#ADGIFTED book given in return for a blog post, and all thoughts and opinions are my own. I love murder mysteries so I opt for that genre mostly.

The Ash Lake Murders

MEET DETECTIVE ALICE ROSSI IN THIS BRILLIANT NEW CRIME SERIES.

A brand-new mystery from #1 bestselling author Helen H. Durrant that will have you gripped from start to explosive finish.

A female serial killer with a deadly agenda. The detective who must stop her. Luxury holiday lodges in the stunning Peak District. The game begins . . .

Callum is lured to an isolated boathouse by an attractive older woman. When she gets him alone, she knocks him out with a single blow. As he wakes up, her voice comes out of the darkness, “You’re a sprat to catch a mackerel.”

Surrounded by hills and lakes, Still Waters is home to a close-knit community of wealthy retirees. It’s an unlikely setting for violence. The police don’t take Callum’s disappearance seriously: he’s 24-years-old, after all. But Callum’s mother, a Still Waters resident, knows that something is very wrong.

Then a body is discovered floating in the lake. Head bashed in. But it’s not Callum.

And someone tweets: Come out to play one last time, Alice. Still Waters run deep. #MadHatter.

That’s when DCI Alice Rossi is called in. She’s back.

IT’S A CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME BETWEEN AN OBSESSED KILLER AND A DETERMINED DETECTIVE IN THIS GRIPPING MYSTERY FULL OF STUNNING TWISTS.

Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel McLean, Joy Ellis, J.D. Kirk, Rachel Abbott, Elly Griffiths, J.M. Dalgliesh, Steph Broadribb or Patricia Gibney.

READERS LOVE HELEN H. DURRANT:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Another first-class read from Helen H. Durrant.” Iain

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A satisfying and enjoyable read.” Carol S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Wow . . . this will keep you on the edge of your seat. Brilliant story from this author.” Booklover Bev

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Loved it. Read it in one sitting.” Aileen G.

THE DETECTIVE
DCI Alice Rossi of Greater Manchester’s Serious Crime Squad has served with the police for the past twenty-nine years. Since the death of her husband, Paul, six years ago, she has lived alone in a large, three-storey Edwardian terrace on the outskirts of Manchester. Her grown-up son lives in Edinburgh with his family. Alice is about to retire — but she’s not looking forward to it. Since her husband died, work has been her mainstay, not because she misses Paul — he was a bad man — but because it keeps her dark thoughts at bay.

ALSO BY HELEN H. DURRANT
DETECTIVE ALICE ROSSI
Book 1: THE ASH LAKE MURDERS

DETECTIVE RACHEL KING
Book 1: NEXT VICTIM
Book 2: TWO VICTIMS
Book 3: WRONG VICTIM
Book 4: FORGOTTEN VICTIM
Book 5: LAST VICTIM

THE CALLADINE & BAYLISS MYSTERY SERIES
Book 1: DEAD WRONG
Book 2: DEAD SILENT
Book 3: DEAD LIST
Book 4: DEAD LOST
Book 5: DEAD & BURIED
Book 6: DEAD NASTY
Book 7: DEAD JEALOUS
Book 8: DEAD BAD
Book 9: DEAD GUILTY
Book 10: DEAD WICKED
Book 11: DEAD SORRY

THE DCI GRECO BOOKS
Book 1: DARK MURDER
Book 2: DARK HOUSES
Book 3: DARK TRADE
Book 4: DARK ANGEL

MATT BRINDLE
Book 1: HIS THIRD VICTIM
Book 2: THE OTHER VICTIM

DETECTIVES LENNOX & WILDE
Book 1: THE GUILTY MAN
Book 2: THE FACELESS MAN

Author Bio Helen sets her books in the area she has lived in for many years. The towns and villages that sit in the shelter of the Pennine hills. This is an area between two counties, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and between the city and the hills. It offers a rich mix of the industrial and the countryside and all the character therein.

Helen always planned to write crime novels. But until she retired from full-time work in a local further education college, it had to go on the back burner. Once she did retire – there was no excuse. She now writes full-time. Retirement proper will have to wait!

Currently there are ten books in the ‘Calladine & Bayliss’ series available – Dead Wrong, Dead Silent, Dead List, Dead Lost, Dead & Buried, Dead Nasty, Dead Jealous, Dead Bad, Dead Guilty and the latest – Dead Wicked.

There is also a box set of the first three books.

Also available are four books in the ‘DI Greco’ series – Dark Murder, Dark Houses, Dark Trade, and the latest – Dark Angel.

The four DI Greco books are available as a box set at a bargain price.

There are two books in the DI Matt Brindle series – His Third Victim and The Other Victim.

