Book Extract: When We Were Us by Patricia Caliskan
I’m pleased to be welcoming Patricia Caliskan to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, When We Were Us.
Is it ever too late to start again…?
Erika Forde has always played second fiddle to her husband David, the famous novelist. But since their son, Matt, left home for university, cracks have started to show in their marriage.
Erika has long had a nagging suspicion that David may not always have been faithful, and now his latest books are starting to wane in popularity causing erratic moods that are affecting Erika.
But while David’s career starts to dip, Erika’s advertising agency is on the up.
Erika’s creative genius wins the agency a huge client in Stable Denim, but her life is thrown into turmoil when one of the models cast for the campaign turns out to be her ex-boyfriend, Enzo.
Has Enzo been sent back into Erika’s life for a reason? Is it time for her to reevaluate her marriage?
Or should some things be left in the past…?
WHEN WE WERE US is a second chance love story, that shows the ups and downs of family life with buckets of humour and wit.
Patricia has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
Erika Forde has always played second fiddle to her husband David, the famous novelist. But since their son, Matt, left home for university, cracks have started to show in their marriage.
While David’s career starts to dip, Erika’s advertising agency is on the up. Erika Forde’s creative genius wins her creative advertising agency a huge client in Stable Denim, but her life is thrown into turmoil when one of the models cast for the campaign turns out to be her ex-boyfriend, Enzo Morelli.
by 
Book Extract: Death on the High Seas by Anna Legat
I’m pleased to be welcoming Anna Legat to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, Death on the High Seas.
Maggie and Sam take a break from the murder and mayhem of Bishops Well and embark on a relaxing mid-winter cruise across the northern seas. The brochure promises smooth sailing, good food and dazzling entertainment. Sam is hoping to sprinkle the mix with romance.
But nothing goes to plan.
Maggie runs into an old lover, the mesmerising Benedict Rawbotham, who goes out of his way to sweep her off her feet. Sam is left seething with jealousy.
A mayday signal sent by a fishing boat forces the cruise liner off course. But there is something fishy about the rescued crew and Maggie insists that two young women have died on that boat. Alas, no one believes her.
Soon one of the alleged fishermen is also dead and so is one of the cruise passengers. Cordelia Conti Lang, nicknamed the Bitcoin Queen, with links to London’s criminal underworld, is found in her cabin, stabbed to death.
In pursuit of the killer, Maggie hurtles from one disaster to another and Sam begins to fear for her life. Has he taken her on a cruise to hell?
Anna has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
A quick introduction to Sam’s rival vying for Maggie’s affections: Benedict Rowbotham
The show was about to start. The lights were dimmed and the stage was hit with bright spotlights. The compere announced the grand entrance of Maestro de Norte – or Morte, Sam couldn’t quite make that out.
The Maestro burst onto the stage in a puff of white smoke. He was wearing a top hat and a cape, and altogether resembled Count Dracula. He was tall and lean, with sharp but handsome features. His hair was uncannily black – probably dyed. The hair and the heavy eye makeup rendered the man creepy, in Sam’s opinion. Even more so after he noticed that Maggie was utterly hypnotised by him. She stiffened in her seat, pushed her chin forward, squinted and gaped like a possessed groupie.
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to a night of magic and mayhem!’ De Norte spoke in a deep baritone. ‘Let me introduce my glamorous assistant, Mademoiselle Coco.’
by Cover Reveal: Love, Julie by Jamie Anderson
I’m so excited to be helping Jamie Anderson reveal the cover for her upcoming novel, Love, Julie.
Before we reveal the cover, here’s a little about the book…
A Poignant and Humorous Journey of Self-discovery, Resilience, and Redemption
Once, Julie dreamed of a life filled with love and laughter. Now, in her mid-forties, she faces a starkly different reality. She’s single, lonely, and reeling from breaking her hard-earned sobriety in front of her family and friends.
Opting for self-recovery over romance, Julie dives into planning her best friend Kate’s wedding. However, sharing this task with the irritatingly cheerful best man, single dad Luke, proves to be an unexpected challenge.
As Luke’s persistent kindness chips away at her icy exterior, a friendship forms, stirring a longing she’d sworn to suppress. But with self-forgiveness as her biggest hurdle, and her past ready to sabotage her future, can Julie confront the shame and trauma that have darkened so much of her life and find the courage to love again? Or will her demons shatter both her and Luke’s hearts in the process?
So, are you ready to see the cover? Drumroll……
by Book Extract: Last Seen in Havana by Teresa Dovalpage
Please join me in welcoming Teresa Dovalpage to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, Last Seen in Havana.
A Cuban American woman searches for her long-lost mother and fights to restore a beautiful but crumbling Art Deco home in the heart of Havana in this moving, immersive new mystery, perfect for fans of Of Women and Salt.
In 2019, newly widowed baker Mercedes Spivey flies from Miami to her native Cuba to care for her ailing paternal grandmother. Mercedes’s life has been shaped by loss, beginning with the mysterious unsolved disappearance of her mother when Mercedes was a little girl. Returning to Cuba revives Mercedes’s hopes of finding her mother as she attempts to piece together the few scraps of information she has. Could her mother still be alive?
33 years earlier, an American college student with endless political optimism falls deliriously in love with a handsome Cuban soldier while on a spontaneous visit to the island. She decides to stay permanently, but soon discovers that nothing is as it seems in Havana.
The two women’s stories proceed in parallel as Mercedes gets closer to discovering the truth about her mother, uncovering shocking family secrets in the process . . .
Teresa has shared an extract from Last Seen in Havana today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
Short intro: This is how the novel starts. Mercedes’ mother, Tania, has been missing since Mercedes was three years old. As a girl, Mercedes waited in vain for her to return home. Now she is thirty years old, living in Miami, and has decided to try again to find her runaway mom.
The Ashen Hour
by Book Review: Sword of Vengeance by Peter Gibbons
We’re pleased to be welcoming Peter Gibbons back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his book, Sword of Vengeance.
In the aftermath of the great battle of Maldon, justice is demanded and vengeance will be served!
992AD
King Aethelred’s the Unready’s army has been defeated at the historic Battle of Maldon by Viking invaders led by Olaf Tryggvason and King Sweyn Forkbeard.
The strategic turning point of the battle was when Godric, an East Saxon Thegn, fled the battlefield taking with him the Saxon army, leaving behind his brothers to be massacred in a welter of blood and Norse axe blades.
Saxon warrior Beornoth emerges from the ashes of defeat with his heart aflame with vengeance and when King Aethelred sends for Beornoth with orders to punish those traitors responsible for the crushing defeat, he heeds the king’s call.
With a small band of loyal warriors, Beornoth embarks on an unforgiving journey across the perilous landscape to seek out Godric and exact his bloody revenge. They must fight their way through a world teeming with political intrigue, shifting alliances and the ever-present threat of the Vikings.
Can Beornoth triumph over insurmountable odds in this pulse pounding quest for retribution?
*****
In the fourth instalment of the Saxon Warrior series, Godric has fled the battlefield with the Saxon army, leaving King Aethelred and the remaining solders to be defeated by the Vikings, led by Olaf and King Sweyn Forkbeard.
Saxon Warrior, Beornoth hears King Aethelred’s call and seeks vengeance against those who deserted the battle. Will he succeed in this quest?
Having read previous novels in this series, I was intrigued to see what was next for the vast array of characters. Once again, I was pulled into a rich, well-developed story where I became engrossed quickly.
by Book Review: Stranger in the Village by Kate Wells
I’m so happy to be welcoming Kate Wells back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, Stranger in the Village.
Where there’s a body in Malvern End, there are secrets to be uncovered…
Jude Gray has worked hard to bring a steady equilibrium to life on Malvern Farm and things are going well.
The only fly in the ointment is the foul addition of a new face in the village: staunch townie and chauvinistic sleaze, Des Smith. Jude has nothing but sympathy for his caring, patient wife, Loretta, who has become a regular visitor to the farm for a cup of tea and a chat.
But things take a turn for the worse when a hit and run outside The Lamb brings death once again to the village. Is it an accident or is something more sinister afoot?
Perhaps the answer lies in the stranger with red trainers who’s been seen wandering through the village and through Jude’s fields at night. Following the clues, Jude desperately hopes she will find the right answers, because the murderer being someone she knows is unfathomable…
*****
Jude has settled into life working on her farm. With Noah and Lucy by her side, she feels like things are getting back to normal. However, when a hit and run occurs in the village, it sets off a chain of events. Can everyone figure out what’s going on before someone else gets hurt?
I was so excited to be invited onto the blog tour for Stranger in the Village. Having enjoyed the previous novel, Murder on the Farm, I was intrigued to see what was next for Jude, Noah and Lucy.
by NK Chats To… Angie Elita Newell
Hi Angie, thank you so much for joining me. Can you tell me about your novel, All I See is Violence and what inspired it?
Hello Laura! My novel is about the attempted cultural annihilation enacted against the indigenous North Americans by the United States government. This policy is very nuanced, and the people enacting it and experiencing it reacted in very personal and not necessarily typical ways, so I wove the timeline of 1876 and the coming-of-age experience of the female warrior Little Wolf against the seasoned military fighter Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer and parallel that to her future relation Nancy Swiftfox in 1972 at the height of the American Indian Movement.
What’s your typical writing day like?
Each writing day is different. If I am working on the actual story, I spend more time thinking about the story and the characters and what their world was like versus actually writing.
What are the challenges you found when writing your novel?
The challenge I found was finding a publisher, the more people I talk to in the writing industry the more seem to all experience this, so I am going to say it is a writing rite of passage.
From idea to finished book, what’s your writing process like and how long does it typically take you?
I think each story is unique but two years from start to finish seems to be my rhythm, I work with historical fiction and I am trained as a historian so there is an archival research component to my work that takes some time against the dreaming of it in my mind.
What’s your favourite word and why?
Amazing. I am continuously awestruck with beauty and appreciation for this life and this world, despite everything at its core it is pure love and amazing.
Which fictional world would you like to visit and why?
by Book Review: The Last Days of You and Me by Debbie Howells
I’m pleased to be welcoming Debbie Howells back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest novel, The Last Days of You and Me.
They didn’t know – when Winter gave way to Spring that year – that their lives were all about to change…
Marnie didn’t realise – when she stormed into a bookshop one day, demanding a self-help book – that she was about to make a new best friend.
