Competition – ‘Death of a Painter’ by Matthew Ross ~ @RedDogTweets @mattwross

Hi Everyone.  I hope you are all well and are staying safe during these strange and worrying times.

I have something very special for you today.  The publisher, Red Dog Press, are giving away a hardback copy of ‘Death of a Painter’ by Matthew Ross, the first book in the Mark Poynter series.  The link is towards the bottom of the page.

To give you a taster of ‘Death of a Painter’ here is the book blurb followed by an extract.

 

Book Blurb

IN THE BUILDING GAME TIME IS MONEY AND MONEY IS EVERYTHING. UNFORTUNATELY FOR MARK POYNTER, HE’S RUN OUT OF MONEY AND HE’S FAST RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

When Mark Poynter discovers a murder on his worksite all of his financial problems suddenly seem a lot closer to home: was this a warning his debts are overdue?

Suspected of being the killer and worried at being the intended victim, the murder only makes Mark’s money problems worse, leading him to turn to the local villain, Hamlet, who has his own unique repayment plan in mind for Mark.

When two more deaths plunge him even further into debt, Mark finds himself faced with a choice – help the police and clear his name or help the villain and clear his debt.

Set in the Medway Towns on the grey margins of criminality, where no job’s too big, no dodge’s too small …

Death Of A Painter is the first in a new series of darkly comic crime fiction novels featuring the beleaguered builder Mark Poynter, aided and hindered in equal measure by his trusted crew of slackers, idlers and gossips, and the lengths they go to just to earn a living.

 

Extract

-1-

SOME SAY BEING in the building trade isn’t a job, they say it’s a way of life. What they never tell you about is the problems – every day of every week of every year – nothing but problems.

Everyone you work with wants money off you, everyone you work for wants to keep money from you, and everyone – and I mean everyone – wants it done by yesterday. It’s problem after problem after bloody problem.

And right now, I seem to have more than anyone. I’ve got a hysterical woman screaming down the house, a dead man on her kitchen floor, and I’ve got absolutely no idea what’s going on. All I do know… there’s no way now this job’s going to be finished by Friday.

 

MRS WILKES SQUEEZED my hand and sobbed. I looked at the mess that was once Tommy and couldn’t help wondering – had he been having a bit of a dabble with Mrs Wilkes? It wouldn’t be the first time he’d entertained the client, and it would explain the overly dramatic wailing that quite frankly was starting to give me the hump.

I figured he probably had been. He definitely had a magic touch with married stay-at-home mums harbouring secret fantasies for no-strings with a rascal – and he was that alright, all smiles and laughs and a little bit of teasing to make them blush – it was as though he’d walked straight out of a crappy 70s sex comedy, only now it wasn’t so funny – Carry On Dying.

There is a Mr Wilkes. We’d greet him every morning as he headed off in his smart suit and sense of self-importance. It was no wonder the wife treated herself to a bit of fun with a cheeky painter when she was married to such a miserable belligerent arse. He does something in the City and thinks he’s very busy and important; maybe he is, I don’t care. Mrs Wilkes was alright, but he’d been a nuisance since the job began, in fact since before the job began – he’d insisted on having a proper contract between us.

So far, he’d tried and failed to knock our money for genuine variations, and tried (and failed) to refuse us an extension of time after his wife’s changes of mind added a fortnight to the job. His contract wasn’t really working in his favour and it only seemed to add to his general state of ill-temper. However, we’d run out of smart excuses. We had to finish by Friday, and Mr Wilkes was exactly the sort who’d want his penalty payments out of principle. I could picture him willing us to fail just so he can feel like he’s won something. But I don’t know where the contract stands on when the work’s delayed by the site becoming a crime scene – is that force majeure? It was certainly a force of something, looking at the damage done to poor Tommy.

This wasn’t a fall or an accident on site, this was violence, this was brutal. Just below his ear, his head yawned open wide, smashed white bones and grey jelly. His face had been rinsed red by the steady flow of blood, now pooled and tacky like spilled paint on the granite tiles beneath him.

He was the best decorator I’ve ever worked with; morally questionable, but he’d do a lovely job, which is why, as soon as I saw his brushes on the side, I knew something was up. They hadn’t been washed out, he’d still been working, must have been interrupted and put them down for a moment. If he’d intended leaving them for a while, he’d have wrapped them in clingfilm to keep the bristles soft. That’s what he always did. I knew his brushes would stiffen and become brittle, like the bloody wound in the side of his head that was turning black around the edges. Thankfully I was pulled out of these dark thoughts by a voice beside me.

‘I said, what are we going to do?’ asked Mrs Wilkes.

‘Police… I suppose,’ was my rather feeble response.

No doubt Mr Wilkes and his swaggering pomposity would have thrived in such a moment, issuing commandments left right and centre, but my immediate reaction – and it probably doesn’t show me in any great light to admit it – was Thank God she found him first, as I could just imagine how the police’s questions would go if she hadn’t, although it didn’t seem to matter because, twenty minutes later:

‘He worked for you for how long, roughly, would you say?’ the uniformed copper asked me. He looked so familiar, I’m sure I’d seen him before, maybe from one of the Sunday league teams that drink at the Golden Lamb post-match; he looked the football sort – tall, slim, bit of a swagger. ‘And were there any disagreements? Disputes about money?’

There it is, that’s the one I’d been waiting for – the sub-contractor’s dead, must’ve been an argument over payment, must’ve been me; brilliant, well done Medway’s finest for jumping to the bleeding obvious!

A man entered the room, a small man with a face like a fox – all dark eyes, pointy nose and teeth, with white hair. He was very smartly dressed and obviously took a great deal of pride in his appearance judging by his shiny shoes and even shinier cufflinks. The uniform stopped his somewhat insulting questions, looked at the dapper little fellow, gave a respectful nod and moved away.

Mr Cufflinks approached me, reaching into the inside pocket of his tailored suit jacket. ‘I have been appointed investigating officer here,’ he informed me in a monotone voice, pulling out a warrant card and holding it six inches from my face. I tried to read his name, unusual, never seen it before but I decided to give it my best shot.

‘Inspector Senior, I’m—’

‘Sen Ya’ he interrupted ‘Senia, it’s pronounced Senia, Detective Chief Inspector Senia. It’s Italian.’ His patronising tone was already beginning to annoy me.

‘So, you’re Italian?’ I still don’t know why I asked that, ease the tension I suppose.

‘Do I fucking look Italian?’

Well, that threw me, no-one’s ever asked me that before; what does an Italian look like? I could only think of Pavarotti and he didn’t look anything like him. I must have pondered for too long as he barked his next question at me.

‘You’re the one that called it in? Mark Poynter?’

I confirmed I was both of those, and then started explaining that Tommy worked for me and the job we were doing. He didn’t seem to understand.

‘But you’re an electrician?’

‘Yes.’

‘And the deceased was a painter?’

‘Yes.’

‘So why does an electrician need a painter?’

‘Err, to paint.’

‘I know a painter does the bloody painting, don’t get smart with me. Why is an electrician employing a painter?’

‘Because I’ve been fitting the new kitchen here, and I had him decorating.’

‘Fitting a kitchen? Isn’t that a carpenter’s job?’

‘Yes, but the carpenter’s finished, the plumber’s finished, the plasterer’s finished so now it’s just the decorator to finish.’

‘But you’re an electrician!’

I thought carefully about my next words, he was starting to wind me up, but the last thing I wanted was to annoy the Law when they were looking for someone to blame a murder on.

‘Yes, I’m an electrician. Most of my work is electrical. But on occasion people have asked me to take on bigger projects because they know I know all the right trades and it’s easier having me manage the thing start to finish.’

‘Like a main contractor?’

‘Yes, like a main contractor.’

‘Well, why didn’t you say that to begin with instead of farting about saying you’re an electrician?’

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I didn’t.

‘So, you two were friends, good friends?’

I felt a bit guilty – to Tommy not to this foxy-faced fuckwit – to find myself denying we’d been friends for, must be, fifteen years now. Instead I gabbled around the edges staying nondescript, I told him we’d done a lot of work together – he’d get jobs and recommend me, I’d get jobs and recommend him – and that’s how things tend to go in this industry.

‘Can you think of anyone that’d want to harm him, or bore a grudge?’ asked Senia.

I immediately thought of Tommy’s tendency to dabble, and wondered whether Mr Wilkes had found out he’d been dipping more than his brushes whilst he was at work. But I didn’t say anything, firstly because Mr Wilkes may have been a petulant nobhead but I knew he was nothing more than bluster and bullshit, also it didn’t make sense to accuse him of murder when he still owed me a month’s money. I’ve got the bill for his granite worktops due this week, they’re the price of a new car alone, the last thing I wanted was to risk him knocking my payment, so I told Senia no.

Senia stared patiently at me, for ages, unblinking, like a crocodile. ‘Did he work for you as a direct employee?’

I explained, again, he was a sub-contractor; this was beginning to feel like hard work.

‘Well why in that case,’ the frustration in his voice matching mine, ‘are you both wearing the same shirt?’

He was right. We were both wearing a purple sweatshirt with my silver ‘MP Electrical’ logo. I tried explaining the concept of corporate branding: ‘my job, my firm, my rules’, meaning Tommy would wear my shirt when on my project.

