City of Thieves by Cora KenbornMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
View all my reviews
Thursday 30 December 2021
Sunday 5 December 2021
Monday 29 November 2021
Monday 15 November 2021
Poetic Justice - blog tour
BLOG TOUR
Five twisted tales of murder and revenge.
Time doesn’t heal; it’s an incubator for old wounds.
Lucy’s return – No one remembers Lucy at the school reunion, but she remembers them. Especially one boy who made her life hell, and now she’s going to do the same to him.
The Tallyman – Donna is in debt, and the loan shark is making her life unbearable, with increasingly vile demands when she can’t make her payments. But her elderly neighbour, Elsie, has the perfect solution to get rid of the tallyman once and for all.
Last Orders – Jeff Tully’s wife has left him. Trying to run his pub single-handedly, he increasingly turns to his barmaid, Alyson, for help. But when Alyson tells him of her own troubles, they hatch a plan to get rid of Alyson’s violent, abusive husband. But will Jeff live to regret he ever got involved with his barmaid?
Ballad of the Unsung Hero – Retired shopkeeper Jennifer Price is at her wits end. Her husband Kenneth thinks more of his fishing than he does of her. But when she meets the man of her dreams at a spiritual church, Jennifer is hell-bent on getting her man – whatever it takes.
Private Museum – Retired nurse Mandy Rostron never thought she’d find love again after her husband died, but in Anthony Mallard she’s found the perfect gentleman. Or so she thinks. Mallard has some very dark secrets in his basement, or his Private Museum as he calls it, and Mandy is about to discover the truth about the man of her dreams.
My review
I have read previous books by this author and thoroughly enjoyed them so I couldn’t resist reading this. I absolutely love that this is five different stories.
Due to some life changes and my health this came at the perfect time as I was able to dip in and out to read each of the books.
When I heard that there were poem involves I was wary but I had faith in the author and he exceeded my expectations. Each poem and short story is brilliant in their own way.
Twisted Tilbury has done it again- I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.
Thursday 11 November 2021
Saturday 30 October 2021
Sunday 17 October 2021
Monday 27 September 2021
Gloria - blog tour
Blog tour
Gloria
For all intents and purposes, Gloria Harrison has the perfect life: a rich husband, a beautiful home, and all the free time she needs to work on her art. And yet, she is deeply unhappy. Initially resigned to be pushed around by her snobbish, manipulative husband, Greg, she discovers a shocking truth about him she simply cannot ignore, and has to get out.
As Gloria’s world unravels around her, she has to team up with friends new and old to escape not only her husband’s clutches, but also the country, even if that means giving up everything. Gloria must rediscover who she used to be and realise her true worth to finally free herself from Greg’s stranglehold forever, or risk losing the person she holds most dear in the world – her daughter.
Purchase Links
https://mybook.to/GloriaAmazon
https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/gloria-73
https://books.apple.com/gb/book/gloria/id1574984606
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gloria-robert-shaw/1108724822?ean=9781838378608
MY REVIEW
I read this in one sitting. I found it to be a well written and gripping read.
Looking in it seems as if Greg and Gloria has the perfect marriage. When she finds out his secret she needs to escape and will do what she can to succeed.
This was a great thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Some bits were a bit far fetched for me but then again that’s why I read fiction. Would definitely read more from this author in the future.
Author Bio –
Katherine Shaw is a multi-genre writer and self-confessed nerd from Yorkshire in the United Kingdom, spending most of her time dreaming up new characters or playing D&D. She has a passion for telling the stories of underdogs who must rise up to defeat the hardships they have been dealt in life, often with a focus on female protagonists. She is currently working on her debut novel Gloria, a contemporary domestic thriller launching in September this year, alongside several short story projects that are in the works. You can find out more at her website
(www.katherineshawwrites.com), and she is always happy to chat on Twitter (@katheroony).
Social Media Links –
https://twitter.com/katheroony
https://instagram.com/katherineshawwrites
https://www.facebook.com/katherineshawwrites
Giveaway to Win a Signed Paperback of Gloria and m
Giveaway to Win a Signed Paperback of Gloria and more (Open to UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494440/?
