All posts by Melanie

Hungry Ghosts by C J Barker #wartime

Today on Celtic Connexions, I’m welcoming C J Barker and his wartime novel Hungry Ghosts.

hungry ghosts

Blurb

The lives of Vic Woods and Ruth Wolfe, working-class teenagers from Liverpool and London, are profoundly disrupted by the arrival of World War II.

Ruth’s journey leads her to aerial photographic interpretation, though her aspirations for advancement are denied, while Vic’s wartime experiences with bomber command haunt him long after the war is over. Their post-war marriage and tumultuous relationship with their son, James, make for a gripping narrative of trauma, conflict and, ultimately, love.

Set against the backdrop of World War II and the social upheaval of the late 1960s, Hungry Ghosts transports readers into the drama of two pivotal eras in history, exploring the intergenerational impact of war, particularly on the intricate relationships between fathers and sons.

Hungry Ghosts is not just a war story; it’s a timeless exploration of family bonds and the indelible scars left by war.

hungry ghosts

Book Links

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209264242-hungry-ghosts

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

My Review

England during WWII. Ruth joins the WAAF, and Vic joins the RAF. The book wasn’t quite what I expected, but the premise intrigued me. It was an enjoyable read nonetheless. Ruth is a strong and likeable character, although she does have a soft spot for Vic. Even Vic, despite his quirks, was likeable. It was his quirks that made his character come to life.

This is the first book I’ve read by C J Barker, but I’ll be watching for more.

About the author

hungry ghosts

Born in England, resident in Thirroul, Australia, Chris Barker has been an educator in schools and universities in the UK and Australia. He has published several non-fiction books, and now writes fiction between stints in the garden, where he grows vegetables and looks after chickens. He has published short stories in England, America and Australia.

You can follow C J Barket at these links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/chrisjonbarker

Website – https://creasedattheedges.com/

Trail of the Heart by Kathleen Pendoley

Today on Celtic Connexions, I’m welcoming Kathleen Pendoley and her novel, Trail of the Heart.
Kathleen Pendoley

Blurb

Marriage can be challenging, divorce harder still, which is how Jordan Roberts finds herself in the middle of a two thousand-mile backpacking journey. Resilient has become her middle name, and it’s about time she figured out what she wants without anyone else’s input.

Jordan is desperate for a few days’ rest, but her friends bail on her last minute due to a plumbing mishap. Not hanging her out to dry completely, they find a host willing to take her in.

Adam Beck is used to running things. Together, he and his lifelong friend, Jonathan Wilson, started their own robotics company. Leading the way in state-of-the-art surgical care, Advanced Automation is committed to saving lives.

Obligated to do his friend a favor, Adam gladly opens his doors to a woman who appears half vagrant, half forest sprite. Different in every way, Jordan soon has Adam considering a life outside the boardroom.

Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned. Accidents happen, and people get hurt. Ex-husbands refuse to stay away, and there are often strange goings-on in the forest.

Jordan attempts to meet each situation head-on, but when her best trail friend is hurt the most, will her newly found romance be strong enough to withstand the pressure?

Come along on a journey of dreams, some dashed, others fulfilled, and the best ones: those that come true.

Kathleen Pendoley

Book Links

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58705164-trail-of-the-heart

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

My Review

A good love story. I loved Jordan’s character and the group she hiked with. Her best friend, Edge, is a man of few words but is there for her. And then there’s Adam.

Kathleen Pendoley brought all the characters to life, each with their own foibles. I’ll definitely be reading more books from this author.

About Kathleen Pendoley

Kathleen Pendoley

Kathleen spends her days toggling between writing and anything active: walking in the woods with her pups, kayaking, bike riding, and cross-country skiing—weather permitting. A to-the-marrow New Englander, she’s obsessed with cake, yoga, and self-actualization. Her favorite place to connect with readers is on Facebook.

