#TheRoadToNewgate #historical mystery #hfvtb

The Road to Newgate
by Kate Braithwaite

Publication Date: July 16, 2018
Crooked Cat Books
Paperback & eBook; 280 Pages

Genre: Historical/Mystery

 

 

What price justice?

London 1678.

Titus Oates, an unknown preacher, creates panic with wild stories of a Catholic uprising against Charles II. The murder of a prominent Protestant magistrate appears to confirm that the Popish Plot is real.

Only Nathaniel Thompson, writer and Licenser of the Presses, instinctively doubts Oates’s revelations. Even his young wife, Anne, is not so sure. And neither know that their friend William Smith has personal history with Titus Oates.

When Nathaniel takes a public stand, questioning the plot and Oates’s integrity, the consequences threaten them all.

“Moved me greatly and brought tears to my eyes. Gripping, moving and brilliantly captures this tense and sometimes brutal episode in late seventeenth-century English history.” -Andrea Zuvich, Author & Historian

“A real pleasure to read,” -Denis Bock, author of The Ash Garden & The Communist’s Daughter

“Meticulously researched, vividly imagined, and deftly plotted. Rich, resonating and relevant.” -Catherine Hokin, author of Blood & Roses, the story of Margaret of Anjou.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

Kate Braithwaite grew up in Edinburgh but has lived in various parts of the UK, in Canada and the US. Her first novel, CHARLATAN, was long-listed for the Mslexia New Novel Award and the Historical Novel Society Novel Award in 2015. Her next book, THE ROAD TO NEWGATE was released on July 16, 2018.

Kate and her family live in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

For more information, please visit Kate’s website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Coffee and Ink’s Review

Okay. If the cat will let me alone, I can write this review.

I’m not always a fan of present tense, but when it’s done well, the technique is undetectable once the story is underway, and this was the case for The Road to Newgate. Told in the first person by three characters, I felt each character had their own voice, and I did not have to look back at the chapter heading to recall whose point of view I was in. Lovely, flawless technique :D.

I’m not terribly familiar with the time period though I vividly recall the Great Fire display at the London Museum when we were there in 2010. But even so, the background was so well researched and well presented that it flowed seamlessly with the story, in vivid color.

The plot is complicated (just the way I like it) and I’m not even sure I can capture the essence of it, but here goes: The Protestants are in power, imprisoning and executing Catholics left and right because of their own paranoia about plots against the king by the pope and his followers and fearing their own deposition from power. Into this mess swaggers Titus Oates, a real person in this drama, (I love the afterwords in books, especially those of historical authors) who accuses fellow Londoners of Popish Plots against the Crown.

The murder of a magistrate, Sir Edmund Godfrey, sets the story in motion. Nat and his wife Anne are caught up in these events when Nat begins to write for the public about his misgivings about the murder, that Titus Oates has painted it as yet another murder by the Jesuits (and men die by his word). This brings Titus Oates down upon his head. I highly recommend this book for readers of 17th century England who will enjoy the level of research. For lovers of historical mysteries, this one is a wonderful puzzle, a little different than the usual mystery plot. Lovely, twisty plot had me wondering to nearly the last page if Nat, Anne, and William were going to get out of their dire situation. Titus, though an onerous person, had great influence for a period of time and the novel reflects his rise and fall. I use the word “satisfying” a lot when I review books I really loved, but once all the pieces fell together, that’s exactly how I felt at the end.

Blog Tour Schedule

Thursday, January 10
Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Friday, January 11
Review at Passages to the Past

Monday, January 14
Guest Post at Short Book and Scribes

Tuesday, January 15
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Wednesday, January 16
Excerpt at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Thursday, January 17
Review & Excerpt at Locks, Hooks and Books

Friday, January 18
Feature at The Writing Desk
Feature at What Is That Book About

Monday, January 21
Review at Bookish Rantings

Tuesday, January 22
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews

Wednesday, January 23
Interview at Passages to the Past

Friday, January 25
Review at Coffee and Ink
Review at A Darn Good Read

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a paperback copy of The Road to Newgate! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 25th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

The Road to Newgate

#AMurderByAnyName #SuzanneMWolfe #historicalmystery #elizabethan #spy #HFVBTBlogTours #giveaway

A Murder By Any Name
by Suzanne M. Wolfe

Publication Date: October 9, 2018
Crooked Lane Books
Hardcover & eBook; 326 Pages

Genre: Historical Mystery

 

 

When a brutal murder threatens the sanctity of the Elizabethan court, it’s up to a hot-tempered spy to save the day.

