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Book Review: ‘A Lady to Treasure’ by Marianne Ratcliffe

Happy publication day to this lovely Sapphic Regency romance!

After reading Ratcliffe’s ‘The Secret of Matterdale Hall’, I was delighted to be asked to read and review this book. Thanks to Bellows Press for my review copy – as always, opinions are entirely my own.

This novel centres on American Louisa Silverton, the daughter of a wealthy businessman whose investments aren’t looking too healthy. To secure the family fortune, Louisa is sent to England to make a lucrative marriage. However, rich men – especially those who are prepared to take a risk on an American with iffy finances – turn out to be a bit thin on the ground. Instead, Louisa finds herself caught up with the Davenport family who own the extensive but struggling Kenilborough estate – and, in particular, the Honorable Miss Sarah Davenport. Sarah is unconventional, headstrong and fighting for her family’s future. Can either Sarah or Louisa afford to risk their families’ futures for love?

Blog Tour: ‘The Whistlers in the Dark’ by Victoria Williamson

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for ‘The Whistlers in the Dark’, an eerie but sweet historical middle-grade novel. Thanks to The Write Reads for inviting me onto the tour and for my copy of the book for review – opinions are my own.

It’s 158AD and times are tough in Scotland. The invading Roman army is up against the native Damnonii tribe, kept apart only by the Antonine wall. On the Damnonii side, twelve-year old Jinny is coming to terms with an accident that has affected her family, for which she blames the ‘metal men’, the Romans. On the other side of the wall, teenager Felix wants to be a Roman soldier like his father. A hostile encounter between Jinny and Felix leads to the chance awakening of the mythical standing stones, an event that brings terror and danger to Jinny and her people. Can Felix and Jinny work together to save the day?

Book Review: ‘Harlem After Midnight’ by Louise Hare

I loved ‘Miss Aldridge Regrets’, the first novel by Louise Hare to throw singer Lena Aldridge into a new role as detective on board a transatlantic liner bound for New York in 1936. This second book, ‘Harlem after Midnight’, picks up the story of Lena’s arrival in New York with new beau and ship-board musician Will Goodman.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour: ‘The Turnglass’ by Gareth Rubin

Thanks to Random Things Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of the novel for review. Opinions are entirely my own.

This book was published in hardback on 31st August 2023 by Simon and Schuster.

Blog Tour: ‘The Silent Man’ by David Fennell

This is the third in the series to feature DI Grace Archer, following on from the brilliant ‘The Art of Death’ and ‘See No Evil’. I’ve followed this series – breathlessly, sometimes peeking through my fingers, with a pounding heart – from the beginning. This third instalment is another terrifying, gruesome and twisty tale.

Thanks to Compulsive Readers and Zaffre Books for my place on the blog tour and my copy of the book for review. As always, opinions are my own.

Blog Tour: ‘Fayne’ by Ann-Marie MacDonald

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for ‘Fayne’. Thanks to Tramp Press and Helen Richardson for my place on the tour and proof copy of the book (published 17th August).

As always, opinions are my own!

Book Review: ‘The Good Liars’ by Anita Frank

Happy publication day to ‘The Good Liars’ – 17th August, 2023.

I loved the sound of this one – a 1920s tale of guilt and ghosts, mystery and murder. Thank you to the lovely people at HQ Stories for my review copy of this book.

This book centres on the Stilwell family of Darkacre Hall – Maurice, his wife Ida, his brother Leonard and long-time family friend Victor. When a policeman arrives at the house following up new information about the disappearance of a boy in 1914, the family (along with new servant, Sarah Hove) find themselves under scrutiny. Events conspire to make the meeting even more prolonged and intense, leading the family to re-evaluate the past and their relationships.

Book Review: ‘I Did It For You’ by Amy Engel

Happy publication day (3rd August) to ‘I Did It For You’ by Amy Engel!

Having enjoyed ‘The Roanoke Girls’, I was pleased to be granted an early copy of ‘I Did It For You’ for review. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, HQ Stories – as always, opinions are my own.

This story follows a young woman, Greer Dunning, who returns to her small home town in Kansas. She has been away for over a decade, having left after the murder of her sister, Eliza, for which crime a man was executed. Greer finds her home unchanged in many ways – her family and close friends are there, the town’s rhythms are the same – but a new murder has shaken the inhabitants. The slaughter of a young couple in the same place as Eliza’s murder 14 years previously has raised the prospect of a copycat killer – and Greer finds herself wondering whether justice was truly done for her sister’s death.

Book Review: ‘The Retreat’ by Sarah Pearse

I liked Pearse’s first book – ‘The Sanatorium’ – because of the claustrophobic atmosphere and the edge-of-your-seat tension levels. I had high hopes for this book, ‘The Retreat’, as this marks the return of detective Elin Warner in a different but equally remote setting.

Book Review: ‘No Life for a Lady’ by Hannah Dolby

I wasn’t sure what to expect of this book, but I’d heard about it on social media and figured it was time for a break from my usual diet of gruesome murder mysteries!

The story focuses on Violet Hamilton, a 28-year old woman living with her father in Hastings in 1896. Her father has ideas about marrying her off, but Violet is much more interested in what happened to her mother who vanished from Hastings Pier ten years before. An advert in the local paper leads her to engage the rather odd Frank Knight as private detective. However, it isn’t long before Violet becomes unhappy with Mr Knight’s methods and takes matters into her own hands – with the sometimes unwilling help of Benjamin, son of a detective but who would rather have a quiet life selling furniture.

Violet was an absolute star! I loved that she heartily resists marriage and follows her own path – I was really rooting for her to discover the truth about her mother. I liked that revelations about her mother started to open Violet’s mind to the ways of the world – she moves from naive to more knowing without losing any of her charm along the way.

What made this book a joy to read was the humour – Violet’s naivete was good source of comedy, but Dolby also has a sharp eye for situational comedy. Violet’s attempt to swap a footstall for some help from Benjamin was just lovely, as was the way that she engaged in a battle of wits with Mrs Monk. Her revelations about the mushrooms also made me laugh so much…best read it to see!

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries – it’s quite a gentle investigation with some larger-than-life characters on the way. I wasn’t totally sold on all the elements of the ending, but I was certainly glad that we seem poised to get another instalment of Violet’s adventures.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Header photo by Joël Vogt on Unsplash