Category Archives: Novels

cosy mystery/romance, Gill Calvin Thomas, murder mystery, Novels

Sister Olive Wouldn’t Hurt A Fly by Gill Calvin Thomas

Leave a comment

Today, on Celtic Connexions, I’m reviewing Sister Olive Wouldn’t Hurt A Fly by Gill Calvin Thomas.

Sister Olive

Blurb

If this whole saga was a fight between good and evil, then who had won? As far as Miriam could work out, neither good nor evil had triumphed yet. Now she was having to confront the grim consequences of Will’s behaviour, and she was mortally afraid. Maybe he and his darkness would win after all.

The tragic suicide of a young student starts a shocking chain of events for William Marshall, his wife Miriam and their son, Ollie. As Will descends into madness, a ghostly presence appears in their old house to protect Ollie. However, when two strangers threaten Miriam and an attempt is made to snatch Ollie, mother and son are forced to flee.

Amidst ever-present danger, they shake off pursuers to seek sanctuary in Rock House in Dorset, where they meet Caitlin and her friends. Twenty years have passed since Charlie Bond helped Caitlin solve the mystery of her mother’s death. Now, it is the turn of Charlie’s sidekick, Sam Haskell, to investigate a mysterious cult and unmask a killer.

 

Sister Olive

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243611059-sister-olive-wouldn-t-hurt-a-fly

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

My Review

This book started slowly, then took off at warp speed. Just as quickly, it slowed down again. It was like it was playing cat-and-mouse with me.

The author is an excellent writer, and her characters were well-developed. Sister Olive is one of those characters you love to hate. I think my favourite characters, though, were Henry and Ollie.

I found the end a bit flat and left me with some unanswered questions, but other than that, it was a good read.

About the Author

Sister Olive

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As writing has become a major part of Gill’s life, she has withdrawn from taking a leading role in many community volunteer activities, although she has retained her interest in local and national politics.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.

You can follow Gill Calvin Thomas at

Website https://gillthomas.co.uk/

espionage, Interviews, Ireland, Novels, Richard Robinson, suspense

Deep Swimmers by Richard Robinson #DEEPSWIMMERS

2 Comments

I’m pleased to welcome Richard Robinson back to Celtic Connexions with his fourth book in his Topaz Files series, Deep Swimmers.

Deep Swimmers

Blurb

Belfast, 1995. When an elderly couple fall to their deaths from the city’s notorious Ashton Tower, the incident is quickly ruled a suicide. For most, it’s a tragedy. For British Intelligence, it’s the beginning of something far more dangerous.

Jones and Jenny, now seasoned members of MI5’s Young Communicators Unit, find themselves pulled into an investigation that reaches back to the Second World War. The case sees Jones return home to Suffolk, where he must handle a homeless republican veteran still hiding from something.

What begins as a routine inquiry soon exposes buried loyalties, forgotten operations, and a web of deception that comes to an extraordinary conclusion.

As police investigators, MI5 officers, and retired spymasters circle the truth, a Mossad agent opens old wounds. Someone is determined to keep the past buried, no matter the cost.
Set against the tense backdrop of 1990s Northern Ireland, Deep Swimmers is a gripping espionage thriller about the deadly legacy of covert lives and the price of keeping secrets.

Some falls are accidents. But hiding from the truth is a deadly game.

Deep Swimmers

Buy Links

PAPERBACK –  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/191947160X

EBOOK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Swimmers-Topaz-Files-Book-ebook/dp/B0GHT8TRL6

