Category Archives: Joffe Books

crime writer, crime writing, Edinburgh, fiction, Joffe Books, Novels, police procedural

Murder in Edinburgh by Val Penny #MURDERINEDINBURGH

June 28, 2026 Melanie 1 Comment

Val Penny is my guest today, along with her novel, Murder in Edinburgh, featuring DI Hunter Wilson.

Blurb

A woman’s body is found in a shallow grave on the edge of an exclusive Edinburgh golf course. The victim bears the signs of a brutal struggle: blows to the body, marks around her throat, knees scraped raw as she fought to escape.

But there is no name. No phone. No one reported missing.

Detective Hunter Wilson is summoned from his regular darts night to take the call. Two decades on the force, he’s seen plenty. But this one gets under his skin from the start.

Edinburgh

Buy Links

PAPERBACK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/EDINBURGH-absolutely-gripping-Detective-Mysteries/dp/1805736477

KINDLE – https://www.amazon.co.uk/EDINBURGH-absolutely-gripping-Detective-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0GX34K8HF

Excerpt

Shit! He jumped. A mirror on the cupboard door gave him a fright! He thought it was a burglar dodging against him. Jamie didn’t like to fight. Violence wasn’t his game. He felt all hot and sweaty. He stood still for a moment, holding his chest while his heartbeat returned to normal. Then he looked around. Two doors to the left, two doors to the right, and in front of him, a staircase and a door. He opened the first door on the left and slipped into the room. He was pleased; this was the room with the French windows. Jamie unlocked them, just in case he needed an escape route. As Pop always said, you couldn’t be too careful.

He kept the torch on low beam and swept the light around the room. He started at the mantelpiece and shoved the silver and ornaments into his Asda bag. Shocking having to pay 5p for a plastic bag now. Daylight robbery. As opposed to nighttime robbery.

Moving over to the desk, he found a thick roll of cash. Lucky. And a cheque book. Did anybody still use these? Very old-fashioned. He stuck it in his pocket anyway. Bingo! Boxes: jewellery boxes; watch boxes. Nice. Lots of gold – bracelets, necklaces, and rings with big sparkly stones. The watches were impressive: a Rolex, and this one – a Breitling Transocean thingy. Well over £20k. Sweet.

Jamie was clearing the contents of the boxes into his pockets and congratulating himself on his haul when he heard a creak. He stopped to listen. Shit! The front door. Lucky it needed oil, really. Who was it? Piss.

Jamie heaved his stash into his pockets and his bag and shoved the cash down his trousers. Didn’t even have time to examine the goodies.

***

Sir Peter Myerscough came back early. He came back alone. That day, he had had to brief the First Minister on the action taken to contain the suspected terrorist threat in Broughty Ferry, then he had taken his parliamentary researcher for dinner. It did not take long to get through the three courses and coffee at the New Club. He had tipped off the staff to keep the meal coming.

He was both saddened and furious that the girl was leaving because she was lovely. He would have been proud to have her as a daughter; he would have been prouder still to have her on his arm. What eye candy! He was disappointed he had never got into her pants. It was such a pity she had never been up for it with him.

Her leaving now was bloody inconvenient because her salary was cheap, while she was efficient and easy on the eye. She was also damn good at her job. This was a most unusual combination, and Sir Peter had no doubt that his assistant would be all but impossible to replace on those terms.

Edinburgh

About the Author

Val Penny’s crime novels, form the bestselling series of DI Wilson Series set in Edinburgh.

She is an American author living in SW Scotland with her husband and their cat.

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B07C4725TK

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

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

Bluesky: https://www.bsky.app/profile/valpennyauthor/

Website: https://www.valpenny.com

cosy mystery, cozy crime, D.B. Borton, Joffe Books, Novels

Death by the Dozen by D.B. Borton

February 23, 2026 Melanie 3 Comments

Today at Celtic Connexions, I’m reviewing Death by the Dozen by D.B. Borton. This is the second of her novels I’ve had the pleasure of featuring here.

