Category Archives: crime writer

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

crime writer, Crime/Mystery, Helen Forbes, Novels, Reading Between the Lines

Queen of Grime by Helen Forbes #QUEENOFGRIME

December 21, 2025 Melanie 1 Comment

Today at Celtic Connexions, I’m featuring Helen Forbes and her novel, Queen of Grime.

Queen

Blurb

The Queen of Grime is about to pay. Big time.

Erin Flett is used to clearing up the sad debris of forgotten lives and tragic deaths. A crime and trauma scene cleaner from a deprived Edinburgh housing estate, she’s made a good life for herself and her daughter. But a secret from the past is about to catch up with her.

Ten years ago, Erin told a desperate lie with serious consequences. Now, someone else knows, and they’re determined to make Erin and her loved ones pay.

Following a terrifying late-night attack, the tension mounts until Erin doesn’t know who she can trust. As she struggles to keep her family safe, little does she realise just how close the danger is…

Queen of Grime is the first in a new series introducing Erin Flett, crime and trauma scene cleaner, and a rich cast of characters, set against the backdrop of the city of Edinburgh. With an occasional undertone of dark humour, it is a tale of family lies and family ties, friendships, secrets and loss.

Queen

Book Links

Paperback – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queen-Grime-1-Helen-Forbes/dp/1916888348

Kindle – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queen-Grime-Helen-Forbes-ebook/dp/B0BMJG3F65

Excerpt

What inspired me?

In an earlier novel, Deception, I had a supporting character who ran a crime and trauma scene cleaning business called Queen of Grime. My agent persuaded me that it was too good a concept to waste in that novel and that it deserved a story of its own. I thought it was an intriguing idea and there was a definite gap in the market with no other Scottish novels on this theme.

Excerpt

The fine hairs on the back of her neck are damp with droplets of sweat that glitter in the light of the lamp. He wants to taste them. The thought shivers through him, and he clamps his lips to stop himself from groaning. He can feel the ache across her tensed shoulders, the cramping of the muscles in her upper arms, the deep weariness in her bones as she bends and scrapes, scrubs and wipes. He’s watched long enough to know every inch of her body, as if she’s wearing sheer lace instead of a white hazmat suit.
She sits back on her heels, her eyes scanning the room. Job done. She stands and begins to peel off the protective suit, and his breath catches in his throat. She rubs at the base of her spine and his fingertips itch to slip beneath her clothing, feel the soft, moist skin, trickle down towards sweet oblivion.
No. He banishes the temptation. She’s not worthy of him, with her faded blonde hair, the roots neglected and dark. Her cellulite, her scruffy vest and cheap leggings, and the lazy shadow of hair in her armpits. She’s worth nothing. And she’s missed a bit.
As if alerted by his stifled laughter, she looks up at the wall in front of her.
‘Left,’ he whispers, his breath steaming against the window. ‘Up a little.’
And she finds it. A quick spray, a wipe, and the last smear of blood is gone.
The moon is bright, the grass frosted under his feet as he skirts the gravel path. At the gate, a fragment of blue and white police tape shimmers and shifts in the breeze.

About the Author

Queen
Helen Forbes is an author of Scottish crime fiction. She lives in her home-town of Inverness, in the Scottish Highlands. Helen began by writing contemporary and historical fiction, with no intention of turning to crime. It was a chance remark at a writing group about one of her short stories that led to her debut police procedural novel, In the Shadow of the Hill, set in Inverness and South Harris, featuring Detective Sergeant Joe Galbraith. Madness Lies is book 2 in the DS Joe Galbraith series, set in Inverness and North Uist.

Helen has had two standalone crime thrillers published by Scolpaig Press. Unravelling, set in Inverness, was published in July 2021. Deception, set in Edinburgh, was published in January 2022.

Spoils of the Dead, a novella, was published in November 2022, and Queen of Grime, the first in a new series, was released in December 2022.

Helen would be delighted to hear from readers. Please contact her and join her mailing list on her website www.helenforbes.co.uk to get her author news and a free copy of the novella, Spoils of the Dead.

You can follow Helen at these links:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063754800058

Website – https://www.helenforbes.co.uk/

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Helen-Forbes/author/B00MNTNHQU

crime writer, Crime/Mystery, Crime/Thriller, Novels, police procedural

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

October 19, 2025 Melanie 2 Comments

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

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/

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

Ande Pliego, Book Tour, crime writer, Crime/Thriller, Novels

You are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

February 26, 2025 Melanie 2 Comments

Just the title of the book – You are Fatally Invited – sparked me to take part in this tour.

fatally invited

Blurb

Six thriller authors. One writing retreat.
You’d die to be on the guest list . . .