Interview with Richard

How did you get started writing?
I’m a trained journalist and have written for as long as I can remember. I enjoy creating new landscapes with words and trying to fill them with colourful people. One of my earliest memories is standing up and reading a story I created at primary school. However, the notion of writing a novel never really hit me until I needed to rethink my life. I lost my father in October 2020 and needed something to throw myself into, to divert my brain away from that pain. Hence, after only eight months, Topaz was born. It was a form of escapism that continues to this day.
What drew you to write a novel
I think the turmoil of losing a loved one led me to want to temporarily live in a different universe, that I could shape and hone. In the past, when I needed space or to reset, I’d disappeared to Northern Ireland and I’d previously spent time living near Belfast in the 1990s. But more recently, I decided to build that new universe in my head, on paper and then add interesting dimensions. That’s not to say I hadn’t attempted novels in the past, I did once in the early 2000s (which became The Mainstay) but I only really ploughed on with Topaz in 2022 and 2023.
Fast forward to Deep Swimmers – book four. Where did the inspiration for that come from?
All good authors challenge their main protagonist and Jones has really been put through his paces in Deep Swimmers, after only just surviving Wild Flowers! Deep Swimmers was born out of an idea that everyone lives within the shadow of Divis Tower in Belfast. I’ve called it Ashton Tower in the book. That shadow meant the British Army had to helicopter onto the roof and it was a microcosm of the city. The two older people that fell from the tower allowed me to delve deeper into that community, the residents and the feeling of the time. Likewise, Jones being called home to care for his ailing mother gave me a chance to talk about Suffolk, where I grew up. And finally, the third strand was he real life story of Operation Green and the IRA links to Nazi Germany, which I found fascinating. That all came together and I was delighted that I was able to make it work. The reviews happily suggest that people enjoyed watching those strands come together.
Which writers past or present have influenced your style of writing?
I studied English Literature and have always enjoyed the classics, I like to delve into a character irrespective of the era or genre and try to get under their skin. I enjoyed reading Thomas Hardy and D.H. Lawrence. However, it was John Le Carre, Len Deighton and Ian Fleming that inspired me to look into thriller and espionage fiction. The only tweak I needed for my own style was to remove to machismo element and perhaps look at the flaws, weaknesses and humour of the main protagonists.
So, my style is somewhere between the humour of Andrew Cartmel (Vinyl Detective) and the spy thriller fiction of Charles Cumming.
There are many interesting characters in your Novel, do you have a particular favourite one?
There is a character called Declan McNally, a Derry man, who is a grizzled former spy and in Topaz becomes part of the management team at Milton College. I’ve enjoyed seeing his character change from a rather forlorn and frustrated man, to a reinvigorated and re-energised operative. He seems to get his inspiration from the youngsters on the team and discovers his humour whilst holding onto his little quirks. I enjoyed seeing him develop. He is the main protagonist in a new book called German Bite, which should be published later in 2026.
Do you see any of your characters personality in yourself and vice versa?
Both Jones and Jenny Richmond have my humour, challenges and traits in abundance. But neither are based on me. Jenny’s imposter syndrome, Jones’ struggle with his unique set of skills and even how their relationship blossoms due to their need for mutual support and care in a challenging context, reflects my own experiences in life. But Jones and Jenny are braver and more intelligent than I’ll ever be!
If you had the opportunity to write a novel with any writer alive or dead, who would it be and why?
In his books, Ian Fleming used to understand the technical detail behind every piece of equipment, the geography of every landscape and even the cuisine of every location. John Le Carre added the layers of emotion and feeling that brought his characters to life without being prescriptive to the reader. With that in mind, I’d probably want to meet those two incredible authors in a bar somewhere and craft a story together.
The website address is: www.thetopazfiles.com
BlueSky and X/Twitter: @thetopazfiles and Instagram @r_we_r

 

About the Author

Richard W. Robinson is an author and journalist and spent his early days freelancing or working in agency positions across the UK and Ireland. The Topaz Files is a series of spy fiction novels where we follow the missions of Jones and Richmond as they make their way through the early years of a career in espionage. The first, published in May 2023, is Topaz and this was followed by Wild Flowers a year later, The Mainstay and Deep Swimmers have since been published. The novels are works of fiction but reference historic events in 1994-1996, around the time of the peace talks in Northern Ireland.

Outside the literary world, Richard lives in East Anglia, England, with his wife and two daughters. He is the CEO of a charity focused on ending the abuse of older people. He’s a very committed cratedigger (vinyl collector) and can occasionally be seen in the stands at Loftus Road and Windsor Park. Look out for the Topaz Files on social media and for the forthcoming releases of SEEN/UNSEEN (book five) and The Rock Ledger (book six). Robinson has also finished a Cold War spy story called German Bite which is expected to be published in late 2026.