Bookshop-owner Rae didn’t know she had been living like a shadow since her parents died. But then Marnie exploded into her life. And suddenly she realised things had to change… more so when she meets handsome nurse, Jack.
And when Forrest’s life is turned upside down by a fatal car crash, he knew he was being given a second chance, but didn’t know why. He thinks Marnie might just be the woman he’s destined to be with. But – as she discovers that she has an illness she may never recover from – what if it’s too late for them?
Can it ever be too late though? To make friendships that change everything. To grow, to change, to start again. Even – for two unlikely new best friends to find love at last…?
*****
Marnie feels stuck. She’s come to Arundel to help look after a friend’s hotel. It’s the last place she wants to be. However, it’s not the only thing she doesn’t want to face.
Forrest is questioning everything about his life after a tragedy. When he meets Marnie, he feels like he’s getting a second chance.
Rae runs the local bookshop. Ever since the loss of her parents, she’s hidden herself away. New friends could bring her back to life.
Jack is used to dealing with death but grief holds him back. Rae may be a good reason to move on.
by Novel Kicks Book Club: The Last Days of You and Me by Debbie Howells
Welcome February.
At last, we can say goodbye to January, widely agreed to be the longest month of the year and say hello to the shortest, despite this year being a leap year.
The book I’ve picked for this month is, in my opinion, a wonderful tale of love and taking a leap of faith – The Last Days of You and Me by Debbie Howells.
Anyone can take part in our book club, whether you’ve already read the book or plan to read through the month. The best part, you can do it from the warmth and comfort of home. I’ve posted a question in the comments below to start discussion.
I am really looking forward to discussing this book with you.
About The Last Days of You and Me –
by Book Review: Driven to Murder by Debbie Young
I’m very excited to be welcoming Debbie Young to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, Driven To Murder.
A perfect cosy crime for fans of M C Beaton’s Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth series.
Change is coming to Wendlebury Barrow – and not everyone is happy about it…
When the local bus company announces it will be stopping its route through their quaint Cotswold village, the people of Wendlebury Barrow are up in arms. Not least Sophie Sayers, whose driving lessons with her boyfriend Hector get off to a bumpy start.
But the locals’ peaceful protests against the decision turn deadly when a body is discovered on the Number 27. No one can work out how Janice Boggins met her demise, let alone how the driver didn’t notice. While the police wait for the post mortem results, Sophie immediately suspects foul play, and launches her own investigation.
Can she solve the murder before another passenger is hurt?
*****
Sophie Sayers and her boyfriend, Hector are in a good place as they prepare to expand his bookshop in the Cotswolds village of Wendlebury Barrow.
The only sticking point is the fact that Sophie learning to drive would help the running of the business and she’s terrified of the prospect. As she considers her next move, a body is discovered on the number 27 bus. Can Sophie once again solve the mystery?
The premise of this book sounded great so I was pleased to be invited onto the blog tour for Driven to Murder, the ninth book in the Sophie Sayers cozy mystery series.
by Book Review: Baby One More Time by Camilla Isley
I’m so happy to be welcoming Camila Isley back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest novel, Baby, One More Time.
Driven and smart, Marissa Mayer has worked her way to COO at a major Fintech startup as well as launching her own successful app on the side. Now what she wants more than anything is a baby. And having given up on love after her heart was broken by the boy next door, she’s prepared to do it alone.
Recently returning to New York from LA, Dr John Raikes is an expert in his field of neonatal medicine. But when John introduces himself as Marissa’s doctor, sparks fly, and not in a good way. Because Dr John Raikes is no stranger: he’s her teenage sweetheart all grown up.
Marissa knows she should keep John at arm’s length, lest she have her heart broken again… But there’s something about a man in a white coat. And with John determined to show Marissa he’s changed, can she keep saying no when her heart is saying yes?
A gorgeously funny enemies-to-lovers, second-chance rom com, perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Lynn Painter and Jo Watson.
*****
Marissa has decided that she wants to become a mother and so embarks on IVF alone. What she doesn’t count on is a Doctor at the clinic being the man who broke her heart when she was 18.
When they are brought together in more ways than one, can Marissa let John back into her life?
by Book Extract: All Grown Up by Catherine Evans
I’d like to give a big hello to Catherine Evans. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, All Grown Up.
Neveah is fifteen. A schoolkid. With a secret life. She’s a digital freelancer, and is having an affair with her biggest client.
Giles is married. He thinks Neveah is twenty-two.
She’ll do just about anything to stop him from finding out her true age. But secrets have a way of spilling out.
With devastating consequences.
Catherine has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.
(Warning: Strong Language.)
*****beginning of extract*****
CONTEXT: Neveah (pronounced Ner-vay) is a 15-year-old schoolgirl having an affair with a married man, Giles, who believes her to be an independent woman of 22. Neveah is bright and ambitious, and works as a freelance digital marketer. Giles is her biggest client. Neveah lives with her single mother, Marie. Marie is completely obsessed with her own issues, and has no idea how her daughter earns money or who she is involved with. The affair with Giles is necessarily secret, not only because of his marital status but also because of her age. Nevertheless, Neveah has confided in her best friend, Sharna, who is also 15.
Neveah and Sharna are making their way to the swimming pool. Sharna’s on a weight loss kick, and has roped Neveah in. Neveah doesn’t mind. She knows it won’t last. Besides, she likes the pool.
‘We’ll swim for half an hour, yeah?’ says Sharna. ‘Then we can grab a MackyD?’
‘I thought you wanted to lose weight.’
‘Oh, come on. We’ll deserve it after burning all them calories. D’you wanna stay over tonight?’
‘Yeah sure.’ Neveah never has to ask permission. She’s a totally free agent. Marie works nights except for Tuesdays, and even then she’s not fussed if Neveah isn’t home.
‘So you’re not seeing Mister Loverman then?’
‘Seeing him tomorrow.’
‘D’you love him?’ Sharna suddenly asks.
Neveah can’t answer immediately ‘I like being with him, if that’s what you mean.’
by Book Review: The Girl in Seat 2A by Diana Wilkinson
I’m so pleased to be hosting the blog tour for The Girl in Seat 2a, the latest novel by Diana Wilkinson.
Funny how one lie can spiral…
One thing about me: I HATE flying. It’s my worst nightmare.
That’s why I book seat 2A every time I fly. Since my big win, I’ve been booking seats 2B and 2C as well. They’re my comfort seats, they cushion the claustrophobia, and at last I can afford them.
I am now determined to live the life of luxury. I deserve it, after all.
How to Live Like a Millionaire is the book I’m reading on this flight. When it lands on the floor, a handsome guy hands it back to me. I know he clocks the title, because he’s totally charming and talks to me as if I’m one of the Marbella Millionaire set.
When I land in sunny Spain, I’ll be acting like a millionairess, that’s for sure – even if it’s stretching the truth, just a bit. We all know that money talks, and I intend to talk my way into a better life.
Who knows… maybe this guy, the one who had the cheek to sit down in seat 2C, might be someone special. He has an air of danger, but who cares?
*****
Jade is heading to Spain. She’s enjoying herself after having a windfall. Why shouldn’t she live the highlife? On the plane, she meets Issac. Good looking, protective and rich. Is he too good to be true?
Having enjoyed Diana’s previous novel, One Down, I was excited to be invited onto the blog tour for her latest novel, The Girl in Seat 2A.
by Book Extract: Shadows in the Ashes by Christina Courtenay
Please join me in welcoming Christina Courtenay to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, Shadows In The Ashes.
Brimming with romance, adventure and vivid historical detail, Christina Courtenay’s gripping dual-time novel travels from the present day to the fires of ancient Pompeii.
The sunlight caught her gold bracelet, sending a flash that almost blinded her.
She closed her eyes, but jumped when the earth started shaking and there was an almighty boom behind her.
Present Day
Finally escaping an abusive marriage, Caterina Rossi takes her three-year-old daughter and flees to Italy. There she’s drawn to research scientist Connor, who needs her translation help for his work on volcanology. Together they visit the ruins of Pompeii and, standing where Mount Vesuvius unleashed its fire on the city centuries before, Cat begins to see startling visions. Visions that appear to come from the antique bracelet handed down through her family’s generations…
AD 79
Sold by his half-brother and enslaved as a gladiator in Roman Pompeii, Raedwald dreams only of surviving each fight, making the coin needed to return to his homeland and taking his revenge. That is, until he is hired to guard beautiful Aemilia. As their forbidden love grows, Raedwald’s dreams shift like the ever more violent tremors of the earth beneath his feet.
The present starts eerily to mirror the past as Cat must fight to protect her safety, and to forge a new path from the ashes of her old life…
Christina has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
Prologue
by Book Review: Murder at Merewood Hospital by Michelle Salter
I’m pleased to be welcoming Michelle Salter back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her latest novel, Murder at Merewood Hospital.
The patients survived the Great War only to face a new danger…
In 1916, Sister Helen Hopgood was sent with a team of nurses to care for wounded soldiers at Merewood Farm, a temporary military hospital in Hampshire.
Now the war is over, only five patients remain – and she is the only nurse. The last ward must close, and Helen is doing all she can to find new homes for the injured servicemen.
Joseph Wintringham has to sell the farm to keep Merewood Manor. But since the murder of Nurse Taplin, locals believe the place is cursed – perhaps by the doomed nurse or by the patients who perished from their war wounds.
Is the hospital haunted? Or is someone very real behind the unnatural deaths that begin on Midsummer’s Night 1919?
Can Helen discover the truth before it’s too late..?
*****
World War One has ended and soon the temporary hospital at Merewood Farm will have to close.
Nurse Helen Hopgood wants to make sure that the injured servicemen that remain in the ward have been moved and are OK, However, someone else has other plans and soon one of her patients is murdered. With everyone seemingly under suspicion, can the perpetrator be found before someone else gets hurt?
I’n such a big fan of Michelle Salter. I was not only excited at the release of this new mystery but was very happy to be part of the blog tour around its release.
by Book Review: The Screenwriter by Amanda Reynolds
I’m pleased to be welcoming Amanda Reynolds to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Screenwriter.
Every screenwriter knows the best stories come from the truth…
But the truth can be terrifying
Marnie thought she’d left behind her days of writing ‘celebrity’ tell-all memoirs, but when her big break as a screenwriter turns to dust she’s forced to take another ghost writing job.