The court of Elizabeth I is no stranger to plotting and intrigue, but the royal retinue is thrown into chaos when the Queen’s youngest and sweetest lady-in-waiting is murdered, her body left on the high altar of the Chapel Royal in Whitehall Palace. Solving the murder will require the cunning and savvy possessed by only one man. Enter Nicholas Holt, younger brother of the Earl of Blackwell—spy, rake, and owner of the infamous Black Sheep tavern in the seedy district of Bankside. Nick quickly learns that working for the Queen is a mixed blessing. Elizabeth—salty-tongued, vain, and fiercely intelligent—can, with a glance, either reward Nick with a purse of gold or have his head forcibly removed.

When a second lady-in-waiting is slain at Whitehall, the court once again reels with shock and dismay. On the trail of a diabolical killer, Nick and his faithful sidekick—an enormous Irish Wolfhound named Hector—are treading on treacherous ground, and only the killer’s head on a platter can keep them in the Queen’s good graces.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | Chapters | IndieBound | Kobo

Praise for A Murder By Any Name

“Captivating… Fans of Fiona Buckley’s Ursula Blanchard and Kathy Lynn Emerson’s Rosamond Jaffrey will be delighted to add Wolfe to their reading lists.” ―Booklist

“[A] promising series launch… Fans of Elizabethan historicals will be satisfied.” ―Publishers Weekly

“An excellent series kickoff by Wolfe that cleverly highlights both the mystery and the many ills of Elizabethan times.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“In vivid passages, Suzanne Wolfe’s novel brings to the reader the light and dark of Elizabethan England, its squalor and splendor, filth and riches, intrigues and delights.” ―NY Journal of Books

“A deeply atmospheric and richly textured Elizabethan mystery… I was captivated by Nicholas and Hector as they navigated court treachery and the dark recesses of the lower classes in this compelling Elizabethan mystery.” ―Shelley Freydont, New York Times bestselling author

“Wolfe’s descriptions are unparalleled, immersing the reader in the time period as they join her wily protagonist on his quest to catch a cold-hearted killer.” ―Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries

“I stayed up reading much too late to finish this book! Wonderful Elizabethan atmosphere, well-drawn and unusual characters, action and intrigue and excitement―I felt like I was in the 1570s” ―Amanda Carmack, award-winning author of the Elizabethan mysteries

“Bewitching! Suzanne Wolfe opens the door to Elizabethan life through her masterful creation of the sympathetic spy, Nicholas Holt. An exciting start to a promising new historical mystery series.” ―Naomi Hirahara, Edgar Award-winning author of the Mas Arai series

“A classically plotted whodunit set against the background of Elizabethan London and the court of Queen Elizabeth the First, both of them well researched and vividly realized, with a wealth of detail. One can almost smell the reek of the 16th century streets and waterways.” ―Fiona Buckley, author of the Ursula Blanchard Elizabethan mysteries

About the Author

Suzanne M. Wolfe grew up in Manchester, England and read English Literature at Oxford University, where she co-founded the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society. She served as Writer in Residence at Seattle Pacific University and taught literature and creative writing there for nearly two decades. Wolfe is the author of three novels: A Murder by Any Name, The Confessions of X, and Unveiling.

Thirty years ago, she and her husband, Gregory Wolfe, co-founded Image, a journal of the arts and faith. They have also co-authored many books on literature and prayer including Books That Build Character: How to Teach Your Child Moral Values Through Stories, and Bless This House: Prayers For Children and Families. Her essays and blog posts have appeared in Image and other publications. She and her husband are the parents of four grown children. They live in Richmond Beach, Washington.