WEBSITE –  https://www.thetopazfiles.com/

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE –https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Richard-Robinson/author/B0C8ZP6YHL

 

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

 Twitter at @TheTopazFiles

Richard on Instagram at @r_we_r

Email Richard at thewash_house@live.co.uk

Deep Swimmers

Authors, Books, Canadian setting, dual timeline, family noir, fiction, ghost, Historical Fiction, Novels, Paranormal

Shadows through Time – PRESS RELEASE

2 Comments

SHADOWS THROUGH TIME UNRAVELS A HAUNTING LEGACY WHERE PAST AND PRESENT COLLIDE
Melanie Robertson-King delivers a suspenseful time-bending mystery in the third installment of the Through Time series.

Brockville, ON – In SHADOWS THROUGH TIME: Through Time Book 3, author Melanie Robertson-King deepens her acclaimed series with a gripping blend of historical intrigue and supernatural suspense. As forgotten codes surface and long-buried secrets stir, the novel draws readers into a world where echoes of the past refuse to remain silent.

When Nicole and Mitch uncover strange symbols carved into wooden beams, what first appears to be a curiosity quickly transforms into a mystery with far-reaching consequences. Their search for answers leads them to Elias Greaves, a 19th-century builder whose legacy stretches from Brighton to Kingston. As they piece together fragments of journals and confront unsettling discoveries within aging walls, it becomes clear that Greaves left behind more than craftsmanship. He left a hidden truth.

Robertson-King masterfully interweaves past and present, revealing how choices made generations earlier continue to shape the living. Through journals, structural collapse, and ghostly whispers that seem to echo from the very foundations of the house, the story uncovers the emotional and moral cost of secrets preserved too long. Each revelation brings Nicole and Mitch closer to understanding what Greaves tried to protect and what forces now seek to expose.

SHADOWS THROUGH TIME explores themes of memory, legacy, and the burden of hidden knowledge. The novel balances atmospheric tension with carefully researched historical detail, creating a narrative that feels both intimate and expansive.

As part of the Through Time series, this third installment builds upon the emotional and supernatural threads established in earlier books while standing firmly on its own. Robertson-Kinginvitesbothlongtimefansandnewreaderstostepintoaworldwherehistorylingersinquietcornersandtruthdemandstobeuncovered.

Melanie Robertson-King is known for crafting evocative historical fiction infused with elements of mystery and the paranormal. Through meticulous attention to setting and character, she creates immersive narratives that span the past while exploring its enduring impact.

The book is now available—secure your copy here: https://books2read.com/u/boRWMv

For review copies, interview requests, or additional information, please contact:

Melanie Robertson-King Email: melanie@melanierobertson-king.com

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

Death by the Dozen by D.B. Borton

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

Death 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/

Christopher C Tubbs, historic adventure, Historical Fiction, Novels, World War Two

Decoy by Christopher C Tubbs

2 Comments

Today at Celtic Connexions, I’m reviewing Decoy by Christopher C. Tubbs, another new-to-me author.

Decoy

Blurb

1941 Europe.

The Nazis have taken northern Europe, borders are sealed, until one heavily disguised trawler, a decoy ship, finds a way in.

Tommy Keelson was a smuggler long before MI6 recruited him for the war effort.

Now he commands The Sarah — a German-built trawler refitted with hidden guns and covert equipment. It’s a lethal decoy built to slip through occupied waters and fool the enemy.

From Saint-Nazaire to Honfleur, Tommy’s missions grow deadlier by the week. But his next mission will be his most dangerous yet.

He must rescue a captured MI6 agent who’s trapped deep in occupied France.

Tommy and three Free French commandos slip into Paris, strike the Gestapo’s headquarters and pull her out.

But their escape erupts into a firefight along the Seine — ending in an explosion that sends Tommy overboard, presumed dead.

Now wounded and trapped behind enemy lines, Tommy must fight his way to safety and back to England where Germans forces are closing in on all sides.

Decoy

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/246488183-decoy

Purchase Link: https://geni.us/decoy-review

My Review

I jumped at the chance to read Christopher’s novel, Decoy. First of all, it’s set in a time period that’s important to me. My father fought during WWII but never spoke about his time overseas. I found out long after he passed away that he was able to get leave to go from mainland  Europe to his youngest brother’s wedding in Scotland.

Back to the book. Christopher’s style pulled me in immediately. He turned a tragic event into a story without going into too much detail. Yes, there was violence. Some might say it was gratuitous. But, that’s what happens in a war. Young men go off to fight. Some never return. And some of those who do are never the same again.

