It’s A Right Cozy Christmas Crime! #ARIGHTCOZYCHRISTMASCRIME

What better to whet your appetite for the festive season, than a seasonal read. In this case, it’s a collection of short stories all with the same theme – crime! Kick back and grab a cuppa and we’ll get down to business with A Right Cozy Christmas Crime.

Right Cozy Christmas Crime

Wendy J. Jones was the brainchild, and through her company, Scott and Lawson have gathered a diverse group of crime writers to put this first in a series of cozy crimes together.

Right Cozy Christmas Crime

Blurb

Step into a world where twinkling lights and holiday cheer are accompanied by Christmas puddings and a dash of intrigue. A Right Cozy Christmas Crime brings together thirteen festive mysteries where annual traditions are intertwined with shadowy secrets. From a historic Scottish Castle hiding a chilling truth, to the bustling streets of Lagos filled with more than just Christmas shoppers, each tale sparkles with holiday warmth while unravelling a deliciously puzzling mystery. It’s time to put your feet up, sip hot cocoa and join our detectives as they ensure justice is served. Perfect for lovers of cozy mysteries with a holiday twist.

My Review

I loved this collection of short stories. I could dip in and out as time permitted. The stories were interesting, and there was quite a collection of characters involved. Past and present timelines and a range of locations made for a fun read in the lead-up to the festive season.

Oh, and at the end? A recipe!

Buy Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DKG4TP9Q

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY 

Scott and Lawson Publishing, situated in the heart of Dundee, Scotland, is a beacon for literary enthusiasts. The company publishes captivating cosy mystery anthologies, transporting readers to quaint locales filled with intrigue and charm. In addition they specialise in non-fiction books tailored for writers seeking to hone their craft, the company offers invaluable insights and guidance fiction aficionados are also catered to with thrilling narratives that keep them on the edge of their seats. With a commitment to quality and a passion for storytelling, Scott and Lawson Publishing is a cornerstone of the Scottish literary landscape.

A Right Cozy Christmas Crime Features 13 Short Stories written by

Wendy H. Jones
Linda Mather
Sue Cook
Melicity Pope
Marti M. Mcnair
Sheena MacLeod
Pauline Tait
Gulia Fancelli Clifford
Dianne Ascroft
Gillian DuffStella Oni
Alex Greyson
Sophy Smythe

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

 

https://www.wendyhjones.com

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Wendy-H.-Jones/author/B00OABSKH0

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Dianne-Ascroft/author/B002BOCBKA

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/LINDA-MATHER/author/B095CQWLDY

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Pauline-Tait/author/B01MU5U020

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Sheena-Macleod/author/B01N32QPOJ

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Stella-Oni/author/B08MV9TP6P

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Alex-Greyson/author/B0DKJXNW16

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Sue-Cook/author/B0BG8X6L37

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Gillian-Duff/author/B06XBTXG14

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Marti-M.-McNair/author/B0CK8JM7FQ

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Sophy-Smythe/author/B08YNV7ZTF

 

The Queen of Cups by GB Williams #THEQUEENOFCUPSMURDERS

Today, the blog features something a little different. I’m reviewing The Queen of Cups by GB Williams.

Queen of Cups

BLURB

He’s determined to draw a better future. But his morning reading didn’t warn him about the muddy ditch of corpses…

South Wales. Detective Sergeant Madoc Palmer struggles to fit in. Committed to his job, the tarot reader hopes his transfer away from a sabotaging superior is a fresh start. Though he downplays his psychic ability as good instincts, the ploy is tested when two murders trigger strange visions.

As his abilities take an inexplicable leap forward, Palmer navigates the tricky task of guiding the sharp-eyed, evidence-following Detective Inspector Ruth Atkins to the identity of the decayed remains. With his suspicious new DI watching every move, the newcomer fears any slip of the tongue could get him laughed off the force.

Can he reveal his truth without destroying his life or letting a killer slip from their grasp?

Queen of Cups

LINK TO BUY

Queen of Cups

MY REVIEW

Anyone familiar with tarot will know the book’s title is a card in the deck. I can put everything I know about tarot cards in a doll-sized teacup. I know South Wales reasonably well, where the book is set. The book was engaging, and the characters were likable.  My lack of tarot knowledge did nothing to spoil my enjoyment of it.

The dynamics between the lead characters, DI Ruth Akins and DS Madoc Palmer, made it enjoyable.

I was lucky to get in on the ground floor with this book since it’s the first in a series of police procedurals.