Sunday 26 September 2021
The Accused - blog tour
BLOG TOUR
The Accused
When Private Investigator Charlie Cameron agrees to take on a cold case, he is drawn back into Glasgow’s dark underworld…
Glasgow PI Charlie Cameron knew Kim Rafferty was bad news the moment they met. Desperate people always spelled trouble in his experience, and Mrs Rafferty was as desperate as they come.
What she was asking for was insane. If he agreed to help the wife of the notorious East-End gangster, the consequences for them both could be fatal.
Twenty-four hours later, another betrayed woman with a hopeless case is pleading for Charlie's help.
The PI is her only chance to keep an innocent man from serving a second prison sentence for murders he didn't commit.
Dennis Boyd is on the run, and as Charlie fights against the clock to keep him out of jail, he crosses a line that puts him on the wrong side of the law and pits him against his old friend and ally, DS Andrew Geddes.
As the body count grows, and the defence for his client falls apart bit by bit, Charlie refuses to accept the inevitable. But everyone has their limits – even the infamous Charlie Cameron. Will he be forced to admit that this case may be the one to beat him…
MY REVIEW
The Accused is another excellent read by this author.
PI Charlie Cameron is back again with maybe his most challenging case. A man on the run declares his innocence and needs help from Charlie. Kim Rafferty needs to get away from her husband and asks Charlie for help. This story sees Charlie at his best working two cases.
A well written page turner that I highly recommend.
Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/2SxiAVD
Author Bio – Owen Mullen is a highly regarded crime author who splits his time between Scotland and the island of Crete. In his earlier life he lived in London and worked as a musician and session singer.
Social Media Links
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OwenMullenBooks
Twitter https://twitter.com/owenmullen6
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/owenmullen6/
Newsletter Sign Up Link https://bit.ly/OwenMullenNewsletter
Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/owen-mullen
All Men Love Leah - blog tour
BLOG TOUR
All Men Love Leah
A gripping, powerful emotional page turner with a heart-breaking twist.
All Enzo wants is a reason to believe it’s all worthwhile. Stuck in a world that doesn’t fulfil him, he meanders through his days feeling empty, lost, and left out of the real world that is moving by without him. He is cynical but gifted, and when he meets the beautiful and enigmatic Leah she turns
his universe upside down.
Leah and Enzo are exact opposites, but she is drawn to his darkness just as he is drawn to her light.
She is a woman who lives by her own expression and challenges his dismal character down to its
most frightening corners, awakening in him something he didn’t know he had the capacity to experience.
But everything is not what it seems. There is a secret that threatens the happiness that Leah represents in Enzo’s life. She is the one who embraces his flaws and uncovers his bravery by teaching him to love, and for the first time in his life he feels like a real man, but in the end, will Enzo survive Leah’s heartbreaking truth?
Purchase Link - http://mybook.to/allmenloveleah
MY REVIEW
This is the authors first book that has been translated into English. This is totally different from what I was expecting from looking at the cover.
Enzo and Leah two complete opposites, polar opposites, dark and light. Meeting Leah changes Enzos life completely. She is what has been missing in his life but a secret she has could ruin everything.
A well told story that I really enjoyed,
Author Bio –
Ksenija Nikolova is a Macedonian fiction author and she has been writing since she was little. Her books abound with emotions, where characters’ internal lives and battles are deeply described. She
uses her voice in her books, to raise mental health awareness and to diminish discrimination and narrow thinking.
She is the author of six books, and “All men love Leah” is her first book translated and published in English language. She says she wrote this book in her darkest moments, but also it was this book that
brought such light to her life.
Social Media Links –
AUTHOR:
Facebook: Ksenija Nikolova
Instagram: @ksenijanikolova
Twitter: @Ksenijawrites
PUBLISHER:
Facebook: Kingsley Publishers
Instagram: @kingsleypublishers
Twitter: @Kingsleypublis1
Friday 24 September 2021
Heavy Duty People - blog tour
BLOG TOUR
Heavy Duty People
“…a fantastic anti-hero…positively Shakespearian in his moral complexity...If I could only recommend
one book this year, it would be Heavy Duty People” – Vulpes Libris
Damage’s club has had an offer it can’t refuse, to patch over to join The Brethren MC.