‘So, if you can’t think of anyone that may have wanted to harm him,’ said Senia, ‘what about you? Your job, your firm – your shirt. Could it be mistaken identity and it was, in fact, you they were after? Has anyone threatened you, anyone bear a grudge against you?’

‘No,’ I lied, but by the way those dark eyes stared back I don’t think he believed me.

 

About Matthew Ross

Matthew Ross was born and raised in the Medway Towns, England. He still lives in Kent with his Kiwi wife, his children and a very old cat.

He was immersed in the building industry from a very early age helping out on his father’s sites during school holidays before launching into his own career at 17. He’s worked on projects ranging from the smallest domestic repair to £billion+ infrastructure, and probably everything in between.

A lifelong comedy nerd, he ticked off a bucket-list ambition and tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Whilst being an experience probably best forgotten (for both him and audiences alike) it ignited a love for writing, leading to various commissions including for material broadcast on BBC Radio 4 comedy shows.

Matthew moved into the longer format of novel writing after graduating from the Faber Academy in London in 2017.

‘Death Of A Painter’ is his first novel and the first in a planned series of stories featuring Mark Poynter and his associates.

Matthew enjoys reading all manner of books – especially crime and mystery; 80s music; and travelling and can’t wait for the next trip to New Zealand to spend time with family and friends.

 

Links

Publisher

Website – https://www.reddogpress.co.uk/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/RedDogTweets

Author

Website – https://mattwross.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/mattwross

 

Competition

So, as mentioned earlier, Red Dog Press are giving away a hardback copy of ‘Death of a Painter’.  This competition is open worldwide from now until 4:00 p.m. on the 10th May 2020.  The winner will be chosen by the publisher.  Click on the link below to enter:-

Rafflecopter Giveaway.

 

 

If you are not the lucky winner but like the sound of the book, you can buy it from:-

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Painter-Mark-Poynter-Matthew/dp/1913331431/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=death+of+a+painter&qid=1588345687&sr=8-1

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Death-Painter-Mark-Poynter-Book-ebook/dp/B086P6Q8ZH/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=death+of+a+painter&qid=1588347186&sr=8-1

 

There is also a blog tour taking place which you might want to check out.

 

My 8th Blog Anniversary

Today I am celebrating my 8th Blog Anniversary.  Another blogging year gone already.  Unbelievable!

Eight years on and I am still enjoying blogging, still learning and still discovering new authors.  What can be better than that!  I really can’t believe how far my hobby has taken me and I look forward to reading many more books in the coming year.

I would like to thank everyone for all their support and interest in my blog.  It means a lot to me and I couldn’t do this without you all.  The blogging community really are amazing.

 

Competition

I couldn’t celebrate my blog anniversary without a competition now could I!  Here’s what you could win.

1st Prize – A book or books up to the value of £20.00 from Amazon.

2nd Prize – A book or books up to the value of £15.00 from Amazon.

3rd Prize – A book or books up to the value of £10.00 from Amazon.

4th Prize – A diary for next year.

5th Prize – A mystery prize.

To enter my competition just leave a comment.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only (due to postage costs).

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 13th November 2019.

The winners will be notified within 7 days of the closing date.

 

Good luck! 🙂

My 7th Blog Anniversary

Seven whole years!  Gosh, where has the past year gone!!  It’s a bit like setting an alarm and feeling as if it’s gone off five minutes later when actually several hours have passed by.

Through good times and bad I have come to realise that blogging is definitely still for me and that books will always be one of my main passions.  No one and nothing will ever take that away from me.  This year has been truly wonderful for discovering new authors.  I reckon the list of books I want to read has tripled.  But that’s good, right?  All good.  I think I am at last becoming a bit more organised, or at least attempting to be.  I do wish that I could do a lot more blog posts, but life does get busy.  It really does take up a lot of time reading a book and writing a review.  But it’s one hundred per cent worth it.

My aim is to continue working on making my blog bigger and better and next year I am hoping to do some publisher/author blog events as well.  Who knows where my love of books could lead to.  To the moon maybe?  Perhaps not, but surely there’s no harm in trying.

 

Competition

To say thank you to all you lovely people who take the time to read and share my posts and who introduce me to great books, I am running a competition.  To enter just leave a comment.

1st Prize – Up to £25.00 worth of books from Amazon.

2nd Prize – Up to £15.00 worth of books from Amazon.

2 x runners up prizes – A mystery prize up to the value of £10.00 each.  It could be anything including stationery.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only (due to postage costs).

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 11th November 2018.

The winners will be notified within 7 days of the closing date.

 

Good luck! 🙂

The Guernsey Novels Blog Tour

I am thrilled to be helping to kick off this blog tour, along with TripFiction, Chat About Books and Breaks.com.  I would like to thank The Globeflower Agency for inviting me to take part.  I have read and reviewed a couple of Anne Allen’s previous books and her latest one really was fabulous.

You are all in for a treat because not only do I have a guest post from Anne Allen herself, but there is also a fantastic competition being run throughout this tour.

 

Guest Post

Anne’s Idyllic Childhood Holidays Inspired Her Love of The Sea

Anne Allen was born and raised in landlocked Rugby. However, she recollects the magical summer holidays she spent with her Welsh grandparents in Rhosneigr, Anglesey.

“Thanks to the wonderful summer holidays I spent in Rhosneigr, I have developed a life-long passion for the sea,” Anne says.

“The sea is definitely in my blood and has shaped my life.”

Anne’s grandparents ran the main village shop in Rhosneigr, back then it was called Empire Stores. They sold grocery produce, fresh fish and shellfish, including lobster.

Whilst visiting her grandparents, Anne and her sister slept in a little attic room which they accessed via a step ladder. Their room had a window looking over the road and down to the beach.

“As we spent the majority of our year, in landlocked Rugby. Our summer holidays in Rhosneigr were magical and we had adventures like the characters out of Enid Blyton books.

“We would spend most of our days on the beautiful beach with our buckets and spades digging up the masses of golden sand.”

Anne’s father taught her how to fish for perch in the local lake, Llyn Maelog, on the edge of the village.

“We went in the early evening but we rarely caught anything. However, I enjoyed spending quality time with my father.”

Anne’s happy childhood memories of being beside the seaside in Anglesey, led her to spend a lifetime of trying to get close to the sea and eventually inspired her writing career. She continued living in landlocked Rugby until tragedy struck and changed her life forever.

“Whilst in my mid-thirties, my husband died and I was left to raise three young children on my own.

“During my grieving period, I craved to be beside the sea again.

“We initially moved to Devon. However, I then visited Guernsey and it’s golden sands reminded me of my childhood holidays in Rhosneigr.

“Craving a fresh start, I sold my house and moved to Guernsey!”

She initially tried to buy a small guest-house in St Peter Port to use as a residential health centre. However, the deal fell through shortly after they arrived on the island with her car laden with all their belongings.

“I was devastated, but looking back I can see it was just as well, for at the time interest rates were sky high and financially it would have been difficult.”

Initially, life on the island was not plain sailing, as a non-local she had to live ‘Open Market’ which was both restrictive and expensive. Anne set up her own psychotherapy practice on the island and began to build up a number of regular and loyal clients. With their support, she was eventually able to get a housing licence. Anne and her children created many happy memories on the island.

“One friend had a boat and we would go out for fun trips with our children, mooring up in one of the lovely south coast bays. The boys would jump into the sea and splash around while us girls lay decorously on deck to top up our tans.”

Anne never envisaged leaving Guernsey, however, life threw her some curve balls, and she eventually moved back to Devon. She had always craved creativity, yet, never found the time due to being a busy working mum of three children. When they flew the nest, she eagerly put pen to paper and drafted her first novel, Dangerous Waters. A few months later, she was encouraged to enter a true-life writing competition in Prima magazine and was surprised when she won. This helped to boost her confidence and encouraged her to publish her first novel.

The novel was awarded Silver (Adult Fiction) in TheWishingShelfAwards 2012. Since then she has published five more books in The Guernsey Novels series.

 

About Anne Allen

Anne Allen lives in Devon, by her beloved sea. She has three children and her daughter and two grandchildren live nearby. She was born in Rugby, to an English mother and Welsh father. As a result she spent many summers with her Welsh grandparents in Anglesey and learnt to love the sea.

Her restless spirit has meant a number of moves which included Spain for a couple of years. The longest stay was in Guernsey for nearly fourteen years after falling in love with the island and the people. She contrived to leave one son behind to ensure a valid reason for frequent returns.

By profession Anne was a psychotherapist but has long had creative ‘itches’, learning to mosaic, paint furniture, interior design and sculpt. At the back of her mind the itch to write was always present but seemed too time-consuming for a single mum with a need to earn a living. Now retired from the ‘day job’, there’s more time to write and Anne has now published six books in The Guernsey Novels series. She will be publishing her seventh novel later in the year.

To find out more about Anne visit her website: you can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Competition

 

Win a two-night break

courtesy of The Guernsey Novels by Anne Allen

Would you like to visit gorgeous Guernsey? Well, here is your chance to win a two-night trip to this beautiful island, courtesy of Anne Allen, author of the riveting book series, The Guernsey Novels.

