It’s time for a new Bradecote and Catchpoll historical mystery. I’m reviewing A Shroud of Snow by Sarah Hawkswood #historicalmystery #bookreview #favouriteseries

Here’s the blurb

December, 1145.

Hamelin Isenmongere, trader in iron and charcoal from Gloucester, is considered by many to be the most popular man in Worcester. Why then is he found on the quayside near his warehouse with his head beaten in? As the winter bites, Undersheriff Hugh Bradecote, Serjeant Catchpoll and Walkelin begin the hunt for a killer. However, matters are complicated when evidence leads them to Worcester Castle itself and the hunt for a spy in the midst of complicated political crosscurrents.

Bradecote, Catchpoll and Walkelin must uncover whether the murder was an act of betrayal from close to home, or one that casts a shadow over the fight for England’s crown.

Purchase Link

My Review

Sarah Hawkswood’s medieval mysteries are some of my favourite books. I wish I could savour them when they’re released once a year, but I find myself reading far too quickly.

Her main characters, Bradecote, Catchpoll and Wakelin are determined and intrepid in their desire to solve each mystery presented to them.

I love this series of medieval mysteries set in and around Worcester, and A Shroud of Snow is a fab addition, and has certainly kept me cool during the recent heatwave.

Catchpoll and Walkelin find themselves summoned to the quayside on a bitterly cold morning where the body of Hamelin Isenmonger has been found. A convivial, generous trader, everyone wonders who on earth would have wanted to kill the man, with a whole host of suspects, from his wife to his ship’s commander.

What unfolds is another fine mystery, that sees our characters forced to question not just the underbelly of Worcester, but also those in high up places, as they work to make sense of the seemingly random series of events. While Walkelin and Catchpoll are contending with some of the local inhabitants, Bradecote has to contend with some haughty lords at the castle.

Bradecote, Catchpoll and Walkelin are getting rather good at solving crimes, ferreting out those who speak falsehoods and getting to the crux of the matter as quickly as possible. This one had its fair share of politics to contend with as well, which I did sometimes get a little confused about, but luckily, I could remember what was happening in the wider world of the Anarchy.

It’s always a treat to get a new Bradecote & Catchpoll mystery and this one didn’t disappoint.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a bloody good historical mystery, and I promise you, soon the way the characters speak will become like second-nature to you, so don’t let it put you off!

Check out my reviews for other books in the series (I have read them all)

A Feast for the Ravens

Posts

Book review The Eagle and the Wolf by Gordon Doherty #histfic #Romanfiction #BookReview

Here’s the blurb

As Hun hordes and Germanic tribes maraud through Imperial lands, two legendary men – Attila the Hun and the “Last of the Romans” General Flavius Aetius find their fortunes entangled with the chaos.

Flavius Aetius, a noble Roman son, is an outsider in a savage land. He has been banished, given as hostage to the barbaric Huns and sent to the edge of the world.

What the Huns do not know, however, is that his father and mother have been murdered in a coup. He is an orphan, with no value at all. His life hangs on a lie.

In this new harsh world, he manages to find one grudging ally, a young boy named Attila.

A brotherhood is formed. One that, the shamans foretell, will shatter the world.

https://amzn.to/4giOGfL

My Review

The Eagle and the Wolf is an enthralling read, revealing the world of the Huns through the eyes of their Roman adversary, and in doing so, exploring the strangeness of the Steppes for a Roman-born lad, even as Flavius becomes integrated into the community, accepting many of the integral parts of being a member of the Huns.

Our two main characters, Attila and Flavius, bond in the most unlikely of circumstances, in a true friendship. But, there are problems brewing for both of them. There are enemies where there should be friendships, and vice versa. There is a great deal of peril for the two young men as they grow to adulthood, and their friendship must survive despite a yawning physical difference between them.

As I know so little about the period, I was entirely swept away in the narrative, and can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

The Eagle and the Wolf is a captivating, engrossing tale and I adored it.

Meet the author

Gordon is a Scottish writer, addicted to reading and writing historical fiction. His novels have been Amazon smash-hits, and have gone on to be translated and published in over a dozen languages worldwide.

