Category Archives: police procedural

Murder in Edinburgh by Val Penny #MURDERINEDINBURGH

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 Edinburgh

Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom – October, 21 2021: West frontage of the Scottish Parliament Building at Holyrood, Edinburgh, Scotland. Two policemen are patrolling outside the entrance.

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

 

Voices from the Dead by Tony Bassett

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.

A Fighting Chance DS Jane Renwick Book 2 by Val Penny #AFIGHTINGCHANCE

Today at Celtic Connexions, I’m welcoming author Val Penny and her second book in her DS Jane Renwick series, A Fighting Chance.

fighting chance

Blurb

In the second Jane Renwick Thriller by Val Penny, drug cartels collide as crime boss Connor O’Grady returns to Scotland to protect his turf from rival Peggy Cheney, newly released from prison.

DS Jane Renwick and DC Brian Harris are sent to Stirling, where Jane discovers two tragic deaths—a young man and a girl—raising suspicions of a single killer.

O’Grady denies involvement, but can a drug lord be trusted?
Set in Stirling and Gartcosh, this tense police procedural thrusts Jane into the heart of a deadly turf war.

fighting chance

Book Links

PAPERBACK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-Chance-Jane-Renwick-Book/dp/1917611161

EBOOK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-Chance-Jane-Renwick-Book-ebook/dp/B0FHQ49SVJ

My Review

I first met DS Jane Renwick in Val Penny’s DI Hunter series. She’s now working at MIT. This assignment takes her and her team to Stirling, where she ends up embroiled in not one, but two murder cases.

I like Jane’s character. She’s smart, feisty, and someone you wouldn’t want to make angry.

It was nice to see some of the characters from the DI Hunter series mentioned as well. The Thompson family from Thompson Top Cars in Edinburgh.

I really hope there will be more DS Jane Renwick books.

fighting chance

This is the Wallace Monument in Stirling, as shown on the cover of Val’s novel. You can tour the monument and climb the 246-step spiral staircase to the very top. The view is spectacular from there.  Looking straight up into the open dome also offers a good view. I’ve toured the monument, and you should add it to your bucket list.

About the Author

Val 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.

Val’s 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 Page – https://www.instagram.com/valerieepenny/

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