For more information, please visit Suzanne M. Wolfe’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Coffee and Ink’s Review

I’m hoping for more of Nick, Eli and Rivkah, Kat, Kit, and Good Queen Bess. This was a superbly written historical novel with a great mystery at the center of it. The complicated Elizabethan setting is presented in a natural, flowing way that weaves completely with the characters and plot—no seams showing here!

The Honorable Nick Holt, second son and former soldier, is a spy for Queen Elizabeth, lives over a tavern with a fierce-appearing but lovable Irish Wolfhound…and a mouthy parrot. The murder of a young woman, lady in waiting to the Queen, is assigned to him to investigate and the investigation takes him to some of the darker places of London and men’s souls. Nick is a likable character, rescuing puppies and little girls, though he cannot solve the murder in time to save the second innocent.

This was a highly satisfying historical mystery, with the feeling of immersion in Elizabethan London and Whitehall, in all its eccentricity, color, stink and noise.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, December 17
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, December 18
Excerpt at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, December 19
Review at Pursuing Stacie
Guest Post at Jathan & Heather

Thursday, December 20
Feature at The Lit Bitch
Review at Peppermint Ph.D.

Friday, December 21
Feature at What Is That Book About

Sunday, December 23
Review at Carole’s Ramblings

Thursday, December 27
Review & Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

Friday, December 28
Review at Tar Heel Reader
Review at Amy’s Booket List

Monday, December 31
Review at Tudor Enthusiast

Wednesday, January 2
Excerpt at Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

Thursday, January 3
Excerpt at T’s Stuff
Guest Post at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots

Friday, January 4
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Monday, January 7
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Tuesday, January 8
Guest Post at On the Tudor Trail

Wednesday, January 9
Review at Reading the Past

Thursday, January 10
Review at Broken Teepee
Review at Clarissa Reads it All

Friday, January 11
Feature at The Book Junkie Reads
Feature at View from the Birdhouse

Monday, January 14
Review at Maiden of the Pages

Tuesday, January 15
Interview at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, January 16
Review at A Book Geek

Thursday, January 17
Review at Coffee and Ink
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 3 hardcover copies of A Murder By Any Name! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 17th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

A Murder By Any Name

#AHangmanforGhosts #HFVBT #historicalfiction

A Hangman for Ghosts
by Andrei Baltakmens

Publication Date: July 1, 2018
Top Five Books
Paperback & eBook; 288 Pages

Genre: Historical Mystery

READ AN EXCERPT.

 

 

“We are transported. We are consigned to the ends of the Earth. And we are therefore as good as dead to the realm and its judges. There can be no hope of reprieve…”

Gabriel Carver, the convict hangman of Sydney Prison, knows that none of his kind may depart Australia’s penal colony without the system’s leave. Then three people are murdered, seemingly to protect the “Rats’ Line,” an illicit path to freedom that exists only in the fevered imaginations of transported felons. But why kill to protect something that doesn’t exist?

When an innocent woman from Carver’s past is charged with one of the murders and faces execution at his hands, she threatens to reveal an incriminating secret of his own unless he helps her. So Carver must try to unmask the killer among the convicts, soldiers, sailors, and fallen women roaming 1829 Sydney. If he can find the murderer, he may discover who is defying the system under its very nose. His search will take him back to the scene of his ruin—to London and a past he can never remake nor ever escape, not even at the edge of the world.

“Baltakmens (The Raven’s Seal, 2012), echoing the voices of 19th-century masters like Conrad and Melville, combines adventure and mystery in a high-stakes tale of class, morality, and justice.” –Kirkus Reviews

“With rich historical details that evoke Australia’s early colonial days, this is a wonderful, traditional novel.…Folding in vivid details, bright characters, and compelling dialogue, the story is a page-turner, a savory treat to be devoured.” – Foreward Reviews

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo

About the Author

Andrei Baltakmens was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, of Latvian descent. He has a Ph.D. in English literature, focused on Charles Dickens and Victorian urban mysteries.

His first novel, The Battleship Regal, was published in New Zealand in 1996. His short fiction has appeared in various literary journals, and his first historical mystery, The Raven’s Seal, was published in 2012.

Since 2004, he has lived in Ithaca, New York and Brisbane, Australia, where he recently completed a doctorate in Creative Writing at The University of Queensland. He now lives in Palo Alto, California, with his wife and son, and works for Stanford University as an instructional designer.