The Host
Legendary mystery author J. R. Alastor’s books are sold all over the world, but no one knows his real name. After years hiding in the shadows, he has sent out six invitations to an exclusive murder mystery retreat on his private island.

The Assistant
Mila del Angél has been hired to ensure the week runs smoothly. She has yearned for revenge on a ghost from her past for years – and this could be her chance to get it.

The Players
The six bestselling thriller writers accept their invitations without question – it’s an opportunity any author would kill for.

The Game
What should have been a week of trope-filled games takes a sinister turn when one guest is found dead, and the others find themselves in the midst of a nightmare drawn from Alastor’s dark imagination. They may have written thrillers – but now they and Mila must survive one…

fatally invited

My Review

The premise is simple. A themed murder mystery week at reclusive author J. R. Alastor’s island home in Maine.

Six crime writers have been invited to participate, and J.R.’s assistant, Mila, is in charge of organizing the event.

This book had so many twists. When I thought I had discovered J.R.’s identity, another twist sent me back to square one.

I love books that make it challenging to figure out whodunnit, and this is one such novel.

I should also say that this is the first book by Ande Pliego I’ve read, but she’s found a new fan in me!

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213330589-you-are-fatally-invited
Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/fatallyinvited-zbt

About the Author

fatally invited

ANDE PLIEGO began writing stories when she discovered she could actually wield her overactive imagination for good.

A lover of stories with teeth, she writes books involving mind games, dark humour, general murder and mayhem, characters pushed to the edge of themselves, and most importantly, finding the hope in the dark.

When not reading or writing, she can usually be found dabbling in art, scheming up her next trip, or making constant expeditions to the library.

Born in Florida, raised in France, and having left footprints all over the globe, Ande is settled in the Pacific Northwest, USA, with her craftsman husband and little son.

You can follow Ande at these links:

Twitter: https://x.com/andepliegowrite
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andepliegowrites/

#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.

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 . . .

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 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/

#amreading, #review, Brian R. O'Rourke, crime writer, Crime/Thriller, Inkubator Books, Novels, Psychological Thriller

Her Mother’s Daughter by Brian O’Rourke

December 14, 2023 Melanie 4 Comments

I’m pleased to be part of the book tour for Her Mother’s Daughter by Brian O’Rourke.
mother's daughter

Blurb

Amanda writes dark fiction. Now one fan is bringing her work to life.

Amanda is enjoying her life – she’s a successful author who has finally managed to give up her day job.

But then an ex-colleague is murdered in an exact reenactment of a killing from one of Amanda’s books. Even worse, Amanda had publicly quarreled with the dead woman and now finds herself a person of interest to the police.

Then it happens a second time. Another person with whom Amanda had publicly fought is murdered. And again, the method used to kill is lifted straight from the pages of one of her books.

It’s clear that someone is out to get Amanda. But who? And why?

With the police seeing her as the prime suspect, Amanda is desperate to discover the person behind these grisly killings.

As she digs for the truth, Amanda is forced to look into her own family’s troubled past, where she uncovers a web of secrets and lies far more shocking than anything she has ever written…

Her Mother’s Daughter – the chilling psychological thriller from the best-selling author of The New Husband and The Only Son.

My Review

This book hooked me on page one and didn’t let go. Amanda, a crime novelist, has a painful past. Her mother has been running for years to avoid being captured and tried for murder. Now, people known to Amanda are being murdered and posed to match scenes in her crime novels. The murderer could be almost anyone. Her neighbour/best friend? Her fugitive mother? Her ex-boyfriend? The list of suspects is long, and the author kept me guessing right until he was ready to reveal who was behind these bizarre murders.

This is the first book I’ve read by Brian O’Rourke, and it certainly won’t be my last.

Book Links

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202499063-her-mother-s-daughter

Buy Links – https://mybook.to/mothersdaughter-zbt

About the Author

mother's daughter
Brian R. O’Rourke has been writing stories since he was eight years old. A lifelong, avid reader, Brian believes that fiction has the power to change the world. He enjoys spending time with his family, exercising, playing the violin, and golfing.

This is his third psychological thriller with Inkubator Books.

You can follow Brian on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/brianr.orourke/

#cover, #SCOTLAND, Book covers, Book Promo, Book Tour, crime writer, Crime/Mystery, Crime/Thriller, Edinburgh, Novels, Val Penny

SpellBound Books Ltd. presents Hunter’s Secret by Val Penny ~ #HUNTERSSECRET

October 9, 2023 Melanie 3 Comments

I’m thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for Hunter’s Secret, written by Val Penny and published by SpellBound Books Ltd.