The DCI Rachel King series has four books – Next Victim , Two Victims, Wrong Victim and Forgotten Victim.

There are currently two books in the Lennox & Wilde series, The Guilty Man, The Faceless Man.

The entire Calladine & Bayliss series are also available as a boxset.

My Review It isn’t often you find a book to read about a female serial killer, so it felt like a refreshing change for that alone, and that it’s set in the Peak District. And if anyone reads my blog knows, I walk around the Peaks every week, so it feels eerily familiar, and added to the spooky, thriller aspect to the book.

She is ruthless and calculating and it’s so intriguing to try and work out the connection, nothing is given away too early. This kept me on the edge of my actual seat. Nail biter as they say.

These sunny days and long road trips have helped me have some extra reading time to myself. What better way to enjoy a book with the sea lapping softly while to bask in the sunshine! Happy days

Archive, blog book tour, Blogger Reviews, Events, Covid -19 ~ Week One Hundred Five, Covid-19 Lockdown, Family Adventures

#ADGifted all thoughts and opinions are my own, given in exchange for a review.

Ghosts : A Detective Jason Smith thriller

Police officers are being killed in York. The murders are cold, calculated and methodical. This killer leaves nothing behind besides a sense of dread.

When someone Detective Jason Smith has worked with ends up dead it becomes personal, but this phantom leaves nothing to even hint at why this is happening.

The only breakthrough in the case comes from several witnesses who claim to have seen a ghost-like figure around the time of the murders.

Facing ghosts of his own, and on the brink of breakdown Smith is pushed even further over the edge when he discovers the sick reality behind these murders.

This isn’t about murder – this is about something else altogether.

These ghosts will haunt Jason Smith for the rest of his life.

Stewart Giles – Author Bio

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.
In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.
3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series.
The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.
I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.
After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brought together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.
The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.
The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow with book 16 recently published. The first 5 books in the Detective Liam O’Reilly series are now available.

Website: http://www.stewartgiles.com
Twitter: @stewartgiles
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

My Review this one is a complete page turner, I bet most will sit and read this in one sitting!! It’s that gripping. Plot is complex at times so read and give this your full attention, not skim read and watch the television too.

Even with all my wits about me, the conclusion was wild and I had not seen that coming at all. We drive into the characters pure emotion and mental breakdown, you get a physical impression of how he is feeling and that to me shows a damn good writer.

Who wouldn’t fancy meeting up over a pint and seeing York through their eyes, and chat over cases. They actually feel like real life people. It’s incredible.

Archive, blog book tour, Blogger Reviews, Events, Books I've read, Covid -19 ~ Week One Hundred, Covid-19 Lockdown

#ADGIFTED all opinions and thoughts are my own, and I’m free to choose the genre and authors I like.

KIDNAP BY JANE ADAMS

Detective Toby Clarke’s day does not begin well. He is to investigate the kidnapping of a missing toddler, Joshua Banks — the latest in a string of cases.

Toddlers are going missing. In their place, a note that warns what will happen if they call the police along with a number to call. The number is for a previously targeted family.

Toby ropes in Detective Petra Merrow to help investigate, but it’s not going to be easy. None of the families are willing to talk.

Then the case turns sideways — little Joshua Banks is found murdered. Will another innocent life be lost?

Meanwhile, Petra is living in fear of retribution from the Perrins crime family, and the villainous Kyle Sykes, who would like nothing more than to see her dead.

Petra and Toby are in a race against time to solve the case — and bring a killer to justice.

Perfect for fans of C.L. Taylor, D.E. White, Clair McGowen, Rachel Abbott, Helen H. Durrant, Patricia Gibney, Sally Spencer and Mark Billingham.

WHAT READERS SAY ABOUT THE MERROW & CLARKE SERIES:

“A well written and cleverly plotted read with a fast-paced storyline, unique viewpoint and interesting characters.” Donna B.

“Action-packed.” Amanda H.

“Lauren is a terrific character, brave, smart and very adult for her age . . . it’s hard to put the book down, I loved it. Highly recommended!” Hannelore C.

“Gripping.” Vikkie W.

“How strange it must be to be the teenage daughter of a crime boss. Knowing your every move is watched. Your only position is that of a useful commodity and if you stop being useful your father will kill you. All you can do is to learn as much as possible and keep your head down, even to the point of agreeing to marry an older man when told. This story is about what happens when she says no — emphatically. Read it in one sitting.” Aileen G.