Except this time it’s for someone who is actually famous. Or rather, infamous. Blythe Hopper. A reclusive former Hollywood star who recently murdered her screenwriter husband.
And Marnie has her own reasons for wanting to meet Blythe, not least because of an email she received from Blythe’s husband, sent two days after he was shot dead.
But Marnie soon learns Blythe is not a woman to be messed with.
Dark secrets lurk at the Hoppers’ palatial London home – secrets long buried, which Marnie is determined to unearth. At any price.
Because this isn’t just about Blythe’s past.
It’s about Marnie’s too.
*****
With her screenplay about to go into production, Marnie Wilde thought she could finally say goodbye to her career as a ghostwriter but when that falls through, she has no choice but to return to being a ghost. However, needing the job is not the only reason she has decided to help write Blythe Hopper’s memoir. She wants answers but will she find them?
This is the first novel I have read by Amanda Reynolds and I really didn’t know what to expect. The premise for The Screenwriter intrigued me and so I was so excited to be invited onto the blog tour for her latest novel.
Marnie is an interesting yet mysterious character. I like how she was written. There is a slight dark humour to her voice which I loved and it made me warm to her.
by Book Review: An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street by Jaimie Admans
I’m so excited to welcome Jaimie Admans back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her latest novel, An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street, book two in the Ever After Street Series.
A picture-perfect town, a place where dreams come true. Welcome to Ever After Street…
A tale as old as time…
Since her mum’s death, Marnie Platt has shut herself away from everyone who cares about her. Worse, her beloved bookshop on Ever After Street is suffering too. With sales down and the shop’s garden falling into disrepair, Marnie risks losing the very last thing she loves. Until a chance encounter with her surly and reclusive neighbour….
Dark and brooding, Darcy O’Connell likes to keep himself to himself. But when he hears Marnie needs help, he can’t turn his back on her. Soon they are spending most evenings together in her enchanted garden and a friendship starts to bloom…
With the help of old and new friends on Ever After Street, Marnie’s bookshop begins to thrive again, and with Darcy’s kindness, she starts to get her sparkle back too. She just can’t understand why Darcy continues to shut himself away – especially from her. Can she convince him it isn’t too late to embrace life, and maybe love, again?
Because every story, even theirs, deserves a happy ending….
*****
Marnie runs the A Tale As Old As Time bookshop on Ever After Street but after the death of her mother, everything feels as though she is simply treading water and even that is hard going.
When she receives a letter threatening to take away the only thing she has left, she doesn’t know what to do. However, a chance conversation with her ‘scary neighbour’ sends her life into a direction she never thought possible.
When a book features a bookshop named A Tale as Old as Time that is themed around Beauty and the Beast and a cat named Mrs Potts, you’ve pretty much drawn me in to be honest.
It’s evident to see how lonely Marnie is and I wanted to make her a cup of tea, give her a big hug and sit and talk books with her. She felt so relatable to me and someone I would be friends with.
by Book Spotlight: Zero Kill by M.K. Hill
Please join us in welcoming M.K. Hill to Novel Kicks. We are putting a spotlight on his latest novel, Zero Kill.
Meet Elsa Zero: Bad neighbour. Single mother. Ex-deep cover agent.
And right now, the most dangerous person on Earth.
When Elsa’s dull but dedicated boyfriend proposes in a packed restaurant, she doesn’t think her evening can get any worse. But as the clock strikes midnight, her world is turned upside down.
Suddenly Elsa is running for her life, trying to keep her children safe, and desperate to discover what the hell is going on.
Every intelligence agency in the world wants her dead because she’s in possession of a deadly secret – she just has to stay alive long enough to figure out what it is.
But this is Elsa Zero we’re talking about. And it’s a very bad idea to get on her wrong side.
Bursting with tension, twists and humour, this is a brilliantly unique action-thriller perfect for fans of Killing Eve, Lee Child and people who loved watching Nobody and Hunted.
*****
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
Zero Kill was released by Head of Zeus – an Aries Book. Click to buy on Amazon UK and Waterstones.
by Book Extract: The Chameleon Killer Mystery by Gina Cheyne
Please join me in welcoming Gina Cheyne to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Chameleon Killer Mystery.
Who is the Chameleon Killer?
When you are having a really bad day, drink yourself legless, abuse everyone around you, pass out and try again tomorrow.
Trouble is; every day is bad in Rupert Fletcher’s world. He threatens his ex-wife, mocks his girlfriend, abuses his neighbours, and gets into a fight in the pub.
Next day, he is found dead.
Who’d want to kill him? Well, almost everybody, but it looks like only one person did. The police arrest his ex-wife’s therapist, Anthony.
Anthony’s family claim he is innocent and employ the SeeMs Detective Agency to find the real killer.
Cat, Miranda, and Stevie uncover clues that point them back to an intricate web of family injuries and an unexpected connection between the victim and his killer.
Could Rupert’s murderer be The Chameleon Killer, who has already killed before and is bent on revenge? They need to act fast before the killer strikes again.
*****
Gina has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
This extract is about the anti-hero Rupert. His girl-friend Drina has just bought him some food (he has spent all his money on booze). Instead of eating it he goes in to see his neighbour, an old woman.
Once the car boot was full of bags of food, Drina drove Rupert round to his flat. As she dropped him outside, she repeated, ‘OK, so stay off the booze and get some sleep. And start looking for a job.’
Rupert inclined his head politely. He watched her drive off round the corner, making sure she was well out of sight before he picked up the bags of food. Grinning impishly, he headed for a flat on the ground floor at the back of his block. He knocked and yelled loudly through the door.
‘Hello. Mrs Cartwright. How are you today?’
After a long wait he heard a dragging sound in the flat, as though someone was heaving a heavy parcel. Eventually, after extensive clunking, the door opened a slit, and an old woman peered out, her face looking anxious.
‘Who is it?’
‘Hello, Mrs Cartwright. It’s me, Rupert. I brought you the shopping you wanted.’
He lifted the bags and waved them so she could see them through the slit.
by Cover Reveal: Somebody I Used To Love by Eve Ainsworth
I’m so excited to be helping to reveal the cover for Somebody I Used to Love, the upcoming novel by Eve Ainsworth.
Lost memories. Lost loves. Can they find their way back to each other?
When Will wakes up after a car accident, he’s lost three years of memory. All he wants is his girlfriend and childhood sweetheart, Gem, beside him. Instead, nothing is as he remembers.
Gem has finally moved on from hers and Will’s break-up. With a new life and boyfriend, the last thing she expects is a call to say Will needs her – the man who nearly destroyed her.
As Will recovers, he is determined to prove to Gem that he is the man he once was. But by unlocking the secrets of his past, will he be able to piece together what caused him to change so dramatically? And, faced with the choice, will Gem continue with the safe new life she has built for herself, or will she go back to the man she used to love?
Heartbreaking and twisty, perfect for fans of Dani Atkins, Jojo Moyes and Colleen Hoover.
OK, so that’s a bit about the book. It sounds compelling and I already want to know Will and Gem’s fate.
We are here to reveal the cover. Are you ready? Drumroll…….
by Book Review: The Glass Woman by Alice McIIroy
I’m pleased to welcome Alice McIlroy to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Glass Woman.
When you wake up without your memories, who can you really trust?
Pioneering scientist Iris Henderson chose to be her own first test-subject for an experimental therapy, placing a piece of technology into her brain. At least, this is what everyone tells her. Trouble is, Iris is now without her memories so she doesn’t know what the therapy is or why she would ever decide to volunteer for it.
Everyone warns her to leave it alone, but Iris doesn’t know who to trust. As she scratches beneath the surface of her seemingly happy marriage and successful career, a catastrophic chain of events is set in motion. Secrets will be revealed that have the capacity to destroy her whole life, but Iris can’t stop digging.
*****
Iris wakes up in a hospital bed with no idea how she got there. Her memories are gone.
A man named Marcus claims to be her husband. She’s been told that she’s part of a pioneering therapy that inserts a piece of technology into her brain. When she can’t remember anything, who can she trust and who would do this to her?
Wow. That’s the first thing I want to say. It’s going to be hard to talk about this novel without spoilers. I will do my best but proceed with caution.
by
Please join me in welcoming Jessica Redland back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, A Breath of Fresh Air.
Rosie feels like there’s something missing in her life. She loves her job as the manager of Willowdale Hall Riding Stables, caring for the horses and teaching children to ride, and she loves the home she shares with her mother in the beautiful Lake District. But she can’t help wondering how her life might look if things had been different. What if her father had been around to help care for her mother? And what if she’d found someone special herself?
When Hubert Cranleigh – the owner of Willowdale Hall – is taken ill, his son Oliver steps into the breach. Brooding and distant, Rosie is furious when he claims not to know who she is. Especially when they have a history.
Rosie’s life is about to be turned upside down, but with the New Year comes new opportunities. What Rosie feels is missing from her life might be closer than she thinks, and with more significant consequences than she could ever have imagined…
Take a breath of fresh air and escape to the Lake District with million-copy bestseller Jessica Redland, for an uplifting story of family, friendship and love.
*****
Rosie feels she has a pretty good life. She lives with her Mum and runs the Willowdale Hall Riding Stables. She loves teaching children to ride horses. However, when her boss, the mostly grumpy Hubert Cranleigh has an accident, she finds herself facing the one person she had never wanted to see again and their arrival threatens not only her livelihood but also her home.
I have quickly grown to love the worlds that Jessica Redland creates. There is something a little magical about them. A Breath of Fresh Air is the second in the Escape to the Lakes series. I have not read the first book (not sure how this happened,) and if you find yourself in the same situation, A Breath of Fresh Air can be read as a standalone.
by Book Review: Clash of Kings by MJ Porter
We are so pleased to be welcoming MJ Porter back to Novel Kicks with the blog tour to their novel, Clash of Kings.
The next bloody and thrilling instalment in MJ Porter’s The Brunanburh Series.
Can the Norse and the Scots exact their revenge over the mighty King Athelstan of the English?
AD937
After the slaughter field of Brunanburh, a defeated Olaf Gothfrithson of the Dublin Norse and Constantin of the Scots narrowly escaped with their lives. In their kingdoms, failure has left them demoralised and weak.
Olaf licks his wounds in Dublin, whilst Constantin and the Welsh kingdoms who defied King Athelstan, are once more forced to bend the knee. As Athelstan’s reputation grows stronger day by day, their need to exact revenge on the overmighty and triumphant Athelstan has never been greater.