But as the bikes rumble and roar across the wild Northern fells, what does this mean for Damage and his brothers? What choices will they have to make as they ride through the wind? What bloody oil stained history might it reawaken? And why are The Brethren making this offer?
Loyalty to his club and his brothers has been Damage’s life and route to wealth, but what happens when business becomes serious and brother starts killing brother?
From being in a gang to becoming a gangster, Heavy Duty People is the book that invented Biker Noir.
Get Carter meets Sons of Anarchy in this gritty British crime thriller, now in development for TV.
Purchase Links
Amazon = http://mybook.to/HeavyDutyPeople
Etsy – signed trilogy = https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1021164428/the-brethren-mc-the-heavy-duty-trilogy
MY REVIEW
This is my first but definitely not my last read by this author. A well written crime thriller in the Mc world.
Set in the uk this is Damages story. He will do whatever it takes to protect his brothers and his club.
Great read with plenty of twists and turns. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
Author Bio –
Iain Parke imports industrial quantities of Class A drugs, kills people and lies (a lot) for a living, being a British based crime fiction writer.
Iain became obsessed with motorcycles at an early age, taking a six hundred mile cross-country tour to Cornwall as soon as he bought a moped at the tender age of sixteen. After working at a London dispatch job delivering parcels on a motorcycle, he built his first chopper in his bedroom at university, undeterred by the fact that the workshop was upstairs. Iain worked in insolvency and business restructuring in the UK and Africa, where he wrote his first thriller The Liquidator. The success of that propelled him to write a ‘biker lit’ trilogy about the Brethren Motorcycle Club, a ‘cult’ hit which has recently been optioned for television. Today Iain lives off the grid, high up on the North Pennines in Northumberland with his wife, dogs, and a garage full of motorcycle restoration projects.
Social Media Links –
Website http://bad-press.co.uk/
Goodreads page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4400967.Iain_Parke
Amazon.co.uk page http://www.amazon.co.uk/Iain-Parke/e/B005BLA8T6/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/iain.parke
Twitter https://twitter.com/IainParke
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/iainparke/
Linkedin https://uk.linkedin.com/in/iainparke
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheBrethrenMcTrilogy
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/iainparkebadpress
Giveaway to Win Signed Heavy Duty trilogy bundle + sweatshirt (Open INT)
1st Prize
1 x signed copy of the Heavy Duty Trilogy
1 x Heavy Duty bookmark
1 x DILLIGAF hoodie
9 x Runners up prize.
Heavy Duty bookmark
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494439/?
The Ghostlights - blog tour
BLOG TOUR
The Ghostlights by Gráinne Murphy (published 1st September)
The Ghostlights is the second novel by Irish author Gráinne Murphy, who was longlisted for the Sunday Times Audible Short Story of the Year Award. The book has already been listed as an Irish Times Best Books of 2021. Costa First Novel Award shortlisted author Joanna Glen has called the book ‘A subtle, penetrating delight of a novel'.
The Ghostlights asks the question: Can anyone really choose to be forgotten?
An elderly gentleman checks into a B&B in a small village in rural Ireland where he knows nobody. Four days later, his body is found in the lake. The identity of their unknown guest raises questions for one family in particular, twin sisters Liv and Marianne, and their mother, Ethel, each of whom is searching for her own place ine the world.
MY REVIEW
This is my first read by this author and I thought it was a great read.
An elderly man books into a B&B in a small village in Ireland. Four days later his body is found in a lake. The man booked in with no ID and paid cash. Not only do we wonder who this man is but we read of the lives of the women running the B&B.
This is a well written story, thought provoking and definitely worth a read.
Tuesday 21 September 2021
The Babysitter - blog tour
BLOG TOUR
The Babysitter
It’s every mother’s worst nightmare…All NEW from Gemma Rogers
Ali and Christopher Tolfrey's one year old daughter Eden is abducted whilst in the care of Ali’s best-friend.