Coffee and Ink’s Review

I loved this unexpected historical murder mystery. Set in Australia in the 19th century, there is an odd sort of society emerging due to the transportation of criminals from England. Into this mix of men and women slowly broiling alive in the subtropical sun (wearing wool, no less) comes Carver, a convict, now a mysterious, though principled, executioner. A landholder is murdered, and he needs to find out by whom and why, because it’s his wife who’s been accused.

This is a brutal place, a weird through-the-looking-glass land that resembles England in its customs and laws and language, though it’s a country on its way to becoming something else entirely. Carver, in order to solve a murder that takes labyrinthine twists and turns, returns to London and the man he used to be.  For a time, anyway.

The writing is exquisite, and I think other reviewers are right in that this has the feel of a Master’s 19th century classic—a Dickens down-under, as it were. It’s difficult to tell the difference between the convicts and the people who hold their lives in their hands. Vivid, unflinching prose in a land where the sun is fulsome, but never brightens the darkness.

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, December 18
Feature at Tar Heel Reader

Wednesday, December 19
Feature at Donna’s Book Blog

Friday, December 21
Review at Beth’s Book Nook Blog
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, December 27
Interview at Passages to the Past

Friday, December 28
Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Thursday, January 3
Interview at Bookish Rantings

Monday, January 7
Review at Broken Teepee

Thursday, January 10
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Monday, January 14
Review at A Book Geek

Tuesday, January 15
Review at Coffee and Ink

Wednesday, January 16
Review at Locks, Hooks and Books

Monday, January 21
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, January 22
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a paperback copy of A Hangman for Ghosts! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 22nd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

A Hangman for Ghosts

#TheMarriageofMissJaneAustenVolII #CollinsHemingway #HFVBTPartner

The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen Vol. II
by Collins Hemingway

Publication Date: August 8, 2016
eBook & Paperback; 332 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-1535444958

 

 

Jane Austen Lived a Quiet, Single Life-Or Did She?

Tradition holds that Jane Austen lived a proper, contemplative, unmarried life. But what if she wed a man as passionate and intelligent as she-and the marriage remained secret for 200 years?

The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen resolves the biggest mystery of Austen’s life-the “lost years” of her twenties-of which historians know virtually nothing.

• Why the enduring rumors of a lost love or tragic affair?

• Why, afterward, did the vivacious Austen prematurely put on “the cap of middle age” and close off any thoughts of finding love?

• Why, after her death, did her beloved sister destroy her letters and journals?

The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen trilogy answers these questions through a riveting love affair based on the history of the times and the details of Austen’s own life.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

Praise for The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen Series

“A skillful portrayal of an early nineteenth-century literary icon takes this historical romance on an imaginative journey of the soul. … The adventure of a true romantic partnership and all the excitement that the nineteenth century had to offer. … [The] novel invites you to linger, to savor, and to enjoy. … Makes for wonderful reading. … A Jane that lives and breathes on the page.”—Claire Foster, Foreword Reviews, 4 stars

“Hemingway captures the energy of the times, while also writing with the irony and sly humor of Austen herself. … A strikingly real Jane Austen fully engaged in the turbulent times. … She is a living, breathing presence. … [He] displays a notable ability to recreate time and place. … A lively, compelling read, [a] sobering but moving conclusion.” —Blueink Starred Review

“An enjoyable novel in an imaginative, well-researched series. … A well-researched work of historical fiction … [with] sweet moments and intriguing historical insights. … An incredibly moving portrait of a woman facing loss and love.” —Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Whether his subject is literature, history, or science, Collins Hemingway has a passion for the art of creative investigation. For him, the most compelling fiction deeply explores the heart and soul of its characters, while also engaging them in the complex and often dangerous world in which they have a stake. He wants to explore all that goes into people’s lives and everything that makes tThe hem complete though fallible human beings. His fiction is shaped by the language of the heart and an abiding regard for courage in the face of adversity.