Olaf sets his sights on reclaiming the lost kingdom of Jorvik only for tragedy to strike at the heart of England and a reluctant new King, Edmund steps in the fray.
While England mourns the death of their warrior King, her enemies gather on her borders and England stands alone against the might of the Norse, Welsh and Scots.
Can the new King be victorious and banish her enemies once and for all or will England, and its king lose all that’s been gained and succumb to a new pretender?
An epic tale of kinsmanship, greed and power, perfect for the fans of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom series.
*****
After the battle of Brunanburh there exists an uneasy period of in-activity – not peace as such, but a time for repairs to be made and wounds to heal.
King Athelstan presides over England until his sudden death, bringing Edmund reluctantly to power.
by Book Extract: A Cocktail To Die For by Helen Golden
I’m so pleased to be welcoming Helen Golden back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, A Cocktail To Die For.
Cocktails, chaos, and an unexpected twist. Can Perry and his hens unveil the truth before time runs out?
Death at Prestigious Hotel and Spa, Chasingham House
We are hearing reports that a young woman has been found dead at Chasingham House, the exclusive venue in the Cotswolds. She has not been named, and the cause of death is unknown at this time. This will no doubt cast a cloud over the bachelor weekend being hosted there by Lady Beatrice (36), the Countess of Rossex, for her business partner Perry Juke (34) ahead of his wedding to bestselling author and celebrity chef Simon Lattimore (40). Also staying at Chasingham House are top models Camile Redmaine (35) and Mel Parks (35), who are celebrating newly-single Cammy’s birthday with a group of friends.
When one of the birthday girls is found dead in her room, it’s clear Bea plans for her, Perry, and their friends to chill around the pool, have a few treatments, and generally relax, seem to have gone down the drain. When the local police are quick to dismiss the death as an accident, Bea is determined to help investigate anyway, along with the rest of Perry’s party.
Can Perry and his hens catch the killer before the weekend is over and the trail goes cold?
Helen has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
Lady Beatrice and her business partner Perry Juke are at Chasingham House, an exclusive hotel and spa in the peaceful Cotswolds, for his bachelor weekend. Among Perry’s hens is DCI Emma McKeer Adler from PaIRS and they are all looking forward to a relaxing weekend. But when the dead body of a guest is discovered, the hotel manager asks Emma if she will step in and secure the crime scene until the local CID arrive…
“It’s okay, chief inspector. I’ll take over from here.”
Em looked up and found herself face to face with a bald man of about fifty who was only a few inches taller than her.
“Detective Chief Inspector Alan Rivers from Chase CID.” He held out his hand.
Em took it, trying not to recoil when her hand found itself in a clammy grip.
Meed stepped forward. “We were just—”
Rivers held up his hand, and Meed fell silent. “I’m here now, sergeant, so I’ll decide what you do next. Understand?”
Rude!
by Novel Kicks Book Club: Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben
Hello 2024.
Happy New Year everyone.
I’m looking forward to another twelve months of wonderful books and discussions.
For January, I thought I’d pick a book that is causing a stir thanks to the new Netflix adaptation – Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben.
I’m really excited about reading this book. As usual, our book club is open to all so, if you’ve already read it or will be reading along with me, you’re all welcome.
I’ve put a question in the comments below to start off the discussion. Looking forward to talking about this book with you.
About Fool Me Once –
You think you know the truth. The truth is you know nothing.
If your husband was murdered.
by NK Chats To… Lesley Cookman
Hi Lesley, thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me about your latest novel, Murder by Christmas?
Thank you for inviting me! Murder by Christmas is the 25th in the Libby Sarjeant series. Libby is in the final throes of pantomime rehearsals, when she and her friend Fran become involved in the investigation into a local brewery. This involves visits to many pubs – naturally!
What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any writing rituals?
I write as soon as I can get into the office – any time between 10 and 1pm and for as long as I can before the cats need feeding again.
What are the challenges you found when writing this novel and does writing a series present challenges?
The challenge of this one was the short time (3 months) in which I had to do it. And writing a series is definitely a challenge – trying to come up with different plots and not repeat myself.
Which songs would make up a playlist for your book?
by Christmas Gift Guide 2023 – Ideas for Readers
I do love a good gift guide as I personally find them so helpful when I’m stuck on what to get people and, as this is a blog for writers and readers, I wanted to share five items that I’ve found that I think would be perfect for the book lover in your life.
Penguin Book Print.
The first item is something that I’ve always wanted but never managed to get and that is this classic Penguin book cover print.
There’s something so timeless about these covers and there are so many to choose from, from Jane Austen to Graham Greene.
I think these would look so beautiful up on the wall and it’s a great way to share your favourite classic Penguin novel.
You can buy these prints from Penguin by clicking here.
Interesting Stories about Curious Words by Susie Dent.
What lover of books doesn’t love, well, a book? I’m a great fan of interesting words and came across this non fiction book from Susie Dent, known as the oracle from Countdown’s dictionary corner.
If your loved one is anything like me, I enjoy finding unusual words and their definitions and think this book is perfect for that. What do you think?
You can buy this book by clicking here and heading to The Literary Gift Company website.
Popsy Teacups Print Notebook.
Popsy Clothing is a brand I adore and I will always do what I can to spread the Popsy love. There is almost always a literature/bookish themed top available on the site. The tops are good quality, are so comfortable, are long and the best thing of all, the tops have POCKETS!!! I know!
However, the product I wanted to share is this beautiful Teacups Print Notebook. Maybe the bibliophile you know is wanting to make notes or is part of a book club and needs somewhere to make notes about their book of the month? Or they like making a note of 
passages, words or quotes they particularly liked.
This notebook is A5 and has 90 lined pages.
Click here to head over to Popsy Clothing.
The Book Lover’s 2024 Calendar.
Who doesn’t love a good Calendar and this one from the Calendar club is so pretty.
This square calendar has stunning illustrations of book covers from novels like Jane Eyre, A Catcher in the Rye and 1984.
It is a 12 month calendar and is a Monday start.
This product is going on my Christmas list.
You can get this from The Calendar Club.
Book Journal.
Finally, I wanted to share this book journal from Papier.
This is another brand I’ve used and loved in the past and this journal looks stunning.
It’s the perfect way to keep track of the books you’ve read. Like the notebook from Popsy I shared, this would be good if you’re doing a reading challenge and want to make notes on the books you read or it could 
be a great companion if you or a loved one are a member of a book club and want it to make notes for the catch up.
It also has a few pages to add your book wish list.
Whatever the purpose, this journal looks perfect.
You can buy it from Papier.
As with the writers gift guide, click here to read it, I hope you’ve found this list inspiring. Let me know in the comments below if there’s been a product mentioned that’s filled that hole in your present list.
by Christmas Gift Guide 2023 – Ideas for Writers
It’s my favourite time of year again. National Novel Writing Month is done, the Christmas decorations are up and I’m singing Last Christmas very much out of tune.
As both an avid reader and writer, I love getting related items and I wanted to share some gift ideas for the writer in your life.
First up is a Writers Box.
This Writers Box looks fantastic and seems to have everything a writer might need to assist them in a good session getting those words written.
It includes a handmade notebook, coaster, bookmark, miniature handmade book of quotes from famous writers about writing. a pen and some treats. It looks perfect.
You can order this via Etsy.
Writing Workbook by Lucy Van Smit.
I don’t know about you, but I love a good Writing workbook. It’s a perfect thing to have if the brain needs a little time to fire up and having a prompt will help. This book is one I’ve not come across before and it would be on my list for sure.
This book aims to champion the journey a writer make take in their writing life. It asks the tricky questions, shares some secret practices, and inspires confidence. This isn’t a book about getting published, it’s about helping you find your writing voice, trust in your writing and creativity.
What about you? Do you like a good workbook?
You can buy it via Amazon.
Writing Magazine.
by NK Chats To… Ryan Haidar from Your Paper Quest – A Self Published Book Subscription Service
Ryan
Hello Ryan. Thank you for joining me. How about we start by you introducing yourselves and telling us a bit about your fantastic sounding book subscription box, Your Paper Quest.
Where did the idea for this service come from and what makes your box unique?
The idea actually began during Covid. I had started a Bookstagram account and quickly realised that the Bookstagram community were all frequently posting about the same few books. I was always looking to include different voices from the mainstream and that’s when a few self-published authors had actually reached out to me about reading and featuring their stories. From there, an idea had formed, and I began brainstorming how to best connect these indie and self-published authors with curious readers, and Your Paper Quest was born!
YPQ is unique in that we’re the only subscription box that exclusively features self-published and indie stories. We also include notes from the authors that complement each story, as well as have a virtual book club where subscribers can discuss the stories with each other as well as ask our featured authors questions for the end of the month interviews that they participate in!
What challenges did you face setting it up?
Steve
There have been so many challenges along the way that it’s hard to choose. I would have to say that the hardest part was genuinely getting started. It felt like (and turned out to be) such an endeavour that most of the time I didn’t even know where to begin. Breaking everything up into baby-steps and taking it one day at a time made a massive difference though. Whether it was the packaging, the website, the contracts, there was so much that I had to learn throughout the process. The current, and constant, struggle is marketing, getting the word out about who we are and what we’re doing! That all being said, I’d easily do it all again, this has been such a rewarding experience and the positive response we’ve received from the community has been nothing short of amazing.
The service is for indie authors. How important do you think a service like this is to them?
by Novel Kicks Book Club: Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
December is my favourite month. I get to put up the Christmas tree, decorate the house and put on my Christmas playlist on repeat.
It also means Christmas themed novels.
For this month, I thought I would go with something a little different and that is Hogfather by Terry Pratchett.
I have seen the TV adaptation of this but never read the novel. I am told from a reliable source, my husband who adores this series, that despite this being book 20 in the Discworld series, enough information is given in order to keep up. Whether that’s true… well, let’s find out.
As usual, I have put a question in the comments to kick off discussion. Anyone can join our book club, whether you’ve read the novel already or, like me, you’ll be reading it for the first time. You can take part from the comfort of your sofa so grab the book, a hot chocolate or any drink you fancy and enjoy.
*****
About Hogfather –
by Book Extract: Spread: Tales of Deadly Flora
Please join me in celebrating the publication of Spread: Tales of Deadly Flora – ten speculative tales. It’s been edited by R.A. Clarke.
