Where Dead Men Meet @MarkMillsAuthor

About Where Dead Men Meet

Paris, 1937. Luke Hamilton - a junior air intelligence officer at the British Embassy - finds himself the target of an assassination attempt. A clear case of mistaken identity, or so it first appears. As Luke is hunted across a continent sliding towards war, he comes to learn that the answers lie deep in a past that predates his abandonment as a baby on the steps of an orphanage twenty-five years ago.

From the author of the bestselling THE SAVAGE GARDEN, and set against a terrific backdrop of Europe on the cusp of the Second World War, this is a compelling novel, rich in adventure, espionage, secrets and lies.

My review of Where Dead Men Meet

Where Dead Men Meet is a thoroughly gripping period thriller like no other I have ever read. Mark Mills is a gifted storyteller and I quickly found myself immersed in this unknown world, with this gripping tale of survival. 

Where Dead Men Meet is set in Paris during 1937. Luke Hamilton, the protagonist of the story works at the British Embassy as an intelligence officer. He is young, handsome and has his fair share of the ladies. I loved him instantly. 

The novel opens with the murder of Sister Agnes, who lived at St Theresa’s Orphanage, the same orphanage that Luke grew up in, and the nun who found him abandoned on the doorstep as a baby. I'll admit that this opening hooked me in. We then move on to Luke, as he suddenly finds himself as the target of an assassination attempt, and the novel begins to ask questions about his past and who wants him dead. One of the men who has been assigned to kill Luke, Borodin, has a change of heart, believing him to be someone else, and so decides to protect him and help him escape... and so the real story begins.

The novel beautifully evokes the thoughts and feelings of those living before the beginning of the Second World War. The fear and the uncertainty. Coupled with this is the story of Luke, a story that is rich in lies, deceit and villains. This really is one twisted and complicated plot that I can't even begin to explain, and I don't want to give away any spoilers, but all I will say is that you will be hooked from the moment that you meet Luke. He is a captivating character, a likeable man, and you will want him to find out about his past and why someone wants him dead. Or is it simply mistaken identity? 

We follow Luke in his journey across Europe in his quest for survival and his search to find out who he really is. It's a tale of survival, treachery, with a dash of romance. This novel really does have it all. It's simply a fabulous read and an entertaining story with characters that you ultimately care about. Its a wonderful, evocative read

With thanks to the publisher and Bookbridgr who supplied a paperback for review purposes.

Where Dead Men Meet  was published in paperback by Headline Review on 13 July. It can be fond on Amazon here.

Revolver @swierczy @Mulhollandbooks

About Revolver

Philadelphia 1965: Two street cops - one black, one white - are gunned down in a robbery gone wrong. The killer is never prosecuted. One of the fallen officers, Stanislaw Walczak, leaves behind a twelve-year-old boy, Jimmy...

Philadelphia 1995: Homicide detective Jim Walczak learns that his father's alleged killer, Terrill Lee Stanton, is out of prison. Walczak will be waiting, determined to squeeze the truth out of him - any way he can.

Philadelphia 2015: Jim Walczak's daughter Audrey, studying forensic science in grad school, reinvestigates her grandfather's murder for her dissertation. But the deeper Audrey digs, the more she realises: the man everyone thinks killed Walczak didn't do it...

And when the truth comes out, the danger's only going to grow.

My review of Revolver

Revolver is a dark thriller with a touch of noir that spans three generations, from 1965 through to 2015. I loved it! 

Stanislaw Walczak, a cop working in Philadelphia, is shot dead during a robbery in 1965. His son, Jimmy, decades later becomes a homicide detective and begins to investigate the death of his father, to find his father's murderer. It is during 2015 that Jim's daughter, Audrey, begins to investigate the murder as part of her dissertation studies. These three stories are all told within their own time frame, all are interwoven, and all shed a different light on what happened. Who did kill Stanislaw Walczak? That is at the heart of this story. 

The author writes with such compassion, humanity and understanding of the human condition. It's a crime drama based upon the American dream. One that is always ultimately shattered. The multi layered narrative is fast paced and with well drawn characters that felt like friends by the time I read the final words. Each different generation, the father, the son and the granddaughter, were equally enthralling and offered a valid viewpoint and snapshot in time. 