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorkathleenpendoley

Kathleen Pendoley

A Mother’s Love by Hazel Eggleton

I’m thrilled to be part of this book tour promoting A Mother’s Love by Hazel Eggleton.
Hazel Eggleton

Blurb

In a quiet Cornish town, secrets run as deep as the ocean. Meryan’s confession to her husband’s murder shocks the community and shatters her family.

But all is not as it seems.

After serving her sentence, Meryan, fuelled by a need for justice and the crushing weight of her own guilt, embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth.

But, as she delves into her husband’s past, she stumbles upon a sinister web of crime.

When her life is threatened, her only hope lies in the hands of her determined daughter, who refuses to let her mother’s sacrifice be in vain.

Can they overcome the darkest currents or will they be dragged under?

A Mother’s Love is a gripping thriller that explores the depths of love, loyalty, betrayal and the power of a mother’s unyielding determination.

Hazel Eggleton

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209170939-a-mother-s-love

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

My Review

How far would you go to protect your children?

Meryan’s character is headstrong and stubborn. Too much so for her own good. In over her head, it’s her daughter who comes to her rescue.

I enjoyed the book. I would have read it in one day, but life happens and things don’t go to plan. This is the first book by this author that I’ve read, and I’m certain it won’t be my last.

About Hazel Eggleton

Hazel Eggleton

Hazel Eggleton is a linguist by profession, having taught at University College School, Hampstead, for the majority of her career.

Now retired, she devotes her spare time to writing novels. To date she has written two children’s ghost stories – one of which reached the finals of the Britwriters awards in 2011 – a young adult novel on the theme of gambling and two adult psychological thrillers.

Hazel lives in St Albans.

You can follow Hazel at these links:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HEggleton

Hazel Eggleton

Not All There by Jane Barron de Burgh #excerpt

I’m thrilled to be able to share with you an excerpt from Not All There by Jane Barron de Burgh.

Jane Barron de Burgh

This cover lends itself to all sorts of wonderment, doesn’t it?
Jane Barron de Burgh

Blurb

Claude’s mother is dead.

Except she won’t stay that way.

She’s back with her family and none of them know what to do about it.

Is there a name for someone who is only sort of dead? And why does Claude feel like he’s the only one celebrating her return?

‘Not All There’ is a character study of grief and the people who experience it, told through the eyes of a bewildered child who struggles to make sense of the death of his mother, Mary and her re-emergence as a ghost.

Familial relationships are tested as Claude, Patience and their father try to answer the question – ‘What do we do about Mary?’

Excerpt

Claude didn’t experience his mother’s death first hand; in fact, neither Claude nor his sister Patience, nor their father had any firsthand experience of Mary’s death. Claude does not even remember how the news was broken to him.

It was simply, understandably, not a memory he wished to preserve and polish, instead just the act of leaving it dormant caused the memory to quickly grow faded. For it does not do to dwell on melancholy. For those who want to know, however, I shall indulge. John, Claude’s father, got the call with Claude beside him. There is a certain expression that falls across a father’s face, when something truly terrible has happened. It erases whatever was worn before it so completely that it can never be recaptured. I hope for your sake you never see that happen.

Claude was not so lucky. He saw the wide eyes, the shudder in his father’s shoulder, how his jaw froze as he tried to take a gasp of air; it whistled down his throat. Claude saw the look in his father’s eyes as they grew blank. His father looked down at Claude’s own searching gaze. Hooded eyes weighed with the heavy burden that said ‘I have to tell my children their mother is dead.’ To Claude the words were just confirmation of what he had already seen in his father’s face. As for his sister, Patience? Oh my, you should have seen how she cried. But this is not her story.

Claude had, very rarely, considered the possibility of his mother dying. Usually after discovering that a fictional hero he had been reading about was, despite their superpowers, motherless. It had never made him feel sad due to the fact it had seemed impossible. The only orphans Claude knew were the ones that existed between the pages of books, but now here he was, a half-orphan and to Claude the vexation of being a half-orphan was all the more tragic as it had none of the romanticism of being a full orphan.