The Guernsey Novels

Anne Allen’s fascinating book series, The Guernsey Novels, comprises six standalone novels. All the stories in her novel series, take place predominantly on the island of Guernsey and are linked by characters popping up from one book to another.

They provide an ongoing story of a ‘village’ spread, so far, over 6 years. Each book is standalone with fresh new lead characters with their own links to the German Occupation during World War 2, having an impact on the present.

The Guernsey Novels are a mix of mystery, family drama, and love story and influenced by the author’s love of the island where she spent many happy years. Guernsey itself is always a main character in the books, offering a gorgeous backdrop to all the sorrows, joys and tragedies she describes.

The Guernsey Novels are available from all leading bookstores:

Book #1 Dangerous Waters

Book #2 Finding Mother

Book #3 Guernsey Retreat

Book #4 The Family Divided

Book #5 Echoes of Time

Book #6 The Betrayal

 

Enter the prize draw to win a two-night break at Hotel Ziggurat in Guernsey

Enter The Guernsey Novels Prize Draw https://js.gleam.io/e.js

Read more details about the prize draw, including the Terms and Conditions on Anne Allen’s Website

 

Blog Tour Organised by The Globeflower Agency Ltd

 

My 6th Blog Anniversary

It’s that time of year again, my sixth blogging anniversary.  Honestly I don’t know where the time goes!

The past twelve months have been quite eventful blogging wise.  I have read even more wonderful books and discovered some fantastic authors along the way, I have found myself taking part in lots more blog tours and I have realised that my TBR pile will probably never go down, even after all this time.  I have also been invited to a number of book launches and events and have met loads more fellow book bloggers and authors.

I did find blogging really getting on top of me at one point earlier this year, but I’m fine now and have lots coming up.  It’s just a case of learning to balance things out.  Positivity helps too.

 

Competition

I would like to thank all you lovely bloggers, authors and publishers for your continuous support.  To show my appreciation and to celebrate my sixth blog anniversary I am running a competition.  To enter just leave a comment.

1st Prize – Up to £20.00 worth of books from Amazon.

2nd Prize – Up to £10.00 worth of books from Amazon.

3rd Prize – A mystery prize from https://www.theliterarygiftcompany.com/

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only (due to postage costs).

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 6th November 2017.

The winners will be notified within 7 days of the closing date.

 

Good luck! 🙂

 

Blog Tour – ‘Deadly Alibi’ by Leigh Russell

The wonderful Leigh Russell is back.  ‘Deadly Alibi’, the ninth book in the DI Geraldine Steel series was published in paperback by No Exit Press yesterday the 25th May 2017.  I am delighted to be participating in this blog tour and have I got a treat for you.  First though, here’s what the book is about.

 

Book Blurb

A hand gripped her upper arm so suddenly it made her yelp. Biting her lower lip, she spun round, lashing out in terror. As she yanked her arm out of his grasp, her elbow hit the side of his chest. Struggling to cling on to her, he lost his footing. She staggered back and reached out, leaning one hand on the cold wall of the tunnel. Before she had recovered her balance he fell, arms flailing, eyes glaring wildly as he disappeared over the edge of the platform onto the rails below. . .

Two victims and a suspect whose alibi appears open to doubt: Geraldine Steel is plunged into a double murder investigation which jeopardises not only her career, but her life.

When her previously unknown twin Helena turns up, her problems threaten to make Geraldine’s life turn toxic in more ways than one.

 

Competition

Hopefully the blurb has left you dying to read more.  If so, you’re in luck as I am running a competition in which you can win 1 of 3 x paperback copies of ‘Deadly Alibi’.

To enter just leave a comment telling me why you want to read this book.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 4th June 2017.

The winners will be notified within 7 days of the closing date.  Their details will be passed on to No Exit Press who will send out the prizes.

 

About Leigh Russell

Leigh Russell is a CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award nominee, a CWA Dagger in the Library longlisted author and People’s Book Prize finalist. She is the author of the internationally bestselling Geraldine Steel series: Cut Short, Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead, Fatal Act, Killer Plan, and Murder Ring. Cold Sacrifice was the first in a spin off series featuring Ian Peterson and followed by Race to Death and Blood Axe. Leigh studied at the University of Kent gaining an MA in English and American literature.

 

‘Deadly Alibi’ is available to buy from Amazon UK:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deadly-Alibi-gripping-thriller-Geraldine-ebook/dp/B01M5AMWY3/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495739398&sr=1-1&keywords=deadly+alibi

 

Guest Post by Pamela Holmes

‘The Huntingfield Paintress’ is being published on the 2nd May 2016 by Urbane Publications.  The author, Pamela Holmes has written a guest post which I am very happy to be able to share on my blog.  There is also a chance to win copies of her book at the end.

~~~~~

Don’t Ask Them

I probably did many things wrong when raising our two boys. But one mistake I did not make was to ask: ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’  I winced when a friend or relative, seeking to find something to say to awkward teens, posed that most dreaded of questions.  Why my dislike? Because I know there is no answer. What we want to be and to do changes as we go along, and that is to be applauded. For our lives and our wishes and even our skills change as we age. I have always feared that a child or teenager, keen to provide a polite answer to a polite question, may settle with equanimity, even relief, on an automatic reply, putting in place an assumption about what they ‘will be’ or ‘will do’ that he or she never re-visits.  How many lawyers and bankers and dentists have wandered into those professions because their mother or father did that job? Or worse, felt pushed to follow in the family business or job, having never asked themselves what they wanted?

Behind the question is an assumption that there is only one answer. But these days more of us are living longer, healthier lives so why should we settle to one profession or job or work type? Due to finances, health, caring responsibilities, even boredom – the prompts are myriad – many of us will change what we do and do so happily. I have worked as a farmhand, nurse, journalist, TV presenter, campaigner and dementia trainer. I am now embarking on a career as a novelist. My first book, The Huntingfield Paintress, comes out in May when I will be 61 years old. It is based on a true story, a Suffolk Victorian vicar’s wife who created a medieval ceiling, a fresco of angels and saints, in her parish church over a six year period starting just before she turned 50. As Mildred Holland worked from 1859 onwards, she would have been considered bonkers to risk life and limb painting up a ladder at this age.

Of course many people start writing in later life, and thank goodness for it. Diana Athill, Penelope Fitzgerald and Frank McCourt are examples of three people who, after employment or child-rearing or teaching, embarked on highly successful careers. Martin Amis may have argued that writers lose their edge once they reach old age (although I do not understand how he can deny that Tolstoy, Goethe, Yeats wrote with virtuosity as they aged) but he cannot challenge the fact that increasing numbers of people begin successful writing careers in later life.

Writing is not the only imaginative endeavour which marinates with experience and understanding. Many of us in the UK are engaged in creative activities but I wonder how many would have predicted in earlier years that this would be the case? So don’t ask the young what they want to be when they grow up. It assumes that we human beings stop developing and changing and growing as we go along.  I don’t want to do that. Do you?

 

Links

‘The Huntingfield Paintress’ is available as an eBook from Urbane Publications and the paperback can be pre-ordered – http://urbanepublications.com/books/the-huntingfield-paintress/

Can be pre-ordered from Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Huntingfield-Paintress-Pamela-Holmes/dp/1910692662/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461510776&sr=1-1&keywords=the+huntingfield+paintress

Author’s Website – http://www.pamela-holmes.com

 

Competition

Matthew Smith of Urbane Publications is very kindly giving away three copies of ‘The Huntingfield Paintress’.  To enter just leave a comment telling me why you want to read this book.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open worldwide.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 9th May 2016.

The winners will be notified of their win within 7 days of the closing date and their details passed on to Matthew Smith who will arrange to have the prizes sent out.

 

Good luck! 🙂

Blog Tour – ‘You And Me, Always’ by Jill Mansell

‘You And Me, Always’ is Jill Mansell’s brand new book.  It was published on the 28^th January 2016 by Headline Review in hardback.  Today it is my turn on this blog tour and I have a few treats in store for you.  Firstly, my review.

This story is set in Stanton Langley, a beautiful village in Cornwall.  On the morning of Lily’s twenty-fifth birthday, she opens the very last letter written to her by her mother who sadly died when she was just eight years old.  Reading the letter, Lily leans more about her mum’s first and only true love and this gets her thinking.

Later on in the day Lily rather unexpectedly meets Eddie Tessler, a film star who is fleeing fame and who might have the ability to change her world in unimaginable ways.  However, Dan who has been her friend since childhood has his own reasons for not wanting Lily to get too carried away by Eddie’s attentions.

Before long, secrets begin to emerge and Lily’s friends and family become involved.  Nothing will ever be the same again in Stanton Langley.  Bu is this for the good or bad?  That’s for you to find out.

I really liked the cover for ‘You And Me, Always’.  It’s just so beautiful.  Right from the very first page I knew I was going to love this book.  The first chapter was just great and I loved that there was some humour from the start.  It certainly made me smile.

The author writes in such a way that you find yourself almost instantly getting drawn into the characters’ lives and feel as if you have known them forever.  I love it when a book does that.  The majority of the characters were really likeable, my favourites being Lily, Coral, Dan and Declan.  It must have been so hard for Lily losing her mum at such a young age.  Luckily she had plenty of people looking out for her.  Lily was a really lovely person who deserved happiness.

‘You And Me, Always’ is an absolutely delightful read which you won’t want to put down.

Jill Mansell certainly knows how to tell a great story.  I was very impressed and will be waiting eagerly for her next novel.  In the meantime though I suppose I could read some of her previous books.

I give this book 5 out of 5.