A 5-star read, and I’ll be watching for more books by this author.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Queen of Cups

GB Williams specialises in complex, fast-paced crime novels. Her works include the recently expanded Locked Trilogy, The Elaine Blake Novels and the stand alone, The Chair. GB was shortlisted for the 2014 CWA Margery Allingham Short Story Competition with the story Last Shakes, now available in Last Cut Casebook. GB is a member of the Crime Writers Association, Crime Cymru, and part of the organising team for Gŵyl CRIME CYMRU Festival, as well as working as a writer and freelance structural editor. 

WEBSITE

HOME

For a free story, see books.gailbwilliams.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Facebook: @GBWilliamsCrimeWriter

Instagram: @gbwilliamsauthor

Threads: @gbwilliamsauthor

Blog:  GB Williams Crime Blog

It’s paperback launch day for It Happened at Niagara Falls!

In just a few short hours, I’ll be hosting the paperback launch of the latest novel in my It Happened series, It Happened at Niagara Falls!

via GIPHY

Where: Prescott Pop-Ups

When: Saturday and Sunday (September 28 and 29) from 10:00-17:00 both days.

Supplies of this first print run are limited so get there early to purchase your copy.

paperback

What’s the book about? Well, here’s the blurb.

Must Love Dogs meets Serendipity

Scarred by a devasting accident that killed her parents and younger brother, Jennifer Fox finds solace in the embrace of Niagara Falls. Her pug, Zeus, holds the title of her best Friend. Undeterred by her physical constraints, she maintains a bartending job in one of the city’s many bars.

Since graduating from university, archaeologist Michael Scott has been on many prestigious digs. The discovery of Richard III in 2012 has been the pinnacle of his career to date. His dedication to his profession has prevented him from having many personal connections.

A chance encounter with a runaway pug leads Michael to invite Jennifer to the charming village of Percé.

After accepting the opportunity to work with a team on a dig site near Cairo, he leaves her behind in Canada.

Despite their different backgrounds, can Jennifer and Michael find common ground and live happily ever after?

*****

Did that whet your appetite for more?

*****

Each book in my It Happened series involves at least one dog, and said animal is instrumental in getting the couple together.

Currently, the paperback isn’t available to purchase online, but it will be soon. You can buy the ebook from these outlets at Books2Read.

I think of all the It Happened books I’ve written, this one was the most fun. It’s also the longest. The first four in the series range from 45-55K words. It Happened at Niagara Falls came in at over 80K.

I hope to see you over the weekend.  Here’s the cute building where I’ll be located.

paperback

 

 

The Grandmother by Jane E. James

I’m pleased to welcome Jane E. James back to Celtic Connexions with another of her psychological thrillers, The Grandmother!

grandmother

Blurb

I might be a grandmother. But I’m not some sweet, harmless old lady who people can push around.

Two little girls stand with their heads bowed in my living room. I’m told they’re my granddaughters. This is the first time I’ve met them since my daughter and I fell out after she married that waste of space, Vince. Daisy is nine, and Alice seven. Daisy is the spitting image of her mother.

They’ve come to live with me because their mother — my daughter — was murdered. In her own home while they slept close by.

I think their father, Vince, killed my daughter. But the police can’t prove it. I’ve always known he was no good. He treated my daughter like dirt. I warned her he’d cheat on her — but she wouldn’t listen.

But then, most people have a dark side — and I’m no different.

Now he wants his daughters back.

Over my dead body.

I finally have a family of my own. And nobody is going to take it away from me.

the grandmother

My Review

grandmother This book started on a slow burn for me. The loving Grandmother, Yvonne Castle

It really took off on my Kindle at about the 62% mark. It was a ‘what? I didn’t see that coming!’ moment.

I’m a fan of psychological thrillers, and this one ranks right up there.

The author created well-rounded characters, and the writing was strong. The Grandmother isn’t the first book I’ve read by this author, and it certainly won’t be the last.

You can find The Grandmother here

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216727227-the-grandmother

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/grandmother-zbt

About the Author

The Grandmother

 

Jane E. James is a bestselling author who likes to create chilling reads that appeal to fans of psychological suspense thrillers, mysteries, and dark fiction. Her novels are packed with plot twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. All of them are standalone novels.

Jane is an animal lover and lives with her cat, Hero, in a small country village near Stamford, Lincolnshire in the UK, which is known for its quirky tea shops and cobbled streets. Rebecca, Carrie, The Woman in Black and Wuthering Heights are among some of Jane’s favourite reads.

