Book Review: The Affair by Claire Allan
Please join me in welcoming Claire Allan back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Affair.
Her heart is thumping now, only just distinguishable from the roar of the water and the wind. This is not safe. She is not safe…
She realises then, only one of them is coming back out alive.
She’s the person I want to be. Sorcha Hannon, survivor of a devastating affair. She’s found the healing and hope I desperately need to find for myself.
And now that Sorcha and I are friends, I am no longer alone. Instead of days hiding away from the world, I have someone to talk to. I feel as if I finally belong.
There’s just one small catch. Sorcha Hannon isn’t just a new friend to me, and she certainly isn’t a stranger. In fact, I know the ins and outs of her life, and her marriage, almost as well as she does. But if she finds out who I really am, I’ll lose everything. Then again, as Sorcha says, no one’s life is really as perfect as it seems… and I should have realised, I’m not the only one with secrets.
*****
Christina’s life has become so small. Any interaction with the outside world has become hard. However, all she has to do is press a button and she potentially becomes a part of a group that aims to promote friendship and female empowerment. It also puts her into the path of leader, Sorcha – someone Christina is very eager to meet.
Having previously read The Liar’s Daughter, I was excited to have the opportunity to be part of the blog tour for Claire Allan’s latest novel, The Affair.
Told from the point of view of mostly Christina and Sorcha, the plot for this novel takes no time at all in plunging the reader into the intrigue surrounding these ladies.
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Book Review: The Art of Murder by Fiona Walker
I’m pleased to be welcoming Fiona Walker to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest novel, The Art of Murder.
Welcome to the beautiful English village of Inkbury. Tucked deep in the North Wessex Downs, its only claim to fame is the picturesque riverside that once appeared in a Richard Curtis movie. That is, until the murder…
Former stand-up comic Juno Mulligan has been suffering a serious sense-of-humour failure. Not only has she lost the love of her life, but she’s having to relocate to the (admittedly idyllic) village of Inkbury to watch out for her elderly mother, who she’s genuinely worried might be marrying a wife-killer.
She hopes that her old friend, disgraced-journalist-turned-novelist Phoebe Fredericks can help her crack the case of whether her mother’s perma-tanned, iceberg-smiled, three-times-a-widower fiancé is hiding a murderous past.
But before they have a chance, the local art dealer washes up distinctly dead in the village’s famous river. His lover is in the frame, but Juno and Phoebe suspect that there is a deeper secret… One that relates to Phoebe’s own past and Juno’s present.
Will the unofficial Village Detective Agency solve the mystery before the killer strikes again? In sleepy Inkbury, as they soon discover, living one’s best midlife can be murder.
*****
Phoebe wants to be left alone, away from all the people who cancelled her and the need to keep up conversation. She finds the characters of the novels she writes far better company.
However, when old acquaintance and ex comedian Juno moves back to the area, she gives Phoebe no choice but to re-engage with the world, especially when they have a murder to solve.
Although Fiona Walker has mentioned on Novel Kicks before, for reasons I can’t understand, this is the first of her books I have read. I know, the shame. I loved the idea of her latest novel, The Art of Murder and was honoured to be invited into the blog tour.
by Book Review: A New Dawn at Owl’s Lodge by Jessica Redland
It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Jessica Redland back to Novel Kicks with the blog tour for her new novel, A New Dawn at Owl’s Lodge.
Could one chance meeting change your life forever?
Zara is at a crossroads in life. While she adores her job as a producer’s assistant working on hit TV shows, travelling around the country means she doesn’t truly feel that she has a home. With a fractured relationship with her family and unrequited love weighing heavily on her heart, she is torn about what her next step in life should be…
Snowy is hiding from the world. He’s devoted his life to home schooling his young son and caring for sick owls at his home, Owl’s Lodge, deep in the Yorkshire Wolds countryside. While he’s passionate about both, it’s a lonely existence and he’s starting to question his decisions. But how do you step back into a world you’ve pushed away for years…?
When Zara brings an injured owl to Owl’s Lodge, its frosty, reclusive owner is far from welcoming. Despite hostilities, there’s a connection that neither could ever have prepared themselves for. As they discover a shared passion, a new friendship blossoms, but both Zara and Snowy are used to shutting people out.
Can they both find the courage to open up and the strength to move on from their pasts? And what could this mean for their future happiness?
