Book Extract: The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook by Tessa Barrie
I’m so excited to be welcoming Tessa Barrie to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook.
The remote village of Didsbrook is thrown into turmoil after its best-known resident, the former actress turned best-selling novelist Jocelyn Robertshaw, is found dead under mysterious circumstances.
Villagers are appalled to learn that the charismatic Jocelyn died from Hemlock poisoning. Police claim she shot and ate a quail that had ingested hemlock. A theory disputed by all who knew her well. The animal-loving Jocelyn would never kill anything, but due to the lack of forensic evidence, police rule death by misadventure.
Jocelyn’s young protégée, Lucy Fothergill, determined to discover the truth about what happened to her mentor, discovers a hidden stash of Jocelyn’s notebooks, revealing jaw-dropping secrets from Jocelyn’s past. The impression Jocelyn gave the world that she lived a near-perfect life was an Academy Award-winning performance.
Believing the events from Jocelyn’s past may have led to her death forty-eight years later, Lucy begins to piece together the clues that lead to the truth.
The sleepy village of Didsbrook is about to wake up!
Tessa has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy it.
*****beginning of extract*****
In 2018, the renowned actress turned best-selling author Jocelyn Robertshaw was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the small village of Didsbrook, and her young protégée Lucy Fothergill is determined to uncover the truth about what really happened to her mentor.
An Introduction to the village of Didsbrook, written specifically for the opening reading at the launch on 27th July 2025
By twenty-first-century standards, the village of Didsbrook is remote. It nestles in the heart of the West Downs National Park, an area of exquisite natural beauty and home to a diverse range of indigenous wildlife, as well as hundreds of Friesian cows. It is more accessible on horseback than by road, and Mr Beeching axed its railway station in the 1960s.
The village is a magnet for those who value privacy and a slower pace of life, with the added charm of its historical significance and cultural richness. Although many assume it is a pastoral dead end, they would be mistaken. The inhabitants of Didsbrook represent an eclectic mix of retirees and creatives, often a combination of both. The village serves as a vibrant hub for actors, writers, and artists. Every morning, alongside the dawn chorus and the gentle lowing of cattle, the sounds of vocal warm-ups and the click-clacking of keyboards can be heard drifting on the breeze.
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Book Review: Winter Wishes for the Home Front Nurses by Rachel Brimble
It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Rachel Brimble back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest novel, Winter Wishes for the Home Front Nurses.
Winter, 1942.
Secrets abound for the Home Front Nurses, but will one of them be able to tell the truth about her past before Christmas?
As the weather turns cold, and the war rages on, Veronica Campbell finds herself loving her job as a home front nurse more than ever. She’s spending time with her beloved best friends Sylvia and Freda, as well as assisting on life-saving operations with her fellow nurse Betty Wilson, and feeling valued and happy.
But at home, she wishes things were different. Because even cosied up by the fireside of her lovely little house, there’s a man who lives on her street. Someone she’d once thought she could trust, who – five years ago – had violently attacked her. His threats to her remain, but she’s been terrified into silence.
But everything changes when Betty needs somewhere to stay for Christmas, and Veronica impulsively suggests she move in with her. But can she trust Betty enough to let her guard down and tell her what happened that fateful day? Because if she doesn’t, they could both be at risk?
*****
I was delighted to be asked to join the blog tour for ‘Winter Wishes for the Home Front Nurses, by Rachel Brimble.
As a relatively recent convert to this author, I was hoping for a great third book in this series an I wasn’t disappointed. The author has a lovely, easy writing story, that makes it so easy to pick up where book 2 left off. This is a story about hope and love, and how those are probably the best things you could wish to find in the middle of a war.
by Book Review: See the Stars by Eleanor Ray
I’m so excited to be welcoming Eleanor Ray to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, See the Stars.
Do you ever feel that life isn’t going to plan?
When Alice Thorington collapses in the street after a particularly hellish day at work, she must finally admit to herself that her outwardly happy life – steady relationship, well-paid job, beautiful flat in the city – isn’t everything she’d hoped it would be. Burnt out by long hours and living a life that doesn’t fulfil her dreams, Alice returns home to Yorkshire.