Snatched in broad daylight from Bushy Park on a trip to the swings, Eden disappears without a trace.Brooke Simmons, regains consciousness, dazed from a blow to the head, to find Eden, her best friends’ child is missing.
Someone has taken Eden and Brooke knows who.
But it's a secret she can't share with Ali or the Police without revealing the web of deceit she's spun.
Can Brooke get Eden home before her lies come back to haunt her? Or is the net closing in on her?
Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3dojACz
MY REVIEW
The Babysitter is another brilliant read by this author. As soon as this hit my kindle I couldn’t wait to jump in and let me tell you I wasn’t disappointed.
Brooke is babysitting one year old Eden, her best friends daughter when the baby goes missing. Brooke knows who took Eden but she’s reluctant to tell the police or her friend.
I read this pretty quickly as I needed to know what was gonna happen. Great read and I’m already looking forward to reading more from this author.
Author Bio – Gemma Rogers was inspired to write gritty thrillers by a traumatic event in her own life nearly twenty years ago. Her debut novel Stalker was published in September 2019 and marked the beginning of a new writing career. Gemma lives in West Sussex with her husband, two daughters and bulldog, Buster.
Social Media Links
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gemma.rogersauthor.35
Twitter https://twitter.com/GemmaRogers79
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gemmarogersauthor/
Newsletter Sign Up Link http://bit.ly/GemmaRogersNewsletter
Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gemma-rogers
The Fall - blog tour
BLOG TOUR
The Fall
Victim or villain?
She’s out of prison…
Lauren Miller has served six years behind bars for a crime she did not commit. Now, with her life in tatters, she is determined to bring those who framed her to justice.
Out for revenge…
Journalist Nate Black is intrigued by Lauren’s story. Is she the innocent victim she claims to be or is there more to her past? Eager to learn more he offers to help Lauren clear her name and bring the real villains to justice.
And running out of time.
But with millions of pounds still missing, Lauren remains the prime suspect…and the main target in an increasingly deadly game. And as Lauren’s plan with Nate reaches its shocking climax, no one knows who will ultimately take the fall…
A nail-biting revenge thriller, perfect for fans of Gemma Rogers, Heather Atkinson and Caro Savage.
Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3xzyj5V
MY REVIEW
Never heard of this author but wow what a great read and I’ll definitely be looking for previous stories. This is a well written story about Lauren Miller. She is just out of prison for a crime she didn’t commit and she’s determined to get revenge. Definitely a page Turner as I found myself staying up until the wee hours as I needed to know what was going to happen next.
Can’t wait to read more from this author.
Author Bio – Evie Hunter has written a great many successful regency romances as Wendy Soliman and is now redirecting her talents to produce dark gritty thrillers for Boldwood. For the past twenty years she has lived the life of a nomad, roaming the world on interesting forms of transport, but has now settled back in the UK. Her first female revenge thriller The Fall will be published in September 2021.
Social Media Links
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wendy.soliman.author
Twitter https://twitter.com/Wendyswriter
Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/wendy-soliman
Tuesday 14 September 2021
Friday 10 September 2021
Rat Island - blog tour
BLOG TOUR
Rat Island
'A REAL CONTENDER FOR CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR' David Peace
'FANS OF DON WINSLOW WILL LOVE THIS' Claire McGowan
New York, 1995. Cop Callum Burke arrives in New York from Hong Kong, drafted in as part of an international investigation into organised crime.
With the handover of Hong Kong to China only a couple of years away, gangsters are moving their operations out of the territory and into New York ahead of the looming deadline.
Burke’s experiences with East Asian crime and the Triads’ links to the Irish Mob make him the perfect man to send in undercover.
But as he infiltrates these vast and lethal criminal networks, bodies start to pile up in his wake and his conscience threatens to send him over the edge.
And when Burke’s NYPD handlers push him to continue the investigation at all costs, he may have to cross the line from cop to criminal just to stay alive…
Readers of Don Winslow, Michael Connelly, Steve Cavanagh, Richard Price and John Sandford will love this dark and morally complex novel which presents a searing portrait of mid-1990s New York as you’ve never seen it before.