Escape to the world of Bumblebee Barn and Hedgehog Hollow with MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER Jessica Redland for this brand new feel-good romance of family, friendship and hope.
*****
As far as family goes, Zara has mostly felt invisible. However, she likes her job, has great friends. OK, so she’s in love with one of them, but she gets by.
When her job puts her into the path of Snowy, things have the potential to become even more complicated.
Things aren’t that simple for Snowy either. His past is forever present and he’s stuck. Can he and Zara find a new life together?
by Book Review: Her Husband’s Lie by Amanda Reynolds
I’m excited to be welcoming Amanda Reynolds back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, Her Husband’s Lie.
She thought she trusted her husband with her life; but a lot can happen in a week…
Handsome doctor Matthew Delaney and his wife Nicole have a perfect life. So when Matthew suddenly vanishes, Nicole is in shock.
As Nicole searches for answers, she uncovers a trail of deceit leading straight to the mysterious Glasshouse – a staggering palatial home constructed out of cut glass and icy granite, clinging to the hillside in a gravity defying show of power and wealth.
But the more Nicole learns about the Glasshouse and all its secrets, the more she begins to doubt her husband. Matthew’s words before he disappeared were so reassuring, but now they are simply chilling…
‘Trust me, Nic, I’ll fix this.’
*****
Nicole holds on tight to the life she has. Not surprising when she’s had various health issues, physical and mental. She adores her husband, Matthew and their daughter, Lilly. When money worries threaten the family, Matthew suggests he fake his death, Then, a few days later, her husband disappears. Nicole can only think one thing, has he gone through with it?
Having previously read The Screenwriter, I am a big fan of Amanda Reynolds so I was excited to be invited onto the blog tour for Her Husband’s Lie.
Told from the point of view of Nicole and Matthew’s sister, Grace, it’s not long after starting that the reader is thrown into the mystery where there are twists and turns a plenty. The tension and suspense is built so well that it was very easy for me to get engrossed. The author does a really good job at throwing suspicion on everyone and I didn’t see the end coming.
by Book Extract: Whispers Through The Canvas by K.J. McGillick
I’m very pleased to be welcoming K.J. McGillick back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for Whispers Through The Canvas.
Murder… Across The Fractured Corridors of Time.
Plunged into a centuries-old conspiracy, unconventional art historian Rowan Southeil must race against time to stop an ancient evil from rewriting history. When a young artist is murdered in a chilling echo of medieval violence, Rowan finds herself drawn to a seemingly unrelated clue – a 16th-century painting drenched in arcane symbols. Aided by the victim’s haunting presence, Rowan delves into the painting’s mysterious past, uncovering a dark conspiracy that stretches back generations.
Teaming up with the pragmatic Detective Lancaster, the intuitive Rowan follows a daring journey through time, from the storied halls of 16th-century Tudor London to the secretive 17th-century Vatican. As she awakens powerful elemental forces within herself, Rowan must decipher the painting’s secrets – and the connection to the medieval-style murder – before Lev Rubilov, a dark centuries-old occultist, can harness its magic to rewrite history and restore a twisted vision of the past.
For fans of genre-blending thrillers like A Discovery of Witches and Outlander, this captivating novel weaves together mystery, the supernatural, and high-stakes time travel in a race against the clock to stop an ancient evil. Whispers Through The Canvas is a crime story, filled with action and adventure, within a historical fantasy milieu. If you love kick-ass heroines who have a bit of life experience and walk on the wild side of magic, this book is for you.
K.J. McGillick has shared an extract today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
“I would go out on a limb and say this wasn’t meant for public display. It would invite too much speculation. Whereas Tudor portraits functioned as propaganda, someone commissioned this for discreet viewing.”
Moving closer, I scrutinized the artist’s technique. “If Teerlinc indeed painted this, it’s exceptionally rare. She seldom ventured into full portraits.”
As I prepared to take another step forward, my movement halted abruptly when a subtle blue spark crackled across the painting. Was it a warning attempting to ward me off? Or an invitation to intrigue me further?
“I’m utterly captivated by the enigmatic subject of this portrait,” I murmured. “Observe how masterfully the artist captures her confidence, her poise. And let me draw your attention to her attire, which initially suggests an affiliation with the innermost circles of the royal court.
by Book Club