ALSO BY JANE ADAMS
MERROW & CLARKE
Book 1: SAFE
Book 2: KIDNAP

RINA MARTIN MYSTERY SERIES
Book 1: MURDER ON SEA
Book 2: MURDER ON THE CLIFF
Book 3: MURDER ON THE BOAT
Book 4: MURDER ON THE BEACH
Book 5: MURDER AT THE COUNTRY HOUSE
Book 6: MURDER AT THE PUB

DETECTIVE MIKE CROFT SERIES
Book 1: THE GREENWAY
Book 2: THE SECRETS
Book 3: THEIR FINAL MOMENTS
Book 4: THE LIAR

DETECTIVE RAY FLOWERS SERIES
Book 1: THE APOTHECARY’S DAUGHTER
Book 2: THE UNWILLING SON
Book 3: THE DROWNING MEN
Book 4: THE SISTER’S TWIN

DETECTIVE ROZLYN PRIEST
Book 1: BURY ME DEEP

STANDALONES
THE OTHER WOMAN
THE WOMAN IN THE PAINTING
THEN SHE WAS DEAD

JANE ADAMS
Jane Adams is the author of more than thirty published crime novels. The first, The Greenway, was nominated for both the Authors’ Club award and the CWA John Creasey for best debut novel.
Jane is constantly amazed at where life has taken her. Writing had never been on her ‘possible careers’ list, but she says once stories take root in your brain, they just have to be told – and she feels very fortunate that people want to read them.
In addition to writing, Jane teaches creative writing, read and mentor for The Literary Consultancy, and is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow and FRSA.


FOLLOW JANE ON
AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
GOODREADS

My Review I have no reading experience with this author, so it was a nice refreshing change to get to know some new characters, and locations. And dive into the imagination of a new author. And let me tell you, what an experience that was. I see this is a series of books, but I felt as a newbie I didn’t feel like I had to of read others previously. I enjoyed it as a stand alone book, though I think reading more would only heighten the excitement.

Kidnap isn’t a usual genre added to murder, mystery books and I enjoyed the ride. Feeling the frustration the detective felt with family not cooperating and wanting to go against their experience, made the book more realistic, as that’s human nature to fight against the grain.

It’s slow at times, then others a thousand miles an hour, but both paces keep you turning page after page!

Archive, blog book tour, Blogger Reviews, Events, Books I've read, Covid -19 ~ Week Ninety Eight, Covid-19 Lockdown

#ADGIFTED all opinions and thoughts are my own, I review books and authors I enjoy and only read themes and genres I know I will enjoy.

Christmas on the Island (DI Liam O’Reilly mysteries Book 6)


CHRISTMAS:
The silly season.
Or, the suicide season?

A string of suicides on the island arouses Detective Liam O’Reilly’s suspicions. He understands that the suicide rate tends to increase during the festive season, but the ways in which these people have chosen to end their lives doesn’t feel right.

As O’Reilly and his team dig deeper they soon learn there is much more to these apparent suicides than they initially thought and O’Reilly realises there is a seriously damaged mind on the loose.

Dubbed the suicide killer by the press, this madman will stop at nothing to get his depraved message across and O’Reilly is the only one who can put an end to his killing spree.

This festive season is one the Irish detective will never forget.

BOOKS BY STEWART GILES

DS JASON SMITH SERIES
Book 0.5-Phobia
Book 1-Smith
Book 2-Boomerang
Book 3-Ladybird
Book 4-Occam’s Razor
Book 5-Harlequin
Book 6-Selene
Book 7-Horsemen
Book 8-Unworthy
Book 9 – Venom
Book 10 – Severed
Book 11 – Demons
Book 12 – Deadeye
Book 13 – Motive
Book 14 – Australia
Book 15 – Wishbone

DI O’REILLY MYSTERIES
Book 1 – Blood on the Island
Book 2 – Lies on the Island
Book 3 – Fear on the Island
Book 4 – Malice on the Island
Book 5 – Revenge on the Island
Book 6 – Christmas on the Island

DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1-The Beekeeper
Book 2-The Perfect Murder
Book 3-The Backpacker
Trotterdown a box set of DC Harriet Taylor books 1-3

DS JASON SMITH &DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1 – The Enigma
Book 2 – Dropzone
Book 3 – The Raven Girl
Trilogy: The DS Smith & Harriet Taylor box set

THE MIRANDA TRILOGY (psychological thrillers)
Miranda
Mistress
Medusa

STANDALONE HORROR
The Divide

Stewart Giles – Author Bio

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.
In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.
3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series.
The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.
I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.
After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brought together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.
The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.
The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow with book 16 recently published. The first 5 books in the Detective Liam O’Reilly series are now available.

Website: http://www.stewartgiles.com
Twitter: @stewartgiles
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

My Review it’s no secret that I adore Stewart Giles’ books, I’ve loved the characters and fully invested myself in their backstories, almost as if they are real. They have entertained, and put me on a roller coaster of a ride since I started reading these books.