Green thumbs beware. Plants are beautiful, peaceful, abundant, and life-sustaining. But what if something sinister took root in the soil, awakening to unleash slashing thorns, squeezing vines, or haunting greenery that lured you in?
Perhaps blooms on distant planets could claim your heart, hitch a ride to Earth on a meteor, or simply poison you with their essence. Imagine a world where scientists produced our own demise in a lab, set spores free to infect, even bred ferns to be our friends only to witness the privilege perverted.
When faced with botanical terror, will humanity fight to survive, or will they curl and wither like leaves in the fall? Read ten speculative tales ripe with dangerous flora to find out.
Josephine Queen has very kindly shared an extract from her story, The Koi Pond. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
The Koi Pond by Josephine Queen. A mother and son escape their troubled home life, taking a stroll through a garden that devolves into horror around them.
There was something Thea had forgotten. Something vital. But she put it aside for the moment and stared at the painting. Vivid green leaves crowded together on the concrete strut in front of her, intricate graffiti standing at least tenmetres high. There were more struts beyond this one, more paintings, each one as gorgeous as the next, but this one had captured Thea’s attention. Felix leaned against her, his head tilted back to see to the top of the painting. His weight against her legs warmed her, even in the shadowed enclave beneath the highway bridge.
by Book Extract: The Silent House of Sleep by Allan Gaw
Please join me in welcoming Allan Gaw to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for The Silent House of Sleep.
‘No one likes death. It just happens to be our business.’
Nobody who meets Dr Jack Cuthbert forgets him. Tall, urbane, brilliant but damaged, this Scottish pathologist who works with Scotland Yard is the best the new DCI has seen. But Cuthbert is a man who lives with secrets, and he still battles demons brought back from the trenches.
When not one but two corpses are discovered in a London park in 1929, Cuthbert must use every tool at his disposal to solve the mystery of their deaths. In the end, the horrifying truth is more shocking than even he could have imagined.
As he works the case, Cuthbert realises that history rarely stays in the past. And even in the final moments, there is still one last revelation that leaves him reeling.
Allan has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
This is the opening section of the novel where we meet the protagonist, the Scottish pathologist Dr Jack Cuthbert, for the first time as he rises to give his expert testimony in an Old Bailey murder trial.
London: December 1928
The rich, oak-panelled room with its high vaulted ceiling of white stucco was designed both to impress and intimidate. High above the courtroom on the domed roof was the gilded figure of a Greek goddess, Themis. Her golden arms outstretched, she bore her sword in one hand and her scales to balance justice in the other. But, contrary to common belief, she wore no blindfold. Justice in this courtroom was delivered with open eyes, and the judge presiding had his fixed firmly on Cuthbert as he rose from the seats in the well of the court to take the stand.
by Book Extract: The Asymmetric Man by Alex Rushton
I’m pleased to be welcoming Alex Rushton to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for The Asymmetric Man.
Embark on a gripping journey of sacrifice and self-discovery in The Asymmetric Man, a thrilling tale set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Vietnam War.
Follow Blake, a young recruit turned undercover agent, as he navigates the treacherous world of espionage, survival and forbidden love.
From war-ravaged Saigon to seemingly impenetrable jungle and the tranquillity of a Buddhist monastery, this riveting novel explores the power of recognising and embracing one’s true calling, no matter the cost.
Alex has shared an extract from The Asymmetric Man today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
In this extract Blake Carter, undercover MI6 agent in Vietnam in 1967, makes contact with Tranter, who is to supply him with the names and details of Blake’s Viet Cong assassination targets.
Chapter 5
Blake decided it was time to make contact with Tranter, using the recognition protocol described in the file he had found in Coulter’s flat. He was aware of the risk; the file might have been found, decoded and replaced for Blake to find, in which case tonight’s meeting would be a trap. However, he had no choice. To approach Tranter in any other way than the one agreed would only raise his suspicions. Blake entered El Paraiso bar on the first Wednesday in June. As before, it was thick with cigarette smoke and smelling of alcohol. Blake stood at the bar. He had a drink and surveyed the area, again evaluating possible escape routes. He immediately recognised Tranter from Coulter’s description, a portly, balding man in a crumpled soiled white suit, with a cigarette between his fingers. The only other people were a few locals, absorbed in conversation. It seemed like as good a time as any. Blake took a deep breath and seized the moment.
by Book Extract: A Christmas Carol with Grandfather Time by Rose English
I’m pleased to be welcoming Rose English to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, A Christmas Carol with Grandfather Time. It’s been illustrated by Pablo Rodriguez.
A modern lyrical re-telling of the Charles Dickens classic for children of all ages. Young Ebenezer hates sharing and is not very caring. Can a magical clock and a ghost puppy help him mend his ways?
#SharingIsCaring
**At least £1 from every book purchased will go towards donating a book to each child in Hereford County Hospital over the Christmas Season 2023**
Rose has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy and consider buying the book for the young book lover in your life.
by Book Review: Christmas at the Cabin by Rebecca Boxall
I’m pleased to be welcoming Rebecca Boxall to Novel Kicks. Today I’m reviewing her latest, festive novel, Christmas at the Cabin.
A festive, coming-of-age tale about an Oxbridge candidate and a young homeless man who find themselves in the bittersweet predicament of falling in love with exactly the right person at exactly the wrong time.
Well-to-do Jed never imagined he’d end up homeless, but family circumstances have made it his only option. Local vicar, Ben, tries to help him but there’s an element of self-punishment to the homelessness that makes Jed continue to put up with his situation – until disaster leads him to re-consider the vicar’s offer of a place to stay.
Hattie is on the cusp of adulthood, frantically trying to persuade her mum that she doesn’t want to attend an elite university, preferring the idea of pursuing her love of art and textiles. When she meets Jed, she badly wants to understand his circumstances and why, when she has everything at her fingertips, he doesn’t.
Hattie’s mum, Christine, has had a hard life and is desperate for more for her only child. When she meets Ben, the vicar who’s trying to help Jed, she finds an unlikely ally, and the two heartbroken souls find themselves drawn to each other. Until they find their relationship suddenly tested to the limit.
One thing’s for certain: none of these characters is looking forward to Christmas. It’s the worst time of year for each of them, for different reasons. But perhaps this year, the festive season could defy all expectations.
*****
Hattie first sees him from the library window, sitting in the doorway of an abandoned shop. When she approaches him and starts a conversation, it changes both of their lives, forever.
Even from the blurb for this novel, I felt there would be a little magic about this book and I wasn’t wrong.
by Cover Reveal: The Secret Ingredient by Sue Heath
I’m so pleased to be helping Sue Heath reveal the cover for her upcoming novel, The Secret Ingredient which is due for release in February 2024.
Before I reveal the cover, here’s a bit about the book –
She’s writing her story one recipe at a time…
‘A delicious story that wraps itself around your heart’ Evie Woods, bestselling author of The Lost Bookshop
It’s been three years, two weeks and one day since Kate Shaw’s life changed forever. Three years, two weeks and one day that Kate has been angry – with herself and life.
But today is different. Different because Kate has finally taken the step she’s been avoiding…back into the kitchen. Now, what begins as a (disastrous) attempt to make pancakes becomes a culinary journey that is not only a love letter to someone so important to her, but also an unexpected means of connection to a community she never knew she had…
OK, so, are you ready to see the cover for this brilliant sounding novel? Drumroll……
by NK Chats To… Chris Wade
Hi Chris, thank you for joining me and welcome back to Novel Kicks. You’ve recently written a mystery thriller, Three Days in the Rain. Can you tell me about it and what inspired it?
Hi Laura. Well, one day I just started writing this scene that popped into my head. It involved a private investigator sitting in a man’s office. You could tell the man was rich, powerful, maybe a bit ruthless, and I had this image of the gentleman passing a photograph across the table to the investigator of a very beautiful woman. I remember that the story just came to me right there as I was doing that first chapter, the entire thing began to map out in my head. It sort of grew organically, but quickly. In short, it’s about this investigator who gets hired by a wealthy business man to follow his much younger girlfriend, who he is suspicious of. At first the detective thinks the old man is paranoid and actually a bit of a tyrant, a jealous man and control freak. As he starts to follow the girl though, he learns more and more about her, but hardly any of it is what it seems and as the story goes on, more and more mysteries are revealed. I had such fun writing it, presenting riddles and new twists and turns. It was one of the most enjoyable writing experiences I’ve ever had.
What was your writing process like for Three Days in the Rain, how long did it take you from idea to publication, how did you approach the planning process and has it changed much since you first started writing?
I honestly worked like a mad man on it, doing 12 to 15 hour days, maybe even more. The book is about 200 pages long but if I am honest it took a few weeks in all, including the edit. It was so smooth and fun, and it helped that all the story was just there waiting in my head, ready to come out on to the page. Nothing changed either, apart from a couple of tiny details at the very end. It was fully formed. I just kept following this very strong image of this beautiful dark haired woman who the main character becomes obsessed with, and it all just came out. I’d write a chapter a day and then I edited it all non-stop over and over for a couple of weeks. It was hard in a way, tiring too, but also extremely satisfying.
You’re also known for non fiction projects including works featuring James Woods and Oliver Stone. Does your writing process differ when writing fiction compared to non fiction?
Writing about films is just really fun. You obviously have to structure the film essays and make sure you ask decent questions when interviewing an actor or director, but you use a different kind of energy doing non-fiction, for sure. When I am writing fiction, the imagination is on overdrive, it’s basically running wild, and I am trying to keep myself in line and all the ideas in keeping with the story. It’s really liberating too. Writing these film books is just a treat, and they are actually a dream come true as well. As a kid in the 1990s I just loved films, and people like Sharon Stone, James Woods, Oliver Stone, and all those Hollywood legends were idols to me. Getting to work with them and interview them today as an adult just seems unreal. So the non-fiction and the fiction are totally different, and I love going from one to the other. That way I never get bored or even slightly frustrated.
What challenges did you face when approaching a fictional novel compared to the non-fiction books?
by Book Review: Always The Bridesmaid by Laura Carter
I’m so happy to be welcoming Laura Carter back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the latest novel in the Brits in Manhattan; Always the Bridesmaid.