PRAISE FOR RAT ISLAND AND JOHN STEELE:
'A nonstop thrill ride... a lyrical, super read filled with plenty of intrigue, action and suspense and sent against an exotic and seldom explored corner of crime fiction' Gerald Posner
'RAT ISLAND speeds and thrashes with the dangerous energy of the Manhattan streets which are so vividly recalled' Gary Donnelly
'John Steele writes with grit, pace and authenticity' Claire McGowan
Purchase Links
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B096W8W32T
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096W8W32T
MY REVIEW
This is my first and certainly not my last read by this author.
I loved that we get two different settings in New York and Hong Kong. It’s the nineteen nineties and Callum Burke is investigating organised crime.
I found this to be a gripping read with plenty of twists and turns. If your looking for a well written cop story then I definitely recommend this read.
Author Bio –
John Steele was born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 1995, at the age of twenty-two he travelled to the United States and has since lived and worked on three continents, including a thirteen-year spell in Japan. Among past jobs he has been a drummer in a rock band, an illustrator, a truck driver and a teacher of English. He now lives in England with his wife and daughter. He began writing short stories, selling them to North American magazines and fiction digests. He has published
three previous novels: RAVENHILL, SEVEN SKINS and DRY RIVER, the first of which was longlisted for a CWA Debut Dagger award. John’s books have been described as ‘Remarkable’ by the Sunday Times, ‘Dark and thrilling’ by Claire McGowan, and ‘Spectacular’ by Tony Parsons. The Irish Independent called John ‘a writer of huge promise’ and Gary Donnelly appointed him ‘the undisputed champion of the modern metropolitan thriller’.
Social Media Links –
Twitter: @JohnSte_author
Lethal Ties - blog tour
BLOG TOUR
Lethal Ties
A haunting vision. A spine-chilling nightmare. A missing boy.
When Joe, Maisie and Sam met in a residential children’s home, they pledged to look out for each other; three friends who were inseparable until the night Sam went missing…
Twenty years later, Maisie suffers flashbacks, unable to understand what lies at the root of her recurring nightmares. Shocked to find Joe, homeless on Bognor seafront, she helps him turn his life around, but it doesn’t seem long before their past comes back to haunt them.
What really went on at Orchard Grange all those years ago?
Where did Sam go?
Only he can provide the answers but they need to find him.
Within weeks of Maisie and Joe being reunited, however, an eerie presence disrupts their world. A mysterious black car is tailing them; a campaign of online abuse makes Joe wonder if his enemies are still around. He has never forgotten Mr Mortimer from the children’s home, until a shocking attempt on his life launches a police investigation.
Lethal Ties is a tense psychological thriller, an untangling of secrets with an utterly chilling twist.
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08WR3CXBS
US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WR3CXBS
MY REVIEW
What a great introduction for me to this author with this superb read. As soon as I finished this I looked to see what previous books this author read as I need more.
Maisie, Joe and Sam met in a children’s home. They were best friends and then Sam disappeared. Twenty years later we hear from Maisie. The past now seems to be catching up on her.
This will be one of my favourite reads this year. Not an easy read for everyone but I was glued from start to finish. The twists and turns were brilliant. A well written read that I highly recommend.
Author Bio –
I’ve had a passion for writing since childhood and wrote my first full length novel in 2011. This grew into a five-book mystery thriller series (Same Face Different Place). I love networking with other authors and the highlight of my writing journey was in 2015 when I was selected as a winner in a short story competition “Write Across Sussex,” judged by Kate Mosse and Peter Lovesey. I love where we live and with a passion for walking and photography, found the inspiration to base my novel in West Sussex.
I am active on social media and have written various articles about my characters on my blog. The underlying premise of ‘Lethal Ties’ is to raise awareness of mental health problems and promote a better understanding of conditions such as Asperger’s.
‘Lethal Ties’ is my first standalone psychological thriller and set in my local town, Bognor Regis.
Social Media Links –
Blog https://samefacedifferentplace.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.helenchristmas
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SFDPBeginnings
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenchristmas7/
Website: http://www.samefacedifferentplace.com/
Giveaway to Win a signed paperback of Lethal Ties (Open to UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will
delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494436/?
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