What a way to start the happy season, the season of joy with 3 deaths, and are they what they seem?? Rugged and dogeared O’REILLY seems to be the only one that sees between the lines.

Can he piece everything together and put a stop to the senseless deaths. Will Christmas be back to being happy and joyful once more?

I can’t believe he’s done it again, he has dragged me from a depressive state in a tough festive period and distracted me, perfectly. This was exactly what I needed. Grab a blanket, hot water bottle and a coffee, settle down and I swear to you, time flies and you are transported into a whole different world for a while.

blog book tour, Blogger Reviews, Events, Covid -19 ~ Week Ninety Three, Covid-19 Lockdown

#ADGIFTED all opinions are my own, I choose genres and themes I like personally, so I will enjoy my time reading them.

Death by the Thames by Gretta Mulrooney

Looking for your next unputdownable mystery? Meet Detective Tyrone Swift. He takes the cases that the police have given up on.

One dead bridegroom.

Financier Sam Goddard never made it down the aisle. Instead, his body is pulled from the Thames. Everyone says he rode his bike into the water. And he didn’t die alone . . .

A teen tearaway with a taste for older men.

Riding in his sidecar, there’s an underage girl. On his phone, a text.

So sorry to do this to you . . .

The police know a suicide pact when they see one, and as far as they’re concerned, it’s case closed.

But Toni — Sam’s grieving fiancée — can’t believe it’s true. Desperate to uncover the truth about Sam’s death, she turns to Tyrone Swift for answers.

But is she prepared for the killer secrets he’s about to unearth?

Death by the Thames is a seamlessly crafted, twisty crime thriller that will have you gripped from start to pulsating finish.

Perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, Tana French, Val McDermid, Robert Galbraith, Ann Cleeves, Jane Adams or Elly Griffiths.

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT GRETTA MULROONEY:

“An exceptional read.” Carole

“5 Stars — Brilliant.” Barbara

“A really page-turning book.” Viv

“I really love this series.” Hannelore

“Mulrooney has a real gift for dialogue, the words and phrases ring true and make her characters wonderfully real . . . A tenderly funny and genuinely moving piece. I loved it.” Fiona Morrow, Time Out, on Araby

“A beautifully observed study of reconciliation, Araby makes astute points about conflict and shifting values between generations.” James Eve, The Times, on Araby

THE DETECTIVE
Tyrone Swift is an ex-police detective who now works privately. He’s survived a stabbing and his fiancée running off with another man. Swift’s personal life is complicated, to say the least.

THE AUTHOR
Gretta Mulrooney is a critically acclaimed author of bestselling fiction.

THE TYRONE SWIFT DETECTIVE SERIES
Book 1: THE LADY VANISHED
Book 2: BLOOD SECRETS
Book 3: TWO LOVERS, SIX DEATHS
Book 4: WATCHING YOU
Book 5: LOW LAKE
Book 6: YOUR LAST LIE
Book 7: HER LOST SISTER
Book 8: MURDER IN PEMBROKESHIRE
Book 9: DEATH BY THE THAMES

GRETTA MULROONEY
Gretta Mulrooney was born in London of Irish parents and did an English degree in Derry. She has been published for over twenty-five years; children’s books, short stories, literary fiction which won critical acclaim and crime fiction. She has also written for the BBC and Radio Four.
Gretta has always been an avid reader of crime fiction and decided, in retirement, to turn to crime. She has written seven novels featuring a London based private detective, Tyrone Swift: She has also started a new police-based series featuring DI Siv Drummond, set in the fictional Sussex town of Berminster.
BOOKS BY GRETTA MULROONEY
THE TYRONE SWIFT DETECTIVE SERIES:
• THE LADY VANISHED
• BLOOD SECRETS
• TWO LOVERS, SIX DEATHS
• WATCHING YOU
• LOW LAKE
• YOUR LAST LIE
• HER LOST SISTER
• THE COMPLETE TYRONE SWIFT MYSTERY BOX SET
DETECTIVE INSPECTOR SIV DRUMMOND
• THESE LITTLE LIES
• NEVER CAME HOME
STANDALONE NOVELS:
• OUT OF THE BLUE
• LOST CHILD
• COMING OF AGE
FOLLOW GRETTA ON
AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
GOODREADS

MY REVIEW New author for me, so a new range of characters to warm up too, and back stories to dive into. Pure heaven. We kick off the story with a rich descriptive scene and it’s all flowing from the start. Easy to picture the location, and appearance of things from the wealth of words.

Recently experiencing my own grief, I could identify with the character, the things she did, said and felt were like a mirror held up to me, and did bring some memories back.

I love how the story weaves through the characters and brings it all together neatly. This has been a perfect read over the holidays, to unwind too, and just relax.

