A Moment With… Colin Garrow
It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Colin Garrow to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his latest novel, Overkill.
Edinburgh, Christmas Eve, 1936. A gruesome double murder. A white-faced killer. A mysterious stranger…
Still haunted by his recent past, Professor Finlay MacBeth is called in to assist the police following an horrific double murder. Traces of greasepaint and white cotton lead MacBeth and Inspector Callaghan to the Christmas Circus, but while they search for clues, someone else is watching them.
Meanwhile, bent cop Kilmartin still has MacBeth in his sights…
In this thriller series set in Edinburgh, Overkill is book #2 in the Finlay MacBeth series.
To talk to us about creating a series, it’s over to you, Colin.
Creating a new series is a bit of a challenge for any author – not only must you come up with a bunch of brand-new characters, but you also need to know where they live, what work they do and any interesting pasts they’ve had before appearing fully-formed in a new adventure. I’m not a plotter so never have any kind of outline to work from before I start writing. However, I do need to have a clear idea of the main character. With Metropolis, book one in the Finlay MacBeth series, I spent a lot of time working out who MacBeth might be, where he came from, what skills he might have and what (if any) issues might continue to throw up problems for him (such as being continually haunted by a dead man).
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Book Review: The Case of the Christie Curse By Kelly Oliver
It’s so wonderful to be welcoming Kelly Oliver to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, The Case of the Christie Curse.
Mesopotamia, 1930: When Agatha Christie invites fellow members of the Detection Club to witness the famous excavations at the ruins of Ur, Dorothy L. Sayers, her quick-witted assistant Eliza Baker, and Theo Sharp expect ancient wonders – not fresh corpses.
But when an archaeologist is found dead in the sand, whispers of a deadly curse sweep through the camp. Eliza suspects something far more dangerous than superstition. Amid glittering artifacts and fragile alliances, every guest harbors secrets: the Woolleys, whose marriage is shadowed by tragedy; a journalist hungry for scandal; even academic Max Mallowan, whose loyalties are not what they seem.
As theft, forgery, and coded messages surface, the line between archaeology and espionage blurs. And when Eliza and Theo find themselves in danger, they must face not only the truth about the murder – but also the truths they’ve long denied about each other. Can they uncover the killer before the desert claims another victim? Or will this dig unearth secrets too dangerous to survive?
*****
1930.
The Detection Club are called to assist their most famous member, Agatha Christie, in the deserts of Mesopotamia. The Queen of Crime has a strange feeling. When the team arrive, it isn’t long before superstition turns into murder. Can they figure out what is going on before anyone else gets hurt?
I was extremely excited to be invited onto the blog tour for The Case of the Christie Curse, the latest novel in the Detection Club series. Having devoured the previous novel, The Case of the Body on the Orient Express, I couldn’t wait to get started on book 3 of the series. I do thoroughly recommend this series as a whole, but this can be read as a standalone.
by Book Review & Giveaway: Escape To Seahaven Bay By Nicola May
We are pleased to be welcoming Nicola May to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, Escape To Seahaven Bay.
The heartwarming new novel from the author of the million-copy bestselling Cockleberry Bay series.
Seahaven Bay has always been a place where the sparkling tides bring laughter, love and a lot of fun. But when Rita Jory’s beloved husband Archie dies in a tragic accident, she’s left alone on their failing Cornish farm with nothing but her grieving heart, a mountain of debt and some very badly behaved goats. Faced with selling the home she loves or finding a way to make it pay, Rita has a moment of desperate inspiration. She decides to transform her beloved Seahaven Farm into a place where broken souls can heal by the sea.
With help from her sharp-tongued mother-in-law, loyal best friend, daughter and new friends, the rundown farm soon blossoms into a haven of healing, creativity and community. Rita dares to believe her future might still shimmer with possibility – and even admits her growing attraction to Jago, the gorgeous neighbouring farmer with whom the Jorys had a decades-long feud.
But just as Rita begins to find peace, long-buried secrets about Archie’s past begin to surface, forcing her to question everything she believed about the life they built together.
Rita must discover the truth and decide if she’s ready to open her heart again – to love, to hope, and to the possibility that even after loss, life can still be full of surprises.
A tender, uplifting and hilarious tale of resilience, friendship and finding light in the darkest moments, perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Jojo Moyes and Amanda Prowse.
*****
I’m delighted to be a part of the blog tour for Nicola May’s forthcoming book, ‘Escape to Seahaven Bay’.
Now, where to start? Seahaven farm is failing, as Rita finds life hard after the unexpected death of her husband. With her son rarely in contact and her daughter working away from home, Rita is getting to her wits end, with the possibility of losing the farm a real possibility. Through a change of direction for the farm, things begin to change, before a secret long buried makes things even worse.
by Book Extract: The Silent Resistance by Anna Normann
I’m excited to be welcoming Anna Normann to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for The Silent Resistance.
Occupied Norway, 1944. Anni endures the war alone, aiding the resistance while longing for news of her sailor husband. Her daughter, Ingrid, is her joy, and Anni is determined to keep her safe. But when a German official is billeted at their home, danger escalates, and Anni faces an agonising dilemma.
London, 1952. Ingrid has been trying to understand her mother’s mysterious disappearance at the war’s end. Clinging to Anni’s promise that she would always come back for her, Ingrid sets out to discover what happened all those years ago.
Grab that beverage of your choice and find that comfortable chair. Anna Normann has kindly shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
While people didn’t starve in Norway during the war, they went hungry and children were malnourished. No food could be imported, and the approximately 400.000 German soldiers stationed in Norway had first pick.
I grew up listening to stories about the food during the war. The rancid cod liver oil used for cooking, the turnip they fried in the oil, the salty herring. No butter, no sugar, no chocolate. I couldn’t even imagine how horrible that was.
Ingrid looked up from her dolly and teddy, who by now had arrived in China. ‘I’m hungry, mamma.’
‘Me too. I have potatoes and more potatoes. Would you like that?’ Anni said.
‘Can we fry the potatoes, mamma?’ Ingrid loved crispy potatoes, even those fried in cod liver oil.
by Book Review: Healing Hearts at the Forever Cottage by Jill Steeples
Please join me in welcoming Jill Steeples back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her latest book, Healing Hearts at the Forever Cottage.
The winds of change are sweeping through the idyllic Cotswold village of Lower Leaping.
After a tumultuous few months, Tess Alexander is ready to welcome her first guests to The Garden Retreat, a beautiful lodge in the grounds of Hollyhocks Cottage.
With her daughter Hannah home from her travels in Australia and her mother, Marjorie, acting out of character, Tess has to juggle many demands on her attention. Even her flourishing relationship with dashing Rob Templeton is put to the test when he faces an emotional dilemma from his past and Barney, her beloved beagle, has her at her wits end.
Tess can weather most storms with the unbridling support of her close friends Dilly, Gina and Suzy but when a passing remark in the local pub causes her to question one of those friendships, she wonders who can she really trust?
Can Tess overcome the obstacles in her path to find the happy ending she truly deserves?
*****
Tess has begun to really settle into her life post separation from her husband. Her new relationship with Rob is going well, her daughter seems to be getting better after going through an ordeal and her beloved garden annexe is ready for its first guest. Is everything starting to go right or is there more upheaval around the corner?
It’s so marvellous to be back in Lower Leaping and Hollyhocks Cottage. This book is book two of the series. Having read book one, I couldn’t wait to escape into this gentle world that Jill Steeples has created. If this novel will be your introduction to this series, don’t fear. I felt that reading book one enriched book two, but both can stand alone.
by Book Club
