#Blogtour Murder in the Highlands by Debbie Young

It’s a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Murder in the Highlands by Debbie Young. 

About the Author

Debbie Young is the much-loved author of the Sophie Sayers and St Brides cosy crime mysteries. She lives in a Cotswold village where she runs the local literary festival, and has worked at Westonbirt School, both of which provide inspiration for her writing. 

She is bringing both her series to Boldwood in a 13-book contract. They will be publishing several new titles in each series and republishing the backlist, starting in September 2022. Follow @DebbieYoungBN on Twitter

About the book

Sophie and Hector are heading to the Highlands. – For Sophie it’s a trip home and for Hector it’s time to meet Sophie’s parents… Though their trip has village tongues wagging about a stop at Scotland’s notorious elopement spot, Gretna Green.

No matter what, it’ll make a nice break from the murder and mayhem that has been plaguing their beautiful Cotswolds village. But Sophie and Hector are barely on the road before they’re being hassled by reckless drivers and at their first rest stop a body is discovered.

Then comes a series of ‘accidents’ that leave poor Hector a little worse for wear. Is someone after Hector? Who could even know he was in the Highlands? Accidents or not, can they find some way to keep Hector safe?

Review

Sophie and Hector are off on a holiday to the Highlands. The intention is for Hector to get to know Sophie’s parents, although the people around them are convinced the two of them are planning to take their relationship to a new level.

Quite inadvertently the two of them become involved in a crime when a body is found on their travels. A coincidence? Is the death connected the strange series of events connected to Hector, who appears to have become an easy target for road raging bullies and what odd incidents that are making their ‘meet the parents’ trip a little uncomfortable.

It’s a cosy read, a light-hearted mystery with a strong set of relatable characters. The setting of the town/village Sophie and Hector live in is both a driver, and the hive of interpersonal relationships that give the series both a personal touch and its charming moments.

It will be fun to see Sophie and Hector continue with their very particular style of sleuthing, the accidentally falling straight into a mystery kind of read. And of course reading about how their helpful villagers, friends and family further influence their relationship.

Buy Murder in the Highlands at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Boldwood Books.

#BlogBlitz For Richer, For Deader by Helen Golden

 Today it’s a pleasure to take part in the Blog Blitz For Richer, For Deader by Helen Golden.

About the Author

Hello. I’m Helen Golden. I write British contemporary cozy whodunnits with a hint of humour. I live in small village in Lincolnshire in the UK with my husband, my step-daughter, her two cats, our two dogs, sometimes my step-son, and our tortoise.

I used to work in senior management, but after my recent job came to a natural end I had the opportunity to follow my dreams and start writing. It’s very early in my life as an author, but so far I’m loving it.

It’s crazy busy at our house, so when I’m writing I retreat to our caravan (an impulsive lockdown purchase) which is mostly parked on our drive. When I really need total peace and quiet, I take it to a lovely site about 15 minutes away and hide there until my family runs out of food or clean clothes. 

Follow Helen on Insta: @helengolden_author Facebook: helengoldenauthor and TikTok: @helengoldenauthor 

About the book

Is the Wedding Between Sir Hewitt Willoughby-Franklin’s Step-daughter and Billionaire’s Son Off?

Rumours are that the recent death of Kelley Lindsell (29), the personal chef of tycoon Rudy (68) and Sheri Trotman (65) at Sir Hewitt’s Fawstead Manor country estate in Fenshire, has spooked Sybil Bransgrove (36) so badly she’s considering cancelling her nuptials. 

Meanwhile the bride and her mother, Lady Grace (61), are being supported by family friend Lady Beatrice (36), the Countess of Rossex, who, alongside her business partner Perry Juke, is currently managing the project to refurbish the Manor House and Lodge on the estate. 

Not again! Now that Lady Grace has asked Lady Beatrice to liaise with the police during the investigation into Kelley’s death, she’ll have to cooperate with boorish Detective Chief Inspector Richard Fitzwilliam whether she likes it or not. Her only relief will be solving the murder with the help of her friends Perry and Simon and her dog Daisy to get rid of him faster.  But with so many wedding party guests staying on-site, any one of them could be the killer. Can they find out who it is before Sybil calls off the wedding…

Review

This is the second book in the Right Royal Investigation series – a cosy mystery. If you like your mysteries and crime with a bit of humour, a bit of a love-hate possible romance, and strong memorable characters, then this will be right up your alley.