Gordon’s love of history was first kindled by visits to the misty Roman ruins of Britain and the sun-baked antiquities of Turkey and Greece. His expeditions since have taken him all over the world and back and forth through time (metaphorically, at least), allowing him to write tales of the later Roman Empire, Byzantium, Classical Greece and the Bronze Age.

https://www.gordondoherty.co.uk/

Check out my reviews for Sons of Rome, Masters of Rome, Gods of Rome written by Gordon Doherty and Simon Turney.

Posts

Stay up to date with the latest from the blog.

Check out my review for House of Thieves by Rachel Walkley #historicalmystery #blogtour #countryhousemystery

Check out my review for House of Thieves by Rachel Walkley #historicalmystery #blogtour #countryhousemystery @rararesources @raejcreations

Check out my review for House of Thieves by Rachel Walkley #historicalmystery #blogtour

Here’s the blurb

At Terrington Hall, objects are treasured while people are forgotten.

Chief conservator Amy is restoring the Hurly family’s guilt-stained hoard when a theft forces her to hire Harrison, a security adviser on a personal quest to uncover his own history.

Unknown to anyone, an invisible presence woven into the fabric of the house watches their every move.

When Harrison uncovers a room sealed for decades, the investigation shifts from simple theft to the resurrection of murderous secrets. In a house where the past is too heavy to escape, the dead don’t need bodies to tell their stories — they just need someone to listen.

One house. Two mysteries. Two centuries apart.

Trailer https://youtu.be/SpbHfueEYdU

Book cover for House of Thieves by Rachel Walkley

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0H9HY2WZL

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9HY2WZL

https://books2read.com/u/m2gOqG

My Review

House of Thieves is an intriguing novel that follows the modern conservation of an old country house under the guidance of Amy. Into the midst comes Harrison, connected to the house through a long and tangled family history, and employed to discover how certain thefts have been occurring. There are also other modern characters, each with their own stories to tell, alongside the house, which seems to have largely discarded elements of its history.

Our narrator is (for much of the time) an otherworldly presence who says very little but offers hints about why she continues to haunt the property. The storyline slips back in time, and so we have two timelines: the present day and the early 1800s.

Because of all this, the storyline seems to move a little slowly in places. It takes a long time to discover exactly what’s happening, and why the thefts are even relevant. It takes even longer to begin to learn the ghost’s secrets, and when they do reveal themselves, they’re quite horrifying. This is where the novel is at its strongest, bringing together all these threads, which seem unconnected but aren’t.

It’s definitely a slow burn, but it rewards the reader as the pacing increases, and we almost don’t want to know what happened to our ghostly narrator.

House of Thieves is stuffed with delightful little details, just like Terrington Hall, and it’s almost as reluctant to give them up as the house is, but give them up to the reader it does.

Meet the author

Rachel Walkley is a former librarian and scientist who lives in the North West of England, where she spends her spare time making music and writing. Her debut novel, The Women of Heachley Hall, was a bestseller in the UK and Australia. Known for weaving together family secrets, magical mysteries, old houses and inspirational women, Rachel also writes gripping female-led crime novels under the pen name Rae Shaw.

Rachel Walkley’s author website

Social Media

Posts

Stay up to date with the latest from the blog.

I’m welcoming The Fern Flower by Kathleen Shoop to the blog #HistoricalFiction #TheFernFlower #ballet #WW1 #ReaderReach #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m welcoming The Fern Flower by Kathleen Shoop to the blog #HistoricalFiction #TheFernFlower #ballet #WW1 #ReaderReach #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @kathieshoop @cathiedunn @maryanneyarde
@kathleenshoop @thecoffeepotbookclub @yardereviews

I’m welcoming The Fern Flower by Kathleen Shoop to the blog #HistoricalFiction #TheFernFlower #ballet #WW1 #ReaderReach #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Here’s the blurb

St. Petersburg 1908-1917

Born into privilege as the daughter of the Tsar’s favored vodka maker, Mila appears to have everything: wealth, status, and a household devoted to her happiness. But behind the gilded doors of her family estate, she is trapped by the cruelty of a stepmother whose greatest wish is to give birth to her own child.