A cheeky chappy comedian
Charlie is most comfortable playing the funny man in front of boisterous crowds in London’s comedy clubs. But he’s about to be swapping his routine for wedding speeches. And his new acquaintance Sarah, thinks he is anything but amusing.
The woman who’s got it covered
Weddings are always a difficult time for widower Sarah, but you would never tell – she’s too focused on making the week of her best friends’ wedding as perfect as possible. She definitely has no time for the grumpy and surly Charlie, who it’s clear her friends are trying to set her up with.
And only one room left at the rental…
When a drunken invitation adds more people to the pre-wedding holiday house than Sarah organized for, she finds herself spending A LOT more time with Charlie than she intended. If only they could both let their guards down, they might find they have more in common than they think.
*****
I loved the last book I’d read in the Brits in Manhattan series, Two to Tango and so I was excited to be invited onto the blog tour for book four in the series, Always The Bridesmaid.
If you’ve not read any of the books in this series, don’t worry. This can be read as a standalone. I felt there was enough information to keep up. However, I am going to be reading the books I’ve missed as soon as I can.
This novel focuses on Charlie and Sarah, as their friends, Jake and Jess prepare to get married.
by Book Extract: To Kill a Consul by Robert M. Kidd
I’m pleased to be welcoming Robert M. Kidd to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his novel, To Kill a Consul.
217 BC. The Gauls are restless. Where is the wealth, plunder and lands they were promised? Hannibal’s army has become little more than a burden to be fed and quartered … as welcome as a plague of locusts. Assassination plots abound as Hannibal is driven to take desperate measures to evade the assassin’s knife.
If Hannibal is to appease the Gauls he must act fast. The invasion of Italia must not be delayed – his very life depends on it – but as that winter of winters fades into memory he is faced with a stark choice. Should he strike east towards the plains of Umbria and face consul Gnaeus Servilius Geminus’ legions holed up inside the unassailable walls of Ariminum? Or strike westwards into the plunder-rich lands of Etruria?
Consul Gaius Flaminius’ legions guard the western approaches. If any man can fire the bellies of Gauls with loathing it’s Flaminius. But there is one other whose blood runs cold at the mention of the name. Flaminius ordered the brutal murder of Sphax’s parents and Sphax has sworn a sacred oath to seek revenge. Can Hannibal trust the leader of his Numidian cavalry, or will this blood feud cloud his judgement? Sooner or later Sphax will have to face his inner demons.
*****
Robert has stared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
Spring 217 BC – For days Hannibal’s invading army have been trekking wearily westwards over the mountain passes of the Apennines with Sphax and his Numidians scouting ahead. Their aim is to reach the flat coastal plain bordering the Tyrrhenian (Mediterranean) sea where thy will turn south for Arretium (modern Arezzo).
But first they have to cross something the army has been dreading for weeks: the Arno marshes. Today, all that’s left of these vast wetlands west of Florence is the Fucecchio Marshlands, north of San Maniato (it’s still Italy’s biggest inland marsh!). In 217 BC it was a vast watery graveyard for unwary travelers!
by Book Review: My Best Friend’s Secret by Danielle Ramsay
I’m pleased to be welcoming Danielle Ramsay to Novel Kicks and the blog tour to her novel, My Best Friend’s Secret.
Five women; pretty, privileged, perfect, and ultimately protected… but not for long…
It was ‘their’ dark secret. For twenty-two-years ‘they’ kept it buried. Time hasn’t healed my wounds. Instead, they’ve festered. Their actions went unpunished. Until now…
Shamed, scarred, and shunned, I watched, waited and plotted how to shatter ‘their’ enviable lives. Now, finally, they will suffer as I did in ‘their’ cruel hands that fateful night.
Time’s up. I am here for you, Dr Claudia Harper. But first, you’ll witness your childhood friends, one by one, beg for mercy.
And I’ve saved the best ‘til last, so watch your back; I’m closer than you think. I’m here to expose your best friend’s secret. The one you’ve all kept hidden…until now.
A tale of betrayal, dark, twisted lies and long-awaited retribution.
*****
Claudia has just lost her best friend. The biggest question she has is why did Jaz take her own life? Her own life begins to unravel. Who is set on ruining everything Claudia holds dear?
This is the first novel I’ve read by Danielle Ramsay. The premise of the novel intrigued me, so I was so pleased to invited onto the blog tour for My Best Friend’s Secret.
This book caught my attention quickly. It really was impossible to put down and as the questions mounted, I needed to know what was going to happen, especially as things begin to happen in Claudia’s life.
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I’m pleased to be welcoming Juliet Greenwood to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Last Train from Paris.
For Iris, each visit to her mother in St Mabon’s Cove, Cornwall has been the same – a serene escape from the city. But today, as she breathes in the salt air on the doorstep of her beloved childhood home, a heavy weight of anticipation settles over her. Iris knows she’s adopted, but any questions about where she came from have always been shut down by her parents, who can’t bear to revisit the past.
Now, Iris can’t stop thinking about what she’s read on the official paperwork: BABY GIRL, FRANCE, 1939 – the year war was declared with Nazi Germany.
When Iris confronts her mother, she hits the same wall of pain and resistance as whenever she mentions the war. That is, until her mother tearfully hands her an old tin of letters, tucked neatly beside a delicate piece of ivory wool.
Retreating to the loft, Iris steels herself to at last learn the truth, however painful it might be. But, as she peels back each layer of history before her, a sensation of dread grows inside her. The past is calling, and its secrets are more intricate and tangled than Iris could ever have imagined.
The year is 1939, and in Paris, France a young woman is about to commit a terrible betrayal…
A beautifully written and addictively compelling historical novel about the terrible choices ordinary people were forced to make in the horrors of World War Two. If you loved The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network and The Nightingale, you will devour this book.
Juliet has shared an extract from the novel with us today. We hope you enjoy!
*****beginning of extract*****
This is from fairly near the beginning of the novel. In France, Sabine has sent one of her twin girls to London with her friend Nora, in a desperate bid to save the baby’s life. Now with her remaining twin, Sabine has refused to go into the heart of Nazi Germany with her ambitious husband Emil, only to find herself having to suddenly flee her ancient family home just outside Paris with her mother and grandmother (Mémé) as the invading German army advances towards them…
Sabine, France, 1940
How do you pack a life in a few minutes? How do you pack for survival, for as long as you might need it? Sabine’s brain froze at the enormity of the task. She could see from the pallor of her mother’s face that she felt the same.
First things first.
by Novel Kicks Writing Room – Reflections in Conversations.
Reflections in Conversations.
Happy Wednesday everyone.
What I thought we could do today is write a conversation in two parts.
The situation of your story is as follows – your character is a clown and has just been fired. They’ve been told that the upcoming performance is their last one. In the first conversation you write, your character is having a conversation with another colleague just after they’ve been fired.
Then write the conversation again but the clown is alone. He is looking into the mirror as he’s putting on his make-up. He is talking to his reflection.
How different are the two conversations? Would the clown be saying something different to his colleague than he would to his reflection?
Write up to 500 words per conversation.
If you feel like sharing your writing, please do post in the comments below.
Have fun.
by Cover Reveal: The Hotel Room Mix-Up by Kathy Jay
I’m very excited to be helping to reveal the cover for The Hotel Room Mix-Up – the upcoming novel by Kathy Jay.
Two weddings, three hotel reservations gone awry…and one weekend in Cornwall they’ll never forget!
When the similarities between Ella Swift and Callum Smith’s last names lead to a hotel room mix-up, they find themselves sharing a cramped cottage in Porthkara rather than the private luxury hotel suites they expected.
Each in town for a different wedding – and carrying more baggage than just the suitcases in their hands – the reluctant roommates are forced to share a shelter from the storm surge that sweeps in off the Atlantic. But as the rain crashes down there’s a shift in more than just the atmosphere, and by the time the sun rises on a new day, Ella and Callum’s futures have already been forever changed…
OK, so now you know a little about the novel, it’s time to reveal the cover.
Drumroll…. three, two, one…..
by Book Review: The Christmas Love Letters by Sue Moorcroft
Please join us in welcoming Sue Moorcroft back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Christmas Love Letters.
A secret romance was just the start of the story…
Tucked into a crook of the Norfolk coast lies Nelson’s Bar – an idyllic village where time seems to stand still. Maddy Cracey has called this beautiful spot home all her life, as had her husband Adey – until an epic row sent him storming out into a blizzard, with no sign of him since that fateful night.
Six years on, and Maddy’s life in the village has settled into a gentle pattern with her young daughter and Great Aunt Ruthie. However, when handsome stranger Raff turns up with a handful of long-forgotten love letters, their quiet life is upended as family secrets from the past are unearthed.
As Raff and Maddy get to know each other, they grow closer and a love story of their own seems inevitable. But when Maddy receives a mysterious message, she can’t help but wonder whether her own past is as distant as she’d thought it was…
The festive new novel about love, family and the power of words from Sunday Times bestseller Sue Moorcroft, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Phillipa Ashley.
*****
Roll on Christmas, then I can read this book again without feeling guilty…scratch that, I’m going to start it all over again, right now! The queen of the Christmas romance has done it again, and you don’t need it to be December to read this story; I should know.
Set in Sue’s Norfolk village of Nelson’s Bar, we meet a wonderful cast of characters from Aunt Ruthie who has a heart-breaking past which comes back to not only haunt her, but her niece Maddy and young daughter, Layla. This is in the form of a series of letters she kept which detail a relationship she kept secret for her whole adult life.
Continue reading
by Book Review: The Impossible Search For The Perfect Man by Debbie Howells
Please join me in welcoming Debbie Howells to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Impossible Search For The Perfect Man.
Imagine for a moment, your husband leaves you. Then through a bizarre twist of events, you find yourself working with the girl he’s left you for – and even worse, she’s pregnant…
Louisa’s not really up to any more complicated relationships. Right now, she doesn’t need them. She has good friends. Okay, so one has a screwed-up husband and the other a very strange horoscope habit. Not to mention her ex-husband’s new girlfriend, who Louisa has somehow found herself giving relationship counselling to. She doesn’t need anyone else with problems in her life right now.
It would be nice, wouldn’t it? To find a straightforward man, who isn’t remotely messed up. Now there’s a thought… But does such a man even exist?