~~~~

Enjoyed reading my review?  Well to now whet your appetites that little bit more I have an exclusive extract from ‘You And Me, Always’.

Extract

Gosh, keeping secrets was hard. Lily kept finding herself glancing across the table at Patsy, and Patsy was doing the same to her.

Because Patsy knew about Eddie Tessler, and she knew about Eddie Tessler, and she knew that Patsy knew she knew …

In the meantime, Coral was blissfully unaware and rattling on about something else entirely.

Plus, of course, they had a birthday to celebrate.

Coming to this restaurant in the Montpellier area of Cheltenham was another tradition that had begun the year her mother had died. Having been brought to Maria’s months earlier and been enthralled by both the atmosphere and the fettuccine Alfredo, she’d asked to come here again for her birthday. And Maria, the owner, had made a wonderful fuss of her, bringing out the bowl of fettuccine with coloured candles stuck into it and persuading everyone in the restaurant, staff and customers alike, to sing ‘Happy Birthday’. Maria, a mother of seven herself, had succeeded in making what could have been a difficult evening a triumph instead. It might not be the most upmarket and glamorous place to eat, but it was without question the most welcoming. Nine-year-old Lily had hugged Maria and declared, ‘I’m always, always going to come here for my birthday.’

And they had done, every year since. Always the four of them when Nick had been alive, now they were down to three, but the welcome was just as warm, and Maria, like a proud and adoring grandma, still insisted on sticking candles into her food.

This evening they’d had another brilliant time, the food had been delicious and wine had been drunk.

Which wasn’t helping at all.

‘Who is it?’ said Coral when Patsy’s phone signalled the arrival of a message.

Patsy, who had glanced at the screen, gone a bit wide-eyed and hurriedly put the phone down, said, ‘Sorry? No one!’ Then her gaze had flickered in Lily’s direction and she’d taken another glug of wine.

~~~~~

Competition

Two very lucky people have the chance to win a hardback copy of ‘You And Me, Always’.  To enter all you have to do is leave a comment telling me about a previous book or books you have read by Jill Mansell.  If you haven’t read any of her previous novels then just tell me why you want to read this book.

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 14th February 2016.

The winners will be picked at random and notified of their win within 7 days of the closing date.  Their details will be passed on to Elizabeth Masters at Headline who will send out your prizes.

Guest Post by Ruth Dugdall

Today is a very special day for Ruth Dugdall.  Her book, ‘Nowhere Girl’ is out.

Here is a guest post from Ruth with a competition at the end.

~~~~~

It is the one night in the year when spirits walk, when those that once lived on earth can once again move among the living. And stories seep through the air like mist, dark tales to make the skin shiver. Gather round, and listen…

My story is not of ghosts, but the frailty of humans. The evil, or madness, or badness, that thrives in the most ordinary hearts, in the most normal-looking family. Surely, the scariest story of all.

There is a girl. A Nowhere Girl, whose parents hail from foreign lands, who lives in a country where she is not native. She doesn’t belong, or fit.

And tonight, as ghouls walk the land, she is happy. At a fair; noisy, lively, hot. The smells of spun sugar and the grease of the rides. The best ride of all is a huge Ferris wheel, golden and spending.

Ellie decides to ride.

But she doesn’t get off. She is nowhere to be seen….

And today, her story is finally told. Nowhere Girl is now available.

 

Links

‘Nowhere Girl’ is available to buy from Amazon:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nowhere-Girl-Ruth-Dugdall/dp/1910394637/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1446147732&sr=1-1&keywords=nowhere+girl+ruth+dugdall

Facebook – Ruth Dugdall Author

Twitter – @ruthdugdall

 

Competition

To celebrate the publication, a copy is being given to a name chosen at random. To enter, simply enter this question:

In what country is Nowhere Girl set?

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 14th November 2015.

The winners will be chosen randomly within 7 days of the closing date and their details passed on to Ruth Dugdall.

 

Happy Halloween!

Blog Tour – ‘Appleby Farm’ by Cathy Bramley

‘Appleby Farm’ was first released as a digital serial. It was published in paperback by Corgi on the 13^th August 2015. Having truly enjoyed ‘Ivy Lane’, I was really looking forward to reading this book. So imagine my delight when I was not only sent a copy to review but also asked if I wanted to take part in this blog tour.

Freya Moorcroft is happy working at the café round the corner from the Ivy Lane allotments, though a part of her misses the beautiful rolling hills of her old Cumbrian childhood home, Appleby Farm. An unexpected phone call from her aunt and a desperate plea for help changes everything for Freya who finds herself going back home to the farm to lend a hand. Appleby Farm is in financial trouble and the stress is taking its toll on her aunt and uncle.

Freya has always believed that it is love that makes the world go round, not money. So will saving Appleby Farm and following her heart come at a price? You’ll have to read the book for yourself to find out.

This was an absolutely delightful read, a real page-turner; simply magical. Once again Cathy Bramley didn’t fail to disappoint me. I think her writing style is wonderful and that her stories are great.

A number of the characters in this book were from ‘Ivy Lane’ and it really felt as if I was meeting up with old friends who I hadn’t seen for ages. I totally loved the storyline. Freya had a heart of gold and did so much for her family. I think the challenge she was presented with was what she really needed. I would love to know what happens next in Freya’s life.

I would recommend reading ‘Ivy Lane’ first in order to get to know the characters who appear in ‘Appleby Farm’.

I give this book 5 out of 5.

 

Competition

I am giving away a copy of ‘Appleby Farm’ to one lucky person.  To enter just leave a comment telling me what the biggest challenge in your life has been.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 6th September 2015.

The winner will be notified within 7 days of the closing date and their prize sent out by me.

 

Good luck! 🙂

 

Blog Tour – ‘Dark Place to Hide’ by AJ Waines

AJ Waines contacted me recently with regards to taking part in a blog tour for her new novel, ‘Dark Place to Hide’, which was published on the 30^th July 2015. Having earlier this year posted an extract from her previous book on my blog and liking the sound of her novels I was more than eager to take part. I was kindly sent a copy of ‘Dark Place to Hide’.  Read on for my review and look out for a competition at the end of this post.

Harper and Diane Penn live in Nettledon, Hampshire. Harper is an expert in criminology and is very good at solving puzzles. So when his wife who has recently had a miscarriage goes missing, he instinctively knows there is more to her disappearance than meets the eye. Harper having recently found out that he is infertile feels that he cannot possibly have made her pregnant. He contacts the police and tells them what has happened, but they treat her disappearance as a low priority case thinking it likely that she has gone away to be on her own and get over things or has run off with a secret lover.

Marion and her seven-year-old daughter also live in the same village. Clara reads a lot and likes her own company, often retreating into a fantasy world. An accident causes her to sink deeper into her own world and when she starts quoting sentences from fairy tales there is a lot of concern. One day Harper sees Marion and Clara in the village. Marion isn’t very well so he takes them back to their cottage. Soon after Clara goes missing too. Could there be a connection between both disappearances and is there more to what Clara has been saying than meets the eye?

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Dark Place to Hide’, although I have to say it did take me a bit of time to get into the story. Once I got to the chapter where Diane went missing I was intrigued and couldn’t wait to find out what had happened to her. I couldn’t believe for one minute that she had left Harper. I really felt for Marion when Clara also disappeared and I could imagine what was going through her head.

I very much liked the layout of the book with the story being narrated by the characters. Most chapters were clearly marked with the date that events were taking place. I loved the suspense and mystery throughout this story and the fact that it was believable.

‘Dark Place to Hide’ is a psychological thriller that will get you thinking and wanting more. I now plan to read AJ Waines previous novels at some stage.

I give this book 4 out of 5.

 

 

About the author

AJ Waines was a Psychotherapist for fifteen years, during which time she worked with ex-offenders from high-security institutions, giving her a rare insight into abnormal psychology. She is now a full-time novelist with an Agent and has publishing deals in France and Germany (Random House). Both her debut novels, The Evil Beneath and Girl on a Train have been Number One in ‘Murder’ and ‘Psychological Thrillers’ in the UK Kindle Charts. Girl on a Train has also been a Number One Bestseller in the entire Kindle Chart in Australia. In 2015, she was ranked in the Top 100 UK authors on Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).

Her new psychological thriller, Dark Place to Hide, was released July 30^th 2015, and is available HERE.

Alison lives in Southampton, UK, with her husband. Visit her website and blog, or follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

 

‘Dark Place to Hide’ is available to buy on Amazon UK:-

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Place-Hide-J-Waines-ebook/dp/B010TRR1LO 

 

Competition

Like the sound of ‘Dark Place to Hide’ and really want to read it?  Well, one very lucky person has the chance to win a signed paperback copy of this book and to enter all you have to do to is leave a comment telling me why you want to read it.

 

Terms and Conditions 

This competition is open to UK residents only.

The closing date is 11:59  p.m. on the 17th August 2015.

The winner will be notified of their win within 7 days of the closing date and their details passed on to AJ Waines who will send out the prize.