As a nonfiction book author, Hemingway has worked alongside some of the world’s thought leaders on topics as diverse as corporate culture and ethics; the Internet and mobile technology; the ins and outs of the retail trade; and the cognitive potential of the brain. Best known for the #1 best-selling book on business and technology, Business @ the Speed of Thought, which he coauthored with Bill Gates, he has earned a reputation for tackling challenging subjects with clarity and insight, writing for the nontechnical but intelligent reader.

Hemingway has published shorter nonfiction on topics including computer technology, medicine, and aviation, and he has written award-winning journalism.

Published books include The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen trilogy, Business @ the Speed of Thought, with Bill Gates, Built for Growth, with Arthur Rubinfeld, What Happy Companies Know, with Dan Baker and Cathy Greenberg, Maximum Brainpower, with Shlomo Breznitz, and The Fifth Wave, with Robert Marcus.

Hemingway lives in Bend, Oregon, with his wife, Wendy. Together they have three adult sons and three granddaughters. He supports the Oregon Community Foundation and other civic organizations engaged in conservation and social services in Central Oregon.

For more information please visit Collins Hemingway’s website and blog. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Coffee and Ink’s Review

Jane Austen isn’t my usual go-to author at all, and I somehow never managed to read her in college. I’m far more a fan of the Brontes, of wild moors and dark regrets. That being said, I’ve also never read any fan fiction or erotic fan fiction or AU of Jane Austen’s life or writing, either—not a fan of zombies. I did enjoy the movie “Becoming Jane.” Oh, dear. I seem to have fallen down the rabbit hole of Jane Austen-ism…I also loved the movie “Death Come to Pemberly” from the novel by the late PD James.

Collins Hemingway has written a very satisfying three-volume series, I think. Even if you’re like me and haven’t read much or any of Jane Austen’s books, they are still very satisfying stories. I say this because I had my doubts, not about the novels themselves, but my capacity to enjoy them. Jane Austen obviously had a rich inner life that likely kept her from going mad at times. Collins Hemingway captures this richness with his luminous prose. His attention to detail, as sublime as Jane’s own writing, in bringing Jane to life and what might have happened during the missing years held me in utter fascination. I can’t decide if it’s the excellent writing or the story itself that kept me reading—both, I imagine.

The second volume surpasses the first, in my opinion, and I loved the first book. I am a sucker for epistolary storytelling, though the first book is not solely written in letters.  The second book has Jane adjusting to married life, waiting for the moment she’ll find time to write again. Slavery and abolition are strong elements of the plot, well researched and sounding quite in step with the era, as is Jane’s pregnancy.

From the reviews, I see many an English major has been pleased with Mr. Hemingway’s interpretations and extrapolations of Jane’s life. He might have inspired me to go and read her! But first, Volume III…:D

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, January 14
Review at Coffee and Ink

Wednesday, January 16
Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Thursday, January 17
Feature at What Is That Book About

Friday, January 18
Review at Rainy Day Reviews

Monday, January 21
Feature at Donna’s Book Blog

Tuesday, January 22
Excerpt at T’s Stuff
Interview at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, January 23
Review & Guest Post at To Read, Or Not to Read

Friday, January 25
Review at View from the Birdhouse
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Monday, January 28
Review at For the Sake of Good Taste

Tuesday, January 29
Guest Post at Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

Wednesday, January 30
Review at Library of Clean Reads

Friday, February 1
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Saturday, February 2
Review at Jorie Loves a Story

Sunday, February 3
Review at Bri’s Book Nook

Monday, February 4
Review at Amy’s Booket List

Tuesday, February 5
Review at Maiden of the Pages

Wednesday, February 6
Feature at The Lit Bitch
Interview at Bookish Rantings

Thursday, February 7
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, February 8
Review at Book Reviews from Canada

Saturday, February 9
Interview at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen Vol II

Book Blast: #FortressoftheSun by EM Thomas

Fortress of the Sun
by E.M. Thomas

Publication Date: December 26, 2018
Paperback & eBook; 300 Pages
Rokhish Press

Genre: Historical/Greek & Roman

 

 

Read an Excerpt.

It’s 243 B.C. and Greece is ready for a revolution.