There was silence at the hospital for few people know what to say upon the event of a death. It’s not going to be all right and being told that, isn’t going to help either. I’ll warn you now that time will not heal all, the magical properties of time do not extend this far. Personally, I’ve found that a day thirteen years later feels much worse than a good week thirteen months after the event. Beware the fluid and tempestuous waves of grief.

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35617352-not-all-there

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

About Jane Barron de Burgh

Jane Barron de Burgh

Jane Barron de Burgh is an Essex based author and poet. They graduated from the Open University with a Masters in English in 2022. They are a keen student of Oulipo and found poetry.

Published by Castle Priory Press, Not All There, is their first literary novella and deals with themes of childhood grief.

You can follow Jane at these links:

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556083952092

Twitter: https://twitter.com/makepeacelvjoy

Website: https://janebarrondeburgh.co.uk/

Jane Barron de Burgh

WHISPERS THROUGH TIME Publication Day!

It’s publication day for WHISPERS THROUGH TIME! Yay!

Here’s a look at the cover.

WHISPERS THROUGH TIME

Blurb

A historic Canadian property becomes the canvas for a tale that spans generations. In 1914, a tragedy unfolded, leaving scars that linger far beyond the passage of time.

In 1947, a visionary purchases the haunted remnants, seeking a new beginning for his family, but his young daughter senses a ghost from the far past.

In the present, urban explorers unlock the secrets of the past while running a web design company. Photographs and sketches capture the essence of the property, documenting the whispers of spirits from another era.

As the explorers navigate the abandoned corridors and forgotten chambers, the photographs unveil subtle anomalies until supernatural phenomena manifest that defy explanation.

Amidst the subtle changes in decor and the flickering candle flames frozen in time, the explorers find themselves entangled in a mystery transcending the boundaries of the living and the dead, forcing the urban explorers to confront the unresolved secrets that echo through the corridors of time.

Is a structure just that, or can it house remnants of horror, pain and sin? The urban explorers find they must confront the unresolved secrets that echo through the corridors of time.

Buy Link

You can buy WHISPERS THROUGH TIME from your favourite online bookstore at this link:  Books2Read.

 

The Perfect Couple by Jane McLoughlin

I’m happy to host Jane McLoughlin and her debut adult novel, The Perfect Couple, here on Celtic Connexions.

Perfect Couple

Perfect Couple

The Perfect Couple Blurb

It was meant to be the perfect year abroad.

Rob assures me it will be an adventure for us: a year in England living in a gothic mansion. He has a new job and, as his wife, I’ll support him. It will be good for our marriage.

But as soon as we arrive at the house it starts.

The noises.

The voices.

Why can no one else hear anything?

The boy.

Why can no one else see him?

And now Rob is acting strangely. Distant. Dismissive. When I raise it he gets angry. He tells me it’s all in my head. But I can hear the bells in the woods. I can see the boy.

I make friends but I feel they know more than they tell me. Worst of all, they freeze when I tell them where I’m from. Who I am.

I feel myself unravelling. I’m not wrong. There is a secret here that everyone knows. Everyone except me.

This trip of a lifetime is turning into a perfect nightmare.

Book Links

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208277755-the-perfect-couple-an-addictive-psychological-thriller-with-a-shocking-t
Buy Links – https://mybook.to/perfectcouple-zbt

My Review

Jacey and her husband (a University professor) relocated to the UK from America so he could teach in England for one year. The school owns the manor house they moved into, and visiting teachers make their home in it. Malin House is reputedly haunted.

Secrets and ties to Nana Ivy, who grew up in Cambridgeshire, and other strange things happen to Jacey. One recurring phenomenon is the vision of a little boy in summer clothes that only she can see. Who is he?

I enjoyed Jane McLoughlin’s writing style. I’m sure I’ll be looking for more of her books in the future.