 

 

Good luck! 🙂

Interview with Jane Isaac

Congratulations to the lovely Jane Isaac whose book ‘Before It’s Too Late’ is out today.  To coincide with the release of Jane’s latest novel I interviewed her.

 

Firstly, congratulations on your new book.  Can you tell me a bit about it please?

Thank you. Before It’s Too Late opens with the kidnap of Chinese student, Min Li, who is walking the dark streets of Stratford upon Avon following an argument with her boyfriend. We follow her story as she is kept captive in a disused pit in the Warwickshire countryside, and the police investigation through the eyes of Detective Inspector Will Jackman as he seeks to find her. When another student is kidnapped, Jackman finds himself in a race against time to track down the kidnapper.

 

Where did you get your ideas from?

I like to play with the idea of putting ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. I’ve always been a great people-watcher and I like to imagine the ‘what if’ scenario: What if we were taken out of our comfort zone? How would we react? I’m fascinated by how detectives investigate too and like to write stories partly through the eyes of a lead detective, and partly through the point of view of someone else affected by the crime, so we see the case from both sides.

 

What sort of research did you need to do?

One of the nicest things about novel research is the people you meet along the way. For Before It’s Too Late I spent a lot of time with retired and serving detectives (which is always fun) and read a lot of true crime encircling kidnappings to find out how the victims really felt so that I could emulate some of this in Min’s incarceration. I also spent a lovely afternoon sitting under a tree in a local park with a Chinese student liaison officer from our nearby college who gave me a real insight into how students feel and behave when they come over here to study, and the cultural differences they face. Field trips to Stratford featured highly too and I trudged over the Warwickshire countryside and wandered the streets of the town. I also engineered many family weekends away there – book research can be such a hardship sometimes!

 

How long did it take you to write this book?

It always takes a lot longer than I imagine it will do: Probably about eighteen months from start to finish.

 

Can you relate to any of your characters?

My main characters always feel real to me and I often feel bereft when I finish the novel and have to leave some of them behind. I hope to work with DI Will Jackman again though – he’s a hopelessly addictive!

 

Have you got any other writing projects on the go?

I’ve recently sent outlines for two new novels to my editor, so I’m waiting with bated breath to see if she likes them!

 

Would you ever consider trying out a different genre?

The thought has crossed my mind. Maybe in the future, but I’m so passionate about the suspense and thriller genre that it feels the right place for me right now.

 

Do you read a lot?

Of course! Reading is an essential part of the writing process for me, and fiction provides a wonderful release too. I’ve just finished Normal by Graeme Cameron and am about to start Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson.

 

Do you prefer e-readers or printed books?

E-readers are so convenient when out and about or away on holiday, but I do love the feel and the smell of a printed book.

 

What are your thoughts on social media?

Social media is a wonderful medium to meet new friends and share writing tips and information on books. It can be addictive though and since I’m particularly prone to procrastination (I’m sure I have a gene!) I have to force myself to switch off every now and then to make sure I make time for writing too.

 

About Jane Isaac

Author of An Unfamiliar Murder (Nominated as best mystery in the eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook awards) & The Truth Will Out – selected as ‘Thriller of the Month – April 2014’ by E-Thriller.com . New title, Before It’s Too Late, will be published by Legend Press on the 1st of June 2015.

Web:  www.janeisaac.co.uk

Twitter – @JaneIsaacAuthor

 

Competition

To celebrate the publication of Jane Isaac’s new book, I am running a competition in which one very lucky person will win a paperback copy of ‘Before It’s Too Late’.  To enter just leave a comment telling me why you want to read this book.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 15th June 2015.

The winner will be randomly selected and notified of their win within 7 days of the closing date.  Their details will be passed on to Legend Press who will send the prize out.

 

Good luck! 🙂

Mystical Mystery Bundle – 21st to 30th April 2015

 

Mystical Mystery Series Book Bundle

Three Award-winning Authors – Book Giveaway and Sale

Discover a touch of the mystical and an innovative take on mystery from an international trio of authors.  Australian Virginia King, American Amber Foxx and British Marion Eaton – all B.R.A.G. Medallion winners – have teamed up for a giveaway and over a week of discounts from April 21 – 30.

 

Win a Paperback of Each Book

Enter the drawing below to win a paperback copy of the first book in each author’s series.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/eb0a35092/

Buy each e-book during the sale for only US $1.99 (adjusted for other currencies)

 

The First Lie – Virginia King

Selkie Moon Mystery Series, Book One

Selkie Moon is a woman on the run.  In a mad dash for freedom she’s escaped her life in Sydney to start over again in Hawaii.  But her refuge begins to unravel and she’s running from something else entirely.  A voice in a dream says that someone is trying to kill her.  Not that she’s psychic, no way. But the messages and threats escalate until she’s locked in a game of cat and mouse with a mysterious stalker.  Entangled in Celtic and Hawaiian mythologies, the events become so bizarre and terrifying that her instinct is to keep running.  But is she running from her past?  Or her future?

Website: http://www.selkiemoon.com/

Buy the ebook for US $1.99:

http://www.amazon.com/First-Lie-Selkie-Moon-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00K1VC20Y/

http//www.amazon.co.uk/First-Selkie-Moon-Mystery-Series-ebook/dp/B00K1VC20Y/

 

The Calling – Amber Foxx 

The first Mae Martin Psychic Mystery

Obeying her mother’s warning, Mae Martin-Ridley has spent years hiding her gift of “the sight.” When concern for a missing hunter compels her to use it again, her peaceful life in a small Southern town begins to fall apart. New friends push her to explore her unusual talents, but as she does, she discovers the shadow side of her visions – access to secrets she could regret uncovering.

Gift or curse? When an extraordinary ability intrudes on an ordinary life, nothing can be the same again.

The Mae Martin Series

No murder, just mystery. Every life hides a secret, and love is the deepest mystery of all.

Website & buy the ebook for US $1.99:

https://amberfoxxmysteries.wordpress.com/buy-books-retail-links/
 

 

When the Clocks Stopped – Marion Eaton

The Mysterious Marsh Series, Book One

When lawyer Hazel Dawkins decides to write some wills while she waits for the birth of her first child, she unwittingly triggers dramatic consequences. Mysteriously, she encounters Annie, a woman whose tempestuous life took place more than two centuries earlier when Romney Marsh was a violent place, dominated by smugglers.  Soon that past collides with the present, and Hazel finds herself pitted against an evil that has stalked the marsh for centuries.  As her destiny intertwines with Annie’s in the shifting time-scape, Hazel confronts a terrifying challenge that parallels history – and could even change it. If she survives.

Website: http://www.marioneaton.com/

Buy the ebook for US $1.99: amzn.to/17THZ83

 

The raffle is open to all countries.  It starts from April 21 – April 26, with the extra days after the winner is announced to give readers the chance to buy the ebooks at a discount.

Paula Daly Competition

Paula Daly has so far had two books published, both of which I loved.  I reviewed ‘Just What Kind of Mother Are You?’ a few days before it came out in hardback in 2013.  You can read what I thought of it here:-

https://aloverofbooks.wordpress.com/2013/04/21/jwkomay/

 

Last year I took part in a blog tour for ‘Keep Your Friends Close’ in which I reviewed the book:-

https://aloverofbooks.wordpress.com/2014/03/20/kyfc-blogtour/

 

Competition

The lovely Paula Daly has offered signed paperback copies of her books.  2 lucky people will each win a copy of both ‘Just What Kind of Mother Are You?’ and ‘Keep Your Friends Close’.

To enter all you have do is leave a comment telling me about one of your favourite books.

 

Terms and Conditions

The competition is open worldwide.

The closing date for this competition is 11:59 p.m. on the 2nd May 2015.

The lucky winners will be notified within 7 days of the closing date and their details will be passed on to Paula Daly who will send your prizes out.

 

Good luck! 🙂

Blog Tour – ‘Letters To My Husband’ by Stephanie Butland

Last year Stephanie Butland’s debut novel ‘Surrounded by Water’ was published in hardback by Transworld.  It is now out in paperback and has been renamed ‘Letters To My Husband’.

 

Book Blurb

Dear Mike, I can’t believe that it’s true. You wouldn’t do this to me. You promised.

Elizabeth knows that her husband is kind and good and that he loves her unconditionally. She knows she hasn’t been herself lately but that, even so, they are happy.

But Elizabeth’s world is turned upside down when Mike dies in a tragic drowning accident. Suddenly everything Elizabeth knows about her husband is thrown into doubt. Why would he sacrifice his own life, knowing he’d never see his wife again? And what exactly was he doing at the lake that night?

Elizabeth knows that writing to Mike won’t bring him back, but she needs to talk to him now more than ever . . .

How much can you ever know about the people you love?

 

As part of this blog tour I am posting an extract from the opening to the book; a letter from Elizabeth to her husband, Mike.

Extract

Mike,

This is stupid. It’s 4am and I’m sitting downstairs
in the dark, writing a letter to you by torchlight. I don’t
want to put the light on. I don’t know why not. I
don’t know anything. I don’t know what day it is.
I don’t know where you are but I know you’re somewhere.
You can’t just be nowhere. Not all of that you.
You can’t have just gone.