Each summer on Ivan Kupala Eve, Russia turns its gaze to river bends and forest floors in search of the legendary Fern Flower—a mythical bloom said to grant fortune, power, and the deepest desires of the heart. Only one person had ever found it.

Until Mila.

Years later, in the fading grandeur of Petrograd, Mila and her friends slip into the fabled Stray Dog Café, once the sanctuary of Russia’s most daring artists and dreamers. Inspired by its ghosts, murals, and memories, Mila’s group resurrects the work she’d first imagined as a child. The Fern Flower is a breathtaking ballet drawn from folklore, magic, and the secrets of Mila’s past.

But in the fiercely competitive ranks of the Imperial Ballet School, talent is never enough. Though Mila wrote the ballet and her gifted musician friend composed its score, rivals question whether Mila is worthy of claiming the coveted lead role.

As World War I intensifies and revolution ignites, the Russia Mila knows begins to collapse. Family secrets surface, loyalties are tested, and the people she loves begin to disappear. When her parents flee and her young brother’s life hangs in the balance, Mila is faced with an impossible choice: remain with the found family who helped her chase her dreams or risk everything to save the person who needs her most.

With Russian folklore, imperial grandeur, and the fierce beauty of ballet, The Fern Flower is a sweeping tale of ambition, friendship, sacrifice, and the magic that survives even when the world is falling apart.

Any Triggers: Set 1908-1917 so people weren’t so kind to each other. Mila’s in ballet school at one point and living away from home. She always has adult support of some kind, but faces abandonment to some degree from those she loves.

Book cover for The Fern Flower by Kathleen Shoop

Buy Links

https://books2read.com/u/m0jpWJ Barnes & Noble Kobo

Meet the author

Bestselling author, Kathleen Shoop, PhD’s novels have won awards in the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY), Eric Hoffer Book Awards, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Readers’ Favorite, and more.

Kathleen has more than 20 years of experience in the classroom and has been featured in USA Today and the Writer’s Guide. She co-coordinates Mindful Writers Retreats and co-coordinated the 2023 Pennwriters Conference.

She frequently teaches and is a regular presenter at conferences for writers.

http://kshoop.com

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kathleen-shoop

Blog tour banner for The Fern Flower by Kathleen Shoop

Posts

Stay up to date with the latest from the blog.

It’s time… 757, the first book in the brand-new series, The House of Mercia, is now available. Listen to me talking about the new book #fiction #TalesOfMercia

It’s time… 757, the first book in the brand-new series, The House of Mercia, is now available. Listen to me talking about the new book #fiction #TalesOfMercia #fiction #nonfiction #Mercia #MJPorter #HistoricalFiction #SaxonEngland #VikingAge #AngloSaxonHistory #BernardCornwell #LastKingdom #HistFic #ReadingCommunity #BookTok #Vikings

It’s time… 757, the first book in the brand-new series, The House of Mercia, is now available. Listen to me talking about the new book #fiction #TalesOfMercia

I recorded this when 757 was complete

Here’s the blurb for 757

This is Mercia. The year is 757.
A king will fall. A king will rise.
But first, civil war will rage.

King Æthelbald’s forty-year vice-like rule over Mercia has been rigid. But he lacks a legitimate heir despite his insatiable bedchamber antics.

Offa must stand hostage to his family’s good behaviour, when his father missteps in removing his mother from Æthelbald’s bed. Shockingly, his younger sister now replaces her.

But the king isn’t finished with his denigration of Offa’s noble House. When his parents are traitorously killed, Offa’s resentment grows, compounded by the ridicule heaped on him by King Æthelbald’s oathsworn warriors.

With the king’s health deteriorating, the matter of the succession becomes paramount. There are plenty who share a claim to the kingship.

Discord threatens to fracture the mighty realm, and those with sword and shield, seax and spear are prepared to risk it all to be the future king of Mercia.

books2read.com/757

Or buy a signed copy direct from me

Join my Boldwood newsletter to receive a free prequel short story, written exclusively for the the release of The House of Mercia series. https://BookHip.com/MKSKVRX

Posts

Stay up to date with the latest from the blog.