The swashbuckling story, Tommy operating a Decoy boat to protect the fleet and cause general mayhem to keep the Germans on their toes, was an interesting read.

Actual events were included, as were actual people. That’s what really brought it to life for me.

Even though this is the fourth book in Christopher’s series, it reads quite well as a standalone.

About the author

Decoy

Christopher C Tubbs, is a SABA 2020 Fiction Book award short listed Author. A dog loving descendent of a long line of Dorset clay miners who has traced his family tree back to the 16th century in the Isle of Purbeck. He left school at 16 to take an apprenticeship in Avionics and has been a public speaker for most of his career and was one of the founders of a successful games company back in the 1990’s.

Now in his sixties he is writing the stories he had going around in his head for many years. Thanks to inspiration from great fiction and fantasy authors he was finally able to put digit to keyboard and start writing the Dorset Boy series. He makes no apologies that he write for himself. The stories emerge as he writes and is often surprised by the twists and turns that they take. His dogs sit by him as he writes and it would be unfair to leave them out so look out for them in The Dorset Boy series. Now living in the Netherlands Antilles on the island of Bonaire with his wife and furry kids.

You can follow Christopher at these links.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thedorsetboy/
Website https://www.thedorsetboy.com
Christopher C Tubbs, Decoy, New Release, Novels, World War II, World War Two

New Release Day! Decoy by Christopher C Tubbs

1 Comment

Today is New Release Day for Decoy by Christopher C Tubbs!

New Release

Blurb

1941 Europe.

The Nazis have taken northern Europe, borders are sealed, until one heavily disguised trawler, a decoy ship, finds a way in.

Tommy Keelson was a smuggler long before MI6 recruited him for the war effort.

Now he commands The Sarah — a German-built trawler refitted with hidden guns and covert equipment. It’s a lethal decoy built to slip through occupied waters and fool the enemy.

From Saint-Nazaire to Honfleur, Tommy’s missions grow deadlier by the week. But his next mission will be his most dangerous yet.

He must rescue a captured MI6 agent who’s trapped deep in occupied France.

Tommy and three Free French commandos slip into Paris, strike the Gestapo’s headquarters and pull her out.

But their escape erupts into a firefight along the Seine — ending in an explosion that sends Tommy overboard, presumed dead.

Now wounded and trapped behind enemy lines, Tommy must fight his way to safety and back to England where Germans forces are closing in on all sides.

Decoy

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/246488183-decoy

Purchase Link: https://geni.us/decoy-review

About the author

Decoy

Christopher C Tubbs, is a SABA 2020 Fiction Book award short listed Author. A dog loving descendent of a long line of Dorset clay miners who has traced his family tree back to the 16th century in the Isle of Purbeck. He left school at 16 to take an apprenticeship in Avionics and has been a public speaker for most of his career and was one of the founders of a successful games company back in the 1990’s.

Now in his sixties he is writing the stories he had going around in his head for many years. Thanks to inspiration from great fiction and fantasy authors he was finally able to put digit to keyboard and start writing the Dorset Boy series. He makes no apologies that he write for himself. The stories emerge as he writes and is often surprised by the twists and turns that they take. His dogs sit by him as he writes and it would be unfair to leave them out so look out for them in The Dorset Boy series. Now living in the Netherlands Antilles on the island of Bonaire with his wife and furry kids.

You can follow Christopher at these links.

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

 

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

Queen of Grime by Helen Forbes #QUEENOFGRIME

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

#Excerpt, Hetty Waite, Novels

Evolve by Hetty Waite #EVOLVE

2 Comments

Today at Celtic Connexions,  I’m welcoming Hetty Waite and her novel, Evolve.

Evolve

Blurb

Having survived the attack led by her sister, Cara is ready to move on.

A new city means a fresh start and a chance for her and Brown to live together, as equals.

However, the perfect façade of the Amex community hides dark secrets. With a nightly curfew and a mysterious scientist in charge, Cara is convinced all is not as it seems.

As her doubts grow, so do the arguments with Brown. And with Myla still alive and looking for revenge, it’s not only the danger from inside the city walls that threaten to tear her world apart – forever.

Ultimately, she will need to make a choice: protect her family at all costs, or save herself.