About the Author

Perfect Couple

Jane McLoughlin was born and raised in the USA, but has spent most of her adult life in the UK. A former teacher, she has previously published novels for young people, which were nominated for various awards, including the Carnegie Award and the Branford Boase Prize. She has two grown up children, and lives in Brighton. The Perfect Couple is her debut novel for adults.

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JBMcLoughlin

Website: https://janemcloughlinwriter.com/

The Dress by Minnette Meador #bookblitz

Today, at Celtic Connexions, I’m featuring a new release from an author new to me, Minnette Meador. So, without any further ado, shall we check out this book?

Minnette Meador

Blurb

THE DRESS, a comedy of oddities

an urban fantasy by Minnette Meador

Finnigan Harshmiere (Fin to her friends), was odd. Not in the normal sense of the word, but actually, truly, unbelievably odd. So when she is invited to her senior prom, her oddity not only gets her into trouble but creates a miracle she never saw coming. Comedy

“Finnigan Harshmiere (Fin to her friends), was odd. Not in the normal sense of the word, but actually, truly, unbelievably odd.

Dropped on her head as a baby by a stunned doctor, she came out of her mother quietly, with only a small yawn and blinking eyes to greet him. He smacked her twice to make sure, but all she did was scowl at him. Thus the dropping.

As she grew, “like a weed in the garden” as Grandmo used to say, the oddness grew as well.

She liked to stack her toys to play with them, and not just blocks; dolls, books, gizmos, gadgets, everything went into a perfectly straight tower with nary a crook or lean. Fin would spend hours as a child admiring her work and laughing and laughing.”

Buy Link

Amazon

About the Author

Minnette Meador

BIOGRAPHY

Somewhere between thirty and dust…red hair, blue eyes…six kids, one slightly used husband, and any number of pets from time to time… wanttabe hippy… wanttheirmoney yuppie… pro musician and actress for 20 Years… native Oregonian… lover of music, beauty, and all things green. Willing slave to the venerable muse. Minnette currently resides in Lincoln City, Oregon with her husband, having replaced the children with two cats. The cats pretty much run the show. Her novels include:

NOVELS & NOVELLAS:

Starsight, Volume I, II, epic fantasy, (Amazon)

The Centurion & The Queen, Book I in the Centurion Series, historical romance (Amazon)

The Edge of Honor, historical romance, Book II in the Centurion Series (Amazon)

The Gladiator Prince, historical romance, Book III in the Centurion Series (Amazon)

A Ghost of a Chance, paranormal romantic comedy, Book I in the Ghost Series (Amazon)

The Belle Stalker, urban fantasy thriller (Amazon)

Nogero, alternate universe fantasy (Amazon)

Phantom Hearts, paranormal romantic comedy, a Ghost Series Book

Writers’ Tips, Tricks, & Traumas, a book of writing tools (Amazon)

The Dress, a comedy of oddities, Novella (Amazon)

A Boy & His Wizards, a children’s read-aloud book as M.A. Smith (Amazon)

NEW WORKS IN THE WORKS:

The Pirate Prince, historical romance, Book IV (Amazon) 2024

Arpeggios in the Dark, sci-fi 2024

Wy’East, Book II, Urban Fantasy Thriller 2024

Haunted Hearts, Book II in the Ghost Series, paranormal romantic comedy (Amazon) 2025

Starsight, The God Wars (prequel), epic fantasy – 2025

Starsight, The Restless Seed (sequel), epic fantasy – 2025

 

Val Penny brings us Hunter’s Christmas and other stories

#HUNTERSCHRISTMASANDOTHERSTORIES

I’m thrilled to be part of this blog tour of short stories penned by Val Penny. New and old characters are found between the pages. The first story, Hunter’s Christmas, is a tie-in to her DI Hunter Crime Series.
Val Penny

 

Val Penny

Blurb

DI Hunter Wilson is looking forward to spending a holiday in India with his girlfriend Dr Meera Sharma, away from the cold, wet winter of Edinburgh. He looks to share his happiness with others when he is attacked by Santa Claus, he says.