Archive, blog book tour, Blogger Reviews, Events, Covid -19 ~Week Ninety Two, Covid-19 Lockdown

#ADGIFTED all thoughts and opinions are my own, I prefer murder mysteries and horror so I always choose to review my preferred genre.

The Ghostwriter

Never take anything for granted. No matter how great things seem – it can all shatter in an instant.

Matt Gardner has a decent life. He has a good job, a fiancé who adores him and he’s recently found out he’s going to be a father. Everything is perfect and the future looks bright.

But then strange things start happening – someone has got into his social media accounts and is causing havoc with Matt’s family and friends.

What starts off as a minor nuisance escalates into something much more sinister and Matt soon realises that some invisible, malevolent force is hell-bent on destroying him. Some kind of Ghostwriter is dictating the course of his life – composing his autobiography without his input, and he finds himself powerless to stop it.

When an incident with a fifteen-year-old girl attracts the attention of the Police, Matt’s whole life is thrown into the stuff of nightmares and one by one his family and friends start to doubt him. He finds himself alone and only when this Ghostwriter ups his game and hints on what this is all about does Matt realise the true horror of his situation.

All of this has its roots thirty years earlier when Matt was witness to something despicable. It was something he’d put out of his mind, and something he thought was over, but this Ghostwriter somehow knows what really happened and is determined to make Matt remember in the worst possible way.

What readers are saying about Ghostwriter:
An absolute masterpiece of psychological suspense. Its a read that will stay with me for some time. Its My Book of the Year!!! – Carol Stone
Just finished reading and all I can say is wow! Stewart has hidden talents. I read this in one sitting .. couldn’t / wouldn’t put it down for anything. – Linda Strong book reviews
It was a fascinating concept and I ended up reading it in a day. – Maureen
A brilliant stand alone book is all I’m going to say. I loved reading the whole story this author has once again not let me down with this book, readers will love it – Booklover Bev
There are twists and turns and I couldn’t work out who the ghost writer was. A very clever, well thought out premise and one that kept me turning the pages rapidly. – Misfits Farm

BOOKS BY STEWART GILES

DS JASON SMITH SERIES
Book 0.5 – Phobia
Book 1 – Smith
Book 2 – Boomerang
Book 3 – Ladybird
Book 4 – Occam’s Razor
Book 5 – Harlequin
Book 6 – Selene
Book 7 – Horsemen
Book 8 – Unworthy
Book 9 – Venom
Book 10 – Severed
Book 11 – Demons
Book 12 – Deadeye
Book 13 – Motive
Book 14 – Australia
Book 16 – Wishbone

DI O’REILLY MYSTERIES
Book 1 – Blood on the Island
Book 2 – Lies on the Island
Book 3 – Fear on the Island
Book 4 – Malice on the Island
Book 5 – Revenge on the Island

DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1-The Beekeeper
Book 2-The Perfect Murder
Book 3-The Backpacker
Trotterdown a box set of DC Harriet Taylor books 1-3

DS JASON SMITH &DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1 – The Enigma
Book 2 – Dropzone
Book 3 – The Raven Girl
Trilogy: The DS Smith & Harriet Taylor box set

THE MIRANDA TRILOGY (psychological thrillers)
Miranda
Mistress
Medusa

STANDALONE HORROR
The Divide


Stewart Giles – Author Bio

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.
In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.
3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series.
The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.
I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.
After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brought together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.
The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.
The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow with book 16 recently published. The first 5 books in the Detective Liam O’Reilly series are now available.

Website: www.stewartgiles.com
Twitter: @stewartgiles
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

My Review I’m going to start considering myself as a number one fan of Giles. As since I’ve been introduced to him, I don’t think I’ve missed a book yet!! And though some are horror rather than detective, I’ve loved them just as much.

The plot is so relatable, just this week I’ve had friends Facebook’s took over by trolls, and needing to have two step verification on, we put so much of our lives online, it’s easy to become a target to predators.

Being able to identify characters and locations, and plots in real life is what keeps me coming back for more, they feel familiar like old friends, and comforting when they have traits like yourself.

Nothing beats a good thriller by Stewart Giles.

Archive, blog book tour, Blogger Reviews, Events, Covid -19 ~ Week Eighty Eight, Covid-19 Lockdown, Family Adventures

#ADGIFTED book given to review but all opinions are my own.

THE NIGHT THIEF a gripping crime thriller full of stunning twists (JACKMAN & EVANS Book 8)



FROM #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR JOY ELLIS, A TOTALLY ABSORBING CRIME THRILLER FULL OF STUNNING TWISTS AND TURNS. YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN.

Discover the author who’s sold over two million books globally.

