his allies (and enemies) enormous fun and also very comforting. I know these characters, and they do live in my head rent-free, and I really don’t mind at all.
So, let’s check out the designs for this special edition, which will only be available directly from me. I don’t plan on releasing it widely, and depending on demand, I will limit it to 100 printed copies.
The jacketThe jacket againMock-up of the front cover and sprayed edges designThe new chapter heading imagesThe amended map to fit the endpapers of the book
What it looks like in ‘real’ life
The front coverThe original coverThe inside jacketTitle pageOriginal mapThe prologue with chapter heading imagesThe sprayed edgesThe back coverThe inside back cover jacketThe original coverSide-by-side comparison with the original hardback version
Each book will be signed by me, and I’ll include some goodies with it as well. But to get a copy, you must order it via my SumUp shop. I will be offering discount codes to readers who order The Last King for The Last Warrior edition, too.
Even though its famous opera house has shuttered its doors for the war, Covent Garden remains one of the most exciting, bustling areas of London. It’s where Hannah Merrill and Aunt Violet have their bookshop and, in spite of the recent spate of burglaries in the area, it’s generally thought to be a good neighbourhood.
So Hannah is surprised when she sees a fellow shopkeeper – a jeweller named Jacob Cornelis – having a heated argument with a stranger. Especially when the next day Cornelis is found dead in his shop, apparently the victim of another burglary.
But what shocks Hannah more is when she meets the policeman supposedly there to investigate the crime. Because he is none other than the man who Hannah saw arguing with Cornelis the day before.
Hannah knows it’s up to her and Violet to investigate. But they don’t know they’re about to uncover a secret underworld of theft, murder and blackmail. And they must act fast, before the Covent Garden Killer strikes again…
A gripping and unputdownable Golden Age cozy crime mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Helena Dixon and Verity Bright.
Murder in Covent Garden has everything we’ve come to expect from a Miss Merill and Aunt Violet Mystery – a crime to solve, Hannah determined to discover the truth, and of course, Aunt Violet being her usual enigmatic self in World War 1 era London.
This time Hannah manages to get her herself into all sorts of difficult situations, which she somehow manages to escape from, as well as more than her fair share of possible perpetrators. Again, the ending wasn’t expected, and I always appreciate that.
Anita was brought up in London, a city with a history that has always fascinated her and influenced her first attempts at writing. Her first three novels featured a 17th Century West Country family on the losing side of the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685. Other previous work includes an Edwardian Cosy Mystery series featuring amateur sleuth, Flora Maguire set in early 20th Century London and Cheltenham. Anita’s most recent work is the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries set in WWI from Boldwood Books.
When Jude Gray and DI Binnie Khatri join a local walking group, their expectations for a peaceful outing to the Malvern Hills takes a grim turn. Arguments abound, and the hike ends in tragedy when one of the walkers is found dead in her car.
Initially ruled as an accident, Jude’s instincts tell her there’s more to the story.
As Jude and Binnie dig deeper, they uncover tensions and secrets within the group. From hidden affairs to longstanding rivalries, it becomes clear this death was no accident.
With each revelation, the danger grows. Can Jude and Binnie unravel the mystery before the killer strikes again?
A gripping addition to the Malvern Farm Mystery series, perfect for fans of Frances Evesham, Merryn Allingham, and Faith Martin.
Death in the Hills is the fourth book in the Malvern Farm Mysteries. I’ve read three of them.
It’s a welcome return to Jude Gray and her busy farming life and family, but no sooner have we enjoyed a countryside walk than tragedy strikes. As always, Jude is suspicious, and she’s right to be suspicious as she begins to uncover some of the secrets among the members of the walking group she’s joined.
These mysteries are really solid reads. The plot is very well defined and developed, and readers know they’re going to get a surprise along the way—one that has been well-signposted if only we follow the right clues (which I didn’t—I was very convinced the solution was different from the one we got).
Death in the Hills is a welcome addition to this thoroughly well-written series, and I’m really pleased that at least four more books will be published.
Meet the author
Kate Wells is the author of a number of well-reviewed books for children, and is now writing a new cosy crime series set in the Malvern hills, inspired by the farm where she grew up.
I did attempt to share my reading each month on Instagram, but it was a lot of work, and so it fell somewhat by the by as the year progressed. So, let’s get into the nitty gritty details of what I did read in 2024.
Goodreads tells me I’ve read 105 books this year. Unlike other years, I’ve not included my own books in this, which get read repeatedly while writing and editing.