This is not your average dark thriller, as it is part family drama that explores the differences between the generation gap, and the relationship between father and son, and father and daughter. It does tackle serious issues such as racism, gun crime and sexual assault, but all of these issues are pivotal to the plot and for exploring the time frame in which the characters live. Although the book is primarily three different stories, it really did feel as if I was reading a family saga, and I wanted to know what happened to Stanislaw Walczak, just as much as the characters within this fascinating thriller.

Revolver is a very different type of thriller, and at first it did take me a while to get into, but once I met all three central characters, I was hooked. Revolver is a dark and compulsive read. It's a novel about the complexities of family life, of relationships and of living in America during the 1960s surrounded by racism and intolerance to anyone who appears to be different. It's an illuminating read, full of action and interesting characters. I really enjoyed it. 

With thanks to the publisher and Bookbridgr for an Advanced Reader Copy.

Revolver was published by Mulholland Books on 10th August. It can be found on Amazon here.

The Child Finder @ReneDenfeld @wnbooks ‏

About The Child Finder

Naomi Cottle finds missing children. When the police have given up their search and an investigation stalls, families call her. She possesses a rare, intuitive sense, born out of her own experience, that allows her to succeed when others have failed.

Young Madison Culver has been missing for three years. She vanished on a family trip to the mountainous forests of Oregon, where they'd gone to cut down a tree for Christmas. Soon after she disappeared, blizzards swept the region and the authorities presumed she died from exposure.
But Naomi knows that Madison isn't dead. As she relentlessly pursues the truth behind Madison's disappearance, shards of a dark dream pierce defences that have protected her for so long. If she finds this child, will Naomi ultimately unlock the secrets of her own life?

My review of The Child Finder

 

It's hard to find the right words to describe the true beauty of this book. The Child Finder is a disturbing, haunting, lyrical, magical and beautiful book. It is all of these things, plus a gripping thriller. It's a phenomenal read. It's beautifully written, almost poetic, which is  is enthused with magical realism. It was a pure joy to read. 

Throughout the book we do read several points of view, but the predominant voice is that of Naomi, the 'child finder', and that of the Snow Child, who has been taken captive. Naomi has been hired to find a missing girl, Maddison, who vanished aged five, three years previously. Other than that, I can't say much more without giving anything away. 

Set in Oregon, in the depths of winter, we encounter a different world. A world of snow and ice. I loved the depictions of the white wilderness, how the locals coped with the harsh weather and the changing landscape. I could see and smell the snow, and this was important to get the true essence of this book. Although we do read different viewpoints and jump backwards and forwards in time regarding Naomi's past, this book flows beautifully. Not once was I unaware of who was talking and of what time frame I was reading. It was an effortless read that flowed from one scene to the next. 

The magical realism within this novel comes in the form of the Snow Child's need for survival. It is her coping mechanism, and it makes the scenes in which she is captive less harrowing, although still disturbing. I did find these passages difficult to read, but they were needed, and as a coping mechanism she refers to herself in the third person, the Snow Child, based upon a beloved fairytale, and therefore as a reader, I too was able to distance myself and to gain much needed perspective. 

As well as dealing with the missing girl, Naomi is trying to unravel her own past. Huge chunks of which are missing to her. She too has a harrowing past and was  saved and brought up by a foster mother, of whom we meet and get to know. These  passages within the book were truly special and inspiring. 

The Child Finder is such a beautiful, yet disturbing read. I wasn't sure if I would be able to cope with the sensitive subject matter, but as the author writes with sensitivity I was able to read and immerse myself in this compelling story. It really is a beautiful read.

The Child Finder was published on September 5th by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. It can be found on Amazon here.

 

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy

Our Altered Life @ouralteredlife #BlogTour

About Our Altered Life

Taken from Our Altered Life website

"I have spent the past 9 years compiling my thoughts on our journey along with school and medical reports, doctors notes and diaries. The result is Our Altered Life ~ an honest account of the shock, grief and struggle as well as the acceptance, joy and fierce love that my children have brought into my life."