Death

Blurb

A curious case of a disappearing pig. A murdered historian. A sassy senior sleuth. If Cat Caliban’s not your favorite crime-solving grandma, you just haven’t met her yet!

Meet Cat Caliban — sixty-something widow, proud cat lady, and budding private eye. She’s traded in her old life as a housewife for something far more exciting: solving crimes.

But nothing in her sleuthing career has prepared her for this.

When a local historian begs Cat to find the villain who stole her beloved pig — Gertie, a cupcake-loving micro-mini with a mischievous streak — Cat figures it’s a simple petnapping. Sorry, pignapping. Until the trail leads to a dead human body.

With the city gearing up for its bicentennial celebrations, Cat finds herself tangled up in a complex mystery involving missing historical papers, a children’s book about a detective with trotters . . . and a cunning killer who’s determined to keep the past buried.

Cat must crack the case, bring home the bacon, and catch a murderer, before she becomes the next victim of Cincinnati’s deadliest – and oinkiest – celebration.

My Review

Cat Caliban is a hoot! When I read Eleven Hours to Murder, I wasn’t sure what to make of Cat. Now that I know her better, I love her, her friends, and her detective partner, Moses.

Set in Cincinnati, Ohio, the case Cat has taken on isn’t what one would call usual. It starts out with a pig-napping and ends with a murder.

Cat is in the throes of seasonal allergies, and when she’s at a function early in the book, the author’s descriptions of the poor woman’s stuffed sinuses cracked me up. I can sympathize because I, too, suffer from seasonal allergies.

Now, it’s up to Cat and Moses to search for the culprit(s). This book had me turning the virtual pages from the get-go.

If another book comes my way, you bet I’ll get myself on that tour.

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/247823113-death-by-the-dozen-a-brand-new-witty-and-addictive-cozy-murder-mystery

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

About the Author

D. B. Borton is the author of two mystery series—the Cat Caliban series and the Gilda Liberty series —as well as the standalone mystery novels Smoke and Bayou City Burning and the humorous science fiction novel Second Coming.

In graduate school, Borton converted a lifetime of passionate reading and late-night movie-watching into a doctorate in English. She is Professor Emeritus of English at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Borton currently lives with Zoe the cat in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she gardens, practices aikido, a martial art, and, of course, reads.

Facebook	https://www.facebook.com/dbborton
Website	https://dbborton.com/

Joffe Books, police procedural

Voices from the Dead by Tony Bassett

January 29, 2026 Melanie 6 Comments

Today on Celtic Connnexions, I’m reviewing Voices from the Dead by a new-to-me author, Tony Bassett.

voices

Here’s what it’s all about.

voices

And the cover …
voices

Most importantly, my review…

This book pulled me in from the beginning. The writing is fast-paced and there are lots of plot twists to keep me happy and reading.

Even though it’s the eighth book in the series, the characters’ backstories are woven in so you know exactly who’s who and what baggage they bring with them.

I’ll definitely look for more books by this author.

Cosy Crime, cosy mystery, Jean G Goodhind, Joffe Books, Novels

A Claim to Murder by Jean G Goodhind

August 17, 2025 Melanie 1 Comment

Today on Celtic Connexions, I’m reviewing A Claim to Murder by Jean G Goodhind

Jean G Goodhind

Blurb

Life couldn’t be sweeter for Honey Driver, floating around the Med on her own private yacht, with her dishy detective husband Steve.

But dark clouds are gathering on Honey’s perfect horizon. And the forecast looks like murder!

When Honey’s love boat sinks in a freak accident, she has no choice but to return to rain-drenched Bath. But now that Honey needs him, her insurance broker, silver-tongued Norman Glendower, is nowhere to be found.

He’s not at his luxury offices in town and he’s not answering his phone.

Honey could kill Norman for leaving her in this fix. But what if someone got there first?