I’m welcoming Anthea Laurelton and Fearless Hearts Forbidden Love to the blog #HistoricalRomance #SpartanRomance #HistoricalFantasy #HeartsOfSparta #FearlessHeartsForbiddenLove #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m welcoming Anthea Laurelton and Fearless Hearts Forbidden Love to the blog #HistoricalRomance #SpartanRomance #HistoricalFantasy #HeartsOfSparta #FearlessHeartsForbiddenLove #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m welcoming Anthea Laurelton and Fearless Hearts Forbidden Love to the blog #HistoricalRomance

Here’s the blurb

To save her city, she must risk her life.

To fulfil his oath, he must harden his heart.

Together, they stand to lose everything.

Spartan warrior, Diokles, has waited years for the opportunity to right a failure that torments his heart and integrity. Sent to hunt down a threat to Sparta, this campaign may be his final chance to restore his honour and uncover the traitor whose actions blighted his life. Success is at his fingertips, but when duty forces him to take an unwilling accomplice, his plans are challenged in ways he never foresaw.

Leandra, high priestess of Apollysis, stands at the edge of revelation and ruin. Haunted by fragments of a forgotten past, she alone can uncover the truth that will save her city. To do so, she must wear the fabled Coronet of Apollo, a sacred act that could cost her life.

Bound together by necessity and desire, captor and captive race into danger the closer they draw to the shrine of Apollo. With a relentless enemy closing in, one who seeks Diokles dead and Leandra for himself, their growing passion becomes both their greatest strength and their most perilous weakness.

In a time where prophecy, honour, and blood rule, love was never part of the plan.

An epic historical adventure romance of bravery, betrayal, and forbidden desire.

Fully edited, revised version of ‘SpartanQuest – Salvation’ with extra scenes.

Triggers: Love scenes on the page – Romance heat level 3. Some battle scenes.

Buy Link

http://www.books2read.com/HeartsofSparta-1

Meet the author

Anthea Laurelton writes sweeping romances inspired by Ancient Sparta and Greek mythology. Her stories combine historical elements, forbidden love, dangerous quests and emotionally complex heroines for readers of mythological and historical fantasy.

A fan of sword and sandal movies, her plots blend slow-burn romance, dangerous quests, warrior culture and family intrigue for readers who crave epic adventures. Falling in love with Greek mythology at the age of thirteen, her love of the Spartans especially, came after reading Roger Lancelyn Green’s THE TALE OF TROY where she cheered on Menelaus to take his queen back!

She left a career in IT to pursue her passion for storytelling and pander to an extremely spoilt German Shepherd whom she refers to as ‘The Muse’.

A former equestrian, Anthea enjoys keeping active and has a bucket list of travel destinations waiting to be fulfilled.

www.anthealaurelton.com

Follow the Fearless Hearts Forbidden Love by Anthea Laurelton blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

Posts

Stay up to date with the latest from the blog.

I’m welcoming G.G. MacLeod to the blog with VIA MALORUM #AncientRome #Agrippina #Messalina #DarkRomantasy #PsychThriller #Giallo #BlogTour #ReaderReach #TheCoffeePotBookClub #YardeBookPromotions

I’m welcoming G.G. MacLeod to the blog with VIA MALORUM #AncientRome #Agrippina #Messalina #DarkRomantasy #PsychThriller #Giallo #BlogTour #ReaderReach #TheCoffeePotBookClub #YardeBookPromotions @GGMacLeod1 @cathiedunn @maryanneyarde @ggmacleod1 @thecoffeepotbookclub @yardereviews

I’m welcoming G.G. MacLeod to the blog with VIA MALORUM #AncientRome #Agrippina #Messalina #DarkRomantasy #PsychThriller #Giallo #BlogTour #ReaderReach #TheCoffeePotBookClub #YardeBookPromotions

Here’s the blurb

In the shadows of Rome power bleeds red.