Evolve

Excerpt

Inspiration behind The Chromosome Trilogy
I’ve always been fascinated by the way societies function — and how fragile that balance can be when something unexpected shifts it. The idea for the trilogy came from a single, unsettling thought: what if a virus only affected men? I wanted to explore not just how that might change the world, but what it would reveal about power, identity, and the ways we connect to one another in times of crisis.
I wrote Mutate, book one of The Chromosome Trilogy, during the Covid lockdown, so the atmosphere of uncertainty and helplessness we all felt at that time definitely crept into the story. I wanted to capture that sense of powerlessness, and the dystopian setting gave me space to imagine a world where people are divided not by choice, but by their genetics.
At its heart, though, the trilogy is a love story. That thread was really important for me to carry through into Evolve, the second book. I also wanted to do something a bit different this time, which is why I moved the story to a new city. It puts the characters out of their comfort zone and opens up space for new faces — some of whom definitely aren’t what they seem. I loved writing Evolve because, with the main characters already established, I could focus more on their growth and relationships as the world around them becomes increasingly dangerous.
Extract 1:
The book’s Prologue:
The Wilders were everywhere.
Surrounded, their best hope was a quick and brutal counter-attack. With a bit of luck, they could take out a few of them and scare the rest off.
A plump baby might make a tasty morsel, but it wasn’t worth losing your life over.
“This is horribly familiar,” Brown said, slowly reaching around to his rucksack.
“At least this time we’re prepared,” Cara answered, hand already on her weapon.
The biggest of the Wilders gestured to the others, snarling at the prey in its path. Fingers twitching, it signalled silent orders, tugging the bone in its ear and swiping a hand across its face.
Its meaning was clear: kill them quickly.
With hair a ragged haze of fuzz wafting in the breeze, Brown couldn’t tell if this was an X or a Y. Prominent eyes bulged, a hungry look driving the slow licking of its lips. It approached warily, flanked by the small army now encircling them, like coiled vipers poised to strike.
It doesn’t matter, Brown thought. We’ve overcome so much worse. These creatures will not be the ones to take us out – the real danger is far more frightening, far more deadly than a pack of feral kids.
“Yep. We’ll finish them off without too much effort, I reckon,” he said.
Both waited patiently for the charge, ready to fight off any threat to their sleeping child.
It was one small sound that changed everything.
Click.
The unmistakeable sound of a gun’s safety mechanism being switched off.
It took only seconds, no more than a few, before the Wilders had melted into the air, disappearing as stealthily as they had surrounded them.
“Hello, Sis.”
Brown’s heart dropped; he hit the ground, knees giving out.
That voice. The one he heard in his nightmares, especially since the Amex attack.
She’d found them.

Book Links

KINDLE – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evolve-Chromosome-Trilogy-Book-2-ebook/dp/B0FSD813JK

PAPERBACK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0FWB7XCZG

About the Author

Evolve

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

A former teacher, she spent many years sharing her love of stories with teenagers in the classroom before turning her own ideas into fiction. It was during the pandemic, while on maternity leave, that she finally found the time to write her first novel.

After initially self-publishing, a chance meeting with a director from Spellbound Books Ltd at a writers’ school changed everything. Impressed by her debut, they offered Hetty a three-book deal for her Young Adult dystopian series, The Chromosome Trilogy. The first instalment, Mutate, was re-released in 2024, followed by Evolve in October 2025.

When she’s not writing, Hetty tutors English, marks exam papers, and enjoys life in Derbyshire with her family and their lively cavapoo.

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

 AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Hetty-Waite/author/B0BP7RSGRM

 WEBSITE – https://hettywaite.co.uk

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

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

 X – @HettyWaite

#review, contemporary romance, contemporary women's fiction, Gwen Kirkwood, Novels, romance

A Scottish Love Story by Gwen Kirkwood #REVIEW

4 Comments

Today on Celtic Connexions, I’m reviewing A Scottish Love Story by Gwen Kirkwood.

Love Story

Blurb

She came to Scotland for a fresh start — but found a love she never expected.

When Roxanne Carr accepts a job as a companion to elderly Amynta Baxter, she hopes the beautiful Highlands of Scotland will offer peace after the heartbreak of losing her father and her family farm. But her arrival doesn’t go as planned. Her first meeting with Amynta’s son, Ciaran, is anything but welcoming.

Ciaran Baxter is a dedicated dairy farmer with no time for complications — especially not a spirited young woman who disrupts his routine and challenges his guarded heart.