My review of Our Altered Life

Our Altered Life is a raw, poignant and detailed account of life with a disabled child. Charlie Beswick writes about life with her twin sons, Oliver and Harry, with so much love, emotion and empathy, that you can't help but be enticed and hooked on every word. Once I started to read I couldn't stop. I read it in one sitting.

Harry has Goldenhar syndrome, which means that he was born with only one eye, no eye socket, no nose, one ear and with a short jaw. I had never heard of this syndrome before and so read with great interest. Harry also has Global Learning Delay, is non verbal and has Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). As Charlie so eloquently writes, life has its challenges, but is also, so very rewarding.

Our Altered Life is a powerful read. As I've mentioned, this is an incredibly raw account of raising a disabled child. Charlie writes it as it is, warts and all, and that's what I find so refreshing about this book. I knew absolutely nothing about Goldenhar syndrome, but now I feel that I do. She writes so honestly about how she felt when she first saw her newborn baby, how she found the bonding process difficult, and that for a very long time she blamed herself. This must have been so very difficult for her to write down on paper, to express in words, and yet she has managed to do
so, and so eloquently, in her quest to raise awareness and discussion surrounding the realities of raising a child with Harry's disabilities.

For me, this book touched me on a personal level, with Charlie's descriptions about her son's autism, and what life is like on the spectrum. My youngest son is autistic, and I like to read personal accounts from parents who are in a similar position to myself. Charlie's words seemed to jump out of the page at me. I found myself nodding, and saying, 'oh yes, my son does that', and 'Oh, I know what you mean.' Her words gave me comfort. I also liked the descriptions of the two brothers, as their relationship slowly grew. The bond between them is so palpable on the page. It also reminded me of my two sons, and once again, Charlie's words gave me comfort.

Our Altered Life is a powerful read, but ultimately, it is an uplifting one. The message here is that life never quite works out the way you planned it, but you know what? that's ok. Charlie writes about the struggles, her inner most feelings and how she has had to learn and adapt to a different type of life. Nothing is sugar coated, but that's the beauty of this book... Its honesty. Charlie's love and passion for her boys shines through.

Our Altered Life is a book for everyone. It will help teachers and TA's learn more about caring for a disabled child from a parental point of view. Health care professionals will also greatly benefit, as will parents of disabled children and their families.

It is an emotional rollercoaster of a read. It's an important read and one that can help shed light on the taboos and myths surrounding raising a disabled child.

This simply is a must read.

About the author

Hi, I'm Charlie, mum to twins Oliver and Harry and I am blogging about life as a parent of a child with special needs at Our Altered Life. I chronicle the highs and lows of a life less ordinary and the challenges and adventures we all face. When I'm not writing or working you will find me drinking gin, eating my own body weight in cheese and laminating stuff (you can take the girl out of teaching but you cant take the teacher out of the girl!)

Find out more about Charlie and her journey:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ouralteredlife/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ouralteredlife/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ouralteredlife

Website - http://www.ouralteredlife.com/the-book/

Catch up with the tour...

#RacetotheKill by Helen Cadbury @AllisonandBusby



About Race to the Kill

It is the middle of a long night shift for PC Sean Denton and his partner PC Gavin Wentworth when they are approached by a dishevelled-looking woman desperate that they follow her. She leads them to the old Chasebridge High School where they find the dead body of a Syrian refugee. The investigation which points to the neighbouring greyhound stadium finds Denton caught up in a world of immigration, drugs and sexual abuse, and one in which his private life becomes increasingly entwined.

*I feel hugely privileged and humbled to be a part of this blog tour.

Helen Cadbury sadly passed away in June this year.*

My review of Race to the Kill

Race to the Kill is sadly the third and final instalment in the PC Sean Denton police series, that is set in the heart of Yorkshire. I first read to Kill a Rabbit many years ago and fell in love with both Helen's writing, and Sean Denton. These books work so well because of him and the colourful Yorkshire characters that he meets.

The story opens with Sean being collared at a petrol station by a homeless woman, telling him that he needs to follow her to the abandoned Chasebridge School, which he duly does with his partner PC Gavin Wentworth. It is there that they find the body of a Syrian refugee and the hunt for the killer begins. We follow Sean and his team as they investigate the local greyhound stadium that borders the school, and the investigation soon leads members of the team to the people who work there.