Jane’s Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janeejamesauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jane_e_james

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janeejamesauthor

Website: http://www.janeejames.com

Joffe Books’ Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joffebooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/joffebooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joffebooks

Website: https://joffebooks.com/

The Grandmother

Mutate by Hetty Waite #MUTATE

Today, I’m welcoming a new-to-me author, Hetty Waite and her book, Mutate.

Mutate

 

Let’s have a look at the cover.
Mutate

Blurb

One change can be deadly…

In the city of Galex, all that matters is your genetics. Living with a virus that only affects the Y chromosome, men – Ys – are at risk of death or mutation and considered too dangerous to live freely. Women – Xs- rule the city.

Cara must navigate a world where the one she loves is considered a deadly enemy. With her sister Myla in charge of Galex and driven by a hatred of Ys, Cara has a dangerous secret.  If discovered, it will not only destroy her relationship with her sister, but will threaten the life of the Y she loves.

Brown has spent his life enslaved, knowing he could mutate at any moment. After seeing his best friend killed, he volunteers for a deadly mission.  He is soon to face a difficult decision: protect Cara and sacrifice her sister, or betray his fellow Ysand place all his loyalty in the hands of an X.

Excerpt

There are two main narrative perspectives in Mutate: Cara, an X, and Brown, a Y. Cara is a powerful figure in the new city of Galex, whereas Brown is treated as a slave.

This excerpt is from the beginning of the novel, from Cara’s perspective.

One of my earliest memories is the first time I witnessed a Y transformation.

I must have been about three years old. We were moving between city hostels at the time, trying to find safe havens. There weren’t many back then. Ys were still running free without controls, so the risk of them becoming infected and mutating was high. The army was struggling to keep control: so many soldiers had died, they hardly had any manpower left, and the ones they did have were at risk of changing. It’s a shame that, at the time, the army was overwhelmingly made up of Ys.

Why I was out alone in the street at that age is anyone’s guess. Myla always says I must have been on the hunt for food, as I never stopped eating. We’d joke about poor parenting skills leading to kids being made breakfast by monsters.

At the time I didn’t laugh, though. I can still remember how hard my heart pounded, how afraid I was, when this human-lizard hybrid looked at me like I was human-shaped snack. I can still remember my Mum’s angry, hysterical shriek as she yelled at me. I can still remember Myla peeking out from behind her legs, barely six years old herself, shaking in fear as she witnessed her mother killing a Saurian to save her little sister. 

Unfortunately, that’s no longer the worst monster I’ve seen.

Buy Link

amazon

About the Author

Mutate

Hetty Waite lives in Derbyshire with her husband, daughter and cavapoo.

She is always looking to get lost in a good book and has spent years passing on her love of reading by teaching English to teenagers. Whilst no longer in the classroom, (and definitely not missing the marking), she is keen to continue helping young people engage with literature.

Nowadays, when not pandering to the whims of her demanding 4-year-old or tutoring GCSE students, she finds time to write YA fiction.

The Chromosome Trilogy Book 1: Mutate is her first novel.

Follow Hetty at these links:

WEBSITE – https://hettywaite.co.uk

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086494572838

INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/hettywaite

X – @HettyWaite

mutate

 

Hunter’s Rules by Val Penny #HUNTERSRULES

It’s my pleasure to feature Hunter’s Rules, book six in Val Penny’s Hunter Wilson series, set in Edinburgh.

Hunter's Rules

Let’s have a look at the fantastic cover!

Hunter's Rules

Blurb

A bloody scene brings Hunter and Meera’s romantic plans to an abrupt end. 

A young woman attacked in a hotel lift has life changing injuries. Her wounds match those inflicted on two women who were murdered.

When Hunter is identified as a suspect in the case, he must establish his innocence to lead his team and solve this bloodcurdling crime.

Is the same person responsible for all three crimes?
Will the girl in the lift finally identify who is targeting these young women ?

Hunter will stop at nothing until he catches the unhinged killer.

My Review

Each book in this series has improved upon the previous one. This one, in my mind, is the best of them. The fact that it’s set in Edinburgh certainly helps. I love that city.

I’ve loved the characters from the beginning, and each time I pick up a book featuring them, it feels like I’m sitting down with old friends and having a catch-up.

Val creates an excellent page-turning read. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series!