Eleven of these titles were audio books. Now, these are all the Terry Pratchett Discword audios (the new ones), and in fact, I’ve listened to most of them repeatedly, but I stopped popping them on Goodreads because otherwise, everyone would see how often I relisten to them. My favourites are The Witches books which Indira Varma has narrated. Of those, my favourites are Wyrd Sisters, Masquerade and Lords and Ladies. Indira Varma makes these characters sparkle and they really come alive for the listener. Check them out if you’ve not tried them before. Admittedly, to read them in order you start with Equal Rites, which isn’t my favourite but it does introduce the reader to Granny Weatherwax.
I have two most-read categories, which probably won’t surprise anyone, cosy mysteries, coming in with twenty-three titles, and historical fiction with twenty-two titles. The cosy mysteries are often series, which I read as they’re released. Top authors in my ‘most-read’ for the year are TA Williams and his Armstrong and Oscar cosy crime series set in contemporary Italy, Helen Golden’s Right Royal Cosy Mystery series, Judy Leigh’s Morwenna Mutton mysteries and EV Hunter’s Hopgood Murder Mystery series.
Historical mysteries comes third on the list, with fifteen titles. My favourite authors here have been Sarah Hawkswood (I read six titles by her this year. It’s always good to get time to catch up on titles I’ve missed), Elizabeth R Andersen, Michelle Salter, Anita Davison, Holly Hepburn and Kelly Oliver. I adore a good historical mystery, and hope to read more by Emily Organ, who I’ve only just discovered, and who has written a few series now.
There are ten titles I’m classifying as ‘action’ although some of them weren’t and some of them might also fit in other categories. I’ve included the new Harlan Coben Myron Bolitar book in this category. My review for this book has been my most visited blog page this year, which made me chuckle. But, it’s good to know I’m not the only one demanding more titles featuring Myron and Wyn.
Eight titles were historical romance, with Jane Dunn and her Regency Romances taking the ‘most read author’ spotlight for that category. I do love a good Regency romance.
There were also six romance titles, five nonfiction titles, three sci fi titles and two fantasies (I’ve not included the Discword audios as they’re in my audio count). Hopefully, that all adds up to 105 titles.
For nonfiction, I’ve been reading about the Tudors, diving into Eating with The Tudors, and How to Dress Like a Tudor – both fascinating insights into areas I rarely consider because I’m always thinking about historical events and not as much about how people lived but the ‘lived’ experience is just as important and I’ve been endeavouring to explore this for my Saxon stories – visiting places, learning Saxon embroidery and taking part in a Roots herbal day.
The final non-fiction title was Sarah Gristwood’s Secret Voices: A Year of Women’s Voices which was fascinating, and quite addictive reading. I highly recommend it if only to discover the fab little diary entry about the curse of zips:) I reviewed the title for Aspects of History so you should be able to find my review over there.
I’ve also half-read many other titles (apologies to those authors), and I’m always dipping a toe into nonfiction titles. One of my favourites this year has been After Rome by Robin Fleming, which is fabulous and I must finish, but is sadly only available as a paperback, and my Kindle version of The Reigns of Edmund, Eadred and Eadwig is essentially ALL highlighted. It was such a timely release as I was concluding the Brunanburh Series.
I’ve been sharing some of my favourite reads of the year with Aspects of History and also Shepherd books, but do I have an absolute favourite? I’m not sure, but there were a few books I devoured in as few sittings as possible, and this is often a sign of a book that entirely draws you in. For me that was The Portrait Artist by Dani Heywood-Lonsdale due for release in February 2025 (I don’t like the cover so don’t be put off by it), and also Susie Dent’s Guilty by Definition. I also adored Arden by GD Harper, which wasn’t always an easy read, but certainly engrossed me.
I’m very much a ‘mood’ reader. Sometimes I pick up titles outside my usual genres just for a change and sometimes I don’t always enjoy books in my usual genre at first and so pop them down with the hope I’ll return to them at some point in the future. I find there’s nothing better than reading a really fun book over the weekend when I can devote more time to reading than writing. So, sometimes my choices can seem a bit wayward, but then, everyone has their own tastes, and it’s good to read outside your favourite genres from time to time.
For 2025, I’m looking forward to the new Max Adams book about Mercia, due for release in Feb 2025, and I must find time to finally finish the Uhtred books by Bernard Cornwell (I refused to read it while I was working on the Brunanburh series), and I also need to catch up with Mark Lawrence’s Library Trilogy, of which I have three copies of the second title but still haven’t read it. I will continue to read historical fiction, historical mysteries and cosy crime, and anything else that takes my fancy. In doing so, I will support my fellow Boldwood authors, my author buddies (which is a growing list of must-reads) and those authors whose books I’ve been reading for years and keep returning to, time and time again, including the Discworld titles. At this point, I am thinking I should write some fan fiction but I won’t risk it:)
Here’s to 2025 and all the reading I hope to enjoy. And a thank you to all my readers too and those who visit the blog to follow my reviews.
MJ Porter 