Lady Beatrice and Richard Fitzwilliam have crossed paths before – in fact Fitzwilliam is starting to worry that Beatrice is a magnet for trouble and dead bodies. No matter where she goes mystery and mayhem ensues. The two of them have a relationship based on a flicker of attraction and a mutual desire to find the culprit, although one could argue that Fitzwilliam doesn’t really have a choice in the matter.

What begins as subtle, and yet violent threats, finally escalates into something much more dangerous. The threats that are dismissed as a mere distraction to the upcoming events become a lethal reality.

Comfortable reads don’t really get the attention they deserve, regardless of the genre. Enjoying a trail of clues and a bevy of quirky characters is a great way to spend the time. Imagine Midsomer meets Lynley and add a flair of Tommy and Tuppence on top of that. Wonder what they will get up to next and whether Beatrice will once again stumble upon another mystery or worse.

Buy For Richer, For Deader: A Right Royal Cozy Investigation at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: ‎Drew Bradley Press, pub date November 16, 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#SocialMediaBlast Death Awaits in Durham by Helen Cox

It’s a pleasure to take part in the Social Media Blast for the fourth book in the Kitt Hartley series, Death Awaits in Durham by Helen Cox.

About the Author

Helen Cox is a Yorkshire-born novelist and poet. After completing her MA in creative writing at the University of York St. John. Helen wrote for a range of magazines and websites as well as for TV and radio news. Helen has edited her own independent film magazine and penned three non-fiction books. her first two novels were published by HarperCollins in2016. She currently hosts The Poetrygram podcast and works for City Lit. She lives in Sunderland.

Follow @Helenography on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit helencoxbooks.com, Buy Death Awaits in Durham

About the book

When librarian and budding private investigator Kitt Hartley visits her ex-assistant Grace Edwards in Durham, she soon learns of an unsolved murder.

A year ago Jodie Perkins, a Mechanics student, disappeared after her student-radio broadcast was cut short with a deafening scream. the police suspect Jodie was murdered although her body was never found.

Keen to be on the front line of one of Kitt’s investigations, Grace convinces Kitt to use her recent private investigator training to solve the mystery. Can Kitt and Grace uncover the truth?

Review

This is the fourth book in the Kitt Hartley series, however all books can be read as standalone novels. The characters do evolve as the series progresses, especially in this book, which is why I would definitely recommend reading the other books.

This time Kitt is roped into the mysterious disappearance of a young woman, then again perhaps roped isn’t the right word. She really needs to be convinced to use her powers of observation and deduction. Not even the mysterious tape of the young girl screaming with fear is enough to get her on board entirely. 

The solution was a wee bit of a rabbit drawn out of a top hat with feathers and a unicorn, perhaps too much packed into the last quarter instead of delivered equally bit by bit. Kitt and Grace seem to be at opposite sides of the sleuthing spectrum, or no spectrum at all, at the very beginning. The ending however implies that their paths are heading in a similar direction again.

Cox delivers an entertaining cosy mystery with great scenery, and if you happen to know the area, a very realistic vibe goes with the quirky and often obstinate characters. I would enjoy seeing a visual representation of the sleuths and seeing them solve mysteries in such great surroundings.

Buy Death Awaits in Durham at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Quercus Books, pub date 18 February 2021 – Paperback Original £8.99. Buy at Amazon com. Hive. Bookshop org. Waterstones.

#PublicationDayPush The Cornish Secret of Summer’s Promise by Laura Briggs

It’s the Publication  Day Push for The Cornish Secret of Summer’s Promise by Laura Briggs. It’s the fourth book in A Little Hotel in Cornwall series.

Enter the Giveaway below  – 3 Winners to win a ‘surprise’ three-dimensional pop-up card & receive a digital copy of Book One, A Little Hotel in Cornwall. (Open INT)

About the Author

Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller ‘A Wedding in Cornwall’. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.

Follow @PaperDollWrites on Twitter, on Facebook, on Goodreads, Visit paperdollwrites.blogspot.com, Buy The Cornish Secret of Summer’s Promise

About the book

As spring slips away from the hotel Penmarrow, excitement builds for an exclusive auction hosted at the hotel, featuring priceless possessions from a Hollywood actress turned lady of the manor, including her famous diamonds. Celebrities and collectors form a crowd that is keeping Maisie and the rest of staff busy, even as Maisie faces a crossroads for her manuscript.