Buy Link for Hunter’s Rules

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D7ZPBJDX

About the Author

Hunter's RulesVal Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store.

Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd.

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.

You can follow Val at these links

Website – https://www.valpenny.com

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Val-Penny/e/B07C4725TK

Author Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/valerie.penny.739

Author Twitter Page – @valeriepenny

Author Instagram Pagehttps://www.instagram.com/valerieepenny/

Downstream by Maressa Mortimer #DOWNSTREAM

Once again, I’m happy to host Maressa Mortimer, who is sharing an excerpt from her latest book, Downstream.

Downstream

Blurb

Radio signals have been picked up that might reveal the location of Downstream. Macia longs to find her mother there and tries to persuade her friends Gax and Cecilia to join her in the search. But is it a dangerous mistake or a mission from God? Many difficulties await them and they will need to trust God as they encounter darkness and danger, reaching out with the Light.

Downstream

Excerpt

Chapter One Part 3

Life has changed for the girls. What they wear, read, say, and do is a world apart from the controlled society of Elabi. Macia rubs her arm, “My arm says it’s going to be wet later,” she grins, sure that the healed break can predict the weather. “I better go for a run now, before we have to help in the shelter.” She smooths out one of her nails, and continues slowly, “I hope Gax will know more soon.” She swallows, “It’s made me struggle to sleep at night, and I have had to write my imaginary diary again,” she laughs as she gets up to get ready for her run.
Caecilia goes up to her room, not wanting to stay in the shared
lounge by herself. She lowers herself on her bed, thinking. “Dearest friend,” she whispers, thinking of Macia and her diary, “maybe I should have a dearest friend as well, as my head is spinning. I wanted to forget Elabi, but it’s there and my parents and my family,” she wipes tears away that have suddenly splashed on her cheeks. She can’t remember ever crying in Elabi, but since arriving in Mataiox nearly a year ago, she has changed. Even Macia, who has not even been a year, has changed. “Anyway, dearest friend,” Caecilia forces her mind back to the diary in her head, “I am confused. I would love to leave it all behind, but the mention of Elabi has stirred something in me. I should pray about it, but I don’t know how to, as I can’t work out what I want.”
Working in the Shelter is a good diversion, both girls agree. The Shelter provides sleeping spaces and meals for homeless people. “That’s the sad side of Mataiox,” Caecilia says to Macia as they’re stirring large pots and pans, filled with wholesome food. “It’s free,
or less controlled, but it comes with many problems. Sometimes I wonder if the freedom is worth it for many people, until we’re back at the Meeting House, then I am glad!”
“I like the freedom,” Macia says, “freedom to wear what you want,” and she looks down at her new jeans, and grins at Caecilia, “Well, I like them,” she says, lifting her chin, “They are comfortable and everyone wears them.” Caecilia shrugs but Macia carries on, “And there are other freedoms I like. It might come at a price, but in Elabi, there is a price too. Think of Downstream, and beyond the hills. Here, people can change, like some of the people visiting the Shelter. They might visit the Shelter for a while, but some of them do get back on their feet.” She stirs a little slower, “Maybe not many, and definitely not all, but there is a way back from their struggles. People are around to help the homeless people. Downstream is final and the hills are often final.”
Gax is waiting for the girls as they finish cleaning up the kitchen.
The Shelter is quiet now, leftover food is boxed up and put away, and most of the staff has gone home. Gax watches the girls, and as Caecilia smiles at him, he says, “I talked to Linu today, after my morning Ethics class.” Both girls stop what they’re doing and Gax shrugs. “There isn’t much more I can tell you, but maybe we could go for a quick walk along the beach?”
Macia is glad of her new jeans when they get out of Gax’s car. The wind is sharp and she tugs her coat tighter. Caecilia shivers, but keeps her smile in place. She clutches her new handbag, hoping Gax will notice. It’s similar to the bag his sister has. Gax smiles at her, causing a warm glow inside her and the three walk onto the soft sand, Gax in the middle.
Macia is the first to break the uneasy silence by taking a deep breath through her nose. “I love the smell of the sea,” she says, “it reminds me of my paddleboarding lessons.” Her mind wanders back, thinking of the woman who helped her and even provided the board that brought her to freedom. It always fills her heart with gratitude as well as worry for the woman’s safety.
Caecilia nods, “It reminds me of my father’s lighthouse,” she says softly, hugging her large bag a little tighter, forcing her voice to stay light.
Gax smiles at her. “That lighthouse is special,” he grins, “it was the first thing I saw, getting into Elabi, and in a way the last thing as well.” He looks away. “Linu says the chatter isn’t from Elabi itself.” The girls nod, as Gax had shared that part already. “She tried to get more information, and says the main word she managed to unscramble was,” he hesitates, “…was Requipacem.”
Both girls gasp and Caecilia takes a step away from Gax whilst Macia stares out over sea. Requipacem. The word indicating the ending of someone’s life in Elabi. Macia keeps her back towards Gax, but manages to ask, “Why would that be part of a radio conversation?” Gax looks at his shoes, not wanting to look at the girls. “Linu thinks
the chatter isn’t from Elabi or from beyond the hills. She isn’t sure where exactly it is from, although she has managed to narrow it down. We think… we think it might be from Downstream.”
Macia spins round, opens her mouth, closes it and turns back to watch the gentle waves hugging the yellow sand, leaving darker lines. She doesn’t move as Caecilia asks, “Does she know whereabouts Downstream is in that case? And would it matter at all?”
Macia spins round at that. “I agree. What difference would it make? People go Downstream for Requipacem, I’m sure. There is nothing down there. There can’t be anything.” She chews her nail, “There has never been anyone returning, otherwise, if they could they would. She would.” She gives a small gasp as the last couple of words escape her mouth. She blinks, sniffs then continues, her voice no longer fierce.
“She would have returned for us, if there was a way back. Once my little brother had gone, she would have returned, I’m sure.”
Caecilia touches Macia’s arm with her fingertips. “She wouldn’t have been received well, and she would have known that. Maybe she could have found a way back, but it wouldn’t have been worth it. Your father wouldn’t have received her back with open arms, would he? And the city leaders wouldn’t have accepted her back either, as every parent of sick and imperfect children would have followed her example.”
Macia gives a small sob and whispers, “What if she stayed there then? What if she is alive and living Downstream? Maybe she is still there.”