When everyone is sleeping, he comes into their houses.

He takes one thing. A photo of their child.

A thief on a power trip or something even darker and more sinister?

Detectives Jackman and Evans find themselves on the hunt for a highly unusual burglar who seemingly only steals photographs. But then, late one night, an elderly woman falls to her death after seeing someone in her home.

Did she really fall, or was she murdered?

And just how many mysterious intruders are there on the Fens?

With the body count rising, Jackman and Evans have their work cut out for them to track down the night thief — before it’s too late.

Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the shocking ending.

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT JOY ELLIS:

“Another breathtaking thriller from Joy.” Carole

“Great read from start to finish.” Nerys

“Just a wonderful enjoyable read.” Nicki

“A hugely compelling police procedural, with twists and turns that raise tension and suspense.” Paromjit

“All the twists and turns kept me reading.” Viv

“Another great book from Ms Ellis.” Barbara

Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Sarah A. Denzil, Robert Bryndza, Mel Sherratt, Angela Marsons, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell.

THE DETECTIVES
DI Jackman leads the investigation. He is extremely smart and has a knack for bringing out the best in his diverse team. DS Marie Evans is haunted by the loss of her husband in a motorbike accident. She is fiercely loyal to her friends and colleagues.

JACKMAN & EVANS
Book 1: THE MURDERER’S SON
Book 2: THEIR LOST DAUGHTERS
Book 3: THE FOURTH FRIEND
Book 4: THE GUILTY ONES
Book 5: THE STOLEN BOYS
Book 6: THE PATIENT MAN
Book 7: THEY DISAPPEARED
Book 8: THE NIGHT THIEF

JOY ELLIS
UK #1 BEST SELLER WITH THEIR LOST DAUGHTERS, DARKNESS ON THE FENS, THE FOURTH FRIEND, BEWARE THE PAST, FIRE ON THE FENS, AND THE GUILTY ONES
OVER 2 MILLION BOOKS SOLD!
“I was born in Kent but spent most of my working life in London and Surrey. I was an apprentice florist to Constance Spry Ltd, a prestigious Mayfair shop that throughout the sixties and seventies teemed with both royalty and ‘real’ celebrities. What an eye-opener for a working-class kid from the Garden of England! I swore then, probably whilst I was scrubbing the floor or making the tea, that I would have a shop of my own one day. It took until the early eighties, but I did it. Sadly the recession wiped us out, and I embarked on a series of weird and wonderful jobs; the last one being a bookshop manager. Surrounded by books all day, getting to order whatever you liked, and being paid for it! Oh bliss!
And now I live in a village in the Lincolnshire Fens with my partner, Jacqueline, a highly decorated retired police officer, and our four barking mad Springer spaniels. If I do get any spare time, which is rare these days, my one relaxation is painting, especially using soft pastels. We have been here for twenty years now and although I’ll never be a true ‘Yeller Belly’, a native born to this county, I have adopted it as my own. I love the mists, the big skies and the endless waterways. All my books are set here on the Fens, and why not? The location is perfect for murder!”
BOOKS BY JOY ELLIS
DI NIKKI GALENA SERIES:
CRIME ON THE FENS
SHADOW OVER THE FENS
HUNTED ON THE FENS
KILLER ON THE FENS
STALKER ON THE FENS
CAPTIVE ON THE FENS
BURIED ON THE FENS
THIEVES ON THE FENS
FIRE ON THE FENS
DARKNESS ON THE FENS
HIDDEN ON THE FENS
NIKKI GALENA BOX SET, BOOKS 1-3
NIKKI GALENA BOX SET, BOOKS 4-6
NIKKI GALENA BOX SET, BOOKS 7-9

JACKMAN & EVANS SERIES:
THE MURDERER’S SON
THEIR LOST DAUGHTERS
FOURTH FRIEND
THE GUILTY ONES
THE STOLEN BOYS
THE PATIENT MAN

MATT BALLARD SERIES:
BEWARE THE PAST
FIVE BLOODY HEARTS

STANDALONE NOVELS:
GUIDE STAR

FIND JOY ON
AUTHOR WEBSITE http://www.joyellis.info/indexa.html
FACEBOOK https://m.facebook.com/Copperfield55
GOODREADS https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4108600.Joy_Ellis

My Review I’m sure I’ve read a couple by Joy Ellis now, or at least one. So this is a nice stand alone as I definitely haven’t read the entire series.

Dark, gritty and grim, but fast paced and highly charged, this mystery is guaranteed to keep you on your toes. Some eye roll moments over romantic scenes (my pet hate) felt more 70s steamy novel style. But the page turning hook didn’t leave me for long, as the plot definitely stirs up emotions in yourself.