But when the diamonds are stolen and Sidney is accused by the authorities, Maisie’s dilemma as a writer is pushed aside out of fear that his future in Port Hewer is in jeopardy. Desperation to prove that someone else is behind the theft will lead Maisie to uncover a very different secret outside of jewel thieves and village rumors … one that could change her life and her future forever.

Can Maisie deal with the latest secrets exposed — including those that paint Sidney’s past in a questionable light? And as summer’s dawn alters her idyllic life in Cornwall, will Maisie’s feelings for Sidney change as well?

Review

Although this is the fourth book in the A Little Hotel in Cornwall series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone book. I would recommend reading the others just for the joy of it. It will be easier to understand the eccentricity of some of the characters and the endearing nature of others.

The most relevant and ongoing relationship is that of Maisie and Sydney. The couple destined to be friends, and want to be more, but somehow people, things and the police keep getting in the way.

It has a sweet charm to it, especially the mystery part of the story. You still get the romantic moments between the couple doomed to be kept apart by circumstance and suspicion. It’s a nicely balanced read that ventures out in different directions, which also means it widens any potential audience.

It’s the Thomas Crown Affair done Cornwall style, with plenty of misdirection and mystery. However it also includes the big finger of blame being pointed directly at Sydney. Maisie believes in his innocence and is determined to find the real culprit, whilst others are all too eager to believe he is a master jewel thief.

It’s a contemporary read, a story about romance, fulfilling your dreams and it’s also a mystery. Briggs is stepping up the ideas as the series continues to grow. The characters have greater depth and the storylines are broadening out. I wonder where book fifth will take us?

Buy The Cornish Secret of Summer’s Promise at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of A Wedding in Cornwall by Laura Briggs.

Enter the Giveaway  – 3 Winners to win a ‘surprise’ three-dimensional pop-up card & receive a digital copy of Book One, A Little Hotel in Cornwall. (Open INT)

Each winner will receive a ‘surprise’ three-dimensional pop-up card handcrafted by an Etsy artist and bearing a clue about the next book in Laura Briggs’ Cornish romance series. The winners will also receive a digital copy of Book One, A Little Hotel in Cornwall.

Click here to Enter the  Rafflecopter giveaway

*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.*

#BlogTour Every Dog Has His Day by Chloe Grace

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour Every Dog has his Day by Chloe Grace. It’s a cosy mystery with a four-legged, furry canine detective in the starring role.

Get your free copy of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, the prequel to Every Dog has his Day.

About the Author

Chloe Grace is the cozy mystery pen name for romantic mystery author, Karen Botha. While she doesn’t understand animals quite as well as Bella in the Albertus Eagle Detective Beagle cozy mysteries, she does chat along to her rescue dog, Shadow, pretty much all day. And she’s sure that he chats back.

Chloe lives with Shadow and her hubby in a small outpost of London city—funnily enough it’s a little like where Bella and Albie live. As a family they like to go on walks in the local woods and throw a tennis ball until their respective arms ache, which is usually before Shadow shows any hint of exhaustion.

While her first romance novels were inspired by true life events, the Albertus Eagle series are complete imagination – although her conversations with Shadow can’t be ignored.

Follow @karenbothanovel on Twitter, Follow Chloe Grace on Facebook, Follow Karen Botha on Instagram, on Goodreads, on BookBub, on Facebook,  Visit karenbotha.com and the Chloe Grace mysteries

Buy Every Dog Has His Day

About the book

They say every dog has his day. Well, today I’ve certainly had mine.

Hey, I’m Albertus Eagle and it turns out I’m an unwitting pet detective. I haven’t always been such a successful legal beagle, but when I’m confronted with a case that is so personal I can’t ignore it, I discover I have a passion for finding those who don’t want to be found. Cleo the cat. Well, she came along for the ride too.

So, sure I’ve had my day today, but not in the sense of being past my prime. To the contrary, the fun is just starting. And I am buzzing with a new purpose, mixed with a tiny amount of vindictive elation.

Why? Because, I’ve not only found myself a new home after the untimely demise of my previous owner, but I’ve also made amends with the cat. It turns out she’s not that bad, really.