Blake was in tears and in uniform when he came
to the door, and all I could think of was that you were
hurt, that something had happened to you, that you’d
got in the way of some idiot drunk driver or waded into
an argument that had got nasty. I remember thinking,
sod’s law that you’ve got hurt walking the dog when it’s
your job that’s supposed to be dangerous. I was already
thinking about how we would all tease you, for getting
into trouble walking a West Highland terrier. I didn’t
want to look at Blake’s face. It wasn’t a face that looked
as though it was planning to do any teasing, so I didn’t
look. I couldn’t.

I took my coat from the hook and I started to put
it on over my PJs because I assumed he was going to
take me to the hospital to see you. And then I started to
think about it all more seriously. How sad it would be
if it was something that meant you couldn’t do your job
any more – if you were going to be in a wheelchair, if
you had lost your sight – and of how we would get
through it, whatever it was, because – well, because
what else would we do? It would be you and me, our
world inside the big world, a yolk in an egg. It would
work. We would make it. It wouldn’t have been the first
time things didn’t go according to plan. I was so ready
to be strong.

But my fingers struggled with the zip, and I
couldn’t see properly, and Blake still wasn’t saying anything,
even though I was asking, asking, what’s
happened to him, where is he, was it a car crash, did
someone hit him, why can’t he ever learn that off duty
means off duty. He was just crying, and then he put his
hands over my hands and took them away from my
coat, and he said my name, twice, once gently, and then
again firmly so I had to look into his face, and then I
knew.

Blake caught me as I fell. The next thing I knew,
I was on the sofa and he was trying to make me drink
bloody tea. I think I screamed. I might have thrown the
cup – there’s a mark on the wall, anyway – and I was
shaking, shaking, and he was sitting next to me and
talking, but I couldn’t hear a thing. Nothing. The
newspaper was on the floor, we’d been halfway through
the crossword when you took Pepper out. And suddenly
I got the one that we were really stuck on. 3 across, Geg 
(9,3). Scrambled egg. Of course. How often have we
said how, once you get it, it’s impossible to see how you
ever couldn’t? And I opened my mouth to tell you. And
you weren’t there. And just for a split second I saw the
world in which you’d never be there again. I think I
pulled out some of my hair.

I don’t know why I wasn’t worried when you were
gone so long. I suppose I assumed you’d found some old
lady to help across the road. Maybe I didn’t think about
it at all. Already I look back at that me, happy and
unaware, and barely recognize her. Another world. A
better world.

Andy came – I suppose Blake had called him –
and he took my hand, and he cried but I didn’t. I just
felt sick at the thought of how many hands would touch
mine in my life, but never yours again. I felt as though
I was underwater too, with you, although of course I
knew they’d got you out. Pepper jumped up on to my
lap, and he was still a bit damp – Blake said it was
him, standing barking on the bank, then swimming
round in circles, who drew attention to where you were
– and his wet fur felt like the only real thing in this
whole horrible world.

And I’ve been blundering around in the blackest
blackness ever since. It hasn’t even been two days and
already this terrible place feels as though it will be my
home for ever. I could never have imagined how dark,
flat, endless this place would be. Maybe that’s why I’ve
stopped putting the lights on: they’re pointless. They
don’t stop the dark.

Oh, God, Mike. I can’t bear it here, but at the
same time I can’t be anywhere else. I can’t believe that
it’s true. You wouldn’t do this to me. You wouldn’t. You
promised. You’re the person who’s supposed to protect
me, so you can’t be the cause of this.

And anyway, there is so much of you. You can’t be
nowhere. Where are you?

Come home.

E xxx

 

Competition

I am running a competition in which 3 very lucky people will win a copy of ‘Letters To My Husband’.  To enter just leave a comment telling me why you want to read this book.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 27th April 2015.

The winners will be notified within 7 days of the closing date and their details will be passed on to the publisher who will send the prizes out.

 

Good luck! 🙂

Interview with Rebecca Bradley + Competition

‘Shallow Waters’ is Rebecca Bradley’s debut novel.  I love reading crime fiction so was keen to interview Rebecca.

 

Can you tell me a bit about your book please?

I can! Shallow Waters is a police procedural crime novel with a female detective inspector protagonist, Hannah Robbins. It’s told in first person narrative for the most part so you know what’s going on inside her head, how she feels and what she’s thinking as she deals with some pretty ugly crimes and a difficult personal life. Teenagers are being murdered in the city of Nottingham but Hannah’s team soon discover that it is a crime that has its net cast much wider than their city and they find themselves up against the clock as they cross county borders trying to stop another murder.

 

Did you have to do much research for it?

I’m lucky in that I know a lot of police officers so I didn’t have to do a lot of research for this one at all. The next one is the one where research is necessary due to mode of death!

 

How long did it take you to write?

It took about a year to write, then there were some re-writes and edits with different people before it was finally published in December last year. 

 

What made you write crime fiction?

I absolutely love crime fiction. I have read practically nothing but crime from being a child. I started with the usual Enid Blyton stuff; Secret Seven, Famous Five, then moved on to Nancy Drew before finally making the leap to adult crime in the form of Agatha Christie. It was then a natural progression when it came to writing, that I would write crime.

 

Are there more books planned?

Absolutely. DI Hannah Robbins is a series character. I’m writing the second book. The synopsis is written for the third and I already know what the storyline is for the fourth. These are just for this series. I also want to write another series plus a non-crime book!

 

Where do you do the majority of your writing?

I’ve claimed the spare bedroom at home as my office. Because I’m ill, I do my writing in spurts throughout the day or even just once in the day. But I have a desk and chair and far too much crap on my desk!

 

Do you think book reviews help with sales?

I think they can. Seeing that a book has reviews as opposed to a book that doesn’t have any, is a positive, but I personally try not to read the reviews before buying a book online because it can colour my reading experience.

 

If you could start all over again would you still write books?

I would, but I would have had the guts to have started a lot younger than I did. I feel quite old to be trying to get into this world now.

 

Have you any good advice for anyone wanting to write their first book?

Keep trying and don’t give in. Don’t be disheartened. It’s those who keep going and keep trying that succeed. You won’t succeed if you give up at the first hurdle.

 

Thanks for having me on the blog Sonya.

 

About Rebecca Bradley

Rebecca Bradley lives in Nottinghamshire with her family and her one-year-old Cockerpoo Alfie, who keeps her company while she writes. Rebecca needs to drink copious amounts of tea to function throughout the day and if she could, she would survive on a diet of tea and cake while committing murder on a regular basis, in her writing of course.

Once a month Rebecca hosts a crime book club on Google+ hangouts where you can live chat about a crime book everyone has read. It’s great fun. Members join in from the UK, the US, France and Australia on a regular basis. As it is online, there are no geographical boundaries and you can sit in your home to join in. You can find details of how this works on the blog http://rebeccabradleycrime.com

 

Links

Website – http://rebeccabradleycrime.com

Twitter – http://twitter.com/rebeccajbradley

Author Page – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rebecca-Bradley/e/B00R9RVT98/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

 

Competition

One very lucky person has the chance to win an eBook copy of ‘Shallow Waters’.  To enter just leave a comment about the interview.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open worldwide.

The closing date is the 6th April 2015 at 23:59 p.m.

The winner will be randomly picked and contacted within 7 days of the closing date and their details will be passed on to Rebecca Bradley.

 

Good luck! 🙂

‘The First Lie’ by Virginia King – Cover Poll / Competition

or

Virginia King is the author of ‘The First Lie’.

Book Blurb

What if the truth was hidden where you’d never ever find it?

When Selkie Moon reclaims the name her mother gave her, she unwittingly triggers a series of events so bizarre, she’s forced to delve into the murky depths of the past and face the shocking truth about herself.

 

Poll and Competition 

‘The First Lie’ is a multi-layered psychological/mystery thriller.  As you can see above two covers have been designed for this book, the second one being the new one.  Virginia King would love to know peoples opinions of the covers.  Which cover image best reflects this genre and would make you click on it to find out more?

Vote in my poll below:-

 

Virginia King is offering a copy of her book (ebook) to one lucky person.  To enter this competition just leave a comment below about the covers, i.e. the designs, why you prefer the one you do etc.  Virginia will then pick a winner.

This competition is open worldwide and it closes on the 25th February 2015 at 11:59 p.m.

 

Visit Virginia’s website – http://www.selkiemoon.com

Interview with Damien Comerford + Competition

Damien Comerford is a journalist who has recently published a very interesting non-fiction book.  I had the pleasure of interviewing him.

 

I am intrigued by your book, ‘Cover Up’.  Can you tell me a little bit about it please?

Cover Up, is a non fiction book that re-investigates five of the world’s biggest crimes including the death of Princess Diana in the Alma Tunnel, and the death of Pope John Paul I after only 33 days in office. The starting point for my re-investigations, were the transcripts and reports of the official inquiries conducted into each case. I wanted to see, whether the conclusions reached in each of the five cases, were supported by the evidence. But in the course of my work, I discovered a great deal of previously unreported new evidence.

 

Were you shocked by some of the things you found out?