She thinks not. But, she resolves, a life of helping other people find their happy-ever-afters is still something. But then handsome vet Marcus walks into her life. And everything changes…
Set in the Hampshire countryside against a background of horses and vets, this is a story about friendship and love, and life’s way of throwing in the unexpected…
*****
Louisa’s life is about to be turned upside down. Not only has her husband left her for his pregnant mistress, but she also ends up having to work with her ex’s new girlfriend. Can Louisa navigate her new single life when her old one continues to slap her in the face?
This is the first novel I’ve read by Debbie Howells. I was delighted to be invited onto the blog tour for The Impossible Search For The Perfect Man.
Poor Louisa. She is put through the ringer a little at the beginning of this novel. I really wanted to give Arian a piece of my mind. Even as this happens however, I feel there is a strength to Louisa that she doesn’t realise she has. I loved seeing how her character developed over the novel.
by Book Review: New York Miracle by Margo Laurie
Please join me in welcoming Margo Laurie to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novella, New York Miracle.
A sweet, Christmas ghost story with a dash of romance
Ellie Peach travels to Manhattan for a fan-making apprenticeship.
While staying at a historic boarding house, she meets the charming James Denny. He claims to be a Broadway actor waiting for his lost love. When Ellie offers to help search for her, it leads to old secrets and adventure…
*****
When Ellie Peach arrives in Manhattan to begin an internship with her Great-Aunt, she can’t help but marvel at the amazing city she has idolized and can’t wait to get to know her American relatives. She arrives at her boarding house, St Teresa’s Lodge with optimism. Then she meets James, and her visit takes an unexpected turn.
The premise for this novel intrigued me greatly and I knew it was going to be a unique read. I was delighted therefore to be invited onto the blog tour for New York Miracle.
First, how beautiful is this cover! I love it. It has a whimsical, 1930’s feeling to it, which, when you come to read the novella, which I hope you do, will make a lot more sense.
New York is also one of my favourite places and where I went on my own December honeymoon so to be able to revisit it around Christmas time, even if it was only in a novel was magical to me.
by Novel Kicks Book Club: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
Hello November.
A new month means a new Book Club novel.
With the bad weather, it does feel like Autumn has properly arrived.
I don’t usually need an excuse to curl up with a book but right now, a book, tea and a blanket feels like bliss.
This month, I have chosen a book by one of my favourite authors, Lisa Jewell. This month’s read is Then She Was Gone. The cover just feels very autumnal to me.
As usual, our book club is open to all, whether you’ve already read it or plan to pick it up for the first time and the best thing – you can take part from the comfort of that comfortable chair. This is one of the novels that’s been on my TBR list for a long time and so I can’t wait to get started. This book sounds compelling.
I’ve posted a question in the comments below to kick start the discussion. See you there.
About Then She Was Gone –
by Book Review: My Fake Italian Marriage by Romy Sommer
I’m pleased to be welcoming Romy Sommer to Novel Kicks and wish her a happy publication day for My Fake Italian Marriage.
Cleo Arendse: You know how almost every movie set in Italy seems to be about a woman who travels to Tuscany and is swept off her feet by a charming, gorgeous but arrogant aristocrat? Well, that’s not this story.
Luca Fioravanti:
Challenge accepted.
British Banker Cleo Arendse is nothing like the women lawyer Luca Fioravanti is used to – both because she’s only in Tuscany to oversee his family vineyard’s business and because she’s impervious to the charm that has never failed him before now.
But Luca has never shied from a challenge, and when circumstances arise that allow him to step in as Cleo’s knight in shining armour, he leaps…right into a fake marriage! The romance may be a ruse but the passion burning between Luca and Cleo is very, very real, and as the ‘honeymoon’ glow envelops the pair, all bets are off…
*****
Cleo doesn’t buy into the romantic notion of going to Italy, being swept off her feet by a gorgeous man and living happily ever after. Enter Luca – the handsome, Italian who is known to be a bit of a ladies’ man.
Cleo wants to focus on the task at hand, saving Luca’s family vineyard. However, when a lie of being married gets out of hand, the couple must deal with more than they bargained for.
This is the first novel I’ve read by Romy Sommer, and I was grateful to be invited onto the blog tour for her latest novel, My Fake Italian Marriage.
Although this is a standalone novel, it does allude to a previous story, Last of the Summer Vines, featuring characters that also appear in this latest novel.
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Monica Cafferky is joining us with the blog tour for her novel, A Winter’s Sleep. She has made a living with words for over 30 years, first as a journalist and more recently with her supernatural thriller The Winter’s Sleep. Here, Monica shares her tips for making a start on your own novel – “stop thinking about it, just start writing.”
Tip 1: You need to read.
Before you put fingers to keyboard, or pen to paper, you need to know your genre. Read the kind of books you want to write.
If you love spooky stories, it’s Halloween after all, read the classics like Dracula by Bram Stoker and The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. Or, opt for more contemporary novels such as Thin Air by Michelle Paver or my own The Winter’s Sleep.
Or do you prefer historical fiction? Fill your boots with tales from writers Philippa Gregory and Elizabeth Chadwick. If romance is your first love go for Sarah MacLean.
What’s important is that you READ. By reading, you will discover how to structure a story in your genre, how to construct a good plot, develop characters and layer in myth. Without these important elements there is no compelling story.
Tip 2: Start writing notes to yourself.
As the story starts to take shape in your mind you will have brilliant (I hope) insights, often when you least expect it – washing up, walking the dog, in the bath. It’s important not to lose these snippets of plot and character. You need to make a note of your ideas because, trust me, you won’t remember them later on.
Ideas are funny things, unless they’re fully formed, and repeated often, they slip away like a balloon in a strong breeze. Write these ideas down in your journal (that you use just for the novel) or create an audio note on your mobile, and then write it down later.
Let the foundation of the book take shape with these ideas, and collect these ideas together. You need to know what your book is about before you start the actual writing, otherwise you will find your story, and your sanity, unravelling around a quarter of the way through the plot.
Tip 3: What’s your character’s quest?
by Book Review: Never Ever Getting Back Together by Phoebe MacLeod
Please join me in welcoming Phoebe MacLeod to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, Never Ever Getting Back Together.
Everyone remembers their first love. Jess Thomas definitely does. So, it’s more than a little awkward when Jess’s first love, Jamie Ferguson, turns out to be the best man at the wedding she’s catering for. And more than a little insulting when he doesn’t appear to remember her at all.
Since Jamie broke her heart (via text!), 10 years earlier, Jess has sworn off romance. And with a booming catering business to focus on, she’s doing OK. She has no interest in revisiting the past.
But when Jess’s car breaks down on a country lane, she has no choice but to accept Jamie’s help. Now, Jamie is determined to show Jess he’s a new man. But can guys like Jamie ever really change? And if she gives him another chance, is she setting herself up for a fall?
*****
Jess is a successful businesswoman and hasn’t got time for love, especially when the man she had a crush on and who broke her heart comes back into her life.
However, fate has a way of intervening. Can Jamie prove he has changed?
Just the title alone made me want to read this novel. Yes, I am a Swiftie and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I was pleased to be invited onto the blog tour for Never Ever Getting Back Together (the song is going around in my head.)
This is the first book I’ve read by Phoebe MacLeod but it certainly won’t be the last.
by Book Review: The Highland Lodge Getaway by Julie Shackman
I’m pleased to be welcoming Julie Shackman back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, The Highland Lodge Getaway.
Fall in love with the Christmas romance of the year, full of love and second chances!
Lottie Grant loves the festive season so much that she works at the incredibly successful Christmas shop, Christmas Crackers, in her pretty Scottish home town of Craig Brae. But when the shop is sold, her world is turned upside down, leaving her wondering what she will do next.
Just as she’s about to give up hope on finding a new dream job, an offer comes that she can’t refuse, managing a set of luxury wooden cabins… and opening just in time for Christmas!
As she gets to work decorating the cabins, and hanging lights on the fir trees, Lottie can’t believe her luck. That is until the arrival of Blake Dempster, a moody but handsome hiking expert, who threatens to bring down her festive joy. But never one to shy away from a challenge, Lottie is determined to change Blake’s mind about all things festive.
And as the snow falls and the fairy lights sparkle, will work-obsessed Lottie and frozen-hearted Blake make their Christmas wishes come true?
*****
Lottie has always loved Christmas and as the chance to own her own Christmas shop edges closer, she can’t help but feel positive about the future.
However, when things change and her business plans disappear, Lottie doesn’t know what she’s going to do. However, Christmas works its magic and brings a potential new job. If only she didn’t have to deal with the miserable Blake Dempster.
OK, the cover for this novel is absolutely stunning. I love it and want to go there immediately.
This book looked magical and I couldn’t wait to get started and was so pleased to be invited onto the tour for The Highland Lodge Getaway.
by Book Review: The Perfect Christmas Village by Bella Osborne
I’m so excited to be welcoming Bella Osborne back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, The Perfect Christmas Village.
When Christmas-hating Sam moves to Holly Cross, he thinks he’s found the perfect home, until he discovers that, each year, Holly Cross transforms into the most Christmassy village in the whole country…
Blythe is just one sale away from being Real Estate Agent of the Month, so she twists the truth to sell a home to city boy Sam, who is looking for the perfect house in the perfect location. Little does he know he’s just bought a cottage in the middle of the most Christmassy village in the country. And if there’s one thing Sam loathes, it’s Christmas.
Sam’s arrival puts Holly Cross’s chance to win the title of Britain’s Most Perfect Christmas Village now in jeopardy, and the villagers are soon up in arms. Meanwhile, Sam is in his own personal hell surrounded by fairy lights and everyone is looking to Blythe to fix things.
But as the festive season looms, maybe there’s more than just Christmas in Holly Cross for Sam to fall in love with…
*****
Blythe is determined to make twelve months as the top estate agent but to make it and beat her annoying colleague, she must tell a small lie. It’s not going to come back to bite her…. right?
Sam hates Christmas but has unknowingly just moved to one of the most festive villages. He wants to avoid it as much as possible, but Blythe and the village of Holly Cross have other plans.
I’m always excited when a new book by Bella Osborne is released and it being Christmas themed just made it all the better. I was so pleased to be invited onto the blog tour for The Perfect Christmas Village and couldn’t wait to get reading.
by Book Review: The Puppet Maker by Jenny O’ Brien
I’m pleased to be welcoming Jenny O’ Brien to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, The Puppet Maker.