On top of that though, and this is what really sends shivers racing all the way down my spine to my paws, is that we’ve fingered a killer.

How?  Because you human’s, you underestimate us animals. And while you go about your business ignoring our very existence, the cat and I are listening and taking notes.

This is the first full length novel in the Albertus Eagle detective beagle series of animal cozy mysteries, starring Albertus Eagle, and his two sidekicks, Cleo the cat and Bella Schuhmann, the smart human who actually understands him. In this wonderful full length book packed with humour and satire, we see the world of murder and intrigue set up through the eyes of a loyal dog turned amateur sleuth.

Review

Move over Columbo, here comes Albertus Eagle the famous canine detective. A beagle who is ready to save the day and take down criminals one murderer at a time. He is supported by his feline sidekick Cloe, and his human Bella.

Albie and Cloe have gone from riches to rags, because their owner was murdered. Luckily they are both adopted by Bella, who is just as determined to find the person who took their owner from them.

What’s interesting is that Albertus, Albie for short, clicks with and understands Bella quite well and vice versa, and Bella can communicate with Cloe too. Not sure where she has acquired these skills, perhaps there is an app for it.

They are listening, taking notes (*wonders how are they taking notes*), and solving crimes for the humans, because clearly they are incapable of doing so by themselves. In fact they, the humans, are seemingly unaware that dogs and cats rule the world.

Abie’s commentary is hilarious at times, especially when he is throwing shade at everyone including other breeds. ‘We all know Ridgebacks are a flighty bunch’ – burn.

This is the perfect story for readers who love animals and a cosy mystery. It’s entertaining, sweet and highly amusing at times.

It’s a cosy mystery with a four-legged, furry canine detective in the starring role. The kind of read that is just right if you need a bit of relaxation, a few giggles and come away from it with a smile on your face. The author definitely delivers when it comes to that.

It’s not meant to be a complex thriller. It is exactly what it says on the box.

Buy Every Dog Has His Day on Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Who’s That Girl by T.S. Hunter

Today it’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour for the second book in the Soho Noir series, Who’s That Girl by T.S. Hunter. It has the feel of a modern crime with a classic mystery vibe.

About the Author

Claiming to be only half-Welsh, T.S. Hunter lived in South Wales for much of his latter teens, moving to London as soon as confidence and finances allowed. He never looked back.

He has variously been a teacher, a cocktail waiter, a podium dancer and a removal man, but his passion for writing has been the only constant.

He’s a confident and engaging speaker and guest, who is as passionate about writing and storytelling as he is about promoting mainstream LGBT fiction.

He now lives with his husband in the country, and is active on social media as @TSHunter5

Follow @TSHunter5 @RedDogTweets on Twitter, on Goodreads,

Buy Who’s That Girl

About the book

A femme fatale with a point to prove.

It’s the summer of 1985 in London’s Soho, and Joe Stone is settling into his new life living in the heart of London’s developing gay scene.

When Danny Devraux—the compere they’ve hired to host their charity ball, The Frock Show—is found dead backstage, it falls to Joe and his friend and flatmate, Russell, to figure out what happened.

All they have to go on is a broken stiletto found near the scene, and the briefest glimpse of a mystery woman fleeing the club. But who was she? And why did she kill the most loved man in cabaret?

Past secrets, bent coppers, drag queens and old lovers all play their part in this noirish murder mystery.

Review

This is the second book in the Soho Noir series, which are short cosy mystery reads. It’s a LGBT series set in the 80s, as you may be able to tell by the titles.

Once again Joe and Russell find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery. The duo was thrown together, albeit reluctantly, in the first book. The two of them discovered that they had more in common than they thought. Both of them are still learning to navigate the world as gay men, which in the 1980s included being in the midst of the height of the HiV and Aids pandemic.

Aids has caused the deaths of 35 million people worldwide since the 1980s. Unfortunately it was dubbed the ‘gay plague’ which lead to further discrimination of homosexuals, especially men.

In this story a compere, Danny Devraux, is murdered backstage at a charity event. Joe and Russell investigate the murder to make sure an innocent man doesn’t go down for the crime. They find plenty of shocking secrets that put Danny in a completely different light.