Her childhood home brings complicated family dynamics, a rediscovery of her passion for stargazing and two new friends: Berti, a boy who finds it easier to count the stars than interact with people, and Matt, her brother’s best friend and Alice’s teenage crush. With each of them facing their own struggles, can the stars that meant so much to Alice in her past help them to find their way in the present?
Filled with heart and warmth, this uplifting novel reminds us all that we need the darkness if we want to see the stars.
*****
Alice has always loved the stars. It was a passion she shared with her beloved Grandfather. However, when certain events occur in her life, Alice steps away from her dream and goes into the world of finance instead.
When she ends up retuning to the north for a while, can she recapture her love of astronomy and the life she left behind?
Although I’ve had the pleasure of hosting Eleanor Ray on this blog before, it’s the first chance I’ve had to read one of her novels. I was excited to be invited onto the tour for Eleanor’s latest book, See The Stars.
The cover for this book is possibly one of my favourites. It’s so wonderfully done.
by Book Extract: The Next Breath by Laurel Osterkamp
It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Laurel Osterkamp back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Next Breath.
Can you fall in love again while still holding onto the memory of someone you’ve lost?
Robin thought she’d done the hard work of moving on. A decade after her first love Jed died, she’s finally in a new relationship with Nick—a man who’s everything Jed wasn’t: stable, sincere, and ready for a future. But when Robin agrees to perform in the play Jed wrote for her before his death, she’s flooded with memories—and guilt. Jed’s ghost lingers in her dreams, encouraging her to move on, but her emotions keep pulling her backward.
Caught between two stories—one that ended in tragedy, the other still unfolding—Robin must confront her grief, her fears, and the secrets she’s been keeping from Nick.
The Next Breath is a deeply moving novel about love, theater, and the quiet strength it takes to face the future when your heart is still tied to the past.
Lauren has shared an extract from The Next Breath with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
Jed stood on the porch, alternately breathing and coughing. He didn’t have a beer, just a bottle of water that rested against the railing. I stood next to him. “Hey. What are you doing out here all by yourself?”
“Too smoky in there. I need a break.”
“Yeah…” It was a cool night; fall was resigning to winter. Hugging myself, I pulled on the sleeves of my belted sweater, worn over a black t-shirt and stretch pants. My beatnik look.
“What’d you think of the play?”
He coughed so he could speak. “You were brilliant.”
“Right.”
“No, really.”
“I’m pretty much the scenery, Jed.”
He shook his head. “That’s not true. During Jacques’ ‘All the world’s a stage’ speech you have this great look on your face. I love how you respond to him.”
“Why?”
by Book Review: The Case of the Body on the Orient Express by Kelly Oliver
It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Kelly Oliver back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, The Case of the Body on the Orient Express.
Paris, 1928: Agatha Christie and fellow writer Dorothy L Sayers board the Orient Express, bound for Constantinople. Christie in particular is looking forward to a break from recent dispiriting events in both her work and private life – the finalisation of her divorce from her philanderous husband Archie, and the miserly reception of her latest book.
But before the duo can settle in to enjoy the luxuries of their first-class journey, their journey is derailed when a fellow guest drops dead during the dinner service. And as the last person to speak to the victim, Dorothy finds herself a prime suspect in his murder.
As the train hurtles East, Sayers’ resourceful assistant Eliza and her friend Theo must navigate a maze of suspects. But with each passing mile, the stakes rise, and when another body is discovered, their search to find the killer before they reach their destination becomes increasingly complicated.
Can Eliza and Theo stay one step ahead, crack the mystery and clear Dorothy’s name? Or will this be one journey too far for the amateur sleuths?
*****
It’s 1928. Fellow writers Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers are looking forward to a trip aboard the Orient Express to Constantinople. Eliza, who works for Dorothy, is accompanying them. Once the train gets underway, Eliza soon runs into Theo, someone she’s not seen for a long time.
Also, it’s not long before there’s a murder. Eliza, Theo, Agatha and Dorothy must find the perpetrator before it’s too late.
It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to read a novel by Kelly Oliver and so I was very happy to be invited onto the tour for The Case of the Body on the Orient Express. This is book two in The Detection Club series. If, like me, this novel is your introduction to these characters, don’t fear – it can be read as standalone. Having read this book, I very much want to read book one though.
by Book Club