In the shadowed streets of ancient Rome, 37 CE, power is a blade that cuts both ways. Agrippina, a towering enigma of ambition, slips from Caligula’s gilded cage with her newborn son, Domitius, her mind a labyrinth of cold calculation. At her side prowls Messalina, a siren in scarlet, her seductive cunning as deadly as her blade. Together, they navigate a city teeming with decadence and deceit, pursued by whispers of treachery and the emperor’s wrath.

Their journey leads to the Temple of Fortuna where the enigmatic Prophet Cassandra unveils a cryptic fate – one that demands sacrifice and promises blood. As alleys echo with violence and forbidden passions ignite, Agrippina’s quest for dominion collides with Messalina’s ruthless desires. In a night where every step drips with danger, who will rise and who will fall?

VIA MALORUM is a visceral plunge into the heart of Roman darkness, blending historical intrigue with the chilling allure of giallo. Prepare for a tale where power bleeds red, and trust is a luxury none can afford.

Any Triggers: Some rough lesbian sex, moderate violence.

https://books2read.com/u/bMkq6a

Meet the author

The author is a 59-year-old Canadian male based in Calgary. The author has always had a tendency of combining genres like horror and action along with drama, psychological thrillers, giallo, and sometimes even comedy.

It really depends on how the author feels from moment to moment as they write because the author likes to entertain themselves first and then hope that a smattering of other people out there in the world will like it as well.

Follow the Via Malorum by GG MacLeod blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

Posts

Stay up to date with the latest from the blog.

757, the first book in the brand-new series, The House of Mercia. Listen to me talking about the new book #fiction #TalesOfMercia

It’s nearly time… 757, the first book in the brand new series, The House of Mercia, will be with readers in July 2026. Listen to me talking about the new book #fiction #TalesOfMercia #fiction #nonfiction #Mercia #MJPorter #HistoricalFiction #SaxonEngland #VikingAge #AngloSaxonHistory #BernardCornwell #LastKingdom #HistFic #ReadingCommunity #BookTok #Vikings

I recorded this after completing the strutural edits for 757

Here’s the blurb for 757

This is Mercia. The year is 757.
A king will fall. A king will rise.
But first, civil war will rage.

King Æthelbald’s forty-year vice-like rule over Mercia has been rigid. But he lacks a legitimate heir despite his insatiable bedchamber antics.

Offa must stand hostage to his family’s good behaviour, when his father missteps in removing his mother from Æthelbald’s bed. Shockingly, his younger sister now replaces her.

With the king’s health deteriorating, the matter of the succession becomes paramount. There are plenty who share a claim to the kingship.

Discord threatens to fracture the mighty realm, and those with sword and shield, seax and spear are prepared to risk it all to be the future king of Mercia.

books2read.com/757

Or buy a signed copy direct from me

Join my Boldwood newsletter to receive a free prequel short story, written exclusively for the the release of The House of Mercia series. https://BookHip.com/MKSKVRX

Posts

Stay up to date with the latest from the blog.

757, the first book in the brand new series, The House of Mercia. Here are some photos from my visit to Repton’s Saxon crypt #fiction #TalesOfMercia

Introducing 757, the first book in the brand new series, The House of Mercia #fiction #nonfiction #Mercia #MJPorter #HistoricalFiction #SaxonEngland #VikingAge #AngloSaxonHistory #BernardCornwell #LastKingdom #HistFic #ReadingCommunity #BookTok #Vikings

Here’s the blurb for 757

This is Mercia. The year is 757.
A king will fall. A king will rise.
But first, civil war will rage.

King Æthelbald’s forty-year vice-like rule over Mercia has been rigid. But he lacks a legitimate heir despite his insatiable bedchamber antics.

Offa must stand hostage to his family’s good behaviour, when his father missteps in removing his mother from Æthelbald’s bed. Shockingly, his younger sister now replaces her.

With the king’s health deteriorating, the matter of the succession becomes paramount. There are plenty who share a claim to the kingship.