I like the whole concept of a fast pocket crime read with an 80s flair and set in the LGBT community. It has the feel of a modern crime with a classic mystery vibe. Hunter gives the reader an idea of how difficult must have been at that time for people of a specific sexual orientation. Even the police were foe rather than friend.

This story is more structured and less excitable than the first, which I personally found a lot more persuasive. It had a more easygoing feel to it, whereas the first was a whirlwind of an introduction to the series.

Side note: I am absolutely loving the book covers for the Soho series.

Buy Who’s That Girl at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Red Dog Press: pub date; 4 Jun. 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of Tainted Love (Soho Noir #1) by T. S. Hunter

#BlogTour Rough and Deadly by Paula Williams

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour Rough and Deadly by Paula Williams. It’s a cosy mystery with a lot of snark and a cast of delightfully eccentric and colourful characters.

About the Author

Paula Williams is living her dream. She’s written all her life – her earliest efforts involved blackmailing her unfortunate younger brothers into appearing in her plays and pageants. But it’s only in recent years that she discovered to her surprise that people with better judgement than her brothers actually liked what she wrote and were prepared to pay her for it.

Now, she writes every day in a lovely, book-lined study in her home in Somerset, where she lives with her husband and a handsome but not always obedient rescue Dalmatian called Duke. She started out writing fiction for women’s magazines (and still does) but has recently branched out into longer fiction. She also writes a monthly column, Ideas Store, for the writers’ magazines, Writers’ Forum.

But, as with the best of dreams, she worries that one day she’s going to wake up and find she still has to bully her brothers into reading ‘the play what she wrote’.

Follow @paulawilliams44 on Twitter, on Facebook, on Goodreads, Visit paulawilliamswriter.co.uk  and paulawilliamswriter.wordpress.com

Buy Rough and Deadly

About the book

Everyone knows Abe Compton’s Headbender cider is as rough as a cider can get. But is it deadly?

When self-styled ‘lady of the manor’, Margot Duckett-Trimble, announces she wouldn’t be seen dead drinking the stuff, who could have foreseen that, only a few days later, she’d be found, face down, in a vat of it?

Kat Latcham’s no stranger to murder. Indeed, the once ‘sleepy’ Somerset village of Much Winchmoor is fast gaining a reputation as the murder capital of the West Country and is ‘as sleepy as a kid on Christmas Eve’ when it’s discovered there’s a murderer running loose in the community again.

Kat has known Abe all her life, and she is sure that, although he had motive, he didn’t kill Margot. But as she investigates, the murderer strikes again. And the closer Kat gets to finding out who the real killer is, the closer to danger she becomes.

This second Much Winchmoor mystery is once again spiked with humour and sprinkled with romance – plus a cast of colourful characters, including a manic little dog called Prescott whose bite is definitely worse than his bark.

Review

This is the second book in the Much Winchmoor mystery series. Think Midsomer Murders or Agatha Raisin. I haven’t read the first, but didn’t feel as if I needed to, this can absolutely be read as a standalone novel.

Kat Latcham has got herself a reputation for snooping around and solving crimes, so it’s no surprise when she puts herself right in the middle of the suspicious death of a local woman. There are plenty of suspects floating around because the victim was the worst kind of snob. Her death isn’t a surprise, but the main suspect certainly is. Kat wants to prove his innocence and it’s the perfect opportunity to convince the local rag she writes for to give her a permanent position.

She can’t afford to be picky seeing as she is a grown woman who has had to move back in with her parents. Back in her old room with no money, a lot of debt and no real job per se. To make it worse her only form of transport is the bike she used as a teenager. It’s fair to say she has no street cred in her village.

This is definitely the type of read you want to grab when you need a break from the more tense, violent and graphic crime reads. The combination of humour, crime and a wee bit of romance creates a rather amusing and pleasant read.

It’s a cosy mystery with a lot of snark and a cast of delightfully eccentric and colourful characters. For me the real indicator of a good read, as it will be for other readers, is whether I would go out and buy more books by the author. In this case I definitely would, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Williams to readers of this genre.

Buy Rough and Deadly at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Crooked Cat Books; pub date 30 April 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Death at the Dakota by M.K. Graff

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour Death at the Dakota by M.K. Graff. It’s a cosy murder mystery with an old-fashioned charm to it.