Eighty years have passed since the death of Alexander the Great, the man who first cowed free Hellas into submission. His successors to the Macedonian throne have only tightened their grip in the interim, the present king no exception. Spartan rebellions, opportunistic usurpers, foreign invaders – for nearly five decades, King Antigonus has seen them all and crushed them all. He now stands alone astride Greece; he fears no one.

Aratus of Sicyon plans to change that. With a passion for freedom and hatred for the King that stem from the same childhood tragedy, he takes aim at Macedon when no one else would dare; takes aim at its crown jewel in the south, the linchpin of its control, the very symbol of its domination – Corinth. Hopelessly outfunded, outmanned, and outarmed, he embarks on one of the most audacious and stunning attacks in ancient history, one that would change Greece forever.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

E.M. Thomas is an author of two novels – an epic fantasy (The Bulls of War) and a historical fiction set in Ancient Greece (Fortress of the Sun).

E.M. was born and raised on the East Coast of the United States but is a world traveler at heart. He caught the writing bug early on and has a passion for all good fiction, but especially that of the fantasy and historical variety. One of his favorite moments thus far in his young career was writing a chapter of his latest book about the great battle of Corinth – while sitting amidst the ruins of ancient Corinth.

For all news and updates related to E.M. Thomas, visit www.emthomas.com. You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Book Blast Schedule

Wednesday, December 26
Passages to the Past

Thursday, December 27
Book Reviews from Canada
Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Friday, December 28
Pursuing Stacie
Locks, Hooks and Books

Saturday, December 29
Just One More Chapter

Monday, December 31
What Is That Book About

Wednesday, January 2
Let Them Read Books

Thursday, January 3
Historical Fiction with Spirit

Friday, January 4
The Writing Desk

Monday, January 7
Dorie’s Reading Corner

Friday, January 11
Coffee and Ink

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 11th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Fortress of the Sun

WWW Wednesday at coffee and ink #20

Sam at Taking on a World of Words is the host of WWW Wednesday.  To participate, all you have to do is answer the three W questions and post in the comments section at Sam’s blog:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

Finally getting back to this one:

The review will post on January 15th.

What did you recently finish reading?

Very good and compelling, excellent writing pulling me right in…:D Review on January 14.

Reviewed on January 6 and January 7 for NetGalley.

What do you think you will read next?

One of my Christmas books:

and another for reviewing…

.

Description

From the author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Maud’s Line, an epic novel that follows a web of complex family alliances and culture clashes in the Cherokee Nation during the aftermath of the Civil War, and the unforgettable woman at its center.

It’s the early spring of 1875 in the Cherokee Nation West. A baby, a black hired hand, a bay horse, a gun, a gold stash, and a preacher have all gone missing. Cherokee America Singer, known as “Check,” a wealthy farmer, mother of five boys, and soon-to-be widow, is not amused.

In this epic of the American frontier, several plots intertwine around the heroic and resolute Check: her son is caught in a compromising position that results in murder; a neighbor disappears; another man is killed. The tension mounts and the violence escalates as Check’s mixed race family, friends, and neighbors come together to protect their community—and painfully expel one of their own.

Cherokee America vividly, and often with humor, explores the bonds—of blood and place, of buried histories and half-told tales, of past grief and present injury—that connect a colorful, eclectic cast of characters, anchored by the clever, determined, and unforgettable Check.

 

 

 

 

 

 

#SmokeAndAshes #NetGalley

Abir Mukerjee

Pegasus Books

March 5, 2019

NetGalley Description:

“India, 1921. Haunted by his memories of World War I, Captain Sam Wyndham is battling a serious addiction to opium that he must keep secret from his superiors in the Calcutta police force. When Sam is summoned to investigate a grisly murder, he is stunned at the sight of the body: he’s seen this before. Last night, in a drug addled haze, he stumbled across a corpse with the same ritualistic injuries. It seems like there’s a deranged killer on the loose. Unfortunately for Sam, the corpse was in an opium den—and revealing his presence there could cost him his career. With the aid of his quick-witted Indian Sergeant, Surrender-Not Banerjee, Sam must try to solve the two murders, all the while keeping his personal demons secret, before somebody else turns up dead.”

