It’s always a little sad to discover a new author after he or she has died.

Even more sad when the author is just 52 and has only two other books to her name.

Of course, there’s the sympathy one feels as one woman to another one feels for anyone who dies so young.

But, there’s also the rather selfish sorrow that there will be no more stories from a writer whose work has become synonymous with Yorkshire. Continue reading →

There’s something rather special about this haunting cover for Hell to Pay, the fourth in the detective Kay Hunter series by Rachel Amphlett.

Described as a gripping fast-paced crime thriller, Hell to Pay will be published by Saxon Publishing on November 16.

About the book

When a road traffic accident on a dark autumn night uncovers a disturbing conspiracy, Detective Sergeant Kay Hunter’s investigation exposes a ruthless serial killer exploiting vulnerable young women. Continue reading →

Readers who have watched the TV show Long Lost Family will be familiar with the moment when separated family members are finally brought face-to-face.

There’s one such moment in Billy McLaughlin’s new crime mystery The Daughter where Kate, partner of the novel’s main protagonist Detective Inspector Phil Morris, knocks on the door of her long lost father.

According to the television script they should fall into each other’s arms amid floods of tears and mutual outpourings of love and affection. Continue reading →

Looking forward to reading The Summer Springsteen’s Songs Saved Me by award-winning writer Barbara Quinn, which will be published by Lakewater Press on October 24.

In the meantime, I love this evocative cover which hints at the challenges we all face in learning to accept the past and embrace the future.

And, if you’d like a chance to win a free copy of the book, click here.

Or pre-order for 99c here.

About the book:

Coming home to catch her husband with his face between the long, silky legs of another woman is the last thing Sofia Continue reading →

It’s brave of Louise Beech to make Catherine-Maria, the heroine of her new novel Maria in the Moon, so unlikeable.

Several times in the opening chapters I wanted to give up because it was just impossible to really care about Catherine.

Clearly, the woman had ‘issues’ but who doesn’t?

And, frankly it would have been a lot easier to feel sympathy for Catherine, if she’d felt a little less sorry for herself.  Continue reading →

Cooking up stories is just the beginning for Lydia Livingston…

Ever since she could read, she’s craved her very own fairy-tale ending and her own Prince Charming.

Unfortunately, despite kissing a fair few frogs, none of them have turned into a prince.

Maybe her dad, a chap who wants nothing but the best for his one and only daughter, is right?

She’s just too picky.  Continue reading →

It’s not something I’ve ever considered before, but when someone is murdered in prison the best person to find the killer is a policeman who’s already locked up.

And that’s the interesting premise behind Locked Up, the new crime mystery from GB Williams.

Former detective sergeant Charlie Bell is serving time for the killing of Phillip Mansel-Jones, a ‘scumbag of the worse degree’.

Charlie has no regrets – as well as money laundering, Mansel-Jones was known to be Continue reading →

Author Carmen Radkte joins us today on the last stop of the blog tour for her new mystery novel The Case of the Missing Bride.

German-born Carmen claims to have spent most of her life with ink on her fingers and a dangerously high pile of books and newspapers by her side.  Continue reading →

Meet award-winning, multi-talented comedian Rosie Wilby, whose credits include BBC Radio 4, The Guardian and Glastonbury.

Born in Liverpool, but now living in Brixton, South London, she was a finalist at Funny Women 2006 and the following year was named the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year.

She’s been touring award-winning solo shows and steadily building a word-of-mouth army of fans ever since.  Continue reading →

Did Missee Lee, the classically educated pirate, who rescued the Swallows and Amazons after they were shipwrecked off the coast of China, sail the seven seas in a boat like this one (above) which ferries present-day tourists across Hong Kong harbour?

I hope so – it would have been a slight consolation for the Walkers and the Blacketts, who are horrified to discover Missee Lee wants to keep them prisoners.

And, to the dismay of Cap’n Nancy, teach them Latin. Continue reading →