The scrap of paper looked as if it had been torn from a diary. The words written in faint pencil. The letters rounded, almost childlike: Please look after her. Her life and mine depend on you not trying to find me.
When Detective Alana Mack arrives at Clonabee police station, in a small Irish seaside town on the outskirts of Dublin, she doesn’t expect to find a distressed two-year-old girl sobbing on the floor. Abandoned in a local supermarket, the child tells them her name is Casey. All Alana and her team have to go on is a crumpled note begging for someone to look after her little girl. This mother doesn’t want to be found.
Still recovering from a terrible accident that has left Alana navigating a new life as a wheelchair user, Alana finds herself suddenly responsible for Casey while trying to track down the missing mother and solve another missing person’s case… a retired newsagent who has seemingly vanished from his home.
Forced to ask her ex-husband and child psychiatrist Colm for help, through Forensic Art Therapy, Alana discovers that whatever darkness lies behind the black windows in Casey’s crayon drawing, the little girl was terrified of the house she lived in.
Then a bag of human remains is found in a bin, and a chilling link is made – the DNA matches Casey’s.
Alana and her team must find the body and make the connection with the missing newsagent fast if she is to prevent another life from being taken. But with someone in her department leaking confidential details of the investigation to the media, can Alana set aside her emotional involvement in this case and find Casey’s mother and the killer before it’s too late?
Heart-pounding and totally addictive, The Puppet Maker is the first in the Detective Alana Mack series.
*****
When Detective Alana Mack arrives for work one day at Clonabee Police Station, she didn’t expect to not only have to look after an abandoned two-year-old girl but would also need to investigate the discovery of human remains.
The hunt is on to find a murderer and to reunite a mother with her daughter. Can Alana and her team solve the mystery in time before another life is lost?
by Book Extract: Out of Sight by Anna Legat
Please help me to welcome Anna Legat to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, Out of Sight.
On the morning after his thirtieth wedding anniversary Stewart Harding is found dead. He was an arrogant and thoroughly unpleasant man and there is no shortage of suspects, but all of them have firm alibis. In any case, everything points towards it being an opportunistic killing linked to a robbery.
Newly promoted DI Mark Webber is assigned as the SIO with Gillian Marsh overseeing the investigation. However, when her mother dies, she takes leave of absence and lets Webber continue on his own.
Webber is making good progress until his colleague – and secret lover – DC Erin Macfadyen disappears without trace. Webber’s world falls apart.
DCI Marsh cuts her bereavement leave short to take over the investigation into Stewart Harding’s death and to track down her missing officer.
There is no doubt that she will find Harding’s killer, but will she find Erin and are the two cases connected?
Anna has shared an extract from her novel, Out of Sight today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
Webber glowed like a firefly. He reciprocated Erin’s soppy look, his eyebrow magnanimously elevated. How he fancied himself the god-father figure, the sod! These days he even looked like Marlon Brando’s version of Corleone with threads of grey highlights in his swept-back hair. It suited him, like the DI label. It would go with his expensive taste in clothes. Not to mention that at last he had been empowered to lead. He would be good at it. Gillian may just delegate some of her newly-acquired responsibilities to him – to let him have a go.
by Book Spotlight: A Cranberry For Christmas by Charlie Dean
Today, we are getting festive and shining a light on A Cranberry for Christmas, released today by Charlie Dean.
Alisha Jones, or Princess Christmas as she is affectionately known, is joint heir to her Grandpa Frost’s family fortune, but being third behind an older sister and brother means she has to work three times as hard to prove herself.
Marsha Underwood, her Grandpa’s PA and ever-present thorn in her side, is determined to undermine her at every turn and Alisha finds herself powerless to prevent this.
An encounter with a fortune teller at the Frost Christmas Ball leads to a bewildering dream of the future; and the added complication of Tom Walker, the son of Frost’s new business partner leads to a tumultuous year.
With her friends by her side, will she be able to turn things around? And what exactly does the strange dream mean?
A story of family, friendship and love at first sight with a sprinkle of Christmas magic.
by Book Review: Take Me Home by Beth Moran
I’m so excited to be welcoming Beth Moran back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the Blog Tour for her latest novel, Take Me Home.
Sophie Potter’s job is helping people deal with the worst, because Sophie Potter knows what the worst feels like.
An expert at keeping moving, with her trusty motorhome and faithful dog Muffin, Sophie has built her life around keeping her loves and loyalties as few as possible.
Fabulous fifty-something Hattie Langford has kept her heart and past safely stored away too. But for reasons she’s only willing to share with a stranger, Hattie needs to tell the story her family has been hiding at Riverbend, their home in Sherwood Forest. There is a history of heartbreak and hurt that Hattie is ready to face.
As Sophie helps Hattie uncover the secrets of generations of women who have lived at Riverbend, along with the stories of the men they have loved and lost, they start to see echoes in their own pasts. And as Riverbend shares its biggest secret of all, can Hattie and Sophie finally embrace the lives they’ve put on hold for so long, and risk their hearts to men who can break the Riverbend curse?
*****
Sophie is far more comfortable helping other people get through their grief and pain than facing her own.
However, from the moment she meets Hattie, the course of her life will change forever.
I am always so excited when a new Beth Moran novel gets released. I have become such a big fan of this author and so I was honoured to be invited onto the blog tour for Take Me Home.
The cover is beautiful and I knew from the blurb that it was going to make me cry and make me cry it did.
by Book Extract: The Sardinian Story by Francesca Scanacapra
Please join me in welcoming Francesca Scanacapra back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, The Sardinian Story.
Apennine Mountains, Italy, 1965
Leonora Bacchetti was once a happy child. But at the age of seventeen she has become a wild and rebellious young woman who leaves her parents in despair when she runs away from home with a group of itinerant travellers.
In the eyes of their friends and neighbours in the tight-knit village of Montacciolo, her parents’ good name is ruined.
At first, Leonora keeps in touch with her mother and father, sending letters and postcards from different countries until, very abruptly, her correspondence stops. The girl has vanished.
Vague, unreliable rumours of her fate abound, but newspaper appeals, police and private investigations reveal nothing.
Until, eighteen years later, in the midst of a snowstorm, a stranger from Sardinia knocks on the door of Leonora’s father’s little mountain house.
Now a widower, he has come to terms with never knowing what happened to his daughter. But everything changes when the unexpected visitor claims that he has new information.
The two men quickly bond and gradually begin to piece together the truth about Lenora, provoking deep questions about her life and how they have lived their own – questions about love, loyalty, honesty and what being a family really means.
The Sardinian Story is a novel of exquisite power and deep emotion which will live long in the memories of its readers.
Sit back and enjoy as Francesca shares an extract today.
*****beginning of extract*****
This extract is taken from Chapter 1. Dante Bacchetti is going through his daily routine in his tiny house on a mountainside. It’s cold outside and he’s hungry, and he is preparing his meal when he is interrupted by a knock at the door. A visitor at this time is a huge shock…
by Audiobook Review: The Alewives by Elizabeth R. Andersen
I am pleased to be welcoming Elizabeth R. Andersen to Novel Kicks and the Audiobook blog tour for her novel, The Alewives
Colmar, 1353 CE
Gritta, Appel, and Efi managed to survive the Black Death, only to find that they are in desperate need of money. With limited options and lots of obstacles, they band together to become alewives – brewing and selling ale in the free Alsatian town of Colmar. But when an elderly neighbor is discovered dead in her house, the alewives cannot convince the sheriff and the town council that her death wasn’t an accident, it was murder. As the body count piles up, the ale flows and mystery is afoot!
Set in the tumultuous years after the most devastating pandemic the world has ever experienced, The Alewives is a playful romp through a dark time, when society was reeling from loss and a grieving population attempted to return to normal, proving that with the bonds of love, friendship, and humor, the human spirit will always continue to shine.
*****
Gritta, Appel and Efi are in desperate need of money. With limited options and a town reeling in the aftermath of the Black Death, they soon work together to brew their own ale.
However, when women in the area start getting murdered, are the three friends safe? Who can they trust?
The premise for this novel intrigued me so I was excited to be invited onto the audiobook blog tour for The Alewives.
This book is based on an element of history I’m not really familiar with beyond knowing about the Black Death. It has certainly piqued my interest in learning more about the Alewives and their place in history.
The story itself is based around Gritta, Appel and Efi.
by Book Review: The Housekeeper by Valerie Keogh
Please help me in welcoming Valerie Keogh to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Housekeeper.
An unwelcome guest?
Still in shock after the tragic death of husband Richie, Cassie Macreddin hopes that her new home, historic Hindon House, is the place where she can heal her pain and hide her secrets.
But Hindon House has secrets of its own…
Cassie soon realises that not everyone is pleased at her arrival and that someone is actively trying to make her leave Hindon House….but who? And why?
As events escalate, Cassie must fight to save her home…and maybe even her life.
Don’t miss the brand new thriller by Valerie Keogh! Perfect for fans of Sue Watson, Shalini Boland and K.L. Slater.
*****
Cassie, having just bought Hindon House is hoping for a fresh start after the loss of her husband.
Wanting the work done on the house as soon as possible so that her dream of a B&B can be realised, she refuses to let a few strange things going on with the house to derail her plans but someone is determined to stop her and how far will they go?
I am a big fan of Valerie Keogh and so was pleased to be invited onto the blog tour for her latest novel, The Housekeeper.
The premise was intriguing and it didn’t take long for me to get pulled into this story.
by Book Review: Finding Family at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash
Please help me welcome Kim Nash to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her latest novel, Finding Family at the Cornish Cove, book two in the Cornish Cove series.
Family is everything…
In the years since her death, Gemma has been running her late mother’s café with devotion, and when an opportunity comes to buy out her next-door neighbour and expand, she jumps at the chance.
She knows she will do her mother proud – keep her legacy going strong – but deep down she knows there’s still something missing. With her mum in her mind more than ever, and the knowledge that she may never start a family of her own, she can’t stop thinking about what life has in store for her.
But sometimes family are those you choose, or those who choose you! And with a growing community of supporters cheering Gemma on – including some new faces at her blossoming bistro – and maybe one in particular, will she really spend the rest of her life alone?
*****
Gemma is running her late mother’s café in Driftwood Bay and when she has a chance to buy the property next door and expand, she doesn’t waste any time.
However, her love life isn’t as successful. Can Gemma find romance and find that thing she feels is missing?
by Book Club
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