Buy Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Downstream-Elabi-Chronicles-Maressa-Mortimer/dp/1838313494/

About Maressa

DownstreamMaressa grew up in the Netherlands, and moved to England soon after finishing teaching training college. Married to Pastor Richard Mortimer they live in a Cotswold village with there four children. She is a homeschool mum, enjoying the time spent with family, travelling, reading and turning life into stories, she wants to use her stories to show practical Christian’s living in a fallen world.

Follow Maressa

Website http://www.vicarioushome.com/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vicarioush.ome

Linktr.ee https://linktr.ee/Vicarioushome

Wild Flowers by Richard Robinson #WILDFLOWERS

Richard Robinson returns to Celtic Connexions with his second installment of the Topaz series, Wild Flowers.

Wild Flowers

BLURB

HIGH SEAS
HIGH STAKES

In ‘Wild Flowers,’ the second explosive instalment of the Topaz Files, inexperienced spy Jones Is thrust into the heart of danger aboard the General Eduardo—a colossal container ship laden with stolen arms worth millions.

Trapped and desperate, Jenny Richmond is the linchpin in a daring operation by the Topaz team, racing against time to recover the lethal cargo hijacked by the Russians and bound for clandestine camps in Belize.

But in the shadowy world of espionage, they are not alone. Joseph Armstrong, a double agent ensnared in a deadly game, is torn between his loyalty to Russia and a tempting offer from an enigmatic Zimbabwean farmer, Irvine Terre-Blanche.

What’s at stake?
Millions of pounds and the sinister secrets of the Wild Flowers Project.

As the operation hurtles towards a catastrophic finale, a band of retired spies join the fray, seeking one last explosive job in this high-octane thriller of deception and betrayal.

Wild Flowers

LINK  TO BUY

Wild Flowers

https://linktr.ee/thetopazfiles

MY REVIEW

This second installment of the Topaz series was a cracking good read. I reunited with characters from Book 1, like meeting old friends, and I met some new ones along the way—not all of whom were nice.

Richard’s characters leap off the page. There’s espionage, drama, danger, and a bit of comedic relief in the characters of Carl and Tom.  The author’s vivid descriptions of the scenes onboard the container ship made me feel like I was aboard. But if you want to learn more about them, you must read the books.

I can’t wait for book 3 in the series! Well done, Richard!