Behind the gates of leafy Regency Gardens, the exclusive complex where Norman lives, something is terribly amiss. Norman’s mewling cat leads a curious neighbour straight to his dead body!

He’s been bludgeoned and left for dead on the pristine tiles of his designer kitchen. Which of his many enemies was the one to strike the fatal blow?

Honey’s on the case — with a killer watching her every move . . .

Jean G Goodhind

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237115239-a-claim-to-murder

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

My Review

This book started as a slow burn for me. I loved the premise and most of the characters, but ultimately, it fell flat.

There were characters and plot lines that never went anywhere. I did enjoy the character Gladys Faversham, even though she was a nasty piece of work.

Coming into this series as far as I did may have contributed to why it fell flat for me.

Still, I’m willing to give this author the benefit of the doubt and will read more of her books.

Who is Jean G Goodhind?

Jean G Goodhind

Jean, the alter ego of bestselling historical author Lizzie Lane, has lived in and around the Bath area for some time and was indeed a member of Bath Hotels and Restaurants Association — so well in touch with the hospitality trade in that fair city. However, unlike Bath hotelier Honey Driver, she was never asked to be Crime Liaison Officer and neither does she collect antique underwear! However, her daughter assures her she is just as zany as the quirky Honey Driver and will never grow old gracefully.

Crime/Thriller, Domestic noir, Joffe Books, Kate Braithwaite, Novels, Psychological Thriller

The People Next Door by Kate Braithwaite

April 8, 2025 Melanie 1 Comment

I participated in the cover reveal for The People Next Door by Kate Braithwaite. Now I’m back with my review.

Kate Braithwaite

Blurb

Twenty years ago, Jen’s sister disappeared. Now, she’s looking for answers.

Jen Silver has moved to a new neighborhood in affluent, suburban Pennsylvania with her partner, Dan, and her daughter. It’s a picture-perfect neighborhood where the residents hang out on each other’s patios drinking margaritas on warm summer nights. They eagerly welcome Jen and her family.

But Jen isn’t who they think she is.

Dan doesn’t know the truth either.

Jen has spent her life trying to find out what happened to her sister. She’s chosen this community for a reason — because Dan has his own connection to the neighborhood and a past he thought was long-buried.

As Jen pieces together the events of twenty years ago, someone is determined to keep the facts from coming to light. But secrets always come out and sometimes, the worst truths lie close to home . . .

Kate Braithwaite

My Review

A lot is going on in The People Next Door. Lies, deceptions, and deep-buried secrets.

Jen Silver moves into an affluent neighbourhood in Pennsylvania with her daughter and current partner, Dan. The neighbours all seem to be friendly and gather at one another’s houses for weekend drinks and snacks.

But Jen had a motive for moving here, one that her partner doesn’t know about.

The author tells the book from multiple points of view, with each person’s chapter written in the first person. I like that in a book.

I didn’t see the ending coming, although I suspected something would be revealed.

Overall, it was well-written and I’ll be looking for more books by this author.

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228125367-the-people-next-door

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

About Kate

Kate Braithwaite

Kate Braithwaite is the author of four historical novels based on true but overlooked events. “Charlatan” tells the story of Madame de Montespan and the Affair of the Poisons in 17th Century Paris. “The Plot” features Titus Oates’ Popish Plot, a scandal that earns him a place as one of Britain’s top 10 villains. “The Puzzle of Nellie Bly” explores the exploits of a ground-breaking female journalist going undercover in a 19th Century New York lunatic asylum. “The Scandalous Life of Nancy Randolph” reveals a shocking rupture between two very different sisters in late 18th century Virginia.