Review:

This is the third in the series set in 1920s India, but the novel easily stands alone. I will read the first two books, that’s for sure! Well-written and intricately plotted against the backdrop of Calcutta, this was a very interesting read.

Sam Wyndham, veteran of WWI, is a police detective in the days of the British Raj, but a change is coming. During a raid on an opium den (Sam is not part of the raid, but a partaker) Sam discovers a dead man with odd injuries. Two more seemingly unrelated bodies turn up with the same ritualistic markings and Sam and his partner Surrender-Not struggle to put the pieces together. Meanwhile, Ghandi has inspired his people to peaceful protests against British rule, namely Surrender-Not’s uncle and aunt, who have become leaders in the resistance. The past and present, the social turmoil of the age, begin to play a part in the investigation and for me, this was when the story really got fascinating and hard to put down. Sam is a great character, fighting his memories as a soldier, his subsequent addiction to opium, and against the rules that sometimes bind him as a police detective. Far from perfect, but determined.

Thank you NetGalley and Pegasus Books!

#TheUnquietHeart #NetGalley

Kaite Welsh

May 7, 2019

Pegasus Books

 

NetGalley Description:

“Edinburgh, 1893. Sarah Gilchrist has no intention of marrying her dull fiancé Miles, the man her family hope will restore her reputation and put an end to her dreams of becoming a doctor, but when he is arrested for a murder she is sure he didn’t commit, she finds herself his reluctant ally. Beneath the genteel façade of upper class Edinburgh lurks blackmail, adultery, poison, and madness, and Sarah must return to Edinburgh’s slums, back alleys, and asylums as she discovers the dark past about a family where no one is what they seem, even Miles himself.  It also brings her back into the orbit of her mercurial professor, Gregory Merchiston—he sees Sarah as his protege, but can he stave off his demons long enough to teach her the skills that will save her life? ”

Review:

Wow, blown away! I loved this book and would give it 10 stars if I could, and I can’t wait to read the first one—The Wages of Sin. The strong voice of Sarah Gilchrist kept me glued to the page. By the time I got through the backstory of the first novel, I was hooked.

Having survived rape, commitment to a madhouse, betrayal by a trusted mentor, Sarah is determined to move on with her plan to continue her studies at the University of Edinburgh to become a doctor of forensics. The women in this program are chaperoned at all times, held to different standards, and pretty much treated with contempt for daring to enter the male-dominated world of academics. Ugh, suffocating!

The only other bright-ish light in her world appears to be Gregory Merchiston, one of her professors. Brilliant and broken, he’s the only person in her life who sees her for herself, not some hysterical, subversive, unnatural woman fascinated by anatomy and poison.

Her mother’s schemes have trapped Sarah in an arranged marriage with Miles Greene. When the Greene’s maid, and then Miles’s father, die, Miles is accused and arrested. Lovely, complicated conflicts. Sarah likes Miles, though she doesn’t want to marry him, so the arrest is a bit of a relief. But she can’t stand by and let him be accused of and hanged for, a murder he didn’t commit.

Okay, I did guess who-dunnit, but how it all played out is what interested me!

Thank you NetGalley and Pegasus Books!

 

 

 

Thursday Review: #TheLostGirlsofParis #NetGalley

Author: Pam Denoff

Publisher: Harlequin

Publication date: January 29, 2019

NetGalley Description:

“From the author of the runaway bestseller The Orphan’s Tale comes a remarkable story of friendship and courage centered around three women and a ring of female secret agents during World War II.

1946, Manhattan

One morning while passing through Grand Central Terminal on her way to work, Grace Healey finds an abandoned suitcase tucked beneath a bench. Unable to resist her own curiosity, Grace opens the suitcase, where she discovers a dozen photographs—each of a different woman. In a moment of impulse, Grace takes the photographs and quickly leaves the station.

Grace soon learns that the suitcase belonged to a woman named Eleanor Trigg, leader of a network of female secret agents who were deployed out of London during the war. Twelve of these women were sent to Occupied Europe as couriers and radio operators to aid the resistance, but they never returned home, their fates a mystery. Setting out to learn the truth behind the women in the photographs, Grace finds herself drawn to a young mother turned agent named Marie, whose daring mission overseas reveals a remarkable story of friendship, valor and betrayal.