His team swing into action to catch his attackers but then receive information about an elf found dead in a car park and a car stolen by Mrs Claus.

Are the crimes by these Christmas characters connected?

Can Hunter’s team restore peace and good will to Christmas?

Hunter’s Christmas and Other Stories includes tales about DI Hunter Wilson and DS Jane Renwick along with those about new and different characters in this gripping collection of short stories especially for crime fiction readers.

My Review


I found this collection of short stories most entertaining. I admit I was partial to the stories with characters from Val’s DI Hunter Wilson series, and its spin-off series featuring Jane Renwick and Rachael.

I loved the tie-in with Hunter’s Christmas to the sixth book in the series, Hunter’s Rules. Not sure if that classifies as a spoiler or not, but you can read the short story without having read the book or vice versa with no compromise.

Entertaining shorts. Just what a body needs after the Christmas holidays.

Book Links

amazon.co.uk

About Val Penny

Val Penny

Val Penny 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 two cats.

She has a Llb from Edinburgh University and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer.

However she 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 and novels. Her crime novels, The DI Hunter Wilson and Jane Renwick Thrillers, are published by SpellBound Books.

Author Links

Website – www.valpenny.com

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

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

Author Twitter Page –  @valeriepenny

Author Instagram Page – www.instagram.com/valerieepenny/

Starting 2024 out on the right foot

I’m uber thrilled to say that not just one, but both of my books that I entered in the Author Shout 2024 Reader Ready Awards received a silver “Recommended” Read badge! How’s that for starting 2024 out on the right foot? Isn’t it pretty?

Starting 2024

 

It Happened at Percé Rock – Book 3 of my It Happened series…

Beaches meets Born on the 4th of July

Starting 2024

When Melissa Scott flees to the village of Percé, she’s determined to leave her painful memories behind her.

Gareth Young, a soldier with the Canadian Forces, never got over losing his friend in the war in Afghanistan. Nowadays, he’s happier in his own company than that of others, until she enters his life.

Despite her recent breakup and knowing rebound relationships don’t work, Melissa falls head over feet for the handsome military man, only to discover he comes with enough baggage to fill an army cargo plane.

Will the couple be able to work through their issues and achieve a happy ending together?

Should you wish to buy a copy of It Happened at Percé Rock, you can do so at this link: books2read.com

It Happened at Percé Rock features Melissa, the youngest member of the Scott family.

It Happened at Lake Louise – Book 4 of my It Happened series

Only the Brave meets Fallen Angel

Starting 2024

 

A new name. A new look. A new identity. But is it enough?

Lori Brownlee, a victim of childhood sex abuse, has relocated to Calgary to try to put the sordid past and its unpleasant memories behind her. Although it’s been years, specific triggers bring the past roaring back.

Christopher Scott has also suffered a painful past. He currently works in the Oil Sands and, when he’s at work, entrusts the care of his Great Dane to his neighbour.

While Christopher is at work, the nightmare of the distant wildfires becomes a reality. During the mandatory evacuation on May 3, 2016, the dog runs away. With no time to spare searching for the animal, the family flees for their own safety.

Lori, an animal lover, spots the Great Dane on the news. She drops everything and rushes to Fort McMurray to rescue him.

She connects with Christopher Scott through social media, and they agree to meet near the Chateau Lake Louise so she can reunite him with his pet.

Can Christopher move beyond his pain and form a meaningful relationship with Lori? Will Lori’s past come back to haunt her?

The buy link for this book is at this link: books2read

It Happened at Lake Louise features Christopher, the eldest Scott sibling.

I’m definitely starting 2024 out on the right foot, and it hasn’t even arrived yet! I’m hoping that it’s a good omen.

 

 

 

Her Mother’s Daughter by Brian O’Rourke

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

 

 

 

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/