The novel tackles many topical issues, those of drugs, immigration, and sexual abuse. As with the two previous books in the series, Sean is at the centre of the action. He is a caring and compassionate man, from a working class background, and this gives him a distinct advantage during his investigation. We care about Sean, about the people he meets and the decisions that he makes. He is both entertaining and likeable. More importantly, he is realistic, I believe in him.

Race to the Kill is a hugely topical story, as it discusses society's views and misconceptions about refugees, poverty and the lower working classes. This most certainly is a novel that speaks loud and clearly for the difficult times that we now live in, both financially and socially. Helen wrote so beautifully about the human condition, about community and the lower working classes, as is portrayed in the inhabitants of the greyhound racing stadium and those that live in the surrounding high rise blocks of flats. The northern city of Doncaster is brought to life on the page, with her use of language, dialect and imagery.

This novel features a wide array of characters. Those that are mixed up with dodgy dealings and on the other side the police. But the police too have a mixed bunch, from all different social classes and Helen examined these differences and preconceptions wonderfully in this novel. This is beautifully examined in the relationship between Sean and Lizzie. Both different, but somehow they work as a couple. I never particularly warmed to Lizzie, I fond her a little stuck up, but this didn't really mater as I found her interesting.

Race to the Kill is a wonderful, engaging and gritty read about the realities of Northern life. I felt such sadness as I read the closing words. Never again will I read a new adventure featuring Sean Denton. His adventure ends here...

Race to the Kill is published by Allison & Busby on 21 September. It can be found on Amazon here.

With thanks to Anne Cater and the publisher for inviting me on the blog tour, and for providing an Advanced Reader Copy.

About Helen Cadbury

Helen Cadbury wrote fiction, poetry and plays. She worked as an actor before becoming a teacher and spent five years teaching in prisons. She had an MA in Writing from Sheffield Hallam University. Her debut novel, To Catch a Rabbit, was the winner of the inaugural Northern Crime Competition.

Helen passed away in June 2017.

House of Spines @MichaelJMalone1 @OrendaBooks

About House of Spines

Ran McGhie's world has been turned upside down. A young, lonely and frustrated writer, and suffering from mental-health problems, he discovers that his long-dead mother was related to one of Glasgow's oldest merchant families. Not only that, but Ran has inherited Newton Hall, a vast mansion that belonged to his great-uncle, who appears to have been watching from afar as his estranged great-nephew has grown up. Entering his new-found home, he finds that Great-Uncle Fitzpatrick has turned it into a temple to the written word - the perfect place for poet Ran. But everything is not as it seems. As he explores the Hall's endless corridors, Ran's grasp on reality appears to be loosening. And then he comes across an ancient lift; and in that lift a mirror. And in the mirror ... the reflection of a woman ... A terrifying psychological thriller with more than a hint of the Gothic, House of Spines is a love letter to the power of books, and an exploration of how lust and betrayal can be deadly...

My review of House of Spines

House of Spines is a compelling gothic thriller with tons of suspense thrown in. This book genuinely unsettled me and I read it with a growing sense of impending doom. It's a a fabulous read!

The novel opens with a young Scottish man, Ran, learning that his deceased mother was related to a wealthy merchant family living in Glasgow. His mother had left the family when she married, as her family did not approve. When his estranged Uncle died, he bequeathed his Manor House, Newton Hall, to him... and so this delicious gothic suspense thriller begins.

The descriptions of Newton Hall are powerful and beautiful. I especially wanted to visit the library that housed the old man's love of books. I could smell their dusty pages and see the lamps dotted around the room. The description of the house and its layout are described in much detail, as we need to understand and immerse ourselves in this world, and what a delight it was to virtually walk along its corridors.

House of Spines is written predominantly from Ran's point of view. He is a writer, a loner, and a man who has a mental health condition. The author deals sensitively with the emotive subject of mental health. What Ran sees and hears is very subjective, and he is very much the unreliable narrator, but this is what makes the novel so captivating and enthralling. We never quite know what is true.