But as winter sets in and Christmas approaches, Ciaran begins to see a different side to Roxie: capable, kind and as passionate about the farm as he is.

Soon their relationship turns from wary allies to something deeper. But when Roxie is called back to Derbyshire to save her brother’s failing farm, she must choose between the family who cast her aside and the man who makes her believe in second chances.

This heartwarming romance is perfect for fans of Katie Flynn, Nadine Dorries, Rachael Lucas, Natalie Fergie, Anne Douglas and Emma Blair.

buy links

My Review

I should preface my review with his statement. She had me at Scotland!

This was an enjoyable read, and the author knows her stuff when it comes to farming.

I thought the couple fell in love too quickly. Yes, love at first sight does happen. The only friction between them was at the beginning of the book.

I loved Roxanne (Roxie) and Ciaran’s mother, Amy. They were believable and down-to-earth folk. I’ll look for more books by Gwen Kirkwood, because she’s an excellent author.

Who is Gwen Kirkwood?

Love Story
Author Gwen Kirkwood at her Mouswald home with Criffel in the background.

All my life has been connected to farming, first in Yorkshire and then in Scotland, so authentic farming details help colour my writing in most of my thirty published books. The family sagas feature two, and sometimes three, generations, with changing times, clothes and customs, transport, communication, or lack of it, with life’s joys and problems, plus love of course. We all need some love in our lives despite the ups and downs. They have believable characters and settings. A few are shorter romances. The sagas are available as audio books as well as in print, and all are now available as e-books.
I was born on a Yorkshire farm and went to school there. After attending agricultural college and a short spell working for the Ministry of Agriculture in England, I have spent most of my adult life on a Scottish dairy farm with my late husband, who was a well known breeder and judge of Clydesdale horses. We have three children and now another generation to keep me up to date with changing times and customs.
I enjoy gardening, local history, cookery, and of course reading, as well as my writing.
You can follow Gwen on Facebook at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/gwen.kirkwood.7

Judy Kroll, medical thriller, Novels, thriller

Breakthrough by Judy Kroll

2 Comments

Today, at Celtic Connexions, I’m reviewing Breakthough by another new-to-me author, Judy Kroll.

breakthrough

Blurb

Neddy Emory and her brother Charles head up Angiras, a family-owned start-up with a radical innovation that will transform patient care for cystic fibrosis. They’re about to go live with a revolutionary life-saving medical device. But they’ve hit a major snag. Critical research is unraveling and, to their shock and horror, one-by-one, team members are falling mysteriously ill.

Neddy and Charles race to move the project forward, while struggling to keep their employees safe. Failure is not an option. Without the device, their younger brother Daniel will die. But Neddy begins to suspect the company’s innovative research methods are being tampered with. When probed, Charles gaslights her. He refuses to slow down, claiming he is Daniel’s only hope.

Torn between loyalty to her family and the welfare of the staff, Neddy desperately searches for the truth. Then the unspeakable happens. A fatality. Charles appears to finally be persuaded. But his next move shocks her, and she realizes: the danger is only beginning. And she is on her own.

breakthrough

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242377096-breakthrough

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

My Review

A medical thriller, but also family drama. The small family-owned company is on the verge of a breakthrough that will revolutionize healthcare. With one of their brothers being in dire need of this new treatment, Neddy and Charles are pulling out all the stops to get this device working and approved for use.

It’s a fast-paced book with lots of twists. I enjoyed reading it and will watch for more books by this talented author.

About Judy Kroll

breakthrough

Judy Kroll worked for over twenty years in large and small corporations, including four years in the pharmaceutical industry, as a human resources professional and later as a career counselor. She provided job search assistance to hundreds of individuals, including physicians, pharmacists, medical device developers, chemists, and other scientists impacted by mergers and downsizings. She is a practicing yogi (twenty-three years.) Both corporate experiences as well as many years ‘on the mat’ inspired her book, Breakthrough. Specifically, in both of these very disparate worlds, she observed the same phenomenon: the devastation wrought when a much-respected boss or mentor turns out to be unethical, and one must find a new path forward, seemingly alone.

She lives in northern New Jersey, and in addition to writing, gardening, and practicing yoga, Judy co-chairs a not-for-profit conservation organization.

You can follow Judy on

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latebloomer149/