Vividly rendered and inspired by true events, New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff shines a light on the incredible heroics of the brave women of the war and weaves a mesmerizing tale of courage, sisterhood and the great strength of women to survive in the hardest of circumstances.”

My Review:

I liked the story, but the writing had me grinding my teeth a bit. Dramatic moments were cut off at the knees by sometimes anemic writing, and I wanted to love it, though I did enjoy the read otherwise.

The novel is told from multiple viewpoints at different points in time. Grace lives in New York City in 1946 and works for a man who helps out the displaced people coming over from post-war Europe. She enters the stories of Marie and Eleanor Trigg by finding Eleanor’s abandoned suitcase in Grand Central Station. A packet of photographs tickles her curiosity, and on a whim, she takes them.

The parallel storyline tells us what happened to the women in the photographs. Hand picked by Eleanor to become radio operators working from within Nazi-occupied France, Marie is one of the women we follow. I found her character flat and storyline somewhat unbelievable. Eventually, they are betrayed, and the operation is shut down.  No one knows what happened to the twelve women and both Eleanor, and eventually Grace, are determined to find out what became of the lost girls.

A compelling read because of the subject matter, but with some deep flaws, in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin!

 

WWW Wednesday at coffee and ink #19

Sam at Taking on a World of Words is the host of WWW Wednesday.  To participate, all you have to do is answer the three W questions and post in the comments section at Sam’s blog:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

I don’t usually listen to audio books unless I’m focused on something like cleaning the house. Sometimes the noise in my head drowns out the narration and listening gets frustrating. I started listening to The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher and love it. I did get a little upset and teary that she herself was reading, but got past that. She’s on my list of “read more of” since I read Postcards from the Edge a long time ago, but…the road to hell and all. Well, the house is going to be really clean! 😀

What did you recently finish reading? 

So I do this thing starting around Christmas, where I hunt back in my Kindle for some comfort re-reads. Sue Brockmann’s “Troubleshooters” series and Andrea Speed’s “Infected” series are Christmas to New Year’s past re-reads.

This year I went with a re-read (the 5th, 6th?) of Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English series. Yes, that’s Adrien with an E.

Good Reads description:

“One sunny morning Los Angeles bookseller and aspiring mystery author Adrien English opens his front door to murder. His old high school buddy (and employee) has been found stabbed to death in a back alley following a loud and very public argument with Adrien the previous evening.

Naturally the cops want to ask Adrien a few questions; they are none too impressed with his answers, and when a few hours later someone breaks into Adrien’s shop and ransacks it, the law is inclined to think Adrien is trying to divert suspicion from himself.
Adrien knows better. Adrien knows he is next on the killer’s list.”

In order:

1. Fatal Shadows
2. A Dangerous Thing
3. Death of A Pirate King
4. The Dark Tide

The other seasonal re-read is KJ Charles Magpie Lord series. Why I find murder both mundane and paranormal a “comfort” I have no idea, but it’s Romance and at least I know there will be a happy ending, lol.

Good Reads:

“A lord in danger. A magician in turmoil. A snowball in hell.

Exiled to China for twenty years, Lucien Vaudrey never planned to return to England. But with the mysterious deaths of his father and brother, it seems the new Lord Crane has inherited an earldom. He’s also inherited his family’s enemies. He needs magical assistance, fast. He doesn’t expect it to turn up angry.

Magician Stephen Day has good reason to hate Crane’s family. Unfortunately, it’s his job to deal with supernatural threats. Besides, the earl is unlike any aristocrat he’s ever met, with the tattoos, the attitude… and the way Crane seems determined to get him into bed. That’s definitely unusual.

Soon Stephen is falling hard for the worst possible man, at the worst possible time. But Crane’s dangerous appeal isn’t the only thing rendering Stephen powerless. Evil pervades the house, a web of plots is closing round Crane, and if Stephen can’t find a way through it—they’re both going to die.”

1. A Charm of Magpies
2. A Case of Possession
3. Flight of Magpies

What do you think you’ll read next?

These are review books coming up in January, and I’ve started two of them…

Very good and compelling, excellent writing for both pulling me right in…:D