I think shocked would be an understatement. The one thing in common with all of the five cases featured in the book was a pathetically inadequate investigation that simply did not support the official findings. The book is called Cover Up and that is what they were. For example, in the case of Princess Diana, there was not one shred of credible evidence to support the claim that Chauffeur Henri Paul was drunk when he crashed the Mercedes carrying the Princess and Dodi Al Fayed in the Alma Tunnel. Two post mortem examinations were conducted on Paul’s body to try and establish his culpability. Both post mortem examinations were complete failures. Readers of my book will go on an investigative journey as I take them through all of the clues and all of the evidence.

 

How long did it take you to write ‘Cover Up’?

I have been working on the book for the best part of two years. Most of that time was devoted to researching the cases. The writing part took about four months.

 

Is this a book people will find hard to put down?

That is a really difficult question for my to answer. I think everyone who produces a book, hopes that will be the case. I guess that is a question best answered by the reader but one reviewer has described my book in the way your question suggests.

 

Are there any more books to come?

My word there is. I have a number of books in the pipeline. My next book is the investigation of disappearance of Malaysian Airlines MH370 and the shooting down of MH17 over the Ukraine.

 

Describe a day in your life.

Unfortunately, at this point in time I am unable to make a living solely from my writing. I have a television production company that does web based video so that keeps me busy. I also have my blog http://damiencomerford.com

 

Did you always want to be a journalist?

To be honest the career I initially wanted to pursue was as a barrister at law. I planned to transfer from my Arts degree but soon after I started University, I discovered the campus radio station and I began doing interviews and news reports and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy scuba diving and attending concerts and live theatre.

 

Biographical Information

Damien Comerford’s career in journalism and television production spans more than twenty-five years. Beginning as a reporter in the 1980s, he has been involved in a wide range of media projects and received numerous industry awards for excellence journalism, media and television production, and current affairs programming.

He was the executive producer of a primetime long-format current affairs television show in New Zealand, during which the team tracked down and confronted the French Secret Service agent who put in place the bomb that killed Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira.

In 2009, Comerford decided to turn his decades of experience with covering major news events into a book. The five stories profiled in Cover Up possessed a sense of injustice so strong, he couldn’t refrain from delving deeper, hoping to reopen the investigations and find out the truth.

 

Competition

Damien Comerford has very kindly sent me a copy of ‘Cover Up’ and one very lucky people has the chance to win it.  To enter just leave a comment telling me why you want to read this book.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open worldwide.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 18th January 2015.

The winner will be notified within 7 days.

 

Good luck! 🙂

‘One Hundred Christmas Proposals’ by Holly Martin

One Hundred Christmas Proposals is out now, here’s the blurb:

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to One Hundred Proposals.

If you thought Harry & Suzie’s life couldn’t get any more sweepingly romantic than Harry asking her to marry him at the end of One Hundred Proposals – think again!

It’s Christmas in a snow-kissed London, and the.PerfectProposal.com have vowed to carry out one hundred proposals in December. No easy task at the best of times – made even more complicated by Harry & Suzie trying to plan their first Christmas and a visit from the dreaded in-laws. But one hundred deliciously Christmassy proposals later they find themselves asking if everything is still perfect in their own relationship….

Welcome back to the divinely warm world of One Hundred Proposals – with a sprinkling of pure, joyful, festive magic.

Have yourself a very merry Christmas indeed with Holly Martin’s Christmas novella.

***

I love this story and I’m so excited about you guys reading it too.  I never thought I would write a sequel for any of my novels, but catching up with Harry and Suzie, two of my favourite characters, in London at Christmas was a story that was begging to be told.  What I love about this story is instead of Harry proposing to Suzie, we get to see some of the amazing proposals they organise for their clients and we learn a little about their clients lives too.  One of my favourite proposals in this story is the sightseeing flight over London with the proposal written in flowers on a boat on the Thames.

Now you can win a sightseeing flight over London too and experience some incredible views of our capital.

This experience gives you a unique perspective on the sights of London. After a short pre-flight briefing, you’ll board a Piper Seneca twin-engine plane for a fantastic half hour sightseeing trip.

After taking off in Essex you’ll follow the Thames west into the heart of the city, getting a unique view of the capital. You’ll see the O2 arena, Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, the towers at Canary Wharf, The London Eye, The Shard and the Houses of Parliament. Then turn north to fly over Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, before heading back east to land in Essex. You’ll get an amazing perspective on the geography of the city and the beauty of its landmarks, so whether you’re a tourist or a Londoner, you’ll see the capital in a whole new way. And if flying isn’t your thing, this would make the perfect Christmas present for someone in your family.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is copy one of the pre-prepared tweets below, tweet it and you’ll automatically be entered into the draw to win this prize bundle.  The more you tweet, the more times you’ll be entered.

The competition will run until midnight (UK time) on Sunday 14^th December so plenty of time for tweeting.  Every time you tweet, you’ll be entered into the draw.

Good Luck

 

Tweets

One Hundred Christmas Proposals by @hollymartin00 is out now, a gorgeous, sparkly story to curl up with this winter http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

 

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Join Harry & Suzie as they celebrate Christmas in a snowkissed London,100 Christmas Proposals is 59p @hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

 

**

Celebrate Christmas in a sparkly,snowkissed London, a beautiful love story to curl up with this winter @hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

 

**

Christmas lights,overcooked turkey,plenty of cake,glistening snow. 100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p @hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

 

**

What will Harry give Suzie this Christmas? 100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p, a sparkly,snowy sequel @hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

 

**

Harry & Suzie are back celebrating their first Christmas in a snowy London,100 Christmas Proposals.59p @hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

 

**

Fairy lights, candles, snow, flowers and beautiful music, how to create the perfect Christmas proposal @hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

 

**

100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p,a gorgeously romantic snowkissed story to curl up with this winter @hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

Blog Tour – ‘Race to Death’ by Leigh Russell

‘Race to Death’ by Leigh Russell is the second book in the new series featuring DI Ian Peterson.  Having previously taken part in her last blog tour I was definitely interested in participating in this one too.

‘Moments before, he had been enjoying a day out at the races. Now he could be dying…. As he fell a loud wind roared past his ears, indistinguishable from the roar of the crowd. The race was over’.

A man plummets to his death during the York Races. Suicide or murder?  Newly-promoted DI Ian Peterson is plunged into a complex and high-profile case, and as the body count increases, the pressure mounts for his team to solve the crimes quickly.

But the killer is following the investigation far more keenly than Ian realises and time is running out as the case suddenly gets a lot closer to home…

 

Competition

I am running a competition where one lucky person can win a copy of ‘Race to Death’.  To enter just answer my question by leaving a comment.  Have you read any of Leigh Russell’s other novels?

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 9th November 2014.

The winner will be notified within 7 days and his/her details will be passed on to No Exit Press who will send out the prize.

 

Good luck! 🙂

My 3rd Blog Anniversary

Three years ago I started this blog and I can’t believe it is still going.  At the beginning I didn’t really do many posts, but over the past year my love of all things books has led to me doing a variety of things on here.  As well as reviewing books I have also interviewed a number of authors, taken part in book launches, cover reveals and run quite a few competitions.

Through social media sites like Twitter and Facebook I have met some amazing authors and got to know a number of publishers.  I hope to be able to continue with my book reviewing as well as loads more stuff for some time to come.

To celebrate my blog anniversary I am running a special competition where one lucky person will get to choose a book of their choice from Amazon up to the value of £10.00.  It can be an eBook, paperback or hardback.  To enter just leave a comment.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open worldwide.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 9th November 2014.

I will randomly pick a winner and contact them to arrange their prize.

 

Good luck! 🙂

‘Beneath the Moon and the Stars’ Competition

‘Beneath the Moon and the Stars’ by Amelia Thorne is now out.  To celebrate the launch, Amelia has a fab prize bundle to giveaway.  You could win these gorgeous hand carved wooden necklaces, a £15 iTunes voucher and a £50 theatre ticket voucher.

All you have to do is copy one of the pre-prepared tweets below, tweet it and you’ll automatically be entered into the draw to win this prize bundle. The more you tweet, the more times you’ll be entered.

You can even make up your own tweet about the book, just as long as it has the book link to amazon, (http://amzn.to/1sdZ0rw) the hashtag #BeneathTheMoon and Amelia’s Twitter name @Amelia_Writes in the tweet you’ll be entered into the draw.

The competition will run until midnight (UK time) on Sunday 26^th October and the winner will be announced on Tuesday 28^th October so plenty of time for tweeting.  Every time you tweet, you’ll be entered into the draw.

 

Tweets

Beneath The Moon and the Stars by @Amelia_Writes is out now, a gorgeous story of love, friendship and secrets http://amzn.to/1sdZ0rw

***

Beneath the Moon and the Stars by @Amelia_Writes has it all; beautiful men,a feisty heroine and a gorgeous lovestory http://amzn.to/1sdZ0rw

***

Beneath the Moon and the Stars by @Amelia_Writes has it all; 3 gorgeous men,2 adorable dogs, 1 beautiful love story http://amzn.to/1sdZ0rw

***

Beneath the Moon and the Stars by @Amelia_Writes is a gorgeous story of love, secrets and misguided revenge http://amzn.to/1sdZ0rw

***

Beneath the Moon and the Stars by @Amelia_Writes has secrets, revenge, a diamond thief & a beautiful love story http://amzn.to/1sdZ0rw

***

Beneath the Moon and the Stars by @Amelia_Writes has 3 gorgeous men, 2 weddings and a whole heap load of secrets http://amzn.to/1sdZ0rw

 

Blog Tour – ‘Vicki’s Work of Heart’ by Rosie Dean + Giveaway

Rosie Dean brings you another quintessential romance to warm your cockles as the winter draws in! Stay tuned to catch the romantic comedy author visiting blogs-a-plenty over the coming weeks, with reviews, guest posts and a giveaway!