About the Author

Marni Graff writes The Nora Tierney English Mysteries, featuring an American writer living in England with a nose for murder, and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries, based on Graff’s real work as a medical consultant for a movie studio. She is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press, a member of Sisters in Crime, the NC Writers Network, and The International Association of Crime Writers, and writes crime book reviews at Auntie M Writes, www.auntiemwrites.com.

Follow @GraffMarni onTwitter, on Facebook, on Instagram,

Buy Death at the Dakota

About the book

Nurse Trudy Genova is making plans to take her relationship to NYPD detective Ned O’Malley to the next level, when she lands a gig as medical consultant on a film shoot at the famed Dakota apartment building in Manhattan, which John Lennon once called home. Then star Monica Kiley goes missing, a cast member turns up dead, and it appears Trudy might be next. Meanwhile Ned tackles a mysterious murder case in which the victim is burned beyond recognition. When his investigations lead him back to the Dakota, Trudy finds herself wondering: how can she fall in love if she can’t even survive?

Readers of Death Unscripted, the first book in the Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery series, will find the same pleasures in this sequel: fast pacing, engaging characters, twists and turns on the way to a satisfying close. From the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney English Mysteries, this second series is a winner. Once again M.K. Graff reveals her talents in crafting this delightful mix of amateur sleuth and police procedural.

Review

This is the second book in the Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery series, however it absolutely can be read as a standalone novel.

This crime solving duo doesn’t exactly always work hand-in-hand all the time, but they do compliment the actions and thoughts of the other. It reminded me of Inspector Alleyn and Agatha Troy. Trudy and Ned have the same kind of charm, with the responsible police detective and the more spontaneous woman, who tends to wander straight into the arms of trouble.

Trudy Genova, who is a nurse on the set of a film, is tasked with taking care of the young female lead. When Monica disappears under a cloud of mystery Trudy feels obligated to help find her.

Simultaneously her love interest, Ned, is trying to establish the identity of a murder victim, who has been burnt beyond recognition. The only clue to his identity leads the police to the upper echelon of New York Society.

Everything is connected via the Dakota building and the more affluent members of New York Society. The two-class structure is also an important factor in both the plot and the relationship of Trudy and Ned. The layered structure that allows for a small number of people in society to experience life in a bubble of privilege, as opposed to the rest us – of the common man or woman.

I liked the way Graff incorporated the history of the Dakota building into the story, and the odd gossipy tidbit. I can only imagine the highbrow discussions that have been had about celebrities that have wanted to live there. It was made a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

It’s a cosy murder mystery with an old-fashioned charm to it. The author weaves the two storylines and the characters seamlessly into one to create an enjoyable story. I actually think it is more than cosy, because the author goes beyond just the simple structure of the sub-genre.

Buy Death at the Dakota at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.Published in paperback by Bridle Path Press on 1st April 2019. Buy at Amazon com. BookDepository. Google.

#BlogTour A Clean Canvas by Elizabeth Mundy

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour A Clean Canvas by Elizabeth Mundy. It’s a cosy crime mystery with a main character who has to navigate life as an immigrant.

About the Author

Elizabeth Mundy’s grandmother was a Hungarian immigrant to America who raised five children on a chicken farm in Indiana. An English Literature graduate from Edinburgh University, Elizabeth is a marketing director for an investment firm and lives in London with her messy husband and two young children. A Clean Canvas is the second book in the Lena Szarka mystery series about a Hungarian cleaner who turns detective.

Follow @ElizabethEMundy on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit elizabethmundy.com

Buy A Clean Canvas

About the book

Crime always leaves a stain…

Lena Szarka, a Hungarian cleaner, dusts off her detective skills when a masterpiece is stolen from a gallery she cleans with her cousin Sarika. When Sarika goes missing too, accusations start to fly.

Convinced her cousin is innocent, Lena sweeps her way through the secrets of the London art scene. But with the evidence against Sarika mounting and the police on her trail, Lena needs to track down the missing painting if she is to clear her cousin.

Embroiling herself in the sketchy world of thwarted talents, unpaid debts and elegant fraudsters, Lena finds that there’s more to this gallery than meets the eye.

Review

This is the second book in the Lena Szarka series and can be read as a standalone novel. There are a few references made to the first book, but nothing that disturbs the flow of this read.