Originally from Scotland, Kate studied English at Leeds University and has subsequently lived in Canada and the US. She is the author of Sis-Stories, a Substack publication all about sisters in history and fiction, and an editor for the Historical Novel Society. Kate and her family live in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Kate’s Social Media

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

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

Website: https://kate-braithwaite.com/

Kate Braithwaite

#review, Crime/Mystery, Crime/Thriller, Daniel Sellers, Joffe Books, Novels

Murder at Ardaig Castle by Daniel Sellers ~ review

March 26, 2025 Melanie 4 Comments

I’m back again with Daniel Sellers’ book Murder at Ardaig Castle. This time it’s my review of the book.

Ardaig Castle

Blurb

MEET DETECTIVE LOLA HARRIS. A TOUGH COP WITH ATTITUDE, BUT A GOOD HEART.

A secluded retreat. A storm closing in. A killer among them.

Detective Lola Harris is persuaded to take a much-needed break in the remote Scottish Highlands. She’s expecting peace and quiet. But Ardaig Castle, an exclusive wellness retreat for the rich and famous, has its own dark secrets.

Lola soon discovers that someone is sending poison pen letters to the staff. They’re growing more malicious each week. The latest reads: Why have you employed a killer among your staff?

As a storm rages outside, paranoia spreads within. The castle’s wealthy guests are rattled, old wounds are reopened and then — a body is discovered sprawled on the stone-flagged floor of the castle hallway, limbs twisted at an impossible angle.

Trapped by the weather, Lola must untangle a web of lies, grudges and hidden pasts before the killer strikes again.

Because at Ardaig Castle, not everyone is who they claim to be — and someone will kill to keep their secrets buried.

My Review

I loved this book! First of all, it’s set in Scotland. Second, I’ve been to the area where the weekend at the castle is located.

Now, on to the book. It started on a bit of a slow burn for me, but when it took off, I couldn’t stop turning the virtual pages! Lured to the castle by her sister under false pretenses, Lola finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Cut off from the outside world due to a severe storm, it’s up to her to solve the case.

I enjoyed it so much that I will get the first four Lola Harris Mysteries.

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/227642183-murder-in-the-trossachs-a-brand-new-gripping-and-unputdownable-scottish
Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/ardaigcastle-zbt

Daniel Sellers is the author of the Kindle-bestselling Lola Harris Mysteries and is an obsessive fan of Agatha Christie. His crime thrillers are pacy and dark, with as much interest in whydunnit as who. He grew up in Yorkshire, and has lived and worked in Liverpool, Glasgow, Ireland and Finland. Sellers now lives in Argyll in Scotland.

Daniel’s Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielsellersauthor
Twitter: https://x.com/DJSellersAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielsellersauthor/

Ardaig Castle

crime writer, crime writing, Crime/Mystery, Frances Lloyd, General, Joffe Books, Novels

The Coat of Arms Killer by Frances Lloyd

March 12, 2025 Melanie 4 Comments

I’m back with another review! This one is for The Coat of Arms Killer by Frances Lloyd.

Blurb

A killer is stalking the illustrious Fitzwarren family. And any of the clan could be next . . .

Lord Hugo may be heir to the Fitzwarren millions. But everyone knows who rules the roost in his noble old family. His formidable mother, Lady Beatrice. It’s been that way since her husband met his watery end. In a boating accident, poor thing.

Now, on the eve of her seventieth birthday, Lord Hugo plans to give his mama a gift she’ll never forget: a portrait of her dear, departed husband.

Guests gather at the Fitzwarrens’ decadent ancestral pile, waiting with bated breath for a glimpse of the painting. Detective Jack Dawes is among them, his wife Corrie on his arm. A cord is pulled. The curtain falls . . . and Lady B lets out a blood-curdling scream.

It’s not the likeness that has her spooked. It’s the dagger, plunged deep in her husband’s chest. Scrawled beneath, in blood-red paint, there’s a single word. Killer.

Is it a spiteful prank . . . or something more?

Detective Jack’s determined to find out. But he’s got his work cut out — with the frosty Fitzwarrens seeking to shut him down at every turn and Lord Hugo himself mysteriously missing.