Who wouldn’t fear having been broken in, but they only take a photograph, it’s unnerving and a hell of a roller coaster read.

Archive, blog book tour, Blogger Reviews, Events, Covid -19 ~ Week Eighty Seven, Covid-19 Lockdown, Family Adventures

#ADGIFTED all opinions and thoughts are my own, I choose a genre I enjoy and authors I love to read.

Revenge on the Island: A compelling mystery with a dark twist (DI Liam O’Reilly mysteries Book 5)

REVENGE IS SWEET.

How do you solve a murder when you’re the number one suspect?

Fifteen years ago Patrick Finney was sentenced to life for the brutal murders of four women. It was one of the most high-profile cases in Irish history and one that defined Detective Inspector Liam O’Reilly’s career. O’Reilly was instrumental in bringing Finney down.

Now Finney has escaped from a high-security prison and he’s not content to stay on the run.

He wants revenge and he’s prepared to stop at nothing to get it.

Abandoned by the very people he’s employed by O’Reilly finds himself in a predicament that leaves him running out of options. There is only one man who can help him. But it’s a man he vowed he would never contact again, and the consequences of his association with this phantom could be far worse than O’Reilly could ever imagine.

When the hunter becomes the hunted the rules of the game have to change.

This is a chilling mystery that O’Reilly will never forget.

BOOKS BY STEWART GILES

DS JASON SMITH SERIES
Book 0.5 – Phobia
Book 1 – Smith
Book 2 – Boomerang
Book 3 – Ladybird
Book 4 – Occam’s Razor
Book 5 – Harlequin
Book 6 – Selene
Book 7 – Horsemen
Book 8 – Unworthy
Book 9 – Venom
Book 10 – Severed
Book 11 – Demons
Book 12 – Deadeye
Book 13 – Motive
Book 14 – Australia
Book 16 – Wishbone

DI O’REILLY MYSTERIES
Book 1 – Blood on the Island
Book 2 – Lies on the Island
Book 3 – Fear on the Island
Book 4 – Malice on the Island
Book 5 – Revenge on the Island

DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1-The Beekeeper
Book 2-The Perfect Murder
Book 3-The Backpacker
Trotterdown a box set of DC Harriet Taylor books 1-3

DS JASON SMITH &DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1 – The Enigma
Book 2 – Dropzone
Book 3 – The Raven Girl
Trilogy: The DS Smith & Harriet Taylor box set

THE MIRANDA TRILOGY (psychological thrillers)
Miranda
Mistress
Medusa

STANDALONE HORROR
The Divide

Stewart Giles – Author Bio

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.
In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.
3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series.
The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.
I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.
After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brought together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.
The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.
The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow with book 16 recently published. The first 5 books in the Detective Liam O’Reilly series are now available.

Website: http://www.stewartgiles.com
Twitter: @stewartgiles
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

My Review

The fifth book of this series, but trust me when I say, you don’t have to had read the previous ones, you will soon get the vibe and feel of the island Guernsey and the personality of O’Reilly. But if you can read them in order you will be more familiar with characters.

Just when it all feels quiet and you should be able to relax, that’s when you know something big is going down, but I never foresaw the man himself being framed for murder!!

Time for the past to come hunting for O’Reilly, and will he be able to convince the new investigators he’s innocent and that the culprit is on the island seeking their revenge? And the real question on everyone’s lips is, will Bram ever use the cat flap??

It’s been cold this weekend, and the body I have requires a lot of physio, which then means a lot of recovery down time, and these books just perfectly fill my time. I get so involved into the book the characters feel like I actually know them at this point. What better ways to spend time on dark chilly evenings.

Archive, blog book tour, Blogger Reviews, Events, Books I've read, Challenges, Randoms, Miscellaneous, Covid-19 Lockdown, Covid-19 Week 85

Crime in the Kitchen By Catherine Moloney #BlogBookTour

Archive, blog book tour, Blogger Reviews, Events, Covid-19 Lockdown, Covid-19 ~ Week Sixty One

#ADGIFTED

Well I’m murderous in the Kitchen as I can’t cook, So I commit crimes against food everytime, so I had to pick this one up.

All opinions on this book are my own. I review because I want too, and to share. I it choose genre’s I enjoy.

CRIME IN THEKITCHEN a fiercely addictive mystery (Detective Markham Mystery and Suspense
Book 12)

TIDY SERIAL KILLER?

Jayne Padgett is a beloved

teacher who’d do anything for her kids.

So how does she end up dead,

neatly posed at her kitchen counter?

She was strangled and forced to

drink bleach. And, stranger still, the killer tried to clear up the mess
afterwards.

Despite being a favourite with

her students, there’s no shortage of suspects:

Teachers with grudges.
Parents who thought she was

meddling.