House of Spines is a disturbing read that is highly addictive, once I started to read I couldn't stop. I needed to follow Ran on his journey. I cared about him. He has s sharp and distinctive voice, and he spoke loudly and clearly to me. The deeper I got into the book, the greater the unease I felt. I read with a deep foreboding that was both thrilling and frightening at the same time. This really is a beautifully touching and personal account of a man who is quite lost in life, and I found it an emotional, yet uplifting read.

It is simply quite stunning. This book will stay with me for a very long time.

With thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me on the blog tour and the publisher for giving me an Advanced Reader Copy for review purposes.

House of Spines was published by Orenda Books on 16th August. It can be found on Amazon here.

About the author

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns' country, just a stone's throw from the great man's cottage in Ayr. Well, a stone thrown by a catapult. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. His career as a poet has also included a (very) brief stint as the Poet-In-Residence for an adult gift shop. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize (judge: Alex Gray) from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie's Call (a non-fiction work about successful modern-day Scots); A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage and The Bad Samaritan. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number one bestseller. Michael is a regular reviewer for the hugely popular crime fiction website www.crimesquad.com. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller.

Catch up with the rest of the blog tour



Maria in the Moon @LouiseWriter @OrendaBooks

About Maria in the Moon

A stunning, beautifully written dark drama by the critically acclaimed author of How To Be Brave and The Mountain in My Shoe.

Thirty-two-year-old Catherine Hope has a great memory. But she can't remember everything. She can't remember her ninth year. She can't remember when her insomnia started. And she can't remember why everyone stopped calling her Catherine-Maria.With a promiscuous past, and licking her wounds after a painful breakup, Catherine wonders why she resists anything approaching real love. But when she loses her home to the devastating deluge of 2007 and volunteers at Flood Crisis, a devastating memory emerges... and changes everything. Dark, poignant and deeply moving, Maria in the Moon is an examination of the nature of memory and truth, and the defences we build to protect ourselves, when we can no longer hide...

My review of Maria in the Moon

Maria in the Moon is a story that took my breath away. This is a simply stunning and beautiful story about a woman's journey to find her true self. It's emotive, dark and challenging and I loved every word.

The story revolves around Catherine Hope, a thirty-two-year old woman who is single and shares a one bedroom flat over a takeaway restaurant.  Today she is simply known as Catherine, no longer Catherine-Maria, and she has no recollection of why she lost the 'Maria' at the age of nine. Set during the Hull floods of 2007, Catherine decides to volunteer at Flood Crisis, a helpline for individuals affected by the floods. It is while working there that her life begins to change, that she slowly begins to remember what happened to her all those years ago.

The author writes so beautifully, providing Catherine with a clear and distinctive voice. I felt like I knew her inside and out. She was so very transparent on the page, her vulnerability, her strength, so clear to see. This is her story and I was hooked on every word. What happened to her? What can't she remember? She is a likeable, quirky and energetic woman but is haunted by past events that she cannot recall. I felt so sorry for her. What I loved most about her was her empathy towards others, her selflessness. As well as volunteering at Flood Crisis, she works night shifts at the local nursing home. Although this side of her life is not shown on the page, I knew that she would be a caring and diligent member of staff, treating everyone she cared for with dignity and respect, just as she does with those who call Flood Line.

This novel is packed with many interesting and vibrant characters, all illuminating and with their own personal story. We have Fern, the girl whose flat she shares and whom writes a weekly column in the local paper, I loved her!, and then we have Christopher, the volunteer and mentor she meets at Flood Crisis, who makes her world shift, who accepts her for who she is.

This is such a stunning, powerful and emotional read. It's a dark and beautiful read about the strength of human spirit, about the strength of Catherine, and of how we use memory to shape our future and define our past. It's a story about childhood and family, and of dark secrets that cannot remain buried for ever.

As I read the final page, I knew that Catherine Maria Hope would stay with me for a long time. She will be forever in the moon. Such a beautiful story.

Maria in the Moon is published by Orenda Books on 30 September. You can find it on Amazon here.

With thanks to the publisher who sent me a paperback copy for review purposes.