Lord Hugo’s family are certain he’ll turn up in his own time. But Jack knows the clock is ticking to solve this baffling case.

Before something worse than paint is spilled . . .

This entertaining and absorbing mystery is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, LJ Ross, J.R. Ellis, Faith Martin, Catherine Moloney and P.F. Ford.

Frances Lloyd

My Review

Lord Hugo is obsessed with keeping the Fitzwarren line intact for generations to come. The lengths this has gone to bring out the worst in some people.

There are secrets, lies, and murder. When the police come to investigate, they circle the wagons and refuse to talk. Or speak but with their spin on events.

Corrie, DI Jack Dawes’s wife, hears bits of gossip and passes the information on to her husband, although not always in a timely manner.

I didn’t particularly like the majority of the Fitzwarren family, but I did like the characters of the police and Jack’s wife.

The book wrapped up the loose ends nicely, and what a twist at the end.

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/224032818-the-coat-of-arms-killer-a-brand-new-enthralling-murder-mystery-with-a-tw

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

About the Author

Frances Lloyd

Frances Lloyd was born in Essex but spent a nomadic childhood being carted between RAF stations until mercifully, she was allowed a crack at a proper education in Cheltenham, studying English and Classics. As an adult, she became something of a wandering minstrel with no physical or spiritual roots apart from a strong work ethic.

Frances has always been a writer. The job that paid the mortgage was in government communications. She also worked as a freelance journalist and photographer but her ambition was always to write crime novels.

She now lives in Northumberland – “Vera” territory – and writes full time. She has published ten DI Dawes murder mysteries.

Married three times but now a widow, Frances’ hobbies are reading, wine tasting and cooking.

Author Links

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flloyd.writes

#cover, Book covers, cover reveal, crime writer, Crime/Thriller, Joffe Books, Novels, thriller

The People Next Door by Kate Braithwaite ~ Cover Reveal

February 24, 2025 Melanie 4 Comments

This book, The People Next Door, by Kate Braithwaite sounds like a cracking good read. Today I’m pleased to be part of the cover reveal tour.

Blurb

Twenty years ago, Jen’s sister disappeared. Now, she’s looking for answers.

But Jen isn’t who they think she is.

Dan doesn’t know the truth either.

people

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228125367-the-people-next-door

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

About Kate

people

Kate’s Social Media

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

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

Website: https://kate-braithwaite.com/

#cover, cover reveal, Crime/Mystery, Crime/Thriller, Daniel Sellers, Joffe Books

Murder at Ardaig Castle by Daniel Sellers ~ Cover Reveal

February 17, 2025 Melanie 2 Comments

I’m thrilled to be part of this cover reveal tour for Daniel Sellers novel Murder at Ardaig Castle.

Blurb

MEET DETECTIVE LOLA HARRIS. A TOUGH COP WITH ATTITUDE, BUT A GOOD HEART.

A secluded retreat. A storm closing in. A killer among them.

Lola soon discovers that someone is sending poison pen letters to the staff. They’re growing more malicious each week. The latest reads: Why have you employed a killer among your staff?

As a storm rages outside, paranoia spreads within. The castle’s wealthy guests are rattled, old wounds are reopened and then — a body is discovered sprawled on the stone-flagged floor of the castle hallway, limbs twisted at an impossible angle.

Trapped by the weather, Lola must untangle a web of lies, grudges and hidden pasts before the killer strikes again.

Because at Ardaig Castle, not everyone is who they claim to be — and someone will kill to keep their secrets buried.

Daniel Sellers

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/227642183-murder-in-the-trossachs-a-brand-new-gripping-and-unputdownable-scottish

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

About Daniel

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

Twitter: https://x.com/DJSellersAuthor

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

Come back on March 26th for my review of this novel.

Book Launch, Jane E. James, Joffe Books, Novels, Psychological Thriller

The Grandmother by Jane E. James

September 7, 2024 Melanie 2 Comments

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

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.