Half-sisters.

An ex-husband.

The on-again-off-again boyfriend.

AND THEN ANOTHER MURDER WITH THE

SAME M.O. — IS SOMEONE CLEANING UP THE TOWN?

Detectives Markham and Noakes

might just have a serial killer on their hands.

What readers are saying

about CATHERINE MOLONEY:

“Gripped from the start!” Curly

“A beautifully crafted book coming to a resolute finish.” Rob

“Utterly believable characters, beautifully described.” Jacqueline

Perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves,

Clare Chase, Betty Rowlands, P.D. James, Ruth Rendell or Richard Osman.

DISCOVER A BRILLIANT NEW BRITISH

CRIME MYSTERY SERIES

THE DETECTIVES

DI GILBERT (“GIL”) MARKHAM

DI Markham is a startlingly

talented detective rising through the ranks of Bromgrove CID. He is distant and
austere — the product of a profoundly difficult childhood — but has a natural magnetism which inspires loyalty. He clashes with his slippery boss, DCI Sidney, who prioritizes the force’s public image.

DS GEORGE (“NOAKESY”) NOAKES

DS Noakes is a slobbish, uncouth

and outspoken Yorkshireman, an object of despair to his superiors. He is, however, also a man of hidden depths, with a sensitive streak and a secret flair for ballroom dancing. Markham sees through his philistinism and they form an unstoppable partnership.

DETECTIVE INSPECTOR GILBERT

MARKHAM SERIES

Book 1: CRIME IN THE CHOIR
Book 2: CRIME IN THE SCHOOL

Book 3: CRIME IN THE CONVENT

Book 4: CRIME IN THE HOSPITAL

Book 5: CRIME IN THE BALLET

Book 6: CRIME IN THE GALLERY

Book 7: CRIME IN THE HEAT

Book 8: CRIME AT HOME

Book 9: CRIME IN THE BALLROOM

Book 10: CRIME IN THE BOOK CLUB

Book 11: CRIME IN THE COLLEGE

Book 12: CRIME IN THE KITCHEN

My Review

New author to me, cute and easy to read. Great plot overall, and certainly filled my time nicely. A great summer beach read, especially now we can head to the coast and hope for some sunshine.

It reminds me of when I lived in a village where everyone knows your business, but not everything as some have dark secrets, well they do here!! This village is interesting.

Some of the lingo was slightly annoying and I only knew what they meant as I have a daughter going into the teaching profession. But I can imagine it’s frustrating if you didn’t have a clue.

Lantern Boats #BlogBookTour

Archive, blog book tour, Blogger Reviews, Events, Covid -19 ~ Week Fifty Four, Covid-19 Lockdown

#ADGIFTED All opinions are my own, I pick and choose the authors I wish to feature, and I on my choose genre’s I enjoy, and will feel happy to review.

THE LANTERN BOATS by Tessa
Morris-Suzuki

A WEB OF ESPIONAGE AND BETRAYAL IN OCCUPIED JAPAN DRAWS IN TIGHT.

Tokyo, 1951.

Elly Ruskin is still struggling
to settle. Half-Japanese by heritage, Elly was repatriated to Japan after the war, but Tokyo is a city she barely knows. And now she’s certain her new husband is having an affair with the enigmatic Japanese poet known as Vida Vidanto.

Yet Elly is not the only one suspicious of Vida.

The occupying American forces
have their eye on her too. Kamiya Jun has been recruited to spy on the poet and find out why Vida spent her war years in China. He is perfect for the part. A war orphan, he has honed the art of becoming invisible in order to survive. But following Vida leads Jun to the Ruskins. And he soon finds himself delving into their private lives as well.

Then Vida Vidanto is found
murdered in her apartment. Is it a case of mere jealousy or has there been a betrayal of a more dangerous kind?

Because Vida had more than one
secret worth killing for.

A powerful, absorbing mystery
that will be consumed by fans of Victoria Hislop, Dinah Jefferies, Fiona Valpy,
Robert Goddard, Kate Morton and Louise Douglas.

ABOUT TESSA MORRIS-SUZUKI

Tessa Morris-Suzuki divides her
time between a small village on the south coast of New South Wales and Canberra, where she is Emeritus Professor of Japanese History at the Australian
National University.

My Review

This one I found a little difficult at first to get into, purely as it’s set in a time I don’t know and have no experience with. So the connection wasn’t there immediately.

But no matter I wanted to give it time to get into it. A story told from two perspectives which is new to me, twisting and curling and melding together, a life of certainy thrust into a life of action.

A slower pace and differing timelines is probably just the change of pace I needed. Beautifully written and well developed characters that you will love.