WEBSITE

https://www.thetopazfiles.com/

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Wild Flowers

Richard lives in East Anglia with his wife and two daughters. He is a trained journalist and spent his early years freelancing or in agency positions across the UK, including a stint in Northern Ireland in the mid-1990s. He then transferred to the third sector, working in charities focusing on issues as diverse as international development (in India and Bangladesh), air ambulance operations, music and the creative industries, mental health and homelessness. He also acted as Chief Executive of the Olympic Park charity during London 2012.

He is currently the CEO of Hourglass, the UK’s only charity focused on ending the abuse and neglect of older people, a job he applied for after a family experience of neglect.

Richard wrote his first novel in the early 2000s but this has yet to see the light of day. Instead, he started with a new idea in 2020 and Topaz was born. He has written two more in the Topaz Files series, Wild Flowers and The Mainstay, which are expected to be published in 2024.

He is also happily in the dugout for Boxford Rovers F.C. on a Saturday, a committed cratedigger (vinyl collector) and can occasionally be seen in the stands at Loftus Road and Windsor Park.

AUTHOR LINKS

Twitter at @TheTopazFiles

Richard on Instagram at @r_we_r

Email Richard at thewash_house@live.co.uk

Vex Not Her Ghost by Gill Calvin Thomas

Today on Celtic Connexions, I’m reviewing Vex Not Her Ghost by Gill Calvin Thomas.

vex

Blurb

Caitlin was four years old when her mother died in mysterious circumstances.

Thirty years later, she comes into possession of her family home in Dorset.

As she slowly recovers memories of her past, she becomes convinced that her mother’s ghost is warning her of impending disaster.

Aided by Charlie Bond, a private investigator, an enthralling story of deceit and deception unfolds as Caitlin and her friends expose the ultimate truth.

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211755390-vex-not-her-ghost

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/vexnotherghost-zbt

My Review

Vex Not Her Ghost started out on a slow burn for me. Something about it seemed weird. Okay, it’s a ghost story, so weird is good, right? Caitlin’s mother died when Caitlin was a little girl. Was it an accident or something more sinister?

Overall, the writing was good; I didn’t see that ending coming. I was expecting something completely different. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author.

About the Author

vex
Gill Calvin Thomas has retired from academic life and lives with her husband in Swanage, Dorset. She finds inspiration while walking in the Isle of Purbeck. Here, she is able to escape into a world of her own making, getting to know her characters, whilst she plans the next twist and turn of the plot.

As writing has become a major part of Gill’s life, she has withdrawn from taking a leading role in many community volunteer activities, although she has retained her interest in local and national politics. A lifelong feminist, Gill likes nothing better than a spirited debate on the issues of the day with family and friends. As her writing career develops, she hopes to explore those issues in her stories. Vex Not Her Ghost is Gill’s first novel and she is currently working on her second.

You can follow Gill at these links:

Website: https://gillthomas.co.uk/

And her publisher here:

Blossom Spring Publishing’s Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100059899875258

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlossomSpring3

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blossom.spring.publishing/

Website: https://www.blossomspringpublishing.com/

vex

SIN:THETICA by Keith Anthony Baird

SIN:THETICA

This week, I’m pleased to welcome Keith Anthony Baird and his latest novel, SIN:THETICA.

SIN:THETICA

Blurb

 

The Sino-Nippon war is over.

It is 2113 and Japan is crushed under the might of Chinese-Allied Forces.

A former Coalition Corps soldier, US Marine Balaam Hendrix is now a feared bounty hunter known as ‘The Reverend’.

In the sprawl of NeuTokyo, on this lawless frontier, he must track down the rogue employee of a notorious crime lord.

But, there’s a twist.

His target has found protection inside a virtual reality construct and Hendrix must go cyber-side to corner his quarry. The glowing neon signs for SIN:THETICA are everywhere, and promise escape from a dystopian reality.

But will it prove the means by which this hunter snares his prey, or will it be the trap he simply can’t survive?

My Review

While this isn’t my genre, it was still an excellent read. There were plenty of twists to keep me interested, and it was well-written. Okay, it was gory in places, but show me a dystopian novel, TV program, or even a current police procedural, and there is going to be a certain amount of that.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and the author’s unique style.

SIN:THETICA Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205000176-sin

Buy Links:  https://mybook.to/sinthetica-zbt

About the Author

SIN:THETICA

Keith Anthony Baird has written a number of works, all of which can be found using your browser – get busy!

He lives in Cumbria, in the United Kingdom, on the edge of the Lake District National Park.

Author Links

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kabauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kabauthor

Website:

SIN:THETICA

SIN:THETICA

My Scottish roots and writing by Melanie Robertson-King