SpellBound

Blurb

Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is called to the scene of a murder. DCs Tim Myerscough and Bear Zewedu found a corpse, but when Hunter arrives it has disappeared, and all is not as it seems.Hunter recalls the disappearance of a dead body thirty years earlier. The Major Incident Team is called in but sees no connection – it is too long ago. Hunter is determined to investigate the past and the present with the benefit of modern DNA testing.Tim has other problems in his life. His father, Sir Peter Myerscough, is released from jail. He, too, remembers the earlier murder. There is no love lost between Hunter and Sir Peter. Will Hunter accept help from his nemesis to catch a killer?

Hunter’s own secret is exciting and crucial to his future. Will it change his life? And can he keep Edinburgh safe?

Buy Link

amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CHN22Y3M

My Review

This is the best of the Hunter’s series books so far. Val Penny has outdone herself with this one. I’ve been to Edinburgh many times, and the scenes the author paints take me back there. I love her style!Plot twists and secrets, both past and present, are neatly tied up at the end, making Hunter’s Secret a most satisfying read.

About the Author

SpellBound

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.

Author 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/

SpellBound

#amreading, crime writer, crime writing, Crime/Mystery, Crime/Thriller, Edinburgh, Novels, Scotland, Val Penny

DI Hunter Wilson is back in Hunter’s Blood by Val Penny #HUNTERSBLOOD

July 12, 2023 Melanie 2 Comments

I’m happy to announce the forthcoming book in the DI Hunter Wilson Crime Series written by Val Penny.

DI Hunter Wilson

BLURB

DI Hunter Wilson never has just one problem to solve. Three elderly women he knows have died in mysterious circumstances. Hunter appears to be the only link. A little girl goes missing on a cold winter’s night. When his team discovers cocaine hidden at the farm where she was living, the search becomes even more urgent. Why did the women die? And what did the child witness? Hunter must find the answers to these questions to ensure his family and his city are safe.

MY REVIEW

DI Hunter Wilson

First off, let me say how much I love Val’s writing. Her setting of Edinburgh comes to life through her words. Her characters are believable, likeable, and some are just downright nasty.

In this 4th book of the series, DI Hunter Wilson and his team are tasked with solving the murders of three elderly women, one of which is his aunt.

I read this book a few years ago when Darkstroke released it, but I had forgotten how gripping it was until I read it again, now published by SpellBound Books Ltd. It was like settling in with an old friend. The characters and their foibles immediately found their way back into the forefront of my memory, and they, the crimes, and the setting kept me glued to the virtual pages until I reached the end.

BUY LINK(S) HUNTER’S BLOOD

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

DI Hunter Wilson

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.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

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

Author Twitter Page @valeriepenny

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

WEBSITE LINKS

Website – https://www.valpenny.com

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

crime writer, crime writing, Crime/Mystery, Marsali Taylor, Novels, Scotland

Death in a Shetland Lane by Marsali Taylor #DEATHINASHETLANDLANE

May 8, 2023 Melanie 1 Comment

Today, I welcome Marsali Taylor to Celtic Connexions and the latest installment of her Shetland Sailing Mysteries, Death in a Shetland Lane.

Death

BLURB

Days before the final Shetland fire festival, in broad daylight, a glamorous young singer tumbles down a flight of steps. Though it seems a tragic accident, sailing sleuth Cass Lynch, a witness at the scene, thought it looked like Chloe sleepwalked to her death. But young women don’t slumber while laughing and strolling with friends. Could it be that someone’s cast a spell from the Book of the Black Arts, recently stolen from a Yell graveyard?A web of tensions between the victim and those who knew her confirm that something more deadly than black magic is at work. But proving what, or who, could be lethal – and until the mystery is solved, innocent people will remain in terrible danger…

HOW TO BUY

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Shetland-Lane-Sailing-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0BNDHKVRF/>

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

death

Marsali Taylor grew up near Edinburgh and came to Shetland as a newly-qualified teacher. She is currently a part-time teacher on Shetland’s scenic west side, living with her husband and two Shetland ponies. Marsali is a qualified STGA tourist guide who is fascinated by history and has published plays in Shetland’s distinctive dialect, as well as a history of women’s suffrage in Shetland. She’s also a keen sailor who enjoys exploring in her own 8m yacht and an active member of her local drama group.