Discord threatens to fracture the mighty realm, and those with sword and shield, seax and spear are prepared to risk it all to be the future king of Mercia.

books2read.com/757

Or buy a signed copy direct from me

Join my Boldwood newsletter to receive a free prequel short story, written exclusively for the the release of The House of Mercia series. https://BookHip.com/MKSKVRX

Posts

Stay up to date with the latest from the blog.

Book Review. Helen Golden’s A Blighter is Bumped Off-#bookreview #historicalmystery #blogtour #avidreader

I’m delighted to welcome a returning Helen Golden to the blog with her new book, A Blighter is Bumped Off-#bookreview #historicalmystery #blogtour #avidreader @rararesources

I’m delighted to welcome a returning Helen Golden to the blog with her new book, A Blighter is Bumped Off #bookreview #historicalmystery #blogtour #avidreader

Here’s the blurb

The only thing worse than a persistent suitor? A dead one on your lawn.

London, 1892. Alice, Duchess of Stortford, has returned to town determined to enjoy her first Season as a wealthy widow. But instead of balls, flirtation, and whispered gossip, she finds herself besieged by ambitious bachelors—none more persistent than the insufferably smooth-talking Miles Fonthill. When Alice firmly refuses his sudden proposal, she assumes the matter is settled.

Instead, he turns up dead in her garden.

The police are happy to call it a tragic accident. Alice is less convinced.

Why was Miles climbing over her garden wall in the middle of the night? Why had he become so determined to win her favour? And what did he really want?

As Alice begins to dig into Miles’ final days, her search leads her into the glittering heart of London society, where old loyalties run deep, secrets are guarded fiercely, and reputation matters more than truth. But when whispers of the mysterious Order of the Golden Key begin circling dangerously close to her own late husband’s name, Alice realises this death may be far more complicated than one unwelcome suitor meeting an unfortunate end.

And if someone is willing to kill to keep their secrets…this Season may prove positively deadly.

Perfect for fans of feisty female sleuths, Victorian High Society, and secret scandals, all served with a dash of humour and a cup of tea.

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blighter-Bumped-Duchess-Stortford-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0FWC6CBLC

https://www.amazon.com/Blighter-Bumped-Duchess-Stortford-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0FWC6CBLC

My Review

A Blighter is Bumped Off is the third full-length novel in the Duchess of Stortford cosy historical mystery series. I’ve read them all.

It’s good to be back with Lady Alice, and this time she has a right old pickle on her hands. Her reputation is at stake, and ladies of the Ton do not like having their reputation imperilled.

With the aid of her trusty allies, Lady Alice determines to get to the bottom of the puzzling mystery of how the body of her ex-suitor came to be found in her garden and very enjoyable it is too. She uncovers some delightfully dodgy dealings as she hunts down the truth with the aid of her trusty servants, and te aid of her PI and none other than Sherlock Holmes.

Another fun, historical story with a good dash of cosy, and just the sort of mystery I like to read.

Check out my reviews for the books in Helen Golden’s Right Royal Mystery series, featuring one of Lady Alice’s descendants.

Spruced Up For Murder

For Richer, For Deader

Not Mushroom For Death

A Dead Herring

A Cocktail to Die For

A Death of Fresh Air

I Kill Always Love You

A Murder Most Wilde

And my review for the prequel in the new historical mystery series, as well as the full-length novels.

An Heir is Misplaced

A Husband is Hushed Up

A Dowager is Done-In

Meet the author

Helen Golden spins mysteries that are charmingly British, delightfully deadly, and served with a twist of humour.

With quirky characters, clever red herrings, and plots that keep the pages turning, she’s the author of the much-loved A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series, following Lady Beatrice and her friends—including one clever little dog—as they uncover secrets hidden in country houses and royal palaces. Her new historical mystery series, The Duchess of Stortford Mysteries, is set in Victorian England and introduces an equally curious sleuth from Lady Beatrice’s own family tree—where murders are solved over cups of tea, whispered gossip, and overheard conversations in drawing rooms and grand estates.

Helen lives in a quintessential English village in Lincolnshire with her husband, stepdaughter, and a menagerie of pets—including a dog, several cats, a tortoise, and far too many fish.

If you love clever puzzles, charming settings, and sleuths with spark, her books are waiting for you.