Lena isn’t exactly your standard sleuth, in fact she sort of accidentally falls into the role of detective again to clear the name of Sarika. It is also of utmost importance to ensure the survival of her cleaning company. She doesn’t need a bad reputation, especially not the kind of reputation that comes with the disappearance of an expensive piece of art.

It’s a cosy crime mystery with a main character who has to navigate life as an immigrant. A stranger in a country where she is judged for her origins and accent. Given the side-eye when employers misplace valuable items and in general is an undervalued individual. At the same time Lena isn’t someone to be underestimated. She is nothing less than fierce when she is fighting for someone she cares about.

I thought the theft plot was a little on the weak side and not on par with the attention Mundy pays to the characters. Each one of them is far more developed than the whole painting goes missing scenario, then again that’s maybe because I do like a good dead body and was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick story. It’s a pleasant uncomplicated read with a feisty main character.

Buy A Clean Canvas (Lena Szarka Mystery #2) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Constable; pub date 3 Jan. 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Little Brown.

Buy the 2-book Lena Szarka Mystery series.

Enter the Giveaway to Win a Winsor & Newton pocket sized Watercolour set and a signed copy of A Clean Canvas. (UK Only)

Enter the Giveaway below:

Click here to Enter Rafflecopter giveaway *Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above.  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.*

#BlogTour The Family Secret by Terry Lynn Thomas

Today it’s a pleasure to take part the BlogTour The Family Secret and to welcome Terry Lynn Thomas back to the blog again with her second book in the Cat Carlisle series. It’s a cosy mystery series that sometimes veers into the spy genre.

About the Author

Terry Lynn Thomas grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, which explains her love of foggy beaches, windy dunes, and Gothic mysteries. When her husband promised to buy Terry a horse and the time to write if she moved to Mississippi with him, she jumped at the chance. Although she had written several novels and screenplays prior to 2006, after she relocated to the South she set out to write in earnest and has never looked back.

Now Terry Lynn writes the Sarah Bennett Mysteries, set on the California coast during the 1940s, which feature a misunderstood medium in love with a spy. Neptune’s Daughter is a recipient of the IndieBRAG Medallion.

She also writes the Cat Carlisle Mysteries, set in Britain during World War II. The first book in this series, The Silent Woman, was released in April 2018. When she’s not writing, you can find Terry Lynn riding her horse, walking in the woods with her dogs, or visiting old cemeteries in search of story ideas.

Follow @TLThomasBooks @HQDigitalUK, Or follow Terry Lynn Thomas on Facebook,Visit terrylynnthomas.com

Buy The Family Secret

About the book

England, 1940

After a sudden unexplained disappearance, Thomas Charles comes back into Cat Carlisle’s life with the suggestion she leave London – and the threat of bombs – to move to back her childhood village in Cumberland.

Back in her hometown Cat discovers her childhood friend, Beth Hargreaves, is suspected of murder. As Cat tries to prove Beth’s innocence, she discovers a scheme of deception that affects the whole village. Can she uncover the family truths behind the murder and expose the enemy hiding in plain sight?

Review

This is the second book in the Cat Carlisle series. It can be read as a stand-alone novel, but I would suggest reading the first, if only to get to know more about the main character of the books, and what makes her tick.

I felt as if there was less focus on Cat this time, which is what made The Silent Woman such a strong read. The taking hold of her life and becoming the woman she is supposed to be, despite all of the obstacles in her way. I felt that element of Cat was missing in this story.

The cosy mystery element of the series played more of a significant role this time, perhaps to the detriment of any possible secret squirrel activities ordered by Sir Reginald and delivered by Thomas.

When the narrative switches from Thomas to Phillip I had to go back and check I was still reading the same book, because the secondary characters play just as strong a part in this story I wasn’t sure if it was still the same one.

The impending war, the fear and the changes due to the impact of this threat play a secondary role. It plays along silently in the background, as lives go on in semi-normality. People still commit crimes, fall in love, betray each other and try to carry on as if life as they know it isn’t changing forever as they go about their business.

On a side note in regards to Phillip – does a leopard change his spots? Extra strong bleach perhaps?

It’s a cosy mystery series that sometimes veers into the spy genre with plenty of memorable characters. It has a comfortable feeling to it, a pleasant read with a family secrets, snide characters and people determined to find the truth.

Buy The Family Secret at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ Digital pub date 1 Mar. 2019.

Read my review of The Silent Woman (Cat Carlisle #1)