 

‘What if you found yourself stranded at the altar, knee-deep in your absent fiancé’s gambling debts?

Vicki Marchant, humble art teacher and jilted bride, seizes her freedom by leaving teaching to paint – in France. It’s her time. Nobody is going to get in the way of her ambition – definitely not a man.

Vicki learns two things: some men are difficult to resist, and choosing the right one is not always easy.’

Click Here To Buy This Book – UK

Click Here To Buy This Book – US

 

Today Rosie Dean has dropped by my blog.

 

Where did Vicki come from?

Guest Post by Rosie Dean

Straight off the bat – thank you, Sonya, for inviting me to be a guest on your blog. If I can ever return the favour – my blog is your blog.

Let me introduce you to Vicki Marchant, humble art teacher and jilted bride, and the heroine of my latest romantic comedy, Vicki’s Work of Heart.

Since her marriage has now been blasted into the ether, she seizes her freedom and leaves teaching to paint – in France. It’s her time. Nobody is going to get in the way of her ambition. Definitely no men. Vicki learns two things: some men are difficult to resist, and choosing the right one is not always easy.

I have a huge soft spot for Vicki. It’s almost my story. Except that it isn’t.

I certainly used to be an art teacher and, like Vicki, I definitely knew the frustration not being able to exercise my creativity because I had no time or energy. Let’s not beat about the bush – teaching in a high school is completely knackering. As soon as I came home, I’d sit down in the armchair and conk out. Me! Surely, that was what old folks did – fall asleep in front of the Six O’clock News – not me.

So, in my downtime, I’d fantasize about moving to another country, where I could live cheaply on bread and cheese, washed down by cheap but warming wine, and spend my time painting. I’d have no responsibilities just freedom to pursue my art.

I would, of course, also be utterly stunning, with the kind of metabolism that would vaporize the calories from the Camembert and Pinot Noir. I’d be carefree, solvent and a complete man-magnet. However, I would be so into my artwork, I would swat these men out of my life and focus on my art. (Guess who’d also been in long-term relationships that hadn’t worked out?) No, my life would be much less complicated if I kept men at a distance. At least, until Mr-Utterly-Drop-dead-Gorgeous-and-Perfect-for-Me turned up. As he surely would.

So I built on that fantasy and started Vicki’s story.

I set it in France because the roots of Impressionism are there – which is my favourite artistic period. It’s a romantic country with beautiful scenery. The confections in their patisseries are beyond spectacular, and the men have the sexiest accents. No contest.

I also gave Vicki a positive, seize-the-day attitude because one thing I’ve learned is that making the most of the here-and-now is one of the best ways to keep going. But don’t panic! Vicki is no Pollyanna, she just learns how to dig into her little bag of grit when the going gets tough.

If you’ve ever dreamed about turning your back on the day job and following your dream, then you might just have something in common with Vicki too.

 

Author Bio

I’ve been writing stories since I was a little girl, when I was especially industrious and produced dolly-dressing books, complete with a typed story, a dolly to cut out on the back cover, and paper clothing with tabs on. I even sold a couple.

After growing up, I studied ceramic design – gaining a ‘degree in crockery’ as the man-in-my-life likes to call it, which I once put to good use as an Art & Pottery teacher.

Deciding I didn’t want to spend my entire life in the classroom, covered in clay and paint, I escaped to the world of corporate communication, where I wrote training courses and marketing copy.

Now I’ve given it all up to write, full-time. When not writing, I love to cook and to read, I even read in the car (talking books) and have notched up countless unnecessary miles as a result.

Not one to spend hours in the gym or pounding the pavement, I prefer Yoga and Pilates, which means I can tone and tighten whilst watching TV.

 

Author Links 

Facebook | Twitter | Website

 

Win a paperback copy of the fantastic Vicki’s Work of Heart

Click on the link below to be taken to the competition:-

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Terms and Conditions

Prize will be gifted via Amazon. Rosie Dean and CandleLit Author Services reserve the right to cancel or amend the giveaway at any point and without prior notification.

‘The Lady Who Turned’ by Tony Drury – Book Launch and Competition

‘The Lady Who Turned’ is Tony Drury’s fifth novel.  It is being launched at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London today.

 

Synopsis

The Lady Who Turned revolves round three impressive women, the Lady magazine, and, in the background, the renowned Mrs T, the lady who was not for turning.

Central to the story is Sarah Rudd, who finds herself and her family caught in a crisis which forces her to reconsider every aspect of her life, as a police officer and as a wife. The decisions she makes take her in unexpected and exciting directions.

Annabelle and Esther, both on the staff of the Lady magazine, also find themselves caught in a crisis – the magazine is under threat, and, in resisting its takeover by hostile forces, each woman finds herself having to go to extraordinary lengths to fight for what she values.

The criminal underworld and City financiers battle it out for dominance, and the ending comes unexpectedly at the graveside of the first woman prime minister of Great Britain, when the lady is seen at last to turn… 

 

About Tony Drury

Tony is a corporate financier. He is chairman of both Axiom Capital Limited and Alpha Returns Plc, a Hong Kong based investment company whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange.

He is the author of five romantic thrillers which combine his knowledge of the City and finance with the adventures of Detective Inspector Sarah Rudd, a police officer who lives life to the full and near to the edge.

His first novel ‘Megan’s Game’, which is based in Wales and tells of the legend of the Bells of Aberdovey, is to be made into a film at Shepperton Studios by accredited Producer Paul Tucker. It is hoped to start filming in 2015.

His latest work, ‘The Lady Who Turned’, tells of the dramatic events involving an East European gangster’s attempt to gain control of ‘The Lady’ magazine. This was inspired by a chance meeting between Tony and the managing director, Helen Robinson. Somewhere along the line DI Sarah Rudd gets involved and faces her nemesis in a brutal scene at Holborn Tube Station.

Tony is an ambassador for HEART UK – The Cholesterol Charity.

He is married to Judy with a married son and daughter and Henry, his first grandchild. He lives in Bedfordshire.

 

For full details please see:-

http://www.tonydrury.com

Twitter @mrtonydrury

City Fiction, the publisher are on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-Fiction-Publishing/1434318926804533 and on Twitter @CityFictionLtd

 

Competition

One very lucky person has the chance to win a signed copy of ‘The Lady Who Turned’.  To enter all you have to do is answer the following question by leaving a comment:-

Have you ever thought about writing a book?

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 5th October 2014.

The winner will be notified within 7 days and their details will be passed on to City Fiction who will send out the prize.

 

Good luck everyone! 🙂

‘Dance with the Enemy’ by Rob Sinclair + Competition

Earlier this year Rob Sinclair published his debut novel ‘Dance with the Enemy’.  The first in a trilogy, the second book should be published next year.

 

Book Blurb

Carl Logan was the perfect agent. A loner, with no real friends or family, he was trained to deal with any situation with cold efficiency, devoid of emotion. But Logan isn’t the man he used to be, or the asset he once was. Five months ago his life changed forever when he was captured, tortured and left for dead by Youssef Selim, one of the world’s most violent terrorists. When Selim mysteriously reappears in Paris, linked to the kidnapping of America’s Attorney General, Logan smells his chance for revenge. Pursuing his man relentlessly, oblivious to the growing trail of destruction that he leaves in his wake, Logan delves increasingly deep into the web of lies and deceit surrounding the kidnapping. Finally, he comes to learn just what it means to Dance with the Enemy.

 

Author Bio

Rob began writing in 2009 following a promise to his wife, an avid reader, that he could pen a ‘can’t put down’ thriller.

Dance with the Enemy, the story of embattled intelligence agent Carl Logan, is Rob’s first published novel and the first in a trilogy of novels following Carl Logan.

The second novel in the series is planned for release in 2015. Rob is a qualified accountant. He has worked for a global accounting firm since graduating from The University of Nottingham in 2002, specialising in forensic fraud investigations at both national and international levels.

Originally from the North East of England, Rob has lived and worked in a number of fast paced cities, including New York, and is now settled in the West Midlands with his wife and young sons.

 

‘Dance with the Enemy is available to buy on Amazon.  Click on the links below:-

UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dance-Enemy-Rob-Sinclair-ebook/dp/B00KK6FJSC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407093974&sr=8-1&keywords=dance+with+the+enemy

US:

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Enemy-Rob-Sinclair-ebook/dp/B00KK6FJSC/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1407839570&sr=8-1&keywords=dance+with+the+enemy

 

Competition

Three very lucky people have the chance to win a signed paperback copy of ‘Dance with the Enemy’.  To enter just leave a comment telling me what books you have bought or won recently.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition is open to UK residents only.

The closing date is 11:59 p.m. on the 7th September 2014.

Winners will be notified within 7 days and their details will be passed on to Rob Sinclair who will send out your prizes.

 

Good luck! 🙂